6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Brooklyn Nets +10.5 

The Key: The Brooklyn Nets have gone 30-18 ATS in all games, including 17-9 ATS in road games this season.  They have been one of the most underrated teams in the NBA.  They have a deep bench that will help them overcome this back-to-back situation after losing in Milwaukee last night.  Plus, it’s a short trip to Minnesota and they had two days off prior to the Milwaukee game.  This is a tough situation mentally for Minnesota, which lost 113-126 at Golden State on Thursday.  The Timberwolves have played five of their last six games on the road and are tired, plus they have the distraction of their first game back home here following a long trip.  And they certainly won’t be as hungry to face the Nets as they were to face the Warriors.  The Nets are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 road games.  Take Brooklyn. 

7* NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month on Chicago Bulls -4 

The Key: The Bulls are now 20-6 ATS in their last 26 games overall and have been the most profitable team in the NBA to back during this stretch.  But they continue to lack the respect they deserve from the books.  I think they’ll be hungry to bounce back from two straight losses tonight.  And the Lakers come in getting too much respect after going 7-2 SU & 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.  But 6 of those 7 wins came at home.  They went 1-2 on the road during this span with losses by 24 at Oklahoma City and by 9 at Memphis.  The Lakers are just 6-15 on the road this season.  The Bulls are 8-0-1 ATS in their last 9 games vs. a team with a losing record.  Chicago is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 home games.  The Lakers are 5-14 ATS in their last 19 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.  Take Chicago. 

7* T’Wolves/Warriors TNT *BAILOUT* on UNDER 228 

The Key: The Timberwolves and Warriors have combined for 228 or fewer points in 7 straight meetings when you don’t include overtime.  They have combined for 228 or less at the end of regulation in 11 of the last 12 meetings as well.  This total has been set too high tonight.  Golden State is 32-15 UNDER in its last 47 home games after a game where it made 55% or better.  The UNDER is 4-0 in Timberwolves last 4 games when playing on 0 days rest.  The UNDER is 4-1 in Warriors last 5 Thursday games.  The UNDER is 21-7 in the last 28 meetings.  Take the UNDER. 

7* NBA Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Portland Trail Blazers -3.5 

The Key: The Portland Trail Blazers have regained their home-court advantage in recent weeks, and a lot of that has to do with the fact that they have gotten healthy.  The Blazers are 6-0 SU & 4-1-1 ATS in their last six home games.  Now they face a Minnesota Timberwolves team that will likely be without both Jimmy Butler and Jamal Crawford tonight.  They should get the win and cover as only 3.5-point home favorites.  The Timberwolves are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games.  The Blazers are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 home meetings with Minnesota.  Take Portland. 

6* Celtics/Lakers TNT *BAILOUT* on Boston -5 

The Key: The Boston Celtics come in hungry for a victory following a season-high 3-game losing streak.  I expect them to get back on track against the Los Angeles Lakers tonight.  The Celtics have won 4 straight meetings with the Lakers all by 6 points or more.  They won their last two trips to Los Angeles by 20 and 7 points.  The Celtics are 11-2 ATS after having lost 3 of their last 4 games over the past 2 seasons.  The Celtics are 17-7 ATS in their last 24 road games.  Take Boston. 

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Philadelphia 76ers -3 

The Key: The 76ers are rolling right now having gone 7-1 SU & 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.  They should make easy work of the Memphis Grizzlies tonight now.  The Grizzlies have a laundry list of injuries that the 76ers can take advantage of.  They are without key players Mike Conley, Chandler Parsons, James Ennis and JaMychal Green.  They also have both Dillon Brooks and Jarell Martin listed as questionable tonight, as well as Andrew Harrison and Brandan Wright both probable.  They are running out of bodies and won’t be able to compete with the recent buzz saw that is the 76ers.  Take Philadelphia. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Atlanta Hawks -1.5 

The Key: The Chicago Bulls are in a hangover spot Saturday.  They just lost to the defending champion Warriors 112-119 at home last time out.  It has been very profitable betting against teams the game after they have played Golden State this season.  The Hawks are playing well, going 3-2 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.  They are coming off back-to-back upset home victories over the Spurs and Pelicans and are playing great right now. The Bulls are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Atlanta.  The favorites is 42-17 ATS in the last 59 meetings.  Take Atlanta. 

7* 76ers/Celtics TNT *HEAVY HITTER* on Philadelphia +5 

The Key: Look for the 76ers to be hungry after blowing a 22-point lead to the Celtics in London on January 11th less than a week ago.  They have won 5 of their last 6 games while going 5-1 ATS in the process.  Now they get perhaps a depleted Celtics team that has injuries to starting guards Kyrie Irving (shoulder) and Marcus Smart (Illness), who are both questionable to play tonight.  The 76ers are 25-10 ATS in their last 35 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Philadelphia is 37-18 ATS in its last 55 games following an ATS win.  Bets against home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points off an ATS loss, an well-rested team playing just their 2nd game in 7 days are 33-9 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Philadelphia. 

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Chicago Bulls +8.5 

The Key: The Warriors are in a huge letdown spot tonight against the Chicago Bulls.  They had a big second half to pull away to beat Cleveland 118-108 on Martin Luther King Day.  Now they won’t bring the same kind of intensity against the Bulls tonight.  This is a Bulls team that has gone 17-5 ATS in their last 22 games overall and is fully capable of hanging with the Warriors with the way they have been playing.  They are also 14-7 SU in their last 21 games.  Chicago is 8-0 ATS off 2 consecutive home games this season.  The Bulls are 9-0 ATS off 2 or more consecutive wins this season.  Take Chicago. 

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Milwaukee Bucks -4 

The Key: I like the short price we are getting with the Milwaukee Bucks in this situation tonight.  They will be out for revenge from a loss in Miami on Sunday.  They haven’t had to wait long to get their revenge here Wednesday.  The home team is 5-1 SU & 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings with all 5 wins coming by 6 points or more.  Miami is 1-10 ATS after having won 3 of its last 4 games this season.  Take Milwaukee. 

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Boston Celtics -4.5 

The Key: The Celtics will be playing just their 2nd game in 10 days tonight.  They made a trip over to London to face the 76ers on Thursday and have been off since.  They will be chomping at the bit to get back on the court tonight and build on their tremendous season with another victory over the Pelicans.  The Celtics are 8-1 ATS when the total is 210 to 219.5 this season.  The Pelicans are 5-18 ATS in their last 23 road games off two straight overs.  Boston is 10-1 ATS versus good passing teams averaging 23 or more assists this season.  The Celtics are 15-2 ATS versus good shooting teams making 46% of their shots or more this season.  Take Boston. 

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Chicago Bulls PK 

The Key: The Heat will be playing the second of a back-to-back after a home win over the Bucks yesterday.  Now they have to come back and play this early start time against the Chicago Bulls with a long flight to Chicago overnight.  I like the situation for the Bulls, who will be playing just their 2nd game in 5 days.  And the Bulls have been undervalued for quite some time now as they are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games overall.  They have also won 13 of their last 20 games outright.  Chicago is 8-0 ATS against Southeast Division opponents this season.  The Bulls are 10-1 ATS when playing just their 2nd game in 5 days this season.  Chicago is 8-0 ATS off 2 or more consecutive wins this season.  Take Chicago. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Brooklyn Nets +10

The Key: No analysis Saturday due to a funeral

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Orlando Magic +10.5 

The Key: After losing 15 of their last 16 games overall, the Orlando Magic are starting to catch too many points on a nightly basis.  They have covered in 2 of their last 3 with a 4-point loss to the Cavs as 8.5-point dogs and a 7-point loss to the Bucks as 10-point dogs.  Now they are getting 10.5 against a Wizards team that has been upset in back-to-back home games by Milwaukee and Utah as 3.5 and 8-point favorites, respectively.  Washington is just 8-19 ATS as a favorite this season.  The road team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take Orlando. 

7* NBA Situational Game of the Month on Sacramento Kings +1.5 

The Key: The Clippers will be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days tonight.  They just got done upsetting the Warriors last night, so they won’t be able to match the intensity they played with in that game.  And Lou Williams won’t be going off for a career-high 50 points again.  And it’s worth noting hat two of the Big 4 for the Warriors sat that game out in Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.  The Clippers also have 6 key players who are either questionable or out, with 4 doubtful or out.  They won’t have the horses to be able to back up that effort last night.  Take Sacramento. 

7* NBA Total of the Month on Blazers/Rockets OVER 214.5 

The Key: The OVER is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between Houston and Portland.  They have combined for 219 or more points in all 6 meetings.  They have averaged 231.2 combined points per game in those 6 meetings.  It’s easy to see why the price is right to pull the trigger on the OVER tonight.  Take the OVER. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Miami Heat +4.5 

The Key: This is a good situation to fade the Toronto Raptors.  They are coming off a 114-113 overtime win at Brooklyn last night in a very lackluster effort.  So now they’ll be playing the second of a back-to-back here, and they may not have one of their best players in Kyle Lowry, who is doubtful with a back injury suffered last night.  The Heat have played their best basketball on the road this year as they are 11-8 SU & 11-8 ATS on the highway.  Miami is 10-1 ATS off 4 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.  The Heat are 31-17 ATS as road underdogs over the last 2 years.  The Heat are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.  The Raptors are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 Tuesday games.  Take Miami. 

6* Monday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Cavs/Timberwolves OVER 222 

The Key: We have two of the best offensive teams in the NBA and two of the worst defensive teams going at it tonight.  The result will be a shootout.  The Cavs rank 3rd in offensive efficiency with the Timberwolves 5th in the same category.  The Cavs are 27th in defensive efficiency while the Timberwolves are 20th.  In the two recent games Isaiah Thomas has played in the Cavs have combined with their opponents for 237 and 258 points against the Blazers and Magic, respectively.  The OVER is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in this series as the Cavs and Timberwolves have combined for 221 or more points in all 4 meetings.  Take the OVER. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Phoenix Suns +9 

The Key: The Thunder have been terrible in this role all season.  They are just 5-16 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  Oklahoma City is 1-10 ATS in road games after covering 5 or 6 of their last 7 against the spread over the last 2 seasons.  The Suns are 21-9 ATS in home games off a road loss over the last 3 years.  The Thunder are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 vs. a team with a losing record.  The Suns are 5-1-2 ATS in their last 8 games following an ATS loss.  The underdog is 10-4 ATS in the last 14 meetings.  Take Phoenix. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Brooklyn Nets +5.5 

The Key: The Celtics are coming off back-to-back huge home wins over the Cavaliers and Timberwolves.  Now they hit the road and will be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days.  I don’t think they’ll have much left for the Nets tonight, and they won’t be nearly as hungry as they were in their last two home games against Cleveland and Minnesota.  Boston just beat Brooklyn a few days ago on December 31st 108-105 as 9.5-point home favorites.  That places the Nets in revenge mode and they come in on two days’ rest so they will be the much fresher team.  Each of the last four meetings in this series were decided by single-digits with the Nets going 3-1 ATS in those games.  The Nets are 14-6 ATS against teams with a winning record this season.  The Celtics are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games following an ATS win.  Brooklyn is 20-8 ATS in its last 28 games following an ATS win.  The Nets are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 vs. Eastern Conference teams.  Take Brooklyn. 

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Miami Heat -5 

The Key: The Miami Heat have won 9 of their last 13 games coming into this game with the New York Knicks.  They are getting healthy and playing great basketball right now.  They now face the tired, struggling Knicks who are 1-6 in their last 7 games overall.  The Knicks are 3-13 on the road this season.  After losing in New York in December, Miami will want some revenge tonight.  The Heat are 25-11 ATS when revenging a same season loss over the last 2 seasons.  Take Miami. 

6* Warriors/Mavs Western Conference *CA$H COW* on Golden State -7 

The Key: I know the Warriors have 3 players questionable to play tonight in Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala and Zaza Pachulia.  But it’s not going to matter because the Warriors still have the Big 3 of Durant, Curry and Thompson healthy and ready to go.  The head-to-head history is all you need to see to realize the Warriors are a good bet here as 7-point favorites over the Mavericks.  The Warriors are 8-0 SU & 6-2 ATS in their last 8 meetings with the Mavericks, winning all 8 meetings by at least 8 points.  They have won 6 of those 8 meetings by 15 points or more, including 2 wins by a combined 45 points already this season.  Take Golden State. 

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago Bulls +5.5 

The Key: The Chicago Bulls still cannot get any respect from oddsmakers tonight as 5.5-point home underdogs to the Toronto Raptors.  This despite the fact that they have gone 13-2 ATS in their last 15 games overall.  They have also won 10 of their last 14 games outright.  The Raptors will be playing their 5th game in 9 days here off an overtime win over the Bucks.  The Raptors have gone just 11-9 on the road this season so it’s not like they have been juggernauts away from home.  The Bulls lost their 2 previous meetings in Toronto this season by 17 and by 5 points.  That sets them up for a great situation tonight.  The Bulls are 9-1 ATS when playing with double revenge - 2 straight losses vs. opponent this season.  Take Chicago. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Dallas Mavericks +6 

The Key: The Dallas Mavericks are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last 3 games despite being underdogs in all 3 contests.  They beat the Raptors outright as 5.5-point home underdogs, along with the Pacers as 3.5-point road dogs and the Pelicans as 6.5-point road dogs.  They are once again 6-point underdogs here to the Thunder, who have been the most overrated team in the NBA this season.  And now the Thunder are expected to be without 2 starters in Paul George and Andre Roberson Sunday.  Don’t be surprised when the Mavericks win another game outright as an underdog here.  Take Dallas. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Orlando Magic +1.5 

The Key: The Miami Heat will be playing the second of a back-to-back following an ugly 87-111 home loss to the Brooklyn Nets last night.  The Magic are coming off a 102-89 upset home win over the Pistons.  That win coincided with the return of arguably their two best players in Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier from injury.  Having these 2 guys now healthy moving forward make a world of difference for the Magic.  The Magic are 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings with the Heat.  Miami is 0-4 ATS in its last 4 games playing on 0 days rest.  Take Orlando. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Milwaukee Bucks +8.5 

The Key: Oklahoma City is back to getting too much respect from oddsmakers due to going 8-1 SU & 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games.  But the schedule got much easier for them here of late as they have been favored by 4.5 or less in 7 of those 9 games.  Now they’re being asked to lay 8.5 points against one of the better teams in the NBA in the Milwaukee Bucks, and it’s too much.  Oklahoma City is 4-14 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  I’m not concerned the Bucks played last night because they are such a young team.  And the Bucks are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games playing on 0 days’ rest.  The Thunder are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games.  Take Milwaukee. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Houston Rockets -1.5 

The Key: The Rockets come in hungry for a victory following their first 3-game losing streak of the season. The Celtics are vulnerable right now as they will be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 12th game in 19 days.  The Rockets will be playing just their 2nd game in 6 days.  The Celtics are banged up right now as well with Semi Ojeleye, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Morris all questionable.  The Rockets are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 road games.  The Celtics are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games following a win.  Take Houston. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Denver Nuggets +5.5 

The Key: Home-court advantage has meant nothing in this series between Denver and Minnesota.  The road team is 10-2 straight up in the last 12 meetings.  The road team is also 12-1 ATS in the last 13 meetings.  The home team hasn’t won by more than 4 points in any of the last 14 meetings.  That’s a 14-0 angle pertaining to this 5.5-point spread.  Take Denver. 

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on San Antonio Spurs -11 

The Key: The San Antonio Spurs are now fully healthy for the first time this season.  They have managed to go 23-11 despite not having Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker for the majority of the year.  But now everyone is healthy, and they are going to be a dangerous team moving forward.  They should make easy work of the Brooklyn Nets tonight.  The Spurs own the Nets, going 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings while winning by 27, 27, 29 and 26 points.  Enough said.  Take San Antonio. 

6* T’Wolves/Lakers NBA *BAILOUT* on Minnesota -5 

The Key: The Timberwolves are fresh heading into this Christmas Day showdown with the Lakers.  They will be playing just their 2nd game in the last 5 days and enter on a 3-game winning streak.  The Lakers are much more fatigued as this will be their 3rd game in 4 days.  They won’t have much left in the tank after going through a gauntlet of Cleveland, Golden State, Houston, Golden State and Portland in their last 5 games.  It’s no surprise they are just 1-5 in their last 6 games overall.  And the Lakers have many injury problems right now with both Lonzo Ball and Brook Lopez out, and Brandon Ingram questionable.  The Timberwolves are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.  Take Minnesota. 

6* Saturday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Thunder/Jazz UNDER 198 

The Key: The Thunder just beat the Jazz 107-79 on Wednesday for 186 combined points.  Now they get to play just a few days later and it will be another low-scoring affair, which has been the case in this series over the past couple seasons.  The UNDER is 7-0 in the last 7 meetings in Utah.  They have combined for 200 or fewer points in all 7 meetings, including 198 or fewer in 6 of them.  Enough said.  Take the UNDER. 

6* Lakers/Warriors ESPN *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 216 

The Key: This will be the 3rd meeting already between the Lakers and Warriors.  They are very familiar with one another, which should lead to an UNDER.  They just played on Monday as well.  That game was tied 102-102 at the end of regulation for 204 combined points.  I think the fact that it went to OT and went over the total has the total in this rematch set too high.  The UNDER is 16-6 in Warriors last 22 games vs. a team with a wining percentage below 40%.  The UNDER is 5-1 in Warriors last 6 games overall.  Take the UNDER.

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Chicago Bulls +10.5 

The Key: The Chicago Bulls are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games overall.  They have won 7 in a row since Nikola Mirotic made his season debut.  They are playing great, confident basketball right now and are more than capable of competing with the Cleveland Cavaliers.  The Bulls have actually gone 8-1 ATS in their last 9 meetings with Cleveland, winning 6 of those 9 games outright.  Take Chicago. 

7* NBA Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Phoenix Suns +5.5 

The Key: The Phoenix Suns are so deep that they have been able to overcome the losses of Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker.  They have gone 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall as they have been consistently underrated.  In their last two games, they pulled off two huge upsets on the road at Minnesota as 12-point dogs and at Dallas as 7.5-point dogs.  I think they upset the Clippers tonight.  But this shouldn’t really be an upset given how many injuries the Clippers have right now.  They are without Blake Griffin, Patrick Beverly, Danilo Gallinari and Wesley Johnson.  They have lost 3 straight coming in and are just 11-18 on the season.  Phoenix is 9-1 ATS revenging a loss by 20 points or more over the last 2 seasons.  The Suns are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.  The Clippers are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 vs. Western Conference.  Take Phoenix. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Sacramento Kings +9.5 

The Key: The Philadelphia 76ers are a tired team right now.  They will be playing for a second consecutive day after a draining 115-117 loss at Chicago Monday.  They can’t be 9.5-point favorites in this situation, especially considering the Kings are rested and will be playing only their 2nd game in 5 days.  The underdog is a perfect 7-0 ATS in the last 7 meetings, including an upset win by the Kings over the 76ers in Sacramento in their first meeting earlier this season.  Take Sacramento. 

6* Monday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Blazers/Timberwolves OVER 206 

The Key: The Timberwolves and their opponents are combining for an average of 214 points per game this season.  We have a total of just 206 here tonight and I think the price is right to pull the trigger on the OVER.  Portland is 11-2 OVER in its last 13 road games after a combined score of 185 or less.  Minnesota is 12-2 OVER off an upset loss as a home favorite over the last 2 seasons.  The OVER is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings in Minnesota.  Take the OVER. 

6* Sunday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Pistons/Magic UNDER 203.5

The Key: The Magic are a mess right now injury-wise playing without Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon and Terrance Ross.  Both Arron Afflalo and Jonathan Isaac are questionable too.  They have had to slow down their offense and try to run it through Vucevic just to get anything going.  But they have struggled to score of late because of these injuries.  The Magic have scored 95 or fewer points in 3 of their last 4 games overall.  The Pistons play great defense and have given up 98 or less in 3 of their last 4.  The UNDER is 8-0-1 in Pistons last 9 games overall.  The UNDER is 5-2 in Magic last 7 games overall.  Take the UNDER.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Phoenix Suns +12 

The Key: The Phoenix Suns have remained competitive without Devin Booker because of their depth.  They have lost their last 5 games, but all 5 losses came by 13 or less, including 4 by 10 or fewer.  They last 3 have come by 6, 7 and 3 points.  They can hang with the Timberwolves tonight as 12-point dogs to stay within this number.  Minnesota is 3-14 ATS off a blowout win by 15 points or more over the last 3 seasons.   The Suns are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games vs. a tea with a winning record.  The Timberwolves are 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 home games.  Take Phoenix. 

7* NBA Non-Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Portland Trail Blazers -3.5 

The Key: The Portland Trail Blazers are getting healthy.  They may be at full strength if Jusuf Nurkic returns from an ankle injury.  He is listed as questionable, but the Blazers should have everyone else.  The Magic are really banged up.  They are without Evan Fournier and Terrance Ross, and Aaron Gordon, Arron Afflalo and Jonathan Isaac are all questionable.  The Magic have gone 1-4 SU & 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall with their only win coming at home over the Hawks by 4 in overtime.  They just lost to a bad Clippers team by 11 at home on Wednesday.  Now they take a step up in competition here against the Blazers.  Portland is 11-2 ATS in road games off an upset win as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.  Orlando is 0-7 ATS in home games revenging a road loss vs. opponent this season.  The Blazers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games.  Take Portland. 

6* Mavs/Warriors Western Conference *BAILOUT* on Dallas +10.5 

The Key: The Golden State Warriors will be very short-handed tonight.  They will be without Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Zaza Pachulia and Nick Young.  That will make it very difficult for them to win by double-digits against the Mavericks tonight.  This is a Mavs team that has quietly gone 5-5 SU & 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  They haven’t lost a single game by double-digits since November 17th, a span of 12 games.  Take Dallas.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Indiana Pacers +1 

The Key: The Indiana Pacers have been one of the surprises of the season.  They are gelling very well with all of their youth and have one of the deepest teams in the NBA. They have gone 10-3 SU & 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games overall.  The Thunder have been the single most overrated team in the NBA.  They are 12-14 SU & 7-18-1 ATS on the season.  They are 0-9 ATS in their last 9 games overall, and now they are somehow favored here on the road against Indiana.  The Thunder have 2 stars in Paul George and Russell Westbrook, but not much else.  They have no depth, and Carmelo Anthony is a cancer.  Pacers players will want to make a statement here and let George know he made a mistake leaving them.  I like this situation for them as they’ll be hungry for a win.  Take Indiana. 

7* NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month on Detroit Pistons -6 

The Key: The Detroit Pistons will be hungry for a victory tonight.  They have lost 6 in a row coming in, but 4 of those losses were on the road, and the other 2 were against two of the best teams in the NBA in Golden State and Boston at home.  Now they face a team they can handle tonight in the Denver Nuggets, who have lost 3 of their last 4 and are playing without their two best players in Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap.  The Pistons already won 106-95 in Denver as 5-point dogs on November 12th.  They also won their last home meetings with the Nuggets 103-86 as 4.5-point favorites.  The Nuggets are 3-11 ATS in all road games this season.  The Pistons are 8-1 ATS in non-conference games this season.  Detroit is 43-23 ATS as a home favorite over the last 3 years.  Take Detroit. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Chicago Bulls +7.5 

The Key: The Boston Celtics are playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days tonight.  They won’t have much left in the tank for the Chicago Bulls, who are playing very well right now.  The Bulls are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games.  They have pulled off outright upsets over the Hornets and Knicks in their last 2, and they have losses by 1, 1 and 2 points to the Nuggets, Kings and Pacers, respectively, during this stretch.  They can hang with the Celtics tonight given the difficult situation for Boston.  The Celtics are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 playing on 0 days rest and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 following an ATS win.  The Bulls are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 vs. Eastern Conference.  Take Chicago. 

7* Rockets/Blazers Western Conference *BAILOUT* on OVER 216 

The Key: Expect offensive fireworks tonight between Houston and Portland, especially with Jusuf Nurkic out for Portland.  He is their best defender and has made them a respectable defensive team.  But without him, the Blazers will go smaller and with more outside shooting and worse defense as you’ll see more of Myers Leonard.  The Rockets and their opponents have combined for 213 or more points in six straight games.  They have scored at least 112 points in all six and are averaging 114.0 points per game on the season.  The OVER is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in this series.  The Rockets and Blazers have combined for at least 219 points in 5 straight meetings.  That will get the job done tonight with this low 216-point total.  Take the OVER. 

7* NBA Non-Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Milwaukee Bucks -7 

The Key: The Milwaukee Bucks want revenge from their worst loss of the season, a 79-111 loss in Dallas back on November 18th.  Now they get their shot at revenge just 3 weeks later.  The Bucks have gone 4-1 in their last 5 games overall with their only loss coming in Boston, which has the best record in the NBA.  Dallas could be without several key players tonight.  They are already without Nerlens Noel and Seth Curry, but both Dennis Smith Jr. and Devin Harris are questionable.  The Mavs are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 Friday games.  Dallas is 7-15-1 ATS in its last 23 games following a loss.  Take Milwaukee. 

6* Warriors/Hornets ESPN *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 216 

The Key: Without Steph Curry, the Warriors are going to struggle offensively.  They also could be without Draymond Green, who helps make this offense run on all cylinders.  Look for a lower scoring game than the oddsmakers anticipate as Shawn Livingston at the point is a huge downgrade from Curry.  Bets on the UNDER on all teams where the total is 210 or higher off a win by 10 points or more against an opponent off 3 straight wins by 10-plus points are 36-8 since 1996.  Take the UNDER. 

7* NBA Situational Game of the Month on Sacramento Kings +13 

The Key: The Sacramento Kings last played on Saturday, giving them 3 days to get ready for the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.  They will have a big effort here and stay within this massive 13-point spread.  After all, the Kings are 9-0 ATS in their last 9 when playing on 3 or more days of rest.  Take Sacramento. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Milwaukee Bucks +6 

The Key: The Boston Celtics are starting to get too much love from the books due to their 20-4 record.  I expect the Milwaukee Bucks to give them a run for their money tonight.  Home-court advantage has meant nothing in this series of late as the road team is 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  The Bucks have won each of their last two trips to Boston outright as underdogs.  The underdog is 23-9-1 ATS in the last 33 meetings.  The Bucks are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 meetings in Boston.  Take Milwaukee. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Sacramento Kings +12.5 

The Key: The Sacramento Kings want revenge from an 87-112 home loss to Milwaukee on November 28th less than a week ago.  They get their chance here in Milwaukee.  That loss was a bad spot for the Kings as they were playing for a second consecutive night after an upset win at Golden State the night before.  That was a clear letdown spot.  Milwaukee is 3-15 ATS in home games after having won 3 of their last 4 games over the past 2 seasons.  The Bucks are 17-39 ATS in their last 56 as as favorite of 10 or more points.  Take Sacramento. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New Orleans Pelicans -2.5 

The Key: The Pelicans will be playing just their 2nd game in 6 days tonight.  The Jazz will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days and for a second consecutive night after winning in Los Angeles against the Clippers last night.  The Jazz are just 9-20 ATS in their last 29 when playing their 3rd game in 4 days.  The Jazz are also just 1-10 ATS in their last 11 home games after covering 4 of their last 5 ATS coming in.  Take New Orleans. 

6* Thursday NBA *Total* Annihilator on 76ers/Celtics UNDER 212 

The Key: The Boston Celtics are the best team in the NBA defensively, ranking No. 1 in defensive efficiency this season.  This is a very high total for them and I think there’s value with the under.  The 76ers are a tired team as they just played a game against the Wizards last night and won’t be looking to push the pace.  They will also be without their best player in Joel Embiid due to rest.  Points won’t be as easy to come by for the 76ers without Embiid.  The UNDER is 9-2 in 76ers last 11 games when their starting 5 players combined for more than 160 minutes played the previous day.  Take the UNDER. 

7* NBA Situational Game of the Month on New Orleans Pelicans -5 

The Key: The New Orleans Pelicans are in a great situation here tonight, while the Minnesota Timberwolves are in a tough one.  The Timberwolves played last night and will be playing for the second straight day.  They will also be playing for the 7th time in 11 days, and it doesn’t get much tougher than that.  The Pelicans have had the last 3 days off since playing on Saturday against the Warriors.  Minnesota is 21-37 ATS when playing 6 or more games in 10 days over the last 3 seasons.  The Timberwolves are 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 games following a loss.  The home team is 13-5 ATS in the last 18 meetings.  The Timberwolves are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 trips to New Orleans.  Take New Orleans. 

6* Tuesday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Heat/Cavs UNDER 208

The Key: The Miami Heat are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA with a healthy Hassan Whiteside, and he is healthy right now.  The Cavs played last night in Philly and only gave up 91 points.  They should be tired tonight and not looking to run as much.  The Heat will slow down the tempo to a snail's pace to try and give them the best chance to win tonight and limit possessions.  The Heat have allowed 98 or fewer points in 4 of their last 5 games coming in.  The Cavs have allowed 99 or fewer in 3 of their last 4 as their defense is steadily improving.  The Heat are 9-1 UNDER in road games when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 60% to 70%) over the last 2 seasons.  Take the UNDER.

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Philadelphia 76ers -2.5

The Key: The Philadelphia 76ers are 11-4 SU & 13-2 ATS in their last 15 games overall.  They have been mispriced all season and are once again tonight as only 2.5-point favorites over the Cleveland Cavaliers.  The Cavs are dealing with so many injuries right now that they are struggling to win games, let alone cover them.  Philadelphia is 14-2 ATS in November home games over the last 2 seasons.  Take Philadelphia.

6* Saturday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Magic/76ers UNDER 221

The Key: The Philadelphia 76ers are going to be without their point guard and floor general in Ben Simmons tonight.  I think they slow down the offense and run it through Joel Embiid.  I think this game is played at a very slow pace, which will help it stay UNDER this massive 221-point total.  The Magic are a tired team playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a loss in Boston last night, which also favors the UNDER.  Take the UNDER.

7* Celtics/Heat Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Miami +3.5

The Key: The Boston Celtics stayed last night in South Beach and certainly were probably out celebrating their 16-game winning streak.  I think they are ripe for the picking here against the Miami Heat.  The Heat are a feisty team that won't back down.  And they'll certainly want to avenge their 96-90 loss to the Celtics in their first meeting of the season.  Miami is 21-9 ATS revenging a same season loss over the last 2 seasons.  The Heat are 25-10 ATS when revenging a home loss over the last 3 years.  The Heat are 15-5 ATS off an upset loss as a home favorite over the last 3 seasons.  The underdog is 13-5 ATS in the last 18 meetings.  Take Miami.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Portland Trail Blazers -2

The Key: The Memphis Grizzlies are in trouble right now without their best player and one of the most underrated players in the NBA in Mike Conley.  He is out with an Achilles injury, but the list of injuries for this team doesn't stop there.  Both Brandan Wright and Wayne Selden are out, and Tyreke Evans is questionable.  The Blazers will be hungry to avenge their 97-98 home loss to the Grizzlies on November 7th in their first and only meeting this season. They should take advantage of these vulnerable Grizzlies, who have now lost 4 straight and are coming off a 22-point home loss to Houston.  Memphis is 4-16 ATS in its last 20 home games off a home loss.  The Grizzlies are 2-11 ATS in their last 13 games off a loss to a division opponent.  The Blazers are 8-1-2 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.  The Grizzlies are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  Take Portland.

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Brooklyn Nets +2

The Key: This is a revenge game for the Brooklyn Nets, who just lost 106-114 in Utah on Saturday.  Now they get the chance to beat the Jazz just 6 days later.  And this will be just their 2nd game in 6 days, so they are rested and ready to go.  They also catch a vulnerable, beat up Jazz team that is already playing without Rudy Gobert, Joe Johnson and Dante Exum, and they could be without Ricky Rubio who is nursing an Achilles injury.  Take Brooklyn.

6* Warriors/Celtics Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Boston +7.5

The Key: The Boston Celtics have won 13 straight games heading into this showdown with the Golden State Warriors.  They have gone 11-1-1 ATS in the process.  They continue to lack the respect they deserve from oddsmakers tonight as 7.5-point home dogs to the Warriors.  Take Boston.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New Orleans Pelicans -2.5

The Key: The New Orleans Pelicans should be bigger favorites tonight over the Toronto Raptors given the situation.  It's a tough spot for the Raptors as they'll be playing their 3rd game in 4 days after beating the Rockets on the road last night.  And the Pelicans will be hungry to avenge a 118-122 loss at Toronto just 6 days ago.  Now they get them at home and should be able to pull it off, especially with how well they are playing right now in winning and covering 5 of their last 6.  Take New Orleans.

7* Raptors/Rockets Non-Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto +6.5

The Key: The Toronto Raptors have failed to cover the spread in 4 straight games.  The Houston Rockets have covered the spread in 5 of their last 6. Because of these recent trends, we are getting a couple too many points with the Raptors here as 6.5-point dogs to the Rockets.  Houston is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 home games.  The Rockets are 4-13 ATS in their last 17 non-conference home games.  Toronto is 14-3 ATS after failing to cover 4 of their last 5 against the spread over the last 3 seasons.  Take Toronto.

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

The Key: The New York Knicks have been one of the most underrated teams in the NBA.  They have gone 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall, including 6-1 SU & 6-1 ATS in their last 7 home games.  Now they're catching 6 points at home against one of the most overrated teams in the NBA in the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are 6-7 SU & 4-8-1 ATS this season.  The Knicks actually won 114-95 in Cleveland as 10.5-point dogs in their first meeting on October 29th.  Cleveland is 1-8 ATS as a favorite this season.  Take New York.

6* Nets/Blazers NBA *BAILOUT* on OVER 221

The Key: The Brooklyn Nets play at a faster pace than anyone in the NBA this season.  That should lead to a shootout tonight in Portland against one of the best backcourts in the NBA in Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.  The OVER is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.  In their two meetings last year, the Nets and Blazers combined for 246 and 238 points.  The books have set the number too low tonight.  Take the OVER.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Toronto Raptors -5.5

The Key: This is a good situation to fade the New Orleans Pelicans.  They will be playing their 4th straight road games here.  They actually won their first 3, but all 3 were against suspect competition in Dallas (by 5), Chicago (by 6) and Indiana (by 5).  Now they take a big step up in class and I expect that winning streak to come to an end against the Toronto Raptors tonight.  The Raptors are 3-1 at home and outscoring opponents by 11.3 PPG.  The Pelicans are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.  The Raptors are 11-3-1 ATS in the last 15 meetings.  Take Toronto.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Detroit Pistons -7

The Key: The Detroit Pistons have been off since Saturday, giving them a full 3 days to get ready for this game against the Pacers.  It has given them a chance to hone in things from an impressive 7-3 SU & 7-2-1 ATS start to the season.  The Pacers are a tired team right now, playing the second of a back to back and their 6th game in 9 days.  Indiana is 5-17 ATS in its last 22 road games when playing on back to back days.  Detroit is 40-22 ATS in its last 62 games as a home favorite.  Take Detroit.

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Indiana Pacers +1.5

The Key: The Indiana Pacers are better than they get credit for.  They have opened 5-5 with wins over the likes of the Spurs, Cavs and Timberwolves already to show they can play with the good teams.  The Pacers are 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS at home this year.  Off a 3-game road trip, they return home and should get in the win column against the Pelicans.  The Pelicans are 5-5 also, but 4 of their wins came against the worst teams in the NBA in the Lakers, Kings, Mavs and Bulls.  Indiana has a healthy Myles Turner back in the lineup after he missed most of the season up to this point, and he is probably the best player on the team, which just shows what their potential will be moving forward.  The Pelicans are 3-8 ATS in the last 11 meetings.  The Pacers are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 games overall.  Take Indiana.

6* Celtics/Hawks Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Boston -7.5

The Key: The Boston Celtics are 8-0 SU & 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games overall.  They should make that 9 in a row tonight against the Atlanta Hawks, who have gone 1-8 in their last 9 games with 6 losses by 10 points or more.  The Hawks won't even show up tonight after pulling off a shocking upset in Cleveland on Sunday.  Take Boston.

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Philadelphia 76ers -4.5

The Key: The Philadelphia 76ers are 4-1 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall.  They still aren't getting any love, and I like this -4.5 price we are getting with them at home here against the Indiana Pacers.  The Pacers have been a great covering team too, but I think they are the frauds while the 76ers are the real deal. And if the Pacers were going to have a letdown, it would be in this game because they are coming off a 124-107 win over Lebron James and the Cavaliers in Cleveland.  The 76ers are 14-2 ATS after having won 3 of their last 4 games over the last 2 seasons.  The 76ers are 40-19 ATS in their last 59 games overall.  Take Philadelphia.

7* NBA Western Conference Game of the Month on New Orleans Pelicans -2

The Key: The Minnesota Timberwolves are close to being 0-7 this season.  They are 4-3, but all 4 wins have come by 3 points or less.  They will take their medicine today against a Pelicans team that has owned them.  The Pelicans went 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS against the Timberwolves last season, winning by 14, 16 and 21 points.  Expect more of the same tonight.  Take New Orleans.

6* Thunder/Bucks Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Milwaukee +2

The Key: Wrong team favored here.  The Oklahoma City Thunder haven't found their chemistry yet with the new faces in Paul George and Carmelo Anthony.  The Thunder are just 3-3 on the season with their 3 wins coming against the Knicks, Pacers and Bulls.  They have lost to their best teams they've faced, and now they take another step up in class against a Milwaukee Bucks team that will challenge for supremacy in the East.  The Thunder are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take Milwaukee.

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Philadelphia 76ers +7

The Key: The Philadelphia 76ers just lost to the Houston Rockets on a buzzer-beater 105-104 on October 25th this past Wednesday.  Now they get their shot at revenge less than a week later.  I love backing the team with revenge in mind in these spots.  Take Philadelphia.

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Denver Nuggets -7

The Key: The Denver Nuggets have been one of the biggest disappointments in the NBA thus far with their 1-3 start.  They are loaded with talent and are better than they've shown.  Now they have a chance to get right against arguably the worst team in the NBA in the Atlanta Hawks, who just lost last night 86-91 in Chicago and will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 4th game in 6 days.  The Hawks were without Dennis Schroeder and Ersan Ilyasova last night and both are questionable again tonight.  Given the line, I'm assuming Shchroeder is out, and the Hawks really have nothing without him.  He is far and away their best player.  The Nuggets are 12-2 ATS in road games after failing to cover 3 of their last 4 against the spread over the last 3 seasons.  The Nuggets are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  The Nuggets are 17-6 ATS in their last 23 games following a loss.  The Hawks are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  Take Denver.

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Chicago Bulls -2

The Key: The Chicago Bulls are 0-3 this season, but they were competitive in losses to the Spurs and Cavaliers.  And their other loss came to the Raptors, so their three defeats have come against three of the best teams in the NBA.  Now they'll be hungry for their first victory, and they have an excellent chance to get it against the only team in the NBA that may be worse than them in the 1-3 Atlanta Hawks.  The Hawks are going to be without their best player in Dennis Shroder, who is listed as doubtful.  And Ersan Ilyasova is questionable and may be their second-best player.  Bets against dogs (Atlanta) average team from last season that won between 45-55% of their games, after 2 or more consecutive losses are 24-7 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Chicago.

6* Spurs/Heat ESPN *CA$H COW* on Miami +4.5

The Key: The Miami Heat were one of the best teams in the NBA in the second half last year.  They have been grossly underrated, and they're being overlook again here as 4.5-point home dogs to the San Antonio Spurs.  This is a Spurs team that has been able to get by without Kawhi Leonard, going 3-0, but two of their games were close at home, and their only road win came against the awful Chicago Bulls.  This will be their stiffest road test yet.  The Heat are 11-2 ATS after failing to cover the spread in 2 or more consecutive games over the last 2 seasons.  The Heat are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take Miami.

6* Tuesday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Pacers/Timberwolves UNDER 219.5

The Key: The Minnesota Timberwolves will play defense this season with the additions of Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson, who were defensive stalwarts in Tom Thibodeau's time in Chicago.  They will demand defense from the likes of Andrew Wiggins and Karl Anthony-Towns.  Indiana will be missing its best player in Myles Turner, who opens up their offense with his ability to stretch the floor.  They will also be without floor stretcher Glenn Robinson III tonight.  I just don't see how the Pacers contribute enough points in this game to push this game over this 219.5-point total.  Indiana is 12-3 UNDER after allowing 105 points or more in 3 straight games coming in.  Take the UNDER.

6* Monday NBA *Total* Annihilator on 76ers/Pistons UNDER 214.5

The Key: The last 6 meetings between the 76ers and Pistons in Detroit have all seen 209 or fewer combined points.  They have averaged 199 combined points in those 6 meetings.  The Pistons are 13-3 to the UNDER in their last 16 home games.  Take the UNDER.

6* Saturday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Magic/Cavs UNDER 215.5

The Key: Both the Cavs and Magic will be missing their starting point guards in this game.  Elfrid Payton is doubtful for Orlando, while Derrick Rose is doubtful for Cleveland.  Without their point guards, I expect both offenses to struggle more than normal here.  So we'll take a shot with the UNDER 215.5.  Both teams will be fatigued after playing last night as well, so the pace of this game should be slow.  Take the UNDER.

6* Cavs/Bucks ESPN *Total* Annihilator on OVER 208.5

The Key: This has clearly been an OVER series between the Cavs and Bucks.  The OVER is 20-7 in the last 27 meetings, including 8-2 in the last 10 meetings.  And the OVER is 12-2 in the last 14 meetings in Milwaukee.  This total has been set too low tonight.  Take the OVER.

6* Lakers/Clippers Western Conference *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles Lakers +6

The Key: The Los Angeles Lakers will start showing some progress this season and make a run at the final playoff spot.  The Los Angeles Clippers are headed the other direction after trading away their franchise player in Chris Paul to Houston.  I think we are getting a nice price on the Lakers here as 6-point dogs.  They want to establish that they are the best team in L.A. once again, and it starts against the Clippers in their opener.  Take the Lakers.

7* Timberwolves/Spurs ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Minnesota +2

The Key: The Minnesota Timberwolves will be one of the better teams in the Western Conference this season.  They added Jimmy Butler and Jeff Teague to go along with Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns.  This is now one of the best starting lineups in the league.  And the Spurs are going to be missing their best player and MVP in Kawhi Leonard tonight.  There is now a huge talent mismatch here in favor of the Timberwolves, and they should not be dogs.  Take Minnesota.

6* Western Conference *CA$H COW* on New Orleans Pelicans +2

The Key: The Grit 'n Grind era is starting to fall apart in Memphis.  The Grizzlies lost Zach Randolph and Tony Allen in the offseason.  They still have Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, but the talent around them is underwhelming to say the least.  The Pelicans are a team that will be improved this season.  DeMarcus Cousins was traded there midseason last year.  Having an entire offseason to implement the new systems surrounding Cousins and Anthony Davis will do wonders for this team, starting with Game 1 tonight.  Take New Orleans.

6* Celtics/Cavs Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Cleveland -3.5

The Key: I think the fact that Lebron James is showing up on the injury report is keeping this line lower than it should be.  JR Smith said Lebron will play, and I have no doubt he will as he wants to beat down the Celtics and former teammate Kyrie Irving.  I think the whole Cavs team feels that way and will rally around him here. And the Celtics won't have much chemistry in the early going with all of the new faces in the lineup as they'll have four new starters this year.  Take Cleveland.

7* Cavs/Warriors Game 5 *HEAVY HITTER* on Golden State -8.5

The Key: The Golden State Warriors were just humbled in Cleveland by a final of 137-116.  They let their guard down after taking a 3-0 lead, but now they'll be focused on closing out this series in Game 5.  They remember blowing their 3-1 lead last year all too clearly, and they aren't about to let it happen again.  The Cavs made a whopping 24 3-pointers in Game 4 and that's obviously not going to happen again, either.  The home crowd will be a huge edge here as the Warriors are 44-5 at home this season and winning by 16.2 points per game.  Golden State is 7-0 ATS in home games against Central division opponents this season.  The home team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take Golden State.

7* NBA Finals Total of the Year on Warriors/Cavs UNDER 229

The Key: This total of 229 is the highest of the four games thus far in the NBA Finals, so that fact alone shows that there's value with the UNDER.  And the 10 meetings between the Cavs and Warriors prior to Game 2 all saw 217 or fewer combined points.  Cleveland is 18-3 UNDER as a dog of 3.5 to 9.5 points over the last two seasons.  The UNDER is 39-17 in Warriors last 56 games playing on 1 days rest.  Take the UNDER.

7* NBA Finals Game of the Year on Cleveland Cavaliers +4

The Key: The Cleveland Cavaliers will give everything they have in Game 3 tonight to try and get back in this series.  This is the exact same situation as last year when they lost the first two games in Golden State in blowout fashion, then won Game 3 in Cleveland 120-90.  I don't expect that big of a blowout this time around, but I do think they win this game outright, though we'll take the points for some insurance.  The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings in this series.  Take Cleveland.

7* Cavs/Warriors Game 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on Golden State -8.5

The Key: The Golden State Warriors are playing with a massive chip on their shoulder after blowing that 3-1 series lead in the NBA Finals last season.  That's why they won't let up after winning 113-91 in Game 1.  We saw last year in the first two games of the NBA Finals that the Warriors won by 15 in Game 1 and came back and won by 33 in Game 2.  I think this will be another double-digit blowout for the Warriors, who are 28-1 in their last 29 games while winning 9 of their last 10 by double-digits.  They are the better defensive team here and held the Cavs to 34.5% shooting in Game 1. That is the difference in this series, and it will be the difference in Game 2 as well.  The Warriors are 21-6-1 ATS in their last 28 games overall.  Take Golden State.

7* Cavs/Warriors Game 1 *HEAVY HITTER* on Golden State -7

The Key: The Golden State Warriors will jump on the Cavaliers in Game 1 to make an early statement that this series isn't going to go like it did last year.  The Warriors just have too many weapons now with the addition of Durant, and they are the second-best defensive team in the NBA and have the players who can contain Lebron James.  This is a highly anticipated series, but the casual fan will be disappointed with Game 1 as the Warriors run away with it.  They are 27-1 in their last 28 games overall, including 12-0 in these playoffs with 9 straight double-digit victories.  Take Golden State.

7* Cavs/Celtics Game 5 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 217

The Key: The Cavs shot 56.5% in Game 2 and it went UNDER.  The Cavs shot 59.5% in Game 4 and it went UNDER.  The Cavs can't shoot the ball any better, and yet the UNDER has cashed two of the last three games.  And I think Game 5 will be the lowest scoring yet after a previous low of 211 in Game 4.  The Celtics are worse offensively but better defensively without Isaiah Thomas.  Boston is 8-0 UNDER as a home dog of 6.5 to 12 points over the last three seasons.  The UNDER is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings in Boston.  Take the UNDER. 

7* Celtics/Cavs Game 4 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 218

The Key: The Cavs and Celtics could not have shot any better in Game 3 and they STILL only combined for 219 points.  The Celtics went a ridiculous 18-of-40 (45%) from 3-point range, while the Cavs went 16-of-39 (41%) from distance.  The chances of that happening again are highly unlikely, thus we'll take the UNDER in Game 4.  The UNDER is 14-5-2 in Celtics last 21 road games.  Take the UNDER.

7* Warriors/Spurs Game 4 *HEAVY HITTER* on San Antonio +12

The Key: The San Antonio Spurs won't just quit even though this series is essentially over.  Greg Popovich will make sure his players give a big effort tonight in Game 4 to avoid the sweep.  And we're getting some serious line value here with the Spurs as 12-point home dogs with the books knowing that the public is just going to keep pounding the Warriors no matter how high they set the line.  We'll go against the public here tonight.  Bets against road favorites of 10 or more points (GOLDEN STATE) - top caliber team - outscoring their opponents by 9+ points/game are 70-27 ATS since 1996.  Take San Antonio.

7* NBA 3rd Round Total of the Year on Celtics/Cavs UNDER 217

The Key: The Celtics will now be without leading scorer Isaiah Thomas for the rest of the playoffs.  It will certainly hurt their offense moving forward, especially here in Game 3 as they are not used to playing without him.  He creates so much for them offensively.  Where they won't miss him is on the other end, where Thomas is one of the worst defensive point guards in the NBA.  I really love this UNDER in Game 3 as it's one of my strongest plays of the postseason.  They combined for 216 points in Game 2 and will certainly combine for less than that now that the Celtics are worse off on offense and better off on defense.  The UNDER is 5-1 in Celtics last 6 road games.  The UNDER is 81-38-3 in Cavs last 122 Sunday games.  The UNDER is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings.  Take the UNDER.

7* Warriors/Spurs Game 3 *HEAVY HITTER* on San Antonio +9.5

The Key: The San Antonio Spurs aren't the type of team that's just going to pack it in down 2-0.  They were deflated in Game 2 after losing Kawhi Leonard to injury in Game 1, and they did not play well as they shot just 37% while the Warriors hot 56% for the game.  Look for them to show some pride tonight.  After all, they are still 8-2 without Leonard this season, so they have the pieces to make this game competitive.  I always like backing home teams in the playoffs in Game 3 after losing the first two games of the series because you know they are going to give the effort with their season basically on the line.  The Spurs are 19-9 ATS in the last 28 home meetings.  Take San Antonio.

7* Cavs/Celtics Game 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on Boston +6.5

The Key: The Boston Celtics are in must-win mode here in Game 2.  They let the Cavs take it to them in Game 1 and won't make that same mistake again tonight.  The Cavs are clearly a public team right now as they have gone 4-0-1 ATS in their last five playoff games while winning all nine playoff games thus far.  The public is going to continue to back them blindly, and this line is up to 6.5 in some places today after being just 3.5 in Game 1.  That's a clear over-adjustment as the books know that the public is only going to back the Cavs.  This extra line value is a nice bonus in a game the Celtics will likely win outright.  Take Boston.

7* Cavs/Celtics Game 1 *HEAVY HITTER* on Boston +5

The Key: The Boston Celtics have only played 4 games in the past 10 days.  So I'm not buying the public perception that they are fatigued heading into this series.  The Cavaliers have had 9 days off in between games and I think that puts them at a disadvantage in Game 1.  The Celtics are favored by 4 at home in their final regular season meeting with the Cavaliers.  Now they are GETTING 5 points in Game 1.  That's way too big of an adjustment.  The Celtics are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 home games.  Take Boston.

7* Spurs/Warriors Game 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on San Antonio +14

The Key: There's no question that the loss of Kawhi Leonard is huge for the Spurs.  But I think the books have over-adjusted here in Game 2.  In fact, the Spurs are actually 8-1 this season without Leonard, which is remarkable.  They thumped Houston 114-75 on the road without Leonard in Game 6 last series.  Bets against home favorites (GOLDEN STATE) - when leading in a playoff series, a top-level team (75% or better) playing a good team (60% to 75%) are 32-9 ATS since 1996.  San Antonio is 8-0 ATS off a close road loss of 3 points or less over the last 3 seasons.  The road team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  Take San Antonio.

7* Wizards/Celtics Game 7 *HEAVY HITTER* on Boston -5

The Key: The home team has won all 10 meetings between the Wizards and Celtics this season.  The home team has gone 9-1 ATS in those 10 games as well.  The Boston Celtics have won 8 straight home meetings with the Wizards while going 8-0 ATS in the process.  I think they'll fee off their home crowd and run away with this Game 7, just as they have in all previous 8 home meetings with the Wizards.  Take Boston.

7* Spurs/Warriors Game 1 *HEAVY HITTER* on Golden State -9.5

The Key: The Golden State Warriors are chomping at the bit to get back on the court again.  They swept each of their first round series against the Blazers and Jazz while winning seven of those games by 11 points or more.  I think they get a double-digit win over the Spurs in Game 1.  The Spurs are banged up right now without Tony Parker and with Kawhi Leonard nowhere near 100%.  They have also only had two days off since beating the Rockets in Game 6, while the Warriors have had five days off in between.  San Antonio is 0-7 ATS off a road win over a division opponent this season.  The Warriors are 17-5-1 ATS in their last 23 games overall.  Take Golden State.

7* Celtics/Wizards Game 6 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 217

The Key: The Over has gone 4-1 in this series thus far.  But I think Game 6 is primed to be the lowest scoring game yet as these teams clearly know one another very well now.  And with the pressure of an elimination game, I don't expect the Wizards to shoot lights out, but their defensive effort will be there for four quarters.  This one will be played at a much slower pace give the high stakes.  Boston is 7-0 UNDER in Friday night road games this season.  Boston is 13-2 UNDER in road games versus teams who allow 46% shooting or worse this season.  Take the UNDER.

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

The Key: I like the way the Houston Rockets responded the first time they trailed in this series.  Trailing 2-1, they blew out the Spurs 125-104 at home in Game 4.  After they gave away Game 5, I think the Rockets will respond with a big performance in Game 6 at home here again Thursday.  The Spurs are already without Tony Parker, and now Kawhi Leonard is nowhere near 100% as he's nursing ankle and knee injuries.  This is just a really bad spot for the Spurs here tonight.  Take Houston.

7* NBA 2nd Round Game of the Year on Boston Celtics -4

The Key: This one is really as simply as it gets.  The home team has been dominant when the Wizards and Celtics get together.  The home team has won 8 straight while going a perfect 8-0 ATS in the process.  The Celtics have won 7 straight home meetings with the Wizards while going 7-0 ATS as well.  They have won all 7 games by at least 8 points. Take Boston.