Blog Record: 6-2 overall

Well folks, in the words of Barry Manilow, “Looks like we made it.” No, I’m not talking about the third day of your workweek, I’m talking about our third Philly Influencer sports betting picks post. The odds were against us. Many people, primarily my close friends and family, were telling me I would probably hit my worst cold streak ever, start 0-10, and have my login credentials revoked from the site.

Yet somehow, someway, we have started off hot going 6-2 (75% hit rate for you mathematicians out there). Now, we are going to hopefully give you three more winners to give your Hump Day that excitement it needs. With that, here are your Hump Day Hits:

NBA: Cavaliers (+9.5) at Nuggets- 9 P.M. ET

I feel like you could say this most of the time when LeBron is not on the team, but things have just not been going the Cavaliers way recently. The team is 2-8 in their last ten, with five of those losses coming by fifteen or more. I should also mention that the team has lost seven in a row ATS.

Now you are probably waiting for the part where I tell you all the good things about the Nuggets and why they should kill the helpless Cavs. Well, then you have fallen right into my trap. The Nuggets are the superior team, there is not a question about that, but they haven’t been playing well as of late losing three straight games. I know Cleveland seems like an easy target to have a blowout bounce back game here, but I don’t see that.

I think the Nuggets will win this game, but I’m not buying into the idea that they can flip the switch and annihilate another NBA team. Lastly, Cleveland is going to cover at some point (you don’t see teams losing eight straight ATS very often) and catching nearly double digit points against a slumping team seems like a good spot to do that.

Take the Cavs and the points.

…

CBB: #25 Rutgers (+6.5) at #15 Iowa – 7:30 P.M. ET, BTN

I have to be up-front here. I will never bet against my teams or make official picks against my teams. I did this one time back in 2015. I was in Vegas for my senior year of Spring Break, and my first night there I wanted to try and hit it big to fund the trip. I decided to do a six-team parlay for $20 (which was a lot for a college kid in Vegas when drinks cost $18 at every club). In that parlay, I included an Atlanta Hawks moneyline when they were 13-point favorites against the mid-process 76ers. In what I’m sure at this point you see coming, I hit the first five legs of the parlay, and the Sixers won outright (just a reminder, this was the 10-72 season we all know and loved). I’ve learned my lesson and since that day, have not broken that rule.

Now, I’m sure your thinking, “Wow Tim, hilarious story, but what does that have to do with this Rutgers/Iowa game?” Glad you asked. My amazing girlfriend’s family all bleed Scarlet Knight Red, and I have adopted RU as one of my teams. So I will refuse to bet against them. That doesn’t mean I will always recommend them whatsoever, it just means you won’t read me betting against them here.

That being said, I wouldn’t include them in the blog if I didn’t really like the play. Rutgers has had a resurgence in the last few weeks, winning their last four match-ups. They have squeaked their way back into the Top 25 as well, and are working their way up to maybe a five (or if everything went right four) seed in the tournament.

The Hawkeyes have been going the opposite direction, losing four of their last five. Luka Garza is one of the best college players I have seen in a long time, but he has had problems getting in foul trouble in several of these recent losses. I think Hawkeyes pull this one out late, but Rutgers plays it down to the buzzer.

Armor up with the Scarlet Knights and take the +6.5.

…

CBB: #9 Virginia (-4.5) at Georgia Tech – 7 P.M. ET

I think it’s pretty apparent this has been the worst year for ACC basketball in a long time. Duke and UNC are unranked, and only three teams are in the Top 25. It seems like every team could win on any given night, which can be a good thing if all teams are quality, but that is not what has been happening here.

All that aside, when Commissioner Gordon lights up the Bat Signal and has needed some ray of hope in the dark vast that is this year’s ACC, Virginia is the only team capable of answering the call. Since Christmas, they have only lost to Gonzaga (so has everyone else) and on the road against Virginia Tech (currently ranked #18).

The spread is not too large, I think in part because when these teams met earlier this year UVA won only by two. I think Virginia comes out a plays a much more dominant game, winning by ten or more.

Don’t go against the ACC’s Batman, lay the 4.5 points with Virginia.

…

NBA: Hornets (+4) at Grizzlies – 8 P.M. ET

There is nothing really interesting or intriguing about the Hornets. I think this fact has allowed them to slide under the radar as a team that has been playing pretty good [Lamelo] Ball as of late. Charlotte is 5-1-1 in their last seven against the spread and is coming off blowout wins over the Wizards and the Rockets. This is a team that I’m now expecting to make the playoffs in a weak bottom half of the Eastern Conference, and winning games like this is how you get there.

Memphis on the other hand has lost four straight games outright and ATS. The team already had a COVID outbreak this year, and are now dealing with standard NBA injuries, with at least six players projected to miss tonight’s game. Ja Morant is playing, and he is developing into a top NBA talent that is fun to watch, but I don’t see this as the turn around spot for Memphis.

Take the Hornets and the points.

As I said to start this post, am super excited about the early success we have seen. Let’s try to ride this heater and get some winnings to have fun over the weekend!

---

You can follow Tim O’Keefe on Twitter (@TOKeefe1992) and e-mail him at [email protected].

Subscribe, rate, and review all Philly Influencer podcasts here. Follow Philly Influencer on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.