The AT&T Center might get some long distance action on Jan 13th as the Portland Trailblazers head to San Antonio to face the Spurs. Portland is a youthful squad trying to rebuild as the quick but electric Brandon Roy era formally ended with his retirement in December. Former #1 pick Greg Oden has furthermore had continued concerns with his knees as Portland apparently can not shake the ghost of Sam Bowie. The Spurs want to defend their court with sizzling plays from their usual dependable roster. The Spurs are favored by 8 points and this seeks to be an awesome bet.

On Jan 12th, things heat up when the Cavaliers come into Phoenix to face the Suns. A couple of seasons ago, this would have been an amazing game with LeBron James and Amare Stoudemire going head up in a collision course. In the era of free agency nevertheless, times certainly have evolved as this game appears dramatically different. Phoenix is preferred by 6 points over the Cleveland Cavaliers and this is apparently a safe wager.

Saturday evening on January 14th, the New York Knicks come into Oklahoma City to take on the OKC Thunder in this huge match between these 2 teams. It’s a tale of 2 teams as the OKC Thunder arrive in the game with a stable team of young guns against the New York Knicks who it seems from year upon year usually enters into play with lots of modifications going on. The New York Knicks are preferred by 4 points and this might hold unless Durant has one of his usual killer matches.

The United Center in Chicago will be in the spotlight as the Washington Wizards come into town to battle against the Bulls. In years past, this competition could have been the hardest ticket to get as the second comeback by Nike Jordan turned the Wizards into media darlings all through the league. Jordan is now long retired nonetheless and the Wizards have turned into an excellent young squad with vast amounts of prospective waiting to be tapped. The sports book has the Bulls liked by 8 points which looks correct and looks like a great wager with Chicago being cheered on at home.

The Staples Center is going to come alive on January 11th when the Heat takes on the Los Angeles Clippers. The Heat comes in with among the best records in the NBA boosted by an excellent roster of stars. The Heat lead the league as a team in points scored and assists. The sports book has the Heat preferred by 8 points and with the backcourt they possess, it seems to be a sure bet. Let’s take a closer look at the Heat this season and what they offer.

These two teams have been doing relatively well this year. This should not be an unanticipated to any person as these two colleges are well known for their share of wins in basketball for plenty of years. When Western Virginia visits Connecticut both these teams will be at it out on the court on January 9.

Whereas this particular matchup may not have the same depth that its football version does, the Jan 9 – Oklahoma at Oklahoma State game still has its own brand of exhilaration. With the conference basketball year just under way, both the Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowboys will make an effort to set the tone for the remainder of their year with this match. In Oklahoma’s case, they are going to be seeking to continue what has been a great start as they concluded the non-conference slate with a 10-2 record.

On Jan 8th, postseason college football comes to Mobile, AL when the Arkansas State Red Wolves face the Huskies at the GoDaddy.com Bowl. Both squads arrive in the game with rookie head coaches with the Huskies helmed by first-year head coach Dave Doeren. Interim head coach David Gunn who’s been the running backs coach all year heads the Red Wolves. Arkansas State has opted for Gus Malzahn who will take control after the year ends. The take from the sportsbook is now Arkansas State (-1 ½) with an over-under set at 63 points.

It’s not only the Division I-A universities receiving face time on ESPN, on January seventh the NCAA Division I-AA Championship game is competed at Pizza Hut Park in Fricso, TX. The Bison take on the Bearkats in a fight of the 2 best small colleges in the country. Both the Sam Houston Bearkats and the North Dakota State Bison have steamrolled their rivals all season long and both are furthermore coming into play with comparable styles on offense. Anticipate a lot of running and a lot of 1st downs by each squad as the defenses are going to get a work out. The sports book is having a hard time with this one as the line currently stands at North Dakota State (-1) with the over-under established at 46.

Birmingham, AL plays sponsor to the Compass Bowl on January seventh with the Pittsburgh Panthers competing with the Mustangs. The Pitt Panthers come in after the 1-year Todd Graham experiment at head coach. Graham resigned his post on December 14th to take the head coaching job at Arizona State. Defensive Coordinator Keith Patterson will put on the headset for the Pitt Panthers in this clash of titans. SMU comes into play with the specter of the “Death Penalty” passed on in the 1980′s still being referred to today. Former Nfl and Hawaii coach June Jones is already in his fourth year on the sidelines of Southern Methodist University. The betting line has this set at Pittsburgh (-3) with the over-under of 47 points.