From Covers..
Line off the board
Anaheim Ducks at Calgary Flames – Bobby Ryan (flu) missed the team’s last game and is questionable. Saku Koivu took a puck to the face Sunday and is questionable. Curtis Glencross (knee) has missed the last two games and is questionable. Daymond Langkow (head) was injured Sunday and is doubtful.
Lines to keep an eye on
The Clippers-Mavericks total opened at 206 and has dropped to 205. Three of the last four games in this series have gone under.
The Devils opened as a -209 favorite over the Blue Jackets but that moneyline can be found as high as -230 now. New Jersey has taken two straight from Columbus.
Who’s hot
The Thrashers have won four games in a row (all as underdogs), earning 5.16 units on the moneyline.
Indiana has won five straight ATS and is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games.
Ole Miss has covered the spread in six of its last seven games.
Who’s not
The Mavericks were 0-4 ATS in their last four heading into Monday’s game.
San Jose has lost six straight games, dropping 10.1 units on the moneyline.
North Carolina is 3-6 ATS in its last nine outings.
Key stat
5-1 – Nuggets record this season without head coach George Karl. Karl is going to miss Denver’s five-game road trip that begins with New York on Tuesday.
Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked
Michigan State’s Kalin Lucas will miss the remainder of the ncaa tournament after tearing his Achilles tendon on Sunday. Lucas led the Spartans in scoring this year with a 14.8 ppg average. There hasn’t been a final verdict on the severity of the injury but doctors believe the Achilles is torn because he cannot walk on it. Lucas’s replacement in the starting lineup, Korie Lucious, hit the game-winning 3-pointer versus Maryland.
Notable quotable
"Where does that come from? Seriously. It's something that cracks me up. I don't play rookies? I don't like to play bad rookies."
-- Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said in response to Jordan Hill’s remark that he couldn’t “strut his stuff” when he was with New York because D’Antoni didn’t play rookies
Tips and notes
- As the Bruins attempt to hold onto the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot, team vice president Cam Neely tried to invigorate the troops with some harsh words. Neely said the team has played with a “lack of emotion” this season. He also criticized the veterans by saying there has been a “loss of leadership and character in the locker room.” Boston has won nine straight versus Atlanta and may look to prove its VP wrong on Tuesday.
- Denver begins a brutal road trip on Tuesday without the services of Kenyon Martin and coach George Karl. Even thought the Nuggets have been good without their coach, they will face elite teams like Boston, Orlando and Dallas on this trip that will surely test Adrian Dantley. Chauncey Billups recently said not having Martin on the floor has created “a hole defensively.” Denver is giving up 102.1 ppg without him.
- Rookie Toney Douglas is the Knicks fifth different starter at point guard this season and he seems to be working out. Douglas has averaged 20.0 points and 4.8 assists per game since entering into a starting role, and New York has gone 3-2 SU and ATS – winning twice as underdogs. Douglas said that he and the coaches both have “confidence” in his abilities and that has made him feel “comfortable” on the court.
Line off the board
Anaheim Ducks at Calgary Flames – Bobby Ryan (flu) missed the team’s last game and is questionable. Saku Koivu took a puck to the face Sunday and is questionable. Curtis Glencross (knee) has missed the last two games and is questionable. Daymond Langkow (head) was injured Sunday and is doubtful.
Lines to keep an eye on
The Clippers-Mavericks total opened at 206 and has dropped to 205. Three of the last four games in this series have gone under.
The Devils opened as a -209 favorite over the Blue Jackets but that moneyline can be found as high as -230 now. New Jersey has taken two straight from Columbus.
Who’s hot
The Thrashers have won four games in a row (all as underdogs), earning 5.16 units on the moneyline.
Indiana has won five straight ATS and is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games.
Ole Miss has covered the spread in six of its last seven games.
Who’s not
The Mavericks were 0-4 ATS in their last four heading into Monday’s game.
San Jose has lost six straight games, dropping 10.1 units on the moneyline.
North Carolina is 3-6 ATS in its last nine outings.
Key stat
5-1 – Nuggets record this season without head coach George Karl. Karl is going to miss Denver’s five-game road trip that begins with New York on Tuesday.
Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked
Michigan State’s Kalin Lucas will miss the remainder of the ncaa tournament after tearing his Achilles tendon on Sunday. Lucas led the Spartans in scoring this year with a 14.8 ppg average. There hasn’t been a final verdict on the severity of the injury but doctors believe the Achilles is torn because he cannot walk on it. Lucas’s replacement in the starting lineup, Korie Lucious, hit the game-winning 3-pointer versus Maryland.
Notable quotable
"Where does that come from? Seriously. It's something that cracks me up. I don't play rookies? I don't like to play bad rookies."
-- Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said in response to Jordan Hill’s remark that he couldn’t “strut his stuff” when he was with New York because D’Antoni didn’t play rookies
Tips and notes
- As the Bruins attempt to hold onto the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot, team vice president Cam Neely tried to invigorate the troops with some harsh words. Neely said the team has played with a “lack of emotion” this season. He also criticized the veterans by saying there has been a “loss of leadership and character in the locker room.” Boston has won nine straight versus Atlanta and may look to prove its VP wrong on Tuesday.
- Denver begins a brutal road trip on Tuesday without the services of Kenyon Martin and coach George Karl. Even thought the Nuggets have been good without their coach, they will face elite teams like Boston, Orlando and Dallas on this trip that will surely test Adrian Dantley. Chauncey Billups recently said not having Martin on the floor has created “a hole defensively.” Denver is giving up 102.1 ppg without him.
- Rookie Toney Douglas is the Knicks fifth different starter at point guard this season and he seems to be working out. Douglas has averaged 20.0 points and 4.8 assists per game since entering into a starting role, and New York has gone 3-2 SU and ATS – winning twice as underdogs. Douglas said that he and the coaches both have “confidence” in his abilities and that has made him feel “comfortable” on the court.