In today’s SportSense Entertainment Newsletter…

Additional Model Predictions ⬇️

NHL Model Predictions- Click Here

There were plenty of model predictions to go around yesterday across the NHL, with our model focusing in on one of those predictions in our Featured Matchup. That prediction went 0-1 overall, and you can see how the rest of the model performed below.

Money Line Predictions: 1-3

Over/Under Predictions: 2-2

Puck Line Predictions: 3-1

Featured Matchup: 0-1

11 NBA games are scheduled to take place today. Our model’s predictions for all 11 matchups can be found below.

Utah Jazz @ Atlanta Hawks

Model Predicts- Jazz ML, OVER 236, Jazz +2

The Utah Jazz will begin a three-game road trip on Tuesday night, with the first stop coming in Atlanta, Georgia to take on the Hawks.

Utah enters tonight’s matchup fresh off a win against the San Antonio Spurs, a victory that snapped a five-game losing streak for the team. Coincidentally, Atlanta also snapped a losing streak with a win over the Orlando Magic last time out on the court.

Both of these squads found their footing again after a string of ugly losses, but our model expects the Jazz to be the team that builds on its momentum. Let’s take a look at why that is.

Utah Jazz

• Defeated Spurs in most recent game

  • Won 128-109. Shot 51% overall and 49% from three

  • Snapped five-game losing streak

• Defense has been main issue over last several games

  • Rank 30th in Defensive Rating (122.4) in last six games

  • Opponents shooting 51.1% overall and 46.1% from three in same six-game stretch

• Injuries- Otto Porter Jr. (OUT)

Atlanta Hawks

• Defeated Orlando Magic in most recent game

  • Won 109-92. Shot 46% overall and 41% from three

  • Opportunistic win- Magic were on back-to-back and third game in four days

• String of losses before Magic win was concerning

  • Lost to Bulls, Hornets, and Raptors

  • Allowed 127 points per game and opponents shot 51.2% from floor

• Injuries- Trae Young (OUT)

What’s the Play?

Neither one of these teams is playing at their best, but we agree with our model that Utah can cover the short spread.

For starters, Atlanta is just 3-3 without Trae Young this season, a result of the offense struggling in his absence. Per StatMuse, the Hawks have averaged just 112.8 points per game in Young’s absence, a significant drop form their season average of 121.1, which ranks 4th in the NBA this season.

Utah has the healthier team, and should be able to create separation against a Hawks team without its best scorer. We’ll back Utah here.

The Play: Jazz +2 (-110)

Money Line Trends 💰

• Cleveland Cavaliers- 37-19 overall this season, 19-10 as the home team

• New Orleans Pelicans- 34-24 overall this season, 17-12 as the away team

Over/Under Trends ⬆️⬇️

• Philadelphia 76ers- Over is 32-25 this season, 16-10 as the away team

• Utah Jazz- Over is 32-25-1 this season, 16-13 as the away team

Spread Trends ➕➖

• Utah Jazz- 31-26-1 against the spread (ATS) this season, 15-11 ATS when coming off a win

💪 Chris Paul set to return to Warriors’ lineup. Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul is set to return to the lineup after over seven weeks out due to a hand injury, per The Athletic's Shams Charania. Paul sustained the injury on January 5 against the Detroit Pistons and was expected to be out for four-to-six weeks. Despite Paul's absence, the Warriors have been in good form, winning 10 of their last 13 games, and Paul, a 12-time All-Star, will look to contribute as they begin a four-game road trip against the Washington Wizards.

🍕 Raptors treated to pizza after first three-game win streak of season. Toronto Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic had promised his team a dinner treat if they achieved a three-game winning streak, and with their victory over the Pacers, it was time to pay up. Despite his initial promise of a dinner outing, Rajakovic opted for pizza to celebrate the team's longest winning streak of the season. The Raptors, led by Scottie Barnes' fourth triple-double of the season and RJ Barrett's 24 points, extended their post-All-Star break record to 3-0 and showed hunger for more success, with rookie Gradey Dick also making key contributions in the win.

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- Who did the Washington Wizards select with the No.1 overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft?

Question #2- Michael Vick played for four NFL teams in his career: the Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, and what other team?

Question #3- The Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated what school in the 2010 BCS National Championship game?

Anyone know what has happened on February 27th throughout history? We didn’t have a clue either, but it appears that it has been a busy day.

On February 27th…

1959- Bob Cousy sets a new NBA record for assists in a game with 28. The performance came in a rout of the Minneapolis Lakers, a game in which Cousy and the Celtics scored 173 points. Cousy’s record would stand until 1990, when Scott Skiles recorded an incredible 30 assists in one game.

1972- Dick Allen signs a three-year, $750,000 contract with the Chicago White Sox. The contract came after Allen spent one season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which came after a seven-year stint with the Philadelphia Phillies and one year with the St. Louis Cardinals. Allen would be named an All-Star in all three seasons with Chicago, even winning the MVP award in 1972.

2007- Mark Messier’s #11 jersey is retired by the Edmonton Oilers. Messier played for the Oilers from 1979-1991, winning four Stanley Cups with the team prior to being traded to the New York Rangers in 1991. Messier would end his career with 1,887 points, the third-most in NHL history.

1. Kwame Brown

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

3. University of Texas