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Free NBA Picks 11/26/08

Two free NBA looks from the SPORTS ADVISORS:

NBA

Orlando (10-4, 6-7-1 ATS) at Philadelphia (7-7, 6-8 ATS)

The Magic gun for their fifth consecutive road victory when they invade the Wachovia Center for an Eastern Conference clash with the Sixers.

Orlando bested the Bucks 108-101 on Monday, but fell short of cashing as a nine-point home chalk, dropping to 1-3-1 ATS in its last five games, all as a favorite. However, since dropping their road-opener at Memphis, the Magic have won four straight on the highway (2-1-1 ATS).

Philadelphia slipped up at Charlotte on Monday, losing 93-84 to the lowly Bobcats as a three-point road favorite. The 76ers are still on a 5-2 SU roll (3-0 at home), but they’ve followed up a 3-0 ATS run by failing to cash in three of their last four games.

The Magic knocked off Philadelphia 98-88 as a five-point home favorite back on Nov. 6, improving to 6-1 in the last seven meetings (4-3 ATS). The host has won the last four head-to-head clashes and covered the spread in each of the last five. However, the underdog is 22-10 ATS in the past 32 meetings.

Orlando’s ATS streaks including 4-0 against the Atlantic Division, 4-1 on Wednesdays and 36-16-1 after a non-cover. Conversely, Philadelphia is mired in pointspread slumps of 0-7 against the Southeast Division, 3-8 versus the Eastern Conference and 1-5 on Wednesday.

The over is 6-2 in Orlando’s last eight overall and 5-1 in its last six when going on one day of rest. Otherwise, for Orlando, the under is on runs of 13-4 on the road, 4-1 against the Atlantic Division, 19-7 against the Eastern Conference and 10-4-1 on Wednesdays, while the Sixers are on under stretches of 10-4-1 overall, 20-7 at home, 7-1-1 against the East and 4-0 on one day of rest.

ATS ADVANTAGE: ORLANDO and UNDER

Chicago (7-8, 9-6 ATS) at San Antonio (7-6, 6-7 ATS)

The Bulls continue their brutal seven-game, 13-day road trip at the AT&T Center, where they will attempt to cool off the red-hot Spurs.

Chicago is 2-3 on its journey so far, but one of the victories came Monday in Utah, a surprising 101-100 win as a 6½-point underdog. The Bulls are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games (4-2 ATS as an underdog), scoring 100 points or more in five of those contests.

San Antonio improved to 5-1 SU and ATS in its last six games with Monday’s 94-81 rout of Memphis as a three-point road chalk. The Spurs have gone back to their defensive-oriented ways, holding nine straight opponents under trip digits while allowing 94 points or fewer in eight straight games.

The SU winner is 9-0 ATS in San Antonio’s last nine contests and 10-1 ATS in Chicago’s last 11.

The Spurs swept the season series from Chicago last year, winning 94-79 as a 9½-point home favorite and 102-80 as a five-point road chalk. The winner has cashed in each of the last six meetings and eight of the last nine, but the visitor is on an 11-3 ATS roll in this rivalry, with Chicago going 5-2 ATS in its last seven trips to the AT&T Center.

Chicago is 6-2 ATS in its last eight against the Western Conference and 4-1 ATS in its last five when playing on one day of rest, but the Bulls are on negative ATS runs of 7-20 after a victory, 4-11 after a spread-cover, 4-9 against the Southwest Division and 1-4 on Wednesdays. Meanwhile, San Antonio is 1-4 ATS in its last five against the Central Division and 0-4 in its last four on Wednesdays.

The Spurs are on a bunch of “under” streaks, including 20-6-1 overall (9-4 this year), 5-1 at home, 12-0-1 after a SU win, 13-3 after an ATS win and 36-17 when going on one day of rest. For the Bulls, the under is on stretches of 7-3-1 against the Western Conference, 6-2-2 versus the Southwest Division and 8-3 on one day of rest, but the over is 17-8-2 in their last 27 road games.

ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER

Make sure to check out all of the latest NBA odds over at Locksmith Sports!

Free NBA Pick for 11/25/08

Today’s featured free NBA pick comes straight from Dave Price:

1 unit FREE PLAY on Phoenix Suns -10.5
The Thunder simply does not have the horses to compete with Phoenix especially with as well as Shaq has played this season. With he and Amare Stoudemire, the Suns will have their way with Oklahoma City inside. The Thunder have lost 11 in a row SU and 6 of 7 ATS. The Suns are 5-2 on the road early on and their solid road play will continue throughout the season because their defense is better. Oklahoma City is only scoring 86.5 ppg at home this season, losing by an average of 12.3 ppg in all games this season. The Suns are scoring 101.6 ppg on the road this season. One of the best offensive teams in basketball will be able to handle the worst team in the NBA tonight. Lay the number.

Now let’s see what the best premium packages of the day are.  Be sure to go to each cappers’ page for more details on picking up the winning picks!  Here are today’s top promotions:

Doc’s NBA Totals Game of the Week:  The doctor nailed another NBA winner on Monday and now will put out his top totals play for this week on Tuesday. He is on a 3-0 pro hardwood run so sign-up now and let 37 years of experience work for you.

Jeff Alexander’s ***Major Alert*** NBA DOG OF THE WEEK!  Runs of 5-1 L6 and 9-3 L12 Basketball Picks! The 2007-08 NBA World Handicapping Champ stays locked in on the pro hardwood tonight with a junkyard dog that is barking off its chain and foaming at the mouth. A pair of deadly trends and a strong 39-13 ATS system (since 1996) has Jeff feeling 100% confident that this dog will win OUTRIGHT!

**BIG GAME ALERT** Ben Burns Conference GAME OF MONTH!  Ben Burns began the new week with a profitable Monday, including a double-digit winner with his NBA play. On Tuesday, Ben is STEPPING OUT with his #1 Conference GAME OF THE MONTH. If you liked his #1 November TNT G.O.M. (Boston 98-80 over Detroit) OR last Tuesday’s BLOWOUT WINNER with Indiana over Atlanta, you won’t want to miss this one!

***TOP PLAY*** Jimmy Boyd’s NBA Non-Conf. GAME OF THE MONTH!  Runs of 4-1 and 6-2 on the pro hardwood! Jimmy’s last NBA 5* TOP PLAY selection was released Sunday night and it was an easy winner on the Kings in his West Coast Game of the Year! Jimmy brings his NBA TOP PLAY back tonight on his strongest Non-Conference side in the month of November. This baby comes fully backed by an awesome 24-5 ATS system with 5 straight winning seasons at its back! Go Big of Go Home with Jimmy B. on the pro wood tonight!

If you want to beat the NBA lines then make sure to purchase a package from our handicappers!

College Basketball Picks for 11/24/08

We have the best college basketball picks you’ll find anywhere.  Our team of experts is ready to make you money tonight!  Let’s see what our top college hoops handicappers have on tap Monday.

If you are a college hoops bettor and want to bet along side the #1 Ranked Overall Handicapper, then John Martin has the perfect package for you tonight!  Get his Monday 3-for-1 NCAA Hoops Special for $29.99 to earn you access to a trio of plays where the odds makers have set the number way off the mark!  John has winners in Washington/Kansas, E. Washington/St. John’s and Toledo/Florida International tonight!  GUARANTEED to PROFIT or Tuesday’s plays are FREE of Charge!

Matt Fargo starts a new week in NCAA Hoops and looks to start a new streak as well. It has been an unusually slow start on the college hardwood for Fargo who is notorious for busting out of the gates! It only makes him work that much harder and he has done so here! He has a TOP PLAY from Hawaii in the Maui Invitational that you cannot pass up! Join him on Monday for a big Winner!

Jimmy Boyd is on a 7-2 Run L9 Basketball Picks! It won’t take you long to realize that no one cleans up the hardwood quite like Jimmy B. Jimmy continues his hoops domination tonight with the strongest side on the board Monday. A 22-5 ATS System is the strongest Jimmy has seen in the early going and it has absolutely pegged the winner here! BE THERE!

ODDS MAKER OVERSIGHT! Dave Price has pegged a dog that is barking up a storm tonight behind an ULTRA-STRONG 12-0 ATS Situation! Take advantage of a bookmaker gift with Mr. Price right here right NOW!

Ben Burns closed out last college hoops season ON FIRE & he’s picked up right where he left off. Yesterday’s outright winner (Xavier) gave him a 75% RECORD YTD. That includes a 2-0 mark with his two “Personal Favorites.” San Diego (-6) won by 14 & last Monday Siena (-14) SMASHED BOISE BY 30 PTS. Ben has isolated another BLOWOUT today!

Off Saturday’s 3-0 CBB SWEEP, Jeff Alexander is ready to take advantage of the books lack of knowledge about these lesser known programs tonight. An UNBEATEN 7-0 ATS POWER SITUATION has Jeff already heading to the bank! GET IN ON IT!

Mikey Sports has a 5* LOCK CBB play, TOP 4* CBB play and a 3* CBB play for Monday! Documented 63% last year in CBB. 15-4 79% so far this year in CBB! 19-4 83% last 23 premium plays overall!

Good Luck today!

Free NBA Pick 11/23/08

By MIKE LIPKA, STATS Writer 13 hours, 35 minutes ago

BOSTON/TORONTO

Kevin Garnett got a hero’s welcome at his old stomping grounds and the Boston Celtics got an easy victory in their most recent game.

The Toronto Raptors, meanwhile, got burned by their own former player’s return - and may have lost one of their current stars in the process.

Both teams will try to move on when they meet for a Sunday matinee in Toronto, although the Raptors may have to play without Jermaine O’Neal as they look to end Boston’s four-game winning streak.

Garnett was injured when the Celtics visited Minnesota last season, so Friday’s game marked the first time he suited up in the city where he spent his first 12 NBA seasons before the Timberwolves traded him to Boston in July 2007.

The former league MVP received a standing ovation, then scored 17 points while shooting 8-of-12 from the field in the Celtics’ 95-78 victory.

“It’s always good to go somewhere and feel the love in the building,” Garnett said. “It’s even better to win in the place I used to play. It was a good feeling. There was a lot of great energy in the building. I was just blessed that the people came out.”

Boston (12-2) outscored Minnesota 35-10 in the third quarter before cruising to its fourth straight victory and 10th in 11 games. The reigning NBA champions held the Wolves to 31.3 percent shooting - the seventh time this season a Boston opponent shot worse than 40 percent from the field.

The Raptors (6-6), meanwhile, had no answer defensively for Vince Carter on Friday night, as the former Toronto star scored 39 points to guide the New Jersey Nets to a 129-127 overtime win at the Air Canada Centre.

In contrast to the cheers for Garnett, Carter was again booed in Toronto after spending six-plus rocky seasons with the Raptors from 1998-2004, but he scored 12 straight points for the Nets late to force overtime. New Jersey erased an 18-point third-quarter deficit to drop Toronto to 2-3 this season at home.

“I don’t even know what to say, I’m so upset,” said Toronto’s Andrea Bargnani, who had 29 points and 10 rebounds. “It’s unbelievable. We were winning, we had the game under control, we made a couple of stupid mistakes.”

After a slow start, Bargnani has emerged in the last two games, averaging 27.0 points and shooting 8-of-14 from 3-point range.

Against New Jersey, Chris Bosh scored 42 points and Jose Calderon added 26 and 15 assists, but Toronto struggled defensively, forcing only seven turnovers and allowing the Nets to shoot 51.5 percent from the field.

Even worse, O’Neal strained his surgically repaired left knee when he was fouled early in the fourth quarter. He didn’t practice on Saturday, but tests showed no structural damage and he could play in Sunday’s contest.

O’Neal missed 40 games last season for Indiana due to problems with the knee.

“We’ve already made contingency plans if he can’t go,” Raptors coach Sam Mitchell said.

It may be tough enough even with him against the Celtics, who won three out of four against Toronto last season, including both trips north of the border.

The Raptors also lost 94-87 in Boston on Nov. 10, when Paul Pierce scored a season-high 36 points.

BasketballFreeSportsPicks.com Free Pick:  Celtics

College Basketball Picks 11/22/08

Jimmy Boyd is Off a perfect 2-0 day on the college hardwood and a 4-0 day of hoops action overall (Dime Players profit $14,000), Jimmy looks to SWEEP the books again with Saturday’s three best sides featuring his NCAAB Big Chalk BLOWOUT of the Month! 100% Guaranteed to profit or Sunday’s picks are FREE!

Jimmy got Friday started off right on the college hardwood by cashing in his 4* Major Afternoon Delight on Miami at high noon CST. He then gave you a little night cap with an easy winner on Portland to complete a 2-0 Sweep on the college hardwood and a 4-0 hoops Sweep on the day! Jimmy is pounding a double digits favorite that will double up on the number Saturday. This baby comes fully backed by a 100% perfect 23-0 ATS Angle! Get it NOW!

Yesterday, Dave Price took the points with Akron and came away with a nice 4* Winner! Dave UPS THE ANTE Saturday with a plays that deserves a healthy wager! A 100% Perfect 10-0 ATS System has a team winning in this spot by over 30 ppg on average, which would shatter the point spread! You’ll have to see it to believe it! Pick up Saturday’s AWESOME BLOWOUT WINNER NOW!

5-2 Run on the Hardwood! Saturday CBB action is in full effect and Jeff Alexander is ready to kick your man right where it counts - in the pocket - with the 3 best Saturday hoops plays on the board! 100% Guaranteed to profit or Sunday’s entire lineup is on Jeff!

Jack Jones went 3-1 last night in college hoops and we are going to keep pouring it on your man Saturday. Jack has three plays that he likes for today and you can get all of them GUARANTEED TO PROFIT or else tomorrow is on the house!

The Doctor has cashed in with back-2-back NCAA winners and will come strong on Saturday with an easy low odds winner. This homer will get it done so sign-up now with Doc’s Sports and let 37 years of experience work for you.

Mikey Sports has four 3* CBB plays for Saturday! We are killing Basketball! 63% last year in CBB! Let’s better that this year!

Good Luck today!

Free NBA Pick for 11/21/08

First, we’ll start off with a free NBA pick from one of out leading NBA Hanidcappers, then we’ll dive into the premium plays from many of other experts.  Today’s free pick is from John Martin, the #1 overall rated handicapper on the site!

Martin’s Friday NBA Free Play:

1 Unit on Atlanta Hawks -8

It’s not longer a secret that the Atlanta Hawks have become a contender in the East. After starting the season with six straight wins, the Hawks hit a bit of a cold streak, but they are back on track after beating Washington in their last test. Atlanta should have no problem getting by Charlotte with ease Friday, considering the Bobcats are playing without their best player in Jason Richardson. Charlotte has had an easy schedule early, playing 8 of their first 10 games at home. But the Bobcats have managed just a 3-7 record, getting blown out on a nightly basis. Charlotte has lost both of their road games this season, losing by 17 points at Cleveland and 3 points at New York. But the Bobcats have lost 4 of their last 5 games overall, getting crushed by 8 points or more in 3 of those 4 losses. Home teams are 6-0 SU and 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings between the Bobcats and Hawks. Atlanta won their last two home meetings with Charlotte by 9 and 8 points, covering the spread in each. Anything short of a 10-point win tonight would be a surprise considering Charlotte is playing without their best player in Richardson. Cash in with Atlanta as the favorite.

Now let’s see what’s going on with the rest of our experts in the NBA tonight:

Mr. East has found a huge market inefficiency play, that the odds-makers are totally clueless to. This is a must play game. MREAST already has nailed his NBA TOTAL OF THE YEAR and is hitting 68% in the NBA. DON’T MISS!!!!

The 2007-08 NBA World Handicapping Champion gets back on the pro hardwood tonight with the strongest situation he’s found to pound a road team this month! Jeff’s 3-2 NBA roll has Dime bettors up $7,000 since Monday and a 20-6 ATS System provides proof in numbers in the potency on Jeff’s side tonight! Bring down the house with Jeff Alexander on the pro hardwood tonight!

Ben Burns had another winning Thursday overall yesterday but had to settle for a split with his NBA picks. He lost with the Suns but EASILY CASHED his top TNT play, a blowout with Boston. Burns returns with a single selection from the pro hardcourt on Friday. If you liked Wednesday’s Non-Conf GOW winner on Minnesota, you’ll LOVE this ticket!

Basketball Picks for 11/20/2008

Today we’ll look at what top basketball experts have posted in the NBA and college basketball.

For starters we’ll look at college basketball.

Rocky Atkinson has a TOP 4* CBB play for Thursday! Rocketman finished last year as the documented #1 College Basketball Handicapper with a 72-36 67% record for the entire season! Join us each and every day to maximize your profits with our money management system!

Matt Fargo is coming off a disappointing Wednesday as Virginia won but did not cover while Morehead St. was outscored by 20 in the 2nd half and missed the cover by a point. He gets it back with a BIG BLOWOUT that takes place tonight you cannot miss! Fargo has this one broken down inside and he explains exactly why it will not be close! Build your football bankroll with a Win!

Jeff Alexander goes to war with the books tonight with the 3 highest rated CBB sides on the board. His SIU/Duke and Michigan/UCLA SUREFIRES combine with his 4* Major CBB Line Mistake of the Month to keep the gravy train rolling on the college hardwood tonight. 100% Guaranteed to profit or Friday’s entire card is FREE!

Now let’s see what our experts have going on the two NBA games tonight!

Jimmy Boyd took a tough loss on the 76ers last night in the NBA as they came out flat in the third quarter but Jimmy will get your right back in the black on the pro hardwood tonight with this big time Pacific division winner! Should Kobe and company be getting the chalk at Phoenix or have the odds makers missed their mark? An impressive 15-3 ATS Trend will have you putting the hurt on your man right alongside Jimmy B.!

Matt Fargo cashed in last night with the Pistons with his Eastern Conference Game of the Week as the NBA is heating up again! Fargo is hitting 66.7% of his NBA Reports since last Friday and he continues his surge Thursday! Join him for his BEST BET on the short card as he has the side Winner in the rematch between the Pistons and Celtics! Watch and Win with Fargo on TNT!

Get John Martin’s lone NBA winner tonight GUARANTEED here:  10:35 EST on TNT - Lakers/Suns NBA Sharp Play!  (All value in tonight’s Lakers/Suns Pacific Division Rivalry goes down on the Total!  I have provided insight in my analysis that shows you whether this will be a shootout or a defensive struggle!  14-4 and 12-3 Totals Systems in my analysis provide the winning insight you need to cash in this late-night NBA winner Thursday!)

NBA Picks for 11/19/2008

Our NBA experts are just itching to get you on board and make you some money this season!  Today we’ll see what several of our top rated cappers have going on in NBA action Wednesday.

MREAST has a total that he will prove is off by 28 points in the NBA and this is a 34-0 system, one condition only no backfitting!!! His biggest NBA play in 3 years!!! If you do nothing else, CASH THIS ONE!!!!

Ben Burns was 2-0 on the hardcourt last night, including a double-digit winner with Indiana in the pros. Burns returns with his latest BLUE CHIP on Wednesday. If you liked last Wednesday’s 20+ point winner (Rockets/Suns ‘under’) then you won’t want to miss this week’s version. Don’t wait. Get it right away!

Ben Burns was 2-0 on the hardcourt last night, including a double-digit winner with Indiana in the pros. Burns returns with his Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Wednesday. If you liked last Wednesday’s 20+ point winner (Rockets/Suns ‘under’) then you won’t want to miss this BEAUTY. Hop on board right away!

Nobody has done a better job of winning you money in the NBA recently as Jack Jones is 10-3 over his last 13. Keep the winning coming with FIVE big plays going for Wednesday night!

If you are looking to finish your night off on a winning note then take a look at the late NBA winners on the Bulls/Blazers. Nobody is hotter right now on the pro hardwood than Jack Jones as he is 10-3 over his last 13. Cash in NOW!

Jimmy Boyd is 8-6 over his last 14 NBA picks for small profits but one of his famous hot streaks just got started last night with an easy call on the Warriors at home over Portland. Jimmy has another irresistible side on the pro hardwood ready to bury your man 6-feet under. 3 Unstoppable Systems and one STRONG 80% ATS Trend will have you betting big with Jimmy again tonight! Guaranteed as always!

Matt Fargo had the Lakers last night who blew a 21-point lead and got outscored by nine points in the final quarter to get backdoored. He is still on a solid 60% ATS run in the NBA and he adds to it Wednesday with a huge matchup! Join Fargo for his Eastern Conference Game of the Week that is backed by Team Angles a combined 25-7 ATS (78%)! We get it back with an easy ticket!

We also have a featured premium Season Subscription from the capper we think can make you the most money this year!

Jimmy Boyd closed out the 2007-08 NBA season on a tear, profiting Dime Players $33,600 over his last 118 picks! It’s time for a new season and with some newly tweaked systems and more resources at his fingertips, Jimmy is ready to dominate the odds makers all season long. Get every one of Jimmy’s expert NBA picks through the NBA Finals for only $349.95! You won’t find a better price for winning picks anywhere else in the industry!

Visit each cappers’ page to find out more details on how to get these RED HOT picks!

Free NBA Basketball Picks 11/18/2008

There’s plenty to get to for our free NBA picks today, so let’s get right into it!

Jimmy Boyd’s 5* NCAAB Non-Conference Game of the Year cashes on Oklahoma State on his way to a 2-0 college hoops sweep to start the week (Dime Players pocket $9,000)!  NOW 5-2 L7 NCAAB Picks!  Jimmy keeps the pedal to the metal on the college hardwood with his 5* NCAAB Line Mistake of the Month (plus 2 Majors) in Tuesday’s Big 5-Pack!  Grab Jimmy’s College Hoops Season pass for the great price of $349.95 NOW for the most winners in the industry through the Final Four Championship Game!

Here’s Jimmy’s free pick of the day in the NBA:

1 Unit FREE PLAY on Kings +5.5
The Kings have been playing much better basketball since their first road trip of the season and I like them to fare much better against a struggling Memphis team which has lost 4 straight. The Kings are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 vs. the Western Conference, 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games playing on 1 days rest, and 12-5 ATS in their last 17 Tuesday games while the Grizzlies are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 Tuesday games and 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record. The Underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings and we’ll take the points tonight.

Jeff Alexander’s 5* Wiseguy NBA Game of the Month wins big on the Utah Jazz over the Phoenix Suns Monday! NOW 3 Straight Wiseguys have cashed! No. 4 goes tonight with the reigning NBA World Champ’s 5* Wiseguy NBA BLOWOUT OF THE WEEK in his Tuesday Trifecta!  Jeff has a free pick on the Dallas/Charlotte game tonight, here’s what he has to say about the match up:

1 Unit FREE PLAY on Charlotte Bobcats +5.5
Dallas is just 3-7 SU and ATS this season and finds itself in a spot that has not treated it well. Dallas is just 3-15 ATS off a road win over the last 2 seasons, 4-19 ATS off a road win by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons, and 1-9 ATS in road games after failing to cover 4 of their last 5 against the spread over the last 2 seasons. The Bobcats have covered 2 in a row and 4 of their last 6. We’ll take the points tonight.

Our final free play is from Dave Price, a proven winner in pro hoops!

1 Unit FREE PLAY on Cleveland Cavs -5.5
Plays on road teams (CLEVELAND) - good defensive team (41.5-43.5%) against an average defensive team (43.5-45.5%), after a game making 12 or more 3 point shots are 52-21 ATS the last 5 seasons. New Jersey is 6-16 ATS in home games first half of the season over the last 2 seasons. The Cavs are rolling, having won 7 in a row, and I like them to keep right on rolling tonight. Lay the number.

College Basketball Picks 11/17/2008

There’s all kinds of action going on in college basketball today!  Now is a great time to get started with many of our expert handicappers so that you can ride them to huge profits all season long!  Our cappers can spot a winner from a mile away with their in-depth analysis and statistical trend tracking.  Let’s see what our top rated college basketball cappers have on tap for Monday!

Mikey Sports has three 3* CBB plays for Monday! Mikey hit 63% last year in College Basketball and ready to roll again this year!

Rocketman Sports has a 3* CBB play for Monday!  Documented 72-36 67% last year in CBB. 60% so far this year in CBB action!

You’ll recall that Ben Burns closed out last NCAA season with a pair of HUGE winners, CRUSHING the books with Kansas over UNC (underdog Jayhawks won by 18) & the ‘under’ in the championship game between Kansas & Memphis. That game went to OT & still stayed below the total! Ben tips-off the new season with a game he expects to be a B-L-O-W-O-U-T!

Doc’s Sports is coming off a profitable weekend in college basketball and is set to attack the Big Monday card with an easy homer winner. A report accompanies this pick so sign-up for a line that is way off the mark and let 37 years of experience work for you.

Matt Fargo followed up his Saturday outright win on Illinois St. with a big TOP PLAY win on Sunday with Creighton! He rides this momentum into Monday as he is releasing another TOP PLAY Winner! This one has BLOWOUT written all over it and Fargo is putting you on the right side! Join him as he rides his perfect Weekend run into tonight!

Jimmy Boyd unleashes his first NCAAB GOTY play of the 2008-09 season tonight on a Non-Conference matchup that has B-L-O-W-O-U-T written all over it! In fact, the 13-4 ATS System Jimmy is hammering has his side winning by an average of 24.0 ppg in tonight’s spot which would destroy the point spread! Take the books to school with Jimmy B. tonight! Guaranteed as always!

Jeff Alexander came through with an easy call on Creighton on the college hardwood Sunday, playing on how strong the Jays have been on their home floor. But is he taking the points or laying them in this neutral court battle between James Madison and ranked Davidson? A 75% ATS Trend will do the trick for you tonight!

Dave Price recaps last night’s game and give you his preview for tonight:  K-State came out of the gates swinging last night and took a 23-point lead into halftime, already besting the 21-point spread. The Cats decided to coast in the second half and we end up taking a 1-point ATS loss. Pissed off, yes. Time to panic, are you kidding me? No need to sweat as Dave Price will bounce back big tonight with this easy call in non-conference play, fully backed by a 32-10 ATS System with 5 straight dominant seasons under its belt! You can’t keep Dave down two days in a row. It just doesn’t work that way!

Butler at Drake Free Basketball Picks

If you are looking to make some money on Saturday then take a look at the basketball picks offered by our top handicappers.  Jack Jones has a pair of winners in college basketball and two more going in the NBA.  Mr. East has been handicapping both sports tremendously well and is putting out his top plays in both sports for today.  Jay Todd has a lot of NBA games going today as he tries to bounce back from an off Friday, plus there are plenty of more packages available.

For our free basketball pick for Saturday let’s take a look at the Butler at Drake game:

Both of these teams are coming off NCAA tournament appearances and will look to get their seasons started off on the right track.  Drake was 28-5 a year ago after starting out 22-1 to climb as high as No. 14 in the polls.  However, after winning both the regular season championship and the Missouri Valley tournament the team was upset in the first round of the tournament by Western Kentucky.

Butler was 30-4 and won the Horizon League, reaching No. 11 in the rankings and getting to the second round of the tournament before losing to Tennessee.   The Bulldogs have started off the last two years hot winning their first eight and first ten the last two years.

Drake gave Butler a loss last year, the only home loss Butler had all year.  The Bulldogs were 14-1 at home a year ago while Butler was 15-3 as a visitor.  Drake is on an ATS run of 11-5 at home, 20-8 ATS in non-conferene games, and 10-3 ATS on Saturday games.  Butler is 21-7 ATS in their last 28 non-conference games and 4-1 ATS in their last five against the Missouri Valley.

Today, I like Drake to take care of business and to cover the six point spread.

Even if you don’t want to bet basketball today, make sure you take a look at the football picks available from our handicappers.  There are a lot of big games going today in college football and our guys can help to make sure you head into NFL Sunday with a bigger bankroll than you started with.  Sign up now and start winning!

Free NBA Picks 11/14/2008

Our free play today comes from InfoPlays!  One of the most successful handicapping services around!  Tonight’s free pick is on the Suns/Kings, here is the pick and the reasoning behind it:

NBA  |  Nov 14
Phoenix Suns vs. Sacramento Kings     Total
209½ un-106  at  5DIMES     > 6h.
Info Plays Friday, November 14th Free Play:

3* on Suns/Kings UNDER 209.5

Reasons why the Suns/Kings game goes UNDER the Total Friday:

1.) The Phoenix Suns are no longer an offensive juggernaut, while the Sacramento Kings are battling too many injuries to post a big point total tonight. The Suns are actually a more defensive-minded team this season. Phoenix is allowing just 98.1 PPG and scoring just 100.9 PPG. These numbers are a far cry from what the Suns were like under Mike D’Antoni.

2.) Sacramento has 3 key injuries to their three best offensive weapons. Kevin Martin, Quincy Douby and Francisco Garcia have all missed significant time this season and all 3 are expected to be watching from the sidelines tonight. Sacramento is scoring just 99.8 PPG this season, but their defense has been decent at home where they are giving up just 100.5 PPG. Both teams would have to average about 105 points tonight to get the OVER. When you look at the numbers, the chances of that happening are slim to none.

3.) System Play. We’ll Play Under - All teams where the total is 200 to 209.5 (PHOENIX) - good shooting team - shooting >=46% on the season against opponent hot shooting team - 3 straight games making >=47% of their shots. This is an 81-37 UNDER System hitting 68.6% since 1996. Both teams are shooting lights out, and even with their recent offensive shooting percentages, neither team is averaging more than 101 PPG. Bet the UNDER 209.5 points.

If you are looking for a NBA handicapper to follow all season, you should look into Jay Todd!  Jay has more then double the units of any other NBA handicapper and he has eleven games going tonight!  As always, Jay guarantees his package so that if he doesn’t make you money tonight, tomorrow is on him!

Ben Burns has won 11 of his last 17 NBA picks!  He has a BLUE CHIP TOTAL going on Friday that you simply can’t afford to miss!

Jeff Alexander is trying to win back to back NBA handicapping contests, here’s his promo for tonight’s NBA package:

The reigning NBA Handicapping Champion is ready to capitalize tonight behind the strongest numbers he has spotted on the pro hardwood this season. Odds makers have calculated a tight game but once you read Jeff’s game analysis you will agree that this one won’t even be close!

Good Luck!

NBA Picks 11/13/2008

The NBA is ripe with opportunity tonight!  All of our top handicappers have major plays going in pro hoops!  There are only three games going, but you’ll want to load up with our experts and make some major cash tonight!  Here’s what we have on tap.

First up is Jay Todd.  Jay has been dominating at the top of the NBA leaderboards to start the season.  Tonight he has the side AND total on all three games!  Here is the promo for his package tonight:

NBA Thursday Night SIX-PACK
Jay Todd is atop the NBA leaderboards. He has DOUBLE the units of the the second place handicapper. Todd is the guy you want to listen to when it comes to NBA picks! Do not miss his SIX-PACK for Thursday night. This package is GUARANTEED-TO-PROFIT or you get one day free.

The Black Widow continues to impressive with his pro basektball selections.  Take a look at his NBA package for Thursday:

Mavs/Bulls Winning Side - ***#2 Ranked NBA Capper!***

Sizzlin’ 8-3 (73%) NBA Roll!  #2 Ranked NBA Capper!  Bill Young releases his 4* Mavs - Bulls Winning Side tonight behind a 14-3 (82%) ATS Angle in his detailed game report!

Mr. East spots when the oddsmakers make a mistake, and he knows they’ve made one tonight, here’s what East has going:

NBA THURS ODDSMAKER ERROR POD
MREAST has found a serious line flaw in tonight’s action and will turn it into cash for the weekend, get your piece of the easy winner.

Tony George continues to hit big televised games when other cappers shy away!  This is Tony’s big promo for tonight:

TNT Late Steam NBA Winner tonight!
NBA TNT Action tonight. The late game between Detroit and Golden State, a Side Play Winner. Off a Tuesday Winner, this is the best bet on the board tonight, cash it in. TNT 2 year record an amazing 55-28! BANK IT!

Jimmy Boyd never gets tired of making you money in the NBA!  Tonight he’s got a monster for his premium clients:

Boyd’s Nuggets/Cavs NBA on TNT Prime Time Punisher!
5 of L7 NBA Cards have brought home the bacon! We’ve hit a rough patch on the pro hardwood the past couple days, but that comes to an end tonight with this unstoppable Prime Time Winner! An 11-2 ATS System, nearly perfect over the past two seasons, gives us the GREEN LIGHT! Find out if Jimmy is giving the edge to Carmelo or LeBron as two of the league’s brightest young stars go head to head on TNT Tonight! 100% Guaranteed to hit of Friday’s picks are free!

Be sure to check out all of our cappers for even more premium picks!  Good luck!

Free NBA Picks 11/12/2008

Today’s free picks come to you courtesy of our top NBA handicappers!  Be sure to check out each capper’s page to find out what they have going for premium picks tonight!

Dave Price offers you his free pick on the Pacers/Nets tonight:

1 Unit FREE PLAY on Indiana Pacers -1.5
Indiana put an 18-point pounding on the Nets when they visited the Pacers on November 8th and I like the Pacers to prevail with another comfortable win because of its deadly three-point shooting. New Jersye is 11-23 ATS versus teams who attempt 18 or more 3 point shots/game on the season over the last 2 seasons and 14-28 ATS versus teams who make 6 or more 3 point shots/game on the season over the last 2 seasons. The Nets are also just 5-15 ATS in home games first half of the season over the last 2 seasons. The Nets have lost 4 of their last 5 and will have to take another setback tonight.

The Black Widow bites hard with a winner on the Celtics/Hawks:

1* on Atlanta Hawks +10.5

The Atlanta Hawks continue to get no respect tonight. All the Hawks have done is win their first six games of the season for a 6-0 record. This is a team looking to get revenge on the Boston Celtics after they were knocked out of the playoffs in a 7th game over the summer. Atlanta is the real deal this year and they are getting great contributions across the board. Al Horford recorded a career-best 27 points and 17 rebounds in a 113-108 win over Chicago on Tuesday. But with guys like Mike Bibby, Josh Smith and Joe Johnson leading the way, it�s easy to see how the Hawks have been so dominant to star the season. Atlanta has won the majority of their games away from home, making their undefeated record even more impressive. The Hawks are 4-0 on the road this season where they are limiting their foes to just 89.2 points per game. This kind of defensive effort gives Atlanta a good chance to keep it close, and perhaps pull off the upset tonight over the defending NBA Champs. Take Atlanta and the points.

Overall #1 Handicapper John Martin gives his opinion on the Kings/Clippers Wednesday:

Martin’s Wednesday Free Play:

1 Unit on L.A. Clippers -7

The L.A. Clippers are finally healthy and you will now see this team start to play up to their potential. Marcus Camby and Baron Davis are back on the floor after missing some time early in the season due to injury. It all came together for the Clippers in a 103-92 home win over the Dallas Mavericks in their last game on Sunday. The Clippers have now had a couple days to get ready for tonight’s home game with the Sacramento Kings, who are really banged up right now. After losing to the Pistons 100-92 at home last night, the Kings are now asked to play on back-to-back nights when they travel to L.A. Wednesday. The Kings will be asked to try and be competitive tonight despite playing without 3 of their best players in Kevin Martin, Quincy Douby and Francisco Garcia. This trio makes up the Kings’ best 3 scorers and Sacramento will not be competitive tonight without them. The Kings are 0-4 on the road this season, getting outscored by 20.0 points/game. Sacramento hasn’t even showed up when they’ve traveled away from Arco Arena. This game will be a blowout from start to finish where a banged-up Kings’ team has no chance of competing against a healthy Clippers’ squad led by Baron Davis. Cash in with the Clippers as the favorite.

Good luck tonight and all of this week!

NBA Basketball Odds for 11/10/2008

There’s plenty to choose from tonight’s NBA action.  The Blazers at the Magic is a match up between two of the hottest teams in the NBA this year.  The Magic are 7 point favorites as they have an advantage with their big man in the middle, Dwight Howard.  Another good match up is the Raptors at the Celtics.  Boston is a big favorite, but the Raptors made some great moves in the off-season and are a very good team in their own right.  It also looks like the Miami Heat are over their awful year last year, they are winning games and are a big favorite over the Nets tonight.  Be sure to check out all of our free picks and premium packages from our group of winning NBA cappers!

NBA Basketball Odds for 11/10/2008

Game			Spread	Money Line	Total Points
Mon 11/10	701	Portland Trail Blazers	+7 -105	+265	OVER 191.5 +100
04:05 PM	702	Orlando Magic	-7 -105	-285	UNDER 191.5 -110
Mon 11/10	703	Oklahoma City Thunder	+11.5 -103	+750	OVER 196.5 -110
04:05 PM	704	Indiana Pacers	-11.5 -107	-900	UNDER 196.5 +100
Mon 11/10	705	Toronto Raptors	+8.5 -102	+380	OVER 183 +103
04:35 PM	706	Boston Celtics	-8.5 -108	-420	UNDER 183 -113
Mon 11/10	707	New Jersey Nets	+8.5 -102	+375	OVER 188 +103
04:35 PM	708	Miami Heat	-8.5 -108	-415	UNDER 188 -113
Mon 11/10	709	Memphis Grizzlies	+11 -102	+675	OVER 196.5 +102
06:05 PM	710	Phoenix Suns	-11 -108	-825	UNDER 196.5 -112

One of our best overall handicappers and one of the best NBA cappers in the business, Doc’s Sports has been tearing his way through our NBA leaderboards this year.  Doc had his NBA game of the month last night and look how it turned out!:

6-Unit Play – Totals Game of the Month - #505 Take Dallas/LA Clippers OVER ( 3:30 PM EST , Sunday)

The Clippers offense has been ridiculous but these are two teams that aren’t playing great defense right now and this number is way too low, in our opinion. LA has allowed an average of 103 PPG through six games and Dallas is allowing 97 PPG. This number is very far off and this is one of the early season gifts given from the oddsmakers. LA has faced some very good defensive squads this season but they are facing a middle-of-the-road defense tonight and we feel that they will have their offense clicking for the whole game. They haven’t been that bad overall, but they have gone for major stretches without points and that is why this number has been posted so low.

Tonight Doc has more NBA action and a big play on the Monday Night Football game!

Evan Altemus has a monster play going in Monday Night Football tonight, but he’s also ripping up the NBA with winner after winner each night!  Evan nailed the Celtics over the Pistons on Sunday, here’s what you missed out on!

Detroit will take a few games to get adjusted to Allen Iverson being in the line-up. He is a pure scorer but doesn’t play much defense. Iverson even stated that he knows this team focuses on defense, so he will do the best he can on that side of the court. However, his main goal is to shoot the ball and that was apparent in his first game as a Piston. Meanwhile, Boston returns their core from a year ago and has played very well. They were able to control the entire game against Houston the other day because of their focus and defense. The Celtics have won 6 out of their last 8 match-ups with the Pistons as well. Look for Boston’s defense and consistency to be the difference in this game.
2 UNIT SELECTION

Be sure to check out all of our NBA free picks and handicappers and good luck tonight!

NBA Basketball Odds for 11/8/2008

Obviously football normally takes center stage on Saturday, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect the NBA!  There are plenty of games to choose from today, with some very interesting match ups.  We’ve got the Magic, who look like an early favorite to go deep in the playoffs (even at just 3-2) as a 9.5 point favorite at home against the winless Washington Wizards in Orlando.  The Hornets host the Heat and oddsmakers aren’t giving the Heat much credit on the road, even though it’s quite obvious they aren’t the 15 win team from a year ago.  The Portland Trailblazers were a big surprise last season and seem to be on the same track this year, giving 8 points to the dismal Minnesota Timberwolves at home.

NBA Odds 11/8/2008

Teams	Spread	Money Line	Total Points
Washington Wizards	+9.5 -107	+470	OVER 198.5 -105
Orlando Magic	-9.5 -103	-520	UNDER 198.5 -105
New Jersey Nets	+7 -105	+265	OVER 200 +100
Indiana Pacers	-7 -105	-285	UNDER 200 -110
Miami Heat	+9.5 +100	+490	OVER 192 -108
New Orleans Hornets	-9.5 -110	-540	UNDER 192 -102
Cleveland Cavaliers	-1 -115	-122	OVER 189 +100
Chicago Bulls	+1 +105	+112	UNDER 189 -110
Phoenix Suns	-5.5 -105	-230	OVER 198 -110
Milwaukee Bucks	+5.5 -105	+210	UNDER 198 +100
Minnesota Timberwolves	+8 -105	+340	OVER 192 -110
Portland Trail Blazers	-8 -105	-370	UNDER 192 +100

In addition to today’s odds, take a look the winning picks that our #3 Ranked NBA Handicapper, James Carpenter had on Friday!:

Atlanta has been playing it’s best basketball in years. They are doing great definsively and face a Raptors team with only 3 scorers. Bosh and O’Neil are still getting used to playing together and O”Neil still isn’t back to his old self. I think the Hawks can take him out of the game tonight he is only averaging 10 ppg and 17 ppg lifetime versus the Hawks. I like the home team here so I will take the Hawks -2.5 at 3*

The Bucks are playing well on both sides of the ball and are getting no respect from the oddsmakers here. Sure Boston is clearly the better team and at home but the Bucks have enough on offense and defense to hang with the champs. Take the Bucks +13.5 at 3*

Indiana has been playing good this season being in every game. They were beating the Suns until Stoudmire went off and hit 49. Indiana should give the Cavs a run for their money. I will take the Pacers +9 at 3*

The Spurs won against Minnesota but Parker, and Duncan were the only offense with Parker scoring over 50. If the Spurs want to win without Ginobli they will have to do this every night. The Heat come into San Antonio after pounding the Sixers and will give the Spurs more than they can handle. Take the Heat +6 at 3*

Free Basketball Picks 11/7/2008

Friday’s featured free basketball pick comes from expert handicapper Jimmy Boyd.  Jimmy nailed his only basketball play last night on the Portland Trailblazers.  Here’s a recap of Jimmy’s pick on the game:

3* NBA on TNT SMASH on Blazers +5
The Blazers led most of the second half against Utah last night before giving the game away late. I like Portland to rebound from that loss at home tonight. The half court style of basketball that Houston plays does not give the Rockets many opportunities to blow teams out, especially on the road. I expect this one to go right down to the wire with Portland pulling out the game. Portland is 27-13 ATS in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons, winning these games outright on average. This young Blazers team gives everyone it faces its best shot. After back-to-back games on the road, the Trailblazers will be happy to return home where they are a much better team. Take the points.

From one easy winner to another, let’s see what Jimmy is putting on out in the NBA for free on Friday:

1 Unit FREE PLAY on Dallas Mavericks +1
Denver is now just 1-3 on the season with its only win coming against the lowly Clippers as defense continues to be the weakness of this team. Dallas is 2-0 SU and ATS on the road this season and has an extra day of rest on the Nuggets coming into this one. The Nuggets are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game and 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following an ATS loss. It doesn’t matter if Billups is able to go or not for the Nuggets as there is going to be an adjustment period. Denver likely stakes a small step backwards before it can move forward. Take the Mavs.

Free Basketball Picks for November 6th, 2008

Not much happening in the NBA on Thursday, but there are two games tonight and we have free picks on both games.

First off we have a play on the Orlando/Philly game by InfoPlays.  This service is on a 4-1 run over their last 5 premium plays.  Here’s what they have to say about tonight’s match up:

Info Plays Thursday, November 6th Free Play:

3* on Philadelphia 76ers +5.5

Reasons why the 76ers covers the spread Thursday:

1.) Short travel for the 76ers in between games. Philadelphia played in Miami last night and they’ll have a short trip to Orlando to play this game tonight. This will help the 76ers be able to recover quickly from their game last night.

2.) The 76ers will be looking to bounce back. After falling behind huge to the Miami Heat early last night, the 76ers were pretty much out of that game the rest of the way. Look for the 76ers to get off to a much better start against the Magic tonight and sustain their play. The 76ers stack up very well against Orlando every since bringing Elton Brand into town. Philly has the big men inside with Samuel Dalembert, Andre Iguodala and Brand to slow down Dwight Howard of the Magic. Also, Thaddeus Young may win the most improved player in the league award. Young is scoring 16.0 points/game this season and he’ll be a big factor tonight to go along with the Big 3.

3.) System Play. We’ll Play On - Underdogs (PHILADELPHIA) - excellent shooting team (>=47.5%) against an average defensive team (43.5-45.5%). This is a 101-53 ATS System hitting 65.6% since 1996. The 76ers are shooting lights out this season and they’ll get right back on track tonight with an upset road win at Orlando. Bet Philadelphia on the road.

The other game on the board tonight is Houston vs. Portland.  Our play for tonight comes from the Black Widow.  The Black Widow handicappers are currently ranked #1 in overall plays in the last 60 days hitting at an incredible 96-78 clip!  Here is their opinion on the Rockets/Blazers game tonight:

1* on Portland Trail Blazers +5

The Portland Trail Blazers had the Utah Jazz by the balls last night, and they let them off the hook. Utah pulled away in the 4th quarter. Portland will be looking to forget this loss in a hurry by destroying the Houston Rockets when they come to town Thursday. We cannot believe the odds makers have listed the Blazers as the home dog here. They are clearly putting too much stock in Greg Oden’s injury. Remember, Portland finished with better than a .500 record last season and that was without Oden the whole way. This is still a very good team that added a couple more pieces in the offseason to really compete in the West. The Blazers have just been stuck with a brutal schedule to start the year, with road games at the Jazz, Lakers and Suns. But Portland did win their only home game, a 100-99 victory over the Spurs despite being the underdog in that one as well. Portland is 27-13 ATS (+12.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons. The Blazers are 30-14 ATS (+14.6 Units) as a home underdog over the last 3 seasons. Take Portland and the points.

Good luck tonight, whichever side you are on!

NBA Sports Picks Handicapping

This is the second part of our series on NBA teams and situational analysis when making NBA sports picks. As discussed in the first installment, our NBA handicapping model focuses heavily on identifying patterns of play.

During the course of an 82-game season, certain clubs take on identifiable traits that will repeat over and over again throughout the course of the year. This in turn can be quite profitable to the astute capper who is able to locate these “trends” and then repeatedly ride them to the bank.

In this week’s report, we look at two clubs that have received much attention from bettors of late, though for very different reasons. We also lend a word of caution, as well as a definitive strategy for making NBA picks on these clubs moving forward.

The first is Washington, perhaps the most surprising team in the NBA, or at least in the Eastern Conference. We actually identified the Wiz in the off-season as a team that would be far better than the dreaded editions we’d seen in year’s past. This assumption panned out well, as we cashed with Washington time and again early in the season.

The Beltway Bunch in fact checks in with the fourth best record in the East at 30-22 SU. Furthermore, they are on the verge of making the playoffs for the first time since 1997 and for just the second time since 1989 (!!!), back when they were still nicknamed the Bullets.

The Wizards have taken care of business in their own conference with an admirable 20-13 SU and 19-12-2 ATS mark. Washington has even stayed afloat without the contributions of Larry Hughes (21.2 PPG, 6.3 RPB, 5.1 APG and No.1 in the NBA with 2.82 SPG), who has been out since mid-January with a wrist injury.

The other team showing up on the public’s radar screen of late is New Jersey. Unlike Washington, though, the Nets got off to a very poor start with the departure of Kenyon Martin to Denver and the off-season knee surgery to Jason Kidd that left him sidelined into December.

Things really took a turn for the worse in early January when Richard Jefferson—their only major scoring threat available with Martin gone and Kidd injured—went down for the season with a wrist injury. When RJ played his last game on January 8, his team was a mirror of their former championship selves with a paltry 12-21 SU record.

But NJ, coincidentally, turned the proverbial corner right about the time Jefferson was injured. In fact, heading into a home date with the Lakers about a week before the All Star Break, New Jersey was on a 7-1 SU run its previous eight games. Even more impressive was the wallet stuffing 13-3-1 ATS streak the Nets had compiled in their previous seventeen tilts.

A big reason for their turnaround was the rejuvenated play of Vince Carter, who evidently needed a change of scenery to motivate him. Apparently millions of dollars does not have the same appeal as it used to.

In any event, the basketball betting public has not hesitated one bit in jumping on the Nets bandwagon of late, just as they are hoping the Wizards have another magical ATS run to cook up. That said, there is without question a rhyme and reason to each of these clubs pointspread success. Namely, both teams have been quite the bully vs. lower echelon opponents, yet have failed miserably when asked to step up in class.

Consider that Washington is a solid 14-8 ATS vs. teams with a losing record, but a meager 9-17 ATS vs. teams with a winning record. An identical pattern emerges with Jason Kidd and Company. That is, the Nets are a bookie-busting 16-7 ATS vs. teams with a sub .500 record, but just 12-15 ATS vs. teams with a winning record.

The moral of the story is simple. Before laying down your hard earned green on the Wizards or Nets moving forward, we strongly advise taking a look at the caliber of opponent they will be facing.

LeBron Affect on NBA Point Spreads

LeBron James might one day be immortalized as one of the NBA’s greatest players, perhaps even tabbed as the best of all time if he continues to progress at such a mesmerizing rate.

His jaw dropping talent fills the seats on a nightly basis and makes life very easy for the league’s marketing brass. The torch has effectively been passed from Jordan to Shaq and now to James to lead the NBA into the next decade.

But all this hype makes too many bettors too reliant on “King James” to deliver the green. This same exact phenomenon emerged when Michael Jordan returned to the Wizards. None of this is lost on those “evil doers” that we gamblers more commonly refer to as the oddsmakers who create the NBA point spreads.

In fact, those in charge of setting lines for Vegas and the offshore community have to adjust to the reality that a lot of bettors will almost blindly put their faith in the Cavs because of No. 23. (The irony that James wears the same number as the man whose mere name whipped up inflated point spreads like a Cusinart is not lost on us.) This in turn means that in certain situations, Cleveland shoulders inflated lines. Call it the LeBron Effect.

Case in point – Cleveland was a mere 1-point underdog the other night at Milwaukee. This was a Cavaliers team mind you that was in the midst of 2-5 SU and 1-6 ATS slump. This slump was quite a welcome change for oddsmakers after the team started the season 9-2 both SU and ATS. Few scenarios could be more nightmarish for setting NBA point spreads from an oddsmakers’ perspective than the team with the NBA’s highest profile star cashing tickets like an ATM.

(Actually one scenario might top it – namely, NFL favorites hitting nearly 60% on the season with just a few weeks remaining. Oh wait, that is practically happening this year. That is a whole entire other column and one we are not sure we are capable of addressing without regurgitating our lunch since we are primarily underdog players in the NFL.)

But I digress. Cleveland’s latest slump did not even take into account Milwaukee’s 8-1 ATS mark vs. the East or the Cavaliers struggles on the road.

Last season, Cleveland finished just 13-28 SU and 16-24-1 ATS on the trail. This record was even less impressive when you consider they went 8-4 ATS as a road favorite but a disastrous 8-20-1 ATS as a road dog.

In other words, Cleveland was quite a good bully away from Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund), beating lower echelon foes but getting smacked around by better competition.

If the hallmark of all good teams really is the ability to win on the road than Cleveland still has a ways to go because nothing has changed this year. Consider that they entered Milwaukee 4-1 ATS as a road favorite but a perfect 0-4 ATS as a road dog. The latter record dropped to 0-5 against the NBA point spread after they fell to the Bucks (our NBA Favorite of the Month) 111-106 as a 1-point road dog.

James delivered a NBA season-high 52-points but it was not enough. And that really is our point. James can only do so much. He is a gifted player but don’t place your hard earned money on him like a blind disciple. There was no reason on earth for the Bucks to have been anything less than a standard home court favorite (4-5 points or so) against Cleveland. Actually, there was a very good reason. Call it the LeBron Effect.

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