Sports Handicapper Scott Rickenbach's Picks & Predictions

NHL Network Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #66 Monday 8* Vancouver Canucks Money Line (-) vs Ottawa Senators @ 10:05 ET - I rarely lay much juice in money line sports and certainly avoid big favorites like the plague. But when a moderately priced favorite comes up in a good situation I will not hesitate to step in. The Canucks have dropped down into the -140 price range for this one and that makes them well worthy of non-Top Play 8* pick in this spot. The home team won both meetings 5-2 last season. Not only are the Canucks at home for this one, they also swept the series with the Senators the season before last as well. I am well aware of the fact that Vancouver has struggled badly early this season but the Senators aren't exactly lighting the world on fire early this season either. Also, the Sens are playing just their 2nd road game of the season and they lost their first one 6-3 and, overall, have lost 4 straight games. I know the Canucks have struggled with costly turnovers resulting in odd man rushes going the other way and also have allowed far too many goals so far this season. However, they'll be ready here. For one thing, Vancouver just faced a Montreal team that has looked great early this season and has won 4 of 5 games. Now the Canucks faced a Senators team that is rebuilding and enters on a 4-game losing streak. Vancouver had a great practice session yesterday and addressed the areas of concern and I look for a revitalized and re-energized Canucks team to take the ice Monday ready to take advantage of a 3-game series hosting one of the worst teams in the NHL. This is Vancouver's chance to turn things around early this season and they know it. 3 games in 4 days against the rebuilding Senators. Lay it! 8* VANCOUVER

Professional Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #503 Monday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) @ Detroit Pistons @ 7:05 ET - The Pistons are still without Derrick Rose for this one. Blake Griffin is expected back tonight but he has not been as effective as in years past. As for the 76ers I am aware of the Joel Embiid situation but he might play with tomorrow being an off day for Philly too. Plus Dwight Howard has really raised his level of play at times when Embiid is out. The Pistons did get the cover on Saturday but Detroit outscored Philly by 18 points from 3-point land in that one. Had they simply been dead even from beyond the arc, the Sixers win that game by 22 points. Also, lets look at this match-up from another vantage point as well. Philadelphia is currently at the very top of the Eastern Conference standings while Detroit - you guessed it - is at the very bottom of those same standings. Yes the Pistons have a home court "edge" here but have lost 7 of 9 games on their home floor this season! The 76ers, were it not for the 3-point shooting disparity, would have won Saturday's game by 22 which is not a huge surprise as their other road wins this season have come by an average of 22 points per game too! When these teams met over the weekend, the Sixers were of back to back huge wins against the Celtics so it was the perfect spot to fade them and, indeed, the Pistons delivered the ATS cover. Now, things are back to normal and we can lay a rather small number here and have the best team in the east against the worst team in the east so far this season. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Early Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #850 Monday 10* Top Play Portland Pilots (+) vs Loyola Marymount Lions @ 5 ET - The Pilots perfectly fit the classic ugly home dog theory. Yes Portland enters this game on a long losing streak but the Pilots are 5-4 SU at home this season and they have revenge from a home loss in the most recent meeting between these West Coast rivals. Inexplicably, the Pilots lost that game to the Lions despite having 20 more shot attempts from the field. It was a terrible shooting nigh for Portland from everywhere on the floor and they lost the game despite only having 9 turnovers while Loyola Marymount actually had 22 turnovers in that game! Coming into this game the Lions are on an overall 0-4 ATS run plus this is a team that has gone 0-4 SU on the road this season. Of course Loyola Marymount is the better team and that is why they are favored big on the road but I feel the points will prove to be far too many and that the Pilots will be tough to put away in this one. I know the Lions rate as the better team defensively but also note that Portland is averaging 76 points per game at home this season while Loyola Marymount is averaging just 61 points in road games. The Lions may defeat the Pilots here but I expect the game to be decided by a very slim margin. 10* PORTLAND