Posts Tagged ‘Phoenix Suns’

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

 
February 16th, 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 San Antonio Spurs vs. Chicago Bulls and the Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns.

NBA Matchup: San Antonio Spurs @ Chicago Bulls
Date: Thursday, February 17th, 8:00 ET
Location: United Center, Chicago, IL
NBA Odds: Chicago -2
Over/Under (Total): 190.5

Call this the Rodney Dangerfield game of the week. After all, in spite of the fact that these two teams are a combined 56 games over .500, they're both getting absolutely no respect! San Antonio is really playing well on this Rodeo Road Trip, and it all closes up after a 6-2 SU and ATS mark in the first nine games with this trip to the Windy City. The Spurs have to be lucky to dodge Joakim Noah in this one, as he is still out for at least this one last game before the All Star Break. If Noah and Carlos Boozer shared the court, Tim Duncan and whomever was in the post with him would really have their work cut out. Duncan can hold his own against Boozer, while Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker should be able to combine forces to outclass Derrick Rose, even though the youngster out of Memphis really has played some great ball of late. Chicago might be 24-4 at home this year, and it might have six straight wins in its back pocket, but San Antonio is 21-7 and certainly isn't one to mess with. This is the type of game that Head Coach Gregg Popovich figures out how to win to help carry his team into the break with some more big time momentum. There's a reason that this team is one of just a handful that has won 46 of its first 55 games and is on a pace for almost 70 wins this season. NBA Free Pick: San Antonio Spurs +2

NBA Matchup: Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns
Date: Thursday, February 17th, 10:30 ET
Location: US Airways Arena, Phoenix, AZ
NBA Odds: Phoenix -1
Over/Under (Total): 207

Again, we're not so sure why the road team from the Lone Star State isn't favored in this one. Sure, we'll give it up for the Suns. They've really played some tremendously better ball of late than they were playing before the trade with the Orlando Magic. However, it was only four days ago that this team lost at home to the Sacramento Kings. That's right. The Sacramento Freaking Kings. Phoenix just doesn't have the man power to be able to stand up to the mojo of the Mavericks. Here's a great stat for you to share around the bar on Thursday night when you take in this NBA betting affair. In games in which Dirk Nowitzki is in the lineup, Dallas is 36-9 on the campaign, a record that would be the second best in the league if prorated over the first 55 games of the season. Sure, we know that the Mavs are going to have a rough road ahead in this one, knowing that they have to play at home on Wednesday night against those same Sacramento Freaking Kings, but it's not like there is all that much to get ready for beyond this one. Dallas has won five of the last six in this series and has averaged dropping a whopping 113.8 points per game in this stretch against the "defenseless" Suns. If Peja Stojakovic can give the Mavericks anywhere near the 22 he had against the Houston Rockets a few nights ago, this one will be a romp. The wrong team is clearly favored in this one. Free NBA Pick: Dallas Mavericks +1

 
May 29th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The season will be on the line for the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night, and here at Cappers Info, we're making our free NBA playoff picks in the sixth game of the Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns.

Los Angeles Lakers (+1.5) @ Phoenix Suns
Saturday May 29th, 2010
9:00 ET, US Airways Arena

Los Angeles Notes: It's not often that you simultaneously use the words "Ron Artest" and "hero" together, but that's exactly what happened on Thursday night in Tinseltown. Artest snared an errant shot by G Kobe Bryant and flipped it off the backboard and into the hoop to send the LA faithful into a frenzy, as the Lakers topped the Suns 103-101 at the gun. That missed shot was about all that Bryant did wrong on the night, as he once again came up just shy of a triple-double for HC Phil Jackson's club. Over the five games in this series, Bryant is averaging 33.0 points, 9.6 assists, and 7.4 rebounds per game. G Derek Fisher really came up big as well, hitting seven of his 12 shots and seemingly coming up in a big way every time that the Suns tried to inch their way back into the game that LA once led by 18 points. It wasn't a fantastic shooting game for the Lakers, as 41.8 percent normally won't cut it, especially against the Suns. However, grabbing 19 offensive rebounds really helped matters, as did blocking ten shots. C Andrew Bynum was once again a disappointment in Game 5, as he shot 0/5 from the floor and scored just two points.

Phoenix Notes: HC Alvin Gentry has to be wondering what more his team had to do in the second half to knock off the Lakers at Staples Center. The bench players produced 29 points in the third and fourth quarters, as C Channing Frye scored all 14 of his points in the second half, while F Jared Dudley chipped in eight of his ten for the night. As for the starters, G Steve Nash had the best game that he has had all series long, scoring 29 points on 12/20 shooting to go with 11 assists against just a pair of turnovers. F Grant Hill (10), G Jason Richardson (12), and F Amare Stoudemire (19) all reached double digits in scoring as well for Phoenix. The Suns really still haven't hit their offensive potential, as we continue to say in this series. Once again, they failed to shoot above 50.0 percent from the field, and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc is very not-Phoenix-like. The Suns, typically one of the best free throw shooting teams in the league, will inevitably be kicking themselves for only going 20/29 from the charity stripe.

NBA Betting Odds: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns Game 6

Sportsbook
Total
JustBet Sportsbook
+1.5
-1.5
215.5
Diamond Sportsbook
+1.5
-1.5
216
BetUS Sportsbook
+1.5
-1.5
215.5

Trends of Note: The Suns do have the home team mojo in their favor, as the hosts are now 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS in this series. US Airways Arena has been a house of horrors for opposing teams as well, as Phoenix is 38-18-1 ATS there in its L/57 tries. The Suns have covered every NBA playoff betting line that they have faced since the opening game of the playoffs against the Trail Blazers. Los Angeles is 7-3 ATS in its L/10 games in the postseason as an underdog and is 5-1 ATS in its L/6 games after an SU victory. Saturday, for whatever reason, has also been a crucial day for both teams. The Lakers are 10-2 ATS in their L/12 games played on this day of the week, while Phoenix is winless in its L/7 in the same situation.

The Final Word: Was Thursday night completely demoralizing for the Suns? We tend to believe that the script is going to look awfully similar in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals as it did when the defending champions had to face Game 6 in Oklahoma City. There is no doubt that Phoenix is going to throw everything, including the kitchen sink at the Lakers on Saturday night, but there's something that tells us that this is where this series ends. Bryant is due to be rewarded for one of his near triple-double nights, and we think that he is going to be the difference maker again down the stretch in what should amount to be a very close game. In the end though, it'll be LA and Boston getting ready for the NBA Finals.

Prediction: Los Angeles 119 – Phoenix 117

 
May 25th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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In what could amount to be the most pivotal game of the Western Conference Finals, the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers will meet on Tuesday night in NBA playoff betting action.

Los Angeles Lakers (-1) @ Phoenix Suns
Tuesday May 25th, 2010
9:00 ET, US Airways Arena

Los Angeles Notes: You just know that G Kobe Bryant is going to be in the ears of his teammates after a Game 3 loss to the Suns two nights ago. Bryant did everything possible, as he scored 36 points, had 11 assists, and pulled down nine rebounds on the night. However, his team's inside game and its defense were absolutely woeful. C Andrew Bynum probably shouldn't be involved in this series any longer, as he only played eight minutes in Game 3 and committed four fouls. F Lamar Odom had a pair of big games in Tinseltown but didn't ultimately come up with the right stuff on Sunday when he shot 4/14 from the floor and tallied just ten points. Jackson will have to be careful about letting his team become three-happy, as taking 32 triples as the Lakers did in Game 3 probably won't cut it again, particularly if they plan on converting just 28.1 percent of those shots as they did that night. F Pau Gasol has had three great games in this series, averaging 24.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, but unless he is going to get plenty of help from some other big men, LA could be in some trouble.

Phoenix Notes: The Suns ran, and ran, and continued to run some more against the Lakers on Sunday night, but it was the defense that finally showed at least a bit of a pulse that trimmed this series deficit in half. LA "only" shot 48.3 percent from the floor, which was by far its worst percentage of the Western Conference Finals. Forcing 17 turnovers was critical, because it kept the tempo of the game up. Phoenix held an 18-3 advantage in fast break points in the game, a stat that it usually dominates. Speaking of domination, what about that effort that F Amare Stoudemire had in Game 3? The big man his 14 of his 22 shots from the field and converted on 14 more free throws to ultimately end up with a playoff high 42 points to go with 11 boards. His partner in crime on the inside helped out as well, as C Robin Lopez scored 20 points. HC Alvin Gentry has to be worried about his bench, though. The unit hit just three shots from the floor in Game 3. C Channing Frye has been particularly miserable, as he is shooting just 1/20 in this series.

Current NBA Betting Odds: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns Game 4

Sportsbook
LA Lakers
Phoenix Suns
Total
JustBet Sportsbook
-1
+1
219.5
Diamond Sportsbook
-1
+1
220
BetUS Sportsbook
-1.5
+1.5
220.5

Trends of Note: Phoenix is now 37-18-1 ATS in its L/56 home games. The Suns are also 34-16-1 ATS in their L/51 games overall and are a perfect 5-0 SU and ATS at US Airways Arena since losing to the Trail Blazers in the opening game of the postseason. Phoenix has covered four of its L/5 games as underdogs of less than five points and is 5-1 ATS in its L/6 games following an SU victory. As for the Lakers, they are 6-1 ATS in their L/7 games after scoring at least 100 points in their previous effort. They're also 5-1 ATS in their L/5 Western Conference Finals clashes, and are 4-1 ATS in their L/5 playoff betting affairs as favorites. In respect to the series between these teams, the home side is 8-1 ATS in the L/9 battles, while the favorite has covered four straight spreads.

The Final Word: Kobe and the gang aren't going to want to come back to Phoenix after they leave tonight. Winning Game 4 would be paramount for putting the Suns down once and for all. With the war of words going on between these two teams, giving Phoenix even a shred of hope in this series could be devastating. Expect the Lakers to come out and take care of business on the road, setting up what should be the fifth and final game of this series at Staples Center on Thursday night.

Free Picks: Los Angeles 106 – Phoenix 102

 
May 16th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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On Monday night, the Western Conference playoffs kick off with a great Game 1 matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix Suns (+6.5) @ Los Angeles Lakers
Monday May 17th, 2010
9:00 ET, Staples Center

Phoenix Notes: The Suns reached this point in the season in spite of the fact that few thought that they were deserving. The San Antonio Spurs were supposed to knock the men from the deserts out of the postseason in the second round, but instead of doing that, they were erased in the minimum four games. The Suns are run by G Steve Nash, who shot over 46 percent from downtown in the first two rounds of the playoffs. F Amare Stoudemire is about to have his biggest test of the postseason having to play a long series against the LA bigs . So far this postseason, Stoudemire has scored 20.5 points to go with 7.0 boards per game. The leading scorer in the playoffs for HC Alvin Gentry is G Jason Richardson at 21.5 points per game. The Suns are undefeated in these playoffs when he scores at least 20 points, and he has been a lethal shooter, capitalizing on 51.0 percent of his shots from the field overall and a blistering 51.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Los Angeles Notes: Remember when the Lakers fans were calling for G Kobe Bryant's head? All of a sudden, he has scored 30+ points in five straight games. To no one's surprise, LA is 5-0 in those five. After surviving that long series with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Lakers came back and took the Utah Jazz out in four games as well. F Pau Gasol is going to have his work cut out for him in this series, as he hasn't had to run at this tempo or play against a team as physical on the inside as Phoenix could be with him. However, so far, Gasol has passed his tests with flying colors, averaging 20.2 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. C Andrew Bynum is still battling a knee injury, and though he is expected to play, HC Phil Jackson is very concerned that his young center might not be able to keep up at this tempo with his ailment.

NBA Betting Odds: Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers Game 1

Sportsbook
Total
JustBet Sportsbook
+6
-6
210.5
Diamond Sportsbook
+6.5
-6.5
210.5
BetUS Sportsbook
+6
-6
210.5

Trends of Note: The regular season series ended three games to one both SU and ATS in favor of the Lakers. The Suns are 20-6 ATS in their L/26 games against teams with a winning percentage of at least .600. They're also 20-8-1 ATS in their L/29 following an SU victory. However, when playing on at least three days of rest, they're only 6-13-1 ATS in their L/20. The Lakers are only 3-11 ATS in their L/14 games following an ATS victory and just 3-8 ATS in their L/11 divisional games. However, they are 5-1 ATS in their L/6 overall since Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

The Final Word: If the Suns can get out of the blocks in a hurry and force the pace of this game, this could be a great spot for an upset. With as many days off as these two teams have had, pretty much anything could happen. We're still not convinced that the Lakers are that much better than the Suns are, and we're going to hope that the visitors can find a way to eke out a very close Game 1. The tempo of this series will be set with an upset, as Los Angeles is going to be behind the 8-ball in a hurry.

Prediction: Phoenix 111 – Los Angeles 108

 
May 5th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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After the hosts won Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, NBA playoff betting action continues on Wednesday night with a duel in the desert between the San Antonio Spurs and the Phoenix Suns.

San Antonio Spurs @ Phoenix Suns (-2.5)

San Antonio Notes: HC Gregg Popovich can't be happy with the fact that he really only had three contributors in Monday night's Game 1 loss to the Suns. G Manu Ginobili (27), G Tony Parker (26), and F Tim Duncan (20) all reached the 20+ point plateau on the night, but no one else scored more than G George Hill, who netted just nine points on 2/9 shooting. The biggest disappointment has been F Richard Jefferson, who only took three shots for the entire game in a series that should suit him quite well. The former New Jersey Net has only averaged 8.6 points per game in the playoffs, and it's starting to look more and more like he is going to just be a non-factor for the silver and black.

Phoenix Notes: The Suns didn't really get much more than three contributors either in Game 1, but the trio of G Steve Nash, G Jason Richardson, and F Amare Stoudemire didn't need much help. Nash was particularly effective at cutting into open space and taking a free shot, which resulted in him scoring 33 points. The Canadian guard has averaged 17.6 points and 9.8 assists per game during the playoffs. Richardson just keeps hitting outside shots, which makes the Phoenix a very, very dangerous club, particularly in transition. He is shooting 51.0 percent from beyond the arc in these playoffs, and is leading the team in scoring at 24.0 points per game. Stoudemire finally logged his first double-double of the playoffs in Game 1 against the Spurs. Even though he hasn't had a truly dominating performance yet in the postseason, there's no shame in averaging 20.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per night.

 

NBA Betting Odds: San Antonio Spurs vs. Phoenix Suns

BetUS Sportsbook – Phoenix -2.5 (205.5)
BoDog Sportsbook – Phoenix -3 -105 (205)
Diamond Sportsbook – Phoenix -2.5 (205.5)

 

Trends of Note: The Suns are now 4-0 SU and ATS this season against San Antonio. They're also a perfect 4-0 SU and ATS when scoring more than 100 points in a game in the playoffs. The Spurs are only 1-3 SU and ATS on the road in the postseason. Both teams are just red hot overall right now, as Phoenix is 30-11-1 ATS in its L/42 games overall, while San Antonio is 21-10-1 ATS in its L/32 overall. The Suns are 39-19-2 ATS in their L/60 attempts as home favorites. The Spurs are just 1-7 ATS in their L/8 playoff games as underdogs.

The Final Word: This is a game that Phoenix absolutely cannot lose, and both teams know it. San Antonio knows that it has the ability to run with the Suns, but it would really prefer not to, especially at that quick of a tempo. However, Nash just doesn't have anyone that can guard him right now, and for as long as he has the ability to drive into open areas to pull up for easy shots and have the option to kick it out to Richardson for threes, this is going to be a very, very tough team to beat. The Spurs have the horses to win games in this series, but stealing at game at US Airways Arena seems to be more of a pipe dream right now than a reasonable reality.

Prediction: Phoenix 106 – San Antonio 99

 
February 28th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

Cappers Info takes a look at the ten most significant upsets in the week that was in the sports betting world…

10: Monday – Connecticut Huskies 73 – West Virginia Mountaineers 62: At the outset of the week, the Huskies had to feel like they were left for dead and headed to the NIT. But a huge win at home against West Virginia helped set the stage for their dramatic return to the bubble. It wasn't that it was an upset of epic proportions, as the hosts were only 2.5-point pups, but without that win, we're still leaving UConn outside of the NCAA Tournament.

9: Wednesday – Notre Dame Fighting Irish 68 – Pittsburgh Panthers 53: Ditto here as well. Notre Dame's win over Pittsburgh was just a tad more significantly because it came without F Luke Harangody in the lineup. The slight 1.5-point upset won't be the only time that you see the Irish on this list…

8: Saturday - New Mexico Lobos 83 – BYU Cougars 81: The Mountain West regular season title was likely decided on Saturday afternoon when the Lobos marched into Provo and secured the season sweep of the Cougars. Though it probably won't ultimately end this way, New Mexico has earned the right to be in the discussion for a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament if it can run the table and win the MWC Tournament as well. The oddsmakers were off base quite a bit in this one, as the visitors were hefty eight-point underdogs.

7: Tuesday – Phoenix Suns 104 – Oklahoma City Thunder 102: This was a significant road win for the guests, as it snapped Oklahoma City's long winning streak and moved the Suns into a lot sturdier ground for the playoff chase in the Western Conference. It was also a significant game for the psyche of F Amare Stoudemire, who went off for 30 points just a week after not being traded at the NBA trade deadline as requested.

6: Saturday - Oklahoma State Cowboys 85 – Kansas Jayhawks 77: Any time the #1 team in the land takes a tumble, it's noteworthy. But the fact that that 'W' secured up a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the Pokes, it became that much more relevant. The Cowboys really took it to the Jayhawks from wire to wire and won their biggest game of the season as 5.5-point underdogs in Stillwater.

5: Sunday - Ohio State Buckeyes 74 – Michigan State Spartans 67: It's hard to tell if this was a bigger win for Ohio State or a bigger loss for Michigan State. The Spartans have totally fallen down the brackets in recent weeks, and a home loss to the Buckeyes as short favorites didn't help matters any. It was loss #4 in their L/6 games. For the Buckeyes, they moved one step closer towards the regular season Big Ten title, and considering the fact that Purdue is now without F Robbie Hummel for the rest of the year, they could be on track for a #1 seed in the tourney as well. All it's going to take is a Big Ten Tournament title and it'll probably happen, but none of it would've been possible without the upset in East Lansing.

4: Saturday - New Jersey Nets 104 – Boston Celtics 96: Without a doubt, this is the lowest point in the season for the Celtics. Yes, the C's were playing without G Paul Pierce in the lineup, but there just isn't any excuse to lose at home to one of the worst teams in NBA history when you're as good as Boston is. The hosts have had a miserable time playing at Boston Garden all season, but not even the fans in Beantown saw this one coming. HC Doc Rivers has his work cut out for him to get the Celtics in playoff shape.

3: Saturday - Notre Dame Fighting Irish 78 – Georgetown Hoyas 64: As promised, the Irish are back for their efforts on Saturday in our nation's capitol. The Hoyas laid a total egg for the second time this year at home, and though it won't cost them a spot in the NCAA Tournament, it's going to leave them with a sour taste in their mouths and a significantly more difficult matchup. The Irish are almost certainly on the inside of the field right now, and they proved once again that they have the ability to win without Harangody. When the big man comes back, Notre Dame could be a real force to be reckoned with.

2: Friday - Dallas Mavericks 113 – Atlanta Hawks 103: For the second time in the L/2 weeks, the Mavericks traveled half way across the country and took out one of the big boys in the Eastern Conference. This was a show of grit and character for the Mavericks, who have been sending a big notice to the Lakers and Nuggets in the Western Conference of late. They're here, and they're ready to take over as the new bosses of the West with F Caron Butler, C Brendan Haywood, and G DeShawn Stevenson now in tote.

1: Sunday – United States of America 5 – Canada 3: For the Americans' sake, this will hopefully only be the second biggest upset of the Olympics. The USA dominated the Canadians from the get go, and save a few hairy moments when Team Canada staged a huge comeback in the third period, the Americans really looked to have the better side. All will be settled today in the gold medal game, where the stars and stripes will go in search of their first gold medals in hockey since the 1980 Miracle on Ice.