New Orleans At San Antonio
When: 8:30 PM ET, Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports New Orleans, KENS (San Antonio)
Prediction: Spurs 101, Hornets 91

Oddsmakers currently have the Spurs listed as 10-point favorites versus the Hornets, while the game’s total is sitting at 192.

New Orleans’ resurgence has been buoyed by the return to form of guard Eric Gordon. A right knee injury kept him out for the first 29 games, and he struggled with his shot as a reserve early in his comeback. But the 24-year-old has been much better of late, averaging 19.2 points over his last five games. “I’m starting to hit jump shots more,” Gordon told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “I just need to get it all flowing together. There are points in the game when I do and some that I don’t. It’s going to come together.” Monday’s triumph marked the first time this season the Hornets have allowed more than 100 points and won

The Hornets were a 114-105 winner in their most recent outing at home against the Kings. They covered the 5.5-point spread as favorites, while the total score (219) made winners of OVER bettors.

Team record: 14-27 SU, 22-19 ATS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 6 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of last 6 games
When playing on Wednesday are 3-7
Before playing Houston are 7-3
After playing Sacramento are 3-7
After a win are 4-6

When San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich opted to send stars Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker home rather than have them play in a nationally televised game earlier in the season, he likely had this stretch of the schedule in mind. San Antonio will have played more games than any team in the league by the end of the week. “It’s been a tough beginning, travel-wise,” Popovich told the San Antonio Express-News. “We’re getting to be a pretty tired team. It’s been a lot of games quickly. We’ve never had this many games in this period of time before.” San Antonio will enjoy three days off following Saturday’s game against Phoenix

The Spurs were a 90-85 winner in their most recent outing on the road against the 76ers. They failed to cover the 6-point spread as favorites, while the total score (175) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Team record: 33-11 SU, 25-18-1 ATS
Current streak: won 5 straight games.

is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 5 games
is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 5 games at home

When playing on Wednesday are 7-3
Before playing Dallas are 8-2
After playing Philadelphia are 6-4
After a win are 7-3

The post New Orleans Hornets vs. San Antonio Spurs NBA Free Pick & Matchup appeared first on IdealCapper.

Minnesota at Green Bay
When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 5, 2013
Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC.
Line: Packers -9.5. O/U: 46
Oddsmakers currently have the Packers listed as 9½-point favorites versus the Vikings, while the game’s total is sitting at 46.
Prediction: Packers 28, Vikings 24

Minnesota needed to win its final four games of the regular season just to reach the playoffs and knocked off playoff contenders Chicago, Houston and Green Bay in those final weeks. Peterson carried it 34 times for 199 yards in Week 17 and averaged 159.8 yards over the final 10 games of the regular season despite being less than a year removed from major knee surgery. While Peterson’s performance has been consistent, quarterback Christian Ponder’s effort in the finale was more of a surprise. The second-year starter passed for 234 yards and a season-high three touchdowns without an interception for a career-best 120.2 rating. The Vikings have some big questions on defense, as cornerback Antoine Winfield left Sunday’s game with a hand injury and is questionable. Rodgers threw for three scores with Winfield off the field.

Minnesota won its last outing, a 37-34 result against the Packers on December 30. The Vikings covered in that game as a 3-point underdog, while the 71 combined points took the game OVER the total.

Team records:
Minnesota: 10-6 SU, 8-7-1 ATS
Green Bay: 11-5 SU, 9-7 ATS

Minnesota most recently:
When playing in January are 4-6
When playing on grass are 3-7
After outgaining opponent are 4-6
When playing within the division are 4-6

Green Bay did not have the same motivation as Minnesota last week, with the Packers’ postseason spot already assured. They could have earned a first-round bye with a victory, but the “win or go home” mentality that will be there this week was not on display in Minneapolis. Rodgers is working with a battered receiving corps with Randall Cobb (ankle) questionable and Jordy Nelson (hamstring) limited. Greg Jennings caught a pair of touchdown passes last week in his best game of the season and could get a lot more attention from the Minnesota secondary on Saturday. Stopping Peterson will be the No. 1 goal for the defense. The MVP candidate shredded Green Bay for 409 yards in two meetings this season.

Green Bay lost its last outing, a 37-34 result against the Vikings on December 30. The Packers failed to cover in that game as a 3-point favorite, while the 71 combined points took the game OVER the total.

Green Bay most recently:
When playing in January are 7-3
When playing on grass are 9-1
After being outgained are 7-3
When playing within the division are 9-1

A few trends to consider:
Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota’s last 10 games when playing Green Bay
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota’s last 5 games when playing on the road against Green Bay
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota’s last 6 games
Green Bay is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Green Bay is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Green Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Minnesota
Green Bay is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games

The post Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers Free NFL Pick & Matchup appeared first on IdealCapper.

This one should be a great game, no doubt about it. The Cowboys always show up against the Giants, and a feature matchup to kick off the season should be no different.

Will two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning get his team off to a winning start? Or will Tony Romo and America’s Team shut down the G-Men at home?

Oddsmakers currently have the Giants listed as 3-point favorites versus the Cowboys, while the game’s total is sitting at 46½.

Team records:
Dallas: 8-8 SU, 5-10-1 ATS
New York: 9-7 SU, 8-7-1 ATS

Dallas most recently:
When playing in September are 5-5
When playing on turf are 5-5
After being outgained are 5-5
When playing within the division are 5-5

New York most recently:
When playing in September are 7-3
When playing on turf are 6-4
After outgaining opponent are 8-2
When playing within the division are 5-5

A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Dallas’s last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Dallas’s last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Dallas’s last 6 games when playing NY Giants
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas’s last 5 games when playing on the road against NY Giants
NY Giants are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of the NY Giants last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the NY Giants last 6 games at home
NY Giants are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing Dallas

Next up:
Dallas at Seattle, Sunday, September 16
NY Giants home to Tampa Bay, Sunday, September 16

The post Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.