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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6* Wednesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Yale -4 

The Key: Yale has been one of the most underrated teams in the country this year.  They are 9-1 ATS in their 10 lined games and 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games overall.  They hung tough in all 3 of their road losses to San Francisco by 5, Oklahoma State by 7 and Penn State by 2.  UMass comes in 0-5 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.  Four of the 5 losses came by double-digits.  It’s a rebuilding year for the Minutemen.  The Bulldogs are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 road games.  Yale is 42-9 ATS in its last 51 games as a road favorite.  Take Yale. 

7* NCAAB Game of the Week on Northern Iowa +9 

The Key: The Northern Iowa Panthers are probably the best team in the MVC this year.  They made the MVC title game last year and are off to an 8-1 start this year.  They have covered the spread in 6 of their 7 line games this season.  Their only loss came by 5 points to West Virginia on the road in a game they led almost the entire way.  They will go on the road here and stay within 9 points of Colorado as well.  The Buffaloes are coming off a 14-point loss at Kansas on Saturday and only have 2 days to get ready for the Panthers.  Northern Iowa has had 7 days to get ready for Colorado.  The Buffaloes are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall.  Take Northern Iowa. 

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

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

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

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

6* Nebraska/Creighton NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Nebraska +12 

The Key: The Nebraska Cornhuskers started slow but are improving rapidly under first-year head coach Fred Hoiberg.  They should be able to hang with their rivals in Creighton, who have not been impressive this year.  They lost to Michigan by 10 and San Diego State by 31.  They caught Texas Tech without their best player in an OT win.  They failed to cover at home against Cal Poly in a 16-point win as 24.5-point favorites, failed to cover at home against North Florida in a 9-point win as 17-point favorites, and also failed to cover at home against Oral Roberts in a 12-point win as 13.5-point favorites.  Nebraska is better than Cal Poly, North Florida and Oral Roberts.  Creighton is 6-18 ATS off a home win by 10 points or more over the last 3 years.  The Bluejays are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games off a win.  Take Nebraska. 

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

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

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

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

6* Iowa/Michigan Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Michigan -6.5 

The Key: This is an awful spot for the Hawkeyes.  They are coming off a huge win at Syracuse on Tuesday and now have to travel to Michigan.  Prior to that game at Syracuse, they were in Las Vegas for a tournament facing Texas Tech and San Diego State.  They are in a bad travel spot, and they won’t have much left in the tank here for Michigan.  The Wolverines got humbled finally with their loss at Louisville on Tuesday.  They’ll return home hungry for a win.  Remember, this team beat Iowa State, UNC and Gonzaga in the Bahamas and is legitimately one of the best teams in the country.  Michigan is 12-1 ATS off a loss over the last 3 years.  The Wolverines are 7-0 ATS as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12 points over the last 2 years.  Take Michigan. 

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

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

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

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

6* Wednesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Texas State +13 

The Key: The Houston Cougars lost almost everyone from last year’s team and aren’t very good this season.  They lost at home to BYU as 11.5-point favorites, failed to cover in a 12-point loss at Oregon, and needed a big finish to beat Rice as 13-point favorites.  Texas State is good enough to hang with this down Houston team.  Texas State is 6-2 this season with its only 2 losses coming on the road at Air Force by 7 and Baylor by 9.  They also upset UNLV on the road and can hang within this spread tonight.  Texas State is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 road games against a team that allows 42% or less shooting.  Take Texas State. 

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

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

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

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

6* Tuesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Oral Roberts +15 

The Key: Oral Roberts has already gone on the road and played some very good teams tough.  They lost by 5 at Oklahoma State, by 7 at Tulsa, by 13 at Iowa and by 9 at Wichita State.  They haven’t lost a game by more than 13 points this season and they won’t start tonight.  Creighton was beating by 31 by San Diego State before coming back and beating Texas Tech the next day.  The Red Raiders aren’t nearly as good as they were last year because they were beaten by Iowa the previous day.  Oral Roberts has had a week off and will be prepared for Creighton.  The Bluejays will be playing their 3rd game in 6 days.  It’s a letdown spot after their tournament in Vegas over Thanksgiving.  Creighton is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games off a win.  Take Oral Roberts. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

6* VCU/Purdue NCAAB *CA$H COW* on VCU +3 

The Key: VCU is 6-0 and returned 4 starters from last year’s team that won the Atlantic 10.  They should be favored over Purdue today.  This is a Purdue team that lost their stud Edwards from last year that carried them through the NCAA Tournament.  And they just aren’t as good as that Elite 8 team.  They lost at home to Texas by 4 and also lost at Marquette by 10 already this year.  Purdue is 0-6 ATS in road games after committing 8 turnovers or less last game over the last 2 years.  Take VCU. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

6* South Carolina/Northern Iowa NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Northern Iowa +1 

The Key: South Carolina is a train wreck this season after losing Silva and Gravett from last year’s team.  The Gamecocks lost by 8 at home to Boston U as 15.5-point favorites.  They lost by 23 to Wichita State as 4-point dogs.  And now they are taking on a 6-1 Northern Iowa team that may be the best in the MVC this year. The Panthers led by 15 over WVU yesterday but couldn’t hold on and lost 55-60 as 6-point dogs.  They will hold on to their lead against this putrid South Carolina team today.  The Panthers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 against SEC teams.  Take Northern Iowa. 

6* Ole Miss/Penn State NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Ole Miss +2.5 

The Key: The Ole Miss Rebels won 20 games last year and made the NCAA Tournament in Kermit Davis’ first season with the team.  He won SEC Coach of the Year and now had 3 starters back from that team and a lot of talent.  The Rebels are 4-1 this year with their only loss coming at Memphis 86-87 as 4.5-point dogs.  Penn State is 5-0, but it has come against an easy schedule.  They were fortunate to win 58-56 as 15-point home favorites over Yale last time out by closing that game on a 12-0 run.  Ole Miss is the better of these teams and should not be dogs.  The Rebels are 27-12 ATS in their last 39 games overall.  The Rebels are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 against Big Ten teams.  The Nittany Lions are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 against SEC teams.  Ole Miss is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 when playing only its 2nd game in 8 days.  Take Ole Miss. 

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

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

6* Tuesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Richmond +9.5 

The Key: The Richmond Spiders improved to 5-0 for the first time since 1985-86 with their 62-52 upset win over Wisconsin yesterday.  And now they have their sights set on taking down #18 Auburn tonight.  Richmond returned all 5 starters this year and four of them were double-digit scorers.  They added in Wagner transfer Blake Francis, who leads the team in scoring this year with 18.6 PPG.  Nick Sherod (18.2 PPG), Jacob Gilyard (17.6 PPG), Grant Golden (11.6 PPG, 9.0 RPG) and Nathan Cayo (9.4 PPG) are all returning starters as well.  This team is loaded and should continue to be a good money maker all year.  Take Richmond. 

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

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

6* New Mexico/Auburn NCAAB *CA$H COW* on New Mexico +8.5 

The Key: Auburn lost a ton of talent from last year’s Final Four team.  They have managed to go 5-0 this year, but it has come against a soft schedule, and they only beat South Alabama by 1 in their lone road game.  This will be their toughest game yet.  They’re up against a New Mexico team that returns a ton of talent and also recruited some great talent in the offseason.  The Lobos are 5-1 this season with their only loss coming on the road by 3 points to UTEP.  They beat New Mexico State on the road, and NMSU is great every year.  Take New Mexico. 

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

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

6* Saturday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Florida International -9.5 

The Key: FIU has a common opponent with UNC-Wilmington.  That common opponent is Cleveland State.  FIU beat Cleveland State 107-61 on the road, while UNC-Wilmington just lost to Cleveland State 46-47 yesterday.  That’s a Cleveland State team that replaced all 5 starters and is very bad.  FIU handled Cleveland State like they should, and they’ll handle this UNC-Wilmington team as well.  Take Florida International. 

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

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

6* Friday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Evansville -6 

The Key: Evansville proved it would be a contender in the MVC this year by going into Kentucky and winning outright as a 24.5-point favorite.  No surprise they followed it up with an upset home loss to SMU as 2.5-point favorites in a 2-point loss in a clear letdown spot.  The Purple Aces will be refocused for this tournament in the Bahamas.  Now they take on a 1-3 ECU team that has a 20-point loss to Liberty at home, a 6-point loss at App State and a 5-point loss at Navy.  Their only win came against Virginia Military at home by 12.  The Pirates are overmatched here.  Evansville is 8-1 ATS in road games after scoring 60 points or less over the last 3 years.  ECU is 0-6 ATS in road games off 3 consecutive non-conference games over the last 3 years.  ECU is 1-9 ATS after having lost 3 of its last 4 games over the last 2 years.  ECU is 0-7 ATS in road games against teams who make 8 or more 3-point shots per game over the last 3 years.  Take Evansville. 

7* NCAAB Game of the Week on Rhode Island -6 

The Key: Rhode Island returned all 5 starters this year and is one of the most improved teams in the country.  The Rams are 3-1 this year with their only loss coming at No. 6 Maryland.  They beat Alabama 93-79 at home and will handle North Texas.  UNT is 2-3 this year with its only wins against Oklahoma Christian and UNC A&T.  They lost at home to Eastern Michigan outright as 9-point favorites, were blown out by 23 at Arkansas, and also lost at VCU.  UNT is 0-8 ATS against teams who are called for 17 or fewer fouls per game over the last 2 years.  UNT is 6-15 ATS against a team with a winning record over the last 2 years.  UNT is 1-9 ATS off an ATS win over the last 2 years.  Take Rhode Island. 

6* Thursday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on New Mexico +4 

The Key: Last year was a rebuilding year for head coach Paul Weir and New Mexico.  This year he has NBA talent on the roster and the Lobos will be a force in the Mountain West.  New Mexico State had a great season last year, but it’s more of a rebuilding season for them now.  They have losses to UTEP by 15 and Arizona by 30 already.  New Mexico is 4-1 with its only loss coming to UTEP by 3, which gives them a common opponent with New Mexico State.  The Lobos only lost by 3 on the road to UTEP, while the Aggies lost by 15 to them on the road.  I strongly believe the wrong team is favored in this matchup.  Take New Mexico. 

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

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

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

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

6* Wednesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Chattanooga +20.5 

The Key: Chattanooga is off to a 3-1 start this year with its only loss at Eastern Kentucky int he opener.  Chattanooga has pulled out upset wins in its last 2 games at Troy 74-68 as 3-point dogs and home against South Alabama 90-72 as 3.5-point dogs.  They can hang with Florida State on the road tonight.  The Seminoles are coming off a lackluster 79-74 home win over Western Carolina as 17.5-point favorites.  They were also upset by Pitt in their opener as 4.5-point road favorites.  Chattanooga is 8-0 ATS when playing its 2nd game in 8 days over the last 2 years.  Take Chattanooga. 

7* NCAAB Game of the Week on Furman +4.5 

The Key: Furman is a team in line to make a run at an NCAA Tournament bid.  They are neck and neck with East Tennessee State as the top two teams in the Southern Conference.  Furman went 25-8 last year and returns 4 starters from that squad, all who averaged anywhere from 8.8 PPG to 16.2 PPG.  Furman is 4-0 SU & 3-0 ATS this year with road wins over Gardner Webb as 5-point favorites and Charleston Southern (by 44) as 7-point favorites as well as a blowout home win over Loyola-Chicago (by 24) as 4.5-point favorites.  Those results and margin of victory show that this team in for real.  Alabama is rebuilding under first-year head coach Nate Oats.  The Crimson Tide are 1-2 this season with an upset home loss to Pennsylvania and an upset road loss at Rhode Island by 14.  Wrong team favored here as Furman is probably the best team they will have faced yet.  Furman is 21-5 ATS in its last 26 against a team with a losing record.  Furman is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 road games.  Alabama is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 home games.  Take Furman. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6* Friday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Duke -28 

The Key: It’s hard to believe, but the Duke Blue Devils have actually been lacking respect to start the season because they lost Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett.  But their replacements have more than done the job.  The Blue Devils are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS this year covering the spread by an average of 10.7 PPG.  Georgia State will not offer much resistance tonight.  It’s a rebuilding Georgia State team with a first-year head coach in Rob Lanier.  Duke is 8-0 ATS in home games after allowing 65 points or less in 2 straight games over the last 3 years.  Take Duke. 

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

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

6* Wednesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Northern Iowa -10 

The Key: Northern Iowa returned 4 starters this year and will be a factor to win the Missouri Valley this year.  This is the most talented team Ben Jacobson has had in a while.  I believe he’s the best coach in the Missouri Valley.  The Panthers are 2-0 SU & 2-0 ATS this year with wins and covers over quality Old Dominion and Northern Illinois teams.  Now they face a CS-Bakersfield team that isn’t nearly as good as the two teams they have already played.  The Panthers should have no problem winning by double-digits.  Bakersfield is picked 6th in the WAC this year.  The went 18-16 last year but lost 3 of their top 4 scorers.  They only return 2 of their worst starters and 2 reserves.  They were upset by South Dakota State at home last time out.  Bakersfield is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games overall.  Northern Iowa is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games overall.  The Panthers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games.  Take Northern Iowa. 

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

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

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

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

6* Tuesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Valparaiso -6 

The Key: SIU-Edwardsville is 1-1 this season with a lackluster 61-52 home win over Quincy.  They lost 60-87 at Iowa, which was just upset at home by DePaul by 15 as a 9.5-point favorite.  Valparaiso upset Toledo at home and lost on the road to Saint Louis by 11 as a 9.5-point dog.  They have been tested against two good teams, and now they face a cupcake they can beat up on, which is exactly what I expect them to do.  Valpo returned its 2 best players from last year in Javon Freeman and Ryan Fazekas.  They added in good transfers in Iron Gordon from Seton Hall and Nick Robinson from Saint Joe’s as well as Zion Morgan from UNLV.  Morgan teamed with Robinson at Chicago’s Kenwood High School, giving them some chemistry.  Daniel Sackey is also a returning starter who is averaging 14.5 points and 6.0 assists through two games.  Freeman (19 ppg) and Fazekas (13 ppg) are both off to fantastic starts this year as well.  The Crusaders are 8-0 ATS after allowing 80 points or more over the last 3 years.  SIU-Edwardsville is 1-8 ATS after scoring 60 points or less over the last 3 years.  Take Valparaiso. 

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

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

6* Sunday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Ohio State -23

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

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

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

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

The Key: No analysis this weekend.  On vacation. 

6* Saturday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Iowa State +2.5 

The Key: No analysis this weekend.  On vacation. 

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

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

6* Friday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Memphis -18

The Key: The Memphis Tigers had the top recruiting class in the country this season.  Penny Hardaway is doing big things recruiting his former AAU players when he was a head coach for them, which gives him a huge advantage.  I look for the Tigers to show out tonight against Illinois-Chicago.  Memphis won 97-64 as a 26-point favorite against South Carolina State in their opener to get the cover.  Illinois-Chicago nearly was upset by Olivet Nazarene of all teams, only winning 75-72 after getting an and-one with only a few seconds remaining.  After that result, there’s no way they can hang with Memphis.  Illinois-Chicago is 2-11 ATS in its last 13 games as a road dog of 18.5 to 24 points.  Take Memphis. 

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

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

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

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

6* Notre Dame/UNC ACC *CA$H COW* on Notre Dame +10 

The Key: Notre Dame returns all 5 starters this year and will be one of the most improved teams in the country.  UNC returns just one starter and lost a ton of talent to the NBA.  The Tar Heels should not be laying double-digits against this veteran Fighting Irish squad that will give them a run for their money tonight.  3 of the last 4 meetings in this series were decided by 7 points or fewer.  The Fighting Irish are 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.  Take Notre Dame. 

6* St. Mary’s/Wisconsin NCAAB *CA$H COW* on St. Mary’s -5 

The Key: The St. Mary’s Gaels are ranked and one of the best teams in the country coming into the season.  The Gaels return 4 starters from a team that went 22-12 last year.  They have Jordan Ford (21.1 ppg), Tanner Krebs (8.9 ppg), Tommy Kuhse (6.2 ppg) and Malik Fitts (15.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg) back as starters.  Wisconsin loses its best player in Ethan Happ (17.3 ppg, 10.1 rpg) and fellow starter Khalil Iverson (6.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg).  They do have 3 starters back, but they are sure to take a step back this year.  The Badgers are 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games overall.  Wisconsin is 0-4 ATS in its last 4 neutral site games.  Take St. Mary’s. 

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

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

7* Kansas/Duke NCAAB *HEAVY HITTER* on Kansas -2 

The Key: The Duke Blue Devils lost Zion, Barrett and Redish to the NBA.  They won’t be as talented as they were last year, and they certainly won’t be hitting on all cylinders to start the season with so many freshmen.  The Kansas Jayhawks are a more veteran team than they normally are.  They have 3 starters back, a healthy Udoka Azubuike, and got the great news that Silvio De Sousa will be eligible.  The Jayhawks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings with Duke.  Take Kansas. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7* Warriors/Raptors Game 5 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 214.5 

The Key: The longer a series goes on, the harder it is to score points.  Familiarity makes it easy for the defenses to have the advantage as a series goes on.  We saw that in Game 4 in a 105-92 Raptors win for 197 combined points with a total of 215.  Now we have a near identical total of 214.5 for Game 5 and I think the price is right to pull the trigger on the UNDER.  The UNDER is 33-16-2 in Warriors last 51 games off a loss.  The UNDER is 6-2 in Raptors last 8 games on 2 days’ rest.  Take the UNDER. 

6* Raptors/Warriors Game 4 *CA$H COW* on Golden State -4.5 

The Key: The series is on the line for the Warriors tonight.  They will come through with a big effort, especially with the return of Klay Thompson to the lineup.  The Raptors are just happy to have won Game 3 and to have reigned home-court advantage no matter what happens in Game 4.  They won’t play with a sense of urgency, and they certainly won’t shoot as well as they did in Game 3, while the Warriors should shoot better.  Take Golden State. 

7* NBA Finals Game of the Year on Toronto Raptors +4.5 

The Key: The Warriors are a mash unit right now.  Both Kevin Durant and Kevon Looney are out for Game 3, Klay Thompson is questionable, and Andre Iguodala is likely to play through his calf injury.  In their current state, the Warriors aren’t as good as the Raptors.  Toronto will be hungry to bounce back after letting the Warriors off the hook in Game 2 and blowing a double-digit lead.  The Raptors are 30-19 on the road this year and have been one of the top road teams in the NBA.  The Warriors are 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 games off an ATS win.  Take Toronto. 

7* Warriors/Raptors Game 2 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 213.5 

The Key: I think we see a much lower scoring contest in Game 2 than we saw in Game 1.  The Warriors and Raptors combined for 227 points in Game 1 led by a great shooting game by Toronto, hitting over 50% of their field goal attempts.  I think after both teams had a couple days to prepare for each other having last played on Thursday it will favor the defenses.  The UNDER is 6-0 in Raptors last 6 games playing on 2 days’ rest.  The UNDER is 4-0 in Warriors last 4 Sunday games.  The UNDER is 33-16-2 in Warriors last 51 games off a loss.  Take the UNDER. 

7* Warriors/Raptors Game 1 *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto -1 

The Key: The Toronto Raptors won both regular season meetings with the Golden State Warriors by a combined 22 points.  They are feeling good about themselves right now after taking 4 straight from the No. 1 seed in the playoffs in the Milwaukee Bucks.  Kawhi Leonard got the perfect amount of rest in between games with 4 days off.  He should be fresh and ready to go now after showing signs of wearing down a bit against the Bucks.  The length the Raptors possess will pose problems for the Warriors.  They held a potent Bucks offense to just 94, 99 and 102 points in their last 3 games, respectively.  The Warriors aren’t nearly as good without Kevin Durant contrary to popular belief after the Warriors swept the Blazers last series.  But the Blazers aren’t nearly as good as the Raptors, especially defensively.  Take Toronto. 

7* Raptors/Bucks Game 5 *HEAVY HITTER* on Milwaukee -7 

The Key: The Milwaukee Bucks are 22-2 off a loss this season.  They have covered in 19 of those 24 games in this situation as well.  Milwaukee is 5-1 SU & 5-1 ATS at home in the playoffs with all 5 wins coming by 8 points or more.  This is a big bounce-back spot for the Bucks at home tonight.  Kawhi Leonard is hobbled and it will be asking a lot for him to lead his team to even a competitive showing here tonight.  Take Milwaukee. 

7* Bucks/Raptors Game 4 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 217.5 

The Key: Milwaukee and Toronto were tied 96-96 at the end of regulation in Game 3 for 192 combined points. That’s 25.5 less than tonight’s posted total of 217.5.  I believe we are getting a great price with the under in what should be another low-scoring affair.  The UNDER is 13-5 in Bucks last 18 games off a loss.  The UNDER is 11-5 in Raptors last 16 games overall.  Take the UNDER. 

7* Bucks/Raptors Game 3 *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto -2

The Key: No Analysis Sunday

7* Warriors/Blazers Game 3 *HEAVY HITTER* on Portland -2 

The Key:  Must win game for the Blazers.  They’ll get the job done at home in Game 3 and get back in this series.  Take Portland. 

7* Raptors/Bucks Game 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on Milwaukee -6.5 

The Key: The Milwaukee Bucks are 9-1 SU & 9-1 ATS in the playoffs this season.  The Raptors had a chance to slow this buzz saw, but let them off the hook in Game 1, losing by 8 after leading most the way.  The Bucks were clearly rusty on a one-week layoff, but they played like themselves in the second half and never looked back.  I think they will be much sharper now, and the Raptors are still feeling a little fatigued from their seven-game series with the 76ers.  The Bucks should roll in Game 2.  Take Milwaukee. 

7* Blazers/Warriors Game 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on Portland +7.5 

The Key: The Portland Trail Blazers are a perfect 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games when revenging a double-digit road loss.  Look for them to show some resiliency here just as they did all season and to give the Warriors a run for their money tonight.  They didn’t play well at all in Game 1 as they committed 21 turnovers and shot 36% as a team.  They were tired from their 7-game series with the Nuggets.  They should bring a much better effort in Game 2 tonight.  Take Portland. 

7* Raptors/Bucks Game 1 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 218 

The Key: This series certainly has the makings of a defensive battle.  Both the Bucks and Raptors rely so much on their superstars on the offensive end that they have to slow it down and run it through both Giannis and Kawhi, especially the Raptors.  I think nerves will be a factor big-time in Game 1 of this series tonight, which will affect the offenses.  Both teams will be laying it all on the line defensively.  The UNDER is 6-1-1 in Raptors last 8 road games.  The UNDER is 5-0 in Raptors last 5 games playing on 2 days rest.  The UNDER is 5-0 in Bucks last 5 games playing on 3 or more days rest.  Take the UNDER. 

7* Blazers/Warriors Game 1 *Total* Annihilator on OVER 220.5 

The Key: The Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors have come close to or gone over this total in all four meetings this season.  They have combined for 236, 220, 219 and 222 points in their 4 meetings this season.  And dating back further, they have combined for at least 219 points in 8 of their last 9 meetings.  The Warriors scored 118 points against the Rockets in their first game without Durant and moved the ball nicely, getting back to their old ways.  The OVER is 25-8-2 in Blazers last 35 games on one days’ rest.  The OVER is 19-7 in the last 26 meetings.  Take the OVER. 

6* 76ers/Raptors Game 7 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 209.5 

The Key: After the last two games barely went over the total by 1.5 and 1 point, I think we see a really low scoring game in Game 7 tonight.  With so much at stake with a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals on the line, this game will be played close to the vest.  Both teams will be playing nervously, which will affect their offense more than their defense.  They will be laying it all on the line defensively.  Philadelphia is 21-5 UNDER when playing 4 or less games in 10 days this season.  Toronto is 12-4 UNDER In home games off a loss this season.  The UNDER is 5-0 in 76ers last 5 games off a win.  The UNDER is 4-0 in Raptors last 4 games on 2 days rest.  The UNDER is 9-3 in Raptors last 12 games overall.  Take the UNDER. 

7* Blazers/Nuggets Game 7 *HEAVY HITTER* on Denver -5.5 

The Key: The Nuggets are 39-9 at home this season.  They won by 26 points in Game 5 at home over the Blazers.  While it may not come that easily in Game 7, I think the price is right to lay the short number on the Nuggets at home.  They shoot 48% at home this season and score 113 PPG.  They only two home games they lost in these playoffs they shot 42% against the Spurs and just 34.7% against the Blazers.  So it would take a shooting aberration like that for them to not win and cover this game.  The Nuggets are a deeper, younger team that will not be as fatigued as the Blazers in this long series.  And having their home fans behind them will help them bring the energy they need today to advance to the Western Conference Finals.  The Blazers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games off a win.  Take Denver. 

7* Warriors/Rockets Game 6 *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston -7 

The Key: The Houston Astros are 36-10 at home this season, including 5-0 in the playoffs where they have outscored their opponents by 68 points total.  The home team has won every game in this series.  The Rockets’ job got a whole lot easier with the injury to Kevin Durant.  Look for them to take advantage and make easy work of the depleted Warriors tonight.  Take Houston. 

7* Nuggets/Blazers Game 6 *BAILOUT* on OVER 215 

The Key: The OVER is 8-1 in the 9 meetings between the Nuggets and Blazers this season.  They have combined for 222 or more points in 8 of those 9 meetings.  This is the gift that keeps on giving, and we’ll continue to ride it until it bucks us.  Take the OVER.