15* NBA Wednesday Night BLOWOUT on Sacramento Kings -13.5

The Portland Trail Blazers are obviously tanking to close out the season for the 2nd consecutive season.  The Blazers are resting their top four scorers in Lillard, Simons, Grant and Nurkic.  They are also expected to be without Reddish and Watford tonight, who are both listed as doubtful.

The Blazers are 1-9 SU & 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  Six of their last seven losses have come by 14 points or more and by an average of 18.6 points per game.  That's why I'm willing to face them here and lay this big number with the Sacramento Kings.

The Kings are fully healthy right now and should make easy work of the Blazers.  They beat the Blazers by 17 in their most recent meeting.  They play at a fast pace and lead the NBA in offensive efficiency, so that's another reason why I have no problem laying this big of a number.  I just don't think the Blazers have the firepower to keep up missing six of their best players.

The Kings are 7-1 ATS in their last eight road games.  Sacramento is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games following a loss.  Portland is 1-6 ATS in its last seven home games with six losses by double-digits.  The Blazers are 4-16-1 ATS in their last 21 games vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet the Kings Wednesday.

15* Timberwolves/Suns ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on UNDER 235.5

The Minnesota Timberwolves have the twin towers back now in Gobert and Towns together.  They struggled for much of the season offensively with these two healthy, but they were obviously much better defensively, and they play at a slower pace.  They are still trying to figure out ways to make their offense work with these two on the floor at the same time.

The Phoenix Suns recently got De'Andre Ayton back from injury and are much better defensively with him on the floor.  So both teams have their stud big men healthy right now, and there won't be a lot of easy buckets at the rim as a result.  I think this total has been set too high tonight given all the circumstances.

Both the Timberwolves and Suns are battling right now to try to avoid the play-in round in the West, and to just make the playoffs.  That means the defensive intensity will be there as this will feel like a playoff game, especially with it being broadcast on ESPN on National TV.  The Timberwolves held the Warriors to 96 points and the Kings to 115 points in their last two games on the road, while the Suns held the 76ers to 105 and the Jazz to 103 in their last two games coming in.

Minnesota is 8-1 UNDER following three or more consecutive wins this season.  Phoenix is 20-10 UNDER when revenging a loss this season.  The UNDER is 6-2 in Timberwolves last eight games overall.  The UNDER is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings in Phoenix.  Bet the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Lakers/Bulls UNDER 227.5

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  The Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls will be playing for the 2nd time in 4 days.  The Bulls won the first meeting 118-108 for 226 combined points.  That total was set at 224.5, and now this total is set at 227.5, a 3-point adjustment up that is unwarranted.

That first meeting was played at a snail's pace but both teams shot great with the Bulls shooting 54% and the Lakers shooting 50.7%, and it's unlikely they'll shoot that well again.  The Lakers and Bulls have now combined for 226 or fewer points in each of their last four meetings.

The Bulls have been great defensively since trading for Patrick Beverly.  He doesn't provide much offensively, but he makes them much better defensively.  They are allowing just 105.7 points per game in their last six games.  Both teams are fighting for their playoff lives right now, so the defensive intensity will be there.  It was going to be there anyway with that first meeting being very chippy a couple nights ago.

The UNDER is 11-5-1 in Lakers last 17 games overall.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Lakers last seven games following a double-digit home loss.  The UNDER is 11-4 in Bulls last 15 home games.  Bet the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

20* Pelicans/Warriors TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on New Orleans +9.5

The New Orleans Pelicans came up clutch last season behind Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum just to get into the playoffs.  They are coming up clutch again behind these two with their season on the line trying to make the playoffs again this year.

Indeed, the Pelicans have saved their best basketball for last, going 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall with all five wins by double-digits and by an average of 23.8 points per game.  Yes, they will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back here, but that is mitigated by the fact that they got to rest their starters in the 4th quarter of a 124-90 blowout win in Portland.

The Pelicans will be plenty fresh tonight, and they'll have no problem getting up to face the defending champs, who they trail by just a 0.5 games in the standings.  The Warriors have been overvalued all season, especially of late going 5-7 SU & 4-8 ATS in their last 12 games overall.  That includes an upset home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves as 6.5-point favorites last time out.  Bet the Pelicans Tuesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE MONTH on Indiana Pacers +1

Note: I released this play before the news of Luka Doncic having his 16th technical rescinded, thus being able to play tonight.  I would still make this a 20* play at the current line of Pacers +4.  The Mavericks have been terrible with or without Doncic, and he will be on tired legs.  I still think the Pacers win this game outright.

The Indiana Pacers are still fighting to stay alive for a play-in spot in the East.  Five of their last six games have come against playoff teams and all on the road, and they managed to win two of them as 12-point dogs at Milwaukee and 9.5-point dogs at Toronto.  Now the Pacers are back home here for just the 2nd time in their lats nine games.

The Pacers are 19-17 SU & 21-14-1 ATS at home this season and welcome the hapless Dallas Mavericks, who are falling apart at the seams.  They just they lost four consecutive games including back-to-back losses to the Hornets as 15.5-point home favorites and 12.5-point road favorites.

Luka Doncic picked up his 16th technical foul yesterday against the Hornets and scored 40 points in the process.  But now they won't have his scoring because he has been suspended for this game, terrible timing for the star player on a team that is currently on the outside looking in for the playoffs.  I just don't trust this team at all right now as they are simply imploding.

Rick Carlisle has stuck it to his former team with the Pacers after he got fired by the Mavericks.  The Pacers are 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last four meetings with Dallas.  He would love nothing more than to deal them another blow to their playoff hopes.  The Pacers had yesterday off, while the Mavericks will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 8 days.

Dallas is 5-17 ATS in non-conference games this season.  The Mavericks are 5-13 ATS as road favorites this season.  Dallas is 7-23-1 ATS in its last 31 games vs. a team with a losing record.  The Mavericks are 0-4 ATS in their last four games when playing on zero rest.  Bet the Pacers Monday. 

15* Grizzlies/Hawks NBA TV ANNIHILATOR on OVER 243.5

The Atlanta Hawks are a dead nuts OVER team right now.  They have gone for 244 or more combined points in six of their last seven games overall, so this 243.5-point total isn't that high for them.

The Memphis Grizzlies are a dead nuts OVER team now that they have JA Morant back from suspension.  In their two games since he returned, they combined for 255 points and 265 points in their two meetings with the Houston Rockets.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday Total DOMINATOR on Wizards/Raptors UNDER 220.5

The Washington Wizards are going to be without two of their top three scorers in Bradley Beal (23.2 PPG) and Kyle Kuzma (21.2 PPG) today.  They could be without 4th-leading scorer Monte Morris (10.2 PPG), who is questionable.  They will struggle to score points today, and this game will be played at a snail's pace against the Toronto Raptors.

The Raptors rank 25th in pace this season while the Wizards rank 23rd.  The Raptors also have injury concerns of their own with two of their top five scorers questionable in Gary Trent Jr (17.7 PPG) and Scottie Barnes (15.5 PPG).  Both teams will have to rely on defense to try and win this game.

The UNDER is 15-7 in Wizards last 22 road games.  The UNDER is 5-0 in Wizards last five Sunday games.  The UNDER is 7-3 in Raptors last 10 Sunday games.  Bet the UNDER in this game Sunday.

20* NBA Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Orlando Magic -2

The Brooklyn Nets will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 8 days tonight.  Three starters played at least 34 minutes last night in their upset win over the Miami Heat in Bridges, Dinwiddie and Claxton.  They won't have much left in the tank tonight for Orlando, and this is now a bit of a letdown spot for them.

The Magic have been one of the most underrated teams in the NBA in the second half of the season.  They have gone 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall which includes an upset road win over the Clippers, a 3-point loss at Phoenix, a 6-point loss at LA Lakers, a 10-point home win over the Wizards and a 5-point home win over the Knicks.  Now they come in rested and ready to go after having the last two days off.

Plays on all teams where the line is +3 to -3 (Orlando) - revenging a same-season loss against an opponent that is coming off an upset win by 10 points or more as a road underdog are 32-10 (76.2%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Brooklyn is getting too much respect off that upset win at Miami last night.  Bet the Magic Sunday.

15* Mavs/Hornets NBA Early ANNIHILATOR on UNDER 231.5

Sunday UNDERS in these early start time games have been gold over the years.  Teams aren't used playing this early in the day, and they seem to be sleep walking through the game.  They don't look to push the tempo as much, either.

The Mavericks aren't a good defensive team right now, but their intensity on defense will be there as they are close to missing the playoffs.  The Hornets have been a dead nuts UNDER team since losing La'Melo Ball to injury.  Now they are likely to be without Terry Rozier, who is doubtful, and could be without Kelly Oubre Jr. who is questionable.  That's their three best guards and without those three they will struggle to score.

The UNDER is 13-3 in Hornets last 16 games overall.  They have gone for 230 or fewer combined points in 14 consecutive games, making for a 14-0 system backing the UNDER pertaining to this 231.5-point total.  Enough said.  Bet the UNDER in this game Sunday.

20* Pelicans/Clippers NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on UNDER 225

The Los Angeles Clippers are now an UNDER team without second-leading scorer Paul George (23.8 PPG).  They are having to slow it down and run their offense through Kawhi Leonard.  Five of their last seven games have seen 221 or fewer combined points with the UNDER going 5-2 during this stretch.

The New Orleans Pelicans have been even more of an UNDER team without Zion Williamson.  They are 13-3 UNDER in their last 16 games overall with 226 or fewer combined points in 13 of their last 18 games overall.

Both teams are fighting to make the playoffs here as the season comes to an end, so the defensive intensity will be there.  And this has been an UNDER series of late.  The UNDER is 4-0 in the last four meetings with 203, 206, 219 and 202 combined points.  The UNDER is also 6-1 in the last seven meetings with 223 or fewer combined points in the six unders, and only 227 in the lone over.

The UNDER is 30-11 in Clippers last 41 home games.  The UNDER is 5-0 in Pelicans last five road games.  The Clippers are 7-0 UNDER in home games when playing against a team that wins 40-49% of their games this season.  Bet the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Indiana Pacers +9.5

The Indiana Pacers are fighting for their playoff lives right now.  They are in 11th place in the East and within 3 games of the Hawks, Raptors and Bulls for the final three spots.  They continue to battle through injury and are getting healthy here for the stretch run, making them a dangerous team.

The Pacers just got Tyrese Haliburton back from injury last night and are still 8-7 SU & 9-6 ATS in their last 15 games overall.  They did get blown out by 25 points, so that allowed them to rest starters in the 4th quarter to remain somewhat fresh for the Hawks tonight, a team they will be extra motivated to beat since it's one of the teams they are trailing.

Asking the Hawks to beat the Pacers by double-digits to beat us is asking too much.  They are just 2-4 SU in their last six games overall with a 9-point home loss to Boston, a 21-point home loss to Minnesota, an 8-point road loss at San Antonio as a double-digit favorite and a 1-point loss at Minnesota.  Top three scorers Trae Young, Dejounte Murray and De'Andre Hunter are all questionable to play for the Hawks tonight.

Indiana is 10-2 ATS after scoring 105 points or fewer this season.  Atlanta is 10-26 ATS in its last 36 games following an ATS win.  The Hawks are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games playing on two days' rest.  Bet the Pacers Saturday.

20* NBA Friday No-Doubt Rout on Chicago Bulls -2

The Chicago Bulls are battling here down the stretch to try and make the playoffs.  They are currently 10th in the East and in the final play-in spot.  They have gone 5-2 SU & 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall with their only losses coming to the Kings and 76ers.  They upset the 76ers as 8.5-point road dogs and upset the Nuggets as 9-point road dogs during this stretch.

Now the Bulls take on the hapless Portland Trail Blazers, who are simply going through the motions here down the stretch as they have been all but eliminated from the playoffs.  The Blazers are 1-6 SU & 2-5 ATS in their last seven games overall with five losses by 14 points or more.  They are without Simons and Grant right now and could be without Nurkic, leaving way too much on Damian Lillard's shoulders to handle.

The Blazers are 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four home games losing by 11, 14, 15 and 16 points.  They have zero home-court advantage right now as the fans have given up on this team this season.  I'll gladly back the more motivated, healthier Bulls tonight.  Bet the Bulls Friday.

15* NBA Friday Late-Night BAILOUT on Sacramento Kings -3

The Phoenix Suns are without two key starters in Kevin Durant and DeAndre Ayton right now.  With all the talent they traded away to get Durant, they cannot afford to be without these two.  That has shown up of late as the Suns are 1-5 SU & 0-6 ATS in their last six games overall.

Their lone win came at home against the Magic by 3 as 8-point favorites.  They lost on the road to the Lakers by 11, the Warriors by 11 and the Thunder by 4.  They also lost at home to the Bucks by 12 and the Kings by 9, so they have rarely even been competitive of late.  It's too much on Devin Booker's shoulders and he can't carry the load.

The Kings should be more than 3-point home favorites tonight considering they are fully healthy and playing well.  They also come in off consecutive losses and will be motivated for a victory, plus they come in on two days' rest.  The Kings can inch closer to winning the division tonight, and it's going to be a tremendous atmosphere at home tonight as Sacramento fans absolutely love this team, especially when they are in contention.

The Kings are 10-1 ATS after failing to cover the spread in two or more consecutive games this season.  They are outscoring opponents by 11.5 points per game in this spot.  This one has blowout written all over it tonight.  Bet the Kings Friday.

20* NBA Friday Undervalued Underdog on Indiana Pacers +12.5

The Indiana Pacers are fighting for their playoff lives right now.  They are in 11th place in the East just 1.5 games behind the Bulls and 2 games behind the Raptors for the final two play-in spots.  They continue to battle through injury and are getting healthy here for the stretch run, making them a dangerous team.

The Pacers are coming off a 118-114 win at Toronto as 9.5-point dogs without Tyrese Haliburton.  There's a decent chance they get him back tonight, which would mean they are at full strength.  But they have been a money maker even without him, going 8-6 SU & 9-5 ATS in their last 14 games overall.

The Boston Celtics are just 6-6 SU & 5-7 ATS in their last 12 games overall and getting way too much respect from oddsmakers tonight.  This is a terrible spot for the Celtics as it's their first game back home following a six-game road trip.  I always like fading teams in that first home game back from an extended road trip because there are a lot of distractions to deal with at home, and it tends to be a flat spot.

The Pacers are 2-2 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings with the Celtics with two outright wins as 9.5-point dogs, a 5-point loss as a 15-point dog and a 4-point loss in OT as a 7.5-point dog.  It's safe to say the Pacers match up very well with the Celtics, and getting 12.5 points is too much tonight.  Bet the Pacers Friday.

15* Thunder/Clippers NBA TV Late-Night BAILOUT on UNDER 233

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  This will be the 2nd meeting in 3 days between the Thunder and Clippers.  The Thunder won 101-100 for just 201 combined points on Tuesday, so we have a lot of room to spare here in the rematch Thursday night to keep this one UNDER this inflated 233-point total.

This has been an UNDER series as it is.  In fact, the Clippers and Thunder have combined for 230 or fewer points in 15 consecutive meetings, making for a perfect 15-0 system backing the UNDER pertaining to this 233-point total.

The Clippers were already an UNDER team ranking 24th in pace this season, and now they just lost Paul George (23.8 PPG) to injury in that game Tuesday after he had 18 points in 34 minutes.  They struggled without him going iso ball with Kawhi Leonard, and George could be out for the season, which is a huge blow to them offensively and puts an even bigger load on Leonard's shoulders.

These teams are both fighting to make the playoffs right now so the defensive intensity will be there again tonight.  The UNDER is 30-10 in Clippers last 40 home games.  Bet the UNDER in this game Thursday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE MONTH on Hornets/Pelicans UNDER 226

The Charlotte Hornets have been a dead nuts UNDER team since losing star PG La'Melo Ball to a season-ending injury.  They are 11-3 UNDER in their last 14 games overall, combining for 224 or fewer points in 11 of their last 12 games overall.  That would make for an 11-1 system backing the UNDER pertaining to this 226-point total.

The New Orleans Pelicans are also a dead nuts UNDER team without Zion Williamson.  They are 12-3 UNDER in their last 15 games overall with 226 or fewer combined points in 12 of their last 17 games overall.  This total is too high based on how both these teams have been playing for over a month now.  Bet the UNDER in this game Thursday.

15* Suns/Lakers ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles +1

The Phoenix Suns are without two key starters in Kevin Durant and DeAndre Ayton right now.  With all the talent they traded away to get Durant, they cannot afford to be without these two.  That has shown up of late as the Suns are 1-4 SU & 0-5 ATS in their last five games overall.

Yet the Suns continue to get too much respect from oddsmakers tonight as road favorites over the Los Angeles Lakers.  This is a Lakers team that needs wins like blood right now trying to make the Western Conference playoffs.  It's also a Lakers team that is fully healthy with the exception of LeBron James, and unlike the Suns, they are deep enough to still win without him.

The Lakers are 9-5 SU & 8-5-1 ATS in their last 14 games overall.  De'Angelo Russell recently returned to the lineup and is playing well as the Lakers have scored 108 or more points in eight consecutive games now.  Anthony Davis is playing like the superstar they need him to be and will dominate tonight not having to face Ayton, and the role players are all doing their parts as well to try and get this team into the playoffs.  Bet the Lakers Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Night BLOWOUT on Utah Jazz -4.5

The Utah Jazz are fighting to make the playoffs right now in 10th place in the West just a half-game ahead of both the Lakers and Pelicans.  They have come up clutch going 4-2 SU & 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall with their two losses coming by 4 points apiece to the Mavericks and Heat, both on the road in games they covered.

They have done this despite missing both Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton.  Lauri Markkanen has even missed some games, but he is upgraded to probable tonight.  The Jazz are showing they are much deeper than they get credit for, and I know I'm going to get max effort from them tonight given what they've shown of late and their current standing.

I also think it's safe to assume we are going to get a below average effort from the Blazers, who just seem to be going through the motions right now 4 games out of a playoff spot.  The Blazers are 0-6 SU & 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall losing by 22 at Boston, by 17 at New Orleans, by 16 at home to New York, by 16 at home to Boston and by 15 at home to the Clippers.

As you can see, the Blazers haven't even been competitive during this six-game losing streak.  They are without two of their top three scorers right now in Anfernee Simons (21.1 PPG, 4.1 APG) and Jerami Grant (20.5 PPG), and Damian Lillard has been voicing his frustration in the media.  It's just a really bad look for the Blazers right now, and there's no reason to believe they are going to show up tonight.

Utah is 10-0 ATS in its last 10 home games after covering the spread in five or more consecutive games coming in.  The Blazers are 3-14 ATS in their last 17 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Utah is 5-2 SU & 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.  Bet the Jazz Wednesday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Rockets/Grizzlies OVER 231.5

JA Morant makes his return from suspension tonight for the Memphis Grizzlies and will be looking to put on a show.  The Grizzlies will be without one of their best defenders in Dillon Brooks, who is serving a one-game suspension for getting his 16th technical foul.  They were already without two other plus defenders in Brandon Clarke and Steven Adams.  All these factors make Memphis an OVER team in the immediate future.

The Rockets are fully healthy right now with the exception of Tate (9.1 PPG).  Their starting 5 of Green, Porter Jr., Sengun, Smith Jr. and Martin Jr. are all healthy and playing well.  The Rockets have gone 5-5 SU in their last 10 games and have scored at least 107 points in nine of those 10 games.  They will get enough against Memphis to help get this OVER the total.

Houston is 12-4 OVER in its last 16 road games after going under the total in its previous game.  This number is too low based on how Memphis has been playing of late without Morant.  They get back to being a high-octane offensive team with him back in the lineup now.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Indiana Pacers +9.5

The Indiana Pacers are getting healthier and trying to make one final playoff push.  They are 2.5 games back of the Bulls for 10th and 3 games back of the Raptors.  Well, they get to play the Raptors tonight with a chance to cut into that deficit.

The Pacers clearly match up well with the Raptors.  They are 2-0 SU & 2-0 ATS against them this season winning 118-104 and 122-114.  There's a chance the Raptors are without Scottie Barnes (15.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 4.7 APG), who is questionable with a wrist injury.

It's a good time to 'sell high' on the Raptors after going 3-1 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.  Asking the Raptors to win this game by double-digits to beat us is asking too much.  Bet the Pacers Wednesday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE WEEK on Oklahoma City Thunder +7

The Oklahoma City Thunder are playing their best basketball of the season right now as they try and earn a spot in the Western Conference playoffs.  They have gone 7-2 SU & 7-2 ATS in their last nine games overall with six wins by 9 points or more and are currently the 9th seed in the West and one win away from getting back to .500 on the season.

The Los Angeles Clippers are also playing better of late but it's not like they are blowing out the opposition.  They are 5-1 SU & 4-2 ATS in their last six games overall with three wins by 8 points or fewer, and an upset home loss to the Orlando Magic as 6.5-point favorites.

The Thunder have the rest advantage playing just their 2nd game in 5 days, while the Clippers will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days.  The Thunder have owned the Clippers, going 4-3 SU & 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings with four outright upsets, including two in two meetings this season.

The Clippers are 2-12 ATS in home games following a road game this season.  The Thunder are 14-2 ATS vs. poor pressure defensive teams that force 13 or fewer turnovers per game this season.  Bet the Thunder Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Night BLOWOUT on Cleveland Cavaliers -2.5

I like the spot for the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight.  They come in on three days' rest last playing on Friday.  There's a good chance they are fully healthy tonight as C Jarrett Allen has been upgraded to questionable, and everyone else is a go for the Cavaliers.

They should be bigger favorites over the Brooklyn Nets, who are 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall losing by 14 at OKC, by 5 at home to the Kings and by 6 at home to the Nuggets.  They aren't on the same level as the Cavaliers right now.

Brooklyn is 0-8 ATS in its last eight home games after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive games.  The Nets are 6-21 ATS in their last 27 home games vs. good defensive teams that allow 108 or fewer points per game.  Bet the Cavaliers Tuesday.

15* NBA Western Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Houston Rockets +11

The Golden State Warriors are 0-11 SU & 0-11 ATS in their last 11 road games with nine losses by 8 points or more.  They have rarely even been competitive on the highway.  The Warriors are now 7-29 SU & 9-27 ATS on the road this season.  In what world should they be double-digit road favorites against anyone?

The Houston Rockets are playing some of their best basketball of the season of late and will relish this opportunity to face the defending champs.  I think that's a big reason for Golden State's road struggles this season is they get the opposing team's best effort, plus games are usually close to being sold out with them coming to town.  It's an even bigger home-court advantage than normal.

Houston is 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS in its last four games overall with three outright upsets over Boston, the Lakers and Pelicans.  They came back and lost to the Pelicans last night, but that was a letdown spot after beating them two days earlier.  It was also a lookahead spot with the Warriors on deck.  They will be back to being locked in for this game tonight.

Houston has lost just one of its last nine games by more than 10 points.  The Warriors are 3-13 ATS as road favorites this season.  Houston is 8-0 ATS in its last eight games following four consecutive games where they went under the total.  Bet the Rockets Monday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Chicago Bulls +8.5

The Chicago Bulls sit in 10th place in the East and in the final play-in spot.  They are just 1.5 games ahead of both the Pacers and Wizards for that spot.  They are clearly fighting hard to try to make the playoffs with the way they have been playing of late.

Indeed, the Bulls are 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall winning by 21 as 9-point dogs at Denver, by 8 at Houston, by 8 at home over Minnesota and by 14 at home over Miami after playing the second of a back-to-back.  Their lone loss came by 3 at home to the Kings on a buzzer-beater.  The Kings are playing as well as anyone in the NBA right now.

It's time to 'sell high' on the Philadelphia 76ers after going 8-0 SU & 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall.  They followed up a five-game road trip with a buzzer-beater 120-119 home win over the Blazers, who are playing terrible right now.  The 76ers now return home from a three-game road trip before going back on the road for four more games.  There will be distractions to deal with at home with so many road games of late and coming up that I think we get a flat effort from the 76ers here.

Chicago is 9-0 ATS in its last nine games following an upset win as a home underdog.  The Bulls won 126-112 as 4.5-point road dogs in their last trip to Philadelphia on January 6th.  This number is inflated tonight folks.  Bet the Bulls Monday.

15* NBA Sunday UPSET SHOCKER on Brooklyn Nets ML +105

The Denver Nuggets have been in a fog since the All-Star Break.  It's like they won the championship for having the best record in the West going into the break.  They still have a 3.5-game lead over both the Kings and Grizzlies, so they still aren't playing with a sense of urgency.

The Nuggets are now 1-5 SU & 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall with upset losses to the Raptors are 6-point favorites, the Bulls as 9-point favorites, the Spurs as 13-point favorites, the Nets as 9-point favorites, the Raptors as 2-point favorites and the Knicks as 1-point favorites.  Their only win and cover came in comeback fashion over the lowly Detroit Pistons only after a big 4th quarter.

Now the Nuggets are favored once again when they shouldn't be, especially given the spot.  Denver will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 4th road game in 6 days.  They lost 110-116 to the Knicks on Saturday, and now they'll fall to the Nets again on Sunday.

This is a great spot for the Nets, who come in on two days' rest after a home loss to the Kings which followed up a five-game road trip.  That first game back home is always a tough spot.  But the Nets will get back to how they were playing before as they are now 5-3 SU & 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall.

Denver is 0-8 ATS in road games following four consecutive games where they shot 47% or better.  Brooklyn is 6-0 ATS In its last six home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  Bet the Nets on the Money Line Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Oklahoma City Thunder -1

The Phoenix Suns are without two of their best players in Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton right now.  It's no wonder they are struggling as they are 1-3 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall with their lone victory coming over the Magic by 3 as 8-point home favorites.  They lost by 9 at home to Sacramento, by 11 at Golden State and by 12 at home to Milwaukee.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been the most underrated team in the NBA for two seasons running now.  They are legit playoff contenders this season and fighting hard to make the postseason right now.  The Thunder have gone 6-2 SU & 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall with both losses coming on the road.  Amazingly, all six wins came by 9 points or more.

One of those losses came to the Suns on the road, but that was a bad spot for them playing the 2nd of a back-to-back off a home win over the defending champion Warriors.  So they were tired and in a letdown spot, while Phoenix was on two days' rest.  Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sat out that game as well.  Now it's the Thunder that are on two days' rest coming into this revenge spot.

Oklahoma City is 12-2 ATS in its last 14 games when revenging a blowout road loss by 20 points or more.  The Thunder are 32-8 ATS in their last 40 Sunday games.  Oklahoma City is 4-1 ATS in its last five home meetings with Phoenix.  Bet the Thunder Sunday.

20* NBA Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Miami Heat -2.5

The Miami Heat are getting healthy and playing up to their potential right now.  They have gone 5-2 SU in their last five games overall with all five wins coming against playoff contenders.  Now they have had the last two days off, so they are rested and ready to go in Chicago tonight.

The same cannot be said for the Bulls, who are coming off a double-OT 139-131 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves last night.  DeRozan played over 51 minutes, LaVine 46 and Vucevic 45 last night for the Bulls.  They clearly won't have anything left in the tank for the Heat tonight.

Home-court advantage has meant little int his series as the road team is 5-2 SU & 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.  Miami is 8-3 SU in its last 11 meetings with Chicago.  The Heat are 6-0 ATS in their last six trips to Chicago.  The Bulls are 4-11-1 ATS in their last 16 games overall.  Chicago is 0-4 ATS in its last four games when playing on zero rest.  Bet the Heat Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Orlando Magic +7

It's time to 'sell high' on the Los Angeles Clippers after going 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.  They are coming off a win over the defending champion Clippers, which sets them up for a letdown spot.  And they won't have their best player in Kawhi Leonard as he rests today, and they have been terrible without him this season.

Conversely, it's time to 'buy low' on the Orlando Magic after going 1-5 SU & 2-4 ATS in their last six games overall against a brutal schedule.  Three of the losses came by 7 points or less, including a 3-point loss at Phoenix as 8-point dogs last time out.  The Magic are basically fully healthy right now and will give the Clippers a run for their money.

The Magic are 16-7 ATS in their last 23 road games.  Orlando is 14-4 ATS in its last 18 games following a loss.  The Clippers are 5-21 ATS in their last 26 games playing on two days' rest.  Orlando is 9-4-1 ATS in its last 14 trips to Los Angeles.  Bet the Magic Saturday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE WEEK on San Antonio Spurs +9

The San Antonio Spurs are 4-4 SU in their last eight games overall and not tanking.  They were very impressive in their last two games crushing Orlando 132-114 as 5-point home dogs and taking the Dallas Mavericks to OT as 5-point home dogs the next night.

The Spurs are as healthy as they have been in a long time and have each of their top seven scorers expected to play tonight.  They are good enough to give the Memphis Grizzlies a run for their money tonight and won't be taking it easy on their division rivals.

Memphis has no business being a 9-point road favorites over the Spurs without JA Morant, Brandon Clarke and Steven Adams.  The Grizzlies are coming off a 119-138 loss at Miami and are now 1-4 SU in their last five road games with their lone win coming at Dallas, which was playing without Doncic, Irving and Wood.

The Grizzlies are now 13-22 SU & 12-21-2 ATS on the road this season, and asking them to go on the road and win by double-digits to beat us is asking too much.  The Spurs are 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings with the Grizzlies, all of which were decided by 8 points or less.  Bet the Spurs Friday.

15* NBA Friday Night BLOWOUT on Atlanta Hawks -4

The Golden State Warriors are 0-9 SU & 0-9 ATS in their last nine road games with seven losses by 8 points or more.  They have rarely even been competitive on the highway.  The Warriors are now 7-27 SU & 9-25 ATS on the road this season.

I cashed against them with a 25* on the Clippers -2 on Wednesday and they won and covered despite 50 points from Steph Curry.  You could see how dejected Curry was doing so much for this team, yet it still isn't enough.  Now Curry is questionable to play tonight with a thumb injury, and the Warriors will be without both Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green, who is serving a suspension.

The Atlanta Hawks are fully healthy and rested and highly motivated for a victory coming off consecutive losses to the Celtics and Timberwolves.  They have had the last three days off, so they couldn't possibly be any more fresh.  Meanwhile, the Warriors will be playing their 9th game in 16 days.  The spot and the injuries really favor the home team in this one.  Bet the Hawks Friday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Oklahoma City Thunder +6

The Oklahoma City Thunder are playing their best basketball of the season right now trying to make the playoffs.  They have gone 6-1 SU & 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall and are now one win away from getting back to .500 for the season.  Amazingly, all six of those wins have come by 9 points or more, so they are simply blowing teams out including playoff contenders like the Jazz (twice), Warriors, Pelicans and Nets.

The Toronto Raptors are 1-3 SU & 2-2 ATS in their last four games overall.  They are getting too much respect from a blowout win over the Nuggets last time out.  But they wanted revenge on Denver after losing to them on the road the week prior, and they were coming in on three days' rest.  That now makes this a bit of a letdown spot for the Raptors after getting their revenge against the Nuggets, who have the best record in the West but aren't playing well at all right now as they have been just going through the motions.

Oklahoma City is a 9-0 ATS in its last nine road games vs. Atlantic Division opponents.  The Thunder are 7-0 ATS following two straight wins by 10 points or more this season.  Toronto is 0-8 ATS in its last eight games following a win by 15 points or more as an underdog.  These three trends combine for a perfect 24-0 system backing Oklahoma City tonight.  Bet the Thunder Thursday.

25* NBA Western Conference GAME OF THE YEAR on Los Angeles Clippers -2

I love the spot for the Los Angeles Clippers tonight.  They are quickly forming chemistry with Westbrook, George and Leonard and are one of the deepest teams in the NBA.  They are 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last four games overall with their lone loss coming by a single point at Sacramento.  They beat three playoff contenders in Toronto, Memphis and New York at home.

Now the Clippers have had the last three days off and will be playing just their 2nd game in 7 days.  They are rested and ready to go and primed for a big effort tonight against the defending champion Warriors.  I think this number is way short considering the favorable spot for the Clippers tonight.

I think it's a great time to 'sell high' on the Warriors coming off two hard-fought home wins over the Bucks and Suns.  It's a letdown spot off those two huge victories.  The Warriors will now be playing their 7th game in 13 days and are still without Andrew Wiggins and others.  But with Steph Curry back, they are starting to get a lot of respect from oddsmakers.

The problem all season for the Warriors has been their home/road splits.  They have been a dominant home team, but the reason they are just 36-33 on the season after winning the title last year is because they are just 7-26 SU & 9-24 ATS on the road.  They haven't been able to correct their road woes all season even when Curry was healthy.

The Warriors are 0-8 SU & 0-8 ATS in their last eight road games losing outright to Minnesota as favorites, losing by 17 at Denver, by 3 as 2.5-point dogs at Portland, by 10 to the Clippers, by 13 to the Lakers, by 8 to the Lakers, by 9 to the Thunder and by 21 to the Grizzlies.  They've rarely even been competitive in these road losses, and they won't be tonight given the favorable spot for Los Angeles.  Home-court advantage has been huge in this series as the home team is 8-1 SU & 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings.  Bet the Clippers Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Houston Rockets +4

The Los Angeles Lakers will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 123-108 win in New Orleans last night.  Now they have to travel to Houston to take on the pesky Rockets, and they won't have Anthony Davis for this one after he led the way with 35 points against the Pelicans last night.  They will be without both LeBron and Davis now and can't be trusted without these two.

The Rockets have quietly gone 3-3 SU & 4-2 ATS in their last six games overall and are as healthy as they have been all season.  That includes a pair of blowout wins over the Spurs, an upset win over the Celtics as 12.5-point dogs, and they took both the Pacers (OT) and the Bulls to the wire.  They had three players score at least 20 points in the win over the Celtics last time out and are a very talented, young team that is not tanking.

The Rockets are 4-2 ATS in the last six meetings with the Lakers and were competitive in all six that were decided by 10 points or fewer.  The Lakers are 7-17 ATS in their last 24 games following a road win.  Los Angeles is 16-31 ATS in its last 47 games following a win by 10 points or more.  Bet the Rockets Wednesday.

20* Bucks/Suns NBA TV No-Brainer on UNDER 233

Both the Bucks and Suns will be playing on tired legs tonight after both playing in shootouts last night against the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors, respectively.  I think it will impact their offense more than their defense and neither team will be looking to push the tempo much.

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  These teams just met on February 26th with the Bucks winning 104-101 for just 205 combined points with a 231.5-point total.  Now the books have set the total even higher for the rematch here, and there's a ton of value on the UNDER given the circumstances.

Milwaukee is 10-1 UNDER in its last 11 road games when playing the 2nd of a back-to-back.  Phoenix is 13-3 UNDER when revenging a road loss this season.  The Bucks are 7-0 UNDER in road games when playing against a team that wins 51-60% of its games this season.  Bet the UNDER in this game Tuesday.

20* NBA Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Orlando Magic -5

The Orlando Magic continue to show up on a nightly basis and are a young team looking to improve to close out the season.  They are also fully healthy right now, and they have been a dangerous team when that has been the case.

The San Antonio Spurs are 4-24 SU in their last 28 games overall.  They are also 4-18 ATS in their last 22 games overall.  Amazingly, each of San Antonio's last 24 losses during this stretch have come by 5 points or more, and 17 of their last 21 losses have come by double-digits.

The Spurs have rarely even been competitive largely due to all the injuries they are dealing with right now which could be partially due to tanking.  The Spurs are without Tre Jones, Romeo Langford, Malaki Brandham and Jeremy Sochan right now and they could be without Keldon Johnson, who is questionable.  That's three of their top four scorers.  Bet the Magic Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Total DOMINATOR on Cavs/Hornets UNDER 224

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  This will be the 2nd meeting in 3 days between the Cavaliers and Hornets.  Cleveland won 114-108 in the first meeting for 222 combined points with a 221-point total.  Now the books have adjusted this number up 3 points, and there's clearly value with the UNDER in the rematch.

Charlotte has been an UNDER team since losing La'Melo Ball to injury.  Indeed, the UNDER is 9-2 in Hornets last 11 games overall.  The Hornets and their opponents have actually combined for 223 or fewer points in eight of their last nine games, making for an 8-1 system backing the UNDER pertaining to this 224-point total.

Four of the last five meetings between Charlotte and Cleveland have seen 223 or fewer combined points.  The UNDER is 16-5 in Hornets last 21 games overall.  The UNDER is 35-17-1 in Hornets last 53 home games.  The UNDER is 6-2 in the last eight meetings in Charlotte.  Bet the UNDER in this game Tuesday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE WEEK on Utah Jazz +8

The Utah Jazz will be completing their five-game road trip here Monday and want to end it with another victory.  They have four days off after this, so they will be 'all in' tonight for a win.  They are 3-0 ATS in their last three road games only losing by 4 at Dallas as 10-point dogs, upsetting Orlando by 7 as 4-point dogs and topping Charlotte by 8 as 1-point favorites.

I don't think Miami can be trusted to lay this kind of number with the way they are playing right now.  The Heat are just 4-8 SU & 3-9 ATS in their last 12 gams overall with their four wins coming by 2, 8, 2 and 4 points.  In fact, Miami hasn't won any of its last 23 games by more than 8 points making for a 23-0 system backing the Jazz pertaining to this 8-point spread.  Each of Miami's last 11 wins have come by 8 points or fewer.

The Heat are also a tired team right now playing their 7th game in 11 days.  They are coming off an OT loss at Orlando to boot.  They won't have much left in the tank for the Jazz, which will make it hard for them to put them away by margin.

Miami is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12 points.  Utah is 24-10 ATS as an underdog this season.  The Heat are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 home games.  Bet the Jazz Monday.

15* Knicks/Lakers ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles -2.5

The Los Angeles Lakers still have plenty of talent to win without LeBron James and are proving it.  They have gone 8-3 SU & 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games overall including two upset wins over Golden State, an upset win at Dallas, an upset win at OKC and two upset home wins over Memphis and Toronto coming in.

Anthony Davis is playing like a superstar, scoring at least 28 points in five of his last six games.  De'Angelo Russell just returned from injury for the Lakers last time out and scored 28 points with 9 assists in a 122-112 victory over Toronto.  Beasley, Schroder, Walker IV, Hachimura, Reaves, Vanderbilt and Brown Jr. all have key roles on this team and are playing them well.

While the Lakers are rested and ready to go playing just their 2nd game in 5 days, the Knicks will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 10th game in 17 days after a 95-106 loss to the Clippers yesterday.  The Knicks are a contender in the East is due to the addition of Jalen Brunson (23.8 PPG, 6.1 APG), one of the most underrated players in the NBA.  Unfortunately for the Knicks, Brunson suffered a foot injury two games back and sat out yesterday.  He's unlikely to return tonight.

Plays on home teams where the line is +3 to -3 (LA Lakers) - after winning five or six of their last seven games, winning between 40-49% of their games on the season are 30-9 (76.9%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Lakers Sunday.

20* NBA Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Portland Trail Blazers PK

The Portland Trail Blazers just got two starters back in Anfernee Simons (21.3 PPG, 4.1 APG) and Jusuf Nurkic (13.5 PPG, 9.3 RPG) for the stretch run.  They took the 76ers to the brink last time out losing 119-120 as 8.5-point road dogs.  I think they come back here and get a win at short-handed New Orleans.

The Pelicans are banged up right now and struggling to win games, going 2-7 SU & 2-7 ATS in their last nine games overall.  They are without Zion, Nance and Alvarado and could be without Brandon Ingram again tonight.  They didn't have him last night in their 96-110 upset home loss to the Thunder, and now they'll be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back here and won't have much left in the tank for Portland.  Bet the Blazers Sunday.

15* NBA Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Bulls/Rockets OVER 224

Both the Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets are fully healthy right now and this game should be a shootout as a result.  The Bulls are clocking on offense scoring 117 or more points in three of their last four games with the OVER going 3-1.  The Rockets have gone for 232 or more combined points in five of their last seen games overall with the OVER going 5-2 during this stretch.

This has been a very high-scoring series with the OVER going 3-0 in the last three meetings with combined scores of 251, 251 and 231 points.  The previous two meetings saw 220 and 245 combined points as well with the OVER going 4-1 in the last five meetings.  Bet the OVER in this game Saturday.

20* NBA Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Boston Celtics -4.5

It's time to 'buy low' on the Boston Celtics after going 2-4 SU & 2-4 ATS in their last six games overall going through one of their worst stretches of the season.  It has had to do with a tough schedule coupled with some injuries to key players.

But the Celtics are now healthy, rested and ready to go coming in on two days' rest.  The only key player they are missing is Robert Williams, who they have gotten used to playing without the past two seasons.  They got right in a 115-93 victory over Portland on Wednesday and now I'm expecting another blowout in their favor tonight.

This is a terrible spot for the Atlanta Hawks, who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 6th game in 9 days after a hard-fought 114-107 win over the Washington Wizards last night.  They have played four consecutive games that went to the wire and are simply out of gas right now.  They won't have much left in the tank for the Celtics tonight.

Boston is 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in its last three meetings with Atlanta winnings by 10, 9 and 25 points.  The Hawks are 4-14 ATS in their last 18 games revenging a blowout loss by 20 points or more.  The Celtics are 20-5 ATS in their last 25 games vs. a team with a winning record in the 2nd half of the season.  Atlanta is 9-24 ATS in its last 33 games following an ATS win.  Bet the Celtics Saturday.

20* NBA Saturday UPSET SHOCKER on Orlando Magic +2.5

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Orlando Magic after going 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall.  They had yesterday off and will be rested and ready to try and take down their hated Florida rivals in the Miami Heat.

But this is more of a fade against Miami than it is a play on Orlando.  This is a terrible spot for the Heat.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a double-digit comeback victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, getting revenge from a loss to the Cavaliers the game prior.  It will also be the 6th game in 9 days for the Heat, which is about as difficult a situation as there is in the NBA.

Orlando is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 games following three consecutive ATS losses.  Miami is 5-22-1 ATS in its last 28 games following an ATS win.  The Heat are 10-27-2 ATS in their last 39 games following a SU win.  The Magic are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games following a SU loss.  Bet the Magic Saturday.

20* Cavs/Heat NBA TV No-Brainer on UNDER 215

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  This will be the 2nd meeting in 3 days between the Cavaliers and Heat.  Cleveland won the first two days ago 104-100 for just 204 combined points.  Both teams actually shot well in that game too but it was played at a snail's pace.

Cleveland shot 48.7% from the field while Miami shot 50% from the field, and it's unlikely both teams will shoot that well again.  What is likely is that both teams will bring defensive intensity and it will be played at a snail's pace again.  Cleveland (30th) ranks dead last in pace this season while Miami ranks 28th.  Cleveland ranks 1st in defensive efficiency while Miami ranks 7th.

The UNDER is 5-1 in the last six meetings with Cleveland and Miami combining for 204 or fewer points in five of those six meetings.  They have averaged just 203 combined points per game in those six meetings, which is roughly 12 points less than this 215-point total.

Darius Garland (22.0 PPG, 7.9 APG) missed shootaround this morning and this total has since been bet down since I released it a couple hours prior to shootaround.  That's an added bonus for us if he doesn't play, and I still like this UNDER either way.  Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday UPSET SHOCKER on Miami Heat ML +105

The Miami Heat want revenge from a 104-100 home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers just two days ago on Wednesday.  They don't have to wait long for revenge and get them at home again here Friday.  I like their chances of getting that revenge considering they are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 home meetings with the Cavaliers.

Cleveland has been a below-average team when on the road this season going 14-19 SU & 14-17-2 ATS.  The Heat are 21-13 at home and will be extra motivated here given the situation.  Look for Jimmy Butler and company to come up big as the Heat are as healthy as they have been in a long time.

Cleveland is 2-11 ATS in its last 13 road games after winning four of its last five games coming in.  Darius Garland (22.0 PPG, 7.9 APG) missed shootaround this morning and Miami has become the favorite since I released this play a couple hours prior to shootaround.  That's an added bonus for us if he doesn't play, and I still like Miami either way.  Bet the Heat on the Money Line Friday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE MONTH on Hawks/Wizards UNDER 238.5

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  This will not only be the 2nd consecutive meeting between the Wizards and Hawks, it will also be their 3rd meeting in 11 days.  So it's safe to say these two teams are familiar with one another.

After combining for 235 points in their first meeting on February 28th, they came back for 242 combined points in their last meeting on March 8th just two days ago.  But they both shot lights out with the Wizards shooting 56.6% from the field and the Hawks 52.9%.  Both teams aren't going to shoot that well again, and thus it should stay UNDER this 238.5-point total.

The Hawks and Wizards have now combined for 236 or fewer points in six of their last seven meetings and eight of their last 10 meetings.  So this 238.5-point total has been tough for them to get to, and it certainly will be tough tonight given the familiarity which should favor the defenses.  Last game was played at a snail's pace and this one will be played even slower due to the familiarity.  Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

20* Knicks/Kings TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Sacramento -2.5

The Sacramento Kings have been one of the most underrated teams in the NBA this season.  They are 38-26 SU & 35-28-1 ATS this season and currently in 2nd place in the Western Conference.  Yet nobody wants to give this team the respect they deserve.

Now the Kings come in fully healthy and on two days' rest and are primed for a big effort at home on National TV on TNT.  They have one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA when they are good.  I think they make easy work of the Knicks tonight.

It's time to 'sell high' on the Knicks, who just had their 9-game winning streak snapped with a 105-112 upset home loss to Charlotte.  I always like fading teams the game after having an extended winning streak snapped because there tends to be a 'hangover' effect.  They aren't as motivated to keep their winning streak alive anymore.  

The Knicks are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall and have a huge betting bandwagon right now.  That's why we'll 'sell high' on them.  Their best player in Jalen Brunson (23.9 PPG, 6.2 APG) is nursing an ankle injury right now and questionable to play tonight.  Brunson has been on a tear averaging 27.5 PPG in his last 10 games.  Bet the Kings Thursday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Atlanta Hawks -3

The Washington Wizards are in a brutal spot tonight.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 4th game in 5 days after a 119-117 win in Detroit last night.  They struggled to beat the lowly Pistons, which meant their starters had to play big minutes to close the deal.  That will leave them on tired legs tonight and with not much left in the tank for the Hawks.

Atlanta comes in highly motivated for a victory following consecutive losses in Miami prior to having yesterday off.  They also want revenge from a 116-119 home loss to the Wizards on February 28th just over a week ago.  I expect the Hawks to win with room to spare tonight given the favorable spot both from a motivation and rest perspective.

Atlanta is 13-3 ATS in its last 16 road games following a loss by 6 points or less.  Plays on favorites (Atlanta) - revenging a loss as a home favorite of 7 points or more against an opponent that is coming off a road win are 40-15 (72.7%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Hawks Wednesday.

20* NBA Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Minnesota Timberwolves -2

The Minnesota Timberwolves are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall with road wins over the Clippers, Lakers and Kings.  Now they have had the last two days off to rest and prepare to face the Philadelphia 76ers tonight.

The 76ers don't have that same luxury.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th road game in 7 days, which is about as tough a spot as there is in the NBA.  They have been life and death in each of their last three games, including last night in a 147-143 shootout win at Indiana.

Embiid played 37 minutes, Harden 39 and Maxey 37 last night.  The 76ers could elect to rest some starters tonight, and they were already without both Tobias Harris and P.J. Tucker, two starters.  They might be wise to just punt this game and rest everyone given the circumstances.

Plays against road teams with a line of +3 to -3 (Philadelphia) - off a road win scoring 110 points or more, a tired team playing their 3rd game in 4 days is 58-27 (68.2%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Timberwolves Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Orlando Magic +7.5

The Orlando Magic have been one of the most profitable teams to back in the NBA over the past couple months.  They have gone 26-15 ATS in their last 41 games overall and continue to show up on a nightly basis.  They clearly aren't tanking.

The Magic are 10-1 SU & 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games following a loss. Dating back further, the Magic are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 games following a loss.  Adding to their motivation is the fact that they just lost in Milwaukee on March 1st less than a week ago.

The Bucks are overvalued right now due to their recent 16-game winning streak that was ended with a 130-133 home loss to Philadelphia.  They did go on to beat the Wizards by 6 on the road, and I don't see them getting margin against the Magic tonight, either.  This one will got to the wire so getting 7.5 points with Orlando is a nice value.  Bet the Magic Tuesday.

15* NBA Monday Total DOMINATOR on Hawks/Heat UNDER 229.5

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  This will be the 2nd meeting between Atlanta and Miami in 3 days.  They combined for just 226 points on Saturday and now the total has been set at 229.5 for the rematch, which is too high.

I had two bad beats the last two days playing this same situation.  I had the Wizards/Raptors UNDER 222.5 on Saturday in a game that was at 210 at the end or regulation but went to OT.  I had the Celtics/Knicks UNDER 228 on Sunday in a game that was at 226 at the end of regulation but also went to OT.  The system works, we just have to avoid the bad beat of OT.

The UNDER is 47-23 in the last 70 meetings.  The UNDER is 8-1 in the last eight meetings between the Hawks and Heat with 226 or fewer combined points in eight of those nine meetings.  In fact, the Heat and Hawks have combined for 226 or fewer points in nine of their last 10 meetings, making for a 9-1 system backing the UNDER pertaining to this 229.5-point total.  Bet the UNDER in this game Monday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Cleveland Cavaliers -6

I love the spot for the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight.  They will be playing just their 2nd game in 5 days and will be out for revenge from a 113-117 loss at Boston on March 1st.  Now they get to face them again at home this time around five days later.  The Cavaliers are 27-7 SU & 23-11 ATS at home this season.

The Boston Celtics are struggling going 1-3 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall.  They are in an absolutely terrible spot tonight playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a double-OT loss to the New York Knicks last night.  Tatum played 48 minutes, Brown, 47, Horford 45, Willaims 44 , Smart 39 and White 32 last night.  They won't have anything left in the tank for the Cavaliers and may rest some guys.

Cleveland is 8-1 ATS following a blowout win by 20 points or more this season.  The Cavaliers are 10-1-1 ATS in their last 12 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of great than .600.  Cleveland is 6-0 ATS in its last six games following a win by more than 10 points.  Bet the Cavaliers Monday.

15* Knicks/Celtics ESPN ANNIHILATOR on UNDER 228

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  This will be the 2nd meeting between the Knicks and Celtics in a week and their 3rd meeting in 5 weeks.  In that first meeting back on January these teams combined for 220 points at the end of regulation, and then last week they combined for just 203 points at the end of regulation.

As you can see, this 228-point total is way higher than what the Knicks and Celtics combined for in their two recent meetings.  There is a ton of value on the UNDER as a result.  It will also be a National TV game on ESPN, so the defensive intensity will be there.

The UNDER is 13-3 in Celtics last 16 games following a double-digit home loss.  Boston is 12-4 UNDER vs. a team that wins 51-60% of their games this season.  Bet the UNDER in this game Sunday.

20* NBA Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Orlando Magic -2

The Orlando Magic have been one of the most profitable teams to back in the NBA over the past couple months.  They have gone 26-14 ATS in their last 40 games overall and continue to show up on a nightly basis.  They clearly aren't tanking.

The Portland Trail Blazers have some significant injuries that have led to them going just 3-8 SU & 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games overall with all three victories coming at home.  They are 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in road games during this stretch losing by 18 at Atlanta, by 18 at Golden State, by 17 at Sacramento and by 8 at Chicago.  They are without both Simons (21.1 PPG) and Nurkic (13.8 PPG, 9.4 RPG) right now.

Orlando is 14-4 ATS in its last 18 games after playing two consecutive road games.  The Magic are 16-6 ATS vs. Western Conference opponents this season.  Portland is 3-13 ATS vs. teams that win 40-49% of their games this season.  The Blazers are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 road games.  Orlando is 20-7 ATS in its last 27 games when playing on one day of rest.  Bet the Magic Sunday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Raptors/Wizards UNDER 222.5

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  This will be the 2nd meeting in 3 days between the Raptors and Wizards.  They combined for 227 points in their first meeting on Thursday but there were fouls and a ton of made shots in the final minute that sent that game over the total.

The first meeting saw a total of 222 and this total for the rematch is a tick higher at 222.5.  So oddsmakers have failed to adjust for the familiarity factor, and we'll take advantage and back an UNDER that has a ton of value given the spot.

It also has a ton of value when you look at the head-to-head history.  The UNDER is 4-1 in the last five meetings with combined scores of 227, 214, 192, 209 and 181 points.  They have averaged just 204.6 combined points per game in their last five meetings, which is roughly 18 points less than tonight's posted total of 222.5.

Toronto ranks 25th in pace while Washington ranks 21st, so both teams like to slow it down.  Toronto is 16-4 UNDER in its last 20 road games after winning five or six of its last seven games.  Toronto is 17-6 UNDER in its last 23 home games after winning four or five of its last six games.  Bet the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* NBA Friday Undervalued Underdog on Los Angeles Clippers +6.5

This is the ultimate 'buy low' spot on the Los Angeles Clippers.  They have gone 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall which includes two OT losses and a blown double-digit lead to the Warriors.  They are close to putting it together.

I think the Clippers fire back with an inspired effort tonight out for revenge from a historic 175-176 (double OT) loss to the Sacramento Kings in their first game back from the All-Star Break on February 24th.  Now they get their shot at revenge here a week later, and I think this one goes down to the wire again, so getting 6.5 points with the Clippers is a really nice value.

We'll 'sell high' on the Kings, who are 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall against a soft schedule of the Blazers, that double OT win over the Clippers and beating the Thunder without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander twice by single-digits.

The Clippers are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 road games after failing to cover four of their last five coming in.  Plays on underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (LA Clippers) - after being beaten by the spread by 48 or more points total in their last seven games against an opponent that went over the total by 48 or more points in their last seven games are 33-9 (78.6%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Clippers Friday.

15* Grizzlies/Nuggets ESPN ANNIHILATOR on UNDER 234

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  The Nuggets and Grizzlies will be meeting for a 2nd time in 7 days.  The Grizzlies won the first meeting 112-94 for just 206 combined points.  It will be a similar low scoring game in the rematch here Friday.

The UNDER is 6-1 in the last seven meetings with the Grizzlies and Nuggets combining for 231 or fewer points in six of those seven meetings.  They have combined for 206, 196, 231, 240, 214, 203, and 214 points in their last seven meetings, respectively.

The UNDER is 13-3-1 in Grizzlies last 17 games overall.  The UNDER is 19-7 in Nuggets last 26 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The UNDER is 27-11 in the last 38 meetings.  Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE MONTH on Orlando Magic -3.5

Tough break for the Charlotte Hornets after going 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall, they lost their best player in La'Melo Ball (23.3 PPG, 8.4 APG, 6.3 RPG) to a season-ending injury.  They promptly lost by 14 at home to the Suns in their first game without him.  They are also without PJ Washington (15.3 PPG) right now.

The Orlando Magic are fully healthy and should make easy work of the short-handed Hornets.  The Magic continue to battle here down the stretch, especially when coming off a loss.  The Magic are 9-1 SU & 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a loss.

Dating back further, the Magic are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games following a loss.  Orlando is 6-0 ATS in its last six games following a loss by more than 10 points.  Orlando is 14-6 ATS in its last 20 road games.  Charlotte is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games following a loss.  The Hornets will have questionable motivation the rest of the way without Ball.  Bet the Magic Friday.

20* Clippers/Warriors TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles -3.5

I love the spot for the Los Angeles Clippers tonight.  We'll 'buy low' on them after going 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall.  That assures they will be highly motivated for a victory, and now they've had a few games to work out their chemistry with Russell Westbrook.  At their best, this Clippers team is one of the best in the league and would crush this current version of the Golden State Warriors.

While the Clippers are fully healthy, the Warriors are without their two best players in Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins right now.  They have six players on the injury report currently including Jordan Poole.  This version of them isn't good enough to hang with the Clippers, not even at home.

Los Angeles is 16-5 ATS in its last 21 road games after failing to cover five or six of its last seven games coming in.  Plays on road favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (LA Clippers) - off an upset loss as a home favorite against a team that is off a home win where they scored 110 or more points are 31-7 (81.6%) since 1996.  Bet the Clippers Thursday.

15* NBA Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Orlando Magic +7.5

It's time to 'sell high' on the Milwaukee Bucks following 15 consecutive victories.  But now is the spot they let down playing the 2nd of a back-to-back following a comeback win at Brooklyn from 10 points down at halftime last night.

The Orlando Magic have been one of the most underrated teams in the NBA over the past couple months.  They have gone 25-13 ATS in their last 38 games overall.  The Magic are fully healthy right now and ultra competitive even against the best teams in the NBA.

Indeed, the Magic are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.  Orlando is 8-1 ATS vs. teams that make 14 or more 3-pointers per game this season.  Bet the Magic Wednesday.

20* Cavs/Celtics ESPN No-Brainer on Cleveland +5.5

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Cleveland Cavaliers.  They had lost three straight before crushing the Toronto Raptors 118-93 at home on Sunday.  Now they have had the last two days off and are rested and ready to go tonight.

Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics will be playing in their 4th different city in 7 days.  They have been shaky since returning from the break, needing OT to beat the Pacers, winning by 3 over the 76ers and losing by 15 to the Knicks.  I fully expect this game to go down to the wire tonight.

The Cavaliers have had the Celtics number in their two meetings this season, pulling the 132-123 upset on the road as well as beating the Celtics at home.  They clearly match up well with them and that won't change here tonight.

Boston is 1-13 ATS when revenging a loss as a favorite this season.  The Celtics are 0-10 ATS when revenging a same-season loss this season.  The Cavaliers are 5-0 ATS in their last five games following a win by more than 10 points.  Bet the Cavaliers Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Charlotte Hornets +10.5

The public is all over the Phoenix Suns tonight in anticipation of Kevin Durant's debut with the team.  That's why they are double-digit road favorites here when they shouldn't be, and we'll take advantage.  Chemistry will be an issue for the Suns in the immediate future trying to incorporate Durant, and he'll also be on a minutes restriction.

Couple that with the fact that La'Melo Ball just suffered a season-ending injury for the Hornets and the public is really on the Suns.  But teams tend to rally in their first game without their superstar, and the Hornets will do just that tonight.

The Hornets have quietly gone 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall with three outright upsets as underdogs of 5.5 points or more.  They still have plenty of talent without Ball to compete with the Suns with the likes of Oubre Jr., Rozier and Hayward all healthy right now.

The Suns are 1-5 ATS in their last six games when playing on two days' rest.  The Hornets are 6-0 ATS in their last six games following a win.  Bet the Hornets Wednesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Indiana Pacers +9

The Indiana Pacers are 2-1 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall with their lone loss coming in OT to the Celtics.  They went on the road and beat the Magic by 13 last time out, and I think they take the Dallas Mavericks to the wire tonight.  They are as healthy as they have been all season which is a big reason for their recent surge.

The Dallas Mavericks are over-hyped right now due to trading for Kyrie Irving.  They are 1-4 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall with their lone victory coming against the worst team in the NBA in the San Antonio Spurs.  Asking the Mavericks to beat the Pacers by double-digits to beat us is asking too much tonight.

The Pacers are 13-3 ATS when playing just their 2nd game in 5 days this season.  The Mavericks are 13-27 ATS as favorites this season.  Dallas is 4-14 ATS in non-conference games this season.  The Mavericks are 6-19-1 ATS in their last 26 games vs. a team with a losing record.  Bet the Pacers Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday UPSET SHOCKER on Oklahoma City Thunder +3.5

I love the spot for the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight.  They will be out for revenge from a 115-124 home loss to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, and now they get their shot at revenge here just two days later.  And there's a chance the Kings won't have De'Aron Fox, who is questionable with a wrist injury and means everything to them.  Either way I think the Thunder pull off the upset.

The Thunder are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games following a loss.  Oklahoma City is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games following an ATS loss.  The Thunder are 14-2 ATS in their last 16 games after losing four or five of their last six games.  The Kings will suffer a letdown tonight after just beating this team two days ago.  Bet the Thunder Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Brooklyn Nets +6.5

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Milwaukee Bucks following 14 consecutive victories, and a great time to 'buy low' on the Brooklyn Nets following two consecutive losses while also losing four of their last five games overall.

It was going to take the Nets a few games to form some chemistry following the trades.  They played well in Atlanta losing 127-129 as 6.5-point dogs last time out.  And now they are back home for the first time since the break and will be highly motivated to try and knock off the Bucks.  Don't be surprised to see Milwaukee take them lightly tonight.

Brooklyn is 46-29 ATS in its last 75 games as an underdog.  The Nets are 19-10 ATS after playing a road game this season.  The Nets are 7-1 ATS in their last eight home games.  Brooklyn is 25-9-1 ATS in its last 35 games after allowing more than 25 points in its previous game.  Brooklyn has an elite defender in Mikal Bridges to sick on Giannis, which is a factor that is getting overlooked here.  Bet the Nets Tuesday.

20* NBA Monday No-Doubt Rout on New Orleans Pelicans -3.5

This is a great time to 'buy low' on the New Orleans Pelicans following three consecutive road losses to the Lakers, Raptors and Knicks.  Now the Pelicans return home highly motivated for a victory where they are 20-10 SU & 17-13 ATS this season.

They host an Orlando Magic team that is quickly playing themselves out of playoff contention after going 3-4 SU & 2-5 ATS in their last seven games overall.  They barely beat the Pistons by 2 as 7.5-point home favorites in their first game back from the break, and were blown out by the Pacers by 13 as 2.5-point home favorites last time out.  This is a step up in class for them and now having to go on the road.

The Pelicans are 28-14 ATS in their last 42 games after losing four or five of their last six games.  New Orleans is 24-13 ATS in its last 37 games as a home favorite.  Plays against underdogs (Orlando) - off an upset losses as a favorite, in a game involving two teams that win 40-49% of their games are 26-9 (74.3%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Pelicans Monday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Cleveland Cavaliers -6.5

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Cleveland Cavaliers.  They are 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall and highly motivated for a victory as a result.  The three losses came to the 76ers, Nuggets and Hawks, where they were playing the 2nd of a back-to-back.  So the spots haven't been great for them, but this is a great spot here.

The Cavaliers are 25-7 SU & 21-11 ATS at home this season.  They had yesterday off and host a Toronto Raptors team that will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 95-91 win over lowly Detroit last night.  

It will also be the 2nd road game in 2 days and the 3rd game in 4 days overall for the Raptors.  Anunoby played over 38 minutes, Barnes 37, Trent Jr. 36 and Siakam 35 yesterday for the Raptors.  They also may be without VanVleet again.

Toronto is 1-13 ATS in its last 14 road games when playing 4 or less games in 10 days.  The Raptors are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games.  The Cavaliers are 11-2-1 ATS in their last 14 Sunday games.  Cleveland is 7-1-2 ATS in its last 10 games following a loss by more than 10 points.  Bet the Cavaliers Sunday.

15* NBA Saturday Night BLOWOUT on Memphis Grizzlies ML -120

The Denver Nuggets have a six-game lead over the Memphis Grizzlies for first place in the Western Conference.  It's easy to see who is going to be the more motivated of these two teams, and I like the Grizzlies to win at home here Saturday to inch closer to the Nuggets.

Adding to Memphis' motivation is that they're coming off a 5-point road loss to Philadelphia, which is one of the toughest places to play in the NBA.  The Nuggets pulled the upset in Cleveland with a big 4th quarter in their first game back from the break and won't be as motivated as a result.

Speaking of tough places to play, Memphis is 24-5 SU at home this season.  Memphis is 38-17-1 ATS in its last 56 home games.  The Grizzlies are 10-1 ATS after scoring 105 points or fewer this season.  Memphis is 4-0 ATS in its last four home meetings with Denver.   Jaren Jackson Jr. is likely going to win Defensive Player of the Year and he matches up with Nikola Jokic as well as any big man in the league can.  Bet the Grizzlies on the Money Line Saturday.

20* NBA Saturday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on New Orleans Pelicans +3

The New Orleans Pelicans are playing better going 4-3 SU & 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall.  They lost by 5 on the road at Toronto in their first game back from the break, and I look for them to come back highly motivated for a victory tonight in New York as a result.

The Pelicans had yesterday off, while the Knicks will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after coming back from double-digits down to beat the Washington Wizards 115-109 on the road last night.  Julius Randle played over 36 minutes and Jalen Brunson over 38 minutes for the Knicks last night.

New York is 10-22 ATS in its last 32 home games following a win.  Plays against any team (New York) - following two or more consecutive upset wins as road underdogs, when playing the 2nd of a back-to-back are 103-58 (64%) ATS since 1996.

Plays on road teams where the line is +3 to -3 (New Orleans) - following two or more consecutive road losses, a well-rested team playing 6 or fewer games in 14 days are 84-41 (67.2%) ATS since 1996.  The road team is 4-1 SU in the last five meetings.  Bet the Pelicans Saturday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE WEEK on Charlotte Hornets +6.5

The Charlotte Hornets won their final two games going into the All-Star Break upsetting Atlanta as 5.5-point dogs and crushing the Spurs by 10 as 5-point favorites.  There's a lot to like about this team moving forward because they are as healthy as they have been in a long time.

La'Melo Ball, Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier and Kelly Oubre Jr. have all missed significant time for the Hornets this season which has contributed to their struggles.  But they are all healthy coming out of the All-Star Break.  They are primed for a big effort here against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Timberwolves traded away De'Angelo Russell and are still without Karl-Anthony Towns, two of their three best players.  They are probably going to be a fade team the rest of the way until Towns returns because Anthony Edwards can't do it all on his own.

Charlotte simply owns Minnesota.  The Hornets have gone 5-1 SU & 5-0-1 ATS in their last six meetings with the Timberwolves with their lone loss coming in OT.  They beat the Timberwolves 110-108 as 6.5-point home underdogs in their first meeting this season.  Charlotte is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games when playing in three or more days' rest.  Bet the Hornets Friday.

15* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Nets/Bulls OVER 222.5

This is a pretty low total for an NBA game.  The Nets are better offensively than they get credit for after trading away Irving and Durant and getting back some really nice pieces in Dinwiddie, Bridges and Johnson along with the emergence of Cam Thomas.  The Bulls are very healthy coming out of the All-Star Break and should get their offense going after a rough finish to the break with six consecutive losses.

Plays on the OVER on all teams with a total of 220 to 229.5 (Chicago) - after going under the total by 36 or more points total in their last five games, winning between 40-49% of their games on the season are 97-57 (63%) since 1996.  The OVER is 9-3-1 in Nets last 13 games overall.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday UPSET SHOCKER on Washington Wizards +2

The Washington Wizards have quietly gone 10-4 SU & 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games overall.  They actually rank 3rd in the NBA in net rating over their past 15 games, and only the Cavaliers and Bucks have been better.  They should not be home underdogs to the New York Knicks tonight.

The Knicks have gone 8-8 SU & 8-8 ATS in their last 16 games overall.  They rank 17th in net rating over their past 15 games.  They have been below average during this stretch, and they have no business being road favorites here.

Washington is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 home games after covering three of its last four coming in.  Bet the Wizards Friday.

15* Warriors/Lakers TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles -5

The Los Angeles Lakers sit in 13th place in the West and two games out of the play-in round and 3.5 games out of 6th place.  It's safe to say they will be fully focused and locked in here for the stretch run to try and make the playoffs.  They made some key trades that will help them, and they are fully healthy coming out of the break with both LeBron and Davis probable tonight.

The same cannot be said for the Warriors, who will be without their two best players in Steph Curry (29.4 PPG, 6.4 APG) and Andrew Wiggins (17.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG).  The Warriors are one of the worst road teams in the NBA this season to boot, going 7-22 SU & 9-20 ATS away from home this season.  This one has blowout written all over it.  Bet the Lakers Thursday.

20* NBA Thursday UPSET SHOCKER on Oklahoma City Thunder +2.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder come out of the All-Star Break as the 10th and final team to make the play-in round in the Western Conference.  They are just 1.5 games out of 6th place and a secured spot.  They have a lot to play for the rest of the way and are trending up, ranking 3rd in the NBA in net rating over their last 15 games.  Only the Cavaliers and Bucks have been better.

The Utah Jazz just made some big trades that indicate they are punting on this season.  They are in 11th in the West and faltering, going 2-5 SU In their last seven games while ranking 26th in net rating during this span.  They traded away Mike Conley hoping to get Collin Sexton (14.3 PPG) more minutes, but he's out tonight.  They also let Russell Westbrook walk to the Clippers.  What's left of this roster is an NBA bottom feeder.

The Thunder are 44-21-1 ATS in their last 66 road games.  Oklahoma City is 25-9-1 ATS in its last 35 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The Thunder are 12-4 ATS in the last 16 meetings, including 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings in Salt Lake City.  Bet the Thunder Thursday.

20* NBA Thursday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on New Orleans Pelicans +6

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the New Orleans Pelicans.  They went 4-12 SU & 5-10-1 ATS in their final 16 games going into the All-Star Break as they were really banged up.  They are still without Zion Williamson, but they are healthy everywhere else and come out of the break playing with a chip on their shoulder.  They are just a half-game back of the 6th spot in the West to avoid the play-in round despite their recent struggles.

I like their chances of staying within 6 points of the Toronto Raptors, who we'll 'sell high' on after winning five of their final six games going into the break against an extremely soft schedule of Houston, San Antonio, Detroit, Orlando, Utah and Memphis.  Both OG Anunoby and Thaddeus Young are questionable for the Raptors tonight.

Toronto is 6-19 ATS in its last 25 home games following a win by 10 points or more.  The Pelicans are 4-1 SU & 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.  New Orleans is 5-1 ATS in its last six trips to Toronto.  Bet the Pelicans Thursday.

25* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE YEAR on Cleveland Cavaliers -2

The Denver Nuggets are fat and happy coming out of the All-Star Break sitting in first place in the West with a five-game lead over Memphis.  I don't expect them to come out of the break playing with a sense of urgency.  They definitely aren't healthy coming out of the break with Jamal Murray (20.2 PPG, 5.8 APG) battling a knee injury and questionable, while Aaron Gordon (17.3 PPG, 6.9 APG) is out.

Cleveland went into the break playing some of the best basketball in the NBA going 7-1 SU & 6-2 ATS in their final eight games with all seven victories coming by 8 points or more.  They did lost at Philadelphia in their final game, and that will help them come out of the break more motivated.  Not that they are lacking any motivation as they are in 4th place in the East and only five games back of first place.

The Cavaliers come out of the break fully healthy with the exception of Ricky Rubio, who they have been without for most of the season anyway.  They have one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA going 25-6 SU & 20-10-1 ATS at home this season while outscoring opponents by 8.8 points per game.  Denver is a mediocre 14-4 SU & 12-16 ATS on the road this season.

Denver is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 road games following three consecutive games where they made 47% shots or better, including 0-7 ATS in their last seven road games following two consecutive games where they made 50% of their shots or better.  Cleveland has the big men defensively that will make life on Nikola Jokic much more difficult than he's used to on a nightly basis.  Bet the Cavaliers Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday Night BLOWOUT on Orlando Magic -6.5

I keep riding the Orlando Magic and they keep delivering.  The Magic have quietly gone 24-11 ATS in their last 35 games overall with outright upset wins over Boston (three times), Philadelphia, Golden State, Denver and the Clippers among others.  They are much better than the books and the bettors are giving them credit for.

Now the Magic come out of the break with their sights set on revenge from two losses at Detroit in their first two meetings this season, both of which came in 2022.  They have been a completely different team in 2023 with a positive net rating over their last 15 games.  They are much better than the Detroit Pistons.

The Pistons look to be tanking and there's just not much to like about them right now.  They lost five of their final six games prior to the All-Star Break with their lone win coming at home over the lowly Spurs in OT.  They rank 27th in the net rating over their past 15 games and 28th on the season.  They sit at 15-44 on the season.

Orlando is 13-3 ATS after playing two consecutive road games this season.  The Magic are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games following an ATS loss.  Orlando is 13-3 ATS in its last 16 games following a SU loss.  Bet the Magic Thursday.

20* Bucks/Bulls TNT No-Brainer on Milwaukee -7.5

The Chicago Bulls are struggling going 0-5 SU & 0-5 ATS in their last five games overall.  They are banged up with DeRozan, Dragic and Jones Jr. all questionable to play tonight.  And now they are in an absolutely terrible spot.

Indeed, the Bulls will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back following a 113-117 loss in Indiana last night.  It will also be the 7th game in 11 days for the Bulls.  They couldn't hold on to a 24-point lead at the end of the 1st quarter, which shows how bad they are right now.  It also meant that their starters would have to play big minutes.  LaVine played 42 minutes. Dosunmu 42, Vucevic 36 and White 33 for the Bulls last night.

They won't have much left in the tank for the Milwaukee Bucks, who are playing as well as anyone in the NBA right now and will be motivated to extend their 11-game winning streak to 12 games in their final game prior to the All-Star Break.  Nine of their 11 wins have come by 8 points or more during this streak.  They are the much fresher team playing just their 2nd game in 6 days.  Look for them to put it on the Bulls tonight.

Milwaukee is 29-13 ATS in its last 42 games as a road favorite.  Chicago is 5-14 ATS in its last 19 games following a road loss.  The Bucks are 5-0 ATS in their last five road games.  Milwaukee is 13-3 ATS in its last 16 trips to Chicago.  Bet the Bucks Thursday.

15* NBA Wednesday Night BLOWOUT on Brooklyn Nets PK

The Brooklyn Nets will be playing with a chip on their shoulders moving forward.  They have a bunch of players now that were traded in the Durant and Irving deals.  I really like the pieces they got back in Dinwiddie (17.9 PPG, 5.3 APG), Bridges (17.2 PPG), Johnson (13.8 PPG) and Finney-Smith (9.0 PPG).  I also like holdovers Claxton (13.0 PPG), Curry (10.6 PPG), Thomas (10.6 PPG), O'Neale (9.2 PPG) and Harris (8.6 PPG).  This is now one of the deepest teams in the NBA and won't be an easy out.

While the Nets are fully healthy heading into their final game prior to the All-Star Break and will have all hands on deck, the Miami Heat are limping into the break.  They are without Herro (20.6 PPG), Oladipo (11.2 PPG), Lowry (12.0 PPG, 5.3 APG) and Robinson (6.9 PPG) tonight.  The Heat are just 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall and struggling right now due to these injuries.

Miami is 3-11 ATS when revenging a home loss this season.  Plays on home favorites or PK (Brooklyn) - after having lost five or six of their last seven games, a winning team playing another winning team are 36-11 (76.6%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Nets Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Detroit Pistons +7.5

This is a terrible spot for the Boston Celtics tonight.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 125-131 (OT) loss in Milwaukee last night.  They won't have much left in the tank for the Detroit Pistons tonight, and they won't be all that motivated to beat them for a 4th time.

Meanwhile, the Pistons will be playing with triple-revenge after losing by 16, 9 and 12 points to the Celtics in their first three meetings this season.  They will also be the much fresher team coming in on two days' rest after a 1-point loss at Toronto as 11-point dogs last time out.

Plays on any team (Detroit) - revenging a home loss vs. opponent that is coming off a road cover where they lost SU as an underdog are 52-24 (68.4%) ATS over the last five seasons.  The Pistons are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 meetings, including 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings in Boston.  Bet the Pistons Wednesday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Indiana Pacers -2.5

The Indiana Pacers will be highly motivated for a victory tonight after losing five consecutive games coming in.  This is their final game prior to the All-Star Break so they would love to go into the break without the sour taste of a six-game losing streak.  They are as healthy as they have been in a long time and primed for a big effort here.

The Chicago Bulls are struggling worse, going 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall losing by 15 at Memphis, by 11 at Brooklyn, by 8 at Cleveland and by 9 at home to Orlando.  Making matters worse are six players on the injury report.  They will be without DeRozan and Jones Jr, while both Caruso and Dragic are questionable.

The Bulls are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games.  Indiana is 13-6 ATS in its last 19 home meetings with Chicago.  The Pacers are 17-14 SU & 18-12 ATS at home this season.  The Bulls are 10-19 SU on the road this season.  Chicago is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 road games following three or more consecutive underdogs.  Indiana is 10-2 ATS in home games following a non-conference game this season.  Bet the Pacers Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Bulls/Pacers OVER 230.5

The Indiana Pacers are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 4th in the NBA in pace and 25th in defensive efficiency.  They have a healthy Tyrese Haliburton (20.0 PPG, 10.1 APG) now and he makes all the difference for this team offensively.

This total is lower than it should be due to the Bulls going under the total in five consecutive games coming in.  But they should get their offense going tonight against the Pacers, plus I expect them to give up a big number here.  

The first two meetings between these teams saw totals of 234.5 and 233 points, so as you can see there's some value on this OVER 230.5 number when you compare the previous two totals.  They combined for 233 points in their first meeting and 226 in their 2nd meeting.  But they shot a combined 15-of-61 from 3-point range in that 2nd meeting, and they aren't going to shoot that poorly again.

Plays on the OVER on road teams where the total is 220 or higher (Chicago) - after going under the total by 36 or more points total in their last five games in February games are 45-19 (70.3%) Over the last five seasons.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Orlando Magic +7

I keep riding the Orlando Magic and they keep delivering.  The Magic have quietly gone 24-10 ATS in their last 34 games overall with outright upset wins over Boston (three times), Philadelphia, Golden State, Denver and the Clippers among others.  They are much better than the books and the bettors are giving them credit for.

I just cashed the Magic +5 last night in their 100-91 outright win at Chicago.  Now this line has been adjusted too much for them playing the 2nd of a back-to-back.  This is one of the deepest teams in the NBA so they can handle these situations better than most.

The Toronto Raptors cannot be trusted to lay this kind of a number right now.  They only beat the Pistons by 1 as 11-point home favorites last time out, and they lost by 6 to Utah as 8.5-point favorites the game prior.  This is a step up in class for Toronto.

Orlando upset Toronto in each of their last two meetings this season winning 113-109 as 8-point dogs and 111-99 as 7-point dogs.  The Raptors are 16-46 ATS in their last 62 games when revenging two consecutive SU loss as a favorite.  Toronto is 5-13 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  The Magic are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games.  Bet the Magic Tuesday.

20* Celtics/Bucks TNT No-Brainer on Milwaukee -8.5

The Boston Celtics stand little chance of keeping this game competitive tonight considering they are going to be without their three best players in Jayson Tatum (30.5 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 4.5 APG), Jaylen Brown (26.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG) and Marcus Smart (11.1 PPG, 7.2 APG).  It's simply too much for them to overcome tonight.  Not to mention, Robert Williams and Grant Williams are both questionable as well.

The Milwaukee Bucks won't be taking the Celtics lightly without these guys, either.  They trail the Celtics for 1st place in the East and this will be a National TV game, so they will be putting their best foot forward.  It's amazing how good this team is when healthy and it has shown over the past couple weeks during their current 10-game winning streak.  Nine of the 10 wins have come by 8 points or more.

The Bucks are 16-6 ATS as favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  Milwaukee is 23-5 SU & 18-10 ATS at home this season.  The Bucks are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 home games vs. good offensive teams that average 116 or more points per game.  Bet the Bucks Tuesday.

20* NBA Monday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Washington Wizards +4

The Washington Wizards have quietly gone 8-3 SU & 8-3 ATS in their last eight games overall with three outright upsets.  They are playing their best basketball of the season right now, and I fully expect them to upset the Golden State Warriors tonight.  The Wizards are rested and ready to go playing just their 2nd game in 5 days and are primed for another big effort.

I'm looking to fade the Warriors without Stephen Curry until he returns.  They are coming off consecutive losses to the Blazers and Lakers, who didn't even have LeBron James.  They could be without Andrew Wiggins, who is questionable with an ankle injury.  They just should not be favored over the Wizards given the state of these two teams currently.

The Wizards are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games.  Washington is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games following a win.  The Wizards are 23-9-1 ATS in their last 33 games following a win by more than 10 points.  The Warriors are 2-7 ATS in their last nine home games.  Golden State is 0-4 ATS in its last four games following a loss.  Bet the Wizards Monday.

15* NBA Western Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Minnesota Timberwolves +8

The Minnesota Timberwolves are in a great spot tonight.  They coming in on two days' rest and have the next two days off after this game.  They will be 'all in' tonight in Dallas a result, and it should be enough to cover this 8-point spread and possibly win this game outright.

Dallas won both games with Kyrie Irving and without Luka Doncic, but then lost the game they both made their debut together against the Kings.  The Mavericks will now be playing their 3rd game in 4 days after two shootouts with the Kings in Sacramento.  I fully expect the Mavericks to be overvalued the rest the way with Irving and Doncic, who are both great on offense but terrible on defense.

Minnesota is 4-3 SU & 4-3 ATS in its last seven meetings with Dallas with two losses coming by 2 and 5 points.  So the Timberwolves have lost just one game in their last seven meetings with the Mavericks by more than this 8-point margin.

The Timberwolves are 6-0 ATS in their last six games following a SU loss, and 6-0 ATS in their last six games following an ATS loss as well.  Dallas is 6-16 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  Bet the Timberwolves Monday.

15* NBA Eastern Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Orlando Magic +5

I keep riding the Orlando Magic and they keep delivering.  The Magic have quietly gone 23-10 ATS in their last 33 games overall with outright upset wins over Boston (three times), Philadelphia, Golden State, Denver and the Clippers among others.  They are much better than the books and the bettors are giving them credit for.

Now the Magic have their sights set on revenge from a 109-128 home loss to the Chicago Bulls on January 28th two weeks ago.  That was a terrible spot for the Magic playing the 2nd of a back-to-back following a loss at Miami the night before.  It was also their 6th game in 9 days and they had nothing left in the tank for the Bulls.

Now they face a Chicago team not playing well at all going 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall with losses by 15 at Memphis, by 11 at Brooklyn and by 8 at Cleveland.  The Bulls will be playing their 5th game in 8 days here and are starting to run out of gas heading into the All-Star Break.

The Magic are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games following a SU loss, and 7-0 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS loss.  Orlando is 4-1 ATS in its last five trips to Chicago.  Bet the Magic Monday.

20* NBA GAME OF THE WEEK on Detroit Pistons +11.5

The Detroit Pistons aren't tanking contrary to popular belief.  They kept almost everyone at the trade deadline including Bojan Bogdanovic (21.5 PPG), who was one of the hottest trade pieces on the market.  They promptly won their first game since the deadline over the Spurs at home.

The Toronto Raptors promptly were upset as 8.5-point home favorites to the Utah Jazz in their first game since the deadline.  They cannot be trusted here as 11.5-point favorites over the Pistons, especially when you consider how Detroit has had their number in recent meetings.

Indeed, the Pistons are actually 6-1 SU & 7-0 ATS in their last seven meetings with the Raptors with six outright upsets as underdogs of 5 points or more in all six.  Their lone loss came by 4 points.  They just match up well with the Raptors clearly, and they won't go down without a fight today.  Bet the Pistons Sunday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Orlando Magic +2.5

I keep riding the Orlando Magic and they keep delivering.  The Magic have quietly gone 23-9 ATS in their last 32 games overall with outright upset wins over Boston (three times), Philadelphia, Golden State, Denver and the Clippers among others.  They are much better than the books and the bettors are giving them credit for.

The spot favors the Magic tonight as they had Friday off, while Miami just had to go to the wire in a 97-95 home win over lowly Houston as 12-point favorites.  A big reason the Heat struggled is because they are short-handed right now playing without Lowry, Oladipo and Robinson.  Now they'll have to play the 2nd of a back-to-back after having four players play at least 34 minutes last night.  They won't have much left in the tank for Orlando.

The home team is 7-2 SU in the last nine meetings.  The Magic are 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings.  The Heat are 7-19-1 ATS in their last 27 games vs. a team with a losing record.  Miami is 9-23-2 ATS in its last 34 games following a win.  The Heat are 4-10-1 ATS in their last 15 games playing on zero rest.  The Magic are 17-4 ATS in their last 21 games playing on one days' rest.  Bet the Magic Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday UPSET SHOCKER on Brooklyn Nets +3.5

I have the Brooklyn Nets circled as a 'buy low' team moving forward.  They just traded away Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving but got back some great pieces in those trades that will have them playing team basketball moving forward.  I like Dinwiddie, Finney-Smith, Bridge and Johnson a lot.  

Not to mention, Cam Thomas is on an absolute tear scoring 44, 47, 43 and 20 points in his last four games.  The Nets are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall with upset wins over Chicago and Washington as well as narrow losses to the Clippers and Suns.  I fully expect them to upset the 76ers tonight.

This is a terrible spot for the 76ers.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back following a comeback 119-108 home win over New York last night.  They will now be playing in their 3rd different city in 4 days.  Embiid played 37 minutes, Harden 37, Harris 34, Maxey 32 and Tucker 30 last night.  Don't be surprised if they rest Embiid or others here.

Brooklyn is 13-5 ATS as an underdog this season.  The Nets are 8-1 ATS in home games after covering four or five of their last six games this season.  The 76ers are 1-6 ATS in their last seven road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.  Brooklyn is 6-0 ATS in its last six home games.  Bet the Nets Saturday.

20* NBA Western Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Mavs/Kings OVER 233.5

The Sacramento Kings are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 9th in pace, 2nd in offensive efficiency and 23rd in defensive efficiency.  The OVER is 3-0 in Kings last three games overall coming in with combined scores of 268, 260 and 240 points.

The Mavericks are now an OVER team with the trade for Kyrie Irving and books haven't adjusted yet.  They now have three elite scorers in Doncic, Irving and Wood and a bunch of question marks defensively.  They shot 52.6% in their first game with Irving in an upset win over the Clippers.

Sacramento is 11-2 OVER in its last 13 February home games.  The OVER is 16-7-1 in Kings last 24 home games overall.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday Night BLOWOUT on Sacramento Kings -1.5

It's time to 'sell high' on the Dallas Mavericks after winning four of their last five and covering four consecutive games coming in.  That includes an upset win on National TV as 8-point dogs at the Clippers in their first game with Kyrie Irving.  Now this is a letdown spot for them to say the least, and there are going to be chemistry issues for a few games after these trades.

The Kings have good chemistry and didn't make any moves over the deadline.  They like their team as it's easy to see why as they have gone 11-5 SU in their last 16 games overall and rank 2nd in the entire NBA in offensive efficiency.  They will test this weak Dallas defense that ranks 21st in defensive efficiency and got even worse when trading for Irving while losing Finney-Smith.

Dallas is 8-20-1 ATS in its last 29 games following a win.  The Mavericks are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following an ATS win.  The Kings are 22-10-1 ATS in their last 33 games playing on one days' rest.  Sacramento is 23-8-1 ATS in the last 32 meetings, including 4-1-1 ATS in the last six home meetings.  Bet the Kings Friday.

15* NBA Friday Undervalued Underdog on Oklahoma City Thunder +3.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder are 33-20-1 ATS in all games this season and have been the most profitable team to back over the past two seasons.  They have gone 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games overall with six outright upsets.  I fully expect them to upset the Portland Trail Blazers tonight.

The Blazers are dealing with a ton of injuries right now and are playing horrific defense.  They have allowed 112 or more points in 10 consecutive games and 14 o their last 15 games overall.  Now they face a potent Thunder offense that has scored 111 or more points in 16 of their last 18 games overall.

Oklahoma City is 8-0 ATS in its last eight games following three consecutive games where they committed 4-plus more turnovers than their opponents.  The Thunder are 17-6 ATS as road underdogs this season.  Oklahoma City is 10-1 ATS vs. poor pressure defensive teams that force 13 or fewer turnovers per game this season.  The Thunder are 43-21-1 ATS in their last 65 road games.  Oklahoma City is 6-0 SU & 6-0 ATS in its last six meetings with Portland.  Bet the Thunder Friday.

20* NBA Friday UPSET SHOCKER on New Orleans Pelicans +3

The New Orleans Pelicans are still undervalued after a recent 10-game losing streak.  I have backed them in two of their last three games since where they've gone 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS as 1.5-point favorites over the Lakers, 2-point dogs to the Kings and 1-point favorites over the Hawks.  They won those three games by a combined 46 points.

Now the Pelicans are once again undervalued as 3-point home dogs to the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Cleveland has one of the biggest home/road splits in the NBA this season.  The Cavaliers are just 12-16 SU & 11-15-2 ATS on the road this season and should not be favored over the Pelicans here.

Cleveland is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 road games after winning four of its last five games.  The Cavaliers are 0-6 ATS in their last six Friday games.  New Orleans is 7-1 ATS in its last eight home meetings with Cleveland.  The Pelicans are 20-9 SU & 16-12-1 ATS at home this season.  Bet the Pelicans Friday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Orlando Magic +6.5

I keep riding the Orlando Magic and they keep delivering.  The Magic have quietly gone 22-9 ATS in their last 31 games overall with outright upset wins over Boston (three times), Philadelphia, Golden State, and the Clippers among others.  They are much better than the books and the bettors are giving them credit for.

Now the Magic are out for revenge from a narrow 116-119 loss at Denver as 10.5-point underdogs on January 15th in their first meeting this season.  I like their chances of staying within 6.5 points at home in the rematch and likely pulling off the upset tonight.  Denver is just 1-3 SU in its last four road games with its lone win coming by a single point.

Denver is 1-9 ATS in road games following three consecutive games where it made 47% of its shots or better this season.  The Nuggets are 0-5 ATS in their last five road games vs. a team with a losing home record.  The Magic are 6-0 ATS in their last six games following an ATS loss.  Orlando is 8-1 ATS in its last nine games following a SU loss.  The Magic are 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.  These five trends combine for a 32-2 system backing Orlando tonight.  Bet the Magic Thursday.

15* NBA Wednesday Late-Night BAILOUT on Warriors/Blazers OVER 234.5

The Portland Trail Blazers are a dead nuts OVER team right now playing without Jusuf Nurkic.  They have been force to go small ball and it has led to a ton of high scoring games.  In fact, the Blazers and their opponents have combined for at least 233 points in eight of their last nine games overall.

The Warriors will have no problem going small and getting up and down with the Blazers tonight.  The Warriors and their opponents have combined for at least 232 points in 14 consecutive games.  The OVER is 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games overall during this stretch.  They just scored 141 points on the Thunder in their first game without Curry, and this total has been adjusted too much down due to him being out.

The OVER is 7-0 in Warriors' seven road games with a line of +3 to -3 this season.  Golden State is 14-1 OVER in its last 15 games vs. a marginal losing team (40% to 49%) in the second half of the season.  The OVER is 35-14-3 in Warriors last 52 road games.  The OVER is 16-5-1 in the last 22 meetings in Portland.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Kings/Rockets OVER 238.5

This is a low total for a game involving the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings, who are both dead nuts OVER teams.  The recent head-to-head history really shows that as well.

The OVER is 5-0 in the last five meetings with combined scores of 260, 253, 250, 239 and 239 points.  The Kings and Rockets have combined for at least 230 points in eight consecutive meetings as well.  They have gone for 250, 253 and 260 points in their three meetings this season.  Enough said.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* Thunder/Lakers TNT Late-Night BAILOUT Oklahoma City +6.5

The Los Angeles Lakers return home from a grueling five-game road trip at Boston, Brooklyn, New York, Indiana and New Orleans.  I always like fading teams in that first game back home following a long road trip because there are so many distractions back home.

Speaking of distractions, LeBron James needs 37 points tonight to break Kareem's All-Time scoring record.  I expect the Lakers to be playing a lot of 1 on 5 tonight because of it.  That's not going to work for them to beat the Thunder by 7-plus points, which is what it's going to take to beat us tonight.

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Thunder after getting blown out at Golden State last night where Klay Thompson made 12 3-pointers and nothing went right for them.  The good news is that they are still fresh now as no player played more than 30 minutes for the Thunder last night.

Oklahoma City is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games following a loss.  The Thunder are 6-1 ATS in their last seven trips to Los Angeles.  Oklahoma City is 9-1 ATS when playing its 3rd game in 4 days this season.  The Thunder are 13-2 ATS after losing four or five of their last six games this season.  Oklahoma City is 7-0 ATS after three straight games committing four-plus more turnovers than their opponent this season.  The Thunder are 9-1 ATS vs. poor pressure defensive teams that force 13 or fewer turnovers per game this season.  Bet the Thunder Tuesday.

20* NBA Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on New Orleans Pelicans ML -120

It's 'buy low' time on the New Orleans Pelicans after going 2-10 SU in their last 12 games overall.  But they are getting healthier and are only without Zion Williamson, who should return soon.  They are coming off two straight home wins over the Lakers by 5 and Kings by 32 and should top the Atlanta Hawks tonight as well.

New Orleans is 19-9 SU at home this season, while Atlanta is 14-16 SU & 13-17 ATS on the road.  This is a very tough spot for the Hawks playing their 5th consecutive road game.  They just lost by 20 at Denver last time out.

The Hawks are 0-6 ATS in their last six games when playing on two days' rest.  They are getting too much respect due to coming in on two days' rest.  The Pelicans have two days off after this and will be 'all in' for this game tonight.  Bet the Pelicans on the Money Line Tuesday.

20* NBA Tuesday UPSET SHOCKER on Orlando Magic ML +105

I keep riding the Orlando Magic and they keep delivering.  The Magic have quietly gone 22-8 ATS in their last 30 games overall with outright upset wins over Boston (three times), Philadelphia, Golden State, and the Clippers among others.  They are much better than the books and the bettors are giving them credit for.

The Magic should not be home underdogs to the New York Knicks tonight.  The Knicks are a tired team right now playing their 3rd game in 4 days and have played three OT games in their past six.  They are coming off an upset win over the 76ers at home on ESPN Sunday, and this is now a letdown spot for them.  They have played the Cavs, Celtics, Nets, Lakers, Heat, Clippers and 76ers in their last seven games and now they will take a breather here against the Magic.

The Knicks are 0-4 ATS in their last four games vs. a team with a losing record.  The Magic are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games vs. a team with a winning record.  Orlando is 6-0 ATS in its last six home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  Bet the Magic Tuesday.

20* NBA Western Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Oklahoma City Thunder +4

The Golden State Warriors will be without Stephen Curry at least until after the All-Star Break.  They shouldn't be favored over the Oklahoma City Thunder without him tonight.  The Thunder are one of the most underrated teams in the NBA going 32-19-1 ATS in all games this season, including 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games overall.

The Thunder come in the more rested team playing just their 2nd game in 5 days, while the Warriors will be playing their 4th game in 6 days.  Oklahoma City wants revenge from a 120-128 home loss to the Warriors on January 30th just a week ago when Curry scored 38 points and made eight 3-pointers.

Oklahoma City is 42-20-1 ATS in its last 63 road games.  The Thunder are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 30 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Warriors are 1-6 ATS in their last seven home games.  Oklahoma City is 8-0 ATS in its last eight road games vs. teams that are called for 2-plus more fouls per game than their opponents.  Bet the Thunder Monday.