Expert Sports Picks and Analysis from Al McMordie

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/05/2023

Tuesday, Dec 05, 2023

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action. The National Basketball Association continues its In-Season Tournament with the final two games in the quarterfinals on the Tournament Night docket on TNT. The Milwaukee Bucks host the New York Knicks at 7:30 PM ET as a 5-point favorite, with the total set at 225.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Los Angeles Lakers play at home against the Phoenix Suns at 10 PM ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 228. The National Hockey League has six games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Los Angeles Kings travel to Columbus to play the Blue Jackets as a -218 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The New York Rangers play in Ottawa against the Senators as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two more NHL games drop the puck at 7:37 PM ET. The New York Islanders are at home against the San Jose Sharks as a -278 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Detroit Red Wings are in Buffalo to play the Sabres as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Nashville Predators visit Chicago to play the Blackhawks at 8:37 PM ET as a -185 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two more NHL games begin at 9:07 PM ET. The Minnesota Wild play in Calgary against the Flames as a -112 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The Colorado Avalanche host the Anaheim Ducks as a -310 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New Jersey Devils play in Vancouver against the Canucks at 10:07 PM ET, with both teams priced at -110 with a total of 7.The college basketball schedule has 11 games on national television. Two NCAAB games on national television tip-off at 6:30 PM ET. Florida Atlantic battles Illinois on ESPN in the Jimmy V. Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 147.5. Xavier plays at home against Delaware on FS1 as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 148. Three more nationally televised NCAAB games start at 7 PM ET. Oklahoma plays at home against Providence on ESPNU as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 144.5. Michigan State is at home against Wisconsin on Peacock as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 131.5. Villanova is at Kansas State on ESPN2 as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 142. Butler hosts Buffalo on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET as a 23-point favorite with a total of 149. Five NCAAB games on national television begin at 9 PM ET. Connecticut faces North Carolina on ESPN in the Jimmy V. Classic as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under 152.5. Baylor plays at home against Seton Hall on ESPN2 as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 150. San Diego State travels to Grand Canyon on ESPNU as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 143. Michigan is at home against Indiana on Peacock as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 146. Oklahoma State visits Southern Illinois on the CBS Sports Network as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 132.5.Matchweek 15 in the English Premier League begins with two matches. Wolverhampton is at home against Burnley on the USA Network at 2:30 PM ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Arsenal plays at Luton Town at 3:15 PM ET as a -2 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 3.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/04/2023

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Dec 04, 2023

The Monday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action. Week 13 in the NFL concludes with one game for Monday Night Football. The Jacksonville Jaguars host the Cincinnati Bengals on ABC, ESPN, and the ESPN2 Manningcast at 8:15 PM ET. The Jaguars won for the seventh time in their last eight games with a 24-21 victory at Houston against the Texans as a 1-point favorite last Sunday. Jacksonville has an 8-3 record. The Bengals are on a three-game losing streak after their 16-10 loss at home against Pittsburgh as a 2-point underdog on Sunday. Cincinnati has a 5-6 record. The Jaguards are a 10-point favorite, with the total set at 40 (all odds from DraftKings). The National Basketball Association continues its In-Season Tournament with the first two games in the quarterfinals on the Tournament Night docket on TNT. The Boston Celtics travels to Indiana to play the Pacers at 7:30 PM ET. The Celtics have won three games in a row, along with 10 of their last 12 contests, after their 125-119 victory against Philadelphia as a 10-point favorite on Friday. The Pacers ended a two-game losing streak with a 144-129 upset victory as a 5.5-point underdog on Saturday. Boston won the last meeting between these teams on November 1st in a 155-104 victory at home as a 13-point favorite. The Celtics are a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 241.The Sacramento Kings play at home against the New Orleans Pelicans at 10 PM ET. The Kings won for the third time in their last four games with their 123-117 victory against Denver as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Pelicans were on a two-game winning streak before a 124-118 upset loss at Chicago as a 3-point underdog on Saturday. New Orleans won the previous meeting between these teams on November 22nd by a 117-112 score as a 1.5-point underdog. Sacramento is a 4-point favorite with a total of 235.The National Hockey League has six games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Pittsburgh Penguins play in Philadelphia against the Flyers as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Dallas Stars are in Tampa Bay to play the Lightning as a -112 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Two NHL games start at 7:37 PM ET. The Carolina Hurricanes visit Winnipeg to play the Jets as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Seattle Kraken play in Montreal against the Canadiens as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Arizona Coyotes are at home against the Washington Capitals at 9:07 PM ET as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Vegas Golden Knights host the St. Louis Blues at 10:07 PM ET as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The college basketball schedule has ten games involving Division I teams. None of these games are on national television.

NBA: What Happened To The Defense?

by Will Rogers

Sunday, Dec 03, 2023

I'm dating myself but it doesn't seem like so long ago that NBA totals were regularly in the 180s. Sometimes, scores were a lot lower than that. Companies used to do promotions where they'd give away something free, like a slice of pizza, if the local team would reach 100 points. Those days are long gone. This season, totals are regularly in the 220s and 230s. I recently saw one in the 250s. Even that still wasn't nearly enough. That game finished with 309 points! Are all the high scores leading to more games going over the total than normal? Let's check it out. If it feels like games have been flying over the total, it's because they have been. Through nearly 300 games, there has been 159 overs compared to 131 unders. That's almost a 55% to 45% split. These things tend to even out. Lines will continue to creep up and eventually the unders should close the gap. Remember last year's gamesFittingly, the 309 point game mentioned above featured the Atlanta Hawks and the Indiana Pacers. It should come as no surprise that the Pacers and Hawks were involved. Not only are the Pacers scoring the most points (128.98) in the league, they're also allowing (125.94) the most. Their games average nearly 255 points. The Hawks rank #2 in scoring and are 4th worst in scoring defense. Top 10 Over TeamsIndiana 16-2Phoenix 14-6Dallas 13-6San Antonio 13-6Milwaukee 13-7 Charlotte 12-6Philadelphia 12-6-1 Atlanta 12-7Washington 12-7OKC 11-8Even the best defenses in the league, teams like the Knicks, T-Wolves, Rockets and Celtics are allowing more than 105 points a game. Scoring was way up last year but both the Cavaliers and the Knicks managed to allow less than 100 points a game. The Clippers and Rockets are a pair of teams which are bucking the over trend. They are 11-6 and 12-7 to the under. I've taken a cautious approach out of the gate with my NBA totals. I've only played five of them, winning three. I was 2-1 with overs and 1-1 with unders. Rest assured, I'll be playing a lot more of them as the season progresses. Again, I look for the unders to even out a little bit. I'll check back a bit later in the season to see if that was the case. Unless they change the rules, I guess we will have to get used to it. Players are more skilled. The officials seem to give them more space than ever. Call me old-fashioned but I miss seeing the occasional 84-80 game!

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/03/2023

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Dec 03, 2023

The Sunday sports card features NFL, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action. Week 12 in the NFL continues with 11 games. Six NFL games kick off at 1 PM ET. Seven NFL games kick off at 1 PM ET. The Atlanta Falcons travel to New York to play the Jets as a 2-point road favorite, with the total set at 33.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Miami Dolphins play in Washington against the Commanders as a 9-point road favorite with an over/under of 49.5. The Detroit Lions are in New Orleans to play the Saints as a 4.5-point road favorite, with a total of 47. The Los Angeles Chargers visit New England to play the Patriots as a 5.5-point road favorite, with an over/under of 39. The Pittsburgh Steelers host the Arizona Cardinals as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 41. The Houston Texans play at home against the Denver Broncos as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 47. The Indianapolis Colts are in Tennessee to play the Titans as a 1-point road favorite with a total of 42. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are at home against the Carolina Panthers at 4:05 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 36.5. Two more NFL games start at 4:25 PM ET. The Los Angeles Rams host the Cleveland Browns as a 4-point favorite with a total of 40.5. The San Francisco 49ers play in Philadelphia against the Eagles as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 47.5.Sunday Night Football on NBC has the Kansas City Chiefs traveling to Green Bay to play the Packers at 8:20 PM ET. The Chiefs are a 6-point road favorite with a total of 47.5.The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. The Minnesota Wild play at home against the Chicago Blackhawks at 2:07 PM ET as a -270 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Rangers are at home against the San Jose Sharks at 6:07 PM ET as a -470 money-line favorite with a total of 6. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Boston Bruins host the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -298 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Buffalo Sabres play at home against the Nashville Predators as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Los Angeles Kings are at home against the Colorado Avalanche at 8:07 PM ET as a -122 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has three games on national television. Auburn plays at Appalachian State on ESPN2 at 1 PM ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 142.5. Missouri hosts Wichita State on ESPN2 at 3 PM ET as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 143.5. Creighton is at Nebraska on FS1 at 4 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 148.5.Matchweek 14 in the English Premier League concludes with five matches. Four matches start at 10 AM ET. Aston Villa visits Bournemouth as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 3 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Chelsea plays at home against Brighton and Hove Albion on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3. Liverpool is at home against Fulham as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. West Ham United hosts Crystal Palace as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Manchester City plays at home against Tottenham at 11:30 AM ET as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5.

NFL MVP Race

by ASA, Inc.

Saturday, Dec 02, 2023

Dak Prescott (+800)Dak currently ranks second in both Passing TDs (23) and Passer Rating (107.4), while also ranking sixth in Passing Yards (2,935). Jalen Hurts is the favorite to win MVP as it sits, but this year's race is wide open with six weeks left in the regular season. No quarterback has separated themselves statistically and with the mix of rushing stats in today's NFL it is tougher than ever to determine MVP. Players like Hurts, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen bring more than just passing to the equation. However, from a passing standpoint, Prescott has been arguably the best QB in the NFL this year. Not only has Dak been very efficient, but he has also taken care of the football, only throwing 6 INTs. Voters love to see low turnover values as 5 of the last 7 MVP winners have thrown single digit picks in their seasons. A huge game awaits in two weeks as Dak could become the odds on favorite if the Cowboys can beat the Eagles on Sunday Night Football. That game will be in Jerry World and will have massive playoff and MVP ramifications. CJ Stroud (+2500)Houston has been the surprise of the season in the AFC, mainly propelled by Stroud’s asstounding rookie season. It has been quite some time since a rookie QB has burst onto the scene, especially considering the lack of roster talent the Texans had to start 2023. An overachieving offensive line paired with explosive young skill positions has led Stroud to second in Passing Yards (3,266), and sixth in Passer Rating (100.8). Also sporting a 19/5 TD/INT ratio, CJ is right in the mix for MVP candidacy. With Houston at 6-5, Stroud will have to boost his stats to end the year in order to make up for the lack of winning. Every single MVP winner since 2013 has won their division, showing how much team success does determine this award. Yet, Stroud has the highest ceiling of any QB this year throwing for 470 yards and 5 TDs three weeks ago.Tyreek Hill (+5000) Looking back, it is astonishing that Tyreek was not drafted until the 5th round in the 2016 draft. He has evolved into the most explosive, unguardable receiver in the league. Not only is he faster than everyone, his route running and short burst speed is arguably better than any receiver ever. The single season NFL receiving record is held by Calvin Johnson at 1,964 yards. Hill is on pace for 2,046 if he maintains his per game yardage to end the year. Hill will have one more game than Calvin however. Still, if Tyreek were to eclipse 2k yards while having 15+ TDs, it is hard to award the MVP trophy elsewhere. If a QB does not separate themselves from the pack statistically, Hill will have an outside chance to make history as the first receiver to win MVP in the modern era. Currently no QB is on pace to surpass 4,800 yards and no QB is on pace to throw for more than 36 TDs, leaving the door wide open for Hill.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL, EPL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/02/2023

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Dec 02, 2023

The Saturday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action. The 13th week in college football concludes with 49 games between FBS opponents. Seven nationally televised NCAAF games kick off at noon ET. Louisville hosts Kentucky on ABC as a 7.5-point favorite, with the total set at 49.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Central Florida plays at home against Houston on FS1 as a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 60.5. Michigan is at home against Ohio State on Fox as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 46.5. LSU hosts Texas A&M on ESPN as a 13-point favorite with an over/under of 66. Miami (OH) travels to Ball State on the CBS Sports Network as a 4-point road favorite with a total of 35. SMU plays at home against Navy on ESPN2 as a 19-point favorite with an over/under of 45.5. Troy is at Southern Mississippi on ESPNU as a 17-point road favorite with a total of 48. Syracuse is at home against Wake Forest on The CW at 2 PM ET as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 43.5. Seven NCAAF games are on national television at 3:30 PM ET. Alabama visits Auburn as a 13.5-point road favorite with a total of 47.5. Liberty plays at UTEP on the CBS Sports Network as a 17-point road favorite with an over/under of 55.5. Appalachian State hosts Georgia Southern on ESPNU as a 10-point favorite with a total of 63. James Madison is at Coastal Carolina on ESPN2 as an 8-point road favorite with an over/under of 50.5. Oklahoma State plays at home against BYU on ABC as a 16.5-point favorite with a total of 55.5. Wisconsin is at Minnesota on FS1 as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 44.5. Arizona travels to Arizona State on ESPN as a 13-point road favorite with a total of 49.5. Washington is at home against Washington State on Fox at 4 PM ET as a 15.5-point favorite with an over/under of 66. Three NCAAF games on national television begin at 7 PM ET. West Virginia plays at Baylor on FS1 as an 11.5-point road favorite with a total of 54.5. South Alabama is at Texas State on the NFL Network as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 58. Florida State visits Florida on ESPN as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 49. Three more nationally televised NCAAF games start at 7:30 PM ET. Georgia plays at Georgia Tech on ABC as a 24-point road favorite with an over/under of 59.5. Kansas is at Cincinnati on ESPN2 as a 7-point road favorite with a total of 58. South Florida hosts Charlotte on ESPNU as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 57. Kansas State plays at home against Iowa State on Fox as a 10-point favorite with a total of 45.5. Wyoming travels to Nevada on the CBS Sports Network as an 11-point road favorite with an over/under of 41.5. Two more NCAAF games are on national television at 10:30 PM ET. Fresno State plays at San Diego State on FS1 as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 46.5. UCLA is at home against California on ESPN as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 51.The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. The Philadelphia 76ers are in Oklahoma City to play the Thunder as a 1-point road favorite with a total of 231.5. The Brooklyn Nets host the Miami Heat at 6:10 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 218.5. The Atlanta Hawks visit Washington to play the Wizards at 7:10 PM ET as an 8-point road favorite with a total of 248.5. The Cleveland Cavaliers play at home against the Los Angeles Lakers at 7:40 PM ET as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 225. The New Orleans Pelicans are in Utah to play the Jazz at 9:40 PM ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 233.5. The Dallas Stars play in Los Angeles against the Clippers at 10:40 PM ET as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 237.5. The National Hockey League has eight games on its slate. The Boston Bruins travel to New York to play the Rangers at 1:07 PM ET as a -118 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The Los Angeles Kings are at home against the Montreal Canadiens at 4:07 PM ET as a -270 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The New Jersey Devils host the Buffalo Sabres as a -166 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs play in Pittsburgh against the Penguins as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Islanders are at home against the Philadelphia Flyers at 7:37 PM ET as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 6. Three games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 PM ET. The Vancouver Canucks are in San Jose to play the Sharks as a -245 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights host the Arizona Coyotes as a -238 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Colorado Avalanche play at home against the Calgary Flames as a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has four games on national television. Georgetown hosts Jackson State on FS2 at noon ET as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 150. Two more NCAAB games on national television tip-off at 7 PM ET. St. John’s plays at home against Holy Cross on FS2 as a 21-point favorite with an over/under of 152.5. Ohio State battles Santa Clara in the Emerald Coast Classic at the Raider Arena in Niceville, Florida, on the CBS Sports Network. DePaul is at home against Northern Illinois on FS2 at 9 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 153. Matchweek 13 in the English Premier League begins with seven matches. Manchester City hosts Liverpool at 7:30 AM ET as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Five more EPL matches start at 10 AM ET. West Ham United visits Burnley as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Crystal Palace plays at Luton Town as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite, with an over/under of 2.5. Chelsea is at Newcastle United in a pick ‘em match with a total of 2.5. Brighton and Hove Albion are in Nottingham Forest on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Bournemouth visits Sheffield United as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Arsenal plays at Brentford on the USA Network at 12:30 PM ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/01/2023

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Dec 01, 2023

The Friday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action. The college football season begins its postseason with two conference championship games. Liberty hosts New Mexico State on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET in the Conference USA championship game. The Flames continued their unbeaten season by raising their record to 12-0 with a 42-28 win at UTEP as a 17-point favorite last Saturday. The Aggies are on an eight-game winning streak after their 20-17 upset victory against Jacksonville State as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday. Liberty is an 11.5-point favorite, with the total set at 57 (all odds from DraftKings). Oregon battles Washington on ABC at 8 PM ET in the Pac-12 championship game played on a neutral field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Ducks are on a six-game winning streak after their 31-7 victory against Oregon State as a 13.5-point favorite last Friday. The Huskies continued their unbeaten season with a 24-21 victory against Washington State as a 16-point favorite on Saturday to improve their record to 12-0. Oregon is a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 65.5.The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. The Orlando Magic play at home against the Washington Wizards at 7:10 PM ET as an 11-point favorite with a total of 237.5. Three more NBA games tip off at 7:40 PM ET. The Boston Celtics are at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on ESPN as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 222.5. The Toronto Raptors host the New York Knicks as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 216.5. The Dallas Mavericks play at home against the Memphis Grizzlies as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 229. The New Orleans Pelicans are at home against the San Antonio Spurs at 8:10 PM ET as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 232.5. The Denver Nuggets travel to Phoenix against the Suns on ESPN at 10:10 PM ET as a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 224. The National Hockey League has two games on its slate at 7:07 PM ET. The Ottawa Senators play in Columbus against the Blue Jackets as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 7. The New Jersey Devils host the San Jose Sharks as a -470 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has five games on national television. Houston visits Xavier on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET as a 9.5-point road favorite with a total of 138.5. St. John’s plays at West Virginia on ESPN2 at 7 PM ET as a 5.5-point road favorite, with an over/under of 146.5. Iowa State is at DePaul on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET as a 13.5-point road favorite with a total of 139. Kansas plays at home against Connecticut on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 148.5. Saint Mary’s faces Boise State on FS1 at 10:30 PM ET on a neutral court at the Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho, as a 4-point favorite with a total of 130.5.

The Future Is Now for the Oklahoma City Thunder

by Team Del Genio

Thursday, Nov 30, 2023

The Oklahoma City Thunder are making an early case that the future is now for this team who surprised the league last year by making the Play-In Tournament.Chet Holmgren has been just what this team has needed with his shot-blocking on defense and his 3-point shooting. The former Gonzaga star missed last season after a lisfranc injury so the Thunder were not sure what to expect from the second pick in the 2022 draft. He is averaging 17.9 points per game and pulling down 8.0 rebounds per game. He is hitting 43.1% of his shots from 3-point land. He is averaging 2.2 blocked shots per game.Lu Dort is hitting 3-pointers as well. After never making more than 34.2% of his 3-pointers in his previous four seasons, the former Arizona State Sun Devil is making 42.9% of his 3-pointers. The Thunder went into the last day of November leading the NBA with a 40.9% shooting mark from 3-point range. Head coach Mark Daigneault is getting great play from his bench from players like Isaiah Joe and rookie Cason Wallace. During their recent six-game winning streak, Joe made 50% or more of his shots from 3-point land. For the season, the former Arkansas star is coming off the bench to score 10.9 points per game on 46.1% shooting and a 47.1% clip from 3-point range. Wallace is averaging 6.9 points per game off the bench while making 61.6% of his shots and 58.6% of his 3-pointers. Daigneault turned to the former Kentucky Wildcat who they selected tenth in the NBA draft as his fifth starter when Jalen Williams was out with an injury. Finally, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has taken another step in his game and is an early candidate for Most Valuable Player in the NBA. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 30.6 points per game on 54.1% shooting. He is adding 6.1 assists per game and 5.9 rebounds per game. Oklahoma City is playing outstanding defense as they rank fifth in the league by allowing 109.4 points per 100 possessions. They rank in the top ten in the NBA by holding their opponents to a 63.9% shooting percentage at the rim. They rank second in the NBA in transition defense. The Thunder had covered the point spread in six of their last eight games when the oddsmakers installed them as a favorite. They had covered the point spread in twenty-eight of their last forty-two games in November.The Thunder ended the month in style with a 133-116 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers (The Team’s NBA Game of the Month). Oklahoma City only shot 33% (14 of 42) from the 3-point land yet still made 53% of their shots from the field. Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 33 points. They held the Lakers to 44% shooting and just 33% from 3-point land. Going into December with a 12-6 record, the Thunder are making a strong claim that their young core of talent already has them as a team to be reckoned with in the Western Conference. Good luck - TDG.

Sean Payton has Russell Wilson Cooking Again — But It's From the Wrong Saints Quarterback’s Recipe Book

by Hollywood Sports

Thursday, Nov 30, 2023

The Denver Broncos have picked themselves off the mat from a humiliating 70-20 loss early in the season to win five games in a row and get back into the AFC playoff hunt race with a 6-5 record. The formula for success for head coach Sean Payton has been running the football, burning time off the clock with an opportunistic defense that has forced 15 turnovers in their last four games. The Denver defense is playing better when not being asked to be on the field as long — they are allowing only 16.5 Points-Per-Game in their last six games. Payton is being credited for “fixing” Russell Wilson who “was never, ever washed” according to his many defenders in the national media. From this view, Wilson’s problem was last year’s head coach Nathaniel Hackett who apparently forced-fed him a box of donuts every morning while the former Seattle quarterback was giving him the playbook that would finally “Let Russ Cook”. Sarcasm aside, credit goes to Payton for getting this team to play much better than their 50-point loss to Miami earlier this season. Let’s leave it as simply ironic that the recipe to get Russ Cooking again came from the old Seahawks playbook under the much-maligned offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer who was accused of holding Wilson back. A big question in the offseason was whether Payton could use his old blueprints that were successful with his quarterback in New Orleans — but who would have guessed that those game plans were initially designed for Taysom Hill rather than Drew Brees? And that’s my point: Wilson is playing better because he is not being asked to do much. He had less than 30 pass attempts in four straight games and five of his last six games after Denver’s 29-12 win against Cleveland when Wilson only attempted 22 passes. The last time Wilson did not pass the ball at least 30 times was early in the 2018-19 campaign after he endured six sacks in the opening two games of the season (and it was later in the year when the “Let Russ Cook” mantra was born criticizing Schottenheimer for not drawing up more passing plays). Wilson did throw 35 passes in the Broncos’ victory against Minnesota on November 19th, but he needed the final drive to get into the 30s with his pass attempts with the game script forcing Payton to rely almost exclusively on Wilson’s arm. Admittedly, Wilson has been very effective in engineering two game-winning drives during this recent winning streak. And he has an outstanding 20:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. But Denver did not sign him for $161 million in guaranteed money along with a $50 million signing bonus for a quarterback averaging only 26 pass attempts per game. The Taysom Hill comparison is apt. In Payton’s last season with New Orleans in 2021-22 in the year after Drew Brees retired, Hill started four games in the second half of the season where he was the exclusive quarterback and did not share playing time with Trevor Siemian. Hill averaged 29.3 pass attempts per game while only attempting more than 28 passes in a game once when he threw the ball 41 times in a 10-point loss to Dallas. For comparison’s sakes, Payton had Brees average 34.3 pass attempts in his final regular season in 2020 in games where he was knocked out because of injury — he attempted 30 or more passes in nine of the 11 regular season games in which he did not get injured. Perhaps Payton has pushed the right buttons to get Wilson back to the version of himself that he was in Seattle — the problem is that that is the version that was widely criticized as being too conservative and holding back his talents. The entire fever dream of Wilson getting liberated from Pete Carroll’s defensive philosophies was that he would be that he could finally COOK working with an offensive head coach. Nathaniel Hackett demonstrated things were more complicated than simply inserting an offensive mentality. And if Payton has let Wilson into the kitchen, the recipe book is the same one he used with Taysom Hill — a “quarterback” who cannot displace a guy making only $37.5 million per yard in Derek Carr in New Orleans. If you think Wilson is “fixed”, then you are moving the goalposts. Best of luck — Frank.

Coppa Italia Futures 2023/24

by Amedeus Mastrangelo

Thursday, Nov 30, 2023

The Coppa Italia started in August with 44 teams across all of the Italian leagues in the field of play and now it is entering the Round of 16 with only 16 clubs left in the competition. Inter Milan is the B2B defending champion of the competition but Juventus holds the most titles with 14 Coppa Italias won. Now it is time to see which of these 16 teams left has the best chance of making the run to the finals and lifting the cup. To Win Outright Inter Milan +350: Inter Milan is coming into this Round of 16 listed as the team with the best odds of winning the competition. Inter Milan is the B2B defending champion of the competition, winning it the last 2 straight years, and they are also tied for 2nd on the all-time list with 9 cup wins as well as 6 times as runner up. They have had one of the best squads in Italy for years now and they are coming off of another great season, currently leading the league table this year as well. Inter Milan did not win the league title last year but they won the Coppa Italia and they also went to the finals of Champions League as well. They did come away with the Coppa Italia at least but with the way Napoli ran away with the league title last season, the league is going to be a big focus for Inter this season. Inter Milan is also going to be focused on doing well in Champions League since they went to the finals last year. This Inter Milan team is very talented with a lot of depth in their squad but it is very tough to win every competition in the same year and considering how they have won this one the last 2 straight years while coming so close in the others, they will not be as focused on winning the Coppa Italia a 3rd straight time when the league title and Champions League title are more important to them. Inter Milan does have a very good chance of getting to the finals due to their path in the competition but they will still have to face some of the top clubs in Italy on the way and could stumble with their focus being elsewhere. Inter Milan is still a good choice but not the best choice to win the cup this year. Napoli +350: Napoli is coming into this Round of 16 listed as another team with the best odds of winning the competition. Napoli is coming off of a very good season last year as they won the league title with a massive points lead over 2nd place but they have not been playing at the same level this year. They are still a top team in Italy with a lot of talent and depth in their squad, but they have definitely taken a step back from their amazing run last season. They also fizzled out in Champions League last season so that is going to be a big focus for them this year as well as trying to repeat winning the league title. They have not had much success in this competition either as they have only won 6 Coppa Italias which is 6th on the all-time list and the last time they won it was in the 2019/20 season which is also their only Coppa Italia win in the last 9 years. Napoli also has a much tougher path to the finals as they will have to play the winner of Juventus vs Salernitana in the next round and possibly play Lazio or Roma on their way to the finals if they can get through. This is not a competition Napoli is usually focused on and they are not going to be focused this year with such a good squad that is capable of performing well in both the league and Champions League. Napoli will not be the team lifting the cup this season. Juventus +400: Juventus is coming into this Round of 16 listed as the team with the next best odds of winning the competition. Juventus did not have a good season last year with the scandals surrounding them that led to their points deduction but they were actually a good enough team to play in Europe despite the points deduction as they had the 2nd best record in Italy but the punishments have kept them out this season. They still have a very good team this year though and they have shown it in their matches as they are in 2nd place in the table and are pushing to win the league title with a chip on their shoulder after last year. They also have one of the best defenses in Italy with the number of goals they have been conceding and that alone will take them very deep into this competition. They also have a major advantage now since their punishments have kept them out of European competition this season so they have no extra matches to play in and will be very focused on winning this competition. Juventus has also had a lot of success in this competition over the years as they have won the most Coppa Italias with 14 wins and 7 times being the runner up. They have actually been in the finals in 3 of the last 5 years and they have won this competition 5 times in the last 9 years while being the runner up twice, making more appearances in the finals over the last decade than any other team. Juventus has extra motivation to win everything they can this year after the way things went for them last season and they have the squad depth and talent to perform well in the league while also being very focused on this competition. Juventus has the best chance of winning this competition this season, it is their year. AC Milan +600: AC Milan is coming into this Round of 16 listed as the team with the next best odds of winning the competition. AC Milan has a very good team in Italy as they have been a top 4 team competing for the title over the last few years and they have also had success in Champions League as well. AC Milan is also the kind of team that tends to perform well in every competition but will be lucky if they can even win 1 of them. They always seem to fizzle out in the knockouts of Champions League despite being focused on the competition and they have only won the league title once over the last 5 years. Even playing in this competition, they have only won the Coppa Italia 5 times, being the runner up 9 different times, and the last time they were even in the finals was the 2017/18 season which they lost. AC Milan has a very good team this year with a lot of talent but they also lost some key players in the transfer window that they did not find proper replacements for and they will also be more focused on winning the league title as well as Champions League before this competition. AC Milan does not have a good chance of winning this competition this year. Roma +900: Roma is coming into this Round of 16 listed as the team with the next best odds of winning the competition. Roma is coming off of a bad season as they did not finish in the top 4 and they have been slipping in the league under Jose Mourinho. Finishing in the top 4 has always been a focus for Roma as well as performing well in European competition. They went to the finals of Europa League last season which they lost but they will be focused to get back there since they have had a lot of success in that competition over the recent years. Italy is filled with a lot of talented teams now and it is becoming very difficult for Roma to compete for a top 4 spot with the talent they have. Roma has a good team but they have always been more of a Europa League caliber team compared to a Champions League caliber team. Nevertheless, getting into the top 4 has always been a focus for them and it will continue to be this season as they try to get back to Champions League while also trying to win Europa League. They do not have the talent in their depth to juggle 3 different competitions though and this will be the one they are the least focused on. They were also eliminated by Cremonese last season, who they are playing in this round, and they have not had success in the Coppa Italia for years either. Roma does not have a strong enough squad to make the run in this competition and win it. Lazio +1000: Lazio is coming into this Round of 16 listed as the team with the next best odds of winning the competition. Lazio has been a very good team in Italy for years but they are also a team that has been hovering between Champions League and Europa League with so many good teams in Italy over the years. They performed very well last season though to get into Champions League this year and they will definitely be focused on doing well in that competition as well as in league play. Lazio has not been as good in their league matches this season though and a big reason is some of the midfield depth they lost in the transfer window. They still have a very good team but right now they have been struggling to win matches in Serie A as they try to juggle their Champions League matches in between as well. Lazio has lost some of their talent from last year and they just do not have the squad to go deep in this competition this season with more important competitions to focus on. Lazio will not be a threat to win the Coppa Italia this season. Rest of the Field: The top 6 teams to win this competition have been covered and there are still plenty of good teams left in this competition, but none of them past these 6 has much of a chance to win. Atalanta at +1200 is not a great choice since Atalanta is playing in Europe this season and also trying to perform better in Serie A to get back in a Champions League spot which they were holding down for years until recently. Fiorentina at +1800 has value considering how they were the runner up last season, but they also have the same issue as AC Milan where they perform well in all their competitions but always come up short in each. The fact of the matter is, the Coppa Italia has been dominated by the same 4 teams over the last 15 years with no teams other than Inter Milan, Juventus, Napoli, and Lazio winning it, and this season is not going to be any different with the strength of those teams that do focus on this competition. RecommendationThere are plenty of good teams in Italy this season but schedules and motivation always has to be questioned in these cup tournaments. There is a clear option for the team with the best chance of winning it all as Juventus at +400 has the most value considering their lack of having to juggle European competition this year. Inter Milan at +350 is also a close 2nd for value since they are the defending champions the last 2 years and have the more favorable side of the bracket which means they could end up being the team Juventus plays in the finals. The Coppa Italia finals this season will most likely be between Inter Milan and Juventus so Juventus at +400 is the best option but Inter Milan at +350 is a good 2nd choice since bettors can come away with profit either way if both teams make it to the finals.

EFL (Carabao) Cup Futures 2023/24

by Amedeus Mastrangelo

Thursday, Nov 30, 2023

The Carabao Cup has reached the quarter-finals with only 8 teams left in the competition. The field started with 92 teams across all of the different English leagues but now it is down to the final 8 and it is time to see who has the best chance of taking home the cup this season with focus and motivation in mind. To Win Outright Liverpool +187: Liverpool is coming into the quarter-finals as the favorite to win the competition according to the books. Liverpool has the best squad out of all the teams left in the competition and they made a lot of good moves in the transfer window to improve their team as they have been competing for the title this season. They are also the team with the most EFL Cups in history as they have won this competition 9 times and have also been the runner up 4 times, the last time they won this competition being 2 seasons ago in 2022. Liverpool also has a very favorable road to the finals as they are playing against West Ham in this round and if they get past them, they will be playing the winner of Everton vs Fulham to get to the finals. Liverpool is playing in European competition this year which could be a distraction but they also have a lot of depth and are playing against much weaker teams in Europa League. The only thing hurting their chances is the way their defense has been playing this season which has been a big problem going back to last year but even with those problems, they have the strongest squad in the competition and are one of the better choices to take home the cup. Chelsea +333: Chelsea is coming into the quarter-finals as the team listed with the next best odds to win the competition according to the books. Chelsea has not had a great start to their season after the disaster season they had last year but they have hired a good manager for the team and fixed a lot of problems by getting rid of a lot of the players they signed. They have been starting to catch fire in their Premier League matches recently and they do have an advantage since they are not playing in any European competitions this year so they have only been playing 1 match per week and will be more focused on this competition as they have the depth as well. They also have a very favorable path to the finals since they are getting Newcastle in this round who has a laundry list of injuries to their depth and are already struggling to juggle their squad between Premier League matches and Champions League matches. If Chelsea manages to get by Newcastle in this round, then they will be playing the winner of Port Vale vs Middlesbrough to get to the finals, neither of those teams even being in the Premier League. Chelsea also has a good history in this competition as they are 5th on the all-time list with 5 cups and 4 times being runner up, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place teams on that list all being knocked out of the competition already as well. Chelsea has a very good chance to get to the finals with their current path there and they also have the added advantage of only having league matches to focus on. Chelsea is the best choice to win this competition this year with all things being considered. Newcastle +350: Newcastle is coming into the quarter-finals as the team listed with the next best odds to win the competition according to the books. Newcastle has a very good team this season as they were one of the better teams in the Premier League last year but with their current situation, this is not a competition they are going to be focused on winning. Newcastle has not performed as well as last year in the Premier League with the extra matches of European competition. They are currently outside the top 4 in the league and they have not performed well in Champions League either. They have still been putting more focus toward league matches and Champions League matches though as they are trying to keep the dream alive of playing in Europe. They are also in an awful situation here as the injuries have been piling up for Newcastle and they have the talent in their starting XI to be a great team, but they also have no depth left as of right now with all of the injuries and they cannot afford to keep their starting lineup in with more important matches coming up in the league and Europe. Newcastle also has to face Chelsea in this round and it is very likely that they do not get by since they will have to rotate players and put out a much weaker squad. The FA Cup has not started yet either so there is still silverware for Newcastle to win and with their current situation, this is simply not a competition they are going to be focused on winning. Newcastle does not have a very good chance to take home the cup here. Everton +800: Everton is coming into the quarter-finals as the team listed with the next best odds to win the competition according to the books. Everton has not been playing well this season as they were very close to being relegated last year and they started this season playing in the same form. Recently they have come around though as they have been in much better form overall and have been playing very well against some of the better teams in the Premier League as well. They have also been playing well in this competition as they knocked out Aston Villa in one of the rounds but they still have a very tough road ahead of them. Everton is playing against Fulham in this round who is no pushover and even if they do get by, they will have to play the winner of Liverpool vs West Ham in the next round which either team will be a tough out for them. They will also have a tough challenge in the finals if they make it there and with the squad struggling to stay above the relegation zone in the league, they have bigger things to worry about than this competition. They do not have the depth to take them that far either and eventually they will run into a stronger team that knocks them out. Everton does not have a great chance of winning this competition. West Ham +900: West Ham is coming into the quarter-finals as the team listed with the next best odds to win the competition according to the books. West Ham is a team that has a lot of talent in their squad but they have not performed to their full potential over the last year. Last season, they were very close to the relegation zone despite being in the Europa Conference League and winning the entire competition. They have a very similar team this season but did lose a bit of talent in the transfer window and it has shown in their matches. They have still been struggling in their Premier League matches all season and because they won the Conference League last season, they are also playing in Europa League this year which is still extra matches for them to play. They are already thinner on the depth side from the transfer window and right now they have been able to manage getting to this point while also juggling league matches with Europa League matches. West Ham has not been dominating Europa League the way they dominated the Conference League though and as they get deeper into the competition, they will not be able to juggle the 3 competitions with the current depth they have. West Ham is also more focused on winning matches in Europa League so when push comes to shove, they will be more focused on Europa League matches over this competition and it will show in their lineups. West Ham does not have much of a chance to win this cup this season. Fulham +1200: Fulham is coming into the quarter-finals as the team listed with the next best odds to win the competition according to the books. Fulham was a middle of the table team last season and they lost a lot of key talent in the transfer window with their striker leaving the club. Their attack has not been as fluid this season which has led to goal droughts at times and they do not have a lot of depth in their squad either. They have had a pretty easy path to this round as well as they beat Tottenham at the beginning of the season in their 1st cup match played and have not faced another Premier League team since then. Fulham has also been a very inconsistent team in the Premier League despite not having any extra competitions to worry about besides this one. Their path is only going to get much harder as well and it start in this round as they take on the red hot Everton and if they manage to get past them, they will likely have to play much stronger competition in the semis and finals. This is a competition that they will likely be focused on winning and it will reflect in their lineup as well, but even with a full lineup in these matches, they do not have the talent or depth in their squad as some of the other teams they might face and eventually they will run into a much stronger team that will knock them out. Fulham could end up making a run as a dark horse but they will likely not be the team that lifts the trophy this season. Middlesbrough +1600, Port Vale +25000: Middlesbrough and Port Vale are the final 2 teams in the competition and they will get an honorable mention here but realistically, neither team has any chance of winning this competition. Neither of these teams play in the Premier League and the finals of this competition has been dominated by Premier League teams in recent years. Neither team has the depth nor the talent to make it to the finals and they also play each other in this round so 1 of these teams will be getting knocked out anyway before facing the winner of Chelsea vs Newcastle in the next round. Disregard these two sides as neither team has a chance to win. RecommendationAlthough Fulham could end up making a run to the finals as a dark horse out of sheer focus on the competition, they still do not have the depth and talent as some of these other teams they will have to run into. Liverpool does have the best squad with the most depth to make a run to the finals and since they are playing against weaker competition in Europa League, they will be focused on getting back to the finals since they did win this competition 2 years ago. Chelsea also has the talent and depth to make a run though with the more favorable path to the finals as well and there is a very good chance that the finals will be Liverpool vs Chelsea which would be a rematch of the 2022 finals which Liverpool won. Liverpool at +187 and Chelsea at +333 are the best bets to make for teams to win this competition as those are the 2 teams with the best chance and both teams could end up in the finals leaving bettors with profit no matter who wins it.

NBA In-Season Tournament: An ATS Review

by Al McMordie

Thursday, Nov 30, 2023

The NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament has concluded its Group Play round, wherein each team played four games. The Knockout round commences next week, with eight teams qualifying. The games will be played on the higher seed's home court.Let's look at the quarterfinal match-ups for the Knockout round (odds courtesy of DraftKings):Monday, December 4Boston Celtics at Indiana Pacers (Celtics -4.5, 236)New Orleans Pelicans at Sacramento Kings (Kings -4.5, 232)Tuesday, December 5New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks (Bucks -6.5, 222.5)Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers (Lakers -2, 223.5)Although all eight qualifiers own winning records, they are not the top four teams from each conference. In the Eastern conference, four of its top six teams made the Knockout round, with the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers failing to advance. And in the West, the qualifiers were the conferences #5, #6, #7 and #8 teams, with its top four (Timberwolves, Nuggets, Mavericks, Thunder) failing to reach the quarterfinals. All eight teams, though, do currently have a winning record.In the Group Play round, a total of 60 games were played. They broke down, as follows:Home teams: 30-27-3 ATSRoad teams: 27-30-3 ATSFavorites: 26-31-3 ATSUnderdogs: 31-26-3 ATSOvers: 30-30Unders: 30-30Home favorites: 18-19-1 ATSHome underdogs: 12-8-2 ATSRoad favorites: 8-12-2 ATSRoad underdogs: 19-18-1 ATSHome teams off a win: 18-8-1 ATSHome teams off a loss: 12-19-2 ATSRoad teams off a win: 12-16-2 ATSRoad teams off a loss: 15-14-1 ATSOff ATS loss (vs. foes that were not): 17-17-3 ATSOff ATS win (vs. foes that were not): 17-17-3 ATSWinning teams (vs. non-winning teams): 20-10-1 ATSLosing teams (vs. non-losing teams): 11-21-1 ATSRevenge-minded teams: 8-10-1 ATS, including 0-2 ATS with double-revengeTeams playing 3 games in 4 days (vs. foes that were not): 7-1-2 ATSTeams off upset loss (vs. foes that were not): 12-3-1 ATSTeams off upset win (vs. foes that were not): 16-9-1 ATSTeams playing back-to-back home games: 18-10-1 ATSTeams playing back-to-back road games: 12-14-2 ATSFavorites priced from -1 to -3 points: 7-6-2 ATSFavorites priced from -3.5 to -6.5 points: 7-16-1 ATSFavorites priced from -7 to -9.5 points: 7-7 ATSFavorites priced at -10 and higher: 5-2 ATSUnderdogs priced from +1 to +3 points: 6-7-2 ATSUnderdogs priced from +3.5 to +6.5 points: 16-7-1 ATSUnderdogs priced from +7 to +9.5 points: 7-7 ATSUnderdogs priced at +10 and higher: 2-5 ATSO/U Line priced less than 220: 5-7 OverO/U Line priced from 220 to 229.5: 10-16 OverO/U Line priced at 230 and higher: 15-7 OverGood luck, as always...Al McMordie

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