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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 02/25/2023

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Feb 25, 2023

The Saturday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL. The National Basketball Association has seven games on its docket. The Toronto Raptors visit Detroit to play the Pistons at 12:10 PM ET as a 7-point road favorite (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 PM ET. The Miami Heat play in Charlotte against the Hornets as a 4.5-point road favorite. The Orlando Magic host the Indiana Pacers as a 3-point favorite, with the total set at 231. The New York Knicks play at home against the New Orleans Pelicans at 7:40 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 225.5. The Memphis Grizzlies are at home against the Denver Nuggets at 8:10 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with a total of 234.5. The Boston Celtics travel to Philadelphia to play the 76ers on ABC at 8:40 PM ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 227. The Utah Jazz host the San Antonio Spurs as a 10-point favorite with a total of 242. The National Hockey League has 11 games on its slate. The Edmonton Oilers visit the Columbus Bluejackets as a -245 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7. The New York Rangers play at Washington against the Capitals at 1:07 PM ET on ABC as a -135 money line road favorite with a total of 6. The Pittsburgh Penguins are in St. Louis to play the Blues on ABC at 3:37 PM ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Four NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Boston Bruins play at Vancouver against the Canucks as a -260 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes host the Anaheim Ducks as a -425 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Ottawa Senators are in Montreal to play the Canadiens as a -170 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The New Jersey Devils play at home against the Philadelphia Flyers as a -295 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Tampa Bay Lightning travels to Detroit to play the Red Wings at 8:07 PM ET as a -150 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Three games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 PM ET. The Vegas Golden Knights are at home against the Dallas Stars as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Columbus Bluejackets host the Calgary Flames as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The San Jose Sharks play at home against the Chicago Blackhawks as a -190 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has 19 games on major national television. Four NCAAB games on major national television tip-off at noon ET. UConn travels to St. John’s on CBS as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 152. Creighton plays at Villanova on Fox as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 135. Texas Tech is at home against TCU on ESPN2 as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 144.5. Iowa hosts Michigan State on ESPN as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.Three NCAAB games on major national television start at 2 PM ET. Alabama plays at home against Arkansas on ESPN2 as an 8-point favorite with a total of 152. Arizona is at home against Arizona State on CBS as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 153. Baylor hosts Texas on ESPN as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 148.5. Three NCAAB games on major national television begin at 4 PM ET. Kansas plays at home against West Virginia on ESPN as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 150.5. Miami (FL) is at home against Florida State on ESPN2 as a 13-point favorite with a total of 154.5. Kentucky hosts Auburn on CBS as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 141.5. Two more NCAAB games on major national television tip off at 6 PM ET. North Carolina plays at home against Virginia on ESPN as a 3-point favorite with a total of 130. Vanderbilt is at home against Florida on ESPN2 as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 147.5. Two NCAAB games on national television tip-off at 7 PM ET. Purdue hosts Indiana on Fox as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 138.5. Marquette plays at home against DePaul on FS1 as a 15-point favorite with an over/under of 152. Two more NCAAB games on national television start at 8 PM ET. Houston visits East Carolina on ESPN2 as a 20-point road favorite with a total of 135.5. Duke is at home against Virginia Tech on ESPN as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 142. Two more NCAAB games on national television begin at 10 PM ET. Gonzaga hosts Saint Mary’s on ESPN as a 5-point favorite with a total of 140.5. Hawaii plays at home against UC-Irvine on ESPN2 as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 132.5. Matchweek 25 in the English Premier League continues with six games. Four EPL matches start at 10 AM ET. Aston Villa travels to Everton in a pick ‘em match with a total of 2. Leeds United is at home against Southampton on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Arsenal plays at Leicester City as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. West Ham United hosts Nottingham Forest as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester City is at Bournemouth on the USA Network at 12:30 PM ET as a -1.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 3. Liverpool travels to Crystal Palace at 2:45 PM ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 02/24/2023

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Feb 24, 2023

The Friday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL. The National Basketball Association has eight games on its docket. The Washington Wizards host the New York Knicks at 7:10 PM ET as a 1-point favorite (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Two more NBA games tip off at 7:40 PM ET. The Atlanta Hawks play at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers as a 1-point favorite, with the total set at 225.5. The Milwaukee Bucks are at home against the Miami Heat on ESPN as a 1.5-point favorite. Two NBA games start at 8:10 PM ET. The Minnesota Timberwolves host the Charlotte Hornets as an 8-point favorite. The Chicago Bulls play at home against the Brooklyn Nets as a 1.5-point favorite. Two NBA games begin at 10:10 PM ET. The Golden State Warriors are at home against the Houston Rockets as a 9.5-point favorite. The Phoenix Suns host the Oklahoma City Thunder on ESPN as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 232.5. The Los Angeles Clippers play at home against the Sacramento Kings at 10:40 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 231.5. The National Hockey League has six games on its slate. Four games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Florida Panthers are at home against the Buffalo Sabres as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Minnesota Wild as a -200 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Philadelphia Flyers play at home against the Montreal Canadiens as a -145 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes are at home against the Ottawa Senators as a -250 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The New York Islanders host the Los Angeles Kings at 7:37 PM ET as a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche visit Winnipeg to play the Jets at 8:07 PM ET, with both teams priced at -110 with a total of 5.5. The college basketball schedule has eight games on national television. Three NCAAB games on national television tip-off at 7 PM ET. Xavier plays at Seton Hall on FS1 as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 141. Rider is at home against Siena on ESPNU as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. VCU hosts Richmond pop ESPN2 as a 9-point favorite with a total of 133.5. Two NCAAB games start at 9 PM ET. Colorado State plays at home against Wyoming on FS1 as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 139. Louisiana-Lafayette is at home against South Alabama on ESPN2 as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 143.5. UNLV hosts Air Force at 9:30 PM ET as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 140. Nevada travels to Fresno State on FS1 at 11 PM ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 129.5. Matchweek 25 in the English Premier League with one match at 3 PM ET. Wolverhampton plays at Fulham on the USA Network in a pick ‘em matchup at BetMGM with a total of 2.5. 

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The Rest of the NBA Regular Season Offers Profit

by Wayne Root

Friday, Feb 24, 2023

The most excitement in the next few weeks will be NBA teams juggling for the playoffs and particular seedlings. Pay attention to teams that made recent moves and those that didn’t.  With just over 20-ish games to go before the 2022-23 regular season comes to an end, there's plenty to keep an eye on with so much activity at the trade deadline and some extremely close playoff races. A ton of talent has hit the buyout market following the trade deadline, with names like Reggie Jackson, John Wall, Patrick Beverley, Terrence Ross, Danny Green and others all becoming free agents. Russell Westbrook will join the LA Clippers. I’m certainly not a Westbrick fan. Why did the Clippers even trade Utah for him? And then there’s Kevin Love. While his almost nine years in Cleveland ended poorly, there's a tremendous opportunity for Love to thrive now in Miami. He should really make an impact with his rebounding as he remains one of the best glass-cleaners the league has ever seen. Now almost an exclusive three-point shooter on offense, Love is making 35.4 percent of his threes this season despite playing through a hairline fracture in his right thumb. As for the Lakers, LeBron James said the next 20 or so games are the most important of his career. Thanks to a brilliant performance by Rob Pelinka leading up to the trade deadline, this is the best Lakers roster since the one that spent three months at Disney World. Still below-.500 at 27-32 and sitting at 13th in the West, time is running out to make a late playoff push, however. We’re excited to see if he can back up his statement and will look for opportunities to bet them. Los Angeles is just two games out of the play-in tournament, needing to leapfrog both the Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz and at least one of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans. They open up today playing Golden State. With so much help now surrounding James and Anthony Davis, both superstars can save some energy for the play-in tournament, one where they'd be one of the most talented teams to ever take part. The Lakers will make the play-in tournament, win and eventually reach the playoffs. Portland’s Damian Lillard is forced to watch as those competing for the same eight playoff spots in the West get better. The Phoenix Suns with Kevin Durant. The Dallas Mavericks with Kyrie Irving (LOL). The Los Angeles Lakers with D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley,  mJarred Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba and Rui Hachimura. For 11 years and under the eye of multiple general managers, this Blazers roster simply hasn't been good enough to win a title. So many other teams are better built to win now, while franchises like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs may soon pass Portland up with their collection of young talent, future draft picks or both. As for the Detroit Pistons, they made a big trade but they’re not going anywhere anyway. With the Warriors in championship-or-bust mode with knee surgery limiting James Wiseman to just 60 total games in his first three seasons, the 21-year-old simply needed more time on the court to avoid a bust label. The Detroit Pistons, dead last in the East at 15-44 overall, will provide James Wiseman with the opportunity that he needs. A strong debut in Detroit (11 points and five rebounds on 5-of-9 shooting in 24 minutes) is just the beginning of his career revival. The court time already represented Wiseman's second-highest of the season, time that should only go up as he gets more comfortable in Dwane Casey's system. Wiseman has always tantalized us with his size (7'0", 240 pounds) and skill set. He's got elite defensive potential with an ability to protect the rim. They can upset other team’s playoff dreams.  While the NY Knicks didn't land a superstar at the trade deadline, swapping Cam Reddish and a protected first-round pick for Josh Hart was a smart move, one that's already paying dividends. Besides being a friend and former college teammate of starting point guard Jalen Brunson, Hart is an ideal player to plug into a playoff rotation with everything he brings to the table. Beyond being one of the best rebounding wings in the NBA, Hart is a talented scorer from all three levels and a capable playmaker. While the Knicks may not catch the Cleveland Cavaliers for the fourth seed (currently 4.5 games behind), New York should overtake the Brooklyn Nets to settle at No. 5 overall. I feel sorry for Luka and his playoff hopes for the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks added one of the most talented players in the NBA next to Luka Dončić and actually get worse. The Mavs have given up 133 and 124 points in the two losses, showing that the team desperately misses Dorian Finney-Smith. They needed defense desperately. Dallas sits just two games above .500 at 31-29 overall, hanging on to the sixth seed by a half game over the New Orleans Pelicans. (The Pelicans are going anywhere without Zion). No one can fault the Mavs for gambling on a talent like Irving, but their lack of moves to put the right pieces around him and Dončić will ultimately be the team's downfall. The Denver Nuggets have opened up a five-game lead on the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies, with the top star, Jokić leading the way. He’ll continue to lead his team in his attempt to win the NBA MVP award. With that being said, no one should be ruling out Joel Embiid's or Giannis Antetokounmpo's chances just yet as they also will work hard to better their team and seed.  The next five weeks should be fun. Be sure to pay attention to seeding changes. The one game play in will also have the bottom feeders getting involved without so much “tanking”. Good Luck as we head towards the playoffs. The playoff’s picture is considerably much clearer to our staff and myself. 

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American League Contenders: Additions and Updates, Part 2

by Will Rogers

Thursday, Feb 23, 2023

The AL East is over-represented with play-off contenders, including many of the same ol’ same ol’ faces. You can count the Red Sox out this year. You can count the Yankees in, as usual. The Yankees’ rotation lost Taillon and now Montes to injury, but with that huge addition of lefty Rodon, the starting rotation with Cole, Cortes, Severino, and German or Schmidt looks formidable. There has been a mass exodus of relief pitchers this year including Green, Castro and Chapman, but the Yankee’s seemingly endless supply of quality bullpen arms and with the risky addition of Kahnle, should form a solid relief corps. They could use some left-handed relief. On offense, The big signings, or re-signings, were Judge and Rizzo, otherwise it was stand pat so far. Many of the Yankees stars are of the aging and injury-prone variety, eg. Stanton, essentially a part-timer, LeMahieu, and Donaldson. Volpe and Peraza are potential fine additions in the middle infield. They lost Matt Carpenter, who showed well last year. Bader was a fine pickup in center field but left field is a question mark unless Hicks shapes up. All eyes will be on Judge but a regression is almost certain. The pitching may have to carry the Yankees this year. The one change that wasn’t made was firing Aaron Boone. Big mistake. Staying in the AL East, the Rays are the perennial small market success story and always seem to be a contender. The 2022 Rays suffered a massive power outage, much of it due to injury, struggling down the stretch and making a premature exit from the playoffs. Their biggest addition this year is in starting pitching. The Rays pushed out a ton of cash (for them) to sign Zack Eflin. He is no ace, but I have learned not to question the Rays’ strategy when it comes to pitching. They lost Kluber and Yarbrough, but the Rays’ starting rotation surrounding ace McLanahan could rival the Yankees’, especially if Glasnow returns to form. They extended Springs, have break-out contender Rasmussen, Chirinos, an exciting prospect in Bradley, plus Luis Patiño and Fleming, for formidable depth. They also extended Fairbanks, a terrific reliever, and will likely have another deep pen with a ton of young talent in waiting. Offense and outfield defense could be a different story. There have been no major additions but they have lost a defensive stalwart in Kiermaier, and a dependable first baseman in Choi. The Rays will look for power from a healthier infield with rebound seasons from Lowe and Wander Franco especially, and another fine year from Diaz. There doesn’t appear to be enough offensive pop from the outfield other than Arozarena, and the Rays haven’t added any to date. The Rays farm system is a prolific producer of young talent, so the team bears watching during spring training. There is also that tenth man in Kevin Cash, the best manager in the AL East. Moving to the AL Central, there is to date one true contender in the Guardians, a “surprise” playoff performer in 2022, looking to return this season. The Guardians had plenty of pitching, with phenomenal success in last year’s playoffs and are well positioned again this year. Facing and losing to the Yankees, it was clear that the Guardians needed the additions of some bigger boppers. Enter Josh Bell at first, and Zunino at catcher. Bell has mile-high potential as a slugger. Zunino is a bit of a gamble, but one with some pop in his bat. These two will protect 3rd baseman Ramirez, a potential MVP.   The Guardians are very very young. Josh Naylor is considered a vet and he is only 25. He could be completely recovered and will likely move back into the outfield. Cleveland has at least a couple of young phenoms in the line-up. Kwan is off a tremendous season, and Giminez is rated as high as top three among all MLB 2nd basemen. Another Naylor, Bo, is waiting in the wings as the Guardians’ future catcher. Any contender needs a high-end rotation and Cleveland’s does not disappoint. Bieber is the ace, followed or possibly surpassed by McKenzie, who had some remarkable stretches last year. Quantrill, Civale and Plesac round out the rotation, but there are others in the mix. The pen was excellent last year behind Clase, but there are many solid arms in that bullpen. The Guardians played with poise and character for such a young team. Chalk that up to their manager Terry (Tito) Francona, the absolute best in the business. Does anyone else get more out of players? I am bullish on the Guardians this year. They are the superbly managed class of the AL Central.  In the third section, we’ll look at the AL West, and possibly one more contender.

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Time to keep an eye on the XFL

by Vegas Writer

Thursday, Feb 23, 2023

Now that the eight-team XFL has a week under its belt, it's time to start making a move on the weekly betting lines.The way I see it, this is a league that will be fueled by which the teams that can control possessions, the teams that can execute the speciality extra points, and those coaches who show aggressiveness with the 4th-and-15 onside kicks. Also keep in mind that travel shouldn't play too much into what you're thinking. The teams are centralized out of Arlington, Texas, and then fly to the cities they're playing in weekly. It'll take a few weeks to determine true homefield advantages for these teams.Truth is, there was no surprise Arlington was one of the favorites to win the league, considering the league is based there.I think after the first week, one overreaction from bettors will be that the teams are pretty evenly matches with three of the four games finishing as one-score games that could've very easily gone the opposite direction with different winners.Orlando was the only team to serve a beatdown, stomping Houston, 33-12.Favorites closed Week 1 with marks of 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS, and the average margin of victory was 7.5 points. Toss out Houston's 19-point demolition, and the average margin of victory was 3.0 points per game.I can't say whether the edge goes to the underdogs or favorites just yet, but I do like the idea of investigating every Over until the books get a better handle on the defensive units.Overs went 3-1 in Week 1, and it's the defensive units that are going to have adjust weekly to those aggressive coaches with tricks up their sleeves. After Week 1, we've seen balanced offenses that can control the clock, but that can strike quick, too.There was an average of 40.0 points per game in Week 1, with the posted totals averaging 36.125 per game.and this week only one game hits the 40-point matk, the Sunday night game between Arlington and Houston. That's two Texas teams with little to no travel, again, with the teams based out of Arlington all week.Week 2 should be a bit more interesting, and I get things underway with my XFL NORTH DIVISION GAME OF THE MONTH, as St. Louis visits Seattle. I have a free winner on the total, but my big play from the North is Thursday's side winner.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, NBA and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/23/2023

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Feb 23, 2023

The Thursday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, and NCAAB. The National Basketball Association returns from its All-Star Game break with nine games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 PM ET. The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Denver Nuggets as a 2.5-point favorite, with the total set at 223 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Boston Celtics visit Indiana to play the Pacers as an 8-point road favorite with an over/under of 233. The Orlando Magic plays at home against the Detroit Pistons as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 226.5. Two NBA games start at 7:40 PM ET. The Philadelphia 76ers are at home against Memphis Grizzlies on TNT as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 229.5. The Toronto Raptors host the New Orleans Pelicans as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 225.5. The Dallas Mavericks play at home against the San Antonio Spurs at 8:40 PM ET as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 234.5. The Utah Jazz are at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder at 9:10 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with a total of 238.5. Two more games complete the NBA card at 10:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Lakers host the Golden State Warriors on TNT as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 238. The Sacramento Kings play at home against the Portland Trail Blazers as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 239.5. The National Hockey League has ten games on its slate. Six NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Washington Capitals are at home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -255 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Buffalo Sabres as a -225 money line favorite with a total of 7. The Edmonton Oilers travel to Pittsburgh to play the Penguins as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7. The New Jersey Devils play at home against the Los Angeles Kings as a -140 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Minnesota Wild are in Columbus to play the Bluejackets as a -180 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The New York Rangers play at Detroit against the Red Wings as a -165 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The St. Louis Blues are at home against the Vancouver Canucks at 8:07 PM ET as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. The Vegas Golden Knights host the Calgary Flames on ESPN at 9:07 PM ET as a -150 money line favorite with a total of 6. The Boston Bruins visit Seattle to play the Kraken at 10:07 PM ET as a -175 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Nashville Predators play at San Jose against the Sharks at 10:37 PM ET as a -140 money line road favorite with a total of 6. The college basketball schedule has 11 games on national television. Ohio State plays at home against Penn State on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 142.5. Three more NCAA-B games on national television begin at 7 PM ET. Memphis is at Wichita State on ESPN2 as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 146.5. Gardner-Webb hosts Longwood on ESPNU as a 2-point favorite at Caesars with an over/under of 129. Charleston plays at home against Towson on the CBS Sports Network as an 8-point favorite with a total of 150. Rutgers is at home against Michigan on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 133.5. Three more NCAAB games on national television tip-off at 9 PM ET. Western Kentucky hosts Louisiana Tech on the CBS Sports Network as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 144. Colorado plays at home against USC on ESPN2 as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 141. UT-Martin is at home against Tennessee State on ESPNU as a 4-point favorite with a total of 158.5. Three NCAAB games on national television start at 11 PM ET. UCLA travels to Utah on FS1 as a 7-point road favorite with an over/under of 131.5. Gonzaga hosts San Diego on ESPN2 as a 23-point favorite with a total of 164.5. San Francisco plays at home against Portland on the CBS Sports Network as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 153.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, NCAAB and UEFA Champions League Preivews and Odds - 2/22/2023

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Feb 22, 2023

The Wednesday sports card features action in the NHL, NCAAB, and UEFA Champions League. The National Basketball Association continues its All-Star Game break.The National Hockey League has three games on its slate. The New York Islanders host the Winnipeg Jets at 7:07 PM ET as a -120 money line favorite, with the total set at 5.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Two more NHL games drop the puck at 9:37 PM ET. The Calgary Flames travel to Arizona to play the Coyotes as a -195 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5.The Dallas Stars play at home against the Chicago Blackhawks on TNT. The Stars lost their fourth-straight game on Saturday in a 4-1 upset setback against Columbus. The Blackhawks are on a two-game winning streak after a 5-3 victory against Toronto on Sunday. Dallas is a -435 money line favorite with a total of 6. The college basketball schedule has 12 games on national television. Jacksonville plays at home against Bellarmine on ESPNU as a 5-point favorite at Caesars with an over/under of 122.5. UConn plays at home against Providence on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 142.5. Four NCAAB games on national television tip-off at 7 PM ET. Cincinnati is at home against Temple on ESPN2 as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5. Central Florida hosts South Florida on ESPNU as a 9-point favorite with a total of 140.5. Dayton plays at UMass on the CBS Sports Network as an 8-point road favorite with an over/under total of 137.5. Kentucky visits Florida on ESPN at 7 PM ET. The Wildcats won their second-straight game with a 66-54 upset victory against Tennessee as a 1.5-point underdog on Saturday. The Gators lost for the fourth time in their last five games in an 84-65 loss at Arkansas as a 9-point undedog on Saturday. Kentucky is a 3-point road favorite with a total of 139.5. DePaul is at home against Butler on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 138.5. Four NCAAB games on national television start at 9 PM ET. Houston hosts Tulane on ESPNU as a 15-point favorite with a total of 143.5. Alabama plays at South Carolina on ESPN2 as a 17.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 148. St. John’s travels to Georgetown on the CBS Sports Network as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 156.5. North Carolina is at Notre Dame on ESPN at 9 PM ET. The Tar Heels lost for the fifth time in their last six games with a 72-69 setback at North Carolina State as a 2-point underdog on Sunday. The Fighting Irish are on a five-game losing streak after a 57-55 loss at Virginia as a 12.5-point underdog on Saturday. North Carolina is a 6.5-point road favortie with a total of 148. Boise State plays at home against New Mexico on FS1 at 10:30 PM ET as a 6-point favorite with a total of 145.5.The knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League continues with the final two first-leg matches in the Round of 16 at 3 PM ET. Manchester City visits RB Leipzig on CBS at 3 PM ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 3 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Inter Milan is at home against FC Porto as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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College Basketball Totals Overall Season Numbers Examined

by Kyle Hunter

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2023

We are just over a week away from the calendar flipping over to March. The smaller conferences begin their conference tournaments next week. The larger conferences have a couple weeks until their conference tournaments get underway. Being a guy who focuses a lot on college basketball totals, I wanted to take a look at the overall season numbers on totals. I’ll also break down the recent totals trends. Season to Date: 2,440 Overs (51.9%) 2,263 Unders (48.1%)Last 30 Days: 759 Overs (55.4%) 611 Unders (44.6%)Last 7 Days: 189 Overs (55.9%) 149 Unders (44.1%) In an average season there have usually been more unders than overs. That hasn’t been the case this season. It was running fairly even until a little over a month ago, when the trend started pushing heavily toward the over cashing. In the last month, there have been 94 games go into overtime, and 89 of those 94 games went over the total. It isn’t surprising that the vast majority of overtime games get over the posted total. The fact that there were 94 games that went into overtime is a little higher than expected.Favorites have covered at a 51.5% clip in the last month. It’s no surprise to see favorites doing well at the same time overs are cashing. Those two bets are more often than not at least somewhat correlated. What should we make of the fact that overs have been cashing at such a high clip recently? There has been a bit of a tempo boost in the country overall. On this same date last year the national average for possessions in a game was 67.3 possessions. Today, it sits at 68.0 possessions. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it does lead to a bit of a bump in scoring. The bigger reason for totals going over has been an increase in offensive efficiency. Last year, the league average on this date was 1.030 points per possession on offense. What about this year? That number sits at 1.050 points per possession. Offensive rebound percentages have gone from 28.0% on average last year to 29.1% so far this season. Second chance points are crucial and they are too often overlooked by many bettors. Should you just blindly be betting overs from now through the end of the season? I wouldn’t recommend it. The oddsmakers know this information very well, and they know many bettors want to bet on overs instead of unders. There are adjustments going on in the marketplace. I’ve been around long enough to see these types of things swing back and forth. The under will likely show value at some point between now and the end of the season on the whole.

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NBA Futures - Pick to Win the 2023 NBA Title

by ASA, Inc.

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2023

ASA’s NBA Futures – NBA Champions – Phoenix Suns +450 The Celtics are the favorites to win it all in 22-23 at +280 at most Books. Boston is deep, defends and can score with any team in the league. The Celtics balance is illustrated by their 3rd overall offensive efficiency rating at 1.180-points per possession and their 5th ranked defensive efficiency ranking at 1.118PPP allowed. If you’ve paid attention to previous NBA articles written by us, you know the team that wins it all in the NBA consistently ranks top 11 at the end of the season in both offensive and defensive efficiency. While we like this Celtics roster and chances to come out of the East there is one team we like in the Western Conference. The move by the Phoenix Suns at the trade deadline to bring in Kevin Durant was huge and will be the difference maker in getting this team over the hump. The Suns are currently 16th in OEFF at 1.142PPP but they haven’t had Devin Booker for 27 total games, and now add Durant. Devin Booker is averaging 26.6PPG, 4.5RPG and 5.5APG for the season. KD has played in 39 games this season and has produced 29.7PPG, 6.7RPG and 5.3APG. We expect this team to revert back to the offensive efficiency numbers it produced a year ago of 1.149PPP which was 4th best in the league. Defensively, the Suns have remained in the upper echelon of the NBA in efficiency ratings allowing just 1.128PPP which is 9th in the league. The team to beat in the West right now is the Denver Nuggets who sit with a 41-18 SU record. Denver has played an easier schedule to date than the Suns and face a tougher schedule than Phoenix to finish the season. We feel the other team that could threaten in the Western Conference is the Memphis Grizzlies, but they’ve struggled offensively this season (18th OEFF), and we don’t see dramatic improvement moving forward. The experts that expect the Warriors, Clippers or even Lakers to come out of the West are sadly mistaken as age and injuries have taken their toll on those franchises. Not only is Phoenix going to excel offensively down the stretch with the additions of both Booker and KD, but they’ll be also much better defensively with both players on the floor. The Suns have all the right pieces in place with veteran leadership, a Big that can score and defend, savvy guard play and two guys that can literally take over games at any moment and time. Another  sneaky element the Suns added was instant offense off the bench with vet Terrance Ross who was signed after being bought out by the Magic. This Suns team has everything in place to come out of the West and beat the Celtics, Bucks or Sixers that represent the Eastern Conference in the Finals.

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Understanding How Load Management Impacts NBA Betting

by Oskeim Sports

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2023

If you watched the NBA in the 1980s and into the ‘90s, you might remember “Showtime” in Los Angeles or the Boston Celtics’ “Big Three” frontcourt with Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish. The Lakers and Celtics alone had some of the more memorable battles in NBA history during this time. What’s interesting about those times in the NBA is something you don’t see very much anymore.On any given night in L.A. for example, fans would show up to the arena and Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Byron Scott, and Michael Cooper would take the floor. In all 82 games of the season, the same starting five – barring injuries – would take the floor.In the 1987-88 season, just one year prior to his eventual retirement, Abdul-Jabbar played in 80 of 82 regular season games. Five times in his 20-year career, he played every game in a season. Players don’t do that today. In today’s NBA, load management is a big deal. Teams want to get the most out of their players. To do so, periodic rest is best. This rest impacts NBA betting.Resting PlayersTeams will often have players skip an entire game. Sometimes, players will sit the entire fourth quarter of a game that is out of reach. Other times, teams will limit the number of minutes a player is on the floor in a game. These are all forms of load management and they can all have an impact on NBA betting.Why Rest PlayersResting athletes toward the end of a season is a typical occurrence in sports. Teams that have already qualified for the playoffs, for example, have the luxury of choosing when to rest players. At the other end of the spectrum, there are teams that have been eliminated from the postseason. They can do the same and rest players in preparation for the following season. Those teams can also give some of their younger players more playing time.Certain players also require some time off. It has been typical for NBA teams to rest star players in the event they play games on back-to-back nights. LeBron James and Joel Embiid are two good examples. Both players usually do not play on back-to-back nights. The same is often true of players coming back from a serious injury.  Understanding load management needs to be part of any NBA-winning basketball strategy.NBA Betting & Rest TodayThe modern idea of load management may have taken its form back in 2012. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich rested his Big Three of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobli. The Spurs were most likely going to be the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The NBA fined San Antonio for sitting the players, but the Spurs did eventually make it to the conference finals. The move paved the way for the league to change its rules regarding resting players.While the fans may feel slighted when a star player is rested, the biggest impact of the NBA’s load management is on the sports bettor. NBA betting becomes that much more difficult when players, particularly key players, sit out. A large portion of these load management decisions are made just before a game.NBA betting strategies have to be adjusted because of the potential of a key player sitting out. NBA betting often turns into a crap shoot. Putting together an NBA parlay is even worse. Unless all the games on your ticket start at the same time, you are taking an even bigger risk than just the parlay. Keep in mind that NBA teams don’t have to announce who’s out until roughly 30 minutes before tip-off.With the amount of information available today, NBA bettors can usually figure out if a player is going to sit out or not. If there is even the slightest question about resting a player on a given night, that might be your cue to lay off placing a wager on that game.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, NCAAB and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 02/21/2023

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2023

The Tuesday sports card features action in the NHL, NCAAB, and UEFA Champions League. The National Basketball Association continues its All-Star Game break.The National Hockey League has nine games on its slate. Four games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Anaheim Ducks as a -500 money line favorite with the total set at 6.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Washington Capitals play at home against the Detroit Red Wings as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The New Jersey Devils are at home against the Montreal Canadiens as a -350 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes host the St. Louis Blues as a -330 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs visit Buffalo to play the Sabres at 7:37 PM ET as a -165 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Two more NHL games start at 8:07 PM ET. The Minnesota Wild play at home against the Los Angeles Kings as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Nashville Predators are at home against the Vancouver Canucks as a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights travel to Chicago to play the Blackhawks at 8:37 PM ET as a -2890 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers host the Philadelphia Flyers at 9:07 PM ET as a -300 money line favorite with a total of 7.The college basketball schedule has 10 games on national television. Xavier plays at home against Villanova on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 147.5. Four more NCAAB games on national television tip off at 7 PM ET. Baylor plays at Kansas State on ESPN2 as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 145.5. Texas A&M is at home against Tennessee on ESPN as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 128.5. Virginia Tech hosts Miami (FL) on ESPNU as a 2-point favorite with a total of 153.5. Missouri State plays at home against Murray State on the CBS Sports Network as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 136. Creighton is at home against Marquette on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 148.5. Three more NCAAB games on national television begin at 9 PM ET. Michigan State hosts Indiana on ESPN as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. Oklahoma plays at home against Texas Tech on ESPN2 as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 137.5. Utah State is at Wyoming on the CBS Sports Network as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 144. San Diego State hosts Colorado State on the CBS Sports Network at 11 PM ET as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 136.The knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League continues with two first-leg matches in the Round of 16 at 3 PM ET. Real Madrid travels to Liverpool on CBS in a pick ‘em matchup with an over/under of 3 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Napoli visits Eintracht Frankfurt as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5.

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NBA Shootaround: February 23rd-26th

by Sean Murphy

Monday, Feb 20, 2023

The NBA resumes regular season action on Thursday following an extended six-day All-Star break. Here's a look at several playoff-hungry teams that are staring down a busy weekend as they begin the stretch run. Sacramento Kings (32-25, third in Western Conference)The Kings dragged their heels prior to the break, dropping two of their last three games including a particularly tough defeat in Phoenix as the Suns pulled within 1.5 games of Sacramento atop the Pacific Division. Now the Kings begin a tricky stretch that will see them play three games in four nights, in three different cities beginning Thursday at home against the Blazers. Sacramento is near the top of my second half fade list as regression is to be expected given it currently leads the league in points per game and offensive rating and stood pat at the trade deadline (save for a minor deal to acquire Kessler Edwards). Golden State Warriors (29-29, ninth in Western Conference)Like the Kings, the Warriors will also tip off the stretch run with a three-in-four situation, starting with a trip to Los Angeles to face the Lakers before hosting a pair of winnable games against the Rockets and Timberwolves on Friday and Sunday, respectively. Golden State limped into the break on the heels of three losses in four games. Note that Friday's game against Houston will mark the beginning of a five-game homestand where the Warriors will look to gain some ground in the Western Conference standings, where they currently sit in ninth place but just a single game back of the sixth-place Mavericks (teams in spots seven through 10 will take part in the play-in tournament).Denver Nuggets (41-18, first in Western Conference)Keeping with the Western Conference theme, the first-place Nuggets will play three games in four nights from Thursday to Sunday and it's a difficult stretch that will take them all over the map. It starts with a trip to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers on Thursday before heading to Memphis on Saturday and back home for a matchup with the Clippers on Sunday. Given their tendency to employ strict 'load management' with their stars over the course of the season, it will be critical to keep an eye on the nightly injury reports. Heading into the break, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon were both dealing with nagging injuries. Newly-acquired Reggie Jackson is likely to make his debut when Denver returns to the court on Thursday. Cleveland Cavaliers (38-23, fourth in Eastern Conference)The Cavs have perhaps the most manageable three-in-four situation of the teams I've mentioned. They'll return to game action on Thursday when they host the Nuggets before making the trek to Atlanta on Friday. Following an off day on Saturday they're back home for a game against the Raptors on Sunday. While the Cavs have gone 13-17 on the road this season, they're an impressive 25-6 at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland will want to make the most of this weekend's proceedings before beginning a stretch that will see it play five of its next seven games on the road. 

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