Sports Picks & Predictions

6* UConn/Temple AAC *CA$H COW* on Temple -3.5 

The Key: The Temple Owls will be hungry for a win after losing 3 of their last 5 coming in.  The Owls are 16-6 this season and a bubble NCAA Tournament team.  All 6 losses came by 10 points or fewer so they have been in every game they’ve played.  The Owls are 8-2 at home this season, while the Huskies are 1-7 in all road games, including 0-4 SU in true road games.  The Huskies are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 road games.  The Owls are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following an ATS loss.  Connecticut is 0-8 ATS in road games when playing its 3rd game in a week over the last 2 seasons.  It is losing by 16.2 PPG in this spot.  Take Temple. 

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Orlando Magic +10 

The Key: The Orlando Magic will be hungry to avenge their 117-126 home loss to the Thunder on January 29th a week ago.  They blew a 4th quarter lead in that game.  The Magic have picked up two impressive wins since with a 7-point home win over the Pacers and a 13-point home win over the Nets.  They will be playing only their 2nd game in 5 days and come in on 2 days’ rest.  Orlando is 6-1-1 ATS in its last 8 games against a team with a winning record.  The Magic are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 meetings with the Thunder, including a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last 6 visits to Oklahoma City.  Take Orlando. 

6* NC State/UNC ACC *CA$H COW* on NC State +10.5 

The Key: The NC State Wolfpack are coming off their worst game of the season.  They scored 24 points, shot 16.7% from the field and 2-for-28 (7.1%) from 3-point range.  It was a tough spot for them.  They were coming off an overtime loss to Virginia and had this game against UNC on deck, making it a sandwich game.  I think because their performance was so bad, we’re getting a few extra points here as the Wolfpack are now double-digit underdogs.  They were 1.5-point favorites at home over UNC the first time the met, so this is a 12-point adjustment from that line and it’s too much.  The Wolfpack want revenge on their rivals here.  Bets on road dogs of 10 or more points who are off an upset loss by 15 points or more as a favorite when playing on Tuesday nights are 24-4 ATS since 1997.  Take NC State. 

7* Spurs/Kings NBA TV *BAILOUT* on Sacramento +2 

The Key: The Spurs are on pins and needles right now.  They have won 4 straight, but all 4 were at home, and they barely beat the Suns by 2 as 13.5-point favorites, the Nets by 3 as 8-point favorites and the Pelicans by 5 as 10.5-point favorites.  Now they have to hit the road, where they are 10-15 SU this season.  And they’re facing a Sacramento Kings team that is 6-1 SU & 7-0 ATS in its last 7 home games with its only loss coming to the Warriors by 4 points as 8-point dogs.  The Kings beat the Spurs 104-99 at home in their lone meeting this season.  The Kings are 20-6 ATS in their last 26 games on one days’ rest.  Take Sacramento. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Toronto Raptors -10.5 

The Key: The Raptors have a very favorable situation today over the Clippers.  Toronto comes in on 2 days’ rest and will be playing just its 2nd game in 7 days.  Los Angeles will be playing for a second consecutive day and its 8th game in 13 days.  The Clippers won’t be able to match the energy level of the Raptors today.  Toronto is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 meetings with Los Angeles and 7-2 ATS in its last 9 home meetings.  Take Toronto. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Phoenix Suns -2.5 

The Key: The Phoenix Suns have a big situational advantage over the Atlanta Hawks today.  The Suns come in on 3 days’ rest, while the Hawks will be playing or the 2nd consecutive day and their 3rd game in 4 days after losing in Utah last night.  And that means they played in altitude, and this will now be their 6th straight road game.  That’s a lot of travel, and there’s no doubt the Hawks are worn out.  The Suns should be getting DeAndre Ayton back from injury which is a huge boost.  The home team is 7-0 SU in the last 7 meetings, and the Suns basically just have to win this game to cover.  The Hawks are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games playing on no rest.  The Suns are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games against at team with a losing record.  The Hawks are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 visits to Phoenix.  Take Phoenix. 

6* Big 12 Game of the Day on Kansas State -3.5 

The Key: Kansas State had won 5 straight prior to its loss at Texas A&M.  And two of those wins came on the road at Iowa State and Oklahoma.  This team is so much better than Oklahoma State it’s not really even close.  This is a Cowboys team that is just 5-9 SU & 3-11 ATS in their last 14 games overall.  They are probably the worst team in the Big 12 if it’s not WVU.  The Wildcats are 6-0 ATS in road games after scoring 55 points or less over the last 3 seasons.  The Cowboys are 2-11 ATS at home when the line is +3 to -3 over the last 3 seasons.  Oklahoma State is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 home games.  The Cowboys are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games against a team with a winning record.  The road team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  Take Kansas State. 

6* AAC Game of the Day on Tulane +10.5 

The Key: Tulane has covered two straight games with a 10-point loss as 14.5-point dogs at SMU and a 1-point loss as 5-point dogs at ECU.  This team is playing better of late, and now they are getting 10.5 points at home against Temple.  This is a deflated Owls team that will suffer a hangover from back-to-back close losses to Cincinnati and Houston, their two biggest contenders for the AAC title.  They’ve only had one day to recover from their loss at Houston on Thursday.  Take Tulane. 

6* Atlantic 10 Game of the Day on Duquesne +9.5 

The Key: Duquesne is 15-6 on the season.  The Dukes are 6-2 in Atlantic 10 play with their two losses coming in narrow fashion by 6 to VCU and by 4 at Davidson.  And now they are catching too many points here as 9.5-point dogs to Dayton.  This is a Dayton team with some lackluster home wins and even home losses.  They won by 4 over Georgia Southern, by 5 over UMass and actually lost outright to George Mason in recent home games.  Duquesne is 9-1 ATS in road games off 2 consecutive home games over the last 3 seasons.  Dayton is 0-9 ATS off a conference home win over the last 2 years.  The Flyers are 3-17 ATS off a home win over the last 2 years.  Take Duquesne. 

7* UNC/Louisville ACC *HEAVY HITTER* on Louisville +2 

The Key: Louisville is playing as well as anyone in the country.  The Cardinals are 6-0 SU & 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall with their only non-cover coming in a 10-point win over Boston College as 11-point favorites.  All 6 wins have come by 7 points or more and 5 of them by double-digits.  That includes their 21-point win at UNC as 11-point dogs.  And now they are dogs again here against UNC.  Louisville is 12-1 at home this season with its only loss to Kentucky.  Take Louisville. 

7* NBA Non-Conference Game of the Week on Miami Heat +4.5 

The Key: The Miami Heat come in hungry off their embarrassing 16-point home loss to the Bulls last time out. They’ll be more focused tonight with the Thunder, who have won 6 straight and are getting a lot of respect from oddsmakers, coming to town.  The Thunder have to deal with all the distractions that come with playing in Miami because they didn’t fly home after their game against Orlando the other night.  The Heat are 19-6 ATS off an upset loss as home favorite over the last 3 seasons.  The Thunder are 3-16 ATS in road games after covering 5 or 6 of their last 7 ATS over the last 3 years.  Bets on home dogs who are off an upset loss as a home favorite in the 2nd half of the season are 43-16 ATS over the last 5 years.  Take Miami. 

6* Oregon/Utah Pac-12 *CA$H COW* on Utah -2 

The Key: The Utah Utes are playing too well to only be 2-point home favorites over the Oregon Ducks tonight.  I like the price with the Utes, who are 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in in their last 4 games overall with their 4 wins coming by 12.3 PPG.  Oregon is just 3-4 SU & 3-4 ATS in its last 7 games overall and hasn’t been able to overcome the loss of it’s best player in Bol Bol.  Utah is 8-1 ATS as a home favorite of 6 points or less or PK over the last 3 seasons.  Larry Krystkowiak is 9-1 ATS off a game where they made 13 or more 3-point shots as the coach of the Utes.  The Ducks are 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 road games.  The Utes are 45-19-3 ATS in their last 67 home games against a team with a losing road record.  Take Utah. 

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on San Antonio Spurs -7.5 

The Key: Greg Popovich called out his players on their lack of respect for the game when they needed a buzzer-beater to beat the Suns 126-124 at home last time out.  Look for his players to respond.  It also helps that the Spurs will get back DeMar DeRozan from a one-game absence and are back at full strength tonight.  They are taking on a Nets team that is starting to get too much respect from oddsmakers for beating up on a weak schedule of late.  And the Nets will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days here.  The Nets are not healthy, missing Spencer Dinwiddie, Jared Dudley, Caris LeVert and Allen Crabbe.  Bets on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (San Antonio) - after having covered 5 or 6 of their last 7 ATS, in a game involving two marginal winning teams (51% to 60%) are 29-6 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  The Spurs are 20-7-1 ATS in their last 28 games overall.  The Spurs are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 against Eastern Conference teams.  The Spurs are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home meetings with the Nets.  The Spurs are 25-7-1 ATS in the last 33 meetings.  Take San Antonio. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Miami Heat -10 

The Key: The Chicago Bulls are just 1-14 SU & 4-10-1 ATS in their last 15 games overall.  Now they’ll be playing for a second consecutive day after losing 117-122 to the Nets last night.  The Heat come in on two days’ rest, making this a tremendous situational advantage for them.  The Heat are 3-0 in their last 3 meetings with he Bulls winning by 7, 11 and 14 points.  Take Miami. 

7* WVU/Iowa State Big 12 *HEAVY HITTER* on West Virginia +13 

The Key: With the temperatures in the Midwest tonight, the Iowa State Cyclones won’t have their normal home-court advantage.  Fans will be staying home instead of going to this game tonight.  And I think the Cyclones are primed for a letdown following their road win at ranked Ole Miss over the weekend.  The WVU Mountaineers beat Kansas recently and hung tough on the road at No. 1 Tennessee before falling apart late.  And they should be able to hang with the Cyclones for 40 minutes in this one.  Bets on dogs of 10 or more points who score 74-78 PPG against a team that gives up 63-67 PPG after 15-plus games, off a loss by 15 points or more are 39-15 ATS since 1997.  Take West Virginia. 

6* Pitt/Clemson ACC *CA$H COW* on Pittsburgh +9.5 

The Key: Clemson would have to win by double-digits to cover against Pitt tonight.  It’s too many points, especially for a disappointing Clemson team that has been overrated all season.  The Tigers are just 11-8 SU & 6-13 ATS this season.  They are 1-5 SU & 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games overall, which have been all ACC games.  Pitt is coming off a brutal stretch where they faced UNC, Louisville twice, Duke, Syracuse, FSU and NC State.  Clemson is worse than all 6 of those teams and Pitt is more than capable of hanging around.  The Panthers are 12-4-1 ATS in their last 17 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Tigers are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 home games.  Take Pittsburgh. 

6* Virginia/NC State ACC *CA$H COW* on NC State +7.5 

The Key: The Virginia Cavaliers have now covered an incredible 10 consecutive games.  They are getting a lot of respect from oddsmakers now as they keep having to set their spreads higher and higher.  And now they are 7.5-point road favorites against a quality NC State team that is more than capable of beating them.  The Wolfpack are 12-1 at home this season and winning by 22.9 PPG.  Take NC State. 

7* Tennessee/South Carolina SEC *HEAVY HITTER* on South Carolina +9 

The Key: The South Carolina Gamecocks have been one of the most underrated teams in the SEC over the past few seasons.  The Gamecocks are 11-2-1 ATS in their last 14 SEC games.  That includes upset wins over Florida, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Auburn already this season in SEC play.  And now they are getting 9 points at home to Tennessee.  The Gamecocks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings with the Vols, not once losing by more than 7 points in those 5 games.  Take South Carolina. 

7* Warriors/Pacers NBA TV *HEAVY HITTER* on Golden State -8.5 

The Key: The Warriors are rolling right now having won 10 straight.  And they look pretty unstoppable with DeMarcus Cousins in the fold now.  The Pacers were moving along nicely in the East, but then suffered a huge blow when Victor Oladipo suffered a season-ending knee injury a few games back.  They proceeded to lose to Memphis in their first game without him, and Memphis hasn’t been beating anyone.  The Warriors are 10-1 ATS in road games after allowing 110 points or more in 3 straight games over the last 2 seasons.  Take Golden State. 

7* NBA Non-Conference Game of the Week on Dallas Mavericks +5 

The Key: The Dallas Mavericks have been one of the best home teams in the NBA this season.  They are 18-6 SU & 17-7 ATS at home this year.  The Mavs are 9-1 ATS in home games off a win by 6 points or less over the last 2 seasons.  Dallas is 8-1 ATS as a home underdog this season.  The Raptors are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 road games.  Take Dallas. 

6* Houston/Tulsa AAC *CA$H COW* on Tulsa +7.5 

The Key: It’s like night and day the way Tulsa plays home and away.  On the road they have been terrible, going just 2-7 SU in all road games.  But they are 10-1 at home with their only loss coming to Cincinnati in overtime.  And I think they can hang with Houston here.  The Golden Hurricane want revenge from their 18-point loss at Houston in their first meeting this season earlier this month.  Tulsa is 7-0 ATS in home games when revenging a loss over the last 2 seasons.  The Golden Hurricane are 6-0 ATS as a home underdog or PK over the last 2 seasons.  Take Tulsa. 

7* Pac-12 Game of the Week on Utah -5.5 

The Key: Fading the Cal Bears is the gift that keeps on giving.  They are far and away the worst team in the Pac-12.  The Bears are 5-14 SU on the season and 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games overall.  They have lost 8 straight coming in with all 8 losses coming by 9 points or more.  That includes home losses to Seattle by 9, ASU by 14, Arizona by 22 and Colorado by 9.  They also lost on the road to USC by 9, UCLA by 15, Washington State by 23 and Washington by 19.  Utah has won 3 straight coming in with a win by 18 at home of Washington State, by 9 at home over Colorado and by 4 at Stanford.  They should easily cover this 5.5-point spread today.  The Utes are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 Pac-12 games.  The Bears are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 home games.  Take Utah. 

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Portland Trail Blazers -8 

The Key: The Portland Trail Blazers are 8-0 in their last 8 meetings with the Suns while outscoring them by 13.9 PPG.  And while the Blazers are fully healthy coming into this game, the Suns are expected to be without two of their best players in DeAndre Ayton and TJ Warren.  They are already short on talent, which is why they are the worst team in the West.  And they stand little chance of keeping this game competitive now without Ayton and Warren.  The Suns have lost 12 of their last 14 coming in.  The Blazers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following an ATS loss.  Take Portland. 

6* NC State/Louisville ACC *CA$H COW* on Louisville -4 

The Key: The Louisville Cardinals have been playing some of the best basketball in the ACC here of late.  They are 4-1 in their last 5 games overall.  They beat Miami by 17 at home, UNC by 21 on the road as 11-point dogs, Boston College by 10 at home and Georgia Tech by 28 on the road in their 4 wins.  NC State has benefited from a home-heavy schedule this year, playing just 4 true road games.  They lost at Wisconsin and Wake Forest, and only beat Notre Dame and Miami by a combined 9 points.  Miami is terrible, and Notre Dame is short-handed and rebuilding.  Louisville will be the best team they’ve played on the road yet.  The Cardinals are 10-1 at home this season.  The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.  Take Louisville. 

6* MVC Game of the Day on Loyola-Chicago -2 

The Key: Loyola is starting to play much more like the team that went to the Final Four last year than the one that opened this season struggling.  The Ramblers have gone 7-2 SU & 6-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.  Five of those seven wins came by double-digits.  Missouri State, which is just 2-4 in conference play, won’t offer much resistance tonight.  Missouri State is 0-8 ATS in home games off a road loss to a conference team over the last 3 seasons.  The Ramblers are 12-4 ATS in there last 16 games against a team with a losing record.  The Ramblers are 42-16-1 ATS in their last 59 road games against a team with a winning home record.  The Bears are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games against a team that wins at least 60% of their games.  Take Loyola-Chicago. 

6* NBA Non-Conference *CA$H COW* on New York Knicks +8 

The Key: The Rockets are wearing down.  They are 1-2 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall which included a pair of overtime games at home against the Nets and Lakers.  They laid an egg last time out in a 93-121 loss at Philadelphia on Monday night.  And they still won’t have much left for the Knicks tonight.  The Knicks have been a lot more competitive of late as they are 5-3 ATS in their last 8 games overall.  The Rockets are still without Chris Paul and Clint Capela, while the Knicks are as healthy as they’ve been all season.  Houston is 1-9 ATS in road games off a road game this season.  The Knicks are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games after trailing in their previous game by 15 points or more at halftime.  The Rockets are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 road games against a team that wins less than 40% of their home games.  Take New York. 

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Miami Heat -5 

The Key: Good spot for Miami, bad spot for Los Angeles tonight.  The Heat had yesterday off while the Clippers played in Dallas last night.  Now the Clippers have to travel to Miami overnight and play for a second consecutive day and their 3rd game in 4 days.  The Clippers are clearly a tired team as they haven’t had two consecutive days off since January 2-3.  It’s starting to show as the Clippers are 1-6 SU & 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall.  Miami is 10-1 ATS against good foul drawing teams who attempt 27 or more free throws per game over the last 3 seasons.  The Heat are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 against a team with a winning record.  Take Miami. 

7* NCAAB Situational Game of the Month on Clemson +6.5 

The Key: It’s rare that you’ll see one team with such a big rest advantage over another team in the middle of conference play.  But that’s the case here with Clemson having a big edge in rest coming in over Florida State.  Clemson last played on January 16th and has had five full days off to get ready for the Seminoles.  Florida State just played on Sunday, January 20th, so they only have one day to get ready for Clemson.  And the Seminoles are not playing well, going 1-4 SU in their last 5 games and 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games.  The Seminoles are 0-6 ATS vs. good free throw shooting teams who make 72% or more of their attempts this season.  The Seminoles are 2-11 ATS in their last 13 ACC games.  Take Clemson. 

6* Monday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Georgetown -1.5 

The Key: The Georgetown Hoyas are 9-3 at home this season with their 3 losses coming by 3, 3 and 8 points.  The Creighton Bluejays are 1-4 in true road games this year with their 4 losses coming by 19, 13, 15 and 15 points.  This is a pretty easy choice tonight as the Hoyas basically just have to win at home to cover this short number.  Creighton is 2-11 ATS as a road underdog or PK over the last 2 seasons.  The Bluejays are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games overall.  Take Georgetown. 

7* Rockets/76ers TNT *HEAVY HITTER* on Philadelphia -3.5 

The Key: The Rockets have to be running on fumes by now playing back-to-back overtime games against the Nets and Lakers, both at home.  They were substantial favorites in both games.  And now they’re getting too much respect from oddsmakers here as only 3.5-point dogs at Philadelphia.  The Rockets are without both Chris Paul and Clint Capela.  The 76ers are 19-5 at home this year.  Houston is 0-7 ATS after a combined score of 245 points or more this season.  The 76ers are 8-0 ATS in home games after failing to cover 4 or 5 of their last 6 games this season.  Take Philadelphia. 

7* NBA Situational Game of the Month on Atlanta Hawks +8.5 

The Key: The Hawks have pulled some monster upsets, and come close to pulling some others here of late.  They beat Miami by 24 as 6.5-point home dogs, won at Philadelphia as 10.5-point road dogs, and beat the Thunder by 16 as 10.5-point home dogs.  They also only lost by 3 as 13.5-point dogs at Toronto.  All four efforts have come within their last 6 games.  Now they are rested coming in on 3 days’ rest, while the Celtics will be playing for a second consecutive day and their 7th game in 11 days.  The situation really favors the Hawks tonight.  Boston is 1-8 ATS when playing its 3rd game in 4 days this season.  The Celtics are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games.  Take Atlanta. 

6* SEC Game of the Day on South Carolina +9 

The Key: The South Carolina Gamecocks are 5-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall.  They have upset both Florida and Vanderbilt on the road, while also upsetting Mississippi State at home, and beating Missouri by 10 as 4.5-point home favorites.  The Gamecocks are better than they are getting credit for with this 9-point spread.  LSU is not going to beat them by double-digits.  It’s a letdown spot for the Tigers off their upset road win over Top 25 Ole Miss last time out, and Ole Miss team that was also in letdown mode off an upset road win at Mississippi State in its previous game.  LSU is 0-6 ATS off a win an SEC win by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.  It is coming back to lose by 13.0 PPG in this situation.  The Gamecocks are 10-1-1 ATS In their last 12 SEC games.  Take South Carolina. 

6* Big East Game of the Day on St. John’s +4.5 

The Key: Chris Mullin has far and away his best team at St. John’s this season.  The Red Storm are 15-3 this year with all 3 losses by single-digits, losing by 2 at Seton Hall and by 5 at Villanova among them.  They have beaten Marquette by 20 at home, Georgetown on the road, and Creighton by 15 at home.  They are the better team in this matchup with Butler, which is down in the midst of an 11-7 rebuilding year.  The wrong team is favored here.  Butler is 0-7 ATS off a game where they made 78% of their free throws or better this season.  St. John’s is 6-0 ATS after having lost 2 of its last 3 games over the last 2 seasons.  The Red Storm are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games against a team with a winning record.  Take St. John’s. 

7* NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month on Memphis Grizzlies +11 

The Key: The Grizzlies have failed to cover 15 of their last 17 games overall.  That’s why they are catching 11 points tonight, and the price is too good to pass up.  The Celtics are coming off a huge win over the Raptors and won’t be nearly as hungry to face the Grizzlies.  Memphis also wants revenge from a home loss to Boston earlier this season.  The Grizzlies relish these opportunities to face some of the league’s best teams as they’ve already won outright as big dogs over the Bucks and Jazz this year.  Take Memphis. 

7* WCC Game of the Month on Santa Clara +16.5 

The Key: Santa Clara has gone 7-2 in its last 9 games overall while going 8-1 ATS in the process.  They have upset the likes of USC, Washington State and San Diego, and their only losses were on the road to Gonzaga and BYU.  This St. Mary’s team is in rebuilding mode and not as strong as most season with just an 11-7 record on the season.  The Gaels are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 home games when coming off a road win by at least 10 points.  The Broncos are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 road games.  Take Santa Clara. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Phoenix Suns +8 

The Key: Toronto is coming off a tough game at Boston last night.  That has prompted them to rest Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry tonight, their two best players.  They are also playing without Jonas Valanciunas and OG Anunoby.  C.J. Miles is questionable to return as well.  The Suns are actually the better team tonight with all the players the Raptors are missing, and they should not be catching 8 points here to the Raptors.  It will only be the 3rd game in 9 days for the Suns here.  The Suns are 39-18 ATS in their last 57 against NBA Atlantic Division teams.  The Suns are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 road games.  The Suns are 20-6-1 ATS in the last 27 meetings, and 5-0 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Toronto.  Take Phoenix. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Detroit Pistons -4 

The Key: The Pistons are happy to be back home after a tough 4-game road trip out on the West Coast.  They concluded the trip playing well with an upset win at the Clippers as 7.5-point dogs and a cover as 7.5-point dogs at the Jazz.  The Magic are in a letdown spot here off back-to-back upset home wins over Boston and Houston.  The Magic are just 1-6 SU & 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road games with all 6 losses coming by 10 points or more.  The Pistons are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 Wednesday games.  The home team is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.  Take Detroit. 

6* ACC Game of the Day on Boston College +11 

The Key: This is more of a situational play than anything.  I’m fading Louisville in a letdown spot off their blowout win at North Carolina over the weekend.  They won’t be playing with the same passion as they did against UNC when Boston College, losers of 4 straight, comes to town Wednesday night.  This is a pesky BC team that only has one loss by more than 11 points this season, and that was against arguably the best team in the country in Virginia.  Jim Christian is 22-6 ATS after having lost 4 or 5 of his last 6 games as the Eagles’ head coach.  Take Boston College. 

7* AAC Game of the Week on East Carolina +8.5 

The Key: ECU is playing too well to be catching 8.5 points at home to Temple tonight.  The Pirates are 3-0 ATS in their last 3 games overall.  They upset Cincinnati outright as 17.5-point home dogs, and if they can beat Cincinnati, they can certainly beat Temple.  They also only lost by 6 as 15.5-point dogs at Memphis and by 11 as 16.5-point dogs at UCF.  They have covered against 3 of the best teams in the conference.  Temple is feeling a little too good about itself following a 73-69 home win over Houston, handing the Cougars their first loss of the season.  They promptly laid an egg and needed OT to beat South Florida at home as 9-point favorites.  And they will have to fight tooth and nail to win this game against ECU, let alone cover an 8.5-point spread.  The Pirates are 8-2 SU & 8-2 ATS at home this year.  The Pirates are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 home games overall.  The home team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take East Carolina. 

6* AAC Game of the Day on South Florida +13 

The Key: The South Florida Bulls have been flying under the radar all season.  They are 12-4 SU & 12-4 ATS and now they are getting 13 points from Cincinnati.  The Bulls are 5-0 ATS in road games this season, which includes only a 3-point loss at the buzzer at Tulsa as 5.5-point dogs and a 2-point loss at Temple in overtime as 9-point dogs.  Cincinnati’s last three games show that they should not be favored by 13 here.  They lost outright as 17.5-point favorites at ECU, needed OT to beat Tulsa as 6.5-point favorites, and only beat UConn by 2 as 11.5-point home favorites.  The Bulls are 9-0 ATS in their last 9 games against a team that wins better than 60% of their games.  The Bulls are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 road games.  The Bulls are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 games against a team with a winning record.  The Bulls are 15-5-1 ATS in the last 21 meetings, and 9-3 ATS in their last 12 meetings in Cincinnati.  Take South Florida. 

7* SEC Game of the Week on Florida +5 

The Key: I think Mississippi State is a fraud this season.  Florida is the better team in the Kenpom rankings, and I agree with it.  A lot of it has to do with Florida playing a much tougher schedule as they’ve played the 19th-most difficult while Mississippi State is 68th.  The Gators are 8-0 SU in their last 8 meetings with the Bulldogs and should not be 5-point underdogs in this matchup, let alone dogs at all.  Take Florida. 

6* Wisconsin/Maryland Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Maryland -3.5 

The Key: The Maryland Terrapins are 8-2 SU & 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  They are not being priced right in the market as they are better than they get credit for.  The Badgers have had some really precarious results here of late.  They lost at Western Kentucky, and they also lost at home to Minnesota and Purdue, going 1-3 SU & 1-3 ATS in their last 4 games.  They just don’t have much talent outside Ethan Happ. The Badgers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Terrapins are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following an ATS loss.  The Terrapins are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 Monday games.  Take Maryland. 

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

The Key: The Grizzlies want revenge from two losses to the Rockets in the last month.  They catch the Rockets at the right time because they are without 3 of their 4 best players in Paul, Capela and Gordon.  And the Rockets are playing on a back-to-back after losing in Orlando on Sunday.  Take Memphis.

6* Sunday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on East Carolina +17 

The Key: Just look at their last two games and it’s easy to see that East Carolina should not be getting 17 points against UCF today.  The Pirates pulled the 73-71 upset over Cincinnati as 17.5-point underdogs.  They also only lost 72-78 at Memphis as 15.5-point underdogs.  And now they are catching too many points here again Sunday against a UCF team that is likely rusty after having over a week off prior to this game.  Bets against favorites of 10 to 19.5 points who have made 55% or more of their shots in 2 straight games against an opponent that is coming off a game where they made 20% of their 3-point shots or worse are 24-6 ATS since 1997.  Take East Carolina. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New Orleans Pelicans +2 

The Key: The situation couldn’t be better for the Pelicans tonight.  They come in on 2 days’ rest while the Timberwolves will be playing for a second consecutive day.  And the Pelicans are fully healthy for the first time all season.  It has helped them to a 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS run in their last 3 games while outscoring the opposition by a whopping 23.3 PPG.  Given the situation, they shouldn’t be dogs to the Timberwolves tonight.  The Pelicans are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games when playing on 2 days’ rest.  Take New Orleans. 

6* Missouri Valley Game of the Day on Southern Illinois -6 

The Key: Valparaiso will be without leading scorer Ryan Fazekas (12.7 PPG, 44% 3-pointers) for the first time this season after he suffered an ankle injury last game.  After opening 3-0 in MVC play with wins over 3 of the worst teams in the conference, I think the Crusaders suffer their first loss here.  They’ll be facing a Southern Illinois team that returned all 5 starters from last year.  Leading scorer Armon Fletcher (12.8 PPG, 50% 3-pointers) has missed 8 games this season due to suspension, but he recently returned and will make the Salukis a formidable opponent moving forward.  The Salukis are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 games following an ATS loss.  Take Southern Illinois. 

6* Big Ten Game of the Day on Minnesota -10.5 

The Key: Rutgers leading scorer and rebounder Eugene Omoruyi (14.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG) has been ruled out for this game and will miss his first game this season.  That makes the job a lot easier for Minnesota, which comes in with a chip on its shoulder from an upset home loss to Maryland last time out.  Rutgers is in a huge letdown spot after beating ranked Ohio State at home on Wednesday.  Minnesota is 3-0 SU & 2-1 ATS in its last 3 home meetings with Rutgers, winning those 3 games by 17.7 PPG.  Expect another blowout victory in favor of the Gophers with Omoruyi out for Rutgers.  Take Minnesota. 

7* Bulls/Warriors NBA *BAILOUT* on Chicago +15.5 

The Key: The Bulls have been playing well on the road in recent games.  They are 4-2 ATS in their last 6 road games.  They won outright at San Antonio by 5, won at Cleveland by 20 and won outright at Washington by 9 all as underdogs.  They only lost by 6 at Toronto as 10.5-point dogs.  And they were in the game the entire way against the Blazers on the road last time out before eventually losing by 12.  They can stay within 15.5 of the Warriors tonight as this price is too steep.  The Bulls are 5-1 ATSin their last 6 games playing on one day of rest.  The Bulls are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams that win better than 60% of their games.  The Warriors are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games.  The Warriors are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 home games against a team with a losing road record.  Take Chicago. 

6* Thursday NCAAB *BAILOUT* on Santa Clara -1.5 

The Key: Santa Clara has really been impressive of late and should be a bigger favorite over Pepperdine here.  They are 6-1 SU & 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.  They upset USC 102-92 as 8.5-point dogs, upset Washington State 79-71 as 8-point dogs and upset San Diego 68-56 as 6-point dogs.  Pepperdine is 0-5 in true road games this year with losses to likes of Northern Colorado, UC-Riverside, Southern Utah and Long Beach State.  Santa Clara is way better than all 4 of those teams.  Pepperdine is 2-14 ATS in its last 16 road games off 3 consecutive home games.  The Broncos are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games.  The Broncos are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings with the Waves.  The Broncos are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home meetings with the Waves.  Take Santa Clara. 

7* Celtics/Heat TNT *HEAVY HITTER* on Miami +3 

The Key: The Celtics will be playing for a second consecutive night and their 3rd game in 4 days.  It’s a bad spot for them, and they’re up against a Miami Heat team that is playing very well right now.  The Heat are 12-7 SU & 12-6-1 ATS in their last 19 games overall.  They had yesterday off and will be playing only their 5th game in 11 days.  The Heat are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings with the Celtics and match up very well with them.  The Celtics are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 0 rest.  The Heat are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games against a team that wins more than 60% of their games.  Miami is 8-2 ATS in its lsat 10 games against a team with a winning record.  Take Miami. 

7* Pistons/Lakers ESPN *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles -1.5 

The Key: Head coach Luke Walton called out Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram for not being passionate enough following their 86-108 loss at Minnesota two games back.  Well, those two responded in a big way in the 2nd half in leading the Lakers to a 107-97 upset win as 7.5-point dogs at Dallas the next night.  And they should continue playing harder here against the Pistons at home on National TV.  Getting a healthy Kyle Kuzma back has also helped.  The Pistons are 6-11 on the road this season.  Detroit is 20-41 when the line is +3 to -3 over the last 3 seasons, including 7-20 ATS on the road when the line is +3 to -3.  Take Los Angeles. 

6* Iowa/Northwestern Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Northwestern -2.5 

The Key: The Iowa Hawkeyes have now trailed by at least 17 points at some point in 11 consecutive Big Ten road games.  It’s a big reason why Iowa is just 1-11 ATS in all road games over the last 2 seasons.  And the Hawkeyes are 9-24-1 ATS in their last 34 road games overall.  The home team is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings in this series.  Take Northwestern. 

7* Knicks/Warriors NBA TV *BAILOUT* on New York +17 

The Key: The Knicks will be playing just their 3rd game in 7 days tonight.  That’s why I’m not concerned that they are playing for a second consecutive day here after losing in Portland last night.  They’ll certainly be able to muster up the energy to face the defending champion Warriors, just as every has seemed to do this season.  The Warriors get everyone’s best shot, which is why they have struggled so much this season, going 26-14 SU & 16-24 ATS.  They are tied with the Wizards as the worst ATS team in the NBA this season.  It’s pretty easy to figure out why.  The Warriors are 1-14 ATS on Tuesday nights over the last 2 seasons.  The Warriors are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 home games against a team with a losing road record.  The Knicks are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 against Western Conference teams.  Take New York. 

6* Tennessee/Missouri SEC *CA$H COW* on Missouri +9 

The Key: Missouri is 7-1 at home this season.  The Tigers are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 home games.  They can hang with the Tennessee Vols, who are 3-1 on the road this season but only winning by 4.5 PPG on average.  Three of those road games were on a neutral, and in their only true road game they won by 10 at Memphis.  Missouri is better than Memphis.  The Tigers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games as a home underdog of 6.5 to 9 points.  Take Missouri. 

6* Knicks/Blazers NBA *BAILOUT* on New York +11.5 

The Key: The Knicks are starting to catch too many points now after a recent 1-12 SU & 2-13 ATS run.  But they’ve covered the last two games with a 7-point loss at Denver as 13.5-point dogs and an outright win by 7 points over the Lakers as 5.5-point dogs.  And now they are catching double-digits on the road here against the Blazers and should be able to stay within the number.  The Knicks come in on 2 days’ rest so they will be fully of energy, especially since it’s also just their 2nd game in 6 days.  The Blazers are coming off a big win over the Rockets and this is clearly a letdown situation for them.  Bets on road dogs who are off a road win who win between 25% to 40% of their games playing a team with a winning record are 53-19 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take New York. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Washington Wizards +10 

The Key: The Wizards have been playing better since it was announced John Wall was out for the season.  He is a cancer in the locker room and the Wizards simply play better without him.  They have gone 2-1 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last 3 games without Wall.  And now they’re catching 10 points at Oklahoma City.  A big reason for their improved play of late is also the return of a healthy Otto Porter Jr., who is one of the more underrated players in the NBA.  The Thunder are 15-35 ATS in their last 50 games off a road win by 3 points or less.  Bets on dogs of 10 or more points who are off a loss by 6 points or less against an opponent that scored 110 points or more in their previous game are 52-27 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Washington. 

6* Ole Miss/Vanderbilt SEC *CA$H COW* on Vanderbilt -1.5 

The Key: Vanderbilt is 8-1 at home this year and winning by 19.4 PPG on average.  I like the price we are getting on the Commodores are only 1.5-point home favorites over Ole Miss here Saturday.  Ole Miss has only play 2 true road games this year, losing by 7 at Butler and winning by 7 at Illinois State.  They have played an easy schedule overall and are getting too much respect from oddsmakers now after their 10-2 start.  The Commodores are 6-0 ATS in home games after having won 4 or 5 of tier last 6 games over the last 3 seasons.  Vanderbilt is 15-5 ATS in its last 20 home games off 2 consecutive home wins by 10 points or more.  The Rebels are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 SEC games.  The Commodores are 39-19 ATS in their last 58 games following a win by more than 20 points.  Take Vanderbilt. 

6* Georgia/Tennessee SEC *CA$H COW* on Georgia +13.5 

The Key: The Georgia Bulldogs are improving rapidly under first-year head coach Tom Crean.  They have gone 5-1 SU & 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games overall with their lone loss coming 74-76 to Arizona State as 3-point home dogs.  They can hang with Tennessee, which remains without Lamonte Turner with a shoulder injury today.  The Bulldogs are 6-0 ATS after playing a home game this season.  Georgia is 24-12 ATS as an underdog over the last 3 years.  The Bulldogs are 11-3 ATS against teams who commit 12 or fewer turnovers per game over the last 2 seasons.  The Vols are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS win.  The Bulldogs are 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings, consistently playing Tennessee tough year in and year out.  Take Georgia. 

7* Thunder/Blazers ESPN *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 223.5 

The Key: The Thunder are the top defensive team in the NBA this season.  And the Blazers play at a slow pace compared to most teams and they’ll control the pace playing at home.  This number is too high tonight, especially when you factor in what these teams have done in recent meetings.  They have combined for fewer than 223.5 points in 7 of their last 8 meetings.  The UNDER is 10-1 in Thunder games where the line is between +3 and -3 this season.  Take the UNDER. 

7* Rockets/Warriors TNT *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 225 

The Key: When you look at the recent history in this series it’s easy to see that the books have set this number too high tonight.  The Rockets and Warriors have gone UNDER the total in 20 of their last 28 meetings.  And more recently, they have combined for 211 or fewer points in 6 consecutive meetings.  The Rockets are 28th in pace, no longer the run and gun team they used to be.  They really have to play this style now because they don’t have Chris Paul and Eric Gordon due to injury.  Take the UNDER. 

6* Minnesota/Wisconsin Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Minnesota +9.5 

The Key: The Minnesota Golden Gophers returned 5 starters this year and should be able to give Wisconsin a run for its money tonight.  It’s a Wisconsin team that is coming off a bad 76-83 loss at Western Kentucky.  Minnesota has already beaten Texas A&M, Washington, Oklahoma State and Nebraska with its only two losses coming on the road to both Boston College and Ohio State.  This number is just a little too steep as Wisconsin would have to win by double-digits to cover.  Wisconsin is 1-8 ATS off a game as a road favorite over the last 3 seasons.  Take Minnesota.

7* OKC/LAL ESPN *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles +6 

The Key: This line has been adjusted too much for the absence of Lebron James.  I like the Lakers tonight catching a pretty big number at home against the Thunder.  The Lakers won without James against the Kings and they can win this game also.  The Lakers are in a good situation playing on 2 days’ rest.  The Thunder will be playing their 3rd game in 4 days.  The home team has dominated this series with the home team going 16-5 ATS in the last 21 meetings.  Take Los Angeles. 

6* Wednesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Tulsa +11 

The Key: The Houston Cougars are 13-0 right now.  Because they’re undefeated, they are squarely in the spotlight of the betting public.  And they are consistently overvalued until they get beaten.  I think that’s the case here as Houston is getting too much respect as a double-digit favorite against a good Tulsa team that is capable of giving them a game.  Tulsa is 10-3 this season with its 3 losses all coming by 10 points or less all on the road to Nevada, Utah and Southern Illinois.  They have quality wins over Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Dayton.  The Golden Hurricane are 6-0 ATS against good defensive teams that allow 64 or fewer PPG over the last 2 seasons.  Take Tulsa. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Detroit Pistons +10.5 

The Key: The Bucks are starting to get too much respect from oddsmakers.  They now have the best record in the NBA at 25-10.  Their lines are inflated now as they are laying double-digits night in and night out.  And the Pistons should be able to make a game out of this.  They’ll want to avenge their 107-104 loss to the Bucks in their last meeting on December 17th just 2 weeks ago.  Milwaukee is 23-48 ATS in its last 71 games as a favorite of 10 points or more.  The Pistons are 4-1-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.  Bets on dogs of 10 or more points who allowed 55 points or more in the first half of two straight games against an opponent that scored 60 points or more in the first half last game are 42-17 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Detroit. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on New Orleans Pelicans -5 

The Key: The Pelicans will be hungry for a victory tonight after losing 6 of their last 7 all by 8 points or less.  They get Elfrid Payton back in the lineup and will be a dangerous team moving forward.  They had yesterday off, while the Timberwolves played yesterday and will be a tired team playing their 3rd game in 4 days.  The Pelicans are 12-6 at home this year, while the Timberwolves are 5-13 on the road.  Minnesota is 0-10 ATS in road games after covering 3 of their last 4 ATS over the last 2 seasons.  The Timberwolves are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road meetings with the Pelicans.  Take New Orleans. 

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

The Key: The Orlando Magic are coming off a 116-87 home win over the Raptors on Friday.  That ended a 4-game skid, so they’re still hungry for victories.  And they should be able to get one at home against the Pistons Sunday afternoon.  Detroit is also scuffling right now at 3-10 SU & 4-8-1 ATS in their last 13 games overall.  Bets on favorites in a game involving two poor defensive teams (45.5%-47.5%) after a game where they allowed a shooting percentage of 35% or less are 24-6 ATS since 1996.  Take Orlando. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Phoenix Suns +5 

The Key: The Phoenix Suns are 5-3 SU & 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.  They don’t have to travel at all after losing to the Thunder at home last night.  The Nuggets have to travel after a hard-fought 102-99 home win over the Spurs last night.  I think the situation favors the Suns staying at home and sleeping in their own beds in this matchup of two teams on the second of a back-to-back.  The Nuggets are 6-16 ATS in their last 22 road games off a home win.  Bets against any team off a home non-cover where they won straight up as a favorite, on Saturday games are 72-33 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Phoenix. 

7* Clippers/Lakers NBA TV *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles Clippers -5.5 

The Key: This is a bad spot for the Lakers.  They will be playing for a second consecutive day and their 3rd game in 4 days after a 116-117 loss to the Kings last night and a shocking upset win over the Warriors on Christmas Day.  The Clippers will be playing only their 2nd game in 5 days tonight.  While the Clippers are fully healthy, the Lakers are playing without LeBron James and Rajon Rondo right now.  Michael Beasley is also out, and JaVale McGee is questionable.  They are short-handed, which makes this spot even worse for them.  The Clippers should run away with this one given the spot.  The Clippers are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 Friday games.  The Clippers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall, which started when Lou Williams returned from injury.  The road team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take the Los Angeles Clippers. 

7* NBA Total of the Week on Knicks/Bucks UNDER 228 

The Key: This will already be the 4th and final meeting between the Bucks and Knicks this season.  Not to mention, they just played two days ago on Christmas Day with the Bucks winning 109-95 for 204 combined points.  And now this total is 228 just 2 days later?  Give me a break.  The UNDER has tremendous value in this matchup.  Familiarity breeds low-scoring games and favors the defenses over the offenses.  The UNDER is 6-0 in Bucks last 6 games following a win by more than 10 points.  The UNDER is 8-1 in Bucks last 9 vs. Eastern Conference teams.  The UNDER is 9-2 in Bucks last 11 games overall.  Take the UNDER. 

7* NBA Non-Conference Game of the Week on Chicago Bulls +4.5 

The Key: The Bulls come in playing well with back-to-back upset blowout victories over the Magic (90-80) and the Cavs (112-92).  They have held 5 of their last 6 opponents to 97 points or fewer as interim head coach Jim Boylen is getting them to play defense.  Lauri Markkanen, off consecutive 30-point games for the first time in his career, says the team is having fun playing basketball again under Boylen.  The Timberwolves should not be favored on the road in this matchup.  The Timberwolves are just 3-13 SU & 6-10 ATS on the road this season and giving up 116 PPG away from home.  The home team has won and covered each of the last 4 meetings between these teams.  The Timberwolves are 13-28 ATS in their last 41 road games dating back to last year.  The Bulls are 11-0 ATS off 2 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.  Take Chicago. 

7* Blazers/Jazz ESPN *BAILOUT* on Portland +6.5 

The Key: The Blazers will be revenge-minded following their 90-120 home loss to the Jazz on December 21st just 4 days ago.  Everything went right for the Jazz in that game as they shot 55.3% overall and 51.6% from 3-point range.  The Blazers shot 40.2% overall and 31.2% from 3-point range.  Ricky Rubio scored 24 points, and Rubio, Crowder and Korver combined to go 11-of-18 from 3-point range.  That’s not going to happen again.  Bets on dogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points who have lost 2 of their last 3 games, a marginal winning team (51% to 60%) playing a losing team are 26-6 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Portland. 

6* Saturday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on VCU -5.5 

The Key: VCU is off back-to-back losses to Virginia and Charleston that will have them hungry for a victory.  And they’ve had a whole week to get ready for Wichita State after playing on December 15th last.  Wichita State only has two days to get ready for VCU after playing on Wednesday, December 19th last at home against Oral Roberts.  That rest and preparation advantage makes VCU a strong play today.  Wichita State has only played one true road game this season, and they lost that game handily 48-80 at Oklahoma as 6.5-point underdogs.  VCU is 5-1 at home this year.  Take VCU.

7* Pelicans/Lakers NBA *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles -3.5 

The Key: I like the price we are getting on the Lakers tonight as short home favorites over the New Orleans Pelicans.  The Lakers come in hungry off consecutive losses.  The Lakers have won 9 of their last 10 home games and if they win this game, they’re likely going to cover.  I think they will win because the Pelicans are banged up right now.  Mirotic and Payton are out, and Julius Randle, Ian Clark and Anthony Davis are all questionable.  The Pelicans are 4-12 SU on the road this year.  The Pelicans are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games after covering the spread in their previous game.  The team favored in this series is 6-0 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take Los Angeles. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Detroit Pistons +4.5 

The Key: I like the situation for the Pistons tonight.  They blew a double-digit lead at Charlotte the last time these teams played on December 12th just over a week ago and lost 107-108.  They want to avenge that defeat and I think they will here.  They gutted out an impressive OT win at Minnesota last time out and are playing much better here of late.  They beat Boston 3 games back and only lost to Milwaukee by 3, so they’ve played 3 straight good teams tough and won two of them outright as underdogs.  Detroit is 14-3 ATS vs. teams who shoot 24 or fewer free throws per game this season.  Charlotte is 3-12 ATS in December home games over the last 2 seasons.  The Hornets are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  The Hornets are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 home games overall.  Take Detroit. 

6* UC-Irvine/Butler NCAAB *CA$H COW* on UC-Irvine +9 

The Key: UC-Irvine is off to an impressive 11-2 start to the season while upsetting both Texas A&M and St. Mary’s in true road games.  It’s a veteran bunch that returned 5 starters and one that is capable of hanging with any team in the country.  I think they will hang with Butler, which is coming off a lackluster 9-point home win over Presbyterian.  The Bulldogs also have losses to Dayton and Saint Louis this season among their three losses in an 8-3 start.  Irvine is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 road games.  Take UC-Irvine. 

7* Mavs/Clippers NBA *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles -3 

The Key: The Clippers have played 7 of their last 10 games on the road.  It hasn’t gone well for them as they’ve gone just 3-7 during this stretch.  But now they are back home here and on two days’ rest so they should be primed for a big performance against the Mavericks.  This is a Dallas team that has been dreadful on the road this season with a 2-11 record.  The Mavericks are 3-14 ATS on the road when the line is +3 to -3 over the last 3 seasons.  I like the price we are getting with the Clippers at home tonight.  Take Los Angeles. 

6* Wednesday NCAAB *BLOWOUT* on Drake -4.5 

The Key: The Drake Bulldogs are one of the most underrated teams in the entire country.  They have gone 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games overall as the books have consistently missed their mark.  Heck, they were leading against Iowa State deep into the second half just a few games ago to show their potential, and easily covered as 13.5-point dogs.  Their only other loss came at Colorado.  They have upset wins over Boise State and North Dakota State and sit at 7-2 SU on the season.  Rider is just 4-4 SU & 2-6 ATS.  They are 1-4 SU in true road games with all 4 losses by 14 points or more, and their only win coming as a favorite at lowly Wagner.  The Broncs are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  The Bulldogs are 19-7-1 ATS in their last 27 home games.  Take Drake. 

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

The Key: The Phoenix Suns have Devin Booker back in the lineup and it’s no surprise that they are now playing up to their potential.  The Suns are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last 3 games overall with upset wins over the Mavericks and Timberwolves, and a blowout road win by 18 at the Knicks.  They stay out East here for this showdown with the Celtics, a team they have owned.  The Celtics are starting to get too much respect from the books now after going 8-1 SU & 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games overall.  The Suns are a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last 6 meetings with the Celtics, not once losing by more than 10 points.  Take Phoenix. 

6* NCAAB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on South Dakota +22 

The Key: Kansas is already going to be getting a lot of respect from oddsmakers due to their No. 1 ranking this season.  But this isn’t the best team in the country.  The Jayhawks have won 6 of their 9 games by single-digits this season, and 8 of their 9 wins have come by 16 points or fewer.  And South Dakota is a good team that went 26-9 last year and returned 4 starters.  They can hang with the Jayhawks.  And I like fading Kansas in this awful spot.  They are coming off a huge 74-71 home win over defending champion Villanova, and they have a huge game on deck this weekend at Arizona State.  It’s a sandwich game that the Jayhawks won’t show up for.  They recently lost star C Udoka Azubuike to an ankle injury and there’s no timetable for his return.  That’s a big loss moving forward for this team.  South Dakota is 8-0 ATS off a road win over the last 2 seasons, and 13-1 ATS off a road game over the last 2 years.  Take South Dakota. 

7* NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Week on Cleveland Cavaliers +12 

The Key: Indiana is starting to get too much respect from oddsmakers due to their 7-game winning streak.  And they certainly will not be that excited to play the Cavs tonight, which will make it difficult for them to cover this 12-point spread.  Especially when you fact in that they have a huge road game at Toronto on deck tomorrow night, so they’ll want to conserve their energy for that game against the East’s top team.  It’s just a great situation here to back the Cavs given the Pacers’ obvious lack of motivation tonight.  The Pacers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  The Cavs are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games after giving up more than 125 points in their previous game.  The road team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  Take Cleveland. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Detroit Pistons +4 

The Key: The Bucks are just 6-6 SU & 5-7 ATS on the road this season.  They are getting too much respect from oddsmakers tonight as 4-point road favorites over a Pistons team that is 10-6 at home this year.  It’s also a hungry, rested Pistons team that will be playing just their 2nd game in 5 days.  And they have lost 6 of their last 7 coming in, but they were a tired team previously, and now they’re fresh.  It helped when they returned from 2 days off to beat the Celtics 113-104 at home as 2-point dogs last time out.  Home-court advantage has clearly matters in this series.  The home team is 7-0 SU in the last 7 meetings.  The Bucks are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following a win by more than 10 points.  Take Detroit. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Phoenix Suns +8.5 

The Key: The Timberwolves are 2-11 on the road this season and losing by 7.6 PPG.  They can’t be laying 8.5 points on the road to anyone.  Minnesota is 12-26 ATS in its last 38 road games.  The Suns are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home meetings with the Timberwolves.  Take Phoenix. 

6* Davidson/Temple NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Temple -3 

The Key: Davidson has played a much weaker schedule than Temple.  In their toughest game, they lost by 21 to Purdue as 7.5-point underdogs on a neutral.  And Purdue is a rebuilding team this year.  Temple is battle-tested with true road games at Missouri, St. Joe’s and Villanova.  They beat the first two, and took Villanova down to the wire.  The Owls are 14-4 ATS in their last 18 neutral site games.  Take Temple. 

6* Warriors/Kings NBA *BAILOUT* on Sacramento +7.5 

The Key: The Kings are 5-1 SU & 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.  They will relish this opportunity to face the defending champion Warriors at home tonight.  The Kings have actually won 2 of their last 5 meetings with the Warriors outright, and in their only meeting this season they only lost 116-117 on the road.  They are now getting 7.5 points to the Warriors at home.  The Warriors are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 vs. Western Conference teams.  The Kings are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games when coming in on one days’ rest.  Take Sacramento. 

6* NBA Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Cleveland Cavaliers +10.5 

The Key: The Cavaliers just lost by 16 at Milwaukee 5 days ago on December 10th.  I like looking to back teams who have a shot at revenge in the 2nd meeting between teams who have just recently played.  Especially big underdogs like the Cavs here, who are now catching double-digits against the Bucks at home.  The Cavs have won their last two home games outright as underdogs over the Wizards and Knicks by a combined 22 points.  The Bucks are only 20-48 ATS in their last 68 as a double-digit favorite and 4-12 ATS in their last 16 road games.  Take Cleveland. 

7* NBA Total of the Month on Knicks/Hornets UNDER 224.5 

The Key: The Hornets and Knicks just played 6 days ago on December 9th.  The Hornets won that game 119-107 for 226 combined points.  I like looking to the UNDER in the 2nd meeting between teams who have just recently played.  And I think it’s safe to take the UNDER here as they just need to combine for 2 fewer points to get the UNDER.  The Knicks have a ton of injuries right now and are without three key players in Trey Burke, Alonzo Trier and Lance Thomas.  Trier and Burke are big losses because they create offense.  The Knicks just don’t have many playmakers left.  Take the UNDER. 

7* NBA Western Conference Game of the Month on Memphis Grizzlies -3 

The Key: The Blazers are in a difficult situation tonight.  They will be playing the second of a back-to-back while having to take a long flight from Houston to Memphis last night in between.  The Grizzlies are hungry for a victory off two straight losses to the Lakers and Nuggets, and they had yesterday off.  The Grizzlies are 8-4 SU & 8-4 ATS at home this season, while the Blazers are 5-8 SU & 4-9 ATS on the road.  The Blazers are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 road games.  Portland is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games overall.  Memphis is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  The Grizzlies are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 home games.  Take Memphis. 

7* Raptors/Clippers NBA TV *BAILOUT* on Toronto -4 

The Key: The situation is a good one for the Raptors.  They are coming off two straight upset losses to the Nets and Bucks, and they’ve covered just one of their last six coming in.  They’ll be hungry for a victory here against the Clippers.  This is a Clippers team playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after needing overtime to beat the lowly Suns on the road last night.  Several starters played close to 40 minutes, and they’ll be fatigued now.  It’s also their 3rd game in 4 days and their 6th game in 10 days.  The Raptors are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 meetings with the Clippers.  Take Toronto. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Cleveland Cavaliers +13.5 

The Key: This is a great situation to fade the Milwaukee Bucks.  They are coming off an upset win yesterday over the Raptors on the road, so they’ll be playing for a second consecutive day.  And that followed up a 10-point home loss to the Warriors.  So their last two games have been against the defending champs and the team with the best record in the NBA.  There’s absolutely no way they get up emotionally to face the Cavs tonight, and that’s going to make it tough for them to cover this big spread.  And this is a Cavs team that is playing competitive basketball now.  They went on the road and upset the Nets 99-97 as 6-point dogs a few games back, and last time out they won 116-101 as 7.5-point home dogs to the Wizards.  Milwaukee is 2-11 ATS as a favorite of 10 or more points over the last 3 seasons.  The Bucks are 3-12 ATS off an upset win as an underdog over the last 2 years.  Take Cleveland. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Atlanta Hawks +6.5 

The Key: The Nuggets just had their 7-game winning streak come to an end in Charlotte last night.  I always like going against teams who just had a long winning streak ended because they seem to be deflated the next game out.  And the Nuggets will now be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days.  Plus, they’ll be without two of their best players in Paul Millsap and Gary Harris.  Millsap suffered a broken toe against the Hornets last night, and his loss is a big one for this team.  Harris is the Nuggets’ leading scorer this year.  And they’re already without Will Barton.  The Hawks are rested having two days off prior to this game, and they’ll be playing only their 3rd game in 8 days.  The situation really favors Atlanta.  The Nuggets are 1-8 ATS off one or more consecutive overs this season.  The Hawks are 36-17 ATS in their last 53 games following a double-digit home loss.  The Hawks are 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings and 4-0 ATS in the last 4 home meetings.  Take Atlanta. 

7* NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Week on New York Knicks -2.5 

The Key: The Nets are in a letdown spot off their 106-105 upset win over the Raptors last night.  They’re also a tired team as they’ll be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 6th game in 9 days.  The Knicks will be playing just their 2nd game in 5 days.  The home team is 3-0 in the last three meetings, including a 19-point win and a 16-point win by the Knicks in the last two meetings in New York.  The Nets are 0-7 ATS when playing their 3rd game in 4 days this season.  Take New York. 

6* Saturday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Buffalo -7 

The Key: The Buffalo Bulls are one of the best teams in the country that nobody knows about.  They have moved up to No. 17 in the rankings this week and are off to an 8-0 start.  And now they want some revenge on St. Bonaventure after losing 4 straight meetings in this series between these upstate New York rivals.  Buffalo has gone on the road and beaten West Virginia 99-94 as 10.5-point dogs, Southern Illinois 62-53 as 4-point favorites, and San Francisco 85-81 as 4-point favorites.  Those are 3 really good teams.  St. Bonaventure is in a rebuilding year.  The Bonnies are just 4-5 with their 4 wins coming against Jackson State, Canisius, Delaware State and Siena all at home.  They have lost to Bucknell at home, as well as Niagara, Georgia State, Boise State and Akron on the road.  Those last four losses all came by 8 points or more.  That’s why I think Buffalo has no problem covering this 7-point spread today.  The Bulls are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.  The Bulls are 8-1 ATS in road games off a win by 15 points or more over the last 2 seasons.  The Bonnies are 4-16 ATS in their last 20 home games after committing 8 or fewer turnovers in their previous game.  Take Buffalo. 

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on San Antonio Spurs +1 

The Key: I love the situation here for the Spurs.  They blew a big lead against the Lakers on Wednesday and lost 113-121.  Now they get their chance at revenge just two days later, this time in San Antonio.  And I think they get that revenge tonight.  The Lakers are banged up right now as they were already playing without Rajon Rondo, and now they’ll also be without starter Brandon Ingram for their next two games.  And they are playing a back-to-back here with Memphis on deck tomorrow night.  They won’t be nearly as hungry as the Spurs here, and they will be looking to limit their starters’ minutes if they can.  The Spurs are 16-7 ATS in their last 23 home games.  The Spurs are 21-8 ATS in their last 29 Friday games.  The underdog is 6-0-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.  Take San Antonio. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Portland Trail Blazers -13 

The Key: This really feels like a get right game for the Portland Trail Blazers tonight.  They are just 1-6 SU in their last 7 games and 0-8 ATS in their last 8 games.  But the Suns are the worst team in the West at 4-20 on the season, and they are 1-11 on the road while losing by 14.6 PPG on average.  The Suns are also 0-6 SU & 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games overall, losing 5 times by double-digits, including 4 straight by 14 points or more.  And now the Suns are without their two leading scorers in Devin Booker and TJ Warren.  They are already short on talent, but they really stand zero chance of being competitive without these two, who combine to average 41.2 PPG on the season.  The Blazers are 24-10 ATS in their last 34 home games, and 10-1 ATS in their last 11 Thursday games.  Take Portland. 

7* 76ers/Raptors ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto -6 

The Key: The Toronto Raptors are coming off a rare loss this season to drop to 20-5 on the year.  They should come back hungry here against the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday night.  The home team is 6-1 SU & 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings with the only exception being the Raptors winning at the 76ers last year.  The Raptors are 12-0 SU in their last 12 home meetings with the 76ers with all 12 wins coming by 8 points or more.  Chalk up another win by 8-plus points tonight for them.  Take Toronto. 

6* Wednesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Marshall -1 

The Key: There’s a lot to like about this Marshall team that returns 4 starters behind underrated head coach Dan D’Antonio.  They are 5-2 this season with both of their losses coming on the road to very good Maryland and Ohio teams.  They should be able to handle this Duquesne squad that returns just 2 starters and lost by 21 to Pitt and by 11 to Notre Dame, failing to cove the spread in both those games.  Their 4 wins have all come at home against William & Mary, Illinois-Chicago, Redford and UMass-Lowell.  Marshall is their stiffest competition at home thus far this season.  The Thundering Herd are 15-3 ATS off a road loss over the last 3 seasons.  Duquesne is 2-12 ATS in its last 14 home games with a total set of 160 or higher.  Take Marshall. 

7* NBA Situational Game of the Week on Sacramento Kings -5.5 

The Key: The Sacramento Kings come in on 2 days’ rest.  It will also be just their 3rd game in 9 days.  They will run the Phoenix Suns to death, and the Suns won’t be able to do much about it.  The Suns are expected to be without their top two scores in Devin Booker and T.J. Warren, who combined to average 41.2 PPG this season.  That’s a lot of production to have to replace.  There’s just not much talent on this roster outside those two, and that’s evident with their 4-19 record this year.  The Kings are 9-1 ATS when the total is 220 to 229.5 this season.  The Suns are 0-5 SU & 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall, losing 4 times by 11 points or more.  Take Sacramento. 

6* Tuesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Boston College -3.5 

The Key: Boston College is a veteran team with 4 returning starters.  That has helped the Eagles to a 6-1 start hit season that includes a 68-56 home win over a Minnesota team that returned all 5 starters.  Providence only has 2 starters back this year and is 6-2.  The six wins have come against weak competition, and they lost to Wichita State on a neutral and Michigan on a neutral by 19.  This will be the first true road game of the season for Providence.  The Friars are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 Tuesday games. The Friars are 7-19 ATS in their last 26 non-conference games.  The home team is 6-0 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  The Friars are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road meetings with the Eagles.  Take Boston College. 

6* Monday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Clippers/Pelicans UNDER 236.5 

The Key: Both the Pelicans and Clippers will be gassed tonight.  Both are playing for a second consecutive night after playing on the road last night.  They will have tired legs, and that will affect their shooting more than anything.  These teams played earlier this season on October 23rd and combined for 225 points.  I think this 236.5-point total is too high given that result and the situation.  The UNDER is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings, and 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in New Orleans.  Take the UNDER.