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JASON SHARPE
3 Unit Play Take #710 New Orleans -3 over Washington (8:05pm est):
It's usually a tough spot in the NBA for a team like New Orleans who is traveling home with no off
day in between but that's negated here as the Washington Wizards are also off of a game last
evening as well. Add in the fact that New Orleans is 4-0 ATS the game following a road trip of
seven or more days.
Washington played with a sense of desperation last evening after having dropped three straight
games prior to that. There's Eastern Conference basketball and then there is Western Conference
hoops and Washington is one of those teams that can fool you into thinking they are better than
they are cause they play out East. In fact if you look they are just 2-8 this year so far versus
teams from the much better West while New Orleans is 8-4 against the weaker East.
The Pelicans return home where they are 4-0 against the number their last four games here and
though are down one man they did get back center Jason Smith last evening after a four game
absence. New Orleans has played a tough schedule thus far with five fewer home games than
road contests overall. They have played 10 of their last 12 games away from home and if you dig
deeper you see a team whose faced off versus Miami, Indiana, Houston, Portland 2x, Golden
State, Denver 2x and the Clippers all in those last 12 games. Keep in mind before this they had
won 8 of 12 games and that was due to mainly facing below .500 teams like the Wizards team
that they face here. In fact the Pelicans are a perfect 7-0 at home this season against below.
500 teams and all eight wins have been by more than today's spread and by an average of 14
points per game.
The Pelicans are a team who usually responds off a loss of more than ten points as they have
gone 27-10-1 versus the spread their next game the last 38 times in this type of spot.
Take New Orleans minus the points in this game
STRIKE POINT SPORTS
5-Unit Play. Take #709 Washington (+3) over New Orleans (8 p.m., Wednesday, January 8)
This Wizards team can get the job done, and the only reason they are catching points is because
of the venue. Washington is better than New Orleans top to bottom and they will win this game
outright, on the road. Washington is looking to win for the sixth time in their last seven road
games coming off a win as a dog last night in Charlotte. The Wizards didn't even play particularly
well last night and they still throttled a respectable Bobcats team. Washington has won three of
the last four games at New Orleans and the last three overall. Take the road dog in this one.
Free pick: Dallas Mavs+7
ALLEN EASTMAN
4-Unit Play. Take #711 Phoenix (+8) over Minnesota (9:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 8)
This should be a very good game between two good young teams. Minnesota has been playing
great basketball. But they've beat up bad teams. Phoenix has a better record and isn't a
pushover. And the underdog has covered three of our and six of 10 in this series. I will take the
points and look for a tight game here.
3-Unit Play. Take #701 Detroit (+5.5) over Toronto (7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 8)
The Raptors have played against the Heat and the Pacers in their last two games. Both were on
the road and both were tough games. They will not be up for this game against the Pistons. This
one has letdown written all over it.The underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and the road
team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
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