Sports Picks & Predictions

6* Minnesota/Indiana Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Indiana -6.5 

The Key: The Indiana Hoosiers have played the likes of Purdue (lost by 7) and Michigan State (lost by 3) right down to the wire in two of their last four games.  They got in the win column with a 65-43 blowout win at Rutgers last time out.  Now they host a Minnesota team that looks to have quit and one that is extremely banged-up right now.  The Gophers are 1-9 SU & 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  Indiana already won 75-71 in Minnesota earlier this season as 8-point underdogs, and that was when the Gophers were a lot more healthy than they are now.  Indiana is 6-0 ATS in conference home games this season.  The Hoosiers are 7-0 ATS after playing a road game this year.  The Hoosiers are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 home games.  Take Indiana. 

7* USC/Arizona State ESPN 2 *BAILOUT* on Arizona State -3.5 

The Key: The Arizona State Sun Devils are 10-2 at home this season and winning by 17.5 points per game on average.  I think we are getting them at a short price here as only 3.5-point home favorites over the USC Trojans.  The Trojans haven’t done well when they’ve taken a step up in class on the road this year.  They have lost on the road to Stanford, SMU and UCLA.  Their four road wins have come against Vanderbilt, Cal, Oregon and Oregon State.  This will be their toughest road test of the season tonight.  USC is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 road games when a total set of 160 or higher.  Arizona State is 8-0 ATS after scoring 85 points or more this season.  The Suns Devils are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 home games, and 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games following an ATS win.  The Trojans are 3-8 ATS in the last 11 meetings.  Take Arizona State. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Toronto Raptors -13.5 

The Key: The New York Knicks just lost their best player in Kristaps Porzingis to a season-ending ACL injury last time out.  Now they are without their second-best player in Enes Kanter due to a mouth injury.  They were already struggling, losing 4 straight coming in, and now it’s not going to get any better with their two best players out.  The Raptors should mop the floor with the Knicks at home tonight.  Toronto is 22-4 at home this season and winning by 11.8 points per game on average.  Toronto is 4-0 in its last 4 home meetings with New York while winning all 4 by double-digits.  The Raptors are 7-0 ATS in home games after having won 4 of their last 5 games this season.  The home team is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.  Take Toronto. 

6* Big 12 *CA$H COW* on Iowa State +14 

The Key: This line has gotten out of hand because Texas Tech has won 4 straight coming in.  But two of those were narrow home wins over Texas (73-71) and Oklahoma State (75-70).  They aren’t blowing teams out and cannot be 14-point favorites against Iowa State tonight.  The Cyclones beat the Red Raiders 70-52 at home in their first meeting this year.  They are now 8-2 SU in their last 10 meetings with Texas Tech.  Iowa State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games following a loss.  Texas Tech is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 Big 12 games.  Iowa State is 12-2 ATS in its last 14 games as a road dog of 12.5 to 15 points.  The Cyclones are 6-0 ATS after failing to cover the spread in 3 of their last 4 games over the past 2 seasons.  Iowa State is 8-1 ATS in road games when playing against a team with a winning percentage greater than 80% over the last 2 seasons.  Take Iowa State. 

7* Texas A&M/Auburn ESPN 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on Texas A&M +7 

The Key: When Texas A&M has been fully healthy this season, they have nearly gone undefeated.  Well they are healthy again now and it’s starting to show.  They are coming off two straight blowout victories over Arkansas (80-66) and South Carolina (83-60), and now they are ready to take down the Auburn Tigers, who are in first place in the SEC.  This is the type of win the Aggies need to get on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble.  The road team is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.  The Aggies are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 trips to Auburn.  Take Texas A&M. 

7* NBA Situational Game of the Month on Philadelphia 76ers -6.5 

The Key: The 76ers come in hungry for a victory after losing 4 of their last 5.  They also coming in fresh having 2 days’ rest to get ready for the Wizards after last playing on Saturday.  The same cannot be said for the Wizards, who will be playing the second of a back-to-back after their 111-102 win in Indiana last night against the injury-ravaged Pacers who were playing without both Victor Oladipo and Darren Collison.  The Wizards have been able to get by without John Wall of late, but his injury will hurt them sooner rather than later.  And I think that happens tonight in this tough rest situation for the Wizards.  Philadelphia is 30-13 ATS off a road loss over the last 2 seasons.  The 76ers are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.  The 76ers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games.  Take Philadelphia. 

6* Missouri Valley *CA$H COW* on Indiana State -2 

The Key: Missouri State continues to get respect from oddsmakers despite going 2-7 SU & 0-9 ATS in its last 9 games overall.  One of those wins was a 76-73 win over Indiana State at home on January 14th.  But that places the Sycamores in revenge mode and this time they get them at home.  The Bears are 0-9 ATS in their last nine MVC games.  Take Indiana State. 

6* Tennessee/Kentucky ESPN *CA$H COW* on Kentucky -1.5 

The Key: Kentucky lost 65-76 at Tennessee in their first meeting this season on January 6th.  That places the Wildcats in revenge mode at home tonight against the Volunteers.  We are getting the Wildcats at a great price when you consider Kentucky is 17-2 SU in its last 19 home meetings with Tennessee.  Kentucky is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 home meetings with Tennessee.  The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  The Wildcats are 19-9 ATS in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.  Take Kentucky. 

7* NBA Non-Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Sacramento Kings -2.5 

The Key: The Chicago Bulls are in a world of hurt right now.  They traded away Nikola Mirotic, and now both Lauri Markkanen and Kris Dunn are out.  That’s three of their top four scorers.  It’s no wonder the Bulls have gone 0-5 SU & 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall, getting outscoring by 11.8 points per game.  This is a rare winnable game for the Kings and I expect them to take full advantage.  Chicago is 5-14-1 ATS in its last 20 vs. Western Conference teams.  The Kings are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 vs. Eastern Conference teams.  The Kings are 8-3-1 ATS in the last 12 meetings.  Take Sacramento. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Oklahoma City Thunder -9.5 

The Key: The Thunder will be hungry for a victory following 3 consecutive losses coming in.  That streak came after an 8-0 run, and the Thunder will be looking to start a new streak in blowout fashion tonight.  They have owned the Lakers and that should continue to be the case, especially with Los Angeles likely without both Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball.  The Thunder are 12-1 SU & 10-3 ATS in their last 13 meetings with the Lakers.  They have won the last 3 meetings by 24, 37 and 17 points, respectively.  Take Oklahoma City. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Dallas Mavericks -4.5 

The Key: This is an awful spot for the Sacramento Kings.  They’ll be playing the second of a back-to-back after losing to the Warriors 104-119 last night.  They won’t be nearly as excited to play the Mavericks as they were to play the Warriors.  The Mavs come in on 2 days’ rest and are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games when working on 2 days’ rest.  Dallas is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 home games.  The Mavericks are also 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games following an ATS loss.  The Kings are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 home games.  Sacramento is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  Take Dallas. 

6* Big Ten *CA$H COW* on Iowa +8.5 

The Key: Iowa is playing well coming in with its last three Big Ten wins recently coming by a combined 39 points.  Penn State isn’t known for blowing out opponents, which is what it would have to do to cover this lofty 8.5-point spread.  The Nittany Lions haven’t won any of their last 11 matchups with Iowa by more than 9 points.  Penn State is also 0-6 ATS as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points over the last 3 years.  Take Iowa. 

7* Mountain West Game of the Year on Wyoming -1.5 

The Key: Wyoming has had a tremendous home-court advantage throughout the years.  The Cowboys are 9-2 at home this season, which includes a win over the best team in the MWC in Nevada.  So they can certainly handle Fresno State, which just lost to Nevada by 10 last time out and could suffer a hangover effect from that defeat.  The Bulldogs are 0-6 ATS off a loss this season.  The Cowboys are 11-5 ATS in their last 16 home games.  Wyoming is 37-18-1 ATS in its last 56 games vs. a team with a winning record. Take Wyoming. 

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

The Key: The Pacers and Hornets just played a few days ago on January 29th.  The Pacers won 105-96 at home for 201 combined points, and the Pacers shot 54.2% in the win.  There’s little chance they top this 211-point total in the rematch, especially considering the Pacers aren’t going to shoot any better than they did.  That game was played as a slow pace as both teams attempted 83 shots in the game.  I think we see more of the same here.  The UNDER is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings with combined scores of 201, 175, 188 and 204 points.  Take the UNDER. 

7* Thunder/Nuggets TNT *BAILOUT* on Denver +1.5 

The Key: The Denver Nuggets are coming off two straight heartbreaking losses by a combined 3 points to two of the best teams in the NBA in San Antonio (104-106) and Boston (110-111).  They’ll be hungry for a victory when they return home tonight for this National TV game against Oklahoma City.  The Nuggets have a great home-court advantage in the altitude as they are 19-7 at home this year.  And the Nuggets have had the Thunder’s number in recent meetings, going 2-1 SU & 3-0 ATS in the last 3 meetings with their only loss coming 94-95 as 5-point road underdogs.  Oklahoma City just had its 8-game winning streak come to an end with a 96-102 loss in Washington.  Now it’s a hangover spot for the Thunder as they will be deflated after having their winning streak come to a close.  The Thunder are 16-28 ATS as favorites this season.  Oklahoma City is 1-12 ATS in its last 13 road games after covering the spread in 5 or 6 of its last 7 games coming in.  Take Denver. 

6* West Coast Conference *CA$H COW* on San Diego +19.5 

The Key: At 15-7 on the season, the San Diego Toreros are one of the most improved teams in the country.    They are capable of hanging with the Gonzaga Bulldogs tonight.  This is a Gonzaga team that has been way overrated of late, going 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games overall.  The Bulldogs haven’t won any of their last 5 games by more than 16 points.  San Diego is 16-5 ATS in all road games over the last 2 seasons.  Gonzaga is 0-6 ATS after 4 straight games where they made 47% of their shots or better this season.  Take San Diego. 

7* Pac-12 Game of the Month on Arizona -11.5 

The Key: We have the best team in the Pac-12 here in Arizona at 8-1 in conference play against one of the worst teams in the Washington State Cougars at 1-7 in Pac-12 action.  This is a mismatch and it will show up on the scoreboard tonight.  And Arizona has owned Washington State, going a perfect 12-0 SU in the last 12 meetings.  Amazingly, Arizona has won 8 straight meetings with Washington State by 14 points or more.  That’s an 8-0 angle backing the Wildcats when you consider this spread is only 11.5.  The Wildcats are 11-1 ATS in the last 12 meetings, and 6-0 ATS in the last 6 meetings at Washington State.  Take Arizona. 

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Atlanta Hawks +3 

The Key: The Charlotte Hornets are just 6-15 SU & 7-11-1 ATS in their 19 road games this season. T hey cannot be favorites here against the Atlanta Hawks, who have been an underrated team this season.  The Hawks have recent upset home wins over the likes of Minnesota, Utah, New Orleans and San Antonio.  They have proven they can play with some great teams at home, and Charlotte is not a great team.  Atlanta is 21-10 ATS after having lost 4 or 5 of its last 6 games this season.  The Hornets are 9-19-1 ATS int heir last 29 games vs. a team with a winning percentage below 40%.  The home team is 12-3-1 ATS in the last 16 meetings.  The Hawks want revenge from a 110-121 road loss in Charlotte on January 26th just a few days ago, adding to their motivation.  Take Atlanta. 

6* LSU/Tennessee SEC *CA$H COW* on Tennessee -9 

The Key: Tennessee is one of the best teams in the SEC this season.  The Vols have gone 6-1 SU & 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games overall, winning all six games by 5-plus points.  They should make easy work of the LSU Tigers, who are in the bottom half of the SEC.  LSU is 1-4 SU & 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games overall, including a 25-point road loss at Auburn last time out.  LSU is 0-7 ATS off a road loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.  Tennessee is 6-0 ATS after allowing 25 points or less in the first half last game over the last 2 seasons.  Take Tennessee. 

7* Auburn/Ole Miss SEC *HEAVY HITTER* on Ole Miss +4.5 

The Key: In their first meeting back on January 9th, Ole Miss led Auburn 45-35 at halftime.  The Rebels led with 10 minutes left but then went cold, eventually losing 70-85 as 12-point underdogs.  Now the Rebels will want revenge at home this time around after blowing that double-digit lead in the first meeting.  And Ole Miss grabbed that lead despite playing without their best player in DeAndre Burnett, who sat out with an illness.  Burnett is one of the best players in the country as he averages 15.2 points and 4.5 assists per game.  He is irreplaceable on this team.  Now the Rebels are healthy for the rematch.  Ole Miss is 10-3 at home this season.  The Rebels are 6-0 SU & 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games, beating the likes of South Carolina, Mississippi State, Florida and Alabama.  Take Ole Miss. 

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

The Key: Few teams have dominated the Denver Nuggets like the San Antonio Spurs.  The Spurs are 14-1 SU in their last 15 meetings with the Nuggets.  Their last 4 wins have all come by 14 points or more.  Their last 12 wins have all come by at least 8 points.  Now they are only laying 7.5 points here and it’s too good to pass up.  Denver is playing the second of a back-to-back after losing at home to the Celtics last night as well.  Take San Antonio. 

6* Monday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Celtics/Nuggets OVER 205 

The Key: The Boston Celtics have been playing without their best defender in March Smart the last few games.  It’s no wonder they have struggled defensively, which is a big reason they are just 1-5 in their last 6 games overall.  The Celtics have allowed 102-plus points in 6 of their last 7 games overall after being the best defensive team in the NBA up to that point.  They are still being treated like the best defensive team with a total of only 205 points here against the Denver Nuggets.  I expect this to be a shootout against a Nuggets team that is averaging 109.0 points per game at home this year.  These teams played in a shootout in their first meeting, a 124-118 win by Boston at home on December 13th that saw 242 combined points.  We don’t need anywhere near 242 to get the OVER tonight.  The OVER is 8-1 in Celtics last 9 Monday games.  The OVER is 14-3-1 in Nuggets last 18 home games vs. a team with a road winning percentage of greater than 60%.  Take the OVER. 

7* Northwestern/Michigan Big Ten *HEAVY HITTER* on Northwestern +7.5 

The Key: After a slow start to the season the Northwestern Wildcats have turned it on of late.  They have won two straight 70-61 at home over Penn State and 77-69 at Minnesota.  Now they’ve had nearly a week off having last played on Tuesday.  They will be rested and ready to go tonight against the Michigan Wolverines.  I think the Wolverines are in a hangover spot from their 88-92 loss at 3rd-ranked Purdue last time out.  Northwestern is 15-6 ATS in road games when playing just its 2nd game in a week over the last 3 seasons.  The Wildcats are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 Monday games.  The Wolverines are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 Monday games.  Take Northwestern. 

7* Big East Game of the Month on Seton Hall -5 

The Key: The Seton Hall Pirates come in hungry for a victory after losing two straight and 3 of their last 4 overall.  And they’ve had over a week off having last played on January 20th, so they have been steaming for over a week about it.  Look for them to take out their frustration on the lowly DePaul Blue Demons.  DePaul is just 9-11 overall and 2-6 in Big East play.  Seton Hall has won 4 straight meetings with DePaul.  The Pirates are 23-11 ATS in their last 34 games following an ATS loss.  The Blue Demons are 5-16-1 ATS in their last 22 games following a win.  DePaul is 0-4 ATS in its last 4 home games.  The Blue Demons are 0-8 ATS in home games with a total set of 145 to 149.5 over the last 2 seasons.  The Pirates are 36-17 ATS in their last 53 road games off a home loss.  Take Seton Hall. 

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

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

7* WCC Game of the Year on Pacific +12 

The Key: Pacific is a perfect 8-0 ATS in its last 8 games overall.  Yet, the Tigers still lack the respect they deserve from oddsmakers as 12-point underdogs to BYU.  They already beat BYU 67-66 at home as 6.5-point underdogs on January 6th in their first meeting.  I think the Cougars are in a hangover spot here following their 62-75 loss at St. Mary’s on Thursday.  The Tigers are 9-0 ATS off a conference games this season.  Take Pacific. 

6* San Francisco/Gonzaga WCC *CA$H COW* on San Francisco +19 

The Key: San Francisco only lost 65-75 as 14.5-point home underdogs to Gonzaga in their first meeting this season on January 13th.  Now two weeks later they get another shot at the Zags and are catching 19 points this time around.  I think they can hang around and stay within the number here Saturday.  The Bulldogs are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.  The Dons are 110-68 ATS in their last 178 conference road games.  San Francisco is 11-1 ATS in its last 12 road games after 15-plus games against teams who average 62 or more shots per game.  Take San Francisco. 

6* Georgetown/Creighton Big East *CA$H COW* on Georgetown +12.5 

The Key: Georgetown suffered its most embarrassing defeat of the season in a 66-90 loss at home to Creighton back on January 6th in their first meeting.  The Hoyas have not forgotten, and they are going to want revenge.  The Bluejays are much more vulnerable now that their leading rebounder and third-leading scorer Martin Krampelj (11.9 PPG, 8.1 RPG) has been lost for the season as of January 18th to a torn ACL.  The Hoyas are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a loss.  Georgetown is 21-7-1 ATS in its last 29 road games off 3 or more consecutive home games.  The Bluejays are 3-14 ATS in their last 17 games following an ATS win.  Take Georgetown. 

6* Cincinnati/Memphis AAC *CA$H COW* on Memphis +11.5 

The Key: Memphis will be looking to avenge an ugly 48-82 road loss at Cincinnati on December 31st in their first meeting this season.  Now the Tigers get the Bearcats at home and are catching a whopping 11.5 points.  Memphis has been much better since that defeat.  The Tigers ar e4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.  Cincinnati is 0-6 ATS in road games off two straight games as a home favorite over the last 2 seasons.  The Bearcats are 8-19 ATS in their last 27 road games off 10 or more consecutive wins.  The Bearcats are simply getting too much love from the books right now.  Take Memphis. 

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

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

6* Pac-12 *CA$H COW* on UCLA -14 

The Key: UCLA comes in hungry for a victory tonight following 3 straight losses.  Now the Bruins will take out their frustration on the worst team in the Pac-12 in California tonight.  UCLA already beat Cal 107-84 on the road in their first meeting this season and should have no problem covering 14 in the rematch at home tonight.  Cal is 0-6 SU & 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games overall, losing 5 of those 6 games by double-digits.  Cal is 3-14 ATS when playing against a good team (60% to 80%) over the last 2 seasons.  The Bruins are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games.  Take UCLA. 

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

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

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

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

6* Pac-12 *CA$H COW* on Stanford +9 

The Key: The Stanford Cardinal are playing too well right now to be catching 9 points from the USC Trojans.  Stanford is 5-1 SU & 6-0 ATS in its last 6 games overall.  Its only loss came 71-73 as 6-point home underdogs to Arizona, perhaps the best team in the Pac-12.  The Cardinal have wins over Arizona State, USC and UCLA along the way with 4 outright upsets during this stretch.  Now they face USC for a second time, and while the Trojans may have their revenge, asking them to win by double-digits is too much.  Stanford is 8-0 ATS vs. good 3-point shooting teams who make 37% or better after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.  Take Stanford. 

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

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

7* SEC Game of the Month on Vanderbilt +11.5 

The Key: Vanderbilt will be looking to avenge an 84-92 home loss to Tennessee on January 9th earlier this month.  That was exactly two weeks ago today.  There’s no question the Commodores will want this game more against their in-state rivals now, and they are catching 11.5 points in the rematch.  The road team has dominated this series.  The road team is 6-1 SU & 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.  The Commodores are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 trips to Tennessee.  The underdog is 10-4 ATS in the last 14 meetings.  The Commodores are 7-0 ATS in road games when revenging a home loss over the last 3 seasons.  Take Vanderbilt. 

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

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

6* Big 12 *CA$H COW* on Iowa State +7 

The Key: Iowa State will be looking to avenge a 74-70 home loss to Texas in their first meeting this season.  This is a Texas team that is now playing without its best player in Andrew Jones since that first meeting.  The Longhorns were just blasted 51-86 at West Virginia over the weekend to show just how poor of shape they are in right now.  The Cyclones have won 2 of their last 3 with a 10-point win over Baylor and an 18-point blowout of Texas Tech.  They are the better team right now and should not be getting 7 points in this rematch.  Each of the last 11 meetings have been decided by 10 points or fewer, including 5 of the last 8 by 4 points or less.  Take Iowa State. 

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

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

6* Missouri Valley *CA$H COW* on Drake +2.5 

The Key: The Drake Bulldogs have been the most underrated team in the Missouri Valley this season.  They are legit contenders.  Drake is 6-2 SU & 5-2 ATS in its last 8 games overall.  The Bulldogs are a perfect 7-0 SU & 4-0 ATS at home this year, winning by 20.7 PPG.  Missouri State has lost 3 of its last 4 road games to Oral Roberts, Illinois State and Evansville.  Missouri State is 9-21 ATS as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.  Drake is 9-1 ATS vs. teams who outscore their opponents by 8-plus points per game over the last 2 seasons.  Take Drake. 

7* SEC Game of the Month on Ole Miss +8 

The Key: Arkansas cannot be this heavily favored with the way they are playing right now.  The Razorbacks are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games, and 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games.  They have been exposed in SEC play.  Ole Miss has shown they can compete with anyone.  The Rebels are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games.  They have played well whenever DeAndre Burnett has been in the lineup, and he missed one of those non-covers against Auburn.  Ole Miss is 11-0 ATS off a loss to a conference opponent over the last 2 seasons.  Take Ole Miss.

7* St. Bonaventure/Davidson ESPN 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on Davidson -4.5 

The Key: St. Bonaventure is 0-3 in its last 3 true road games, losing by 10 at Dayton, by 7 at St. Joe’s and by 14 at Rhode Island.  Now the Bonnies have to face a hot Davidson team that has won 4 straight, including the last three by 27, 27 and 30 points with two of those three games on the road.  Davidson is 5-0 at home this season and winning by 25.6 points per game.  The Wildcats are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing less than 50 points in their previous game.  The Bonnies are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games.  Take Davidson. 

6* UCLA/Oregon State Pac-12 *BAILOUT* on Oregon State +1 

The Key: Oregon State is not getting the respect it deserves this season.  That has been evident in Pac-12 play as the Beavers have gone 4-1 ATS this year.  They are coming off back-to-back road loss at Arizona by 9 as 16-point dogs and at Arizona State by 2 as 12-point dogs.  Now they return home hungry for a victory tonight against UCLA.  I think UCLA is way overrated right now due to a soft conference schedule to open the season.  They have gone just 3-2 despite playing 3 home games against Utah, Colorado and Washington, and two road games at Stanford and California.  Those are 5 of the worst teams in the Pac-12.  Oregon State is 8-2 at home this season.  Bets on all teams where the line is +3 to -3 after beating the spread by more than 6 points in 3 consecutive games again an opponent that went over the total by 42 or more points in their last five games are 30-9 ATS since 1997.  The Bruins are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games following a loss.  The Beavers are 9-2 ATS in the last 11 meetings.  Take Oregon State. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

6* Texas Tech/Texas Big 12 *CA$H COW* on Texas Tech -3.5 

The Key: The Texas Longhorns are without 2 of their top 4 scorers right now.  They are missing Andrew Jones (13.5 PPG) and Kerwin Roach II (10.3 PPG), their best two guards.  That’s going to make it difficult for them to compete in the rugged Big 12 that is likely the best conference in the country moving forward. Texas Tech is 15-2 and a clear contender to win the conference.  The Red Raiders are 12-5 ATS in their last 12 games vs. a team with a winning percentage of greater than 60%.  The Longhorns are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games.  Take Texas Tech. 

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

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

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

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

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

The Key: No analysis Saturday due to a funeral

6* Creighton/Xavier Big East *CA$H COW* on Xavier -3.5

The Key: No analysis Saturday due to a funeral

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

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

6* Utah/UCLA Pac-12 *BAILOUT* on Utah +6.5 

The Key: The Utah Utes have actually played their best basketball on the road this season.  They won 66-56 as 9.5-point dogs at Oregon and 66-64 as 1-point dogs at Oregon State in their last two road games.  They lost their last two home games to the two best teams in the Pac-12 in Arizona and Arizona State, so they’ll come in hungry for a victory against UCLA.  The Bruins are being overvalued right now because they have opened conference play with a softer schedule than anyone, going 3-1 against the likes of Washington State, Washington, Stanford and California.  They take a step up in competition here against the Utes, who are a balanced team with 5 players averaging double-digits scoring.  The last two meetings between these teams were decided by a total of 3 points with the road team winning 83-82 and 75-73.  UCLA is 0-7 ATS off a blowout win by 20 points or more against a Pac-12 opponent over the last 3 seasons.  Take Utah. 

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

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

6* Big 12 *CA$H COW* on TCU +1.5 

The Key: The TCU Horned Frogs have gone 13-2 this season.  Their two losses have come to Kansas by 4 and Oklahoma by 1, which is how close they are to being 15-0.  Now they take on a Texas team that will be without their best player in Andrew Jones, who averages 13.5 PPG while shooting 52.8% from the field and 47.5% on 3-pointers.  The Horned Frogs are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS loss and 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games.  Take TCU. 

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

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

6* Atlantic 10 *CA$H COW* on St. Joe’s -4 

The Key: Just looking at recent home performances by George Mason it’s easy to see that St. Joe’s should have no problem winning this game by 5-plus points.  George Mason lost at home to Davidson by 27, at home to Penn State by 22 and at home to Georgia Southern by 23 in 3 of its last 4 home games.  The only exception was a 7-point win over lowly Morgan State.  St. Joe’s beat two of the best teams in the Atlantic 10 in VCU and St. Bonaventure in its last two games and is in a different class than GMU.  St. Joe’s is 9-1 ATS in January road games over the last 3 seasons.  The road team is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.  Take St. Joe’s. 

7* Purdue/Michigan Big Ten *HEAVY HITTER* on Purdue -1.5 

The Key: Purdue is 15-2 and clearly one of the top teams in the country.  I think we are getting them at a cheap price here tonight as they go for their 12th straight victory.  Michigan has played a very soft schedule recently and will take a step up in class here.  Purdue is 9-1 ATS against teams who outscore their opponents by 12-plus points per game over the last 2 seasons.  The Boilermakers are 36-17-3 ATS in their last 56 games overall.  Purdue is 7-3-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings.  Take Purdue. 

6* Atlantic 10 *CA$H COW* on Duquesne +8.5 

The Key: The Duquesne Dukes are one of the more underrated teams in the country at 12-4 on the season.  They are catching too many points tonight against a VCU squad that is only 10-6 and getting too much love from their reputation of the past.  But this is one of the worst teams VCU has had in years.  The Dukes are 6-0 ATS after having won 4 of their last 5 games over the last 2 seasons.  These teams have played 2 common opponents.  Both are 2-0 with Duquesne winning by 19.5 PPG and VCU only winning by 11.5 PPG.  Bets on road games as an underdog or PK off a road blowout win by 20 points or more against opponent off a home win are 26-6 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Duquesne. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Key: The Hawkeyes will be hungry for their first Big Ten victory tonight after opening 0-4 in league play.  I think we are getting a great price with them tonight as 8-point road underdogs at Maryland because of their early struggles in conference action.  Maryland just lost by 30 to Michigan State and isn’t as good as it has been the past few seasons.  Bets on road dogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points off a home game where both teams score 75 points or more against an opponent off a road loss by 10 or more are 74-38 ATS over the last 5 seasons.  Take Iowa. 

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

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

6* Missouri Valley *CA$H COW* on Evansville -1 

The Key: Evansville comes in hungry for a win today off 4 consecutive losses following a 10-2 start to the season.  It’s easy to see how they have lost four straight as they were PK or underdogs in all four games.  Three were on the road against Duke, Loyola-Chicago and Southern Illinois, while the other was a home loss to Illinois State.  So they are also in search of their first conference victory after losing their first three all by 7 points or less, and should get it today against Bradley.  Evansville is 14-6 SU & 14-6 ATS in its last 20 home meetings with Bradley.  The Purple Aces are 9-2 ATS when playing against a good team with a winning percentage from 60% to 80% over the last 2 seasons.  The Braves are 20-41-1 ATS in their last 62 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The Purple Aces are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 home games.  Take Evansville. 

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

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

7* Pac-12 Game of the Month on Arizona -3 

The Key: The Arizona Wildcats are on a roll right now.  They are 8-0 in their last 8 games overall with wins over the likes of UNLV, Texas A&M, Alabama, UConn and Arizona State.  They are ready for the Pac-12 schedule now that they are fully healthy, which has been the biggest reason for their resurgence.  They play a Utah team that already has a trio of blowout losses to UNLV, Butler and BYU.  And the Wildcats own the Utes, going 13-2 SU in the last 15 meetings and 4-1-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  The Wildcats have gone 10-2 ATS in conference road games over the past two seasons.  Take Arizona. 

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

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

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

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

6* Wednesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Loyola-Chicago -6.5 

The Key: Loyola is one of the best teams in the Missouri Valley this season.  The Ramblers are 11-3 this season which includes a 65-59 win at Florida as 17-point underdogs.  They are 7-0 at home this season with an average margin of victory of 17.7 PPG.  Indiana State has some real bad losses of late with a 16-point road loss to Western Kentucky and a 5-point home loss to Elon.  The Sycamores are just 1-6 in all road games this season while giving up 79.1 PPG.  The Sycamores are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games following an ATS win.  Loyola is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 Wednesday games.  The Ramblers are 20-7 ATS in their last 27 games following a win.  The Ramblers are 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings, winning the two meetings last year by 15 on the road and by 18 at home.  Take Loyola-Chicago. 

7* SEC Game of the Week on Tennessee -5 

The Key: Rick Barnes has really turned around this Texas program already.  They are 9-3 this season with a 9-point loss to top-ranked Villanova, a 5-point loss to UNC, and a 2-point loss at Arkansas.  Give Auburn credit for a 12-1 record, but their schedule has been much easier than that of Tennessee.  They have only played 2 true road games this season at Dayton and at Murray State.  So this will be their toughest challenge of the season at Tennessee.  The Vols are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last 3 meetings with Auburn winning by 10, 38 and 26 points.  Tennessee is 10-1 SU & 9-2 ATS in its last 11 home meetings with Auburn as well.  Take Tennessee. 

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

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

6* South Carolina/Ole Miss ESPN 2 *CA$H COW* on Ole Miss -2.5 

The Key: The Ole Miss Rebels come into conference season playing great, winning and covering as 17.5-point favorites over Texas A&M CC 85-63 and Bradley as 7.5-point favorites 82-59.  The South Carolina Gamecocks lost a lot from last year, while the Rebels returned almost everyone.  South Carolina already has lost by 16 to Tempe and by 16 to Clemson this season, while also getting upset as 8.5-point favorites against Illinois State.  Ole Miss beat South Carolina 75-70 as 3-point home dogs last year.  Now they should be able to win and cover again as 2.5-point home favorites this year.  Ole Miss is 10-2 SU & 8-4 ATS in its last 12 home meetings with South Carolina.  Take Ole Miss. 

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

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

6* Saturday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Harvard +13.5 

The Key: Harvard plays one of the toughest schedules year in and year out in non-conference play.  That has been the case again this season as the Crimson have played just 3 home games compared to 9 road games.  They only lost 70-79 as 18-point underdogs at Kentucky to show what they were capable of.  And I think they can stay within 13.5 points of Minnesota today.  The Gophers recently only beat Drake 68-67 as 21-point home favorites and Oral Roberts 77-63 as 22-point home favorites in 2 of their last 3 games coming in.  And the Gophers are going to be without their best player and floor general in senior PG Nate Mason, who is doubtful with an ankle injury.  Tommy Amaker is 6-0 ATS versus up-tempo teams that average 62 or more shots per game as the coach of Harvard having never lost in this situation.  The Crimson are 11-2 ATS in December games over the last 3 seasons.  The Crimson are 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Take Harvard. 

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

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

6* Friday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Indiana -23

The Key: At 2-10 on the season, Youngstown State stands no chance of staying within 23.5 points against Indiana on the road here Friday night.  The Penguins’ 2 wins this season came against Fanciscan University and Westminster, PA.  They have losses by 33, 20, 28, 28, 24 and 17 points already this season against teams that aren’t as good as Indiana.  The Hoosiers won by 28 at home against Tennessee Tech last time out as 13-point favorites.  They won’t be overlooking anyone after a couple upset losses already this season.  The Penguins are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  Youngstown State is 0-6 ATS in its last 6 vs. Big Ten opponents.  The Hoosiers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 vs. Horizon League.  Take Indiana. 

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

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

6* Thursday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Drake +2 

The Key: The Drake Bulldogs are 4-0 at home this season and winning by 25.5 PPG on average.  They have played a tough schedule this year with 9 games on the road and just 4 at home.  I think they get the job done in their conference home opener tonight against Bradley.  The Braves have been blown out in 2 of their 4 true road games this year with a 23-point loss to Ole Miss and a 23-point loss to San Diego State.  Their only 2 road wins came against terrible competition in Chicago State and SE Missouri State.  Bradley is 22-40 ATS in its last 62 December road games.  Drake is 22-8 ATS in its last 30 games following a win of more than 20 points.  The Braves are 0-6 ATS in road games versus good passing teams who average 16 or more assists per game over the last 3 seasons.  The Bulldogs are 8-1 ATS versus teams who outscore their opponents by 8-plus points per game over the last 3 years.  Take Drake.   

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

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

6* Wednesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Syracuse -13 

The Key: I like that Syracuse lost to a very good St. Bonaventure team in its final game before Christmas.  That means the 10-2 Orange will come back from their break determined and focused against a MAC foe in Eastern Michigan tonight.  Eastern Michigan hasn’t played anyone this season, and the only real decent opponent they faced they lost 67-87 to at Indiana.  Syracuse is better than Indiana and should have no problem covering this 13-point spread.  The Orange are 8-1 ATS in home games off a loss over the last two seasons.  The Orange are 7-0 ATS in tier last 7 home games after failing to cover 2 of their last 3 against the spread.  Take Syracuse. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6* Friday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Bradley +7.5 

The Key: The Bradley Braves should not be this big of underdogs to the Ole Miss Rebels tonight.  This is a Bradley team that returned all 5 starters from last year and is absolutely loaded.  The Braves are off to a 10-2 start this season with one of their losses coming by a single point to Vermont.  Ole Miss has already lost 5 games this season and is just 2-8 ATS in all lined games, clearly being overvalued in the market place.  They have home losses to Illinois State, South Dakota State and Virginia Tech already, plus neutral court losses to Utah by 9 and at Middle Tennessee by 19.  Their 6 wins have come against Lafayette, Eastern Kentucky, Georgia State, Rice, Sam Houston State and Texas A&M CC.  They haven’t beaten anyone of any significance, and they struggled to put away 3 of those teams.  The Rebels are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.  The Braves are 16-4-1 ATS in their last 21 games overall.  Take Bradley. 

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

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

6* Kansas State/Washington State ESPN 2 *BAILOUT* on Washington State +9 

The Key: This will essentially be a home game for the Washington State Cougars playing in Spokane, WA. The Kansas State Wildcats will clearly be the road team despite the fact that this is listed as a neutral site game.  And I’ve seen enough from Wazzu to know that they can stay within 9 points of the Wildcats tonight.  They pulled off 3 upset victories on neutral courts already this season, beating St. Joe’s 75-71 as 8.5-point dogs, St. Mary’s 84-79 as 17.5-point dogs, and San Diego State 93-86 as 9.5-point dogs.  The Cougars are 7-0 ATS in neutral court games when the total is 140 to 149.5 over the last 3 seasons.  The Wildcats are 0-6 ATS versus teams who attempt 18 or fewer free throws per game over the last 3 years.  The Wildcats are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall.  Take Washington State. 

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

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

6* Tuesday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Georgia -5 

The Key: Mark Fox has one of his best teams yet this season with 4 starters back from last year and a ton of talent.  The Bulldogs are off to a 7-2 start this season with wins over St. Mary’s and Marquette away from home along the way.  They will be playing just their 5th home game of the season tonight.   They face a Georgia Tech team that hast lost 3 of its last 4, including losses to Grambling and Wofford.  The Bulldogs have owned the Yellow Jackets the past 2 seasons, winning 75-61 at home in 2015 and 60-43 on the road in 2016.  Georgia is 13-4 ATS in its last 17 home games vs. ACC opponents.  Georgia Tech will be without second-leading scorer Tadric Jackson (15.8 PPG), who is doubtful with an ankle injury.  Take Georgia. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

6* Sunday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Vanderbilt +12.5

The Key: The Arizona State Sun Devils have opened 9-0 SU & 8-0-1 ATS this season.  The betting public is catching on, and they are now laying a huge price at home here Sunday against the Vanderbilt Commodores.  This is a huge letdown spot for the Sun Devils as well.  They are coming off their biggest win of the season, a 95-85 road win as 12-point dogs at Kansas.  They have been getting patted on the back all week since that win last Sunday.  They won't have the focus and want to beat Vanderbilt by double-digits now.  Take Vanderbilt.

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

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

6* Saturday NCAAB *CA$H COW* on Loyola-Chicago -2.5 

The Key: What does Loyola-Chicago have to do to get any love from the books?  They are off to a 10-1 start this season that includes a 65-59 win at Florida as 17-point dogs.  They have had no letdowns since, beating Norfolk State by 28 in their next game out.  Now they are only 2.5-point favorites over this mediocre Wisconsin-Milwaukee squad.  Milwaukee is 1-3 in its last 4 games that includes a home loss to Montana State and a road loss to Western Illinois.  They were upset as favorites in both of those contests. I don’t expect them to even be competitive against one of the most underrated teams in the country in Loyola-Chicago here Saturday.  The Ramblers are 26-10 ATS in their last 36 road games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Ramblers are 20-6 ATS in their last 26 games off a win.  The Panthers are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 home games.  Take Loyola-Chicago. 

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

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

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

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

7* Wednesday NCAAB *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston -2.5 

The Key: The Houston Cougars have a very good team and they are flying under the radar this season.  They are 8-1 under Kelvin Sampson, the former Oklahoma coach who is doing good things down in Houston.  They are 8-1 and have beaten the likes of Wake Forest and Arkansas (by 26).  LSU is one of the worst teams in the SEC this season, and that showed when they stepped up in class with a 39-point loss to Notre Dame and a 10-point loss to Marquette during their 5-2 start.  Houston is 8-0 ATS off 2 straight games with 9 or less offensive rebounds over the last 2 seasons.  LSU is 0-8 ATS off 2 straight games giving up 9 or less offensive rebounds over the last 2 years.  The Tigers are 8-23 ATS off a win over the last 3 years. 

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

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