At 8:30pm ET, my selection is on the Oklahoma City Thunder. This series is tied but OKC has dominated and led for most of it. The Thunder learned their lesson in Game 1 and were much better in Game 2. They are likely to beat the Indiana Pacers by a comfortable margin again in Game 3 due to their superior defensive prowess and ability to exploit Indiana’s vulnerabilities. OKC’s aggressive, switch-heavy defense, led by players like Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, and Alex Caruso, has consistently disrupted opponents, forcing turnovers at a league-leading rate (21.8% of possessions in the playoffs). Despite Indiana’s low-turnover offense (12.7% TOV%), the Thunder’s relentless ball pressure and transition defense (allowing just 9.3 fast-break points per game) can neutralize the Pacers’ fast-paced, three-point-heavy attack. Additionally, OKC’s depth and versatility, with players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (averaging 30.2 points in the playoffs) and Jalen Williams exploiting mismatches, give them an edge over Indiana’s less consistent supporting cast. The Thunder’s dominant record against Eastern Conference teams and their ability to win on the road suggest they’ll dominate in Indianapolis. Lay the points.

At 8:00pm ET, my NBA Playoff Game Of The Year is on Oklahoma City. In Game 1, the Thunder maintained control for much of the way, only to see their lead slip away in the fourth quarter. To their credit, the Pacers have consistently demonstrated an ability to stage improbable comebacks in the final period. However, a repeat performance is unlikely in Game 2. Oklahoma City has learned its lesson and will not let another lead slip away. The Thunder have been the best team all season and that's the team we will see the entire way on Sunday. The Thunder have a proven track record of responding to playoff losses with victories in the following game. In each previous series, they showcased their Game 2 dominance: defeating Memphis by 19 points, overwhelming the Nuggets by 43 points after dropping Game 1, and securing a 15-point win over Minnesota. Backs to the wall after Thursday's loss, expect the Thunder to rebound strongly with another decisive Game 2 win and cover. 

At 8:00 PM ET, my Eastern Conference Playoff Game of the Year is on the Indiana Pacers. This series concludes tonight. The Pacers have a perfect 3-0 record both straight-up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) following a loss in these playoffs, with convincing victories by 26, 20, and 9 points, averaging over 18 points per win. Despite a 26-22 road record after their loss at Madison Square Garden, Indiana boasts an impressive 34-13 home record at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Pacers' star Tyrese Haliburton emphasized the team's composure, stating, "We understand what the stakes are. We're fine. There's no need to panic or anything." Pascal Siakam acknowledged the opponent's effort in the previous game, noting, "They played harder than us. It's OK. We played hard, but they played harder." Lay the small number and expect Haliburton, Siakam and the rest of the Pacers to elevate their intensity and performance to secure the win and cover at home tonight.

At 8:30pm Et, my Western Conference Playoff Game Of The Year is on Minnesota. Its improbable that the Timberwolves will smash the Thunder the way that they did in Game 3, this score will likely be much closer. However, the decisive win in Game 3 significantly boosted the Timberwolves' confidence, reinforcing their belief that executing their game plan can and will lead to victory against this opponent. With Game 4 at Target Center, where Minnesota has a strong postseason record, I anticipate the Timberwolves will even the series. With Game 4 being played at Target Center, I expect Minnesota to even the series. SGA may have won the MVP but this is Anthony Edward's house. The Wolves have only lost one game here in the playoffs and that was when they had a very long layoff in between games. They've won each of their last 3 games here by double-digits and by a combined 77 points. The Thunder have dropped 3 of their last 4 away games, highlighting the increased difficulty of winning on the road in the postseason compared to the regular season. I like the Wolves outright but in game which could be decided on the final shot, I will take the points. Play on Minnesota.

At 8:00pm ET, my NBA Slam Dunk is on New York. I had long since cashed with the over so the crazy ending of Game 1 didn't matter to me. It mattered to the Knicks and their fans though and we can be confident that they will keep their foot on the gas pedal the whole way tonight. The reality was that the Knicks were the better team almost the entire way. "There's a lot of things we did good and we put ourselves in position to win," Towns said. "We played 46 good minutes. Those two minutes are where we lost the game (in regulation), and that's on all of us." The Knicks are still 30-18 at home compared to Indiana's 25-21 on the road. New York bounces back with a big win. Lay the points. 

At 8:30pm ET, my Slam Dunk Club is on OKC. The team that emerges victorious in this series is the likely NBA Championship winner. The Timberwolves have performed exceptionally well and are entering this series following a less demanding matchup, allowing them significant rest. However, extended rest can sometimes be a disadvantage, as evidenced by their performance after a long break before the previous series, where they lost Game 1 to Golden State, scoring only 88 points and falling by double digits. Conversely, the Oklahoma City Thunder faced a challenging series against the Denver Nuggets, which has sharpened their resilience and preparedness. They excelled in the final critical test, securing a convincing Game 7 victory which will propel their momentum into Game 1. The Thunder boast an impressive 40-7 home record and they typically deliver "decisive" victories. Minnesota may hang around for a while but OKC pulls away for a double-digit win. Lay the points. 

At 7:00pm ET, my selection is on the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers have had an amazing season. Don't count them out yet. If they do lose a game, it'll be the next one. They're not going down in front of the home fans. Mitchell is questionable and appears he'll be a game-time decsion. You know he's going to be out there, if at all possible. With or without him, we will see the best of Cleveland. Indiana may have won here before but the Cavs still have a 36-9 home record. Lay the points. 

At 10:00pm ET, my NBA Quarterfinals Game Of the Year is on Minnesota. In the last game, the Timberwolves fell just short of covering the spread, with the Warriors sinking a late three-pointer to secure the ATS victory. Despite this, Minnesota asserted dominance in the series. Even with Curry, Golden State faced a formidable challenge; without him, the Warriors are significantly outmatched.  Edwards outshines Butler, and the Timberwolves' supporting cast surpasses the Warriors' roster. While Golden State will play with desperation, it won’t suffice. Minnesota, a proven road team with a near-identical home and away record, is poised to tighten its grip on the series with a decisive victory and cover on Monday. Lay the points. 

At 7:00pm ET, my TNT Slam Dunk is on Boston. It's always a good time when Boston and New York face each other. A good time for Boston fans, at least. The Celtics have defeated the Knicks 4 straight times and they've won 8 of the past 9 meetings. In sweeping the 4 regular season games, the Celtics won by an average of greater than 16 points. Three of the 4 wins were by 13 or more points. The Knicks had their hands full with the Pistons. The Celtics had little trouble against Orlando. The Celtics tipped off the 2nd round of last year's playoffs with a dominant 25 point win, holding Cleveland to only 95 points. They will flex their muscles and remind the Knicks who's boss once again. Lay the points.

At 6:00pm ET, my Eastern Conference Slam Dunk is on Cleveland. The Pacers were competitive in the regular season but now will get a taste of how good the Cavaliers really are. Indiana is 21-21 on the road. Cleveland is 36-7 at home. Indiana just had to battle with everything to get past the Bucks. Cleveland took the life out of Miami from the start, crushing the spirit of the Heat and winning the final 2 games by 37 and 55 points. The Pacers play at a very fast pace that was too much for Milwaukee. The Cavaliers have the athleticism to keep up with them though as well as a greater ability to slow the Pacers down. Their superior defense will dictate today's outcome. Cleveland wins by more than 10. Lay the points. 

My WOLVES/LAKERS BEATDOWN play is on the Minnesota Timberwolves at 10:00 EST. LA was 25-7 straight up when favored at home in the regular season, while Minnesota was 7-7 straight up during the regular season as an underdog on the road. But that was then, and this is now. The Minnesota franchise can erase two decades of losing in the playoffs to the Lakers with an outright win in Game 5. They're the better team here and the media and the bookmakers are slow in recognizing that Anthony Edwards has completely taken over this series. LeBron and Luka just don't have the supporting cast or chemistry to pull this one out of the fire. Minnesota is too deep and now too experienced. And also confident. While I feel the outright victory is a very real possibility, my official call is to grab the points, because Minnesota rolls!

My WESTERN CONFERENCE GAME OF THE WEEK is on the Houston Rockets at 10:00 EST. Houston will look to tie up this series before heading home for Game 5. Jimmy Butler sat out Game 3 and it's unclear if he'll play in this one. But whether he does or not, I like Houston to, at the very least, keep this one competitive until the final bucket. Basically, I feel that whichever team has its hands on the ball last will win Game 4. Fred Van Vleet was a bright spot in Game 3 for Houston with 17 points. Stephen Curry is obviously amazing, but without Butler at 100%, the lineup gets thin pretty quickly for the Warriors. Houston was the No. 2 seed coming into this one, and Golden State was a No. 7. I'm not counting out the Rockets quite yet. Jalen Green had a big game in Game 2 following the loss at home in Game 1 and I expect a similar response tonight. Grab the points, Rockets roll!

My EASTERN CONFERENCE CRU$HER is on the Pacers at 9:30 EST. So far, the home floor advantage has proved crucial in this series, but I think that the Pacers have a legitimate shot at winning Game 4 outright. That said, in a contest that I see coming right down to the wire, I'll recommend to grab as many points as you can. Indiana had a ten-point halftime lead in Game 3, before the Bucks went on a miraculous second-half comeback to save their season essentially. Giannis Antetokounmpo had another big night with 37 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Gary Trent Jr. exploded for 37 points, hitting nine three-pointers. Suffice it to say, I'm not expecting lightning to "strike twice" for Trent Jr. in Game 4. Damian Lillard was just 2 of 12. Aaron Newsmith had 18 points for the Pacers in Game 3, while Tyrese Haliburton has so far dished out an average of 11.3 assists during the Playoffs. Look for Indiana's depth prove to be crucial in its competitiveness in Game 4. Grab the points, Pacers roll!

My BLOWOUT PLAY is on the LA Clippers at 6:00 EST. James Harden and Kawhi Leonard are through playing "second fiddle" to Nikola Jokic and I believe they can smell the proverbial blood in the water. Denver's offense has looked bad in all three games and frankly, the Nuggets are lucky to only be down 2-1 after holding on for the 112-110 OT win in Game 1 at home. Jokic appears visibly frustrated with the rest of his team. The Clippers though are just getting stronger with each outing. That progression continues in Game 4 at home in my opinion, so lay the points with confidence, because the Clippers are going to roll!

My SLAM-DUNK play is on the Orlando Magic at 7:00 EST. The Orlando Magic will be trying desperately to avoid the 0-3 hole. They managed a solid cover in Game 2's 109-100 loss. The big question for Boston is whether or not Jason Tatum will play. He didn't play in Game 2 and they still won. He could sit again here now with a comfortable 2-0 lead. That for sure works in Orlando's favor in Game 3. Whether Tatum plays or not though, I think this one sets up well for the Magic to finally respond and to, at the very least, take this contest right "down to the wire." While 33-8 overall on the road this year, the Celtics were just a mediocre 20-20-1 ATS away from friendly confines. The Magic were 22-19 SU/ATS at home and I believe the conditions are correct for them to make a response in Game 3. While I think an outright victory is very possible for the Magic, my official call will be to grab as many points as you can with Orlando.

My EASTERN CONFERENCE ROUND ONE GAME OF THE YEAR is on the Indiana Pacers at 7:00 EST. Many might think that this is a good spot for the Bucks to bounce back in, but I'm not one of those people. Indiana destroyed Milwaukee 117-98 in Game 1, and I believe a similar outcome will happen here in Game 2 as well. The Pacers are just too deep offensively. Game 1 saw Pascal Siakam lead the way with 25 points, while Tyrese Haliburton had a double-double. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the best player on the floor, admittedly overall, and while he had 36 points and 12 rebounds in Game 1, he got little help (note, Kyle Kuzma became the first player in playoff history to play more than 20 minutes and not record a single stat.) Damian Lillard is listed as questionable. It's rumored that he's "good to go." But whether he plays in Game 2 or not, I don't see him being super-effective right out of the gate. The Bucks are just 20-20 on the road this year, while the Pacers are 29-11 at home. Lay the points, Pacers roll!

My PLAYOFF SLAM-DUNK is on Oklahoma City Thunder at 1:00 EST. Can Ja Morant and the Grizzlies upset the Thunder in Game 1 outright? I don't think so! In fact, I can't see Morant, or Memphis being very competitive whatsoever in this one. The Grizzlies lost to Golden State, before then beating Dallas on Friday to secure the final playoff spot in the West. But Morant needed an injection in his ankle to even play, and he'll likely need another one before Game 1. OKC has won nine straight in this series and I'm expecting SGA and company to extend that streak. Memphis struggled big time after the All-Star break, ranked No. 18 in defensive efficiency, while posting a 12-16 record. Lay the points and look for SGA and OKC to keep the foot on the gas from start to finish. Thunder roll!

My Western Conference ROUND ONE GAME OF THE YEAR is on the Minnesota Timberwolves at 8:30 EST. These franchises have not me in the Playoffs since the 2004 Confernece Finals featuring Shaq, Kobe and KG. The Lakers are essentially two players. Granted, their two fantastic players, who have the ability to take over a game or situation at any moment. Austin Reaves had a great regular season, but the bench then starts to wear thin pretty quickly after that. Minnesota made big changes this year as well by shipping out Karl Anthony Towns and going instead with Julius Randle. But Anthony Edwards put the team on his back in the second-half of the season and finished by averaging 27.6 points, 5.7 boards and 4.6 assists per game. Note that only the Oklahoma City Thunder have a better record in the West than the Wolves do since March 1st (17-4.) Over that stretch the Wolves have posted the second-best offense (121.9 points per 100 possessions), and the seventh-best defense (110.7 points allowed per 100 possessions.) I think this is a bad matchup for LA without Anthony Davis in the line-up. While the outright upset is a possibility in my opinion, my official call will be to grab as many points as you can with the Wolves.

My SLAM-DUNK PLAY is on the Indiana Pacers at 1:00 EST. I think that the home-floor advantage will prove critical here for the Pacers at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon. These teams have similar overall records, with Milwaukee entering at 48-34 overall. Indiana finished 50-32. The Bucks, though, were just 20-20 on the road this season, while the Pacers were 29-11 in front of the hometown crowd. These teams met last year and Indiana posted a 4-2 series victory. The Pacers advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference Final before getting swept in four games by the Celtics. Tyrese Haliburton had a big second half and finished averaging 18.6 points and 9.2 assists. Last year the Pacers finished fifth in the standing, but this year they have home-court by finishing in fourth. Doc Rivers team has hand plenty of ups and downs this year. Milwaukee won its final eight games of the regular season, but with nearly a week off between games, I believe they'll lose that momentum. Damian Lillard also won't be playing, so Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to have to shoulder the load in this series. I say the Pacers strike fast, hard and relentlessly in Game 1. Lay the points, Indiana rolls!

My NBA SLAM DUNK is on the Atlanta Hawks at 7:00 EST. Miami destroyed Chicago on Thursday, while Atlanta is off a loss to Orlando. The winner of this game will then move on to face the No. 1-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. Both teams are tired. Each has injury issues. Miami was able to take care of Chicago on the road, but overall this year the Heat have struggled on the road, going just 17-23 away from friendly confines this season. Atlanta on the other hand is 21-19 at home. While these teams split their regular-season series 2-2, I believe that here in this Playoff contest, that the home floor advantage really will be a factor working in favor of Trae Young and the Hawks tonight. In fact, each team won on its home floor in those regular season matchups, and there's no reason not to think that this won't continue here in Atlanta tonight. Young melted down in the Orlando loss, but he has a golden opportunity for redemptions here. Grab the point/s, the play is on Atlanta.

My PLAY-IN GAME OF THE YEAR is on the Miami Heat at 7:30 EST. The Heat have defeated the Bulls two other times in the Play-In Tournament, and I expect them to advance once again in 2025 as well. Chicago ended the regular-season with a 39-43 record and in ninth spot, while Miami finished in tenth, two games behind at 34-45. The loser will be eliminated, while the winner will move on to play the winner of the Hawks/Magic. Chicago won the season series by a score of 3-0, but experience counts now in the Playoffs. Yes, Jimmy Butler is long gone from Miami, but it till has plenty of talented players, including Tyler Herro. While Chicago does average 117.8 PPG, it concedes 119.4. Billy Donovan's side also only managed a sub-par 18-23 record at the United Center. Miami last played in the Play In Tournament in 2023 against the Bulls, and then moved on to the Finals to play Denver. Miami averages 110.6 PPG, but is one of the better defensive clubs in conceding just 110.6 as well. I think Eric Spolestra will have "something up his sleeve" here once again for the Bulls. Grab the point/s, Heat roll!

My PLAY-IN TOTAL OF THE YEAR is on the over between the Atlanta Hawks and the Orlando Magic. The winner of this tie will clinch the No. 7 seed in the East, while hte loser will have one more opportunity to try and get a playoff berth with the No. 8 seed. The Magic faltered down the stretch of the regular season, mostly due to injuries to key contributors. Quin Snyder's team is just 4-6 in its last ten games, but they did close the regular-season with two straight wins. Orlando closed with five straight victories. One of those games was a 119-112 home win here over Atlanta just last week. I foresee a similar pace and final combined score here as well, and that's why I'm rolling with the over.

My 8* SLAM-DUNK is on the LA Lakers at 10:30 EST. Only one week left to go in the NBA's regular season and we have two teams meeting for a third time this year. Houston beat LA 119-115 at home in January, and then the Lakers responded with a 104-98 home in March. Houston just had its three-game win streak snapped here last time out in a 134-117 loss to the Clippers. With a final home game vs. the Nuggets, it's Houston that could get caught "looking ahead" here. But the bottom line is, that the Rockets have already clinched the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and in their last loss they rested starters Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith Jr. (all are listed as questionable for this one as well.) LA is coming off the 112-97 win over the Mavericks, a victory that clinched them a berth, but they're still trying to lock down the No. 3 overall spot in the West. LA actually held Houston to just 41.6 percent shooting from the field in their most recent matchup, and that was with the Rockets at full strength. Look for LA to dial up the pressure from start to finish and lay the points with confidence.

My EASTERN-CONFERENCE GAME OF THE WEEK is on the New York Knicks at 7:00 EST. Detroit is so far 2-1 in the season series, but I think that New York has a legitimate shot at evening it up after this evening in the final regular season matchup between the clubs. New York is off a tough 119-117 loss to the Celtics, while Detroit fell 127-117 to the Kings. Detroit has now lost two straight here at home, also losing 109-103 to Memphis. With two straight against the Bucks to close out the year, will the home side get caught "looking ahead" to those important end-of-season divisional matchups?! Clearly, the answer is yes. The Knicks are still battling for a playoff spot, currently sitting in third spot, two games ahead of the Pacers. Detroit will be either fifth or sixth, depending on how it finishes up against the Bucks to close out the season. Cade Cunningham has helped turned around the Pistons this year, but I think that Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau will have his team prepared tonight. Look for the Knicks to push the pace and while an outright is possible, let's grab the points. Knicks roll!

My 8* SIDE WINNER is on the Sacramento Kings at 10:00 EST. The Nuggets lost their fourth-straight game 125-120 at home to the Pacers and afterward, Denver went out and fired Head Coach Mike Malone, and GM Calvin Booth. Making a coaching change can have one of two effects: either the team responds in a big way, or nothing really changes and it continues to scuffle. Denver had a winning overall record, and to fire both coach and GM with only four games remaining in the regular season feels like extremely poor timing and a complete panic decision. And if it's not that, and this is a bigger overall problem, then a coaching change won't have any effect. The Kings are moving in the opposite direction after three straight wins, most recently a 127-117 victory at Detroit. Sacramento has scored 125, 120 and 127 points over its last three victories. It plays with the added incentive of revenge here as well following a 116-110 loss to Denver in March. Look for the Kings to step up here and to, at the very least, keep this one competitive enough to earn the comfortable cover. Grab the points, Sacramento rolls!

My 10* ATLANTIC DIVISION GAME OF THE MONTH is on the New York Knicks at 7:30 EST. New York is 50-28, but it's 5-1 SU in its last six. It's off a dominant 112-98 win over Phoenix here two nights ago and I believe the Knicks will carry that defensive momentum and confidence over ino this one. Boston is 58-20 and it's won four of its last five SU. With a final road game of the season at Orlando tomorrow night, Boston could be caught looking ahead to that difficult contest (note that the Celtics close out the regular season with back-to-back "cream puffs" at home against Charlotte.) New York's final week is much more difficult though, with a game at Detroit, followed by a home game against Cleveland, then a regular-season finale at Brooklyn. That puts added importance on this contest. The Knicks also play with the added incentive of revenge following a 118-105 loss in their most recent matchup in February. The Celtics have plenty of injury issues as well, with Al Horford out and Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis and Jaylen Brown all listed as questionable. Jalen Brunson though is expected to suit up for New York. Whether he does or not though, I love the way this one sets up for the home side. The play is on New York.

My 8* SLAM-DUNK is on the Sacramento Kings at 7:00 EST. Sacramento is in the middle of a playoff battle. Sacramento will most likely be playing Dallas in the Play-In Tournament, but it won't want to back its way into the Playoffs obviously. Sacramento enters playing well, having won two straight, most recently an impressive 120-113 road win at the Cavaliers. The Kings have struggled in the second game of back-to-backs this year, but I'm anticipating a very tight and competitive battle here. Detroit isn't playing very well though all of a sudden, having dropped three of its last four, including a 109-103 loss here to Memphis last time out. Furthermore, the Kings also play with the added incentive of "revenge" following a tight 114-113 home loss to Detroit on December 26th. Expect another very back-and-forth war here in Detroit as well, and grab the points. Kings roll!

My 8* SLAM-DUNK is on the Houston Rockets at 8:30 EST. Houston won't be rolling over here and it clearly has a very legitimate shot at winning this game outright on the road. The Rockets enter having won two in a row, most recently a confidence-building 125-111 home win over the Thunder on Friday. The Warriors have won five straight, most recently a 118-104 home victory over Denver. This is the final game of the five-game season series and so far Golden State owns a 3-1 edge, so Houston plays with the added incentive of revenge as well. Keep your eyes on Rockets' center Alperen Sengun, who had 31 points, two boards, four assists and three steals in his team's most recent win. Overall the Rockets average 114.5 PPG, while conceding 109.1. The Warriors average 113.9 PPG, while conceding 110.8. Houston has a much tougher schedule to close out the regular season and it won't want to back its way into the playoffs. In a contest that I see being decided by whichever team has its hands on the ball last, I'm grabbing the points. Rockets roll!

My 8* SLAM-DUNK SIDE WINNER is on the Memphis Grizzlies at 7:30 EST. Enough is enough for Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies, who enter off four straight losses and who are now desperate to snap the slide. However, they've played four very difficult and hot teams in the Thunder, Lakers, Celtics and Warriors in those setbacks. What better way to snap a losing slide than to play a losing team like the Heat then? Miami is 35-41 overall, including only 18-19 at home. The Heat are playing their best basketball of the season right now after six straight wins, but after winning 124-103 at Boston last time out as a 10.5-point underdog, I think a letdown is inevitable. Miami is just 6-8 ATS in back-to-back situations this season. The Heat have excelled since the Jimmy Butler trade, but now they run into a desperate visiting side. This becomes an almost "do or die" game for the visitors, and I believe that matters here tonight. Lay the points, Grizzlies roll!

My 10* NON-CONFERENCE GAME OF THE WEEK is on the Memphis Grizzlies at 7:30 EST. Memphis beat Boston 127-121 on the road as a seven-point underdog back on December 7th. The Grizzlies are now 44-30 though after losing four of their last five, most recently falling 134-127 at home to the Lakers. Clearly, the home side is eager to snap out of this poor stretch. And now I think the Grizzlies catch the Celtics at a great time. Boston is rolling along at 55-19 following eight straight victories. That includes all five so far on its current Western road swing. But with a night off before three home games vs. the Heat, suns and Wizards, would anyone fault the defending champs if they got caught looking ahead? The Grizzlies simply don't have that luxury, and they're finally getting healthier as well. I'll stop short in calling for an outright upset, but I definitely feel the conditions are correct for a competitive battle until the final moments. Because of that, I'm grabbing the points. Grizzlies roll! 

My 8* SLAM-DUNK is on the Indiana Pacers at 8:00 EST. The Thunder beat the Pacers by six points on the road in December, so this is a revenge spot for the visitors. The Thunder are 9-1 their last ten overall, but Indiana is right-behind at 8-2 over the same span. The Pacers didn't get caught looking ahead to this game last time out, hammering Washington 162-109. Their only loss in their last seven games was a 1-point setback to a desperate Lakers side. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the favorite to win the MVP this year by averaging 32.9 PPG, I think he'll have a hard time covering another spread here vs. this red-hot Pacers side. Indiana owns the fourth-lowest turnover rate and while I really respect this Thunder defense, I see the Pacers being able to have success offensively in this one. I'm not calling for an outright upset, but I do think it'll be a lot closer than what most are expecting. Grab the points, Pacers roll!

My 8* REVENGE SLAM-DUNK is on the Denver Nuggets at 9:00 EST. Denver is 45-28 after losing three of its last four. It's coming off a 129-119 loss to Chicago here at home as a 2.5-point favorite. With upcoming home games against Utah, Minnesota, and San Antonio though, there's no reason to hit the panic button if you're a Nuggets fan. Denver has a prime opportunity to bounce back here against the Bucks, as it also plays with the added incentive of "revenge" following a 121-112 loss in Milwaukee in late February. The Bucks are now 2-3 in their last five following a 108-106 setback at Phoenix on Monday. With a night off before games at home vs. the Knicks and Hawks, another letdown appears imminent to me for Milwaukee in this difficult position. I'm expecting Denver to play like the more desperate team here, and that will be more than enough to cover the spread. Lay the points, Nuggets roll! 

My 8* SLAM-DUNK WINNER is on the Houston Rockets at 8:00 EST. Houston is 46-26 and No. 1 in the Southwest, but its looking to rebound here following a 116-111 loss to Denver here on Sunday. With a three-game road trip up next for Houston, with stops at Phoenix and the Lakers, tonight's contest takes on added importance for the home side. Atlanta is off three straight victories and after this it has games at Miami and Milwaukee. The Rockets beat the Hawks 100-96 in Atlanta back in late January and I expect an even bigger lop-sided final outcome here in favor of Houston now that it's at home. Atlanta is just 16-18 on the road, while the Rockets are 26-11 at home. I think the conditions are completely correct for a home-side blowout. Lay the points, Rockets roll!

My 8* SLAM-DUNK is on the Denver Nuggets at 9:00 EST. Denver is now 45-27 after last night's 116-111 win at Houston to cap a 2-2 road trip. This is the start of five straight at home for the Nuggets, and they play with the added incentive of "revenge" here following a 129-121 loss at Chicago at the end of January. This is the finale of a six-game road trip for the Bulls and after back-to-back victories as an underdog, including an epic 146-115 win at the Lakers as 10.5-point dogs most recently, would anyone fault the visiting side for having a small mental letdown here? Especially with a few nights off before a rematch with the Lakers on Thursday. I believe the conditions are correct not only for a Denver win, but also a comfortable cover as well. Lay the points, Nuggets roll!

My 8* SLAM-DUNK WINNER is on the Milwaukee Bucks at 10:30 EST. I had a play on the Lakers last night and they went on to win by a score of 120-108 over the Nuggets. After three straight victories, with having played just last night, and with a much more "winnable" game here on Saturday vs. the Bulls, this one sets up as a letdown spot for the home side, that continues to rest injured starters. LeBron James and Luka Doncic are both listed as questionable for this one. The Bucks are looking to stop a two-game slide here after falling 121-105 at home to the Thunder, before a 104-93 setback at Golden state to kick off this road trip. LA just finished playing a back-to-back on the 16th-17th vs. Phoenix and San Antonio. This is its fourth game in five days. Look for the much hungrier visiting side to pull away for the comfortable win and cover. Bucks roll!

My 8* SLAM-DUNK is on the Lakers at 10:00 EST. Denver has been trading wins/losses over its last seven games, and off a 114-105 upset win as a 12.5-point underdog, I think this pattern will continue here against the Lakers. Nikola Jokic did not play in that last game and the Nuggets still won. Regardless, I still like the home side in this matchup for a couple of different key situational reasons. Denver has two more tough road games after this at Portland and Houston and could be caught looking and planning for those contests. The Lakers also play with the added incentive of revenge following a 131-126 loss at Denver on March 14th. LA is back on track after back-to-back victories and I expect that positive momentum to continue here at home in this revenge spot. Lakers roll!

My 10* Western Conference GAME OF THE WEEK is on the LA Lakers at 10:30 EST. I had LA last night, and I believe it'll find a way to not only win tonight, but to do so in blowout fashion, going on to cover this larger spread easily in my opinion. LA had dropped four in a row previous, so it can't "look past" its lowly opponent this evening. This is a very winnable game for the home side, especially with much more difficult upcoming contests here vs. Denver and Milwaukee on back-to-back nights. The Lakers play with the added incentive of "revenge" as well following a 126-102 loss here to the Spurs back in mid-January. San Antonio has been trading wins/losses over its last four games, and off a 119-115 home victory over the Pelicans, I expect this pattern/trend to continue. The Spurs are only 10-21 on the road this year and everything points to a letdown here for the visiting side in my opinion. And that's why I'm laying the points with confidence, Lakers roll!

My 8* TOTAL SLAM-DUNK is on the Grizzlies at 8:00 EST. Cleveland has not lost a game in over a month. The Cavaliers are 55-10 and most recently beat Brooklyn by a score of 109-104. But it's Memphis that plays with revenge here following a 129-123 loss at Cleveland on February 23rd. The Grizz covered with the 6-point spread, but now here at home and playing with revenge, I believe Memphis has a legitimate shot at winning this one outright. The Grizzlies are 42-24 and they enter having won four in a row following a 122-115 victory here over Utah last time out. Cleveland returns home to take on Orlando next, and I believe it could also be caught looking ahead to that Eastern Conference matchup. Either way, there are overwhelming factors here working in favor of Memphis in my opinion. Grab the points because the Grizzlies roll!

My 8* SLAM-DUNK play is on the LA Lakers at 7:30 EST. Both teams come in struggling, but with a tough game at Denver tomorrow night, the Lakers will focus on snapping this two-game slide. They beat the Bucks 128-124 in OT here last March. The Bucks have been playing terribly of late as they've lost three straight. That includes a heartbreaking 115-114 setback at division rival Indiana last time out. And with the Pacers coming to Milwaukee next on Sunday, would anyone fault the home side getting caught looking past their non-conference opponent in this one?! Either way, I believe that LA is in a better position to bounce back after a small stretch of poor play and while I do feel that an outright victory is possible, my official call is to grab as many points as you can with LA.

My 8* SLAM-DUNK is on the Oklahoma City Thunder at 7:30 EST. Because I envision this game being decided by whichever team has its hands on the ball last, I'm going to grab the points in this one. The Thunder had won seven in a row before their most recent 140-127 loss to the Nuggets. They beat the Celtics 105-92 at home back in January. They have a game in Detroit after this. After losing two in a row to close out February, the Celtics enter having won five in a row. Jason Tatum and the home side are on the road for two straight after this, in Miami and Brooklyn, respectively. A great test for the Thunder here. A great regular season record won't mean anything if they go out in the first round. They lost to the Bucks in the Play-In Tournament, but they've already beaten the Celtics once this year. I believe they can do it again, but the official call for this pick is to grab as many points as you can with the Thunder.

My 8* SLAM-DUNK WINNER is on the Indiana Pacers at 7:30 EST. Milwaukee is 36-27 this season, but it's only 14-16 on the road. The Bucks come to town off two straight poor home losses, falling 111-109 to the Magic, before a 112-100 setback to the Cavs. With a home game against the Lakers up next, Milwaukee is going to get caught looking ahead and the revenge-minded Pacers will take advantage. Indiana lost 120-112 at home to the Bucks back in December. The Pacers have lost three straight after last night's listless 121-103 loss at Chicago. Now back at home and with it's back against the wall, I like the 35-28 Pacers to stop the bleeding here. That said, my official call is to grab as many points as you can with Indiana.

My 8* SLAM-DUNK WINNER is on the Toronto Raptors at 7:30 EST. Washington is just 6-23 on the road this year. After winning 125-122 at home over Utah, the Wizards beat the Raptors here 118-117 on Saturday. With a back-to-back set at Detroit starting tomorrow night though, the visitors could easily be caught "looking ahead" here and come in distracted. The Raptors are 14-20 at home. They had won three straight before the setback to the Wizards. The Raptors won't be in the Playoffs, but they've been playing better of late. They have a chance to string a couple wins together as well with the wounded 76ers coming to town next. Look for Toronto to respond here, and for the Wizards to take a predictable step back after the back-to-back victories. Lay the points, Raptors roll!

My 8* SLAM-DUNK WINNER is on the Boston Celtics at 8:30 EST. LA has been the talk of the league since the Luka Doncic trade. LA is now 40-21, while Boston is 45-18. LA routed Boston 117-96 as a 6.5-point dog back in January, and now it's payback time for the Celtics, in my estimation. Could this be a possible NBA Finals preview?! Very possibly, is the answer with Doncic on the Lakers now. I can't see either team "looking past" this moment, but the home floor advantage will prove to be key here for the Celtics in my opinion. Boston is 21-11 at home this year, while LA is just 15-14 on the road. Look for the revenge-minded home side to keep the foot on the gas from start to finish and for Boston to roll to not only a win, but a comfortable ATS cover as well. 

My 8* SLAM-DUNK WINNER is on the LA Clippers at 10:30 EST. The LA Clippers are 33-29 and third in the Pacific after snapping a three-game slide with a 123-115 win over a red-hot Pistons side here on Wednesday and in my opinion, I believe they'll carry that momentum over into this contest. Despite the recent slide, looking ahead at LA's schedule sees a favorable one for the Clippers, with games vs. the Kings, Pelicans, Heat, Hawks and Hornets after tonight's matchup with the Knicks. New York is 40-22 and second in the Atlantic, but it's coming in with zero momentum after back-to-back losses, including a difficult 113-109 OT loss at the Lakers here last night. The Knicks led for most of the game and then fell apart down the stretch. With two nights off before a game at Sacramento, I believe New York could struggle with fatigue and focus this evening. All of these factors combine to make LA the correct call in my opinion. Lay the points with confidence, Clippers roll!

My SLAM DUNK WINNER on Wednesday March 5th at 9:30 EST is on the Memphis Grizzlies. It's a big West Coast matchup. Oklahoma City is 50-12 overall, including 23-7 on the road, while Memphis is 38-23 overall and 22-9 at home. Shai and the Thunder are in the proverbial driver's seat right now, as he's currently a -550 favorite to win the MVP. Despite that though, we still really like the hungry underdog home side here. Oklahoma City has won six of seven games since the All-Star Break. It's off the 137-128 win over Houston. After this it has three straight at home vs a red hot Portland side and two straight against the Nuggets. Situational cappers would point to this as being a very possible "trap" game for the visitors (as they enter on the extended winning run on the road, combined with the upcoming difficult home stand.) The potential for the visitors to get caught looking ahead is very real. Memphis does not have that luxury. It can't look past anyone as it is now desperate to snap a three-game losing streak, most recently falling 132-130 to the Hawks. Memphis also plays with the added incentive of "revenge" as well after falling 125-112 to the Thunder about a month ago. Grab the points and watch the Grizz roll to AT LEAST the solid ATS cover.

My UNDERDOG BLOWOUT WINNER in on the Charlotte Hornets at 7:00 EST. Golden State has been playing well since the Jimmy Butler trade, but off a 126-119 loss at Philadelphia, a setback that snapped a five-game winning streak, and with a much more high-profile contest at the Knicks on Tuesday, I believe the Warriors are going to have a bit of a mental letdown here. It's a perfect "spot" bet for Hornets backers! Charlotte also plays with the added incentive of "revenge" following a 128-92 loss at Golden State in late February. The Hornets have lost six straight and while I'm not calling for that streak to end today, I do feel that this spread is now a bit too large for Golden State to cover considering the other situational factors its facing. I think the revenge-minded home side will be able to keep this one competitive enough to comfortably cover with this larger spread. 

My Pacific Division Game of the Month is on the LA Clippers at 9:30 EST. LA is just 1-4 since the break. It lost here 106-102 to the Lakers just two nights ago, but I like the Clippers to finally bounce back with a solid victory tonight, and to avenge the most recent loss. This is the fourth and final meeting between the clubs this regular season, and the Lakers currently own a 2-1 lead. But I like Kawhi Leonard and James Harden to respond. The Lakers have won five straight, but I'm finally anticipating a letdown here vs. the desperate Clippers. The Lakers have the Pelicans and Knicks coming to town next, but I think the "hungrier" revenge-minded Clippers are the correct call in this situation. In fact, they've now qualified as my top Pacific Division side for March. Lay the points, Clippers roll.

At 7:10pm ET, my Ground and Pound selection is on the Indiana Pacers. The Raptors played at home last night. They fought hard and lost by 10 at home. They will feel the effects of that battle with Boston tonight. The last 3x that the Raptors played their 2nd game in 2 days, they allowed 131, 138 and 132 points. Each was a lopsided loss. The Raptors aren't the same team that beat the Pacers twice earlier in the season and Poeltl's questionable status doesn't help. They also aren't the same team when playing away from Toronto, as evidenced by their 5-21 road record. The Pacers, 16-9 at home, had yesterday off. They will pound the Raptors into submission. Lay the points.

At 8:10pm ET, my NBA Slam Dunk Club selection is on Houston. Home court advantage will provide the Rockets with the edge they need on Tuesday at the Toyota Center. The Bucks are 19-9 at home but only 12-15 on the road. The Rockets are solid (17-12) on the road and they're even better (18-9) at home. Fred VanVleet has been out for the Rockets but he returned to practice Monday. Still questionable, he will provide a big boost for the Rockets, if he can go. Even if he doesn't, this is a hard-working team which doesn't take nights off. They lost last game but that was on the road and it was their 2nd game in 2 nights. After a rough patch, they've won 3 of 5 and all the victories came by 6 or more. The home team has won 6 straight in the series. Lay the points.

At 7:40pm ET, my Atlantic Division Game Of the Year is on the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers are in need to a big win. A game against the short-handed Nets is being handed to them on a silver platter. They simply need to play up to their potential and they can blow this Brooklyn team out. The break came at an opportune time. The 76ers lost at Brooklyn 10 days ago. They hammered the Nets in this season's game at Philadelphia though. Maxey said this: "You have to have some urgency out there. You know that every game is going to be important for us." Maxey and the 76ers play with urgency and give us a glimpse of how good they can really be! Lay the points.

At 10:40pm ET, my NBA Western Conference Game Of The Year is on the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers catch the Grizzlies off a road win at Phoenix last night. It looked like it might be easy but that wasn't the case in the end. Memphis led by as many as 19 but allowed Phoenix to cut the margin to three, with 2:34 left. Even off 3 straight road wins, the Grizzlies are 15-11 on the road. They haven't won 4 road games in a row all season. The last time they played a road game, after playing the previous day, the Grizzlies lost by 8 at Golden State. For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard has increased his playing time past the 30-minute mark in back-to-back games. Tonight, they'll add Bogdan Bogdanovic to the mix. They are off a 20-point win and are playing with plenty of rest. The Clippers are also 6-2 their last 8 games against the Grizzlies. Lay the points.

At 9:10pm ET, my NBA Ground and Pound selection is on the Denver Nuggets. The Trail Blazers had a remarkable run recently but it is now over. They came back down to earth with a 16-point loss at Minnesota on Saturday. Tonight, facing a red hot opponent and playing at a very tough venue, will bring a 2nd straight blowout loss. Before a loss at Portland in December, Denver had defeated the Trail Blazers 7 straight times. Currently, the Nuggets are on a 6-game winning streak and the last 4 of those wins all came by 12 or more points. Lay the points.

At 2:10pm Et, my NBA Game Of the Week is on Houston. The Rockets have gone through a rare rough patch. A home game against Toronto is just what they need to get rolling again. The Raptors are only 4-20 on the road. They fight hard at times but are fully in rebuilding mode. They aren't going to be able to match Houston's intensity. They are off 3 straight losses and the last 2 of them came by 12 and 31 points. The Rockets won by 29 the last time they hosted Toronto. Lay the points and look for another blowout.

At 8:10pm ET, my #1 Northwest Div. Game Of the Month is on Minnesota. This will be the fourth and final meeting between the teams during the regular season. The home team won all 3 games. The game at Minnesota resulted in a 25 point win for the Timberwolves. The Trail Blazers have been on quite the run but it will come to an end tonight. Lay the points.

At 10:10pm Et, my NBA Revenge Game Of the Week is on Phoenix. It didn't really surprise me that the Trail Blazers took Saturday's game. Phoenix was coming off a big win over GSW the night before. The Trail Blazers were playing well and playing with double-revenge. Tonight will be a different story. The Suns will now be the team playing with revenge and both teams are now on equal footing, when it comes to rest. Phoenix got pounded on Saturday and that won't sit well with the team, especially when former-Sun Ayton was a big part of Portland's win. We will see an entirely different Suns team this time. The Suns are 5-0 straight-up and 4-1 versus the spread, the past 5 times that they were off a loss. They won by 10, 8, 7, 24 and by 25. The Suns are healthy and tonight they will have their revenge. Lay the points.

At 3:10pm ET, my Central Division Game Of the Month is on Chicago. The Bulls have been playing without LaVine recently and they're playing with the knowledge that changes are likely before the deadline. That didn't stop them from winning big last game and it won't prevent them from cashing for us this afternoon. The Bulls shot 50.6 percent from the field last game and they had assists on 34 of their 45 field goals. The Bulls own the Pistons. They've won 18 of the past 20 meetings. Their last 2 visits to Detroit resulted in double-digit victories. The Pistons are 3-6 versus the spread their last 9 as favorites, 1-4 ATS their last 5 as favorites in the -3 to -7 range. Grab the points.

At 9:30pm Et, my Thursday Slam Dunk Club is on Memphis. The Memphis Grizzlies have a score to settle with the Houston Rockets. The Grizzlies have only lost 16 times this season but 3 of those losses have come at the hands of the Rockets. The Grizzlies are 19-5 at home and they haven't lost a home game since January 9th. The team that beat them that day? You guessed right, it was the Rockets. There is no way they want to let Houston complete the 4-game series sweep. The Grizzlies are off their worst loss of the season on Monday. They've had the past 2 days off to think about it and they're absolutely going to be bringing it from the get-go tonight. The Grizzlies score 123.3 points per game, the most in the entire NBA. The Rockets average 113.89. The Grizzlies will push the pace and the Rockets will be no match for them tonight. Lay the points.

At 7:10pm ET, my NBA Eastern Conference Game Of The Month is on Charlotte. It looks like they won't have LaMelo Ball but that won't prevent the Hornets from taking down the Nets on Wednesday. The Hornets have won 4 of 7. The Nets have lost 7 straight. Even without Ball, the Hornets are still the healthier team. The Nets are dealing with numerous injuries, including Cameron Johnson. That will make Hornet fans happy as it was Johnson who led the Nets with 34 points in defeating Charlotte by 1 point earlier in the season. The Nets are also missing Cam Thomas (and several others) and he still leads the team in scoring. Between Johnson and Thomas, they average 44.1 points per game. No other Brooklyn player averages more than 13.2 points. The Hornets acquired forward Josh Okogie a couple of weeks ago. A big addition, he had 19 points last game. Josh Green said this of his new teammate: "The energy he has brought from us, offensive rebounds to defensive rebounds, pushing the pace, it's been amazing. He's great to play with." Charlotte won by 11 the last time that it hosted Brooklyn. Lay the points.

At 7:30pm Et, my NBA Non. Conference Game Of The Week is on Philadelphia. The Lakers are in a difficult scheduling spot tonight. They battled Charlotte right down to the end last night, Davis and James both playing more than 36 minutes. (Reaves and Christie also played 37 and 39 minutes.) Tonight will be their 2nd road game in 2 nights, their 3rd game in the past 4. The Lakers are 7-13 versus the spread the past 20 times that they played 2 games in 2 days. The last time they played 2 road games in 2 days, they lost by 29. The 76ers still have injury issues but they are well rested and they are also off consecutive victories. They won by 12 at Chicago in their last game and they defeated a really good Cleveland team in their last home game. Grab the points with the rested home underdog.

At 7:40pm Et, my Eastern Conference Annihilator is on Miami. Wrong team favored here, in my estimation. The Magic won their last game but are still only 2-7 their last 9 games. They are 15-9 at home but only 9-14 on the road. Their last 3 road games have all resulted in blowout losses. The Heat allowed just 97 points in winning their last game. They build on that with a big win over Orlando on Monday! Play on Miami.

At 2:10pm ET, my Early Riser is on San Antonio. The Pacers are listed as the home team but the Spurs are going to have the crowd on their side. The game is the first of 2 that the Spurs and Pacers will play in Paris. Keep in mind that this was where Victor Wembanyama played when he started his pro career in the French league. Also, the Spurs had other connections (Tony Parker, Boris Diaw) to France in the past. Wembanyama, who led France to the gold medal game in the Olympics here, says he thinks about playing in Paris again, all the time. “The way I approach this trip is my way of giving back a little to the French public, trying to please many people who will never have the chance to go to the United States. It’s really important to me." The Spurs star is a special player and he's very likely going to have a monster game. His teammates also know how important this is to him and will give us a complete team effort. Grab the points.

At 10:10pm ET, my Wednesday Wipeout is on Sacramento. The Kings dismantled the Warriors the last time that these teams met. The 129-99 wipeout was their 4th straight win in the series. With the way the teams are currently playing, we can expect another blowout on Wednesday. The Kings are a perfect 6-0 at home since Christie took over the head-coaching duties. Off a 23-point win last game, they're 9-1 their last 10 games overall. The Warriors are off a 40 point loss in their last game. They are missing Green and Kuminga. They''ve got some winnable home games coming up but before they get to them, they will get blown out by the Kings one more time. Lay the points.

At 7:40pm Et, my NBA Super Smash is on the Miami Heat. The Heat have worked out their issues. They snapped their losing streak with a 21 point win over the Spurs. Six Miami players scored 12 or more point.s Now they host a Portland team which they know they can handle and which is just 5-16 on the road. The Heat hammered the Blazers by 21 when they met 10 days ago. The last time that they played at Miami, the Heat won by 60! They're 5-1 the past 6 meetings (3-0 last 3) and all 5 wins came by double-digits. The Trailblazers have followed up each of their 2025 victories by losing their next game. The Heat will win this one big. Lay the points.

At 3:10pm ET, my MLK Day Super Smash is on the New York Knicks. The Hawks have won the first 2 games of this 3-game road trip. The Knicks will cool them off this afternoon! The Hawks defeated the Knicks in November and again in December. Playing with double-revenge and also having lost consecutive home games, New York isn't going to let it happen a 3rd time! The Knicks have been in a win/loss pattern of L,W,L,W,L,W,L. Each loss has been followed by a victory. Off a loss to Minnesota, the pattern will continue and the Knicks will bounce back with a big win. Lay the points.

At 8:10pm ET, my Slam Dunk selection is on Milwaukee. The Raptors have shown that they can beat just about anybody at Toronto. They defeated the Celtics there last game and the Warriors before that. Winning on the road is an entirely different ballgame. The Raptors are a terrible 1-18 away from Toronto. That's the worst road record in basketball. The Bucks have won by 24 and 14 points the last 2 meetings. Each of their past 3 wins over the Raptors has come by at least 14. The Bucks have won 2 in a row and 5 of 6. Their last win came by 29 and this will be another smash-job. Lay the points.

At 10:00pm ET, my Western Conference Game Of the Month is on Sacramento. Strong situational advantage for the Sacramento Kings in this game. They catch the Rockets off a 128-108 win at Denver. The Kings will dictate the pace and control this game. Lay the points.

At 10:10pm ET, my NBA Underdog Game Of the Month is on the Miami Heat. Off a loss against the Clippers, the Heat are going to really go all out to avoid going winless in their 2 games at Los Angeles. Though they tend to struggle against the Clippers, the Heat have a recent habit of beating the Lakers. They hammered the Lakers by 41 points at Miami in December. They also swept the Lakers last season. They were 5-point underdogs here and won by 14. As a matter of fact, the Heat are 7-2 their last 9 games against the Lakers and the 2 losses each only came by 3 points. The Lakers have lost 3 straight and were outscored 37-13 in the fourth quarter of their last game. Grab the points.

At 8:10pm ET, my Wednesday Wipeout is on New Orleans. The wrong team is favored at New Orleans tonight. These are 2 teams going in opposite directions. The Pelicans have Zion Williamson back and are playing some of their best basketball of the season. The Mavericks are still missing Doncic and others and are struggling. It's uncertain whether Irving will play in this backend of 2 games in 2 nights. The Pelicans haven't forgotten that the Mavericks manhandled them at Dallas. Doncic led the way for Dallas and Zion didn't play for New Orleans. Things will be much different tonight! Grab the points.

At 10:10 PM ET, my NBA Non-Conference Game Of The Week is on Portland. Fans of the Trail Blazers will be anticipating a victory tonight. The Trail Blazers, 2-0 against the Nets last season, can climb back to .500 at home with a win tonight. They haven't been favored by this much all season but the Trail Blazers are 7-2 straight up and 6-3 versus the spread the past 9 times that they were favored by greater than 5 points. The Nets have lost 5 straight and 8 of 9. The inspired Trail Blazers will be too much for them. Lay the points.

At 7:10pm ET, my Road Warrior selection is on Minnesota. The Timberwolves are a much better team with matchup advantages all over the floor. They are off a loss on Saturday and will provide a maximum effort tonight. The Wizards are a bad team and they're in a difficult spot. They played last night and are now playing their 5th game in the past 7 days. They don't have the depth or the talent to overcome that type of schedule. The Timberwolves won by 11 here last season. At the time, Washington was playing with 2 days rest. With no rest at all, this will be an even bigger blowout. Lay the points.

At 8:10pm Et, my Slam Dunk Club selection is on the Brooklyn Nets. Utah favored? Say it ain't so! If it seems unfamiliar to see the Jazz favored, its because it hasn't happened since last March. The Jazz haven't been favored a single time all season. That's largely because they're terrible at home. They have a 2-14 record here. The Nets are a far more competitive 8-13 on the road. The Nets have had this game circled since the Jazz defeated them at Brooklyn just before Christmas. The last time that the Jazz were favored was last March and they lost outright. They are 3-5 versus the spread their last 8, as a favorite. After the December loss, the Nets have still won 4 of the last 6 h2h meetings. This is their chance at a victory with another potentially winnable game on deck. They will get it done. Grab the points.

At 7:40pm ET, my Revenge Game Of the Month is on New York. The Knicks recently lost by 10 points at Oklahoma City. Tonight, the teams will square off at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks want to show that they can hang with the top teams and this is their chance to do so. The Knicks are stronger at home than they are on the road. The Thunder are tough no matter where they play but they aren't quite as good on the road. Four of their 6 loses have been away from home and one of those came at Cleveland in their last game. At the same time that the Thunder were losing to the Cavaliers, the Knicks were regaining their swagger by trouncing the Raptors. Revenge will be theirs. Play on New York.

At 7:40pm ET, my Road Warrior is on Milwaukee. The Bucks got a little fat and happy over Christmas and New Year's. They are just 1-4 their last 5 games. The losses have really been inexcusable and they will correct that tonight. Getting on the road will be a good thing after consecutive stinkers at home. The Bucks beat the Pacers by 8 last time they played a road game. Reality has set in for Toronto fans that their team is in for a very long season. The Raptors are 1-9 their last 10 and 8-27 on the year. The Bucks beat the Raptors by 14 earlier this season. The Bucks also beat the Raptors by 16 the last time they visited Toronto. They will get back on track with another big win on Monday. Lay the points with Milwaukee.

At 8:10pm Et, my Slam Dunk Club selection is on Milwaukee. The Trail Blazers are visiting Milwaukee at the wrong time. The Bucks are off an upset loss to the Nets and have dropped 3 of their past 4. They can't afford to lose another home game to another weak team. They've got 3 of their next 4 on the road and need to win at home. The Trail Blazers have a 3-14 record on the road, so that shouldn't be a problem. Three of Portland's last 4 losses have been my more than 20 points. This will be another blowout. Lay the points.

At 10:10pm ET, my January NBA Game Of the Month is on Sacramento. The coaching change was just what Sacramento needed. This is what I stated prior to Sacramento's win over Dallas: "The Kings have lost a lot of close games and have been a disappointment so far overall. They were a playoff team last year though and have a talented roster. They finally fired coach Mike Brown and are going to extremely determined to snap their losing streak and get new interim coach Doug Christie a victory. It will help that the Mavericks are short-handed. Most importantly, Doncic is out. Also, Naji Marshall is out and Lively is questionable. The Kings will take advantage and close out their final game of 2024 with a big win." The Kings did close out 2024 with that big win and now its all systems go to start 2025. The Kings beat the 76ers by 12 points the last meeting and that snapped a lengthy losing streak in the series. Fox had 23 points and Sabonis had a triple-double. The 76ers have had 3 straight big games (37, 32, 27 points) from Embiid and they won all 3 games but he's been listed as out for tonight's game. Lay the points.

At 3:10pm ET, my Afternoon Annihilator is on the Boston Celtics. The Celtics took the Raptors lightly the last time the teams played here. Boston won but needed Overtime to do so. The Celtics will have. learned their lesson from that near upset. Coming off a loss to the Pacers, Boston is going to be ready to run the Raptors right out of TD Garden. The Celtics last 4 victories have come by 37, 25, 14 and 24 points. The Raptors have lost 10 straight and their last 2 losses each came by 29 points. This game won't be close. Lay the points.

At 10:10pm ET, my Slam Dunk Club selection is on Sacramento. The Kings have lost a lot of close games and have been a disappointment so far overall. They were a playoff team last year though and have a talented roster. They finally fired coach Mike Brown and are going to extremely determined to snap their losing streak and get new interim coach Doug Christie a victory. It will help that the Mavericks are short-handed. Most importantly, Doncic is out. Also, Naji Marshall is out and Lively is questionable. The Kings will take advantage and close out their final game of 2024 with a big win. Lay the points.

At 8:10pm ET, my Show-Time selection is on the Minnesota Timberwolves. These teams have split a pair of meetings this season. In both cases, the winning team won by at least 10 points. Both those games were at San Antonio. The Spurs are a solid 11-7 in their home games. They are just 5-8 on the road though. They've lost each of their last 3 visits to Minnesota by at least 8 points. The Timberwolves have won 2 in a row and are off a momentum-building comeback win at Houston. They outscored the Rockets 23-8 to close the game and will carry the momentum into tonight's game. Lay the points.

At 9:10 PM ET, my Non-Conference Game Of the Month is on Denver. Getting points is a bonus as I expect the Nuggets to win this game outright. The Cavaliers are really strong at home this season but they can be beaten on the road. They've lost at Miami, Boston and Atlanta and they haven't played many Western Conference road games yet. As a matter of fact, Cleveland's only road game against a Western Conference team was at New Orleans. The Pelicans are 5-26 this season, worst in the West. Now they play on the road in altitude against one of the best in the west. The Nuggets play with revenge from a loss at Cleveland. They also lost at Cleveland last season and they responded by blowing the Cavaliers out in the 2nd game. Grab the points.

At 2:40pm ET, my NBA Game Of The Week is on Minnesota. This game means a lot to the Timberwolves. They've lost 3 straight games and they were defeated by Dallas, at home, earlier this season. Perhaps even more importantly, the Wolves were knocked out of the playoffs by the Mavericks last season. For all these reasons, we're going to see a very motivated Minnesota team on Wednesday afternoon. The last game between these teams here was decided by only 5, a Minnesota win last May. Since the Wolves blew out the Mavericks on January 31, 2024, 6 of the 7 meetings have been decided by single digits. This will be another close one and the Wolves have a strong chance at the outright win. Grab the points.

At 7:40pm ET, my NBA Eastern Conference Game Of the Month is on Miami. Both these teams are currently struggling. For the Nets, that was expected. They're 11-17 record may actually be better than many would have thought. The Heat are in a different situation. They're 13-13 record is well short of where they would have liked to have been. They squandered their last game which prompted coach Spoelstra to say: "These are tough ass lessons to complete a game. This is the modern NBA right now. A 20-point lead is not what it was a decade ago and you have to finish all the way through." The Heat are going to want to snap their 3-game losing streak before Christmas and a game against Brooklyn is the perfect remedy for what ails them. The Heat score more points than the Nets and they also allow fewer points. Spoelstra will make sure they keep their foot on the gas. Lay the points.

At 10:10pm ET, my Pacific Division Game Of The Month is on Sacramento. I won with the Lakers last game when they upset the Grizzlies. Here's what I said: "We can't rely on Lebron as it seems he's likely to miss tonight again. Even if that is the case, we can rely on the Lakers to "get physical" and up their game. Two meetings this season and both have gone the way of the home team. When they're playing at Memphis, the Grizzlies are very difficult to beat. They're not the same team on the road as they're only 6-5. There's a lot of negativity surrounding the Lakers but they are still 8-3 at home. They've only played 1 home game in December and they won it. The value is with the home underdog." The Lakers rewarded us that game improving to 9-3. The problem for them is that they're now on the road. Their road record is just 5-9. The Kings lost their last game by 1 to Denver but they had won their previous 3. The Nugget game didn't go their way but they've been playing better recently. The Kings lost at LA in October but they are 8-2 their last 10 against the Lakers and 2-0 the past 2 meetings at Golden 1 Center. Teams meet again Saturday. Kings will take this one. Lay the points.

At 8:30pm ET, my NBA Game Of The Week is on Milwaukee. The Thunder have been playing great all season. The Bucks took some time to get going but they are also now playing great basketball. They're every bit as talented and capable as the Thunder. They've won 3 straight and 8 of 10. We're getting a good handful of points though as the markets still haven't caught up with the fact that the Bucks are back. This tournament has brought out the best in them and now they're ready to go out and win it. Grab the points.

At 9:40 PM ET, my NBA Show-time selection is on the LA Lakers. We can't rely on Lebron as it seems he's likely to miss tonight again. Even if that is the case, we can rely on the Lakers to "get physical" and up their game. Two meetings this season and both have gone the way of the home team. When they're playing at Memphis, the Grizzlies are very difficult to beat. They're not the same team on the road as they're only 6-5. There's a lot of negativity surrounding the Lakers but they are still 8-3 at home. They've only played 1 home game in December and they won it. The value is with the home underdog. Grab the points.

At 9:10 ET, my Revenge Game Of the Week is on Denver. The Nuggets lost twice to the Clippers, once on October 26th and then again on December 1st. It's not happening a 3rd time! The Nuggets won their last game by 30 points. Nikola Jokic scored 48 points with 14 rebounds and eight assists. When he's playing like that, the Nuggets are close to unstoppable. The Clippers lost their last 2 games by 39 combined points, each loss coming by double-figures. They may have upset the Nuggets here once but they are still only 5-5 on the road. Looking to win back-to-back games for the first time in nearly a month, Jokic and the Nuggets will have their revenge. Lay the points.

At 8:10 ET, my NBA Underdog Game Of the Month is on Charlotte. The Hornets snapped a lengthy losing streak in their last game. The win over Indiana, which proved the Hornets can win without LaMelo Ball, combined with some extra rest to recover has them feeling good coming into Friday's action. They'll still be without Ball but at least for tonight's game but now they have the confidence to know they don't always need him. After losing to Charlotte, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said: "I think the Hornets were trying harder." The Bulls are dealing with injury issues of their own and they're off consecutive losses. With stars Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball and Nikola Vučević all candidates to get moved before the February 6th trade deadline, the Bulls hunger may not fully be there. They know changes are likely coming. One one league figure with knowledge of the Bulls' thinking recently said: "The fact they were willing to move DeMar and Caruso this past offseason, they're willing to move anybody now." The Hornets are coming to play! Grab the points.

At 8:10 PM ET, my Western Conference Game Of the Month is on the New Orleans Pelicans. Both teams have had the time off but the Kings were hot and would have preferred to keep playing. The break came at a better time for New Orleans. Just as the Pelicans were starting to get healthy, they've endured some more injuries. This is a team which is used to that though. They've still got outstanding guards and they're going to be coming to play tonight. They always get up for the Kings. Coach Willie Green has had the Pelicans really working during the off time for due to the NBA Cup. Green said this: "It's almost like a training camp for us. It's great for us in the sense that we got a day off to fill our cup, rest, recover. We had two high-level, detailed practices. It allows you to take a step back and look at some of our concepts that we're doing well and areas that we can improve in and try to pick some of those to go work on the floor and work on." New Orleans has beaten Sacramento 6 straight times. Grab the points.

At 7:40pm ET, my Atlantic Division Game Of The Month is on the NY Knicks. New York was 4-0 against the Raptors last season and the Knicks will be too much for their hosts again tonight. The Knicks are off a loss last game and they are 5-0 straight up after their last 5 defeats. They won those 5 games by an average of more than 13 points each. Three of last season's 4 wins (against the Raptors) by the Knicks were by double-digits. That includes both the games at Toronto. The Knicks won their last visit here by 44 points, outscoring the Raptors by 9 or more in every single quarter! This will be another blowout. Lay the points.

At 7:10pm ET, my Revenge Game Of The Month is on New Orleans. OKC pounded the Pelicans 106-88 a few weeks back. At the time, New Orleans was very short-handed. As a matter of fact, they were missing 4 starters and another 2 rotation players. The Pelicans are healthier now and they're looking for some payback. Guards CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray missed the first game but both are now back. New Orleans received a big boost Thursday when leading scorer Brandon Ingram returned from a five-game absence. He was joined by Herbert Jones, the team's best perimeter defender, who returned from an 18-game absence. With those important players back, the Pelicans are a different team. They snapped their losing streak last game and that gives them some important positive momentum. Grab the points.

At 10:10 PM ET, my NBA Ground and Pound selection is on Minnesota. The Warriors are off a hard-fought win over Houston last night. The Rockets make you work. Curry and Green had the night off and are probably going to play tonight. Neither is 100% perfect though, nor is Wiggins. The rest of the Warriors who played last night will be in a 3 games in 4 days situation. Kerr said this about Wiggins (who is dealing with a sore ankle) after last night's game: "I don't even know if he should have played. But he knew Steph and Draymond were out and he knew how important this game was and he gutted it out. Ironman. He's been that ever since he's been here." Even when healthy, GSW doesn't match up well against Minnesota. The Timberwolves swept the Warriors last season and have defeated them 5 of the past 6. Minnesota is starting to play well and comes in rested. They will beat the Warriors for a 5th straight time.

At 9:10pm ET, my NBA Game Of the Week is on Denver. Nuggets coach Mike Malone wasn't happy with his team's effort in Monday's bad home loss to New York. Malone said this: "I need Nikola Jokic. I need Jamal Murray. I need guys that have been here, in that starting lineup, to be vocal. Regardless of who's in who's out, who do we want to be as a team? So yeah, leadership would be great, toughness would be great, physicality would be great, playing like you actually care would be great." The Nuggets will be much better tonight and they will take it out on their hosts. The Jazz would already be over-matched but things are even worse due to them coming off a hard-fought in-season tournament game to the Spurs last night. They lost by 11 and 17 points in the 2 instances when they played 2 games in 2 days so far this season. The Nuggets are 3-0 their last 3 versus Utah and those wins came by 26, 16 and 21 points. Utah fans are in for another long night. Lay the points.

At 10:10pm ET, my Pacific Division Game Of The Month is on Phoenix. The Suns really rely on their "Big 3." When all 3 of their stars are playing, or even when 2 of them are, they're one of the best teams in the NBA. But when 2 or more of them are hurt, they struggle. Recently both Beal and Durant have been out. The Suns are 1-6 in the games without Durant and they're 0-5 since Beal went down. Thankfully for Suns fans, they are both expected back tonight! They've had a nice break between games which allowed them to practice and get ready. Beal said this at yesterday's practice: "I definitely feel a lot better. I'm thankful we had the schedule we had so we had some rest days, Kev and I." Off b2b losses, the Lakers are now 7-2 at home. They're only 3-4 on the road. The home teams is already 2-0 in the season series. Lay the points with the Suns at Footprint Center.

At 7:40pm ET, my NBA GROUND AND POUND BLOWOUT is on the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks are playing much better basketball now than they were earlier in the season. Off a 16-point victory on Wednesday, they are 4-1 their last 5 games. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 41 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in Wednesday's victory. The Pacers are going the other way. Off a 17-point loss on Wednesday, they are now 1-4 their last 5 games. Milwaukee's Brook Lopez said: "We know the team that we are. We've known the team that we are all season long, we just had to prove it by winning games. It's gotten better and better. Obviously, the last few, we're happy with winning, they were close ones but we put in a lot of work, we're doing great." Compare that to Indiana's Rick Carlisle: "We're not playing well. That's obvious. Our connectedness is not where it needs to be. Our collective spirit is not where it needs to be." The Bucks still aren't happy with their record and won't be complacent. Lay the points.

At 7:40pm ET, my Slam Dunk selection is on Minnesota. The Timberwolves are a much stronger team than Toronto. They are hopeful of contending for the title and the Raptors are hopeful of contending for a lottery pick. Even if they were healthy, the Raptors would be severely outgunned by Minnesota. They are far from having good health though. They managed a win last game but that was their only victory in weeks. The Wolves have won 2 straight. They rallied from a 16 point deficit last game and will ride the momentum all way to Canada. Minnesota's last 2 wins in the series came by 11 and 48 points. Tonight's margin of victory should fall in between those numbers. Lay the points.

At 8:10 ET, my Slam Dunk selection is on Denver. The Nuggets have been without Jokic the past couple of games as he's out for personal reasons. He's questionable for tonight. Even if Jokic cannot go again, the Nuggets are going to play their best tonight. The Grizzlies just beat them badly a couple of days ago and coach Mike Malone will make sure his team gives a much better effort. Malone said: "We were able to cut that 24-point lead to 11 when we became more aggressive, when we became more physical, and that allowed us to kind of get back in the game. We need to not wait until the fourth quarter and a 24-point deficit to do that. That's got to be our M.O. from the beginning of the game." The Grizzlies have injury issues of their own. The Nuggets started the season with 2 straight losses and then won on the road in their next game. Off 2 straight losses, they will upset the Grizzlies in their own building tonight. Grab the points.

AT 9:10pm ET, my NBA Game Of The Week is on the LA Clippers. The Clippers have had some hard road games lately. Getting home to face Utah is just what they need. The Clippers have won their last 3 games here. They had yesterday off. The Jazz are off a difficult game at Sacramento last night. That's going to take a lot out of them tonight. Unequipped to effectively handle a back-to-back situation, they lost by 17 when playing 2 games in 2 days earlier. The Clippers have taken 2 of the past 3 meetings and both wins came by 14 or more. This will be another blowout. Lay the points.

At 8:10 ET, my NBA Eastern Conference Game Of The Month is on Milwaukee. Both teams are really struggling. The Raptors don't really care. The Bucks absolutely want to get things turned around. Check out the difference in what the 2 coaches are saying. Milwaukee's Doc Rivers: "We gotta get out of this hole that we created. We created it. All of us, me, them, together. I have no doubt that we will. We have to play ourselves out of this hole." Compare that to Toronto's Darko Rajakovic: "It's hard to make any conclusions after 10-11 games. We still have guys dealing with injuries. We are really investing in developing the young players that we have." The Bucks are a much better team and you can tell by the coach's comments that they want this game a lot more. The Bucks have been playing some good teams. They will take this opportunity of facing a bad team and make the most of it. Lay the points.

At 9:40pm ET, my NBA Non-Conf. Game Of the Month is on the LA Lakers. The Raptors fought really hard here last night against the Clippers. They ended up losing 105-103. That difficult defeat will set them up to get blown out by the Lakers tonight. They are missing important players and their absences will be noticed more than ever. LA had yesterday off. The Lakers are off a double-figure win over Philadelphia. Including a 6-point win at Toronto to start this month, they have beaten the Raptors 4x in a row. The Raptors are going to be gassed and the Lakers 5th straight win in the series won't even be close. Lay the points.

At 7:40pm ET, my NBA Game Of the Month is on the Dallas Mavericks. Off 6 straight wins, the Suns are hot. That streak started with a win over the Mavericks. A slightly deeper dive into the Suns hot streak reveals that 5 of those 6 games, including the one against Dallas, were at home. Their only road game in the winning streak was at LA, versus the Clippers. That lone road game was a favorable setup for the Suns, as they had the previous 2 nights off and they were catching the Clippers playing the second game of a back-to-back. The Suns have also been barely beating teams on their win streak. The last 5 wins all came by 6 or less. The Mavericks may have been a little inconsistent but they are off a big win, their 4th in 6 games, and they are one of the best teams in the NBA. Unlike the Clippers, the last team Phoenix faced on the road, the Mavericks are rested. The Mavericks play with revenge. They won by 10 the last time they hosted the Suns and they will put an end to their winning streak tonight. Play on Dallas.