Dolphins Patriots Odds - December 21, 2011
The New England Patriots got a lot of things to go right for them last week. Now, the Patriots look to take care of their business once again as they host the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium this Saturday. These teams met in the opener in what was one of the best offensive displays of the season. Tom Brady threw for a team-record 517 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Patriots to a 38-24 victory on September 12th. New England has won three straight over Miami, outscoring the Dolphins 117-45. Oddsmakers...
Read more about Dolphins Patriots Odds 2011-12 Utah Jazz Predictions - December 20, 2011The Utah Jazz are the definition of a team in rebuilding mode heading into the 2011-12 season. Gone are the championship-contending days of Karl Malone and John Stockton. While Utah remained a contender with Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, those days are gone, too. The Jazz have more question marks heading into the season than they’ve had in quite some time. Jerry Sloan was one of the best head coaches in NBA history, but he decided to retire midway through last season. That decision took place...
Read more about 2011-12 Utah Jazz Predictions 2011-12 Portland Trail Blazers Predictions - December 20, 2011No team has been bitten harder by injuries over the last decade than the Portland Trail Blazers. This team always seems to come into the season with one of the most talented rosters in the league, but then several players get hurt and they simply cannot overcome it. Portland was able to make the playoffs last season with a 48-34 record, which gave them the No. 6 seed in the West. The Blazers would lose to the eventual champion Dallas Mavericks in the first round. Making the playoffs was an accomplishment...
Read more about 2011-12 Portland Trail Blazers Predictions 2011-12 Oklahoma City Thunder Predictions - December 20, 2011The Oklahoma City Thunder are the team that everyone in the league wants to model after. They have built this franchise into a real contender simply by cashing in their draft picks and developing their players. They have spent little money on free agents along the way. Oklahoma City is clearly one of the best teams in the Western Conference. They proved that last season by making it all the way to the conference finals after compiling a 55-27 regular season record, which earned them the No. 3 seed...
Read more about 2011-12 Oklahoma City Thunder Predictions 2011-12 Minnesota Timberwolves Predictions - December 20, 2011The Minnesota Timberwolves have been the laughing stock of the league ever since losing Kevin Garnett. That was the case again last season as Minnesota finished with the worst record in the NBA at 17-65. The only bright spot last year was Kevin Love’s streak of 53 straight double-doubles, the longest such run in the league since 1974. For the first time in a long time, it appears the Timberwolves are headed in the right direction going into the 2011-12 season. Minnesota GM David Kahn has put together...
Read more about 2011-12 Minnesota Timberwolves Predictions 2011-12 Denver Nuggets Predictions - December 20, 2011The Denver Nuggets made the biggest midseason trade last year by sending Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to the New York Knicks in exchange for a plethora of role players. The move actually worked out very well for them, and now their biggest task is to not mess it all up. Denver went from a fringe playoff team before the trade to a serious contender in the Western Conference after it last year. They finished with a 50-32 record, which earned them the No. 5 seed in the playoffs. The Nuggets...
Read more about 2011-12 Denver Nuggets Predictions 2011-12 San Antonio Spurs Predictions - December 19, 2011The San Antonio Spurs are made up of a core group of players that continues to get older, but they also continue to get the job done year after year. San Antonio had a tremendous regular season in 2010-11, finishing with the best record in the Western Conference at 61-21 and the No. 1 seed. How far did that No. 1 seed take them? How about a first-round upset at the hands of the No. 8 seed Memphis Grizzlies. It has become a disturbing trend for the Spurs in recent years to play well in the regular...
Read more about 2011-12 San Antonio Spurs Predictions 2011-12 New Orleans Hornets Predictions - December 19, 2011Despite coming into last season with very little expectations, the New Orleans Hornets managed to make the playoffs. They entered the postseason as the No. 7 seed with a 46-36 record and managed to take the Los Angeles Lakers to six games, which was a minor win in itself. However, the Hornets have undergone some drastic changes this offseason. The expectations are even lower for this team now that they will be moving forward without their two best players from last season; point guard Chris Paul...
Read more about 2011-12 New Orleans Hornets Predictions 2011-12 Memphis Grizzlies Predictions - December 19, 2011The Memphis Grizzlies are coming off a very successful 2010-11 campaign. Memphis made the playoffs as the No. 8 seed with a 46-36 record, then proceeded to knock off top-seeded San Antonio in the first round. They would put up a fight against Oklahoma City before bowing out in the second round. This is one of the best young squads in the league. Memphis really didn’t have to do much this offseason because this is a team that should only get better with time. They drafted Josh Selby with the No....
Read more about 2011-12 Memphis Grizzlies Predictions 2011-12 Houston Rockets Predictions - December 19, 2011Many wouldn’t know it, but the Houston Rockets actually had a winning record last season at 43-39. What did that get them? How about a last-place finish in the NBA’s Southwest Division. This stacked division saw the other four teams all make the playoffs with 46-36 records or better. While the Rockets do have the chips stacked against them as getting to the playoffs in this division, they will have a better chance this year. I believe every other team in the Southwest has downgraded, and this...
Read more about 2011-12 Houston Rockets Predictions 2011-12 Dallas Mavericks Predictions - December 19, 2011The Dallas Mavericks are coming off their first NBA Championship in franchise history. The Mavericks would post a 57-25 record during the regular season to earn the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. They swept the Los Angeles Lakers and beat the Miami Heat in six games in the NBA Finals en route to being crowned champions. Dallas brings back several of their key playoffs from that title team. Dirk Nowitzki, the NBA Finals MVP, averaged 23.0 points and 7.0 rebounds last season. He will start alongside...
Read more about 2011-12 Dallas Mavericks Predictions 2011-12 Sacramento Kings Predictions - December 16, 2011The Sacramento Kings finished in a tie with the New Jersey Nets for the fifth-worst record in the NBA last season. At 24-58 and with a last-place finish in the Pacific Division, the Kings have nowhere to go but up. This is one of the youngest teams in the NBA, and it’s only a matter of time before they get things turned around. A big plus for this franchise is that their owners have decided to keep the team in Sacramento for at least one more year. It was believed that the Kings would be moving...
Read more about 2011-12 Sacramento Kings Predictions 2011-12 Phoenix Suns Predictions - December 16, 2011The Phoenix Suns are in transition mode right now. They have seen numerous key players come and go over the last several year. The Suns are certainly having a hard time recovering from the loss of Amare Stoudemire, who is now with the New York Knicks. Phoenix is coming off a 40-42 season. That was good enough for second place in the Pacific division, which isn’t saying much considering it’s one of the worst in the league. The Suns failed to make the playoffs last year and they have a long way...
Read more about 2011-12 Phoenix Suns Predictions 2011-12 LA Lakers Predictions - December 16, 2011The Los Angeles Lakers came up short of a three-peat least season. They were swept in four games in the second round by the Dallas Mavericks, who went on to win the title. This team has been looking to overhaul their roster a bit this offseason, and the have already started making their moves. The Lakers agreed to on a three-team deal that would have paired Chris Paul with Kobe Bryant, while getting rid of Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom in the process. The NBA owners vetoed the deal, which left Gasol and...
Read more about 2011-12 LA Lakers Predictions 2011-12 LA Clippers Predictions - December 15, 2011The Los Angeles Clippers are coming off a disastrous 32-50 campaign. They actually played well at home with a 23-18 record at the Staples Center, but this young team faltered on the road to the tune of a 9-32 mark away from home. The one bright spot was high-flying Rookie of the Year Blake Griffin, who also won the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest. This team has had arguably the best offseason of any team in the league. They traded for Chris Paul (Hornets), giving away Chris Kaman, Eric Gordon and...
Read more about 2011-12 LA Clippers Predictions 2011-12 NBA Predictions - December 15, 2011At one point, it appeared we were not going to have an NBA season as players and owners simply couldn’t come to an agreement. Cooler heads prevailed, and we will now be having a shortened 66-game schedule. The first day of the regular season will be on December 25th with several key match-ups on tap. That includes an NBA Finals rematch between the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat. With a new season upon us, it’s now time to make my predictions on where every team will finish in their respective...
Read more about 2011-12 NBA Predictions 2011-12 Golden State Warriors Predictions - December 15, 2011The Golden State Warriors are coming off a 36-46 season in the Western Conference’s Pacific Division. That finish was good enough for the third-best record in the division, which is known widely to be one of the worst in the NBA. The Warriors have elected to hire Mark Jackson to be their next head coach this offseason. Jackson played in the league from 1987 to 2004 while playing on seven different teams, most notably the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers. He was also a commentator for ESPN and...
Read more about 2011-12 Golden State Warriors Predictions 2012 Discover Orange Bowl Odds - December 14, 2011Two unlikely foes square off in the 2012 Discover Orange Bowl on Wednesday, January 4th. This BCS bowl is scheduled for 8:30 EST and will be nationally televised on ESPN. West Virginia won the Big East after closing out the season on a three-game winning streak, while also getting some help from Cincinnati. Clemson won the ACC title after beating Virginia Tech handily twice. This will be their first meeting since 1989, which resulted in a 27-7 road victory by the Tigers. According to the odds, Clemson...
Read more about 2012 Discover Orange Bowl Odds 2012 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Odds - December 14, 2011The third-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys take on the fourth-ranked Stanford Cardinal in the 2012 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. This showdown is set for 8:30 EST on January 2nd and will be nationally televised on ESPN. The Cowboys and Cardinal are expected to play in an absolute shootout in this one. Star quarterbacks Brandon Weeden and Andrew Luck have combined for 69 touchdown passes this year. Both will continue to sling it in this high-scoring affair. Oddsmakers have installed a line of Oklahoma State...
Read more about 2012 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Odds Dolphins Bills Odds - December 14, 2011In a match-up between bottom feeders in the AFC East, the Buffalo Bills host the Miami Dolphins Sunday in Week 15 NFL action. Neither team will be making the playoffs, so this one is all about pride folks. Miami has won five of the last seven meetings in this series, including a 35-8 home victory back on November 20th. Matt Moore threw three touchdowns passes to lead his team to victory. The Dolphins have been the more prideful team down the stretch, which is probably why they are favored Sunday. Oddsmakers...
Read more about Dolphins Bills Odds Steelers 49ers Spread - December 13, 2011The San Francisco 49ers are set to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on ESPN’s Monday Night Football in a crucial game for both teams. Coming into the season, nobody could have imagined what would be at stake. These are two three-loss teams that are looking for at least a first-round bye in the playoffs in their respective conferences. The 49ers have won four of the last six meetings in this series. The Steelers have won two of the last three over San Francisco, including a 37-16 home victory in their...
Read more about Steelers 49ers Spread Browns Cardinals Odds - December 13, 2011The Arizona Cardinals host the Cleveland Browns Sunday in a rare non-conference clash between these two teams. Arizona and Cleveland have only squared off three times since the turn of the century. The home team has won all three, including a 27-21 victory by the Cardinals in their most recent meeting in 2007. While the Browns are eliminated from the playoffs, the Cardinals still have something to play for. Oddsmakers in Las Vegas have installed a line of Arizona -6.5 over Cleveland with a total...
Read more about Browns Cardinals Odds Lions Raiders Spread - December 13, 2011The Detroit Lions travel to face the Oakland Raiders in a pivotal non-conference showdown Sunday in Week 15 NFL action. The Lions currently own the No. 6 seed in the NFC, which mean they would be the last team in if the season were to end today. The Raiders are in a three-way tie for 7th place in the AFC. They trail the New York Jets by one game in the wild card race, and they also trail the Denver Broncos by a single game in the AFC West. If you are looking to wager on this game, then you will find...
Read more about Lions Raiders Spread Panthers Texans Odds - December 12, 2011The Houston Texans will be headed to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history after an improbable comeback over the Cincinnati Bengals last weekend. Now, their goal heading into Week 15 will to avoid having a letdown as they welcome the lowly Carolina Panthers to town. The Texans still have a lot to play for despite knowing they will be one of the six teams representing the AFC in the playoffs no matter how they finish. Taking a look at the Week 15 spreads, I find a line of Houston -6.5...
Read more about Panthers Texans Odds Saints Vikings Spread - December 12, 2011The New Orleans Saints hit the road Sunday to take on the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15 NFL action. New Orleans will be in a comfortable environment in Minnesota considering these are both dome teams. This has been a very tight series in recent years, with all three meetings since 2008 being decided by a combined 11 points. The Saints won the last two, including a 31-28 home victory in overtime over the Vikings in the 2010 NFC Championship. Oddsmakers in Las Vegas have yet to set a line on this game...
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