I am rolling with the healthier team that has a little momentum.
The Chicago Bulls finished the season with 3 straight road games winning the first two over Detroit 127-105 and Washington 129-127.
Last game of the season at the Knicks getting +13 1/2, they fought like it was game 7 of the NBA finals.
They lost 120-119 as DeMar DeRozan's short jumper was just off at the buzzer which would have given the Bulls the outright win.
As DeRozan said after the game, "Everybody out there wanted to win. So I don't know, it just felt like one of those games like we're playing for something, and we are."
Well DeMar, you sure as hell are playing for something tonight and at home, I love your chances over this depleted Hawks team.
Atlanta rolls in here losers of 6 in a row, the last 3 with Trae Young back in the lineup.
He is still on a minutes restriction but truth be told, this Hawks team is banged up, missing forward Jalen Johnson (ankle), big man Onyeka Okongwu (big toe) and forward Saddiq Bey (knee).
The Bulls took 2 of the 3 meetings this year and the one loss, back on April 1st, the Bulls were missing Javonte Green and his 12 points and 7 rebounds per game.
Green is back tonight and if the Bulls give the same kind of effort they did at Knicks to end the season, they will win and cover this one tonight.
I believe we will get that game effort and I trust head coach Billy Donovan a lot more than I do Quinn Snyder. Simple as that.
I'm on "Da Bulls" tonight.
You can't go against them.
I don't care if Purdue is a #1 seed, I don't care they've covered every game in this tournament.
I watched them on Saturday struggle offensively to score 63 against NC State and trust me, UConn is no NC State.
Earlier this year I watched them lose to Nebraska and they didn't just lose to the Cornhuskers, they were dominated.
First and foremost, Zac Edey was held to just 10 shots on the night, which accounted for 15 points and 7 boards, shot 42% from the floor and turned it over 14 times.
Nebraska shot 51% from the floor and 61% from behind the arc (14 of 23.)
It was a good ole fashion beatdown 88-72. I turned off the TV and said that the Purdue team I just watched is beatable.
However, to watch them lose to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tourney semi's, it just solidified my belief that this team is very beatable.
And UConn is the team that will do that tonight and do it emphatically.
The Huskies guards are just bigger and better. Simple as that.
And if 6'0 Purdue point guard Braden Smith thought NC State frustrated him, wait until he gets a load of 6'6 Stephon Castle and 6'5 Tristen Newton.
The 7'4 Edey will have his hands full with 7'2 Donovan Clingan. Simple as that. Clingan is more athletic, the most athletic big Edey has seen all year long.
Bottom line, Purdue is meeting the wrong team, at the wrong time, in the wrong place and they won't be good enough to stop history.
Put me down for the UConn Huskies 19th straight double digit win on a neutral site versus a non-conference team..
BACK TO BACK BABY
I will say to you again, I will ride and die with this absolute money maker.
I told you that last Saturday when I came with a 200 dime play on these Huskies over Illinois and all they did was go out and win by 25.
That win and cover is putting this team closer to the greatest covering machine in history.
Let's recap!!
Over the last 2 years when it comes to non-conference neutral site games, the UConn Huskies have now covered 17 in a row.
I'm talking 17-0 SU and 17-0 ATS and it's not going to be, this non defense playing Alabama team that is going to bring that streak to an end today.
Last year in their non-conference schedule, they played 3 neutral site games at the Phill Knight Invitational.
They went 3-0 SU and ATS with wins and all 3 were by double digits.
Laying 3 1/2 against Oregon they won 83-59, laying , laying 1 1/2 to Alabama won 82-67 and laying 6 1/2 to Iowa State won 71-53.
Notice the margins of victory: 23, 25 and 18.
Fast forward to the NCAA tourney and 6 straight wins, 6 straight covers and all 6 by double digits.
Folks, do the math: 9-0 SU and ATS on neutral floors versus non conference teams last year.
Now let's move on to this year.
In their non conference schedule, they played 4 neutral site games and wouldn't you know it, a perfect 4-0 SU and ATS.
The Empire Classic in New York they laid 11 to Indiana and won 77-57 and laying 8 against Texas they won 81-71.
Then 2 weeks later in the Jimmy V classic back in New York, they laid 5 1/2 to North Carolina and beat them 87-76.
Lastly, they faced Gonzaga in Seattle and laying 3 1/2, hammered the Zags again 76-63.
Once again, a perfect 4-0 SU and ATS with all 4 by double digits.
You throw that run with a perfect 4-0 SU and ATS in this tournament with all 4 by double digits and there is your 17-0 SU and ATS staring you in the face.
Now comes Alabama, a team that in 3 of their last 6 regular season games allowed over 100 points including 117 at Kentucky.
Yes, they have played a little better defense in this tourney but they still allowed College of Charleston to score 90 on them in the first round.
In round two Grand Canyon was up 58-55 with just over 6 minutes to go when they went ice cold and scored 3 points the rest of the way.
Next round beat North Carolina because RJ Davis forgot how to play basketball and against Clemson in the next round, they still allowed 82 points.
The way to beat UConn is to slow it down but Alabama won't do that. They look to run and get spot up 3's. That won't work against UConn.
Lastly, Illinois Terrence Shannon, all 6'6 of him, was averaging over 30 points a game in his last 9 games.......UConn held him to 9.
As Bama's Mark Sears goes, so goes the Tide and trust me when I tell you, Sears is in for a long night against this UConn defense.
At the end of the day, Alabama is just not good enough defensively to stay with UConn for 40 minutes. Their deficiencies will get exposed tonight big time.
I will be absolutely shocked if UConn doesn't beat this team by at least 20!!!
Huskies go to 18-0 SU and ATS in non conference games played on a neutral site with yet another double digit blowout win.
UConn marches on to the final Monday night.
They will complete their mission today.
As you watch the UConn put on a show in the NCAA tourney, destroying the likes of San Diego State and Illinois, to put bluntly, they look invincible.
These Seton Hall Pirates blew them out by 15.
Trust me when I tell you, the "Hall" not getting into the big tourney, was one of the biggest shaft jobs in tournament history.
They finished the season 20-11, had 13 wins in the Big East Conference, including that win over the Huskies.
Yet the "committee" decided 5 teams in the Mountain West Conference were better suited for the big tourney than the 4th best team in the brutal Big East.
With 5 senior starters, head coach Shaheen Halloway asked them if they wanted to play in the NIT....they all said yes.
To put it bluntly, they want to shove this NIT Championship up the fucking Committee's ass.
After an opening round struggle at home against St.Joes, a game they won in OT 75-72 but didn't cover, they've looked like the team that beat UConn in the 3 games since.
Laying 5 to North Texas they destroyed, leading 66-44 with 6 1/2 minutes to go before settling on the 72-58 win.
Next up was UNLV, and as a 3-point favorite they hammered the Rebels 91-68.
Lastly, on Tuesday night, laying 4 1/2 to Georgia, they destroyed the Bulldogs 84-67, jumping out to a 16-3 lead and never letting it drop below 9 the rest of the way.
Now comes Indiana State.
The Sycamores also thought they should have gotten an at-large bid after going 26-5 in the regular season and winning the Missouri Valley regular season title.
However, they have no one to blame but themselves for being snubbed as they shit the bed in the conference tournament final against Drake.
I give them credit for their run to the final here with their 3 straight home wins and covers over SMU 101-92, Minnesota 76-64 and Cincinnati 85-81.
In their semifinal Tuesday, they turned a 44-44 time at half into a 100-90 win.
The bottom line for me is I just don't believe a top 2 team in the Missouri Valley Conference should be laying points to the 4th best team in the big east.
A team that I mentioned at the top, beat the #1 overall seed in the NCAA tourney by double digits.
The Seton Hall Pirates are your 2024 NIT champions.
3RD LARGEST COLLEGE RELEASE DELIVERS
They are flat out on a mission.
As you watch the UConn put on a show in the NCAA tourney, destroying the likes of San Diego State and Illinois, to put bluntly, they look invincible.
These Seton Hall Pirates blew them out by 15.
Trust me when I tell you, the "Hall" not getting into the big tourney, was one of the biggest shaft jobs in tournament history.
They finished the season 20-11, had 13 wins in the Big East Conference, including that win over the Huskies.
With 5 senior starters, head coach Shaheen Halloway asked them if they wanted to play in the NIT....they all said yes.
After an opening round struggle at home against St.Joes, a game they won in OT 75-72 but didn't cover, they've looked like the team that beat UConn in the 2 games since.
Laying 5 to North Texas they destroyed, leading 66-44 with 6 1/2 minutes to go before settling on the 72-58 win.
Next up was UNLV, and as a 3-point favorite they hammered the Rebels 91-68 to punch their ticket to the NIT semi's tonight against Georgia.
The Bulldogs arrive here off 3 rock solid wins over Xavier at home 78-76 and a pair of road wins at Wake Forest 72-66 and at Ohio State 79-77.
They have not looked like the team down the stretch that went 2-10 SU with the 2 wins versus Ole Miss and Vandy.
When the NIT tourney was announced I had Seton Hall winning it all for one reason and one reason only, their 15 point win over UConn.
If you can beat that team, the team we just saw beat San Diego State and Illinois by 30 and 27 respectively, you can handle Georgia tonight.
Lay it with confidence with Seton Hall as they take one step closer to an NIT championship with this win tonight.
We will call them our "mini" UConn.
Like UConn, who won their first 3 games in this tournament by double digits, made it 4 in a row with the blowout of Illinois last night.
Now we will sit back and watch Purdue do the exact same thing.
The Boilermakers have won their first 3 games in this tournament by double digits disposing of Grambling by 28, Utah State by 39 and Gonzaga by 12.
Now comes Tennessee.
The Vols, like Purdue, lost in their conference tournament to Mississippi State, the 2nd time Tennessee was upended by the Bulldogs.
They routed St.Peters by 34 and then struggled with Texas 62-58 and Creighton 82-75.
Entering this tournament Tricky Ricky Barnes since 2009 was 3-15 ATS but courtesy of his 2-1 run in this tourney, he is now 5-16.
Still folks, that isn't making anyone any money and he won't be making anyone any money today.
Now, this game today is a rematch of the game in Maui back in November.
With a trio of hack officials, who decided to make themselves relevant by calling 51 fouls leading to 78 free throws.
Purdue won 71-67 but they would have won by a lot more had they made some free throws.
They went 29 of 48 from the line. They missed 19 free ones!!!!!! 19!!!!!!!
So in my opinion, throw that game out.
Purdue is the better team and they are playing better basketball.
In my opinion, it looks like we are going to get what seemed inevitable....A UConn/Purdue final.
They have been the best 2 teams all year long with the best 2 records.
UConn as we all know, did their job last night, now it's Purdue's turn today.
They will by double digits and head to the final four.
I will ride and die with this absolute money maker.
To put it bluntly, the numbers are just flat out staggering.
Over the last 2 years when it comes to non-conference neutral site games, the UConn Huskies are the greatest cash cow in NCAA history.
Last year in their non-conference schedule, they played 3 neutral site games at the Phill Knight Invitational.
They went 3-0 SU and ATS with wins and all 3 were by double digits.
Laying 3 1/2 against Oregon they won 83-59, laying , laying 1 1/2 to Alabama won 82-67 and laying 6 1/2 to Iowa State won 71-53.
Notice the margins of victory: 23, 25 and 18.
Fast forward to the NCAA tourney and 6 straight wins, 6 straight covers and all 6 by double digits.
Folks, do the math: 9-0 SU and ATS on neutral floors versus non conference teams.
Now let's move on to this year.
In their non conference schedule, they played 4 neutral site games and wouldn't you know it, a perfect 4-0 SU and ATS.
The Empire Classic in New York they laid 11 to Indiana and won 77-57 and laying 8 against Texas they won 81-71.
Then 2 weeks later in the Jimmy V classic back in New York, they laid 5 1/2 to North Carolina and beat them 87-76.
Lastly, they faced Gonzaga in Seattle and laying 3 1/2, hammered the Zags again 76-63.
Once again, a perfect 4-0 SU and ATS with all 4 by double digits.
You throw that run with a perfect 3-0 SU and ATS in this tournament with all 3 by double digits and what do you get????
Over the last 2 years versus non conference teams on neutral sites the Huskies have covered 16 straight games and all 16 have been by double digits.
I'm talking 16-0 folks. A perfect 16-0 ATS.
As I said at the top, they are a cash cow and I am jumping all over that cash cow today.
It doesn't matter what Illinois has done in this tourney. It doesn't matter who they are.
Until a team, shows me, they can stay within single digits of this Danny Hurley coached team, I will back them again.
16 in a row. 16 in a row by double digits. 16 straight covers the last 2 years versus non-conference teams on a neutral site floors.
17 in a row happens tonight.
All of my picks - EVERY SPORT - through the
NFL title game on February 12, 2023
25-6-2 Career Record
with Super Bowl releases
I have no 800 Service - No 900 Number - Every play I've got is right here
$150 Instant Rebate Available for Current Package Players
Every Play - Every Sport - For 365 Days
NFL, college football, NBA, college hoops & Baseball
365 Days of Service - Nothing further to buy!
$250 Instant Rebate Available for Current Package Players
2-Part Payment Plan Available at Time of Purchase
$150 Instant Rebate Available for Current Package Players
2-Part Payment Plan Available at Time of Purchase
$100 Instant Rebate Available for Current Package Players
All my action for 60 days
All My Action for 30 Days - Nothing Held Back
I have no 800 Service - No 900 Number - Every play I've got is right here
$50 Instant Rebate Available for Current Package Players
Every Single Play I've Got for 7 Consecutive Days
All Sports Included -
Nothing Further to Buy!
(Any "Guarantee" applying to Guaranteed Plays
and Resulting Free Service is NOT included)
Sean Michaels, Chuck O'Brien, Matt Rivers
Jack Brayman, Steve Budin
- and all Hockey Handicappers -
do NOT release plays every day
Upgrade From One Package To Another at Anytime
Instant Rebates Available Upon Upgrades!
My Rating System
My ratings system is pretty simple. Plays are generally rated anywhere between 25 and 100 Dimes to aide clients in money management. However, when I sense an opportunity to go for the jugular or when I'm on a roll and can afford to take shots with a bankroll that's been steadily growing, you better believe I'm going for it.
Who is Brandon Lang?
Where do I start? Let's just say Hollywood would not have made a movie based on my life as a professional sports handicapper, "Two For the Money," if I wasn't a winner!
"Two For The Money" is all about me, the guy who is 25-4-2 lifetime with his Super Bowl selections!
Al Pacino plays my boss, Renee Russo plays his wife and Matthew McConaughey plays me. "Two For The Money", debuted in theaters in October of 2005 and is widely available on DVD and you'll always find it playing on one of the major streaming services.
I was born in Midland, Michigan in 1963. Sports was always my first love and I was a great athlete in high school, lettering in two sports, but my dreams of playing college ball were cut short by a knee injury.
With my playing days over, I decided to see the world by joining the Navy in 1981, getting stationed aboard the Battleship New Jersey, where I eventually became the youngest sailor to ever qualify as a master helmsman in the ship’s history.
After being honorably discharged in 1984, I traveled the world for three more years before ending up in Las Vegas in 1987. It was there I entered the sports handicapping industry, building my reputation by validating my opinion to customers worldwide. The daily highs and lows of competing against the Vegas oddsmakers filled the void left by the end of my basketball career.
In 1989, I joined a nationally-known sports service based on the East Coast and immediately embarked on one of the most historic winning streaks ever witnessed in the handicapping world. After an incredible six-year run, I just had a feeling my life story would make a fascinating movie. But, with that decision came the realization that my dream would only be fulfilled by leaving the business.
Despite sitting atop the handicapping world, I abandoned the industry in 1996, moving to Los Angeles in order to turn my movie aspirations into a reality. I networked my way in as a caddy at the prestigious Riviera Country Club, knowing the job would eventually put me in touch with a director, writer, or producer that could take my dream to the silver screen. After caddying for the likes of President Clinton, Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise, along came Dan Gilroy, whom I pitched the movie idea of a lifetime after he made a fifty-foot putt. Six years later, with Matthew McConaughey playing Brandon Lang, "Two For The Money" was born.
A funny thing happened along the way though. I had a movie about my life in production, but something was missing. It was this business. The emotion, the adrenaline rush you get every football weekend with it all coming down to the Monday Night Game. No other feeling in the world can compare to that I get from knowing people are betting hundreds of thousands of dollars on my opinion, and then having me come through in the clutch when nobody else could.
With the movie deal wrapped up, I returned to the business, making my online debut in August of 2004.
This is the ONLY place you can get ALL my plays, right here
There is no 800 phone service; no 900 numbers.
Here at my website, it's just me and you. I'm forced to validate my opinion every day I release a big play. I win, and you're happy. I lose too often, and you're gone. But, at the end of the day, it's just me and you.
Understand something right now: I am not going to win every day, every week or every month. But, I can put you on the right side of more games that you've ever been on in your gambling life, and by doing that, you will make money.
By the way, if you're curious about whether my record is legitimate, let me assure you it is, and let me explain why: You see I offer long-term packages of 7, 30, 60 and 100 days. Anyone who buys a package gets EVERY play I release, day in, day out. Now, if I lied, even once, how many customers do you think I'd have remaining?
See, that's the beauty of the Internet. I don't need some phony monitoring service to document my wins and losses. Instead, you - my customers - do that for me. You validate my opinion and assure my credibility. And that's why we're a team.
Yes, the movie was intoxicating. I mean, who wouldn't want to have a major motion picture made about their life? The countless radio and TV interviews are incredible, too. But, no matter how much I tell you about what Hollywood is like, remember that my focus remains on doing what I do best, and that's making people money.
Listen, they only make movies about winners - and that's me!