High Stakes Coming into Week 18

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Developing Stories 📰

Only two teams have ever reached the postseason after starting 2-6. Heading into week 18 of the season, three teams are in playoff contention. The Jacksonville Jaguars can clinch the AFC South with a victory over Tennessee, or could sneak into the wild card with a loss and lots of help. Detroit and Pittsburgh have more complicated paths, with the Lions needing a win and Seattle to lose. The Steelers need a win and losses by Miami and New England to clinch the final wild card spot in the AFC. The addition of adding another playoff team helps these comeback teams but it is still rather remarkable. Before this season 186 teams in the Super Bowl era started 2-6 with only Cincinnati in 1970 and Washington in 2020 making it to the Postseason.

The Jaguars have had many ups and downs with a five-loss streak from weeks 4-8 and now have won their last four games. The Tennessee Titans suffered their sixth-straight loss on Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys. Tennessee still has a chance to make the playoffs in Week 18. A win by the Titans would give them their third straight AFC South title and a home playoff game. If the Titans manage to go into Jacksonville with Joshua Dobbs and win this game, they’d become the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs after going 0-4 or worse in December. The Titans were 0-5 in the month. The winner will get a selection no earlier than 19th in the draft and the loser could finish with a pick at or near the top 10.

Headlines 🚨

On this day in Sport history: 2000 A day after accepting the head coaching position at the New York Jets, Bill Belichick resigns and moves to the New England Patriots

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh rumors grow louder after talk with Panthers owner

Giannis Antetokounmpo has career high 55 points in Bucks win over Wizards

Brooklyn Nets continue their win streak at 12

Donovan Mitchell scores career high 71 points

Zion Williamson out at least 3 weeks with hamstring strain

Chiefs-Raiders game moved to Saturday, January 7th

Taylor Heinicke named starter for the Commanders after Carson Wentz throws 3 interceptions

Ronaldo rejected offers elsewhere for top salary Saudi deal

Klay Thompson scores season best in 2OT win against the Atlanta Hawks. Kevon Looney tipped in game-winner as final buzzer sounded

Trends 📈📉 via Oddsshark

🏀 Grizzlies at Hornets

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Memphis's last 5 games on the road

• The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Memphis's last 8 games

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Charlotte's last 5 games

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Charlotte's last 6 games at home

🏀 Suns at Cavaliers

• Phoenix is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland

• The total has gone OVER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing Cleveland

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 5 games at home

• The total has gone OVER in 6 of Cleveland's last 7 games

🏀 Thunder at Magic

• Oklahoma City is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Orlando

• Oklahoma City is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Orlando

• Orlando is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games

• Orlando is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games at home

🏀 Pacers at 76ers

• The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Indiana's last 7 games on the road

• Indiana is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games

🏀 Spurs at Knicks

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 5 games

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 5 games on the road

• The total has gone OVER in 4 of New York’s last 5 games at home

🏀 Bucks at Raptors

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games on the road

• The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Milwaukee's last 11 games when playing Toronto

• Toronto is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Milwaukee

• Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Milwaukee

🏀 Nets at Bulls

• Brooklyn is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road

• Brooklyn is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

• The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Chicago's last 8 games when playing Brooklyn

🏀 Rockets at Pelicans

• The total has gone OVER in 6 of Houston's last 8 games when playing New Orleans

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games

• New Orleans is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games at home

• The total has gone OVER in 6 of New Orleans's last 7 games at home

🏀 Trailblazers at Timberwolves

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games on the road

• Minnesota is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Portland

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games

🏀 Pistons at Warriors

• The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games on the road

• The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games

• Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

• Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

🏀 Heat at Lakers

• Miami is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road

• Miami is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing LA Lakers

• The total has gone OVER in 6 of LA Lakers's last 8 games

• The total has gone UNDER in 11 of LA Lakers's last 15 games when playing at home against Miami

🏀 Hawks at Kings

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Sacramento's last 5 games when playing Atlanta

• Sacramento is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta

Public Money 🤑 via VSiN at 9AMCT

22% of bets and 47% of money is on UNDER 227.5 OKC at ORL

57% of bets and 77% of money is on NYK -9.5

28% of bets and 60% of money is on TOR -4.5

19% of bets and 58% of money is on UNDER 226.5 MIL at TOR

20% of bets and 40% of money is on UNDER 228.5 HOU at NOP

28% of bets and 48% of money is onUNDER 235.5 BKN at CHI

24% of bets and 84% of money is on UNDER 230.5 DET at GSW

🎓🏀

55% of bets and 84% of money is on OVER 151 COFC at NC-A

32% of bets and 56% of money is on L-IL +4.5

46% of bets and 77% of money is on TA&M +6

46% of bets and 80% of money is on UNDER 140.5 TA&M at UF

45% of bets and 74% of money is on URI -2

Future Odds 🔮 via Bovada Sportsbook

Injury Report 🏥 via ESPN

ATL (C) Clint Capela | Out - Calf

CHA (SF) Gordon Hayward | Doubtful - Hamstring

CHA (SG) Kelly Oubre Jr | Out - Hand (4-6 weeks)

CHI (C) Andre Drummond | Probable 

CHI (C) Tony Bradley | Out - Personal

CHI (SF) Javonte Green | Out - Knee

CLE (PF) Evan Mobley | Questionable - Ankle

CLE (PF) Dean Wade | Out - Shoulder

CLE (PG) Ricky Rubio | Out - Knee

CLE (PG) Darius Garland | Doubtful - Thumb

DET (PF) Marvin Bagley III | Out - Hand (6-8 weeks)

DET (PF) Isaiah Livers | Out - Shoulder

GS (SF) Andrew Wiggins | Out - Illness

GS (C) James Wiseman | Out - Ankle (no timeline to return)

IND (SG) Kendall Brown | Out - Leg

IND (SG) Chris Duarte | Questionable - Ankle

LAL (PG) Russell Westbrook | Probable - Foot

LAL (G) Lonnie Walker IV | Questionable - Lower Body

LAL (SF) LeBron James | Questionable - Ankle

MEM (F) Ziaire Williams | Questionable - Knee

MEM (PF) Brandon Clarke | Out - Hip

MIA (C) Dewayne Dedmon | Questionable - Foot

MIL (SF) Khris Middleton | Out - Knee

MIN (PF) Taurean Prince | Questionable - Shoulder

MIN (C) Naz Reid | Questionable - Back

NO (C) Zion Williamson | Out - Hamstring (re-evaluated in three weeks)

NO (PF) Larry Nance Jr | Out - Shoulder

NYK (SG) RJ Barrett | Out - Finger

NYK (PG) Derrick Rose | Questionable - Knee

NYK (PF) Obi Toppin | Doubtful - Lower Leg

OKC (PG) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Out - Illness

PHO (SF) Cameron Johnson | Out - Knee

POR (PF) Jusuf Nurkic | Probable - Illness

Picks 🔒

Miami Heat -5.5

• Miami has cashed ATS in 4 of the past 5 games overall, including the first meeting with the Lakers. The Lakers have managed a dismal 7-19-1 ATS in the past 27 games against teams with a winning record, and they’re a risky play without Davis and with LeBron and Westbrook dotting the injury report.

Davidson -4

• Through 14 games Davidson has been playing well on offense- currently averaging 75.6 points per game. The Wildcats’ shooters have been hot from outside, hitting 38.6% of their shots per game. This strong shooting percentage has equated to an average of 8.82 made 3’s per contest.