Pick Management 
Jacob’s Above Average Plays have gone 4-2 in his last six picks, and he has three more plays that will continue the hot streak. One more NBA and two more NHL plays that are sure to cash and that you won’t want to miss out on them.
Take Oklahoma City Thunder +2.5 versus Houston Rockets ( 9:40 pm EST, Thursday 9 January 2020)
This game features two of the hottest teams in the NBA right now. Both teams have won eight of their last ten games and are putting up a lot of points. Both have continued to play above average on offense, but one of these teams lets their opponents put up over 110 points per game – that’s what makes it clear which side I want to be on.
Houston played Atlanta last night, in a game that was much closer than it should have been. Houston defeated Atlanta 122-115 with James Harden getting a triple-double scoring 41 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Part of the reason this game was so close could be chalked up to Russell Westbrooks’s absence, but the Rockets defensive is exactly why I want to take Oklahoma City tonight. Houston ranks 27th in the league in points allowed while on the road, allowing an above-average amount of points to home teams at 116.78 ppg. When the Rockets are on the road, they are also allowing teams to make almost 50% of their shots(47.84%). Don’t get me wrong, even though the Rockets give up a lot of points, they score enough to win games with their high powered high offense. The Rocket’s offense is ranked number one in the NBA in points scored, scoring an average of 119.4 ppg – but when the Rockets are on the road, the offense is even better. They rank first in scoring, eighth in field goal percentage, third in three-point percentage, and fifteenth in rebounding. However, their above-average offense isn’t going to help them against Oklahoma tonight. It does not help that when playing on back to back nights, the Rockets have covered just two of the six games played in that scenario.
Oklahoma is one of the hottest teams in the NBA as of late even though their league standing doesn’t show. The Thunder have won eight of their last ten games and covered in nine of them. So far this year, they are the best team in the NBA covering the spread. They have covered twenty-five of the thirty-seven games played, covering by an average of two and a half points. This year overall, they have honestly been pretty mediocre when it comes to team stats. They rank 20th in points per game, 25th in three-point percentage, and 24th in rebounds. They also have an above-average field goal percentage at 46.43%, ranking them 9th. Additionally, Oklahoma City has a great track record versus Houston. OKC has won five of their last games versus Houston and covered in six, but there is something more interesting about this head to head matchup. In the six games covered by OKC, the Thunder not only covered, but won outright four times as an underdog, and this game as the same feel to those.
Oklahoma City is one of the NBA’s best cover teams and Houston is on a back to back. Russell Westbrook being back could help the Rockets defense, but he hurts the offense – only making 23% of his shots. I think the Thunder win this game outright, but I’m taking the two and a half points just to be safe.
Take Tampa Bay Lighting to win in regulation -125 vs Arizona Coyotes ( 7:00 pm EST, Thursday 9 January 2020)
I really like the Lighting to beat up on the Coyotes tonight. Tampa Bay is ranked second in the Eastern Conference and overall score an above-average 3.77 goals per game. When at home, it’s even better with the team scoring an average of 4.14 goals. They take on Arizona, who is most likely playing their third-string goalie who hasn’t played since the beginning of December. Arizona is not a very fast-paced team and Tampa Bay is, and that’s why I am taking them tonight.
The Coyotes score under three goals per game when on the road (2.87), and are allowing just about two and a half (2.53). They have also won four of their last five, but I believe that they are just a paper tiger and those numbers do not represent what is really happening. The teams Arizona have recently beat include Anaheim, St. Louis, Dallas, Vegas, and Detroit. Almost all of those teams are in the half of the league in scoring. I do not think the Coyotes defense is really that good, especially against the number one scoring team in the NHL.
Tampa Bay has won eight in a row and has won twenty-five of thirty-six games played when they were favored. Vasilevsky is starting in goal for the Lightning, and he has won twenty of his thirty-one starts. Like I said earlier, Tampa Bay is scoring 4.14 goals per game (which ranks first), and allow just about three goals (3.05) when at home. They have also won four of the last five games at home. Tampa Bay is trying to get back to first place, and I believe they really want to make up for last year’s playoff performance (they lost in the first round, just in case you didn’t know). Take the Lighting to win in regulation.
(For this bet to win Tampa Bay must win the game in the first three periods. If the game goes to overtime we have a loser.)
Take New Jersey Devils vs New York Rangers OVER 1.5 Goals 1st Period -162 ( 7:00 pm EST, Thursday 9 January 2020)
I’m sticking with what works and taking another first period over. The New York Rangers rank third in the NHL, going over 1.5 goals in the first period, and have done so in 27 of the 42 games they have played this year. The New Jersey Devils rank ninth in the NHL going over the total in the first period, going over in twenty-four of forty-two games played. In the last nine matchups between these two teams, the game total has hit the over in seven of them. The Devils have gone over the total in seven of their last nine games overall as well. These two teams play each other tough when they play, splitting that last ten games. I see this being another high scoring game as more than six goals have been scored in seven of their last ten meetings. Take Over 1.5 Goals First Period, as we see another high scoring game between these two teams.
(For this bet to win the total score of the first period must be over 1.5 goals. If not we have a loser. Odds available at DraftKings)
