Alex Smart Free Picks & Sports Handicapper Review

ASU (12-5, 3-2 in Pac-12 play)shooting woes make them lousy favs here . On the season ASU is hitting just  .439 from the field and .342 from 3-point range but an nasty .654 from the line. Even though  Oregon is missing banged up with some injuries their key starter sophomore F Kenny Wooten is healthy again making them dangerous underdogs here tonight . 

ARIZONA ST is 1-11 ATS versus good shooting teams - making 45% or better of their shots after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons is 0-6 ATS versus good defensive teams - shooting pct defense of 42% or less  after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.

OREGON is 20-8 ATS versus good teams - outscoring their opponents by 4+ points/game after 15+ games over the last 3 seasons.

Play on Oregon to cover 

Long time in province rivals the Flames and Oilers go head to tonight in Edmonton. The Flames are riding a 6-0-1 run and their special teams are rocking and rolling .  The Flames are 8-for-14 with the man-advantage in the past six games, and they netted their league-leading 15th short-handed goal Friday night. Look for those units to be a difference maker tonight. Note: I know the Flames have lost their L/5 visits to Edmonton but all good and bad runs must come to an end. 

NHL Road Teams when the money line is -100 to -150 (CALGARY) - after 5 or more consecutive overs, good team (+0.4 or more goals/G diff.) vs an avg. team (-0.4 to +0.4 goal/G diff.) - 2nd half of the year are 29-3 L/22 seasons for a 91% conversion rate for bettors. 

Play on Calgary to win 

 Atlanta is up trending in my power rankings and are 7-7 SU in their L/14 games and deserve my respect here in this spot vs Boston on their own home court. The market thanks to the public money has pushed this line up  giving me an edge here with the home dog Hawks.  I know the Celtics have beat up on these kids in DD wins so far this season, but Atlanta as mentioned above is playing much better hoops of late and improving . Meanwhile, Boston is off playing last night vs Memphis  in a hard fought home win and on tired legs. This situation is a good omen for us here behind the young legs  of a Hawks group that is 4-0 ATS as dogs against unrested opposition this campaignvand that are  3-0-1 ATS at home when playing with 3 or more days of rest.  It must be noted that the Celtics are  just  0-6 ATS and 1-5 SU as road favs without rest.

Stevens is 2-15 ATS versus terrible defensive teams - allowing 110+ points/game - 2nd half of the season as the coach of BOSTON.BOSTON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) when playing their 3rd game in 4 days this season.

Play on Atlanta to cover 

Oh boy how far the Cavs have fallen since the departure of their superstar LeBron James. Just take a look this line, and you will see their down quite a bit in the eyes of the public and lines makers. But pros don't like to be embarrassed, and now the NBA has embraced and accepted betting lines, you can bet that all the Cavs are aware of how thye are being perched tonight in the Mile High City and will be out to prove their detractors wrong and at least be competitive. I know the Cavs took it on the chin last night in Utah by a 115-99 count, but their well conditioned and young enough to push tonight and get us the cover on a slightly bloated line.

 Denver exploded on the ChicagoBulls last time out after being humbled by the Warriors in their previous game, but now after back to back all out efforts could be an a natural letdown spot here.The Nuggets are 0-12 ATS at home after they shot 50% or better from beyond the arc and are 6-6 SU in those games with non coming by more than 7 points.

DENVER is 0-7 ATS after scoring 120 points or more this season.

NBA Favorites of 10 or more points (DENVER) - excellent offensive team (102 PPG or better ) against a sub par defensive team (102 PPG or more) after 42+ games, after a blowout win by 20 points or more are 23-51 ATS L/22 seasons for a go against 69% conversion rate for bettors. 

Play on Cleveland to cover 

Oklahoma City played a hard fought tilt last time out, and than lost in OT by 10 points to the Lakers , which is a huge drain on a team both emotionally and physically. Now travelling from West to East going against a Philadelphia team that is starting to uptrend both from a talent and maturity level, and that plays their best hoops at home Im betting the Thunder will be on the wrong end of this score when the final buzzer goes off. Note: OKLAHOMA CITY is 1-10 ATS  off an upset loss by 10 points or more as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.

Even if J Embild does not play today for the 76ers Im betting they find a way to win. 

NBA Home favorites vs. the money line (PHILADELPHIA) - hot shooting team - 2 straight games making 50%  or more of their shots against opponent after 2 straight games - allowing a shooting pct. of 50% or higher are 59-9 L/22 seasons for a 87% conversion rate for bettors. 

Play on Philadelphia to cover 

Both these teams play defence first basketball, but according to my numbers the Total is off by close to 5 points on the low side as the linebackers over adjust according to public perceptions and trends. My Totals data suggests this tilt should be closer to 134 to 135. Thus giving us value according to my projections. 

Konkol in his L/18 when playing their 2nd road game in 3 days as the coach of LOUISIANA TECH has seen combined average of 146 ppg scored.LOUISIANA TECH  in their L/9 after 3 or more consecutive unders over the last 2 seasons have seen a combined average score of 140.9 ppg scored.

CHARLOTTE in their L/45 games when playing only their 2nd game in a week over the last 3 seasons have seen a combined average of 149.4 ppg scored.

CBB teams where the total is between 120 and 129.5 points (CHARLOTTE) - in a game involving two love average defensive teams (67-74 PPG) after 15+ games, after scoring 65 points or less 2 straight games are 58-25 L/5 seasons for a 70% conversion rate for bettors. 

Play OVER 

Even though this game is being played at Kent State I have this tilt projected as a pickem, making N.Illinois a value selection here according to my estimates. NIU has revenge on board for a  61-59 loss in last years tourney to Kent State and are a experienced team  with 5 returning starters that can get things done .  Northern Illinois has covered 6 of the L/7 meetings and gets the nod again. 

Note: Kent State picked up a big win last time out as home pups , but in the past KENT ST is  just 6-16 ATS  in home games off an upset win as an underdog  and are  0-10 ATS at home when coming off a Straight up underdog win and facing opposition coming off a SU/ATS loss.. 

N ILLINOIS is 8-1 ATS  in a road game where the total is 145 to 149.5 over the last 3 seasons.

Play on Northern Illinois to cover 

 There was a key number that I was looking for in this Kentucky vs Auburn battle, and now that I have it will recommend we pull the trigger.  

Saturday's matchup between No. 12/14 Kentucky and No. 14/12 Auburn will mark the eighth time in the series' history the teams will meet while both are ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 and the first since No. 24 Auburn took on No. 4 Kentucky on Jan. 22, 2003. 

Kentucky owns a 92-19 all-time record in the series, including a 30-15 advantage when the game is played in Auburn. UK also has a lead in the series during the seven prior meetings when the teams were both ranked with a 6-1 edge.

John Calipari and Bruce Pearl have matched up head-to-head with ranked squads on four occasions, splitting the meetings 2-2. Calipari is 9-5 all-time against Pearl.

Auburn beat Kentucky last season and now we have revenge on board for Calipari in company. 

This game will feature an Auburn side that likes to smack down 3s and take an average of 35 a game, and HC Calipari despite of seeing his team struggle against treys will have his athletic side ready to respond here today. Note: Wildcats have held their last two opponent to 50 points or less , and are extremely capable of keeping this game close and even pulling off the upset vs the public favourite.  

Auburn is proving susceptible to fouls and giving up offensive rebounds,  Im betting the charity stripe and the Cats determination under the basket  will be a deciding factor in which side covers today. 

Play on Kentucky to cover 

Temple has won 11 straight meetings in this series, but in recent battles here on the road Penn State has been very competitive and covered 7 of their L/9 visits. I know the Quakers have looked wobbly of late, without injured G Ryan Betley who is out for season, and are on on a 4 game losing streak, but now in desperation mode, will be ready to leave everything on the floor today. Note: PENNSYLVANIA is 21-8 ATS after 4 or more consecutive losses since 1997. You have to remember this is a PennState team that upended Villanova this season, and are not completely futile or without talent. 

TEMPLE is 0-6 ATS  as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12 points over the last 2 seasons.

Play on Penn State to cover 

Talk about a huge letdown situation as Syracuse comes home off a huge win vs Duke last time out on the road. Wow. But hey you have to remember that Duke was off a thrilling tight win vs Florida State previous to that  and were flat for that affair vs the Orange in their followup. Now The Panthers who are starting to play much better  go against another emotionally drained team, and could easily spring a ugly upset here, much like Syracuse did to Duke. This Pittsburgh program has also been a cash ATS for their backers going  22-8 ATS in the series, including 5-0 ATS as dogs of 6 or more points and really must not be underestimated in this situational play. Remember the Orange are far from infallible at home as was the case when they lost outright to Georgia Tech as 8.5 point home chalk already this season. 

Take the points here with Pittsburgh to cover 

Both these programs are down a notch this season, with West Virginia getting the most trash talk from the pundits. If anyone thinks that West Virginia's proud hoops program will now roll over and die, because of a bad start might be in for a surprise especially opposing betting detractors as HC Huggy Bear is 6-0 ATS L/6 at home as a dog. What Im betting here to happen in Morgantown is that the Mounties will have plenty of fight left in them vs a Kansas program that has not faired well here in the recent past as is evident by a their 1-5 ATS mark here in their L/6 visits. 

KANSAS is 2-11 ATS  after having won 12 or more of their last 15 games over the last 2 seasons.W VIRGINIA is 13-3 ATS  in home games after 3 or more consecutive overs since 1997. W VIRGINIA is 15-6 ATS  in home games after a game where they failed to cover the spread over the last 3 seasons.

Play on West Virginia to cover