Arriving off of a strong – but losing – playoff effort last year vs the Bulls, the Pacers came roaring back to start out the 2011-2012 year. The squad is experiencing its greatest early record in the earlier 8 years, but are still troubled vs the more adept teams in the league. Whereas they are 11-4 thus far, simply 4 of those victories are vs teams with records above .500.
Football betting
With the Magic coming to visit on Tuesday, January 24, the Indiana Pacers will have a better challenge on their hands, and they’re going to need the home court advantage tonight. Indiana is unbeaten at home this year and will look to increase their record to 6-0. If they are able to pull out a win, it’ll be the first time the squad has started off a year with 6 straight home victories since the 2002-2003 year.
Football betting
But the Orlando Magic are a fearsome adversary who are 11-5 on the year thus far. And recent history is all on Orlando’s side. The Orlando Magic have defeated the Indiana Pacers in Indiana in each of the earlier three competitions between the 2. In fact, Orlando has won these matches on the road in Indianapolis by about 13 points. The newest match between the 2 was January 26, 2011.
The Indiana Pacers will additionally need to find a way to cope with Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard. Howard has directed the squad to an 11-3 record over Indiana, and he has put up double-doubles in each one of these matches. In spite of the challenges ahead for the Indiana Pacers, the sportsbook shows them as the -3 favorites to wipe out the Orlando Magic. The total is established at 182.5.
Both teams come into this game with a 7-3 record over their last 10 matches. The Indiana Pacers have a 5-0 home record thus far, whilst the Orlando Magic are 5-3 on the road. Look for Orlando to make a incredibly strong showing after their devastating 87-56 loss to the Celtics a couple of days ago.
The Playoffs have begun and there are four squads in the NFC Playoffs that are seeking to really achieve the Super Bowl. The Packers, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants and the san francisco 49ers are all battling to secure that coveted placement in the Super Bowl and though all four squads are especially talents, only one team will win.
NFL odds
The Packers
The team from Green Bay probably had among the most powerful regular seasons in the league as they were tight to sealing a perfect regular season until the longshot Chiefs were able to upset them. This team is definitely ready to achieve the Super Bowl however they must first face the New york giants
College football betting
The New York Giants
The New york giants are ready to make one of the greatest upsets this year as Green Bay is greatly favored in this match. The New York Giants ended their year at 9-7 and will must make use of Eli Manning to the maximum to manage to have any chance at defeating the Packers.
Though it is possible to anticipate a hard fought game, this struggle will be decided by how well the quarterbacks handle themselves in the pocket. Look to see the Packers win by a handful of tds as the team will definitely dominate.
The New Orleans Saints
This is a well maintained team and will make it pretty hard for the 49ers to win this match. Drew Brees is one of the top quarterbacks on earth and will definitely must be at his very best to win this match.
The san francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are definitely one of the shock squads of the year however they just might be the faves in the NFC. With home field advantage and a powerful defense, the san francisco 49ers will definitely take this match against the New Orleans Saints.
This leaves the san francisco 49ers and the Packers in a rivalry that will definitely have devotees of the game fired up. This will be a pretty tight match however the cinderella team from San Francisco will manage to pull this match out and achieve the Super Bowl.
The Kings face an uphill battle when they battle against the Houston Rockets in Houston on January 13th. This is a condition of both teams restructuring for the longer term as both teams look nothing like their early 2000′s heydays. The Kings look to go back to their past popularity in the west with stellar play from their young stalwarts. The Houston Rockets are still managing the fallout from the retirement of Yao Ming. The Houston Rockets are favored by 3 points by the oddsmakers and this wants to be a tough game to call.
College football betting
Sacramento is steadied by G Marcus Thornton and PG Tyreke Evans, which provide a young core for the Kings to develop on. The frontcourt is boosted by PF DeMarcus Cousins and his regular play. The Kings are additionally helped by the seasoned presence of SG John Salmons arriving from the bench as a deep risk. Former Indiana Hoosier excellent Keith Smart coaches the Kings.
Super Bowl betting
The Houston Rockets look substantially different from the era of Yao Ming and Steve Francis running the show. Young PG Kyle Lowry runs the offense with help from PF Luis Scola and PG Goran Dragic. Vets help the Houston offense with fellow SG’s Courtney Lee and Kevin Martin chipping in when they’re able to. Former Celtics excellent Kevin McHale leads the Houston Rockets at head coach.
Just not too long ago, this game would have been all over tv with the likes of Mike Bibby, Vlade Divac, Chris Webber, and Bobby Jackson pacing the Kings. The Houston Rockets had Yao Ming, Steve Francis, Robert Horry, along with Tracy McGrady behind them. The times have surely changed things for both teams as the day of free agency and wage caps have rendered long-term dynasties practically obsolete.
This ought to be an excellent game between these 2 once-mighty teams with the game itself too close to call.
The Staples Center is going to come alive on January 11th when the Heat competes with the Los Angeles Clippers. The Miami Heat comes in with among the best records in the NBA boosted by an excellent lineup of stars. The Miami Heat lead the league as a team in points scored and assists. The sportsbook has the Miami Heat preferred by 8 points and with the backcourt they feature, it appears to be a sure bet. Let’s have a closer look at the Miami Heat this year and what they bring to the table.
Super Bowl betting
With superstar SF LeBron James guiding the way, Miami brings non-stop scoring. SG Dwyane Wade also brings potent scoring at the 2 slot with PF Chris Bosh’s constant play at the 3. PF Udonis Haslem and PG Mario Chalmers bring up the rear with a constant source of assists and rebounds to strengthen the Miami Heat attack. After almost winning it all last year, the Miami Heat look to go deep in the playoffs this year.
NFL odds
Under the ownership of Donald Sterling, the Los Angeles Clippers have a long history of mediocrity. But with breakout stars such as Blake Griffin altering the landscape for Los Angeles’ “other team”, things have modified in the last couple of seasons. The LA Clippers seem to be content for a playoff placement this season in the always-challenging Pacific Division. L . A . is directed by superstar PF Blake Griffin who has continued to be a menace to the basket as well as the boards. Free Agent additions SG Chauncey Billups and superstar PF Chris Paul offers veteran leadership that had been sorely missing with the departures of Baron Davis and Chris Kaman. The Los Angeles Clippers are also benefited by the outstanding play of SF Caron Butler and C DeAndre Jordan. Watch for this to be an excellent competition between the established stars of Miami versus the young guns of the Los Angeles Clippers Staples Center will be electrified for this competition.
Birmingham, AL plays sponsor to the Compass Bowl on January 7th with the Pitt Panthers taking on the Southern Methodist University Mustangs. The Panthers come in following the 1-year Todd Graham experiment at head coach. Graham resigned his post on December 14th to take the head coaching position at Arizona State. Defensive Coordinator Keith Patterson will wear the headset for the Panthers in this clash of titans. SMU comes into competition with the specter of the “Death Penalty” handed down in the 1980′s still being referred to today. Former Nfl and Hawaii coach June Jones is already in his fourth year on the sidelines of SMU. The betting line has this established at Pittsburgh (-3) with the over-under of 47 points.
Internet sportsbook
Pittsburgh comes into competition with a 6-6 record and a 4-3 record in the Big East. They’ve had one match versus a rated adversary winning versus #16 South Florida 44-17 on September 29th. Pittsburgh’s defense gives up 22.4 points per game, while their offense puts up 25.8 points per game. Junior Qb Tino Sunseri comes into the game with 2,433 passing yards and a passer rating of 124.8. Junior RB Ray Graham has counted 958 rushing yards and 9 Touchdowns so far this season. Sophomore Wide receiver Devin Street is Sunseri’s favorite target catching 48 receptions with 2 Touchdowns. Junior Wide receiver Mike Shanahan is an awesome second target with 35 receptions and 4 Touchdowns.
Sports betting
SMU comes in competition with a 7-5 record and a 5-3 record in Conference USA. Winning over #20 TCU and losing to #8 Texas A&M and #11 Houston, they’ve gone 1-2 versus rated opponents this year. The Mustangs grant up 24.5 points per game on defense while their offense averages 25.7 points per game. June Jones has traditional had pass-heavy teams during the past, counting on the run-and-shoot offense to put up major statistics in offense. This Mustangs team this season has a 1,000 yard rusher, unusual in the Jones’ process. Senior Qb J.J. McDermott with 3,182 passing yards and 16 TDs lifts up the passing game. Junior RB Zach Line has had an awesome season with 1,224 rushing yards and 17 Touchdowns. Junior Wide receiver Darius Johnson with 72 catches and 998 receiving yards and senior Wide receiver Cole Beasley with 79 catches and 954 receiving yards steady the Mustangs receivers.
The Steelers are matched up vs the Denver broncos in the nfl Playoffs. The Steelers concluded as a wild card with an impressive record of 12-4 in the AFC North division, whilst the Denver broncos ended up with an 8-8 record narrowly claiming champions of the AFC West. The Pittsburgh steelers will be visiting Denver to face off vs them at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
Betting online
Denver has appreciated some success this year and a lot of media buzz encompassing quarterback Tim Tebow after he took the reins the starting position with the departure of Kyle Orton. They were able to pull out some exciting comeback wins as his play together with their sound defense has kept them in contention in several games this year.
Sports betting
Tebow will need to have confidence and stay calm under pressure to move forward in the playoffs and possibly cement himself as the franchise quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Former Denver Broncos quarterback and current VP of operations John Elway has provided Tim Tebow some words of encouragement for the impending game. It’ll be pretty tricky to turn it around vs the sound defense of the Steelers if the Denver Broncos find themselves falling behind early in this playoff match up. Both teams will rely on their defense to keep themselves in the game and allow their offense a chance to step up and perform. Pittsburgh steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has excelled this year and wants to continue that success in the first round of the playoffs. Furthermore watch for running back Isaac Redman to step up as Rashard Mendenhall is looking after a knee injury.
The Denver broncos aren’t going to have an simple time vs the powerhouse Steelers, which is why the Pittsburgh steelers are established as eight point favorites to move forward in the playoffs. The over/under on overall points in this match is 35.5.
The Falcons pray that slipping into the playoffs undetected in 2012 will allow them greater results, following finishing with the greatest record in the league last year, and getting sacked in the first round by the Green Bay Packers. Atlanta finished 10-6 this season, earning them a first round wild-card game with the NFC East winning New york giants (9-7).
Online sportsbook
For the Jan 8 – Falcons versus Giants game, however, New York appears to have the traction going into the playoffs. Sportsbooks have recognized this, and made New York a 3-point fave. This is perhaps a shocking position for a squad that lost four contests in a row in November-December. The Giants had to rely on colossal blunders by their division foe Dallas Cowboys to allow them an opportunity to reach the playoffs. A victory over Dallas in week 17 guaranteed them the division championship.
College football odds
New York players might assert that their losing streak this season came when starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw was injured. And this is a legitimate argument, as three of four losses in that streak came while Bradshaw was on the bench. Now that he’s back the Giants have appeared as if a changed squad, winning 2 must-win contests in a row over difficult competition (New York Jets and Dallas).
Atlanta won three of their last four contests coming into the playoffs, but Atlanta has struggled all season against winning teams. Versus teams that finished over .500, Atlanta is just 2-4. Just 2 weeks ago, they were eliminated by the Saints, 45-16.
Both teams are led by quality quarterbacks, the Giants by Eli Manning and the Falcons by Matt Ryan. The difference in this match, however, might be in quarterback stress. The Giants defensive line can get to the quarterback, and recorded 48 sacks this year, excellent for third in the league. The game will be based on how well Matt Ryan and the Falcons offensive line can face up to the stress of the Giants’ defensive front.
The Seattle Seahawks (7-8) will be going to challenge the Arizona Cardinals (7-8) in an NFC West divisional game. There’s a little bit of incentive that a victory will grant either team a winning record although each particular team has dropped just shy of playoff contention this season as they were looking for a wild card location. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has yet to lose a game against the Arizona Cardinals in his stint, but Arizona quarterback Kevin Kolb might come back and start for his team following recovering from a concussion.
Super Bowl betting
Arizona will have to stop the strong run game from the Seattle Seahawks with top rusher Marshawn Lynch seeking to continue to add to his impressive career high of 1,118 yards. Lynch has also landed a touchdown in a team record 11 matches.
Super Bowl betting
Both teams would love to finish strong with a winning record and are preparing as if this were any other game. Both of them have possible bright gambling odds ahead with several competitors being added to the Pro Bowl roster including Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and defensive competitors Adrian Wilson and Patrick Peterson. Seahawks safety Earl Thomas was also chosen for the Pro Bowl team and all these top competitors ought to be playing this final fight with the exemption of Peterson who’s doubtful with an injury to his left Achilles’ tendon. Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch most likely feels he should have been selected for the Pro Bowl honors as well and after being omitted probably will want to prove why he actually does belong there.
This game will be an appealing one to see who can end on a solid note and assert a winning record for the 2011 season. The Arizona Cardinals are a favorite over the underdog Seattle Seahawks with a spread of -3. The over/under for overall points in this game is 40.5.
The Philadelphia Eagles (7-8) will be visiting the Redskins (5-10) in an NFC East divisional contest in their final game. Both squads are at the bottom of the division standings and have been removed from playoff competition this year. Philadelphia had a lot of media hype previous to the start of the year being tagged the dream team with their impact in the free agent market.
Sports betting
However, they haven’t quite lived up to the extremely high anticipations and have had their fair share of struggles this year with injuries to essential competitors such as quarterback Michael Vick. They still have something to play for as Eagles head coach Andy Reid is possibly on the hot seat for remaining the squad’s coach next year.
NFL odds
With an injury to his toe, Redskins running back Roy Helu is sketchy to play once again. Their absence of depth at the running game combined with their weak offensive line will be hard to get over with essential Eagles defensive competitors doing well such as defensive ends Jason Babin and Trent Cole. It’ll be up to Washington Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman to have a great passing game for them to have any kind of chance. The Eagles are averaging about 400 yards on offense per game and it is possible to expect them to do just as well with the duo of a well Michael Vick at quarterback and running back LeSean McCoy. Philadelphia cornerback Asante Samuel is not likely to play with a hamstring injury.
In spite of both squads not earning a playoff place for the 2011 year, they still would like to end on a good note and come out at the top for the final game of the year. The Philadelphia Eagles are favorites in this specific game to the underdog Redskins with a line of -9. The over/under for points is at 46.5.
Week 17 of the nfl Season is often full of trap competitions. The match between the Detroit Lions and Packers in Green Bay is one of this sort of game.
Online betting
The Detroit Lions have had a renaissance year. They have already qualified for the postseason with a victory over the San diego chargers this past week, on top of already having a winning record. Having claimed all that, nonetheless, the Lions pale in contrast to the Packers who are 14-1 and already defeat the Lions 27-15 in Detroit earlier in the year. All of it says this ought to be a Packers win, but one has to wonder why odds makers are making the Lions a 3 point favorite in the game. The reason is…
Online betting
The Packers come into this match with the seed in the NFC for the playoffs. Win or lose, they will be the seed so the Packers have nothing to play for. With all this, all signs are the squad will rest major players on its offense and defense. For example, stud quarterback Aaron Rodgers could play simply the first quarter. As the squad tries to get rest for its battered offensive line, this is specifically accurate. Overall, the Packers appear to be ready to sleepwalk through this match.
The Lions take a different approach. Although the squad has qualified for among the 2 wild cards in the division, it’s now seeking to get the highest seed [5th] possible. The advantage of this higher seed will mean the Lions would play a weaker choice of division victors depending on the outcome of the other competitions in week 17. That can be the difference between being one and done in the playoffs or having a deep run. The Lions will be hugely determined for this match in general.