Sports Picks & Predictions

6* Michigan/Minnesota Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Minnesota -1.5 

The Key: No write up Sunday. On vacation. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Cleveland Cavaliers +13 

The Key: No write up.  On vacation. 

6* Florida/Missouri SEC *CA$H COW* on Florida -2 

The Key: No write up.  On vacation. 

6* Oklahoma/Iowa State Big 12 *CA$H COW* on Iowa State -3.5 

The Key: No write up.  On vacation. 

6* FIU/Rice Conference USA *CA$H COW* on FIU +2 

The Key: No write up.  On vacation. 

7* NBA Situational Game of the Month on Phoenix Suns -3 

The Key: The Phoenix Suns are hungry for a win.  They had the last 2 days off and are primed for a big effort tonight against the Orlando Magic.  The Magic will be playing their 9th game in 15 days.  Now they are without D.J. Augustin, Jonathan Isaac and Al-Farouq Aminu and could also be without Aaron Gordon, who is questionable with a calf injury.  The Suns are fully healthy outside role player Kaminski.  The Suns are 17-5 ATS in their last 22 games when revenging a loss where opponent scored 110 points or more.  Take Phoenix. 

6* BYU/St. Mary’s WCC *CA$H COW* on St. Mary’s -4 

The Key: St. Mary’s has one of the best home-court advantages in the nation.  The Gaels are 7-1 at home this year.  The Gaels are 8-1 SU & 7-2 ATS in their last 9 home meetings with BYU.  The favorite is 10-2 ATS in the last 12 matchups.  Take St. Mary’s. 

6* ASU/Oregon State Pac-12 *CA$H COW* on Oregon State -5 

The Key: Oregon State is 11-3 this year and 7-0 at home where they are winning by 16.4 PPG.  Arizona State has failed since stepping up in class of late.  The Sun Devils are 1-3 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.  They lost by 40 to St. Mary’s on a neutral, by 7 at home to Creighton and by 28 at Arizona.  They aren’t even in the same class as Oregon State and that will show tonight.  The Beavers are 9-2 ATS as favorites this year and 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a home favorite.  Take Oregon State. 

7* Celtics/76ers Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Philadelphia -2 

The Key: The Celtics will be playing for a second straight night and their 5th game in 7 days.  They are starting to wear down as they lost at Washington as 9-point favorites and lost to the Spurs by 15 as home favorites.  The 76ers come in on 2 days rest and are 2-0 SU & 2-0 ATS against the Celtics this year with wins at home and on the road.  The 76ers are 17-2 at home this season I like the price we are getting with them as only 2-point favorites.  Take Philadelphia. 

6* Wednesday’s NCAAB *UNDERDOG* on Tulane +11.5 

The Key: Tulane just took Memphis to the wire on the road and upset Cincinnati at home.  The Green Wave can’t be double-digit underdogs to a UConn team that is coming off a 16-point loss to Cincinnati and a 15-point loss to USF.  The Green Wave are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games against a team with a winning record.  The Green Wave are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 road games.  The Green Wave are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games against a team that wins more than 60% of their home games.  Take Tulane. 

7* Nuggets/Mavs ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Dallas -3 

The Key: I like the price we are getting on the Dallas Mavericks as a short home favorite over the Denver Nuggets tonight.  The Nuggets have lost by 26 at Houston and by 14 at Washington as 13-point favorites in recent road games.  And I don’t expect them to hang with the Mavericks for four quarters tonight.  The Nuggets are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games off a win.  The Mavericks are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 games against a team that wins more than 60% of their games.  The Mavericks are 6-2 ATS in the last 8 matchups.  The Mavericks are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 home matchups.  Take Dallas. 

6* Wednesday NCAAB *BLOWOUT* on Wofford -5 

The Key: Wofford has been a great mid-major program in recent years and should make easy work of this mediocre Samford team tonight.  Wofford has a road win over UNC and a 1-point loss at ETSU as 8.5-point dogs.  Samford lost 3 straight games to Hawaii, Alabama and Georgetown all by 18 points or more before a pair of unimpressive wins over The Citadel and VMI by a combined 4 points.  They don’t stand much of a chance of keeping this one close.  Wofford is 16-3 SU in its last 19 meetings with Samford and 8-2 SU in its last 10 meetings at Samford.  Wofford is 11-1 ATS in road games of 2 consecutive conference games over the last 2 years.  Samford is 1-9 ATS in home games against conference opponents over the last 2 years.  Take Wofford. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New York Knicks +13 

The Key: The Lakers haven’t won any of their last 12 games by more than 13 points.  The Knicks have only lost twice by more than 8 points in their last 12 games.  The Knicks are 8-4 ATS in those 12 games and should be able to hang around with the Lakers for 4 quarters tonight.  The Knicks are 8-0 ATS when playing their 2nd straight road game this year.  They only lost by 3 on the road to the Clippers on Sunday.  Take New York. 

6* Missouri Valley *CA$H COW* on Indiana State +8 

The Key: Northern Iowa is getting too much love for their 12-2 record.  They can’t be 8-point favorites tonight over a quality Indiana State team that is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games overall with its only loss coming by 4 points at Drake.  Northern Iowa only beat Bradley by 5 and Marshall by 8 at home surrounded by a 6-point loss at Illinois State as 6-point favorites.  Indiana State is better than all 3 of those teams.  The Panthers are 13-33-1 ATS in their last 47 games against teams that win at least 60% of their games.  The underdog is 26-11-1 ATS in the last 38 meetings.  Take Indiana State. 

7* Ohio State/Maryland Big Ten *HEAVY HITTER* on Maryland -2.5 

The Key: I like the price we are getting with the Maryland Terrapins are only 2.5-point home favorites over the Ohio State Buckeyes.  The Terrapins are 9-0 at home this year and just beat Indiana by 16 and Notre Dame by 21 recently at home.  Ohio State is not playing well. They lost by 8 on a neutral to West Virginia and were upset by Wisconsin as 7.5-point home favorites in their last 2 games.  Maryland won both meetings with Ohio State by 14 on the road and by 10 at home last year.  The favorite is 7-2 ATS in the last 9 meetings.  The Terrapins are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last 3 home meetings with Ohio State.  Take Maryland. 

6* Warriors/Kings NBA TV *BAILOUT* on Golden State +10.5 

The Key: The Golden State Warriors get D’Angelo Russell back tonight and should take the Sacramento Kings down to the wire.  It’s a Kings team that will be without both Marvin Bagley III and Bogdan Bogdanovic.  The Kings are just 1-9 SU & 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall and shouldn’t be laying doubles to anyone.  The Warriors are 14-4 ATS in their last 18 road games when revenging a same-season loss.  The Kings are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 home games.  Take Golden State. 

6* USC/Washington Pac-12 *BAILOUT* on Washington -4.5 

The Key: The Washington Huskies are coming off 2 straight tough losses to UCLA and Houston by a combined 6 points.  They will be hungry for a win to bounce back against USC at home tonight.  Their other 2 losses came to Tennessee and Gonzaga this year.  Washington is 287th in the luck factor while USC is 27th in the luck factor, which figures in how fortunate a team is to have the record that they have.  USC is fortunate to be 12-2 when you consider they have 8 wins by 11 points or fewer.  They have come out smelling like a rose in their close games this year.  But they also lost by 22 to Marquette and by 9 to Temple against 2 of the best teams they have faced.  Washington has won 3 straight meetings with USC.  The Trojans are 2-11 ATS in their last 13 games as road underdogs.  The favorite is 19-9 ATS in the last 28 meetings.  Take Washington. 

6* St. John’s/Xavier Big East *CA$H COW* on St. John’s +8 

The Key: New head coach Mike Anderson is getting the most out of St. John’s in his first season.  The Red Storm are 11-3 this year and very close to being 13-1.  They have a 2-point loss to Butler and a 2-point loss to Vermont, a very good mid major program.  They beat West Virginia and Arizona outright as underdogs so they have been tested this season.  I think they are getting too many points today against Xavier and I like the price with them.  Xavier has been one of the most overrated teams in the nation with a 4-10 ATS record and a 1-6 ATS record at home.  St. John’s is 8-1 ATS after having won 8 or more of their last 10 games over the last 2 years.  Take St. John’s. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Charlotte Hornets +12 

The Key: The Dallas Mavericks have too many injuries to be laying 12 points to the Hornets tonight.  They are going to be without Porzingis, Hardaway Jr. and Broekhoff tonight and could be without Wright.  The Hornets are 100% healthy and will give the Mavericks everything they want tonight.  The Hornets are 10-1 ATS after allowing 105 points or more in 3 straight games this year.  Bets on road dogs of 10 or more points who are playing 6 or less games in 14 days who win between 25% and 40% of their games when playing a team with a winning record are 44-15 ATS over the last 5 years.  The Mavericks are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games off an ATS win.  Take Charlotte. 

6* Bradley/Northern Iowa MVC *CA$H COW* on Northern Iowa -7 

The Key: Northern Iowa wants revenge from blowing a 20-point lead to Bradley in the MWC Championship Game last year that cost them a trip to the NCAA Tournament.  Now the Panthers are probably the best team in the MWC this year and they want to prove it tonight.  They returned 4 starters while Bradley returned just 2 starters and is now without leading scorer and rebounder Elijah Childs (14.5 PPG, 9.4 RPG) indefinitely with a hand injury suffered in mid-December.  The Braves are 9-19 ATS in their last 28 road games, including 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games.  The Panthers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games overall and 7-2 ATS in their last 9 home games.  The home team is 11-5-1 ATS in the last 17 meetings.  Take Northern Iowa.

6* Auburn/Mississippi State SEC *CA$H COW* on Mississippi State +1 

The Key: We’ve seen a bunch of Top 5 teams go down this season.  No. 4 ranked Auburn will be the latest today.  Their unbeaten 12-0 season will come to an end today at the hands of Mississippi State.  The Bulldogs upset Auburn as identical 1-point home underdogs last year, 92-84.  And they are a stronger team this season while Auburn isn’t as good as the squad that made the Final Four last year.  Mississippi State is 40-21 ATS in its last 61 games as a home dog or PK.  The Tigers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite.  The Bulldogs are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 Saturday games.  The underdog is 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings.  Take Mississippi State. 

7* Big East Game of the Month on Seton Hall -6.5 

The Key: Suspensions and injuries have really decimated the Georgetown Hoyas.  It showed up in their 16-point loss against Providence last time out as they were without Mac McClung and his 15.5 PPG and could be without him again.  Seton Hall just got Myles Powell back from injury, a National Player of the Year candidate.  The Pirates swiftly beat DePaul 74-66 on the road.  They also recently beat Maryland as 7-point dogs at home without Powell, so they’ve shown they are more than just a one-trick pony.  The Pirates are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games.  The Pirates are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a favorite.  Take Seton Hall. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Orlando Magic +2 

The Key: The Miami Heat will be playing for a 2nd consecutive night after beating the Raptors at home last night.  The Orlando Magic haven’t played since Wednesday.  The Magic have covered 4 of their last 5 matchups with the Heat.  The Magic are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games after scoring 120 or more points.  Take Orlando. 

6* Pistons/Clippers NBA TV *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles -12.5 

The Key: The Detroit Pistons are in a world of hurt right now with injuries to Blake Griffin, Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard and Markieff Morris.  That’s basically 4 of their top 7 scorers they are without.  It’s no wonder the Pistons are 1-7 SU & 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games overall with all 7 losses coming by 12 points or more.  That trend will continue tonight as the Pistons can’t be competitive against one of the best teams in the NBA in the Clippers on the road tonight.  Detroit is 2-10 ATS against a team with a winning record this year.  The Pistons are 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 road games.  The Pistons are 15-36-3 ATS in their last 54 games as an underdog.  The Clippers are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games against a team with a losing record.  Take Los Angeles. 

6* Illinois/Michigan State Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Illinois +10 

The Key: I like this Illinois team that returned 4 starters this year and is off to a 9-4 start with 3 of its losses coming by 7 to Missouri, 2 to Miami and 1 at Maryland.  I think they can hang with the Michigan State Spartans who are 10-3 but 5-8 ATS this year.  The Spartans have had trouble putting decent teams away.  Michigan State is 1-7 ATS off 2 consecutive non-conference games this year.  Illinois is 8-0 ATS against good passing teams that average 16 or more assists per game over the last 2 years.  The Spartans are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games against a team with a winning record.  Take Illinois. 

6* Wednesday NCAAB *BAILOUT* on Nevada -5 

The Key: Nevada has gone 6-2 SU & 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games overall.  The only losses were to BYU on the road and a 5-point loss to a very good St. Mary’s team on a neutral.  The Wolf Pack have had 10 days off since last playing and will be ready for this conference game against Colorado State, which just played on December 28th.  Colorado State has gone just 3-3 SU & 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games with a 22-point loss to San Diego State at home, an 8-point loss to Colorado at home and an 11-point loss at Boise State.  Nevada should be able to cover this short number at home.  The Wolf Pack are 8-1 ATS against teams that are called for 17 or fewer fouls per game over the last 2 years.  The Wolf Pack are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games as favorites.  Take Nevada. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Cleveland Cavaliers +9.5 

The Key: The Cleveland Cavaliers are 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games and are catching too many points here against a struggling Toronto Raptors team that is battling injury right now.  The Raptors have lost 3 of their last 4 coming in.  They are playing without Siakam, Gasol and Powell right now.  Bets on road dogs off a road win who win between 25% and 40% of their games when playing a team with a winning record are 50-19 ATS over the last 5 years.  Take Cleveland. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Brooklyn Nets -3 

The Key: The Minnesota Timberwolves are 1-12 SU & 2-10-1 ATS in their last 13 games overall.  Now they could be without both Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins tonight, and they’re already without Jake Layman.  Minnesota is just 2-11-1 ATS at home this season.  The Nets are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games off an ATS loss.  The Timberwolves are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 home games against a team with a losing road record.  Take Brooklyn. 

6* Yale/UNC NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Yale +8 

The Key: Yale is 10-3 this season with all 3 losses coming by 7 points or less at Penn State, Oklahoma State and San Francisco.  UNC is 7-5 and this is one of the worst Tar Heel teams I can remember, largely because they are without their 2 best players in Anthony and Manley.  They have lost 4 of their last 5, including a home loss to Wofford as 12-point favorites.  Yale will be able to hang with UNC.  Take Yale. 

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on New York Knicks -3 

The Key: The Knicks are 4-4 SU & 5-3 ATS in their last 8 games and playing good basketball.  Now they get a chance to avenge one of those losses as they fell 115-121 at home to the Wizards on December 23rd.  While the Knicks are now healthy, the Wizards have a ton of injuries.  They are without Bertans, Wagner, Hachimura and Bryant and both Beal and Thomas are banged up and may sit tonight.  The Knicks will beat the short-handed Wizards on the road tonight.  Take New York. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New Orleans Pelicans +1 

The Key: The Pelicans are 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall with all 3 wins coming in upset fashion on the road.  They are playing well and will take down a Pacers team in a difficult situation for them.  The Pelicans come in on 2 days rest since their upset 112-100 win at Denver as 9-point dogs.  The Pacers are coming off a 112-113 dog fight loss at Miami last night and will now be playing on the road for a 2nd consecutive night.  Malcolm Brogdon is questionable for the Pacers.  This situation really favors the Pelicans.  Take New Orleans. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Atlanta Hawks +11.5 

The Key: The Atlanta Hawks have played the Bucks tough.  They are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings with the Bucks not once losing by more than 8 points.  They lost both meetings this season by 8 and 9 points.  I like the price we are getting with the Hawks tonight considering they are on 3 days rest and the Bucks just played on Christmas.  Bets against road favorites of 10 or more points who have won 6 or 7 of their last 8 games who are winning more than 75% of their games against a team that wins 25% or less are 43-17 ATS since 1996.  Take Atlanta. 

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

The Key: The Oklahoma City Thunder are playing their best basketball of the season to get over .500 at 15-14 on the year.  They have won 4 straight and 7 of their last 9 coming in.  The Memphis Grizzlies won’t be able to hang tonight.  The Grizzlies gave up 145 points and 67.4% shooting to the Spurs last time out.  The Thunder are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games.  The Grizzlies are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road matchups with the Thunder.  Take Oklahoma City. 

7* Clippers/Lakers ABC *HEAVY HITTER* on Lakers -2 

The Key: The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Clippers 102-112 in their opener in their first and only meeting this year.  Now it’s revenge time for the Lakers.  This team has come a long way since that loss as they sit at 24-6 on the season.  But they are coming off 3 straight losses, so they are very hungry right now for a win.  Lebron James and Anthony Davis are both expected to play in this game after LeBron sat out last game.  The Clippers are just 8-8 on the road this season.  Bets against road teams with a line of +3 to -3 who outscore their opponents by 6 or more points per game after allowing 105 points or more in 3 straight games are 24-4 ATS since 1996.  Take the Los Angeles Lakers. 

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

The Key: The Kings beat the Rockets 119-118 on the road on December 9th.  Now they get them in Sacramento 2 weeks later.  They are in need of a win after dropping 3 straight on the road, and I look for the Kings to be hungry tonight as a result.  The Rockets are fat and happy off 3 straight wins and nearing Christmas.  They won’t be playing with the same sense of urgency as the Kings will be tonight.  The Kings are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games as a dog and 9-1 ATS in their last 10 against a team with a winning record.  Take Sacramento. 

6* Nuggets/Lakers NBA *BAILOUT* on Denver +3.5 

The Key: The Denver Nuggets have won 5 straight and want to avenge an earlier 96-105 home loss to the Lakers on December 3rd.  They shot 40.7% in that game and 20.7% from 3-point range.  They won’t shoot that poorly again.  And they won’t have to deal with Lebron James this time around as he is sitting with a back injury.  The Lakers are in an awful situation returning home following a 5-game road trip and playing 12 of their last 15 on the road.  It’s a tired team that will be dealing with a lot of distractions at home, especially since it’s nearly Christmas.  Take Denver. 

6* Sunday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Loyola-Chicago -2 

The Key: Davidson has been a huge disappointment as they are just 5-5 this year despite returning all 5 starters.  They have been upset by Wake Forest and Charlotte and they have double-digit losses to Auburn, Marquette and Temple.  All 5 of their losses have been by double-digits.  Loyola-Chicago is 5-1 at home this year and outscoring opponents by 20 PPG.  Davidson is 0-6 ATS in road games off 2 straight ATS wins over the last 2 years.  The Wildcats are 6-15 ATS in their last 21 non-conference road games.  Take Loyola-Chicago. 

6* Saturday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Arizona State -3 

The Key: The Arizona State Sun Devils are coming off a stunning 56-96 loss to St. Mary’s.  That game was an aberration as only 3 players scored, and one bench player scored 43 of their 56 points.  It’s safe to say the Sun Devils will come back hungry for a win today against Creighton.  The Blue Jays are 9-2, but their 2 losses both came on the road where they are losing by 20.5 PPG on the season.  Arizona State is 5-1 at home and winning by 18.1 PPG.  The Sun Devils are 11-2 ATS when playing against a team that wins more than 80% of their games over the last 3 years.  Take Arizona State. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Sacramento Kings -1 

The Key: The Memphis Grizzlies are running on fumes right now.  They’ll be playing for a 2nd consecutive day, their 3rd game in 4 days, and their 6th game in 9 days.  The Grizzlies are just 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games when playing for a 2nd consecutive day.  The Kings will only be playing their 2nd game in 4 days and they are a young, deep team that won’t be phased by this situation.  The Kings are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games when coming off 2 or more consecutive road losses.  Take Sacramento. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Portland Trail Blazers -3.5 

The Key: The Orlando Magic are a tired team.  They just played the toughest situation in the NBA with a back-to-back at Utah and Denver on Tuesday and Wednesday.  And now they’ll be playing their 3rd game in 4 days tonight.  The Blazers should take advantage and run them out of the gym.  Portland will be playing just its 3rd game in 8 days and will be the fresher team.  The Blazers are 3-1-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  Take Portland. 

6* Rockets/Clippers TNT *BAILOUT* on UNDER 236 

The Key: This will be the 3rd meeting already between the Rockets and Clippers this year, so they are familiar with one another.  The first meeting saw Houston win 102-93 for 195 combined points.  The 2nd meeting saw the Clippers win 122-119 for 241 combined points.  But that game was on pace to go well UNDDER the total before a huge 77-point 4th quarter.  That total was set at 227, and now this total is set at 236, a 9-point adjustment.  I think the price is right to pull the trigger on the UNDER here.  The Rockets are 14-4 UNDER in road games with a total of 230 or higher over the last 2 years.  The Rockets are 27-12 UNDER as an underdog over the last 3 years.  The Rockets are 22-6 UNDER when playing against a team that wins more than 70% of their games over the last 3 years.  The UNDER is 9-4 in Clippers last 13 games as a home favorite.  Take the UNDER. 

7* Lakers/Bucks TNT *HEAVY HITTER* on Milwaukee -4 

The Key: The Bucks are 24-4 and 13-2 at home this year.  The Lakers will be without Kyle Kuzma and could be without Anthony Davis tonight.  It’s a tough situation for the Lakers, who have will be playing their 5th straight road game and their 12th road games in their last 15 games overall.  It is starting to wear on them as they barely escaped with a win at Atlanta before losing at Indiana in their last 2 games coming in.  The Bucks are 18-6 ATS off an upset loss as a favorite over the last 2 years.  The Bucks are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.  The Bucks are 23-8 ATS in their last 31 games off a loss.  The Bucks are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 home meetings with the Lakers and 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings overall.  Take Milwaukee.

7* NBA Situational Game of the Month on Denver Nuggets -9.5 

The Key: The situation could not possibly be worse for the Orlando Magic tonight.  They’ll be playing in altitude for the second straight night after losing 102-109 in Utah last night.  Now they’ll have nothing left in the tank for the Denver Nuggets tonight.  Denver comes in on 2 days’ rest and having won three straight home games to improve to 11-3 at home this year.  They had the best home record in the NBA last year.  The Magic are 4-12 ATS in their last 16 trips to Denver.  The Nuggets are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games against a team with a losing record.  Take Denver. 

6* Wednesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on East Tennessee State +10 

The Key: East Tennessee State is one of the better teams in the country that not too many bettors know about.  They are 9-2 this year with their only losses coming on the road to Kansas by 12 and North Dakota State by 10.  They returned all 5 starters this year and will take LSU to the wire tonight.  LSU has losses to Utah State and VCU this year and will be tested by ETSU.  The Buccaneers are 10-1 ATS off a home win scoring 85 points or more over the last 3 years.  Take East Tennessee State. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Utah Jazz -6.5 

The Key: The Utah Jazz are back to full strength finally with Mike Conley returning tonight.  The Jazz have had the last 3 days off and will be fresh tonight.  They should put away the Orlando Magic with relative ease.  The Magic have lost 3 of their last 4 all by 9 points or more.  Take Utah. 

7* Florida/Providence ESPN 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on Florida -4.5 

The Key: The Florida Gators have won 4 of their last 5 with their only setback coming at Butler.  The Gators are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 neutral site games.  The Providence Friars are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games overall with a ton of ugly performances.  The Friars already have 5 upset losses this year.  They have played an easy schedule as they have been favored in every single game and have come up way short of expectations.  And this number is too short tonight against the best team they’ve played yet in the Gators.  Take Florida. 

6* NBA Western Conference *CA$H COW* on San Antonio Spurs +10 

The Key: The Spurs just beat the Rockets at home on December 3rd.  The Spurs have won 3 of their last 4 coming in.  The Spurs have only lost once by more than 7 points to the Rockets in their last 6 meetings.  This number is just way too high tonight.  This is a rested Spurs team that will be playing just their 4th game in the last 13 days.  The Rockets are really battling injuries right now and just lost outright at home to the Pistons as 7.5-point favorites and the Kings as 12-point favorites in their last 2 home games.  The Spurs will hang around for 4 quarters as well.  Take San Antonio.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Atlanta Hawks +12 

The Key: The Lakers will be playing without Kyle Kuzma tonight.  Lebron James is questionable.  The Lakers are primed for a letdown off their big win in Miami on Friday.  It will be their 6th road game in the last 13 days as they have been on the road a lot.  The Hawks will relish this chance to face the Lakers and will be the more hungry team.  The Lakers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 road games against a team with a losing home record.  Take Atlanta. 

6* Sunday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Nebraska +13

The Key: Nebraska is improving and just went on the road and gave Indiana all they wanted as 17-point dogs.  They took the Hoosiers to overtime.  The Huskers will be laying at home now for the first time since November 22nd.  They have a big home court advantage and will give Purdue a run for its money today.  The Boilermakers are getting too much respect from oddsmakers now off 2 straight wins over Virginia and Northwestern.  Purdue is 4-14 ATS in its last 18 road games off a conference win.  Nebraska is 9-1 ATS off a combined score of 165 points or more over the last 3 years.  Take Nebraska. 

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

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

6* Saturday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Utah State PK 

The Key: The Utah State Aggies are loaded this season and among the best teams in the nation.  They are 10-1 with their lone loss coming by 8 on the road to St. Mary’s, which is also among the better teams in the land.  They beat LSU and will take down BYU on a neutral tonight in Salt Lake City.  The Cougars already have 4 losses on the season.  The Aggies want revenge after losing 7 straight in this series to BYU.  This is their year to get it as they finally have the team to beat the Cougars.  BYU is 5-23 ATS in its last 28 neutral site games as an underdog.  The Cougars are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 road games against a good offensive teams that scores 77 or more points per game.  Take Utah State. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7* NCAAB Game of the Week on Furman +4.5 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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