Atlanta cashed for us last week when it hosted Brooklyn as easily defeated the Nets by 14 points. Prior to that, Atlanta had lost two straight games and six of its last seven contests but the schedule was not on its side as seven of those last nine games were on the road. Following the win over the Nets, the Hawks hit the road to face Brooklyn in a rematch, which resulted in a loss and then came a home loss against San Antonio on Saturday. Now I feel Atlanta is in another good spot for a bounceback in a big way. Minnesota has really been struggling of late as the Kevin Love loss is really taking its toll. The Timberwolves were riding a five-game losing streak before they bounced back with a big home win over Houston on Saturday but that can be considered a combination of the Timberwolves coming to play but also the Rockets not showing up once again as they are in the midst of a seven-game losing streak. Minnesota is just 6-14 on the road and the injury list just keeps getting bigger for the Timberwolves which were missing eight players in that game against the Rockets so it is pretty obvious that everyone stepped up which present a big letdown situation here. Atlanta had won 11 straight meetings with Minnesota before losing on the load a couple weeks ago so it will be out for some payback as well. Minnesota, last in the NBA in three-point shooting at 29.3 percent, turned in its best effort from beyond the arc by going 8-15 (53.3 percent) against Atlanta. 10* (708) Atlanta Hawks

New Orleans caught a lot of people by surprise with its recent run, myself included as after an 11-game losing streak, the Hornets went on to go 8-4 over their next 12 games which included a 6-1 run prior to their most recent game, a loss at home against Golden St. on Saturday. The loss also snapped a three-game home winning streak which came after a seven-game home losing streak so I really do not think this team has turned it around enough to be laying this number. The Hornets have been favored by this many points only once which came in the fifth game of the season against Charlotte so I feel we are getting a lot value with Sacramento. The Kings, winners of three of four following a four-game slide, learned Sunday that the Maloof family has agreed to sell the team to a Seattle group led by investor Chris Hansen and this can only serve as a motivator. They have actually played pretty well despite all of the distractions over the last month. Since suffering through a five-game losing streak in mid-December, Sacramento is 9-8 over its last 17 games and has posted a 5-3 ATS mark on the road over that stretch. The Kings fall into a solid contrarian situation as we play against home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points after beating the spread by 18 or more points total in their last three games going up against an opponent after being beaten by the spread by 54 or more points total in their last ten games. This situation is 24-6 ATS (80 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (703) Sacramento Kings

I feel this is a very good spot for Denver today. The Nuggets are coming off an embarrassing home loss against Washington on Friday as they went down as double-digit favorites. It was just their third home loss of the season as they are now 15-3 still one of the best home records in all of the NBA. You have to go all the way back to February of 2012 to fin the last time they have lost consecutive games at home as they are a perfect 10-0 straight up and 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games following a loss in their previous home game. Seeing that they are getting points here, a win means a cover. Adding to this spot is the fact Denver lost at Oklahoma City on Wednesday by 20 points so they will be out for some revenge from that game. The Thunder are playing very well as usual as they have won six straight games including four straight on the road since suffering a rough road loss at Washington. They are coming off a grueling game in Dallas on Friday as they won in overtime which makes this turnaround game a tough one. The Thunder are 1-3-1 ATS in their last five road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while the Nuggets are 6-0 ATS in their last six home games against teams with a winning road record. Denver also falls into a solid situation where we play against road favorites with a winning percentage of .750 or better after having covered four or five of their last six against the spread, playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 97-54 ATS (64.2 percent) since 1996. 10* (808) Denver Nuggets

Since head coach Scott Skiles was fired, the Bucks have been playing pretty well. They were on a four-game skid when he was let go and they have since gone 4-2 including a win last time out which ironically, set the stage for the Suns to fire head coach Alvin Gentry. Milwaukee now concludes its roadtrip in Portland on Saturday and it is not in a very good spot to close out. Portland was playing some excellent basketball as it was on a 12-3 run but it has since dropped its last four games to just a game over .500 and back into ninth place in the Western Conference standings. Losses at Golden St, at home against Oklahoma City and at Denver, all of which were by six points or less by the way, were not overly surprising but a loss at home against Cleveland in its last game should have woken this team up. The Blazers are still a solid 13-6 at home which includes impressive wins over the Bulls, Rockets, Spurs, Nuggets and Heat. Now they want to get a piece of the Bucks not only to end this losing skid but to make up for the embarrassment from last season. The Blazers lost the first meeting against the Bucks at home by 29 points and followed that up with a loss in Milwaukee by 22 points and certainly neither have been forgotten. The Bucks are 0-7 ATS in their last seven games coming off a win by six points or less while Portland is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 home games coming off a loss as a favorite. Additionally, the Blazers are 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 games against teams with a winning record. 10* (514) Portland Trailblazers

Memphis has hit a bit of a wall as it has three straight games, all of which came by at least 21 points. This is certainly not the same Grizzlies team were have become accustomed to but the schedule has played a big role. The first loss was against the struggling Mavericks but that was on the road and Dallas is playing a lot better, winners of four straight games. Next came a home game against the Clippers, owners of the second best record in the league, but Memphis looked to have taken them lightly with Chris Paul out of the lineup. Most recent, it was a loss against San Antonio so now Memphis finally catches a break with Sacramento coming to town. The Kings have won two straight games, coming against Washington and Cleveland, both those were hardly impressive as the Wizards and Cavaliers own two of the three worst records in the NBA and are a combined 17-60 on the season. Sacramento improved to 12-10 at home which is not a total surprise as only one team in the entire Western Conference has a sub-.500 record at home. The Kings struggles are on the road as they are 3-14 on the highway and even though they have won two of their last three away games, those were against Toronto and Cleveland. One of the reasons for the Grizzlies skid is the Rudy Gay situation. First, trade talks were brought up about unloading the star forward but those have since dissipated. Also, Gay left the team for a game due to a death in the family so clearly his head has not been in the proper place. Sacramento is just 10-22-1 ATS in its last 33 games against the Western Conference while Memphis is 16-10-1 ATS as a favorite this season. Now it is time for a blowout going in the other direction for Memphis. 10* (812) Memphis Grizzlies

I played on the Sixers in their last game and it was a bad call as they were blown out at home against New Orleans. To their credit, the Hornets have been playing some exceptional basketball with wins in six of their last seven games and I expect Philadelphia to bounce back here. One of the reasons for backing the Sixers is the schedule as they have been home for over a week and including this game, 10 of the next 11 games are all at home so if they are going to ever make a run, which they need to do at some point to even think about the playoffs, this is the time. Philadelphia is still a game over .500 at home after the recent loss so it is more than capable of putting a big run together prior to the All-Star break. Toronto was playing very well as it had won 10 of 13 games but it is currently riding a three-game losing streak coming into Friday. Two of those losses came at home, which was the most disappointing as that is where the Raptors are at least playing their best basketball. The road has been a different story. Toronto is a dismal 4-16 on the highway and three of the most recent wins came against teams that are below the Sixers in record. Philadelphia won the first two meetings this season, a 10-point win in Toronto and an eight-point at home but the Raptors got their revenge last week and made all of those 18 points up as they defeated the Sixers by 18 points at home. Philadelphia shot just 39.2 ppg in that contests which is a complete aberration from the Raptors defense as they are allowing 45.8 percent shooting overall including 46.5 percent on the road, both of which are ninth worst in the NBA. Toronto is 0-3-1 ATS in its last four road games against teams with a winning home record. 10* (804) Philadelphia 76ers

Miami has been a hard team to gauge on the road this season as it is 8-9 away from home going into Wednesday but a lot of it has had to do with the opposition. The Heat have been known as a team that gets up for the big games and plays down to the opposition in others and the schedule has not helped out much. Over its last 11 road games, Miami has not played any team of significance with the exception of maybe Utah or Indiana. While it can be argued Miami should have easily won all of those games if that is the case, NBA players do not work like that as lethargy plays a large part in this league. Team need that big boost and the Heat finally get it on Thursday as they are at Los Angeles to play the Lakers. This is just the second time Miami has been an underdog this season as it won in Denver back in November while getting points. The Heat will use this is a motivator as well as the thought of getting no respect will have them fired up. Los Angeles broke out of its six-game slide with consecutive wins but defeating Cleveland and Milwaukee is not a lot to write home about and those victories can not give anyone a false sense that the Lakers have finally figured things out. Los Angeles is 10-5 against teams ranked outside the top 16 and 12-8 against teams ranked outside the top 10 and even those records are pretty average. However, going 5-13 against teams ranked within the top 10 is very below average and it shows they have not been good enough to hang around with the elite teams of the league. This is a spotlight Miami loves as it is 13-6 ATS in its last 19 Thursday night games while the Lakers have been just the opposite, going 6-18 ATS in their last 24 Thursday night games. Miami has won three of the four meetings with the Lakers with its current roaster and tacks on another one here. 10* (507) Miami Heat

Here we have two teams going in opposite directions and because of this, we are catching a very solid number with the home team. Atlanta has lost two straight games and six of its last seven contests but the schedule has not been on its side as seven of its last nine games have been on the road. This includes the last two games, the latest coming Monday at Chicago which saw one of the worst efforts in franchise history. The Hawks managed only five points in the second quarter, 20 points in the first half and 58 points overall, all three of which were franchise lows. That embarrassing effort will have Atlanta more than ready tonight and heading should only add to that. "The disturbing thing is the effort part," Hawks head coach Larry Drew said. "I shouldn't have to come out and coach effort every single night. Effort is something that they should bring. They are being paid to bring effort every single night." Brooklyn meanwhile is riding a seven-game winning streak following a seven-point win against the Raptors last night. Four of the last five wins have come at home though and the Nets are still just 8-8 on the road this season. This is a homecoming for Joe Johnson who will be facing his former team for the first time since being traded and while he will be fired up, so will the Hawks. Atlanta is 25-8 ATS in its last 33 games after failing to cover five or six of its last seven games while going 4-14 ATS in its last five games following a double-digit loss. Meanwhile, Brooklyn is just 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games when playing with no rest including a 1-5 ATS record this season when the second game is on the road. 10* (706) Atlanta Hawks

I played against New Orleans on Sunday as it lost in New York to the Knicks. One of the reasons was I felt that the Hornets were getting a little too much credit for their recent four-game winning streak prior to that and I still think that is the case. Three of those wins during that streak came at home with the other coming against the underachieving Mavericks on the road and the loss against New York dropped the Hornets to 5-13 on the highway this season. They got thumped by the Sixers in the first meeting this season and in that game, Philadelphia was favored by a point and a half and now it is favored by not much more than that despite playing this one at home. The Sixers have been a huge disappointment so far this season but the schedule has had a lot to do with it. Prior to their last game against Houston on Saturday in which it won, Philadelphia had lost five straight games as well as 13 of its last 16 games but the schedule was a brutal one. Of those 16 games, 12 were on the road while the four home games were against the Bulls, Lakers, Hawks and Nets. 11 of the next 12 games are at home so starting this big homestand with a win over the Rockets last Saturday was big and the momentum needs to continue. Additionally, the Sixers do not play again until Friday so there should be 100 percent focus here with nothing to look ahead to. The favorite has covered seven of the last 10 meetings while Philadelphia has grabbed the cash in five of the last six meetings. 10* (504) Philadelphia 76ers

Dallas has won two straight games for the first time in over a month and now it comes in totally overvalued. The Mavericks have had a very disappointing season as we all know but it is pretty safe to say they have not suddenly turned the corner because of just two wins. Dallas last played on Saturday and its 21-point win over Memphis was one of its best played games of the season as it led by as many as 34 points and I feel that result is playing into this number too much. Basically this line is telling us that the Mavericks are only five points worse than both the Spurs and Thunder and that is hardly the case as looking at simple power rating show at least a 10-point difference. Minnesota is struggling so that is also playing a factor but the Timberwolves are getting a lot of points in a game that they can definitely win outright as they no longer have the same issues with Dallas. After taking 18 of 19 from Minnesota, the Mavericks have gone 1-4 in this series since the start of last season. The Timberwolves will be looking to avoid a winless roadtrip and head home with some momentum while trying to stay above water with the absence of Kevin Love. Minnesota is a respectable 5-4 ATS when playing with no rest while going 7-2 ATS in its last nine games following a double-digit loss. Meanwhile the Mavericks are 20-44-2 ATS in their last 66 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 10* (709) Minnesota Timberwolves

We are getting exceptional value here in my opinion as the Knicks, which were favored at New Orleans by 7.5 points in the first meeting in November are now favored by less points at home in the second meeting. The recent play from both sides is playing into this number and we will take advantage as the strings are broken on both sides here. The Knicks are coming off a home loss against Chicago on Friday which was their third straight loss but they were missing Carmelo Anthony in that game against the Bulls. New York is still a solid 13-5 at home and despite dropping its last two games at MSG, it does have the significant situational edge here. While it is far from it in the overall scheme of things, players are calling this a must win game. Conversely, the Hornets are playing their best basketball of the season as they have won four straight games. The last three have come at home though and the lone road win came against the underachieving Mavericks and it took overtime to get it done. New Orleans is just 5-12 on the road and overall it is only 3-15 against the top ten ranked teams in the league. We have two situations on our side as we play against underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points that are revenging a home loss of 10 points or more and coming off a home win by 10 points or more. This situation is 108-61 ATS (63.9 percent) since 1996. Also, we play against road underdogs that are coming off a home win by 10 points or more with a winning percentage between .250 and .400 on the season. This situation is 58-27 ATS (68.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (802) New York Knicks

The Sixers have lost five straight games as well as 13 of their last 16 games so clearly they are struggling right now. The schedule has been a brutal one however which has definitely played a big part in the rough stretch. Of those 16 games, 12 have been on the road while the four home games have seen the Bulls, Lakers, Hawks and Nets come into Philadelphia. This is the start of 12 of the next 13 games being played at home so of ever there is a time to start and turn things around, this is it. The Sixers are a very respectable 9-8 at home and they are 3-2 both straight up and against the number as home underdogs. The Rockets has a solid run going of five straight wins and covers but this roadtrip has not started very good as they lost in New Orleans and then last night, they lost in Boston by 12 points. Typically, this could signal a bounce back for Houston but this is not a very good spot as this is the fourth game in five nights for Houston while it brings in a below average 7-10 record on the road. The Sixers will also be playing for some payback as they lost in Houston by 22 points last month. Houston is just 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games when playing with no rest while going 6-16 ATS in its last 22 games following a loss. Look for the Sixers to finally start their turnaround tonight. 10* (510) Philadelphia 76ers

The Hawks remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference despite their recent struggles. Atlanta has lost its last four games and all four of those came against some very average teams with Boston being the best of the bunch at one game over .500. The three other losses however came on the road where the Hawks have struggled the most if you consider 9-8 struggling. They are 11-6 at home and prior to the loss against the Celtics, they had won 10 of their previous 13 games. Atlanta has struggled offensively during its losing streak, scoring 84 or fewer points three times but playing the Jazz will cure that as Utah is allowing 101.5 ppg on 47.8 percent shooting in its 22 road games. Utah has been playing a lot better on the road as it has won three of its last four games on the highway however those three came against Orlando, Phoenix and Charlotte, none of which have more than 12 wins on the season. Being a small underdog on the road, or in three cases at home, the Jazz have done very well but they are just 1-8 ATS this season when getting five or more points and they are 1-8 ATS this season on the road when playing against a team with a winning record. Going back further, the Jazz are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Utah's modest two-game winning streak comes to a halt tonight. 10* (808) Atlanta Hawks

I am not an advocate of laying road chalk in most cases but tonight we get a different situation with Miami. The Hear are struggling, going 3-4 over their last seven games and have covered just one of those. This is the worst stretch of the season and they had two similar stretches during the regular season a year ago and after going 3-4 in a seven-game stretch, they were able to bust out with victories and covers in the next game. Miami is coming off a 77-point effort on offense at Indiana in its last game but the Pacers own the best shooting defense in the NBA. Prior to that, the last loss was against the Bulls and in the last four defeats, all have come against teams that are ranked in the top half of the NBA in shooting defense. Portland is no where to found there though as the Blazers are allowing opponents to shoot 46.3 percent from the floor which is third worst in the league. Portland is playing very well right now as it has won 11 of its last 14 games including eight straight at home. The majority of those home wins have comes against some pretty poor teams however and the Blazers find themselves in a very difficult spot here. Miami is 12-3 against teams ranked outside the top 16 in the NBA and it is 7-2 following a loss this season. Additionally, the Heat have gone 12-3 against the Western Conference. The Heat are 13-1 this season when they shoot at least 50 percent from the field and it would not be shocking for them to hit that percentage here. Portland is just 3-12 ATS in its last 15 games following two or more consecutive wins and the road team has owned this series with five straight wins and covers. 10* (505) Miami Heat

I played on Oklahoma City the last time it was coming off a loss and will do so again here. The Thunder were coming off a loss against Brooklyn and came out next time and hammered the Sixers and expect more of the same here especially with some added motivation. They lost in Washington on Monday and that was a pretty embarrassing performance and it was not let go without being brought up after. "We let them stick around because we're not taking it serious enough," Kevin Durant said. "We can't do that, man. We can't do that, and it falls back on the leaders. We can be beat by anybody. Everybody's going to bring their best against us. No matter who we're playing, they want to beat us." That alone should have this team extremely focused for Minnesota. The Timberwolves are stuck in neutral and are starting to go in the wrong direction as they are 4-6 in their last 10 games heading into tonight following a win last night against Atlanta which will give them confidence but it is negated as this is not a good position they are in. they head to Oklahoma City without the services of Kevin Love who reinjured his hand and will be out for an indefinite amount of time. Minnesota is 2-5 this season when playing the second of a back-to-back set on the road and overall it is just 6-10 away from home on the season. The other piece of motivation for Oklahoma City is the fact it went to Minnesota on December 20th riding a 12-game winning streak and was upset by six points as a two-point favorite. So the Thunder will be out for payback from that as well as making up for its most recent loss and they are 5-2 ATS following a loss this season. 10* (712) Oklahoma City Thunder

It is safe to say that the Sixers are happy to be home. They are coming off a grueling eight-game roadtrip as well as 10 of the last 11 games being played on the road but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Even though Philadelphia has to head back no the road tomorrow at Toronto, only two of its next 15 games are on the highway so this is a great chance to make a much needed push. The Sixers are 9-7 at home but the schedule has been a tough one as it is ranked eighth overall and that will surely come down following the flurry of home games. The Sixers were hammered at Oklahoma City and San Antonio in their final two games so they were clearly tied and ready to head home. "I have never experienced a road trip like this," Jrue Holiday said. "We had three back-to-backs in a row and we played some of the best teams in the league and before that we started off with Brooklyn. It was tough, but as a team we grew from it." Now they get to catch Brooklyn on their home floor. The Nets have been playing well since head coach Avery Johnson was fired as they have won five of their last six games after getting blown out in back-to-back games against Boston and Milwaukee. This is still a very underachieving team at 19-15 including just 7-8 on the road and this has come against a schedule ranked 23rd in the NBA. While the Nets have been solid as road favorites this season, I do not think they should be favored here (the line did come down to a pick right away) as the other five games that they were favored in were against teams with 12 or fewer wins. The Sixers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following a loss of more than 10 points while Brooklyn is 5-13-2 ATS in its last 20 games following a win of more than 10 points. 10* (504) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a contrarian play on the Magic as I feel that Portland is very overvalued in this situation. The Blazers have been playing well as they are 10-3 over their last 13 games but this line tonight is telling us that the market has finally caught up as this is the second largest amount of points it has had to lay this season. Portland is coming off a four-game roadtrip where it went 3-1 with all three wins coming outright as underdogs. The Blazers have struggled to put any sort of positive runs together at the betting window though as they are 1-13 ATS in their last 14 games after successfully covering the spread in two or more consecutive games including going 0-4 ATS this season. Orlando is in a big skid righty now as it has dropped eight straight games but it hasn't been for a lack of trying. Orlando lost five of those games by four points or fewer and only one of those defeats came by double-digits. While it may be losing, it is competing. The Magic are 21-8 ATS in their last 29 road games after playing four consecutive home games while going 10-3 ATS this season as a road underdog. Additionally they are 5-0 ATS in their last five road games against teams with a winning home record while the Blazers are 1-5 ATS in their last six games against teams with a losing record. Also, Portland is 2-9-1 ATS this season when scoring 100 or more points previous game while falling into a negative situation as we play on road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points after eight or more consecutive losses. This situation is 92-51 ATS (64.3 percent) since 1996. 10* (713) Orlando Magic

The hottest team in the NBA is certainly a surprise as the Pistons have won four straight games, tied with Houston for the longest active winning streak in the league. Additionally, Detroit is 6-1 over its last seven games with the only loss coming in overtime at Atlanta. This came after runs of 0-6 and 2-10 so while the Pistons are playing much better, it is safe to say they are still a very below average team. Because of the recent streak, Detroit is favored by the most points it has been favored by this season and even more telling is the fact it has not been favored by this many points since March of 2009 so this is a severe overadjustment. Charlotte was finally able to secure its eighth win of the season which topped its win total from all of last season. The Bobcats followed that up with a tough two-point home loss against Cleveland on Friday as they fought back from an 18-point deficit to almost pull out the victory. After a lengthy losing streak on the road, the last game on the highway resulted in a win at Chicago so there is definitely some restored confidence. Charlotte falls into a great contrarian situation as we play on underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points with a winning percentage of .250 or worse that are coming off a loss as a home favorite, playing a team with a losing record. This situation is 25-7 ATS (78.1 percent) since 1996. 10* (805) Charlotte Bobcats

I played against the Pacers last night as they went to Boston and lost by 19 points. It was more of a play on the Celtics as they had dropped four straight games and were in desperate need of a win which they got rather easily. Now Indiana returns home for a bounce back game as well as a double revenge game. The Pacers have lost the first two meetings against Milwaukee this season but both of those games were on the road and at home, the Pacers are 11-3 on the season including wins in six straight. Indiana has been very solid this season when playing with no rest as it is 7-3 straight up and 6-4 against the number overall while going 4-0 and 3-1 respectively when going from the road to back home. The Bucks have lost three straight games after getting torched last night against the Rockets. They built an 18-point lead only to see it vanish and eventually fell behind by 18 points themselves. It was the third straight game where they have been down by at least 15 points and teams cannot win with that happening. Normally this could be considered a rebound spot but the Pacers situation is a lot stronger plus the fact that Milwaukee is 1-5-1 ATS this season in the second of a back-to-back set puts it in another trouble spot that could see another blowout take place. Additionally, the Pacers are 5-0 ATS in their last five games following a loss of more than 10 points. 10* (502) Indiana Pacers

This is a big game for the Celtics as they need to turn things around sooner rather than later. Boston upset Brooklyn on Christmas Day but since then it has lost four straight games and all four of those have been by double-digits. Seven of their last 10 game have come on the road and the Celtics lost six of those to fall to 5-11 on the highway. They are a much more respectable 9-6 at home but they have dropped their last two including a defeat against Memphis last time out. With games at Atlanta and at New York on deck, Boston could be staring at a seven-game losing streak should it mess up here. Boston is a season-worst three games under .500. What's more, even as the defense gets a boost from Michael Bradley's return, the Celtics' offense has quietly regressed as during this four-game losing streak, the Celtics are shooting 40.6 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from beyond the three-point line and averaging a mere 84.8 ppg. After a closed door meeting after the Memphis game, look for the Celtics to come out with more energy and focus to try and turn this around. The Pacers meanwhile have won two straight games, both at home, and going back further, they have gone 6-1 over their last seven games and 9-2 over their last 11 games so they are in the midst of their best run of the season. They moved to six games over .500 thanks to strong play at home where Indiana is 11-3 but it is still just 8-10 on the road. The Pacers are only 4-9 ATS as underdogs this season including 3-8 ATS on the road getting points. Boston has not been very good as a home favorite this year but it has been laying some rather big numbers and going back to last season, the Celtics are 14-6-1 ATS in their last 21 home games against teams with a losing road record. Also, the Pacers are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games against teams with a winning home record. 10* (812) Boston Celtics

I feel this is a very favorable line for New York as a win likely gets us the cover as well. The Spurs played last night in Milwaukee, built a 23-point lead and cruised to an easy win even though the final score was a lot closer than the game really was. San Antonio has now won seven straight games and are just percentage points behind the for the best record in the Western Conference. The Spurs are shooting 53.4 percent from the field and averaging 111.7 ppg during their seven-game winning streak so it will be up to the Knicks defense to step up here, something that has not happened of late. The Knicks have faltered a bit of late as they are 3-5 over their last eight games including losses in their last two contests. New York allowed 96.1 ppg during its 18-5 start to the season, but it has given up 100 or more points in each of its last five losses during this recent skid so it needs to clamp down once again. The Knicks won the first meeting this season in San Antonio so the Spurs will be out for some payback but it is not going to be easy. The Spurs held Carmelo Anthony to a season-low nine points in the previous meeting so we can expect a big bounce back game from him. This is the fourth game in five nights for the Spurs and while the starters have not logged huge minutes, there is always the possibility of resting players. We all remember what happened last month at Miami when head coach Gregg Popovich sent four players home prior to the game and despite a $250,000 fine, he has no problems with doing it again. "If you're playing four games in five nights and you need to rest somebody, I think that's a call that I'll make if I need to do that," Popovich said. "I've done it before, and I'll do it again, I'm sure." It may be wise to get on this one early in case he does do it here. New York falls into a great situation as well as we play on home teams with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 where the line is +3 to -3 that are coming off a loss as a favorite, playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 76-38 ATS (66.7 percent) since 1996. 10* (502) New York Knicks

Miami is on a two-game losing streak and both losses came against the teams in this matchup. Detroit defeated the Heat on Friday by 10 points at home while Milwaukee took them out last night by nine points at home. The Pistons have the big advantage here of having a day off since their big win while the Bucks have to travel and play the next day after their upset victory. Milwaukee is now four games over .500 on the season following consecutive wins at home but this is not a spot the Bucks have prospered in this season. Milwaukee is 0-5-1 ATS this season in the second of a back-to-back set. This includes going 0-1 when going from home to the road as after the Bucks defeated Indiana, they lost by 10 at Memphis the following night. The Pistons snapped a six game losing streak last Friday and are riding a 3-1 streak over their last four games even though two of those games came against hapless Washington. Still, they are playing with confidence and after the Bucks win last night, they know they have to come to play tonight. Milwaukee is 0-4 ATS in this underdogs price range while going just 5-10 ATS following a win. Meanwhile the Pistons are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 home games against teams with a winning road record and are riding a four-game cover streak. While going 2-13 against the Western Conference, Detroit is a much more respectable 8-9 against the Eastern Conference. 10* (802) Detroit Pistons

Denver has played the toughest schedule in the NBA and tonight is a perfect example why. The Nuggets have played 31 games with 21 of those coming on the road making this their 22nd road game of the season which equates to over 70 percent of their games being played on the highway. Additionally, 13 games have come against the league's top 10 teams which is tied for the most in the league. All of this should benefit them later in the season as the schedule will be easier with more games at home but that does them little good here. This is their fourth game in five nights with travel taking place every day since Christmas. Denver defeated the Lakers on Wednesday and won again last night at Dallas and now comes a big test. Memphis is 18-8 and sits two and a half games behind the Spurs in the Southwest Division. Following a four-game winning streak, the Grizzlies have dropped their last two games, both by double-digits, so they will be out to make up for those games here. Additionally, two of their eight losses this season have come against Denver including one of their three home defeats. I think Denver is simply going to run out of gas after this brutal stretch while Memphis, which has had the last two days off, will be fully charged and ready to lay the wood. 10* (512) Memphis Grizzlies

Golden St. continues to play very well as it moved to 19-10 on the season following a big road win at Utah on Wednesday. The Warriors were coming off a tough home loss in overtime to the Lakers prior to the Christmas break but the extra time off let that go away and this is the start of an important three-game homestand. Golden St., which has won seven of nine at home, allowed its lowest point total of the season Wednesday after surrendering an average of 116.3 ppg over the previous three games and that defense needs to continue to play well even though Philadelphia is far from an offensive juggernaut. The Sixers have won two of their last three games following a five-game losing streak. They won at Memphis last time out which was a big upset considering the fact they had dropped six straight games on the road prior to that. Even with the win over the Grizzlies, Philadelphia is a game under .500 as it has been unable to get anything going and this is not the spot to start a winning streak despite winning here last season. The Warriors lost both meeting against the Sixers last year and the losses were by 28 and 22 points so Golden St. will be out for some serious revenge and it is finally in a position to be able to do so. The Sixers should have trouble keeping up as they are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games against teams averaging 99 or more ppg. Golden St. is 7-3 ATS this season as small favorites of fewer than seven points and falls into a solid situation where we play on home teams with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 after beating the spread by 18 or more points total in their last three games, playing a team with a winning percentage between .400 and .499. This situation is 89-50 ATS (64 percent) since 1996. 10* (822) Golden St. Warriors

The Celtics are back over .500 following a win over Brooklyn on Christmas Day which was important to start off this current four-game roadtrip. The victory also snapped a five-game road losing streak and now comes a big test in taking on the hottest team in the NBA. The effort on the defensive end against Brooklyn was big because offensively, the Celtics got just eight points each from Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett and only five assists from Rajon Rondo. They showed great balance and proved their bench is going to make a huge difference down the stretch. The Clippers bench has been one of the big reasons they are riding a franchise best 14-game winning streak which has propelled them to the best record in the NBA. They have won these games by an average of 15 ppg with the last six victories all coming by double-digits. Taking nothing away from the streak as playing at a high level every night in this league is rare but the wins have come against some pretty poor teams for the most part. Overall, the Clippers have played the 25th ranked schedule in the league. Defense will be key again and the Celtics are 5-2-2 ATS in their last nine games when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game while the Clippers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* (503) Boston Celtics

Houston killed the perfect Christmas for us last night as it rolled over the Bulls which was its fourth straight win by at least 13 points and its last three have come by 22, 25 and 23 points so it has been a heck of a run. It has to end sometime and this looks to be the prime spot for it to happen. The last two road wins over the Bulls and Knicks have been impressive but the Rockets are still just 4-7 away from home and with San Antonio on deck, this is a tough sandwich spot. Minnesota won its last home game against Oklahoma City which snapped the Thunder 12-game winning streak and it coming off a tough three-point loss in New York against the Knicks last time out without Kevin Love. He is expected to be back tonight and the return of Ricky Rubio is big as well as he is coming off limited action and it well rested here. Houston is 6-1 in its last seven games but five of those wins came against Eastern Conference teams and it is 4-17-1 ATS in its last 22 games against the Western Conference. Minnesota is 4-1 ATS in its last five games after a loss. Look for the Timberwolves to break that huge Houston run tonight. 10* (716) Minnesota Timberwolves

After taking the first game of the NBA Finals, Oklahoma City lost the final four games to give the Heat the NBA title so it will be out to get at least a little payback from that. However with a short line I feel there is plenty of value on the Heat at home. Miami is 18-6 on the season including 13-2 at home and there will be just as much motivation on its side here as the Heat will be out to show that the championship still comes through Miami. After suffering through a two-game skid, Miami feels it is starting to peak during the winning streak as those wins came by an average of 18 ppg. "Right now, I think the guys have really taken to heart to try to get back to our identity," Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We've been talking about it for weeks. It's really started to click in the last couple of weeks." Coming off big wins has not been a problem for the Heat as they are a perfect 4-0 ATS following a double-digit win while going 7-1 ATS in their last eight games against the NBA Northwest. Conversely, Oklahoma City is 2-5 ATS in its last seven games against the NBA Southeast. 10* (506) Miami Heat

This is a double-revenge game for the Celtics which have lost the first two games of the season series, once on the road and the most recent at home. Boston lost the home meeting by 12 points and playing road revenge is usually not a strong tactic but the Celtics will be extra motivated here based on way they lost as a fight that took place knocked Rajon Rondo out of the game and caused a two-game suspension. The Celtics lost their lost recent game, at home to the Bucks in overtime and overall are just 1-4 over their last five games. With three days off in-between, Boston will be recharged to turn things around starting right here as a three-game west coast roadtrip follows. The Nets won their most recent game over the Sixers which halted a 2-8 skid but clearly this team is not playing well right now. The Celtics are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following a loss while the Nets are 7-20-1 ATS in their last 28 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. The Celtics taking this game outright is a strong possibility here. 10* (501) Boston Celtics

The Clippers are the league's hottest team as they have won 12 straight games to improve to 20-6 overall. Their +8.9 ppg in scoring margin is tied for best in the NBA and during the winning streak they are allowing 88.2 ppg while holding teams to 41.5 percent shooting since its last loss. They have been favored in every game during this stretch and rightfully so but we are seeing some overadjustments. Los Angeles defeated Phoenix rather handily at home in the fifth game of this winning streak and it was favored by 10.5 points. Now the Clippers are favored by only four points less and this one takes place on the road so the change in venue line move is not comparable. The Suns have actually been playing pretty well since that loss as they are 4-2 with one of the losses coming last night in Portland by just three points. They have covered five straight games and have been playing good on their home floor, going 6-2 in their last eight games. Phoenix is now 0-10 straight up as a road underdog but a much more solid 3-2 at a home underdog. While they have yet to cover in the second game of a back-to-back set this season, this situation is different with the line and the revenge in play. The Clippers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while the Suns are a solid 22-10 ATS in their last 32 home divisional games. 10* (810) Phoenix Suns

The Bulls came through last night with our free premium play as they took out the Knicks on the road. Chicago led by as many as 25 points but had to hold on after a ferocious run by the Knicks to end the game as they put up 45 points in the fourth quarter. Getting out of there with a comfortable win would have been perfect for Chicago but the drama at the end puts the Bulls in a much tougher spot tonight than it really should have been, While Chicago was winning in New York, the Hawks got thumped in Philadelphia as they lost to the Sixers by 19 points in a game they had the lead in only once. Atlanta fell to 15-9 and is still sitting in third place in the Eastern Conference and we should expect a rebound performance tonight. Atlanta is 17-5 ATS in its last 22 games when playing in the second of a back-to-back set including a 4-1 ATS mark this season when playing with no rest. Because they do not play until after Christmas, the fact that this is the fourth game in five days means little as Atlanta will be looking to go into the mini-break with a win. Additionally, the Hawks have won six of their previous eight games following a loss and they fall into a situation where we play on home teams where the line is +3 to -3 that are coming off a loss as a favorite, in a game involving two teams with winning percentages between .600 and .750. This situation is 53-20 ATS (72.6 percent) since 1996. 9* (502) Atlanta Hawks

Charlotte has been stuck on seven wins since November 24th, a span of 13 games, as it has been unable to break its season win total from all of last season. After a road win at Washington, the Bobcats lost at Oklahoma City by 45 points and it has been all downhill since then. They have been very competitive in a lot of those games though, most recently a one-point loss at the Lakers which was followed up by a blowout loss at Phoenix the next night. That sets up Charlotte very well here plus the Bobcats will be playing their fourth game in five nights at Denver on Saturday which will also be the final game of their roadtrip so any solid effort will be on display tonight. Golden St. is coming off a loss at Sacramento in its last game so it will be hungry for a win but this is a lot of points for the Warriors to be putting down in a game where the focus should not all be there. The reason for that is they host the Lakers on Saturday and they will be looking for revenge from a 24-point loss earlier in the season at Los Angeles, easily their worst loss of the season. The Warriors are one of the big surprises in basketball at 17-9 but this is the most they have been favored by and they are 0-2 ATS this season when favored by seven or more points. Charlotte also falls into a great situation where we play against favorites of 10 or more points that are averaging between 98 and 102 ppg going up against team allowing 102 or more ppg, after scoring 100 points or more two straight games. This situation is 55-25 (68.8 percent) since 1996. 10* (817) Charlotte Bobcats

Oklahoma City won again last night, defeating Atlanta by eight points to make it 12 straight victories for the Thunder. They own the best record in the NBA and while winning like this is very impressive, they have had a very easy schedule along the way. Currently, Oklahoma City has played the easiest slate in the NBA and part of that is due to having 16 of their first 25 games taking place at home. The win over the Hawks last night was their first road game in over two weeks and just their third road game over their last 11 games. Of the seven road wins, two came against New Orleans which is 5-20 while the other five came by an average of 5.8 ppg including one in overtime. The Thunder dominate opponents at home but not on the road. Minnesota had won four straight games before getting swept in its two-game Florida trip but it is back home where it has won four straight and is 7-3 on the season. The Timberwolves have Ricky Rubio back in the mix as he saw action in his first two games before taking the game against Miami off so he is more rested for this one. Defense could play a role in this as Minnesota has concentrated more in that area as it has allowed opponents 94.4 ppg this season, tied for seventh in the NBA. While the Thunder have won 12 straight overall, they have also won 12 straight meetings against Minnesota so we have two contrarian angles we are going after. However, the games have been close as the last six meetings have been decided by single digits. Minnesota is 15-4 ATS in its last 19 games against teams outscoring opponents by three or more ppg and it steps up once again here. 10* (502) Minnesota Timberwolves

We won last night with the Bucks over Indiana but tonight we will back the Pacers which return home where they are 7-3 on the season. The loss to Milwaukee last night snapped a three-game winning streak and as noted last night, those wins were against some rather weak competition. The competition is definitely not weak tonight but Indiana is in a solid bounce back spot as it is 5-1 ATS in its last six games following a loss. Also, the Pacers have been money in this role as they are 10-2 ATS this season when favored by fewer than eight points. While Indiana was losing in Milwaukee, Utah won a big road game in Brooklyn. The Jazz definitely escaped with the victory as they came back from a big halftime deficit but easily could have lost however, Gerald Wallace's wide-open three-pointer missed and then Reggie Evans missed a potential game-tying putback at the buzzer. Even with the win Utah is just 5-10 on the road and it has not won back-to-back road games since March of last season as it is 0-9 straight up and 0-7-2 ATS in its next road game after a road win. The Pacers have been solid this season playing with no rest as they are 5-2 in the second game of a back-to-back set which includes a perfect 3-0 when going from the road to back home. Utah meanwhile is only 2-4 when playing with no rest including a 1-2 record in the second of consecutive road games. Also, the Jazz are 1-6 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (702) Indiana Pacers

After four straight wins, Milwaukee suffered a big loss on Saturday against the Clippers as the Bucks were pounded by 26 points. The game was done by halftime as Los Angeles built a huge lead and was up by as many as 29 points. Milwaukee was outscored 66-28 in the paint but should be in much better shape tonight. The Bucks have a short two-game roadtrip on deck at Memphis and at Boston which makes this game a big one in terms of staying near the top of the Central Division where they are currently just a half-game back. Indiana is also only a half-game behind the Bulls in the division following a three-game winning streak, all of which came by double-digits. The opposition was anything but strong though as two of those wins came against Detroit and Cleveland while the other was against the .500 Sixers. The Pacers have been playing a lot better after a slow start to the season as their defense has led the way. Overall ,they are allowing just 90.4 ppg which is tied for second lowest in the league but the offense is still struggling pretty bad. Milwaukee is 7-3 ATS this season following a loss while Indiana is just 1-4 ATS in its last five games following a double-digit win while going back further is only 16-32 ATS in its last 48 road games following consecutive double digit victories. Milwaukee won the first meeting this season at home last month and was favored by 4.5 points so we are getting a very favorable line this time around. 9* (512) Milwaukee Bucks

After going over the total in four of five games, Utah has stayed under the number in each of its last three heading into Brooklyn tonight. The Jazz have managed just 84 and 86 points in their last two games both of which resulted in double-digits losses and they need to get the offense back in gear as they were one of just nine teams in the NBA that were averaging over 100 ppg heading into those games. The task does not get any easier against Brooklyn which has a solid defense although it has not been playing its best of late. The Nets are coming off a very low scoring game against Chicago where only 165 points were scored and that is adding value here. They came into that game allowing an average of 102.6 ppg over their previous seven games, five of which saw them allow 100 or more points. The Brooklyn offense has not been very strong either but facing the Jazz can turn that around in a hurry as Utah has given up 99 or more points in 10 of its last 13 games, allowing an average of 101.2 ppg over that stretch. The Nets have gone under in eight of 10 games on the road but are 8-5 to the over at home including four of their last five at the Barclays Center. Additionally, Brooklyn is 18-8 to the over in its last 26 home games following a loss while the Jazz are 29-15 to the over in their last 44 road games with a total between 190 and 199.5 points. 10* Over (505) Utah Jazz/(506) Brooklyn Nets

Sacramento is coming off a home blowout loss last night against Denver as they went down by 25 points which makes it four straight losses for the Kings, all of which have come by double-digits. They have all come against teams that are currently in playoff positions or sitting right outside the top eight in each conference and the opponent tonight is not part of that group. Backing Sacramento may not seem logical at this point but this is the time to play on them as we have the value and the anti-public scenario on our side. Phoenix had dropped seven straight games prior to winning its last two games over Memphis and Utah. That is not a huge surprise however as the Suns have been a team that has either stepped up to the competition or played down to the level as they are just 1-9 ATS against teams with a losing record this season. Additionally, Phoenix is 2-11 ATS in its last 13 games following a victory and the Suns haven't been favored by this many points all season and they are 0-3 ATS of favorites of four points or more. Sacramento has definitely struggled against the NBA's better teams, going just 3-13 against teams ranked in the top 16 but the Kings are a much more respectable 4-3 against the bottom 14 teams. Overall, Sacramento has played a schedule ranked seventh in the NBA so that has definitely played a part in the struggles. These teams are separated by just a game and half in the Western Conference standings which does not correlate to the spread we are given here. 10* (711) Sacramento Kings

We are getting some excellent value on this total based on recent results. Houston is coming off two straight low scoring wins at home against Washington and Boston and while both stayed under, those totals were placed at 206 and 207 so we are getting a number close to 10 points less that what those closed at. Obviously the opponent here has something to do with that but that should not cause the big drop in my opinion. Toronto has gone under in four straight games with at least one team being held to 88 or fewer points in each of those games. Prior to that, the Raptors previous seven games saw at least one team hit the century mark and to no surprise, five of those games went over the total. Making it more surprising was that five of those games had closing totals higher than what we are dealing with on Sunday. Houston has dropped six straight games on the road and defense has been the issue as it has allowed an average of 111.2 ppg over those six games and has allowed at least 114 points in four of the last five. The Raptors defense has been bad all season as it is allowing an average of 101.4 ppg which is the fourth most in the league. The worst? That would be the Rockets which are allowing an NBA-high 104.1 ppg. These two teams played a high scoring game in Houston less than three weeks ago and that total was at 203 so we are seeing a big drop from that as well. These teams are a combined 6-2 to the over this season when the total is priced between 195 and 199.5 while the over is 11-5 in the Rockets last 16 games against teams with a losing record. Additionally, the over is 5-0 in their last five road games against losing teams while Toronto is 5-2 to the over in its last seven games following a win and 4-1 to the over in its last five games after allowing less than 75 points in its previous game. 10* Over (801) Houston Rockets/(802) Toronto Raptors

I won with Orlando last night as the Magic took out Golden St. rather easily and snapped the Warriors five-game road winning streak on the current roadtrip. Now Orlando hits the road in a classic letdown spot as it is coming off that big win and now faces a team that has lost 10 straight games so the focus here from the Magic will be minimal. Orlando has not been a road favorite yet this season and it is hard to argue the Magic being a road chalk here despite the recent Charlotte struggles. We played the Bobcats in their last home game and they covered against the Clippers despite losing outright which was their ninth straight loss. They followed that up with a road blowout loss in Atlanta on Thursday but heading home in search of that elusive eighth victory will have them highly motivated tonight. The Bobcats offense has been efficient, averaging 96.1 ppg, with six players averaging double-digit scoring. They are 5-9 at home and while they are 0-8 against the NBA's top ten, they are 7-7 against the rest of the league which is far from horrible. This one is pretty important as well as this is the Bobcats last chance to end their losing streak before heading out on a four-game West Coast trip. The Magic are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 road games against teams with a losing home record. 10* (504) Charlotte Bobcats

Memphis has come down to earth a little bit after a very hot start. The Grizzlies opened the season with a loss at the Clippers but went on to win eight straight games and 12 of their next 13. Since then they are just 2-3 including losses in their last two games with a bad loss at Phoenix being the last one. Overall Memphis is 10-1 against teams rankled outside the top ten and only 4-4 against teams ranked within the top ten and Denver falls into that category according to numerous power rankings. The Nuggets are the only team with a losing record that is part of the top ten but they do deserve to be where they are as they have played the toughest schedule in the league thus far. Of their first 23 games, 17 of those have been on the road including five straight and eight of their last nine. They have had just six home games but they have taken advantage of their strong home court by going 5-1 in those games with the only loss coming against Miami by five points. Memphis is playing with revenge following a loss at home against Denver last month but again, playing road revenge is not an option. Denver falls into a great situation where we play against all teams where the line is +3 to -3 that are revenging a loss with that opponent coming off a road loss. This situation is 210-137 ATS (60.5 percent) over the last 5 seasons. 10* (822) Denver Nuggets

Everybody is down on the Lakers right now and for good reason. They are 9-13 including 2-7 on the road while losing three straight and five of their last six. The thing is though they are not as bad as that record indicates as they are still ranked in the top ten in a lot of power rankings. Despite being four games under .500, they are outscoring opponents by over two ppg and this is due to not being able to close out games late and losing tight ones. Interestingly, going back to 1997 and looking at teams with losing records after 22 games, only two others had a higher point differential than the Lakers of this season. That says a lot and we are catching a line tonight largely based on records and public perception and not actual performance. The Knicks will be the public play here so the line had to be adjusted to make up for it. They are coming off a very big win at Brooklyn which was a big revenge game for them and it took its toll. Now there is no chance New York will not be up for this game but it certainly may not be in top form following that game which was its seventh win in eight games. The Knicks have yet to lose at home this season, going a perfect 8-0 but the opposition has been average at best. An opening win over Miami was huge but that came in the aftermath of the storm and it was a great atmosphere to win for the fans. Other than that, there are no real quality win on the slate and as mentioned, the Lakers are still a quality team. The Knicks are 10-1 against teams ranked outside the top ten but just 6-4 against teams ranked within the top ten. Los Angeles covered its only game this season when it was getting more than five points and this line is big enough to where the Lakers can actually lose and we come away with a comfortable cover. 10* (503) Los Angeles Lakers

Call me a glutton for punishment but I am backing Charlotte here even though the Bobcats have cost us two of their last three games. They failed to cover at Milwaukee last Friday and after getting a beatdown against San Antonio, they failed to get it done against Golden St. last time out. Charlotte played very well for three quarters but it was outscored in the first quarter by 15 points and simply could not recover. That was the eighth straight loss for the Bobcats which are starting to round back into 2011-12 form when they won just seven games all season but I am a situational better first and foremost in this league and this is one of the better situations it has been in during this recent slide. The Clippers are coming off a win last night in Chicago as the Bulls kept the game close but were never able to get a late lead and Los Angeles was able to pull away enough to get the cover thanks to late free throws. The Clippers have now won seven straight games and the seven-game winning streak is the Clippers

It's no secret that the Bulls are a different team without Derrick Rose in the lineup. Through 19 games last season they were 16-3 and this year they are just 11-8 but they are in the midst of their longest winning streak of the season at three games and looking back further they have won five of six and six of eight after a poor 5-6 start. That was to probably be expected however as it took the team a while to come together without Rose in the lineup and let's face it, this is still a very good team without him so being a home underdog for a second straight game is a little but curious to me. They shut down a New York team that was without Carmelo Anthony in a 93-85 victory Saturday, limiting the Knicks to a season-worst 32.1 percent shooting and outrebounded them 47-40. going back, the Bulls have allowed an average of 87.4 ppg on 40.3 percent shooting over the last eight games. The Clippers have won six straight games so that is being taken into consideration for sure but it is very important to note that five of those came against teams that likely will not make the playoffs and all five of those games were on their home floor. Los Angeles is 10-3 at home but just 4-3 on the road so not only have the Clippers been average on the highway but they have played a very favorable schedule with close to two-third of their games coming it home. This has translated into a 14-6 record but the schedule has definitely helped out. This is a very solid team and the record is no fluke but being a road favorite here is a touch overaggressive, just ask the Knicks. Los Angeles is just 2-2 straight up and 1-3 ATS as a road favorite this season while the Bulls are 1-1 both straight up and ATS as home underdogs with the loss coming against Oklahoma City which is tied for the best record in the NBA. There is good news on the injury front as Kirk Hinrich was able to practice and will play after getting hurt against the Knicks. While Richard Hamilton is still out, Marco Belinelli has filled in perfectly as in four games as starter in place of Hamilton he is averaging 16.8 ppg while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor including 38.1 from 3-point range. This is a revenge game for the Bulls as well as they got blown out by the Clippers by 21 points in Los Angeles last month and they are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 home games revenging a same season loss. 10* (510) Chicago Bulls

After a very strong start to the season, the Bobcats have fallen on hard times. They have lost seven straight games and while most of those were close, the last two do not fit into that category. Charlotte lost at Milwaukee by 15 points on Friday and then by 30 points at home against the Spurs the following night. We were on the wrong side of that Bucks game but did win on the Bobcats their previous home game against New York and I will be backing them again here as the situation is a great one in my opinion. Losing two games in a row by way of blowout is going to get the casual bettor to stay far away but this is when the best value comes into play as losing three straight like that is even hard for the lower-tiered team to do. Golden St. is certainly one of the pleasant surprises in basketball so far this season as the Warriors are off to a 13-7 start and trail the Clippers by only one game in the Pacific Division. Golden St. is an even more surprising 7-4 on the road including a perfect 3-0 to start this roadtrip that continues in Miami after this. Two of the wins on this trip came against Detroit and Washington, two of the four worst teams in the Eastern Conference while the other win came against Brooklyn which was coming off consecutive losses to Miami and Oklahoma City and was clearly in letdown mode. I expect the same for Golden St. tonight as it will also be looking past the Bobcats and it is 3-15 ATS in its last 18 road games off two or more consecutive road wins. Charlotte has had past success against the Warriors as it is 5-1 ATS the last six meetings and that gets extended here. 10*(704) Charlotte Bobcats

Both Detroit and Cleveland lost last night with the Pistons losing to Chicago at home and the Cavaliers losing at Minnesota. Detroit built a 17-point lead but could not hold on and that type of blown lead can carry over, especially into a game the following night. The Pistons now hit the road where they are 1-10 on the season including losses in four straight which all have been by at least 12 points. The fact they are favored on the road is crazy to begin with but add to the fact they were favored at home against Cleveland on Monday by five points so the change of venue has not affected the line as much as it should. No doubt Cleveland is struggling as it has won twice in the last month while losing 14 times but the schedule has been totally against it. 13 of their last 18 games have been on the road and overall the Cavaliers have played the sixth toughest schedule in the NBA. Last night Cleveland was the victim of some home cooking and they hope to get that on their side tonight. "(The officiating) was that bad. It really was. It was that bad," Cavaliers head coach Byron Scott said. "I mean I understand we're playing in Minnesota, but 35-9, we went to the basket just as much as they did. I think we had 38 attempts in the paint to their 34, we get nine free throws, I think that speaks for itself.'' Cleveland managed only 73 points Friday and it is 4-1 ATS in its last five games after scoring fewer than 75 points in its previous game. Meanwhile the Pistons are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a losing record. 10* (512) Cleveland Cavaliers

Neither Denver nor Indiana has lived up to early season expectations and they have been for different reasons. The Pacers, because of an injury to Danny Granger, have yet to find their chemistry without him even though they seem to be turning things around. They have won four of their last five games and they have been fortunate to be winning the close games all season as only one of their 10 wins has been by double-digits. Indiana is 5-2 at home but it has defeated Sacramento, Washington, Dallas, New Orleans and Portland for its five home wins and none of those teams possess a winning record. Granted, Denver is in that category as well but the Nuggets are a better team than what its record shows. The Nuggets have been underachieving so far as this team is so much more talented than their 9-10 record shows. To their credit, they have played the toughest schedule in the NBA as 12 of 19 games have come against the top half of the league while 13 of 19 games have come on the road and they are far from done as three more games on the highway follow this one. Four of their nine road losses have been by four points or less so it shows the opposite of Indiana where they have been unable to break through in the close games. The Nuggets, despite the worse record, are the better team and that will show tonight. Denver is 19-7 ATS in its last 26 games against teams allowing 43 percent shooting or less while Indiana is 7-20 ATS in its last 27 games after successfully covering the spread in two or more consecutive games. 10* (801) Denver Nuggets

Rarely do we catch Miami in a very favorable spot but Thursday presents that. The Heat are coming off just their fourth loss of the season which came against Washington no less and they will be out to make up for that poor performance. Miami shot 46.1 percent from the floor which is more than respectable but the Heat allowed the Wizards to shoot 48.1 percent which is not respectable for a good defense and even more interesting is the fact Washington went to the free throw line 29 times compared to just 16 times for the Heat. Miami also has some revenge on the brain as it lost the first meeting this season in New York and it wasn't even close as the Knicks won by 20 points in a game in which the Heat never led. They haven't forgotten. While Miami was resting, New York was taken to the final seconds of its game in Charlotte and won on a last second jumper from J.R. Smith. I played against New York as the lookahead possibility was in play and it surely came into play as the Knicks never had the cover and were able to sneak out with the win. They will certainly be fired up to play Miami but you have to wonder how much they have left after Wednesday night and the intensity that Miami is going to bring is going to be pretty impossible to match. The Heat have a great bounceback situation on their side as well as we play on teams coming off a loss as a favorite of 10 points or more, in a game involving two teams with winning percentages between .600 and .700. this situation is 32-10 ATS (76.2 percent) since 1996. Everything falls in place for a big Miami win. 10* (702) Miami Heat

After a great start to the season where the Knicks went 6-0, they went on a 3-4 slide before rebounding with three straight wins over the last week. They are just 5-5 ATS over their last 10 games and part of that is some poor play while some of it is due to numbers being inflated. We are seeing that here tonight as New York is a very significant road favorite against a team they could very well look past. The winning streak has got the Knicks content and with a game at Miami on Thursday on national television, they could easily bee looking past the Bobcats. We played on Charlotte on Monday night and unfortunately the Bobcats blew a lead which the game into overtime which they ended up losing. Still, this team is completely different than the one that lost seven games all of last season and win over the Knicks would be a good way to get to that eighth victory. Charlotte has lost four straight games but after the debacle in Oklahoma City, it has been very competitive in the final three games, losing by just five ppg including that six-point defeat in overtime against the Blazers. The Bobcats are 5-5 at home and those five wins are already one more than all of last season at home. It will take some intensity and a fill 48 minutes in order to win this game but they are more than capable as Ben Gordon and Kemba Walker will both need to continue to have hot hands, while Ramon Session and Byron Mullens will need to get back on track after struggling against the Blazers. An outright victory for Charlotte is not out of the question in this sandwich game for the Knicks. 10* (504) Charlotte Bobcats

We have seen Oklahoma City go under the total in three of its last four games as the defense has been outstanding. Brooklyn has gone under the total in five of its last six games and both the offense and defense have kept the scores down. Because of these recent results, we are getting a much lower than expected number. The Thunder defense has been playing great as mentioned as they have allowed an average of just 82 ppg over their last four games but three of those were at home. They did allowed just 79 points in their last game at New Orleans but previous to that, Oklahoma City went over in its three previous road games. The offense has been a different story as the Thunder have eclipsed the century mark in nine straight games, averaging 111.3 ppg over that stretch. On the season, their 105.1 ppg scored is the highest average in the NBA. The Nets have gone under in three straight home games but the totals have all been higher than what is on the board for tonight so that is where the value comes into play. Four of their first five games at home went over and playing the highest scoring offense in the NBA will get back to that. Oklahoma City, while going 1-5 to the under when the total is at 200 or higher, is 8-4 to the over when the total is less than 200. The Over is 8-3 in Oklahoma City's last 11 road games against teams with a winning home record while the Over is 9-4 in the Nets last 13 home games against teams with a winning road record. 10* Over (705) Oklahoma City Thunder/(706) Brooklyn Nets

After starting 0-4 on this current roadtrip and having lost five straight games on the highway, Portland won a grueling double-overtime game at Cleveland on Saturday. Nicolas Batum drained a wild, off-balanced corner three with 0.2 seconds left in double overtime to give the Blazers the win. The Blazers are now 3-7 on the road and will now be facing a team that is no longer the laughingstock of the league. Charlotte has dropped three straight games but all three have come against likely playoff bound teams and Portland cannot be lumped into that group. Sitting at 7-8, the Bobcats have already won as many games as they did all of last season when they posted the worst winning percentage in NBA history by finishing 7-59. one of those losses came against Portland and it wasn't any loss as they lost by 44 points which at the time was the worst loss in franchise history. That was broken last week against Oklahoma City in a 45-point loss but nonetheless, Charlotte will be out for some payback here. Considering Portland was favored by 15 points in that meeting last year and now Charlotte is the slight chalk, it shows how far these teams have closed the gap. The Bobcats actually matchup very well with Portland as depth and athleticism are concerns for the Blazers in this game as Charlotte could tire out the road-weary and thin Portland squad. Portland is 9-20 ATS in its last 29 road games against teams with a winning home record while going 7-20-1 ATS in its last 28 games following a win. Charlotte meanwhile is 4-1 ATS in its last five games following a loss and it is in a great position tonight to snap its losing streak and surpass its win total from last season. 10* (502) Charlotte Bobcats

The Spurs are on a roll as they have won their first five games of this roadtrip, the last two coming in blowout fashion. We got buried in both of those as San Antonio refused to play down to the competition and easily covered against Washington and Orlando. Now the Spurs take a big step up in class as they end their roadtrip in Miami and even though the starters got some rest last night, this is a tough travel spot playing back-to-back games. In addition, this is fourth game in five nights including a game that went to double overtime on Sunday and the starters did not get any games off which was a surprise with the loaded schedule. This could very well be the game they wear down. Miami is off to a 6-0 start at home which is the best in franchise history and while keeping it going will not be easy, they catch the Spurs in an ideal spot. The Heat have not only dominated at home this season but also going back to last year as they have won 28 of their last 30 regular-season home games and 10 straight including the playoffs. While San Antonio has been unable to rest, Miami has had four days off which many will feel is a liability because of possible rust, I think it is a perfect scenario as the Heat will try and run the Spurs out of the building. It is strength against strength as San Antonio is allowing only 95.1 ppg but Miami is the NBA's second highest-scoring team, averaging 104.8 ppg. The Heat are averaging an even better 114.8 ppg at home which is by far the highest in the league. Miami is 15-5 ATS in its last 20 home games after a win by six points or less while the Spurs are 0-6 ATS in their last six games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (502) Miami Heat

We played against the Spurs on Monday and Washington forgot to show up and play defense. San Antonio shot 56.2 percent from the floor including 56.5 percent from long range as it blew the game wide open late in the second quarter. The Spurs were favored by 5 to 5.5 points most of the day before it closed at 7 and now they are laying more points to a team that has five more wins than Washington does. The current four-game road winning streak and the overall seven-game road winning streak are surely coming into play but keeping up that high level is very difficult in this league, especially trying to remain consistent on the highway. This spot is even worse for the Spurs who are playing a nationally televised game at Miami tomorrow night to peaking ahead to that is certainly not out of the question. Orlando lost its last game at home against Boston on Sunday in overtime which snapped a two-game home winning streak, granted against Detroit and Cleveland which isn't saying a lot. Still, this young team is showing progress and could have a slight edge based on some alleged reports. Because of the game tomorrow night in Miami, there is a good possibility that Tim Duncan will sit tonight as head coach Greg Popovich indicated that he will rest the veteran on some occasions this season during back-to-back games. Duncan played in both back-to-back games on Sunday and Monday so a night off here to face Miami tomorrow makes the most sense. It is not in any injury reports yet so the line has not been affected but very possibly will once the official news hits. Duncan is averaging 31 minutes per game and averaged 32 during the Sunday/Monday set. Orlando has covered its last three games following a loss and we get an excellent number for the Magic to do it again tonight. 10* (704) Orlando Magic

Cleveland has gotten off to a rough start this season by going 3-11 and the injury to Kyrie Irving only added salt to the wound. Still, this is a good spot for the Cavaliers to pick up a victory. They have lost three straight games but all of those were on the road and the last two came against Miami and Memphis which are the leaders in their respective conferences. The losses have not been bad ones either as Cleveland lost to the Heat by just two points and the Grizzlies by just six points so while losing, the Cavaliers are playing hard from start to finish. The loss against Memphis was last night and the Cavaliers are 2-1 ATS in the second of a back-to-back set and this is the first time they have gone from the road to home. Speaking of the road, 10 of Cleveland's first 14 games have been on the highway and coupled with the opposition it has faced, the Cavaliers have played the toughest schedule in the league thus far. Phoenix is coming off another road loss, this one against Philadelphia on Sunday, to fall to 1-5 on the road with the only win coming against Charlotte. For a team that is 1-5 on the highway, it is asking a lot to be favored. The Cavaliers are also playing with some early season revenge as they lost in Phoenix earlier this month by two points as a three-point underdog which is essentially the same number here. This is the fourth game in five nights for Cleveland as well as the fifth game in seven nights and while that is thought to be a disadvantage that has been far from the truth early in the year when legs are still fresh. We play on teams where the line is +3 to -3 that are playing their 5th game in seven days, in November games. This situation is 61-24 ATS (71.8 percent) since 1996. Look for the Cavaliers to get back into the win column tonight. 10* (504) Cleveland Cavaliers

It is a safe bet who the public will be on in this game and we take advantage of the line given to us because of it. The Spurs own the NBA's second best record at 11-3 and they own the league's best road record at 7-1 following a 3-0 start to this current roadtrip. The streak continuing will be tougher than most think as the Spurs are coming off a game last night and it went into double overtime which makes it an even tougher spot to rebound tonight playing with no rest. San Antonio has covered in its only other second of back-to-back road games but the scenario was different as it was coming off a rout at Sacramento in which no starter played more than 31 minutes. Last night five players played more than 34 minutes with three starters logging at least 41 minutes. Washington remain the only winless team in the league after another gut-wrenching defeat. The Wizards franchise-worst start hit 0-11 after a 108-106 double-overtime loss to Charlotte on Saturday. It was the fifth straight loss by single digits and those games have been decided by an average of just 4.6 ppg. Washington against struggled on offense as it shot just 36.6 percent against the Bobcats as it continues to be the worst shooting team in the NBA at 39.6 percent. While the Spurs used to be known for their stifling defense, that is no longer the case as they are allowing opponents to shoot 43.9 percent from the floor so Washington will have its looks. Another factor that is making the Spurs heavily backed is the fact they have won 12 straight meetings in this series and covered the last 11 of those games. People will not be lining up behind Washington tonight which makes the contrarian style in full effect here. The Wizards are 4-1 ATS in their last five games against teams with a winning record while San Antonio is 3-7-2 ATS in its last 12 road games against teams with a losing home record. 10* (702) Washington Wizards

Every team in the NBA has won at least three games with the exception of Washington which is still the lone winless team in the league. This is the perfect opportunity for that to come to an end though. Six of the first 10 games for the Wizards have been on the road while the four home games have been against some stiff competition so while the 0-10 record is nothing to be proud of, playing as pretty tough schedule has had something to do with it. Charlotte is already only one win away from matching its win total from all of last season as it comes into this game with a 6-5 record and actually sitting in the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference standings. The Bobcats however have played the easiest schedule in the NBA and with eight of the 11 games played coming at home, they have had much better opportunities. They have not played on the road in close to two weeks and will be facing a Wizards team out for revenge that scored just 76 points in a 16-point loss which matched the fewest amount of points Washington has put up this year. Playing a bad team has not helped Charlotte recently as it is 2-13 ATS versus teams that are getting outscored by their opponents by six or more ppg while Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last five games against teams with a losing record. The Wizards finally break into the win column here. 10* (704) Washington Wizards

Boston is coming off a loss on Wednesday at home against the Spurs to drop to an even 6-6 on the season as well going to .500 at home. The Celtics are on a two-game skid but are catching a very good number at home with a lot of it based on the recent skid. The defense has been the biggest liability which is definitely a surprise as Boston led the NBA in defensive field-goal percentage last season at 41.9 percent but is 27th in that category this season, allowing 46.3 percent. It will not be easy here but the setup is a good one as the Thunder are coming off a very big overtime win at home against the Clippers. Through 12 games, Oklahoma City has played eight of those at home which is definitely a big edge and this is the first roadtrip of the season lasting more than one game. Despite being considered the weaker conference, the East has been a problem for the Thunder which are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games against the Eastern Conference while the Celtics are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. Boston takes this one outright. 10* (506) Boston Celtics

The Sixers have won three straight games, covering all three as well, including a win last night against the Raptors as they had to rally in the second half for the victory. While Philadelphia has won the last three games, it has been far from dominating, winning those games by six, seven and eight points. Those games were part of a five-game homestand for the Sixers and they hit the road for the first time in nearly two weeks before heading back home for three more consecutive games which makes this game a tough situational scenario for tonight. Going back to last season, Philadelphia is just 3-10 ATS in its last 13 games playing with no rest. Cleveland is off to a rough 2-8 start this season and things got worse when it lost Kyrie Irving in its last game to a broken finger which is going to sideline him for roughly a month. While it is a big loss, the Cavaliers know that it is time to step up and the opportunity is there for a lot of players to take charge. Overall Cleveland has lost six straight games but five of those were on the road and through ten games this season, the Cavaliers have only played three games at home so the schedule has not been in their favor. The last defeat was at Philadelphia which sets up a quick revenge turnaround and in the first game without Irving, we will see huge effort from the home team. He is no doubt a big loss but the overreaction to it is in our favor as Cleveland is getting a great line tonight. 10* (506) Cleveland Cavaliers

This will be a very good measuring stick for the Lakers who look to have Mike D'Antoni on the sidelines for his first game on the bench as head coach. They will be facing a tough opponent but we are getting decent value in the role of favorite where Los Angeles is 5-1 ATS as a chalk of more than four points compared to going 0-4 ATS when the line is less than that including 0-3 ATS as an underdog. The Lakers are 4-1 since firing Mike Brown but the wins came against teams not expected to make the playoffs, Sacramento, Golden State, Phoenix and Houston. The Nets have won five straight games after starting the season 1-2 so they look to be coming together pretty quickly with the new additions to the roster. They have played only three road games and are 2-1 but those wins were against teams not likely going to the playoffs this season. The lone loss came at Miami by 30 points and besides Boston, Brooklyn has faced a very weak schedule overall as it is ranked as the easiest in the NBA. The Nets are 9-21-2 ATS in their last 32 games following an ATS win while the Lakers are a solid 5-1 ATS in their last six home games. 10* (706) Los Angeles Lakers

Denver is coming off a horrible effort in its last game against the Spurs as they lost by 26 points in a game that was pretty much over after the first quarter. The Nuggets committed 21 turnovers while San Antonio was 16-27 (59.3 percent) from three-point range, better than its overall shooting percentage of 53.4 percent. Many tabbed the Nuggets as a contender in the Western Conference but they have been far from it with a 4-6 record. They opened with three straight losses before winning four in a row prior to their recent three-game skid. Expect a rebound tonight as we are catching a very solid number. After opening the season with a loss against the Clippers, Memphis has won eight straight games and most impressive is that it has covered every one of those. Because of this, the Grizzlies line has climbed and they are now favored by the most they have been favored by all season and the value has certainly disappeared for Memphis. The Grizzlies own the best record in the NBA which is the first time in the history of the franchise they can make that claim so they won't be sneaking up on anyone. Memphis swept the three-game series with Denver last season, doing so by a total of seven points so we can expect another close one here. The Grizzlies are 3-11 ATS in their last 14 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400 while the Nuggets are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games after allowing more than 125 points in their previous game. 10* (507) Denver Nuggets

After starting the season 1-2, the Nets have won their last four games to move into second place in the Atlantic Division. Brooklyn leapfrogged Boston with its win on Thursday and now hits the road for a three-game roadtrip out west. The time off may have helped with the travel but with the Lakers on deck, this puts the Nets into a tough spot in a possible lookahead. The line may seem fishy as well as Brooklyn is four games better than the Kings but are laying just a small number. That smells like a trap if there ever was one. The Nets are on a winning streak, the Kings are on a four-game losing streak. Sacramento opened the season with a three-game east coast roadtrip where it went 0-3 to no surprise but then came home and won its next two games prior to this recent skid. The current losing streak has come against some stiff competition as the Kings have faced the Spurs, Lakers, Blazers and Hawks with Portland being the only suspect team of the bunch. Adding to the trap factor and the low line is the fact that Sacramento has lost these recent four games by 16, 17, 13 and 11 points so getting just three points will seem outlandish to some. The Kings held a players only meeting after their loss to the Hawks on Friday so we should see a bigger effort tonight. Sacramento also got DeMarcus Cousins back after a two-game suspension and while he was rusty shooting the ball, he had a season-high 16 rebounds and seven assists. The Nets are just 8-21 ATS in their last 29 games following a spread cover while going 4-14 ATS in their last 18 games after playing a game as a favorite. The home team has covered four of the last five meetings and the Kings make it three straight home wins in the series with a victory tonight. 10* (708) Sacramento Kings

Memphis came through for us last night as the Grizzlies improved to a league-leading 7-1 while sending the Knicks to their first loss of the season. The Grizzlies now hit the road for their first back-to-back of the season as the slate has definitely been in their favor as far as scheduling and travel. The last three wins have been very impressive as prior to the Knicks, Memphis took out last year's NBA Finals participants Miami and Oklahoma City. That is tough stretch over the last week and now playing the lowly Bobcats will provide a big letdown situation for us to go against. Memphis, which has five wins by double digits, is on the verge of its first eight-game winning streak since 2004 but it will have to focus and not overlook Charlotte which could easily happen tonight. The Bobcats have been one of the early season surprises as they are 4-3 on the year and those four wins are already more than half of their wins from all of last season. It took Charlotte 30 games to notch its fourth win last year so things are certainly going the right way for the new look Bobcats. The young talent seems to be coming together quicker than expected while depth has also played a very important part. First-year coach Mike Dunlap has worked the team hard through the preseason and into the regular season, getting results not seen last season with the team on the verge of a four-game winning streak. The Bobcats are rebounding, generating steals, and pushing the ball on offense and this is no longer a team that should be taken lightly. A big matchup here is Michael Kidd-Gilchrist against Rudy Gay. After enduring successive matchups against LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony, Gay cannot afford to take his next opponent lightly. A knock on him in the past has been his tendency to get up for marquee matchups, but coast through the "lesser" ones so we could see a bit of a falloff tonight. The Bobcats are a perfect 3-0 ATS against teams with a winning record this season while going 5-2 ATS in their last seven home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. Look for another big effort from the home team and while winning this one outright is far from out of the question, we will take the points against this big public favorite. 10* (508) Charlotte Bobcats

It has been a very slow start for Indiana as it is 3-6 to begin the season but things should be better than that. The absence of Danny Granger is no doubt a big one for the Pacers but they have enough around him to make up for it but they have been unable to close. Of the six losses, four have come by three points or fewer so that is what is meant by being unable to close as tight games have started to go against them. The schedule hasn't helped much either as six of the first nine games have come on the road and to no surprise, Indiana is 1-5 in those games. They are coming off a road loss at Milwaukee and it was a bad one as the final score shows a 14-point defeat but the Pacers were down by as many as 32 points as a fourth quarter push in garbage time made it look respectable. This is the third time that the Pacers head home coming off a road loss and they were able to win on their home floor in each of those first two instances. While Indiana is off to a slow start, Dallas is not doing a whole lot better as it obviously misses the services of Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavericks started off good enough with a 4-1 record but they have dropped three of their last four games and the worst part is that they have played a very soft schedule with games against Washington, Minnesota, Toronto, Portland and Charlotte twice. Dallas snapped a three-game losing streak last time out as it defeated Washington at home but it was far from easy as it blew a 22-point lead and had to hold on in the fourth quarter for the win. The Mavericks are 1-3 on the road this season and while the one victory came against the Lakers, that road win is not looking as impressive as it was early in the season when it happened. It also should be noted that the Mavericks will be without Shawn Marion once again who has missed five straight games due to a sprained knee ligament. Getting a rhythm on offense has been a problem for the Pacers as they have yet to score 100 points in regulation and on the season they are averaging 87.8 ppg which is nearly 10 fewer than last season while and shooting a league-worst 39.8 percent. This is a good opportunity to break out of that as the Pacers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game. Dallas meanwhile is on a five-game non-cover streak and going back to last season is 4-14 ATS in its last 18 games against teams with a losing record. 10* (706) Indiana Pacers

We played against the Knicks on Tuesday and after staying even with Orlando for most of the game, they were able to pull away as the Magic went cold on offense, scoring just 13 points. Orlando wasted 28 assists by turning the ball over 20 times and that simply cannot happen if a team expects to win. Now on to Thursday where the Knicks hit the road once again and finally run into a buzzsaw as their situations so far have been pretty tame despite playing some good teams at home early on. New York opened with Miami in the wake of the Hurricane Sandy disaster so the emotional side of that carried them to a win there. Back-to-back wins or Philadelphia and then a victory against Dallas are not looking very good now as those teams are not playing up to expectations. Now New York catches the best team in the Western Conference yet again. The Spurs quietly went about their business in the shortened season a year ago and went on to finish with the best record in the Western Conference and after faltering in the playoffs, they are at it again. San Antonio is 7-1 to start the season and are heading home following a 3-1 roadtrip where it won the final three games. The last win came against the Lakers as the defense stepped up again because the offense did not as San Antonio shot a season low 38.9 percent from the floor. Expect a big reversal of that despite the Knicks being one of the best defensive teams early in the season. The Spurs are 3-0 at home this season and going back to last year they are 22-2 on their home floor and playing a home game following a lengthy trip has been lucrative as the Spurs are 11-3-1 ATS in their last 15 home games following a road trip of seven or more days. San Antonio has owned this series with wins in 18 or the last 19 regular season games including nine straight wins at home. Some of those past games mean nothing because of personnel turnover but the meeting last season saw the Spurs win by 13 points at home and that was with Amare Stoudemire in the lineup. San Antonio is 14-4 ATS in its last 18 games following a win by six points or less which shows how it can turn momentum in their direction. Playing out of conference has also been a success for the Spurs are they are 13-2-2 ATS in their last 17 games against the Eastern Conference including a 22-point blowout win against the Pacers in the lone crossover game so far this year. 10* (504) San Antonio Spurs

Based on a scheduling quirk, New Orleans has played only five games so far this season which is the fewest in the league and even though it is 3-2 so far, not having played together that much can hurt a young team early in the season. After playing back-to-back games against Utah and Chicago, the Hornets had three days off before playing Philadelphia, had a day off before playing Charlotte and now have had four days off prior to tonight's game. After losing the season opener against the Spurs, New Orleans has been playing well but with all of the time off, the momentum can be lost with no rhythm being gained. On top of everything, this is just the second road game of the season for the Hornets as they have been sitting at home for the last 11 days. Houston opened up the season with two road wins over Detroit and Atlanta but it has been a struggle since then. The Rockets have gone just 1-4 since that start including a very tough loss against Miami in its last game two days ago at home. They are just 1-3 at home this season with the only victory coming against winless Detroit so that makes this game pretty important. A loss here drops them four games behind the Spurs in the Southwest Division with a tough three-game roadtrip on deck so Houston is treating this game as a must win situation. Hornets Anthony Davis is coming off a big game and recorded his first double-double of his career but that was against the Bobcats and Houston big men Omer Asik and Chandler Parsons are two very two solid defenders which could present a challenge to the rookie. On the other side, the Hornets are one of the top defensive teams in the league, allowing just 88.6 ppg which is the third lowest in the league. Head coach Monty Williams said the Rockets are far more challenging to prepare for since they acquired shooting guard James Harden and New Orleans has not yet faced a scorer like Harden. The Hornets are 10-25 ATS in their last 35 road games against teams with a losing home record while Houston is 5-1 ATS in its last six home games against teams with a road winning percentage greater than .600 and it falls into a great situation where we play on home favorites that are averaging between 92 and 98 ppg going up teams allowing between 88 and 92 ppg, after a combined score of 215 points or more. This situation is 46-19 ATS (70.8 percent) since 1996. 10* (708) Houston Rockets

Heading into the third week of the season, there is just one undefeated team left in the NBA and to the surprise of many, it is the Knicks. New York is off to a perfect 4-0 start and all of the wins have come in dominating fashion as all have come by double-digits. The competition has been stiff as well as the Knicks defeated the Heat, swept the Sixers in a home-and-home and then most recently defeated the Mavericks at home. This is the start of a very tough stretch as New York plays three straight games on the road as well as six of the next seven and eight of the next 10 games. This is just the second road game of the season and the Knicks are already overvalued. After a perfect 2-0 start, Orlando has lost its last four games as poor shooting has been the difference. The Magic scored 102 and 115 points in their first two games but have yet to hit 100 points during this skid and has averaged a mere 77.5 ppg over this stretch. Three of those four games have come on the road however and the Magic will be ready to make up for their last home game where they scored just 68 points in a 39-point loss to the Nets. The expectations were low heading into the season for Orlando and things are definitely at a low right now but this is a very favorable spot with a very favorable line for the Magic. Things could hit rock bottom in a hurry for Orlando but it is staying positive despite the recent struggles. "We have a lot of talent in this locker room and we have a great, young, energetic coaching staff who's going to try to help put us in a successful situation," said point guard Jameer Nelson. The Knicks have clearly been the best team in the NBA as they are averaging 104.5 ppg and have allowed 87.5 ppg and 40.7 percent shooting, both tops in the league. Whether it is a complete turnaround or just a fortunate start remains to be seen but this is the best start in 19 years for New York and being a public team, they are already seeing inflated lines. Orlando is 19-6 ATS in its last 25 home games against teams that are outscoring their opponents by nine or more ppg and it falls into a great situation where we play on home underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points that won between 45-55 percent of their games the previous season. This situation is 38-11 ATS (77.6 percent) since 1996. 10* (504) Orlando Magic

Detroit remains one of two winless teams in the NBA but let's face it, the schedule makers did it no favors to try and get off to a fast start. The Pistons opened the season with a home game against the Rockets and immediately went on a six-game west coast roadtrip right after that. Obviously they dropped all six games and some of the situations were impossible as they faced Denver and the Lakers, both of which came in at 0-3 as well as other tough spots. This is one team that is happy to be home.

The Thunder have won four straight games with the victory over the Pistons being their last game. We won on Detroit in that game based on the situation of Oklahoma City coming off a big road win the previous night in Chicago and we will be going against the Thunder this time based on the situation again but more so for line value. They were favored by 11.5 points so a change in venue should knock that down to roughly 3.5 points but we are seeing an inflated number in its place.

Oklahoma City has played five of its last six games at home including a victory last night over Cleveland that was not as easy as the final score showed. The Thunder needed a big fourth quarter to pull away so it wasn't a game where they coasted and were able to rest their starters for tonight. Obviously this is still one of the best teams in the Western Conference even without James Harden but with that comes public attention and public money and we take advantage of the poor line here.

The Pistons will be trying to avoid the worst start in franchise history as Detroit has opened with seven straight losses for the third time, the first since 1981. This team, if nothing else, should be playing for pride and looking to avoid being part of futile history. "The way we are playing right now is unacceptable," said veteran Tayshaun Prince, who had 13 points and six rebounds against the Rockets. "Guys should be upset right now." This is the time to turn things around as Detroit has to hit the road again on Tuesday.

The Pistons are 2-0 ATS this season as underdogs of fewer than seven points and the underdog has covered seven of the last 10 meetings in this series. Expect more of the same here as we see a highly focused and energetic Pistons effort tonight on their home floor. 10* (706) Detroit Pistons

We played this over on Friday and it was Orlando that let us down as the Magic scored a mere 68 points on 42.9 percent shooting. The problem was they took only 70 shots and they went to the free throw line only eight times which is unheard of in the NBA. Now they get a rematch with Brooklyn and we can expect Orlando to be a little more aggressive this time around in hopes of getting to the rim. The Magic scored 30 points in the paint and that obviously has to increase. The Nets did their part as expected as they were coming off a disastrous offensive effort at Miami as they scored just 73 points on 30-80 (37.5 percent) shooting. This included a putrid 3-21 (14.3 percent) from long range. They got worse as the game went along as Brooklyn scored a mere 32 second half points. Brooklyn bounced back with 107 points on 50 percent shooting and it matched the second half output against Miami with a 32-point fourth quarter against the Magic. The Nets offense has been better at home in the young season as they are shooting 46.8 percent including 50 percent from long range. They will be facing an Orlando defense that is allowing opponents to shoot 46.3 percent from the floor so Brooklyn should have no problem keeping the offense rolling. The Magic have had their struggles shooting on the road so far but the Nets are allowing opponents to shoot 47.6 percent in their home games so expect a big bounceback as Orlando has no where to go but up. Because of the low scoring game on Friday, the total has dropped from 195 then to 191 in this matchup so we are catching a good amount of value. Orlando has gone under in two straight games and the same goes for the Nets and today's total is well below any over/under each has seem over this stretch. Going back to last season, the over is 18-3-1 in Orlando's last 22 games after scoring less than 75 points in its previous game while the Nets are 5-0 to the over in their last five home games. There is a solid situation in pay as well as we play the over involving a team coming off a blowout win by 15 points or more going up against an opponent after scoring 80 points or less in two straight games. This situation is 45-19 (70.3 percent) to the over since 1996. 10* Over (501) Orlando Magic/(502) Brooklyn Nets

Phoenix trailed by as many as 26 points against Cleveland last night but came all the way back by closing the game on a 16-7 run and winning the game by two points. It was the second straight win for the Suns as they evened their record at 3-3 and now hit the road for the fourth time. They are 1-2 on the highway, losing badly to Orlando and Miami and their only win came against Charlotte which certainly isn't saying much. Coming off that big win on Friday, we should see a major letdown tonight. While the Suns were coming off an enormous come-from-behind victory, the Jazz were getting pummeled at Denver, losing by 20 points. Utah fell to 0-4 on the road thus year and only one of those losses was close and that was a game it was favored in so the Jazz have yet to cover on the road either. The issue last night was terrible shooting, namely from long range as the Jazz were 4-23 (17.4 percent) from behind the arc while shooting just 36.8 percent overall. Expect a big rebound tonight. Utah is 2-0 at home as it owns big wins over Dallas and Los Angeles and it is pretty well known that it has one of the best home court advantages in the NBA. The Jazz went 25-8 last season after a disappointing 2010-11 season and they again look to establish a big edge there. One of the big factors this season is defense as Utah is allowing opponents to shoot 46.4 percent on the road compared to 35.8 percent at home and that latter percentage is the best in the league. Phoenix is shooting just 43 percent on the road and like Utah, the Suns cannot play defense on the highway as they are allowing a whopping 49.1 percent shooting in their three road games which is the fifth highest percentage in the NBA. This includes a dismal 57.6 percent allowed from long range as opponents are averaging 11.3 made three-pointers per game. The Utah offense should thrive once again as it has averaged 104 ppg in the two home games. Going back to last season, the Suns are 0-7 ATS in their last seven games following a win while the Jazz are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 10* (714) Utah Jazz

After a rough season a year ago, things were supposed to be better in Detroit this season but so far that has not been the case. The Pistons are 0-5 and the schedule has been totally against them. They opened the season against Houston and after building an 11-point lead to the rebuilding Rockets, they melted down in the fourth quarter to lose by nine points. Then started a six-game west coast roadtrip and that is a tough situation for any team in the beginning of the season. The Pistons kept it tight against the Suns, losing by just three points and then the situations completely went against them. Detroit faced the Lakers which came in at 0-3 and was pounded and then faced the Nuggets which also came in at 0-3 and was pounded again. The Pistons again played well last time out against Sacramento but just fell short once again. While facing another elite opponent tonight, the situation is on their side. Oklahoma City is coming off a game last night in Chicago and while it is 1-0 this season in the second of a back-to-back set, the first situation had the Thunder coming off a loss. Thursday, the Thunder overcame a six-point deficit and outscored the Bulls 31-19 in the fourth quarter to pull out the big road win. The no rest coupled with that huge victory puts Oklahoma City in a very vulnerable spot tonight against a hungry Pistons team searching for their first win. Detroit has a rematch with Houston tomorrow which finally ends this trip and it would like to go into that finale with some much needed momentum and confidence. Detroit falls into a great contrarian situation as we play on road underdogs of 10 or more points in the first half of the season that are getting outscored by their opponents by six or more ppg. This situation is 48-21 ATS (69.6 percent) over the last five seasons. The Thunder have owned this series but they encounter a letdown spot here while laying their biggest point spread of the season. Admittedly, Detroit has not been very good as a double-digit underdog of late but this is a good spot for it to keep this one close. 10* (515) Detroit Pistons

The Clippers cashed very easily last night as they routed the Spurs and got at least a little bit of redemption from the sweep that San Antonio put on them in last season's playoffs. Los Angeles moved to 3-2 on the season and while last night can be considered a momentum boost, I consider it the perfect setup for a letdown. The Clippers now go from home underdogs to road favorites in a span of just one day and while the level of the opposition has gone down, this is certainly no easy task in one of the tougher environments to play for road teams. Also, playing with no rest could cause a problem as last week, after beating the Lakers on Friday, the Clippers lost to Golden State on Saturday and that was with no travel. Portland is expected to miss out on the playoffs this season as it is considered to be a rebuilding time for the Blazers after a horrible finish to last season which prompted some changes. The Blazers opened the season with a home rout of the Lakers, which isn't looking as impressive as it once was, and then hit the road where they went just 1-2 including a loss at Dallas on Monday. After shooting 50.6 percent from the field against the Lakers, they shot 35.9, 41 and 38.7 percent from the floor during the roadtrip so a return home is a big help. The Clippers won three of the four meetings last season but those three victories came by a combined nine points and two of those were in Los Angeles. Portland does have some matchup headaches for the Clippers as LaMarcus Aldridge has had some good games against Blake Griffin and tends to bother Griffin with his length while J.J. Hickson has had some monster games against Los Angeles, scoring 27, 28 and 29 in three of his last four meetings. Keep an eye on Griffin who had a huge game last night but it dealing with that burst bursa sac in his right elbow and that could affect him in the second of a back-to-back set. Speaking of back-to-back sets, the flight from Los Angeles to Portland may seem innocent enough but it is among the tougher travel days the NBA allows. 10* (704) Portland Trailblazers

The Clippers opened the season a perfect 2-0 but they have dropped their last two games, both coming at home and both coming against teams not expected to be in the playoffs come postseason time. Whether it was a simple lack of focus or part of the letdown/lookahead cycle, I expect Los Angeles to rebound tonight as it will be hungry for a victory. The Clippers lost to Cleveland in their last game as they committed 25 turnovers and that is never going to provide a chance to win. Taking care of the ball is a must against the Spurs who are 4-0 for the first time in franchise history which is definitely a surprise considering all of the powerful teams they have put on the floor in the past. The last three wins have taken place at home as the only road game came at New Orleans to open the season and San Antonio was fortunate to come out of there with a victory. This is the start of a four-game roadtrip for the Spurs which are very unlikely to keep the winning streak going and this is the spot for it to end. Many have expected the Spurs to take a step back this year but the season is a long one and that can very well happen still even though they are showing signs of simply getting better. However Los Angeles will be playing with a chip on its shoulder. This is one of the biggest one-way series in recent NBA history as the Spurs have won 48 of the last 54 meetings including 24 of the 28 meetings played in Los Angeles. The Clippers have broken through with some wins in recent years as they have gotten better but the history includes a four-game sweep in the playoffs last season and the Clippers have not forgotten. At that time, the Spurs were riding a 14-game winning streak coming into that series as they were red hot and while they may be hot again, it doesn't compare to that. The unblemished start has the betting public's attention and while making the Spurs the favorite here is the right call because of that, the value clearly lies on the home team. 10* (526) Los Angeles Clippers

We won with Orlando in their season opener against Denver as the Magic opened fast and never looked back to cruise to an easy victory. They did not let down as they came back even stronger and defeated Phoenix by 21 points on Sunday to move to a very surprising 2-0. Now Orlando hits the road for the first time and it will not be an easy task heading to Chicago. The Magic closed last season by going 1-6 in their final seven road games and those were all without Dwight Howard in the lineup. There are some issues going on as Al Harrington has not played and will be out for a while and starter Hedo Turkoglu is out at least four weeks after breaking his hand in the season opener. Guard Jameer Nelson is listed as questionable as well. The Bulls opened the season 2-0 but they are coming off a loss in their last game against New Orleans at home. It was a rare home loss considering Chicago had lost just 12 regular season home games over the previous two seasons and started last year 8-0 at home before losing their first game. Even more impressive is the fact that Chicago has not lost consecutive home games since March of 2010. Yes, there is no Derrick Rose in the lineup but this is still a very solid Chicago team that continues to play solid defense. The Bulls are among the NBA's best in scoring defense at 87.3 ppg and field-goal defense at 41.2 percent and it will take a good effort as Orlando has been very solid on offense, averaging 108.5 ppg and shooting 48.9 percent from the floor. The road team won all three meetings last season with Chicago winning twice and Orlando shocking the Bulls by five points as six-point underdogs so Chicago will be more than ready here. The Bulls are 39-16-2 ATS in their last 57 games following a loss while going 23-9 ATS in their last 32 games coming off a loss as a favorite. Chicago wins this one going away. 10* (702) Chicago Bulls

Golden St. is coming off a win at Los Angeles on Saturday as it upset the Clippers but the Warriors were in a terrific spot there as they were catching Los Angeles coming off its big win over the Lakers the previous night. They will not be facing a team with a letdown situation tonight though so even though Golden St. takes a big step down in competition, the situation is extremely more difficult. The Warriors are 2-1 on the season with both wins surprisingly coming on the road, the first come against the Suns in their season opener. I consider this a pretty big aberration as the Warriors went only 11-22 on the road last season. Sacramento meanwhile has started the season 0-3 as it is one of four winless teams remaining in the league. The Kings have a legitimate excuse though as they are one of just three teams remaining in the NBA that has yet to play a game at home and to no surprise, those teams are a combined 1-7 (Denver and Memphis being the other two). Sacramento finally returns home tonight and it is the start of a big stretch where 10 of its next 12 games are at home so this is where things are going to start and take shape overall, either for the good or the bad. Last season Sacramento had the second worst road record in the NBA but it was a game under .500 at home and with another year of maturity, this team will only start to get better. Defensively, they have done that already and even though it is early, the Kings have allowed 7.4 ppg less and allowed 8.2 percent less shooting that last season and that was a big emphasis coming into the season. The Warriors have not started 3-0 on the road in 18 years while the Kings have not started a season 0-4 in four years and both of those records will be safe after tonight. Golden St. is 53-80 ATS in its last 133 road games after scoring 110 points or more in its previous game. 10* (514) Sacramento Kings

Toronto finds itself in a good spot on Sunday in search of its first win of the season. The Raptors lost their season opener against Indiana at home by just a bucket and are coming off their second loss of the season last night against the Nets. It was Brooklyn's first game of the season and obviously first game in its new city and on top of that, the Nets were playing right after the hurricane disaster which added to the emotion of the night. The difference in the game ended up being free throws as Brooklyn went to the line 37 times compared to just 25 times for Toronto. Now the Raptors head back home and the no rest factor will not come into play this early in the season. Minnesota has played just once so far and it came away with a relatively easy win against Sacrament. Considering the Kings went 6-27 on the road last season, which was the second worst road record in the NBA, that victory is not overly impressive. The Timberwolves take to the road for the first time this season and they will do so as a banged up unit. Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love are both out until December at the very earliest so Minnesota is putting together a team that is pretty unfamiliar with each other as newcomers Brandon Roy and Andrei Kirilenko have been inserted into the starting lineup. While the Timberwolves are dealing with injuries, the Raptors are healthy and that was not the case a season ago as injuries held them back all year. The big one was Andrea Bargnani who missed 31 games last season and the Raptors went 10-21 in his absence. One game that he did not miss was the lone meeting against Minnesota and he outdueled Love by scoring 31 points. He is coming a pretty average game last night but expect a rebound tonight. The Timberwolves are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games against teams with a winning percentage below .400 and the favorite has owned this series, covering 11 of the last 12 meetings. 10* (704) Toronto Raptors

This line is a complete overreaction to early season predictions and what the media has fed people. Orlando lost Dwight Howard which is certainly no secret and because of that, the Magic are already done for the season. Let's not forget the Magic were without Howard for their final 10 regular season games last year and they went 5-5 ATS so they know they can compete. They rallied around each other and arguably played with more heart than they had before. The rebuilding process is on but with veterans like Jameer Nelson, Hedo Turkoglu and Aaron Afflalo, there is plenty of talent and fight on this team. Add in a new coach in Jacque Vaughn and watch this team fight strong in its season opener. Denver lost its season opener against the Sixers so it will definitely be out to get its first win of the season here. Winning and covering a large spread on the road are two different things however. The Nuggets are expected to be contenders in the Western Conference and one publication actually predicted them to win the conference. The addition of Andre Iguodala was one of the best pickups in the offseason that got no attention and that is the way he and the Nuggets like it. This is a very strong team but there may be some peaking ahead to tomorrow as Denver goes to Miami to take on the World Champion Heat. As the season goes on, Orlando will struggle as there probably isn't enough there to contend this year but the start of it all brings in high hopes and ambitions. "That lack of expectations is a great incentive for us to get out there and compete and be at our best and do it with a chip on our shoulder," Afflalo said. "There's nothing wrong with that, using any and everything to kind of fuel our motivation in terms how hard we compete." Expect a great effort to open the season. Also, the Magic fall into a great situation where we play on home underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points coming off a season with a winning percentage between .450 and .550. This situation is 34-11 ATS (75.6 percent) since 1996. 10* (704) Orlando Magic

Oklahoma City makes its season debut tonight as a bit of a different team that made it to the NBA Finals last season. Contract negotiations between the Thunder and James Harden forced them to trade him to the Rockets in exchange for Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb. The move proved to be great for the Rockets last night as they forged a furious fourth quarter comeback and the Thunder hope to get off to a big start this season as well. They are coming off a great season but fell short in the NBA Finals against Miami so there is plenty of motivation heading into the new season. The loss of Harden hurts but the addition of Martin is a good one as long as Oklahoma City adjusts its way of playing. Martin offers an opportunity for the Thunder to greatly benefit by utilizing an offensive threat that has not been in place before as his skills as a shooter and mover without the ball makes him a constant threat that defenses must be aware of whenever he's on the court. Motivation is in place for San Antonio as well as its season was ended last year by the Thunder as the Spurs lost in the Western Conference Finals after posting a 2-0 series lead, which included adding to their 20-game winning streak, before folding and losing the last four games. If this was their season opener as well, this would not be the situation to play the Thunder but San Antonio played and won last night over New Orleans in a game that was much closer than anticipated. The Spurs finished with the best record in the Western Conference last season but they are not expected to duplicate that again this year as they have been picked by many to take a pretty big fall. This team is not getting any younger and a shortened season last year was probably the best thing that could have happened. Manu Ginobili missed Wednesday's season opener in New Orleans because of back spasms and he is questionable again tonight so the Spurs could be shorthanded once again. San Antonio is always a touch place to play but I expect the Thunder to be the much better team tonight. They have thrived in these high-profile television spots as they are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 Thursday games. 10* (503) Oklahoma City Thunder

It is rebuilding time in Houston as it was evidenced even more on Saturday when the Rocket acquired James Harden from Oklahoma City and got rid of Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb which frees up future salary cap room. Not much was expected this season anyway as many have picked the Rockets to finish last in the Western Conference and while Harden is a great player, trying to bond with his new team will be tough early in the season. We will see that on Wednesday.

Last year was a disaster for Detroit as it finished 25-41 but after a very slow start where they went 4-20, the Pistons played well down the stretch of the season by going 21-21 over its final 42 games. It's no secret the Piston players and coaches felt like strangers before the start of last season but there's a different energy around the facility this year and even though they are not predicted to make the playoffs, we should see a much better start to the season this time around.

Obviously the Pistons want to get off to a good start and doing so at home is a must as the schedule takes a turn for the worst. After Wednesday's opener at The Palace, the Pistons play six games in nine days during a Western road trip which includes games against three 2012 playoff teams, the Lakers, Denver and Oklahoma City. Last season Detroit went 7-26 on the road which was the third worst road record in the NBA. Conversely, the Pistons were 18-15 at home last year.

While the exhibition season means little, it could be important to know that Detroit went 4-4 with the home team winning all eight of those games. The Pistons only injury concern heading into this game is Corey Maggette being sidelined with a calf injury and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. They come into the season as healthy as they have been in a long time. Detroit is a perfect 11-0 ATS in its last 11 games when the line is between +3 and -3. 10* (706) Detroit Pistons

This is one of the best scenarios to go against on opening day. It is banner day in Miami and we know what that means. The Heat will be lowering their 2011-12 NBA Championship banner on Tuesday night and playing a basketball game is not at the forefront for the players right now. This is a huge event and with that comes a lot of distractions. Players have been saying that once the banner is lowered and the game starts, they will be focused but that is easier said than done.

Now let

Oklahoma City was once again unable to hold onto a double-digit lead as it lost Game Four on Sunday in the second straight game that could have gone either way down the stretch. While the their backs were up against the wall then, they are really up against the wall now. We lost both of those game with the Thunder and while this is far from a chase play, it may seem that way even though this is based on a desperate team with their season on the line and one that has actually been the better team in the series.

When I say better team, I mean better all around team and it starts with shooting as Oklahoma City has outshot Miami 46.7 percent to 44.6 percent through the first four games yet finds itself in a 3-1 hole. While it was the free throw line that beat them in Game Three (outscored 31-15), it was the three-point line that beat them in Game Four as the Thunder were outscored from long range 30-9. That is a significant difference and if both of those areas were closer to even, the Thunder would be up 3-1 right now.

The Heat are a very good team, everyone knows that and for the Thunder to come back from this deficit will take a tall order. However, it is possible with this series setup as a win here means the final two games are back home for Oklahoma City and its home court edge is a big one. The pressure is squarely on Miami tonight as it came into the season as the favorites to win the championship and seeing them press tonight is a strong possibility. We also has the underdog edge as we can cover without the outright win.

The bad three-point shooting effort from the Thunder in Game Four could help here as we should see a big bounceback and they are 23-9 ATS in their last 32 games when they shoot between 32 percent and 38 percent from long range. The Thunder have not responded from their first two losses in this series as they failed to cover in the next game but they are still 40-18 ATS in their last 58 games following two or more losses including 20-8 ATS in their 28 games following three or more consecutive losses. 10* (509) Oklahoma City Thunder

Miami will be out for blood on Tuesday as a win means it will have a commanding 3-1 lead in the series with still one more game at home upcoming. You would think that the Heat have the clear edge heading into this game as they have been awesome at home all year but they were fortunate to win Game Three on Sunday. The Oklahoma City defense was outstanding as Miami shot just 37.8 percent from the floor but won the game at the free throw line as they outscored the Thunder 31-154 from the stripe.

The Thunder, which led the league in free-throw percentage, missed 9 of 24 from the line but don't expect to see that again. Oklahoma City has been one of the best fourth quarter teams throughout the playoffs but the tides were turned on Sunday as the Thunder played poorly the entire second half as they were 14-39 from the floor (35.9 percent) with nine turnovers, including six in the pivotal fourth quarter. Efficiency will be key for Oklahoma City to tie up this series.

The Heat also caught a break when Kevin Durant was forced to sit in the second half with foul trouble more than Oklahoma City would have liked. When he was sitting, Russell Westbrook also went to the bench for no apparent reason and Miami went on a 15-3 run to end the third quarter after trailing by 10 points. It was a bad move by head coach Scott Brooks but if any good did come out of that loss, the Thunder starters played a total of 39 minutes less and that is a huge disparity and a big edge for them in Game Four.

The Thunder were not able to get it done following their Game Two loss which was an aberration as they are 18-5 following a loss this season. They don't lose more than two times very often either as Oklahoma City is 18-6 ATS in its last 24 games following two or more consecutive losses, winning those games outright by an average of 7.3 ppg. Also, the Thunder are 32-17 ATS in their last 49 games playing with double-revenge. This game means a lot more to the Thunder and that will show on Tuesday. 10* (507) Oklahoma City Thunder

Miami was able to steal a game in Oklahoma City which was huge for the series as it seized home court advantage and now has the luxury of playing three straight games at home. That is obviously a big edge for Miami, which came into Game Two in desperation mode but now that role has switched over to the Thunder. Oklahoma City has to win at least one game in Miami to make sure it goes back home but playing three straight in South Beach means it will need to take two games for comfort.

The Thunder have been slow out of the gates for the first two games of this series and while they were able to overcome a bad first quarter in Game One, they could not do the same on Thursday. They were 5-20 from the floor and Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were outscored by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade 15-5. Oklahoma City fought nearly all the way back though and had a chance to tie the game but Durant missed a short jumper where surprisingly no foul was called for the home team.

The slow starts cannot continue but what it shows is that the Thunder have been the more complete team. They have been outscored 56-37 in the first quarter combined but have not been outscored in any of the other six quarters and have outscored the Heat by 26 points in those periods. Granted, those games were on their home floor but the feeling is that Oklahoma City has the overall edge and now with its back against the wall, we can expect a quicker start and a bounceback effort come Sunday.

The Thunder have been one of the best bounceback teams in the NBA this season as it is 15-7 ATS following a loss and an even more impressive 18-4 straight up so they have not taken kindly to losing. They have played well on the road all season and in the playoffs they are 5-1-1 ATS in their seven road games so there has been no intimidation factor. The two days off between games is being said to be a huge edge for Miami but in fact, the Thunder are 11-3 straight up and ATS when playing with two or more days rest. 10* (505) Oklahoma City Thunder

We won with the Thunder in Game One of the NBA Finals and we will again be riding them in Game Two. It would be easy to take Miami simply based on the zig zag theory but this game is arguably more important for Oklahoma City and we are getting early value on top of it. The Thunder cannot afford a split in thee first two games because the NBA Finals have a different format with the next three games taking place in Miami. Winning two of three in Miami to regain home court will be difficult.

Miami had control of Game One through nearly three quarters before the Thunder came back and took over. The Heat led by seven points after the first period but were outscored by 16 points the rest of the way so despite being behind for most of the game, Oklahoma City dominated for most of it. The Thunder shot 51.9 percent from the floor and after scoring 47 first half points, the poured in 58 points in the second half. Should the Thunder put together a complete game, it won't even be close.

While it was Kevin Durant who was credited with the big game, the stat line for Russell Westbrook was very impressive as he finished with 27 points, 11 assists and eight boards. Most impressive though was that Durant and Westbrook outscored the Heat 41-40 over the final two periods. The Heat definitely are considered to be in desperation mode after losing the first game so they will be coming out with a sense of urgency but this Oklahoma City team right now is the more complete team.

Miami is now 0-7-1 in its last eight games as an underdog including going 0-2 ATS in the playoffs. Oklahoma City has covered six straight games as a favorite and it is 7-0 ATS in its last seven games after scoring 100 points or more in its previous game. The Thunder have been especially good against the top teams in the league as they are 11-3 ATS in the 14 games played this season against teams outscoring their opponents by six or more ppg. They add to that with an easy win on Thursday. 10* (504) Oklahoma City Thunder

Both Miami and Oklahoma City are coming off significant comebacks in their conference finals series so both come in with some added momentum and confidence but it's not like it was needed for either side. The Thunder have the edge because of the home court advantage so it will be up to Miami to steal a game here and what better time that doing it in the opening game. That would give a big edge to Miami since the NBA Finals are different in that the non-home court advantage team gets three straight games at home.

The problem is that the pressure is squarely on Miami as even though the Thunder are favored to win, the burden of expectations is on the Heat. Miami struggled toward the end of the season against the better teams away from home as it went just 2-9 in its 11 road games against playoff bound teams and in the playoffs, it is just 4-4 and those games came against seventh, third and fourth seeds. The Heat went just 11-7 against the Western Conference during the regular season including 1-1 against the Thunder.

Oklahoma City meanwhile is 8-0 on its home floor in the playoffs and is 34-7 at Chesapeake Energy Arena overall this season which is a very impressive number. The Thunder have covered four straight games there with three of those being blowouts and this number is in a good range where we don't even need a runaway to get the cover. The Thunder forced 21 turnovers and rolled to a 103-87 victory at home on March 25th against Miami so they are more than capable to turning it into a blowout nonetheless.

The one big liability for the Thunder is their inexperience as they have never been here before but that is not as big as it is being played out as. Look what they did to the Mavericks, Lakers and Spurs, three teams with legitimate championship hopes. They are not feeling the pressure and we will see that in the opening game as they know a loss here could be detrimental. Miami is 0-6-1 ATS in its last seven games as a road underdog while the Thunder are 5-0 ATS in their last five games as favorites. 10* (502) Oklahoma City Thunder

We won with Miami Thursday and we back the Heat again in Game Seven. The rationale behind playing Miami in Game Six was pretty simple as we went with the better team overall that had its back up against the wall and it came through. Now the Heat are home where they have been solid all season and have not lost consecutive games all season. Miami has dropped six previous home games prior to Game Five and has gone a perfect 6-0 in its next home game, going 5-1 ATS with the margin of victory being 20.7 ppg.

Boston had a golden opportunity to take advantage of a closeout game at home but it clearly showed it is not the better team here. The Celtics have gotten the best of Miami in recent meetings at home so they were going in with a lot of confidence but the problem is that when the Heat actually play to their potential, they are pretty much unbeatable. The schedule again is not in the favor of Boston which is now playing its seventh straight game with just one day of rest, a big advantage for the Heat.

LeBron James quieted the critics, for one game at least. He was unstoppable with 45 points on 19-26 shooting while grabbing 15 rebounds but all of that will be for naught if Miami doesn't come out strong once again in this decisive game. "We're not going to celebrate this win," James said. "It's a one-game series now, and it's in our building." Chris Bosh played 28 minutes and was effective while Dwyane Wade did not come close to a good game meaning if he is on, Miami will be in even better shape.

I expect another big effort from James who is the best player in the game when focused and his teammates buy into it. The Celtics have been solid of late following a loss but they are heading into the toughest environment they have seen all season and their 3-6 playoff record on the road is nothing to get excited about. Miami is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games as a home favorite and this again is bolstered by the loss from Game Five as the Heat dominate once again and take the Eastern Conference. 10* (728) Miami Heat

We are playing on Miami for a lot of the same reasons we played San Antonio on Wednesday with the main one being we have the better team with their backs against the wall in need of a win to keep the series alive. Obviously the big difference here is that the Heat are slight favorites so we do not have the underdog line to play with but they are favored small enough to where a win should be a cover. The is a gut check test for Miami and if it wants to be considered elite, it needs to pass it.

The biggest disappointment from Game five was the fact Miami shot just 39 percent from the floor after coming in shooting 46.5 percent through the first four games. Had the Heat shot their series average coming in, they would be leading this series instead of needing to win the final two games but that makes this a big bounce back opportunity. LeBron James is feeling the heat once again just like he did against Indiana before he took control of that series and this will be the spot he steps up again.

You certainly have to give credit to Boston for what it has done over the last three games but playing every other day for five straight games is bound to take its toll. The Celtics used a lot of energy in Game Five in Miami and have done so for the last few games. On the other side, Chris Bosh finally returned for Miami and he didn't show any signs of rust, scoring nine points with seven rebounds in 14 minutes. The good news is that he will be more involved in Game Six and the Heat will benefit from that.

The only other time Miami lost three straight games this season, they came back and pummeled San Antonio by 22 points to avoid a fourth straight loss. That is the type of effort we are looking for. Boston is 39-65 ATS in its last 104 home games off an upset win as an underdog and Miami falls into a solid situation where we play on road favorites that are revenging a loss as a favorite, off an upset loss as a home favorite. This situation is 86-49 ATS (63.7 percent) since 1996. 10* (723) Miami Heat

After winning 20 consecutive games including the first two games in this series, San Antonio looked like it would not be stopped in making it to the NBA Finals. Three games later, the Spurs are a loss away from being eliminated so while it had the upper hand for most of this series, their backs are now against the wall. If the Spurs really are as good as once advertised just a few days ago, they will step up to the challenge and send the series back home. In our case, a close game is all we need, win or lose.

We won with the Thunder in Game Five and have been on them for all five games, winning four of those against the number. They are extremely tough at home as we saw in the first two games where they shot 50.6 percent combined and they have stepped up their defense the last three games, allowing the Spurs to shoot only 45.3 percent in the three victories. Taking nothing away from how they have rebounded, but the Spurs offense is ready to rebound from those poor offensive games.

San Antonio committed 21 turnovers for the second time in three games and that is not a typical scene as it averaged only 13.2 tpg during the regular season. Expect a better performance Wednesday especially after Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich challenged his team right after the game. "Championship teams win on the road, and Oklahoma City just did that," Popovich said. "If we can't do that Wednesday, then we're not championship caliber." That is some good motivation right there.

The Spurs have been perfect in this situation with the ability to bounce back as they are 8-0 ATS in their last road games revenging a loss as a home favorite over the last two seasons. San Antonio also falls into a great situation where we play on road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points that are outscoring their opponents by six or more ppg, after two straight games where both teams scored 100 points or more. This situation is 25-6 ATS (80.6 percent) since 1996. We get the cover and an outright win is not out of the question. 10* (721) San Antonio Spurs

The Heat had an opportunity to basically put this series away but after a big comeback on Sunday, they fell short in overtime and now head back home with the series tied at two games apiece. Miami looked as though after Game One it could be a runaway series win but it has not looked like the same team. The Celtics have led by at least 15 points in each of the last three games, never trailing by more than eight, but still managed to win only two of those games and that is a huge edge for the Heat.

Another big edge could come in the form of Chris Bosh who is now listed as day-to-day and could return for Game Five. He will give Miami a big boost in the interior but can also help spread out the defense of the Celtics in that double teams against LeBron James or Dwyane Wade will no longer be feasible. With Bosh in the lineup, Miami has won 72 percent of its games over the last two years but it is 12-11 without him so his presence is obviously a big factor. We are not 100 banking on it but if he plays, it will be a bonus.

Miami has not had many prolonged losing streaks this season as it has lost three straight games only once all season and it is 7-1 straight up and against the number following two straight losses including wins and covers in seven straight games. Perhaps most impressive is that the average margin of victory in those seven wins is 20.4 ppg with five of those seven wins coming by 21 or more points. Plain and simple, Miami puts it together when it needs to and this is certainly one of those spots again.

Boston has won all eight of its Game Fives with this core group of players but seven of those came at home and James knows what happened the last time Boston won a Game Five on the road as it came in Cleveland and that signaled his final ever home game there. A loss here and the season could end in Boston. Miami is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 playoff games as a home favorite between 5.0 and 10.5 points while going 12-4 ATS in its last 16 games after losing two of its last three games. Miami takes control of the series. 10* (720) Miami Heat

So far in the conference finals, the home team has yet to lose, going 8-0 while covering six of those eight games. This home team trend is ideal for the public and in some cases, the home line is being affected by the linesmakers which we are seeing again here. The Spurs failed to cover Game One at home but easily covered Game Two and we are seeing a similar number to those two games right here. Playing the home team is the safe call but I feel we could see our first road upset in the conference finals.

The Thunder have all of the momentum on their side after two big wins at home which tied the series up and provided a big momentum shift. Snapping the Spurs 20-game winning streak was momentum enough but winning two straight games gives them an edge heading into Monday. Oklahoma City needs at least one road win to advance, and Thunder coach Scott Brooks said Sunday there's no time like the present. "We have a great opportunity in Game 5," Brooks said. That is the confidence talking.

The big story from Game Four was the play of Kevin Durant as he took over the game in the final quarter and it will be up to him to carry his team again. Defensively, the Thunder are one of the most underrated team in the league but that didn't show in San Antonio but Game Three brought defensive changes, with Thabo Sefolosha guarding Parker. That move paid off in Game Four, as well as after scoring 52 combined points in the Spurs' wins, Parker had 28 total in the following two losses.

The Spurs have been solid following a loss this season, although we have not seen a recovery from that since early April. They are just 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 playoff games as favorites between 5.0 and 10.5 points while the Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last five playoff games as underdogs between 5.0 and 10.5 points. Also, they are 20-6 ATS in their last 26 games overall as underdogs of those parameters while going a perfect 4-0 ATS in their last four games after scoring 100 or more points. 10* (717) Oklahoma City Thunder

This series has been very similar to the San Antonio/Oklahoma City series in that the homer team has won all games up to this point. After Boston won on Friday, it has a chance to even the series and while the Thunder did just that last night, I do not see it happening for the Celtics tonight. The score showed a lopsided victory in Game Three but the game seemed a lot closer than it was especially after Boston blew a 24-point lead and held off a late Miami charge.

Boston shot 50 percent from the floor while shooting 29.4 percent from long range. Miami meanwhile shot 49.4 percent from the floor including an identical 29.4 percent from behind the arc so the numbers were extremely similar. The difference came at the free throw line where Boston made 10 more free throws than Miami which shot a horrible 50 percent from the stripe. Dwyane Wade was non-existent as he scored just 18 points, only two coming inside, and didn't even go to the free throw line once.

The zig zag theorists will be on Miami here and the linesmakers have certainly adjusted the line because of that. After getting 2.5 points last game, the Heat are now favored by a point and a half but this move will not make a difference as Miami is clearly the better team. Defensively is where the Heat plan on turning it around as it was simply a bad game. The Celtics had 58 points in the paint, which was the most the Heat has allowed all playoffs and the second most the Heat has allowed all season.

Miami has been solid following a loss this season, going 15-8 and while it fell to 1-5 both straight up and against the number as a road underdog, it is 20-13 as a road favorite and 7-2 ATS in its last nine playoff games as a road favorite of fewer than five points. The Heat also fall into a solid league-wide situation where we play on favorites with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 coming off a road loss by 10 points or more, playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 71-35 ATS (67 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (715) Miami Heat

The Thunder led by as many as 27 points in Game Three as they came back to cut the series in half 2-1. It was obviously a must win game for Oklahoma City and while it was a great victory, a loss tonight makes it meaningless. The Thunder will be out to even up the series as they showed in Game Three that they can hang with arguably the best team in basketball and they showed they may be that much better. Through 12 quarter sin this series, the Thunder have been the better tem in seven of those.

The Spurs had their 20-game winning streak snapped on Thursday which was the third longest streak in NBA history. A bounceback seems imminent but it will not be easy trying to win in a place where the home team is 32-7 on the season. After scoring 120 points in Game Two, the Spurs managed only 82 points in Game Three as the Thunder defense rose to the occasion. San Antonio managed only 24 points in the paint after averaging 46 through the first two games of the series and 47.8 through the playoffs.

Oklahoma City is getting some value here as tonight's line is less than it was in Game Three and while not much, it is still a drop which is due to the zig-zag scenario. The Thunder have been strong in this situation all season as they are 18-8 ATS in their 26 games this season as favorites of fewer than five points. The Spurs have been awesome coming off a loss as well as coming off big losses but momentum and confidence are definitely not on their side for Saturday.

These teams seemed to look equal heading into this series but after the Spurs jumped out 2-0, people were not thinking that anymore. The Thunder proved them wrong by sending a message from looking overmatched to looking like the Spurs

We played and won on Oklahoma City last night which was down 2-0 in the series and in desperation mode. The Celtics are in the same situation tonight but we are not going in the same direction as they are again overmatched. Boston got one of the best stat lines in playoff history from Rajon Rondo but could not get it done in overtime and the emotions spilled over after the game blaming bad officiating. That is not something elite teams go after and they will pay for it tonight.

Miami simply needs to go about its business and pretty much end the series with a win tonight. While Oklahoma City was able to fight back and get back into the series on Thursday against a team that had the sixth longest winning streak in NBA history, the Celtics look wounded and Miami needs to pounce and not let Boston back into it. This is the fourth game in seven days for Boston and the rest factor, or lack thereof, is killing the Celtics as they are now 2-6 ATS in their last eight games playing with one day of rest.

My feeling is that Boston gave its absolute best against Miami and still fell short so there is no chance it can muster a similar effort playing on a days rest once again. Rondo played lights out and the Celtics need him to step up again but after shooting 39 percent from 16 to 23 feet and 35.7 percent from long range during the regular season, he was 10-12 from 15 feet or beyond in Game Two so matching that will be nearly impossible. So far, the 'Big Three' has not been there for Boston.

Only 14 teams in NBA history have come back from a 0-2 deficit to win a seven-game series and the Celtics have not done so since 1969. Momentum is on the side of the Heat and while the same could have been argued for San Antonio, the situation is totally different. Miami eclipsed the 100-point plateau for the fourth time in five games and it has been outstanding coming off a big offensive performance, going 17-4 ATS in its last 21 games after scoring 100 or more points in its previous game. 10* (711) Miami Heat

We rode the Thunder to a 1-1 split through the first two games in this series and we will be backing them again here as it is now must win time for Oklahoma City or this series is over. The Thunder were once again hurt by a poor quarter in the second half as after allowing 39 points in the fourth quarter in Game One, they gave up 37 points in the third quarter in Game Two and there was no chance for a recovery after that. Now heading back home, we will see Oklahoma City put together a complete game.

San Antonio scored 120 points, which was the first time the Thunder have allowed that amount since giving up 121 points against Dallas in Game One of the Western Conference Finals last year. The Spurs are playing out of their minds right now with 20 straight wins, the sixth longest winning streak in the history of the NBA. That is certainly hard to fade but being a contrarian, I have no problem with it. They have been favored in 19 of those 20 games so the fact they are underdogs here is telling us something.

Obviously the first task at hand for the Thunder is to slow down the San Antonio offense. The Spurs shot 55.1 percent from the floor in Game Two and scored a gaudy 65 second-half points against a Thunder squad that wants to pride itself on being a defensive-minded team. Even offensively, Oklahoma City needs to get more production out of players other than Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden who combined for 88 points on 30-of-54 shooting in Game Two. Balance on that side is important.

The poor defensive effort sets Oklahoma City up for a solid situation in Game Three as we play on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points that are allowing 43 percent shooting or better on the season going up against an opponent after a game where it made 55 percent of their shots or better. This situation is 60-31 ATS (65.9 percent) since 1996. The Thunder are 16-6 ATS in their last 22 games as favorites of fewer than five points while the Spurs are 0-4 ATS in their last four playoff games as underdogs of fewer than five points. 10* (710) Oklahoma City Thunder

We played Miami in Game One as it was playing with revenge and wanted to make a statement. We will be playing the Heat again in Game Two for some of the same reasons but the biggest one is that a loss here makes the Game One win pretty meaningless. There is the chance of Miami winning and not covering but based on what we saw in that first game, the Heat should dominate once again which means an easy cover. The Heat are now 6-1 ATS at home in the playoffs.

The rest factor has played a big part for Boston of late. Their last two wins in the Philadelphia series both came with two days rest while their last two losses came with just a day off, as did the first loss to the Heat. The Celtics started the playoffs pretty well with only one day off but the age of this team along with the vigorous schedule looks to be finally catching up. Boston is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games playing with just one day of rest so it has definitely been going the wrong way.

And the scary part for the Celtics is Miami wasn't really humming by its recent standards. The Heat were just 5-25 from long range and managed only 10 fast break points but they were really never threatened as Boston never led and was simply overmatched. A big motivator for Miami should come from its last series as it won Game One only to lose the second game and then the third game in Indiana. Sure the Heat won the series but they do not want to play from behind once again.

Miami is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games in the playoffs as a favorite between 5.0 and 10.5 points and it falls into a great situation as we play on home teams with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 after successfully covering the spread in three or more consecutive games, playing a team with a winning percentage between .501 and .600. This situation is 93-54 ATS (63.3 percent) since 1996. LeBron James said it best, "We didn't play our best game.". That is a scary thought. 10* (708) Miami Heat

We were fortunate to win with Oklahoma City in the first game in this series thanks to a three-pointer at the buzzer that gave us the cover but we were unfortunate to get into that situation in the first place. Oklahoma City was the better team for three quarters but it was the all-important fourth quarter that did the Thunder in. The goal was to gain a split in San Antonio in these first two games and they were almost guaranteed that at worst after Sunday so now they need to take this one outright.

The Spurs are rolling which is no secret to anyone. They have now won 19 consecutive games including all nine games in the postseason and going back further, they are an incredible 33-3 over their last 36 games. A streak this strong makes them a very heavy public team and with that comes being overvalued along the way. Even though this line is less than what is was in Game One, it is still a bucket higher than it was during the lone regular season meeting in San Antonio so the value is still on the visiting side.

San Antonio shot 12-16 from the floor in the final 12 minutes while scoring 39 points in that decisive fourth quarter and that was very uncharacteristic of a team like the Thunder to allow such staggering numbers on defense this far into the postseason. On the other side, the Oklahoma City offense was just 5-14 in the fourth quarter prior to the later three pointers that made the game close and again, that is not Thunder basketball. Look for them to come out even more focused and keep it going for the entire game.

Oklahoma City came into this series 4-1 in games decided by three points or less and 5-1 in games decided by six points or less so Sunday can be considered an aberration. The Thunder fall into a great situation where the zig-zag theory can be loosely associated as we play against home favorites with a winning percentage of .750 or better when leading in a playoff series, playing a team with a winning percentage between .600 and .750. This situation is 25-6 ATS (80.6 percent) since 1996. 10* (705) Oklahoma City Thunder

the Celtics here as we will again ride the rest factor. Their last two wins in that series both came with two days rest while their last two losses came with just a day off and that is what they are facing again on Monday in Miami. Boston was fortunate that it got to face Philadelphia as opposed to the Bulls who were upset against the Sixers but now things get a lot tougher.

After falling down two games to one against the Pacers, Miami came back strong and won the final three games of that series to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals and once again, it has a statement game to open. The first two opening games resulted in big wins by the heat and they certainly want to repeat that again here. The last three games against Indiana were three of the best games they have put together consecutively in a while so they are peaking right when they need to.

Miami has not allowed more than 94 points in a playoff game and they held the Knicks and the Pacers to 78 points or less four different times. This is not good for the Celtics as they have the 24th ranked offense as far as efficiency goes which is by far the worst of the remaining teams in the playoffs. They are currently ranked 11th out of the 16 teams that made the playoffs so the fact that they are here may not be a surprise to some but the fact is, they have not been very good in doing so.

While it is a statement game, it is also a game that the Heat will be looking for some payback. Miami won the first game in the regular season series but the Celtics got their number the rest of the way as they won the final three games and pretty convincing on top of that. This brings in a revenge situation also as we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 that are revenging a loss scoring less than 85 points, playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 41-15 ATS (73.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (704) Miami Heat

San Antonio is 32-3 over its last 35 games which is obviously an incredible run and that makes it the hottest team in the NBA right now. The Spurs have yet to lose in the playoffs as they are 8-0 but at this point the value has gone to the other side. San Antonio was favored by 2.5 points in the only home meeting between these two teams during the regular season and now the line has jumped up to a big number. The Spurs have been covering along the way but now comes a big test.

Oklahoma City is the best team in the Western Conference in many places and it will be out to show it here. Like the Spurs, the Thunder have not been challenged much in the postseason and the time off could be in their favor here. Both teams have had the same time off for the most part and while San Antonio rolled in the second round after a big layoff, so did the Thunder. The difference is that both teams were at home but Oklahoma City finished with the third best road record in all of basketball.

The Thunder come into this series as a very confident team and they know a win here brings the home court edge back to them, one that they had until they were overtaken by the Spurs back on April 6th. "I know they're the No. 1 seed - they're a tough group, they haven't lost in a couple months," Thunder forward Kevin Durant said. "But I think we bring another dimension to the table as well and we come out and compete." Two teams so close gives a ton of value to the big underdog.

The Spurs definitely have the run going while the Thunder are not far back and they are incredible as underdogs going 22-7 ATS in their last 29 games as underdogs between 5.0 and 10.5 points. The fact that both teams are hot in the money category can make a side for both benches but that is negated in this instance considering the size of this line. You hate to go against a hot Spurs team but in this instance, the team with the points that is just as good gets the call tonight. 10* (701) Oklahoma City Thunder

After playing eight games in 15 nights, dating back to Game Three of their first-round playoff series against Atlanta, the Celtics finally got two nights off last weekend, and anyone who watched could see that they were all the better for it as they dominated and that one extra day off had a lot to do with it. Flash forward to Game Seven on Saturday and Boston is in this scenario once again as after another poor effort, it has two days off to rejuvenate and finish off this series at home.

Philadelphia came out with a lot of fire and energy as expected and was able to hold serve at home and send this series back to Boston for the decisive Game Seven. It was a gutty performance as the Sixers used a strong defensive effort to kill off elimination but things are going to get a lot tougher here. On Wednesday, the much more youthful Sixers outran Boston in the second half, when they outscored the Celtics by 10 points and took command of the game. Now the scheduling goes against them here.

There is one player that we will be banking on in Game Seven and that is Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo. He struggled in Game Six, recording only nine points and six assists as no one else stepped up to help Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, who both went for double-doubles. Boston is known for having "The Big Three" but this team goes as far as Rondo goes and when he is on and able to take control of the game, the Celtics are tough to beat. That will be the case once again on Saturday.

The Sixers are 2-4 on the road in the playoffs with one of those victories coming in Chicago in Game Two, the next game after Derrick Rose went down. They continue to struggle against the better NBA teams as they are 18-28 ATS against teams over .500 including 8-14 ATS on the road. One of the reason we played the Sixers in Game Six was due to its 4-0 record after a loss coming in, which improved to 5-0 after Wednesday. Boston has been just as good as it comes into Game Seven a perfect 4-0 following a loss. 10* (550) Boston Celtics

Game Five will be more remembered for the chippy play at the end more than the dominance that the Heat put on Indiana. Miami suffocated the Pacers and have turned a 2-1 series deficit into a 3-2 series lead and has out itself into position to eliminate Indiana on its floor in Game Six. While many will argue that the Pacers have the edge at home and will be out for some payback after the flagrant fouls the Heat committed but in reality, Miami has found its stride over the last six quarters and will keep it going here.

LeBron James has responded to the critics as he has poured in a combined 70 points over the last two Miami wins and as long as he continues to want to take over the game, the Heat can rarely be beat. He has missed back-to-back triple-doubles by a combined three assists. "We want to continue to defend," James said. "When we defend and rebound we're a good team and it allows us to get into our break." That was proven with a 22-2 edge in fast break points.

The Pacers showed twice in this series that they can hang around and battle with a win in Miami and then a blowout win at home. Those momentum building wins did not last long however and it is clear that Indiana is overmatched. Going back to the James comments about defending, Miami has allowed the Pacers to shoot just 39.2 percent from the floor in this series and with both Danny Granger and David West hobbling, things are not going to be getting any easier.

Miami has been solid in these situations in keeping defensive momentum alive as it is 19-8 ATS in its last 27 games after allowing less than 42 percent shooting from the floor for five straight games. The Pacers continue to struggle against the elite teams, going just 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games against teams with a winning percentage between .600 and .700. Miami is 6-0 ATS in its last six games after scoring 100 or more points while Indiana is 2-6 ATS in its last eight games after a double-digit loss. 10* (545) Miami Heat

The Sixers are on the brink of elimination which obviously makes this a must win situation on Wednesday. Philadelphia should return home ready to tie this series and it has been very solid in these situations so far in the playoffs as it has followed up its four previous losses with wins next time out. The Sixers are 4-1 at home in the playoffs with the one loss right after a win in Boston. Now the desperation is on the side of Philadelphia and judging by the bouncebacks so far, it will come out strong again.

We won with the Celtics on Monday and a lot of that had to do with the rest factor. They had two days off and for an aging team like them, it was huge as they had gone over two weeks with playing games on just one day of rest. Boston is back to that schedule here and after a fairly dominating performance in Game Five, it will be tough to back that up in Game Six. The Celtics shot 52.2 percent from the floor and most importantly, outscored the Sixers 26-10 from the stripe.

Game Four is a good indication of how the Sixers have not given up. The Celtics opened up an 18-point lead early in the third quarter on Friday, but the Sixers mounted a furious comeback to pull out a 92-83 win. The second half has proved costly though for the Sixers as the one on Monday was the only good one they have really had. It will be up to the players to play a full game which has not been the case yet. With the season on the line, I expect that to take place.

Boston is just 2-5 ATS in its last seven games following a win while going 8-20 ATS in its last 28 games going back to last season following a win by 15 or more points. Philadelphia is 30-18 ATS in its last 48 games revenging a road loss and it falls into a great situation as well as we play on favorites that are outscoring their opponents by three or more ppg, after a loss by 15 points or more. This situation is 104-58 ATS (64.2 percent) over the last five seasons with the average point differential being +9 ppg. 10* (542) Philadelphia 76ers

We saw something very similar last night with Boston as the home team took advantage of having a Game Five at home and thus took control of the series with a win. Miami is in the same spot tonight and after a very inspired effort on Sunday, I expect the Heat to ride that into Tuesday. They lost the last home game in this series by three points to the Pacers and being 32-6 overall at home, another loss isn't likely. The Heat have not lost two straight home games all season as they won those other five follow up losses by 19.4 ppg.

The Pacers lost a golden opportunity on Sunday as they had a chance to take complete control of the series with a victory and it was at home no less. Obviously they did not get it done and now are in a tough situation that could them in a real bad spot heading into Game Six should they lose. In the history of the NBA Playoffs, teams that are up 3-2 are 206-35 (.855 winning percentage) in those series so a Game Five win is obviously a big advantage.

The difference in Game Four was the play of the two stars, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Wade and James accounted for 38 straight points during the critical second-half run where they took control of the game and overall they finished with 70 points, 27 rebounds and 15 assists. Another effort like that and Miami cannot be stopped and with all of the criticism hitting Miami and its two big names, look for another huge effort from James and Wade on their home floor on Tuesday.

The Heat are 5-0 ATS in their last five games after scoring 100 or more points while going 5-1 ATS in their last six games as a home favorite. The Pacers meanwhile are just 8-18 ATS in their last 26 games revenging a home loss while going 9-22 ATS in their last 31 games after playing two consecutive games at home. Also, Indiana is just 1-9 ATS following a game played as a home underdog. Big teams step up in big spots and we saw the Heat do it two days ago and we will see it again here. 10* (538) Miami Heat

This is a pivotal game for both sides as the winner of this game will have a big edge in the series with just one more win needed to advance. We had Philadelphia is Game Four and it was able to tie things up but now we will go the other way and take the Celtics which are in the best shape they have been in so far this series. The two days in-between Game Four and Game Five is the first time Boston has had more than a day off since Game Two and Game Three against the Hawks, which was over two weeks ago.

The Sixers played very well in the first two games in Boston as they came away with the split with the loss coming by just a point. Because those games were both decided by a single point, I expect the home team to step things up and take care of business instead of heading out on the road with a 3-2 series deficit. The Celtics have responded very well coming off a loss, especially in this series as they leveled the Sixers by 16 points following their first defeat after Game Two.

Going back further, Boston is 7-0 in its last seven games following a loss while going 7-2-1 ATS in its last 10 games following a defeat. The Sixers are now 10-22 ATS in their last 32 games against teams with a winning record and fall into a tough spot as mentioned with a lot on the line for the home team. Boston also falls into a situation where we play on divisional favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points, after two consecutive division games. This situation is 52-20 ATS (72.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (534) Boston Celtics