Linecrusher
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Basketball releases 14-10 last week
Basketball releases 80-62 +2650 thru Sunday, December 19th
6 winning weeks, 1 losing week
Plays for Monday, December 20th
6:00 Eastern Update
2*Houston -9 over Toronto
Scheduling advantage for Houston with 1 days rest off an embarrassing OT loss at Charlotte Saturday while Toronto is playing back to back and their 3rd game in 4 days. Should be a tough 1 game road trip for the Raptors (2-13 road) off yesterdays home win having to travel and integrating new players in the line-up from their trade with New Jersey. The Rockets will be looking to avenge an earlier 7 point loss at Toronto and Houston is 8-1 home vs the Raptors.
2*Chicago +2 over Portland
Portland has won 10 of the last 11 in this series so probably will not give much thought to this match-up vs the lowly Bulls which means this should be the right spot to fade the Blazers as a road favorite coming off Saturday nights satisfying hard fought 75-74 win at Detroit vs the defending champs. Have to expect the Blazers to be flat and after starting 0-9 the Bulls have come alive winning 3 straight, 5 of their last 7 and 7 of their last 13.
2*Phoenix -6.5 over Denver
Should be a tough spot for Denver with 1 days rest off a 7 game road trip in 11 days playing their 3rd game in 4 days with another road game at Seattle Wednesday. Phoenix is 21-3, 10-1 road, has won 8 straight and will be looking to avenge last seasons 0-4 series sweep by the Nuggets which was the 1st time in series history that Phoenix was swept by Denver. Ride the Suns while they are hot.
2*Montana +13 over San Francisco
Percentage play on Montana as a double digit road underdog playing with revenge for a 1 point home loss vs San Francisco last season.
2*Miami +10 over New England
Although Miami is 1-5 at home, none of those losses have been by more than 10 points. Over the last 10 seasons Miami has only lost 5 of 81 home games by more than 10 points. Over the last 10 seasons New England is 3-7 straight-up at Miami with just 1 of those 3 wins being by more than 10 points. Over the last 10+ seasons New England is 11-11 vs Miami winning just 5 of those 22 games by more than 10 points. Although the Dolphins are having their worst season in franchise history (3 wins 1966, 1969) 10 points is a lot of points to lay on the road vs a division rival and on the road vs a division rival on Monday Night Football. The point being, the Dolphins should come to play and you saw both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia struggle this weekend as double digit favorites.