Atlanta returns home following a 4-1 roadtrip and because of the Orlando collapse, the Hawks have moved into second place in the Southeast Division, just a half-game behind Miami. They are a solid 8-5 on the road but they are an even better 8-1 at home where they are outscoring opponents by 11.6 ppg. The schedule has been a mix of cupcake teams as well as some powers so they have held their own by going 3-4 against teams ranked within the top and 13-2 against teams ranked outside that range.

We won with the Grizzlies in their last game against Denver and admittedly, it was a fortunate win. Memphis came back from a 13-point deficit to send the game into overtime and Denver had a chance to possibly put it away but the Grizzlies fought and came away with the outright win. The short homestand is history as the Grizzlies hit the road for the seventh time in 10 games and they have not been road warriors, going 4-7 overall with all four of those wins coming against losing teams.

Atlanta got Kirk Hinrich back three games ago and while he has not put up huge numbers, his presence is good for the depth of the team. He will shake off the rust as he gets more games under his belt and this will be his first game in Atlanta since his return. The goal is to get him going and get him involved in a trade for a big man as the play of Jeff Teague at the point has been terrific. The matchup here is a good one for Atlanta since Memphis is without Zach Randolph as he has been a Hawks killer down low.

Memphis has a game at Oklahoma on Friday and it is still looking for revenge following last season's playoff defeat. The Grizzlies have hosted the Thunder twice and both resulted in close losses so payback in still in the plan. The Hawks have been solid in the role of a small favorite as they are 9-2 ATS when laying single digits this season while Memphis is just 1-5 ATS in its six games as an underdog between three and 7.5 points and 0-7 ATS in its last seven road games against teams with a winning home record. 10* (502) Atlanta Hawks

This is already the fourth meeting between Houston and San Antonio and the Spurs will be going for the series split as they lost for the second time in Houston in the last meeting just over a week ago. San Antonio picked up its third road win on the season at Memphis on Monday and it was certainly a bog one for confidence. The Spurs have been much better at home this season as they are 10-1 with an inexplicable loss against Sacramento being the lone blemish.

We played against Houston on Monday and it got stomped at home against Minnesota. I think this is a good spot to continue to fade the Rockets as the markets are still giving them too much credit because of their recent winning streak. It was a horrible start for the Rockets which opened 3-7 but has taken nine of its last 11 games and the schedule has played a big part in that. Seven of those wins came against teams with a losing record and only two of those games were on the road.

Houston has played nine of its last 11 games at home after starting the season with seven of its first 11 games on the road so you can see how the record have evened things out for the most part. It is early but the Rockets have been very public in calling out their coaches and that is certainly not a thing to let everyone hear. They are saying coaches are not making adjustments but it comes down to effort and if there is effort to begin with, adjustments do not even need to be made.

Houston is 3-6 on the road and the defense has been a sieve as the Rockets are allowing 102.2 ppg on 48.9 percent shooting. San Antonio remains one of the better shooting teams in the NBA as it is tied for fifth at 46.1 percent shooting from the floor including 47.4 percent at home which is good for sixth best in the league. The Spurs are 4-0 ATS in their last four games against teams with a winning record while Houston is 1-4 ATS in its last five road games against teams with a winning home record. 10* (718) San Antonio Spurs

Memphis returns home following its four-game roadtrip that did not end very well. After winning at Golden St., the Grizzlies lost the final three games against the Blazers, Clippers and Suns. To their credit, they looked better as each game moved along but heading home has come at a good time before things get too out of hand. Before this three-game skid, Memphis had won seven straight games including four straight at home where it is 6-2 on the season. It has played the eighth toughest schedule in the NBA.

Denver had its own winning streak snapped as its six-game run came to an end with a home loss against the Clippers on Sunday. The Nuggets pay a visit to the Clippers on Thursday so they already be looking forward to that game for some revenge. Even so, this is the toughest road test Denver has seen in some time as it has won five straight away games, two of which took overtime to win. The three road losses this season came against the Spurs, Lakers and Blazers.

With the Grizzlies playing on Monday against San Antonio, this could be taken as a possible letdown spot but they need to gain some momentum back and this game is their last home game before another roadtrip, this one consisting of three games. And those games are against Atlanta, Oklahoma City and Boston in a three-in-four-night stretch so that adds to the importance of this game against Denver. Memphis won the only home meeting against Denver last season after dropping three of the previous four.

This is the fourth time Memphis has played with no rest this season but this is just the second time that the second game has been at home. The first resulted in a 33-point win over Sacramento on its home, floor and while we cannot compare the Kings to the Nuggets, the situational of having a non-travel day wit the second game at home is very big. The Grizzlies are 15-3 ATS in their last 18 games as a home favorite of fewer than five points. Look for a big bounceback Tuesday. 10* (510) Memphis Grizzlies

We played against Minnesota last night but will back the Timberwolves tonight in what is a good bounce back situation. They are coming off a five-point loss to the Lakers but fought back from an 18-point deficit in what could have turned into a win had the shots fallen. Minnesota outrebounded the Lakers 52-41 including a 24-7 edge on the offensive end while committing just four turnovers. This is a much improved team this season and now has what it takes to win on the road.

Houston is off to a surprisingly good start this season as it is 12-8 and just a half game behind Dallas for first place in the Southwest Division. It was a horrible start for the Rockets which opened 3-7 but has taken nine of its last 10 games and the schedule has played a big part in that. Seven of those wins came against teams with a losing record and while one of those was at Minnesota, the Timberwolves were the best of the bunch. A 9-2 home record is offset but just a 6-6 record within the conference.

One key players is back in the Minnesota rotation and that is Michael Beasley who has played the last two games after missing the previous 11 games with a foot injury. He is coming off a double-double last night and his presence is big. The Rockets are dealing with their own injury issues as Kevin Martin, the teams' leading scorer, is questionable with plantar fasciitis, He has missed the last two games and his status has kept this game off the board at most shops.

The Timberwolves will look to get some payback after last Monday's home loss to the Rockets as they were hammered by 15 points. Road revenge is not easy but Minnesota has been holding its own in these spots as it is 5-1 ATS in its last six games as a road underdog between 5.0 and 10.5 points while going 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games against teams with a winning record. The Rockets have absolutely dominated this series but the Timberwolves took the last meeting in Houston last season. 10* (711) Minnesota Timberwolves

The Lakers were a huge disappointment last night but that wont stop me from backing them again tonight. Los Angeles fell behind against Milwaukee early and could not come back as it lost by 11 points and was outscored in three of the four quarters. While I expected last night to be a gut check for the Lakers in their road miseries, they did not come through but I do expect tonight to be a different situation as last night was an embarrassing loss to a middle of the pack team from the Eastern Conference.

The Timberwolves are a very improved team and it shows in their energy, consistency and overall record. Still, they are under .500 on the season while going 5-6 at home which is a testament for the schedule they have played but also shows that they have a tough time with still with the elite teams in the league. Minnesota is coming off a win over San Antonio but it has played the Spurs well in recent matchups but the same cannot be said for their series against the Lakers.

Los Angeles has won the last 15 meetings against the Timberwolves since March of 2007 and while Los Angeles may seem frail at this point, this is the perfect opportunity for a recovery. The Lakers are just 1-7 on the road but as mentioned from last night, the schedule has not been easy and while last night's loss can be considered inexcusable, it is even more important for a bounce back. The Lakers have covered six of the last seven meetings in Minnesota and add to that here. 10* (811) Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers snapped a three-game losing streak against the Clippers on Wednesday and head out to try and solve some of their road issues. They are just 1-6 on the road this season and it took overtime to get that lone victory in Utah. In their defense, it has been a tough road schedule with six of those seven games against teams currently in a playoff position. Milwaukee is currently there as well but with a losing record, the Bucks should not even be thrown into the mix.

Milwaukee is coming off a hard fought game last night in Chicago so it may be tough to turn around to play another elite team in the second of two nights. The Bucks have struggled in this situation already this season as they are 0-6 ATS playing with no rest, losing the last five of those outright and by an average of 13.8 ppg. After starting the season 4-0 at home, the Bucks have dropped their last two, both against playoff teams and the only good win was against the Spurs but they are 2-7 on the road this year.

While Milwaukee is playing the second of a back-to-back set, Los Angeles has had some ample rest as this is just its third game in a week which is a big break considering the truncation of this years schedule. This is a game that the Lakers will be out to prove something and that is the ability to take car of business on the road. "We've got to come out firing and hitting and being aggressive on the road and being confident in what we're doing," power forward Pau Gasol said about this upcoming two-game trip.

Milwaukee will be without center Andrew Bogut, who will be sidelined for eight to 12 weeks after fracturing his left ankle during the Bucks' victory Wednesday over the Rockets. That gives the Lakers a significant edge down low with Gasol and Andrew Bynum. The Lakers have won eight of their last 10 meetings in Milwaukee, including three in a row and the Bucks had trouble against the Western Conference, going 13-27 ATS in their last 40 games. 10* (507) Los Angeles Lakers

Portland is coming off its second straight road loss to a losing team to drop to 3-7 on the road for the season after losing at Golden St. on Wednesday. The home floor has been much better for the Blazers as they are 8-1 at the Rose Garden and it remains one of the tougher environments for opponents to come into. They have only lost 12 times at home during the regular season since the start of last season and this year, they are outscoring opponents by over 10 ppg.

The Suns have lost two straight games and after an average 4-4 start to the season, they are 2-7 over their last nine games. This is clearly a team in transition and while there are a couple consistent players on this team, it is made up mostly of journeymen and role players. Things could go from bad to worse as Steve Nash trade rumors are swirling more and more as the Suns will be happy to put 2011-12 aside and start over next year. That kills a team confidence as that confidence is clearly waning already.

The Blazers have been in this situation twice this season where they have lost on the road with a home game up next and those resulted in wins by an average of 16 ppg. One of those earlier road losses was at Phoenix so not only do have a bounceback opportunity but we have a revenge situation and not just any revenge situation. Portland went into Phoenix with a 5-1 record and was handed a 25-point loss, easily its worst loss of the season and its worst loss since a 25-point loss at the Lakers last November.

The Suns two most recent wins came against Boston and New York, two big disappointments in the Eastern Conference and the only quality win of the bunch came against these same Blazers. That does not mean it was a matchup edge, it was just a poor situation for Portland which was coming off a monster win the prior night against the Lakers. This is the most Portland has been favored by over Phoenix in a very long time but I don't think it is going to matter as the gap is getting bigger and bigger. 10* (824) Portland Trailblazers

Orlando put up a franchise low 56 points against the Celtics on Monday and it came back with a big win on Tuesday over Indiana which showed great resolve from a team that certainly hit a season low. Now the Magic are back home for the first time since defeating the Lakers last Friday to move them to 6-2 on the season. After Orlando won the first meeting on Christmas Day last season, the Celtics have won the last three meetings but all of those games took place in Boston.

The win over Orlando was the second straight for Boston and it has been off since then as it go a much needed break. It has been a tough start for the Celtics which are still under .500 but in the weak Eastern Conference, they are sitting in the seventh spot of the standings. Their 7-9 record would put them in 11th place in the Western Conference. Boston is just 2-4 on the road this season and the most trouble part of that is that both of the wins came against 3-15 Washington and neither came easy.

Obviously this is a big game for Orlando as it will be seeking its revenge following that embarrassing loss that took place in Boston. "It's not another game," said Magic forward Glen Davis. "We want to beat them. We want to beat them bad because we didn't show them who we really are. They played a good game." Guard J.J. Redick emphasized that Thursday's matchup is more important than a typical regular-season game. "Yes," he responded. "It absolutely is. We got embarrassed. We got embarrassed. So, yes, it is."

This is the biggest number that Orlando has been favored by over the Celtics in a while but it is justified and I feel it is still on the value side. The Magic were favored by seven points Monday as Boston was without Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo and now it is favored by just a point more at home with Allen still on the shelf. Boston is just 3-16 ATS in its last 19 games after a win by 15 or more points and 1-10 ATS in its last 11 games following a win by 20 or more points. 10* (502) Orlando Magic

This may be a surprising line for some with a team that is five games worse being favored. However the situation is a very good one for the Warriors as they look to turn around what has been a very frustrating start to the season. They are coming off a loss against Memphis on Monday after blowing a 16-point lead against the Grizzlies and the fourth quarter has been their Achilles Heel. After the loss to Memphis, the Warriors are 4-5 when they've entered the fourth quarter leading or tied.

They catch a Blazers team coming off their second straight easy win at home and makes it three games in three night for Portland. The issue isn't so much about playing with no rest as the minutes for the starters has been kept under control but simply hitting the road has been a struggle for Portland which is 3-6 away from home. The Blazers are averaging 104.3 ppg at home which is third best in the NBA but on the road they are averaging only 90.4 ppg, which is in the bottom half of the NBA.

This is a great opportunity for Golden St. to silence some critics and after breaking down the loss to Memphis head coach Mark Jackson said he pulled no punches in pointing out to his players what went wrong. Getting called out can be a very good thing especially when it comes to a lack of hustle and a lack of toughness which is what Jackson referred to. Golden St. is the only team in the NBA not to have won a game within its own conference as it is 0-6 against teams from the west which sets up for motivation.

This is the first meeting this season between the Blazers and Warriors and Golden St. has gotten the best of Portland over the last couple years. It has won six of the last nine meetings, including three of four last season, while covering eight of those games. In both home meetings last season, the Warriors were favored both times so this line is certainly not out of line. Going back further, Golden St. is 11-1 ATS in the last 12 home meetings and the Blazers are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games as a road underdog. 10* (724) Golden St. Warriors

Good teams bounce back from poor efforts and we should see Orlando do that tonight. The Magic played in Boston last night with the Celtics playing without Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo and they got embarrassed in losing by 31 points. Orlando put up only 56 points which is the fewest amount of points scored in team history no thanks to putting in a mere 10 in both the third and fourth quarters. The Magic shot better from three-point land (25 percent) than they did from inside the arc (24.5 percent).

Indiana returns home following a big road win at the Lakers on Sunday and admittedly, we were on the wrong side of that one. The Pacers have now won seven of their last nine games and are currently sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference by percentage points while trailing the Bulls by three games there and in the Central Division. That is rather big in this scenario as the Pacers travel to Chicago for the first meeting with the Bulls this season so a peek ahead is very possible as well.

After winning three of the four meetings with Indiana in 2009-10, Orlando swept all three games from the Pacers last season and that continues as not a lot has changed over the last couple years. Pacers center Roy Hibbert will face his toughest test this season when he tries to slow Magic center Dwight Howard who is coming off one of his worst shooting nights as he was just 4-15 from the floor. That will certainly provide motivation and he has held his own with an average of 20.3 ppg and 14.3 rpg in those six wins.

Howard has recorded a double-double in all but three of his 16 games this season. Orlando is 25-9-1 ATS in its last 35 games following a loss of more than 10 points while going a perfect 4-0 ATS in its four games following a loss this season, winning all four of those games outright, winning those games by an average of 11.5 ppg. Indiana meanwhile is just 8-17 ATS in it last 25 games following a win and only 4-15 ATS in its last 19 games after covering the spread in two or more consecutive games. 10* (503) Orlando Magic

The NBA works in mysterious ways. Oklahoma City was riding a seven-game winning streak heading into Washington and it lost to arguably the worst team in the NBA. Those night happen, even to the best teams, but what also happens with the best teams is that they bounce back and we can expect the Thunder to do that on Saturday. They have had since Wednesday to stew over that loss and while we don

The Knicks are a mess right now but this could be the game that gets them back on track. New York has dropped four straight games after a four-game winning streak right before this. The last victory came against Philadelphia and we were involved with the Knicks in that game but since then, nothing has gone right. The last two losses both came at home which dropped them to 3-4 at home and while this recent skid is not helping momentum, it is helping out with the line value.

Milwaukee is coming off its first home loss of the season now the goal is to grab its first road win of the season as it enters Friday with a 0-8 record on the road. The Bucks haven't been very competitive in those games either as they are just 1-7 ATS with the only cover coming at the Clippers as they stayed within the 10-point spread by losing by six points. Milwaukee is getting outscored by over 10 ppg on the road and it hasn't exactly faced an overly tough slate away from home.

Also adding to the value for New York is this series history as Milwaukee has covered seven straight meetings while winning three of four outright last year including the final two. That sets New York up in a revenge spot but let's face it, it is more concerned about getting out of its funk and with Denver coming in tomorrow and then a four-game roadtrip after that, it needs to take care of business here. Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni is calling his team's poor play a "crisis" and statement like that can actually do wonders.

The Knicks offense has been stuck in neutral but Milwaukee should help solve that as the Bucks have allowed opponents to shoot 48.6 percent over their last five games. New York is coming off a 37.2 percent effort against Phoenix in its last game and it has shot 41.7 percent in its last seven games. The shots just aren't falling and it is something that should come around and Carmelo Anthony is at the front of the line. He needs to take control of this team and it starts on Friday. 10* (808) New York Knicks

The Utah season has been a lot like the season the Sixers have been having. The Jazz have played some very poor teams in the NBA as 75 percent of their wins have come against teams that will either not be in the playoffs or somehow sneak in after another team falters. Also like Philadelphia, Utah has faced some teams that were missing one of if not their best player so they have had the luxury of playing bad teams that were even in worse shape because of a missed pivotal player.

This is the second of a back-to-back set for the Mavericks and baring any significant injury, they should be just fine. They are 4-2 ATS this season playing with no rest so the adjustments have been done well. Heading into Wednesday, Dallas had won seven of its previous nine games following a dreadful 1-4 start where it looked absolutely lost. The new roster had a lot to do with the start and a shortened training camp certainly did not help. Even though it has not shown this year yet, the Mavericks are strong on the road.

Utah

The Spurs got embarrassed last night as they let a 14-point lead at halftime turn into a 22-point loss against Miami as they were outscored 71-35 in the second half. Runs like that are uncommon for the elite teams in the NBA but bounceback are not and I expect San Antonio to rebound tonight. The home/road dichotomy remained unblemished as the Spurs, which are 9-0 at home, dropped to 0-5 on the road with the loss and they are now the only team in the NBA where the road team has yet to win in any of their games.

Orlando is heating up as it has won five straight games but I'm not sold. Three of those came against league bottom-feeders, another came against the reeling Knicks while the other came against Portland, which had just won a home revenge game against the Clippers the previous night. The win over the Bobcats last night was a little tougher than expected and now the Magic get to play their third game in three nights, the first time they have faced this scheduling anomaly this season.

The Spurs certainly have not forgotten their last trip here as they lost to Orlando by 22 points last December. They allowed the Magic to shoot 59.5 percent from the floor which was one of their worst defensive performances of the season. Along with Milwaukee and Washington, the Spurs are the only team in the league that has failed to win on the road yet this season and that is not good company to be in. After last night, there should be some motivation. "We should be embarrassed," head coach Gregg Popovich said.

Dating back to last season and including three playoff defeats at Memphis, the Spurs have lost their last 10 games away from home. That may not seem like a streak we want to get involved in especially knowing they are 0-10 ATS in those games as well but because of this, the value is there. Orlando was favored by just two points in the home meeting last season and now it is up to as much as six in this one. That is what we call an overadjustment. The Spurs snapping that road losing streak would not be a surprise. 10* (705) San Antonio Spurs

Miami is in one of its slumps that we saw last season and had yet to see this year previous to this recent skid. The Heat have lost three straight games and its been the clutch play that has really hurt as two of those losses came in overtime prior to the most recent loss against Denver which was a 13-point setback. All of those came on the road however and Miami heads home for just its fifth home game of the season and its first since January 4th. Dwyane Wade will be unavailable but that should not be a concern here.

San Antonio comes into this game with an undefeated record at home but it is winless on the road with a 0-4 record. Three of those losses were not very close and overall the Spurs are 0-4 ATS on the road. They are certainly going to be up for this game after losing by 30 points in their one trip to Miami last season but that was a revenge game for the Hear which had lost in San Antonio 10 days prior to that, also by 30 points. Motivation will be big on both sides but the edge goes to the home team.

As mentioned, Wade will be out as he is dealing with an ankle sprain and while his absence is costly, there is plenty around him that can pick up the slack. Namely, we are referring to one LeBron James. James said he would treat Wade's absence like he did his time in Cleveland, when he was the Cavaliers main option. He is averaging 29.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg and 7.4 apg yet he is still getting called out so his lack of being able to take over a game. The feeling is that he will be out to prove something on Tuesday.

Miami is 4-0 ATS in its last four games following a double-digit loss and this will be the first instance of that this season. As mentioned, the Spurs have had trouble on the road and it goes back further as they are 1-11 ATS in their last 12 road games and 0-7 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with a winning home record. San Antonio is coming off a win over Phoenix by scoring 102 points and it is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games after scoring 100 or more points. The rout is on here. 10* (506) Miami Heat

These teams played 12 days ago in Chicago and it was ugly. The Bulls defeated the Grizzlies by 40 points and it could have been a lot worse. Chicago outscored the Grizzlies by 13, 13 and 14 points in the first three quarters and once the starters were all out, the Bulls let up on the gas. Chicago shot just 46.4 percent including 38.5 percent from long range which is certainly good but it was the Memphis lack of offense that was the story as it shot just 31 percent including 11.1 percent from behind the arc.

Memphis totaled just 64 points which was easily its lowest output of the season and it was the first time it was held in the 60's since March of 2009 when it scored 66 points in Portland. "It was embarrassing and humiliating," Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins said. Don't think for a second that they won't use that result as some motivation on Monday. Memphis has won two straight games and looks for its first three-game winning streak since last April.

The Bulls possess the best record in the NBA at 12-2 and are currently riding a five-game winning streak. While the start has been great, the schedule has had a lot to do with it as they have played some bottom of the barrel teams along the way. The fact that they have the best record in the league and are coming off a 40-point win in the first meeting, should get a lot of action on their side which has been the case already. Yet we are seeing a small line that is getting smaller and the reverse action is a take.

Memphis is 4-2 at home and it has been a very strong team at the FedEx Forum of late as it is 20-8 ATS in its last 28 home games as well as going 14-4 ATS in its last 18 home games against teams with a winning record. The Grizzlies fall into a great situation as well as we play against road teams after two straight games where both teams scored 90 points or less going up against an opponent after scoring 105 points or more. This situation is 71-34 ATS (67.6 percent) since 1996. 10* (704) Memphis Grizzlies

Orlando is coming off a big road win last night at Portland as it shot lights out, hitting 58.6 percent from the floor including 59.3 percent from long range. Seven players scored in double-figures but don't expect a repeat of this tonight. This was its most complete game of the season and for a team that has struggled with consistency, putting together consecutive solid efforts on the offensive end is a stretch. The Magic have gone over in their first two games of this roadtrip which presents value on the under here.

Golden St. played on Tuesday against Miami and the Warriors came away with a win in overtime. That victory snapped a five-game losing streak and despite scoring 111 points, the offense was not very good again as Golden St. shot just 40 percent from the floor and it was held to 96 points in regulation. The Warriors have now gone seven straight games with 96 points or fewer on offense during regulation, averaging only 90 ppg over that stretch. The Miami game went over but it was under at the end of regulation.

The times of Golden St. being a run and gun team have gone as it has averaging just over 189 ppg in its games this season. That is part of the reason we are seeing a total as low as it has taken the linesmakers a while to catch up. The Warriors are 6-3 to the under this season including five of six staying under at home. Orlando is 7-3 to the under this season even though the last two have gone over so it too has been keeping games low, averaging just above 188 ppg in its games.

Because of the recent results, the value is on the low side here and both teams have solid histories in this situation. Orlando is 24-8 to the under in its last 32 games with a total between 180 and 189.5 points including 13-4 to the under on the road. Golden St. meanwhile is 13-3 to the under in its last 16 games coming off a win as a home underdog while going 18-6 to the under in its last 24 home games. This total is over 20 points less than the last meeting and it is this much lower for a reason. 10* Under (509) Orlando Magic/(510) Golden St. Warriors

We lost going against the Sixers last night but that won't stop us from going against them again on Wednesday as the situation sets up nicely. Philadelphia has won six straight games and with the exception of a win over Indiana, the streak is against teams not likely sniffing the playoffs this season. On top of it, the last four wins were all at home and the value comes into play considering that the Sixers covered all six of those games while winning five of those by double-digits.

After a slow start, the Knicks are playing much better as they have three straight wins of their own following a 1-4 beginning of the year. They too have defeated teams that likely won't be seeing the playoffs but part of the value comes from their side as well as they are just 2-7 against the spread which is keeping this number down in a good range. This is an excellent chance for a quality win as those have been few and far between with a victory against the Celtics on Christmas Day the only one to qualify.

This is a rare stretch for the Sixers as it does not happen too often that a team in the NBA can go through a stretch like this with no letdowns. Playing in MSG tonight likely won't cause a letdown but they have had some good fortunes along the way. Last night, Kings leading scorer Marcus Thornton was a late scratch, the game before that, Pacers leading scorer Danny Granger was a late scratch, and the list goes on. They have played six such games with key players missing from the opposition.

The Knicks fall into a great situation that has been a rare one that has not been in play in a few years. Play against underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points that are allowing opponents to shoot 41 percent or less on the season, after three straight games of allowing 42 percent shooting or less. This contrarian situation is 23-5 ATS (82.1 percent) since 1996. while the Knicks have failed to get the cash this season, they are 7-2 ATS in their last nine home games as favorites of fewer than five points. 10* (706) New York Knicks

The home court has been a big advantage in games involving both San Antonio and Milwaukee as the host is a combined 17-0 on the season in their games. Both teams are undefeated at home and winless on the road and even with this, the Spurs come in as road favorites. San Antonio is coming off a loss at Oklahoma city on Sunday which followed three straight home wins and they head back home tomorrow for a revenge game against Houston as they lost the first meeting on the road by 20 points.

The schedule has been a tough one for Milwaukee as it is coming off a five-game roadtrip where it was unable to grab that first road victory of the season. It was a west coast trip on top of it to the competition was tough to begin with but the Bucks are now 0-6 on the road and the toughest thing for them is that four of those losses were by six points or less. They have played only twice at home and while this is their biggest test so far, not having played here in 10 days only adds to the motivation for Milwaukee.

The Bucks have been shorthanded along the way also which has not helped things. Center Andrew Bogut, who left the team on an excused absence before the second game of the trip due to a family issue, is expected back Tuesday and his double-double average will be welcomed back. In the last game against Phoenix, starters Stephen Jackson, Drew Gooden and Brandon Jennings scored a combined 21 points, which was nearly half of their combined season average so expect a rebound from all three here.

The Spurs are shorthanded as well as Manu Ginobili will be out for an extended period and Milwaukee is not upset about that as he averaged 24.5 ppg in the two wins against the Bucks last season. Milwaukee is 18-7 ATS in its last 25 home games following two or more consecutive losses, winning those games outright by an average of 5.6 ppg while going 5-1 ATS in its last six home games following a road trip that last for more than a week. The Spurs are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 road games. 10* (510) Milwaukee Bucks

This line was a late opener due to the status of Michael Beasley and he is likely out which definitely helps the Wizards in this spot. Minnesota is just 2-5 on the season yet it is a road favorite which I feel is the wrong call here. The Timberwolves have had the benefit of the schedule giving them five straight home games and they are the only team in the league that has played fewer than two games on the road thus far. They were competitive against the Bucks in their only road game but the situation is much different now.

Washington is the lone remaining winless team in the NBA and that obviously makes it hungry for a victory. The Wizards have been competitive in a lot of their games though and the schedule has been a tough one with their last four games coming against the Celtics twice, the Magic and the Knicks. The offense has been the biggest liability as they are the fourth lowest scoring team in the league but this is an opportunity to turn that around.

This is the worst start in franchise history for Washington and head coach Flip Saunders said in the Washington Post that his players have been upbeat and positive during practices but understand the frustrations of taking the painful lumps while figuring out how to play the right way. Today offers an opportunity for that. Minnesota is a road favorite for the first time since January of 2009 and despite playing a team that has yet to win a game, this is not the time for it to be back in that role. 10* (802) Washington Wizards

As much as we like taking a look at home underdogs that are playing with same season revenge, we have to buck the Hawks in this spot. Atlanta lost at Chicago on Tuesday by a bucket and while it certainly wants some payback, I don't see how it can get it in this horrendous spot. The Hawks are playing their third game in three nights and their fifth game in six nights so the schedule certainly does not favor a strong effort here. Making matters worse, Atlanta's last two games went into overtime.

The Bulls are coming off a win at Orlando last night and while they are playing in back-to-back mode as well, it is not nearly the same. While Atlanta is playing its fifth game since Monday, the Bulls are playing their fourth game even though it is a fourth game in five night scenario. Chicago now has won six straight games and the best part for them is that five of those were blowout wins and the bench got a lot of minutes meaning the starters have gotten more rest than normal.

The back-to-back overtime games for the Hawks is the bug issue here. Four starters, Joe Johnson, Jeff Teague, John Smith and Al Horford have put in some major minutes the last two days. Respectively they have played 91, 86, 82 and 82 minutes over the last 48 hours and extrapolating that over what the average minutes are we are talking well over two games and close to two and a half games played the last two nights. Young or old, that puts a lot of strain on the legs over that stretch.

Chicago has no issues winning on the road as it is now 5-1 away from home this season and it is no fluke as the Bulls went 26-15 on the road last season which was the second best road record in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks have struggled against such teams as they are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 home games against teams with a winning road percentage greater than .600. The Bulls have won five of the last six meetings going back to last season's playoff series and this one could be one of the easiest ones. 10* (503) Chicago Bulls

We got a win with the Blazers last night against the Lakers as the Rose Garden remains a house of horrors for Los Angeles as it dropped to 6-30 in its last 30 games there including 2-11 in its last 13. The Lakers game is always a big deal for Portland and last night was no exception so coming off a big nationally televised game and hitting the road the next night spells a big letdown for the Blazers. They are off to a great start at 5-1 but this is just their third road game of the season.

Phoenix meanwhile is not off to a great start as it is 2-4 through six games and the problem has been a number of things. The Suns are not shooting the ball well and are allowing too many offensive redounds on the other side and that has hurt the transition game. At 93.6 possessions per game, the Suns' are ranked 24th in the NBA and ahead of only New Orleans in the Western Conference. This comes after being fourth in the NBA in possessions per game a season ago.

In their last game on Wednesday against Dallas, the score was tied after the first quarter but the Suns missed 12 of their first 15 shots in the second and that was it. The failure to execute is when Nash leaves the game is the big issue as Phoenix was outscored by 20 points in the 11:24 that Nash did not play Wednesday. His numbers are way down this season and it can be attributed to the aforementioned lack of a transition game as well as poor shooting on his part. He will get better.

The Blazers were fortunate on Thursday as the Lakers went 0-11 from long range but still managed to outshoot Portland. The Blazers have been very efficient and it was evidenced last night with only four turnovers. Don't expect either of these to happen tonight. This is the first meeting in this series this season and the home team is 5-2 ATS the last seven meetings. Portland is just 1-5 ATS in its last six road games while the Suns are 61-40 ATS in their last 101 games after playing their previous game on the road. 10* (822) Phoenix Suns

The Lakers opened the season 0-2 but they have since turned things around with a 4-1 run to move over .500. Things won't be easy here though as Los Angeles is winless on the road and heads to another tough road environment in the Western Conference. The home court has been a big advantage so far this season as home teams are 53-39-1 ATS which is close to a 58 percent success rate. This is eventually going to even out but because the road team here is a public team, there is no value lost on the home team.

Portland is 4-1 on the year including a perfect 3-0 record at home. The Blazers are coming off a big road win at Oklahoma City and while the situational edge was on their side for that game, it was a victory that can go a long way. Many predicted the Blazers to be a possible sleeper in the Western Conference and that has held true to form so far, even though it is early. Portland is one of only four teams in the NBA to rank in the top 10 in points scored and allowed so it has been a justifiable start.

Portland is a better team this season so the numbers don't lie. Gerald Wallace was a big pickup at the end of last season and is averaging 14.4 ppg on 50 percent shooting while brand new pickup Jamal Crawford is averaging 14.2 ppg off the bench. The Blazers are able to run more and create more shots as they are averaging 99.2 possessions, fourth most in the NBA, which is up from 91.2 from a season ago, dead last in the league. The Blazers have actually been last in the NBA the last three years.

The Blazers' new uptempo offense has scored 100 or more points in four of its first five games for the first time since 1992-93. The Lakers have not had a lot of success in Portland as they are just 6-23 in their last 29 games at the Rose Garden including a 2-10 record over their last 12 games. This is the only meeting in Portland this season so the Blazers will be hungry for the win. The big spotlight games have been solid for Portland as it is 7-2-1 ATS in its last 10 Thursday night TNT games. 10* (508) Portland Trailblazers

After winning its season opener, the Bobcats have lost their last three games and their 1-3 record is a big factor for where this line is at. The schedule has certainly played a role as Charlotte have faced the Heat twice and Orlando once over the last six days so the fact that it is 1-3 really comes as no surprise. The last game came on Sunday as the Bobcats went to Miami and were absolutely crushed as they lost by 39 points as they never led and actually were down by 46 points at one stage in the game.

Cleveland is 2-2 to start the year and while much isn't expected of the Cavaliers again this season, the start has to be encouraging. After last season's disaster, anything positive is good sign going forward. However I don't think this line is in the right spot though as the Cavaliers were favored against Toronto and New Jersey by less even though both of those teams are likely going to be worse than the Bobcats this season in my opinion. Early season value is in place here.

The Cavaliers have been living and dying by the three-point shot and that is not a way to survive in this league. They have gone 11-45 (24.4 percent) from long range in their two losses while going 23-38 (60.5 percent) in their two wins. They made 16 three-pointers in their last game against New Jersey which was one shy of a team record and we certainly will not be seeing that type of success here. The Bobcats have one of the worst three-point shooting defenses in the NBA but it is too early to validate it.

These teams squared off here toward the end of last season and Charlotte actually came in as the road favorite and I don't feel enough has changed since then to warrant a five-point line swing. The Bobcats are 14-4 ATS in their last 18 games after failing to cover the spread in two or more consecutive games. Also, Charlotte is 4-0 ATS in its last four games as a road underdog of fewer than five points while Cleveland is 1-5 ATS in its last six games as a favorite of fewer than five points. 10* (501) Charlotte Bobcats

After a three-game roadtrip, the Nets are back home to try and halt a four-game losing skid as well as to try and grab its first home win of the season. New Jersey has played only one game at home and that came against Atlanta last Tuesday and it was blown out by 36 points which sets up both line value and motivation for today. The offense has been horrible so far this season and the Nets are coming off a 16-point loss on the road last night at Cleveland, shooting only 38 percent from the floor.

Indiana lost its first game of the season last time out at Detroit on New Year's eve and while we played against the Pacers then, we will be going against them once again here as a bigger road chalk. I consider the Pistons to be the worst tram in the NBA yet Indiana was favored by three points less in that game than it is here. The Pacers have owned this series with seven straight wins as well as seven straight covers but that is not important when they are 0-6 ATS in their last six road games against teams with a losing home record. 10* (708) New Jersey Nets

Minnesota is 0-3 to start the season but this is a very improved team. All three losses have been by four points or fewer including both games at home against Miami and Oklahoma City, arguably the two best teams from their respective conferences. Facing the reigning World Champions only adds to that schedule strength although this one could be considered the easiest of the bunch. The Timberwolves won their first game after just two games a season ago and this is where they break through.

Dallas is feeling the NBA Champion hangover. Or simply they are far from as good as the same team from last season. I think it is a little bit of both as the losses that the Mavericks have encountered have been bigger than once perceived. They have also played a brutal schedule by facing both the Heat and Thunder in addition to Denver, another top team in the Western Conference. Dallas has improved along the way as each game has gotten better but this is a tough opening.

Minnesota lost by just two points to the Heat last time out and it was the bench that carried them. Kevin Love was the only starter to hit double figures in scoring but five reserves all scored 10 or more points and the depth of this team could carry them further than most think. The Timberwolves could be catching Dallas at the right time as the Mavericks are coming off their first win of the season and have a revenge game at home tomorrow against Oklahoma City.

We played against Dallas last Sunday which was part of a system that goes against the defending NBA Champions the first two weeks of the new season. Prior to Dallas. the last nine NBA Champions (Boston, San Antonio, Miami, San Antonio, Detroit, San Antonio and LA Lakers three times) have combined for a 30-52 ATS mark (36.6 percent) through their first two weeks of the following year. Look for the Timberwolves to get their first win of the season tonight. 10* (810) Minnesota Timberwolves

We played against Detroit last night and won as the Pistons were hammered in Boston, trailing by as many as 25 points before a big fourth quarter made the final score more respectable. While it was a play against Detroit Friday, it was more of a play on Boston as the Celtics came into their game 0-3 with that being their first home game. The big factor last night was the inability to hit from long range as the Pistons were just 3-16 (18.8 percent) outside the arc while the defense allowed Boston to shoot 52.2 percent.

Detroit did do some good things last night as they were 14-15 from the free throw line while posting a 2.00 assist/turnover ratio as it committed just nine turnovers. Heading back home for just their second home game of the season, I expect the Pistons to rebound. Detroit is not a good team and it is going to struggle a lot but this NBA season, situational plays are even more important and with both teams playing last night, we give the edge to the home team.

The Pacers are off to a 3-0 start following a win last night at home against lowly Cleveland. Even though the season is very young, Indiana has had a fortunate early season schedule as it has played the 28th toughest schedule in the NBA thus far. One of those wins came against Detroit at home in a game that the Pacers never trailed in and cruised to an easy win. That sets up an early revenge situation for the Pistons who get Charles Villanueva back after serving his three-game suspension.

The public is hammering Indiana but the line has come down showing a significant reverse line move which is a big take for the home team. The home team won all four meetings last season so even when the Pistons were dreadful last year, they were able to take care of business at home. The Pacers are in a very unfavorable situation for the first time this season as they are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games playing with no rest and 3-12 ATS in their last 15 road games playing their third game in four nights. 10* (504) Detroit Pistons

We played on Memphis Wednesday night against the Thunder and it dropped a three-point game in a frustrating loss. The Grizzlies outshot Oklahoma City in that game but the long range shooting was the difference as Memphis was only 2-16 from behind the arc and it made eight fewer three-point shots than Oklahoma City did which ended up being the difference. The Grizzlies are now 0-2 as they suffered an opening loss at San Antonio which was a big revenge situation for the Spurs.

The Rockets came through for us last night as they never trailed in a wire-to-wire cover against the Spurs. While that was a great spot for Houston, that is not the case tonight. The Rockets opening game was on the road at Orlando on Monday and while that game was pretty close throughout, it never should have been. The Magic shot 53 percent from the floor but made it to the free throw line only 10 times and that is where Houston was able to take advantage despite shooting only 43.9 percent for the game.

Despite the loss on Wednesday, Memphis showed a lot of improvement from its opener. "We did a lot of things better than we did against San Antonio," said center Marc Gasol. "The effort was better and the Forum helped us a lot. Turnovers were down. There

We won with San Antonio on Monday as it defeated Memphis in a revenge spot going back to last season's playoffs. The Spurs are coming off another win, this one from last night as they easily took out the Clippers at home. They now head out on the road for the first time this season which now makes them in a very vulnerable spot. I mentioned pm Monday that the shortened season may help San Antonio early but could very well hurt them late because they are an old team. No rest games is also a disadvantage.

Houston has had the luxury of two days off since losing at Orlando in its opening game. The Rockets struggled to hit long range shots as they went just 6-27 (22.2 percent) from behind the arc led by Kevin Martin putting a 0-6 goose egg. Other than that, it was not a bad game for Houston as it put down 85 percent of their free throws, won the battle of the boards and posted a fantastic 2.6 assist/turnover ratio. Now the Rockets are back in Houston for their home opener.

While the Spurs have looked great in their first two games, it is hard for any team in this league to keep up that pace and letdowns are certainly bound to happen. Even Manu Ginobili isn't sure what's going on. "I didn't think that the team was ready to have two games like this," Ginobili said. "We're looking sharp, but I don't want to get too confident. I don't think it's fair or it's true. We still have a long way to go. It just so happened we played two very good games."

The Spurs have not opened a season 3-0 since 2007-08 and I don't expect them to match that here. Houston is a middle of the pack team in the Western Conference as its season win total was right around 33, making it a predicted .500 team. The Rockets are still a very good team at home and going back to last season they are 12-4 ATS when coming off a loss against the spread. They are also 11-2 ATS in their last 13 December home games and they get off to a solid start at home on Thursday. 10* (504) Houston Rockets

We played against Memphis in its season opener against San Antonio as the revenge factor for the Spurs was the key to that play. Now that revenge situation is on the side of the Grizzlies as they will look to avenge their loss in last year's Western Conference Semifinals in seven games to the Thunder. This is also the home opener for Memphis and the FedEx Forum has quietly become a strong home court advantage as the Grizzlies went 30-11 there last season, one of only nine teams to win at least 30 games at home.

Oklahoma City is off to a 2-0 start as it has recorded a home win over Orlando and snuck out a road victory against Minnesota. The Thunder are a very popular pick to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals this season and with the Mavericks and Lakers not looking up to par in the early going, it is a definite possibility. Oklahoma City lost to Dallas in the Western Conference Finals a season ago and with a home game against Dallas tomorrow night, we have a lookahead revenge spot for the Thunder.

These are two of the youngest teams in the NBA with the greatest upside and one key piece that is in place for the Grizzlies is Rudy Gay who did not play in the series against Oklahoma City last season and played in his first game on Monday since last February. He had 19 points and 10 boards against the Spurs and he has had great success in his limited action against Oklahoma City as he has averaged 24.3 ppg in his last four games against the Thunder.

Oklahoma City won a triple-overtime game at Memphis in the playoffs last season and that has been the only win in its last six games at the FedEx Forum so that makes the home underdog price that much more appealing. The Grizzlies are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 home games against teams with a road winning percentage great than .600 and they are 23-5 ATS in their last 28 games coming off a road loss. Memphis is also 17-6 ATS in its last 23 games after scoring 85 or fewer points last time out. 10* (712) Memphis Grizzlies

This is one of the best scenarios to go against on opening day. It is banner day in Dallas and we know what that means. The Mavericks will be lowering their 2010-11 NBA Championship banner on Sunday on opening day and playing a basketball game is not at the forefront for the players right now. This is a huge day 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.

Dirk Nowitzki said he can't wait for the banner to be unveiled. "I always said that the banner raising is probably one of the best days of my life -- working for something for so long and being there with my teammates and the coaches and obviously the fans there, it's going to be something special,'' he said. Enough said. Add to that the fact that Miami was the team that fell victim to the Mavericks and we have an even stronger scenario going on Christmas Day in Dallas.

Now let

As expected, after two very low scoring games, we saw Game Five exceed the total by over 30 points as the 'over' easily cashed. Now that the series has seen its highest scoring game, and for the first time a 100-point effort from a team as well, we will be going back the other way as the series shifts back to Miami. The linesmakers made a pretty big adjustment from the Game Five closing number as their hands were tied and expect the public money to come onto the 'over' based on that last game.

Not only did one team surpass the century mark for the first time in this series, both teams did. Neither team could miss from the floor no matter what defense was thrown at them and this was definitely an aberration based on the first four games but we took advantage of it at the right time. Both offenses are strong and they were due for big games but the defenses have been the deciding factor the majority of the time and we will see those units take over back in Miami.

One thing that did not change on Thursday was the pace of the game and it actually slowed down some. Shots were simply going in, especially from long range where Dallas was 13-19 and Miami was 8-20 and those 21 combined three-pointers were one short of the previous two games combined. The pace of the first four games was close to identical as there were 147, 148, 148 and 148 shot attempts but in Game Six, there were just 139 shots hoisted. There is no need to be concerned about the style of play changing.

This is a must win game for Miami which is their its situation like this in the playoffs as it has yet to be on the brink of elimination. That means the defense will be on display as Miami is 8-1 to the 'under' in its last nine games after allowing 100 or more points in its previous game. The first and only time it happened in the playoffs, it allowed 75 point to Chicago next time out. Also, history is back as we play the 'under' where the total is between 180 and 189.5 points in the finals. This situation is 24-5 (82.8%) since 1996. 10* Under (711) Dallas Mavericks/(712) Miami Heat

The 'under' has come in with ease in the first two games of this series in Dallas and that is providing us with excellent value going the other way for Game Five. We are catching the lowest total in this series thus far and based on the bounce, or the zig zag, this game should be able to surpass it. We took the 'under' in Game Three and that easily stayed below the number and the big reason for the play was because of the history of low scoring games in the Finals in this parameter but I feel that finally breaks here.

The two defenses have been playing exceptional as neither offense has been able to get in rhythm at all. The thing is that both teams can score and they do have the capability of putting up big numbers. Both are averaging right around 100 ppg and both are shooting in excess of 47 percent and while we have only seen these percentages once in this series, Game Two, the situation calls for it here. This is the third straight game being played in Dallas and the acclimation will help the offenses of both sides.

LeBron James is coming off a horrible game where he scored just eight points on 3-11 shooting. It is a pretty safe bet that he comes out strong on the offensive end and makes amends. On the other side Dirk Nowitzki carried the Mavericks in their comeback but he made only six of 19 shots and was extremely sick with a sinus infection throughout. He finished with 21 points but it was a below average performance and with this being the pivotal Game Five, breakout games from them will also help the offenses around them.

Miami is 10-1 to the 'over' in its last 11 games after scoring 90 points or less in two straight games. On Tuesday, the Heat shot just 14.3 percent from long range but that helps us here as they are 8-0 to the 'over' this season coming off a game where they shot 20 percent or less of their three-pointers. Dallas meanwhile is 10-1 to the 'over' in its last 11 games after allowing 90 points or fewer in two straight games while going 15-5 to the 'over' in its last 20 games following a win of three points or less. 10* Over (709) Miami Heat/(710) Dallas Mavericks

Dallas lost a tough one on Sunday with a chance to take control of this series. Instead, the teams are back to regular home court status but the Mavericks are pretty much in a must win spot on Tuesday. A loss here means trailing this series 3-1 and it would be highly unlikely to come back from that despite owning a 2-1 edge in game played in Miami this season. Must wins usually come with pressure involved but this Dallas team is playing with confidence and it knows it can tie this series up.

Miami has looked like the dominant team thus far but the Mavericks have not backed down once. The Heat have repeatedly built double-digit cushions, and a late collapse in Game Two is all that's keeping them from the lead that's never been blown in an NBA series. All it takes is a Dallas effort of not falling down by big margins as it has done in the first three games, falling down by 12, 15 and 14 points in those games respectively. It may be easier said than done but the Mavericks can do just that.

The Mavericks are shooting only 42 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from three-point range in this series. Ball movement, or lack thereof, has been a major issue for Dallas and a lot of this is on the shoulder of the role players. Dirk Nowitzki is having a spectacular series but Dallas needs other players to step up in order to give him the opportunity to create. The Mavericks are accustomed to getting a push off the bench from Peja Stojakovic and J.J. Barea and it has not happened. Now is the time.

Dallas falls into a solid situation here as well. This simple yet effective scenario says to 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 51-19 ATS (72.9 percent) since 1996. The Mavericks have responded well after a defeat as they are 5-0 ATS in their last five games following a loss. This includes a perfect 4-0 so far in the playoffs. 10* (708) Dallas Mavericks

Miami is saying the right things. The Heat blew a 15-point lead with seven minutes left on Thursday to lose Game Two and send the series to Dallas tied at one game each instead of being up 2-0. They are saying they have already let it go and are past it but I am not so sure about that. They can talk about all of the confidence they think they have but until they prove otherwise, that was a deflating loss to get over. Miami has already proven this season it has had a hard time coming back from similar situations.

Miami was stung in three occasions during the regular season that are hard to forget. The Heat blew a 19-point second-half lead against Jazz in November, they blew a 15-point lead in a loss to the Knicks in late February and they blew a 24-point lead against the Magic in early March. In all three cases, the Heat failed to bounce back in their next game as they lost the following game outright in all three instances and two of those games the next time out took place at home.

While the Heat are talking about confidence, it is Dallas that should be brimming with confidence. The Mavericks overcame a huge deficit and they were staring at a 2-0 hole in this series but instead they are tied with the next three games taking place at home and while wrapping up the series there will be unlikely, grabbing a win here will put a monumental amount of pressure on Miami. There is some desperation in play as momentum shifts to the Mavericks.

Miami is 3-13 ATS this season following a loss by six points or fewer while Dallas has dominated through the playoffs, carrying a 14-3 ATS record. Also, the Mavericks are 18-6 ATS this season when the line is between +3 and -3 and they are on a 10-2 ATS run as a favorite. Miami meanwhile has not only not responded from losses but it is just 5-14 ATS in its last 19 games playing on two days rest. Dallas has won 11 of the last 12 meetings and there is no reason to think it cannot keep that up. 10* (706) Dallas Mavericks

We played the 'over' in Game Two based on value because of the line adjustment from the first game. Now we will go back with the 'under' based on history and more appropriate adjustments that will be made by both teams. The comeback from Dallas on Thursday was a big one for the series and the mentality for both teams which sends this one into an even more defensive-geared situation. Based on history, we should see yet another low scoring game.

Based on the simple bump theory, both teams should have better efforts defensively. In Game One, Miami shot 38.8 percent from the floor while Dallas shot 37.3 percent. In Game Two, Miami hit 46.6 percent from the field while Dallas hit 48 percent. Those differences are huge because the teams combined for 147 shots in Game One and 148 shots in Game Two and if they stay in that same range with attempts in Game Three and the defense brings those shooting percentages down, it stays way 'under'.

I mentioned that there would be an increase in fast break points in Game Two after the teams combined for 19 in the first game and that was the case as they combined for 29 fast break points on Thursday. Those possessions obviously speed up the game and lead to more possessions and points but we should see that number come back down here based on the law of averages. Since 1985 when the series is tied 1-1, the Game Three winner has won the championship all 11 times and that means defense is the key.

History shows this situation to be very low scoring as we play the 'under' in NBA Finals games when the total is between 180 and 189.5 points. This situation is 22-4 (84.6 percent) since 1996 and is a perfect 5-0 over the last five instances when the closing O/U is in that range. The average score overall is 176.2 ppg in those 26 games. Also, Miami is 18-7 to the 'under' in its last 25 road games when the total is between 185 and 189.5 and 5-1 to the 'under' in its last six games as an underdog. 10* Under (705) Miami Heat/(706) Dallas Mavericks

Game One of this series stayed well 'under' the total, covering by more than 12 points, but Game Two adjustments will be made by the offenses to try and get something going. Both teams shot poorly on Tuesday as Dallas shot 37.3 percent while Miami shot just 38.8 percent and there was a total of only 19 fast break points. Dallas and Oklahoma City averaged 27 fast break points in the last series while Miami and Chicago also averaged 27 fast break points so we should see an increase this time around.

We are catching some solid value here as well as this total has dropped by more than a bucket from the closing O/U from Game One. We have used the zig zag with a lot totals during the postseason because of the adjustments made based on the previous game and a lot of these have come in the way we expected. Both regular season meetings between the Mavericks and Heat went 'over' the total as they scored 201 and 194 points in those games. Also, both Dallas and Miami are 5-3 to the 'over' in their last eight games.

Miami is showing that it is the best defensive team in the NBA as it completely shut down Chicago and did a number on Dallas to open the Finals. The Mavericks lost an eight-point lead in the third quarter as they were held to just 10 points in the final 10 minutes of that period. Prior to that, the Mavericks made six 3-pointers in the first half and just seven shots from inside the arc. They are a much stronger team on offense than what was on display as for the season, they are averaging exactly 100 ppg.

Miami is 14-7 to the 'over' after having won 20 or more of their last 25 games this season while Dallas is 21-11 to the 'over' after having won 15 or more of their last 20 games this season. The 'over' is 6-1 in Miami's last seven home games and it is 16-7 to the 'over' in its last 23 home games after having won five or six of their last seven games this season. This has been a good total for Dallas to get in a high scoring game as it is 19-10 to the 'over' this year when the total is between 180 and 189.5 points. 10* Over (703) Dallas Mavericks/(704) Miami Heat

Many expected the Heat to be in this position at the start of the season and after a sluggish and inconsistent start, they are playing their best basketball of the season. Miami has cruised in all three playoff series, winning 4-1 in each of those so it really has not been tested. The Heat were supposed to be challenged by both Boston and Chicago, two of the best defenses in the NBA, but neither were able to get the job done. Miami thus is a pretty large favorite for this first game.

Dallas made a very similar run through the Western Conference as only one series went more than five games, which happened to be the first series against Portland. The Mavericks then swept the defending champion Lakers and took out Oklahoma City in five games so it can be argued that Dallas is playing just as good, if not better, right now. The Mavericks are just one game worse with their overall record but have played a much tougher schedule and do in fact have a better record against the top ten in the NBA.

The Mavericks won both regular season meetings which is a sign of a matchup advantage even though those were early in the season. The Miami big three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh averaged 21.7 ppg in the two regular season meetings with none of those three scoring fewer than 19 points in any of those games so the Mavericks were able to win both meetings despite those players all playing well on both occasions. Dallas has actually won 10 straight since the 2006 Finals collapse.

Dallas finished the regular season tied with Miami with the best road record in the league so both teams possess the game to nullify the opponents home court edge. The Mavericks are 5-2 o the road during the postseason and they are now 17-4 ATS this season in their 21 road games as underdogs of six points or fewer. Miami meanwhile is just 2-11 ATS in its last 13 home games after covering three or more consecutive games so that gives us exactly the value we are looking for. 10* (701) Dallas Mavericks

Miami has won and covered three straight games to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals but this is the spot we should see Chicago play its best basketball since the opener when it rolled. The Bulls backs are against the wall and playing at home again puts them in a position where they can play loose and actually put the pressure on the Heat. A must win situation usually creates line value the other way but the Bulls are favored right where they should be based on the venue change.

Game Four was a tough one for the Bulls as they had every chance to pull out the win and it is even tougher on Derrick Rose. Even though the Bulls never would have been in position to steal the last game if not for Rose, shooting 8 of 27 with seven turnovers in a must-win game indeed makes this the hardest one for him to forget. He has had three of his four lowest scoring games in the playoffs over the last three games and to no surprise, Chicago lost all three of those games. Look for a bust out game from him here.

The Bulls maybe due for some home cooking here as even though they managed a 44-24 edge in points in the paint, the Heat enjoyed a 38-22 advantage in free throw attempts and made 15 more from the line overall. That is a big disparity when it comes to teams that are closely matched and it begs the question of will there be retribution for Game Five? The home team has had the edge in free throw attempts in all four games with the last game being the widest margin so that trend should continue here.

As much as these games are decided by the players, do not be surprised to see the referees give some back. Especially knowing that the NBA wants this huge TV draw to continue at least another game heading into the weekend. Situationally we play on home favorites that are playing with triple revenge, in a game involving two teams with winning percentages between .600 and .750. This situation is 83-44 (65.4 percent) since 1996. The Bulls keep the series alive for at least one more game. 10* (520) Chicago Bulls

The last total we played in this series won as the 'under' came in by 18.5 points in Game Three on Saturday. The game on Monday went 'over' the closing total of 196 by a large amount thanks to overtime although it would have gone 'over' in regulation time as well. That has forced the linesmakers to move this total up once again as it has increased by over a bucket and that is giving us some solid value going the other way once again. We are seeing roughly the same total that stayed 'under' in Game Three.

After a high scoring first half in Game Four, Dallas and Oklahoma City combined for just 89 points in the second half and that was the fourth half in the last three games that has stayed under 100 points and that is the key number we are looking for. Actually those halves all had 92 points or less so they have shown the ability to not only go low but go way low. With the series shifting back to Dallas and Oklahoma St. in a must win spot, will see an emphasis once again on the defensive end.

Offensively, the Thunder started strong and finished weak on Game Four. It seemed like they were ready to roll over their opponent right out of the gate, starting the game on a blistering tear making their first nine shots to jump out to a 18-8 lead in just over four minutes of play. They followed it up in the second quarter making their first 10 shots and entered halftime shooting an astounding 58-percent from the field. That quickly vanished and while defense will be the emphasis, the offense should come out slow again as well.

The last three games have alternated between the 'over' and 'under' and the zig zag theory with totals has held pretty true to form throughout the postseason. We will see it continue in this series as well. The 'under' is 9-3-1 in the Mavericks last 13 games when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game while the 'under' is 6-2 in the Thunders last eight games when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game. These streaks get extended once again. 10* Under (517) Oklahoma City Thunder/(518) Dallas Mavericks

This is a big game for both sides. A Miami win can give the Heat a 3-1 lead heading back to Chicago and while not insurmountable, it will be tough for the Bulls to come back. A Chicago win ties the series and gives the Bulls their home court edge back. This is considered a crucial turning point game and in crucial games, the team with more experience has the edge. Miami has that experience as it has shown throughout the entire playoffs thus far.

Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel summed it up perfectly. In Game Three, Chicago slowed LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, holding them to 12-30 shooting combined. But in the NBA, you can't take away something without leaving opportunities somewhere else. Chris Bosh took advantage of that, scoring 34 points. Miami shot over 50 percent from the floor which was just the 11th time all season the Bulls have allowed 50 percent or more. They are 2-9 in those games so a repeat of that means another Miami win.

The lack of scoring offered by the Bulls has been telling as there is simply not enough creativity in the approach to this point. The point about the Bulls offense has just as much to do with the Miami defense as well. Scoring 15 points in the first quarter, 41.6 percent shooting for the game, 13 turnovers to 15 assists and the struggle all night by Derrick Rose to create something is a testament to the strength of the Heat defense. Chicago needs another shooter to spread the floor against this defense and it does not have it.

Chicago has been strong following a loss this season but Miami has been just as strong following a win. The Heat also fall into an ideal situation based on this momentum. Play on home favorites with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 when leading in a playoff series and playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 53-23 ATS (69.7 percent) over the last 5 seasons. This goes against the zig-zag but it looks at this point Chicago will not have the ability to make the necessary adjustments. 10* (516) Miami Heat

It is desperation time for Oklahoma City and this is a team that should be able to flourish in that role. After falling behind 2-1 in the Memphis series, the Thunder reached down deep and grabbed Game Four in overtime which avoided a 3-1 series deficit. The same goal is on the table here as they look to avoid going down 3-1 with the series shirting back to Dallas in Game Five. It is certainly a must win spot and for the linesmakers to only move this line a point form the Game Three closer signifies value.

Oklahoma City scored only 12 points in the first quarter in Game Three, and Dallas led by as many as 23 points in the first half behind balanced scoring and patient passing. The Thunder never led in that game and they were held to just nine fast break points but there was a glimmer of a team that never gave up. The Thunder cut the lead all the way down to four points from 22 in the second half but the Mavericks were able to hit clutch shots down the stretch to hold on. A quicker start for Oklahoma City is obviously the key.

The Thunder shot a mere 36.5 percent including 5.9 percent from long range (1-17) after shooting 51.4 percent and 41.2 percent respectively in the first two games of this series. Dallas made a pledge to play better defense and while it definitely did, we are not going to see a second straight performance like that from either side. The Thunder's misfirings put them in the NBA's playoff futility record book. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, they tied the 2003 Suns for the second-worst three-point percentage in a playoff game.

Oklahoma City is 18-7 ATS in its last 25 games following a home loss while going 19-9 ATS in its last 28 games following an outright loss as a favorite. Going back further, the Thunder are 74-40 in their last 114 games following a loss of any kind so adjustments have been positive. Situationally, we play on teams averaging 102 or more ppg going up against teams averaging between 98 and 102 ppg, after trailing in their previous game by 15 or more points at the half. This situation is 47-22 ATS (68.1 percent) since 1996. 10* (514) Oklahoma City Thunder

Miami had a big win in Game Two of this series as it not only avoided a 0-2 deficit but it also gained home court advantage through the rest of this series. The Heat are a team that are not going to let that pass. We won with the Heat in that game as they won by double-digits as underdogs and now heading home, I expect more of the same. It took a while for this team to come together but we have witnessed a huge transformation as the chemistry has come around as they have gone 24-6 over their last 30 games.

The Bulls were one of the best home teams in the NBA during the regular season and they actually had the best home record in the Eastern Conference. However, hitting the road has not been as successful and even though they are 12 games over .500 in the regular season and postseason combined, the differences are glaring. The biggest reason for the big dropoff is the fact that the offense has basically one go-to guy in Derrick Rose and that is it and playing in a hostile environment will once again hurt.

Chicago has not lost back-to-back games in three and a half months which is no doubt impressive but only once has it lost at home and won on the next game on the road and that away game happened to come against Minnesota, the worst team during the regular season in the NBA. Coming off a 34.1 percent shooting performance in Game Two, I just cannot see how the Bulls can bounce back from that on the road against the third toughest home defense in the NBA.

There has been talk about Miami not being a clutch team but during the playoffs, it is safe to say the Heat have erased that moniker. The Heat have ended playoff wins with runs of 9-2, 22-17 and 5-0 against the 76ers, 22-11, 12-4 and 10-0 against Boston and 12-2 against Chicago which signifies clutch in my opinion. As far as a great situation, we play against underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points that are revenging a loss as a favorite, playing with three or more days rest. This situation is 51-26 ATS (66.2 percent) since 1996. 10* (512) Miami Heat

We won with the 'over' in Game One of this series with a reasonable closing number of 194.5. We missed the 'under' in Game Two but will go back with it here. Because of the high scoring game that took place in the first two games, the linesmakers need to keep this number high and it remains five points higher than the opener. Because of that high scoring Game One, they were forced to make a move this much based on the fact the majority of action will be on the 'over' as will be the case again here.

The 'over' has come in four of the five meetings this season but one of those 'overs' would actually have come in 'under' the Game Two total while the one game that did finish 'under', the closing total was right in line with this one. We used a lot of zig-zag scenarios, with totals and not sides, in the first two rounds of the playoffs and the majority of those ended up working out. The Game Two 'under' nearly panned out despite three quarters well into the 50's.

Oklahoma City shot lights out in Game Two, hitting 55.7 percent of its shots. It took only 70 shots however and in the first two games, the teams are averaging just over 73 attempts per game. During the regular season, the Thunder averaged 80.6 shots per game while the Mavericks averaged 78.8 shots per game so these two teams are putting together lengthier possessions in the postseason and if not for the hot shooting by one side in the first two games, we would have seen much lower scoring games.

The 'under' is 8-3-1 in the Mavericks last 12 games when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game while the 'under' is 5-2 in the Thunders last seven games when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game. Also we play the 'under' with road teams where the total is 200 to 209.5 that are revenging a straight up loss as a favorite, with a winning percentage between .600 and .750. This situation is 41-17 (70.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* Under (509) Dallas Mavericks/(510) Oklahoma City Thunder

Dallas won and covered for us last night and we are catching a similar number for Thursday as we go the other way. The Mavericks showed that the time off did exactly as we expected as they came out a little slow and rusty but the rested bodies took over and controlled the final three quarters. After scoring 122 points against the Lakers to close that series, Dallas put up 121 points last night behind the unconscious effort from Dirk Nowitzki, who scored 48 points on 12-15 shooting and 24-24 from the free throw line.

Oklahoma City did not play a bad game last night and it actually made a comeback in the fourth quarter before the Mavericks were able to pull away. The Thunder shot 47.2 percent from the floor as well as going 37-43 from the free throw line. Normally, this is good enough for a win but they ran into a buzzsaw on Tuesday that they could not overcome. Oklahoma City will not have to make many adjustments with the exception of defense on Nowitzki but even then, it is unlikely he will go off like that again.

This is a classic example of the zig-zag theory. We did not use this much in the first couple rounds because of the mismatches of the teams but now that there is more parity, the zig-zag or bounceback becomes more playable. There is a big difference between good and bad teams when playing with a sense of urgency and simply put, the Thunder are a very good team. We get additional leeway as well as we catch a decent sized number and while they can easily win, we have room to play with for the cover.

Because of the Dallas win and the run it has had, public action will again be on the home team. The Mavericks have yet to lose against the number in the postseason, going 10-0-1 ATS, 11-0 ATS for some, and going back to the regular season, they are 14-0-1 ATS, 15-0 ATS for some. This provides contrarian value. The Mavericks are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game while the Thunder are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* (507) Oklahoma City Thunder

We won with the 'over' in Game One of this series with a reasonable closing number of 194.5. Because of the high scoring game that took place, 233 points put on the board, the linesmakers needed to make a huge adjustment for Game Two and this current number is five points higher than the opener. Because of that high scoring Game One, they were forced to make a move this much based on the fact the majority of action will be on the 'over'. There is no doubt it is too big of a move however.

The 'over' has come in three of the four meetings this season but one of those 'overs' would actually have come in 'under' the Game Two total while the one game that did finish 'under', the closing total was right in line with this one. We used a lot of zig-zag scenarios in the first two rounds of the playoffs and the majority of those ended up working out. The big exception was the Atlanta/Orlando series but other than that, we saw a lot of games go back and forth and that was due to total adjustments made.

Speaking of adjustments, we will see some come Game Two from both sides. Namely the defensive side of things. Both teams were able to have a lot of success on the offensive end as three of the four quarters saw 56, 66 and 64 points scored. While both teams shot well, we did not see a ton of attempts. Oklahoma City took only 72 shots while Dallas took only 73 shots and the difference was that the two teams combined for 79 free throw attempts, making 71 of those. We are unlikely to see that again in Game Two.

The 'under' is 8-2-1 in the Mavericks last 11 games when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game while the 'under' is 5-1 in the Thunders last six games when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game. The recent history between the two teams will signal another high scoring game however, there is a big difference and it goes back to the adjustments that will be made as those other meetings did not occur in consecutive games, as this one will. 10* Under (507) Oklahoma City Thunder/(508) Dallas Mavericks

Chicago took care of Miami in Game One as expected and now that the Bulls have a 4-0 record against the Heat and the line is the same from Game One, the public is all over the home team once again. We expected Chicago to take the opener but it was a surprise that it was able to pull away and dominate the way it did in the second half. It is unlikely it will happen again however, especially on the offensive side as the 103 points in Game One was only the third time they have gone over 100 points in the postseason.

If effort is the simple answer, then Game One was essentially a wake-up call for the Heat. You can say that the Heat's offense looked awful against the Bulls, but then again, that's not the first time that's happened. The Heat offense has a way of recovering, starting with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade playing more like themselves. The Heat did lose all three regular season meetings as well but those games could have gone either way as they all came down to the final possessions.

As mentioned, the Bulls have eclipsed 100 points only three times in the postseason and not in back-to-back games. Conversely, the Heat had not allowed 100 or more points in the playoffs prior to Sunday and you know they will be taking that one personally. Miami still allowed a very respectable 43.7 percent shooting and it actually outshot the Bulls which is rare for a team to accomplish that and lose by as much as it did. Miami was outscored by 21 points from long range which made the big difference.

This is a classic example of the zig-zag theory. We did not use this much in the first couple rounds because of the mismatches of the teams but now that there is more parity, the zig-zag or bounceback becomes more playable. There is a big difference between good and bad teams when playing with a sense of urgency and underdogs coming off a bad blowout are more apt to avoid it again as they can make the proper adjustments. In this case, Miami can do that similar to the way it did it in Boston after its 16-point loss. 10* (505) Miami Heat

The Mavericks will have had 10 days off since their last game while the Thunder will be off for just a day so we need to figure out which team it benefits more. In this case I think it is a wash. Dallas is the older team and the benefit of sweeping the Lakers early was to rest and recuperate while the Thunder are much younger and would likely prefer to keep going with no time off. The difference now is the mental aspect as Oklahoma City is coming off a mentally grueling seven-game series so the quick turnaround will be tough.

With as long of a break as the Mavericks will get, there will be, without a doubt, some rhythm will be lost. While there's always the concern that nine days between games can take the sheen off of a team, the Mavericks never pass up rest because they have a 38-year-old point guard in Jason Kidd and three other starters, plus their sixth man, who are older than 30. The Mavericks' wisdom will be one of the strengths against the Thunder's youth and athleticism.

The Mavericks have every right to believe it is all about them going into the conference finals and they have gotten better as the playoffs have gone on. And they are doing it with great balance on offense and a strong defense. Of the four teams left in the playoffs, the Mavericks are the lone outfit yet to surrender 100 points in a game and they are allowing an average of just 88.2 ppg. On the other side, are blowing away the field by shooting 47 percent including 41.9 percent from long range.

Dallas and Oklahoma City met three times this season with the road team taking all three games. In the meeting in Dallas, the Thunder were fortunate to take on the Mavericks without Dirk Nowitzki in the lineup so the win there can be tossed out the door. Play on home teams after successfully covering the spread in four or more consecutive games, in a game involving two teams with winning percentages between .600 and .750. This situation is 32-10 ATS (76.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (504) Dallas Mavericks

Miami is the favorite in this series despite being a lower seed and not having home court advantage in this series. This is completely wrong in my opinion as the Heat, while playing their best basketball of the season, are the number two seed for a reason. That reason is because the Bulls deserve being the number one seed in the Eastern Conference following as spectacular season. Included in the Bulls 62 regular season wins were three against Miami, leading to a regular season 3-0 sweep.

Home court advantage plays a big role in the playoffs and with two very strong road teams in this series, holding serve on the home court will be vital. Chicago went an NBA best 36-5 at home this regular season and backed that up with a 5-1 record at home through the first two rounds of the playoffs. Chicago possesses the best scoring margin in the league as it is outscoring opponents by 10.1 ppg on its home floor. The Bulls have stepped it up all season against the elite teams, going 16-7 against the NBA's top ten.

Conversely, the Heat are just 13-15 this season against teams ranked in the top ten and they are just 10 games over .500 against teams ranked within the top 16 while the Bulls are 17 games over .500 against the top 16. Despite being the lower seed, the pressure is on Miami in this series as it came in with the highest of expectations and those remain. Chicago is going about this the right way as it is going with the "Us against the world" attitude as the Bulls will use that underdog card as a motivator as well.

It is about defense and the Bulls led the league in opponents' field-goal-percentage and opponents' three-point percentage as well finishing second to the Celtics in average ppg. They can thank head coach Tom Thibodeau, who game-planned to eliminate LeBron James in the 2008 Eastern Conference semifinals when the former worked for the Celtics and the latter played for the Cavaliers. Chicago is 13-4 ATS in its last 17 home games when playing against teams with a winning percentage of .700 or better. 10* (502) Chicago Bulls

Because of the last two games, we are getting a sensational number with this total in the final game of this series. It is actually the lowest total of the series thus far and the two most recent games that were low scoring are completely affecting it. In my opinion, it has come down way too much as the last two games are not only what should be taken into consideration. Three of the first four games in this series went 'over', all of which had higher totals than what we are seeing on Sunday.

All four of the regular season meetings and the first two games of this playoff series went 'over' and most of those went 'over' rather comfortably. The Game Five result was the first and the Game six result was the second in all 10 meetings between Oklahoma City and Memphis that at least one team didn't score 100 or more points. There was good value on the Game Six 'over' simply because of that but now that it has occurred two times in a row, the value is even greater.

Oklahoma St. played incredible defense in Game Five which was an aberration or a case of Memphis missing shots. In Game Six, it was the Thunder offense that was dismal. After making his first two shots of the game, Kevin Durant finished the night shooting 3-14 from the field for just 11 points. What was worse was Durant taking nine 3-pointers in the game and making only one. Now that both of those occurrences have taken place, we are unlikely to see either happening again meaning more offense on both sides.

Oklahoma St. fits the mold perfectly for it to make this one a high scoring affair. The Thunder are 8-1 to the 'over' after a loss by 10 points or more this season and an even more impressive 16-3 to the 'over' after scoring 85 points or less over the last three seasons, averaging 202.4 ppg in those 18 games. Meanwhile Memphis is 5-0 to the 'over' in its last five games following a win while going 7-2 to the 'over' in its last nine games as an underdog between 5.0 and 10.5 points. 10* Over (753) Memphis Grizzlies/(754) Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder, whose backs were in the corner at one point in this series, are showing that they are the stronger team and we will see a result similar to what we saw last night with the Bulls which went on the road to close out their series with Atlanta. Oklahoma City has had the upper hand since Memphis picked it apart in the series opener and it hit the apex in Game Five with a 27-point victory. The Thunder took one of two in Memphis last weekend so winning here is not a problem.

Fatigue played a huge role in Game Five and will do so again in Game six. "I don't know if fatigue was a factor," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "It was not on our end." He was right. The Thunder had the advantage of young legs coming off the triple-overtime Game Four in Memphis. Now the Thunder have the advantage of having rested its starting lineup in Game Five Kevin Durant played 31 minutes, Russell Westbrook played 25, Kendrick Perkins played 23, Serge Ibaka played 21 and Thabo Sefolosha 16.

Memphis is playing behind for the first time in this series and in the postseason so how it reacts is a big question mark. Playing at home helps but the Grizzlies are feeling the pressure for the first time. The inside game will be the deciding factor once again and Oklahoma City will have that edge based on the rest. The team that has scored more points inside the paint has won each game, and the Thunder outrebounded the Grizzlies 50-33 Wednesday night.

Oklahoma City falls into a sensational league-wide situation based on season stats and the result from Wednesday. Play on road teams where the line is +3 to -3 that are averaging 102 or more ppg going up against teams that are allowing between 92 and 98 ppg, after a win by 20 points or more. This situation is 31-8 ATS (79.5 percent) since 1996. The Thunder have responded very well this season after those type of victories as they are 7-0 ATS this season following a win by 20 or more points. 10* (747) Oklahoma City Thunder

After the last game of this series went 'under' I would normally be taking a hard look at the 'over' for this game but there are important factors that are signaling another low scoring game. First and foremost, this is a must win game for Atlanta and the Hawks are not a strong team offensively as they are averaging only 94.1 ppg on the season which is third lowest in the NBA. That means in order for Atlanta to force a Game Seven. It is going to have to get it done with defense and it should be up to the challenge.

With the last game not surpassing the number, the total tends to be adjusted next time out and while that is the case here, it is a rather small adjustment. The total currently is at 179 in a few places which is the highest and surprisingly, it is the highest of the three games that have been played in Atlanta. Certainly not by much but considering the first two games of this series in Atlanta went 'over' one would think this number would be adjusted further to take those games into account but it has not.

The Bulls defense has really stepped things up. They have allowed 83 points or fewer in three of the first games in this series and they have won all three of those. They allowed 103 and 100 points in the other two games and those ended up as losses so in order for Chicago to avoid a Game Seven, even though it would be at home, it must clamp down on defense once again. The last game of this series stayed 'under' by a bucket but it could have been a lot more as it was skewed by a 53-point first quarter.

Even though the first two games of this series in Atlanta went 'over', the Hawks are 7-2 to the 'under' in their last nine home games against teams with a winning road record and the 'under' is 19-6 in their last 25 games as a home underdog. Chicago is 22-10 to the 'under' this season after allowing 85 or fewer points and it is 34-18 to the 'under' in its last 42 games coming off an 'under' in its previous game. Playing with a day of rest, the Bulls are on a 36-16 'under' run while the Hawks are on an 8-2 'under' run. 10* Under (741) Chicago Bulls/(742) Atlanta Hawks

The last game finished with 192 points in regulation and had it not gone into overtime, the 'under' would have come in. People now see the 256 total points scored and they will surely be all over a high scoring game once again. Also, the Game Four scoring has skewed the overall averages, inflating them to the point where they cannot be looked at. Even the Game Three scoring is skewed because of the overtime even though that game stayed below the total.

With the 'over' hitting on Monday, that made it eight of the last nine meetings the 'over' has hit, including seven of eight played this season. Every one of those games has seen each team score at least 100 points and the linesmakers have had no choice but to boost this number up because of the large amount of action that will continue to come in on the 'over'. The total has gone up three points since the closing O/U from Game One and that is a big jump, even with what we have seen witnessed in this season series thus far.

We played the 'under' in Game Two and all things considered, it was a bad break that it did not hit as going into the fourth quarter, only 144 points were on the board but the teams erupted for 69 points in the final period which carried it 'over'. What this tells us is that three straight games in this series could easily have gone 'under' yet two of the three went 'over'. Contrarian thinking is saying that despite the breaks going for the high scoring games, the 'under' is the play once again here.

This is part of the zig zag theory that is based on totals as we go against the outcome of the previous game and we also have a contrarian situations that comes into play based on recent results. Oklahoma City is 10-1 to the 'under' in its last 11 home games after allowing 100 or more points in four straight games. Also, the 'under' is 5-0 in Oklahoma City's last five games after it scored 125 or more points in its previous game so it has not been a team that has carried offensive momentum forward. 10* Under (739) Memphis Grizzlies/(740) Oklahoma City Thunder

With the series heading back to Chicago, I expect to see a very low scoring game in this pivotal Game Five. The 'over' came through in both games in Atlanta and because of that, we are getting value in the 'under' for this game. The highest scoring game of the series was in Game One and the linesmakers were forced to push the number up in Game Two where the 'under' was successfully played. This is a similar situation where they had to make an adjustment and it is simply too much.

This is the highest total of the series so far and a lot of that has to do with the fact that three of the four games have gone 'over'. This has been a rarity for the Hawks as they went 'under' in five straight games against Orlando in their last series and going back further they were 13-3 to the 'under' in their previous 16 games. This is because of a defense that is underrated as Atlanta has held its opponents to fewer than 100 points in 16 of its last 20 games, including 10 games of fewer than 90 points.

The Bulls defense meanwhile is one of the best in the NBA. After allowing the lowest field goal percentage in the NBA during the regular season. Chicago is allowing just 42.9 percent from the floor during the playoffs which is actually lower than its regular season percentage allowed. At home the Bulls defense is even better. After allowing 103 points in Game One, Chicago responded with just 73 points allowed in Game Two and after giving up 100 points in Game Four, I expect a very similar outcome here.

The Bulls have tightened their games up following a big loss as they are 10-1 to the 'under' revenging a loss of 10 points or more this season including a perfect 7-0 to the 'under' revenging a double-digit road loss while Atlanta is 5-0 to the 'under' in its last five games after a double-digit win. The Hawks meanwhile are 20-8 to the 'under' in their last 28 games as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points and 22-9 to the 'under' in its 31 games this season against teams with a winning record. 10* Under (733) Atlanta Hawks/(734) Chicago Bulls

It is going to be extremely tough for the Thunder to regroup on Monday following Saturday's demoralizing loss. They blew a 16-point lead against Memphis and ended up losing in overtime. After hearing the press conferences from players and coaches after the game, it is clear that Oklahoma City is in trouble. This is a young team and this is no doubt the toughest defeat these players have had to endure. Success in the NBA is being able to rejuvenate following such losses and I cannot see Oklahoma St. doing that.

To Oklahoma City's credit, it was the better team for three quarters Saturday and looking at the overall picture, it still may be considered the better team even though it is down 2-1 with a must win situation on tap here. However, the Thunder were 7-30 in the fourth quarter and overtime, had nearly as many turnovers (six) as field goals (seven) in the fourth quarter and overtime and scored just 17 points in the final 17 minutes. That is a collapse even some veteran teams may have a tough time recovering from.

While it can be argued the Thunder lost the game, Memphis has to be given credit for not giving up, coming back and taking control of the series. A lot of the credit can be given to the defense as Memphis it locked down when needed. According to Darnell Mayberry from Thunder Rumblings, Durant had just four points on 2-10 shooting in the fourth quarter and overtime. He came into the game leading all players in the NBA Playoffs with just over 10 points on over 60 percent shooting in the fourth quarter.

As far as line value goes, we are getting the same number as Game Three which is a surprise as this line should be higher based on the zig zag and the must win for the Thunder. Memphis is 20-9 ATS in its 29 games in the second half of the season against winning teams while going 14-4 ATS in its 18 games in the second half of the season against teams outscoring opponents by three or more ppg. Last but not least, the Grizzlies are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games as a home favorite of fewer than five points. 10* (732) Memphis Grizzlies

We won with the 'under' in Game Two and we will once again go back to the 'under' for Game Four. Game One of this series went 'over' the total and it wasn't even close as Atlanta and Chicago surpassed the number by 20 points. The closing number on Monday was 178 and the number went up by a bucket for Game Two and while it isn't a huge increase, it was enough to provide some value. The game snuck 'over' on Friday and while the number has not gone up much, any increase is on our side.

After scoring 103 points in Game One, Atlanta has not been as successful on offense as the Bulls defense has clamped down as expected. After shooting 51.8 percent in the opening game, the Hawks shot 33.8 percent in Game Two. Atlanta hit a respectable 47.1 percent on Game Three and while it was still held to 82 points, Chicago knows it must to a better job on the defensive end. Chicago is allowing under 43 percent shooting on the season and we will see a better effort here.

The Bulls are shooting 43.5 percent in this series which is lower than their season average and that should continue against the Atlanta defense that has been solid the entire playoffs. The Hawks have been a solid defending team all season and they have allowed 100 points only once in nine playoff games and have allowed more than 90 points in only three other occasions. Atlanta is now 3-1 to the 'under' in its home playoff games and is 8-1 to the 'under' in its last nine home games overall.

When the competition steps up, both teams have played more lower scoring games as Chicago is 24-13 to the 'under' this season when playing a team with a winning record while the Hawks are 30-15 to the 'under' when playing against a team with a winning record this season. Also, the Bulls are 22-9 to the 'under' after allowing 85 points or less this season while Atlanta is 30-17 to the 'under' after a game where they failed to cover the spread this season. 10* Under (727) Chicago Bulls/(728) Atlanta Hawks

Boston is against the wall now and after allowing the Heat to put up 99 and 102 points in the first two games, the way to get back into this series is with defense. The Celtics are allowing 91.3 ppg on the season so those two efforts were certainly not what they had in mind. Returning home is a start as the Celtics are giving up just 91.2 ppg on their home floor and in the two home meetings against the Heat, they gave up 80 and 82 points as both games stayed well below the number.

The first two meetings in this second round series have gone 'over' and because of that, we are getting some solid value. Game One had a closing total of 179.5 while Game Two had a closing total of 181.5 and for Game Three, the number has been pushed even further. We are seeing an increase of just a point but that still creates value and the change in venue adds to that. The Celtics and Heat went 'under' in three of the four regular season meetings which needs to be taken into consideration as well.

Miami is 8-3 to the 'over' this season when it is an underdog but eight of those games came against the Western Conference. The offensive output is what we need to be concerned about and the Heats scored 97 points or fewer in eight of those games including all three within the conference. They were never underdogs against Boston which makes this the first instance of the season so the offensive inconsistency in these situations along with the low scoring in Boston help our cause here.

I mentioned that the change of venue helps our value and that is due to Boston being 11-2 to the 'under' in home playoff games over the last two years including 2-0 to the 'under' this season. Also, the Celtics are 17-4-1 to the 'under' in their last 22 games as a favorite. Meanwhile the Heat are 22-13 to the 'under' after a win by 10 points or more this season including 9-3 to the 'under' in their last 12 games. Also, the 'under' is 4-0 in Miami's last four games after it scored 100 or more points in its previous game. 10* Under (723) Miami Heat/(724) Boston Celtics

The Lakers are in trouble, down 2-0 in the series but heading to Dallas may be a good thing at this point. Suspensions, pointing fingers and disdain from former players are the storylines for Los Angeles which is trying for a third straight NBA Championship after losing the first two games at home in a playoff series for the first time in 42 years. While definitely not ideal, the 'backs against the wall' scenario puts the Lakers in the position to put it all on the line tonight as a 3-0 deficit means curtain's closed.

Give the Mavericks credit as they are in the drivers seat right now, not only for this series but for representing the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. That is still a long ways off however and the confidence of Dallas is still in question. "If you would have told me before that we were going to win both games, it would have been hard to believe,

Game One of this series went 'over' the total and it wasn't even close as Atlanta and Chicago surpassed the number by 20 points. The closing number on Monday was 178 and the number has gone up by a bucket for Game Two and while it isn't a huge increase, it is enough to provide some value in what should be a totally different game this time around. This takes the zig zag theory into play and both teams had similar results in their first round series that should make for a lower scoring game on Wednesday.

Game One was just the second of seven playoff games for the Hawks that went 'over' the total. This Game Two is set up the same way from their Game Two in the first round against Orlando. In that opener, the Hawks won while shooting 51.4 percent from the floor. In the next game, Atlanta shot just 39.5 percent from the floor and scored only 82 points, 21 fewer than in its previous game. In Game One Monday, the Hawks shot 51.3 percent from the floor and I expect another huge dropoff here as well.

The Chicago defense is one of the best units in the NBA and it was not on display in that first game. The Bulls allowed the Hawks to shoot over eight percent higher than what they normally allow and that is something that is taken personally. Chicago knows it has a better chance of winning a low scoring game than a shootout, especially at home, and the way to do that is hunker down on defense. The Bulls opening game against Indiana also went 'over' and a better effort on defense allowed Game Two to stay 'under'.

The Bulls have been in similar situations this season and they have in fact responded with better defensive efforts. Chicago is 16-7 to the 'under' revenging a loss where opponent scored 100 or more points this season and 43-30 to the 'under' after one or more consecutive overs over the last two seasons. Atlanta meanwhile is 19-8 to the 'under' in its last 27 games as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points while also going 21-7 to the 'under' versus teams that are outscoring their opponents by three or more ppg this season. 10* Under (713) Atlanta Hawks/(714) Chicago Bulls

I won with the Heat on Sunday and will be going the opposite in Game Two. The Celtics did not play a good game at all in the opener as they missed out on a lot of chances to get back into the game after falling behind early. Boston was erratic on offense from the start as in the first 16 minutes of the game, it was 7 for 27 from the floor and finished the game with 13 turnovers. That type of effort is not going to win much on the road but as we have seen this season, the Celtics are very capable of getting it done away from home.

The one key player for the Celtics in Game Two is going to be Rajon Rondo. The Heat had no one who could contend with Rondo but they got away with this one because the real Rondo didn

Not many expected Atlanta to be here but they took care of the Magic in the first round and now face an even more difficult challenge. The Hawks were able to win one game in Orlando which just so happened to be the first game of the series which did end up being the difference maker. Can the Hawks duplicate that feat in Chicago? I highly doubt it. When combined with the extra days off the Bulls gained by beating Indiana in five games and the home court edge, the Bulls will not fall down first.

Chicago finished the regular season 39-5 at home which was tied for the best home record in all of the NBA. That is pretty significant because the Hawks were able to defeat the Magic on the road but they lost seven more home games during the regular season than Chicago did and yet we are getting a shorter line than those first two games played in Orlando. Some will argue that Chicago struggled with Indiana and while the Bulls did have some closer than expected games, it was still by far the dominant team.

The Hawks did have a matchup edge with Orlando which was obviously shown in the first round series as well as the regular season. It is different here. The Bulls won the season series two games to one but in reality it should have been a sweep. Atlanta won the first game of this series at home and we cashed a ticket in that game but it was fortunate to overcome a 19-point deficit in doing so. The Bulls easily won the other two meetings as they had a combined biggest lead of 69 points.

The Chicago Times nailed it as it quoted that if the other Bulls (other than Derrick Rose) can ham-and-egg it the way they did in the first round, with different people making shots, their defense ought to make them a tough obstacle for the Hawks. Atlanta is down a key player as well as Kirk Hinrich, the former Bull who could have made things difficult for Rose, is doubtful for the series with a hamstring injury. The Bulls are 23-8-2 ATS in their last 33 games against teams with a winning record. 10* (704) Chicago Bulls

The talk of the early part of the NBA season was how easily Boston handled Miami during the first three meetings, but in actuality, the games were a lot closer than they were portrayed to be. The Celtics won those games by an average of just 5.3 ppg and two of those were at home. Once the Heat finally established themselves, they were able to manhandle Boston and won the final meeting by 23 points at home and I expect another lopsided affair to start this series.

That final meeting came near the end of the regular season where Miami was able to find its identity after a season full of ups and downs. After a five-game losing streak in early March, the Heat closed the season by going 15-3 over their last 18 games and eventually overtook the Celtics for the second seed in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, Miami needed five games to advance, overcoming double-digit deficits in three games to end Philadelphia

After Orlando won Game Five to keep its series alive with the Hawks, it was unable to get it done last night and was shown an early exit. San Antonio is in the same boat tonight and coming off an improbable Game Five win, the Spurs take that into tonight and extend the series to head back home for the clinching game. I won with the Spurs in that game, some may have pushed, and the big reason behind it was heart which they showed they had plenty of. And there is plenty more left.

Memphis is playing a great series and it is one shot away from already advancing. The Grizzlies know this is now the biggest game in franchise history as they do not want to have to win the series on the road so their job is to get it done at home. That puts a lot of pressure on this young team and I think it will be too much. Atlanta did it last night but the Hawks are of a different makeup and while the matchup is not heavily in favor of San Antonio, it is enough that is coupled with the momentum shift its way.

The key in Game Five was obviously in the overtime session but it was more about how the teams looked in overtime and San Antonio looked far more confident than Memphis by closing out Game Five rather easily. This is a veteran team that is playing for what could be the last chance for an NBA Championship and they know it. The Spurs have yet to put together a full game on the offensive end and Memphis is not that great of a team defensively so it should not be difficult for San Antonio to finally break out.

As far as this line goes, we are seeing too much of an adjustment as a 10-point swing is too aggressive and this is now the biggest number for the Grizzlies against the Spurs all season. That is certainly a factor seeing that the Grizzlies have owned this series against the number, going 9-0-1 or 9-1 ATS the last 10 meetings. The Spurs are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 road games after a home game where both teams scored 100 or more points. This is new territory for Memphis and back to San Antonio we go for Game Seven. 10* (541) San Antonio Spurs

I feel that Dallas is clearly the superior team in this matchup and this series should already be finished. The Mavericks showed what they are capable of in their Game Five win and if not for a 23-point blown lead in Game Four, Dallas could be home resting for the second round. Instead it still needs one more win to bring home the series but the Mavericks have momentum on their side once again as that shifted to the Blazers side following that improbable comeback last Saturday.

If playing the zig zag theory, Portland would be the play as it is coming off a loss but you can see how the linesmakers have adjusted this line as we are seeing a 9.5-point swing from Game Four to Game Five. One of the key strategies in playoff betting is to focus on road teams that know how to win on the road and Dallas certainly fits that bill. Despite losing both games in Portland, the Mavericks are 28-15 on the road this season. Portland is just 13-32 ATS in its last 45 games as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6.0 points.

NBA history is on our side here as well as momentum from a Game Five win is considered the greatest momentum there is. The Game Five winner of a series tied 2-2 has a 95-percent success rate through NBA history showing that it is hard for the team that is down to comeback and take the series. Granted, the visiting team has yet to win in this series, which means the Mavericks will have their work cut out for them in Game Six but as mentioned, they are a road tough team.

Dallas falls into a very simple yet very effective situation. Play against favorites after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive games going up against an opponent after successfully covering the spread in four or more consecutive games. This situation is 44-21 ATS (67.7 percent) over the last five seasons. The Mavericks are 13-4 ATS in their 17 games this season as a road underdog of six points or less including an 12-3 ATS mark as a road underdog of fewer than five points. 10* (535) Dallas Mavericks

There is one thing that Orlando did in Game Five that didn't allow to Atlanta to even compete and that was it got off to a fast start. It is going to have to duplicate that here because the last two games in Atlanta, both losses by the Magic, they never led in the first quarter and their biggest lead in both games was just two points. Game Five showed us that Orlando can be the superior team when it wants to be and now it is going to have to prove that on the road to avoid an early summer.

It is no secret that the Hawks will be playing with desperation to avoid having to go back to Orlando for the deciding Game Seven. If the Magic can match the Hawks energy level, which they have not done in either game in Atlanta, the Hawks will have no choice but to go back to Orlando and try and win the series on the road. Despite all of the negatives for Orlando, we have to remember that it lost by only seven combined points in those two games so anything better than those energy efforts means a win here.

The fact that Dwight Howard got into early foul trouble, played only 28 minutes and scored only eight points in Game Five was a huge blessing in disguise for Orlando. It made the other players step up and that they did which evoked some confidence which should carry over into here. The Magic, who shot miserably from beyond the arc during the first three games of this series, hit 11-of-26 from long-range in Game Five. Desperation is one thing but the pressure is on Atlanta here.

Orlando has a spectacular long-term situation on its side for this one as well. Play on teams where the line is +3 to -3 after allowing 35 points or less in the first half last game going against an opponent after scoring 90 points or less 3 straight games. This situation is 26-6 ATS (81.2 percent) since 1996 including a perfect 8-0 ATS over the last five years. Also, Orlando is 34-16 ATS in its last 50 road games after allowing 80 points or less while the Hawks are 14-27 ATS in their last 41 games revenging a loss where the opponent scored 100 or more points. Back to Orlando they go. 10* (529) Orlando Magic

It is obviously do or die time for the Spurs. Throughout this series they have showed that they are too old and too slow to keep up with the more athletic and young Grizzlies but this is the game where the pride comes out. This is where the heart is worn on the sleeve and San Antonio comes out to play its best game so far. The Spurs have played good enough to win in all three losses so far but they just have not had enough in the tank to get it done down the stretch but that changes here.

You have to give credit to Memphis for taking the number one seed to the brink of elimination but going in, the Grizzlies were thought to have had the matchup advantages and that has come to fruition through four games. During the regular season, Memphis split the season series so it has San Antonio's number to some extent and going back to the end of last season, the Grizzlies have covered nine straight meetings. That is a main reason why this number is not higher than it is as trend players are all over Memphis.

Had it not been for a three-pointer from Shane Battier in Game One and an improbable one from Zach Randolph in Game Three, perhaps the Grizzlies would be the ones on the brink of elimination. That doesn't mater now and as the Spurs are saying, they now have everything to lose. Memphis has been unstoppable when it is hot, but very beatable when cold. The Grizzlies know they cannot take the pedal of the gas because they want to end this series as soon as possible but the Spurs will have something to say about it first.

The Spurs fall into a very powerful situation here as well based on the last two losses against the Grizzlies. Play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points that are playing with double revenge against opponent that is coming off a win over a division rival as an underdog. This situation is 39-16 ATS (70.9 percent) since 1996. San Antonio is 11-3 ATS this season revenging a straight up loss as a favorite and it is 33-12 ATS in its last 45 home games following a loss by 15 or more points. 10* (526) San Antonio Spurs

We have seen this line fluctuate quite a bit in all four games so far in this series. I won on the Bulls/Pacers 'under' in Game Two, which was set at 193 and a big reason for playing that was due to the jump from the last game which had a closing total of 188.
For Game Three, we saw the number go back down to where it was in Game One but playing the 'over' did not come through. The number went down further in Game Four and now again in Game Five so we will once again go 'over'.

With the last three games being low scoring affairs, the value is on our side now as we are catching the lowest total of the series thus far. I also expect the Bulls to finally get their offense going as well. With a soft Indiana defense, the Bulls should have taken it to the Pacers but they shot just 38.9 percent in Game Three and 37.8 percent in Game Four while scoring 88 and 84 points respectively. This comes after scoring 104 and 96 points in the first two games at home and that is what we should see take place again.

Despite losing both games on the road, the Pacers shot a respectable 44.1 percent from the floor in the two games combined in Chicago which is more than what the Bulls have allowed at home, which is 42 percent. For the Pacers to extend this series, they will need to keep that same offense going as they actually scored more points in this series on the road than at home which is a big surprise since they have averaged more at home during the regular season.

The Pacers fall into a great situation based on last game. Play the 'over' involving a team after scoring 35 points or less in the first half last game and where both teams scored 90 points or less in that game. This situation is 42-16 (72.4 percent) to the 'over' over the last five seasons. Also, Chicago is 26-13 to the 'over' coming off a loss as a favorite while the Pacers are 9-3 to the 'over' in their last 12 games when playing with two days rest and they are 4-1 to the 'over' this season with a total of less than 190. 10* Over (519) Indiana Pacers/(520) Chicago Bulls

I had the 'over' in this matchup on Saturday and a bad second half did us in, making it two straight 'unders' in this series. Even though the first game of this series went 'over' this number keeps dropping and it is the lowest so far in this entire series and the first time it has fallen below 190. It is actually the first time since January of 2009, a span of 12 meetings, that these teams have met with a total of fewer than 190. That represents value and we will take it on Monday.

The first game of this series went 'over' and while it did not go 'over' by much, that game was in San Antonio and figuring the first game in Memphis went 'under', that allows even more value to come into play. The two regular season meetings played in Memphis went 'over' and they went 'over' by quite a bit as they surpassed the number by a combined 27.5 points. With this being the playoffs, totals tend to be set lower and that is the case here as this number in down from those two previous games in Memphis.

Looking at straight numbers alone, the Spurs are averaging 201.1 ppg in their games this season while the Grizzlies are averaging 197.1 ppg in their games this season and both of those averages are well above the O/U for tonight. When looking at home/road splits, those two averages are 200.8 ppg and 198.1 respectively so the venue switch does not hurt. These are two of those most efficient offenses in the league and the Spurs and Grizzlies are ranked fifth and sixth respectively in offensive shooting.

Memphis falls into a fantastic situation for a high-scoring game. Play the 'over' involving home teams where the total is between 180 and 189.5 points coming off a divisional win by three points or less while playing only their second game in five days. This situation is 35-8 (81.4 percent) since 1996. The 'over' is 11-3 in the last 14 games for the Spurs following a loss and the 'over' is 10-3 in their last 13 conference games while the 'over' is 8-1 in Memphis' last nine games as a home underdog of fewer than five points. 10* Over (511) San Antonio Spurs/(512) Memphis Grizzlies

Atlanta has seized control of this series as it has taken a 2-1 lead over Orlando following its win on Friday. The line has stayed relatively the same but the total has actually dropped down even more following the second straight 'under' in this series. We were on the wrong side of that one Thursday but I am coming back with the 'over' here as I feel the value is completely on that side once again. The zig zag theory comes into play with the totals and while it has not been as highly publicized, it has been more profitable.

Basically I am playing this one for a lot of the same reasons as in Game Three. Because of recent results and series history, we are being given incredible value on the 'over'. The four regular season meetings this season all finished 'under' with the lowest posted total being 188.5 and that game was just played three weeks ago. Now we are seeing a posted total that is more than eight points less than that and even less than the Game Three total. The last two results have driven down this number too much.

Going back further, 11 of the last 13 meetings have played 'under' the total but only three of the totals are similar to what we are dealing with Sunday and both of those were the playoff games. While the recent meetings are helping us, the end of the regular season is also aiding us in value. Atlanta closed by going 'under' in its final three games but it should be noted that all of those games finished with higher totals than the O/U for this game. Trend players will be all over the 'under' but that is extremely skewed.

Meanwhile Orlando went 'under' in its final two games but both of those totals closed at 191 or higher. This total for the game here is much lower than what both teams are normally used to seeing as Atlanta has been involved in only two games with a total fewer than 180 while Orlando has yet to see a number this low before today. Granted the playoffs tend to be played more on the defensive side of things, but the value is too strong. 10* Over (505) Orlando Magic/(506) Atlanta Hawks

On Saturday we saw the Pacers stave off from being eliminated as they kept their series alive with the Bulls and I fully expect the Knicks to do the same against the Celtics. Heading back to New York, the Knicks had to have been kicking themselves being down 2-0 as a couple bounces the other way could have been the difference of them actually being up 2-0. They never got going Friday as they never led, fell behind by as many as 23 points and are now pretty much dead in this series.

The Celtics played their best game of the series Friday but I do not see a repeat of that here. They shot 50.6 percent from the floor on offense in Game Three including an incredible 58.3 percent from long range on 14-24 shooting. Take that away and we would have had another close game. That was the big talk following the game as was the 20 assists that Rajon Rondo but lost in the shuffle was the 20 turnovers that the Celtics committed. They are averaging 15.3 tpg ion this series.

This line has done a complete 180 and this is all due the zig zag theory and the fact this is a must win game for the Knicks. New York was favored by 3.5 points in Game Three but now for Game Four, they are underdogs by the same amount and that is a huge line adjustment that does not involve a chance of venue. Normally that signals a play on the team that it has been adjusted against but in this case, the Knicks qualify based on the matchups and the value is simply too strong.

The Knicks fall into a solid situation. Play on teams in the second half of the season that are averaging 102 ppg or more going up against teams averaging between 92 and 98 ppg, after a loss by 15 points or more. This situation is 47-20 ATS (70.1 percent) over the last five seasons. Boston is 1-11 ATS in its 12 games this season following a double-digit road win and 2-13 ATS in its 15 games following a double-digit win of any kind. The Knicks are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games as an underdog of fewer than five points. 10* (504) New York Knicks

This is another great example of how recent results are affecting the next game line. The zig zag theory comes into play with the totals and while it has not been as highly publicized, it has been much more profitable. Wednesday's game stayed 'under' the total by 14.5 points but looking at the individual quarters shows that the game could have played 'over' as it had quarters of 51 and 49 points. A 34-point first quarter was the difference in keeping this one lower than it should have been.

The closing total from Game Two was 194.5 and because of the 'under', this total is three or more points less than that and that provides value to the other side. The first game of this series went 'over' and while it did not go 'over' by much, a change in venue will help us out here. The two regular season meetings played in Memphis went 'over' and they went 'over' by quite a bit. With this being the playoffs, totals tend to be set lower and that is the case here as this number in down from those two previous games in Memphis.

Looking at straight numbers alone, the Spurs are averaging 201.4 ppg in their games this season while the Grizzlies are averaging 197.3 ppg in their games this season and both of those averages are well above the O/U for tonight. When looking at home/road splits, those two averages are 201.3 ppg and 198.6 respectively so the venue switch does not hurt. These are two of those most efficient offenses in the league and the Spurs and Grizzlies are ranked fifth and sixth respectively in offensive shooting.

The Spurs are 14-4 to the 'over' as a road underdog this season and 10-2 to the 'over' in road games after playing two consecutive home games this season. They are also 10-2 to the 'over' in their last 12 games within the conference. Memphis meanwhile is 8-0 to the 'over' as a home favorite of three points or less this season and 11-3 to the 'over' in its 14 home games this season revenging a road loss against the opponent. Also, the 'over' is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in this series. 10* Over (749) San Antonio Spurs/(750) Memphis Grizzlies

I won with the 'over' in the first game of this series and after a very low scoring contest in Game Two, I am going back with the 'over'. The zig zag theory comes into play with the totals and while it has not been as highly publicized, it has been much more profitable. Tuesday's game stayed 'under' the total by 12.5 points but looking at the individual quarters shows that the game could have played 'over' as it had quarters of 52 and 51 points. A 29-point third quarter was the difference.

Because of that and going back further, this game also has 'under' written all over it, thus the drop in the posted total. We are once again going the other way due to the fact that these prior games is providing us with incredible value on the 'over'. The four regular season meetings this season all finished 'under' with the lowest posted total being 188.5 and that game was just played three weeks ago. Now we are seeing a posted total that is eight points less than that and even less than the Game Two total.

Going back further, 10 of the last 12 meetings have played 'under' the total but only two of the totals are similar to what we are dealing with Friday and both of those were the playoff games. While the recent meetings are helping us, the end of the regular season is also aiding us in value. Atlanta closed by going 'under' in its final three games but it should be noted that all four games finished with higher totals than the O/U for this game. Trend players will be all over the 'under' but that is extremely skewed.

Meanwhile Orlando went 'under' in its final two games but both of those totals closed at 191 or higher. This total for the game here is much lower than what both teams are normally used to seeing as Atlanta has only had five games with a total of less than 180 while Orlando has been involved in only two games with a total less than 181 or less. Granted the playoffs tend to be played more on the defensive side of things, but the value is too strong. We will zig while everyone else zags. 10* Over (741) Orlando Magic/(742) Atlanta Hawks

We have seen this line fluctuate quite a bit in all three games so far and we have seen the total come through based on the move. I won on the Bulls/Pacers 'under' in the last game, which was set at 193 and a big reason for playing that was due to the jump from the last game which had a closing total of 188. Now for Game Three, we are seeing the number go back down to where it was in Game One. All of these adjustments are made based on the past game results and that spells value in going the other way.

With a shift back to Indiana, we should see some more offense as the Bulls defense is a much better unit on its home floor. Despite losing both game on the road, the Pacers shot a respectable 44.1 percent from the floor in the two games combined which is more than what the Bulls have allowed at home, which is 42 percent. Indiana shoots the ball much better at home, 45.2 percent, compared ton on the road, where it shoots 4..3 percent so all of this should mean a more efficient offense for Indiana.

On the other side, Chicago shoots 46.2 percent at home compared to 45.9 percent on the road so there is not much of a difference when the Bulls take to the road. With a soft Indiana defense, Chicago should once again be able to put up a significant amount of points as the dropoff in points scored is not much. In this series, Chicago put up 102 in regulation and 99 points in the two games played in Indiana and while the two games split with the total, the game that went 'over' had a higher posted number.

With this total set below 190, it is in great position to be a higher scoring game as the Bulls are 11-6 with a total set between 185 and 189.5 while the Pacers are 4-0 to the 'over' in those parameters. Chicago also falls into a great league-wide situation. Play the 'over' with teams that have won eight or more consecutive games and with a winning percentage of .750 or greater and playing a team with a losing record. This situation is 77-38 (67 percent) since 1996 with the average points scored being 201.4. 10* Over (733) Chicago Bulls/(734) Indiana Pacers

This is a very similar spot to the one that Orlando was in last night and even though the Magic did not cover, they should have. After losing Game One of their series. I expected Orlando to come back strong and it built an 11-point lead before the Hawks made a late run to get the backdoor cover. The Lakers are in the same boat. Los Angeles dropped Game One by nine points which came as a surprise as it swept the regular season series 4-0 so this is now a must win for the Lakers.

Even though the Hawks have a size edge against the Magic, Orlando negated that. It is the opposite here as the Lakers have the size edge and that will be the determining factor. Emeka Okafor is the only real inside presence the Hornets boast of and his season averages of 12 ppg and 10 rpg against the Lakers pale in comparison to the 22 ppg and 12 rpg Pau Gasol posted on average against New Orleans. Andrew Bynum was never dominant in the games against the Hornets but his presence is still huge.

The Lakers were manhandled down low against New Orleans in that first game as they were outscored in the paint 52-34. it was the first time in the five meetings this season that Los Angeles was outscored down low by the Hornets and Gasol shouldered the blame from Game One. "I know when I have to be more aggressive and I know when I just have to be more productive out there. I wasn't able to do that in Game One," Gasol said. "It's more my fault than their credit."

Normally we will see a big line jump in Game Two following a Game One loss, or even non-cover sometimes, but this line has not gone up as much as I thought it would as it is less than a bucket more than it was in the opener and that presents value in my opinion. The Hornets covered for just the first time in their last seven games as a playoff underdog in Game One so the victory and the cover can be graded as an aberration. Look for the Lakers to come out totally focused and step on the Hornets Wednesday. 10* (732) Los Angeles Lakers

We have seen the zig zag theory go the other way in recent years in the NBA Playoffs as linesmakers and even the law of averages have turned this once profitable theory into a bust. The last time we saw it however was in last seasons NBA Finals and in the five games that were in play, going with the zig zag theory resulted in four wins. While that may not trigger a complete comeback that was so lucrative a couple decades back, it does show that playing these in the right spots can give positive results.

One of those spots is with Orlando that lost outright against Atlanta in Game One of their series. Not only did it lose outright but it lost by double digits which only makes it stronger. It was Orlando's 13th home loss this season, after losing only nine games all of last season, so it is more than normal but it has lost back-to-back games at home only twice all season and only once since mid-November. With the importance of this game, we can expect the Magic to bring their best effort on Tuesday.

The Magic's biggest lead in that game against the Hawks was only four points and with the exception of Dwight Howard, they were dominated all over the floor. Is this a must win for Orlando? Not yet but it is close. Howard then spoke up Sunday and challenged his team to play better defensively. As dominant as Howard was for the Magic inside, the Hawks were equally unstoppable on the perimeter. That has to change as does the fact that the Hawks will not shoot lights out once again.

The Magic are favored by the same amount of points they were favored by in Game Pone which is rare when talking about the zig zag but that is just fine with us. It helps also as we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points that are playing with double revenge against opponent off an upset win over a division rival as an underdog. This situation is 39-14 ATS (73.6 percent) since 1996. The Hawks have covered five straight in this series and that is one reason the public is lining up behind Atlanta once again. 10* (724) Orlando Magic

We saw a very low scoring contest in Game One of the Boston and New York series but I expect a much higher scoring game this time around and we have the value to go along with it. The closing total in Game One was 197 and we are seeing the number for Game Two sit four points less and that certainly is exceptional value. You will hear a lot of the zig zag theory during the NBA playoffs and while it has cooled off and the spots need to be found as opposed to being bet blindly, the totals are more lucrative with this theory.

The first game finished with 172 points scored which was 25 points below the total as well as being the lowest scoring game of the season between these two rivals. This is the sixth meeting this season and only two of the first five meetings went 'under' the number. The three games that went 'over' finished with 214, 234 and 206 points scored so there is obviously the potential for these two teams to be involved in a shootout. The only game that had a total this low finished with 214 points scored.

The Knicks will be better on offense for one simple reason and that is that it is unlikely Carmelo Anthony will play as bad as he did in the first game. He drew two early fouls and sat out almost all of the first quarter and he finished 1-11 in the second half while going just 5-18 overall, finishing with 15 points. Had he played even a little better, the Knicks could be up 1-0 right now but his offensive presence, and his presence on the floor alone, will be big in Game Two.

The Knicks were held below their season average for shooting while they held the Celtics to a shooting percentage lower than they normally do and when both of those happen, you can expect a low scoring game. Not this time. Boston is one of the best shooting teams in the NBA and was held way below its shooting average in Game One. Asking the Knicks to duplicate that will be next to impossible although the first game can be blamed on poor Celtics shooting and not a newfound Knicks defense. 10* Over (721) New York Knicks/(722) Boston Celtics

We are seeing a big jump from the total of Game One to the total of Game Two and thus we are getting value in the opposite move. The Pacers and Bulls combined for 203 points in the opening game in this series which was good enough to go 'over' the closing 188 total. Because of that result, we are seeing value in the 'under' as the number has risen by four points as of late Sunday night in comparison to the O/U on Saturday and could go up even more by gametime.

Chicago finished the regular season with the best defense in the NBA, allowing just 43 percent shooting from the floor. The Bulls also finished second in points allowed with only 91.3 ppg given up. After allowing 99 points on 46.5 percent shooting in Game One and realistically almost losing it, you can bet the emphasis will be on the defensive side of the floor tonight. In the most recent meeting prior, the Pacers piled up 102 points in regulation in a win so now it is time for the defense to buckle down.

This total falls into a good range as the Bulls are 16-9 to the 'under' with a total between 190 and 194.5 while the Pacers are 12-6 to the 'under' with a total between 190 and 194.5. Also the Bulls are 25-11 to the 'under' when playing with a day of rest and that comes down to coaching. The 'under' is 9-4 in the Pacers last 13 games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game while the 'under' is 10-4 in the Bulls last 14 games when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.

Following that narrow win should put the Bulls defense on alert and that has already been the case this season as Chicago is 13-4 to the 'under' following a win by six points or fewer this season. The number is also a good contrarian for both sides as the Pacers are 23-11 to the 'under' in their last 34 road games against teams shooting 46 percent or better while the Bulls are 25-16 to the 'under' this season against teams allowing 99 ppg or worse. We will see a completely opposite type of game Monday. 10* Under (719) Indiana Pacers/(720) Chicago Bulls

Oklahoma City finished five games better than the Nuggets this season but the four and five seeds were not determined until the final week of the season. The Thunder won the final two meetings of the regular season to secure the fourth seed in the Western Conference and the home court advantage and that should make a big difference in this series. The Nuggets finished with a better home record than Oklahoma City but the Thunder won a lot more road games and that is a huge playoff edge.

Denver was obviously the biggest surprise in the NBA after the All-Star break. The Nuggets traded away Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups and while it may be an overreaction to say they were tossing in the towel, it was fairly obvious that they were building toward the future. So all they have done is go 18-6 in the 24 games since the trade to make a surprising run into the playoffs. However, a lack of chemistry in the playoffs is going to hurt.

While Denver was the talk after the trade deadline, Oklahoma City was doing pretty good in its own right. After the trade deadline, Oklahoma City picked up speed and reeled off a stellar 19-5 record in the last month-and-a-half of the season, and very much look the part of Western Conference contender. The two victories over Denver at the end of the season were done so by a significant rebounding edge and its ability to slow down the Denver attack. Those factors will once again be on the Thunders side, especially at home.

Play against road underdogs that are coming off a cover where the team lost the game straight up as an underdog, in a game involving two teams with winning percentages between .600 and .800. This situation is 42-12 ATS (77.8 percent) since 1996. Play on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in the second half of the season that are allowing between 98 and 102 ppg after scoring 100 points or more two straight games going up against teams allowing 102 or more ppg. This situation is 42-18 ATS (70 percent) since 1996. 10* (716) Oklahoma City Thunder

This game has 'under' written all over it based on recent games from both sides as well as the season series between Atlanta and Orlando. With that said, we are going the other way due to the fact that these prior games is providing us with incredible value on the 'over'. The four meetings this season all finished 'under' with the lowest posted total being 188.5 and that game was just played over two weeks ago. Now we are seeing a posted total that is nine points less than that.

Going back further, nine of the last 10 meetings have played 'under' the total but none of those closing numbers have been close to what we are dealing with Saturday. While the recent meetings are helping us, the end of the regular season is also aiding us in value. Atlanta closed by going 'under' in its final three games but it should be noted that all four games finished with higher totals than the O/U for Game One of this series. Trend players will be all over the 'under' but that is extremely skewed.

Meanwhile Orlando went 'under' in its final two games but both of those totals closed at 191 or higher. This total for the first game here is much lower than what both teams are normally used to seeing as Atlanta has only had three games with a total of less than 180 while Orlando has not been involved in a game with a total less than 180.5. Now all of a sudden, the O/U is the lowest all season. Granted the playoffs tend to be played more on the defensive side of things, but the value is too strong.

Both teams also fall into solid league-wide situations. Play the 'over' with road teams in the second half of the season where the total is between 170 and 179.5 points after one or more consecutive unders, in a game involving two teams allowing between 92 and 98 ppg. This situation is 31-10 (75.6 percent) to the 'over' since 1996. Also, play the 'over' with teams after allowing 85 points or less where the total is 179.5 or less in a game in a game involving two teams allowing between 92 and 98 ppg. This situation is 35-7 (83.3 percent) to the 'over' since 1996. 10* Over (705) Atlanta Hawks/(706) Orlando Magic

Playing big favorites in the playoffs may not seem like the correct move however in this case, it happens now for the opening game. Teams in the playoffs tend to be more equal because they are in the postseason but in the Eastern Conference, there is a wide gap. That is especially true when we are dealing with the two seed against the seven seed. Miami finished the season strong by winning its last four games and going 15-3 in its last 18 games after a five-game losing streak to grab the second seed.

Miami is out to prove something. The Heat have had doubters all season long and it can to a head during that recent five-game losing streak but they responded huge down the stretch. They want nothing more than to send a statement right our of the gates. Miami had its problems against the elite teams, going 9-14 against the top ten but 49-10 against every other team. The Sixers meanwhile were 7-19 against the top ten in the league and all of this includes a Miami 3-0 season series sweep.

The Sixers are limping into the playoffs and that is not a good thing. The 3-13 start to the season was more promising than the 38-28 finish, which included losses in five of their final six games no thanks to key injuries. While Miami is filled with star talent, the Sixers lack in that category and that is huge come playoff time. Philadelphia is a superstar away from being able to compete with the likes of Boston, Miami, Chicago and Orlando in the Eastern Conference.

For Miami, it took a whole season to find its chemistry but that is just fine. In the end, there was symmetry, the Heat finishing the season second in the league in field-goal percentage, as well as second in defensive field-goal percentage. That is going to be a tough combo for any team to compete with but it will be more evidenced in this early round. As mentioned, this is a statement game for the Heat to declare they are the here and getting off to a strong starts is the key. 10* (704) Miami Heat

With this being the final regular season game for both teams, the situations need to be looked at more differently than during any other point in the season. Minnesota enters this game on a 14-game losing streak and no matter the outcome, it is guaranteed to at least tie for the worst record in the NBA. To save any face, the Timberwolves will want to end their third worst season in franchise history with a win. The fact that it is at home makes the situation that much stronger.

Houston is coming off a loss at home against Dallas which was its third loss in four games following a solid run of 15-5 in its 20 games previous to this. The Rockets played their last game without starters Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola who are averaging a combined 31.8 ppg and they will do so again tonight as both are nursing injuries. That recent game was an overtime loss against rival Dallas so all of those scenarios put together make it tough for the Rockets to get up for this game.

Obviously the Rockets are the better team here as they have 25 games on Minnesota but when looking at the home and road splits, they are only five games better and that certainly does not equate to being favored by 6.5 points on the road. To their credit they have been solid this season as road favorites but again, this situation is completely different being the last day of the season. The last time Houston was favored on the road, it was still in contention for the playoffs and that is hardly the case here.

The Rockets are 1-5 ATS in their last six games when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game while Minnesota is 4-1 ATS in its last five games after allowing more than 125 points in its previous game. Minnesota also falls into a solid situation. Play on underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points that are shooting between 43.5 and 45.5 percent going up against opponents allowing between 45.5 and 47.5 percent shooting, after two straight games of allowing a shooting percentage of 50 percent or higher. This situation is 49-21 ATS (70 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (518) Minnesota Timberwolves

This is obviously a big game for the Lakers and one that they need to win for a few reasons. First and foremost, a win gets them closer to the second seed. Dallas has one game remaining against New Orleans on Wednesday, meaning the Lakers would secure the number two seed if they win their remaining two games tonight and Wednesday at Sacramento. Even if Dallas beats New Orleans, the Lakers winning out would secure the tiebreaker over the Mavericks because the Lakers won the Pacific Division.

Second, mired in a five-game losing streak, Los Angeles needs to win simply to get itself right heading into the playoffs. Momentum can play a big role in playoff success or failure and right now the Lakers have none and are teetering on the brink of a full collapse. This five-game losing streak is the longest since 2006-07 and it seems almost inconceivable considering the Lakers had won nine consecutive games and also were 17-1 after the All-Star break prior to this skid.

The good news is that tonight they face a team that has locked down the top seed in the Western Conference and is more concerned about rest at this point in the season. However we won't see the entire team take the night off like the Celtics did last night. Though history would suggest a heavy prescription of rest for Spurs regulars over the next two games, head coach Gregg Popovich seems to be leaning toward employing a quasi-standard lineup. They are still fighting for the overall best record with the Bulls.

Last year, the Lakers went 12-10 in March and April, yet recovered in time to win the NBA title so all hope is not lost. Los Angeles knows this is a big game and we should see a fully focused squad. "It

The playoffs start a few days early for Memphis and Portland, both of which are already in the playoffs but are still jockeying for playoff positioning. The Blazers have a game lead over Memphis for the number six seed in the Western Conference so win here locks up that spot. And it is a big spot should the Lakers win out and grab the second seed. The Blazers went 3-1 against San Antonio and 2-2 against Dallas this season while going 1-3 against the Lakers so the simple look says they want the Mavericks first.

Memphis has made a solid run to get here as it is 6-1 over its last seven games and 9-2 over its last 11 contests so it will head into the playoffs with some solid momentum. This game is a big one for the Grizzlies also but this is not a good situation. Their last four games have been at home as well as six of the last seven and they have played only six road games since the beginning of March. Memphis is 16-23 on the road this season which is the worst road record of all Western Conference playoff teams.

Portland is 10-4 in its last 14 games and the addition of Gerald Wallace in a trade deadline deal has proved to be a difference for the Blazers down the stretch as Wallace has averaged 19.5 ppg and shot 54.1 percent from the field over the last 12 games. Since Wallace joined the team, the Blazers are 6-2 against the top four teams in the Western Conference. The Blazers will be bolstered tonight by the return of center Marcus Camby, who has missed the past two games with a neck strain.

The last meeting saw Memphis clobber Portland 86-73. The Blazers have not forgotten and we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points revenging a loss scoring less than 85 points going up against an opponent off a home win against a division rival. This situation is 23-5 ATS (82.1 percent) over the last five seasons. Also, play against road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points off a divisional win by 20 points or more going up against opponent off a home win. This situation is 27-6 ATS (81.8 percent) since 1996. 10* (704) Portland Trailblazers

Charlotte has gone 'over' the total in three straight games and that may be taking some value away with this total but I still think there is enough value for this one to be played. The three recent results all flew 'over' the number as the defense has allowed 111, 112 and 112 points in those games and there is no reason to think that changes here. Charlotte is 12-9 to the 'over' this season when playing with no rest including a 5-1 record to the 'over' when going from home to on the road.

The Nets meanwhile are coming off their second straight 'under' but looking at those closing totals gives us a good indication of why as they closed at 212.5 and 207. And with the number for tonight, the value increases significantly. New Jersey had gone 'over' in five straight games prior to that and similar to the Bobcats, the Nets tend to play high scoring games with no rest. They are 13-8 to the 'over' in the second of back-to-back games including a 4-1 record to the 'over' when going from the road to home.

This is the fourth and final meeting this season with the first three meetings all staying 'under' and despite this being the highest total of them all, this one has the best chance of surpassing the number. The finishing scores had 168, 175 and 183 points put up and this one is trending the right way. This is the first meeting since early February and the teams have changed a ton since then and none of those three earlier meetings were played with no rest as is the case with this one.

New Jersey falls into a solid situation favoring the 'over'. Play the 'over' where the total is between 190 and 199.5 points on teams that are coming off a road loss against a division rival going up against an opponent off a home loss. This situation is 96-56 (63.2 percent) to the 'over' since 1996. Charlotte meanwhile is 17-5 to the 'over' in its last 22 games when playing its fifth game in seven days while going 7-3 to the 'over' in its last 10 games following a double-digit home loss. 10* Over (507) Charlotte Bobcats/(508) New Jersey Nets

Boston could not get it done on Thursday against Chicago but it has a second chance to prove something and possibly lock down the number three seed in the Eastern Conference. A win over Miami puts the Celtics up by a game over the Heat and in reality two games because of the head-to-head tiebreaker that Boston possesses. The Celtics bounces back Friday with an easy win over Washington which at least restores a winning attitude heading into this game.

Miami won on Friday as well over Charlotte but that still does not make up for its horrible loss on Wednesday at home against Milwaukee which was already eliminated from the playoff picture. The Heat are in a good position to nail down the second seed in the Eastern Conference as a win puts them up a game with just two remaining but there is not a lot of confidence in backing a team that has been so inconsistent. Granted it is a revenge game but being down 3-0 in the season series tells us something.

Building off that 0-3 record against Boston is the fact that Miami has struggled all season against the top teams in the league. The Heat are 36-5 against teams ranked outside the top 16 in the NBA but they are just 19-19 against the top 16 including a pretty bad 8-14 record against the top 10. Boston meanwhile is 24-14 against the league's top 16 teams including a solid 14-8 against the top ten and those 14 wins are tied for second most in the NBA. These records alone make Miami a weak favorite of six points.

Miami is just 13-25 ATS as a home favorite this season while going 18-30 ATS in its last 48 games against teams that are outscoring opponents by three or more ppg. This includes a 2-6 ATS home record against teams that possess a winning road record. Boston meanwhile is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games as an underdog despite the Thursday loss and this game matches the largest amount of points the Celtics have gotten this season, which happened to be against Miami resulting in an outright Boston win. 10* (703) Boston Celtics

I played on the Denver/Oklahoma City 'over' last night and one bad quarter, the first quarter had 34 combined points, killed that ticket. The Nuggets are now back home which should give them a good opportunity to see a higher scoring game on back-to-back nights. The low scoring game last night extended the Denver run to 10-1-1 to the 'under' in its last 12 games and while it may seem like bad judgment to go against the streak, it is that streak that is giving us value in the total.

Minnesota is coming off a lower than expected scoring game last time out as it stayed 'under' against Phoenix on Wednesday. The Timberwolves are now 3-1 to the 'under' in their last four games and while the streak is not nearly as long as that of the Nuggets, it still is providing value in my opinion. Minnesota is 8-4 to the 'over' in its last 12 road games and the bad defense has been the catalyst. Overall the Timberwolves have allowed 100 or more points in 11 of their last 13 games.

While there is value in this total based on recent results, there is also value because of what has taken place in the first three meetings in this season series. The first three meetings between Denver and Minnesota have had two games go 'over' and those were with very high totals, all of which were higher than tonight's. The lone game that went 'under' had a total of 222.5 and it finished with 213 points which would have been a push with the over/under for this meeting.

Denver is 7-4 to the 'over' this season when playing with no rest and the first game taking place on the road to the travel aspect has played a role in higher scoring games in the second of a back-to-back set. Also, the Nuggets are 61-35 to the 'over in their last 96 home games after having won six or seven of their last eight games and 13-3 to the 'over' against teams that average six or more made three-pointers per game. Meanwhile Minnesota is 11-4 to the 'over' against divisional opponents this season. 10* Over (509) Minnesota Timberwolves/(510) Denver Nuggets

This is the last chance for Boston. Chicago currently has control of the top seed in the Eastern Conference and a win over the Celtics would all but eliminate them from the race for the top seed. The Bulls would be four games ahead of Boston with four to go in the regular season. With the Bulls being 34-5 at home this season, they are getting a lot of love in this matchup with over two-thirds of the action on Chicago yet we have not seen the line move as of Thursday morning.

Back to the Celtics. A win closes them to within two games of Chicago with a game at Miami being the lone remaining test and should they win out and catch the bulls for the tie, they win the tiebreaker over Chicago based on a better conference record. The Celtics enter this game with a 23-15 road record which is tied for second best in the Eastern Conference and they are 5-2 in their last seven games away from home after suffering a three-game road losing streak in mid-March.

While Chicago looks to be on pace for the number one seed in the Eastern Conference, not everything is perfect. The Bulls were beaten on the boards for the third time in five games Tuesday against Phoenix, although they're still outrebounding opponents by a league-high 5.56 rpg, and they let a 22-point lead in the second half dwindle to two before pulling out a 97-94 win. Motivation could have played a big part in that and there will not be lack of that tonight but the same goes for the other side as well.

The Celtics are not underdogs very often and especially underdogs of a significant number. Boston is 8-2 ATS as an underdog this season including a percent 4-0 ATS when grabbing three or more points. The Celtics have gotten this many points only once all season when they received 6.5 points against Miami way back in November. One of those ATS losses came here against Chicago as they lost by 11 points and Boston is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 road games revenging a road loss over the last two years. 10* (501) Boston Celtics

I played New Orleans on Sunday as it handled the Pacers and will once again back the Hornets as the lack of respect continues. New Orleans is currently in seventh place in the Western Conference, trailing Portland by a half-game and ahead of Memphis by a half-game. The only real threat to knocking them out of the playoff picture is tonight's opponent as Houston is the only remaining team in the Western Conference that still has a chance that isn't already mathematically eliminated.

The Rockets are coming off a brutal loss last night at home against Sacramento and that could have been the nail in the coffin with just four games remaining. That snapped a two-game winning streak and dropped Houston three games out of the playoff picture. That obviously makes this game a must win for the Rockets but even they know it is likely done. "It was definitely an opportunity wasted," Rockets center Chuck Hayes said. "If we were going to go down, we didn

Memphis has now played three straight games that have gone 'under' the number and none were ever in jeopardy of going 'over'. Meanwhile the Clippers have stayed 'under' the number in their last two games with the most recent one against the Thunder staying 'under' by more than 15 points. These recent results give us excellent value in this total in my opinion as the number has been adjusted just enough to make it a value play as well as making it a contrarian selection.

I played Memphis to go 'over' in its last game against Minnesota and it really should have. Memphis shot 51.1 percent from the floor and while the Timberwolves shot 48.6 percent from the floor, they hoisted only 72 shots, well below their season average, as they committed 26 turnovers. The Grizzlies defense has allowed fewer than 100 points in seven of their last eight games but in reality, the defense is not that great as they allow 45.8 percent shooting including 46.6 percent at home, sixth worst in the NBA.

The Clippers offense has been hit or miss lately but they are shooting a very healthy 46.5 percent from the floor over their last five games while averaging 98.8 ppg and that average should be higher. A low number of field goal attempts have played into that. The defense meanwhile has allowed 102.2 ppg over that five-game stretch and the Grizzlies offense should take advantage as they are shooting 52.5 percent from the floor over the last five games.

The first two meetings of this series have played 'under' and that also helps with the value here. The problem has been bad shooting by one team in each game as Memphis shot 41.8 percent in the first game and the Clippers shot 40 percent in the second game. Those two efforts are definite aberrations as based on overall, home/road splits and recent stats, no team is below 45 percent shooting on both offense or defense and that percentage is a key number. They finally combine for a high-scoring game Tuesday. 10* Over (667) Los Angeles Clippers/(668) Memphis Grizzlies

Indiana is riding a three-game winning streak but all of those wins came at home and now the Pacers hit the road where they are just 13-26 on the season. This is a rare game against the opposing conference as late season games usually stay within the conference and that is not a good thing for Indiana which is 9-20 against the Western Conference on the season. The Pacers are 11-17-1 ATS in those games including four straight losses against the number.

New Orleans meanwhile is coming off a loss at home against Memphis on Friday and I expect a big bounceback here. I played on the Hornets two games back when they defeated Portland at home and am going along the same lines here with value on their side coming off a loss. While Indiana has struggled out of conference, the Hornets have flourished, going 18-11 straight up and 17-11-1 ATS against the Eastern Conference. The Hornets are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games against teams with a losing record.

One big factor that seems to be big news is the injury situation for the Hornets. They lost forward David West for the season with a torn ACL which is no doubt a huge loss. However, taking his place in the starting lineup is Carl Landry who was brought over from the Kings at the trade deadline and he has done a great job. He is averaging 11.1 ppg with New Orleans but he has scored 19, 24, 21 and 19 points in the four games he has started while averaging six rpg.

The Pacers are 10-29 against teams ranked in the top 16 in the league and this is a revenge game for the Hornets as well as they lost to Indiana by a point earlier this season which snapped a five-game winning streak in this series. This is a game New Orleans needs since it is in eighth place in the Western Conference and have five tough games left on the schedule to close the season. Indiana is just 6-14 ATS this season coming off a home win and 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games following a win of any sort. 10* (518) New Orleans Hornets

Memphis picked up a huge win last night on the road at New Orleans to pull even with Hornets for seventh place in the Western Conference. I do not expect a total letdown here based on the importance of the game, but after allowing just 81 points last night, I do expect a letdown from the defense. The Grizzlies defense has allowed fewer than 100 points in six of their last seven games but in reality, the defense is not that great as they allow 45.8 percent shooting including 46.5 percent at home, sixth worst in the NBA.

Minnesota is coming off a game last night against Miami and it was actually in it for a while before the Heat closed the door with a 21-1 run to start the third quarter. The Timberwolves allowed 111 points which was the ninth time in their last 10 games they have allowed 100 or more points as well as the 13th time in the last 15th. We cashed the 'under' last night but that was mostly due to Miami and what was expected. Minnesota has allowed 107.4 ppg in its last eight road games and that won't change here.

Both Memphis and Minnesota are coming off 'unders' last night which I feel adds value to this number as does the fact that the first three meetings in this season series have all played 'under'. The closing total has come down in each game and this one is currently only a point higher than the last meeting so there is not a significant change. In each of those three games, Memphis scored 102 or more points while the Timberwolves scored 95 points or less. I expect the former to stay the same and the latter to improve here.

Minnesota is 22-9 to the 'over' in its last 31 road games with a total between 200 and 209.5 while Memphis is 20-9 to the 'over' in its last 29 home games against teams allowing 46 percent shooting or worse. The Timberwolves are also part of a subtle contrarian situation. Play the 'over' with a total greater than or equal to 200 and with a team going under the total by 48 or more points total in its last ten games with a winning percentage of .250 or worse. This situation is 44-21 (67.7 percent) to the 'over'. 10* Over (801) Minnesota Timberwolves/(802) Memphis Grizzlies

This is the fourth and final meeting of the season between the Bucks and Pacers and this one is by far the most important as playoff implications are on the line tonight. Because of the importance of games such as this, there tends to be an emphasis on defense and that is backed up even more based on recent results from both sides. The last two meetings of this series both went 'over' so going the other way goes against conventional thinking but that is where the value lies.

Milwaukee is coming off a rare high-scoring game as it tallied 104 points against Toronto and the game went 'over', just the 29th 'over' in 74 games for the Bucks. The Bucks have actually gone 'over' in three of their last four which sets up a good spot. Milwaukee uses strong defense and a slow tempo effort on offense in its gamelan and that is the main reason so many of its games have been low scoring. Milwaukee is averaging 184.3 ppg in all of its games this season and that average only jumps to 186.8 ppg in road games.

On the season, Milwaukee is 20-6 to the 'under' after one or more consecutive 'overs' so it rarely puts together consecutive high-scoring games. The Bucks are more of an 'under' team home than on the road but this situation is on our side. When playing two or more consecutive games on the road and the previous game went 'over', the Bucks have come back with a 6-1 record on the 'under' in that next game while averaging just 183.1 ppg. The lone game that went 'over' eclipsed the total by just a half-point.

Indiana obviously sees more points scored in its games than Milwaukee does but the Pacers are 23-11 to the 'under' in their last 34 home games as a favorite of six points or fewer. In the last meeting, the Pacers put up 103 points in their victory and Milwaukee is 12-3 to the 'under' in its 15 games this season when revenging a loss when the opponent scored 100 or more points. The Bucks are 23-11 to the 'under' against teams allowing 99 or more ppg and 26-12 to the 'under' against teams averaging 99 or more ppg. 10* Under (505) Milwaukee Bucks/(506) Indiana Pacers

After stumbling into the All-Star break with three straight losses including a defeat against the lowly Cavaliers, the Lakers have picked it up a notch in the second half. They are the hottest team in basketball right now, going 15-1 over their last 16 games with the only loss coming against the Heat in Miami. Los Angeles is a perfect 9-0 at home over this stretch and this includes its last six games all taking place at home which is a big advantage because of no travel. But of course, we are going against all of this.

Dallas is playing some pretty good basketball of its own as it is riding a five-game winning streak following a pretty uneven stretch where it went 3-5, losing all five games against Western Conference playoff teams. Despite the recent Lakers run, the Mavericks are just a half-game behind them for second place in the Western Conference standings so this is a huge game for both sides. Despite the teams being less than a game apart, the linesmakers are not giving Dallas much credit with this inflated line.

Dallas played last night in this same building as it defeated the Clippers so the lack of travel will help and playing with no rest has not been a problem. The Mavericks are 13-4 in the second game of a back-to-back set (12-5 ATS) and with the second game taking place on the road, Dallas is 11-3 in 14 games (10-4 ATS). Surprisingly, it has responded better off of wins than losses which is usually the opposite in this league but the Mavericks are 8-13 ATS after a loss and 30-19-2 ATS when coming off a win.

Dallas is 12-4 ATS as a road underdog this season, winning 10 of those games outright and it has been an underdog of six or more points only three times, going 2-1 ATS. The only loss was when Dirk Nowitzki was out. The Lakers meanwhile are just 1-9 ATS this season when involved in big runs, having won 15 or more of their last 20 games and they are 4-14 ATS in their last 18 home games following a game where they allowed 85 or fewer points. Also, Los Angeles is just 2-11 ATS in its last 13 Thursday spotlight games. 10* (703) Dallas Mavericks

We cashed with the Golden St./Oklahoma City 'over' last night and it was a fortunate win as the game went into overtime and that was needed to push the number 'over' the total. Because of that, we are catching a much better number tonight to go the other way and it is not only loaded with value but we also have the bounce angle in our favor. Golden St. has now gone 'over' in three of its last four games and despite hitting last night, it has seen a lot more games go 'under' on the road, 24 of 38 in fact.

The value lies in the 'under' and one quick comparison shows the difference from last night. The O/U posted tonight is 3.5 points less than what it was last night between the Warriors and Thunder but the scoring variance shows it is not a big enough drop. Oklahoma City averages 205.6 ppg in its games while Memphis averages 198.2 ppg so based on simple match, we should see a total that is roughly seven points lower than last night but that is not the case. That high scoring game has inflated this number.

Memphis is coming off a high scoring game last time out as it defeated San Antonio 111-104 on Sunday and that is also helping with the value of this one. 22 of 36 home game for Memphis have gone 'over' but of those 22 games, the closing total was less than 199 in 14 of those and only three of those had closing totals of 210 or more. So while the majority of games have gone 'over' the main reason is due to low totals. The Grizzlies are 21-16 to the 'under' when playing a team with a losing record.

In addition, the first two meetings have gone 'over' so the posted number tonight definitely has to take that into account. Those games saw 227 and 224 points scored so that will sway the public once again to hope for another high scoring game. Golden St. is 21-9 to the 'under' in its last 30 road games in the second half of the season against teams averaging 99 or more ppg and 15-7 to the 'under' in its last 22 road games where the total is greater than or equal to 210. 10* Under (517) Golden St. Warriors/(518) Memphis Grizzlies

Houston has been playing some its best basketball of late as it recently just had a five-game winning streak snapped at Miami on Sunday. The Rockets run pushed them over .500 where they are now three games above .500 and they are sniffing the playoffs as they trail Memphis by two and a half games for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. While Houston is the better team overall, the questions remains whether or not it should be such large road favorites.

New Jersey returns home following a three-game roadtrip where it went 1-2. The Nets are 16-18 at home this season which is far from stellar but it is better than the Rockets 16-21 record on the road which makes the large home points even more attractive. New Jersey has been a home underdog more than a home favorite for obvious reasons and it has done well in that spot, going 16-11 ATS when getting points including a 5-2 ATS mark in its last seven games.

Houston has been a road favorite only eight times this season and while it is a respectable 5-3 ATS, this is the biggest pointspread it has had off all of those games which makes it even more difficult to back it in a spot like this. The Rockets are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games as road favorites between 5.0 and 10.5 points and those games were when the Rockets were a solid contender in the Western Conference. New Jersey meanwhile is 22-12 ATS this season against teams with a winning record.

Playing against the Western Conference has played a part in that and overall this season, New Jersey is 12-1 ATS in its 13 home games against the Western Conference with the only loss coming against San Antonio. Also, we play on underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points that are shooting team between 43.5 and 45.5 percent and after allowing 50 percent or worse shooting in two straight games, going up against teams allowing between 45.5 and 47.5 percent. This situation is 47-20 ATS (70.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (754) New Jersey Nets

This is not a good spot for Boston and the short road favorite price is getting the public all over the Celtics. Boston is coming off a win last night against Minnesota on the road but it was not easy and some will argue the Celtics will come back with a strong effort tonight. They are a great road team with a 22-13 record and they are fighting for the number one spot in the Eastern Conference while also trying to fight off Miami which is just a half-game back. The situation however is not a good one.

The problem is that Boston has been horrible this season playing with no rest as it is 4-11 ATS in the second game of a back-to-back set. The Celtics are 3-8 ATS when the second game is on the road and while going 4-0 straight up when the second game is at home, they are just 3-8 straight up when the second game is on the road. They are just 17-18 ATS on the road and while going 5-2 ATS as a road underdog, they are just 12-16 ATS as a road favorite.

Indiana has dropped two straight games against two of the worst teams in the NBA, Detroit and Sacramento and the latter came at home on Friday by 17 points so it will be out looking for a better performance on its home floor. While this game is big for Boston as far as playoff seedings, it is even bigger for Indiana. The Pacers are currently eighth in the Eastern Conference, just a game ahead of Charlotte and two games ahead of Milwaukee so it is getting to be do or die time.

Boston easily won the first three meetings this season by 12,12 and 11 points so the Pacers are looking to avenge those defeats as well. The Pacers offense, which averages close to 100 ppg, has been held to 88 points or fewer in all three of those meetings but we should see a better effort here as Indiana has scored 100 or more points in 12 of its last 14 games at home. While the Celtics no rest record is bad, they are also just 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games against teams with a losing record. 10* (734) Indiana Pacers

Toronto is coming off an embarrassing 38-point loss last night in Golden St. which is driving this line higher than it should be. A quick comparison shows that the Warriors are three games better than the Clippers yet they were favored by seven points Friday while the Clippers are laying an additional four points tonight. The Raptors are obviously not a strong team, especially on the road as witnessed last night, but this is exactly the type of game where a bounceback can be expected.

Los Angeles is coming off a tough loss last night to the rival Lakers as it fell behind big early and came close to fighting all the way back. That presents us with a letdown situation tonight despite the loss as the Clippers go from playing one of the best teams to one of the worst teams and that will make it a challenge to get up for. In a huge swing, the Clippers go from 9.5-point underdogs to double-digit favorites and that is an absolutely huge jump.

This game sets up very similar to another recent contest for the Raptors. After getting destroyed in Denver by 33 points, they came back and fought hard against Phoenix, losing by just right points. Clearly, that is part of what we call the bounce angle as no matter how bad teams are, stringing together back-to-back poor performances is rare in this league. With this being the last road game for Toronto on this trip, we should see a strong effort to make up for the debacle from last night.

The Clippers have been favored by eight or more points only three times all season and they are 0-3 ATS in those games. Also, they are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game. The Raptors fall into a solid situation also as we play on road underdogs of 10 or more points after a double-digit loss going up against an opponent after a combined score of 215 points or more in two straight games. This situation is 28-9 ATS (75.7 percent) since 1996. 10* (511) Toronto Raptors

I played against New Orleans last night and while early players lost, late players won on Utah as the Hornets closed at -5. New Orleans needed overtime to bring that victory home and now it plays its second of back-to-back games tonight against the Suns which are on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. The Hornets are three games under .500 on the road now after last night and playing with no rest, they are 5-11 on the season including a 2-7 record when both games take place on the road.

The Suns are three games out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference so every game is meaningful at this point. Phoenix is coming off a home win over Toronto on Wednesday which came after the instant classic on Tuesday against the Lakers, a triple-overtime setback. Phoenix responded well against the Raptors after an expected slow start and now with a day of rest, the Suns should be ready. The home team has won both meetings this season and five of the last six going back to last year.

After being big road favorites last night, the Hornets go back to the underdog role tonight and this is not a good number as they are 0-5 ATS in their last five games as an underdog of fewer than five points. Meanwhile the Suns are 5-0-1 ATS in their last six games overall with the one push coming at New Orleans coincidentally. Phoenix lost by five points which sets up a revenge situation tonight and the Suns extend their 3-0-1 ATS mark in this series as they keep pace in the playoff picture. 10* (872) Phoenix Suns

Utah returns home from a 0-3 roadtrip which dropped it to four games out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. With four teams all trying to grab that final position, it is going to be an uphill climb for the Jazz but six of their final ten games are at home including the next four and holding strong on their home court is imperative. The Utah home floor has not been as strong as it has been in years past but the Jazz are still five games over .500 at EnergySolutions Arena.

While the Jazz have been on the road, the Hornets have been home for an extended period, playing five straight games in New Orleans. It went 3-2 and it clings on to the seventh spot in the Western Conference so these games are important for the Hornets as well. The difference is that playing on the road has been a challenge where they are 16-20 on the season including a 5-9 record over their last 14 games since the end of January. New Orleans is 19-12-2 ATS as an underdog but just 15-21-1 ATS as a favorite.

The includes the Hornets going 4-8 ATS as a road favorite and having a losing road record with the Jazz having a winning home record makes the line an interesting one in that New Orleans should probably not be laying points. And the line has actually gone up from the opening number. Utah has been a home underdog only four times all season long with three of those coming against the Celtics, Spurs and Lakers, and it is 2-2 ATS in those games with one of the losses being by only a half-point.

Coming off a big loss last night is not a big deal as Utah is 6-1-1 ATS in its last eight games following a double-digit loss while going 3-1-1 ATS in its last five games after allowing 100 or more points. The Hornets are 10-23 ATS in their last 33 road games after playing two consecutive home games and 11-23 ATS in their last 34 games against teams allowing 99 or more ppg. New Orleans is also 3-10-1 ATS in its last 14 games following a spread loss and it has covered just once in the last nine meetings in Utah. 10* (804) Utah Jazz

Everybody is down on New York right now making this the best time to pounce. The Knicks have dropped three straight games and the media is all over them for being no where near the team they thought they would be at this point. On Monday, the Knicks lost for the sixth time in seven games and fell to 7-9 since acquiring Carmelo Anthony and against Boston, Anthony scored 22 points, but neither he nor Amare Stoudemire had a field goal in the fourth quarter and that inconsistency has been the problem.

The Magic won their third straight games as they easily handled the Cavaliers although they did fail to cover by a point after getting outscored 28-17 in the fourth quarter. It was the fourth win in the last six road games for Orlando which improved to 20-15 away from home. The problem with the recent run however is that all four of those road wins came against teams that are not in current playoff positions. The Magic are now 18-25-1 ATS this season following a win while going just 11-15 ATS as a road favorite.

Orlando has won five straight meetings in this series with the last four of those coming in Orlando and the last one was especially troubling for the Knicks. The Knicks led 84-79 entering the final period but were outscored 37-26 to lose by six points. It was Anthony's fourth game with New York and it happened to come right after their big road win in Miami which it may have still been celebrating from. This is the first crack at home this season against the Magic for New York and this would be a good time to right the ship.

This game sets up very good for New York as it is 45-28 ATS revenging two straight losses where the opponent scored 100 or more points and despite dropping the last game as an underdog, the Knicks are 23-9 ATS as underdogs this season while going 22-6 ATS in 28 games when the total is between 200 and 209.5. Orlando meanwhile is 8-19 ATS in its last 27 games coming off a double-digit road win while going 1-8 ATS in its last nine games after going 'under' the total in three or more consecutive games. 10* (766) New York Knicks