At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Mississippi State (622) minus the points versus the South Carolina Gamecocks (621) THE SITUATION: Mississippi State (13-7) has lost two straight games after their 76-50 loss at Texas Tech as a 7.5-point underdog on Saturday. South Carolina (13-7) won their third straight game with their 74-63 upset win at Texas A&M as a 7-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS MINUS THE POINTS: Mississippi State played one of their worst games of the season in their SEC-Big 12 Challenge showdown with the Red Raiders. They allowed Texas Tech to make 61.7% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of the season. And they only made 39.6% of their shots which was the worst shooting performance in their last 11 contests. Ben Howland’s team should bounce back with a strong effort. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 31 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after a loss on the road. Additionally, Mississippi State has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after a point spread loss — and they are 13-2-1 ATS in their last 16 games after a loss by 20 or more points. The Bulldogs have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after failing to score at least 60 points in their last contest. This team has also covered the point spread in 7 straight games after losing two in a row. They return home where they are 11-1 this season with a +15.6 net Points-Per-Game differential. They make 49.6% of their shots on their home court which is generating 77.3 PPG. They are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games at home. They should control the glass against the Gamecocks. Mississippi State ranks 21st in the nation by pulling down 35.0% of their missed shots — and South Carolina allows their opponents to rebound 31.9% of their misses, ranking 308th in the nation. And while the Gamecocks rebound 34.9% of their misses, ranking 23rd in the country, the Bulldogs limit their opponents to just 24.1% rebounds of their missed shots, ranking 41st in the nation. The other area where Mississippi State has an edge in getting to the free-throw line. The Bulldogs rank 55th in the nation in free throw rate — and they are facing a South Carolina team that is 350th in the nation with a Free Throw Attempt-to-Field Goal Attempt ratio of 43.9%. The Gamecocks played their best defensive game in their last nine against the Aggies over the week by holding them to just 34.4% shooting. But South Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a win on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after an upset win by at least 10 points. The Gamecocks have covered the point spread in each of their games during their three-game winning streak but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning at least three in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after covering the point spread in three games in a row. South Carolina stays on the road where they are 4-5 on the road but getting outscored by -5.9 PPG. They only make 39.0% of their shots on the road which is resulting in just 62.9 PPG. Frank Martin’s team struggles to shoot the basketball. They rank 262nd in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 47.7% — and they only make 63.6% of their free throws, ranking 346th in the country. The Gamecocks rank 13th in the SEC on Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Mississippi State has played Florida and Kentucky tough on the road but lacks a marquee win away from home — but their biggest victory of the season was on their home court against Alabama. They will be without Tulu Smith with a knee injury who is a spark plug coming off the bench. But the Bulldogs are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games at home when favored — and they host a Gamecocks team that has 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 Mississippi State (622) minus the points versus the South Carolina Gamecocks (621). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Texas Longhorns (768) minus the points versus the Tennessee Volunteers (767). THE SITUATION: Texas (15-5) has won two straight games after their 73-50 victory at TCU as a 2.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Tennessee (14-5) is on a three-game winning streak with their 78-71 win against Florida as a 10-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LONGHORNS MINUS THE POINTS: Texas continues to improve under first-year head coach Chris Beard as the team becomes more comfortable with his systems and style of play. They raced out to a 43-23 half-time lead in Fort Worth against a Horned Frogs team that just registered a high-profile victory against LSU this afternoon.

At 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Virginia Commonwealth Rams (681) plus the points versus the Richmond Spiders (682). THE SITUATION: VCU (12-6) has won two games in a row after their 70-68 upset win at Davidson as a 3.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Richmond (13-7) has won three games in a row with their 70-63 win at Rhode Island as a 2.5-point favorite on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAMS PLUS THE POINTS: VCU should off the momentum of their big win against the Wildcats. The Rams have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 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. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 31 games after an upset win against an Atlantic 10 rival — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning two games in a row. This is their second game since last Saturday — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games when playing just their second game in a week. This is an interesting matchup since some of the strengths and subsequent weaknesses are mitigated by the tendencies of their opponent. VCU is second in the nation by forcing turnovers in 26.8% of their opponent’s possessions. But good luck turning over the Spiders who are sixth in the nation by turning the ball over in just 13.6% of their possessions. But on the other hand, the Rams sacrifice defensive rebounding to get out on the break — they allow their opponents to pull down 33.6% of their missed shots, ranking 332nd in the nation. But Richmond sacrifices offensive rebounds to defend fast breaks — they only rebound 22.3% of their missed shots, ranking 326th in the nation. VCU still holds an edge in two distinct areas. First, they lead the Atlantic 10 by making 40.9% of their shots from behind the arc in conference play. The Spiders are vulnerable in this regard — they rank 282nd in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 35.7% of their 3-pointers with that mark rising to 38.7% in conference play. Second, VCU is outstanding on the defensive end of the court. They rank second in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. On the road, they hold their opponents to just a 37.5% field goal percentage which is resulting in only 61.8 Points-Per-Game. The Rams have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Richmond has covered the point spread in three straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after covering at least three in a row. They return home for the first time since January 14th after playing their last three games on the road. The Spiders are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games at home after playing their last three games on the road. While they are 7-2 on their home court this season, they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games at home when favored. Richmond has also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on the road. And in their last 37 home games with the Total set in the 130 to 134.5 range, the Spiders have failed to cover the point spread in 26 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: VCU has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games as an underdog. 20* CBB VCU-Richmond CBS Sports Network Special with the Virginia Commonwealth Rams (681) plus the points versus the Richmond Spiders (682). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (568) minus the point(s) versus the Chicago Bulls (567). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (18-31) has lost three of their last four games with their 118-110 loss to Memphis as a 4-point underdog on Wednesday. Chicago (30-17) has won two in a row with their 111-105 victory against Toronto as a 3.6-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS MINUS THE POINT(S): The Spurs let up on defense against the Grizzlies as they allowed them to make 51.1% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five games. San Antonio is still holding their last five opponents to just 45.3% shooting. The Spurs have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a point spread win. They stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games when favored. The Bulls made 54.8% of their shots against the Raptors which was the best shooting performance in their last 15 games. But Chicago is undermanned missing two of their best players in Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso. Ball is out with a knee injury while Caruso is dealing with a wrist injury. Chicago has seen a decline in their play on the defensive end of the court. Eight of their last 13 opponents have shot at least 50% from the field against them. They rank 23rd in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency during that 13-game span. The Bulls have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread win. They go back on the road where they are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 road games.

FINAL TAKE: Chicago is just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a losing record — and San Antonio has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games when favored. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the San Antonio Spurs (568) minus the point(s) versus the Chicago Bulls (567). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Manhattan Jaspers (883) plus the points versus the Saint Peter’s Peacocks (884). THE SITUATION: Manhattan (10-6) has lost two of their last three games after their 78-62 loss at Monmouth as an 8.5-point underdog on Sunday. Saint Peter’s (8-7) won their fifth game in their last six contests with their 69-62 upset win at Marist as a 2-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JASPERS PLUS THE POINTS: Manhattan should play better tonight against a team that carries a similar profile. The Jaspers only made 35.6% of their shots against the Hawks which was the worst shooting effort in their last seven games. Manhattan us 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. The Jaspers are led by 6’5 senior Jose Perez. The Marquette transfer came to Manhattan for his final season — he is scoring 17.9 Points-Per-Game and averaging 4.6 Assists-Per-Game. Head coach Steve Masiello’s team is the second-best in the nation in getting to the free-throw line with a 45.0% free throw attempt-to-field goal attempt ratio. The Jaspers should get plenty of chances at the charity stripe tonight (where they make 74.5% of their free throws) against this Peacocks team that ranks 350th in the nation with an opponent’s free throw attempt-to-field goal attempt ratio of 43.2%. This Manhattan team is shooting much better inside the arc this season (after making only 44.4% of their 2-pointers last year) with a 54.2% shooting clip in conference play, the top mark in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Association. The Jaspers stay on the road where they are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games — and they are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better at home. Saint Peter’s is just 2-10-1 ATS in their last 13 games after a point spread win. They return home where they are 4-2 on the season — but they are only making 40.4% of their shots which is resulting in only 66.8 PPG. After playing their last three games on the road, the Peacocks play a home game for the first time since January 18th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games after playing at least three straight games on the road. Saint Peter’s are just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 home games — and they are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: These are two teams that can struggle to make shots — and they turn the ball in 20.9% and 20.8% of their possessions. Manhattan has the most impressive victory between these two teams — they beat a Liberty team currently ranked 96th in the nation in the kenpom rankings by 16 points. Saint Peter’s defeated Monmouth who rank 117th at kenpom. The Jaspers are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games against teams with a winning record — and the Peacocks have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB Metro Atlantic Athletic Association Underdog of the Month with the Manhattan Jaspers (883) plus the points versus the Saint Peter’s Peacocks (884). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Iowa Hawkeyes (824) plus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (823). THE SITUATION: Iowa (14-5) has won three of their last four games after their 68-51 win against Penn State as a 10.5-point favorite on Saturday. Purdue (16-3) has won four of their last five games with their 80-60 win against Northwestern as a 12-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKEYES MINUS THE POINTS: Iowa is once again dynamo on offense under head coach Fran McCaffrey. They rank seventh in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. But what is exciting about this Iowa team is their improved play on defense. After holding Rutgers to just 31.0% shooting eight days ago, they followed that up limiting the Nittany Lions to only 33.3% shooting on Saturday in that win. The Hawkeyes held Penn State to just 25 points in the first half — and they have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after not allowing more than 25 points in the first half of their last game. Iowa has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after winning two of their last three games. The Hawkeyes stay at home where they have an 11-1 record with a net point differential of +22.5 Points-Per-Game. Iowa makes 48.5% of their shots at home which generates a whopping 90.2 PPG — and they rank fourth in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency on their home court. They limit their guests to 41.0% shooting. The Hawkeyes have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 43 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games as an underdog. Purdue has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games. The Boilermakers have out-rebounded their last four opponents by at least seven rebounds per game — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after out-rebounding their last four opponents by at least six rebounds per game. Purdue has demonstrated some vulnerabilities on defense in Big Ten play — their opponents' effective field goal percentage in conference play of 51.9% ranks ninth. They allow Big Ten opponents to make 34.1% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking ninth. Big Ten foes are also nailing 51.0% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 10th in the conference. The Boilermakers do rank number one in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but they do drop to sixth in the country in that metric when playing in true road games. Purdue 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 percentage of 60% or higher at home. Furthermore, the Boilermakers have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 road games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight road games when favored by six points or less. Additionally, Purdue has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games when favored overall — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher.

FINAL TAKE: Purdue won the first meeting between these two teams by a 77-70 in West Lafayette. Iowa played that game with their All-American Keegan Murray who is third in the nation with a 22.8 Points-Per-Game scoring average. The Hawkeyes made only 5 of their 21 shots (23.8%) from behind the arc as well in that game — but now they return home where they make 36.8% of their shots from distance. Iowa has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games when avenging a same-season loss. 25* CBB Big Ten Game of the Month with the Iowa Hawkeyes (824) plus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (823). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Illinois State Redbirds (720) plus the points versus the Drake Bulldogs (719). THE SITUATION: Illinois State (10-10) has lost two of their last three games after their 56-53 upset loss as a 4.5-point favorite on Sunday. Drake (14-6) has won four of their last five games with their 82-74 upset victory at Northern Iowa as a 4-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE REDBIRDS PLUS THE POINTS: Illinois State should respond with a strong effort tonight. They have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss on the road. They return home where they are 9-2 this season with a +10.0 net point differential. They make 47.1% of their shots at home which results in 78.9 Points-Per-Game — and they hold their opponents to just a 40.9% field goal percentage. They have covered the point spread in 4 straight games on their home court. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. The Redbirds will be without Sy Chatman who suffered a torn ACL in the loss to the Purple Eagles on Sunday. He was the team’s leading rebounder with a 6.0 Rebounds-Per-Game clip — and he was second on the team with a 13.6 PPG scoring average. But they still have their leading scorer Antonio Reed who is scoring 20.2 PPG and they have forwards who can step up in Chatman’s absence including 6’9 forward Abdou Ndiaye who was expected to compete with Chatman for playing time — Ndiaye is averaging 6 minutes per game before tonight. Drake 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 9 of their last 13 games after playing a game where at least 155 combined points were scored. They go on the road where they are just 4-5 this season. The Bulldogs have 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 6 straight road games against teams with a winning record at home. Drake has also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight road games when the favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Illinois State will be looking to avenge an 85-76 loss at Drake on January 12th — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their 5 opportunities to avenge a loss this season. 10* CBB Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Illinois State Redbirds (720) plus the points versus the Drake Bulldogs (719). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Iowa State Cyclones (721) plus the points versus the Oklahoma State Cowboys (722). THE SITUATION: Iowa State (14-5) has lost two in a row and four of their last five after a 59-44 upset loss at home to TCU as a 6-point favorite on Saturday. Oklahoma State (10-8) has their two-game winning streak end on Saturday in a 56-51 loss at Texas as a 10-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CYCLONES PLUS THE POINTS: Iowa State opened the season with 12 straight wins — but they are now facing the difficulties of playing in an uber-competitive Big 12 conference. But it would be a mistake to discount this team that has high-profile victories against Texas Tech, Texas, Iowa, Xavier on a neutral court, and Creighton on the road. They lost by just one point at Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse. They only made 30.9% of their shots on Saturday against the Horned Frogs which was their second-lowest mark of the season. Iowa State is 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a point spread loss — and they are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games after failing to score more than 50 points in their last game. Their previous loss was a 72-60 setback last Tuesday at Texas Tech motivated by revenge — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after two straight losses by 10 or more points. The Cyclones have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after not scoring more than 60 points in two straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when playing their second game in eight days. Oklahoma State has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread loss. The Cowboys have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after not scoring more than 55 points in their last game. Scoring baskets is an issue for this team — they have not scored more than 64 points in eight straight games since a 98-93 win against Cleveland State on December 13th. To compound matters tonight, Oklahoma State will be without point Bryce Williams who is out with an ankle injury. The Cowboys are balanced on offense (or they lack reliable scorers …) — but Williams does lead the team with meager 10.6 Point-Per-Game and 3.3 Assists-Per-Game averages. In their last five games, they are making just 37.9% of their shots which is resulting in 57.2 PPG. They are only 3-3 on their home court where they have lost to the Xavier team that the Cyclones beat on a neutral court — and they also got upset at home to Oakland this season. Oklahoma State 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 6 straight home games when favored by 3.5 to 6 points.

FINAL TAKE: These are two similar teams who rank sixth and seven in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency fueled by the fourth and twelfth best defensive turnover rates in the nation (Iowa State has the better numbers in both instances, by the way). Both teams also are loose with the ball when they have possession (the Cyclones have slightly better seasonal turnover numbers but have been worse in conference play relative to the Cowboys). But Iowa State has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games against teams with a winning record — and they are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games as an underdog. Oklahoma State has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games when favored. 25* CBB Big 12 Underdog of the Month with the Iowa State Cyclones (721) plus the points versus the Oklahoma State Cowboys (722). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Towson Tigers (871) plus the point(s) versus the Delaware Hens (872). THE SITUATION: Towson (14-6) had their five-game winning streak snapped with an 81-77 upset loss to UNC-Wilmington on Saturday. Delaware (14-6) has won three games in a row with their 80-77 win against Elon as a 9-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS PLUS THE POINT(S): Towson should rebound with a strong effort tonight. They have covered 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. Additionally, the Tigers have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games when playing with one day or less of rest. Just ignore last year’s 4-13 record for Towson in a year impacted by COVID and injuries. Head coach Pat Skerry is a veteran head coach with a good track record — and he was aggressive in the transfer market to bolster the talent on his roster. This is a balanced team with four players scoring at least 10.7 Points-Per-Game. As usual, Skerry’s teams attack the offensive glass — the Tigers rank 19th in the nation by pulling down 35.7% of their missed shots. They should get plenty of second-chance opportunities against a Blue Hens team that allows their opponents to rebound 37.1% of their missed shots, 321st in the nation — and they are last in the Colonial Athletic Association by allowing their conference opponents to rebound 39.7% of their misses. This Towson team is different because they are taking many more shots from behind the arc. It is not uncommon for the Tigers to take fewer than 30% of their shots from 3-point range but this year they are taking 38.7% of their shots from distance which is just over the 38.1% national average. Even better, Towson is nailing 36.4% of their 3-pointers, ranking 49th in the nation. The Tigers defense is steadily improving as well — they rank second in the Colonial in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency and top the conference with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 47.0%. Offensive rebounding and defense travels which is why Towson is 7-4 away from home with an average winning margin of +7.3 net Points-Per-Game. The Tigers have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games on their home court. Towson has covered the point spread in 6 straight games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games on the road as a dog. Delaware has 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 6 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games at home when playing with one day or less of rest. The Blue Hens have won five of their last six games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 27 home games after winning five or six of their last seven games. And while Delaware has enjoyed halftime leads of at least seven points in three straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after leading by at least five points at halftime in at least three games in a row. The Blue Hens are 7-0 at home this season — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on their home court. Furthermore, Delaware has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on the road. The Blue Hens are led by George Washington transfer Jameer Nelson, Jr., the son of the former NBA player. But the vulnerability of this Delaware team is their defense.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams are tied in conference play with a 5-2 record — but the Blue Hens have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Towson has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games against winning teams — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. 25* CBB Colonial Athletic Association Underdog of the Month with the Towson Tigers (871) plus the point(s) versus the Delaware Hens (872). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (548) minus the point(s) versus the Brooklyn Nets (547). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (17-28) has won two of their last three games after their 118-96 victory against Oklahoma City as a 7-point favorite on Wednesday. Brooklyn (28-16) has won two of their last three games with their 119-118 upset win at Washington as a 1-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS MINUS THE POINT(S): San Antonio should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit win — and they have covered the point spread in all 5 games this season after beating their last opponent by 20 or more points. They stay at home after a rough road trip where they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when favored. The Spurs have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 home games with the Total set at 230 or higher. San Antonio does not have a great record against winning teams — but they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Brooklyn continues to be without Kevin Durant who is out indefinitely with his knee injury. The Nets may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 29 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a win on the road. Brooklyn has also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after a point spread win. And while their win against the Wizards finished Over the 234 point total, the Nets have then failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Moving forward, Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games in January. The Nets are lacking size tonight with Paul Millsap missing the game for personal reasons and Nicolas Claxton doubtful with a hamstring joining Durant on the bench.

FINAL TAKE: San Antonio will be looking to avenge their 121-119 loss in Brooklyn as a 9.5-point favorite on January 9th. The Spurs have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 33 games when playing with revenge from a loss on the road including ten of these fourteen circumstances this season. The Nets have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 trips to San Antonio to play the Spurs. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with San Antonio Spurs (548) minus the point(s) versus the Brooklyn Nets (547). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Sacred Heart Pioneers (306207) plus the points versus the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers (306208). THE SITUATION: Sacred Heart (8-11) has won two games in a row after their 74-66 win against Central Connecticut State as a 9-point favorite on Monday. Mount St. Mary’s (6-12) has won two of their last three games after their 57-50 win at Merrimack as a 3-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PIONEERS PLUS THE POINTS: This Sacred Heart team almost everyone from the young team that surprised expectations by finishing tied for third in the Northeast Conference last season. The Pioneers got clocked in the conference tournament against Bryant by 30 points — but they demonstrated their growth earlier this season by only losing by three points at Bryant on December 31st. Sacred Heart also scored an impressive opening victory to begin their season with an overtime win at LaSalle. The deeper analytics suggested that the Pioneers overachieved last season — however, the positive impact of head coach Anthony Latina should not be dismissed. Sacred Heart should play well in this game. They have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games on the road after a point spread loss. They are 3-1 so far in conference play. Latina runs a four-guard attack that is led by Tyler Thomas and Aaron Clarke who score 19.1 and 16.2 Points-Per-Game. This team is also one of the better offensive rebounding teams in the nation that ranks 109th in the country by pulling down 30.8% of their missed shots — and the lead the Northeast Conference by rebounding 37.7% of their misses. This is an area of weakness for the Mountaineers as they rank 233rd in the nation by allowing their opponents to rebound 29.6% of their misses. Sacred Heart has not covered the point spread in two straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after not covering the point spread in two of their last three games. Their offensive rebounding travels — they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Mount St. Mary’s has covered the point spread in three straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after covering the point spread in at least three straight games. And while the Mountaineers have played two straight Unders, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after playing at least two straight Unders. Now after playing their last four games on the road, they return home to play for the first time since December 18th. Mount St. Mary’s has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home after playing at least three straight games on the road. They have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games at home. The Mountaineers have a big frontline with Mezzo Offurum, Nana Opoku, and Malik Jefferson who are 6’8, 6’9, and 6’9 respectively. It is this trio that helped them win the Northeast Conference tournament and go to the Big Dance last March. But these big men don’t shoot from distance - they are a combined 8 of 28 from 3-point land this season with Offurum dominating those numbers by taking 22 of those shots (but only making five). With these three a non-threat from distance with that 28% shooting mark from 3-point land, opponents are happy to play zone defenses against them. Mount St. Mary’s went on their late-season run a year ago because Damian Chong Qui became their Mr. Everything as the primary ball-handler and scorer. He transferred to Indiana-Fort Wayne in the offseason. Head coach Dan Englestad responded by bringing in Jalen Benjamin from UAB to take over that role — but Benjamin has not been as prolific in scoring, rebounding, and assists as Chong Qui, especially in clutch time. The Mountaineers rank 323rd in the nation in eight in the conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency.

FINAL TAKE: Mount St. Mary’s has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games when favored. 25* CBB Northeast Conference Underdog of the Month with the Sacred Heart Pioneers (306207) plus the points versus the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers (306208). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Indiana Hoosiers (744) plus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (743). THE SITUATION: Indiana (13-4) has won three of their last four games after their 78-71 win at Nebraska as an 8-point favorite on Monday. Purdue (15-2) has won three straight and seven of their last eight games after their 96-88 upset win in double-overtimes at Illinois on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HOOSIERS PLUS THE POINTS: The Hoosiers defeated the Cornhuskers despite allowing them to make 47.1% of their shots — that was the worst defensive effort in their last ten games. Indiana has quickly become one of the best defensive teams in the nation in the first season under head coach Mike Woodson who has brought his vast experience as a head coach in the NBA to Bloomington. Indiana ranks 13th in the nation and second in the Big Ten in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a victory where they did not cover the point spread as a favorite. They return home where they are 11-0 this season with an average winning margin of +22.4 net Points-Per-Game. They have already beaten Ohio State at home this season. They have covered 8 straight games at home — and they have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. The Hoosiers have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 home games as an underdog. Purdue played their best defensive game in their last five contests after holding the Illini to 41.6% shooting. The Boilermakers have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after playing a game where at least 175 combined points were scored. Purdue has also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games. One of the Boilermakers’ two losses this season was on the road as a favorite against Rutgers. Purdue has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 road games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: The Boilermakers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as a favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. Indiana has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 10* CBB Purdue-Indiana FS1-TV Special with the Indiana Hoosiers (744) plus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (743). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Massachusetts Minutemen (734) plus the points versus the Saint Louis Billikens (733). THE SITUATION: UMass (7-9) has lost four in a row and six of their last seven contests after their 81-68 loss to Rhode Island as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday. Saint Louis (11-5) won their third game in their last four with their 63-45 win against Fordham as a 13.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MINUTEMEN PLUS THE POINTS: UMass only shot 35.7% from the field on Saturday in what was the worst shooting effort in their last 14 games. The Minutemen rank 35th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. UMass ranks third in the nation by nailing 41.4% of their shots from behind the arc — and they take 41.4% of their field goal attempts from 3-point land. In conference play, the Minutemen are making 46.4% of their 3-pointers. They face a Billikens team that has allowed their five opponents away from home to shoot 36.3% from 3-point land — and their three games in true road games in hostile environments, their home hosts have made 39.7% of their shots from downtown, the 319th worst mark in the nation. UMass has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after losing five or six of their last seven games. And while they have allowed at 77 and 81 points in their last two games, they have then covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after allowing at least 75 points in two straight games. They stay at home where they are 6-2 on the season with an average winning margin of +6.5 Points-Per-Game. They score 80.1 PPG at home — and they have already upset Penn State and Rutgers at home this season. They have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 home games after playing a game at home. They are also 25-9-1 ATS in their last 35 home games — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 26 home games as an underdog. The Billikens made 45.3% of their shots on Saturday which was the best shooting effort in their last five games. But they have scored just 63 points in each of their last two games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 30 of their last 44 road games after not scoring more than 65 points in two straight contests. They held the Rams to only 28.6% shooting in what was the best defensive effort in their last 13 games. But Saint Louis has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after not allowing more than 50 points in their last contest — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 29 road games after not allowing more than 50 points in their last contest. Away from home, the Billikens are 3-2 while making only 41.4% of their shots — and they allow their opponents to make 47.5% of their shots away from home. Saint Louis has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Billikens have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games when favored by up to six points.

FINAL TAKE: UMass has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. 25* CBB Atlantic 10 Underdog of the Month with the Massachusetts Minutemen (734) plus the points versus the Saint Louis Billikens (733). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Army Black Knights (1142) minus the points versus the American Eagles (1141). THE SITUATION: Army (10-8) has lost two of their last three games after their 68-54 upset loss at Lafayette as a 3-point favorite on Sunday. American (5-10) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 63-55 win at home against Bucknell in a pick ‘em contest on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLACK KNIGHTS MINUS THE POINTS: Army should respond to their upset loss with a strong performance tonight. They only made 33.9% of their shots on Sunday in what was the worst shooting effort in their last 13 games. The Black Knights have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not scoring at least 60 points on the road in their last contest. They have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after a loss on the road. Head coach Jimmy Allen has three starters back from the group that finished 15-15 last season. They were the only Patriot League team that played non-conference games in a year impacted by COVID. They are 4-2 so far in conference play. This team does not give away many freebies at the charity stripe — they rank 11th in the nation in opponent free throw rate. They are also second in the conference by forcing turnovers in 20.2% of their opponent’s possessions — and they now host a team in the Eagles that is last in the Patriot League by turning the ball over in 19.1% of their possessions. Army returns home where they are 7-1 this season with an average winning margin of +16.7 Points-Per-Game. They hold their guests to 37.4% shooting which results in just 59.5 PPG. The Black Knights have covered the point spread in 6 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 winning percentage of 40% or less on the road. American was a difficult team to gauge entering this season. They only played ten games last year, winning just four times. They only played three different opponents in their nine regular-season games in the skewed Patriot League schedule impacted by COVID. Their best player from that group, Jamir Harris, transferred to Seton Hall. After an opening game overtime victory against a Marist team that ranks 169th in the currently kenpom rankings, they have since not defeated a team ranked higher than 290th using Ken Pomeroy’s metrics. The Eagles are last in the Patriot League in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They are also last in the conference by making only 28.1% of their shots from behind the arc. They go back on the road where they are just 2-8 this season — and they are getting outscored by -16.5 PPG. They only score 62.7 PPG on the road — and they give up 79.2 PPG on 49.6% shooting. American has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 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.

FINAL TAKE: The Eagles have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB Patriot League Game of the Month with the Army Black Knights (1142) minus the points versus the American Eagles (1141). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET Tuesday, we will be playing the Mississippi Rebels (628) minus the points versus the Missouri Tigers (627). THE SITUATION: Ole Miss (9-7) has lost two in a row and four of their last five games after their 80-71 loss to Auburn as a 7.5-point underdog on Saturday. Missouri (7-9) has lost two in a row and four of their last five contests after their 67-64 loss to Texas A&M as a 5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE REBELS MINUS THE POINTS: Mississippi allowed the Tigers to make 50% of their shots — and that came after Texas A&M made 55.8% of their shots against them in their previous game. Ole Miss has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after allowing their last two opponents to make at least 50% of their shots. The Rebels have not covered the point spread in their last two games — but they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after not covering the point spread in two of their last three games. Mississippi has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after losing four of their last five games. They stay at home where they are 8-2 this season — and they are outscoring their visitors by +10.6 Points-Per-Game. They hold their guests to just 41.5% shooting. Ole Miss has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Missouri made 47.2% of their shots against the Aggies which was the second-best shooting mark in their last seven games. And by holding Texas A&M to just 38.1% shooting, they enjoyed the best defensive effort in their last seven games. But the Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread win. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after losing two of their last three games. Missouri goes back on the road where they are just 1-6 this season while getting outscored by -23.3 PPG. They only make 35.4% of their shots on the road which is resulting in just 56.6 PPG. They allow their home hosts to make 51.0% of their shots. The Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight road games. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home.

FINAL TAKE: Missouri has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games as an underdog. Mississippi has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a losing record. 10* CBB Tuesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Mississippi Rebels (628) minus the points versus the Missouri Tigers (627). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Toronto Raptors (519) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (520). THE SITUATION: Toronto (20-19) had their six-game winning streak snapped with a 103-87 loss at Detroit as a 9-point favorite last night. Milwaukee (27-17) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 118-89 victory against Golden State as a 1-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAPTORS PLUS THE POINTS: Toronto should respond with strong effort after last night’s disappointing effort. They made only 32.2% of their shots against the Pistons which was the worst shooting effort since the opening game of the season 38 games ago. The Raptors have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. Toronto has also covered the point spread in 8 straight games after not scoring more than 90 points in their last game. And in their last 5 games when playing without a day of rest, the Raptors have covered the point spread in all 5 games. Toronto stays on the road where they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 road games when getting 6.5 to 12 points as an underdog. Furthermore, the Raptors have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games against teams with a winning record. Toronto comes in undermanned with Scottie Barnes out and Gary Trent questionable — but Fred VanVleet is playing at an All-Star level right now and O.G. Anunoby is back in the mix to complement Pascal Siakam and Chris Boucher for their core group. Milwaukee comes off one of the best games of their season. They made 51.2% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. They held the Warriors to 34.7% shooting which was the best defensive performance in their last 36 contests. But the Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread win. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after a straight-up victory. Milwaukee stays at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 home games when favored. The Bucks are dealing with injuries as well with Brook Lopez out since November and Jrue Holiday unavailable with an ankle injury.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto has won the first two meetings between these two teams after upsetting the Bucks in Milwaukee by a 117-111 score on January 5th as a 3-point underdog. The Raptors have covered the point spread in the last 4 meetings between these two teams — and they have covered the point spread in their last 4 games played in Toronto. The Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with double-revenge. 10* NBA Don’t Need the Points (but we will take the points) Underdog Special with the Toronto Raptors (519) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (520). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Iowa Hawkeyes (840) minus the points versus the Indiana Hoosiers (839). THE SITUATION: Iowa (11-4) had their four-game winning streak snapped with an 87-78 loss at Wisconsin as a 3.5-point underdog last Thursday. Indiana (12-3) won their fifth game in their last six with their 73-60 victory against Minnesota as an 11.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKEYES MINUS THE POINTS: Iowa allowed the Badgers to make 50.0% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last eight games. The Hawkeyes should bounce back tonight as they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after a loss on the road. And while Iowa has 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 only covering the point spread once in their last three games including the last four of these circumstances. The Hawkeyes are an outstanding offensive team that ranks third in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They make the most of their scoring opportunities as they lead the nation with the lowest turnover rate in the nation. Iowa also leads the nation with the lowest block rate in the country — and that is a great attribute to have when facing the Hoosiers’ Trayce Jackson-Davis who blocks 10.5% of the shots in his direction this season. Iowa returns home where they are 9-1 with an average winning margin of +24.2 net Points-Per-Game. The Hawkeyes made 49.5% of his shots at home which generates 93.1 PPG. They also hold their opponents to just 68.8 PPG on 40.8% shooting. Iowa has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home — and they are 15-6-3 ATS in their last 24 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after a double-digit win against a Big Ten opponent. The Hoosiers preceded their victory against the Golden Gophers with a 67-51 win at home against Ohio State — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning two games in a row against conference foes. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 33 road games after winning two straight games by double-digits against conference opponents. Indiana is too loose with the basketball — they turn the ball over in 19.5% of their possessions, ranking 209th in the nation. The Hawkeyes do force turnovers — their opponents turn the ball over in 20.0% of their possessions, ranking 107th in the country. Now the Hoosiers go back on the road for just the fifth time in a true road game. They have lost three of those four games while making just 44.7% of their shots. Indiana is 1-8-1 ATS in their last 10 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage no higher than 60% on their home court.

FINAL TAKE: The Hoosiers have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games as an underdog. Iowa has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games when favored. 25* CBB Thursday FS1-TV Game of the Month with the Iowa Hawkeyes (840) minus the points versus the Indiana Hoosiers (839). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Akron Zips (640) minus the points versus the Ball State Cardinals (639). THE SITUATION: Akron (8-4) had their six-game winning streak snapped with a 69-63 upset loss to Ohio as a 1.5-point favorite last Tuesday. Ball State (7-7) has won three of their last four games with their 78-72 upset win at Eastern Michigan as a 1-point underdog on January 8th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ZIPS MINUS THE POINTS: Akron should rebound with a strong effort. They have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after an upset loss. The Zips have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss by six points or less — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a loss to a Mid-American Conference opponent. They only made 9 of 17 (52.9%) of their free throws against the Bobcats — but they have then covered the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games after not making at least 53% of their free throws in their last game. Head coach John Groce’s team is not a great shooting team from the charity stripe — they make only 65.4% of their free throws. But Akron is third in the nation in free throw rate with a free throw attempt-to-field goal attempt ratio of 44.7%. They should be living at the free-throw line tonight against this Cardinals team that ranks 293rd in the nation in opponent free throw rate. This team is talented — they lost by just one point, 67-66, at Ohio State to begin their season. They stay at home where they are 5-1 with an average winning margin of +14.7 Points-Per-Game. They score a healthy 82.2 PPG at home. The Zips have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games teams with a losing record on the road. Akron has also covered the point spread in 6 straight home games with the Total set in the 140s. Ball State has failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games on the road after winning four or five of their last six games. The Cardinals have covered the point spread in four straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games on the road after covering the point spread in at least two in a row. Ball State stays on the road where they are just 2-6 this season with an average losing margin of -13.3 PPG. They only make 42.2% of their shots on the road — and they are allowing their home hosts to score 84.0 PPG on 47.6% shooting. The Cardinals have 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 11 of their last 15 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Ball State has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. 25* CBB Mid-American Conference Game of the Month with the Akron Zips (640) minus the points versus the Ball State Cardinals (639). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Brown Bears (879) plus the points versus the Harvard Crimson (880). THE SITUATION: Brown (8-8) has lost four games in a row after their 77-73 upset loss to Pennsylvania as a 1-point favorite on Sunday. Harvard (8-4) is on a three-game winning streak after their 77-69 win against Howard as a 7-point favorite back on December 21st.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS PLUS THE POINTS: Harvard has had their last three scheduled games postponed because of COVID issues. They face rust concerns taking the court for the first time in almost three weeks. As it is, the Crimson have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 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. Harvard plays their fourth straight game at home but they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after winning two games in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after winning their last two games on their home court. This is the Ivy League debut for the Crimson who have played a pretty light schedule that ranks 303rd most difficult according to the metrics at kenpom. They are making only 40.7% of their shots in their last five games — and they have a 43.3% field goal percentage in their seven home games. Harvard has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. The Crimson will not have the advantage of cheering fans either given the restriction of fans attending games given COVID regulations. Head coach Tommy Amaker recruits well for this team — but Brown head coach Mike Martin has followed his lead by bringing long and athletic talent to his program which makes this team stand out in the league. Led by the reigning Defensive Player of the Year (when the Ivy last played in 2019-20) in Jaylen Gainey who protects the rim down low, the Bears ranks 117th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. That defensive ranking is more impressive considering that Brown ranks 110th in strength of schedule at kenpom. The Bears have beaten Bradley on a neutral court while losing to North Carolina by just a 94-87 score (with the score tied going into the final ten minutes of the game) and losing to Colorado by just two points. Brown has also played Creighton, Maryland, Syracuse, and Vermont — this is a battle-tested group. They were without their top playmaker, Tamenang Cho in four early games including the narrow loss in Chapel Hill. Having played three times since Christmas, Martin’s team is in midseason form. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after losing four of their last five games. And while they have played seven straight Overs, they have then covered the point spread in 22 of their last 32 road games after playing at least two straight Overs. Brown is 4-6 on the road this season — but they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record at home. They have also covered the point spread in 4 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on their home court.

FINAL TAKE: Brown swept the two regular-season games against Harvard in 2019 before the season got canceled because of COVID. The Bears have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Harvard has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games against Ivy League opponents — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games when favored. 25* CBB Friday ESPNU Game of the Month with the Brown Bears (879) plus the points versus the Harvard Crimson (880). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Georgia State Panthers (760) minus the points versus the UT-Arlington Mavericks (759). THE SITUATION: Georgia State (6-5) has lost four of their last six games after their 72-62 loss to Georgia Tech in overtime as a 5-point underdog on December 21st. UT-Arlington (6-7) won their third straight game with their 62-57 victory against Troy as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PANTHERS MINUS THE POINTS: Georgia State made only 28.2% of their shots against the Yellow Jackets which was the worst shooting effort of the season. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after a double-digit loss. And while the Panthers got outrebounded by a 51-33 margin, they have then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after getting outrebounded by at least 15 boards in their last game. Georgia State returns all five starters from the group that lost in the Sun Belt Conference tournament championship game last season. COVID has slowed this team down so far this season but they are mostly healthy now in making their conference debut tonight. They are 4-0 at home where they are outscoring their opponents by a whopping +39.0 net Points-Per-Game. The Panthers make 48.9% of their shots at home which is generating 88.0 PPG — and they are holding their opponents just 33.8% shooting and 49.0 PPG. Georgia State has 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 not winning more than 40% of their games on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games when favored by 6.5 to 12 points. The Panthers are 25th in the nation by making 38.0% of their 3-point shots — and they nail 39.4% of their 3-pointers when playing at home. UT-Arlington is 250th in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 34.8% of their shots from behind the arc — and they rank 272nd in the nation with their opponents making 37.0% of their shots from 3-point range when playing away from home. The Mavericks played their second-best defensive game of the season by holding the Trojans to 30.0% shooting — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games on the road after holding their last opponent to no better than 33% shooting. UT-Arlington has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a point spread win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after winning three of their last four games. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games when playing their second game in a seven-day span. They go back on the road for the first time since December 19th — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight road games after playing their last three games on the road. The Mavericks are just 1-6 on the road where they are scoring only 55.1 PPG on 37.3% shooting. They are getting outscored by -16.8 PPG on the road. UT-Arlington has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their 16 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Georgia State should force plenty of turnovers tonight — they rank 46th in the nation by forcing turnovers in 22.0% of their opponent’s possessions. UT-Arlington is 324th in the nation by turning the ball over in 22.5% of their possessions — and they have turned it over in 23.1% of their possessions on the road. 25* CBB Sun Belt Conference Game of the Month with the Georgia State Panthers (760) minus the points versus the UT-Arlington Mavericks (759). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Charlotte Hornets (534) minus the points versus the Detroit (533). THE SITUATION: Charlotte (19-19) has lost two straight games after their 124-121 loss at Washington as a 1.5-point underdog on Monday. Detroit (7-28) has won two straight games after their 115-106 upset win at Milwaukee as a 16-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HORNETS MINUS THE POINTS: Charlotte should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up loss. They return home where they are 9-5 this season with a 116.0 Points-Per-Game scoring average from a 47.8% field goal percentage. The Hornets have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games against teams not winning more than 40% of their games on the road. Charlotte is also 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 home games when favored. And in their last 52 games against teams who are not winning at least 40% of their games, the Hornets are 38-13-1 ATS. Detroit has pulled off two straight upset wins as they stunned San Antonio at home by a 117-116 score as a 7-point underdog on Saturday. But the Pistons have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 24 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after an upset win. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against a Central Division rival. Additionally, Detroit has also failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after winning two games in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 18 games after covering the point spread in at least two straight games. They stay on the road for the fifth time in their last seven games where they have just a 3-15 record. They are allowing their home hosts to score 112.5 PPG on 48.2% shooting — and they are getting outscored by -11.4 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: The Pistons are missing several players. Jeramy Grant is out indefinitely with a thumb injury and Isaiah Livers is out with a foot injury. Isaiah Stewart and Cory Joseph will not play as they rebuild their conditioning after testing positive for COVID. Charlotte is pretty healthy with point guard P.J. Washington upgraded to probable in his return from COVID. Vernon Carey is out as he works on his conditioning and Scottie Lewis is questionable to return. Detroit has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against the Hornets — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in Charlotte. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with Charlotte Hornets (534) minus the points versus the Detroit (533). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the LSU Tigers (622) minus the points versus the Kentucky Wildcats (621). THE SITUATION: LSU (12-1) lost their first game of the season in a 70-55 loss at Auburn as a 4.5-point underdog on December 22nd. Kentucky (11-2) has won four games in a row with their 92-48 victory against High Point as a 27-point favorite on December 31st.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS MINUS THE POINTS: LSU should respond with a strong effort as they are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games when playing with five or six days of rest. The Tigers played their worst game of the season against Auburn. Their 28.6% shooting percentage was the lowest of the season for them — and the 43.4% mark they allowed those Tigers to hit was actually their worst defensive effort of the year. LSU is the top-rated team in terms of Adjusted Defensive Efficiency at KenPom. They return home where they are 8-0 this season with an average winning margin of +32.7 Points-Per-Game. They score 84.6 PPG on 49.4% shooting from the field. They hold their guests to 32.1% shooting and just 51.9 PPG. They are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games at home — and they are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 home games when favored. The Tigers are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Kentucky shot 59.1% from the field against High Point which was the best shooting mark for them all season. And the 31.1% shooting they allowed was also the best defensive mark for them all year. But the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after a point spread win. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. Kentucky has also failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after winning at least three games in a row. Now after playing their last three games at home, the Wildcats play their first road game away from home since December 11th. Kentucky is just 1-2 away from home this season — and they allow teams not playing in their Rupp Arena to make 47.1% of their shots. The Wildcats are 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on their home court. Kentucky does not get to the free-throw line either — they rank 320nd in the nation in free throw rate. Not getting freebies against a team that is so good on defense will be tough.

FINAL TAKE: LSU has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games as an underdog. 25* CBB Tuesday ESPN Game of the Month with the LSU Tigers (622) minus the points versus the Kentucky Wildcats (621). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (590) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (589). THE SITUATION: Phoenix (26-5) has won five straight games after their 113-101 victory against Oklahoma City as a 15-point favorite on Thursday. Golden State (26-6) has won five of their last six games after their 113-104 victory against Memphis as a 5.5-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINTS: Phoenix won five of their seven games played without Devin Booker who was out with an injury. Booker returned to the court three games ago in a 137-106 victory against Charlotte on Sunday before the Suns beat the Lakers in Los Angeles by a 108-90 score on Tuesday. Booker scored 30 points on Thursday against the Thunder. Phoenix is 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 games after a double-digit victory — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after winning at least two games in a row by 10 or more points. The Suns stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games — and they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 25 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Phoenix has built off their NBA Finals run by consistently playing tough on the defensive end of the court. They are second in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have held their last five opponents to just 100.4 Points-Per-Game on 40.6% shooting from the field. The Suns will be without Frank Kaminsky and Abdel Nader to injury — but it is the Warriors who are more depleted by positive COVID tests right now. Golden State will be without Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, and Damion Lee who are all in quarantine. Poole and Wiggins are playing important supporting roles for this team. Andre Iguodala is questionable as well with a knee injury — and if he does not play, they are missing players on the wing. The Warriors come off their best defensive effort in their last four games on Thursday after holding the Grizzlies to just 42.2% shooting. Golden State is just 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up win. The Warriors go back on the road where they have lost four of their six games. They are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix held Stephen Curry to just 4 of 21 shooting in the first meeting between these two teams that they won by a 104-96 score on November 30th. The Suns the rematch on December 3rd by a 118-96 score without Booker with his injury earlier this month. Phoenix has covered the point spread in 7 straight games when playing with revenge — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 19 games when avenging a loss by double-digits. 25* NBA Pre-All Star Break Television Game of the Year with the Phoenix Suns (590) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (589). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Tennessee Volunteers (752) minus the point(s) versus the Arizona Wildcats (751). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (8-2) has won two in a row after their 96-52 victory against USC Upstate as a 35.5-point favorite on December 14th. Arizona (11-0) remained unbeaten this season with their 84-60 victory against Cal-Baptist as a 28-point favorite on December 18th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE VOLUNTEERS MINUS THE POINT(S): Tennessee has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win on their home court — and they are 34-15-2 ATS in their last 51 games after a win by 20 or more points. This is an outstanding defensive team that ranks second in the nation at kenpom in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have held their last four opponents to 36.8% or lower shooting from the field. Tennessee has covered the point spread in 33 of their last 51 games after not allowing their two opponents to make no better than 37% of their shots — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after not allowing their last three opponents to make more than 37% of their shots. They have generated 15 and 13 steals in each of their last two games — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 20 home games after registering double-digit steals in two straight games. The Volunteers are 6-0 on their home court with an average winning margin of +32.8 net Points-Per-Game average margin of victory. The conventional wisdom regarding Tennessee is that they struggle against elite defenses. But their two losses this season to Villanova and Texas Tech in overtime were both on neutral courts. They have also beaten North Carolina on a neutral court and Colorado in Boulder. Back home in Knoxville, the Volunteers make 49.1% of their shots and score 87.0 PPG. They also make 41.7% of their shots from 3-point range at home as compared to their 23.2% shooting clip from behind the arc when on the road. Tennessee has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games at home when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when favored overall. Arizona held Cal-Baptist to just 33.3% shooting in what was the best defensive effort in their last eight games. The Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread as a favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a game at home where they won but did not cover the point spread as a favorite. Additionally, Arizona has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after winning at least eight games in their last ten contests — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after winning at least three straight games. The Wildcats have beaten Illinois on the road in Champagne and Michigan on a neutral court in Las Vegas — but they needed overtime to defeat Wichita State in that same tournament in Vegas the night before beating the Wolverines. Arizona has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 road games as an underdog getting up to six points.

FINAL TAKE: It has been a surprising start for first-year head coach Tommy Lloyd — but this will be the biggest test for the former Gonzaga assistant who has brought in several transfer players to Tuscon to form an interesting squad. The Wildcats are just 6-13-1 ATS in their last 20 games as an underdog. Tennessee has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games in December. 25* CBB Wednesday ESPN2 Game of the Month with the Tennessee Volunteers (752) minus the point(s) versus the Arizona Wildcats (751). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (567) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (568). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (10-17) has lost two of their last three games with their 131-115 upset loss to Charlotte as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Utah (20-7) has won eight in a row after their 124-103 win against the Los Angeles Clippers as a 9.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS PLUS THE POINTS: San Antonio allowed the Hornets to make 59.3% of their shots on Wednesday in what was the worst defensive effort of the season. Head coach Gregg Popovich should have his team tighten things up on that end of the court. The Spurs hold their home hosts to 45.0% shooting which is resulting in only 104.2 Points-Per-Game. San Antonio is 5-0-2 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. The Spurs are also 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. They go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 road games with the Total set in the 220s. San Antonio has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. The Spurs are also 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Utah shot 52.8% from the field against the Clippers on Wednesday after making 51.6% of their shots against Washington. The Jazz have also made at least 47.3% of their shots in four straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after shooting at least 47% in four straight games. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after making at least 50% of their shots in two straight contests. Utah stays at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. The Jazz have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40% of their games.

FINAL TAKE: The Spurs are in pretty good health with Lonnie Walker IV questionable with an illness (but no sign of a COVID outbreak on the team). San Antonio has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as an underdog. Utah has been lukewarm when laying double-digits — they have 19-20 ATS in their last 39 games when laying 10 or more points including 4-5 ATS this season. 10* NBA Friday Late Show Bailout with the San Antonio Spurs (567) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Washington Wizards (554) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (553). THE SITUATION: Washington (15-11) snapped a three-game losing streak with their 119-116 win at Detroit as a 5-point favorite on Wednesday. Utah (18-7) has won six games in a row after their 118-96 loss at Philadelphia as a 3-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WIZARDS PLUS THE POINTS: Washington has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win on the road. Despite that triumph, the Wizards have not covered the point spread in four straight games. Washington has covered the point spread in 25 of their last 37 games after not covering the point spread in at least two in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after not covering the point spread in three straight games. They return home for an important home game since it is their only contest in front of their home fans in a ten-game stretch. The Wizards have played their three previous games on the road — and they will then play their next six games on the road before finally getting another home game on December 26th. Washington has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games at home as an underdog. The Wizards have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games with the Total set at 220 or higher. Washington is undermanned with Thomas Bryant and Kyle Kuzma out for this game — but depth is a strength for this team under rookie head coach Wes Unseld, Jr. They face a Utah team that may be ripe for a letdown after their last two games by 32 and 22 points. The Jazz have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their 4 games this season after winning their last two games by double-digits. This is Utah’s third game on the road since Wednesday — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games when playing their third game in four days on the road. The Jazz finish a four-game road trip tonight — and they are just 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 road games against teams winning at least 60% of their games at home (Washington: 8-3 at home).

FINAL TAKE: Utah has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games against teams with a winning record — and they are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games against the Wizards. 10* NBA Saturday Daily Discounted Deal with the Washington Wizards (554) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (553). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Mississippi State Bulldogs (625) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Colorado State Rams (626). THE SITUATION: Mississippi State (6-2) had their two-game winning streak end in an 81-76 upset loss to Minnesota as an 11.5-point favorite on Sunday. Colorado State (9-0) remained undefeated this season after their 74-58 win against Saint Mary’s as a 4.5-point favorite last Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS MINUS (OR PLUS) THE POINT(S): Mississippi State probably played their worst game of the season against the Golden Gophers. Their 43.7% shooting percentage was the second-lowest of the year — and the 49.2% shooting mark by Minnesota was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage this season. Head coach Ben Howland should have his team prepared for this contest. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss by six points or less. Mississippi State has also covered the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games after a straight-up loss. The Bulldogs have not covered the point spread in two straight games — but they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after not covering the point spread in two straight games. This team should play well on a neutral court — they pull down 37.6% of their missed shots, ranking 12th best in the nation. Colorado State comes off their biggest win of the season in what was their second straight victory by double-digits. The Rams have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after winning two straight games by double-digits. And while Colorado State has covered the points spread in two straight games, they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. The Rams lead the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 61.3% fueled by them nailing 44.0% of their shots from behind the arc, the best 3-point shooting percentage in the country. But seven of Colorado State’s nine games have been at home. Now after playing their last three games at home, the Rams go back on the road for just the third time this season. Colorado State has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after winning their three previous games at home. The Rams have seen their 3-point shooting drop to 40.3% away from home — and now they face this Bulldogs team that holds their opponents to just 31.9% shooting from 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Colorado State is vulnerable on defense as they rank 104th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Rams have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games on a neutral court as an underdog. And in their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher, Colorado State is 2-5-1 ATS. 25* CBB ESPNU Game of the Month with the Mississippi State Bulldogs (625) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Colorado State Rams (626). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (525) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (526). THE SITUATION: Boston (13-12) has lost two of their last three games after their 117-102 loss in Los Angeles against the Lakers as a 4-point underdog last night. Los Angeles (13-12) has won two of their last three games with their 102-90 victory as a 3-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS PLUS THE POINTS: Boston allowed the Lakers to make 51.6% of their shots last night in what was the second-worst defensive effort in their last 15 games. The Celtics 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 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Boston has also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games on the road after a loss by 10 or more points in their last game. The Celtics play without rest tonight but it was not a travel day with this game being played at Crypto.com Arena (formerly the Staples Center). As it is, Boston has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing without rest. The Lakers also out-rebounded them by a 51 to 34 margin on the boards — but the Celtics have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after being out-rebounded by -15 or more rebounds in their last game. Boston has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games with the Total set in the 200-209.5 point range. Los Angeles 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 5 straight games after a point spread victory. The Clippers return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight home games when favored. Furthermore, Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. And in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record, the Clippers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: Boston will be without Jaylen Brown tonight as he recovers from a hamstring injury but Jayson Tatum and company will still take the court. The Celtics have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as an underdog. And in their last 4 meetings with the Clippers, Boston has covered the point spread all 4 times. 10* NBA Wednesday Late Show Bailout with the Boston Celtics (525) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Marquette Golden Eagles (711) plus the point(s) versus the Kansas State (712). Marquette (7-2) looks to rebound from an 89-76 loss at Wisconsin as a 6.5-point underdog on Saturday. Kansas State (5-2) comes off a 65-59 upset win at Wichita State as a 5.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN EAGLES PLUS THE POINT(S): Marquette allowed the Badgers to make 50.8% of their shots on Saturday in what was their worst defensive performance of the season. The Golden Eagles have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 25 road games after a double-digit loss on the road. Marquette has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games after a game where both teams scored at least 75 points. The Golden Eagles have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. First-year head coach Shaka Smart has this team playing like his “Havoc” teams at Virginia Commonwealth at a rapid pace and with a full-court 1-2-2 pressing zone. The Eagles lead the nation by averaging only 14.8 seconds per possession. Smart did not inherit a returning starter from last season — under 20% of the production from last year returned. But he did bring in Darryl Morsell from Maryland after he won the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Award last season. Smart’s Havoc tactics help to compensate for the lack of experience. Marquette has already pulled off upset victories against Illinois, West Virginia, and Mississippi. The Golden Eagles have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road as an underdog. Smart’s teams are 41-23-1 ATS in his last 65 road games as an underdog — and his teams have covered the point spread in eight of their last eleven games on the road as an underdog going back to last season with Texas. Kansas State appears to be without their leading scorer Nigel Pack who is in the concussion protocol. He is scoring 15.8 Points-Per-Game while nailing 49.6% of their shots from 3-point range. Pack did not play in their upset win against the Shockers - but they only made 33.9% of their shots in the win. The Wildcats hosts this game at Bramage Coliseum — but the home fans are not quite as rowdy in non-conference games in December as they will be once the Big 12 schedule begins. As it is, Kansas State is just 7-15-1 ATS in their last 23 games at home. Furthermore, the Wildcats are 6-14-1 ATS in their last 21 home games as a favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games when laying up to six points. Kansas State has also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Marquette should have an edge at the charity stripe tonight. The Golden Eagles rank 15th in the nation in free throw rate — and Kansas State is 227th in defensive free throw rate in putting their opponent on the line. 25* CBB Wednesday ESPN2 Game of the Month with the Marquette Golden Eagles (711) plus the point(s) versus the Kansas State (712). Best of luck for us — Frank.

FRANK’S CUTTING ROOM FLOOR FOR THURSDAY, 12/2:

My “Cutting Room Floor” plays are the situations I considered the closest to being worthy of investment but did not make the “final cut” for my official plays today for subscribers. The last play I cut on Thursday was with the Portland Trail Blazers minus the points versus the San Antonio Spurs. Portland (11-11) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 110-92 win against Detroit as a 6.5-point favorite on Tuesday. The Trail Blazers are now 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 home games when favored. Portland has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams not winning more than 40% of their games. San Antonio (6-13) has won two games in a row after their 116-99 win against Washington on Monday. The Spurs have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a win by 10 or more points. San Antonio has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight road games as an underdog. The Trail Blazers are without Damian Lillard indefinitely with an abdominal injury but they should still pull away from a rebuilding Spurs team tonight. Lay the points with Portland. Best of luck — Frank.

Frank Sawyer CA$HED their NBA play on Washington last night to further his 34 of 56 (61%) All-Sports run over the last 21 days! Frank is also on a 16 of 23 (70%) NFL run — and he furthers his 12 of 18 (67%) NFL Prime-Time run with tonight’s Cowboys-Saints’ ATS winner on Fox-TV at 8:20 PM ET! Frank also tests his 9 of 10 (90%) NFL TOTALS TEAR with tonight's O/U winner! WATCH and WIN — and BANK on Frank!

Frank also spots a BIG DOG in the NBA that will keep their game MUCH CLOSER THAN EXPECTED! CA$H IT IN!

At 8:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Oklahoma City Thunder (561) plus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (562). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma City (6-15) has lost seven straight games and nine of their last ten after their 114-110 upset loss to Houston last night as a 2.5-point favorite. Memphis (11-10) has won two in a row with their 98-91 win at Toronto as a 3-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE THUNDER PLUS THE POINTS: Oklahoma City allowed the Rockets to make 50.6% of their shots last night which was the worst opponent’s field goal percentage this season. This is a young team — but they are playing solid on the defensive end of the court where they rank 13th in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency. The Thunder have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after an upset loss in their last game. Oklahoma City should handle the lack of rest as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing without a day of rest — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing their third game in four days. The Thunder go on the road where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games. Additionally, Oklahoma City has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 road games when getting 6.5 to 12 points as an underdog. Memphis has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after winning two of their last three games. The defense has been the problem for this team as they are last in the league in Defensive Efficiency. Ja Morant has been bailing them out — but their star player is out indefinitely with a knee injury. The Grizzlies return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Memphis has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Oklahoma City is making only 41.1% of their shots — but the Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams who are not making more than 43% of their shots. 10* NBA Big Dog Surprise with the Oklahoma City Thunder (561) plus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (562). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Washington Wizards (540) minus the points versus the Minnesota Timberwolves (539). THE SITUATION: Washington (13-8) has lost three of their last five games after their 116-99 upset loss at San Antonio as a 3-point favorite on Monday. Minnesota (11-10) has won two in a row and seven of their last eight after their 100-98 victory as a 3.5-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WIZARDS MINUS THE POINTS: Washington allowed the Spurs to make 53.3% of their shots which was the worst shooting percentage they allowed in their last 16 games. The Wizards have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit win. Washington has also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a point spread victory. They return home for this contest where they have a 7-2 record — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games on their home court. Minnesota held the Pacers to just 39.6% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last five contests. The Timberwolves have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 26 games after a win on their home court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a narrow win by three points or less. Minnesota has also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after winning two games in a row. The T-Wolves go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better at home. Minnesota has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Timberwolves have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 meetings with the Wizards — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 trips to Washington to play the Wizards. 10* NBA Blowout Bookie Buster with the Washington Wizards (540) minus the points versus the Minnesota Timberwolves (539). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (544) minus the point(s) versus the Atlanta Hawks (543). THE SITUATION: Memphis (9-9) has lost two of their last three games with their 126-113 upset loss to Toronto as a 3-point favorite on Wednesday. Atlanta (10-9) has won six in a row after a 124-106 win at San Antonio as a 4-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES MINUS THE POINT(S): Memphis should respond with a better effort tonight. The Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, Memphis has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games after a loss by 10 or more points. Not having Dillon Brooks early in the season held this team back — especially on the defensive end of the court — but he is working himself back into playing shape this month and should play tonight after logging in 20+ minutes against the Raptors. It is Ja Morant who is the straw that stirs the drink for this team. He entered the week one made basket shy of a 50% shooting clip — but he has made only 17 of his 45 shots in his two games this week. He is still scoring 25.3 Points-Per-Game while dishing out 7.1 Assists-Per-Game and pulling down 6.1 Rebounds-Per-Game. The Grizzlies return home where they are 6-4 and where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home. Atlanta has taken a step back on defense this season in the first full season under head coach Nate McMillan — they rank 25th in the Defensive Efficiency. Losing De’Andre Hunter for eight weeks to a wrist injury does not help the defensive cause for this group. Bogdan Bogdanovich is questionable with a hamstring injury. The Hawks are only 2-8 on the road after their win against the Spurs two days ago. They have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight home games against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has been favored in all six games during their current winning streak. They have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games as an underdog. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Memphis Grizzlies (544) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Atlanta Hawks (543). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the UCLA Bruins (618) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (617) in the Finals of the Empire Classic tournament. THE SITUATION: UCLA (5-0) has opened the season with five straight victories after their 75-62 victory against Bellarmine last night in their opening game in this two-day tournament. Gonzaga (5-0) has won five games in a row to open the season with their 107-54 win against Central Michigan as a 34-point favorite last night in their first game in this event. The Empire Classic takes place on a neutral court at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRUINS PLUS THE POINTS: UCLA continues to be undervalued by the market after their improbable run to the Final Four last season. The Bruins were the beneficiaries of some shooting luck in the NCAA Tournament — but shooting luck did not account for them going blow-for-blow with that loaded Gonzaga team in the National Semifinals. UCLA improved as the season went on under second-year head coach Mick Cronin teaching his defensive principles in a season marred by COVID. The Bruins return three players that are on the preseason Wooden Award watch list in Johnny Juzang (who single-handedly beat Michigan in the Elite Eight), Tyger Campbell (started every game at point guard for Cronin at UCLA), and Jamie Jaquez, Jr. (last year’s second-leading scorer). Cronin won’t have big man Cody Riley tonight as he recovers from an MCL injury — but he brought in Myles Johnson as a transfer from Rutgers with his seven-foot-seven wingspan. He was 19th in the nation last year in block rate. Peyton Watson is a top-ten recruit who also gets added into the mix of a group that has 91% of the returning minutes back from the Final Four team. This is a loaded group that continues to improve under Cronin. They have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up win. UCLA only made 45.2% of their shots last night which was the worst shooting effort for them so far this season — and the 45.1% shooting they allowed last night was the second-highest of the year. The Bruins have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss after failing to cover the 22.5-point spread last night. They have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games when playing with one day or less of rest. Gonzaga held the Chippewas to just 30.4% shooting last night which was the best defensive effort of the season. After a 12-point win against Texas in their second game of the year, the Bulldogs have won their next three games by at least 27 points — but that was against a Bellarmine team ranked 188th in the nation in KenPom’s rankings. Gonzaga has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after winning three in a row by at least 15 points. They have covered the point spread in three of their last four games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after only failing to cover the point spread once in their last four games. And while they have scored at least 84 points in each of their games this season, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games after scoring at least 80 points in five straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games on the road after scoring at least 80 points in five straight games. Gonzaga’s stiffest competition was against a Texas team under new coach Chris Beard coaching a group of high-profile transfers. That Longhorns team is a few months away from successfully executing Beard’s no-middle defense that attempts to trap the ball to one side of the court. Gambling on that guess was pure guesswork early in the season (which is why I tend to embrace caution in the November CBB games — especially with the transfer market now even busier in the offseason). What was telling in that game, for me, was that the Zag’s 7’0 freshman phenom Chet Holmgren made just one of three shots for 2 points. I think it remains to be seen if he is a good fit when playing on the floor with the 6’10 Drew Timme. The twin towers look is not as successful for modern basketball — and Holmgren’s ability to defend the perimeter is an issue (and it is not a strength for Timme).  Gonzaga should be great once again this year — but this group is a work in progress for head coach Mark Few after losing a top-five pick in Jalen Suggs along with two other starters in outside shooter Corey Krispert and a glue guy in Joel Ayayi.

FINAL TAKE: UCLA’s victory over Villanova this season is more impressive than Gonzaga’s win over the Longhorns. Cronin will have his team very motivated to avenge their 93-90 loss to the Bulldogs in the Final Four last year — and he has had all the off-season to scheme a defensive play against Timme. The Bruins are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games as an underdog. UCLA has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games played on a neutral court. 25* CBB Tuesday ESPN Game of the Month with the UCLA Bruins (618) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (617). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (548) minus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (547). THE SITUATION: Portland (8-8) has won three of their last four games after their 112-107 win against Chicago as a 7.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Philadelphia (9-7) snapped their five-game losing streak with a 103-89 upset win at Denver as a 7.5-point underdog on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS MINUS THE POINTS: Portland dug themselves into a first-half hole against the Bulls as they went into halftime trailing by a 63-48 score. The Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in nine of their last eleven games after trailing by 15 or more points at halftime of their last game. Portland is playing better defense under rookie head coach Chauncey Billups. After posting the league’s second-worst Defensive Efficiency Rating of 115.3 last year, the Blazers have improved their Defensive Efficiency to a 110.1 mark this year. While that only ranks 26th in the league, Billups only needs this team to be middle-of-the-road on that end of court given the firepower he has on offense. Portland has covered the point spread in 6 of their 8 games at home this season — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games when favored. The Trail Blazers have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Philadelphia played their best defensive game of the season by holding the Nuggets to just 36.0% shooting. They also made 50.6% of their shots in that game which was the best shooting mark in their last six games. But the 76ers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after an upset win by double-digits. Philly remains a circus with the Ben Simmons situation unresolved — and whether due to his absence or the lack of talent they will bring in when he is inevitably traded, depth is an issue for this team. The Sixers have also been hit hard with injuries and COVID. Joel Embiid is on the COVID list and Danny Green is not available tonight with his hamstring. Philadelphia is just 8-24-1 ATS in their last 33 road games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games when getting 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: Portland looks to avenge a 113-103 loss at Philadelphia as a 2-point road favorite on November 1st. The Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when avenging an upset loss as a road favorite. 10* NBA Saturday Late Show Bailout with the Portland Trail Blazers (548) minus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (547). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Indiana Pacers (513) plus the point(s) versus the Charlotte Hornets (514). THE SITUATION: Indiana (6-10) has lost two in a row after their 97-89 upset loss at Detroit as a 6.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Charlotte (9-7) has won four in a row with their 97-87 win against Washington as a 1-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PACERS PLUS THE POINT(S): Indiana should respond with a strong effort under head coach Rick Carlisle in his first-year back with the organization. The Pacers have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after an upset loss to a Central Division rival as a favorite laying at least six points. Indiana has not had their shots fall in their last two games as they have not even reached 90 points in their last two games. They are still averaging 106.3 PPG. The Pacers have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after failing to score at least 105 points in two straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after failing to score in triple digits in two straight games. Indiana started the season slow by losing five of their first six games. Since Caris LeVert was healthy enough to take the court in their seventh game, the Pacers have ranked 13th in the league in Net Efficiency Margin. Five of their losses have been by four points or less — and they did upset Utah and Philadelphia last week before this recent rough patch. Carlisle has this team playing better on defense. They have held five of their last eight opponents to 100 or fewer points — and only one of their last six opponents has made more than 43.0% of their shots. Indiana has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games against teams with winning records. Charlotte had pulled off three straight upset wins against Memphis, New York, and Golden State before their victory against the Wizards on Wednesday. We had Washington in that game — and the expected shot quality data from that game projected the Wizards to win by 11 points (for what that is worth). While the Hornets’ defensive field goal percentage of 36.7% in that game was their best mark of the season, the shot quality data suggests that had more to do with Washington having a bad night shooting the basketball than it being about the play of the Charlotte defense. The Hornets rank just 25th in the league in Defensive Efficiency. A letdown is likely. Charlotte has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after a double-digit win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a double-digit win at home. The Hornets have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after not allowing more than 95 points in their last game. And in their last 11 games after winning at least three in a row, Charlotte has lost 7 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: In their last ten games, the Hornets only rank 20th in Net Efficiency Margin. They did beat the Pacers at home on October 20th by a 123-122 score — but Indiana has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games when motivated by revenge. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Underdog of the Month with the Indiana Pacers (513) plus the point(s) versus the Charlotte Hornets (514). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (576) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (575). THE SITUATION: Phoenix (10-3) has won nine straight games with their 99-96 win at Minnesota as a 4-point favorite on Monday. Dallas (9-4) has won two straight and five of their last six games with their 111-101 win against Denver as a 5.5-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINTS: Phoenix defeated the Timberwolves despite shooting a season-low 37.6% of their shots from the field. The Suns held Minnesota to just 36.5% shooting in their third-straight game where they did not allow their opponent to make more than 40.7% of their shots. In their nine-game winning streak, Phoenix has held seven of those opponents to no better than 40.7% shooting. The Suns have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games at home. Phoenix has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games when favored — and they are 48-22-1 ATS in their last 71 games against teams with a winning record. Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after a straight-up win. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread win. The Mavericks made 50.0% of their shots against the Nuggets in what was their third-best shooting effort of the season. Despite winning nine of thirteen games, Dallas has a negative Net Rating while ranking in the bottom half of the league in both Offensive and Defensive Efficiency. They go on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight road games as an underdog. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: The Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games against the Suns — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 trips to Phoenix. 10* NBA Wednesday Late Show Bailout with the Phoenix Suns (576) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (575). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Washington Wizards (559) plus the points versus the Charlotte Hornets (560). THE SITUATION: Washington (10-3) has won five games in a row with their 105-100 win against New Orleans as a 4.5-point favorite on Monday. Charlotte (8-7) has won three straight games with their 106-102 upset win against Golden State as a 5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WIZARDS PLUS THE POINTS: Washington has been one of the biggest surprises of the NBA this season. Led by Bradley Beal, the Wizards made the playoffs last season. And while he is no longer playing alongside a second superstar in Russell Westbrook, the haul Washington got back in trading him to the Lakers has given this team intriguing depth. The Wizards brought back Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell in the deal — and they also added Spencer Dinwiddie via free agency in the offseason. Rookie head coach Wes Unseld, Jr. has done a great job with this team — especially on the defensive end the court. Washington is fourth in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency — and they are seventh in the league in Net Rating. Washington has won their last two games with Bradley Beal who has taken personal time after the death of his grandmother. Beal returns to the court tonight — and he should be playing with extra emotion. As it is, the Wizards have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they are 18-8-1 ATS in their last 27 games after a point spread victory. And while their game with the Pelicans finished Under the 208 Total, they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games after playing Under the Total in their last game. And while Washington has won eight of their last ten games, they have then covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. They go back on the road where they are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 games. Charlotte has pulled off three straight upset wins after beating Memphis by 10 points and Golden State by 8 points before their 4-point win against the Warriors. But the Hornets have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after winning three in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after pulling off three straight upset wins. Charlotte made 47.7% of their shots against the Warriors in what was the best shooting effort in their last eight games. The Hornets are second in the NBA by making 37.3% of their shots from behind the arc — but the Wizards lead the league by containing their opponents to just 30.7% shooting from downtown. Charlotte stays at home where they are 4-2 this season — but they are outscoring their guest by only +1.9 PPG. They are 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 home games with the Total set in the 220-229.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Hornets need to being hitting their 3s since they rank 26th in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency. Charlotte has been inconsistent this season — but they are 5-12-1 ATS in their last 18 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. 25* NBA Southeast Division Underdog of the Month with the Washington Wizards (559) plus the points versus the Charlotte Hornets (560). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the UCLA Bruins (888) minus the points versus the Villanova Wildcats (887). THE SITUATION: UCLA (1-0) opened their season with a 95-58 victory against Cal-State Bakersfield as a 23-point favorite on Tuesday. Villanova (1-0) began their campaign with a 91-51 victory against Mount St. Mary’s as a 25.5-point favorite on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRUINS MINUS THE POINT(S): UCLA is being undervalued by the market after their improbable run to the Final Four last season. The Bruins were the beneficiaries of some shooting luck in the NCAA Tournament — but shooting luck did not account for them going blow-for-blow with that loaded Gonzaga team in the National Semifinals. UCLA improved as the season went on under second-year head coach Mick Cronin teaching his defensive principles in a season marred by COVID. The Bruins return three players that are on the preseason Wooden Award watch list in Johnny Juzang (who single-handedly beat Michigan in the Elite Eight), Tyger Campbell (started every game at point guard for Cronin at UCLA), and Jamie Jaquez, Jr. (last year’s second-leading scorer). Cronin won’t have big man Cody Riley tonight as he recovers from an MCL injury — but he brought in Myles Johnson as a transfer from Rutgers with his seven-foot-seven wingspan. He was 19th in the nation last year in block rate. Peyton Watson is a top-ten recruit who also gets added into the mix of a group that has 91% of the returning minutes back from the Final Four team. This is a loaded group that continues to improve under Cronin. They get to host this game at Pauley Pavilion where they are 15-6-1 ATS in their last 22 games. The Bruins are also 20-7-1 ATS in their last 28 games after a straight-up win — and they are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games after a point spread victory. Villanova has failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after a win by 20 or more points — and they are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a point spread win. This is a very tough spot for head coach Jay Wright’s team to travel across the country early in the season to then play when their body clocks tell them it is 11:30 PM ET. The Wildcats return Collin Gillespie and Jermaine Samuels who are great college basketball players — but Wright is not bringing in the NBA talent that he was just a few years ago. Four starters return from the group that lost to Baylor in the Sweet 16. But Wright is replacing Jeremiah Robinson-Earl who was the lynchpin of what was an otherwise suspect team on defense — he was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder early in the second round of the NBA draft. Villanova tends to live-by-the-tree but die-by-the-three — they nailed 53% of their 3-pointers on Tuesday. Defending the arc will be a point of emphasis for Cronin after allowing Cal-State Bakersfield to make 41% of their 3-pointers. The Bruins held their opponents to 33.7% of the shots from downtown last season.

FINAL TAKE: Villanova has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. UCLA is 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. 10* CBB Villanova-UCLA ESPN2 Special with the UCLA Bruins (888) minus the points versus the Villanova Wildcats (887). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the New York Knicks (555) minus the point(s) versus the Charlotte Hornets (556). THE SITUATION: New York (7-5) has lost four of their last six games with their 112-100 upset loss to Milwaukee as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Charlotte (6-7) snapped their five-game losing streak with a 118-108 upset win at Memphis as a 4.5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE KNICKS MINUS THE POINTS: New York should rebound with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a double-digit loss. The Knicks added scoring punch to their playoff team last year by acquiring Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier. The new starting backcourt for head coach Tom Thibodeau has created scoring depth for this team — they rank fifth in the league in Offensive Efficiency. New York goes on the road where they are 5-1 this season. They have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games when favored. Charlotte played their best defensive game of the season by holding their opponents to just 42.5% of their shots. The Hornets still rank 28th in the league in Defensive Efficiency. They also made 45.6% of their shots which was the second-highest shooting percentage in their last six games. But Charlotte has 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 victory. They return home where they have failed to cover the pint spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 home games with the Total set at 220 to 229.5 point range. Furthermore, Charlotte has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 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: The Knicks have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 38 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Road Warrior of the Month with the New York Knicks (555) minus the point(s) versus the Charlotte Hornets (556). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (547) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (548). THE SITUATION: Miami (7-3) has lost two of their last three games after their 113-96 upset loss at Denver as a 1.5-point underdog on Monday. Los Angeles (6-5) has won four of their last six games with their 126-123 win against Charlotte as a 2-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT MINUS THE POINTS: The Heat made only 39.7% of their shots against the Nuggets in what was the second-worst shooting performance in their last six games. But Miami still ranks third in the NBA in offensive efficiency. Tyler Herro has bounced back from a sophomore slump last year to lead the team in scoring in the preseason and carry over that momentum into the regular season. He is scoring 20.3 PPG after his first ten games giving the Heat a scoring punch off the bench. Frankly, the Heat should be given a pass for taking a step back last year after their surprising run to the NBA Finals in the bubble in the fall of 2020. The shortened offseason did not help a team that was later hit hard by COVID and injuries — and then they caught a Milwaukee team in the playoffs motivated to avenge their playoff loss to Miami in the bubble. The Heat also made a couple of nice additions in the offseason to add Kyle Lowry and P.J. Tucker which gives the team toughness and more defensive acumen. The Heat rank sixth in the NBA Defensive Efficiency. This group is a serious contender to win the Eastern Conference and get back to the NBA Finals. Miami has rebounded to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss — and they are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a point spread loss. They stay on the road where they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games when favored. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a point spread loss. The Lakers are playing without LeBron James who is out indefinitely with an abdominal injury. LA is significantly worse without James. Entering the week, the Lakers were outscoring their opponents by +2.9 points per 100 possessions with James on the court — but they are getting outscored by -4.7 points per 100 possessions when James is not on the court. Los Angeles is scoring 10 points fewer per 100 possessions without James on the court. The play of the Lakers’ defense has also been a problem even with James healthy. After leading the league in Defensive Efficiency last season, Los Angeles ranks just 14th in efficiency this season. They are allowing their opponents to pull down 28.8% of their missed shots ranking 24th in the NBA — and the Heat is fourth in the league by rebounding 30.3% of their missed shots. LA also ranks last in the league in opponent free throw rate — and Miami is third in free throw attempt-to-field goal attempt ratio. The Lakers have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games at home in the Staples Center — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams are dealing with injuries — but the allure of playing on national television should help some of these players listed as questionable to take the court. Jimmy Butler is ready to roll. The Lakers are still without Talent Horton-Tucker and Trevor Ariza who are important for both depth and better play on defense. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games when getting the points. Miami is 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games when favored. 25* NBA Wednesday ESPN Game of the Month with the Miami Heat (547) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (548). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Washington Wizards (538) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (537). THE SITUATION: Washington (5-3) has lost two in a row after their 109-100 upset loss to Toronto as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Memphis (5-3) has won three of their last four games after pulling off their second straight upset win against Denver on Wednesday in a 108-106 upset victory as a 1-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WIZARDS MINUS THE POINTS: Washington should rebound with a strong effort tonight. The Wizards have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after an upset loss as a home favorite. Washington is also 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 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. And while the Wizards have not covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then covered the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games. Led by Bradley Beal, the Wizards made the playoffs last season. And while he is no longer playing alongside a second superstar in Russell Westbrook, the haul Washington got back in trading him to the Lakers has given this team intriguing depth. The Wizards brought back Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell in the deal — and they also added Spencer Dinwiddie via free agency in the offseason. Washington stays at home where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 22 home games with the Total set at 220 to 229.5 point range. Additionally, the Wizards have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games against teams with a winning record — and they are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 games when favored. Memphis made 51.9% of their shots on Wednesday to pull off their second-straight upset win against the Nuggets this week. That was the best shooting effort in their last seven games. But the Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after an upset win as a home underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after a close win by three points or less at home. Memphis 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 Grizzlies have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Memphis is playing without Dillon Brooks who is out with a hand injury. The team misses his impact on defense — the Grizzlies rank last in the NBA in Defensive Rating. Their struggles on the defensive end of the court have pulled down their Net Rating so far this season to just 24th in the league. Washington ranks 11th in the NBA with their Net Efficiency Rating entering this season.

FINAL TAKE: Kyle Kuzma has been upgraded to probable after leaving Wednesday’s game with a wrist injury. The Wizards have covered the point spread in 4 straight games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month with the Washington Wizards (538) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (537). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (501) minus the points versus the Cleveland Cavaliers (502). THE SITUATION: Portland (3-4) suffered their second-straight upset loss on Monday in their 113-103 upset loss at Philadelphia as a 2-point favorite. Cleveland (4-4) has won four of their last six games after a 113-110 upset victory at Charlotte as a 5-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS MINUS THE POINTS: Portland got upset on Sunday when they were beaten in Charlotte by a 125-113 score as a 2-point road favorite. The Blazers should respond to these wake-up calls tonight after allowing the 76ers to make 57.8% of their shots in their worst defensive game of the season. Portland has covered the point spread in 5 straight games after suffering two straight upset losses. The Trail Blazers have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after losing two in a row by double-digits. Additionally, Portland has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games on the road after not covering the point spread in two straight games. They stay on the road where they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games when playing their third game in four days on the road. And in their last 7 road games when favored, the Blazers have covered the point spread in 5 of these games. Cleveland made only 43.3% of their shots in their win against the Hornets — but that was still their best shooting mark in their last four games. The Cavaliers have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a straight-up win. Now after being on the road since October 23rd, Cleveland returns home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 17 home games after being on the road for at least seven days. The Cavaliers are just 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games at home — and they are 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games at home as an underdog. Cleveland is also 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: The Cavaliers are undermanned tonight with both Lauri Markkanen and Kevin Love in COVID quarantine. 10* NBA Blowout Bookie Buster with the Portland Trail Blazers (501) minus the points versus the Cleveland Cavaliers (502). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Washington Wizards (537) plus the points versus the Boston Celtics (538). THE SITUATION: Washington (2-1) won their first two games of the season before losing at Brooklyn by a 104-90 score on Monday as a 6-point underdog. Boston (2-2) has won two games in a row with their 140-129 win at Charlotte as a 1.5-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WIZARDS PLUS THE POINTS: Washington only made 34.7% of their shots against the Nets which was their worst shooting effort of the young season. The Wizards have bounced back to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss — and they are 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 games after a straight-up loss. Washington has also covered the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games when playing with one day of rest. Led by Bradley Beal, the Wizards made the playoffs last season. And while he is no longer playing alongside a second superstar in Russell Westbrook, the haul Washington got back in trading him to the Lakers has given this team intriguing depth. The Wizards brought back Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell in the deal — and they also added Spencer Dinwiddie via free agency in the offseason. Washington stays on the road where they are 13-5-1 ATS in their last 19 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games as an underdog. Boston made 49.5% of their shots on Monday to return to a .500 record — that was their best shooting effort of the season. But the Celtics have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after a double-digit victory. Boston has also 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 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread victory. And in their last 4 games after scoring at least 125 points, the Celtics have failed to cover the point spread all 4 times. Additionally, they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games when playing with one day of rest. It is a new regime in Boston with Danny Ainge gone from the front office with Brad Stevens moving upstairs to replace him with Ime Udoka replacing him on the sideline. The rookie head coach has been shaky in his debut with some of his rotation decisions. They lost by 32 points in their first game at home this year. The Celtics have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games when favored. Boston has their big two in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — but is there enough support? They traded their first-round pick to bring back Al Horford and they also signed Dennis Schroeder who was a locker room problem with the Lakers last year. This group remains a work in progress — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better.

FINAL TAKE: Washington will remember their 118-100 loss the last time they played the Celtics which was in Boston on May 18th when they were a small 1.5-point underdog. The Wizards remain 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games against Boston. 25* NBA Underdog of the Month with the Washington Wizards (537) plus the points versus the Boston Celtics (538). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the New York Knicks (520) minus the point(s) versus the Philadelphia 76ers (519). THE SITUATION: New York (2-1) had their two-game winning streak to start the season end with a 110-104 upset loss at home to Orlando as a 12-point favorite on Sunday. Philadelphia (2-1) has won two of their first three games with their 115-103 win at Oklahoma City as a 10-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE KNICKS MINUS THE POINTS: After making 48.6% and 50% of their shots in their first two games, New York only made 37.0% of their shots against the Magic. The Knicks should bounce-back tonight. They have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 games after a point spread win. New York has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after an upset loss as a double-digit favorite. They stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games — and they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 31 games when favored overall. They are also 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 games when playing a team with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Philadelphia has 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 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. The 76ers continue to play under the shadow of the Ben Simmons drama — he is not playing for the team right now with him demanding a trade. The Sixers stay on the road where they are 6-21-1 ATS in their last 28 road games as an underdog. They are also 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: New York has covered the point spread in 27 of their last 34 expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 22 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NBA Tuesday TNT Game of the Month with the New York Knicks (520) minus the point(s) versus the Philadelphia 76ers (519). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (511) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (512) in Game Six of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (65-28) has lost three games in a row in this series after their 123-119 upset loss at home to Milwaukee as a 3.5-point underdog on Saturday. Milwaukee (61-33) can win the NBA Championship tonight with their 3-2 series lead.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS PLUS THE POINTS: We incorrectly had Phoenix on Saturday — it was another game where our side won the expected score but lost on the scoreboard. The deeper analytics that assesses shot quality projected that the Suns win Game Five 58% of the time. But Phoenix allowed Milwaukee to make 57.5% of their shots in what was the worst defensive effort in their last 25 games. The Bucks’ 57.5% shooting from the field was the best shooting effort in their last 87 contests going all the way back to January 4th. It was the second-best offensive performance of the season. They nailed 14 of their 28 shots from behind the arc. I am expecting a visit from the Regression Gods — especially with the pressure of closing out the series to win the title. These Game Sixes are tricky for a home team with a 3-2 series lead. While they have a bird in the hand on a potential seventh game, there often is stress and anxiety of feeling the urgency to end things in front of their home fans. The Bucks may win the title — and I have been frustrated with the critics who too quickly place blame on Mike Budenholzer despite it being his coaching and his timely adjustments (and patience with the things that got his team into this position) that has them on the precipice of the championship. But I do not think it is going to be easy for this Milwaukee team. They have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games after winning three in a row. And while the Bucks have covered the point spread in the last three games in this series, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after covering the point spread in three of their last four games. Phoenix made 13 of their 19 shots from behind the arc — but it was the variance from midrange shooting that made the difference in Game Five. The Suns should have scored five more points from their midrange shots given the shot quality data — and the Bucks should have scored 7 points less from the midrange given the shot quality data. Phoenix has bounced back to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after an upset loss. Additionally, the Suns have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games after a point spread loss. Now Phoenix goes back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning record at home — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Suns have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 40 games when playing with revenge from a loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games when motivated by triple revenge. 10* NBA Tuesday Daily Discounted Deal with Phoenix Suns (511) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (510) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (509) in Game Five of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (65-27) has lost the last two games of this series after their 109-103 loss on the road to the Bucks as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. Milwaukee (60-33) has won six of their last nine games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINTS: Game Four was extremely frustrating. Phoenix led the game for just under 39 minutes. They were covering the point spread as the two-possession underdog for 47:40 minutes of the contest before they let the game slip away in the final 20 seconds. Chris Paul, perhaps one of the most overrated players in the league considering his historical reputation far exceeds his results in the postseason, too played the game with discipline one would expect in an exhibition contest. When Paul has his A-Game, he is fantastic. Too often, he drives the lane with reckless abandon before trying to attempt a Magic Johnson pass. In a game where he needed to show leadership through discipline in his actions, he played out of control. A hidden injury is not the reason why he is trying to do too much. He has 15 turnovers in the last three games because he is not playing with the composure of a veteran with deep playoff experience. And I make this selection fully aware that the expected points projections from shot quality indicate that Milwaukee should have won the last three games in this series. The Bucks may be the better team — I do not know. Frankly, I do not think either of these teams are very good, relative to recent NBA champions. Given that, I don’t think Milwaukee is good enough to outplay a quality team four times in a row — and I do expect Paul and this Suns team to play better back at home. Phoenix has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after a loss by six points or less. The Suns have also covered the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games after a point spread loss. Phoenix has made at least 48.2% of their shots in the last three games of the series — and they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 33 games after making at least 47% of their shots in three straight games. Making shots has not been the problem for the Suns. Defensive rebounding and committing too many turnovers is what has gotten the Bucks back into this series. Returning home would help where they have covered the point spread in 36 of their last 52 games — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 22 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, Phoenix has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 21 home games when favored by six points or less. The Suns have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 playoff games when favored — and they are 27-10-1 ATS in their last 38 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Milwaukee has won and covered the point spread in the last two games in this series — but consistency has been an issue for head coach Mike Budenholzer’s team. The Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 37 games after winning two in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games after covering the point spread in their last two games. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after allowing their opponent’s field goal percentage of 47% or higher in three straight games. Now Milwaukee goes back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 road games as an underdog. The Bucks have also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games as an underdog in the playoffs.

FINAK TAKE: Phoenix has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games when avenging a same-season loss — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games when playing with revenge from a loss on the road. 10* NBA Saturday Night Discounted Deal with the Phoenix Suns (510) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (509). Best of luck for us - Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (507) plus points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (508) in Game Four of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (65-26) looks to bounce back from their 120-100 loss on the road to the Bucks as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. Milwaukee (59-33) has three of their last five games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS PLUS THE POINTS: The Suns scored their fewest points on Sunday in their last five games. After scoring 102 points in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers, they responded by scoring 130 to close out that series in Game Six. Chris Paul and Devin Booker combined to make only two of their 11 shots from behind the arc in Game Three. They should play better in Game Four. Phoenix has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games after a point spread loss. The Suns have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit loss. Phoenix allowed the Bucks to make 47.8% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last four games. The Suns have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after allowing at least 120 points in their last game. Phoenix has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better on their home court. Furthermore, Phoenix is 27-9-1 ATS in their last 37 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better overall. Milwaukee’s 47.8% field goal percentage was the best shooting effort in their last four contests. The Bucks have scored at least 105 points in five straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 32 of their last 51 games after scoring at least 105 points in four straight contests. Milwaukee has also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after playing a team from the Western Conference in three straight contests.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 29 games when avenging a loss against their opponent — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with Phoenix Suns (507) plus points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (508). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (506) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (505) in Game Three of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (58-33) returns home down 0-2 in this series after losing Game Two by a 118-108 score as a 4.5-point underdog on Thursday. Phoenix (65-25) has won four of their last five games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Milwaukee only made 45.2% of their shots on Thursday which was the worst shooting effort in their last three games. The Bucks made only 9 of their 31 shots from behind the arc. Now Milwaukee returns home where they are making 48.6% of their shots including 38.2% of their 3-point shots. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday struggled in Game Two as they combined to make only 12 of their 37 shots from the field. Both players — along with the Bucks’ role players — usually play better back on their home court. Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after losing two of their last three games. The Bucks have played four straight Overs — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after playing at least four straight games Over the Total. Milwaukee returns home where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games — and they have covered the point spread in a decisive 40 of their last 63 home games with the Total set in the 220s. The Bucks have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Phoenix made 48.9% of their shots in Game Two — but it was their nailing 20 of their 40 shots from behind the arc that really made the difference. The Suns have an effective field goal percentage of 57.3% in this series — and they are outperforming their expected effective field goal percentage of 53.2% in the first two games. The Regression Gods should make an appearance to level things out a bit. Phoenix has covered the point spread in three straight games going back to their Game Six win to close out the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Suns have failed to cover the point spread in 30 of their last 45 games after covering the point spread in three straight games. And while Phoenix has played four straight Overs, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after playing at least four straight Overs.

FINAL TAKE: I have seen some analytics that projected that Milwaukee should have won Game Two by a 116-104 score based on expected points from the shot quality of both teams. While I take that data with a grain of salt, we are going to win more of our bets than we lose in the long run when we are on the right side of that data. The Bucks are in this series — and they should have more of their shots fall (while seeing more of the Suns' shots not fall). Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 third games in an NBA playoff series under Mike Budenholzer. 25* NBA Sunday ABC-TV Game of the Year with the Milwaukee Bucks (506) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (505). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (503) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (504) in Game Two of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (58-32) looks to bounce back from their 118-105 loss on the road to the Suns as a 5-point underdog on Tuesday. Phoenix (64-25) has won three of their last four games to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS PLUS THE POINTS: If there was a plus-side to Milwaukee’s 11-point loss, it was the return of Giannis Antetokounmpo who played 35 minutes and scored 20 points with 17 rebounds. The Bucks made only 45.5% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last three games. They also allowed Phoenix to make 46.6% of their shots, the worst opponent’s field goal percentage in their last three games. Even worse, the Suns generated an Offensive Rating of 118.0 in that game which was the fourth-highest opponent’s Offensive Rating Milwaukee has allowed in this postseason. Mike Budenholzer is every pundit’s whipping boy for not making the adjustments they see (or not doing it quick enough) — but the benefit of a seven-game playoff series is to experiment with different defensive schemes. What the Bucks’ pick-and-roll defense places as their top priority is not foul — not only to protect Antetokounmpo to keep him on the court but to also not give up easy free throws. This consideration is rarely mentioned by the ankle-biters. Budenholzer may be content to let Chris Paul once again settle for mid-range jumpers — the shot that these same-ankle bitters consider the worst shot in basketball since it is not a 3-pointer nor a high-percentage shot at the rim. Or, Budenholzer may have defensive stalwart Jrue Holiday play against Paul rather than Devin Booker in Game One. Or, Budenholzer may go back to the drop defense against the pick-and-roll with Brook Lopez playing a little bit higher up the court to challenge the mid-range shot — this was very effective against Trae Young after Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals. I am not sure what Budenholzer will do while acknowledging that he is a far better defensive coach than me (and his critics). Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. The Bucks have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games when playing with one day of rest. Milwaukee should commit fewer personal fouls tonight — the Suns got to the free-throw line 26 times and made 25 of those shots from the charity stripe. The Bucks’ opponent’s free throw attempt to field goal attempt ratio of 16.3% is the lowest in the NBA. Phoenix generated a 29.6% FTA: FGA ratio in Game One — and they average 19 free throw attempts per game. The Suns will not likely have a +16 point edge from the free-throw line tonight. The Suns have played three straight Overs — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 23 games after playing at least three straight Overs. Having Holiday defend Paul may be the preferred adjustment for Budenholzer since Booker’s play has declined a bit as the postseason has moved on. The young star is averaging 23.3 PPG on just 35% shooting from the field and a 22% mark from behind the arc in his last six games. He is averaging 4.3 turnovers per game during that span. Booker’s challenge in this series is heightened with him having to defend either Khris Middleton or Holiday. The season-ending torn ACL injury to Dario Saric leaves the Suns a man-short moving forward. Deandre Ayton cannot play 48 minutes. He will be subbed for either Torrey Craig or Frank Kaminsky, but both present problems for head coach Monty Williams. Craig has played 199 minutes in the playoffs with an On/Off Differential of -12.4. The Suns were outscored by 10 points when he was on the court for Game One. Kaminsky has only played 29 minutes in the playoffs while posting a -3.5 On/Off Differential. Phoenix outscored their opponents by +14.1 points per 100 possessions with Saric on the court this season. He will be missed.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 Games Twos in the NBA playoffs under Budenholzer. 25* NBA Thursday Night Special Feature with Milwaukee Bucks (503) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (502) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (501) in Game One of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (63-25) comes off a 130-103 victory in Los Angeles against the Clippers as a 1-point favorite last Wednesday to win that series in six games. Milwaukee (58-31) has won two in a row and four of their last five after their 118-107 upset win in Atlanta as a 3.5-point underdog on Saturday to close out that series in six games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINTS: Phoenix should build off their momentum rested and ready on their home court. The Suns have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread win. Phoenix is also 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a double-digit win — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a win by 10 or more points on the road. Additionally, the Suns have covered the point spread in 9 straight games after a double-digit win against a fellow Pacific Division rival. Phoenix has also covered the point spread in 4 straight games when playing with at least three days of rest. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 34 of their last 50 games — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Suns have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 19 home games when favored by up to six points. Milwaukee may not have Giannis Antetokounmpo for this game although he has been upgraded to questionable with the knee injury that kept him out of the final two games of that series. The Bucks won both games without Antetokounmpo — but this team could be in for a letdown now. Getting only two days of rest against a team with three extra days to rest and recuperate does not help — and the league did them no favors by moving the start of this series up two days. As it is, Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 38 games after winning two in a row. They go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games as an underdog. They are also 13-27-1 ATS in their last 41 playoff games as an underdog. And in their last 14 opening games to a new playoff series when playing on the road, the Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played on April 19th in Milwaukee with Phoenix upsetting the Bucks, 128-127, as a 3-point underdog. The Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games when avenging a loss by three points or less. 25* NBA Tuesday Night Special Feature with the Phoenix Suns (502) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (501). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Atlanta Hawks (562) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (561) in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (51-38) looks to stave off elimination tonight after dropping Game Five in this series on the road against the Bucks by a 123-112 score as a 7-point favorite on Thursday. Milwaukee (57-31) has won three of the last four games in this series to take a 3-2 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKS MINUS THE POINTS: Trae Young is listed as questionable with the bone bruise in his foot — he is a game-time decision. I suspect he will try to play in this elimination game but expected him to be close to 100% is probably too optimistic. But his supporting cast should play better tonight. Atlanta has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. And while they have only covered the point spread once in the last four games in this series, the Hawks have covered the point spread in 7 straight games at home after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 28 games — and they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 21 home games when favored. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, Atlanta has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 playoff games when favored. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been declared out for tonight’s game — so it will be Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday carrying the offensive load again tonight. They both had big offensive games — Middleton scored 26 points with 13 rebounds and eight assists and Holiday scored 25 points with 13 assists and six rebounds. Brook Lopez also had his best game in the series with 33 points on 14 of 18 shooting. It is unlikely these four players are as effective tonight — especially back on the road in Atlanta. The Bucks raced out to a 14-point lead at the end of the first quarter by scoring 36 points. 28 of those points were in the paint with Milwaukee catching Atlanta too lax with their interior defense. The Hawks tightened up on defense after that. The Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games after winning four of their last five contests. They go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 road games as an underdog. Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games in the playoffs as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Bucks have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games when playing at home and avenging a double-digit loss. 10* NBA Saturday Night Discounted Deal with the Atlanta Hawks (562) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (561). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (542) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (541) in Game Five of their Eastern Conference Finals series. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (56-31) looks to bounce back from their 110-88 upset loss on the road against the Hawks as a 5.5-point underdog on Tuesday. Atlanta (51-37) had lost the previous two games in this series before Game Four.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: This is a war of attrition between two flawed basketball teams now facing the challenge of adjusting to significant injuries. I waited for the early afternoon injury updates to make my final calls on this game. Giannis Antetokounmpo was declared out for tonight’s game at 1:30 PM ET with his sore left knee. Trae Young is questionable with the bone bruise in his right foot — he will be a game-time decision. Even if he plays, it remains a separate question as to how effective he will be if less than 100%. The injury updates are only half the news that interests me — how this impacts the line movement is the other important dynamic to consider. The line is stabilizing with the Bucks favored in the 3-point range — and I think they win this game comfortably by more than one scoring possession. The supporting cast for Milwaukee is better than the supporting cast of the Hawks. Frankly, Khris Middleton may be the team’s best player — or, at least, their most reliable player on the offensive end of the court. He only made 6 of 17 shots on Tuesday — including missing all seven of his 3-pointers — in scoring just 16 points. I’m not saying he is Michael Jordan circa 1993. I think the Bucks are a system team that is well-coached by Mike Budenholzer — and the ankle-biting critics of Budenholzer wildly overrate how good this team (and Antetokounmpo) is in the postseason. Simply put, Middleton and this Bucks team should play better at home — especially after their embarrassing effort on Tuesday. I still think they rally to win Game Four in the second half if not for the Antetokoumpo injury — he left in the third quarter when they had cut their halftime deficit to just 10 points. Milwaukee only made 39.3% of their shots in Game Four which was the worst shooting effort in their last eight games. They only made 8 of their 30 shots (21%) of their shots from behind the arc. They should shoot better tonight — the Bucks shot 48.5% from the field on their home court with a 38.3% mark from behind the arc. Milwaukee should also tighten up on defense after allowing the Hawks to make 50.6% of their shots, the worst defensive effort in their last nine games. The Bucks have bounced back to cover the point spread in 39 of their last 63 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after an upset loss by 15 or more points. Milwaukee has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after failing to score at least 90 points. The last three games in this series have finished Under the Total — and the Bucks have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 home games after playing their last two games Under the Total. They have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 home games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. And Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 home games after winning two of their last three games. Atlanta’s secondary players stepped up knowing they would have to be at their best to compensate for the absence of Young. Their 50.6% shooting effort was their best performance in 10 games. And by holding the Bucks to a 39.3% field goal percentage, they played their best defensive game in their last 11. I suspect that a short-term boost cannot be sustained. And even if Young returns to the court tonight and is close to 100%, I suspect the Hawks to be flat tonight — even (or especially) against a team without Antetokounmpo. We see situations like this all the time in the regular season. As it is, Atlanta has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after an upset win as a home underdog by at least 15 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after an upset win as a home underdog by 20 or more points. The injury issues for the Hawks do not end with Young. Clint Capela is questionable with an eye injury. And while Bogan Bogdanovich had his best game in his last seven contests after injuring his right knee by scoring 20 points, he had not scored more than nine points in his previous six games — so he may experience some regression tonight.

FINAL TAKE: Just as the remaining Atlanta players stepped up on Tuesday, I expect the remaining Milwaukee players to play better tonight — especially after being such a disappointment in Game Four. Like the Hawks knew they would be without Young in that game, the Bucks know the onus is on them with Antetokounmpo declared out hours before game-time. Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when avenging a loss by 20 or more points. 25* NBA Thursday TNT Game of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (542) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (541). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (531) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Los Angeles Clippers (532) in Game Six of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (62-25) looks to bounce back from their 116-102 upset loss to the Clippers as a 7.5-point underdog on Monday. Los Angeles (57-33) still faces elimination tonight, trailing 3-2 in the series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS (OR PLUS) THE POINT(S): Phoenix allowed the Clippers to make 54.8% of their shots in Game Five which was the worst defensive effort in their last 21 games. The Suns have only suffered back-to-back losses four times all season — so a better effort should be coming tonight. Phoenix has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 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. Additionally, the Suns have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a loss by 10 or more points. They go back on the road where they have won five of their seven games in the postseason — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on the road. Phoenix has also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. They should get more out of Deandre Ayton tonight after the big man only attempted nine shots on Monday. He had been averaging 20.3 Points-Per-Game in the first four games in this series while tallying at least 18 points and 13 shot attempts in all four games. The Suns are 24-8-1 ATS in their last 33 games — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games in the playoffs when favored. Los Angeles had their best shooting effort in their last five games with their 54.8% shooting percentage on Monday. But the Clippers are 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 games after a double-digit win. Furthermore, Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after an upset win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after an upset victory by 10 or more points. We had the Clippers as an underdog in Game Five — but this remains a team dealing with more and more injuries. Losing Kawhi Leonard is very tough — and big man Ivica Zubac did not play due to a sprained MCL injury. He is questionable tonight. Paul George is carrying the team — but fatigue is becoming an issue. His 735 minutes played in the postseason are the most of any player in these playoffs. He logged in at least 40 minutes for the fourth straight time on Monday. Now Los Angeles returns home to the Staples Center where they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games when motivated by revenge. Los Angeles has also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games when avenging an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 25* NBA Wednesday ESPN Game of the Year with the Phoenix Suns (531) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Los Angeles Clippers (532). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (521) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (522) in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Finals series. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (56-30) took a 2-1 lead in this series with their 113-102 win as a 4.5-point favorite on Sunday. Atlanta (50-37) has lost the last two games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: The Hawks were cruising with a 95-88 lead with just 7:20 left in the game. But Atlanta would only score seven points the rest of the game with their offense almost completely drying up after Trae Young’s inopportune ankle injury after accidentally stepping on the foot of a referee. He is questionable to play tonight. While my best guess is that he tries to play, the mystery is how effective will he be? His game is dependent on his lateral movement. He only took four shots in the fourth quarter, making one, with just three points, and Milwaukee outscoring Atlanta by 15 points when he was on the court. He was merely a decoy in the waning minutes of the game — that speaks loudly. The Hawks are looking more and more like a M*A*S*H unit. They are already hampered by Bogdan Bogdanovic and his knee injury. After scoring 16.4 PPG with 5.9 Rebounds-Per-Game in the first nine playoff games this postseason, he has not scored more than nine points nor pulled down more than four rebounds in his last six playoff games. After making only 3 of 16 shots on Sunday, Bogdanovic has made only 7 of his 28 shot attempts in this series. The Hawks have already lost their best on-the-ball defender Deandre Hunter who was vital in defending Julius Randle in their opening-round series against New York. This team is on the rise — but they simply do not have the roster depth to survive all these injuries. Atlanta has averaged only 96.5 PPG in the last two games in this series. They have failed to cover the point spread in 35 of their last 57 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Milwaukee is a flawed basketball team — but they have a system that works usually under head coach Mike Budenholzer and they consistently play outstanding defense. They have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 44 road games when favored by 6.5 to 12 points. They have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 playoff games when leading in a playoff series — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 Game Fours in a series.

FINAL TAKE: The Bucks have a big edge in playoff experience against the Hawks — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 meetings against them. 10* NBA Tuesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Milwaukee Bucks (521) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (522). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (511) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (512) in Game Five of their Western Conference Finals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (56-33) looks to stave off elimination tonight after losing Game Four by an 84-80 score on Sunday as a 1-point underdog. Phoenix (62-24) has won ten of their last eleven games to take the 3-1 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS PLUS THE POINTS: The Clippers only made 32.5% of their shots on Sunday despite them scoring at 120.8 points per 100 possession clip in the playoffs. This has been a resilient team that has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games after a loss by six points or less. Los Angeles has also covered the point spread in a decisive 45 of their last 67 games after a straight-up loss. The Clippers have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning record at home — and they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 26 road games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Phoenix only made 36.0% of their shots on Sunday which was the worst shooting effort in their last 41 games. The Suns’ 84 points came after them scoring just 92 points in Game Three — so this looks to be more than just a bad shooting night. Devin Booker does not look comfortable wearing the face mask to protect his broken nose — and he may be tiring from the playoff grind in his first postseason as a professional. Chris Paul still looks rusty after being out with COVID. Cameron Payne is slowed with an ankle injury — he played only 20 minutes on Sunday and made only 2 of his 8 shots from the field. Phoenix only made 38.9% of their shots in Game Three — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after not making at least 39% of their shots in two straight games.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles added Ivica Zubac to their injury report this afternoon with a sprained right knee. Hopefully, he can still play — but the point spread is adjusting. If he cannot go, it likely means more playing time for Nicolas Batum who played an important role in the Dallas and Utah series. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games when avenging a loss at home. 10* NBA Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Los Angeles Clippers (511) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Atlanta Hawks (502) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (501) in Game Three of their Eastern Conference Finals series. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (50-36) looks to bounce back from their 125-91 loss to the Bucks as an 8-point underdog in Game Two on Friday. Milwaukee (55-30) has won three of their last four games and evened this series at 1-1.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: Atlanta allowed the Bucks to make 52.1% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. The Hawks have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 home games after a loss on the road. Atlanta has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. The Hawks started slow (or failed to thwart the inevitable fast start from Milwaukee after they lost home-court advantage in Game One) — after trailing by six points at the end of the first quarter, they were blitzed in the second quarter by a 43-17 margin to go into halftime by a 77-45 score. Atlanta has responded from a half-time deficit of 15 or more points by covering the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games next time out. Despite the lazy and tired reputation for never making adjustments, Bucks’ head coach Mike Budenholzer made yet another change in tactics in this game by having Brook Lopez confront Trae Young higher up the court on pick-and-roll switches. This took away Young’s floater game. The Hawks’ counter requires help from his teammates — but Young only had three assists. His nine turnovers were too many — but returning home should help where his teammates tend to shoot the basketball with more proficiency. Coaches become tactical geniuses or idiots often based on how often the shots finally fall. Atlanta shoots 46.4% from the field and makes 36.6% of their 3-pointers — and those numbers improve to a 47.1% mark along with a 38.7% clip from behind the arc when they are playing at home. Look for more from Kevin Huerter who scored only 21 combined points in the first two games of this series in Milwaukee. He poured in 44 points in the final two games in the Philadelphia series. The Hawks have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Milwaukee’s 52.1% shooting percentage was the best shooting effort in their last 14 games. But the Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a win at home by at least 20 points — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a victory by at least 30 points. Milwaukee has also failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games on the road after winning two of their last three games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 33 games after winning three of four. Now the Bucks go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 41 games with the Total set in the 220s — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. Milwaukee has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games when playing with revenge from a same-season loss. The Hawks have also covered the point spread in 21 of their last 33 games when avenging a loss of 30 or more points. 25* NBA Sunday TNT Game of the Year with the Atlanta Hawks (502) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (501). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (591) minus the point(s) versus the Los Angeles Clippers (592) in Game Four of their Western Conference Finals series. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (61-24) had their nine-game winning streak in the postseason snapped in a 106-92 upset loss on the road against the Clippers as a 1-point favorite on Thursday. Los Angeles (56-32) has won five of their last seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINT(S): Phoenix made only 38.9% of their shots on Thursday which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last 40 games. Chris Paul returned to the court after completing his COVID quarantine but he was rusty by making only 5 of 19 shots. Devin Booker made only 5 of 21 shots while looking uncomfortable wearing the mask he will have to get comfortable with after breaking his nose in the last game. To compound matters, Cameron Payne suffered a left ankle sprain which limited him to just 4:19 minutes played. Phoenix should bounce back tonight. They have only lost back-to-back games four times this season. Paul will be better with another two days of work to get back into his routine. Booker will get used to the mask — this has rarely been a hindrance for superstars once they get acclimated to the appliance (Rip Hamilton liked it so much that he kept wearing it after his face injury healed when he was leading Detroit Pistons to a title in the 1990s). Payne is listed as probable to play tonight. The Suns have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after an upset loss as a road favorite. Phoenix has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss. Additionally, the Suns have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 32 games after a point spread loss. And while Phoenix has not covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after not covering the point spread in their last two games. They stay on the road where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams winning at least 60% of their games at home. They are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games when favored. Los Angeles played their best game on defense in their last 12 games by holding the Suns to just 38.9% shooting. But the Clippers are just 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 games after a double-digit win. Additionally, Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after an upset win as a home underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit win as a home dog. Despite the triumph in Game Three, there are too many cracks in the armor for this team in what is essentially in a pick ‘em situation tonight. Kawhi Leonard is not likely to play again this postseason. Paul George is carrying the load — but he is logging a ton of minutes. He leads all players in the postseason with 653 minutes played and he has been required to play at least 40 minutes in six of his last eight games. The canary in the coal mine may have been his six turnovers in the final 14 minutes of Game Three. Marcus Morris is playing hurt. DeMarcus Cousins is unplayable since he will get burned on the pick-and-roll. And the Clippers continue to have no answer for Deandre Ayton who is scoring 20.7 PPG on 73.8% shooting in this series. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 home games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games when avenging a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games when playing with revenge from an upset loss as a road favorite. 25* NBA Western Conference Game of the Year with the Phoenix Suns (591) minus the point(s) versus the Los Angeles Clippers (592). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (582) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (581) in Game Two of their Eastern Conference Finals series. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (54-30) looks to bounce back from their 116-113 upset loss to the Hawks in Game One of this series as an 8.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Atlanta (50-35) has won four of their last five games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Milwaukee had a seven-point lead with four minutes to go and looked in position to win and cover the point spread in Game One. But the Bucks failed to close while getting beaten on the defensive glass with Atlanta pulling down five offensive rebounds which resulted in seven second-chance points. Milwaukee has no business getting beat on the glass against this Hawks team. The Bucks entered this series leading all teams in the postseason with a rebounding rate of 53.8% — and the Hawks’ 48.8% rebounding rate is the fourth-worst in the playoffs. Milwaukee allowed Atlanta to make 49.5% of their shots in what was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. The Bucks should tighten things up on that end of the court tonight. Mike “Never Makes Adjustments” Budenholzer only played Brook Lopez for just eight minutes in the second half with him on the bench for the final 16 minutes of the game. Lopez was getting burned playing drop defense in the pick-and-roll against Trae Young who was torching him with floaters — but Budenholzer’s move to a small lineup with Antetokounmpo playing the five helped to limit Young to making just two of his eight floaters in the second half. Expect more smaller lineups from Budenholzer tonight. Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after a loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing with one day of rest. Khris Middleton should play better tonight after making only 6 of 23 shots and missing all nine of his shots from downtown. The Bucks only made 8 of their 26 shots (30.8%) from 3-point range — they should improve on that tonight. They have covered the point spread in 39 of their last 62 home games with the Total set in the 220 to 229.5 point range — including eight of these last thirteen situations. Atlanta has pulled off two straight upsets after beating Philadelphia on the road in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinals — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after upsetting their opponents in two straight games. The Hawks have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after winning two in a row on the road. While Young carried Atlanta on Wednesday, Bogan Bogdanovich continues to struggle with his injured knee — he scored only four points on 1 of 6 shooting in just 27 minutes. The Hawks have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 25 road games as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points including six of these last eight situations. Atlanta has also failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 37 road games with the Total set in the 220 to 229.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 21 home games when favored by 6.5 to 12 points. The Bucks have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 Game Twos in a playoff series including five of their last seven. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with Milwaukee Bucks (582) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (581). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (571) minus the point(s) versus the Los Angeles Clippers (572) in Game Three of their Western Conference Finals series. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (61-23) took a 2-0 lead in this series with their 104-103 victory as a 3-point favorite on Tuesday. Los Angeles (55-32) trails by an 0-2 mark in a playoff series for the third straight time this postseason.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINT(S): Phoenix is on a roll with nine straight victories in these playoffs — and now they get Chris Paul back to provide his court leadership and on-the-ball defense. The Suns have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win. Phoenix won Game Two despite shooting 50% from the field which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last four games. In allowing the Clippers to make 45% of their shots, they played their worst defensive game in their last three contests. The Suns may have an insurmountable edge in Deandre Ayton who Los Angeles does not have an answer for down low. Ayton is averaging 22 PPG on 75.9% shooting while pulling down 11.5 Rebounds-Per-Game in this series. Only Ivica Zubac has come close to slowing down Ayton. DeMarcus Cousins has a -38.2 Net Rating when he is on the court in this series with the Suns scoring at 138.2 points per 100 possession rate. If Zubac gets into foul trouble, Los Angeles may not have a suitable alternative to Cousins. Phoenix goes back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 4 straight road games against teams with a winning record at home. I just don’t like the position Los Angeles has put themselves in again. They had Kawhi Leonard for the previous two Game Threes.

At 8:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (562) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (561) in Game One of their Eastern Conference Finals series. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (54-29) has won four of their last five games after rallying from a 3-2 deficit to defeat Brooklyn by a 115-111 score as a 2-point favorite in Game 7 on Saturday. Atlanta (49-35) has won three of their last four games after their 103-96 upset win at Philadelphia as a 4-point underdog in Game Seven of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Milwaukee outlasted the Nets despite making only 43.9% of their shots which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last four games. The Bucks should build off their momentum from upsetting Brooklyn. 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 an upset victory as a road underdog. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games with the Total set in the 220s — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 home games when laying 6.5 to 12 points. While there is a cottage industry of folks thinking they are better head coaches than Mike Budenholzer because he doesn’t make enough “adjustments”, the veteran head coach in his third Conference Finals does not get enough credit for his defensive tactics. The Bucks are holding their playoff opponents to 105.0 points per 100 possessions — and these opponents have just a 51.2% effective field percentage in the playoffs. Atlanta has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after an upset win on the road in their last game. Now they stay on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 24 games when an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 36 road games with the Total set in the 220s. The Hawks are dealing with injuries to open this series. Bogan Bogdanovich is a game-time-decision with the knee injury that limited him to only seven points in the last three games of that series. Kevin Huerter is probable but he is dealing with an ankle. And Atlanta is already without DeAndre Hunter for the rest of the season who would have drawn the defensive assignment to defend Khris Middleton.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta lacks deep playoff experience — and that may rear its ugly head when this team transitioning from a triumphant seven-game series on the road to the blank slate of an Eastern Conference Finals. Milwaukee has been knocking on the door to reach the NBA Finals for the last few seasons. Those experiences should help them comfortably pull away to win Game One. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Milwaukee Bucks (562) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (561). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (551) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (552) in Game Two of their Western Conference Finals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (55-31) looks to bounce-back from their 120-114 loss on the road against the Suns in Game One as a 4-point underdog on Sunday. Phoenix (60-23) has won eight games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS PLUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles had an off-day shooting on Sunday as they made only 45.5% of their shots from the field which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last six games. They also allowed the Suns to make 55.1% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five games. Even without Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers should tighten up on defense tonight. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of their shots — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after allowing at least 120 points in their last contest. Additionally, Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 33 of their last 50 games after a loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after a loss on the road to a fellow Pacific Division rival. Paul George is proving he can lead this team without Leonard on the court. He is scoring 32.2 PPG in his last five games (one with Leonard) with 5.2 Assists-Per-Game, 8.2 Rebounds-Per-Game, and a  44.9% shooting mark from behind the arc. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning record at home — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 road games with the Total set at 120 or higher. Los Angeles has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 playoff games when trailing in the series. Phoenix had their best shooting performance in their last 12 games with their 55.1% shooting clip on Sunday — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. The Suns have now covered the point spread in eight straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after covering the point spread in at least seven straight games. This is the game that this young Phoenix team may really miss Chris Paul who remains in COVID quarantine. While the team still has a playoff veteran in Jae Crowder on the court, most of the remaining players in the rotation lacked any playoff experience before this season. These Game Twos on your home court after winning Game One can be tricky — even wily vets can get up thinking they will cruise to a 2-0 series lead. Even without Leonard, this Clippers’ team is loaded with veterans with playoff experience.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 41 of their last 67 games when playing with revenge from a same-season loss. 10* NBA Tuesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Los Angeles Clippers (551) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (552). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (534) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (533) in Game Seven of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (56-27) forced a climactic seventh game in this series with their 104-99 win on the road against the Hawks as a 2.5-point road favorite on Friday. Atlanta (48-35) has lost three of the last five games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: After their blistering first half in the opening game of this series where the Hawks made 63.4% of their shots, Atlanta has never come close to replicating that mark. They have not made more than 45.9% of their shots in five of the next six games — and they only made 41.2% of their shots on Friday despite playing on their home court. While Trae Young has been scintillating with a 30.3 PPG scoring average along with an 11.0 Assists-Per-Game mark, the problem for the Hawks is that he is not getting much help. No other play is averaging more than 2.5 Assists-Per-Game. Bogan Bogdanovich had being been a reliable number two in the first four games of this series with a 19 PPG scoring average and a 36.1% clip from bending the arc, he has only averaged 6.5 PPG in the last two games while making only 1 of his 10 shots from 3-point range. And now Bogdanovich is questionable with a knee injury for this game. Young needs more help. Atlanta has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They go back to Philadelphia for Game Seven where they 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 of at least 60% at home. The Hawks have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in Philadelphia. Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a narrow win by six points or less. They blew 18-point leads in Game Four and Five before playing for the full 48 minutes on Friday. Atlanta found success pushing the pace to tire out Joel Embiid — but the length of this series may be neutralizing Atlanta’s ability to outrun and outlast the Sixers. The 76ers have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games on their home court.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 playoff games when favored. 10* NBA Sunday Night Discounted Deal with the Philadelphia 76ers (534) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (533). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:35 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (536) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (535) in Game One of their Western Conference Finals series. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (59-23) takes the court again for the first time since last Sunday when they completed their four-game sweep on the road against Denver as a 6-point favorite. Los Angeles (55-30) has won four games in a row with their 131-119 upset win against Utah on Friday as a 2.5-point home underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINTS: The Clippers will not have Kawhi Leonard at least for the first two games in this series with his knee injury that threatens to keep him out the rest of the postseason. Paul George stepped up in his absence to average 32.5 PPG and 12.5 Rebounds-Per-Game in the final two games of that series. Frankly, I think that series spoke more to the Utah Jazz being completely exposed when Tyronn Lue went small to expose Utah’s reliance on Rudy Gobert protecting the rim since the small-line lineup required him to defend the perimeter. The Jazz had no answer for that (why not try a zone defense to keep Gobert in the middle? Quin Snyder would know better than me). The Clippers nailed 56.5% of their shots on Friday which was the best shooting effort in their last ten games. Los Angeles faces a different challenge now — and going small may not be as effective in this series since (a) Deandre Ayton is a more agile perimeter defender than Gobert and (b) the Suns’ defense is not as dependent on his rim protection to anchor their defense. After two straight upset victories, Los Angeles may be due for an emotional letdown with the opportunity to exhale.

At 8:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Brooklyn Nets (522) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (521) in Game Seven of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (55-28) looks to rebound from their 104-89 loss on the road against the Bucks as a 5.5-point underdog on Thursday. Milwaukee (53-29) has won three of the last four games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NETS MINUS (OR PLUS) THE POINT(S): Brooklyn earned the luxury of having a game in hand with their 114-108 victory at home against the Bucks in Game Five with Kevin Durant proving he is the best player in this series with his historic 49-point performance. In an expected close game, Durant should outduel Antetokounmpo — and he has the help of James Harden who played better on Thursday. The Nets have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, Brooklyn has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games in the playoffs when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Milwaukee may have rallied from an 0-2 deficit in this series but they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after winning three of their last four games. Khris Middleton stepped on Thursday by scoring 37 points on 11 of 16 shooting from the field. Middleton nailed 5 of his 8 shots from behind the arc — but the telling stat is that his teammates made only 2 of their 25 shots from downtown. Now the Bucks go back on the road where Middleton has made only 21 of his 65 shots (32.3%) in this series. Milwaukee has made only 27 of their 89 shots (30.3%) from behind the arc in this series. Jrue Holiday is not having a good series as he is averaging only 15.5 PPG on 40.5% shooting. And then there is Giannis Antetokounmpo who is scoring nice numbers when able to pad his stats as a frontrunner when his team has the lead, but he has disappointed in clutch situations and he has only made 21 of his 46 (45.7%) free throws in the series. Now the Bucks go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee is just 16-34-2 ATS in their last 52 games in the playoffs as a dog. With all the demons that the Bucks have faced in the last few years from playoff disappointments along with a superstar in Giannis Antetokounmpo lacking in confidence, look for Milwaukee to find a way to lose this game. 10* NBA Saturday Night Discounted Deal with the Brooklyn Nets (522) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (521). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (513) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (514) in Game Six of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Utah (58-24) has lost the last three games of this series after getting upset by a 119-111 score as an 8-point underdog on Wednesday. Los Angeles (54-30) has won five of their last seven games with the opportunity to close out this series tonight.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ MINUS THE POINTS: Facing the adversity of Kawhi Leonard likely out for the rest of the playoffs (at least the rest of this series), the Clippers stepped up with perhaps the best game in the franchise’s history with that upset victory while most of the world wrote them off. Paul George was “playoff P” with 37 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists in leading his team to victory. But there was a reason why this team was being written off. The pressure was gone on Wednesday — but now expectations have risen dramatically for this team, especially as they return home to the Staples Center with the opportunity to close out this series. Los Angeles has only covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when leading in the playoff series — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 playoff games in close-out situations. Marcus Morris also overachieved on Wednesday with his 25 points which were a career-high for him in the playoffs. Will George and Morris approach those numbers again? The Clippers score 10.3 fewer points per 100 possessions without Leonard on the court. 119 points and 51.2% shooting are unlikely to be on the LA boxscore again tonight. The Clippers are likely due for a visit from the Regression Gods on offense, as is, after posting 142.0, 130.4, and 127.9 Offensive Ratings in their last three games. They return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games. Utah has not covered the point spread in three straight games in this series — but they have then covered the point spread in 15 of their last 24 games after not covering the point spread in three straight games including four of these six circumstances this season. The Jazz have disappointed their supporters by losing three straight games in this series after playing so well in the first two games of this series. Utah misses Michael Conley — and the ankle injury to Donovan Mitchell seems to be impacting his game. But this is a team that can get hot from 3-point range — and they can playing stifling defense. The Jazz have covered the point spread in 4 straight games on the road when favored. They have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 playoff games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 48 games with the Total set in the 220 to 229.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Utah has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 playoff games when trailing in the series — and they have covered the point spread in all 3 of their playoff games when facing elimination under head coach Quin Snyder. The Jazz have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games in the Staples Center against the Clippers. 25* NBA 2nd Round ESPN Playoff Game of the Year with the Utah Jazz (513) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (514). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (511) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (512) in Game Six of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (55-27) has suffered two straight upset losses in this series after losing to the Hawks at home by a 109-106 score as a 7-point favorite on Wednesday. Atlanta (48-34) can close out this series tonight with their 3-2 lead in the series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: Philly started fast by making 17 of their 30 shots from behind the arc in the first half which helped them take a 62-40 halftime lead. While the second-half collapse was soul-crushing, look for this veteran group to pick themselves up tonight with this opportunity for redemption. The 76ers have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a loss at home. Philly has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after owning a lead by 20 or more points in the first half of their last game. The Sixers have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after losing two of their last three games. They go back on the road where they are 11-5-1 ATS in their last 17 road games when favored. Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 playoff games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 playoff games when trailing in the series. Atlanta has put themselves in a position to pull the upset in this series — but they lack experience in closing out big playoff series. This is a franchise that is just 9-19-1 ATS in their last 29 games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Hawks have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after pulling off two straight upsets. Atlanta has also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a win on the road by three points or less. The Hawks have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss. The Sixers have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Philadelphia 76ers (511) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Brooklyn Nets (501) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (502) in Game Six of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (55-27) took a 3-2 lead in this series with their 114-108 victory at home as a 1.5-point underdog on Tuesday. Milwaukee (52-29) has lost three of their last five games as they return home looking to stave off elimination.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NETS PLUS THE POINTS: The Bucks are in bounce-back mode after blowing a 16-point lead in the third quarter — but I think the crisis of confidence within this team will hold them back from covering the point spread. Maybe they win this game — but it should be close. I defer to the team trends to identify how this Milwaukee team will respond to the adversity they face from blowing Game Five away. The Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight 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 loss. Milwaukee has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home. Additionally, the Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Milwaukee enjoyed the best shooting effort in their last 10 games with their 49.4% shooting percentage on Tuesday. But when the pressure mounted, the Bucks’ shooting failed — they scored only 17 points in the final 10 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter. Milwaukee only has a 100 Offensive Rating in this series — and they have been playing at a slower pace than during the regular season. The 108 points they scored in Game Five were the most points they scored in the series. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a mess that is riddled with self-doubt at the free-throw line — and Milwaukee’s only answer for the “wall” defense that has stymied them in the postseason in the last three years is for teammates to make 3-pointers. But the Bucks are shooting just 29.3% from behind the arc in this series. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday have true shooting percentages below 47% in this series. The ball movement has diminished in this series for Milwaukee as well which is impacting their efficiency. After averaging 25.5 team assists per game in the regular season, they are getting only 18.4 team assists per game. The Nets won Game Five due to a Herculean effort from Kevin Durant who scored 49 points on 16 of 23 shooting from the field while playing every minute of the game. James Harden played over 45 minutes but he was clearly hobbled with his hamstring injury. He scored only 5 points while making only 1 of his 10 shots and missing all 8 of his shots from behind the arc. I do think Harden will play better tonight even on an injured hamstring — his performance on Tuesday was likely his floor. But Brooklyn should play better on defense tonight after allowing Milwaukee to nail 49.4% of their shots in what was the worst defensive effort in their last seven games. The Nets have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after a point spread victory. They go back on the road where they have covered the points spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games at home.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee has revenge on their minds — as well as extending their season at least one more game — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games when avenging a loss on the road. 10* NBA Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the Brooklyn Nets (501) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (502). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (584) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (583) in Game Five of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Utah (58-23) has lost two games in a row after dropping Game Four of this series in a 118-104 loss in the Staples Center to the Clippers as a 5.5-point underdog on Monday. Los Angeles (53-30) evened this series at 2-2 with the win.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ MINUS THE POINTS: Utah lost the two games in Los Angeles by 14 and 26 points — but they have bounced back to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after failing to cover the point spread in their last two games. Returning home should help. Donovan Mitchell appears slowed by a right ankle injury — but his teammates should be better back in Salt Lake City where they make 39.2% of their 3-pointers as a team. And while it would be foolish to assume that Michael Conley will return for this game for betting purposes, he is questionable tonight while trending in the right direction. If Conley does play, he not only helps the Utah offense with his playmaking but also on defense since he remains a skilled on-the-ball defender. The Jazz have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 home games with the Total listed in the 220 to 229.5 point range — and they have covered 4 straight home games when favored. Utah has also covered the point spread in 27 of their last 40 games when laying 3.5 to 9.5 points. Los Angeles is just 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games after a victory by 10 or more points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games on the road after winning their previous two games as a favorite. The Clippers have declared Kawhi Leonard out tonight from the knee injury he suffered after colliding with the Jazz’s Joe Ingles with just 4:35 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Leonard’s loss hurts Los Angeles on both ends of the court — but his loss will probably impact their offensive attack the most since he is the team’s primary scorer. Paul George has a long history of not being reliable as the primary scorer in the playoffs. Everyone’s role for the Clippers becomes more important without Leonard. Marcus Morris broke out of his shooting slump on Monday by nailing 5 of his 6 shots from behind the arc — but he made only 1 of his 16 shots from 3-point range in the first three games of this series even with Leonard available as a safety blanket. They go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams winning at least 60% of their games at home.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 26 playoff games when tied in the series — and the Jazz have covered their last 3 playoff games when the series was tied. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Utah Jazz (584) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (583). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Brooklyn Nets (572) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (571) in Game Five of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (54-27) looks to rebound from their 107-96 upset loss at Milwaukee as a 2-point favorite on Sunday. Milwaukee (52-28) has won six of their last eight games including the last two games to even this series at 2-2.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NETS PLUS THE POINTS: Brooklyn looked shellshocked and out-of-synch after Kyrie Irving injured his ankle — he only played 17:17 minutes in Game Four. Irving is out for tonight’s game. But the Nets did get some help back with Jeff Green returning to action after missing the previous six games. He played 26:33 minutes on Sunday with eight points and five rebounds. He helps on both ends of the court. Brooklyn still has Kevin Durant to carry the team — both he and his supporting cast should play better back on their home court. Durant made only 20 of his 53 shots in the last two games in Milwaukee. Joe Harris was just 3 of 13 from behind the arc in Games Three and Four. But Harris led the NBA with a 47.5% clip from behind the arc during the regular season — and he was even better at home in the Barclays Center where he nailed 49.7% of his 3-point attempts. As a team, Brooklyn only made 18 of their 65 shots from 3-point land — and that 27.7% shooting percentage is far below their 39.4% mark from 3-point land at home. Durant should play better with two days to mentally prepare for having to be the primary scorer tonight — but he should get help back at home. The Nets are 14-2 straight-up at home since the start of April — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games at home. Brooklyn has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games as an underdog. And in the last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%, Brooklyn has covered the point spread 6 times. Milwaukee only made 44.3% of their shots on Sunday — and it was still the best shooting effort in their last three games. The Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win by double-digits. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 34 points in the win on 14 of 26 shooting. Despite those nice numbers, I am not buying it. Antetokounmpo continued with his struggles and antics at the free-throw line as he missed five of his ten free throw attempts. He has made only 11 of his 29 (37.9%) free throws in this series. He has the yips — and it is affecting his play on the court even when he is not on the line. His fear of dealing with the demons in his head that he uses all ten seconds allotted what the charity stripe in those of quieting them down contributes to him not playing as aggressively in attacking the basket — he doesn’t want to get fouled. His free-throw shooting in the first two games in Brooklyn was even worse as he made just 2 of his 10 shots. This makes the blue-print “wall” defense against Antetokounmpo even more effective — and it compels him to settle for 3-point shot attempts even though he has made only 4 of his 21 shots from behind the arc in this series. The Greek Freak’s good game came mostly on the heels of his teammates picked him up by making 16 of their 47 shots from 3-point land — with most of their converted 3s taking place in the first half. But the Bucks have not made more than 8 shots from downtown in any other game in this series — and they have a rough 20 of 88 (22.3%) shooting percentage from 3-point range in this series. Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after winning two games in a row at home. And while the Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 29 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games. And while the first four games in this series have finished Under the Total, Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after playing four Unders in a row. Now the Bucks hit the road again where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight road games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games at home. Furthermore, Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher.

FINAL TAKE: The news that James Harden will attempt to take the court tonight as he deals with his hamstring injury. We will see if he can be effective — but he can only help the cause. Even without Harden, I think Brooklyn wins tonight (but I recommend taking the points for some insurance). 25* NBA 2nd Round Eastern Conference Game of the Year with the Brooklyn Nets (572) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (571). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (563) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (564) in Game Four of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Utah (58-22) had their six-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with their 132-106 loss at the Staples Center to the Clippers as a 4.5-point underdog. Los Angeles (52-30) still trails 2-1 in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ PLUS THE POINTS: Utah allowed the Clippers to make 56.2% of their shots in Game Three which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 47 games. Utah had the third-best Defensive Efficiency in the regular season by holding their opponents to just 107.5 points per 100 possessions so they should tighten up on the defensive end of the court. Utah has also covered the point spread in 34 of their last 53 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games. The Jazz stay on the road where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games in Los Angeles against the Clippers. Utah has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. Los Angeles’ 56.2% shooting percentage was the best offensive effort in their last seven games. But the Clippers are just 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a double-digit victory. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games.

FINAL TAKE: Utah has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games when avenging a loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss on the road. 10* NBA Monday Late Show Bailout with the Utah Jazz (563) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (564). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Atlanta Hawks (562) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (561) in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (46-34) has lost the last two games in this series after their 127-111 loss at home to the 76ers as a 1.5-point favorite on Friday. Philadelphia (55-25) has won eight of their last ten games while taking a 2-1 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: Atlanta allowed the 76ers to make 58.2% of their shots on Friday which was the worst defensive effort in their last 12 games. The Hawks have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after giving up at least 125 points in their last game. Atlanta has also covered the point spread in a decisive 50 of their last 73 games after a double-digit loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games at home after a loss by 10 or more points. And while they lost Game Two by 16 points, they have then covered the point spread in 40 of their last 61 games after losing two in a row by 15 or more points. The Hawks only took 23 shots from behind the arc in Game Three — 11 shots below their average of 34 shots from 3-point range per game. They should get back to their rhythm on offense tonight. Atlanta has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games at home — and they have covered the point spread 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Philadelphia’s 58.2% shooting percentage was the best offensive performance in their last five games. The 76ers have made at least 51.2% of their shots in four straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after making at least 50% of their shots in four straight games. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Additionally, Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after winning two in a row by double-digits — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after covering their last two games as a favorite. And while Game Three flew Over the 224.5 point Total, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games on the road after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Philly stays on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 road games when playing their second game in five days. The Sixers are also just 7-18-2 ATS in their last 27 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better at home. Philadelphia will be without Danny Green tonight who is out with a right calf strain.

FINAL TAKE: The 76ers have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games in Atlanta. The Hawks have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 29 home games when avenging a same-season loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing with revenge from a loss by 10 or more points on their home court. 20* NBA Monday Daily Discounted Deal with Atlanta Hawks (562) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (561). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Brooklyn Nets (551) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (552) in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (54-26) had their four-game winning streak snapped with their 86-83 loss on the road against the Bucks as a 3-point underdog. Milwaukee (51-28) pulled within a 2-1 deficit in the series with the victory.

REASONS TO THE NETS PLUS THE POINTS: Game Three of this series was a fascinating result (from afar). Milwaukee made only 37.8% of their shots in the win which was the lowest field goal percentage of the season. But they were able to win the game via their ferocious play on defense — they held Brooklyn to 36.2% shooting which was their second-best defensive game of the season since Game Two of the regular season (77 games ago). I track these numbers because I want to identify outlier performances to bet against. In this instance, I suspect those numbers are a harbinger of things to come in this series — they are trends rather than outliers. The Bucks scored only 86 points in Game Two on 44.0% shooting. The four-game sweep against Miami temporarily obscured that Milwaukee has not solved its “wall” problem that opposing teams have used in the postseason to neutralize Giannis Antetokounmpo. With the Bucks playing four shooters outside the 3-point line, the Greek Freak has success in the regular season driving the lane with all the cleared space. But their playoff opponents have not taken the bait but instead, play a wall in the interior — a quasi-roaming 2-3 zone defense — to thwart these potential Antetokounmpo drives. An active Antetokounmpo can challenge this defense — exerting energy and getting to the free-throw line. Or, he can play outside as well and take 3-pointers. Or, he can settle for two-point jump shots just inside the arc. Or, he can drive the lane and dish to his open opponents. None of this works if Giannis is off his game … and Giannis is off his game. He has missed 6 of 19 free throw attempts while hushing the Milwaukee crowd to not cheer “MVP” at the line and twice getting whistled for a ten-second violation as he tries to quiet the demons in his head at the stripe. He has the yips. And his fear of failure at the free throw line is taking away his ambition to drive. So he settles for jumpers — yet he made only 1 of 8 shots from behind the arc in Game Three. If he takes a shot just inside the arc, the defense has already won given the low probability of that 2-point shot. Antetokounmpo can dish to his teammates — but the team made only 6 of their 31 (19.3%) shots from downtown. The whole team senses their leader’s anxiety. The Plan B to Giannis not making shots is the Bucks’ system that emphasizes maximizing shot value from 3-pointers. The critics love to blame Budenholzer for his inability to adapt — but there is simply little he can turn to. Rather than blaming Budenholzer, maybe he should be credited for getting the most out of the talent available to him. The team needs a reliable complementary scoring option to Giannis — but Kris Middleton and Jrue Holiday may be third options being asked to take on the number two role. And what if Antetokounmpo is really not a number one option himself? Blame Budenholzer! Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after a narrow win by three points or less. They have failed to cover the pint spread in 10 of their last 11 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home. Brooklyn has not shot worse than 36.2% in 37 games — so they should shoot better this afternoon. They missed 20 of their 53 uncontested shots in Game Three — they were flat. But the Nets have still covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Brooklyn has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 playoff games as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: The Nets have covered the point spread in 41 of their last 63 games when on the road playing with revenge. 10* NBA Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Brooklyn Nets (551) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (552). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (542) minus the points versus the Utah Jazz (541) in Game Three of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (51-30) returns home to the Staples Center down 0-2 in this series after their 117-111 loss on the road in Game Two on Thursday. Utah (58-21) has won six straight games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: Once again, Los Angeles has to dig themselves out of an 0-2 hole in this postseason. No team in NBA history has rebounded from two 0-2 deficits in the playoffs — but at least we know that the Clippers are resilient. They went on a 46-23 run when trailing by 21 points in the second half in Game Two. Head coach Tyronn Lue deployed a zone defense to help trigger the rally. But Los Angeles still allowed the Jazz to make 55.3% of their shots in that game. That was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have surrendered in their last seven games. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after allowing their last two opponents to make at least 55% of their shots. And while LA has allowed their last three opponents to score at least 111 points, they have then covered the point spread in 58 of their last 91 games after allowing at least 105 points in three straight games — including 13 of these 21 situations this season. The Clippers have also covered the point spread in 32 of their last 49 games after a loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 34 of their last 56 games after losing two of their last three games. Returning home will help the Los Angeles role players shoot better. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 25 home games with the Total set at 220 or higher. Los Angeles has also coerced the point spread in 6 of their last 9 playoff games when trailing in the series. They have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 playoff games when favored. Utah enjoyed the best shooting effort in their last 13 games with their 55.3% shooting percentage. But the Jazz have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. But now Utah goes back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games against teams with a winning record on their home court. The Jazz are also just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games on the road as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers have covered the point spread in 40 of their last 65 games when motivated to avenge a same-season loss. 25* NBA 2nd Round Saturday ABC-TV Playoff Game of the Year with the Los Angeles Clippers (542) minus the points versus the Utah Jazz (541). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Denver Nuggets (534) minus the point(s) versus the Phoenix Suns (533) and in Game Three of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Denver (51-29) has lost the first two games in this series after their 123-98 loss on the road against the Suns as a 5.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Phoenix (57-23) has won five games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NUGGETS MINUS THE POINT(S): Denver had their worst shooting game in their last four contests by making only 40% of their shots. They return home where they are scoring 117.9 PPG on 48.4% shooting and 37.8% shooting from behind the arc. Unfortunately for head coach Michael Malone, the 47.9% shooting percentage they allowed Phoenix to generate was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last three games. The Nuggets should play better at home in this must-win game. They have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after allowing their last three opponents to make at least 47% of their shots. And while Denver has lost the first two games of this series by 17 and 25 points, they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after losing two games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 24 of their last 36 games after failing to cover the point spread in their last two games. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when favored. The Nuggets have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games when trailing in the playoff series. Phoenix may be due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a win by 20 or more points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning five games in a row.

FINAL TAKE: Denver has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games when playing with revenge from a loss by 20 or more points — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when avenging two straight losses by 10 or more points. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Denver Nuggets (534) minus the point(s) versus the Phoenix Suns (533). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (522) minus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (521) in Game Three of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (50-28) looks to pick themselves off the mat after getting humiliated in Game Two with their 125-86 loss at Brooklyn as a 1.5-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Milwaukee has looked horrible in this series with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way with 20 missed free throws in his 43 attempts at the charity stripe. Yes, you have to question the psyche of this team after getting upset in the playoffs to Miami last year. And while I think the critics of head coach Mike Budenholzer are largely wanna-be ankle-biters, there is no question that he is on the hot seat as this team’s head coach moving forward. The regular season successes from this team are analytically-driven where they live by the 3 — and that means they can sometimes die by the 3. Khris Middleton has made only 13 of his 43 shots from the field. Antetokounmpo was too passive in Game Two as he too often settles for jump shots rather than drive the lane to take advantage of the Nets’ lack of a rim protector. The Bucks made just 8 of their 27 shots from behind the arc on Monday. Returning home should help where they are 28-10 this season — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 18 of their last 25 home games after playing two straight Unders as these first two games of this series have finished. More ball movement should address many of the shooting problems for this team — and what Antetokounmpo continues to experience when combatting the “wall” defense that attempts to mitigate his drives to the basket. Milwaukee had only 14 team assists in Game Two. The Bucks make 48.9% of their shots at home which includes a 39.7% mark from behind the arc which helps them generate 120.8 PPG. The role players should play better which should help Antetokounmpo, Middleton, and Jrue Holiday. The effort level for Milwaukee should be the best it has been in the entire series. The Bucks have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games after an upset loss by double-digits — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after an upset loss by double-digits as a road favorite. Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after not scoring at least 90 points in their last game. And in their last 15 games after losing two of their last three games, they have covered the point spread in 12 of these games. Brooklyn made 52.1% of their shots in Game Two which was the worst opponent’s field goal percentage for the Bucks in their last 10 games. The Nets nailed 21 of their 42 shots from behind the arc in that game. Remember that the Bucks held Miami to just an anemic 95.4 points per 100 possession in the opening round of the playoffs. And this is a team that can get lackadaisical — and they can get lulled into playing “my turn” on offense with their star players rather than to stay disciplined in ball movements to create the best scoring opportunities regardless of star power. The Nets’ defense can also be lacking in effort — they were just 21st in the league in Defensive Rating in the regular season. Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after an upset win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after a win at home by 20 or more points. The Nets have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after holding their opponent to no more than 90 points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Once again, Brooklyn will be without James Harden and Jeff Green for this game. Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with revenge from a loss by 20 or more points. 10* NBA Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the Milwaukee Bucks (522) minus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (521). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Denver Nuggets (511) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (512) in Game Two of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Denver (51-28) had their two game winning streak snapped on Monday with their 122-105 loss at Phoenix as a 6-point underdog in the opening game of this series. Phoenix (56-23) has won four games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS PLUS THE POINTS: The Nuggets played their worst defensive game in the playoffs on Monday after perhaps suffering an emotional hangover from their difficult six-game series with Portland. Denver allowed Phoenix to make 54.1% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 11 games. The Nuggets saw the Trail Blazers shoot 50.6% from the field in Game Six of that series last Thursday — but they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after allowing their last two opponents to shoot at least 50% from the field. Denver made only 46.7% of their shots on Monday which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last three games. Nikola Jokic was just 10 of 23 from the field in the game for 22 points. It was just the third time in 79 games this season that Jokic’s point total was below his shot attempts number. Jokic did not attempt a free throw attempt either which had only happened four other times this season. Phoenix’s Deandre Ayton was only whistled for one personal foul in his 38 minutes of play. Jokic only had three assists despite averaging 8.3 Assists-Per-Game for the season. He should be more active and aggressive tonight which will help the Nuggets approach or top their 118.6 Points-Per-Game scoring average in the playoffs. Michael Porter only scored 15 points in Game One while not playing for most of the second half with a sore back. He has initially listed as questionable, but he has been upgraded as probable to play tonight. He should play better tonight as well in his role as the primary scoring complement to Jokic. Phoenix is riding high with four straight victories with three of the victories by 13 or more points and all four wins by at least eight points. This young Suns that is inexperienced in the playoffs may be due for a letdown tonight. The Phoenix ranked sixth in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency — but while they allowed 108.2 points per 100 possessions in the first half of the season, those numbers declined to a 112.5 points per possession in the second half of the season which ranked just 21st in the league. While they did upset the reigning NBA champions last round, that Lakers team was hobbled with both Anthony Davis and LeBron James dealing with injuries. The Nuggets may be challenged on defense, but that is not the type of team that Phoenix played their best basketball against. Denver allows 111.0 PPG on 47.0% shooting — and the Suns have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games against teams who allow their opponents to shoot at least 46% of their shots. Phoenix has also failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 21 games against teams who allow at least 110 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: The Suns may win this series — but I expect it to be a competitive and likely long series. Expect a close game tonight that the Nuggets may steal. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Denver Nuggets (511) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (504) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (503) in Game One of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Utah (56-21) has won four in a row after dispatching Memphis in five games with their 126-110 win as a 9-point favorite last Wednesday. Los Angeles (51-28) has won four of their last five games after defeating Dallas in Game Seven of their playoff series by a 126-111 score as a 6-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ MINUS THE POINTS: Utah averaged 123.4 points per 100 possessions in their opening-round playoff series with the Grizzlies — and after Donovan Mitchell returned for Game Two, they increased the scoring efficiency to 126.4 points per 100 possessions in the final four games of that series. Mitchell was spectacular with a 28.5 Points-Per-Game scoring average with 5.8 Assists-Per-Game. He made 45% of his shots from the field and 40% of his shots from bending the arc. The Jazz have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 32 games after a win on their home court. Additionally, Utah has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit win. The Jazz have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. They stay at home after getting six days off where they have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 37 games — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Utah has also covered the point spread in 27 of their last 40 games when favored from 3.5 to 9.5 points. Los Angeles saved their best 3-point shooting performance for Game Seven as they nailed 20 of their 43 shots (46.5%) en route to a 50% shooting percentage for the game. That was the Clippers’ best shooting effort in their last four games. But now they go from a suspect Mavericks defense to the elite defensive play of this Utah team. The Jazz’s defense will present a problem for the Clippers — they ranked third in the NBA by holding their opponents to 107.5 points per 100 possessions. Utah allowed only 10.9 make 3-pointers per game, the lowest in the league during the regular season. They also lead the NBA by holding their opponents to just 50.4% shooting inside the arc. Los Angeles is just 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a double-digit victory. And while the Clippers have covered the point spread in their last two games, they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 road games after covering the point spread in their last two games.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles may have rallied from an 0-2 deficit to defeat Dallas last round — but this organization (and Paul George) still have much to prove in the playoffs. The Clippers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Jazz will be without Michael Conley tonight which is dealing with a mild right hamstring injury — but Mitchell and the Utah jump shooter should still prevail rested and ready on their home court. 10* NBA Tuesday Late Show Bailout with the Utah Jazz (504) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (503). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (502) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (501) in Game Two of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (53-25) looks to bounce back from their 128-124 upset loss to the Hawks in Game One of this series. Atlanta (46-32) has won nine of their last ten games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: Philly came out flat on Sunday even with Joel Embiid's surprise return to action despite the meniscus tear in his right knee. They allowed the Hawks to make 63.4% of their shots in the first half en route to their 51.2% shooting percentage for the game. That was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five games. The 76ers’ outscored the Hawks in the second half by a 70-54 margin once they refocused at halftime. Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after suffering an upset loss. They are 9-4-1 ATS in their last 15 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. They are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 29 home games with the Total set from 220 to 229.5 points. Philly has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games when favored. Atlanta closed out their series with the New York Knicks with an upset 103-89 victory on the road as a 1-point underdog. The Hawks have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after an upset win. And while Atlanta has covered the point spread in four straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after covering the point spread in four straight games. They stay on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 34 road games with the Total set at 220 or higher. The Hawks posted an Offensive Rating of 118.5 in Game One with an effective field goal percentage of 62.8%. That is not likely to happen again tonight.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — 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% on their home court. With home-court now in hand, the Hawks may not be able to stop themselves from letting up a bit tonight. 10* NBA Tuesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Philadelphia 76ers (502) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (501). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (584) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (583) in Game One of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (55-23) has won three in a row after their 113-100 upset win in Los Angeles against the Lakers as a 2-point underdog on Thursday to close that series out in six games. Denver (51-27) has won four of their last five games after defeating the Trail Blazers in six games last round with their 126-115 win in Portland as a 5.5-point underdog on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINTS: Phoenix should build off their momentum. They are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after a win against a divisional opponent. The Suns have covered the point spread in three straight games while scoring at least 113 points in their last two games. Phoenix has then covered the point spread in 28 of their last 42 games after covering the point spread in their last two games — and they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 32 games after scoring at least 111 points in two straight games. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 34 home games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Suns have also covered the point spread in 21 of their last 33 games with the Total set in the 220s — and they are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Denver made 51.2% of their shots to close out their series with the Blazers which was the highest field goal percentage in their last four games. The Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 29 of their last 43 games after winning on the road by 10 or more points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 39 of their last 60 games after winning two in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after winning two in a row against a Northwest Division opponent. Furthermore, Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games when playing with at least three days of rest. They stay on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Nuggets remained thin at guard with Will Barton and P.J. Dozier still injured along with Jamal Murray out the season. Denver will continue to rely on Austin Rivers, Facundo Campazzo, and Monte Morris. Rivers was out of the league in March after being cut by Oklahoma City while Campazzo is a 30-year-old rookie and Morris is a former second-round pick who usually plays minimal minutes. The Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 opening games to a new playoff series.

FINAL TAKE: Denver won the last meeting between these two teams back in January by a 120-112 score — and Phoenix has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games at home when playing with revenge. 10* NBA Monday Late Show Bailout with the Phoenix Suns (584) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (583). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (581) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Brooklyn Nets (582) in Game Two of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (50-27) had their four-game winning streak snapped with their 115-107 loss at Brooklyn as a 3.5-point underdog in Game One of this series on Saturday. Brooklyn (53-25) has won three straight games as well as 10 of their last 11 contests.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINT(S): The Bucks endured the combination of some bad shooting luck and just an underachieving effort on the offensive end of the court on Saturday. They made only 6 of their 30 shots from behind the arc. They missed 8 of their 19 free throw attempts. They shot just 44.6% from the field which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. Milwaukee should approach their 48.6% field goal percentage along with their 38.3% mark from 3-point land and their 78.3% free throw percentage when on the road tonight. They should be encouraged by the 15 offensive rebounds they pulled down on Saturday. Their size advantage should help them get plenty of second-chance scoring opportunities all series — and Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez should dominate with their inside scoring. Milwaukee outrebounded the Nets by a 58-47 margin on Saturday. The Bucks attempted 101 shots in Game One after taking 99 shots in Game Four of their shots — and this is the style from which Mike Budenholzer’s team thrives. Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 51 of their last 84 games after taking at least 90 shots in two straight games. The Bucks have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Milwaukee has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 second games to a new playoff series. Brooklyn has played their last two games Under the Total — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after playing two straight Unders. Blake Griffin had a surprising breakout game on Saturday with 18 points and 14 rebounds while making four of his five shots from 3-point range. Griffin was also loose with the trash talk — but I am skeptical that a cocky and empowered Griffin is in the best long-term interests of the Nets. Brooklyn has only covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Additionally, the Nets failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games against playoff teams with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving healthy and playing but without James Harden.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 6 of the last 8 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 second games in a playoff series. 10* NBA Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Milwaukee Bucks (581) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Brooklyn Nets (582). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (574) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (573) in Game Seven of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (50-28) forced a climactic seventh game in this series after their 104-97 win on the road against the Mavericks as a 3-point favorite. Dallas (45-33) has lost three of the last four games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: It may look easy to take the Mavericks getting 6 or so points in this seventh game — but Los Angeles has been the dominant team in this series since making some adjustments after Game Two. Dallas was on fire with their 3-point shooting by making 47.2% and 52.9% of their 3-pointers in the first two games in this series. But the Regression Gods made their appearance and the Mavs have not been the same from behind the arc. They made only 11 of their 34 shots (32.4%) of their 3-pointers in Game Six. Ty Lue made the decision to not play Ivica Zubic when Luka Doncic is on the court since he was getting torched on the pick-and-roll. Going with a small lineup of Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum for Zubic and Patrick Beverley has been a game-changer for the Clippers. Beverley is not the same player on defense — and he has never been much of a scorer, so he is a liability if he has lost his defensive prowess. I’m not surprised that Los Angeles blew Game Five at home after picking themselves off the mat to win both games in Dallas. But facing elimination, Kawhi Leonard is finally defending Doncic — he held him to 2 of 6 shooting in the times he guarded him on Friday. I expect Leonard to take on this defensive assignment even more for this Game Seven. And how far away is Doncic from being 100% with the neck injury has been dealing with for most of this series? Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with one day of rest. They have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 22 home games when laying 6.5 to 12 points. Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after a loss at home. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games with one day of rest. And in the last 9 games after losing three of their last four games, the Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in all 5 games. For Dallas to win, Doncic will have to carry the team. Kristaps Porzingis is a big disappointment coming off a 7-point game on Friday. He has not reached double-digits three times in this series.

FINAL TAKE: The Mavericks had their chance to win this series on Friday. The challenge is even harder now, even though they have won three times already in the Staples Center. They will play hard — but expect the Clippers to eventually pull away. Dallas remains a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 playoff games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. 25* NBA 1st Round ABC-TV Playoff Game of the Year with the Los Angeles Clippers (574) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (573). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Atlanta Hawks (571) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (572) in Game One of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION:  Atlanta (45-32) has won eight of their last nine games after their 103-89 victory at New York as a 1-point underdog on Wednesday to close out that series in five games. Philadelphia (53-24) has won six of their last seven games with their 129-112 victory against Washington as a 6-point favorite on Wednesday to end that series in five games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: Atlanta has been a much better team since Nate McMillan took over as their head coach midseason. The team is playing much better on the defensive end of the court. The Hawks have held their last eight opponents to no better than 44.2% shooting — and six of their last seven opponents have not topped 42% shooting. Atlanta has a rising superstar in Trae Young who can carry the team. The Hawks have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, Atlanta has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit loss. They go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 road games as an underdog of up to six points. And in their last 7 games against teams with a winning record, Atlanta has covered the point spread 6 times. Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Joel Embiid is going to attempt to play this afternoon despite the tear in the meniscus in his right knee. I am skeptical how effective he can be — and the point spread has moved a few points in Atlanta’s favor since the announcement. The Sixers remain a team that is 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 games when playing a team with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta will be looking to avenge a 126-104 loss to the 76ers in Philly on April 30th. The Hawks have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games when avenging a loss on the road. 10* NBA Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Atlanta Hawks (571) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Brooklyn Nets (562) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (561) in Game One of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (52-25) returns to the court for the first time since Tuesday after they completed their four-game sweep of Boston in Round One of the playoffs with their 123-109 victory as a 12.5-point favorite. Milwaukee (50-26) has won seven of their last eight games after sweeping against the Heat in four games after their 120-103 victory on the road in Miami as a 4-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NETS MINUS THE POINTS: Brooklyn should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a point spread victory. The Nets have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit victory. After Kevin Durant missed 38 regular-season games, James Harden missed 14 games in the regular season, and Kyrie Irving missed 18 regular games, the Brooklyn Big Three added five games to the 13 total overall this season that they have played — and the results were impressive. They scored 128 points per 100 possessions against the Celtics in the opening round of the playoffs — and I don’t care if the Boston defense was not elite, that is an incredible number against a playoff team. The Nets host Game One where they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 home games when favored in the Barclays Center. Brooklyn has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Furthermore, the Nets have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 47 games with the Over/Under set at 230 or higher — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Milwaukee may suffer an emotional letdown after exorcising the demons of getting upset by the Miami Heat in the playoffs last postseason. The Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after winning three games in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games. Milwaukee may suffer from rest with the week off — they are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games when playing with at least three days of rest. They go on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight road games as an underdog. Furthermore, the Bucks are 16-33-2 ATS in their last 51 games in the playoffs as an underdog. Milwaukee lost an important piece last round with the season-ending foot injury to Donte DiVincenzo.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee won the last meeting between these two teams with their 124-118 victory at home on May 4th. The Bucks have yet to play the Nets with Durant, Harden, and Irving all on the court — and the Nets have covered the point spread in 41 of their last 68 games when avenging a loss on the road. 25* NBA 2nd Round Saturday TNT Game of the Year with the Brooklyn Nets (562) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (561). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (557) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (558) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (49-28) looks to stave off elimination after losing Game Five of this series with their 105-100 upset loss at home to the Mavericks as a 7.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Dallas (45-32) returns home with the opportunity to close out this series with their 3-2 lead.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles dominated the Mavericks in Dallas in Game Three and Four of this series with two double-digit victories by an average winning margin of +17.5 PPG. Not surprisingly to us, they returned home to the Staples Center complacent — and they got burned by Luka Doncic who was able to carry his team after he had an extra day to rest his sore neck. But head coach Tyron Lue probably made the key move in this series by benching Ivica Zubic who was getting burned on the pick-and-roll unable to defend Doncic. Instead, Lue has put Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum in the starting lineup for Zubic and Patrick Beverley (who has not played well since returning from the injury that kept him out most of the regular season). The Clippers are back to facing a four-alarm emergency — so they should play better tonight. They made only 41.2% of their shots on Wednesday which was the lowest shooting percentage in their last 14 games. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 34 of their last 54 games after a straight-up loss. The Clippers have lost and failed to cover the point spread in five of their last seven games — but they have then covered the point spread in 13 of their last 15 games after losing five of their last seven games — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 16 games after failing to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 16 games after failing to cover the point spread in five of their last seven games. They have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with one day of rest. Los Angeles goes back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Dallas benefited from a resurgent performance from Luka Doncic who rebounded from his subpar 9 of 24 shooting mark in Game Four with a 42 point night on Wednesday which included him nailing 6 of 12 shots from behind the arc. Doncic also assisted on 14 baskets in Game Four — he scored or assisted on all but six of the Mavericks’ field goals. He clearly benefited from the extra second day of rest. But this game is being played with one day of rest — will Doncic be able to recover from his injured neck that seemed to hold him back in Game Four? As it is, Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games played with just one day of rest. The Mavericks have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after a win by six points or less — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 23 home games after a win on the road. They return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 home games with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range. Dallas remains a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 playoff games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers have covered the point spread in 43 of their last 66 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss where they were favored by at least seven points — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when avenging an upset loss on their home court where they were laying at least seven points. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Los Angeles Clippers (557) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (558). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (544) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (543) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (544) tries to pick themselves off the mat from a 115-85 blowout loss on the road against the Suns as a 4.5-point underdog on Tuesday. Phoenix (54-23) took a 3-2 lead in the series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS MINUS THE POINTS: Things started fine for Los Angeles as LeBron James exerted himself early to help the Lakers take a 10-5 lead in the opening four minutes of Game Five. But as often the case with James in non-elimination games, he then deferred to his “supporting cast” to see if he was going to get any help. The answer was a resounding “no” as the Suns went on a 16-0 run to take a 21-10 lead. The Lakers battled back to pull within five points at the end of the quarter. Phoenix then went on a 21-2 run to start the second quarter — and James put a cork in it to conserve his energy for Game Six. Three things will be different for this contest. First, James will give 100% since his team is on the brink of a long summer vacation. Second, his supporting cast will play better not only because they return to the Staples Center but because they cannot play any worse than they did on Tuesday. Some unkind rims did not help — but players like Kyle Kuzma need to step up and make an important basket (besides when his team is trailing by 20 points). We got clobbered with our Lakers play on Tuesday, but sometimes we are victims of the outlier performances. I do not expect Anthony Davis to play tonight — if he does, even better. But as I wrote for Tuesday’s Report, the Lakers were 11-7 straight-up in their 18 games playing with James but without Davis — and they outscored their opponents by a very respectable +7.1 points per 100 possessions playing with James but without Davis on the court. Tuesday was an outlier. The Lakers made only 34.5% of their shots in that game in what was the worst shooting effort for them all season. The Lakers’ defense should be better tonight as well after they led the NBA by holding their opponents to just 106.8 points per 100 possessions (with many of those games without Davis. Los Angeles 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 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit loss. They have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after losing two in a row to Pacific Division rivals. Additionally, the Lakers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after not scoring more than 90 points in their last game. And in their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road, Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 4 of these games. Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread win — and they are 0-6-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a double-digit win. The Suns have also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after a win at home by 20 or more points. By holding the Lakers to just 34.5% shooting, Phoenix played their best defensive game of the season. Devin Booker is scoring 31.7 PPG on his home court on 50% shooting in this series — but his production drops to 18.0 PPG on 33% shooting in the two previous games in the Staples Center in this series. The Suns have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Lakers have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 10* NBA Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the Los Angeles Lakers (544) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (543). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (546) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (545) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Portland (44-33) looks to rebound from their epic 147-140 double-overtime loss at Denver as a 2-point underdog on Tuesday. Denver took a 3-2 lead in the series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS MINUS THE POINTS: Damian Lillard was sublime in Game Four with 55 points on 17 of 24 shooting which including tying a playoff record with 12 made 3s — and he bailed out Portland with buzzer-beating shots in regulation and the first overtime to keep his team alive. But his teammates did not offer much help. The Blazers’ supporting cast to Lillard made only 1 of their 19 shot attempts in overtime. Returning home should help where the role players are more comfortable. Portland has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better on the road. Additionally, the Trail Blazers 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 10 of their last 15 games after a loss on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Now after winning Game One of this series, Portland has lost and failed to cover the point spread in three of the last four games in this series. But the Blazers have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after losing three of four — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after only covering the point spread once in their last four games. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after a game where at least 235 combined points were scored. Michael Porter, Jr. had his best game in the playoffs on Tuesday by nailing 10 of his 13 shots en route to 26 points — but he sleepwalked his way through in Game Four and has yet to demonstrate the consistency to be a reliable Number Two to Nikola Jokic. Head coach Michael Malone has gotten surprisingly great play from the quartet of guards he is deploying in lieu of the injuries to Jamal Murray, Will Barton, and P.J. Dozier. Austin Rivers, Facundo Campazzo, Markus Howard, and Monte Morris have combined to average 41.2 PPG in this series while averaging 7.6 made 3-pointers per game on 42.7% shooting from behind the arc. With the three injured guards higher up on the depth chart still out tonight, can this group continue to put up these numbers? Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games as a dog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Furthermore, Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight playoff games when they were leading in the series — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 opportunities to close out a series.

FINAL TAKE: Portland has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 23 opportunities to exact same-season revenge. 25* NBA 1st Round Northwest Division Playoff Game of the Year with the Portland Trail Blazers (546) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (545). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (533) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (534) in Game Five of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Dallas (44-32) has lost the last two games of this series after their 106-81 loss at home to the Clippers as a 3-point underdog on Sunday. Los Angeles (49-27) has evened this series at 2-2 after losing the first two games at home at the Staples Center.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS PLUS THE POINTS: The big question in this game concerns how effective Luka Doncic will be with the cervical strain that seems to be impacting his shooting. He made only 9 of his 24 shots on Game Four. Even assuming Doncic is not much better, I still expect his teammates to play better after losing both games in Dallas by double-digits. The Mavericks have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after suffering two straight double-digit losses at home. Dallas made only 34.8% of their shots on Sunday in what was the worst shooting effort for them all season. They also made only 5 of their shots from bending the arc after shooting over 50% of their 3-pointers in both Game Two and Game Three. The Mavericks go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight road games against teams winning at least 60% of their games on their home court. Additionally, Dallas has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 road games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. And in their last 22 road games as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points, the Mavericks have covered the point spread in 16 of these games. Dallas has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Los Angeles may be due for a letdown after picking themselves off the mat from their disastrous start to this series. The Clippers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a double-digit victory. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with two days of rest. And while Los Angeles has scored at least 10 points three straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 29 games after scoring at least 105 points in three straight games. The Clippers return to the Staples Center where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 home games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Furthermore, Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 playoff games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 25 playoff games when the series was tied.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has covered the point spread in 3 of their 4 opportunities this season when avenging two straight double-digit losses to their opponent. The Mavericks have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against the Clippers in Los Angeles. 10* NBA Wednesday Late Show Bailout with the Dallas Mavericks (533) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the New York Knicks (532) minus the point(s) versus the Atlanta Hawks (531) in Game Five of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: New York (42-34) has lost the last two games in this series with their 113-96 loss at Atlanta as a 5-point underdog on Sunday. Atlanta (44-32) has won seven of their last eight games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE KNICKS MINUS THE POINT(S): New York should respond with a strong effort tonight. The Knicks have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a loss by 10 or more points — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after a straight-up loss. New York is also 14-6-1 ATS in their last 21 games after a point spread loss. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 home games when favored. This team will continue to play hard for head coach Tom Thibodeau — and they should be energized by the raucous crowd at Madison Square Garden tonight. They are 11-5-1 ATS in their last 17 games against teams with a winning record. They have also covered the point spread in 26 of their last 32 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Atlanta may not benefit from the extra day from the game on Sunday — they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games the playing with two days of rest. They go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home.

FINAL TAKE: The Knicks have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games when avenging a double-digit loss to their opponents. 10* NBA Atlanta-New York TNT Special with the New York Knicks (532) minus the point(s) versus the Atlanta Hawks (531). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (525) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (526) in Game Five of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (45-32) looks to rebound from their 100-92 upset loss at home to the Suns as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday. Phoenix (53-23) has won five of their last seven games after evening this series at 2-2.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS PLUS THE POINTS: The tenor of Game Four changed with Anthony Davis suffering a groin injury that limited him to playing only 19:24 minutes. He is doubtful to play on Tuesday with what has been described as a painful injury. Even without Davis, Los Angeles will be tough to beat. LeBron James remains the straw that stirs the drink in the NBA. His “supporting cast” should step up for this game. And head coach Frank Vogel has two days to make adjustments specific for the Suns. The Lakers played 18 games this season with James on the court playing without Davis. Los Angeles won 11 of these contests. Los Angeles outscored their opponents by +7.1 points per 100 possessions with James on the court without Davis. This Lakers’ roster is improved from the one that won the NBA title in the bubble last year. Dennis Schroeder and Montrezl Harrell are nice new additions that can provide scoring. Wes Matthews is a veteran who can provide reliable minutes. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is listed as questionable with a knee injury — but he says he is feeling better. His return will help. Expect Alex Caruso and Marc Gasol to play more minutes in place of Davis. Caruso is a valuable swiss army knife energy player. And while Gasol’s minutes have declined as the season went on in his first in a Lakers’ uniform, that is because he is not a good fit with Davis on the court. He is a valuable piece without Davis being available. As it is, Los Angeles should shoot better tonight after making only 39.5% of their shots on Sunday, the lowest shooting effort in their last 11 games. They made just 13 of their 40 shots from behind the arc — they should improve on that 32% shooting mark. The Lakers make 36.3% of their 3-pointers on the road. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss to a divisional rival. The Lakers have also covered 4 of their 6 games played this season on the road with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. This remains a team that has covered the point spread in 24 of their last 32 playoff games when tied in the series. Phoenix played their best defensive game in their last 22 games by holding the Lakers to 39.5% shooting. But the Suns have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games after an upset victory on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games when playing at home after an upset win on the road as an underdog. Additionally, Phoenix is 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread win. Even with Davis playing less than 20 minutes on Sunday, Phoenix only scored 100 points. The Suns are only hitting 33% of their shots from behind the arc in this series. The Lakers will continue to play stout defense. Los Angeles led the NBA in the regular season by holding their opponents to just 106.8 points per 100 possessions — and this includes Davis missing a big chunk of the season. Furthermore, the Suns are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: This is the game where the lack of playoff experience for this Suns team (outside Chris Paul and Jae Crowder) will likely play a role. Phoenix may win this game — but In LeBron, I Trust to make this contest a coin flip at the end (at least). James missed six of his seven shots from behind the arc on Sunday — he will play better. The Lakers have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games when avenging a loss at home. 25* NBA 1st Round Pacific Division Underdog of the Year with the Los Angeles Lakers (525) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (514) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (513) in Game Four of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Memphis (41-36) has lost the last two games in this series after their 121-111 loss at home to the Jazz as a 5.5-point underdog on Saturday. Utah (54-21) took a 2-1 win in this series with the victory after taking Game Two by a 141-129 score.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: While bettors are jumping on the Utah bandwagon tonight, the national media seems to have missed the narrative that I took from Game Three. Memphis entered the fourth quarter trailing by a 96-85 margin before going on a 24-9 run to give them a 109-107 lead with just 4:20 left in the game. But the Jazz then outscored the Grizzlies by a 14-2 margin the rest of the way to take the win while (unfortunately) covering the point spread late in the game. I chalk that game up to it being a learning experience for Memphis — something that most good young teams have to grow through becoming reliable playoff veterans. I suspect the bitter experience will harden them for this game — an opportunity to still even this series at 2-2. The Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a loss by 10 or more points on their home court. Memphis has also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after a loss at home. Additionally, the Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after losing two in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after not covering the point spread in two straight games. Memphis has allowed at least 109 points in four straight games — and they have then covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after allowing at least 105 points in four straight games. They stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games as an underdog getting up to six points. Utah is a great defensive team — but they are having difficulty stopping Ja Morant who is averaging 33.7 PPG in the last three games. Morant is one of the brightest young stars in the league — I expect him to continue scoring. He is drawing so much attention that it is opening up space for the underrated Dillon Brooks to average 27.0 PPG in this series. The Grizzlies are a dangerous underdog because they do several things to create more scoring chances. They were second in the NBA in the regular season by averaging 9.1 steals per game. They were sixth in the league in offensive rebounding. And they also take advantage of their scoring chances as they were sixth during the regular season in turnover rate on offense. Memphis has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games as an underdog. The three games in this series have all finished Over the Total with all three seeing at least 221 combined points scored. But the Jazz have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after playing at least three straight Overs — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after playing three straight games where at least 210 combined points were scored. Utah is vulnerable against defensive pressure as they had the eleventh highest turnover rate in the league. And because they attempt 42.3% of their shots from behind the arc, they are vulnerable to the adage of “live by the 3, die by the 3.” These are characteristics that make them unreliable favorites. The Jazz have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 playoff games when favored — and they are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Utah has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games when playing with revenge from a loss at home. 25* NBA TNT Game of the Month with the Memphis Grizzlies (514) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (513). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (578) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (577) in Game Three of this Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Memphis (41-35) looks to bounce back from their 141-129 loss at Utah as a 10-point underdog on Wednesday. Utah (53-21) has won three of their last four games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: Memphis had been on a three-game winning streak during a treacherous stretch that included both Play-In Tournament games and Game One of this series. A letdown was coming (and we were on the Jazz). The Grizzlies allowed the Jazz to make 54.4% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 40 games. Memphis had been playing better on the defensive end of the court to close out the regular season — they ranked twelfth in the league in Defensive Efficiency. Getting Jalen Jackson and his interior defense back on the court after he missed most of the season with an injury. Jackson averaged 1.6 blocks per game and 1.1 steals per game to close out the regular season. Memphis should tighten up on defense. They have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games after a double-digit loss. The Grizzlies are a dangerous team with an underrated head coach in Taylor Jenkins and a rising superstar in Ja Morant. Morant is making 55.3% of his shots in this series after scoring 47 points in a losing effort on Wednesday. Dillon Brooks is underappreciated as well — the former Oregon star is averaging 27 PPG on 57.5% shooting in this series despite playing limited minutes because of foul trouble on Wednesday. These are some of the reasons why the Grizzlies are often reliable underdogs. They have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight home games as a dog. Memphis has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Utah rebounded from their Game One loss by nailing 19 of their 39 shots from behind the arc for a 48.7% percentage. The Jazz’s 54.4% shooting percentage was their best mark in their last eight games. But Utah has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last contest. The Jazz have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Additionally, they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the playoffs when favored — and they are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 26 games when playing with revenge for a same-season loss. 10* NBA Saturday Late Show Bailout with the Memphis Grizzlies (578) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (577). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (574) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (573) in Game Four of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Portland (43-32) has lost the last two games in this series with their 120-115 upset loss to the Nuggets as a 4-point underdog on Thursday. Denver (49-26) has won five of their last seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS MINUS THE POINTS: Portland only shot 45.0% from the field on Thursday which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last five games. They made only 14 of their 45 shots from behind the arc — and they made four straight 3s late in the game (before missing a 66-foot attempt at the buzzer) to make the score appear closer than it was for most of the game which would have changed the dynamic of the contest. After dealing with a host of injuries impacting Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum along with many of the supporting cast, when this team got healthy again, they nailed 43.2% of their 3-pointers from April 27th to the end of the regular season. For the year, the Blazers ranked sixth in the NBA by making 38.5% of their 3-pointers. They should shoot better tonight. Portland has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. The Trail Blazers have lost and failed to cover the point spread in the last two games. But not only has Portland covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after losing two in a row — and they have covered the point spread 9 of their last 13 games after not covering the point spread in two straight games. Head coach Terry Stotts made an adjustment at half-time to go small with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson at center rather than Enes Kanter when starter Jusuf Nurkic needs a breather. The Blazers were outscored by a 16-1 margin when Kanter subbed for Nurkic in the first half. Kanter is simply too much of a liability on defense — and that is before he tries to defend the league MVP Nikola Jokic. Portland was +10 when Kanter was off the court in Game Three — and they even outscored the Nuggets when Stotts went small in the second half without Nurkic on the court. The Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when favored. Portland has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 playoff games when trailing in the series. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after an upset win. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning two in a row against a Northwest Division rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. The Nuggets will once again be playing without three of their top five guards on the depth chart with Jamal Murray out the season and Will Barton and P.J. Dozier still out with injuries. Denver got spectacular performances from Austin Rivers and Facundo Campazzo. Rivers nailed five 3-pointers including three with under two minutes to go which were all daggers. Campazzo has 11 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. But Campazzo is a 30-year old rookie and Rivers was out of the league after being dropped by Oklahoma City (!) two months ago. Can these two guards replicate their performances? I doubt it. As it is, Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games as an underdog in the 3.5 to 9.5 point range. The Nuggets have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games when leading in the playoffs.

FINAL TAKE: Portland has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games when avenging a loss at home to their opponent — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss at home. 25* NBA Northwest Division Game of the Month with the Portland Trail Blazers (574) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (573). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (572) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (571) in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Miami (40-35) looks to stave off elimination this afternoon after falling to an 0-3 deficit in this series with their 113-84 loss as a 1.5-point favorite on Thursday. Milwaukee (49-26) has won six of their last seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT PLUS THE POINTS: What is happening to Miami? Sure, the Bucks were going to be ready for bear in this series to avenge last season’s upset loss in the playoffs. And Milwaukee is better than their detractors suggest (and, believe it or not, Mike Budenholzer is a better basketball coach than NBA Twitter). The Bucks improved their shooting depth in the offseason. Miami faces a starker dilemma this time around regarding how to defend Brook Lopez: use a smaller defender to accompany Bam Adebayo to counter Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo, or go big with Dewayne Dedmon alongside Adebayo but hurt the desired spacing on offense. Budenholzer has had Antetokounmpo defend Jimmy Butler which has limited his effectiveness. But Erik Spoelstra has answers to all this. Adebayo needs to do more being defended by Lopez. Even simpler than that: the Heat simply needs to make some shots. They upset Milwaukee last year because Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro led the way with an avalanche of 3s. Make outside shots — and everything changes. It is that simple. Miami made only 37.6% of their shots on Thursday including only 9 of 32 (28%) from behind the arc. They made 8 of 28 (29%) shots from downtown in Game Two. Their 38% field goal percentage for the series is the lowest mark of all 16 teams in the playoffs. In the first game of this series, the Heat nailed 20 of their 50 shots from behind the arc. They lost that game on the last possession in overtime. Spoelstra is a great coach — and he is going to make an adjustment or two that NBA Twitter (and me!) will not think of for this game. But an investment in Miami this afternoon is an investment that the Heat will simply make more baskets. They make 46.8% of their shots at home with a 36.9% 3-point shooting percentage. If they approach those numbers, they should be in a close game. And I have faith in the Heat culture to play hard in this game if simply for pride's sake after two straight embarrassing losses. Miami is 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a point spread loss. They have allowed at least 105 points in five straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 18 games after allowing at least 105 points in five straight games. They are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games on their home court. And in their last 7 playoff games as an underdog, the Heat have covered the point spread in 5 of these games. I suspect Milwaukee will come out flat. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit victory. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after winning three in a row. The Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games as a favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 37 games when laying 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Miami has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games when avenging two straight losses by double-digits. Milwaukee has won the last four meetings between these two teams going back to the regular season — but the Heat have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing with revenge for at least four straight losses. 10* NBA Milwaukee-Miami TNT Special with the Miami Heat (572) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (571). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (565) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (566) in Game Three of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (47-27) lost their fourth game in a row on Tuesday with their 127-121 upset loss to the Mavericks as a 7-point favorite in the second game of this series. Dallas (44-30) has pulled off upsets in the first two games of this series while winning 13 of their last 17 games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles has to play better in slowing down Luka Doncic and this Mavericks offense that has scored at a 128.3 points per 100 possessions rate. Patrick Beverley will likely play more tonight than the 20.5 minutes per game he has averaged — head coach Tyron Lue needs his defensive talent on the court. The Clippers allowed Dallas to make 58.5% of their shots in Game Two which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 34 games. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of the shots. And while the Clippers have allowed their last four opponents to make at least 50% of their shots, the Clippers have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after allowing their last three opponents to shoot at least 47% from the field. In theory, Los Angeles is supposed to be a better defensive team — even with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George missing 20 and 18 games respectively, they finished 8th in the league in the NBA — and they were sixth in the league by holding their opponents to 35.5% shooting from behind the arc. The Clippers have lost five of their last seven games — but they have then covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after losing five or six of their last seven games. They go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 21 games with the total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Dallas is not likely to continue to make 50% of their 3-pointers as they have so far in this series. The Mavericks’ 58.5% field goal percentage on Wednesday was their best shooting mark of the season. An emotional letdown is likely. As it is, they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 home games after a win on the road. And while Dallas has seen at least 216 combined points scored in three straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games after playing three straight games where at least 215 combined points were scored. This remains a franchise that has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games when playing the same-season revenge — and they have covered the points spread in 42 of their last 65 games when avenging upset loss where they were favored by at least 7 points. 10* NBA Friday Late Show Bailout with the Los Angeles Clippers (565) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (566). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (556) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (555) and the Portland Trail Blazers (556) in Game Three of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Portland (43-31) looks to rebound from their 128-109 loss at Denver as a 2-point favorite on Monday. Denver (48-26) evened this series at 1-1 while snapping a two-game losing streak.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLAZERS MINUS THE POINTS: Portland allowed the Nuggets to make 52.9% of their shots in Game Two which was the worst defensive effort in their last 15 games. Head coach Terry Stotts did make some adjustments at halftime which helped his team hold Denver to just 42.2% shooting in the second half. The Trail Blazers should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. Additionally, Portland has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss. They return home where they are a small favorite tonight — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when favored. The Trail Blazers have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Denver enjoyed the best shooting effort in their last 14 games by making 52.9% of their shots. But the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 29 of their last 42 games on the road after a double-digit victory. Denver has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win. And in their last 6 games when playing with two days of rest, the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of these games. They go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning record at home. Denver has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 51 games with the Total set at 220 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: Portland has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 29 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 110 points. 10* NBA Thursday Late Show Bailout with the Portland Trail Blazers (556) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (555) and the Portland Trail Blazers (556). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (552) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (551) in Game Three of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Miami (40-34) has lost the first two games of this series with their 132-98 loss at Milwaukee as a 5-point favorite on Monday. Milwaukee (48-26) has won five of their last six games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT PLUS THE POINTS: On the heels of a 34-point loss in Game Two, many pundits are forgetting that this Miami team was in a possession-for-possession battle with the Bucks in the opening game of this series which they lost on a buzzer-beating shot — in overtime. There is a perception held by some that the Heat were flukes in making the NBA Finals last year. While perhaps the team was fortunate and in a better position to make a deep playoff run in the bubble last fall, they should be immediately discounted because of one bad first half. Milwaukee raced out to a 78-51 halftime lead on Monday — but Miami has then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after trailing by at least 20 points in their last game. Additionally, the Heat are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread loss. Miami has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after allowing at least 130 points in their last game. Now after playing their last four games on the road, the Heat return home for the first time since May 13th. Miami has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after playing their last four games on the road — and they are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games at home. The Heat have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 playoff games as an underdog. Milwaukee is likely due for a letdown after their easy win in Game Two. They nailed 22 of their 53 shots from downtown at a sizzling 42% rate. They 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 6 of their last 8 games after a win at home by at least 20 points. The Bucks have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win by 30 or more points. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Additionally, they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after holding a halftime lead of 20 or more points. Milwaukee has also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after winning their last two games at home. The Bucks hit the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games when favored. Furthermore, Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Miami only made 8 of their 28 shots from 3-point land (29%) on Monday after they nailed 20 shots from downtown in Game One. The same Heat culture that helped them thrive in the bubble should lead to a very determined effort tonight. Erik Spoelstra is a great coach — and he has plenty of pieces on the roster from which to make adjustments. A playoff series starts when a team losing on their home court, goes the adage. Miami has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when avenging a 20-point loss on the road. 25* NBA 1st Round Playoff Underdog of the Year with the Miami Heat (552) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (551). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (546) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (545) in Game Two of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Utah (52-21) looks to rebound from their 112-109 upset loss at home to the Grizzlies in Game One of this series. Memphis (41-34) has won three in a row and eight of their last nine games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ MINUS THE POINTS: Utah started strong in Game One by taking a 10 point lead after the end of the first quarter before taking a 14-point lead. But the Jazz got sloppy with the basketball — and they can sometimes “die by the 3” given their reliance on 3-point shooting when things start to go bad. Utah missed 17 of 19 shots from distance before halftime while turning the ball over 10 times to open the door for the Grizzlies to get back into the game. Rudy Gobert also got into foul trouble — he only played 25 minutes in the game. Donovan Mitchell was supposed to return to action in this game but he did not play. And despite all this, the Jazz were almost in a position to steal this game at the end. The extra day of rest should help this team tonight as they are 11-4-1 ATS in their last 16 games playing with two days of rest. Gobert should play more minutes tonight. Utah should also come closer to their 38.9% shooting from 3-point range after they made only 12 of their 47 shots from behind the arc on Sunday. The Jazz have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Getting Mitchell back tonight is expected — and it can only help. But Utah closed out the regular season winning ten of fifteen games without Mitchell — and they led the league with a +9.8 Net Efficiency Rating so head coach Quin Snyder’s team has demonstrated they can still play at a very high level without him. Memphis has 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 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread win. The Grizzlies play on the road for a third straight game in what has been a busy ten-day period that included two single-elimination Play-In Tournament games and an important game at Golden State to determine seeding on the last day of the regular season. This is the first time in their last five games when Memphis did not have to travel. After two straight upset wins, they look like a prime candidate for an emotional and physical letdown. As it is, this franchise has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 playoff games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Utah has covered the point spread in 11 of the last 18 games when avenging a close loss by three points or less. 10* NBA Wednesday Late Show Bailout with the Utah Jazz (546) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (545). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (542) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (541) in Game Two of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (50-23) has won three games in a row with their 125-118 win against the Wizards in Game One of this series as an 8-point favorite on Sunday. Washington (35-40) has lost four of their last seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: Philadelphia was lax on defense in this game as they allowed the Wizards to make 55.7% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 46 games. Head coach Doc Rivers should get the play of their defense tightened up — the Sixers hold their guests to 45.0% shooting on their home court. Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 home games with the total listed at 220 or higher. Additionally, the 76ers have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 playoff games as the favorite. Washington's great shooting night came on the heels of them making 58.7% in their Play-In Tournament victory against Indiana last Thursday. But the Wizards have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after making at least 50% of their shots in two straight games. And while Washington has lost two of their last there games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 35 of their last 53 games on the road after losing two of their last three games. This is the Wizards’ fourth game in the last ten days — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games when playing no more than four games in a ten-day span. This remains a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 playoff games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Washington has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games played in Philadelphia. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Philadelphia 76ers (542) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (541). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (536) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (535) in Game Two of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (47-26) looks to rebound from their 113-103 upset loss to the Mavericks in the opening game of this series as a 6-point underdog on Saturday. Dallas (43-30) has won seven of their last nine games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles closed out the regular season with twelve wins in their last sixteen games — but they need to get back to business after being upset in all three games of their current losing streak. One of those losses was their controversial upset loss on the last day of the regular season where they tanked the game to avoid the Lakers in the first round — the smart move since the reigning champions have a tough series of their own with the Phoenix Suns before a hypothetical “Battle for Los Angeles.” But head coach Tyron Lue needs to get his team back to playing good basketball. That should happen tonight. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a loss by 10 or more points at home. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combined to make only 17 of their 40 shots from the field (42.5%) including going just 3 of 14 from behind the arc. As a team, Los Angeles made only 11 of 40 (27.5%) of their 3-pointers in Game One which was far below their 41.1% clip from downtown during the regular season. Besides interior players Serge Ibaka and Ivica Zubic, the Clippers’ top-11 players all make at least 39.7% of their 3-pointers. Los Angeles also needs to tighten up on defense after allowing the Mavericks to make at least 50% of their shots. The Clippers have let all three of their opponents during their recent losing streak make at least 50% of their shots — but they have then covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after allowing their last three opponents to make at least 47% of their shots. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 home games when favored by 6.5 to 12 points. Lue learned early in Game One that Zubac will be a liability in this series given his defense on the pick-and-roll. Luka Doncic torched him on Saturday. But Dallas is due for a visit from the Regression Gods after they made 50% of their shots from the field while nailing 17 of their 36 shots from downtown. That was the best field goal percentage in their last five games — and they did not even have the shooting of J.J. Redick who is out with a heel injury. The Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after an upset victory by 10 or more points. This remains a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games in the playoffs as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers are as healthy as they have been all season with Patrick Beverley, Serge Ibaka, and Marcus Morris all back in the mix after missing 35, 31, and 15 games respectively. Leonard and George missed 20 and 18 games as well. Los Angeles has now lost their last two games to the Mavericks after suffering a 105-89 loss at home to Dallas as a 2-point favorite on March 17th. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 home games when avenging a loss where their opponent scored at least 110 points. LA has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when playing with double-revenge. 25* NBA 1st Round Western Conference Playoffs Game of the Year with the Los Angeles Clippers (536) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (535). Best of luck for us — Frank.