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March 8th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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We’re at the very last week before Selection Sunday, and here at Cappers Info, we’re taking some time out to view the six big conference tournaments, what you should watch for, and projecting the winners of each, as we head on the road to March Madness betting action!

ACC Tournament Preview: March 10-13
Location: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC

Favorite: Duke Blue Devils
NCAA Tournament Locks: Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels, Florida State Seminoles
Work To Do: Clemson Tigers, Boston College Eagles, Virginia Tech Hokies


The bottom line here in the ACC Tournament is all about how long you can survive. Clemson and Boston College are likely to be playing a March Madness elimination game on Friday. The winner is probably going to be in the field without any problems, but the loser is going to be sweating. Virginia Tech probably just needs to take care of Georgia Tech on Thursday to get into the field, but beating Florida State would really be smart and would seal the deal. The Noles are hoping to get Chris Singleton back in the lineup by then. North Carolina might be the top seed in this tournament, but we aren’t going to be counting out the Dookies. Don’t be surprised if this ultimately comes down to Duke and Carolina for the ACC title, and potentially for a No. 1 seed in the dance as well. Coach K isn’t losing to the same team twice in a matter of just a week. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Duke Blue Devils (-140 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Big 10 Tournament Preview: March 10-13
Location: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

Favorite: Ohio State Buckeyes
NCAA Tournament Locks: Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers, Wisconsin Badgers
Work To Do: Michigan Wolverines, Illinois Fighting Illini, Penn State Nittany Lions, Michigan State Spartans


Everyone thinks that Ohio State is just going to roll right into the finale of this tournament and walk away with yet another Big Ten title, but we’re really not all that sure that that is the case. The winner of that Michigan/Illinois 4/5 battle is going to be giving OSU a tough time and could take the Buckeyes out just two games into the tournament. Keep in mind that either the Wolverines or Illini will probably be in the field for sure with that win on Friday against the other, but there is a chance that the other could backdoor its way in. There’s probably no such luck for Michigan State and Penn State. The Spartans, at bare minimum, need a win over Iowa and a competitive game against Purdue, while Penn State needs to beat Indiana and Wisconsin to even think about having a chance. We love the chances of the Boilers in this one though, as they are playing close to home and have a lot to prove. They’ve beaten down Wisconsin this year at home (and granted, also lost on the road), and have owned Michigan State in two games. If the Buckeyes are out of the picture before that point, we tend to believe that Purdue is the team that will pick up the pieces. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Purdue Boilermakers (+285 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Big 12 Tournament Preview: March 10-13
Location: Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO

Favorite: Kansas Jayhawks
NCAA Tournament Locks: Kansas Jayhawks, Texas Longhorns, Texas A&M Aggies, Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers
Work To Do: Colorado Buffaloes, Baylor Bears, Nebraska Cornhuskers


If you want to talk about a perfect setup for a tournament, this is it! The Big XII will have its three bubble teams playing against three teams that really have already locked down their bids to the dance. There is really nowhere to go but up for many of them as well, as losses to bubble teams aren’t going to hurt. Nebraska has played Kansas tough in the past, and that could make for a very, very interesting second round duel on Thursday. However, the far more interesting battle to us is the one between Texas the potentially Baylor. This will be the third go around for these two this year, and it’ll be the second chance for the Bears to try to take down the Horns and earn a signature win for the road to the NCAA Tournament. The forgotten team? What about Texas A&M? It’s going to get a relatively easy draw in Round 2, and it should love a prospective game in the semifinals against either Texas or a very weary Baylor team that would have just won its game of the year. These are great, great odds on a fantastic team. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Texas A&M Aggies (+900 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Big East Tournament Preview: March 8-12
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Favorite: Pitt Panthers
NCAA Tournament Locks: Pitt Panthers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Louisville Cardinals, Syracuse Orange, St. John’s Red Storm, West Virginia Mountaineers, Cincinnati Bearcats, Georgetown Hoyas, Connecticut Huskies, Villanova Wildcats
Work To Do: Marquette Golden Eagles


About the only real question left in the minds of the Selection Committee is whether Marquette will make for the 11th team in the NCAA Tournament out of the Big East. It’s likely that the Golden Eagles will get in with a win over Providence on Tuesday, and a win over WVU on Wednesday certainly wouldn’t hurt any. There are just so many teams in this field that are not playing great ball right now. Notre Dame has some solid odds because it will probably end up drawing a tired team that really isn’t all that great in Cincy or Villanova, while Pittsburgh should get a free pass to the semis after facing Georgetown or UConn, both of which are struggling as well. The interesting battle is the one between St. John’s and Syracuse is that’s how the seeds play out in the quarterfinals. The ‘Cuse are one of the hotter teams in this league, while obviously, the Johnnies have figured out how to beat anybody and everybody in the Big East here at MSG. It wouldn’t surprise us if the winner of that game ended up taking down all of the marbles in this tournament. We’d buy into taking the Redbirds at +550, but instead, we’ll take our chances on the ‘Cuse in a game a heck of a lot closer to their backyard. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Syracuse Orange (+425 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Pac-10 Tournament Preview: March 9-12
Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

Favorite: Arizona Wildcats
NCAA Tournament Locks: Arizona Wildcats, UCLA Bruins
Work To Do: Washington Huskies, USC Trojans, Washington State Cougars


If there’s a major conference tournament this year where someone is going to come out of absolutely nowhere to win the whole enchilada, this is it. Arizona is a great team, but it has shown its flaws, and it really doesn’t need to win this tournament to look great to the Selection Committee. UCLA doesn’t need any more wins, and we’re not all that sure that the team really has the desire to last that long when the team is that thin. Three games in three days would be very hard on this team. USC is the team that really needs wins the most, as getting into the semifinals of the Pac-10 Tournament might be enough to get into the field, while getting into the finale would certainly do the job. Washington State is in a very similar boat, but it’s problem is that it is playing a Washington team that really needs at least one more win just to be sure as well. U-Dub figured out how to underachieved most of last season and then all of a sudden turn it on in the Pac-10 Tournament, and we think that that is what is going to happen again this year. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Washington Huskies (+270 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

SEC Tournament Preview: March 10-13
Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA

Favorite: Kentucky Wildcats
NCAA Tournament Locks: Florida Gators, Kentucky Wildcats, Tennessee Volunteers, Vanderbilt Commodores
Work To Do: Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide


This is a mighty interesting tournament because there are two teams that are head and shoulders above the rest of the pack in this conference, but neither one we really feel is capable of winning the whole thing due to a lack of depth. We certainly don’t buy Kentucky doing it, as this is one of the most inconsistent teams in America. That leaves us first, a slew of bubble teams. Alabama and Georgia are the two that are legitimately on the bubble, and there are several others from the West that think they can get themselves back into the bubble discussions by winning some games. Tennessee is a scary team, as we know that it has the talent to get through this entire tournament. Vandy has a slightly better draw. However, the team that we are going to go with is the Tide. You might want to place some hedge bets on Vandy and Tennessee, but we really feel significantly more comfortable backing a team that doesn’t have to play on Thursday in order to win this tournament. Rotnei Clarke and company get the job done with a stifling defense that will wear down a ton of the best teams in this conference one right after the other. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Alabama Crimson Tide (+1200 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

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March 6th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

CI’s College Basketball Top 25 Rankings

Our staff has developed college basketball power ratings with up to date rankings and how we as handicappers see these teams. We will list our NCAA basketball team rankings on a week by week basis and as much as possible. You can check this page for up to date NCAA basketball power ratings from Cappersinfo Sports Handicapping. Thanks for visiting and don’t forget to check out all the free sports picks in the forums and free picks monitor, other sports betting information, and college basketball predictions for sports handicappers!

Cappersinfo Current NCAA Basketball Power Rankings
(Through Games Completed 3/6/11)

1: Ohio State Buckeyes (29-2) (LW: 1) – There is absolutely no doubt in our minds anymore that the Buckeyes have the top team in the country right now. They blew through the end of their regular season schedule without any difficulties, including that big win over Wisconsin to end the regular season on a fine note. The next question: How much does OSU have to do to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament? Right now, we’re not so sure that there is anything that has to be done. Ohio State is that far ahead of the curve right now.

2: Kansas Jayhawks (29-2) (LW: 3) – It doesn’t really seem to matter what pieces to the puzzle are missing for the Jayhawks. They always seem to figure out how to get through all of these hassles without missing a beat. You know that the Big XII Tournament is going to be key for this team, as getting revenge on Texas would be sweet. Still, KU can’t take its eye off of the prize. Topping out in the Big 12 tourney would be dangerous, just as we saw last year when Northern Iowa swept this team off of the dance floor far too prematurely.

3: Pittsburgh Panthers (27-4) (LW: 4) – The Panthers might have lost that game at the KFC Yum! Arena, but we know that there is no shame in that. U-Pitt still has a great squad that is sure to be making a ton of noise, not only this coming week in the Big East Tournament, but in the big dance for the whole enchilada as well. The question is whether Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker really have what it takes to lead a team to the Final Four. This is a No. 1 seed in the making as long as it gets to the Big East finale.

4: San Diego State Aztecs (29-2) (LW: 7) – Has all of the carnage around the Top 25 in the land set up the Aztecs to take back a No. 1 seed again? It’s quite possible, though it still seems like a bit of a long shot to actually happen. The better case scenario is getting to stay on the West Coast somewhere as No. 2 seed. Certainly, winning the MWC is a prerequisite for a top seed. Beating BYU for the first time in three tries would also help out dramatically.

5: Duke Blue Devils (27-4) (LW: 5) – Instead, at least for the current moment, the Dookies probably hold the last top seed in spite of the fact that they were beaten by North Carolina on Tobacco Road on Saturday. The Blue Devils still know that there is a lot of basketball to be played. It will be hard to take this team out of the ACC Tournament next week, and as long as that remains the case, the defending champs have to really be in consideration for that top seed in Charlotte.

6: Notre Dame Fighting Irish (25-5) (LW: 9) – It’s fairly clear that Tim Abromaitis and Ben Hansbrough make up a great tandem, but is this the group that can really win the NCAA Tournament this year? We’re really not all that sure to be quite honest. What we do know is that this is a great team that was built to win in the Big East. But what happens when these little guys all come gunning for Notre Dame? Will Irish eyes still be smiling? There might be a big time difference in this team’s seeding depending on what happens next week at Madison Square Garden.

7: BYU Cougars (28-3) (LW: 2) – It’s really hard to punish this BYU team for the way that it has played of late. Let’s be real here. San Diego State can’t beat BYU. BYU can’t beat New Mexico immediately after playing San Diego State. It happens to be if the Lobos were a little better this year, maybe things would be different. But the truth of the matter is that the Cougs are getting punished for those two losses and for the loss of Brandon Davies for his off the court issues.

8: Texas Longhorns (25-6) (LW: 8) – We know that wins against bubble teams generally aren’t necessarily the greatest things in the world for teams that should be contending for top seeds, but the Longhorns have to know that that victory at Baylor was a huge stepping stone. First off, it kept them in the Top 10 in the land, as a loss would have surely knocked them out, and it also kept alive that chance for a No. 1 seed. Jordan Hamilton still has the ability to be an amazing athlete down the stretch, and Head Coach Rick Barnes has to impress upon his team that it has weathered the storm and is now ready to swarm on the rest of the country again.

9: Syracuse Orange (25-6) (LW: 12) – The Orange are one of the hottest teams in the Big East coming into Madison Square Garden this week, and this is a really dangerous proposition for the rest of this conference. Kris Joseph, Scoop Jardine, and company have that massive beat down of DePaul to rally around for the Big East Tournament. Earning that double bye was crucial. Head Coach Jim Boeheim and company know that this is a big chance to make a huge move up in the bracket.

10: North Carolina Tar Heels (24-6) (LW: 13) – First a huge comeback. Then an ACC regular season crown. Is the ACC Tournament title next for a team that was outside of the Top 25 just a few weeks ago? If it is, UNC might actually be on its way to being a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in amazing fashion.

11: Purdue Boilermakers (25-6) (LW: 8) – Kiss any hopes of a top seed good bye for the Boilermakers, as they were absolutely stunned by Iowa on the final weekend of the regular season. Fortunately for Purdue, it didn’t cost it the No. 2 slot in the Big Ten Tournament, but it has to be a real confidence killer to get drained in a circumstance such as that against the worst team in the conference.

12: Wisconsin Badgers (23-7) (LW: 10) – We can’t say that we didn’t see Wisconsin getting whooped by Ohio State from a mile away, but it’s really hard to argue now that this is really one of the best 10 teams in the country. Head Coach Bo Ryan has a team that plays fantastic defense, but if Jordan Taylor isn’t at his best, the rest of this team is really going to struggle.

13: Louisville Cardinals (23-8) (LW: 11) – That tremendous signature win for the Cardinals over U-Pitt was only the beginning for Head Coach Rick Pitino and company. The ‘Ville earned its double bye in the Big East Tournament, giving it a huge advantage. Terrence Knowles and company are the real deal, especially defensively. Now, if the stupid cheerleaders just stay off of the court…

14: Florida Gators (24-6) (LW: 15) – The Gators didn’t really need to take out the Commodores on Saturday to make us feel good about their chances in the SEC Tournament, but they did so anyway. There is a great chance that this is a team that is moving up in a hurry, and if UF can successfully end up in the finale of the SEC Tournament, it could be all the way up on the No. 2 line by the time Selection Sunday rolls around.

15: Arizona Wildcats (25-6) (LW: 19) – An outright Pac-10 title was crucial for the Wildcats this year, and that’s exactly what they got when they took care of Oregon on Saturday night at McKeon Pavilion. Derrick Williams might be the best player in an underrated conference, but he certainly isn’t just a one man band. The Cats are deep… very deep, in fact. And when push really comes to shove, the U of A could be moving a long way up in these brackets as well.

16: St. John’s Red Storm (20-10) (LW: 16) – Head Coach Steve Lavin’s team finally suffered its first really terrible loss in quite some time when it was beaten at Seton Hall during the week, but this should have little bearing on what happens to this club for the rest of the year. The Johnnies have made their point, they’re in the NCAA Tournament, and heck, they might even win the darn thing when push comes to shove.

17: Connecticut Huskies (21-9) (LW: 14) – If we were Kemba Walker, we would be absolutely irate right now. Walker went out and scored 34 against Notre Dame at home on Senior Day on Saturday, and the rest of the team couldn’t even match that effort as the whole rest of the squad combined. UConn had better do some damage this year, because once Walker steps outside of that gym in Storrs for the final time, this program might be down the drain with him.

18: Georgetown Hoyas (21-9) (LW: 17) – The body of work suggests that the Hoyas are a Top 25 team, but recent form surely doesn’t indicate that. Georgetown has lost three straight, finished just 10-8 in the Big East, and only just barely ended up hanging on for a bye in the first round of this Big East Tournament starting this coming week. Just one win would do miracles for this team and its psyche heading into the NCAA Tournament, as it doesn’t want another very, very quick exit once again.

19: Kentucky Wildcats (22-8) (LW: 24) – No team in a major conference might have come up with a bigger win this weekend than when Kentucky knocked off Tennessee in Rocky Top. The win preserved a first round bye in the SEC Tournament, which is a crucial thing to have when you have a team that legitimately only goes six players deep (and sometimes, not even that deep). The talent is definitely there, but there is only so much that this team can really do without Enes Kanter in the fold.

20: Utah State Aggies (28-3) (LW: 23) – The Aggies are absolutely in the NCAA Tournament at this point in spite of the fact that everyone would love to take them out of the field of 68. They’re moving further up the charts because of the demise of so many other teams around them. After all, take a look at our power rankings and check out how many teams lost since the last time that we took a looksie at this. USU just keeps on winning, and sometimes, that’s all that you have to do to get into the show.

21: Xavier Musketeers (24-6) (LW: NR) – Xavier has kept its slot in the Top 25, and at the same time, it locked up that regular season A-10 title. With an outrageous set of computer numbers and that 15-1 mark in conference, the X-Men are absolutely set for a great seed in March Madness. But how far can they move up? They’re not San Diego State, but if they win the A-10 title, they could be BYU, believe it or not.

22: Texas A&M Aggies (23-7) (LW: 21) – The Aggies are potentially the sneakiest team in the Big XII Tournament this season because they have a fantastic draw. They’re not playing the greatest ball right now in the world, but let’s be realistic. Who in this conference is aside from Kansas? We don’t have to worry about A&M running into the Jayhawks until the Big 12 finale, and if that’s what happens, even a 50 point loss in that game wouldn’t upset anyone in College Station.

23: Villanova Wildcats (21-10) (LW: 18) – Is it time to say goodnight to Villanova? That’s four straight losses and eight out of 12 for the Cats, and they are really just in a world of hurt right now. They’re going to have to play in the very first round of the Big East Tournament next week, which basically dooms any chances of actually winning the conference title. Right now though, Head Coach Jay Wright would just take a win of any kind.

24: Temple Owls (24-6) (LW: NR) – The Owls are back in the Top 25 this week in spite of the fact that they are dealing with a ton of injuries that are probably going to ultimately end up crippling their season. But give the boys from the City of Brotherly Love some credit. Any time you can go 14-2 in the A-10, you’ve definitely accomplished something, even if the conference is down just a tad this season.

25: Old Dominion Monarchs (26-6) (LW: NR) – We welcome one of the best defensive teams in the land to our NCAA basketball power ratings this week, as the Monarchs are clearly the best team right now in one of the most underappreciated conferences in America. The problem with ODU is that the world will be done seeing it play after Monday night in the CAA finale. There are many bubble teams that are hoping this team just gets the job done and doesn’t swipe another bid out from under them.

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March 6th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Spring Training is here once again, and if we’re already hearing the cracks of the bats, that means that there are World Series odds for us to analyze! Here at Cappers Info, we’re taking our first look at some of the teams that we wouldn’t back with your money in 2011 World Series betting action.


New York Mets: 55 to 1 at SportBet – Please spare me your, “Well duh, Drew!” comments for this one. At least at 55 to 1, one would think that the Mets have at least a shot of winning the World Series this season. However, I’m here to tell you that there is absolutely zero chance — ZERO chance — of the Mets making the playoffs, let alone going to the World Series and winning it. The starting rotation for this team without Johan Santana is nothing more than a who’s who of retreads that no one else wanted to pay money to. The bullpen has a mentally unstable situation with Francisco Rodriguez finishing the job, and the best arms around him from last season are all gone as well. It’d be nice to see Jose Reyes or David Wright really stay healthy for the season. We’re also not really all that sure that Carlos Beltran or Jason Bay have all that much left in the tank (or were really all that great to start off with). Aside from that, we’re talking about guys like Ike Davis having to carry this team. Yuck. It’s bad enough that the best the Mets can do is win the Wild Card, as the Philadelphia Phillies are surely winning the NL East. There’s just nothing that New York can do, especially with cash strapped owners at this point.


Tampa Bay Rays: 31 to 1 at SportBet – As much as we’d love to say that these are great World Series odds on a team that won the AL East last season, we know better. Manager Joe Maddon continues to find ways to get more out of less every year than any other manager in baseball, and he should definitely be commended for it. However, there’s just too much that has been lost in this offseason. The entire bullpen has to be started over from scratch, and it feels like half of the starting lineup is gone as well. Losing Jason Bartlett wasn’t all that great of a deal with others ready to come up and fill the gap, but Carlos Pena really doesn’t have a replacement at first base. To make matters worse, two of the biggest names that were lost, Rafael Soriano and Carl Crawford, are both playing in division for the Yanks and Red Sox respectively. The Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays are improved teams this year as well. We could see Tampa Bay winning 80 games this year… and maybe finishing in the gutter of the division in doing so.


St. Louis Cardinals: 28 to 1 at SportBet – Manager Tony LaRussa has a history of making chicken soup out of chicken… well, you know… but this would be a very tall task to pull off. Losing Adam Wainwright to season ending surgery doesn’t do anything but hurt this team’s case, as there is definitely a hole behind the often injured Chris Carpenter in this rotation. Is Jamie Garcia really good enough to fill the void? It’s quite possible, but who is going to step into his shoes? That’s where the real drop off begins. In the lineup, we know that Albert Pujols is going to go absolutely bonkers in a contract season right before he will inevitably make a quadrabazillion dollars, but he’s going to have a hard time driving in any runs aside from himself and Matt Holliday this season. It’ll take Lance Berkman finding the Fountain of Youth from somewhere (he obviously didn’t bring it with him to the Big Apple from Houston!), or some other unheralded stars to step up to the plate to help this squad out. When push comes to shove, there just isn’t enough there to think that this is anything more than maybe a .500 team at best.


Texas Rangers: 22 to 1 at SportBet – Whereas we wouldn’t mind taking a shot on the San Francisco Giants as a solid bet in the National League, we just can’t see taking the Rangers right now. We know that this team was far more than just Cliff Lee, but it really has to hurt knowing that Lee is gone at this point. The Oakland A’s really became a better team this year, and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim just aren’t staying down forever. There’s a real chance that the defending AL Champs aren’t even going to sniff the postseason this year, and even if they are 22 to 1 to win it all, it just isn’t going to happen unless there are a heck of a lot of deer signs cropping up in Arlington that we aren’t expecting.


New York Yankees: 7 to 1 at SportBet – We’ve really saved the best for last this time around. The Yankees are always one of the best teams in baseball, but we’re really not so sure that they’re worthy of being in the same breath with the Boston Red Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies this year. This lineup is going to score a ton of runs this year, and there is no doubting that, but these pitchers are just awful. CC Sabathia and… Yuck. It’s only a matter of time before Father Time catches up to this team. Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera certainly aren’t getting any younger, and there just has to be a point that they all just drop off. It was also apparent last year that the Bronx Bombers didn’t have the grit and tenacity to win a seven game series in the ALCS, and especially if the Red Sox are the team on the other side of the coin in this prospective series, we’ll take our chances that New York isn’t winning out.

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March 6th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Spring Training is here once again, and if we’re already hearing the cracks of the bats, that means that there are World Series odds for us to analyze! Here at Cappers Info, we’re taking our first look at some of the teams that we would love to be backing in 2011 World Series betting action.


Philadelphia Phillies: 3.30 to 1 at SportBet – We know that we are choking on a lot of chalk here by taking the tremendous favorites to win it all, and we even know that just one or two injuries can really mess with this team in a big time way, but we’re struggling to find reasons to not bet on the Phils. We all know that this pitching staff is absolutely phenomenal now. Heck, throwing Roy Oswalt in the fourth game of a series? Cole Hamels in the third game? Joe Blanton as the emergency plan as the fifth pitcher? Geez, is that good… It’s not like this offense is really slacking either. Sure, Ryan Howard probably won’t be blasting 45 homers this season, and we never know whether Chase Utley is really going to be healthy or not, but what we do know is that Jimmy Rollins can’t possibly have that much worse of a season this year as he did a season ago, and the loss of Jayson Werth really can’t possibly be as bad as the Washington Nationals signing him seems. The only question in our minds is whether Brad Lidge is going to implode or not. This bullpen might be thin, but there really isn’t a more complete team in the National League than this to be betting on.


Boston Red Sox: 5 to 1 at SportBet – If the Phils are the crème de la crème in the National League, the Red Sox have to be just that in the American League. Again, look at this rotation. John Lackey is the third starter on this team, and Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz are almost seemingly forgotten stars. Josh Beckett has declined, and who knows whether the boys from Beantown will ever get anything out of Daisuke Matsuzaka or not, but this is also a farm system that is just chock full of talent. Daniel Bard, Bobby Jenks, and Jonathan Papelbon make up an absolutely fantastic back end of the bullpen. Offensively, even if David Ortiz turns out to be completely finished, the rest of this lineup just has a ton of power in it. Carl Crawford was an ideal pickup in the offseason, especially since he is no longer a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, and trading for Adrian Gonzalez shored up the loss of Adrian Beltre on the other side of the diamond at third base. There won’t be nearly as many injuries this year on this team as there were a season ago, and with that being the case, the Red Sox really should be good for 100 wins and a trip to the postseason.


Chicago White Sox: 28 to 1 at SportBet – Did the White Sox push the right buttons in the offseason to be able to make a serious run at the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central? We’re really not so sure that they did, but we also know that if this team gets into the playoffs, it has a better shot of pitching with the Red Sox, Yankees, etc. than any of these other teams do in this division. Mark Buehrle might now have another ace in his pocket in the form of Jake Peavy, and if the Palehose really have a legit 1 and 1A on the mound, it will make the jobs of the rest of the men in this relatively formidable rotation that much easier. The offense didn’t miss a beat by adding Adam Dunn, who could be in for a fantastic summer in the Windy City. This is also a make or break year for Manager Ozzie Guillen and basically the entire front office for the White Sox, and they could be in for another magical run towards the World Series once again this season.


Milwaukee Brewers: 30 to 1 at SportBet – Do you really believe that Zack Greinke was a legitimate Cy Young pitcher in Kansas City? If the answer to that question is yes, you have to love what the Brew Crew are bringing to the table this year. Yovani Gallardo is now one of the more dangerous No. 2 pitchers in the game this year, and the rest of the NL Central is really just particularly weak this season, especially now that Adam Wainwright is out for the season for the St. Louis Cardinals. This is a team that can mash as well, especially with Prince Fielder, Corey Hart, and Ryan Braun doing the honors. The rest of this lineup isn’t really all that fantastic, but in a short series, a bloop, a blast, and two great pitchers can carry you the distance. John Axford will be key this year in the bullpen, but if he can shut the door at a great rate like he did in the second half of last season, the Brewers could be legit contenders this season.


Oakland Athletics: 38 to 1 at SportBet – Maybe we’re stretching this just a tad with the A’s, but the truth of the matter is that they had a great offseason and very few MLB betting fans probably realize it. Losing Rajai Davis really had to hurt, but there was a logjam at center field with Coco Crisp, and someone had to go. The corner outfield spots were shored up by adding Josh Willingham and David DeJesus, while Hideki Matsui gives the team a nice DH to count on regularly for some solid production. The rest of the infield is relatively weak, though Kurt Suzuki is one of the better up and coming catchers in this league. From a pitching standpoint, last year was a loss because of all of the money thrown at Ben Sheets that never worked out. However, this year, the team is taking a significantly cheaper gamble on Rich Harden, a kid that grew up in the Oakland system and really flourished. Even if he doesn’t pan out, we love what Brett Anderson and Dallas Braden are bringing to the table this year. The bullpen is absolutely stacked as well. Brian Fuentes and Grant Balfour were great pickups for a team that already had great guys like Andrew Bailey to rely on. The A’s also play in the weak AL West, where seemingly no one got any better in the offseason.

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March 5th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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It’s another big time Sunday for NBA betting battles, and our expert NBA handicappers offer up their free basketball picks for the biggest game on a huge slate of clashes!

NBA Matchup: Chicago Bulls @ Miami Heat
Date: Sunday, March 6th, 1:00 ET
Location: American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
NBA Odds: Miami -5
Over/Under (Total): 188


The Heat are in bad shape right now, as they have been outscored by a whopping 51 points in their last three halves of basketball. Needless to say, regardless of who you’re playing, that’s not going to get the job done. Miami has been wildly inconsistent this season at home, going just 11-18 ATS over the course of its 29 games played here in South Beach. However, this is the back end of a brutal road trip for the Bulls after beating the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center on Friday night. Sure, Chicago has an incredibly deep team, but Miami just matches up particularly well against this team for whatever reason. Go with LeBron, D-Wade, and company to take care of the NBA odds in this one, as the good run of play for the Bulls will go by the boards. NBA Free Pick: Miami Heat

NBA Matchup: Los Angeles Lakers @ San Antonio Spurs
Date: Sunday, March 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
NBA Odds: San Antonio -2.5
Over/Under (Total): 191


If the Spurs were out to make a big time statement on Friday night, that’s exactly what they did when they obliterated the Miami Heat by a whopping 30 points at home. The defense was just locked in, and the lack of depth on the Heat just wasn’t able to keep up with the run and gun style of offense that Head Coach Gregg Popovich is now bringing to the table. Will it keep up against the Lakers? Kobe Bryant and company had better hope not, especially if Derek Fisher is going to be held out of the fold with an elbow injury. There is just so little respect for the Spurs this season, and this is really no exception. Sure, Los Angeles is good, but the time is really going to have to come that the oddsmakers realize that the Spurs really are the best team in the Western Conference, and potentially in the whole NBA. Tony Parker will be back at full strength in this one after getting his feet wet against Miami, and he should help lead this team to a ‘W’ on Sunday. Free NBA Pick: San Antonio Spurs

NBA Matchup: New York Knicks @ Atlanta Hawks
Date: Sunday, March 6th, 6:30 ET
Location: Phillips Arena, Atlanta, GA
NBA Odds: OTB
Over/Under (Total): OTB


Neither the Hawks nor the Knicks really thrill us right now, but health could really be a key factor in this one. We know that Chauncey Billups has been out of the lineup for these last two games with a thigh injury, but he is likely to be back to join the team in the Peach State for this NBA betting affair. However, the Hawks are likely going to be without Josh Smith. It is clear which team made the right moves at the trade deadline and which one probably didn’t, though Kirk Hinrich finally had his first big game with the Hawks in the loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday. The truth of the matter though, is that the combination of Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Billups could easily combine for 75, or even more points in this one, and if that’s what happens, there isn’t a heck of a lot that the rest of this team is going to have to do to make for great NBA picks in this one. Expert NBA Pick: New York Knicks

NBA Matchup: Phoenix Suns @ Oklahoma City Thunder
Date: Sunday, March 6th, 7:00 ET
Location: Ford Center, Oklahoma City, OK
NBA Odds: Oklahoma City -5.5
Over/Under (Total): 212


This game could be significantly closer than the expert NBA handicappers really think. The Suns have been playing great ball of late, and they really probably found a diamond in the rough when they brought in Aaron Brooks to help out as a scorer. It’d be great if Vince Carter would play in this one, and the possibility is still there, but even if he doesn’t, we still tend to believe that Phoenix is the right play. It really just feels like the Thunder are merely trying to hang on until Kendrick Perkins gets into this lineup for the first time, as the truth of the matter is that the only differences between this team now and the one from a few weeks ago is that Nazr Mohammed is in, and both Nenad Krstic and Jeff Green are out. Not exactly a great deal quite yet, and it won’t look all that great on Sunday either. Free Basketball Pick: Phoenix Suns

NBA Matchup: Boston Celtics @ Milwaukee Bucks
Date: Sunday, March 6th, 9:00 ET
Location: Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
NBA Odds: Boston -7.5
Over/Under (Total): 182.5


We’ve been talking a lot about injuries in this piece, but we know that there isn’t a team that we feel worse for this season than this one. The Bucks are just all over the board right now, as there aren’t any players that have been in the fold for even 59 of the 60 games this season. Still, grabbing that last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference isn’t totally out of the question, making this one a potential playoff preview. However, Jeff Green has really arrived at this point, and his 21 point effort off of the bench on Friday proved that. The C’s are a dangerous club, and even though they really haven’t turned up the defensive intensity in a few games, they are scoring a ton of late. The Bucks don’t have that inside banger to make up for the lack of bigs that Boston has, and as a result, the visitors should triumph in a big time way in the Bradley Center on Sunday. Free NBA Pick: Boston Celtics

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March 4th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Missouri Tigers @ Kansas Jayhawks
Date: Saturday, March 5th, 12:00 ET
Location: Mizzou Arena, Columbia, MO
Game Line: OTB
Over/Under OTB

If the Jayhawks think that they are going to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, they badly need to collect this win on the road. That would take a lot of pressure off for winning the Big XII Tournament, as there are a ton of teams that are going to be gunning for that crown that need wins in big time ways over teams like these. Mizzou really hasn’t played spectacular ball of late, and it really could use a boost just to get some momentum going and to avoid falling into that seemingly inevitably dreaded 8/9 matchup in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Kansas is a far superior team in terms of talent, and it really showed the first time around when these two met at Allen Fieldhouse. Sure, the intensity really kicks up a notch when you’re playing on the road, especially in a game that is this big, but the Jayhawks should be able to handle themselves. The oddsmakers will give too much respect to the Tigers, and KU will get the job done and lock up the regular season conference crown and the No. 1 seed in the Big 12 Tournament.

Free College Basketball Picks: Kansas Jayhawks

Matchup: Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Connecticut Huskies
Date: Saturday, March 5th, 2:00 ET
Location: XL Center, Storrs, CT
Game Line: OTB
Over/Under OTB

The Fighting Irish have to feel like they have a legitimate chance of being a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but they are going to need to win the Big East and probably beat the Pitt Panthers to do it. There’s a chance to draw level for the Big East regular season crown as well, and that’s a coveted thing for any team to have on its resume for a top seed in the dance. Connecticut really just needs to feel like it has to ability to win it all in what will be the last home game for Kemba Walker before he heads to the NBA. Walker can take this game over like none other, and though the Irish will inevitably throw everything they can at him including the kitchen sink, it isn’t going to be enough. Notre Dame will get rocked on the that day is designed for Walker to shine.

Free NCAA Basketball Picks: Connecticut Huskies

Matchup: Villanova Wildcats @ Pittsburgh Panthers
Date: Saturday, March 5th, 4:00 ET
Location: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Game Line: OTB
Over/Under OTB

Villanova is in a world of hurt right now, as it is really playing poor ball at a poor time of year to be doing so. The Cats have dropped three in a row going into this, the final, and arguably most difficult game of the entire season. They’ve also lost seven out of 11 and don’t look anything like a team that even belongs in March Madness, let alone belongs there as a respectable seed. Pittsburgh’s defense is just downright nasty, as it hasn’t allowed more than 66 points in a game in almost two full months, including a 57-54 win over Nova in the City of Brotherly Love four weeks ago. Ashton Gibbs, Brad Wanamaker, Gilbert Brown… it’s all just too much for the Wildcats to handle right now. They just don’t stand a chance of going into the Steel City and doing any damage, and it’ll show in another lopsided defeat.

College Basketball Free Picks: Pittsburgh Panthers

Matchup: Florida Gators @ Vanderbilt Commodores
Date: Saturday, March 5th, 6:00 ET
Location: Memorial Gym, Nashville, TN
Game Line: OTB
Over/Under OTB

This is a tough one, because both the Gators and the Dores are fantastic at what they do. Believe it or not, Florida already has eight wins on the road this season, which is a ton for a team that really didn’t do much in the way of scheduling out of conference on the road this year (though there are wins against Xavier and Florida State to speak of). Vandy has those 14 wins at home though, and they’re going to be hard to overlook. Chandler Parsons and the crew are very thin, yet they are very talented as well. UF is really hoping to get up onto the No. 3 line or so for the NCAA Tournament, and a win like this would go a long way to ensuring that. We just don’t buy into Vandy though, as there are a lot of fluff wins that just don’t look all that great when push comes to shove. The 21 wins for the regular season is nice, but knowing that the oddsmakers are going to treat this home court advantage worth a whole slew of points, we have to back the blue and orange.

NCAA Basketball Free Picks: Florida Gators

Matchup: Duke Blue Devils @ North Carolina Tar Heels
Date: Saturday, March 5th, 8:00 ET
Location: Dean E. Smith Center, Chapel Hill, NC
Game Line: OTB
Over/Under OTB


First place in the ACC and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament are on the line in Chapel Hill on Saturday, and the oddsmakers are really going to have to take a close look at just how good they think that UNC really is. The Tar Heels are certainly flying through everyone in the ACC right now, and they were able to do something this past week that Duke wasn’t able to do: Beat Florida State on the road. Granted, the Noles didn’t have Chris Singleton, but it was UNC’s second win against the garnet and gold this year, and the first time around, Singleton was playing, and the game was a blowout from the get go. This challenge against the Dookies the first time around was a solid one, as North Carolina challenged the whole way and blew a huge lead. This time, it will make amends and make things right. The Carolina Blue clad nation will be out and in full force in a game that is going to feel like the Super Bowl on Tobacco Road. Coach K knows that there are bigger and more important battles to fight than this one, and though the Blue Devils will end up losing this battle, their goal is to win the war and to defend their NCAA Championship.

College Basketball Expert Picks: Duke Blue Devils

Matchup: Texas Longhorns @ Baylor Bears
Date: Saturday, March 5th, 9:00 ET
Location: Ferrell Center, Waco, TX
Game Line: OTB
Over/Under OTB

We know that this isn’t a Top 25 battle, but this is arguably the most meaningful game of the entire day. For the Longhorns, they’re hoping to snap out of this two game funk and to get back on track for a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Winning this one and winning the Big XII would still inevitably get the job done. However, a loss and an early exit from the Big XII Tourney could result in a disastrous No. 4 seed, which could make the first round of the dance very, very interesting. Jordan Hamilton, Tristan Thompson and company have the talent to beat anyone in America, but thanks to how inexperienced this club really is, nothing is a guarantee. For Baylor, it really needs this signature win to pad its resume for the NCAA Tournament. A loss will likely leave it with a lot of work to do to get into March Madness. A win will almost certainly get the job done with just one win in the Big XII Tournament (and even that might not be necessary). There’s too much on the line here for Baylor to get beaten, and we tend to believe that it will get the job done once and for all and make its case to go dancing.

NCAA Basketball Free Picks: Baylor Bears

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March 2nd, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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If it’s a Thursday night, that means that it’s time for NBA betting action once again! This week, in the final two duels before the NBA Trade Deadline, we make our free basketball picks on the clashes between the Orlando Magic vs. Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz.

NBA Matchup: Orlando Magic @ Miami Heat
Date: Thursday, March 3rd, 8:00 ET
Location: American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
NBA Odds: Miami -5
Over/Under (Total): 198


The “heat” will definitely be on in South Beach on Thursday night between these two Sunshine State rivals. The Magic have clawed back to within 4.5 games of the lead in the Southeast Division, but when push comes to shove, this is the game that absolutely has to be won to keep the pressure on Miami. Dwight Howard is coming off of yet another fantastic game against the New York Knicks in which he scored 30 points and had 16 boards with five blocks. The key though, is the play of Jameer Nelson. Nelson might only be averaging 12.6 points per game this season, but he did go off for 26 against New York in a crucial role. Miami is coming off of a loss to said Knicks, but it is fairly clear that this is a team that isn’t going to be getting beaten all that often, especially on its home court. The Heat should be debuting Mike Bibby in this one, as he has been signed after he was bought out by the Washington Wizards earlier this week. Orlando really got crushed earlier this season in South Beach, getting knocked off 96-70 right at the start of the year. The Magic did end up scoring a big time win at the Amway Center in November, but the most recent meeting back at Mickey Mouse’s house resulted in a win for LeBron James and company. LBJ and Dwyane Wade really cannot be stopped in games like this, while Chris Bosh has always had a great career against Howard and company. Orlando might be 13-6-1 ATS in the last 20 meetings in this series, but the Heat are definitely the key to beating the NBA odds on Thursday. NBA Free Pick: Miami Heat -5

NBA Matchup: Denver Nuggets @ Utah Jazz
Date: Thursday, March 3rd, 10:30 ET
Location: Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
NBA Odds: Utah -3.5
Over/Under (Total): 210


Both the Jazz and Nuggets made big time deals at the trade deadline, but neither one of these teams have their former superstars. Utah no longer has Deron Williams, while Denver is still trying to figure out how to live life without Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups. The thing about the Nuggs though, is that they really do have a deep team still with a ton of talent. In a 100-90 win over the Atlanta Hawks was really a great example of this. Wilson Chandler, Nene, Kenyon Martin, Raymond Felton, and JR Smith all put up at least 13 points, while three others had at least six points. Not bad for a team that didn’t really use Al Harrington all that much and still has yet to debut Timofey Mozgov. The Jazz really haven’t figured out how to get back in the saddle without Williams, most likely because the guard situation is really in bad shape without Williams. The team’s defense has totally gone down the drain over the course of these last two games, allowing 107 to the Boston Celtics and a whopping 120 to the Detroit Pistons. If this is going to be the situation in this one on Thursday night, the Jazz are going to be singing the blues. We’re really not all that sure that it’s justified, especially since there is still some payback for the Nuggets to pick up after losing 113-106 at home just a month ago. Free NBA Pick: Denver Nuggets +3.5

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February 26th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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NBA betting action doesn’t get any bigger than this on Sunday night in South Beach, as the Miami Heat play host to the new look New York Knicks. Here at Cappers Info, we have all of your best Knicks vs. Heat free picks and analysis for the biggest game of the weekend!

Matchup: New York Knicks @ Miami Heat
Date: Sunday, February 27th, 8:00 ET
Location: American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
NBA Odds: OTB
Over/Under OTB

Knicks Notes: The Empire State is certainly still buzzing about Carmelo Anthony and the fact that he is now indeed a member of the New York Knicks. However, expert NBA handicappers have to be wondering whether or not this was really that great of a move for the men in blue and orange. Sure, Melo has looked great so far in a Knickerbockers outfit, scoring 27 points in each of his first two games and playing almost 40 minutes in both games. However, in spite of the fact that the team scored 114 and 109 points respectively in these two games, the Knicks are 1-1 SU and 0-2 ATS to show for that work. It’s not like these games were against world beaters either, as the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers aren’t exactly the crème de la crème of the Eastern Conference. The lack of defensive intensity is an awfully scary proposition for New York, as the team is already allowing 106.0 points per game this season, a mark which clearly isn’t getting any better with the defensive optional Anthony now in town. There is definitely a toughness missing, and this is something that will likely be exploited by every team that the Knicks run up against for the rest of this season. What has gotten lost in this shuffle about the Knicks is how well Chauncey Billups has really played since coming over to the Big Apple as well. He put up 21 against the Bucks and 26 against the Cavs, dishing out eight assists against just two turnovers in both games. He’ll be the key to holding onto the basketball and preserving possessions for Head Coach Mike D’Antoni and company.

Heat Notes: It doesn’t seem like it’s all that noteworthy right now, but Mike Miller is probably going to be back in the lineup on Sunday night after missing out on four games with an ear injury. Miller was probably Miami’s most tradable commodity at the deadline, but was not moved. He is averaging just 5.9 points per game this year, but he is really the fourth best option on this team at times. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are doing all of their scoring, as they are averaging 26.2 and 25.8 points per game respectively, and they are both triple-double candidates every single night, especially against a team like this one. Chris Bosh rebounded nicely from his 1-for-18 performance against the Chicago Bulls by scoring 15 points and dragging in eight boards in a win against the Washington Wizards on Friday night. The big man is going to be key going against Amare Stoudemire in the paint, one of the best players that the league has to offer. The Heat might be averaging 102.3 points per game this year, but the real key is defense. Seemingly no one scores 100 on this club, as it is surrendering just 94.4 points per game this season. Opponents are only shooting 42.7 percent from the field as well, No. 1 in the league.

The Final Word: Are there enough basketballs to deal with all of the stars that are on the court on Sunday? We know that it’s very likely that at least five different players score at least 20 points, something that you definitely don’t see every day. Still, when push comes to shove, the Heat can make defensive stops, something that we’re really not all that sure the Knicks can do, and that should make the difference in what could be a statement-making romp in South Beach.

Free NBA Picks: Miami Heat

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February 26th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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March Madness picks are nearly here, as we are just a couple of weeks away from the start of the big dance. Here at Cappers Info, we’re narrowing down some of the biggest teams that you might not be thinking about that can be the next Butler Bulldogs or George Mason Patriots to bust your bracket and to get into the Final Four.

Old Dominion Monarchs (200 to 1 @ Hollywood Sportsbook): The Monarchs were good enough to take down the Xavier Musketeers, Clemson Tigers, Richmond Spiders, Dayton Flyers, Cleveland State Vikings, and a ton of big time teams from the CAA, so there’s no reason that this team can’t do a heck of a lot of damage come the dance. The problem with the Monarchs is that they really don’t have that outrageous shooter that can just nail three pointer after three pointer against anyone in the land. However, this defense is as good as it gets in the nation, averaging 58.0 points per game allowed, No. 4 in the country.

Butler Bulldogs (200 to 1 Hollywood Sportsbook): We know that Butler has had a hellacious, rough season, probably due to the fact that they not only are the bosses in the Horizon League, but the national runner up from last season as well. Nine losses shows just that. However, there’s nothing that says that this year’s Bulldogs can’t be… well… the Bulldogs! Sure, it would’ve helped immensely had Gordon Hayward come back to school for his senior season, but there are still some great names hanging around on this roster like Shelvin Matt and Matt Howard that now have a ton of experience at this level. There really aren’t many of those “Wow Factor” wins on the slate, but when push really comes to shove, we know that this team can ball with the best. The Horizon League was significantly better this season than it has been in years past, and it might show come Selection Sunday. It’s not a slam dunk for Butler to be in the field, but if it gets there, look out!

Missouri State Bears (200 to 1 at Hollywood Sportsbook): The Bears are going to be hanging around the bubble for the rest of the season, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t believe in them. First off, there is probably about a 40% chance or so that they win the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, which would earn them an automatic bid to the dance, and as we saw last year with the Northern Iowa Panthers, just getting to the dance is good enough to do some real damage. Just like that UNI team that had a ton of sharpshooters from long range, so do these Bears. Kyle Weems, Jermaine Mallett, and Nafis Ricks can all shoot better than 40 percent from beyond the arc, and if that is what these guys are going to do in the dance, SMS is going to be a very, very difficult team to knock out.

Philadelphia Eagles 20 to 1 at Hollywood Sportsbook: The Eagles really had a coming of power this year, winning the rough and tumble NFC East and coming together with QB Michael Vick. RB LeSean McCoy had a great season to bust out as one of the best backs in the game, and we already know that WR DeSean Jackson and WR Jeremy Maclin are amongst the best in the fold in the division, the conference, and the game. There are still definitely some holes on this defense, but we know that Head Coach Andy Reid and company can get that shored up, both through the NFL Draft and just the general nature that this young unit is going to only get better and better. We have to think that there is better than a 20 to 1 chance that the Eagles are going to fly high and capture that elusive Super Bowl triumph.

BYU Cougars (30 to 1 at Hollywood Sportsbook): Sure, the Cougars aren’t exactly this surprise team to deal with, but if they can get past the San Diego State Aztecs either on Saturday on the road or in the MWC Tournament over the course of the next two weeks, there’s a pretty darn good chance that they are going to be a No. 1 seed in the tournament. Jimmer Fredette is the best scorer in America, and though he isn’t going to be sneaking up on anyone this season like he might have in years past, he is still going to put up his points and will be a crowd favorite wherever he goes. This BYU team is for real, and there is just no doubting that fact. Don’t be shocked if this is a Final Four team that legitimately can win the whole enchilada with ease.

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February 23rd, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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If it's a Thursday night, that means that it's time for NBA betting action once again! This week, in the final two duels before the NBA Trade Deadline, we make our free basketball picks on the clashes between the Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls and the Boston Celtics vs. Denver Nuggets.

NBA Matchup: Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls
Date: Thursday, February 24th, 8:00 ET
Location: United Center, Chicago, IL
NBA Odds: Miami -1
Over/Under (Total): 192

Injuries (or lack thereof) will be playing a key role in this NBA betting battle on Thursday. Joakim Noah should be back in the lineup on Wednesday night against the Toronto Raptors, meaning that this should be the second straight game that he is sharing a lineup with Carlos Boozer, assuming that there are no setbacks on Wednesday night or unexpected trades between now and the 3:00 ET trade deadline. Of course, the Bulls would love to get another game out of Derrick Rose like they got just before the All Star Break, as he put up 42 points on 18-of-28 shooting, while both Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer went absolutely bananas. What we have to remember about Chicago though, is that there is still a huge interest in Courtney Lee, and if a deal gets done, it will likely shorten the bench quite a bit. Miami will certainly be without Mike Miller, who is dealing with an eye injury, though the prospects are there for him to be traded before Thursday's deadline as well. Still, we're talking about LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade, who combined for a whopping 76 points in Miami's last victory before the All Star break. These two teams have combined to win seven games in a row between them, but the Bulls are just doing better right now than the Heat are. Chicago has a win here already this season, a 99-96 triumph on January 15th, and it would love to make a statement in this potential playoff tussle against one of the best teams in the East.NBA Free Pick: Chicago Bulls +1

NBA Matchup: Boston Celtics @ Denver Nuggets
Date: Thursday, February 24th, 10:30 ET
Location: Pepsi Arena, Denver, CO
NBA Odds: Boston -3
Over/Under (Total): 204

This is definitely going to be a new look for the Nuggets on Thursday night, as they will be debuting Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, and Wilson Chandler, their new acquisitions in place of the departed Carmelo Anthony . The team did alright even though it was really crippled without any of these players on Tuesday night, coming up with a big win, albeit against the Sacramento Kings. There is a real question about how these pieces to the puzzle are going to gel in Denver, but we tend to believe that transitioning over from the Knicks' up tempo system to this one won't be all that bad. Meanwhile, there is indeed a second team in this game, and it happens to be one of the best teams in the entire league. Boston smacked the Golden State Warriors 115-93 in the first game of the second half of the season, and it hopes that this road trip is one that goes as smoothly throughout as this first battle in Oakland did. Of course, when you get 23 out of Paul Pierce, 24 from Kevin Garnett, 18 from Ray Allen, and 19 from Rajon Rondo, you're going to win a heck of a lot of games. These four make up a cohesive package for certain, but if you're Head Coach George Karl for the Nuggs, this is the game that you can make your big time statement in. Many are just writing Denver out of the postseason right now thanks to this trade, but we're not so sure that that's the case. The Nuggets just might figure out how to pull off the upset in this one. Free NBA Pick: Denver Nuggets +3

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