Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the OKC Thunder.

After going through a rough patch, the Cleveland Cavaliers are officially "back in business". The defending champs have won four straight, scoring an average of 127 points in those games. They face a huge let down spot tonight though, playing on the road in the second game of a back to back, coming off last night's blowout win at Indiana. Don't be surprised to see the Cavs big three play limited minutes (if at all). Oklahoma City has improved it's home record to 18-7 after beating Portland and Memphis in it's last two home games. The Thunder have covered the spread in seven of their last eight home games, while Cleveland is just 2-8 ATS in it's last 10 when playing on no rest.

Take OKC.

GL,

Jesse Schule

Jesse Schule

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Portland is coming off a tough home loss to Dallas by a score of 108-104. The Blazers now head out on the road, where they are just 8-18 this season. Oklahoma City is coming off a 114-102 home win over Memphis on Friday, and the Thunder are a solid 17-7 at home so far. Russell Westbrook went off for 38 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, for his 25th triple-double of the season. He should light up the scoreboard here on Sunday, facing one of he league's poorest defensive teams. Portland is allowing an average of 109.9 points per game on the road this year, ranking 26th in the NBA. The home team has won seven straight meetings in this series, and OKC is 5-2 ATS in those games (3-0 ATS at home). The Thunder have covered the spread in six of their last seven home games, and they are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games against teams with a losing record.

Take OKC.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Atlanta Hawks.

The Hawks are just a half a game out of first place in the Southeast Division, and they host last placed Orlando tonight. The Magic are playing their second game in as many nights, coming off a home win over the Raptors. Orlando has lost five of it's last seven, with both wins during that span coming against Toronto. The Raptors played without leading scorer DeMar Derozan last night, and Kyle Lowry was unable to carry the load, scoring 18 points on just 5-of-20 shooting. This looks like a let down spot for the visiting Magic, and the Hawks have shown the ability to beat up on weaker teams. Atlanta has covered in four straight games against teams with winning percentage below 40 percent. The Hawks won the last meeting by a score of 111-92 in Orlando, and I expect a similar result here tonight in Atlanta.

Take ATL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Raptors (1st half).

The Raptors are slumping, coming into tonight's game as losers of seven of their last nine overall. They have slipped into second place in the Atlantic Division, a game and a half back of Boston. They played well in a losing effort at Boston in their last game, in fact they led 62-51 at halftime. They lost at home by a score of 114-113 to Orlando last Sunday, and that sets up a revenge spot as the Raptors look to return the favor in Orlando. The Magic have lost five of their last six overall, and they've lost five of their last six home games against the Raptors. Orlando is 5-16-1 ATS in it's last 22 home games, and has failed to cover in 10 of it's last 13 when playing on one day's rest. This game should mean a lot more to the visitors, and I expect to see the Raptors jump out to a fast start.

Take TOR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

Jesse Schule

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on SAC@PHI to go OVER the total.

The Kings have won three of their last four games, scoring an average of over 110 points per game during that span. They are Philly to play the Sixers tonight, and Philly has lost back to back games, giving up over 120 points in each of those losses. The Sixers appear to have cooled off after a 10-3 run prior to Friday's home loss to the Rockets. James Harden went off for 51 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists in that game. I think we could see another half hearted effort on defense tonight, and DeMarcus Cousins could pile on the points. Cousins scored 35 points in a win at Charlotte Saturday, and he's averaged over 30 points per game in his last five. The Kings have been having their way with opponents from the Eastern Conference, and they've covered the spread in five straight on this road trip. The Sixers have gone over in five straight, and the over is 9-3 in their last 12 when playing the second game of a back to back. 

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on SAC@CHA to go over the total.

The Kings appeared to be well on their way to a third straight victory last night in Indiana, leading by double digits in the fourth quarter. They couldn't hang on though, eventually losing by a score of 115-111 in overtime. They might not have much left in the tank here on their second game of a back to back in Charlotte. The Hornets though have lost three straight, giving up an average of 110 points per game in those losses. This will be their second game in as many nights, and third game in four nights. Recent games between these two teams have been high scoring, the over is 4-1 in the last five head to head meetings. The total for tonight's game is lower than it was in the last two meetings, and I don't expect to see a lot of effort here on defense from two teams that might not make the playoffs. The Hornets have gone over in 13 of their last 17 when playing their second game of a back to back, and the over is 8-3 in their last 11 home games versus the Kings.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on LAL@UTAH to go UNDER the total.

The Jazz are coming off back to back losses, failing to score 100 points in both of those games. They are one of the lowest scoring teams in the NBA, averaging just 99.4 points per game (28th). It has been their defense that has helped them win 16-of-24 at home. They rank #1 in the NBA in points allowed, giving up just 95.5 points per game. They are likely to put even more emphasis on defense tonight, looking to get back on track against a struggling Lakers team. LA has failed to score 100 points in back to back losses at Portland and Dallas. They scored just 73 points, suffering their worst ever loss at Dallas on Sunday (122-73). They've lost seven of the last eight meetings in this series, and they've scored an average of just 82 points while losing their last three visits to Utah. The Jazz have gone under in five straight following a loss, and the under is 11-5-2 in their last 18 home meetings versus the Lakers.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

Jesse Schule

Jesse Schule

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Utah Jazz.

Utah has won six straight games, by an average margin of more than 11 points. The Jazz will host Oklahoma City tonight, and the Thunder have lost six of their last eight on the road. Five of those six losses came in games decided by a double digit margin. Center Steven Adams has missed the last two games with a concussion, and he still has to clear concussion protocol before he will be cleared to play. The Jazz beat the Thunder here in Utah in December by 20 points in the last meeting between the two teams, and the Jazz have covered the spread in five of their last seven home meetings versus the Thunder. Oklahoma City got the season started off on the right foot, but they had a soft schedule with a lot of early home games. They are just 10-13 on the road this season, and only three of those 10 road wins came against winning teams. I expect Utah to handle Westbrook and the Thunder easily.

Take UTA.

GL,

Jesse Schule

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the LAC.

The Thunder won 122-118 at Sacramento last night, and Russell Westbrook recorded another triple-double. The Kings out-scored OKC 72-63 in the second half, but the comeback bid fell just short. The Thunder are playing on back to back nights, their third game in four night's in the middle of a six game road trip. They have the Warriors up next, and that makes this a particularly tough spot for the visiting Thunder. Center Steven Adams suffered a possible concussion last night in Sacramento, putting his status in question for tonight's game. If he can't go, that's going to make it tough to handle DeAndre Jordan. The Clippers center is coming off a dominant performance, scoring 24 points and pulling in 21 rebounds against the Lakers on Saturday. The Clippers have covered the spread in five of their last six home games, and they should be able to take advantage of the Thunder in this spot. I like LA to win big.

Take LAC.

GL,

Jesse Schule

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Toronto Raptors.

The Raptors are just 2-5 in their last seven overall, but before we say they are struggling, let's look at who they've played. Three of those losses came to the top three teams in the league, at Golden State and San Antonio, and at home versus Houston. The host the Celtics tonight, and Boston is just a game back in the Eastern Conference standings. The Celtics will be looking to avenge a home loss to the Raptors earlier this season, but Toronto has won four of the last five meetings in this series. Kyle Lowry scored 34 points in a 101-94 win at Boston last month, and he could have a big game here in the rematch. The Celtics will be missing Avery Bradley, who is sidelined with a strained Achilles. Toronto is an incredible 12-4 ATS in it's last 16 games against Eastern Conference teams.

Take TOR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Portland Blazers.

Portland has been one of the biggest disappointments in the NBA this year, but they are still in a position to lock down one of the final playoff spots in the Western Conference. The Blazers are coming off an impressive blowout win at home over the Lakers, and they host a struggling Detroit team tonight. The Pistons have lost three of their last five, and they are just 7-12 on the road this season. The Blazers are 6-2 ATS in their last eight home games, and 5-1 ATS in their last six overall. They've covered the spread in four of their last five home meetings with Detroit. Damian Lillard scored 21 points in his return after missing five games with a sprained ankle. C.J. McCollum really stepped up his game with Lillard out, and after scoring 27 against the Lakers, he's averaged over 30 points per game in his last five. The Pistons have failed to cover in six straight when coming off a win, and I don't think they'll break that streak in Portland.

Take POR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Bucks have won three of their last four, and they've played some tough opponents during that span. They beat the Bulls in Chicago, the Pistons in Detroit, and the Thunder at home. They are in New York tonight, taking on a Knicks team that is stuck in downward spiral. The Knicks have lost five in a row, and they've allowed an average of 113.8 points in those games. Head coach Jeff Hornacek showed his frustration in Monday's loss to Orlando, turning his back and walking away when Carmelo Anthony called his own number on a crucial play late in the game. Kristaps Porzingis has missed the last two games with an Achilles injury, and is listed as doubtful. Milwaukee leads the NBA in points in the paint, and the Greek Freak has scored 20+ points in seven straight games. The Knicks are going to struggle to snap out of their losing streak tonight.

Take MIL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

8*

Jesse Schule

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Antonio Spurs.

The Clippers upset the Spurs in San Antonio earlier this season, and Blake Griffin scored a game high 28 points in the victory. The Spurs won't have to worry about Griffin when they attempt to avenge that loss at the Staples Center tonight. San Antonio has the best road record in the NBA at 15-1, and they've covered the spread in five straight overall. The Clippers haven't been making bettors any money at home, failing to cover in six of their last eight at Staples Center. They've also failed to cover in five of their last six versus teams with a winning record, and five in a row when coming off a win. I like the visitors to get revenge here against the undermanned Clippers.

Take SPURS.

GL,

Jesse Schule

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies and the Cavs will play the second leg of a home and home series on back to back nights in Memphis Wednesday. Tyron Lue has already announced that LeBron and the rest of the "Big Three" will be rested in this game. They aren't even expected to fly with the team to Memphis. The Grizzlies have dealt with adversity (nothing new for them), but have remained competitive. Their 10-4 home record is superior to the Cavs 6-3 road record, and I can't see the Cleveland B team competing on the road here tonight.

Take MEM.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Bucks had a four game winning streak snapped when they lost 97-96 to the Spurs on Monday. They host Portland tonight, and the Blazers have lost four of their last six on the road. The home team has won five straight in this series, and Milwaukee has covered the spread in eight of the last 10 meetings. The Blazers have covered the spread just twice in their last seven road games, and they are 1-7 ATS in their last eight versus teams with a winning record. The Greek Freak scored a career high 34 points on 13-of-19 shooting in a home win over Cleveland last Tuesday, and he should put up big numbers against a Portland team that ranks near the bottom of the NBA in points allowed.

Take MIL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on NYK@MIA to go UNDER the total.

The New York Knicks are just 2-6 on the road this season, and they have failed to cover in nine of the last 10 in this series with the Heat. New York's 15th ranked offense is averaging 5.5 points fewer on the road than it does at home. The Heat are one of the worst offensive teams in the NBA, ranking 28th overall, averaging just 97.1 points per game. Miami's defense though is ranked 6th in the NBA, holding the opposition to an average of 98.8 points per game. The Heat are coming off a 99-92 loss at Portland, failing to reach the total for the fifth time in their last 10 games. These two teams have failed to reach the total in four straight meetings, and tonight's total is higher than it was in any of the previous 10 meetings. Putting it in perspective, neither team has scored 100 points in the last four meetings, and the Knicks haven't reached the century mark in any of the previous 10 meetings.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Houston Rockets.

Houston returns home from a recent road trip with four wins in five games, including a 132-127 win at Golden State. The offense is really clicking under new head coach Mike D'Antoni, ranking 2nd in the NBA averaging 111.3 points per game. They will host Boston tonight, and the Celtics are coming off a couple close wins over sub .500 teams. They beat the Sixers by just a single point in Philly on Saturday, and they failed to cover as a six point favorite in a home win over the Kings. Houston has won five of the last six meetings in this series, and the Rockets covered the spread in four of those five wins. While it looks like the Celtics have been good on the road, a closer look reveals that they've benefited from a very soft schedule. They've won five straight road games, but those five teams have a combined winning percentage of .333.

Take HOU.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MIA@POR to go OVER the total.

Portland is one of the highest scoring teams in the NBA, averaging over 110 points per game. They've scored an average of more than 121 points while winning two of three during this current home stand. They give up an awful lot of points as well, ranking 29th in the NBA allowing opponents to average more than 113 points. The Miami Heat are not known for their offense, but they come into Portland off back to back road wins at Denver and Utah. The Heat shot 51.2 percent in a 111-110 win at Utah on Thursday. These two teams have gone over the total in nine of the last 13 meetings, and the over is 12-1 in Portland's last 13 home games.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on LAL@MEM to go UNDER the total.

The Lakers are coming off a 113-80 loss to Toronto last night, shooting just 34.4 percent from the field. Playing on the road on back to back nights against one of the league's best defenses in Memphis tonight, I expect another poor showing offensively for LA. The Grizzlies are coming off a 95-94 win over Orlando, and they've failed to reach 200 points in four straight home games. Injuries to DeAngelo Russell and Nick Young haven't helped the Lakers, and LA has failed to reach the total in five straight. Memphis has it's own injury concerns, as they've been without Mike Conley, Zack Randolph and Vince Carter. The Grizz have gone under in four straight at home versus teams with a losing record, and that's a trend I expect to continue tonight.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Milwaukee Bucks.

Milwaukee has won three of it's last four, including a home win over the defending champs. They will play on the road tonight in Brooklyn, and head coach Jason Kidd will have a chance to stick it to his former team. The Nets could suffer a let down coming off an upset win over the Clippers Tuesday. That win ended a seven game losing skid, and it was just the second time in 10 games that Brooklyn covered the spread. The Nets have lost six straight to Milwaukee, and they've covered the spread just once in the last eight meetings in this series. Giannis Antetokounmpo is on fire for the Bucks, he recorded a career high 34 points in the win over the Cavs, and he's averaged 26.4 points on 57.8 percent shooting over the last five games. He recorded a triple-double the last time the Bucks played in Brooklyn, and the Bucks won 109-100. I expect a similar result here tonight.

Take MIL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Portland Trailblazers.

The Blazers won nine of their final 10 home games at the end of last season, and went on to upset the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs. They haven't lived up to expectations so far this season, sitting eighth in the West with a 9-10 record. They are just 5-4 at home, and are coming off a 130-114 home loss to Houston. They host the Indian Pacers tonight, and Indiana has lost five of six on the road. Portland has won six of the last seven meetings with the Pacers, and the Blazers have won four straight home games versus Indiana. Paul George has miss four of the last five games with a sore back, and his status for tonight's game remains uncertain. The won game he did play was a 96-85 loss to Atlanta, and he shot just 6-of-22 from the field, and 2-of-11 from beyond the arc in the loss. Damian Lillard has averaged over 30 points per game at home this season, and he scored 33 points the last time he faced the Pacers.

Take POR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on ATL@PHX to go UNDER the total.

The Atlanta Hawks have lost three straight, scoring an average of just 87 points in those losses. They will be a favorite in Phoenix tonight, facing a Suns team that has won just once in it's last five games overall. These two teams have failed to reach the total in five straight meetings dating back to 2014, and tonight's total is significantly higher than it was in any of the last four meetings. The Hawks are one of the league's top defensive teams, holding opponents under 100 points per game on average. The under is 19-7 in their last 26 road games, and they've failed to reach the total in 21 of their last 29 versus Western Conference teams. The Suns have failed to reach the total in seven of their last 10 versus Eastern Conference teams.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on LAL@CHI to go UNDER the total.

The Lakers will be shorthanded when they face the Bulls in Chicago tonight, already missing starting PG DeAngelo Russell, they could be without Nick Young who suffered a strained Achilles in the loss to New Orleans last night. These teams have gone over the total in each of the last four meetings, but we see a higher total in tonight's game than in any of those previous contests. The Bulls are one of the league's top defensive teams, holding opponents to an average of just 99 points per game. These teams have failed to reach the total in nine of the last 12 meetings at the United Center, and Chicago has held opponents to an average of 95.8 points while winning four of five home games this season.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MEM@TOR to go OVER the total.

The Raptors have scored over 110 points in nine of their last 11 games overall. They scored a whopping 122 points in a blowout win over Philly last night, and they host a banged up Memphis team here tonight. Memphis is already missing Zack Randolph, Mike Conley and Chandler Parsons, and could be without Vince Carter here in Toronto. The Grizzlies have a reputation for being one of the league's toughest defensive teams, but I don't like their chances of slowing down the Raptors with a depleted lineup. The over is 9-2 in Toronto's last 11 overall, and they've gone over in seven of their last 10 home games. These two teams have failed to reach the total in five straight meetings, but two of the last three times they met, the total was over 200.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on DET@BOS to go OVER the total.

The Pistons will play their second game in as many nights on the road at Boston tonight. They 112 points in an upset win over the Hornets in Charlotte last night, and they were 12-of-28 from three point range in the victory. These teams have failed to reach the total in each of the last four meetings, but the listed total was over 200 in all four of those games. Tonight's number looks a little too low, and I am expecting the Pistons to be competitive, with a little momentum coming off an impressive performance. The Celtics are also coming off an impressive showing, scoring 112 points and hitting 11-of-27 from three-point range at Miami on Monday.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Charlotte Hornets.

The Hornets will play their second game in as many nights at home versus Detroit. Charlotte is coming off back to back wins, putting them half a game up on Atlanta for the lead in the Southeast Division. I don't think they'll let up here in a home game against a struggling Pistons team. Detroit has lost eight of nine games on the road this season, and their last game was a 106-88 loss at Oklahoma City. They have really missed starting PG Reggie Jackson, who has returned to practice but isn't expected to play until this weekend at the earliest. The Hornets have covered the spread in seven of the last 10 meetings, and four of five home meetings during that span. The Pistons are 0-5 ATS in their last five road games versus a team with a winning record.

Take CHA.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on UTAH@MIN to go UNDER the total.

The Jazz are the top defensive team in the NBA, holding opponents to an average of just 92.8 points per game. They are coming off their most impressive victory of the season, holding the Hawks to just 68 points in a 95-68 home win on Friday. They are in Minnesota tonight, and the T-Wolves have lost four of their last five. Minnesota ranks 19th in the NBA scoring an average of 103.1 points per game, but has been held to less than 100 points in four of it's last five games. These two teams have gone under in three of the last four meetings, and the one game that went over saw just 193 total points. This is a big game for the Jazz, who sit just a half game back of Oklahoma City in the Northwest Division standings. Minnesota sits dead last in the division, and the T-Wolves have gone under in seven straight versus Northwest Division teams.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Milwaukee Bucks.

The 0-8 Pelicans played back to back games on Monday/Tuesday, and they play their third game in four nights on the road at Milwaukee tonight. This looks like a tough spot for the shorthanded Pelicans, who are at the end of a three game road trip. New Orleans has really missed Tyreke Evans and Quincy Poindexter, who have both battled knee injuries. This is a "get right game" for the Bucks, who didn't play well in an 86-75 loss at Dallas on Sunday. They have won three of four at home this season, and they were a solid 23-18 at home last year. The Pelicans have lost 36 of their last 45 road games, and they are 1-4 ATS in their last four away from the Big Easy. New Orleans ranks dead last in the NBA with a three-point shooting percentage of .277 this season. The worst part is that Anthony Davis is averaging over 30 points and 11 rebounds per game, so it's not like you can ask him to do anymore.

Take MIL.

GL,

Jesse Schule.

This is a 7* play on the LA Lakers.

The Lakers are coming off three straight double-digit wins, including a 117-97 win over Golden State. They are still undefeated at home, and they host the Dallas Mavs who are winless on the road. Dallas started the season going 0-5, but beat Milwaukee at home on Sunday. The Mavs are decimated by injuries, with Dirk Nowitzki, Deron Williams and Devin Harris all expected to miss tonight's game. Harrison Barnes scored 34 points in the win over the Bucks, but he's averaged just over 14 points per game on the road so far. The Lakers have covered the spread in seven straight home games, and I think this young team is the real deal. Julius Randle has been a beast, scoring 38 points and pulling in a total of 19 rebounds in wins over Phoenix and Golden State in the Lakers last two games. The Mavs have averaged just 95.5 points per game, ranking 28th in the league. With all the injuries, it's difficult to see Dallas keeping up to a Lakers team that ranks 3rd in the NBA in scoring.

Take LAL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Lakers.

Coming off a shocking upset win over Golden State, this might seem like a classic "let down spot" for the Lakers. I've never been a big fan of situational handicapping without considering the rest of the available info, and everything else I see tells me that getting the Lakers as a small favorite at home here is a bargain. You could argue that the Suns are also in a let down spot, coming off an overtime win on the road at New Orleans. Devin Booker hit a buzzer beater to tie that game, forcing OT.  It was just the Suns second win in six games, and Phoenix has been brutal defensively. The Suns rank 30th in the NBA, allowing opponents to average 112.3 points per game so far. The Lakers coach puts things in perspective with this comment: "Honestly, we're looking at the big picture and the big picture isn't beating Golden State and then losing Sunday night at home," Los Angeles coach Luke Walton said. "The big picture is we make it really hard on teams that come into Staples Center and get wins, and so far we've had two home games against two really good teams and won both." The Lakers are 6-0 ATS in their last six home games, and they had six players score in double figures in their home win over the Warriors Sunday. Julius Randle and Lou Williams each scored 20 points.

Take LAL.

GL,

Jesse Schule

10*

This is a 10* play on the Chicago Bulls.

The Bulls opened the season with a home win over Boston, and they are just a slight favorite at home to Indiana tonight. The Pacers are playing on back-to-back nights, coming off a 103-94 loss at Brooklyn. Indiana was ice cold, shooting just 37.8 percent from the field, and 29 percent from beyond the arc in the loss. Dwayne Wade looked good in his Chicago debut, scoring 22 points with six rebounds, five assists, and a block in 32 minutes in the win over Boston. The Bulls have covered the spread in four of their last five home games, while the Pacers have failed to cover in 15 of their last 22 when playing the second game of a back-to-back.

Take CHI.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 6* play on the Portland Trailblazers.

The Blazers opened the season with a 113-104 win over Utah, and they've now won 10 of their last 11 home games dating back to last season. They knocked the Clippers out of the playoffs last year, winning the conference quarterfinals 4-2. They won all three home meetings in that series. The Blazers shot 13-of-19 (68.4 percent) from beyond the arc in their home opener, and they were 22-of-22 (100 percent) from the free throw line. Damian Lillard is considered a threat to win the MVP this season, and he looked the part scoring 39 points in the win over the Jazz. Some might see this a revenge spot for the Clippers, but I honestly don't think a win here does anything to heal the pain of last year's upset. In fact I think this is more of an opportunity for the young Blazers to prove that it was no fluke. The Blazers were 28-13 at the Moda Center last year, and I'll take them here as a dog against a Clippers team that they owned in last year's playoffs.

Take POR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 6* play on the Portland Trailblazers.

Portland finished 5th in the West last season, and the Blazers were 28-13 at home. They open the season with a home game against the Utah Jazz, and I expect to see the visitors struggle. The Jazz missed the playoffs last year, and they were just 16-25 on the road. They played at Portland twice, losing both games by double digits. They come into the season with a depleted lineup, with Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors and Rodney Hood all battling various injuries. The Jazz are one of the league's best defensive teams, but that rarely translates into wins on the road. They don't have the offensive firepower to keep up with the Blazers, and they've been unable to stop Damian Lillard in previous meetings. Lillard averaged 28.7 points in three games against Utah last year. I expect history to repeat itself here on Opening Night at The Moda Center.

Take POR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Golden State Warriors Moneyline. 

The Cavs come into Oracle Arena with all he momentum, but the Warriors are still the favorite in Game 7. Golden State only lost twice at home during the regular season, and the Dubs are 11-2 at home during the post-season. This is not the first time this team has faced adversity, remember they needed to win three straight to beat the Thunder in seven games. The Cavs have not taken a lead to the locker room at half in any of the previous three games here at Oracle, even Game 6 that they went on to win by a score of 112-97. That game was tied at the half. I expect Golden State to take it to Cleveland early, feeding off the energy of the home crowd. 

Richard Jefferson said: "We have nothing to lose, They're the team that went 73-9. All the pressure is on them." Well that couldn't be further from the truth, especially coming from a veteran who may never make it to the Finals again. The Warriors are a young team, they have already won a championship, broke the regular season record. Win or lose, they will be the favorite again next year. For LeBron James, this game is likely to define his career. Another loss in the Finals, and his legacy takes a big hit. If anyone should feel the pressure, it's LeBron, and given his track record that should worry Cavs fans. 

Take GS. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Golden State Moneyline. 

The Warriors were in complete control of this series after winning big in Cleveland in Game 4, but they were embarrassed in a shocking 112-97 home loss in Game 6. The Cavs would love to ride that momentum here in Game 6, but with two days of rest between games in the Finals, momentum hasn't been an easy thing to hang on to. It's hard to beat the Warriors at the best of times, but handing them consecutive losses is a momentous task. As good as Cleveland looked winning Game 3 by a whopping 30 point margin, they were unable to deliver a repeat performance at home in Game 4. The Warriors are 4-1 ATS in their last five games at Quicken Loans Arena, including last year's Finals that ended here in Cleveland. They are 7-3 ATS in the last 10 in this series, and with Draymond Green back from suspension, I like the Warriors to end it tonight. 

Take GS. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 7* play on the Golden State Warriors. 

We've seen the bookmakers make a major adjustment since the news that Draymond Green will sit out Game 5 due to a suspension. The line has dropped several points, but the movement is even sharper when it comes to the moneyline. As is often the case, I think this is an overreaction. The Warriors won the first two games of this series at home by the widest margin in NBA Finals history, and they did it with little help from Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. We saw some incredible performances from role players, with Sean Livingston scoring 20 points in Game 1, and veteran Leandro Barbosa shooting a combined 10-of-12 in those games. When the Warriors look to the bench, they can answer with the likes of Andre Igoudala, who was the Finals MVP last season. Marreese Speights has not seen a lot of playing time in this series, and he's a likely candidate to get a few more minutes. Mo Buckets has scored in double figures five times in these playoffs, including a 22 point performance in Game 3 in Houston. It will likely all come down to the Splash Brothers, who came to life in Cleveland in Game 4. Curry scored 38 points, and was 7-of-13 from beyond the arc. If he plays like that tonight, the absence of Draymond Green is going to be completely irrelevant. 

Take GS. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on GS@CLE to go OVER the total.

After both the first two games of this series failed to reach the total, the bookmakers adjusted with a much lower number for Game 3 in Cleveland. The pace of play in the first two games should have resulted in a higher score, but Cleveland just kept on missing shots. The Cavs shot 52.7 percent from the field in Game 3, and they were 12-of-25 from three point range. Still the total for Game 4 remains much lower than it was in the first two games, and I think after three straight lob-sided games, we might finally see a competitive contest here in Game 4. Surely the Splash Sisters have to be better, and they have plenty to prove after going a combined 4-of-16 from beyond the arc in Game 3. The over is 6-0 in Cavaliers last 6 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Golden State Warriors. 

The Cavs put up a hell of a fight in last year's Finals, despite injuries to Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. Many thought that Cleveland would have a better chance with all it's star players healthy heading into the rematch. So far it's been all Golden State, and the scariest thing for Cavs fans is that neither of the Splash Brothers have scored 20 points in either of the first two games. Both Curry and Thompson were efficient in Game 2, going a combined 8-of-16 from beyond the arc. If the Warriors require somebody to step up their game, look for the dynamic duo to turn it up a notch. 

The Warriors are 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings between the two teams, and they've covered the spread in seven of their last 10 in Cleveland. The last time these two teams played at Quicken Loans Arena, the Warriors won by a score of 132-98. It sure looks like the balance of power in the NBA is heavily stacked toward the Western Conference, and the Cavs just don't look like they can keep up with the best team in NBA history (most regular season wins). 

Take GS. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on CLE@GS to go OVER the total. 

After cashing in on a heavy under trend this post-season, I decided to switch things up with a play on the over in Game 1. It didn't work out, with the Splash Brothers shooting just 8-of-27 combined, totaling only 20 points. The Cavs were brutal, shooting just 38.1 percent in a 104-89 loss. Cleveland missed a lot of easy put-backs and layups that you would have expected them to hit. Heading into Game 2, we see that the bookmakers have adjusted with a total that is 3-4 points lower than it was in Game 1. We know Curry and Thompson are going to be better than they were in Game 1, and I expect Cleveland to play a bit better as well.  The Warriors have failed to reach the total in four of their last five overall, but three of those games saw enough points to go over tonight's total. 

Take OVER. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on CLE@GS to go OVER the total. 

The playoffs have been very profitable for The Iceman so far, and much of the success has come with totals. Those who have followed would know that The Iceman plays a lot more unders than he does overs, but he's changing things up here in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. While he Warriors failed to reach the total in five of their seven games in the Western Conference Final, only two of those games saw fewer points than the total here for Game 1. When these two teams met in the Finals last year, we saw tight, low scoring games. The series opener went just over, only because of overtime. Things have changed here in 2016, with a healthy Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, these Cavs can score with the best of them. The Warriors certainly are the best of them, averaging 111 points per game in the playoffs. The Cavs come in averaging 107 points per game. The Warriors didn't play particularly well against the Thunder, but with Klay Thompson making 11 three-pointers in Game 6, and the Splash Bros hitting a combined 13-of-23 from downtown in Game 7, they survived. I think if they play that way against the Cavs they could be in for a tough series. 

Take OVER. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a Free #NBA play on the Oklahoma City #Thunder.

 The Warriors have won back to back games to force a Game 7 at Oracle Arena, but neither of those wins were particularly convincing. They trailed 53-48 at halftime in Game 6, and they have trailed at the half in three of the last four games in this series. The only thing that saved them from elimination in Game 6 was the red hot shooting from Klay Thompson, who hit 11 three-pointers. If the Warriors are counting on Thompson (not Curry) to carry the load here in Game 7, they could be in trouble. 

The Thunder have really turned up the defensive intensity in the playoffs, not just in this series, but also in their semi finals series versus San Antonio. Steven Adams continues to own the boards, and he had three blocks in Game 6. Golden State has made it a habit to start slowly, and I don't like the Warriors chances of covering the spread as a big favorite in the first half of Game 7. 

Take OKC. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on OKC@GS to go UNDER the total. 

The Warriors have won back to back games to force a Game 7 at Oracle Arena, but neither of those wins were particularly convincing. They trailed 53-48 at halftime in Game 6, and they have trailed at the half in three of the last four games in this series. The only thing that saved them from elimination in Game 6 was the red hot shooting from Klay Thompson, who hit 11 three-pointers. If the Warriors are counting on Thompson (not Curry) to carry the load here in Game 7, they could be in trouble. 

The Thunder have really turned up the defensive intensity in the playoffs, not just in this series, but also in their semi finals series versus San Antonio. Steven Adams continues to own the boards, and he had three blocks in Game 6. These teams have failed to reach the total in five of the last six meetings at Golden State, and the Warriors have failed to reach the total in eight of their last 11 Conference Finals games. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on GS@OKC to go UNDER the total.  

The Warriors are down, but not out. After getting throttled in back-to-back games in Oklahoma City, they face elimination once again, but this time on the road. Steph Curry said after Game 4: " this is not how we're going to go out." Head coach Steve Kerr insists that Curry isn't injured, but then goes on to say that "it's the playoffs, everyone is a little banged up". 

Curry was 2-for-10 from beyond the arc in Game 4, and 3-for-11 in Game 3. He's only averaged 24 points per game in the series, well below his regular season average of 30.1 PPG. We've seen three of the first four games in this series fall well below these inflated totals, and we only saw a combined 85 points in the second half of Game 4. In an elimination game, I expect both teams to go all out on defense from start to finish. The Warriors haven't taken a lead to the locker room at halftime in any of their road games in these playoffs.
Despite scoring 31 points in Game 5, Curry was just 3-for-8 from beyond the arc. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on CLE@TOR to go OVER the total.

After three of the last four games in this series went under, the bookmakers adjusted with a much lower total for Game 6 in Toronto. I think this was an over-correction, and this of all games looked like one that should see more scoring. Sure enough Game 4 went over (105-99). None of the three games in Clevleand were close, but I expect a better effort from a confident Raptors team here in Game 6. The Raptors should continue to play well, behind the solid play of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, and the dominance on the boards by "Big Business" (Bizmack Biyombo). Many betters will be taking the Cavs to close out the series, but I think the better bet is on the total. The trends show that the over is 7-3 in the Cavs last 10 road games, and 12-6 in their last 18 Conference Finals games.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a Free #NBA play on the Oklahoma City #Thunder

The Warriors are down, but not out. After getting throttled in back-to-back games in Oklahoma City, they face elimination at home in Game 5 tonight. Steph Curry says: " this is not how we're going to go out." The Warriors are asked to cover a bunch of points here, and I just can't bring myself to bet on a team that has already displayed an inability to stop Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Head coach Steve Kerr insists that Curry isn't injured, but then goes on to say that "it's the playoffs, everyone is a little banged up". 

Curry was 2-for-10 from beyond the arc in Game 4, and 3-for-11 in Game 3. He's only averaged 24 points per game in the series, well below his regular season average of 30.1 PPG.
We've seen the Thunder win a Big Game 5 on the road at San Antonio in their last series, and they've already beaten the Warriors here at Oracle Arena. The Warriors look like a team that has run out of gas, and they look vulnerable here in this do or die game. 

Take OKC. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on OKC@GS to go UNDER the total.

The Warriors are down, but not out. After getting throttled in back-to-back games in Oklahoma City, they face elimination at home in Game 5 tonight. Steph Curry says: " this is not how we're going to go out." The Warriors are asked to cover a bunch of points here, and I just can't bring myself to bet on a team that has already displayed an inability to stop Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Head coach Steve Kerr insists that Curry isn't injured, but then goes on to say that "it's the playoffs, everyone is a little banged up". 

Curry was 2-for-10 from beyond the arc in Game 4, and 3-for-11 in Game 3. He's only averaged 24 points per game in the series, well below his regular season average of 30.1 PPG. We've seen three of the four games in this series fall well below these inflated totals, and we only saw a combined 85 points in the second half of Game 4. In an elimination game, I expect both teams to go all out on defense from start to finish. These teams have failed to reach the total in five straight meetings at Oracle Arena, and the Thunder have gone under in four straight road games. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on TOR@CLE to go OVER the total.

After the first three games of this series went under, the bookmakers adjusted with a much lower total for Game 4 in Toronto. I think this was an over-correction, and this of all games looked like one that should see more scoring. Sure enough Game 4 went over (105-99). None of the first two games in Clevleand were close, but I expect a better effort from a confident Raptors team here in Game 5. The Raptors should continue to play well, behind the solid play of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, and the dominance on the boards by "Big Business" (Bizmack Biyombo). Many betters will be taking the Cavs to bounce back after a pair of losses, but I think the better bet is on the total. The trends show that the over is 8-3 in Cavaliers last 11 home games vs. a team with a winning road record, and 12-5 in their last 17 Conference Finals games.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Raptors.

Niether of the first two games in Clevleand were close, but I expect a better effort from a confident Raptors team here in Game 5. The Raptors should continue to play well, behind the solid play of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, and the dominance on the boards by "Big Business" (Bizmack Biyombo). Many betters will be taking the Cavs to bounce back after a pair of losses, but I think the better bet is on the Raptors getting a bunch of points at the half. Toronto opened up a big lead in the first half of Game 2, before a complete collapse in the final two minutes before the break. This team has a lot more poise and swagger heading into Game 5.

Take TOR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Despite the fact that the Thunder lead this series 2-1, and a coming off a dominant win at home in Game 3, they remain the underdog. We've seen the Warriors deal with their fair share of adversity in this post-season, and they've made a habit of playing poorly in the first half on the road. They haven't led at the half in any of their road games so far in the playoffs. 

Steph Curry continues to make incredible shots night in and night out, but after dropping 40 points on the Blazers in Game 4, he's been held under 30 points in four straight. He's admitted his knee is still not 100%, and he injured his elbow late in Game 2. You could see his elbow was quite swollen while he was sitting on the bench in the third quarter, and the injury was on his shooting arm. 

When the Warriors visited Oklahoma City in the regular season, they went to halftime trailing 57-46. They went on to win that game in overtime 121-118. These come-from-behind wins are so common for the Warriors, there really isn't a lot of urgency for them to try to win the game in the first half. That's not the case for the Thunder, who really need to take advantage of the energy from the home crowd. A fast start is crucial for Oklahoma City. 

Take OKC. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a Free #NBA play on the Toronto #Raptors.

Nobody gave the Raptors much of a chance at winning this series prior to Game 1, and after Cleveland mopped the flour with them in the opener, most were expecting a sweep. There's no denying that Toronto is out-gunned, and Cleveland is the more talented team, that should win the series. The fact is, Toronto finished the regular season with an almost identical record (1 game back), and won two of three in the season series. The Raptors owned the boards in Game 3, with Bizmack Biyombo pulling in 26 rebounds (the most in a playoff game since 1984). Kyle Lowry played well and DeMar DeRozan scored 32 points on 12-of-24 shooting. Toronto played well early in Game 2, before falling appart just a few minutes before the break. They were dominant in the first half of Game 3, and still they are the underdog at home tonight in Game 4. I expect a better effort from Cleveland here, but I still think Toronto plus the points is the better bet. 

Take TOR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on TOR@CLE to go OVER the total.

After the first three games of this series went under, the bookmakers have adjusted with a much lower total for Game 4 in Toronto. I think this is an over-correction, and this of all games looks like one that should see more scoring. None of the first three games were close, but I expect the Cavs to respond after an embarrassing loss in Game 3. The Raptors should continue to play well, behind the solid play of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, and the dominance on the boards by "Big Business" (Bizmack Biyombo). Many betters will be taking the Cavs to bounce back after a double-digit loss (the Zig Zag Theory), but I think the better bet is on the Cavs to simply be more competitive, thus pushing the total over. The trends show that the over is 9-3-1 in Cavaliers last 13 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a Free #NBA play on the Oklahoma City #Thunder.

Do you remember when the Thunder upset the Warriors in Game 1? Perhaps the Warriors convincing 118-91 win in Game 2 has made us forget about how well the Thunder have played. Oklahoma City returns home with the series tied 1-1, and they are an underdog in Game 3. We've seen the Warriors deal with their fair share of adversity in this post-season, and they've made a habit of playing poorly in the first half on the road. They trailed at the half in both of their games in Portland, and they failed to get to the locker room with a lead at the half in both road games in their first round series versus Houston . 

Steph Curry continues to make incredible shots night in and night out, but after dropping 40 points on the Blazers in Game 4, he's been held under 30 points in three straight. He's admitted his knee is still not 100%, and he injured his elbow late in Game 2. You could see his elbow was quite swollen while he was sitting on the bench in the third quarter, and the injury was on his shooting arm. 

When the Warriors visited Oklahoma City in the regular season, they went to halftime trailing 57-46. They went on to win that game in overtime 121-118. These come-from-behind wins are so common for the Warriors, there really isn't a lot of urgency for them to try to win the game in the first half. That's not the case for the Thunder, who really need to take advantage of the energy from the home crowd. A fast start is crucial for Oklahoma City. 

Take OKC. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on GS@OKC to go UNDER the total 1st half.

Do you remember when the Thunder upset the Warriors in Game 1? Perhaps the Warriors convincing 118-91 win in Game 2 has made us forget about how well the Thunder have played. Oklahoma City returns home with the series tied 1-1, and they are an underdog in Game 3. We've seen the Warriors deal with their fair share of adversity in this post-season, and they've made a habit of playing poorly in the first half on the road. They trailed at the half in both of their games in Portland, and they failed to get to the locker room with a lead at the half in both road games in their first round series versus Houston . 

Steph Curry continues to make incredible shots night in and night out, but after dropping 40 points on the Blazers in Game 4, he's been held under 30 points in three straight. He's admitted his knee is still not 100%, and he injured his elbow late in Game 2. You could see his elbow was quite swollen while he was sitting on the bench in the third quarter, and the injury was on his shooting arm. 

When the Warriors visited Oklahoma City in the regular season, they went to halftime trailing 57-46. That's well short of the number for the first half of Game 3. These teams have failed to reach the total in four of the last five meetings, and the Warriors have gone under in six of their last seven Conference Finals games.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Toronto Raptors. 

Nobody gave the Raptors much of a chance at winning this series prior to Game 1, and after Cleveland mopped the flour with them in the opener, most are expecting a sweep. There's no denying that Toronto is out-gunned, and Cleveland is the more talented team, that should win the series. The fact is, Toronto finished the regular season with an almost identical record (1 game back), and won two of three in the season series. 

The Raptors were terrible offensively in Cleveland, shooting just 5-of-24 from beyond the arc in Game 1. Kyle Lowry scored eight points on 4-of-14 shooting, and was 0-for-7 from three-point range in the opener, and he was no better in Game 2. 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Cleveland come out a little sluggish, as this appears to be a let down spot coming off such an easy win. In the Cavs previous series, they beat Atlanta by a whopping 25 points in Game 2, but then trailed at halftime in the next game. They went on to sweep the Hawks, but that's even more reason why they might be complacent early on. Toronto played well early in Game 2, before falling appart just a few minutes before the break. I expect them to hold on here in the first half at home in Game 3. 

Take TOR. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Toronto Raptors. 

Nobody gave the Raptors much of a chance at winning this series prior to Game 1, and after Cleveland mopped the flour with them in the opener, most are expecting a sweep. There's no denying that Toronto is out-gunned, and Cleveland is the more talented team, that should win the series. The fact is, Toronto finished the regular season with an almost identical record (1 game back), and won two of three in the season series. 

The Raptors were terrible offensively in Game 1, shooting just 5-of-24 from beyond the arc. Kyle Lowry scored eight points on 4-of-14 shooting, and was 0-for-7 from three-point range. It would be difficult for the Raptors to play that bad again in Game 2, and an improved performance from Lowry is almost a guarantee. 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Cleveland come out a little sluggish, as this appears to be a let down spot coming off such an easy win. In the Cavs previous series, they beat Atlanta by a whopping 25 points in Game 2, but then trailed at halftime in the next game. They went on to sweep the Hawks, but that's even more reason why they might be complacent early on in Game 2. I'll take a tab at the Raptors getting a whole whack of points on this inflated line. 

Take TOR. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on OKC@GS to go UNDER the total. 

The Warriors got off to a great start in Game 1, but they struggled in the second half allowing Oklahoma City to come from behind to record the upset. Stephen Curry still isn't 100%, and he was just 1-of-1 from the field in the fourth quarter. The Warriors have a habit of slow starts to games, and I really think these teams will struggle to reach this enormous number in the first half of Game 2.

Steph Curry returned to action in Game 4, and he scored 40 points (a record 17 in overtime) en route to a 132-125 victory. He made his first three-pointer in the third quarter, and he did the bulk of his scoring after that. After seeing so many high scores in Golden State's series versus Portland, the bookmakers have come out with an astronomically high total for Game 2 of the Western Conference Final. 

While there were several high scoring games in the Thunder's series versus San Antonio, not one of those games saw enough points to reach the total in tonight's game. In fact the Thunder held the Spurs to 100 points or less in five of the six games. It's not going to be easy to duplicate that success against the Warriors, but I wouldn't be surprised to see another close game at Oracle Arena. 

Take UNDER .

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on TOR@CLE to go UNDER the total. 

The Cavs have been unstoppable so far in these playoffs, but they come into Game 1 versus the Raptors off a long layoff. It's been nine days since they closed out the Hawks in a four game sweep in the Eastern Conference Semi Final. Game 4 of that series failed to reach 200 total points, as have five of Cleveland's last seven games in these playoffs. The Raptors are also trending toward the under, with six of their seven games against the Heat failing to reach a total of 200 points. Toronto finished the regular season with the NBA's 3rd best defense, allowing opponents to average just over 98 points per game. The emergence of center Bizmack Biyombo may make them even tougher, and they held the Heat to an average of 93.7 points in their last series. Biyombo isn't as much of a scorer as the injured Jonas Valancunias, but he's a dominant defender and an excellent rebounder. The Raptors have gone under in eight of their last nine on the road, and Cleveland has failed to reach the total in six of it's last seven when playing on three or more days of rest. The Cavs could be a little sluggish to start tonight's game, given the nine day layoff. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a Free #NBA play on the Golden State #Warriors.

The Oklahoma City Thunder shocked everyone with a stunning upset win in their second round series versus San Antonio. As impressive as they have looked, I still think they're going to be in way over their heads in the Western Conference Final. The Warriors had some ups and downs in their series versus Portland, but in the end they were able to overcome slow starts, closing out the Blazers in five games. 

Steph Curry returned to action in Game 4, and he scored 40 points (a record 17 in overtime) en route to a 132-125 victory. He made his first three-pointer in the third quarter, and he did the bulk of his scoring after that. The Warriors are looking for a second consecutive title after finishing with the best all time record in the NBA this season. They were expected to beat Portland, so there's no reason to expect a let down. That's not the case for the Thunder, who came out flat in Game 1 against the Spurs losing 124-92. 

The Thunder lost both meetings at Golden State during the regular season by a combined 22 points. They are likely to struggle here in Game 1. 

Take GS. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on OKC@GS to go UNDER the total. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder shocked everyone with a stunning upset win in their second round series versus San Antonio. As impressive as they have looked, I still think they're going to be in way over their heads in the Western Conference Final. The Warriors had some ups and downs in their series versus Portland, but in the end they were able to overcome slow starts, closing out the Blazers in five games. 

Steph Curry returned to action in Game 4, and he scored 40 points (a record 17 in overtime) en route to a 132-125 victory. He made his first three-pointer in the third quarter, and he did the bulk of his scoring after that. After seeing so many high scores in Golden State's series versus Portland, the bookmakers have come out with an astronomically high total for Game 1 of the Western Conference Final. 

While there were several high scoring games in the Thunder's series versus San Antonio, not one of those games saw enough points to reach the total in tonight's game. In fact the Thunder held the Spurs to 100 points or less in five of the six games. It's not going to be easy to duplicate that success against the Warriors, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Golden State struggle to shake off the rust coming off a layoff. The Warriors came out flat a few times in their series versus Portland, and it could take a while to get going in Game 1. 

Take UNDER .

GL, 

Jesse Schule 

This is an 8* play on the Toronto Raptors. 

The Raptors will host the Heat in a Game 7 on Sunday, and so far in these playoffs this Toronto team has been at it's best with it's back against the wall. We saw the Raptors prevail in a Game 7 at home in the first round versus Indiana. They out-scored Indiana 50-44 in the first half of that game, and another fast start will be crucial if they expect to advance to the Eastern Conference Final. 

DeMar DeRozan scored 30 points in the series finale versus the Pacers, and he led all scorers with 34 points in Game 5 of this series. Kyle Lowry went off for 36 points on 12-of-27 shooting in Game 6, and he was 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. With Toronto's star players firing on all cylinders, and Miami playing without starting center Hassan Whiteside, I think it's going to be tough for the Heat to compete on the road here. 

The Heat have been brutal on the road all year, and they've lost 2-of-3 at Toronto so far in this series. Miami is just 4-9 ATS in it's last 13 road games. 

Take TOR. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Miami Heat. 

It's rare to see The Iceman change teams in the middle of a playoff series, but Game 6 looks like a nightmare spot for the Raptors. The officials are clearly giving the Heat the benefit of the doubt on every close call, and Toronto is really going to struggle to score with a banged up DeMar Derozan and and DeMarre Carroll. Bizmack Biyombo has been great, but he doesn't pose as much of a threat as the injured Jonas Valancunias. 

Patrick Patterson started at PF in Game 5, and he scored just eight points on 3-of-12 shooting. He's having a terrible series, shooting just .335 and averaging just six points per game. The Raptors really have no answer for Dwayne Wade, who scored 68 points in Games 3 & 4 in Miami. The Heat are a dominant home team, and they've covered the spread in 10 of their last 12 in Miami. The Raptors don't do well in a let down spot, failing to cover in seven of their last nine coming off a win. 

Take MIA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on TOR@MIA to go UNDER the total.  

It's rare to see The Iceman change strategy in the middle of a playoff series, and even after just missing the under in Game 5, he's firing right back with "under" in Game 6. The officials are clearly giving the Heat the benefit of the doubt on every close call, and Toronto is really going to struggle to score with a banged up DeMar Derozan and and DeMarre Carroll. Bizmack Biyombo has been great, but he doesn't pose as much of a threat as the injured Jonas Valancunias. 

Patrick Patterson started at PF in Game 5, and he scored just eight points on 3-of-12 shooting. He's having a terrible series, shooting just .335 and averaging just six points per game. The Heat could be without Loul Deng in Game 6, and Hassan Whiteside remains sidelined with a knee injury. Toronto has failed to reach the total in eight straight road games, and 10 of it's last 13 overall. The under is 8-2 in Miami's last 10 overall. 

Take MIA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Antonio Spurs. 

The Spurs are on the ropes, facing elimination in Game 6 in Oklahoma City tonight. This is a similar spot to Game 3, coming off a tough home loss in Game 2, they were able to come up with a big 100-106 win on the road. I think history is going to repeat itself here, with the Spurs coming off a home loss in a game that they led almost the entire way. Kawhi Leonard was dominant in Game 5, scoring 26 points on 12-of-21 shooting. He also had five steals. He was even better in the Spurs Game 3 win at Oklahoma City, scoring 31 points and pulling in 11 rebounds. He's going to need to be big for the Spurs here in Game 6. Greg Popovich has no shortage of playoff (and championship) experience, and I think he's going to have his squad well prepared for this elimination game. The Thunder have a history of playoff collapses, and they were ousted at home in Game 6 versus the Spurs two seasons ago. In 2013 they were ousted at home in Game 5 versus the Grizzlies, and I still think the Spurs are likely to come back and win this series. 

Take SA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Toronto Raptors.

The Raptors blew a late lead in Game 4 in Miami, and they return home deadlocked at 2-2 in their series versus the Heat. Coming off such a tough loss, I expect Toronto to come out strong with a big first half in Game 5. Both teams have lost their starting center, but Toronto is in far better shape with Bizmack Biyombo scoring 13 points and pulling in 13 rebounds in 31 minutes in Game 4. The Raptors are also getting big minutes off the bench from Cory Joseph and Terrence Ross, who combined to score 28 points in the loss at Miami. With DeMar DeRozan battling a thumb injury, the pressure is on Kyle Lowry to carry the load. He scored 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting in Game 3, but he fouled out with just 10 points in Game 4. Expect a bounce back performance from the Raptors PG at home tonight. Four of five games in this series have gone to overtime, and still the total has gone under in each of the last three games. The Heat have gone under in eight of their last nine overall, and Toronto has failed to reach the total in 10 of it's last 12.

Take TOR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MIA@TOR to go UNDER the total.

The Raptors blew a late lead in Game 4 in Miami, and they return home deadlocked at 2-2 in their series versus the Heat. Coming off such a tough loss, I expect Toronto to come out strong with a big first half in Game 5. Both teams have lost their starting center, but Toronto is in far better shape with Bizmack Biyombo scoring 13 points and pulling in 13 rebounds in 31 minutes in Game 4. The Raptors are also getting big minutes off the bench from Cory Joseph and Terrence Ross, who combined to score 28 points in the loss at Miami. With DeMar DeRozan battling a thumb injury, the pressure is on Kyle Lowry to carry the load. He scored 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting in Game 3, but he fouled out with just 10 points in Game 4. Expect a bounce back performance from the Raptors PG at home tonight. Four of five games in this series have gone to overtime, and still the total has gone under in each of the last three games. The Heat have gone under in eight of their last nine overall, and Toronto has failed to reach the total in 10 of it's last 12.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Antonio Spurs. 

The Spurs return home with their second round series versus Oklahoma City deadlocked at two games a piece. While the Thunder did steal a game in San Antonio in Game 2, they know it isn't going to be easy in this pivotal Game 5. This Spurs team was 40-1 at home during the regular season, and they held the Memphis Grizzlies to just 71 points per game in their first round series. Kevin Durant went off for 41 points in Game 4, but he was held to just 22 points per game in the two games in San Antonio. The Thunder had no answer for LaMarcus Aldridge in the first two games in San Antonio, he scored 38 points in Game 1, and 41 in Game 2. The series opener was a blowout, and the Thunder scored just 40 points in the first half, trailing by 33 points. I expect a similar outcome in Game 5, with the home team winning by double digits. 

Take SA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Portland Trailblazers.

I had a big bet on the Blazers in Game 3, and I am going back to the well here in Game 4 in Portland. Portland got off to a good start in the last game, and they remain undefeated at home in these playoffs. They have led at the half in all four of their home wins, and yet they are getting a handful of points against the wounded Warriors tonight. The Blazers looked dangerous in Game 2, opening up a huge early lead. Portland led by 11 after the first quarter, and went to the locker room at the half up by eight. The Warriors didn't appear to be concerned, after all, they've been able to come from behind to win games late all year long. If this game is close at halftime, Golden State will probably be saying "we've got them right where we want them". A good start is an absolute must for the Blazers here, and they've been great at home. Portland is 12-1 in it's last 13 home games. Damian Lillard was lights out in the last game, going off for 40 points. This is a confident young team and I expect them to make life difficult for the Warriors here. 

Take POR. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on TOR@MIA to go UNDER the total. 

The Raptors are back in the driver's seat after winning Game 3 in Miami, and they have to be encouraged by the play of Kyle Lowry. Their star PG has broken out of a slump, scoring 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting in the last game. He's going to need to carry the load with DeMar DeRozan banged up, and Jonas Valanciunas sidelined with an ankle injury. Toronto's center had been dominant in this series, scoring 55 points and pulling in 38 rebounds in 2.5 games. His replacement Bizmack Biyombo is also an excellent defender, but is nowhere near as dangerous offensively. Still this leaves the Raptors in better shape than Miami, who will really miss Hassan Whiteside. We've seen a trend of close, low scoring games so far in this series, with all three decided by six points or less. Two of the three games went under, with the only exception being Game 1, when Kyle Lowry hit a miracle shot from half court to force overtime. The Raptors have failed to reach the total in seven straight on the road, and the Heat have gone under in seven of their last eight overall. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Toronto Raptors. 

The Raptors are back in the driver's seat after winning Game 3 in Miami, and they have to be encouraged by the play of Kyle Lowry. Their star PG has broken out of a slump, scoring 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting in the last game. He's going to need to carry the load with DeMar DeRozan banged up, and Jonas Valanciunas sidelined with an ankle injury. Toronto's center had been dominant in this series, scoring 55 points and pulling in 38 rebounds in 2.5 games. His replacement Bizmack Biyombo is also an excellent defender, but is nowhere near as dangerous offensively. Still this leaves the Raptors in better shape than Miami, who will really miss Hassan Whiteside. We've seen a trend of close, low scoring games so far in this series, with all three decided by six points or less. We should expect another competitive game here. 

Take TOR. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Portland Trailblazers 1/H.

The Warriors head to Portland with a commanding lead in this series, but the Blazers looked dangerous in Game 2, opening up a huge early lead. Portland led by 11 after the first quarter, and went to the locker room at the half up by eight. The Warriors didn't appear to be concerned, after all, they've been able to come from behind to win games late all year long. A good start is an absolute must for the Blazers in Game 3, and they've been great at home. Portland is 11-1 in it's last 12 home games. They won all three home games in their first round series versus the Clippers, and they led at halftime in all three of those games. The Blazers are actually getting points in tonight's game, and if this game is close at the half, the Warriors would think they have the Blazers right where they want them. Expect Portland to get off to a good start.

Take POR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Antonio Spurs. 

After crushing the Thunder in Game 1 of this series, the Spurs may have been guilty of taking their foot off the gas in Game 2. The Thunder won by a score of 98-97 and LaMarcus Aldridge scored 41 points in a losing effort: "It feels horrible," Aldridge said. "Feels like it was wasted. I've never been about trying to get points and not win; I always try to do things to win. If you win, it's totally a different feeling, but losing like that hurts."

The series shifts to Oklahoma City for a pivotal Game 3, and the Spurs can't afford to let the Thunder seize control of this series. San Antonio didn't have much trouble winning on the road this year, going 27-14 during the regular season. They've won twice in their last four visits to Oklahoma City, and they are 17-6 ATS in their last 23 when coming off a loss. 

The Thunder are tough at home, but they have already lost once at home in the playoffs, losing 84-85 in Game 2 of their first round series with Dallas. I expect San Antonio to play more like they did in the series opener, rather than how they played in Game 2. It's going to be quite difficult for the Thunder to match their defensive intensity 

Take SA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on CLE@ATL to go UNDER the total. 

After a low scoring battle in Game 1, the Cavs came out and set an NBA record with 25 made three-pointers in Game 2. You might as well just completely disregard what happened in the last game in Cleveland, and I think it's far more likely that Game 3 will be a lot more like Game 1. 

Three of Cleveland's last four games at Atlanta have failed to reach the total, and the only exception was a 110-108 overtime win for Cleveland. The first half of that game only saw a combined 96 points, and I don't expect any more scoring here in Game 3 in Atlanta. 

The Hawks were the best defensive team in the NBA after the All Star break, and they've gone under in seven of their last eight when coming off a loss. The under is 5-1 in Atlanta's last six home games, and 8-2 in the Hawks last 10 overall. 

Both of Cleveland's road games in these playoffs have gone under, and LeBron struggled in Detroit, scoring a total of 42 points on 17-of-43 shooting. He was just 2-of-12 from beyond the arc in those games.  

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Toronto Raptors. 

Toronto came out like gangbusters in the first half of Game 1, but despite a solid effort, Miami was able to keep it close. The Heat trailed by just two points at halftime, and they dominated play in the second half of Game 1, and then again in overtime. Now the Raptors are on the ropes, needing to salvage a split to stay in this series. It seems like Toronto has been in this same situation since the playoffs started, and so far they've managed to play their best basketball when their backs against the wall. We saw the Raptors drop Game 1 in their 1st round series versus the Pacers, only to win Game 2 in a rout (98-87). They out-scored Indiana 27-16 in the first quarter of that game, and took a five point lead to the locker room at the half. The Heat were brutal on the road all season long, and they lost two of three at Charlotte in the first round. They knew they needed to win in Toronto, and they should be quite content to go back to Miami with the series tied 1-1. The Raptors are 5-2 ATS in their last seven coming off a loss, and the Heat are just 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games. 

Take TOR. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MIA@TOR to go UNDER the total. 

The Raptors finally got the monkey off their backs, ending a 15 year run of playoff disappointment by escaping their first round series versus the Pacers. They overcame adversity, with stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar Derozan struggling with their shot through the entire series. It was strong defense and key contributions off the bench that powered the Raptors past Indiana. Only one of the seven games in that series went over the total, and we are likely to see more defensive battles in this series versus the Heat. 

Miami is coming off a blowout win in Game 7 over Charlotte, and they held the Hornets to just 74 points on 32.1 percent shooting in the series finale. The final four games of that series went under the total, and the Heat have failed to reach the total in five straight on the road. We've seen roughly 65% of the games in these playoffs go under, and the bookmakers have not been able to adjust quick enough. In fact, in games with a total of 195 or less, the under is 12-2-1. The total for tonight's Game 1 is still higher than it has been in two of the last three meetings between these two teams. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on OKC@SA to go UNDER the total. 

I took the under in Game 1, and here is what I said pregame: 

"The Oklahoma City Thunder had little trouble getting past the Mavs in the first round, winning the series in five games. The final three games in that series all went over, and the Thunder averaged 122 points in those games. They can't expect to enjoy that same success in San Antonio, where they lost both meetings during the regular season. Three of the four games in the season series went under, and the Spurs won 102-98 in overtime in the last meeting. San Antonio is by far the best defensive team in the NBA, allowing opponents to average just 92.9 points per game. They only allowed the Grizzlies to average 71 points in their two home games in the first round. The Thunder played well defensively in the first round, holding the Mavs to 93.8 points per game." 

While the Spurs defense was as good as I expected it to be, the Thunder just couldn't stop San Antonio from scoring. Oklahoma City will need to tighten things up here in Game 2, and I expect a much slower pace after the Thunder make adjustments. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on ATL@CLE to go UNDER the total. 

The Cavs have won seven straight against Atlanta, and they've held the Hawks to fewer than 100 points in regulation in all seven of those games. Both teams were impressive on defense in their respective first round matchups. The Hawks allowed Boston to average just 93.8 points per game, while the Cavs held Detroit to an average of 95 points per game. Atlanta has failed to reach the total in eight of it's last 10 overall, while the Cavs have gone under in five of their last six when coming off at least three days rest. The under is 23-11 in Cavaliers last 34 Conference Semifinals games. These teams played a low scoring contest in Game 1 of the East Finals last year, with Cleveland winning by a score of 97-89. I expect a similar looking score in Game 1 of this series. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on IND@TOR to go UNDER the total. This series has seen more than it's fair share of low scoring games, with five of the six games going under the total. We saw just 184 points scored in Game 6, and I really don't think we can expect more than that tonight in Game 7. Toronto did a decent job defending Paul George, holding him to 21 points on 5-of-14 shooting in Game 6. Indiana scored just nine points in the fourth quarter in Toronto in Game 5, but the total did go over for the first time in the series. Despite a heavy trend of low scoring games in these playoffs, and five of six games going under in this series, we still saw a higher total in Game 6 than we saw in Game 5. DeMar DeRozan is averaging just 15.8 points per game on 32.8 percent shooting in this series, while Kyle Lowry has shot just 27 percent from the field in three home games against the Pacers. Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on OKC@SA to go UNDER the total. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder had little trouble getting past the Mavs in the first round, winning the series in five games. The final three games in that series all went over, and the Thunder averaged 122 points in those games. They can't expect to enjoy that same success in San Antonio, where they lost both meetings during the regular season. Three of the four games in the season series went under, and the Spurs won 102-98 in overtime in the last meeting. San Antonio is by far the best defensive team in the NBA, allowing opponents to average just 92.9 points per game. They only allowed the Grizzlies to average 71 points in their two home games in the first round. The Thunder played well defensively in the first round, holding the Mavs to 93.8 points per game. 

Take UNDER GL, Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Charlotte Hornets. 

The Heat appeared to have complete control of this series, winning the first two games in Miami by a combined 44 points. The Hornets though are on the verge of eliminating Miami after winning three straight, including a 90-88 win at Miami in Game 5. The series shifts back to Charlotte, where the Hornets boast a 30-11 record this season. Miami has really struggled to be competitive on the road all year long, and have only covered once in their last nine away from home. Kemba Walker did not shoot the ball well in Miami, scoring just 14 points on 4-of-18 shooting. He scored 34 points in the last game in Charlotte though, and he should be a big factor tonight. Hassan Whiteside is banged up, and he only played 25 minutes in Game 4. The Hornets have been incredible defensively over the last three games, holding Miami to 84.3 per game on 38.6 percent shooting. Dwyane Wade only scored a total of 29 points on 11-of-31 shooting in the two games in Charlotte. This series should come to a conclusion here in Game 6. 

Take CHA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Toronto Raptors. 

The Raptors head back to Indiana with a chance to close out the Pacers in Game 6. So far home court hasn't been much of an advantage in this series, with both teams winning once on the road. The Pacers came very close in Game 5, but blew a 13 point lead in the fourth quarter. I think that such a demoralizing loss sets up Indiana for an emotional let down here tonight. The Raptors haven't had any trouble winning at Indiana, and they've covered the spread in nine of their last 11 at Bankers Field House. 

Indiana scored just nine points in the fourth quarter in Toronto in Game 5, but the total did go over for the first time in the series. Despite a heavy trend of low scoring games in these playoffs, and four of five games going under in this series, we still see a higher total in Game 6 than we saw in Game 5. DeMar DeRozan scored 34 points on 10-of-22 shooting in the last game, after struggling earlier in the series. This is a good sign moving forward for the Raptors, and I like their chances of eliminating the Pacers tonight. 

Take TOR. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on TOR@IND to go UNDER the total. 

The Raptors head back to Indiana with a chance to close out the Pacers in Game 6. So far home court hasn't been much of an advantage in this series, with both teams winning once on the road. The Pacers came very close in Game 5, but blew a 13 point lead in the fourth quarter. I think that such a demoralizing loss sets up Indiana for an emotional let down here tonight. The Raptors haven't had any trouble winning at Indiana, and they've covered the spread in nine of their last 11 at Bankers Field House. 

Indiana scored just nine points in the fourth quarter in Toronto in Game 5, but the total did go over for the first time in the series. Despite a heavy trend of low scoring games in these playoffs, and four of five games going under in this series, we still see a higher total in Game 6 than we saw in Game 5. DeMar DeRozan scored 34 points on 10-of-22 shooting in the last game, after struggling earlier in the series. This is a good sign moving forward for the Raptors, but still they've failed to reach the total in five straight road games. Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Atlanta Hawks. 

After watching the Hawks just annihilate the Celtics in Game 5 in Atlanta, I think Boston is in big trouble heading back home for Game 6. Celtics leading scorer Isaiah Thomas scored just seven points on 3-of-12 shooting in 29 minutes in Game 5, and he is battling an ankle injury that will prevent him from being 100% for tonight's game. With second leading scorer Avery Bradley out with a hamstring injury, Boston really needs Thomas to carry the load offensively. The Hawks on the other hand have a ton of scoring depth, and they had five players score in double digits on Tuesday night. The Hawks had by far the best defense in the NBA since the All Star break, and the Celtics have averaged just 94 points in the first five games. Boston was very fortunate in Game 4, tying the game late to force overtime, but I think their luck is set to run out here in Game 6. 

The Celtics won the first game in the regular season series at home by a score of 106-93. The Hawks though won the next three, including a 109-101 win in Boston in December. Both games in Atlanta were blowouts, with the Hawks winning by a combined 35 points. Atlanta finished the season strong winning 15 of it's last 21, and 10 of it's last 12 at home. The Hawks final home game was a 118-107 win over the Celtics, and Paul Millsap scored 31 points and pulled in 16 rebounds in that game. The Celtics had no answer for Millsap in the regular season series, as he's averaged 22.5 points and 10.3 rebounds in the four games.

Take ATL. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule