The Atlanta Hawks never die mantra worked in their series victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Landing in the Eastern Conference Finals should be a different story against the Milwaukee Bucks. Expect Milwaukee to build forward from a grueling series against the Nets and resemble the strong team we saw in round one against the Heat. Back the Bucks. 

The Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers are the final seven game series before we know the conference finals matchup. Philadelphia showcased they can win with defense in a solid game six effort. Yet, the younger Hawks have had a knack for raising their level of play when needed most. Expect a valiant effort in game seven win or lose. Grab the Hawks.

Friday, the Utah Jazz have their season on the line on the road against the LA Clippers. Utah’s lost their defensive lock in ability in allowing the Clippers to win the last three games. Yet, they have a great opportunity to adjust their game plan after seeing the Clippers minus Kawhi Leonard in game five. Grab the Jazz to push this series to seven games. 

Epic collapses by the Philadelphia 76ers in games four and five have put them in a must-win situation tonight. Expect the veteran 76ers to remain aggressive for four quarters, and Doc Rivers to limit the bench’s minutes from late third to the early fourth quarter. Grab Philadelphia to respond as the road favorite. 

Throughout the Nets and Bucks series pricing has been skewed towards the Bucks side. This has been sparked by the Nets numerous issues with injuries to key players in James Harden and Kyrie Irving, and now the fact that Kevin Durant played 48 minutes in game five. Yet, I expect James Harden to look better in game six and the Nets as a team to look to finish off the Bucks. Play the Nets here.

The Hawks have new life with the 76ers meltdown in game four. With the series now even look for the younger Hawks to gain momentum off an improbable come from behind victory. Point guard Trae Young continues to torch the 76ers with his facilitation of the basketball, and matched a career-high eighteen assists in game four. Take the Hawks to shoot better and have an uptick offensively tonight. 

There’s a chance that James Harden could play for game five, but expect the Bucks defensive strategy to continue to grow. In games three and four the Bucks limited the Nets to an average of 89.5 points. With the burden squarely on Kevin Durant’s shoulders look for the Bucks confidence to play team basketball to flourish. Play Milwaukee. 

The LA Clippers broke out in game three’s victory over the Jazz with 132 points. It was just a point shy of a season high, and the Jazz’s poorest defensive effort the entire season. Look for the Clippers to build off that performance and put pressure on the Jazz heading to Salt Lake City. Grab the Clippers.

The Philadelphia 76ers have completely transformed their game plans to rout the Atlanta Hawks in games two and three. The blowouts were the fourth time in a span of forty-five days that the 76ers have routed the Hawks. Yet, Monday is a must win scenario where the younger Hawks can regain traction and rally behind their home crowd. Grab Atlanta.

The Clippers once again find themselves in a 2-0 deficit. This time against a Utah Jazz team that is in an unusual spot. Over their last 70 games they’ve been an underdog just twice, both of those times were double digit losses against Phoenix and the Lakers. Look for the Clippers to play a hard fought game and get the ATS win.

Adjustments made in post-season series grow deeper into the post-season. The Atlanta Hawks faced a New York Knicks team in round one that was incapable based on their roster talent. Expect the 76ers and Coach Doc Rivers to build on game two’s performance and hand the Hawks their first home post-season loss. Play Philadelphia.

Thus far Phoenix has been the talk of the Western Conference, while Utah and the Clippers get less attention. Utah gave the Clippers life for a first half and nearly the end of game one’s victory. Look for Utah to play more of a complete game tonight and have a showcase outing. Grab Utah.

The Phoenix Suns provided one of the craziest series swings in terms of odds seen in recent memory. Toppling the Lakers was quite a feat but now they’ll need to defeat a Nuggets team they have had issues with. Denver defeated Phoenix twice on the road in overtime, and swept the Suns in four games last year. Grab the Nuggets as they continue to thrive in an undermanned underdog role. 

In the postseason time and again teams with more rest struggle in game one. Look for that to be the case for Milwaukee who has had seven full days off since their sweep over Miami. Furthermore, they have not been challenged in two full weeks since their overtime game one victory over Miami. Take the Nets.

Wednesday, the Atlanta Hawks will face the Knicks in a potential game five close out game. If not for a Coach Thibs game two halftime adjustment to start Derrick Rose, this series would likely be over. Look for the Hawks to continue to excel in second halves as they do not want to give the Knicks life for a possible sixth or seventh game. Play Atlanta.

The Denver Nuggets were not ready for Portland’s game four adjustment with star Damian Lillard. Lillard toned down his shot attempts to ten and became more of a facilitator with ten assists. Expect the Nuggets to be prepared to defend the entire floor, and also not to shoot thirty four percent. Grab Denver.

Portland’s Damian Lillard has eighty shot attempts through three games against the Denver Nuggets. Only once during the regular season did he attempt more shots during a three-game stretch. Since halftime of game two he is just six for twenty one from three-point range, 29 percent. Take the Nuggets better team balance to pay off ATS.

The LA Clippers find themselves in a must win situation on the road against the Dallas Mavericks. Defensively they have not had the answers to limit the Mavericks offense and Luka Doncic. Instead look for the Clippers to play with more rhythm offensively and put the pressure on the Mavericks for game four. Play the Clippers. 

Raucous victory celebrations have been the theme in the Knicks and Hawks first two games. Both were seesaw affairs that could have went either way. For game three look for the Hawks to make a statement in front of their home crowd, as they negate the halftime adjustments made by Coach Thibs in game two. Play the Hawks. 

The Lakers survived a rusty offensive performance to survive game two against the Phoenix Suns. For the third game in a row we’ve seen a seismic shift on the point spread in the direction of the Lakers. They seem to have figured out ways to defend Devin Booker on the perimeter and in the paint, which should make things difficult for the Suns. Grab the Lakers. 

Memphis has used the momentum of their play in wins to heighten their overall play. They’ve now won eight of nine games overall and put the pressure on the Jazz tonight. Expect the Grizzlies to continue to elevate their offensive play and spoil the return of Donovan Mitchell from an ATS stand point. Buy the half point to nine on the Grizzlies. 

Sunday, the Knicks faltered in their first playoff action since 2012-2013. The 105 points scored was not indicative of their regular season average against Atlanta of 124. Look for the proper adjustments to be made from Coach Thibs as the Knicks even the series behind the play of Julius Randle. Play New York.

A strong attribute for Portland continues to grow as they’ve covered eight consecutive games on the road. They’ve also dominated the Denver Nuggets as they concluded the season with a 132-116 victory and followed it up with a fourteen point game one victory. Look for Portland to continue to have success with their eight-man rotation. Play the Blazers. 

Monday, the Milwaukee Bucks will aim to take a 2-0 lead on the Miami Heat. In game one they needed overtime to get by Miami to win by a mere two points. Over the last six post-season games between the Bucks and Heat, Miami has won four matchups outright and lost two games by three points or less. Look for the Bucks to finally end that streak and live up the spread expectations tonight. Play Milwaukee.

The Utah Jazz are back at full strength as they look to defend the top seed in the Western Conference. Memphis has an uncanny ability to play up or down to the level of their opponents. This was witnessed in a near collapse against the Spurs, but also in a positive way against the Warriors. The tide of this series may change quickly but look for the Grizzlies to hold within a steep spread.

The Knicks and Hawks both are back in the post-season after years of failure. Down the stretch of the season the Knicks had a torrid finish including defeating the Hawks by ten points. Yet this is where the foundation of the Hawks outmatches the Knicks, as their youth has developed for this moment. Grab the Hawks to take game one. 

The Boston Celtics slipped down the stretch of the season because of several injuries including losing star Jaylen Brown for the rest of the season. Yet in game one I expect them to have fight against the Brooklyn Nets. Look for a close matchup as far as the eight point spread and for Brad Stevens to have his team prepared. Play Boston. 

The pressure is on the Washington Wizards to clinch the eighth seed against the Indiana Pacers. Washington’s impressive end of season run featured a twenty game stretch that they went 15-5, with all losses by four points or less. That posed value in their 118-100 loss to Boston, and is a double-down variable today. Take the Pacers who continue their impressive offense.

The Golden State Warriors snuck into the playoffs behind the excelled play of Steph Curry. They’ll face an LA Lakers team that is essentially not a true seven seed. Yet, look for the Warriors to continue riding the momentum that was witnessed at the end of the regular season, and get the first cover in the playoffs for an underdog.

Saturday, the Minnesota Timberwolves will aim to be the latest team to hand the Celtics a loss. Losers of four straight the injuries continue to mount for the Celtics, as they’ll be without big man Tristan Thompson today. Minnesota should continue to finish the season on a positive note as they’ve won six of their last ten. Grab Minnesota. 

Tonight the 76ers will aim to sweep the Miami Heat. From a playoff positioning standpoint the motivation edge tonight lies with the Miami Heat. They’re currently in the fifth spot but have the same losses as both the Hawks and Knicks. Yet, look for the 76ers who have become accustomed to playing without Joel Embiid to gain the season series sweep. Grab Philadelphia.

An important stretch to conclude the season continues tonight for the Portland Trailblazers against the Utah Jazz. Currently in the 5th spot in the West, Portland needs to continue winning to hold off the Mavericks and Lakers. With the game being of high importance look for the Trailblazers to have an ATS edge tonight against the Jazz.

The Washington Wizards have either won or lost by three points or less in seventeen straight games. Monday’s narrow one point victory was controlled by the Hawks until a strong fourth quarter push from the Wizards closed a nineteen point deficit. Expect the Hawks to not take a large lead lightly Wednesday, and end the Wizards streak. Grab Atlanta.

For the third time in seven days the Oklahoma City Thunder and Sacramento Kings will meet. On the Thunder side of things they’ve sustained a brutal string of three straight losses by twenty plus points, including in Sunday’s loss to the Kings. Gaining two full points from Sunday’s offering is enough value to jump in on the Thunder, who lost to the Kings by just four points last Tuesday. Grab OKC. 

The Grizzlies clinched a play-in playoff spot with Monday’s five point victory over the Pelicans. That should boost the Grizzlies confidence heading into Tuesday’s back to back scenario against the Mavericks. Expect a gutty effort from the Grizzlies who will aim to end the Mavericks four game win streak. Play the Grizzlies.

The Golden State Warriors are coming off two lopsided wins against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Monday, they’ll face the red hot Utah Jazz that have won five straight and sit atop the Western Conference as the number one seed. Although the Jazz have not played on the road in the month of May, their synergy with their first and second units are not a match for the Warriors rotation. Grab Utah. 

After winning four consecutive games the Timberwolves have dropped their last three. It has not been for a lack of effort. Two of the losses were by four points and their latest loss to the Miami Heat featured the return of Tyler Herro. Sunday, a limited Orlando Magic team depth wise should pose an advantage for the Timberwolves. Play Minnesota.

The LA Lakers continue to tumble as they’ve lost seven of ten games. Injuries continue to mount as the Lakers had another scare with Anthony Davis in Thursday’s loss to the Clippers. Even if his minutes are reduced the Lakers can hang with a Portland team that has lost six straight home games. Grab the value here on the Lakers. 

The Detroit Pistons will have an opportune spot today to play a formidable game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Memphis had severe issues defensively in yesterday’s 139-135 victory over the Timberwolves. Expect the Pistons young lineup to be the latest opponent to give the Grizzlies fits, as Memphis is 1-4-1 ATS over their last six games. Play Detroit.

The Atlanta Hawks rolled past the Phoenix Suns Wednesday night to a 135-103 victory. Thursday, they’ll look to conquer their road woes that has featured a four game losing streak. In a back to back scenario grab the value here on the Hawks who defeated the Pacers handily at home April 18th. Play Atlanta. 

The Mavericks best defensive effort this year came on New Year’s Day when they defeated the Miami Heat 93-83. Former Miami Heat Josh Richardson was a catalyst as the Mavericks limited Jimmy Butler to 0-6 shooting. Even with a limited rotation look for the Mavericks to play a competitive game and threaten Miami’s three-game win streak. Grab Dallas. 

Two teams that were in action Saturday are in back to back scenarios Sunday; Miami and Charlotte. Look for the Miami Heat to take advantage of the Hornets continued transition with their lineup. Lamelo Ball’s return ignited the Hornets Saturday for a double-digit win, but in a back to back scenario expect a minutes reduction and sloppy play. Grab Miami. 

Minus Zach Lavine the Bulls playoff prognosis has slid further to the eleventh spot in the Eastern Conference. Tonight they’ll face a Bucks team that will be minus Giannis and in a back to back scenario. Grab Chicago to bounce back and redeem themselves from one of their worst losses of the season in their last outing against the Knicks. Play the Bulls.

The Brooklyn Nets have adjusted to the new era of NBA basketball seamlessly. Nightly they seem to be without a key star player but have not skipped a beat. They’ve won four consecutive games to grab ahold of the top seed in the Eastern Conference. With a bit of a cushion over Philadelphia look for a lackluster effort tonight against Portland. Play Portland.

The Utah Jazz have stumbled with consecutive losses against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Downgraded play was expected minus Donovan Mitchell, and now rises more without Mike Conley tonight against the Kings. Yet, the Kings have a plethora of issues and starter’s out which should enable the Jazz to get back on track. Grab the Jazz. 

A major issue down the stretch of the NBA season will be spotlighted tonight by the Dallas Mavericks. After losing Monday to the Kings, Dallas now has several key players listed as questionable tonight against the Warriors. Grab the Warriors as this line will continue to jump when Maverick’s players are officially declared out prior to game time.

The Minnesota Timberwolves caught the Utah Jazz again Monday and now have won consecutive games as big underdogs. They’ll now face an extremely thin Houston Rockets team that has received the news that John Wall is done for the season. Effort from the Timberwolves should be downgraded from Monday’s performance as they are in a back to back scenario. Play the Rockets to start off well off a poor defensive effort from the Timberwolves.

The New York Knicks have covered a miraculous eleven straight games, and won their last ten. The peak may have been on Saturday when they crushed the Toronto Raptors by double-figures. With Phoenix in a back to back scenario look for the Suns to come out with aggression and utilize their depth advantage to end the Knicks streak. Play the Suns. 

Sunday, the Orlando Magic will attempt to end a four-game skid as they host the Indiana Pacers. Their Coach in Steve Clifford will be out as part of Covid-19 protocol. Expect an unorthodox rotation as a result that should be beneficial for the Magic’s young roster. Play Orlando plus the points to get another close result against the Pacers, as they did in a 111-106 loss on April 9th.

Tonight the Nuggets will face the Warriors in a repeat matchup from April 12th. That was the matchup where the Nuggets lost star player Jamal Murray in the final minute to a season ending injury. Look for the Warriors and Steph Curry to continue their hot shooting as they challenge the Nuggets four game win streak. Buy the hook to three and play the Warriors.  

The Memphis Grizzlies continue their west coast road trip Friday against the Portland Trailblazers. Portland has dropped consecutive games by a single point and lost five of their last six. Issues finishing games should continue tonight against a Grizzlies team bolstered by the recent return of Jaren Jackson Jr. Play Memphis.

The reeling Charlotte Hornets have lost five of their last six matchups. Mounting losses has dipped them below .500, as they have several main players out including Malik Monk and Gordon Hayward. Although the Bulls will be without star Zach Lavigne, they have a bigger veteran presence that will outshine the Hornets youth. Take the Bulls. 

The LA Clippers head into Wednesday’s matchup against Memphis winners of nine of ten. Minus Kawhi Leonard and in a back to back scenario figures to put their streak in jeopardy. Loo for the Grizzlies to continue to extend their ATS covers streak to six games. Play Memphis.

Wednesday, the Minnesota Timberwolves will attempt to sweep the Sacramento Kings. Tuesday they stormed back from an early fourth quarter deficit to outscore the Kings by eighteen points. The performance from the Kings is indicative of their end of season plight where they’ve dropped ten of eleven. Take the Timberwolves plus the points.

Over the weekend the San Antonio Spurs had one of the biggest lopsided upsets based on point spread movement. A 3.5 point line move against the Spurs was incorrect, as they trounced the Phoenix Suns. That’s posed value Monday for the Pacers who defeated the Spurs 139-133 earlier this month. Take the Pacers to sweep the season series. 

The Rockets organizational free fall in 2021 has been unbearable at times. They’ve lost five straight and have only three wins since February 4th. Sunday they’ll be without several players once again but should have the upper hand against a disorganized blended lineup of the Orlando Magic. Play the Rockets. 

The Miami Heat have faltered in consecutive games against Western Conference opponents in the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets. Friday, they’ll have a much easier matchup against the 14-42 Minnesota Timberwolves. Expect the Timberwolves to drop their third straight by a wide margin, as Miami gets back on track. 

Fielding an undermanned team has been the norm for the Toronto Raptors this season. Currently, they’re as depleted as they have been all year with the majority of their starters out, and keep in mind they traded away Norman Powell. Yet, they were able to defeat the Spurs in their last game, and will face a Magic team that has been in disarray since trading their away their core group of talent. Grab the Raptors.

The Boston Celtics have taken strides forward that you expect playoff contenders to do in April. They’ve won four straight games and should have a big edge against a depleted Lakers team coming off a lengthy road trip. Furthermore, this is a revenge spot in particular for guard Kemba Walker. Walker had one of his worst games of his career on January 30th, in which he shot 1 for 12 against the Lakers. Play the Celtics. 

Tonight a huge matchup will end the Tuesday NBA slate as the Miami Heat take on the Phoenix Suns. The Suns have won nine out of ten games, but the majority were against teams at or below .500. Expect the Heat to have answers defensively for the octane Suns, including former Heat team member Jae Crowder. Grab the Miami Heat.

Assessing a team’s mentality in a back to back scenario can be tough to gauge in the latter stage of the NBA regular season. For the LA Lakers tonight should be a prioritized refocused effort, after a sloppy loss to the Knicks that featured twenty-five turnovers. Look for a vindicating effort from the Lakers who will end their seven game road trip with a win. 

The Chicago Bulls continue an upward climb having won three games in a row. Tonight they’ll be in a back to back scenario on the road against the Atlanta Hawks. Injuries and concerns with availabilities of Danilo Galinari and Clint Capela will likely shift this line right before game time. This occurred in the Hawks last game against the Grizzlies, and should be advantageous for a Bulls team playing solid basketball. Play the Bulls. 

The Phoenix Suns have ascended to the top spot in the Pacific West division thanks to seven straight wins. Tonight will be an ultimate test against the LA Clippers in a back to back scenario. While the Suns have been winning they’ve had a string of close results. Expect the Clippers to be geared up and take advantage of a Suns team playing in consecutive nights. Grab the Clippers.

The Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies will meet Wednesday for a back to back scenario for both teams. Memphis comes in after a big win Tuesday over the Miami Heat, extending their win streak to three games. Torrid shooting of fifty five percent carried the Grizzlies. Look for Memphis shooting to downgrade as the undermanned Atlanta Hawks outplay the Grizzlies for another win. Play Atlanta.

It’s become apparent that the Oklahoma City Thunder are closing out their season thinking of the future. Key players continue to remain out limiting their roster’s talent. As a result over their last three games they’ve lost by an average of thirty six points. Still the Hornets have had trouble with consistency as of late, and are in their fifth straight road game. Grab the home underdog here.

The Miami Heat will aim to boost a four-game win streak as they host the Memphis Grizzlies. Memphis is coming off two big wins including defeating the 76ers on the road by double figures. This is a scenario where the Heat’s defense should dictate early, and make things difficult for four quarters for the Grizzlies. Take the Heat to extend their win streak and cover ATS.

Monday, we will find out who will cut down the nets between Baylor and Gonzaga. This was a game we almost had in early December but was cancelled due to Covid-19. Over their last three tournament games Baylor has been impressive and cashed in all ATS-wise against Villanova, Arkansas, and Houston. Yet, expect Gonzaga’s offensive talent and depth to pose a problem for the Bears. Take the Zags to finish off their undefeated season and cash ATS.

Several key players will be out for the Minnesota Timberwolves in Monday’s matchup against the Sacramento Kings. This has increased the spread offering on a Timberwolves team that has won two of their last three home games. Look for Sacramento’s inconsistency on road trips to be a big factor here. Play the Timberwolves. 

The San Antonio Spurs have not been able to gain traction even amidst a lengthy home stand. Monday will be their ninth straight home game, in which they’ve produced just a 2-6 record. Even with the recent returns of Kevin Love, Matthew Dellavedova, and Taureen Prince the Cavaliers have continued to lose by double-figures. Take the Spurs tonight.

The Final Four is the stage when Cinderella stories come to an end. Expect that to be the case for UCLA whose had fortune to survive two overtime games, and several late game blunders from the Michigan Wolverines. The Zags will over power the Bruins, and make another big statement before Monday’s national title game.

Value exists on Houston as all four of their tournament wins have been against double-digit seeds. Yet, Baylor showed down the stretch of the Big 12 season and in March Madness warning signs of deteriorating play. They have lacked the ability to play for forty minutes and isolation half court sets will play into the hands of the Cougars. Take the points here.

The Bucks ended a three-game losing streak on Wednesday by defeating the short-handed LA Lakers. For Friday, they’ll continue their west coast road trip by playing a Portland Trailblazers team they defeated 134-106 on February 1st. Yet, in that game the Blazers were minus CJ McCollum. Expect a tighter game and for the Trailblazers to carry over their efforts from a successful road trip that featured four straight wins. Play Portland. 

The Atlanta Hawks have fared well ATS-wise against teams in back to back scenarios this season. Another occurrence is available Friday evening as they travel to face the San Antonio Spurs. This is the seventh straight home game for the Spurs, and for the Hawks this is their seventh straight road game. Follow the suggestion from oddsmakers, and take the Hawks to perform well at the back end of their road trip.

The New York Knicks are coming off a season-low eighty eight points in Monday’s loss against the Miami Heat. It was an uncharacteristic performance from the Knicks who also surrendered thirty-nine points in the third quarter. Wednesday, expect Coach Thibodeau to have his team dialed back in against the NBA’s worst team in the Timberwolves. Play Minnesota.

After a four-game east coast road trip the Phoenix Suns return home to host the Atlanta Hawks. This is a bet friendly spot for the Suns as the Hawks are in the midst of a eight game road trip. Look for Phoenix’s depth and ability to close out teams late to thrive ATS against the Hawks. Play Phoenix

Opportunity of new life exists once again for the UCLA Bruins. For the second time in four March Madness games they needed overtime to survive. Top seeded Michigan destroyed a likely over-seeded Florida State team, but UCLA has the balance and momentum on their side to thwart the Wolverines. Also look for the coaching edge to side with the Bruins and Mick Cronin. Play UCLA. 

Thus far the USC Trojans have had advantageous matchups in March Madness. All three wins were by double-figures against two under manned teams in Kansas and Drake, and a familiar Pac-12 opponent in Oregon. That changes today against a Gonzaga team that is too proficient for the Trojans zone defense. Expect Gonzaga to rattle the Trojans early and pull away in the second half. Play Gonzaga. 

Offensively against Villanova, Baylor did not look like a team that should be in the Elite 8. They made up for it with stout defense and the will to not panic amidst a trying first thirty minutes. After surviving that scare look for Baylor to sense the situation and step up their level of play against the Razorbacks. Play Baylor. 

Oregon State will aim to extend their improbable tournament run against the defensive minded Houston Cougars. The Beavers have the upperclassmen to match Houston’s experience, and interior presence to out rebound the Cougars. Look for the Beavers to continue to not play like a twelve loss team as they give the Cougars a battle. Take the points here. 

The Raptors free fall has featured ten of eleven losses. Dealing franchise player Kyle Lowry was expected but not did not happen. Retaining Kyle Lowry sends a message that the Raptors are going to work through their struggles. Look for a solid effort today against a Trailblazers team working in Norman Powell, and Jusuf Nurkic. Grab Toronto.

Florida State’s ability to play both ends of the floor has been uncanny compared to the rest of the field in March Madness. They limited both UNC Greensboro and Colorado to under thirty six percent shooting. It’s been a solid campaign from Juwon Howard and Michigan but look for the Seminoles to continue to hinder their opponent and advance to the Elite 8. 

In the past eight seasons, Villanova has been an underdog by today’s margin only one other time. That speaks to the incredible run of Jay Wright and his staff. Baylor’s elite level of play began November 2019, when they defeated Villanova 87-78. In the contest Baylor shot fifty-eight percent from three point range, got several Villanova players in foul trouble, and committed just five turnovers. The in-game adjustments of Jay Wright won’t be there to keep Baylor at bay. Take Baylor. 

The Lakers finally showed some fight Wednesday night, in a competitive 109-101 loss to the 76ers. Yet, it had more to do with the 76ers letting off the gas in the fourth quarter than the Lakers veteran roster showing growth. Take the Cavaliers with the points to be the latest team to give the Lakers problems minus Anthony Davis and Lebron James.

Last night’s loss to the Portland Trailblazers extended the Miami Heat’s losing streak to five. Tonight’s matchup against the Hornets is advantageous due to the Hornets adjusting minus Lamelo Ball and adjustments to the minutes of Bismack Biyombo and Cody Zeller. Look for the Heat to also take advantage of the Hornets returning from a five game road trip. Take the Heat. 

Thursday, an NIT Conference USA battle will take place between Louisiana Tech and Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers had the best regular season record in the conference, but did not get the support from oddsmakers for the Conference USA tournament. In fact, Louisiana Tech was co-favorite with March Madness representative North Texas. Expect the Bulldogs ability to execute better in half court sets, and get the win over Western Kentucky. 

Down the stretch of conference play the Memphis Tigers turned the corner. In fact, all four of their losses since January 17th have been by three points or less. Thursday, they’ll face a well balanced Boise State team offensively, but look for the Tigers to continue to take another step forward into the 2021-2022 season. Take Memphis. 

NC State had one of the easiest wins thus far in any post-season college basketball tournament, defeating Davidson 75-61. The Wolfpack never trailed in the game as the power five representative showcased a clear edge over the Wildcats. Building off wins has been a huge problem for the Wolfpack, grab top-seeded Colorado State to expose the Wolfpack’s inconsistent play. Play Colorado State. 

A revenge spot exists tonight on the road against the Thunder for the Memphis Grizzlies. Ten days ago the Thunder defeated the Grizzlies 128-122, thanks to outscoring Memphis by sixteen points in the fourth quarter. Expect the Grizzlies to atone for that fourth quarter let down and take the season series 2-1. 

The Pac-12 has been the hottest topic of discussion for March Madness. The sixth seed USC Trojans shot fifty percent from the field, and limited Drake to twenty nine percent shooting. Yet, similar to yesterday’s Texas Tech and Arkansas matchup, the six seed is improperly favored. Grab Kansas to have a proficient game and have answers for the Trojans in-game adjustments. 

The return of key players for the Houston Rockets with John Wall, Christian Wood, and the insertion of Kevin Porter Jr. has made the Rockets more formidable on paper. On the court though they’re still struggling. The Toronto Raptors should be the latest to hand the Rockets a substantial loss. Grab the Raptors to hand the Rockets their 21st straight loss. 

The Big Ten’s shocking downgraded play has left few teams left. Top seed Michigan will aim to keep the hopes of the conference alive against an LSU team that’s won five of their last six. Down Isaiah Livers the Wolverines will showcase their depth and pedigree over a poor defensive LSU squad. Grab Michigan.

The Wizards below average season had one monumental win. That came earlier this season against the Brooklyn Nets, with a miraculous late flurry that featured a Russ Westbrook three pointer on a steal in the final seconds. Brooklyn may have Blake Griffin, but expect the Wizards to have confidence with Kevin Durant off the floor. Play the Wizards.

One of the hottest teams in college basketball has been the Texas Longhorns. Loaded with NBA talent they are finally starting to emerge as a true contender. Yet, they’ll have their hands full with a well rounded Abilene Christian team. Look for the Longhorns to show vulnerability as they did in January through mid February. Play Abilene Christian. 

The Philadelphia 76ers have become accustomed to being without key contributors. That is the case once again Saturday as they will be without Joel Embiid and Seth Curry. They’ll take on a Kings team that has won consecutive games, but is in a back to back spot. Expect a poor effort in what is their fifth straight road game. 

The Indiana Pacers will aim to get back on track Friday against the Miami Heat. A prolonged ten game slump for the Pacers has featured a 2-8 record. Settling in Miami for three days for a two-game series should benefit Indiana. Expect a concerted effort and the Pacers to finish within the spread. Grab Indiana. 

A team that sneaks into the big dance is typically one of the most confident. North Texas escaped with a dramatic come from behind in the Conference USA final to topple Western Kentucky. A favorable matchup against Purdue and confidence should spark a solid effort from the Mean Green. Take North Texas.

The experience of Wisconsin is a key attribute to a tournament team’s success. The Badgers boast four senior starters and senior Micah Potter off the bench. Yet, the Badgers have not been able to shake the inability to finish off games, with a string of close losses. Look for Tar Heels starting freshman guards in Caleb Love and Kerwin Walton to rise to the challenge. Play North Carolina. 

A great play-in game exists Thursday between UCLA and Michigan State. The Bruins come into the tournament on a four game losing streak, but have the intangibles to give Michigan State trouble. Expect Mick Cronin to have his team fully engaged as questions get raised on if Michigan State should have been a participant. Play UCLA. 

One of the best NBA comebacks of the season happened two nights ago as the Trailblazers stormed back from a seventeen point deficit to defeat the Pelicans. The deflating loss for the Pelicans should give the Trailblazers an edge Thursday. Expect the Trailblazers to take advantage of a quarter of down play from the Pelicans, and get another win. Play Portland.

The SMU Mustangs never got traction in-conference because of ten games being cancelled. As a result they played just sixteen games total. In fact, they have played just one game over the last thirty eight days. Seek the value on the Mustangs led by Kendric Davis, and the experience of senior Ethan Chargois who scored sixteen points in a win over Boise State his freshman year. Play SMU.