15* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Rockets/Hornets UNDER 223.5

The Houston Rockets have quietly been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA this season.  Indeed, they rank 2nd in the NBA in defensive efficiency, just behind the Los Angeles Lakers.  It has been a big key to their success in going 7-2 SU in their last nine games overall.

The Rockets have held 10 straight opponents to 112 points or fewer.  But now the Rockets take a hit on offense as they lose Christian Wood (22 PPG, 10.2 RPG) to an ankle injury.  They will have to rely even more on their defense without Wood, who helps space the floor and gets easy buckets for them.

The Hornets are coming off a 119-97 win over the Washington Wizards yesterday.  Now the Hornets will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 10th game in 18 days.  Their tired legs will affect them on offense, and it will assure that they won't be looking to push the tempo.

Houston is 22-6 UNDER in its last 28 road games with a line of +3 to -3.  The Rockets are 12-2 UNDER in their last 14 games off a home loss.  Houston is 9-1 UNDER in its last 10 games vs. up-tempo teams that average 88 or more shots per game.  The UNDER is 37-18-1 in Rockets last 56 games overall.  The UNDER is 19-7 in the last 26 meetings, including 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in Charlotte.  Take the UNDER in this game Monday.

20* Chiefs/Bucs Super Bowl 55 No-Brainer on Tampa Bay +3

The Tampa Bay Bucs pretty much have every advantage in this game outside of the quarterback position.  And while Patrick Mahomes can make up for a lot of other problems, I don't think he'll be able to overcome them in the Super Bowl and get the Chiefs to cover this 3-point spread.

You could also argue that the Bucs have the better offense right now.  Since their bye week, the Bucs have the top scoring offense in the NFL at 34 points per game.  The Chiefs are scoring 26 points per game during that same time frame.  That's an 8-point margin in favor of the Bucs.  It has been especially impressive watching the Bucs top 30 points in all three of their playoff games against very good defenses in Washington, New Orleans and Green Bay.

On the other side of the ball, the Bucs have the better defense.  They rank 6th according to football outsiders while the Chiefs rank 18th.  Just from a raw numbers standpoint, the Bucs give up 22.3 points, 330.7 yards per game and 5.4 yards per play.  The Chiefs allow 22.4 points, 355.8 yards per game and 5.7 per play.

The matchup here that I think is going to make the biggest difference in the game is Tampa Bay's pass rush against Kansas City's banged-up offensive line.  The Chiefs are now without their two starting tackls in Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, plus C Kilgore is questionable.  The Bucs have one of the best pass rushes in the NFL led by DE's Pierre-Paul and Barrett.  The Bucs sacked Aaron Rodgers five times in the NFC Championship Game, and they will certainly be able to get after Mahomes too.

The injury news is much better for the Bucs.  They are expected to have WR Antonio Brown, S Antoine Winfield Jr., LB Lavonte David and TE Cameron Brate available for this game as they are all listed as probable.  S Jordan Whitehead is more on the questionable side, but having Winfield Jr. back is going to be huge.  And keep in mind this is the first time a team has ever played at home for the Super Bowl, so there has to be some home-field advantage for the Bucs with the familiarity plus 22,000 fans in attendance.

The Bucs are 7-0 SU & 5-2 ATS since their bye week, which came late in the season.  As stated before, they have been a different team since.  So you can almost throw out that first meeting with the Chiefs in which the Bucs lost 24-27.  They played about as poorly as they possibly could and still only lost by 3 points.  They will have an answer for Mahomes and company this time around, especially with the advantages they have up front on defense against this Chiefs offensive line.

Tampa Bay is 8-1 ATS when the total is 49.5 or higher this season.  So when a shootout is expected, they have been up to the task.  The Bucs are 6-0 ATS vs. good offensive teams that average 6 or more yards per play this season.  Kansas City is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games overall with only one win by more than 6 points during this stretch.  Bet the Bucs in Super Bowl 55 Sunday.

Jack's Top 10 Super Bowl Prop Bets:

1. 2nd half more points than 1st half (-160)

2. Chiefs Under 3.5 Punts (-160)

3. Under 80.5 Combined Penalty Yards (+120)

4. Bucs Over 7.5 Players w/ Reception (-165)

5. No Score in the 1st 5:30 (-125)

6. Opening Kickoff Touchback (No, +200)

7. Chiefs to Commit Most Accepted Penalties (-140)

8. Bucs Over 1.5 Sacks (-215)

9. Fournette O 25.5 Receiving Yards (+105)

10. Watkins O 36.5 Receiving Yards (-115)

20* NBA Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Phoenix Suns -3

The Phoenix Suns got a healthy Devin Booker back in the lineup and are currently playing their best basketball of the season.  The Suns are 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.  Now they are laying just 3 points at home to a Celtics team that has some injury issues right now.

The Celtics will be without Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart for this contest, two key guys on both ends of the floor, especially defensively.  The Suns should score at will on the Celtics today.  This is also a huge letdown spot for Boston off an upset win over the Clippers last time out.  But that was a Clippers team playing without Paul George and Patrick Beverly.

Plays on home favorites (Phoenix) - after a game where they covered the spread, in a game involving two teams that win 51% to 60% of their games are 72-36 (66.7%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Plays against underdogs (Boston) - off an upset win as a road underdog, in a game involving two teams that win 51% to 60% of their games are 90-50 (64.3%) ATS since 1996.  

Phoenix is 9-0 ATS in its last nine games following a win by more than 10 points.  The Suns are 16-5 ATS in the last 21 meetings, including 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings in Phoenix.  Bet the Suns Sunday.

15* MVC PLAY OF THE DAY on Evansville +18.5

I cashed in Evansville yesterday +19.5 in a 55-68 road loss to Loyola-Chicago.  I'm backing on them again today as this 18.5-point spread in the rematch is still too high for many of the same reasons as I stated yesterday.

It's time to 'sell high' on Loyola-Chicago after going 9-0 SU & 7-1-1 ATS in its last nine games overall.  The Ramblers hadn't been more than an 11-point favorite in any of its previous 10 games prior to yesterday.  Now all of a sudden the Ramblers are 19.5 and 18.5-point favorites in back-to-back games.

And this is an Evansville team that has been competitive all season.  They have just two losses by more than 13 points all season, and only three losses by more than 9 points.  The Purple Aces have gone 6-4 SU in their last 10 games and 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 games overall.  The underdog is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings.  Take Evansville Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Indiana Pacers +5

This is a good time to 'buy low' on the Indiana Pacers, who have gone 1-4 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall with two straight losses coming in.  They'll be highly motivated for a victory tonight as they host the Utah Jazz.

It's also a good time to 'sell high' on the Jazz, who are 14-1 SU & 13-2 ATS in their last 15 games overall.  It has mostly come against a soft schedule with their last three wins coming against the Pistons, Hawks and Hornets.  

You're paying a premium to back the Jazz at this point.  And now they'll be without starting PG Mike Conley (16.5 PPG, 5.8 APG), who has had a career resurgence this season and has been a big key to their success.

The Pacers are 5-2 SU & 5-2 ATS in their last seven meetings with the Jazz.  Utah is 4-12-1 ATS in its last 17 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Pacers are 5-1 ATS in their last six vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Plays against road favorites (Utah) - off a road win by 10 points or more, a tired team playing their 3rd game in 4 days are 45-22 (67.2%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Roll with the Pacers Sunday.

20* Iowa/Indiana Big Ten Early ANNIHILATOR on Iowa -3.5

It's a good time to 'buy low' on the Iowa Hawkeyes Sunday.  They have gone 1-3 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall.  That includes their upset 69-81 home loss to Indiana as 10-point favorites on January 21st.

Now the Hawkeyes want revenge from that defeat, which was clearly their worst performance of the season thus far.  They go from being 10-point favorites in that game to only 3.5-point favorites in the rematch, a 6.5-point adjustment which is just too much.  The Hawkeyes are clearly the superior team, and when they put their best foot forward today given their motivation that will show on the court.

Indiana is 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in its last three home games with upset losses to Purdue and Rutgers, as well as an overtime loss to Illinois.  The Hoosiers just don't have the home-court advantage they normally would due to COVID.  But their home lines continue to be inflated in their favor.

Indiana is 0-9 ATS in its last nine home games after failing to cover two of its last three ATS.  The Hawkeyes are 9-0 ATS in their last nine Sunday games.  Iowa is 15-3 ATS in its last 18 games following an ATS loss.  The Hawkeyes are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games following a SU loss.  The road team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  Bet Iowa Sunday.

20* NBA Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Dallas Mavericks -4

The Dallas Mavericks want revenge from a 116-147 home loss to the Warriors on Thursday.  Now they don't have to wait long for revenge as they get to host them against Saturday night on ABC.

That was a tough spot for the Mavs playing the 2nd of a back-to-back, while the Warriors had the previous day off.  The Warriors shot 47.3% as a team and made 22 3-pointers on 51.2% shooting.  The Mavs shot just 41.3% as a team.  Neither of those things are going to happen again. Now Dallas is rested and will be the more motivated team here in the rematch.

Plays on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (Dallas) - after losing by 30 or more points ATS in their last three games combined against an opponent that went over the total by more than 18 points in their previous game are 31-7 (81.6%) ATS over the last five seasons.  

The Warriors are 17-35-1 ATS in their last 53 games following an ATS win.  Golden State is 25-51-3 ATS in its last 79 games following a SU win by more than 10 points.  Dallas is 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.  Bet the Mavericks Saturday.

15* NBA Western Conference ANNIHILATOR on Houston Rockets +1

The Houston Rockets have been grossly undervalued since trading away James Harden.  They have finally gotten mostly healthy and it's starting to show as the Rockets are 7-1 SU & 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall.

Quietly, the Rockets rank 2nd in the NBA in defensive efficiency this season.  That has been a big key to their success, plus John Wall and Victor Oladipo gelling together.  The ankle injury to Christian Wood is a big one, but I still think they have enough here to take down the Spurs.

The injury situation for the Spurs is much more dire right now.  They lost by 17 and 31 points to Memphis before needing a double-digit comeback in the 4th quarter to beat the lowly Timberwolves 111-108, going 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall.  They are without Aldridge (14.1 PPG) and Walker IV (11.2 PPG) right now and could be without Murray (14.6 PPG, 5.3 APG, 7.2 APG), who is questionable with an ankle injury.

San Antonio is 12-27 ATS in its last 39 games as a favorite.  Houston is 4-0 ATS in its last four games as an underdog.  The Spurs are 1-3-1 ATS in their last five trips to Houston.  Wrong team favored here.  Roll with the Rockets Saturday.

15* NBA Eastern Conference ANNIHILATOR on Chicago Bulls -1

The Chicago Bulls want revenge from a 119-123 road loss at Orlando last night.  Now the Bulls get their chance at revenge a day later, and they will clearly be the more motivated team in this rematch.

The Bulls are the way deeper team right now due to all of the injuries for Orlando, which makes this a better situation for them than it does the Magic.  Orlando remains without Aaron Gordon, Markelle Fultz and a few others tonight.  It's a big reason why the Magic are just 3-12 SU & 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games overall.

Chicago is 16-5 ATS in its last 21 games after a loss by 6 points or less.  Orlando is 0-7 ATS in its last seven games when playing 8 or more games in 14 days.  The Magic are 6-19-2 ATS in their last 27 games as home underdogs.  Chicago is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 road games.  The Bulls are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games playing on zero rest.  Take the Bulls Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday UPSET SHOCKER on Sacramento Kings +3.5

The Sacramento Kings are playing their best basketball of the season right now.  They are 5-1 SU & 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall with their only loss coming 104-105 to the Miami Heat by a single point.  They have upset wins over the Raptors, Pelicans and Celtics during this stretch.

Now the Kings are in the favorable spot here coming in on two days' rest.  Meanwhile, the Nuggets just lost 93-114 to the defending champion Lakers on Thursday.  I always like fading teams after playing the defending champs, win or lose.

While the Kings are as healthy as they have been all season, which is a big reason for their resurgence, the injury situation is a dire one for the Nuggets.  They are without Whittington, Dozier and Harris and could be without both Jamal Murray, who is listed as questionable tonight.

Plays on underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (Sacramento) - a hot team covering six or seven of their last eight ATS, when playing on two days' rest are 35-13 (72.9%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Sacramento is 6-0 ATS in its last six games overall and 4-0 ATS in its last four meetings with Denver.  Bet the Kings Saturday.

15* ACC PLAY OF THE DAY on Pittsburgh +10.5

Pittsburgh opened 8-2 this season before losing three of its last four.  But the Panthers ended their skid with an 83-72 upset win over a ranked Virginia Tech team last time out.  That's the same VA Tech team that recently beat Virginia by 14.

The Panthers should not be catching double-digits here against a Virginia team that struggles to get margin with the way they play.  They only beat NC State by 7 last time out and haven't won three of their last four games by more than 7 points.

The Panthers are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games following three or more consecutive home games.  Pittsburgh is 5-1 ATS in its last six road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.  The Cavaliers are 9-18 ATS in their last 27 games vs. a team with a winning record.  Virginia is 1-8 ATS in its last nine games after playing five consecutive games as a favorite.  Roll with Pittsburgh Saturday.

20* Wisconsin/Illinois Big Ten No-Brainer on Wisconsin +4

This game should be lined closer to a pick 'em.  I think Wisconsin has the goods to knock off an Illinois team that is starting to get too much respect from oddsmakers off three straight wins over Penn State, Iowa and Indiana, including the last two by 4 and 5 points each.

Now they step up in class here against a Wisconsin team that is one of the best in the country.  The Badgers just play the game the right way with their ability to defend, take care of the basketball and get great looks almost every time down the floor.  The Badgers give up just 62.5 points per game on 40.4% shooting.  They shoot the 3-pointer at a 37.6% clip on offense as well.

Wisconsin simply owns Illinois.  The Badgers are 15-1 SU & 13-3 ATS in the last 16 meetings with their lone loss coming by a single point.  Enough said.  Bet Wisconsin Saturday.

15* MVC PLAY OF THE DAY on Evansville +19.5

It's time to 'sell high' on Loyola-Chicago after going 8-0 SU & 7-0-1 ATS in their last eight games overall.  With this winning and covering streak comes expectations from oddsmakers that are hard to live up to.

Loyola-Chicago hasn't been more than an 11-point favorite in any of its last 10 games.  Now all of a sudden the Ramblers are whopping 19.5-point favorites against an Evansville team that has been pretty competitive all season.

Indeed, Evansville has just two losses by more than 9 points all season.  The Purple Aces have gone 6-3 SU in their last nine games and 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games.  They should not be catching 19.5 points to Loyola-Chicago today.  The underdog is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.  Take Evansville Saturday.

15* CBB PLAY OF THE DAY on Nevada +4.5

It's a good time to 'sell high' on the Boise State Broncos tonight.  They have padded their 13-2 record by playing the easiest schedule of any Mountain West team to date.  They are nowhere near as good as their record, and they shouldn't be laying 4.5 points on the road to Nevada tonight.

Nevada has been grossly undervalued for weeks and continues to be.  The Wolf Pack are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  They haven't lost any of their last 13 games by more than 7 points, so even when they have lost they have been competitive.  And I like their chances of staying within this number or possibly pulling off the upset tonight.

Nevada is 8-1 SU in its last nine meetings with Boise State.  The Wolf Pack are 49-21-2 ATS in their last 72 games following an ATS win.  Nevada is 4-0 ATS in its last four home games.  The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  Roll with Nevada Friday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE MONTH on Charlotte Hornets +8.5

It's time to 'sell high' on the Utah Jazz tonight.  They are 13-1 SU & 12-2 ATS in their last 14 games overall.  Now they are laying 8.5 points on the road to the Charlotte Hornets despite playing the 2nd of a back-to-back.  It will also be the 7th game in 11 days for the Jazz tonight.

The Hornets are playing well enough to hang with the Jazz.  They are 3-1 SU & 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games overall with upset wins over the Bucks as 9.5-point dogs, Heat as 7.5-point dogs and Pacers as 3.5-point dogs.  They only lost by 7 to the 76ers as 7-point dogs as well.  That's a gauntlet of a schedule, which will have them prepared to try and take down a team playing as well as the Jazz right now.

Plays against road favorites (Utah) - off a road win by 10 points or more, a tired team playing their 3rd game in 4 days are 45-20 (69.2%) ATS over the last five seasons.  The Hornets are 17-6 ATS in their last 23 games after allowing 105 points or more in three straight games.  Charlotte is 20-7-2 ATS in its last 29 games as an underdog, including 9-2-1 ATS in its last 12 games as a home underdog.  Bet the Hornets Friday.

15* Raptors/Nets ESPN ANNIHILATOR on Brooklyn -4.5

The Brooklyn Nets are starting to form a nice chemistry now that Durant, Harden and Irving are all healthy and in the lineup.  They have gone 9-3 SU in their last 12 games overall and didn't have this trio available at the same time for many of those games.

But the Nets did have all three against the Clippers last time out and beat them at home.  The Clippers are playing as well as almost anyone in the NBA right now, so that was an impressive win.  Now they've had the last two days off to rest and get some even better chemistry as they head into this showdown with Toronto.

I think Toronto is getting too much respect from oddsmakers after winning and covering its last two games against the depleted Orlando Magic.  The Raptors had lost three straight prior, and they've been one of the biggest disappointments in the NBA at 9-12 SU & 8-13 ATS on the season.  They are playing without a key player in OG Anunoby tonight as well, and his presence as a wing defender will be missed.

Plays against underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (Toronto) - after two straight wins by 10 points or more against an opponent that scored 55 points or more in the first half of two straight games are 27-8 (77.1%) ATS over the last five seasons.  The Raptors are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games following an ATS win.  Brooklyn is 4-1 ATS in its last five games playing on two days' rest.  Take the Nets Friday.

15* NBA Western Conference ANNIHILATOR on Houston Rockets +2

The Houston Rockets are coming off a bad 87-104 loss at Oklahoma City last night.  They had gone 6-0 SU & 5-1 ATS in their previous six games.  And they had just beaten the same Thunder team by 30 two days prior.  So I think they took them lightly and paid the price for it.  Now this back-to-back situation is being factored too much into this line with the Rockets coming back as underdogs here against the Grizzlies when they should be the favorites.

But the good thing about that OKC loss was that they didn't play anyone more than 31 minutes because it was a blowout.  And now they should come back pretty fresh and motivated for a win tonight against the Grizzlies.  Plus, PG John Wall sat out that game to rest, so they'll have him back in the lineup tonight.  And this is a deep Rockets team now that everyone is healthy with Wall, Oladipo, Gordon, Cousins, Wood and Tucker leading the way.

It's a good spot to go against Memphis.  The Grizzlies had shockingly won seven straight prior to losing 116-134 at Indiana last time out.  I always like fading teams after an extended winning streak comes to an end.  They were beating up on a lot of bad teams during that winning streak, and now they face a legit squad here in Houston.  The Grizzlies will be without Valanciunas and Allen tonight due to quarantine as well.

Houston is 22-9 ATS in its last 31 road games off an upset loss by 15 points or more as a favorite.  Plays on road teams where the line is +3 to -3 (Houston) - after scoring 90 points or less against an opponent off a game where both teams scored 105 points or more are 25-5 (83.3%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Roll with the Rockets Thursday.

20* Warriors/Mavericks TNT No-Brainer on Dallas -2

The Dallas Mavericks are grossly undervalued right now due to their recent season-high six-game losing streak.  But the Mavericks got over the hump last night with a 122-116 win in Atlanta.  And I'm not concerned about the back-to-back situation here because the Mavericks finally have some depth.

Indeed, Dallas has all hands on deck for the first time all season.  COVID and injuries forced several players to have to miss significant time this season.  But now that everyone is back, it's time to continue 'buying low' on the Mavericks.  I think this situation is being factored into the line too much as the Mavericks are clearly the superior team in this matchup.

The Warriors have held their own this season, but there just isn't much talent on this team outside Stephen Curry.  He has too much on his plate.  That's especially the case now with top draft pick James Wiseman out.  His backup in Kevon Looney is also out tonight, leaving the Warriors very thin in the paint.  I fully expect the Mavericks to take advantage and get to the rim with ease tonight.

Dallas is 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in its last four meetings with Golden State with all four wins coming by 20 points or more and by an average of 32.5 points per game.  The Mavericks are 7-0 ATS in the last seven meetings dating back further.  Dallas is 8-0 ATS in its last eight home games after failing to cover three of its last four ATS.  The Warriors are 1-5 ATS in their last six games as road underdogs.  Golden State is 7-25 ATS in its last 32 Thursday games.  Take the Mavericks Thursday.

20* Ohio State/Iowa ESPN No-Brainer on Ohio State +5.5

The Iowa Hawkeyes are 1-2 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall.  They lost outright at home to Indiana 69-81 as 10-point dogs, lost 75-80 at Illinois as 3-point dogs, and only beat a struggling Michigan State team 84-78 as 9-point home favorites.  As you can see, their defense has been terrible in allowing 78 points or more in three straight, which has been their achilles' heel.

Speaking of Michigan State, Ohio State just blasted the Spartans 79-62 as 5.5-point home favorites last time out on Sunday.  The Buckeyes are now 6-1 SU & 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall with their only loss coming by 2 points to Purdue.

This is a terrible spot for Iowa, too.  The Hawkeyes will be playing their 2nd game in 3 days after facing Michigan State on Tuesday.  They only have one day to prepare for Ohio State.  Meanwhile, the Buckeyes have three days in between games to get ready for the Hawkeyes after last playing the Spartans on Sunday.

The Buckeyes are 5-1 ATS in their last six games vs. a team with a winning record.  Chris Holtmann is a perfect 6-0 ATS in road games after three straight games where they forced 11 or fewer turnovers as the coach of Ohio State.  Bet Ohio State Thursday.

15* AAC PLAY OF THE DAY on Tulsa +3.5

Tulsa has been a great home team and a terrible road team for years.  It's more of the same this season.  The Golden Hurricane are 5-1 SU & 4-1 ATS at home this season.  They handed Houston their only loss of the season at home.  They also upset Memphis at home.

Speaking of Houston, SMU will have a tough time getting back up off the mat after a 48-70 loss at Houston last time out.  The Mustangs have now lost their last two road games as they also lost at Memphis.  This team has been grossly overvalued over the past month or so.  The Mustangs are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games overall.

Tulsa has won its last two home meetings with SMU 79-57 as a 1.5-point favorite and 76-67 as a 3.5-point underdog.  The Golden Hurricane are 20-6 ATS in their last 26 games as home underdogs, including 8-0 ATS in their last eight games as home dogs of 3.5 points or fewer.  The Mustangs are 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 road games.  SMU is 0-5 ATS in its last five games following a loss.  Roll with Tulsa Wednesday.

20* NBA Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Dallas Mavericks -1.5

It's safe to say the Dallas Mavericks will be max motivated Wednesday after losing a season-high six straight games coming in.  They just lost on a 3-pointer right before the buzzer to the Suns last time out.  And I think they come in with a chip on their shoulder here against the Atlanta Hawks tonight.

The Mavericks recently got everyone back from quarantine due to COVID.  So it's clearly there were going to be some chemistry issues with this team.  But their chemistry should be much better with each passing game now that everyone is healthy for basically the first time all season.

The Hawks are 6-9 in their last 15 games overall.  They are coming off a deflating loss to the defending champion Lakers, 99-107.  I always like fading teams after they play the defending champs, win or lose.  Atlanta's last five wins came against the Timberwolves (twice), Pistons, Wizards and a depleted Clippers team that was playing without Kawhi and Paul George.  So it's not like they have beaten anyone good lately.

Dallas is 30-16 ATS in its last 46 road games.  The Mavericks are 19-8-1 ATS in their last 28 games as road favorites.  Dallas is 13-4 ATS in its last 17 games as a road favorite of 6 points or less.  Atlanta is 3-13 ATS in its last 16 games after covering four or five of its last six ATS coming in.  The Hawks are 1-4 ATS in their last five games as underdogs.  Bet the Mavericks Wednesday.

20* CBB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Pittsburgh +4

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Pitt Panthers.  They opened 8-2 this season with wins over Syracuse (twice) and Duke.  But they have now gone 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall.  Now we are getting max value with the Panthers catching 4 points at home to Virginia Tech tonight.

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Hokies.  They have won and covered two straight, including their upset home win over Virginia last time out.  That now makes this a letdown spot for the Hokies.  Virginia Tech is 2-2 SU in true road games this season with its only wins coming against Wake Forest and Notre Dame, two of the worst teams in the ACC.

Virginia Tech is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 road games off two consecutive conference games.  Pittsburgh is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games off two consecutive home losses.  The Hokies are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games.  Virginia Tech is 1-7 ATS in its last eight road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The underdog is 6-2-1 ATS in the last nine meetings.  Take Pittsburgh Wednesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Detroit Pistons +12.5

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Pistons, who were just beaten by 27 points by the Warriors.  That was an obvious letdown spot after upsetting the Lakers 107-92 the game prior.  They also have a recent upset win over the 76ers, so they have proven they can play with anyone.

The Pistons are as healthy as they have been all season.  Blake Griffin (12.5 PPG) and Derrick Rose (14.2 PPG) have both missed significant time, but they are both healthy and ready to go for this game against the Nuggets tonight.  Jerami Grant (23.6 PPG) has thrived in their absence and is quickly becoming a Most Improved Player award favorite.

This is a great time to fade the Utah Jazz.  They just had their 11-game winning streak snapped by Denver last time out.  And I always like going against teams that have long winning streaks end in the game after because there is a hangover effect.  You're also paying a premium right now to back the Jazz because they have not only won 11 of their last 12, they have also gone 11-1 ATS during this stretch.  So it's a 'sell high' spot on them.

The Pistons also want revenge from an 86-96 home loss to the Jazz as part of this winning streak.  Not that the Pistons were 8.5-point dogs in that game and now they are 12.5-point dogs in the rematch, so there is some value here.  And Rose didn't play in that first meeting.

Detroit is 9-1 ATS vs. good shooting teams that make 46% of their shots or better this season.  Plays on underdogs of 10 or more points (Detroit) - after a blowout loss by 20 points or more against an opponent off two straight games where both teams scored 100 points or more are 60-25 (70.6%) ATS since 1996.  Bet the Pistons Tuesday.

15* Celtics/Warriors TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Boston -2.5

The Boston Celtics will be highly motivated for a victory tonight off two straight losses to the Lakers and Spurs by a combined 5 points.  That followed up two wins over the Cavaliers and Bulls by a combined 54 points.  They have been playing better since getting Jayson Tatum back in the lineup.

Now they face a Warriors team they should handle tonight.  The Warriors will be missing star rookie James Wiseman, who has been doing all the dirty work for them inside.  If the Celtics have a weakness, it's their post play.  But that shouldn't be an issue here against the Warriors as they can go small with them and match up very well.

The Celtics have won three straight meetings with the Warriors by an average of 17.7 points per game.  Boston is 8-3-1 ATS in the last 12 meetings, including 6-1 ATS in its last seven trips to Golden State.  The Warriors are 8-20-1 ATS in their last 29 games following a win by more than 10 points.  Golden State is 0-4 ATS in its last four games playing on two days' rest.  Boston is 8-0 ATS in its last eight road games following two consecutive non-conference games.  Take the Celtics Tuesday.

15* Big Ten PLAY OF THE DAY on Wisconsin -8

I love the spot for the Wisconsin Badgers tonight.  They will be motivated for revenge following their 71-81 upset loss at Penn State on Saturday.  Now they don't have to wait long for revenge as they host the Nittany Lions Tuesday night.

It's a great time to 'sell high' on a Penn State team that has won three of its last four games coming in.  But all three wins were at home, and the other two outside Wisconsin came over Rutgers and Northwestern by a combined 9 points.

Penn State is 0-5 SU in Big Ten road games this season.  Wisconsin is a perfect 17-0 SU in its last 17 home meetings with the Nittany Lions.  Penn State is 1-9 ATS in its last 17 road games after covering two of its last three ATS.  The Badgers are 8-1-2 ATS in their last 11 games following a loss.  Roll with Wisconsin Tuesday.

20* ACC GAME OF THE WEEK on Clemson +2.5

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Clemson Tigers tonight.  They have lost four of their last five coming in with three of those coming on the road to Duke, Florida State and Georgia Tech.  They also lost at home to Virginia.

However, that home loss to Virginia was their only home loss this season.  They are 6-1 SU & 5-2 ATS at home this year which includes wins over Florida State, NC State and Louisville.  They will put their best foot forward tonight with the North Carolina Tar Heels coming to town.

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Tar Heels, who have won six of their last seven games overall.  But the only road wins during this stretch came at Miami and Pittsburgh by a combined 12 points.  The Tar Heels are just 2-4 SU in true road games this season.

North Carolina is 0-6 ATS in its last six games off three or more consecutive wins.  The Tar Heels are 1-10 ATS vs. good defensive teams that allow 64 or fewer points per game.  UNC is 1-6 ATS in its last seven road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The Tigers are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games as home underdogs.  Bet Clemson Tuesday.

20* Suns/Mavs NBA TV No-Brainer on Dallas -1

We should see one of the best efforts of the season out of the Dallas Mavericks tonight.  They have lost five straight coming in all against playoff contenders.  That includes their 105-111 loss to the Suns on Saturday.  Now they will be out for revenge on the Suns as they get to host them again here Monday.

The Mavericks were missing a lot of players due to quarantine, which is the biggest reason for their recent struggles.  But now they have everyone back for the first time all season.  This is a great time to 'buy low' on the Mavericks as they should improve rapidly in the coming days.

It's a good time to 'sell high' on the Suns off two straight wins over the Warriors and Mavericks.  The Suns are likely to be without leading scorer Devin Booker tonight as he recovers from a hamstring injury.  They are also going to be without fellow guard Cameron Payne.

Phoenix is 5-16 ATS in its last 21 games after a win by 6 points or less.  Dallas is 55-37 ATS in its last 92 games following a SU loss.  The Mavericks are 50-32 ATS in their last 82 games following an ATS loss.  Rick Carlisle is 15-4 ATS after failing to cover the spread in five or more consecutive games as the coach of Dallas.  Bet the Mavericks Monday.

15* NBA Monday No-Doubt Rout on Houston Rockets -5

The Houston Rockets have finally gotten healthy and put the James Harden saga behind them.  Now the likes of Oladipo, Wall, Cousins, Wood, Gordon, Tucker and company are starting to play up to their potential.

Indeed, the Rockets are 5-0 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.  Their five wins have come by an average of 12.4 points per game.  They should pick up their sixth straight victory here and get the cover against the struggling Oklahoma City Thunder tonight.

They Thunder are 2-4 in their last six games overall with their four losses coming by an average of 15.5 points per game.  Their two wins over Portland and Phoenix during this stretch came by a combined 8 points.  Oklahoma City has been a terrible bet at home, going 1-6 SU & 2-5 ATS in all home games this season.

Plays on road favorites (Houston) - off a win by 10 points or more over a division opponent, against a team that is off a home loss by 10 points or more are 62-25 (71.3%) ATS since 1996.  The Thunder are 1-5 ATS in their last six games as home underdogs.  Roll with the Rockets Monday.

20* CBB DOG OF THE WEEK on Illinois State +18

Illinois State only lost 76-78 to Drake in overtime yesterday.  The Redbirds were 19-point underdogs in that game and now come back as 18-point dogs to the Bulldogs in the rematch today.  This spread is just way too high.

Drake is starting to feel the pressure of keeping its perfect record (16-0) in tact.  And with that record comes expectations from oddsmakers that is tough to live up to.  Note that Drake has only been favored by more than 10.5 points just twice all season before this series with Illinois State.

Illinois State hasn't lost a game by more than 9 points since December.  Drake hasn't won any of its last three games by more than 7 points.  The Bulldogs haven't won any of their last eight meetings with the Redbirds by more than 16 points.

Illinois State is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games vs. teams that attempt 15 or fewer free throws per game.  Bet Illinois State Monday.

15* CBB Monday UPSET SHOCKER on Bradley ML +102

The Bradley Braves will be highly motivated for a victory tonight.  They have lost five straight coming in, including the last three all by 7 points or fewer.  They will be out for revenge from their 57-60 road loss at Indiana State on Sunday.  Now they get to play them again here in the rematch Monday night.

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Sycamores, who are fat and happy right now riding a five-game winning streak against a very soft schedule.  Four of the five wins have come by 8 points or fewer, so they have simply been fortunate in close games.  Their luck will run out tonight against a Braves team that simply wants it more.

Brian Wardle is 21-11 ATS when revenging a same-season loss as the coach of Bradley.  Wardle is 45-24 ATS when playing with one or less days' rest in all games as a head coach.  The Braves are 17-8-2 ATS in their last 27 games following an ATS loss.  Take Bradley Monday.

15* NBA Sunday PLAY OF THE DAY on Brooklyn Nets -7

Two teams headed in opposite directions square off Sunday when the surging Brooklyn Nets visit the struggling Washington Wizards.  This game has blowout written all over it, and I'm a little surprised the Nets aren't double-digit favorites here.

The Nets are clearly starting to form some chemistry with Harden, Durant and Irving.  They are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games overall, including four straight victories by an average of 10.8 points per game.  It should be more of the same here against the Wizards.

Washington had a two-week break due to COVID.  They have returned from that break and gone 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games with all four losses coming by 16 points or more.  I don't know how they can be expected to even compete with the Nets tonight.  The fact that the Wizards have lost 10 straight games in which Bradley Beal has scored 40 points or more says all you need to know about the lack of help he has.

Brooklyn is 31-14 ATS in its last 45 road games when revenging a loss where opponent scored 110 points or more.  Washington is just 3-12 SU this season.  The Wizards are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 Sunday games.  Washington is 5-14 ATS in its last 19 games following a loss.  Roll with the Nets Sunday.

20* MVC GAME OF THE WEEK on Southern Illinois +2.5

Southern Illinois will be highly motivated for a victory tonight.  They want to put an end to their currently six-game losing streak.  And they want revenge from a 62-74 home loss to Northern Iowa yesterday in which they blew a 30-27 halftime lead.

Northern Iowa is now just 5-10 SU & 3-10 ATS this season.  Two of those wins came against St. Ambrose and Coe College, who they just beat by 10 at home before taking down Southern Illinois.  And this is a Southern Illinois team that opened 7-1 this season and is grossly undervalued right now due to this losing streak.

The Salukis are 18-6 SU in their last 24 home meetings with Northern Iowa.  The Panthers are 1-6 ATS in their last seven road games.  Southern Illinois is 13-6 ATS in its last 19 home games.  The Salukis are 34-16-2 ATS in their last 52 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  The home team is 12-6-3 ATS in the last 21 meetings.  Southern Illinois is 8-1 ATS in its last nine home games after playing a home game.  Bet Southern Illinois Sunday.

15* NC State/Syracuse ACC ANNIHILATOR on Syracuse -5

The Syracuse Orange have been a tough out at home this season.  They are 8-1 at home with their last two home games resulting in blowout wins over Miami by 26 and Virginia Tech by 18.  Now they should make easy work of a struggling NC State team tonight.

NC State is just 1-4 SU in its last five games overall.  The only win during this stretch came at home against Wake Forest by 5 as 7.5-point favorites.  The Wolf Pack are 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four road games with losses to Saint Louis by 11, Clemson by 4, FSU by 32 and UNC by 10.

Making matters worse for the Wolfpack is that they just lost their best player in Devon Daniels (16.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.1 APG) to a season-ending ACL injury in that win over Wake Forest last time out.  He had 20 points and eight rebounds before exiting.

The Wolfpack are 0-5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.  NC State is 0-6-1 ATS in its last seven road games.  The Wolfpack are 1-7-1 ATS in their last nine games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Orange are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following an ATS loss.  Syracuse is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games off a conference loss by 10 points or more.  The Wolfpack are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games as a road underdog of 6 points or less or PK.  Take Syracuse Sunday.

20* NBA Western Conference GAME OF THE MONTH on Houston Rockets +1

The Houston Rockets are finally getting healthy with Wall, Oladipo, Wood, Cousins, Tucker, Gordon and company forming a nice chemistry.  They have put the James Harden saga behind them and are finally starting to play up to their potential.

Indeed, the Rockets are 4-0 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last four games overall with their four wins coming by a combined 48 points.  Now they had yesterday off and will be playing just their 3rd game in 7 days.  They will be rested and ready to go tonight.

The same cannot be said for the Pelicans, who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days after a 131-126 upset win over the Bucks last night.  Now the Pelicans are in a massive letdown spot here, and their tired legs won't allow them to beat the Rockets, either.  This is a Pelicans team that is just 3-8 SU in its last 11 games overall.

Plays against home teams where the line is +3 to -3 (New Orleans) - after going over the total by more than 24 points in their previous game against an opponent that went under the total by 18 or more points total in their last three games are 24-3 (88.9%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Rockets Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Chicago Bulls -2

The Portland Trail Blazers are just 2-4 SU & 2-4 ATS in their last six games overall.  Their two wins both came at home over the Hawks and Knicks by a combined 9 points.  Their four losses have come by an average of 12.8 points per game with three of those at home as well.

Now the Blazers hit the road to take on the Chicago Bulls, who have been one of the best covering teams in the NBA this season.  The Bulls are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games overall and improving rapidly under first-year head coach Billy Donovan.  This team just has too much young talent to be held back for too long, and Donovan is getting the most out of it.

While the Bulls are fully healthy outside of Wendell Carter Jr, the Blazers are struggling right now due to their injuries.  They remain without CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic, which are two of their best three players.  They will also be without Derrick Jones Jr. and could be without Robert Covington tonight.

The Bulls have had the last four days off and will be rested and ready to go.  They already won in Portland 111-108 back on January 5th in their first meeting this season as 9.5-point dogs back when the Blazers were healthy and Chicago wasn't.  The Blazers are 0-5 ATS in their last five road games vs. a team with a losing home record.

Plays against any team (Portland) - revenging a loss vs. an opponent as a home favorite of 7 points or more, off a cover where they lost straight up as an underdog are 58-24 (70.7%) ATS since 1996.  Roll with the Bulls Saturday.

20* Gonzaga/Pepperdine ESPN No-Brainer on Pepperdine +22

You're paying a tax to back Gonzaga right now because the Bulldogs are 16-0 this season and the No. 1 ranked team in the country.  These spreads have gotten out of control, and that's a big reason why the Bulldogs are just 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.

I backed Pepperdine successfully against Gonzaga in their first meeting this season, a 25-point loss as 27-point dogs.  The Waves now get the Bulldogs at home.  Pepperdine is now 3-0 ATS in its last three meetings with Gonzaga dating back to last year.  They only lost by 5 as +21 road dogs and by 12 as 15-point home dogs in their two meetings last year. 

Pepperdine is 4-0-1 ATS in its last five games overall.  That includes blowout wins over Portland by 15 and Pacific by 17.  And after losing by 11 at BYU as 11-point dogs, the Waves came back home and upset the Cougars 76-73 as 6.5-point home dogs.  If they can play with BYU, they can certainly stay within 22 points of the Zags.  And keep in mind they only trailed Gonzaga by 4 at halftime in their first meeting this season.

The Waves are 33-16-2 ATS in their last 51 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.  Gonzaga is 0-6 ATS in its last six road games following four straight wins by 10 points or more.  The Waves have two days to get ready for Gonzaga after playing BYU on Wednesday, while the Bulldogs have just one day to get ready for Pepperdine after playing at San Diego on Thursday.  Bet Pepperdine Saturday.

25* SEC/Big 12 Challenge GAME OF THE YEAR on Auburn +15

The Auburn Tigers are 4-2 SU & 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.  This run has coincided with getting star freshman PG Sharife Cooper (22.3 PPG, 8.7 APG, 5.0 RPG) eligible.  With Cooper running the show, the Tigers can give unbeaten Baylor a run for its money today.

Auburn's four wins with Cooper came by 18 at Georgia, by 7 at home over Kentucky, by 23 at South Carolina and by 6 at home over Missouri.  One loss came by 4 as 3.5-point home dogs to Alabama, which has won 10 straight games currently and is blowing out everyone.  The other was a 2-point loss to Arkansas in which the Tigers blew a nearly 20-point lead in that game.

You're paying a tax to back Baylor right now because they are 15-0 SU and 12-3 ATS this season.  These spreads are starting to get out of control, and we'll fade the Bears every chance we get moving forward.  We faded them successfully with Kansas a few games back, and this looks like another great time to go against them.

The Tigers are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.  Auburn is 6-0-1 ATS in its last seven games following an ATS win.  Bet Auburn Saturday.

15* ACC PLAY OF THE DAY on Georgia Tech +4

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets had won five straight at home prior to losing two heartbreakers on the road against two of the best teams in the ACC in Virginia (62-64) and Duke (68-75).  Now they are back home here and will upset the Florida State Seminoles as 4-point home dogs.

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Seminoles, who are 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.  But FSU has feasted on a home-heavy schedule with 10 of its 12 games played at home this year.  It is just 1-1 SU in true road games with a 10-point loss at Clemson and an upset win at Louisville.

Georgia Tech also wants revenge from a 61-74 road loss at Florida State in their first meeting this season back in December.  The Yellow Jackets have improved by leaps and bounds since that defeat.  They are taking care of the ball and hanging with and beating some of the best teams in the country.

Georgia Tech is 11-1 ATS in its last 12 games following three straight games where it committed 11 or fewer turnovers.  The Yellow Jackets are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games vs. top teams that win more than 80% of their games on the season.  Georgia Tech is 49-23 ATS in its last 72 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The Yellow Jackets are 21-7 ATS in their last 28 games following an ATS loss.  Take Georgia Tech Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday UPSET SHOCKER on Southern Illinois ML +116

Northern Iowa is just 4-10 SU & 2-10 ATS this season.  Yet somehow this team continues to get way more respect from oddsmakers than they deserve.  Now the Panthers are actually laying points on the road to a quality Southern Illinois team, so the respect continues.

Keep in mind two of their four wins this season came against St. Ambrose and Coe College.  And that win over Coe College came earlier this week by only 10 points, 70-60.  The Panthers remain without their best player in AJ Green (22.3 PPG), which is the biggest reason they have been awful this season.

Southern Illinois opened 7-1 this season before losing each of its last five games.  But four of those losses were on the road, and now is a great time to 'buy low' on the Salukis at home tonight.  They are 5-1 at home this season and outscoring their opponents by 12.0 points per game.

Southern Illinois is 18-5 SU in its last 23 home meetings with Northern Iowa.  The Panthers are 1-8 ATS in their last nine road games following an ATS loss.  The Salukis are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games after playing two consecutive games as an underdog.  The Panthers are 0-6 ATS in their last six road games.  The Salukis are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 home games.  Southern Illinois is 34-15-2 ATS in its last 51 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  The home team is 12-5-3 ATS in the last 20 meetings.  Take Southern Illinois Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Oklahoma State -2

The Oklahoma State Cowboys have won three of their last four games overall with their only loss coming to unbeaten Baylor.  That includes an upset home win over Kansas.  Their strength of schedule is much tougher than that of Arkansas, which plays in the weaker SEC.

I think we are getting great value on the Cowboys here as short 2-point home favorites over the Razorbacks.  That's especially the case with the expected return of star freshman Cade Cunningham (18.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3.7 APG), who has missed the past two games with an illness.

Arkansas is 2-3 SU in true road games this season with its only wins coming against Auburn and Vanderbilt.  That was Auburn before they were any good with freshman Cooper ineligible, and that's a Vanderbilt team that is probably the worst team in the SEC.  They lost to LSU, Alabama and Tennessee by a combined 52 points.

Arkansas is 1-11 ATS when the line is +3 to -3 over the last two seasons.  Oklahoma State is 19-7 ATS in its last 26 vs. SEC opponents.  The favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  Roll with Oklahoma State Saturday.

20* Iowa/Illinois Big Ten No-Brainer on Illinois -2

The Iowa Hawkeyes are coming off a 69-81 upset home loss to the Indiana Hoosiers.  Their best shooter in CJ Fredrick had to leave that game with an injury and is unlikely to play tonight against the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Illinois is one of the best teams in the country.  And the Fighting Illini have the goods to slow down a guy like Iowa's Luka Garza better than almost any other team in the country.  That's because they have a big, athletic bruiser in 7-foot, 285-pound Kofi Cockburn (17.4 PPG, 10.3 RPG) inside.  He is one of the most improved players in the country.

Illinois is 13-3 SU in its last 16 home meetings with Iowa.  The Hawkeyes are 32-52 ATS in their last 84 games off an upset loss as a favorite.  Illinois is 59-37 ATS in its last 96 home games off a home win.  Iowa is 18-39-2 ATS in its last 59 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.  Bet Illinois Friday.

20* NBA Friday No-Doubt Rout on Orlando Magic -3.5

This is a get right spot for the Orlando Magic.  They had yesterday off and will be rested and ready to go tonight.  Look for them to come out motivated for a win after losing nine of their last 11 games overall amidst a lot of injury issues.  But they are finally about as healthy as they have been in a long time with their Big 3 of Vucevic, Gordon and Fournier all playing now.

This is a terrible spot for the Clippers.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd road game in 4 days.  They pulled out a 109-105 upset win at depleted Miami last night despite being without Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Patrick Beverly.  But now this terrible spot will hit the short-handed Clippers hard, and they won't be able to keep up with the rested Magic for four quarters.  Bet the Magic Friday.

15* NBA Friday UPSET SHOCKER on New York Knicks +1

The New York Knicks will be highly motivated for a victory tonight.  They are coming off three straight road losses to Sacramento, Portland and Utah.  But now they are finally back home here and come in rested after having the last two days off.

The Knicks also want revenge from a 103-106 road loss at Cleveland on January 15th exactly two weeks ago today.  They were 2-point road favorites in that game, and now they are 1-point home dogs in the rematch, a 3-point adjustment despite flipping home floors in the Knicks' favor.  This line makes no sense and the Knicks should be favored tonight.

The Cavaliers are 30-61-1 ATS in their last 92 games as favorites, including 6-16 ATS in their last 22 games as road favorites.  The Knicks are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  New York is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  The Knicks are 21-10 ATS in their last 21 games when revenging a same-season loss.  Roll with the Knicks Friday.

15* NBA Friday Undervalued Underdog on Charlotte Hornets +3.5

This is a great time to 'buy low' on the Hornets after losing six of their last seven coming in.  They'll be highly motivated for revenge after losing 106-116 at home as 3-point dogs to Indiana on Thursday.  Now they come back as 3.5-point home dogs in the rematch with the Pacers.

It's also a great time to 'sell high' on the Pacers, who have won two in a row and three of their last four coming in.  The Pacers still have some injury issues that are not allowing to live up to their full potential, but they have feasted on a pretty weak schedule here of late.

The Hornets are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games as home underdogs.  Charlotte is 14-5-1 ATS in its last 20 games as an underdog.  The Hornets are 6-1 ATS in their last seven home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  Charlotte is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 home meetings with Indiana.

Plays against road teams (Indiana) - off two straight covers as a favorite, a good team (60% to 75%) playing a bad team (25% to 40%) are 32-9 (78%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Take the Hornets Friday.

20* CBB Thursday Late-Night BAILOUT on California +8

The Cal Golden Bears are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.  They covered in losses to two of the best teams in the Pac-12 in UCLA (57-61) and USC (68-76) to show they could play with two of the best teams in the conference.

Now they are catching 8 points against one of the worst teams in the conference in the Arizona State Sun Devils.  They are 4-8 SU & 2-10 ATS this season.  They have won just one game by more than 8 points all season, and that came against Houston Baptist way back on November 29th.

The Sun Devils have lost six straight coming in.  That includes back-to-back losses to their biggest rival in Arizona.  It will be tough for them to get back up off the mat after getting swept by the Wildcats.  Plus, they only have two days to get ready for Cal after playing Arizona on Monday.  Cal last played on Saturday against USC and has four days to get ready for this game.

The Golden Bears just got leading scorer Matt Bradley (17.1 PPG) back from injury against USC after missing the previous five games.  Getting him back will give them a huge boost moving forward.  And Cal wants revenge from a 62-70 home loss to Arizona State back on December 3rd in their first meeting this season.  

The Sun Devils are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 home games.  Arizona State is 4-17 ATS in its last 21 games as a favorite, including 0-7 ATS in its last seven games as a home favorite.  The Sun Devils are 0-6 ATS in their last six games vs. a team with a losing record.  Take California Thursday.

15* AAC PLAY OF THE DAY on SMU -3.5

The SMU Mustangs want revenge from a tough 72-76 loss at Memphis on Tuesday.  They don't have to wait long as they get to host the Tigers tonight and are laying 3.5 points in the rematch.  I fully expect them to get the win and cover at home tonight.

The Mustangs are 5-2 at home this season with their only losses coming to Houston and Cincinnati.  They have been one of the best home teams in the country over the years.  And they own Memphis at home, going 10-1-1 ATS in their last 12 home meetings with the Tigers.  The home team is now 15-6 ATS in the last 21 meetings.  The favorite is 11-2 ATS in the last 13 meetings.

Memphis is just 2-4 SU & 1-5 ATS in all games played away from home this season.  Their only road wins came against Tulane and East Carolina.  Tim Jankovich is 8-1 ATS in home games when playing with one or less days' rest as the coach of SMU.  Penny Hardaway is 2-9 ATS in road games after scoring 75 points or more in two straight games as the coach of Memphis.  Roll with SMU Thursday.

20* Blazers/Rockets TNT No-Brainer on Houston -4.5

The Houston Rockets are getting healthy and it's starting to show.  John Wall and Victor Oladipo combined for 44 points on Thursday in a 107-88 win over Washington.  Eric Gordon and DeMarcus Cousins are playing well, and now they get Christian Wood back in the lineup tonight.  The Rockets are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall.

Conversely, the Portland Trail Blazers are banged up right now.  They are missing CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic.  They will also be without Robert Covington tonight.  The Blazers are 2-3 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall despite playing all five games at home.

Their only two wins came against the Hawks by 6 and the Knicks by 3.  They lost tot he Pacers by 24, the Spurs by 21 and were upset by the Thunder.  There is just too much on Damian Lillard's plate right now.  He won't be able to keep the Blazers competitive against a Rockets team that is playing well and is as healthy as they have been all season.

Portland is 7-18 ATS in its last 25 games as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points.  Bet the Rockets Thursday.

20* Pac-12 GAME OF THE WEEK on Washington State +14.5

Washington State is out for revenge from a 59-70 home loss to Colorado on January 23rd.  Now the Cougars don't have to wait long for revenge as they will square off again on January 27th here.  And that game was much closer than the final score showed as the Cougars led 37-30 at halftime before getting outscored by 18 points after intermission.

This is a great time to 'buy low' on the Cougars after going 0-5 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.  It's also a great time to 'sell high' on the Buffaloes, who are now 5-1 SU & 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall and had no business covering against Washington State as 10.5-point favorites.

Plays on road teams as an underdog or PK (Washington State) - off three straight conference losses, a marginal winning team (51% to 60%) playing a winning team are 83-44 (65.4%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Take Washington State Wednesday.

15* ACC PLAY OF THE DAY on Clemson -1.5

The Clemson Tigers will be highly motivated for a win tonight after opening the season 9-1 and then going 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall.  This is a great time to 'buy low' on the Tigers, who are 5-1 at home this season with their only loss coming to Virginia.

Louisville is in a letdown spot after a big 70-65 win over Duke last time out.  They had lost to FSU by 13 and Miami by 6 in their two previous game.  And now they have to go on the road and face a Clemson team that is 3-0 SU in the last three home meetings in this series.  That includes their 77-62 home win over the Cardinals last year.

Clemson is 28-11 ATS in its last 39 games off two straight losses by 10 points or more.  The Cardinals are 1-5 ATS in their last six games as road underdogs.  Louisville is 0-6-1 ATS in its last seven games following an ATS win.  The Tigers are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games as home favorites.  Roll with Clemson Wednesday.

20* NBA Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Charlotte Hornets ML +105

The Charlotte Hornets will be highly motivated for a victory tonight.  They had won four straight before losing five of their last six coming in.  Now they face a banged up Pacers team that they can handle at home tonight.

The Pacers lost Victor Oladipo via trade to the Rockets.  His replacement in Caris LeVert just had kidney surgery.  They were already without scorer T.J. Warren, and now they may be without their most important player in Domantas Sabonis (20.4 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 5.6 APG) tonight.  He is questionable with a knee injury and the Pacers would be wise to be cautious with him.

These injuries have added up as the Pacers are just 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.  The Hornets are fully healthy right now.  Indiana is 1-5 ATS in its last six games vs. a team with a losing record.  Charlotte is 7-1 ATS in its last eight games as a home underdog.  The Hornets are 6-0 ATS in their last six home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  Indiana is 2-9-1 ATS in its last 12 trips to Charlotte.  Bet the Hornets on the Money Line Wednesday.

20* CBB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Providence -1.5

The Providence Friars just won outright as double-digit underdogs at Creighton.  Then they held a halftime lead at Villanova before falling apart in the second half over the weekend.  They were probably fatigued from having to play four straight road games and the toughest schedule in the Big East up to this point.

But now the Friars are back home for the first time since a 2-point loss to Creighton on January 2nd.  They are 4-1 at home this season with just five of their 15 games on their home floor.  This feels like a great spot to back this gritty team.  

The Friars want revenge from a 69-79 road loss at Marquette on January 12th.  That was really one of the few good performances the Golden Eagles have had recently.  They were just upset as 9-point home favorites by DePaul over the weekend.  The Blue Demons are the worst team in the Big East.  They are now just 3-5 SU & 1-7 ATS in their last eight games overall.

Marquette is 1-7 ATS in its last eight road games.  Providence is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The favorite is 19-7 ATS in the last 26 meetings.  Marquette is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 games off an upset loss as a favorite to a conference opponent.  The Friars are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games when revenging a loss, including a perfect 7-0 ATS in their last seven games when revenging a same-season loss.  Bet Providence Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday UPSET SHOCKER on Seton Hall ML +110

The Seton Hall Pirates want revenge from a bad road loss to Creighton on January 6th.  But this is a banged-up Creighton team now that has lost two of its last three with upset losses to Butler and Providence.  Their only win came against a depleted UConn team by 8 at home.

The Pirates only lost 74-76 at Villanova as 9-point dogs last time out.  And they have played three straight and four of their last five on the road, so they have been a victim of a tough schedule of late.  They won at Xavier and at DePaul and also topped Butler at home.  The Pirates are 5-1 SU & 5-1 ATS at home this season.

Creighton is 1-7 ATS in its last eight games as a road favorite.  Seton Hall is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games as a home underdog.  The Pirates are 48-21 ATS in their last 69 games as underdogs.  They thrive in this roll and will win outright tonight.  The home team is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.  Take Seton Hall on the Money Line Wednesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Butler +5.5

The Butler Bulldogs battled through some injury problems early in the season.  Their early results have them undervalued currently.  They have finally gotten healthy and played up to their potential here of late.

Indeed, they upset Creighton 70-66 as 7-point home dogs before winning 67-53 as 2-point dogs at DePaul.  Now they've have a full week to get ready for Connecticut after last playing on Tuesday, January 19th.  They will be out for revenge from a 60-72 home loss to the Huskies on January 9th as well.

UConn has really struggled of late.  They were upset 70-74 as 6.5-point home favorites against St. John's before losing 66-74 at Creighton in their last two games.  A big reason for their struggles is the loss of leading scorer James Bouknight (20.3 PPG) to injury.  He has missed the past four games and they haven't been the same team without him.

Butler is 56-36 ATS in its last 92 games when playing on 5 or 6 days' rest.  The Bulldogs are 26-13 ATS in their last 39 road games off an upset win as an underdog.  The Huskies only have two days to get ready for Butler after last playing on Saturday at Creighton.  Roll with Butler Tuesday.

20* NBA Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Houston Rockets -3.5

The Houston Rockets are finally starting to get healthy, get some practice time together, and their chemistry is starting to show.  The Rockets are 2-0 SU & 2-0 ATS in their last two games overall with upset road wins over the Pistons and Mavericks (by 25) in their last two games.

Now the Rockets come in rested and ready to go after having the last two games off.  Victor Oladipo could return tonight after missing last game.  But they didn't need him as they beat the Mavericks by 25 behind 33 points from Eric Gordon and 28 from DeMarcus Cousins.  John Wall is back healthy now, and they should get Danuel House back from injury tonight as well.

The Wizards are a mess right now.  They are just 3-9 on the season.  They just returned from a nearly two-week absence and lost 101-121 in San Antonio on Sunday.  They are still playing without Hachimura, Wagner, Smith, Bertans and Bryant among others.  They are so short-handed right now that they've had to sign a couple players in recent weeks.  They are getting way too much respect from oddsmakers here as only 3.5-point dogs to the Rockets given their current situation.

The Wizards are 16-35-1 ATS in their last 52 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.  Bet the Rockets Tuesday.

20* ACC GAME OF THE WEEK on Pittsburgh +3.5

The Pitt Panthers continue to get no respect from oddsmakers despite being 8-3 SU & 7-4 ATS this season and one of the most improved teams in the country.  They have recent upset wins over Syracuse (twice) and Duke.

After beating Duke, and with UNC on deck, the Panthers clearly were in a letdown and sandwich spot last time out against Wake Forest.  They lost 75-76 as 2-point road favorites over the Demon Deacons.  That loss will have humbled them, and they'll have no problem getting motivated here to face North Carolina.

The Tar Heels are the team in the letdown spot now.  They are coming off an 86-76 home win over in-state rival NC State, revenging an earlier loss to the Wolf Pack this season.  UNC is fortunate to be 10-5 this season as it has five wins by 7 points or fewer.  They have simply been fortunate in close games this season.

The Tar Heels are 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 games overall.  UNC is 0-4 ATS in its last four road games.  The Tar Heels are 0-6 ATS in their last six road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The Panthers are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games overall.  Pitt is 4-1 ATS in its last five home games.  UNC is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games following two or more consecutive wins.  Take Pittsburgh Tuesday.

15* NBA Monday Undervalued Underdog on Detroit Pistons +6.5

The Detroit Pistons will be out for revenge from a 110-114 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.  Now the Pistons come back as 6.5-point home dogs two days later in the rematch.  They will be the more motivated team here.

The 76ers have a big game on deck against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.  They could easily be looking ahead to that game.  They also may decide to rest Joel Embiid, who had 33 points and 14 rebounds yesterday.  He is questionable for this one.

Conversely, the Pistons didn't have either Derrick Rose or Blake Griffin yesterday and still only lost by 4 points.  They won't have Rose, but they are expected to get Griffin back in the lineup for this one.  The Pistons are the definition of a team as they had seven different players score in double figures yesterday.  Getting Griffin back could make all the difference and have them winning this game outright.

Philadelphia is 4-16 ATS in its last 20 road games off two or more consecutive wins.  The 76ers are 14-35-2 ATS in their last 51 road games.  Detroit is 5-1 ATS in its last six games as a home underdog.  Take the Pistons Monday.

20* NBA Monday No-Doubt Rout on Orlando Magic PK

The Orlando Magic want revenge from a 104-107 home loss to the Charlotte Hornets yesterday.  Now they get to play the Hornets again today.  They go from being 2-point favorites yesterday to a pick 'em today.  The value is on the Magic due to motivation and a better line.

The way the Magic lost that game will not be sitting well with them.  They blew a 12-point lead at the start of the 4th quarter and were outscored 33-18 in the final period.  I always like backing the more motivated team in this situation, and I certainly like the fact that the Magic just have to win the game to cover.  Bet the Magic Monday.

20* Syracuse/Virginia ESPN No-Brainer on Syracuse +7.5

The Syracuse Orange are over their COVID problems and playing up to their potential.  They are coming off two straight dominant wins over Miami 83-57 and Virginia Tech 78-60, covering those two spreads by a combined 38 points.  Now they will give Virginia a run for its money.

This is a good time to 'sell high' on the Cavaliers, who have gone 6-0 SU & 4-2 ATS in its last six games overall.  Virginia is coming off a 64-62 home win over Georgia Tech as a 6.5-point favorite.  And the Cavaliers shouldn't be laying this many points to Syracuse tonight.  

The Orange pulled the 63-55 upset as 7-point road dogs at Virginia last season.  The road team is now 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.  Virginia is 0-7 ATS in its last seven games following five consecutive games as a favorite.  The Orange are 17-7 ATS in their last 24 conference road games.  Roll with Syracuse Monday.

20* Bills/Chiefs AFC Championship No-Brainer on Buffalo +3.5

Now that the line has finally gotten to +3.5 it's time to pull the trigger on the Buffalo Bills.  I've been waiting patiently for them to announce that Patrick Mahomes would be playing to get the Bills at a better number.  And now it's time to pounce on a Bills team that is playing as well as anyone in the NFL over the last three months, and certainly playing better than the Chiefs right now.

The Bills are 10-1 SU in their last 11 games overall with their only loss coming 30-32 at Arizona on a hail mary on the last play of the game.  So, they've gone 11 straight games without losing by more than this spread, making for an 11-0 system backing the Bills here.  They are 8-0 SU in their last eight games overall with those eight wins coming by an average of 17.0 points per game.

This Buffalo offense is firing on all cylinders behind the play of Josh Allen.  They are averaging 34.7 points per game in their last 10 games.  Allen is more than capable of matching Mahomes and the Chiefs score for score.  But what is getting overlooked here is just how much better this Buffalo defense has played down the stretch, and that is the X-factor.  They are allowing just 17.1 points per game in their last eight games overall.  They just held Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to 3 points last week, which is no small feat.

The Kansas City Chiefs are just barely surviving, but their luck runs out here.  The Chiefs haven't won any of their last nine games by more than 6 points.  You have to go all the way back to November 1st against the Jets to find the last time they covered a spread.  They are 0-8-1 ATS in their last nine games overall.  They've just been very fortunate in close games with each of their last eight wins coming by 6 points or less.

Now the Chiefs are dealing with an injury to their best player in Mahomes, and I'm not even talking about the concussion he sustained against the Browns last week.  It's the foot injury that clearly hampered him the rest of the game after it happened, and it was the start of the Browns comeback.  When Mahomes doesn't have his mobility, he's much easier to defend.  And I see that being the case here for this rapidly improving Bills defense.

A big reason the Chiefs have struggled to put teams away is because they have been one of the worst red zone offenses in the NFL.  They are fine moving the ball between the 20's, but terrible at turning it into touchdowns.  And the Bills have what it takes to buckle down and hold them to field goals when they do get in the red zone.  Conversely, the Chiefs are terrible in the red zone defensively, and Josh Allen has been great at getting touchdowns and not turning the ball over when he gets inside the 20.

The Bills are 7-2 SU against teams with winning records this season.  Yes, one of those losses came to the Chiefs 17-26 on October 19th, but that was a terrible spot for the Bills.  They were on just five days' rest as the game had to be rescheduled due to COVID.  Meanwhile, the Chiefs were on seven days' rest in that contest.  It was a huge advantage for the Chiefs.  The Bills have been a different team since in winning 10 of their last 11 games with their only loss by 2 points.

Now the Bills are in the favorable situation here having played on Saturday while the Chiefs played on Sunday last week.  The Bills are the team with the extra day of rest, and they got to watch the Chiefs play on Sunday.  That's a nice rest and preparation advantage for the red hot road team here.

The Bills are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  The Chiefs are 0-8-1 ATS in their last nine games overall.  Kansas City is 0-5 ATS in its last five home games.  The Chiefs are 0-8 ATS in their last eight games on grass.  These four trends combine for a 30-1 system backing Buffalo.  The road team is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.  The Bills are 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings in Kansas City.  Take the Bills Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Illinois State -1

The Illinois State Redbirds will be out for revenge from a 60-69 home loss to Valparaiso as 2-point favorites yesterday.  Now they will be the more motivated team here and come back as only 1-point home favorites this time around.  They basically just have to win to cover.

Valparaiso has not been playing well at all, so that effort was the aberration yesterday.  The Crusaders were 0-6 ATS in their previous six games.  They had lost five straight games all by 10 points or more.

Valparaiso is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games off an upset win as an underdog.  The Redbirds are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS loss.  Take Illinois State Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday PLAY OF THE DAY on Oklahoma City Thunder +13.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder just played the Clippers in Los Angeles on Friday and only lost 106-120 as 14-point dogs.  Now we only need them to improve by a single point to cover this 13.5-point spread in the rematch.  I think there's a ton of value with the Thunder today as they'll be the more motivated team.

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Clippers, who have won six straight coming in.  They have a big six-game road trip to get ready for coming up after this.  I don't think we will get their best effort today, and it's going to take their best effort to cover this massive spread.

Oklahoma City is 11-1 ATS in its last 12 road games with a total of 220 or higher.  The Thunder are 22-9 ATS in their last 31 games as road underdogs.  Oklahoma City is 11-0 ATS in its last 11 Sunday games.  Roll with the Thunder Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Bradley +7.5

The Bradley Braves are 9-5 this season with four of their five losses coming by 6 points or less.  So they have only been beaten by more than this 7.5-point margin once in 14 games this season, making for a 13-1 system backing the Braves.

It's a good time to 'buy low' on the Braves today off their first blowout loss of the season as 8.5-point favorites to Illinois State.  They played their worst game of the season and lost by 15.  So we are getting some great value on Bradley today because of that abberation.

Conversely, it's a great time to 'sell high' on Loyola-Chicago, which has gone 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in its last four games overall against an extremely soft schedule of Indiana State, UNI (twice) and Valparaiso.  The Ramblers are feeling pretty fat and happy right about now.

Loyola-Chicago is 1-8 ATS in its last nine road games following a road game.  The Ramblers are 3-10-1 ATS in their last 14 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.  The Braves are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games as home underdogs.  Bradley is 4-0 ATS in its last four games following an ATS loss.  The home team is 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings.  Bet Bradley Sunday.

25* NFL Playoffs GAME OF THE YEAR on Green Bay Packers -3

The Green Bay Packers fought hard to get home-field advantage throughout the playoffs down the stretch.  They knew that their four previous NFC Championship Game were all on the road, which is a big reason they lost them.  But they handled their business down the stretch to get this game at home, and now the fruits of their labor will pay off as they'll be going to the Super Bowl after a win and cover against the Tampa Bay Bucs.

Nobody has played better than the Packers down the stretch.  They are 7-0 SU & 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall with all seven victories coming by 7 points or more and by an average of 14.9 points per game.  That includes their 32-18 win over the Rams last week in a game that wasn't nearly as close as the final score.  The Packers outgained the Rams 484 to 244 in that game, or by 240 total yards.

Many came into that game believing the Rams had the best defense in the NFL.  Well, Aaron Rodgers and company did whatever they wanted in that game.  They rushed for 188 yards and passes for 296 more.  And getting the ground game going has been a big key to Green Bay's success down the stretch.  They have quietly rushed for 120 or more yards in six of their last seven games.  They also have one of the best defenses they've had in years, holding opponents to 22.8 points, 328.8 yards and 217 passing yards per game this season.

This will be the 3rd straight road game for the Bucs in the playoffs, which is always a tough situation.  And it's a warm weather team here traveling up north for a game in the cold.  Temperatures will be in the 20s on Sunday in Green Bay with winds around 10 MPH.  I'm sure Tom Brady doesn't even like the cold any more after moving to Tampa Bay.  And his arm strength isn't near what it used to be.  The Packers have a huge edge at QB in this one.

I was on the Bucs last week against the Saints, but their 30-20 win was misleading.  The Saints gave that game away with four turnovers.  Brady did not look good at all as he went just 18-of-33 passing for 199 yards in the win.  He will need to be much better if he wants any chance of competing with Rodgers and this high-powered Green Bay offense.  And I just love this underrated Green Bay secondary, which matches up very well with these Tampa Bay receivers.  There's a good chance the Bucs will be without Antonio Brown as well.

Green Bay is 75-48 ATS in its last 123 games as a home favorite of 7 points or less.  The Packers are 15-3 ATS in their last 18 home games in the 2nd half of the season vs. teams that outscore opponents by 6-plus points per game.  The Packers are 8-1 SU & 6-3 ATS at home this season and outscoring opponents by 12.4 points per game.  Green Bay is 5-0 ATS in its last five home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  Green Bay gets and extra day of rest here after playing on Saturday while Tampa Bay played on Sunday night.  They got to sit around and watch the Bucs play, which is a nice advantage.  Bet the Packers Sunday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Nuggets/Suns UNDER 219

The Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns just played last night with the Nuggets winning 130-126 in overtime.  That games was tied 114-114 at the end of regulation for 228 combined points.  I think the UNDER is a great bet tonight with both teams coming back tired.

I doubt either team is able to shoot as well as they did in the first meeting.  The Nuggets shot 51.5% while the Suns shot 50%.  Familiarity favors defense, and tired legs certainly don't help offense.  Plus, the Suns are going to be without leading scorer Devin Booker (22.9 PPG) in the rematch after he sustained a hamstring injury in overtime.  That's a big loss as Booker had 31 points last night.

The UNDER is 10-4 in Suns last 14 games overall.  The UNDER is 21-10 in Suns last 31 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game.  Bet the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Chicago Bulls +9.5

The Chicago Bulls have been covering machines as they are consistently undervalued in the betting markets.  The Bulls are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games overall.  They have just one loss in their last 13 games by more than 4 points, and that came against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Speaking of the Bucks, the Lakers are in a letdown spot following a 113-106 road win over the Bucks on National TV (TNT) Thursday night.  They won't be nearly as motivated to face the Bulls tonight.  Plus, they just recently beat the Bulls 117-115 at home as 8.5-point favorites on January 8th.  Now they come back as 9.5-point road favorites in the rematch, which makes no sense.

Chicago is 8-1 ATS in non-conference games this season.  The Bulls are 8-1 ATS as dogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  Los Angeles is 21-40 ATS in its last 61 non-conference games.  Chicago is 10-1 ATS vs. teams that score 106 or more points per game this season.  Chicago is 11-1 ATS in its last 12 games as an underdog.  Take the Bulls Saturday.

15* Pac-12 PLAY OF THE DAY on Washington State +10

This is a great time to 'buy low' on the Washington State Cougars.  They have lost four straight after opening the season 9-1 with their only loss coming to Arizona in OT.  They have played four of their last five on the road against a very tough schedule.  Now they are back home here against Colorado.

We know that Colorado is one of the best bets in the country when they are playing at home.  But they are one of the worst bets when they are on the road.  The Buffalos are 2-4 SU in their last six road games with neither win coming by more than 10 points.  That includes their 80-84 upset loss at Washington last time out as 13-point favorites.  That's a 2-11 Washington team.

The home team is 7-0 SU & 7-0 ATS in the last seven meetings.  Washington State is 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in its last three home meetings with Colorado with three outright upset victories.  Washington State hasn't lost any of its last six home meetings with Colorado by more than 9 points.  The Buffaloes are 15-42 ATS in their last 57 road games.  Roll with Washington State Saturday.

20* Providence/Villanova FOX No-Brainer on Providence +11.5

Providence is a gritty team that doesn't go away easily.  That is evident by the fact that they have gone 6-4 SU & 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games overall with all four losses coming by 10 points or fewer, including three by 6 points or less.  That makes for a 10-0 system backing the Friars pertaining to this 11.5-point spread.  They just upset Creighton 74-70 as 10-point road underdogs last time out.

Asking Villanova to win by 12-plus points to beat us is asking too much.  Especially for a Wildcats team that didn't play a single game between December 23rd and January 19th due to COVID.  They just returned to practice on Thursday last week and only had eight players available.  They were rusty in a 76-74 win over Seton Hall as 8.5-point favorites in their return to action.  And they still won't be hitting on all cylinders yet today.

Six of the last seven meetings in this series were decided by 11 points or less.  That includes a 58-54 upset as 7.5-point dogs by Providence at Villanova last year.  The Friars are 5-1 ATS in their last six games as underdogs.  The Wildcats are 1-8 ATS in their last nine home games.  Providence is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games as a road dog or PK.  Take Providence Saturday.

20* CBB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Syracuse -1

The Syracuse Orange are grossly undervalued right now.  They should be more than 1-point favorites here at home against the Virginia Tech Hokies.  They played up to their potential in their 83-57 win over Miami last time out.  And they will come back with another big effort here with a ranked Hokies team coming to town.

I think it's time to 'sell high' on the Hokies, who are 7-1 SU in their last eight games overall but it has come against a pretty easy schedule.  Their only two road games during this stretch came in a loss at Louisville and a narrow 64-60 win over a bad Wake Forest team.  This will arguably be their toughest test of the season to date.

Syracuse is 6-1 SU In its last seven home meetings with Virginia Tech.  Virginia Tech is 1-8 ATS in its last nine road games off two straight conference games.  The Hokies are 2-7 ATS in their last nine road games.  Virginia Tech is 1-6 ATS in its last seven road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Bet Syracuse Saturday.

15* NBA Friday Late-Night BAILOUT on Sacramento Kings -4

This is a great spot to 'buy low' on the Sacramento Kings, who are 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall.  But it has come against a brutal schedule of the Clippers (twice), Blazers and Pelicans.  Now they get to face one of the worst teams in the East in the Knicks and will take advantage.

It's a great rest spot for the Kings as they will be playing just their 2nd game in 5 days.  It's a terrible rest spot for the Knicks, who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after an upset road win over the Golden State Warriors last night.  It will also be the 8th game in 13 days for the Knicks here.  Bet the Kings Friday.

15* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Minnesota Timberwolves +6

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Minnesota Timberwolves, who just blew a 20-point lead against the Magic and lost 96-97 at the buzzer last time out.  This is a motivated, rested Timberwolves team that will be playing just their 3rd game in 9 days here tonight.

The Timberwolves will be out for revenge from a 97-108 road loss at Atlanta on December 18th just five days ago.  Now they get their shot at revenge here Friday night and are catching 6 points at home in the rematch.  This is a game they can win outright.

It's not like the Hawks are playing all that well right now, either.  They are 3-5 SU & 3-5 ATS in their last eight games overall.  They erased a huge deficit to come back and beat the Pistons in overtime at home last time out.  Cam Redish and De'Andre Hunter are questionable tonight, while they are still without Bogdanovic and Gallinari.

Atlanta is 2-12 ATS in its last 14 games after winning two of its last three games coming in.  The Hawks are 1-10 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. teams that force 14 or fewer turnovers per game.  Atlanta is 9-19 ATS in its last 28 road games.  The Hawks are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.  Roll with the Timberwolves Friday.

20* Celtics/76ers ESPN No-Brainer on UNDER 222.5

These teams just played on Wednesday with the 76ers winning 117-109 at home for 226 combined points.  The total was 220 for that game and now the books have jacked up this total 2.5 points to 222.5.  I think that's the wrong adjustment, and now there's great value with the UNDER in the rematch.

Familiarity favors defense.  Points will be much harder to come by in the rematch.  And the 76ers shot a whopping 45 free throws in that first meeting and made 36 of them.  They aren't going to get a free 36 points in the rematch, and they certainly won't get nearly as many calls as they did in that first game.

The UNDER is 5-2 in the last seven meetings with combined scores of 216 or fewer in five of those.  The UNDER is 14-6 in Celtics last 20 games as underdogs.  The UNDER is 8-2 in 76ers last 10 games following an ATS win.

Plays on the UNDER on all teams where the total is 220 or higher (Boston) - a well rested team playing four or less games in 10 days, in a game involving two good teams (60% to 75%) are 87-34 (71.9%) since 1996.  Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Eastern Conference ANNIHILATOR on Toronto Raptors -2.5

The Toronto Raptors will be out for revenge from a 102-111 home loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday.  Look for them to have their revenge tonight in the rematch just two days later on Friday.

Now the Raptors go from being 4-point favorites in that first meeting to just 2.5-point favorites in the rematch, so there's some line value here.  Plus the Raptors aren't going to shoot as poorly as they did in the first meeting, where they shot just 39.8% compared to 48.7% for Miami.  That includes 18-for-40 (45%) from 3-point range for the Heat, which is very unlikely for them to repeat.

Miami is 3-15 ATS in its last 18 road games vs. bad defensive teams that allow 110 or more points per game.  The Heat are 0-6 ATS in their last six games following an ATS win.  Take the Raptors Friday.

20* Pelicans/Jazz TNT Late Night BAILOUT on New Orleans +7

This is the perfect spot to bet New Orleans tonight.  We'll 'buy low' on the Pelicans, who have lost six of their last seven games overall, including their 102-118 loss in Salt Lake City on Tuesday.  Now the Pelicans will be the more motivated team here out for revenge and getting a chance at payback just two days later.

It's the ultimate 'sell high' spot on the Jazz.  They have gone 6-0 SU & 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall.  And they won't be very motivated to face a Pelicans team that they just beat by 16 as 6.5-point favorites on Tuesday.  Now they are even bigger favorites here laying 7 points in the rematch.

That was a rare blowout win for the Jazz in this series as the previous three meetings were all decided by 6 points or less.  The Pelicans are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games following a loss by more than 10 points.  The Jazz are 5-13-2 ATS in their last 20 games as home favorites

Plays against any team (Utah) - off two consecutive covers as a favorite, a good team (60% to 75%) playing a bad team (25% to 40%) are 53-18 (74.6%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Pelicans Thursday.

15* CBB Thursday UPSET SHOCKER on Washington State +2.5

I love the spot for the Washington State Cougars tonight.  They opened 8-1 with their only loss to Arizona by 4 points in overtime.  But they have since played four straight road games and gone 1-3 SU with losses to three of the best teams in the Pac-12 in Stanford, UCLA and USC.

Now the Cougars finally get to play a home game here against a team they can handle in Utah.  The Cougars are 8-1 at home this season with that lone loss being the overtime defeat to Arizona.  The Utes are 0-3 SU & 1-2 ATS on the highway this season and losing by 12.7 points per game.

The Utes are just 1-5 SU & 2-4 ATS in their last six games overall.  And they have played four straight home games coming in.  That includes their 63-72 home loss to California as 11.5-point favorites last time out.

Utah is 0-8 ATS in its last eight road games off a conference loss.  The Utes are 2-7 ATS in their last nine road games.  The Cougars are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a loss.  Washington State is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games as a home underdog.  The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  Take Washington State Thursday.

20* NBA Wednesday Late-Night BAILOUT on San Antonio Spurs +1.5

This is a huge letdown spot for the Golden State Warriors.  They erased a double-digit 4th quarter deficit on TNT on MLK Day and pulled the 115-113 upset as 9-point road underdogs.  They won't be nearly as motivated to face the Spurs as they were to go up against the defending champs two days ago.

This is a Spurs team quietly playing some great basketball of late, especially on the road.  The Spurs have won six of their last eight games overall, including upset road wins over both the Lakers and Clippers.

The Spurs are a perfect 7-0 ATS in their last seven games as road underdogs.  The Warriors are 0-8 ATS in their last eight home games off a close win by 3 points or less.  Golden State is 16-34-1 ATS in its last 51 games as a home favorite.  The Warriors are 19-39-1 ATS in their last 59 games following an ATS win.  The Spurs are 5-2 SU & 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.  Take the Spurs Wednesday.

15* Pac-12 PLAY OF THE DAY on Washington +13

It's a good time to 'buy low' on the Washington Huskies.  They are 1-11 SU this season, but they have been showing some improvement here of late.  They only lost 76-81 at UCLA as 15.5-point underdogs last time out.

Now the Huskies are 13-point home dogs to Colorado.  They were only 9-point road dogs at Colorado in their first meeting this season, a 69-92 loss.  They will be out for revenge, and they are catching 4 more points than last time despite playing at home this time around.

Colorado is one of the best home teams in the country.  But they are awful on the road and have been for years.  Washington is 6-1 SU & 5-2 ATS in its last seven home meetings with the Buffaloes.

The Buffaloes are 15-41 ATS in their last 56 road games.  Colorado is 7-16 ATS in its last 23 games as a road favorite.  The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.  The Buffaloes are 0-6 ATS in their last six road games off three or more consecutive wins.  Colorado is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 road games off two or more consecutive home wins.  Roll with Washington Wednesday.

20* Big East GAME OF THE MONTH on Providence +10.5

It's a good time to 'buy low' on the Providence Friars off three straight losses by 10 points or less.  In fact, the Friars haven't lost any of their last nine games by more than 10 points.  So getting 10.5 points here is a great value.

Providence only lost 65-67 at home to Creighton on January 2nd in their first meeting as 4-point underdogs.  So they will be out for revenge here.  Plus, this is a 6.5-point adjustment for home-court advantage with the Bluejays now 10.5-point favorites in the rematch.  That's too big of an adjustment.

Creighton is dealing with an injury to its best player in Marcus Zegarowski (14.1 PPG, 4.8 APG, 4.2 RPG).  He sat out their last game against Butler and they were upset as 7-point favorites.  Zegarowski is questionable to return with a hamstring injury here.  He had 20 points and 7 rebounds in the first meeting with Providence.   Even if he plays I love the Friars here.  If he doesn't it will be an added bonus.

The Friars are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games when revenging a loss.  That includes a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last six games when revenging a same-season loss.  Providence has only lost one of the last seven meetings with Creighton by double-digits, and that was an 11-point loss.  Bet Providence Wednesday.

20* Pelicans/Jazz NBA TV No-Brainer on New Orleans +6.5

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Utah Jazz tonight.  They have gone 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.  They are coming off a huge 109-105 road win over the Nuggets on Sunday, getting revenge on the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year.  This is now a big letdown spot for the Jazz tonight.

It's also a great time to 'buy low' on the New Orleans Pelicans.  They have gone just 1-5 SU & 2-4 ATS in their last six games overall.  They blew a 15-point lead against the Lakers, lost by 5 to the Clippers, lost by 1 to the Thunder and lost by 2 to the Pacers.  So it's not like they are getting blown out, and catching 6.5 points with them here is a nice value.

The Jazz are 6-14-2 ATS in their last 22 home games.  Utah is 1-4 ATS in its last five games as a home favorite.  Each of the last three meetings in this series were decided by 6 points or less.  Bet the Pelicans Tuesday.

20* CBB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Syracuse -4

The Syracuse Orange will be highly motivated for a victory.  They have lost their last two games overall and are 0-4 ATS in their last four games.  So we are getting them cheap as only 4-point home favorites based on recent results.

The blew another halftime lead and gave up 64 points to Pitt in the 2nd half last time out.  There's no doubt they come back with an inspired effort tonight at home against the Miami Hurricanes.  It's a good time to 'buy low' on the Orange here.

It's also a great time to 'sell high' on the Hurricanes, who have gone 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.  After losing 62-84 at Boston College, they came back and upset Louisville 78-72 at home last time out.  They did it despite having just seven scholarship players available.  That win has them overvalued, and they could still be short-handed tonight.

This is a great matchup for Syracuse.  Teams need to be able to make 3-pointers to beat them because they play their patented 2-3 zone.  Well, Miami is last in the ACC in 3-point shooting at 28.1% this season.

Miami is 0-11 ATS in its last 11 games vs. excellent free throw shooting teams that make 77% or better.  The Hurricanes are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 road games.  The Orange are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games following an ATS loss.  Take Syracuse Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Maryland +10.5

The Maryland Terrapins want revenge from a 73-84 home loss to the Michigan Wolverines on December 31st in their first meeting this season.  The Wolverines shot 58.8% as a team, and that's highly unlikely to happen again here.

Maryland just went on the road and beat Illinois 66-63 outright as a 10.5-point underdog in its last Big Ten game.  The Terrapins also upset Wisconsin 70-64 as 10-point road dogs and only lost to Purdue by 3 as 6-point road dogs.  They have actually played their best basketball on the highway this season.

Michigan is overvalued right now after opening the season 11-1 SU & 9-3 ATS.  But their perfect season just ended in a 57-75 road loss at Minnesota as 5.5-point favorites on Saturday.  And a lot of times teams struggle in that next game after having their long winning streak snapped.  I expect that to be the case here with the Terrapins being the more motivated, revenge-minded team.  Roll with Maryland Tuesday.

15* Warriors/Lakers TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on UNDER 226.5

Both the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors have been great UNDER bets this season.  The Lakers are 10-2 UNDER in their last 12 games overall, while the Warriors are 5-0 UNDER in their last five games overall.

The Lakers are such a great UNDER bet because they play great defense and run their offense through Lebron James and Anthony Davis, so they have to slow it down.  The Lakers rank 1st in the NBA in defensive efficiency this season.

The Warriors are an improved defensive team this season because they know they have to rely on defense without the firepower of Klay Thompson.  They really don't have many good offensive weapons outside Stephen Curry.  The Warriors rank 25th in offensive efficiency and 17th in defensive efficiency.

The UNDER is 9-1 in Lakers last 10 games following a win.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Warriors last seven games as a road underdog.  The UNDER is 4-1 in the last five meetings with combined scores of 216 or fewer points in four of them.  Roll with the UNDER in this game Monday.

20* Kansas/Baylor ESPN No-Brainer on Kansas +9

You're definitely paying a premium to back the No. 2 ranked Baylor Bears at this point.  They have opened 12-0 SU & 10-2 ATS to make the betting public a ton of money.  They are going to continue to back them until they fail them.

In no world should the Kansas Jayhawks be catching 9 points to Baylor.  The Jayhawks have dominated the Big 12 for decades.  And while they aren't as good as they have been in years' past, they are still one of the best teams in the country.  And they'll be highly motivated to hand the Bears their first loss of the season tonight.

It's also a good time to 'buy low' on the Jayhawks off an upset loss to Oklahoma State on Tuesday.  Now the Jayhawks have had five days to get ready for Baylor.  Meanwhile, the Bears will be playing their 2nd game in 3 days after a hard-fought 68-60 road win at Texas Tech on Saturday.  They only have one day to get ready for Kansas, which is a huge disadvantage for them.

Kansas is 19-2 ATS in its last 21 games after allowing 45 points or more in the first half last game.  The Jayhawks are 13-2 ATS in their last 15 road games vs. a team with a winning record.  Kansas is 11-1 ATS in its last 12 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.  The road team is 23-8-1 ATS in the last 32 meetings.  The underdog is 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings.  Bet Kansas Monday.

20* Suns/Grizzlies TNT No-Brainer on Phoenix -3

The Phoenix Suns will be rested and ready to go tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies.  They haven't played in seven days with their last game coming on Monday, January 11th.  They will also be highly motivated for a victory off a loss.  The Suns are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their three games following a loss this season.

The Memphis Grizzlies are starting to get too much respect from oddsmakers after going 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.  They faced a very soft schedule during this stretch, and this is a big step up in class for them.  They will be without one of the most underrated players in the NBA on Jonas Valanciunas tonight.  He averages 14.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game this season and does all the dirty work for them.

Phoenix is 60-32 ATS in its last 92 games off an upset loss as a road favorite.  The Suns are 17-5 ATS in their last 22 games overall.  Bet the Suns Monday.

15* NBA Monday Early ANNIHILATOR on San Antonio Spurs -1

The San Antonio Spurs have gone 5-2 SU in their last seven games overall including upset road wins over both the Lakers and Clippers.  And now they should take down a short-handed Portland Trail Blazers team that is getting too much respect from oddsmakers after going 5-1 SU in its last six games overall against a very soft schedule.

But now the Blazers are going to be without two of their three best players in C.J. McCollum (26.7 PPG, 5.0 APG) and Jusuf Nurkic (9.8 PPG, 7.7 RPG) tonight.  Nirkic suffered a broken wrist a couple games back, while McCollum sustained a foot injury last time out and is out indefinitely.  Damian Lillard can't carry the load without these two against a team the caliber of the Spurs.

The Spurs are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 road games.  The Blazers are 2-7 ATS in their last nine home games.  Portland is 0-9-2 ATS in its last 11 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.  The Blazers are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS win.  Take the Spurs Monday.

15* St. John's/UConn FOX Early ANNIHILATOR on St. John's +8

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the UConn Huskies.  They are 7-1 SU & 7-1 ATS this season and making backers a ton of money.  But now they find themselves in a big favorite role here laying 8 points to St. John's.  Consider they were laying 8.5 points to DePaul a few games back, and St. John's is a much better team than DePaul.

There's no way the Huskies should be this heavily favored tonight considering they will be without their best player in James Bouknight (20.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG).  And it's a great time to 'buy low' on the Red Storm after going just 2-6 SU & 3-5 ATS in their last eight games overall.  They will be in their 2nd-largest underdog role of the entire season today.

UConn is 18-34 ATS in its last 52 games as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points.  The Huskies are 12-29 ATS in their last 41 home games after scoring 60 points or less.  Take St. John's Monday.

25* NFL Divisional Round GAME OF THE YEAR on Tampa Bay Bucs +3

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have now reeled off five straight victories and their offense is playing at a level as good as anyone that's left in the playoffs.  They are scoring 35.8 points per game during this five-game winning streak.

I was really impressed with what they did against Washington's defense last game.  They put up 507 total yards on a Washington defense that is one of the best in the NFL, especially up front.  If they can do that against Washington, they can certainly penetrate this overrated New Orleans defense.

The Bucs are also playing pretty well defensively in giving up 329.9 yards per game on the season.  And now they will get back their best defender in LB Devin White, who leads the team with 140 tackles, 9 sacks and 18 tackles for loss.  White had to sit out the Washington game, which is a big reason they actually somewhat struggled to stop Taylor Heineke and company.  They could also get back their best run stuffer in DT Jeremiah Ledbetter from a calf injury.  RB Ronald Jones could return after missing last week as well.

The Saints had some new injuries pop up in their win over the lowly Bears last week.  RB Latavius Murray, QB Taysom Hill and CB Patrick Robinson all missed practice for a second straight day on Thursday.  DE Trey Hendrickson, LT Terron Armstead and TE Jared Cook were all limited in practice on Thursday as well.

No question the Bucs are going to be the more motivated team here after losing the first two meetings of the season with the Saints, including their fluky 38-3 loss last time.  I think we see an inspired effort from them similar to the one we saw from the Ravens last week, who were playing with identical double-revenge after losing to the Titans in the playoffs last year and in their first meeting this season.

New Orleans is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 playoff home games.  The Saints are 0-6 ATS in their last six home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last three seasons.  New Orleans is 1-5 ATS in its last six vs. a team with a winning record.  Only one of the Saints' last nine games has come against a team with a winning record, and that was their home loss to the Chiefs in which they were outgained by 126 yards and were blown out worse than the final score showed.  Bet the Bucs Sunday.

15* CBB Sunday Total DOMINATOR on Northern Iowa/Loyola-Chicago UNDER 139

Loyola-Chicago beat Northern Illinois 72-57 for 129 combined points yesterday.  Now they play each other in a rematch a day later and we're seeing a 139-point total here after a 138-point total yesterday.  It makes no sense, and the books have missed their mark here.  There's a ton of value with the UNDER.

That's especially the case when you look at the series history between these teams.  Indeed, Northern Iowa and Loyola-Chicago have combined for 129 or fewer points at the end of regulation in eight of their last nine meetings, making for an 8-1 system backing the UNDER pertaining to this 139-point total set.

Loyola-Chicago is 9-1 UNDER in its last 10 home games after winning five or six of its last seven games coming in.  Northern Iowa is 36-19 UNDER in its last 55 road games when revenging a loss.  Familiarity favors the UNDER.  Take the UNDER in this game Sunday.

15* MVC PLAY OF THE DAY on Evansville +9

The Evansville Purple Aces will be out for revenge following a 60-69 loss as 8.5-point dogs at Bradley yesterday.  Now the Purple Aces come back as 9-point dogs here in the rematch, so we are getting an even better line than what was available at the close yesterday.

Evansville has been grossly undervalued for weeks.  The Purple Aces are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall.  They haven't lost any of their last 12 games by more than 9 points, making for a 12-0 system backing the Purple Aces pertaining to this 9-point spread.

Bradley hasn't won any of its last five games by more than 9 points.  That includes a 1-point win over Miami Ohio as a 12-point favorite.  Their only wins by more than this spread came against overmatched teams in Jackson State, Lewis, Judson College and Oakland.

The Purple Aces are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven games as underdogs.  The Braves are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games following an ATS win.  The road team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  Take Evansville Sunday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Chicago Bulls +7

The Chicago Bulls have been one of the most underrated teams in the NBA to this point.  Their 4-8 SU record will have them undervalued moving forward.  And we'll keep getting more points with them than we should be getting.

Chicago is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games overall.  The Bulls have a total of one loss by more than 4 points in those nine games, and that came to the best team in the East in the Milwaukee Bucks as 14.5-point dogs.  They have upset wins over the Wizards (twice), Mavericks and Blazers.  They also have five losses by 4 points or fewer, so they simply haven't been able to close out games.

The Bulls are rested and highly motivated for a win right now after losing four straight coming in.  They will be playing just their 2nd game in 7 days.  And they want to end this 6-game road trip with a victory in Dallas tonight.  It's a Mavericks team they already beat 118-108 as 4-point home underdogs.  And now they are catching even more points (+7) in the rematch.

Dallas is overvalued after going 4-1 SU & 5-0 ATS in its last five games overall.  The Mavericks had their four-game winning streak come to an end with a tough 109-112 loss at Milwaukee on National TV Friday.  I think they suffer a hangover from that defeat here Sunday.  And they will still be without Dorian-Finney Smith, Maxi Kleber, Dwight Powell and Josh Richardson due to COVID.  They could also be without both Jalen Brunson and Tim Hardaway Jr.

The Bulls are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games playing on one days' rest.  Chicago is 6-0 ATS in its last six Sunday games.  The Bulls are 5-0 ATS in their last five games as underdogs.  Chicago is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 road games after covering four of its last five ATS.  These four trends combine for a 29-1 system backing Chicago.  Roll with the Bulls Sunday.

20* Iowa/Northwestern Big Ten No-Brainer on Northwestern +10

This is the ultimate 'buy low' spot on the Northwestern Wildcats.  They opened the season 6-1 SU & 5-1 ATS with upset wins over Michigan State, Indiana and Ohio State.  But they have since gone 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS their last four games overall with four straight losses by double-digits and three of those coming on the road.  In their lone home loss they blew a 15-point halftime lead against Illinois.

That includes their 72-87 loss at Iowa as 11.5-point dogs on December 29th.  Now they will be out for revenge three weeks later here and are catching 10 points at home for this Sunday morning tilt.  Look for them to stay within the number and possibly pull off the upset.

The Hawkeyes are 17-39-2 ATS in their last 58 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.  The Wildcats are 5-2 ATS in their last seven home games.  Iowa is 3-11 ATS in its last 14 games off four or more consecutive wins.  Bet Northwestern Sunday.

15* Ravens/Bills AFC BAILOUT on Buffalo ML -139

I'm going to take the points out of play here and back the Buffalo Bills on the Money Line Saturday night.  The Bills are playing as well as anyone in the playoffs right now.  They are 10-1 in their last 11 games overall with their only loss coming on the hail mary by Arizona.  They are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games overall, and they have won seven straight SU with six of those coming by double-digits.

Josh Allen had an MVP-caliber season.  He has guided the Bills to an average of 36.7 PPG in their last nine games overall as this offense is humming as well as any offense in the NFL right now.  And the Bills have played much better defensively down the stretch to live up to their potential.  They are giving up just 19.1 points per game in their last seven games overall.

Allen and the offense will get theirs against the Ravens, and it's going to come down to how well the Bills stop the run.  They played soft against the run against the Colts last week because they were up 14 in the second half and defending the pass.  They have allowed 86 or fewer rushing yards in four of their last seven games overall.  And they have the speed at linebacker to contain Lamar Jackson.

This is a total different matchup here as the Bills can stack eight in the box to stop the run.  Jackson can't beat them with his arm, and that's the knock on him.  The Ravens are averaging just 155.9 passing yards per game in their last eight games.  They have been held below 200 passing yards in 13 of their 17 games this season.  So with Buffalo knowing it needs to stop the run to win this game, I think defensive minded head coach Sean McDermott comes up with the proper game plan to do just that.  And you know if Buffalo gets ahead big the Ravens don't have the ability to come back.

Lamar Jackson has never played in snow and the conditions could really hurt him.  He struggles to take care of the football as it is with terrible ball security.  And temperatures are going to be in the 20's Saturday night in Buffalo with a 40% chance of snow and winds from 10-15 MPH.  Allen is obviously used to playing in tough conditions dating back to his time at Wyoming.  That's a huge advantage for the Bills in this one.

Baltimore is just 3-4 SU against teams with winning records this season.  Buffalo is 6-2 SU against teams with winning records.  The Bills are 7-1 ATS in all games where the line is +3 to -3 this season.  The home team is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings.  Buffalo being 10-1 SU in its last 11 games overall applies here since we just need them to win straight up.  Roll with the Bills on the Money Line Saturday.

20* NBA Saturday No-Doubt Rout on San Antonio Spurs -6.5

The San Antonio Spurs just blew a 9-point lead late in the 4th quarter against the Houston Rockets on Thursday and lost 105-109.  It's safe to say the Spurs will be out for revenge in this spot as they get a rematch just two days later on Saturday.

It's a banged up Rockets team that will be missing John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Danuel House Jr. and could be without Eric Gordon.  I think the Spurs just took them lightly in the first meeting.  Greg Popovich won't allow that in the rematch.

The Rockets are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games overall.  Houston is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games following an ATS win.  San Antonio is 5-1 ATS in its last six games following an ATS loss.  The Spurs are 54-26 ATS in their last 80 games when revenging a loss.  Bet the Spurs Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Arkansas-Little Rock -3.5

Arkansas-Little Rock was upset 59-63 as a 5-point home favorite to Texas State yesterday.  Now the Trojans will be the more motivated team in the rematch, and we are getting a better line on them today as only 3.5-point home favorites.

We just saw Little Rock bounce back from a 64-66 loss to Lafayette with a win in the rematch.  They also beat Arlington by 9 and came back and beat them by 13 in the rematch.  This is a veteran team with five returning starters so they have been great at making adjustments in the second game of these rematches.

Little Rock is 8-1 ATS in its last nine home games after playing a home game.  Little Rock is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games when playing its 2nd game in 3 days.  Little Rock is 14-5 ATS in its last 19 home games.  The Bobcats are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games overall.  Texas State is 1-5 ATS in its last six games following a win.  The favorite is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.  Roll with Arkansas-Little Rock Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday UPSET SHOCKER on Appalachian State +3

Appalachian State lost 64-73 at South Alabama as a 3-point underdog yesterday.  They blew a 37-30 halftime lead and got outscored by 16 points after intermission.  Now the Mountaineers will be out for revenge in the rematch today and are identical 3-point dogs.  I fully expect them to win this game outright.

Appalachian State had gone 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in its three previous games with the three wins coming by a combined 40 points.  South Alabama was 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in its previous three games with its three losses coming by a combined 40 points.  So that win came out of nowhere and was an aberration.

The Jaguars are 7-18-2 ATS in their last 27 games as favorites.  South Alabama is 1-4 ATS in its last five games following a win.  The Mountaineers are 7-3-2 ATS in their last 12 games as underdogs.  The underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  Roll with Appalachian State Saturday.

20* Rams/Packers NFC No-Brainer on Green Bay -6.5

The Green Bay Packers fought hard to get the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage in the first round.  And now they are going to pay it off with a dominant win over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Round Saturday.

The Packers have gone 6-0 SU & 4-2 ATS in their last six games overall with all six wins coming by 7 points or more and by an average of 15.0 points per game.  That includes their 40-14 home win over the Titans in the snow.  And it is going to be cold, windy and there is currently a 40% chance of snow.

That's bad news for a West Coast team in the Rams that is used to playing in perfect conditions.  We've seen Jared Goff struggle in the past in cold weather in Chicago.  And Goff is far from 100% right now.  The only reason he played last week against Seattle was because John Wolford got hurt.  He came in and didn't have much on his throws as he is dealing with a broken thumb still.  And Wofford has already been ruled out, leaving it all on Goff.

Goff completed just 9-of-19 passes against the Seahawks last week.  And he isn't the only injury concern here.  The Rams' best defender in Aaron Donald suffered a rib injury that forced him out of action in the second half against Seattle.  He will play, but he won't be is usual dominant self.  WR Cooper Kupp (knee) was held out of practice Thursday and is questionable.  LB Terrell Lewis (ankle) has been ruled out.

With Goff hobbled and Kupp not himself, the Rams are going to struggled to keep up with the Packers on the scoreboard.  Aaron Rodgers is the MVP of the league with 70.7% completions, 4,299 yards and a 48-to-5 TD/INT ratio.  He and Devante Adams have hooked up 115 times for 1,374 yards and 18 touchdowns.  Aaron Jones quietly has rushed for 1,104 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 5.5 per carry.  This is a Packers offense that is averaging 31.8 points per game on the season.

The Rams have really been held in check offensively down the stretch.  The 30 points they scored on Seattle was fluky as they did it on just 333 total yards and an average of 4.9 yards per play.  They were aided by a pick-6 early in that game.  They are averaging just 20.2 points, 324.2 yards per game and 5.0 yards per play in their last five games overall.  That's not going to get it done against an improved Packers defense that allows just 334.1 yards per game this season.

The Packers are a perfect 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings in this series, winning five times by 10 points or more.  The favorite is 9-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings.  This trend continues as the rested Packers put it on the Rams for four quarters, and Jared Goff and company have no answer.  Take the Packers Saturday.

25* MAAC GAME OF THE YEAR on Niagara -1

Niagara is out for revenge from a 49-58 loss as a 3-point favorite at Manhattan yesterday.  Now the Purple Eagles are only 1-point favorites in the rematch.  Head coach Greg Paulus is clearly great at making adjustments in these situations.  And it helps that he has a veteran team that returned all five starters.

We've seen Niagara thrive in this situation all season.  After losing to St. Peter's by 16, they only lost by 4 in the rematch and covered as 8-point dogs.  After losing to Marist by 2, they came back and beat Marist by 14 in the rematch.  After losing to Rider by 6, they came back and beat them by 11 in the rematch.

Niagara is 12-1 ATS in its last 13 games after scoring 30 points or less in the first half of two straight games.  The Purple Eagles are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS loss.  The Jaspers are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a win.  Bet Niagara Saturday.

15* C-USA PLAY OF THE DAY on Florida International PK

FIU was just upset 79-81 by rival FAU as a 4.5-point home favorite on Thursday.  Now the Golden Panthers come back highly motivated for revenge and we get a 4.5-point adjustment in the line as they just have to win the game to cover in the rematch.

FIU is a perfect 9-0 ATS in its last nine games after failing to cover the spread in two or more consecutive games.  FAU is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 games after a combined score of 155 points or more.  Take Florida International Saturday.

15* ACC PLAY OF THE DAY on Notre Dame -4

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish finally get a break in the schedule.  Eight of their last nine opponents have been Virginia (Twice), UNC, VA Tech, Duke, Purdue, Kentucky and Ohio State.  That explains why they are just 2-7 SU in their last nine games overall.

But now the Fighting Irish get a team they can handle in Boston College.  And it's an Eagles team that will breathe a sigh of relief after ending a four-game skid with a win over Miami last time out.  The Fighting Irish will be the more motivated team to put an end to their own four-game skid.

Notre Dame is 19-2 SU in its last 21 meetings with Boston College, including 11-1 SU in its last 12 home meetings.  The Eagles are 0-4 ATS in their last four games following an ATS win.  Bet Notre Dame Saturday.

20* AAC GAME OF THE MONTH on Tulane +1

This is a terrible spot for the Temple Owls.  They will be playing their 2nd game in 3 days and their 3rd game in 6 days.  They had to travel to SMU on Monday, come home and play UCF on Thursday, and now have to travel to face Tulane on Saturday.

This is a rested Green Wave team that has six days to get ready for Temple after last playing Houston on Saturday.  It's also a good 6-3 Tulane team which only has losses to Memphis, ECU and Houston this season.  The Green Wave are 6-1 SU & 5-2 ATS at home this season.  The Owls are 0-2 SU in true road games with their two losses coming by a combined 37 points.

Temple is 5-17 ATS in its last 22 games off a home win.  The Green Wave are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games.  Take Tulane Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Holy Cross +19

Holy Cross has been grossly undervalued in the early going.  They are 2-2 SU & 3-1 ATS this season despite being underdogs in all four games.  They pulled the upset over Boston as 14.5-point dogs and also upset Army 70-61 as 11.5-point dogs.

Now Holy Cross is catching 19 points against a Colgate team that only beat Boston by 7 and also lost outright to Army as a 7.5-point favorite.  So that gives these teams two common opponents, and based on the results there's no way Colgate should be laying 19 points here.

The Crusaders are 4-0 ATS in their last four road games.  The Raiders are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following a win by more than 20 points.  Roll with Holy Cross Saturday.