(#510) San Antonio Spurs | ATS | . 

After dropping both games at home, San Antonio was able to respond w/ a massive win in Game 3. Now, I know that the Spurs blew a 29 point lead in Game 4, making it the biggest blown lead in NBA Finals history. But, that shouldn't change the game plan here. There was a few plays late that the Spurs could've executed on differently & we wouldn't be looking at an elimination game here. Props to the Knicks for staying in the game and knocking down timely shots in the 4th qtr. However, I believe that New York will still be content to go back home after this one with a chance to close out the series at MSG in front of those fans. San Antonio hasn't lost three consecutive home games all season long & I'm not expecting that to happen today either. Give me SAS in a response after the collapse. 

Burns' Prediction: 112-103 Spurs.

(#505) San Antonio Spurs | ATS | . 

New York took a 2-0 series lead after holding on in Game 2. Now, this is a huge mountain to climb for San Antonio. But, I expect the Spurs to bounce back and make this a season. Since 1997, any team that is revenging a loss by 3pts or less against an opponent, as well as coming off of 2+ consecutive upset losses as a home favorite, are 45-22 (67.2%) SU. That system applies to the Spurs here this evening. 

Looking at the Knicks, it's definitely been a ridiculous run, winning 14 straight games now. That being said, all runs come to an end eventually and this is definitely going to be their most challenging game to test that run yet. Yes, NYK is back at home at MSG. However, I just simply don't believe that the Knicks will be able to keep covering the spread against one of the most complete teams in the NBA. In my eyes, if the Spurs play anything like they did during the OKC series tonight, they won't have a problem making this a series once again. 

San Antonio also possesses an outstanding 35-15 record on the road this season including the postseason. Some of those include a Game 7 win on the road against the defending champs as well as a Game 6 on the road to beat the Timberwolves 4-2. The fans most definitely are going to be rocking in the Big Apple, don't expect Wemby to go down without a fight. 

Burns' Prediction: 115-107 Spurs.

(#504) San Antonio Spurs | ATS | . 

Considering how badly the Spurs shot in Game 1, it's a bit surprising to me that they had the lead throughout the majority of the game and had a chance near the end to claw back and win that game. Yes, I did have the "over" and lost with it in that game. But, the shots just weren't falling and I could definitely see this one being high scoring. But, more importantly than that, I do also expect the Spurs to rebound, and win this game comfortably (double digits.) 

It's been a dominating showing from the Knicks so far in the postseason. But, it's always more difficult with the most on the line. Game 1 was very tightly contested and New York hasn't had many of those games in these playoffs. This will be an even bigger test. Wembanyama will not have another game like he did in Gm1. Give me the Spurs to bounce back. 

Burns' Prediction: 112-101 Spurs.

(#501) New York Knicks @ (#502) San Antonio Spurs | OVER | . 

I get that the "under" has been extremely profitable in the NBA Finals for so many years now. As a matter of fact, the "under" is 36-10 since 2022 in the NBA Finals. That being said, I'm not a big fan of looking at history when we've got two up and coming programs fighting for future success in this league. 

New York's been chomping at the bit for a couple of seasons now, waiting patiently for this opportunity. Over this playoff run, the Knicks are averaging 119.9 PPG on some historic shooting performances. No, I'm not expecting the Knicks to go absolutely bonkers here throughout this series. But, I am expecting them to put up a real fight and perhaps shock the world. 

Looking at the Spurs, their offense looked pretty unstoppable over the last two games of the OKC/SAS series. Quite frankly, the defending champions couldn't even figure out how to defend this team. The relentless hustle & top notch play from the youngsters have brought this Spurs team to new heights. 

This game being Gm1 in the NBA Finals could cause for some early jitters. But, I don't expect that to last long, playing at home in front of their own crowd. NYK will show up ready, and this one could quite be the best game of the whole series. I expect lots of points, just like in the NBA Cup Final earlier this year. Give me the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 119-108 Spurs.

(#560) Oklahoma City Thunder | ATS | . 

After opening as a -5.5 point favorite, the line has come down to this -4.0 number. I believe that OKC is going to be angry after losing the last one, which should definitely fuel it to win this game. The Thunder have been elite on their home court throughout the season & that has continued throughout the postseason (only loss being in 2OT to SAS.) Game 5 is back in Oklahoma City. I like the Thunder to come out swinging, and early. 

San Antonio is capable of beating anyone in the NBA including this OKC Thunder side. But, the Spurs do lack the ability to keep the foot on the gas pedal at times. Numerous times in these playoffs, yet alone this series, San Antonio has opened up games with big runs. But, teams are able to hang around. That's not what you want, especially in a game like this one the road. Give me OKC at home at a much better price than we saw yesterday. 

Burns' Prediction: 117-107 Thunder.

(#554) Cleveland Cavaliers | ATS | . 

Game 1 was a bit odd as the Cleveland Cavaliers took complete control for the majority of the game. The Cavs, who were up 22 w/ less than eight minutes remaining, pretty much had the game sealed. Until it wasn't and the Knicks clawed all the way back and won that game. That definitely was not good for the Cavs confidence heading into Game 2 & New York took full advantage of it. 

Now, facing a 0-2 series deficit, this essentially turns into a "must-win" game for the Cavaliers. No team in NBA history has ever came back from down 0-3 in a series. Cleveland knows this. The good things is that road teams that have covered ATS in 8+ of their past 10 games, who have won 60-75% of their games on the season have gone just 27-57 (32.1%) ATS since 2022. That system applies to the Knicks in this one. 

Looking at this game a bit more, Cleveland has been significantly better here at home compared to on the road (33-15 instead of 27-23.) Same goes for the Knicks, who are just 26-20 in road games compared to 36-11 at home. No, I don't think that either team is going to be able to win a seven game series in the finals against either Western Conference team. But, I do expect this ECF to get quite interesting after this matchup. Give me Cleveland in Game 3. 

Burns' Prediction: 114-105 Cavs.

(#548) Oklahoma City Thunder | ATS | . 

San Antonio might have stolen Game 1 in overtime. But, I expect OKC to respond in a massive way here in Game 2. The series stays here at the Paycom Center where the Thunder own a 34-7 record this season. I know that covering six and a half points won't be easy. But, I expect Oklahoma City to get the job done, and win this game comfortably on Wednesday. 

The Spurs have gotten the best of the Thunder so far this season. But, Mark Daigneault doesn't have a COTY & a championship over the past couple of seasons for no reason with this team. He's great at adapting and making things happen when they matter most. Whether Fox plays or not, I like OKC by double digits here. 

Burns' Prediction: 111-96 Thunder.

(#525) San Antonio Spurs @ (#526) Minnesota Timberwolves | UNDER | . 

Admittedly, I did lose with Minnesota in Game 5 in what was simply a bad pick. Now, I'm back with another selection on this series here in Game 6. Considering four straight games in this series have gone "over" the number, I believe that this is the perfect time for this series to shift back to a lower scoring type of game. If the Timberwolves showed up in Gm5, I believe that it would've been a lower scoring game too. But, Minnesota's entire team practically didn't come to play, leading to a bunch of points for the Spurs. San Antonio is coming off a much lower scoring series with the Trail Blazers. Yes, there were a couple of high scoring games. But, defense was key for the most part. As the series gets older, I believe that every single one will continue to get more intense and high pressure, leading to less points overall. With the four "over's" in succession, this total has gone up a point from last game. Give me the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 109-102 Timberwolves.

(#515) Minnesota Timberwolves | ATS | . 

I had Minnesota in Game 4 to tie up the series as my ROUND 2 GAME OF THE YEAR & boy oh boy it sure paid off. Anthony Edwards & the Timberwolves clutched up in the 4th quarter and delivered a monstrous win. Now, the series is tied up at 2-2 and I still think that Minnesota is getting tremendously underlooked here. This is a team that can compete with anyone. Double digit dogs? Please. 

San Antonio got a bit unlucky in the last game with Wemby's ejection. However, I still think that Minnesota would've made it a game with him still playing. He's a massive piece. But, it also would've meant that Harper/Castle probably wouldn't have combined for 44 points. I do believe that this is a great spot to back Minnesota to keep this game close and possibly upset again. Grab the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 109-106 Spurs.

(#508) Minnesota Timberwolves | ATS | . 

San Antonio managed to win both Game 2 & Game 3 after dropping Game 1 at home. I did like SAS to take a series lead, but not necessarily in that manner. That being said, Anthony Edwards is looking more and more healthy again & I expect Minnesota to continue to fight as the postseason continues. 

On the season, San Antonio was 1-3 against the Timberwolves, dropping both of the games played in Minnesota. I know that those stats go out the window when the postseason comes along. But, Minnesota has been absolutely dominant at home against the Spurs in recent history. As a matter of fact, it's won seven of the past eight games here at the Target Center. 

Yes, this series was always going to be difficult for Minnesota, being short handed without Donte DiVencenzo. Nobody knew that Edwards was going to return in Game 1 either. But, considering how he looked in Game 3, and how this series is shaping up, I believe that this is going to be an instant classic. Give me the Timberwolves to even up the series at two games a piece. 

Burns' Prediction: 117-112 TWolves.

(#569) Los Angeles Lakers @ (#570) Oklahoma City Thunder | OVER | . 

This is a big game. If Los Angeles can somehow mange to right the ship & somehow win this game, it buys Luka Doncic a couple of more days to get ready to come back for an important game. If the Lakers fail to do so, they risk going down three games to none back at home over the weekend. Scoring 90 points isn't going to cut it & LeBron knows it. He's going to come out ready to "die on the floor" on Thursday doing whatever he can to help get the Lakers back in this series. 

Oklahoma City, on the other hand, will be looking to extend this lead & stay perfect in the postseason. The Thunder still managed to cover ATS despite Shai having scored less than 20 for the first time since Game 3 of the WCF last year. I expect a better performance from him. Did you know that #1 seed in the playoffs that are at home in the 2nd game of a playoff series are 34-11 (75.6%) towards the "over" since 2017! Give me the "over" in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 123-105 OKC.

(#561) Philadelphia 76ers | ATS | . 

In Game 1, the 76ers got smacked and there's no doubt about that. I think that they were still tired from the Game 7 & series against Boston finishing just a couple of days prior. Now, both teams are on the same rest after playing each other on Monday and I'm expecting the real Philadelphia to show what it's made of. I did expect the Celtics to beat the Sixers. But, I did mention that I thought it would be harder than people expected and the Sixers showed everyone what they were capable of. 

New York's great, and I've won with it in this postseason already. However, it has shown that it's willing to play in tight & close games. The Knicks lost twice last series, by one point in both of those games. I think that Philadelphia could force this game to come down to the wire and end up victorious in the later stages. This one's going to be a much more competitive matchup. Give me the Sixers. 

Burns' Prediction: 108-106 Sixers.

(#554) San Antonio Spurs | ATS | . 

Minnesota might've hung on to beat Denver in a series where the Nuggets clearly weren't in the right head space. But, I don't think that it's going to have the same success here in this series against the Spurs, especially if Edwards cannot return. Edwards is expected to return in Game 3, which should give the Timberwolves a massive boost. But, on the road in San Antonio, this one could get ugly in Game 1. 

The Spurs own 34-9 SU & 25-18 ATS records at home this season. While at times, they do have some trouble winning by a large margin, they should be able to do so on Monday, given all of the injuries for the TWolves. With Gobert on the other side, don't expect Wemby to go easy on his fellow frenchman. That matchup should add even more fuel to the fire. Give me SAS big in Game 1. 

Burns' Prediction: 117-95 Spurs. 

***now Edwards is expected to play game 1. Still like Spurs by double digits in Game 1. Grab best line available.

(#525) Detroit Pistons | ATS | . 

Still playing to stay alive, the #1 seeded Pistons looked much, much better in Game 4 despite not covering the spread. I know that Cade Cunningham had to score 45 in that game to keep Detroit alive. But, the momentum of having won the last game in a playoff series is definitely real, especially as the higher seed. 

Orlando also got a 45 point showing from Paolo Banchero in Game 4. That being said, it wasn't good enough. Franz Wagner remains out for Game 6 and that's a crucial injury for this series. I believe that Banchero won't have as strong as a game here on Friday, which should ultimately lead to a Detroit W. Lay the points (consider ML as well ... if want to be safe.) 

Burns' Prediction: 114-105 Pistons.

(#509) Boston Celtics | ATS | . 

I like Boston to finally finish this series against the Sixers on Thursday evening. Like I mentioned in my Game 1 writeup, (although it didn't completely go to plan) I did expect Philadelphia to make this series somewhat competitive, which it has. That being said, the 76ers have hung around long enough & I also expect Joe Mazzulla and the C's to finally put them away here this evening. 

Even on the road, Boston remains the favorite. This is actually the smallest favorite that it's been so far in the series. Don't get me wrong, having Embiid back is very nice for Philadelphia. But, he's not going to be enough to stop Boston, who's searching for another title this season. Give me the Celtics on Thursday. 

Burns' Prediction: 115-103 Celtics.

(#502) Detroit Pistons | ATS | . 

Orlando has taken a commanding 3-1 series lead against the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference and I'm quite shocked at this result. That being said, I do not think that the Pistons are going to lose a third consecutive game and lose the series on Wednesday at home against the #8 seed. No, it hasn't been a good series for the supporting cast of Cade Cunningham (he's done everything he can.) But, I'm expecting that to all chance here this evening when the series shifts back to the Motor City. Orlando is just 20-23 on the road this season including playoffs & Detroit is 32-10 at home. The Magic are still 10 games below .500 (ATS) against foes from the Eastern Conference this season as well despite being 3-1 ATS in the series. Expect the Pistons to show some heart, dominate Game 5, & bring this series back to Florida for a crucial Game 6. 

Burns' Prediction: 117-99 Pistons.

(#574) San Antonio Spurs | ATS | . 

As much as I love Portland as a team at full strength, the Blazers could really use a superstar like Damian Lillard playing the moment. They just aren't as strong as these best of the best teams without a superstar like that currently in my eyes. Yes, Deni Advija has been great throughout the season. But, he's not been his strongest in these playoffs and I don't think that he's going to make a huge difference in this one either the way the past couple have gone. Victor Wembanayama also returned in the last game, helping the Spurs to a dominant win. Having won both of the games on the road by double digits, what's to say they can't come back home and do the same thing. Don't expect San Antonio to play against with Portland at all. It'll get the job done here this evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 119-94 Spurs.

(#564) Denver Nuggets | ATS | . 

Minnesota might have taken a commanding lead in this series. That being said, this series is far from over, even at three games to one. The Timberwolves will now have to deal with the injury of Donte DiVincenzo as well as superstar Anthony Edwards. I do not expect Edwards to play in this game, no matter how tough he is. Therefore, Minnesota will have to deal with both of those two important knocks, as well as going back on the road against a fanbase that's surely going to get behind the team. Denver's been elite at home all season long. After McDaniels messed around at the end of the game like that by going for a layup w/ no shot clock, you just know that Nikola Jokic is going to take matters into his own hands in Game 5. Give me the Nuggets to win big & force a Game 6 right back in Minnesota. Don't be shocked if Denver still wins this series if Ant isn't able to come back. 

Burns' Prediction: 123-104 Nuggets.

(#558) Houston Rockets | ATS | . 

Los Angeles has definitely been in control in this series, setting the tone with its physicality and ability to perform in crunch time. That being said, I don't expect the Rockets to go down without a fight. The Lakers still won't get back Reaves or Luka for this contest and the Rockets owned an outstanding 30-11 record on their home court throughout this season. 

It's definitely asking a lot for Houston to come all the way back now given that it's down 3-0. As a matter of fact, no team has ever came back from this deficit in the NBA. However, I do believe that the Rockets are going to show a bit of heart to avoid the sweep. LAL will definitely try its best to avoid that to claim a spot in the West Semis while leaving plenty of time for its stars to recover. But, considering the line & what I've seen all season, don't expect Houston to just stop playing. Give me HOU in Game 4. 

Burns' Prediction: 106-99 Houston.

(#553) San Antonio Spurs | ATS | . 

I won with the Spurs in Game 3 at a much cheaper price. That being said, I'm still willing to lay this number with San Antonio on Sunday in Game 4. Victor Wembanyama's status is still uncertain and will probably be decided around tip-off. However, I like SAS with him or without him here this afternoon. 

Portland had its chance, when it was up throughout the majority of Game 3. But, considering how the Spurs closed that game, I don't think that the Trail Blazers have much of a chance here in Game 4. Dylan Harper has become a massive piece to the Spurs success in these playoffs. Fox didn't even shoot great like I expected in the last game either. If he's hitting his shots, look out. Give me the Spurs in a big time double digit win. 

Burns' Prediction: 125-103 Spurs.

(#545) New York Knicks | ATS | . 

Through three games, I believe that this has been the most competitive so far. That being said, I believe that this is tremendous value on a Knicks team that desperately needs another win to even back up the series on Saturday. During the season, Atlanta played pretty similar ball on the road as it did at home. I believe that the Hawks will struggling winning consecutive games here at home against a team that's had their number here in the past. 

Looking at recent meetings here, six of the most recent eight here at State Farm Arena have gone in favor of the Knicks. While New York doesn't have Thibodeau coaching them this season, Mike Brown won three championships as an assistant w/ the Warriors & I'm not writing him off just because of a couple of playoff games. He knows how to win and he will respond. 

In this matchup, I expect a lot more from Brunson. Don't get me wrong, scoring 26 points in Game 3 is most definitely enough for some players. But, for him, I believe he's capable of much more than 26 on 0/5 shooting from 3pt range. Give me the Knicks to respond and even up the series at two games a piece on Saturday evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 112-102 Knicks.

(#541) Detroit Pistons | ATS | . 

Heading into this Game 3 on Saturday afternoon, lots is on the line. Historically, the winner of Game 3 in a series that's tied at one game a piece has an all-time record of 162-59 (73.3%) to win the series. That being said, winning this game is crucial. Detroit started to find its rhythm in the fourth quarter of the last game and I'm expecting it to continue the hot shooting into this game and throughout the rest of the series. 

Don't get me wrong, the Magic can be a tough team to beat on their day, just like in Game 1. However, this Pistons team has shown resilience to win both at home & on the road throughout this season. Give me the Pistons at this price all day long. 

Burns' Prediction: 112-98 Pistons.

(#539) San Antonio Spurs | ATS | . 

Even though Victor Wembanyama suffered an injury in Game Two, leaving his status uncertain for Game Three (probably a no-go,) I fully believe that the Spurs still hold a massive edge in this series. They had to play plenty of games without him during the season and were still very strong in those contests. This one is on the road. But, the Spurs still had a much better record away from home than the Blazers did at home throughout the season. 

For Portland, it can have a bit of a sigh of relief having stolen Game 2 on the road. That being said, this could cause the players to ease up a bit with the home advantage now. That's not going to help the Trail Blazers whatsoever. This series is very much still wide open and San Antonio is definitely going to want to come to Portland and establish its presence early and often. I like Fox to have a massive game on Friday. Lay the couple of points. 

Burns' Prediction: 119-106 Spurs.

(#513) Portland Trail Blazers @ (#514) San Antonio Spurs | OVER | . 

Game 1 saw a much lower scoring game as the Spurs went on to win that game 111-98. While the playoffs always involve a more intense level of defensive play, I still believe that we're going to see a few high scoring games in this series and this one definitely could be one of those. The Blazers, who average 14.5 threes per game, were only able to hit 10 on Sunday. 

During the season, all three games finished below the number. The total has also continuously gone down since the first game of the year between the two teams (240.5, 234.5, 229.5, 223.5.) Now that the total is below 220, I believe that there's excellent value on the "over" as both teams went "over" the number in more games than not against conference opponents this season. All in all, this one could be much closer and more active down the stretch with fouling as well. Give me the "over" as my ROUND 1 TOY. 

Burns' Prediction: 120-109 Spurs.

(#585) Philadelphia 76ers | ATS | . 

As good as Boston is, I believe that this line is way too high for this Game 1 matchup between division rivals. Even without Embiid, I'm a fan of this 76ers roster. VJ Edgecombe has been absolutely gigantic during his rookie season & Tyrese Maxey has proven that he can carry a team to wins if need be. Not to mention that Paul George is also one of the most consistent players in the NBA still, with lots of playoff experience. 

Don't get me wrong, the Celtics are definitely favorites to win this series and move on. But, don't be shocked if Philadelphia keeps the series close and makes things interesting. The Sixers did in fact go into the TD Garden and beat the Celtics earlier on this season on opening night. Did you know that teams that are favorites of 10+ points, after beating the spread by 54+ points over its past ten games are just 6-29 ATS since 2017?? - That 6-29 record comes against opponents that have gone under the total by 54+ points over their most recent 10 games. 

Having said all of that, and considering the point spread for this one, it's still difficult to see Philly pulling off the upset in the clutch in a road playoff atmosphere. But, expect the Sixers to at the very least come away with a hard fought single digit loss in this basketball game on Sunday afternoon. 

Burns' Prediction: 112-109 Celtics.

(#561) Orlando Magic @ (#562) Philadelphia 76ers | OVER | . 

I expect an electrifying encounter in this one on Wednesday evening. Orlando has looked a bit tentative at times, on both sides of the ball. But, the Magic are still a slightly above average "pace" playing team this season, especially as of late. The Magic are making a real push at the playoffs and even though a matchup with Boston seems like an uphill battle, when it's playoff time, anything can happen. Over their most recent six games, the Magic have averaged 123.2 PPG. I'm expecting them to keep up the high tempo in this one. 

Once Philadelphia gets going, it runs until there's no tomorrow as well. The Sixers sit just behind the Magic on the season for tempo. However, with this lineup, I expect them to be very energetic as well in this one. Philly comes in with confidence, off consecutive wins and this should be a game where it shows it's best stuff, at home for a chance at the playoffs. Expect lots of points in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 123-115 Sixers.

(#563) Portland Trail Blazers @ (#564) Phoenix Suns | OVER | . 

This line continues to come down and I'm not sure why. I believe that it's going in the wrong direction. Phoenix does play rather slow. However, the Suns are also more than capable of putting points on the board. They shoot a ton of 3-balls & make 14.8 per game which is good for top five in the NBA. Having just scored 135 on the #1 seed - OKC, I expect the Suns to be feeling very confident for this basketball game. 

Portland plays on the faster side of things, the pace should cancel out here and it should be a fairly average paced contest. The Blazers also shoot a lot of threes and make 14.5 per game (7th.) They've scored 238 points over the past couple of games, good for an average of 119 per game. 

There's also something to be said about playoff ball being more physical and defensive minded. Now, that's true. But, considering the fact that two of the three matchups saw 235+ points when these two teams matched up, I like this one to go at least "over" 220. The time that these teams went way "under" in February, the Suns had practically its whole team out and Portland didn't have Sharpe. Hammer the "over" in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 117-112 Suns.

(#537) Orlando Magic @ (#538) Boston Celtics | OVER | . 

While Boston has already secured the number two seed in the Eastern Conference, Orlando is still trying to avoid the play-in tournament. The Magic have little chance to do so, considering Atlanta holds the tiebreaker on them and Toronto plays against Brooklyn. However, it could definitely happen as stranger things have happened. Therefore, the Magic should go for it on Sunday evening vs. the Celtics. 

The last time that these two teams matched up, the Magic were able to score 129 on Boston. As a matter of fact, they are averaging 119.66 PPG over the three games against the C's this season. Boston's always going to get its points, even with its bench players in, as Joe Mazulla fears nobody. I've got the "over" in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 119-116 Celtics.

(#533) Atlanta Hawks | ATS | . 

These two teams have played three times so far this season and Miami's been able to win twice. I know that the Heat are probably considered the more high flying offensive team, I do believe that Atlanta should be able to match it and play even better than Miami in this basketball game. The Hawks are currently in 5th place in the East. However, with a Raptors win against Brooklyn (highly likely) & a Hawks loss here, the Raptors would move into the 5th position. Miami is playing in the Play-In Tournament no matter what & I believe that it's going to have a very tough time getting through both of those games, yet alone the first one. The Hawks are going to want this game more and their 3pt shooting dominance should get them the easy win on Sunday evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 132-117 Hawks.

***awful line on Hawks - starters unlikely. Expect Atlanta to still challenge Miami physically and that will take a toll on the Heat's defense as the game goes on. Miami won't be at full strength either.

(#503) Detroit Pistons @ (#504) Charlotte Hornets | UNDER | . 

Because of the stakes of this game for Charlotte, it's the favorite in this evening's game. I still believe that the Pistons are going to try and play as well as they can because who wouldn't. But, I'm all over the "under" in this contest. When these two teams played in December, the total was 234.5 in a game that ended 112-86. In the February meeting, the line dropped significantly, down to 221.5 and the final was 110-104. Even though I don't always love playing on the thing that's been occurring throughout the year always, this is a case where both teams play shutdown defense and should be in for another one of those games on Friday. Charlotte's gone six straight contests allowing less than 115 points and I'm hammering the "under" this evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 109-102 Hornets.

(#560) San Antonio Spurs | ATS | . 

I know that Victor Wembanyama/Stephon Castle are doubtful for this evening's contest. But, this Spurs team is much more than just Wemby/Castle. The Spurs have had to play without the big man for quite a few games this season already and have continued to have success. With excellent guard play still, and a system that relies on depth and a team brand of basketball, I'm expecting San Antonio to continue the winning, even without those guys. Portland is still expected to be without Shaedon Sharpe. Even though the Blazers are probably one of the best non-playoff teams, if not the best, I think that this is a case of the Spurs just wanting the game more. Being at home, look for Fox to help carry SAS to another win. 

Burns' Prediction: 126-109 Spurs.

(#551) Houston Rockets | ATS | . 

Although the Suns are pretty much back to full strength now, I'm still not sold on them for the remainder of the season. Phoenix struggles at times to get production out of its front court, and that's not something you like to see when your team is playing against one of the lengthiest sides in the NBA. The Suns also haven't been home in over a week & the first game back from a road trip is always dangerous. 

Houston, on the other hand, is riding a six game winning streak. Ime Udoka has his side playing fantastic basketball at the moment and I just don't see that changing here on Tuesday evening. The Rockets are led by perhaps the greatest pure scorer in NBA history in Kevin Durant. Plus, he's got a great supporting cast this season. Both of these two teams are fighting for seeding in the West standings. Phoenix will probably just have to be content where it is though. Give me Houston in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 109-102 Rockets.

(#540) Boston Celtics | ATS | . 

Having just went on the road and beating Minnesota, I don't believe that Charlotte's going to be able to do win consecutive road games against top playoff contenders. Don't get me wrong, I've been really impressed with what I've seen from this healthy Hornets squad. However, this is the toughest matchup out there and the C's might just be fully healthy as well. 

In the first meeting, Jayson Tatum was still sidelined while recovering from his achilles tear. In the second meeting (when BOS won,) Jaylen Brown was out with an injury. Now, Boston's expected to have both of its superstars and I don't expect that to be a good thing for Charlotte. This game is at the TD Garden and I've got the C's by double digits. 

Burns' Prediction: 117-105 Celtics.

(#507) Toronto Raptors @ (#508) Boston Celtics | UNDER | . 

Even though the Raptors shoot a high percentage from the field, I believe that they are going to have a tougher time in this contest on the road against one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. Toronto isn't the best three point shooting team either. That makes things difficult in games like this as underdogs. 

Boston shoots a lot of threes, and even though a lot of them seem to go in, a lot miss as well. The Celtics play at the slowest pace in the NBA, dead last in the league in offensive possessions per game (only team with less than 100.) They will slow this game down and play to their strengths. I don't see Toronto getting more than 105 tonight, and wouldn't be shocked if it was held below 100. Give me the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 109-100 Celtics.

(#561) New Orleans Pelicans | 1H ATS | . 

While I do know that both of these teams are eliminated from playoff contention, I think that this is a great spot for the Pelicans to knock off the Kings. Sacramento just played a great game against Toronto on Wednesday, winning by eight. Now, even though Sacramento is dead last in the Western Conference, winning too many more games could really decrease its chances of owning a top three pick in this offseason's NBA Draft. On the other hand, the Pelicans don't even own their first round pick this season which makes it pretty meaningless to lose as many games as they can. New Orleans has won three consecutive matchups when these teams have met. Not only that, but Malik Monk is questionable and he's been a big part over the past couple of games for Sac-Town. I'm on New Orleans here to dominate from the opening tip. 

Burns' 1H Prediction: 63-52 Pels.

**1H selection. If not available like here. Take full game. 

(#517) Atlanta Hawks @ (#518) Orlando Magic | OVER | . 

Atlanta has really amped up the pressure on teams since the All-Star break and I believe that it's going to be a problem for a lot of teams down the final stretch of the season. The Hawks are the five seed currently in the Eastern Conference and are still trying to avoid the play-in tournament and have a secured spot in the postseason. That's going to put some pressure on this contest against another team that's trying to avoid the play-in tourney in Orlando. 

Talking about the Magic, they played yesterday and probably won't bring the same intensity defensively on Wednesday night. Tuesday's game was against the Suns, who are a great defensive team. Now, this is a much different type of game where Atlanta will try to outscore you rather than play tough defense. 

These teams have met twice so far this season and both games have gone "over" the number. Although that's not always the best sign to look at, the Hawks simply play at a very fast tempo and that should continue here this evening. I expect lots of points on Wednesday once again between these two divisional foes. 

Burns' Prediction: 124-117 Hawks.

(#509) Dallas Mavericks | ATS | . 

I know that this is a battle between two teams that aren't going to be in this year's playoff. But, I have much more confidence in this Mavericks team at the moment than I do with the Bucks. Dallas, who's still playing hard despite the struggles, still wants to grow Cooper Flagg's game as much as possible this year. Preparing him for his second year is going to be key as Dallas should be back in the playoff conversation in a year from now, that's for sure. 

Although the same could be said about Milwaukee, it doesn't have a rookie superstar the same way that Dallas has. The Bucks are without Giannis still and every game is looking more and more dreadful for them. As a matter of fact, they've lost four consecutive games, all by double digits. I expect a Mavs win here. 

Burns' Prediction: 116-105 Mavs.

(#532) Atlanta Hawks | ATS | . 

Even though the Sacramento Kings are coming off a strong showing against Orlando in their most recent game, I'm still not impressed with how they've played this season, even with the injuries. The Kings are dead last in the Western Conference and could be trying to get the best odds at the best draft pick in this upcoming draft. We all know how stacked this class is expected to be and a few more losses could be the difference between many picks with the amount of poor teams this season. 

I just won against Atlanta yesterday. I like the Hawks to respond in a massive way on Saturday. Still 14-2 over their latest 16 contests, the Hawks should remain one of the hottest teams in the NBA entering the playoffs next month. I expect Atlanta's pace to continue to overwhelm some teams and that should result in decent success. Give me Atlanta winning big on Saturday. 

Burns' Prediction: 129-104 Hawks.

(#512) Boston Celtics | ATS | . 

As hot as the Hawks have been over the past month, I believe that this is a great spot to go against them. During this 14-1 run that Atlanta's currently on, it's been able to overwhelm teams with offensive power and pace (just like Miami has this season.) In its loss though, that was against a much slower playing Houston group (Boston's the slowest in the league.) 

Looking at the Celtics, they are coming off a fantastic showing against OKC as they knocked off the defending champs. Boston is now 25-11 at home this season and with Tatum back, it's definitely a title contending team. Jaylen Brown is having a phenomenal year. Even if Atlanta's able to keep this one close throughout, I believe that the end-game of the Celtics at home should be enough to get them the cover. But, I also wouldn't be surprised if the C's dominated the entirety of the contest. 

Burns' Prediction: 121-106 Celtics.

(#571) Washington Wizards | ATS | . 

This isn't exactly what you'd call an exciting contest with anything on the line. However, I believe that there's still a ton of value on playing on this game. The Wizards are 10-5 ATS over their most recent 15 games played as an underdog of less than 5pts. Make that 18-9 ATS over their past 27 games in the same scenario since the start of the 2023-24 season. 

Utah's been out of sorts too this season with plenty of injuries. The Jazz have been just as un-impressive to me as the Wizards have been recently, with horrible defensive play and not much output other than Ace Bailey. Since 2022, road teams that just allowed 115+ points in five consecutive contests against an opponent that just allowed 125+ points in a game are 50-14 (78.1%) ATS. Give me the Wizards to end the 16-game losing streak on Wednesday. 

Burns' Prediction: 126-115 Wizards

(#537) Oklahoma City Thunder | ATS | . 

Finally starting to get fully healthy again, the Thunder look nearly unstoppable. They won 11 consecutive contests now and if this squad was able to stay healthy throughout the entirety of the season, we'd probably be still debating on whether the record of regular season wins would be broken or not. However many wins the Thunder end up with, this is a team that's going to be scary for any team to play against, yet alone one that's extremely banged up in Philadelphia. With no Maxey, Embiid or Oubre in this game, I don't see the Sixers keeping this matchup close. Edgecombe will do his best to keep it close for a while. In the end, expect the Thunder to push away and win by 20+ points on Monday. 

Burns' Prediction: 131-106 Thunder.

(#501) Golden State Warriors | ATS | . 

Both of these two teams are struggling at the moment. As much as the Warriors can't wait to get Steph Curry back, they are still very much in the conversation of being one of the last teams in the NBA play-in tournament. Having said that, they must still win these types of games. Golden State played NYK very competitively, on the road in its last game and if it brings the same intensity, I expect a great result here on Monday. 

Washington is in full "tank-mode." As much as the NBA wants to punish teams for tanking, the Wizards are straight up bad. Over this 11 game skid, the Wizards have given up 120+ in nine of those games. They've also allowed 83 points to Bam Adebayo over this stretch. Even coming off a pair of ATS wins, I don't expect Washington to put up much of a fight today. Lay the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 119-104 Warriors.

(#575) Charlotte Hornets | ATS | . 

Although I'm not the biggest fan of this Charlotte side, I do believe that this is a great spot for it to bounce back and start winning again. Considering how the Hornets have played when healthy this season, it's hard to imagine that big of a drop-off over the rest of the season. No, I don't expect many more winning streaks of 7, 8, 9, 10 games. But, I do think that they have a great chance at causing some damage within the Play-In Tournament as well as possibly even the NBA playoffs if they get there. Portland's still building for next season when it'll get Damian Lillard back. I know that the Trail Blazers are a much better side than they have been than in recent years. But, it's still nothing special. Over their past three home games, the Blazers have been outscored by 37 points. I've got Charlotte on Tuesday. 

Burns' Prediction: 123-109 Hornets.

(#548) Cleveland Cavaliers | ATS | . 

After losing in yesterday's early game against the Celtics, I believe that the Cavs are going to be ready to bounce back on Monday against the 76ers. This is a game that Cleveland's going to want to have as it hasn't lost consecutive home games (that were B2B days) all season long. The Cavs got Donavan Mitchell back on Sunday and are healthier than they have been in recent months. 

On the other hand, Philadelphia is not healthy right now. Everyone knows that Embiid's going to miss some games and has over the past week. He won't be in today either. Not only that, but Maxey has now been injured and will be out for at least a couple of games. I don't see the rest of the Sixers crew even coming close to touching Cleveland in this evening's ball game. Lay the number. 

Burns' Prediction: 124-103 Cavs.

(#508) Phoenix Suns | ATS | . 

Both of these two teams played on Thursday. Phoenix remains at home though. Even after the loss, I believe that the Suns will come out ready to play on Friday evening. They are on the bubble of being a 1-6 playoff team at the moment and these twins are crucial if the Suns want to avoid the play-in tournament. Phoenix is already 3-0 against NOP this season and although I don't love that, that's the case, (given that it's hard to clean sweep a team 4-0) it's been so long between games that these recent meetings don't mean too much. 

The Pelicans won last night's game and I'm not expecting too many more wins for a team that's got 44 losses in 64 games this season. The Pels are definitely not "eliminated" from the playoffs yet. But, it's highly unlikely given its results so far this year. I expect more rest from the starters as the season gets older. Phoenix has much more to play for and I like the situation having seen it lose against Chicago on Thursday. Lay the points at home. 

Burns' Prediction: 113-101 Suns.

(#559) Atlanta Hawks @ (#560) Milwaukee Bucks | OVER | . 

This should be a high scoring game. Through 62 games this season, Atlanta has averaged the fourth most offensive possessions of any team in the NBA. The Hawks improve that ranking to #2 over the past three games. They want to play fast and that's what's gotten them to where they are at this very moment. 

With Giannis back for the Bucks, his offensive presence is going to help contribute to a ton of the Milwaukee buckets. Yes, he might still be on a minute restriction. But, I'm expecting Milwaukee to have much better results on Wednesday than over its past three games. This is a game that the Bucks should be able to open up the scoring much more than it has. Hammer the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 123-116 Bucks.

(#549) Phoenix Suns @ (#550) Sacramento Kings | UNDER | . 

Coming off of a big win against the Lakers, Phoenix remains without Dillon Brooks for this evenings contest. The Suns are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA this year and that makes them be able to score less and win at a higher level than one would expect. They are eight games above .500, while scoring only 112.1 PPG, which is T-25 in the association. 

Sacramento is "in shambles" right now. With a couple of season ending injuries, the Kings are likely just playing for a great draft pick at this moment. Scoring even less than the Suns, this ought to be a low scoring contest. I see PHX holding SAC to around the 100 mark, while not putting up a whole lot itself. Hammer the "under." 

Burns' Prediction: 109-97 Suns.

(#536) Philadelphia 76ers | ATS | . 

The Heat should be excited about the rest of the season given that Tyler Herro looks to be making great progress during these past few games. However, I don;t think that this is a great matchup for Miami. It's coming off a loss against Milwaukee and the road results simply haven't been there all year long (14-17 YTD.) 

Philadelphia, on the other hand, looks fantastic. After going into Minnesota and knocking off the Timberwolves, the 76ers absolutely dominated the Pacers last time now. Embiid played on Tuesday and is probable for this evening's game. That's a huge boost. With Miami having won five straight meetings as well as covering ATS in six straight, I expect a change in trajectory on Thursday. Give me Philadelphia to flip the script. 

Burns' Prediction: 127-117 Sixers.

(#529) Cleveland Cavaliers @ (#530) Milwaukee Bucks | OVER | . 

Both teams played on Tuesday which is something that I like for this selection. I don't expect the defensive intensity to be as heavy as it would be otherwise in a game like this. Cleveland's got a date at Detroit up next, which could lead to Milwaukee scoring a lot more than some people are expecting this evening. The Cavs also have been starting to get more and more production out of Harden as well as Mobley who's still recovering from his injury. 

Milwaukee didn't have Giannis last night and hasn't had him for a while now. But, there's a chance that he could return on Wednesday. Even without him though, the Bucks have added Cam Thomas and are definitely not as bad as some of the other teams with poor records in the NBA. The Bucks have scored 125+ points in two of its past three games while allowing 115+ in all three as well. Hammer the "over."

Burns' Prediction: 122-114 Cavaliers.

*Harden is out. Mobley is also out. Line dropped significantly. I still like the "over."

(#531) Sacramento Kings | ATS | . 

It's definitely getting harder to pick NBA winners in games like these at this time of the year given that Sacramento is somewhat in "tank mode" while Houston fights for seeding position. One might think that because of those circumstances, the Rockets would be the best selection here. But, the oddsmakers account for that as well and I believe that this game is going to be a lot closer than expected. 

The Kings have already beaten Houston twice this season (of three games so far.) So, it most definitely can be done. Amen Thompson, who played in the Rockets' most recent game, will be out this evening. That's a huge miss. Sacramento also just won its last game and has been upping its offensive game recently. I think that Houston plays down to the level of its opponents at times and that could lead to a close game and a potential upset on Wednesday. 

Burns' Prediction: 110-108 Rockets.

(#510) Cleveland Cavaliers | ATS | . 

In their second most recent game, the Knicks were able to pull off a monster 4th quarter comeback and win against the Houston Rockets. Although you may think that a win like that could give a side momentum over their next few games, and they did win their next game, I believe that every game in the NBA is as different as ever. Having played a game since then, I believe that things will change tonight against a much better opponent. 

Cleveland should be able to control the tempo of this game, playing at home. The Cavs were already a contender and then they went out and added James Harden to their team. I believe that he's slowly becoming more and more comfortable with the team. Mobley is getting healthier again too. Lay the points with Cleveland today. 

Burns' Prediction: 118-107 Cavs.

(#565) Philadelphia 76ers @ (#566) Minnesota Timberwolves | UNDER | . 

Even though Philadelphia is a bit of a mystery with the injuries that it has and Embiid's status, there's always going to be something that can alter the line ever so slightly in a game. This line opened at 236.5 and has jumped a few points and I believe that it's gone in the wrong direction. Don't get me wrong, these teams like to score points. But, the pace should be a lot slower than expected here in this one. 

Philadelphia has played at a fairly normal/average pace throughout this season, leading to numbers that are "middle of the pack." The Sixers don't have great percentages from the field or beyond the arc. It's been a struggle for the 76ers all month to score points and even though their defense has been poor, they won't have to guard as many big men as the Twolves normally have to offer with Gobert suspended for a game. 

Now, Rudy Gobert is known for his defense, which could be the reason for this o/u line movement. However, Gobert also scores 11.2 PPG and has been even more active as of late. I believe that he's going to be missed as a big down low presence as well in this game. Minnesota's got a big 3-game road trip coming up that it could be caught looking ahead to. Did you know that 11 of the past 14 games here in Minnesota between these sides have gone "under" I see both teams struggling from the field in this game just like in the majority of those contests, ultimately leading to an "under" on Sunday. 

Burns' Prediction: 119-108 Timberwolves.

(#546) Miami Heat | ATS | . 

Both teams played yesterday and both will travel overnight on Friday. That eliminates the fatigued factor of both teams. Memphis continues to play without Morant and a lot of its best players and do not have much hope this year after trading JJJ before the deadline. The Grizzlies might have beaten the Jazz. But, Utah's quite depleted right now as well. 

Getting back Tyler Herro was huge for the Heat in the win last night against Atlanta. Miami shot 52% from the field and rebounded the ball phenomenally. I expect the Heat to continue the fast play and ultimately score too many points for Memphis to keep up on Saturday. Expect a beatdown. 

Burns' Prediction: 124-104 Heat.

(#547) Los Angeles Clippers | ATS | . 

These two teams played yesterday and Houston was able to get the best of LAC. That was a seven point game and I believe that we're going to see slightly different results on Wednesday. The Rockets are the stronger team according to the records. However, despite their 18-6 home record on the year, they have been abysmal vs. the spread. As a matter of fact, they are 8-16 ATS in home games.

For the Clips, it's been a bit of a mystery on what's going on in this organization this year, trading away Harden and making some other moves as well. I don't think that we're going to see them give up by any means though given the current standings. Kawhi remains one of the best players in the NBA and will get some help today. Expect at least another cover, but possible upset on Wednesday. 

Burns' Prediction: 105-102 Clips.

(#501) Detroit Pistons | ATS | . 

Leading the charge in the Eastern Conference at 38-13 this season, the Detroit Pistons will attempt to knock off the hottest team in the NBA on Monday. Detroit's coming off a win and I believe that we're going to see an excellent performance from superstar Cade Cunningham in this one. Earlier this season when these teams met, the Pistons won 112-86 (26 point win.) Now, I know that it was a home game for the Pistons. But, they were -10.5 and still covered easily. Now, the spread is much, much lower. 

Charlotte's been incredible on this nine game winning streak, don't get me wrong. However, I simply don't believe that a team like this can make it double digit wins all in consecutive games. Before this run, the Hornets were 16-28 on the season. They still own a losing overall record, at home and in away games. 

In the end, Detroit's ability to dominate the paint should be enough to win this game. The Pistons also hold teams to 34.6% from three point land this year which is top five in the NBA. Charlotte's going to shoot a lot of those. Lay the points with Detroit this evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 120-107 Pistons.

(#539) Memphis Grizzlies @ (#540) Portland Trail Blazers | OVER | . 

Even though Memphis traded away quite a bit of its players at the deadline and during the build up to it, I believe that this core can definitely still put up points this season. The Grizzlies are only two games out of a play-in spot right now and even though they probably won't go for broke this season considering they gave up JJJ, I expect them to continue to fight. 

Portland is the team that they are chasing, as the Blazers are the last team in the play-in at the moment. Good news for the Grizz is that Portland's lost six straight games. Portland did just play in a game where it scored 125 points and still lost though. This evening, the Trail Blazers get back Scoot Henderson for the first time this campaign. I expect an immediate offensive presence. 

Both teams score quite well considering the places in the standings. Both also rank 5th and 6th this season in possessions per game, meaning they play rather quickly. Even if Avdija doesn't play, the Blazers are deep enough and I expect this one to finish "over" the total. 

Burns' Prediction: 123-116 Blazers.

(#524) Houston Rockets | ATS | . 

It's been a ridiculous 7-0 run for Charlotte, winning @Orlando, vs. Philly & vs. SAS along the way. That being said, all streaks come to an end eventually and I believe that the Hornets are finally going to taste defeat for the first time since Jan 21st. They are still out of a playoff spot if the postseason were to start today. 

Some people get scared off when a team's playing the second game of a B2B. While obviously that's a factor, it's also factored into the line and there's many other situational things/matchup statistics to look at. Houston's been phenomenal at home all season, 17-4 going into Wednesday's game against the C's (17-5 now.) The Rockets also dominate the glass, leading the NBA in both OREB & REB per game. 

In the end, I'm expecting the better and more experienced team to get the job done. Houston's a legitimate championship contending team while Charlotte is still in the "rebuilding/gaining experience" stage. One more season and maybe Charlotte's a playoff contender. But, before then, don't expect the Hornets to win an eight straight game. 

Burns' Prediction: 119-106 Rockets.

(#567) Atlanta Hawks | ATS | . 

Atlanta might not have Onyeka Okungwu at the moment. But, that shouldn't matter against a team in Miami that's coming off an emotional three game set against Chicago over last week. The Hawks are off consecutive defeats and badly need this game to get back on track. Miami's got a solid home record this year. But, it doesn't have the same home crowd that some of the other teams in the NBA have given the location and how a lot of the fans don't even show up until the second half of games. I don't believe that the Heat are going to be able to win a fifth consecutive game against the Hawks this evening given the excellent ball movement of Atlanta this season. Porzingis could possibly be back for this game too. Grab the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 123-114 Hawks.

(#545) Los Angeles Clippers | ATS | . 

Los Angeles has sure woken up over the past month and I'm very happy about it. The Clippers began the year quite horribly and are very much back in the race to get to the playoffs. With these teams having played three times already this season, the Clippers will want to go out with a bang against the Suns who have won consecutive. 

As I very much respect the Suns for what they are doing and have done this season, enough is enough. It's time for one of these "better" teams to beat Phoenix and take advantage of playing it without the likes of Devin Booker. I believe that the Suns will struggle to guard both Harden and Kawhi on Sunday evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 111-103 Clippers.

(#544) New York Knicks | ATS | . 

While the Lakers have been excellent over this road trip so far, this will now be the 7th straight away game. That's a lot for any team. Last year, the Lakers were able to win all three meetings against the Knicks. Quite shocking. I don't believe that the Lakers are going to have much success this evening against NYK.

Why? Well, the Knicks are coming off a fifth straight win and are getting fantastic play from all of their players. Teams that have covered ATS by more than 18 points in consecutive games (non-conference games,) own a 26-5 (83.9%) record since 2022. That system applies to the Knicks,. Lay the points on Sunday. 

Burns' Prediction: 121-104 Knicks.

(#577) Chicago Bulls @ (#578) Miami Heat | OVER | . 

Chicago and Miami have been two of the fastest playing teams in the NBA this season and I'm expecting a very tough battle. Miami ranks #1 among every team in the NBA in possessions per game, in all games as well as at home. In road games, guess who's #2? The Chicago Bulls are number two. 

When these teams met up on Thursday, they combined for 229 and finished "under" the number. While Miami shot under their average for FG%, Chicago shot a whopping 8% below. I don't expect that to continue here today. We're going to see lots of running up and down the court and we're getting a slightly better number than we would have a few days ago. Hammer the "over."

Burns' Prediction: 126-119 Bulls.

(#502) Orlando Magic | ATS | . 

Toronto was scorching hot on its most recent road trip, winning four of five on the west coast. The Raptors then returned back to Canada for a game and then headed back down south to Florida for this contest. That's a lot of travelling in a two week stretch. Having just lost against the Knicks quite handily, I believe that it's going to be hard for the Raptors to get any sort of rhythm going here tonight as well. 

Orlando, on the other hand, will still be without Franz. But, I expect the Magic to continue to play steady basketball with Anthony Black & Jalen Suggs playing very well in the backcourt as well as Paolo Banchero being the best player on the court. The win against Miami was big. Give me Orlando to win another game here on Friday. 

Burns' Prediction: 119-108 Magic.

(#569) Detroit Pistons | ATS | . 

While I had the Pistons (lost) in the matchup back in Detroit, free throws at the end of the game were the difference. If Detroit hit those shots, it would've covered easily. Now, even on the road, I believe that this is a great matchup for the Pistons to capitalize on. Let's not forget that Cade Cunningham shots just 3/16 in that contest and 4/9 from the line. I simply don't see him having another game like that. 

Looking at the Suns, they've continued to play well this year. However, without Booker again & possibly Gillespie for the second straight contest, Detroit should definitely have the edge across the court in terms of ability. Duren will feast on the glass and I expect a third consecutive Pistons win on Thursday. Lay the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 115-105 Pistons.

(#543) Los Angeles Lakers | ATS | . 

Coming into this game, I've really liked what I've seen from Los Angeles in recent games. Luka Doncic looks like the MVP if he keeps this up and I don't expect him to cool off against Cleveland on Wednesday. The Lakers got smacked both times against Cleveland last year, and LeBron is going to want to make sure that it doesn't happen this season., 

Unluckily for Cleveland, the Cavs will be without both Garland & Mobley this evening. I believe that Mobley's non-presence more-so will hurt the Cavs in this one as the Lakers love playing a physical brand of offensive basketball. Expect an outright win for the Lakers on Wednesday evening in Ohio. 

Burns' Prediction: 116-105 Lakers.

(#511) Miami Heat @ (#512) Phoenix Suns | OVER | . 

Miami is coming off one of its best offensive performances of the season. As a matter of fact, the Heat dropped 147 points while drilling 19 threes. That's pretty dominant if you'd ask me. I believe that the excellent offensive form will continue on Sunday with another hot team this season in Phoenix. 

Although the Suns don't play as fast, definitely. I do believe that Phoenix will somewhat have to match the speed of Miami this game. They matched up already, earlier this month and combined for 248 points. I don't believe that we're going to see quite as many points on Sunday. But, don't be shocked if we see at least one of these teams be able to crack 120 easily today. Hammer the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 121-114 Heat.

(#569) Boston Celtics | ATS | . 

I know that the Boston Celtics just played a hard fought double overtime game against Brooklyn on Friday. But, I'm not letting that worry me about this game on Saturday. The Celtics should get Derrick White back tonight after he sat out for rest last night. And, let's not forget that the C's have won four of their past five games that were the second of a B2B. 

I'm not big on this Chicago team even with Josh Giddey back from his injury. The Bulls have won three consecutive games. But, they always seem to struggle against Boston. They have lost by 14 against the C's already this season and have three times in a row ATS. I've got Boston in another big time showing from JB. 

Burns' Prediction: 116-107 Celtics.

(#536) Dallas Mavericks | ATS | . 

A rematch from Christmas Day will go down on Thursday evening as the Golden State Warriors head to Texas to take on the Dallas Mavericks. Golden State might have gotten the best of Dallas back at home in December. But, without Jimmy Butler for the rest of the season with a torn ACL, the Warriors are probably going to have to make some moves prior to the trade deadline to remain in contention. 

On the other hand, Dallas might be a team that could also make some moves. That being said, as it stands, the Mavericks are slowly, but surely, starting to heat up again. Klay Thompson is on a heater and the rest of the squad is playing much better than it was at the beginning of the year. Cooper Flagg has turned into a star in this league I expect him to be great again on Thursday. 

With revenge on its mind from Xmas Day, I believe that this is an excellent spot for the Mavs as the more well rested side. Dallas is in better "form" and I'll grab the points with the home side on Thursday as my #1 WEST CONF. 'DOG GAME OF THE YEAR. 

Burns' Prediction: 121-109 Mavs. 

(#521) Detroit Pistons | ATS | . 

I know that Detroit hasn't been at its best recently, failing to cover ATS in a few games that it should be. But, the Pistons are bound to respond with a big time performance on Wednesday against one of the worst sides in the NBA this season. This will mark the first meeting of this season out of two and Detroit took both games last year. The game in New Orleans was an absolute destruction with the Pistons winning that contest 127-81. 

While New Orleans did cover ATS in the meeting back in Detroit, I don't believe that it'll have much success this season. Considering the record again this year, the Pelicans will be forced to play out the rest of the season and try and give themselves the best shot at a top pick in the upcoming draft. I do believe that the Pels have great young talent. But, it's not been able to show itself throughout this year with the absentees and lack of chemistry between players. 

That being said, Detroit leads the Eastern Conference and is showing no signs of slowing down given the recent struggles of other teams. This line is quite generous if you'd ask me, even on the road. In an expected higher scoring game, I'm hammering Detroit minus the points on Wednesday evening. This is my #1 NBA GAME OF THE MONTH. 

Burns' Prediction: 125-103 Pistons.

(#504) Houston Rockets | ATS | . 

San Antonio has been the better of the two teams this season and has already beaten Houston once. But, I don't believe that the Spurs will be exactly ready for this contest on Tuesday. San Antonio had lost consecutive road games going into Monday's game vs. Utah. That being said, it had to play last night as well. This will be the Spurs' fourth time in 2026 playing a B2B already and they are only 1-2 in the second game of those situations. 

Houston's been at home for a week now and are beginning to string together much better results having won consecutive games. The Rockets are a team that should be among the best in the Western Conference when everything is clicking. I expect KD to respond from a sub-par performance against New Orleans in the Rockets' last game. 

With these teams bound to meet two more times after this game as divisional opponents, I believe that we shall see some great basketball. Houston's won and covered ATS in five straight contests vs. SAS at home. I expect another one of those results on Tuesday evening on NBC & Peacock. 

Burns' Prediction: 120-106 Rockets.

#561) Milwaukee Bucks @ (#562) Atlanta Hawks | OVER | . 

Despite the Milwaukee Bucks not finding as much success as they have in recent years in this campaign, they most definitely still have the talent to do damage in the below par Eastern Conference. The Bucks have not had a strong run of games recently. It feels as though there's a needed change within this organization and I believe that one will be coming shortly. But, for now, they will have to deal with it. Giannis still leads the charge and he's definitely going to do whatever he can to get the ship back on course. Atlanta, as we all know, loves to play fast. Averaging the 3rd most possessions per game this year, the Hawks most definitely want to light up the scoreboard. The last time these teams met, they combined for 269. I'll play the "over" on Monday. 

Burns' Prediction: 124-118 Hawks.

(#536) New York Knicks | ATS | . 

While the Suns just beat me on Thursday, I do believe that it was a bit of misfortune as the Pistons had many chances to pull away at the end of the game & cover but happened to miss many free throw attempts that kept Phoenix in the game. But, onto this game and I believe that it's another good chance to fade the Suns who are not at full strength. Booker is back, but he's not 100% still. Green remains out. 

For the Knicks, despite the B2B losses, they are still one of the best teams in the East regardless. Being at home will most definitely help NYK at MSG and I believe that they could open things up as the game moves along. Phoenix isn't going to have liked losing to Detroit considering those missed FT's at the end. I expect a big time win for the Knicks here today. 

Burns' Prediction: 119-107 Knicks.

(#504) Detroit Pistons | ATS | . 

Considering the Jalen Green injury and all that's happened, I'm quite in awe of what Phoenix has been able to do sans Kevin Durant this season. I mean the Suns were significantly worse last year with KD. Now, with a 24-16 record, the Suns are just a half game outside of a guaranteed playoff spot in the highly competitive Western Conference. That's extremely good. 

That being said, Detroit was expected to be great and has been great this season. Leading the Eastern Conference with a 28-10 record at the moment, the Pistons are at home this evening. They are 14-4 in 18 home games and must respond after losing to LAC in their last game. Having not played since the weekend, Detroit is well rested compared to Phoenix who just played down in Miami on Tuesday. Lay the points on Thursday evening. 

Burns' Prediction: 118-103 Pistons.

(#503) Miami Heat @ (#504) Indiana Pacers | OVER | . 

The last time that these sides collided, they combined for 258 points. Normally, I wouldn't love a game between sides that have gone "over" in nine consecutive games that they've played vs. another. But, in this spot, I believe that there's definitely some value on playing on the "over" once again. 

Miami remains the league's fastest playing team while Indiana's beginning to pick up the pace a bit more as well. Both teams are searching for wins at the moment, especially Indiana. The Pacers have got Nesmith back to 100% and that's helped them stay in ball games as well as win their most recent contest. I expect lots of points in this game in a close encounter. 

Burns' Prediction: 129-124 Heat.

(#556) Minnesota Timberwolves | ATS | . 

Cleveland played its most recent game without Donavan Mitchell, who needed a game of rest. With the Cavs winning that game on the road, I'm not sure that Mitchell was needed to much. Him coming back to the lineup should help on paper, but it might also take away from what was working in that basketball game. The Cavaliers haven't been as dominant as some people expected this year with all of the injuries around the Eastern Conference. Still on the road today, this is going to be a very tough matchup. Minnesota's been absolutely dialled in since the start of 2026. Winners of all three games, the Timberwolves are averaging 129.33 PPG over those games. I expect Anthony Edwards to stay hot and lead his team to victory on Thursday evening in Minny. 

Burns' Prediction:

(#539) Denver Nuggets | ATS | . 

Denver is obviously still without Nikola Jokic which is a massive deal. But, the Nuggets will get back Jamal Murray this evening who also was out for a contest to begin this week. I believe that he's going to help will the Nuggets to a close game and a potential upset this evening. 

Even though the Boston Celtics are playing very well this year without Jayson Tatum, I still don't think that they are as good as this. The Celtics love chucking up three's and that's not always going to work, especially against a great team against 3-point shots. The Nuggets may not be first, but they are top 10 in the NBA opposing 3pt %. I'll grab the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 114-112 Celtics .

(#523) Miami Heat @ (#524) Minnesota Timberwolves | OVER | . 

It's no secret that both of these teams love putting up points and we've definitely seen that in recent contest of both of these two teams. Miami currently ranks #1 as the team that averages the most possessions per game this season at 108.0. That's significantly higher than any team in the NBA, leading them the Heat averaging 120.8 PPG this year. 

Looking at Minnesota, it's not far behind at 119.6 PPG after its 141 point performance on the road against the Wizards on Sunday. I believe that both sides will be hungry to put up points in an expected high scoring affair on Tuesday evening. Hammer the "over" in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: 132-121 Timberwolves.

(#510) Oklahoma City Thunder | ATS | . 

With the day off yesterday's Charlotte's getting a much more respectable line that it probably would have otherwise. Don't get me wrong, -15.0 is still quite juicy. However, the Hornets are still a couple of players away for being a team that has a chance at the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. 

Oklahoma City played against Phoenix on Sunday and will now return home for this game on Monday evening. The Thunder are 17-1 at home this season and were 35-6 at home last weekend. With the differences in talent, I believe that OKC is going to dominate this game even in the second day of a B2B. Lay the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 129-103 Thunder.

(#564) Los Angeles Clippers | ATS | . 

While Boston has definitely been the better team over the course of the season, I expect this to be a very tough contest for it on Saturday evening. The Celtics are simply just doing whatever they can to get themselves in a good spot for when Tatum comes back and that could be before the playoffs or during. They've done an excellent job so far. 

Los Angeles is on the rise back up after the horrendous start. The Clippers have now won six consecutive games and are getting closer and closer to than oh-so-important 10th spot in the West. Why do I like LAC tonight? Kawhi Leonard is on a mission at the moment and has scored 133 points over the past three games. The Clips also get back Zubac tonight. Expect the run to continue. 

Burns' Prediction: 120-109 Clippers.

(#507) Phoenix Suns @ (#508) Cleveland Cavaliers | OVER | . 

Even without Jalen Green for most of the season, Phoenix has been able to stay in games and play well against other teams in the NBA this season. Devin Booker has missed more than a week as well with injuries. Now, the PPG average isn't as high as some of the higher scoring teams in the league. But, the Suns are more than capable of exploding for lots, averaging 120.2 PPG over the past five games. 

Cleveland plays very fast and averages the seventh most possessions per game in the NBA this season. The Cavs shoot a ton of three point shots and when they fall, points are scored in bunches. I'm expecting a big game from Evan Mobley on Wednesday to help lead this game "over" the total. 

In the end, I expect both teams to eclipse the 110 point rather easily and I wouldn't be shocked if both reach the 120's. Both teams will be expecting a win given the stature of this contest. I've got the "over" in a game that could see a ton of points. 

Burns' Prediction: 126-119 Cavs.

(#565) Indiana Pacers @ (#566) Houston Rockets | OVER | . 

As I've mentioned in other analysis' Indiana's playing a much slower this season. I know that's not exactly the best thing to hear considering I'm selecting the "over" in this matchup. But, it's most definitely true from recent years. That being said, the oddsmakers have addressed this and that's why the total is less than a lot of the other games on the schedule this evening. 

Taking a look at recent results though, the Pacers have been abysmal defensively, allowing 140+ points in consecutive games since Xmas. In those games, they were able to reach 116+ themselves which is still very good considering the o/u line today. For the Rockets, they are averaging 120.3 PPG this season which is top five in the NBA. I've got the "over" on Monday. 

Burns' Prediction: 123-107 Rockets.

(#530) Chicago Bulls // ATS // . 

Milwaukee just isn't the same team without Giannis Antetokoumnpo. He's the heart and soul of this team and without him, the Bucks don't really have a number one option to rely on. They are 12-19 so far with a 4-11 record when playing in away games. That puts them on the outside of the play in tournament looking in at the moment. 

Don't get me wrong, the Bulls have definitely cooled off as well considering how well they started. But, at least Coby White has returned and the chemistry and slowly building back up between the big three, with White, Giddey and Vuc. I believe that being at home should have the Bulls feeling good after yesterday's win as well as the Christmas break. Lay the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 119-107 Bulls.

(#503) Miami Heat | ML | . 

Even though Miami's the underdog in this road game against Atlanta, I do like this spot for the Heat. The Heat needed the Christmas break, definitely. Having these few days off gave them enough time to recoup and recover even with Herro still sidelined. I expect Kel'el Ware to get lots of playing time the way he's played in recent game and that should help Miami tremendously on the glass and inside the paint. 

Atlanta's still a bit of a mystery as it's been hurt all season. Yes, Young is back and playing well again. But, Porzingis remains out and this Hawks team seems like they are never going to be fully healthy. They may have the better stars on their roster of the two teams. But, given that Miami took all three of the final three meetings last year and the health of each roster, I expect the Heat to snap out of it and be victorious on Friday. Hammer Miami on the ML. 

Burns' Prediction: 124-118 Heat.

(#595) Minnesota Timberwolves @ (#596) Denver Nuggets | UNDER | . 

The Timberwolves are going to be eager to put on a show against one of the top teams in the conference, just as they did against the Thunder just under a week ago now. Minnesota definitely has the talent to match with any opponent and the defense is most definitely there with a multi-time DPOY winner in Gobert as well as a very tough 3-&-D player in Jaden McDaniels who should be back for this game. I expect clamps for Minnesota this evening. 

Despite Denver averaging the most PPG out of any team in the NBA at the moment, it's hard not to acknowledge that it doesn't even play a fast brand of basketball. As a matter of fact, the Nuggets average just the 22nd most possessions per game this season. Don't get me wrong, the percentages are incredible. But, playing against a top ranked defense in the NBA on Christmas should slow them down at least a tad. 

While we should get an absolute show in the final game of the night on Christmas. But, I believe that this line is simply way too high. When the total is 230+ involving a road team that's revenging a loss against an opponent by double digits, involving two teams that have win percentages within 60% & 75%, the "under" is 25-3 (89.3%) since 2017. That system applies to Minnesota. Give me the "under" on Thursday. 

Burns' Prediction: 114-111 Timberwolves.

(#590) Oklahoma City Thunder | ATS | . 

San Antonio has gotten the best of OKC through the first two games. That's quite something to say as the Thunder have lost only four games this season so far. Looking at today's matchup, this is the first time that these teams will see each other at the Paycom Center in OKC this season. Let's not forget to acknowledge that the Thunder are 14-1 at home this year and 17-1 over their most recent 18 since last season. 

The Spurs have been significantly worse playing on the road and this might just be the toughest environment to play in at the moment in the NBA other than maybe Denver. I think OKC has revenge on its mind and will come out hunting blood on Thursday (Christmas.) Lay the points and expect a beatdown.

Burns' Prediction: 132-104 Thunder.

#559) Memphis Grizzlies @ (#560) Utah Jazz | OVER | . 

While both teams played last night, I don't believe that either team would've been too happy with those results. The Grizzlies hung around with OKC for a while until the game got a bit ugly in the fourth quarter. Now, against a much weaker defensive side in Utah, Memphis should be able to have much more success offensively in a game that both teams should expect victory in. 

Talking about the Jazz, they will also be looking forward to this matchup as they are the slight favorites entering it. Utah loves to score points and averages 119.9 PPG which is 7th in the NBA even with a below-par 10-18 record. I believe that they'll have a much easier time scoring as well on Tuesday given that it was down 19-0 to begin yesterday's game against Denver. 

In the end, both offenses should be clicking, and clicking early. This line isn't this high for no reason. We're going to see tons of points and I believe that this will be the highest scoring game on the board on Tuesday. Give me the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 134-123 Jazz.

(#547) Toronto Raptors | ATS | . 

While both teams are struggling at the moment, I believe that the Raptors have more life. They don't light of the scoreboard or anything. But, the Raptors play a brand of basketball that's been quite effective this season and they don't let the other team bother them even when playing opponents with contrast in style. 

Miami's lost consecutive games as well and is dropping down the East standings faster than any team at the moment. The Heat have given up more than 260 points over the past two games and just lost by double digits at home against this very Toronto team earlier last week. I'll grab the points with Toronto. 

Burns' Prediction: 116-109 Raptors.

(#517) Dallas Mavericks | ATS | . 

Dallas should be embarrassed to be underdogs against one of the worst teams in the NBA. I know that the Pels have talent on the roster and definitely have some pieces that should create a stronger team in the near future. But, this is a 7-22 side this season that's tied for last in the Western Conference at the moment. 

The Mavericks could be missing some extra guys including Max Christie, Klay Thompson & Cooper Flagg. However, Flagg went through shoot around this morning and I expect him to try and be out there. Nonetheless, the Mavs still have an all-time great in Anthony Davis. PJ Washington's stepped up over the past few years. I've got Dallas on Monday. 

Burns' Prediction: 120-113 Mavs.

(#565) Portland Trail Blazers | ATS | . 

While these two teams just met up a couple of days ago and went to overtime, with Portland coming out on top, I believe that we're going to see a similar result on Saturday. The Trail Blazers may be on the road for this evenings game. But, they are the much better team at the moment and should be winning this game without much trouble. 

Sacramento is dealing with plenty of problems including injuries. Sabonis has been out and LaVine is going to remain out for this evening's contest. The Kings have won only six out of their 27 games this year and it wouldn't shock me one bit if the team gets broken up sooner than later with some trades. Give me the Blazers to win by double digits. 

Burns' Prediction: 124-109 Blazers.

(#555) Indiana Pacers @ (#556) New Orleans Pelicans | UNDER | . 

Despite Indiana going "over" the total in it's last game against New York, the Pacers have really been one of the lowest scoring teams in the NBA this season and things aren't going to get any easier as teams get more and more comfortable with each other. Indiana shoots the worst percentage of 3pt shots in the NBA, at 32.9% this year. Things are simply not the same with all of these injuries that it's battled through. 

New Orleans is definitely more on the higher scoring side. But, it's still definitely not one of the best scoring teams itself either. The Pelicans will be able to keep the pace slower in this game as they match up well with the Pacers in style of play. These teams don't play too often given that it's a non-conference game. But, in the six games since December of 2022, these sides have ended with an "under" in five of those games. Hammer the "under" on Saturday. 

Burns' Prediction: 113-104 Pelicans.

(#569) Washington Wizards @ (#570) Indiana Pacers | UNDER | . 

Washington's capable of putting up some numbers when healthy. But, Alex Sarr has been in and out of the lineup recently and even if he suits up on Sunday, it's tough to imagine him being at 100%. That's going to slow down Washington who's averaging 113 PPG which is among the worst in the NBA. 

Over the past few years, Indiana's been one of the most high flying offenses out there, normally leading the league in pace/PPG. That being said, this year, it's been completely different without its playmaker in Tyrese Haliburton. The Pacers are averaging 111 PPG which is 2nd last in the entire NBA. As nearly double digit favorites on Sunday afternoon, I simply don't see them scoring enough to send this one "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 119-103 Pacers.

(#560) Golden State Warriors | ATS | . 

Minnesota has been pretty solid so far this season but hasn't been anything too special given the rest of the teams in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves have a great duo in Edwards & Randle. However, the last performance by the Wolves was not good whatsoever against the Phoenix Suns. Back on the road for just a single game, I don't believe that this is a good matchup for Minnesota. 

Golden State, on the other hand, has been playing well even considering the injuries. Jimmy Butler has returned from his and Steph Curry is expected to return this evening. That's going to provide a massive boost to the Chase Center on Friday and this crowd is going to be loud considering that Minnesota knocked GS out of the playoffs last year. I'll take Golden State in this revenge game. 

Burns' Prediction: 119-112 GS.

(#581) Denver Nuggets | ATS | . 

The mini break of games is exactly what Denver needed. Yes, it's on a three game winning streak at the moment which is what everyone's hoping for. But, those games, which should have all been blowouts, were much closer than expected. Having said that, I believe that the Nuggets will be ready to absolutely dominate on Thursday evening in this contest. 

Sacramento's not had a very good start to the season and it's only a matter of time before the core breaks up and gets traded in my opinion. Injuries haven't helped the Kings and they simply are not going to be a playoff team at this rate whatsoever. Until further notice, the Kings should be avoided given their current state. Lay the points on Denver. 

Burns' Prediction: 126-103 Nuggets.

(#501) Phoenix Suns @ (#502) Oklahoma City Thunder | OVER | . 

Even though it would practically take a "miracle" for the Suns to win this game (given how good OKC has been this year,) I do believe that they can at least keep it close enough throughout most of the game. Phoenix isn't a bad roster even without its best two players. I am going to make this selection with the assumption that Booker won't play. But, I'd love my chances even more if he does. The Suns have relied on Collin Gillespie to take a bigger role along with Dillon Brooks. 

Oklahoma City doesn't need much of an explanation. It's been one of the best teams in NBA history through as many games so far and looked as dominant as ever even without Shai in its last game. The Thunder average 123 PPG on the season and this total is quite low considering. I believe that the number is too low and this game will go "over" significantly. 

Burns' Prediction: 126-109 Thunder.

(#571) New York Knicks | ATS | . 

Even though I haven't played on New York too many times this season (regrettably,) I have been watching how it's managed itself given the bench situation of previous years. I do believe that this team is more complete than it's had in the past and should be threats again in the Eastern Conference playoffs. However, that's not on the mind of the Knicks right now as there's another trophy that they want to lift. The NBA Cup. This is a road game. However, NYK has already crushed Toronto this season by a score of 116-94. 

Considering how it's done the past couple of seasons since Kawhi departed, Toronto has had a great beginning to the season. It's been rougher sailing recently though as the Raptors have now lost three consecutive games, all at home to LAL, CHA & BOS. Despite the winning record on the year, the Raptors are pretty average ATS with a 10-15 record. I don't like what I've seen from the Canadian side recently and also during that game earlier in the season vs. NYK. I believe that this is another bad spot for Toronto. Give me the Knicks in another comfortable win. 

Burns' Prediction: 120-104 Knicks.

(#536) Brooklyn Nets | ATS |. 

Both of these teams are simply very bad. New Orleans has won three games all season long and still has as many injuries as some teams do in an entire season. The Pelicans will be without Poole, Zion, Herb Jones, Murray & possibly Missi for this matchup. Playing on the road isn't going to help NOP's cause this weekend. 

Brooklyn, on the other hand, actually has won two of its three games in December so far. The Nets are without Cam Thomas, but still has the majority of its group and the young guys are starting to come alive. This is another great matchup for the Nets who are heating up. I'll lay the points. 

Burns' Prediction: 121-109 Nets.

(#553) Portland Trail Blazers @ (#554) Toronto Raptors | OVER | . 

Portland's been mostly competitive within the games so far this season and has definitely kept up the pace of play so far, matching the fast teams and trying to out run the slower playing sides. The Blazers played in many high scoring contests in the month of November and have gone "over" at a pretty high 65% rate through 20 games this season. 

Looking at Toronto, it's cooled off from its blistering start. However, the Raptors are definitely still more than capable to put up some enticing numbers as well offensively. The Raps play tremendous team basketball and are among the league's best in assists per game as well as limiting turnovers. That will ultimately lead to more points. Hammer the "over." 

Burns' Prediction: 126-116 Raptors.

(#564) Los Angeles Clippers | ATS | . 

Although I do believe that Memphis is better than its record suggests, I believe the exact same thing (even more so) with Los Angeles. Firstly, looking at the Grizzlies, they simply aren't getting enough from their superstar in Ja Morant. He's not produced at the level that he has when he's played over the past few seasons whatsoever and that's been one of the problems. He's out for this game though and the Grizzlies also don't have Desmond Bane to rely on this season, making the team significantly worse. They also shoot the ball at one of the worst percentages in the NBA at 43.9% and just 33.1% from deep. 

For the Clippers, they are significantly better in those percentages but still haven't been able to get going. Kawhi Leonard missing 10 consecutive games hasn't helped, but he's back now and that should help this team start to gain more and more confidence. Being at home as a decent sized favorite should help the Clips as well. Given the injuries and how I expect these teams to perform for the rest of the season, I love the Clippers here to finally get going. This is my #1 NBA GAME OF THE MONTH. 

Burns' Prediction: 119-104 Clippers.

(#561) Sacramento Kings @ (#562) Utah Jazz | UNDER | . 

This line is quite high and high for a reason considering that both teams like to play pretty fast and are in the top 10 in possessions per game so far this season. However, I believe that this is going to be lower scoring than expected. Despite all of the possessions, Sacramento is one of the worst at capitalizing and doesn't score a ton of points at all, averaging 111.6 PPG. 

For the Jazz, they are obviously slightly higher. However, Utah doesn't shoot a very high percentage and Sacramento is probably going to want to slow the pace down for this game if it wants to win. When they played last month, the two sides combined for just 209 points. I've got the "under" again on Friday. 

Burns' Prediction: 122-109 Jazz.

(#547) Cleveland Cavaliers | ATS | . 

I know that Cleveland might be the most banged up team in the Eastern Conference right now, other than maybe Indiana, I do believe that it's still one of the best teams in the NBA with how much depth that it has. DeAndre Hunter should return for this matchup and Evan Mobley is still going to be a force down low. 

For the Hawks, they aren't at full strength at all either, still missing Trae Young. The Hawks have struggled against the Cavs over the past few seasons and that's when healthy (3-6 ATS the past nine meetings.) Considering how Atlanta played against Washington in its last game, I'm all over Cleveland here. 

Burns' Prediction: 124-112 Cavs.

(#527) Detroit Pistons @ (#528) Boston Celtics | UNDER | . 

Detroit is on an unthinkable run at the moment given the circumstances. I mean, the Pistons were without Cade Cunningham as well as Jaden Ivey for the majority of the beginning of this run and now have the two back in the team which makes them even scarier. However, the run obviously will come to an end eventually it's just a matter of when. This evening, Detroit will face the best defensive team in the East via. points allowed per game. 

That's right, the Celtics have been dominant on the defensive side of the ball, allowing only 110.0 PPG despite losing nearly half of their games. That's pretty remarkable. I do believe that the Celtics have a great chance in winning this game since they are at home. But, Detroit's defense has been great too this season and I absolutely love the "under" on Wednesday late afternoon. 

Burns' Prediction: 115-108 Celtics.