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Thursday night it was 6-1 to go to 49-21. Here is what you missed.
NCAA Basketball Picks for February 4
By Shea Matthews
Even ranked teams aren't safe, as the Michigan State Spartans showed us last night in their loss to Wisconsin. The good news? We called it. You're in good hands with our picks for Thursday then, aren't you?
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4
(19) Georgia Tech (16-5) vs (9) Duke (17-4)
Ooh, ranked-versus-ranked matchups always get me giddy. Though Georgia Tech handles itself well on the road, going 8-2 against the spread over its last 10, Duke is a powerhouse at home. Coach K's Blue Devils are undefeated straight up and 8-3 ATS at home this season. They've won eight of 10 against the Yellow Jackets, including five straight at home.
Pick: Duke
Florida (15-6) vs Alabama (13-8)
These football giants produce football-like scores on the hardwood. Combined, they've gone 22-7 on the under this year. There's no clear advantage for either team but Florida scores more and Alabama is only 5-5 ATS at home.
Pick: Florida
Detroit (14-8) vs (15) Butler (18-4)
Careful here! Butler is a force but not against the spread. Detroit is 7-1 ATS in its last eight road games and Butler is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 home games. Even during Butler's current dominant run, it's 5-5 ATS in its last 10. Butler will win, but evidence suggests it won't cover.
Pick: Detroit
North Carolina (13-8) vs Virginia Tech (16-4)
It's been a rocky year for UNC, which clearly misses Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough. The Tar Heels aren't keeping games close on the road of late, going 3-7 ATS in their last 10. Virginia Tech is the reverse, going 7-3 ATS in its last 10 home games. North Carolina has won five straight meetings but this is a different team; I think VT avenges its road loss from a few weeks ago.
Pick: Virginia Tech
Portland (14-7) vs (13) Gonzaga (17-4)
High-flying Gonzaga loves to score, averaging 79 points per game; that produces a 14-4 over record this season. I think you know what to bet there. Gonzaga has lost four straight ATS but won six straight ATS before that slide. Playing Portland, whom Gonzaga has beaten 10 straight times, is a recipe for redemption. Expect big nights from Matt Bouldin and Elias Harris.
Pick: Gonzaga
NBA odds: LeBron and D-Wade face off once again
NBA odds feature two great matchups tonight. First, Dwyane Wade and the Heat will try avenging a recent one-point loss to LeBron James and the Cavaliers. On the West Coast, the Spurs are trying to snap a four-game skid against Portland.
Miami Heat at Cleveland Cavaliers (-9.5) – 8:05 p.m. ET
Dwyane Wade is once against showing signs of wear-and-tear, and it's hurting the Heat. Miami (24-25, 24-25 ATS) has lost three straight games and only covered twice in its last six outings. Wade was brilliant against Boston last night (30 points, 15 assists) but he's playing hurt and hasn't been as impressive on zero-days rest (22.0 PPG compared to his season average of 27.0)
LeBron James, on the other hand, has been absolutely incredible. Many thought the Cavaliers (39-11, 26-23-1 ATS) were in trouble when guards Mo Williams and Delonte West went down with injuries a few weeks ago, but James has simply morphed his game and played the role of distributor. The result is nine straight wins, including a five-game winning streak against the spread and covering four of their last five at home.
Cleveland has covered six of its last nine games against Miami, including a few weeks ago on January 25. James and D-Wade had an impressive duel but the Cavs came out on top 92-91 when Wade missed two big free throws with less than a minute left (the Cavs were one-point underdogs). In fact, he had only two points in the second half after scoring 30 in the first. Now, coming off a busy game in Boston, he's likely to be worn out. Bet on Cleveland to win and cover again.
Pick: Cleveland
San Antonio Spurs (-2) at Portland Trailblazers – 10:30 p.m. ET
Things are getting uncomfortable in Portland, where the Trailblazers (29-22, 28-22-1 ATS) have lost four of their last six games. Despite the failures straight up, NBA betting fans have still been able to trust Portland; the team is 6-3 ATS in its last nine games. That's especially impressive since star player Brandon Roy played just18 minutes in that span, completely missing all but one game. The Blazers have been far from dominant at home, though, with a 3-2 record in their last five games at the Rose Garden.
San Antonio (28-19, 23-23-1 ATS) has won three of four but went just 2-2 against the point spread. Hitting the road might actually do the Spurs some good after winning only twice during a six-game home stand. The Spurs have only covered once in their last four games away from home, though. Like Portland, the Spurs are contending with injuries. Point guard Tony Parker has sat out three straight games with an ankle injury, though he's expected to play tonight.
Portland has beat San Antonio in four consecutive games, including 4-0 against the spread. That run is about to come to an end, though. Roy is debating playing tonight but he certainly isn't 100 percent and is a much better bet to suit up this weekend. With Parker returning (and his replacement George Hill playing well anyway) look for the Spurs to snap their losing streak to the Blazers.
Pick: San Antonio
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