Nuggets/Clippers 10:00: Nuggets 20 turnovers in Game 2 did them in. Leonard is at his best and Harden is playing well for the Clippers; however, we won't dismiss the Nuggets off a loss. Jokic, who had a rare bad game in Game 2, should come back strong. He's got his sidekick - Murray - getting healthy, and Gordon and Porter Jr. are playing well. Look for the Nuggets to hang tight in this tightly contested series. 

Thunder/Grizzlies 9:30: Rarely see S.G.A. have a few mediocre (to his standard) games. Fortunately, he's got a great supporting cast. And the Thunder, which have been a strong road team all season, should stay focused like they've consistently done all season. OKC, a Top 3 offensive and defensive team, have taken Edey out of this series. We'll look for the Thunder to continue their roll. 

Knicks/Pistons 7:00: Knicks have to give Brunson more help, especially down the stretch. Surely, the Knicks have addressed that. And Hart and Anunoby are overdue to turn up their games. They're the better team and should pull this off despite the disastrous off-season trade of Hartenstein and DiVincenzo.  Pressure on Towns to step up his game several notches. 

Warriors/Rockets 9:30: Warriors' addition of Butler paid dividends down the stretch of the season and, it was surely apparent in Game 1. Butler has been a great playoff performer in his career and he showed his clutch ability down the stretch in Game 1. Add Curry and Green to that mix and the playoff experience just too great for the upstart Rockets. Warriors the call.

Heat/Cavaliers 7:30: In Game 1, Heat were competitive till late. They were outscored 34-21 in the 4th quarter. Look for cagey, veteran playoff HC Spoelstra to make the needed adjustments down the stretch to hang in this one. Adebayo, Herro and Mitchell should continue to play well. Heat were 2-0 ATS as double digit dogs prior to Sunday. Heat and the points the call. 

Magic/Celtics 7:00: Tatum injured his wrist in Game 1 and will probably not play. Fortunately, the Celtics have great depth. Pritchard was awesome off the bench and starter Brown is overdue to step up his game. Orlando did a great job defending the perimeter in the regular season but Celtics have too much perimeter firepower. And the Magic offense just too dependent on Banchero and Wagner. Celtics should roll again late here. 

Warriors/Rockets 9:30: Rockets turnaround complete under Udoka. He's got them playing great defense and crashing the boards. Their versatility to go small, big, zone, etc., makes them a formidable force to get through in the Western Conference. Butler does offer a big upgrade to the Warriors in playoff basketball but Houston collectively strong at taking away a team's offensive strength; after all, look what they did two weeks ago when Amen Thompson held Curry to 1 of 10 from the floor. We'll take Houston in Game 1. 

Grizzlies/Thunder 1:00: Thunder dominated this series for the season. And even with Morant healthy, they couldn't hang close. Thunder is deep and dangerous. They're well rested and the addition of Hartenstein this season has given them a dominant and scrappy presence in the paint, the missing piece last season.  OKC is in the top 3 offensively and defensively in the league. That's rare to have that level of dominance on both sides of the court. We'll look for Gilgeous-Alexander and company to set the tone of the series with a route. 

Wolves/Lakers 8:30: Wolves got it going down the stretch of the season (17-4 ) with the healthy return of Randle. Can Randle turn it on in the post season though? He was a post season flop in NY. Fortunately, he's got lots of support with Edwards, veteran Conley, DiVincenzo. And Gobert can be a force here vs Hayes, thrust into the 5 spot after the departure of A.D. Doncic flourished last year with the Mavericks all the way to the championship because of his big rim runners. He doesn't have that with the Lakers. We'll look for Minnesota to steal Game 1. 

Pistons/Knicks 6:00: Disappointed in the Knicks trading away Hartenstein and DiVincenzo during the offseason. They were huge in last year's playoff series win over Philadelphia. Cade Cunningham has some solid support and veteran playoff performers Harris, Hardaway, Beasely to give NY trouble. Take the points here. 

Clippers/Nuggets 3:30: Clippers went on a 32-15 ATS run down the stretch thanks in large part to the healthy return of Kawhi Leonard. Consequently, Harden excelled as a facilitator averaging 22.8 PPG and 8.7 APG. And underrated center Zubac is no easy walk through for Jokic. Moreover, Powell was spectacular in this season series - 27.8 PPG. We'll grab Lue and his Clippers in Game 1. 

Bucks/Pacers 1:00: Pacers were winning down the stretch but vs weak teams. They went 6=16 ATS last 22 games. They won this series last year but, of course, that was without Giannis. He's healthy now and dangerous. Bucks went 10-4 SU/11-3 ATS down the stretch without Lillard. And Giannis didn't play in 3 of those. Bucks are better defensively this season and I like our chances here. Bucks 4-0 ATS in this season series and we're taking the points today. 

Florida/Houston 8:50: Houston was my bracket choice to win it all and I'm staying with them. As exhibited against Duke, they use their relentless, indefatigable pressure to wear down opponents over a game; a Marvin Hagler of NCAA Basketball, if you will. Florida's Clayton Jr. is the best player on the floor and definitely a finisher. But look for veteran HC Sampson, the architect of the nation's #1 scoring defense, to find a way, once again, to slow down the opposing team's best player. Florida's big man- Condon- running on a sprained ankle, won't cut it vs the long and physical front line of Houston. And although Houston doesn't launch three pointers regularly like most teams, they score from the perimeter at a very efficient 39.9% clip - 2nd in the nation. Florida's been a bit careless in the 2nd tournament game and face an opportunistic Cougars' defense that forces turnovers at a 21% clip on opponents' possessions. We'll look for Houston to claim their first NCAA National Championship.  

Houston/Duke 8:49: Houston had some growing pains early in the year before HC Sampson got them playing his type of basketball - relentless defense, crashing the boards, limiting turnovers and taking good shots. Houston is deceptively good at hitting from behind the arc at a 39.7% clip (#2 nationally). He's got great leadership in his veteran team with 5th season J'wan Roberts and G Cryer - who won an NCAA National Championship with Baylor in his first year. Sure, Duke is dangerous with Flagg and Proctor. But we'll stand behind the grit of the #1 defensive team in the nation and take the points with the Cougars. 

Auburn/Florida 6:09: Broome appears to have recovered from his fall in the Elite Eight game. He's been a consistent dominating player all season and in the tournaments. Bruce Pearl will have to have his boys at their best to stop Clayton and company. He's had effective game plans throughout the year in big game and we'll give the edge to him against his former assistant - Golden. Auburn the call. 

Pelicans/Lakers 10:40: Pelicans 8-3 ATS as a double-digit dog. Sure, they shut down Zion and McCollum but still have hard working players such as Alvarado and Brown. Lakers unrested with Hachimura (knee) and LeFlop tired from last night and a game time decision. We'll grab the points. 

Thunder/Rockets 8:10: Thunder on a mission to reach 70-win season. They're deep and covering big numbers, even on the road. Rockets lose some defensive prowess with Brooks (suspended) out. OKC the call. 

Michigan State/Auburn 5:05: Izzo doing another great job with a cast of players with limited perimeter scoring ability. Spartans not adept at shooting the 3 (31.1%) but dribble penetration rebounding and crisp passing has been their hallmark all season. They have a solid and deep backcourt with Richardson, Akins, Fears and Holloman. Defensively, they bring a toughness by controlling the boards and running opponents off the 3 point line. They'll have their hands full with Broome but Izzo has been effective in instituting schemes to counter big men all season. While I chose Auburn to win it all this season, I'll take the Spartans to cover here. 

Michigan/Auburn 9:39: Michigan on a nice run as big men Golden and Wolf utilized well by HC May. We'll grab the points.

Arkansas/Texas Tech 10:09: Arkansas played in the toughest conference (SEC) and slugged it out competitively with the elite, including covers vs Auburn, Alabama, won outright at Kentucky and played Florida tough. Calipari got his team playing well together by February going on an 11-3-1 ATS tear. He's got four double digit scorers, a double-digit tournament rebounder in Brazile, and he may have Thiero back in the fray a bit. He's been out since February 22nd. We'll ride Calipari in the underdog role in which he excels in. Arkansas the call.  

Maryland/Florida 7:39: Maryland over the last few years was offensively challenged; however, this season, Willard got some shooters and molded them into his solid defensive scheme. As a result, they've been in virtually every game this season. They did have a poor game earlier in the season at Washington, but their go-to big man - Queen only played 7 minutes in that one. Queen is a major interior force on both sides of the court that ignites the offense and uglies up opposing offenses. Love Florida and Clayton, but we'll look for Maryland to do what they've done all season and in tournaments - find a way to keep it tight to give them a chance to win.

BYU/Alabama 7:09: Cougars are on a 10-2 ATS run including 4-1 ATS as a dog. BYU is offensively prolific with a 7 deep squad that averages between 7 to 11 ppg in addition to their two go-to guys in Knell and Saunders. Alabama is surely a formidable foe and can run teams out of a gym with their offensive prowess; however, BYU has proven to be able to match points with potent offensive teams and play a bit better defense. We'll look for BYU to keep it tight. 

Bulls/Nuggets 9:10: Bulls running hot on a 13-3 tear. They're coming off a dominant win over the Lakers on Saturday. They're catching the Nuggets returning home after an extended road trip in the second of back-to-back games. And Denver won't have Jokic tonight. Take the Bulls.

Creighton/Auburn 7:10: Creighton plays the dog role well at 8-2-1 ATS this season. When the threes are dropping, they're dangerous. The Blue Jays got it going from the perimeter on Thursday hitting at a 46% clip. They got size in Kalkbrenner to fight with Broome and when Neal is hitting shots, they Blue Jays are hard to beat. Auburn was blistering hot in tournament play early in the year and winning sustained through February. There is a concern, however, as they're crawling on an 0-5 ATS slide. We'll look for Creighton to hang around and deliver tonight. 

Arkansas/St. John's 2:40: No team plays harder for an entire game than St. John's. And they manage to kick it into another gear late in games to wear down opponents. They're ranked in the bottom of the NCAA in perimeter shooting but are very efficient in creating points - ranked 15th in the nation in Field Goals Made. That's attributed to their relentless defense and occasional full court Pitino Press that creates turnovers (15.4 per game) and turns them into quick transition points. Good job by Calipari getting Arkansas as far as he did, but it ends here. 

Xavier/Illinois 9:45: Xavier overcame the early jitters Wednesday and finished strong vs Texas to advance. We'll look for that momentum to carry over here. Illinois has been highly inconsistent and defensively soft. Xavier the call. 

Oklahoma/U Conn 9:25: Two time defending champ playing pretty good down the stretch but not nearly the dominant team of the past few years. Hurley is a great coach but so is Moser. Keep in mind that Porter Moser took Loyola Chicago to the Final Four back in 2018. He now has Oklahoma in the hunt in his third year with the Sooners. Sooners did well in neutral court non-conference tournament play earlier this season ( 5-0 SU/ATS). U Conn had their share of struggles in non-conference tourney play (0-3 ATS). Huskies clearly not the dominant team of last year. Sooners have dangerously fast G Fears and support from F Moore. Sooners pretty good perimeter shooting team. We'll look for the Sooners to be extremely competitive here. 

Akron/Arizona 7:35: Undersized Zips have a solid backcourt in Tavari and Nate Johnson. They can hit from the perimeter and give the Wildcats trouble. Arizona's Caleb Love highly overrated and inconsistent. We'll look for the Zips to stay in this one. 

Vanderbilt/St. Mary's 3:15: Vanderbilt played well at home this season but shaky on the road and mediocre in neutral floor non-conference play. SMC traveled well, brings a stifling defense to Cleveland. And they rebound well and limit turnovers. We'll look for the Gaels to slow this pace down and make an ugly game of it in a win and cover. 

Georgia/Gonzaga 4:35: I can't rule out Mark Few's nine straight Sweet 16 appearances with Gonzaga. Gonzaga took a while to get it going this season, including 3 OT losses, but got it rolling late with a convincing win over SMC in the WCC Tournament. Undervalued in seeding. Georgia scrapped with powerhouse SEC opponents and fared well. But playoff savvy Gonzaga should deliver. 

Oklahoma/Georgia 9:30: Both teams are running hot down the stretch, but we'll give the edge to tournament savvy Moser who has done amazing things in March with limited talent. His Sooners did well on neutral floors (5-0 SU) in non-conference action. In the first matchup at Georgia, the Bulldogs had a significant edge on the foul line and capitalized on it. Sooners' PG Fears has gotten into rhythm and has solid support. Look for Oklahoma to inch their way closer to an at-large NCAA bid tonight. 

Gonzaga/St. Mary's 9:00: St. Mary's beat Gonzaga twice this season and should deliver the goods again tonight. The Gaels have proven to grind out games with lock down defense late in games - as exhibited last night against the red hot Waves. Gonzaga is great on paper but had trouble closing out some tight games this season - WV, Kentucky, U Conn and UCLA. The Gaels are beasts on the board and defensively dominant. Look for St. Mary's to slow down the pace of the game and grind out a win. 

Pepperdine/St. Mary's 9:00: This time of year, we've seen this act before. A conference sub-500 team gets hot and sweeps the conference tournament to get an automatic bid to the NCAAs. Georgetown did it in 2021 and, most recently, NC State did it last year and carrying the momentum all the way to the Final Four. A very unlikely scenario here but not out of the question; after all, they call it March Madness for this very reason. Pepperdine has confidence and really moving the ball well. Sure, they've been destroyed in two games against SMC this season - 24- and 30-point blowouts. However, WCC Regular Season Champ - #21 ranked SMC, which is firmly entrenched in the NCAA Tournament, had an extended eight-day layoff and that be the obstacle that puts a little rust on Marciullonis and company. Tired is not an option for the momentum Waves who are now comfortable on this neutral floor (Orleans Arena) in Vegas. Take the crap load of points with the hungry team.

Analysis to follow...

Oklahoma/Texas 8:00: Sooners lost the earlier season matchup by getting ambushed early only to battle back and make a close game of it. Sooners are now playing a good stretch of basketball in the toughest conference in the nation. They've covered four straight. Sure, they've shown their vulnerability on the SEC road getting smoked by the SEC elite - Alabama, Florida and Auburn; however, they covered at Texas A&M, Arkansas, and most recently at Ole Miss. I group this Texas team in that second tier of the SEC. Texas is on a 1-7 ATS slide, finally stopping the bleeding vs Mississippi State in OT on Tuesday. Texas has virtually owned this series but that should change tonight.