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  • expert headshot
    Matt Severance
    #1
    +1251
    (78%)
    21-6-5 in Last 32 NHL ATS Picks
    CAR -1
    -137
    Spread
    Picked: Dec 8 @ 8:50pm

    Analysis

    Columbus paid me more last season than any NHL team and probably has burned me more than any this season. But it seems like the club is regressing to its talent level having dropped two straight and six of eight. Also a third game in four nights: Miami/Washington DC/Raleigh. Sounds like Spirit Airlines when you are just trying to fly from Miami non-stop to Charlotte. Never ends up being your original itinerary and end up at the Die Hard 2 airport in nowheresville. But you get what you pay for in life. Carolina might be the East's best club. And I'm so thrilled that the REAL Canes made the College Football Playoff that I'm just gonna bet all things Canes for a while. Candy, etc.
  • expert headshot
    Jeff Hochman
    #3
    +349
    (64%)
    9-5 in Last 14 NHL ML Picks
    DAL
    -126
    Money Line
    Picked: Dec 8 @ 2:25pm

    Analysis

    Starting with my power rankings: Dallas sits 7th, while the Jets check in at 21st. The Stars rank 15th in shots allowed per game, whereas Winnipeg is 24th. Both teams have negative shot differentials, but Dallas's -53 edges out Winnipeg's -89. Most tellingly, the Jets have stumbled to a 3-7 record since losing star goalie Connor Hellebuyck to injury, including a 0-6 mark against winning teams. The Jets have called up rookie Domenic DiVincentiis, and he could get the start between the pipes. That’s a little bit of an unknown. Light play on the road team.
  • expert headshot
    Bruce Marshall
    +65
    (60%)
    3-2 in Last 5 NCAAB Picks
    LNGBCH +7.5
    -110
    Spread
    Picked: Dec 9 @ 3:36am

    Analysis

    Having seen the Beach in person last Saturday, we have a new perspective of Chris Acker's bunch. The new faces are beginning to mesh, though there's a good chance Acker will be coaching some of these newcomers for only the rest of this season before they move elsewhere. That would include impressive frosh G Gavin Sykes, who's scored 20+ points in four of the past five games, while 6-8 Syracuse transfer Petar Majstorovic is scoring almost 17 ppg across the past four. Recent Beach efforts vs. UCSD and UCSB would be good enough keep this one close. Meanwhile, some positives for Tim Miles' SJSU, but the Spartans are looking for reliable options aside from Longwood transfer G Tracy Garland (17.9 ppg). Play Beach.
  • expert headshot
    Matt Severance
    Severance Pays
    OHIOST +4.5
    -115
    Spread
    LOSS
    Picked: Dec 9 @ 9:14am

    Analysis

    As good as No. 13 Illinois might be, the best player on the floor could be OSU's Bruce Thornton (20.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.3 APG), who has been playing at an All-American level. It's the first true road game and Big Ten opener for the Illini. OSU already has a solid league win at Northwestern over the weekend. The Nuts would be unbeaten but for a last-second loss at Pitt. They've been one of the best shooting teams in the country this season, sporting an effective field goal percentage of 61%. 7-footer Christoph Tilly can help neutralize the two Illinois 7-footers in Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic. This should go down to the wire.
  • expert headshot
    Prop Bet Guy
    +138
    (63%)
    5-3 in Last 8 NBA Player Props Picks
    player headshot
    W. Carter Jr.
    Under 13.5
    -122
    PTS + AST
    LOSS
    Picked: Dec 9 @ 9:27am

    Analysis

    FanDuel. Wendell Carter Jr. has remained under this line in 15/23 games this season. Franz Wagner is now out with an injury, but Carter’s performance this season was largely without Paolo Banchero, who is available tonight. The Heat allow the eighth fewest points plus assists to opposing centers, despite playing at a high pace this season. With this being an NBA Cup game, I do expect the pace to slow down a bit (as we’d typically see in the playoffs). Carter has historically struggled against the Heat, and I don’t expect a usage uptick tonight.

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