In today’s SportSense Entertainment Newsletter…

Additional Model Predictions ⬇️

• NCAAF Model Predictions- Click Here

• NHL Model Predictions- Click Here

There were no model predictions yesterday, December 27, 2023.

There is one NFL game scheduled to take place today. Our model’s predictions for that matchup can be found below.

New York Jets @ Cleveland Browns

Model Predicts- Browns ML, OVER 34, Jets +7.5

The New York Jets will travel to Cleveland, Ohio to battle the Browns in what is the final Thursday Night Football game of the 2023 season.

New York enters this matchup fresh off a win over the Washington Commanders, but is still just 2-6 since the first week of November. Meanwhile, Cleveland sits at a stellar 10-5 and is in the midst of a three-game win streak with Joe Flacco at the helm.

This matchup is far from enticing, but our model sees a slight edge on the total here. Let’s take a look at why that is.

New York Jets

• 2-6 in last eight games

  • Only wins came against Texans and Commanders

• Defense is beginning to fall apart

  • Have allowed at least 28 points in four of last six games

  • Allowing 330.8 yards per game against in that time when going against non-rookie QBs

• Zach Wilson sidelined

  • Replaced by Trevor Siemian- 27/49, 217 yards, 1 TD last week

Cleveland Browns

• One of hottest teams in NFL

  • Three-game win streak against Jaguars, Bears, and Texans

  • +21-point differential in that stretch

• Becoming pass-heavy offense

  • Throwing ball on 64.81% of plays in last three weeks- 4th highest rate in NFL

  • Joe Flacco- 351 pas yards, 2.7 pass TDs, and 2.0 INTs in last two games

• Opponents are starting to find end zone

  • Allowing 25.5 points per game in last four games

What’s the Play?

It’s an ugly bet, but we agree with our model on the over here.

These are two of the best defensive teams in the NFL, but each has had its struggles keeping opponents out of the end zone recently. New York has gotten crushed against QBs not named Desmond Ridder or CJ Stroud, the latter of which was injured while playing the Jets, and Cleveland has oftentimes been forced into short field situations due to Flacco’s vulnerability to turnovers.

Cleveland’s sudden pass-first initiative is great for a high-scoring game too, as Flacco’s turnover woes will likely give the Jets some short field scenarios while Flacco simultaneously marches the Browns down the field in bunches. The over has hit the last two times we’ve seen a TNF game with a total of 34, and we’ll back the over again here.

The Play: Over 34 (-110)

Money Line Trends 💰

• Cleveland Browns- 10-5 overall this season, 7-1 as the home team

Over/Under Trends ⬆️⬇️

• Cleveland Browns- Over is 4-1 in last five games with average total of 49.8

Spread Trends ➕➖

• New York Jets- 5-9-1 against the spread (ATS) this season, 5-7 ATS as an underdog

🧥 15 Hall of Fame finalists are announced. Julius Peppers, Antonio Gates, and Andre Johnson stand among the 15 modern-era finalists for the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. These 15 players were chosen from a starting pool of 173 players, which was then narrowed down to 25 semifinalists. Peppers ranks fifth in all-time sacks, recording 159.5 during his tenure with the Panthers, Bears, and Packers, while Gates holds impressive records as a tight end with 955 receptions, 11,841 yards, and 116 touchdowns, ranking high in league history. Meanwhile, Johnson, known for his dominance with the Texans, retired with 14,185 yards and 70 touchdowns on 1,062 receptions, setting franchise records.

Eight NBA games are scheduled to take place today. Our model’s predictions for all eight matchups can be found below.

Memphis Grizzlies @ Denver Nuggets

Model Predicts- Nuggets ML, UNDER 225, Grizzlies +7.5

The Memphis Grizzlies will play their third consecutive game on the road this evening, a stop in Denver, Colorado to take on the Nuggets.

Memphis enters tonight’s battle with a poor 10-19 record, but has found the win column in four straight games since Ja Morant’s return to the court last week. Meanwhile, Denver owns a stellar 22-10 record through 32 games and has a five-game win streak of its own.

Both of these teams are red hot, but our model believes the Nuggets take care of business at home. Let’s take a look at why that is.

Memphis Grizzlies

• Season Stats

  • Offense- 107.3 Off. Rating (29th), 44% FG% (30th), 33.2% 3PT% (30th)

  • Defense- 112.3 Def. Rating (7th), 45.6% Opp. FG% (5th), 38.5% Opp. 3PT% (27th)

• Last 5 Games

  • Offense- 110.7 Off. Rating (28th), 36.3% FG% (24th), 33.7% 3PT% (26th)

  • Defense- 110.3 Def. Rating (4th), 45.0% Opp. FG% (2nd), 33.7% Opp. 3PT% (6th)

• Injuries

  • Ja Morant (GTD), Luke Kennard (OUT), Derrick Rose (OUT)

Denver Nuggets

• Season Stats

  • Offense- 117.9 Off. Rating (7th), 48.9% FG% (4th), 37.7% 3PT % (10th)

  • Defense- 112.5 Def. Rating (9th), 46.1% Opp. FG% (8th), 35.6% Opp. 3PT% (9th)

• Last 5 Games

  • Offense- 120.8 Off. Rating (9th), 50.0% FG% (4th), 42.3% 3PT% (1st)

  • Defense- 110.8 Def. Rating (5th), 45.1% Opp. FG% (4th), 34.3% Opp, 3PT% (9th)

• Injuries

  • Aaron Gordon (OUT), Vlatko Cancar (OUT)

What’s the Play?

We agree with our model that this is a great spot to back the under.

Ja Morant has gotten Memphis back into the win column, but the offense has still struggled to put all the pieces together. Even with Morant back in the picture, Memphis ranks in the bottom three in Offensive Rating and is throwing up bricks from behind the arc, making it difficult to find points in bunches.

However, Memphis’s defense is still considered to be elite by many metrics even with Morant off the floor, but that won’t provided much of an edge against a Denver defensive unit that also ranks in the top-10 this season.

Expect a defensive battle here.

The Play: Under 225 (-110)

Money Line Trends 💰

• Boston Celtics- 23-6 overall this season, 14-0 as the home team

• Indiana Pacers- 15-14 overall this season, 7-7 as the away team

Over/Under Trends ⬆️⬇️

• Memphis Grizzlies- Under is 17-12 this season, 12-8 as an underdog

• Denver Nuggets- Under is 20-12 this season, highest win % in NBA

Spread Trends ➕➖

• Utah Jazz- 16-14-1 against the spread (ATS) this season

• Indiana Pacers- 2-1 ATS as a road favorite this season

💰 NBA approves sale of Mavericks. The NBA approved the sale of majority ownership of the Dallas Mavericks from Mark Cuban to the families overseeing the Las Vegas Sands casino company, a deal valued at around $3.5 billion. The purchase, led by Miriam Adelson and Sivan and Patrick Dumont, will see Patrick Dumont, Adelson's son-in-law and Las Vegas Sands' president, assume the role of Mavericks governor. Cuban is anticipated to retain control over basketball operations, affirming the team's commitment to Dallas.

🤕 Vucevic sidelined with groin injury. Chicago Bulls' center Nikola Vucevic is set to be sidelined for the next seven-to-10 days due to a groin strain. Vucevic sustained the injury last Saturday and was absent from the recent win against the Atlanta Hawks. Andre Drummond filled in with Vucevic sidelined, registering impressive stats with 24 points, 25 rebounds, three steals, and two blocks in 38 minutes.

Today’s trivia requires you to dig into multiple pockets of your brain, testing your knowledge of recent events as well as those that happened decades ago.

See how many of the below questions you can get correct. Answers are provided at the end of the newsletter.

Question #1- How many Super Bowls did Terry Bradshaw win in his NFL career?

Question #2- What current NBA coach and former player played his college basketball at Portland State University?

Question #3- Who caught the game-winning TD pass in the 2018 College Football Playoff Championship game?

Anyone know what has happened on December 28th throughout history? We didn’t have a clue either, but it appears that it has been a busy day.

On December 28th…

1991- The Cincinnati Bengals hire Dave Shula as head coach. Shula was just 32 years old at the time of his hiring, making him the youngest head coach in NFL history. However, Shula’s inexperience may have been his downfall, as he would go on to post a 19-52 record in his head coaching career.

1999- NHL legend Joe Sakic records his 1,000th career point. The point was recorded on an assist against the St. Louis Blues, a game Sakic and the Colorado Avalanche would win 5-1. Sakic would end his career with 1,641 points, the ninth-most in NHL history.

2022- Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic records a 60-point and 20-rebound triple double. The performance came in a 121-106 win over the New York Knicks, making Doncic the first player in NBA history to accomplish the feat. The scoring outburst was also the first 60-point game in Mavericks history.

1. 4

2. Ime Udoka

3. DeVonta Smith