NFL Premium Card 12/11

NFL - 107 Houston Texans @ 108 Cincinnati Bengals

***SINGLE DIME PLAY*

PROJECTED LINE: Cincinnati -6

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 108 Cincinnati Bengals (-2,5) @ -110 / 1.91 on The Greek



NFL - 115 New Orleans Saints @ 116 Tennessee Titans

***SINGLE DIME PLAY*

PROJECTED LINE: New Orleans -6

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 115 New Orleans Saints (-3) @ -130 / 1.77 on Bookmaker



NFL - 119 New England Patriots @ 120 Washington Redskins

***SINGLE DIME PLAY*

PROJECTED LINE: 43 points

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 119/120 Under 47 @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker




NFL - 109 Oakland Raiders @ 110 Green Bay Packers

***SINGLE DIME PLAY*

PROJECTED LINE: Green Bay -7

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 109 Oakland Raiders (+12) @ -110 / 1.91 on The Greek



NFL - 129 Buffalo Bills @ 130 San Diego Chargers

***SINGLE DIME PLAY*

PROJECTED LINE: 55 points

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 129/130 Over 49 @ -110 / 1.91 on The Greek

NCAAB Night Card 12/10

NCAAB - 591 Youngstown St. @ 592 Buffalo

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: 134 points

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 591/592 Under 140,5 @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker



NCAAB - 595 Long Beach St. @ 596 North Carolina

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: 154 points

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 595/596 Under 161 @ -110 / 1.91 on 5Dimes



NCAAB - 615 Louisiana-Monroe @ 616 Texas A&M

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: Texas A&M -14

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 615 Louisiana-Monroe (+20,5) @ -110 / 1.91 on The Greek



NCAAB - 617 Louisiana Tech @ 618 Southern Mississippi

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: Southern Mississippi -20

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 618 Southern Mississippi (-16) @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker



NCAAB - 619 Michigan St @ 620 Gonzaga

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: PK line

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 619 Michigan St (+4) @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker



NCAAB - 621 CSU Northridge @ 622 Pepperdine

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: 127 points | Pepperdine -10

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 621/622 Under 134,5 @ -110 / 1.91 on 5Dimes
Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 622 Pepperdine (-6,5) @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker



NCAAB - 647 Canisius @ 648 St. Bonaventure 

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: 134 points

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 647/648 Over 125,5 @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker



NCAAB - 651 Georgia Southern @ 652 Eastern Kentucky

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: 137 points

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 651/652 Over 133 @ -110 / 1.91 on The Greek



NCAAB - 653 Nevada @ 654 Montana

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: PK line

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 653 Nevada (+3,5) @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker



NCAAB - 667 Western Kentucky @ 668 Indiana - Purdue

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: 130 points | PK line

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 667/668 Under 137 @ -110 / 1.91 on 5Dimes
Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 667 Western Kentucky (+6,5) @ -110 / 1.91 on 5Dimes



NCAAB - 669 South Dakota @ 670 Morehead St.

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: Morehead St. -2

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 669 South Dakota (+7) @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker



NCAAB - 673 Eastern Illinois @ 674 Western Illinois

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: Western Illinois -7

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 674 Western Illinois (-4) @ -110 / 1.91 on The Greek

NCAAB Day Card 12/10

NCAAB - 543 Cincinnati @ 544 Xavier

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: 119 points

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 543/544 Under 125.5 @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker



NCAAB - 545 Rhode Island @ 546 Georgia St

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: 132 points

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 545/546 Under 136.5 @ -110 / 1.91 on The Greek



NCAAB - 557 Butler @ 558 Ball State

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: PK line

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 557 Butler (+4) @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker



NCAAB - 559 Oklahoma St. vs 560 Pittsburgh

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: 141 points | Pittsburgh -3

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 559/560 Over 135 @ -110 / 1.91 on The Greek
Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 559 Oklahoma St. (+7,5) @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker



NCAAB - 571 Northern Illinois @ 572 Illinois-Chicago

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: 125 points

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 571/572 Under 132,5 @ -110 / 1.91 on 5Dimes



NCAAB - 573 Eastern Michigan @ 574 Purdue

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: Purdue -29

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 574 Purdue (-24,5) @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker


NCAAB - 581 Kentucky @ 582 Indiana

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: 142 points | Kentucky -2

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 582 Indiana (+5.5) @ -110 / 1.91 on The Greek
Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 581/582 Under 146.5 @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker



NCAAB - 583 Missouri St. @ 584 Arkansas-Little Rock

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: Missouri St. -15

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 583 Missouri St. (-9) @ -110 / 1.91 on The Greek



NCAAB - 639 Kent St. @ 640 Western Carolina

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: Kent St. -10

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 639 Kent St. (-5.5) @ -110 / 1.91 on 5 Dimes

NCAAB - 661 Harvard @ 662 Boston U

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: Harvard -10

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 661 Harvard (-6,5) @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker



NCAAB - 663 North Dakota State @ 664 Arizona St.

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: PK line

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 663 North Dakota State (+4) @ -110 / 1.91 on The Greek



NCAAB - 666 Oakland vs 665 Michigan

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: Michigan -10

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 665 Michigan (-6) @ -110 / 1.91 on The Greek

NCAAB First Update 12/10

NCAAB - 635 Austin Peay @ 636 Tennessee

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: Tennessee -9

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 635 Austin Peay (+13) @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker



NCAAB - 587 Creighton @ 588 St. Joseph's

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: Creighton -6 | 150 points

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 587 Creighton (-2) @ -110 / 1.91 on The Greek
Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 587/588 Over 146 @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker

Chicago Bulls NBA Season Preview 2011-12

CHICAGO BULLS

Advanced Stats:

PACE : #22 92.8
OFFENSE: #11  105.5
DEFENSE:  #1  97.4

Derrick Rose was the NBA’s regular season Most Valuable Player but make no mistake, it was Tom Thibodeau’s combination of team defense and rebounding the primary reason for the Bulls having the best record of the regular season.

Chicago enjoyed playing in the worst division of the NBA last season by going 15-1 in divisional games – I remember that they were the only team in the Central Division that finished the regular season with a positive record!  

The Bulls stingy defense was just too much for the lowly teams as they went 37-5 vs. below 0.500 teams. However they also beat the best teams in the league with an Eastern best of 25-13 record vs. above 0.500 teams.

 Tom Thibodeau’s Defensive & Rebounding numbers:

Rank #1 Defensive Efficiency with 97.4;
Rank #2  Points in the paint allowed per game with 36.2 ppg;
Rank #3 Defensive Rebounding% Team with 76.22%;
Rank #4 Offensive Rebounding% Team with 29.40%;
Rank #6 FG% allowed at the rim with 61.6% FG;
Rank #4 FG% allowed from 16-23 feet with 37.1% FG;
Rank #1 3PTS% allowed with 32.6%;

These rankings were really superb if we take in account that Joakim Noah only played 48 games during the regular season and he is the defensive anchor of the frontcourt. Also Carlos Boozer was the Bulls’ premier Power Forward and we know that “defense” is far from being his forte.

The Boston Celtics have been a defensive force since Thibodeau installed his system with the Big 3, so there is no reason to think that the Bulls won’t be a defensive force once again this season.

However if the Bulls want to win a Championship, they need to do better on the offensive end!

Derrick Rose was the Most Valuable Player of the regular season, but he can’t win it all alone. Only Monta Ellis, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant attempted more Field Goals per game than Derrick Rose and the result of such high usage was Rose shooting below the 45% FG mark for the first time in his career.

After attempting 0.9 and 0.8 treys per game, Rose launched almost 5 treys per game last season! That’s a lot if we add the fact that he hit only 33.2% of those shots. He also shot only 38% FG from 16-23 feet, so the Bulls have to find a way to give Rose more quality shots or more offensive options.

Carlos Boozer could be that guy if he can improve his offensive numbers. Note that Boozer still produced 17.5 points per game while shooting 51% from the field, but the feeling in Chicago is that Boozer did have a poor season. Nevertheless I remember that Boozer missed the preseason and played his first game only in December, so it was hard for him to “gel” into the Bulls system because we should not forget that Boozer was used to play along with Deron Williams a deadly “pick and roll” offensive system that wasn’t used in Chicago with Derrick Rose.  A healthy and more accustomed Boozer can make the difference on the offensive end because Noah, Gibson and Omer Asik aren’t offensive threats when playing.

Luol Deng had a pretty solid season in both ends of the floor. He was rock solid averaging 39.1 minutes per game while playing every single game! He was the face of a Bulls roster composed by hard workers that got the best record of the regular season.

The Bulls have some nice depth on their bench that will be pivotal when the back-to-back-to-back games make their apparence.

For this season the Bulls will be once again a powerful defensive team and a dominating rebounding team. The X factor is the ability of their offense to be more versatile and not so Rose dependable.

NCAAB Premium Card 12/08

NCAAB - 541 Boston College @ 542 Providence

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: Davidson -5

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 541/542 Under 138.5 @ -110 / 1.91 on 5 Dimes



NCAAB - 545 Western Michigan @ 546 Detroit

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: PK LINE

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 545 Western Michigan (+5) @ -110 / 1.91 on The Greek



NCAAB - 549 West Virginia vs 550 Kansas St.

***SINGLE DIME PLAY***

PROJECTED LINE: PK LINE

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 549 West Virginia (+4) @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker

Toronto Raptors NBA Season Preview 2011-12

TORONTO RAPTORS

Advanced Stats:

PACE: #12 95.6       

OFFENSE: #21 103.1         

DEFENSE: #30 109.8

In the Chris Bosh era, the Raptors were always a mediocre defensive team, but at least they had some offensive talent and they were one of the most efficient teams on the offensive end. In the first season post-Bosh, the Raptors continued being a terrible defensive team, but this time they were atrocious on the offense as well and the outcome was obvious: they were the 2^nd worst team in the East.

Former Head Coach Jay Triano managed the “feat” of leading the worst defensive team in the league in back-to-back seasons (defensive efficiency ranks: 09-10 #30 110.2, 10-11 #30 109.8) and the fact is that the Raptors couldn’t defend anybody:

#25 Defensive Rebounding% w/72%
#27 eFG% Allowed w/52.24%
#26 FTrate allowed w/32.6%
#27 Fast Break Points allowed per game w/16.7ppg
#30 Points in the paint allowed per game w/47.4ppg

We are talking about a team being on the “wrong top 5” in every single defensive metric ranking! Their opponents knew that the Raptors were soft down low and they really pounded them inside, as 36.1% of the Raptors opponents shots were at the rim – a league high!

Reggie Evans was the only player who brought some toughness to the frontcourt and with him healthy early on the season and grabbing 11.7 rebounds per game, the Raptors had a mediocre but decent 6-10 record. However when Evans got injured, the Raptors completely fell apart in the defensive end.

Andrea Bargnani was the Raptors best offensive player, but his horrible defense and rebounding skills were too poor to be compensated by his offensive skills. Without a rebounding monster on his side, it was quite easy to score against the Raptors. Both Amir Johnson and Ed Davis are relatively undersized and more importantly, they aren’t good defensive players, so the Raptors frontcourt was constantly abused in almost every single game.

For this season, the Raptors have a new head coach in Dwayne Casey – a former Dallas assistant coach. Casey has been an assistant coach for 14 seasons (11 in Seattle and the last 3 in Dallas). In those 14 years, his teams have been ranked in the top 10 defensively five times: his first four years in Seattle and in the past season in Dallas. Asking Casey to turn the Raptors into a top 10 defensive team with the current roster is simply impossible, but we should expect some improvement on the defensive end. Truth must be told, it won’t be hard to do better than in the past two seasons, considering they were the worst defensive team in the last two years.

On the offensive end, the Raptors stopped being a good offensive team to become a below average offensive team. In the last season with Bosh still in Toronto, the Raptors were the 6^th most effective team offensively, however last season they were the 9^th least effective offensive team in the league! Nevertheless, Toronto was a good team in terms of scoring in transition by averaging 18.0 fast break points per game – the 2^nd best mark in the league! They were also the 3^rd best team in points in the paint per game with 41.5 ppg, but they were far from being an effective team near the basket!

Note that 34.4% of the Raptors FGA’s were at the rim, but they were just 25^th in converting those shots with 61.4%! Despite the lack of efficiency near the basket, the team’s biggest problem was really on their perimeter. Their record of consecutive games with at least one three-point shot made came to an end and that wasn’t a surprise at all considering the fact that the Raptors were the worst team in the league in terms of 3PTS% with just 31.6%!

However, Dwayne Casey has some quality on the roster to work and turn the Raptors into a respectable offensive team once again. Jose Calderon is still one of the best Point Guard managers of the game. He makes the right decisions almost all the time and his A/TO ratio was the 2^nd best in the league, with only CP3 doing better than him. DeMar DeRozan emerged as an offensive player, as his 17.2 ppg while shooting 46.7% from the field made him the most effective player on the roster and with him being just 22-years old, DeRozan can become an emerging star in the league.

The main issue of this team continues to be Andrea Bargnani. He is a skilled offensive player and a tough matchup for any defense due to his size and shooting range, however his presence on the court requires a frontcourt player that has to compensate Bargnani’s lack of defensive skills and rebounding ability. The Raptors drafted big men Jonas Valanciunas, he will most likely stay overseas for one more season, so Casey will have to find a way to protect the paint without the young Lithuanian.

Suddenly, the Raptors are involved in a potential good division with the Celtics, the Knicks, the Nets and the Sixers, so the task won’t be easy for Dwayne Casey. In fact, Casey will have to perform a miracle in order to make the Raptors competitive, especially with a short training camp hurting a team who needs time to perform all the changes that they really need to make.