With or without Luka Donkic the Dallas Mavericks showed they have the role players to step up when necessary in game two. Tonight, all the pressure is on a Utah Jazz team that has under achieved time and time again in the post-season. While Dallas may not have the same fire power offensively as in game two, look for Utah to keep them in it with poor stretches. Take Dallas.

When it comes to the Boston Celtics they head into game two knowing they nearly let a big lead slip away, and were lucky Jayson Tatum put in the game winner. Now the young Celtics will face a Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving tandem that will be fully engaged in game two. Yet, Boston at home will have the necessary spurts to quell the Nets. Take Boston to cover and take a commanding 2-0 series lead to Brooklyn.  

Pelicans +10.5

All regular season the Phoenix Suns played like a determined team to earn the Western Conference top seed.  They’re back to finish what they couldn’t do last year, when they raced through the postseason until the Bucks stormed back in the Finals. Their first round series against the Pelicans will be a test they won’t be as easy as last post season. In game one take the value here on the Pelicans. 

Playoff basketball begins for the Bulls and defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks. No one expects the Bulls to truly challenge the Bucks for a series victory. From an ATS stand point though Chicago should perform better than how they ended the season. This included two blowout losses by twenty plus points against the Bucks. Yet, look for a clamp down effort in the fourth quarter defensively to push the Bucks past the number.   

Star player additions at the trade deadline made immediate dividends for the New Orleans Pelicans. Immediately CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram meshed together as the Pelicans surged to gain a play-in spot. Record wise the Spurs at 34-46 don’t belong in this scenario, but have a scrappy roster from top to bottom. Led by Coach Popovich look for a solid effort from the Spurs. Take them as an underdog. 

For the second straight season the Charlotte Hornets find themselves in the play-in round. This is a chance for the Hornets to learn from last year’s epic let down when they were blown out by the Pacers. While the Hawks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, they have had a topsy turvy year to expectations. Take the Hornets on a line that is too high based on the Hawks resume last season and their 27-14 home record.

Normally entering the playoffs one would not have a recent matchup and identical point spread to work off of. The opening line of the Nets and Cavaliers play-in game was the exact same as their matchup on April 8th. One that the Nets dominated the first and fourth quarters by outscoring the Cavaliers by 15 and 16 points. Recency bias combined with the Nets star power has pushed this spread up just a bit too much. Play the underdog here. 

Saturday in a light NBA slate look for the Warriors to deliver as road favorites. An anomaly of the Spurs streaking ATS-wise has featured an 8-1 mark. This included defeating the Warriors outright at Golden State on March 20th. Tonight they’ll be a depleted team with Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Jakob Poeltl out. Take the Warriors.

All signs point to Ja Morant possibly playing today against the Pelicans. Once officially determined expect a further rise in the current market price ATS. After all Memphis has delivered at home time and time again, even without Morant. Yet, this is a Pelicans team that has soared in confidence since coming back down twenty against the Lakers. Back the Pelicans who have won five of their last six games.  

Sometimes in sports an inevitable team downward spiral is never ending. That appears to be the case for the Chicago Bulls who have lost by double digits in three straight games. While those losses were against upper level Eastern Conference opponents, it does not look to be an overnight fix. Take the Hornets as the Bulls home woes continue ATS.

Assuredly, the New York Knicks season did not live up to expectations after last year’s trip to the post-season. With several key players out down the stretch, the tables have turned to put a spotlight on different Knicks players. Tonight, they’ll face a Wizards team also resting several starters. Grab the Knicks to have a fluid game offensively and cover the number.  

A big surprise in the Western Conference has been the end of season finish for the San Antonio Spurs. They are 8-2 over their last ten games, and throttled the Denver Nuggets Tuesday without Dejounte Murray. On the road once again Thursday, look for the Timberwolves to outpace the Spurs. On March 14th, the Timberwolves scored 149 points at San Antonio in a ten point victory. Play the Timberwolves.

We’ve seen a point spread line swing as the 76ers are now favored against the Toronto Raptors. This is a chance for the 76ers to reach a milestone of fifty wins and also improve their positioning from a fourth seed. Yet, Toronto has played well against the 76ers this season with a 2-1 series lead. They also limited Philadelphia to just eighty eight points in a 93-88 victory on March 20th. Play Toronto.

The Detroit Pistons may be one of the worst teams record wise in the NBA, but ATS they have been superb. Since February 16th they are 19-3 ATS, and are on a three game win streak. Evaluating that stretch they faced just three Western conference teams in Oklahoma City, the LA Clippers, and the Portland Trailblazers. Look for a higher level team in the Mavericks to end the Pistons stout stretch ATS. Play Dallas. 

We’ve seen an overnight line move between the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls sway towards the Heat side. A big reason for that is the Heat have dominated the season series over the Bulls with a current 3-0 lead. Yet, this is the tail end of the NBA regular season and will mean more to the Bulls as they need to finally defeat the Heat. Play the home team here getting points.

A team that is tumbling down the stretch of the NBA regular season has been the Cleveland Cavaliers. They’re just 1-4 over their last five games, and are coming off surrendering 120 points last night to the Dallas Mavericks. This spells trouble as they will be in a back to back situation as well as their opponent in the Atlanta Hawks tonight. Look for the Hawks to get out early, and hold off the number just enough late. Back Atlanta.

Wednesday, the NBA slate features eleven games. One of the few teams playing in a back to back scenario are the Washington Wizards who will host the Orlando Magic. The month of March has not been kind to the Wizards as they are just 3-9 over their last twelve games. Still, expect the Wizards to topple a Magic team that’s just 10-29 on the road this year.

A team that has shown to be susceptible in the latter stages of the NBA season has been the Bulls. Chicago is just 4-6 over their last ten games and is coming off a road loss Monday night against the Knicks. Today, they’ll travel to face the Wizards in what will mark their eighth of nine games on the road. This should be a great in-game spot if the Bulls trail, nevertheless will take the Bulls full game to end the Wizards two-game win streak. 

Decimated by injuries the Indiana Pacers look to be turning the page for the final stretch of the season. Earlier this morning key star Myles Turner was declared out for the season. This has ballooned tonight’s spread against an Atlanta Hawks team that is typically a road fade. On the year they are just 13-23 on the road, but even this Hawks team should not slip up against Indiana. Take the Hawks on the big number. 

The Wizards anomaly of an elongated stretch of poor basketball hit another milestone yesterday. They had a disastrous first half before closing the gap to eight points with a few minutes left. That type of play with bad teams can sometimes help into the next game. Expect the Wizards to come out sharp against the Detroit Pistons and cash plus four.

The Phoenix Suns have time and time again been a juggernaut all season long, and answered the bell when least expected. Today, look for their six game win streak to be tested against the Denver Nuggets. Over the years Denver has given the Suns fits, especially at home. Grab the Nuggets. 

The Wizards have been a completely different level of team minus Bradley Beal, especially on the road. Overall they’ve lost seven straight road games by an average of ten points. Yet, we are evaluating the spread here and the Bucks might be in a let down spot. After a four game road trip that featured, the Bucks faced a Bulls team at home that was in a back to back spot. Look for the Bucks to have an off quarter that impacts the spread enough for the underdog. Take Washington

Standings in the NBA are tricky to evaluate from an ATS stand point. On paper the Spurs are just one game above the Portland Trailblazers. Yet, Portland is in the midst of a team overhaul as they have a majority of their roster out. The Spurs are coming off a big win over the Golden State Warriors and should carry that momentum over tonight. Grab the Spurs.

With Friday’s win over the LA Lakers the Clippers have moved to .500 at 31-31. Sunday, they’ll travel on the road to face a Houston Rockets team that has lost eight straight games. Typically, this could be a letdown spot for a young team, but the Clippers know what they’re facing after defeating the Rockets 142-111 on February 17th. Take the Clippers. 

A wild finish yesterday between the Knicks and Nets featured a flurry comeback for Brooklyn. To step up with an undermanned roster is the spark Brooklyn has been missing. New pieces in place has brought an uplifting energy that should carry over against the Washington Wizards. Take Brooklyn as they head to All-Star break with two consecutive big wins. 

Dallas and the Atlanta Hawks will play in a marquee Sunday matchup that will be broadcast on ESPN. Friday, the short handed Mavericks picked up a big home win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Although the Mavericks have veterans capable of picking up the slack, look for the Atlanta Hawks to inch closer to .500. Take the Atlanta Hawks.

Marquee star player returns off long layoffs are always special. The NBA gets one of it’s key players back in Klay Thompson, as the Warriors look to continue their special season. Yet, the hype typically is bad from an ATS stand point. Look for the Cavaliers to match the Warriors energy and cover a sizable number. Take Cleveland.

The Boston Celtics have one thing going for them now, and that is health. For the first time this year they seem to be at full strength with the return of Jaylen Brown. It takes time to get back into the fold and is why the Celtics have lost five straight road games. With the Knicks lacking key veterans look for the Celtics to finally end their road woes. Take Boston. 

Returning from a cross country road trip is one of the toughest spots for a team in the NBA. As depleted as the LA Clippers are one would expect a big challenge tonight against the Timberwolves. Yet, look for the Clippers veteran bench to continue to uplift them with the likes of Justice Winslow and James Ennis II. Take the Clippers to cover against the Timberwolves.

The Denver Nuggets have rolled into 2022 on a three-game win streak. All three of their wins have been on the road against the LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors, and Houston Rockets. A key to the Nuggets success is they have got into a rhythm with both their first and second unit amidst a bevy of personnel out. Grab the Nuggets to stay hot on the road against the Mavericks.

Two teams with a gamut of issues have been the Lakers and Trailblazers. Portland is just 2-12 on the road this year and have a long list of players out due to injury or covid-19. Yet, the Lakers have dropped ten of their last twelve games. Even with Frank Vogel back don’t expect an easy win. Grab the points with Portland. 

The San Antonio Spurs were dealt a big blow today as Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon accepted the Las Vegas Aces job. To make matters worse the Spurs will embark on a seven-game road trip. Expect the Memphis Grizzlies to take full advantage as they are excelling with Ja Morant back in the lineup. Grab the Grizzlies. 

The Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors remain neck and neck for the overall best records in the NBA. Thus far on the season both teams have split this year’s matchups. Keep in mind though Phoenix was without Devin Booker for the Warriors win, and survived the second half of their win over Golden State as Booker was hurt. With Booker and Ayton back excelling, look for the Suns to take care of business in front of their home fans. Grab Phoenix. 

The past couple of NBA seasons perhaps no team has had to utilize their bench depth more than the Denver Nuggets. That’s been because of main injuries to key starters along with Covid-19 protocols. Look for the experience their depth has been receiving to pay off tonight as they end the Thunder’s two game win streak. Play Denver

The Cleveland Cavaliers head into Saturday on a five game winning streak as they face the Milwaukee Bucks. Milwaukee’s without several key players including star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Expect Cleveland to take full advantage as their spread valuations continue to be to low. Play Cleveland

The Brooklyn Nets were dealt yet another blow as Kevin Durant is now out due to Covid safety protocols. Durant was able to pick up the Nets in their past two wins with a mix of young talent. Today, against the Magic look for the rest of the Nets to continue to build off their solid play, which includes rookies Cam Thomas and Kessler Edwards. Play Brooklyn as they topple a poor Magic team

Portland continues to struggle as they’ve lost seven straight games, and are winless in the month of December. Their last three losses have been with guard Damian Lillard back, but his shot has been off as he is just 32 percent from the floor. Look for the Trailblazers other key players to pick them up against a Hornets team enduring their third straight road game. Play Portland.

Throughout the NBA several teams are short handed adhering to Covid protocols. Thursday, amidst a plethora of key players out the Brooklyn Nets will aim to win short handed again. They’ll face a 76ers team that struggled defensively in yesterday’s loss to Miami, allowing six players to score nine points or more. Take Brooklyn to outlast Philadelphia.

Tuesday, the Portland Trailblazers will aim to end a five game losing streak. A positive for Portland is they do have Damian Lillard back. They’ll face a Phoenix Suns team that have finally showed a bit of weakness. They’ve lost two of their last four games and are in a back to back scenario. Look for Portland to take advantage as Damian Lillard bounces back from Sunday’s poor shooting performance. Play Portland. 

The Denver Nuggets have dipped below .500 after losing Thursday to the San Antonio Spurs. Saturday, they’ll face the Spurs once again trying to end a stretch in which they have lost nine of twelve games. Tonight ride the current better team which is the Spurs who have won five of their last seven. Take San Antonio to complete the tough task of consecutive victories over the same opponent.

The Sacramento Kings have made strides and it’s showed against the spread. They’ve covered their last four games, including a close 124-123 loss against the Charlotte Hornets last night. Yet, tonight they’re facing an undaunted young and energetic Cleveland Cavaliers team. Look for the Kings lackluster defensive effort and extended road travel to hurt them in the second half. Take the Cavaliers.

The Denver Nuggets managed an overtime victory on Wednesday over the Pelicans, 120-114. They’ll now head into a back to back scenario against the San Antonio Spurs. The matchup marks the sixth straight road game for Denver. As depleted as they are look for the Nuggets to battle through. Grab Denver in the first of consecutive games against the Spurs, who meet again Saturday.

The Chicago Bulls have managed to tie the Brooklyn Nets for the most wins in the Eastern Conference. This has been done with several players out with injury and Covid-19. Wednesday, expect those issues to finally catch up to the Bulls. Grab the Cavaliers on a small number as they will be motivated to end a two-game losing streak. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder head into Thursday’s matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies having lost seven straight games. Yet, they’ll see a new opponent for the first time in six days, as they faced Houston both Monday and Wednesday. That should spark the Thunder’s play against an inconsistent Memphis team that is just 11-10 on the year. Take the points with the Thunder. 

Wednesday, the Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Houston Rockets after losing at Houston on Monday. Houston has now won three straight games and are now 4-15. On the season though they are still winless on the road at 0-11. Back the small number here on the favored Thunder. 

A huge matchup is on the night cap in the NBA as the Phoenix Suns host the Golden State Warriors. Phoenix enters with an NBA best sixteen game win streak, while the Warriors have the NBA’s best record at 18-2. Expect the Warriors front loaded home schedule that has featured twelve games to finally hurt them. Phoenix keeps their win streak going to seventeen and gets the cover.

The Chicago Bulls are coming off a solid bounce back win Friday against the Orlando Magic. They now travel back home to host a Miami Heat team that has not played since Wednesday. Look for the Bulls recent experience of losing in a back to back scenario to the Pacers on Monday, 109-77, to motivate them to a hot start tonight. Take the Bulls to hold off the Heat. 

A team that has quietly surged forward have been the Charlotte Hornets. They have won eight of their last nine games, including a 133-115 win last night against Minnesota. The output of points was their season high, and now tonight they’ll face the worst team in the NBA in the Houston Rockets. Back the Hornets to continue their winning ways.

The Golden State Warriors are off to an impeccable start at 16-2. This has been sparked by a favorable home schedule that has featured a 10-1 record. Off the Thanksgiving holiday look for the Warriors to be vulnerable against a Portland Trailblazers team that is much better than their 1-8 road record showcases. Take Portland to challenge the Warriors streak and cover the spread.

A day before Thanksgiving the Atlanta Hawks travel on the road to face the San Antonio Spurs. With a 1-8 road record the Atlanta Hawks are still sizable road favorites against the San Antonio Spurs. Do not expect a pre holiday letdown from the Hawks, as San Antonio is in complete disarray having lost five straight. Grab the Hawks. 

The Chicago Bulls ascent in the Eastern Conference has been one of the best stories on the young season. At 12-6, they are coming off their worst loss this season to the Pacers, 109-77. Being a young team look for a letdown spot against a Houston Rockets team that is overdue for a competitive game. Take the Rockets.

Tuesday, the Dallas Mavericks will face the LA Clippers for the second time in three days. Minus Luka Doncic, Dallas lost by six points to the Clippers on Sunday. Expect their personnel to be better prepared if Doncic misses another game, as they aim to end a three game losing streak. Play Dallas. 

Tonight the Portland Trailblazers have an opportunity to extend their largest win streak of the season to four games. It’s a revenge spot for Portland as they’ll face the Denver Nuggets who beat them 124-95 on November 14th. Portland was minus Damian Lillard in that matchup, and should play much different in a nationally televised spot. Take Portland to move to 9-1 at home and cover the number. 

The Phoenix Suns are the hottest team in the NBA with a twelve game win streak. Throughout their winning streak the lone stretch where they showed weakness was in a back to back scenario last Monday. They needed a late flurry against the Minnesota Timberwolves and did not cover a small number of 3.5. Expect a similar outcome against a Spurs team that has had three days off. Back the Spurs. 

The New Orleans Pelicans have played better since Brandon Ingram has returned to the lineup. In fact, they have won their last two home games with victories over the Clippers and Grizzlies. Yet, they are still just 3-15 overall and are facing a Minnesota Timberwolves team coming off a season-high 135 points. Back the Timberwolves.

Typically when a team finishes a cross country road trip, one would be leery on their return home. Yet, the Warriors rested some main starters in road finale against Detroit. This also built the confidence of their budding young rotation and bench depth. Look for the Warriors to continue to their winning ways and cash ATS against the Raptors. 

Playing in consecutive nights is always a challenge in the NBA. The New York Knicks find themselves in that spot Sunday after a home win last night against the Rockets.  A positive is the Knicks have defeated the Bulls four of their last five matchups, which includes a road win October 28th. Back the Knicks. 

The Utah Jazz have regrouped to win consecutive games by double-digits to boost their record to 10-5. Additionally they finally have the services of veteran Rudy Gay who scored twenty points in his season debut on Thursday. Tonight for the third time the Utah Jazz will face the Sacramento Kings, who are in a back to back scenario. Expect the Jazz fluid offense to flourish against a poor Kings defensive team. Back the Jazz.

Friday, in front of a nationally televised audience the Boston Celtics throttled the Lakers, 130-108. The feat was accomplished with several key players out and with Lebron James back for the Lakers. Injuries have been a main reason why the Celtics are 8-8 and inconsistent. In a back to back scenario look for the Oklahoma City Thunder to pose a challenge with their young roster. Back the Thunder.

The Cleveland Cavaliers hot start is one of the best stories to begin the NBA season. At 8-5 they are coming off a twenty point victory in yesterday’s win over Detroit. In a back to back scenario today against the Celtics, look for Boston to utilize their roster depth advantage over the Cavaliers. Take the Celtics.

The Toronto Raptors ended a three-game losing streak Friday, and now return home for one game against the Detroit Pistons. It’s the last time the Raptors will be home before a six game road trip that stretches past Thanksgiving. Expect the Raptors to be motivated and throttle a Pistons team coming off a lackluster performance yesterday against the Cavaliers. Take Toronto. 

One of the more difficult challenges in an NBA season is sweeping an opponent. For the Dallas Mavericks they will face the San Antonio Spurs for the third time in their first twelve games. Both prior games the Mavericks did not cover but won. Expect a competitive game once again but for the Mavericks to pull away and win their third game against the Spurs. Take Dallas. 

A key overnight line move has been against the Memphis Grizzlies against the Phoenix Suns. With Dillon Brooks determined out the line has reversed to the Suns as the slight favorite. This is sparked by a six game win streak from the Suns. Yet, the Grizzlies should be refocused after a disappointing home loss against the Hornets. Take the Grizzlies.

The Denver Nuggets will be without key star Nikola Jokic as he will serve a one-game suspension. They’ll take on an Indiana Pacers team coming off their first road win of the season against the Sacramento Kings. The win marked their fourth straight cover, as the Pacers appear to be finding their groove. Take Indiana to keep excelling against Denver. 

The Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons both have just one win on the year. For the Rockets their young team has shown flashes of talent with Christian Wood, Kevin Porter Jr, and top pick Jalen Green. Enduring seven road games out of their first ten games would be tough for any team. Expect being at home to pay dividends against the lowly Pistons. Play Houston.

Thursday, the Utah Jazz will travel on the road to face the Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta will be in a back to back scenario after losing Wednesday at Brooklyn. Yet, the Hawks are undefeated on their home floor at 3-0. Expect the Hawks to avoid falling below .500 against a Jazz team playing their fifth road game in their last seven. Take Atlanta.

The LA Clippers are off to a slow start at 1-3. Wednesday the Clippers were disastrous in a 92 to 79 loss Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. As poor as they were a positive is their lone victory of the season was against tonight’s opponent in the Trailblazers. Monday, they defeated Portland 116-86. Take the Clippers who will finally travel out of the state of California for a road game. 

At 4-0, the Chicago Bulls are off to their best start since 1996-97. Thursday, they’ll get their first true test against a legitimate playoff contender in the New York Knicks. While the Knicks have the chemistry of a full season of their roster together, look for the new look Bulls to battle through and rise to the occasion. Take Chicago on the small number.

The Pelicans had one of the worst opening day losses in a 117-97 beat down loss against a short handed 76ers team. They’ll now head on the road under first year Coach Willie Green without Zion Williamson. Expect a better showcase against a Bulls team that did not look acclimated to the new season in a hard fought victory against the Pistons. Take the Pelicans. 

The Boston Celtics fought hard in their game one overtime loss against the New York Knicks. They fell short but showed their duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown is still a formidable force even amidst organization changes. Tonight look for the Celtics to bounce back strong against a Raptors team that is out of sync minus key players from the past few seasons. Take Boston.

The Golden State Warriors exhibited their solid bench in a come from behind victory Tuesday against the Lakers. The win masked the fact that the Warriors were down for three quarters, and had trouble with the Lakers surges. Tonight against a veteran Clippers squad look for LA to give the Warriors problems in their season debut. Take the points.

The Orlando Magic may be the youngest team in the NBA, and truly only have one veteran player in Terrence Ross. Wednesday, they’ll take on a San Antonio Spurs team that they have recent experience against. Ten days ago the Spurs nearly blew a 17 point fourth quarter lead, but prevailed to just a one point victory. Take the Magic as they push the Spurs and Gregg Poppovich.

In last year’s Eastern Conference playoff play-in game the Pacers blew out Charlotte, 144-117. The 144 points allowed by the Hornets were the highest amount in a non overtime game since 1994. This has been a circle game for revenge for the Hornets, since schedules were released on August 20th. Grab the Hornets

The Lakers and Warriors will meet tonight to begin a new NBA season. Los Angeles has plenty of familiar new names as they brought in Russ Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, and Rajon Rondo. Yet, the Laker with Lebron James have lost the first game to start every season. Take the Warriors who went undefeated in preseason, which included two wins over the Lakers.

The Milwaukee Bucks will aim to be the first NBA Finals team since the 2006 Miami Heat to go down 0-2, and win the next four. The rising play of Giannis continues to go to new heights. Expect the Suns let downs of game four’s final ninety seconds and blowing a sixteen point first quarter game five lead to haunt them. Grab Milwaukee to close out the NBA season ATS-wise and with an NBA Title. 

For the first time since round one of the post-season the Phoenix have lost consecutive games. Nearly the entire game four was the Suns to win until the Bucks dug deep and evened the series. Expect the pendulum to keep swinging towards the Bucks side as they get their third straight series cover. Take the Bucks.

In game one the Phoenix Suns defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in multiple phases. The first half involved better execution at the rim and an aggressive offense that led to more free throws. In the second half they showcased their depth and ability to run in transition for easy baskets. Look for the Suns to continue to build off of game one and go up two games on the Bucks. 

In game one of the NBA Finals the Bucks will lean on their veteran experience against the Suns youth. Throughout the post-season Phoenix has needed uplifted play from their youth in Cam Johnson, DeAndre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, and Cameron Payne. Expect the Bucks defensive intensity to throw the Suns off a bit to get the cover. Play the Bucks

Minus Giannis in game five the Bucks resorted back to a limited rotation as seen in their series against Brooklyn. Series high in minutes were played by Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis, and PJ Tucker. The bigger lineup worked without the shifty Trae Young available. Look for it to continue to work even if Young is available for game six. Grab Milwaukee to finish off the Hawks improbable post-season run. 

The Milwaukee Bucks have surged ahead to a 2-1 series lead against the Atlanta Hawks. Tuesday is an opportunity to put a defining statement to the series. Expect more o what we’ve seen the past two games from Milwaukee as they cover their third in a row. This is also an opportunity for the Bucks to win the Eastern Conference Finals on their home floor for game five. Grab Milwaukee

Game two the Milwaukee Bucks tightened things defensively to thwart the Atlanta Hawks game one momentum. Game three is an opportunity for the Bucks to climb forward more and showcase the defensive excellence they did in round one against Miami. With the Hawks depth in trouble grab the Bucks here.

The Atlanta Hawks never die mantra worked in their series victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Landing in the Eastern Conference Finals should be a different story against the Milwaukee Bucks. Expect Milwaukee to build forward from a grueling series against the Nets and resemble the strong team we saw in round one against the Heat. Back the Bucks. 

The Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers are the final seven game series before we know the conference finals matchup. Philadelphia showcased they can win with defense in a solid game six effort. Yet, the younger Hawks have had a knack for raising their level of play when needed most. Expect a valiant effort in game seven win or lose. Grab the Hawks.

Friday, the Utah Jazz have their season on the line on the road against the LA Clippers. Utah’s lost their defensive lock in ability in allowing the Clippers to win the last three games. Yet, they have a great opportunity to adjust their game plan after seeing the Clippers minus Kawhi Leonard in game five. Grab the Jazz to push this series to seven games. 

Epic collapses by the Philadelphia 76ers in games four and five have put them in a must-win situation tonight. Expect the veteran 76ers to remain aggressive for four quarters, and Doc Rivers to limit the bench’s minutes from late third to the early fourth quarter. Grab Philadelphia to respond as the road favorite. 

Throughout the Nets and Bucks series pricing has been skewed towards the Bucks side. This has been sparked by the Nets numerous issues with injuries to key players in James Harden and Kyrie Irving, and now the fact that Kevin Durant played 48 minutes in game five. Yet, I expect James Harden to look better in game six and the Nets as a team to look to finish off the Bucks. Play the Nets here.

The Hawks have new life with the 76ers meltdown in game four. With the series now even look for the younger Hawks to gain momentum off an improbable come from behind victory. Point guard Trae Young continues to torch the 76ers with his facilitation of the basketball, and matched a career-high eighteen assists in game four. Take the Hawks to shoot better and have an uptick offensively tonight. 

There’s a chance that James Harden could play for game five, but expect the Bucks defensive strategy to continue to grow. In games three and four the Bucks limited the Nets to an average of 89.5 points. With the burden squarely on Kevin Durant’s shoulders look for the Bucks confidence to play team basketball to flourish. Play Milwaukee. 

The LA Clippers broke out in game three’s victory over the Jazz with 132 points. It was just a point shy of a season high, and the Jazz’s poorest defensive effort the entire season. Look for the Clippers to build off that performance and put pressure on the Jazz heading to Salt Lake City. Grab the Clippers.

The Philadelphia 76ers have completely transformed their game plans to rout the Atlanta Hawks in games two and three. The blowouts were the fourth time in a span of forty-five days that the 76ers have routed the Hawks. Yet, Monday is a must win scenario where the younger Hawks can regain traction and rally behind their home crowd. Grab Atlanta.

The Clippers once again find themselves in a 2-0 deficit. This time against a Utah Jazz team that is in an unusual spot. Over their last 70 games they’ve been an underdog just twice, both of those times were double digit losses against Phoenix and the Lakers. Look for the Clippers to play a hard fought game and get the ATS win.

Adjustments made in post-season series grow deeper into the post-season. The Atlanta Hawks faced a New York Knicks team in round one that was incapable based on their roster talent. Expect the 76ers and Coach Doc Rivers to build on game two’s performance and hand the Hawks their first home post-season loss. Play Philadelphia.

Thus far Phoenix has been the talk of the Western Conference, while Utah and the Clippers get less attention. Utah gave the Clippers life for a first half and nearly the end of game one’s victory. Look for Utah to play more of a complete game tonight and have a showcase outing. Grab Utah.

The Phoenix Suns provided one of the craziest series swings in terms of odds seen in recent memory. Toppling the Lakers was quite a feat but now they’ll need to defeat a Nuggets team they have had issues with. Denver defeated Phoenix twice on the road in overtime, and swept the Suns in four games last year. Grab the Nuggets as they continue to thrive in an undermanned underdog role. 

In the postseason time and again teams with more rest struggle in game one. Look for that to be the case for Milwaukee who has had seven full days off since their sweep over Miami. Furthermore, they have not been challenged in two full weeks since their overtime game one victory over Miami. Take the Nets.

Wednesday, the Atlanta Hawks will face the Knicks in a potential game five close out game. If not for a Coach Thibs game two halftime adjustment to start Derrick Rose, this series would likely be over. Look for the Hawks to continue to excel in second halves as they do not want to give the Knicks life for a possible sixth or seventh game. Play Atlanta.

The Denver Nuggets were not ready for Portland’s game four adjustment with star Damian Lillard. Lillard toned down his shot attempts to ten and became more of a facilitator with ten assists. Expect the Nuggets to be prepared to defend the entire floor, and also not to shoot thirty four percent. Grab Denver.

Portland’s Damian Lillard has eighty shot attempts through three games against the Denver Nuggets. Only once during the regular season did he attempt more shots during a three-game stretch. Since halftime of game two he is just six for twenty one from three-point range, 29 percent. Take the Nuggets better team balance to pay off ATS.

The LA Clippers find themselves in a must win situation on the road against the Dallas Mavericks. Defensively they have not had the answers to limit the Mavericks offense and Luka Doncic. Instead look for the Clippers to play with more rhythm offensively and put the pressure on the Mavericks for game four. Play the Clippers. 

Raucous victory celebrations have been the theme in the Knicks and Hawks first two games. Both were seesaw affairs that could have went either way. For game three look for the Hawks to make a statement in front of their home crowd, as they negate the halftime adjustments made by Coach Thibs in game two. Play the Hawks.