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The Arena Football League Opening Kick-off From James Patrick Sports

New Orleans Voodoo vs. Los Angeles Avengers

Big Game James Patrick will be on top of all the action this season in the Arena Football League. Tonight the season kicks-off with one of the leagues most potent offenses,(Avengers), opening their home season by entertaining New Orleans. The off season acquisitions made by Los Angeles will put them in a position to challenge for the Eastern Division title this season. Head Coach Sonny Cumbie likes to light it up and look for him to do just that in this high scoring opening game. Our Friday Arena Football complimentary selection is Los Angeles – New Orleans OVER the TOTAL

Marc Lawrence

Game: Utah Jazz at New Orleans Hornets
Prediction: New Orleans Hornets

Note: The Stingers head back to the Hive to host the Jazz in another payback special on tap Friday night. This time it?s with nasty revenge, we might add, as New Orleans has taken it on the chops twice against Utah this season. The first loss was a 99-71 shellacking in Salt Lake City, the lowest production of the season by the Hornets. The second was a 110-88 beating, also in Utah, earlier this month. The Jazz just hosted, and beat, Detroit at the Delta Center Wednesday night, setting the table for tonight?s fray. That?s because NBA road teams are 11-22 ATS when going into revenge of more than 15 points after playing the Pistons, including 3-13 ATS as dogs. With Utah is 3-7 SU & 2-8 ATS away on Fridays off a home game, we'll stay at home with the Hornets here tonight.

Marc Lawrence

Utah Jazz at New Orleans Hornets

The Stingers head back to the Hive to host the Jazz in another payback special on tap Friday night. This time it’s with nasty revenge, we might add, as New Orleans has taken it on the chops twice against Utah this season. The first loss was a 99-71 shellacking in Salt Lake City, the lowest production of the season by the Hornets. The second was a 110-88 beating, also in Utah, earlier this month. The Jazz just hosted, and beat, Detroit at the Delta Center Wednesday night, setting the table for tonight’s fray. That’s because NBA road teams are 11-22 ATS when going into revenge of more than 15 points after playing the Pistons, including 3-13 ATS as dogs. With Utah is 3-7 SU & 2-8 ATS away on Fridays off a home game, we'll stay at home with the Hornets here tonight.

Alex Smart

Montreal Canadiens -122.0

The Montreal Canadiens enter into this tilt against the Buffalo Sabres , having lost 3 straight meetings in this series ,out scoring them during that span by a lopsided 11-3 count. I know the Habs have revenge on board , and are in good form, as is evident by winning 4 of their L6 , but the Sabres are no push overs at home, and will be ready to continue their domination of the eastern conference foes. Final notes & Trends: Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller, 10-3-2 with a 2.29 goals-against average in 15 career starts against the Canadiens. Montreal has also lost 21 of their 29 games in upstate NY. Home team s 7-1 L8 meetings in this series. Play on the Sabres

John Ryan

Game: San Jose Sharks at Detroit Red Wings
Prediction: San Jose Sharks

Reason: Ai Simulator 3* graded play on San Jose. Supporting this graded play is a system that has gone 154-119 and has made 56.6 units since 1996. Play against home teams when the money line is -100 to -150 that is a good team outscoring their opponents by 0.3+ gpg and after playing a game where 7 or more total goals were scored. Detroit has a very strong power play scoring on 20.5% of their opportunities and ranks 4th in the NHL. However, San Jose has the 2nd best PP killing team allowing opponents to score on just 13.9% of their chances. Note that San Jose is 8-2 against the money line (+6.1 Units) in road games against excellent power play teams scoring on > 19% of their chances this season. Note that Detroit is in a weak role sporting a 8-13 money line mark (-14.3 Units) against good power play killing teams that are allowing opposition to score on <14.5% of chances in the 2nd half of the year over the last 3 seasons. Take San Jose.

Stephen Nover

Memphis Grizzlies @ Houston Rockets
PICK: Memphis Grizzlies

REASON FOR PICK: Hakim Warrick is playing well. Rudy Gay is having a breakthrough season. Hey, it's hard to find positive things to say about the Memphis Grizzlies.

Memphis has dropped 12 of its last 13. Houston has won its last 13 games. But this being the NBA, you have to zig and zag. This is a letdown spot for the Rockets. Look for Memphis to cover this large spread.

The Rockets buried Washington in their last game on Tuesday, 94-69. The Rockets were playing for the first time knowing Yao Ming would be out for the season. The Rockets were fired-up because of that. They also were catching the Wizards playing in their fourth game in five nights and off a buzzer-beating upset road victory against New Orleans.

I don't see the Rockets having that kind of emotion in their second game without Yao, especially with a nationally televised home game against Denver on Sunday up next. It will be hard for the Rockets to take the Grizzlies seriously and without Yao, they no longer have the talent to bury bad teams unless they're on their "A" game.

Dave Cokin

Manhattan and Fairfield.

Take Fairfield.

Fairfield could be a legit sleeper in the upcoming MAAC Tourney. The Stags have come on strong down the stretch and look for their sixth straight win tonight as they host a mediocre Manhattan entry. I'll go with the hot hand in this contest, Fairfield minus the spot."


Jim Feist

CHA Bobcats and BOS Celtics.

Take Under

The Celtics got their defense going on the road trip with the return of Kevin Garnett to the middle of the lineup. Their last two games went under the total, holding the Clippers to 76 and the Cavs to 87. A weak offensive Charlotte team comes to town, one averaging just 91 ppg on the road. The last meeting Boston one 95-83 in a game that sailed under the total. This one will too, play the Bobcats/Celtics under the total

NY Knicks and ORL Magic.

Take Over

Orlando is a strong offensive team because they like the uptempo style, averaging 104 ppg at home. The Knicks have been a strong offensive team of late because they don't play any defense! NY is on an 8-0 run over the total playing matador defense allowing lay up after lay up. In fact, they are 19-9 over the total on the road. Don't look for any defense, play the Knicks/Magic over the total

Arthur Ralph

Super Pick New Orleans

900 Daily Play: Atlanta Hawks

POINTWISE

COLLEGE HOOPS

BROWN 79 - Princeton 62
CORNELL 84 - Dartmouth 63
COLUMBIA 81 - Harvard 61
YALE 78 - Pennsylvania 60

BEST BETS: CORNELL, COLUMBIA

NBA

TORONTO RAPTORS 91 - Indiana Pacers 82
BOSTON CELTICS 100 - Charlotte Bobcats 99
ATLANTA HAWKS 106 - New York Knicks 88
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 95 - Minnesota 84
Washington Wizards 88 - CHICAGO 83 (ESPN)
NEW ORLEANS HORNETS 118 - Utah Jazz 113
HOUSTON ROCKETS 99 - Memphis Grizzlies 82
DALLAS MAVERICKS 106 - Sacramento Kings 97
Los Angeles Lakers 111 - PORTLAND 'BLAZERS 99
DENVER NUGGETS 106 - L.A. Clippers 95 (ESPN)
Miami Heat 100 - SEATTLE SUPERSONICS 94
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 108 - Philadelphia 98

BEST BETS: CHARLOTTE, ATLANTA, L.A. LAKERS (3), MIAMI (4)

WINNING POINTS

***BEST BET
*Houston over Memphis by 24
After losing to Memphis in mid-November, the Rockets have defeated the Grizzlies
the past two times by an average of 16.5 points. The Rockets have been red-hot going 15-1 SU and 11-5 ATS through Feb. 23. Tracy McGrady has regained his All-Star allaround game and Luis Scola has been a good fit to the starting lineup providing needed muscle for Yao Ming. The Grizzlies already are playing for draft position, after giving away their best player, Pau Gasol.

HOUSTON 115-91


***BEST BET
*Seattle over Miami by 16
There aren?t many teams worse than Seattle in the NBA. Miami is one such club. The
Heat were a mind-boggling 1-26 SU through Feb. 25. The Sonics actually have
improving players with Chris Wilcox and Kevin Durant. Now that the team is overhauled expect good efforts from the Sonics. Miami is coming off a game the night before against the Lakers, a game it will take more serious than this one. The Heat had failed to cover the past six times when playing in the second of back-to-back games.

SEATTLE 108-92