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03/15/2010 -
Lexington, 32-2.
Nickname: Wildcats. Coach: John Calipari.
Conference: Southeastern. Bid: SEC champion.
Region: East. Seed: No. 1.
Tournament Record: 100-45, 50 years. Last appearance: 2008.
Scoring: Team (79.2); John Wall 16.9; DeMarcus Cousins 15.3; Patrick Patterson 14.7; Eric Bledsoe 10.8.
Rebounds: Team (41.4); DeMarcus Cousins 10.1; Patrick Patterson 7.3; John Wall 4.2.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (14.7/14.5); John Wall 6.4/4.0; Eric Bledsoe 2.9/3.2.
3-pointers: Team (.341); Darnell Dodson 46; Darius Miller 40; Eric Bledsoe 40; John Wall 30.
Last Ten: 9-1.
The Skinny: Critics can fault Calipari all they want, but he knows how to recruit and he knows how to win. And that combination makes him just less than a deity in the bluegrass state. Wall has gotten most of the headlines, but Cousins and Patterson give the Wildcats ample firepower on both ends of the court.
East Tennessee StateJohnson City, Tenn., 20-14.
Nickname: Buccaneers. Coach: Murry Bartow.
Conference: Atlantic Sun. Bid: Atlantic Sun champion.
Region: East. Seed: No. 16.
Tournament Record: 2-9, 8 years. Last appearance: 2009.
Scoring: Team (69.2); Tommy Hubbard 14.1; Micah Williams 12.5; Justin Tubbs 12.0.
Rebounds: Team (36.4); Tommy Hubbard 8.3; Isiah Brown 5.6.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (10.9/14.9); Jocolby Davis 2.4/2.2; Sheldon Cooley 1.8/1.5.
3-pointers: Team (.310); Justin Tubbs 73; Micha Williams 40.
Last Ten: 8-2.
The Skinny: The Bucs lost four starters from last year's NCAA tournament team, but they haven't missed a beat. After earning a No. 6 seed to the Atlantic Sun tournament, they knocked off a Mercer team that had won both of their previous meetings.
---Texas
Austin, 24-9.
Nickname: Longhorns. Coach: Rick Barnes.
Conference: Big 12. Bid: At large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 8.
Tournament Record: 33-30, 27 years. Last appearance: 2009.
Scoring: Team (81.2); Damion James 18.0; Avery Bradley 11.7; Dexter Pittman 10.6; Jordan Hamilton 9.8; Gary Johnson 9.4; J'Covan Brown 9.3.
Rebounds: Team (42.2); Damion James 10.4; Dexter Pittman 5.8; Gary Johnson 5.6.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (14.5/13.9); Dogus Balbay 3.9/1.6; Varez Ward 2.8/2.8; J'Covan Brown 2.4/2.1; Avery Bradley 2.1/1.6.
3-pointers: Team (.345); Jordan Hamilton 53; Avery Bradley 42; J'Covan Brown 36; Damion Jones 35.
Last Ten: 5-5.
The Skinny: Texas joined a dubious club earlier this season by becoming one of only five schools to go from No. 1 in The Associated Press poll to unranked. They were spanked by Baylor in the Big 12 tournament, so it's not like the Longhorns are riding a lot of momentum, either.
Wake ForestWinston-Salem, N.C., 19-10.
Nickname: Demon Deacons. Coach: Dino Gaudio.
Conference: Atlantic Coast. Bid: At large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 9.
Tournament Record: 27-21, 21 years. Last appearance: 2009.
Scoring: Team (73.0); Al-Faroug Aminu 15.7; Ishmael Smith 13.3; C.J. Harris 10.0.
Rebounds: Team (41.8); Al-Faroug Aminu 10.7; Chas McFarland 7.1; L.D. Williams 5.6; Ishmael Smith 4.7.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (11.8/15.2); Ishmael Smith 6.0/2.9.
3-pointers: Team (.313); Ari Stewart 39; C.J. Harris 34.
Last Ten: 5-5.
The Skinny: Aminu was the only player in the ACC to average a double-double, and along with Smith forms one of the best tandems in the country. The Demon Deacons looked like a lock in mid-February, before losing four straight to mediocre opponents.
---Temple
Philadelphia, 29-5.
Nickname: Owls. Coach: Fran Dunphy.
Conference: Atlantic 10. Bid: Atlantic 10 champion.
Region: East. Seed: No. 5.
Tournament Record: 31-27, 27 years. Last appearance: 2009.
Scoring: Team (64.9); Ryan Brooks 14.3; Juan Fernandez 12.6; Lavoy Allen 11.5.
Rebounds: Team (37.1); Lavoy Allen 10.9; Ryan Brooks 4.4; Luis Guzman 4.2.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (14.8/10.5); Juan Fernandez 3.7/2.0; Luiz Guzman 3.3/1.6; Ryan Brooks 2.3/1.3; Lavoy Allen 2.3/1.5.
3-pointers: Team (.338); Juan Fernandez 71; Ryan Brooks 54.
Last Ten: 9-1.
The Skinny: Their defining win may have been against cross-town rival Villanova, but Temple has been consistent all season. Local products Brooks and Allen lead the way on offense for Dunphy, a candidate for national coach of the year.
CornellIthaca, N.Y., 27-4.
Nickname: Big Red. Coach: Steve Donahue.
Conference: Ivy League. Bid: Ivy League champion.
Region: East. Seed: No. 12.
Tournament Record: 0-5, 4 years. Last appearance: 2009.
Scoring: Team (75.3); Ryan Wittman 17.5; Jeff Foote 12.3; Louis Dale 11.9.
Rebounds: Team (34.1); Jeff Foote 8.2; Randy Wittman 4.0.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (16.5/12.3); Louis Dale 4.8/2.1; Chris Wroblewski 3.3/1.9; Jeff Foote 2.3/2.4.
3-pointers: Team (.434); Ryan Wittman 100; Chris Wroblewski 51; Louis Dale 43; Geoff Reeves 39; Jon Jaques 39.
Last Ten: 9-1.
The Skinny: Wittman is the guy to watch, the first Cornell player to be voted Ivy League player of the year. Must be in the genes, too. He's the son of Randy Wittman, who was Big Ten player of the year for Indiana in 1983 and a member of the Hoosiers' 1981 national championship team.
---Wisconsin
Madison, 23-8.
Nickname: Badgers. Coach: Bo Ryan.
Conference: Big Ten. Bid: At large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 4.
Tournament Record: 20-14, 15 years. Last appearance: 2009.
Scoring: Team (67.5); Trevon Hughes 15.4; Jon Leuer 14.8; Jason Bohannon 11.8; Jordan Taylor 10.2.
Rebounds: Team (32.4); Jon Leuer 5.8; Keaton Nankivil 4.8; Trevon Hughes 4.6.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (12.8/8.9); Jordan Taylor 3.6/1.2; Trevon Hughes 2.7/2.0; Jason Bohannon 2.2/1.3.
3-pointers: Team (.361); Trevon Hughes 71; Jason Bohannon 66; Jordan Taylor 33.
Last Ten: 7-3.
The Skinny: Leuer missed time earlier this season with a broken wrist and Taylor has struggled with his shot. When those two guys are hitting, though, the Badgers are tough to beat. Throw in Hughes and Wisconsin has enough playmakers to make a deep postseason run.
WoffordSpartanburg, Va., 26-8.
Nickname: Terriers. Coach: Mike Young.
Conference: Southern. Bid: Southern champion.
Region: East. Seed: No. 13.
Tournament Record: First year. Last appearance: First year.
Scoring: Team (69.4); Noah Dahlman 16.8; Jamar Diggs 9.4; Junior Salters 7.7.
Rebounds: Team (35.5); Tim Johnson 7.9; Noah Dahlman 6.3.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (13.6/11.9); Brad Loesing 3.0/1.4; Jamar Diggs 2.6/2.0.
3-pointers: Team (.349); Junior Salters 66; Cameron Rundles 28.
Last Ten: 10-0.
The Skinny: The Terriers have won 13 straight games entering the NCAA tournament, thanks largely to Dahlman's consistent play. He's has a streak of 47 games with at least 10 points. Wofford's 26 wins is the most since the 1959-60 season.
---Marquette
Milwaukee, 22-11.
Nickname: Golden Eagles. Coach: Buzz Williams.
Conference: Big East. Bid: At large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 6.
Tournament Record: 34-28, 27 years. Last appearance: 2009
Scoring: Team (72.3); Lazar Hayward 18.1; Jimmy Butler 14.9; Darius Johnson-Odom 12.8.
Rebounds: Team (31.8); Lazar Hayward 8.6; Jimmy Butler 6.6; Jeronne Maymon 4.2.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (15.2/10.3); Maurice Acker 3.7/1.2; David Cubillan 2.8/1.0; Dwight Buycks 2.2/1.7; Darius Johnson-Odom 2.3/2.0; Jimmy Butler 2.1/1.1.
3-pointers: Team (.406); Darius Johnson-Odom 72; Lazar Hayward 61; Maurice Acker 48; David Cubillan 45.
Last Ten: 7-3.
The Skinny: Hayward provides much-needed veteran leadership, especially considering Marquette tends to play every game close. Still, it's hard to discount a team that made a great run in the Big East tournament.
WashingtonSeattle, 24-9.
Nickname: Huskies. Coach: Lorenzo Romar.
Conference: Pac-10. Bid: Pac-10 champion.
Region: East. Seed: No. 11.
Tournament Record: 15-15, 14 years. Last appearance: 2009.
Scoring: Team (79.8); Quincy Pondexter 19.8; Isaiah Thomas 17.1; Matthew Bryan-Amaning 8.7; Venoy Overton 8.5.
Rebounds: Team (38.4); Quincy Pondexter 7.5; Matthew Bryan-Amaning 5.9; Justin Holiday 4.4; Isaiah Thomas 4.1.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (14.0/12.8); Venoy Overton 3.2/2.3; Isaiah Thomas 2.9/2.4; Abdul Gaddy 2.2/1.7.
3-pointers: Team (.325); Isaiah Thomas 57; Scott Suggs 36; Elston Turner 35.
Last Ten: 8-2.
The Skinny: The Huskies were making their case for the NCAA tournament event before the Pac-10 tournament. With some sound arguments, too. Only two teams out of 79 previously that won 11 games in the Pac-10 failed to make the dance, and neither had 20 regular-season wins. Think the selection committee paid attention?
---New Mexico
Albuquerque, 29-4.
Nickname: Lobos. Coach: Steve Alford.
Conference: Mountain West. Bid: At large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 3.
Tournament Record: 6-12, 11 years. Last appearance: 2005.
Scoring: Team (76.6); Darington Hobsen 16.2; Roman Martinez 13.8; Dairese Gary 12.7; Phillip McDonald 10.7.
Rebounds: Team (38.7); Darington Hobsen 9.2; Roman Martinez 6.0; A.J. Hardeman 5.6.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (14.4/11.2); Darington Hobsen 4.6/3.0; Dairese Gary 3.9/1.8.
3-pointers: Team (.375); Roman Martinez 94; Phillip McDonald 69; Darington Hobson 38.
Last Ten: 9-1.
The Skinny: Alford was the Mountain West coach of the year while Hobson was the player of the year? The Lobos are one of the youngest teams in the nation, with only one senior in Roman Martinez, but don't think they're approaching the tournament as merely a learning experience. New Mexico expects to make a run.
MontanaMissoula, 22-9.
Nickname: Grizzlies. Coach: Wayne Tinkle.
Region: East. Seed: No. 14.
Conference: Big Sky. Bid: Big Sky champion.
Tournament Record: 2-8, 7 years. Last NCAA Appearance: 2006.
Scoring: Team (70.0); Anthony Johnson 19.6; Brian Ovale 9.7; Ryan Staudacher 8.6; Will Cherry 8.3.
Rebounds: Team (32.6); Brian Ovale 6.9; Derek Selvig 5.0.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (12.2/12.2); Anthony Johnson 3.0/2.7; Will Cherry 2.4/1.8.
3-pointers: Team (.404); Ryan Staudacher 68; Anthony Johnson 45.
Last Ten: 9-1.
The Skinny: The Grizzlies rallied from a 22-point deficit against Weber State in the conference championship game. Anthony Johnson scored 34 of his career-high and tournament-record 42 points in the second half, including the Grizzlies' last 21 points.
---Clemson
Clemson, S.C., 21-10.
Nickname: Tigers. Coach: Oliver Purnell.
Conference: Atlantic Coast. Bid: At large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 7.
Tournament Record: 8-9, 9 years. Last appearance: 2009.
Scoring: Team (73.8); Trevor Booker 15.3; Demontez Stitt 11.2; Andre Young 9.1; Tanner Smith 9.0.
Rebounds: Team (37.1); Trevor Booker 8.3; Jerai Grant 4.6; Tanner Smith 4.2.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (14.3/14.8); Demontez Stitt 3.3/2.6; Trevor Booker 2.5/1.8; Andre Young 2.4/1.8; Tanner Smith 2.2/2.1.
3-pointers: Team (.335); Andre Young 55; David Potter 47; Demontez Stitt 28.
Last Ten: 6-4.
The Skinny: The Tigers are making their third straight NCAA tournament appearance, matching a school record set from 1996-98 when current Texas coach Rick Barnes was roaming the sidelines. Keep an eye on Booker, the only player in ACC history with 1,500 points, 1,000 rebounds, 200 assists, 200 blocks and 100 steals.
MissouriColumbus, 22-10.
Nickname: Tigers. Coach: Mike Anderson.
Conference: Big 12. Bid: At large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 10.
Tournament Record: 21-22, 22 years. Last appearance: 2009.
Scoring: Team (78.1); Kim English 14.1; Marcus Denmon 11.0; Laurence Bowers 10.1.
Rebounds: Team (35.8); Keith Ramsey 5.8; Laurence Bowers 5.6; Justin Safford 4.1.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (15.5/13.3); J.T. Tiller 3.1/2.4; Zaire Taylor 2.6/2.1.
3-pointers: Team (.372); Marcus Denmon 67; Kim English 61; Zaire Taylor 36.
Last Ten: 6-4.
The Skinny: Think the last few days have been tense for the Tigers? They were already firmly ensconced on the bubble before 12th-seeded Nebraska stunned them in the first round of the Big 12 tournament. Their frenetic, full-court style makes them a tough out - now that they're in.
---West Virginia
Morgantown, 27-6.
Nickname: Mountaineers. Coach: Bob Huggins.
Conference: Big East. Bid: Big East champion.
Region: East. Seed: No. 2.
Tournament Record: 20-22, 22 years. Last appearance: 2009.
Scoring: Team (73.0); Da'Sean Butler 17.4; Kevin Jones 13.5; Devin Ebanks 11.8; Darryl Bryant 9.7.
Rebounds: Team (38.4); Devin Ebanks 8.2; Kevin Jones 7.1; Da'Sean Butler 6.3; Wellington Smith 4.1.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (15.7/11.7); Da'Sean Butler 3.3/1.7; Darryl Bryant 3.2/2.1; Devin Ebanks 2.5/2.1; Joe Mazzulla 2.2/0.9.
3-pointers: Team (.336); Da'Sean Butler 61; Darryl Bryant 40; Wellington Smith 35; Kevin Jones 33.
Last Ten: 8-2.
The Skinny: Already the expectations are soaring at West Virginia. One fan wrote to Huggins upset that his team had not been able to put teams away. Of course, the fan sent that letter before an overtime win against Villanova in the Mountaineers' regular-season finale.
Morgan StateBaltimore, 27-9.
Nickname: Bears. Coach: Todd Bozeman.
Conference: Mideastern Athletic. Bid: MEAC champion.
Region: East. Seed: No. 15.
Tournament Record: 0-1, 1 year. Last appearance: 2009.
Scoring: Team (76.8); Reggie Holmes 21.8; Kevin Thompson 12.8; Dewayne Jackson 10.1; Troy Smith 9.3.
Rebounds: Team (40.3); Kevin Thompson 11.9; Reggie Holmes 4.3; Dewayne Jackson 4.3; Ameer Ali 4.0.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (12.7/13.5); Sean Thomas 3.1/1.8; Danny Smith 2.9/1.7.
3-pointers: Team (.338); Reggie Holmes 99; Dewayne Jackson 54.
Last Ten: 8-2.
The Skinny: Holmes was the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference player of the year for a reason, scoring 17 in the league title game. The key to the Bears is playing under control. They had 20 turnovers in that win over South Carolina State, and that won't get it done against the big boys in the NCAA tournament.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
<< Wozniacki cruises, Sharapova bows out at Indian Wells
Indian Wells, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Second seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark
rolled into the fourth round while former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova was a
third-round loser Sunday at the $4.5 million BNP Paribas Open tennis event.
Wozniacki
<< Seton Hall removes Mitchell from basketball team
South Orange, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Seton Hall announced it has removed junior
forward Robert Mitchell from the basketball team for unspecified reasons.
Mitchell, a transfer from Duquesne, started in 15 of the 31 games this season
and averag
<< Federer, Murray, Roddick victorious at BNP Paribas Open
Indian Wells, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Three-time champion Roger Federer
won his second-round match Sunday at the $4.5 million BNP Paribas Open, an
ATP World Tour Masters event.
Federer captured his fifth lifetime matchup without a loss against
<< George Mason, Harvard to play in postseason tournament
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - George Mason and Harvard are part of the 16-team
field selected to play in the second annual College Insider.com postseason
tournament.
The Patriots, who reached the NCAA Final Four in 2006, will host Fairf
Kentucky garners No. 1 seed in the East >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The University of Kentucky, which
scorched the Southeastern Conference in the regular season and won the
conference tourney crown in a tense overtime contest, was named as the top-
seeded
Duke, Big East highlight South >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hours after winning their record 18th ACC
Tournament title on Sunday, the Duke Blue Devils were awarded the No. 1 seed
in the South Region in the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
Duke (29-5), backed by the triumv
Kansas looms large in the Midwest >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Kansas Jayhawks began the 2009-10
college basketball season atop the preseason polls, and so far the voters have
been spot on, as the Big 12 champs will carry that top ranking into the NCAA
Tournam
NCAA Capsules-West Regional >>
Syracuse, N.Y., 28-4.Nickname: Orangemen. Coach: Jim Boeheim.Conference: Big East. Bid: At large.Region: West. Seed: No. 1.Tournament Record: 50-32, 32 years. Last appearance: 2009.Scoring: Team (81.5); Wesley Johnson 16.0; Andy Rautins 11.7; Kris J
(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).
The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.
"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."
Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.
"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."
When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:
CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.
DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.
PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.
You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.
"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."
Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.
(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)
Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."
But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."
Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."
Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."
All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.
In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.
"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."
To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.
Eastern Conference Playoff Betting Trends
We all know by now that the “public” loves to put their money on the FAVORITES and the OVERS. Just by taking a quick glance at Sportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends” it appears as is this tendency will continue as far as the Eastern Conference games are concerned. For the inaugural games of the first round, 69% of the early money is on Toronto -4.5; 59% of bettors prefer Chicago -4.5; 84% are backing Detroit -9; and 56% think Cleveland -11.5 is the way to go. As far as TOTALS are concerned, the only UNDER the “public” is backing is the Cleveland/ Washington game in which 83% are pounding the UNDER (190). Remember, there is no better way to predict a possible line change than by monitoring MySportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”. By determining who the “public” is backing, you can get the most ideal line for your bet. For example, if you are siding with the public you better place your bet before the line moves in the wrong direction. On the other side of the coin, if you prefer the team that the “public” is betting against; you might be able to get and extra ½ or even more by placing your bet a bit later. Under the “Betting Trends” section, Sportsbook.com also provides plenty of statistical data and trends in order for the bettor to make the most informed pick. Below are some extremely important trends for the first round opponents of the Eastern Conference match-ups, more can be found at MySportsbook.com
New Jersey Nets vs. Toronto Raptors
Toronto was the most reliable covering team this season with a 48-33-1 ATS record but covered the OVER only 41.5% of the time.
The last 20 times these teams have played, the TOTAL has gone UNDER 16 times.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Toronto is 33-19 ATS including 17-9 at home.
New Jersey has covered four games in a row while Toronto has failed to cover their last four games.
When playing a team with a winning record during the second half of the season, New Jersey was just 5-13 ATS this season.
After scoring 105 points or more, Toronto has covered the OVER only 28% of the time this season.
Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls
Miami has failed to cover their last 7 games whereas Chicago has covered 6 out of their last 8 games.
Miami has covered the UNDER in four of their last five games whereas Chicago has covered the UNDER in five out of their last six.
When playing on Saturdays, Miami covered 80% of their games this season.
Away from home, Chicago is just 16-25 ATS this season.
At home, Miami covered the UNDER about 66% of the time whereas Chicago covered the UNDER about 61% of the time.
The last 13 times these teams have played each other, Chicago has covered 9 times.
In Miami’s last 11 road games, the UNDER covered 9 times.
Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons
Detroit has covered 5 out of their last 6 games.
Away from home, Detroit is 28-13 ATS but just 14-26-1 ATS at home.
At home, Orlando covered the UNDER 64% of the time while Detroit covered the UNDER in 63% of their away games.
The last five times these teams have played in Detroit, the OVER covered each time.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Detroit is 8-17-1 ATS at home but 17-9 ATS away.
Detroit covered the spread 5 out of the last 6 times they played Orlando.
After a Division game, Orlando covered the UNDER 87% of the time this season.
Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers
In a home game where the TOTAL is between 190 and 194.5 points, Cleveland is 9-1 ATS this season.
Washington has covered the UNDER in their last 6 games and in 8 of their last 9 games.
The last 6 times these teams have played each other, the UNDER covered each time.
When playing on 3 or more days of rest, Washington is just 18-37 ATS since 1996.
Since 1996, Washington is 28-16 ATS versus Cleveland including 11-5 over the last 3 seasons.
In their last 7 road games, Washington is 6-1 ATS.
Versus Eastern Conference teams at home, Washington is just 6-18-2 ATS.
For even more betting trends for not just the NBA but for all of the major sports, log on to Sportsbook.com and click on “Trends”. With only two months left in the NBA betting season it is important to be as well informed as possible in order to maximize your profit. Also for all of you poker players, check out MySportsbook.com’s “WSOP Low Bid Auction”. You could be on your way to Vegas to play against the world’s best poker players for under a buck.
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To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your basketball sportsbook needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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