20* Pacers/Suns NBA No-Brainer on OVER 234.5

The entire NBA is rested and ready to go tonight with almost everyone having at least three days off in between games due to the NBA Cup.  I am taking a lot of OVERS tonight with these guys on fresh legs and healthy and ready to run tonight.

The Indiana Pacers are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 6th in pace and 22nd in defensive rating.  The OVER is 16-10-1 in all Pacers games this season.  They are as healthy as they have been in a long time.

Speaking of healthy, the Suns will have all hands on deck tonight and they are a dead nuts OVER team when that's the case.  Durant, Beal and Nurkic have all missed time this season but all are healthy now.

The Suns are 15-10 OVER in all games this season.  They are 4-1 OVER in their last five games overall.  The Pacers and Suns combined for 264 points in their last meeting.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Hawks/Spurs OVER 234

The entire NBA is rested and ready to go tonight with almost everyone having at least three days off in between games due to the NBA Cup.  I am taking a lot of OVERS tonight with these guys on fresh legs and healthy and ready to run tonight.

The Atlanta Hawks are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 3rd in pace and 17th in defensive rating this season.  They are fully healthy right now with the exception of C Okongwu, but not having him on the court makes them even more of an OVER team.

The OVER is 4-1 in Spurs last five games overall with 234 or more combined points in four of those five games.  The lone exception came against the Timberwolves, who profile as an under team.

The OVER is 7-2 in the last nine meetings between the Hawks and Spurs with 230 or more combined points in eight of those nine meetings.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

20* Warriors/Grizzlies NBA No-Brainer on OVER 235.5

The entire NBA is rested and ready to go tonight with almost everyone having at least three days off in between games due to the NBA Cup.  I am taking a lot of OVERS tonight with these guys on fresh legs and healthy and ready to run tonight.

The Grizzlies rank 2nd in the NBA in pace while the Warriors rank 8th, so this game will see a ton of possessions as both teams get up and down the court in a hurry offensively.

The Grizzlies are about as healthy as they have been all season and showing what they can do offensively when that's the case.  They have gone for at least 237 combined points with their opponents in five of their last seven games.

The Warriors are fully healthy now and just added Dennis Schroeder to give them that much needed extra guard to give Steph Curry a breather.  They just took part in a 143-133 shootout loss to Dallas and 276 combined points in their last game.

The Warriors and Grizzlies have combined for at least 241 points in five of their last seven meetings, so this has been a very high-scoring series.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday Undervalued Underdog on Chicago Bulls +14.5

The Boston Celtics are one of the most overrated teams in the NBA this season.  They won the NBA title last year and there's a tax that bettors have to pay to back them because of it.  The Celtics have failed to live up to expectations, going just 10-16 ATS this season.

Asking the Celtics to beat the Bulls by 15-plus points tonight to beat us is asking too much.  The Bulls are a pesky underdog and tend to play to the level of their competition.  We saw that a few weeks ago when they only lost 138-129 to the Celtics as 12-point home underdogs on November 29th.  Now they will be revenge-minded in the rematch three weeks later.

The Bulls are as healthy as they have been all season right now due with only Josh Giddey listed as questionable.  The Celtics could be without Kristaps Porzingis, who is a game-time decision, ass is role player Sam Hauser.  I think the Bulls keep this closer than expected either way. Bet the Bulls Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday Total DOMINATOR on Hornets/Wizards OVER 226

The entire NBA is rested and ready to go tonight with almost everyone having at least three days off in between games due to the NBA Cup.  I am taking a lot of OVERS tonight with these guys on fresh legs and healthy and ready to run tonight.

The Hornets are a pretty easy team to figure out.  They are an OVER team with La'Melo Ball healthy and an UNDER team without him.  He is their most important player by far as he makes everyone's job easier offensively. Ball is healthy right now.

The Washington Wizards profile as a dead nuts OVER team ranking 4th in pace and 29th in defensive rating.  But the Wizards have been going under the total a lot recently, which has provided us some line value to 'buy low' on an OVER tonight.

The Wizards and Hornets have combined fro 231, 241 and 248 points in three of their last four meetings.  Ball played in all three of those games and didn't play in the one game during this stretch that didn't see at least 231 combined points.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

20* NBA Non-Conference TOTAL OF THE MONTH on Jazz/Pistons OVER 228

The entire NBA is rested and ready to go tonight with almost everyone having at least three days off in between games due to the NBA Cup.  I am taking a lot of OVERS tonight with these guys on fresh legs and healthy and ready to run tonight.  This is my favorite OVER of the bunch.

The Utah Jazz are fully healthy and a dead nuts OVER team right now.  They rank dead last (30th) in the NBA in defensive rating.  The OVER is 5-0 in Jazz last five games overall with 251, 260, 238, 240 and 239 combined points.  So this total of 228 is very low for a game involving Utah right now.

The OVER is 4-1 in Pistons last five games overall with 235, 250, 231, 222 and 249 combined points.  This total is also very low for a game involving the Pistons right now.

The OVER is 3-1 in the last four meetings with 230 or more combined points in all four.  These teams have combined for 276, 230, 237 and 241 points at the end of regulation in their last four meetings, respectively. Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

15* CBB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Samford +20

The Arizona Wildcats are one of the most overrated teams in the country.  They are 4-5 SU & 3-6 ATS this season with their four wins coming against Canisius, ODU, Davidson and Southern Utah.  They lost to Oklahoma on a neutral, WVU on a neutral, UCLA in a semi-home game, Duke by 14 at home and Wisconsin by 15 on the road.

The Samford Bulldogs are one of the better mid-major teams in the country and looking forward to this opportunity of trying to take down a Power 4 team in Arizona.  They are 9-2 SU & 5-4 ATS this season with their only two losses coming by 2 at Cornell and by 8 at Michigan State as 17-point dogs.  And that effort at Michigan State tells me they can hang with Arizona considering I believe Michigan State is better than Arizona this season.  The Bulldogs have also had the last nine days off to rest and prepare for the Wildcats.  Bet Samford Wednesday.

15* Oklahoma/Michigan ESPN 2 ANNIHILATOR on Michigan -3.5

The Oklahoma Sooners are overrated due to their 10-0 start against the 325th-ranked schedule in the country.  They finally take a big step up in competition here against Michigan, which has faced the 114th-ranked schedule int he country.

The Wolverines have gotten off to a 8-2 start this season and could easily be 10-0 as both losses came by exactly 2 points to Arkansas and Wake Forest.  They also have impressive wins over Wisconsin, Iowa, Xavier, TCU and Virginia Tech.  They have been tested, and they are ready to hand Oklahoma its first loss of the season tonight.

The spot really favors the Wolverines as well.  They have had the last seven days off since that 2-point loss to Arkansas to rest and prepare for Oklahoma.  Meanwhile, the Sooners are coming off their huge in-state rivalry win over Oklahoma State on Saturday and only have three days in between games.  They are getting too much respect for that win over the Cowboys, who are way down this season.  Bet Michigan Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday Night BLOWOUT on Bradley -1.5

The Bradley Braves have had one of the best home-court advantages in the country over the last decade.  They are 4-0 SU at home this season and I fully expect them to improve to 5-0 tonight.

San Francisco will be playing its first true road game this season in what I expect to be the Dons' toughest test to date.  They lost to both Clemson and Memphis on neutrals and won the rest of their games in a home-heavy schedule to this point.  Bet Bradley Wednesday.

15 CBB Tuesday Night Line Mistake on UC-San Diego +9.5

UC-San Diego was one of the most underrated teams in the country last season.  The Tritons opened 11-4 ATS in their first 15 lined games last season.  They have opened 9-2 SU & 8-2 ATS this season consistently crushing spreads.

The Tritons are 7-0 SU & 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall with four outright upsets as underdogs.  They have covered their last six games by a combined 87.5 points, or by an average of 14.6 points per game.

I think it's a great time to 'sell high' on Utah State after opening 10-0 this season against a very soft schedule.  The Aggies have done it against the 273rd-ranked schedule in the country.  Asking them to win this game by double-digits to beat us is asking too much.  Bet UC-San Diego Tuesday.

20* Bucks/Thunder NBA Cup Total DOMINATOR on UNDER 215

Some great defense is being played in the NBA Cup quarterfinals and semifinals.  These are like playoff games with the defensive intensity high, and refs letting more physical contact go.  The UNDER is 5-1 in NBA Cup quarterfinals/semifinals. This total of 215 is too high for this matchup between the Bucks and Thunder in the NBA Cup Championship Game.  

The Thunder rank 1st in the NBA in defensive rating.  They held the Mavericks to 104 points in the quarterfinals, completing locking down Luka Doncic and company as nobody from Dallas scored more than 19 points.  They held the Rockets to 96 points in the semifinals.  They have allowed 110 points or fewer in 10 of their last 11 games overall.

The Bucks have been trending up defensively in recent weeks.  They held the high-powered Hawks to just 102 points on 42.7% shooting in the semifinals.  And I think they will be good enough defensively to keep this UNDER the 215-point total in the NBA Cup Championship Game.  It also benefits both teams defensively to have two days off in between games to prepare to stop one another.  Bet the UNDER in this game Tuesday.

20* Bucks/Thunder NBA Cup No-Brainer on Oklahoma City -4.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder are 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall with all five wins coming by double-digits.  That includes their 118-104 win over Dallas and their 111-96 win over Houston in the quarterfinals and semifinals of the NBA Cup, respectively.

The Thunder rank 1st in the NBA in defensive rating which is why they can be trusted every night.  And that's where a big difference in this NBA Cup Championship Game lies.  The Milwaukee Bucks rank 13th in the NBA in defensive rating and really struggle to defend opposing point guards.

The Bucks had a very easy path to get here.  They got to face the Magic without their top two scorers in Banchero and Wagner in the quarterfinals and were still life and death to win that game in a 114-109 victory.  They needed a late surge to put away the Atlanta Hawks 110-102 in the semifinals.  The Hawks were far and away the worst team that made the NBA Cup Quarterfinals.

So this is a big step up in class for the Bucks here after facing the short-handed Magic and the awful Hawks.  Now they must face arguably the best team in the NBA in the Thunder, and I don't expect it to go well for them in the Championship Game.  Bet the Thunder Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Georgia State +39.5

This looks like a great time to 'sell high' on Auburn in what looks to be a flat spot for the Tigers.  They are coming off a 38-point win on a neutral against Ohio State just three days ago, and now they have another huge game on deck against Purdue on a neutral on Saturday.

The Boilermakers won't be nearly as motivated to beat Georgia State as they were to beat Ohio State and as they will be to beat Purdue.  Asking the Tigers to win this game by 40-plus points to beat us is asking too much.

Georgia State only lost by 29 as 31-point dogs at Kentucky to give them a reasonable opponent to Auburn to compare to.  I don't believe Auburn is 8.5 points better than Kentucky, which they would have to be to justify this 39.5-point spread.  Bet Georgia State Tuesday.

15* UNC/Florida ESPN ANNIHILATOR on Florida -3.5

The Florida Gators are one of the most underrated teams in the country.  They have opened 10-0 SU & 7-3 ATS this season.  They beat Florida State by 13 as 5.5-point road favorites, beat Wake Forest by 17 as 7.5-point road favorites, beat Virginia by 18 as 17-point home favorites and crushed Arizona State by 17 as 7-point road favorites.  The Gators are 5-0 ATS in their last five games.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are one of the most overrated teams in the country.  They have gone 6-4 SU & 4-6 ATS this season.  The Tar Heels are 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall which includes a 3-point home win over a bad Georgia Tech team as 18-point favorites, a 15-point home loss to Alabama as 1.5-point favorites, a 3-point loss to Michigan State as 5.5-point favorites on a neutral and a 13-point loss to Auburn as 3.5-point dogs on a neutral.

I love the matchup for the Gators.  The weakness of the Tar Heels is their post play, and the Gators will dominate them inside.  The strength of the Tar Heels is their guard play, and the Gators have the long, athletic guards that will give Davis, Trimble and Cadeua problems.  Bet Florida Tuesday.

15* NBA Monday PLAY OF THE DAY on Jazz/Clippers OVER 222.5

The Utah Jazz are a dead nuts OVER team when healthy.  They rank 13th in pace and dead last (30th) in defensive rating this season.  But they have some firepower on offense when healthy.

The OVER is 4-0 in Utah's last four games overall combining for 239 points with Oklahoma City, 240 points with Portland, 238 with Sacramento and 260 with Phoenix.  They had Markkanen, Sexton and Clarkson on the floor at the same time against Phoenix and scored 126 points.  They haven't had those three on the court at the same time much this season until recently.

The Clippers are more of an under team with a good defense and suspect offense, but that's why this total is so low.  I'm fully expecting one of their best offensive performances of the season tonight.  They have scored 127, 126, 125 and 121 points in four of their last nine games and I think they will get 120-plus in this one.  

The Clippers and Jazz have combined for at least 219 points in each of their last eight meetings.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

15* Grizzlies/Lakers NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on Memphis -4

The Memphis Grizzlies have gotten healthy and have quietly gone 10-1 SU & 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games overall with seven wins by 11 points or more.  They are playing as well as anyone in the NBA right now, and I expect them to make easy work of the struggling Los Angeles Lakers tonight.

The Lakers are 3-8 SU & 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games overall.  LeBron James is questionable, Anthony Davis is banged up, and the Lakers are just a mess right now.  Their three wins during this stretch have come against the Blazers, Jazz and Spurs, which are three of the worst teams in the West.  They won't be able to hang with the Grizzlies with or without LeBron today.  Bet the Grizzlies Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Nebraska-Omaha +35.5

Nebraska-Omaha hasn't lost a game by more than 20 points this season.  They only lost by 4 at Minnesota as 21-point dogs and by 11 at UNLV at 17-point dogs.  They also took Akron to the wire in an 8-point loss as 11.5-point road dogs.  The Mavericks are now catching 35.5 points against Iowa State and this number has been inflated in my opinion.

This is an obvious letdown spot for the Iowa State Cyclones.  They are coming off a huge 89-80 comeback win at rival Iowa on Thursday.  This after playing Auburn, Dayton, Colorado and Marquette in four of their previous five games.  The Cyclones won't be nearly as motivated to play Omaha as they were those five teams, especially Iowa, and thus it's going to make it hard for them to cover this 35.5-point spread.  Bet Nebraska-Omaha Sunday.

20* Rockets/Thunder NBA Cup No-Brainer on UNDER 214

Some great defense is being played in the NBA Cup quarterfinals and beyond.  These are like playoff games with the defensive intensity high, and refs letting more physical contact go.  The UNDER went 3-1 in quarterfinals games earlier this week.

This is a matchup between the two best defensive teams in the NBA Saturday.  The Thunder rank 1st in defensive rating allowing 103.4 points per 100 possessions, while the Rockets rank 2nd allowing 105.1 points per 100 possessions.

The Rockets were in the ultimate defensive battle against the Warriors in the quarterfinals winning 91-90 for just 181 combined points.  The Thunder beat the Mavericks 118-104 completing locking down Luka Doncic and company as nobody from Dallas scored more than 19 points.

The Thunder are allowing 103.8 points per game on 42.7% shooting this season.  The Rockets are allowing 105.9 points per game on 43.4% shooting.  These are two of the most athletic teams in the league that can guard all five positions.  Bet the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* Marquette/Dayton CBSSN ANNIHILATOR on Dayton -1

Marquette won its first true road game at Maryland by 4 but lost by 11 at Iowa State in its next true road game.  That gives Marquette a common opponent with Dayton.  The Flyers only lost by 5 to the Cyclones on a neutral.  

Their other loss came by 2 to UNC on a neutral.  They also crushed UConn 85-67 as 7-point dogs to cap off the Maui Invitational.  Now they have a big home game here against Marquette that could go a long way on whether or not they make the NCAA Tournament.

Despite a brutal schedule thus far that also includes a home win over Northwestern, Dayton ranks 12th in the country in adjusted offensive rating.  This is probably the most offensive talent Anthony Grant has had in his time at Dayton.  The Flyers are always elite defensively.  I think they are good enough to get a big home win here over the Golden Eagles.  Bet Dayton Saturday.

20* Hawks/Bucks NBA Cup No-Brainer on UNDER 229

Some great defense is being played in the NBA Cup quarterfinals and beyond.  These are like playoff games with the defensive intensity high, and refs letting more physical contact go.  The UNDER went 3-1 in quarterfinals games earlier this week.

The Hawks beat the Knicks 108-100 for just 208 combined points and the Bucks beat the Magic 114-109 for just 223 combined points.  This will be the 2nd meeting between the Hawks and Bucks in 11 days, so familiarity will be a factor and favor defense.

The Hawks won that game 119-104 for just 223 combined points on December 4th.  I think given the circumstances of this being a win-or-go-home situation, there's value with the UNDER 229 in the rematch today.  Bet the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday UPSET SHOCKER on Bradley +3.5

The Bradley Braves are one of the best mid-major teams in the country.  They are 8-1 SU & 5-3 ATS this season with their lone loss coming on the road at Washington State, which has proven to be a very good team.  Seven of their eight wins have come by double-digits, including a 23-point win at Southern Illinois in their MVC opener last time out.

Santa Clara is 5-5 SU & 4-6 ATS this season and has been a huge disappointment.  The Broncos have played a tough schedule, but they haven't beaten anyone of significance other than perhaps McNeese State.

Bradley ranks 41st in adjusted offense and 1st in effective FG%.  Santa Clara is 90th in adjusted offense and 179th in effective FG%. The Broncos are also 99th in adjusted defense and 119th in effective FG% defense.

I could see Santa Clara possibly being favored if this was a home game for them, but it's a neutral game in Henderson, NV in the 'Jack Jones Classic'.  No I am not the sponsor, but the wrong team is favored here.  Bet Bradley Saturday.

15* Xavier/Cincinnati ESPN+ ANNIHILATOR on Cincinnati -7

Cincinnati is going to be highly motivated for a victory Saturday after losing five consecutive meetings with Xavier, including four by 8 points or fewer.  I think the Bearcats are finally the much superior team this year, and they show it playing at home this afternoon.

Cincinnati is 7-1 SU this season with all seven wins coming by 16 points or more, including a 23-point road win at Georgia Tech.  Their lone loss came on the road at Villanova.

Xavier is 8-2 SU but just 4-6 ATS this season.  The Musketeers lost by 25 to Michigan on a neutral.  They lost their only true road game to TCU by 4.  And this will be their toughest test of the season by far.

Cincinnati ranks 34th in adjusted offense and 13th in adjusted defense.  Xavier ranks 59th in adjusted offense and 72nd in adjusted defense.  The Bearcats are a class above the Musketeers and finally get over the hump in this rivalry with a blowout home win.  Bet Cincinnati Saturday.

15* Ohio State/Auburn ESPN 2 ANNIHILATOR on Ohio State +11.5

The Ohio State Buckeyes had a big finish last season and I like the momentum they have this season under Jake Diebler, who earned the job after the big finish last year.  Diebler has the Buckeyes sitting at 6-3 SU & 6-3 ATS this season.

Auburn is getting a lot of respect for its 8-1 SU & 7-2 ATS start and top ranking in KenPom.  But the Tigers shouldn't be favored by double-digits against Ohio State on a neutral here Saturday in Atlanta.

Ohio State is 21st in adjusted offense and 37th in adjusted defense with very few weaknesses.  They are 10th in effective FG% offense and 12th in effective FG% defense.  They have what it takes to make this game competitive.  Bet Ohio State Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Western Illinois/South Dakota OVER 154

South Dakota is a dead nuts OVER team.  The Coyotes are 7-1-1 OVER in all games this season with 156 or more combined points in 11 of their 12 games this season.  That makes for an 11-1 system backing the OVER pertaining to this 154-point total.  They have gone for 162 or more combined points with their opponents in six consecutive games coming in.

South Dakota ranks 4th in adjusted tempo, 27th in offensive possession length and 38th in defensive possession length.  They are also 350th in adjusted defense, so they are awful on that end.

Now the Coyotes face another terrible defensive team in Western Illinois, which ranks 327th in adjusted defense.  The Leathernecks don't play fast, but they will be forced to play faster against the Coyotes who will control the tempo playing at home.  Bet the OVER in this game Saturday.

15* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Suns/Jazz OVER 231

The Utah Jazz are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 29th in defensive rating only ahead of the Wizards.  They also like to play fast and are as healthy as they have been in a while, so their offense should be better.

The Phoenix Suns get Kevin Durant back tonight and are back to almost full strength with the exception of Jusuf Nurkic.  They are an elite offensive team as long as the Big 3 of Durant, Booker and Beal are all on the court at the same time, which is the case right now.

The OVER is 5-0 in the last five meetings between the Jazz and Suns with 230 or more combined points in all five meetings, including 232 or more in each of their last four meetings.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday No-Doubt Rout on Memphis Grizzlies -10

The Memphis Grizzlies have gotten healthy and have quietly gone 9-1 SU & 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall with six wins by 11 points or more.  That's why I'm willing to lay double-digits with them tonight hosting the Brooklyn Nets.

The Nets are 1-4 SU & 2-3 ATS in their last five games overall and playing very banged up.  I don't think they can hang with this current version of the Grizzlies, who are actually playing with double-revenge after losing two earlier meetings this season to the Nets back when they weren't as healthy as they are now.  It will be a different story this time around with Memphis winning in a blowout.  Bet the Grizzlies Friday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Pacers/76ers OVER 226.5

The Indiana Pacers remain a dead nuts OVER team this season going 16-9 OVER in all games.  They rank 6th in pace and 24th in defensive rating.  They are getting healthier to add more offense to their arsenal, and their post defense is dreadful.

The Philadelphia 76ers will have Maxey, Embiid and George all healthy for basically the first time this season.  They are going to start scoring a lot more points as long as these three are on the court at the same time, so this is a 'buy low' spot on the OVER for them.

The OVER is 7-0 in the last seven meetings between the Pacers and 76ers with 232 or more combined points in all seven meetings, and 255 or more combined points in six of those seven.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Kings/Pelicans OVER 231.5

The Sacramento Kings have gotten healthy, moved Malik Monk into the starting lineup and they are thriving offensively right now as a result.  They have scored at least 120 points in four of their last five games, including 141 and 140 in regulation in their last two games.

The New Orleans Pelicans have gotten healthier with McCollum, Murray, Murphy and Jones all recently returning from injury.  These guys are starting to gel in the starting lineup alongside Missi.  Brandon Boston Jr. (12.1 PPG) has been one of the most improved players in the NBA off the bench.

The OVER is 4-0 in Pelicans last four games overall with 228 or more combined points in all four, including 236 or more combined points in three of them.  The Pelicans and Kings have combined for at least 233 points in three of their last four meetings.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

15* NBA Eastern Conference ANNIHILATOR on Detroit Pistons 12.5

The Detroit Pistons are fully healthy right now and showing what they are capable of when that's the case.  After covering in a 130-120 loss as 12-point road dogs at Boston, the Pistons upset the Knicks 120-111 as 8-point road dogs in their last two games coming into this one.

Now the Pistons are rested and ready to go for revenge on the Celtics here a week later.  They have had the last four days off and will be playing just their 2nd game in 8 days.  I think they give the Celtics another run for their money tonight as 12.5-point dogs in the rematch.

The Celtics are overvalued after winning the title last year.  That is evidenced by the fact that they are 9-15 ATS in all games this season.  They have just two wins by more than 12 points in their last 11 games.  Both Jayson Tatum and Al Horford are questionable, and they will be without Sam Houser, who is doubtful.  Bet the Pistons Thursday.

20* Warriors/Rockets NBA Cup No-Brainer on Houston -2.5

The Houston Rockets are one of the most underrated teams in the NBA this season.  They are 16-8 SU & 16-8 ATS and fully healthy right now.  Both Fred Van Vleet (16.0 PPG, 5.9 APG) and Tari Eason (11.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG) sat out their last game and were on the injury report heading into this game, but both are expected to play.

The Rockets are clearly taking this NBA Cup seriously.  They went 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their first three Group Stage games to clinch their spot in the quarterfinals.  They beat the Clippers by 21 and the Blazers by 28 in their two home games, and they upset the Timberwolves by 6 on the road.  Their 4th Group Stage game against the Kings was meaningless and they played like it in a 9-point road loss.

Now the Rockets are extra motivated to get over this Golden State hurdle.  They have lost 15 consecutive meetings with the Warriors, including a OT loss at home and a 6-point loss on the road in their first two meetings this season.  I think it will be a different story this time around with one of the best home atmospheres for any NBA game this season as fans are excited about finally having a contender in Houston.  The Rockets are 9-3 SU at home this season.

Golden State is 2-6 SU & 3-4-1 ATS in its last eight games overall.  Steve Kerr still cannot figure out a rotation that works for the Warriors playing up to a 12-man rotation at times.  The loss of backup PG De'Anthony Melton really threw the rotation off and the Warriors haven't been able to figure it out since.

I don't like the way this team is trending heading into the NBA Cup quarterfinals, but I think they are getting a lot of respect just because they are the Warriors.  Andrew Wiggins is questionable with an ankle injury and may not go, and even if he does he won't be 100%.  Draymond Green and Steph Curry are both playing banged up as well.  Bet the Rockets Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Fresno State +27.5

It's Finals Week and some of these big home favorites aren't going to be very interested.  I think BYU fits that profile tonight, and asking the Cougars to win this game by 28-plus points against Fresno State to beat us is asking too much.

Fresno State has been undervalued since a 2-2 SU & 1-2-1 ATS start this season that included narrow home wins over Sacramento State and Prairie View A&M and road losses to UCSB and CS-Bakersfield.  But they have gotten healthy and are playing much better of late.

The Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.  They upset Long Beach State outright as 3.5-point road dogs.  They hung with Washington State on a neutral in an 11-point loss as 13-point dogs.  They hung with Cal Baptist on a neutral in a 5-point loss as 6.5-point dogs.  They also covered in a 15-point loss at Santa Clara as 16-point dogs.  Their lone non-cover came in a 22-point loss to San Diego State, which is one of the better teams in the country with wins over both Houston and Creighton already.

BYU has a first-year head coach and is overvalued.  The Cougars are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games overall.  They only beat UC-Riverside by 6 as 21.5-point favorites and Idaho by 26 as 28-point home favorites.  They lost by 11 to Ole Miss as 3-point favorites on a neutral, and most concerning was their 19-point loss at Providence as 4.5-point favorites last time out.  Bet Fresno State Wednesday.

20* Magic/Bucks NBA Cup No-Brainer on Milwaukee -7

The Milwaukee Bucks proved they are taking the NBA Cup seriously by going 4-0 in group play with the best point differential (+50) in the entire NBA.  That has given them the No. 1 seed in the East and an excellent chance to advance to Las Vegas.

The Bucks are healthier right now than they have been all season and a dangerous team when that's the case.  Both Giannis and Lillard are healthy, and now they have Khris Middleton back in the rotation for the first time all season.

The Orlando Magic are without their two best players in Paulo Banchero (29.0 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 5.6 APG) and Franz Wagner (24.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 5.7 APG).  Those two account for half of their 107.6 points per game average offensively.

In their first game without Wagner, they were able to beat the short-handed Phoenix Suns 115-110 who were without both Durant and Nurkic.  That game was at home, and while the Magic are 10-0 SU at home this season, they are just 7-9 SU on the road.

The last time the Magic beat the Bucks was at home and Wagner and Banchero combined for 51 points.  The Bucks didn't have Giannis for that game either.  The Bucks won 117-99 over the Magic in their last meeting in Milwaukee despite being without Giannis.  Wagner and Banchero combined for 52 points in the meeting prior in a 118-114 loss at Milwaukee.  And in the meeting prior, the Magic won 112-97 in Orlando with no Lillard and Banchero and Wagner combining for 50 points.

The Bucks are 16-2 SU in their last 18 meetings with the Magic with 15 of those 16 wins coming by 17 points or more.  It's safe to say the losses of Banchro and Wagner will be felt tonight for the Magic especially up against a fully healthy Bucks team, which hasn't been the case in recent meetings.  Bet the Bucks Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Total DOMINATOR on Penn State/Rutgers UNDER 158.5

Both Penn State and Rutgers are playing faster this season with improved offenses.  But this total has been adjusted up too much for those facts, and I think now that these teams are in Big Ten play the scoring will be suppressed in the immediate future.

Penn State ranks 27th in adjusted defensive efficiency and that's a big reason for their improvement this season.  They just held Purdue to 70 points despite 51.1% shooting in a game that was played at a slow pace but had great shooting from both teams to get to 151 combined points.  The UNDER is 3-1 in Penn State's last four games overall with 151 or fewer combined points in all four.  

Rutgers has taken a step back defensively this season ranking 96th in adjusted defensive efficiency.  But head coach Steve Pikiell has always been known for defense, and he will have his team improving on that end as the season goes on.  Rutgers ranks 171st in effective FG percentage and 210th in 3-point shooting offensively.

The UNDER is 11-0 in the last 11 meetings with 142 or fewer combined points in all 11 meetings.  In fact, the Scarlet Knights and Nittany Lions have combined for 147 or fewer points in 17 consecutive meetings, making for a 17-0 system backing the UNDER pertaining to this 158.5-point total.  This adjustment up on this total is a bridge too far.  Bet the UNDER in this game Tuesday.

15* Miami/Tennessee ESPN ANNIHILATOR on Tennessee -14

The Tennessee Vols are 8-0 SU & 7-1 ATS this season.  They may have a letdown at some point, but it won't be in the Jimmy V Classic on ESPN against the Miami Hurricanes tonight.

The Vols are 7-0 SU & 7-0 ATS in their last seven games overall with all seven wins coming by 15 points or more.  That includes wins by 22 over Virginia and by 15 over Baylor on a neutral.  They also beat Louisville by 22 in a true road game and Syracuse by 26 at home.

Miami is 3-6 SU & 2-7 ATS this season.  The Hurricanes have lost six consecutive games coming in and they haven't played a team the caliber of Tennessee all season.  They lost by 10 at home to Clemson, by 3 at home to Arkansas, were upset by 4 at home by Charleston Southern as 24.5-point favorites, and they lost to Drake, Oklahoma State and VCU on a neutral.  The Hurricanes are a mess this season.  Bet Tennessee Tuesday.

15* Knicks/Raptors NBA TV ANNIHILATOR on Toronto +6

The New York Knicks have their NBA Cup quarterfinal game on deck Wednesday.  I think they'll be overlooking the Toronto Raptors and looking ahead to that game.  I don't think we get the Knicks' best effort as a result.

The Knicks have benefited from a very soft schedule here of late.  They are 4-1 SU in their last five games but lost outright to Detroit as 8-point home favorites.  They also beat Charlotte, Orlando and New Orleans at home which are three of the most banged up teams in the NBA right now.  They also only beat Charlotte by 1 on the road during this stretch as 13-point favorites.

The Toronto Raptors have been one of the most undervalued teams in the NBA this season and they continue to be as 6-point home dogs tonight.  The Raptors are 16-8 ATS in all games.  They are as healthy as they have been all season right now and just took a fully healthy Mavericks team to the wire at home last time out.

The Raptors are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games with four outright upsets over the Pacers (twice), Timberwolves and Heat.  They will take the unmotivated Knicks to the wire again tonight and possibly pull off another upset.  Bet the Raptors Monday.

15* NBA Sunday Late-Night BAILOUT on Houston Rockets -2.5

The Houston Rockets will be highly motivated for a win tonight coming off two consecutive losses.  The Rockets are still 15-8 SU & 15-8 ATS this season and one of the best teams in the NBA.  I expect them to bounce back, especially since they're rested after having the last two days off.

The Los Angeles Clippers are coming off a 108-80 loss to the Timberwolves.  They are battling a laundry list of injuries right now as James Harden suffered a groin injury in that loss and is questionable.  They were already without Kawhi and Mann, and they could be without Dunn as well.  I just don't like this Clippers lineup right now.

The Rockets clearly like facing the Clippers as they have gone 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in the last three meetings winning by 21, 11 and 8 points.  Two of those wins came earlier this season and the Clippers were much healthier for both of those games than they are now.  Bet the Rockets Sunday.

20* NBA Western Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Jazz/Kings OVER 232.5

The Utah Jazz have gone OVER the total in their last two games combining for 239 points with Oklahoma City and 240 points with Portland.  The Sacramento Kings have gotten healthy and are coming off a 140-113 win over the Spurs for 253 combined points.  The OVER is 5-2 in their last seven games overall.

The Kings and Jazz have combined for at least 232 points in eight of their last 10 meetings, and 228 or more in 11 of their last 12.  This has been a high-scoring series and it will continue to be tonight.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday TOTAL DOMINATOR on Suns/Magic UNDER 210

Injuries to both teams are the reason I'm on the UNDER tonight.  Orlando was already without leading scorer Paulo Banchero (29.0 PPG) and now they just lost second-leading scorer Franz Wagner (24.4 PPG) last time out.  Points are going to be very hard to come by for the Magic moving forward without these two.

The Phoenix Suns are without leading scorer Kevin Durant (25.8 PPG) and Jusuf Nurkic (8.9 PPG).  They are having to play a more defensive-minded lineup without these two, including Mason Plumlee at center.

The UNDER is 5-1 in the last six meetings.  These teams combined for just 208 points in their first meeting this season.  Bet the UNDER in this game Sunday.

20* NBA Sunday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Atlanta Hawks -3

The Atlanta Hawks have gotten healthy and are playing up tot heir potential. They have gone 6-0 SU & 4-2 ATS in their last six games overall, including handing Cleveland two of its three losses this season in dominant efforts.

The spot really favors the Hawks tonight after having yesterday off.  They play a Denver Nuggets team that is banged up and will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 122-113 loss in Washington last night as 11.5-point favorites.  That's a Wizards team that was playing awful prior and was missing half their team due to injury.

Nikola Jokic scored 56 points with 16 rebounds and it still wasn't enough.  He also played nearly 40 minutes and won't have much left in the tank.  Both Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray are questionable to play tonight for the Nuggets as well.  I like Atlanta either way.  Bet the Hawks Sunday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on New Mexico State +20.5

This is one of the more underrated rivalries in college basketball.  And with New Mexico down several notches from the team they were last season with all they lost in the offseason, the Lobos should not be 20.5-point favorites over the New Mexico State Aggies.

New Mexico had to come from behind late to beat San Jose State 83-77 as 19-point home favorites last time out.  New Mexico State is 3-5 SU this season, but four of the five losses came by 12 points or less, and the lone exception was a 21-point loss at Dayton which is one of the better mid-majors in the country.  They only lost by 7 at UNLV.

Five of the last six meetings in this series were decided by 7 points or less.  New Mexico State has only lost by more than 20 points to New Mexico twice since 1982 which is spanning 88 meetings.  That makes for a 86-2 system backing the Aggies pertaining to this 20.5-point spread.  Bet New Mexico State Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Memphis Grizzlies +6.5

This is a very tough spot for the Boston Celtics.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 111-105 win over the Bucks last night as 8-point favorites.  They will now be playing their 5th game in 7 days as well.

All five starters played at least 34 minutes last night for the Celtics, and I wouldn't be surprised if they decide to rest one or two of them tonight.  Either way, the Celtics should not be 6.5-point favorites given the tough rest spot tonight.

The Grizzlies are 13-5 SU & 14-4 ATS in their last 18 games overall.  They are showing what they are capable of when healthy.  They have all their best players healthy right now and are ready to give the Celtics a run for their money tonight.  Bet the Grizzlies Saturday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE WEEK on New Orleans Pelicans +9

It's time to 'buy low' on the New Orleans Pelicans after opening 5-18 SU & 8-15 ATS this season.  Their struggles are directly tied to injuries, but they are as healthy as they have been in a long time now.

The Pelicans are coming off a 126-124 home win over the Suns and will be playing just their 2nd game in 5 days.  Ingram, McCollum, Murray, Murphy and Jones are all back in the lineup after previously being out with injuries.

It's time to 'sell high' on the Oklahoma City Thunder.  They are 17-5 SU & 13-7-2 ATS in their 22 games this season.  That includes a 6-1 SU & 4-2-1 ATS stretch in their last seven games.  But asking the Thunder to go on the road and win this game by double-digits to beat us is asking too much.  Bet the Pelicans Saturday.

20* CBB DOG OF THE WEEK on Southern Indiana +9.5

Asking Southern Illinois to win this game by double-digits to beat us is asking too much.  The Salukis are just 3-6 SU & 2-4-1 ATS this season.  Their three wins came against Missouri S&T, NDSU and Florida Tech.

Southern Illinois is coming off a 23-point home loss to Bradley as 4-point dogs.  They also lost by 25 at Florida, but 6 at LA Tech and were upset by Eastern Kentucky.

Southern Indiana is 4-1 SU & 3-1 ATS in its last five games.  Three of those four wins were outright upsets as underdogs.  Their 80-78 loss at DePaul as 15-point dogs looks even better right now considering DePaul has only lost one game, and that was a 14-point loss at Texas Tech.  Bet Southern Indiana Saturday.

15* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Jazz/Blazers OVER 225.5

Two of the worst defensive teams in the NBA square off Friday night when the Utah Jazz visit the Portland Trail Blazers.  The Jazz rank 29th in defensive rating while the Blazers rank 22nd.  I think both teams hang big numbers offensively tonight.

The Jazz and their opponents have gone for 225 or more combined points in six of their last eight games overall.  The Blazers and their opponents have gone for 221 or more combined points in five consecutive games, including 232 and 268 in their last two.

The Blazers and Jazz have combined for 236, 231 and 226 points in each of their last three meetings.  They have gone for 226 or more combined points seven of their last eight meetings, making for a 7-1 system backing the OVER pertaining to this 225.5-point total.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday Undervalued Underdog on Philadelphia 76ers +4

I love the spot for the Philadelphia 76ers tonight.  They are in a quick revenge spot getting to host the Orlando Magic again tonight after losing 106-102 to them just two days earlier on Wednesday at home.

The difference in this game is the 76ers will have Paul George back and they didn't have him on Wednesday.  That will make a huge difference, and it should be enough for the 76ers to win this game outright, but we'll take the points for some insurance.

It's a tough spot for the Magic, who will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days and their 10th game in 17 days.  The 76ers will only be playing their 4th game in 9 days.  The 76ers are 14-3 SU in their last 17 meetings with the Magic.  Wrong team favored here.  Bet the 76ers Friday.

15* Rockets/Warriors NBA TV Late-Night BAILOUT on Houston -3.5

The Houston Rockets are rolling going 9-3 SU & 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games overall.  They are rested and ready to go playing just their 3rd game in 8 days.  I expect a big effort from them tonight.

But this is more a fade of the Golden State Warriors than anything.  Injuries have hit the Warriors hard in recent weeks, and that's a big reason they are 0-5 SU in their last five games overall with all five losses coming by 4 points or more.

Things took a turn for the worse when they lost key backup PG De'Anthony Melton (10.3 PPG) to a season-ending ACL injury.  They have gotten worse now as Curry (22.6 PPG) and Green (8.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 5.9 APG) will both be out tonight.  Andrew Wiggins (17.2 PPG) is also questionable to play tonight.  

Houston will be out for revenge not only from a 127-121 (OT) loss to the Warriors in their first meeting this season, but also because they have actually lost 14 consecutive games to Golden State.  That's why they will not have a letdown tonight.  Bet the Rockets Thursday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Memphis Grizzlies -3

The Memphis Grizzlies are 12-5 SU & 13-4 ATS in their last 17 games overall.  They are showing what they are capable of when healthy going 6-1 SU & 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall with each of their last five wins coming by double-digits.  Their lone loss came at Dallas by 5.

The Sacramento Kings are getting too much respect from the books tonight as only 3-point road underdogs here.  The Kings are 3-7 SU & 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  Bet the Grizzlies Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday Undervalued Underdog on Toronto Raptors +9.5

The Toronto Raptors are grossly undervalued this season.  They are 7-15 SU but 15-7 ATS as they have been competitive in almost every game.  They are playing their best basketball of the season right now, which has coincided with them being as healthy as they have been all season.

The Raptors are 5-4 SU & 7-2 ATS in their last nine games overall.  They only lost by 3 at Boston as 16.5-point dogs, upset the Pacers by 11 at home, upset the Timberwolves by 5 at home, upset the Heat by 3 at home and upset the Pacers by 11 at home.  They are 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four home games with four outright upset victories.

The Thunder are still pretty good even without Chet Holmgren, but they haven't been nearly as dominant without him.  They are 5-3 SU & 3-4-1 ATS in their last eight games overall.  They just clinched a spot in the NBA Cup semifinals with a win in their last game, so this is a prime letdown spot for the Thunder.  Bet the Raptors Thursday.

20* NBA Non-Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Thunder/Raptors OVER 226.5

Both the Thunder and Raptors rank in the Top 13 in the NBA in pace.  This game will see a lot of possessions, and this total of 226.5 is too low for a game involving these two teams tonight.

The Raptors have gotten healthier in recent weeks and we have seen their offensive output increase scoring 119 or more points in five of their last nine games overall.  They have combined for at least 230 points with their opponents in six of their last nine games during this stretch.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are coming off a pair of shootouts combining for 235 points with Houston and 239 points with Utah.  The OVER is 5-1 in the last six meetings with 226 or more combined points in four consecutive meetings, including 239 or more in three of those four.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

15* Timberwolves/Clippers NBA TV Late-Night BAILOUT on Minnesota -3.5

The spot really favors the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight.  They are rested and ready to go playing just their 2nd game in 5 days with a 109-80 blowout of the Lakers at home two days ago.

The Los Angeles Clippers are a very tired team right now.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a win over Portland last night.  They will also be playing their 11th game in 18 days.  They remain without Kawhi Leonard, and now key bench piece Terance Mann just suffered a broken finger last night.

The Timberwolves are 6-1 SU & 5-2 ATS in their last seven meetings with the Clippers.  Bet the Timberwolves Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday Night Line Mistake on DePaul +16.5

Former Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann is doing a tremendous turnaround job at DePaul in his first season on the job.  The Blue Demons are 7-0 SU & 5-2 ATS this season with five wins coming by 19 or more points.

Texas Tech struggled with two teams they shouldn't have, which makes me believe DePaul can stay within this inflated number.  The Red Raiders lost outright to St. Joseph's 78-77 as 10.5-point favorites on a neutral and only beat a down Syracuse team 79-74 as 11.5-point favorites on a neutral.  Those were by far their two toughest games of the season.  

The Red Raiders face a DePaul team that has pretty much matched them in terms of being great shooters.  The Blue Demons rank 2nd in effective field goal percentage and 10th in 3-point percentage hitting 41.2% from deep as a team.  Bet DePaul Wednesday.

20* CBB TOTAL OF THE WEEK on DePaul/Texas Tech OVER 149.5

Texas Tech is a dead nuts OVER team going 6-0-1 OVER in all games this season with 151 or more combined points in six of their seven games.  They are one of the best shooting teams in the country ranking 6th in effective FG percentage and 7th in 3-point percentage hitting 42% from deep as a team.

The Red Raiders face a DePaul team that has pretty much matched them in terms of being great shooters.  The Blue Demons rank 2nd in effective field goal percentage and 10th in 3-point percentage hitting 41.2% from deep as a team.  They shoot a ton of 3-pointers with over 50% of their field goal attempts coming from deep, which favors OVERS.

DePaul is 5-2 OVER in all games this season with 151 or more combined points in five of their seven games this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on San Jose State +20

After a rough start to the season, proven head coach Tim Miles has the San Jose Spartans improving rapidly.  The Spartans have gone 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall with all five games decided by 16 points or less.

Now the Spartans are catching 20 points against a New Mexico team that is way down from last season.  That was evident with their 14-point loss at St. John's.  The Lobos split a pair of tournament games losing to ASU and then beating USC in their last two games coming in.

This is the ultimate letdown spot for New Mexico.  Coming off those two huge games against ASU and USC, and now with a game looming against their in-state rival on Saturday up next, this is a classic sandwich spot.  I don't think we get the Lobos' best effort here, and it's going to take their best effort to win this game by more than 20 points.  Bet San Jose State Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Atlanta Hawks +3.5

The Atlanta Hawks have gotten healthy and are playing up to their potential now.  They are 4-0 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last four games overall beat the Cavaliers outright twice by 11 as 9-point road dogs and by 16 as 5.5-point home dogs.  The Cavaliers have only lost three games all season, and the other was to the Celtics by 3 on the road.

The spot really favors the Hawks tonight.  They had yesterday off while the Bucks will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a win in Detroit last night.  That win clinched their spot in the NBA Cup East quarterfinals.  This is now a flat spot for the Bucks as they won't be nearly as motivated to beat the Hawks as they were to beat the Pistons last night.

The Hawks have actually won two of their last three trips to Milwaukee outright by 17 and by 15 points.  I fully expect them to win this game outright tonight as well.  Bet the Hawks Wednesday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Hawks/Bucks OVER 237

The Atlanta Hawks are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 2nd in pace this season and 20th in defensive rating. They are fully healthy for basically the first time all season and thriving offensively.  They have scored at least 117 points in five of their last six games overall.

The Milwaukee Bucks have also gotten healthy and have put up 122 or more points in five of their last six games overall.  They are a tough to tame as long as Giannis and Lillard are on the court at the same time.

The Bucks and Hawks have gone for 235, 253 and 237 combined points in their last three meetings.  This total of 237 is too short given these teams in their current state both very healthy and ready to run.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* Baylor/UConn FS1 ANNIHILATOR on Baylor +3

The UConn Huskies are down several notches from the teams that won the National Championship each of the last two seasons.  But they continue to get respect from oddsmakers that they do not deserve.

That was evident in going 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their recent tournament losing outright to Memphis as 8.5-point favorites, losing outright to Colorado as 14.5-point favorites and losing outright to Dayton by 18 as 7-point favorites.

Now things have gotten worse for the Huskies as they just lost their best player in Alex Karaban (15.9 PPG) in that loss to Dayton.  He was their best returning player by far, and I think the Huskies are going to be even more lost without him moving forward.

Baylor's two losses this season came to two of the best teams in the country in Tennessee and Gonzaga.  They have been battle-tested, also beating a very good St. John's team in OT.  I think UConn in their current state is far worse than all three of those teams.  Bet Baylor Wednesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Portland Trail Blazers +8.5

The Portland Trail Blazers are 5-5 SU & 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall with two of their losses coming by 7 points or fewer.  The only exceptions were road losses to three of the best teams in the NBA in the Thunder, Rockets and Grizzlies.

The Los Angeles Clippers are getting too much respect for their 7-2 SU & 8-1 ATS run in their last nine games overall.  I think this is a letdown spot for them off thier upset home win over the Nuggets by 4 as 3-point dogs.

The Clippers have basically been eliminated from NBA Cup contention sitting at 1-2 in their group with a -6 point differential.  They trail the 3-0 Thunder who have a +55 point differential.

The Blazers are actually 2-1 in the same group with a legitimate shot to advance.  They will actually be the more motivated team if anything tonight.  They beat the Clippers 106-105 as 8-point road dogs earlier this season in their first meeting.  Bet the Blazers Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday UPSET SHOCKER on Houston Rockets +1

The Houston Rockets are 3-0 in NBA Cup play this season with a +55 point differential.  They are taking these NBA Cup games as seriously as anyone, and they should not be underdogs to the Sacramento Kings tonight.

The Kings are 0-3 in NBA Cup play and have been eliminated.  They won't be nearly as motivated as the Rockets as a result, and they just aren't playing well enough right now to be favored in this contest.

The Rockets are 10-2 SU & 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games overall with one of the losses coming by a single point.  The Kings are 2-7 SU & 1-8 ATS in their last nine games overall.  While the Rockets are fully healthy, the Kings are without Trey Lyles and could be without Kevin Huerter tonight.

The Rockets are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in the last three meetings winning by 8, 25 and 18 points.  Bet the Rockets Tuesday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Jazz/Thunder OVER 221.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder are tied with the Suns and Spurs at 2-1 in their group.  Point differential is very close between all three, so the Thunder will keep their foot on the gas for four quarters tonight.  And that's a big reason I'm on the OVER 221.5 between them and the Utah Jazz in this one.

The Thunder rank 11th in pace while the Jazz rank 13th, so both teams like to play fast.  The Jazz are 29th in defensive rating, so this is a very low total for a game involving Utah.  Each of Utah's last seven games have seen a total of 225 or higher.

It's also a pretty low total for a game involving Oklahoma City.  We have seen totals of 222.5 or higher in eight of their last nine games.  So this is certainly a 'buy low' on the OVER in a game involving both of these teams right now.  

The Jazz and Thunder have combined for at least 226 points in eight of their last nine meetings, making for a 8-1 system backing the OVER pertaining to this 221.5-point total.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Night BLOWOUT on Philadelphia 76ers -4

It's time to 'buy low' on the Philadelphia 76ers.  They sit at 4-14 SU & 5-13 ATS this season largely due to injuries to Embiid, George and Maxey.  Well they have both George and Maxey back healthy now, and they are coming off a 111-96 win at Detroit as 2-point dogs.

The 76ers are fresh and ready to go tonight.  They have had the last two days off, and they will be playing just their 2nd game in 6 days.  I'm expecting one of their best efforts of the season tonight since they are basically fully healthy now outside of Embiid and Drummond.

Speaking of health, the Hornets are extremely banged up right now, which is a big reason for their currently 5-game losing streak.  They are without three starters in Ball (31.1 PPG), Bridges (16.0 PPG) and Williams (10.4 PPG), and key bench player Mann (14.1 PPG) is out as well.  That's four of their top six scorers.

The 76ers are 7-0 SU in their last seven meetings with the Hornets with six wins by 7 points or more.  Bet the 76ers Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Night BLOWOUT on St. Joseph's -5.5

I've been very impressed with the Saint Joseph Hawks this season against a very difficult schedule.  They have gone 5-2 SU this season despite already having to face Villanova, Texas Tech and Texas.  They actually upset Villanova at home and Texas Tech on a neutral.  They only lost to Texas by 9.

Princeton is 6-3 SU but 3-5 ATS this season.  The wins have not been impressive beating Iona by 1 as 12.5-point favorites and Northeastern by 3 as 7.5-point favorites.  The losses to Loyola by 5 as 2-point favorites, Wright State by 18 as 7.5-point favorites and Texas State by 3 as 6.5-point favorites are even more concerning.

Despite the easy schedule, Princeton ranks 213th in adjusted defensive efficiency.  Saint Joseph's ranks 90th in adjusted defensive efficiency despite playing the much tougher schedule.  Bet Saint Joseph's Tuesday.

15* NBA Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Portland Trail Blazers +7.5

I love the spot for the Portland Trail Blazers tonight.  They had yesterday off while the Dallas Mavericks will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 106-94 win in the altitude in Salt Lake City against the Utah Jazz last night.

Making matters worse for the Mavericks is the fact that they are very short-handed right now.  Doncic, Thompson, Marshall, Gafford and Exum are all either out or questionable.  Irving played 36 minutes last night and Washington 34.

The Blazers have been grossly undervalued in recent weeks going 5-4 SU & 7-2 ATS in their last nine games overall.  The highlights have been outright upset wins over the Timberwolves as 9-point dogs, the Timberwolves as 10-point dogs, the Hawks as 4-point dogs, the Rockets as 11.5-point dogs and the Kings as 7.5-point dogs.  They have a shot to win this game outright as well given the horrible spot for Dallas.  Bet the Blazers Sunday.

20* Celtics/Cavs NBA TV No-Brainer on Cleveland +1

The Cleveland Cavaliers were knocked out of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics last year.  The Cavaliers then had their 15-0 start to the season come to an end in a 120-117 loss at Boston as 6.5-point dogs on November 19th.  It's safe to say the Cavaliers will be highly motivated for revenge when they get to host the Celtics this time around Sunday.

While the Cavaliers are almost fully healthy, the Celtics are dealing with a plethora of injuries right now with Horford, Holiday, Porzingis and White all listed as questionable for this one.  I would like the Cavaliers to win this game even if all four of those guys play, so it would only be a bonus if any of them sit.  Bet the Cavaliers Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday PLAY OF THE DAY on North Florida +16.5

I was on Nebraska +11 when they upset Creighton 74-63 on the road last time out.  I believe they are overvalued since.  I faded them with success with South Dakota +23 in their next game, and now I'm fading them again because they remain overvalued.  Plus, they have their Big Ten opener against Michigan State on deck and could be looking ahead to that contest.

The win over Creighton isn't as good as it looks on paper.  Creighton is nowhere near the team they were a year ago.  The Bluejays went on to lose 71-53 to San Diego State as 4.5-point favorites, lost to Texas A&M 77-73 as 4-point dogs and only beat Notre Dame 80-76 as 8-point favorites.  The Bluejays are 1-6-1 ATS this season now consistently failing to live up to expectations.

North Florida is 5-2 SU & 5-1 ATS this season with a couple very impressive wins.  They upset South Carolina 74-71 as 18-point road underdogs and upset Georgia Tech 105-93 as 13.5-point road dogs.  They also only lost by 13 as 15-point dogs at Georgia.  They have proven they can hang with the big boys, and they will be looking forward to the opportunity of proving it again today.  Bet North Florida Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday Total DOMINATOR on Pacers/Grizzlies UNDER 244

The Indiana Pacers and Memphis Grizzlies are both teams that like to play fast.  But this total is too high, and there's a ton of value on the UNDER.

Indiana isn't playing as fast as last season ranking 8th in pace.  A big reason they cannot play as fast is because they are short-handed right now due to injury.  They are without Nesmith and Sheppard and will likely remain without Nembhard today.

The Pacers and their opponents have combined for 236 or fewer points in four consecutive games.  The Grizzlies and their opponents have combined for 242 or fewer points in seven of their last eight games.

The UNDER is 3-0 in the last three meetings with 226, 219 and 212 combined points between the Pacers and Grizzlies.  They have combined for 242 or fewer points in six consecutive meetings.  Bet the UNDER in this game Sunday.

15* CBB Saturday Night BLOWOUT on UC-Irvine -9.5

UC-Irvine is 7-0 SU & 5-1 ATS this season in lined games.  The Anteaters are loaded with four returning starters, and they will be motivated to cap off a 3-0 sweep in this Western Slam round robin tournament.

Towson is 4-4 SU & 3-4 ATS this season.  Towson's four wins came against a Division II team, James Madison, Nicholls State and Morgan State.  They only won those last three games by 6 or fewer points each.  They lost by 26 at South Carolina earlier this season.

These teams have two common opponents now to compare them to due to this round robin format.  UC-Irvine beat Kennesaw State by 17 and Kent State by 12, while Towson lost to Kent State by 11 and lost to Kennesaw State by 4.  I fully expect the Anteaters to win this game by double-digits tonight.  Bet UC-Irvine Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday PLAY OF THE DAY on Atlanta Hawks -4.5

The Atlanta Hawks are fully healthy and playing up to their potential. After upsetting the Cleveland Cavaliers 135-124 as 9.5-point road dogs, they backed it up with an even more impressive 117-101 win as 6-point home dogs.

Now the Hawks hit the road to take on a Charlotte Hornets team that is dealing with a ton of injuries right now.  The Hornets have Ball, Mann, Bridges, Richards and both Williams either out or questionable tonight after not playing last night.  Now they'll be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back while also short-handed, and I don't expect it to go well for them.

The Hawks can handle these back-to-back situations better than the Hornets right now because they are fully healthy and a deep team.  This price is a little short on the Hawks tonight given how they are playing, plus all the injuries the Hornets are dealing with in this back-to-back spot.  Bet the Hawks Saturday.

15* CBB Friday PLAY OF THE DAY on St. Bonaventure -2.5

St. Bonaventure is 6-1 this season with its only loss coming yesterday in a 72-67 loss to Utah State as 6.5-point underdogs.  That's a very good Utah State team that is 6-0 this season with four blowout wins and a 77-69 upset win over Iowa as 3-point dogs.

Northern Iowa is just 3-3 SU this season with some very concerning results.  The Panthers lost by 20 at home to UC-Irvine and by 20 to North Texas yesterday as only 4-point dogs.  We are getting the Bonnies pretty cheap today as only 2.5-point favorites against the Panthers.  Bet St. Bonaventure Friday.

15* NBA Friday PLAY OF THE DAY on Toronto Raptors +8.5

The Toronto Raptors are 13-6 ATS this season and have been very competitive in almost every game, especially here of late.  The Raptors are 3-3 SU & 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall with a 2-point loss at Detroit and a 3-point loss at Boston as 16.5-point dogs.

The Raptors won 119-93 as 1.5-point dogs at New Orleans last time out to just show how undervalued they really are right now.  They are catching too many points in Miami as 8.5-point dogs as well.

The Heat aren't exactly blowing out the competition.  They are 8-8 SU & 7-9 ATS this season with just three wins by more than 8 points all season.

I don't see the Heat being that motivated to win this NBA Cup game tonight.  They lost their last NBA Cup game to the Bucks at home to fall to 1-2 in NBA Cup play this season, while the Bucks improved to 3-0. That game was their last stand if they wanted to advance in the NBA Cup, but they are all but done for now.  Bet the Raptors Friday.

20* Thunder/Warriors ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on Oklahoma City ML -135

I love the spot for the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight.  They are rested and ready to go playing just their 2nd game in 7 days with their lone result during this stretch being a 130-109 blowout as 3.5-point favorites at Sacramento.

The Golden State Warriors are broken since losing De'Anthony Melton (10.3 PPG) to a season-ending ACL injury.  He was huge for them off the bench in giving Stephen Curry (22.4 PPG) a breather.  Now Curry injured his knee last game and is highly questionable to play tonight.  My best guess is the Warriors will be cautious and sit him.  Jonathan Kuminga (13.3 PPG) is also questionable with an illness.

The Warriors are 1-2 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall.  They only beat a depleted Pelicans team by 4 as 10.5-point favorites.  They lost outright by 10 as 3.5-point favorites at San Antonio.  And they lost outright by 8 as 13-point home favorites against a depleted Nets team playing the 2nd of a back-to-back.

The rest spot is much worse for the Warriors, who will be playing their 4th game in 6 days.  The Thunder should be bigger favorites tonight, and this line will balloon if Curry is ruled out.  I like OKC to win the game either way.  Bet the Thunder on the Money Line Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Chicago Bulls +10.5

It's time to 'sell high' on the Orlando Magic tonight.  The Magic are 9-1 SU & 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  They have only been favored by double-digits once during this stretch, so the price is getting very high to back them now.

That double-digit favorite role came against the lowly Washington Wizards, who the Bulls just beat 127-108 last night.  And because of the blowout nature of that win, the Bulls weren't pressed to play their starters big minutes.

The Bulls should still be pretty fresh tonight, especially since they had two days off prior to that win over the Wizards.  They will be playing just their 2nd game in 4 days.  This line is adjusted up too much for the Bulls playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and we'll take advantage.  

In the last nine meetings between Chicago and Orlando, the Bulls have only lost once by more than 9 points.  This line is inflated.  Bet the Bulls Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Night BLOWOUT on Miami Heat -3

The Miami Heat will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back.  But that's the only reason this line is only Miami -3 over Charlotte.  I think this number is adjusted down too much for the spot for Miami.

I think the Heat will come back motivated from their 3-point loss to the Bucks last night.  The Heat should still be pretty fresh when you consider this will be just their 3rd game in 9 days.  They are also fully healthy right now with a pretty deep bench, so they can handle these back-to-backs better than most.

Speaking of health, the Charlotte Hornets will be without four of their top six scorers in Bridges (16.0 PPG), Mann (14.1 PPG), Richards (11.0 PPG) and Williams (10.4 PPG).  It did not go well for the Hornets last time out losing 95-84 at home to the Orlando Magic, who were without Suggs and Banchero.

The Heat own the Hornets going 5-0 SU in the last five meetings.  That domination should continue tonight given how short-handed Charlotte is right now.  Bet the Heat Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Milwaukee +13

The Milwaukee Panthers are loaded this season with four returning starters from a team that won 20 games last year.  The Panthers are 5-2 SU this season with their two losses coming early.  They have gone 4-0 SU & 3-1 ATS since and will be looking to make a statement at UCF tonight.

Even though the Panthers returned four starters, their top three scorers are actually Division 1 transfers as Bart Lundy did a great job in the portal.  All three have either played for him before or for his assistant.  McKee (16.0 PPG), Fulks (14.7 PPG) and Stillwell (12.7 PPG) are all fitting in nicely.

UCF is 4-2 SU & 2-4 ATS this season.  The Knights lost to the two best teams they played in Wisconsin by 16 and LSU by 9 on neutrals.  They did beat Texas A&M by 3 at home, but they haven't been able to get margin on anyone.  They only beat Purdue-Fort Wayne by 7, FAU by 6 and Tennessee Tech by 11.  They haven't won a game yet by more than 11 points.  Bet Milwaukee Wednesday.

20* CBB DOG OF THE WEEK on South Dakota +23

I was on Nebraska +11 when they upset Creighton 74-63 on the road last time out.  But now I'm fading the Huskers here tonight because I think they are overvalued off that win, and it's a huge letdown spot for them off that big in-state rivalry game that takes place every year.

The win over Creighton isn't as good as it looks on paper.  Creighton is nowhere near the team they were a year ago.  The Bluejays went on to lose 71-53 to San Diego State as 4.5-point favorites last night.  They are 1-5 ATS this season now consistently failing to live up to expectations.

I've been impressed with South Dakota this season.  The Coyotes are 6-2 SU with their lone losses coming by 19 at Iowa and by 9 at Southern Indiana.  I backed them in that game against Iowa, which I have power rated similarly to Nebraska.  

Iowa was only a 19-point closing favorite at home against South Dakota, and Nebraska is now a 23-point home favorite.  There's clearly value on the Coyotes given the letdown spot for the Huskers.  Bet South Dakota Wednesday.

15* Lakers/Suns TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Phoenix -2

I love the spot for the Phoenix Suns tonight.  They are rested and motivated and getting healthy.  They have been off since November 20th, getting the last five days off.  This extra rest is allowing both Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal to return from injury tonight, so the Suns are at full strength for basically the first time this season.

It's great timing for this NBA Cup game against the Los Angeles Lakers, the team that is in 1st place in their group at 2-0 this season with a +11 point differential.  The Suns are 1-1 with a -8 differential, so this is a must-win for them if they want to advance out of group play.  The Lakers could actually afford a loss, but obviously they don't want to.  I just think the motivation is higher for the Suns given the current standings.

Home-court advantage has been huge in this series as the home team is 8-2 SU in the last 10 meetings.  Getting the Suns as only 2-point home favorites tonight given the situation is a gift.  Bet the Suns Tuesday.

20* Bucks/Heat TNT No-Brainer on Miami -2

The Miami Heat are fully healthy and rested right now and a dangerous team when that's the case.  They will be playing just their 2nd game in 8 days and will be motivated for a NBA Cup win tonight.

The Heat will be extra motivated considering the Milwaukee Bucks are 2-0 with a +26 point differential in their group, while the Heat are 1-1 with a +11 point differential.  They have a chance to catch and even surpass the Bucks in their group if they win by 15-plus.  But at the very least they have to win this game if they want to get out of their group.

The Bucks won't be nearly as motivated knowing they are sitting pretty in 1st place in their group.  Of course they don't want to lose, but I don't believe they'll be playing with the same type of edge that the Heat will be given the standings.  

This has been a good matchup for the Heat as they are 4-2 SU & 4-2 ATS in the last six meetings.  Bet the Heat Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Afternoon ANNIHILATOR on Penn State +2

Penn State will be one of the most improved teams in the Big Ten this season.  They went 16-17 (9-11 Big Ten) in Mike Rhoades' first season on the job last season.  Rhoades brings back three starters from that team and added help on the wing and up front.

The Nittany Lions are 6-0 SU & 4-2 ATS this season beating Binghamton 108-66 as 20.5-point favorites, UMBC 103-54 as 22.5-point favorites, St. Francis PA 92-62 as 31.5-point favorites, VA Tech 86-64 as 7.5-point favorites, IPFW 102-89 as 17-point favorites and Fordham 85-66 as 16-point favorites.  As you can see, the Nittany Lions have won all six of their games by at least 13 points and by an average of nearly 30 points per game.  

Returning starters Hicks (15.8 PPG, Baldwin (15.7 PPG, 7.7 APG) and Kern (11.8 PPG) have made a big impact.  Returning role players Dunn (7.5 PPG) and Johnson (11.5 PPG) have stepped up their games.  And NIU transfer Niederhauser (12.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG) has been impressive.

Penn State should not be an underdog to Clemson, which brought back three starters but only has three double-digit scores to this point.  I think the Tigers are getting too much respect for their win over San Francisco yesterday.  They lost by 13 at 4-point dogs at Boise State in their toughest game this season, and this one won't be any easier.  Bet Penn State Tuesday.

15* NBA Monday Late-Night BAILOUT on Thunder/Kings OVER 223.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder play fast racing 7th in the NBA in pace.  They will be looking to run even more tonight considering how fresh they'll be after having the last four days off.

The Sacramento Kings have gotten back to healthy with the exception of Malik Monk.  They have gone under the total in three straight games, which I think is what is keeping this total lower than it should be.  They had gone over the total in their previous three games.

The Kings and Thunder have combined for at least 231 points in six of their last eight meetings.  This is a very low total involving these two teams tonight at 223.5.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

15* Auburn/Iowa State ESPNU ANNIHILATOR on UNDER 145.5

Auburn and Iowa State are two of the best teams in the country.  But I think what makes both of them so great is their ability to make their opponents work hard for every point they get on offense.

Auburn ranks 363rd in average possession length defensively as opponents only attempt a shot every 19.6 seconds.  They are also 5th in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency.

Iowa State ranks 364th in average possession length defensively as opponents only attempt a shot on them every 20 seconds.  They are also 4th in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency.

This is a neutral court with uncommon shooting backgrounds and I trust that defense will win out in this game between two of the nation's top teams.  Bet the UNDER in this game Monday.

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

The Atlanta Hawks are in a good spot tonight coming in on two days' rest and coming off two straight blowout road losses to the Bulls and Warriors.  The Hawks are now fully healthy for basically the first time all season and this is a good team to 'buy low' on moving forward because of it.

This is a terrible spot for the Dallas Mavericks and the main reason for this play.  The Mavericks are coming off a 123-118 (OT) road loss at Miami last night.  They will now be playing not only the 2nd of a back-to-back off an OT game, but their 3rd road game in 4 days after playing in Denver on Friday.

Kyrie Irving played 39 minutes and PJ Washington 39 minutes last night.  What makes this situation even more difficult for the Mavericks is the fact that they are without their best player in Luka Doncic.  I'll gladly take the rested, healthy Hawks over the tired, short-handed Mavericks tonight.  Bet the Hawks Monday.

15* CBB Monday Night BLOWOUT on Ohio State -24

Ohio State is 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS this season and absolutely blowing through the competition.  They upset Texas on a neutral and lost to Texas A&M on the road.  But they are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS at home beating Youngstown State by 34 as 19-point favorites, Evansville by 50 as 24.5-point favorites and Campbell by 44 as 25.5-point favorites.

Now they face a rebuilding Green Bay Phoenix team with a first-year head caoch who are 2-4 with all four losses by 13 points or more.  The two wins came against Western Illinois and SIU-Edwardsville.

But it's the loss to Evansville, a common opponent of Ohio State, that has me wanting to fade the Phoenix.  Green Bay lost 98-81 at Evansville while Ohio State beat Evansville 80-30.  Enough said.  Bet Ohio State Monday.

15* NBA Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Philadelphia 76ers +2

The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off a 113-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets at home as 3-point favorites.  They just got Tyrese Maxey back from injury and he is quickly becoming their best player and put up 26 points in the win.  The 76ers have found a gem in Jared McCain, who has now scored at least 20 points in seven consecutive games.

Now the 76ers host a Los Angeles Clippers team that remains without Kawhi Leonard, and one that just lost Norman Powell (23.3 PPG, 48.7% 3-pointers) to injury.  Powell is among the favorites to win Most Improve Player.

The Clippers are getting a lot of respect now as road favorites following a 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS run in four consecutive home games including upset wins over the Warriors, Magic and Kings.  I think this is where there come back down to reality without Powell, and the wrong team is favored here.  Bet the 76ers Sunday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Miami Heat -3

The Miami Heat have been off since November 18th.  They have had five days of rest in between games and should come through with one of their best efforts of the season today as a result.  They are also fully healthy for basically the first time all season.

The Mavericks were able to upset the short-handed Denver Nuggets in an NBA Cup game on Friday on the road.  That sets them up for a letdown spot here, and I just think it's asking a lot of them to win consecutive road games here without Luka Doncic (28.1 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 7.6 APG).  Bet the Heat Sunday.

15* NBA Saturday PLAY OF THE DAY on Portland Trail Blazers +12.5

I love the spot for the Portland Trail Blazers tonight.  They get a shot at quick revenge after losing 116-88 in a NBA Cup game last night to the Rockets, who were motivated.  I don't think the Rockets will be nearly as motivated tonight to beat this team twice in two days.

The Blazers are in the much better rest spot with both teams playing the 2nd of a back-to-back. This is just the 4th game in 11 days for the Blazers, while it will be the 5th game in 7 days and the 9th game in 14 days for the Rockets.

The Blazers also shot just 33% last night including 11-of-43 (25.6%) from 3-point range.  I can't see them shooting nearly that poorly again in the rematch.  Bet the Blazers Saturday.

20* CBB BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on UC-Irvine -6.5

UC-Irvine is one of the best mid-major teams in the country.  The Anteaters went 24-10 (17-3 Big West) last season and return four starters from that team that all averaged at least 9.0 points per game.

The Anteaters are 4-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in lined games this season absolutely crushing the first two spreads.  They beat Chapman 82-52 in their opener, then followed it up with a 66-51 win at Loyola-Marymount as 1.5-point favorites and a 80-60 win at Northern Iowa as 3.5-point dogs, covering the spread by a combined 37 points in those two games.  They also beat Pepperdine 80-62 as 16-point favorites last time out.

Now the Anteaters should make easy work of a Weber State team that has been dreadful this season.  The Wildcats are 1-3 SU & 1-2 ATS this season.  They lost 76-48 at Oregon State as 5-point dogs, lost 88-58 at Nevada as 17-point dogs and lost 73-68 at Hawaii as 5.5-point dogs, covering by 0.5-point after failing to cover by a combined 36 points in their first two games.  Bet UC-Irvine Friday.

15* Pacers/Bucks Eastern Conference ANNIHILATOR on OVER 235.5

The Indiana Pacers like to play with pace and they rank 23rd in defensive rating.  They profile as an OVER team.  The Milwaukee Bucks just got Damian Lillard back and are fully healthy with the exception of Middleton.  This game profiles as a shootout.

These NBA Cup games can get pretty wild in the 4th quarter because point differential is the tiebreaker in group play.  You see favorites not dribble the ball out, and the team that is down continuing to play the foul game to try and stay alive as long as possible.

Indiana is 11-4 OVER in all games this season and are coming off 249 combined points with Toronto and 243 combined points with Houston in their last two games.  In their four regular season meetings last season, the Pacers and Bucks went for 247, 266, 235 and 272 combined points.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Hawks/Bulls OVER 245.5

The Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls are the two most dead nuts OVER teams in the NBA this season.  The Bulls rank 1st in pace while the Hawks rank 2nd in pace.  The Bulls rank 27th in defensive rating while the Hawks rank 20th.

The Hawks are as healthy as they have been all season right now.  The Bulls are fully healthy outside of Ball and Williams.  They have been a much better offensive team since getting Zach LaVine back from injury.

This will be the 2nd meeting between the Hawks and Bulls this season.  The Bulls won 125-113 for 238 combined points on November 9th in that first meeting.  But that game died in the 4th quarter with just 50 combined points.  

I think this 4th quarter will be much different as whoever is ahead will be motivated to win by as much as possible with point differential being the tiebreaker in group play in these NBA Cup games.  Get ready for a much more high-scoring 4th quarter tonight that should sail over this 245.5-point total. Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* CBB Friday Total DOMINATOR on Utah State/Iowa OVER 168

This has the makings of the biggest shootout on the entire college basketball board tonight with the way that both Iowa and Utah State like to push the tempo.  The books haven't set this total high enough as a result as I think both teams can get into the 90's.

Iowa ranks 48th in adjusted tempo and 22nd in average possession length on offense at 14.9 seconds.  Utah State ranks 56th in adjusted tempo including 10th in average possession length on offense at 14.5 seconds.

Utah State is scoring 104 points per game this season while ranking 12th in effective field goal percentage.  Iowa is scoring 86.6 points per game this season while ranking 37th in that same category.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* Nebraska/Creighton FS1 ANNIHILATOR on Nebraska +11

Fred Hoiberg is doing a great job at Nebraska turning them into a much more competitive program.  He has them off to a 3-1 start this season with their lone loss coming to Saint Mary's by 3 on a neutral as 4-point dogs.

Creighton is overvalued as a Top 25 team and that has played out as the Bluejays are 1-3 ATS this season with their lone cover coming by 2 points.  These teams have two common opponents already and seeing the results from those two games has led me to Nebraska +11 showing value.

Nebraska outscored UTRGV by 20 and Fairleigh Dickinson by 26 winning those two games by a combined 46 points.  Creighton outscored UTRGV by 13 and Fairleigh Dickinson by 26 winning those two games by 39 combined points.  Bet Nebraska Friday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Celtics/Wizards OVER 236

The Washington Wizards are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 4th in pace and dead last (30th) in defensive rating.  They play a Boston Celtics team that is shooting even more 3-pointers this season while ranking 3rd in offensive rating, so the Celtics are going to hang a big number on them.

This is a NBA Cup game so the Celtics want to improve their point differential, which is the tiebreaker in group play.  That means they will be keeping their foot on the gas for four quarters.

In their last NBA Cup game, the Wizards showed they won't quit in their 130-139 loss at San Antonio.  That game saw 70 combined points in the 4th quarter including 39 from Washington.  The Wizards will keep coming for four quarters as well.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* CBB Thursday Night BLOWOUT on Michigan -30.5

Michigan looks like one of the most improved teams in the country.  First-year head coach Dusty May comes over from Florida Atlantic fame after taking the Owls to the Final 4 two years ago.  He is already putting his imprint on this program.

The Wolverines are 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS this season with their lone loss coming by 2 to Wake Forest as 2-point favorites on a neutral.  They blasted Cleveland State 101-53 as 21.5-point favorites, which is the same Cleveland State team that only lost by 13 at Kansas State and by 11 at Minnesota.  The Wolverines beat TCU 76-64 as 6.5-point home favorites and crushed Miami Ohio 94-67 as 23-point favorites.

Now Michigan takes an even bigger step down in class here against Tarleton State, which looks like one of the worst teams in the country this season.  Tarleton is 1-4 SU & 0-4 ATS with its lone win coming against Tabor College.  They lost by 32 at SMU at 14.5point dogs, by 29 at home to Sam Houston State as 5.5-point dogs, by 20 at Florida State as 17-point dogs and then by a whopping 63 points at Baylor as 31.5-point dogs.  Mercy.

It's not going to get any easier for the Texans and head coach Billy Gillespie tonight.  He lost all five starters from last season and frankly has lost his touch as a head coach.  The Texans are turning the ball over on 31.8% of possessions, which is the worst mark in the country.  They are averaging steals on just 17.8% of possessions, which is also worst in the country.  Michigan ranks 4th in the country in effective FG percentage at 64.4%.  The Wolverines will get what they want offensively and shut down Tarleton defensively similar to what SMU, Sam Houston and Baylor did to them.  Bet Michigan Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday PLAY OF THE DAY on Detroit Pistons -1

The Detroit Pistons have been better than expected this season at 7-9 SU & 9-6-1 ATS in 16 games.  They have won four of their last seven coming in.  Prior to that, they lost 108-107 at the buzzer to the Charlotte Hornets.

Now the Pistons will be out for revenge tonight which is why I love this spot for them.  The Pistons are fully healthy while the Hornets are not.  They are without two centers in Williams and Richards, starting SF Bridges is questionable and key bench PG Tre Mann is banged up.

The Pistons are also the more rested team coming in on two days' rest, while the Hornets will be playing their 4th game in 6 days.  Bet the Pistons Thursday.

15* NBA Wednesday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Houston Rockets -6.5

The Houston Rockets are 10-5 SU & 10-5 ATS this season and one of the most improved teams in the NBA.  They are also one of the healthiest teams in the NBA and brought back pretty much everyone from last year, so their chemistry is great in the early going.

That has been on display as the Rockets have gone 5-1 SU & 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall with their lone loss coming by a single points at Milwaukee.  Their last four wins have come by a combined 80 points, and by an average of 20 points per game.

Now the healthy Rockets get to face a very banged up Indiana Pacers team that will be without Wiseman, Jackson, Nesmith and Nembhard, plus Turner, Sheppard and Walker are all questionable.  The Pacers have clearly been hampered by these injuries going 1-3 SU & 1-3 ATS in their last four games, no loss worse than their 130-119 loss at Toronto as 3.5-point favorites last time out.

Houston has actually lost nine consecutive meetings with Indiana including losses by 6 and 3 points in their two meetings last season.  I think head coach Ime Udoka will play the revenge card tonight and remind his players of that losing streak, and thus we'll see an inspired effort from them tonight.  Bet the Rockets Wednesday.

20* NBA Western Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Portland Trail Blazers +12

Injuries are starting to pile up for the Oklahoma City Thunder and they aren't playing that well since losing their star big man in Chet Holmgren.  They are coming off consecutive losses to the Mavericks as 7-point home favorites who were without Luka Doncic, and to the Spurs as 9.5-point favorites who were without Victor Wembenyama.

Now the Thunder are in a brutal rest spot tonight playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 7th game in 11 days.  They won't handle this situation very well with how short-handed they are right now, and they have no business being 12-point favorites over the Portland Trail Blazers given the spot.

The Blazers are as fresh as can be.  They will be paying just their 2nd game in 7 days.  They are also one of the most underrated teams in the NBA right now going 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall.  They beat the Timberwolves by 14 as 9-point dogs, then came back the next night and backed it up with an 8-point win over the Timberwolves as 10-point dogs.  They also upset the Hawks by 4 as 4-point dogs last time out.  This line is way out of whack given the circumstances.  Bet the Blazers Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Chicago Bulls +8.5

The Bulls have been playing much better since getting Zach LaVine back from injury.  They are 3-3 SU & 4-2 ATS in their last six games overall which includes upset wins over the Knicks as 8.5-point road dogs, the Hawks as 2.5-point road dogs and the Pistons as 4-point road dogs.  They are playing their best basketball on the road this season.

Now they head to Milwaukee to take on a Bucks team that is grossly overvalued.  The Bucks are 5-9-1 SU & 4-9-1 ATS with one of the worst rosters in the league outside of Giannis and Lillard.

The Bulls already beat the Bucks 133-122 as 9.5-point dogs in Milwaukee in their first meeting this season.  Lillard and Giannis combined for 66 points on 26-of-44 shooting and the Bucks still lost by double-digits.  That says all you need to know about the rest of their roster.  Bet the Bulls Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Night BLOWOUT on Cleveland Cavaliers -14.5

I put this play in as soon as I saw the Pelicans were going to rest Brandon Ingram and Trey Murphy.  They were already without Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, Jordan Hawkins and Dejounte Murray.  Those are their top 6 leading scorers this season that they will be without tonight.  Mercy.

The Pelicans are 4-11 SU & 4-11 ATS this season and it is getting worse before it gets better.  The Pelicans are 1-8 SU & 2-7 ATS in their last nine games overall with their lone win coming against a Nuggets team that was without Jokic and Gordon.  Five of their eight losses have come by 15 points or more, including their 41-point loss at Dallas last night.

Now the Pelicans will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and won't have Ingram and Murphy, who combined for 36 of their 91 points in that 132-91 loss to the Mavericks last night.  This is literally a G-League team right now with the players they are putting on the court.

I know since I released this play the Cavaliers didn't get the best injury news with Darius Garland out due to rest.  But they should still have Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley on the court, and they'll have more than enough firepower to beat the Pelicans by 15-plus.

I originally wasn't going to take the Cavaliers because of the spot off their first loss of the season to the Celtics by 3 last night.  But teams who had a 12-game or more winning streak snapped are 43-26-2 ATS in their next game, and teams that had a 14-game or more winning streak snapped are 27-10 ATS in their next game.  Bet the Cavaliers Wednesday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Memphis Grizzlies -3.5

Note: I locked in this play as soon as I saw Nikola Jokic was out.  It would still be a 20* Top Play up to -6.

The Memphis Grizzlies have gotten healthy with the exception of JA Morant, but they have proven they can play without him.  The Grizzlies went 5-1 SU & 5-1 ATS before showing they could play with two of the best teams in the West in the Lakers and Warriors on the road.

I was almost more impressed that they only lost by 5 to the Lakers as 7.5-point road dogs and by 5 to the Warriors as 7-point road dogs without Morant than I was with their 5-1 SU & 5-1 ATS run before that.  The Grizzlies are now 8-1 ATS in their last nine games overall and they are rested playing just their 4th game in 9 days.

The Grizzlies have absolutely dominated in their last four home games going 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS, beating the Wizards by 24 as 7.5-point favorites, the Lakers by 17 as 4-point favorites, the Bucks by 23 as 6.5-point underdogs and the Nuggets by 15 as 6-point favorites.  I look for them to crush the short-handed Denver Nuggets again tonight.

The Nuggets will be without both Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon tonight, and they have no shot of winning this game without these two.  We saw their first game without Jokic they lost 101-94 at New Orleans as 2-point favorites.  And that's a Pelicans team that is missing more key players to injury than any team in the NBA right now.

The Nuggets went on to lose 105-90 at Memphis last time out.  And the Grizzlies called off the dogs in the 4th quarter sitting their starters after a 20-point lead entering the final period.  Normally I'd be worried about a letdown for a team like Memphis in this spot, but not with the NBA Cup on the line.  The Grizzlies are motivated to win the NBA Cup and with point differential being a tiebreaker, I expect them to keep their foot on the gas for four quarters and try to run it up.  Bet the Grizzlies Tuesday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Hornets/Nets OVER 220.5

This is a pretty low total for an NBA Cup game where both the Charlotte Hornets and Brooklyn Nets will be keeping their foot on the gas for four quarters knowing that point differential matters for tiebreakers.  I would like this OVER 220.5 even if that wasn't a factor, but it's certainly a factor tonight.

The Hornets have to go more small ball right now without C Mark Williams and C Nick Richards.  They have gone OVER the total in their last two games coming in combining for 229 points with the Bucks and 242 points with the Cavaliers.

The Nets also have to go more small ball right now without C Nic Claxton and without fellow C Day'Ron Sharpe.  The OVER is 3-1 in Nets last four games overall including 253 combined points with the Celtics and 246 combined points with the Knicks, which was a NBA Cup game.

The Nets and Hornets have combined for at least 229 points in six of their last nine meetings. Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

15* Cavs/Celtics TNT ANNIHILATOR on Cleveland +5.5

The Cleveland Cavaliers are 15-0 SU & 11-4 ATS this season and dodging letdown spots left and right.  It's safe to say they won't be having a letdown tonight considering the Celtics knocked them out of the playoffs last year.  They want to make a statement tonight and prove they can beat the defending champs.

The Cavaliers were ravaged by injuries in the playoffs last year playing without both Mitchell and Allen by the end of the series.  But they are much healthier now with Mitchell, Allen, Mobley and Garland all playing tonight.  That's one of the best quartets in the NBA and it's a big reason the Cavaliers are 15-0 right now.

It's also due to the change in philosophy with head coach Kenny Atkinson, who has transformed the Cavaliers into the league's top-ranked offense, even ahead of the Celtics.  They are playing faster and shooting more 3-pointers and the ball isn't sticking in Mitchell's hands like it used to.

Boston is just 2-4 ATS in its last six games overall with some very alarming performances.  They Celtics lost outright to the Hawks as 16-point home dogs and needed OT to beat the Raptors by 3 as 16.5-point favorites in their last two home games.  I just think this team is going through the motions after winning the title, and although they will be motivated tonight, they won't be as motivated as Cleveland.  The Cavaliers are the better team right now and they'll prove it tonight.  Bet the Cavaliers Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Total DOMINATOR on Cleveland State/Minnesota UNDER 133.5

Minnesota is 4-0 UNDER in its four games this season going for 137, 132, 105 and 115 combined points with its four opponents.  What makes the Gophers a dead nuts UNDER team is that they rank 360th in adjusted tempo including 353rd in average possession length on offense.

Now Minnesota faces another dead nuts UNDER team in Cleveland State, which 3-0 to the UNDER in its last three games.  The Vikings rank 333rd in average possession length on offense.  So neither team is looking to run, and both are much better defensively than they are on offense.  This game will be played at a snail's pace tonight.  Bet the UNDER in this game Tuesday.