20* Mavs/Lakers TNT No-Brainer on Los Angeles +3

The Los Angeles Lakers have quietly gone 5-1 SU & 5-0-1 ATS in their last six games overall.  They only game they lost during this stretch was without LeBron James on the road to the Denver Nuggets.

James returns to the lineup tonight as the Lakers come in on two days' rest.  They will be rested and ready to go and looking for revenge from a 115-124 road loss at Dallas on Christmas Day where they blew a 20-plus point lead.  Troy Brown is also expected back for the Lakers tonight.

The Mavericks have been one of the most overrated teams in the NBA this season.  They have gone 14-26-2 ATS this season.  They are without Kleber and Finney-Smith and could be without Powell, who is questionable with a hip injury suffered in a 101-113 road loss to the Clippers last time out.  The Mavericks will be playing their 4th game in 6 days tonight.

Dallas is 7-20 ATS in its last 27 road games.  Los Angeles is 4-0 ATS in its last four games when playing on two days' rest.  The Mavericks are 0-7 ATS in road games after scoring 105 points or fewer this season.  Wrong team favored here.  Bet the Lakers Thursday.

15* NBA Wednesday Late-Night BAILOUT on Rockets/Kings OVER 237.5

The Sacramento Kings are a dead nuts OVER team right now.  They have combined for 237, 270 and 247 points in their last three games overall.  The Kings rank 7th in pace, 4th in offensive efficiency and 26th in defensive efficiency this season.

The Houston Rockets will have no problem getting up and down with the Kings and playing little defense tonight.  The Rockets rank 28th in defensive efficiency.  Only the Spurs and Pistons have been worse.

The Kings and Rockets have combined for 230 or more points in each of their last five meetings, including 239 or more points in three of those.  The OVER is 4-1 in Kings last five home games.  Roll with the OVER in this game Wednesday.

20* NBA Western Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on San Antonio Spurs +13.5

The San Antonio Spurs have quietly covered four straight and have gone 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.  That includes a 113-121 loss at Memphis as 12-point dogs on Monday.  Now the Spurs get their shot at revenge as 13.5-point road dogs in the rematch here two days later on Wednesday.

The Grizzlies won't be that motivated to beat the Spurs again after just beating them on Monday.  They certainly won't be motivated enough to put them away by 14-plus points, which is what it's going to take to beat us tonight.

The Spurs are 15-5 ATS in their last 20 road games when revenging a road loss.  Memphis is 0-10 ATS in its last 10 games vs. teams that allow 50% shooting or higher.  Each of the last seven meetings between Memphis and San Antonio were decided by 13 points or fewer, including five by 8 points or fewer.  Bet the Spurs Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Pacers/Knicks OVER 227

This is a very low total for any game involving the Indiana Pacers.  The OVER is 5-2 in Pacers last seven games overall with combined scores of 227 or more points in six of the seven games, including 236 or more in five of them.

The OVER is 8-3 in Knicks last 11 games overall.  The Knicks and their opponents have combined for at least 226 points in six of those 11 games.  There's a good chance the Knicks get RJ Barrett back from injury tonight and would be fully healthy.

Indiana is 32-13 OVER in its last 45 games when revenging a same-season loss.  The OVER is 7-2 in Knicks last nine games when playing on one day of rest.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Indiana Pacers +5

The Indiana Pacers have quietly gone 6-1 SU & 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall with their lone loss coming by 3 on the road at Philadelphia in overtime.  The Pacers come in rested and ready to go playing on two days' rest.

The New York Knicks are 4-6 SU & 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games overall with their four wins coming against the Rockets, the short-handed Suns, the Spurs (by 3) and the Raptors (by 4).  They have no business being 5-point favorite against a team playing as well as the Pacers right now.

Indiana is 8-1 ATS when playing only its 2nd game in 5 days this season.  The Pacers are 9-1 ATS after successfully covering the spread in three or more consecutive games this season.  New York is 9-24 ATS in its last 33 home games after playing a home game.

Plays on road underdogs (Indiana) - revenging a close loss by 3 points or less against an opponent that is off an upset loss as a favorite are 33-8 (80.5%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Take the Pacers Wednesday.

20* Mavs/Clippers NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles PK

This is the ultimate 'buy low' opportunity on the Los Angeles Clippers.  They have gone 0-6 SU & 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall and will be highly motivated for a victory tonight.  They have played seven of their last nine games on the road but are back home here.

The Dallas Mavericks have been one of the most overrated teams in the NBA this season.  They are just 14-25-2 ATS on the season and are once again getting too much respect here.  Luka Doncic sat out last game with an ankle injury and won't be 100% if he plays tonight.  The Mavericks are also without Finney-Smith and Kleber.

Yes, the Clippers are without Paul George and Luke Kennard, but they are one of the deepest teams in the NBA and can overcome it.  The key with them is having Kawhi Leonard healthy, which he is right now.  They have nine players averaging at least 8.2 points per game this season and that doesn't even include Batum and Covington, who do a little bet of everything for them.

The Mavericks are 7-19 ATS in their last 26 road games.  Dallas is 2-11 ATS after winning four or five of its last six games this season.  Take the Clippers Tuesday.

20* NBA Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Cleveland Cavaliers -2.5

Donovan Mitchell makes his return to Utah tonight and I expect a big game from him and the Jazz.  The Cavaliers already beat the Jazz 122-99 at home earlier this season in a dominant effort.  It will be more of the same tonight.

The Cavaliers are fully healthy right now and a dangerous team when that's the case.  The key has been keeping Mitchell (28.8 PPG) and Darius Garland (21.4 PPG, 7.8 APG) on the floor at the same time.  Mobley and Allen have both missed games as well but all four are healthy right now.  This is about as good of a starting 5 as you will find in the NBA.

The Jazz are without Collin Sexton (14.1 PPG) and Kelly Olynyk (12.2 PPG) right now.  The Jazz are a good offensive team, but the difference between these teams is defense.  The Cavaliers rank 1st in defensive efficiency this season, while the Jazz rank 26th.  I'll gladly back the healthier, better defensive team tonight laying the short number.  Bet the Cavaliers Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Total DOMINATOR on Hornets/Raptors OVER 228.5

The Charlotte Hornets are a dead nuts OVER team and shouldn't have a total below 230.  We'll take advantage and back the OVER 228.5 tonight in this game against the Toronto Raptors.  It's a fully healthy Raptors team that will hang a big number on the Hornets tonight.

The Hornets rank 5th in pace and 23rd in defensive efficiency this season.  They allow 118.1 points per game and 48% shooting to their opponents.  They have been a better offensive team since getting La'Melo Ball back from injury and also play with more pace with him in the lineup.

Charlotte is 12-1 OVER as a road underdog of 6.5 to 12 points this season.  Toronto is 15-5 OVER as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12 points over the last two seasons.  The OVER is 18-8 in Hornets last 26 road games.  The OVER is 11-5-1 in the last 17 meetings, including 6-1 in the last seven meetings in Toronto.  Roll with the OVER in this game Tuesday.

20* Magic/Kings NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on Orlando +6

The Orlando Magic have quietly gone 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games overall with eight outright upsets as underdogs.  Bettors just aren't giving this team the credit they deserve, and that continues to be the case tonight with the Magic catching 6 points against the Sacramento Kings.

The Magic just got everyone back from suspension and won outright 115-101 at Golden State as similar 6.5-point dogs.  Now they take on a Sacramento Kings team that has no business laying 6 points to them considering how they are playing of late.

The Kings are 3-5 SU & 2-6 ATS in their last eight games overall with their three wins coming by 1, 1 and 2 points.  So they haven't won any of their last eight games by more than 2 points.  They have been dreadful defensively, which is why it's tough to trust them to lay any points.  They have allowed 112 or more points in 14 consecutive games, including 136 to the Lakers last time out in regulation.

Plays on road underdogs (Orlando) - revenging a close loss by 3 points or less against an opponent that is off an upset loss as a favorite are 33-7 (82.5%) ATS over the last five seasons.  The Kings beat the Magic 126-123 in their first meeting this season.  This one will go down to the wire as well with the Orlando having an excellent shot to get revenge and pull off the outright upset.  Roll with the Magic Monday.

20* Bulls/Celtics NBA TV No-Brainer on Chicago +8.5

The Chicago Bulls are playing some of their best basketball of the season right now and should not be catching this many points against the Boston Celtics.  The Bulls are 8-3 SU & 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games overall with seven outright upset victories, including wins over the Nets, 76ers, Bucks, Heat and Knicks during this stretch.

The Boston Celtics are overvalued due to their record and it has played out that way here of late.  They are just 3-2 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.  They only beat the Spurs by 5, the Clippers by 6 and lost outright to the Nuggets by 12 and the Thunder by 33 during this stretch.  They will be without Marcus Smart (11.1 PPG, 7.2 APG) tonight.

Chicago clearly matches up well with Boston.  The Bulls are 2-1 SU & 3-0 ATS against the Celtics in their first three meetings this season.  They won by 18 as 5-point home dogs, only lost by 4 as 7.5-point road dogs and won by 14 as 5.5-point home dogs.  Now they are catching 8.5 points in the 4th and final meeting, which is too much.  

The Bulls are 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings, including 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings in Boston. Chicago is 12-1 ATS in its last 13 games following an upset win as a home underdogs.  Take the Bulls Monday.

15* NBA Eastern Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Hornets/Pacers OVER 239

The Hornets and Pacers are both dead nuts OVER teams. The Pacers rank 4th in pace while the Hornets rank 6th. The Hornets rank 24th in defensive efficiency while the Pacers rank 23rd.

That makes it no surprise that these teams play in shootouts when they get together. The OVER is 5-1 in the last six meetings with combined scores of 238, 284, 224, 239, 245 and 261 points.

The OVER is 20-8 in Hornets last 28 road games. The OVER is 11-2 in Hornets last 13 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of great than .600. The OVER is 38-16-1 in Pacers last 55 home games. The OVER is 5-1 in Pacers last six games overall. Roll with the OVER in this game Sunday.

20* NBA Sunday Total DOMINATOR on 76ers/Pistons OVER 229.5

The Philadelphia 76ers have to go small ball without Joel Embiid. They are also without their best defender in PJ Tucker right now, making them a dead nuts OVER team.

The 76ers and their opponents have combined for 227 or more points in seven of their last eight games overall, including 231 or more points in six of those. The Pistons have been a dead nuts OVER team themselves of late combining for 230 or more points in 11 of their last 14 games overall.

The OVER is 26-9 in 76ers last 35 games as road favorites. The OVER is 7-1 in 76ers last eight games overall. The OVER is 6-0 in 76ers last six games playing on one days' rest. The OVER is 7-2 in Pistons last nine home games. The OVER is 7-1 in Pistons last eight Sunday games. The OVER is 8-2-1 in the last 11 meetings. The OVER is 7-1-1 in the last nine meetings in Detroit. Take the OVER in this game Sunday.

15* NBA Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Magic/Warriors OVER 231.5

The Golden State Warriors are a dead nuts OVER team right now. They just combined for 241 points at the end of regulation with the Pistons last time out and 242 points with the Hawks the game prior. They have scored at least 110 points in seven consecutive games.

Now they take on an Orlando Magic team that is also a dead nuts OVER team and just got a lot of key guys back from suspension. The Magic just combined for 238 points with the Grizzlies after combining for 241 points with the Thunder the game prior. They have allowed 110 or more points in eight consecutive games, and scored 110 or more in six of those eight.

The Magic and Warriors squared off back on November with the Magic winning 130-129 for 259 combined points at the end of regulation. The OVER is 6-2 in Magic last eight games overall. The OVER is 5-0 in Magic last five Saturday games. Roll with the OVER in this game Saturday.

20* NBA Saturday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Utah Jazz +1.5

The Chicago Bulls will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after an upset win at Philadelphia last night. All five starters played at least 32 minutes for the Bulls, including 38 from LaVine, 37 from DeRozan and 36 from Vucevic. 

Not only will it be the 2nd of a back-top-back for the Bulls, but it will also be their 6th game in 9 days. They won't have much left in the tank for the Utah Jazz tonight, and this is now a letdown spot for them after upsetting both the 76ers and Nets in their last two games.

They Jazz are rested and ready to go playing just their 3rd game in 7 days. They are coming off a 17-point blowout win at Houston. They should not be underdogs in this game given the favorable situation for them tonight.

Utah is 16-6 ATS as underdogs this season. Chicago is 2-10 ATS in non-conference games this season. The Jazz are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games following a win by more than 10 points. Take the Jazz Saturday.

15* Heat/Suns ESPN ANNIHILATOR on Miami -1

The Miami Heat have gotten healthy and are playing their best basketball of the season as a result.  They have gone 7-4 SU in their last 11 games overall.  I like the fact that they are coming off an upset loss to the Lakers because they will come back motivated tonight and not take the Suns lightly.

The Suns are going through their worst stretch of the season due to injuries.  They are playing without Devin Booker (27.1 PPG, 5.6 APG), Cam Johnson (13.0 PPG) and Cameron Payne (12.1 PPG, 5.3 APG).  Chris Paul is too old to carry this team any longer, and they just aren't very good without those three.  They have been held to 83 and 88 points in their last two games.

The Suns are now 1-7 SU in their last eight games overall with losses by 25, 25 and 19 points during this stretch.  They are coming off a six-game road trip, and I love fading teams in their first game back home following a long trip.  They have a lot of distractions to deal with back at home and not much time to do it with only one day off in between games.  They haven't been home since December 23rd before Christmas.

The Suns are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 Friday games.  The Heat are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 trips to Phoenix.  Miami is 8-0 ATS in its last eight road games following four or more consecutive road games.  Phoenix is 0-9 ATS in its last nine games after allowing 90 points or fewer.  Take the Heat Friday.

15* NBA Friday Undervalued Underdog on Los Angeles Clippers +3.5

The Los Angeles Clippers will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back, but not all back-to-backs are created equal.  They were down by nearly 40 points in the 1st half against the Nuggets last night and as a result didn't play their starters in the 2nd half.  Plus, they had two days off prior to the Denver game.

All five starters played 18 minutes or fewer, meaning they should still be fresh for Minnesota and should still have all hands on deck.  It also means the Clippers will be playing with a big chip on their shoulder after getting embarrassed on National TV last night.  I fully expect them to come back tonight and win this game outright, but we'll take the 3.5 points for some insurance.

They take on a Minnesota Timberwolves team that is not playing well right now, going just 2-6 SU & 3-5 ATS in their last six games overall.  The Timberwolves have some injuries that are piling up and still don't have Karl-Anthony Towns back yet.

The Clippers are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games overall, including 5-0 ATS in their last five games vs. a team with a losing record.  Los Angeles is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.  The Clippers are 15-6-1 ATS in their last 22 trips to Minnesota.  Roll with the Clippers Friday.

20* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Pistons/Spurs OVER 232.5

Both the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs are dead nuts OVER teams right now.  Both rank in the top half of the league in pace and these are the two worst defensive teams in the entire NBA.  The Spurs rank 30th in defensive efficiency while the Pistons rank 29th.

The OVER is 9-0 in Spurs last nine games overall with combined scores of 229 or more points in all nine games, and 237 or more combined points in seven of those.  They have allowed 115 or more points in eight consecutive games.

The OVER is 9-4 in Pistons last 13 games overall.  The Pistons and their opponents have combined for at least 235 or more points in 10 of those 13 games, so this 232.5-point total is very short considering how these two teams have been playing of late.

Detroit is 7-0 OVER vs. poor defensive teams that allow 116 or more points per game this season with an average of 250.3 combined points in those seven games.  The OVER is 5-0 in Pistons last five games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  The OVER is 12-1 in Spurs last 13 games overall.  Take the OVER in this game Friday.

20* NBA Friday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Blazers/Pacers OVER 231.5

The OVER is 5-0 in Pacers last five games overall.  They have combined for 243, 261, 261, 236 and 240 points at the end of regulation in their last five games, respectively.  This total is way too short tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Blazers and their opponents have combined for 227 or more points in four of their last five games coming in.  The Blazers have scored at least 116 points in nine of their last 15 games overall and are an elite offensive team.  They have also allowed at least 111 points in 18 of their last 22 games overall.

Indiana is 7-0 OVER in its last seven home games after winning three of its last four games this season.  The OVER is 38-15-1 in Pacers last 54 home games overall.  The Pacers rank 6th in pace this season and will control the tempo playing at home.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Bulls/76ers OVER 227.5

The Philadelphia 76ers will be without Joel Embiid tonight but that actually makes them a better OVER team.  It means that they have to go smaller and it takes away from them defensively more than anything.  They still have plenty of scorers in Harden, Maxey, Harris and company to hang a big number on offense, but they will also give up a big number on defense.

The 76ers just beat the Pacers 129-126 (OT) in a game that saw 240 combined points at the end of regulation without Embiid.  They are really hitting on all cylinders on offense scoring at least 11 points in eight consecutive games.  The OVER is 6-1 in 76ers last seven games overall.

The Bulls are also thriving offensively right now and embracing the up-tempo style.  They have scored at least 118 points in six of their last seven games overall with the OVER 5-2 in their last seven games.  They have allowed 112 or more points in six of their last seven games overall as well.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

20* Celtics/Mavericks TNT No-Brainer on Boston -2

I love the spot for the Boston Celtics tonight.  They are coming off two consecutive road losses to Denver and Oklahoma City.  That includes their worst loss of the season at OKC by a final of 117-150 despite being 11.5-point favorites.  Now we get them at a great value as only 2-point favorites at Dallas, and they are rested and ready to go playing only their 3rd game in 7 days.

While it's a great time to 'buy low' on the Celtics off that blowout loss, it's time to 'sell high' on the Mavericks who have won seven consecutive games against a soft schedule.  Three of those wins came against Houston, while the other four came against Minnesota, LA Lakers, New York and San Antonio.  Their winning streak comes to an end tonight against the best team they have faced in a long time.

Plays on road favorites (Boston) - after being beaten by the spread by 30 or more points total in their last three games against an opponent that went over the total by 24 or more points total in their last three games are 29-5 (85.3%) ATS over the last five seasons.

The Mavericks are 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 games following a win.  Dallas is 10-22-2 ATS in its last 34 games overall.  The Mavericks are 0-6-1 ATS in their last seven games when playing on two days' rest.  Boston is 6-0 ATS in its last six games after allowing more than 125 points in its previous game.  Boston is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 trips to Dallas.  Take the Celtics Thursday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK in Grizzlies/Magic OVER 226.5

The Orlando Magic had scored 110 or more points in nine of their last 10 games overall before playing the Pistons and getting into a brawl.  Several players were ejected and suspended, but they get several of them back last night and get more back tonight.

The Magic just beat the Thunder 126-115 last night for 241 combined points.  The Magic have allowed 110 or more points in seven consecutive games and 119 or more in four of those.  They are allowing an average of 115.4 points per game at home this season.

The Grizzlies have scored at least 116 points in four consecutive games and 114 or more in 15 of their last 21 games overall.  Memphis is allowing 114.9 points per game on the road this season.  This is a very low total for how both of these teams are playing right now.

The Grizzlies are 14-3 OVER in their last 17 road games following a road win by 10 points or more.  The Magic are 11-2 OVER in non-conference games this season.  Plays on the OVER when the total is 210 or higher (Orlando) - playing the 2nd of a back-to-back, a bad team (25% to 40%) playing a team with a winning record are 72-34 (67.9%) since 1996.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Nets/Bulls OVER 235

No team is hotter offensively right now than the Brooklyn Nets.  They have scored 118 or more points in 10 of their last 12 games during their current 12-game winning streak.  Now they'll be up against a Bulls team that is allowing 122.4 points per game in their last five games and 115.6 points per game overall this season.

The Bulls are hot offensively themselves right now.  They have scored at least 118 points in five of their last six games overall and have embraced the up-tempo style.  The OVER is 5-1 in Bulls last six games overall as a result.   Five of those six games saw 232 or more combined points.  Take the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Pacers/76ers OVER 231.5

The Philadelphia 76ers are fully healthy right now and loaded on offense.  They have scored at least 111 points in 12 of their last 13 games overall including 118 or more seven of those games.  They face a Pacers team that allows 115.8 points per game on the season.

The Pacers are a great OVER team because they rank 4th in pace and 24th in defensive efficiency.  The OVER is 4-0 in Pacers last four games overall with combined scores of 243, 261, 261 and 236 points.  They have scored 122 or more points in all four games and have now scored at least 111 points in 12 of their last 15 games overall.

The OVER is 6-2 in the last eight meetings.  The OVER is 9-4 in the last 13 meetings in Philadelphia.  The OVER is 5-1 in 76ers last six games overall.  Roll with the OVER in this game Wednesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Thunder/Magic OVER 227.5

The Thunder and their opponents have combined for 267, 234, 244 and 253 points in four of their last five games coming in.  They have embraced playing the up-tempo game this season making them a dead nuts OVER team.

The Orlando Magic had scored 110 or more points in nine of their last 10 games overall before playing the Pistons and getting into a brawl.  Several players were ejected and suspended, but they get several of them back tonight including Anthony, Harris, Bamba and Carter Jr.  They'll have no problem getting up and down with the Thunder tonight.  The Magic have allowed 110 or more points in six consecutive games and 119 or more in four of those.

The Thunder are 10-2 OVER in non-conference games this season, and 7-0 OVER following two consecutive non-conference games.  The OVER is 40-15-1 in Magic last 56 Wednesday games.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

20* Wizards/Bucks NBA TV No-Brainer on UNDER 230

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  This will be the 2nd meeting in 3 days between the Bucks and Wizards.  The Wizards beat a depleted Bucks team 118-95 for 213 combined points with a total of 221.5.  Oddsmakers have adjusted this total up too much now for the rematch setting it at 230 because Giannis, Holiday and Hill are supposed to come back.  Those three will provide offense, but they are also upgrades defensively.

Milwaukee ranks 13th in pace this season while Washington ranks 18th, so both are in the middle of the pack.  But both get after it defensively.  The Bucks rank 4th in defensive efficiency while the Wizards rank 11th, making them one of the most improved defensive teams in the NBA.  They have allowed 111 or fewer points in five consecutive games during their current five-game winning streak.

The UNDER is 4-0 in the last four meetings between the Bucks and Wizards with combined scores of 213, 216, 210 and 195 points.  They haven't sniffed 230 combined points in their last four meetings.  The UNDER is 7-0 in Wizards last seven road games.  Bet the UNDER in this game Tuesday.

20* Heat/Clippers NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles -2.5

This is a great time to 'buy low' on the Los Angeles Clippers following two consecutive road losses to the Celtics and Pacers by a combined 7 points.  Now they are back home tonight and highly motivated for a victory.  Look for them to handle their business against the Miami Heat as they are 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five home games with all four wins coming by 9 points or more.

The spot is terrible for the Miami Heat.  They will be playing their 3rd road game in 4 days and just played in altitude twice in Denver and Utah.  They won't have much left in the tank for the Clippers tonight.

Home-court advantage has been big in this series as the home team is 4-0 SU in the last four meetings.  The Clippers are 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.  The Heat are 4-16-2 ATS in their last 22 games following a win.  Los Angeles is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games overall and as healthy as they have been all season, showing why they were the preseason title favorites.  I like backing a motivated Clippers team as a short home favorite tonight.  Bet the Clippers Monday.

15* NBA Monday Undervalued Underdog on Detroit Pistons +9.5

The Portland Trail Blazers have no business being 9.5-point favorites against anyone right now.  They are 1-4 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall with two losses to OKC and a loss to a short-handed Warriors team.  Asking them to win by double-digits to beat us tonight is asking too much.

The Pistons are playing well right now upsetting the Magic by 20 as home underdogs and upsetting the Timberwolves by 12 as road underdogs in two of their last three games.  They also played the Bulls to the wire in between, but the Bulls had a huge run late to pull away.  They took the Clippers to OT the game prior, too.

Portland is 2-12 ATS in its last 14 games when playing 3 or less games in 10 days.  The Blazers are 3-14 ATS in their last 17 games following an upset loss as a favorite.  The Pistons are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 road games.  Take the Pistons Monday.

15* NBA Western Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Houston Rockets +7.5

The Houston Rockets will be playing with double-revenge tonight.  They lost by 6 to the Mavericks on December 23rd at home and by 15 to the Mavericks on December 29th on the road.  So they will be facing the Mavericks for a 3rd time in 11 days here, and it's clear they will want this win a lot more than the Mavericks will.

While it's a great time to 'buy low' on the Rockets after losing eight of their last nine games, it's also a great time to 'sell high' on the Mavericks after winning six consecutive games.  Five of those six wins came by single-digits, so they have simply been fortunate in close games, including a 1-point win over the Spurs last time out as 7.5-point favorites.

Dallas is 4-13 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  The Mavericks are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 road games.  Dallas is 10-21-2 ATS in its last 33 games overall.  Roll with the Rockets Monday.

15* NBA Monday UPSET SHOCKER on Minnesota Timberwolves +2.5

This is a terrible spot for the Denver Nuggets.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  They just upset the Boston Celtics at home last night, making this the perfect letdown spot for them.  Don't be surprised to see them rest some starters given the terrible rest spot.

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Timberwolves, who have lost six consecutive games coming in.  They will be rested and motivated after having yesterday off.  The Timberwolves have owned the Nuggets, going 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in the last three meetings with wins by 17, 15 and 6 points.

Denver is 1-8 ATS in its last nine road games following two or more consecutive wins.  It is losing by 7.3 points per game on average in this spot.  Take the Timberwolves Monday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on San Antonio Spurs +12.5

It's time to 'sell high' on the Brooklyn Nets.  They have won 11 consecutive games and are now getting way too much respect from oddsmakers.  They won't be excited at all to face the San Antonio Spurs tonight, and it's exactly the type of team that could end their streak.

The Spurs are as healthy as they have been all season and it's starting to show in their play.  They have quietly gone 6-6 SU & 7-5 ATS in their last 12 games overall.  All six wins came outright as underdogs and they also only lost by 1 to Dallas last time out.

Brooklyn is 12-36 ATS in its last 48 games as a home favorite.  The Nets are 4-19 ATS in their last 23 home games vs. a team with a losing record.  San Antonio is 16-6 ATS in its last 22 trips to Brooklyn.  Bet the Spurs Monday.

20* NBA Non-Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Spurs/Nets OVER 236

The San Antonio Spurs are a dead nuts OVER team when healthy.  Well, they are fully healthy right now and have gone 10-1 OVER in their last 11 games overall with combined scores of 251, 237, 244, 248, 246 and 243 points in their last six games overall.  The Spurs have scored at least 112 points in 11 of their last 12 games overall.

The Brooklyn Nets are really clicking on offense during their current 11-game winning streak.  They have scored at least 118 points in nine of their last 11 games overall and will get their points against the Spurs, but I expect them to give up a bunch, too.  The OVER is 5-1 in the last six meetings in this series.  Take the OVER in this game Monday.

15* NBA Eastern Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Bulls/Cavs UNDER 223

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  Well, the Bulls and Cavs will be playing for a 2nd time in 3 days.  The Cavs won 103-102 in Chicago for just 205 combined points, and it's not like either team shot terrible as the Bulls shot 48% while the Cavs shot 46%.  The books are making a mistake not adjusting this total down further for the familiarity factor.

Also, the Cavaliers will be without PG  Darius Garland (21.4 PPG, 7.8 APG), which is a big loss for them offensively.  They could also be without Evan Mobley (14.5 PPG), who is questionable.  Cleveland ranks dead last (30th) in pace and will control the tempo playing at home.  They also rank 1st in defensive efficiency, making them a dream UNDER team.

Chicago is 9-1 UNDER in its last 10 road games following a loss by 6 points or less.  The UNDER is 10-1 in Bulls last 11 Monday games.  The Bulls and Cavaliers have combined for 226 or fewer points in 11 consecutive meetings, including failing to reach 223 combined points in eight of their last 10 meetings.  Roll with the UNDER in this game Monday.

15* NBA Monday Total DOMINATOR on Lakers/Hornets OVER 242

I cashed in the Lakers/Hornets OVER on December 23rd in Los Angeles when these teams combined for 264 points in a 134-130 Lakers victory.  Oddsmakers have once again failed to set this number high enough tonight as these are two dead nuts OVER teams.

The Lakers rank 2nd in the NBA in pace while the Hornets rank 7th, so both like to get up and down.  All these possessions usually result in buckets for the opponent as the Hornets rank 23rd in defensive efficiency while the Lakers rank 22nd.  The Lakers have scored at least 115 points in 10 of their last 12 games overall.

The OVER is 14-2 in Lakers last 16 games vs. Southeast Division opponents, including 6-2 in their last eight meetings with the Hornets.  The OVER is 8-1 in Lakers last nine road games.  The OVER is 6-1 in Lakers last seven games overall.  The OVER is 4-0 in Hornets last four games vs. a team with a losing record.  Roll with the OVER in this game Monday.

20* NBA Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Boston Celtics -1.5

The Boston Celtics are 4-0 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last four games overall with wins by 12 over the Timberwolves, by 21 over the Bucks, by 26 over the Rockets and by 6 over the Clippers.  They are as healthy as they have been all season with Robert Williams back in the lineup, and they are now not only the best offensive team in the NBA, but also one of the best defensive teams with Williams.

It's time to 'sell high' on the Denver Nuggets, who have won six of their last seven games against a soft schedule.  They have also been very fortunate in close games during this run with four wins by 7 points or fewer.  Their luck runs out tonight against a better, more complete Celtics team that is rested after having the last two days off.

The Celtics simply own the Nuggets, going 6-1 SU & 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.  They have won six consecutive meetings straight up by 19, 20, 6, 18, 13 and 13 points.  Boston is 24-11-2 ATS in its last 37 road games.  Bet the Celtics Sunday.

15* NBA Western Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Memphis Grizzlies -6

The Memphis Grizzlies have been dynamite at home this season.  They are 13-3 SU & 12-4 ATS at home while outscoring opponents by 11.5 points per game.  They are fully healthy right now and rested and ready to go after having yesterday off.

The same cannot be said for the Pelicans, who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 6th game in 10 days after a home win over the Philadelphia 76ers last night.  They will be without Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr. again tonight, and don't be surprised if they rest others after Williamson played 31 minutes and McCollum 35 minutes last night.

Home-court advantage has been huge in this series as the home team is 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in the last five meetings with all four wins by double-digits.  Memphis is 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in its last five meetings with New Orleans with wins by 21, 27, 21 and 12 points.

The Pelicans are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 Saturday games.  The Grizzlies are 36-15-1 ATS in their last 52 home games.  Memphis is 8-0 ATS in its last eight games after losing four or five of its last six games.  The Grizzlies are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 games after failing to cover four or five of their last six games.  The Pelicans are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 road games after covering four of their last five ATS coming in.  Roll with the Grizzlies Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Mavs/Spurs OVER 230.5

The books have set the bar too low in this game between the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks tonight considering the way they have been playing recently.  We'll take advantage and back the OVER tonight.

The Spurs have gotten healthy of late and have gone 9-1 OVER in their last 10 games overall.  They have scored at least 112 points in 10 of their last 11 games overall while allowing at least 111 points in nine of their last 10 games.

The OVER is 3-0 in Mavericks last three games overall.  They combined for 239 points with the Lakers, to 247 points with the Knicks and 243 points with the Rockets.  They combined for 250 and 232 points in their last two meetings with the Spurs, respectively.

Plays on the OVER in all teams where the total is 220 or higher (Dallas) - after going over the total by more than 6 points in three consecutive games, a team with a winning record playing a losing team are 31-10 (75.6%) since 1996.  Take the OVER in this game Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Night BLOWOUT on Cleveland Cavaliers -2.5

This is a terrible spot for the Chicago Bulls tonight.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after needing a big 4th quarter finish to pull away to beat the lowly Detroit Pistons last night.  They will also be playing their 3rd game in 4 days and won't have much left in the tank for the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight.  Four starters played at least 31 minutes last night including over 38 for LaVine and nearly 35 for DeRozan.

The Cavaliers come in rested and ready to go after having yesterday off, and they will be playing just their 2nd game in 5 days.  Cleveland will also be highly motivated for a victory after losing three consecutive games coming in.  They had won five straight prior to this stretch.

Plays on road favorites (Cleveland) - after beating the spread by 30 or more points total in their last three games against an opponent that went over the total by 24 or more points total in their last three games are 29-5 (85.3%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Cavaliers Saturday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Nets/Hornets OVER 237

The Brooklyn Nets are a dead nuts OVER team right now.  They have gone 7-3 OVER in their last 10 games overall and have combined for 235 or more points in seven of those 10 games.  They have scored 118 or more points in eight of those 10 games.

The Charlotte Hornets are a dead nuts OVER team as it is, but they have actually gone under the total in three consecutive games which is keeping this number lower than it should be.  The Hornets got back La'Melo Ball from injury and the books have jacked up their totals because of it.  But this one is now too low tonight.

The Hornets rank 10th in the NBA in pace and play even faster with Ball.  They rank 23rd in defensive efficiency as well.  The Hornets and their opponents have combined for 231 or more points in nine of their last 10 games overall, so it's not like they are playing in low-scoring games.  

These teams combined for 238 points in their most recent meeting on December 7th as well, a game in which Ball was out.  Plays on the OVER on home teams where the total is 230 or higher (Charlotte) - after going under the total by 18 points or more total in their last three games, a bad team winning 25% to 40% of their games on the season are 37-11 (77.1%) since 1996.  Roll with the OVER in this game Saturday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE WEEK on San Antonio Spurs +7.5

The San Antonio Spurs have quietly gone 6-5 SU in their last 11 games overall despite being underdogs in all 11 games.  That means they have six outright upset wins as underdogs.  They have gotten healthy which is a big reason for their improved play.

While the Spurs are getting zero respect for their recent solid play, the Mavericks are getting massive respect for their 5-0 SU run.  Now they are 7.5-point road favorites here against the Spurs when this line should be much closer to PK.  The Mavericks cannot be trusted as this big of a favorite.  They have played 36 games this season and have just six wins by double-digits, so they aren't blowing teams out.

Dallas is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 games following a divisional home win.  The Mavericks are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games after winning four or five of their last six games.  Dallas is 4-12 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  The Mavericks are 7-16 ATS in their last 23 road games.  Dallas is 2-8-1 ATS in its last 11 games vs. a team with a losing record.  Bet the Spurs Saturday.

15* NBA Friday Late-Night BAILOUT on Sacramento Kings -3

The Sacramento Kings are 10-7 SU & 10-7 ATS at home this season and I like the value we are getting on them as short home favorites against the Utah Jazz.  They are fully healthy right now and have been a dangerous team when that's the case.

The Jazz haven't been very good on the road going just 1-8 SU in their last nine road games.  They are coming off a pair of bad road losses to the Spurs and Warriors despite being favored in both games.  I give them little chance of being competitive in this road game tonight.

Utah is 2-12 ATS in its last 14 games following an upset loss as a road favorite.  The Jazz are 16-34-1 ATS in their last 51 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Sacramento is 14-4 ATS in its last 18 games when playing on one days' rest.  Take the Kings Friday.

20* NBA Non-Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on 76ers/Pelicans OVER 227

The New Orleans Pelicans are a dead nuts OVER team when Zion Williamson is in the lineup.  The OVER is 8-2 in Pelicans last 10 games overall with combined scores of 245, 253, 262, 232, 247, 243, 253 and 237 points in the eight OVERS.  That makes this 227-point total a bargain compared to how they have been playing of late.

The Pelicans will control the tempo playing at home and rank 9th in the NBA in pace.  They are also 5th in offensive efficiency.  Now they face a Philadelphia 76ers team that has played a lot more OVERS of late with the return of James Harden, plus they get Tyrese Maxey (22.9 PPG) back in the lineup tonight from a long absence.

The OVER is 8-3 in 76ers last 11 games overall with combined scores of 224 or more points in nine of those 11 games.  They have scored at least 118 points in seven of those 11 games and allowed at least 112 points in eight of their last 12 games overall.

Philadelphia is 7-0 OVER as a road favorite this season.  The OVER is 6-0 in Pelicans last six games following an ATS loss.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

20* Lakers/Hawks NBA TV No-Brainer on OVER 239

The Atlanta Hawks were already an OVER team but that's especially the case without their most important defender in Clint Capela, who remains out with a calf injury.  The Hawks rank 5th in the NBA in pace and they will be facing a Lakers team that ranks 3rd in the NBA in pace.  This game will clearly be played at one of the most frantic paces of the season.

The Lakers have had no problem scoring this season as they are putting up 115.6 points per game despite all their injuries, but they are fully healthy now with the exception of Anthony Davis.  They are terrible on defense which is why they are 14-21, allowing 117.6 points per game.  The Hawks are also terrible on defense allowing 115.1 points per game.  They have allowed at least 122 points in six of their last 10 games overall, while the Lakers have allowed at least 124 points in four of their last six and at least 110 points in 14 of their last 15 games.

Both meetings between the Hawks and Lakers were absolute shootouts last season as they combined for 252 and 250 points.  This is a high total tonight, but it's not high enough.  The OVER is 7-1 in Lakers last eight road games.  The OVER is 9-1 in Lakers last 10 games when playing 6 or more games in 10 days.  Roll with the OVER in this game Friday.

20* NBA GAME OF THE MONTH on Houston Rockets +11.5

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Dallas Mavericks.  They are 4-0 in their last four games overall and needed a 60-point effort and a big comeback in the final minutes to beat the Knicks 126-121 (OT) at home last time out.

This is now a clear letdown spot for the Mavericks, who beat the Rockets 112-106 on the road during this four-game winning streak.  They won't be excited to play them again, while the Rockets will be out for revenge and will be the more motivated team.  Getting 11.5 points with the Rockets given the situation is too much tonight.

After all, Dallas has won by double-digits only five times in 35 games this season.  They aren't blowing teams out because they don't play great defense.  They will let Houston hang around in this one as they just have a way of playing to their level of competition.

Dallas is 0-9 ATS after winning four or five of its last six games this season.  The Mavericks are 1-8 ATS following a win by 6 points or less this season.  Dallas is 8-17 ATS as a favorite this season.  The Mavericks are 1-8-1 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a losing record.  Bet the Rockets Thursday.

25* NBA DOG OF THE YEAR on Sacramento Kings +2.5

I had a tough beat on the Sacramento Kings +3.5 last night as they blew a 20-point lead and lost by 7 to the Denver Nuggets.  I will get my revenge tonight, and so will the Kings as they win this game outright in the rematch.  They will be the more motivated team after blowing that big lead, and the Nuggets won't show up at all after just beating the Kings last night.

The Kings are a young, deep team that can handle this 2nd of a back-to-back much better than the Nuggets can.  Jokic played 37 minutes and Murray 38 minutes for the Nuggets last night.  Four of five starters for the Kings played less than 33 minutes with the only exception being Kevin Huerter and his 37 minutes.  

This will only be the 2nd game in 5 days for the Kings while it will be the 3rd game in 4 days for the Nuggets.  Denver used a lot of energy coming back from that 20-point deficit last night, too.  The Kings are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games when playing the 2nd of a back-to-back, proving they handle this spot very well.  Bet the Kings Wednesday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Milwaukee Bucks -4

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Milwaukee Bucks following their first three-game losing streak of the season.  It has come against a brutal schedule with road losses to Cleveland, Brooklyn and Boston, which are arguably the three best teams in the East outside of Milwaukee, so it's totally understandable.

But now the Bucks come in rested and ready to go playing on two days' rest, and they will obviously be highly motivated for a victory here.  The Bulls have gone just 9-15 SU in their last 24 games overall and are coming off a 15-point upset home loss to the lowly Houston Rockets.  They just cannot be trusted on a nightly basis.

Plays against home underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (Chicago) - after a game where they failed to cover the spread against an opponent that is coming off three or more consecutive ATS losses are 42-17 (71.2%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Plays on road favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (Milwaukee) - after being beating by the spread by 30 or more points total in their last three games against an opponent that went over the total by 54 or more points in their last 10 games are 32-9 (78%) ATS since 1996.

Home-court advantage has meant little in this series as the road team is 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  The road team is also 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.  Milwaukee is 14-3 ATS in its last 17 trips to Chicago.  The Bulls are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games following a loss.  Chicago is 18-37 ATS in its last 55 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take the Bucks Wednesday.

20* NBA Tuesday Late-Night BAILOUT on Sacramento Kings +3.5

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Sacramento Kings after upset losses to the Hornets and Wizards in two of their last three games.  The Kings come back highly motivated for a victory tonight and rested and ready to go coming in on three days' rest.

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Denver Nuggets after going 7-1 SU in their last eight games overall including an OT win over a depleted Suns team on Christmad Day.  In fact, the Nuggets have won six of those seven games at home with their lone road victory coming by a single point at Portland.  They also lost by 18 at the Lakers in their other road game and are just 9-8 SU & 6-10-1 ATS on the road this season.

Denver is 0-7 ATS in road games following two or more consecutive wins this season, losing by an average of 10.3 points per game in this spot.  Sacramento is 11-3 ATS after playing a home game this season.  The Kings are 20-6 ATS in their last 26 games following three consecutive games where they allowed a shooting percentage of 47% or higher.  The Nuggets are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games playing on one days' rest.  The Kings are 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings, including 4-1 ATS in the last five home meetings.  Bet the Kings Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Night BLOWOUT on Memphis Grizzlies -7.5

The Memphis Grizzlies have one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA.  They are 13-2 SU & 12-3 ATS at home this season.  They are as healthy as they have been all season right now with Desmond Bane recently returning to the lineup, and they are one of the deepest teams in the NBA.

The Phoenix Suns are far from healthy.  They will be without four of their top seven scorers tonight in Devin Booker (27.1 PPG), Cam Johnson (13.0 PPG), Cameron Payne (12.7 PPG) and Landry Shamet (9.4 PPG).  The loss of Shamet is big because he was coming on strong in the absence of Booker, scoring 25.7 PPG in his last three games with 19 made 3-pointers.

The Grizzlies just beat the short-handed Suns 125-100 on the road as 2.5-point favorites two games back.  They were then upset by the Warriors on Christmas Day, so they won't be feeling fat and happy here.  They will take the Suns seriously and put them away as they return home highly motivated to bounce back from that loss to Golden State.

Memphis is 14-2 ATS in its last 16 games following a road loss by 10 points or more.  The Grizzlies are 8-0 ATS in their last eight home games after going under the total.  Memphis is 36-14-1 ATS in its last 51 home games.  Roll with the Grizzlies Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Orlando Magic -3

The Orlando Magic are flying under the radar right now.  They are a perfect 10-0 ATS in their last 10 games overall and have won eight of their last nine games SU with their lone loss coming by a single point at Atlanta.  But they don't get the respect other teams get due to their 13-21 record overall.

Now they take on the struggling Los Angeles Lakers who are 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall and just not a very good team without Anthony Davis, who remains out.  The Lakers don't play any defense allowing 124 or more points in all four losses while allowing 118.0 points per game on the season.  Now they have to take on a Magic team that is clicking offensively scoring 111 or more points in eight of their last nine games overall.

The Lakers are 2-12 ATS as road underdogs this season.  The Magic are 16-4 ATS in their last 20 games after scoring 130 points or more.  Orlando is 10-1 ATS following a win this season.  Los Angeles is 1-6 ATS in its last seven road games.  Orlando has a big rest advantage playing on three days' rest while the Lakers had to play in Dallas on Christmas Day and will be playing their 6th game in 10 days.  Take the Magic Tuesday.

20* Hornets/Blazers NBA TV Late-Night BAILOUT on OVER 237

La'Melo Ball just returned for the Charlotte Hornets and they are a dead nuts OVER team with him in the lineup.  They have combined for 231 or more points in seven consecutive games now, including 264 with the Lakers last time out, and they should easily top this 237-point total against the Portland Trail Blazers tonight.

The Portland Trail Blazers are a potent offensive team with the trio of Lillard, Simons and Grant all healthy and that's the case right now.  They have scored at least 116 points in seven of their last 10 games overall, but they have also allowed 111 or more points in 15 of their last 18 games overall so they are not a very good defensive team.  Charlotte ranks 27th in defensive efficiency while Portland ranks 20th.

The OVER is 5-2 in the last seven meetings.  The OVER is 10-1 in Hornets last 11 games when playing on two days' rest.  The OVER is 19-7 in Hornets last 26 road games.  The OVER is 5-1 in Blazers last six home games.  The OVER is 15-6-1 in Blazers last 22 games when playing on two days' rest.  Roll with the OVER in this game Monday.

15* NBA Western Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Jazz/Spurs OVER 235.5

The San Antonio Spurs are fully healthy for the first time basically all season.  The Utah Jazz are fully healthy with the exception of Kelly Olynyk.  These are two dead nuts OVER teams right now given their health and the way they play.

The Spurs rank 8th in the NBA in pace while the Jazz rank 12th.  The Jazz rank 5th in offensive efficiency and are a great offensive team.  Both teams are terrible defensively with the Spurs ranking dead last (30th) in defensive efficiency and the Jazz ranking 25th.

The Spurs are coming off two very high scoring games with 246 combined points against the Magic and 243 combined points against the Pelicans.  The Jazz have seen 232 and 237 combined points in their last two games coming in.

The OVER is 27-9 in the last 36 meetings in San Antonio.  The OVER is 6-1 in Spurs last seven games overall.  The OVER is 6-2 in Jazz last eight games when playing on three or more days' rest.  Both teams are rested and ready to get up and down the floor at a hectic pace tonight.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

15* NBA Monday Total DOMINATOR on Pacers/Pelicans OVER 235.5

Two great offensive teams that like to play fast square off tonight when the Indiana Pacers visit the New Orleans Pelicans.  The Pacers rank 3rd in the NBA in pace while the Pelicans rank 11th.  The Pelicans rank 6th in offensive efficiency while the Pacers rank 21st in defensive efficiency.

The Pelicans are 7-1 OVER in their last eight games overall with combined scores of 253, 243, 247, 232, 261, 221, 253 and 245 points.  These teams met earlier this season on November 7th with the Pacers winning 129-122 for 251 combined points.

Indiana is 42-21 OVER in its last 63 games with a total of 230 or higher.  New Orleans is 40-17 OVER in its last 57 home games following four or more consecutive OVERS.  The OVER is 6-2 in the last eight meetings.  Take the OVER in this game Monday.

20* Nets/Cavs NBA TV No-Brainer on Cleveland -2

The Cleveland Cavaliers had won five straight games prior to getting upset by the Raptors at home last time out.  Now I think it's a great 'buy low' spot on the Cavaliers off that rare upset home loss.  

After all, the Cavaliers are 16-3 SU & 14-5 ATS at home this season with one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA.  I think that was a letdown and sandwich spot for the Cavaliers as they were coming off the 114-106 win over the Bucks and had the Nets on deck.  The Nets will now get their full attention off that upset loss to the Raptors.

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Nets, who are 8-0 SU in their last eight games overall against a very soft schedule.  They will meet their match tonight in the Cavaliers and this winning streak will come to an end.  They are getting way too much respect from oddsmakers due to this streak.

Brooklyn is 0-4 ATS in its last four trips to Cleveland.  The Nets are 15-35-1 ATS in their last 51 games following an ATS win.  The Cavaliers are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Cleveland is 5-0-2 ATS in its last seven games following a loss by more than 10 points.  Take the Cavaliers Monday.

20* NBA Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Memphis Grizzlies -6

The Golden State Warriors are just atrocious without Stephen Curry (30.0 PPG, 6.8 APG, 6.6 RPG) and Andrew Wiggins (19.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG), their top two scorers.  They lost their last two games without them by 36 at New York and by 30 at Brooklyn.  It will be more of the same today against the Memphis Grizzlies.

While the Warriors are banged up right now, the Grizzlies are back to full strength with Desmond Bane recently returning to the lineup.  We saw what they were capable of fully healthy as they blasted the Suns by 25 on the road last time out to improve to 8-2 SU & 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall with all eight wins coming by 8 points or more.  

They are phenomenal defensively, holding seven of their last eight opponents to 105 points or fewer.  The Warriors have allowed 118 or more points in five of their last six including 143 to Brooklyn and 132 to New York in their last two games.  They give up 117.9 points per game on the season.

Memphis will have no problem kicking Golden State while they are down after getting eliminated by them in the playoffs last season.  Plays on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (Memphis) - after leading their previous game by 15 points or more at halftime against an opponent after a game with a combined score of 255 points or more are 23-6 (79.3%) ATS since 1996.  Bet the Grizzlies Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Los Angeles Lakers +7.5

The Dallas Mavericks are just 8-19-2 ATS in their last 29 games overall and have been one of the most overrated teams in the NBA this season.  In their 33 games this season, they have just 7 wins by more than 7 points.  Getting 7.5 points with the Los Angeles Lakers is tremendous value on Christmas Day.

The Lakers are without Anthony Davis but they are healthy everywhere else.  They come in highly motivated for a victory after losing three consecutive games, so it's a good time to 'buy low' on them.  The Mavericks are without two key pieces in Maxi Kleber and Dorian Finney-Smith.

I also think it's a bad spot for the Mavericks, who will be returning home following a four-game road trip and there will be a ton of distractions to deal with at home especially with it being Christmas.  It will also be the 10th game in 17 days for the Mavericks, so they will be playing on tired legs.

Dallas is 0-8 ATS following a win by 6 points or less this season.  The Mavericks are 3-12 ATS as favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  Dallas is 0-8-1 ATS in its last nine games vs. a team with a losing record.  Roll with the Lakers Sunday.

20* Hornets/Lakers NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on OVER 235.5

The Los Angeles Lakers are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 2nd in the NBA in pace and are a terrible defensive team.  They allow 117.3 points per game on the season and have allowed 116 or more points in 10 of their last 11 games overall.

The Charlotte Hornets are a dead nuts OVER team, too.  They rank 26th in defensive efficiency and 9th in pace, this despite playing without La'Melo Ball for most of the season.  But Ball is back now so they will be playing even faster and will be more efficient on offense with him.

The Lakers have combined for 234 or more points with their opponents in eight consecutive games.  The Hornets and their opponents have combined for 231 or more points in six consecutive games.  They have allowed 119 or more points in nine consecutive games.

The Lakers are 11-1 OVER in their last 12 games vs. NBA Southeast division teams.  The OVER is 11-3 in Hornets 14 games as road underdogs this season.  The OVER is 20-8 in Hornets last 28 road games.  The OVER is 6-0 in Lakers last six games following an ATS loss.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday Night BLOWOUT on Sacramento Kings -8.5

The Washington Wizards are 1-11 SU & 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 games overall.  Now they are in the toughest spot any NBA team has been in all season tonight.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after playing in the altitude in Utah last night.  They will also be playing their 5th road game in 7 days tonight.

The Wizards will have nothing left in the tank for the Kings, who will test their tired legs by playing at the 5th-fasted pace in the NBA this season.  It will also be just the 3rd game in 7 days for Sacramento, so they are fresh and ready to go.  The Kings are 7-4 SU & 7-4 ATS in their last 11 games overall and one of the most improved teams in the NBA.  Six of those seven wins have come by 9 points or more, which would cover this 8.5-point spread.

The Wizards are 4-13-2 ATS in their last 19 games overall.  Washington is 0-6-2 ATS in its last eight Friday games.  Sacramento is 16-5 ATS in its last 21 games when playing on one day of rest.  The Kings are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a losing record.  Sacramento is 5-1 SU & 5-1 ATS in its last six meetings with Washington.  Roll with the Kings Friday.

15* NBA Western Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Memphis Grizzlies -2.5

The Memphis Grizzlies will be highly motivated for a victory tonight after losing to the Thunder and Nuggets to open this road trip, which followed up a 7-0 SU & 7-0 ATS run.  Look for them to get back to how they were playing before dropping those two games tonight.

Of course, it helps that the Suns are missing three of their top five scores.  The Suns are without Devin Booker (28.0 PPG, 5.8 APG), Cam Johnson (13.0 PPG) and Cameron Payne (12.7 PPG) tonight.  They stand no chance of keeping this game competitive without these three.

The Suns are really struggling amidst all these injuries as they are going through their worst stretch of the season right now.  They are just 3-6 SU & 3-6 ATS in their last nine games overall and coming off an upset home loss to the Washington Wizards as 7-point favorites.  That's a Wizards team that is 1-11 in their last 12 games overall with their lone victory against Phoenix.

Plays against home teams where the line is +3 to -3 (Phoenix) - off an upset loss as a home favorite against an opponent that is off a road loss are 31-7 (81.6%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Memphis is 13-2 ATS in its last 15 games following a road loss by 10 points or more.  The Grizzlies are 38-14 ATS in their last 52 games following a loss by more than 10 points.  Memphis is 4-1 ATS in its last five trips to Phoenix.  Roll with the Grizzlies Friday.

20* Grizzlies/Suns ESPN No-Brainer on UNDER 226.5

The Memphis Grizzlies have been dominant defensively since getting the best defender in the NBA in Jaren Jackson Jr. back from injury.  They have allowed 105 or fewer points in six of their last seven games overall.  But they have struggled on offense on the road of late, scoring 91 points against the Nuggets, 109 against the Thunder and 101 against the Timberwolves in three of their last four road games.

The Phoenix Suns are missing too many players right now to be trusted to score too many points, but they bring it defensively almost every night.  The Suns rank 11th in defensive efficiency while the Grizzlies rank 5th.  The Suns are without leading scorer Devin Booker (28.0 PPG, 5.8 APG), Cam Johnson (13.0 PPG) and Cameron Payne (12.7 PPG), which also rank Top 5 in scoring for them.

Memphis is 10-1 UNDER in its last 11 games after winning four or five of its last six games.  Phoenix is 26-10-1 UNDER in its last 37 games following a loss.  The UNDER is 5-0 in Grizzlies last five road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The UNDER is 15-5 in the last 20 meetings in Phoenix.  Take the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Eastern Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Bucks/Nets OVER 225.5

The Brooklyn Nets are a dead nuts OVER team right now.  The OVER is 6-1 in their last seven games overall and we've seen 235 or more combined points in six of those seven games.  That makes this 225.5-point total very low for a game involving the Nets tonight.

The Bucks have both Giannis and Jrue Holiday back healthy and are only missing Khris Middleton, who they have played without for most of the season.  They have scored 123 or more points in three of their last five games overall while allowing at least 111 points in four of their last five.

The Nets and Bucks have combined for at least 226 points in five of their last six meetings.  The OVER is 4-0 in Bucks last four games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The OVER is 6-1 in Nets last seven games overall.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Bulls/Knicks UNDER 226

I love this spot for an UNDER bet between the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls.  Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games, and this will be the 3rd meeting in 10 days between the Knicks and Bulls.

In their first meeting on December 14th, the Bulls and Knicks combined for 234 points at the end of regulation before going to OT.  That familiarity took its toll in the 2nd meeting on December 16th with the Bulls and Knicks combining for just 205 points.  And now we have a 226-point total for the 3rd meeting, which is way too high.

The UNDER is 7-2 in the last nine meetings and the Bulls and Knicks have combined for 213 or fewer points in seven of those nine meetings.  The UNDER is 8-3 in Knicks last 11 games overall.  Chicago is 11-2 UNDER in its last 13 games when revenging a home loss by 10 points or more.  Take the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday UPSET SHOCKER on Los Angeles Clippers +3.5

The Los Angeles Clippers were the preseason favorites to win the NBA title and for good reason with their star power and depth.  Well, they were injured for most of the season, but now we are seeing what they are capable of when healthy, especially when having Kawhi Leonard on the court.

The Clippers have gone 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall and have won five of their last six.  The only game they lost was in a 2nd of a back-to-back situation when they sat Leonard.  Now the Clippers will be playing just their 2nd game in 6 days and have all hands on deck tonight.  They should not be underdogs to the Philadelphia 76ers.

It's time to 'sell high' on the 76ers, who are 6-0 SU & 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall against a very soft schedule.  The only decent teams they played were the Kings and Raptors, and they needed OT to beat the Raptors and OT to beat the Lakers.  The other wins came against the Hornets, Warriors without their stars and Pistons.  This is a huge step up in class for the 76ers tonight.

The Clippers are 9-1 ATS following a non-conference game this season.  Wrong team favored here.  Roll with the Clippers Friday.

20* NBA Friday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Spurs/Magic OVER 226

The Orlando Magic are healthy and playing well right now, especially on offense.  They have gone 7-1 SU & 8-0 ATS in their last eight games overall and have scored at least 111 points in seven of those eight games.

The San Antonio Spurs are a dead nuts OVER team.  They play fast and ply no defense, ranking dead last (30th) in defensive efficiency this season.  They allow 119.7 points per game and opponents shoot 50.4% against them.  The Magic rank just 20th in defensive efficiency, too.

The Spurs just lost 117-126 at New Orleans last night for 243 combined points, and that was a Pelicans team missing Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.  The Spurs didn't have leading scorer Keldon Johnson (21.1 PPG) for that game, but he is expected to return tonight and the Spurs are as healthy as they have been all season now.

The OVER is 5-1 in Spurs last six games overall.  The OVER is 4-1 in Magic last five games overall.  The OVER is 6-2 in the last eight meetings.  San Antonio is 10-1 OVER in its last 11 games vs. NBA Southeast Division opponents.  Take the OVER in this game Friday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Wizards/Jazz OVER 229

The Utah Jazz are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 5th in offensive efficiency this season and 25th in defensive efficiency.  They face a Washington team that ranks 20th in defensive efficiency and has been much better on offense when both Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis are healthy.

Well, both of these teams are fully healthy right now with the exception of Collin Sexton for the Jazz.  But he has been out for a while now and the Jazz have continued playing in high-scoring games.  Indeed, the Jazz have seen 220 or more combined points in each of their last 19 games.

The Wizards are starting to feel it on offense scoring 113 or more points in three of their last four games as well as 111 or more points in seven of their last 10 games.  But they have allowed 110 or more points in 14 of their last 15 games overall.

These teams played earlier this season on November 12th with the Wizards winning 121-112 for 233 combined points.  Utah is 14-4 OVER in its last 18 home games following a win by 10 points or more.  Washington is 12-2 OVER in its last 14 games vs. Northwest Division opponents.  The OVER is 6-1-1 in Wizards last eight games vs. a team with a winning record.  The OVER is 6-1-1 in the last eight meetings.  Roll with the OVER in this game Thursday.

15* NBA Western Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Portland Trail Blazers -4

The Portland Trail Blazers will be out for revenge from a 121-123 loss at Oklahoma City on Monday.  Now they get to face the Thunder here two days later and don't have to wait long to get their revenge.  I expect them to blow the Thunder out of the building tonight.

Plays against home underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (OKC) - off a close home win by 3 points or less in the first half of the season are 55-22 (71.4%) ATS since 1996.  Plays on road favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (Portland) - off an upset loss as a favorite against an opponent that is coming off a home win scoring 110 or more points are 58-22 (72.5%) ATS since 1996.

Plays home road favorites (Portland) - revenging a loss where opponents scored 110 or more points, off an upset loss as a favorite are 60-27 (69%) ATS over the last five seasons.  I always look to back teams that lost the first meeting in these quick rematch situations because they are the more motivated team.  Plus, they haven't adjusted the spread as Portland is once again a 4-point favorite just as it was on Monday.  Take the Blazers Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Blazers/Thunder OVER 234

Both the Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder are dead nuts OVER teams right now.  They just combined for 244 points on Monday and will be playing in a rematch here.  It's not like they shot lights out either with the Blazers shooting 50% and the Thunder 45.5% for the game.

The Blazers have now scored at least 116 points in seven of their last nine games overall.  They have allowed at least 111 points in 14 of their last 16 games overall.  As long as Lillard, Simons and Grant are all on the court at the same time they are going to be an OVER team, and all three are healthy right now.

Oklahoma City has embraced an up-tempo style this season as they rank 4th in the NBA in pace.  As long as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is healthy and running the show, they are an OVER team as well.  They have allowed at least 110 points in 10 consecutive games coming in.

Portland is 8-1 OVER as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  The OVER is 6-0 in Blazers last six games playing on one day of rest.  The OVER is 10-3 in Thunder last 13 home games.  Roll with the OVER in this game Wednesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Magic/Rockets OVER 223

The Orlando Magic have gotten a lot healthier of late and are playing some of their best basketball of the season.  They have scored at least 111 points in six of their last seven games overall while going 6-1 during this stretch.

The Houston Rockets are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 11th in pace this season and 27th in defensive efficiency.  The Magic also aren't a very good defensive team ranking 21st in defensive efficiency.

These teams met earlier this season with the Rockets winning 134-127 for 261 combined points.  The OVER is now 3-1 in the last four meetings with combined scores of 224 or more points in all four.  In fact, these teams have combined for at least 222 points in each of their last seven meetings, so this 223-point total is very low given their head-to-head history.  

They have averaged 234.3 combined points in their last seven meetings with none of those games going to overtime.  The OVER is 5-1-1 in those seven meetings.  Roll with the OVER in this game Wednesday.

20* Warriors/Nets NBA TV No-Brainer on OVER 223.5

The Brooklyn Nets are rolling right now going 6-0 in their last six games overall while scoring at least 112 points in all six victories and averaging 122.2 points per game with none of those games going to overtime.  I expect them to top that average tonight to lead the way in helping us cash this OVER ticket.

The Nets now play a Warriors squad that is a dead nuts OVER team.  The Warriors rank 6th in the NBA in pace this season and allow 117.1 points per game.  They have really slipped defensively and just gave up 134 points to the Knicks last night.  I know the Warriors have some injuries that hurt them offensively, but this total has been adjusted down too much for it.  They will get enough against a bad Brooklyn defense to help us cash this OVER.

The OVER is 5-0 in Warriors last five games overall.  The OVER is 20-7-2 in Warriors last 29 road games.  The OVER is 5-1 in Nets last six games overall.  The OVER is 13-3 in all Golden State road games this season.  The OVER is 11-2 in Warriors games when the total is 220 to 229.5 this season.  The OVER is 9-0 in Warriors last nine games when playing their 4th road game in 7 days.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* Grizzlies/Nuggets TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Memphis ML -120

The Memphis Grizzlies are 7-1 SU & 7-1 ATS in their last eight games overall with all seven victories coming by 8 points or more.  They were coming off a 41-point win over the Bucks and simply had a letdown against the Thunder last time out in an upset road loss as a double-digit favorite.  

They took the Thunder lightly, but they will be refocused now against the Nuggets.  Look for them to get back to playing their best basketball of the season as nobody is playing better right now.  They come in rested and ready to go on two days' rest and playing just their 4th game in 11 days.  They are fully healthy with the exception of Desmond Bane, who has been out since November 11 anyway.

Injuries are a much bigger concern for the Nuggets right now.  They are without Michael Porter Jr., Jamal Murray is questionable and Nikola Jokic is probable but dealing with a knee injury.  That's their three best players.  I love the matchup for the Grizzlies because they can guard Jokic better than anyone by putting Jaren Jackson Jr. on him, the league's best, most versatile defender.  Memphis has allowed 103 or fewer points in five of its last six games overall and 115 or fewer in nine consecutive games.

The Nuggets are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games overall.  Denver is 0-7 ATS in its last seven games playing on one days' rest.  The Nuggets are 9-21 ATS in their last 30 games following a win.  Memphis is 6-2-1 ATS in the last nine meetings.  Roll with the Grizzlies on the Money Line Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Washington Wizards +7.5

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Washington Wizards tonight.  They have lost 10 consecutive games but were competitive in all 10 as none of them came by more than 13 points, and six game by single-digits.  And they didn't have their best player in Bradley Beal for the majority of them.  Well, Beal is back healthy now and the Wizards are as healthy as they have been all season.

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Phoenix Suns, who are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall.  But this is a terrible spot for the Suns as they will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 10th game in 17 days.

The Suns are getting way too much respect tonight for blowing out the Lakers last night, who were without both James and Davis and a few others.  Well, the Suns cannot be this big of a favorite given all their injury concerns right now.  The Suns are without Cam Johnson, and Devin Booker (groin) and Cameron Payne (foot) are both questionable.

Phoenix is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 game vs. a team with a winning % below .400 and has a way of playing to its level of competition.  Plays on road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (Washington) - following three or more consecutive road losses in December games are 42-15 (73.7%) ATS since 1996.  Take the Wizards Tuesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Detroit Pistons +2.5

The Utah Jazz are 0-6 SU in their last six road games yet they are favored on the road here against the Detroit Pistons.  They just lost by 26 at Milwaukee and by 23 at Cleveland and will now be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd road game in 4 days.  This is a terrible spot for the Jazz to say the least.

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Pistons, who have lost five of their last six games coming in but were competitive in all six.  They haven't lost any of their last nine games by more than 11 points and have played a brutal schedule too against Memphis (twice), Dallas, Miami, New Orleans, LA Lakers, Sacramento, Brooklyn and Charlotte.  This is actually a step down in class for them from what they have been facing.

Utah is 1-11 ATS in its last 12 games after trailing its previous game by 15 points or more at halftime.  The Jazz are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games following two or more consecutive road losses.  Detroit is 40-20 ATS in its last 60 games following a home loss.  Utah is 14-36-3 ATS in its last 53 games following an ATS loss.  Detroit is 9-2-2 ATS in its last 13 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Pistons won 125-116 in Utah earlier this season to improve to 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.  Wrong team favored here.  Bet the Pistons Tuesday.

15* NBA Monday Total DOMINATOR on Spurs/Rockets OVER 226.5

Both the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets are dead nuts OVER teams and this is a very low total for a game involving these two teams.  The Spurs rank 5th in the NBA in pace this season while the Rockets rank 12th.  The Spurs rank dead last (30th) in defensive efficiency while the Rockets ranks 27th.

The Spurs and Rockets have combined for at least 227 points in each of their last five meetings and an average of 239.4 combined points per game in those five meetings with none going to OT.  Thats roughly 13 points more than this 226.5-point total, so we are getting a ton of value on the OVER tonight.  Roll with the OVER in this game Monday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Portland Trail Blazers -6.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder are without four of their best players tonight in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31.2 PPG, 5.8 APG), Josh Giddey (14.7 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 5.5 APG), Robinson-Earl (8.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG) and Bazley (5.9 PPG) tonight.  They stand no chance of being competitive with the Portland Trail Blazers as a result.

The Blazers are playing some of their best basketball of the season right now going 6-2 SU & 7-1 ATS in their last eight games overall.  Damian Lillard is back healthy and they are humming on offense scoring 116 or more points in six of those eight games.

The Thunder did pull off the upset as 11-point home dogs to the Grizzlies last time out as the Grizzlies took them lightly, and JA Morant was ejected in the first half.  That result is keeping this spread lower than it should be.  A lot of times teams can have one good performance in their first game without their stars, but then it progressively gets worse.  I don't expect the Blazers to take them lightly after seeing that Memphis result.

Plays against home underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (OKC) - after leading in their previous game by 20 or more points at halftime are 52.20 (72.2%) ATS since 1996.  The Blazers are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games when their opponent scored 100 or more points in their previous game.  Portland is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 road games.  The Blazers are 7-0 ATS vs. teams that force 15 or fewer turnovers per game this season.  Take the Blazers Monday.

15* NBA Sunday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Hornets/Nuggets OVER 235.5

The Charlotte Hornets were already a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 9th in the NBA in pace and 26th in defensive efficiency on the season.  And that's even without their best player in La'Melo Ball (21.6 PPG, 7.0 APG) for all but five games this season.  Well, Ball is back now and the Hornets will play at an even faster pace with him and be a much better offensive team while still being terrible on defense.

The Denver Nuggets are on OVER team because they are so good on offense, ranking 2nd in offensive efficiency.  Only the Boston Celtics have been better.  The Nuggets have really slipped defensively this season ranking 28th in defensive efficiency.  Denver's last seven games have all seen at least 225 combined points.

Charlotte is a perfect 9-0 OVER as a road underdog of 6.5 to 12 points this season and we're seeing 242.8 combined points per game in this spot.  The OVER is 9-1 in Hornets last 10 road games following a home loss by 10 points or more.  The OVER is 9-0 in Hornets last nine road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.  Take the OVER in this game Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday Night Line Mistake on Detroit Pistons +8.5

It's time to 'sell high' on the Brooklyn Nets.  They have gone 9-1 SU in their last 10 games overall but eight of their last nine wins have come by single-digits.  They have simply been fortunate in close games, and I think this one goes down to the wire against the Detroit Pistons, too.

It's time to 'buy low' on the Pistons.  They have lost four of their last five games against a very tough schedule with road losses to the Pelicans by 6 and the Grizzlies by 11 as well as home losses to the Lakers by 7 and Kings by 9.  They also went on the road and upset the Hornets.  They are now catching too many points at home today to the Nets.

Brooklyn is 14-30 ATS in its last 44 games as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points.  The Nets are 16-34-1 ATS in their last 51 games following an ATS win.  The Pistons are 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS loss.  Detroit is 8-2-2 ATS in its last 12 games vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet the Pistons Sunday.

15* Eastern Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Knicks/Pacers OVER 226.5

Any game involving the Indiana Pacers with a total of less than 230 I'm going to take my first look at the OVER.  They are dead nuts OVER team ranking 4th in the NBA in pace and 23rd in defensive efficiency.  

The Pacers just combined for 230 points with the Cavaliers and 244 points with the Warriors in their last two games.  In fact, they have combined for 230 or more points with their opponents in five of their last six games overall.

The New York Knicks are rolling on offense right now and playing a lot faster.  They have scored at least 112 points in five consecutive games going in.  They will stay hot against one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA in the Pacers today.

The OVER is 35-15-1 in Pacers last 51 home games.  The OVER is 28-11 in Pacers last 39 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  Roll with the OVER in this game Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday Total DOMINATOR on Magic/Celtics UNDER 223.5

I love this spot for an UNDER bet.  The Magic and Celtics will be playing for the 2nd game in 3 days.  Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games, and I think we get a defensive struggle here Sunday with this sleepy start time with a 3:10 EST tip this afternoon.

The Magic beat the Celtics 117-109 for 226 combined points on Friday.  That was even with Jayson Tatum scoring 31 points for the Celtics.  Well, Tatum won't play today due to personal reasons, and the Celtics will have a hard time scoring without him.  Plus, two key defenders in Robert Williams and Al Horford just returned for the Celtics, so they will rely on defense in this one.

Orlando is a very good defensive team with a ton of length.  The Magic have allowed 111 or fewer points in five of their last six games overall.  Holding the Celtics with Tatum to 109 points is no small feat, and I don't see Boston getting more than 109 in the rematch, either.  I expect Boston to defend Orlando much better than they did in that first meeting, too.  Take the UNDER in this game Sunday.

20* NBA Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Orlando Magic +10.5

The Orlando Magic have quietly gone 5-1 SU & 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall with five upset victories outright.  They only lost by 7 to the Bucks as 10-point dogs, beat the Clippers outright as 6.5-point dogs, beat the Raptors by 4 and 12 outright as 8 and 7-point dogs, beat the Hawks by 11 outright as 3-point dogs and beat the Celtics outright as 13.5-point dogs.

Yes, the Celtics will now be out for revenge today, but they shouldn't be 10.5-point favorites over the Magic.  They can get their revenge and still not cover this inflated number.  Plus, Jayson Tatum scored 31 points in that first meeting on Friday and they still lost by 8.  Well, now the Celtics won't have Tatum today as he'll be out for personal reasons.  There's no way the Celtics should be double-digit favorites over the Magic without Tatum and with how well the Magic are playing right now.

The Celtics are overvalued due to having the best record in the NBA and it has shown of late as they are 1-3 SU & 0-3-1 ATS in their last four games overall.  They lost by 16 at Golden State, by 20 at the Clippers and by 8 at home to the Magic.  Their lone win was a miracle as they erased a 13-point deficit in the final four minutes to beat the Lakers by 4 in OT.  Bet the Magic Sunday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Memphis Grizzlies -6.5

Nobody is playing better than the Memphis Grizzlies right now.  They are 7-0 SU & 7-0 ATS in their last seven games overall with all seven wins coming by 8 points or more.  That includes a 41-point win over Milwaukee, a 25-point win over Atlanta and a 21-point win over Oklahoma City, which is tonight's opponent.

The spot really favors the Grizzlies as they will be playing just their 2nd game in 5 days and are fully healthy with the exception of Desmond Bane, who has been out for a few weeks now and they haven't really missed him due to all their depth.  This is a terrible spot for the Thunder playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in four days.

The Thunder come in on a four-game losing streak and are dealing with a ton of injuries right now.  Robinson-Earl (8.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG) remains out, and Bazley (5.9 PPG) and Dort (13.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG) are both questionable.  The Thunder lost 110-112 to the short-handed Timberwolves last night who were playing without Towns, Russell and Gobert.  

That game went down to the wire so their starters played big minutes, meaning they will be even more fatigued than normal in this 2nd of a back-to-back.  Oklahoma City is 2-5 ATS in its last seven games when playing in zero rest.  Memphis is 10-3 ATS in the last 13 meetings.  Bet the Grizzlies Saturday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Blazers/Rockets OVER 227

Damian Lillard is back healthy now to go with Simons and Grant and the Blazers have been a dead nuts OVER team since his return.  They are 5-0 OVER in their last five games overall with combined scores of 241, 242, 245, 240 and 240 points.  They have scored at least 116 points in six of their last seven games overall.

The Blazers lost in a 110-130 blowout to the Mavericks last night and have now allowed at least 111 points in 13 of their last 14 games overall.  But the blowout loss allowed their starters to rest as Lillard played 24 minutes, Simons 23, Grant 20, Hart 21 and Nurkic 21.  They will still be fresh and able to get up and down with the Rockets, who like to push the pace.

The Rockets are a dead nuts OVER team.  They like to run and rank 27th in defensive efficiency.  And when these teams get together a shootout usually ensues.  The Blazers and Rockets have combined for at least 231 points in three of their last four meetings.

Portland is a perfect 7-0 OVER as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points and we're seeing 235.8 combined points per game in this spot.  Portland beat Houston 125-111 as a 4-point favorite for 236 combined points in their first meeting this season.  The OVER is 19-7 in Rockets last 26 games vs. a team with a winning record.  Take the OVER in this game Saturday.

20* NBA Saturday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Milwaukee Bucks -5

I love the spot for the Milwaukee Bucks tonight.  They are coming off their worst loss of the season at Memphis on Thursday.  They were coming off a 128-111 home win over the Warriors and I think they simply had a letdown after beating the defending champs.

But now the Bucks are back home where they are 13-3 SU & 11-5 ATS this season outscoring opponents by 9.0 points per game.  And they are expected to get star PG Jrue Holiday (19.1 PPG, 7.4 APG, 5.3 RPG) back from illness after sitting out the last two games.

The Utah Jazz are just 1-6 SU in their last seven road games with five losses by 5 points or more.  They are getting too much respect after two consecutive home wins over the Pelicans.  But now they are back on the road here and should be much more than 5-point road underdogs to the Bucks.  

It's time to 'buy low' on Milwaukee off a blowout loss and 'sell high' on Utah after two consecutive upset home wins.  The Bucks will come back motivated and will have 100% focus for this one, which isn't good news for the Jazz.  Roll with the Bucks Saturday.

15* NBA Western Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Blazers/Mavericks OVER 222.5

Damian Lillard is back healthy now to go with Simons and Grant and the Blazers have been a dead nuts OVER team since his return.  They are 4-0 OVER in their last four games overall with combined scores of 241, 242, 245 and 240 points.  They have scored at least 116 points in six consecutive games as well.

The Dallas Mavericks have been playing in a lot more high scoring games of late with Christian Wood in the lineup.  They have combined for 221 or more points in eight of their last 10 games overall and 229 or more points in seven of those.

The OVER is 10-2 in the last 12 meetings between the Mavericks and Blazers with 224 or more combined points in 11 of those 12 meetings.  That makes for an 11-1 system backing the OVER pertaining to this 222.5-point total.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Knicks/Bulls UNDER 228.5

I love this spot for an UNDER bet.  The Knicks and Bulls just played on Wednesday with the Knicks winning 128-120 (OT) in a game that was tied 117-117 at the end of regulation.  The total was 226.5 for that game, and the books have made the mistake of adjusting it up to 228.5 for the rematch here two days later.

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  Both teams shot lights out in that first meeting and it won't happen again.  The Bulls shot 54.8% from the field, while the Knicks shot 49.5% from the field including a ridiculous 18-of-34 (52.9%) from 3-point range.  The Knicks are one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the league at 32.6% for the season, so it was clearly an aberration.

The UNDER is 6-1 in Knicks last seven games overall.  The UNDER is 8-3 in Knicks last 11 road games.  The UNDER is 6-2 in the last eight meetings.  The UNDER is 5-1-1 in Bulls last seven games following a loss.  The UNDER is 20-8-1 in Bulls last 29 games following an ATS loss.  Roll with the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* Warriors/76ers ESPN ANNIHILATOR on Philadelphia -6.5

The Philadelphia 76ers are at full strength in the health department right now with the exception of Tyrese Maxey.  They are playing their best basketball of the season going 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall with wins by 11 over the Lakers, by 18 over the Hornets and by 20 over the Kings.

Now the 76ers come in on two days' rest and highly motivated to face the defending champion Warriors.  But the Warriors have just been going through the motions all season, and they are going to regret that with the injuries that are starting to pile up for them.

Indeed, the Warriors will be without their top two scorers in Steph Curry (30.0 PPG, 6.8 APG, 6.6 RPG) and Andrew Wiggins (19.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG).  Both Klay Thompson (18.7 PPG) and Draymond Green (8.1 PPG, 6.7 APG, 6.0 RPG) are questionable to play tonight as well.  Either way, the Warriors stand no chance of being competitive without Curry and Wiggins.

The Warriors are 2-13 SU & 3-12 ATS on the road this season.  The 76ers are 10-5 SU & 11-4 ATS at home this season.  Philadelphia is 8-1 ATS in home games vs. good shooting teams that make 46% or better this season.  The 76ers are 8-0 ATS when playing 6 or less games in 14 days this season.  Take the 76ers Friday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE WEEK on Orlando Magic +13.5

The Orlando Magic have quietly gone 4-1 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall with four upset victories outright.  They only lost by 7 to the Bucks as 10-point dogs, beat the Clippers outright as 6.5-point dogs, beat the Raptors by 4 and 12 outright as 8 and 7-point dogs, and beat the Hawks by 11 outright as 3-point dogs.

This is a good spot for the Magic playing just their 2nd game in 5 days.  This is a terrible spot for the Celtics returning home from a six-game road trip that concluded in Los Angeles.  I always like fading teams in their first game back home following a long road trip because there are so many distractions they have to deal with.  The Celtics haven't been home since December 2nd.

The Magic are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game.  The Celtics are 1-5 ATS in their last six games playing on two days' rest.  Plays against home favorites of 10 or more points (Boston) - after failing to cover two of their last three ATS, when playing on two days' rest are 30-8 (78.9%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Magic Friday.

20* Pacers/Cavs NBA Friday No-Brainer on OVER 222.5

The Indiana Pacers are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 2nd in the NBA in pace and 23rd in defensive efficiency.  They have combined for 232 or more points in four of their last five games overall, including 269 with the Nets and 244 with the Warriors.

The Cleveland Cavaliers just got Donovan Mitchell back from injury.  They also got Kevin Love back.  They are a very good offensive team as long as Mitchell is on the floor.  They will have no problem getting up and down with the Pacers tonight in a shootout.

The last two meetings between the Pacers and Cavaliers went way OVER the total.  They combined for 251 points with a 222.5-point total and 233 points with a 216-point total.  The OVER is 6-1 in Pacers last seven games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Roll with the OVER in this game Friday.

20* NBA Non-Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Kings/Pistons OVER 238

The Sacramento Kings are an OVER team when De'Aaron Fox is healthy, which is the case right now.  They rank 6th in pace, 7th in offensive efficiency and 21st in defensive efficiency on the season.  They are coming off a 124-123 win at Toronto for 247 combined points.

The Detroit Pistons are an OVER team of late.  After combining for 241 points at the end of regulation with the Lakers, they combined for 254 points with the Hornets at the end of regulation last time out.

The OVER is 3-0 in the last three meetings with combined scores of 236, 264 and 266 points.  That 266-point effort came in their first meeting this season, so we have a lot of room to spare here with this 238-point total.

The OVER is 4-0 in Pistons last four home games.  The OVER is 10-4-1 in the last 15 meetings in Detroit.  Detroit is 16-4 OVER in its last 20 non-conference home games.  Sacramento is 15-5 OVER in its last 20 games vs. bad teams outscored by 6-plus PPG.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Hawks/Hornets OVER 232.5

La'Melo Ball (20.3 PPG, 8.0 APG) just returned from injury last time out.  The Hornets lost 134-141 (OT) to the Pistons in a game that saw 254 combined points at the end of regulation.  They were already a dead nuts OVER team without him, and they are one of biggest OVER teams with him.

They rank 10th in pace this season despite only playing four games with Ball, and they will be one of the fastest-paced teams moving forward with him in the lineup.  The Hornets are 25th in defensive efficiency and will continue being one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA.

The Atlanta Hawks are without their two best defenders right now in Clint Capela and Dejounte Murray.  They have allowed 220 or more points in four consecutive games but they have scored at least 116 points in three of their last four.  Their are fine offensively as long as Tray Young is in the lineup, and they are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA without Capela and Murray.

The Hornets and Hawks have combined for exactly 235 points in each of their last two meetings.  The OVER is 4-0 in Hawks last four games overall.  The OVER is 7-1 in Hawks last eight road games vs. a team with a losing home record.  The OVER is 21-6 in Hawks last 27 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  The OVER is 5-0 in Hornets last five games following an ATS loss.  Take the OVER in this game Friday.

20* NBA Thursday No-Doubt Rout on New Orleans Pelicans ML -118

I love the spot for the New Orleans Pelicans tonight.  They will be out for revenge from a 100-121 loss at Utah on Tuesday.  Now they get to face the Jazz just two days later, and they will be the more motivated team, while the Jazz will relax after just blowing them out.

The Pelicans were 12-2 SU & 10-4 ATS in their previous 14 games before losing to the Jazz.  It was an aberration as it was one of their worst shooting performances of the season.  They shot just 39.8% as a team, 4-of-27 (14.8%) from 3-point range and 22-of-33 (66.7%) from the FT line.  They will shoot better in all three areas in this rematch.

The Jazz were not playing well coming into that game.  They were 3-8 SU & 3-8 ATS in their previous 11 games overall.  They are still without Collin Sexton (14.3 PPG) and I don't expect them to play nearly as well as they did Tuesday night in the rematch.

Plays on road favorites (New Orleans) - revenging a loss where opponent scored 110 or more points, off an upset loss as a favorite are 60-26 (69.8%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Take the Pelicans on the Money Line Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Houston Rockets +4.5

The Houston Rockets have quietly gone 4-2 SU & 4-2 ATS in their last six games overall despite being a 6.5-point dog or higher in five games.  They pulled the upset as 11.5-point road dogs to Phoenix and upset the Suns again as 6.5-point home dogs.  They upset the 76ers as 8-point home dogs and upset the Bucks as 10-point home dogs.  So it's not like they are beating bad teams, they are beating the best teams in the NBA has to offer.

Now the Rockets are undervalued once again as home underdogs to the Miami Heat, who are in an absolutely terrible spot tonight.  The Heat will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 110-108 win in Oklahoma City last night.  It will also be the 7th game in 11 days for the Heat, which is about as tough a spot as you will find in the NBA.  Don't be surprised if they rest several players tonight given the spot.

Miami is 2-10 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  The Heat are 1-4 ATS in their last five games playing on zero rest.  Miami is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games vs. a team with a losing record.  Houston is 6-0 ATS in its last six home games.  Roll with the Rockets Thursday.

20* Timberwolves/Clippers ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles -6

The Los Angeles Clippers were the preseason favorites to win the NBA title.  But injuries have held them back thus far.  Now we are seeing a glimpse of how good this team can be with both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George back from injury for a few games now.

The Clippers just blasted the Celtics 113-93 at home on Wednesday.  The Celtics have the best record in the NBA, so that was no small feat.  And now I expect them to blast the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves tonight.

The Timberwolves are coming off two consecutive road losses at Portland by 6 and at Portland by 21 in the rematch.  They will now be playing their 4th road game in 6 days.  They are without Karl-Anthony Towns (20.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG) and Jalen McDaniels (10.8 PPG) and could be without De'Angelo Russell (16.6 PPG, 6.3 APG), who is questionable with a knee injury.

Los Angeles is 5-1 ATS in its last six home meetings with Minnesota.  The Timberwolves are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games.  Roll with the Clippers Wednesday.

20* NBA Western Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Blazers/Spurs OVER 229

The Portland Trail Blazers have Damian Lillard back healthy now and are a dead nuts OVER team as a result.  They are 5-1-1 OVER in their last seven games overall with combined scores of 230 or more points in five of those seven games with 227 in another.  They have scored at least 116 points in five consecutive games.

The San Antonio Spurs are a dead nuts OVER team as it is.  They rank 5th in the NBA in pace and dead last (30th) in defensive efficiency.  They have scored 112, 115 and 118 points in their last three games overall.  They are allowing 120.1 points per game and 50.4% shooting on the season.

The OVER is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings in San Antonio.  Portland is 13-2 OVER in its last 15 games following two or more consecutive home wins and we're seeing 236.2 combined points per game in this spot.

Plays on the OVER on all teams where the total is 210 or higher (Portland) - a good free throw shooting team (76-79%) against an average free throw shooting team (72-76%), a hot shooting team making 47% or higher in four consecutive games are 32-6 (84.2%) over the last five seasons.  Take the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday UPSET SHOCKER on Orlando Magic +3

The Orlando Magic are quietly playing their best basketball of the season right now.  They are 3-1 SU & 4-0 ATS against a brutal schedule with their lone loss coming by 7 as 10-point dogs to Milwaukee.  They upset the Clippers by 5 as 6.5-point dogs, upset the Raptors by 4 as 8-point dogs and upset the Raptors by 12 as 7-point dogs.

The Magic now come in on two days' rest and will upset the short-handed Atlanta Hawks tonight.  The Hawks are 1-4 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall with their lone win coming by a single point over the Bulls in OT.  The Hawks are 5-9 SU & 5-9 ATS on the road this season.

The Hawks are without Dejounte Murray (20.8 PPG, 6.2 APG) and John Collins (12.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG) and could be without Trae Young (27.1 PPG, 9.6 APG), who is questionable tonight with a nagging back injury.  They shouldn't be favored without Murray and Collins alone, but they definitely shouldn't be favored with Young hampered.

Plays on home teams with a line of +3 to -3 (Orlando) - after beating the spread by 18 or more points total in their last three games, in the first half of the season are 70-32 (68.6%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Magic Wednesday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Pistons/Hornets OVER 226.5

The Detroit Pistons are a dead nuts OVER team right now.  They have combined with their opponents for 232 or more points in four of their last seven games overall.  They rank 29th in defensive efficiency this season and play a Charlotte Hornets team that ranks 24th in defensive efficiency.

The Hornets are also a dead nuts OVER team right now.  They have combined for 233 or more points with their opponents in five of their last seven games overall.  And they haven't had their best player in La'Melo Ball (19.3 PPG, 7.0 APG) for this stretch, and he has been upgraded to questionable and will likely make his return tonight.  Ball averaged 20.1 PPG and 7.6 APG last season and has only played in three games this season.

The OVER is 3-0 in the last three meetings between Detroit and Charlotte with combined scores of 253, 260 and 251 points.  The OVER is 9-1 in Hornets last 10 games playing on two days' rest.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Night BLOWOUT on New Orleans Pelicans -1.5

Nobody is playing better than the New Orleans Pelicans right now, and Zion Williamson is showing his importance to this team.  They have kept winning despite being without Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum for stretches because of Williamson and their underrated role players.

The Pelicans are 12-2 SU & 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games overall with their two losses coming to two of the best teams in the NBA in Memphis and Boston.  They have won seven consecutive games with four of those coming by double-digits and will be highly motivated to extend that winning streak to eight games tonight.  They are rested and ready to go playing just their 4th game in 9 days.

The Utah Jazz have hit the skids after a fast start to the season.  They are just 3-8 SU & 4-7 ATS in their last 11 games overall.  Injuries have played a role in their struggles and they remain without Collin Sexton (14.3 PPG) tonight.  Utah ranks just 26th in defensive efficiency while New Orleans ranks 3rd, and that will be the difference in this game tonight.

Utah is 7-21 ATS in its last 28 games following a road loss.  Plays on road favorites (New Orleans) - revenging a loss where opponent scored 100 or more points against an opponent that's off a road cover where they lost SU as an underdog are 28-8 (77.8%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Take the Pelicans Tuesday.

20* Warriors/Bucks TNT No-Brainer on Milwaukee -3.5

The Milwaukee Bucks have a massive home-court advantage.  They are 12-3 SU & 10-5 ATS at home this season and outscoring opponents by 8.5 points per game.  They will be highly motivated to beat the defending champion Warriors tonight, and you know it's going to be a sell out and an even bigger home-court advantage than normal for the Bucks tonight.

The Warriors have been dreadful on the road going 2-11 SU & 3-10 ATS while getting outscored by 8.0 points per game.  They are without second-leading scorer Andrew Wiggins (19.1 PPG) and I don't give them much of a chance to even be competitive with the Bucks tonight without him.

The home team is 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.  The Bucks won by 19 and 39 points in their last two home meetings with the Warriors.  Milwaukee is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games vs. good shooting teams that make 48% or better.  Bet the Bucks Tuesday.

15* Celtics/Clippers NBA TV Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles +4.5

The Los Angeles Clippers are as healthy as they have been all season with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard back in the lineup for a few games now.  The chemistry should get better with each passing game, and the Clippers should start playing like the team that was favored to win the NBA Finals coming into the season sooner rather than later.

Now they host a Boston Celtics team in a terrible spot.  The Celtics wanted revenge on the Warriors from losing to them in the NBA Finals and came up short Saturday, losing 107-123.  I think there will be a 'hangover' effect from that defeat.  It's the type of loss that can beat a team twice.

Plus, it's just time to 'sell high' on the Celtics, who have the best record in the NBA.  They were favored on the road against the Warriors, and now they're even bigger favorites on the road against the Clippers.  Plus, they will be without Al Horford tonight and were already without Robert Williams, so they are going to get killed on the boards with how small they have to go.

The Clippers are equipped better than anyone to guard Brown and Tatum with George, Leonard and Batum.  This is a great matchup for them as a result and I fully expect them to win this game outright, but we'll take the points for some insurance.  Roll with the Clippers Monday.

20* NBA Western Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Oklahoma City Thunder +8.5

It's a good time to 'buy low' on the Oklahoma City Thunder off two consecutive road losses to Memphis and Cleveland.  They had won their previous three games with two of them coming on the road in upset fashion at Minnesota and at Atlanta.  Now they are rested and ready to go playing just their 2nd game in 5 days.

The Dallas Mavericks have been one of the most overrated teams in the NBA this season.  They are 5-15-2 ATS in their last 22 games overall.  In those 22 games, they only won three times by double-digits, so they aren't blowing teams out.  The Mavericks will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days tonight as well.

The Thunder are 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings with the Mavericks not once losing by double-digits.  In fact, they pulled the outright upset as double-digit dogs in each of their last two meetings with Dallas.

The Thunder are 36-17 ATS in their last 53 road games.  Dallas is 0-6-1 ATS in its last seven games vs. a team with a losing record.  Oklahoma City is 24-8 ATS in its last 32 road games following two or more consecutive road losses.  Dallas is 5-13 ATS as a favorite this season.  Bet the Thunder Monday.

15* NBA Monday Total DOMINATOR on Heat/Pacers OVER 228

The Indiana Pacers are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 2nd in the NBA in pace, 26th in defensive efficiency and are scoring 115.9 points per game while allowing 116.7 points per game.  Any total of less than 230 for the Pacers is worth a look to the OVER.

The Miami Heat are as healthy as they have been all season and are potent on offense when that's the case.  They have some of the best shooters in the NBA.  But they have slipped defensively this season, allowing 110.3 points per game on 47.5% shooting.  The loss of PJ Tucker has really hurt them defensively.

Six of Indiana's last eight games have seen 231 or more combined points.  Indiana is 18-4 OVER in its last 22 games following an upset loss as a home favorite.  Miami is 11-1 OVER in its last 12 road games vs. teams that attempt 39 or more 3-pointers per game.  The OVER is 35-15-1 in Pacers last 51 home games.  Take the OVER in this game Monday.

20* NBA Sunday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Bucks/Rockets OVER 226.5

The Houston Rockets are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 10th in pace this season and 29th in defensive efficiency, but they have talent on offense and can score.  They face a Milwaukee Bucks team that is as healthy as they have been all season now and one of the most efficient offenses in the NBA when that's the case.

The recent head-to-head history between Milwaukee and Houston really stands out.  The Bucks and Rockets have combined for at least 228 points in each of their last seven meetings.  That makes for a 7-0 system backing the OVER pertaining to this 226.5-point total.  Take the OVER in this game Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Chicago Bulls +3.5

The Chicago Bulls will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back, but it's pretty much a non-factor because they blew out the Mavericks 144-115 at home so they got to rest their starters in the 4th quarter.  Plus, the Bulls will be playing just their 3rd game in 7 days, so they are still very fresh and ready to go.

The Atlanta Hawks are in a world of hurt right now in the injury department, so they should not be favored in this game.  The only reason they are favored is because the Bulls are playing the 2nd of a back-to-back.

The Hawks are just 2-6 SU & 3-5 ATS in their last eight games overall.  The Hawks are without Dejounte Murray (20.8 PPG, 6.2 APG) and John Collins (12.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG) tonight and could be without De'Andre Hunter (14.9 PPG), who is questionable.  Roll with the Bulls Sunday.