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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Key: No analysis this weekend.  On vacation. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. 

7* Rockets/Warriors Game 5 *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston +6 

The Key: Each of the 4 games in this series have gone down to the wire.  All 4 games were decided by 6 points or less.  The Rockets are now 6-2 ATS against the Warriors this season, proving that they are on their level.  And to get over the hump, they need to pull off the upset here in Game 5.  I think they can and I believe they have been playing the smarter basketball in this series, playing more as a team while the Warriors are struggling to find good shots consistently for their stars.  And the Warriors have no bench, which is what is really hurting them.  The Rockets are getting key contributions from Austin Rivers and company off their bench.  Take Houston. 

7* 76ers/Raptors Game 5 *HEAVY HITTER* on Philadelphia +6.5 

The Key: Kawhi Leonard is having to do way too much for the Raptors.  I just don’t know if he can keep shouldering this kind of load.  He’s not getting much help.  The 76ers are the more talented team, and I have to think that they are going to do everything in their power to make someone else beat them in this game.  Joel Embiid was sick in Game 4 and a non-factor, but he should be much healthier two days later.  The Raptors don’t have an answer for him when he’s healthy.  Philadelphia is 9-1 ATS off a loss to a division opponent this season.  The 76ers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a loss.  Take Philadelphia. 

7* Warriors/Rockets Game 4 *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston -1 

The Key: The Houston Rockets are 35-10 at home this season.  They are 4-0 at home in the playoffs and have won by a combined 64 points in those 4 games.  And they are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 home games.  I like the price here as only 1-point favorites after being 3.5-point home favorites in Game 3.  I think we are getting a confident Rockets team at a cheap price here in what is a must-win Game 4 for them.  Take Houston. 

7* Nuggets/Blazers Game 4 *Total* Annihilator on OVER 210.5 

The Key: I like the price we are getting with the OVER in this game considering the first three totals in this series were 215 or higher, and Game 4’s total is only 210.5.  Oddsmakers are over adjusting for these teams being tired off a 4 OT game.  Well, that could just as easily affect their defensive effort as their offense.  The OVER is now 6-1 in the 7 meetings between these teams this season with combined scores of 223 or more points in 6 of the 7 meetings.  Take the OVER. 

7* NBA Western Conference Playoffs Game of the Year on Houston Rockets -3 

The Key: The Rockets are in must-win mode tonight while the Golden State Warriors can afford a loss.  The Rockets played the Warriors well, losing by a combined 10 points in their two meetings at Golden State.  And they won 3 of 4 regular season meetings.  The Rockets are 34-10 at home this year and have a huge home-court advantage, which was on display against the Jazz last series as they won all 3 home meetings with the Jazz by an average of nearly 20 PPG.  Take Houston. 

6* Nuggets/Blazers Game 3 *BAILOUT* on Denver +4

The Key: No analysis Friday.

7* Bucks/Celtics Game 3 *HEAVY HITTER* on Milwaukee +2

The Key: No analysis Friday.

7* Raptors/76ers Game 3 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 217 

The Key: After combining for 203 points in Game 1, the Raptors and 76ers combined for just 183 points in Game 2.  And now we’re seeing yet another total set that is too high here at 217 points.  The Raptors are 19-3 UNDER when playing 4 or less games in 10 days this season.  Take the UNDER. 

7* Blazers/Nuggets Game 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on Denver -4 

The Key: The Denver Nuggets have won 4 of 5 meetings against the Blazers this season.  The only one they didn’t win was when they rested their starters in their final meeting this season.  The Blazers can’t stop Nikola Jokic, and now the injury to Jusuf Nurkic is finally starting to rear its ugly head.  Enes Kanter can score, but he is one of the worst defenders in the NBA.  The Nuggets pick the Blazers apart in the pick and roll with Jokic and Jamal Murray.  Denver is 38-8 at home this season.  The Nuggets are 18-4 ATS in home games off an ATS win this season.  The Nuggets are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 meetings with the Blazers.  Take Denver. 

7* Rockets/Warriors Game 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston +5.5 

The Key: Houston is 3-2 SU & 4-1 ATS in their 5 meetings with the Warriors this season.  The Rockets also took the Warriors to 7 games last year despite not having Chris Paul for the final 2 games.  And Houston only lost by 4 in Game 1 at Golden State despite shooting 8% worse and having the refs against them.  Houston is 8-0 ATS after losing 2 straight games to an opponent this season.  Take Houston. 

7* 76ers/Raptors Game 2 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 220.5 

The Key: These teams combined for just 203 total points in Game 1 despite 45 points from Kawhi Leonard.  The Raptors’ suffocating defense continued as they held the 76ers to 95 points and 39.3% shooting.  Toronto is holding its opponents to just 92.5 PPG and 38.9% from the field through their first 6 postseason games.  The 76ers are 18-3 UNDER when playing 4 or less games in 10 days this season.  Take the UNDER. 

7* Rockets/Warriors Game 1 *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston +5.5 

The Key: The Houston Rockets had the Warriors down 3-2 last year in the conference finals.  Then Chris Paul went down with injury, and they lost the final two games.  Now the Rockets are healthy and they’ve been looking forward to this rematch for a year.  The Rockets took out their frustration on the Warriors during the regular season, too.  They won three out of four meetings, and their only loss came by two points.  This is a game they’ll likely win outright, but we’ll take the +5.5 for some insurance.  Take Houston. 

7* Spurs/Nuggets Game 7 *HEAVY HITTER* on San Antonio +6

The Key: No analysis Saturday

7* Nuggets/Spurs Game 6 *HEAVY HITTER* on San Antonio -3 

The Key: The Spurs have won 14 of their last 15 home meetings with the Nuggets.  They are 33-10 at home this season as well.  This team has too big of a home-court edge to only be laying 3 points at home tonight with their season on the line.  I don’t trust the Nuggets to show up because they aren’t used to close out games and know that they have a home game if needed in Game 7.  Popovich will have his guys ready tonight.  Take San Antonio. 

7* Jazz/Rockets Game 5 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 213 

The Key: The Rockets and Jazz have combined for 212 or fewer points in eight of their last 11 meetings, including three of four meetings in this series.  The longer the series goes on, the more familiar they become with one another, making points harder to come by.  These are two of the best defensive teams in the playoffs and it’s showing in this series.  The UNDER is 6-0-1 in Rockets’ last 7 games off a loss.  The UNDER is 7-2-1 in Rockets last 10 home games.  The UNDER is 20-8-1 in Rockets last 29 games overall.  Take the UNDER. 

7* NBA Total of the Week on Magic/Raptors UNDER 206 

The Key: The UNDER is 4-0 in the first 4 games in this series.  The Raptors and Magic haven’t once topped 205 combined points, and we have a 206-point total for Game 5 here.  They’ve combined for 205, 193, 191 and 192 points in the first 4 games, respectively.  Take the UNDER. 

7* Bucks/Pistons Game 4 *HEAVY HITTER* on Detroit +13 

The Key: I like the price we are getting with the Pistons tonight.  They go from being 9-point home dogs in Game 3 to 13-point dogs in Game 4, a 4-point adjustment.  This despite the fact that Blake Griffin is expected to play tonight.  The Pistons won’t go down without a fight here.  They have been tough at home all season with a 26-16 record.  The Pistons are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games against a team with a winning road record.  Take Detroit. 

7* Raptors/Magic Game 4 *HEAVY HITTER* on Orlando +5.5 

The Key: The Magic showed a lot of heart in Game 3.  They managed to only lose by 5 despite shooting just 36.2% as a team.  In fact, they’ve kept this series close despite not once shooting better than 40% from the field in a single game.  I have to think they are primed for their best shooting performance of the series yet here in Game 4, which should allow them to stay within this 5.5-point spread and possibly win outright.  Orlando is 12-4 ATS in home games when revenging a loss this season.  The Magic are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall, and 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games.  Take Orlando. 

7* Nuggets/Spurs Game 4 *HEAVY HITTER* on San Antonio -3.5 

The Key: The San Antonio Spurs have basically dominated this series.  They have led for basically 11 of the 12 quarters played, with the only exception when Jamal Murray went off for 21 points in the 4th quarter of Game 2 to lead the Nuggets to a comeback victory.  The experience and coaching of the Spurs is winning out over the youth, talent and inexperience of the Nuggets thus far.  Expect more of the same tonight.  After all, the Nuggets are now 0-14 SU in their last 14 trips to San Antonio.  This is a short number for the Spurs to have to cover at home given that trend.  Take San Antonio. 

7* Raptors/Magic Game 3 *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto -5 

The Key: The Toronto Raptors dominated the Magic like they should in Game 2 with a 111-82 victory.  They made their statement, especially Kyle Lowry, who got much more aggressive after failing to score in Game 1.  Look for them to build on that performance and regain control of this series with a win and cover in Game 3 in Orlando Friday.  Bets on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a game between two teams that score 102 or more PPG after 42 or more games, after allowing 90 points or less are 71-31 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Toronto. 

7* Warriors/Clippers Game 3 *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles +9 

The Key: The Clippers showed they weren’t going to back down in Game 2.  They erased a 31-point deficit and won outright.  The Warriors were deflated like they’ve never been before in the locker room after the game.  And a big reason for that is the season-ending injury to DeMarcus Cousins.  I think they suffer a hangover effect here from that stunning loss and injury.  I love the price we are getting on the rejuvenated Clippers at home tonight as the Warriors would have to beat them by double-digits to cover this spread.  Golden State is 10-23 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  Los Angeles is 27-10 ATS after allowing 105 points or more in 5 straight games this season.  Take Los Angeles. 

6* Pistons/Bucks Game 2 *CA$H COW* on Detroit +15 

The Key: Rarely will you see a 15-point spread in the playoffs.  I have to take the points here because of the price.  The public doesn’t want to bet the Pistons without Blake Griffin, but keep in mind they made the playoffs without Griffin down the stretch by winning some must-win games.  And whatever they have to give they will be putting on the court tonight to try and get a win in Game 2.  Look for the Bucks to just go through he motions after everything came easy for them in Game 1.  Bets on dogs of 10 or more points revenging 2 straight loss of 10 points or more, off a loss by 10 points or more to a division opponent are 55-23 ATS since 1996.  Take Detroit. 

7* Pacers/Celtics Game 2 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 207 

The Key: After combining for just 158 points in an 84-74 victory by the Celtics in Game 1, it’s going to take a lot for these teams to make up 49 points, which is what they’ll have to do to reach this 207-point total.  I think there’s value with the UNDER in Game 2 as well.  Indiana is 34-13 UNDER when playing against a team with a winning record in the 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.  The UNDER is 26-8-1 in Pacers last 35 road games against at team that wins more than 60% of its home games.  The UNDER is 21-10 in the last 31 meetings in Boston.  Take the UNDER. 

7* Thunder/Blazers Game 2 *BAILOUT* on OVER 223 

The Key: The Blazers have to go smaller without Jusuf Nurkic.  This has been an OVER series during the regular season.  The Thunder and Blazers combined for 250, 231, 237 and 220 pints in their 4 meetings.  That’s an average of 234.5 PPG.  After a low-scoring affair in Game 1, I look for both offenses to get unleashed tonight.  The Thunder shot just 39.8% overall and 15.2% from 3-point range in Game 1.  The Blazers weren’t much better at 41.9% overall.  I can’t foresee both teams being shut down like that again.  I think it was just playoff nerves in Game 1, and both teams will relax and there will be a lot more offensive flow in Game 2 tonight.  Portland is 12-1 OVER in home games against teams that allow 106 or more PPG in the 2nd half of the season this season.  Take the OVER. 

7* Clippers/Warriors Game 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on Los Angeles +13.5 

The Key: The Clippers shot 40.4% in Game 1 compared to 49.5% for the Warriors.  That includes 36.7% from 3 compared to 46.7% for the Warriors.  Yet they still only lost by 17.  A slight adjustment in shooting percentage in their favor would certainly allow them to stay within 13.5 points tonight, and I think that is very likely.  The Warriors are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games off a win by more than 10 points.  The road team is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings.  Take Los Angeles.