At 8:35 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (509) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (510) in Game Five of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Indiana (63-38) has lost two of their last three games after their 111-104 loss at home to the Thunder as a 6-point underdog on Friday. Oklahoma City (81-21) evened this series at 2-2 with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: This has been a lower-scoring series than expected — and I think the books and/or the market continue to be too slow to react. Granted, Game One of this series saw the Total in the 231-point range — but that was largely based on regular season numbers that do not seem nearly as applicable now in June, especially in a Game Five of a championship series that is tied at two games apiece. Three of the four games in this series have finished Under the Total with the only Over resulting from 230 combined points. The other three games of this series have seen 221, 223, and 215 combined points scored — all below the number set for Game Five. For Oklahoma City, the analytics-driven scoring attack that ranked third in the league in the regular season by scoring 119.2 points per 100 adjusted possessions has not been the same in the postseason where they are scoring 115.3 points per 100 adjusted possessions, which would fall to tenth in the NBA if applied to the regular season. Much of this decline comes from their drop in 3-point shooting. After leading the NBA in the regular season by nailing 37.4% of their shots from behind the arc, they rank 13th of the 16 playoff teams with a 34.0% mark from 3-point range. No one embodies this step back in production more for the Thunder than Chet Holmgren who may be playing through an injury at this point of the season. After shooting 49.0% from the field with a 37.9% clip from behind the arc in the regular season, he is only making 30.1% of his 3s in the postseason. In this series, Holmgren is hitting only 40.9% of his shots and has made only 1 of his 11 attempts from distance. What is also striking is Oklahoma City’s decreased reliance on shooting 3s. After averaging 38.8 shots per game from behind the arc in the regular season, they are taking 35.2 shots per game from 3-point range in the postseason. In this series, they are only taking 26.6 shots per game from distance and trending strongly in the south direction in that category. After taking 30 and 36 shots from behind the arc in Games One and Two, they only took 22 shots from 3-point land in Game Three before bottoming out with a 3 of 16 performance on Friday. Credit goes to the Indiana defense which is doing a great job in swarming defenders to push the Thunder away from the 3-point line. After ranking ninth in the NBA in opponent 3-point shot attempts per game, the Pacers rank sixth in the postseason by surrendering only 33.8 shots from behind the arc per game — and they rank fifth in the playoffs with their opponents making only 33.9% of these shots. Oklahoma City pulled out Game Four by outscoring Indiana by +14 points in the paint. They also got to the line 38 times and converted on 34 of those shots — led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who made all ten of his free throw attempts. The Thunder got some friendly whistles in Game Four — and that is not likely to play out the same in Game Five. It is telling that OKC has generated only 109.5 adjusted points per 100 possessions in the last two games of this series. What should continue is the Thunder’s outstanding play on the other end of the court. After leading the league with an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 106.6, they have been even better in the postseason with a 105.7 mark. They have held their playoff opponents to 43.5% shooting which has resulted in just 107.0 Points-Per-Game. Head coach Mark Daigneault’s fourth quarter adjustment on Friday was to shift Lu Dortz on to the primary Indiana ball-handler — and that helped to limit the Pacers to just 17 points in the final 12 minutes. Oklahoma City has played 23 of their last 37 home games Under the Total after a win on the road. They have played 18 of their 31 playoff games Under the Total since Daigneault took over — and they have played 4 of those 5 playoff games Under the Total when the series was tied. Indiana has played 4 of their last 6 road games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest. Another reason that the Thunder’s scoring is down is because the Pacers are not giving them as many fast break scoring opportunities in transition off of turnovers where OKC thrives. After turning the ball over 24 times in Game One, Indiana has just 15, 13, and 15 turnovers in the last three games. Head coach Rick Carlisle has done a fantastic job in forcing the Thunder into being a half-court offense that is not shooting 3s. Maybe Oklahoma City can still win the championship with that approach and win two more games like they won Game Four — but that is not the formula for games to see 220 or more combined points. Granted, Carlisle will want his team to continue to push the pace to wear out what is becoming a shorter Thunder rotation. But Indiana only scored 109 PPG in the first two games of this series at Oklahoma City which is more than six points below their 115.1 PPG scoring average in the postseason. Role players tend to not shoot as well in hostile environments — especially in the playoffs — so getting another 27-point effort from Benjamin Mathurin as he did in Game Three at home or even Obi Toppin’s 17 points in Game Four at home is probably not in the cards to help out Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam.

FINAL TAKE: In Carlisle’s head coaching career, his teams have played 16 of their 24 Game Fives of a playoff series Under the Total — including all three games with Indiana when playing on the road. Carlisle’s teams have also played 19 of their 32 playoff games Under the Total when the series was tied — and his teams have played 7 of their 10 games Under the Total in the NBA Finals. 25* NBA Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (509) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (510). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (555) and the Indiana Pacers (556) in Game Six of the Eastern Conference finals. THE SITUATION: New York (61-38) has won two of the last three games in this series after their 111-94 victory at home as a 4.5-point favorite on Thursday. Indiana (60-36) still leads this series by a 3-2 margin.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Knicks’ head coach Tom Thibodeau initially thought it would be a good idea to embrace the Pacers' fast pace and run up-and-down the court with them in this series. They lost Game One in overtime by a 138-135 score. But after dropping the first two games at home in this series, Thibodeau has finally come around to the notion that he needs the Knicks cannot simply try to outscore Indiana to win this series but that his team will have to do some things on defense. He expanded his rotation by getting Delon Wright and Landry Shamet into the mix — they both have played at least 20 combined minutes in the last three contests after neither played in Game Two and Wright was on the court for just 26 seconds in Game One. Wright and Shamet are both solid contributors on the defensive end of the floor who do not offer much offensively. But Thibodeau needs them out there to not exhaust his top-seven man rotation — and he is desperate for defensive help with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns on the court together since they were getting torched with Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 150.0 when playing together in the first two games of this series. Thibodeau also inserted Mitchell Robinson in the starting lineup for Josh Hart in Game Three to switch the rotations up to get more defense on the court when Brunson and Towns are playing together. The defensive adjustments continued in Game Five with the Knicks (finally) picking up on Tyrese Haliburton closer to half court to offer more harassment against him and coax him to pass the rock. Haliburton only took seven shots on Thursday with just two of them coming from behind the arc. New York is also more aggressively defending Haliburton after made shots on the offensive end of the court to stop Indiana from responding quickly by pushing the ball up the court. The Knicks held the Pacers to 40.5% shooting and just a 33.3% mark from behind the arc as they continue to find schematic answers for what Indiana wants to do with the ball in their hands. And Thibodeau seems to appreciate that a slower pace better serves his team’s interests. New York has held Indiana to 100 and 94 points in two of the last three games in this series — and two of the last three games have seen just 205 and 206 combined points scored. The Under is 3-1 in the last 4 games in this series. Thibodeau’s teams have played 8 of their 13 playoff games Under the Total when trailing in the series including three of the four games as head coach of the Knicks. New York made 49.4% of their shots on Thursday which was their best shooting effort since Game One of this series. But don’t underestimate this Pacers defense that ranked ninth in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency since January 1st through the end of the regular season. Haliburton should play better after his off-night. But Aaron Nesmith playing through an ankle injury may continue to be limited offensively after missing seven of his eighth shots from the field in Game Five. Indiana has played 4 of their last 6 games at home Under the Total when playing a team winning 60-70% of their games.

FINAL TAKE: In the last 57 games in the NBA Conference Finals with the Total set at 216.5 or higher, 34 of these games finished Under the Total. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (555) and the Indiana Pacers (556). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (549) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (550) in Game Five of the Western Conference finals. THE SITUATION: Oklahoma City (78-19) has won four of their last five games after their 128-126 victory on the road against the Timberwolves as a 3-point favorite on Monday. Minnesota (58-38) trails in this series by a 3-1 margin.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Thunder nailed 50.5% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last nine contests. They also made 16 of their 37 (43%) shots from behind the arc. Oklahoma City has played 16 of their last 24 games Under the Total after a win by six points or less including seven of those 10 games this season. They have also played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a win against a fellow Northwest Division rival including five of those six games played at home. Minnesota played their worst defensive game in their last 16 contests by allowing the Thunder to make 50.5% of their shots. These two teams have played the last three games in this series Over the Total — but the Timberwolves have played 14 of their last 17 games Over the Total after playing three or more Overs in a row including seven of those nine games this season. They have also played 8 of their last 10 road games Over the Total after playing three or more Overs in a row including four of those five games this season. Minnesota shot 57.3% and 51.2% in their two games at home in this series — and they nailed 18 of their 41 shots (44%) from behind the arc in Game Four. But on the road in Game One and Two of this series, the Timberwolves only made 34.9% and 41.4% of their shots from the field. The Thunder should certainly play better on defense back at home where they are holding their opponents to 43.4% shooting including a 34.2% clip from behind the arc which has resulted in just 106.3 Points-Per-Game. The Timberwolves have played 5 of their 7 road games in the postseason Under the Total. They have also played 9 of their last 14 road games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. And in their last 4 playoff games when facing elimination, they have played 3 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Timberwolves have played 16 of their last 25 games Under the Total when playing with revenge including nine of those 14 games this season. After three straight Overs in this series and a Game Four when both teams shot 50% or better from the field and 40% or better from behind the arc, expect a lower-scoring game. 25* NBA  Conference Finals Total of the Year with  Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (549) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (550). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (507) and the Denver Nuggets (508) in Game Six of their Western Conference semifinal series. THE SITUATION: Oklahoma City (74-17) has won three of their last four games after their 112-105 win at home against the Nuggets as a 10-point favorite on Tuesday. Denver (56-37) looks to stave off elimination trailing 3-2 in this best-of-seven series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Thunder lead the NBA in the regular season with an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 106.6 — and they have been even better in the postseason with an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 101.1. They are holding their playoff opponents to 40.8% shooting which has resulted in just 103.6 Points-Per-Game. But Oklahoma City is scoring -4.0 fewer adjusted points per 100 possessions in the postseason — and that still accounts for two outlier performances when they scored 131 points in their opening game against Memphis last round and Game Two in this series against Denver when they scored 149 points. Like with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics, these 3-point-reliant teams are seeing their efficiency from behind the arc decline in the postseason. While the Thunder made 36.7% of their 3-pointers in the regular season, they are only making 31.8% of their shots from behind the arc in the playoffs. Oklahoma City has played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total after a win by six points or less including nine of those 12 games played on the road. They have also played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total on the road after a win against a fellow Northwest Division opponent. Furthermore, the Thunder have played 8 of their last 13 road games Under the Total when favored by six points or less. And in their last 10 road games against teams winning 60-70% of their games, they have played 7 of these games Under the Total. The Nuggets played their worst defensive game in the last three games in this series by allowing Oklahoma City to make 50% of their shots. After shooting 50% from the field in the regular season, Denver is making only 45.2% of their shots in the playoffs which is resulting in 107.4 PPG which is -11.8 PPG below their average in the regular season. But they are also surrendering -5.1 PPG in the postseason while playing at a slower pace. The Nuggets have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total after a straight-up loss to a divisional rival. They have also played 7 of their last 11 home games Under the Total against teams winning 70% or more of their games. Additionally, Denver has played 10 of their last 13 home games Under the Total in the postseason — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games in the second round of the playoffs.

FINAL TAKE: The Thunder have played 12 of their last 18 playoff games Under the Total including seven of those nine games played on the road. They have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total in the second round of the playoffs. 25* NBA Northwest Division Total of the Year is with Under the Total in the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (507) and the Denver Nuggets (508). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (577) and the Golden State Warriors (578) in Game Four of their Western Conference semifinal series. THE SITUATION: Minnesota (55-35) has won five of their last six games after their 102-97 victory as a 5.5-point favorite on Saturday. Golden State (54-39) has lost the last two games of this series to fall behind by a 2-1 margin.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Minnesota continues to play outstanding defense in the postseason as they held the Warriors to just 43.2% shooting on Saturday. They are holding their opponents to the playoffs to just 43.3% shooting which is resulting in 98.9 Points-Per-Game. After ranking sixth in the NBA in the regular season in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, they are third in that metric in the postseason while surrendering -4.2 fewer adjusted points per 100 possessions. But the Timberwolves are making only 44.3% of their shots in the playoffs which is resulting in only 105.5 PPG. Minnesota has played all 4 of their games in the postseason Under the Total. They have also played 8 of their last 11 road games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 9 road games Under the Total after a win by six points or less. Additionally, the T-Wolves have played 10 of their last 13 road games Under the Total when playing for no more than the fourth time in the last ten days (Minnesota closed out their first-round series with the Lakers on April 30th). Golden State only managed 97 points despite getting 33 points from Jimmy Butler and a surprising 30 points from Jonathan Kuminga. Frankly, they were not a dynamic scoring team even with Stephen Curry leading the way. In their two games since his hamstring injury in Game One, the Warriors have posted an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency number of 100.0. For comparison's sake, Washington was last in the NBA in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and that number was 105.8. With Butler on the court in this series, they are registering an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 104.7 — below the Wizards in the regular season. The loss of Curry is devastating — the Warriors had an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 105.0 in the regular season when he was off the court which was -13.4 fewer adjusted points per 100 possessions than when he was on the court. But on the other hand, Golden State had an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 105.1 in the regular season when Curry was off the court which was -7.2 fewer adjusted points per 100 possessions than when he was on the court. In their last five games in the playoffs, the Warriors are holding their opponents to 43.9% shooting which is resulting in 102.2 PPG. But they are only making 43.0% of their shots in their last five games which has resulted in just 99.8 PPG. Golden State has played 11 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss at home — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after losing two or more games in a row. They have also played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 100 points in their last game including seven of those 11 games played at home. Furthermore, the Warriors have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: In the 19 playoff games under head coach Steve Kerr when Golden State was trailing in the series, they have played 13 of those games Under the Total. 25* NBA 2nd Round Playoff Total of the Year is with Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (577) and the Golden State Warriors (578). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Rockets (529) and the Golden State Warriors (530) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Houston (54-33) extended this series to a sixth game with their 131-116 victory at home against the Warriors as a 4-point favorite on Wednesday. Golden State (52-36) had won two games in a row but still can close things out given their 3-2 lead in the series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: After shooting only 44.3%  and scoring 101.8 Points-Per-Game in the first four games of this series, the Rockets’ offense exploded with a 55.1% shooting clip on Wednesday in what was the best shooting effort in their last 12 games. They have only enjoyed a better shooting percentage five times this season — and they have scored more than 131 points just seven times this season. They nailed 13 of their 30 shots from behind the arc — and that 43% shooting slip from 3-point range was well above their 35.4% clip with 3-pointers this season. I am expecting a visit from the Regression Gods. As it is, Houston has played 14 of their last 23 games Under the Total after scoring 111 or more points in their last game. They have also played 10 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Rockets go back on the road, where they have played 12 of their last 20 games under the total against teams that have won 51-60% of their games. Head coach Ime Udoka has seen his teams play 17 of their 29 games in the postseason finish Under the Total including four of their five games when facing elimination in the series. The 131 points that Golden State surrendered is tied for the fourth most points they have given up all season. They have only let five opponents shoot better than 55.1% from the field all season. Head coach Steve Kerr should tighten things up on defense tonight. After the All-Star break, his team ranked third in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency to close out the regular season. The Warriors have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. They return home where they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total. Additionally, Golden State has played 13 of their last 22 games Under the Total against teams winning 60-70% of their games. And while the Rockets outrebound their opponents by +6.0 Rebounds-Per-Game, the Warriors have played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total against teams who are outrebounding their opponents by +3.0 or more RPG. Despite the Over on Wednesday, these two teams have played 11 of their last 17 meetings Under the Total including five of the last seven games played on Golden State’s home court.

FINAL TAKE: The Warriors have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing 126 or more points in their last game. They have also played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing a game where they allowed their opponent to make 52.4% or more of their shots from the field. 25* NBA 1st Round Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Rockets (529) and the Golden State Warriors (530). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers (579) and the Miami Heat (580) in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Series. THE SITUATION: Cleveland (67-18) took a commanding 3-0 lead in this series with their 124-87 win against the Heat as a 5-point road favorite on Saturday. Miami (39-48) has lost three games in a row as they look to stave off elimination tonight.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cavaliers nailed 53.5% of their shots on Saturday which was the best shooting effort in their last 13 contests. Cleveland now attempts to close out this series on the road where they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total in April including four straight games this month. They have also played 10 of their last 15 road games Under the Total against teams who are winning 40-49% of their games. Additionally, the Cavaliers have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total in the opening round of the playoffs including five of those last six games on the road. And in their last 4 games on the road when leading in a playoff series, they have played 3 of those games Under the Total. Miami played their worst defensive game in their last 20 contests by allowing the Cavs to make 53.5% of their shots. The Heat should play better on defense tonight — but they just lack options when it comes to the other end of the court. Miami is scoring only 99.7 Points-Per-Game in this series. The Heat have played 7 of their last 8 games at home Under the Total when playing for the second time in five days — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games at home when playing for no more than the fourth time in the last ten days. They stay at home where they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total at home as an underdog in the 3.5 to 9.5. point range. Miami has also played 4 straight Unders at home in the playoffs.

FINAL TAKE: Miami has played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total when avenging a loss by 20 or more points. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers (579) and the Miami Heat (580). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 p.m. ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (555) and the Milwaukee Bucks (556) in Game Three of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Indiana (52-32) has won nine of their last ten games after a 123-115 victory at home against the Bucks as a 4-point favorite on Tuesday. Milwaukee (49-36) had won eight games in a row before falling behind 0-2 in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Pacers shot 50.6% from the field on Tuesday to take the second game of this series. Indiana has played 8 of their last 13 games Over the Total when playing for the second time in five days. Now they go on the road where they have played 12 of their last 18 games Over the Total as an underdog. They have also played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total as an underdog from 3.5 to 9.5 points — and they have played 8 of their last 12 road games Over the Total as an underdog in that range. Additionally, the Pacers have played 13 of their last 17 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. Milwaukee got Damian Lillard back on the court after he was out for a lengthy period of time with an injury — but he only converted 4 of 13 shots from the field and just 2 of his 8 shots from behind the arc en route to 14 points. He should play better tonight now that he has knocked some of the rust off. The Bucks have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total when playing with two days of rest. As it is, they are nailing 50.1% of their shots in their last five games which is resulting in 122.8 Points-Per-Game. But they are also letting their last five opponents make 48.0% of their shots which is resulting in 120.6 PPG. Milwaukee has played 13 of their last 18 games at home Over the Total — and they have played 22 of their last 32 home games Over the Total when favored. They have also played  21 of their last 21 games Over the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points including 14 of those 19 games played at home. They have played 10 of their last 13 home games Over the Total when favored by six points or less. And in their last 5 home games against teams winning 60-70% of their games, they have played 4 of these games Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Bucks have played 15 of their last 23 opportunities for revenge Over the Total. 25* NBA Central Division Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (555) and the Milwaukee Bucks (556). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (545) and the Memphis Grizzlies (546) in Game Three of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Oklahoma City (70-15) took a 2-0 lead in this series with their 118-99 victory as a 14.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Memphis (49-37) has lost five of their last seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Grizzlies managed to hold the Thunder to just 43.3% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last eight contests. Their play on defense remains inconsistent since Tuomas Iiasalo took over as the interim head coach in late March. In the 13 games he has been the head coach, Memphis has surrendered at least 117 points eight times — and they have given up 131 or more points in four of those contests. Perhaps more importantly to get back into this series, the Grizzlies have to shoot better than the 42.9% they shot on Tuesday. That was an improvement over their 34.4% field goal percentage in Game One of this series. Returning home should help where they are making 49.0% of their shots which is resulting in 123.4 Points-Per-Game. The Grizzlies have played 7 of their last 11 home games Over the Total after losing on the road in their last game. They have played 4 straight Overs on their home court since Iiasalo took over — and they have played 7 of their last 9 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 220s. Additionally, Memphis has played 22 of their last 32 games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 12 of their last 18 games Over the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Oklahoma City has played 14 of their last 23 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 100 points in their last game. The Thunder have played three straight Unders — but they have played 25 of their last 36 games Over the Total after playing three or more Unders in a row under head coach Mark Daigneault including 10 Unders in those last 13 situations. Oklahoma City is making 48.0% of their shots this season which is resulting in 120.1 PPG — and they have nailed 48.7% of their shots in their last five games which has resulted in 126.8 PPG. The Thunder have played 14 of their last 23 road games Over the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: The Grizzlies have played 15 of their last 23 games Over the Total when avenging a loss. 25* NBA Thursday TNT Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (545) and the Memphis Grizzlies (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (515) and the Houston Rockets (516) in Game One of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Golden State (49-34) has won eight of their last 11 games after their 121-116 win against Memphis as a 6.5-point favorite in their Play-In Tournament game on Tuesday. Houston (52-30) has lost three games in a row after their 126-111 loss at home to Denver as a 6.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors rank seventh in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — but since the All-Star break, they have risen to third in that metric thanks to the acquisition of Jimmy Butler. They have held their last five opponents to 46.0% shooting which has resulted in just 107.0 Points-Per-Game. This is Golden State’s fourth game since April 11th — and they have played 11 of their last 18 games Under the Total when rested and playing for no more than the fourth time in the last ten days. They have also played 8 of their last 11 games on the road Under the Total when listed as an underdog of up to six points — and they have played 6 of their last 9 road games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. The Rockets outrebound their opponents by +6.0 Rebounds-Per-Game — and the Warriors have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total against teams who outrebound their opponents by +3.0 or more RPG including four of those five games played on the road. Houston has played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total at home after a straight-up win at home. This is just their fifth game in the last two days — and they have played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total when playing for no more than the sixth time in the last 14 days. The Rockets are an elite defensive team that imposes their will from a very physical style of play. Amen Thompson, Dillon Brooks, and Tari Eason are elite defensive talents. Houston ranks fourth in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they rank 10th in steals, 11th in deflections, and 13th in blocks. On their home court, they are limiting their guests to 44.9% shooting which is resulting in just 107.5 PPG. The Rockets have played 5 of their last 8 games at home Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams just played on April 6th in a game that had a playoff atmosphere since seeding in the Western Conference remained very much at stake. Houston pulled off a 106-96 upset victory as a 5-point underdog on the road — and Golden State has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total when avenging an upset loss. 25* NBA Sunday TNT Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (515) and the Houston Rockets (516). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (507) and the Los Angeles Lakers (508) in Game One of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Minnesota (49-33) has won three games in a row as well as eight of their last nine contests after their 116-105 victory against Utah as a 23-point favorite last Sunday. Los Angeles (50-32) had won two games in a row before their 109-81 loss at Portland as a 5.5-point underdog last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Led by rim protector Rudy Gobert, the Timberwolves are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. They rank sixth in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they improve to fifth in that category when playing on the road. They also play at the sixth-slowest pace in the league by averaging only 97.95 possessions per game. With the week off while the Play-In Tournament took place, they will begin this series rested and ready. Minnesota has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total on the road when playing for no more than the fourth time in the last ten days. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road when playing with three or more days of rest. They have also played 5 of their 7 games this month Under the Total. The Timberwolves lost in the Western Conference Finals to Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks last postseason — and head coach Chris Finch has had almost a year to reconsider how to defend against Doncic if given the opportunity again. Doncic torched the T-Wolves by scoring 32.4 Points-Per-Game while nailing 43.4% of the 10.6 shots from behind the arc he averaged in that series. But Minnesota should be in a better position to defend Doncic this year since the Lakers lack the size that Dallas had in that series. The Timberwolves should defend Doncic coming off the pick-and-roll better this time — and Gobert should have more free reign to protect the rim. Since joining the Lakers, Doncic is not attacking the rim as much as he did with the Mavericks — and his shooting percentage has dropped from 46.4% with Dallas this season to 43.8% with Los Angeles. The addition of Doncic has not made a significant impact on their efficiency on offense. Since the All-Star break, they are only scoring +0.7 more adjusted points per 100 possessions than their season average. Trading away Anthony Davis has contributed to the Lakers becoming a mostly jump-shooting team. They rank only 17th in the NBA in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing at home since the All-Star Break. Trading Davis for Doncic has not impacted Los Angeles' play on defense — they are surrendering -0.2. fewer adjusted points per 100 possessions since the All-Star break when compared to their season-long Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. At home, the Lakers rank tied for ninth in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Lakers have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing with three or more days of rest. They have also played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total when playing for no more than the fourth time in the last ten days. Additionally, they have played 6 of their last 7 home games Under the Total after a straight-up loss on the road. Los Angeles also plays at the 11th slowest pace in the NBA — so this should be a lower-scoring game.

FINAL TAKE: Only 213 combined points were scored in the last meeting between these two teams in a 111-102 victory for the Lakers at home at Crypto.com Arena. Minnesota has played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on the road — and they have played 8 of their last 12 road games Under the Total when playing with revenge. 25* NBA Saturday Night ABC-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (507) and the Los Angeles Lakers (508). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Hawks (577) and the Orlando Magic (578) in the NBA Play-In Tournament. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (40-42) has won three games in a row after their 117-105 upset victory against Orlando as a 3.5-point underdog on Sunday. Orlando (41-41) saw their five-game winning streak snapped with that loss on the final day of the regular season.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The line is telling us a lot for this game since it is just the third game all season for the Hawks when the Total was below the 220 mark. Since Quin Snyder took over as their head coach, Atlanta has only had 5 games on the road with the Total set in the 210s — and 4 of those games finished Under the Total. The Hawks are not a good defensive team — they allow their opponents to make 48.2% of their shots which is resulting in 119.3 Points-Per-Game that they are giving up. But much of their issues on defense is simply an issue of effort as their group prefers to try to win shootouts. Look for their effort and energy on defense to be better now that they are in the postseason — and they have been playing better on that end of the court lately. They have held their last five opponents to 46.2% shooting which has resulted in 115.4 PPG which is -3.9 fewer PPG than their season average. They allowed the Magic to make 45.5% of their shots on Sunday which was the worst defensive effort in their last three games. Atlanta has played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total on the road after pulling off an upset victory. Orlando has played 13 of their last 21 games Under the Total after losing at home in their last game. They have also played all 5 of their games Under the Total after an upset loss to a fellow Southeast Division rival since Jamahl Mosely took over as their head coach. The Magic are an outstanding defensive team that ranks second in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they also rank second in that metric since the beginning of March. They also lead the league in defensive rebounding and second in second-chance points allowed per 100 possessions. Orlando has played 20 of their last 33 games at home Under the Total with the Total set in the 210s. The Hawks score 118.2 PPG — and the Magic have played 22 of their last 29 games Under the Total against teams who score 116 or more PPG. Orlando has also played 20 of their last 30 games Under the Total against teams who are giving up 116 or more PPG.

FINAL TAKE: I don’t want to read too much into Sunday’s game between these teams since nothing was at stake and both head coaches rested their key starters. But the Magic did allow Atlanta to make 53.4% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last 17 games. I expect Mosley to use that effort to refocus the defensive commitment of his team tonight. In the 11 games in his tenure when Orlando was avenging an upset loss on the road, 9 of those games finished Under the Total. 25* NBA Southeast Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Hawks (577) and the Orlando Magic (578). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (569) and the Golden State Warriors (570). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (49-32) has won seven straight games after their 101-100 victory at Sacramento as a 7.5-point favorite on Friday. Golden State (48-33) has won two of their last three games after their 103-86 victory at Portland as a 15.5-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: On the final day of the NBA regular season, this is the contest that has the most at stake for both teams as the winner clinches a spot in the top six in the Western Conference playoffs and avoids the play-in tournament. The Clippers have raised their level of play on the defensive end of the court. Los Angeles leads the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their last 15 games. They have not allowed more than 106 points in five of their last seven games — and four of those opponents did not score more than 100 points. Their last five opponents have scored just 105.8 Points-Per-Game. The Clippers have played 12 of their last 18 games on the road Under the Total after a straight-up win. They have also played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total on the road as an underdog — and they have played 7 of their last 10 road games Under the Total as an underdog of up to six points. Golden State leads the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency since they picked up Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline. They have not allowed more than 106 points in four of their last five games as well as six of their last nine contests. They have held their last five opponents to 45.4% shooting which has resulted in 101.0 PPG. The Warriors have played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total after a straight-up win on the road. They return home where they have played 9 of their last 13 home games Under the Total — and they have played 11 of their last 17 home games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Golden State has played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total against who are winning 60-75% of their games including six of those nine games played at home. The Clippers have played 12 of their last 19 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. 25* NBA Pacific Division Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (569) and the Golden State Warriors (570). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (511) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (512). THE SITUATION: Chicago (33-41) saw their four-game winning streak snapped in a 120-119 upset loss at home against Dallas as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday. Oklahoma City (62-13) has won nine games in a row after their 132-111 victory against Indiana as a 9-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bulls held the Mavericks to 46.5% shooting which is just below their 46.7% opponent’s field goal percentage for the season — but it was also the best defensive effort in that metric in their last five games. They rank 24th in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Chicago is making 50.9% of their shots in their last five games which is resulting in 128.2 Points-Per-Game — that is +10.8 PPG above their season average. They rank fourth in the NBA in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in those last five contests. The Bulls have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total on the road — and they have also played 19 of their 31 games on the road this season Over the Total. Additionally, they have played 10 of their last 14 games on the road Over the Total against teams from the Western Conference. Oklahoma City has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a win at home by 20 or more points. They are making 48.7% of their shots at home which is resulting in 122.6 PPG. In their last five games, they are nailing 50.0% of their shots which is resulting in 124.4 PPG. Overall this season, they rank fourth in the league in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Thunder have played 9 of their last 12 games at home Over the Total with the Total set at 230 or higher. They have also played 9 of their last 13 home games Over the Total against teams from the Western Conference. Furthermore, they have played 13 of their last 21 games at home Over the Total when favored by double-digits.

FINAL TAKE: Oklahoma City won the last meeting between these two teams on October 26th by a 114-94 score on October 26th. The Bulls have played 12 of their last 19 games on the road Over the Total when playing with revenge. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (511) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (533) and the Charlotte Hornets (534). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (27-20) has won three of their last four games after their 128-116 win at San Antonio as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Charlotte (12-32) has lost two games in a row as well as four of their last five contests after a 104-83 upset loss at home against Brooklyn as a 1-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Hornets shot a season-low 33.7% from the field against the Nets. While I often consider low shooting efforts like that simply an outlier due for a visit from the Regression Gods, in this case, I suspect it is a canary in the coal mine given the injuries that this team is enduring right now. Brandon Miller is already out the season with a wrist injury — he was scoring 21.0 Points-Per-Game. Now LeMelo Ball is out with an ankle injury — he is scoring 28.2 PPG and adding another 7.3 Assists-Per-Game. To compound matters, Mark Williams is also out with a foot injury which takes away his 15.5 PPG scoring average. The Hornets simply lack reliable scoring threats. Charlotte has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 100 points in their last game. They have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a loss at home. The Hornets stay at home where they are only making 42.1% of their shots which is resulting in 105.7 PPG — but they play solid defense on their home court by holding their opponents to just 108.7 PPG. They have played 18 of their last 23 home games Under the Total — and they have played 8 straight Unders at home against teams with a winning record. Additionally, Charlotte has played 25 of their last 38 games Under the Total as an underdog. Los Angeles nailed 52.7% of their shots against the Spurs which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. They also allowed San Antonio to make 48.3% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last six contests. The Clippers have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up win on the road. This is their third straight game on the road since Monday — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing for the third time on the road in five days. On the road, Los Angeles is scoring only 108.5 PPG — and they have played 14 of their last 21 games Under the Total on the road. The Hornets are getting outscored by -5.0 PPG this season — and the Clippers have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total against teams getting outscored by -3.0 or more PPG.  

FINAL TAKE: In 13 games, the Clippers are holding their Eastern Conference opponents to just 42.2% shooting which is resulting in 101.8 PPG. They have played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total in non-conference play. The Hornets have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total against teams from the Western Conference — and they have played 7 straight Unders at home in non-conference action. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (533) and the Charlotte Hornets (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (535) and the Denver Nuggets (536). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (15-26) has lost six games in a row after their 123-109 loss at Milwaukee as an 11.5-point underdog on Sunday. Denver (26-16) has won two games in a row and six of their last seven contests after a 113-100 victory at Orlando as a 7.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Nuggets played their best defensive game of the season two days ago by holding the Magic to just 37.3% shooting. Now returning home as a double-digit favorite against a banged-up Sixers team, their attention to detail on defense may not be as sharp tonight. But Denver should continue to flex their muscles on the other end of the court where they are clicking on all cylinders. They made 51.9% of their shots on Sunday which was actually the worst shooting effort in their last four contests. They have made at least 51.7% of their shots in six of their last seven games. The Nuggets are healthy right now — and Jamal Murray is probable to play tonight despite a nagging calf injury. Denver has played 13 of their last 20 games at home Over the Total. They have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. Additionally, they have played 13 of their last 15 games Over the Total against teams from the Eastern Conference. The 76ers are allowing their opponents to nail 48.9% of their shots — and the Nuggets have played 14 of their last 21 games Over the Total against teams with a defensive field goal percentage of 46% or higher. And while Philly only scores 107.5 Points-Per-Game, Denver has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams who are not scoring more than 108 PPG. The 76ers allowed the Bucks to make 49.4% of their shots which was actually their best defensive effort in their last four games. Their three previous opponents all made at least 53% of their shots against them. Philadelphia is banged up with Joel Embiid and Jared McCain out tonight with injuries — and Paul George is listed as questionable. Not having Embiid as a rim protector hurts the Sixers’ defensive efforts. In their last five games, their opponents are making 52.0% of their shots which is resulting in 117.0 PPG which is +5.4 PPG above their season average. Philadelphia has played 13 of their last 22 games Over the Total on the road. They have played 10 of their last 15 games Over the Total against teams from the Western Conference. And while the Nuggets are outscoring their opponents by +4.6 PPG, the 76ers have played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total against teams who are outscoring their opponents by at least +3.0 PPG — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total on the road against teams outscoring their opponents by +3.0 or more PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total as a double-digit underdog — and Denver has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total as a favorite laying 10 or more points. 25* NBA Tuesday TNT Total of the Month is with Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (535) and the Denver Nuggets (536). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (593) and the Golden State Warriors (594). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (16-13) had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 117-114 upset loss at home against Detroit as a 6-point favorite on Monday. Golden State (15-13) has lost four of their last five games after their 111-105 upset loss against Indiana as a 6-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Lakers nailed 54.1% of their shots on Monday which was the highest shooting effort in their last 15 games. But they allowed the Pistons to make 51.1% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last seven contests. Despite that subpar defensive performance, Los Angeles has still held their last five opponents to just 43.8% shooting which resulted in 104.6 Points-Per-Game which is -9.2 fewer PPG than their season average. But the Lakers are only making 45.3% of their shots in their last five contests resulting in 106.6 PPG which is -5.6 fewer PPG than their season average. Rookie head coach and former podcaster J.J. Reddick was supposed to be an offensive guru for this team after espousing so many philosophies on the subject in his previous job (such as “shoot more 3” — so cutting edge!). But after posting an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 115.4 last year, that mark has dropped to 111.5 for Los Angeles this season. On the road, the Lakers are making only 45.2% of their shots resulting in 107.4 PPG which is -3.8 fewer PPG than their season average. Los Angeles has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 220s — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games on the road Under the Total with the Total set in that range. They have played 21 of their last 30 games Under the Total against teams winning 51-60% of their games — and they have played 11 of their last 14 road games Under the Total against teams winning 51-60% of their contests. Furthermore, they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. They are relatively well rested after the NBA Cup time off two weeks ago with this being their fourth game since December 15th — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing for no more than the fourth time in the last ten days. Golden State is playing for just the fourth time since December 15th as well — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing for no more than the fourth time in the last ten days. The team acquired Dennis Schroder to boost their scoring attack — but he has been a dud so far by averaging just 7.7 PPG and not even reaching double digits once in his first three games with the team. Steph Curry may be starting to show his age — in two of his last three games against Indiana and Memphis, he scored only 12 combined points on 2 of 20 shooting with 13 missed shots from behind the arc on 15 attempts. In their last five games, the Warriors are only making 43.4% of their shots resulting in 106.8 PPG which is -6.0 PPG below their season average. Head coach Steve Kerr is getting good defensive play from his team that ranks ninth in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They also rank seventh in half-court defensive efficiency. Golden State has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games at home Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: The Lakers are allowing their opponents to make 47.6% of their shots — and the Warriors have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a defensive field goal percentage of 46% or higher. 25* NBA Pacific Division Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (593) and the Golden State Warriors (594). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (539) and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals of the NBA Cup. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (14-11) has won three games in a row as well as ten of their last 12 contests after their 110-102 win against Atlanta as a 3.5-point favorite in the Semifinals of the NBA Cup on Saturday. Oklahoma City (20-5) has won five games in a row as well as nine of their last ten contests after their 111-96 victory against Houston as a 5.5-point favorite in their Semifinal match in the NBA Cup on Tuesday. This game is being played on a neutral court at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bucks stepped up their play on defense against the Hawks by holding them to 42.7% shooting. Head coach Doc Rivers has this group playing better on the defensive end of the court. While they rank 13th in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, they rise to eighth in the league in that metric over their last 15 games. Led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, they will have a size edge in this contest. With $500K on the line in a game that will not count in the regular season standings, look for another strong effort on defense from this team. It is telling that Milwaukee had played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 70% or higher. Additionally, Milwaukee has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. The Bucks have also played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total away from home against teams from the Western Conference. Oklahoma City held the Rockets to just 36.5% shooting on Saturday. They lead the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They will not make it easy on the Milwaukee shooters. They give up the fewest points in the paint per 100 possessions — and the Bucks rank just 26th in the league in creating points in the paint. The Thunder also does a great job in defending the pick-and-roll which Milwaukee leans heavily on with Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard — they give up the fewest 3-point attempts in those situations. They also surrender the fifth fewest made 3-pointers in the NBA. Oklahoma City wants to make this a track meet and generate scoring opportunities in transition — but they are not very efficient in those situations as they rank just 23rd in effective Field Goal percentage (eFG). Rivers knows this and will have his team focus on protecting the basketball and making this a half-court game. The Thunder rank just 14th in eFG when playing in the half-court. Oklahoma City has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total following a straight-up win. This is their third game since December 8h — and they have played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total when playing for no more than the fourth time in the last ten days. They have played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total away from home. And in their last 8 games as an underdog or a favorite of up to 5.5 points, they have played 6 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: In the knockout games in the NBA Cup this season, the average combined score has been only 208.9 points — and all five games played on a neutral court in Las Vegas in the Semifinals or Finals of this tournament going back to last year have finished Under the Total. 25* NBA Cup Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (539) and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals of the NBA Cup. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (553) and the Dallas Mavericks (554). THE SITUATION: New York (10-7) has won five of their last six games after their 145-118 upset win at Denver as a 3.5-point underdog on Monday. Dallas (10-8) has won five of their last six contests after their 129-119 upset victory at Atlanta as a 2.5-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Knicks scored the most points in the regular season that did not go into overtime since 1980. After nailing 60.9% of their shots against the Nuggets, it is reasonable to expect the Regression Gods to appear — but the drop-off should not be significant because this New York scoring attack is cooking. The addition of Karl-Anthony Towns is opening up scoring lanes for his teammates. They have many scorers who can create their own shot. O.G. Anunoby scored 40 points on Monday — he is scoring 19.1 Points-Per-Game from 52.4% shooting and a 42.2% mark from behind the arc. Jalen Brunson is finding the right balance between being a scorer and a distributor. They have made at least 56.0% of their shots in three of their last four games — and they have scored 134 or more points in three of their last four games. Overall, the Knicks rank second with an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 117.9. Only Cleveland and New York rank in the top-three in the league in both 2-point shooting and 3-point shooting. They rank third in midrange shooting. They also maximize their possessions by leading the NBA with the lowest turnover margin. So, yes, I think the high-scoring is sustainable — and they have scored 123 or more points in five of their last seven games. The Knicks have played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total after an upset win — and they have played 6 of their last 9 road games Over the Total after an upset victory. They have also played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total after pulling off an upset win on the road. This is their fourth straight game on the road and third game since last Friday — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total when playing the third game on the road in the last five games. They have also played 7 of their 10 games on the road Over the Total this season. Dallas made 50.0% of their shots against the Hawks on Monday — it was the third time in their last four games that they shot 50% or better from the field. They have scored at least 118 points in five straight games. But they have also given up 119 or more points in four of their last five contests. They are putting up these offensive numbers despite being without Luka Doncic has missed the last three games due to injury. Head coach Jason Kidd has his team playing a faster tempo without Doncic who prefers a slower style of play to set up his isolation game on offense. In their last three games, they have an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 115.3 — but they also have an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 112.8. Naji Marshall has been a pleasant surprise by scoring 20 or more points in all three of those games. Dallas will want to continue to push the pace tonight with the hopes of creating switches so Kyrie Irving is being defended by Brunson. On the other hand, the Knicks will push the pace as well to create the opposite matchup with Brunson being guarded by Irving. The Mavericks are playing for the third time since Sunday — and they have played 15 of their last 24 games Over the Total when playing for the third time in four games. They have also played all 7 of their games this season Over the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Mavericks are outscoring their opponents by +5.7 Points-Per-Game — and the Knicks have played 8 of their last 12 games on the road Over the Total against teams who are getting outscored by +3.0 or more PPG. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (553) and the Dallas Mavericks (554). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (507) and the Dallas Mavericks (508). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (4-10) has lost seven of their last eight games after their 104-99 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers as an 8-point underdog on Saturday. Dallas (7-7) snapped a four-game losing streak with their 121-119 upset win at Oklahoma City as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Mavericks were without Luka Doncic against the Thunder — but they did get back P.J. Washington in that game who is one of their best defensive players who they were without due to injury during their four-game losing streak. Dallas nailed 11 of their 27 shots from behind the arc for a 41% shooting percentage — and it was the first time they shot better than 33% from 3-point range in their last seven games. They were also very fortunate to get to the free throw line 36 times from which they scored 30 of their points. The Mavericks have played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after an upset win — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after an upset win on the road. They have also played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total after a win by six points or less. Doncic is questionable again tonight with his right knee contusion — and head coach Jason Kidd may elect to rest him against the M*A*S*H unit that is this Pelicans team right now. For the purposes of this play, I am assuming Doncic goes — but I will be more than content if he does not play. Dallas scores -5.7 fewer points per 100 possessions when he is off the court this season — and they allow +0.4 more points per 100 possessions when he is on the court. The Mavs rank eighth in the league with an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 111.0 — and they improve to third in the league when playing at home with an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 104.8. Dallas has played 8 of their 10 games at home Under the Total this season — and they have played 9 of their last 14 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 220s. They have also played 8 of their 10 games Under the Total this season when favored. New Orleans does not have healthy guards on their active roster right now. Overall, they are without Zion Williamson, C.J. McCollum, DeJounte Murray, Jose, Alvarado, Herb Jones, and Jordan Hawkins. Head coach Willie Green’s response to the lack of ball-handlers and play-makers is to slow the pace down. They are averaging only 93.70 adjusted possessions per game in their last five games which is the slowest rate in the NBA. Brandon Ingram is the primary ball-handler with the burden of the offense on his shoulders. They rank 29th in the league with an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 102.8 in their last five games. But the play of their defense has improved with the slower pace. While they rank 28th in the NBA with an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 117.2 this season, they rank 12th with a 112.2 Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their last five games. Their last three games have seen no more than 203 combined points — and two of those three games saw no more than 195 combined points scored. The Pelicans have played 5 of their last 8 road games Under the Total after a straight-up loss at home. They have played 12 of their last 19 road games Under the Total with the Total set in the 220s — and they have played 7 of their last 9 road games Under the Total in November.

FINAL TAKE: The Mavericks have seen the Under go 20-10-1 in their 31 games as a double-digit favorite with Kidd as their head coach including 9 Unders in their last 12 games at home when laying ten or more points. 25* NBA Southwest Division Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (507) and the Dallas Mavericks (508). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Detroit Pistons (559) and the Milwaukee Bucks (560). THE SITUATION: Detroit (5-7) has won two of their last three games after their 123-121 upset win in overtime as a 1.5-point underdog last night against Miami in the NBA Cup. Milwaukee (3-8) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 99-85 victory against Toronto as a 9-point favorite last night in their opening game in the NBA Cup.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Pistons are challenged with the dreaded back-to-back which requires travel to Milwaukee today — and they enter this game undermanned. Both Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Simone Fontecchi are expected to suit up tonight. Losing Hardaway in particular takes away one of their best scoring threats from the outside. As it is, Detroit has played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total when playing for the third time in four days. The Pistons allowed the Heat to make 46.5% of their shots last night which was actually their worst defensive effort in their last six games. Consistent effort and better play on the defensive end of the court have been the primary focuses of first-year head coach J.B. Bickerstaff taking over a team that was too often lax in both areas last season. Detroit ranks a solid 14th in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they rise to fifth in the league in that metric in their last six games. In their five games on the road, the Pistons are holding their home hosts to just 44.9% shooting which is resulting in only 102.8 Points-Per-Game. Detroit has played all 5 of their road games this season Under the Total. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. However, scoring remains an issue for this club. They rank 20th in the NBA in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and on the road, they are making only 45.6% of their shots which is resulting in just 103.4 PPG. Milwaukee shot a season-low 40.4% from the field last night and they will be without Damian Lillard tonight as he recovers from a concussion. The Bucks will miss the 26.0 PPG and 6.6 Assists-Per-Game he is generating this season. The Bucks offense is struggling — they rank 21st in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Too often, the movement is not as crisp as it could be and the effort has been less than 100%. Bobby Portis’ decline symbolizes their problems. He is scoring only 12.5 PPG this season from 45.4% shooting and a 26.7% clip from behind the arc are all the lowest marks in his five seasons with the team. But after starting the season with only one win in their first six games, they are starting to play better in their last four contests with the biggest improvement being from their defensive effort. After holding Boston to 40.7% shooting in their previous game, they held the Raptors to 34.9% shooting last night. They rank 17th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency for the season — but in their last four contests, they rank fifth in the league while holding three of their four opponents to no better than 42.9% shooting. All four of those games finished Under the Total — and Milwaukee has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after playing three or more Unders in a row. Furthermore, the Bucks have played 4 of their 5 games at home this season Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when favored. Additionally, they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 9 of their last 14 games against each other Under the Total when playing in Milwaukee. 25* NBA Central Division Total of the Month with UUnder the Total in the game between the Detroit Pistons (559) and the Milwaukee Bucks (560). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (507) and the Dallas Mavericks (508) in Game Four of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Boston (79-20) took a commanding 3-0 lead in this best-of-seven series with their 106-99 upset victory as a 3-point underdog on Wednesday. Dallas (62-40) has lost four of their last five games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 205 combined points scored in Game Three were the most points scored in this series. The Celtics have not allowed the Mavericks to score more than 99 points in the first three games in this series. Boston’s diversity of defensive talent is making things very difficult on Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Nothing is coming easy for Doncic who has been guarded primarily by Jaylen Brown or Derrick White — although Jrue Holiday and Jayson Tatum have both defended him at times. Head coach Joe Mazzulla has been comfortable not double-teaming him when he is coming off pick-and-rolls given the good defensive players he has on the court. Irving comes off his best game in the series by scoring 35 points, yet Holiday and White had been doing a great job slowing him down. He made only 35.1% of his shots in Games One and Two without a made 3-pointer. The Celtics are also doing a great job defending the perimeter and taking away 3-point shots. Dallas has not taken more than 27 shots from behind the arc which was in Game One — and critics were concerned even then since taking only 32.6% of their shots from 3-point range had been their lowest percentage in the playoffs. But then the Mavericks took 26 shots from behind the arc in Game Two before attempting 25 shots from 3-point land in Game 3. The Celtics are doing a particularly good job taking away corner 3s. After taking 13% of their shots from the plum corner spot behind the arc in the playoffs coming into this series, the Mavs have taken only 4.9% of their shots from the field from the corner 3 spot. Dallas has played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 100 points in their last game — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 100 points in two straight games. They have played 12 of their last 13 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 210s — and they have played 37 of their last 53 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range including their last six games at home. The Mavericks have also played 13 of their last 17 home games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Boston has played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. While the Celtics are playing great defense, they have not exploded on the other end of the court. Credit Dallas’ play on defense that has not given up more than 107 points in this series. The Mavericks did rank second in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency after acquiring P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford at the trade deadline. Boston has won ten games in a row —  and they have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after winning seven or more games in a row.

FINAL TAKE: The Mavericks have played 14 of their last 20 home games Under the Total when avenging a loss to their opponent. 25* NBA Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (507) and the Dallas Mavericks (508). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (507) and the Dallas Mavericks (508) in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Minnesota (64-32) has lost six of their last eight games after their 116-107 loss on the road against the Mavericks as a 1.5-point underdog on Sunday. Dallas (61-36) has won five games in a row and seven of their last eight to take a 3-0 series lead. 

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Mavericks took Game Three despite allowing the Timberwolves to make 50.6% which was the worst defensive effort in their last 11 contests. But they also nailed 55.9% of their shots which was their best shooting performance in their last 44 games. Dallas has played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a game where they shot 55% or more of their shots. The Mavs are due a visit from the Regression Gods regarding their shooting in this series. While they are making 58.1% of their shots, their expected field goal percentage which measures their shot location relative to league shooting averages is just 53.0%. The Mavericks have played 19 of their last 27 home games Under the Total after winning on their home court in their last game. Additionally, they have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after winning five or more games in a row -- and they have played 22 of their last 31 games Under the Total at home after winning six or seven of their last eight contests. They have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in four of their last five games. Furthermore, they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 210s -- and they have played 35 of their last 51 games Under the Total at home with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range. They have also played 33 of their last 50 home games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Minnesota played their worst defensive game in their last six contests by allowing the Mavericks to make 55.9%. of their shots. They did nail 50.6% of their shots on Sunday which was the best shooting performance in their last nine contests. The Timberwolves have not covered the point spread in this series -- and they have played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games. All three games in this series have finished Over the Total -- and Minnesota has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after playing three or more Overs in a row. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when facing elimination in a playoff series. 

FINAL TAKE: The Timberwolves have played 19 of their last 28 games Under the Total when avenging a loss where they gave up 110 or more points. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (507) and the Dallas Mavericks (508). Best of luck for us -- Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (505) and the Indiana Pacers (506) in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Boston (75-20) has won six games in a row after their 114-111 victory on the road as a 7-point road favorite on Saturday. Indiana (55-44) has lost four of their last six games while dropping the first three games in this series. 

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: This decision is largely a contrarian reaction to the fact that both of these teams have played five straight Overs coming into this Game Four. But there is more. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported at 5 PM ET that he thinks that it is “unlikely” that Tyrese Haliburton will attempt to play tonight with him being listed as questionable with a hamstring injury. While Haliburton wants to play, management sees the big picture with their franchise player and will unlikely want to risk a more serious injury with this series all but decided. We were on the Pacers in Game Three despite not having Haliburton play. They made 50.5% of their shots and built a 15-point lead. They had an eight-point lead late in the game — but they managed to blow that advantage to lose for the third straight time in this series. Losing their best player is bad enough, but the other resulting concern is that Indiana’s shot profile is simply unsustainable to score 111 points (even when playing at a fast tempo). Haliburton plays a critical role in the spacing in their half-court offense for their 3-point shooting. They only made 4 of 20 shots from behind the arc on Friday — not only is a 20% clip not going to get it done, but neither is taking only 21% of their shots from the field from 3-point range in 2024. The Pacers took 46% of their shots from midrange — and only 32% of their shots came at the rim. Overall, the Pacers only took 54% of their shots either at the rim or behind the 3-point line. They stayed competitive in the game because they shot 59.2% inside the arc — but that is simply not sustainable especially when not attacking the rim. Boston has arguably been outplayed in two of three games in this series. They need to use this game to play harder on defense. Indiana has shot at least 50.5% from the field in each game in this series. The Celtics have allowed four straight opponents to shoot 48.1% from the field — but they have then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing four or more straight opponents to make at least 47.5% from the field. Boston has played five straight Overs — but they have then played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after playing five or more Overs in a row. They have also played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total on the road after a point spread loss. 

FINAL TAKE: The Celtics are outscoring their opponents by +11.1 Points-Per-Game this season — and that helps trigger an empirical angle supporting the Under that has been 76% effective. In games with the Total set at 220 or higher, when a team is outscoring their opponents by at least +6 PPG and has played five or more Overs in a row, that game finished Under the Total in 32 of these last 42 situations. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Year is with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (505) and the Indiana Pacers (506). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (541) and the New York Knicks (542) in Game Seven of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Indiana (54-41) forced this Game Seven with their 116-103 victory as a 5-point favorite at home on Friday. New York (57-37) has lost three of the last four games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Pacers have played 17 of their last 25 games on the road Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total on the road after a point spread victory. They have played 12 of their last 16 games on the road Under the Total after a double-digit win — and they have played 13 of their last 16 road games Under the Total after a win at home by 10 or more points. Now they go back on the road where they have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 200s. Additionally, the Pacers have played 16 of their last 19 games Under the Total in a road game in the playoffs where they could potentially close out the series. New York has played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a loss by 10 or more points on the road. The Knicks return home where they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: New York has played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total at home when playing with revenge from a loss — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on the road by double-digits. 25* NBA 2nd Round Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (541) and the New York Knicks (542). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (531) and the Dallas Mavericks (532) in Game Six of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Oklahoma City (63-28) has lost three of their last four games after their 104-92 upset loss at home to the Mavericks as a 4.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Dallas (57-36) can close things out tonight given their 3-2 series lead.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Thunder allowed the Mavericks to make 52.6% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last 13 games. Oklahoma City ranked fourth in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the regular season — and they have still held five of their last seven opponents to no higher than 42.9% shooting. The Thunder have played 20 of their last 29 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 105 points in their last game. They have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after playing a game where no more than 205 combined points were scored. Oklahoma City goes back on the road where they rank just 11th of the 16 teams that made the playoffs with an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency number of 103.6. They are making only 32.7% of their shots from behind the arc against the Mavericks in this series. The Thunder have played 10 of their last 13 road games Under the Total as an underdog of up to six points. Dallas enjoyed their best shooting effort in their last six games by making 52.6% of their shots. The Mavericks have played 34 of their last 65 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 12 of their last 13 games Under the Total after an upset victory. Dallas has played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 105 points in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a game where neither team scored more than 105 points. The Mavs have won five of their last seven games — and they have played 21 of their last 32 games Under the Total after winning five or six of their last seven contests. They have also covered the point spread in five of their last seven games — and they have played 24 of their last 32 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. They return home where they rank only 10th of the 16 playoff teams in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency this postseason. Dallas has played 12 of their last 18 home games Under the Total when favored by up to six points.

FINAL TAKE: The Thunder have played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total when avenging an upset loss — and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total when playing with revenge on the road. 25* NBA 2nd Round Western Conference Playoff Total of the Yea with Under the Total in the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (531) and the Dallas Mavericks (532). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (511) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (512) in Game Four of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Denver (62-28) won their first game in this series with their 117-90 victory as a 3.5-point underdog on Friday. Minnesota (62-27) had won six games in a row before that loss — they hold a 2-1 lead in this series. 

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nuggets enjoyed their best overall shooting game in over a month. Their 53.7% shooting percentage from the field was their best mark in their last ten games. They made 14 of their 28 shots (50%) from behind the arc. They scored at a 112.4 points per 100 possession rate in the half-court which was their most efficient clip in the postseason by 11 points. They scored 37 points in the third quarter alone. Head coach Michael Malone made two key adjustments to unlock the offense: (1) he had Nikola Jokic or Aaron Gordon dribble the ball up the court to ask less of Jamal Murray and (2) he emphasized getting the ball across mid-court in two to three seconds to quicker get into their half-court offense. It worked — but now the onus is on the Timberwolves’ head coach Chris Finch and his coaching staff to determine their counter move with the two days of preparation. Furthermore, the ongoing concern for this team is their lack of depth combined with their lingering injury situation. Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Reggie Jackson are all questionable with injuries -- and even if they play, their continuing effectiveness will be a concern. Denver also increased their intensity on defense. The biggest tactical change was that Jokic was less concerned with defending the paint to instead use his length to disrupt things on the perimeter. The Timberwolves only made 10 of their 33 shots (30%) from behind the arc despite attempting 45% of their shots from 3-point range. The Nuggets have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a win on the road against an Atlantic Division rival. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a win on the road by double-digits. Additionally, they have played 19 of their last 28 games Under the Total after a win by 10 or more points — and they have played 17 of their last 23 games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points. They have played 20 of their last 33 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 105 points in their last game. And in their last 13 games on the road when listed in the +/- 3-point range, Denver has played 8 of these games Under the Total. Minnesota will not be as sluggish as they were in Game Three — but they ranked a mediocre 12th in the league in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in the half-court. Jokic daring Karl-Anthony Towns to attack the glass may be worth the risk since KAT so often becomes passive and settles for outside shots. Towns only scored 14 points on a mere seven shots from the field on Friday. The T-Wolves should play much better on defense after allowing the Nuggets to make 53.7% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last seven games. Minnesota has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a loss on their home court — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss at home to a Northwest Division rival. And while Game Three finished Under the Total, the Timberwolves have played 30 of their last 43 home games Under the Total after playing an Under in their last game. 

FINAL TAKE: The Timberwolves have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total when avenging an upset loss — and they have played 18 of their last 25 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed 110 or more points. 25* NBA Northwest Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (511) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Orlando Magic (545) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (546) in Game Seven of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Orlando (50-38) forced a decisive Game Seven in this series with their 103-96 victory at home against the Cavaliers as a 4.5-point favorite on Friday. Cleveland (51-37) has lost three of their last four games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Magic took Game Six despite allowing the Cavaliers to make 48.8% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last eight games. Orlando finished the regular season ranked third in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. In this series, they have held Cleveland to just 44.0% shooting which has resulted in only 94.2 Points-Per-Game. But the Magic are only making 43.4% of their shots in this series resulting in just 101.3 PPG themselves. Their shooting has been worse on the road where they have only made 38.1% of their shots including 25.2% of their 3s in their three games in Cleveland in this series. The Magic are scoring just 90.7 PPG in those three games while scoring more than 86 points only once. Orlando has played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total after playing a game where no more than 205 combined points were scored. And while the Magic have eight fewer personal fouls in each of the last two games, they have then played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after committing at least five fewer personal fouls than their opponent in two straight games. Cleveland enjoyed their best shooting effort in their last seven games by making 48.8% of their shots on Friday. But the Cavaliers have not scored more than 104 points in this series — and they have not scored more than 97 points in five of the six games. Cleveland has played 11 of their last 18 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 105 points in three or more games in a row. They have also played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after playing two games in a row where neither team scored more than 105 points. The foul situation in the last two games has helped Orlando take 16 and 10 more shots at the free throw line as well — and the Cavaliers have played 24 of their last 34 home games Under the Total after playing two games in a row where they took at least 10 fewer shots at the charity stripe.

FINAL TAKE: Cleveland has played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total when playing with revenge. 25* NBA 1st Round Eastern Conference Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Orlando Magic (545) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (527) and the Dallas Mavericks (528) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (53-34) has lost six of their last eight games after their 123-93 loss at home to the Mavericks on Wednesday. Dallas (53-34) has a 3-2 series lead with the chance to close out the series tonight. 

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Clippers allowed the Mavericks to make 54.0% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last 16 contests. They miss Kawhi Leonard who remains an outstanding defender — but head coach Ty Lue will demand a better effort from his players on that end of the court. Leonard will miss tonight’s game as well as he, as always, manages his knee problem — and the Clippers also miss his scoring. Los Angeles has not scored more than 93 points in three of the last four games in this series. The Clippers have played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a loss by 10 or more points — and they have played 30 of their last 45 games Under the Total after a loss by 15 or more points. They have also played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games — and they have played 4 straight Unders after losing six or seven of their last eight games. They have played 17 of their last 25 games Under the Total when playing for the second time in five days. And in their last 13 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points, Los Angeles has played 8 of these games Under the Total. Dallas enjoyed their best shooting effort in their last nine games by nailing 54.0% of their shots. The Mavs should continue to be tough to score on in this series. The additions of Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington at the trade deadline transformed the defensive makeup of this team. Since February 5th, they ranked third in the NBA in opponent’s effective field goal percentage after previously ranking 26th in the league. And in their last 15 games in the regular season, they led the NBA by holding their opponents to 106.1 points per 100 adjusted possessions. Dallas has played 23 of their last 33 games Under the Total after a win on the road by 10 or more points. They have also played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a win by 15 or more points — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a victory by 30 or more points. Furthermore, the Mavericks have played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 105 points in their last game — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games at home Under the Total after not allowing more than 95 points in their last game. 

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on their home court — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total when on the road playing with revenge from a same-season loss. 25* NBA 1st Round Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (527) and the Dallas Mavericks (528). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (511) and the Philadelphia 76ers (512) in Game Six of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: New York (53-34) has lost two of the last three games in this series after their 112-106 upset loss in overtime at home to the 76ers as a 4-point underdog on Tuesday. Philadelphia (50-38) still trails by a 3-2 margin in this series. 

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: It took overtime for Game Five to finish Over the Total — that game was tied at 97 at the end of regulation. The Knicks made 46.5% of their shots which was their second-best shooting effort in this series. But New York’s 3-point shooting has collapsed. After only making 7 of their 27 shots from behind the arc, they shot just 10 of their 36 shots from 3-point range on Tuesday — that’s a 27.0% shooting percentage from 3-point land in their last two games. The Knicks have not shot better than 43% in three of the five games in this series. But they are playing tough defense led by O.G. Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein. They are holding the Sixers to a low 54.8% shooting percentage at the rim. New York has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after an upset loss at home. And while they have failed to cover the point spread in five of their last seven games, they have then played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. Philadelphia only made 48.1% of their shots at the rim on Tuesday. And despite them making 15 of their 39 shots (38.5%) from behind the arc, they only scored at a 110.9 points per 100 possession rate. For comparison's sake, the 76ers scored at a 116.3 points per 100 adjusted possession rate in the regular season — and their Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in Game Five would rank 26th in the league if extended for the entire season. Joel Embiid deserves credit for taking the court — but he is so banged up with several maladies including his chronic left knee and now Bell's palsy. He needs rest — and he simply is not in the physical state to take his game down low. Instead, he is trying to survive out on the perimeter — but in his last two games, he is making only 36.8% of his shots including just a 20% shooting mark from behind the arc. Philadelphia has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after an upset victory. The Sixers have also played 8 of their last 12 home games Under the Total with the Total set from 200 to 209.5.

FINAL TAKE: The 76ers have played 7 of their last 11 home games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-pint range. The Knicks have played 13 of their last 22 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NBA Atlantic Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (511) and the Philadelphia 76ers (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (561) and the Denver Nuggets (562) in Game Five of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (50-38) avoided the sweep and snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Nuggets with a 119-108 upset victory at home as a 3.5-point underdog on Saturday. Denver (60-26) had won four games in a row before that loss. 

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nuggets may be without Jamal Murray tonight who is questionable with a calf injury. Murray scored 21.2 Points-Per-Game in the regular season while dishing out 6.5 Assists-Per-Game — and he is one of their best deep threats by making 42.5% of his 3s. Reggie Jackson will take his likely take his place in the starting lineup — but he is banged up with an ankle injury and has been battling an illness for more than a week. Denver needs to tighten things up on defense after allowing the Lakers to make 52.2% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last five games. The Nuggets have played 22 of their last 35 games Under the Total after winning six or seven of their last eight games. They return home where they have played 9 straight Unders against teams from the Pacific Division opponents. They have also played 16 of their last 19 games Under the Total after playing their last two games on the road. Los Angeles enjoyed their best shooting effort in their last five contests by making 52.2% of their shots. They got 22 points from D’Angelo Russell — but his scoring remains erratic after he put up a doughnut in Game Three. The Lakers have played 3 of their 4 games Under the Total after an upset win by double-digits. Los Angeles goes back on the road where they scored only 103 and 99 points in the opening two games of this series. They did hold the Nuggets to just 107.5 PPG in those contests. The Lakers have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total on the road against teams with a winning record. They have also played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total in the first round of the playoffs. 

FINAL TAKE: Denver has played 27 of their last 45 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 point range — and they have played 4 of their last 6 potential close-out games in the playoffs. 25* NBA Playoff Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (561) and the Denver Nuggets (562). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (553) and the Indiana Pacers (553) in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (50-35) lost for the fourth time in their last five games in a 121-118 loss in overtime as a 6.5-point underdog on Friday. Indiana (49-37) has won six of their last eight games while taking a 2-1 lead in this series. 

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bucks will likely be without Damian Lillard tonight after he first twisted his ankle in Game Three before later wrenching his Achilles in the fourth quarter. While Lillard declared that he expected to play after the game, he was in a walking boot yesterday and was listed as doubtful. Milwaukee probably does not want to risk Lillard aggravating that injury the way Golden State did with Kevin Durant a few years ago. The team is already without Giannis Antetokounmpo who is doubtful to return from his calf injury. Even if one (or both) of these players take the court, neither is likely to be close to 100%. Khris Middleton stepped up with 42 points on Friday — but now he is being asked to carry the team on offense which is not his strength. Lillard scored 28 points in Game Three. With Lillard out, head coach Doc Rivers will likely turn to Malik Beasley who is an improvement on the defensive end of the court. Beasley’s size makes him an interesting choice to defend Tyrese Haliburton — and that would allow for their top defender Patrick Beverley to clamp down on Andrew Nembhard. One thing that seems certain is that Rivers will continue to do everything he can to get this game into “mud” as he declared before the series started. After the 97 mutual possessions (adjusted possessions per 48 minutes) in Game One, there were 92.5 possessions in Game Two before just the 89.2 adjusted possession rate in Game Three which includes the pace in overtime. That game went into overtime with the score tied at 111 — helped by Lillard’s 28 points. The Bucks have played 29 of their last 44 games Under the Total on the road after a point-spread loss. They have also played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row — and they have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total on the road as an underdog. They have also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Indiana only made 13 of their 49 shots from behind the arc for a 27% shooting percentage. Tyrese Halliburton does not appear to be at 100% as he recovers from the injuries that slowed him down during the regular season — he missed 11 of his 12 shots from downtown. The Pacers' bench scoring production is down as well. After leading the NBA by getting 46.8 Points-Per-Game from their bench in the regular season, the second unit is only scoring 23.3 PPG in this series, down -23.5 PPG. Indiana has played 4 of their 6 games this season Under the Total after a win by three points or less — and they have played 42 of their last 63 home games Under the Total after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread as the favorite. They have played 14 of their last 23 games Under the Total after winning six or seven of their last eight games. And in their last 8 games when playing for no more than the fifth time in 14 days, they have played 5 of these games Under the Total. 

FINAL TAKE: The Bucks have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when avenging a loss of three points or less — and they have played 22 of their last 32 games Under the Total when playing with double revenge including six of those last nine circumstances. 25* NBA Central Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (553) and the Indiana Pacers (553). Best of luck for us — Frank.      

At 8:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (575) and the Denver Nuggets (576) in Game One of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (49-35) has won three games in a row as well as seven of their last nine contests after their 110-106 upset victory at New Orleans as a 1-point underdog in the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday. Denver (57-25) won four of their last five games to close out the regular season with a 126-111 victory at Memphis as a 13.5-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Lakers may be rusty with the three full days off since their game against the Pelicans — and they only made 41.7% of their shots in that game. But LeBron James and Anthony Davis should have fresh legs which will help them on the defensive end of the court. Los Angeles has played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing with three or more days of rest. They stay on the road for the fourth straight game where they have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after winning their two previous games on the road. They have also played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after winning three or more games in a row. Denver comes into the postseason to defend their NBA title on a hot streak regarding their shooting. The Nuggets have shot at least 50.5% from the field in their last three games — and they have played five straight games where they nailed at least 48.9% of their shots. But Denver has then played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total after making 50% or more of their shots in three straight games. They have also played 19 of their last 25 games Under the Total after making 47% or more of their shots in five straight contests. Additionally, the Nuggets have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit win on the road — and they have played 26 of their last 37 games Under the Total after a victory by 15 or more points. This will be the fifth game this season that Denver will be playing with three or more days of rest after their last contest — and they have played 3 of those first 4 games Under the Total. After playing their last two games on the road, the Nuggets return home — and they have played 15 of their last 18 games Under the Total after playing their two previous games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Denver has won the last eight meetings between these two teams after the Nuggets’ 124-114 victory as a 1-point favorite in Los Angeles on March 2nd. The Lakers have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing with triple revenge against their opponent. 25* NBA Saturday Night ABC-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (575) and the Denver Nuggets (576). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 9:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Sacramento Kings (557) and the New Orleans Pelicans (558) in the Play-In Tournament. THE SITUATION: Sacramento (47-36) has won two games in a row after their 118-94 upset victory at home against Golden State as a 3-point underdog on Tuesday to advance to this final Play-In Tournament game. New Orleans (49-34) has lost two games in a row after their 110-106 upset loss at home against the Los Angeles Lakers as a 1-point favorite in their Play-In game on Tuesday. The winner of this game takes the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs and plays at Minnesota on Sunday; the loser’s season ends. 

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Kings scored at least 110 points for just the fourth time in their last 15 games on Tuesday. After posting historic efficiency numbers on offense last season, Sacramento is a different team right now after the injuries to Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter. Monk is the team’s third-leader scoring and offensive spark plug coming off the bench. Huerter is their best 3-point shooter who opens up space in the starting five for De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. But head coach Mike Brown has his team playing much better on the defensive end of the court — and they are also playing at a slower pace to compensate for their now very thin bench. For the season, the Kings rank 14th in the league by averaging 99.47 adjusted possessions per game — with Huerter missing the last 17 games and Monk out the last 11 contests. In their last 10 games, Sacramento’s pace has dropped to just 96.55 adjusted possessions per game which is the third-slowest in the NBA during that span. But while Sacramento ranks 14th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency this season, they have risen all the way up to fifth in that metric in their last ten games. The Kings have held their last five opponents to 45.7% shooting which has resulted in 106.2 Points-Per-Game — and that is -2.2% and -8.4 PPG below their season averages. Sacramento has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 100 points in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 95 points in their last contest. They have also played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a double-digit win at home — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points. They go back on the road where they have played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 11 of their last 16 road games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Furthermore, the Kings have played 18 of their last 25 road games Under the Total against teams winning 51-60% of their games — and they have played 17 of their last 26 games Under the Total in the second half of the season against teams with a winning record. They have also played 17 of their last 25 games Under the Total in April including seven of their nine games this month. New Orleans now has their own significant injury news to deal with after Zion Williamson injured his left calf late in the game on Tuesday which will keep him out for tonight’s contest. He led the way with 40 points in the loss to the Lakers — and the Pelicans will very much miss his scoring tonight. But Williamson is a liability on defense — New Orleans holds their opponents to -3.7 points per 100 adjusted possessions when he is off the court. Brandon Ingram is healthy again — but he does not appear to be close to 100% yet. He only played 25 minutes on Tuesday and was not on the court in crunch time in the fourth quarter. He scored only 11 points on 4 of 12 shooting — and he has averaged just 12 PPG in his two games back in action. As it is and even with Williamson, the Pelicans’ offense has slowed down in the half-court to close out the regular season. While they ranked 10th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in the half court during the regular season, they dropped to 18th by scoring only 97.3 points per 100 adjusted possessions in their final ten regular season games. New Orleans has played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row at home — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest. They have played 10 of their last 14 home games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. And in their last 24 games in the second half of the season against teams with a winning record, they have played 15 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Pelicans beat the Kings in all five of their meetings this season after their 135-123 upset win in Sacramento as a 1-point underdog on April 11th. Sacramento has played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total when avenging a loss by 10 or more points. 25* NBA Play-In Tournament Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Sacramento Kings (557) and the New Orleans Pelicans (558). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Orlando Magic (539) and the Milwaukee Bucks (540). THE SITUATION: Orlando (46-33) has lost two of their last three games after their 118-106 upset loss at Houston as a 3-point favorite last night. Milwaukee (48-31) snapped a four-game losing streak with their 104-91 victory against Boston as a 3.5-point favorite yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bucks broke their string of upset losses by making 53.1% of their shots against the Celtics which was the best shooting effort in their last five games - albeit against a Boston squad playing without Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis defending the interior. But the bigger news was Giannis Antetokounmpo leaving the game in the third quarter with a left calf injury. While it does not look like a season-ender, Antetokounmpo will not take the court tonight. That leaves the Milwaukee offense guard heavy which is not a good look when facing this Magic defense that has outstanding defenders at the guard position. The Bucks raced out to a 63-43 halftime lead yesterday — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after going into halftime with a 15-point or better lead. They went into halftime with a 61-50 lead against New York in their previous game — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after owning two straight double-digit halftime leads. Milwaukee has played 14 of their last 21 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after losing three of their last four games. Head coach Doc Rivers will want his team to maintain their recent defensive intensity playing without Antetokounmpo. The Bucks have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 100 points in their last game — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 95 points in their last contest. They have held their last five opponents to 111.6 Points-Per-Game which is -4.9 PPG below their season average. But the Bucks are only making 45.1% of their shots in their last five games which has resulted in 107.6 PP — and those marks are -3.7% and -11.9 PPG below their season average. Milwaukee has played 19 of their last 29 games Under the Total in the second half of the season. They have also played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total as an underdog of up to six points. Orlando allowed the Spurs to make 52.3% of their shots last night which was the third straight game where their opponent made at least 50% of their shots against them. The Magic have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing their last three opponents to make at least 47% of their shots — and they have played 4 straight Unders after allowing three straight opponents to make 50% or more of their shots. They have played 6 straight Unders after an upset loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after an upset loss by double-digits. The Under is 19-12-1 in their 32 games playing without a day of rest. And while last night’s final score finished Over the 215.5-point total, Orlando has played 23 of their last 35 games on the road Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Franz Wagner did not play in that game as he is nursing a right ankle injury that leaves him questionable tonight — and Gary Harris is out dealing with an injury. This team has slowed things down on offense by playing at the 27th slowest pace in the league since the All-Star break. Led by Jalen Suggs who is making the first or second All-Defensive team this year, Orlando ranks third in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Magic have played 17 of their last 26 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and Milwaukee has played 13 of their last 21 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Both teams are still playing for playoff seeding — so the intensity will be high. These two teams last played on December 21st in the 118-114 victory by the Bucks in Milwaukee — and Orlando has played 15 of their last 23 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on the road. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Orlando Magic (539) and the Milwaukee Bucks (540). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Antonio Spurs (515) and the Memphis Grizzlies (516). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (19-59) has lost three of their last four games after their 133-126 loss to Philadelphia as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. Memphis (27-51) had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 116-96 loss to Philadelphia as a 14-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Led by their rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs are still playing hard late in the season despite being out of the playoff race. They had covered six games in a row before the point spread loss to the surging 76ers with Joel Embiid back from injury. The biggest improvement for this San Antonio team has been on the defensive end of the court. In their last 15 games, the Spurs rank 10th in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency which is a big jump from their 22nd ranking for the entire season. However, the offense has only improved to 25th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in their last 15 games from their 26th ranking overall — so credit goes to their defense for their improved competitiveness. San Antonio has played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a loss at home. They have also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in four of their last five games. One of the things holding the offense back has been the season-ending injury to Devin Vassell who was scoring 19.5 Points-Per-Game. They are only making 44.0% of their shots in their last five games resulting in 106.1 PPG — and those numbers are -2.0% and -6.2 PPG below their season averages. The Spurs have played 9 of their last 12 road games Under the Total with the Total set in the 210s. They have played 4 straight Unders when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. Memphis allowed the Sixers to nail 51.9% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last five contests. The Grizzlies have still held their last five opponents to just 106.6 PPG which is -6.1 PPG below their season average. But this team is a M*A*S*H unit with a long list of injured players out for tonight’s game including Jaren Jackson, Desmond Bane, and Luke Kennard joining Ja Morant unable to take the court. Memphis is scoring only 102.6 PPG in their last five games which is -3.3 PPG below their season average. The Grizzlies have played 19 of their last 27 home games Under the Total after a loss at home — and they have played 14 of their last 19 home games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have played 14 of their last 21 games Under the Total after scoring no more than 100 points in their last game. And in their last 16 games after winning two of their last three games, they have played 11 of these games Under the Total. Memphis stays at home where they have played 26 of their last 38 games Under the Total — and they have played 10 of their last 15 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 210s.

FINAL TAKE: The Spurs have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total in the second half of the season against teams with a losing record — and the Grizzlies have played 24 of their last 36 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. 25* NBA Southwest Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Antonio Spurs (515) and the Memphis Grizzlies (516). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (547) and the Dallas Mavericks (548). THE SITUATION: Golden State (42-34) has won six games in a row after their 133-110 victory at Houston as a 3-point favorite last night. Dallas (46-30) has won eight of their last nine games after their 109-92 win against Atlanta as an 11.5-point favorite yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors nailed 48.6% of their 3s last night en route to a 58.7% shooting percentage which is their best mark of the season. Expect a visit from the Regression Gods tonight — especially with both Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga questionable with nagging knee injuries. As it is, Golden State has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after scoring 130 or more points in their last game. They have also played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after a win on the road. The Warriors have covered the point spread in two straight games as well as five of their last six contests. They have then played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two or more games in a row — and they have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. And while Golden State has outrebounded their last two opponents by at least ten boards, they have then played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after outrebounding two or more straight opponents by ten or more rebounds. This is their third game since Tuesday — and they have played 15 of their last 23 games Under the Total when playing for the third time in four days. Head coach Steve Kerr has his team amping up their intensity on the defensive end of the court as the postseason approaches. They have shaved off from than 7.0 points from their Adjusted Defensive Efficiency number to improve to fifth in the league in that metric. They have held their last five opponents to 42.7% shooting which has resulted in just 102.6 Points-Per-Game that they have allowed — and those numbers are -3.9% and 13.0 PPG below their season averages. But they are also scoring 114.0 PPG over those five games which is -4.0 PPG below their season averages. The Mavericks live-and-die by the 3-point shot. Golden State ranks sixth in the NBA in 3-point defense by holding their opponents to 35.7% shooting from behind the arc — and they are even better on the road by holding their home hosts to 34.9% shooting from 3. Dallas has played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total after a win on their home court. They have also played 19 of their last 26 home games Under the Total after winning six or seven of their last eight games. Additionally, the Mavericks have played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 105 points in their last game — and they have played 16 of their last 24 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 95 points in their last contest. Head coach Jason Kidd has also overseen a dramatic transformation of the play of his team’s defense. The acquisitions of P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford at the trade deadline gave this team a much-needed wing defender and rim protector. Dallas ranks third in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their last ten games. They have not allowed their last six opponents to shoot better than 45.6% from the field — and their last nine opponents have not eclipsed 107 points with three of those foes held to 97 or fewer points. They have held their last five opponents to 42.0% shooting which has resulted in 101.0 PPG which is -5.4% and -14.8 PPG below their season averages. But the Mavs are scoring 114.6 PPG in their last five games which is -3.7 PPG below their season average — and now Luka Doncic is questionable to play this game without a day of rest given “right knee” issues. Dallas has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total when playing without a day of rest. They have played 8 of their last 11 games at home Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Mavericks have played 18 of their last 27 games Under the Total in the second half of the season — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total The Warriors have played 21 of their last 32 games Under the Total in the second half of the season — and they have played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (547) and the Dallas Mavericks (548). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers (547) and the Charlotte Hornets (548). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (44-28) snapped a three-game losing streak with their 115-92 victory at home against Charlotte as an 11.5-point favorite on Monday. Charlotte (17-54) has lost five games in a row after that loss two days ago.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cavaliers nailed 53.5% of their shots against the Hornets which was the best shooting effort in their last 18 games. Despite that performance, Cleveland is struggling to score points as they continue to play without the injured Donovan Mitchell. They have just a 5-7 record in the last 12 games with Mitchell as he nurses a fractured nose and a nagging leg injury. In their last five games, the Cavs are making 46.4% of their shots but playing at a slower pace — they are scoring only 100.4 Points-Per-Game in those five contests. They have held their last five opponents to 105.4 PPG. Cleveland has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread cover as a double-digit favorite. They have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points. Their victory on Monday eked Over the 206-point total in that game — and they have played 23 of their last 35 games Under the Total after playing a game on the road that finished Over the Total. They had failed to cover the point spread in four of their previous five games — and they have played 21 of their last 31 road games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Led by Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, the Cavaliers rank fourth in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Cleveland has played 12 of their last 15 games on the road Under the Total — and they have played 8 straight road games Under the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points. Furthermore, the Cavs have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total as a double-digit favorite. They have played 15 of their last 19 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage no higher than .250. Charlotte has not scored more than 98 points in five straight games — and they have not cracked even 93 points in their last three games. With LaMelo Ball out with an injury and Terry Rozier shipped off to Miami at the trade deadline, the Hornets offense is relying on Mikal Bridges as their go-to scorer with rookie Brandon Miller the second option. In their last five games, Charlotte is making only 42.7% of their shots resulting in only 93.8 PPG. They return home after a four-game road trip having played 31 of their last 48 home games Under the Total after losing two games in a row — and they have 10 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after losing two or more games in a row on the road. The Hornets have played 13 of their last 18 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 7 straight home games Under the Total against an opponent with a winning percentage in the 60-70% range.

FINAL TAKE: Charlotte has played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total when avenging a loss by 20 or more points — and they have played 16 of 25 games Under the Total when avenging a loss by 20 or more points under head coach Steve Clifford. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers (547) and the Charlotte Hornets (548). Best of luck for us — Frank.   

At 7:40 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (517) and the Toronto Raptors (518). THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (26-45) has lost two games in a row after their 105-93 loss at New York as a 7.5-point underdog on Saturday. Toronto (23-48) has lost ten games in a row after their 112-109 loss at Washington as a 6-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nets only made 44.7% of their shots against the Knicks on Saturday but it was still their best shooting effort in their last three games. They are scoring only 105.8 Points-Per-Game in their last five games — and they have failed to score more than 108 points in five of their last six contests. They have also failed to score more than 100 points in three of their last six games — so this team that is playing without the injured Cameron Johnson (amongst others) is quite capable of putting up a clunker. Brooklyn has held two of their last three opponents to 105 and 104 points so the effort on defense has been steady as of late. The Nets have played 27 of their last 44 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. Additionally, they have played 7 of their last 9 games after failing to score more than 95 points in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing a game where no more than 205 combined points were scored. They have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after losing two or more games on the road — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after losing three or more games in a row. And while they have not covered the point spread in seven of their last nine games, they have then played 12 of their last 15 games on the road Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. Brooklyn continues their four-game road trip scoring only 109.1 PPG which is -2.0 PPG below their season average. The Nets have played 9 of their last 10 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage in the 25-40%. Toronto is M*A*S*H unit right now as they conduct their soft tank job — they are missing so many players headlined by Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and R.J. Barrett. Gary Trent, Jr. is their go-to scorer right now. The 109 points they scored on Saturday were their most points in their last six games — they had not scored 104 in their previous five games including two clunkers where they scored only 98 and 89 points. They are only making 44.1% of their shots in their last five games resulting in 107.5 PPG. They have not shot better than 44.1% from the field in four of their last six games. The Raptors have held four of their last six opponents to 112 or fewer points. And while the Wizards’ 47.8% shooting effort on Saturday was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five games, Toronto has played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after allowing three or more straight opponents to make 47% or more of their shots from the field. The Raptors have played 17 of their last 24 home games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 straight Unders after losing five or more games in a row. They have failed to cover the point spread in five of their last six games — and they have played 26 of their last 37 home games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six contests. They return home where they are scoring only 110.1 PPG which is -3.0 fewer PPG than their season average — but they are holding their guests to 114.5 PPG which is -3.6 PPG lower than their season average. Toronto has played 23 of their last 35 home games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 home games Under the Total as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points. Furthermore, they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total in March. They have played 9 of their last 13 opponents with a losing record Under the Total in the second half of the season.

FINAL TAKE: The Nets will remember their 121-93 loss in Toronto against the Raptors in their most recent meeting on February 22nd. Brooklyn has played 23 of their last 37 games Under the Total when playing with revenge — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on the road by 20 or more points. 25* NBA Atlantic Division Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (517) and the Toronto Raptors (518). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (565) and the Utah Jazz (566). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (46-21) has won two straight games after their 119-100 victory at Utah as an 8-point favorite on Saturday. Utah (29-38) has lost four of their last five games after that loss at home to the Timberwolves.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: With Minnesota playing without Karl-Anthony Towns for the rest of the season as he recovers from a torn meniscus, the initial take would be to consider Unders for the T-Wolves given the absence of his scoring prowess. But a contrarian position when the Timberwolves after playing a team with a terrible defense is prudent in this situation. Mike Conley has stepped up in the last two games to score 23 and 25 points in their last two games to offer complementary scoring to Anthony Edwards. He has nailed five 3-pointers in both of those games. As it is, the Timberwolves have played 25 of their last 36 road games Over the Total after a straight-up win on the road. They have played 14 of their last 19 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. And they have played 20 of their last 28 games Over the Total after winning two games in a row. Minnesota remains an elite defensive club even without Towns — and they held their last two opponents to just 100 points. The T-Wolves have played 30 of their last 44 road games Over the Total after not allowing more than 105 points in their last game — and they have played 11 of their last 12 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 105 points in two or more games in a row. They stay on the road where they are making 48.3% of their shots resulting in 114.6 Points-Per-Game. Minnesota has played 29  of their last 44 road games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. Rudy Gobert is questionable for tonight’s contest with a left rib sprain — and if he does not play, he makes the Timberwolves interior defense much less formidable. Utah is fully embracing tanking for the rest of the season. The Jazz owes Oklahoma City their first-round draft pick if it falls outside the top ten. Not coincidentally, they have the worst defensive rating in their last 15 games. Utah has played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total in March including five of their seven games this month. Jordan Clarkson remains out with a groin injury and Lauri Markkanen is questionable with a quad injury after missing extended time due to that injury. In their last five games, they have allowed their opponents to make 50.7% of their shots resulting in 125.0 PPG — and they have allowed their last five visitors to score 119.6 PPG when they are playing at home. The Jazz have played 21 of their last 31 games Over the Total after a loss at home — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a loss at home to a Northwest Division rival. They have also played 5 straight Overs after a double-digit loss at home.

FINAL TAKE: Minnesota has won the last four meetings with Utah after Saturday’s victory. The Jazz have played 27 of their last 40 road games Over the Total when avenging a loss at home to their opponent. They have also played 35 of their last 55 games when playing with double-revenge — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total when playing with triple-revenge. 25* NBA Northwest Division Total of the Month is with Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (565) and the Utah Jazz (566). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Sacramento Kings (571) and the Los Angeles Clippers (572). THE SITUATION: Sacramento (32-23) has won two straight games after their 127-122 victory against San Antonio as a 10.5-point favorite on Thursday. Los Angeles (37-18) has won two of their last three games after their 101-95 victory as a 9-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Kings made 55.9% of their shots against the Spurs which was the best shooting effort in their last four contests. And while that final score cruised Over the 242-point total in that contest, Sacramento has then played 22 of their last 33 games on the road Under the Total after playing an Over in their last game. The Kings have only covered the point spread twice in their last seven games — and they have then played 11 of their last 13 road games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Sacramento ranks ninth in the league with an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 119.0 — but now they go back on the road where that metric drops to 114.6, ranking 15th in the NBA. Their 115.7 Points-Per-Game scoring average on the road is -2.9 PPG below their season average. But the Kings tighten things up on defense when playing in hostile environments. While they rank 27th in defensive efficiency in the half-court when playing at home, they improve to a 19th ranking in the half-court when on the road. And while they rank 27th in transition defense at home, they rise to a ranking of 17th when on the road. Overall, Sacramento ranks 10th in the NBA with an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 114.6 when on the road which is a big improvement versus their 118.1 mark at home which ranks 26th in the league. Their home hosts are making 47.8% of their shots resulting in 115.6 PPGG which is -0.9% and -2.4 PPG below their season averages. The Kings have played 24 of their last 35 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Los Angeles has played 8 straight Unders at home after a win by six points or less — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread as a favorite. The Clippers have covered the point spread only once in their last six games (three games ago) — and they have played 8 straight Unders after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. They have also played 13 of their last 15 home games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in two or more games in a row. They return home where they hold their guests to just 110.5 PPG on 46.3% shooting — and they rank 11th in the NBA with an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 111.9 which is much better than their 116.4 mark when on the road, ranking 15th in the league. But while they lead the league with an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 119.6 when on the road, that number drops to 118.6 when at home which ranks just 10th in the league when measuring home court efficiency. The Kings are vulnerable to good 3-point shooting teams since they are last in the league by allowing their opponents to make 39.8% of their shots from behind the arc. But Los Angeles is not a prolific shooting team from distance since only 38.1% of their shots are from behind 3-point range, ranking 17th in the NBA. They may be without two of their best 3-point shooters as well with both Paul George and Norman Powell questionable with nagging injuries.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total at home when favored by up to six points — and the Kings have played 19 of their last 26 road games Under the Total as an underdog of up to six points or as a pick ‘em. 25* NBA Pacific Division Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Sacramento Kings (571) and the Los Angeles Clippers (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (541) and the New Orleans Pelicans (542). THE SITUATION: Miami (30-25) returns to the court tonight for the first time since the All-Star break after winning four of their last five games with their 109-014 upset victory at Philadelphia as a 3-point underdog back on February 14th. New Orleans (34-22) has won four games in a row as well as eight of their last nine contests with their 127-105 win against Houston as a 7.5-point favorite last night.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Heat stepped up their play on defense heading into the break. They held their last five opponents to 46.4% shooting which resulted in just 102.0 Points-Per-Game — and those numbers are -8.4 PPG and -1.0% below their respective season averages. They have held eight straight opponents to no more than 110 points — and they have held six of those opponents to 104 or fewer points. But Miami continues to struggle on the other end of the court as they have not scored more than 110 points in 14 of their last 18 games. Injuries will likely hold them back in scoring tonight. Terry Rozier is out with a knee and Josh Richardson is out with a shoulder — and Tyler Herro is questionable with a foot issue. As it is, the Heat have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a straight-up win on the road — and they have played 26 of their last 39 games Under the Total after a win by six points or less. They have also played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total after winning four or five of their last six games. Additionally, Miami has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing for no more than the fourth time in the last ten days — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total when enjoying a rest advantage versus their opponent. The Heat have played four straight Unders — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after playing an Under in their last game. They have also played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing two or more Unders in a row. On the road, they are scoring only 108.0 PPG — but they are allowing just 107.7 PPG. They have played 19 of their last 27 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 12 of their last 16 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Furthermore, they have played 24 of their last 36 road games Under the Total with Total set in the 210s. New Orleans has played 9 straight Undress at home after a double-digit victory — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a win at home by 20 or more points. They have also played 20 of their last 30 games Under the Total after a point spread win. The Pelicans made 52.1% of their shots last night after going into the All-Star break by making 56.2% against Washington — but they have then played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total after making 50% or more of their shots in two straight games. Both those games finished Over the Total — but they have then played 6 straight Unders after playing two or more Overs in a row. They have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing no more than their third game in the last ten days. With Brandon Ingram questionable with an illness and Zion Williamson questionable with his nagging left foot issues, they may be without one or two of their best scorers. As it is, New Orleans has averaged 114.2 PPG in their last five games which is -2.4 PPG below their season average. The Pelicans' play on the other end of the court has been outstanding — they rank sixth in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have held five of their last seven opponents to no more than 106 points — and they have held three of their last four opponents to no more than 105 points with two of those teams only scoring 84 and 87 points. Their last five opponents have scored just 108.2 PPG which is -3.9 PPG below their season average.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these struggle to score in crunch time which may explain why the Heat have played 17 of their last 24 road games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and the Pelicans have played 7 of their last 8 home games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (541) and the New Orleans Pelicans (542). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:40 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (593) and the Phoenix Suns (594). THE SITUATION: Dallas (17-12) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 144-119 victory against San Antonio as an 8-point favorite on Saturday. Phoenix (14-14) has lost four of their last five games after their 120-105 loss at Sacramento as a 3.5-point underdog on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: It was just a few years ago when I was grappling with Golden State games on Christmas Day where the Total reached the rarified air of 230 or higher. Now four of the five games today have Totals set at 235 or higher. Some observers think this is a result of the ever-improving skill set of the players. It’s not. More 3-point shooting combined with more teams playing at a faster pace has contributed to the higher-scoring games — but the key ingredient for these big totals remains the lack of effort on defense. The nightcap tonight features two teams who consider defense an afterthought. Dallas ranks 23rd in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they have allowed their last five opponents to make 50.8% of their shots resulting in 122.2 Points-Per-Game. Led by Luka Doncic who may be enjoying his best season yet in his career, the Mavericks are scoring 119.0 PPG themselves this season. They did hold the woeful Spurs to 44.9% shooting two days ago which was the best defensive effort in their last eight games. Dallas has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after scoring 130 or more points in their last game. They have also played 10 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 14 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. And in their last 8 games after a double-digit victory, the Mavericks have played 6 of these games Over the Total. Dallas is dealing with several injuries impacting their depth. Kyrie Irving has been out since December 8th with a foot injury. The team has been without rookie Derrick Lively II as well with an ankle injury — and his absence has taken away their best rim protector. He is listed as questionable to possibly return to action tonight (I like the Over even if he plays, FYI). Now the Mavericks go back on the road where they have played 10 of their last 15 games Over the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total on the road when the Total is set at 230 or higher. Furthermore, Dallas has played 14 of their last 20 games Over the Total with the Total set at 230 or higher. Phoenix only made 44.3% of their shots on Friday which was the worst shooting effort in their last eight contests. The Suns have played 8 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. And while their loss to the Kings finished far below the 244-point total, they have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total after playing a game that finished Under the Total in their previous contest. Now after playing their last two games on the road, Phoenix returns home where they are making 48.7 of their shots resulting in 116.9 PPG. The Suns have played 11 of their last 15 home games Over the Total — and they have played 10 of their last 13 home games Over the Total when favored. Phoenix is dealing with injuries as well. Bradley Beal is once again out with his back issues. Jusuf Nurkic is out for personal reasons as well leaving the team without their best rim protector. As it is, the Suns rank just 17 in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency this season — and they have allowed their last five opponents to make 48.6% of their shots resulting in 118.4 PPG. Led by Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, this team is not doing much besides putting up scoring points while drastically underachieving their preseason expectations. Phoenix has played 14 of their last 20 games Over the Total when favored — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas is allowing their opponents to make 48.6% of their shots —and the Suns have played 12 of their last 18 games Over the Total against teams with opponent field goal percentages of 46% or higher. And while Phoenix has a defensive field goal percentage of 46.3%, the Mavericks have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total against teams who allow their opponents to make 46% or more of their shots. 25* NBA Total of the Month is with Over the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (593) and the Phoenix Suns (594). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (533) and the San Antonio Spurs (534). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (16-10) won their fifth game in their last six contests with their 122-119 victory at San Antonio against the Spurs as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. San Antonio (3-20) has lost 18 games in a row after that setback.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Lakers made 53.8% of their shots on Wednesday despite LeBron James taking the night off with his nagging left calf issue. James and Anthony Davis are listed as questionable tonight — but I suspect both will play tonight (and I was skeptical about James playing on Wednesday). James and Davis are listed as questionable for most games as a way to soft-play load management. With this game on national television (ESPN) in an opportunity to pad some stats, both stars have incentives to play. Perhaps this game against the lowly Spurs is an opportunity for Davis to get the night off (with James returning to action) — and that only helps our Over play since Davis is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. The Lakers are clicking on offense with an attack that lives in transition and thrives at the rim. Los Angeles is second in the NBA in shot frequency at the rim where they are then making 70.2% of their shots — and they lead the NBA in transition possessions. In their last five games, the Lakers are nailing 50.2% of their shots which results in 121.8 Points-Per-Game. LA has made at least 53.4% of their shots in their last four contests — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after making 50% or more of their shots in three or more games in a row. They have played 23 of their last 30 games Over the Total after losing four or five of their last six contests. This is Los Angeles’ third game on the road since Tuesday — and they have played 12 of their last 14 road games Over the Total when playing for the third time in their last four games. They stay on the road where they are making 49.4% of their shots which results in 115.1 PPG — but they are allowing their home hosts to make 46.2% of their shots and 117.2 PPG. The Lakers have not engaged with as much urgency lately in games outside the In-Season Tournament on the defensive end of the court lately. Their last five opponents are making 44.1% of their shots from behind the arc -- and they rank 23rd in transition defense during that span. San Antonio has played 12 of their last 19 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. The Spurs allowed the Lakers to score 62 points in the paint — they rank 26th in the league by allowing their opponents to make 67.9% of their shots within four feet. They also are turning the ball over too much as head coach Greg Popovich continues to audition second-year forward Jeremy Sochan as their point guard. San Antonio ranks 26th in the NBA by turning the ball over in 15.9% of their possessions — and those miscues will create more scoring opportunities for the Lakers in transition. The Spurs stay at home where they are making 36.4% of their shots from behind the arc as opposed to their 31.2% shooting from 3-point range when on the road. They raise their shooting percentage by +1.7% when playing at home with a 46.9% mark — and the 114.9 PPG scoring average at home is an improvement of +5.1 points versus their season average. But San Antonio also allowed 122.3 PPG at home which is a +0.9 rise over their season average as well. The Spurs have played 10 of their last 12 home games Over the Total — and they have played 32 of their last 48 home games Over the Total at home as an underdog. They have also played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: San Antonio has played 30 of their last 48 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 of their 5 games Over the Total this season against teams winning 60-70% of their games. The Lakers have played 27 of their last 39 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. Finally, the Spurs have played 41 of their last 68 games Over the Total when avenging a loss where their opponent scored 110 or more points. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (533) and the San Antonio Spurs (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be Under the Total in the game between the Orlando Magic (569) and the Brooklyn Nets (570). THE SITUATION: Orlando (5-4) snapped their two-game losing streak with their 112-97 upset victory at home against Milwaukee as a 2-point underdog on Saturday. Brooklyn (5-5) has won two of their last three games after their 102-94 win against Washington as a 7-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Magic are playing outstanding defense after holding the Bucks to just 97 points. After ranking sixth in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their last 57 games last season, they currently rank tied for second in the league with an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 105.8. With two 6’10 big men in their starting rotation Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, Orlando has size that makes it difficult on their opponents. They have played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after an upset victory — and they have played 4 straight Unders after a point spread win. The Magic have covered the point spread in three of their last four games — and they have played 15 of their last 19 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in three of their last four contests. Orlando only ranks 21st in the league in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency with this roster probably needing more scoring. Injuries will not help their cause to night with point guard Markelle Fultz and forward Wendall Carter, Jr. out tonight — and shooting guard Gary Harris is questionable with a groin injury. He is the team’s best shooter who nailed 43% of his shots from behind the arc last year. The Magic are making only 45.0% of their shots on the road which is resulting in only 108.2 Points-Per-Game away from home. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total as an underdog. Brooklyn has played 30 of their last 48 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total at home after a win at home. The Nets are beginning to play better defense as they have held their last three opponents to no higher than a 43.6% shooting percentage after holding the Wizards to 37.5% shooting. Not having center Nic Claxton early on held the play of their defense back. In the two games he has played, the Nets are allowing just over 100 points per 100 possessions when he is on the court. Cam Johnson is another good defender for them who missed seven games in a row before getting back on the court for their last two contests. Brooklyn has played 21 of their last 30 games Under the Total after holding their previous opponent to 105 or fewer points — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a game where both teams did not score more than 105 points. And while the Nets have played three straight Unders, they have then played 18 of their las 27 games Under the Total after playing three straight Unders. Brooklyn will miss Cam Thomas tonight who is out with a left ankle injury. He is scoring 26.9 Points-Per-Game coming off the bench but has missed the last two games. Ben Simmons will also miss his fourth straight game with a hip injury — and while he does not score many points, he contributes with assists and rebounds on the offensive end of the court. In their last five games, they are making only 42.9% of their shots which is generating only 109.6 PPG — but they are holding their last five opponents to 43.4 shooting. The Nets have played 23 of their last 32 home games when favored by up to six points — and they have played 20 of their last 31 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when the game is at the Barclays Center. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Orlando Magic (569) and the Brooklyn Nets (570). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (571) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (572). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (4-3) has lost two games in a row after their 134-116 loss at Denver as a 6-point underdog on Monday. Minnesota (4-2) has won four of their last five games after their 114-109 upset loss against Boston as a 2.5-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Pelicans played their worst defensive game of the season after allowing the Nuggets to make 53.7% of their shots which was the highest opponent's field goal percentage against them all season. New Orleans has become a very good defensive team under head coach Willie Green — they ranked sixth in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency last season. That loss to the defending NBA champions came on the heels of a 123-105 loss to Atlanta on Saturday. New Orleans has played 30 of their last 45 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row — and they have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after losing two in a row by ten or more points. The Pelicans are dealing with several injuries to begin the season — and it gets even worse tonight. C.J. McCollum is dealing with a collapsed lung so he will not take the court. Herbert Jones is questionable with a sore right leg. And, of course, Zion Williamson is taking the game off for personal reasons — leaving Brandon Ingram as the primary scorer against the Timberwolves. New Orleans is a potent scoring team when teams have to address both Williamson and Ingram on the court together — especially with McCollum running the point. But this team lacks outside shooting to open up space for players to drive the lane — the torn meniscus injury of Trey Murphy III has impacted the efficiency of their offense. The Pelicans ranks tied for 22nd place with an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of just 108.4 this season. They did make 50% of their shots on Monday which was the best shooting effort for them this season — but that was with Williamson on the court. New Orleans has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 43 of their last 69 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Minnesota followed up their handing Denver their first loss of the season by doing the same thing to the Celtics on Monday in a game where they nailed 51.8% of their shots — their second-best shooting effort of the season. The Timberwolves have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after winning three games in a row. And while that game with the Nuggets finished Over the Total, they have then played 18 of their last 22 home games Under the Total after playing an Over in their last game. Minnesota is playing outstanding defense — they lead the league with an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 100.7. After holding the explosive Denver scoring attack to just 39.1% of their shots, the Timberwolves have limited five of their six opponents to no higher than 40.2% shooting. The great potential of this team on the defensive end of the court was demonstrated last year despite Karl-Anthony Towns being limited to just 29 games due to injury. The T-Wolves would have led the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency if the numbers they generated with  Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, and Towns on the court together were extended to the entire season. On their home court, Minnesota has held their opponents to 39.3% shooting which has resulted in their guests scoring only 95.7 Points-Per-Game. The Timberwolves have played 30 of their last 48 home games Under the Total — and they have played 14 of their last 19 home games Under the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE:  Minnesota has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when hosting the Pelicans. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (571) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (519) and the Miami Heat (520) in Game Four of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Denver (67-33) has won eight of their last nine games after their 109-94 victory on the road against the Heat as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Miami (58-47) has lost five of their last seven games to fall behind in this series by a 2-1 margin.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Head coach Michael Malone had his team’s attention after their upset loss at home in Game Two — and he got a much better effort on defense in Game Three. Denver limited the Heat to only 25 uncontested shots from beyond the arc after giving 30 uncontested 3-pointers in both Game One and Game Two. The Nuggets’ defense has been underrated for much of the season — especially when they are dialed in which they should continue to be tonight. They are holding Miami to just 41% shooting in this series — and the Heat’s Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 111.1 in this series is far below the 118.3 Adjusted Offensive Efficiency they posted against Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals. Denver has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a win by 10 or more points — and they have played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a win by 15 or more points. Additionally, the Nuggets have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a game where no more than 205 combined points were scored. And while Denver has made at least 50.2% of their shots in each game in this series, they have then played 21 of their last 30 games Under the Total after making 50% or more of their shots in two straight games. This is one of the rare games in the NBA Finals where the teams only get one day between games — and the Nuggets have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing with one day of rest. Miami has played 4 straight Unders when playing with one day of rest. The Heat need to slow the pace of play down — their Game Two victory was the only game in this series that had less than 90 possessions. Look for Hayward Highsmith to play more tonight to help with size and the physicality that Erik Spoelstra indicated his team lacked on Wednesday after they got outrebounded by a 58 to 33 margin. Denver pulled down 36.1% of their missed shots — so Miami needs to grab more defensive rebounds. But Highsmith is a liability on offense as he is just a career 33% shooter from behind the arc. The Heat have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a playoff loss in the last two postseasons. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss by 10 or more points. Furthermore, Miami has played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 100 points in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 95 points in their last contest. The Heat have also played 4 of their last 5 games at home Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Miami has played 14 of their last 23 games Under the Total when avenging a loss at home. The Heat have also played 5 straight Unders after getting outrebounded by 20 or more boards in their last game — and they have played 19 of their last 26 home games Under the Total after getting outrebounded by 20 or more rebounds in their last contest. 25* NBA Friday Television Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (519) and the Miami Heat (520). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (517) and the Miami Heat (518) in Game Three of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Denver (66-33) had their seven-game winning streak snapped in a 111-108 upset loss at home against the Heat as an 8-point favorite on Sunday. Miami (58-46) has won two of their last three games while evening this series at 1-1.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nuggets lost Game Two despite making 52.0% of their shots from the field which was the best shooting effort in their last five games. But it is the play on defense that garnered most of head coach Michael Malone who described his team’s effort on Sunday as the “least disciplined” game that they played in the postseason. Miami’s 48.7% shooting percentage was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage that Denver allowed in their last five games. The Nuggets made 50.4% of their shots in Game One on Thursday — and they have played 20 of their last 29 games Under the Total after making 50% or more of their shots in two straight games. Despite these good shooting numbers, the Heat are frustrating Denver with the various zone defense looks. In the 37 possessions in this series when Miami has deployed a zone, the Nuggets have scored only 39 points. For comparison's sake, while Denver has an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 118.8 when playing at home in the postseason, their Adjusted Offensive Efficiency plummeted to just 105.4 in their two games at home against the Heat when playing against this zone defense. The Heat are also implementing a 21st-century version of the Jordan Rules against Nikola Jokic — the defensive scheme used by the Detroit Pistons to stymie the Michael Jordan Bulls’ teams. The idea is that the superstar is going to get his points no matter what — but if the star’s teammates are not contributing, then the efforts of the superstar alone will not be enough to win. Head coach Erik Spoelstra went big in Game Two by reinserting Kevin Love into the starting lineup to defend Aaron Gordon. This move allows Jimmy Butler to defend Jamal Murray in an attempt to “cut the head off the snake” in the words of Steve Kerr when analyzing Game Two. Jokic scored 41 points in Game Two — but he only assisted on four other baskets on 11 potential assists. In Game One, Jokic had 14 assists on 17 potential assists. Now the Nuggets go on the road where their scoring drops by 2.7 Points-Per-Game versus their season average. While Denver knows that they need their supporting cast to shoot more and get into a better rhythm, they are more comfortable scoring when playing at home. Miami has also been successful in slowing the pace that Denver prefers to play at. This series is averaging 89.75 adjusted possessions per game with the Nuggets not getting out in transition as much — a big drop from the 96.33 adjusted possessions per game that they were averaging in their first three playoff series this postseason. Miami has played 13 of their last 14 games Under the Total after winning their previous game by three points or less. They return home to play for the first time since May 27th — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total after being on the road for seven or more days. The Heat have also played 13 of their last 21 home games Under the Total as an underdog of up to three points. Miami has an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 106.7 when playing at home in these playoffs — as compared to their Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 115.6 on the road this postseason. The Heat have played 7 of their last 10 games in the NBA Finals Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 playoff games Under the Total in a tied series. Denver has played 13 of their last 19 playoff games Under the Total when the series is tied.

FINAL TAKE: The Nuggets have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from an upset loss as a home favorite — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when avenging a loss by three points or less. 25* NBA Wednesday Television Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (517) and the Miami Heat (518). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (515) and the Denver Nuggets (516) in Game Two of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Miami (57-46) looks to rebound from their 104-93 loss on the road against the Nuggets as a 9-point underdog on Thursday. Denver (66-32) has won seven games in a row while taking a 1-0 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Both of these teams should shoot better — especially from 3-point range. The Heat were ice cold in the first half on Thursday as they missed 13 of their last 17 shots from behind the arc while going into halftime with just 22 points. Miami was sluggish. We can blame their struggles in their adjustment to the high altitude in Denver. We can blame the team’s decision to sacrifice a good night’s sleep on Monday after they won their Game Seven in Boston against the Celtics. The conventional wisdom is that players recover faster if they stay over to get a good night’s sleep rather than get on an airplane and arrive in a new city that evening. But the decision sets up Miami better for Game Two since it provided them another ten hours in the altitude to help their acclimation. Sunday night’s game will be the team’s sixth day in Denver — so they should be fine. The Heat shot better in the second half — they made 15 of their 22 shots (68%) from 3-point range. While it may be too much to ask for Miami to make 39.0% of their 3-pointers in Game Two as they did in getting through the Eastern Conference side of the playoff bracket, they should be more effective than their 19 of 39 shooting (33%) from behind the arc on Thursday. And the Heat will be fully committed to being more aggressive in attacking the rim rather than settling for midrange jump shots — they only attempted two free throws as a team in Game One. Miami has played 6 straight second games in a playoff series Over the Total. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing with two days' rest. The Heat have now played five straight Unders while not giving up more than 104 points in three straight games — but this situation sets up to be a higher-scoring contest. Miami have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 105 points in two straight games and they have played 14 of their last 21 games Over the Total after playing two straight games where no more than 205 combined points were scored. Additionally, the Heat have played 41 of their last 64 games Over the Total after playing two straight Unders — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after playing four or more Unders in a row. Miami has also played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 8 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. Denver left plenty of points on the table themselves in Game One despite making 50.6% of their shots. They only scored 45 points in the second half while cruising to the victory. They only made 8 of their 27 shots (30%) from behind the arc. The Nuggets make 39.1% of their 3-pointers when playing at home in their Ball Arena. Denver has a significant size edge against the Heat — and it seems like they can take advantage of this whenever they please to do so. They opened Game One by scoring 18 of their first 24 points inside the paint. Aaron Gordon scored 12 points in the first quarter dominating over the smaller Gabe Vincent guarding him. Nikola Jokic only took one shot in the first quarter — but he assisted on six buckets. Denver went into the fourth quarter with a 21-point lead with Jokic scoring or assisting on 69 of their 84 points. In the end, Jokic scored 27 points on just 12 shots from the field. The Nuggets did not really need to lean on the Joker in Game One — but it does not look like Miami has an answer for him when Denver needs a basket. Denver is still rested after getting a ten-day break after completing their four-game sweep with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Nuggets have played 12 of their last 19 games Over the Total when playing for no more than the third time in ten days. Furthermore, Denver has played 33 of their last 52 home games Over the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points — and they have played 13 of their last 21 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Miami has lost all three of their games with the Nuggets this season — and they have played 24 of their last 34 games Over the Total when playing with double revenge and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total when playing with triple revenge. 25* NBA Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (515) and the Denver Nuggets (516). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (509) and the Boston Celtics (510) in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Miami (56-45) has lost three games in a row in this series after their 104-103 loss at home to the Heat as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday.  Boston (68-33) hosts this Game Seven after rallying from their 3-0 series deficit.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The oddsmakers have lowered the Total for this final contest by six points to account for the historical Game Seven slide in points scored. Even after that, the evidence is strong that this game will finish Under the Total. There were a combined 63 free throw attempts taken in Game Six — but that number should be lower tonight with the referees not wanting to decide the game by unnecessarily placing a key player into foul trouble. Miami only made 35.5% of their shots on Saturday — but that number was still propped up by them naming 14 of their 30 shots (47%) from behind the arc. While they should make more than 36% of their shots tonight, they may not reach their effective field goal percentage of 50.5% from Game Six given the likely regression in 3-point shooting. Jimmy Butler seems slowed by a bad ankle. After scoring 35 and 27 points in Games One and Two, he has only averaged 20.8 Points-Per-Game on 37% shooting in the last four games in this series. The Heat did get Gabe Vincent back on Saturday after he missed Game Five with his twisted ankle, but he missed 9 of 12 shots from inside the arc while showing little lift with his feet. Bam Adebayo has not scored more than 17 points since Game Two while averaging just 12.5 PPG after scoring 21 PPG in the first two games of this series. Kyle Lowry has gone MIA with just 27 combined points since halftime of Game Two. Miami has played 4 straight Unders after a straight-up loss — and they have played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss at home where they covered the point spread as an underdog. They have played 22 of their last 35 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 105 points in their last contest. Furthermore, the Heat have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total in potential closeout playoff games. Boston only made 7 of their 35 shots (20%) of their 3-pointers on Saturday — but they did nail 27 of their 43 shots (62.8%) from inside the arc. So, like Miami, while the Celtics should make more 3s tonight, they may very well underperform their effective field goal percentage of 52.6% in that game. Boston has amped up their defensive intensity in the last three games facing the brink of elimination. They have held the Heat to just 43.0% shooting in the last three games which has resulted in only 99.7 PPG. The Celtics have played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread — and they have played 4 of their last 6 games after a win on the road where they did not cover the point spread. They have also played 20 of their last 29 games Under the Total after a win by six points or less. Furthermore, Boston has played 10 straight Unders in potential elimination games including all five this postseason. The Celtics have also played 8 of their last 11 Game Sevens Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The tempo of this series has slowed dramatically. The first four games of this series averaged 96.5 adjusted possessions per game with Game Four seeing 94.3 adjusted possessions per game. Games Five and Six have then averaged just 88.8 adjusted possessions per game with Game Five seeing 84.4 adjusted possessions and Game Six totaling 89.4 adjusted possessions. With these teams tiring and more banged up than they were a week ago, expect another slow game with shaky shooting from both sides. 25* NBA Monday TNT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (509) and the Boston Celtics (510). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (501) and the Miami Heat (502) in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Boston (67-33) extended this series at least for another game with their 110-97 victory as an 8.5-point favorite on Thursday. Miami (56-44) still holds a 3-2 series lead.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Despite both teams shooting over 50% from the field, Game Five finished Under the Total. The tempo of this series is slowing. In victory, the Celtics only took 79 shots which were tied for their series low in Game Two — and they scored only 105 points in that game after making 47% of their shots. Boston made 16 of their 39 shots from behind the arc for a 41% shooting percentage. After shooting under 35% from 3-point range in Games One through Three, the Celtics have nailed more than 40% of their 3-pointers in the last two games. Look for the clip to drop tonight given the pressure of a Game Six — and Boston makes 37.6% of their 3-pointers on the road this season. The Celtics have played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total on the road after winning two games in a row. Additionally, Boston has played 17 of their last 22 games Under the Total in expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range — and they have played 15 of their last 19 games on the road Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Furthermore, the Celtics have played 33 of their last 52 road games Under the Total when favored by up to three points. Miami is finding it difficult to score since Boston has amped up their defensive intensity in the face of potential elimination. The Heat have only attempted 78 shots in each of their last two games after averaging 86 shots per game in the first three games of this series with at least 81 shots in each of their three victories — so their tempo has slowed. The Celtics are doing a better job of moving Miami off the 3-point line as they have made only 17 of their 55 shots from behind the arc (31%) in the last two games after nailing 47 of 93 of their 3-pointers (51%) in the first three games of this series. Boston is also not fouling as much. After getting to the free throw line at least 19 times in the first four games of the series, the Heat only had 10 free throw attempts on Thursday. Miami scored only 97 points in Game Five despite making 51.3% of their shots. The Heat have played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 100 points in their last game. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. After Miami has allowed the Celtics to shoot 51.2% and 50.6% from the field in the last two games, the Heat should increase their defensive intensity in this critical Game Six.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing in Miami. 25* NBA Saturday TNT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (501) and the Miami Heat (502). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (545) and the Miami Heat (546) in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Boston (65-33) has lost five of their last seven games after their 128-102 upset loss on the road against the Heat as a 4.5-point favorite on Sunday. Miami (56-42) has won 10 of their last 12 games while taking a 3-0 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Celtics embarrassed themselves (and everyone backing them as a road favorite in that contest) with that 26-point loss in a must-win game for them on Sunday. They allowed the Heat to nail 56.8% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last 60 games. It looks like the team quit on rookie head coach Joe Mazzulla — but they should play much harder tonight after Game Three’s humiliation. Boston has played 7 straight Unders when facing elimination in a playoff series. They have also played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total when attempting to avenge a loss where they allowed 110 or more points. Additionally, the Celtics have played 6 of their last 8 road games Under the Total as an underdog of six points or less. They have also played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and they have played 16 of their last 21 road games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Miami was on fire by nailing 19 of their 35 shots (54%) from behind the arc as they continued a miraculous turnaround with their long-range shooting after only making 34.4% of their 3-pointers in the regular season, the fourth-lowest mark in the league. The Heat made 56.8% of their shots on Sunday which was the best showing effort in their last 13 games. Miami has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a win at home by 20 or more points. The Heat dominated Game Three despite getting outrebounded by a 57 to 35 margin. Miami has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after getting outrebounded by 15 or more boards — and they have played 4 straight Unders after getting outrebounded by 20 or more boards in their last contest. Furthermore, the Heat have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total when holding a 3-0 series lead — and they have played 4 of their last 6 playoff games with the possibility of closing out the series.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing in Miami. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (545) and the Miami Heat (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (543) and the Los Angeles Lakers (544) in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Denver (64-32) has won five games in a row after their 119-108 upset loss as a 5.5-point underdog on Saturday. Los Angeles (52-46) has lost four of their last five games to dig themselves into an 0-3 hole in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Lakers' obvious move tonight is for head coach Darvin Ham to reduce D’Angelo Russell’s playing time since he is scoring only 7 Points-Per-Game in this series while being a sieve on the defensive end of the court. This adjustment will help Los Angeles’ defensive efforts. As it is, the Lakers have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home. They have also played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total at home when playing for no more than the sixth time in the last 14 days. Despite the Nuggets making 50% of their shots on Saturday, the Lakers still have the lowest Adjusted Defensive Efficiency of 101.6 in the playoffs when playing at home — and fewer minutes for Russell will only help those numbers. Denver has played 36 of their last 62 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 13 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a win on the road. The Nuggets have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a double-digit win. And in their last 5 games when playing with one day of rest, Denver has played 4 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Fatigue is becoming an issue for the Lakers with LeBron James and Anthony Davis playing tons of minutes and the bench shortening due to ineffective players like Russell. While I do not expect the effort for Los Angeles to drop off, they may try to slow the pace down simply to conserve energy for the fourth quarter after giving up a 13-0 run late in the game on Saturday. In the Lakers’ last 18 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher, the Under is 12-5-1. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Year is with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (543) and the Los Angeles Lakers (544). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (509) and the Boston Celtics (510) in Game Seven of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (61-31) saw their two-game winning streak in this series snapped with a 95-86 loss at home to the Celtics as a 2.5-point favorite on Thursday. Boston (64-30) forced this climactic seventh game of this series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Thoughtful handicapping of the over/under for this game needs to resolve why the total has dropped more than 10 points than the common 211.5-point number that Game Six closed at. The books typically drop the Total several points in Game Sevens — but the drop for this Game Seven is remarkable from a historical perspective. Something else is going on — especially when the public is hitting the Over for this game. The 76ers shot a season-low 36.1% from the field on Thursday. Was that an outlier effort — or was it a canary in the coal mine and harbinger as to what to expect moving forward in this series? I concluded it is the latter. The Celtics have had plenty of success against the Sixers in the Joel Embiid era. They had won 12 of their 17 games at home against Embiid going into Game Five including all six games in the postseason. But Philadelphia pulled off a 115-103 upset win with them making 50.6% of their shots. Frankly, the Celtics may have been simply overconfident in that game as their defensive effort was laughable in that game. They were embarrassingly bad at times defending the basic 76ers’ pick-and-roll play between James Harden and Joel Embiid. The tape offered head coach Joe Mazzula a great opportunity to seize an attentive audience to get back to fundamentals as to how they want to defend that play. In Game Six, Boston remained focused on defending Embiid after picks and dare Philly’s role players beat them. That defensive approach will continue in Game Seven given the stakes — and the onus will be on these players stepping on the road with the Celtics likely double-teaming Embiid and doing what they can to deny him the ball. It is telling that the 76ers have shot under 40% in their three losses in this series. More evidence that the low-scoring game in Game Six will carry over into Game Seven is that Philadelphia has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing a game where no more than 190 combined points were scored. The 76ers have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after losing to an Atlantic Division rival. Furthermore, Philadelphia has played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 200s — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games on the road Under the Total with the Total set in the 200-209.5 point range. Boston has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after beating an Atlantic Divisional rival in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a win on the road against a divisional opponent. They have played 22 of their last 32 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest. Additionally, they have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a game where no more than 205 combined points were scored — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a game where no more than 190 combined points were scored. The Celtics have also played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

FINAL TAKE: Boston has played 6 straight Unders in the Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown era when facing potential elimination in the playoffs. The Celtics have also played 7 of their last 10 Game Sevens Under the Total. Philadelphia has played 4 of their last 5 Game Sevens Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 8 playoff potential close-out games Under the Total including both close-out games this postseason. 25* NBA Atlantic Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (509) and the Boston Celtics (510). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (503) and the Los Angeles Lakers (504) in Game Six of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Golden State (50-44) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 121-106 win at home as a 7.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Los Angeles (51-43) still holds a 3-2 series lead.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors nailed 51.1% of their shots on Wednesday which was the best shooting effort in their last 11 games. But now Golden State may be without Andrew Wiggins who is questionable with fractured cartilage in his ribs. Wiggins may still play because his defense against LeBron James is so important — but his offensive efforts will probably be limited. The Warriors have played 36 of their last 53 games Under the Total on the road after a double-digit victory against a Pacific Division rival. Golden State has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road. Additionally, Golden State has played 19 of their last 28 games in the playoffs Under the Total when trailing in the series — and they have played 10 of their last 14 playoff games Under the Total when facing potential elimination. Los Angeles played their worst game on defense in their last 14 contests by allowing the Warriors to make 51.1% of their shots. The Lakers have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. They return home where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Los Angeles has also played 5 of their last 8 games in the playoffs Under the Total when leading in the series.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 straight Unders when battling at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. 25* NBA Pacific Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (503) and the Los Angeles Lakers (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Phoenix Suns (547) and the Denver Nuggets (548) in Game Five of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (51-40) evened this series at 2-2 with their 129-124 win at home as a 1.5-point favorite on Sunday. Denver (59-32) has lost the last two games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Suns head coach Monty Williams has his team playing at a faster pace with Chris Paul sidelined with his groin injury. Paul tends to slow things down running the point in the half-court offense. With Devin Booker running the show, Phoenix is racing up and down the court with Booker averaging 36.8 Points-Per-Game in this series. Williams is also giving more minutes to T.J. Warren and Terrence Ross who are scorers but liabilities on defense. The result on Sunday was a scoring fest with 253 combined points scored. But despite these tactical adjustments, the books have remained steady with the Total remaining in the 227-228 range while letting the market make big decisions on where this series will go. Well, the market loves the Over tonight — but I think Game Five is the time to embrace our contrarian spirits and play the Under. Booker is making 62% of his shots including 51% of his shots from behind the arc. The Regression Gods will be making an appearance with him sooner or later since those numbers are unsustainable. A problem the Suns have is their lack of depth — made worse by the Paul injury — and the lack of help that Booker and Kevin Durant are getting from their healthy teammates. Deandre Ayton has scored only 12 combined points in the last two games — and his playing time has dropped to just 26 minutes per game. And while Booker and Durant have been fantastic, this is their third game in five days with them averaging about 42 minutes per game. To compound matters, they are playing in the high altitude in Denver. Their 56.8% shooting on Sunday was the best field goal percentage they have posted in their last seven games. They averaged 125 points in the two games in Phoenix — but they averaged a mere 97 PPG in the first two games in this series in Denver. The Suns allowed the Nuggets to make 56.2% of their shots on Sunday which was the worst defensive effort in their last 38 contests. Phoenix should play better on defense — and Williams might be compelled to rely on players like Torrey Craig and Josh Okogie instead of Warren, Ross, or Landry Shamet (who nailed five shots from behind the arc in Game Four) thinking his team can’t outrun and outgun Denver in their own building. The Suns have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after winning two games in a row at home. They have also played 16 of their last 27 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Denver had their best shooting game in their last six contests by making 56.2% of their shots — but they have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after shooting 55% or better in their last game. Head coach Michael Malone needs his group to tighten things up on defense after the Suns made 56.8% of their shots. That performance was the Nuggets’ worst defensive game in their last 76 contests in terms of opponent’s field goal percentage. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to make 55% or more of their shots — and they have also played a decisive 44 of their last 65 games at home Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to shoot 55% or better from the field. While the Nuggets ranked 22nd in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency on the road, back at home, they rank sixth in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency while allowing -3.4 fewer points per 100 possessions than they do on the road. Denver has played 7 of their last 10 home games Under the Total — and they have played 14 of their last 21 home games Under the Total when favored by up to six points. The Nuggets have only covered the point spread twice in their last six games — and they have then played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. And while the last two games in this series have finished Over the Total, Denver has paled 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after playing two straight Overs.

FINAL TAKE: The Nuggets have played 14 of their last 22 games Under the Total when playing with revenge. 25* NBA Playoff Semifinals Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Phoenix Suns (547) and the Denver Nuggets (548). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (541) and the Miami Heat (542) in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: New York (52-38) has lost two of their last three games after their 105-86 loss on the road to the Heat as a 4-point underdog on Saturday. Miami (51-41) has won five of their last six games while taking a 2-1 lead in this best-of-seven series.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Knicks could not hit the side of a barn on Saturday as they only made 34.1% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last 79 games. Admittedly, New York is not an offensive juggernaut. But after missing 32 of their 42 shots from behind the arc, if the Knicks can simply match their 34.8% season clip from 3-point range, this game should finish Over the Total. That was the second-worst scoring result all season for New York as well. After scoring only 85 points against Brooklyn on November 9th, they responded by scoring 121, 135, and 118 points in their next three games. The Knicks did continue to play outstanding defense as they held the Heat to just 38.9% shooting — and that was the best defensive effort in their last five games. Realistically, the Knicks cannot expect to do much better than that on the defensive end of the court — and Miami still scored 105 points. New York has not covered the point spread in any of the three games in this series — and they have played 15 of their last 24 games Over the Total after failing to cover the point spread in three straight games. The Over is also 10-4-1 in their last 15 games against teams with a winning record. Miami’s 38.9% field goal percentage was the worst shooting performance in their last 43 games. They only made 7 of their 32 shots (21.9%) from behind the arc. After a subpar regular season in their 3-point shooting, the Heat regained their shooting touch from last season as they are nailing 39.2% of their 3-pointers in the playoffs, the second-best mark of all teams in the postseason. Jimmy Butler returned to the court and scored 26 points — so while he is listed as questionable again tonight, that seems to be merely a formality. By holding New York to 34.1% shooting, Miami enjoyed their best defensive game in terms of their opponent’s field goal percentage all season. But the Heat are allowing +3.7 more points per possession in this series when Butler is on the court — so his presence helps the Over. Miami has played 12 of their last 14 games Over the Total after a double-digit win. Additionally, they have played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. Furthermore, the Heat have played 9 of their last 10 games at home Over the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when playing at home against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 games against each other in Miami Over the Total despite Game Three finishing Under the Total. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (541) and the Miami Heat (542). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (505) and the Sacramento Kings (506) in Game Seven of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Golden State (47-41) had won three games in a row in this series before their 118-89 upset loss to the Kings as a 6.5-point underdog on Friday. Sacramento (51-37) forced a climactic seventh game in this best-of-seven series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Kings played one of their best defensive games of the season by holding the Warriors under 100 points. They limited Golden State to just 37.2% shooting which was a season-low for the reigning NBA champions. Head coach Mike Brown will implore his young team to maintain that type of effort on the defensive end of the court in this Game Seven. But Sacramento only made 40.4% of their shots on Friday in that elimination game — and I do not expect a significant improvement on that mark in this Game Seven with the pressure on this team that lacks deep playoff experience. As it is, the Kings have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a win on the road. They have also played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after pulling off an upset win on the road. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Sacramento has also played 5 straight Unders when playing with one day of rest. The Warriors have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing with one day of rest. And in their last 11 games after losing to a Pacific Division rival, they have played their next 7 games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Golden State has played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total when attempting to avenge an upset loss at home by double-digits. The Under is also 13-6-1 in the last 20 meetings between these two teams in Sacramento. 25* NBA 1st Round Playoff Total of the Year is with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (505) and the Sacramento Kings (506). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (559) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (560) in Game Three of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Denver (55-29) has won three games in a row after their 122-113 victory at home against the Timberwolves as an 8.5-point favorite in Game Two on Wednesday. Minnesota (43-43) has lost three of their last four games after that loss.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nuggets made 54.1% of their shots on Wednesday which was the best shooting effort in their last 15 games. And while they allowed the Timberwolves to make 50.6% of their shots, that was the worst defensive effort in their last four games. The Achilles’ heel of this team is the play of their defense — but head coach Mike Malone has this group playing better on that end of the court as of late. While Denver ranked 21st in the regular season in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, they improved to 16th in that metric after the All-Star Break. While that is still the middle of the road, the market has been slow to adjust as the team trends I will cite indicates. The Nuggets held Minnesota to no more than 27 points in three of the four quarters in Game Two after limiting them to 80 points in Game One — and that was on the heels of only giving up 95 points to the up-tempo Sacramento team (albeit with their backups playing) in the final game of the regular season. Denver has played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread win. And while they have covered the point spread in four of their last five games, they have then played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in four of their last five games. The Nuggets took a 64-49 lead at halftime on Wednesday — and they have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after holding a halftime lead of 15 or more points. Denver goes back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total on the road. Minnesota played their worst game on defense in 13 contests by allowing the Nuggets to make 54.1% of their shots in Game Two. The T-Wolves have been an improved defensive club that ranked 16th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency during the regular season but was ranked eighth in that metric after the All-Star Break. They clamped down on Oklahoma City in the final Play-In Tournament game to just 95 points — and they limited the Nuggets to just 109 points in Game One which was almost seven points before their season average. The bigger problem for this team is that there can experience scoring lulls on the other end of the court. They exploded for 40 points in the third quarter on Wednesday but only scored 73 points for the rest of the game. They have scored 107 or fewer points in four of their last eight games including those 80 points in Game One. Aaron Gordon is doing an outstanding job in slowing down Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns has scored only 21 combined points in this series on 8 of 27 shooting. He has committed nine turnovers and gotten to the free throws line only four times. Game Two flew Over the 222.5-point total — but Minnesota has played 16 of their last 19 home games Uner the Total after playing an Over in their last game. The T-Wolves return home where the Under has an 11-4-1 record in their last 16 games — and they have played 7 of their last 10 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Minnesota has played 11 of their last 17 home games Under the Total with the Total set in the 220s — and they have played 11 of their last 16 home games Under the Total as an underdog. Additionally, the T-Wolves have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

FINAL TAKE: Minnesota has played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NBA Northwest Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (559) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (560). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (533) and the Philadelphia 76ers (534). THE SITUATION: Dallas (37-39) snapped their four-game losing streak with their 127-104 win at Indiana as a 6.5-point favorite on Monday. Philadelphia (49-26) has lost three in a row — and four of their last five — after a 116-111 loss at Denver as a 7-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Mavericks stepped to make 56.6% of their shots against the Pacers which was the best shooting effort in their last 36 games. But Dallas has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after shooting 55% or better from the field in their last game. Despite that effort, the Mavericks are only scoring 113.9 points per 100 possessions in their last ten games, ranking 23rd in the league over that span. The acquisition of Kyrie Irving has not worked in generating a healthy and cohesive “big two” with Luka Doncic who recently conceded he is miserable right now. Dallas is too reliant on making 3s — they lead the NBA by attempting 48.6% of their shots from behind the arc. They make 37.2% of their 3s which ranks ninth in the league — but it comes at the expense of being last in the NBA in rebounding. The Mavericks pull down only 22.9% of their missed shots, the lowest mark in the league. Dallas has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight Unders after a point-spread win. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a win by 10 or more points. On the road, the Mavericks have played 4 straight Unders — and they have played 6 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. They have also played 8 of their last 12 road games Under the Total when the total is set at 230 or higher. An encouraging development for head coach Jason Kidd’s team was the play of their defense as they held the Pacers to 41.9% shooting. The Mavs’ defense has been bad this year — but a better effort on that end can make a difference. Dallas is tied for the last spot in the Western Conference playoff race — they would lose out to Oklahoma City to qualify for the play-in game so this is an important contest. The Mavericks have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Philadelphia will want to tighten things up on the defensive end of the court after allowing the Nuggets to make 50.6% of their shots, the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five games. The 76ers have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after losing four of their last five games. Philly has seen a dip in their 3-point shooting — they are making only 36.6% of their 3-pointers in their last ten games as opposed to their 38.6% shooting mark from behind the arc overall. But the Sixers are defending the perimeter better as of late as they rank second in the NBA by holding their opponents to hit just 32.1% of their 3-pointers in their last ten games. In their last ten games, Philly ranks fifth in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Back at home, the 76ers have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total — and the Under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 home games against teams not winning at least 40% of their games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Joel Embiid and James Harden are listed as questionable tonight with nagging injuries. While Embiid is an MVP candidate who excels at both ends of the court, Harden’s potential absence certainly helps our Under play. These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 games against each other Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing in Philadelphia. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (533) and the Philadelphia 76ers (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (503) and the Toronto Raptors (504). THE SITUATION: Indiana (32-40) has lost three of their last four games after their 115-109 loss at Charlotte as a 2-point favorite on Monday. Toronto (35-37) had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 118-111 loss at Milwaukee as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Pacers lost to the Hornets despite holding them to 45.6% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last ten games. But they only shot 45.1% from the field themselves which was the worst shooting performance in their last three games. Indiana has played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They did get back rookie Benedict Mathurin for this contest who scored 18 points in the losing effort. But the team misses Tyrese Haliburton who has been out for five straight games with a knee injury — and he is questionable to play tonight. The offense has not suffered with Haliburton — the team is making 48.3% of their shots in their last five games which have generated 117.4 Points-Per-Game. Both of those marks are above their season averages of 115.8 PPG and a 46.6% field goal percentage. But the Pacers' defense has let their last five opponents make 50.5% of their shots which has resulted in them scoring 122.2 PPG, a 3.9 PPG bump above their season average. Indiana has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 5 straight road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. They have also played 4 straight Overs against teams with a losing record. And in their last 33 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points, they have played 22 of these games Over the Total. Toronto only made 44.4% of their shots on Sunday which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games. Acquiring Jakob Poetl from San Antonio at the trade deadline has ignited their offensive attack that sorely needed another big man in the middle. They have made 49.7% of their shots in their last five games which have generated 119.6 PPG. But the defense for the Raptors remains an issue as they have allowed nine of their last 11 opponents to shoot 50% or better from the field. Their last five opponents have made 50.1% of their shots against them which is resulting in 113.6 PPG. Toronto has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. And while they have covered the point spread in five of their last seven games, the Raptors have then played 15 of their last 19 home games Over the Total after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. They return home where they have played  6 of their last 8 games Over the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 13 home games Over the Total against teams not winning more than 40% of their games on the road. Furthermore, Toronto has played 10 of their last 12 home games Over the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto will be looking to avenge a 122-114 upset loss at Indiana as a 1.5-point favorite on the road back on January 22nd — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from an upset loss as a road favorite. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (503) and the Toronto Raptors (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will bhe playing Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Washington Wizards (526). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (14-13) has lost two straight -- and four of their last five contests — after their 115-110 loss at Miami as a 7-point underdog on Thursday. Washington (11-15) has lost five in a row — and eight of their last nine contests — after a 121-111 loss at Indiana as a 4-point underdog last night.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Clippers have played 4 straight games Over the Total after a point spread loss. And while this is their fourth game since Monday, Los Angeles has played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total when playing for the fourth time in seven days. The Clippers have Kawhi Leonard back on the court and reunited with Paul George — yet the team is not playing hard on the defensive end of the court. In their last five games (with Leonard back for the last three), they are allowing their opponents to nail 49.3% of their shots which is translating into 119.2 Points-Per-Game. They complete their four-game road trip having played 6 straight games Over the Total on the road — and the Over is 7-1-1 in their last 9 home games against teams with a winning record a home. Los Angeles has also played 23 of their last 31 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. Washington has allowed three straight opponents to make at least 50% of their shots after the Pacers made 50.6% of their shots last night. The Wizards have allowed their last three opponents to hit 48.7% of their shots which has resulted in them giving up 119.2 PPG during that span. The Over is 5-0-2 in their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and the Over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They have also played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total after losing four or five of their last six games. Washington has also played 35 of their last 51 games Over the Total when playing without a day of rest. They are undermanned right now with several injuries including Bradley Beal and Will Barton being out tonight. They return home where they have played 19 of their last 28 games Over the Total on their home court. Additionally, the Wizards have played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 25 of their last 34 meetings Over the Total — and they have played 4 straight Overs when playing in Washington. 25* NBA Non-Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Washington Wizards (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Portland Trail Blazers (526). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (12-9) has won four of their last six games after their 114-100 upset win against Indiana as a 2-point underdog on Sunday. Portland (11-9) has lost five of their last six games after a 111-97 loss at Brooklyn as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Clippers will be undermanned tonight with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and John Wall all out due to various ailments. As it is, Los Angeles ranks 29th in the league in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They are also 2nd in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency (but playing without George does not help their cause on that end of the court). The Clippers have played 18 of their last 24 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. They have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after an upset win at home — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread win. They go back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total. They have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range. Portland is playing with Damian Lillard who is dealing with a calf injury. The Trail Blazers return home for one game after being on the road since November 20th. The Under is 16-7-1 in their last 24 home games after being on the road for seven or more days. The Under is 18-7-2 in Portland’s last 27 games at home — and the Under is 5-1-2 in their last 8 home games against teams with a losing record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing against each other in Portland. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Portland Trail Blazers (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (535) and the Boston Celtics (536). THE SITUATION: Chicago (5-4) has won four of their last six games after a 106-88 win against Charlotte as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Boston (4-3) has lost three of their last four games after a 114-113 upset loss at Cleveland on Wednesday as a 1.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulls are playing better defense this season led by Alex Caruso and Javonte Green. They held the Hornets to just 39.1% shooting after limiting Brooklyn to only 99 points in their previous game. Chicago has played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. And in their last 13 games after playing a game where no more than 195 combined points were scored, the Bulls have played 8 of those games Under the Total. They go back on the road where they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. They have also played 6 straight Unders against teams with a winning record. Boston misses Robert Williams III who is out for a few months with an injury — but they are beginning to play better on defense. After holding Washington to 38.8% shooting, they limited the Cavaliers to just 42.0% shooting on Wednesday. Boston is still playing well in defending the rim even without Williams. They rank 4th in the NBA in preventing shots at the rim — and they are 9th in the league in opponent’s field goal percentage within four feet of the rim. The Celtics have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 36 of their last 57 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Boston will be looking to avenge a 120-102 loss at Chicago as a 5.5-point favorite on October 24th — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from an upset loss on the road as the favorite. These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 meetings Under the Total. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (535) and the Boston Celtics (536). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (545) and the Milwaukee Bucks (546). THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (1-2) enters this game coming off a 134-124 loss at Memphis as a pick ‘em on Monday. Milwaukee (2-0) is unbeaten so far this season after a 125-105 win against Houston as a 13-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nets nailed 54% of their shots on Monday against the Grizzlies which was the best shooting effort this season. But they allowed Memphis to make 50% of their shots which was the worst defensive performance of the new campaign. Brooklyn has been a disaster on defense this season allowing their first three opponents to score 123.0 Points-Per-Game on 49.3% shooting — but I think much of this is explained by the level of intensity Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving bring to that end of the floor. These two played harder on defense in the playoffs against Boston last spring — and I expect a similar effort tonight in this nationally-televised game. As it is, the Nets have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Furthermore,         Brooklyn has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after allowing at least 125 points in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing 130 or more points in their last contest. And while they have allowed their three opponents to make 48.8% of their shots, they have then played 42 of their last 64 games Under the Total after allowing three straight opponents to shoot 47% or better from the field including ten of those last fifteen circumstances. What is perhaps more troubling for the Nets is their lack of efficiency on the offensive end of the court with their starting five. In the 73 possessions that Durant, Irving, Ben Simmons, Royce O’Neal, and Nic Clayton have been on the court together, they are scoring only 97.3 points per 100 possessions. As the Celtics exposed in the playoffs last year, this offense can be slow, stagnant, and predictable when Durant and Irving are playing “your turn, my turn” with the basketball. Adding Simmons and Claxton into the mix adds two players who do not present any scoring threat — making that starting five even easier to defend. Brooklyn has played 39 of their last 62 games Under the Total with the number set at 220 or higher. The Under is also 9-2-1 in their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. Milwaukee shot a season-high 56.5% from the field in their win against the Rockets. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a double-digit win. The Bucks have also played 4 straight Unders when playing with three or more days of rest. They stay at home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on their home court. Milwaukee is playing without two of their best shooters with Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton out with injuries. Their absences have allowed for Wes Matthews and Jelon Carter to play more minutes, who are more effective on the defensive end. The Bucks lead the NBA by allowing their opponents to score 97.9 points per 100 possessions. But the offense ranks 25th in Adjusted Net Efficiency despite playing two bottom-ten defenses in terms of efficiency. Head coach Mike Budenholzer has his team playing at a slower pace as they rank 26th in tempo this season after ranking 4th in that metric last year. Brooklyn ranks 24th in the league in pace.

FINAL TAKE: Simmons defended Giannis Antetokounmpo in an interesting matchup — he held the Greek Freak to just 6 of 21 shooting in the preseason (for what that is worth). The Under is 10-2-1 in their last 13 meetings against each other — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games in Milwaukee Under the Total. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (545) and the Milwaukee Bucks (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (527) and the Boston Celtics (528) in Game Six of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Golden State (68-35) can win the NBA Championship tonight after taking a 3-2 lead in this series with their 104-94 win at home against the Celtics as a 4-point favorite on Monday. Boston (65-40) returns home looking to stave off elimination after losing three of the last four games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: I suspect the market has not adapted enough to the fundamental change that has occurred in this series. After holding the Celtics to just 97 and then 94 points in the last two games in this series, the Warriors have found the answers as to how to best deploy their defensive efforts. Golden State is playing tight and aggressive defense that is making things uncomfortable for both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The Celtics lack a consistent third scoring option or reliable 3-point shooting to counter these tactics. Let’s remember that Golden State ranked second in the NBA by holding their opponents to just 107 points per 100 possessions in the regular season — despite not playing with Draymond Green for a long stretch. Game Three of this series had 216 combined points scored after Game Two only had 195 combined points scored. The Warriors have held Boston to no more 88, 94, and 97 points in three of their last four games. The lone exception was in Game Three when Boston scored 116 points — fueled by a 47 to 31 edge on the boards. Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr immediately made his team’s effort on the boards a high priority. After pulling down 15 offensive rebounds in that Game Three, the Celtics have only managed 11 and then 8 offensive boards in the two games since after Kerr cajoled his team to tighten things up. The last two games in this series have had only 204 and 198 combined points scored — and Golden State has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after playing two straight games where no more than 205 combined points were scored. The Warriors’ energy level of defense should continue with the extra day of rest — they have played 20 of their last 27 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest including seven of those last ten occasions. Golden State was called for 28 personal fouls on Monday with Boston being whistled for only 16 fouls — and the Warriors have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after being called for at least 10 more personal fouls than their opponent. Golden State is scoring only 105.2 points per game in this series with that average dropping to 103.7 PPG in the last three games. One of the dynamics that is contributing to this is the less of a role Jordan Poole is playing. Poole is a liability on defense which has compelled Kerr to give him less playing time. He is averaging just 17 minutes per game in the last two games after only being on the court for 14:17 minutes on Monday mostly to give Stephen Curry a spell. He did score 14 points in Game Five — but three of those points were that buzzer-beating 40-footer at the end of the third quarter. Golden State has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog. Boston has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in two straight games. They have also played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 95 points in their last game. Additionally, the Celtics have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when committing at least 10 fewer personal fouls than their opponent in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: Boston has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing with double-revenge from two straight losses by double-digits to their opponent. 25* NBA Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (527) and the Boston Celtics (528). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (505) and the Boston Celtics (506) in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Miami (63-35) has lost two straight and three of the last four games in this series after a 93-80 loss at home as a 3-point underdog on Wednesday. Boston (62-36) took a 3-2 lead in the series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: After scoring only 82 points and shooting a season-low 33.3% from the field in their 20-point loss on the road in Game Four, Wednesday’s Game Five was the time that the Heat needed to step up. Instead, they made only 7 of their 45 shots (16%) from behind the arc and set a new standard in futility with their shooting for the season by making only 31.9% of their shots in scoring just 83 points in their seven-point loss. I don’t Miami is a fraud — my conclusion is that injuries have simply robbed the team of its offensive identity. Everything starts with Jimmy Butler — exemplified in Game One when he scored 41 points while getting to the free-throw line 18 times. The Heat scored 118 points against the top statistical defense in the NBA. And head coach Erik Spoelstra has his team shoot plenty of shots from behind the arc as they demonstrated by their dominant start to Game Three where they seized a 26-point lead in the second quarter. Then Butler re-injured the knee that has been nagging him for much of the season. Miami holds on to win Game Three — and Butler returns to the court to play in the last two games. But he is a shell of himself. In Game Four, he scores only 6 points on 3 of 14 shooting — and he is no drive in his game as he fails to get to the free-throw line even once. He was a bit better on Wednesday — but he still only got to three free throw line four times in scoring 13 points on 4 of 18 shooting. Since the injury, he has made only 7 of 32 shots for a 21.9% field goal percentage. Kyle Lowry was brought in during the offseason to be the second or third scoring option in the starting lineup — but he is far from 100% with the Hamstring that kept him earlier in the playoffs. He did not score in Game Five after scoring just 3 points in Game Four. Lowry has made only one shot in the last two games — and he has taken just 12 shots in those two contests. Tyler Herro won the Sixth Man of the Year Award by scoring 20.7 Points-Per-Game coming off the bench — but the Heat have been without their second-leading scorer since he injured his groin in Game Three. Even if he returns tonight, his effectiveness is in doubt since his injury usually puts players on the shelf for two to four weeks. Bam Adebayo has been fine — he scored 18 points on 8 of 15 shooting on Wednesday. But he is not a number one scoring option — and this clever Celtics team now knows to focus their energies on him. Miami has Victor Oladipo who can provide offense — but he scored only 3 points on 1 of 7 shooting coming off the bench in Game Five. Spoelstra cannot play Duncan Robinson because he is a liability on defense. That puts Max Strus in the starting line up who missed all nine of his shots from the field on Wednesday. Miami can’t flip a switch to make Butler or Lowry or Herro healthy again — and perhaps the flaw of this team is that they really need at least two of those guys performing well to complement Adebayo. Since Game Two of this series, the Heat are scoring 1.01 Points-Per-Possession — and they are scoring 0.84 Points-Per-Possession in the halfcourt. Granted, they should make more than the 13 of 39 clip-on uncontested shots from the field they endured in Game Five. But this is now a team that is likely to struggle to score even 90 points when playing on the road against the elite Boston defense. Miami has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on their home court. Boston has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing their last opponent to shoot 35% or better from the field. The Celtics have also played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing a game where no more than 190 combined points were scored. Back at home, Boston has played 12 of their last 16 home games Under the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: While Miami’s ability to score points is in doubt, their commitment to making things difficult for the Celtics on the other end of the court is not. They have held Boston to just 35% shooting from 3-point land — and the Celtics have not scored more than 103 points in each of the last three games of the series. Spoelstra will no longer be interested in pushing the pace in this series — this needs to be a slog for his team to have a chance. The Heat have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total as an underdog. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (505) and the Boston Celtics (506). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (567) and the Dallas Mavericks (568) in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Golden State (64-32) has won six of their last seven games after their 109-100 upset victory on the road against the Mavericks on Sunday. Dallas (60-38) has lost four of their last six games after falling behind 0-3 in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors’ zone defense is stifling the Mavericks in this series. Dallas is making only 33.3% of their shots from behind the arc — but they continue to live-or-die by the 3 as they are attempting 52% of their shots from the field from distance. The Mavericks’ lack of size is hurting them in this series as well — they are only pulling down 18.2% of their missed shots. Golden State won the rebounding battle by a 47-33 margin on Sunday — and they have outrebounded Dallas by at least 13 boards in each of the games in this series. The Warriors have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after outrebounding their last two opponents by at least 10 boards. And while Golden State has covered the point spread in four straight contests, they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in four straight games. They stay on the road where they have played 21 of their last 31 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. They have also played 4 straight Unders as an underdog. Dallas has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Mavericks have also played 13 of their last 17 home games Under the Total after failing to score more than 105 points in their last game. They have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after losing four or five of their last six games. They have played 4 straight Unders after not covering the point spread in three straight games. Furthermore, Dallas has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after getting outrebounded by at least five boards in three straight games. The Mavericks stay at home where the Under is 37-13-1 in their last 51 games —and they have played 20 of their last 27 home games when favored. They have also played 25 of their last 32 home games Under the Total when the Total is set in the 210-219.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has played 13 of their last 17 home games Under the Total when avenging a loss where their opponent scored at least 100 points — and they have played 23 of their last 35 games Under the Total when playing with double-revenge. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (567) and the Dallas Mavericks (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (527) and the Phoenix Suns (528) in Game Seven of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Dallas (59-35) forced a decisive Game Seven in this series with their 113-86 upset victory as a 2-point underdog on Thursday. Phoenix (71-23) has lost three of the last four games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Dallas has steadily improved their defensive play in this series. After allowing the Suns to score 125 Points-Per-Game with a 1.32 Points-Per-Possession scoring rate, they have contained Phoenix to just 90 PPG with 1.05 PPG scoring rate in the last four games of this series. Granted, three of those four games were played in Dallas — but Phoenix scored 110 points in Game Five back at home with a 49.4% field goal percentage. The Suns average 115.5 PPG on their home court — so Dallas’ effort in Game Five was still pretty good. Phoenix began the playoffs by making at least 50% of their shots in their first eight games — including nailing at least 60% of their shots in two contests — while averaging 114.8 PPG during that span. The Mavericks have found a way to slow down Chris Paul who is only scoring 9.3 PPG in his last four games. Jalen Brunson has proven himself a gritty defender against Paul who is struggling against his physicality. Dallas has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 19 of their last 28 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. The Mavs have also played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 95 points in their last game. Dallas made 45.5% of their shots on Thursday which was the best shooting effort in their last four games. The Mavericks have been outrebounded by at least six rebounds in all six games in this series — and they have then played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after getting outrebounded by at least five boards in three straight games. Dallas goes back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. Phoenix has played 12 of their last 16 game Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 7 straight Unders after an upset loss as a road favorite. The Suns have also played 12 straight Unders after a loss on the road, in general. Additionally, Phoenix has played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after outrebounding their opponents by at least five boards in four straight games.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when avenging an upset loss as a road favorite. 25* NBA 2nd Round Western Conference Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (527) and the Phoenix Suns (528). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (507) and the Boston Celtics (508) in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (57-34) has lost two of the last three games in this series with their 116-108 upset loss at home against the Celtics as a 2-point favorite on Monday. Boston (57-33) has won seven of their last nine games while evening this series at 2-2.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Milwaukee went into the fourth quarter in Game Four with a seven-point lead — but they surrendered a whopping 43 points in the final 12 minutes to get outscored by 15 points in the loss. That was the worst defensive effort for the Bucks in their last nine games. Milwaukee still leads all teams in the playoffs in Defensive Efficiency. The first item on head coach Mike Budenholzer’s agenda is to tighten things up on defense again. The Bucks have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They go back on the road where they have played 4 straight Unders — and they have played 10 of their last 15 road games Under the Total as an underdog of up to six points. Milwaukee misses Khris Middleton who remains out with a knee injury. Not only did he score 20.1 Points-Per-Game and 5.4 Assists-Per-Game in the regular season, but he is the team’s primary ball-handler which is critical for this team because he allows Giannis Antetokounmpo to exert less energy. Given the injury to Middleton, more is being asked of Jrue Holiday -- but he is more effective as a third scoring option rather than the primary complement to Antetokounmpo. Holiday is averaging 23 shot attempts per game in this series — but he is making only 33.6% of his shots and 30.9% of his shots from behind the arc. Brook Lopez becomes the de-facto third scoring option with Middleton out — but while he has scored 17 PPG in the playoffs when playing at home, he is only scoring 4.8 PPG on the road in the playoffs. Moving forward, Milwaukee has played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. The Under is also 9-2-1 in their last 12 games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Boston enjoyed their best shooting mark in their last five games with their 50% shooting clip on Monday. They got a huge effort from Al Horford who nailed 11 of his 14 shots from the field including 5 of 7 from behind the arc for 30 points. The Celtics’ 116 points was tied for the highest-scoring game in their last eight contests. But Boston has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after an upset win. They return home where they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. After leading the NBA in Defensive Efficiency in the regular season, they are third in the playoffs in defense while giving up the second-fewest points in the paint. The Celtics have played 30 of their last 44 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. And in their last 13 games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Boston has played 11 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee has played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on their home court. These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing in Boston. 25* NBA 2nd Round Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (507) and the Boston Celtics (508). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies (571) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (572) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Memphis (59-28) has won three of their last four games with their 111-109 win at against the Timberwolves as a 6.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Minnesota (49-39) hopes to stave off elimination tonight trailing 3-2 in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: This series has been trending to lower-scoring games. After Game One saw 247 combined points scored, the Total moved up from a closing number in the 238 range for the first game to a closing Total in the 240 range. Game Two saw only 220 combined points scored before Game Three saw the series-low of 199 points. Game Four’s final score upticked back to 237 combined points (thanks for a furious scoring pace in the final minute). Game Five’s final score dropped to 220. Memphis is finding success in this series by winning the battle on the boards. After outrebounding the Timberwolves by a 53-42 margin on Tuesday, the Grizzlies have outrebounded them by at least five boards in the last four games. Memphis has then played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after outrebounding their last opponent by at least five rebounds in fouur straight games. The Grizzlies go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road when favored. Minnesota has played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a loss by three points or less. After exploding 130 points in Game One, the Timberwolves are averaging only 104.8 PPG in the last four games in this series on 42.5% shooting from the field. They have scored more than 109 points just once in these last four games — and they have not cleared 96 points twice in the last four. They return home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog. And while the Grizzlies outrebound their opponents by +7.0 Rebounds-Per-Game, Minnesota has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the second half of the season against teams who outrebound their opponents by at least 5.0 Rebounds-Per-Game. The T-Wolves have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing at Minnesota. 25* NBA Round One Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies (571) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (567) and the Toronto Raptors (568) in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (54-33) has suffered two straight upset losses after their 103-88 loss at home against the Raptors as a 7.5-point favorite on Monday. Toronto (50-37) trails in this series by a 3-2 margin.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 76ers are not as potent on offense since Joel Embiid injured his right thumb on his shooting hand. Philadelphia had a 61.5% effective field goal percentage before the injury — but they have a collective 48.1% effective field goal percentage as a team ever since after making only 38.3% of their shots on Monday. Embiid still scored 20 points in the loss in Game Five — but he cannot carry the team on offense and his outside shot is now limited. He missed all four of his shots from behind the arc in Game Five and his diminished threat as an outside shooter disrupts the team’s spacing on the court. The 76ers’ route to victory tonight is to play better defense after allowing the Raptors to make 51.2% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. They go back on the road where the Under is 5-2-1 in their last 8 games — and the Under is also 4-1-1 in their last 6 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Philadelphia has also played 7 of their last 10 games on the road Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Additionally, the Sixers have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the Total in the 200 to 209.5 point range. Toronto enjoyed the best shooting effort in their last 13 contests after nailing 51.2% of their shots. But the Raptors have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory as a road underdog in their last game. They have also played 30 of their last 39 games Under the Total after winning their last two games against Atlantic Division rivals. And while they have only covered the point spread in two of their last seven games, they have then played 10 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The Raptors will likely be without Fred VanVleet once again tonight. His absence helps Toronto on defense where he is a liability — but he is perhaps their most reliable scorer. They have played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 7 of their last 9 meetings Under the Total when playing in Toronto. 25* NBA 1st Round Atlantic Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (567) and the Toronto Raptors (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (553) and the Milwaukee Bucks (554) in Game Five of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Chicago (47-39) looks to stave off elimination tonight after losing by a 119-95 score at home to the Bucks as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. Milwaukee (54-32) has a 3-1 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Chicago lost their second-best offensive player yesterday when Zack LaVine once again tested positive for COVID — he is out for tonight’s game. The Bulls will also be without Alex Caruso who is in the concussion protocol. Chicago will miss Caruso’s contributions on defense — but the net effect of losing both players is a net loss on the offensive end of the court. As it is, the Bulls are only scoring 94.2 points per 100 possessions in the playoffs which is the second-worst of all the teams in the first round of the playoffs. They are making just 39.8% of their shots in this series which is generating only 94.0 Points-Per-Game. Chicago has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss at home to a Central Division rival. And while they have lost seven of their last nine games, they have then played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after losing five or six of their last seven contests. Now they go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. The Bulls have played 5 straight playoff games Under the Total. And in their last 20 games against division opponents, Chicago has played 16 of these contests Under the Total while scoring just 102.4 PPG in those 20 games — but allowing only 105.1 PPG. Milwaukee has played 10 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points on the road. They return home where they have played 6 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. The Bucks will continue to playing without Khris Middleton who scored 20.1 PPG and averaged 5.4 Assists-Per-Game. Milwaukee has stepped up to nail 43.2% of their 74 shots from behind the arc in their last two games. The Bucks shoot 36.4% from 3-point range at home — so the Regression Gods are likely to make a visit. Milwaukee made 52.3% of their shots on Sunday which was the best shooting mark in their last seven contests. The Under is 15-5-2 in the Bucks’ last 22 games in the playoffs when favored. They have also played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total against Central Division rivals.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 straight Unders when playing in Milwaukee. Chicago has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total on the road when avenging a 20-point loss at home — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss by 10 or more points. 25* NBA Central Division Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (553) and the Milwaukee Bucks (554). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies (517) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (518) in Game Four of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Memphis (58-27) won their second straight game in this series with their 104-95 victory against the Timberwolves as a 2-point road favorite on Thursday. Minnesota (48-38) blew a 26-point lead in the game and now trail 2-1 in this best-of-seven series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Head coach Taylor Jenkins has made an important adjustment in this series which should generate lowering-scoring games. After the Timberwolves scored 130 points in their 13-point upset victory, Jenkins only played big man Steven Adams for less in three minutes in Game Two with the Grizzlies holding Minnesota to 96 points. Adams did not play in Game Three. Karl Anthony-Towns was too much for Adams to defend — but Jaren Jackson Jr. and Brandon Clarke have been a handful for Towns to handle. Towns scored only 8 points on Thursday while taking a mere four shots from the field. The T-Wolves scored just 12 points in the fourth quarter in their historic collapse which was the biggest blown lead in loss in the history of the NBA playoffs. Memphis has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread win — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a game where neither team scored more than 105 points. They have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after holding their last two opponents to no more than 100 points. The Grizzlies are a very good defensive team who ranked sixth in the NBA by holding their opponents to scoring just 108.9 points per 100 possessions — and they are better on that end of the court when benching Adams (while losing his significant offensive contributions). Memphis is fourth in Offensive Rating this season — but they score -2.0 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing on the road at a 112.3 rate, dropping to tenth in the league. The Grizzlies have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. They have also played 9 of their last 11 road games Under the Total with the Total set at 230 or higher — and they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total when favored. Furthermore, Memphis has played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when favored. Minnesota is seventh in the NBA by scoring at a 113.8 points per 100 possession rate — but their offensive efficiency at home drops to 111.8 points per 100 possession rate which is 19th in the league. The Timberwolves are scoring just 95.5. Points-Per-Game in the last two games in this series — and now their leading scorer, Anthony Edwards, might be slowed with a knee injury. Minnesota has played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total as an underdog. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: The pace has slowed down in this series — and that is likely to continue. Memphis averages 94 shots per game — but they attempted only 83 shots on Thursday after taking 86 and 92 shots in the first games in this series. Minnesota averages 91 shots per game — but after taking 90 shots in Game One with Adams still in the rotation, the T-Wolves took only 76 shots in Game Two and 85 shots in Game Three. These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games in Minnesota Under the Total. 25* NBA Saturday ESPN Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies (517) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (518). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (545) and the Golden State Warriors (546) in Game Two of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Denver (48-35) looks to rebound from their 123-107 loss in the opening game of this best-of-seven series. Golden State (54-29) has won six games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors made 52.4% of their shots on Saturday while nailing 16 of their 35 shots from behind the arc. Stephen Curry returned from injury to play over 21 minutes and score 16 points. But it was Jordan Poole who led the way with 30 points on 9 of 13 shooting. Overall, Golden State scored a scorching 129.4 points per 100 possession rate. With Curry rejoining Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Poole, the Warriors are a dynamic scoring team. But it is too much to expect consistent performances like what they did to the Nuggets on Saturday. The Regression Gods are likely coming for this team tonight. While they are a great outside shooting team, a clip more like their 37.2% shooting percentage from behind the arc when playing at home is more likely tonight. And while Curry is a cheat code who unlocks scoring opportunities for others when he is not knocking down 3-pointers, Golden State scored at a 114.1 points per 100 possession rate with him on the court this season — so Game One’s numbers were definitely a high-end outlier. But the Warriors should play better on the other end of the court after allowing the Nuggets to make 46.2% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last seven games. Golden State is second in the NBA by holding their opponents to 107.6 points per 100 possessions — and much of those numbers were generating without an injured Draymond Green. They held their opponents to more than 3 fewer points per 100 possessions with Green on the court in the regular season. The Warriors were also third in the NBA by limiting their opponents to scoring at just a 91.2 points per 100 possession rate in the half-court where Denver does most of their damage via Nikola Jokic. Golden State has played 35 of their last 57 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory — including 14 of their last 21 games after a win by 10 or more points. The Warriors have covered the point spread in six of their last seven games — and they have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. They have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after winning six in a row. And in their last 23 games when playing for just the second time in five days, they have played 17 of these games Under the Total. In their last five games at home in Chase Arena, Golden State has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. They have also played 13 of their last 21 home games Under the Total with the Total set at 220 or higher. Denver should play better on defense as the 52.4% field goal percentage was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last four games. The Nuggets have issues on defense — but their starting five does hold their opponents to just 106.5 points per 100 possessions which would rank second in the league if compared to overall regular season averages. Perhaps head coach Michael Malone will adjust by shortening his bench even more. The Warriors made Jokic work very hard on both ends of the court on Saturday. He scored 25 points but he also took 25 shots from the field. Green will continue to make his life difficult. While he did not play in any of the four games in the regular season between these two clubs, Green had held Jokic to just 15.7 Points-Per-Game with a 47.9% field goal percentage in his previous 18 games in his career to defend him. The Nuggets lack a reliable secondary scorer to complement Jokic with Jamal Murray and Michael Porter, Jr. still out with injuries. Denver only got to the rim for 20% of their shots in Game One — the Warriors may be able to reduce Denver to mostly a jump-shooting team. The Nuggets score 2.1 fewer PPG on the road — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: While Game One finished Over the Total, these two teams have still played 6 of their last 8 meetings Under the Total. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games in Golden State Under the Total. 25* NBA Monday TNT Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (545) and the Golden State Warriors (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (531) and the Phoenix Suns (532) in Game One of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: New Orleans (38-46) has won seven of their last ten games after their 105-101 victory in Los Angeles against the Clippers as a 1.5-point on Friday. Phoenix (64-18) has lost four of their last six games after their 116-109 upset loss as a 10-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Pelicans have proven they can ramp up their intensity on defense in the postseason after holding their two opponents in the Play-In Tournament to just 40.9% shooting which has resulted in just 102.0 Points-Per-Game. New Orleans has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and the Under is 33-16-2 in their last 51 games after a point spread victory. The Pelicans stay on the road to begin this series where the Under is 15-5-1 in their last 21 games — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. New Orleans has also played 25 of their last 34 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Phoenix allowed the Kings to nail 52.6% of their shots last week with their key players resting — that was the worst defensive effort in their last eight games. The Under is 19-6-1 in the Suns’ last 26 games after a straight-up loss. Phoenix has also played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total when playing with at least three days of rest. The Suns play outstanding defense — they rank third in the NBA by holding their opponents to just 106.6 points per 100 possessions. They host this game where they have played 4 straight Unders when favored. They have also played 25 of their last 40 games Under the Total in the with the Total set in the 220s. Additionally, the Under is 8-1-1 in their last 10 games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played on March 15th with the Suns winning in New Orleans by a 131-115 score as a 4.5-point favorite. The Pelicans have played 22 of their last 33 games Under the Total when playing on the road attempting to avenge a home loss — and they have played 15 of their last 20 games on the road when playing with revenge from a  loss where they allowed at least 110 points. 25* NBA Sunday TNT Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (531) and the Phoenix Suns (532). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (567) and the Chicago Bulls (568). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (48-30) has lost two games in a row with their 118-112 upset loss to Dallas as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday. Chicago (45-33) had their two-game winning streak snapped with a 127-109 loss to Miami as a 2-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bucks allowed the Mavericks to make 51.3% of their shots on Sunday — and that was after they allowed the Los Angeles Clippers to nail 60.9% of their shots on Friday in a 153-119 upset loss at home as a 3.5-point favorite. Milwaukee was without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Brook Lopez against the Clippers but they returned to the court on Sunday. With the playoffs looming and playing against a potential first-round opponent in the Bulls, this game is a good opportunity for the reigning NBA champions to re-embrace playoff intensity on the defensive end of the court. As it is, the Bucks have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing their last two opponents to make at least 50% of their shots. Milwaukee has also played 4 straight Unders after losing two straight games at home — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after getting upset at home in their last two games. With Lopez back on the court after missing much of the season injured, he offers the team their best interior defender. His post-up ability also slows down their offense when they get into their half-court offense. With the potential of earning the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs still viable, the Bucks have plenty to still play for in the regular season. They go back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games on their home court. They have also played 6 straight games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Chicago allowed the Heat to nail 53.7% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. They should tighten things up on defense tonight in this Central Division showdown. The Bulls have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. Chicago has also played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. After a great start to the season, the Bulls have cooled off significantly — and a rash of injuries has not helped matters. The Bulls have lost nine of their last fifteen games whole posting a 110.3 Offensive Rating during that span, ranking 28th in the league. They are making only 46.5% of their shots with a 33.2% shooting mark from behind the arc in their last 15 games as compared to their 48.0% field goal percentage and 36.8% clip from 3-point range for the season. Chicago has played 5 of their last 7 games at home Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Bulls have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Chicago will be looking to avenge a 126-96 loss in Milwaukee on March 22nd — and they have played 13 of their last 21 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a 20 point loss. These two teams have played 6 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing in Chicago. The Bulls have also played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total against Central Division opponents — and the Bucks have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total against fellow divisional rivals. 25* NBA Central Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (567) and the Chicago Bulls (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Washington Wizards (533) and the Houston Rockets (534). THE SITUATION: Washington (30-40) snapped their six-game losing streak with their 127-119 win against the Los Angeles Lakers as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday. Houston (17-54) has lost five games in a row with their 122-98 loss to Memphis as a 12.5-point underdog yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Wizards’ losing streak likely played them out of a spot in the postseason — and their play on defense has illustrated their loss of ambition. Washington allowed the Lakers to make 52.7% of their shots which was the seventh time in their last eight games where they allowed their opponent to make at least 50% of their shots. Washington has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. The Over is 14-3-1 in the Wizards’ last 18 games after a win — and they have played 5 straight Overs after a point spread victory. They go back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total. Houston only made 43.0% of their shots against the Grizzlies which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last ten contests. The Rockies have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss — and they have played 11 of their last 15 games Over the Total after a loss by 10 or more points on their home court. The Over is 21-10-1 in Houston’s last 32 games after a point spread loss — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total when playing without a day of rest. They stay at home where the Over is 13-6-1 in their last 20 games at home — and the Over is 17-8-1 in their last 26 home games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Houston has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record — and Washington has played 5 straight Overs against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less. 25* NBA Monday Night O/U Special Feature with Over the Total in the game between the Washington Wizards (533) and the Houston Rockets (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (543) and the Utah Jazz (544). THE SITUATION: Chicago (41-27) lost their sixth game in their last eight with their 112-103 upset loss at Sacramento as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Utah (42-26) has lost two of their last three games with their 117-111 upset loss to Milwaukee as a 2-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulls have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight Unders after a point spread loss. They have also played 18 of their last 24 games Under the Total after losing five or six of their last seven games. DeMar DeRozan has cooled off as of late with his shooting as he is making only 40% of his shots in his last eight games. Zach LaVine is not 100% with his knee. But while Chicago still misses the defensive presence of Lonzo Ball, they did get back Alex Caruso who gives them a boost on that end of the court. The Bulls stay on the road where they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 220s. The Under is also 13-5-1 in Chicago’s last 19 games on the road as an underdog. They have also played 5 straight Unders against teams with a winning record. Utah has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while they have not covered the point spread in three straight games, they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in at least three straight games. The Jazz will be without their second-leading scorer tonight with Bojan Bogdanovic out with a wrist injury. They stay at home where they have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total on their home court — and they have played 16 of their last 21 games when favored. Utah has also played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played on October 30th when the Bulls upset the Jazz at the United Center by a 107-99 score. That game finished well below the 219 point total — the Under is now 21-7-1 in the last 29 meetings between these two teams. 25* NBA Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (543) and the Utah Jazz (544). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (517) and the Los Angeles Lakers (518). THE SITUATION: The Los Angeles Clippers (30-31) went into the All-Star break winning three of their last four games after their 142-111 win against Houston as a 10.5-point favorite last Thursday. The Los Angeles Lakers (27-31) snapped a three-game losing streak to go into the All-Star break with a 106-101 upset victory against Utah as a 4.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Clippers have been playing higher scoring games this month with head coach Tyronn Lue relying on Reggie Jackson and Terance Mann to give the team more minutes. Jackson and Mann give the team a boost on the offensive end of the court. The Clippers have a 50.6% field goal percentage in their last five games which has generated 112.2 Points-Per-Game. But that duo is not as effective on the other end of the court. The Clippers may rank seventh in the NBA in Defensive Rating — but they are just 20th in that metric this month. Not surprisingly, the Clippers have played 6 of their last 8 games this month Over the Total. The Over is also 6-1-1 in their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and the Over is 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a point spread victory. And while the Clippers have covered the point spread in their last three games, they have then played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in at least three straight games. This team remains without their big two in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George — and they will be without their recent acquisition from Portland in Norman Powell who is out with a toe injury. Moving forward, the Over is 5-1-1 in the Clippers’ last 7 games against teams with a losing record — and the Over is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games as an underdog. The Lakers will be without Anthony Davis tonight as he is dealing with an ankle injury. That means more small-ball with LeBron James playing at the five position. The Lakers will likely try to play at a fast pace relying more on Russell Westbrook’s athleticism (with the hope he can finally break out of his “slump” — they are ride-or-die with him now after he was not dealt at the trading deadline). The Lakers went into the break making 49.4% of their shots in their last five games which were generating 112.8 PPG — but also allowed 114.2 PPG in those five contests. The Lakers have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up win They have also played 7 of their last 10 games at Crypto.com Arena Over the Total when favored — and they have played 10 of their last 14 home games Over the Total when favored by no more than six points. And in their last 8 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range, the Lakers have played 6 of these games Over the Total. Furthermore, the Lakers have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. And while the Clippers allow 107.7 PPG this season, the Lakers have played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total against teams who do not allow more than 108 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Against Pacific Division rivals this season, the Lakers are allowing these opponents to make 47.5% of their shots which is resulting in 116.3 PPG. The Lakers have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total against Pacific Division foes. The Over is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two Los Angeles rivals. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (517) and the Los Angeles Lakers (518). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (515) and the Indiana Pacers (516). THE SITUATION: Chicago (32-19) had their two-game winning streak snapped with their 127-120 loss at Toronto as a 4.5-point underdog last night. Indiana (19-34) has lost five of their last seven games with their 119-118 upset loss to Orlando as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Injuries have significantly impacted both teams — and the result will be mostly small-ball tonight between two teams that playing higher-scoring games given the attrition that both teams are dealing with right now. Interestingly, the oddsmakers initially set the Total at 232.5 — about six points higher than any Pacers game this season. The market has considered this lunacy and bet it down a few points. But the line was set that high for a reason. Head coach Rick Carlisle may have no centers on his roster. After Goga Bitadze suffered a foot injury before Monday’s game with the Clippers, Carlisle had to rely on rookie Isaiah Jackson as his only center — and he did respond with 26 points and 10 rebounds in a 122-116 victory. But Jackson was then injured very early in the game with the Magic on Wednesday — and all Carlisle had left was to play rookie free agent Terry Taylor at center despite his 6’5 frame. Taylor did score 24 points with 16 rebounds in his 37 minutes as he looked to justify his two-way contract by flourishing in the frenetic pace of that game. Jackson will remain out tonight. So while Bitazde is listed as questionable with his ankle, Carlisle may have to use Taylor in significant minutes at the five spot tonight — and that is a recipe for a fast pace and little defense from the Pacers. How will Taylor defend Nikola Vucevic? The 6’10 behemoth is scoring 17.1 Points-Per-Game and averaging 11.5 Rebounds Per Game. Indiana is already without Damontas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon, and Myles Turner — and they have seen three straight and five of their last six games generate at least 230 combined points. In their last five games, the Pacers are making a healthy 46.5% of their shots which is generating 116.8 PPG — but they are allowing their opponents to make 49.5% of their shots which is resulting in 127.0 PPG over that span. Not having Turner defend the paint significantly derails Indiana’s defensive foundation. It remains telling that Orlando put up 119 points despite only making 44.2% of their shots which was the Pacers’ best defensive effort in their last 12 games. The Over is 3-0-1 in Indiana’s last 4 games after a loss. Additionally, the Pacers have played 26 of their last 36 games Over the Total after a loss at home — and they have played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total after an upset loss at home when they were favored. They have played 6 of their last 7 home games Over the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total as the underdog. Chicago got 30 points from Vucevic last night in their losing effort to the Raptors — so he is poised for another big game. The Bulls only made 47.8% of their shots last night after generating a field goal percentage of 51.1% in each of their previous four games. But they did hold Toronto to just 42.5% shooting in what was the best defensive effort in their last five games — and their third-lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 13 contests. Chicago has now played four straight games where at least 246 combined points were scored. They are making 52.3% of their shots in their last five games which are producing 121.8 PPG but allowing their opponents to shoot 48.6% from the field and score 118.8 PPG. They are playing high-scoring games without Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso — and they might not play Zach LaVigne or Coby White tonight on the second of back-to-backs with them nursing nagging injuries. But head coach Billy Donovan will have DeMar DeRozan leading the way in the Bulls’ small-ball attack. Chicago has played 7 straight Overs when playing without rest — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total when playing their third game in four days. Additionally, the Over is 5-1-1 in the Bulls’ last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. And in their last 12 games on the road when favored, Chicago has played 9 of these games Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Bulls have won the last two meetings between these two teams after their 108-106 road win on December 31st. Indiana has played 29 of their last 41 games Over the Total when avenging a loss — and they have played 15 of their last 20 games Over the Total when playing with double-revenge. 25* NBA Central Division Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (515) and the Indiana Pacers (516). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (507) and the Philadelphia 76ers (508). THE SITUATION: Boston (21-21) has won three games in a row after their 119-100 upset win at Indiana as a 1.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Philadelphia (23-17) had their seven-game winning streak end with their 109-98 upset loss to Charlotte as a 5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Boston made 51.3% of their shots in the upset win against the Pacers which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. The Celtics have been a disappointment on the offensive end of the court this season. They rank just 23rd in the league in Offensive Rating. Too often, Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown settle for isolation basketball rather than getting a better rhythm to their offense to generate better shots. Rookie head coach Ime Udoka has not offered much schematically to correct these issues either. The Celtics did allow Indiana to make 46.5% of their shots on Wednesday which was the worst defensive effort in their last four games. Boston has been outstanding on the defensive end this season — they rank 5th in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency. Even after Wednesday’s game, the Celtics have held their last five opponents to 96.0 Points-Per-Game on 42.8% shooting. The Under is 33-15-1 in Boston’s last 49 games after a double-digit victory — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a win by 15 or more points. The Celtics have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after winning three of their last four games. They stay on the road where they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. They have also played 5 of their last 8 road games Under the Total as an underdog getting up to six points. They have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Philadelphia allowed the Hornets to make 51.7% of their shots in the loss on Wednesday. The 76ers still rank 3rd in the league in their last ten games in Defensive Efficiency. They have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. The Under is also 7-2-1 in Philadelphia’s last 10 games after a point spread loss. The Sixers are just 8-9 this season on their home court — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total at home. The 76ers have also played 22 of their last 32 home games Under the Total against teams not winning more than 40% of their games on the road (Boston: 8-13 on the road) — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Philadelphia has played 5 of their last 7 home games with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: The 76ers are missing some players including Danny Green and Shake Milton. Marcus Smart is questionable for the Celtics. The Sixers pulled the upset against Boston on December 20th with their 108-103 victory — and Boston has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when motivated by revenge. The Celtics have also played 33 of their last 51 games Under the Total when attempting to avenge an upset loss. These two teams have played 8 of their last 11 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing in Philadelphia. 25* NBA Atlantic Division Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (507) and the Philadelphia 76ers (508). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (541) and the Denver Nuggets (542). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (12-15) snapped their five-game losing streak with a 116-111 upset win at Portland as a 1-point underdog on Sunday. Denver (14-13) has won three of their last four games with their 113-107 win against Washington as a 4-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Timberwolves have played 27 of their last 37 road games Over the Total after losing five or six of their last seven games. The 111 points they allowed to the Trail Blazers was their lowest in their last four games. Minnesota has let their last five opponents make 49.6% of their shots which has translated into 120.2 PPG. Now the T-Wolves stay on the road where they are scoring 111.1 PPG while allowing 113.9 PPG. Minnesota has played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court — and they have played 18 of their last 25 road games Over the Total as an underdog getting up to six points. D’Angelo Russell is questionable tonight with an ankle injury. Denver will be without JaMychal Green who is also dealing with an ankle — but Aaron Gordon and Will Barton have been upgraded to probable. The Nuggets have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. Denver has also played 11 straight Overs after allowing at least 100 points. They are scoring 113.6 PPG in their last five games — but they are surrendering 113.0 PPG on 48.7% shooting in those five games as well. The 45.6% shooting they held the Wizards to on Monday was the best defensive effort in their last four games. But the Nuggets are now playing their sixth game in the last ten days — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when playing at least their sixth game in ten days. Denver has played four straight Unders — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after playing at least three straight Overs. Additionally, the Nuggets have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total at home — and they have played 4 straight Overs when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Denver has played 19 of their last 27 games Over the Total in December going back to last season. 25* NBA Northwest Division Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves (541) and the Denver Nuggets (542). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (531) and the Brooklyn Nets (532). THE SITUATION: New York (11-9) has won two of their last three games after their 99-90 victory at Atlanta on Saturday. Brooklyn (14-6) had their four-game winning streak end on Saturday with their 113-107 upset loss to Phoenix as a 1.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Knicks probably played their best defensive game of the season against the Hawks. New York held Atlanta to just 35.5% shooting — the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage of the season — and the 90 points they gave up was the second-lowest mark of the year. Not coincidentally, head coach Tom Thibodeau did not play Kemba Walker in the game — and he announced yesterday that he was removing Walker from the rotation completely. Walker was a high-priced free-agent signee in the offseason from Boston to provide an offensive spark. He has scored 11.7 Points-Per-Game in the 24.5 minutes per game he has played this season. His removal from the rotation will lead to lower scoring games for the Knicks since the team will lose his outside shooting but benefit from getting closer to Thibodeau’s expectations of the play of their defense. New York has played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 105 points in their last game. In their last five games, they are scoring 102.2 PPG on 41.9% shooting — a drop of -4.1 PPG from their season average. The Knicks stay on the road where they have played 6 straight Unders — and they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on their home court. New York has also played 21 of their last 31 road games Under the Total with the Total in the 210-219.5 point range. Additionally, the Knicks have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total in November — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total as an underdog. Brooklyn has played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after an upset loss as a home favorite. The Nets stay at home where the Under is 10-4-1 in their last 15 games — and they have played 7 of their last 10 home games Under the Total when favored. Brooklyn has won seven of their last nine games in a stretch fueled by the play of their defense. In those nine games, the Nets rank sixth in the league in Defensive Efficiency. They will be without sharpshooter Joe Harris indefinitely with his shoulder injury.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 9 of their last 12 meetings Under the Total. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (531) and the Brooklyn Nets (532). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (503) and the Chicago Bulls (504). THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (7-3) has won five straight games after their 116-103 victory at Toronto as a 3.5-point favorite yesterday. Chicago (6-3) has lost two in a row after their 114-105 loss to Philadelphia as a 4-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nets made 51.9% of their shots yesterday in what was the best shooting effort of the young season for them. They also allowed the Raptors to make 47.1% of their shots which was the second-highest opponent’s field goal percentage of the season and highest in their last eight games. Even with yesterday’s numbers, Brooklyn has allowed their last five opponents to make just 41.8% of their shots. The Nets rank 6th in the league in Defensive Efficiency. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit win. Brooklyn has also played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. And while the Nets’ starting five combined to play 168:17 minutes yesterday, they have then played 5 straight Unders after playing a game where the starting five combined to play at least 160 minutes. Brooklyn stays on the road where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total — and they have played 12 of their last 17 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Under is also 15-5-1 in their last 21 games as an underdog. Chicago allowed the 76ers to make 53.1% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of the season. They had not allowed their opponents to make more than 49.4% of their shots before Saturday. The Bulls rank 7th in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Chicago stays at home where they have played 17 of their last 22 games Under the Total. The Bulls have also played 9 of their last 12 home games Under the Total as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 straight Unders when facing each other — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing at Chicago. 25* NBA Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (503) and the Chicago Bulls (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Phoenix Suns (511) and 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 UNDER THE TOTAL: The high-scoring game I expected for Game Four was a game late. The Suns not only blew a 16-point lead at the end of the first quarter but also a 55.2% clip from the field which was the best shooting effort in their last five games. They made 13 of their 19 shots from behind the arc for a 68% shooting percentage of their 3s. But Phoenix allowed Milwaukee to make 57.5% of their shots in what was the worst defensive effort in their last 25 games. Chris Paul declared after their Game One victory that they want to play with pace in this series. In hindsight, that appears to be a mistake. The Bucks are winning this series with rebounding and transition points — and more possessions fuel that edge for them. I will not be surprised if the Suns look to slow the pace of this game down to take the advantage of the veteran leadership Paul provides them in close games. As it is, Phoenix has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Suns have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row. They go back on the road where the Under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 road games as an underdog. Milwaukee’s 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 potental seventh game, there often is stress and anxiety of feeling the urgency to end things in front of their home fans. The Bucks should play better on defense after letting Phoenix make more than 50% of their shots in two straight games — and they have played all 3 games Under the Total this season after allowing their last two opponents to shoot at least 50% from the field. The Under is also 4-1-1 in Milwaukee’s last 6 games when playing with two days of rest. They return home where the Under is 8-3-1 in their last 12 home games — and the Under is 9-1-1 in their last 11 home games against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 6-2-1 in the last 9 meetings between these two teams when playing in Milwaukee. 25* NBA Tuesday Night O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between the Phoenix Suns (511) and the Milwaukee Bucks (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (509) and the Phoenix Suns (510) in Game Five of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (60-33) has won the last two games of this series to even things at 2-2 after their 109-103 victory as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Phoenix (65-27) has lost four of their last eight games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bucks rallied to win Game Four despite allowing the Suns to make 51.3% of their shots. That was the worst defensive effort in Milwaukee’s last 15 games. The Bucks neutralized Phoenix’s shooting edge by creating more scoring opportunities from offensive rebounding and forcing turnovers. Milwaukee held a +12 edge in turnovers by forcing 17 turnovers and only coughing the ball up five times. The Bucks have played 4 straight Unders after having a turnover edge of +10 or better in their last game. The Under is also 4-1-1 in their last 6 games when playing with two days of rest. Now Milwaukee goes on the road where the Under is 5-2-1 in their last 8 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better on their home court. The Under is also 9-3-2 in the Bucks’ last 14 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games overall. Phoenix lost Game Four despite that 51.3% field goal percentage which was the best shooting effort in their last four games. The Suns have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Phoenix did not cover the point spread in their last two losses in Milwaukee. They have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after losing two in a row — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games.

FINAL TAKE: I thought both teams would enjoy sharp offensive games in Game Four — and I was wrong on that front. The Suns’ 51.3% shooting percentage disguised their weak 7 of 23 (30%) clip from behind the arc. Milwaukee made only 40.2% of their shots — but they were saved by Phoenix being sloppy with the basketball and too often playing out of control. The Suns were simply playing too fast — and their likely correction to limit the turnovers that killed them is to slow the pace. With the winner of Game Five seizing control of the series, I expect teams to be nervy. The Bucks have played 4 of their last 5 Game Fives Under the Total. With the number still in the high-210s, expect a lower-scoring game. 25* NBA Saturday ABC-TV Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (509) and the Phoenix Suns (510). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Phoenix Suns (507) and 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 OVER THE TOTAL: 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. Phoenix has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Suns have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss. Paul commented after Game One that his team wants to push the pace — and they should be rested with the extra day off between games. The Over is 47-23-1 Phoenix’s last 71 games when playing with two days of rest. Furthermore, the Over is 12-5-1 in the Suns’ last 18 games on the road — and the Over is 4-1-1 in their last 6 road games as an underdog. Phoenix has also played 32 of their last 52 games Over the Total when the Total is set at 220 or higher. Milwaukee has played 21 of their last 31 games Over the Total after a win on their home court — and they have played 9 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a win at by double-digits. Returning home was what the Bucks players not named Giannis Antetokounmpo needed to jump-start their shooting. Kris Middleton and Jrue Holiday combined to make 14 of their 28 shots including 8 of their 17 shots from behind the arc. The Over is 3-0-1 in Milwaukee’s last 4 games at home against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. The Over is also 16-4-2 in the Bucks’ last 22 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix has played 5 straight Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss by 20 or more points. The Over is 6-0-1 in the last 7 games between these two teams — and I expect this to be the wildest game yet in this series since it remains critical for the Bucks to win the game. 25* NBA Playoff Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Phoenix Suns (507) and the Milwaukee Bucks (508). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (561) and the Atlanta Hawks (562) in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (57-31) took a 3-2 lead in this series with their 123-112 win at home against the Hawks as a 7-point favorite on Thursday. Atlanta (51-38) has lost three of the last four games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: 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 Under is 3-1-1 in the Bucks’ last 5 games after a double-digit win — and they have played 29 of their last 45 games Under the Total on the road after playing a game that finished Over the Total. 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 Under is 5-1-1 in Milwaukee’s last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home — and they have played 6 of their last 8 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Atlanta has played 4 straight Unders after a loss — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Hawks have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. Atlanta returns home where they have played 17 of their last 24 home games Under the Total as a favorite — and they have played 4 straight home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, the Under is 23-9-1 in the Hawks’ last 33 games in the playoffs as an underdog. 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.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has played 17 of their last 28 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a same-season loss. These two teams have also played 5 straight games Under the Total when playing in Atlanta. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (561) and the Atlanta Hawks (562). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (521) and 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 UNDER THE TOTAL: 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. Atlanta has averaged only 96.5 PPG in the last two games in this series. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while they have not covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then played 9 of their last 10 games at home Under the Total after not covering the point spread in their last two games. Additionally, the Hawks have played 6 of their last 7 playoff games Under the Total in the playoffs. Milwaukee has covered the point spread in four of their last five games — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. They stay on the road where the Under is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games when favored — and the Under is 8-2-1 in their last 11 road games when playing teams with a winning record at home. The Under is also 5-1-1 in their last 5 games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has lost the last two games by 34 and 11 points — and they have played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total when avenging two straight games by 10 or more points. These two teams have also played 4 straight Unders when playing in Atlanta. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (521) and the Atlanta Hawks (522). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (511) and 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 UNDER THE TOTAL: The Clippers only made 32.5% of their shots on Sunday — so was that an outlier or indicative of a downward trend? I suspect it is the latter. This Los Angeles team is tired — both physically from the every-other-day grind of the NBA playoffs and emotionally for having dug itself three straight 0-2 series holes. Without Kawhi Leonard, Paul George has taken the leadership role on offense — and he is averaging 40.9 minutes per game in the playoffs which is almost seven more minutes per game than his regular-season average. The Clippers are only making 34.8% of their 3-point shot attempts in this series, a far cry from their 41.8% clip during the regular season. Los Angeles has tired legs — and the Suns are forcing them to take more difficult shots from behind the arc. The Clippers have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a loss at home against a Pacific Division rival. The Under is also 13-6-1 in their last 20 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, LA has played 4 straight Unders after failing to crack 90 points in their last game. The Clippers are averaging 120.8 points per 100 possessions in the postseason — but they are down to just 109.4 points per 100 possessions against Phoenix. Los Angeles has played 31 of their last 46 games Under the Total on the road as an underdog — and the Under is 35-17-3 in their last 55 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Phoenix has played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after a win against a Pacific Division rival — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a win on the road against a divisional rival. The Suns have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing with one day of rest. 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 returns home where they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total when favored — and they have played 8 of their last 11 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The 164 combined points finished over 50 points below the 217.5 total set for Game Four. The empirical data suggests another lower-scoring game is coming. In games with the Total set at 210 or higher, when a team with a winning percentage in the 60 to 75% range faces a team with a winning record after a game that finished at least 36 points below the Total, this game finished Under the Total in 52 of the last 73 situations where these conditions applied. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (511) and the Phoenix Suns (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Hawks (533) and the Philadelphia 76ers (534) in Game Seven of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (48-35) has lost three of the last five games in this series after their 104-99 loss on the road against the 76ers on Friday as a 2.5-point underdog. Philadelphia (56-27) had lost the last two games in this series before forcing a Game Seven with the win in Game Six.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: 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 played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road. The Hawks have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total in the playoffs as an underdog. Philadelphia has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after a loss by six points or less. After scoring at least 118 points in each of the first three games of this series, the Sixers have not scored more than 106 points in the next three games. That downtrend coincides with the slide in Joel Embiid’s play as he continues to manage with the right meniscus tear in his knee. Embiid scored only 22 points on 37.5% shooting on Friday. Philadelphia is favored to win this game and move on to the NBA Eastern Conference Finals — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: The 76ers have played 3 of their last 4 playoff games Under the Total when facing elimination. Atlanta has played 17 of their last 22 playoff games Under the Total when facing elimination in their history — and they have played 16 of their last 17 playoff games Under the Total in closeout games. 25* NBA 2nd Round Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Hawks (533) and the Philadelphia 76ers (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (521) and the Brooklyn Nets (522) in Game Seven of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (53-29) forced a decisive seventh game in this series on Thursday with their 104-89 victory at home as a 5-point favorite. Brooklyn (55-28) has lost three of their last four games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: 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. The Bucks have played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Additionally, they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total as an underdog overall — and they have played 4 straight playoff games Under the Total when getting the points. Milwaukee is playing elite-level defense in this series. Going into Game Six, the Bucks held Brooklyn to just a 107.9 Offensive Rating in this series — and then they held the Nets to only 89 points. Brooklyn is averaging only — and they are averaging just 107 PPG against the Bucks in this series. The Nets are averaging only 103.7 PPG in this series —and they have not scored more than 96 points in three of their last four games in this series. Despite posting a historical 118.3 Offensive Rating in the regular season (and despite injuries to Durant, Harden, and Kyrie Irving) before a 130.1 Offensive Rating in their first-round playoff series with Boston, the Nets had just a 107.9 Offensive Rating in this series before Game Six. The Under is 34-16-1 in Milwaukee’s last 51 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. While there is now an entire cottage industry of NBA “experts” who think they could get more out of this Bucks’ team than Mike Budenholzer because they have thoughts on how they would better deploy his rotation patterns, Budenholzer has coached amazing results on the defensive end of the court in this series. Brooklyn has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after failing to score more than 90 points in their last game. Additionally, the Under is 5-2-1 in the Nets’ last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and the Under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after a loss by 10 or more points. For the second-straight game, Brooklyn trailed at halftime by double-digits. They were in the hole by a 59-48 score on Thursday after trailing, 59-43, on Tuesday. The Nets have played 21 of their last 29 games Under the Total after trailing by 10 or more points at halftime in their last two games. They return home where the Under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games. Brooklyn has also played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: These are two teams stumbling into the finals with major question marks from their star offensive players. Kevin Durant was sublime in Game Five — but playing every minute on Tuesday seemed to sap his energy on Thursday as he only got to the free throw line twice while committing seven turnovers and missing six of his eight shots from 3-point land. James Harden is not close to 100%. Joe Harris is making only 30.9% of his 3-pointers in this series after leading the NBA in 3-point shooting with a 47.5% clip. Middleton is struggling away from home — and 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. The Under is 3-1-1 in the last 5 games between these two teams in Brooklyn. 25* NBA 2nd Round Saturday TNT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (521) and the Brooklyn Nets (522). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (511) and 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 UNDER THE TOTAL: The 76ers took a 62-40 lead going into halftime but their shooting got ice cold as they made only 3 of their 24 shots from behind the arc in the final 24 minutes to blow that game. While it is easy to blame the offense, Doc Rivers’ team allowed the Hawks to score 40 points in the fourth quarter to steal Game Five. In general, Philadelphia has played outstanding defense after getting blitzed in the first half of the first game of this series. Since Game One, the Sixers have held the Atlanta to scoring at just a 108.4 points per 100 possessions rate. Philly’s formula to win this series is on defense. And while Atlanta wants to force the tempo to tire out Joel Embiid in the second half, Rivers will need to counter by slowing the game way down — and in a battle of tempo, slow usually beats fast. The 76ers have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 17 of their last 22 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total after owning a halftime lead of 20 or more points. They hit the road where they have played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total — and they have played 13 of their last 18 road games Under the Total when favored. The Sixers have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games on their home court. Atlanta has won the last two games in this series as an underdog — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after pulling off two straight upset wins. Additionally, Atlanta has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread win. They return home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total. Hawks’ head coach Nate McMillan having his team less reliant on 3s as this series has moved forward. Granted, Atlanta took 40 shots from behind the arc in Game Four while making only 12 of these shots. In Game Three, the Hawks attempted only 23 shots from 3-point range. On Wednesday in Game Five, the Hawks attempted only 26 shots from behind the arc, making just nine of these shots. Atlanta has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total in the playoffs as a dog.

FINAL TAKE: The 76ers have played 7 of their last 11 road games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. And in their 4 games this season when playing with revenge from a loss by three points or less, 3 of these games have finished Under the Total. 25* NBA 2nd Round Eastern Conference Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (511) and the Atlanta Hawks (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (501) and 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 UNDER THE TOTAL: 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. It will be difficult for Durant to come close to repeating that effort — especially with fatigue being an issue. 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. Brooklyn shot 49.4% from the field on Tuesday which was the best shooting effort in their last three games. Despite posting a historical 118.3 Offensive Rating in the regular season (despite injuries to Durant, Harden, and Kyrie Irving) before a 130.1 Offensive Rating in their first-round playoff series with Boston, the Nets have just a 107.9 Offensive Rating in this series — and they are averaging just 107 PPG against the Bucks in this series. 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 played 4 straight Unders after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 straight Unders after a point spread victory. They go back on the road where they have played 8 of their last 10 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court — and they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total as an underdog. 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. With the oddsmakers setting the Game One number just under 240, some bettors may think the Under trend is completed — and the Over is the smart play again. However, I suspect that the 108 points for the Bucks were more likely their scoring ceiling at this point. 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 Bucks have played 6 straight Unders after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Milwaukee has also played 12 of their last 14 games Under the Total at home after an upset loss on the road. They return home where they have played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 8 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, the Under is 25-10-1 in the Bucks’ last 36 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. While Milwaukee’s offensive attack has struggled in this series, their efforts on defense remain elite.

FINAL TAKE: The Bucks have played 7 of their last 10 playoff games Under the Total when trailing in the playoff series. The Under is 6-0-1 in the last 7 games between these two teams — and they have played 4 straight Unders when playing in Milwaukee. 25* NBA 2nd Round Thursday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (501) and the Milwaukee Bucks (502). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (583) and the Utah Jazz (584) in Game Five of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (53-30) evened this series at 2-2 with their 118-104 win against the Jazz as a 5.5-point favorite on Monday. Utah (58-23) has lost two games in a row after riding a six-game winning streak.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Under is 9-2-1 in the Clippers’ last 12 games after a straight-up win. Additionally, Los Angeles has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory — and they have played 25 of their last 38 games Under the Total after a win on the road by at least 10 points. 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. The Under is 19-9-1 in Los Angeles’ last 29 road games against teams winning at least 60% of their games at home — and they have played 13 of their last 17 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Utah has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 4 straight Unders after a loss by 10 or more points. And while the Jazz have not covered the point spread in the last two games in this series, they have then played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in two straight games. Utah is dealing with its own injury issues. Donovan Mitchell made just 9 of 26 shots from the field in Game Four as the right ankle injury he suffered seems to be impacting his play. With a 42.6% usage rate for the Jazz on offense, he may be wearing down. Michael Conley is questionable to return to the court for the first time in this series — if he 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.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers have played 24 of their last 35 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in Salt Lake City against the Jazz. 25* NBA Bailout Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (583) and the Utah Jazz (584). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Utah Jazz (563) and 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 UNDER THE TOTAL: The Jazz 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 has played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to make at 55% of their shots. The Jazz have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 125 points in their last game — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after giving up at least 130 points in their last game. Additionally, Utah has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. Los Angeles’ 56.2% shooting percentage was the best offensive effort in their last seven games. But the Clippers have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. Los Angeles has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring at least 125 points in their last game — and the Under is 8-2-1 in their last 11 games after a straight-up win. Head coach Tyronn Lue made a defensive adjustment on defending Donovan Mitchell on Saturday by having his primary defender challenge him earlier up the court. That tactical change helped the Clippers play their best defensive game in the series, overall while limiting the Jazz to 42.9% shooting. Los Angeles stays at home where the Under is 7-2-1 in their last 10 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. Additionally, the Under is 20-7-3 in the Clippers’ last 30 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and the Under is 10-4-2 in their last 16 games in the playoffs when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Michael Conley has been declared out for this game with the hamstring injury that has kept him out of this series. The Under is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. 25* NBA 2nd Round Monday TNT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Utah Jazz (563) and the Los Angeles Clippers (564). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (551) and the Milwaukee Bucks (552) in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (51-28) won their first game in this series with their 86-83 victory at home against the Nets as a 3.5-point favorite on Thursday. Brooklyn (54-26) had their four-game winning streak snapped with the loss.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: 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! Where Budenhozler continues to adapt is on defense — that is the route from which the Bucks can win this series. They have slowed down the high-powered Nets offense to just 107.7 PPG. And the pace is slowing down. After averaging 102.2 possessions per game in the regular season, Milwaukee's pace was 97.7 on Thursday. The Bucks have played 6 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, Milwaukee has played 6 straight Unders against teams winning at least 60% of their games — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total as an underdog. Brooklyn should have fresh legs on defense — they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest. They stay on the road where they have played 7 of their last 9 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. And in their last 35 road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range, the Nets have played 24 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 straight meetings Under the Total. I expect more of the same with the market slow to react to the new realities of this series. 25* NBA 2nd Round ABC-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (551) and the Milwaukee Bucks (552). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Phoenix Suns (533) and the Denver Nuggets (534) in Game Three of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (57-23) took a 2-0 lead in this series with their 123-98 victory at home against the Nuggets as a 5.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Denver (51-29) has lost three of their last five games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Even with the easy win, the Suns made 47.9% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last three games. They have been an offensive juggernaut in this series against the suspect Nuggets’ defense — they are scoring 125.6 points per 100 possessions in this series. Phoenix has an effective field goal percentage of 59.7% in the first two games while nailing 40.3% of their 3-point attempts. Denver has allowed their opponents to make 42.2% of their shots from behind the arc in the postseason. Chris Paul looks healthy again after playing through that stinger injury. He scored 17 points on 6 of 10 shooting while assisting on another 15 baskets and not committing a turnover. The Suns have played 17 of their last 21 games Over the Total after a win by double-digits — and they have played 12 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a win by 20 or more points. They have also played 20 of their last 27 games Over the Total after scoring at least 120 points. They go on the road where they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total — and they have played 4 straight road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better at home. Phoenix has also played 12 of their last 16 road games Over the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 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. They have allowed the Suns to score at least 112 points in four of their five meetings this season. The Nuggets have played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss — and they have played 12 of their last 15 games Over the Total after allowing their last three opponents to make at least 47% of their shots. They return home where the Over is 39-19-2 in their last 60 games. They have played 4 straight Overs against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road — and they have played 15 of their last 21 home games Over the Total with the number set in the 220s. Denver has also played 5 of their last 6 playoff games Over the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: The Nuggets have played 13 of their last 21 games Over the Total avenging a loss on the road — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total when avenging two straight losses against their opponent. 25* NBA 2nd Round ESPN Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Phoenix Suns (533) and the Denver Nuggets (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (511) and 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 OVER THE TOTAL: The Nuggets only made 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. Denver has played 21 of their last 29 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Over is 18-7-1 in the Nuggets’ last 26 games after a loss by 10 or more points. 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. Denver stays on the road where they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. The Nuggets have played 5 of their last 6 road games Over the Total as an underdog. Additionally, Denver has played 6 of their last 7 playoff games Over the Total as an underdog. Phoenix has seen the Over go 34-16-1 in their last 51 games after a straight-up win — and the Over is 24-9-1 in their last 34 games after a point spread victory. The Suns have also played 19 of their last 26 games Over the Total after a double-digit win. Phoenix makes 49.8% of their shots at home this season with them averaging 115.8 PPG. They had balanced scoring against the Nuggets on Monday with four players scoring at least 20 points. Chris Paul looked as healthy as he has since suffering the stinger injury in the Lakers series. He made 8 of 14 shots for 23 points and added 11 assists. The Suns have played 13 of their last 19 games Over the Total at home against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better on the road. Phoenix has also played 19 of their last 26 games Over the Total as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Denver has played 13 of their last 20 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss on the road. 25* NBA 2nd Round Wednesday TNT Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (511) and the Phoenix Suns (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.