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Big Al's Daily Angle: EPL, NBA, NHL and NCAA Basketball Preview

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jan 19, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features college basketball, the NBA, the NHL, and the English Premier League. The college basketball card tips off at 1 PM ET with UNC-Wilmington playing at Towson. The nationally-televised games begin at 7 PM ET. Tennessee ranks sixth in the country in the current AP poll with a 10-1 record after defeating Vanderbilt on Saturday as a 21.5-point favorite. The Volunteers visit Florida at 7 PM ET on ESPN. The Gators are 6-4 after losing their third game in their last four in a 72-69 loss at Mississippi State on Saturday as a 1-point underdog. Tennessee is a 6.5-point road favorite with the total set at 137 (all odds from BetOnline).Michigan hosts Maryland on FS1 at 7 PM ET. The Wolverines lost their first game of the season on Saturday in a 75-57 upset loss at Minnesota as a 5-point favorite. They rank seventh by the AP with an 11-1 record. The Terrapins are 8-6 after their 100-58 win against Wingate on Friday. Michigan is a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 141.USC travels to Oregon State at 7 PM ET on ESPN2. The Trojans are 11-2 with six straight wins after they defeated Washington State on Saturday by an 85-77 score as a 12-point favorite. The Beavers snapped a two-game losing streak to improve their record to 6-5 with an 80-79 upset win at Arizona State as a 6-point underdog. USC is a 10.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 139.DePaul plays at home against Butler at 7 PM ET on the CBS Sports Network. The Blue Demons are 2-4 after ending their four-game losing streak with a 77-58 win against Valparaiso as an 8-point favorite on Saturday. The Bulldogs are 4-7 after upsetting Creighton on Saturday by a 70-66 score as a 2-point underdog. DePaul is a 1-point favorite with a total at 135.5.Winthrop travels to Presbyterian at 7 PM ET on ESPNU. The Eagles remained undefeated this season in 13 games with their 70-50 victory against Longwood on Friday as a 16.5-point favorite. The Blues Hose are 3-5 on the year after their 73-51 loss at Campbell as a 7.5-point underdog on Friday. Winthrop is a -16-point road favorite with an over/under of 145.Villanova hosts Seton Hall at 9 PM ET on FS1. The Wildcats rank third by the AP despite not having played since December 23rd due to COVID issues. The Wildcats are 8-1 after defeating Marquette on the road by an 85-68 score as a 5-point favorite almost a month ago. The Pirates are 9-5 after winning their fourth game in five cones on January 9th in a 76-68 triumph at DePaul as a 4-point favorite. Villanova is a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 140.5.LSU plays at home against Alabama on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET. The Tigers are 10-2 with four wins in a row after their 85-80 victory on Saturday as a 5.5-point favorite against South Carolina. The Crimson Tide ranks 18th by the AP with seven straight wins for an 11-3 record after defeating Arkansas by a 90-59 score as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. LSU is a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 163.5. Duke plays at Pittsburgh on ESPN at 9 PM ET. The Blue Devils are 5-3 after losing at Virginia Tech last Tuesday by a 74-67 score as a 3.5-point underdog. The Panthers are 7-2 after upsetting Syracuse on Saturday by a 96-76 score as a 3.5-point underdog. Duke is a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 141.Utah State hosts Colorado State at 9 PM ET on the CBS Sports Network. The Aggies are 11-3 with ten straight victories after they defeated San Diego State, 64-59, on Saturday as a 3.5-point favorite. The Rams are 10-2 with four straight wins after their 88-61 win at San Jose State on Saturday laying 19.5-points. Utah State is a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 137.5.The NBA has a light schedule with two games on tap, both starting at 9 PM ET. Utah hosts New Orleans as a 6.5-point favorite, with the total at 218. Denver is at home against Oklahoma City as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 218. Neither game is on national television.The NHL has seven games on their Tuesday card. Pittsburgh hosts Washington at 7 PM on the NBC Sports Network. The Penguins are 1-2-0 after winning the opening game of their back-to-back with the Capitals on Sunday in a 4-3 victory in overtime. Washington lost their first game of the season with that setback. Pittsburgh is a -125 money line favorite with a total of 6.5.Two matches take place in the English Premier League. West Ham United plays at home against West Bromwich Albion at 1 PM ET as a -1 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5 on the NBC Peacock app. Chelsea and Leicester City play at 3:15 PM ET on the NBC Sports Network in a pick ‘em matchup with the total set at 2.5.

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NCAA Monday Night Basketball: Baylor/Kansas Preview

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jan 18, 2021

The nightcap for ESPN’s Big Monday college basketball double-header is a heavyweight showdown between two Big 12 teams ranked in the top-six nationally. Baylor ranks second in the Associated Press poll with a 12-0 record. The Bears last played on Saturday when they pulled away from Texas Tech to earn a 68-60 win in Lubbock as a 4.5-point favorite. Jared Butler took over late by nailing two 3-pointers that helped Baylor pull away from the Red Raiders. The junior leads the team with a 15.6 points-per-game scoring average. He also adds 5.2 assists-per-game.Butler is amongst six players that score at least 8.8 points-per-game for the Bears. Head coach Scott Drew has a deep rotation with nine players averaging at least 14 minutes per game. Drew had six players return from last year's rotation that finished 26-4.Baylor has high-profile victories against Illinois and Oklahoma, in addition to the win against Texas Tech over the weekend. That 8-point victory against the Red Raiders was the closest game they have played all season. Yet it was also the second-straight game where they did not score at least 76 points. The Bears had averaged 91.2 points-per-game in their first ten games. Baylor has the fourth-best offense in adjusted offensive efficiency according to the numbers at kenpom. They are also fourth in the country with a 42.3% shooting percentage from 3-point land. The Bears rank eighth by rebounding 38.2% of their missed shots. Drew’s team is the top-ranked team in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They force turnovers in 26.9% of their opponent’s possessions, which is third best. If there was a weakness to this team, it might start with their defensive rebounding. Baylor allows their opponents to rebound 28.9% of their missed shots, 211th in the nation. The Bears do not get as many freebies on the charity stripe given a free throw rate that is 206th.Kansas last played on Tuesday when they were upset at Oklahoma State, 75-70, as a 3.5-point favorite. Head coach Bill Self was not happy with his team’s effort on defense, describing his players as “slow” and that they “did not guard.” The Jayhawks allowed 37 fast break opportunities for the Cowboys. Kansas also struggled to shoot the basketball as they missed 16 of their 21 shots from 3-point land. They turned the ball over 15 times while assisting on just nine baskets.David McCormack was a bright spot for the Jayhawks with his 24 points and 12 rebounds. The junior forward has scored 20.3 points-per-game in his last three games with 7.0 rebounds-per-game and 2.5 blocks per game. Kansas is led in scoring by Ochai Agbaji with his 14.7 points-per-game average. The junior has made 22 shots from 3-point land in his last seven games. His 42.7% shooting mark from downtown is tops in the Big 12.Despite Agbaji’s efforts, the Jayhawks make only 31.7% of their 3-pointers in conference play, the eighth lowest in the Big 12. Kansas can struggle to score baskets. Their 48.7% shooting percentage inside the arc this season is 211th. The kenpom adjusted offensive efficiency numbers do rank the Jayhawks 23rd in the nation. They pull down 35.1% of their misses, 23rd best in the country. They rank 10th in adjusted defensive efficiency.Kansas ranks sixth in the nation in the AP poll with a 10-3 record. Their three losses were against number-one ranked Gonzaga as well as Texas and their setback to Oklahoma State. The Jayhawks have quality victories against Creighton, West Virginia, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma. The COVID postponements Kansas experienced since their game with the Cowboys has presented Self with more practice time to prepare for Baylor. Five-star freshman Bryce Thompson remains out with his finger injury. BookMaker lists Baylor as an 8.5-point favorite with the total set at 148. The ESPN broadcast starts at 9 PM ET.

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Ness Notes: Monday, Jan 18

by Larry Ness

Monday, Jan 18, 2021

This column will be available Monday through Friday (posted no later than 1:00 ET), EXCLUSIVELY at BigAl.com. I like to call it my daily 'random thoughts' on the sports betting world, although I'll pass along that my therapist refers to it as "thoughtful commentary."The NFL's Super Wild Card weekend saw home teams go 2-4 SU and 2-4 ATS and until that 'explosion' in which the Browns beat the Steelers 48-37, the first five wild card games averaged a very modest 43.6 PPG. Three of the first five went over (counting Ind/Buf as an over, with that total closing 50 1/2 and ending 51). Obviously, Cle/Pit went over, making four overs and two unders for the weekend, as games averaged 50.5 points.The Division Round saw home teams bounce back to go 2-0 SU & ATS, as the Packers beat the Rams 32-18 and the Bills beat the Ravens 17-3. However, it was the road teams that went 2-0 ATS on Sunday, as the Browns lost 22-17 at the Chiefs (but covered) and the Bucs avenged two regular season losses to the Saints by winning 30-20 in New Orleans. Doing the math, home teams were 3-1 SU but 2-2 ATS and the four games averaged a modest 40.3 PPG, as ONLY the Rams/Packers game went over the total. The playoff numbers so far show home teams 5-5 SU and 4-6 ATS, while there have been five overs and five unders.The AFC and NFC championship games are set for Sunday, with Tampa Bay at Green Bay kicking off at 3:05 ET on FOX and Buffalo at Kansas City at 6:40 ET on CBS. The early lines show Green Bay favored by 3 1/2-points (over/under is 51) and Kansas City favored by three points (over/under is 54). Thursday's Notes will feature the NFC (how the teams got here and a preview) and Friday's Notes will cover the AFC.CBB: (Fri-Sun recap): Friday saw just one ranked team in action, as No. 9 Wisconsin bounced back from an embarrassing 77-54 loss at Michigan on Tuesday, to win 60-54 at Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights have now lost FIVE of six games since opening 6-0 and climbing as high as No. 11 in the AP poll back on Dec 21. Saturday featured FOUR games between ranked opponents and the higher ranked teams lost THREE of them. The exception was No. 2 Baylor upping its record to 12-0 with a 68-60 win at No. 15 Texas Tech. Losing for the FIRST time this season was No. 7 Michigan, which saw its 10-0 start to the season end with a THUD, falling 75-57 at No. 23 Minnesota (note: Gophers are 11-0 at home!). No. 12 Clemson was routed at home 85-50 by No. 18 Virginia but maybe that shouldn't have been a surprise. After all, UVa has now beaten the Tigers 11 straight! Finally, it was No. 14 Illinois losing 87-81 at home to No. 21 Ohio St, as the Illini fell to 9-5. Will they still be ranked in Monday's newest AP poll? Not only did three of the higher ranked teams lose to the lower ranked ones on Saturday (1-3 SU & ATS), we also saw the six ranked teams in action vs unranked ones go 1-5 ATS! No. 1 Gonzaga, No. 4 Texas and No. 10 Tennessee won but failed to cover, while No. 17 Missouri broke that trend with a win and cover at Texas A&M. No. 8 Creighton and No. 16 Louisville both lost OUTRIGHT.Sunday saw all three ranked teams win (No. 5 Iowa, No. 11 Houston and No. 20 Va Tech), with only the Hokies failing to cover. Doing the math, ranked teams vs unranked opponents went 8-2 SU but just 4-6 ATS. Games between ranked opponents now stand at 26-15 (.634) SU but just 21-20 (51.2%) ATS in favor of the higher ranked team. There is just one game between ranked opponents on Monday, as No. 2 Baylor (12-0) will host No. 6 Kansas (10-3), Baylor is a money-making 10-2 ATS (compared to Gonzaga's 6-7-1 ATS mark), including 5-0 SU & ATS in the Big 12 with a MOV of 18.6 PPG. Meanwhile, the Jayhawks are just 2-2 (1-3 ATS) after a 9-1 start to the season. Pending the AP's latest poll (announced this afternoon), there are two ranked teams in action on Monday facing unranked opponents. Louisville is currently No. 16 and will host 7-2 Florida St, but the Seminoles very likely will be ranked come tip-off (not sure Louisville will be). The other game is No. 25 UConn (7-1), which will surely remain ranked before hosting 7-7 St John's. Baylor is favored by 8 1/2-points, Louisville by 2 1/2-points and UConn by seven points.NBA: It's MLK Day and the league features a busy NINE-game schedule, including a TNT tripleheader. It starts with 7-4 Phoenix (-5) at Memphis (5:05 ET), followed by 9-4 Milwaukee (-2.5) at 8-6 Brooklyn (7:35 ET) and wraps up with Golden St visiting the 11-3 LA Lakers (-8.5) at 10:05 ET. Not sure there is much interest in the Suns/Grizzlies game but the Bucks at the Nets will have everyone's attention. Milwaukee has won SEVEN of eight (averaging 119 PPG) and owns the East's best point-differential at plus 10.7 PPG. James Harden's Brooklyn debut (on Friday) saw him score 32 points, add 14 assists and 12 rebounds in 40 minutes (it was his 47th career triple-double). Kevin Durant sure didn't seem to mind 'sharing the stage' with Harden, as he scored a season-high 42 points. The Lakers have won FIVE in a row and continue to own the NBA's best record (11-3) and just recently passed the Bucks for the NBA's top point-differential (plus-11.0). Tuesday will begin the NBA's fifth week and Ness Notes will take a look back at the first month.Good luck...Larry

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NCAA Basketball, EPL and NHL Preview

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jan 18, 2021

The Monday card features a full day of action starting in the afternoon of this Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. The NBA, NHL, college basketball and the English Premier League feature day games. The nationally-televised college basketball schedule tips off at 2:30 PM ET on Fox with UConn hosting St. John’s as an 8.5-point favorite with the total set at 143 (all odds from BetOnline). The Huskies are ranked 25th in the nation in the latest Associated Press poll. LaSalle plays at home at 4 PM ET against Saint Joseph’s as a 1.5-point favorite with the over/under at 145.5. At 7 PM ET on ESPN, Florida State plays at Louisville. The Cardinals are ranked 16th by the AP. Baylor plays at home against Kansas at 9 PM ET on ESPN in a battle of ranked Big 12 rivals. The Jayhawks rank sixth in the AP poll while the Bears are second. The Bears are a 9-point favorite with the total at 141. UNLV plays at home at 9:30 PM ET on FS1 against New Mexico as a 12-point favorite with an over/under of 139.Eight games are on tap in the NHL with the NBC Sports Network broadcasting four of the games. The puck drops at noon ET with Columbus visiting Detroit as a -160 money line road favorite with the total at 5.5. At 5 PM ET, Boston travels to New York to play the Islanders as a -130 money line road favorite with an over/under of  5.5. Philadelphia hosts Buffalo at 7:30 PM ET as a -157 money line favorite with the total set at 6. The card concludes at 10 PM ET with Vegas playing at home against Arizona as a -190 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.The NBA has nine games on its MLK Day schedule. The card tips off at noon ET with Orlando playing in Madison Square Garden against the Knicks as a -1.5 road favorite with the total at 206.5.A TNT triple header begins at 5:05 PM ET with Phoenix playing at Memphis. The Suns hope to take the court again for the first time since last Monday when they were upset at Washington by a 128-107 score as a 6-point underdog. Phoenix went into quarantine after the Wizards experienced a COVID outbreak which led them to postpone three games last week. The Suns have yet to have a player test positive. Memphis has won four games in a row after their 106-104 win against Philadelphia on Saturday as a 2-point favorite. Milwaukee travels to Brooklyn to play the new-look Nets on TNT at 7:30 PM ET. The Bucks have won four straight games after their 112-109 win against Dallas on Friday as a 7.5-point favorite. The Nets have won their last three games with their 122-115 win against Orlando as a 9.5-point favorite. James Harden scored 42 points in his debut with Brooklyn after the blockbuster trade that sent him over from Houston. Milwaukee is a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 237.5.The TNT triple-header concludes at 10 PM ET with the Los Angeles Lakers playing at home against Golden State. The reigning NBA champions have won five in a row after they defeated New Orleans on Friday by a 112-95 score as an 8.5-point favorite. The Warriors have lost their last two games after their 114-104 loss in Denver on Thursday as a 4.5-point underdog. The Lakers are 9-point favorites with the total at 225.The English Premier League continues at 3 PM ET with Arsenal hosting Newcastle United. The Gunners are -1.25 goal line favorites with an over/under at 2.5. The NBC Sports Network has the broadcast.

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NFL Sunday Night Football: Saints/Buccaneers Preview

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jan 17, 2021

The NFL divisional playoffs conclude Sunday night at 6:40 PM ET, with New Orleans hosting Tampa Bay in the final game of their NFC South trilogy this season.Tampa Bay Bay lost two games in a row at home by identical 27-24 scores to the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City at the end of November to place their playoff aspirations in jeopardy. The Buccaneers have since won all five of their games and advanced to the NFC divisional round of the playoffs last week with their 31-23 victory at Washington. Tom Brady completed 22 of 40 passes for 381 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions against the Football Team’s defense. The 43-year old veteran completed 65.7% of his passes in the regular season for 4633 yards with 40 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions in his first season in Tampa Bay.The Buccaneers have scored 40.7 points-per-game in their last three games while averaging 526.7 yards-per-game in those contests. The Tampa Bay defense has held their last three opponents to 20.8 points-per-game and 315.3 yards-per-game. The Bucs’ defense ranks eighth in the NFL by allowing 22.2 points-per-game and limiting their opponents to 329.9 yards-per-game. Their defense gets linebacker Devin White back from the COVID list for this game. New Orleans has won their last three games after defeating Chicago last Sunday by a 21-9 score as an 11-point favorite. Drew Brees completed 28 of 39 passes for 265 yards with two touchdown passes. Brees completed 70.5% of his passes in his 12 games in the regular season for 2942 yards with 24 touchdown passes and six interceptions. In his last four games since returning from his rib injury in December, Brees has completed 84 of 131 passes for a 64.1% completion percentage with 1011 yards with eight touchdown passes and three interceptions. The Saints are fifth in the NFL with a 29.6 points-per-game scoring average. The New Orleans defense was third in the league by allowing 20.4 points-per-game, and they ranked second by holding their opponents to 306.4 yards-per-game. This unit gets a boost with defensive end Troy Hendrickson expected to return to action tonight.Head coach Sean Payton is not likely to have quarterback Taysom Hill and running back Latavius Murray with the reports this afternoon that is it “not looking good” that they will be able to take the field. Hill is dealing with a knee injury while Murray has a quad. Cornerback Patrick Robinson is out with a hamstring. Center William Clapp is unavailable on the COVID list. Guard Nick Easton became the sixth player this season to go on their Injured List. Running back Ronald Jones is questionable with a quad after taking part in limited practice for Tampa Bay. Safety Jordan Whitehead is questionable with a knee, and he also took part in limited practice this week. Safety Andrew Adams did not practice this week and is questionable. Defensive tackle Jeremiah Ledbetter is out with his calf injury. Guard Alex Cappa was the seventh player to either be declared out the season or put on Injured Reserve. New Orleans won the first meeting between these two teams on September 13th in a 34-20 victory as a 4-point favorite. The Saints then upset the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay on November 8th by a 38-3 score as a 3-point underdog. BookMaker lists New Orleans as a 2.5-point favorite, with the total set at 53. Kickoff is at 6:40 PM ET on Fox.

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NFL Sunday Afternoon Football: Chiefs/Browns Preview

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jan 17, 2021

The NFL divisional playoffs continue on Sunday at 3:05 PM ET with Kansas City hosting Cleveland. Cleveland has won two straight games as well as seven of their last nine contests after they upset Pittsburgh on the road last Sunday night by a 48-37 score as a 5-point underdog. The Steelers’ first play from scrimmage was a toss over Ben Roethlisberger’s head in shotgun formation that the Browns recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. After the first quarter ended, Cleveland had a 28-0 lead. Roethlisberger threw four interceptions in giving the Browns a +5 net turnover margin. Cleveland returned home to reunite with a handful of players and staff that did not make the trip due to quarantine requirements from the COVID outbreak that impacted the team earlier in the week. First-year head coach Kevin Stefanski was one of the individuals that did not experience first-hand the Browns’ first playoff game in 17 years. Stefanski rejoined his team on Thursday and he will be on the sidelines for this game. It appears that all the players on Cleveland’s COVID list last week will be available to play this week. The Browns have four players on their injury list as questionable. Tackle Jack Conklin is questionable with a knee and hamstring injuries. Cornerback B.J. Goodson is dealing with a shoulder. Tight end David Njoku has a hamstring. All three players participated in limited practice sessions this week. Tight end Stephen Carlson was added to the injury list on Friday after practicing all week with a groin injury. Cornerback Robert Jackson was played on Injured Reserve earlier in the week. The Browns also lost their second-leading tackler in defensive end Olivier Vernon to a season-ending Achilles’ injury before the playoffs started. Baker Mayfield completed 21 of 34 passes for 263 yards with three touchdown passes against the Steelers last week to lead his team to victory. He completed 62.8% of his passes in the regular season for 3563 yards with 26 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. Running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt combined to run the ball 26 times for 124 yards with two touchdowns in helping Cleveland end their playoff drought with the victory. Chubb ran for 1067 yards in the regular season with a 5.6 yards-per-carry average and 12 rushing touchdowns. Hunt added 841 yards with another six rushing touchdowns. Kansas City takes the field again after their bye week after ending their regular season with a 38-21 loss at home to the Los Angeles Chargers two weeks ago. The Chiefs rested starters including quarterback Patrick Mahomes in that game since they had already locked-up the top seed in the AFC playoffs. Mahomes enters this game rested after completing 66.3% of his passes of 4740 yards with 38 touchdown passes and six interceptions. He added 388 yards on the ground. This game will be head coach Andy Reid’s 30th with the benefit of the bye week. In his coaching career going back to his time with the Philadelphia Eagles, Reid has gone 25-4 with an extra week of rest and preparation once the season has started. His teams have covered the point spread 19 times in those 29 games playing after a bye week. However, those numbers tighten since he became the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs (and his success off byes became commonplace fodder on ESPN). While the Chiefs have won eight of their eleven games coming off a bye week under Reid, they have only covered the point spread in six of those games.The Chiefs will be tested by the Browns’ rushing attack. Kansas City ranks 19th in the NFL by allowing 122.1 rushing yards-per-game. They also allow opposing rushers to average 4.5 yards-per-carry which is 18th in the league. However, because the Chiefs are often playing with the lead, perhaps those numbers are misleading since their opponents abandon the run. The DVOA metrics at Football Outsiders rank Kansas City a 31st in the NFL in rush defense. BetAnySports lists the Chiefs as a 9.5-point favorite with the total set at 57.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: EPL, NBA, NFL and NCAA Basketball Preview

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jan 17, 2021

The Sunday card features a busy day of sports headlined by the final two NFL divisional playoff games. A slate of college basketball complements action in the NBA, NHL, and the English Premier League.The NFL card kicks off at 3:05 PM ET, with Cleveland playing at Kansas City. The Browns come off a 48-37 upset win at Pittsburgh last Sunday as a 5-point underdog. The Chiefs come off their bye week after losing at home to the Los Angeles Chargers by a 38-21 score on January 3rd as a 7-point underdog in a game where Patrick Mahomes and other key starters did not play because they already had the top seed in the AFC playoffs locked up. Kansas City is a 10-point favorite with the total set at 57 (all odds from BetOnline). CBS has the broadcast.The final game in the NFL divisional playoffs kicks off at 6:40 PM ET, with Tampa Bay traveling to New Orleans in the third game between these NFC South rivals. The Buccaneers won five in a row after their 31-23 victory at Washington last Saturday as a 10-point favorite. The Saints have won three games in a row after they beat Chicago by a 21-9 score last Sunday as an 11-point favorite. New Orleans is a 3-point favorite today with an over/under of 52. The game is on Fox.The NHL has two games on its docket. At 12:05 PM ET, Pittsburgh hosts Washington on NBC. The Penguins are looking for their first victory of the season after losing their first two games with their 5-2 loss at Philadelphia on Friday. The Capitals are 2-0 after winning at Buffalo on Friday by a 2-1 margin. Pittsburgh is a -119 money line favorite with the total at 6. The nightcap has Florida hosting Chicago at 7:05 PM ET as a -153 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5.The NBA schedule features six games. Boston hosts New York at 1:05 PM ET as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 212.5 to tip off the card. The card concludes at 10:05 PM ET with the Los Angeles Clippers playing at home against Indiana as a 5.5-point favorite with the total at 221.5.The college basketball card begins at Noon PM ET with Iowa playing on the road at Northwestern on CBS. The Hawkeyes are a 10-point road favorite with an over/under of 156. At 2 PM ET, Houston plays at home against Central Florida on ESPNU as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 130. UMass visits Fordham at 2:30 PM ET as an 8-point road favorite with an over/under of 135.5.Nevada hosts Fresno State at 4 PM ET on the CBS Sports Network as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 135.5. At 4:30 PM ET, Dayton travels to George Washington as an 8-point road favorite with an over/under of 139.5. Loyola-Chicago plays at home against Northern Iowa at 5 PM ET as a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 138. At 6 PM ET, Lafayette plays at Loyola (MD) on the CBS Sports Network as a 1-point road favorite with the total set at 151.Three plays are on tap in the English Premier League as Matchweek 19 continues. Tottenham visits Sheffield United at 9 AM ET on the NBC Sports Network as a -0.75 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Liverpool hosts Manchester United at 11:30 AM ET on Peacock as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2.75. At 2:15 PM ET, Manchester City plays at home against Crystal Palace on Peacock as a -2 goal line favorite with the over/under at 3

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NFL Saturday Night Football: Bills/Ravens Preview

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jan 16, 2021

The Saturday night contest in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs involves two of the hottest teams in the league.Baltimore has won six straight games with an average scoring margin of +17.3 points-per-game during that span. Yet Buffalo bests those numbers with their seven-game winning streak where they have outscored their opponents by +17.4 points-per-game.The Ravens advanced to this showdown last Sunday with their 20-13 victory at Tennessee as a 3.5-point favorite. Lamar Jackson completed 17 of 24 passes for 179 yards with an interception in the win. The Baltimore quarterback added 136 rushing yards with a touchdown from his 16 carries. Jackson is completing 64.4% of his passes this season for 2757 yards with 26 touchdown passes and nine interceptions. He has rushed for 1005 yards with another seven touchdowns. Baltimore is scoring 28.7 points-per-game this season behind a ground attack that averages 35 rushing attempts per game that produces 194 rushing yards-per-game. Running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards have rushed for 805 and 723 yards, respectively. The Ravens possess the league’s best scoring defense that holds their opponents to 18.6 points-per-game. They held Derrick Henry to just 40 rushing yards last week from his 18 carries.Buffalo is the second-highest scoring team in the NFL by averaging 31.1 points-per-game. Josh Allen leads a Bills’ attack that is third in the league by averaging 289.5 passing yards-per-game. Allen completed 26 of 35 passes for 324 yards with two touchdown passes in their 27-24 victory against the Colts last Saturday as a 7-point favorite. Allen also rushed for 54 yards on 11 carries. Allen is completing 69.2% of his passes this season for 4544 yards with 37 touchdown passes and ten interceptions. He has added 421 rushing yards with another eight touchdowns. The Bills are allowing 23.5 points-per-game on defense, with opposing teams averaging 359.5 yards-per-game. Buffalo hosts this game with an 8-1 record at home.Buffalo has only one player on their injury list, with defensive end Darryl Johnson questionable with a knee injury after not practicing all week. The Bills have lost four players to injury this season after running back Zack Moss is out for the rest of the year with his knee injury. Baltimore has four players on their final injury report. Cornerback Marcus Peters is questionable with a back injury, but he did take part in limited practices. Tackle D.J. Fluker is also questionable with a knee, yet he was also a limited participant in practice this week. Linebacker Matthew Judon got upgraded to probable after dealing with an illness. He took part in full practice by the end of the week. Defensive end Derek Wolfe did not practice this week but was not listed on the final injury report. These two teams last played in December of 2019 when Baltimore defeated the Bills on the road by a 24-17 score as a 6.5-point favorite. BetAnySports lists Buffalo as a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 49.5. NBC has the broadcast at 8:15 PM ET.

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Ness Notes: Saturday, Jan 16

by Larry Ness

Saturday, Jan 16, 2021

This column will be available Monday through Friday (posted no later than 1:00 ET), EXCLUSIVELY at BigAl.com. I like to call it my daily 'random thoughts' on the sports betting world, although I'll pass along that my therapist refers to it as "thoughtful commentary." This is a special Saturday NFL-only Ness Notes edition.Last Saturday and Sunday was called the NFL's Super Wild Card weekend, as there were SIX games as opposed to the usual four. Home teams went 2-4 SU and 2-4 ATS and until last Sunday night's 'explosion' in which the Browns beat the Steelers 47-38, the first five wild card games averaged a very modest 43.6 PPG. Three of the first five went over (counting Ind/Buf as an over, with that total closing 50 1/2 and ending 51). Obviously, Cle/Pit went over, making four overs and two unders for the weekend, as games averaged 50.5 points. Before getting to each of this weekend's games (NFL's Division Round), let me note something about the eight starting QBs. Baker Mayfield is 25, a few months older than Patrick Mahomes, making him the 'graybeard' among the four starting QBs in the AFC 25. Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen are both still only 24 years old. This is in HUGE contrast to the NFC, where the youngest QB Jared Goff (at 26), is older than all four AFC starting QBs. However, he's 11 years younger than Rodgers (37), 16 year younger than Brees (42) and 17 years younger than Brady (43). Not sure what that is worth but I found it interesting. Let's get to the games. The LA Rams (No. 6 seed) will take on Green Bay (No. 1 seed) at Lambeau Field at 4:35 ET on FOX. Over in the AFC, it's a 'Battle of the Bs," as the Ravens (No. 5 seed) travel to Bills Stadium in Orchard Park to face the Bills (No. 2 seed) at 8:15 ET on NBC.The Rams started undrafted rookie QB John Wolford at Seattle last week due to Jared Goff's thumb injury but they beat the NFC West champion Seahawks by battering Russell Wilson and avoiding mistakes. The Rams allowed the fewest points (18.5 PPG) and total yards (281.9 YPG) during the regular season and allowed Seattle just 278 total yards and 11 FDs, while holding them to 20 points. Russell Wilson completed only 11 of 27 (40.7%) for 174 yards with two TDS, while throwing a "pick-6" and getting sacked FIVE times (QB rating of 72.1)! Wilson finished the regular season having completed 68.8% for almost 300 YPG with 40 TDs and just 13 INTs with a QB rating of 105.1.The Rams come to Lambeau to face Aaron Rodgers and a Green Bay offense that led the NFL in scoring at 31.8 PPG and also committed the fewest TOs (11). Rodgers was consistently GREAT in 2020, leading the NFL with 48 TDs, a 70.7 percent completion rate, a 121.5 passer rating, a league-tying-low five INTs. He's the overwhelming favorite to win the MVP award. WR Davante Adams is the first player in NFL history to have at least 100 receptions with 18 receiving TDs in a season, as he finished with 115 receptions and 18 TDs in just 14 games. Goff will start at QB for LA plus both DT Aaron Donald (ribs) and leading WR Cooper Kupp (knee) will play. Will offense prevail over defense? The Packers are favored by 6 1/2-points (over/under is 45 1/2).The Baltimore Ravens ended last season on a 12-game winning streak and entered the 2019 postseason 14-2 as the AFC's No. 1 seed. However, the Ravens lost 28-12 at home to the Titans as 10-point favorites. The Ravens drew the Titans again last weekend and fell behind 10-0 in the first quarter but dominated the rest of the way in winning 20-13. Lamar Jackson finally got his first postseason victory (0-2), running for 136 yards and a 48-yard TD while throwing for 179 yards. The Baltimore D held Tennessee to its fewest points all season and smothered 2,000-yard rusher Derrick Henry. Henry had run all over the Ravens with 328 yards rushing combined in the last two meetings but had his worst performance of the season, gaining only 40 yards on 18 carries. The Bills won the AFC East for the first time since 1995 (Josh Allen set franchise records of 4,544 passing yards and 37 TDs) but entered their game with the Colts having lost their last SIX playoff contests since last winning a postseason game following the 1995 season. The Bills' 27-24 win over the Colts snapped that 0-6 postseason skid, winning their first playoff game since a 37-22 win over Miami on Dec 30, 1995. Allen passed for 324 yards with two TDs and zero INTs (121.6 QB rating), while leading the team in rushing with 54 yards and a TD. He's in just this third season but in two playoff games, has become only the FIFTH player since at least 1940 to score a touchdown rushing, passing and receiving in his playoff career (he scored on a 16-yard catch from John Brown in a 22-19 OT loss at Houston a year ago). Which is the 'hotter team? Buffalo enters on a SEVEN-game winning streak and has won 10 of 11, losing only at Arizona when Murray and Hopkins connected on that improbable "Hail Mary." That said, Baltimore has been playing with a win-or-done urgency since early December, following a 1-4 skid that dropped it to 6-5. The Ravens were depleted by a COVID-19 outbreak in a 19-14 loss at Pittsburgh (but covered), before reeling off six consecutive wins and seven straight ATS wins. Buffalo is favored by 2 1/2-points and the over/under is 49 1/2.The Browns scored 14 seconds into their game at Pittsburgh last Sunday and led 28-0 at the end of the second quarter! Cleveland was without head coach Kevin Stefanski, who tested positive for COVID-19, and assorted other coaches and players because of protocol related to the pandemic. The Browns had limited practice time NONE of that mattered. The Browns were playing their first playoff game since 2002 and walked away with the team's first playoff victory since beating the Pats on New Year's Day 1995 (1994 season), 48-37. However, as a reward Cleveland (No. 6 seed) will travel to Arrowhead Stadium (3:05 DET on CBS) to take on the defending champion KC Chiefs, who earned the AFC's No. 1 seed by going 14-2.Baker Mayfield matured this season and threw for 263 yards with three TDs and no interceptions last week in Pittsburgh. He has not thrown an interception in his last FIVE games. Cleveland averaged 148.4 YPG on the ground, the most for the franchise since 1978. Browns RB Kareem Hunt (841 yards) will face the Chiefs for the first time since they released him but the star RB is Nick Chubb, who is the first player since Miami's Mercury Morris in 1972 to rush for at least 1,000 yards (1,067) and score 12 TDs (he had 12) on 190 or fewer attempts. However, when one talks about offensive stars, Patrick Mahomes shines as bright as any. He was second in the NFL with 4,740 yards passing and fourth with 38 TD passes despite sitting out Week 17. Mahomes has 13 TDs and no interceptions in four postseason starts at Arrowhead Stadium. Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire was fourth among rookies with 1,100 yards from scrimmage despite missing three games to injuries. Tyreek Hill was second among WRs with 17 total TDs this season and unanimous All-Pro TE Travis Kelce had 1,416 yards receiving in 15 games (catches), the most in a season by a TE in NFL history. KC is favored by 10 points (over/under is 57) and while the Chiefs were just 7-9 ATS this season, the Browns were only 6-10.The marquee matchup of the weekend will be a showdown between Tom Brady and Drew Brees, the two most productive passers in NFL history. The Tampa Bucs (No. 5 seed) visit the Superdome to take on the New Orleans Saints (No. 2 seed), the only team to have beaten Tom Brady twice in the same season. Drew Brees and the Saints ruined Brady's debut with the Buccaneers after 20 seasons in New England when they prevailed 34-23 in the season opener in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and they handed Brady the worst loss of his career when they completed the season-series sweep with a 38-3 rout in Tampa on Nov 8. Brady is 43 years old and Brees turned 42 on Friday. This will be the first time the two have met in the playoffs.Brady threw for 381 yards and two TDs in the Bucs' 31-23 win at Washington. It was his 42nd postseason start (31st win). However, it was his first not in a New England Patriots uniform and he led the Bucs to their first playoff victory since the 2002 season! Brees three for 265 yards (2 TDs / 0 INTs / 107.3 QB rating), RB Kamara returned to rush for 99 yards and WR Thomas caught five passes with a TD in the Saints' 21-9 win over the Bears. However, the defense was the star, holding Chicago to 11 FDs and 239 yards, 99 of which came on the game's final TD drive.The combined ages on game day of Brady and Brees will be 85, the highest in NFL history. The Bucs averaged 30.8 PPG (3rd) and New Orleans 30.1 PPG (5th) during the regular season but as noted above, the Saints dominated the Bucs in both regular season meetings. The stakes are much higher in this THIRD meeting, as the winner will earn a trip to the NFC Championship on Jan 24. The Saints are favored by three points (over/under is 52).Good luck...Larry

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Big Al's Daily Angle: EPL, NHL, NBA, NFL and NCAA Basketball Preview

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jan 16, 2021

The Saturday card features a busy day of sports headlined by the opening two NFL divisional playoff games. A full slate of college basketball complements action in the NBA, NHL, and the English Premier League.The NFL playoffs kick off today at 4:35 PM ET with Green Bay hosting the LA Rams. The Packers come off a bye week after defeating Chicago to end the regular season by a 35-16 score as a 4.5-point favorite. The Rams upset Seattle on the road last week, 30-20, as a 3-point underdog. Green Bay is a 4.5-point favorite with the total set at 45.5 (all odds from BetOnline). Fox has the broadcast. The NFL nightcap takes place at 8:15 PM ET, with Baltimore traveling to Buffalo. The Ravens have won six games in a row after they defeated Tennessee on the road last week by a 20-13 score as a 3.5-point favorite. The Bills won seven in a row with their 27-24 victory against Indianapolis as a 7-point favorite last Saturday. Buffalo is a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 49.5. The game is on NBC.Six games are on tap in the NBA. San Antonio hosts Houston at 5:05 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite, with the total at 216.5 to tip off the card. Portland plays at home against Atlanta as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 235 to close out the schedule. None of the games are on national television.The first Saturday of the NHL season has ten games. The puck drops at 1 PM ET, with Boston playing at New Jersey as a -185 money line favorite with the total at 5.5. Two games conclude the card at 10 PM ET. Carolina plays at home against Vancouver as a -138 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Anaheim visits Vegas with the Golden Knights priced as a -220 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. The college basketball card tips off at noon PM ET with Florida State hosting North Carolina on ESPN as a 4-point favorite with a total of 145.5. Marquette visits St. John’s at noon on FS1 as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 154. Ole Miss plays at home against Georgia at noon on ESPN2 as an 8-point favorite with a total of 145.5.San Diego State visits Utah State at 1:30 PM ET on the CBS with the Aggies a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5.At 2 PM ET, Michigan visits Minnesota on ESPN2 as a 6-point road favorite with the total set at 148. Creighton goes on the road to play at Butler on FS1 as an 8-point road favorite with a total of 140. Bucknell hosts Lehigh on the NBC Sports Network as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 144.5. Auburn plays at home against Kentucky on ESPN as a 2.5-point favorite with the total at 145.At 4 PM ET, Baylor visits Texas Tech on ESPN as a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 138.5. DePaul plays at home against Valparaiso on FS1 as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 141.5. Florida visits Mississippi State on ESPN2 in a pick ‘em contest with the total at 136. Furman is at home against East Tennessee State on ESPNU as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 141.5. The CBS Sports Network has UNLV hosting New Mexico at 5:30 PM ET as any 11-point favorite with the total at 141.5. At 6 PM ET, Clemson plays at home against Virginia on ESPN as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 116. Loyola-Illinois is at home against Northern Iowa on ESPN2 laying 10 points as the favorite with the total at 140.5. BYU visits San Francisco at 8 PM ET on ESPN as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 143.5. At 10 PM ET, Gonzaga plays at Saint Mary’s on ESPN as a 16-point road favorite with the total set at 146.5. Utah hosts California on ESPNU as a 12-point favorite with an over/under of 134.Matchweek 19 in the English Premier League opens with five matches. Wolverhampton hosts West Bromwich Albion at 7:30 AM ET on the NBC Sports Network. At 10 AM ET, Leeds United plays at home against Brighton and Hove Albion as a -0.25 goal line favorite with the total at 2.75. Chelsea visits Fulham at 12:30 PM ET on NBC as a -1 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. 

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NFL Saturday Afternoon Football: Packers/Rams Preview

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jan 16, 2021

The opening game of the divisional round of the NFL playoffs involves the top-rated scoring offense against the top-rated scoring defense. The Los Angeles Rams lead the NFL by allowing only 18.6 points-per-game. They clinched a playoff spot in the final week of the regular season with an 18-7 win at home against Arizona. They followed that victory last week by avenging their 20-9 loss at Seattle in Week 16 by upsetting the Seahawks by a 30-20 score as a 3-point underdog on Saturday. John Wolford started at quarterback but got knocked out of the game after completing three of his six passes for 29 yards. Jared Goff came on in relief with his injured hand to complete 9 of 19 passes for 155 yards with a touchdown pass to lead the Rams to the victory. Rookie running back Cam Akers ran the ball 28 times for 131 yards with a touchdown. Wolford is out for this game with the neck injury he suffered last week. Goff has been named the starting quarterback for this game. Los Angeles linebacker Terrell Lewis is also out with an ankle injury. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp is questionable with a knee, and David Edwards is questionable with an ankle. The Rams have five players out the season or on Injured Reserve, including running back Darrell Henderson.Green Bay comes off a bye week after defeating Chicago on the road last week by a 35-16 score as a 4.5-point favorite. That was the sixth straight victory for the Packers. Green Bay leads the NFL by averaging 31.8 points-per-game. Aaron Rodgers completed 19 of 24 passes for 240 yards with four touchdowns in the victory against the Bears to clinch the top seed in the NFC playoffs. Rodgers is completing 70.7% of his passes this season for 4299 yards with 48 touchdown passes and only five interceptions. Wide receiver Davante Adams is having a career year with 115 receptions from his 149 targeted passes for 1374 yards with 18 touchdowns.The Packers host this game at Lambeau Field, where they are 7-1 this season. They are scoring 31.6 points-per-game at home while averaging 406.8 yards-per-game. Green Bay allows 19.5 points-per-game along with 308.9 yards-per-game at home. Los Angeles has won five of their nine games on the road while scoring 26.2 points-per-game and averaging 409.0 yards-per-game. The Rams are allowing 23.1 points-per-game and 270.4 yards-per-game on the road.Green Bay will be challenged by the Rams' ground game that averages 30.4 rushing attempts-per-game and 128 rushing yards-per-game. Those numbers rank sixth and ninth in the NFL. The Packers allowed opposing rushers to average 4.5 yards-per-carry along with 113 rushing yards-per-game. The Packers’ defensive end Kingsley Keke is doubtful as he continues through the concussion protocol. Green Bay has nine players either out the season or on their Injured Reserve, with left tackle David Bakhtiari being the most notable loss. BetAnySports lists Green Bay as a 6.5-point favorite, with the total set at 45.5.

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Ness Notes: Friday, Jan 15

by Larry Ness

Friday, Jan 15, 2021

This column will be available Monday through Friday (posted no later than 1:00 ET), EXCLUSIVELY at BigAl.com. I like to call it my daily 'random thoughts' on the sports betting world, although I'll pass along that my therapist refers to it as "thoughtful commentary."CBB: There were no top-25 matchups in Thursday play and the only ranked team to play on Thursday was No. 1 Gonzaga, which hosted Pepperdine. The Waves were playing their first game after a 23-day layoff due to COVID-19 concerns but Pepperdine only trailed by a score of 43-39 at halftime. However, Gonzaga pulled away for a 95-70 win but a non-cover (Bulldogs closed as a 27 point favorite). The Bulldogs are 95-0 against West Coast Conference teams not named Saint Mary's or BYU since 2014 (note: BYU won 62-52 at St Mary's last night). Gonzaga is 13-0 SU but just 6-6-1 ATS on the season. However, the Zags have won 17 straight games and 46 straight at home (longest active streak).Joining Gonzaga as unbeaten teams which have played double digits in games are 13-0 Drake, 12-0 Winthrop, 11-0 Baylor (No. 2) and 11-0 Michigan (No. 7). Drake matches Gonzaga's win total but hasn't played since Jan 4 and its next game isn't scheduled until Jan 26 because of COVID issues. Winthrop moved to 12-0 by beating Longwood at home last night and will play Longwood at home again tonight. A second straight win over the 3-12 Lancers, would give the Eagles 18 straight wins, ONE more than Gonzaga (Winthrop is favored by 16 1/2-points). Talk of unbeatens naturally leads to a discussion of winless teams. Three schools remain winless after at least 10 games. South Carolina St is 0-13 (has lost 19 in a row), Idaho is 0-10 (11 straight losses) and Mississippi Valley St is 0-10. Chicago St is 0-9 but deserves mention because it ended last season on a 19-game losing streak, giving the Cougars 28 consecutive losses. However, Chicago St won't lose any more games this season, as the school suspended the remainder of its 2020-21 men's basketball season due to COVID-19 back on Dec 23.There are no top-25 matchups on Friday, but No. 9 Wisconsin will play at Rutgers. When the Badgers visited seventh-ranked Michigan on Tuesday, it looked like a great Big Ten contest but the Wolverines used a 36-3 run bridging the halves to rout the Badgers 77-54! 10-3 Wisconsin plays at Rutgers, which opened 6-0 and was ranked 11th in the AP, but has now lost THREE straight (and four of five), to fall to 7-4. Both teams badly need a win and I will note that the Scarlet Knights have gone 24-4 SU at "The RAC" (Rutgers Athletic Center) since the start of last season. Wisconsin is favored by three points. Higher ranked teams are 25-12 (.676) SU but just 20-17 (54.1%) ATS in meetings between ranked opponents Y-T-D. There are FOUR such meetings over the weekend, all on Saturday. No. 2 Baylor is at No. 15 Texas Tech, No. 7 Michigan is at No. 23 Minnesota, No. 12 Clemson hosts No. 18 Virginia and No. 14 Illinois is home to No. 21 Ohio State. I'll check back in with college hoops in Monday's Notes.NBA: Thursday's TNT doubleheader saw the short-handed Houston Rockets win 109-105 at the San Antonio Spurs. NONE of the players the Rockets received in the trade -- Victor Oladipo (from the Indiana Pacers), Dante Exum (from the Cleveland Cavaliers), and Rodions Kurucs (from the Brooklyn Nets) -- was in uniform on Thursday, forcing Houston to field a makeshift lineup that more than held its own. San Antonio led 99-90 with 4:39 to play but the Rockets outscored the Spurs 19-6 the rest of the way. Christian Wood (23.1 PPG and 10.1 RPG on the season) had 27 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. In the nightcap, Denver center Nikola Jokic had 23 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, Jamal Murray had 17 points and nine rebounds, as the host Nuggets beat the Golden State Warriors 114-104. The Nuggets were missing two starters, Michael Porter Jr. (COVID-19) and Gary Harris (personal reasons). Jokic is averaging 24.2-11.2-10.4 through 12 games. Can he pull a Russell Westbrook? The Raptors were able to win 111-108 over the Hornets but were not able to cover. Toronto, just two years removed from an NBA title, owns the NBA's worst SU and ATS record so far in the current season (3-8 SU & ATS).ESPN is back in the doubleheader business on Friday, as the 6-4 Mavericks take a four-game winning streak into Milwaukee to face the 8-4 Bucks (7:35 ET), followed by the 4-6 Pelicans taking on the 10-3 LA Lakers at Staples Center (10:05 ET). The Bucks have won SIX of seven to reach 8-4 but are just 6-6 ATS. However, the team's plus-11.4 point differential is an NBA-best. Milwaukee is favored by 6 1/2-points. The defending champion Lakers own the NBA's best record but like the Bucks, are a modest 7-6 ATS. However, also like Milwaukee, LA owns the second-best point differential at plus-10.5. The Pelicans expect to play without Eric Bledsoe (eye), Zion Williamson (health and safety protocols) and Lonzo Ball (knee). LA is favored by 10 points. The Chicago Bulls may be just 4-7 but they own the NBA's best ATS record at 8-3. The Bulls visit OKC to play the 5-6 Thunder, who are 0-5 SU and 1-4 ATS at home! The game is a pick'em.I spent too much time on CBB and the NBA, so I'll offer an NFL-only Saturday edition of Ness Notes.Good luck...Larry

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