When a team has a prolonged win streak, the big worry is the game after a first loss. Even with the Knicks being at home, you are seeing the spread venture down to pick em territory. San Antonio has made enough defensive adjustments that game two’s shining performers in Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet were non existent in game three. Defense gets the Spurs back in the series, as they pull off another road win.

The Spurs find themselves down 0-2, where their youth showed in both games. The losses is what gets glorified, but the Spurs battled back with quick rallies in both games. Look for a bit more consistent of a game, and a better coaching job from Mitch Johnson. Where they can use their total roster for execution, instead of force feeding Wemby. Take the Spurs in game three.

With the Knicks winning game one, this should be a series that goes seven games. Tonight I expect the Spurs to respond in a big way as they have off a loss in the postseason. As strong as the Knicks win streak is, the Spurs have lost two games in a row just once in the postseason. Since the start of the New Year, they have not lost consecutive games at home. The way they blew game one was reminiscent of the NBA Cup championship. A late third quarter double digit lead that quickly faded. They respond in game two.

New York’s efficiency has now put them at a ten game playoff win streak. Game three was one of their top playoff performances as they wanted to end any hope of Cleveland winning two games at home. The perfect play cannot continue, and I expect Cleveland to have an answer to a series that should be 2-1. Take the Cavs on the line move of being 2.5/3 point favorites to a two point underdog.

The New York Knicks playoff win streak at nine has now surpassed their best win streak of the regular season. They are up two games to none on the Cavaliers, but Cleveland has had its moments. Game one they of course blew, and game two was about missed wide open looks from beyond the arc. They went 9 of 35 as a team, and also missed ten free throws. In a desperation game at home, look for Cleveland to finally gain a win.

The New York Knicks have not stepped onto the court in nine days, since they swept the Philadelphia 76ers. It has also been since May 6th when they last had their starting lineup together with OG Anunoby. I’m expecting the layoff to have a similar impact as it did for the Thunder in game one yesterday. There’s also a build up pressure on this Knicks team to avoid a letdown as they did in game one against the Pacers in the ECF a season ago. Grab the points with the Cavaliers.

The OKC Thunder as the defending champions you could not ask for a better start in the first two rounds of the playoffs. They have yet to lose as they swept the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers. Both teams were dealing with injuries, and now the Thunder will see a Spurs team that has the depth to match them. I would not be surprised for the Thunder to have a double digit lead at halftime, but this Spurs team has shown to be a second half team. Grab the number with the Spurs.

We have seen things in the Pistons and Cavaliers series that defy gambling sense. The home team has won and covered the first four games. Take it a step further and the Cavaliers have won every home playoff game, and lost every road game. Expecting that angle to uphold today as Detroit just had a flat third quarter in game four. They showed resiliency making a game of it, and this is a must win game for them to avoid going back to Cleveland down 3-2. Lay it with the Pistons.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are 5 and 0 in the playoffs at home, but have not won consecutive postseason games since game two against the Raptors. Each playoff game they seem to have that crucial down stretch, that allows the opponent to surge. Expect Detroit’s bench guards to perform better in game three when they went a combined 4 of 16. At the very least I expect the spread to finally be worthy for the underdog. Grab the points with Detroit.

The New York Knicks have now rolled six straight playoff wins. Postseason is all about timing, and the Sixers used so much energy to take down the Celtics that they have ran out of gas. Both games two and three they had nothing in the tank with low output fourth quarters. As rare as it is to see a fourth seed complete a sweep, the Knicks do so here today. Back them on the moneyline.

Right now in the Eastern Conference we have two lopsided series. The New York Knicks are up 3 games to 0, and the Pistons 2 games to 0 on the Cavaliers. Cleveland, has dug themselves a hole in both games one and two but came back in both to make a game of it in the fourth quarters. The efficiency in the half court can be better, and don’t be surprised if Jaylon Tyson and Dennis Shroder’s roles grow with Harden struggling. Cavs end the Pistons five game playoff winning streak, and cover the number.

Game seven’s we have seen mixed results so far. Philadelphia won on the road, and Detroit cruised at home. Between Toronto and Cleveland, we know the health concerns with Toronto have ballooned the spread. Ingram is doubtful, Barnes is banged up, and they have ben without Quickley. Yet, the role players have all elevated their play and they have played exceptional defense on Harden/Mitchell. Even though the home team has won every game in this series, I have the Raptors at least covering the big number. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers were on the brink of being down three games to two, but came together to go on a scoring run that carried over into the fourth quarter. That can be the spark for a Cavaliers team that lost the two games in this series with poor fourth quarter play in games three and four. Cleveland finishes off Toronto, and ends the streak of the home team winning every game. 

The playoffs have shown us not to over react to a double digit win. That’s heightened with the fact that New York went into Atlanta and had such a strong game four performance. That was with their backs against the wall, as they could ill afford to go down three games to one. Games one through three though the spread was decided in the final minutes. Back Atlanta in what is such a crucial game five.

With the Thunder up 3 games to 0, don’t be surprised if Coach Daigneault uses tonight as an opportunity to adjust his rotations for the next round. This is just the second playoff game without Jalen Williams, and this was a big practice of his last year as he tweaked the playoff rotations constantly. That can lead to surges for the Suns as the Thunder use more personnel off the bench. Phoenix may get swept but play competitive enough to cover as double digit home underdogs. Grab the points with the Suns.

Going back to the regular season, the LA Lakers have now won four straight matchups over the Houston Rockets. The playoff level a team can rise to just was not there in LA for Houston. A warranted spread from oddsmakers does not always show initially in a series. I expect that tonight with the Rockets backs against the wall, and the Lakers getting healthier with Austin Reaves now questionable. A must win game where the tide can change by taking care of business on their home floor. Lay the number with the Rockets.  

The Atlanta Hawks showed their youth in Saturday’s game one against the Knicks. New York used one strong stretch to build a double digit lead that proved to much for the Hawks to overcome. Even with that the spread stayed flat from game one, as Atlanta does have the personnel to match the Knicks. They also did a great job defending Jalen Brunson after the first quarter. All three regular season games were down to the wire, look for that here in game two. Back the Hawks.

The Orlando Magic would love to take advantage tonight and avoid having to play their division mates in the Charlotte Hornets. Philadelphia we know is without Joel Embiid, but has Maxey, an emerging rookie in Edgecome, and veteran Paul George. Still, I’ll back the Magic who have increased their defense when facing Philadelphia each of the last two games they have scored just 103 points. Give me Orlando plus the points.

The Miami Heat have been one of the success stories of Adam Silver implementing the play-in. They went all the way to the NBA Finals just three years ago after securing the eighth seed via the play-in. A season ago they won two road games in the play-in last year against Atlanta and Chicago. Now they are back in the same tenth spot, playing their third straight play-in road game.  That’s not sustainable on continuing to have success.  Charlotte after losing the first three matchups to the Heat, blew them out in the final meeting by thirty points. Look for the young team in the Hornets to take out the veteran Heat. Lay the number.

The Charlotte Hornets squandered a golden opportunity to be the eighth seed in the play-in. The downfall started by allowing a 10-0 run to close the third quarter against the Celtics, and they lost again on Friday to the Pistons by 18 points. Both games the second halves were letdowns. Look for Charlotte to get a proper tune up game in for a confidence boost before their play-in matchup against the Heat. Lay the number with the Knicks treating this like a preseason game.

A game that will likely have the lowest handle of today’s slate is Memphis against the Utah Jazz. Utah is a favorite despite losing ten straight games. Just in their last five losses the opposition has increased their scoring each time, with the Pelicans finishing with 156 points Tuesday. In a game filled with reserves in starter roles take the Jazz to in what is their final home game of the season. 

The Brooklyn Nets have surprisingly won consecutive games, and three out of their last five overall. Tonight will mark their sixth straight home game, which I believe can lead to a bit of complacency in a spot against a Pacers team with a worse record overall. Brooklyn has won just three games in a row once this season, and I’ve been impressed with the younger players getting action for the Pacers in Jalen Slawson, Ethan Thompson, and others. Back the Pacers as the road favorite.

The New York Knicks have had the upper hand recently over the Boston Celtics. They won in six games in last year’s conference semi-finals, and have won two out of three in the regular season this year. Both wins were by double digits including handing the Celtics their second worst home loss of the season by twenty two points. An outlier tonight is Jayson Tatum returning to Madison Square Garden for the first time since his achilles injury in game four of last season. That could have a slight impact on his game, but look for the Knicks to take the regular season series 3 games to 1 and cover the spread.

In both meetings between the Charlotte Hornets and Boston Celtics the road team has won. That angle could be disrupted tonight, but I’m siding with the underdog to cover. Charlotte’s only game below 100 points in their last fourteen games was a 114 to 99 home loss against the Celtics. A side note is both matchups Charlotte was playing the second night of a back to back spot. This is the first time they will be on rest. Take the Hornets plus the points.

The Washington Wizards showed their true hand on Sunday, in a position to win with under four minutes left against Brooklyn. After a timeout, they let off the gas and a 105 to 101 lead turned into an eight point deficit in less then two minutes. Although the Bulls have the worst losing streak in the Eastern Conference at seven games, they get what may be their final win of the season tonight going away. Lay the number.

The no one wants to win game will take place between the Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets. Washington in consecutive games has given up 153 and 152 points, this includes yesterday against the Miami Heat. Still, the value to continue losing for the Wizards being a game back of Brooklyn is a value indicator to back. The Wizards override their poor defense with their scoring ability and cover the spread.

I’m looking for the Pistons to continue to be an ATS devalued team minus Cade Cunningham. They have won eight out of their last ten games, with the only two losses being in overtime against the Thunder and the Atlanta Hawks. Philadelphia won’t have Joel Embiid in the lineup, and were a bit flat on the offensive end of the floor last night against the Timberwolves. Take the Pistons.

One of the teams in the NBA that has been respectable despite a downgraded roster is the Memphis Grizzlies. Today though is an isolated spot to back the road favorite in the Toronto Raptors. Toronto went down in poor fashion their last time out as a 12.5 point home favorite against the Sacramento Kings. In a get right spot back the road team here in Toronto.

A sharp total lies with tonight’s matchup between the Phoenix Sun and Charlotte Hornets. I’m looking for the same scenario that caused the Hornets to have a scoring dip, in the prior matchup against the Suns to impact Phoenix this time. Charlotte was on a West Coast road trip when they had a flat performance and scored just 99 points. Now it’s the Suns in that spot, who beat the Hornets by simply living at the free throw line with thirteen more made free throws. Tight game with more scoring, but we get the under to cash.

The Sacramento Kings are an organization that on a nightly basis you don’t know which personnel is going to be on the court. It’s been a horrific road trip of four straight losses, and they are now 6-32 on the year on the road. After just 99 points against a Brooklyn team that had lost ten straight, I’m looking for a more efficient game from Sacramento. DeMar DeRozan is back in the lineup, and Toronto should be fueled off a poor showing yesterday against the Pistons. This also concludes the Kings last main road trip of the season, as their final two road games are single games against the Warriors and Portland. Take the over. 

Both the Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Lakers are in back to back spots. For the Lakers they did rest Luka Doncic in yesterday’s win over the Washington Wizards. I also expect the Lakers to be motivated seeing a Cavaliers team that trounced them in January 129 to 99. The extra energy for the Lakers should be there as they had one of the easiest schedules over the last week, in which they faced Indiana, Brooklyn, and Washington. Since December the Lakers are also 5 and 1 to the over on the second night of back to backs. Take the over.

Yesterday was a flat spot for the Dallas Mavericks at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves were energized with the return of Anthony Edwards, and blew out the Mavericks by thirty points. Prior to that loss the Mavericks were competitive in four straight games. They lost two games in overtime, covered against Denver, and beat Portland as a double digit underdog. Tail Dallas as the slight road favorite.

It’s been a wild month of March for the Orlando Magic who had a seven game win streak, and followed it up with a six game losing streak. Ending that losing streak by beating the lowly Sacramento Kings by just four points only helps our case to back today. The Magic are 2-0 ATS against the Raptors this season, including outscoring them 44 to 21 in the fourth quarter of the matchup on January 30th. Grab the Magic plus the points. 

The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers will meet for the second straight game in three days. Wednesday, the Cavaliers were in a back to back spot and that was an issue early on as they scored just 19 first quarter points. After erasing a double digit deficit to tie the game at 81, the energy was sapped from the Cavaliers who had a fourth quarter output of just 20 points. With Thursday off look for a typical high scoring game we have seen from the Cavs and Heat that featured 278 and 246 points in the first two matchups.

As we get closer to the conclusion of the NBA regular season, there are marquee games that you can circle as playoff level matchups. We have that today with the Knicks traveling to face the Charlotte Hornets. New York has been stout defensively in their last eight road games against Eastern Conference teams, where they have kept six opponents under 100 points including the Boston Celtics. Look for that key one quarter of low scoring to get the under to cash.

Denver got away with a sloppy performance win last night against the Phoenix Suns. As part of the NBC double header they were in an abnormal late time slot, that I expect to impact them tonight after traveling in from Phoenix. Denver has also scored over 121 points in eight out of their last nine games. This is a healthier Mavericks team this time around, which we saw in the first two matchups against Denver result in 252 and 261 points. Take the over.

The Chicago Bulls have covered three out of their last four games,  and our coming off one of the biggest surprises of the week. They took down the Houston Rockets as a nine point home underdog their last time out. I’ll fade them on the road tonight against a Philadelphia 76ers team that has quietly gained strength with the growth of their reserve starters. Justin Edwards is one of many 76ers players that has shined with roster injuries. Tail Philadelphia as the home favorite.

I’m expecting the Cleveland Cavaliers to get back on track from a scoring stand point tonight. Over their last three games they have had a points reduction from 123, 115, and 111 points scored. Tonight’s a favorable matchup facing the Orlando Magic who on March 11th, both teams combined for 250 points. Orlando had all five starters score in double figures, including Desmond Bane who led all scorers with 35.

The LA Lakers continue their road trip by traveling up to face the Detroit Pistons. Detroit without Cade Cunningham is rightfully a home underdog, but their depth has advanced to continue to back on their home floor. This marks the Lakers fifth straight road game, and third straight against an Eastern Conference opponent. Each of their last two games they were in trouble for stretches against Orlando and the Miami Heat. Back Detroit. 

Portland has won three straight games, but did so against two bottom level teams in Indiana and Brooklyn. The other win was against a Timberwolves team playing without Anthony Edwards. Not expecting an outright win today against the Denver Nuggets, but do look for a better overall effort then February 20th’s result of 157 to 103. Take Portland on the big spread.

The Houston Rockets ended the Atlanta Hawks eleven game win streak in yesterday’s blowout win. Even with the Heat down a few players, look for a strong performance. Houston has been more vulnerable recently and this is the end of a five game home stand. They also beat the Rockets by ten points in late February

The Lakers are surging with seven straight wins, and victories in ten out of eleven games. It’s been a whirlwind week with games against Denver and consecutive road games against the Houston Rockets. Today, could be a spot where the Lakers value the long term health for the playoffs, rather then play their key players. Even if Luka and company are cleared, back the Heat who will be motivated off a thirty point loss to the Hornets.

For the second straight night the Pelicans are favored over the LA Clippers. They erased a 40 to 26 first quarter deficit to beat the Clippers by 15 points. Over the Clippers last two games they have blown big leads in the first quarter against the Spurs and Pelicans, which is maybe a sign of team fatigue. Back below .500 grab the Pelicans to take advantage for a second straight night.

The Toronto Raptors won both of their latest matchups at home over the Phoenix Suns, and Detroit Pistons. Now they will try and correct their issues on the road which has resulted in three straight losses and failures ATS. Chicago has been a team they have had strong results against with a sixteen point and nine point win this season. Lay the number with the Raptors.

The Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic have the two best win streaks in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta has won nine straight games overall, where they have covered in each victory. They’ve also had an advantageous home schedule as this is their tenth home game out of their last eleven. Look for Orlando to keep this close as they look to avoid going 0 and 3 on the year to Atlanta. Grab the points.

The LA Lakers have won seven out of their last eight games. The only loss during that stretch was against tonight’s opponent in the Denver Nuggets. A game that saw a big line move on the Lakers side from 5.5 to 3.5 but failed ATS. Teams are typically vulnerable on the back end of a long home stand. Look for that scenario tonight as the Lakers are playing their fifth straight home game. Tail Denver.

The Miami Heat have rode not just a seven game winning streak, but have covered each game as well. Another hot team lies atop the Southeast division with the Orlando Magic on a six game winning streak, and have already beat the Heat four times this year. They may not get a fifth win but look for the spread to be precise on a two point line move on the Heat side with Norman Powell back. Grab the points with Orlando.

The Toronto Raptors have lost four of their last five games, including consecutive games by double digits. Tonight they will face a Phoenix Suns team that is in a back to back spot after yesterday’s victory over the Indiana Pacers. Devin Booker has been on a tear with five straight games of 27 or more points, but his only game of the last five years scoring in single digits without leaving because of injury was at Toronto. He scored just 8 points in 33 minutes. Tail the Raptors in a bounce back spot.

The Minnesota Timberwolves hit a low point two games ago when they matched a season worst twenty seven point loss against Orlando. The offense was not there once again in last night’s loss to the Lakers where they had Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVencenzo, and Anthony Edwards struggle from the field. Even if tonight’s another struggling game offensively, the Timberwolves showed just two weeks ago they can overcome that. They defeated the Clippers 94 to 88. Grab the Twolves as the underdog in a back to back spot.

The Orlando Magic have won four straight games, and are off back to back wins of twenty points or more for the first time this season. Yet, they find themselves as a home underdog against a Cavaliers team that defeated them by fourteen and sixteen points in late January. With Cleveland just .500 over their last eight games this figures to be a closer game, but take the Cavs to outlast the Magic and go three for three ATS against Orlando.

The Golden State Warriors looked like they would have a get right spot yesterday against the Utah Jazz but lost 119 to 116. They are now just 1-4 over their last five games, but will face a favorable opponent tonight in the Chicago Bulls. Chicago after winning two of three games, fell flat in Sunday’s loss in Northern California against the Sacramento Kings. Look for the Bulls we saw that lost every game in February tonight. Lay the number with Golden State.

One of the coldest teams ATS have been the Houston Rockets. They have not covered in five straight games, and are coming off giving up 145 points to the San Antonio Spurs. That was a season high in points allowed for the Rockets, and also their third game in four days. Off a day off look for a refocused Rockets team against Toronto. Lay the number.

Memphis has listed several players doubtful for tonight’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets. That makes an already thin roster dependent more so on backups against a Brooklyn team coming off a comeback win over the Detroit Pistons. The first matchup was also the fewest point scored in a Memphis game this season a 103 to 98 matchup. Take Brooklyn.

Like most teams in the NBA the Phoenix Suns are adjusting to returning players and injuries. As a result they have not covered their last two games, which also included a loss to the lowly Bulls. Their lone cover in three games was by a half point to the Sacramento Kings. Take the Hornets who quickly recover from their latest loss to the Miami Heat. 

The Indiana Pacers have lost seven straight games, and four straight games by 19 points or more. Much of the personnel that they are using are backup and third unit players. Yet, Pascal Siakam did return Wednesday after nearly two weeks off and scored 29 points. The Lakers respond off last night’s loss to Denver but fail to cover the big number.

The Detroit Pistons are coming off a loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and have not lost two games in a row since December 28th. One of their weaknesses I’ve touched on is their poor ATS record against Western Conference teams, which includes a recent home loss against the San Antonio Spurs on February 23rd. Look for that to be an edge for Detroit tonight that faces a Spurs team returning from their longest road trip of the season in five games. Tail Detroit.

The Toronto Raptors have lost eleven straight games against the New York Knicks. In late January it looked like that would finally end as they had a 66 to 55 lead in the third quarter, only to be outscored 64 to 25 the rest of the way. Look for the Raptors to be inspired off the flat performance and to end their long losing streak against the Knicks. Additionally, New York’s last win against the Spurs in the NBA Cup championship led to over aggressive spreads, as the Knicks went 1-10 ATS over their next eleven games. Tail the Raptors.

The Boston Celtics are choosing to rest Jaylen Brown once again in a back to back spot. This worked on the front end of the last instance against the Phoenix Suns, and also in early February against the Houston Rockets. Different scenario this time against a Milwaukee Bucks team I expect to bounce back from two embarrassing losses. They were blown out by the New York Knicks and allowed a 27 to 0 run in yesterday’s loss to the Bulls. Tail Milwaukee in a must win spot.

Today the Orlando Magic will host the Detroit Pistons and hope to avoid their first losing streak at home since January 24th. The Magic have been involved in four straight games down to the wire, but are coming off a difficult five point loss to the Houston Rockets. Look for the Pistons to shake off a couple of sluggish performances against the Thunder and Cavaliers. Lay the number with the Pistons.

Despite being undermanned and in a back to back spot the Dallas Mavericks are favored tonight. Memphis, has been on a decline ATS since their return from a west coast road trip earlier this month. Defensively over their last three games they gave up 136 points to Miami, 133 to Golden State, and Sacramento ended their 16 game losing streak against them. Tail the Mavericks.

Three games ago the Portland Trailblazers were embarrassed by Denver losing 157 to 103. Since they have covered the number in each of their last two games. They have also won each of their last two road games by margins of 15 and 16 points. Even with their team injuries including Deni Avdija, they still have better stability than a Bulls team that has dropped ten straight. Tail Portland.

The Detroit Pistons have won and covered five straight games overall. Look for that to end against a Spurs team that has also has a win streak winning their last eight games. One of the weaknesses of the Pistons post New Year’s is they are 2-7 ATS against Western Conference teams. In fact three of their four losses have come against teams out the West. Tail the Spurs.

The Orlando Magic are in a back to back spot tonight off a hard overtime loss against the Phoenix Suns. They’ll travel to face a Clippers team that will be thin without John Collins and even possibly Kawhi Leonard. On the year the Magic had one of their most decisive wins over the Clippers winning 129-101. Take the Magic tonight.

Teams with poor records typically give their last all out effort right after All Star break. I’m expecting that with the 15 win Pelicans in this window currently. Milwaukee went into the break with wins in five out of their last six games, including a four point home win over New Orleans. The Pelicans return the favor tonight and clear the spread.

Their last time out the Phoenix Suns let one get away in the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors. It showcased how much the Suns are missing with Jalen Green, Devin Booker, and now Grayson Allen out tonight. Still, the Philadelphia 76ers hot streak of winning or covering in six straight games comes to an end here. Phoenix beat them in Philadelphia on January 20th, where Tyrese Maxey was hindered to 7 of 25 from the floor.

The Portland Trailblazers come into tonight on a six game losing streak. With Deni Avdija in and out of the lineup it’s caused a dip in the Trailblazers play. There’s a chance he will return tonight, and even if he doesn’t look for Portland to capitalize against one of the more undermanned teams in the NBA right now in Memphis. Lay it with Portland.

The Philadelphia 76ers have enjoyed playing nine out of their last ten games at home. Travel for a cross country flight to Los Angeles I do believe will have enough of an impact to downgrade Philadelphia tonight. Joel Embiid has scored 29 points or more in seven straight games and had his first forty point outing of the season. Expect a dip against a Clippers team that has already covered the number in a back to bak spot against Philadelphia in November.

A spread that has soared the other way is between the Clippers and Phoenix Suns. This was because James Harden was ruled out, and the Suns have dominated their last two opponents in the Cavaliers and Pistons. Look for a come down to Earth game from Phoenix, as the Clippers continue to be one of the hottest teams in the NBA. Grab the dog here with the Clippers. 

Milwaukee has lost six out of its last seven games, and today may be one of the last times this season they will be a road favorite. With Giannis on the move big changes are ahead. Washington has just 11 wins on the season, and the only series edge they have is against Milwaukee where they have won two out of three games. Expect a motivated Bucks team tonight tail them as the road favorites.

The LA Lakers are coming off one of the top seesaw games of the season their last outing against the Dallas Mavericks. They were outscored by 21 points in the third quarter, but still came back and won by six points. The win can mask the lapses the Lakers had, and Monday they will face a Bulls team that has had the upper hand in the series. They’ve won three out of the last four matchups, including both last season. Grab the Bulls.

In the month of December the Brooklyn Nets showed promise with a 7-4 overall record. January has not been kind, close competitive losses turned into a blowout loss yesterday against the Chicago Bulls. This Nets team has not shown to be trustworthy in back to back spots. On the year they have losses by 13, 16, 17, and 28 points. Lay the number with the Suns.

We see teams sparked all the time by a key trade. That appears to be the case for the Atlanta Hawks, who endured a 2-9 stretch recently. Once Trae Young was officially traded the team came to life and has won three out of their last four games. Tonight is a chance to finish off their West Coast road trip on a positive note, against a Portland team that will be without Deni Avdija. Lay the number with the Hawks.

The Sacramento Kings only win over their last seven games was against tonight’s opponent in the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas had issues handling Maxime Raynaud who scored nineteen points, and also handling the Kings bench play. Expect a different outcome tonight as Anthony Davis did not play in that matchup, and Sacramento has shown zero signs of life with five straight losses by double digits.

The Denver Nuggets have shown as they have all season, the next man up mentality when an injury occurs. Without Nikola Jokic they defeated the Toronto Raptors, and lost by just five points against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In today’s spot though look for the early start time, and the continuation of their road trip to have an impact. Back the Nets here as the home underdog.

A team that’s ATS value has plummeted from the oddsmakers are the LA Lakers. Despite a strong record, there is a dysfunction that has arose since Lebron James returned to the lineup. Memphis has always been a team that has had solid battles against the Lakers with Ja Morant in the lineup. Take the Grizzlies here.

The Dallas Mavericks return from a three game road trip where they went 0 and 3. At home they have fared much better recently where they have won five games in a row. That includes big wins over the Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, and Houston Rockets. Without Anthony Davis though we are seeing the Mavericks team struggle. Take the value on the 76ers coming off a thrilling overtime win over Memphis.

Bottom level teams in the NBA usually have a couple of mini streaks on the season. For the Washington Wizards they are .500 over their last eight games, and have actually won two out of their last three. Expect the downturn tonight as they travel on the road and face a Bucks team that is 2-0 with Giannis back in the lineup. Lay the number with Milwaukee.

The LA Clippers are coming off consecutive wins over the LA Lakers and Houston Rockets in dominating fashion. Even with just eight wins on the season they find themselves as road favorites tonight over the Portland Trailblazers. Portland is starting to look like the young team of last season, and trailed virtually the entire game their last time out against Orlando. Lay the points here with the Clippers.

Christmas Day’s NBA slate I’ll focus on the game that makes the most sense from a value stand point. The Houston Rockets have lost four out of five games, with three of those being overtime losses. Their latest losses were against two of the worst teams in the NBA in the Sacramento Kings and LA Clippers. Presenting a perfect opportunity to go with the oddsmakers set favorite with Houston against the Lakers. Sharper effort tonight as Houston spoils Lebron and Luka’s first Christmas game together as teammates.

One of the more controversial games and endings on the NBA season came between the LA Lakers and Phoenix Suns on December 14th. A game the Lakers ended up winning by two points. Look for the Suns to be motivated off that loss, and also the fact they will enjoy the full holiday at home. The Lakers on the other hand will be playing on Christmas Day, and have two key players ruled out in anticipation for that game in Luka Doncic and Rui Hachimura. Tail the Suns.

There are some young teams in the NBA that have endured losing early in the NBA season, but are showing signs of promise. The Pelicans are one of those teams as they were once 3-22 and now have won four straight games. Having Zion Williamson back in the fold just makes the development of the young players more noticeable. Tail the Pelicans to grab their fifth straight win. 

The Cavaliers are no where near preseason expectations just one game below .500. They have lost three straight games including losing to tonight’s opponent in the Charlotte Hornets. It was Donovan Mitchell’s worst shooting performance of the season in which he shot 6 of 24. Great bounce back spot for the Cavaliers here.

Typically when a team has their star player ruled out, and are in a back to back spot we see a wild line move. That is not the case with the Celtics who will be without Jaylen Brown tonight. Just thirteen days ago they went into Toronto and won by thirteen. After winning eight straight games at home, the Raptors have now lost four straight games at home. Take the Celtics here

Trae Young returned for the Atlanta Hawks yesterday, and the team got off to a flat start defensively against the Charlotte Hornets. They did get back in the game but still lost by seven points. With Young resting, I believe that gives value for the Hawks against a Spurs team they had a smaller spread for in San Antonio. As we saw with the Knicks yesterday, this could be a flat spot for San Antonio off the NBA Cup in Las Vegas. Take Atlanta here plus the points.

If there is any team that needed the mini layoff from the NBA Cup championship it was the Miami Heat. They have lost five straight games, and scored a season low 96 points in Monday’s loss to the Raptors. Even without Tyler Herro, look for the Heat to overwhelm a Nets team that is playing over their capabilities with wins in four out of their last six games. Lay the number with Miami.

If it was the NBA Cup championship or just a standard regular season game, to me tonight is the perfect time to fade the Spurs. They blew out a Lakers team as a seven point underdog, and ended the Thunder’s sixteen game win streak. Postgame after defeating the Magic, we heard Karl Anthony Towns talk about the Knicks having had their best practices of the season. It’s carried over onto the court where the Knicks have won eight out of their last nine games. The East wins the NBA cup for a second straight season.

The NBA Cup semi-finals are here in Las Vegas. Both games have big favorites for a neutral site NBA game. New York has won eight out of their last nine games, with one of those a six point win over the Orlando Magic. In their latest win Jalen Brunson corrected his issues beyond the three point line by going six of nine against the Raptors. Lay the number here with the Knicks.

The Orlando Magic received big news today with the return of their star player Paulo Bachelor. They will face a Miami Heat they defeated by four points to begin the season. It was a matchup the Magic erased an eight point deficit in the fourth quarter to come back in win. Look for the Magic to take advantage tonight against a Heat team traveling in from Dallas, and are below .500 on the season on the road.

The Detroit Pistons will face the Milwaukee Bucks twice the rest of this week, beginning with a road game tonight. Recently, the Pistons have been involved in closer games. A couple of losses, and three wins by five points or less. Expect that to change against a Bucks team that has dropped eight out of their last nine. This includes a thirteen point loss to Detroit. Lay the number here.

The LA Clippers continue to be the struggling team that the market values off of prior seasons. That can be tough to find a spot to back, as they are just 2-8 on the road and have dropped seven out of their last eight games. Still, tonight will mark Kawhi Leonard’s fifth game back in the lineup. He has scored 30 or more in consecutive games, and the first matchup against Miami was just a one point loss on November 3rd. Back the Clippers.

The Milwaukee Bucks have lost six games in a row and now will head to Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks. New York at home this season is 8 and 1 overall. Yet, we just saw the Bucks undermanned face a Heat team that is 9 and 1 at home and not give up despite being down double digits late. There is also a chance that Giannis suits up, which would drop this spread 1.5-2 points. Grab the number now.

The New Orleans Pelicans are coming off just their third victory of the season over the Chicago Bulls. Their opponent in Memphis already has a victory over the Pelicans this year, and have started to get more comfortable minus Ja Morant. In the victory over the Pelicans seven players from Memphis scored in double figures. They also attempted 43 free throws, with Kentavious Caldwell Pope leading the way at 9 for 9. Take Memphis.

The Houston Rockets will be without Kevin Durant tonight, but will face a Phoenix Suns team in a back to back spot. Houston on the season has not lost consecutive games since their first two games to begin the season. Look for the team to be fired up as it’s the first matchup seeing Dillon Brooks since being traded in the off-season. Lay the high number with the Rockets.

The San Antonio Spurs got away with one in their last matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies, in which they ended the game on an 11 to 0 run. Tonight, they will face an Atlanta Hawks team that has been far superior on the road then at home. On the road they have a 7-2 record, and are just coming off sweeping a four game west coast road trip. Take the Hawks here.

The Memphis Grizzlies have dropped four straight games, and eight out of their last nine. As bleak as their season looks they got worse news as Ja Morant will be out a minimum two weeks with a calf strain. A team that also has issues are the Spurs who are down both Wemby and Dylan Harper. They’ve also had issues with defensive lapses in three out of their last four games. Take the value on the Grizzlies.

Winning without key players you typically don’t have a common opponent example of. For the Knicks we do as they defeated Miami by eight points on Friday, without Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby who left early in the game. They scored a season high 140 points, and it was the fourth time in five games scoring more then 133 points overall. Take the Knicks to get their second win over the Heat in the last four days.

The LA Clippers are just 1-7 over their last eight games. They’ve been without Kawhi Leonard, lost Bradley Beal for the season, and suffered another key injury in yesterday’s defeat with Derrick Jones Jr going down. Yet, the team fought back from a twenty four point third quarter deficit to lose by just three points to Boston. The effort is there, and I expect that to overtake a Philadelphia team that tends to lose its focus for four quarters. Grab the points with the Clippers. 

A light NBA Saturday, but the final game should be a solid one between Denver and Minnesota. Denver has won six straight games and eight of nine, and does have the rest advantage over Minnesota. The Timberwolves played yesterday and had to work to get the victory over Sacramento. Expect a cleaner game tonight and for the Timberwolves to get revenge for losing by thirteen points to Denver on October 27th.

Two of the toughest teams to watch in the NBA right now are the Dallas Mavericks and LA Clippers. The Clippers are winless on the road this season and have lost six straight games. Even with that their dysfunction does not compare to the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas has had a home friendly schedule going into their 9th of 13 games at home, and still that has not mattered. Look for the Clippers bench development without Kawhi Leonard and Bradley Beal to show tonight. Take the Clippers.

All teams early in the season have issues playing in the altitude. That is expected to heighten for the Atlanta Hawks who are in a back to back spot tonight after defeating the Sacramento Kings. Utah is also undefeated at home with a 5-0 ATS mark. Yet, look for the Hawks depth to be on showcase and Nickeil Alexander Walker’s experience in the Western Conference to pay off. Take Atlanta as the slim favorite.