6* NBA Western Conference *CA$H COW* on Oklahoma City Thunder +1.5 

The Key: The Oklahoma City Thunder have won 13 of their last 17 games overall while going 14-3 ATS in the process.  Oddsmakers just haven’t given this team the respect they deserve, and they are lacking respect again tonight as home underdogs to the Dallas Mavericks.  Dallas lost Dwight Powell for the season just a few games back and won’t be nearly as good of a team moving forward without him.  The Thunder are 35-16 ATS in their last 51 games as underdogs.  The home team is 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in the last 5 matchups.  Take Oklahoma City. 

7* NBA Situational Game of the Week on Miami Heat -6 

The Key: The Miami Heat have had the last 2 days off to rest and recover.  Now they host the Orlando Magic and are 20-2 at home this year.  The Magic don’t have the same rest luxury.  They will be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 8th game in 13 days.  The Heat are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games when playing on 2 days rest, while the Magic are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games playing on no rest.  Take Miami. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New York Knicks -1.5 

The Key: The Brooklyn Nets will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days and for a 2nd consecutive day after winning in overtime at Detroit last night.  Needing to go to OT will take even more out of the Nets and the Knicks should be able to capitalize.  The Nets are 6-14 ATS in their last 20 games playing on 0 days’ rest.  The Knicks are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 matchups with the Nets.  Brooklyn is 0-7 ATS in its last 7 games as a road dog.  The Knicks are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.  Take New York. 

7* Mavs/Jazz NBA *HEAVY HITTER* on Utah -3.5 

The Key: The Utah Jazz have won 18 of their last 20 games overall.  The Jazz are also 13-2 ATS in their last 15 games.  Utah is 6-0 SU in its last 6 home matchups with Dallas.  Utah is 7-0 ATS in its last 7 home games.  Take Utah. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Atlanta Hawks +9.5 

The Key: The Oklahoma City Thunder could be without Steven Adams tonight and will be without both Ferguson and Nader.  They are laying too big of a number tonight after winning and covering 3 straight.  They are getting a lot of respect from oddsmakers after going 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games as well.  The Hawks took both the Raptors and Clippers to the wire losing by 5 to Toronto and beating the Clippers by 7 in their last 2 games to flash their potential.  The Hawks also upset the Spurs on the road and the Suns at home in going 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.  Atlanta is 11-1 ATS in road games off a home win over the last 2 years.  Take Atlanta. 

6* Clippers/Heat ESPN *CA$H COW* on Miami +2.5 

The Key: The Miami Heat cannot be home underdogs to the Los Angeles Clippers tonight.  The Heat have the best home record in the NBA at 20-1 this season.  And the Clippers are going to be without 2 starters in Paul George and Patrick Beverly.  I know Butler, Dragic and Nunn are all questionable for the Heat but they are a deep team and it will not matter.  The Heat are 13-0 ATS in home games off two straight games with a combined score of 215 or more over the last 2 years.  Miami is 8-1 ATS in home games against Western Conference foes this year.  The Heat are 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 home games and 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games as home underdogs.  Take Miami. 

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Cleveland Cavaliers -2.5 

The Key: The situation tonight favors the Cavaliers over the Wizards in a big way.  The Cavaliers are hungry for a win off 5 straight losses, but they’ve played 6 of their last 7 on the road.  They are rested and recovered by now having been off since Monday.  The Wizards are a tired team playing for a 2nd consecutive day and their 3rd game in 4 days.  Making matters worse is that they had to go to overtime against Miami last night.  They gave up 134 points to the Heat and are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 road games after allowing at least 130 points.  Take Cleveland. 

7* Spurs/Pelicans ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on New Orleans -3.5 

The Key: The Pelicans are 10-4 SU & 12-1-1 ATS in their last 14 games overall.  And their 4 losses came to the Lakers, Clippers (by 3), Jazz (by 2) and Celtics.  And now the Pelicans get Zion Williamson making his season debut in what will be a tremendous atmosphere in New Orleans.  Plus Jrue Holiday just returned and scored 36 points in his first game back from injury in a 126-116 win at Memphis last time out.  The Spurs are 7-13 on the road this year.  San Antonio is 7-22 ATS in its last 29 games off a win.  The Pelicans are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games.  Take New Orleans. 

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Charlotte Hornets +4.5 

The Key: The Hornets have had the last 4 days off having last played on Wednesday.  The Magic will be playing their 4th game in 6 days and their 6th straight road game.  The situation really favors the Hornets, who needed the break after a very difficult schedule that has seen them be a dog of 6.5 points or more in 6 of their last 7 games.  Bets against any team that’s off an upset loss as a favorite against an opponent that’s off 3 or more consecutive road losses are 38-14 ATS over the last 5 years.  Take Charlotte. 

6* Pacers/Nuggets NBA *BAILOUT* on Denver -1 

The Key: We’re getting the Nuggets cheap at home tonight because they are without 3 players in Murray, Harris and Millsap.  But this line has been adjusted too much for those injuries.  The Nuggets have arguably the deepest team in the NBA so they can survive some injuries.  They had six players score in double figures last game without this trio, including three off the bench in Beasley (27), Porter Jr. (18) and Plumlee (15).  Will Barton had 31 points and took on a bigger role as well.  The Nuggets are 17-5 at home this year.  The Pacers are 6-14-1 ATS in their last 21 road games against a team that wins more than 60% of their home games.  Take Denver. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Detroit Pistons -2 

The Key: The Hawks are in a letdown spot off their first win in San Antonio since 1997 last night.  They came back from 14 down to win in the 4th quarter and obviously used up a lot of energy making that comeback.  It will take its toll tonight as they will now be playing for a 2nd consecutive night against the Detroit Pistons.  The Pistons have had the last 2 days off since knocking off the Celtics by 13 as 9.5-point road underdogs on Wednesday.  The situation really favors the Pistons in this matchup.  Take Detroit. 

7* NBA Total of the Week on Heat/Thunder OVER 216 

The Key: With Stephen Adams knocked out of their last game with a knee injury in the first quarter, the Oklahoma City Thunder went on to lose to the Toronto Raptors 121-130 in a game that saw 251 combined points.  They have to go small ball without Adams, which favors the OVER.  The Heat are 8-0 OVER off a win by 6 points or less this year.  The OVER is 2-0 in the last 2 meetings with combined scores of 223 and 220 points.  Take the OVER. 

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New Orleans Pelicans +5 

The Key: The Pelicans are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 9 games overall.  The Jazz have won 10 straight, but their closest win was a 128-126 victory at New Orleans just 10 days ago.  The Pelicans haven’t forgotten and will be hungry to avenge that defeat and end Utah’s winning streak.  Take New Orleans. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Charlotte Hornets +11.5 

The Key: The Charlotte Hornets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.  They upset the Mavericks and Cavaliers on the road and lost by single-digits to the Blazers by 3 and Suns by 8 to cover those 2 numbers.  The Nuggets are in a letdown spot off their big win over the Clippers.  They have fallen victim to upset home losses to the Cavs as 12.5-point favorites and the Pelicans as 9-point favorites recently.  They seem to play to the level of their competition.  And the Nuggets could be without 3 of their better players in Paul Millsap, Jamal Murray and Gary Harris tonight.  The Hornets are 11-2 ATS off 2 or more straight road losses over the last 2 years.  The Hornets have 4 days off after this game so they will be All In tonight.  Take Charlotte. 

7* NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month on Brooklyn Nets +3.5 

The Key: The Brooklyn Nets are healthy for basically the first time this season.  It’s not wonder they have won impressively in their last two games to end a 7-game losing streak.  They upset the Heat as 4-point home underdogs and crushed the Hawks by 22 as 9-point home favorites.  Now they welcome the hot Utah Jazz, who have won 9 straight and 14 of their last 15.  This just feels like a spot where the Jazz go down.  They were down by double-digits at halftime to the Wizards on the road last time out and came back.  They won’t be so fortunate against the Nets tonight.  Bets against road teams with a line of +3.5 to -3.5 after beating the spread by 54 or more points in their last 10 games against an opponent that went under the total by more than 24 points in their last game are 25-6 ATS since 1996.  The Nets are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games as a home underdog.  Take Brooklyn. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Brooklyn Nets -7.5 

The Key: No write up Sunday. On vacation. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Cleveland Cavaliers +13 

The Key: No write up.  On vacation. 

7* NBA Situational Game of the Month on Phoenix Suns -3 

The Key: The Phoenix Suns are hungry for a win.  They had the last 2 days off and are primed for a big effort tonight against the Orlando Magic.  The Magic will be playing their 9th game in 15 days.  Now they are without D.J. Augustin, Jonathan Isaac and Al-Farouq Aminu and could also be without Aaron Gordon, who is questionable with a calf injury.  The Suns are fully healthy outside role player Kaminski.  The Suns are 17-5 ATS in their last 22 games when revenging a loss where opponent scored 110 points or more.  Take Phoenix. 

7* Celtics/76ers Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Philadelphia -2 

The Key: The Celtics will be playing for a second straight night and their 5th game in 7 days.  They are starting to wear down as they lost at Washington as 9-point favorites and lost to the Spurs by 15 as home favorites.  The 76ers come in on 2 days rest and are 2-0 SU & 2-0 ATS against the Celtics this year with wins at home and on the road.  The 76ers are 17-2 at home this season I like the price we are getting with them as only 2-point favorites.  Take Philadelphia. 

7* Nuggets/Mavs ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Dallas -3 

The Key: I like the price we are getting on the Dallas Mavericks as a short home favorite over the Denver Nuggets tonight.  The Nuggets have lost by 26 at Houston and by 14 at Washington as 13-point favorites in recent road games.  And I don’t expect them to hang with the Mavericks for four quarters tonight.  The Nuggets are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games off a win.  The Mavericks are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 games against a team that wins more than 60% of their games.  The Mavericks are 6-2 ATS in the last 8 matchups.  The Mavericks are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 home matchups.  Take Dallas. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New York Knicks +13 

The Key: The Lakers haven’t won any of their last 12 games by more than 13 points.  The Knicks have only lost twice by more than 8 points in their last 12 games.  The Knicks are 8-4 ATS in those 12 games and should be able to hang around with the Lakers for 4 quarters tonight.  The Knicks are 8-0 ATS when playing their 2nd straight road game this year.  They only lost by 3 on the road to the Clippers on Sunday.  Take New York. 

6* Warriors/Kings NBA TV *BAILOUT* on Golden State +10.5 

The Key: The Golden State Warriors get D’Angelo Russell back tonight and should take the Sacramento Kings down to the wire.  It’s a Kings team that will be without both Marvin Bagley III and Bogdan Bogdanovic.  The Kings are just 1-9 SU & 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall and shouldn’t be laying doubles to anyone.  The Warriors are 14-4 ATS in their last 18 road games when revenging a same-season loss.  The Kings are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 home games.  Take Golden State. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Charlotte Hornets +12 

The Key: The Dallas Mavericks have too many injuries to be laying 12 points to the Hornets tonight.  They are going to be without Porzingis, Hardaway Jr. and Broekhoff tonight and could be without Wright.  The Hornets are 100% healthy and will give the Mavericks everything they want tonight.  The Hornets are 10-1 ATS after allowing 105 points or more in 3 straight games this year.  Bets on road dogs of 10 or more points who are playing 6 or less games in 14 days who win between 25% and 40% of their games when playing a team with a winning record are 44-15 ATS over the last 5 years.  The Mavericks are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games off an ATS win.  Take Charlotte. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Orlando Magic +2 

The Key: The Miami Heat will be playing for a 2nd consecutive night after beating the Raptors at home last night.  The Orlando Magic haven’t played since Wednesday.  The Magic have covered 4 of their last 5 matchups with the Heat.  The Magic are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games after scoring 120 or more points.  Take Orlando. 

6* Pistons/Clippers NBA TV *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles -12.5 

The Key: The Detroit Pistons are in a world of hurt right now with injuries to Blake Griffin, Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard and Markieff Morris.  That’s basically 4 of their top 7 scorers they are without.  It’s no wonder the Pistons are 1-7 SU & 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games overall with all 7 losses coming by 12 points or more.  That trend will continue tonight as the Pistons can’t be competitive against one of the best teams in the NBA in the Clippers on the road tonight.  Detroit is 2-10 ATS against a team with a winning record this year.  The Pistons are 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 road games.  The Pistons are 15-36-3 ATS in their last 54 games as an underdog.  The Clippers are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games against a team with a losing record.  Take Los Angeles. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Cleveland Cavaliers +9.5 

The Key: The Cleveland Cavaliers are 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games and are catching too many points here against a struggling Toronto Raptors team that is battling injury right now.  The Raptors have lost 3 of their last 4 coming in.  They are playing without Siakam, Gasol and Powell right now.  Bets on road dogs off a road win who win between 25% and 40% of their games when playing a team with a winning record are 50-19 ATS over the last 5 years.  Take Cleveland. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Brooklyn Nets -3 

The Key: The Minnesota Timberwolves are 1-12 SU & 2-10-1 ATS in their last 13 games overall.  Now they could be without both Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins tonight, and they’re already without Jake Layman.  Minnesota is just 2-11-1 ATS at home this season.  The Nets are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games off an ATS loss.  The Timberwolves are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 home games against a team with a losing road record.  Take Brooklyn. 

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on New York Knicks -3 

The Key: The Knicks are 4-4 SU & 5-3 ATS in their last 8 games and playing good basketball.  Now they get a chance to avenge one of those losses as they fell 115-121 at home to the Wizards on December 23rd.  While the Knicks are now healthy, the Wizards have a ton of injuries.  They are without Bertans, Wagner, Hachimura and Bryant and both Beal and Thomas are banged up and may sit tonight.  The Knicks will beat the short-handed Wizards on the road tonight.  Take New York. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New Orleans Pelicans +1 

The Key: The Pelicans are 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall with all 3 wins coming in upset fashion on the road.  They are playing well and will take down a Pacers team in a difficult situation for them.  The Pelicans come in on 2 days rest since their upset 112-100 win at Denver as 9-point dogs.  The Pacers are coming off a 112-113 dog fight loss at Miami last night and will now be playing on the road for a 2nd consecutive night.  Malcolm Brogdon is questionable for the Pacers.  This situation really favors the Pelicans.  Take New Orleans. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Atlanta Hawks +11.5 

The Key: The Atlanta Hawks have played the Bucks tough.  They are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings with the Bucks not once losing by more than 8 points.  They lost both meetings this season by 8 and 9 points.  I like the price we are getting with the Hawks tonight considering they are on 3 days rest and the Bucks just played on Christmas.  Bets against road favorites of 10 or more points who have won 6 or 7 of their last 8 games who are winning more than 75% of their games against a team that wins 25% or less are 43-17 ATS since 1996.  Take Atlanta. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Oklahoma City Thunder -6 

The Key: The Oklahoma City Thunder are playing their best basketball of the season to get over .500 at 15-14 on the year.  They have won 4 straight and 7 of their last 9 coming in.  The Memphis Grizzlies won’t be able to hang tonight.  The Grizzlies gave up 145 points and 67.4% shooting to the Spurs last time out.  The Thunder are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games.  The Grizzlies are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road matchups with the Thunder.  Take Oklahoma City. 

7* Clippers/Lakers ABC *HEAVY HITTER* on Lakers -2 

The Key: The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Clippers 102-112 in their opener in their first and only meeting this year.  Now it’s revenge time for the Lakers.  This team has come a long way since that loss as they sit at 24-6 on the season.  But they are coming off 3 straight losses, so they are very hungry right now for a win.  Lebron James and Anthony Davis are both expected to play in this game after LeBron sat out last game.  The Clippers are just 8-8 on the road this season.  Bets against road teams with a line of +3 to -3 who outscore their opponents by 6 or more points per game after allowing 105 points or more in 3 straight games are 24-4 ATS since 1996.  Take the Los Angeles Lakers. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Sacramento Kings +6 

The Key: The Kings beat the Rockets 119-118 on the road on December 9th.  Now they get them in Sacramento 2 weeks later.  They are in need of a win after dropping 3 straight on the road, and I look for the Kings to be hungry tonight as a result.  The Rockets are fat and happy off 3 straight wins and nearing Christmas.  They won’t be playing with the same sense of urgency as the Kings will be tonight.  The Kings are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games as a dog and 9-1 ATS in their last 10 against a team with a winning record.  Take Sacramento. 

6* Nuggets/Lakers NBA *BAILOUT* on Denver +3.5 

The Key: The Denver Nuggets have won 5 straight and want to avenge an earlier 96-105 home loss to the Lakers on December 3rd.  They shot 40.7% in that game and 20.7% from 3-point range.  They won’t shoot that poorly again.  And they won’t have to deal with Lebron James this time around as he is sitting with a back injury.  The Lakers are in an awful situation returning home following a 5-game road trip and playing 12 of their last 15 on the road.  It’s a tired team that will be dealing with a lot of distractions at home, especially since it’s nearly Christmas.  Take Denver. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Sacramento Kings -1 

The Key: The Memphis Grizzlies are running on fumes right now.  They’ll be playing for a 2nd consecutive day, their 3rd game in 4 days, and their 6th game in 9 days.  The Grizzlies are just 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games when playing for a 2nd consecutive day.  The Kings will only be playing their 2nd game in 4 days and they are a young, deep team that won’t be phased by this situation.  The Kings are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games when coming off 2 or more consecutive road losses.  Take Sacramento. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Portland Trail Blazers -3.5 

The Key: The Orlando Magic are a tired team.  They just played the toughest situation in the NBA with a back-to-back at Utah and Denver on Tuesday and Wednesday.  And now they’ll be playing their 3rd game in 4 days tonight.  The Blazers should take advantage and run them out of the gym.  Portland will be playing just its 3rd game in 8 days and will be the fresher team.  The Blazers are 3-1-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  Take Portland. 

6* Rockets/Clippers TNT *BAILOUT* on UNDER 236 

The Key: This will be the 3rd meeting already between the Rockets and Clippers this year, so they are familiar with one another.  The first meeting saw Houston win 102-93 for 195 combined points.  The 2nd meeting saw the Clippers win 122-119 for 241 combined points.  But that game was on pace to go well UNDDER the total before a huge 77-point 4th quarter.  That total was set at 227, and now this total is set at 236, a 9-point adjustment.  I think the price is right to pull the trigger on the UNDER here.  The Rockets are 14-4 UNDER in road games with a total of 230 or higher over the last 2 years.  The Rockets are 27-12 UNDER as an underdog over the last 3 years.  The Rockets are 22-6 UNDER when playing against a team that wins more than 70% of their games over the last 3 years.  The UNDER is 9-4 in Clippers last 13 games as a home favorite.  Take the UNDER. 

7* Lakers/Bucks TNT *HEAVY HITTER* on Milwaukee -4 

The Key: The Bucks are 24-4 and 13-2 at home this year.  The Lakers will be without Kyle Kuzma and could be without Anthony Davis tonight.  It’s a tough situation for the Lakers, who have will be playing their 5th straight road game and their 12th road games in their last 15 games overall.  It is starting to wear on them as they barely escaped with a win at Atlanta before losing at Indiana in their last 2 games coming in.  The Bucks are 18-6 ATS off an upset loss as a favorite over the last 2 years.  The Bucks are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.  The Bucks are 23-8 ATS in their last 31 games off a loss.  The Bucks are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 home meetings with the Lakers and 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings overall.  Take Milwaukee.

7* NBA Situational Game of the Month on Denver Nuggets -9.5 

The Key: The situation could not possibly be worse for the Orlando Magic tonight.  They’ll be playing in altitude for the second straight night after losing 102-109 in Utah last night.  Now they’ll have nothing left in the tank for the Denver Nuggets tonight.  Denver comes in on 2 days’ rest and having won three straight home games to improve to 11-3 at home this year.  They had the best home record in the NBA last year.  The Magic are 4-12 ATS in their last 16 trips to Denver.  The Nuggets are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games against a team with a losing record.  Take Denver. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Utah Jazz -6.5 

The Key: The Utah Jazz are back to full strength finally with Mike Conley returning tonight.  The Jazz have had the last 3 days off and will be fresh tonight.  They should put away the Orlando Magic with relative ease.  The Magic have lost 3 of their last 4 all by 9 points or more.  Take Utah. 

6* NBA Western Conference *CA$H COW* on San Antonio Spurs +10 

The Key: The Spurs just beat the Rockets at home on December 3rd.  The Spurs have won 3 of their last 4 coming in.  The Spurs have only lost once by more than 7 points to the Rockets in their last 6 meetings.  This number is just way too high tonight.  This is a rested Spurs team that will be playing just their 4th game in the last 13 days.  The Rockets are really battling injuries right now and just lost outright at home to the Pistons as 7.5-point favorites and the Kings as 12-point favorites in their last 2 home games.  The Spurs will hang around for 4 quarters as well.  Take San Antonio.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Atlanta Hawks +12 

The Key: The Lakers will be playing without Kyle Kuzma tonight.  Lebron James is questionable.  The Lakers are primed for a letdown off their big win in Miami on Friday.  It will be their 6th road game in the last 13 days as they have been on the road a lot.  The Hawks will relish this chance to face the Lakers and will be the more hungry team.  The Lakers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 road games against a team with a losing home record.  Take Atlanta. 

7* NBA Western Conference Game of the Month on Denver Nuggets -6.5 

The Key: The Denver Nuggets have the Oklahoma City Thunder’s number.  They have won 8 of the last 9 meetings while going a perfect 9-0 against the spread.  Last year, the Nuggets won all 4 meetings by 7 points or more.  Take Denver. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Brooklyn Nets +7.5 

The Key: The Toronto Raptors just played in their biggest game of the season.  Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers returned to Toronto for the first time and promptly crushed the Raptors by 20 points.  The Raptors won’t be nearly as hungry for the Nets tonight.  Plus this is a Raptors team that is 1-4 SU & 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall.  They have been playing without Fred VanVleet, and clearly he means a lot more to them than he gets credit for.  The Raptors are fade material until VanVleet returns.  The Nets are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.  The Nets are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games off an ATS loss.  The Raptors are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games on 2 days rest.  Take Brooklyn. 

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New Orleans Pelicans +8 

The Key: The Philadelphia 76ers will be playing for a 2nd consecutive day and it will also be their 5th game in 7 days.  They won’t have much in the tank for the Pelicans tonight.  I like the price we are getting with the Pelicans because they have lost 10 straight, so oddsmakers are forced to set this number higher than it should be.  Take New Orleans. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on San Antonio Spurs -11.5 

The Key: The San Antonio Spurs are champing at the bit to play some competitive basketball.  They have been off since December 6th, getting 5 days off.  They beat the Rockets and Kings in their final 2 games before this break, so they are starting to play some good basketball.  And they should run the Cleveland Cavaliers out of the gym tonight.  The Cavaliers will be playing for a 2nd consecutive night and their 5th game in 7 days.  It’s about as tough a situation as there is in the NBA.  The Cavs are just 1-14 SU & 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games overall while consistently losing by double-digits.  The Cavs are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 road games.  The Spurs are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games when playing on 3 or more days of rest.  The Spurs are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take San Antonio. 

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Charlotte Hornets +10 

The Key: The Charlotte Hornets have already lost to the Brooklyn Nets by 10 and by 7 in 2 earlier meetings this season.  Now these teams will be matching up for the 3rd time in 3 weeks.  I can’t see the Hornets going down without a fight.  They are playing for a 2nd straight day but are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games when playing on no rest.  Take Charlotte. 

6* Wednesday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Celtics/Pacers UNDER 210 

The Key: The Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics are familiar with one another because they played in the playoffs last year.  The Celtics swept the Pacers in 4 games.  I think that familiarity will lead to a lower scoring game tonight.  The Celtics are 3rd in defensive efficiency this year while the Pacers are 8th.  Both teams prefer to play at a slower pace as the Pacers are 22nd in pace while the Celtics are 23rd.  The UNDER is 9-3 in Celtics last 12 games overall.  The UNDER is 4-0 in Pacers last 4 games overall.  The UNDER is 22-7 in Pacers last 29 games against a team that wins more than 60% of their games.  Take the UNDER. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Atlanta Hawks +9 

The Key: The Miami Heat will be without their top 2 point guards in Justice Winslow and Goran Dragic tonight.  That’s going to force Jimmy Butler to play out of position and likely run the point tonight.  The Hawks are completely healthy now outside the suspension to John Collins.  They have been impressive of late by beating the Warriors by 25 at home and the Hornets by 15 on the road in 2 of their last 3 games.  The Heat are 0-3 ATS in their last 3 games overall and struggled to put away both Washington and Chicago at home in their last 2 games coming in.  The Heat are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games off a win.  The Hawks are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 trips to Miami.  Take Atlanta. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Phoenix Suns -3.5 

The Key: The Phoenix Suns are in the preferred spot tonight.  They had yesterday off after a tough 6-point loss at Houston as 11.5-point dogs.  And now they are back home after a four-game road trip.  They need a win and should get it against a tired Minnesota Timberwolves team that is coming off a 125-142 shootout road loss to the Lakers last night.  The Suns will now be playing for a 2nd consecutive day and for the 3rd time in 4 days.  It’s also their 4th straight road game.  The Timberwolves are 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.  The Suns are 6-2-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings.  Phoenix is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 against a team with a losing record.  Take Phoenix. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New Orleans Pelicans +9 

The Key: The situation is a good one for the New Orleans Pelicans.  They are 0-2 SU & 0-2 ATS with 2 home losses to the Mavericks this year.  Well, the Pelicans are now getting 9 points on the road in the 3rd matchup and I like them to stay within the number.  New Orleans is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 road games after losing a home game.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Pelicans win this game outright.  Take New Orleans. 

6* Clippers/Bucks NBA *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 233 

The Key: When two elite teams like the Clippers and Bucks get together I usually like taking the UNDER.  Both teams are almost up for these games emotionally, which means their effort will be there on the defensive end.  And these are two of the better teams in the NBA in defensive efficiency due to their great length.  Nothing will come easy for either of these teams tonight.  Bets on the UNDER when the total is 220 or more after a blowout win by 15 points or more against an opponent that’s off a blowout win by 20 points or more are 43-13 since 1996.  The Clippers are 18-5 UNDER in road games against a team with a winning record over the last 2 years.  The Clippers are 16-5 UNDER when revenging a road loss over the last 2 years.  Take the UNDER. 

6* Thursday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Suns/Pelicans OVER 234.5 

The Key: Two terrible defensive teams square off tonight when the Phoenix Suns visit the New Orleans Pelicans.  The Pelicans are yielding 118.8 PPG this season and play at one of the fastest paces in the NBA.  The Suns are yielding 121.6 PPG in their last 5 games and just allowed 128 points to a bad Orlando offense last night.  The OVER is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings with combined scores of 245, 259, 254 and 246 points.  The OVER is 6-0 in Suns last 6 games off a loss by more than 10 points.  The OVER is 11-1 in Pelicans last 12 Thursday games.  Take the OVER. 

7* Kings/Blazers NBA *BAILOUT* on Portland -4 

The Key: The Portland Trail Blazers have won 3 of their last 4 coming in with their only loss coming on the road against the Clippers.  I know they played the Clippers last night, but they had 3 days off prior to that game, so they won’t be as tired as normal on a back-to-back.  The Kings have lost 3 of their last 4 and are finally coming back down to reality after an ATS tear.  They are without Fox and Bagley and could be without Bogdanovic tonight, 3 of their best players.  The Kings are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games as a road dog of 0.5 to 4.5.  The Blazers are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games off a loss by more than 10 points.  The Blazers are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 home meetings with the Kings.  Take Portland. 

6* Wednesday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Bucks/Pistons UNDER 225 

The Key: The Pistons are tired right now playing for a second consecutive day and their 3rd game in 4 days.  The Pistons are 15-3 UNDER in their last 18 games when playing their 3rd game in 4 days.  These teams just played on November 23rd with the Bucks winning 104-90 for 194 points.  This 225-point total is too high and these teams won’t come close to touching it.  Take the UNDER. 

6* Lakers/Nuggets Western Conference *CA$H COW* on Denver -2 

The Key: The home team is 8-1 SU & 8-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings.  The Nuggets are 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last 5 home meetings with the Lakers and winning by nearly 20 PPG on average.  Take Denver. 

7* Mavs/Pelicans TNT *Total* Annihilator on OVER 232 

The Key: These teams combined for 239 points in their first meeting this season and it will be more of the season tonight.  The Mavericks rank 1st in the NBA in offensive efficiency at 116.0 points per 100 possessions.  The Pelicans play at the 5th-fastest pace in the NBA and are 26th in the NBA in defensive efficiency.  These teams have combined for at least 238 points in 4 of their last 5 meetings.  The OVER is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings.  Take the OVER. 

6* Monday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Suns/Hornets OVER 223.5 

The Key: When the Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Hornets get together it usually leads to a high-scoring game. And with the way the Hornets are playing this season with a ton of 3-pointers and little defense, it should be more of the same.  The Suns are giving up over 119 PPG in their last 5 and have not been playing very good defense as well.  The Hornets are 28th in defensive efficiency this year.  The OVER is 9-0 in the last 9 meetings with 225-plus combined points in 5 straight matchups.  Take the OVER. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Boston Celtics -7 

The Key: The Boston Celtics will be hungry for a win Sunday off an upset loss at Brooklyn.  Now they take on one of the worst teams in the NBA in the New York Knicks, who are 4-15 on the season.  The Celtics have won 7 of their last 8 meetings with the Knicks with 5 of those wins coming by 9 points or more.  The Knicks are 13-28 ATS in their last 41 home games, and 3-13 ATS in their last 16 home games against a team with a winning road record.  The Celtics are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 trips to New York.  Take Boston. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Oklahoma City Thunder -4 

The Key: The Thunder have been through a tough stretch in losing 4 of their last 5 games and 4 of those 5 on the road.  They lost to the Lakers twice by 5 and 3 points.  They lost to the Clippers by 2.  And they were blown out on the road by Portland while winning at Golden State.  Now they are back home here laying a short price against a Pelicans team that is coming off a tough 4-point home loss to the Lakers.  That was a game they wanted badly, and I think that loss will beat them twice as they won’t show up tonight against the Thunder.  The Pelicans are 2-7 SU & 3-6 ATS on the road this year and giving up 123.1 PPG.  The Thunder are 5-4 SU & 6-3 ATS at home.  The Pelicans will be without Favors and Ball due to injury.  The Pelicans are 2-15 ATS in their last 17 Friday games.  The Thunder are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games.  The Thunder are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games off a loss by more than 10 points.  Take Oklahoma City. 

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on New York Knicks +7 

The Key: The Knicks want revenge from a. 104-109 road loss at Philadelphia as 12.5-point dogs on November 20th.  The Knicks now get the 76ers at home just 9 days later.  And it’s a depleted 76ers team that will be without Al Horford, Josh Richardson and Kyle O’Quinn tonight.  Philadelphia is 8-19 ATS in division road games over the last 3 years.  The Knicks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games off an ATS loss.  The Knicks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against a team with a winning record.  Take New York. 

7* Bulls/Warriors NBA *BAILOUT* on Chicago -2.5 

The Key: The Bulls will be hungry for a win tonight after losing badly to the Blazers last game.  They have the perfect opponent to get on track tonight.  The Warriors are 3-15 this season and just can’t overcome all the massive injuries they’ve accumulated.  The Warriors are 16-35-1 ATS in their last 52 home games.  The Warriors are 6-20-1 ATS in their last 27 home games against a team with a losing road record.  Take Chicago. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Washington Wizards +10.5 

The Key: The Washington Wizards are 10-4 ATS in all games this year and 5-1 ATS int heir last 6 games overall.  Their last 3 losses have all come by 7 points or fewer.  They should be able to stay within single-digits of the Denver Nuggets on the road tonight.  The Nuggets are 12-3 but only 3 of those 12 wins came by more than 10 points.  Each of the last 6 meetings in this series were decided by 10 points or fewer.  The road team is 5-0 SU & 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  The Wizards have won each of their last 3 trips to Denver outright.  Take Washington. 

6* Thunder/Warriors NBA *BAILOUT* on Oklahoma City -6 

The Key: The Oklahoma City Thunder are coming off 3 straight tough losses by 2 points to the Clippers, by 5 points to the Lakers and by 3 points to the Lakers.  Those are arguably the 2 best teams in the NBA, and they showed they could go toe-to-toe with them.  Now the Thunder have their get right game tonight against the Warriors, who are probably the worst team in the NBA.  The Warriors are 3-14 this season and losing by 10.6 PPG.  The Thunder are on 2 days rest and are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games on 2 days rest.  The Warriors are 15-35-1 ATS in their last 51 home games and 5-20-1 ATS in their last 26 home games against a team with a losing road record.  Take Oklahoma City. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Miami Heat +4 

The Key: The Miami Heat raced out to a 67-43 halftime lead over the Bulls yesterday.  This allowed their starters to get some rest on the second half and for the Heat to be more fresh than Philadelphia.  The 76ers also played yesterday, but they were in a dog fight with the Spurs in a game that was within single-digits most the way.  They had to extend their starters’ minutes, and wound up winning by 11 by pulling away late.  The Heat are the deeper, fresher team and are the right side today.  The Heat are one of the best teams in the NBA at 11-3 SU & 10-2-2 ATS on the year.  Take Miami. 

6* Friday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Lakers/Thunder UNDER 211 

The Key: This is my favorite spot to bet an UNDER in the NBA.  The Lakers and Thunder are playing a home-and-home situation.  They just played in Los Angeles on Tuesday with the Lakers winning 112-107 for 219 combined points.  The 2nd meeting in these home-and-home situations is almost always more low scoring than the first because teams are familiar with each other and it favors the defenses.  The Lakers are 2nd in the NBA in defensive efficiency this year while the Thunder are 12th.  The UNDER is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings in Oklahoma City.  Take the UNDER. 

6* Thursday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Blazers/Bucks UNDER 227.5 

The Key: The Blazers and Bucks will both be playing their 3rd game in 4 days today.  Neither team will be looking to push the tempo simply because they’ll both be too tired to do so.  And with the Blazers not having Damian Lillard, they’re going to have to slow it down and try and make this an ugly, grind it out game if they want any chance to compete with the Bucks.  Seven of the last 10 meetings in this series have gone UNDER the total.  Take the UNDER. 

7* NBA Total of the Week on Jazz/Timberwolves UNDER 222 

The Key: This is one of my favorite situations to bet an UNDER.  The Jazz and Timberwolves are playing a home-and-home here after the Minnesota beat Utah 112-102 on the road Monday night.  That game saw 214 combined points, and now the total is 222 in the rematch in Minnesota.  I think it’s too high, and now that these teams are familiar with one another, points will be hard to come by tonight.  Utah is 25-8 UNDER off a double-digit loss as a favorite of 6 points or more and 20-5 UNDER off a double-digit loss as a home favorite of 6 points or more.  The UNDER is 13-3 in Jazz last 16 games overall, 6-1 in Jazz last 7 road games, and 8-0 in Jazz last 8 games playing on one days rest.  Take the UNDER. 

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Bulls/Bucks UNDER 230.5 

The Key: This is one of my favorite situations to bet an UNDER.  It worked yesterday with the 76ers/Cavs UNDER, and it will work tonight with the Bulls/Bucks UNDER.  The Bulls and Bucks will be playing in a rematch from a 124-115 home win by Milwaukee on November 14th less than a week ago.  The Bulls made 18 3-pointers in that game, and the Bucks shot 47 free throws.  Those are things that are unlikely to happen again, and the rematch will be more lower scoring because these teams are familiar with one another.  The UNDER is 26-11-1 in the Bulls last 38 home games against a team with a winning road record.  Take the UNDER. 

6* Sunday NBA *Total* Annihilator on 76ers/Cavs UNDER 216 

The Key: This is one of my favorite situations to bet an UNDER.  The 76ers and Cavaliers will be playing in a rematch from Philly’s 98-97 home win on November 12th.  Now they are playing again just 5 days later and will be familiar with one another obviously.  And that first meeting only saw 195 combined points, so this 216-point total is too high.  The UNDER is 4-0 in Cavs last 4 games overall.  The UNDER is 18-8 in the last 26 meetings.  The UNDER is 15-6 in the last 21 meetings in Cleveland.  Take the UNDER. 

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Dallas Mavericks -3.5 

The Key: The Dallas Mavericks are cheap today because they have lost 3 of their last 4 and are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games.  But they played the last 3 on the road, and now they’re back home in a bounce back spot.  The Raptors will be playing their 5th straight road game here.  They remain without Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka, and I don’t believe they are good enough to beat a hungry Mavericks team on the road tonight without them.  The Mavericks are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 against a team with a winning record.  The Mavericks are 22-8 ATS in their last 30 against a team that wins more than 60% of their games.  The Mavericks are 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.  Take Dallas. 

6* Kings/Lakers NBA *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles -10.5 

The Key: The Lakers are 9-2 SU & 8-3 ATS this season and flexing their muscle in the early going.  The trio of Lebron James, Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma has been nearly unstoppable.  Both Javale McGee and Dwight Howard are playing some of the best basketball of their careers.  And role players like Danny Green, Avery Bradley, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are fitting in nicely.  Now the Lakers are expected to get PG Rajon Rondo back from injury to add another dimension.  The Kings are in a world of hurt right now injury-wise.  They are without De’Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley III, arguably their two best players.  They are also without Trevor Ariza and could be without Dewayne Dedmon.  I just don’t see how they can keep up with the Lakers without Fox.  The Lakers are 1st in the NBA in defensive efficiency this year.  The Kings are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 against a team that wins more than 60% of their games.  The Lakers are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 home games.  The Lakers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 against the Western Conference.  Take Los Angeles. 

6* Mavs/Knicks TNT *CA$H COW* on UNDER 215.5 

The Key: The Mavericks and Knicks just played 6 days ago with the Knicks pulling the 106-102 upset in Dallas for 208 combined points.  I think we see another defensive struggle in the rematch here tonight.  The Knicks are scoring just 99.5 PPG on the season and 94.7 PPG at home, so I don’t think they’ll be able to hold up their end of the bargain offensively.  Dallas is 21-11 UNDER when revenging a same season loss over the last 2 years.  New York is 13-3 UNDER in home games after going over the total in their previous game over the last 2 years.  The UNDER is 34-16-1 in Knicks last 51 games overall.  Take the UNDER. 

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Boston Celtics -8 

The Key: The Boston Celtics are 8-0 SU & 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.  Oddsmakers just aren’t quite adjusting enough for how improved this team is with Kemba Walker and company.  Now they face the Washington Wizards, who are 2-6 on the season with each of their last 3 losses coming by 13 points or more to th eCavaliers, Pacers and Timberwolves.  The Wizards are 1-9 ATS in road games off a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 years.  Washington is 1-11 ATS in its last 12 trips to Boston.  Take Boston. 

6* Lakers/Suns Western Conference *CA$H COW* on Phoenix +2.5 

The Key: The chemistry of the Phoenix Suns to start the season has been impressive.  The Suns are 6-3 SU & 8-1 ATS to be the best covering team in the NBA thus far.  Monty Williams is clearly getting the most out of these players and was a great hire.  They are sharing the ball very well and have made at least 11 3-pointers in a franchise-record seven consecutive games.  They had a season-high 19 in a 138-112 blowout home win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.  They also had a season-high 37 assists on 52 baskets and a season-low seven turnovers.  Now they will take down Lebron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.  Anthony Davis has been slowed by a shoulder injury that could sideline him any given night, which would be a huge loss for the Lakers.  The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  Take Phoenix. 

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Detroit Pistons -3 

The Key: No analysis Saturday through Monday. On Vacation. 

6* NBA Western Conference *CA$H COW* on Minnesota Timberwolves +3 

The Key: No analysis Saturday through Monday. On Vacation. 

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Chicago Bulls +6.5 

The Key: No analysis this weekend.  On vacation. 

7* NBA Total of the Week on Pistons/Pacers UNDER 211 

The Key: The Pistons and Pacers square off for a 3rd time already this season.  They only combined for 190 points in their last meeting on October 28th.  Points will be hard to come by again in this rematch because both teams have the injury bug right now to almost all of their key scorers.  The Pistons are without Griffin, Jackson and Rose.  The Pacers are without Oladipo and Lamb and Turner is questionable.  Indiana is 8-0 UNDER when revenging a loss as a road favorite over the last 3 years.  Indiana is 20-4 UNDER at home with a total of 210 to 219.5 over the last 2 years.  Take the UNDER. 

6* NBA Western Conference *CA$H COW* on San Antonio Spurs -4.5 

The Key: I think we are getting the Spurs cheap tonight because they are coming off 2 straight losses, while the Thunder are coming off 2 straight wins.  The Spurs will be hungry for a win to avoid a 3-game losing streak.  They have been competitive in every game this season and their 3 losses have come to the Clippers, Lakers and Hawks with 2 of those on the road.  They are a quality team.  The Thunder are still one of the worst teams in the West with all they lost in the offseason.  Bets on home favorites who failed to cover 3 of their last 4 ATS against an opponent that covered 4 of their last 5 ATS are 76-38 ATS over the last 5 years.  The home team is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  The Spurs are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 home meetings with the Thunder.  Take San Antonio. 

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Washington Wizards +4 

The Key: The Indiana Pacers are in a very difficult spot tonight.  They will be playing for a second consecutive day and their 3rd game in 4 days.  The Pacers also played an overtime game against the Hornets last night.  The Wizards had yesterday off and have been competitive in every game by one this year.  That’s a big reason why the Wizards are 5-1 ATS and rank 3rd in the NBA in offensive efficiency.  The road team has covered 19 of the last 26 meetings in this series.  The Wizards are 9-2 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Indiana.  Take Washington. 

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Charlotte Hornets +3.5 

The Key: The Indiana Pacers should not be favored on the road over the Charlotte Hornets tonight.  It’s a Pacers team playing without Victor Oladip and Myles Turner.  And Domantas Sabonis is banged up with a calf injury and questionable.  Both teams are 3-3 but there is a major difference.  Charlotte has played the 6th-hardest schedule in the NBA, while the Pacers have played the easiest (30th).  The home team has covered 10 of the last 12 meetings and the Hornets are 8-1 ATS in the last 9 home meetings. Take Charlotte. 

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on New Orleans Pelicans +4 

The Key: Two disappointing teams square off Monday when the Pelicans visit the Nets.  The Pelicans are just 1-5, but they are better than their record in my opinion.  They have been competitive in all 5 losses with their largest margin of defeat being 11 points.  And it has been against one of the toughest schedules in the NBA.  The Nets have played the 2nd-easiest schedule int he NBA and are just 2-4 with their wins coming over the Knicks by 4 and Rockets by 7.  They have lost to the Pacers, Pistons, Grizzlies and Timberwolves.  They shouldn’t even be favored in this contest.  Brooklyn is 12-32 ATS in its last 44 home games after failing to cover 4 of their last 5 games.  The Pelicans are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 Monday games.  The Nets are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  The underdog is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.  The Pelicans are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 trips to Brooklyn.  Take New Orleans. 

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Charlotte Hornets +1 

The Key: The Golden State Warriors may be the worst team in the Western Conference now without Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant.  They just don’t even have a chance of being competitive now with their only 2 good players being De’Angelo Russell and Draymond Green.  The Warriors would be better off just trading Russell and packing it in at this point.  They have no depth and are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA.  They are giving up 126 PPG and 52% shooting to opponents this year.  They lost 127-110 to the Spurs at home last night.  Now they’ll be playing for a second straight day and their 5th game in 7 days.  The Charlotte Hornets have had 2 days off coming in having last played on Wednesday.  Take Charlotte. 

6* NBA Western Conference *CA$H COW* on Memphis Grizzlies +2.5 

The Key: The Phoenix Suns have opened 3-2 SU & 5-0 ATS this season with their 2 losses coming by exactly one point each.  But I have a hard time believing the Suns are that much better than they were last year because they didn’t improve their roster all that much, and they are without De’Andre Ayton.  I think because they have covered all 5 games they are now getting too much respect from the books as a road favorite here. They were dogs in 4 of their first 5 games with the only exception being a favorite at home against Sacramento.  They shouldn’t be favored on the road at Memphis tonight.  This is a young, talented Grizzlies team that will benefit from having 3 days off coming into this game having last played on Tuesday.  Take Memphis. 

6* NBA Western Conference *CA$H COW* on San Antonio Spurs -6.5 

The Key: The Golden State Warriors may be the worst team in the Western Conference now without Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant.  They just don’t even have a chance of being competitive now with their only 2 good players being De’Angelo Russell and Draymond Green.  The Warriors would be better off just trading Russell and packing it in this season at this point.  They have no depth and are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA.  They are allowing 126.2 PPG and 52% shooting to opponents this year.  The Warriors are 12-30-1 ATS in their last 43 home games.  The Spurs are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  Take San Antonio. 

6* Heat/Hawks NBA *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 215 

The Key: I really like betting the UNDER in Game 2 of these home-and-home situations.  The Heat and Hawks played on Tuesday with the Heat winning 112-97 at home in a game that saw 209 combined points.  And now Trae Young won’t be available for this game, yet the total is 215.  The Hawks are lost offensively without Young and it showed in that game Tuesday when he went out with the Heat leading 33-31.  The Heat went on a big run after that and put away the Hawks, who shot just 42.2% from eh field.  The UNDER is 25-12 in Heat last 37 Thursday games.  The UNDER is 4-0 in Hawks last 4 games overall.  The UNDER is 35-17 in the last 52 meetings.  Take the UNDER. 

7* Suns/Warriors NBA *BAILOUT* on OVER 229 

The Key: The Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors both like to get up and down the floor as both teams rank in the top half of the league in pace.  Both teams also rank in the top half of the league in offensive efficiency, and the Warriors are dead last in defensive efficiency.  The Suns rank well on defense right now, but that’s not going to last.  The Suns are scoring 114 PPG, the Warriors are scoring 116 PPG, and the Warriors are giving up 128 PPG.  Teams are shooting 54.2% on this soft Warriors defense.  These teams have combined for at least 224 points in 6 of their last 7 meetings.  The OVER is 7-1 in Suns last 8 games off a loss.  The OVER is 17-8 in the last 25 meetings at Golden State.  Take the OVER. 

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Charlotte Hornets +7.5 

The Key: The Sacramento Kings can’t be this big of a favorite over anyone.  They are 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS losing by an average of 19.5 PPG.  They haven’t even been competitive, and Luke Walton is once again proving that he’s one of the worst head coaches in the NBA after his failed experiment with the Lakers.  The Kings should have never fired Dave Joerger.  The Hornets have played a brutal schedule and are 1-3.  They beat the Bulls at home, and their 3 losses came to the Clippers, Lakers and Timberwolves.  They step back down in class here against a Kings team they can handle.  The Hornets are 15-4 ATS in their last 19 games off 2 or more consecutive losses.  Charlotte is 6-0 ATS in its last 6 games against a team that wins less than 40% of their games.  The Hornets are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.  The Kings are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games overall.  Take Charlotte. 

6* Hawks/Heat NBA *CA$H COW* on Atlanta +8 

The Key: The Atlanta Hawks are 3-0 ATS this season and have been a money making machine dating back to last year.  The Hawks are 20-7 ATS in their last 27 games overall and 10-2 ATS in their last 12 road games.  They are catching too many points from the Miami Heat tonight.  Jimmy Butler makes his season debut for the Heat and I think it will throw off their chemistry.  The Hawks are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 meetings with the Heat while winning 4 times outright as underdogs.  Take Atlanta. 

6* Jazz/Suns NBA *CA$H COW* on Utah -4 

The Key: The Jazz have one of the best rosters in the NBA and are a real contender in the West.  They added Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic this offseason.  They are 2-1 with their only loss coming on the road to the Lakers.  The Suns are fool’s gold with heir 2-1 SU & 3-0 ATS start this year.  The Jazz will expose them tonight as I think we are getting them very cheap based on series history.  The Jazz are 7-0 SU & 6-1 ATS in their last 7 meetings with the Suns with all 7 wins coming by 10 points or more and by an average of 24.1 PPG.  Take Utah. 

6* Warriors/Pelicans NBA *CA$H COW* on New Orleans -4.5 

The Key: The Warriors are clearly broken this year.  Not only do they miss Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, but they also miss 2 key players they were depending on this season.  Their 2 best big men in Kevon Looney and Willie Cauley-Stein are both out.  The Warriors lost by 19 at home to the Clippers and by 28 on the road to the Thunder.  I don’t think they are fixable here early in the season due to the injuries and lack of depth.  The Pelicans are 0-3, but their 3 losses all came by 7 points or less to 3 really good teams in the Raptors, Mavs and Rockets with 2 of them on the road.  The Pelicans will get their first win of the season in blowout fashion at home Monday night.  Take New Orleans. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Minnesota Timberwolves -6.5 

The Key: The situation favors the Minnesota Timberwolves in a big way tonight.  It’s their home opener, they play at one of the fastest paces in the NBA, and they get a Miami Heat team that will be playing the second of a back-to-back after their huge overtime win in Milwaukee yesterday.  Look for the Timberwolves to try and run them out of the building.  Take Minnesota. 

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Milwaukee Bucks -10.5 

The Key: The Bucks should roll in their home opener over the depleted Miami Heat tonight.  The Bucks have won and covered 3 straight against the Heat with all 3 wins coming by 15 points or more and by an average of 27.3 PPG.  The Bucks have beaten the Heat badly in their last 2 meetings in Milwaukee by an average of 34.5 PPG.  Take Milwaukee. 

6* NBA Western Conference *CA$H COW* on Denver Nuggets -11.5 

The Key: The Phoenix Suns will be without star center Deandre Ayton for the foreseeable future due to a suspension.  He had a big game against the Kings in an opening night home win.  Without him, the Suns have no rim protection, and the Nuggets should score at will on them.  The Nuggets won 132-95 and 119-91 in their last two home meetings with the Suns.  The Nuggets had the best home record in the NBA last season.  The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.  The Nuggets are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 home meetings with the Suns.  The Suns are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 meetings with the Nuggets overall.  Take Denver. 

6* Bucks/Rockets NBA *Total* Annihilator on OVER 229 

The Key: This is a great opener for both teams that fans should love.  The Bucks ranked 2nd in the NBA in pace in the preseason with 111 possessions per game and will play at one of the fastest paces in the league during the regular season as well.  The Rockets ranked 6th in pace in the preseason.  So this is a matchup of 2 of the top 6 teams in pace, which screams OVER.  The OVER is 8-2 in Bucks last 10 road games.  The OVER is 9-3 in Bucks last 12 against Western Conference teams.  Take the OVER. 

6* Nuggets/Blazers Western Conference *BAILOUT* on Denver +1 

The Key: The Denver Nuggets want revenge after losing in 6 games to the Blazers in the playoffs last year, costing them a trip to the Western Conference Finals.  The Nuggets will probably be the best team in the Western Conference during the regular season and get the top seed again.  They bring almost everyone back and add in Jerami Grant from the Thunder and get Michael Porter Jr. healthy to start the season.  The Blazers lose four key role players and only added Hassan Whiteside and Kent Bazemore of any significance.  And Whiteside is pretty much a cancer and his motivation is a question night in and night out after he got a big contract.  The Nuggets are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings in Portland.  Take Denver. 

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Dallas Mavericks -8.5 

The Key: The Mavericks will be one of the most improved teams in the NBA this year.  They get Kristaps Porzingis back from injury and pair him with Luka Doncic.  They have some great role players and added Delon Wright and Seth Curry in the offseason.  Rick Carlisle is one of the best coaches in the NBA.  For the Wizards, they will be one of the worst teams in the league.  Scott Brooks is one of the worst head coaches in the NBA.  Their starting 5 of Ish Smith, Bradley Beal, Riu Hachimura, Davis Bertans and Thomas Bryant is one of the worst in the NBA.  They traded Otto Porter Jr. last year, and also lost Jeff Green, Trevor Arizona, Markieff Morris, Dwight Howard, Jabari Parker, Bobby Portis and Tomas Satoransky.  There’s just nothing to like about this team outside Bradley Beal as they are rebuilding.  The Wizards are 16-36 ATS in their last 52 road games.  The Mavericks are 14-4 ATS in home games in the first half of the season over the last 2 years.  The Mavericks are 11-2 ATS in the last 13 meetings, and 5-1 ATS in the last 6 home meetings.  Take Dallas. 

6* Lakers/Clippers Western Conference *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles -3 

The Key: The Lakers want to make a statement in the opener tonight and let the Clippers know that the city of Los Angeles belongs to them.  LeBron James finally got to take a summer off as the Lakers missed the playoffs, so he will be rejuvenated.  The same goes for Anthony Davis, who is easily the best superstar James has ever played with, which makes sense why they are the favorites to win the NBA title.  And I thought the Lakers did a good job in free agency after missing out on Kawhi Leonard.  They salvaged it by getting key role players in Danny Green, Avery Bradley, Dwight Howard and Jared Dudley.  They have surrounded James and Davis with some great shooting, which is key to winning in the NBA.  The Clippers are without Paul George to start the season and they won’t live up to their massive expectations early on because of it.  Kawhi won’t play big minutes early after the deep playoff run he made to earn the Raptors their first ever NBA title.  Take the Lakers. 

7* Raptors/Warriors Game 6 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 211.5 

The Key: Points are harder to come by the longer a series goes on simply because of teams getting more familiar with one another.  It always favors the defenses.  These teams combined for 197 points in Game 4 and 211 points in Game 5.  And now Kevin Durant is out for the remainder of the series and we still have a total higher than those two results at 211.5 tonight.  Take the UNDER.