Betting news, trends, odds and predictions for Monday, January 22, 2018 from various handicappers and websites
im Feist's Comp Pick, Monday, January 22, 2017
01/22 05:05 PM PT / 8:05 PM ET
NBA (705) CHICAGO BULLS VS (706) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
Take: over
Reason: Your free play for Monday, January 22, 2018 is in the NBA scheduled contest between the Chicago Bulls and the New Orleans Pelicans. I'm looking at the over in tonight's contest. This series has been a dead over in recent times with a 11-3-1 O/U record the last 15 meetings in New Orleans. The Pelicans have also been a good over team with 20 of their last 28 home games going over and 4 of their last five overall going over. The Bulls ahve seen 15 of their last 20 games go over and are 8-2 O/U in their last 10 road games. This one looks like another over to me. Play the OVER.
Mike Wynn
Free Play: Free Pick Troy -8 Over Appalachian St
Razor Sharp
YOUR RAZOR SHARP FREE PICK FOR MONDAY: Take WASHINGTON -2 over Dallas
Totals4U
Monday's Free Selection: Nebraska/Ohio State under 140 1/2
Larry Ness
Jan 22 '18, 9:05 PM in 13h
NBA | Blazers vs Nuggets
Play on: Nuggets -3 -107 at 5Dimes
My 1* Free Play is on the Denver Nuggets (9:05 EST).
I think the Blazers have a predictable letdown here after a three game unbeaten streak. Conversely, it’s going to be all hands on deck for the home side as it’s lost two straight, three of four and six of its last eight. The Nuggets are just a half game behind the Clippers for the No. 8 seed, while the Blazers recent win skein has moved them into sixth in the competitive Western Conference.
Denver will be especially motivated to atone for a 108-100 setback to lowly Phoenix in its latest action. Jamal Murray had 30 points, including going five of eight from range in the loss to the Suns.
Let’s not be too quick to “crown” the Blazers quite yet, as their three-game win streak includes victories over light weights Phoenix, Indiana and Dallas. Note that over its last nine games Portland has won three straight, lost three straight and then won three straight again.
Additionally I’ll point out that the Blazers are just 3-4 ATS already this year after playing three consecutive home games, while the Nuggets are 4-3 ATS this season off an upset loss as a favorite and 6-4 ATS vs. the division.
I think the “hungrier” team finds a way to get the job done at the end of the night. Consider Denver in this one.
Good luck…Larry
Scott Spreitzer
Jan 22 '18, 8:05 PM in 12h
NBA | Bulls vs Pelicans
Play on: Bulls +6½ -107 at 5Dimes
I'm recommending a play on the Chicago Bulls plus the points on Monday night. Chicago continues to pad bankrolls, something they started doing with the return of Nikola Mirotic in December. Since his return, the Bulls are 18-5 ATS. Mirotic is not only the team's leading scorer and second leading rebounder, but he frees-up Lauri Markkanen, making the 7-foot power forward more effective at both ends of the floor, including outside the arc on the offensive end. Kris Dunn is expected to miss another game due to concussion protocol, but Zach LaVine returned recently and Jerian Grant will see an increase in his minutes. It helps that Robin Lopez has been at the top of his game recently, also. Besides the 18-5 ATS run, the Bulls have covered 10 of their last 12 road games. We'll back the Bulls plus the points on Monday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.
Jesse Schule
Jan 22 '18, 7:00 PM in 11h
NCAA-B | North Carolina vs Virginia Tech
Play on: North Carolina -4½ -105 at BMaker
North Carolina vs Virginia Tech Free Pick January 22, 2018.
The defending champion Tar Heels got off to a slow start, losing two of their first three games in the ACC. Both those losses came on the road against ranked teams (Virginia and Florida State). They will play at Virginia Tech tonight, and they won here by a score of 75-70 in 2016, failing to cover as a 12.5 point road favorite. The Tar Heels have won seven straight in this series, however they only covered the spread in two of those games. They are a much shorter favorite tonight than they had been in any of those prior seven meetings. The Hokies are just 2-4 in the ACC, with home losses to Virginia and FSU. They have failed to cover the spread in six of their last seven overall, and they have failed to cover in five straight against teams with a winning percentage of .600 or better. History tells us that the underdog has been a good bet in this series, but with such a short line I think the smart money is still on the road favorite. It's not uncommon to see a one-possession game turn into three possession game in the final minute when the team trailing starts to foul. If that happens here then the Tar Heels are in great shape. Joel Berry and Cameron Johnson are among the league leaders in free throw percentage, and between them they are 27-of-30 over their last five games. The Hokies shot just 8-of-15 from the free throw line in a 91-82 home loss to the Seminoles on Saturday.
Take UNC.
GL,
Jesse Schule
Chris Jordan
Tonight my free play is on the Maryland Terrapins, getting it done over the Indiana Hoosiers.
The Terps (15-6, 4-4 B1G) travel to face Indiana (11-8, 4-3 B1G) in Bloomington, at Assembly Hall, and something this is a game that could get out of hand.
Maryland has won three of the five meetings since joining the Big Ten, and this year it has been the much better team.
The Terrapins, averaging 76.7 points per game, have a +10.2 scoring margin - 8.4 points better than Indiana.
Statistically, Maryland is much better on paper than the Hoosiers, and is led by senior Michal Cekovsky, one of the most efficient offensive players in the Big Ten. Cekovsky ranks third in the conference in shooting percentage (.693) while shooting 72 percent in conference games.
But the guy who makes things go for this team is Anthony Cowan Jr., who has led the Terps in scoring in 17 different games - including five of eight Big Ten contests.
Cowan leads Maryland in points per game (16.3), which ranks seventh in the Big Ten, and also in free throw pct. (85.8 percent - tied for 3rd in Big Ten), assists per game (4.9 - tied for 3rd in Big Ten) and steals per game (1.4 - tied for 8th in Big Ten), all while averaging a league-high 35.9 minutes per game.
I like what I've seen from head coach Mark Turgeon thus far, as his troops are playing exceptional basketball at the present moment.
3* MARYLAND
Tommy Brunson
It has been a record year already for the Nebraska Cornhuskers who just blasted Michigan in Lincoln, 72-52 their last time out to move the season record to a sweet 14-7 straight up! The 'Huskers have also covered in 9 of their last 10 games, as they head on the road to face the red-hot Buckeyes of Ohio State.
Ohio State just shredded Minnesota at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, as Chris Holtmann's team improved to 17-4. The Buckeyes are riding a 7-game winning streak, and they have covered in each of their last 6 wins. The Bucks are a perfect 8-0 both straight up and against the spread in their 8 Big Ten games this season, and unless they spent some extra-time sight-seeing in the Big Apple, I expect OSU to take care of business in a big way on their home court where they are 11-1 straight up.
This is a revenge game for Ohio State, as they lost at Nebraska by one-point last February to snap a 4-game series win streak. The host in the series has covered in 7 of the past 10 meetings, and thus far the Cornhuskers have not been able to transition their good play into consistent good road play, as Nebraska is just 1-5 straight up in true road games.
The Huskers are improved for sure, but the Buckeyes are looking like the surprise team of the season in the Big Ten.
Lay the wood with the Buckeyes.
4* OHIO STATE
Eric Schroeder
Tonight my free winner is going to be the West Virginia Mountaineers over the TCU Horned Frogs.
Propelled by Jevon Carter's 22 points, the sixth-ranked Mountaineers crushed Shaka Smart's Longhorns, 86-51, on Saturday. It was a much-needed blowout, as it reinvigorated a team that was mired in a two-game slide on the same day ESPN rolled in its trailers with the College GameDay crew.
I love the way this team plays, at both ends of the court, as the defense sparks the offensive surges.
West Virginia (16-3, 5-2) used a 15-0 run during a four-minute stretch in the second half to run away from the Longhorns. West Virginia also outscored Texas' bench, 33-14.
The victory coupled with losses by Texas Tech and Oklahoma, and moved West Virginia into sole possession of second place in the Big 12 standings, just one game behind Kansas.
The Mountaineers need this game tonight, and will carry the momentum over to TCU.
1* WEST VIRGINIA
Joey Juice
Rockets back at full strength and ready to soar at home where the Over is 8-2 their last 10 games. The Rockets are also coming off of a full day's rest, and have gone over in 7 out of their last 10 games after getting a full day's rest.
For the Heat, the Over is 4-1 in their last 5 road games, and 8-3 in their last 11 overall.
Most importantly, these two teams have gone over in six out of the last seven contests played in Houston.
Over is the free play.
3* MIAMI-HOUSTON OVER
Jack Brayman
One of the hotter teams in the league is the Philadelphia 76ers, and tonight I'm making them my free play, as they'll go into Memphis and devour the Grizzlies.
Man I enjoy watching Ben Simmons play basketball.
He is the league-leading scorer among rookies, he has poured in 20 or more points on 12 occasions, and he is on pace to be the team's second-straight NBA Rookie of the Year.
Meanwhile, last year's recipient, Joel Embiid, has been the catalyst during the 76ers' current three-game winning streak, averaging 29.7 points and 12.0 rebounds.
And on the heels of the Eagles sending Philly sports fans up greased poles, the 76ers are going to feed off their own momentum, and the Super Bowl surge, to win this one on the road.
1* 76ERS
Jeff Allen Sports
Monday's Free Selection is on the Colorado Rockies
#1 Sports
Monday's Free Selection: Appalachian State Mountaineers + 8