BEST IN THE WEST: LOB CITY TRAVELS TO SAN ANTONIO

by TYLER WOGALTER

Last Meeting: The Spurs defeated the Clippers 116-90 in Los Angeles on 2/21/13

Check out Line Information for this game

Two of the best teams in basketball face off in San Antonio as the Los Angeles Clippers battle the Spurs on Friday at 8:30 ET. The Spurs have won five of their last six games and sit atop the Western Conference. With only 11 games to play in the regular season, San Antonio appears to be the favorites to enjoy home court advantage throughout the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Clippers have won three of their last four and have continued scoring the rock with ease. The Clips are firing on all cylinders and look ready to make a splash in the playoffs.

San Antonio is the best team in the Western Conference, and occupies the top seed in the current playoff picture. With a 1 ½ game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Spurs are the team to beat in the West. The Clippers are currently the 3^rd seed in the West, and trail the 2^nd seeded OKC Thunder by 4 games. The Clips only have a half game lead over the 4^thseeded Denver Nuggets and will need to keep winning ball games if they want to keep their spot in the playoff picture.

Betting Information

The Spurs are 54-17 straight up and 37-32 against the spread on the season. At home, San Antonio is 31-4 SU and 18-15 ATS. Against the total, the Spurs are 39-31 Under and are averaging 104.3 PPG, which is 4th best in the league.

Los Angeles has a record of 49-23 SU and 39-32 ATS. While playing on the road, the Clippers are 21-15 SU and 18-18 ATS. Against the total, Lob City is 39-33 Over on the year and are putting up 100.9 PPG.

Injuries

After missing three games with an injured groin, Clippers guard Chauncey Billups re-aggravated his injury on Wednesday against the Rockets. Billups is listed as day-to-day, but is not expected to play on Friday. The 2004 Finals MVP is averaging 8.2 PPG on the year.

What to watch for

Look for solid ball movement and quick, crisp passes for both teams, as this game features two of the top five teams in assists per game. The Spurs lead the league in assists with 25.1 APG, while the Clippers are averaging 23.5 APG, good for 4^th in the NBA.

Tim Duncan is proving that age is nothing but a number. The 36-year-old veteran has played phenomenal during the Spurs past six games, notching a double-double in five of the contests and averaging 23.6 PPG and 13.5 RPG over that stretch. Watch for Duncan to grab another double-double in this one.

A major reason for the success of the Clippers this season has been the play of Jamal Crawford. Believed by many to be the favorite for the Sixth Man of the Year Award, Crawford has contributed greatly to the winning ways of the Clips this season. Watch for Crawford and his 16.7 PPG to make an impact on Friday.

The pick

With Tim Duncan playing beyond his age, a healthy Tony Parker and Gregg Popovich leading his team into the postseason, it will be a difficult task for Lob City to come into San Antonio and knock off the Spurs. Losing this one will be only the fifth loss at the AT&T Center this season, but I don’t believe that it will happen. This will be a high-flying, fast paced game, but San Antonio will pull away late and take this one, 115-107.

Source: ESPN

DAILY FREE PICK: LAKERS VS. BUCKS

by ODDSFATHER STAFF

Both teams have been getting killed on the court and have been punishing bettors as a consequence. The Bucks are in the playoffs, having all but locked up the 8-seed in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Lakers are treading on thin ice as they have the Mavericks and Jazz nipping at their heels.

The news going into this game is the season ending knee injury to Metta World Peace. With Pau Gasol and Steve Blake back on the court, they still have weapons to compliment Kobe, Superman and Nash. With World Peace out for the count, the average square bettor isn’t going to want to touch the Lakers with a 10-foot pole. That’s our cue to take a closer look at the Lakers’ side.

Free Pick: Lakers +1

GOING FOR 28 STRAIGHT WINS: HEAT VS. BULLS

by DAVID THE MAVEN CHICOTSKY

All eyes are on the Heat as they need 6 more wins to break the longest winning streak in NBA history; they look to take down the Bulls on Wednesday 8:05 PM EDT on ESPN.

During their 27 game winning streak the Heat have gone 16-11 against the spread, putting extra coin in the pocket of bettors. They’re coming off back-to-back games in which they covered. The Heat face a Bulls team that has gone 3-4 straight up and 3-3-1 against the spread in their last 7 games.

The Oddsfather’s Injury Report

Even if the Bulls had their star Derrick Rose on the court, they still would be big dogs against a Heat team with momentum in their sails.

Keep in mind that Dwyane Wade has sat out the past two games, which didn’t stop the Heat from wiping the floor with the Charlotte Bobcats and Orlando Magic.

During the 27 game win-streak LeBron James has been the stone-cold nuts, putting up 27 points (57.5% from the field and 37.4% from 3-pointland), 8.1 rebounds, 8 assists, 1.9 steals and 1 block per game. Go ahead and make room on the mantle for his second straight NBA MVP award.

Track Line Movement for this game.

The Bulls are definitely rivals with the Heat, as they’ve been a thorn in their side in the past. Two of the biggest market teams will clash in what will be a display of defensive intensity (Bulls) and all-around basketball excellence (Heat).

In the first time these two teams met this year the Bulls won and covered on the road in Miami, 96-89 – in a game where the Heat were favored by 7 points and the total was set at 189 points. The second matchup had the Heat winning and covering in Chicago 86-67 – the Heat were favored by 3 points and the total was 186 points.

Betting Information

The Heat are 56-14 straight up, 37-33 against the spread and 34-34-2 against the total. They’re 24-11 SU, 19-16 ATS and 19-15-1 Under on the road. The Over has hit in 3 out of the last 4 Heat road games.

The Bulls are 38-30 SU, 28-37-3 ATS and 39-29 Under on the year. At home they’re 19-16 SU, 10-24-1 ATS and 24-11 Under. The Under has hit in 3 out of the last 4 Bulls home games.

Source: Bleacher Report

NIT SHOWDOWN: #2 MARYLAND VS. #1 ALABAMA

by JEFF ALLEN

ACC/SEC conference bragging rights are on the line as Maryland and Alabama meet in the NIT on Tuesday.

Check out Line Movement for this game.

Alabama is coming off a game where beat defending champion #4 Stanford 66-54 on Saturday – in large part due to their smothering defense. Alongside their tough defense, they controlled the pace of the game, pulling as far as 15 points ahead at one point. The key to the Alabama-Stanford game was how often and how well Alabama shot from the free throw line: 22 of 26 compared to Stanford’s 8 of 9.

Maryland shot down Denver last Thursday 65-52, ending the game on a 23-4 run. Maryland had the shooting advantage, shooting 5.8 percent better than Denver. Sophomore wingman Dez Wells had a great game, putting up 19 points. Despite going 3-7 on the road this year, Maryland lost several big games in overtime that they very likely could of won (against Florida State, Virginia and #5 Miami). The Terps were also 3-2 when playing at a neutral site – losing to both Kentucky and North Carolina by only 3 points.

Betting Information

Maryland is 23-12 straight up, 15-11-2 against the spread and 9-7 Over on the year. Alabama is 22-12 SU, 15-15 against the total and 16-4 Under on the year.

Extra Game Details

The Kiplinger Out-of-State Ranking has Maryland ranked much higher than Alabama (#6 vs. #89)

Maryland has recruited 14 McDonald’s All-Americans out of high school compared to 10 by Alabama.

Maryland has more experienced players than Alabama (15,018 minutes played vs. 13,094 minutes played).

Maryland’s rebounding leader (Alex Len, 255 rebounds) has more rebounds than Alabama’s (Rodney Cooper, 142 rebounds).

The Oddsfather’s Injury Report

Source: Sports Chat Place, Bleacher Report

THE MAVERICKS NEED WINS TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS: CLIPPERS VS. MAVERICKS

by DAVID THE MAVEN CHICOTSKY

With 12 games left in the regular season, the Mavericks are a couple games back from the 8-spot. They’ll need a win against the Clippers to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Track Line Movement for this game

About the Mavericks:

The Mavs are coming off a win in which they failed to cover against the Utah Jazz. Veteran guard Mike James led the team to victory behind his 7-10 shooting from the field, 3-4 shooting from behind the 3-point arc, 5 assists and 3 rebounds. The Mavericks bench put up an impressive 45 points, led by Vince Carter who had 15 points in 21 minutes. The Mavs have won 3 out of their last 4 games, going 2-2 against the spread. They’re coming off back-to-back home wins (1-1 ATS). With the 8-seed in the Western Conference still up for grabs, look for the Mavs to lay it all on the line for a win. All eyes in Mavs country are on the Lakers as they currently hold the 8-seed. The hate for the Lakers comes all the way from the top of the Mavs’ organization, Mark Cuban. For the sake of the Mavs, they’ll need the Lakers to continue to stumble.

About the Clippers:

The Clippers are coming off a game in which they beat the Nets 101-95 in a game where they were favored by 8 points. Chris Paul had a huge game, scoring 29 points behind 8-16 shooting from the field  – with 11 assists on the night. They’ve won 3 out of their last 4 games, despite punishing bettors by going 1-2-1 during this stretch. With their playoff spot comfortably locked-up, the Clippers don’t have a ton of extra motivation in this game. They’re a solid team that’s stacked with talent – with the luxury of having such a strong bench (see Jamal Crawford just to start).

Betting Information:

The Clippers are 48-22 straight up, 38-31-1 against the spread and 36-34 Over on the year. On the road they are 20-14 SU, 17-17 ATS and 18-16 Under.

The Mavs are 34-36 SU, 41-29 ATS and 42-28 Over on the year. At home they’re 20-14 SU, 18-16 ATS and 21-13 Over.

Click HERE for the Oddsfather’s injury report.

Sources: USA Today, ESPN

DAILY FREE PICK: 76ERS VS. JAZZ

by ODDSFATHER STAFF

The 76ers will be wrapping up the 4th and final leg of their road trip – they just finished beating and covering against the Kings 117-103 in a game in which they were 3 point dogs.

The Jazz are finished with their 3 game road trip in which they lost all 3, but covered in them all. It looked like they had a chance to win last night against the Mavericks, but slowly let the game get out of site – ultimately losing 113-108.

Neither team has had a day off to rest their legs, that’s one reason the total is set so low at 192 (opened at 191).

Track LINE MOVEMENT for this game.

The 76ers have covered in back-to-back road games, while the Jazz failed to cover in their last home game against the Knicks.

Free Pick: 76ers +7

BIGGER IN TEXAS: SPURS AND ROCKETS DUEL ON SUNDAY

by TYLER WOGALTER

Line: Spurs -1, Total: 213.5

Last Meeting: The Spurs defeated the Rockets 122-116 in San Antonio on 12/28/12

Matchup
The two best teams in Texas will have a Sunday showdown in Houston, as the San Antonio Spurs take on the Rockets at 7:00 ET. The Spurs are the best team in the Western Conference and are currently on a four-game winning streak. San Antonio will enjoy the services of Tony Parker, who suited up for the first time in 8 games on Friday in a win against the Jazz. Meanwhile, the Rockets have won four of their last five and continue to score the basketball with ease. Houston will need to continue winning games if they want to make the playoffs. The San Antonio Spurs have the best record in the West, providing them with home court advantage throughout the playoffs. With a 2 ½ game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Spurs look to be the favorites to come out of the West and make the Finals. Houston currently finds themselves the 7-seed in the West and have a 2 ½ game lead over the Lakers for the last spot in the postseason. The Rockets are only a half game back from the 6th seed and the Golden State Warriors.

Betting Information
The Rockets are 38-31 straight up and 36-32 against the spread on the season. At home, Houston is 24-10 SU and 21-13 ATS. Against the total, the Rockets are 35-34 Over and are averaging 106.5 PPG, which is the best in the league. San Antonio has a record of 53-16 SU and 37-30 ATS. While playing on the road, the Spurs are 23-12 SU and 19-16 ATS. Against the total, San Antonio is 38-31 Under on the year and are putting up 104.4 PPG.

After missing a few weeks due to an injured thumb, Rockets rookie Terrence Jones is ready to play, but not for Houston. The Rockets sent the recovering Jones to play for Rio Grande Valley of the NBA’s D-League. Jones is averaging 3.1 PPG.

What to watch for
Expect a high final score and for the total to go over, as both the Rockets and Spurs are among the top five teams in the league in scoring. Houston is scoring more than any other team, while the Spurs are the 4th highest scoring team this season.

A major reason for the Spurs four-game winning streak has been the play of future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan. In each of his past four games, Duncan has procured a double-double and is averaging 25.5 PPG and 15 RPG over that stretch. Watch for Duncan to continue his dominance in Houston. If the Rockets want to win this game, they will need a quality night from Omer Asik. The Houston center is averaging 10.2 PPG and 11.7 RPG on the year, and is a vital peg in the success of the Rockets. Watch for Asik to come up big and grab a double-double in this one.

The pick
If Houston isn’t careful, this game could be a potential first round playoff matchup that does not benefit the Rockets due to San Antonio’s relentless ability to win. However, the Rockets been playing great basketball, especially inside the Toyota Center, which is why they will win this contest. While the Spurs should be able to keep up with the pace of scoring, I believe the Rockets will begin to pull away late and come away with a close victory, 119-115.

Source: ESPN

BEST IN THE WEST SPURS HOST STRUGGLING JAZZ ON FRIDAY

by TYLER WOGALTER

Last Meeting: The Jazz defeated the Spurs 99-96 in Utah on 12/12/12

Line: Spurs -11.5, Total: 199

Matchup

The dominant San Antonio Spurs will host the sluggish Utah Jazz on Friday at 8:30 ET. Aside from the Miami Heat, no team has played better basketball this season than the Spurs. Even with the loss of Tony Parker for the past 8 games due to an ankle injury, the Spurs have continued to prove their dominance as the best team in the West. Going 6 for 8 without Parker, the Spurs are also in the middle of a three game winning streak. Meanwhile, the Jazz have lost 10 of the previous 13 contests and find themselves on a two game skid. With only 14 games to play in the regular season, the Jazz will need to win a majority of their matches down the stretch if they want to play ball in the postseason.

The best record in the Western Conference comes with perks, such as home court advantage throughout the playoffs. The Spurs are currently sitting in the top seed in the West, have a 2 ½ game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder and have the comfort of knowing that any series must go through the AT&T Center. Utah, who were in the playoff picture as recently as last month, are on the outside looking in. The Jazz are 1 ½ games behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the 8^th and final spot in the West.

Betting Information

The Spurs are 52-16 straight up and 37-29 against the spread on the season. At home, San Antonio is 29-4 SU and 18-13 ATS. Against the total, the Spurs are 37-30 Under and are averaging 104.5 PPG, which is 4^th best in the league.

Utah has a record of 34-34 SU and 33-34 ATS. While playing on the road, the Jazz are 10-25 SU and 13-21 ATS. Against the total, Utah is 36-31 Under on the year and are putting up 97.8 PPG.

Injuries

After missing 8 games, Tony Parker is listed as possible, but unlikely for Friday’s game. The Spurs All-Star point guard practiced in 5-on-5 drills and could be able to suit up against the Jazz. Parker is averaging 21 PPG and 7.6 APG on the year.

What to watch for

No team is better at finding open teammates this year than the Spurs. San Antonio leads the league in assists, averaging 25.3 APG. Look for the Spurs to spread the ball around, even if their best point guard is forced to sit another game.

While his team may have caught a case of the slumps, Al Jefferson hasn’t let the Jazz’s recent woes stop him from balling. Jefferson is leading his team in both points and rebounds and has gotten a double-double in 3 of his past 5 games. Look for Jefferson and his 17.3 PPG and 9.2 RPG to make an impact in this one.

By securing 3 rebounds on Friday, Tim Duncan will leap frog Shaquille O’Neal for 13^th all-time in career rebounds with 13,100 boards. Watch for Duncan to keep moving up the career rebounding list on Friday, as well as score his usual 17.2 PPG and 9.9 RPG.

The pick

Even though the Jazz got the better of the Spurs the last time they played, the result of this one will be completely different. Utah has lost 7 straight road games, while the Spurs have won 4 consecutive home contests. San Antonio is a veteran team on a mission and will continue their pursuit of the top spot in the West with a win on Friday, 111-96.

Source: ESPN

NBA CAPSULES – EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE NBA

by JEFF ALLEN SPORTS

CLEVELAND (AP) – LeBron James scored 25 points as the Miami Heat overcame a 27-point deficit in the third quarter and won their 24th straight game, 98-95 over the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night to extend the second-longest winning streak in NBA history.

The Heat are within nine games of matching the record of 33 consecutive wins held by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers.

James and his teammates have insisted the record isn’t one of their goals, and for more than 30 minutes the defending champions seemed disinterested and on the verge of losing for the first time since Feb. 1. Miami trailed 67-40 with 7:44 left in the third quarter.

But behind the irrepressible James, who added 12 rebounds and 10 assists, the Heat inched closer to history by matching the biggest comeback in the NBA this season, according to STATS.

James had 14 points in the fourth as Miami completed its second straight comeback. The Heat rallied from 17 down – 13 in the fourth quarter – to beat Boston 105-103 Monday night and snap a tie with the 2007-08 Houston Rockets for the second-longest winning streak in NBA history.

Although the Cavs were missing All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and Anderson Varejao – their top three scorers – they pushed Miami to the limit.

It wasn’t until James, playing his fourth game back in Cleveland since leaving as a free agent in 2010, made two free throws with 4.7 seconds left that Miami could relax a little. The Cavs had one last chance to tie it, but C.J. Miles was long with a 3-pointer in the final second, letting Miami off the hook.

GRIZZLIES 90, THUNDER 89, OT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Marc Gasol tipped in Zach Randolph’s miss with less than a second left in overtime, lifting the Grizzlies to the win.

In a game that had all the intensity of a playoff matchup, Jerryd Bayless connected from the top of the key for Memphis with 3.7 seconds left in regulation to tie it at 83. Bayless had 10 points in the fourth quarter.

After Gasol’s tip over Kevin Durant put the Grizzlies ahead, Russell Westbrook’s desperation shot from past halfcourt was off the mark and Memphis walked away with its 16th victory in 19 games.

Mike Conley led the Grizzlies with 24 points and Bayless had 20.

Durant led the Thunder with 32 points, including 15 in the third quarter.

KNICKS 106, MAGIC 94

NEW YORK (AP) – Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points to lead New York over Orlando after missing the previous three games with a knee injury.

J.R. Smith had 22 points for New York, still short-handed in the frontcourt but looking much better with Anthony back. The NBA’s second-leading scorer hadn’t played since leaving the Knicks’ road trip last week to have fluid drained from the back of his right knee.

He said he felt much better after the morning shootaround and moved much better, shooting 7 of 14 and grabbing eight rebounds.

The Knicks shot 53 percent and won their second straight after dropping the first four games of their five-game trip. All-Star center Tyson Chandler is expected to miss about a week with a bulging disk, and reserve forwards Amare Stoudemire, Rasheed Wallace and Kurt Thomas all could miss the rest of the regular season. But New York had no trouble despite using a small lineup that featured 6-foot-9 Kenyon Martin as the center.

Tobias Harris and Andrew Nicholson each scored 14 points for the Magic in their fifth straight loss. They played without center Nikola Vucevic because of an illness in the second night of a difficult back-to-back, after losing by 22 at Indiana on Tuesday.

New York beat Orlando for the sixth straight time and swept the season series for the first time since 1997-98.

HAWKS 98, BUCKS 90

ATLANTA (AP) – Jeff Teague scored 27 points and Al Horford had 26, taking control after a sluggish first quarter to lead Atlanta past Milwaukee.

Teague scored 11 points in the second quarter and a dozen more in the third as the Hawks pushed out to a 77-59 lead. Horford scored 10 points in the final period and finished with 15 rebounds, stepping up to help the Hawks hold off a Milwaukee comeback.

Led by Brandon Jennings with 21 points, the Bucks closed to 94-90. But Jennings missed a free throw that could have made it a one-possession game, then came up short on a tough jumper with Teague in his face. Josh Smith clinched it by making two free throws with 27.9 seconds left.

Smith also had a double-double, scoring just 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting but helping out with a season-high 16 rebounds. Devin Harris added 15 points.

BOBCATS 107, RAPTORS 101

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Byron Mullens scored 25 points, Gerald Henderson had another solid all-around game and Charlotte beat Toronto to win consecutive games for the first time since mid-November.

Mullens scored 12 points in the fourth quarter. The reserve made his final eight free throws, including four with less than 13 seconds to go as Charlotte won its third straight at home.

Henderson scored 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting and added seven rebounds and five assists, continuing the best stretch of his four-year NBA career. He has scored at least 20 points in five of the last seven games.

Rudy Gay had 25 points and DeMar DeRozan added 19 points for the Raptors, who have lost seven of their last eight in Charlotte and fell to 9-25 on the road.

Ben Gordon finished with 16 points for the Bobcats and Josh McRoberts had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

NETS 113, MAVERICKS 96

DALLAS (AP) – Brook Lopez led Brooklyn with 38 points and Deron Williams had 31 in his first visit to Dallas since spurning his hometown team in free agency.

Williams scored 26 in the second half, repeatedly hitting shots and occasionally assisting on a basket by Lopez to prevent a Dallas rally in the fourth quarter.

Williams also hit a fadeaway jumper after a blocked shot by Lopez, running to his bench with a big smile after Dallas called timeout with the Nets up 97-88 midway through the fourth. The Mavericks didn’t get closer than six after that.

Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 16 points and had a team-high six rebounds, compared to 22 boards for Reggie Evans of the Nets, who outrebounded the Mavericks 45-34.

HORNETS 87, CELTICS 86

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Anthony Davis outreached Kevin Garnett and Jeff Green for a last-second tip-in, and the Hornets snapped a four-game skid.

Davis, who missed the morning shootaround with an illness, finished with nine points and eight rebounds. Ryan Anderson scored 21 points and Eric Gordon had 18 for the Hornets.

Paul Pierce scored 11 of his 28 points in the last six minutes to nearly lead Boston back from a nine-point deficit, but missed a jumper with 16 seconds left that could have put the Celtics up by three.

Garnett, returning from a two-game absence caused by a left thigh injury and the flu, had 20 points – not quite enough to prevent a second straight loss.

SPURS 104, WARRIORS 93

SAN ANTONIO (AP) – Tim Duncan had 25 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and four blocks, leading San Antonio to the win.

Tiago Splitter added 17 points, Manu Ginobili had 16 points and seven assists and fellow reserve Nando De Colo had 10 points for San Antonio (52-16), which is second to Miami (53-14) for the league’s best record.

Stephen Curry had 24 points for Golden State (39-31), which remains sixth in the West. Harrison Barnes added 13 points, Jarrett Jack had 14, David Lee finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Duncan was 11 for 17 from the field. It was his 13th game of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds this season.

ROCKETS 100, JAZZ 93

HOUSTON (AP) – James Harden scored 29 points to help Houston improved its positioning in the Western Conference playoff race.

Jeremy Lin added 24 for the Rockets, who currently hold the No. 7 spot in the West. They lead the idle Los Angeles Lakers by 1 1/2 games and are three ahead of the sliding Jazz.

The Rockets led by 19 points after three quarters and withstood a late surge by the Jazz to hold on for the victory.

Utah has lost 10 of its last 13 games. Gordon Hayward led the Jazz with 27 points and Al Jefferson added 18 points and 11 rebounds.

NCAA TOURNAMENT SECOND ROUND BETTING: MISSOURI VS. COLORADO STATE

by JEFF ALLEN SPORTS

Missouri looks to put last year’s stunning upset to 15^th-seeded Norfolk State to rest when it faces Colorado State in an NCAA Tournament 8-9 game on Thursday night.

Line: Missouri -3, Total: 142.5

ATS Information

The ninth-seeded Tigers didn’t match the 30 wins they put up entering the tournament a year ago, but they’re still a well-balanced veteran team. They have dropped two of their past three, SU, despite being favored each time, and were just 6-10 SU away from home on the season. And while Colorado State enters having won three of four SU, the Rams have failed to cover in their past three games and have lost five in a row SU (1-4 ATS) as an underdog.

Missouri couldn’t quite duplicate last season’s success despite a move from the Big 12 to the weaker SEC. After shooting 39.8% behind the arc a year ago, the team shot just 34.0% this season. And after featuring a deep rotation of scorers on the perimeter in 2011-12, they couldn’t find a consistent outside threat this season. PG Phil Pressey (11.6 PPG, 7.1 APG) has struggled to shoot all year (37.6% FG, 31.6% threes), especially on the road (36.1% FG, 27.5% threes). The Tigers did feature a more conventional frontcourt this season though, with PF Laurence Bowers (14.4 PPG, 6.2 RPG) coming off a redshirt year and C Alex Oriakhi (11.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG) transferring from Connecticut. Slashing wing Keion Bell (11.1 PPG, 52.8% FG), a transfer from Pepperdine, had some moments in February (five 20-point performances in nine games that month) but really cooled off since then, going for a total of seven points on 2-for-10 FG and 0-for-5 from three over two SEC Tournament games. And head coach Frank Haith has just one NCAA Tournament win in his eight seasons as a head coach with both Missouri and Miami-FL.

Colorado State is arguably the best rebounding team in the tournament, finishing second in the nation in offensive rebounding rate and first in keeping opponents off the offensive glass. Unlike a lot of mid-major programs, the Rams have an elite big man in Colton Iverson (14.7 PPG on 60% FG, 9.8 RPG), a 6-foot-10, 260-pound transfer from Minnesota who had 24 points and 16 boards in the Mountain West Tournament semifinal loss at UNLV. The Rams are efficient offensively thanks to the second chance points, but like Missouri CSU doesn’t shoot well from the perimeter, hitting just 33.2% of its threes on the season. Senior combo guard Wes Eikmeier (12.7 PPG) led the team in shot attempts for a second straight season, but made just 37.6% FG. He managed to get to the line with regularity over his past three games, where he’s an excellent free-throw shooter (90.2% on the season, 21-for-22 in past 3 games). That allowed him to score 17.0 PPG despite making just 31.7% FG.

Source: Statfox

BIG TEN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT – CHAMPIONSHIP: WISCONSIN VS. OHIO STATE

by JEFF ALLEN SPORTS

Two of the best defensive teams in the country will play for the Big Ten Championship on Sunday when No. 10 Ohio State battles No. 22 Wisconsin.

Line: Ohio State -1, Total: 117

The Badgers defense has been outstanding in this tournament so far, holding both No. 6 Michigan (75.2 PPG) and No. 2 Indiana (80.8 PPG) to less than 60 points. Meanwhile, Wisconsin’s erratic offense has been solid in the two victories with 68.0 PPG on 44.3% FG and 15-of-40 threes (38%). The Buckeyes have also clamped down on teams all season, especially lately where they have limited opponents to a paltry 54.1 PPG during their current seven-game SU win streak (6-1 ATS). This stellar defense has been vital, as the offense has reached 70 points just once in the past six games. These schools are meeting for the third time this season, splitting the first two contests with each team winning in its home building. OSU took the first meeting on Jan. 29 by a 58-49 score, but Wisconsin returned the favor with a 71-49 blowout in Madison. Since 2006, these schools have split 16 meetings evenly (8-8 SU) with Ohio State holding a slight 9-7 ATS advantage during this stretch.

Wisconsin has struggled outside of Madison this season with a record of 8-7 SU (5-9-1 ATS), but the team has played well since the start of February with a 9-3 SU (7-4-1 ATS) mark. The Badgers have gotten contributions from all their key players during their Big Ten Tournament run. PF Ryan Evans has 14.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 5.0 APG and 2.0 BPG in the two victories, while SG Ben Brust has 13.0 PPG (6-of-12 threes) and 5.5 PPG in Chicago. C Jared Berggren has 9.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 2.5 BPG, making all four of his shots in Saturday’s victory, and SF Sam Dekker bounced back from an 0-for-4 day against Michigan with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting versus Indiana. All four players have also been heard from in the season series with Ohio State, as Brust had 15 points (6-of-11 FG) and 11 rebounds in the Feb. 17 win, and Evans had nine points and five boards in that victory, which was a huge improvement from his 1-for-10 shooting night in Columbus on Jan. 29. Berggren performed well in both games with 11 points and nine boards in the road loss, and 15 points, eight rebounds and four blocks in the home win. Decker had just five points at OSU, but chipped in 13 points in the most recent meeting.

Since losing badly at Wisconsin on Feb. 17, Ohio State hasn’t dropped a single game, winning its seven straight contests by an average score of 67 to 54, with the only non-cover during this run coming in a 10-point win at 10.5-point underdog Northwestern. The Buckeyes are 9-5 SU (8-6 ATS) in non-home games this season, but have gone 6-2 SU in their past eight road/neutral games. PF Deshaun Thomas has been a scoring machine with 14+ points in each of his past 13 games, averaging 19.0 PPG during this stretch, and 17.5 PPG in the Big Ten Tournament. This run started with 25 points against Wisconsin on Jan. 29 and continued with 18 points in Madison on Feb. 17. PG Aaron Craft is coming off a sensational effort in Saturday’s semifinal win with 20 points (9-of-13 FG), nine assists, four steals and just two turnovers. He also had a strong game at home versus the Badgers (13 points, seven rebounds), but made just 2-of-9 shots for four points at Wisconsin last month. SG Lenzelle Smith Jr. continues to misfire this month with just 5.3 PPG on 9-of-30 FG (1-of-8 threes) in the three games. He hasn’t done much against the Badgers this season either, scoring only 5.5 PPG on 4-of-8 shooting. SF Sam Thompson hadn’t scored in double-digits in any of his team’s five straight wins before exploding on Friday for a career-best 19 points on 8-of-9 FG (3-of-4 threes). He followed that up with eight points on Saturday. Although he was held scoreless (0-for-1 FG) in the win over the Badgers, he contributed 10 points on 5-of-7 FG in the February defeat.

Source: Statfox

KOBE-LESS LAKERS TRAVEL TO INDIANA ON FRIDAY

by TYLER WOGALTER

Last Meeting: The Pacers defeated the Lakers 79-77 in Los Angeles on 11/27/12

Line: Pacers -9.5, Total: 190

The Lakers’ last game on Wednesday ended with two losses, a 96-92 defeat to the Hawks and the loss of Kobe Bryant to a sprained left ankle, possibly for the duration of the year. Bryant is listed as being out indefinitely, meaning he will not be playing in Indiana against the Pacers on Friday at 7:00 ET. Prior to Wednesday, the Lake Show had won 6 of their last 7 games and pushed their record to over .500 on the season. Meanwhile, the Pacers have established themselves as a force in the Eastern Conference. While no team in the league can seemingly touch the Miami Heat, the Pacers appear to be the frontrunners to give them a challenge in the postseason.

Currently, the Pacers are sitting in the 2^nd spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture and are one game up on the Knicks. While not impossible, it seems unlikely that Indiana will be able to overtake Miami for the top spot as they are 9 ½ game behind with 18 games remaining. The Lakers have fought their way to the 8^th seed in the West, but will have to keep up their winning ways if they want a chance to upset the Spurs or Thunder in the first round. Los Angeles is only a half-game ahead of Utah for the final spot in the postseason.

Betting Information

Indiana is 40-24 straight up and 36-28 against the spread on the season. At home, the Pacers are 26-7 SU and 20-13 ATS. Against the total, Indiana is 35-29 Under and are averaging 94.2 PPG.

Los Angeles has a record of 34-32 SU and 27-39 ATS. While playing on the road, the Lakers are 12-21 both SU and ATS. Against the total, Los Angeles is 34-31 Over on the year and are putting up 102.4 PPG.

Injuries

Kobe wasn’t the only Laker who sprained an ankle against the Hawks on Wednesday. Earl Clark is listed as day-to-day, but is expected to play on Friday in Indiana. Clark is averaging 7.9 PPG and 6 RPG on the season.

What to watch for

This game features two of the top five rebounding teams in the league, with the Pacers averaging a league high 45.6 RPG and the Lakers grabbing 44.6 RPG, good for 4^th in the league. Look for both teams to play aggressive near the hoop and battle for each bound.

Pacers forward Paul George has emerged as one of the best young players in the game. In only his third season in the league, George is putting up 17.6 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 4 APG. Look for George to score at will and dominate this game with a double-double.

Over the past four games, Steve Nash has upped his scoring and is averaging 15 PPG. The Lakers will certainly need some added offense with the Black Mamba out of service. Nash is scoring 12.4 PPG and 6.7 APG on the year.

The pick

Even though the Lakers have played much better in the second half of the season, I don’t like their chances on the road without Kobe Bryant. Not many teams come away with a victory at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and I don’t believe a banged up Lakers squad can pull out a win in Indiana. With the Pacers playing at such a high level, this game could get out of control early if the Lake Show can’t get motivated without #24 on the floor. Look for this to be a physical game down low, the total to go Under and for the Pacers to cover, 96-83.

Source: ESPN

DAILY FREE PICK: KNICKS VS. TRAILBLAZERS

by ODDSFATHER STAFF

Both of these teams have lost and failed to cover in back to back games. Last game the Knicks were destroyed by Denver 117-94 while the Trailblazers recently lost to Memphis 102-97.

ATS Info

The Knicks are 38-24 straight up, 30-31-1 against the spread and 31-29-2 Under on the year. On the road the Knicks are 16-14 SU, 13-16-1 ATS and 15-13-2 Under.

The Trailblazers are 29-34 SU, 30-31-2 ATS and 35-28 Over on the year. At home they’re 20-11 SU, 17-12-2 ATS and 17-14 Over.

Amar’e Stoudemire had surgery this week and is out for the next 6 to 8 weeks. The Knicks also have Tyson Chandler more than likely on the bench after getting hurt in the last game Despite these injuries, the Knicks minus a couple of their best players are still as good or better than the Trailblazers at this point in the season.

Free Pick: Knicks +6