This is an 8* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total. 

The Pacers lost to the Cavs in Cleveland last night, but they played a pretty impressive game holding the Cavs under 100 points in a 95-92 loss. They return home tonight to take on the Brooklyn Nets, and it seems likely that they will get right back into the win column. They've won seven of their last nine home games, and the bulk of those have been low scoring tilts. I bet on the under in their most recent home game, and had this to say: "The Pacers don't play a lot of high scoring games, and because of that we usually see a very low total in their games. I expect Indiana to dictate the pace, and grind out a win with their defense. They had won seven straight before losing to the Celtics on Friday, and they've held opponents to an average of just 88.3 points over their last eight home games." Not much has changed just a few days later, and when you consider that the Nets rank near the bottom of the league in scoring, tonight's total appears to be far to high. 

Take UNDER. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total. 

The Pacers don't play a lot of high scoring games, and because of that we usually see a very low total in their games. They host the Raptors tonight, and Toronto is a team that trends in the other direction. With this being a home game for the Pacers, and Toronto playing on back to back nights, I expect Indiana to dictate the pace, and grind out a win with their defense. They had won seven straight before losing to the Celtics on Friday, and they've held opponents to an average of just 88.3 points over their last eight home games. The Pacers have seen the total go under in eight of their last 10 overall, and tonight's number is higher than it was in any of their previous 10 versus Toronto.

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total. 

The Pacers are on a roll, coming into tonight's home meeting with Boston as winners of seven straight, and nine of their last 10. Their success has come mostly due to their defensive prowess, as they've allowed an average of just 89.9 points per game during that span. They had played seven straight unders until they blew out Orlando and needed overtime to get past Milwaukee pushing the total over in their last two. We see a higher total in tonight's game though than we've seen in any of their last six. The Celtics have seen the total go over the number in just one of their last six trips to Indianapolis, and six of their last eight games when playing in a back to back situation. I see no reason to expect anything but another stifling effort from Indiana's defense, resulting in a low scoring victory for the home team. 

Take UNDER. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total.

The Pacers will play their second game in as many nights in New York against the Knicks. These are two teams heading in very different directions, as Indiana looks to get back to the playoffs a year after finishing first in the Eastern Conference, while the Knicks are focused on rebuilding. This is a big game for the Pacers, who currently occupy the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, but are tied with ninth place Miami on points. 

Indiana has been on a tear lately, winning seven of it’s last eight overall. The defense has been stellar during that run, holding opponents to an average of just 89 points during that span. One of those victories came against New York, holding the Knicks to just 82 points on 39.5% shooting. New York has lost 10 of it’s last 12 overall, and hasn’t scored 100 points in any of those 10 losses. The two wins during that span both came on the road. 

Indiana has a history of stifling the Knicks, winning and covering in five of the last six head to head meetings. New York scored an average of just 89.6 points in those games. Given that this is a must win for the visitors, while the home team is just going through the motions, we should see Indiana dominated defensively.

The Pacers have played six straight unders, while the Knicks have seen the total go under in four of their last five. Recent meetings between these two teams have been low scoring, going under in three straight and seven of the last 10.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go OVER the total. 

Few would have predicted that the Cavs would be sitting 12 games out of first in the Eastern Conference in mid January, but it didn't exactly surprise me. 

This is what I said before the season started: 

"Let's be realistic about LeBron's move to Cleveland. This isn't the first time we've seen a team stacked with free agent stars. The Lakers signed Karl Malone and Gary Payton to play alongside Shaq and Kobe, but a lack of chemistry resulted in a loss to the Pistons in the 2004 Final. The Heat and the Big 3 didn't win the Championship either in their first season together, and it's going to take time for things to happen in Cleveland."

A month later and Cleveland has a chance to head into the All Star break in first place in the Central Division. They trail the Bulls by just a half a game, and they visit Chicago tonight. 

Cleveland comes in as winners of 14-of-15, and they've been lighting it up on offense during that span. The Bulls will be without their leading scorer Jimmy Butler, and that leaves them with one less defender to handle LeBron. James has owned the Bulls over the years, averaging over 31 points in his last 17 visits to Chicago. 

He scored 36 in an overtime win at the United Center earlier this season. 

Take OVER. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total.

The Pacers lost at Detroit on Boxing Day, and it was a rather high scoring affair with the Pistons winning 119-109. Indiana isn't the powerhouse it has been in previous seasons, but the Pacers are still the stingiest team in the league, with an opponent's scoring average of 96.9 points per game. 

The Nets also boast a Top 10 defense, allowing just 98.8 points per game. Both teams are among the worst in the league offensively, so it wouldn't be a shock to see them play a low scoring game here in Brooklyn. 

The Nets didn't look so sharp defensively against the Celtics, but they normally bounce back with a better effort after allowing an opponent to score over 100. They've played nine straight unders after surrendering 100 points in their previous game. 

Six of Brooklyn's last eight home games have failed to reach the total, and I think tonight's number looks a little high all things considered. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total. 

The Grizzlies are coming off a massive home win over the Golden State Warriors last night, and could be set to suffer a let down here in San Antonio just 24 hrs later. Both teams will be short-handed, with Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard out for the Spurs, and Tony Allen likely to be out for the Grizz. 

There are two of the best defensive teams in the NBA, ranking 3rd and 4th respectively in opponent's scoring average. Previous meetings though have seen the total go over in five straight in this series. The total in tonight's contest though is far higher than it was in any of those previous games. 

The Grizzlies have been a good under bet when playing in the second game of a back to back, as they've seen seven of their last eight such games fall short of the number. 

While it's early in the season, the stakes are quite high: "It's a team that we want to beat really badly," Gasol said. "It's a team that has beaten us a couple of times. We want to go there and beat them. It's not easy."

Expect this to be a gritty defensive battle. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total. 

Denver got off to another terrible start this season, but they've really turned things around in recent weeks. The Nuggets have clawed their way back to .500 with a record of 8-8, and they've won six of seven heading into tonight's game at Utah. One of the reasons for their recent success, has been a more concerted effort on defense. 

"Defense wins games and we all know that," Danilo Gallinari said. "We have to keep this formula that we have going, which is keeping teams under 100 points."

The Jazz haven't scored more than 100 points in any of their last seven games, and has lost five straight, three of those coming at home. Utah has averaged just 95.6 points per game, ranking 23rd in the NBA in scoring. 

The Nuggets have covered the spread in five of their last seven trips to Salt Lake City, and the Jazz have covered just once in their last eight home games versus a team with a road record below .500. 

Only one of Denver's last six visits to Utah has failed to reach the total, but tonight's number is far higher than it was in any of those six games.

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total. 

The Pacers have really struggled without Paul George, and their average of 92.3 points per game has them ranked among the lowest scoring teams in the NBA. They remain solid defensively though. and their opponent's scoring average of 95.2 points per game is the 5th best in the league. 

Tonight they host the Orlando Magic, a team that isn't much better offensively, and I expect Indiana to shut them down. Orlando has lost three straight, scoring an average of just 87 points in those games. 

These two teams have not seen the total go over in any of the previous five head to head meetings, and tonight's number is higher than it was in the last four. 

The Pacers have played five straight unders at home versus teams with a losing record, and if we go further back, we see that 19 of Orlando's last 26 visits to Indiana have resulted in the final score falling short of the number. 

Take UNDER.

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go OVER the total. 

The Cavs have not lived up to all the hype, and after four straight losses, LeBron has labeled his team as "fragile". They will host the Orlando Magic tonight, and this seems like a good spot for this struggling Cavs team to break out of a funk. Still, they are asked to cover way too many points. Neither of these two teams have been very sharp defensively, and we could see plenty of points tonight. The Magic have actually been playing well of late, winning their last two road games, and scoring over 100 points in both of those games. We've seen flashes of magic from LeBron and the Cavs, but they haven't really clicked. It still should just be a matter of time. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total. 

The L.A. Clippers go by the nickname "Lob City". and they score plenty of buckets averaging over 103 points per game. They might find buckets a little hard to come by here in the Music City though, as Zack Randolph and Marc Gasol don't make a habit of giving up easy buckets.

The Grizzlies have caused plenty of problems for the Clippers in recent seasons, winning seven of the last eight meetings. Seven of the last nine in this series have gone over the total, but not one of those games saw a total as high as the number for tonights game. 

Memphis ranks 3rd in the NBA allowing opponents to average just 93 points per game, and they are looking to protect their perfect 7-0 home record. 

The Clippers are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Memphis, and if the Grizzlies are able to dictate the style of play, we should see another low scoring tilt in the Music City. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total. 

The Suns like to play an up-tempo style, and they are one of the highest scoring teams in the NBA. They are on the road at Indiana tonight though, and the Pacers are still pretty good on defense. Indiana is struggling without Paul George, but their defense has allowed opponents to average just 93 points per game (4th in the NBA). 

The Pacers are coming off an 88-86 home win over the Hornets on Wednesday, and none of their seven home games have seen enough points to go over tonight's total. They are normally able to slow the pace at home, even against the better teams in the league. Four of their last five home games versus a team with a winning record have gone under the total. 

The Suns are also playing their second game in as many nights against a well rested Pacers team, and they lost both of their previous games in back to back situations. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 5* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total. 

The Denver Nuggets have just one win so far this season, and one of the reasons for their struggles would be their poor play defensively. Denver ranks 29th in the NBA in opponent's scoring average, allowing 111 points per game. They are coming off a disastrous home loss to Portland, where they surrendered 84 points in the first half. 

I wouldn't expect to see so many points scored in Indiana tonight, the Pacers simply don't like to play a high tempo game. With a defense that ranks 3rd overall allowing just 92 points per game, they don't normally have to score 100 points to win games. 

The Nuggets don't show any signs of being good enough on offense to pose many problems for the Pacers, so Indiana should be able to dictate tempo on it's home court. 

The Pacers have seen the total go over in six of their last nine overall, but only one of those nine games saw enough points to go over tonight's number. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on [email protected] to go OVER the total. 

Here we are just eight games into the season, and the Milwaukee Bucks rank 4th in the NBA in opponent's scoring average. If you look at their schedule so far, you will see that their wins have come at home to the likes of Philly, OKC and Memphis, and on the road at Indiana. 

Tonight they play on the road against an Orlando team that has scored an average of 99 points while going 3-2 over it's last five games. The Magic aren't exactly known for their defense, as they've allowed opponents to average over 100 points per game so far. 

Six of the last eight meetings between these two teams have gone over the number, and tonight's total is lower than it was in any of those contests. The Bucks have played seven straight overs on the road versus teams with a losing record. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total. 

The Orlando Magic played last night in Toronto, and they jumped out to a good start, out-scoring the Raptors 32-24 in the 1st quarter. They held the lead all the way to the 4th quarter, but collapsed in the final frame, losing 104-100. The Magic now play their second game in as many nights on the road in New York, and I don't fancy their chances of getting a positive result here. 

The Knicks are in no position to take the visitors lightly, as they've had their own struggles. New York ranks dead last in the NBA in scoring, and Carmelo Anthony comes in shooting just 33.9% during a five game losing skid. They couldn't ask for a better opponent though as they look to turn things around. 

The Magic have failed to cover while losing four straight trips to New York, and they are just 1-8 ATS in the last nine meetings with the Knicks overall. Playing the back end of a back to back off such a tough loss looks like a spot where the visitors might lay down. 

Orlando has seen the total go under in 10 of it's last 11 road games versus a team with a losing record, and these two teams should struggle to put up enough points to go over a relatively high number tonight. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total. 

The Lakers finally got that elusive first "W", but nobody expects that success to carry over as they get ready to face the Grizzlies in Memphis Tuesday. The Grizzlies defense boasts an opponent's scoring average of just 87.7 points per game, easily the best in the NBA. 

They need to be good on defense, because their own offense leaves a lot to be desired. The Grizz only average 93 points per game, so needless to say, they don't win many high scoring games. 

Memphis suffered it's first loss of the season on the road at Milwaukee on Saturday, shooting a dreadful 35.4% from the field. We can expect the Grizzlies to get back on track at home tonight, playing their brand of basketball. 

Four of the last five meetings in this series have gone under the total, and tonight's number looks a little high all things considered. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total. 

The Hornets are coming off a 96-89 home win over the Miami Heat. They've won 2-of-3 at home so far, and they host the Atlanta Hawks tonight. The Hawks are 0-2 on the road so far, but they gave the Spurs a run for their money on Wednesday, losing 94-92. 

The Hornets rank 4th in the NBA in opponents scoring average, allowing an average of just 92.4 points per game. Both these teams rank in the bottom half of the league in scoring, averaging well below 100 points per game, and I expect to see a low scoring affair here in Charlotte tonight. The last two meetings between these teams have both gone under, and the Hornets have a long standing under trend at home against teams with a losing record. Only one of Charlotte's last 16 home games versus a sub .400 team has gone over the total. 

Atlanta likes to shoot the three-ball, but Charlotte ranks among the league's best in perimeter defense. They allow an average of fewer than six three-pointer per game, and they held the Heat to just 4-of-22 from beyond the arc on Wednesday. 

Take UNDER. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total. 

The Bulls are on the road in Philly tonight, and they could be without Derrick Rose. They probably won't need him to beat the Sixers, a team that has lost five straight to start the season. The Sixers have enough trouble scoring at the best of times, averaging just 90 points per game (28th in the NBA). 

The Bulls are coming off a 95-86 win on the road in Milwaukee Wednesday, and I expect a similar scoreline tonight. We've certainly seen a trend of low scoring games between these two teams, with seven of the last 10 meetings falling short of the number. 

Philly has only seen the total go over in one of it's last 13 versus teams with a .600 or better winning percentage. The Sixers aren't likely to be very successful scoring on a Chicago defense that ranks first in the NBA in opponent's field goal percentage (40.1%). 

Joakim Noah will not play, but I think it would be a mistake to expect Philly to pose much of a threat in his absence. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total.

The New Orleans Pelicans will be playing their third game in four nights, and second in as many nights when they host Charlotte tonight. Both teams rank among the league's best in opponent's scoring average, and I think we should see a tight defense game here. 

The Pelicans are owning the glass, leading the league with 52.7 RPG. Anthony Davis is doing it all, leading the team in scoring and rebounding, and leading the NBA in blocks. 

Keep in mind I placed a cheeky little bet on Davis to win the Defensive Player of the Year at 8-1 odds. He led the league in blocks last year, and I think he’s likely to do it again this season.

Five of the last eight in this series have gone under, and the total in tonight's game is higher than it was in six of those games. The Pelicans are tied with Denver for the lowest shooting percentage in the NBA, and the Hornets haven't been much better. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total. 

The Grizzlies will be in Indiana to take on the Pacers tonight, in a matchup between two very defensively solid teams. Last season saw the Pacers finish 2nd in the league with an opponent scoring average of 92.3 points per game. The Grizz weren't far behind, ranking 3rd allowing 94.6 points per game. 

These teams have seen the total go under in five straight meetings, and the total in tonight's contest is higher than it was in any of those games. Going back further, they have seen the total go under in eight of the last 10, and five of six in Indiana. 

The loss of Paul George is certainly not going to help the Pacers offense, and while they scored over 100 points in their opener, you have to keep in mind they were playing a Sixers team that finished with a 19-63 record a year ago.

 The Grizzlies will come in with a mindset of improving their defense after allowing over 100 points in their opener. Tony Allen expressed his concerns in a post-game interview: 

"We have a lot of improving to do -- obviously executing on the defensive end," Allen said. "I felt there were a lot of times we could have closed them out and increased the lead. I thought we let our guard down."First game is out of the way, now we can look at film and see ways we can improve."

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Kansas City Royals.

The Royals bats exploded for nine runs in a blowout win over Chicago Saturday, and I expect to see more of the same here on Sunday. Big Game James will be on the hill for the visitors, coming in on top form, while the Sox hand the ball to a struggling Andre Rienzo.

Shields (7-3, 3.44 ERA) allowed a single run on six hits, fanning eight in six innings in a home win over the Yankees his last time out. He boasts a 4-1 record in nine starts on the road this season, and he's had success in previous trips to Chicago. James is 2-1 with a 2.51 ERA in five starts at Cellular Field since 2011.

Rienzo (4-3, 5.25 ERA) is coming off three straight losses, and he surrendered seven runs on nine hits, failing to get out of the fourth inning in a loss to the Angels his last time out.

The White Sox bullpen surrendered six runs in yesterday's loss, and with Rienzo unlikely to log a lot of innings, Chicago could be forced to go to the bullpen early here this afternoon.

Take KC

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total.

I bet the under in Game 3, falling victim to an anomaly the likes we aren't likely to see again for another century. While all the talk after the Spurs victory centers around their record smashing shooting percentage in the first half (75.8%), they also did some amazing things defensively, holding the Heat to just 92 points.

We can't expect San Antonio to hit their shots at such a torrid pace in this game, but duplicating their defensive intensity is much more achievable task.

Here are my comments prior to Game 3: The series goes back to South Beach tied at 1-1, and we should see a tighter game with points being hard to come by in Miami. We've seen the total come up short of the listed number in 14 of the last 19 meetings between these two teams in Miami. They played four of seven games in Miami in last years Finals, and only one of those saw 200 points scored. That game was a 103-100 OT victory for the Heat in Game 6.

I liked the under in Game 3, but I LOVE IT in Game 4.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total.

LeBron James executed his revenge scoring 35 points in a Game 2 victory in San Antonio. The series goes back to South Beach tied at 1-1, and we should see a tighter game with points being hard to come by in Game 3.

We've seen the total come up short of the listed number in 14 of the last 19 meetings between these two teams in Miami. They played four of seven games in Miami in last years Finals, and only one of those saw 200 points scored. That game was a 103-100 OT victory for the Heat in Game 6.

Both teams elevated the defensive intensity in Game 2, and the Spurs cooled off significantly shooting just 43.9 %. We can expect more of the same here in Miami.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total.

The Spurs were lighting it up offensively in San Antonio in their series versus Oklahoma City, but we should expect a slower pace in their Finals rematch versus Miami.

These teams scored just 180 points in Game 1 of last year's NBA Final, and it wasn't until Game 4 that they saw a game combine for 200 total points. The trend of low scoring games goes way back, with 10 of the last 15 meetings in San Antonio going under, and 25 of the last 35 meetings overall falling short of the total.

The Heat and Spurs rank 5th and 6th respectively in opponent's scoring average, so these are two elite teams that know how to execute defensively.

The Heat lost Game 1 last year, and they needed overtime to avoid losing in Game 6. The Spurs looked like the better team for much of the series, but in the end they lost Game 7 in Miami. Things are different this year, as it's the Spurs that have home court, expect them to take full advantage here in Game 1.

Take UNDER

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go OVER the total.

The Spurs have dominated all three of their home games in this series, scoring an average of 117 points. They had trouble scoring in Oklahoma City in Games 3 & 4, and the return of Serge Ibaka likely factored into that.

Gregg Popovich might have found an answer in Game 5: "The adjustments that the coaches made were very efficient tonight," Diaw said after the game. "We tried to space the floor a little more. We came back to the way we were aggressive in the first two games. Going from good to great. That's what Pop has asked all year, that's what we've been doing all year."

The Spurs shot out the lights on Thursday, hitting 51.3% from the field, and 13-of-26 from three point range. I wouldn't be expecting Oklahoma City to cruise to another comfortable victory at home tonight, as the Spurs should be a little more competitive here as they look to close out the series.

We saw the total go under in each of the previous two games in Oklahoma City, and the result is that the number has come down a little here in Game 6. Don't be surprised to see both teams score 100+, pushing the total over the number.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go OVER the total.

The Pacers will look to avoid elimination in Game 6 of the East Final in Miami tonight, and they haven't had any success away from home in this series. The Heat won by double digits in both Games 3 & 4, and each of those games went over the total.

We shouldn't be surprised to see another high scoring affair here in tonight's game, with the Pacers big guns coming firing on all cylinders. Paul George scored 37 points on 15-of-18 shooting in the last game, his best performance since dropping 39 points on the Wizards.

These two teams have played four straight overs in Miami, and the Heat have seen the total go over the number in six of their last seven home games. The total in tonight's game is lower that it was in all seven of those games.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go OVER the total.

We saw both teams light up the scoreboard in the first half of Game 3, but the pace slowed in the second half, and the total fell just below the number. Serge Ibaka was able to make an impact, with four blocked shots and seven rebounds in 30 minutes.

It was always going to be tough for the Spurs to win Game 3, but I expect San Antonio to come out with more fight for Game 4.

I said prior to Game 3: "The Spurs have seen the total go over in seven of their last 10 overall, and the number has come down quite a bit from 212 in Game 2 in San Antonio. I expect both teams to score 100+, it should be an old fashioned barn burner."

I feel the same about tonight's Game 4.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go OVER the total.

We saw these teams light up the scoreboard in Game 1, combining for 227 points. The Spurs offense wasn't slowed much in Game 2, but the Thunder were unable to keep up, losing by 35 points.

A little home cookin' will surely help Durant and the Thunder make tonight's game more competitive, but it might not be enough against a Spurs team that was dominant on the road this year, and has plenty of scoring depth.

Rumors are swirling about a miracle return for Serge Ibaka, but even if the Thunder's shot blocking specialist is able to play, he can't guard everybody. Danny Green is absolutely on fire from beyond the arc, hitting a sick 15-of-21 over the last three games.

The Spurs have seen the total go over in seven of their last 10 overall, and the number has come down quite a bit from 212 in Game 2 in San Antonio.

I expect both teams to score 100+, it should be an old fashioned barn burner.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go OVER the total.

So far in this series we have seen two totally different games. The Pacers taking Game 1 at home in a high scoring affair, then the Heat battling back to tie the series with a hard fought victory in a low scoring tilt in Game 2.

We could see more scoring as this series shifts to Miami, as these teams have pushed the total in six of the last eight games at American Airlines Arena. The Heat saw the total go over in four of their five home games in these playoffs. The total in tonight's game is much lower than it was in any of those five games.

The Pacers have scored 90+ points in four of their last five on the road in these playoffs. Even after being bet up a few points from where it opened, I still think this number is far too low.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total.

We saw plenty of scoring in Game 1 of this series, and not much defense. The Spurs went on to win easily by a score of 122-105. The result of such a high scoring affair in the opener is an astronomically high number for the total in Game 2.

I expect to see the pace to slow a little as each team makes adjustments on defense. Prior to this series, these teams had seen six of the last eight games go under the total. The total in all of those game was far lower than it is for tonight's game.

The Spurs shot 57.5% from the field in Game 1, and they hit 9-of-17 from beyond the arc. That's going to be tough to duplicate here tonight, and the Thunder will likely have a better defensive game plan.

With such a high number, it's not going to take much to fall short. A few missed free throws, one off night for a star player on either team.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER the total.

Game 1 of this series saw both teams shoot better than 50%, and that's unlikely to continue as this series moves forward. We saw a high scoring game in Indiana in the series opener versus Washington, and then in Game 2 the Pacers won by a score of 86-82.

It's Indiana that is known for strong defense, ranking second overall with an opponent scoring average of just 92.3 points. The Heat aren't far behind, as they ranked 5th during the regular season.

Miami is going to need a better effort defensively tonight, and you can bet that LeBron and company will deliver.

"We cleaned a lot of things up today and we're ready for tomorrow," James said. "You just go in with the mindset that it's a must-win and we go at it tomorrow."

The Pacers lost Game 5 at home in their series versus Washington, shooting just 39 % from the field. We haven't seen them win consecutive home games yet in these playoffs, and I expect that trend to continue tonight.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go OVER the total.


After the Pacers came from behind to stun the Wizards in Game 4, most would have expected them to close out the series in Game 5 at home. Not me!

Here is what I said prior to Game 5:

"At this point it's difficult to trust the Pacers to come out and battle hard for a full four quarters, so don't be surprised if they allow Washington to make things interesting tonight. Paul George had a playoff career high 39 points on 12-of-20 shooting, and the Pacers were 10-of-22 from three point range on Sunday. The bookmakers aren't expecting to see a lot of offense here tonight, with an astronomically low total. These teams have trended toward low scoring games, but while six of the last 10 games have gone under, the total in all of those games was much higher than tonight's number"

I still don't trust the Pacers, and I think Washington is going to come out with a lot of energy in the first half tonight. The Wizards have taken a significant lead to the locker room at the half in four of the five games so far. The one exception was in Game 3 when they trailed by just one point.

I warned on Tuesday that while these teams have played a lot of low scoring games, they've gone over 180 points in eight of their last 10 head to head meetings

Take the OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go OVER.

The Pacers return home looking to close out this series after shocking the Wizards with a comeback win in Game 4. Prior to the game I said the following:

"The Pacers have dominated the last two games in this series, but I think it's a little premature to say that everything is fine and dandy with this team. We saw them dominate the final two games against Atlanta, only to go on to lose Game 1 of this series."

Sure enough, Indiana came out flat, getting blown out in the first half on Sunday. At this point it's difficult to trust the Pacers to come out and battle hard for a full four quarters, so don't be surprised if they allow Washington to make things interesting tonight.

Paul George had a playoff career high 39 points on 12-of-20 shooting, and the Pacers were 10-of-22 from three point range on Sunday. The bookmakers aren't expecting to see a lot of offense here tonight, with an astronomically low total.

These teams have trended toward low scoring games, but while six of the last 10 games have gone under, the total in all of those games was much higher than tonight's number.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go OVER the total.

The Pacers have dominated the last two games in this series, but I think it's a little premature to say that everything is fine and dandy with this team. We saw them dominate the final two games against Atlanta, only to go on to lose Game 1 of this series.

The Wizards couldn't make a shot to save their life in Game 3, not even from the free throw line. Washington shot just 32.9% from the field, and 11-of-21 from the  charity stripe.

I expect the Wizards to turn things around here in Game 4, with their backs against the wall in a must win game. As poorly as the Wizards played on Friday, they trailed by just a single point at halftime. They will know they need a strong start tonight, and I expect a big push in the early going from the home side.

After the last two game fell short of the total, the listed number here is far lower than it has been in any of the previous three games in this series. In fact it's lower than it has been in nine of the last 10 meetings between these teams. The one time we did see a total this low, the game ended up going over.

With this number being so low, it won't take much offense to get us a cover.

Take OVER

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go UNDER (1st Half)

I bet the over in Game 1, and Miami piled on the points in the second half winning 107-86. I took the Heat in game 2, and again it was a slow start and strong finish for Miami. As this series shifts to Brooklyn for Game 3, I think we should see both teams tighten up the defense, especially in the first half.

The Heat have dominated their opponents with strong defense since the beginning of these playoffs, allowing an average of less than 90 points per game. They will likely get a good run for their money here in Game 3 in Brooklyn, as the Nets are going to be a desperate group.

Deron Williams was 0-for-9, failing to score a single point in Game 2. The Nets shot just 42.3% on the night, and it's not going to be easy to improve on that number here.

These two teams have failed to reach the total in six of the last nine meetings in this series.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] UNDER (1st Half)

While Roy Hibbert's offensive outburst in Game 2 is good news for Pacers fans, it might also be a good indication that we will see a low scoring game in Game 3.

Paul George has been pretty quiet in this series, shooting just 9-of-30 for 29 points so far. It would make sense for the Pacers to look to feed Hibbert in the post, going back to what brought them success in Game 2. If that's the case, it should be a win/win situation for under bettors.

I bet the over in Game 1, and was fortunate to get a late burst of points at the end, pushing the total over the very low number. Tonight's total is a little higher, and I think we might not see points come quite as easy in this game, especially in the first half.

Four of the last five games between these teams has fallen short of the total.

Take UNDER (1/H)

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on [email protected] to go UNDER (1st Half).

At this point, we shouldn't be surprised to see the Pacers in another hole, down 0-1 to the Wizards. Most expect Indiana to respond with a much better effort in Game 2, but while I think they will deliver an improved performance, I'm not convinced that it will be enough.

With their backs against the wall, I'm sure they will come up big defensively, but the offense might be a tougher fix. Paul George was just 4-of-17 shooting in Game 1, and Roy Hibbert was 0-for-2 with no points and no rebounds.

I bet the over in Game 1, and was fortunate to get a late burst of points at the end, pushing the total over the very low number. Tonight's total is a little higher, and I think we might not see points come quite as easy in this game, especially in the first half.

These teams have seen the total go under in five of the last six meetings in Indiana.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go OVER the total.

The Nets will face the Heat in Miami in Game 1, and Brooklyn took all four meetings in the regular season series. They scored 100+ points in two of those four contests.

They saw the total go over the number in three of four road games in the first round at Toronto, and both these teams trended toward the over during the regular season.

The Heat averaged over 100 points per game in their series versus Charlotte, and LeBron has scored 30+ in each of his last three games.

Tonight's number is a little on the low side, and I don't think these two teams will have much trouble scoring enough points to push the total over.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on [email protected] to go OVER the total.

We see a very low number here in Game 1 in Indiana, as everyone is expecting this series to be a defensive battle. The Pacers did rank 2nd in the NBA in opponent's scoring average in the regular season, but they haven't looked like themselves for over a month now.

In four home games in the first round, they allowed Atlanta to go over 100 points twice. Now they dug deep and came through with an impressive effort in Game 7, limiting the Hawks to just 80 points. It would be no surprise to see them suffer a slight let down here in Game 1 of a new series.

They didn't get a lot of time to prepare for Washington, and fatigue could be a factor against a well rested Wizards team.

In their first round series, the Wizards went into Chicago and dropped 100+ points on the Bulls in both Games 1 & 2. That's pretty impressive considering Chicago was the only team ranked better than the Pacers defensively.

I think a competitive game will result in enough points to push a very low total over the number.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

10*