At 8:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (558) minus the points versus the Houston Rockets (557). THE SITUATION: Boston (41-17) has won two straight games as well as four of their last five contests with their 114-103 upset win in Utah as a 5-point underdog on Wednesday. Houston (38-20) has won five straight games with their 140-112 win at home against a reeling Memphis team on Wednesday as a 12-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS THE POINTS: Boston should continue to build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in five of their last six games after winning their last game by at least 10 points. Now after playing their last four games on the road, the Celtics return home where they are 23-5 with an average winning margin of +9.9 PPG. Boston has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Celtics have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Boston should fare well in this contest. The Rockets average 91 shots per game in their up-tempo small-ball offense while taking 44 shots from behind the arc per game while making 16 of these 3-pointers per contest. The Celtics have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games in the second half of the season against teams who average at least 88 shots per game. Boston has also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games against teams who make at least 6 shots from downtown per game. Houston nailed 55.9% of their shots against an injury-riddled Grizzlies team playing without Jaren Jackson, Jr. and Brandon Clarke for the next few weeks. That was the Rockets’ best shooting mark in their last twenty-nine games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. Houston also held that Grizzlies team to just a 39.8% field goal percentage which was the best defensive effort in their last twenty games. The Rockets may be due for a letdown now as they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 21 games after a double-digit win at home. They also are 16-34-1 ATS in their last 51 games after a game where they scored at least 125 points. Houston has scored at least 113 pints in six straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after scoring at least 110 points in four straight contests. The Rockets force 15 turnovers per game as they use pressure to compensate for their lack of rebounding given their small lineups. But Boston only turns the ball over 13 times per game — and Houston has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams who do not turn the ball over more than 14 times per game.

FINAL TAKE: Boston will be looking to avenge a 116-105 loss at Houston back on February 11th — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games when playing with revenge. The Celtics have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games when avenging a double-digit loss on the road. 10* NBA Houston-Boston ABC-TV Special with the Boston Celtics (558) minus the points versus the Houston Rockets (557). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 pM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (546) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (545). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (39-19) has won their last two games with their 102-92 win at Phoenix on Wednesday as a 7.5-point favorite. Denver (40-18) has won two straight games as well as six of their last eight contests with their 115-98 victory at home against Detroit as a 13.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Nuggets are likely due for a letdown in this contest. They limited the hapless Pistons to just 40.7% shooting from the field which was the best defense mark in their last seven games. But Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 36 road games after a point spread win. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games on the road after a double-digit win at home. Additionally, the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games after winning at least two games in a row. And in their last 30 road games after a game where they scored at least 115 points, Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 22 of these contests. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games when playing with one day of rest. And while this will be just their fifth game in the last fourteen days, they have covered the point spread in 123 of their last 16 games when playing no more than their fifth game in the last two weeks. They return home where they are 23-6 this season with an average winning margin of +9.1 PPG. Both teams will be at full strength for this game after a bevy of injuries has impacted both rosters. And while the Nuggets shoot 46.9% from the field, the Clippers have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 26 contests against teams who make at least 46% of their shots.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles will be looking to avenge a 114-104 loss to Denver back on January 12th. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 24 of their last 37 games when playing with revenge from a same-season loss — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games at home when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 110 points. 10* NBA Friday Late Show Bailout with the Los Angeles Clippers (546) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (545). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Toronto Raptors (530) minus the points versus the Charlotte Hornets (529). THE SITUATION: Toronto (42-16) looks to bounce-back from their 108-97 upset loss at home to Milwaukee on Tuesday as a 1-point favorite. Charlotte (20-38) snapped a two-game losing streak n Wednesday with their 107-101 upset win over New York as a 2-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAPTORS MINUS THE POINTS: Toronto only made 35.2% of their shots on Tuesday in what was the lowest shooting effort in their last twenty-three games against the outstanding Bucks defense. The Raptors has still won seventeen of their last nineteen games and they should respond with a strong effort tonight. Toronto has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after a point spread loss. Furthermore, Toronto has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a loss at home by at least 10 points. They did play very well on the defensive end of the court as they limited the Bucks to just 38.1% shooting room the field. The Raptors limited Indiana to just a 32.6% field goal percentage in their previous game — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not allowing their last two opponents to shoot better than 39% from the field. Toronto named just 18 of their 52 shots from behind the arc against Milwaukee for a 34.6% mark which is a bit below their 37.6% shooting percentage from 3-point land this season. They should fare better tonight against this Hornets team that has failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 26 road games against teams who are making at least 36% of their 3-pointers. The Raptors stay at home where they are 23-8 this season with an average winning margin of +9.0 PPG. They are making 47% of their shots at home which has translated into 116.5 PPG. Toronto has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games at home — and they have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games at home against teams with a losing record on the road. The Raptors have also over the point spread in 4 of the last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40%. Charlotte has won four of their last six games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread 24 of their last 34 games after winning four or five of their last six games. In their victory over the Knicks, they allowed them to make 50.6% of their shots which was after they allowed the Pacers to shoot 57% from the field in their previous game. The Hornets have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after allowing their last two opponents to shoot at least 50% from the field. Charlotte ranks 26th in the NBA in Defensive Rating this season as they allow 113.0 points per 100 possessions. The Hornets will also be without Malik Monk who has suspended for violating the league’s anti-drug program. Monk was scoring 17.0 PPG over their last thirteen games while making 35% of his shots from behind the arc during that span. Charlotte goes back on the road where they are just 11-21 with an average losing margin of -9.7 PPG. They are allowing their opponents to make 47.8% of their shots which has translated into 109.7 PPG. The Hornets have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Additionally, Charlotte has failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 29 games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto will not be at full strength as well tonight with Marc Gasol out and both Norman Powell and Serge Ibaka questionable with injuries. But they still have Pascal Siakam, Kule Lowery, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby and the outstanding depth that this organization has compiled on this roster. The issue is whether the Raptors are being asked to lay too many points. I am wary of laying over double-digits in the NBA but I do look closely at team trends to evaluate the personalities of teams regarding how they evaluate situations like this. Toronto has covered the point spread in all 4 of their games this season when they have been laying at least 10 points. Charlotte has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of the 13 circumstances this season where they were double-digit underdogs — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games as an underdog getting 12.5 or more points. 25* NBA Game of the Month with the Toronto Raptors (530) minus the points versus the Charlotte Hornets (529). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Georgia State Panthers (852) minus the points versus the Georgia Southern Eagles (851). THE SITUATION: Georgia State (18-11) has lost two straight games after their 86-78 loss at Texas State last Saturday as a 4-point underdog. Georgia Southern (17-12) snapped their two-game losing streak on Saturday with their 81-61 upset victory at UT-Arlington as a 5.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PANTHERS MINUS THE POINTS: Georgia State should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit loss on the road. The Panthers have also covered the point spread in 6 straight games after allowing at least 85 points in their last game. Now after being on a road underdog in their last two games, they return home where they are 11-1 this season with an average winning margin of +16.9 PPG. Georgia State has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after losing two straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after being an underdog in two straight games. The Panthers score a healthy 84.2 PPG on their home court while limiting their guests to just 37.9% shooting from the field which has translated into only 67.3 PPG. Georgia State has covered the point spread in 5 straight home games with the Total set in the 150 to 159.5 point range. They also have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 home games as a favorite of no more than 6 points. Georgia Southern made 52.8% of their shots on Saturday in what was the best shooting effort in their last four games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a game where they scored at least 80 points in their last game. They also held the Mavericks to just 31.8% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last eleven games. But the Eagles have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of the last 7 games after an upset victory — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after an upset win against a Sun Belt Conference foe. Furthermore, Georgia Southern has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win by at least 15 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after a double-digit win over a Sun Belt rival. Now the Eagles stay on the road where they are just 7-9 this season where they are making only 42.7% of their shots from the field. Georgia Southern has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 6 points.

FINAL TAKE: The Eagles have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after fifteen games into the season against teams with a winning percentage in the 60-80% range. 25* CBB Sun Belt Conference Game of the Year with the Georgia State Panthers (852) minus the points versus the Georgia Southern Eagles (851). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Iowa State Cyclones (606) minus the points versus the TCU Horned Frogs (605). THE SITUATION: Iowa State (11-16) has lost two straight games after their 87-57 loss at home to Texas Tech as a 5-point underdog on Saturday.  TCU (15-12) has won two of their last three games with their 67-60 upset victory over West Virginia as a 5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CYCLONES MINUS THE POINTS: Iowa State played one of their worst games of the season on Saturday against one of the hottest teams in the nation in that Red Raiders team. The Cyclones shot just 35.8% from the field which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last ten games. Iowa State also allowed Texas Tech to make 57.1% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last twenty-two contests. The Cyclones have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of their shots. Iowa State suffered a terrible blow a few weeks ago with the season-ending injury to their best player, Tyrese Halliburton. Yet Steve Promm’s team immediately responded with an 81-52 blowout win at home against Texas in their first game without Halliburton before losing at Kansas and then at home to the Red Raiders which are two teams that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks in the top-15 in the nation according to his numbers. This team should respond with a strong effort in this winnable game. The Cyclones have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after a loss by at least 20 points — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a loss by at least 20 points to a fellow Big 12 rival. And while Iowa State has only covered the point spread once in their last four games, they have then covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 home games after failing to cover the point spread in three of the last four games. The Cyclones are 10-5 at home with an average winning margin of +7.3 PPG while limiting their opponents to just 41.2% shooting from the field. They have covered 4 straight home games as a favorite — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games at home when favored by up to 6 points. And in their last 5 home games with the Total set in the 130 to 139.5 point range, Iowa State has covered the point spread in 4 of these contests. TCU made 44.4% of their shots in their upset win over the Mountaineers which was the best shooting mark in their last eight games. They also held West Virginia to just 40.3% shooting which was also the best defensive effort in their last twelve games. But the Horned Frogs have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after a straight-up win — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games on the road after a win over a conference opponent. Additionally, TCU has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a point spread win. Now the Horned Frogs go back on the road where they are just 2-8 this season. While TCU ranks 90th in the nation in Net Adjusted Efficiency overall, they plummet to 206th in the nation with their Net Adjusted Efficiency when playing on the road. They rank 351st in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 58.2% when playing on the road — their home hosts are making 47.4% of their shots overall which has resulted in 70.6 PPG. They also have an effective field goal percentage of 42.4% on the road which is 343rd in the nation while making only 37.5% of their shots which is producing just 56.9 PPG. The Horned Frogs are also making only 38.8% of their shots over their last five games which is why they are averaging just 55.8 PPG. TCU has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games on the road — and they ave failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games on the road against teams who are winning at least 60 % of their games at home. The Horned Frogs are also just 6-19-2 ATS in the last 27 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Head coach Jamie Dixon only uses eight players in his rotation — and TCU may be without starting guard Francisco Farabello who is questionable with a concussion. This has been a disappointing season for the Cyclones — and their postseason aspirations are likely gone with Halliburton’s injury — but look for them to play a good game after their embarrassing loss to Texas Tech. 25* CBB Tuesday ESPNU Game of the Year with the Iowa State Cyclones (606) minus the points versus the TCU Horned Frogs (605). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (572) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (571). THE SITUATION: Utah (36-20) has lost two straight games after their 120-110 upset loss at home to Houston as a 2-point favorite on Saturday. Phoenix (23-34) has won two of their last three games after their 112-104 win at Chicago on Saturday as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ MINUS THE POINTS: Utah has suffered two straight upset losses as their setback on Saturday was preceded by a 113-104 upset loss at home to San Antonio as a 7-point favorite last Friday. The Jazz should respond with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games are an upset loss at home by at least 10 points. Utah has also covered the point spread in 7 straight games after a double-digit loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in a decisive 40 of their last 62 home games after a loss at home by at least 10 points. The Jazz allowed the Rockets to make 48.9% of their shots in that contest on Saturday which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last seven games. Utah stays at home for the fourth straight game where they are holding their guests to just a 44.5% field goal percentage which has translated into only 105.0 PPG — so they should play better on defense tonight. The Jazz are still 20-7 on their home court where they are making 47.8% of their shots which is producing 111.2 PPG. Utah has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games with the Total set in the 220 to 229.5 point range. Over their last five contests, they are shooting a healthy 48.9% of their shots. And in their last 20 games when playing with one day of rest, the Jazz have coved the point spread 14 times. Phoenix is likely due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread victory. That was the thirteenth straight game where Phoenix played a game where at least 216 combined points were scored — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 30 games after playing at least three straight games where at least 215 combined points were scored. Now the Suns stay on the road for the third straight games where they are 12-16 while allowing their home hosts to score 114.2 PPG on 47.4% shooting from the field. Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread 5 of their last 6 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Additionally, the Suns have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix may be just what the doctor ordered for this Utah team that has dominated this series as of late. The Jazz have won the last eight meetings between these two teams along with fifteen of their last sixteen encounters with the Suns. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games with Phoenix while also going 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 opportunities to host the Suns in Salt Lake City. The Jazz won the last showdown between these two teams back on October 28th by a 96-95 score in Phoenix — and the Suns have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when looking to avenge a narrow loss by 3 points or less. 25* NBA Western Conference Game of the Year with the Utah Jazz (572) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (571). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Brooklyn Nets (566) minus the points versus the Orlando Magic (565). THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (26-29) has won five of their last seven games with their 115-86 win at Charlotte on Saturday as a 4.5-point favorite. Orlando (24-32) has lost four of their last six games with their 122-106 loss at home to Dallas as a 4-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NETS MINUS THE POINTS: Brooklyn should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a win by at least 20 points — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread win. Additionally, the Nets have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games when they did not allow more than 90 points in their last game. And in their last 16 games after winning at least four of their last five games, they have then covered the point spread in 12 of these games. Brooklyn returns home for one game before embarking on a four-game road trip so they will want to take care of business tonight. While they are 16-12 at home in the Barclays Center, they have won their last five games while averaging 121.4 PPG while allowing just 101.8 PPG in those games. The Nets have covered the point spread in 5 straight games at home. Brooklyn has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games as a favorite — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a losing record. The Nets will be without Kyrie Irving for the rest of the season as he deals with a shoulder injury — but they were just 8-12 with him while being 18-17 without him. Brooklyn’s best lineup this season has been Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris, Caris LeVert, Taurean Prince, and Jarrett Allen who have outscored their opponents by 16.9 points per 100 possessions while posting an outstanding 97.1 Defensive Rating. Orlando has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games are a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread loss. The Magic have launched at least 95 shots in four straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games after taking at least 90 shots in two straight games. Furthermore, Orlando has only covered the point spread once in their last five games but that is not a good sign now as they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after failing to cover the point spread in four of their last five games. Now after playing their last four games at home, they go back on the road where they are just 9-18 while making only 43.1% of their shots to average just 104.2 PPG. Orlando has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road — and they are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Magic have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games as an underdog in the 3.5 to 9.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Brooklyn will be looking to avenge a 101-89 loss at Orlando back on January 6th. The Nets have covered the point spread in 27 of their last 42 games when avenging a loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 43 of their last 68 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 10* NBA Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Brooklyn Nets (566) minus the points versus the Orlando Magic (565). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (564) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (563). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (35-22) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with their 119-98 loss at Milwaukee as a 9.5-point underdog. Atlanta (17-41) has won their last two games after their 111-107 win over Dallas on Saturday as a 2-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: Philadelphia made only 35% of their shots on Saturday in what was the worst shooting percentage for them all season. They also allowed the Bucks to make 52.7% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last six contests. The 76ers have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a loss on the road by at least 20 points. Philadelphia will not be at full strength for this game with Ben Simmons out with a back injury and Tobias Harris dealing with a knee — but that opens up space for Joel Embiid to lead the way without any conflicts with Simmons. Embiid scored 39 points while adding 16 rebounds last Thursday in an overtime victory over Brooklyn in the last opportunity he had to lead the team without Simmons being available to play. The Sixers return home where they are 26-2 this season with an average winning margin of +10.0 PPG. Philly makes 48.3% of their shots at home which results in them averaging 111.9 PPG. The 76ers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 home games — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight home games with the Total set at 220 or higher. Furthermore, Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games as a favorite — and they are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 home games against teams who are not making at least 40% of their shots on the road. Atlanta has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a victory on their home court. The Hawks are also 7-16-1 ATS in their last 24 games after a point spread victory — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 road games after a point spread victory. Atlanta has covered the point spread in two straight games but they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. And while they have scored at least 105 points in eight straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games after scoring at least 105 points in three straight contests. The Hawks go back not he road where they are just 6-24 while being outscored by -13.3 PPG. Atlanta allows their home hosts to make 48.6% of their shots with them averaging 122.2 PPG. The Hawks have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 26 road games with the Total set in the 220s. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 road games as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: Clint Capela has yet to make his debut for the Hawks after being traded over from Houston — he is dealing with a heel injury and might not play this season. Atlanta is also without DeAndre Bembry who is out with an abdominal injury. Philadelphia is looking to avenge a 127-117 upset loss in Atlanta back on January 30th — and they have covered the point spread in 31 of their last 48 home games when playing with revenge. 10* NBA Blowout Bookie Buster with the Philadelphia 76ers (564) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (563). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Oklahoma City Thunder (552) minus the points versus the San Antonio Spurs (551). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma City (34-22) has won two straight games as well as six of their last eight contests with their 113-101 win over Denver as a 1.5-point favorite on Friday. San Antonio (24-31) has won their last two games after their 113-104 upset win in Utah on Friday as a 7-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE THUNDER MINUS THE POINTS: Oklahoma City should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after a straight-up win — and they have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Thunder have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a double-digit victory — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 home games after a win by at least 10 points. They stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games when favored by up to 6 points. Additionally, Oklahoma City has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games against teams with a losing record — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 19 games with the Total set at 220 or higher. San Antonio held the Jazz to just 42.7% shooting on Friday which was the best defensive effort in their last seven games. But they have still allowed their last five opponents to make 50.1% of their shots. And the Spurs have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games are an upset victory as a road underdog. Additionally, San Antonio has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after winning their last two games. This will be the Spurs’ final game in their eight-game road trip that coincides with their home arena being used this month for the annual rodeo in San Antonio. The Spurs began this road excursion by losing their first five games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after losing four or five of their last six contests. San Antonio is just 10-19 on the road while allowing their opponents to make 48.0% of their shots which has resulted in 116.0 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: The Spurs have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games against the Thunder in Oklahoma City. San Antonio won the last meeting between these two teams by a 114-106 score as an 8-point underdog — but the Thunder have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games when playing with revenge. 10* NBA Blowout Bookie Buster with the Oklahoma City Thunder (552) minus the points versus the San Antonio Spurs (551). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:35 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (545) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (546). THE SITUATION: Boston (39-16) has won two straight games as well as nine of their last ten contests with their 127-117 win at Minnesota on Friday as an 8.5-point favorite. Los Angeles (42-12) has won four straight games as well as six of their last seven contests with their 117-105 win over Memphis as a 10.5-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS PLUS THE POINTS: The Celtics should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games afar point spread win — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after winning two of their last three contests. Now this team stays on the road where they are 16-11 this season while holding their hosts to just 106.0 PPG on 43.3% shooting from the field. Boston is 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Additionally, the Celtics have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games as an underdog. Los Angeles (42-12) has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games the a win at home by at least 10 points. The Lakers have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when playing with one day of rest. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Los Angeles has also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Defense has been an issue for this team as of late as they have allowed their last five opponents to make 48.1% of their shots from the field. And in their last 48 games against teams from the Eastern Conference, the Lakers have failed to cover the point spread 32 times.

FINAL TAKE: Boston will be without Kemba Walker for the next week or so after he had his knee drained — but this remains a team full of talent with Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward, and Jason Theis all scoring at least 25 points in their win against the Timberwolves on Friday. The Lakers are looking to avenge a 139-107 loss at Boston back on January 20th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games when avenging a double-digit loss on the road and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 29 games when playing with revenge from a loss by at least 30 points. 10* NBA Boston-LA Lakers ABC-TV Special with the Boston Celtics (545) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (542) minus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (541). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (47-8) has won six of their last seven games with their 126-106 win at Detroit on Thursday as a 13-point favorite. Philadelphia (35-31) has won their last four games with their 112-104 win over Brooklyn on Thursday as an 8-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Milwaukee made 50.8% of their shots in racing out to a 29-point lead going into halftime against the hapless Pistons — but they still allowed Detroit to make 48.2% of their shots which was the second highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last seventeen games. The Bucks allowed Indiana to shoot 52.3% from the field in the last game before the All-Star break in a game where Giannis Antetokounmpo did not play with the birth of his child. Expect a better defensive effort from this team tonight. As it is, Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after both a straight-up win and after a point spread victory — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit victory. The Bucks have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Now this team returns home for the first time since February 10th — and they have covered the point spread in 24 of their last 35 home games after being on the road for at least seven days. Milwaukee is 25-3 on their home court where they are outscoring their guests by +13.1 PPG while limiting them to just 41.4% shooting from the field. The Bucks also make 48.5% of their shots on their home court which translate into 121.5 PPG. Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40% on the road. The Bucks have also covered the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. Philadelphia played their best defensive game of the season on Thursday as they held the Nets to just 35.3% shooting. Joel Embiid led the way with 39 points along with 16 rebounds and later proclaimed to be the “best player in the world” after the game. But the 76ers have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after winning at least four games in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread win. This is a team where the sum of the parts are not as powerful as the individual pieces suggest. Chemistry and team cohesion are significant concerns with Embiid and Ben Simmons battle for the claim of being the leader of this team. Is it a coincidence that Embiid has a big game on Thursday with Simmons out with a back issue? Is it then a coincidence that Embiid boasts he is the “best player in the game?” Are you even the best player on your own team, big guy? The frustrating thing about Embiid is that he will then try to prove himself by launching 3 after 3 — and that is not close to the most effective way for his skills on offense to be utilized. The Sixers have, at times, played their best ball with Embiid out and Simmons leading the way along with Al Horford manning the post. Unfortunately, Horford has been a disappointment when playing on the court at the same time with Embiid with that lineup having one too many big men on the court. Now after playing their last four games at home, Philadelphia goes back on the road where these chemistry issues get exposed while the bench players do not perform at such a high level — and Simmons is listed as probable for this game which reignites the on-floor conflict with Embiid. The 76ers are just 9-19 on the road with an average losing margin of -5.0 PPG. Philly is just 6-19-2 ATS in their last 27 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games with the Total set at 220 or higher. Furthermore, the 76ers are just 0-7-1 ATS in their last 8 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on their home court. Philadelphia thrives on the lesser teams in the league — but they are 4-12-1 ATS in the last 17 games against teams with a winning record and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Sixers will be looking to avenge a 112-101 loss at Milwaukee back on February 6th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games when playing with revenge from a loss on the road. Philadelphia has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 trips to Milwaukee to face the Bucks. 25* NBA Saturday Night ABC-TV Game of the Year with the Milwaukee Bucks (542) minus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (541). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (532) minus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (531). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (37-18) returns from the All-Star break having lost two straight games as well as three of their last four contests after a 141-133 loss at Boston back on February 13th where they were 2.5-point underdogs. Sacramento (22-33) has won four of their last six games after their 129-125 win at home against Memphis on Thursday as a 1-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles made only 41.8% of their shots two Thursdays ago which was the worst offensive effort in their last seven games. The Clippers have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 24 of their last 32 games after a point spread loss. The team will not be at full strength this afternoon with Paul George out with a hamstring injury and Patrick Beverley out with a groin injury — but depth is a strength of this team even before they added Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson at the trade deadline. Kawhi Leonard should be playing in this game with load management, not a concern given the extended time off for this team. They are 21-7-1 ATS in their last 29 games when playing with at least three days of rest. The Clippers are 22-5 at home in the Staples Center where they are outscoring their opponents by +9.1 PPG. Sacramento has failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. The Kings did allow the Grizzlies to make 50.6% of their shots which was the third time in their last four games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after allowing their last two opponents to shoot at least 50% from the field. Sacramento has allowed their last three opponents to score at least 123 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after giving up at least 110 points in three straight games. The Kings go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 road games with the Total set at 230 or higher. Sacramento has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers are looking to avenge a 124-123 upset loss at home to the Kings back on January 30th as a 14-point favorite — and they have covered the point spread in 8 straight home games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 110 points. Sacramento has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 meetings with the Clippers — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against them in the Staples Center. 10* NBA Saturday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Los Angeles Clippers (532) minus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (531). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Marquette Golden Panthers (609) plus the point(s) versus the Providence Friars (610). THE SITUATION: Marquette (17-8) has lost two straight games with their 73-65 upset loss to Creighton on Tuesday as a 3.5-point favorite. Providence (15-12) has won their last two games with their 73-63 upset win at Georgetown as a 1.5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN PANTHERS PLUS THE POINT(S): Markus Howard scored only 13 points in the loss on Tuesday as he made only 4 of 14 shots in that contest. Howard should be anxious to redeem himself this afternoon and get back to scoring at his 26.7 PPG clip. Marquette should be rested for this contest as this is just their second game in the last ten days — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. Now this team goes back on the road where they are 5-6 this season but where they also rank 19th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency for road teams. The Golden Panthers are making 39.4% of their 3-pointers on the road which is the 10th best mark in the nation. This offensive proficiency has helped Marquette cover the point spread in 4 straight games on the road — and they have also covered the point spread in 4 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Golden Panthers have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 road games with the Total set in the 140s — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Providence has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a win on the road. The Friars have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a double-digit win against a conference rival. That was Providence’s second straight upset victory as their win over the Hoyas was preceded by a 74-71 upset win over Seton Hall as a 1-point underdog. The Achilles’ heel for this team is their ability to score baskets as they rank 7th in the Big East in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They only make 45.3% of their shots inside the arc which is 329th in the nation — and their effective field goal percentage of 46.4% is 310th in the country. The Friars can struggle to find good looks in their half-court offense. This helps explain why Providence has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games as a favorite. The Friars have also failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 home games with the Total set in the 140s.

FINAL TAKE: Marquette will be looking to avenge an 81-80 upset loss in overtime at home to Providence despite being a 5.5-point favorite back on January 7th. The Golden Panthers have covered the point spread in 31 of their last 45 games when avenging an upset loss at home — and this includes them covering the point spread in five of these last seven situations. Howard scored 39 points in that contest and he now returns to Providence where he scored 52 points back in 2018. 10* CBB Marquette-Providence Fox-TV Special with the Marquette Golden Panthers (609) plus the point(s) versus the Providence Friars (610). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (529) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (530). THE SITUATION: Memphis (28-27) saw their two-game winning streak end last night with their 129-125 loss at Sacramento as a 1-point underdog. Los Angeles (41-12) has won three straight games as well as five of their last six contests with their 120-116 victory on overtime in Denver as a 3-point favorite nine days ago.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: Memphis was sluggish on defense last night in their first game back after the All-Star break. The Grizzlies allowed the Kings to make 50.6% of their shots which was the second-highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last six games. Yet they did rally from a 15-point deficit in the 4th quarter to almost steal that game. Despite that effort, Memphis has been playing better defense as of late as they have held their last five opponents to just 42.0% shooting which has resulted in 111.6 PPG as opposed to their 114.7 PPG/45.4% defensive marks for the season. The Grizzlies should play better tonight as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a point spread setback. Furthermore, Memphis has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. And in their last 5 games when playing without a day of rest, the Grizzlies have covered the point spread in all 5 games. Memphis stays on the road where they are making a healthy 47.0% of their shots and where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 road games with the Total set at 230 or higher. The Grizzlies also tend to raise their level of play against good teams as they are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games against teams with a winning record. Los Angeles may suffer from the rust that Memphis did last night after the long All-Star break. Lack of focus has been an issue for this team in the dog days of February — the Nuggets were the third team in their last four contests to make at least 50% of their shots. The Lakers have allowed their last five opponents to make 47.8% of their shots which has resulted in 111.8 PPG. Los Angeles has been winning high-scoring games as of late — they have scored at least 111 points in seven straight contests. But the Lakers have failed to cover the point spread in 32 of their last 44 home games after scoring at least 105 points in five straight games. Los Angeles has also failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 29 home games with the Total set at 230 or higher. The biggest Achilles’ heel for this team is the lack of a reliable second scorer after LeBron James. Even with Anthony Davis leading the way with James off the court, the Lakers are scoring only 101.8 points per 100 possessions which would rank more than -2.0 points per 100 possessions below the lowest team mark in the league. Overall, LA averages 113.4 points per 100 possessions with James playing a key role in that high level of efficiency. This makes the Lakers unreliable when asking them to cover double-digit point spreads. And while LA has covered the point spread as the favorite in their final two games before the All-Star break, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 57 of their last 95 home games after covering their last two games as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis is a serious contender to make the playoffs with the emergence of rookie superstar Ja Morant. The Grizzlies have a very nice foundation with him joining Jaren Jackson and Brandon Clarke for one of the best young trios of talent in the league — and head coach Taylor Jenkins has been outstanding in getting the most out of his talent. The Grizzlies fare well in expected higher-scoring games like this with that offensive talent. The Lakers average 114.7 PPG on 48.8% shooting — but Memphis has covered the point span in 17 of their last 25 games against teams who score at least 110 PPG and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games against teams who make at least 46% of their shots. And while LA allows their opponents to score 107.3 PPG, the Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 27 of their last 41 games against teams who allow at least 106 PPG. 25* NBA Western Conference Underdog of the Year with the Memphis Grizzlies (529) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (530). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Denver Nuggets (523) plus the point(s) versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (524). THE SITUATION: Denver (38-17) saw their four-game winning streak snapped last Wednesday with their 120-116 loss in overtime to the Los Angeles Lakers as a 3-point underdog. Oklahoma City (33-22) ended their two-game losing streak going into the All-Star break with their 123-118 upset win at New Orleans as a 3.5-point underdog last Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NUGGETS PLUS THE POINT(S): Denver allowed the Lakers to make 50.5% of their shots in that game nine days ago in what was the highest opponents’ field goal percentage in their last five games. But the Nuggets also made 50% of their shots in that loss — and that was the fifth time in their last six games that they shot at least 50% from the field. Over their last five games, Denver has made 50.9% of their shots which has resulted in 117.0 PPG. They should respond with a strong effort tonight as they are 9-1-2 ATS in their last 12 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. Now they go back on the road where they are 17-10 this season — and they ave covered the point span in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record at home. The Nuggets have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games as an underdog. And in their last 32 games against Northwest Division opponents, Denver has covered the point spread 22 times. Don’t be surprised if Oklahoma City is sluggish in this game after their eight-day layoff. The Thunder have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games when playing with at least three days of rest — and this includes them failing to cover the point spread in four of these last five situations. Oklahoma City has also failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games when playing no more than their third game in the last ten days. The Thunder host this game where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games. OKC has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Denver has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 encounters with the Thunder — and they have covered the point spread in their last five games in Oklahoma City. 10* NBA Denver-Oklahoma City ESPN Special with the Denver Nuggets (523) plus the point(s) versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (524). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers (871) plus the points versus the Oakland Grizzlies (872). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (12-14) looks to rebound from their 94-90 upset loss to Wisconsin-Green Bay last Saturday as a 2-point favorite. Oakland (10-17) has won their last two games with their 72-64 win over Youngstown State as a 4-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PANTHERS PLUS THE POINTS: Milwaukee allowed the Phoenix to make 56.9% of their shots last Saturday which was the worst defensive effort of the season. The Panthers should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after a loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after an upset loss to a Horizon League rival. Milwaukee has also covered the point spread in a decisive 34 of their last 52 games after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of their shots — and this includes them covering the point spread in three of these last four situations. Even after that defensive effort last week, the Panthers have held their last five opponents to just 40.4% shooting from the field. They go back on the road where they have won their last two contests — and they have covered the point spread in 32 of their last 40 road games with the Total set in the 135 to 139.5 point range. Milwaukee has also covered the point spread in 31 of their last 47 road games after scoring at least 85 points in their last game — and they are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Panthers are 2nd in the Horizon League by forcing turnovers in 20.5% of their opponent’s possessions — and this is an area of weakness for the Grizzlies because they rank 7th in the conference by turning the ball over in 19.6% of their conference possessions. Milwaukee is 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog. Oakland has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win on their home court. They stay at home for the third straight game where they are getting outscored this season despite their 6-5 record. But the advanced metrics rank the Grizzlies as 308th in the nation in home-court advantage when it comes to net Adjusted Efficiency — and Milwaukee ranks 202nd in the nation in net Adjusted Efficiency when playing on the road. Oakland has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 26 home games against Horizon League opponents. Furthermore, the Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 27 of their last 40 home games against teams who are not winning more than 40% of their games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 home games after fifteen games into the season against teams with a winning percentage in the 40-49% range. Oakland has also been an unreliable favorite as they have failed to cover the point spread in 30 of their last 47 games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee plays at an up-tempo as they average 62 shots per game — and the Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 19 games against teams who average at least 62 shots per contest. 25* CBB Horizon League Underdog of the Year with the Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers (871) plus the points versus the Oakland Grizzlies (872). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Toronto Raptors (518) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (517). THE SITUATION: Toronto (40-15) saw their fifteen-game winning streak snapped last Wednesday with their 101-91 upset loss in Brooklyn as a 4-point favorite. Phoenix (22-23) has lost three straight games as well as seven of their last eight contests before going into the All-Star break with a 112-106 victory at home against Phoenix as a 6.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAPTORS MINUS THE POINTS: Toronto looks to have caught a temporary case of the New York City flu with that substandard effort in their last game before the All-Star break. The Raptors shot only 37.8% from the field which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last eighteen games. But Toronto should respond with a strong effort to redeem themselves from blowing their winning streak. The Raptors have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a point spread defeat. Toronto returns home where they are 21-7 with an average winning margin of +8.2 PPG. They should play better on the offensive end of the court tonight as they are making 47.2% of their shots at home which is generating 116.8 PPG. The Raptors have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Furthermore, Toronto has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 home games when laying 6.5 to 12 points. Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up victory. The Suns have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Furthermore, Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games when playing with at least three days of rest. Now they go back on the road where they are just 11-15 this season. The Suns have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight road games as an underdog. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Toronto Raptors (518) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (517). Bets of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Utah Utes (678) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (677). THE SITUATION: Utah (14-11) has lost two straight games with their 80-62 loss at Oregon on Sunday as a 12.5-point underdog. UCLA (15-11) has won't three straight games as well as five of their last six contests with their 67-57 win over Washington as a 3-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE UTES MINUS THE POINTS: Utah’s loss at Oregon was preceded by a 70-51 loss at Oregon State last week — and they have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after suffering two straight double-digit losses. The Utes have also covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games at home after a point spread loss. They return home where they are 10-1 this season with impressive victories over Minnesota and BYU. Utah is 13-1 at home this season with a +17.6 PPG scoring margin — and they rank 39th in the nation Adjusted Net Scoring Efficiency when playing on their home court. The Utes make 57.7% of their shots inside the arc when playing at home which is 14th best in the nation. Utah makes 49.5% of their shots overall at home which has resulted in 82.3 PPG. The Utes have covered the point spread in 4 straight games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Furthermore, Utah is a decisive 54-23-3 ATS in their last 80 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. UCLA had failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win. And while that game finished Under the Total, the Bruins have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games after playing a game that finished Under the Total. Additionally, UCLA has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 17 road games after winning two games in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight road games after winning three of their last four contests. The Bruins go back on the road where they are just 4-7 this season with an average losing margin of -4.9 PPG. UCLA makes only 43.1% of its shots on the road which results in just 66.3 PPG. The Bruins have failed to cover the point spread in 35 of their last 52 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 34 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Furthermore, UCLA has failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 road games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Utah will be looking to avenge a 73-57 loss at UCLA back on February 2nd — and they have covered the point spread in 28 of their last 42 home games when playing with same-season revenge. 10* CBB Thursday Late Show Bailout with the Utah Utes (678) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (677). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (501) minus the points versus the Detroit Pistons (502). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (46-8) returns to action after the All-Star break looking to bounce-back from a 118-111 loss at Indiana last Wednesday as a 1.5-point underdog. Detroit (19-38) stumbled into the All-Star break having lost four straight games with their 116-112 loss at Orlando as a 6.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Milwaukee was without Giannis Antetokounmpo in that loss to the Pacers with him away from the team with the birth of his son. The Bucks made only 40.7% of their shots in that game which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last fifteen games. They also allowed Indiana to make 52.3% of their shots in that game which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage all season. Look for this team to make a statement tonight as they return rested and ready to make their push to reach the NBA Finals. Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 26 of their last 35 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They are 21-5 on the road where they are outscoring their home hosts by +11.0 PPG. They are making 47.5% of their shots on the road which has resulted in 117.6 PPG. The Bucks have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 road games against teams with a losing record at home. Furthermore, Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games as a favorite. Detroit is a mess who has fully embraced a complete rebuild after trading Andre Drummond at the trade deadline before dropping Reggie Jackson during the All-Star break who was snatched up by the Clippers. The Pistons are also without Blake Griffin for the rest of the season with his knee injury. And while the focus for this organization is to get younger, they are without one of the foundational pieces in Luke Kennard who has been out for almost two months with his knee injury. Head coach Dwane Casey is left with a roster that looks closer to a G-League group than an NBA team. This collection of players was making only 43.8% of their shots over their last five games — even with Jackson in the mix — which was resulting in just 99.4 PPG. Detroit has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread victory. The Pistons have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games when playing with at least three days of rest. They are just 11-19 at home this season — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of the last 18 games in their Little Caesar’s Arena. Furthermore, Detroit has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: The Pistons are looking to avenge a 127-103 loss at home to the Bucks back on December 4th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games when attempting to avenge a same-season loss. Detroit was an 8.5-point underdog in that meeting and now they are getting 13 or so points with their depleted roster. Milwaukee had won their previous six games away from home by double-digits before their loss at Indiana. 25* NBA Central Division Game of the Year with the Milwaukee Bucks (501) minus the points versus the Detroit Pistons (502). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the South Alabama Jaguars (601) plus the points versus the Appalachian State Mountaineers (602). THE SITUATION: South Alabama (16-11) has won four straight games with their 50-49 win over UL-Monroe last Saturday as a 10-point favorite. Appalachian State (15-12) has won three of their last four games with their 62-57 upset win at Georgia Southern last Saturday as a 6-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAGUARS PLUS THE POINTS: South Alabama won that game last week despite making only 31.6% of their shots which was the lowest shooting mark for them all season. The Jaguars survived that game due to holding the Warhawks to just 31.5% shooting. South Alabama has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a game where no more than 125 combined points were scored. The Jaguars have not covered the point spread in their last two games — but they have then covered the point spread in a decisive 42 of their last 65 games on the road after failing to cover the point spread in their last two games. South Alabama has held its last five opponents to just 38.7% shooting from the field. Now the Jaguars go back on the road where they are 7-6 this season. South Alabama forces turnovers — and this attribute travels. The Jaguars 3rd in the Sun Belt Conference by forcing turnovers in 20.4% of their opponent’s possessions — and that mark improves to a 20.5% clip when they are playing on the road which is 53rd best in the nation. This is an area of vulnerability for the Mountaineers as they are 7th in the Sun Belt by turning the ball over in 20.0% of their conference possessions — and that number worsens to a 20.9% clip where they are playing at home which is the 306th worst mark in the nation. South Alabama is 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games on the road — and they are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 road games against teams with a winning record on their home court. The Jaguars are also 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in six of their last seven games as a dog. Appalachian State may be due for a letdown as they are just 17-35-1 ATS in their last 53 games after a point spread victory. And while they have covered the point spread in five of their last seven games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six contests. The Mountaineers return home where they are 8-4 this season but with a small average winning margin of +4.4 PPG. Appalachian State makes only 41.8% of their shots at home which results in just 68.7 PPG — they also rank 310th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing on their home court. The Mountaineers have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 home games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 20 home games with the Total set in the 130 to 139.5 point range. Appalachian State has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games when favored

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Cal-Baptist Lancers (813) minus the point(s) versus the Missouri-Kansas State Kangaroos (814). THE SITUATION: Cal-Baptist (18-7) has won four of their last five games with their 107-45 win over Westcliff in a non-boarded game last Thursday. UMKC (13-14) snapped a three-game losing streak on Saturday with their 59-53 upset victory at Cal-State Bakersfield as a 4.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LANCES MINUS THE POINT(S): Cal-Baptist should build off their momentum as they are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a double-digit win on their home court. The Lancers go back on the road where they are 5-2 this season — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games on the road. Cal-Baptist has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Lancers are 9th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of just 43.6%. They also rank 6th in the nation by limiting their home hosts to just 26.1% shooting from behind the arc. Cal-Baptist should also get plenty of second-chance scoring chances in this game as they rank 2nd in the Western Athletic Conference by pulling down 33.2% of their missed shots. The Kangaroos are 9th in the WAC by allowing their opponents to rebound 31.3% of their missed shots. UMKC is 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after a point spread win. Now after playing their last two games on the road, the Kangaroos return home where they are just 7-6 this season. UMKC has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after playing their last two games on the road. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 home games with the Total set in the 130 to 139.5 point range — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Cal-Baptist has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after scoring at least 90 points in their last contest. 10* CBB Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Cal-Baptist Lancers (813) minus the point(s) versus the Missouri-Kansas State Kangaroos (814). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the West Virginia Mountaineers (616) minus the points versus the Oklahoma State Cowboys (615). THE SITUATION: West Virginia (18-7) has lost three straight games after their 70-59 loss at Baylor on Saturday as a 5-point underdog. Oklahoma State (13-12) has won two straight games as well as three of their last four contests with their 73-70 upset victory at home against Texas Tech as a 3-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MOUNTAINEERS MINUS THE POINTS: West Virginia allowed the Bears to make 51.8% of their shots in what was the worst defensive effort in their last five games. The Mountaineers remain the second best team in the nation in terms of Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. And while they have not covered the point spread in their last three games, they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after failing to cover the point spread in at least three straight games. West Virginia should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a straight-up loss — and they have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after a point spread loss. They return home where they are 12-1 this season with an average winning margin of +17.3 PPG. The Mountaineers hold their guests to just 36.4% shooting from the field which translates into only 59.2 PPG. West Virginia has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games at home. While the Mountaineers make 45.9% of their shots at home, they do a few other things quite well to give them extra scoring opportunities. West Virginia leads the nation by pulling down 40.3% of their missed shots — and the Cowboys are 202nd in the nation by allowing their opponents to rebound 28.5% of their missed shots. The Mountaineers also lead the Big 12 by forcing turnovers in 24.6% of their opponent’s possessions — and Oklahoma State is 168th in the nation by turning the ball over in 19.0% of their possessions. The Cowboys may be due for a letdown after pulling off two straight upset wins as they also knocked off Kansas State on the road as a 3-point underdog before pulling off the same feat against the Red Raiders. But Oklahoma State has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after winning three of their last four games. They stat on the road where they are 6-6 despite making only 43.6% of their shots from the field. The Cowboys have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games as an underdog getting 9.5 to 12 points. Furthermore, Oklahoma State has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games with the Total set in the 130s.

FINAL TAKE: The Cowboys will be looking to avenge a 55-41 loss at home to the Mountaineers back on January 6th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss at home. 25* CBB Tuesday ESPN2 Game of the Year with the West Virginia Mountaineers (616) minus the points versus the Oklahoma State Cowboys (615). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Portland State Vikings (868) minus the points versus the Idaho Vandals (867). THE SITUATION: Portland State (12-14) has lost two of their last three games with their 89-81 upset loss to Eastern Washington as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday. Idaho (7-17) had lost eight of their last nine games before they upset Eastern Washington last Thursday as a 15-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE VIKINGS MINUS THE POINTS: Portland State should respond with a strong effort as they have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They stay at home where they are 7-3 this season with an average winning margin of +10.0 PPG. The Vikings have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Portland State has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games with the Total set in the 145 to 149.5 point range. The Vikings shoot 46.5% on their home court but there are a few things they do that give them extra possessions which helps them get to their 83.6 PPG scoring average on their home court even their shots are not falling. Portland State is 8th in the nation by pulling down 36.1% of their missed shots — and that mark rises to a 37.4% mark when they are playing at home. The Vikings are also 3rd in the Big Sky Conference by forcing turnovers in 19.6% of their opponent’s possessions. This is an area of weakness for the Vandals as they are last in the Big Sky by turning the ball over in 20.8% of their conference possessions. That mark rises to a 21.5% clip when they are playing on the road which is 272nd in the country. Idaho has not been very consistent after victories as they are 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 games after a straight-up win — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after a win over a conference rival. Additionally, the Vandals have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after an upset win as a road underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a win on the road. Furthermore, Idaho has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a narrow win by 6 points or less. They made 50% of their shots against Eastern Washington after shooting 52.3% from the field in their previous game against Montana — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games after shooting at least 50% from the field in two straight games. The Vandals stay on the road where they are just 3-9 this season with an average losing margin of -7.0 PPG. Idaho scores only 62.7 PPG on the road while ranking 307th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Vandals are also last in the Big Sky in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency.

FINAL TAKE: Portland State will be looking to avenge a 72-61 upset loss at Idaho despite being a 6.5-point underdog in that game. The Vikings have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss on the road. 25* CBB Big Sky Conference Game of the Year with the Portland State Vikings (868) minus the points versus the Idaho Vandals (867). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Oregon Ducks (858) minus the points versus the Utah Utes (857). THE SITUATION: Oregon (19-6) snapped a two-game losing streak on Thursday with their 68-60 victory over Colorado as a 5-point favorite. Utah (14-10) had their two-game winning streak snapped on Thursday with their 70-51 loss at Oregon State as a 5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Oregon has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games after a straight-up win — and they have also covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. The Ducks have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 home games after losing two of their last three contests. Those prior two losses for this Oregon team were on the road where they are just 6-5. But the Ducks are 13-1 on their home court where they are outscoring their opponents by +16.0 PPG. Oregon makes 49.5% of their shots on their home court which has generated 81.6 PPG. They are 7th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing at home due to them nailing 41.8% of their shots from behind the arc which is the 4th best home mark in the nation. They should make plenty of 3s tonight against this Utes team that is third to last in the nation by allowing their home hosts to make 42.7% of their 3-pointers. The Ducks have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 home games with the Total set in the 130 to 139.5 point range. Oregon has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Utah has covered the point spread in five of their last seven games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. The Utes go back on the road where they are just 4-9 with an average losing margin of -10.3 PPG. Utah ranks just 307th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 55.1%. The Utes also make only 39.8% of their shots on the road which results in only 62.4 PPG. Utah has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on the road — and hey ave failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 road games with the Total set in the 130s.

FINAL TAKE: Utah made only 35.6% of their shots in the first meeting between these two teams on January 4th which Oregon won in Salt Lake City by a 69-64 score. The Utes were 4-point underdogs in that game — and they enter this game having failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games as an underdog. 10* CBB Sunday Late Show Bailout with the Oregon Ducks (858) minus the points versus the Utah Utes (857). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Team LeBron (581) minus the points versus Team Giannis (582). THE SITUATION: The 69th NBA All-Star Game will be taking place in Chicago. There is a new format this year to honor the legacy of Kobe Bryant. Scores will reset to zero at the start of each of the first three quarters with the “winner” of each quarter than being awarded $100,000 to be donated to the charity of their choice. Aggregate scores from the first three quarters will then be added up at the start of the 4th quarter with the game clock shut off — the leading score at the start of the 4th quarter will have 24 points (in honor of Bryant) added to that number with the winner of the game being the first team to reach that Final Target Score.

REASONS TO TAKE TEAM LEBRON MINUS THE POINTS: There are a few reasons why I prefer the roster that James has drafted. First, James has drafted some of the best talents in the league that has a bevy of experience playing in All-Star games with its unique rhythms. James Harden and Damian Lillard are 3-point specialists while Russell Westbrook is a two-time All-Star Game Most Valuable Player. Chris Paul has plenty of experience in this game as well — and he will be satisfied to be a distributor. James has also drafted some unselfish players like himself who will be happy to be facilitators. I put Kawhi Leonard in this category along with James and Ben Simmons. And don’t sleep on Anthony Davis having a monster game with this contest being played in hometown of Chicago. Second, I do not think the chemistry of Team Giannis matches those core players. Antetokounmpo drafted five players making their All-Star Game debut in Pascal Siakam, Trae Young, Brandon Ingram, Bam Adebayo, and Rudy Gobert. And I don’t trust Joel Embiid to not launch ill-advised 3-pointers like he tends to do with the 76ers. Additionally, while Siakam, Young, and Kemba Walker are all deserving All-Stars, I do not think they match up well with the James, Davis, Leonard, Harden, and Luka Doncic starting five for Team LeBron (before they can tap Simmons, Lillard, Westbrook among others from their bench). Talent, cohesion, and experience in past All-Star Games (as scoring tests) are all boxes that Team LeBron seems to have an edge in my mind.

FINAL TAKE: The issue becomes will Team LeBron cover the 6 or so points they are laying. Laying that many points is not as ominous in this exhibition game. First, higher-scoring games with more possessions per team lends itself to larger margins of victory. The Total for this contest is in the 307 range. Second, the new scoring system for the first three quarters may coax Team Giannis into tanking one of those quarters if they fall behind. The new format creates an incentive to backload the preferred five players on the court when the score resets at the start of a new quarter to “win” the charity money. That strategy may lead to Team Giannis finding themselves in a bigger hole than they realize when the 4th quarter starts. Team LeBron won this event last year by a 178-164 score. Look for something similar in a situation that is worthy of an investment. 10* NBA Team LeBron-Team Giannis All-Star Game TNT Special with Team LeBron (581) minus the points versus Team Giannis (582). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Drake Bulldogs (846) minus the points versus the Evansville Purple Aces (845). THE SITUATION: Drake (16-10) has lost two straight games as well as four of their last five contests with their 97-62 loss at Missouri State on Wednesday as a 2.5-point underdog. Evansville (9-17) has lost thirteen straight games with their 73-66 loss to Loyola-Illinois on Wednesday as an 8-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS MINUS THE POINTS: Drake should respond with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games after a point spread defeat. Additionally, the Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a loss by at least 15 points — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a loss by at least 20 points. Drake allowed the Tigers to make 53% of their shots in what was the worst defensive effort in their last thirteen games. They also made just 41.2% of their shots in that game which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last five contests. The Bulldogs return home where they rank 24th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 56.2%. Drake is 12-1 at home with an average winning margin of +12.4 PPG. The Bulldogs make 50.3% of their shots at home which has translated into 77.3 PPG — and they hold their guests to just 40.5% shooting from the field. Drake is 37-14-2 ATS in their last 53 games at home The Bulldogs have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 home games with the Total set in the 130s — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 home games against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40% on the road. Evansville is just 4-11-1 ATS in their last 16 games after a straight-up loss. The Purple Aces made 51.2% of their shots in the losing effort which was the best shooting effort for them in their last sixteen contests — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a point spread. Now Evansville goes back on the road where they rank just 302nd in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 44.2%. The Purple Aces are just 4-9 away from home this season with an average losing margin of -12.5 PPG. Evansville makes only 40.4% of their shots on the road which results in just 65.2 PPG. The Purple Aces have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games with the Total set in the 130 to 139.5 point range. Furthermore, Evansville has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better — and they are 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Evansville will be looking to avenge a 73-50 loss at home to Drake back on January 22nd — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss this season. 10* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Drake Bulldogs (846) minus the points versus the Evansville Purple Aces (845). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Stanford Cardinal (808) plus the points versus the Arizona Wildcats (807). THE SITUATION: Stanford (16-8) has lost three straight games as well as six of their last seven contests with their 74-69 upset loss at home to Arizona State on Thursday. Arizona (17-7) has won five of their last six contests with their 68-52 win at California on Thursday as a 10.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CARDINAL PLUS THE POINTS: Stanford shot a healthy 52% from the field on Thursday — but it was their defense that let them down as they allowed the Sun Devils to make 54.7% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of the season. The Cardinal is one of the best defensive teams in the nation — they rank 17th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency while also topping the Pac-12 in that metric. Stanford should respond with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games when playing with one day of rest. The Cardinal has also covered the point spread in 28 of their last 42 home games after losing at least two games in a row. They stay at home where they are 12-3 this season with an average winning margin of +12.2 PPG. Stanford is 2nd in the Pac-12 with an effective field goal percentage of 52.6% — and they rank 38th in the nation with an eFG of 55.7% on their home court. Overall, the Cardinal has a field goal percentage of 48.9% at home which has translated into 71.9 PPG — and they are limiting their guests to just 39.6% shooting what results in only 59.7 PPG. Stanford has covered the point spread in 29 of their last 40 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 home games against Pac-12 foes. Furthermore, the Cardinal has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 17 home games against teams with a winning percentage in the 60-80% range — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 home games as an underdog getting no more than 6 points. Arizona made 48.1% of their shots on Thursday in their win over the Golden Bears which was the best shooting mark in their last thirteen games. But the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a double-digit win on the road. Arizona has also failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games when playing with one day of rest. The Wildcats are not playing their best basketball as of late. They have allowed their last five opponents to make 43.5% of their shots which is well above their opponent’s 39.4% field goal percentage for the season. And while they are averaging 78.3 PPG this season on 46.1% shooting, those numbers have dropped to just a 69.2 PPG scoring clip over their last five games on 39.3% shooting. Now this team stays on the road where they make only 44.6% of their shots inside the arc which drags down their effective field goal percentage to 45.0% when on the road — those marks rank 279th an 287th in the nation. Arizona averages 78.3 PPG this season — but Stanford has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 home games against teams who score at least 77 PPG. And while the Cardinal has an opponent’s field goal percentage of 39.3%, the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after fifteen games into the season against teams who do not allow their opponents to shoot better than 42%.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona has failed to cover the point spread in 27 of their last 40 games against teams who are winning 60 to 80% of their games —and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last thirteen games against opponents who are winning at least 60% of their contests. Stanford will be without their 6’9 junior forward Oscar Da Silva who is out with a head injury — but they do have 6’9 Jaiden Delaire and 6’10 Lukas Kisunas who are regular rotational players off the bench who will be asked to play more in this contest. It is also Da Silva’s absence which explains why the Cardinal are underdogs in the 4-point range despite the analytics projecting a 1-point win for the Wildcats. 25* CBB Pac-12 Underdog of the Year with the Stanford Cardinal (808) plus the points versus the Arizona Wildcats (807). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the College of Charleston Cougars (611) plus the points versus the Northeastern Huskies (612). THE SITUATION: Charleston (15-11) has lost their last two games with their 76-63 loss at Hofstra as a 4-point underdog on Thursday. Northeastern (12-13) snapped their four-game losing streak on Thursday with their 71-63 win over UNC-Wilmington as a 13.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COUGARS PLUS THE POINTS: Charleston has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 29 of their last 44 games after a double-digit loss on the road. And while the Cougars have not covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then covered the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games. Charleston allowed the Pride to make 54.7% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort this season. But the Cougars have still held their last five opponents to just 40.6% shooting — and they are hitting a solid 47% of their shots over that span. Charleston stays on the road where they are 17th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 53.5%. The Cougars have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on the road — and they have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games as an underdog. Northeastern has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7s tragic games at home after a straight-up win where they have failed to cover the point spread as the favorite. The Huskies have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 home games after a point spread loss. Northeastern made 48.1% of their shots in the victory which was the best shooting mark in their last four games. But defense is the issue with this team — they rank 338th in the nation with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 55.1%. The Huskies allow their guests to make 48.4% of their shots. Northeastern is just 5-5 at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games at home. They also are just 1-8-1 ATS in their last 10 home games as the favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 26 of their last 33 home games when laying 3.5 to 6 points. The Cougars hold their opponents to just 41.8% shooting — but the Huskies have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games against teams who do not allow their opponents to make more than 42% of their shots. Northeastern leads the Colonial Athletic Association by forcing turnovers in 20.4% of their opponent’s possessions — but Charleston also leads the conference by only turning the ball over in 14.7% of their possession.

FINAL TAKE: Charleston will be looking to avenge a 79-76 upset loss at home to Northeaster back on January 16th despite being a 3-point favorite in that game. The Cougars have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when motivated by same-season revenge. 10* CBB Saturday Afternoon Tipoff with the College of Charleston Cougars (611) plus the points versus the Northeastern Huskies (612). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Oregon Ducks (656) minus the points versus the Colorado Buffaloes (655). THE SITUATION: Oregon (18-6) has lost their last two games after their 63-53 upset loss at Oregon State on Saturday as a 3.5-point favorite. Colorado (19-5) has won their last three games with their 81-74 win over Stanford as an 8.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Oregon has suffered two straight upset losses as their loss in Corvallis was preceded by a 70-60 upset loss at Stanford as a 2-point favorite. The Ducks finally return home for the first time since January 26th having played their last here games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games after playing their last three games on the road. Oregon has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to cover the point spread in three straight games — and they have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games on their home court after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games. The Ducks are 12-1 on their home court with an average winning margin of +16.1 PPG. Oregon makes 50.3% of their shots on their home court which has generated 82.7 PPG. They have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 home games — and they have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 home games with the Total set in the 130s. Furthermore, the Ducks have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 home games when playing just their second game in eight days. Colorado has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 17 road games after a win on their home court. The Buffaloes win over the Cardinal came on the heels of a 71-65 win over Cal — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games on the road after winning their last two games on the road. Colorado has also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games on the road after winning three of their last four games. The Buffaloes are just 13-38-1 ATS in their last 52 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 41 of their last 60 road games after winning two straight games against Pac-12 foes.

FINAL TAKE: Colorado has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 27 of their last 37 road games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 6 points. Oregon has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games against teams with a winning record. Look for the Ducks to get right back at home for the first time in over two weeks. 10* CBB Colorado-Oregon ESPN Special with the Oregon Ducks (656) minus the points versus the Colorado Buffaloes (655). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Austin Peay Governors (660) minus the points versus the Murray State Racers (659). THE SITUATION: Austin Peay (16-9) has lost two straight games after their 71-63 loss at Belmont on Saturday as a 6.5-point underdog. Murray State (18-6) comes off a 73-65 victory over Texas State as a 4-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GOVERNORS MINUS THE POINTS: Austin Peay should respond with a strong effort as they are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games at home after a straight-up loss. The Governors return home where they are a perfect 11-0 this season with an average winning margin of +15.2 PPG. Austin Peay makes 51.1% of their shots at home which has generated 86.2 PPG. The Governors have covered the point spread in 7 straight home games after playing a game on the road. Austin Peay is also 20-5-1 ATS in their last 26 games on their home court overall — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 home games as a favorite or pick ‘em. Murray State had failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a point spread win. Now after playing their last three games at home, the Racers go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home.

FINAL TAKE: Murray State has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. The Racers have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog. 10* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Austin Peay Governors (660) minus the points versus the Murray State Racers (659). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners (674) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Marshall Thundering Herd (673). THE SITUATION: UTSA (11-14) has lost three of their last four games with their 91-84 loss at Charlotte on Saturday as a 5.5-point underdog. Marshall (12-13) has won their last two games with their 83-79 upset win at home against Louisiana Tech last Saturday as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ROADRUNNERS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINT(S): UTSA played one of their worst games of the season against the 49ers on Saturday. They made only 39.7% of their shots which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last eleven games. They also allowed Charlotte to make 57.9% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five contests. The Roadrunners have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 90 points in their last game. Additionally, UTSA has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread setback. They return home where they are 8-4 this season with an average winning margin of +12.7 PPG. They are making 47.4% of their shots at home which has resulted in them averaging 84.9 PPG in those contests. The Roadrunners have cord the point spread in 22 of their last 30 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Marshall had failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win. Now the Thundering Herd go back on the road where they are 4-7 while making only 43.9% of their shots. Marshall has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games on the road when they are the favorite.

FINAL TAKE: The Thundering Herd have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. UTSA has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. The Roadrunners have also coved the point spread in 6 straight games at home where they are underdogs of up to six points. 10* CBB Don’t Need the Points (but we will take the points) Underdog Special with the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners (674) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Marshall Thundering Herd (673). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Denver Nuggets (522) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (521). THE SITUATION: Denver (38-16) has won four straight games with their 127-120 win over San Antonio on Monday as a 6.5-point favorite. Los Angeles (40-12) has won two straight games as well as four of their last five contests with their 125-100 win over Phoenix as a 13.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NUGGETS PLUS THE POINTS: Denver allowed the Spurs to make 48.2% of their shots in the win which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last four games. The Nuggets have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last  5 games after a point spread loss. Denver has also covered the point spread in 25 of their last 37 games at home after a point spread victory. And while they have covered the point spread in six of their last seven games, they should build off that momentum as they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. The Nuggets are dealing with injuries right now with Mason Plumlee, Will Barton, and Michael Porter, Jr. have all bee out. But Denver still has Nikola Jokic, Paul Millsap, and Jamal Murray who have helped this team make 50.9% of their shots over their last five games which has resulted in 118.4 PPG. Now the Nuggets stay at home where they are 21-6 with an average winning margin of +6.0 PPG. Denver has covered the point spread in 4 straight games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games at home with the Total set at 220 or higher. Additionally, the Nuggets have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 23 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. And in their last 5 games as an underdog, Denver has covered the point spread in 4 of these games. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win at home by at least 20 points. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread victory. And while the Lakers are shooting 52.6% from the field over their last five games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after shooting at least 47% from the field over their last five contests. Los Angeles goes back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Lakers have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games when they are favored. Furthermore, Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: The Lakers will be looking to avenge a 128-104 loss at home to the Nuggets as a 2.5-point favorite back on December 22nd. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games when playing with revenge from a loss by at least 20 points. The Lakers have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 26 meetings with the Nuggets — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 trips to Denver to play this team. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Game of the Year with the Denver Nuggets (522) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (521).

At 7:35 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Toronto Raptors (566) minus the points versus the Minnesota Timberwolves (565). THE SITUATION: Toronto (39-14) has won fourteen straight games with their 119-118 win over Brooklyn on Saturday as a 6-point favorite. Minnesota (16-35) snapped their thirteen game losing streak on Saturday with their 142-115 upset win over the Los Angeles Clippers as a 9.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAPTORS MINUS THE POINTS: We had Toronto on Saturday and it looked like they would cruise to an easy point spread cover with an 18-point lead at one point of that game before letting the Nets back into that contest. The Raptors made 47.4% of their shots in that contest which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last seven games. Toronto has covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread loss. The Raptors have still made 50.5% of their shots over their last five games which has resulted in 117.4 PPG during that span. And Toronto is putting up those offensive numbers without Marc Gasol and Norman Powell who are out with injuries — and Kyle Lowry is questionable still tonight with a shoulder. They are scoring a remarkable 118.3 points per 100 possessions during their fourteen-game winning streak which is tops in the NBA over that span. Not only is that 2.2 points per 100 possessions higher than the Mavericks’ league-leading mark this season but that level of scoring would be the best in NBA history if extended to an entire season. The Raptors stay at home where they are 20-7 with an average winning margin of +8.1 PPG. Toronto has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage at 40% or less on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 home games when laying 6.5 to 12 points. Minnesota appeared to be liberated from Andre Wiggins on Saturday after he was dealt to Golden State — they made 54.7% of their shots in their upset win over the Clippers which was their best shooting effort of the season. But the Timberwolves are just 9-26-1 ATS in their last 36 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Minnesota is also 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games after a double-digit victory. The Timberwolves allowed the Clippers to shoot 47.1% from the field which was, unfortunately for them, the best defensive effort in their last three contests. They have allowed at least 107 points in eleven straight games — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games are allowing at least 105 points in four straight contests. Minnesota covered the point spread for the first time in their last ten games on Saturday — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. Now the T-Wolves go back on the road where they are 9-16 this season. Minnesota has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on the road. The Timberwolves have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: Minnesota’s big acquisition at the trade deadline was D’Angelo Russell who is listed as questionable to make his debut with the team tonight. The Timberwolves have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 30 meetings with the Raptors. 10* NBA Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Toronto Raptors (566) minus the points versus the Minnesota Timberwolves (565). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Indiana Pacers (560) minus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (559). THE SITUATION: Indiana (31-22) has lost five straight games with their 124-117 loss at home to New Orleans on Saturday as a 5.5-point favorite. Brooklyn (23-28) saw their two-game winning streak end on Saturday with their 119-118 loss at Toronto as a 6-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PACERS MINUS THE POINTS: Indiana has struggled as of late with slow starts and poor play in the 4th quarter. But hosting this Nets team that they have defeated in eleven of their last twelve encounters. The Pacers have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread loss —and they have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after allowing at least 120 points in their last game. And while this is Indiana’s third straight game on their home court, they have then covered the point spread in 4 straight games after losing their last two games at home. The Pacers have lost five of their last six contests — but they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after losing five or six of their last seven games. Indiana has only covered the point spread once in their last five games as well — but they have then covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games. Indiana is completely healthy at this point in the season with Victor Oladipo back in the mix. He did not play on Saturday in the loss to the Pelicans with head coach Nate McMillan managing his work load but he should be back on the floor tonight. Indiana stays at home where they are 18-9 this season — and they have covered the point spread in 37 of their last 58 home games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. They are also 19-6-1 ATS in their last 27 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. And in their last 67 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points, the Pacers have covered the point spread in 42 of these contests. Brooklyn rallied from an 18-point deficit on Saturday to narrowly lose to the Raptors. But the Nets have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread 10 of their last 16 games after scoring at least 115 points in their last contest. Brooklyn is once again playing without Kyrie Irving who is dealing with a knee injury — he will be missing his fourth straight game tonight. The Nets stay on the road where they are just 8-16 this season. The Nets have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Furthermore, Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: The Nets have lost ten of their thirteen games this season against the top-six teams in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games against the Pacers — and the have failed to cover the point spread in five of their last seven trips to Indianapolis to play the Pacers. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Eastern Conference Game of the Year with the Indiana Pacers (560) minus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (559). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Florida State Seminoles (865) plus the points versus the Duke Blue Devils (866). THE SITUATION: Florida State (20-3) has won their last three games with their 99-81 win over Miami as a 13.5-point favorite on Saturday. Duke (20-3) has won five games in a row after their dramatic 98-96 win in overtime at North Carolina on Saturday as a 7.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SEMINOLES PLUS THE POINTS: Florida State has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 24 games after a double-digit win at home — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a point spread cover as a double-digit favorite. The Seminoles have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after scoring at least 90 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a game where at least 165 combined points were scored. Once again head coach Leonard Hamilton has plenty of depth to implement his up-tempo attack on both ends of the court. Florida State leads the ACC by forcing turnovers in 22.9% of their opponent’s possessions — and that mark improves to a 24.2% clip when playing on the road which is 14th in the nation. The Seminoles are also 67th in the nation by pulling down 31.7% of their missed shots. But what makes this team intriguing this season is that they shoot better than the last two squads who still managed to reach the Sweet Sixteen and the Elite Eight in the last two seasons. Florida State is 2nd in the ACC by making 40.6% of their 3-pointers. This team is also 19th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Seminoles are 8-3 on the road this season with victories over Louisville, Florida along with a win on a neutral court against Purdue. Duke had failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win. Additionally, the Blue Devils have failed to cover the point spread 4 straight games after scoring at least 90 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after allowing at least 90 points in their last contest. The Blue Devils have only covered the point spread twice in their last seven games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. Now after playing their last three games on the road, Duke returns home where they are 11-2 this season. But the most impressive victory this team has in Cameron Indoor Arena this season is agains a Pittsburgh team that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks as just the 78th best team in the nation. The Blue Devils have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 home games as a favorite laying 6.5 to 9 points. Rebounding has become an issue for this team on defense as they have allowed their last ten opponents to pull down 31.2% of their missed shots which is 294th in the nation. And they make only 67.3% of their free throws at home which is 275th in the nation — so don’t give up hope if Duke is covering the point spread late in this game.

FINAL TAKE: The Blue Devils are making 48.1% of their shots this season — but the Seminoles have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after fifteen games into the season against opponents who make at least 48% of their shots. Duke has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after fifteen games into the season against teams are winning at least 80% of their games. And in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. Florida State has covered the point spread in 4 of these contests. 10* CBB Florida State-Duke ESPN Special with the Florida State Seminoles (865) plus the points versus the Duke Blue Devils (866). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Fairfield Stags (844) minus the points versus the Iona Gaels (843). THE SITUATION: Fairfield (9-13) has lost two of their last three games with their 65-49 loss at Siena on Thursday. Iona (6-12) snapped their three-game losing streak with their 73-52 win at Quinnipiac as a 5.5-point underdog on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE STAGS MINUS THE POINTS: Fairfield made only 30.2% of their shots on Thursday which was the second lowest mark of the season — and their lowest field goal percentage in their last sixteen contests. But the Stags have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, Fairfield has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after failing to score at least 50 points in their last game. And in their last 7 games played with just one day of rest, the Stags have covered the point spread 6 times. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games — and they have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Fairfield should shoot better this afternoon — and they should thrive in second chance opportunities against the Gaels. The Stags lead the Metro Atlantic Athletic Association by pulling down 34.9% of their missed shots — and Iona is 10th in the conference by allowing their opponents to rebound 31.4% of their missed shots. Iona played their best defensive game of the season on Thursday by holding the Bobcats to just 32.2% shooting. But the Gaels have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games after a victory by at least 20 points. Iona covered the point spread on Thursday for the first time since in their last four contests but they have failed to cover the point spread in 27 of their last 40 games after a point spread victory — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games on the road after one covering the point spread once in their last three contests. The Stags stay on the road where they are 4-7 this season while being outscored by -6.0 PPG. They are making just 40.2% of their shots on the road — and they rank 301st in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing in hostile environments. Iona has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road — and they are just 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Fairfield will be looking to a avenge a 64-57 loss at Iona back on January 17th as a 3.5-point favorite. The Stags have covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they did not score at least 60 points. Fairfield has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games in expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range. Look for the Stags to cruise to an easy win. 10* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Fairfield Stags (844) minus the points versus the Iona Gaels (843). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (543) minus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (544). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (22-29) has lost three straight games after their 125-117 loss at Portland as a 3-point underdog. Sacramento (20-31) has won two in a row as well as five of their last seven contests with their 105-97 upset win over Miami last night as a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS MINUS THE POINTS: San Antonio is desperate to get a victory in the fourth game in their annual Rodeo Road Trip when their home arena is occupied. The Spurs are 11-4-1 ATS in their last 16 games after a straight-up loss. Despite losing the first three games on this trip, San Antonio is still 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 games on the road — and they are also 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 road games against teams with a losing record on the road. And in their last 12 road games as a favorite, the Spurs are 8-3-1 ATS. Sacramento has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread victory. The Kings stay at home where they are 10-15 with an average losing margin of -3.2 PPG. Sacramento is just 4-12-1 ATS in their last 17 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 home games against teams with a winning percentage of no better than 40% on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Sacramento will not be at full strength tonight with Marvin Bagley questionable with a foot injury. The Kings also traded away Dewayne Dedmon on Thursday to Atlanta for Alex Len and Jabari Parker but both those new acquisitions are dealing with injuries right now. Rican Holmes is also doubtful for this game with a shoulder injury. Sacramento is just 5-11-1 ATS in their last 17 opportunities to host the Spurs. 10* NBA Saturday Late Show Bailout with the San Antonio Spurs (543) minus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (544). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Toronto Raptors (536) minus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (535). THE SITUATION: Toronto (38-14) has won thirteen games in a row with their 115-106 win at Indiana as a 2-point favorite last night. Brooklyn (23-27) has won two straight games as well as four of their last five contests with their 129-88 victory over Golden State as a 6-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAPTORS MINUS THE POINTS: Toronto should continue to build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after winning at least six games in a row. The Raptors have also covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games when playing without a day of rest. Toronto made 47.7% of their shots last night which was the lowest field goal percentage they have produced in their last six games. They are still making 50.8% of their shots over their last five contests. They return home where they are 19-7 this season with an average winning margin of +8.4 PPG. They limit their guests to just 42.9% shooting from the field when playing at home. The Raptors have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 home games against fellow Atlantic Division rivals. Toronto has also covered the point spread in 4 straight home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Brooklyn played their best defensive game in their last twelve contests by limiting the Warriors to just 36.5% shooting. But the Nets are likely due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win by at least 30 points. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after winning at least two games in a row. Brooklyn has also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Now they go back on the road where they are just 8-15 this season with an average losing margin of -4.2 PPG while shooting just 43.4% from the field. The Nets have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games on the road. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight road games as a dog. Furthermore, Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games against fellow Atlantic Division opponents.

FINAL TAKE: Injuries have impacted both these teams recently. The Nets are without Kyrie Irving against who is out with a knee injury. Toronto has been without Marc Gasol for the last five games along with Norman Powell in the last three contests with injuries and they will also be without Kyle Lowry tonight who suffered a shoulder injury last night. But the strength of this Raptors team has been their great depth — and they still have very good players led by Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and Serge Ibaka. Toronto defeated Brooklyn by a 121-102 score in the Barclays Center back on January 4th — and the Nets have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when attempting to avenge a loss on their home court. Brooklyn has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 meetings with the Raptors. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Atlantic Division Game of the Year with the Toronto Raptors (536) minus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (535). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the UT-Arlington Mavericks (629) minus the points versus the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (630). THE SITUATION: UT-Arlington (10-14) has lost two of their last three games with their 57-50 upset loss at Appalachian State as a 1-point favorite on Thursday. Coastal Carolina (12-12) has lost five of their last six games after their 100-63 loss at home to Texas State on Thursday as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS MINUS THE POINTS: UT-Arlington played one of their worst games of the season against the Mountaineers. They made only 36.2% of their shots which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last eight games. They also allowed Appalachian State to nail 44.2% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last eight contests. The Mavericks lead the Sun Belt Conference with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 45.8%. UT-Arlington should respond with a strong effort as they are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they are also 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a point spread victory. The Mavericks have also covered the point spread in a decisive 40 of their last 63 games after a suffering a loss on the road. Furthermore, UT-Arlington has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after a loss on the road where they did not score at least 60 points. Second-year head coach Chris Ogden has five of his top six starters back from last year’s group that finished 2nd in the Sun Belt Conference with a 12-6 regular-season record — so this is an experienced group. While they are only 5-9 on the road this season, they are outscoring their home hosts overall. The Mavericks typically play a very challenging non-conference schedule with this season being no exception with contests against Florida State, Oregon, and Gonzaga where they lost by only 6 points in Spokane. UT-Arlington is 7-3-2 ATS in the last 12 games on the road — and they are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games on the road as the favorite. Coastal Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after a double-digit loss at home. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after a loss at home to a conference rival. The Chanticleers are trending in the wrong direction as they have made only 41.7% of their shots over their last five games while allowing their opponents to nail 48.1% of their shots. Furthermore, Coastal Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games at home — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road.

FINAL TAKE: UT-Arlington will be looking to avenge an 82-77 upset loss at home to the Chanticleers as a 4-point underdog back on January 11th. The Mavericks have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when playing with revenge from a same-season loss — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 75 points. 10* CBB Saturday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the UT-Arlington Mavericks (629) minus the points versus the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (630). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Indiana Hoosiers (642) minus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (641). THE SITUATION: Indiana (15-7) has lost three straight games after their 68-59 loss at Ohio State last Saturday as a 7.5-point underdog. Purdue (13-10) has won three of their last four games after their 104-68 blowout win at home against Iowa as a 4-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HOOSIERS MINUS THE POINT(S): The Boilermakers are likely due for a big emotional letdown after playing their best game of the season. Purdue nailed 19 shots from behind the arc en route to a 63.1% shooting percentage which was — by far — their best offensive effort of the season. But the Boilermakers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least 90 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after scoring at least 100 points in their last game. Additionally, Purdue has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a blowout victory by at least 30 points. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 road games after a win over a Big Ten opponent — and they have generally been inconsistent this season as they failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up victory. In terms of Adjusted Efficiency, the Boilermakers rank number one in the nation when playing at home in Mackey Arena — but they plummet to just 96th in the nation in that metric when playing on the road. Purdue is 3-8 away from home with an average losing margin of -5.3 PPG. Offense is the biggest weakness of this team — they rank 12th in the Big Ten by scoring 68.8 PPG while also ranking 12th with their meager 65.8% free throw percentage along with their 45.0% shooting mark inside the arc. Their shooting is even worse when they are playing on the road where they are making just 36.5% of their shots which is translating into just 59.0 PPG. The Boilermakers are 345th in the nation on the road with an effective field goal percentage of 41.5% due to their 26.5% shooting from behind the arc (335th in the nation) and their 42.8% shooting clip inside the arc (317th in the nation). Purdue is 0-4-1 ATS in the last 5 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games in Big Ten play. The Boilermakers are also 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 25 road games with the Total set in the 140 to 144.5 point range. Indiana is desperate for a victory — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a loss on the road to a Big Ten opponent. The Hoosiers have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after losing four or five of their last six contests. Now after playing their last two games on the road where they were the underdog, they return home where they are 12-2 this season with an average winning margin of +13.9 PPG while ranking 23rd in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency. Indiana makes 48.6% of their shots at home which generates a healthy 80.0 PPG. The Hoosiers have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 home games with the Total set in the 140 to 144.5 point range. Indiana leads the Big Ten with a Free Throw Attempt-to-Field Goal Attempt ratio of 38.6%. And while Purdue leads the Big Ten by pulling down 34.0% of their missed shots, the Hoosiers also lead the conference by limiting their opponents to rebounding just 24.5% of their missed shots. The Boilermakers average +4.6 net RPG versus their opponents — but Indiana has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 home games after fifteen games into the season against opponents who average at least +4.0 RPG.

FINAL TAKE: Bobby Knight is expected to make his first return to Assembly Hall since 1999 with the University honoring the 1980 National Championship team — so emotions will be very high. Indiana has defeated Michigan State, Ohio State, and Florida State on their home court this season that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy currently ranks in his Top-19 teams in the nation with his analytics. Purdue has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games as an underdog. 25* CBB Big Ten Game of the Year with the Indiana Hoosiers (642) minus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (641). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (526) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (525). THE SITUATION: Utah (32-18) has lost five games in a row with their 98-95 upset loss at home to Denver on Wednesday as a 9.5-point favorite. Portland (24-28) has won five of their last six games with their 125-117 win over San Antonio as a 3-point favorite last night.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ MINUS THE POINTS: Utah has been very frustrating as of late as they have suffered a remarkable five straight upset losses. We have been on the wrong side of at least two of those games including when they blew a 15-point lead in the 3rd quarter against the Nuggets on Wednesday. I do get reluctant to keep chasing a situation — but is one of those moments where I would have more regret not investing in this situation than I would losing once again on the Jazz. Most importantly to ensure I am not simply chasing good money after bad, this presents a strong “play-against” situation against the Trail Blazers. Portland made 53.3% of their shots last night which was the best shooting effort in their last five games. They also held the Spurs to just 44.6% shooting from the field in what was the best defensive effort in their lsat seven contests. The Trail Blazers have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a victory on their home court — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after a game where at least 235 combined points were scored. Damian Lillard has been playing out of his mind with a stretch where he scored 47 or more points in five of six games — but he has come back to earth a bit over his last two contests where he has “only” scored 21 and 26 points. Playing the second game in back-to-back days will not help Lillard replicate his recent Superman powers — and Portland is just 4-9-1 ATS in their last 14 games when playing without a day of rest. The Blazers have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after winning four or five of their last six contests. Now this team goes back on the road where they are jus 10-17 this season while being outscored by -4.9 PPG while making just 44.9% of their shots. Portland has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games on the road — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Furthermore, the Trail Blazes have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games as a dog getting 6.5 to 12 points. Utah is questioning their mental toughness right now after suffering five straight upset losses — but head coach Quin Snyder’s team has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after an upset loss on their home court. The Jazz have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after a loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a narrow loss by 3 points or less. This team has also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games after failing to cover the point spread in at least three straight games. They made only 41.9% of their shots on Wednesday which was the lowest shooting effort for them in their last twenty-six games. They stay at home where they should shoot better tonight given their 48.0% field goal percentage on their home court this season which is translating into 111.1 PPG. Utah is 18-5 at home with an average winning margin of +7.3 PPG. The Jazz are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games with the Total set at 220 or higher. The knock on this Utah team is that the 19-2 winning stretch they enjoyed before this recent losing streak was due largely to them playing weaker opponents. Perhaps … but we can take heart into the fact that the Jazz have covered the point spread in 6 straight home games against teams with a losing record on the road — and they have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 ames overall against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Utah will be motivated to avenge a 124-107 loss at Portland last Saturday as an 8-point favorite. The Jazz have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games when playing with revenge from a same-season loss. The Trail Blazers have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against Utah in Salt Lake City. Let’s trust the team trends in what looks to be a great situation (albeit one that has burned us with the Jazz twice in the last seven days). 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Friday ESPN Game of the Year with the Utah Jazz (526) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (525). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (523) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Sacramento Kings (524). THE SITUATION: Miami (34-16) looks to bounce-back from their 128-111 loss in Los Angeles to the Clippers as a 6.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Sacramento (19-31) has won two of their last three games with their 113-109 win over Minnesota as a 1-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT MINUS (OR PLUS) THE POINT(S): Miami should respond with a big effort as they are covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a double-digit loss. They are also 20-5-1 ATS in their last 26 games after a straight-up loss which includes them covering the point spread in twelve of these last fourteen situations. The Heat are also 23-8-2 ATS in their last 33 games after a point spread loss. They allowed the Clippers to nail 50.6% of their shots on Wednesday which was the worst defensive effort in their last eleven games. They will also be undermanned with some injuries and some vacancies after their activity at the trade deadline. Jimmy Butler is likely out with a shoulder injury — and Meyers Leonard is out with an ankle injury. Miami also traded away Dion Waiters, James Johnson, and Justise Winslow. Those losses are not devastating since all three players had become only rotational players. The Heat acquired Andre Iguodala but he will not be ready to take the court until next week. Miami also brought in Solomon Hill and Jae Crowder who could play tonight if they pass their physicals. But this team still has All-Star Bam Adebayo along with Goran Dragic along with a host of role players that have thrived under the tutelage of head coach Erik Spoelstra. The Heat have covered the point spread in 27 of their last 45 games on the road — and they are also 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 games against teams with a winning percentage at 40% or less. Sacramento nailed 50.7% of their shots on Monday which was the best shooting effort in their last nine contests. But the Kings have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread loss. Sacramento stays at home where they are just 9-15 this season with an average losing margin of -3.7 PPG. They are making only 45.5% of their shots on their home court so they are likely to get a visit from the Regression Gods after their hot shooting night to begin the week. The Kings are just 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 home games against teams with a losing record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Sacramento will not be at full strength as well tonight with Marvin Bagley out with a foot injury. The Kings also traded away Dewayne Dedmon yesterday to Atlanta for Alex Len and Jabari Parker but both those new acquisitions are dealing with injuries right now. Sacramento is looking to avenge a 118-113 loss at Miami back on January 20th in a game where Butler also did not play for the Heat. The Kings are just 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games against teams with a winning record. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Miami Heat (523) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Sacramento Kings (524). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (510) minus the points versus the Houston Rockets (509). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (38-11) has won their last two games after their 129-102 win over San Antonio as a 9.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Houston (32-18) has won three straight games after their 125-110 win over Charlotte on Tuesday as a 13-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Lakers seem to have responded to the tragedy of the Kobe Bryant death — and their listless upset loss at home to Portland in their first game after that accident in the Staples Center — by playing better team basketball. Los Angeles has then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a victory by at least double-digits. The Lakers have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. LA nailed 58.8% of their shots in the victory — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. And while this victory came on the heels of a 16-point victory at Sacramento, the Lakers have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning their last two games by at least 15 points. Los Angeles stays at home tonight where they are 17-6 with an average winning margin of +10.0 PPG. The Lakers are clicking on all cylinders on the offensive end of the court right now as they are making 50.6% of their shots in their last five games which has translated into 119.2 PPG. Los Angeles also makes 48.7% of their shots at home in the Staples Center where they are averaging 114.3 PPG. The Lakers have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 home games with the Total set at 220 or higher. Houston has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after a game where at least 235 combined points were scored. This team has completely embraced small-ball with yesterday’s trade of center Clint Capela. The Rockets do not have many good options to defend Anthony Davis in this matchup — or, frankly, LeBron James who has been a matchup nightmare throughout his career. Houston has allowed their last five opponents to make 48.3% of their shots as they have moved to small-ball. And while they have scored at least 110 points in eight straight games as they look to overwhelm their opponents with offense, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after scoring at least 110 points in four straight games. The Rockets have launched at least 94 shots in four straight games with their small-ball system — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after taking at least 90 shots in two straight games. Houston has been out-rebounded by at least 12 boards per game in their last four contests — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after being out-rebounded by at least 5 RPG in three straight contests. Now after playing their last two games at home, the Rockets go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games away from home. Russell Westbrook did not play against the Hornets on Tuesday but he is expected to take the court again tonight. Houston acquired Robert Covington and Jordan Bell yesterday as part of the four-team deal that shipped off Capela. Covington is questionable to make his debut tonight while Bell was traded away again today by the Rockets — so this will be an undermanned group. That is not a good sign for a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Houston will be looking to avenge a 124-115 loss to the Lakers at home back on January 18th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 opportunities to avenge a same-season loss. The Rockets have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 meetings with the Lakers. 10* NBA Thursday Late Show Bailout with the Los Angeles Lakers (510) minus the points versus the Houston Rockets (509). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (506) minus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (505). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (43-7) has won two straight games — as well as eleven of their last twelve contests — with their 120-108 win at New Orleans as a 5-point favorite on Tuesday. Philadelphia (31-20) has lost three in a row with their 137-106 blowout loss at Miami on Monday as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Milwaukee should continue to build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a win on the road by double-digit. The Bucks have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after winning two of their last three games — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after winning three of their last four games. Milwaukee has been a juggernaut as of late on offense where they have nailed 49.5% of their shots over their last five games which has generated 126.2 PPG. Defense has been an issue for the 76ers during their recent slide — they have allowed their last five opponents to make 48.2% of their shots. Now the bucks return home where they are 23-3 this season with an average winning margin of +13.3 PPG while making 48.7% of their shots which is resulting in 121.8 PPG. The Bucks are also holding their guests to just 41.5% shooting from the field. Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games at home against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. The Bucks up-tempo offense is helping them average 91 shots per game — and Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games against opponents that average at least 88 shots per game. And while the Sixers make 46.5% of their shots, Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 29 home games against teams who make at least 46% of their shots. Philadelphia is reeling right now — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss. They also are just 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up loss. They allowed the Heat to make 56.5% of their shots on Monday — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. Chemistry is a significant problem for this team. Al Horford and Joel Embiid have not been a good fit together since they play similar roles on the court. Embiid is also clashing with Ben Simmons both on and off the court with both players wanting to be the leader of the team — and Simmons is closer to a power forward, in practice, than a point guard so the role allocation on this team continues to be less than ideally optimal. Philadelphia did make some intriguing moves yesterday by adding Glenn Robinson III and Alec Burks from Golden State — but it is questionable if this shooting depth will be able to take the court tonight (and it will likely take some time to effectively transition into the rotation). Philly will also still be without starter Josh Richardson who has been out a couple of weeks with a hamstring injury. The 76ers were playing perhaps their most consistent basketball of the season last month when Embiid was injured. Philly has also been very good at home where they are 22-2 this season — but they have been an ugly 9-18 on the road this year while allowing their opponents to make 46.9% of their shots which has resulted in 110.4 PPG. The 76ers are 6-18-2 ATS in their last 26 games on the road — and they are 1-9-1 ATS in their last 11 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Philadelphia has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee will be looking to avenge a 121-109 loss at Philadelphia on Christmas Day by a 121-109 score despite being a 2.5-point favorite. Giannis Antetokounmpo missed all seven of his 3-point attempts in that game while making just 8 of his 27 shots for just 18 points. The Greek Freak enters this rematch scoring at least 30 points with 16 rebounds and 6 assists in four straight games. The Bucks have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points — and the 76ers are 0-6-1 ATS in their last 7 road games as an underdog. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Thursday TNT Game of the Year with the Milwaukee Bucks (506) minus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (505). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Drexel Dragons (624) minus the points versus the James Madison Dukes (623). THE SITUATION: Drexel (12-11) has lost three straight games with their 80-72 loss at Delaware on Saturday as a 5.5-point underdog. James Madison (9-13) snapped their seven-game losing streak on Saturday with their 83-66 win over UNC-Wilmington as a 4-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DRAGONS MINUS THE POINTS: Drexel has failed to cover the point spread in their last three games — but all three of those games were on the road. The Dragons return home where they are 9-2 this season with an average winning margin of +9.4 PPG. Drexel is making 47.3% of their shots at home which has generated 74.3 PPG. The Dragons have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after playing their last two games on the road. The Dragons have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 home games against teams with a winning percentage at 40% or less on the road. Drexel makes 38.7% of their shots from behind the arc on their home court which is the 47th best mark in the nation. This is an area of vulnerability for the Dukes who are 9th in the Colonial Athletic Association by allowing their opponents to make 37.5% of their 3-point shots. The Dragons also lead their conference by pulling down 30.8% of their missed shots in conference play — and that mark improves to a 34.2% clip in the Drexels’ home games this season which is 43rd best in the nation. James Madison played one of their best games of the season on Saturday — they made 43.9% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last eight games while limiting the Seahawks to just 40.1% shooting which was also the best defensive effort in their last eight games. But the Dukes have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. James Madison has also failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. Now the Dukes go back on the road where they are 3-7 with an average losing margin of -10.1 PPG. James Madison makes only 37.5% of their shots on the road which is resulting in just 67.2 PPG. The Dukes make only 40.5% of their shots inside the arc on the road which is 344th in the nation. James Madison has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. The Dukes thrive by getting to the free-throw line — they lead the CAA with a Free Throw Attempt-to-Field Goal Attempt ratio of 39.6%. But the Dragons are 33rd in the nation when playing at home with an opponent’s FTA:FGA ratio of 22%.

FINAL TAKE: James Madison is looking to avenge a 78-71 upset loss at home to Drexel where they were 3.5-point favorites — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when playing with revenge. The Dragons nailed 11 of their 27 shots (40.7%) from behind the arc in that game — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games as a favorite. The Dukes have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games as an underdog. 10* CBB Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the Drexel Dragons (624) minus the points versus the James Madison Dukes (623). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (586) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (585). THE SITUATION: Utah (32-17) has lost four straight games with their 124-107 upset loss at Portland as an 8-point favorite on Saturday. Denver (35-16) has won three of their last four games with their 127-99 victory at home against Portland as a 4.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ MINUS THE POINTS: Utah is desperate for a decisive victory after suffering four straight upset losses to Western Conference rivals. The Jazz have responded to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after suffering an upset loss as a road favorite laying at least 7 points — and they have covered the point spread in a decisive 37 of their last 56 games after getting upset as the favorite by at least 15 points. Utah allowed the Trail Blazers (with the red hot Damian Lillard) to make 51.1% of their shots which was the second-highest field goal percentage they have allowed in their last eight games. They have allowed their last three opponents shoot at least 47.1% from the field — but they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after allowing their last opponents to all make at least 47% of their shots. The Jazz only made 42.6% of their shots on Saturday as well — and that was the lowest field goal percentage in their last twenty-five games. Utah has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to cover the point spread in four straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after failing to cover the point spread in four of their last five contests. Now the Jazz return home where they are 18-4 this season while making 48.3% of their shots which is resulting in 111.9 PPG. Utah is also 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 games at home. Denver made 51.1% of their shots last night which was tied for the best shooting mark in their last seventeen games. They also held the Trail Blazers to just a 39.6% field goal percentage in what was the best defensive effort in their last thirty-four games. But the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 19 road games after victory at home by double-digits. Additionally, Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 29 games after scoring at least 120 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after scoring at least 125 points in their last contest. And while the Nuggets have shot at least 47.1% from the field in four straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after making at least 47% of their shots in four straight games. This will be a significantly diminished roster tonight after Denver traded away Malik Beasley, Juancho Hernangomez, and Jarred Vanderbilt last night. The Nuggets are also dealing with a host of injuries with Paul Millsap and Mason Plumlee out for this game while Jeramy Grant and Michael Porter, Jr. will be doubtful and questionable for tonight’s game. As it is, Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when playing without a day of rest.

FINAL TAKE: The Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 trips to Utah to face the Jazz. And while Utah is looking to avenge a 106-100 loss in Denver on Thursday as a 2.5-point favorite, the Jazz have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 opportunities to avenge a same-season loss. 20* NBA Wednesday Late Show Bailout with the Utah Jazz (586) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (585). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the St. Louis Billikens (798) minus the points versus the Duquesne Dukes (797). THE SITUATION: St. Louis (17-5) has won their last three games with their 78-73 win at Saint Joseph’s on Saturday as an 8-point favorite. Duquesne (16-5) snapped a three-game losing streak on Sunday with their 71-69 win at home over LaSalle where they were 9.5-point favorites.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BILLIKENS MINUS THE POINTS: Saint Louis won their game on Saturday against the Hawks despite allowing them to make 43.4% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last four games. The Billikens return home where they are 11-2 this season with an average winning margin of +8.4 PPG. St. Louis holds their victories to just 39.6% shooting from the field which has resulted in just 64.7 PPG. The Billikens are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. And while St. Louis has played their last two games on the road, they have then covered the point spread in 27 of their last 39 games after playing their last two contests on the road. Additionally, the Billikens have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games against teams with a winning record. St. Louis has a few ways to increase their scoring chances if their shots are not falling. First, the Billikens are 2nd in the Missouri Valley Conference by pulling down 33.9% of their missed shots — and they are 29th in the nation by rebounding 35.7% of their misses when playing at home. This is an area of vulnerability for the Dukes who are 14th in the MVC by allowing their opponents to rebound 33.5% of their missed shots — and they rank 330th in the nation by allowing their home hosts to rebound 35.1% of their misses when playing on the road. St. Louis is also forcing turnovers in 21.1% of their opponent’s possessions in conference play which is 3rd best in the Missouri Valley — and Duquesne is 12th in the conference by turning the ball over in 20.3% of their conference possessions. The Dukes shot 50.9% from the field on Sunday which was the best shooting effort in their last eleven games. But Duquesne has then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 47 of their last 69 games after a narrow win by 6 points or less. And in their last 7 games after a point spread setback, the Dukes have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of these games. Duquesne is likely due for regression on the offensive end of the court as they are making only 40.7% of their shots in their last five games which has resulted in just 63.4 PPG. Now the Dukes go back on the road where they are making just 42.6% of their shots. Duquesne has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. The Dukes have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% overall.

FINAL TAKE: St. Louis will be motivated to avenge a 73-59 loss at Duquesne back on January 2nd. The Billikens have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 home games when looking to avenge a loss. 20* CBB Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the St. Louis Billikens (798) minus the points versus the Duquesne Dukes (797). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (569) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (570). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (22-27) saw their two-game winning streak snapped last night with their 108-105 loss at Los Angeles against the Clippers as a 9-point underdog. Los Angeles (37-11) ended their two-game losing streak on Saturday with their 129-113 win in Sacramento as a 7-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS PLUS THE POINTS: San Antonio made only 42% of their shots last night which was the lowest field goal percentage for them in their last four games — they had made 56.1% and 51.7% of their shots in their previous two games. The Spurs also allowed the Clippers to make 46% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five contests. San Antonio is 6th in the NBA in Defensive Rating over their last five games where they are holding their opponents to just 43.8% shooting from the field. They should play better tonight as they are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. The Spurs have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up loss on the road where they covered the point spread as an underdog. San Antonio is healthy right now so their good depth should help them tonight when playing the second straight games in the Staples Center. The Spurs have covered then point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing without a day of rest. San Antonio has covered the point spread in 4 straight games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning record at home. And in their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%, the Spurs have covered the point spread in 8 of these contests. Los Angeles responded to their flat performance on Friday at home against the Trail Blazers in their first game since the tragic death of Kobe Bryant by playing one of their better games of the season the next night in Sacramento. The Lakers shot 51.2% from the field which was the best shooting effort in their last eight contests. They also held the Kings to just a 42.9% field goal percentage which is the lowest mark in LA’s last four games. But the Lakers have struggled on the defensive end of the court as they have allowed their last five opponents to make 46.1% of their shots which has resulted in them scoring 110.6 PPG. Los Angeles is 10th in the league in Defensive Rating over those last five games as compared to their overall ranking this season in that metric at 4th best in the NBA. The biggest weakness for this team right now is that they lack a reliable second scorer who can create his own shot in the half-court offense after LeBron James (even Anthony Davis struggles to create his own shooting opportunities). This helps explain why the Lakers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as the favorite. Los Angeles has also failed to cover the point spread in 45 of their last 71 home games in the second half of the season against teams with a winning percentage in the 40-49% range. Furthermore, the Spurs are an up-tempo team that averages 90 shot attempts per game while averaging 25 assists per game. The Lakers have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 28 games in the second half of the season against opponents who average at least 88 shot attempts per game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 26 of their last 43 games in the second half of the season against opponents who average at least 23 assists per game.

FINAL TAKE: San Antonio will be looking to avenge a 114-104 loss at home to the Lakers back on November 25th. The Spurs have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 37 opportunities to avenge a same-season loss — and they have covered the point spread in 31 of their last 38 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 110 points. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Tuesday TNT Game of the Year with the San Antonio Spurs (569) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (570). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (558) minus the points versus the Detroit Pistons (557). THE SITUATION: Memphis (24-25) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Friday with their 139-111 loss at New Orleans as a 7.5-point underdog. Detroit (18-33) ended their five-game losing streak yesterday with their 128-123 upset win against Denver as a 2-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES MINUS THE POINTS: Memphis allowed the Pelicans to nail 53.7% of their shots on Friday which was the worst defensives effort in their last eighteen games. The Grizzlies also made just 46.9% of their shots which was the worst shooting performance in their last five games. Memphis should respond with a big effort as they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit loss. The Grizzlies have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread setback. Memphis has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. Jalen Jackson was suspended for the game on Friday but he will be back on the court night. Now after playing their last two games on the road, the Grizzlies return home where they had covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when favored. Additionally, Memphis has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after playing their last two games on the road. And in their last 10 games against teams with a losing record, the Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 7 of these contests. Detroit is just 4-12-1 ATS in their last 17 games after a straight-up win — and they are 4-12-1 ATS in their last 17 games after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Pistons have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. And Detroit has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing without a day of rest. The Pistons are not playing very good defense as of late — the Nuggets made 50% of their shots which was the fourth straight opponent to enjoy at least a 50% field goal percentage against Detroit. The Pistons are 25th in the NBA over their last five games in Defensive Rating while allowing their opponents to make 49.3% of their shots which is resulting in 117.8 PPG by their opponents over that span. They are also plaguing undermanned with a host of injuries. Blake Griffin is, once again, on the shelf with a knee injury and Derrick Rose is also out for tonight with a groin injury. Reggie Jackson and Markieff Morris are both questionable tonight as well with back and hip injuries respectively. Detroit goes back on the road where they are just 8-16 this season. The Pistons are 7-15-1 ATS in their last 23 games on the road — and they are also 3-10-1 ATS in their last 14 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Furthermore, Detroit has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: The Pistons will be motivated to avenge a 125-112 loss at home to the Grizzlies on January 24th as a 2-point favorite — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 27 of their last 42 games when playing with revenge from a loss by double-digits. Detroit has also failed to cover the point spread 4 of their last 5 meetings with Memphis. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Non-Conference Game of the Year with the Memphis Grizzlies (558) minus the points versus the Detroit Pistons (557). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the North Carolina Tar Heels (861) plus the points versus the Florida State Seminoles (862). THE SITUATION: North Carolina (10-11) had won two games in a row before getting upset at home on Saturday by a 71-70 score despite being a 12-point favorite. Florida State (18-3) comes off a 74-63 win at Virginia Tech on Saturday as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TAR HEELS PLUS THE POINTS: North Carolina had been playing better basketball before getting upset by the Eagles. Head coach Roy Williams’ team was hit hard with departures from last season which left this year’s team very inexperienced. Injuries have also hurt the club although star point guard Cole Anthony did return to the court to score 26 points in the losing effort against Boston College. Perhaps there were chemistry issues with Anthony getting reacclimatized with his teammates. But Anthony is a star who will likely be a lottery draft pick in the NBA this June — so this Tar Heels team is much better with him back in the mix. North Carolina made only 36.1% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. The Tar Heels also allowed the Eagles to make 46.4% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last seven contests. North Carolina should respond with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games after an upset loss as a favorite laying at least 12 points. The Tar Heels go back on the road where they are 5-5 this season while outscoring their home hosts. North Carolina leads the ACC by pulling down 34.9% of their missed shots — and they should have success in getting second-chance opportunities against this Seminoles team that allows their conference opponents to rebound 31.3% of their missed shots which is 10th in the ACC. Rebounding travels — and crashing the glass has helped the Tar Heels cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road as an underdog. North Carolina has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games as an underdog getting the points. Florida State has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread win. The Seminoles return home where they are 10-0 this season — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games when favored. Florida State has also failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 27 home games with the Total set at 145 to 149.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Seminoles are making 45.9% of their shots this season while limiting their opponents to just a 40.6% field goal percentage — but North Carolina has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games against teams who shoot at least 45% of their shots while keeping their opponents to no better than 42%. 10* CBB North Carolina-Florida State ESPN Special with the North Carolina Tar Heels (861) plus the points versus the Florida State Seminoles (862). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Monmouth Hawks (840) minus the point(s) versus the Rider Broncs (839). THE SITUATION: Rider (12-8) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday with their 66-63 loss at St. Peter’s as a 1-point underdog. Rider (12-8) has won their last three games with their 68-52 win over Fairfield as a 6-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKS MINUS THE POINT(S): Monmouth made only 38.3% of their shots on Wednesday in what was their lowest field goal percentage in their last five games. The Hawks have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread setback. Now after playing their last two games on the road, they return home where they are 7-0 this season with an average winning margin of +10.4 PPG. Monmouth holds their guests to just 40.5% shooting from the field. They have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They also have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 home games with the Total set in the 140s. They force turnovers in 22.2% of their opponent’s possessions on their home court. They also should get some freebies at the line this afternoon as they rank 21st in the nation with a Free Throw Attempt-to-Field Goal Attempt ratio of 46.2% at home. Rider has failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after a double-digit win over a conference rival. The Broncs probably played their best game of the season on Friday. Their 53.2% field goal percentage was their best shooting mark of the season — and their 35.4% opponent’s field goal percentage was their second-best effort all year going back to November. But Rider has failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. They are also 5-13-1 ATS in their last 19 games after a point spread win. Now the Broncs go back on the road where they are 6-7 this season — but they are only making 41.7% of their shots from the field. Rider has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Broncs have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Rider is last in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 53.9%. The Broncs are 9th in the conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They do rank 2nd in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but Monmouth ranks 4th in that metric while also ranking 2nd in the conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. 4* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Monmouth Hawks (840) minus the point(s) versus the Rider Broncs (839). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (531) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (532). THE SITUATION: Utah (32-16) has lost three straight games after their 106-100 upset loss at Denver as a 2.5-point favorite on Thursday. Portland (22-27) has won three straight games after their 127-119 upset victory in Los Angeles over the Lakers last night as a 13-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ MINUS THE POINTS: Utah needs to get back to their winning ways with this three-game losing streak — they had won nineteen of twenty-one games before this recent slide. Quin Snyder’s team has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after an upset loss to a divisional rival — and they have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, while the Jazz have failed to cover the point spread in their last three games, they have then covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after failing to cover the point spread in three straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games on the road after only covering the point spread once in their last four games. Despite this recent slide, Utah is still making a healthy 47.8% of its shots which has translated into 115.6 PPG. They stay on the road where they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 road games with the Total set at 220 or higher — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record on their home court. The Jazz have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games against teams with a losing record. I was wrong about Portland last night as they were the team that responded to the emotion of it being the first game in the Staples Center after the tragic death of Kobe Bryant. In a game that had, at times, the defensive intensity of an NBA All-Star Game, Damian Lillard went off with 48 points along with 10 assists and 9 rebounds to best embody the “Mamba Mentality” while the Lakers seemed to still be suffering from their grief. It will be difficult for the Trail Blazers to maintain that energy — especially without a day of rest. As it is, Portland is 4-9-2 ATS in their last 15 games after a point spread victory — and they are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games when playing without rest. The Blazers made 50.5% of their shots last night in what was the best shooting effort in their last four games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Portland returns home where they are just 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games — and they are 2-6-2 ATS in their last 10 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, the Blazers are just 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 home games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games as a dog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Utah is scoring 111.2 PPG this season — and Portland has failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games against teams who are scoring at least 110 PPG. The Trail Blazers are allowing 114.9 PPG — and the Jazz have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 19 road games in the second half of the season against teams who are allowing at least 110 PPG. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Northwest Division Game of the Year with the Utah Jazz (531) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (532). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (533) minus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (534). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (36-11) has lost two straight games after their 127-119 upset loss at home to Portland last night as a 13-point favorite. Sacramento (18-30) has won three of their last four games with their 124-103 upset win at Los Angeles against the Clippers as a 14-point underdog on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS MINUS THE POINTS: I was wrong about Los Angeles last night — I thought they respond with a big effort to honor the memory of Kobe Bryant but instead they seemed to be drained of energy particularly on the defensive end of the court. Well, it is back to business now — and this team needs to end a two-game losing streak. The Lakers have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after suffering an upset loss as a home favorite. LA saw the Blazers make 50.5% of their shots — and that came on the heels of them allowing the 76ers to nail 52.6% of their shots in their previous game. The Lakers have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after allowing their last two opponents to make at least 50% of their shots. Playing without a day of rest as they have won all six of those situations this season with four of those games being played on the road. Anthony Davis played very well last night but he is again questionable with his glute injury — although he has played in four of those six games when the Lakers are playing on back-to-back days. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 4 straight games when playing without rest. The Lakers are 20-5 on the road this season where they are outscoring their opponents by +4.9 PPG while making 48.5% of their shots en route to averaging a healthy 113.7 PPG. Sacramento tied their best shooting performance in the last seven games by making 50% of their shots on Thursday against the Clippers. They also played their best defensive game in the last seventeen contests by limiting them to just a 38% foiled goal percentage. But the Kings have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, Sacramento has failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games after pulling off an upset victory as an underdog on the road. They return home where they are just 8-14 this season — and they are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games on their home court. The Kings are also just 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record on the road — and they are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Sacramento has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. And the Lakers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 trips to Sacramento to play the Kings. 10* NBA Saturday Late Show Bailout with the Los Angeles Lakers (533) minus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Valparaiso Crusaders (766) minus the points versus the Illinois State Redbirds (765). THE SITUATION: Valparaiso (11-11) has lost two of their last three games after their 80-69 loss at Bradley as a 5.5-point underdog. Illinois State (7-14) snapped a seven-game losing streak on Wednesday as a 7-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CRUSADERS MINUS THE POINTS: Valparaiso should respond with a strong effort tonight as they are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread setback. Additionally, Valparaiso has covered the point spread in 40 of their last 51 games after a loss on the road by at least 10 points. The Crusaders allowed the Braves to shoot 52.9% from the field on Wednesday which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. Valparaiso has covered the point spread in 12 straight games after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. The Crusaders return home where they are 7-1 this season with an average winning margin of +9.7 PPG. They limit their visitors to just 44.2% shooting from the field which results in just 66.5 PPG. Valparaiso is 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games as the favorite. The Crusaders should force plenty of turnovers in this one — they are forcing turnovers in 20.5% of their opponent’s possessions in Missouri Valley Conference play and the Redbirds are last in the conference by turning the ball over in 20.1% of their conference possessions. Illinois State has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. The Redbirds made 46.7% of their shots against the Purple Aces which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. But Illinois State is only making 40.8% of his shots over their last five games even after that effort. The Redbirds go back on the road where they are 0-10 this season with an average losing margin of -11.3 PPG while making just 41.7% of their shots which results in 64.4 PPG. Illinois State has failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games on the road as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Illinois State tends to live-and-die by the 3-point shot. They are 2nd in the MVC by taking 45.8% of their shots from behind the arc — but they are making only 32.7% of these shots when playing on the road which is 157th in the nation. And while they average 22 attempts from behind the 3-point line per game, the Crusaders have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games in the second half of the season against opponents who attempt at least 21 shots from behind the arc per game. 20* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Valparaiso Crusaders (766) minus the points versus the Illinois State Redbirds (765). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (514) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (513). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (36-10) takes the court again for the first time since last Saturday where they were upset in Philadelphia to the 76ers by a 108-91 score as a 5-point favorite. Portland (21-27) has won three of their last four games with their 125-112 upset win at Houston as a 5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS MINUS THE POINTS: It will be a very emotional night in the Staples Center with this being the first game the Lakers have played since the tragic death of Kobe Bryant. I expect a very focused and determined from Los Angeles as a small tribute to their fallen star. The Lakers are 16-5 on their home court with an average winning margin of +10.1 PPG. Los Angeles makes 48.3% of their shots on their home court while limiting their opponents to just 42.8% shooting from the field. The Lakers are 11-3-1 ATS in their last 15 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games with the Total set at 220 or higher. Los Angeles is laying plenty of points tonight — and while I tend to be remiss to lay double-digits, I think the urgency to make a statement tonight by this team for their fans will be very strong. I also feel comfortable laying the 13 or so points because the Lakers have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games when laying at least 12.5 points. This is also a great opportunity to fade the Trail Blazers. Portland has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a win at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after a game where at least 235 points were scored. The Blazers made 51.7% of their shots on Wednesday which was the third straight game where they made at least 50.5% of their shots. But Portland has then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after making at least 47% of their shots in three straight games. The Trail Blazers now go back on the road where they are just 9-16 this season while making just 44.9% of their shots. Portland has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Blazers have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games where the Total is set at 230 or higher. Additionally, Portland has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games as an underdog — and they are 5-12-2 ATS in their last 19 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: Portland will not have the services of Carmelo Anthony who is taking a personal day for this contest. Anthony Davis is listed as questionable for the Lakers with his gluteus injury — but even if he does not play, look for LeBron James to take his team on his shoulders tonight with a big performance.The Trail Blazers will be looking to avenge a 128-120 loss at home to the Lakers back on December 28th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with revenge from a loss at home. 25* NBA Western Conference Game of the Month with the Los Angeles Lakers (514) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (513). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Oklahoma City Thunder (509) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Phoenix Suns (510). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma City (29-20) has won six of their last seven games with their 120-100 win at Sacramento on Wednesday as a 2.5-point favorite. Phoenix (20-27) has won two of their last three games with their 133-104 upset win at Dallas as a 7-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE THUNDER MINUS THE POINT(S): Oklahoma City should continue to build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, the Thunder have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after a double-digit victory. OKC easily defeated the Kings despite seeing them make 46.2% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last four games. The Thunder are making 51.2% of their shots over their last five games which has resulted in 118.0 PPG during that span. Now OKC stays on the road where they have won six straight games. The Thunder have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight road games against teams with a losing record at home. Oklahoma City has also covered the point spread in 7 straight games on the road with the Total set at 220 or higher. Phoenix made 59.3% of their shots on Tuesday which was their best shooting mark of the season. But the Suns have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after an upset victory by at least 20 points. Additionally, Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 15 games at home after scoring at least 120 points in their last game. The Suns return home where they are just 9-16 while allowing their opponents to make 47.5% of their shots. Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games at home. The Suns have also allowed their last five opponents to make 48.6% of their shots.

FINAL TAKE: Oklahoma City has covered the point spread in the last 4 meetings between these two teams — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder (509) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Phoenix Suns (510). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers (878) plus the points versus the Wright State Raiders (877). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (10-11) saw their two-game winning streak snapped last Saturday with their 70-53 upset loss at Cleveland State as a 3-point favorite. Wright State (18-4) has won two straight games with their 95-63 win over Northern Kentucky last Friday as a 4.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PANTHERS PLUS THE POINTS: Milwaukee has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after an upset loss by double-digits. The Panthers have also covered the point spread in a decisive 54 of their last 81 games after a loss by at least 10 points to a Horizon League rival — and this includes them covering the point spread in 8 of these last 12 situations. Milwaukee allowed the Vikings to make 51.1% of their shots in that game which was the most defensive field goal percentage in their last seven games. Even worse, the Panthers made only 25.4% of their shots in that game which was the worst shooting performance for them all season. Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a game where they did not make at least 28% of their shots. This team does have ways to generate more scoring opportunities if their shots are not falling. The Panthers lead the Horizon League by forcing turnovers in 21.8% of their opponent’s possessions. Milwaukee also returns home where they are pulling down 36.9% of their missed shots which is 19th best in the nation. The Panthers are 7-3 on their home court with an average winning margin of +7.1 PPG while holding their opponents to just 42.9% shooting. Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 23 home games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 6 points. Wright State enjoyed their best shooting mark of the season last week as they nailed 61.1% of their shots. The Raiders rushed out to a 48-28 halftime lead against the Norse — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after being up by at least 20 points at halftime of their last game. Wright State has also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread win. Now after playing their last three games at home, the Raiders go back on the road where they are making just 43.2% of their shots. Wright State also makes only 65.5% of their free throws when on the road which is 310th worst in the nation — so don’t give up hope if the Raiders are covering the point spread late in this game. Wright State averages 81.5 PPG — but Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after fifteen games into the season against teams who score at least 77 PPG. And while the Panthers make just 40.5% of their shots, the Raiders have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after fifteen games into the season against teams who do not make more than 42% of their shots. Furthermore, Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 6 straight games against teams with a winning record after fifteen games into the season.

FINAL TAKE: The Panthers will be looking to avenge an 82-70 loss to Wright State back on December 30th. Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games when avenging a same-season loss — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games when playing with revenge from a loss on the road. 25* CBB Horizon League Game of the Month with the Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers (878) plus the points versus the Wright State Raiders (877). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (579) plus the point(s) versus the Denver Nuggets (580). THE SITUATION: Utah (32-15) had won four-games in a row before losing their last two games after their 127-120 upset loss at San Antonio last night as a 5-point favorite. Denver (32-15) saw their two-game winning streak end on Tuesday with their 104-96 loss at Memphis where they were 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ PLUS THE POINT(S): Utah has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread setback. And while the Jazz’s loss last night came on the heels of a 126-117 upset loss at home to Houston where they were a 14.5-point favorite, they have then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after suffering two straight upset losses. Frankly, Utah comes off one of the worst games of their season last night. They shot only 44% from the field which is tied for the worst shooting mark in their last seventeen games — and the Spurs’ 56.1% shooting mark was their worst defensive performance of the season. The Jazz had been on a torrid hot streak where they had won nineteen of their previous twenty-one games before last night. Some could quibble with the strength of schedule of those opponents — but Utah is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. The difference for this team over that stretch has been the improved play on offense. Over their last 5 games, the Jazz lead the NBA in Offensive Rating. In their last five games (even after last night), Utah has averaged 119.2 PPG while making 49.3% of their shots. The Jazz stay on the road where they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight road games against teams with a winning record at home. This is an undermanned Nuggets team as they deal with a host of injuries — and head coach Quin Snyder will not let his team take them lightly after they appeared to make that mistake on Monday in the upset loss to the Rockets who were not at full strength. Denver is missing Jamal Murray, Paul Millsap, and Mason Plumlee who are all dealing with injuries — and Gary Harris is on a minutes restriction as he recovers from a right adductor strain. The Nuggets also struggled on the defensive end of the court in their last game as they allowed the Grizzlies to nail 56.1% of their shots — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of their shots. Denver has allowed their last five opponents to shoot 47.2% of their shots over their last five games. These injuries are also negatively impacting them on offense as they are shooting just 43.0% from the field in their last five games. Denver has also failed to cover the point spread in a decisive 35 of their last 56 games after winning two of their last three games. And in their last 11 home games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range, the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: Utah has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 23 meetings with the Nuggets. With the Jazz needing to get back to playing good basketball and facing a rival not close to full strength, look for Utah to pull off the upset win (but take the points for some insurance). 10* NBA Thursday Late Show Bailout with the Utah Jazz (579) plus the point(s) versus the Denver Nuggets (580). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Atlanta Hawks (573) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (574). THE SITUATION: Atlanta (12-36) has lost two of their last three games with their 130-114 loss at Toronto on Tuesday as a 13-point underdog. Philadelphia (31-17) has won two straight games as well as six of their last seven contests with their 115-104 victory at home over Golden State on Tuesday as a 13.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: The 76ers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit victory. Philadelphia got Joel Embiid back for that game against the Warriors where he scored 24 points while pulling down 10 rebounds and displaying little rust after being on the shelf for nine games. The Sixers won six of those games without Embiid with his absence offering a more stable role for Al Horford who they signed in the offseason. Head coach Brett Brown has not figured out how to effectively work both Embiid and Horford on the court at the same time with both big men playing similar roles. However, that might not be an issue tonight with Horford listed as questionable with a knee issue. The other dynamic that changed in Embiid’s absence is that it opened up space for Ben Simmons to play more aggressively. Simmons averaged 21.6 PPG in those nine games without Embiid while bailing a remarkable 65.3% of his shots as compared to 14.9 PPG scoring average in the 36 games before Embiid’s injury on 56.3% shooting. Philly needs Simmons to continue to be aggressive but the perceived need to get Embiid his touches may work against this notion. Now this team leaves the Wells Fargo Center where they are 22-2 this season — yet they are just 9-15 on the road with an average losing margin of -3.2 PPG. The 76ers are just 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 games on the road — and they are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 road games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on their home court. And while the Hawks are being outscored by an ugly -9.3 PPG this season, Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against opponents who are being outscored by at least -9.0 PPG. Atlanta has coped the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. The Hawks have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit loss. Atlanta returns home where they are being outscored by -4.1 PPG. But the Hawks have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a losing record on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games as the underdog. Atlanta will likely be without big men Alex Len and Bruno Fernandes who are dealing with injuries — but their absences on Tuesday offered the opportunity for big man John Collins to step up with 28 points and 12 rebounds. And the Hawks will have rising star Trae Young who has registered four straight double-doubles while scoring 42 and 45 points in two of those games. Young scored 45 points in his last game at home in a 152-133 win against Washington. Atlanta has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. The Hawks have also covered the point spread in their last four opportunities to host the Sixers.

FINAL TAKE: The 76ers have only defeated opponents on the road this season by more than 7 points — they beat the Cavaliers in Cleveland by 9 points on November 17th before winning in Detroit against the Pistons by 16 points on December 23rd. Since that win in Detroit, the Sixers have lost seven of their last nine games on the road. Atlanta has covered the point spread in four of their last five games at home as an underdog getting at least 2 points — and they have pulled the upset in three of those games. 25* NBA Underdog of the Month with Atlanta Hawks (573) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (574). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Oklahoma City Thunder (565) minus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (566). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma City (28-20) saw their five-game winning streak snapped on Monday with their 107-97 loss at home to Dallas as a 4.5-point underdog. Sacramento (17-29) has won two in a row after being on a six-game losing streak with their 133-129 win at Minnesota on Monday as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE THUNDER MINUS THE POINTS: Oklahoma City has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread setback. The Thunder have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit loss at home. Oklahoma City did not have the services of Chris Paul in that game with him taking a personal day after the news of the death of Kobe Bryant. The Thunder made only 39.5% of their shots without Paul in what was the worst shooting effort in their last 35 games. Paul is expected to be back on the court tonight — and Oklahoma City has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after winning at least four of their last five games. Even with their disappointing shooting performance on Monday, the Thunder is still averaging a 49.8% field goal percentage over their last five games which has generated 116.4 PPG over that span. Now Oklahoma City goes back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight road games against teams with a losing record at home. Additionally, the Thunder have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games against teams with a losing record — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Sacramento outscored the Timberwolves by a 21-4 margin over the last 2:30 in the 4th quarter to force overtime to eke out that game. The Kings made 50% of their shots in what was the best shooting effort in their last five games. But Sacramento has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win. The Kings have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Now this team returns home for the first time since January 15th — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 home games after being on the road for at least seven days. Sacramento is 8-13 at home — and they are just 2-10-1 ATS in their last 13 games on their home court. The Kings are also just 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 home games as an underdog — and they are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Sacramento may not be at full strength for this game with Marvin Bagley III listed as questionable with a foot injury.

FINAL TAKE: Oklahoma City is looking to avenge a 94-93 loss at Sacramento back on December 11th in the last meeting between these two teams. The Thunder have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games when avenging a loss on the road. 25* NBA Road Warrior of the Month with the Oklahoma City Thunder (565) minus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (566). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Alabama Crimson Tide (809) plus the points versus the LSU Tigers (810). THE SITUATION: Alabama (12-7) has won four games in a row with their 77-74 win over Kansas State on Saturday in the Big 12/SEC Challenge as a 9.5-point favorite. LSU (15-4) has won eight games in a row with their 69-67 upset win at Texas on Saturday in their Big 12/SEC Challenge matchup where they were 2-point underdogs.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CRIMSON TIDE PLUS THE POINTS: Alabama has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread win. And while that game finished above the 146 point total, the Crimson Tide have then covered the point spread in 11 straight games after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Alabama allowed the Wildcats to make 35.1% of their shots which — while low — happened to be the worst defensive effort in their last five games. The Crimson Tide have the second-lowest Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in SEC play — and they have held their last five opponents to just 34.7% shooting from the field. Now Alabama goes back on the road where they are outscoring their opponents despite a 4-6 record. The Tide have covered the point spread in 5 straight games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. LSU is just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 home games after narrow win on the road by 3 points or less. The Tigers have been very fortunate to eke out close games. LSU has won their last six games by a combined 15 points with all those victories by 4 points or less and with three of them decided by 1 or 2 points. The Tigers return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games. Head coach Will Wade lost three starters from last year’s Sweet Sixteen squad — but he did return five contributors from that group while complementing them with five transfers. Yet scoring may be a problem for this team against this Crimson Tide defense. LSU is making only 44.0% of their shots over their last five games — and they make only 25.8% of their 3-pointers on their home court which is 341st in the nation. The Tigers do lead the SEC by rebounding 41.1% of their missed shots in conference play — but Alabama is 2nd in the SEC by limiting their opponents to rebounding just 26.9% of their missed shots.

FINAL TAKE: The Crimson Tide are beginning to thrive under first-year head coach Nate Oaks who has this team playing at the quickest adjusted tempo in the nation. Over their last ten games, the advanced metrics list Alabama as the 21st best team in the nation — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Those metrics rank LSU at just 45th in the nation over their last ten games despite them being ranked once again in the Top-25 for the first time in ten weeks. The Tigers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a winning record — and they are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite. 25* CBB Underdog of the Month with the Alabama Crimson Tide (809) plus the points versus the LSU Tigers (810). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (550) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (549). THE SITUATION: Memphis (22-24) has won two straight games as well as nine of their last eleven contests with their 114-109 victory on Sunday as a 2-point favorite. Denver (32-14) has won two straight games with their 117-110 win over Houston as a 2-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES MINUS THE POINTS: Memphis should continue to build off the momentum of their victory on Sunday as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread victory. Led by rookie sensation Ja Morant, the Grizzlies are steadily improving with a balanced scoring attack with five players that average at least 10 PPG. Memphis made 52.4% of their shots on Sunday — and they shot 54.4% from the field in a 114-109 victory in Detroit against the Pistons in their previous contest. The Grizzlies have then covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after scoring at least 110 points in two straight games. Memphis has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after making at least 50% of their shots in two straight games. The Grizzlies have a field goal percentage of 48.6% over their last five games. They stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games. Memphis has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games as the favorite — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home when favored by no more than 6 points. The Grizzlies are also 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Memphis is undermanned in this game with Jae Crowder doubtful with a knee injury and Grayson Allen is out with a hip injury. But the Nuggets are also missing some important players with Jamal Murray, Paul Millsap, and Mason Plumlee all out with injuries as well. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a straight-up win. The Nuggets have also failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 26 road games after scoring at least 115 points in their last game. Furthermore, Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after winning two games in a row. The Nuggets have covered the point spread in two straight games as well as three of their last four games. Denver has then failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after covering the point spread in two straight games. The Nuggets go back on the road for the fourth time in their last five contests — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 straight road games after covering the point spread in three of their last four games.

FINAL TAKE: Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 trips to Memphis to face the Grizzlies. Memphis will be looking to avenge a 119-110 loss to the Nuggets back on December 28th. The Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 home games when playing with revenge from a same season loss. 25* NBA Western Conference Game of the Month with the Memphis Grizzlies (550) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (549). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (543) plus the point(s) versus the Miami Heat (544). THE SITUATION: Boston (30-15) saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with their 123-108 loss in New Orleans against the Pelicans as a 1.5-point underdog. Miami (32-14) has won three of their last four games with their 113-92 win against Orlando last night as a 6.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS PLUS THE POINT(S): Boston has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. The Celtics allowed the Pelicans to make 47.8% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five games. Boston stays on the road where they are 12-5-1 ATS in their last 18 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. Furthermore, the Celtics have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 road games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games as a dog. Miami played one of their best games of the season last night in their win over the Magic. They shot 53.2% from the field which was the best shooting performance in their last seven games. The Heat also held Orlando to just 37.1% shooting from the field in what was the best defensive effort in their last twelve games. But Miami is just 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Heat have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit victory. And in their last 9 games when playing without rest, Miami is just 2-5-2 ATS. This will be the Heat’s fifth game in a row — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 33 home games after earning a win on their home court.

FINAL TAKE: The Celtics will still be without Jayson Tatum and Enes Kantor who are dealing with injuries but Jaylen Brown is healthy and back in the mix again. Miami is without Justise Winslow who is dealing with a back injury. Boston has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 trips to Miami to play the Heat. 10* NBA Boston-Miami TNT Special with the Boston Celtics (543) plus the point(s) versus the Miami Heat (544). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (628) minus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (627). THE SITUATION: Rutgers (15-5) has won three of their last four games with their 75-72 win over Nebraska as a 13.5-point favorite on Saturday. Purdue (11-9) snapped a two-game losing streak last Friday with their 70-57 victory over Wisconsin as a 4-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SCARLET KNIGHTS MINUS THE POINTS: The Boilermakers are likely due for a letdown after playing one of their best games of the season against the Badgers. Purdue has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread win. Additionally, the Boilermakers ave failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games on the road after a win over a Big Ten opponent. But Purdue has still only covered the point spread twice in their last seven games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games on the road after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Now this team goes back on the road where they have a completely different team than they are at home where they are 9-2 this season at Mackey Arena. But the Boilermakers are just 2-7 on the road where they are being outscored by -6.0 PPG. Purdue is not a good shooting team — they are 256th in the nation in effective field goal percentage and that number drops to 42.9% in Big Ten play which is last in the conference. The Boilermakers also have the worst Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in the Big Ten. Their shooting is even worse away from home as they are making just 35.4% of their shots which is resulting in just 58.3 PPG. Pursue has an effective field goal percentage of 39.5% on the road which is 348th in the nation. They make only 23.8% of their 3-pointers on the road while making just 41.5% of their shots inside the arc on the road which ranks 345th and 327th in the nation. The Boilermakers also make things very difficult for themselves on the road by not getting to the free-throw line — they rank 329th in the nation with a Free Throw Attempt-to-Field Goal Attempt ratio of 21.3%. Purdue is just 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 27 road games against Big Ten opponents. Rutgers is 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after a victory over a Big Ten opponent. And while the Scarlet Knights have won nine of their last eleven games, they have then covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after winning at least four or five of their last six games. Rutgers won seven games in Big Ten play last season with head coach Steve Pikiell returns seven of the top eight scorers from that team. The Scarlet Knights stay at home where they are 14-0 with an average winning margin of +17.1 PPG. This Rutgers team plays outstanding defense as they rank 9th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Scarlet Knights hold their guests to just 35.6% shooting on their home court which results in 56.0 PPG. Rutgers rank 3rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home. They will make things very difficult for the Boilermakers’ shooters as they rank 20th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 44.0%.

FINAL TAKE: The Scarlet Knights have already defeated Seton Hall, Penn State, Indiana, and Minnesota on their home court — metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks all four of those teams in the top 39 teams in the nation. Purdue is just 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog. 25* CBB Big Ten Game of the Month with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (628) minus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (627). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (535) plus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (536). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (20-25) has lost their last two games after their 110-106 loss to Toronto as a 3.5-point underdog yesterday. Chicago (18-30) has won two of their last three games after their 118-106 upset victory at Cleveland as a 1-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS PLUS THE POINTS: San Antonio shot just 41.5% from the field yesterday which was the worst shooting effort in their last eleven games. The Spurs are 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 games after a straight-up loss. San Antonio now goes back on the road where they are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games — and they are also 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 road games against teams with a losing record at home. Chicago has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up victory — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Bulls have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a win by at least 10 points on their home court. Chicago star at home where they are just 10-15. The Bulls have failed to cover the point spread in 36 of their last 53 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 31 home games against teams with a losing record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Spurs will be without LaMarcus Aldridge who is out with a thumb injury — but this Bulls team is also dealing with some injuries. Otto Porter has been out months with a foot injury while Wendell Carter has been on the shelf for the last few weeks with an ankle. Now Lauri Markkanen is out indefinitely with a pelvis injury. San Antonio has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games as an underdog. 10* NBA Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the San Antonio Spurs (535) plus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (536). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the North Carolina State Wolfpack (866) minus the points versus the North Carolina Tar Heels (865). THE SITUATION: NC State (14-6) saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with their 64-58 loss at Georgia Tech as a 1-point underdog. North Carolina (9-10) snapped their five-game losing streak with their 94-71 win at home against Miami (FL) as a 7-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLFPACK MINUS THE POINTS: NC State should respond with a strong effort as they have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread loss. Furthermore, the Wolfpack have covered the point spread in 31 of their last 48 games after a loss on the road where they did not score at least 60 points. And while NC State has only covered the point spread once in their last three games, they have then covered the point spread in 6 straight games after failing to cover the point spread in two of their last three games. This is an experienced team that returned six of their top seven starters from last year's 24-win team. The Wolfpack are 11-1 on their home court where they are outscoring their opponents by +14.3 PPG. NC State holds its opponents to just 40.4% shooting on their home court which has resulted in only 64.3 PPG. The Wolfpack have also held their last five opponents to just 38.1% shooting. North Carolina has failed to cover the point spread 9 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread victory. The Tar Heels made 58.1% of their shots which was by far the best shooting performance of this team all season — the next highest field goal percentage they enjoyed was in their first game of the season where they made 46.7% of their shots against Notre Dame. But North Carolina is just 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 games after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. Yet this remains a highly disappointing season for head coach Roy Williams who lost his top five scorers from last year’s team. Injuries have further exposed the talent deficit on the roster this season. Veteran big man Sterling Manley and four-star freshman Anthony Harris are out the season with injuries. But the biggest loss has been with five-star freshman guard Cole Anthony who has out for a month and a half with a knee injury. At one point, Anthony was considered the possible number one pick in the June NBA draft. The Tar Heels go back on the road where they are just 4-5 this season while making only 40.4% of their shots. North Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better on their home court. North Carolina has also failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 25 road games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 6 points — and this includes them failing to cover the point spread in those last three situations. The Tar Heels only make 27.6% of their shots from behind the arc in true road games which is 308th in the nation — and their 43.7% effective field goal percentage in true road games is just 304th in the country. North Carolina only makes 58.2% of their free throws in hostile environments as well which is 304th in the nation. The Tar Heels try to make up for these shooting deficiencies by crashing the offensive glass — they are out-rebounding their opponents by +9.4 RPG. North Carolina out-rebounded the Hurricanes on Saturday by a 41 to 21 margin — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after out-rebounding their last opponent by at least 20 boards. Furthermore, NC State has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams that out-rebound their opponents by at least +5.0 RPG.

FINAL TAKE: The Wolfpack are outscoring their opponents by +7.2 PPG while holding these foes to just 41.9% shooting from the field. North Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games against teams who do not allow their opponents to shoot better than 42% — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games against teams who are outscoring their opponents by at least +4.0 PPG. 25* CBB Big Monday ESPN Game of the Month with the North Carolina State Wolfpack (866) minus the points versus the North Carolina Tar Heels (865). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the New Orleans Pelicans (516) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Boston Celtics (515). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (17-29) has lost two straight games as well as three of their last four contests with their 113-106 loss to Denver as a 4-point favorite on Friday. Boston (30-14) has won three straight games with their 109-98 upset win at Orlando on Friday as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PELICANS MINUS (OR PLUS) THE POINT(S): New Orleans shot just 46.3% of their shots in their loss to the Nuggets which was their worst shooting effort in their last five games. The Pelicans are still scoring a robust 123.4 PPG over their last five games while making 49.9% of their shots. New Orleans has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss. This team has been jumpstarted by the debut of rookie phenom Zion Williamson who has averaged 18.5 PPG while rebounding 6.5 RPG despite not playing 20 minutes per game in his first two contests. His presence on the court should provide plenty of energy and enthusiasm for this team. They have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 home  games against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, the Pelicans are 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games as a dog. Furthermore, New Orleans is 5-2-2 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Boston has won their last three games all by at least 11 points — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after winning at least three in a row by double-digits. And while the Celtics have covered the point spread in all three of those games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after covering the point spread in three straight games. Boston held the Magic to just 40% shooting on Friday which tied for the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage they have allowed in their last fourteen games. Yet this team is not playing at full strength with Enes Kantor still out with a foot injury while both Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are questionable with an ankle and groin issues. The Pelicans are allowing 117.6 PPG this season — but the Celtics have failed to cover the point spread in 29 of their last 42 games in the second half of the season against teams who allow at least 110 PPG. Boston has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games with the Total set at 230 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: New Orleans will be looking to avenge a brutal 140-105 loss in Boston back on January 11th — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when avenging a loss on the road by at least 20 points. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break ESPN Game of the Year with the New Orleans Pelicans (516) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Boston Celtics (515). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (510) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (509). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (29-17) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday with their 107-95 loss at Toronto as a 6.5-point underdog. Los Angeles (36-9) has won two straight games as well as twelve of their last fourteen contests with their 128-113 win at Brooklyn as a 5.5-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS PLUS THE POINTS: Philadelphia should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after a double-digit loss to Atlantic Division rivals. The 76ers have also still covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after winning three of their last four contests. Philly will be undermanned for this showdown with Joel Embiid missing his ninth straight game with his finger injury and now Josh Richardson will be out with a hamstring — but this puts the onus on Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris to raise their games. The Sixers have played surprisingly well without Embiid as Simmons has stepped up to be the best player on the team in his absence while Al Horford has gotten to play more minutes with his role on the team being perhaps too duplicative to that of Embiid when both are healthy and on the court. Now after playing their last three games on the road, Philadelphia returns home where they are 20-2 with an average winning margin of +9.9 PPG. The Sixers made only 38.1% of their shots on Wednesday which was the lowest field goal percentage for them in their last six games. Philly should shoot better tonight back at home where they are nailing 48% of their shots. The 76ers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home — and they have also covered the point spread in 36 of their last 53 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. Los Angeles nailed 50% of their shots on Thursday in what was the best offensive performance in their last five games. The Lakers are just 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games when playing with one day of rest. Los Angeles is also playing their fifth straight game on the road and third in five days as they conclude this east coast swing tonight. The Lakers have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games when playing their third game on the road in five days. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 31 of their last 47 games against teams from the Eastern Conference. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: The Lakers will not be at full strength tonight either with JaVale McGee questionable with an illness and Anthony Davis questionable once again with a gluteus injury. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games as the favorite. Philly has covered the point spread in 4 straight games at home as the underdog. Expect a close game that the Sixers will have an opportunity to win. 25* NBA Saturday ABC-TV Game of the Month with the Philadelphia 76ers (510) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (509). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Baylor Bears (755) plus the points versus the Florida Gators (756). THE SITUATION: Baylor (16-1) has won fifteen games in a row after their 61-57 win over Oklahoma on Monday as an 11-point favorite. Florida (12-6) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday with their 84-82 loss at LSU as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS PLUS THE POINTS: Baylor should continue to build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win. The Bears have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games when playing just their second game in seven days. Baylor pulled out that game with the Sooners despite making only 34.9% of their shots which was the lowest shooting mark in their last five games. Defense is keeping this Bears team competitive as they rank 4th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they lead the nation in that metric over their last ten games. Baylor also creates more scoring opportunities by forcing turnovers in 22.4% of their opponent’s possessions which is 39th best in the nation. This is an area of vulnerability for this Gators’ team as they turn the ball over in 18.8% of their conference possessions which is the highest rate in the SEC. The Bears have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. Baylor also generates more scoring opportunities for themselves by crashing the offensive glass — they lead the Big 12 by pulling down 37.6% of their missed shots. Defense, forcing turnovers, and generating second-chance scoring opportunities are all attributes than tend to not deviate from normal expectations when playing in hostile environments which probably goes a long way to explain why the Bears are 7-1 on the road this season with an average winning margin +11.6 net PPG. Baylor is also nailing 36.4% of their 3-pointers on the road which is the 53rd best road mark in the nation. The Bears are 34-16-1 ATS in their last 51 road games — and they covered the point spread in 4 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Baylor has also covered their last 5 games as an underdog. Florida has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 home games after a point spread win — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. The Gators return home where they are 7-1 this season be but perhaps point spread expectations are too high for them. They have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games at home while failing to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Florida struggles to shoot the basketball — they are making only 44.8% of their shots on their home court. They also make just 30.6% of their shots from behind the arc at home which is the 279th worst mark in the nation. The Gators have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 home games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: While I am aware that Baylor was elevated to number one in the human polls (but I only know that when that information is shoved at me, it’s meaningless data) and realize that there is a growing list of number one ranked teams that have lost to unranked opponents, those circumstances mean nothing to me for this contest. Florida’s best win is against an Auburn team that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks 28th in the nation. Baylor has four victories over Kansas, Arizona, Butler, and Villanova that Pomeroy currently ranks at 18th or better. The Bears’ style of play translates in hostile territory giving us nice value. 10* CBB Baylor-Florida ESPN Special with the Baylor Bears (755) plus the points versus the Florida Gators (756). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Arkansas Razorbacks (692) minus the points versus the TCU Horned Frogs (691). THE SITUATION: Arkansas (14-4) has lost two straight games with their 72-70 loss at Mississippi State as a 4.5-point underdog on Wednesday. TCU (13-5) snapped a two-game losing streak on Tuesday with their 65-54 upset victory over Texas Tech as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAZORBACKS MINUS THE POINTS: Arkansas needs to get focused back on sharing the basketball to establish better looking shots — they have managed only 12 and 8 assists in each of their last two games. The Razorbacks have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after not generating more than 12 team assists in two straight games. Arkansas only attempted 11 free throws on Wednesday as well while the Bulldogs got to the line 31 times which resulted in a -21 point differential for them at the line. The Razorbacks have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after a game where they attempted at least 20 fewer free throws than their opponent. Arkansas returns home where they are 10-1 this season with an average winning main of +17.9 PPG. The Razorbacks are playing sound fundamental defense under first-year head coach Eric Musselman who came over from Nevada — they are holding their guests to just 56.9 PPG on 38.4% shooting on their home court. Arkansas has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning percentage at 40% or less on the road. The Razorbacks are 20th in the nation in forcing turnovers in 23.5% of their opponent’s possessions — and the Horned Frogs are vulnerable on this front as they turn the ball over in 20.2% of their possessions (238th in the nation) with that mark being even worse in Big 12 play at a 21.9% clip. TCU also likes to force turnovers — they are 26th in the nation by forcing turnovers in 23.5% of their opponent’s possessions. But good luck forcing turnovers against this Arkansas team that leads the SEC by turning the ball over in just 12.2% of their possessions. The Horned Frogs made 46.9% of their shots in their upset win over the Red Raiders which was the best shooting effort in their last five games. But TCU has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after pulling off an upset win in conference play. The Horned Frogs have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a double-digit win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a straight-up victory. Now this team goes back on the road where they are 2-3 with an average losing margin of -7.0 PPG. TCU is likely to get a visit from the Regression Gods this afternoon when it comes to their shots falling as they make only 37.0% of their shots away from home. They are also nailing just 36.8% of their shots over their last five games. Jamie Dixon’s team is taking 49.5% of their shots from behind the arc in Big 12 play — but that will be a chore against this Razorbacks’ team that leads the nation by holding their opponents to just 23.9% shooting from behind the arc. The Horned Frogs had also allowed their previous two opponents to make 53.7% and 57.7% of their shots before holding Texas Tech to just 43.1% shooting. TCU ranks a dismal 347th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 58.7% when they are playing on the road. The Horned Frogs have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after not allowing more than 55 points in their last game. TCU has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court.

FINAL TAKE: The Horned Frogs are just 3-9-2 ATS in their last 14 road games as an underdog. And while they hold their opponents to 62.3 PPG, Arkansas has covered the point spread in 33 of their last 48 home games after fifteen games into the season against opponents who do not allow more than 64 PPG. 25* CBB Big 12/SEC Challenge Game of the Year with the Arkansas Razorbacks (692) minus the points versus the TCU Horned Frogs (691). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Michigan Wolverines (610) minus the points versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (609). THE SITUATION: Michigan (11-7) has lost three straight games as well as four of their last five contests after their 72-63 upset loss at home to Penn State on Wednesday as a 4.5-point favorite. Illinois (14-5) has won five straight games with their 79-62 win at Purdue as a 5.5-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES MINUS THE POINTS: Michigan made only 35.3% of their shots against the Nittany Lions which was the worst shooting effort in their last ten games — and it was their lowest field goal percentage they have generated all season when playing on their home court. The Wolverines certainly miss Isaiah Livers who has been over a month with a groin injury. But keep in mind that three of the four losses they have suffered over their last five games have been on the road in the rugged Big Ten against teams who all are projected to make the NCAA Tournament. This is a battled tested team that is desperate for a victory this afternoon. Michigan did defeat a good Purdue team at home this month even without Livers by a 84-78 score in their other home game this month before this contest. Even without Livers in five of their seven Big Ten contests so far this season, they are still 2nd in the conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Look for the Wolverines to respond with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after suffering an upset loss. They are also 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games after a point spread loss. Michigan is 8-2 on their home court with an average winning margin of +15.7 PPG. They are making 49.2% of their shots on their home court which has translated into 83.1 PPG — so the Wolverines should nail more of their shots than they did on Wednesday. Michigan is 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games at home — and they are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. And in their last 22 home games against Big Ten foes, the Wolverines have covered the point spread 16 times. Illinois nailed 55.1% of their shots in their upset win on the road against the Boilermakers which was the best shooting mark they have enjoyed in their last twelve games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. The Fighting Illini are just 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they are 8-20-1 ATS in their last 29 games after a point spread victory. The Illini stay on the road where they are 3-4 this season while making only 42.3% of their shots. Illinois make only 28.2% of their 3-pointers away from home which is 292nd in the nation. The Fighting Illini are 11th in the Big Ten with an effective field goal percentage of 46.1%. And Illinois has failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 37 road games with the Total set in the 135.5 to 139 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Michigan will also be motivated to avenge a 71-62 loss at Illinois back on December 11th where they were 1.5-point underdogs. The Wolverines have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 opportunities to avenge a same-season loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games then playing with revenge from a loss on the road. Michigan still has their wily veteran point guard leader in Xavier Simpson along with big man Jon Teske and a cadre of scrappy role players that rookie head coach Juwan Howard has done a good job in empowering this season. 25* CBB FS1-TV Game of the Month with the Michigan Wolverines (610) minus the points versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (609). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Wright State Raiders (870) minus the points versus the Northern Kentucky Norse (869). THE SITUATION: Wright State (17-4) has won two straight games as well as ten of their last eleven contests with their 79-72 win over Youngstown State as an 11-point favorite last Saturday. Northern Kentucky (14-6) has won and covered the point spread in five straight contests after their 75-49 win over Cleveland State as a 13.5-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAIDERS MINUS THE POINTS: Wright State is 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 games after a point spread loss. And while the Raiders have not covered the point spread in three straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after failing to cover the point spread in three straight games. Wright State stays home where they are 9-2 this season with an average winning margin of +13.9 PPG. The Raiders make 46.5% of their shots on their home court which has translated into 82.8 PPG. Wright State has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. They also have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. The Raiders matchup very well with this Northern Kentucky team. The Norse force turnovers in 19.9% of their opponent’s possessions which is 129th in the nation — but Wright State is 17th in the nation by turning the ball over in just 15.8% of their possessions. The Raiders are also 32nd in the nation by pulling down 34.0% of their missed shots with that mark jumping even higher to a 39.1% offensive rebounding clip in conference play. Northern Kentucky allows their opponents to rebound 32.3% of their missed shots which is 316th in the nation — and that number has been even worse against Horizon League foes as they are pulling down 35.1% of their missed shots against them. The Norse played their best defensive game of the season on Saturday by holding the Vikings to just 31.4% shooting — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not allowing more than 50 points in their last game. And while Northern Kentucky held Youngstown State to just 33% shooting in their previous game, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after holding their last two opponents to no better than 37% shooting. Furthermore, the Norse have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after winning at least five games in a row. Now Northern Kentucky goes back on the road where they are making just 43.2% of their shots as compared to their 45.3% mark overall. The Norse has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 road games after playing a game at home. And while they have won six of their last eight games, Norther Kentucky has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games after winning six or seven of their last eight games.

FINAL TAKE: Rust may play a role in this game as the Norse have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games when playing with five or six days of rest. Wright State has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games when playing with five or six days of rest. 10* CBB Friday Late Show Bailout with the Wright State Raiders (870) minus the points versus the Northern Kentucky Norse (869). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Butler Bulldogs (868) minus the points versus the Marquette Golden Eagles (867). THE SITUATION: Butler (15-4) has lost three games in a row with their 76-61 loss at Villanova as a 3.5-point underdog on Tuesday. Marquette (14-5) has won three in a row with their 82-68 win over St. John’s as an 8-point favorite on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS MINUS THE POINTS: Butler needs to stop their three-game losing streak in Big East play but they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after losing three in a row to conference rivals. And their loss at Villanova came upon the heels of a 13-point upset loss at DePaul — but they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after suffering two straight double-digit losses to Big East rivals. Furthermore, while the Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in three straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after failing to cover the point spread in at least three straight games. Butler returns home where they are 9-1 with an average winning margin of +17.0 PPG. The Bulldogs made only 40.6% of their shots against the Wildcats which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games. They should shoot better tonight as they are making 47.8% of their shots at home which has resulted in 72.1 PPG. Butler has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 home games with the Total set in the 130s. The Bulldogs have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games as a favorite laying 6.5 to 9 points. This team is playing outstanding defense as they are 19th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They have held their last five opponents to just 39.2% shooting from the field — and they limit their guests to just 54.1 PPG on 36.0% shooting on their home court. Butler is vulnerable to teams that force turnovers as they are coughing it up in 20.2% of their conference possessions — but that is not this Golden Eagles team who only force turnovers in 12.4% of their Big East opponent’s possessions which is last in the conference. Marquette has scored at least 82 points in three straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least 80 points in three straight games. And while they 20 fewer shots than the Red Storm on Tuesday, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after attempting at least 20 fewer shots than their opponent in their last contest. Now the Golden Eagles go back on the road where they are 4-4 but being outscored by -3.0 PPG. They make only 41.6% of their shots on the road — and they are making just 41.6% of their shots in their last five contests. Marquette has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home.

FINAL TAKE: The Golden Eagles have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog. 25* CBB Big East Game of the Month with the Butler Bulldogs (868) minus the points versus the Marquette Golden Eagles (867). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (565) minus the points versus the Detroit Pistons (566). THE SITUATION: Memphis (20-24) has lost their last two games after their 119-95 loss at Boston on Wednesday as a 7-point underdog. Detroit (17-28) has won three of their last four contests with their 127-106 upset victory over Sacramento on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINT(S): Memphis made only 42.4% of their shots against the Celtics which was their lowest field goal percentage in their last nineteen games. The Grizzlies have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit loss. Memphis has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread setback. They stay on the road where they are making a healthy 46.6% of their shots. Led by rookie sensation Ja Morant, the Grizzlies have been a dynamic offense team that is still 5th in the league over their last five games in Offensive Rating. Memphis is 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games as an underdog — and they are also 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games as an underdog on the road. Detroit is just 4-11-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they are 4-11-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a point spread victory. The Pistons are also just 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a double-digit win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Detroit has been banged up for most of the season but the team is excited about the return of point guard Reggie Jackson who complements the steady of play of veteran point guard Derrick Rose. But Blake Griffin remains out for this team with his knee injury which is not a good sign for a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games at home — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Additionally, the Pistons have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 trips to Detroit to face the Pistons. 20* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Memphis Grizzlies (565) minus the points versus the Detroit Pistons (566). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Oregon State Beavers (684) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (683). THE SITUATION: Oregon State (12-6) has lost two straight games as well as three of their last four contests with their 89-76 loss at Washington State as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. UCLA (9-9) snapped a three-game losing streak on Sunday with their 50-40 win at home against California as a 9-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEAVERS MINUS THE POINTS: Oregon State allowed the Cougars to nail 50.9% of their shots which was their worst defensive effort of the season. The Beavers should play better tonight as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 18 games after a point spread setback. Oregon State is a strong offensive team that ranks 18th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Beavers take 44.2% of their shots at the rim which is the 20th highest mark in the nation. They also get to the free-throw line with a free throw attempt-to-field goal attempt ratio of 40.4% which is 23rd in the nation. Oregon State should get to the free-throw line plenty of times tonight against this Bruins team that has an opponent’s FTA-to-FGA ratio of 37.9%. Now head coach Wayne Tinkle’s team returns home where they are 8-1 this season with an average winning margin of +14.0 PPG. The Beavers’ reliable method of generating points at the rim or the free-throw line has helped them score 80.8 PPG on their home court where they also make 50.4% of their shots. Oregon State also played solid defense at home as they limit their guests to just 40.7% shooting. The Beavers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. UCLA’s win against California was ugly by both teams. The Bruins made just 41.3% of their shots which happened to also be their best offensive effort in their last three games. The Golden Bears made only 30.4% of their shots which was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last ten games. However, Cal probably needs to take more of the credit/blame for that ghastly number that the UCLA defense considering they experienced a scoreless spell lasting 10:59 minutes in that game. The Bruins have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games on the road after a straight-up victory. Now after playing their last three games at home, UCLA goes back on the road where they are 2-5 with an average losing margin of -4.5 PPG. The Bruins have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after playing their last three games on the road. UCLA struggles to score points under first-year head coach Mick Cronin — they rank 252nd in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 47.4%. They are making only 42.3% of their shots on the road which has resulted in only 65.9 PPG in those seven games away from home. The Bruins are making just 40.6% of their shots in their last five contests. UCLA does get much of their offense from second-chance opportunities as they pul down 36.1% of their shots which is 13th best in the nation. The Beavers are doing a good job in Pac-12 play of limiting second-chance opportunities as are limiting conference opponents to rebounding just 26.1% of their missed shots. UCLA has failed to cover the point spread in 35 of their last 51 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Bruins beat Washington earlier this season but they have also endured a bad loss at home to Cal-State Fullerton. UCLA has failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. This Oregon State team returned four key contributors from last year’s group that finished 18-13 — and they have already register quality wins against Arizona, Colorado, and Iowa State at home in Corvallis. 25* CBB Thursday FS1-TV Game of the Month with the Oregon State Beavers (684) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (683). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (559) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (560). THE SITUATION: Dallas (27-16) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday with their 110-107 upset loss at home to the Los Angeles Clippers as a 2.5-point favorite. Portland (19-26) snapped their two-game losing streak on Monday with their 129-124 victory over Golden State as a 7.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS MINUS THE POINTS: Dallas shot only 42.9% from the field in that game which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games. But the Mavericks should respond with a strong effort as they have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after suffering an upset loss. Dallas is also 11-4-1 ATS in their last 16 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 17-6-2 ATS in their last 25 games after a point spread loss. Now this team goes back on the road where they are 14-5 this season — and they are 20-6-2 ATS in their last 28 games away from home. The Mavericks are also 10-2-1 ATS in their last 13 road games as a favorite. Portland is just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread victory. The Trail Blazers have also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games after a game where at least 235 combined points were scored. Portland stays at home where they are just 0-6-1 ATS in their last 7 games. The Blazers are also only 3-11-2 ATS in their last 16 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. And in their last 11 games as an underdog, Portland has failed to cover the point spread 9 times.

FINAL TAKE: Both these teams are dealing with significant injuries. Dallas lost Norman Powell to a season-ending Achilles’ injury on Monday. Powell was starting in place of Kristaps Porzingis who is healthy again so that loss is not devastating. The Blazers will be without C.J. McCollum again tonight as he deals with an ankle injury. The Mavericks have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 27 meetings with the Trail Blazers which includes them covering the point spread in six of their last seven trips to Portland to face them in Rip City. 10* NBA Dallas-Portland TNT Special with the Dallas Mavericks (559) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (560). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (557) minus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (558). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (35-9) has won two of their last three games with their 100-92 win in New York against the Knicks last night as an 11.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS MINUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread loss. The Lakers have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games when playing without a day of rest. Los Angeles stays on the road where they are 19-4 with an average winning margin of +5.4 PPG. The Lakers make 48.5% of their shots away from home which has translated into 114.0 PPG. Los Angeles has covered the point spread if 4 of their last 5 games on the road. The Lakers are also 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 games against teams with a losing record. Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a loss at home to an Atlantic Division rival. The Nets have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a point spread loss. Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in four straight games — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after failing to cover the point spread in at least three straight games. The Nets stay at home for the third straight game where they are 11-11 this season. Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games on their home court. The Nets have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: The headline for this nationally televised game is it is another opportunity for LeBron James and Kyrie Irving to face off on opposite teams. Irving did not play on Monday but he has been upgraded to probable for tonight’s contest. The Nets are just 5-11 when Irving is healthy and playing with his zeal to take over games often hurting the chemistry of the team. James has won nine of his eleven encounters against Irving when wearing separate uniforms. The Lakers are 10-3-2 ATS in their last 15 trips to Brooklyn to face the Nets. 10* NBA LA Lakers-Brooklyn TNT Special with the Los Angeles Lakers (557) minus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (558). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the South Dakota State Jackrabbits (824) minus the points versus the North Dakota State Bison (823). THE SITUATION: South Dakota State (14-8) saw their five-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with their 99-84 loss at South Dakota as a 2.5-point underdog. North Dakota State (13-6) has won two straight games as well as five of their last six contests with their 83-74 win over North Dakota as an 8-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JACKRABBITS MINUS THE POINTS: South Dakota State allowed the Coyotes to make 64.4% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have allowed all season. The Jackrabbits do have the lowest opponent’s effective field goal percentage in Summit League play at 48.3% — and they are 2nd in the conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. South Dakota State is 23-9-1 ATS in their last 33 games after a point spread loss. Now they return home where they are a perfect 11-0 this season with an average winning margin of +19.8 PPG. The Jackrabbits hold their guests to just 38.8% shooting from the field which has resulted in only 62.4 PPG. South Dakota State was expected to take a couple of steps back this season after the graduation of their senior leader Mike Daum. Head coach T.J. Otzlelberger than departed to Las Vegas to take the UNLV head coaching gig and All-Summit League shooting guard David Jenkins decided to transfer to the Runnin’ Rebels to join him in Vegas as well. But assistant head coach Eric Henderson has maintained the consistency with this basketball since, despite losing 83% of their scoring from last season, they are leading the Summit League on Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Jackrabbits are 10th in the nation with a 54.9% effective field goal percentage — and that mark rises to a 61.3% mark in conference play. South Dakota State has made at least 50% of their shots in seven straight games — and they are averaging 82.2 PPG on their home court while making 50% of their shots. The Jackrabbits are a decisive 34-16-1 ATS in their last 51 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. South Dakota State has also covered the point spread in 7 straight home games as the favorite. North Dakota State has failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games on the road after a game where they scored at least 80 points. This Bison team returns ten of their eleven regular contributors that lost to Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. But this team was just 9-7 in Summit League play last season before their depth helped them win the conference tournament to seize the automatic tournament bid. They then defeated a mediocre NC Central team in the four-four in Dayton before getting clobbered by the Blue Devils. This team lacks a superstar and relies on their depth to keep them competitive. They are just 5-5 on the road this season where they are making only 39.6% of their shots. North Dakota State is just 17-37-1 ATS in their last 55 games on the road as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 road games as an underdog or pick ‘em. This team is also just 10-21-1 ATS in their last 32 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: North Dakota State’s best win was against East Tennessee State that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks as the 57th best team in the nation. Their next best win was a 2-point win at home against South Dakota that Pomeroy ranks as the 187th in the country. The Bison have a very bad loss at home to Utah Valley who Pomeroy ranks at 276th in the nation. South Dakota State has an impressive 7-point loss earlier in the season at Arizona. Lay the points with the Jackrabbits. 25* CBB Summit League Game of the Month with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits (824) minus the points versus the North Dakota State Bison (823). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (543) plus the points versus the Boston Celtics (544). THE SITUATION: Memphis (20-23) saw their seven-game winning streak snapped on Monday with their 126-116 upset loss at home to New Orleans as a 3-point favorite. Boston (28-14) snapped their three-game losing streak on Monday with their 139-107 upset win at home over the Los Angeles Lakers as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: The Celtics stepped up to play one of their best games of the season on national television on Monday. They shot 55.9% from the field which was their best shooting mark in their last twenty games. But Boston has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. The Celtics also held the Lakers to just 43.8% shooting from the field which was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five contests. But Boston has still allowed their last five opponents to shoot 49.1% overall. An emotional letdown is like for this team that has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a victory by at least 10 points. The Celtics have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, Boston has failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games after a game where at least 235 combined points were scored — and they are just 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. This is another expected higher-scoring game tonight — and the Celtics have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games with the Total set at 230 or higher. Boston stays at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. And in their last 8 games as a favorite, the Celtics have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of these contests. Memphis allowed the Pelicans to make 47.7% of their shots on Monday which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last four contests — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. But the bigger aberration in that game was that the Grizzlies made only 44.7% of their shots which was their lowest shooting mark in their last fourteen games. Memphis has still shot 48.5% from the field over their last five games — and while they rank 16th in the NBA in Offensive Rating, they have raised their mark to 6th in the league over their last fifteen games. They have scored at least 110 points in fourteen straight contests — and they have then covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after scoring at least 110 points in at least two straight games. Rookie Ja Morant looks to be an emerging superstar in the league for years to come — but what makes this team dangerous is the combination of him with Jalen Jackson, Jr., Dillon Brooks, and Brandon Clarke which gives this team one of the most promising core group of younger players in the NBA. Rookie head coach Taylor Jenkins has also pushed all the right buttons for this team — the Grizzlies outscored their opponents by +61 net points in the 3rd quarter during their recent seven-game winning streak. The Grizzlies have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, Memphis has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a game where at least 230 combined points were scored — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games in expected higher scoring games with the Total set at 230 or higher. Now this team goes back on the road where they are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home — and they are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Celtics saw the return of Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown on Monday to help jettison them to victory but Brown is questionable for this game with an ankle. The Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 20 trips to Boston to face the Celtics. 25* NBA Underdog of the Month with the Memphis Grizzlies (543) plus the points versus the Boston Celtics (544). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Purdue Boilermakers (606) minus the points versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (605). THE SITUATION: Purdue (10-8) has lost three of their last four games after their 57-50 loss at Maryland on Saturday as a 6.5-point underdog. Illinois (13-5) has won four games in a row with their 75-71 win over Northwestern on Saturday as a 12.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BOILERMAKERS MINUS THE POINTS: Purdue should respond with a strong effort as they are 9-1-2 ATS in their last 12 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread victory. This team has been a much different team at home than on the road this season. The Boilermakers are 8-1 at Mackey Arena this season where they are outscoring their opponents by +22.8 PPG. Purdue has won fifteen straight home games in Big Ten play — and they have outscored the five major conference opponents they have hosted this season by +24 points per 100 possessions. The Boilermakers are an outstanding defensive team — they rank 6th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have held six of their opponents to under 50 points. Purdue has held their guests to just 36.8% shooting which has translated into only 54.6 PPG. Scoring has been the problem for this Boilermakers team when playing on the road. They made only 35.7% of their shots in their loss at Maryland on Saturday. But Purdue ranks 10th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing at home — and that has helped them also post the top home-court rating in Adjusted Efficiency this season. The Boilermakers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on their home court — and they are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less on the road. Illinois comes off a 50% shooting mark against the Wildcats which was the best shooting mark in their last five games. But the Fighting Illini are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a straight-up win. And while the Illini have won five of their last six games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning five or six of their last seven contests. This Illinois team will likely struggle to score baskets tonight against this outstanding Boilermakers defense as they rank just 10th in the Big Ten in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Illini are 11-1 at home this season but just 2-4 away from home where they are being outscored by -6.0 PPG. Illinois makes only 40.6% of their shots on the road which translates into just 65.5 PPG. The Illini are also making only 39.5% of their shots over their last five contests. Illinois ranks 256th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 44.9% due to their low 3-point shooting percentage of 25.3% which is 331st in the nation. Nailing 3-pointers will be very tough in Mackey Arena where the Boilermakers are holding their visitors to just 26.2% shooting from behind the arc which is the 22nd lowest mark in the nation. Additionally, the Fighting Illini have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Purdue will also be looking to avenge a 63-37 loss at Illinois back on January 5th in a game where they made only 15 of their 60 shots from the field. The Boilermakers are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 home games as the favorite. The Illini have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as an underdog. 25* CBB Tuesday ESPNU Game of the Month with the Purdue Boilermakers (606) minus the points versus the Illinois Fighting Illini (605). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Portland State Vikings (882) minus the points versus the Weber State Wildcats (881). THE SITUATION: Portland State (9-10) has won two of their last three games with their 82-76 win over Idaho State on Saturday as a 7.5-point favorite. Weber State (6-11) snapped their three-game losing streak on Thursday with their 76-68 victory at Idaho State as a 1-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE VIKINGS MINUS THE POINTS: Portland State is 11-5-1 ATS in their last 17 games after a straight-up win. And while the Vikings have not covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then covered the point spread in 4 straight games after not covering the point spread in two of their last three games. Portland State is led by Holland Woods who might be the best point guard in the Big Sky Conference. He leads an offense that tops the conference in Adjusted Efficiency. The Vikings also live off their offensive glass as they rank 7th in the nation by pulling down 37.1% of their missed shots. Portland State should get plenty of second-chance opportunities against this Weber State team that is 11th in the Big Sky by allowing their opponents to rebound 32.8% of their missed shots. The Vikings stay at home where they are 5-2 with an average winning margin of +12.1 PPG. Portland State has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Weber State has failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after a straight-up win. The Wildcats have also failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after a point spread victory including failing to cover the point spread in five straight after cover the spread. It has been a disappointing season for head coach Randy Rahe in the thirteenth season with the program. The Wildcats have a good backcourt consisting of Jerrick Harding and Cody John but they are not getting much help in the frontcourt. They stay on the road for a third straight game where they are just 2-8 with an average losing margin of -13.1 PPG. Weber State makes only 40.9% of their shots on the road — and they allow their home hosts to make 50.1% of their shots from the field. The Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Weber State has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight road games as an underdog. Portland Sate has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games when favored by 3.5 to 6 points. Look for the Vikings to overwhelm this struggling Wildcats team. 25* CBB Big Sky Game of the Month with the Portland State Vikings (882) minus the points versus the Weber State Wildcats (881). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Boise State Broncos (822) minus the points versus the Utah State Aggies (821). THE SITUATION: Boise State (11-8) has lost two straight games as well as three of their last four contests with their 85-78 upset loss at Air Force on Wednesday as a 1-point favorite. Utah State (14-5) snapped a three-game losing streak last Saturday with their 80-70 win at home over Nevada as a 9.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRONCOS PLUS THE POINTS: Boise State has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss. Head coach Leon Rice has five of his top six scorers from last season return from a group that finished a disappointing 13-20 — that was the first time in the last seven seasons that the Broncos did not register at least 20 wins. This Boise State team expects to return to the postseason. All three of their most recent losses were on the road — now they return home where they are 8-1 this season with a signature victory over BYU. The Broncos are outscoring their guests by +21.8 PPG due to a prolific offensive attack that scores 83.8 PPG with a 47.9% field goal percentage. They also hold their visitors to just 39.3% shooting from the field. Boise State has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 home games as an underdog. The Broncos do a great job of protecting their defensive glass as they rank 14th in the nation by holding their opponents to just a 22.8% offensive rebounding rate. Utah State played one of their best games of the season last Saturday to end their losing streak as they made 46.3% of their shots while holding the Wolf Pack to just 39% shooting from the field — both those marks were the best statistical performances in their last four games. But the Aggies have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 road games after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. Expectations are very high for this team that returned four starters from last year’s 28-7 team that made the Big Dance after winning the Mountain West Conference tournament. But this team has struggled away from home with a 5-4 record which includes recent losses at UNLV and the Air Force. Utah State is making only 41.8% of their shots when on the road which has resulted in only 67.8 PPG. Their effective field goal percentage of 44.1% when on the road ranks a disappointing 282nd in the nation — and they are making only 26.5% of their 3-pointers on the road which is 317th in the country. The Aggies have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Utah State has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games as a road favorite. Their struggles on offense extend beyond shooting poorly when on the road. The Aggies are making just 39.3% of their shots in conference play — and their Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 98.9 against MWC foes is just 9th in the conference. Furthermore, interior defense has been a concern for this group as they rank 8th in the MWC by allowing their opponents to make 50.5% of their shots inside the arc.

FINAL TAKE: This is not a good matchup for Utah State. Boise State averages 8 made 3-pointers per game — and the Aggies have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games against teams who make at least 8 shots from downtown per game. The Broncos have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB ESPNU Game of the Year with the Boise State Broncos (822) minus the points versus the Utah State Aggies (821). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Duke Blue Devils (764) minus the points versus the Duke Blue Devils (763). THE SITUATION: Duke (15-2) looks to bounce-back from a 79-72 upset loss at Clemson as a 10.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Louisville (14-3) has won three in a row with their 73-68 win at Pittsburgh as a 6-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLUE DEVILS MINUS THE POINTS: Duke should respond with a strong effort as they are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games after a straight-up loss. The Blue Devils have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after an upset loss to an ACC rival. Duke allowed the Tigers to make 51.6% of their shots which was their worst defensive effort of the season — and just the second time an opponent shot better than 48.6% from the field against them. The Blue Devils did make 50% of their shots in the loss which was also their worst shooting effort in their last five games. Duke has nailed 53.4% of their shots over their last five games. But the Blue Devils strangely are disappointing at the free throw line as they making only 66.5% of their free throws. They missed 10 of their 20 free throws against Clemson — but they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after failing to make at least 53% of their free throws in their last game. Duke returns home where they are 9-1 with an average winning margin of +23.9 PPG. The Blue Devils make 49% of their shots at home which helps them generate 85.4 PPG — and they hold their opponents to just 40.1% shooting. Duke is 5th in the nation by pulling down 37.2% of their missed shots. They also are 2nd in the ACC by forcing turnovers in 23.0% of their opponent’s possessions — and the Cardinals are vulnerable lacking a true point guard as they turn it over in 18.1% of their conference possessions which is 8th in the ACC. Louisville is 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after a straight-up victory where they failed to cover the point spread. The Cardinals may be fatigued in this game with this being their third straight game on the road. They make only 42.3% of their shots away from home — and they are shooting just 40.9% from the field over their last five games so they may struggle to keep up with the Blue Devils’ offense. Louisville is 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Cardinals have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Duke ranks 4th and 5th in the nation respectively in Adjusted Offensive and Defensive Efficiency which gives them a strong case that they are the best team in the nation. They have covered the point spread in 5 straight games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Louisville ranks 22nd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and 16th in the country in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they are just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 10* CBB Louisville-Duke ESPN Special with the Duke Blue Devils (764) minus the points versus the Duke Blue Devils (763). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Villanova Wildcats (616) minus the points versus the Connecticut Huskies (615). THE SITUATION: Villanova (13-3) has won three straight games after their 79-75 win in overtime on Tuesday over DePaul as a 9.5-point favorite. UConn (10-6) has lost three of their last four games after their 89-86 loss at home to Wichita State last Sunday as a 3.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WILDCATS MINUS THE POINTS: Villanova should be emboldened with their comeback victory against the Blue Demons as they rallied from an 11-point deficit with just 2:14 left to play in that game to force overtime before pulling out the victory. The Wildcats have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after a straight-up win where they failed to cover the point spread — and they have covered the point spread in 27 of their last 38 games after a point spread loss. They have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after winning at least three games in a row against Big East opponents. This team is once again loaded for head coach Jay Wright: they return three starters from last year’s 26-win team that won the Big East regular-season title and has been fortified with a superb freshman class. 6’8 sophomore point-forward Saddaq Bey appears to be taking his game to another level as he has scored 51 points over his last two contests while nailing 12 of his 18 shots from behind the arc. Villanova is 8th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — they have five players who average in double-digits per game. They stay at home where they are 8-0 this season with an average winning margin of +14.2 PPG. The Wildcats have covered the point spread in 35 of their last 52 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 home games against teams with a losing record. UConn has failed to cover the point spread in a decisive 34 of their last 49 games after a narrow loss by 3 points or less in Big East play — and this includes them failing to cover the point spread in five of these last six situations. The Huskies return four starters from last year’s 16-17 team that finished just 6-12 in conference play — but they had a big void to fill in the loss of Jalen Adams who led the team by scoring 16.9 PPG. UConn ranks just 10th in the Big East in both Adjusted Offensive and Defensive Efficiency — and they took a big blow with the season-ending injury to starting wing Tyler Polley. Now after playing their last two games at home, UConn goes back on the road where they are 2-4 while making just 40.8% of their shots. Scoring has been the biggest problem for head coach Dan Hurley’s team — they are making just 38.7% of their shots over their last five games. In their two true road games this season, they rank 337th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they have an effective field goal percentage of 40.9% in those two games which is 358th in the nation. Furthermore, they have turned the ball over in 23.8% of their possessions (309th in the nation) in those two road games while fouling way too much with an opponent’s Free Throw Attempt-to-Field Goal Attempt ratio of 49.1% which is 334th in the country. Fouling the Wildcats is a death sentence as they rank 9th in the nation by making 78.1% of their free throws.

FINAL TAKE: UConn has lost both their true road games to Cincinnati and South Florida by 31 combined points — and neither team is as dangerous as this Villanova team that has registered a victory on their home court over Kansas. 10* CBB UConn-Villanova FS1-TV Special with the Villanova Wildcats (616) minus the points versus the Connecticut Huskies (615). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Iowa Hawkeyes (866) minus the points versus the Michigan Wolverines (865). THE SITUATION: Iowa (12-5) has won two straight games as well as six of their last eight contests with their 75-62 win at Northwestern on Tuesday as a 6-point favorite. Michigan (11-5) has lost two of their last three contests with their 75-67 loss at Minnesota as a 3-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKEYES MINUS THE POINTS: Iowa is 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread victory. Now the Hawkeyes return home where they are 7-1 this season with an average winning margin of +18.3 PPG. Iowa scores a robust 81.5 PPG while making 46.8% of their shots on their home court. This team is 4th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Hawkeyes have covered the point spread in 6 straight games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games as a favorite of up to 6 points. Iowa has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games with the Total set in the 140 to 149.5 point range. The Hawkeyes are also 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Michigan misses Isaiah Livers who has been out with a groin injury. While the Wolverines miss his 13.6 PPG, they miss his presence on the other end of the court even more as his 6’7 frame offers a complement to the 7’0 Jon Teske. Rookie head coach Juwan Howard lacks the forward in Livers’ size range who has his skills on both offense and defense. Michigan was whistled for 19 personal fouls in their loss to the Golden Gophers while drawing just 7 fouls — and that resulted in them getting to the free-throw line just six times while Minnesota attempted 27 free throws. The Wolverines have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after not attempting more than 7 free throws in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after committing at least 10 more personal fouls than their opponent in their last game. Michigan played their worst defensive game of the season against the Golden Gophers by allowing them to make 54.9% of their shots — and they do not have easy answers to that problem before Livers returns from injury. The Wolverines are allowing their Big Ten opponents to make 47.7% of their shots. Michigan stays on the road where they are making only 43.8% of their shots. The Wolverines have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 road games with the Total set in the 140s. Furthermore, Michigan has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games as a road underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: Iowa will be looking to avenge a 103-91 loss in Ann Arbor to the Wolverines back on December 6th. 6’11 Luka Garza scored 44 points against the Michigan defense that had Livers — and Minnesota center Daniel Oturu torched the Wolverines for 30 points last Sunday without Livers offering help to Teske. 20* CBB Friday Late Show Bailout with the Iowa Hawkeyes (866) minus the points versus the Michigan Wolverines (865). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (532) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (531). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (26-16) has won three of their last five games after their 117-106 win over Brooklyn on Wednesday as a 7-point favorite. Chicago (15-27) has won two of their last three games with their 115-106 win over Washington on Wednesday as a 3.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Bulls made 50.6% of their shots again the Wizards which was tied for the best shooting effort in their last eleven games. Chicago is likely due for a letdown now. As it is, they have failed to cover the point spread in 27 of their last 38 games are a straight-up win — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a victory on their home court. The Bulls have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 115 points in their last game. Now this team goes on the road where they are just 7-13 this season. Chicago is 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 road games — and they are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 road games as an underdog. The Bulls have also failed to cover the point spread in 32 of their last 49 road games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Defense had been the calling card for this team under head coach Jim Boylen despite the players on this team appearing to not appreciate his coaching style — but they have allowed their last five opponents to make 48.9% of their shots while ranking 24th in the NBA in Defensive Rating over that span. Perhaps Boylen is having his team begin to sacrifice defense for offense at this point of the season? But while the Bulls’ Offensive Rating ranking 20th in the league over their last five games is a bump up over their 27th ranking this year, the drop in defense has been more significant considering that they rank 9th in NBA in Defensive Rating. Chicago has still lost seven of their last ten games. And they are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games as an underdog. Philadelphia covered the point spread in just their second game in their last seven contests on Wednesday — but they have then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. The 76ers are very tough to beat at home where they are now 19-2 with an average winning margin of +9.8 PPG. The Sixers make 48% of their shots at home which has generated 111.9 PPG. Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home — and they are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. The 76ers are still without Joel Embiid who is out with a dislocated finger but his absence opens up playing time for Al Horford who has not been a good fit for this team when sharing playing time on the court with Embiid.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia is 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a losing record. Chicago is 0-5-1 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a winning record. Look for the Sixers to pull away in this game. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Game of the Month with the Philadelphia 76ers (532) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (531). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (646) plus the points versus the Texas State Bobcats (645). THE SITUATION: Louisiana-Monroe (6-10) has lost three straight games with their 84-62 loss at Georgia State as a 12.5-point underdog last Saturday. Texas State (10-8) has won two straight games as well as three of their last four contests with their 82-57 win over Appalachian State as a 7-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARHAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: UL-Monroe allowed the Panthers to nail 57.7% of their shots which was their worst defensive effort of the season. The Warhawks should respond with a stronger effort as they are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a point spread loss — and they are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a loss by at least 20 points. Furthermore, UL-Monroe has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after losing at least two straight games to Sun Belt Conference opponents. Now after playing their last three games on the road, the Warhawks return home where they are 6-3 this season with an average winning margin of +9.2 PPG. UL-Monroe should play better on defense as they limit their visitors to just 40% shooting this season. The Warhawks have covered the point spread in a decisive 38 of their last 60 games after allowing at least 80 points in their last game — and this includes them covering the point spread in twelve of these last seventeen situations. UL-Monroe has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight home games as a dog getting up to 6 points. Texas State nailed 53.8% of their shots last Saturday against the Mountaineers which was their second-best shooting effort all season. The Bobcats have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread victory. Now Texas State goes back on the road where they are just 2-6 with an average losing margin of -4.1 PPG. A concern for this team is finding offense after their three-year starter on the wing in Nigel Pearson. The Bobcats are making only 41.6% of their shots on the road — and they have made just 41.3% of their shots in their last five games despite their nice shooting performance on Saturday. Much of the Texas State offense comes from getting to the free-throw line — they rank 12th in the nation with a Free Throw Attempt-to-Field Goal Attempt ratio of 41.6%. Getting these calls is not as reliable when playing in hostile environments. The Bobcats have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games on the road — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games as a favorite. Additionally, Texas State has failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less.

FINAL TAKE: The Bobcats will have success forcing turnovers as they rank 2nd in the Sun Belt by forcing turnovers in 21.9% of their opponent’s possessions — and the Warhawks are 10th in the conference by turning it over in 22.2% of their conference possessions. But UL-Monroe should be able to make this up to stay competitive with their 3-point shooting. The Warhawks are 2nd in the Sun Belt by making 39% of their shots from behind the arc — and they are 22nd in the nation by nailing 41.7% of their 3-pointers at home. Texas State is 287th in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 36.0% of their 3-point shots. 25* CBB Sun Belt Conference Underdog of the Month with the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (646) plus the points versus the Texas State Bobcats (645). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:45 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Providence Friars (838) minus the points versus the St. John’s Red Storm (837). THE SITUATION: Providence (10-7) saw their four-game winning streak snapped last Friday with their 70-58 loss at home to Butler as a 1-point underdog. St. John’s (12-5) snapped a three-game losing streak last Saturday with their 74-67 win at home to DePaul as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE FRIARS MINUS THE POINTS: Providence made only 31.7% of their shots against the Bulldogs which was their second-worst shooting effort of the season. They also allowed Butler to make 55.6% of their shots which was the highest mark any opponent has shot against them all season. This was probably the worst overall effort for Ed Cooley’s team all season which was a disappointment because they had registered quality wins against Texas, Georgetown, DePaul, and then Marquette before the loss to the Bulldogs. This team returned all five starters from last year’s team that made the NIT. Expect a strong effort tonight as the Friars ave bounced back to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss at home to a conference rival — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss at home. This veteran group needs to get back to sharing the basketball after managing only 8 assists on Friday — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after failing to generate more than 9 assists in their last game. Providence stays at home where they are 7-2 this season with an average winning margin of +17.4 PPG. They play tough defense at home by limiting their opponents to just 39.1% shooting which translates into just 60.8 PPG. The Friars rank 17th in the nation in Net Adjusted Efficiency Margin when playing on their home court. St. John’s has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win at home against a fellow Big East rival. The Red Storm made 40.3% of their shots which seems pretty low — but it was actually the best shooting effort in their last five games. St. John’s is one of the worst shooting teams in the nation — they rank 308th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 45.6%. They have made only 36.8% of their shots over their last five games which has contributed to them playing six straight Unders — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after playing at least three straight Unders. The Red Storm will be playing in just their third true road game tonight — they are 351st in the nation on the road with an effective field goal percentage of 37.6% while making only 17.1% of their 3-point shots on the road which is 352nd in the nation. St. John’s are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games on the road. This Red Storm team compensates for this poor shooting with a full-court press under first-year head coach Mike Anderson. His “forty minutes of hell” approach has led the Red Storm to 18th in the nation by forcing turnovers in 24.2% of their opponent’s possessions. The Friars are vulnerable as they turn the ball over in 19.0% of their possessions (140th in the nation) but that mark has dipped to a 17.5% mark in their four conference games. Providence does force turnovers as well at a 23.0% rate which is 36th in the nation. The Friars should seize an advantage in the possession battle on the offensive boards as they pull down 32.6% of their missed shots which is 57th in the nation — and St. John’s allows their opponents to pull down 31.2% of their missed shots which is 294th in the nation. The Red Storm have been out-rebounded by at least 7 boards in four straight games — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after being out-rebounded by at least six rebounds in three straight games.

FINAL TAKE: St. John is 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Providence has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB Wednesday FS1-TV Game of the Month with the Providence Friars (838) minus the points versus the St. John’s Red Storm (837). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (502) minus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (501). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (25-16) has lost two straight games as well as six of their last eight contests after their 101-95 loss at Indiana on Monday as a 3.5-point underdog. Brooklyn (18-20) had won their last two games before losing last night at home to Utah by a 118-107 score as a 3.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: Philadelphia has struggled as of late as they have only covered the point spread once their last six games — but they have then covered the point spread in 24 of their last 34 games after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The Sixers have been without Joel Embiid who is out with a dislocated finger — but his absence gives Al Horford more of an opportunity who has not been a good fit when playing on the floor at the same time as Embiid. The stronger explanation for those six losses over their last eight games is that they all occurred on the road where Philadelphia is just 7-14 this season. Now the 76ers return home where they are a dominant 18-2 with an average winning margin of +9.7 PPG. The Sixers are scoring 111.6 PPG at home while making 47.8% of their shots from the field. They are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. Philadelphia is also 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage in the 60-80% range. The Nets have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread setback. Additionally, Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit loss. And in their last 19 games when playing without a day of rest, the Nets have failed to cover the point spread 13 times. This team has seen Kyrie Irving return to the court after he missed 26 games to an injury. But questions remain if Irving elevates or gets in the way of his teammates — Brooklyn was 13-13 while he was injured but just 5-7 with him healthy and in the mix. Now this team goes back on the road where they are 7-12 while making just 43.1% of their shots. The Nets have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia is looking to avenge a 109-89 upset loss at Brooklyn back on December 15th as a 4-point underdog. The 76ers have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 46 games at home when avenging a loss. They also have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 meetings with the Nets. 25* NBA Wednesday ESPN Game of the Month with the Philadelphia 76ers (502) minus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (501). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the West Virginia Mountaineers (636) minus the points versus the TCU Horned Frogs (635). THE SITUATION: West Virginia (13-2) has won two straight games as well as six of their last seven contests with their 66-54 win over Texas Tech on Saturday as a 4.5-point favorite. TCU (12-3) has won four straight games with their 52-40 win over Oklahoma State as a 3-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MOUNTAINEERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Horned Frogs played their best defensive game of the season against the Cowboys by limiting them to just 30.2% shooting from the field. But TCU has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, the Horned Frogs have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after not allowing more than 50 points in their last game. Head coach Jamie Dixon has only three players back from the regular rotation from last year’s 23-14 team that reached the Semifinals of the NIT. But this team has only played three of their games away from home this season with just one of those being in a true hostile environment. Yet TCU is making just 38.1% of their shots away from home. The Horned Frogs have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. TCU relies on its 3-point shooting as they rank 30th in the nation by making 37.3% of their 3-point shots. But they will be playing a Mountaineers team that might be playing the best defense in the nation. West Virginia ranks tops in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency along with posting the lowest effective field goal percentage of 38.6%. The Mountaineers are also 2nd in the nation with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 35.1% — and they are 2nd in the nation by holding their opponents to just a 23.3% shooting mark from behind the arc. West Virginia has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread victory. The Mountaineers have not allowed more than 54 points in three straight games. They have then covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after not allowing more than 55 points in two straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games after not allowing more than 60 points in three straight games. West Virginia is a perfect 7-0 at home where they are outscoring their opponents by +16.7 PPG. They have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. This Mountaineers team does a number of things to help them score points. First, they are 4th in the nation by pulling down 38.4% of their missed shots. Second, they get to the free-throw line — their Free Throw Attempt-to-Field Goal Attempt ratio of 41.2% is 16th in the nation. Third, West Virginia forces turnovers in 21.5% of their opponent’s possessions — and this is an area of vulnerability for the Horned Frogs who cough the ball up in 19.6% of their possessions which is 189th in the nation.

FINAL TAKE: West Virginia has defeated Ohio State and Wichita State on a neutral court which are teams that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks as the 7th and 25th best teams in the nation. TCU’s best victory is at home against an Iowa State team that KenPom ranks just at 55th in the country. Look for the Horned Frogs to get exposed in this game. 10* CBB TCU-West Virginia ESPNU Special with the West Virginia Mountaineers (636) minus the points versus the TCU Horned Frogs (635). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (538) minus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (537). THE SITUATION: Dallas (23-15) has lost two straight games as well as five of their last seven contests after their 129-114 loss at home to the Los Angeles Lakers as a 1.5-point underdog last night. Philadelphia (25-14) has won two straight games with their 109-8 win over Boston on Thursday as a 1-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS MINUS THE POINTS: The 76ers played their best defensive game over their last five contests against the Celtics for TNT Thursday as they held them to just 43.2% shooting. For the seaso have won their last two games with the benefit of home court advantage. But Philadelphia has then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after winning their last two games at home. The 76ers are a dominant 18-2 at home this year — but they are just 7-12 on the road. The Sixers are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 road games — and they are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. They allow their home hosts to make 46.8% of their shots from the field. Philly is also 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a winning record. Dallas has covered the point spread in 22 of their last 30 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the points spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a double-digit loss on their home court. The Mavericks allowed the Lakers to make 52.8% of their shots in what was their worst defensive performance of the season. Dallas has rebounded to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. And in their last 24 games after a point spread loss, Dallas is 16-6-2 ATS in their last 24 games after a point spread loss. They struggled on the other end of the floor as well as they made only 40.6% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games. The Mavs stay at home for the sixth straight game where they are just 11-10 but they are outscoring their opponents by +6.1 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Both these teams are missing key pieces with Philly missing Joel Embiid with his finger injury while Dallas is without Kristaps Porzingis with his knee injury. For the Sixers, that is, at best, at wash. But the 76ers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against the Mavericks — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 trips to Dallas. Together, these team trends produce our specific 105-34-5 ATS combined angle for this situation. 10* NBA Saturday Daily Discounted Deal with the Dallas Mavericks (538) minus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (537). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Iowa Hawkeyes (838) plus the points versus the Maryland Terrapins (837). THE SITUATION: Iowa (10-5) has lost their last two games after their 76-70 upset loss at Nebraska on Tuesday as an 8-point favorite. Maryland (13-2) has won three in a row after their 67-55 win at home over Ohio State on Tuesday as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKEYES PLUS THE POINTS: Iowa has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a loss on the road. The Hawkeyes have also covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a point spread loss. Iowa played one of their worst games of the season against the Cornhuskers. They allowed Nebraska to make 49.1% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. They also shot just 41.6% from the field which was the worst offensive effort in their last eight contests. The Hawkeyes made only 4 of their 33 shots (12.1%) from 3-point land — but they have then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to make at least 20% of their shots from behind the arc in their last game. Iowa made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament but suffered a tough blow last month when Jordan Bohanan decided to take a medical redshirt this season to fully recover from the hip surgery he had in the offseason. While the loss of Bohanan probably lowers the ceiling regarding the potential of the team, the Hawkeyes are likely still an NCAA Tournament team again this season given their depth along with two very good players in junior Luka Garza and sophomore Jon Weiskamp who is a likely future NBA player. Iowa has defeated Texas Tech and Cincinnati this season on neutral courts while also recording a nice win at home against Minnesota. The Hawkeyes are 6-1 at home this season where they are outscoring their opponents by +18.3 PPG due to their potent offense that scores 83.6 PPG on 48% shooting from the field. Head coach Fran McCaffrey has built an offensive juggernaut in Iowa City as this team ranks 5th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Hawkeyes have covered the point spread in 5 straight games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games as an underdog. They are also 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Maryland comes off their biggest win of the season against a Buckeyes team that was ranked number one in the nation earlier in the season. They held Ohio State to just 31.3% shooting from the field in that game in what was the best defensive effort in their last six contests. But the Terrapins have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games after a double-digit win at home. Maryland has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning two games in a row against Big Ten opponents. And while they have covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after covering the point spread in their last two contests. The Terrapins also reached the second round of the Big Dance last season but expectations are higher for this team with all but one of their contributors from that team back this season. However, the departure of big man Bruno Fernando to the NBA has left a void with Maryland missing his 13.0 PPG, 10.6 RPG, and 2.0 APG. The lack of a consistently reliable scorer in the post has held back this team at times. They have been riddled with slow starts which have them living on the edge before senior point guard Anthony Cowan bails them out. They have been much too loose with the basketball as they are turning the ball over in 19.5% of their possessions in Big Ten play. This is also not a great shooting basketball team as they rank just 227th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 48.0% — and they are making just 38.2% of their shots on the road. Furthermore, now after playing their last three games at home in College Park, the Terrapins go on the road for just their third true road game in a hostile environment — and they have lost their first two road games at Seton Hall and Penn State. Shooting has been the biggest problem for this team in those games as they rank just 303rd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency on the road due to their terrible 36.2% effective field goal percentage in those games which is the worst mark of all Division I teams. Maryland has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Terrapins have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 4 road games as a favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 34 road games as a favorite of 3 points or less.

FINAL TAKE: Shot volume may make the difference in this game. Maryland was outshot by the Buckeyes in their last contest by a 67 to 46 margin — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after being outshot by at least 20 in their last game. Iowa outshot Nebraska by a 77 to 53 margin in their loss on Tuesday — but they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after outshooting their last opponent by at least 20. 25* CBB Friday FS1-TV Game of the Month with the Iowa Hawkeyes (838) plus the points versus the Maryland Terrapins (837). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Pennsylvania Quakers (821) minus the point(s) versus the Princeton Tigers (822). THE SITUATION: Penn (7-5) saw their two-game winning streak snapped last Saturday with their 78-64 loss at home to this Tigers team. Princeton (5-8) has now won two straight games as well as four of their last five contests.

REASONS TO TAKE THE QUAKERS MINUS THE POINT(S): Penn should bounce-back with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread loss. They also have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit loss at home. The Quakers made just 36.6% of their shots in that game which was their worst shooting effort of the season. They also allowed the Tigers to make 53.7% of their shots after holding their previous two opponents to just 34.4% and 34.8% shooting. Penn should shoot better in this rematch as they rank 29th in the nation by making 54.4% of their shots inside the arc. Their 2-point shooting proficiency actually improves when playing on the road where they are making 55.1% of their shots inside the arc which is the 14th best road mark in the country. Five of the Quakers’ seven victories have been on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games on the road. Penn has quality victories against Alabama and Providence that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks as the 50th and 66th best teams in the nation. The Quakers also have a 10-point loss on a neutral court to Arizona. Princeton shooting effort of 53.7% last Saturday was their second-best offensive performance of the season. But they are making only 42.9% of their shots back on their home court. The Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home. Defense has been the bigger issue for head coach Mitch Henderson as they rank 298th in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 53.6% of their shots inside the arc. Unfortunately for this team, their defense has been worse on their home court. Visitors are nailing 46.8% of their 3-point shots on the Princeton home court this season which is the 348th worst mark in the nation — and these guests have an effective field goal percentage of 53.4% which is 305th in the nation. The Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games against teams with a winning record — and they are just 11-26-1 ATS in their last 38 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The road team is now 17-7-1 ATS in the last 25 meetings between these two teams. And Penn has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when avenging an upset loss where they were favored by at least 7 points. 10* CBB Penn-Princeton ESPNU Special with the Pennsylvania Quakers (821) minus the point(s) versus the Princeton Tigers (822). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Oregon Ducks (658) minus the points versus the Arizona Wildcats (657). THE SITUATION: Oregon (12-3) has won six of their last seven games with their 69-64 win at Utah last Saturday as a 4-point favorite. Arizona (11-3) snapped their two-game losing streak on Saturday with their 75-47 victory over Arizona State as a 10.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Oregon should build off the momentum of their best defensive effort of the season where they held the Utes to just 35.6% shooting. The Ducks have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 27 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after a point spread victory. Now Oregon returns home where they are 8-1 with an average winning margin of +20.0 PPG. The Ducks hold their guests to just 38.2% shooting which results in only 63.6 PPG — but what they do on the other end of the court is even more impressive. Oregon makes 52.4% of their shots at home which translates into 83.6 PPG. The Ducks are 3rd in the nation by making 44.5% of their shots from behind the arc at home — and their effective field goal percentage of 63% at home is also 3rd best in the country. Oregon has covered the point spread in 25 of their last 35 games at home — and they ave covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Arizona has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up win. The Wildcats will be playing just their second true road game this season after losing at Baylor earlier this season. Arizona has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games against teams with a winning record on their home court. Additionally, the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona’s best win this season is against an Illinois team that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks as the 29th team in the nation. The Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. The Ducks have defeated Seton Hall (on a neutral court), at Michigan, and home against Houston who all rank higher by Pomeroy than the Fighting Illini. Oregon has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. In this battle of the best two teams in the Pac-12, look for the Ducks to pull away. 10* CBB Arizona-Oregon ESPN Special with the Oregon Ducks (658) minus the points versus the Arizona Wildcats (657). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (503) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (504). THE SITUATION: Boston (25-10) has lost two straight games after suffering a 129-14 upset loss to San Antonio last night as a 2-point favorite. Philadelphia (24-14) snapped their four-game losing streak on Monday with their 120-113 victory at home over Oklahoma City as an 8-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS PLUS THE POINTS: Boston has now suffered two straight upset losses as they were stunned in Washington as a 9-point favorite in their previous game against the Wizards. But the Celtics have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after an upset loss. The small bright shot for Boston last night was they got Kemba Walker back on the court as he played 18 minutes after missing the previous three games with flu-like symptoms. Head coach Brad Stevens’ team should play much better on defense in this game after they allowed the Spurs to make 55.2% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of their season. Now Boston goes back on the road where they are 11-7 with an average winning margin of +5.9 PPG while holding their home hosts to just 42.6% shooting. The Celtics have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they are also 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record at home. And while Boston has only covered the point spread twice in their last seven games, they have then covered the point spread in 18 of their last 25 road games after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after a victory where they did not cover the point spread as the favorite — and they are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a point spread loss. The Sixers will be without Joel Embiid tonight as he recovers from a dislocated finger he suffered on Monday. Philadelphia is just 3-4 in their seven games this season that Embiid does not play. They defeated the Thunder by shooting 51.1% from the field which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. But the 76ers have also allowed their last four opponents to score at least 113 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after allowing at least 110 points in each of their last three games. The Sixers stay at home tonight where they are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 home games as a favorite — and they are also 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: Boston will be looking to avenge a 115-109 upset loss at home to Philadelphia as a 1-point underdog back on December 12th — and the Celtics have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 110 points. Boston has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 meetings with the 76ers which includes them covering the point spread in five of their last seven trips to face them in Philadelphia. Together, these team trends produce our specific 104-34-5 ATS combined angle for this situation. 10* NBA Boston-Philadelphia TNT Special with Boston Celtics (503) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Georgia State Panthers (628) minus the points versus the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (627). THE SITUATION: Georgia State (10-6) has lost two straight games after they suffered a 90-87 upset loss at Arkansas State on Monday as a 3.5-point favorite. UL-Lafayette (7-9) comes off an 81-73 upset win at Appalachian State as an 8-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PANTHERS MINUS THE POINTS: Georgia State should respond with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss. They should play better on the defensive end of the court after allowing the Red Wolves to make 48.1% of their shots in what was their fourth-worst defensive effort of the season. This is another good team for the Atlanta team that has made the NCAA Tournament in three of the last five seasons. First-year head coach Rob Lanier saw his team lose by just 11 points at Duke in November. The Panthers lead the Sun Belt Conference by forcing turnovers in 23.1% of their opponent’s possessions — and they are hosting a Ragin’ Cajuns team that is turning the ball over in 19.5% of their possessions. Georgia State is also making 37.5% of their shots from behind the arc which is 31st in the nation — and that number climbs to a 42.6% clip in their home gym which is 12th best in the country. The Panthers return home where they are a perfect 6-0 with an average winning margin of +20.5 PPG. They are holding their guests to just 37.0% shooting from the field. Georgia State is 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 home games — and they are 7-1-1 in their last 9 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. The Panthers are also 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games against teams with a losing record. Louisiana is just 7-19-1 ATS in their last 27 games after a straight-up win. They stay on the road where they are 2-6 with an average losing margin of -10.2 PPG. The Ragin’ Cajuns make only 39.4% of their shots on the road — and they are allowing their home hosts to make 47.0% of their shots. Louisiana has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games as an underdog. The defense is a significant issue for this team as they rank 258th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Ragin’ Cajuns allow their opponents to shoot 55.5% inside the arc which is 328th in the country.

FINAL TAKE: Louisiana has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 20* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Georgia State Panthers (628) minus the points versus the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (627). Best of luck for us — Frank.

Hollywood Sports’ CBB BLOWOUT BOOKIE BUSTER
Frank Sawyer

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Boise State Broncos (836) minus the points versus the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (835). THE SITUATION: Boise State (10-6) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with their 83-66 loss at Nevada as a 3.5-point underdog. UNLV (8-8) has won four games in a row with their 71-59 win over the Air Force on Saturday as a 6-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RUNNIN’ REBELS: That was probably the Broncos worst game of the season. They made only 5 of their 26 shots from behind the arc while shooting just 36.2% of their shots which was their second-worst offensive effort of the season. They also allowed the Wolf Pack to nail 55.9% of their shots which was their worst defensive performance of the season. They should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a loss. This team returned four starters and five of their top six scorers from last year’s team that finished just 13-20. Despite snapping six straight seasons of winning at least 20 games, expectations are high to make a run for the NCAA Tournament this season — and they have a nice win over a BYU team that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks as the 30th best team in the nation. Boise State returns home where they are 7-1 this season with an average winning margin of +23.6 PPG. They are making 48.5% of their shots at home which has translated into 85.1 PPG while holding their visitors to only 39.% shooting. The Broncos have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40% on the road. Boise State has also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 home games with the Total set in the 135 to 139.5 point range. UNLV has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 18 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. Now after playing their last four games at home at the Thomas & Mack Center, they go back on the road for the first time since December 7th. The Runnin’ Rebels are just 1-4 on the road where they are making just 38.7% of their shots while getting outscored by -12.0 PPG. UNLV is just 15-33-5 ATS in their last 53 road games — and they are 11-24-4 ATS in their last 39 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. This team lives off the offensive glass where they are pulling down 36.5% of their missed shots — but Boise State is 13th in the nation by limiting their opponents to rebounding just 22.5% of their missed shots. The Runnin’ Rebels also turn the ball over in 22.4% of their possessions which is 312th in the nation — and the Broncos force turnovers in a healthy 19.3% of their opponent’s possessions.

FINAL TAKE: UNLV’s best win was against a Utah State team during their current winning streak that is fading fast — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games against teams with a winning record. Boise State has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games as a favorite. 20* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Boise State Broncos (836) minus the points versus the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (835). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Chicago Bulls (575) plus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (576). THE SITUATION: Chicago (13-24) has lost their last four games with their 118-110 loss in Dallas on Monday as a 7.5-point underdog. New Orleans (12-25) has lost two of their last three games after their 128-126 loss at home to Utah on Monday as a 4-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLS PLUS THE POINTS: Chicago is 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games after a straight-up loss. Despite their recent losing streak, this young team had been playing better as of late. This is a very good defensive team that has been under the radar. Over their last fifteen games, the Bulls have the second-best Defensive Rating in the league — and they rank 7th in that metric overall this season. Defense travels — so why Chicago is just 6-11 on the road this year, they are only being outscored by -1.7 PPG in those games. The Bulls are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 road games — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games on the road against teams with a losing record at home. New Orleans is just 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 games after a straight-up loss. They are also 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. The good news for this team is that it looks like Zion Williamson is close to making his NBA debut for the team. But the bad news at least for tonight is that Jrue Holliday is out with an elbow injury and he has been the straw that stirs the drink when they are playing well. The Pelicans are 6-12 when playing at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home against teams with a losing record on the road. New Orleans has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as a favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 home games when laying the points.

FINAL TAKE: The Pelicans have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games against teams with a winning percentage between the 25% to 40% range. Chicago has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage at 40% or less. Together, these team trends produce our specific 69-19-3 ATS combined angle for this situation. 10* NBA Don’t Need the Points (but we will take the points) Underdog Special with the Chicago Bulls (575) plus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (576). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (572) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (571). THE SITUATION: Dallas (23-13) has won two of their last three games with their 118-110 win over Chicago on Monday as a 7.5-point favorite. Denver (25-11) has also won two of their last three games after their 123-115 win at Atlanta on Monday as a 7-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS MINUS THE POINTS: Dallas made up for the absence of Kristaps Porzingis who missed his fourth straight game with a knee injury by seeing Luka Doncic scored 38 points while adding 11 rebounds and 10 assists to lead them past the Bulls. That was Doncic’s ninth triple-double where he scored at least 30 points. The Mavericks have then covered the point spread in 15 of their last 18 games after playing a game at home. They stay in Dallas tonight where they are outscoring their guests by +7.6 PPG — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Mavericks have allowed 110 points in three straight games — but they have then covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after giving up at least 110 points in three straight contests. Furthermore, Dallas has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they are 11-5-1 ATS in their last 17 games as a favorite. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a victory on the road. Additionally, the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 29 games on the road after a point spread win. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last contest. Denver has scored at least 114 points in their last three games but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after scoring at least 110 points in three straight contests. But while the Nuggets are scoring tons of points behind a rejuvenated Nikola Jokic, Denver has regressed significantly on the defensive end of the court. The Nuggets had the second-best Defensive Rating in the league about a month ago but over their last ten games, they are saddled with the lowest Defensive Rating in the NBA. Their last five opponents have made 51.9% of their shots. Denver stays on the road for their fifth straight game — they may be fatigued as they close out this road trip. The Nuggets are just 2-6-2 ATS in their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Porzingis will not play tonight for the fifth straight game. Denver will be without Will Barton who is out for a personal day. The Nuggets are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog. Together, these team trends produce our specific 145-48-1 ATS combined angle for this situation. 10* NBA Denver-Dallas ESPN Special with the Dallas Mavericks (572) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (571). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Marquette Golden Eagles (602) minus the points versus the Providence Friars (601). THE SITUATION: Marquette (11-3) has won six of their last seven games with their 71-60 win over Villanova as a 2-point favorite on Saturday. Providence (9-6) has won three in a row as well with their 66-65 win at DePaul as a 1-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN EAGLES MINUS THE POINTS: Marquette should continue to build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a win at home over a conference rival. The Golden Eagles defeating the Wildcats despite making only 37% of their shots which was their worst shooting effort of the season. This team can overcome bad shooting performances because they get plenty of easy ones at the free-throw line — they rank 8th in the nation with a Free Throw Attempt-to-Field Goal Attempt ratio of 42.5% which is 8th best in the nation. The Friars will put them on the free-throw line tonight as they rank 231st in the nation with an opponent’s FTA/FGA ratio of 34.3%. Marquette only made 5 of their 21 shots from behind the arc for a low 23.8% shooting mark — and that is far below their 40.8% shooting percentage from 3-point land which is 3rd best in the nation led by their superstar guard Markus Howard. The Golden Eagles are a perfect 8-0 at home with an average winning margin of +20.7 PPG. They are playing much better defense under head coach Steve Wojciechowski than in past seasons — they are holding their visitors to just 34.9% shooting which has resulted in 60.0 PPG. Marquette has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games as a favorite. Providence has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a point spread victory. Expectations were high for head coach Ed Cooley’s team this season that returned all five starters from a team that missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six seasons. They have registered their three best wins of the season in their current winning streak with victories against Texas, Georgetown, and DePaul — but they have also endured bad losses to Long Beach State, Penn, and Charleston. The Friars have struggled on the road where they are just 2-5 while being outscored by -8.6 PPG. Providence makes only 36.4% of their shots when playing on the road. They have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. The Friars have also failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after playing a game where they were an underdog on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Providence has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as an underdog. Marquette has been bolstered with the strong play of Utah State transfer Kobe McEwan to complement Howard as a second scoring threat. The Golden Eagles are top-40 in both Adjusted Offensive and Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. 25* CBB Tuesday FS1-TV Game of the Month with the Marquette Golden Eagles (602) minus the points versus the Providence Friars (601). Best of luck for us — Frank.