Sports Picks & Predictions

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Atlanta Hawks -3

The Key: The Washington Wizards have been playing great basketball over the past month.  But now it's to the point where they are getting too much respect from oddsmakers and it's time to fade them.  I think this is a great price on Atlanta as only 3-point home favorites now.  After all, the Hawks have been playing just as good, winning 12 of their last 15 games coming in.  Yet, they aren't getting the respect they deserve.  And the Wizards are coming off a huge win over the Celtics in which they wore black to the game, signifying the Celtics' funerals.  They put a lot into that game and won't be nearly as focused for the Hawks here.  The Wizards are just 6-14 on the road this season.  Washington is 7-20 ATS in its last 27 road games after scoring 120 points or more.   Take Atlanta.

7* Pac-12 Game of the Week on Washington State +23.5

The Key: The Arizona Wildcats are in a flat spot here against the Washington State Cougars.  They are coming off their biggest win of the season, a 96-85 upset at UCLA as 5-point underdogs.  They will have a hard time getting up to play Washington State now, and that's going to make it very difficult to cover this 23.5-point spread.  The Cougars are a much-improved team this season that is senior-led and will be competitive in this game.  They have gone a respectable 3-4 in conference play this year.  Bets against home teams who have at least a +8 PPG differential on the season against a team with a PPG differential of -3.5 to -8, after scoring 95 points or more in their previous game are 70-35 ATS since 1997.  Take Washington State.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Minnesota Timberwolves -3

The Key: The Minnesota Timberwolves have won 6 of their last 8 games overall.  They are finally starting to play up to their potential right now and certainly are worth a bet as only 3-point home favorites tonight over the Indiana Pacers.  The Timberwolves are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games.  The Pacers are not only 6-16 SU but also 6-16 ATS on the road this season.  Indiana has gone 1-10 ATS in their 11 road games this season against good free throw shooting teams that make at least 76% of their attempts.  Take Minnesota.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Memphis Grizzlies -5.5

The Key: The Toronto Raptors have lost 4 straight games for the first time since March of 2015.  They lost on the road to the 76ers, lost by 35 at Charlotte, lost by 12 at home to Phoenix, and fell to the Spurs last night who were playing without several key players, including star Kawhi Leonard.  Now they will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 6th game in 9 days.  They are expected to be without leading scorer DeMar DeRozan again tonight as well. Now they have to play a Memphis Grizzlies team that has been sitting there waiting for them.  The Grizzlies have had 3 days off since a home loss to Houston on Saturday.  Memphis is 8-1 ATS revenging a same season loss this season.  After losing 105-120 in Toronto on November 30, look for the Grizzlies to avenge that defeat and take advantage of this fatigued Raptors squad tonight.  Take Memphis.

7* Creighton/Georgetown Big East *HEAVY HITTER* on Georgetown +2.5

The Key: Creighton just isn't the same without PG Mo Watson Jr., who was lost two games ago against Xavier.  The Bluejays went on to get upset at home in their first game without him 94-102 at home to Marquette.  Watson Jr. actually accounted for 38% of Creighton's points between his scoring and gaudy assist numbers.  Georgetown will pull the upset at home tonight.  The Hoyas are 5-1 SU in their last 6 meetings with Creighton, including 3 straight home victories in this series.  Take Georgetown.

7* Spurs/Raptors NBA TV *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto +3.5

The Key: The Toronto Raptors are in the midst of their first 3-game losing streak since November of 2015.  I look for them to end this skid tonight with an upset home victory over the San Antonio Spurs in an inspired effort.  The Spurs will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back here after a win in Brooklyn last night.  They have all kinds of injuries right now as Manu Ginobli, Tony Parker and Pau Gasol are expected to sit, while Kawhi Leonard is questionable.  That's not good news for them to be short-handed when this will also be their 3rd game in 4 days.  The home team is 6-0 SU in the last 6 meetings between these teams with the Raptors pulling off the upset in their 2 home meetings as underdogs during this stretch.  Take Toronto.

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Auburn +9.5

The Key: South Carolina is in a prime flat spot here tonight.  With first place on the line last Saturday against Kentucky, the Gamecocks lost 69-85 on the road to the Wildcats.  Now they're going to have a hard time getting motivated to face Auburn just a few days later here on Tuesday.  The Tigers are coming off one of their best performances of the season in an 84-64 win over Alabama to give them confidence.  This was a very young team to start the season, but one of the most talented in the SEC.  It appears Bruce Pearl has them playing their best right now as they have won 3 of their last 4 with their only loss coming on the road to Kentucky.  This is a team that is only going to get better as the season goes on.  Bets on dogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points off a home blowout win by 20 points or more against opponent off a road loss by 10 points or more are 79-37 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Auburn.

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Portland +23.5

The Key: I don't foresee the Gonzaga Bulldogs being motivated at all for this game against Portland tonight.  That's because the Bulldogs just beat the Pilots 73-52 in Spokane on Saturday.  Now these teams have to square off again two days later because their earlier meeting in Portland was postponed due to snow.  After losing by 21 on the road, I think the Pilots can stay within 23.5 at home this time around in the rematch.  Bets on dogs of 10 or more points after scoring 55 points or less in a loss to a conference opponent when playing with one or less days' rest are 54-21 ATS since 1997.  Take Portland.

7* NBA Non-Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Miami Heat +12

The Key: The Golden State Warriors have covered 5 straight games coming into this showdown with the Miami Heat. However, they are now getting way too much respect from oddsmakers.  This will be a tough situation for the Warriors as they will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days.  They pulled away from the Magic in the second half yesterday after being tied at halftime.  I think they'll struggle to win by a margin against the Miami Heat, who have won 3 straight with home victories over the Rockets. Mavs and Bucks.  The Heat are 3-0 ATS in their last 3 meetings with the Warriors, which were all decided by 12 points or less despite two of those coming on the road, including a 95-107 road loss at 14.5-point dogs on January 10th.  The Warriors are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 0 days rest.  The Warriors are 4-14 ATS in their last 18 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  Take Miami.

7* NFL Playoffs Total of the Year on Steelers/Patriots UNDER 51

The Key: Both of these defenses are playing tremendous football down the stretch.  The Patriots lead the NFL in scoring defense, giving up just 15.6 points per game on the season.  They are allowing only 12.9 points per game in their last 8 contests.  The Steelers are giving up only 16.6 points per game in their last 9 games, which is the biggest reason why they have won 9 straight.  And the Steelers have had their struggles in the red zone, as evidenced by their 6 field goals against the Chiefs without a TD last week.  The Patriots are the definition of a bend but don't break defense, and it will be hard for the Steelers to punch it in the end zone again this week.  The UNDER is 20-7 in Steelers last 27 road games.  The UNDER is 5-1 in Patriots last 6 conference championship games.  The UNDER is 4-0-1 in Steelers last 5 playoff games.  The UNDER is 6-0 in Steelers last 6 road games off a road win.  Take the UNDER.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Los Angeles Lakers +6

The Key: I like the spot for the Los Angeles Lakers.  They will be playing just their 2nd game in 5 days here.  They are coming off a 108-96 home win over the Pacers on Friday and will certainly be fresh for this game.  The Mavericks will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days after an overtime home loss to the Jazz on Friday that followed up a trip to Miami on Thursday.  The Lakers will also be in revenge mode here after losing each of their first 2 meetings this season at home to the Mavs.  Take Los Angeles.

6* GB/ATL NFC *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 61.5

The Key: For starters, this is the second-highest total in NFL history.  That fact alone shows that there is value on the under.  The books have inflated this number because the betting public will be all over the 'over' in this game.  I think there are some key injuries that will prevent both teams from racking up a ton of points in this game.  The Packers are likely without Jordy Nelson and could be without Devante Adams, who have combined for 26 touchdown receptions this year.  Julio Jones is expected to play, but he's nowhere near 100% for the Falcons.  I realize these teams combined for 65 points earlier this season in a 33-32 Atlanta victory, but the box score shows that neither team moved the football all that well.  The Packers only had 331 total yards in that contest while the Falcons had 367.  Those are decent numbers for most teams, but not for the Packers and Falcons, who average 373 yards and 416 yards per game on the season, respectively.  The Falcons have been better defensively down the stretch in allowing 20 or fewer points in 5 of their last 7 games.  Atlanta is 6-0 UNDER after gaining 375 or more yards in 4 consecutive games over the last 3 seasons.  The Falcons are 14-4 UNDER vs. teams who give up 24 or more points per game over the last 3 years.  Take the UNDER.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Memphis Grizzlies +1

The Key: Talk about a tough situation for Houston here.  The Rockets will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back, their 4th game in 5 days and their 11th game in 17 days.  And they just played the Warriors last night and lost, so they'll likely suffer a hangover effect from that defeat and not get up to face the Grizzlies.  Memphis will also be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back here, but this will be just its 3rd game in 6 days.  And the Grizzlies made easy work of the Kings 107-91 last night, so they should still be fresh for this game.  The Grizzlies clearly have the Rockets figured out as they won 115-109 at home and 110-105 on the road in their first 2 meetings this year.  They are as well-equipped to stop the Rockets as any team in the NBA because they actually play defense.  The Rockets are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 Saturday games.  The Grizzlies are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 Saturday games.  The Rockets are 3-9 ATS in the last 12 meetings in Memphis.  Take Memphis.

7* Pac-12 Game of the Week on Utah -3

The Key: The Utah Utes are absolutely flying under the radar right now.  They are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.  They did lose 82-83 to UCLA, but the Bruins could be the best team in the country.  They beat Arizona State by 6 on the road, USC by 22 at home, and Washington State by a whopping 41 on the road during this stretch.  Washington is one of the worst teams in the Pac-12 with its only 2 wins coming at home against Oregon State and Colorado.  It lost on the road to both Cal and Stanford, while getting upset by Washington State at home as 12.5-point favorites and also losing to Oregon by 22 at home.  Utah won both meetings last year with Washington and will likely sweep the season series again this year.  The Utes have a much more complete team than the Huskies.  The Utes have 7 players averaging at least 9.5 points per game, while the Huskies are too reliant on freshman sensation Markelle Fultz.  The Huskies don't play defense as they give up 78.5 points per game, while the Utes score 80.9 points per game and allow just 65.9.  The Utes are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite of 0.5-6.5.  The Huskies are 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  Washington is 0-4 ATS in its last 4 games as a home underdog.  Take Utah.

6* Atlantic 10 *CA$H COW* on Duquesne +9

The Key: I'm not sure exactly what Rhode Island has done to warrant being a 9-point road favorite.  The Rams are 1-4 in true road games this season with their only win at Saint Louis, which is the worst team in the Atlantic 10.  Duquesne has given Rhode Island fits of late, going 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  Nine of the last 10 meetings in this series were decided by 8 points or fewer.  The only exception was an 83-71 road win by Duquesne as 5-point dogs in 2014.  So, the Rams haven't beaten them by this margin in any of the last 10 meetings, making for a 10-0 angle backing the Dukes pertaining to this 9-point spread.  Take Duquesne.

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Utah Jazz -6

The Key: The Utah Jazz have played since Monday, so they have had 3 days off to rest and ready ready for the Mavericks tonight.  Dallas hasn't had the same luxury as this will be the 2nd of a back-to-back and its 3rd game in 4 days here tonight.  The Mavs lost 95-99 in Miami last night, and they won't have much left in the tank for the Jazz here Friday.  I look for the Jazz to continue to roll because of it after going 9-3 in their last 12 games and 4-0 in their last 4 contests coming in.  Dallas has gone just 2-11 ATS in its last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  Take Utah.

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Santa Clara +13

The Key: The Santa Clara Broncos come in playing their best basketball of the season.  They have won 4 of their last 5 with blowout home wins over San Francisco by 14 and Portland by 28, as well as impressive road wins at San Diego and Pepperdine.  Now they're amped up to get their shot at unbeaten Gonzaga, which they only lost to 77-79 as 15-point home dogs last season.  Herb Sendek has all 5 of his starters back from that squad.  And the Broncos catch the Bulldogs in a letdown spot here after their big win over St. Mary's last time out.  Gonzaga is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games off 3 straight games where it shot 53% or better.  The Broncos are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games following three or more consecutive road games.  The Bulldogs are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 meetings, and 1-8 ATS in their last 9 trips to Santa Clara.  Take Santa Clara.

7* T'Wolves/Clippers TNT *BAILOUT* on Minnesota PK

The Key: The Minnesota Timberwolves are playing up to their potential now as they are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.  I look for them to take advantage of a short-handed Clippers team that is now without both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.  It's well documented that they have been terrible without Paul, and that is amplified when either Griffin or DeAndre Jordan are also out.  Minnesota is 26-11 ATS in road games revenging a loss vs. opponent over the last 2 seasons.  The Timberwolves are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  The road team is 23-7-1 ATS in the last 31 meetings.  Take Minnesota.

7* OKC/GS ESPN *BAILOUT* on Oklahoma City +13.5

The Key: This is a great spot to fade the Golden State Warriors.  They are coming off an emotional 126-91 win over Cleveland in which they put everything into that game to end a 4-game losing streak to the defending champs.  I don't expect them to show up nearly as focused for the Thunder, who will be hungry after losing badly to the Clippers last time out.  They'll also be out for revenge from an earlier blowout loss at Golden State in their first meeting this season.  OKC is 8-1 ATS after playing 2 consecutive road games this season.  Bets on road dogs of 10 or more points after a blowout loss by 15 points or more against opponent after a combined score of 215 points or more 2 straight games are 29-9 ATS since 1996.  Take Oklahoma City.

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Bradley +11

The Key: This is a great spot to fade the Illinois State Redbirds.  They are coming off their biggest win of the season, a 76-62 home victory over Wichita State, the favorite to win the MVC.  It was their 7th straight victory overall.  Now they are primed for a letdown here against Bradley, which has played well of late.  The Braves have upset wins over Southern Illinois 60-51 as 2-point dogs, Evansville 74-63 as 11.5-point dogs and Northern Iowa 72-61 as 2-point dogs in conference play alone.  Illinois State is 0-6 ATS off 3 or more consecutive ATS wins over the last 3 seasons.  The Redbirds are 18-42 ATS in their last 60 vs. teams that are outscored by 4-plus points per game.  The Redbirds are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games as a road favorite of 7.0-12.5.  The Braves are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a ATS loss.  The Braves are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 games following a straight up loss.  Take Bradley.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Los Angeles Lakers +1

The Key: The Los Angeles Lakers are 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.  But that makes them a 'play on' team today because the Lakers have gone 21-8 ATS in their last 29 home games when entering on at least a 4-game losing streak.  The Nuggets played yesterday in a home win over the Magic.  But the Nuggets are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 during the 2nd of a back-to-back.  This is a great situation for the Lakers to get a win Tuesday.  Take Los Angeles.

7* Big Ten Game of the Week on Purdue -12

The Key: Purdue is coming off a 78-83 loss at Ohio.  The Boilermakers have now had 4 days off since that loss on Thursday, and I expect them to come out hungry for a victory at home here.  The Illinois Fighting Illini don't have the same luxury after losing 56-62 at home to Maryland on Saturday, only getting 2 days to prepare for Purdue.  And it's not like the Fighting Illini have shown anything worth wanting to back on the road.  They are 0-2 in true road games this year, losing by 16 at Indiana and by 25 at Maryland.  Chalk up another blowout road loss by the Fighting Illini after tonight.  Illinois is 1-10 ATS in road games vs. good shooting teams that make 48% or better over the last 3 seasons.  The Boilermakers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 home games.  Take Purdue.

7* Thunder/Clippers TNT *BAILOUT* on UNDER 215.5

The Key: This is an inflated total tonight between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers.  These are two of the better defensive teams in the NBA.  The Clippers rank 6th in the league in defensive efficiency, while the Thunder are 8th in the same category.  These teams have already played 3 times this season and this will be their 4th and final meeting, so they are obviously familiar with one another.  They have averaged just 196 combined points in those 3 meetings.  OKC is 11-0 UNDER offf 3 straight games with 55 or more rebounds this season.  The UNDER is 6-0 in Clippers last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Clippers last 7 home games.  The UNDER is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings in Los Angeles.  Take the UNDER.

6* Syracuse/UNC ESPN *CA$H COW* on Syracuse +14.5

The Key: Syracuse wants revenge from a 66-83 loss to UNC in the Final Four last season.  The Orange have played the Tar Heels very tough outside of that defeat as they hadn't lost any of their previous 5 meetings by more than 11 points.  I think this game will be closer than the books anticipate.  UNC is in a letdown spot off a huge 96-83 home win over a Top 10 Florida State team that had only lost one game prior to Saturday.  The Orange are 13-6 ATS in their last 19 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  UNC is 0-8 ATS in home games off a win by 10 points or more against a conference opponent over the alst 3 seasons.  It is only winning by 2.2 points per game on average in this situation.  Take Syracuse.

7* GB/DAL NFC *HEAVY HITTER* on Dallas Cowboys -4

The Key: The Dallas Cowboys pummeled the Green Bay Packers 30-16 on the road in their first meeting this season.  I see Green Bay having the same issues in the rematch, especially defensively.  The Cowboys went for 424 total yards and 191 rushing, absolutely dominating the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.  The team that wins the line of scrimmage usually proves victorious, and that will be the formula for the Cowboys again just as it has been all season.  And the Packers have several key injuries at receiver and in their secondary.  The Cowboys are very healthy coming into this game off their bye.  The home team is 10-4 ATS in the last 14 meetings.  The Packers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 trips to Dallas.  Take Dallas.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Dallas Mavericks -1.5

The Key: The Mavericks are well-rested and ready to go.  They will be playing just their 2nd game in 6 days here after their trip to Mexico City and win over Phoenix.  And they want revenge from a 92-101 loss to the Timberwolves on January 9th.  So they obviously don't have to wait long to exact that revenge here as they face them less than a week later.  The Timberwolves are starting to get too much credit from the books because they have won 3 straight while going 4-0 ATS in their last 4.  The Mavs basically just have to win this game at home to cover.  The Timberwolves are 5-13 SU & 6-12 ATS in their 18 road games this year.  The Timberwolves are 0-8 ATS in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400.  Take Dallas.

6* Michigan State/Ohio State Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Ohio State -2

The Key: The Ohio State Buckeyes are hungry for their first conference victory of the season after opening 0-4 against a brutal schedule.  They have 3 road losses to Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as a heartbreaking 75-76 home loss to Purdue in their only conference home game.  That game against Purdue showed what they are capable of.  I look for an inspired effort from them here at home.  The Spartans have only played 2 road games in conference pay, narrowly escaping with a 75-74 win at Minnesota in comeback fashion, and losing at Penn State 63-72.  Ohio State is 6-0 ATS in home games off a conference loss over the last 2 seasons.  The Buckeyes are 6-0 ATS in home games after allowing 80 points or more over the last 3 years.  The Buckeyes are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points.  Take this combined 17-0 angle straight to the bank. Take Ohio State.

6* Saturday Big 12 *CA$H COW* on Oklahoma PK

The Key: Oklahoma just returned its best player in Jordan Woodard against Kansas last time out.  Woodard had missed the previous 4 games due to injury, and it's not surprise that the Sooners were 0-4 in those games.  They actually led Kansas 36-27 at home in their last game before falling apart after intermission.  That effort for a half showed what they were capable of.  Now they face Texas Tech, which is 1-2 in true road games this season.  The Sooners have won 6 of their last 8 meetings with the Red Raiders.  The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.  The Red Raiders are 3-14 ATS in their last 17 road games vs. a team with a winning % between 20% and 40%.  Take Oklahoma.

7* SEA/ATL NFC *HEAVY HITTER* on Atlanta -4.5

The Key: The Atlanta Falcons have the best statistics in the NFL this season.  They outgain their opponents 6.7 to 5.6 yards per play on the year, which is the best differential in the league.  Matt Ryan threw for 335 yards and 3 touchdowns in his first meeting against the Seahawks in Seattle, a 24-26 loss.  But I think Ryan and company get their revenge at home this time around.  The Seahawks have only won 3 road games all season while scoring just 16 points per game away from home.  Take Atlanta.

6* Saturday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Lakers/Clippers UNDER 216.5

The Key: It's clear that when you look at the series history between the Lakers and Clippers that this total has been set too high Saturday.  The UNDER is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings and they haven't combined for more than 213 points in any of those 8 contests.  They have averaged just 192.1 combined points per game in their last 8 meetings.  Enough said.  Take the UNDER.

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Orlando Magic +7.5

The Key: We are getting a great price on the Orlando Magic today because they have lost 6 of their last 7 games.  I think they have a great shot to pull off the upset here against a Blazers team in a bad situation.  The Blazers put a lot into their win over the Cavaliers on Wednesday, and I think they come out flat here tonight against a Magic team that will want this game more.  The Magic will be the fresher team as this will be their 2nd game in 5 days, while the Blazers will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days and 6th game in 10 days.  Orlando is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 road games against Northwest opponents.  Portland is just 7-19 ATS in its last 26 games following a straight up win.  Take Orlando.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Dallas Mavericks -2

The Key: I like this situation for the Mavs.  They will be hungry for a win after losing 3 straight.  And adding to that hunger is the fact that they just lost to the Suns 7 days ago 95-102, so they'll be in revenge mode here.  The Mavs had won 4 straight over the Suns prior to that defeat by 13, 10, 16 and 3 points.  Phoenix is 1-10 ATS in road games when playing only its 2nd game in 5 days over the last 2 seasons.  Dallas is 25-11 ATS after losing 3 of its last 4 games over the last 2 seasons.  The Mavericks are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games following a straight up loss.  The Suns are 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 vs. Western Conference.  The Suns are 18-37 ATS in their last 55 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.  Take Dallas.

7* WCC Game of the Month on San Francisco +12.5

The Key: San Francisco is having a solid season at 11-6 this year.  The Dons are coming off back-to-back losses to the two best teams in the WCC in Gonzaga by 15 and St. Mary's by 11.  They'll clearly be battle-tested coming into this game against BYU, and I look for them to easily stay within the number here.  The Dons have been a tremendous road bet over the years.  They are 47-23-2 ATS in their last 72 games as a road dog.  The Dons are 17-5 ATS in their last 22 games following a double-digit loss at home.  The Cougars are 17-36 ATS in their last 53 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.  The road team is a perfect 8-0 ATS in the last 8 meetings.  The Dons are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 trips to BYU.  Take San Francisco.

7* NBA Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Memphis Grizzlies +5

The Key: I like catching 5 points here with the Memphis Grizzlies as this is clearly the value side tonight.  The Grizzlies thumped the Thunder 114-80 as 1.5-point home favorites on December 29th.  Now they're catching 5 points in the rematch.  Certainly the Thunder will be hungry for revenge, but I think it is adjusted too much.  The Grizzlies rank 2nd in the NBA in defensive efficiency and they have the formula to stop Russell Westbrook with one of the best PG defenders in the NBA in Mike Conley.  He frustrated Westbrook so much so that he was ejected with two technical fouls in their recent meeting.  The Grizzlies are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 vs. Western Conference.  Take Memphis.

6* Wednesday ACC *CA$H COW* on Wake Forest +9

The Key: Wake Forest is 6-1 at home this season with its only loss coming 68-73 to Clemson.  The Demon Deacons were outscored 12-0 in the final few minutes to blow that game.  That's the same Clemson team that just recently took UNC to overtime on January 3rd.  I think the Demon Deacons are good enough here to stay within single-digits of the Tar Heels as this game goes down to the wire.  Wake Forest is 54-34 ATS in its last 88 games off a loss by 15 points or more.  The Demon Deacons are coming off a blowout loss, while the Tar Heels are coming off a blowout win, which has this line inflated.  The underdog is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.  Take Wake Forest.

6* Pistons/Kings Tuesday NBA *BAILOUT* on Sacramento -2

The Key: The Kings come in hungry for a victory after losing 5 of their last 6 contests.  They have played a very tough schedule here of late, but it lightens up tonight against the Pistons, and I look for them to take advantage.  The Pistons are just 8-12 SU & 8-12 ATS on the road this year.  The Kings are 8-0 ATS after playing a game as a home underdog this season.  The Pistons are 8-19 ATS in their last 27 road games against Western Conference teams.  The Pistons are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win.  The Kings are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 games following a straight up loss, and 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games off a loss by more than 10 points.  Take Sacramento.

7* SEC Game of the Month on Arkansas -10

The Key: Arkansas is 9-1 at home this season with its only loss coming to Florida.  Off a bad loss at Kentucky, the Razorbacks are now 1-2 in conference play.  That will have them playing with a sense of urgency here tonight against Mississippi State.  The Bulldogs are coming off a tremendous 95-78 win at LSU in their last game.  They won't be playing with the same sense of urgency after that upset victory.  Arkansas has owned Mississippi State in Fayetteville.  The Razorbacks are 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS int heir last 4 home meetings, winning by 14, 20, 26 and 10 points.  Look for this string of double-digit home wins over the Bulldogs to extend to 5 after tonight.  Take Arkansas.

6* Tuesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Central Michigan +3

The Key: Akron may be 12-3 this season, but all 12 wins either came at home or on a neutral court.  The Zips are 0-3 in true road games with losses by 8, 12, and 18 points.  Central Michigan is 6-0 at home this season with an average margin of victory of 27.3 points per game.  The Chippewas beat the Zips 92-81 at home last season.  The Zips are 7-16-1 ATS in their last 24 games as a road favorite of 0.5-6.5.  The Chippewas are 6-0 ATS in Tuesday home games over the last 2 seasons.  Take Central Michigan.

7* Alabama/Clemson National Championship *HEAVY HITTER* on Clemson +6.5

The Key: The Clemson defense just shut out a very good Ohio State offense.  I think the Tigers have the front seven that can make life very difficult for Jalen Hurts and company.  The Crimson Tide basically did nothing outside of a 68-yard run by Bo Scarbrough against Washington last week in which he broke like 10 tackles.  The offense only accounted for 17 points.  Hurts only threw for 57 yards in the win.  Clemson put up 550 yards on Alabama's defense along with 40 points last year.  Deshaun Watson is rolling right now and ready to cap off his Clemson career with a National Title.  Dabo Swinney certainly knows how to coach in big games, winning 5 of his last 6 bowl games while going 6-0 ATS despite being an underdog in all 6 contests.  The lone loss was that 5-point setback against Alabama last year.  I don't think Alabama can win by a TD or more, and I actually think Clemson wins this game outright, so a play on the money line would be a good bet as well.  Take Clemson.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Chicago Bulls -1

The Key: The Chicago Bulls have really started playing up to their potential here of late since benching Rajon Rondo.  They have gone 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last 3 games overall with a 118-111 win over Charlotte, a 106-94 win at Cleveland and a 123-118 victory over Toronto.  Now they take on Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder at home here tonight.  The Bulls are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning record, so they have upped their level of play against the better teams in this league.  The Thunder are 1-9 ATS as a road underdog of 3 points or less over the last 2 seasons.  Oklahoma City is 1-10 ATS in road games vs. Central Division opponents over the last 3 years.  Take Chicago.

7* NBA Non-Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston Rockets -2.5

The Key: The Toronto Raptors just played an overtime game in Chicago last night.  They won't have much left to give in this 2nd of a back-to-back Sunday.  Now they have to face the hottest team in the NBA in the Houston Rockets, who are 18-2 in their last 20 games overall.  The Rockets will run them out of the building here.  The Rockets are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 road games.  Take Houston.

6* Giants/Packers NFC *CA$H COW* on Green Bay -5

The Key: The Green Bay Packers have a huge edge on offense in this game.  They have scored at least 30 points in 4 consecutive games and are clicking at the right time.  Aaron Rodgers has 18 touchdowns and no interceptions over his last 7 games.  The Giants do have the better defense, but their offense is so bad that I don't think they can take advantage of the Packers' defense.  After all, they've failed to reach 200 passing yards in 5 of their last 6 games.  The Giants get too much respect for what they've done in the playoffs in the past, but this is a different team, and Ben McAdoo is not nearly the coach that Tom Coughlin was before him, or Mike McCarthy on the other sideline.  The Packers beat the Giants 23-16 at home earlier this season and outgained them by 185 yards.  Rodgers had no problem against their defense, leading the Packers to over 400 yards of offense.  The Giants are just 1-8-2 ATS in their last 11 road games against a team with a winning home record.  Take Green Bay.

6* Sunday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Nebraska Cornhuskers +1

The Key: The Nebraska Cornhuskers continue getting no respect from oddsmakers.  They are dogs again today despite the fact that they are 3-0 in the Big Ten with a win at Indiana as 13.5-point dogs, a win at Maryland as 7.5-point dogs and a home win over Iowa as 3-point favorites.  Northwestern hasn't exactly shown well so far, beating Penn State, but losing at short-handed Michigan State by 9 and at home to Minnesota as 3.5-point favorites.  The Wildcats are just 1-2 in true road games with that lone win at Penn State.  Fans of the Huskers are excited about this team and will be out in full force Sunday.  The Huskers are 44-18 ATS in their last 62 home games with a line of +3 to -3.  Take Nebraska.

7* Lions/Seahawks NFC *HEAVY HITTER* on Seattle -8

The Key: Matthew Stafford is 1-24 in his career on the road against a team that finished the season with a winning record.  He simply has to do too much for the Lions, who are below-average at basically every other position on the field, especially defensively.  They have allowed 73 points and over 800 yards of total offense in back-to-back losses to the Packers and Cowboys.  The Lions are 0-5 against playoff teams this season, and 9-2 against everyone else.  They have trailed in the 4th quarter in 15 of 16 games this year.  I look for a big effort from the Seahawks here, who are 9-0 in their last 9 playoff home games.  They are 7-1 at home this season.  Anything short of a double-digit victory for the home side would be a shocker.  Take Seattle.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Toronto Raptors -2

The Key: The Chicago Bulls are coming off their biggest win of the season, a 106-94 road win at Cleveland.  But keep him mind that Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love both sat out that game.  Still, they are feeling good about themselves for beating Lebron James.  I think they have a letdown here in their next game against the Toronto Raptors, who may well be the best team in the East.  They are 24-11 on the season, but they will be focused here after dropping 3 of their last 5 games coming in.  Chicago is 4-14 ATS off a road win by 10 points or more over the last 3 years.  The Raptors are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 vs. Eastern Conference.  The Bulls are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games following a straight up win.  Take Toronto.

6* Maryland/Michigan Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Maryland +8

The Key: The Maryland Terrapins come in undervalued today after a poor 65-67 home loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers.  They led that game by double-digits late and managed to blow it.  But the Huskers are 3-0 in the Big Ten this season, including a road win at Indiana as well.  I think Michigan can't be laying 8 points here to the Terrapins in what is a very evenly-matched game, and I actually think the Terrapins are the better team.  Michigan lost 83-86 at Iowa, then needed a big comeback to beat Penn State 72-69 as 11.5-point home favorites to open conference play.  The Wolverines are 1-7 ATS versus good defensive teams who allow 42% or less shooting this season.  The Wolverines are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  They have not done well when stepping up in class.  Take Maryland.

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Brooklyn Nets +13.5

The Key: The Brooklyn Nets will be amped up to face the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers tonight.  And they catch the Cavs at a good time as they are as banged-up as they have been all season.  Both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love sat out last game and are questionable to return tonight.  Lebron James is dealing with an ankle injury, and JR Smith remains out.  It's no wonder they lost at home to the Bulls 94-106 last time out.  Now they're being asked to go on the road and beat the Nets by 14-plus points to cover this number.  The Nets upset the Cavs 104-95 as 9.5-point home dogs in the last meeting in Brooklyn.  The Cavs are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 road games after four straight games where they forced 14 or fewer turnovers.  The Cavaliers are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a double-digit loss at home.  Cleveland is 16-33-2 ATS in its last 51 games vs. a team with a losing record.  The Nets are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.  Take Brooklyn.

6* Thursday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on San Diego +1

The Key: San Diego is 6-0 ATS in its last 6 games overall.  The Toreros had won 5 straight before losing their last two games, but those were understandable.  They only lost 74-80 at San Francisco as 10.5-point road dogs and 60-72 at St. Mary's as 22-point road dogs.  Pacific has not played well at all on the road this season.  The Tigers are 0-6 SU & 0-6 ATS in all road games this season, losing by an average of 14.6 points per game.  San Diego beat Pacific 54-43 as identical 1-point home dogs last year.  The Tigers are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games as a road underdog.  The Toreros are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.  The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  Take San Diego.

7* NBA Non-Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto Raptors -4.5

The Key: The Toronto Raptors just finished a brutal road trip in which they lost three of their final four games, including two to the Warriors and Spurs.  Now they'll be hungry to get back in the win column as they return home to face the Utah Jazz tonight.  The Raptors are 11-5 at home this season and outscoring their opponents by nearly 12 points per game.  The Jazz are still without starting point guard George Hill and will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days here after losing to the Celtics 104-115 on Tuesday.  The Raptors are 6-1 SU and a perfect 7-0 ATS in their last 7 meetings with the Jazz.  Look for the one-sided nature of this series to continue Thursday night.  Take Toronto.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Sacramento Kings -8

The Key: The Miami Heat are in a very tough situation here.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  They have now lost 6 in a row and are starting to wear down.  They have been crushed by injuries too as Hassan Whiteside, Justise Winslow and Josh McRoberts will miss tonight's game.  Not to mention, James Johnson, Dion Waiters, Tyler Johnson and Goran Dragic are all dealing with injuries right now.  The Kings played last night as well, but they had two days off before that game and will be the fresher team by far.  They won 120-113 in Denver last night.  And that makes them fit into a nice trend this season in which they've gone 7-0 ATS in their following game after allowing 110 points or more this year.  Take Sacramento.

7* Louisville/Notre Dame ACC *HEAVY HITTER* on Notre Dame -1

The Key: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are a perfect 9-0 at home this season.  Their only two losses this season came on neutral courts against two of the best teams in the land in Villanova (66-74) and Purdue (81-86).  Louisville has only played one true road game this season, which was a lackluster 79-70 win over Grand Canyon.  Notre Dame is 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in its last 5 home meetings with Louisville.  The Cardinals are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 road games.  The Fighting Irish are 11-5 ATS in their last 16 home games.  Take Notre Dame.

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Boston Celtics -5.5

The Key: The Utah Jazz are in a tough situation here as they will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days.  They were tied with the Nets on the road last night at the end of 3 quarters before outscoring them 31-19 in the 4th to pull away for a 12-point win.  Now they won't have much left in the tank to face the Boston Celtics, who haven't played since Friday, giving them 3 days off in between games.  The Jazz are 10-23 ATS in their last 33 games as road underdogs.  The Jazz are 7-17 ATS in their last 24 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The Celtics are 7-2-2 ATS in the last 9 meetings, including 5-0-2 ATS in their last 7 home meetings.  Take Boston.

6* Tuesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Akron -9.5

The Key: Akron has really had Bowling Green's number.  The Zips have won 16 straight meetings in this series.  Five of their last 6 wins have come by 10 points or more, too, including 14, 25 and 15-point wins in their 3 meetings last season.  The Zips are 10-3 this season with their only losses all coming in their 3 true road games at Gonzaga, Creighton and Youngstown State.  Bowling Green is 0-5 in true road games this season with losses to the likes of Oakland, South Dakota, San Jose State and Evansville, as well as a 29-point blowout loss at Cincinnati.  Akron is  14-4 ATS in its last 18 conference home games.  The Zips are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a home favorite of 7.0-12.5.  The Falcons are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The Zips are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home meetings with the Falcons.  Take Akron.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Washington Wizards +9.5

The Key: The Houston Rockets have won 15 of their last 17 games overall, and as a result backers are paying a premium to bet on them moving forward.  They failed to cover as 12.5-point favorites in a 7-point home win over the Knicks last time out, and now they're being asked to lay 9.5 points to the Washington Wizards.  The Wizards will stay within the number tonight and have a chance to win this game in the closing minutes.  They have turned the corner but don't get any respect from oddsmakers.  The Wizards are 7-2 SU & 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games overall.  They have scored at least 105 points in 8 of those 9 games, so they have the firepower to keep up with the Rockets.  A whopping 9 straight meetings between the Wizards and Rockets have been decided by 8 points or fewer.  The road team has won 5 straight meetings outright, and the road team is 7-0 ATS in the last 7 meetings.  Take Washington.

7* USC/Penn State Rose Bowl *HEAVY HITTER* on USC -7

The Key: The USC Trojans come into this game playing as well as anyone in the country.  They have won 8 straight with 7 of those victories coming by at least 13 points.  They have outgained 9 straight opponents, Sam Darnold is one of the best quarterbacks in the land, and the defense has really stepped up.  Penn State has overachieved this season.  It was a good story, but this team doesn't have the horses to matchup with an athletic, talented team like USC.  And the Big Ten is clearly overrated as we just saw their top two teams in Ohio State and Michigan get beat 31-0 by Clemson and by Florida State, respectively.  And I don't believe Penn State is as good as either Ohio State or Michigan, and USC is every bit as good if not better than Clemson and Florida State.  The Trojans are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games overall.  Take USC.

7* AFC West Game of the Month on Oakland Raiders +2

The Key: The Oakland Raiders have a lot to play for this week.  They need to win to clinch the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye.  They also have an outside shot at getting the No. 1 seed if they win, but that would require a Patriots loss.  Either way, they want this victory.  Few backup quarterbacks can step into a situation and be as successful as Matt McGloin is going to be for the Raiders.  That's because he has one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, perhaps the best duo at receiver in the league in Cooper and Crabtree, and plenty of help from the running game.  He has started in this league before and will be up to the challenge.  While the Raiders want this game badly, the Broncos could care less.  They were just eliminated from the playoffs last week with their ugly 33-10 loss to the Chiefs.  That came a week after another ugly 16-3 home loss to the Patriots.  They won their Super Bowl last year, and the offseason can't get here soon enough for these players.  The Broncos are going to be sitting some key starters on defense due to injury in S T.J. Ward, DE Derek Wolfe, LB Demarcus Ware and LB Brandon Marshall.  That's only going to make McGloin's job even easier.  The Raiders rushed for 218 yards in their 30-20 win over the Broncos earlier this season.  They should find plenty of success on the ground against a Denver defense that gives up 135 rushing yards per game and 4.4 per carry on the season.  Oakland is 9-1 ATS as a road underdog over the last 2 seasons.  The Raiders are 9-1 ATS in all games where the line is +3 to -3 this season.  The Broncos are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Oakland.

6* Chiefs/Chargers AFC West *CA$H COW* on Kansas City -4

The Key: Now that this line has dropped back down to -4, I like the price we are getting with the Kansas City Chiefs here.  They need to win this game and have the Raiders lose to the Broncos to get the No. 2 seed in the AFC.  They will be motivated to hold up their end of the bargain, just as they were last week when they beat the Broncos 33-10.  It was probably their most complete performance of the season as they outgained the Broncos by 238 yards in the victory.  Their offense is rolling behind Tyreke Hill and Travis Kelce, and their defense is suffocating.  The Chargers just want this season to be over.  They have lost four straight while going 0-4 ATS coming in, including handing the Browns their first win of the season last week.  The Chiefs own the Chargers, winning 5 straight meetings in this series, including a 33-3 road victory in their last trip to San Diego.  The Chargers are dealing with more injuries to starters than any other team in the NFL right now.  They just don't have enough proven, healthy bodies to offer any kind of resistance here.  The Chiefs are 7-0 ATS in road games in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.  San Diego is 0-8 ATS in home games after failing to cover the spread in 4 or 5 of its last 6 games over the last 3 seasons.  Kansas City is 8-0 ATS in road games vs. bad defensive teams that give up 24 or more points per game over the last 2 years.  The Chargers are 5-15 ATS in their last 20 home games.  The road team is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.  Take Kansas City.

6* Sunday NFL *Total* Annihilator on Cardinals/Rams OVER 40.5

The Key: I like backing the OVER in games between teams with nothing to play for, as is the case here with the Cardinals and Rams.  And this is one of the lowest totals of the week at only 40.5, so there is plenty of line value here.  The Cardinals have been giving up a ton of points the last few weeks.  They have allowed 32.7 points per game in their last 6 contests.  They have given up 30 or more points in 5 of their last 8 games overall.  I think Jared Goff will be in line for his best game of the season here.  But Arizona's offense is clicking, scoring a combined 75 points the last two weeks.  ANd the Rams haven't exactly been stout defensively.  They have allowed at least 22 points in 5 straight games and an average of 32.6 points per game during this stretch.  Given these numbers, it's clearly that the books have set this number too low here today.  The OVER is 6-0 in Cardinals last 6 games overall.  The OVER is 14-3 in Cardinals last 17 road games, including a perfect 7-0 this season.  Take the OVER.

6* Sunday NCAAB Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Rutgers -1.5

The Key: The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are vastly improved this season with an 11-3 record to this point.  They have gone 8-0 at home this season with an average margin of victory of 18.4 PPG.  Penn State is just 8-6 this season and just lost its Big Ten home opener to Northwestern by 10.  The Nittany Lions are 0-6 ATS after allowing 85 points or more over the last 3 seasons.  The Scarlet Knights are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a home favorite.  This is a generous price for the Scarlet Knights here as only 1.5-point home favorites in their conference opener.  Take Rutgers.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Oklahoma City Thunder -5.5

The Key: The effects of missing Blake Griffin and Chris Paul are starting to show for the Clippers.  They are 0-5 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.  Now they're in a brutal situation as they will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  Making matters worse is that they got in a shootout with the Rockets last night, who put up 140 points on them.  That makes this back-to-back even tougher.  The Thunder had yesterday off and will be hungry to bounce back from a bad loss in Memphis on Thursday in which Russell Westbrook was ejected.  The Clippers are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 road games.  The Thunder are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.  The Thunder are 27-10-2 ATS in their last 39 Saturday games.  Take Oklahoma City.

7* Washington/Alabama Playoff *HEAVY HITTER* on Washington +14.5

The Key: Chris Petersen is one of the best head coaches in the country that nobody talks about.  He has been a great bet in the underdogs role.  Petersen is 6-0 ATS as a dog with two or more weeks to get ready for an opponent.  He will give the Huskies their best chance to beat the Alabama Crimson Tide.  The Huskies rank in the Top 10 in the country in both offensive and defensive efficiency.  They are the best team that the Crimson Tide will have played.  This is too many points in a game that I think goes right down to the wire.  Take Washington.

6* Louisville/Indiana NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Indiana +3

The Key: The Indiana Hoosiers will be hungry to bounce back from an ugly 83-87 home loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Wednesday.  They were clearly caught looking ahead to this game against Louisville.  In their previous two losses this season, they bounced back to win by 33 and 37 points, respectively.  This will essentially be a home game for the Hoosiers inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.  Louisville is 0-7 ATS in road games after having won 3 of their last 4 games over the last 2 seasons.  The Cardinals are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 road games following a conference game.  The Hoosiers are 33-16-2 ATS in their last 51 games following a ATS loss. Indiana is 4-0 ATS in its last 4 games following a straight up loss.  The Hoosiers are 24-9-1 ATS in their last 34 games as an underdog of 0.5-6.5.  Take Indiana.

6* Friday NCAAB Big 12 *CA$H COW* on Texas +8.5

The Key: The Texas Longhorns are coming off a bad 58-63 home loss to Kent State as 12.5-point favorites.  Maybe they were looking ahead to their Big 12 opener, but either way that result has provided some extra line value here with the Longhorns.  We've seen Texas beat Alabama by 9 and UAB by 36 this season, while also narrowly losing to Michigan 50-53 on the road and Arkansas 74-77 on a neutral court.  The Longhorns have faced a much tougher schedule than Kansas State, which is getting too much respect from oddsmakers due to its 11-1 start.  The Wildcats lost to Maryland on a neutral court in their toughest game this year.  They have been favored in every game this season and double-digit favorites in all but two games, which just shows how easy their schedule has been.  Three of the last 4 meetings have been decided by 4 points or less.  The Longhorns are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games as a road underdog of 7.0-12.5.  Texas is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 vs. Big 12 opponents.  Kansas State is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 vs. Big 12 opponents.  The Longhorns are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 road games following two consecutive home games.  Take Texas.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Brooklyn Nets +8

The Key: It's time to fade the Washington Wizards, who are 8-3 SU & 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games overall.  Now they find themselves laying a big number here against the Brooklyn Nets.  You can count on three fingers how many times the Wizards have won a game by more than 7 points this season.  That's right, in their 31 games, they have only won by 8 or more 3 times.  The Nets are playing well right now themselves as they beat the Hornets 120-118 as 7-point dogs and then only lost 99-101 at Chicago as 9.5-point dogs in their last two games.  Washington is 10-26 ATS off a win by 6 points or less over the last 3 seasons.  Star SG Bradley Beal is doubtful to play for the Wizards tonight.  The Nets are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.  Brooklyn is 8-1-1 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on 1 days rest.  The Nets are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up loss.  Take Brooklyn.

7* Friday NCAAF Bowl *HEAVY HITTER* on South Alabama +14

The Key: The Sun Belt has shown extremely well in these bowl games.  They are 4-1 as a conference.  Appalachian State beat Toledo as underdogs, Arkansas State topped UCF 31-13 as dogs, Idaho won 61-50 over Colorado as 15-point dogs and Troy beat Ohio 28-23 and covered as 4.5-point favorites.  The only loss was LA-Lafayette as 6.5-point dogs in a 7-point loss to Southern Miss.  I think South Alabama is getting way too many points here against Air Force.  The Jaguars have pulled some huge upsets already this season.  They beat Mississippi State 21-20 as 28-point road dogs, and they also upset San Diego State 42-24 as 19.5-point home dogs.  They are fully capable of beating Air Force here, let alone staying within two touchdowns.  Air Force is 0-6 ATS vs. poor rushing defenses that allow 4.75 or more yards per carry over the last 2 seasons.  I think the extra time to prepare will have the Jaguars ready for the Falcons' triple-option.  Take South Alabama.

6* Oklahoma State/Colorado Bowl *CA$H COW* on Colorado -2.5

The Key: The Colorado Buffaloes managed to win 10 games this season despite playing the 8th-most difficult schedule in the country.  Their 3 losses were to Washington, USC and Michigan, 3 of the top teams in the country.  I think they handle this Oklahoma State team that is overrated due to finishing tied for 2nd in the down Big 12.  The Cowboys only played the 61st-most difficult schedule this season.  Colorado's pass defense is one of the best in the nation, making this a very good matchup for them because the Cowboys like to sling it around.  I'll back the better defense and the more physical Buffaloes who are ecstatic to be playing in the Alamo Bowl.  Take Colorado.

7* NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month on Phoenix Suns +9

The Key: The Toronto Raptors are in a bad spot here.  They will be playing their 4th straight road game, the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days.  And they are coming off a 111-121 loss to Golden State last night.  They rallied from 25 down in the first quarter and got within 5 in the 4th, using a ton of energy to make that comeback.  Now they won't be nearly as excited to face the Suns tonight on the road.  The Suns are also playing the 2nd of a back-to-back off a loss to the Spurs last night.  But this is one of the deepest teams in the NBA and they can handle these back-to-backs better than most.  All they have to do is stay within single-digits for us to get the cover, and I don't think that's asking too much given the tough spot for the Raptors.  Phoenix is 15-4 ATS in home games off a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 years.  The Suns are 19-7-1 ATS in their last 27 games following a ATS loss.  The Suns are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 meetings with the Raptors.  Take Phoenix.

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Pepperdine +25

The Key: I think we are getting some great value here with Pepperdine.  The Waves have lost 7 straight while going 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games, so we will certainly be buying low on them.  Gonzaga is 12-0 on the season and you are paying a premium to back the Bulldogs now.  Just last year Pepperdine gave Gonzaga a fight in the WCC Tournament, only losing 66-69.  Six of the last seven meetings have been decided by 18 points or less, with the lone exception a 26-point defeat.  Bets against home teams as a favorite or PK who outscore opponents by 8-plus PPG against a team that gets outscored by 3.5 to 8 PPG, after scoring 95 points or more are 70-34 ATS since 1997.  Take Pepperdine.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Denver Nuggets -3.5

The Key: The Denver Nuggets just recently got fully healthy and are playing up to their full potential because of it.  They are 4-2 in their last 6 games overall with three double-digit home victories.  They blew an 8-point lead in the final two minutes to Atlanta, otherwise they'd be 5-1 during this stretch.  This is a pretty short number when you consider the Minnesota Timberwolves are 5-10 SU & 5-10 ATS on the road this season.  The Nuggets score 112.6 points per game at home, while the T'Wolves give up 107.2 points per game on the road.  Minnesota is 3-14 ATS off a win by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.  The Nuggets are 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.  Take Denver.

7* Indiana/Utah Bowl *HEAVY HITTER* on Utah -6

The Key: The Utah Utes have been a great bowl bet for years.  They have gone 15-4 in their last 19 bowl games overall.  They are 9-1 under Kyle Whittingham alone.  The Utes have beat up on the Big  Ten as well, going 5-1 SU & 6-0 ATS in their last six matchups with that conference.  Indiana barely made a bowl game at 6-6 after beating Purdue 26-24 in the season finale despite being 21-point favorites.  The Hoosiers lost their head coach in Kevin Wilson, and there is clearly some distractions around the program because of it.  Utah went 8-4 this season with its 4 losses coming by a total of 19 points.  The Utes were one of the best teams in the Pac-12 this year.  Take Utah.

6* Houston/UConn AAC *CA$H COW* on UConn +3.5

The Key: The UConn Huskies are starting to play better after a slow start to the season.  They have won three of their last five with their only losses coming on the road to Ohio State by 4 and at home to Auburn in overtime.  I think they get back on track today against a Houston team that has only played two true road games all season.  The Cougars lost 65-84 at LSU as 4.5-point favorites and 72-84 at Arkansas as 5.5-point dogs.  They won't be getting their first road win today, either.  The Cougars are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.  The Huskies are 13-6 ATS in their last 19 games as a home underdog.  Take UConn.

7* Baylor/Boise Cactus Bowl *BAILOUT* on Baylor +7.5

The Key: We are getting extra points here with Baylor because they have lost 6 straight games coming into the bowl season.  There were getting extra points in their finale against West Virginia as well, covering as 17-point dogs in an impressive 3-point road loss.  Boise State is once again laying too many points as it has been all season.  The Broncos are just 3-9 ATS in their 12 lined games this year.  The Bears will be the more talented team on the field in the Cactus Bowl.  They boast the nation's No. 5 ranked offense at 543 yards per game.  They can run the football as well as almost anyone, and Boise State allows 180 rushing yards per game despite playing such a soft schedule.  Boise is 3-12 ATS in their last 15 games vs. good rushing teams that average 4.8 or more yards per carry.  Baylor averages 250 rushing yards per game and 5.1 per carry.  Take Baylor.

6* Tuesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Rutgers +19.5

The Key: Oddsmakers continue to give Rutgers no respect despite the fact that they are one of the most improved teams in the country this season.  They are 11-2 with their only two losses coming in true road games at Miami by 12 as 14.5-point dogs and at Seton Hall by 11 as 8.5-point dogs.  I think they easily stay within this 19.5-point spread of the Wisconsin Badgers, who don't play the type of style that caters to blowouts.  Wisconsin had beaten worse teams than Rutgers by less than 19.5 points at home this season.  They beat Chicago State by 18 and Wisconsin-Green Bay by 14.  The Badgers are 6-14-1 ATS in their last 21 games as a home favorite of 13.0 or greater.  Take Rutgers.

6* DET/DAL NFC *CA$H COW* on Detroit +6.5

The Key: The Detroit Lions will be the more motivated team tonight.  Win and they're in the playoffs as at least a wild card.  But if they lose this game, they would need to beat the Packers next week to get in.  I think they'd rather take care of their business now.  The Dallas Cowboys literally have nothing to play for in this game.  They have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC after events that took place over the weekend.  They will be playing their starters, but they won't be playing with the chip on their shoulders that they have for most of the season.  And the Cowboys are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall as they have been overvalued due to their fast start to the year.  Last week's 6-17 loss at New York was the first time the Lions have lost a game by more than a touchdown since midway through last season.  Matthew Stafford should be able to find plenty of success against a Dallas defense that allows 68.4% completions and 265 passing yards per game to opposing quarterbacks.  The Lions are 27-12 ATS in their last 39 road games off a loss by 10 points or more.  Detroit is 9-1 ATS vs. teams who complete 64% of their passes or better over the last 2 seasons.  Jason Garrett is 11-26 ATS as a home favorite as the coach of Dallas.  Take Detroit.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Orlando Magic +2.5

The Key: These teams just played earlier this month with Memphis erasing a double-digit lead in the 4th quarter to beat the Magic 95-94 at home.  The Magic have not forgotten, and they've played much better since that defeat.  They've gone 7-6 SU & 8-5 ATS in their 13 games since.  The home team has won 4 straight meetings between these teams now.  The Magic won 119-107 at home last year against the Grizzlies.  Orlando is 13-3 ATS versus good defensive teams who allow a shooting percentage of 43% or less over the last 3 seasons.  The Grizzlies are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 2 days rest.  The Magic are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games playing on 2 days rest.  The Magic are 15-5 ATS in their last 20 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take Orlando.

7* Maryland/BC Quick Lane Bowl *HEAVY HITTER* on Boston College +2

The Key: Boston College pulled the 17-14 upset at Wake Forest to punch its ticket to the postseason in the season finale.  The Eagles are very excited to be here after winning their final 2 games.  Their offense isn't great but was improved this year, and they had the 12th-ranked defense in the country according to our rankings.  Maryland doesn't do any one thing well and was a bad team this year.  Of the Terrapins' six wins, four have been against teams outside the Top 100, and hteir best win by far was against a 3-9 Michigan State team.  The Terrapins have no passing game and can only run the football on offense.  Well, that makes this a great matchup for the Eagles, who give up just 107 rushing yards per game and 3.3 per carry.  The Terrapins give up 218 rushing yards per game and 4.9 per carry this season.  Maryland is 0-6 ATS off a conference win over the last 3 seasons.  The Terrapins are 3-15 ATS in their last 18 games following a straight up win.  The Eagles are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 non-conference games.  Take Boston College.

7* DEN/KC AFC West *HEAVY HITTER* on Broncos +3.5

The Key: The Chiefs are nowhere near as good as their 10-4 record.  They have been outgained by an average of 88 yards per game in their last 7 contests.  They rank 29th in the NFL in yardage differential this season.  They have been winning with smoke and mirrors, but they have lost two of their recent home games to the Titans and Buccaneers.  The Chiefs are only 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  The road team has won 5 of the last 6 meetings between the Broncos and Chiefs while going a perfect 6-0 against the spread.  Denver clearly should have won the first meeting this season as it outgained KC by 191 yards.  Now the Broncos will have their revenge and keep their season alive in the rematch on the road at Arrowhead Stadium, which hasn't been as friendly to the Chiefs as most believe.  Take Denver.

6* Bulls/Spurs Christmas Day *CA$H COW* on Chicago +9

The Key: The San Antonio Spurs aren't putting teams away at home this season.  They are only outscoring their opponents by 3.0 points per game on average at home.  The Chicago Bulls are the type of team that plays well against good teams, and poorly against bad teams.  That is indicated by the fact that they are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs. teams with a winning percentage above .600.  They are also 18-8 ATS against teams who have at least a +3 PPG differential on the season over the last 2 years.  The Bulls have covered 4 of their last 5 meetings with the Spurs, including an outright upset in their first meeting this season.  Take Chicago.

7* NFL Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Washington Redskins -3

The Key: I always look to back teams off a bad loss and fade teams off an emotional game.  In this case, we have the perfect situation.  The Redskins are coming off a bad home loss to the Panthers in which they lost by 11 as 7-point favorites.  Now everyone is writing them off, but we've seen them bounce back before.  They won four straight following their 0-2 start, and they have only lost two games in a row twice all season.  Those were to the Steelers/Cowboys and Cowboys/Cardinals, so it's understandable.  They aren't going to lose to the lowly 3-11 Bears this week as the Redskins need to win out to have any chance of making the playoffs.  The Bears will be deflated following back-to-back heartbreaking losses to the Lions (by 3) and Packers (by 3).  They fought back from a 17-point deficit to tie it against the Packers last week, only to lose on a last-second field goal.  I don't think these players will be able to get back up off the mat from that crushing defeat against their biggest rivals.  I fully expect a no-show from the Bears here.  Washington is 7-1 ATS vs. teams who complete 61% or more of their passes this season.  The Redskins are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 road games and 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS loss.  Washington is a perfect 6-0 straight up in its last 6 meetings with Chicago.  The Redskins are also 5-0 ATS in their last 5 trips to Chicago.  Take Washington.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Detroit Pistons +6.5

The Key: This is a great spot to fade the Golden State Warriors.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days after a come-from-behind 117-101 victory over the Nets last night.  They were down 11 points at halftime and had to exert a ton of effort in the 2nd half to get the win.  Now they have a huge game on deck against Cleveland on Christmas Day, and you know they're going to want revenge against the defending champs.  I fully expect them to have a flat effort here as they look ahead to that game.  Expect the Pistons to put their best foot forward to try and end a 4-game losing streak, which has them undervalued.  And the Pistons beat the Warriors 113-95 as 7-point home dogs last year.  The Warriors are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games playing on 0 days rest.  Take Detroit.

6* Providence/BC ESPNU *CA$H COW* on Boston College +9.5

The Key: Boston College and Providence are huge rivals.  I love getting nearly double-digit points here with the home team as the Eagles will be amped up for this game.  And Providence has only played one true road game all season, which was a 67-72 loss at Ohio State.  Home court has been a deciding factor in this series as the home team is 6-0 straight up in the last 6 meetings.  The Friars are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games as a road favorite of 7.0-12.5.  The Eagles are 5-3 at home this season with all 3 losses coming by 8 points or fewer.  Take Boston College.

7* Eastern Michigan/Old Dominion NCAAF *HEAVY HITTER* on Eastern Michigan +6

The Key: It's safe to say that the Eastern Michigan Eagles are happy to be going bowling.  After all, they haven't been to a bowl game in 29 years.  The Eagles haven't been handed anything this year.  They've earned it with a pair of wins over conference championship participants in Ohio (MAC) and Wyoming (Mountain West).  The Eagles are led by three-time MAC Offensive Player of the Week Brogan Roback, who guided an offense that set school records for total offense (5,447), passing offense (3,549) and total points (396).  The offensive line has allowed the 12th-fewest sacks in the national and the second-fewest tackles for loss.  There is another motivational angle that favors the Eagles.  They want revenge from a 38-34 loss to Old Dominion last season, and they are far and away better than they were last season.  The Eagles are 7-0 ATS off 1 or more consecutive unders this season.  The Eagles are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 vs. a team with a winning record.  The Monarchs are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 non-conference games.  Take Eastern Michigan.

6* NY/PHI NFC East *CA$H COW* on New York Giants -1.5

The Key: The New York Giants have won 8 of their last 9 games with their only loss coming on the road to the Steelers, who are one of the best teams in the NFL.  They are on a mission to make the playoffs and can clinch their spot in the postseason with a win today.  That would allow them to rest their starters in Week 17, which would be huge for them to get healthy.  The Eagles have lost 6 of their last 7 because of their awful defense, which has allowed at least 26 in six of those games.  The Giants are 3rd in the NFL in scoring defense and have held their last 2 opponents in the Cowboys and Lions to an average of 6.5 points per game.  I'll back the more motivated team here in the Giants with the much superior defense.  Take New York.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Brooklyn Nets +15.5

The Key: The Golden State Warriors come in overvalued off 5 straight victories, including two blowout home wins over the Jazz and Blazers.  But they have struggled on the road recently, going 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games with their largest victory coming by 8 points.  The Nets are fully healthy now and will be amped up to face the Warriors at home.  All they have to do is stay within 15 points to cover this massive spread, and I think they are more than capable of that.  The Warriors are 2-12 ATS in their last 14 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  The Nets are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up loss.  The Warriors are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 trips to Brooklyn.  Take Brooklyn.

7* Thursday NCAAB *HEAVY HITTER* on George Washington +14.5

The Key: Miami has been one of the most overvalued teams in the country.  The Hurricanes are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall, time and time again failing to cover big numbers.  They won by 12 over Rutgers as 14.5-point favorites, won by 17 as 19-point favorites over Wofford and won by 20 as 20.5-point favorites over Florida Atlantic in their three most recent non-covers.  Now they're laying 14.5 points to a George Washington team that won the NIT last year and is better than this line would suggest.  Three of the Colonials' 4 losses this season have come by 8 points or less.  The only exception was  19-point loss to a very good Florida State team.  The Colonials are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games.  The Hurricanes are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall.  Take George Washington.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Oklahoma City Thunder -2

The Key: This is a good spot to back the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will be hungry for a win after losing 3 of their last 4 games coming in.  They will be playing just their 4th game in 9 days here and will be ready to go.  The same cannot be said for the Pelicans, who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 8th game in 12 days after a win in Philadelphia last night.  The Thunder are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a losing record.  The Pelicans are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Thunder are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 meetings in New Orleans.  Take Oklahoma City.

7* Kentucky/Louisville ESPN National TV *Annihilator* on Louisville +2

The Key: Kentucky is coming off a 103-100 win over North Carolina on Saturday in what was one of the best college basketball games you could ever witness.  Malik Monk scored 47 points, including the game-winner for the Wildcats.  Off such an huge win like that, I can only think the Wildcats will suffer an emotional letdown here.  They will still get up to play Louisville, but I think the Cardinals will want this one more, especially after losing four straight to the Wildcats in this series.  All four losses have come by 8 points or less, including a 73-75 road loss last year, so they've been right there with a chance to win.  I look for the Cardinals to get over the hump here and get the victory.  They are 7-0 SU & 6-0 ATS at home this season, winning by an average of nearly 27 points per game.  Take Louisville.

6* Tuesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Iowa -11

The Key: The Iowa Hawkeyes got off to a terrible start this season, but they're now starting to play up to their potential and remain under-priced here as only 11-point home favorites over North Dakota.  The Hawkeyes are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last 3 games, beating Stetson by 27 as 20-point favorites, Iowa State by 14 as 6-point dogs and Northern Iowa by 23 as 2.5-point dogs.  They have covered the spread by a combined 45.5 points in their last 2 games just to show how undervalued they are right now.  These teams have a common opponent in Northern Iowa, and North Dakota lost at UNI 70-78 on December 10th, while Iowa obviously beat them by 23 on a neutral.  Iowa is 6-0 ATS in home games versus good defensive teams who allow 42% shooting or less over the last 2 seasons.  North Dakota is 2-12 ATS in its last 14 games after allowing 85 points or more.  The Hawkeyes are 29-14-1 ATS in their last 44 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.  Take Iowa.

7* NBA Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on San Antonio Spurs +1

The Key: The Houston Rockets have won 10 in a row and are starting to get a lot of love from oddsmakers.  But they just lost starting center Clint Capela, who averages 12 points, 8 boards and nearly 2 blocks per game, to a broken leg.  Look for the Spurs to capitalize on his absence and for LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol to dominate inside.  The Spurs will get a ton of layups in this game with no resistance since Capela is no longer in there.  San Antonio has won 4 of its last 5 meetings with Houston.  The Rockets are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games on 2 days rest.  Take San Antonio.

6* Memphis/WKU ESPN National TV *Annihilator* on Memphis +7

The Key: The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers lost head coach Jeff Brohm to Purdue.  He is a bigger loss than most head coaches because he calls the plays on offense.  And the Hilltoppers have had one of the best offenses in the country since he took over.  They are sure to suffer a little bit on that side of the ball with Brohm's departure.  I don't think these WKU players are going to be all that motivated to win this bowl game because their season is already a success after winning Conference USA.  Memphis went 8-4 this season against a tougher schedule than what WKU faced.  The Tigers beat the likes of Houston and Temple, which are two better wins than anything WKU has.  And the Tigers can match the Hilltoppers score for score with an offense that averages 39.5 points per game and played even better down the stretch, scoring 51, 42, 34 and 48 points in their final 4 games, respectively.  The Tigers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 vs. C-USA foes.  The Hilltoppers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 non-conference games.  Take Memphis.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Denver Nuggets -8

The Key: The Denver Nuggets are finally fully healthy and playing up to their potential now.  They have won their last two games by double-digits over both Portland (132-120) and New York (127-114).  I think they make it 3 straight double-digits wins against a Dallas Mavericks team in a bad spot tonight.  The Mavs will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 7th game in 11 days.  They have plenty of injuries and are short-handed, making this spot even tougher.  Plus they have to play in the altitude in Denver tonight, only worsening matters further.  I don't expect much of an effort from them here tonight.  The Nuggets are 38-16-1 ATS in their last 55 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.  Denver is 19-6-1 ATS in its last 26 games after scoring more than 125 points in its previous game.  Take Denver. 

6* Stanford/SMU ESPN 2 *CA$H COW* on SMU -7

The Key: The SMU Mustangs have one of the more underrated home-court advantages in the country.  They have gone 7-0 at home this season, outscoring opponents by 21.9 points per game along the way.  That includes a recent 74-59 win over TCU, which is better than this Stanford outfit.  Stanford has only played one true road game all season.  It has been owned by the better teams it has faced like SMU, losing by 14 to Miami, by 15 to St. Mary's and by 15 to Kansas.  The Cardinal are 3-11 ATS in road games after playing a road game over the past 3 seasons.  The Cardinal are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games as a road underdog.  Stanford is 0-6 ATS in its last 6 games as a road dog of 7.0 to 12.5 points.  The Mustangs are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 home games.  Take SMU.

7* Panthers/Redskins NFC *TOTAL* Annihilator on OVER 50

The Key: I don't expect much defense to be played in this contest between the Washington Redskins and Carolina Panthers tonight.  These are two of the worst defenses in the NFL.  The Panthers are giving up 25.9 points per game overall and 32.5 points per game on the road.  The Redskins are allowing 24.4 points per game overall and 24.8 points per game at home.  But these are more than capable offenses as the Redskins are averaging 27.5 points per game at home and the Panthers are scoring 23.9 points per game overall.  There are key injuries on both defenses as the Redskins are going to be without LB Will Compton and S Su'a Cravens, while the Redskins are without DE Charles Johnson and could be without LB Luke Kuechly again.  The OVER is 8-0 in Redskins last 8 home games.  The OVER is 5-1 in Panthers last 6 road games.  The OVER is 13-3 in Panthers last 16 vs. a team with a winning record.  Take the OVER.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Philadelphia 76ers -2.5

The Key: I like this spot for the 76ers, who will only be playing their 4th game in 10 days.  They are rested and just returned Nerlens Noel to the lineup last time out against the Lakers, though he only played 8 minutes and voiced his frustration.  After he and coach Brett Brown hashed things out, I expect a big performance from Noel here.  He and Joel Embiid will dominate the paint in what will be a sign of things to come for years moving forward.  This is a very winnable game for the 76ers against the Brooklyn Nets, who are just 7-18 on the season, including 1-11 in road games.  They are giving up a ridiculous 118.5 points per game on the road this year.  The Nets are 6-14-2 ATS in their last 22 road games.  The 76ers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games following a double-digit loss at home.  The 76ers are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games following a ATS loss.  Take Philadelphia.

6* Gonzaga/Tennessee NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Tennessee +10.5

The Key: This will basically be a home game for the Tennessee Vols as it will be played in Nashville.  The Vols come in playing their best ball of the season, going 5-1 in their last 6 games overall with their only loss coming at North Carolina 71-73 as 19.5-point dogs.  That effort alone showed their potential.  But they also have a 23-point win over Georgia Tech during this stretch, and four of the five wins have come by 14 points or more.  Gonzaga is getting a lot of love because of its 10-0 record this season, but it has yet to play a true road game, and this will be the closest thing to it that the Bulldogs have faced all year.  Gonzaga is 15-33 ATS in its last 48 road games off 2 straight home wins by 10 points or more.  The Bulldogs are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 vs. SEC opponents.  The Volunteers are 24-7-1 ATS in their last 32 games as a home underdog.  Tennessee is 8-0 ATS in its last 8 games after scoring more than 90 points in its previous game.  Take Tennessee.

7* NFC Game of the Month on New York Giants -4

The Key: Matthew Stafford has a bum finger on his throwing hand that is going to limit what he's able to do against the Giants this week.  It's not going to help having such cold weather in the Meadowlands, either.  Stafford threw two interceptions against the Bears after injuring his finger last week.  He needs to be at full strength for the Lions to have any chance of moving the football on a Giants defense that only allows 18.8 points per game this year.  I look for Stafford to struggle, and the Lions don't have a running game to bail him out.  The Giants are 6-1 at home this season and will take care of business on their home turf Sunday.  Stafford has exactly one career road win over a team that finished with a winning record.  The Lions will get exposed for the frauds that they are this week.  Take New York.

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on Los Angeles Lakers +16

The Key: The Lakers finally ended an 8-game losing streak that prompted Luke Walton to call his players 'soft' heading into the Philadelphia game last night.  His players responded well with a 100-89 road win over the 76ers.  Now the Lakers will be amped up for a showdown with the defending champion Cavaliers, who are laying too many points here with this 16-point spread.  The Lakers are as healthy as they have been all season, and they have the depth to play well again despite this being the 2nd of a back-to-back.  Cleveland is 2-12 ATS after covering 5 or 6 of its last 7 against the spread over the last 2 seasons.  Bets on underdogs who have failed to cover 12 or more of their last 15 against opponent who covered 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread coming in are 81-38 ATS since 1996.  Take Los Angeles.

6* UNC/Kentucky NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Kentucky -1

The Key: Kentucky is 9-1 this season with its only loss to UCLA, which may be the best team in the country.  I think the Wildcats are the better team here against North Carolina, which comes in playing suspect basketball.  The Tar Heels lost 67-76 at Indiana a few weeks ago.  And their last two home games have been lackluster.  They only beat Davidson 83-74 as 16.5-point favorites, and needed a big second-half comeback to beat Tennessee 73-71 as 19.5-point favorites.  They have been without guard Joel Berry II the past two games, which explains part of the struggles, and he's questionable to return against Kentucky here.  The Wildcats are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 games overall.  Kentucky is 19-7 in its last 26 vs a team with a winning record.  The Wildcats are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 games after scoring more than 90 points in their previous game.  Take Kentucky.

7* UTSA/New Mexico NCAAF *HEAVY HITTER* on New Mexico -7.5

The Key: The New Mexico Lobos will be playing in their hometown bowl for a second consecutive season.  After falling just short in a 37-45 loss to Arizona last year, they will be hungry to earn their first bowl win since 2007 Saturday.  That's why I'm not concerned about any lack of motivation playing in this bowl game again.  Bob Davie has done as good a coaching job as anyone in the country.  He got them to their first bowl since 2007 last year, and now the Lobos have a chance to win 9 games.  Davie has this Lobos' offense hitting on all cylinders with 37.8 points per game and a FBS-best 361 rushing yards per game.  The Lobos have a big-play offense with two running backs in Teriyon Gipson (1,209 yards, 12 TD) and Tyrone Owens (1,084 yards, 7 TD) who both average over 8.0 yards per carr on the season.  UTSA's offense is only averaging 376 yards per game and 5.4 yards per play this season.  They don't have the firepower to keep up with the Lobos in this one.  New Mexico is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 games off an upset win over a conference opponent as a home dog.  The Lobos come in confident after throttling Wyoming 56-35 as 3-point dogs in their season finale.  They put up 690 total yards on the Cowboys, who went on to play in the MWC Championship Game.  The Roadrunners are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.  Take New Mexico.

6* Long Beach/Oregon State NCAAB *BAILOUT* on Long Beach State -4.5

The Key: The Oregon State Beavers are one of the worst power-5 teams in college basketball this season.  They lost Gary Payton Jr. from last year's roster, who was their best player.  Now they are without their best player on this year's roster in coach's son Tres Tinkle.  The Beavers are 3-7 on the season with their three wins coming against Prairie View A&M, UTSA and Southern Oregon.  They just lost at home to Savannah State 90-93 as 19-point favorites to really show you how far they've fallen.  Savannah State has been getting blown out by everyone.  Long Beach has played the toughest schedule in the country with games against Wichita State, UNC, Louisville, UCLA, Washington, Kansas and Texas already.  They only lost 65-71 at Texas last time out and are battle-tested.  This is a break in the schedule here against the Beavers, one the 49ers will take advantage of.  Oregon State is 2-15 ATS in road games after playing a home game over the last 3 seasons.  The Beavers are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 non-conference games.  The 49ers are 18-8 ATS in their last 26 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.   Take Long Beach State.