The AT&T Center might get some long-distance competition on Jan 13th as the Portland Trailblazers visit San Antonio to take on the San Antonio Spurs. Portland is a youthful squad seeking to reconstruct as the short but electric Brandon Roy era officially came to an end with his retirement in December. Previous #1 pick Greg Oden has additionally had frequent issues with his knees as Portland apparently can’t shake the specter of Sam Bowie. The San Antonio Spurs want to defend their court with impressive plays from their usual dependable lineup. The San Antonio Spurs are liked by 8 points and this seeks to be an awesome bet.

On January 12th, things heat up when the Cleveland Cavaliers enter into Phoenix to battle against the Suns. Two years ago, this might have been an outstanding matchup with LeBron James and Amare Stoudemire going head up in a collision course. In the age of free agency however, times surely have transformed as this matchup looks drastically different. Phoenix is preferred by 6 points over the Cavaliers and this seems to be a safe wager.

The United Center in Chicago will be on edge as the Wizards come into town to battle against the Chicago Bulls. In years past, this competition would’ve been the most difficult ticket to get as the second comeback by Michael Jordan turned the Wizards into press darlings throughout the league. Jordan is currently long retired nevertheless and the Wizards have changed into a great youthful team with vast quantities of possible waiting to be utilized. The sports book has the Chicago Bulls preferred by 8 points which sounds correct and sounds like a solid bet with Chicago being rooted on at home.

Saturday night on January 14th, the New York Knicks come into Oklahoma City to battle against the OKC Thunder in this huge contest between these two squads. It’s a tale of two squads as the OKC Thunder come into play with a dependable team of young guns vs the Knicks who it appears from year to year often enters into play with a lot of changes going on. The Knicks are favored by 4 points and this could hold unless Durant has one of his typical killer matches.

The Staples Center is going to come alive on Jan 11th when the Miami Heat competes with the Los Angeles Clippers. The Miami Heat comes in with one of the better records in the NBA supported by an excellent lineup of stars. The Miami Heat lead the league as a squad in points won and assists. The sports book has the Miami Heat liked by 8 points and with the backcourt they feature, it is apparently a sure bet. Let’s take a closer look at the Miami Heat this season and what they bring to the table.

Both these teams have been doing comparatively well this season. This should not be a shocking to anybody as these two colleges are well known for their share of triumphs in basketball for several years. Both these teams will be at it on the hardwood on January 9, when Western Virginia visits Connecticut.

Whilst this particular match might not have the same depth that its football version does, the Jan 9 – Oklahoma at Oklahoma State game still has its own type of anticipation. With the conference basketball year just arrived, both the Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowboys will attempt to established the tone for the remainder of their year with this game. In Oklahoma’s case, they are going to be seeking to continue what has been a quality start as they ended the non-conference slate with a 10-2 record.

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

It is not just the Division I-A schools gaining face time on ESPN, on January seventh the NCAA Division I-AA Championship game is performed at Pizza Hut Park in Fricso, TX. In a battle of the two top small colleges in the nation, the Bison battle against the Sam Houston Bearkats. Both the Bearkats and the Bison have steamrolled their competitors all season long and both are additionally coming into play with comparable styles on offense. Expect lots of running and lots of 1st downs by each team as the defenses are going to get a workout. The sports book is having a hard time with this one as the line now stands at North Dakota State (-1) with the over-under established at 46.

Birmingham, AL plays host to the Compass Bowl on January 7th with the Pitt Panthers facing the Mustangs. The Pitt Panthers come in following the 1-year Todd Graham experiment at head coach. After taking the head coaching job at Arizona State, Graham resigned his post on December 14th. Defensive Coordinator Keith Patterson will put on the headset for the Pitt Panthers in this clash of titans. SMU enters into competition with the specter of the “Death Penalty” handed down in the 1980’s still being discussed today. Former Nfl and Hawaii coach June Jones is currently in his fourth year on the sidelines of Southern Methodist University. The wagering line has this set at Pittsburgh (-3) with the over-under of 47 points.