Sports Picks & Predictions

After starting 0-17 in 2014-15, the Sixers opened last season 0-18 and are already off to a 0-5 start this season. You can see a big difference in the team this year however as besides a blowout loss against Atlanta, Philadelphia has been competitive in every other game. The Sixers have had a double-digit lead in three of those games and nearly upset Cleveland on Saturday after blowing a late lead. Utah is coming off a victory at New York yesterday which was its third win in four games to improve to 4-3 on the season. This is not a good spot for them tonight however as they are coming off a solid game offensively but going back, they are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game. The Sixers are close and winning this game outright is a definite possibility but we will gladly grab the generous number as Philadelphia improves to 4-1 ATS this season as a home underdog. 10* (706) Philadelphia 76ers

Dallas is off to a 0-5 start which is its worst record to start a season in team history but is in a great spot today to finally get into the win column. The Mavericks have played a tough schedule to open as they have played the No. 7 ranked schedule with all five games coming against teams ranked No. 16 or better. They will be without Dirk Nowitzki but he is declining and has not done much when he has been available. Milwaukee is off to a surprising 4-2 start despite being without star guard Khris Middleton. The Bucks have won three straight games including a blowout win last night against Sacramento but they have played the opposite schedule as that of Dallas as their early season slat is ranked No. 29 in the NBA and despite the winning record, they are ranked outside that No. 16 spot in the power rankings. This is the second time playing with no rest this season and the situation is the same where they go from a home win to play on the road and the first resulted in a blowout loss at Detroit. Milwaukee is now 3-7 in its last 10 games playing with no rest while the Mavericks are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following a double-digit loss at home. 10* (508) Dallas Mavericks

We played against the Hawks last night as they dropped their second straight game but we will be backing them tonight in a good bounceback spot. Atlanta was coming off a home loss to the Lakers which have been playing pretty well to start the season and Friday, the Hawks were facing a Washington team desperate for a win. Houston meanwhile won the second game of this current five-game roadtrip as it rolled over New York on Wednesday by 19 points. The Rockets are 2-2 on the road while covering three of those games but we expect the extra time off may actually hurt them here based on the fact the Hawks are playing with no rest fresh off a loss. They will test the potent Houston offense as the Hawks are second in the NBA in defensive rating, allowing 94.7 points per 100 possessions. The Hawks have a five-game winning streak against the Rockets, averaging 115 ppg in last season's sweep. We can expect Atlanta to snap its two-game skid tonight. 10* (712) Atlanta Hawks

Last night featured one of the first big marquee games of the season as Golden St. hosted Oklahoma City and it ended up being a laugher as the Warriors rolled by 26 points in a game that got out of hand early. The anticipation of that game was huge and we saw how much it meant to Kevin Durant so it will be near impossible to replicate that effort tonight. Golden St. won its two road games when laying double-digits but they were far from comfortable wins and neither resulted in a cover. It took the Lakers 10 games to get their second victory last season but they are already at that mark following a win in Atlanta on Wednesday. That ended a four-game roadtrip and Los Angeles is now back home where it won its only game against Houston to open the season. While still rebuilding, the Lakers are already showing good team play after the post-Kobe era ended last season. The Warriors are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up win of more than 10 points while the Lakers are 6-1 ATS in their last seven home games against teams with a winning road record. 10* (518) Los Angeles Lakers

Two struggling teams take the floor in New Orleans as the winless Pelicans host the one-win Suns. New Orleans owns the worst record in the NBA at 0-5 but it has had some tough luck along the way as four of the losses have been competitive including a loss in overtime at Memphis on Wednesday. The Pelicans get a great setup tonight however to finally get into the win column. Phoenix dropped its first four games before finally getting a victory in its last game Wednesday against Portland in overtime. The Suns actually played well against Oklahoma City and Golden St. but they have notoriously struggled in these spots against the lesser teams and there is no reason not to see that continuing here. Going back, the Suns are 11-28 ATS in their last 39 games against teams with a losing straight up record while the home team is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings in this series. Look for New Orleans to finally get right tonight. 10* (510) New Orleans Pelicans

Washington is off to a tough start this season as it is now 0-3 following a loss to Toronto in its home opener on Wednesday. The defense has been the issue as the Wizards are allowing 113 ppg but that of course is a little skewed based on one loss coming in overtime at Memphis. They opened the season with a loss in Atlanta but it was a close game until the Hawks pulled away in the fourth quarter, setting up a revenge situation tonight. Atlanta opened the season 3-0 before losing at home against the Lakers last time out as a double-digit favorite. The Hawks rolled in their lone road game but that game was against the Sixers so it is hard to base anything off of that. Going back, the Hawks are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games following a straight up loss and 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games while the Wizards are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following a double-digit loss at home. 10* (502) Washington Wizards

The line is short here but the Kings are in a good spot against the struggling Magic. Orlando opened the season with three straight losses before finally grabbing a win in its last game at lowly Philadelphia but it was far from easy as it was a two-point win which happened to be their largest lead of the game. This is not a good team right now as they are ranked No. 29 in the league both offensive and defensive shooting percentage. This is their first home game since a season opening 108-96 loss against Miami and coincidentally, Sacramento is coming off a road loss to Miami by the exact same score in overtime. A big reason for that was the fact that DeMarcus Cousins missed the overtime session after picking up six fouls in the fourth quarter so it is safe to say we are going to see a big effort from him tonight. The other losses came against San Antonio, no big surprise, and Atlanta as the Hawks had a 47-19 free throw attempt advantage at home. The Kings have a great situation going as we play on teams where the line is +3 to -3 off a road loss going up against an opponent off a road win by three points or less. This situation is 23-4 ATS (85.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (701) Sacramento Kings

Utah is coming off a huge win last night in San Antonio against the previously undefeated Spurs and the Jazz were without Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks, two of their top four scorers from last season. Utah took an early lead and never looked back as it built a 17-point lead and eventually won by 15. Even though they are heading home, it will be tough for the Jazz to get up for this one. Adding to that is the fact the Mavericks are off to a 0-3 start as they lost to Indiana on the road in overtime to open the season and lost a home-and-home with the Rockets on Friday and Sunday. This is a good spot for Dallas as Utah has another game against San Antonio on deck and this also marks the third game in four nights for the Jazz. The Mavericks are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 and the return of Dirk Nowitzki after missing two games should provide a solid spark. 10* (515) Dallas Mavericks

Chicago is off to a surprising 3-0 start after many though, including right here, that it was going to struggle out of the gates with the huge turnover in personnel. Instead, the Bulls have won and covered all three games including a pair of blowout victories over Indiana and Brooklyn in their last two which really is not saying much. Boston is off to a 2-1 starts and returns home after a four-day layoff which is a good thing to rest some nagging injuries. The only loss this season came in Chicago by six points last Thursday so we have a good early season revenge spot here. This is the first game for the Bulls being an underdog and they have typically struggled in this role. Additionally, Chicago is 4-14 ATS in its last 18 road games coming off a road game while the Celtics are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (514) Boston Celtics

Just over a week into the season, the Wizards are playing their home opener on Wednesday. Washington has dropped its first two games of the season on the road as it lost in Atlanta to open the season and then fell to Memphis in overtime. The return home should help this team immensely as they closed last season by covering six of their last eight at home. Toronto meanwhile hits the road for the first time this season after going 2-1 at home through the first week. The lone defeat came against Cleveland and the Raptors actually get another small schedule break after this with two straight home games on deck. The Wizards will have some extra in the tank after losing all four meetings last season. Washington falls into a great situation as we play on teams where the line is +3 to -3 after allowing 105 points or more going up against an opponent after a win by three points or less. This situation is 37-13 ATS (74 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (502) Washington Wizards

We have an early season revenge spot tonight as Minnesota looks to avenge a season opening loss in Memphis last week. The Timberwolves lost that game by four points after blowing a 17-point lead and then followed that up with a three-point loss in Sacrament three days later. They have been off since Saturday and are now back in Minnesota for their home opener. Memphis is off to a 2-1 start following a nine-point win and cover at home over Washington on Sunday. The Grizzlies are 2-0 at home but lost their lone road game at New York as they fell to the Knicks by seven points. Memphis won just 16 road games last season and it is still not at full strength with lingering injuries. Going back to last season, the Timberwolves are 14-4 ATS in their last 18 games against teams with a winning straight up record while Memphis has gone seven straight road games without a cover. The Timberwolves get into the win column with a comfortable victory tonight. 10* (712) Minnesota Timberwolves

The Clippers are off to a 2-0 start following a 13-pont win over Utah last night. They won their season opener in Portland prior to that and look to make it a 3-0 start for the second straight season. This is not the ideal situation however as the Clippers have a game against Oklahoma City on deck followed by games at Memphis and San Antonio. The Suns have dropped their first three games this season but they have been competitive in the last two, losing against Oklahoma City and Golden St. by a combined 13 points. Phoenix is coming off a rough season a year ago as injuries derailed the team but there is a ton of young talent on this team and that is important in spots like this where they do not incur the letdowns coming off a big game. Phoenix falls into a great contrarian situation as we play against home favorites of 10 or more points after allowing 85 points or less going up against an opponent after allowing 100 points or more in three straight games. This situation is 78-42 ATS (65 percent) since 1996. Going back, the Suns are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games following a straight up loss while the Clippers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games against team with a winning percentage below .400. 10* (507) Phoenix Suns

We played against Miami on Friday as it lost at home against Charlotte but we are backing the Heat tonight in what is a huge pointspread variance. They go from a pickem to a seven-point underdog and while Miami is not going to be a great team this season, they are not nearly as bad as this line is indicating. San Antonio was favored by nearly the same amount in its last road game against Sacramento and the Kings and Heat are not on the same level. The Spurs are off to a perfect 3-0 start following a blowout win over New Orleans at home last night. That puts them in a tough spot tonight with the travel and no rest and they have not been a good team in these situations as they lost seven of their last 10 games against the number playing with no rest. While revenge is not really a big argument here, the fact that the Spurs have owned this series since the 2014 NBA Finals comes into play with the value aspect as well as San Antonio has won and covered seven straight against Miami. The Heat have a great situation on their side as well as we play on teams that are coming off a home loss against a division rival going up against an opponent off a win against a division rival. This situation is 39-15 ATS (72.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (708) Miami Heat

We have a solid setup here based on early season results as Cleveland is off to a 2-0 start while Orlando remains winless at 0-2. The Cavaliers took care of Toronto last night in a game they only trailed once and that was by a single point but it took a three-pointer in the final minute to secure the victory. Now the Cavaliers return home and are laying double-digits which is a very inflated number. Orlando has gotten thumped in both of its games as it lost at home against Miami by 12 points and then last night, lost in Detroit by 26 points. The Magic are not as bad as they have looked the first two games out of the gate and we are getting exceptional value here tonight. They are getting more points than the Knicks got here on opening night and the Magic are not worse than them based on the line difference and looking back to last season, the Cavaliers were favored by 8.5 points in both home matchups and those were early in the season. These teams are not any different from last year yet we are seeing nearly a four-point difference. Orlando thrived in these situations last season as they went 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. The Cavaliers are the biggest public consensus tonight and we will gladly go against that and take the generous amount of points. 10* (505) Orlando Magic

Both Charlotte and Miami won their season openers on the road and square off tonight in a rematch of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals from last season. The Heat took that series in seven games but this is a much different team now with a lot of those pieces having departed. Miami was fortunate to catch a cold shooting Orlando team on Wednesday as the Magic shot just 38.6 percent from the floor and were outscored 30-16 in the third quarter. Charlotte won in Milwaukee to open the season and that may be considered an upset for some, the Hornets were actually favored over the Bucks who were without one of their best players as Khris Middleton is out for a lengthy period time because of a torn hamstring. Charlotte has all of its pieces in place to make another playoff run and this is a very under the radar team. According to ESPN, Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum and Marvin Williams outscored their opponents by 6.8 points per 100 possessions which was the second most in the Eastern Conference by any trio. After losing Game Seven in Miami last season by 33 points, the Hornets will be out for revenge tonight. Here, we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 that are coming off an upset win as a road underdog. This situation is 152-95 ATS (61.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (709) Charlotte Hornets

Oklahoma City struggled to put away Philadelphia in its opener on Wednesday as it needed a huge fourth quarter to pull out the victory. Russell Westbrook was the difference as expected as he scored nine of his 32 points in the last 4:09, including the go-ahead free throws with 35 seconds left. This is his team now and playing the home opener will have a lot of energy surrounding it. Westbrook finished with a team high 32 points while the center combination of Steven Adams and Enes Kanter combined for 33 points but it is up to the rest of the starters to start contribution. Phoenix got blown out at home against Sacramento on Wednesday as after grabbing an early four-point lead, the Suns allowed a 16-1 run to end the first quarter and were never in it. This is an extremely young team that has potential but not at this point as it is going to take time to come together. The roster includes four players who have yet to turn 20 years old and that is not an ideal situation for a team in this conference especially. Oklahoma City swept the season series last year and while it can be argued this is a different team now without Kevin Durant, there is enough to make a big run and these games are the ones that need to be won. Phoenix won just nine road games last season, tied for fourth fewest in the NBA. 10* (708) Oklahoma City Thunder

The Cavaliers and Raptors last met in the Eastern Conference Finals with the former taking the series four games to two and eventually winning the NBA Championship. We played against Cleveland on opening night but a close game against the Knicks was opened up in the third quarter and the Cavaliers won by 29 points. This does go against the stance of not playing reigning champions but this line is too good to pass up. Of the six games played last season in the conference finals, three were in Toronto and while Cleveland was favored in all of those games, it was favored by at least six points in all of those games. Granted, Toronto did win two of those three games and the clinching Cavaliers win in Game Six was the lone road win in the season series of nine games but we cannot pass up on this value. The Raptors looked good in their season opener against Detroit but the Pistons were without Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond was a non-factor because of early foul trouble. Toronto only covered five of its last 17 games against teams with a winning record and Cleveland falls into a great longterm situation where we play against underdogs off a home win by 10 points or more going up against an opponent off a home win by 20 points or more. This situation is 113-67 ATS (62.8 percent) since 1996. 10* (701) Cleveland Cavaliers

Minnesota is a very trendy pick as an NBA sleeper team this season and while the Timberwolves are a couple years away from competing in a big way, they open up the season in a good spot Wednesday. This team is loaded with young talent led by Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins and a slew of other potential up and comers and they improved by 16 wins last season from the year before and while it was still a disappointing 29-53 record, it was a huge improvement and there is room for much more. They actually played better on the road than at home a year ago and they took one of two meetings here against Memphis. The Grizzlies are laying a short price and the betting consensus is on their side because of. Unlike Minnesota which is a team on the rise, Memphis is declining and pretty quickly for that matter. This team is aging quickly and they will be going into their season opener pretty banged up with a bunch of questionable players. It has already been confirmed that starting forward Chandler Parsons will miss the season opener while both Tony Allen and Marc Gasol are not at 100 percent. The Timberwolves hired Tom Thibodeau as their head coach and he is the perfect fit for this young team to help improve the defense that finished No. 28 in shooting percentage and No. 23 in points allowed. 10* (709) Minnesota Timberwolves

This is one of the best scenarios to go against on opening day. It is banner day in Cleveland and we know what that means. The Cavaliers will be lowering their 2015-16 NBA Championship banner on Tuesday night and playing a basketball game is not at the forefront for the players right now. This is a huge event and with that comes a lot of distractions. Players have been saying that once the banner is lowered and the game starts, they will be focused but that is easier said than done. Now let's go back to the NBA Champion angle. Prior NBA Champions are usually slow starting out of the gate the following season since their lines are over-adjusted to start the season. The last 15 NBA Champions (Golden St., San Antonio, Dallas, Boston, San Antonio four times, Miami three times, Detroit and LA Lakers three times) have combined for a 49-76 ATS mark (39.2 percent) through their first two weeks of the following year. Distractions and overvaluation are definitely keys to this. We have seen it in the season opening game for the reigning NBA Champions for seven of the last 10 seasons. The Knicks are in rebuilding mode but provide an interesting matchup for Cleveland. There is a lot of potential for this team but it will all come down to health and with this being just the first game of the season, New York is as healthy as it will be. The Rose-Anthony-Porzingis trio worked well in the only game they played together during the 2016 preseason. New York has covered four straight games in Cleveland and Tuesday presents the best opportunity to keep it going based on the situation involved. 10* (501) New York Knicks

We have won three of the last four games with the Cavaliers in this series, which on the large scale has been a pretty awful series. The first six games have been decided by double-digits which is something you would not expect with the two best teams in the NBA and the though here is they are saving the best for last in this decisive Game Seven in Golden St. The Warriors are the public favorite and are the public consensus but it is important to note that this line has come down a full point from the opener of this series and while a point may not seem like much, when it comes to value and the reasoning behind the line adjustment, it is extremely important. History is not on the side of Cleveland as no team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals but in the last game, it was facing the fact that only two of 32 teams that were down 3-1 had even forced a Game Seven so history was meaning less then and it is again now. The Cavaliers are fully aware they can win this after seeing the Warriors come back from the same deficit against Oklahoma City in the Western Conference Finals. Golden St. is feeling the pressure now just like the Thunder were last series and with so much on the line, they are in a very difficult spot to get a runaway win. The Cavaliers are 19-8 ATS in their last 27 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600 and while the outright win may not come, we should, and hope, to see a game that comes down the wire tonight. 10* (513) Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers staved off elimination with a very impressive win at Golden St. which was without Draymond Green and it definitely showed. Cleveland now returns home in another must win game but can we expect to have the same production from LeBron James and Kyrie Irving who each scored 41 points? That is very doubtful but the home floor should provide enough energy and motivation tonight for the Cavaliers to extend this series to the decisive Game Seven on Sunday. While many may feel the pressure is still on Cleveland, it is actually the opposite right now as the Warriors are feeling it based on their expectations from their record-breaking regular season as well as teams never losing a series after being up 3-1. Only two of 32 teams down 3-1 in NBA Finals have managed to take the series to seven games, the last time in 1966 so history is against Cleveland but that matters none now. The Cavaliers motivation not only comes from staying alive in this series but also with the fact that Cleveland lost for just the ninth time at home last Friday as well as losing Game Six at home last season which gave the Warriors the championship. The Cavaliers have covered six of their last seven games at home and they add to that tonight setting up the final game of the season on Sunday. 10* (512) Cleveland Cavaliers

This line has come down a bucket because of the Draymond Green suspension and that is putting even more of the public behind the home team to close out this series and win its second consecutive NBA Championship. Game Four on Friday saw the fourth consecutive game decided by double-digits which continues to be puzzling that the two best teams in the NBA have not been able to play a close game but with Cleveland having its back squarely against the wall, we will see an all-out effort from the Cavaliers. The suspension of Green is a big one for both sides and Cleveland should get a big boost because of it especially offensively as his defensive presence has been frustrating for the Big Three. LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love are a combined 14-39 (35.9 percent) when being defended by Green. On the other side of the ball, Green has scored in single digits five times in the postseason and four of those resulted in Golden St. losses so his presence is not only huge but his offensive production is very important for the Warriors to succeed. This is a golden opportunity for the Cavaliers to extend the series and send it back to Cleveland and it has to take advantage even though most think this series is done. Going back, the Cavaliers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11games when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game while Golden St. is just 3-6 ATS when favored in this shorter than normal price range. 10* (509) Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland came through for us in a big way last night as after three games of the NBA Finals, we have witnessed three awful games. Margins of 15, 33 and 30 points have left many of us scratching our heads as to why these games have not been more competitive but this has been the case the whole postseason as a whole. We are overdue for a close game and this could be the one as Golden St. should come in with a little more fire after one of their worst losses of the season in a game it never even led. Still, the Cavaliers own a big home floor edge and while Game three was a must win, Game Four is right up there as a 3-1 deficit should put an end to the series. Cleveland is now 41-8 at home including a perfect 8-0 record in the playoffs while covering seven straight heading into Friday. In every one of the games prior to Game Three, the Cavaliers were favored by at least seven points and while the opposition was clearly not as strong as the Warriors, home blowouts have been commonplace. The Warriors have been solid this season after a loss and going back the last two years have been great coming off a double-digit loss but this is a different situation. Golden St. is just 3-5 on the road in the postseason with four of those losses coming by double-digits and expect this series to be tied when heading back to Golden St. 10* (508) Cleveland Cavaliers

The first two games of this series have been horrible to watch and while the Cleveland picks the first two games go along with that, the Cavaliers are the pick in Game Three as it is win now or the door is pretty much shut. Cleveland has been outscored by a combined 48 points through two games, an all-time record for the first two games of an NBA Finals so they have to be thoroughly embarrassed by what has taken shape in the early part of this series. The Warriors are only the third team in NBA history to record victories in both Games One and Two by at least 15 points, joining the 1951 Rochester Royals and the 2005 San Antonio Spurs. For those already saying the Cavaliers are dead, it is interesting to note that both the Royals and Spurs were all taken to seven games before winning their series. A return home can only help and the Cavaliers are now the home underdog in this matchup based on the status of Kevin Love who remains questionable with a concussion. He has not had much of an impact anyway in this series and has been up and down the entire postseason. Cleveland has covered six straight home games and are 18-11 ATS this season at home against winning teams. This is a potential letdown spot for the Warriors and Cleveland keeps its bleak hopes alive on Wednesday. 10* (506) Cleveland Cavaliers

If you told the Cavaliers that Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson would combine for 20 points on 8-27 shooting including 4-13 from long range, they would have felt very good about a Game One victory. Instead the Warriors bench dominated to take the opener by 15 points. Golden St. outscored the Cleveland bench 45-10 so now the question is, can Cleveland reverse that in Game Two while holding Curry and Thompson down again? Holding the splash brothers down likely will not happen but Golden St. is not going to get the same effort from its bench, where it shot 75 percent from the three top bench scorers, while the Cavaliers will get more from their bench. As far as line value, Cleveland is catching a bigger number here which is not typical in recent years based on the bounce angle so the Cavaliers have the value and while this is not a must win game, another blowout loss could put them in a very bad place. Looking back to last season, Cleveland lost Game One at Golden St. but bounced back with a Game Two victory despite being decimated by injuries. The Cavaliers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game so a bounce back is imminent in what should be a much closer game on Sunday. 10* (503) Cleveland Cavaliers

While many call this a rematch of the NBA Finals from last year, it is only a rematch of the team names as Cleveland comes in healthy as opposed to last season. The Cavaliers did not have Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love for the Finals yet they willed themselves to win two of the first three games in the series but ran out of gas and dropped the final three games to give the Warriors the championship. Golden St. made a huge comeback in the Western Conference Finals, coming back from a 3-1 deficit while many had left them for dead. A huge comeback like that can take a lot out of a team and the Warriors could be ripe for an upset. Cleveland has had an extra three days off and in total, it has been off for six days but rust has not played a role yet as after eight days off, it defeated Atlanta by 11 points and after nine days off, defeated Toronto by 31 points. We can expect to see another big effort out of the gates by the Cavaliers. They are 7-2 ATS this season as underdogs, including a cover at Golden St. earlier in the season. Going back, the Cavaliers are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600 while the Warriors have failed to cover five of their last six games against the Eastern Conference. 10* (501) Cleveland Cavaliers

The Warriors dug themselves into a hole that most teams are unable to come out of but they have gotten back into this series and have a huge edge with the decisive Game Seven taking place at home. We have been on the Warriors the last two games but are switching gears despite the home floor edge as any pressure switch has now turned to Golden St. The Thunder held an eight-point lead to start the fourth quarter in Game Six on Saturday, and were up seven with five minutes to go and failed to close the deal but they are upbeat while remaining confident knowing the fact they have already won once here in this series. One of the big topics has been the fourth quarter struggles for the Thunder as they dropped 14 games this season when going into the final period with a lead but the key here is that we do not need the outright win and a close game should be due with everything at stake. Golden St. looks to become just the tenth team in NBA history to win a series after trailing 3-1 and while the public money will be sided that way, we will be on the road that has covered six of its last seven games following a loss and is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (727) Oklahoma City Thunder

We won with the Warriors on Thursday as they kept their season alive with a nine-point win and they are now possessing value in the line tonight. In the previous two games played here, Golden St. closed as the small favorite and while it got blown out both times, the Warriors are now the team catching points which is the result of those first two outcomes at Oklahoma City. While this is a much win game for the Warriors, the pressure has suddenly turned to the side of Oklahoma City. The last thing the Thunder wants is to have to go back to Golden St. to play a Game Seven so they certainly want to close it out here and avoid playing on Monday where they are already an 8.5-point underdog. Stephen Curry came up big in Game Five as after averaging just 21.5 points in the first two games in Oklahoma City, he had his best game of the series Thursday in Oakland, when he collected 31 points. But it was Andrew Bogut and Draymond Green that came up huge and those two will need to play well again. While the home team has dominated this season series, we expect the best team in the NBA to square this series at three games apiece to set up the decisive Game Seven in two days. 10* (723) Golden St. Warriors

The home team has won and covered eight straight in this series going back to the regular season but this should finally be the game we see the road team take control. A lot of people give credit to Toronto as it finished just a game behind Cleveland in the Eastern Conference and while we were on the Raptors the first two games in Toronto, the overall talent takes over here this late in a series. One huge factor is Kevin Love. He was horrific in Toronto for the two games played there but came back home and shined with a team-high 25 points. Another huge factor is Kyle Lowry who started slow last game and finished average as did the team as whole as he and DeMar DeRozan were the only players who scored more than seven points. Both guards shined in the two wins in Toronto but if one has a bad game, the team is done as there is no one else to pick up the slack. We do not like to lay points on the road, especially this many but certain situations call for it and this is one of those. A peaking Cleveland team is arguably the best team in the NBA and coming off a 38-point win, the momentum continues here. 10* (721) Cleveland Cavaliers

It is obviously do or die time for the Warriors which are on the brink of elimination after a pair of losses in Oklahoma City that were downright awful. Golden St. has not looked like the same team right now as it seems to be playing with no sense of urgency so the last two games should have provided a wakeup call. Breaking the regular season win record was a great achievement but without a championship to go along with the record, it means not nearly as much. Tuesday was the first time all season that the Warriors dropped back-to-back games as they won their previous 12 games following a loss but remain a perfect 6-0 straight up at home following a loss in their previous game, winning by an average of 18.7 ppg and covering five of those. The Thunder were never in danger of losing at home as they built leads to 41 and 25 points while allowing Golden St. to never lead either game by more than two points so a lot of credit needs to go to them for the way they have held the Warriors in check. Still, they are in a tough spot tonight against the reigning world champions that are in must win mode and ready to send a message. Going back in this series, the home team is 10-1-1 ATS in the last 12 meetings. 10* (720) Golden St. Warriors

The home team has owned this series with the host winning and covering the first four games and none of the games have been very competitive. The final deficit of six points in Game Four may portray a close contest but it was never an issue as Toronto led by as many as 18 points to even up the series. Now they head back to Cleveland and the Cavaliers all of a sudden have some doubters following two straight losses after opening the postseason with 10 straight victories. There is no doubt Cleveland is still the team to beat in the Eastern Conference and the return to Quicken Loans Arena is going to bring back the positive energy. One player that needs to turn things around is Kevin Love. He was good enough through the first 10 playoff games but the last two have been a disaster. In Game Three, Love shot 1-of-9 and scored three points in 29 minutes and on Monday, he shot 4-of-14 and scored 10 in 31 minutes. Something says he has a big bounce back tonight. The Raptors are 0-4 ATS in their last four road games while going 0-4 ATS in their last four games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game while the Cavaliers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 home games. 10* (718) Cleveland Cavaliers

Similar to Toronto last night, Golden St. can ill afford to lose again and fall down 3-1 in the series and that is what is at stake tonight with the Warriors in pretty much a must win situation. They are coming off a bad loss on Sunday as they fell by 28 points in one of their most lopsided losses of the season but they have been the best bounce back team in the NBA this season as Golden St. is 12-0 straight up following a defeat, covering nine of those, and a win here likely means a cover as well. This is taking nothing away from the Thunder which have been very impressive since a Game One loss against San Antonio, winning six of their last eight games. This includes three straight wins at home but the vulnerability is there after seeing 11 home losses on the season. The Warriors caught a huge break with Draymond Green not being suspended for this game as his groin kick was reduced to a Flagrant 2. Despite the Game Three victory, Oklahoma City is just 2-6 ATS as an underdog of fewer than seven points this season and while the home floor has been kind to the host in this series going back to last season, we will back the Warriors tonight and avoid a 3-1 deficit. 10* (715) Golden St. Warriors

Toronto came through for us in Game Three and we will be backing the Raptors again tonight in a series that is due for a close game after the first three games being decided by 15, 19 and 31 points. The fact that Cleveland is favored by so much on the road is public reaction once again and while many will be backing the Cavaliers to bounce back here, we are not one of those. As mentioned Saturday, we cannot ignore the fact that the Raptors finished just one game behind Cleveland in the Eastern Conference so a spread this big in this situation is a huge overreaction. Toronto picked it up on defense in Game Three as the Cavaliers were limited to just 20 points in the paint after getting inside for a combined 106 points in the first two games of the series. Additionally, the guard play was big as DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry had a big game combined with 52 points on 51 percent shooting and we should see that to continue here on the home floor. Toronto is now 6-1 ATS in its seven games this season as a home underdog, winning five of those outright while the Cleveland blowout loss adds to the fact that the Cavaliers are 1-8-1 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. 10* (714) Toronto Raptors

We saw Toronto win last night in desperation mode as it finally cooled the red hot Cavaliers and while Oklahoma City now heads home, the situation is different. The Thunder stole Game One in Golden St. and it was a steal in the fact they really should not have won. As mentioned, it was a surprising defeat for the Warriors in Game One simply from the fact that Golden St. controlled most of the game and blew a 14-point lead. A look at the boxscore would suggest a Golden St. victory but the glaring stat that made the difference was free thrown as Oklahoma City doubled the made shots 22-11 while taking 15 more attempts. Taking a look at Game Two, Golden St. controlled it from the beginning and built a 35-point lead in doing so while many will be saying that the Thunder do in fact have a shot in this series, this is the swing game that will tell the story and show why the Warriors had the best regular season ever for a reason. The Warriors are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win of more than 10 points while going 11-5 ATS in their last 16 games playing on three or more days of rest and the scheduling quirk in this series is definitely a benefit to them. 10* (711) Golden St. Warriors

This is it for Toronto as a loss here sends the Raptors to a 3-0 deficit in this series which is one they cannot come back from. Even now the odds are against them based on the first two games following losses by 31 and 19 points so a home sweep is pretty much the only chance they have and it starts here. Toronto is 38-11 at home this season including a 6-2 record in the postseason and it has done a great job in dominating the elite teams as the Raptors are 19-9 ATS at home against winning teams while going 7-1 ATS in their last eight home games against teams with a winning road record. The Cavaliers are playing at a high level right now as they are just the sixth team in NBA history to open the playoffs with a 10-0 record. Cleveland is peaking at the right time and the numbers are very impressive as they are averaging 108.5 ppg, shooting 44.7 percent from long range, 47.3 percent overall, while averaging 116.9 ppg per 100 possessions and outscoring opponents by 13.4 ppg. The series does not start until a loss at home is an old adage and the Raptors can prove that tonight as we should see the energy of the home crowd carry them to a cover at the very least. 10* (710) Toronto Raptors

We got blown out by playing Toronto in Game One of this series on Tuesday as the Raptors fell by 31 points but as the adage goes, no team is as good as it looked in its last game and no team is as bad as it looked in its last game. This is a similar spot to what we saw in the Western Conference Semifinals when Oklahoma City was blown out in Game One against San Antonio but came back to win the series after everyone wrote the Thunder off. Well, everyone has written the Raptors off and while comparing them to the Thunder is a stretch, pride takes over here after that embarrassing loss. We talked about the bounce angle yesterday and it is the opposite in this game from what it was in the Western Conference Game Two as Cleveland is actually favored by more tonight than it was on Tuesday which goes by the original bounce angle principles. Toronto needs a better effort from the point as Kyle Lowry has to be better than eight points, five assists and four turnovers than he put up in Game Two and the rebounding needs an improvement after betting outboarded 45-23. The Raptors are 6-0 this postseason following a loss and four of those other losses also were by double-digits and going back, they have covered seven of their last 10 games following a defeat. 10* (707) Toronto Raptors

Despite losing in the first game of this series, Golden St. has seen the line go up from Game One and this is due to the bounce angle or as it used to be called, the zig-zag. This is where bettors played on the team coming off a loss in the previous game and it was a very lucrative system until the linesmakers picked up on it. Now they tend to shade the opposite side to avoid the bounce bettors to take advantage of a superior line and we are seeing that tonight. While we have to lay a slightly bigger number here, we feel comfortable in doing so with the Warriors which are obviously in must win mode tonight. It was a surprising defeat in Game One simply from the fact that Golden St. controlled most of the game and blew a 14-point lead. A look at the boxscore would suggest a Golden St. victory but the glaring stat that made the difference was free thrown as Oklahoma City doubled the made shots 22-11 while taking 15 more attempts. This was just the third home loss of the season for the Warriors and they followed those up with double-digit wins next time out. Additionally, they are a perfect 11-0 straight up and 8-3 ATS following a loss of any kind this season. The Game One victory was just the fourth in 16 games for the Thunder and while they are peaking, we will see probably one of the best efforts of the season from Golden St. 10* (706) Golden St. Warriors

The Cavaliers have steamrolled through the playoffs thus far, sweeping both Detroit and Atlanta and now they head into the Eastern Conference Finals as a very overvalued team. This is a very similar situation to the start of the series with the Hawks as Cleveland had a very lengthy layoff and was still able to win Game One big. The difference here though is the opening line as the Cavaliers were favored by 7.5 points over Atlanta and now they are favored by double-digits in this opener which is far too big of a number. Toronto is coming off series wins over Indiana and Miami with both going the distance and that actually works in its favor here as there is no lengthy layoff which means the momentum is still going strong. Winning this series will be a stretch for the Raptors but if they are going to steal a game in Cleveland, this is the likeliest one. We cannot forget that Toronto finished just one game behind Cleveland in the Eastern Conference and while the Cavaliers may be peaking, it is not going to be as easy as some may think. Toronto has been very solid in the role of an underdog this season, going 11-4 ATS in 15 games when getting four points or more including a perfect 2-0 ATS record when getting nine points or more. 10* (703) Toronto Raptors

Oklahoma City shocked many by defeating San Antonio but it really was not that shocking based on what the Thunder have. They showed glimpses all season of what they can be, but were prone to inconsistency and now they are peaking at the right time. They took care of the Spurs in six games which concluded with three straight wins and most impressive, the Thunder won in San Antonio twice after the Spurs lost at home just once all season prior to that. The Warriors have had little resistance through the first two rounds and they opened those with blowout wins in Game One and while those were against teams inferior to Oklahoma City, I expect a similar outcome here. While the Warriors ended their series early than the Thunder did which could bring in the rust factor, the fact is that it was only one more day so there is no argument there. On the flip side, the momentum gained from the San Antonio series could have been killed by the long layoff for Oklahoma City. Golden St. has lost at home only twice this season and has covered seven of its last eight games and additionally, the Warriors are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games playing on three or more days rest. 10* (702) Golden St. Warriors

Miami heads to Toronto for the decisive Game Seven Sunday afternoon and we again give a clear edge to the home team. After the host went just 1-2 during the first three games, including a 0-3 record against the number, the home team has won and covered the last three games in this series. Many believe the pressure is on the Raptors based on the fact they have never advanced past this round but the home floor is key here. Under head coach Eric Spoelstra, Miami is 4-1 in Game 7s but all four of those wins came at home while the lone loss happened to come on the road. Additionally, Miami is 11-0 at home in the playoffs when trying close out a series but just 4-5 on the road in such situations. History of the league is also going against Miami as no team has ever won two series in the same postseason when trailing 3-2. DeMar DeRozan could be the difference here as after a horrendous start to this series, he scored 34 points on 11-22 shooting in Game Five but regressed to just 23 points on 8-21 shooting Friday night. He has been a much better shooter at home all season and we should see another bounce back game from him today. 10* (550) Toronto Raptors

Toronto took Game Five but it was not as easy it as looked like it should have been as the Raptors blew a 20-point lead and nearly gave it away. They were able to hang on and now have Miami against the ropes as the Heat are now forced to win the final two games of what has been a pretty ugly series. DeMar DeRozan broke out of his shooting slump and scored 34 points but who knows if he can sustain that while Kyle Lowry continues his struggles as he was just 9-25. The game tonight marks the eighth time in team history the Raptors have had a close-out opportunity. They have won two of those seven previous games. While the pressure seems to be on Miami, I think it is the other way because of the Toronto inability to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals and Miami has the experience to keep this one going and send it to a decisive Game Seven on Sunday. It was nearly the same situation they faced in the first round against Charlotte, winning Game Six on the road to stay alive and crushing the Hornets in Game Seven. The Heat are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 home games while the Raptors are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following an ATS win. 10* (546) Miami Heat

Oklahoma City has taken three of the last four games in this series and feasibly could have taken all four to move into the lead and can close it out tonight. While many feel the pressure is on the Thunder to win here to avoid a Game Seven in San Antonio, I think it is the opposite as right now. Oklahoma City is playing loose and has shown a matchup advantage since getting blown out by 32 points in the opener of this series when some people were proclaiming the series was already over. We cannot ignore the fact that during the regular season, the Spurs and Thunder split the series at two games apiece with Oklahoma City covering all four meetings and on the season overall, the Thunder have won three of the four meetings at home. The last victory here came by 14 points but more importantly, the Thunder were favored by a bucket but now they are getting a bucket which is too big of an overadjustment. The Thunder are 30-10-2 ATS in their last 42 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600 while the Spurs are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (544) Oklahoma City Thunder

While San Antonio could not take advantage of having pivotal Game Five at home last night, Toronto will take advantage tonight and take the lead in the series, forcing the Heat to win the final two games to take the series. This has been the best series in the postseason as far as close games as three of the four games have gone into overtime while the other game resulted in a four-point differential. Toronto has only lost at home 11 times this season and I think if there is a game in this series we see a blowout, this could be the one. A big reason for that is we have yet to see DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry breakout as they have been far from efficient. DeRozan has shot 33 percent and 3 of 19 from beyond the arc this postseason while Lowry has connected at 33.1 percent and 19.7 from long range. The opposing defenses have played their roles in stopping the backcourt due but a return home for pivotal Game Five could see some fireworks. Toronto has won 21 of 30 games this season following a loss while Miami is just one game over .500 following a victory. 10* (538) Toronto Raptors

With the series tied at two games apiece, it has become a best-of-three competition and Oklahoma City will not advance unless it wins at least one more time in San Antonio and it has already proven it can win there. And of course, we do not even need the outright win as a close finish cashes us a ticket which I expect to be the case here. The Thunder evened the series with a home win after San Antonio regained home court with a Game Three win. Oklahoma City closed as a 2.5-point favorite last time out and now we are seeing a line adjustment of 9.5 points and that is too much in my opinion with the situation at hand in a pivotal Game Five. This is one of those games where there is so much on the line that we will see a strong effort on the defensive end on both sides and that favors the underdog, especially a big one that is the case here. Going back, the Thunder are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games against teams with a winning straight up record while covering four of their last five road games. Meanwhile, San Antonio is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game while going 2-7 ATS in its last nine games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (535) Oklahoma City Thunder

Portland got back into the series with a win on Saturday but it will be short lived as we are switching sides here and laying road points with the Warriors. Golden St. is in a very similar spot as it was in during the first series where it rolled in the first two games over Houston but then lose Game Three on the road only to recover with a 27-point win in Game Four which solidified the series. The Blazers are no slouch at home which is a big reason we played on them Saturday but the Warriors road record is actually 3.5 games better. Golden St. has won five of the seven meetings this season and all of those wins were by double-digits so when taking Portland serious, there is no battle. The loss of Stephen Curry has not been a big concern as the Warriors have been fine without him and while he is irreplaceable, his absence has actually helped in keeping this number down as a price that is more than playable in this situation. Golden St. is a perfect 10-0 this season straight up following a loss while covering seven of those games. Meanwhile, the Blazers are 0-7 ATS in their last seven games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* (531) Golden St. Warriors

Oklahoma City let one get away on Friday as it rallied from a 15-point deficit only to lose by a pair of buckets. The Thunder are now in must win mode as a loss here would send them back to San Antonio in a 3-1 hole which is unrecoverable at this point. Oklahoma City fell down early in Game Three and the Spurs were able to play well on the road as they had the advantage of not playing from behind but we should see the Thunder turn the tables tonight and get out to a quick start. One big factor the Thunder should not have to worry about tonight is Tony Parker, who scored 19 points Friday which was 10 more points than his first two games combined. On the flip side, Russell Westbrook uncharacteristically folded down the stretch as he committed two costly late turnovers while missing 21 of 31 shots and he admitted after the game that that was not the role he should be in so expect a bigger effort from Kevin Durant tonight. Additionally, the Spurs managed 14 more free throw attempts in Game Three which is a rarity for the road team especially in a playoff game. The Spurs are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game while the Thunder are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* (528) Oklahoma City Thunder

The favorites came through again last night as both San Antonio and Cleveland won and covered as road chalks and we find the Warriors in a similar role tonight. Golden St. has cruised to a 2-0 lead in this series although Game Two could have been a different outcome as the Blazers blew a 17-point lead and ultimately lost by 11 after getting outscored 34-12 in the final quarter. Portland is likely already done in this series as the Warriors have proved they can win without Stephen Curry, who will be out again tonight, but Portland has a good chance to steal a game tonight in the first game back home. The Warriors have won five of the six meetings this season all by double digits but this is the place where they suffered their worst loss of the season as they went down by 32 points despite Curry contributing a team high 31 points. Pride is a big part in this league and with a 31-13 home record, the Blazers will be playing with that tonight. Going back, the Blazers are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. 10* (524) Portland Trail Blazers

The Spurs and Thunder shift to Oklahoma City for Game Three with the winner having a big edge going forward. San Antonio embarrassed the Thunder in the opener by 32 points but failed to capitalize on that as they lost for just the second time all season at home in Game Two on a very controversial ending. Oklahoma City has been a home underdog only once this season and that came against Golden St. in February where it blew a late lead and lost in overtime no thanks to 22 turnovers. The Thunder should be pretty motivated tonight after stealing that game in San Antonio on Monday as they gained the home court advantage and are clearly not getting any respect based on the line. Oklahoma City is 34-10 at home this season and playing against the elite teams has been no problem as going back, the Thunder are 29-9-2 ATS in their last 40 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. Meanwhile, the Spurs are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (520) Oklahoma City Thunder

Toronto almost pulled off the miracle win on Tuesday as it tied the game in regulation on a half-court shot from Kyle Lowry but was unable to carry that momentum into overtime and lost by six. The Raptors have already lost home court advantage in this series and can ill afford to go down 2-0 so it can be argued the season is on the line tonight. It has been five straight games where they have not covered but we should see a big effort at home tonight. Miami got huge performances from Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade who went a combined 20-41 from the floor but the rest of the team was just 40.8 percent from the floor and it was the opposite from Toronto and its two big stars as Lowry and DeMar DeRozan were just 12-35 combined from the floor. It is imperative for those two to play better and one thing we should see tonight is the Raptors playing faster and pushing the pace. Even with the loss, Toronto has a home court edge as it is now 35-11 and going back it is 5-2 ATS in its last seven games after a loss while the Heat are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games. 10* (516) Toronto Raptors

We lost with the Hawks in the opener of this series and it was a tough one to take as they came back from an 18-point deficit to actually take the lead with eight minutes to go in the game but the Cavaliers closed on a 25-13 run to pull away to take a 1-0 series lead. They have had the Hawks number both recently and going back as Cleveland has won and covered all four meetings this season and going back to last season, it has won eight straight meetings. Additionally, the Cavaliers have won nine straight postseason meetings and have never lost to Atlanta in the playoffs. One of the good things that came out of that game for Atlanta was the fact it never gave up as being down 18 points late in the game can often lead to a team throwing in the towel and moving on. The Hawks fell to a game under .500 on the road this season but that is still pretty respectable and while they have yet to cover in the three games played in Cleveland this season, they are in a good situation to keep this one close. The Cavaliers have covered just five of its last seven games following a double-digit win. 10* (513) Atlanta Hawks

Both Miami and Toronto won Game Seven on Sunday so from a momentum standpoint, there should be no advantage either way. From a travel standpoint however, Toronto has the huge edge of being able to remain home while the Heat have to hit the road with just one day of rest after a home game. The Raptors closed as a six-point favorite in Game Seven against Indiana and now the number is lower against Miami, which is not really that much of a better team than the Pacers, and a reason for the spread decline is because Toronto has dropped four straight games against the number. The Raptors went 3-1 at home against Indiana to improve to 35-10 at home on the season. The Heat have not been a very good road team this season as they are currently two games under .500 on the highway and have failed to cover eight of their last 10 road games. Miami has struggled in this role as it is 8-15 ATS this season as an underdog of fewer than seven points including a 1-2 ATS record against Charlotte in the previous series. 10* (508) Toronto Raptors

Oklahoma City was a huge letdown on Saturday as it got embarrassed in a game it never led, trailed by as many as 43 points and ended up losing by 32 points. It was one of those games where the Thunder could not buy a basket in the first half whereas the Spurs could not miss so the game was well over by halftime. How bad was it? Just 4 1/2 minutes into the game, Oklahoma City faced its largest deficit of the playoffs up to that point. The lopsided result of that game is playing a role in this line being higher that Game One and the Thunder have covered both games when getting this many points this season. One thing that is for certain is that the Spurs are not going to look as good as they did and the Thunder are not going to look as bad. Adjustments will need to be made as the Thunder need to run when they can and cannot allow the San Antonio defense to settle in the half court as that it clearly its strength. The Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points while the Spurs are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. 10* (509) Oklahoma City Thunder

Atlanta has not had much luck with Cleveland of late as after taking three of four regular season meetings last year, the Hawks were swept by the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals and then lost all three regular season meetings this year. That is driving this line up higher than it should be and they now go from a three-point road favorite in their last game against Boston to a 7.5-point road underdog the very next game. They took out Boston in six games and while they come into this game with less rest than Cleveland, they have been off since Thursday so that is certainly sufficient. The Cavaliers made it look easy against Detroit as they swept the Pistons which was a surprise to some after they held their own against Cleveland during the regular season. They covered one of two at home in that series and this is not a number the Cavaliers have had success with this season as they are 19-28 ATS when favored by seven or more points. On the flip side, the Hawks have lost all four games this season when getting points in this range but they make up for it by going 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. 10* (503) Atlanta Hawks

Indiana has covered three straight in this series, winning two outright, including a victory on Friday that sends this series to the Game Seven finale tonight. Because the Pacers have covered three in a row, we are getting value with the Raptors as this is the lowest line of the series at home and is down a full bucket from the last game here. Despite the series being knotted at three games apiece, this has been a horrible series to watch as five of the six games have been decided by double-digits and that one game that finished close should have been a double-digit blowout by Indiana but Toronto made a miraculous fourth quarter comeback. While the Raptors fell apart in the second half on Friday, they can use that big comeback at home as motivation for this one and we cannot forget they are 34-10 at home this season while the Pacers are four games under .500 on the road while of the Pacers 20 road wins the entire season, only five have come against teams that are competing in the postseason. The Pacers are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points while the Raptors are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a straight up loss. 10* (726) Toronto Raptors

Hopefully this series is better than the two series that Oklahoma City and San Antonio were involved in their first rounds and it definitely should be. While there was a 12-game difference in records during the regular season, these teams are more evenly matched than what that record shows. The Spurs are collectively more skilled, but the Thunder have done a better job than most at neutralizing that advantage. The home team dominated during the regular season but an edge goes to the Thunder as they won the lone game decided by double-digits (Spurs starters rested) while the Spurs home wins came in overtime in one and a 10-point differential in the fourth quarter in the other to make the difference. While the Thunder are all about Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, the key player in this series is Serge Ibaka as he can be a difference maker. Against the Spurs this year, the Thunder were a staggering 32.9 points per 100 possessions better with Ibaka on the floor vs. off and the matchups play a big role in that. Going back, the Spurs are 0-5 ATS in their last five games against teams with a winning percentage above .600 while the Thunder are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games against teams with a winning straight up record. 10* (501) Oklahoma City Thunder

After four straight blowout games in this series, we finally saw a competitive contest in Game Five but it really should not have been. The Pacers built a 17-point lead and looked like they were on their way to steal a game in Toronto and take the series lead but were outscored 25-9 in the fourth quarter. A last second shot to tie the game was nullified and now they have to try and regroup in a must win game but it is not going to be easy and the collapse will carry over into this game. The Raptors finally got a good offensive performance from DeMar DeRozan who scored a team high 34 points and despite shooting 40.2 percent as a team, the Raptors have some solid momentum heading to Indiana. The Pacers are a solid road team however Toronto has won here twice this season and its 24-17 road record during the regular season was tied for best in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors are 16-8-1 ATS as underdogs this season and going back, they are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS loss. 10* (711) Toronto Raptors

The home team has dominated this series as the host has won all five games with the latest being Atlanta taking control with a Game Five win on Tuesday. While the Celtics have been a quality team at home, the injuries are becoming more of an issue with Avery Bradley already out and now, Isaiah Thomas has to deal with an ankle sprain and while he will play, he will not be 100 percent. In Game Five, the Hawks were outscored 29-19 in the first 18 minutes of the game, before finding their best offensive rhythm of the postseason to ignite a 70-33 run to put Boston on the brink of elimination. The winner of Game Five in a series that was tied 2-2 has gone on to advance 82 percent of the time so the Celtics are in a tough spot with their backs against the wall and not close to 100 percent. While the Hawks have failed to cover their last six road games, they are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points so going contrarian in the role of a road favorite is practical here. Boston has lost two of six games this season as a home underdog and while the public consensus is all over Boston, we ride the Hawks to clinch the series tonight. 10* (701) Atlanta Hawks

For obvious reasons, everyone has closed the door on the Clippers and their chances for giving the Warriors a run and even now having troubles getting through this series. While the former is most likely, the latter is far from over as the series is tied and the Clippers head home inspired to play well without Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. The loss of Griffin is big but not as big as many may think as Los Angeles did more than fine without him when he missed 41 games, Replacing Paul is impossible but we are getting a line that has been overadjusted too much. In the last meeting in Los Angeles during the regular season without Griffin, the Clippers were five-point favorites and now they go to a three-point underdog which is a big line shift. Portland should have a lot of confidence after tying the series up with a pair of wins at home but it went 7-5 this season as a road favorite and most of those were against poor teams that were much worse than the Clippers even without Griffin and Paul. "We have a very competitive basketball team and they have proven that all year," Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said. "We have won games before without key guys and we can win games in the future without key guys." And that is so true. 10* (578) Los Angeles Clippers

The Toronto/Indiana series is tied at two games apiece but it has been anything but competitive. The first four games have all been decided by double-digits and going back to the regular season, all eight games have been decided by at least seven points. That would make Toronto the go to team tonight but I think we are finally in for a competitive game. Game Four was marred by a scuffle late so that makes this one interesting as tensions should be high even more so than what the importance of a Game Five means. Paul George has been a difference maker in this series on both ends of the floor, most importantly on the defensive side as he has held DeMar DeRozan to just 21-for-71 (29.5 percent) shooting this series. The Raptors have not won a playoff series since 2001, and with a blowout win on Saturday, the Pacers seem to have the edge even though they are back on the road. Indiana is 7-2 ATS this season when getting six points or more while going 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games playing on two days of rest. Meanwhile, the Raptors are just 2-9 ATS in their last 11 Conference Quarterfinals games. 10* (569) Indiana Pacers

Charlotte came through for us on Saturday as the venue switch did the Hornets well and we will come back with them again here. As mentioned, this series along with the Atlanta/Boston series were the two series in the playoffs that had the best potentials to go a full seven games and that feeling is still there. The Hornets and Heat are pretty evenly balanced despite all three games being decided by 12 or more points and while we will see a close game at some point, it may not be tonight after all. The Hornets dropped the first two games by a combined 44 points but they are not as bad as those games looked nor is Miami that good. We cannot forget these teams finished with the same record during the regular season and Charlotte comes in with a 31-11 record at home which is the third best record in the Eastern Conference and that is saying something. The value is still here as the lines should be in the range of -4 based or even more based on the parity of the teams. Miami has failed to cover in seven of its last eight road games while Charlotte is 11-2 ATS as a favorite in this price range this season. 10* (562) Charlotte Hornets

No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series. The 1951 New York Knickerbockers, the 1994 Denver Nuggets, and the 2003 Portland Trailblazers came back from a 3-0 deficit to tie the series at 3-3, but neither won their respective Game Seven. Detroit is not going to win this series but it is good enough to steal a game and avoid a sweep. The Pistons have lost the last two games of this series by double-digits after blowing a late lead in Game One but the fight is still there especially knowing that they took three of four meetings during the regular season. "Here's what it comes down to, we're all men, I know I don't want to get swept by anybody, I think that's very disrespectful," Pistons forward Stanley Johnson said. "So for us it's how much pride we have." Detroit needs to rebound better which it is very capable of and it needs some threes to fall as the Pistons have been unfortunate with Cleveland making 32 of 67 attempts the last two games while Detroit is just 10 for 40. We have a favorable line that is up nearly a bucket from Game Three and going back, the Pistons are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games following a double-digit loss at home. 10* (560) Detroit Pistons

We won with Boston in Game Three and will come back with the Celtics in Game Four as they try to tie up this series. The Hawks made an admirable comeback on Friday but are again in a situation they have stumbled in. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead over the Nets in the first round last year, only to lose two games on the road before winning the series in six games. They have never swept a best-of-seven series and they are now 1-5 in Game 3s after taking a 2-0 lead. The Celtics return home was huge as after scoring seven points in the first quarter of Game Two, they scored 37 in Game Three while leading by 17 points after one quarter and by as many as 20 in the second quarter. They caught a break with Isaiah Thomas not being suspended for this game after his Dennis Schroder altercation and he was clearly the difference maker on Friday. Boston was much more effective from beyond the arc as it was 11 for 32 after going 16 for 63 (25.4 percent) in Atlanta. The Hawks are now 0-5 ATS in their last five road games against teams with a winning home record while Boston has covered five of its last seven at home. 10* (558) Boston Celtics

The first round of the NBA playoffs has been anything but exciting as 16 of the first 22 games have been decided by double-digits and two of the ones that were not ended up being nine-point margins. Two of the blowouts have taken place in this series as the Clippers have seized control with a 2-0 advantage after taking the first two games by 20 and 21 points. With the series shifting to Portland, we can expect to see a much different outcome here as the Blazers are fighting for their playoff lives and are in a must win spot here as falling down 3-0 is not an option. The Blazers are shooting 37 percent from the field in the series, including 27 percent from three-point range and it is their star Damian Lillard who has been handcuffed as he is shooting 33 percent from the floor and 21 percent from long range. Portland has won 20 of its last 24 home games and despite the last two efforts, the Blazers have been one of the top teams in the Western Conference over the latter half of the season and have covered eight of their last 10 after a double-digit loss. 10* (552) Portland Trailblazers

Four teams have started their first round series down two games to none and heading into Saturday, three of those were able to cover Game Three with Detroit being the lone exception. Charlotte will look to continue that trend after losing the first two games in Miami and not by close margins. The Hornets dropped the first two games by a combined 44 points but they are not as bad as those games looked nor is Miami that good. We cannot forget these teams finished with the same record during the regular season as tiebreakers gave Miami the home court edge in this series but now heading back to Charlotte with their 30-11 home record, the Hornets are in excellent shape to cut into this series. The defense has been the issue and we will see a better effort at home than we did in the first two games in Miami. Going back, the Hornets are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points while the Heat are 1-6 ATS in their last seven road games. 10* (548) Charlotte Hornets

Pride goes a long way in sports and after getting embarrassed in the first two games of this series, expect Memphis to play with a lot of pride tonight. The Grizzlies, like the Rockets last night, are not going to win their first round series but a return to their home floor will have them in a much better place for Game Three. Memphis lost the first two games by 32 and 26 points so it comes as no surprise that the Grizzlies are getting double-digits at home for just the second time this season. The first took place less than two weeks ago when the Grizzlies were getting 13 points at home against Golden St. and nearly pulled off the upset as they lost by just a point. That happened to be their last home game as they have been on the road for their last four so a different environment can only help. The injury situation has a lot to do with everything but the fact is that laying double-digits on the road is not a typical situation in the playoffs and like Houston last night, if Memphis is going to steal a game in this series, this is the one. The Grizzlies are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 games after scoring less than 75 points in their previous game while the Spurs are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. 10* (544) Memphis Grizzlies

Boston is so much better than what we have seen in the first two games of this series as it has trailed by at least 19 points in each game while leading by only three points once. The linesmakers agree with this as the Celtics are the only favorites tonight of the three teams that are down 2-0 but justifiably so. This is the likeliest of them all that could still go the length despite the historical odds against it but it all has to do with tonight and the Celtics know what has to be done. Avery Bradley missed Game Two and his absence was certainly felt but the problem was that Boston was down 17 after the first quarter so picking up the slack was not even an option as was mentioned for that game but returning home to Boston will energize this team in a big way. The Hawks have now won five straight games in this series going back to the regular season so Boston has a chip on its shoulder and a 19-3 record at home over its last 22 home games does not hurt matters. The Celtics are 21-8 ATS in their last 29 games after scoring less than 75 points in their previous game while the Hawks are 0-4 ATS in their last four road games against teams with a winning home record. 10* (542) Boston Celtics

It is pretty amazing how much one player can affect a betting line but the absence of Steph Curry dropped the Game Two line five points and the total 13 points. It ended up hurting the books as Golden St. covered to go along with the over, both of which are big public bets. Curry is a gametime decision tonight and the line is indicating he is going to play based on the previous lines to go along with the venue change but it probably will not happen based on the way he acted yesterday and it is in the best interest of Golden St. for the future. The Rockets cannot win this series with or without Curry but they are good enough to steal a game like they did in the Western Conference Finals last season and this is the likeliest one. Houston had a chance to steal Game Two and faltered near the end but getting back on its home floor certainly helps and it needs to remain more aggressive on offense. James Harden was much more aggressive offensively in Game Two, finishing with 28 points and 11 assists after scoring just 17 points in Game One and failed to get to the free-throw line but he made up for that in Game Two by making 13 of 15 from the line. Despite losses in the first two games, the Rockets are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (538) Houston Rockets

Last night was another night of bad basketball as both games were never competitive but this is not going to go on with the exception of a couple series that seem to already be done. The first game in this series was decided by 20 points, one of 10 of the first 13 games in the postseason that has been a double-digit blowout. These two teams are definitely more evenly matched that what Game One portrayed and we should see the Blazers come through with a much bigger effort tonight. Damian Lillard led the Blazers with 21 points, while CJ McCollum was held to nine points. They combined to average 45.9 points this season, third-highest by any duo in the NBA so their lack of production was a surprise. They need to beat the traps which they have been able to do all season but were unable to handle that on Sunday. Conversely, the Clippers had three players finish with double-doubles while allowing Portland just five second chance points. Despite the win, they are just 5-13 ATS as favorites in this price range. The Blazers are 24-15 ATS following a loss this season while going 8-1 ATS in their last nine games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. Meanwhile, the Clippers are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games playing on two days of rest. 10* (531) Portland Trailblazers

The first four days of the NBA playoffs have been anything but exciting as 10 of the first 13 games have been decided by double-digits including both games last night that were pretty much over by the first quarter. On Sunday, Charlotte went to Miami and that one was also over before it started as the Hornets lost by 32 points in a game they never led. So far this has been the most uncompetitive start to a postseason in recent memory and the public has been crushing it with the favorites and tonight, Miami is the biggest consensus by a large amount. This was a season series split with both teams stealing one game on the opposing team home floor so the blowout in Game One came as a surprise. I expect this one to be much more competitive and that starts with the Charlotte defense as it allowed 123 points while Miami averaged 1.43 points per offensive possession. On the other side, the Hornets need to shoot better which is an understatement in some regards and it is up to Kemba Walker to take control and become more efficient than he was on Sunday as he has a significant edge over Goran Dragic. The Hornets are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss while the Heat are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up win. 10* (527) Charlotte Hornets

After losing the first game of this season series, the Hawks have won the last four meetings including Game One where they won by a point after blowing a 19-point lead. Atlanta shot just 5-26 from long range and that has been an issue all season and could it even more if Boston does not dig itself into a massive hole again. This is an interesting line shift as the line has actually gone up despite the Hawks winning the first game but this is due to the loss of Celtics guard Avery Bradley who is likely to miss the remainder of the series after a hamstring injury. That is a huge blow for the Celtics as he is their second leading scorer but this is the game to back them with it being the first he is out for as this is the time that the rest of the team picks up the slack in a big way. As mentioned in the Game One analysis, this is likely to be the most competitive series in the first round and we saw that on Saturday despite the early Atlanta runaway. Boston is not a worse team by this many points and going back, the Celtics have won 19 of 34 games this season following a loss. Meanwhile, the Hawks are 0-6 ATS in their last six games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* (523) Boston Celtics

Toronto was the only home team to lose in the first round of games over the weekend as all seven home teams saw victory on their court, most coming by massive amounts. That was just the tenth home loss of the season for the Raptors and losing consecutive games at home is a rarity. We played on Toronto back on March 30 following a home loss to Oklahoma City and mentioned at the time that the Raptors have lost consecutive home games only once this season and Golden St. was involved the first time. Toronto has covered four straight games following a loss and five straight games following a cover loss. Indiana is playing some good basketball right now as it is won four straight games but the last one is the only one against a current playoff team. Of the Pacers 20 road wins the entire season, only five have come against teams that are competing in the postseason. Toronto meanwhile has won 18 games against the top ten teams in the NBA power rankings which is the second most of any team in the league behind Golden St. Indiana has covered just two of the last 12 meetings in this series and based on the bounce angle (playing on the team that lost the previous game in the playoffs), we are seeing value considering the line is the same from Game One and these are situations where linesmakers shift the line but did not do so here. 10* (518) Toronto Raptors

As mentioned yesterday, the Boston and Atlanta series had the potential to be the most competitive series in the NBA First Round Playoffs and this one should be a close second. Miami finished the regular season with a brutal loss in Boston as it blew a 24-point halftime lead and lost by 10 points which took away the chance to win the Southwest Division but because of tiebreakers and an Atlanta loss the same night, the Heat were still able to secure their home floor for the first round. Charlotte had a surprisingly solid season which kind of came out of nowhere after a 0-3 start and a lull in the middle of the season where it went on a 4-14 run but that shows how good the Hornets were in the other stages of the season. Since the beginning of March, Charlotte is 18-6 over its last 24 games but despite having the same overall record as three other teams, the tiebreaker did them in to fall into the No. 6 seed. These teams split the season series with each team winning on the opponent home court once and going back, the road team is 7-3-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings while the underdog has covered five of the last seven. 10* (511) Charlotte Hornets

Boston could not have come into the postseason after a better win as it trailed Miami 62-38 at the break but went on to outscore the Heat by 34 points in the second half. It was an odd dynamic with the Celtics winning and the Hawks losing on the final night and Atlanta getting rewarded with the home court edge in this series but it is not a huge advantage. The Hawks have just the sixth best home record of all Eastern Conference playoff teams and actually lost 22 games outright this season when favored. Boston showed how good it can be when it plays defense and the wakeup call against Miami in the first half could not have been a better thing for the Celtics heading into the postseason. Last season, they were swept in the first round against Cleveland but the games were pretty competitive and they are a much improved team from then. Boston finished fourth in the NBA in defensive rating thanks to averaging 9.2 steals per game which was the second most and that allowed them to play at a fast pace so they are well rounded on both sides. The Celtics tied for the fourth best road record in the Eastern Conference which included impressive wins over Golden St., Oklahoma City and Cleveland so stealing a game in Atlanta is far from out of the question. This looks to be the most competitive series in the first round and we should see that right from the start. 10* (505) Boston Celtics

Golden St. broke the regular season NBA win total by getting No. 73 on Wednesday against Memphis in pretty easy fashion. The Warriors are the reigning NBA Champions and of course are once again favored to win it again but are certainly paying the price in Game One of this series. This is a rematch of the Western Conference Finals from last season and while the Rockets underachieved the entire season, they will not be an easy out. They come in with some solid momentum as they won their final three games to claim the No. 8 seed in the conference and caught a scheduling break which hurts the Warriors playing a game at home starting at 12:30 local time. While Golden St. was nearly unbeatable at home this season, it went just 3-5 ATS over its final eight home games and while it has the ability to cover a spread this big, asking the Warriors to do so in the first game of the postseason may be too much to ask for. The Rockets went 5-2 ATS this season when getting seven or more points including a close cover that came here against the Warriors in their only meeting at Golden St. Additionally, they are 4-0 ATS in their last four games against teams with a winning percentage above .600 while the Warriors are 0-5 ATS in their last five games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. 10* (503) Houston Rockets

There was no early line on this game due to the Clippers situation where they are heading to Phoenix without their top five scorers as all are sitting this one out. Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford are resting while J.J. Reddick is nursing a foot injury. Los Angeles has nothing to play for as it is already locked into the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference with its first round opponent still unknown. The Clippers are playing at a high level as they have won six straight games and 10 of their last 11 but only one of those came with some of the regulars sitting. That was a victory at Utah but Crawford did play in that game and led the team with 30 points. The dreadful season for Phoenix is nearly in the books but it can close on a high note as any thoughts about tanking can be tossed out here as the Suns are locked into their current lottery position. They lost here last time out against Sacramento but had won two straight prior to that, both of which came on the road. The home floor has not been great but tonight is a rare opportunity to notch a win against a second string team. They have actually fared well in these spots, going 12-7 ATS at home against winning teams while going 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up loss. Meanwhile, the Clippers are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage below .400. 10* (728) Phoenix Suns

Must win situations can be over exaggerated and in those cases, lines are overinflated which is what we are seeing here. The situation is very simple for Houston as if it wins tonight, it is into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. The Rockets easily defeated Minnesota on Monday to keep their hopes alive so while winning here seems like the obvious choice, winning by what they are favored by is not. This line is inflated way too much based on the must win scenario as well as because of the Kings not playing with their full roster. That being said, this line is at a place where Houston will start sitting players should a lead become this big but I do not even think that is going to happen. Sacramento has played three straight road games without DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo, both of which will be out again tonight, but the Kings covered all three of those games, winning two of those outright. They lost at Portland but covered the 13-point spread and they are getting a bucket more here against a team that is three games worse than the Blazers. Houston has underachieved all season and the Rockets are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400 while the Kings are 5-1 ATS in their last six games against teams with a losing straight up record. 10* (701) Sacramento Kings

The final day of the regular season is usually filled with playoff drama and while there is just one playoff spot up for grabs overall, there are still plenty of scenarios as far as seeding goes. In the Eastern Conference, No. 3 through No. 6 are still up for grabs depending on what happens tonight and the team in the best position based on the matchups is Boston. There was no early line on this game for no apparent reason so we had to wait to get it in but the Celtics are the play here. We lost with Detroit last night as Miami won a surprising road game against a top tiered team and is now just 5-15 on the highway against teams currently locked into playoff positions. Based on the games and matchups, the Heat control their own destiny for taking the Southeast Division and grabbing the No. 3 seed but if they lose and the Hawks beat the Wizards, the division title and No. 3 spot will go to Atlanta and in that case, Boston moves up to No. 4 and Miami drops to No. 5. The Celtics have dropped two straight so winning before the postseason is a priority and with that could come home court advantage in the first round against this same Miami team. The Heat are 0-4 ATS in their last four games playing on no rest while Boston is 14-7 ATS in its last 21 home games. 10* (718) Boston Celtics

Detroit is heading to the postseason for the first time in seven years as the rebuilding job that Stan Van Gundy has done has come much quicker. The Pistons clinched a playoff berth against Chicago last week and followed it up with a home win over Washington on Friday which means they have been off for three days which is a significant edge this time of season. Detroit is 10-3 in its last 13 games at home and this is the final regular season home game which certainly has some meaning during this special season. Miami is a half-game ahead of Boston and Charlotte for fourth place in the Eastern Conference and if it wins out, it clinches home court in the first round of the postseason. The problem is that it will not be easy and will be playing two teams that will not be sitting down. Miami has not won on the road against a team heading to the playoffs since February 19 when it defeated Atlanta by four points. On the season, the Heat are 4-15 on the highway against teams currently locked into playoff positions so clearly they struggle in these situations. The Heat are 0-5 ATS in their last five road games while the Pistons are 31-15-2 ATS in their last 48 home games. 10* (504) Detroit Pistons

Houston looks to inch closer to a possible playoff berth and despite sitting in ninth place in the Western Conference, the Rockets are in the best position should there be any ties at the end of the regular season. The Rockets currently have the tiebreaker over Utah with a superior conference record and against the Mavericks because of a better Southwest Division mark. There will be no scoreboard watching which is a good thing as the Houston game tips off an hour before the Dallas/Utah game. A loss by Utah puts Houston into the No. 8 spot and it hosts Sacramento on Wednesday with a chance to control its own destiny. Minnesota is tied for being the second hottest team in the NBA as it has won three straight games, all of which have come on the road including a pair of shockers over Golden St. and Portland. The wins marked Minnesota's first road trip sweep of at least three games since 2005 so this is a definite letdown situation for the Timberwolves. They have had their share of struggles against Houston as they have lost six straight meetings and 10 of the last 11. The Rockets are 4-0 ATS in their last four road games against teams with a home winning percentage of less than .400 while the Timberwolves are 15-35-1 ATS in their last 51 home games against teams with a losing road record. 10* (713) Houston Rockets

Washington is coming off an upset win over Charlotte on Sunday and now it hits the road in a rare situation where it goes from significant home underdog to significant road favorite. The Wizards are not going to the postseason so there is little to play for and being motivated is a key factor, especially when asking a team to lay a number on the highway. Additionally, they have struggled this season when playing with no rest as they are 6-13 straight up and against the number. John Wall is listed as questionable but it is pretty much a guarantee that he will be shut down for the rest of the season as to not further aggravate his knee. Also, Bradley Beal will be sitting most likely. Brooklyn has had its issues all season long and it is currently riding an eight-game losing skid but seven of those games came on the road with a home game sandwiched between games against New York and Washington. The Nets have a chance to at least close strong with a win here and then on Wednesday against the Raptors that will likely be sitting starters. They are 11-6 ATS as underdogs in this price range while going 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing more than 125 points in their previous game. Meanwhile, the Wizards are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. 10* (708) Brooklyn Nets

Toronto won on Friday despite resting three starters as it defeated Indiana at home by 13 points and it still has a shot at the top seed in the Eastern Conference as the Cavaliers refuse to lock it down. The Raptors' chances were kept alive Saturday with Cleveland's 105-102 loss in Chicago and they now trail the Cavaliers by just 2.5 games. They hold the tiebreaker by going 2-1 in the season series so winning out is the option at this point while hoping the Cavaliers drop their last two games against Atlanta and Detroit. The good news is Cleveland is off today so Toronto only knows it needs to win and with Brooklyn and Philadelphia being the final two games, winning out is a great possibility. The Knicks won at Philadelphia on Friday but they have struggled to remain consistent at the end of the season as they are 10-22 over their last 32 games and only one of those wins have been against a playoff bound team. Overall, New York has only seven wins this season against the top ten in the NBA and while this is the final home game of the season, getting a big win over an elite team that is still playing for a lot does not look to happen at this point. The Knicks are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games against teams with a winning road record while Toronto is 12-6 ATS this season on the road against losing teams. 10* (517) Toronto Raptors

The Mavericks remain in the drivers seat for the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference following their victory over Memphis on Friday which was their sixth straight win but the No. 6 seed is still within grasp. Winning out will be tough starting here on Sunday and then traveling to Utah tomorrow which is fighting for a playoff spot and feasibly still has a chance to pass Dallas. The winning streak has obviously come at a perfect time based on the time of season but also because the Mavericks are in the midst of some injury issues with Chandler Parsons out for the season, Deron Williams now out with a sports hernia and now J.J. Barea, who has been lights out during the run, possibly out with a groin injury. The Clippers have locked up the No. 4 seed in the conference and are coming off a win at Utah which was a surprise considering Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan remained in Los Angeles for rest. They will be back today though as while rest is good, too much cannot happen and Doc Rivers will play the starters today and likely rest them when they travel to Phoenix Wednesday. The Clippers have won four games in a row and would like to keep the momentum going into the postseason and going back, they are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up win. 10* (506) Los Angeles Clippers

The Hawks defeated Toronto on Thursday for their second straight victory to keep pace in the Eastern Conference as they are part of a four-team logjam that are separated by just one game between No. 3 and No. 6. Atlanta is tied with Boston for third place while Miami and Charlotte are just one game back but the Hawks are the one team than can control their own destiny and land the coveted No. 3 spot. That is important since it would mean missing the Cavaliers until the Conference Finals. Atlanta tries to cap this homestand with a 3-1 mark in its last regular-season game at Philips Arena. It has held every opponent on it to below 40 percent from the field, limiting Toronto to 38.1 percent the other night. Boston can take over the No. 3 spot with a win as it looks to extend its current four-game winning streak. Winning at Golden St. was huge but the other three have come against the hapless Lakers and the injury riddled Pelicans and Bucks. The Celtics are a game under .500 on the road but they have struggled in these spots as they are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 road games against teams with a winning home record including 1-7 ATS when the home team has a winning percentage of .600 or better while the Hawks are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games following a straight up win. 10* (704) Atlanta Hawks

Dallas defeated Houston last time out which has put the Rockets in a situation they may not be able to recover from but more importantly, the Mavericks are in great shape to make the postseason. They have won five straight games to move into seventh place in the Western Conference and they control their own destiny and while the rest of the schedule is not easy, they are likely going to be facing some teams that will be resting players. Dallas is now 22-17 at home which is actually the worst home record in the NBA among teams that are currently sitting in a playoff spot and the Mavericks have covered just two of their last eight home games. Memphis snapped a six-game losing skid with a win over Chicago on Tuesday and it was a huge, must needed victory. The Grizzlies have been fighting the major injury bug and they are slowly coming back which is a good sign heading into the postseason. They are fighting for playoff positioning as they are currently in fifth place but are just two games out of seventh place and three games out of eighth place, two positions no teams want to be part of. They face Golden St. twice and the Clippers to close out the season so this is feasibly the last winnable regular season game so it is a must. The Grizzlies are 5-1 ATS in their last six games against teams with a winning straight up record. 10* (515) Memphis Grizzlies

We played against Toronto last night as the Hawks were in a near must win situation based on their situation in the Eastern Conference standings and the fact they were looking to avoid the season series sweep against Toronto. Now the Raptors find themselves in a must win situation. They have the No. 2 spot locked up in the conference but are still mathematically alive for the No. 1 seed albeit very unlikely as they have to win out and the Cavaliers have to lose their remaining three games. The final three games for Toronto are against New York, Philadelphia and Brooklyn so winning out is very likely but it has to start here and the Raptors will be out to make up for the loss last night. They have lost consecutive games only five times this December and only one of those involved a loss in the second game at home and that happened to come against Golden St. and overall since December, they are 13-5 in 18 games following a loss. The Pacers are fighting it out with Detroit for the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference as they hold a half-game lead after three straight wins including a victory against Cleveland on Wednesday. Going back, the Pacers are 0-6 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win of more than 10 points while the Raptors are 5-0 ATS in their last five games playing on no rest. 10* (510) Toronto Raptors

Following three straight losses by double-digits, Minnesota pulled off the unthinkable as after trailing by as many as 17 points, the Timberwolves rallied to defeat Golden St. in overtime on Tuesday. Even though there was a day off in-between, they still have to feeling pretty good about that victory which puts them in a tough spot here. They have been one of the best teams in the league when playing good teams as they are 14-3 ATS on the road against teams with a winning record but are just 12-27 ATS this season against losing teams. Minnesota picked up its biggest victory of the season and it has been having trouble following any sort of victory as the Timberwolves are 3-14 over their last 17 games following a win. The Kings were defeated at home against Portland on Tuesday which snapped a six-game cover streak by Sacramento and it looks to bounce back here to try and make it five wins in their last six games following a loss. Getting up for a team such as Minnesota may not be easy at time but in this case, the Kings will have plenty of motivation as they have dropped the first three games of this season series and look to avoid the four-game sweep. 10* (708) Sacramento Kings

These teams met last Wednesday and we were on Toronto based on the fact the Raptors were coming off an embarrassing home loss by 19 points against Oklahoma City while Atlanta was riding a four-game winning streak so it set up very well for the Raptors. They have now won three of four games with the lone loss coming at San Antonio and while still alive for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, time is running out on the Raptors. Toronto is just 5-6 over its last 11 road games, three wins coming against non-playoff teams, another against Indiana which took overtime and the last against a Memphis team completely decimated by injuries. Atlanta still has plenty to play for as it is a half-game ahead of Miami in the Southeast Division, with the Heat also having a home game tonight, and it is just a game ahead of Charlotte. While the Hawks control their own destiny, any slip up and they can fall down to as far as sixth place in the Eastern Conference so each game is huge at this point. They are coming off a win over Phoenix but failed to cover the number which was their fourth straight cover loss so we like the spot they are in here to get it back. 10* (704) Atlanta Hawks

This line is off and we will take advantage of the home underdog here in what could be considered an early play-in game for the postseason. The winner of this game controls their own destiny as Dallas is currently in seventh place in the Western Conference so winning out clinches the spot while Houston, which sits in ninth place, would get into the postseason if it wins out because a tie with Dallas gives it the tiebreaker thanks to a 3-1 season series win. We won with the Rockets on Sunday but that was at home and it was a typical situation where they step up their play. They now have 12 wins over the NBA top ten which is seventh most in the league so when they want to play against the top teams, they in fact do it. Dallas lost three of four games after Chandler Parsons went down with a season ending knee injury but the Mavericks have recovered to find the optimal rotation as they have won four straight games to remain on the inside of the playoff picture. This is the first of five games to close the season that are against playoff competing teams so it will not be an easy finish but it is imperative the Mavericks take care of business at home. They have covered four of their last five games after a win while Houston is 0-5 ATS in its last five games following a win. 10* (512) Dallas Mavericks

We played against Detroit last night as the Pistons were pounded by Miami, trailing by as many as 23 points but the situation turns around tonight. They were coming off a big road win at Chicago which improved their playoff positioning and the good news about last night as they lost no ground as the Bulls lost in Memphis as well. Detroit still has a two-game edge on Chicago with four games left so a win here goes a long way. The Pistons have been average on the road this season but have performed well against the teams they should be defeating as they have won five of their last eight against non-playoff teams. Orlando defeated an injury-riddled Memphis team last time out and give the Magic credit for not throwing in the towel too early this season as they have been playing well of late with wins in four of their last five games. A win over Indiana was a best of the bunch and the only real quality win as this season, Orlando is 12-30 against teams ranked within the top 16 of their NBA, with Detroit being part of that group. That .286 winning percentage is the worst of any team ranked in the top 20. The Pistons are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games playing on no rest while going 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games following a straight up loss. 10* (505) Detroit Pistons

The Blazers had a four-game winning streak snapped on Sunday but it obviously caught the wrong team at the wrong time as the Blazers were thumped at Golden St. by 25 points. Unfortunately for them, the Warriors were coming off a loss at home against Boston the previous night so Portland was caught in a situation it could do nothing about. Now it needs to bounce back and could potentially leapfrog Memphis for fifth place in the Western Conference should it win here and the Grizzlies lose at home against Chicago. Additionally, the Blazers need to continue winning as they are just 2.5 games out of missing the playoffs altogether. Sacramento pulled off an upset at Denver on Sunday as it won without DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo but both will be back tonight which is fine as it keeping the number in check. The Kings have a better home record than the Blazers road record however they have struggled in these spots, going just 3-13 this season as home underdogs. Going back, the Kings are 15-36-2 ATS in their last 53 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400 while the Blazers are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 road games against teams with a losing home record. 10* (717) Portland Trailblazers

This line came out late due to the questionable status of Dwyane Wade but after participating in some Monday workouts, all signs point to his return tonight against the Pistons. Miami is back home following a three-game west coast roadtrip where it went 1-2 and failed to cover all three games. The Heat are now tied for fifth place in the Eastern Conference but things are extremely close as they trail Atlanta by just a half-game in the Southeast Division and they are also a half-game behind Boston so a strong ending to the season could vault them up to as high as third place. Miami is 25-13 at home so it needs to take advantage of that with three of its final six games taking place in Miami. Detroit picked up a massive win on Saturday as it won in Chicago to move two games up on the Bulls for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. It was a rare road win and we say rare considering it was the first road game since March 14, a span of nine home games in-between. That puts the Pistons in a tough spot tonight as they have covered just one of their last six games following an ATS win. Meanwhile, the Heat are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. 10* (704) Miami Heat

The Sixers find themselves in the rare spot of favorites tonight and it is one that we will take advantage of. Judging by the public consensus, no one wants any part of Philadelphia as New Orleans is the second biggest public consensus of the night. The Sixers have lost 12 straight games but they have covered half of those and one look at the schedule will show how tough it has been as they have been double-digit underdogs in eight of those including each of the last five. The Sixers have been favorites just three times this season and they have won and covered all three of those games. The Pelicans are incredibly banged up right now yet have won two straight games with no one player from the original starting lineup. They have now covered four straight games but getting up to play Philadelphia is a different story and with a game at Boston tomorrow night, a lookahead is more than possible. Going back, the are 5-1 ATS in their last six games against teams with a winning percentage below .400 while the Pelicans are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with a home winning percentage of less than .400. The Sixers stay perfect in this role. 10* (702) Philadelphia 76ers

If you though Saturday night was boring, well it was as the 61-point scoring differential was the largest combined margin of victory in Final Four history. Both teams have been playing at a high level the entire tournament as the North Carolina non-cover against Florida Gulf Coast in the opening round is the only game the two teams have not covered. For the first time since 2008, the No. 1 team in Ken Pomeroy's ratings will play the No. 2 team in Ken Pomeroy's ratings for the national title and that is significant since it shows how close these two teams are which gives the underdog the value. The Wildcats may be the better team anyway based on what they have done and what they are doing now. They are 48-for-98 (48.9 percent) from long range in the tournament which would make them the best three-point shooting team in the country albeit from a slam sample size. Villanova is already No. 2 in the nation in two-point field goal percentage (57.3 percent) and free throw percentage (78.2 percent) so all around, they are the team to beat in my opinion. Even more impressive, Villanova has had a much tougher road to get here as it has faced the highest possible seed in every round with the exception of the last round and Oklahoma was no slouch. North Carolina has not faced the seed it should be facing as each game going forward came against a higher than expected seed. While both teams are rolling and covering, the Wildcats are 40-18-1 ATS in their last 59 games against teams with a winning straight up record which is an impressive run going back. 10* (601) Villanova Wildcats

Even though it took place on Friday, there has to be some lingering effects for Boston after its huge road win at Golden St. two days ago. The Celtics became the first team since Jan. 27, 2015 to win at Golden St. and if ever there is a time for a letdown, this is it. This is the final game of a five-game roadtrip and the schedule sets up pretty good for Boston with four of its last five games taking place at home with the next two also coming against non-playoff contenders. The Celtics are in a tie for fifth place in the Eastern Conference, sitting a half-game out of third place while also sitting a half-game out of seventh place so there is a lot that can happen but in no way are we interested in laying close to double-digits on the road. The Celtics are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up win while going just 2-7 ATS in their last nine road games. The Lakers are coming off a win over Miami in overtime in their last game but that was way back on Wednesday so the time off negates any letdown possibility on their end. That win snapped a four-game skid and while the season winds down, the significance of this matchup favors Los Angeles. The Lakers are 17-12 ATS against the Eastern Conference this season. 10* (522) Los Angeles Lakers

Oklahoma City pretty much wrapped up the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference with a win over the Clippers at home on Thursday as it is now four and a half games clear of Los Angeles with six games remaining. The Thunder had an eight-game winning streak snapped with a loss at Detroit prior to that and while the streak included four road wins, they were just 4-5 in their previous nine road contests and on the season, they are just 11-17 ATS as road favorites. Houston could use ca big win here as it trails Dallas and Utah by one game for the final two playoff spots and despite the inconsistencies, the Rockets are in a good spot here. They have 11 wins over the NBA top ten which is tied for seventh most in the league so when they want to play, they in fact play. After today and a road game at Dallas Wednesday, the Rockets last four games are against four of the five worst teams in the Western Conference so the schedule is on their side in making that playoff run but stealing a game here can only help. Obviously the upcoming game against will be huge but it is three days away so there is no chance of a lookahead. The Rockets are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (508) Houston Rockets

We are seeing a line that is higher than expected but it is for good reason as the Kings will once again be without DeMarcus Cousins who is off for rest following serving his one-game suspension last night. Additionally, Rajon Rondo is getting the night off to rest so the two best players for Sacramento will not be on the court. Sacramento has covered five straight games which is helping negate this line somewhat. The Kings lost last night at home against Miami which is not a horrible loss but it sets up a situation they have been atrocious in all season. They are just 3-15 this season when playing with no rest including a 2-12 record when the second game is on the road. Denver closed March with a loss at New Orleans but it was still a successful month as the Nuggets went 9-8 which may not seem like a big deal but it was their first winning month of the season. This is a very young roster with two rookies and two second-year players in the starting lineup that continues to play hard every night and we can expect that the rest of the season. The Nuggets are 15-7 ATS in their last 22 games following a straight up loss while going 19-8-1 ATS in their last 28 games when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game. This is the fifth game in seven days for the Kings so while the star players rest, fatigue could come into play for everyone else. 10* (808) Denver Nuggets

Syracuse is certainly the surprise to be here in the Final Four and not many will be giving the Orange a shot in this one and the line is definitely saying that. North Carolina took both regular season meetings and that will be a big factor in the backing of the Tar Heels but beating the same team three times in the same season is not easy and looking at those first two meetings may not tell the whole story. The Orange led the first game by six points with 8:30 remaining before North Carolina unleashed on a huge run as it was able to create easy baskets and in the second meeting, the Orange had the ball down by three points in the final 10 seconds, but Michael Gbinije missed a layup. If there is one thing Syracuse proved effective at in its two regular season losses to North Carolina is that it was able to contain Marcus Paige. In the first meeting, he scored three points on 1-of-8 shooting and in the second meeting, Paige was 2-of-10 from the floor with six points. Overall, he was just 3-13 from long range and while some can be blamed on just cold shooting, the zone defense had a lot to do with that. The Syracuse defense has been the main reason it is in this position as it has allowed 55.8 ppg on 36.4 percent shooting and while keeping the Tar Heels to those averages likely will not happen, keeping them well below their own averages should keep them within the number. 10* (813) Syracuse Orange

While there is no need for motivation this time of year, you can imagine that Villanova might have a little extra spark which could get them out early. Way back in early December, the Sooners defeated the Wildcats by 23 points in Hawaii as they were atrocious from behind the arc, shooting just 4-32 (12.5 percent) and surely Villanova has not forgotten that matchup. Plus, there are plenty of differences since then anyhow. The Wildcats have become deadly efficient in the tournament, shooting over 46 percent from long range through four games and over 55 percent from the field. For comparison, the Sooners are shooting 44 percent from behind the arc, but a much less 48.5 percent from the field. Oklahoma has the best player on the court in Buddy Hield and while he has plenty of parts around him, Villanova arguably has the most talent top to bottom which makes the Wildcats a tough out because of their balance. There have been a ton of upsets in the NCAA Tournament but Villanova has not been fortunate to face one of those as it has faced the highest possible seed in every round from No. 15 to No. 7 to No. 3 to No. 1. The defense has led the way as they have not allowed more than 70 points in any postseason game and the defense has led the way most of the season. Going back, the Wildcats are 39-18-1 ATS in their last 58 games against teams with a winning straight up record while the Sooners are 3-11 ATS in their last 14 games against teams with a winning straight up record. 10* (811) Villanova Wildcats

The championship of the CBI Tournament has gone to a final game in the best of three series as Morehead St. and Nevada each won on their home floor in the first two games. The Wolf Pack have the advantage of playing the decisive game on their home floor and following a nine-point win here on Wednesday, they are again favored by the same amount. With this being the third game in five days between the two teams, I expect a very close game on Friday because of the familiarity. Nevada has covered every game thus far in the tournament and that is a huge reason the public is again all over the Wolf Pack but we are going contrarian in this one. This should be an ugly final game which favors the underdog with points being a premium. This is because Nevada ranks fourth in the nation, allowing just 99.5 points per 100 possessions, while Morehead State ranks sixth with 102.4 points per 100 possessions. With a championship on the line, expect both teams to play it a little more vanilla and while Nevada has been dominant on its home floor, the Eagles can no doubt win this game outright. Going back, the Eagles are 5-0-1 ATS in their last six games following a straight up loss. 10* (521) Morehead St. Eagles

Looking at some analysis of this matchup, many seem to be giving Toronto a win here before the game is even played. While the Raptors are the better team and the healthier team, laying this high of a number on the road is a little too much. We won with Toronto two nights ago as it defeated Atlanta to snap a 1-3 skid and continue its home dominance to improve to 29-9 at home. They are a solid road team and are still out to catch Cleveland for the top spot in the Eastern Conference but those are big reasons why they are biggest public consensus play of the night. The Grizzlies have lost four straight games but still have a hold on fifth place in the Western Conference albeit not by much. They are a game and a half ahead of Portland following a disappointing loss to Denver on Wednesday. Memphis is 25-13 at home and has its share of big home victories. Two of the losses during this stretch have come against the Spurs and speaking of the Spurs, Toronto has a game in San Antonio tomorrow night so a lookahead is more than possible. The Grizzlies are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games against the Eastern Conference while the Raptors are 1-4 ATS in their last five games against the Western Conference. 10* (510) Memphis Grizzlies