15* Knicks/76ers ESPN ANNIHILATOR on Philadelphia -2

The spot really favors the Philadelphia 76ers tonight.  They had yesterday off and are the healthier team tonight.  The Knicks will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back off an OT loss to the Indiana Pacers last night.

The Knicks will also be playing their 5th game in 7 days tonight.  They will be playing their 10th game in 15 days as well.  Brunson played 42 minutes, Bridges 42, Hart 41 and Towns 32 last night.  They will be without OG Anunoby, and I wouldn't be surprised if any of those guys that played last night sit tonight as well.  Bet the 76ers Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday UPSET SHOCKER on Toronto Raptors ML +107

Both Jalen Duren (17.7 PPG, 10.4 RPG) and Isaiah Steward (10.0 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.7 BPG) have been suspended for their roles in the brawl with the Charlotte Hornets.  That's going to leave the Pistons extremely short-handed inside.  The Raptors are a lengthy team that can take advantage of it and get buckets at the rim at will.

The Raptors are 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last four games overall beating Chicago by 16, Indiana by 18, Utah by 7 and losing by just 2 to the Timberwolves.  They have had the last two days off, and they have the All-Star Break on deck.  They will be fresh and 'all in' to get a win tonight over the Pistons.

Detroit is in a letdown spot off that emotional win over the Hornets that ended in a brawl.  The Pistons have locked up the best record in the East by 5.5 games no matter the result tonight.  They could be looking ahead to the break.  Wrong team favored here.  Bet the Raptors on the Money Line Wednesday.

20* NBA Western Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Mavs/Suns OVER 228.5

The Phoenix Suns have Devin Booker back healthy and are back to being potent offensively.  That's especially the case with Jalen Green now healthy alongside him.  Coming off one of their worst shooting performances of the season where they hit just 39.8% from the field and 23.9% from 3-point range, the Suns will bust out tonight against the lowly Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavericks have no healthy big men left.  That has forced them to go more small ball, and the result has been a lot higher-scoring games and no defense.  The Mavericks are coming off consecutive shootout losses with the Spurs.  They lost 135-123 for 258 combined points and 138-125 for 263 combined points in the rematch.

The OVER is 2-0 in the last two meetings with 241 combined points in their final meeting last season, and 237 combined points in their first meeting this season.  It should be more of the same tonight as this total of 228.5 is too low.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Los Angeles Clippers +8

The Los Angeles Clippers are coming off a 115-96 road win as similar 8.5-point dogs at Minnesota.  They got Bennedict Mathurin expected to play tonight after sitting out that game since his trade from the Pacers.  Mathurin (17.8 PPG) provides a much-needed offensive punch at the guard position to take some of the onus off Kawhi Leonard, who is playing as well as he ever has.

The Houston Rockets have been a money burner for months, going just 5-15 ATS in their last 20 games overall.  They have just one win by double-digits in their last 20 games.  Asking them to win this game by 9-plus points to beat us tonight is asking too much.  

The Clippers are 12-4 SU & 10-6 ATS in their last 12 games overall.  Bet the Clippers Tuesday.

15* NBA Monday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Cavs/Nuggets OVER 237.5

No analysis. On vacation from Tuesday, February 3rd to Monday, February 9th. Will be back with analysis Tuesday, February 10th.

15* NBA Monday Total DOMINATOR on Jazz/Heat OVER 239.5

No analysis. On vacation from Tuesday, February 3rd to Monday, February 9th. Will be back with analysis Tuesday, February 10th.

15* NBA Saturday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Jazz/Magic OVER 237

No analysis. On vacation from Tuesday, February 3rd to Monday, February 9th. Will be back with analysis Tuesday, February 10th.

15* Rockets/Thunder ABC ANNIHILATOR on UNDER 213

No analysis. On vacation from Tuesday, February 3rd to Monday, February 9th. Will be back with analysis Tuesday, February 10th.

20* NBA Western Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Pelicans/Timberwolves OVER 236

No analysis. On vacation from Tuesday, February 3rd to Monday, February 9th. Will be back with analysis Tuesday, February 10th.

15* NBA Friday Undervalued Underdog on Miami Heat +7

No analysis. On vacation from Tuesday, February 3rd to Monday, February 9th. Will be back with analysis Tuesday, February 10th.

15* NBA Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Phoenix Suns -6.5

No analysis. On vacation from Tuesday, February 3rd to Monday, February 9th. Will be back with analysis Tuesday, February 10th.

15* NBA Thursday Total DOMINATOR on Warriors/Suns UNDER 217.5

No analysis. On vacation from Tuesday, February 3rd to Monday, February 9th. Will be back with analysis Tuesday, February 10th.

20* 76ers/Lakers NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on OVER 231.5

No analysis. On vacation from Tuesday, February 3rd to Monday, February 9th. Will be back with analysis Tuesday, February 10th.

15* NBA Thursday Undervalued Underdog on Charlotte Hornets +3.5

No analysis. On vacation from Tuesday, February 3rd to Monday, February 9th. Will be back with analysis Tuesday, February 10th.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Jazz/Hawks OVER 240.5

No analysis. On vacation from Tuesday, February 3rd to Monday, February 9th. Will be back with analysis Tuesday, February 10th.

20* Thunder/Spurs ESPN No-Brainer on UNDER 225.5

No analysis. On vacation from Tuesday, February 3rd to Monday, February 9th. Will be back with analysis Tuesday, February 10th.

15* Nuggets/Knicks ESPN ANNIHILATOR on New York -5

No analysis. On vacation from Tuesday, February 3rd to Monday, February 9th. Will be back with analysis Tuesday, February 10th.

15* NBA Tuesday Late-Night BAILOUT on Suns/Blazers UNDER 218

No analysis. On vacation from Tuesday, February 3rd to Monday, February 9th. Will be back with analysis Tuesday, February 10th.

20* NBA GAME OF THE WEEK on Indiana Pacers +6.5

The Indiana Pacers are playing their best basketball of the season right now.  They are 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last four games overall.  They upset the Thunder outright as 15.5-point road dogs, and upset both the Bulls and Hawks at home.  This resurgence has to do with the fact that they are as healthy as they have been all season right now.

The same cannot be said for the Rockets, who have battled injuries for a while now and will be without both Kevin Durant and Steven Adams tonight.  The Rockets are just 4-12 ATS in their last 16 games overall.  They aren't blowing anyone out with just one win by double-digits in their last 16 games.  Bet the Pacers Monday.

20* Thunder/Nuggets NBC Late-Night BAILOUT on Denver +8.5

The Denver Nuggets just got Nikola Jokic back healthy.  The MVP returned last game to lead the Nuggets to a 122-109 home win over the Clippers as 2.5-point dogs.  Jokic looked like his MVP self, posting a double-double with 31 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are going through their worst stretch of the season largely due to injuries.  They are 1-3 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall with four outright upset losses at home to Indiana as 15.5-point favorites, at home to Toronto as 11.5-point favorites and at Minnesota as 5.5-point favorites.  They also needed a late surge to get by the Pelicans by 9 as 14.5-point home favorites.

The Thunder will be without Williams (16.8 PPG), Mitchell (14.1 PPG) and Caruso again tonight.  They can't be favored by 8.5 on the road here without these three, especially with Jokic back for the Nuggets.  This line is inflated.  Bet the Nuggets Sunday.

20* Lakers/Knicks NBC No-Brainer on OVER 229

The Lakers are a dead nuts OVER team going 27-20 OVER in all games this season.  They are coming off a 142-111 road win at Washington for 253 combined points.  The Lakers rank 7th in offensive rating but just 25th in defensive rating.  They are fully healthy if Austin Reaves returns tonight, which he is likely to do.

The Knicks are also fully healthy with the exception of Deuce McBride.  They are an elite offensive team ranking 3rd in offensive rating and will hang a big number on the Lakers tonight to lead the way to us cashing this OVER ticket.  

It's a good time to 'buy low' on a Knicks OVER considering they have gone under the total in seven straight coming in.  The Lakers are far and away the best offensive team they will have faced during this stretch.  This has shootout written all over it in Madison Square Garden tonight.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday Total DOMINATOR on Jazz/Raptors OVER 235.5

The Utah Jazz are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 3rd in pace and dead last (30th) in defensive rating this season.  The Jazz and their opponents have consistently topped this 235.5-point total all season.

The Raptors are fully healthy with the exception of Jakob Poeltl, which makes them play more small ball without their starting center.  That favors OVERS.  They are coming off a 130-120 loss in Orlando for 250 combined points.

The OVER is 7-1 in the last eight meetings between the Raptors and Jazz with 238 or more combined points in five of their last six meetings.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

15* NBA Western Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Minnesota Timberwolves -7

The Minnesota Timberwolves are fully healthy and crushing the opposition.  They have gone 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall with a 25-point home win over Golden State, a 13-point road win at Dallas and a 12-point upset home win over the OKC Thunder the very next night.

The Memphis Grizzlies are down and out.  It's a banged up Grizzlies team full of trade rumors surrounding Ja Morant, who remains out with an injury.  Santi Aldama, Brandon Clark, Zach Edey, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Ty Jerome are all out, too.  And now Jaren Jackson Jr. will sit tonight.

It's no wonder the Grizzlies are just 3-12 SU & 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games overall.  Two wins came by a combined 6 points while the other was in the revenge game against the Magic overseas.

Memphis will have nothing left in the tank playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 114-106 road loss to the New Orleans Pelicans last night.  They have very little talent with the lineups they will be sending on the court tonight, and certainly not enough talent to compete with a team the caliber of Minnesota.  Bet the Timberwolves Saturday.

15* NBA Eastern Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Indiana Pacers ML +105

The Indiana Pacers are a s healthy as they have been all season and playing some of their best basketball of the season as a result.  They have gone 6-5 SU in their last 11 games overall with upset wins over OKC, Chicago, Boston, Miami and Charlotte.

The Pacers will be motivated for revenge after losing 132-116 in Atlanta just five days ago.  They are rested and ready for revenge after having the last two days off, and they will be playing just their 3rd game in 8 days.

The Hawks are a tired, beat up team playing their 3rd game in 4 days after a 104-86 home loss to Houston.  They are without both Kristaps Porzingis (17.1 PPG) and Onyeka Okongwu (16.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG), so they will get dominated in the paint without their two big men.  Both Jalen Johnson (22.9 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 7.9 APG) and Zacharie Risacher (11.2 PPG) are questionable to play tonight for the Hawks, too.  Bet the Pacers on the Money Line Saturday.

15* NBA Friday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Nets/Jazz OVER 226.5

The Utah Jazz are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 2nd in pace and dead last (30th) in defensive rating.  This total of 226.5 is way too low for a game involving the Jazz, especially with them controlling the tempo playing at home tonight.

The Jazz are 19-7 OVER in all home games this season.  They are averaging 122.7 points per game and allowing 129.8 points per game at home, combining with their opponents to average 252.5 combined points per game.

The Jazz beat the Nets 123-110 in their first meeting this season for 233 combined points in a game that went over the 231.5-point total.  This total cannot be adjusted 5 points down in the rematch.  The Nets shot just 11-of-42 (26%) from 3 in that first meeting, too.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday No-Doubt Rout on Los Angeles Clippers -6

The Los Angeles Clippers are 16-3 SU & 15-4 ATS in their last 19 games overall.  They are rested and ready to go tonight after having the last two days off, plus they will be playing just their 3rd game in 8 days.

The same cannot be said for the Nuggets, who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 107-103 home win over the lowly Brooklyn Nets last night.  It will also be their 3rd game in 4 days.

I released this play before the surprising news that Nikola Jokic would return tonight, but he will be on a minutes restriction.  The Nuggets are still without several key players including Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, Christian Braun and possibly others.  I like the spot for the Clippers either way.  Bet the Clippers Friday.

15* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Grizzlies/Pelicans OVER 231

Two dead nuts OVER teams square off here in the Pelicans and Grizzlies.  This will be a rematch from a 133-127 win by the Pelicans on January 23rd just a week ago today that saw 260 combined points.  It's not like either team shot lights out with the Grizzlies are 48.9% from the field and 38.3% from 3-point range and the Pelicans at 46.5% from the field and 36.1% from 3-point range.

The Pelicans rank 11th in pace and 27th in defensive rating.  The Grizzlies rank 12th in pace.  Both teams want to get up and down, and this total of 231 is too short for a game involving these two teams, especially when you consider the total a week ago was set at 240.5.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on New Orleans Pelicans -2

The New Orleans Pelicans are as healthy as they have been all season and playing well.  They have gone 2-1 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall.  They upset the Grizzlies 133-127 as 4.5-point road dogs, upset the Spurs 104-95 as 11.5-point road dogs and took the Thunder to the wire in a 9-point loss as 14.5-point road dogs.

Now the Pelicans are fresh and ready to go after having the last two days off.  They will be hosting the same Grizzlies team they just beat on the road.  It's a banged up Grizzlies team full of trade rumors surrounding Ja Morant, who remains out with an injury.  Santi Aldama, Brandon Clark, Zach Edey, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Ty Jerome are all out, too.

It's no wonder the Grizzlies are just 3-11 SU & 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games overall.  Two wins came by a combined 6 points while the other was in the revenge game against the Magic overseas.  This is one of the worst teams in the NBA right now in their current state, and they are getting way too much respect here as only 2-point road dogs at New Orleans.  Bet the Pelicans Friday.

20* Thunder/Timberwolves NBA No-Brainer on UNDER 224.5

Familiarity favors defense and low-scoring games.  These teams met in the playoffs last year and they have already squared off twice this season.  Each of the first two meetings this season went UNDER the total with 218 and 219 combined points.  This total of 224.5 is too high tonight given the familiarity and the defensive intensity these teams play with when they get together.

Oklahoma City has so many injuries that are really hampering them offensively.  The Thunder are without Williams (16.8 PPG) and Mitchell (14.1 PPG) with Wallace (7.3 PPG) questionable tonight.  They are coming off a pair of very low-scoring games losing 103-101 to Toronto for 204 combined points and winning 104-95 over New Orleans for 199 combined points.  

The Thunder have gone for 224 or fewer combined points in five of their last eight games overall.  Minnesota is 4-0 UNDER in its last four games overall.  That includes 196 combined points with Golden State, 191 with the Warriors again, and 223 with the Mavericks.  Bet the UNDER in this game Thursday.

15* NBA Wednesday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Charlotte Hornets -2

The Charlotte Hornets have gone 17-8 ATS in their last 25 games overall.  They have gone 4-1 SU in their last five games overall with blowout wins over the 76ers by 37 at home, and the Nuggets by 23 and Magic by 27 on the road.  They are playing their best basketball of the season right now.

A big reason for this Charlotte resurgence is the health of their four best players in Ball, Bridges, Knueppel and Miller, who are all averaging at least 18.5 points per game.  Collin Sexton (14.6 PPG) is healthy as well.  The lineup of those first four plus Moussa Diabate (8.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG) has been one of the best lineups in the NBA this season.

The Memphis Grizzlies are a mess right now.  They are without JA Morant, and they are dealing with trade rumors involving him as well.  They just don't have that much talent without him, which is a big reason they are 3-10 SU & 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games overall.  Bet the Hornets Wednesday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Miami Heat -2.5

The Miami Heat are 0-3 SU in three meetings with the Orlando Magic this season with losses by 1, 4 and 9 points.  All three meetings were on the road in Orlando, and now the Heat get them at home for the first time this season.  No question they are highly motivated tonight playing with triple revenge.

The Heat are playing some of their best basketball of the season right now coming off road wins at Utah by 31 and Phoenix by 9 on back-to-back days.  They have since had the last two days off to rest and prepare to get their revenge, and I expect a big effort from them back at home tonight where they are 15-7 this season.

The Magic are playing some of their worst basketball of the season coming into this one.  They are 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall losing by 17 to Memphis overseas, by 27 to Charlotte at home, by 14 to Cleveland at home and by 16 to Cleveland on the road.

A big reason for the Magic struggles is that they are without arguably their most important player in Franz Wagner (22.1 PPG).  Orlando is just 9-12 SU on the road this season.  The Magic are just 6-19 ATS in their last 25 games overall.  Bet the Heat Wednesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on New Orleans Pelicans +14.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder are decimated by injuries right now.  They are without Jalen Williams (16.8 PPG), Ajay Mitchell (14.1 PPG), Isaiah Hartenstein (11.2 PPG, 10.4 RPG) and Alex Caruso with Cason Wallace listed as questionable.

It's easy to see why the Thunder haven't been living up to expectations without these guys.  In fact, they are coming off consecutive upset losses to the Pacers 117-114 as 15.5-point home favorites and the Raptors 103-101 as 11.5-point home favorites.  Now they are favored by 14.5 against the Pelicans, which is too much without these guys.

The Pelicans are as healthy as they have been all season.  That helps explain why they are coming off consecutive outright upset road victories at Memphis 133-127 as 4.5-point dogs and at San Antonio 104-95 as 11.5-point dogs.  Now they will be motivated to give the defending champs a run for their money tonight.  Bet the Pelicans Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on New York Knicks -14

The New York Knicks have finally had some time off to get healthy.  They are now fully healthy for basically the first time all season and it's starting to show.  They have gone 2-0 SU & 2-0 ATS in their last two games beating Brooklyn 120-66 as 12.5-point home favorites and Philadelphia 112-109 as 1.5-point road favorites.

The Knicks will be fresh and ready to go tonight.  They will be playing just their 2nd game in 6 days.  They want revenge from a 112-101 loss at Sacramento as 10.5-point favorites on January 14th, which is the game Jalen Brunson got hurt in and played just 5 minutes before exiting.

The Kings will be without three of their top seven scorers tonight in LaVine (19.5 PPG), Murray (14.6 PPG) and Monk (12.5 PPG).  They stand little chance of keeping this game competitive without these three guys.

The Kings have really come back down to reality in recent weeks going 0-5 SU & 1-4 ATS n their last five games overall.  They are coming off a 139-1116 loss in Detroit.  They will be playing their 3rd consecutive road game and their 10th game in 17 days, so they are a very tired team right now.  Bet the Knicks Tuesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Chicago Bulls +1

The Chicago Bulls have quietly gone 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall and are playing some of their best basketball of the season thanks to a return to health.  They beat Brooklyn by 22 at home, the Clippers by 28 at home, upset the Timberwolves by 5 as 9.5-point road dogs and upset the Celtics by 3 as 3.5-point home dogs.

The Bulls should not be home underdogs to the Lakers, who are in a massive letdown spot.  After losing to the Clippers, they bounced back with a 116-110 road win at Dallas, a game that was very important to Luka Doncic.  Now they will have a letdown here after those two huge games.

The Lakers will be playing in their 6th different arena in 10 days with a lot of travel considering five of those six games were on the road.  They are a banged up team playing without Austin Reaves (26.6 PPG, 6.3 APG), and Jake LaRavia (9.5 PPG) is questionable tonight.

The Lakers are just 4-6 SU & 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  The Bulls are 6-2 SU & 5-3 ATS in their last eight meetings with the Lakers with four of those wins coming by double-digits.  Bet the Bulls Monday.

20* NBA Western Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Pelicans/Spurs OVER 239.5

The New Orleans Pelicans are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 9th in pace and 27th in defensive rating.  They are coming off a 133-127 win at Memphis for 260 combined points, and it will be more of the same tonight against the Spurs.  They are as healthy as they have been all season and a potent offensive team in their current state.

This is a good opportunity to 'buy low' on an OVER in a game involving the Spurs.  They have gone under the total in 11 of their last 12 games overall.  But they are now as healthy as they have been all season and get Devin Vassell (14.9 PPG) back from injury.  They have eight players averaging double-digits scoring and all eight are available tonight.

The OVER is 3-0 in the last three meetings.  Each of the last two meetings this season were extremely high-scoring as they combined for 267 and 245 points.  This total of 239.5 is too short tonight given how healthy both teams are.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

15* NBA Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Heat/Jazz OVER 245.5

The Miami Heat are a dead nuts OVER team ranking 1st in the NBA in pace.  The Heat are 6-1 OVER in their last seven games overall going for 233 or more combined points in all seven games.  They went for 248 with the Suns, 242 with the Thunder, 247 with the Warriors, 247 with the Kings and 237 with the Blazers despite only 42 combined points in the 4th.

The Jazz are also a dead nuts OVER team ranking 3rd in the NBA in pace and dead last (30th) in defensive rating.  They have gone 28-17 OVER in all games this season, including 17-6 OVER at home where they are scoring 123.7 points per game and allowing 129.2 points per game.  That's an average of 252.9 points per game at home.  This has shootout written all over it tonight.  Bet the OVER in this game Saturday.

20* NBA Saturday UPSET SHOCKER on Chicago Bulls ML +100

The Chicago Bulls have quietly gone 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall and are playing some of their best basketball of the season thanks to a return to health.  They beat Brooklyn by 22 at home, the Clippers by 28 at home and upset the Timberwolves by 5 as 9.5-point road dogs.

Now the Bulls want revenge from a 115-101 road loss at Boston earlier this month.  And they should get it given the horrific spot for the Celtics tonight.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a double-OT game last night against the Nets.

The Celtics had five players play at least 34 minutes last night including 46 minutes from Brown and 40 from Pritchard.  Don't be surprised if Brown or more sit in this one.  Bet the Bulls Saturday.

20* NBA Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Orlando Magic PK

I love the spot for the Orlando Magic tonight.  They are coming off one of their worst losses of the season in a 124-97 home loss to the Charlotte Hornets.  It was a bad spot for them in their first game back from overseas after playing a double-header with the Grizzlies over the pond.

Now the Magic are back home and settled in and will come back with a much better effort tonight.  They also get Jalen Suggs (15.0 PPG, 4.7 APG) back from injury finally, and he means everything to this team.  I would argue he is their most important player with what he does to get the offense going and defend on the perimeter.

This is a terrible spot for the Cleveland Cavaliers.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 123-118 home win over the Kings last night as 12.5-point favorites.  They are without Darius Garland (18.0 PPG, 6.9 APG) and Sam Merrill (13.8 PPG, 45.5% 3-pointers).  Four starters played at least 33 minutes for the Cavaliers last night and they could elect to rest one or multiple.  Bet the Magic Saturday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Phoenix Suns -2.5

The Phoenix Suns are the most underrated team in the NBA this season.  They are 27-17 SU & 30-12-2 ATS in all games.  This despite battling injuries for much of the season.  But now they are as healthy as they have been all season and a dangerous team moving forward.

The Suns have done this despite Jalen Green (14.3 PPG) playing in three games all season.  Well, Green is back healthy now and working his way back.  They have also been without Grayson Allen (16.3 PPG) for 17 games, and Booker, Brooks and Williams have all missed at least four games this season.

The Atlanta Hawks have been terrible since trading away Trae Young for CJ McCollum.  They have gone 1-4 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall with blowout losses to the Lakers by 25, the Blazers by 16 and the Celtics by 26.

While McCollum is not fitting in well, a big reason for their struggles have been playing without both Kristaps Porzingis (17.1 PPG) and Zaccharie Risacher (11.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 0.9 SPG) during this stretch.  Both remain out tonight.  They are also a tired team not having multiple days off in a row since Christmas.  Phoenix comes in on two days' rest.  Bet the Suns Friday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Detroit Pistons -3.5

I love the spot for the Detroit Pistons tonight.  They are rested and fully healthy with the exception of bench player Caris LeVert.  They will be playing just their 5th game in 13 days.  Cade Cunningham returns to the lineup tonight.  The Pistons have won four straight overall and are 17-4 at home this season.

But this is more of a fade of the Houston Rockets.  They are as tired as they can possibly be tonight and it's showing.  The Rockets are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games overall, and the fatigure is catching up to them.

The Rockets will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a OT game against the 76ers last night.  They will also be playing their 6th game in 9 days.  Durant played 44 minutes, Thompson 42 minutes, Smith Jr. 38 minutes and Sengun 37 minutes last night.

The Rockets have already ruled out Tari Eason and Dorian Finney-Smith due to injury management tonight.  Don't be surprised if one of those starters that played big minutes last night sits tonight as well.  This is one of the worst spots I've seen for any team this season, and I'm shocked the Rockets are getting this kind of respect as only 3.5-point road dogs against the best team in the East in the Pistons tonight.  Bet the Pistons Friday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE MONTH on Heat/Blazers OVER 236.5

The Miami Heat are a dead nuts OVER team ranking 1st in the NBA in pace and are as healthy as they have been all season.  The Heat are 5-1 OVER in their last six games overall going for 133 or more combined points in all six games.  They went for 248 with the Suns, 242 with the Thunder, 247 with the Warriors and 247 with the Kings.  This total of 236.5 is short for a game involving the Heat right now.

The Blazers are getting healthy and have upped the tempo when that's the case.  They still rank 8th in pace despite all the guys they have been missing this season.  Deni Avidja (26.2 PPG) and Shaedon Sharpe (21.8 PPG) are both healthy, and they recently got Jerami Grant (19.9 PPG) and Jrue Holiday (15.1 PPG) back in the lineup.  Both are questionable tonight but should be good to go after having the last three days off.

This will be a rematch from one of the biggest shootouts of the season when the Heat beat the Blazers 136-131 at home on November 8th for 267 combined points.  Avidja had 33 points and Sharpe 21 for the Blazers, while seven different players scored in double figures for the Heat.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday Total DOMINATOR on Bulls/Timberwolves OVER 239.5

The Chicago Bulls are a dead nuts OVER team ranking 4th in pace this season.  They are as healthy as they have been in a long time with both Josh Giddey and Coby White expected to go tonight.  And Tre Jones has come up big in their place doing many of the same things they can when one or both have been missing.

The Bulls are 4-1 OVER in their last five games overall including 252 combined points with the Jazz and 248 with the Clippers.  They played four under teams during this stretch, too.  Now they face an OVER team here in the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Timberwolves are 7-3 OVER in their last 10 games overall.  They have played several absolute shootouts during this stretch combining for 249 points with the Jazz, 249 with the Spurs, 245 with the Bucks, 280 with the Cavs, 251 with the Cavs, 256 with the Wizards and 240 with the Heat.  It should be more of the same here against an OVER team in the Bulls.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

20* NBA GAME OF THE MONTH on Dallas Mavericks +5.5

The Denver Nuggets are 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall and playing well.  They are coming off a 114-97 road win at New York as 12.5-point dogs.  They have had the last two days off and will be fresh and ready to go tonight as they return home to face the Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors are a mess right now with Jimmy Butler's season-ending ACL injury suffered earlier this week, plus Jonathan Kuminga demanding a trade.  Their age is really starting to show.  The Warriors are coming off a 145-127 home loss to the Raptors as 3.5-point favorites in their 3rd game without Butler.

The Mavericks are 13-11 SU at home while the Warriors are 8-13 SU on the road.  The home team is 6-1 SU & 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.  The Warriors will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days and their 15th game in 26 days as they haven't had two days off in a row since December.  Bet the Mavericks Thursday.

15* NBA PLAY OF THE DAY on Charlotte Hornets +3.5

The Charlotte Hornets are one of the most underrated teams in the NBA right now.  They have gone 15-6 ATS in their last 21 games overall.  A big reason for this recent resurgence is due to being one of the healthiest teams in the NBA during this stretch.

Charlotte has a deadly quartet of La'Melo Ball (19.9 PPG, 7.6 APG), Brandon Miller (19.8 PPG), Miles Bridges (19.1 PPG) and Kon Knuepppel (19.0 PPG) who have all been healthy for the majority of this stretch.  They are a potent offensive team with these four healthy and geling.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are without two key players in Darius Garland (18.0 PPG, 6.9 APG) and Sam Merrill (13.8 PPG, 45.5% 3-pointers).  Their offense gets stagnant without these guys, and that was on display in their 136-104 home loss to the Thunder last time out.  Bet the Hornets Wednesday.

15* Lakers/Nuggets NBC ANNIHILATOR on OVER 228

Two dead nuts OVER teams square off tonight in this game between the Lakers and Nuggets.  The Nuggets are 1st in offensive rating while the Lakers are 9th.  The Nuggets are 23rd in defensive rating while the Lakers are 25th.  Denver is 27-16 OVER in all games this season while Los Angeles is 24-17 OVER in all games.

Three of the last four meetings between the Lakers and Nuggets have seen 228 or more combined points.  The Lakers are 4-1 OVER in their last five games overall with 236 or more combined points in four of those five, and 248 or more in three of them.  The Nuggets are 3-1 OVER in their last four games with 227 or more combined points in three of the four.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

15* Heat/Kings NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on OVER 238

The Miami Heat are a dead nuts OVER team ranking 1st in pace this season by a wide margin.  They are fully healthy right now with the exception of Tyler Herro, and they have actually been better offensively without him as they seem to play more together as a team with better ball movement.

The Heat are 4-1 OVER in their last five games overall combining for 242 points with the Thunder, 248 with the Suns and 247 with the Warriors in three of their last four games.  They have played five straight elite defensive teams, and now they take a step down in class here against the Sacramento Kings.

The Kings rank 27th in defensive rating and they aren't getting any better defensively any time soon.  But they have gotten much better offensively with the return of LaVine and Sabonis among others.  The Kings have scored at least 110 points during their 4-1 stretch in their last five games.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

15* Heat/Warriors NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on OVER 239

The Miami Heat are a dead nuts OVER team ranking 1st in pace this season by a wide margin.  They are fully healthy right now with the exception of Tyler Herro, and they have actually been better offensively without him as they seem to play more together as a team with better ball movement.

The Heat are 3-1 OVER in their last four games overall combining for 242 points with the Thunder and 248 with the Suns in two of their last three games.  They have played four straight elite defensive teams, and now they take a step down in class here against the Warriors.

The Warriors are an OVER team as long as Steph Curry is healthy, and that is playing out here in recent games.  The Warriors are coming off a 126-113 win over the Knicks for 239 combined points in a game that Jalen Brunson sat out.  They followed it up with a 136-116 win over the Hornets for 252 combined points.  They have scored at least 119 points in five of their last six games and they will hang a big number on the Heat tonight.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

20* Celtics/Pistons NBC No-Brainer on Detroit -3

The Detroit Pistons just had four days off in a row recently and will be playing just their 4th game in 12 days.  They are fully healthy, rested and primed for a big effort tonight against the Boston Celtics, one of their biggest contenders to win the East.

The Pistons are 16-4 at home this season, so this is a short number for them to be laying at home.  They have also matched up well with the Celtics this season going 2-1 SU & 2-1 ATS winning by 6 at home and 7 on the road, and losing by 3 on the road.  This is the 4th and final meeting, and they know how important this game is to get home-court advantage in the East with the tiebreaker.

The Celtics will be playing their 4th consecutive road game and are in the much worse rest spot.  Joe Mazzula is the favorite to win Coach of the Year getting the most out of this team to this point.  But I think the Celtics are getting too much respect here.  This line indicates these are even teams, and that's just not the case.  The Pistons are superior and it will show tonight.  Bet the Pistons Monday.

15* NBA Monday Total DOMINATOR on Jazz/Spurs OVER 240

The Utah Jazz are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 3rd in pace and dead last (30th) in defensive rating.  They play zero defense, and that was on display in their last two games against the Dallas Mavericks, who were missing 4 or 5 starters.

After losing 144-122 on Thursday for 266 combined points with the Mavericks, they weren't any better defensively in the rematch on Saturday losing 138-120 for 258 combined points.  This also came after a 128-126 loss in Chicago for 254 combined points.

The Spurs are coming off a 126-123 home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves for 249 combined points.  The Spurs and Jazz have combined for at least 241 points in each of their last three meetings.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

15* NBA Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Sacramento Kings -2.5

The Sacramento Kings are playing their best basketball of the season.  They are 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall covering the spread by a combined 76 points.  They won all four games by double-digits.  They beat the Rockets by 13 as 14.5-point dogs, the Lakers by 12 as 9.5-point dogs, the Knicks by 11 as 10.5-point dogs and the Wizards by 13 as 7.5-point favorites.

This run has coincided with the Kings getting as healthy as they have been all season.  They now have their two best players back and healthy in LaVine and Sabonis.  They only player they are missing right now is Keegan Murray.  I fully expect them to continue playing well tonight to try and keep this winning streak going.

This is a terrible spot for the Portland Trail Blazers.  They are coming off a 132-116 home win over the Lakers last night, a Lakers team that was missing 3 starters in Reaves, Doncic and Ayton.  They will now be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 13th game in 22 days.  They are one of the most tired teams in the NBA right now.  They are also extremely banged up with Avdija, Grant and Holiday all candidates to sit out tonight.  Bet the Kings Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday Total DOMINATOR on Hornets/Nuggets OVER 227.5

With the quartet of Ball (20.2 PPG, 7.6 APG), Bridges (19.4 PPG), Miller (19.7 PPG) and Knueppel (19.2 PPG) all healthy right now, the Charlotte Hornets are a dead nuts OVER team.  They are 4-0 OVER in their last four games overall combining for 245 points with the Jazz, 226 with the Clippers, 252 with the Lakers and 252 with the Warriors.

The Nuggets have been a dead nuts OVER team all season going 27-15 OVER in all games.  They rank 1st in offensive rating and 22nd in defensive rating.  They have continued being an OVER team even without Nikola Jokic.  They are 3-0 OVER in their last three games overall going for 238 combined points with the Pelicans, 227 with the Mavs and 236 with the Wizards.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

15* Lakers/Blazers NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on UNDER 224.5

The Lakers will be without both Luka Doncic (33.6 PPG, 8.7 RPG) and Austin Reaves (26.6 PPG, 6.3 APG) tonight.  I don't know where the scoring is going to come from from them.  They will have to play more defensive-minded lineups features Marcus Smart (9.4 PPG, 39.4% shooting) and Jarred Vanderbilt (5.1 PPG).

The Portland Trail Blazers have been struggling to score for a while now and have had to go more big lineups with all their injuries.  They are without Deni Avidja (26.1 PPG, 6.9 APG) and Kris Murray (6.1 PPG), plus both Grant (19.8 PPG) and Holiday (15.5 PPG, 7.3 APG) are questionable.

The Blazers are 12-3 UNDER in their last 15 games overall finishing with 225 or fewer combined points in 11 of those 15 games, including 222 or fewer in 10 of them.  This total of 224.5 is very high for a game involving the Blazers and Lakers in their current states.  Bet the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Hornets/Warriors OVER 234

With the quartet of Ball (20.4 PPG, 7.8 APG), Bridges (19.7 PPG), Miller (19.4 PPG) and Knueppel (19.0 PPG) all healthy right now, the Charlotte Hornets are a dead nuts OVER team.  They are 3-0 OVER in their last three games overall combining for 245 points with the Jazz, 226 with the Clippers and 252 with the Lakers.

The Warriors are an OVER team as long as Stephen Curry is healthy.  He is, and the Warriors and their opponents have combined for at least 233 points in four of their last five games overall.

This is a rematch from a 132-125 road win by the Warriors on December 31st for a whopping 257 combined points.  It will be more of the same in the rematch in Golden State tonight.  Bet the OVER in this game Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Timberwolves/Spurs UNDER 228.5

This is a rematch from a 104-103 home win by the Timberwolves just six days ago on January 11th.  That game saw just 207 combined points, and this game will be a defensive battle as well.  This total of 228.5 has been set too high as familiarity favors defense and low-scoring games.

The Spurs have been a dead nuts UNDER team since getting Wembenyama back and healthy.  Indeed, the Spurs are 8-0 UNDER in their last eight games overall finishing with 220 or fewer combined points in six consecutive games coming in.

Minnesota is a tired team playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 110-105 loss in Houston last night that saw just 215 combined points.  The Timberwolves won't be looking to push the tempo tonight.  Bet the UNDER in this game Saturday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on San Antonio Spurs -5.5

I love the spot for the San Antonio Spurs tonight.  They want revenge from a 104-103 road loss to Minnesota just six days ago on January 11th.  They blew a 14-point lead entering the 4th quarter and have not forgotten.  Look for them to get revenge in a big way with a blowout home win over the Timberwolves this time around.

This is a terrible spot for the Timberwolves, who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 110-105 road loss to the Houston Rockets last night.  It appears they will get Anthony Edwards back, but Rudy Gobert is questionable after playing 32 minutes last night.  Randle played 40 minutes, DiVincenzo 39 minutes and McDaniels 35 minutes last night.  I question how much they'll have left in the tank for the Spurs tonight.  Bet the Spurs Saturday.

20* Cavs/76ers ESPN No-Brainer on Philadelphia ML -118

I love the spot for the Philadelphia 76ers tonight.  The 76ers want revenge from a 133-107 home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.  Now they get their shot at quick revenge here two days later at home.  They will be the more motivated team tonight.

The Cavaliers shot 52.6% from the field and 43.5% from 3-point range, while the 76ers had one of their worst shooting nights of the season, making 40.4% from the field and 27.9% from 3-point range.  That's not going to happen again.

While the 76ers are fully healthy with only Dominick Barlow (8.3 PPG) questionable, the Cavaliers will be down two key players that they had in that first meeting.  Both Darius Garland (18.0 PPG, 6.9 APG) and Sam Merrill (13.8 PPG) will be out for this game after getting injured on Wednesday.  Garland in particular was having a huge game with 20 points and 7 assists before departing.  Not having Merrill's shooting makes the Cavaliers much easier to defend.

This line is basically the same as it was in that first meeting as well, and there has to be an adjustment for not having Garland and Merrill.  There also has to be an adjustment for the fact that the 76ers will be the more motivated team for revenge, while the Cavaliers will relax and won't be that motivated to beat this team again.  Bet the 76ers on the Money Line Friday.

15* Celtics/Heat NBA ANNIHILATOR on OVER 233.5

The Miami Heat are a dead nuts OVER team ranking 1st in pace this season by a wide margin.  They will control the tempo playing at home tonight.  They are scoring 122.2 points per game and allowing 117.1 points per game at home this season.

The Boston Celtics don't play fast, but they play as efficient as anyone in the NBA with their ability to shoot a ton of 3-pointers at a high clip.  In fact, the Celtics rank 2nd in the NBA in offensive rating, which is a big reason Joe Mazulla is the favorite to win Coach of the Year with his ability to get the most out of this team without Jayson Tatum.

This will be a rematch from a 129-116 home win by the Celtics on December 19th which saw 245 combined points.  The Heat only shot 39% as a team in that game as well.  These teams combined for 92 3-point attempts, and it will be more of the same tonight with a lot of long rebounds and chances to run.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

15* Thunder/Rockets NBA ANNIHILATOR on UNDER 222.5

The Houston Rockets are a dead nuts UNDER team.  They rank 28th in pace and 9th in defensive rating.  They have gone 6-1 UNDER in their last seven games overall with 216 or fewer combined points in six of those seven games.  This total of 222.5 is very high for a game involving the Rockets, who have been held to 105 points or fewer in five of their last six games so they are struggling mightily offensively right now.

The Oklahoma City Thunder rank 1st in defensive rating by a wide margin this season.  They just held the Spurs to 98 points last time out, and they will suffocate the Houston Rockets tonight as well.  But I think Houston can hold them in check by slowing the tempo to a snail's pace at home tonight.

In their lone previous meeting this season, the Rockets and Thunder were tied 104-104 at the end of regulation for just 208 combined points.  It will be more of the same in the rematch tonight.  Bet the UNDER in this game Thursday.

15* Cavs/76ers ESPN ANNIHILATOR on OVER 235

Both the Cavaliers and 76ers are as healthy as they have been all season.  And when they are this healthy, they are two of the best offensive teams in the NBA.  This figures to be a shootout tonight with elite offense on both sides.

The Cavaliers and their opponents have gone for at least 235 combined points in each of their last four games.  That includes 280 and 253 in their two meetings with Minnesota.

The 76ers are thriving offensively right now scoring 115 or more points in seven of their last eight games overall.  That includes 123 or more in five of those.  With Embiid, George, Maxey, Edecombe, Grimes, Oubre and Barlow all healthy right now, the 76ers are potent offensively.  

The OVER is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings between the 76ers and Cavaliers.  They combined for 253 and 261 points in their last two meetings.  This total of 235 is way too short tonight.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

20* NBA Tuesday Late-Night BAILOUT on Atlanta Hawks -3

The Lakers are 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall losing by 16 in San Antonio as 9-point dogs, by 4 at home to the Bucks as 3-point favorites and by 12 at Sacramento as 9.5-point favorites.  That was a short-handed Kings team playing the 2nd of a back-to-back last night, too.

Now the Lakers are in the bad spot playing the 2nd of a back-to-back.  LeBron James is 50/50 to play tonight, and Luke Doncic suffered an injury in the 2H of the loss to the Kings that may keep him out tonight.  Both are listed as questionable.  Not to mention, the Lakers are already without Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.

The Hawks are rolling going 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall beating the Pelicans by 17 as 10.5-point home favorites, the Nuggets by 23 as 3-point road favorites and the Warriors by 13 as 7-point road dogs.  Getting CJ McCollum in the trade with the Wizards for Trae Young is a very underrated move in their favor.

McCollum (18.6 PPG) gives the Hawks an extra scorer AND he actually plays defense, unlike Young.  Jalen Johnson (23.7 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 8.2 APG) is the most improved player in the NBA, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (20.6 PPG) has taken his game to the next level.  Okongwu (16.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG) is one of the more underrated big men in the league, too.  Bet the Hawks Tuesday.

15* Spurs/Thunder NBC ANNIHILATOR on Oklahoma City -7.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder are 33-7 this season.  Three of those losses have come to the San Antonio Spurs.  It's safe to say the Thunder will be max motivated playing with triple-revenge tonight, and I expect to see them put forth their best effort of the season as a result.

I expect the Spurs to be 'fat and happy' knowing they've already beaten this team three times.  They have zero motivation to beat them a 4th time as they have already won the season series.  This will be the 3rd game in 4 days for the Spurs after playing two wars in Boston and Minnesota.

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Thunder after failing to cover the spread in five consecutive games coming into this one.  They are as healthy as they have been in a long time only missing Isaiah Hartenstein as their lone key contributor that will sit this one out.  The Spurs are without Devin Vassell (14.9 PPG).  Bet the Thunder Tuesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Milwaukee Bucks -3

I love the spot for the Milwaukee Bucks tonight.  They were coming off a 105-101 road win over the Lakers and had a letdown last time out in a 108-104 loss to the short-handed Nuggets on the road.  Now they are refocused back at home taking on a border rival in the Minnesota Timberwolves.  They also want revenge from a 103-100 loss in Minnesota in their first meeting.

The Timberwolves are a tired, banged up team right now.  They will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days off two straight wars against Cleveland and San Antonio.  They will be resting Anthony Edwards (28.9 PPG), and Rudy Gobert (11.0 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 1.7 BPG) has been suspended.

The Bucks are pretty much fully healthy right now with Giannis looking like his best self again.  He is going to be able to attack the rim at will with no Gobert for rim protection, and that will be the difference in this game with the Bucks getting whatever they want at the rim in this game.  Not having to worry about Anthony Edwards is a big deal, too.  Milwaukee should be a much bigger favorite tonight.  Bet the Bucks Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Total DOMINATOR on Suns/Heat OVER 230

This is a very low total for a game involving the Miami Heat tonight.  The Heat rank 1st in pace this season and are scoring 121.9 points per game at home.  They will control the pace playing at home tonight.

The Suns have a lot more firepower now that they are healthy with Grayson Allen back and healthy.  He and Collin Gillespie are 3-point snipers, and both play big minutes.  That frees up a lot of things for Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks offensively when opponents have to worry about that outside shooting.

The Suns have gone under the total in five consecutive games which is keeping this total lower than it should be.  The Heat are also coming off two of their worst offensive performances of the season in two of their last three games to keep this total lower than it should be.  This is a great opportunity to 'buy low' on a over.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

15* NBA Western Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Los Angeles Lakers -9

I love the spot for the Los Angeles Lakers tonight.  They are coming off consecutive losses to the Spurs on the road and the Bucks at home.  They have had the last two days off, so they will be rested, motivated and ready to go tonight against the lowly Sacramento Kings.

This is a terrible spot for the Kings, who are coming off a 111-98 upset win as 14.5-point dogs to the Rockets last night.  They will now be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days.

The Kings are already short-handed playing without Sabonis (17.2 PPG, 12.3 RPG), Murray (14.6 PPG) and Schroder (13.0 PPG).  They aren't very equipped to handle these back-to-backs right now.  They will be running on fumes tonight.

The Lakers own the Kings, going 6-0 SU & 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings including a 125-101 win in their most recent meeting on December 28th.  The Lakers are 13-6 SU & 11-8 ATS on the road this season.  They are fully healthy outside Austin Reaves heading into this one.  Bet the Lakers Monday.

15* NBA Eastern Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Philadelphia 76ers -3.5

The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off a 116-115 (OT) loss at Toronto on Sunday.  They will be max motivated for revenge here in the rematch.  They also played without Joel Embiid and Paul George yesterday.  There's a good chance one or both return for this game, especially Embiid.

The Raptors played without RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram and Jacob Poeltl yesterday.  Barrett and Poeltl have already been ruled out for the rematch, and Ingram is battling a hand injury that has him questionable again.

I question how motivated the Raptors will be to beat this team for a 2nd consecutive day.  They are also much worse off in the depth department than the 76ers, so they aren't equipped to handle these back-to-backs as well.  The 76ers are one of the deepest teams in the NBA.

Bets on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points when revenging two straight losses where opponent scored 100 or more points when they are off an upset win over a division opponent as an underdog are 54-21 (72%) ATS since 1997.  The 76ers are 11-7 SU & 13-5 ATS in all road games this season.  Bet the 76ers Monday.

15* NBA Sunday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Hawks/Warriors OVER 235

The Atlanta Hawks have been an OVER team with or without Trae Young.  His absence hasn't slowed them down one bit as they rank 2nd in pace this season behind only the Miami Heat.  They will continue playing at a break-neck pace the rest of the way with CJ McCollum making his Atlanta debut tonight.

The Golden State Warriors are more of an OVER team as long as Steph Curry is in the lineup, and he is in the lineup and playing well right now.  The Warriors have scored at least 119 points in 12 of their last 15 games overall.  They will hang a big number on the Hawks to lead the way in us cashing this OVER ticket.

The OVER is 6-2 in the last eight meetings between the Hawks and Warriors.  They have combined for at least 239 points in six of those eight meetings.  This total of 235 is too short for a game involving the Hawks and Warriors right now.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Milwaukee Bucks -1.5

The Milwaukee Bucks are 3-1 SU in their last four games overall and are playing well now that Giannis is back and healthy.  They are one of the healthiest teams in the NBA overall.

The same cannot be said for the Nuggets, who are one of the most injury-plagued teams in the NBA right now.  They are without Jokic, Johnson and Valanciunas with Murray and Jones both questionable tonight.

Those injuries finally caught up to them with a 110-87 home loss to the Hawks in their last game.  The Nuggets just returned home from a 7-game road trip and are running on fumes.  They will be playing their 5th game in 8 days here and they haven't had consecutive days off since December 16-17.  Bet the Bucks Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday Total DOMINATOR on Heat/Thunder OVER 233.5

The Miami Heat are a dead nuts OVER team ranking 1st in pace.  They are coming off two of their worst offensive performances of the season scoring 94 points on the Timberwolves and 99 points on the Pacers.  This gives us the opportunity to 'buy low' on a Miami OVER tonight.

The Heat had scored at least 115 points in each of their previous six games and averaged 128.8 points per game in those six games.  They will get back to their high-scoring ways today.

The Thunder get a lot of guys back tonight including Shai and Holmgren.  They will be as close to full strength as they have been in a while, and a potent offensive team when that's the case.  They have scored at least 124 points in five of their last eight games overall and will hang a big number on the Heat to pave the way to us cashing this OVER ticket.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE MONTH on Miami Heat -7.5

I love the spot for the Miami Heat tonight.  They had their game against the Bulls postponed on Thursday due to condensation from a leak in the roof.  So they have had the last three days off and are champing at the bit to get back on the court.

The Heat are 5-2 SU & 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall with their only two losses coming to the Timberwolves, who are playing as well as anyone in the NBA right now.  It was clearly a bad matchup for them.  They beat the Hawks by 15 and the Pistons by 6 in two road games during this stretch, while also rushing the Pacers by 26, the Nuggets by 24 and the Pelicans by 19 at home.

The Heat are as healthy as they have been all season as they have everyone available except perhaps Jaime Jaquez, who is listed as questionable.  Injuries are a big reason the Pacers are just 7-31 this season.  They are without Mathurin (17.8 PPG), Toppin (14.0 PPG) and Jackson (7.3 PPG, 5.9 RPG), plus Nembhard (17.2 PPG) is questionable.

This is a terrible spot for the Pacers.  They ended their 13-game losing streak with a 114-112 win at Charlotte last time out.  They took advantage of a tired Hornets team playing the 2nd of a back-to-back.  Now that they finally ended that losing streak, they will relax.  The Pacers are also a tired team not having consecutive days off since before Christmas.  The Heat will run them out of the gym similar to their 142-116 win over the Pacers on December 27th in their most recent meeting.  Bet the Heat Saturday.

15* Timberwolves/Cavs NBA Early ANNIHILATOR on UNDER 239.5

NBA players aren't used to playing this early in the day.  This game will tip at 1:10 EST this afternoon.  Players will be sleep walking through the start of it, and it will take them a while to get going.  I love betting UNDERS in these early games as a result.

I also love betting UNDERS in quick rematches, which we have here.  Familiarity favors defense and low-scoring games.  Minnesota beat Cleveland 131-122 on Thursday in Minnesota, and now they will play each other again in Cleveland just two days later here Saturday.

Cleveland shot 53% as a team on Thursday and will not shoot that well again.  Minnesota shot 57% as a team and 20-of-38 (53%) from 3-point range, and that certainly won't happen again.  Coaches will make the necessary adjustments and the defenses will win out in the rematch.  Bet the UNDER in this game Saturday.

20* NBA Friday Late-Night BAILOUT on Rockets/Blazers UNDER 221.5

The Houston Rockets are a dead nuts UNDER team without star C Alperen Sengun (21.8 PPG, 6.5 APG).  The Portland Trail Blazers are a dead nuts UNDER team in their current form without Holiday (16.7 PPG, 8.3 APG), Grant (20.0 PPG) and Murray (6.1 PPG).

The Rockets are 4-0 UNDER in their last four games overall going for 216 combined points with the Nets, 214 with the Mavericks, 197 with the Suns and 205 with the Blazers.  The Blazers are 9-2 UNDER in their last 11 games overall going for 22 or fewer combined points in seven of those 11 games.

Familiarity favors defense and low-scoring games.  This will be a rematch from Wednesday when the Blazers beat the Rockets 103-102 at home for 205 combined points.  That total was set at 221, and this total in the rematch is set at 221.5.  Oddsmakers have failed to adjust it down, and we'll take advantage.  Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday UPSET SHOCKER on Phoenix Suns ML +108

The Phoenix Suns are as healthy as they've been all season and proving they are a legit contender in the West when that's the case.  They have gone 7-2 SU in their last nine games and 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall as one of the most underrated teams in the NBA right now.

After upsetting the Thunder 108-105 as 11.5-point home dogs, the Suns came back the very next night and lost on a buzzer-beater at Houston by 3 as 8.5-point dogs.  In what was supposed to be a flat spot for them, they crushed the Grizzlies 117-98 as 5.5-point favorites last time out.  This team is locked in night in and night out.

They will certainly be locked in hosting the New York Knicks tonight.  This is a tired, struggling, banged up Knicks team that should not be favored on the road tonight.  The Knicks are 1-4 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall, and 2-9-1 ATS in their 12 games since winning the NBA Cup.  They lost by 31 at Detroit, by 11 at home to Philadelphia as 4.5-point favorites, and by 12 at home to the Hawks as 6.5-point favorites in three of their last four games.

The Knicks are without Josh Hart right now and his importance to this team cannot be overstated based on recent results without him.  The Knicks have one of the biggest home/road splits in the NBA as they are 16-4 SU at home, but just 7-9 SU on the road.  The Suns are 12-5 SU at home.  The Knicks will be playing their 5th game in 8 days and haven't had consecutive days off since the NBA Cup in mid-December.  They are running on fumes right now.  Bet the Suns Friday.

20* NBA Non-Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Hawks/Nuggets OVER 232

The Atlanta Hawks are a dead nuts OVER team with or without Trae Young.  They rank 2nd in pace despite playing most of the season without Young.  Their philosophy is to play as fast as possible, and they will continue to do that moving forward.

The Denver Nuggets have been a dead nuts OVER team all season going 24-13 OVER in all games.  They rank 1st in offensive rating and 24th in defensive rating.  They still have plenty of firepower without Nikola Jokic, and they have to play more small ball now without both Jokic and Valanciunas, which makes them an OVER team moving forward.

The Nuggets went for 242 combined points with the Nets, 240 at the end of regulation with the 76ers and 224 with the Celtics in their last three games without Jokic.  The Celtics play at the slowest tempo in the NBA, so that won't be an issue tonight against the Hawks.

The OVER is 6-0 in the last six meetings between the Hawks and Nuggets with a whopping 251 or more combined points in each of the last five meetings.  They combined for 267 in their lone meeting this season.  This total of 232 is way too short tonight.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

20* NBA Western Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Thunder/Grizzlies UNDER 230

This game between the Thunder and Grizzlies will be played with mostly backups for both teams.  The result should be a low-scoring, ugly defensive battle that stays well UNDER this total of 230 tonight.

The Thunder will be without the NBA's leading scorer in Gilgeous-Alexander (31.9 PPG), plus Holmgren (18.2 PPG), Hartenstein (11.2 PPG) and Wallace (7.5 PPG) tonight.  The Grizzlies will be without leading scorer Morant (19.0 PPG) and Edey (13.6 PPG), plus Coward (13.7 PPG) is questionable.

The Grizzlies are 3-0 UNDER in their last three games overall going for 215 combined points with the Suns and 211 with the Spurs in their last two.  The Thunder are 4-1 UNDER in their last five games overall and would be 5-0 if not for going to OT with the Jazz last time out.  They have gone for 219, 225, 213 and 221 combined points in the four games that didn't go to OT.

The UNDER is 8-1 in the last nine meetings between the Grizzlies and Thunder.  They have gone for 229 or fewer combined points in seven of their last eight meetings.  Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Thursday Night Line Mistake on Dallas Mavericks -7.5

The spot couldn't be worse for the Utah Jazz tonight.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a gutting 129-125 (OT) loss at Oklahoma City against the defending champs last night.  They will have nothing left in the tank for the Dallas Mavericks when they return home tonight.

Starters Markkanen (44 minutes) and George (43 minutes) could rest tonight after playing big minutes and carrying the load last night.  Nurkic (33 minutes) is already downgraded to questionable, as is Ace Bailey.  Even if everyone played I still expect a poor performance from the Jazz, who have lost five consecutive games coming in with four of those losses coming by 9 points or more.

The Mavericks are coming off consecutive wins over the Rockets and Kings and are relatively healthy right now.  They have Davis and Flagg both balling out.  They are also a very rested team playing just their 2nd game in 5 days tonight.  They want revenge from a 140-133 (OT) loss at Utah on December 15th in their last meeting and they will get it tonight in blowout fashion.  Bet the Mavericks Thursday.

15* Clippers/Knicks NBA ANNIHILATOR on New York -4.5

I love the spot for the New York Knicks tonight.  They will be max motivated coming off a season high 4-game losing streak and a 31-point loss in Detroit.  This is the perfect time to 'buy low' on the Knicks, who are now healthy outside of Josh Hart.

This is the perfect time to 'sell high' on the Clippers after going 7-1 SU & 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall.  But they played seven of those eight games at home.  They are just 4-13 SU on the road this season.

Derrick Jones Jr. was playing well during this run but got hurt and is now out.  James Harden is dealing with a shoulder injury, and they remain without Bogdan Bogdanovic.  Bet the Knicks Wednesday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Brooklyn Nets +2.5

The Brooklyn Nets have quietly gone 8-6 SU in their last 14 games overall seven outright upset victories.  They are as healthy as they have been all season and playing better than most realize.  They should not be home underdogs to the struggling Orlando Magic tonight.

The Magic are 4-13 ATS in their last 17 games overall and coming off a 120-112 upset loss at Washington as 7.5-point favorites last night.  They really miss both Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner as both are two of the most underrated players in the NBA.

Now the Magic are running on fumes playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 8th game in 13 days.  Being short-handed makes this spot that much more difficult.  The Nets come in on two days' rest and will be the much fresher team as a result.  Bet the Nets Wednesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Miami Heat +6

I love the spot for the Miami Heat tonight.  They will be out for revenge from a 125-115 home loss to the Timberwolves just three days ago on January 3rd.  It was a rare loss for the Heat, who are playing some of their best basketball of the season right now going 5-1 SU & 5-1 ATS in their last five games overall.  That includes upset road wins in both road games at Detroit by 6 and at Atlanta by 15.

A big reason for their resurgence is a return to health, most notably getting two key role players in Jovic and Larsson back on the court.  Now Tyler Herro is expected back tonight, and the only player they are missing is Jaime Jaquez Jr.

This is a terrible spot for the Timberwolves.  They return home from a 4-game road trip that took a lot out of them.  The Timberwolves will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days here, and now Anthony Edwards has been downgraded to questionable due to injury management.  When players are downgraded to questionable, more times than not they do not play.  I like Miami either way.  Bet the Heat Tuesday.

20* NBA Western Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Lakers/Pelicans OVER 240

Two of the worst defensive teams in the NBA square off tonight when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the New Orleans Pelicans.  The Lakers rank 26th in defensive rating while the Pelicans rank 27th.  This figures to be a shootout tonight, and this total has been set too low.

The Lakers beat the Pelicans 133-121 for 254 combined points in their lone meeting this season.  The Pelicans didn't even have Zion Williamson and Jordan Poole in that contest, and both are back healthy now and dead nuts OVER players who are all offense and no defense.  The Lakers didn't have LeBron James, either.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

15* Warriors/Clippers NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on UNDER 225.5

The Clippers are a dead nuts UNDER team.  They rank 29th in pace and are never in a hurry.  The Warriors rank 18th in pace and 5th in defensive rating this season.  This game will be played at a snail's pace with some elite defense.

The Clippers will be without Bogdanovic and Jones Jr., and now Harden popped up on the injury report as questionable today.  They will be lacking a lot of firepower without all three of these guys if Harden sits, but I like the UNDER either way.

The UNDER is 4-1 in the last five meetings between the Warriors and Clippers with 216 or fewer combined points in four of those five meetings.  That includes a 98-79 home win by the Warriors for just 177 combined points in their first and only meeting this season.  The only game that went over went to OT.  Bet the UNDER in this game Monday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Philadelphia 76ers -14.5

This is a terrible spot for the Denver Nuggets.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 127-115 loss in Brooklyn last night.  They will also be playing their 6th consecutive road game and their 9th game in 15 days overall.

The Nuggets were already without Nikola Jokic, Cam Johnson and Jonas Valancunas due to injury.  Murray, Braun, Gordon and Hardaway Jr. all played last night against the Nets, and all four will sit tonight.  The means they will be without 7 of their top 8 scorers tonight!

The 76ers are playing their best basketball of the season right now largely due to being as healthy as they have been all year.  Maxey, Embiid, Edecombe, George, Grimes and Barlow are all healthy and playing well.  Nobody has a minutes restriction anymore.

The 76ers have gone 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall winning 139-136 at Memphis, 123-108 at Dallas and 130-119 at New York.  The 76ers have had a lot of time off and will be playing on their 7th game in 16 days.  They will roll the short-handed Nuggets tonight.  Bet the 76ers Monday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Hawks/Raptors OVER 233.5

The Atlanta Hawks are a dead nuts OVER team.  They have gone 17-9 OVER in their last 26 games overall finishing with 245 or more combined points in 15 of their last 25 games.  It doesn't matter if Trae Young is there or not, they still play fast, efficient offense and poor defense.

The Raptors profile as more of an OVER team right now playing more small ball without C Jakob Poeltl.  They just got RJ Barrett back from injury, and their offense is much more efficient with him running the show.

These teams just played on Saturday with the Raptors beating the Hawks 134-117 for 251 combined points.  We have 17.5 points to spare in the rematch here with this total set at 233.5.  Oddsmakers have once again failed to set this high enough.

The Raptors and Hawks have combined for at least 241 points in six of their last eight meetings.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

15* Thunder/Suns NBA ANNIHILATOR on Phoenix +10

The Phoenix Suns will be max motivated for revenge tonight after getting blown out 138-89 by the Thunder in the NBA Cup.  They had only lost 123-119 in OKC in their previous meeting.  Now the Suns get the Thunder at home this time around, where they are 11-5 SU this season.

They also face a very banged up Thunder team with Hartenstein out, plus Joe and Wallace questionable.  It's an overvalued Thunder team with the best record in the NBA.  They are coming off three straight wins against short-handed teams in the Warriors who were without Curry, Butler and Green, a Blazers team that is missing a ton of key players and a Hawks team that was without Young, Johnson and Porzingis.

The Suns are healthy and ready to go tonight.  There's a good chance they get Grayson Allen back for this one, but they have been playing well without him all season either way.  The Suns are 6-2 SU & 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall with their only losses both coming on the road at Golden State by 3 and at Cleveland.  They beat the Warriors, the Lakers by 24 and the Kings by 27 in their three home games during this stretch.  Bet the Suns Sunday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE WEEK on Washington Wizards +11.5

The Washington Wizards have quietly gone 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall with their only loss to the Suns on the 2nd of a back-to-back.  They beat the Raptors by 21 as 8.5-point home dogs, the Grizzlies by 4 as 8-point home dogs, upset the Bucks as 10.5-point road dogs and crushed the Nets by 20 as 3-point home favorites.

A big reason for their resurgence is the return to health of one of the most underrated young superstars in the game in Alex Sarr (17.7 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.4 BPG).  They are missing Kyshawn George (15.0 PPG), but they have seven of their top eight scorers healthy and forming a nice chemistry right now.

This is a terrible spot for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 125-115 win in Miami last night.  The Heat had several players get injured during the game that aided the Timberwolves in the win.

Minnesota is 2-3 SU & 2-3 ATS in its last five games overall with the other win aided by early injuries to Giddey and White of the Bulls as well.  They were upset by 16 by the Nets as 12-point favorites, failing to cover by 28.  They were upset by the Hawks by 24 as 5.5-point favorites, failing to cover by 29.5.  They aren't playing well right now, and they certainly should not be double-digit road favorites over the surging Wizards today.  Bet the Wizards Sunday.

20* Celtics/Clippers NBA TV Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles ML -120

The Los Angeles Clippers are playing their best basketball of the season right now.  They have gone 6-0 SU & 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall with all six victories coming by 13 points or more.  That includes wins over playoff contenders in the Lakers by 15, the Rockets by 20 and the Pistons by 13.

The Clippers cannot afford to take a foot off the gas after they got off to such a rough start this season.  I expect them to keep it rolling against the Celtics, who could get the LA flu after staying in Los Angeles overnight after a road win at short-handed Sacramento on Thursday.

It will also be the 5th road game in 9 days for the Celtics as they are a tired team coming into this one.  They have feasted on an easy schedule during this road trip as the first four games came against non-playoff contenders.  This is a big step up in class for them tonight.

The Clippers also want revenge from a 121-118 road loss to the Celtics on November 16th in their first meeting this season.  They didn't even have Kawhi Leonard in that game, and he's playing at an MVP level now scoring at least 28 points in all six games during this six-game winning streak. Bet the Clippers on the Money Line Saturday.

15* NBA Western Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Jazz/Warriors OVER 238.5

The Utah Jazz are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 4th in pace and dead last (30th) in defensive rating.  The Jazz and their opponents have combined for at least 241 points in nine of their last 10 games overall.  This total of 238.5 is too short for a game involving Utah right now.

The Jazz should get back Markkanen and/or George tonight after both sat out last game against the Clippers.  The Warriors should get back Steph Curry tonight after he sat out last night against the Thunder.  Curry is the key to their offense as they are an OVER team with him in the lineup.

The Warriors and Jazz combined for 251 points in their first meeting this season.  They also combined for 259 points in their final meeting last season.  Bet the OVER in this game Saturday.

15* NBA Eastern Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Hawks/Raptors OVER 232.5

The Atlanta Hawks are a dead nuts OVER team.  They have gone 16-9 OVER in their last 25 games overall finishing with 245 or more combined points in 14 of their last 24 games.  It doesn't matter if Trae Young is there or not, they still play fast, efficient offense and poor defense.

I think this total has been set lower than it should be due to the Hawks coming off a low-scoring game against the Knicks last night.  But the Knicks didn't have Towns and were lost offensively without him.  The Knicks shot 9-of-42 (21%) from 3 and 37% from the field without him.

The Raptors profile as more of an OVER team right now playing more small ball without C Jakob Poeltl.  They just got RJ Barrett back from injury, and their offense is much more efficient with him running the show.

This total has also been set too low due to the Raptors coming off a pair of unders against the Nuggets and Magic.  But the Nuggets were without four starters including Jokic, while the Magic were without two starters in Wagner and Suggs.

The Hawks and Raptors have combined for at least 241 points in five of their last seven meetings.  This total of 232.5 is too short tonight.  Bet the OVER in this game Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday UPSET SHOCKER on Miami Heat +2.5

The Miami Heat have gotten healthy and are playing their best basketball of the season as a result.  They have gone 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.  They upset the Hawks by 15 as 3-point road dogs and the Pistons by 6 as 4.5-point road dogs, while also blowing out the Nuggets by 24 as 1.5-point home dogs and the Pacers by 26 as 6.5-point home favorites.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are struggling right now going 1-3 SU in their last four games overall.  That includes a 16-point home loss to the Nets as 12-point favorites.  Their only win came against the Bulls, where both Giddey and White got hurt early in the game and the Bulls had no chance without them.  The Timberwolves are coming off a 126-102 road loss to the Hawks as 6-point favorites.

The Heat are 12-5 SU at home this season with one of the better home-court advantages in the NBA.  They have the bigs in Adebayo and Ware who can match up with the Timberwolves' trio of Gobert, Reid and Randle.  Wrong team favored here.  Bet the Heat Saturday.

15* NBA Friday No-Doubt Rout on Phoenix Suns -12.5

This is a terrible spot for the short-handed Sacramento Kings playing without their two best players in Sabonis and LaVine.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 120-106 home loss to the Boston Celtics last night.

The Kings are really struggling, going 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their three games overall with blowout losses to the Lakers by 24, the Clippers by 41 and the Celtics by 14.  They will also be playing their 5th game in 7 days tonight, so they will have nothing left in the tank for the Suns.

Phoenix had yesterday off and will be motivated to bounce back from a road loss to Cleveland.  That ended a 4-game winning streak for them and a 6-game ATS winning streak.  This is one of the most underrated teams in the NBA.  They should get Grayson Allen back tonight as he was at shootaround, so the only player they are missing is Jalen Green, who they have been without for basically the entire season.  Bet the Suns Friday.

15* NBA Eastern Conference PLAY OF THE DAY on Hornets/Bucks OVER 231.5

The Charlotte Hornets are a dead nuts OVER team as long as La'Melo Ball is healthy and running the offense.  They are as healthy as they have been in a long time with Ball, Bridgers, Miller and Kneuppel all expected to go tonight.  These four all average at least 19.3 points per game and are developing a nice chemistry.  They are without their most important defender in C Ryan Kalkbrenner (1.8 BPG) right now so they have to play more small ball.

The Bucks are certainly more of an OVER team with Giannis (28.9 PPG) back and healthy.  They just beat the Hornets 123-103 for 236 combined points in his return to the lineup two games ago.  The Hornets went on to go for 257 combined points with the Warriors in their next game.  It should be more of the same tonight.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* Hawks/Knicks NBA ANNIHILATOR on OVER 245.5

The Atlanta Hawks are a dead nuts OVER team.  They have gone 16-8 OVER in their last 24 games overall finishing with 245 or more combined points in 14 of their last 23 games.  It doesn't matter if Trae Young is there or not, they still play fast, efficient offense.  Jalen Johnson and Kristaps Porzingis just returned to the lineup, too.

The Knicks are 4-0 OVER in their last four games and 8-2 OVER in their last 10 games.  They just went for 266 combined points with the Spurs, 255 with the Pelicans, 253 with the Hawks and 250 with the Cavs in their last four games coming in.  This total of 245.5 is pretty short for a game involving these two teams right now.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday UPSET SHOCKER on Washington Wizards ML +100

This is a terrible spot for the struggling, banged up Brooklyn Nets.  They are coming off consecutive blowout home losses to the Rockets by 26 and the Warriors by 13.  They will now be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after that loss to the Rockets last night, and they will be short-handed tonight.

The Nets will be without their top three scorers in Michael Porter Jr. (25.8 PPG), Cam Thomas (21.4 PPG) and Nicolas Claxton (13.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 4.2 APG).  I give them no shot of keeping this game competitive with the Washington Wizards without these guys.

The Wizards have quietly gone 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last four games overall with their only loss to the Suns on the 2nd of a back-to-back.  They beat the Raptors by 21 as 8.5-point home dogs, the Grizzlies by 4 as 8-point home dogs and upset the Bucks as 10.5-point road dogs.

A big reason for their resurgence is the return to health of one of the most underrated young superstars in the game in Alex Sarr (17.6 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 2.3 BPG).  They are missing Kyshawn George (15.0 PPG), but they have seven of their top eight scorers healthy and forming a nice chemistry right now.  Wrong team favored here.  Bet the Wizards Friday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Spurs/Pacers OVER 237.5

The Spurs are more of an OVER team without Victor Wembenyama, their best defender and probably the best defender in the NBA.  They have to play more small ball without him and they also play faster not trying to involve him on offense.

The Spurs went 6-1 OVER in their seven games without Wembenyama leading into the NBA Cup semifinals.  They went for 237 or more combined points in six of those seven games.  They lost Wembenyama to injury in the 1H against the Knicks last time out, and came from way behind to beat the Knicks 134-132 for 234.5 combined points.

The Pacers are getting healthier and playing faster, more efficient offense as a result.  They are 3-1 OVER in their last four games overall combining for 245 points with Houston, 258 with Miami and 262 with Boston.  Nesmith and McConnell are back healthy to join Siakim, Mathurin and Nembhard as the Pacers are now putting a respectable offensive team on the floor.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Thursday Late-Night BAILOUT on Jazz/Clippers OVER 232

The Utah Jazz are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 4th in pace and 29th in defensive rating.  The Jazz and their opponents have combined for at least 241 points in nine consecutive games overall.  This total of 232 is too short for a game involving Utah right now.

The Clippers have really upped the tempo during their 5-game winning streak and are thriving offensively right now.  They will certainly stay hot here against one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA and hang a big number to lead the way in us cashing this OVER ticket.

The OVER is 4-0 in the last four meetings with 236 or more combined points in all four.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

20* NBA Non-Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on 76ers/Mavs OVER 229.5

The Dallas Mavericks are a sneaky OVER team this season.  They rank 6th in pace and most don't realize how much faster they are playing this season.  They are also going more small ball, and having Anthony Davis back healthy really makes them flourish offensively.

The Mavericks are 11-3-1 OVER in their last 15 games overall going for 230 or more combined points in 10 of their last 11 games overall, making for a 10-1 system backing the OVER pertaining to this 229.5-point total.  This total of 229.5 is too short for a game involving the Mavericks right now.

The 76ers are as healthy as they have been all season and it is really making a difference for them offensively.  They are coming off a 139-136 (OT) win over the Grizzlies in a game that was tied 128-128 at the end of regulation for 256 combined points.  They have Maxey, George, Embiid, Edgecombe, Grimes and Barlow all healthy right now and playing.

The OVER is 3-0 in the last three meetings with 234 or more combined points in all three.  That includes a 121-114 win by the 76ers for 235 combined points in their first meeting this season on December 20th a couple weeks ago.  The Mavs shot 17% from 3 and the 76ers shot 30% from 3, so both teams shot poorly meaning there's a lot of room for improvement in the shooting department in the rematch tonight.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

20* NBA GAME OF THE WEEK on New Orleans Pelicans PK

The Chicago Bulls just lost their two most important players to injury in a 136-101 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves last time out.  Josh Giddey (19.2 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 9.0 APG) and Coby White (19.2 PPG, 4.7 APG) both left the game with injuries.  Giddey is going to miss at least two weeks, while White is out for at least this game.

The Bulls just aren't going to be able to produce much offensive without their two most important offensive players.  They certainly won't be able to hang with the Pelicans, who have quietly put together an elite offense in recent weeks and are very healthy right now.

I love the spot for the Pelicans, too.  They are coming off four consecutive losses against three of the best teams in the NBA in the Cavs, Suns (twice) and Knicks.  This is a big step down in class for them, and they went 5-0 SU in their previous five games prior to this skid, including a 114-104 win in Chicago.  

That win over the Bulls improved New Orleans to 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in its last four meetings with Chicago.  The Pelicans are motivated to get back on track, while the Bulls are down in the dumps right now realizing their season is in jeopardy without their two best players.  Bet the Pelicans Tuesday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Timberwolves/Hawks OVER 242.5

The Atlanta Hawks are a dead nuts OVER team.  They have gone 16-7 OVER in their last 23 games overall finishing with 245 or more combined points in 14 of their last 22 games.  This total of 242.5 is too short for a game involving the Hawks right now.

The Hawks just went for 269 combined points with the Thunder last time out despite playing without Trae Young, Jalen Johnson and Kristaps Porzingis, who are all dead nuts OVER players for them.  Now Johnson and Porzingis return to the lineup today, and Young is questionable.

The Timberwolves are rolling offensively scoring 136 points against the Bulls and 138 against the Nuggets in two of their last three games.  They will have no problem getting in a shootout with the Hawks today.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Warriors/Hornets OVER 232.5

Steph Curry is back healthy for the Warriors and La'Melo Ball is back healthy for the Hornets.  Both are dead nuts OVER players as both their offenses run much faster and much more efficiently with them in the lineup.  This total of 232.5 is too short today.

The Warriors are 2-0-1 OVER in their last three games overall.  They went for 242 combined points with the Mavericks and 244 with the Raptors at the end of regulation.  The Hornets and their opponents have gone for at least 235 combined points in three of their last four games overall.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Total DOMINATOR on Celtics/Jazz OVER 240

The Utah Jazz are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 4th in pace and 29th in defensive rating.  They are especially an OVER team at home where they dictate pace and force opponents to run with them.

The Jazz are 14-4 OVER in all home games this season averaging 256.2 combined points per game with their opponents.  The Jazz and their opponents have combined for at least 241 points in eight consecutive games overall.  This total of 240 is too short for a game involving Utah.

The Boston Celtics are one of the most 3-point-happy teams in the NBA attempting 42.8 attempts per game.  The Jazz rank up there as well at 39.6 attempts per game.  That's going to create long rebounds and easy fast break opportunities for both teams.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

20* Cavs/Spurs NBC No-Brainer on OVER 243

De'Aron Fox participated in shootaround today which is a good sign he'll return to the lineup.  The Spurs are a dead nuts OVER team with him in the lineup due to what he brings offensively with his ability to push the pace and get easy shots for teammates.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are 4-1 OVER in their last five games overall and that is largely due to getting healthy as well.  They went for 250 combined points with New York, 259 with New Orleans, 271 with Charlotte and 261 with Chicago.

This is a rematch from December 5th earlier this month when the Cavs won 130-117 over the Spurs for 247 combined points.  This game only saw 48 points in the 4th quarter so it could have easily been even more high-scoring.  The Cavs shot 31% from 3 and the Spurs 35%, so it's not like either team shot lights out.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.