Bobby Flanagan

3* Oklahoma City -5

Oklahoma City has taken the most strides this year of all the teams that struggled last year. They play with prowess in their own building and I don't see a tired Hornets team playing competitive with them tonight.

They just beat the Bulls on Monday by overcoming a first-half deficit to win for the sixth time in the last seven games. They are red hot right now and I have to trail them.

They give an effort every night as a young team that has a large task in front of them of making the playoffs. The way the play they sure do believe they can make that happen.

I have been tracking their statistics and their shooting percentage and points per game jumped form November to Decemember. Barring any setbacks I think this team may start off the New Year as a sleeper.

The Hornets pulled off an upset road win in Salt Lake City but I think they get brought back to reality tonight. The Hornets' only road wins in 15 previous tries had been against the Clippers and Timberwolves.

The Thunder have been getting the job done when they are favorites by covering six of the last seven games in that role. Lay the points with them tonight.


3* Syracuse -9

I think Syracuse comes out with a vengence tonight after losing on their own court to Pitt last weekend. I really wouldn't want to be Memphis in this situation. Jim Boheim's will have them ready to roll.

When I saw Memphis as a favorite over Tennessee last weekend I couldn't believe it. They have a good guard combo with Elliot Williams and Willie Kemp. Upfront they are small and their bench is shallow. Tennessee is strong in the paint just like Syracuse.

Arinze Onuaku, Rick Jackson, and Wes Johnson are going to massacre Memphis on the board and with points in the paint. Memphis is physically small upfront and they don't have the physical size needed to play with these guys. The Memphis bench has a lot of non-scholarship players and they don't have the talent to rotate for a full 40 minutes which concerns me.

The Syracuse zone should help regulate the quick Memphis guards. For the first time all season the Orange has to deal with some adversity after losing to Pitt and I think they respond very convincingly tonight.