NBA Picks & College Basketball Picks: January 14th 2011
CLICK HERE FOR EXPERT BASKETBALL PICKS

Pick: Los Angeles Lakers -12.5
The Los Angeles Lakers are playing their best basketball of the season over the past couple weeks. Andrew Bynum has returned to the line-up, and as a result this team is basically at full strength right now. The Lakers are 8-1 in their last 9 games overall, including blowout home wins by 22 over the Knicks and 55 over the Cavaliers in their past two home games. I simply do not believe the Nets came keep up with the Lakers on the scoreboard. Neew Jersey is scoring just 92.4 PPG this season and 92.0 PPG on the road, while the Lakers are putting up 103.8 PPG overall and 104.9 PPG at home. The Nets are yielding 100.5 PPG on the road, while the Lakers are allowing 94.7 PPG at home. New Jersey is 5-20 ATS versus explosive offensive teams – scoring 103+ points/game over the last 2 seasons. While the Lakers are playing their best basketball of the season, the Nets are in their worst stretch right now. New Jersey has gone 1-8 SU & 2-7 ATS in their last nine games overall. Not only are the Nets losing, but they have rarely even been competitive during this stretch. New Jersey has lost six of their last nine games by 14 points or more. They have lost five straight road games by 14, 21, 9, 15 and 20 points. That 15-point loss came to the Timberwolves, while the 20-point defeat came at the hands of the Wizards. The Nets are 1-9 ATS in road games after allowing 105 points or more 2 straight games over the last 2 seasons. New Jersey is 2-11 ATS in their last 13 road games overall. The Lakers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings with New Jersey, winning their last two home meetings by 19 and 27 points. Roll with the Lakers Friday. -Jack Jones Handicapperspicks.com

Pick: Butler Bulldogs -5
On Friday the NCAAB Free play is on Butler. Game 825 at 7:00 eastern. Butlers is 8-1 ats vs wining teams this year and 4-1 straight up and ats after scoring 80 or more in their last game. They have also covered 75% of the time as a road favorite from 3.5 to -6. Tonight they take on a Detroit team that is coming home off back to back road wins. This will be a tough game for Detroit, as they are mediocre vs Winning teams having lost 25 of 33 times. Usually they lose to Butler and hang around for a back door cover. Not tonight though as Butler is laying a manageable 6 points. ” The Butler did it” Lay the points with Butler. On Friday night fresh off yet Another Big 5* winner in the NBA we have 2 more NBA Perfect system beauties. The 5* NBA Dog of the Month in a system where the dog wins outright Every time. I also have the Western Conference 100% Totals system and a Huge NCAAB Power angle Play that 7 angles that apply. 7 UNIT NFL Playoff GOY goes this weekend from a system that dates to 1977. For the Free Play take Butler. -Rob Vinciletti

Pick: Portland Trailblazers -1
Motivated by consecutive defeats, expect the Blazers to get back in the win column tonight against a Phoenix team they have owned. These teams have already met 3 times this season and Portland has won all 3 meetings by at least 7 points. The Phoenix defense has been horrendous, allowing 108.9 ppg. This poor defense has allowed the Blazers to score more than 100 points in all 3 meetings this season. This is significant, considering Phoenix is just 2-10 ATS this season when looking to avenge a loss to an opponent if it allowed that opponent to score 100 or more points. The Suns are losing by an average score of 111.5 to 100.8 in this situation. Bet the Blazers. -Jeff Alexander