Sports Picks & Predictions

This is a play on the GOLDEN ST. WARRIORS for our NBA Game of the Week. The Cavaliers had their chance and blew it on Thursday as they let the possibly only opportunity to win a game in this series slip away. That could have put some doubt into the heads of the Warriors but if anything, it now gives them renewed confidence and motivation. Golden St. never covered the number throughout the game, but it is not like it played a bad game. It outshot Cleveland 51.1 percent to 44.4 percent, outshot the Cavaliers from long range and had only seven turnovers compared to the Cavaliers 11 miscues. The difference was rebounding as Cleveland won the rebounding battle 53-38 including 19-4 on the offensive glass. That prevented second chance opportunities on offense for the Warriors and also limited what they could do in transition even though they still racked up 28 fast break points. While Golden St. knows it got away with one, the Cavaliers mental state could be their demise here as the looks on some of the players after Game One was telling. Klay Thompson is questionable which takes away one of their better defenders, but it is the offense that can take this one over as Kevin Durant had a poor game and many questioned his effort. We can expect a big game from him and stop resorting to isolations. Golden St. falls into a great situation as we play against underdogs coming off a road cover where the team lost straight up as an underdog, in a game involving two teams with winning percentages between .600 and .750. This situation is 53-15 (77.9 percent) since 1996. 10* (504) Golden St. Warriors

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Sunday Enforcer. The Celtics once again stumbled on the road as it had a chance to close out this series but was unable to despite outshooting the Cavaliers 51.4 percent to 47.1 percent and getting the fortunes of a missing Kevin Love. They head back home where they are a perfect 10-0 this postseason both straight up and against the number and that is something we would typically fade but the public money is shading the side of Cleveland which is a bit surprising based on what we have seen. Love only played five minutes of Game Six and did not score so what LeBron James did was even more spectacular but repeating that on the road with no supporting cast will be a huge challenge. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Terry Rozier may only have six years of NBA experience among them, but in a seven-game first-round win over Milwaukee, in a five-game second-round win over Philadelphia, and in these first six games against Cleveland, they have shown they can handle the pressure James has won five straight Game Sevens, but his teams have never been as depleted as they are this season. While Boston was unable to avenge its first double-digit loss in this series, it is still 12-1 ATS this season revenging a loss of 10 points or more while going 15-3 ATS revenging a road loss of any kind. 10* (712) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Friday Enforcer. The season is on the line tonight for Cleveland and while the home team has dominated this series through the first five games, we are expecting the first close game of this series to finally take place tonight. Four of the five games have been decided by double-digits, all by at least nine points and the average deficit has been 18 ppg. For the Cavaliers, it has been LeBron James carrying the load, but the workload looks like it is starting to catch up. In the playoffs, James is averaging 40.6 minutes per game and has played more total minutes than anyone in the postseason and he was clearly fatigued in Game Five. He played down concerns of fatigue after the game, but his numbers have dropped off as the games go on so far in the conference finals. No one else has shown the ability to step up for Cleveland and at this point in the series, laying a large number like this is too much as we are getting the better team that is overdue for a strong performance on the road. Despite shooting only 36 percent, the Celtics improved to 10-0 at home in the playoffs as coach Brad Stevens changed his starting lineup, shortened his rotation to seven players and released waves of defenders at James and it obviously worked and now it is up to Boston to get it done away from home. The Cavaliers are 6-18 ATS after a loss by 10 points or more this season while going 2-13 ATS in their last 15 games after scoring 85 points or less. 10* (709) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the HOUSTON ROCKETS for our NBA Thursday Star Attraction. In the first close game of this series, after falling behind by double digits in both the first and third quarters, the Rockets came back both times and eventually pulled out the close victory to regain home court advantage in the Western Conference Finals. It took 5:18 for the Rockets to score their first points of the game, but then outscored the Warriors 53-34, including 38 points from Chris Paul and James Harden and that shows how dangerous this team is and one that can neutralize Golden St. While the pressure may have now shifted to the Houston side as being down 3-2 in this series and going back to Golden St. is a death sentence, the Rockets are still playing with house money which helps to play looser. It can be argued that the pressure still resides in Golden St. as it finds itself in a situation it has never been in since acquiring Kevin Durant. Before this series, the Warriors had gone a combined 24-3 in the playoffs while never losing more than one game in any of the six series. The confidence in Houston is at an all time high as it looked as though it was over after a 41-point loss and then falling behind 12-0 in Game Four, but they refused to give up and have the edge heading back home where the Rockets are 40-9 on the season. 10* (508) Houston Rockets

This is a play on the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS for our NBA Wednesday Enforcer. The Rockets snapped the Warriors 16-game home playoff winning streak last night so can the Cavaliers do the same to the Celtics nine-game home playoff run? The short answer is yes. While the home teams have dominated this series thus far, we are in store for a closer game after the first four games being decided by 19.3 ppg which means a strong chance for a road team to break through. Much has been said about the Cavaliers defense and how it is a liability and while there is no denying that, Cleveland needs its offense to play better in Boston. According to NBA Advanced Stats, the Cavaliers offense improved by a staggering 20.5 points per 100 possessions between Games One-Two and Games Three-Four and as a team, Cleveland shot 19.3 percentage points better from beyond the arc in its two series wins than in its two losses. The defense improved as well over the last two games, but it is the offense that needs to carry this team. The momentum is clearly with Cleveland now and it has the upper hand as Boston is a team that has thrived on youth this postseason and now suddenly looks disoriented without a go-to player and opposite a more veteran squad that has found a new attitude led by LeBron James. We mentioned yesterday that the pressure was on Golden St. despite being up 2-1 in its series and the pressure is now back on the Celtics here despite being back on their home floor. Being such a young and inexperienced team, that pressure will get to them tonight. 10* (707) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a play on the HOUSTON ROCKETS for our NBA Tuesday Enforcer. The call on the Rockets on Sunday was a bad one so coming back with them tonight may not seem prudent, but it is based on the opposite of what conventional wisdom is going by. The pressure is all over the Rockets to win tonight to avoid a 3-1 series deficit right? Not exactly. The Rockets have been written off after their landslide loss Sunday, but he worst has already happened for them and they are now playing with house money. If Golden St. loses, the series is tied with Houston reclaiming home court advantage and it will be without a big piece for tonight that is being overlooked. While not many believe that Andre Iguodala being out is not a big deal, it is a huge deal. Iguodala has proven himself to be a forerunner for the Warriors this year, when he is engaged the way he was engaged in Game Three, his teammates typically follow his lead and the lack of focus that can be attributed to the Warriors at times has a lot to do with Iguodala being engaged. Additionally, no other player on the roster can defend 1-5 like Iguodala, and that could be a huge advantage for the Rockets. Houston committed 19 turnovers in Game Three which was a big part of the 23 fast break points that the Warriors put up and the Rockets are well aware that they cannot let Golden St. go into transition. Despite a huge majority of the betting tickets on the Warriors, the line has actually gone from -8.5 to -8 in some places and this reverse line movement is a telling sign. Houston is 21-9 ATS in its last 30 road games revenging a loss while going 19-6 ATS in its last 25 games revenging a loss of 30 points or more. 10* (505) Houston Rockets

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Monday Enforcer. We had Cleveland on Saturday as it rolled to a 30-point win to cut its deficit in this series in half. That victory was one of all six games in the Conference Finals that have been decided by at least 13 points, four of which have been decided by at least 22 points. These finals are due for a close game and this could be the one as the Celtics look to rebound from a horrible effort in Game Three. They shot just 39.2 percent from the floor including 27.3 percent from long range while the typically stiff defense allowing Cleveland to shoot 48.7 percent and 50 percent respectively. All five Cavaliers starters scored in double-figures for the first in forever and we likely are not going to see that again while watching the Boston defense improve as a whole. Conversely, we will see a regression of the Cavaliers defense which has been horrible most of the season. They contested 76 percent of the Celtics' shots in Game Three, according to data compiled by ESPN Stats & Information, compared to just 58 percent on the shots they contested in Games One and Two. Boston has struggled on the road this postseason but that should be no excuse for the effort put forth and this has been an ideal spot all season long. Boston is 21-4 ATS revenging a loss where opponent scored 100 or more points this season including a perfect 12-0 ATS revenging a loss of 10 points or more. 10* (705) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the HOUSTON ROCKETS for our NBA Sunday Enforcer. With the Rockets winning Game Two by 22 points, people are already giving Game Three to Golden St., but it is not going to be as easy as they think. While the Warriors responded from defeats in the first round to San Antonio and then against the Pelicans in the Western Conference semifinals, this is a much tougher opponent and you cannot ignore the fact Houston won a league-high 31 road games during the regular season and are 3-1 on the road in the postseason. Houston is just 1-4 this season as a road underdog which sounds unappealing but three of those losses came with no Chris Paul in the lineup and the other came when everyone rested in the season finale at Sacramento. The victory was here against Golden St. in the season opener for both teams. The Warriors are 21-5 following a loss but they have only covered 14 of those 26 games due to inflated prices which we again have here. This is another odd betting scenario as 65 percent of bets and 78 percent of money is on Golden St., yet this line had not moved since it came out after Game Two on Wednesday night and has moved only a half-point in some spots. Houston cannot allow Golden St. to get out in transition and that ended up being a big part of the Warriors being able to pull away in Game One as they outscored Houston 18-3 in fast break points. Game Two was a completely different story as the Warriors finished with just seven fast break points and this will again be key in Game Three. 10* (503) Houston Rockets

This is a play on the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS for our NBA Saturday Star Attraction. Cleveland finds itself in a 2-0 hole but al least those first two games were on the road and now it gets back in the series by holding serve on its own home floor. We can see a scenario where the Cavaliers play one of their best games of the postseason amid adversity and then fall flat on Monday with this clearly being the biggest. The three days off in-between Games Two and Three benefits Cleveland more than Boston and not because of any rest factor but because it should fuel a fire for the Cavaliers while the Celtics confidence and momentum take a hit with the time off. Boston is now 9-0 at home in the postseason but this is a different team on the road. The Celtics are 1-4 on the highway and the offense has been the reason for the huge discrepancy. In those nine home games, Boston has shot fewer than 42 percent only once but in the five road games, it has shot below 42 percent four times. We know the Cleveland defense has been trash but all it takes is more effort, especially on its home floor, where it can get back in this series. Cleveland has been here before as just two years ago, it trailed 2-0 and then 3-1 in the NBA Finals to Golden St. before coming back to win in seven games and end the 52-year championship drought. The Cavaliers climb back into the series as we see inspired efforts and not just from LeBron James but from the role players that have been taking so much heat the last three days. 10* (704) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a play on the HOUSTON ROCKETS for our NBA Wednesday Enforcer. If the Rockets do not win tonight, this series is pretty assured to be over in four games, so this is a must win for Houston to keep any hope alive. They played good for half of Game One, but it was not the typical team effort that we have seen throughout the season and it will take a full team effort to even this series. Ad we think that happens tonight. James Harden takes a lot of heat for coming up small in the postseason but his effort in Game One cannot be understated. He still got grief from a select few gasbags, bashing him for ball-hogging and selfish play. The reality is, he was exceptional and most of his mistakes came from trying to do too much because he had to. One thing we mentioned in the Game One analysis was that Houston cannot allow Golden St. to get out in transition and that ended up being a big part of the Warriors being able to pull away as they outscored Houston 18-3 in fast break points. Despite the win and cover, the Warriors could be vulnerable tonight based on their inconsistent play on the road as since January 20th, they are just 11-11 in their 22 road games. We are aware that they were not at full strength and that Golden St. has only lost twice in the postseason with Kevin Durant Steph Curry on the floor together, but we cannot underestimate what Houston has done this season when healthy as well. Tying up the series is vital, and Houston does it tonight. 10* (502) Houston Rockets

This is a play on the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS for our NBA Tuesday Enforcer. We made a horrible call on the Cavaliers in Game One on Sunday as they came out with little energy and were unable to find any shooting touch. They missed their first 14 three-pointers and finished 4-26 from behind the arc. Needless to say, Cleveland needs to shoot better, and we are fully expecting that as it ended up shooting just 36 percent from the floor including only 32.7 percent by the starters. The Celtics boast a strong defense, but it is not that dominant as it was just one of those nights by the Cavaliers. They were not much better on defense as they lost their men and allowed a whopping 60 points in the paint which was a big factor in Boston shooting 51.2 percent from the floor. While the big news was LeBron James having an ineffective game, Kevin Love was neutralized as well and when he is clicking, the whole team plays better. Cleveland was out of it after the first quarter and a big reason for that was because Love sat on the bench for most of it because of two early fouls. Keeping him in the game early will be important. Back on March 27th, Cleveland also went 4-26 from long range against Miami and James took over in the next game by scoring 41 points on 14-26 shooting while pulling down 11 boards and dishing out eight assists. Cleveland now an underdog and on the season, it is 11-4 ATS when getting fewer than five points and here, we play against teams in the second half of the season that are +3 to +7 in scoring differential going up against teams with a +/- 3 scoring differential, after leading in their previous game by 15 or more points at the half. This situation is 51-22 ATS (69.9 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (701) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a play on the HOUSTON ROCKETS for our NBA Monday Enforcer. Despite being underdogs in Game One and not having the home court edge, the Warriors are over 2-1 favorites to win this series, so Vegas is telling us something in this opener. We like the Rockets home court edge, especially in the opening game where we typically see great energy from the home team in trying to not give up home court advantage. This is the first time all season that the Warriors are underdogs when both Steph Curry and Kevin Durant are on the floor. Additionally, it's the first time the No. 2 Warriors have been in a playoff series without home-court advantage since 2014 when they lost to the Los Angeles Clippers 4-3 in the opening round. Houston is 50-5 this season in games where James Harden, Chris Paul and Clint Capela have played, and during the regular season, the Rockets outscored their opponents in those games by an average of 11.5 ppg. Taking care of the ball will be vital throughout this series and Houston possesses a turnover rate of 9.8 per 100 possessions which is the second lowest postseason rate in the 41 years since the league started counting turnovers. While that increases productivity on offense, it also decreases fast break opportunities on defense which is important for the Rockets that ranked 22nd in transition defense this season. Golden St. is 9-21 ATS in its last 30 games when playing against a team with a winning record while Houston is 22-8 ATS in its last 30 games coming off a home no-cover where the team won straight up as a favorite. 10* (732) Houston Rockets

This is a play on the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS for our NBA Sunday Enforcer. Boston has gone 7-0 at home during the postseason yet comes in as a home underdog in Game One. That can be considered a value play on the Celtics, but the Cavaliers have found their rhythm as they took care of the Raptors in four games which set up five days of rest in-between games. That is a big deal for Cleveland which played 11 games in 22 days in the first two series, so this unexpected time off came at a great time. LeBron James is obviously the key for Cleveland as he has carried his team on his back in the playoffs as he has averaged 34.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 9.0 apg, 1.5 spg and 1.0 bpg. Boston has been his favorite target in the postseason as he has scored 979 points against the Celtics in the postseason, which is the most by any player in NBA history. The Cavaliers took out Boston in five games last season and James averaged 29.6 ppg, 6.8 apg, 6.4 rpg, 2.2 spg, and 1.2 bpg and he put up at least 30 points in all four of their wins. Although lost in the LeBron hype has been the improved play of Kevin Love who has regained his touch as he averaged 25 ppg and 11 rpg in the last three games against Toronto. The Celtics defense was tremendous during the regular season, but they have taken a big step back as they are allowing 105.8 points per 100 possessions after giving up just 101.5 ppg during the regular season. Cleveland won here in the last meeting in February by 22 points and Boston had Kyrie Irving at the time while this puts the Cavaliers in a great situation. We play against home underdogs that are revenging a loss of 20 points or more, off a home win by three points or less. This situation is 34-8 ATS (81 percent) since 1996. 10* (733) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Wednesday Enforcer. The Sixers kept the series alive with a win on Monday to send it back to Boston for Game Five and while momentum could be on their side, the Celtics have the overall edges to close out this series at home. It comes down to one thing for Boston and it is really simple, shoot the ball better. Turnovers were an issue Monday, but the decline has been mostly about the Celtics' shooting, and mostly about their shooting from beyond the arc. After shooting 32-for-71 (45 percent) from three-point range in Games One and Two, the Celtics shot 21-for-70 (30 percent) from long range in Games Three and Four. A return home definitely helps. Thus far in the postseason, the Celtics have been 11.5 points per 100 possessions better offensively at home (where they've averaged 111.4 ppg) than they've been on the road (99.9 ppg). Five of their six best offensive games of the playoffs have come at TD Garden, where they're 6-0. A win would close this series out at the opportune time with Cleveland already heading to the Eastern Conference Finals so close to equal rest is ideal. The Sixers are just three games over .500 on the road while the Celtics remain extremely tough at home with a 33-14 record. Boston is 10-0 ATS revenging a double-digit loss more this season and it falls into a solid situation where we play on home teams where the line is +3 to -3 after a game where they failed to cover the spread, in a game involving two teams with winning percentages between .600 and .750. This situation is 165-104 ATS (61.3 percent) since 1996. 10* (712) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the HOUSTON ROCKETS for our NBA Tuesday Enforcer. After Utah tied this series with a win in Houston in Game Two, the Rockets went full steam ahead on the road and swept both games in Utah by double-digits. That pretty much put an end to this series and the Rockets know that ending this series tonight is imperative with Golden St. likely doing the same against New Orleans. Houston was not great in Game Four on offense as it shot just 42 percent including 26.3 percent from long range, but it was the defense that did the job and that underrated unit does not get enough recognition. When the Rockets put the clamps on teams like they did in Games Three and Four, they are difficult to beat even when they have one of their worst shooting performances of the year. Houston limited Utah to 40.1 percent shooting in Games Three and Four, including 31 percent from behind the arc. Utah put together a special season after a slow start, but it does not have the horses to compete in a full series against a team like the Rockets, especially with Ricky Rubio sitting and he has already been downgraded to out for tonight. Houston is 20-9 ATS in its last 29 games when playing against a team with a winning percentage between .501 and .600 while the Jazz are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games following a double-digit loss at home. Additionally, we play against road underdogs that are outscoring their opponents by three or more ppg going up against an opponent after leading their last two games by 10 or more points at the half. This situation is 34-12 ATS (73.9 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (506) Houston Rockets

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA 76ERS for our NBA Monday Enforcer. While this series is likely over, the Sixers are not going down without a fight and a win could spark something. This series could easily be 2-1 Philadelphia as it blew a 22-point lead in Game Two and then lost in overtime in Game Three so while it is in a hole, it knows it can compete and remain alive for at least two more days. Given the way Game Three ended, with a couple of crucial turnovers in the closing moments, it might seem difficult look at the good things, but the reality is that the Sixers did enough things right in the first 46 minutes of the game that it never should have come down to the final seven. The turnovers were key, but Philadelphia has to close better down low as it missed 14 shots within four feet, so the game should not have even come down to the final seconds and when these shots fall tonight, Game Five will be necessary. What really makes this play stand out is the fact that the line is 2.5 points less than what it closed at in Game Three, so the value is on the home side. The revenge angle is in play as we back home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points that are playing with double revenge against opponent off an upset win over a division rival as an underdog. This situation is 52-22 ATS (70.3 percent) since 1996. 10* (502) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a play on the GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS for our NBA Sunday Enforcer. New Orleans stole Game Three of this series as it played a solid game offensively, shooting 50 percent from the floor and it held the Golden St. offense in check. The Warriors shot just 38 percent including only 29 percent from long range and we do not see them having a second straight poor game on offense. We expected the Pelicans to be more in line from the charity stripe, but they were once again outshot considerably and in the three games, Golden St. is 67-85 while New Orleans is just 25-32 and another significant advantage for the Warriors will be detrimental, especially if the Warriors shoot the ball better from the floor. One player we can expect to be better is Steph Curry as he scored only 19 points while shooting only 6-of-19 from the field and 3-of-9 from three-point range in 27 minutes. It was acknowledged that Game Two is always the worst coming back from injury for whatever reason and that was on full display after he came off the bench in his first game back. While New Orleans did not play a perfect game, it was a near perfect gameplan against the Warriors and duplicating that will be tough. going back, New Orleans is 2-14 ATS in its last 16 games off an upset win by 15 points or more as a home underdog and Golden St. falls into a fantastic situation where we play on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in the second half of the season with a scoring differential of +3 to +7 ppg going up against a team with a scoring differential of +/- 3 ppg, after allowing 110 points or more two straight games. This situation is 29-8 ATS (78.4 percent) since 1996. 10* (705) Golden St. Warriors

This is a play on the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS for our NBA Saturday Enforcer. Toronto had chances to win each of the first two games of this series, but it blew big leads in both and now finds itself in a hole that will be near impossible to get out of. Cleveland has the Raptors number and even though this is far from the strong Cavaliers teams of the past, they should continue to dominate this series, especially heading back home. The Cavaliers are 9-1 at home against the Raptors over the last three years in the regular season and postseason while riding an eight-game playoff winning streak against Toronto and are 21-3 at The Q against Eastern Conference playoff opponents. For the second straight game, the Cavaliers have had a significant advantage in points scored off turnovers and through the first two games, Cleveland is outscoring the Raptors 34-8 on points scored off turnovers. That is significant since those games were on the road and the home/road splits favor Cleveland even more. History is not on the side of Toronto as twenty-six teams have lost the first two games at home in a best-of-seven series and just five have come back to win the series with Game Three losses coming 17 times. The Cavaliers are 5-0 ATS in their last five games against teams with a winning percentage above .600 while the Raptors are 2-11 ATS in their last 13 games revenging a straight up loss as a favorite of seven or more points. Additionally, we play against road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points off a double-digit loss as a home favorite of 6 or more, with a winning record playing another winning team. This situation is 24-6 ATS (80 percent) since 1996. 10* (704) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a play on the NEW ORLEANS PELICANS for our NBA Friday Enforcer. The Pelicans are in a 2-0 hole in this series which was expected as the Warriors have now won 14 straight home playoff games. After sweeping the Blazers, many are expecting the Pelicans to get ousted in four games, but we expect them to steal at least one game and this is the one to get. New Orleans played good in Game Two as it was in it the whole game but a late 9-0 run from Golden St. put the game away. The Pelicans have a very underrated offense as they finished No. 8 in the NBA in offensive efficiency and they are shooting close to 50 percent from the floor in the postseason. The difference in this series has not been Golden St. taking control on offense or defense, but it has been from the free throw line. The Warriors are 46-59 from the charity stripe while the Pelicans are just 16-20 so the disparity is enormous, and we can expect a regression toward the mean with New Orleans heading back home. Golden St. is as healthy as it has been all season which is bad news for the rest of the NBA but it has not been good all season when playing against winning teams as it is 17-32 ATS against above .500 teams while going just 2-10 ATS in their last 12 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Meanwhile, the Pelicans are 24-8 ATS in their last 32 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. Additionally, we play against road favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points after a win by six points or less going up against an opponent after scoring 100 points or more in four straight games. This situation is 34-14 ATS (70.8 percent) since 1996. 10* (514) New Orleans Pelicans

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA 76ERS for our NBA Thursday Enforcer. The Sixers came up small in Game One of this series as they looked lethargic and had no sense of urgency to take an early lead in this series. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons both played well but no one else showed up as take away their 18-32 shooting, the rest of the team went 17-51 (33.3 percent) including a horrid 3-21 (14.3 percent) from long range. Defensively, the Sixers were just as bad as they allowed 17 three-pointers while Terry Rozier, Al Horford and Jason Tatum all posted postseason career highs in scoring. Amazingly, it was the first time that three Celtics players scored 25 or more points in a non-overtime postseason game since Boston's original Big Three of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish did so in 1987. The Sixers appeared to come in overconfident after their easy series win over Miami while Boston had to go the distance against Milwaukee, so it was human nature to come in and not take a team as serious as they should. We expect the effort to be much different tonight and it is going to be a tough task for Boston to play as good as it did in the opener. Philadelphia has responded well in the past as it is 19-6 in its last 25 games coming off a double-digit road loss and is has a solid situation in its favor as we play against home underdogs after successfully covering the spread in two or more consecutive games, with a winning record on the season playing another winning team. This situation is 69-35 (66.3 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (509) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a play on the UTAH JAZZ for our NBA Wednesday Star Attraction. Houston took Game One of this series on Sunday, but we felt good with the Utah pick even though it did not cover, and it is good enough to back the Jazz again. Utah shot 50 percent from the floor which was close to five percent higher than the Rockets, but the difference was long range shooting as Houston hit 53.1 percent of its shots from beyond the arc compared to just 31.8 percent for the Jazz. We do not expect that to happen again while we expect the two-point shooting to hold form although maybe not as extreme as Utah held the edge there on Sunday 57.4 percent to 40 percent and that is a huge variance for a much higher percentage shot. The Jazz played better than what the final score indicated as a lot that could be attributed to first game jitters as they got behind big early and could not recover. We saw a similar situation last night as New Orleans trailed by 21 points at halftime in Game One but responded with a solid effort in Game Two. A similar outcome should be expected tonight. Houston is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 games after covering three straight games as a favorite and Utah falls into a solid contrarian situation as we play on road underdogs of 10 or more points after failing to cover the spread in two or more consecutive games going up against an opponent after successfully covering the spread in two or more consecutive games. This situation is 53-32 (62.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (507) Utah Jazz

This is a play on the TORONTO RAPTORS for our NBA Tuesday Enforcer. Many are calling this the biggest playoff game in Toronto history and it is hard to argue that fact. The Cavaliers have dispatched the Raptors each of the last two years, winning in six games in the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals and sweeping them in the second-round last season. Setting the tone in the opening game is huge for Toronto in trying to solve the postseason problems with Cleveland. One huge edge going into tonight is the fact the Raptors will be the more rested team, having wrapped up their first-round series against the Wizards in six games on Friday while Cleveland needed seven games to defeat Indiana which ended on Sunday. The Cavaliers are not a very good team right now as it is LeBron James and that is about it and while he can take over a game by himself, the challenge will be more difficult here. They struggled in all three games in Indiana and now they face the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference as Toronto is now 37-7 at Air Canada Centre including three wins over Washington in the first round. The Cavaliers are 6-15 ATS in their last 21 road games against teams with a winning home record and while Cleveland has been very good as an undog this season, it has been an underdog of six points or more only once and that resulted in a loss and non-cover in Portland. The Raptors fall into an excellent playoff situation as we play against underdogs as a No. 4 seed in the playoffs, in the 1st game of a playoff series. This situation is 22-4 ATS (84.6 percent) since 1996. 10* (558) Toronto Raptors

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA 76ERS for our NBA Monday Star Attraction. Philadelphia is coming off a 4-1 series win over Miami and it dominated with three of those wins coming by 13, 20 and 27 points and this team is peaking at the right time. The Sixers have now won 20 of their last 21 games while going back, they are 31-6 over their last 37 games so this is a very dangerous team for the teams ahead of them in the standings. Philadelphia had the most efficient starting five in the NBA this season and while Boston got the best of Philadelphia during the regular season as it won three of four meetings, the last one came in mid-January and both teams are much different since then. The Celtics survived a hard-fought series against Milwaukee with the home team winning all seven games. Boston is an elite defensive team however Philadelphia will be a much harder team to defend than Milwaukee. Philadelphia uses constant movement offensively, has an inside game to complement their outside shooters and it hits the offensive boards hard, something Milwaukee did not do. The Jaylen Brown injury for Boston is significant as it was able to produce without him against the Bucks, but it will be a much bigger challenge in this matchup as he is listed as doubtful for tonight. coming off a big win is no issue for the Sixers as they are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games following a double-digit win and they have a great situation on their side where we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 that are revenging a straight up loss as a favorite going up against an opponent after a cover as a double-digit favorite. This situation is 33-8 ATS (80.5 percent) since 1996. 10* (555) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a play on the UTAH JAZZ for our NBA Sunday Enforcer. Houston cruised in its first-round series against Minnesota as it lost just the one game on the road and while the opponent now may not seem like a big roadblock heading toward the faceoff against Golden St., it is not going to be easy. Everyone expected Houston to be here but not the same group expected Utah to be here, but this is a sneaky Jazz team that plays the patented playoff basketball. The Jazz won 29 of their last 35 games in the regular season, with the league's best defense (by a wide margin) and the 11th ranked offense over that time. The loss of Ricky Rubio is not ideal for sure but that only gives Donovan Mitchell the opportunity to step up even more. Rubio played only seven minutes on Friday before leaving with a hamstring injury, so Mitchell took over with 38 points and these opportunities look to be right in his wheelhouse. The Houston offense has been the focal point for most of the season, but it is the only team in the playoffs that is getting outshot on the season and no one is paying attention to that. The Jazz took 75 percent of their shots from the restricted area or three-point range and only the Rockets (81 percent) had a higher rate in the first round. Houston took all four meetings this season against Utah by double-digits but three of those took place in 2017 when Utah was a different team while the final game in February was closer than the final score indicated. Here, we play on double-digit road underdogs that are revenging a home loss after a cover as a double-digit favorite. This situation is 40-18 (69 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (553) Utah Jazz

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Saturday Enforcer. The home team has held serve in all six games of this series thus far and we expect that to continue through the final game. Typically, this could be a good contrarian play to back the Bucks but there is too much going on the Celtics side especially with Milwaukee coming off a hot shooting night. The last game played here on Sunday was a very similar setup with the Bucks coming off a game where they shot 52.1 percent from the floor which was over 10 percent better than the Celtics. Boston locked down on defense which we anticipate happening again tonight as Boston looks to improve upon its 30-14 home record. Three-point shooting has been a main ingredient to the success of the home team in this series as Milwaukee shoots 7.6 percent better at home than on the road while the Celtics are almost identical with a 7.3 percent differential favoring the home floor. During the regular season, the Celtics were No. 1 in the league allowing teams to shoot just 33.9 percent from long range and after allowing the Bucks to hit just 27.3 percent at home in Game Five, we will another strong defensive effort. While history cannot dictate future outcomes, it is important to note how big home court is in series elimination games as there have been just 26 Game Seven road winners in 128 games in NBA playoff history with the home team winning close to 80 percent of the time. Boston has lost 10 games this season by double-digits where it has had a chance for payback. It has gone 9-0 ATS in the previous nine opportunities with the tenth being tonight. 10* (702) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the INDIANA PACERS for our NBA Friday Enforcer. The Pacers came through on Wednesday as they rallied from a 12-point deficit and had a chance to pull off the upset but a no call on a goaltend by LeBron James set up the game winning possession for the Cavaliers. James finished with a 44-10-8 line and was 15-15 from the free throw line and yet it still took a last second shot to win which shows how dependent Cleveland is on just one player and that is not a good sign in the postseason. As mentioned on Wednesday, this has been an Indiana dominated series based on the fact the Cavaliers have not run away with any game. Cleveland and Indiana have played nine times this season with five of those games resulting in wins by the Pacers, three of those games resulting in wins by the Cavaliers by three, three and four points and the final game resulting in a Cleveland win by seven points. Indiana has covered four of the five games in this series and it could be five-for-five, but it blew a golden opportunity in Game Four at home to take a 3-1 series lead so now it needs to take care of business at home to extend. The Cavaliers are 11-22 ATS this season against teams shooting 46 percent or better from the floor and we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 (that are allowing 103 or more ppg, after a win by three points or less. This situation is 94-49 ATS (65.7 percent) since 1996. 10* (512) Indiana Pacers

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Thursday Enforcer. We won with Boston on Tuesday in the pivotal Game Five as the Celtics grabbed a 3-2 series lead heading back to Milwaukee. The key to the victory was defense. The Bucks shot 54.2 percent from the floor heading into Game Five and over the last three decades, only three other teams shot better through the first four games of a playoff series. On Tuesday, they hit only 36.7 percent of their shots and it was no coincidence. The return of Marcus Smart was the main cause as his offensive line was average but there was the defense on Khris Middleton, who had shot the lights out in the four previous games but was held to 23 points on 21 shots. Semi Ojeleye was inserted into the starting lineup not for his offense as his strength and positioning kept Giannis Antetokounmpo off balance as he was unable to drive and was held to just 16 points on 10 shots. That defense will be important again tonight. Boston went 17-13 while Smart was sidelined with his hand and thumb injury and it is 41-16 with him in the lineup. The Celtics have covered four of the five games in this series which has extended the recent situations as Boston is now 28-14 ATS against winning teams while Milwaukee is 8-18 ATS in its last 26 games against teams with a winning record. Additionally, the Bucks are 4-15 ATS as home favorites of six points or less this season. 10* (501) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER for our NBA Wednesday Supreme Annihilator. Oklahoma City closed the regular season strong by going 11-5 over their final 16 games with all five losses all coming by four points or less and it then took Game One of this series against Utah. It has been all downhill since then as the Thunder have dropped the last three games to fall behind 3-1 and now must reel off their own three-game winning streak to win this series and they are more than capable of doing that. Russell Westbrook is unfairly taking the blame for this meltdown and while his shots have not been falling, he is doing the other things which he has done all season. Carmelo Anthony is doing nothing for Oklahoma City yet is not taking nearly as much flack despite going 17-46 (37 percent) from the floor including 4-19 (21 percent) from long range and grabbing a total of just 19 rebounds and handing out zero assists during this three-game slide. The due factor is never part of backing a team since there is no substance behind it but Anthony is due more than anybody which would be an added bonus. Westbrook and Paul George can take over a game and we expect that here as the Thunder are not prepared to go home yet. We are seeing a reverse line move in this one as this game opened at -3 and has gone to -3.5 despite a huge percentage of the money coming in on the Jazz. 10* (716) Oklahoma City Thunder

This is a play on the INDIANA PACERS for our NBA Wednesday Star Attraction. The Pacers let one get away on Sunday and according to some of the media gasbags, they lost their chance to win this series which is the furthest from the truth. Cleveland and Indiana have played eight times this season with five of those games resulting in wins by the Pacers, two of those games resulting in wins by the Cavaliers by three and four points and the final game resulting in a Cleveland win by seven points. Clearly, the Cavaliers are again overpriced as Indiana has shown all season that it can play with and beat Cleveland, but this number is priced on home team public action. This is a situation where most of the betting tickets are on the Pacers by a 2-1 margin but the money on the Indiana side is 90 percent, indicating the smart money is on the Pacers side. While Cleveland has struggled with Indiana this season except for one win by seven points, it has struggled in this situation all season against most teams. The Cavaliers are 11-21 ATS this season against teams shooting 46 percent or better from the floor while going 3-16 ATS as home favorites between 6.5 and 12 points. Indiana meanwhile is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games against winning teams and it has covered six straight games following a loss. Additionally, we play on road teams allowing 103 or more ppg, after trailing their last two games by double-digits at halftime. This situation is 150-89 ATS (62.8 percent) since 1996. 10* (711) Indiana Pacers

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Tuesday Supreme Annihilator. The home team has held serve through the first four games of this series and we expect that to continue Tuesday. The Celtics are 29-14 at home while the Bucks are five games under .500 and on the season, Boston is 14-7 ATS at home against winning teams. One key factor Boston has dominated in this series is the offensive glass. The Celtics have won the offensive rebounding battle against the Bucks in all four games and by a combined 53-21. This sets up a lot more second chance opportunities where they need to continue to take advantage of. During the regular season, the Celtics were No. 1 in the league allowing teams to shoot just 33.9 percent from long range. In the playoffs, they are dead last, allowing the Bucks to shoot 43.6 percent. Milwaukee was no where near that percentage during the regular season, so we can expect some regression. On the flip side, Boston is shooting below its average from beyond the arc and the last two games have been especially bad, so the return home will help. Boston is 18-4 ATS this season revenging a loss where the opponent scored 100 or more points while Milwaukee is just 18-30 ATS in its last 48 games coming off a home win. Additionally, we play on teams where the line is +3 to -3 after allowing 100 points or more two straight games going up against an opponent after a win by three points or less. This situation is 61-27 ATS (69.3 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (702) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the HOUSTON ROCKETS for our NBA Monday Enforcer. We were on the Timberwolves on Saturday as they cut the Houston deficit in this series in half, but we are expecting the Rockets to respond and retake control. Part of the reason for backing the Timberwolves in Game Three was the fact it was the first home playoff game in Minnesota is 13 years and while letdown may be the wrong term here, there is little chance there is as much energy as there was on Saturday night. As mentioned, the Rockets were unconscious in the first two games of this series from long range, going a combined 38-82 (46.3 percent) but they were just 5-41 (36.6 percent) in Game Three and we expect a reversal of that especially from James Harden who is 4-18 over the last two games from behind the arc. A turnaround on defense can also be expected as Minnesota shot 50 percent from the floor and put up 121 points in Game Three, but the Timberwolves averaged 91.5 ppg in the first two games and shot just 38.8 percent from the field in Game Two. Houston dominated this series during the regular season as well and the loss on Saturday was just the third over the last 23 meetings. The Rockets have been excellent at payback as they are 19-9 ATS in their last 28 games revenging a loss while going 18-7 ATS in their last 25 road games after allowing 115 points or more. Meanwhile, Minnesota is 13-26 ATS in its last 39 games after scoring 115 or more points in its previous game. 10* (509) Houston Rockets

This is a play on the Cleveland CAVALIERS for our NBA Sunday Supreme Annihilator. The Cavaliers are once again in a hole as they lost Game Three and as the series goes on, the games following a loss become that much more important. This series has been made up of runs by both sides as the Pacers had it in Game One, the Cavaliers had it in Game Two, and they shared it in Game Three, with Indiana having it last to take the series lead. Cleveland has been down 3-1 before and came back to win but that is not an ideal situation but the pressure here is on Indiana as a 2-2 series going back to Cleveland puts the Pacers in a bad spot. The Cleveland defense has stepped it up in this series and it is the offense that has looked uneven as LeBron James has been the only consistent threat thus far. There is concern that point guard George Hill could mis this game but that would not be a bad thing as he brings nothing to the table. He is averaging 8.7ppg and 1.7 apg in this series which are horrible for a point guard and when he was out earlier in the season, Cleveland went 4-1 with the lone loss coming by two points at Philadelphia. Here, we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 that are allowing 103 or more ppg, after a win by three points or less. This situation is 93-49 ATS (65.5 percent) since 1996. 10* (507) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a play on the WASHINGTON WIZARDS for our NBA Sunday Enforcer. We saw how good Washington can be when both John Wall and Bradley Beal are playing well together, and more importantly, on the floor together. They scored a combined 56 points on 52.4 percent shooting on Friday after both sat out for long stretches in Game Two because of foul trouble. The home floor energized the entire team in Game Three and we expect that to carry over where the Wizards are now 4-1 ATS in their last five games at home. Toronto can take over this series with a win and while its 24-17 road record looks good, it is skewed. Going back to December 26, the Raptors are 14-10 in their last 24 road games which is respectable, but they are 11-1 in that stretch against non-playoff teams while going 3-9 against teams that are still playing. Following the Friday loss, the Raptors are 6-11 ATS on the road against teams with a winning record including 1-5 ATS in their last six games. Meanwhile, the Wizards are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games against teams with a winning road record and they have a situation on their side as we play against road teams where the line is +3 to -3 that have covered six or seven of their last eight games, with a winning record on the season. This situation is 76-39 ATS (66.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (506) Washington Wizards

This is a play on the MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES for our NBA Saturday Enforcer. Like the Wizards in their series against a No. 1 seed, the Timberwolves have their backs against the wall, but a return home should energize them and get them back into the series. Houston showed its depth in Game One as James Harden scored only 12 points on 2-18 shooting, but the Rockets were still able to win by 20 points. Second chance points were a big part of that game for Houston and that has to change and the one player than can turn that around is Karl Anthony-Towns. He has been held in check as he has scored just 13 points combined but has decent on the boards but can still improve there as well. The Timberwolves are 30-11 at home and while two of those losses came against Houston, the rockets were unconscious in both of those games from long range, going a combined 38-82 (46.3 percent) and we do not see that continuing here. This is the first home playoff game in 13 years for Minnesota so to say it will be a crazy atmosphere is an understatement. The Timberwolves are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 home games while the Rockets have failed to cover their last four road games and are 1-7 ATS in their last eight game against the Western Conference. Here, we play on home underdogs after a game where they failed to cover the spread, playing their third game or less games in 10 days. This situation is 105-65 ATS (61.8 percent) since 1996. 10* (722) Minnesota Timberwolves

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA 76ERS for our NBA Saturday Afternoon Dominator. The Sixers had their 17-game winning streak snapped at home in Game Two of this series because of a memorable performance from Dwyane Wade off the bench as he poured in 28 points, the first time he has scored more than 13 points since early March. He did not come close to backing that up in Game Three and no one on this team has the ability to step up right now. With Joel Embiid back on the floor, Philadelphia showed what a dominant team it has become as it shot 50.6 percent from the floor in its 20-point win on Thursday in Game Three. Miami did defeat the Sixers at home twice during the regular season and a main reason for that was the play of Hassan Whiteside, but he has been nonexistent in this series as he has scored a combined 11 points in the three games as he continues to deal with foul troubles and a place in the doghouse with head coach Eric Spoelstra. The Sixers are 22-11 ATS in their last 33 games coming off a road win and 21-11 ATS in their 32 games this season coming off a double-digit win. Additionally, we play against home teams in April games coming off a home loss by 20 or more points. This situation is 41-15 ATS (73.2 percent) since 1996. 10* (717) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a play on the WASHINGTON WIZARDS for our NBA Friday Enforcer. Washington has dug itself into a 0-2 hole in this series with tonight being a must win situation. We saw the Spurs and Blazers unable to get back into their respective series, but Washington is in a very doable situation as it heads back home. The Toronto offense has been the story of this series as it has averaged 122 ppg on 52.4 percent shooting which has covered up the fact that Washington has been pretty solid on that side of the ball (109.6 points per 100 possessions, fifth-best out of the 16 playoff teams through two games). This is excellent considering Bradley Beal has been absent through the two games and we should see him get his game going tonight. Letting Toronto win the first two games comfortably was surprising as while the Wizards struggled all season with teams with records under .500, they knocked off nine playoff-bound opponents after the All Star Break. Toronto has been a strong road team this season, but the Wizards are 5-2 ATS in their last seven home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. Additionally, we play on home teams with a winning percentage between .501 and .600 where the line is +3 to -3 that are coming off two or more consecutive road losses, playing a winning team. This situation is 80-43 ATS (65 percent) since 1996. 10* (714) Washington Wizards

This is a play on the SAN ANTONIO SPURS for our NBA Thursday Enforcer. Golden St. has dominated the first two games of this series, winning by 21 and 15 points and it is a big public consensus again tonight as not many are giving the Spurs any chance in this series to win a game. This is the game to win as San Antonio heads home where it is 33-8 on the season including 11 straight wins. This recent winning streak includes victories against eight current playoff teams although the win over Golden St. does come with an asterisk as none of the big four played, but all the others were legit. The Spurs offense will have to get better and it has been much more efficient at home this season and they have been a great bounce back team as they are 18-5 ATS in their last 23 home games after three straight games where they shot 42 percent or worse from the floor. Despite the two recent covers, Golden St. is 4-14 ATS in its last 18 games against teams with a winning percentage between .501 and .600 while going 3-11 ATS in its 14 games this season coming off two or more consecutive home wins. Additionally, we play on home teams with a winning percentage between .501 and .600 where the line is +3 to -3, coming off two or more consecutive road losses, playing a winning team. This situation is 80-42 ATS (65.6 percent) since 1996. 10* (528) San Antonio Spurs

This is a play on the Cleveland CAVALIERS for our NBA Wednesday Supreme Annihilator. We won with Indiana on Sunday in a wire-to-wire victory, but we will be backing the Cavaliers tonight in a bounce back situation. This goes along with the bounce angle, or zig-zag theory, in the NBA playoffs which has been an up and down philosophy over the years. The theory is to back the team that lost the previous game and while it was highly successful years ago, linesmakers have adjusted more recently so these zig-zag spots have to be chosen more carefully. One of those is tonight. The loser of Game One is just 1-4 ATS in Game Two thus far but tonight we have a situation that involves reverse line movement. As of Wednesday morning, over 60 percent of tickets and money are on the Pacers, yet the line is moving the other way and backing the lesser bet team has paid off in the postseason despite what may seem like a bad line. Since 2005, playoff favorites receiving 40 percent or fewer of spread tickets have gone 31-17-2 ATS (64.6%) when there is reverse line movement, which is the case for Cleveland. The Cavaliers cannot shoot any worse than they did in Game One as they shot 38.5 percent from the floor including a ridiculous 25 percent from outside of five feet. You will hear some media talking about how Indiana shot lights out but that was not the case it shot below its season average and that was against what is considered a bad defense. It comes down to Cleveland shooting tonight. Additionally, we play on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points off two or more consecutive home losses, in April games. This situation is 37-11 ATS (77.1 percent) since 1996. 10* (518) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a play on the WASHINGTON WIZARDS for our NBA Tuesday Enforcer. Washington played Toronto tough for three quarters but a flagrant foul by Mike Scott early in the fourth quarter gave the Raptors a spark which led to a 7-0 run that eventually put the game away. The win snapped a 10-game losing streak of series opening losses so while that gives Toronto some positive momentum, the Wizards are in a good spot to keep another game close and this time throughout the entire contest. A big key for Washington is John Wall as he put up decent numbers in Game One, but he needs to be more efficient. He needed 20 field-goal attempts to get his 23 points, and his 15 assists came attached to five turnovers. One of the biggest differences in Game One was the shooting from the perimeter, as the Raptors doubled the Wizards with a franchise playoff best 16 made three-pointers on 30 attempts. We expect that percentage to come down in Game Two. Despite the win and cover, the Raptors are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven home games against teams with a losing road record. Additionally, we play on road underdogs after failing to cover five or six of their last seven games against the spread going up against an opponent after having covered two of their last three games against the spread. This situation is 178-114 (61 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (705) Washington Wizards

This is a play on the INDIANA PACERS for our NBA Sunday Star Attraction. Many are predicting the Cavaliers to once again make it our of the east and while that is not a bold statement, the gap between the Cavaliers and every other team has shrunk. They are laying a number they do not deserve to be laying as the power rankings do not call for it and neither does the Cleveland history from this season as it is 3-14 ATS as a home favorite between 6.5 and 12 points. The Cavaliers have 19 wins over top 16 teams in the league and that is tied for third fewest among all playoff teams (Indiana has 21). The Pacers bring some momentum into the postseason as they have won seven of their last 10 which includes the season ending loss where the starter sat and going back, they are 14-7 since the start of March and 18-9 since mid-February. Indiana held its own against the Cavaliers this season, winning three of the four meetings which could make this a very interesting series and one that will not be as easy as some may think and a lot of that will come down to the poor Cleveland defense. Here, we play against home favorites after allowing 100 points or more in five straight games going up against an opponent after scoring 55 points or more in the first half in two straight games. This situation is 59-26 (69.4 percent) since 1996. 10* (511) Indiana Pacers

This is a play on the PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS for our NBA Saturday Enforcer. We won with the Blazers in their final regular season game as they were able to lock down the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference but more importantly, they put an end to their four-game losing streak. It was a difficult stretch leading up to Wednesday as seven of their previous nine games were on the road where they finished 21-20 on the season. Portland has to take advantage of its home floor and it has been hot, covering 20 of their last 27 home games. Additionally, they are 15-3 ATS in their last 18 games against teams allowing 106 or more ppg with the average scoring margin being more than 10 ppg. New Orleans won its final five games of the regular season to nail down a playoff spot. Three of those games were on the road and while a win over Golden St. was good, the Warriors have not been the same team. The Pelicans lost their previous three road games against playoff teams and while the road has been good overall, they are just 7-22 ATS in their last 29 road games coming off a double-digit win. They fall into a negative situation where we play against road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points off a divisional win by 20 points or more going up against an opponent off a home win. This situation is 33-12 ATS (73.3 percent) since 1996. 10* (508) Portland Trailblazers

This is a play on the PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS for our NBA Wednesday Enforcer. Several games tonight have playoff implications but only four of those involve both teams playing for something. This is one of those as Portland and Utah are playing for seeding and while it is more important for Utah since a loss and a win by Oklahoma City drops it into fifth place, we feel it is bigger for the Blazers just from a mental standpoint. They have lost their last four games although all of those were on the road including the final three against playoff teams. It was not that long ago that the Blazers won 13 consecutive games so ending the regular season on a 4-8 run is the last thing they want. They are 27-13 at home and the Blazers are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games against teams with a winning straight up record. This is a huge game for the Jazz as mentioned but they could not be in a worse spot due to who they are playing and coming off a 40-point win over the Warriors last night. Utah has won six straight games to get into this position, but this is the first back-to-back over this stretch. While the Jazz are 7-0 in the second of a back-to-back at home, they are just 3-5 on the road and they have failed to cover their last four games playing with no rest. Additionally, we play against road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points that are revenging a home loss of 10 points or more, off a home win by 10 points or more. This situation is 114-62 ATS (64.8 percent) since 1996. 10* (720) Portland Trailblazers

This is a play on the WASHINGTON WIZARDS for our NBA Tuesday Enforcer. There are two teams in action tonight that are playing for something as Philadelphia needs to win to move back a game in front of Cleveland for the No. 3 seed while Washington is looking to get out of the No. 8 spot. The Wizards are a half-game behind Miami and a win here and tomorrow against Atlanta could vault them up as the Heat face Toronto in their final game. The No. 7 spot is big as that teams would face Boston in the first round with the Celtics being the weakest of the top four teams with home court advantage. Washington could use some momentum as well as it has lost four straight games, all of which took place since John Wall returned but that is a bit skewed as he rested in two of those and the other two were on the road in Cleveland and Houston. Boston is playing out the string of the regular season as it remains without Kyrie Irving and Marcus Smart and it comes into tonight losers of three of its last four games. This is an instance where we are seeing reverse line movement as the public is on Boston and it is the biggest road consensus of the night, yet we are seeing the number move the other way. Going back, Washington is 83-53 ATS in its last 136 games coming off an upset loss as a favorite. 10* (506) Washington Wizards

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS for our NBA Monday Star Attraction. The Western Conference playoff race is going to come down to the final day of the regular season as five teams are fighting for four spots while only the top two seeds know their positioning. This is obviously a must win game for New Orleans which is currently tied for fifth place with San Antonio and Oklahoma City, but a must win is hardly a guarantee let alone a cover. These must win teams have their prices severely inflated due to the situation as four other teams that need to win are favored by double-digits while the Pelicans are heavy road favorites. To their credit, they have been solid as road favorites this season but 10 of 12 wins have come against teams with losing records. The Clippers are missing the playoffs for the first time in seven years following their loss to Denver on Saturday. While they may be feeling the letdown from that, what makes this play a special one is the fact that it is a nationally televised game so there is no way they will lie down. They fall into a successful situation as well as we play against road favorites after a win by six points or less going up against an opponent after a combined score of 205 points or more in four straight games. This situation is 48-24 ATS (66.7 percent) since 1996. 10* (718) Los Angeles Clippers

This is a play on the INDIANA PACERS for our NBA Sunday Enforcer. The Pacers are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with no chance to move down but they still have a shot at the No. 4 spot which would be huge. Right now, they would face the Cavaliers in the first round without home court advantage, but flipping is ideal and while the chances are slim, they are still there. Indiana is coming off one of its worst games offensively as it scored just 73 points against the Raptors on Friday, so of for nothing else, it wants to get back in the groove as this is one of the best offenses in the NBA. The Pacers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 road games following a loss by 15 or more points. Charlotte meanwhile is coming off one its best games offensively as it put up 137 points against Orlando on Friday. That snapped a four-game slide, but this is a team playing for nothing at this point. Charlotte is 5-14 ATS in its last 19 games when playing against a team with a winning record and it falls into a negative situation where we play against home underdogs after leading in their previous game by 20 or more points at the half. This situation is 85-38 ATS (69.1 percent) since 1996. 10* (503) Indiana Pacers

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA 76ERS for our NBA Friday Enforcer. The Cavaliers won a huge game last night as they came back from 16 points down in the final quarter to move into sole possession of third place in the Eastern Conference. While that is the main story, Cleveland was down by 17 points at one point which no one will talk about, but it needs to be brought up, especially in the second game of a back-to-back. The Sixers have won 12 straight games which put them into a tie for third place at the time before last night and now they host their biggest game of the season. A win here leapfrogs them over Cleveland into the No. 3 spot with a very favorable schedule in their remaining three games so that means hosting a first round series. The Sixers have beaten a lot of bad teams during this winning streak, but they also have their share of quality wins and Cleveland has played the third easiest schedule in the league. The Sixers are 16-4 ATS in their last 20 games against teams allowing 106 or more ppg and they fall into a situation where we play against teams with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 where the line is +3 to -3 after successfully covering the spread in three or more consecutive games, playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 41-18 ATS (69.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (508) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a play on the INDIANA PACERS for our NBA Thursday Enforcer. Golden St. has won three straight games as it is getting healthier heading into the playoffs starting next week. Staying healthy is the concern now with four regular season games remaining as the Warriors are locked into the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, so the effort could be lacking while the starting players minutes could be knocked down some. Indiana is still playing for something as it is currently in the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference, two games behind Philadelphia for the fourth spot. If the Pacers stay here and the Sixers move ahead of the Cavaliers, a first round series against Cleveland looms so Indiana wants to get out of this spot and it will likely mean winning out. The Pacers are 26-13 at home and going back, they are 4-0 ATS in their last four home games following a road trip of seven or more days. Meanwhile, the Warriors are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games against teams with a winning straight up record and they fall into a negative situation where we play against road teams where the line is +3 to -3 after a win by six points or less going up against an opponent after a loss by six points or less. This situation is 54-23 ATS (70.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (702) Indiana Pacers

This is a play on the MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES for our NBA Wednesday Enforcer. It has been a rough stretch for the Pelicans which have dropped four straight games to remain in eighth place in the Western Conference and while they have been unable to move up, more importantly they have allowed the Nuggets and Clippers to cut the gap to a half-game and a game and a half respectively. This has turned into a must win game for New Orleans, but it has not turned into a must win game that needs to be won by double-digits. It has been a brutal season for Memphis and based on the overall record and what has been at stake, the pointspreads have been overinflated which is the case here as well. The Grizzlies are 7-3 ATS this season as double-digit underdogs and have covered four straight games against winning teams. Additionally, two situations are in play. First, we play against home favorites after three straight losses by six points or less. This situation is 47-20 (70.1 percent) since 1996. Second, we play on underdogs of 10 or more points that average between 98 and 102 going up against teams allowing 102 ppg, after allowing 105 points or more. This situation is 41-14 (74.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (509) Memphis Grizzlies

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS for our NBA Tuesday Enforcer. The Western Conference playoff race is wide open as four games separate fourth place and tenth place with this game featuring both teams on each end of that group. San Antonio has won eight of its last 10 games to take over fourth place, but it has to be noted that those eight wins came at home and the two losses came on the road. The Spurs are 14-24 on the road but they come in as road favorites despite that. The Clippers are two games out of eighth place with five games remaining with two of those games coming against teams they will have to pass, Denver and New Orleans. That gives them a great opportunity to make a move but cannot afford to lose more ground before then. Four of the last five games are at home where they are 21-16 and they fall into the same situation as the other game where we play against road teams where the line is +3 to -3 having covered six or seven of their last eight games against the spread, with a winning record on the season. This situation is 74-38 ATS (66.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (726) Los Angeles Clippers

This is a play on the MILWAUKEE BUCKS for our NBA Tuesday Supreme Annihilator. Boston heads back on the road following a six-game winning streak and two-day layoff as it looks to close the gap with the Raptors which play in Cleveland tonight. The winning streak has been impressive with four victories coming against current playoff teams and all of this has been done without their best player Kyrie Irving. While going after first place is important, this game is much more important for the Bucks. Milwaukee is currently sitting in eighth place in the Eastern Conference and it can all but lock up a playoff spot with a victory as it leads ninth place Detroit by four games with five games left for each team. The Bucks are 23-15 at home and going back, they are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. Milwaukee falls into a great situation where we play against road teams where the line is +3 to -3 having covered six or seven of their last eight games against the spread, with a winning record on the season. This situation is 74-38 ATS (66.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (712) Milwaukee Bucks

This is a play on the DETROIT PISTONS for our NBA Sunday Enforcer. The Pistons are hanging on by a thread for their playoff lives as they have won four straight games and with the Miami loss last night, they are four and a half games out of the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. Detroit won against the Knicks last night and while this is a back-to-back, there is no travel involved which makes it a lot easier. The Pistons have struggled on the road for the most part this season but that has mostly been against the top teams which is not the case tonight. We played against Brooklyn last night and it defeated the Heat in overtime for its third straight win over Miami. It also accomplished the Florida sweep as it defeated Orlando three nights earlier. The Nets are tied for the third worst record in the Eastern Conference and seventh overall and they have not won three straight games all season, going 0-5 the five previous times they won consecutive games. They are 4-14 ATS in their last 18 home games against teams with a losing road record while the Pistons are 6-0 ATS in their last six games against teams with a losing straight up record. Additionally, we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 off a road win by three points or less, playing on back-to-back days. This situation is 27-6 ATS (81.8 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (515) Detroit Pistons

This is a play on the MIAMI HEAT for our NBA Saturday Enforcer. Miami has won two straight games to remain in a tie for seventh place in the Eastern Conference and this is the spot it wants to head into the postseason. Avoiding eighth place would mean missing Toronto and playing Boston which is a preferred matchup against the banged-up Celtics. This is the second of five straight games against four of the five worst teams in the conference before closing the season against Oklahoma City and Toronto. The Heat have covered seven of their last eight home games. Brooklyn is coming off a win as it defeated Orlando on Wednesday and you have to go all the way back to January 31st to find the last time the Nets defeated a playoff bound team. The last time they defeated a playoff bound team on the road was back on December 29th and it happened to come in this building which is the first of two straight wins over the Heat and bring into play a huge situation. We play on home teams that are revenging two consecutive losses as a favorite, off two or more consecutive home wins. This situation is 39-14 ATS (73.6 percent) since 1996. 10* (808) Miami Heat

This is a play on the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS for our NBA Wednesday Enforcer. Cleveland had its five-game winning streak snapped in Miami last night and it was not pretty as the Cavaliers managed a mere 79 points on 36.5 percent shooting. It was their lowest scoring output on the season with their previous low being 88 points and after Tuesday, we can expect a full effort tonight. Cleveland will likely be without Kevin Love who left last night with concussion-like symptoms but if he is able to come back and play, that will be an added bonus, and all other starters were held below their normal minute-load so the back-to-back will not be as bad. Charlotte is 5.5 games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, so it is holding out hope of a miracle run to end the season. The Hornets have won four straight games, but those games were against the Nets, Grizzlies, Mavericks and Knicks which are four of the eight worst teams in the league. Since January 20, Charlotte owns just two wins over teams with winning records, going 2-14 over that stretch. While Cleveland has struggled in this price range, the Hornets have been horrible by going 3-16 ATS as underdogs of fewer than five points. This includes a 1-7 straight up and ATS record as home underdogs where they have gone 2-13 ATS the last two years. 10* (505) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a play on the NEW ORLEANS PELICANS for our NBA Tuesday Supreme Annihilator. New Orleans got a much-needed break as it has had two days off following a stretch of six games in eight days and it is the only team in the league that will have to play three straight games. This was due to a makeup game against Indiana that got sandwiched in on Wednesday. The Pelicans did go 4-2 over this stretch with the two losses coming against the Rockets and they are now tied for fifth place in the Western Conference. This is a big matchup as they can close the gap to a game and a half behind Portland for third place. The Blazers ran off 13 straight wins before losing consecutive games at home against Houston and Boston but did bounce back on Sunday with a win at Oklahoma City. They have been solid on the road with a 20-15 record but have won only nine of 22 games as road underdogs. New Orleans has covered five straight home games and it falls into a positive situation where we play on teams where the line is +3 to -3 after allowing 100 points or more two straight games going up against an opponent after a win by three points or less. This situation is 59-26 ATS (69.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (766) New Orleans Pelicans

This is a play on the MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES for our NBA Saturday Enforcer. The Sixers have moved into the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference thanks to five straight wins. However, those five wins came against four of the six worst teams in the Eastern Conference and the second worst team in the Western Conference. Going back further, Philadelphia 10-0 in its last 10 games against non-playoff teams while going 1-5 against teams currently in a playoff position since February 23. The Sixers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games against teams with a winning straight up record. The Timberwolves have won two in a row to move ahead of Utah for seventh place in the Western Conference and they are just a game and a half out of fourth place. Minnesota has played the fourth toughest schedule in the NBA and it has played exceptional against the top half of the league as its 23 wins are third most in the league behind Houston and Golden St. Going back, the Timberwolves are 21-9 in their last 30 games as road underdogs between 6.5 and 12 points while going 10-2 ATS this season revenging a loss as a favorite. Additionally, we play on underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points that are revenging a home loss, off a road win. This situation is 90-49 ATS (64.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (501) Minnesota Timberwolves

This is a play on the SAN ANTONIO SPURS for our NBA Friday Enforcer. After sitting on the outside of the Western Conference playoffs for a short amount of time, San Antonio has regrouped with five straight wins to move back up to the No. 6 spot. The Spurs are just 2.5 games out of the No. 3 spot but at the same time, they are just three games out of being back on the outside so finishing this homestand a perfect 6-0 is huge. One of the teams on their tail is Utah as it trails San Antonio by two games following a win in Dallas last night. The Jazz have won 10 of their last 11 games so they are clearly playing at a high level and will have the attention of the Spurs. Adding to that is the fact that Utah has won the first three meetings so revenge is in play as the Spurs look to avoid getting swept by Utah for the first time since 2009-10 and just the third time ever. Utah has been solid this season when playing with no rest as it is 10-4 but most of that success has come at home where it is 7-0 in the second of a back-to-back set. Here, we play on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points off two or more consecutive home wins, in a game involving two teams with winning percentages between .501 and .600. This situation is 61-30 ATS (67 percent) since 1996. Additionally, the Spurs are 11-3 ATS this season at home coming off a home win. 10* (866) San Antonio Spurs

This is a play on the SACRAMENTO KINGS for our NBA Thursday Enforcer. Atlanta is coming off a rare road win at it upset Utah on Tuesday as a 14-point underdog. That was just the sixth road victory for the Hawks this season and they have yet to win consecutive road games this season. Those follow up road losses have come by an average of 8.4 ppg and they have won consecutive games of any kind only three times all season, going 3-17 after a victory. Sacramento is coming off a loss against Detroit at home on Monday but the Kings have been playing decent down the stretch, going 5-6 over their last 11 games. Five of those defeats have come against teams that are currently in playoff spots with Detroit being the exception. The difference in that game against the Pistons was free throws as Sacramento was outscored 18-4 from the charity stripe. The Kings are 5-0 ATS in their last five games against teams with a winning percentage below .400 while the Hawks are 0-4 ATS in their last four games against teams with a losing straight up record. Additionally, we play on favorites that are revenging a loss of 10 points or more against opponent off a road win. This situation is 114-66 ATS (63.3 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (812) Sacramento Kings

This is a play on the CHICAGO BULLS for our NBA Wednesday Enforcer. We are catching another situation tonight where we have a line that is overinflated due to the tanking theory as Denver is favored by a huge amount despite possessing only 11 road wins this season. It will be argued that the Nuggets are clearly the better team and while that is the case, they have been priced at this number on two other occasions and lost both games outright at Memphis and at Sacramento. Denver is coming off a double-overtime loss at Miami last time out and has lost four straight on the highway with three of those coming against non-playoff teams. Chicago has dropped two straight games and going back, it is 4-6 in its last 10 home games. Three of those losses came against the Cavaliers, Clippers and Sixers and the Bulls covered all those games. They are a respectable 11-8 ATS at home against teams with a winning record while Denver is 3-11 ATS on the road against teams with a losing record. Additionally, the Nuggets are 4-13 ATS this season after scoring 120 or more points. Chicago is getting the most points at home since December and they have played home games against Toronto (twice), Houston, Golden St., Boston and Cleveland which shows how inflated it is tonight. 10* (762) Chicago Bulls

This is a play on the ORLANDO MAGIC for our NBA Tuesday Enforcer. We played on Orlando last week as it defeated Milwaukee at home with the bet partly based on the tanking theory. All this talk about tanking is laughable at times. Franchises can set teams up to not survive late in the season, but players are not tanking for their team to get better draft positions. They are playing for their own careers and contracts so backing teams or fading teams because of tanking is absurd. The Magic lost their most recent game against Boston on Friday but now have extra rest and they will be getting Aaron Gordon back tonight. Orlando is 14-7 ATS when getting eight or more points. The Raptors had their 11-game winning streak snapped on Sunday against Oklahoma City and while many will call for a bounce back here, they are being asked to lay way too many points. This is the most Toronto has been favored by on the road, a point more than the last meeting here in February which it won and that sets up a slid revenge situation. We play on home teams with a winning percentage between .250 and .400 that are revenging a home loss of 10 points or more, playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 36-13 (73.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (652) Orlando Magic

This is a play on the DENVER NUGGETS for our NBA Monday Enforcer. This line came out late because of the questionable status of Heat center Hassan Whiteside but he has recent been downgraded to out with a hip injury. We are expecting a huge bounce back effort from Denver tonight after Saturday night's loss to the Grizzlies, which entered that game with the worst record in the NBA and riding a 19-game losing streak. The Nuggets are still sitting in ninth place in the Western Conference playoff standings as they trail Minnesota by a game and a half, but they are only two games out of fifth place. Motivation is big in this league as egos can get in the way and that embarrassing loss against Memphis will have Denver up for redemption. The Nuggets are 7-2-2 ATS in their last 11 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Miami is coming off a 1-2 roadtrip but it did defeat the Lakers in the finale to remain in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. With Detroit sitting six and a half games behind the Heat, there is not as much of a sense of urgency. In addition to Whiteside being out, Dwyane Wade remains out with a hamstring issue. Denver falls into a strong situation as we play against home teams in a game involving two teams that are +/- 3 ppg in scoring differential.), after a win by three points or less. This situation is 61-34 ATS (64.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (607) Denver Nuggets

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS for our NBA Sunday Enforcer. Portland won last night against Detroit to make it 12 straight wins for the Blazers and they remain in third place in the Western Conference playoff standings. While the winning streak has been impressive, nine of the wins have come at home while two road wins came at teams not contending for a playoff spot. The only impressive road win was at Utah as the Blazers are now 18-15 on the highway. The Clippers are coming off a three-game roadtrip where they dropped the final two games against the Rockets and Thunder as an emotional game against Houston was followed by a letdown performance in Oklahoma City the following night. Los Angeles is still in the hunt for a playoff spot as it is a game and a half behind New Orleans for the eighth and final spot. The Clippers are 20-14 at home including wins in five of their last seven games here. Going back, they are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games following a loss and fall into a contrarian situation where we play against teams with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 where the line is +3 to -3 after successfully covering the spread in three or more consecutive games, playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 40-16 ATS (71.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (708) Los Angeles Clippers

This is a play on the BROOKLYN NETS for our NBA Saturday Enforcer. Both Dallas and Brooklyn played last night, and the results were somewhat similar with both losing close games against much better opposition. We give the edge tonight to Brooklyn which heads home following a tough loss to the Sixers last night after blowing a 13-point lead. The Nets have had their issues playing with no rest this season, but the venue has played a big role as they are 0-10 in the second of back-to-back games on the road but when they are home, they are a perfect 3-0 straight up and against the number. Dallas put together a solid effort last night as it took Toronto to overtime before losing by seven points. This came after a win in News York against the Knicks on Tuesday and because of this good start to the roadtrip, we can expect a letdown tonight as there is little reason to get up for this one. Coming off a near win against the best team in the Eastern Conference makes it worse as the Mavericks are 6-17 ATS in their last 23 games against teams with a winning percentage below .400 and the small price does not help as they are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 road games when the line is +3 to -3. Meanwhile, the Nets are 4-1 ATS in their last five games coming off a loss. 10* (508) Brooklyn Nets

This is a play on the SACRAMENTO KINGS for our NBA Friday Enforcer. This line came out late due to the questionable status of Kevin Durant who could be out with a rib injury, but we are banking on him playing. If he does not go, that is a bonus, but we will not know this until later tonight, so the best option is to bet this now in case he does sit which will bring the line down. The Warriors will get Draymond Green back, but they are still without Steph Curry and Klay Thompson and there will not be much motivation to win this one going away. Sacramento is coming off an overtime win over Miami and it has gone 4-4 in its last eight games so do not talk to the Kings about tanking. We played on them in their last road game at Oklahoma City which resulted in an easy cover and we should expect a similar effort here. The Kings have covered eight of their last 11 road games while the Warriors are 0-5 ATS in their last five games following a straight up win and 14-30 ATS in their last 44 games against teams with a winning percentage below .400. The Kings are backed by a strong situation where we play on underdogs of 10 or more points that are averaging between 98 and 102 ppg going up against a team allowing 102 or more ppg, after allowing 105 points or more. This situation is 41-12 ATS (77.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (809) Sacramento Kings

This is a play on the TORONTO RAPTORS for our NBA Thursday Enforcer. Toronto and Indiana are the two hottest teams in the Eastern Conference with the Raptors riding a nine-game winning streak while the Pacers have been victories in three straight games. Toronto has a 4.5-game lead over Boston in the Atlantic Division and it became the third team behind Houston and Golden St. to hit the 50-win mark. While the Raptors possess the best home record in the NBA, they are 10 games over .500 on the road and have covered six of their last seven games on the highway. Indiana has taken over first place in the Central Division which has put it in third place in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers have won six of their last seven games and while some of those victories have been solid, this has been a tough situation this season as they are 4-9 as home underdogs and the favorite has gone 28-7 in 35 home games. Two situations back the Raptors. First, we play against road favorites that are coming off a divisional win by 10 points or more playing their 3rd road game in five days. This situation is 25-3 ATS (89.3 percent) since 1996. Second, we play against underdogs with a winning percentage between .501 and .600 that are coming or more consecutive wins as a road underdog, playing a winning team. This situation is 36-13 ATS (73.5 percent) since 1996. 10* (701) Toronto Raptors

This is a play on the ORLANDO MAGIC for our NBA Wednesday Enforcer. All this talk about tanking is laughable at times. Franchises can set teams up to not survive late in the season, but players are not tanking for their team to get better draft positions. They are playing for their own careers and contracts so backing teams or fading teams because of tanking is absurd. Orlando is coming off a 36-point loss in San Antonio last night to conclude a 0-5 roadtrip as the home team got the calls with the Magic going to the free throw line only nine times compared to 23 times for the Spurs. Orlando now heads home where it has played much better including wins in two straight games and while it is under .500, it is getting outscored by just 2.8 ppg. The Magic have covered five straight games playing with no rest while winning and covering both games this season when going from the road to home on back-to-back nights. Milwaukee has won two straight games to remain in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. But it is bunched as only four games separate third and eighth place. The Bucks are just 15-17 on the road and on the season, they are 0-4 ATS when laying eight or more points. Orlando meanwhile is 13-7 ATS as an underdog of eight or more points. With these teams having played here a month ago and Milwaukee being favored by five points, we are clearing seeing an overinflated line this time around which squarely puts the value on the Magic. 10* (602) Orlando Magic

This is a play on the BROOKLYN NETS as part of our NBA Tuesday Trifecta. Toronto is playing some of the best basketball in the league as its current eight-game winning streak is the second longest in the NBA right now behind Portland and this includes a win over Houston, which snapped the Rockets 16-game winning streak. The Raptors struggled in the first meeting here in January as it took overtime to win and that was also part of a winning streak. The Nets lost to Philadelphia on Sunday to fall to 1-5 in their last six games with the other four losses coming on the road. Brooklyn has been surprisingly strong against top competition here as it is 7-0 ATS in its last seven home games against teams with a winning road record and overall, it is 9-1 ATS in 10 games this season when playing against teams with a winning percentage of .700 or better. These are part of their success when getting inflated lines as the Nets are 23-7 in their 30 games when receiving six or more points and they are catching a bucket more than that first meeting here against Toronto. They fall into a great situation where we play on teams coming off a home divisional loss going up against an opponent off a divisional win. This situation is 52-23 ATS (69.3 percent) over the last 5 seasons. 10* (526) Brooklyn Nets

This is a play on the NEW YORK KNICKS as part of our NBA Tuesday Trifecta. This line came out late due to the questionable status of Knicks Enes Kanter. It has been a rough stretch for the Knicks as they have lost seven straight games and are now 1-15 over their last 16 games. You can argue they are tanking but the schedule has been unfavorable as of those 16 games, 14 were against teams currently residing in a playoff spot and the two exceptions resulted in three-point losses. Eight of the Knicks last 12 games have come on the road and the four home games were against Toronto, Boston, Golden St. and Washington. Dallas has been struggling just as much as it has lost 18 of its last 24 games since mid-January including dropping 10 of 11 games on the road. The lone win came at Sacramento where the Kings managed just six free throw attempts. The Mavericks are 5-17 ATS in their last 22 games against teams with a winning percentage below .400 while the Knicks are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. Additionally, we play against road teams where the line is +3 to -3 that are revenging a loss against opponent off a divisional loss. This situation is 44-21 ATS (67.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (528) New York Knicks

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA 76ERS as part of our NBA Tuesday Trifecta. The Sixers are back home following a four-game roadtrip where they split while seven of their last eight games have been on the highway. This starts the stretch where seven of their last nine games are at home and they must take advantage where they have been successful this season. Philadelphia is just one of two teams in the Eastern Conference that has fewer than 10 losses on its home floor and going back to January 15th, the Sixers have won 11 straight home games. They are just two games out of third place in the Eastern Conference which is currently held by Indiana, making this a huge game. The Pacers are coming off a win at Boston on Sunday and have won three straight road games where they are .500 on the season. Philadelphia is 13-4 ATS as a home favorite of six points or less this season while going 12-3 ATS in their last 15 home games after a double-digit win. The Sixers have covered nine of their last 10 home games following four or more road games and they falls into a successful situation where we play against teams coming off a road win by three points or less, playing their sixth or more game in 10 days. This situation is 96-56 ATS (63.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (524) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a play on the SACRAMENTO KINGS for our NBA Monday Enforcer. The Thunder defeated San Antonio on Saturday to make it two straight wins to move into sixth place in the Western Conference, but the inconsistencies of this team cannot be ignored. They have covered just two of their last nine games following a victory and their 20 conference losses are tied for the most of all current playoffs teams in the west. One of those losses came against the Kings and Sacramento has played them tough all season as it has covered the first three meetings. The Kings are coming off a loss last night in Denver and they have gone 4-2 ATS this season in the second of back-to-back road games playing with no rest. Additionally, they are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games following a straight up loss. Oklahoma City is 9-20 ATS this season when favored by six or more points while going 8-23 ATS this season against teams that allow 46 percent shooting or higher. The Kings fall into a solid situation as we play on double-digit underdogs that are averaging between 98 and 102 ppg going up against teams allowing 102 ppg or more, after a loss by 10 points or more. This situation is 31-9 ATS (77.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (503) Sacramento Kings

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Sunday Supreme Annihilator. The Celtics concluded a 2-1 roadtrip with a victory over Minnesota on Thursday and they return home to improve upon their 23-11 record here. Boston remains two and a half games behind Toronto in the Eastern Conference, where the Raptors have won seven straight, and look to keep pace with the Raptors facing the lowly Knicks today. With the latest win over Minnesota, the Celtics are 18-9 ATS against teams with a winning record. Indiana went 2-1 on its recent homestand where it has been great all season, but the Pacers are a game under .500 on the road and they come into today having played the easiest schedule in the league. They have only seven wins against top ten teams and have failed to cover four of their last five games following a double-digit win. Indiana won the most recent meeting last month here in Boston and the Celtics are 13-2 ATS revenging a loss this season. Additionally, Boston falls into a solid situation where we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in the second half of the season that have a scoring differential between +3 to +7 ppg going up against a team with a scoring differential between +3 and -3, after scoring 105 points or more two straight games. This situation is 94-54 ATS (63.5 percent) since 1996. 10* (814) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the ORLANDO MAGIC for our NBA Saturday Enforcer. The Magic are coming off a loss last night in Sacramento which was their third straight loss to start this five-game roadtrip. They are catching a huge number tonight and this is the most points they have seen since covering 13 points in Houston back on January 30 and this includes road games at Oklahoma City and Utah which are both higher ranked than the Clippers. While the losses have been mounting, Orlando has been competitive as seven of their last 10 losses have come by seven points or less. The Magic are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 games following a loss while going a perfect 4-0 ATS in their last four games playing with no rest. The Clippers are coming off a win over Cleveland last night which puts them in a prime letdown spot tonight. It was a taxing victory as all five starters played at least 32 minutes, three went over 37 minutes, so this back-to-back should be a difficult one. They are 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 games when their starting five combine for more than 160 minutes of the previous day\ and they fall into a negative situation where we play against favorites of 10 or more points after a home game where both teams scored 100 or more points, playing on back-to-back days. This situation is 28-6 ATS (82.4 percent) since 1996. 10* (509) Orlando Magic

This is a play on the WASHINGTON WIZARDS for our NBA Friday Enforcer. New Orleans has reeled off 10 straight wins which has tied a franchise record but that will come to an end tonight. The Pelicans have gotten into the playoff race where they currently are in fourth place in the Western Conference, but they are now without Anthony Davis for at least one game who hurt his ankle in their last game against the Kings. Seven of the wins during this streak have come against teams not in playoff positions, one came against the short-handed Spurs and the other two came in overtime. The Pelicans have covered just nine of their last 13 home games. Washington is holding its own without John Wall and it is coming off a win against Miami two nights ago which snapped a three-game losing streak against Indiana, Toronto and Golden St. The Wizards have a winning record on the road and they are 11-3 ATS in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season. They fall into a solid situation where we play against home underdogs after successfully covering the spread in two or more consecutive games, with a winning record on the season playing another winning team. This situation is 66-33 ATS (66.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (811) Washington Wizards

This is a play on the MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES for our NBA Thursday Star Attraction. The Timberwolves head home following a pair of road losses to end their three-game roadtrip and have fallen into a tie for fifth place in the Western Conference. Minnesota is 25-7 at home including a 15-1 run since December 18th with that lone defeat coming against Houston, the hottest team in the league. The home dominance is part of the home/road splits for the Timberwolves as the venue has played a huge role in their games since the start of the new year as the home team is 26-3 in their 29 games. The Timberwolves are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 home games while going 5-1 ATS in their last six home games against teams with a winning road record. Boston is 1-1 on this current three-game roadtrip, winning at Chicago on Monday after a loss at Houston on Saturday. The Celtics are expected to get Kyrie Irving back tonight after he missed the Bulls game and while they are 5-1 in their last six games, none of the wins have come against a team that will be in the playoffs. Boston is just 11-10 in its last 21 games with only three wins against playoff contenders and it falls into a negative situation where we play against teams with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 where the line is +3 to -3 after successfully covering the spread in three or more consecutive games, playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 40-14 ATS (74.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (656) Minnesota Timberwolves

This is a play on the MILWAUKEE BUCKS for our NBA Wednesday Enforcer. We won with Milwaukee in its last home game on Sunday as it defeated Philadelphia as a home underdog and it is back home as an even bigger underdog. The Bucks improved to 20-13 at home and after suffering a loss at Indiana the next night, they remain in seventh place in the Eastern Conference but are still just 3.5 games out of the No. 3 spot. They have played up and down to the competition this season which is both good and bad as it shows inconsistency, but they have 10 wins against top ten teams, one of just seven teams in the entire league possessing double-digit wins against such teams. The Bucks are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. Houston has won 16 straight games which is the main reason for the size of this line and of those 16 wins, nine have come as a road favorite while covering eight of those. This is a different scenario however as the Rockets are coming off a win last night in Oklahoma City in the much-hyped game and are going to Toronto on Friday to face the best team in the Eastern Conference. This puts the Rockets in a tough spot and they fall into a negative situation where we play against road favorites with a winning percentage of .750 or better after having covered four of their last five games, playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 71-37 ATS (65.7 percent) since 1996. 10* (566) Milwaukee Bucks

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA 76ERS for our NBA Tuesday Enforcer. We played against the Sixers on Sunday as they were overpriced road favorites but now they are underpriced which is an unusual move within just two games. They closed as a 1.5-point chalk at Milwaukee, which is four games over .500 and now they are favored by that same amount against Charlotte which is eight games under .500. Philadelphia is two games behind Indiana for the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference and while it has been a below average road team, the spot is ideal. Charlotte is coming off a 0-3 roadtrip which is playing into this line as well and the Hornets are now six games out of the final playoff spot in the conference. They are still three games over .500 at home but five games under .500 as an underdog and going back, Charlotte is 2-12 ATS in its last 14 games as a home underdog. The Sixers meanwhile are 20-5 ATS in their last 25 games in the second half of the season against teams that are averaging 106 or more ppg. Additionally, we play against home teams in the second half of the season where the line is +3 to -3 in a game involving two teams with +/- 3 ppg scoring differential, after allowing 100 points or more two straight games. This situation is 142-92 ATS (60.7 percent) since 1996. 10* (501) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a play on the DETROIT PISTONS for our NBA Monday Star Attraction. Cleveland has covered only six games at home this season which is the fewest in the NBA by a significant amount, yet it continues to be overpriced simply because of the Cleveland name. The Cavaliers have dropped their last two games at home outright and are now 21-11 while possessing a dreadful 6-25-1 ATS record at home which includes a 2-13 ATS mark as home favorites between 6.5 and 12 points. Cleveland is 4-4 since revamping its roster at the trade deadline and while many said they hit the jackpot after wins over Boston and Oklahoma City, this team is not in a good place. Detroit has been playing poorly as well with losses in five of its last six games including two straight which were on the road as they lost at Orlando in overtime which put it in a bad spot the next night in Miami. The Pistons have gone from a playoff team to a team that is now four games out of the final spot in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons have profited this season as road underdogs and they are an exceptional 10-2 ATS this season as underdogs of six points or more. Additionally, we play on road underdogs failing to cover the spread in 12 or more of their last 15 games, with a winning percentage of between .450 and .550. This situation is 31-10 ATS (75.6 percent) since 1996. 10* (701) Detroit Pistons

This is a play on the MILWAUKEE BUCKS for our NBA Monday Enforcer. We won with the Bucks last night against the Sixers as they were an underpriced home underdog and while this could typically be a play against spot, it is a good one that favors Milwaukee. The win snapped a four-game losing streak and kept pace with the Pacers, which own the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference, as it remains two games behind Indiana for that coveted seed. That fourth game of that recent Bucks losing streak was a home loss against the Pacers so that is fresh in their memory. Indiana is also coming off a win last night as it won in Washington to make it two straight victories as underdogs which puts it in a precarious spot tonight. While the Pacers have been average when playing with no rest, Milwaukee is 9-4 straight up and 9-3-1 ATS in the second of back-to-back games. The Bucks have two situations on their side. First, we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 coming off a road win by three points or less, playing on back-to-back days. This situation is 27-5 (84.4 percent) over the last five seasons. Second, we play on teams where the line is +3 to -3 after allowing 100 points or more in two straight games going up against an opponent after a win by three points or less. This situation is 57-24 ATS (70.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (703) Milwaukee Bucks

This is a play on the MILWAUKEE BUCKS for our NBA Sunday Enforcer. The Bucks are in a skid as they have dropped four straight games to fall into seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings. Three of the losses have come at home and overall, Milwaukee has dropped four straight home games which is a reason it is a home underdog tonight. The Bucks are still 19-13 at home and going back, they are 19-6 ATS in their last 25 home games after two or more consecutive losses. The Sixers have won two straight games including a win over Cleveland in their last road game. Philadelphia is 14-17 on the road for the season so this is an aggressive line that has been put out considering the Sixers are 1-6-1 ATS in their last eight road games while going just 3-6 ATS this season as road favorites. Milwaukee has a solid situation on its side as well as we play against road teams where the line is +3 to -3 that are revenging a loss going up against an opponent off a divisional loss. This situation is 42-21 ATS (66.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (810) Milwaukee Bucks

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Saturday Star Attraction. Houston is riding a 14-game winning streak as the offense continues to dismantle opposing defense. The Rockets now face their biggest test during this run as they will be facing the top defense in the league as Boston is ranked No. 1 in defensive efficiency. While Houston is 24-6 at home this season, it is just 12-17-1 against the number and the Rockets are 2-5 ATS in their last seven home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. Boston has won four straight games and while those victories have come against some poor opposition, it has held its own against top level competition. Boston is 10-4 against teams ranked in the top ten in power rankings this season and those four losses are the fewest of any team in the league. The Celtics are 20-8 on the road, covering 19 of those games while going 7-2 ATS as a road underdog. The only other two times they were getting more than six points resulted in a win at Oklahoma City and a four-point loss at Golden St. the Celtics are 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. 10* (507) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the CHICAGO BULLS for our NBA Friday Enforcer. Dallas hits the road following a two-game homestand where it defeated Indiana in an upset and then lost to Oklahoma City in overtime by a point on Wednesday. The Mavericks are 7-23 on the road including a 1-9 run over their last 10 games with the only victory coming at Sacramento which is 9-20 at home, the second worst home record in the NBA. The fact Dallas is favored makes little sense as it has been a road favorite four times, losing three of those outright and on the season, Dallas is 2-10 ATS against teams that are outscored by their opponents by three or more ppg while going 0-9 ATS in its last nine road games when the line is +3 to -3. The Bulls have lost five straight games including the last three on the road by 18, 17 and 15 points but a return home will steer the Bulls right. They are 13-17 at home which is nothing to brag about but good enough to not be tabbed a home underdog. Chicago is 10-0 ATS in its last 10 home games after two straight double-digit losses and it falls into a great situation where we play on underdogs that have failed to cover the spread in 12 or more of the last 15 games going up against an opponent after having covered three of their last four against the spread. This situation is 65-25 ATS (72.2 percent) since 1996. 10* (808) Chicago Bulls

This is a play on the WASHINGTON WIZARDS for our NBA Friday Star Attraction. Despite a loss against Golden St. in its last games, Washington is 10-4 over its last 14 games, all which John Wall has been absent for. The Wizards are holding down the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference and are just a half-game behind Cleveland following the Cavaliers loss last night. They are 18-12 at home which is the same record that Toronto has on the road and Washington is 16-7-1 ATS as an underdog this season, winning 14 of those games outright including four of six games at home. Additionally, it is 15-10 ATS this season following a loss while going 4-0 ATS in its last four games against teams with a winning straight up record. Toronto is holding down the top spot in the Eastern Conference by a half-game over Boston as it has won two straight games. Those came against Detroit and Orlando and this has been the story most of the season as the Raptors have taken care of the poor teams but struggled against the better squads. They have been below average against teams with a winning record as they are 9-15 ATS including a 2-7 ATS mark in their last nine. Also, we play against road teams where the line is +3 to -3 having covered six or seven of their last eight against the spread, with a winning record on the season. This situation is 71-33 ATS (68.3 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (812) Washington Wizards

This is a play on the PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS for our NBA Thursday Enforcer. So far, so good for Minnesota in its time without Jimmy Butler as it has won both games since he went down with a knee injury. However, those wins came against Chicago and Sacramento and while the latter was on the road, the Timberwolves are still just 13-19 on the road. The venue has played a huge role in their games since the start of the new year as the home team is 24-3 in their 27 games. The offense has not missed a beat, scoring 122 and 118 points in the last two games but those came against the No. 30 and No. 25 defenses in efficiency and going back, Minnesota is 5-17 ATS in its last 22 games after scoring 110 points or more two straight games. The challenge will be tougher tonight as the Blazers are ranked No. 8 in defensive efficiency including No. 1 over their last three games. Portland has won four straight games and while you can say the Blazers have benefitted from a soft recent schedule with wins over Phoenix and Sacramento, the two wins prior to that were against Utah on the road and at home against Golden St. They are 18-11 at home while covering seven of their last eight. Additionally, Portland falls into a solid situation where we play on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points after leading their last three games by five or more points at the half going against an opponent after scoring 115 points or more. This situation is 24-8 ATS (75 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (508) Portland Trailblazers

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Wednesday Enforcer. We played against Charlotte last night and it was able to pull away in the second half for a two-bucket cover over the Bulls. The Hornets have now won five straight games and while a win at Washington was impressive, the other four came against non-playoff teams and they take a big step up in competition here. Charlotte is just 10-18 on the road and it has struggles this season when getting points, winning just six of 28 games as an underdog while going 7-18-3 ATS as an underdog. Boston is coming off a win, non-cover against Memphis which was its third straight victory to remain a half-game behind Toronto for first place in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. This is a good sign following a three-game losing streak prior to the break and while the three recent wins have come against losing teams, the Hornets fall into that group. Boston is 26-8 against teams outside the top 16 while covering five of its last six games against teams with a losing record and going back, the Celtics are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. The Hornets fall into a negative situation as we play against teams that are revenging a home loss of 10 points or more, after a cover as a double-digit favorite. This situation is 53-19 ATS (73.6 percent) since 1996. 10* (708) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the MILWAUKEE BUCKS for our NBA Tuesday Enforcer. The Bucks are coming off a loss against New Orleans on Sunday to make it two straight losses at home. Milwaukee is 19-11 here on the season and needs to bounce back in a spot where it can gain ground in the Eastern Conference as it sits in sixth place, just two games behind Washington for fourth place. The Bucks have covered seven of their last 10 games within the conference and with the road team winning the first three games of this season series, we expect the home team to finally break through. Washington defeated Philadelphia on Sunday and will go against the Wizards tonight after backing them in that game. They have been more than capable on the road with three straight wins, but focus could be a big issue here. While all games are important at this point in the season, Washington hosts Golden St. tomorrow night which is a game it has had circled in welcoming the defending champions. The Bucks fall into a situation where we play on teams where the line is +3 to -3 after a loss by three points or less going up against an opponent after scoring 105 points or more. This situation is 56-30 ATS (65.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (508) Milwaukee Bucks

This is a play on the CHICAGO BULLS for our NBA Tuesday Ultimate Underdog. Charlotte has no business laying double-digits and it has done so once this season when it put down 10.5 points against Sacramento and failed to cover that number. The Hornets are 27-33 and while still in playoff contention, they are four games out of the final spot in the Eastern Conference despite a recent four-game winning streak which is helping with this line tonight. going back, Charlotte is 3-13 ATS in its last 16 games after covering the spread in three or more consecutive games. Chicago has lost four straight games and there has been talk of tanking which we cannot buy into with this being a young team with players trying to prove their worth. Despite being 7-23 on the road, the Bulls are over .500 against the number so they have been a lot of inflation in their numbers. They are a very respectable 7-4 ATS double-digit underdogs and those 11 games were all against teams currently in playoff spots. Here, we play against home favorites of 10 or more points in the second half of the season that are averaging 102 or more ppg going up against teams allowing 102 or more ppg, after a win by 15 points or more. This situation is 57-24 ATS (70.4 percent) since 1996. 10* (501) Chicago Bulls

This is a play on the UTAH JAZZ for our NBA Monday Enforcer. With the victory last night, Houston once again has sole possession of first place in the Western Conference following its 12th straight victory. The Rockets are surely becoming a threat to Golden St., but this is a prime example of an overreaction. Because of the winning streak and a short line for a team that is 15.5 games better than the opponent, the public is all over Houston tonight. Utah had an 11-game winning streak snapped against Portland on Friday but bounced back with a win over Dallas on Saturday. The Jazz have gotten themselves in the playoff picture as they are two games out of the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference. They are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games against teams with a winning road record. Here, we play against road teams where the line is +3 to -3 after two or more consecutive wins, playing on back-to-back days. This situation is 78-39 ATS (66.7 percent) over the last five seasons. Additionally, Houston is 2-6 ATS this season when playing with no rest while going 11-22 ATS in its last 33 games after successfully covering the spread in two or more consecutive games. Meanwhile Utah is 8-0 ATS in its last eight home games after failing to cover the spread in four or more consecutive games. 10* (718) Utah Jazz

This is a play on the WASHINGTON WIZARDS for our NBA Sunday Enforcer. Philadelphia has come out of the break with a pair of wins but those were against Chicago and Orlando, two of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference. Going back further, the Sixers have won seven straight games which started with a 13-point win at home against Washington and that puts the Wizards in a solid revenge situation explained later. Six of those seven wins have come at home where Philadelphia is 19-10 but comes into this game two games under .500 on the road. Washington upset Cleveland in its first game after the break but lost by 17 points at home against Charlotte the next night. The Wizards have held their own without John Wall as they are 8-3 in the 11 games since he has been out and going back, Washington is 8-0 ATS in its last eight home games coming off a loss by 10 points or more as a favorite. Two situations are in play here. First, we play on home teams revenging a road loss of 10 points or more, off a loss by 15 points or more as a favorite. This situation is 80-39 ATS (67.2 percent) since 1996. Second, we play against road teams where the line is +3 to -3 after two or more consecutive wins, playing on back-to-back days. This situation is 77-39 ATS (66.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (810) Washington Wizards

This is a play on the SACRAMENTO KINGS for our NBA Saturday Enforcer. The Kings came out of the break with a strong effort against Oklahoma City only to fall short as they lost on a last second three-pointer. Going back, they have covered four straight games including a pair of competitive losses on the road at Minnesota and Houston. Sacramento is tied with five other teams for the fewest wins in the league with 18 and while it has struggled as a home underdog, this is the smallest number it has gotten at home all season which tells a lot. Sacramento is 12-3 ATS in its last 15 games off a cover where the team lost the game straight up as an underdog. The Lakers are coming off a blowout win at home against Dallas last night and while it marked the return on Lonzo Ball, he will not play tonight as he will rest. Los Angeles has been a road favorite twice this season, losing both times outright by 11 points here in Sacramento and by 22 points in Orlando. The Lakers have also struggled playing with no rest, going just 2-7 which includes a 1-5 record when the second game is on the road. Here, we play on teams where the line is +3 to -3 after a loss by three points or less going up against an opponent after scoring 105 points or more. This situation is 56-29 ATS (65.9 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (516) Sacramento Kings

This is a play on the DENVER NUGGETS as part of our NBA Ultimate Trifecta. San Antonio closed the schedule before the All-Star Break with a loss at Denver and their first game out of it comes in the same venue. The Spurs are still an exceptional home team, but they are just 13-18 on the road and the last time they beat a team with a winning record was back on December 20th in a victory over Portland. Since then, their six road wins have come against the Kings (twice), Knicks, Nets, Grizzlies and Suns, none of which are sniffing the playoffs. LaMarcus Aldridge missed the meeting last week and while he will be back tonight, his return is not worth a four-point line swing. Denver has won three straight games and six of its last seven to remain in sixth place in the Western Conference, but it is just a game and a half away from ninth place so keeping up its home dominance is a must. The Nuggets are 23-7 at home thanks to an offense that is averaging 110.5 ppg, seventh highest in the NBA. They are 5-1 ATS in their last six games against teams with a winning straight up record while the Spurs are 1-5 ATS in their last six games against teams with a winning straight up record. 10* (816) Denver Nuggets

This is a play on the MILWAUKEE BUCKS as part of our NBA Ultimate Trifecta. Toronto rolled into the All-Star Break with a seven-game winning streak and it owns the best home record in the league at 24-4. That is being taken into consideration in this line and the Raptors have been below average against the better teams as they are 9-14 ATS against teams with a winning record including a 2-6 ATS mark in their last eight. Toronto has a two-game lead over Boston in the Eastern Conference and while it deserves to be where it is, the Raptors are overvalued in this particular matchup. The Bucks won five of their last seven games before the break including three of four on the road and while those three wins came against below average teams, the Bucks are 6-1 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Milwaukee has not been an underdog this big in over a month and that was without Giannis and it has been an underdog of five or more points only six times and in the five games Giannis played, the Bucks are 4-1 ATS including an ATS winner in Toronto on January 1st that ended up going to overtime. 10* (807) Milwaukee Bucks

This is a play on the INDIANA PACERS as part of our NBA Ultimate Trifecta. This line came out late due to the questionable status of Hawks point guard Dennis Schroder, but he has been upgraded to probable which is actually a good thing as it is keeping this line within reason. Indiana won nine of its last 12 games prior to the break and with the Cleveland loss last night, the Pacers are just a game and a half back in the Central Division. They are currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, a game behind Washington and with their 20-11 home record, they need to take these very winnable games. Atlanta dropped two straight games and four of its last five prior to the break and remains on the road where it is just 5-24, the worst road record in the NBA. The offense remains abysmal as the Hawks have shot under 44 percent in six of their last eight games including five straight on the road. The Pacers are 16-6 ATS as favorites of fewer than 8.5 points while going 6-2 ATS in their last 8 home games against teams with a losing road record. Additionally, we play against underdogs that are revenging a loss of 10 points or more, off two road covers where the team lost straight up as an underdog. This situation is 62-30 ATS (67.4 percent) since 1996. 10* (804) Indiana Pacers

This is a play on the CHICAGO BULLS for our NBA Thursday Enforcer. The All-Star Break came at a bad time for Philadelphia as the Sixers were riding a five-game winning streak prior to the time off. That can take away some positive momentum and that streak may have been skewed to begin with as all those games were at home where the Sixers are 18-10 compared to just 12-15 on the road. They have won just three of eight games as road favorites and are laying an exceptionally big number tonight. Additionally, the Sixers are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage below .400. The Bulls closed the first half with a loss against Toronto to fall to 2-2 on their current homestand which includes an impressive win over Minnesota. They are three games under .500 at home, the same as the Sixers on the road, and they have been better of late, going 11-8 in their last 19 home games. Chicago falls into a great contrarian situation as we play on home underdogs failing to cover the spread in eight or more of their last 10 games going up against an opponent after having covered five or six of their last seven games. This situation is 82-42 (66.1 percent) since 1996. 10* (558) Chicago Bulls

This is a play on the CHICAGO BULLS for our NBA Wednesday Enforcer. Toronto is coming off a win last night against Miami at home by three points after nearly blowing a 17-point lead to extend its winning streak to six games. The Raptors are now a game ahead of Boston for first place in the Eastern Conference, but we can see a less than focused effort tonight as they are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with a losing home record. Chicago is 2-1 on its current homestand as it is now a respectable 13-15 at home including an 11-7 record in its last 18 home games. The Bulls have lost the first three games of this season series to revenge is in play to avoid the sweep. Chicago is 14-5 ATS this season following a win and going back, it is 15-4 ATS in its last 19 games in the second half of the season against teams outscoring their opponents by three or more ppg. Additionally, we play on home underdogs that have failed to cover the spread in eight or more of their last 10 going up against an opponent after having covered five or six of their last seven games against the spread. This situation is 82-41 ATS (66.7 percent) since 1996. 10* (712) Chicago Bulls

This is a play on the MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES for our NBA Tuesday Enforcer. Minnesota enters tonight on a three-game ATS losing skid, but we expect the outright win tonight meaning we get the cover as well. The Timberwolves defeated Sacramento in their last game on Sunday and while they did not cover, they were favored by 13 points and they have struggled as big favorites this season. Now they come in as home underdogs, a role they have been in three times this season, against Oklahoma City, Cleveland and Toronto and they won all three outright. The road team has only won once in Minnesota games in 2018 and that was when the Timberwolves beat the Clippers in Los Angeles as the home team is 21-1 in 22 games. Houston is riding an eight-game winning streak following a pair of home wins and while road wins during this streak include Cleveland an San Antonio, those two teams are not nearly on the same level as Minnesota presently. The Rockets are 9-4 ATS on the road against losing teams but just 5-7 ATS on the highway against teams with a winning record. Minnesota has covered 10 of its last 11 home games while going 5-0 ATS in its last five home games against teams with a winning road record. 10* (506) Minnesota Timberwolves

This is a play on the DETROIT PISTONS for our NBA Monday Enforcer. The Pistons got off to a great start with the newly acquired Blake Griffin as they won their first four games, part of a five-game winning streak, but they have dropped their last two games including a game at Atlanta yesterday. Detroit is back under .500 and is now two games behind Philadelphia for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons are back home where they are 18-11 on the season and they have had better success against the Western Conference, winning 11 of 20 games while going 12-7-1 ATS in those games. Detroit closes the first half with Atlanta on Wednesday making this an important two-game run before the break. New Orleans is coming off a win in overtime at Brooklyn on Saturday which snapped a three-game losing streak. The Pelicans have struggled since DeMarcus Cousins was lost for the season as they are just 2-5 in seven games. The still have hold on the eighth spot in the Western Conference but are just a half-game ahead of the Clippers and they are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games against teams with a losing straight up record. 10* (704) Detroit Pistons

The hottest team in the NBA is a team that not many would guess as the Jazz have won eight straight games and are now just two games out of the eighth spot in the Western Conference. Utah is still just 11-19 on the road despite the recent surge and this is not a good spot tonight as it has won just six games as a road underdog. Portland is just two games behind Minnesota in the Northwest Division and for the fourth spot in the Western Conference. The Blazers have won two straight games following a three-game losing streak on the east coast. The recent schedule has been tough as seven of their last 10 games have been on the road and this is the first of consecutive home games for the first time in three weeks. Portland has Golden St. on deck so this is a big win situation but there will be no looking forward as that game is not until Wednesday, the final game before the All-Star Break. The Blazers have won nine straight home games and are a perfect 5-0 ATS in their last five at the Moda Center. 10* (816) Portland Trailblazers

We played against Milwaukee last night as they lost to Miami for the third time since January 14th but have gone 8-2 against everyone else over that stretch, both losses coming on the road against winning teams. They are in good position to get a bounce back victory tonight to potentially move into fourth place in the Eastern Conference depending on the Washington outcome. Milwaukee is just 12-15 on the road but 11 of those losses have come against teams .500 or better and the Bucks are 4-0 ATS in their last four road games against teams with a losing home record. Orlando has won three straight games including a win over Atlanta in its first game since trading Elfrid Payton but the task will be a lot tougher tonight. The Magic are still without leading scorer Aaron Gordon which presents a tough matchup with the Bucks. Orlando is just 6-12 ATS this season when getting fewer than six points and it has covered only five times at home against teams with a winning record. Additionally, the Magic are 19-39 ATS in their last 58 games following a straight up win. 10* (503) Milwaukee Bucks

We lost with Miami on Wednesday against the Rockets as it played as expected and while in had one more field goal and one more three-pointers, it was outscored 21-10 from the free throw line with nearly half of those points coming from James Harden. The Heat let the league hear about it so do not be surprised if they get some calls their way tonight. Miami has dropped five straight games to remain two games behind Washington in the Southeast Division and it is now in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. 11 of their last 16 games have been on the road and this is just the second time in 2018 that is has been able to play three straight games at home. Milwaukee has been rolling since it made a coaching change as it has won seven of eight games including three straight, the last two coming on the road. All three road wins during this streak have come against teams that are all at least six games out of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Bucks are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games against teams with a winning straight up record while the Heat are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games against teams with a winning straight up record. 10* (810) Miami Heat

The Rockets won their fifth consecutive game last night in Brooklyn but overall, this current streak has not been great. They have defeated three of the worst teams in the NBA, a shorthanded Spurs team and a Cleveland team that is having major issues. Houston has been solid on the road this season, but the schedule has had a lot to do with that. Only nine of their 26 road games have come against that are currently sitting in a playoff spot and they have covered just four of those games. This has led to a schedule that is ranked No. 25 in the league and the Rockets are 2-6 ATS in their last eight road games against teams with a winning home record. Miami meanwhile has dropped four straight games to fall two games behind Washington in the Southeast Division and it is now in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. 11 of their last 15 games have been on the road so it has been a tough stretch over the last month. A home loss against Orlando last time out was inexcusable but this has been an issue this season as the Heat have played up or down to the competition and we have definitely seen this of late as the Heat are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games against teams with a winning straight up record. 10* (704) Miami Heat

Memphis looks to close out its four-game roadtrip by not going 0-4 and it is in a good spot to end it with a victory. The Grizzlies have struggled on the road this season as they have lost six straight games but the last five have come against teams sitting in current playoff spots and the other coming against the Clippers, which are just a half-game out in the Western Conference. Overall, Memphis has played the No. 8 ranked schedule in the NBA and going back, the Grizzlies are 5-0 ATS in their last five games against teams with a winning percentage below .400. Atlanta is in the rare role of favorite tonight and is has been average, going 4-3 straight up and ATS when laying chalk. The Hawks are coming off a win in their last game, a three-point win on the road against the Knicks but winning streaks have been few and far between this season as they are just 2-13 straight up following a victory. The Hawks are 0-4 ATS in their last four games when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* (507) Memphis Grizzlies