Sports Picks & Predictions

After putting up 123 and 115 points in the first two games in this series, the Miami offense disappeared the last two games in Charlotte, scoring just 80 and 85 points. To no surprise, the over came through in both games in Miami and the under cashed both times in the games in Charlotte. A return to Miami should see more offense again and the total has been steadily on the decline the entire series going from 199 to 198 to 196.5 to 194.5 and now the total is at its lowest tonight which presents great value. Going back to the regular season, all four games taking place in Miami surpassed the total while all four games being played in Charlotte stayed under the number so the postseason is keeping the trend alive. A main factor has been the Miami offense at home and the Hornets defense on the road as the Heat are shooting 48.8 percent on the season at home while averaging 104 ppg and on the flip side, the Charlotte defense has allowed opponents to shoot 46.2 percent from the floor while giving up 103 ppg. Charlotte has gone over the total in seven straight games prior to the last two contests and going back, the over is 5-0 in the Hornets last five road games. Meanwhile the over is 19-7 in the last 26 meetings in Miami. 10* Over (575) Charlotte Hornets/(576) Miami Heat

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

The Blazers won on Saturday to make this a series again after getting beat by 20 and 21 points in Los Angeles. While they will try and even up the series tonight, we are concentrating on the total where we are getting a ton of value based on the first three outcomes. The first three games of this series have gone under the total and we are catching the best line of them all as far as a game to go over. The total has shifted significantly as well, going from 210.5 in the opener to its current spot at 206. The last game saw just 184 points and that is making the jump from Game Three to Game Four the biggest thus far. Looking at numbers alone, both offenses are more than capable of putting up big numbers and the fact that the teams have not done it together in this series is a little surprising. Going back, the over is 5-2 in the Clippers last seven road games against teams with a winning home record while the over is 12-5 in the Blazers last 17 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* Over (565) Los Angeles Clippers/(566) Portland Trailblazers

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

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

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

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

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

The first three games of this series have gone under the total and we are catching the best line of them all as far as a game to go over. The total adjustments have been minor as the first two games closed at 195 while Game Three closed at 194.5 so we are seeing a bucket difference from the opener which may seem insignificant to some but it still represents value. Toronto seized control of the series with wins in the last two games after dropping Game One and it will be up to the Pacers offense to get things going after scoring just 87 and 85 points in the two losses. Indiana had the same number of turnovers as field goals in the first half, 12, so it was clear that it was a far from efficient effort. In total, Indiana has stayed under the total in five straight games while Toronto has stayed under in four straight none of which have had a total this low so the contrarian play has value on it as well. 10* Over (545) Toronto Raptors/(546) Indiana Pacers

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

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

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

We had a good number in Game Two but it did not pan out but we are going at it again in Game three based on the same philosophy. This is a great example of taking advantage of line moves based on what happened in the previous game. We have flourished playing the bounce angle in the NBA playoffs in certain situations as overreaction from the last game is sometimes too much. It works with totals as well and we are seeing a big move in this one because of the result from the first two games. We are seeing a drop in this total of close to ten points from Game One based on the fact the total stayed under by 28 points in Game One and 34 points in Game Two. Both offenses have had their struggles as Dallas is shooting just 36.1 percent while Oklahoma City is hitting just 39 percent of its shots, the latter highlighted by Kevin Durant and his 26 missed shots. He no doubt will have a better game here as the Dallas defense is not as good as what may have been portrayed and neither is the Thunder defense for that matter. This is a rare number for both teams as of 168 total games, only 26 had closing totals of less than 200 so the value is tremendous. The over is 5-2 in the last seven road games for Oklahoma City against teams with a winning home record while the over is 6-2 in the last eight home games for Dallas against teams with a winning road record. 10* Over (533) Oklahoma City Thunder/(534) Dallas Mavericks

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

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

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

This is a great example of taking advantage of line moves based on what happen in the previous game. We have flourished playing the bounce angle in the NBA playoffs in certain situations as overreaction from the last game is sometimes too much. It works with totals as well and we are seeing a big move in this one because of the result from Game One. Dallas played one of its worst game of the season and one of its worst in postseason team history as its point total (70) and field goal shooting (29.8 percent) were franchise playoff worsts while the 38-point margin of defeat was the second worst all time in a Mavericks playoff game, topped only by the 43-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game One of a 1984 second-round series. Offensively, things cannot get much worse so that is in our favor and we all know what the Thunder are capable of doing on offense. The total in Game One closed at 206 and now we are seeing a drop of six points in some places which presents extreme value. Three of four regular season meetings went over the total and all those were set at 207.5 or higher. Going back, the over is 6-2 in the Mavericks last eight games against teams with a winning straight up record while the over is 15-6 in the Thunders last 21 games playing on one day of rest. 10* Over (519) Dallas Mavericks/(520) Oklahoma City Thunder

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There was no line in this game as of this writing due to the LeBron James situation as he has been getting rest here and there but he is likely a go here as he was off just two games back. We won with the Cavaliers last night as they rolled over Brooklyn as they were coming off a home loss as well as playing with revenge from a loss to the Nets a week prior. Cleveland is trying to hold off Toronto in the Eastern Conference as the lead is two and a half games and while the remaining schedule is not easy, it is far from difficult as it will be favored in all the rest of the games. The Hawks had a four-game winning streak snapped in Toronto on Wednesday but the Hawks continue to play at a high level as they are now 12-3 over their last 15 games and have moved back into first place in the Southeast Division. However, they are up by just one game so they need to bounce back here in the first game of a four-game homestand. There is some extra incentive here as well. The Hawks were swept by Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals last season and lost the first meeting in Cleveland by 12 points this season so this marks the first home game against Cleveland since then so they have had this one circled for a while. 10* (508) Atlanta Hawks

Playoff positioning is on the line for both teams as Boston is stuck in a three-way tie for fourth place in the Eastern Conference while Portland is sitting in sixth place in the Western Conference and is chasing Memphis for fifth place as it trails the Grizzlies by two games. More importantly, the Blazers are also just two games out of ninth place so the final games of the regular season are more important for them at this point. Portland has won two straight games and they were two unimpressive victories over Sacramento and Philadelphia which actually sets the Blazers up in a good situation tonight. Portland has won 14 of its last 16 games at home to move to 24-12 on the season. The Celtics lost at the Clippers on Monday which snapped a four-game winning streak which came on the heels of a four-game losing streak so they have been pretty inconsistent of late. Going bac, the Celtics are 2-12 ATS in their last 14 road games against teams with a winning home record while the Blazers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning straight up record. 10* (712) Portland Trailblazers

This is a big number to be backing but it is well worth it and there is actually some value in it. The Cavaliers are coming off a loss at home against Houston on Tuesday as LeBron James sat which snapped a modest three-game home winning streak. It was just the seventh home loss on the season for Cleveland and it has yet to lose consecutive games at home so this is a good bounce back opportunity. The Cavaliers are now only two games up on Toronto in the Eastern Conference so there is little room for error. This is also a revenge game as Cleveland lost in Brooklyn last Thursday as it fell by nine points after getting outscored in the fourth quarter by 12 points. The Cavaliers were favored by 9.5 points in that game and are now favored by just five points more despite the change in venue and that is where the value comes into play. The Nets have dropped two straight games, both on the road where they are now 7-29 on the season. They have failed to cover their last five games on the highway and while Cleveland has played down to the class of competition many times, there is a lot more at stake tonight. 10* (704) Cleveland Cavaliers

Phoenix and Milwaukee are two teams that will not be part of the postseason but the Bucks were playing very well up until they hit a rugged part of their schedule where they faced five straight teams that are currently in playoff spots and they dropped all of those games. Now they welcome Phoenix which puts them in a good spot to bounce back and Milwaukee has had three days off since the last defeat which helps the situation even more. The Suns have been on a losing streak of their own as they have dropped three straight games and going back, they are just 3-8 over their last 11 games. They have struggled on the road all season as they are just 7-30 away from home while covering just eight of their last 30 on the highway. The Bucks are 8-4 ATS this season as favorites of fewer than eight points while going 4-1 ATS in their last five games against teams with a losing straight up record. Meanwhile, the Suns are 8-24 ATS in their last 32 games against teams with a losing straight up record. 10* (508) Milwaukee Bucks

We lost with Toronto on Monday as it fell down early against Oklahoma City and could not recover. The Raptors have now lost three of their last four games with two of those coming on the road in addition to the loss against the Thunder. Toronto is still 28-9 at home and has lost consecutive home games only once this season and Golden St. was involved the first time. The Raptors have already clinched a playoff spot but are just two and a half games behind Cleveland for first place in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta is five games behind Toronto despite winning four straight and nine of its last 10 games. The Hawks have been playing very well on the road with four straight victories but because of that and the overall run, the line is lower than it should be. The last Hawks loss on the road came right here where they were getting 3.5 points. Toronto is 10-5 ATS this season as a favorite of fewer than four points while going 13-4 ATS at home against winning teams. 10* (502) Toronto Raptors

Toronto returns home following a disappointing 1-2 roadtrip and now sits 2.5 games behind Cleveland in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors are one of only five teams in the NBA that have just single-digit losses at home and they are still getting points tonight which is a role they have been perfect in thus far. Toronto is 4-0 ATS this season as a home underdog, winning three of those outright against San Antonio and Cleveland twice with the lone outright loss coming against Golden St. by just three points. Oklahoma City takes to the highway after a three-game homestand sweep which included a win over the resting Spurs on Saturday so that can be tossed out. Overall, the Thunder have won seven straight games including three in a row on the road but they have covered just nine of 18 games this season as road favorites. They have struggled all season, going just 5-10 ATS on the road against teams with a winning record while the Raptors are 13-3 ATS at home against winning teams while going 6-0 ATS in their last six home games against teams with a winning road record. Additionally, the Thunder are 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. 10* (734) Toronto Raptors

This game was off the board because the injury reports had both James Harden and Paul George on them but both played last night and are probable tonight. The Rockets are coming off an upset win at home over Toronto which kept them tied with Utah for seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Now they hit the road for a quick two-game trek as they look to improve their 16-21 road record but both games are difficult with the Cavaliers on deck. Indiana meanwhile is coming off a loss at Brooklyn last night which snapped a two-game winning streak. The Pacers are also tied for seventh place so keeping hold of their homecourt is important especially with the next three games taking place here. The Pacers are 16-8 ATS as favorites in this price range this season and they are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a straight up loss. Meanwhile, the Rockets are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up win while going 0-4 ATS in their last four games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* (706) Indiana Pacers

Both Atlanta and Detroit are coming off wins last night and it is the Pistons that have the edge here with no travel taking place. The Hawks won at home over Milwaukee to retain a half-game lead over Miami in the Southeast Division and also to remain in third place in the Eastern Conference standings. This is the third time this season Atlanta has played back-to-back games with the first being at home and the second coming on the road and it failed to win and cover the first two. The Pistons are in a fight with Chicago for the eighth and final playoff spot in the conference and thanks to five straight wins, they have a two-game lead over the Bulls and are now actually tied with Indiana for seventh place. Detroit has won all five of these games at home where it is 24-12 on the season and playing with no rest is no issue. The Pistons are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games playing with no rest and have won seven of eight games this season when playing a back-to-back with the second game taking place at home. 10* (508) Detroit Pistons

Lakers wins have been few and far between this season but they are in a good spot tonight heading home to face the Nuggets. Los Angeles lost at Phoenix on Wednesday which came after a seven-game homestand and while it was not a winning one, it was a very respectable one. The Lakers went 3-4 in those games which included a win over Golden St., one loss coming against Cleveland and the other three losses coming by single digits. Denver is in the rare role of a road favorite which is just the second time this season that it has been laying points on the highway. The first came at Philadelphia where it pushed as a three-point chalk and the second game resulted in a loss at Brooklyn. The Nuggets are 13-23 on the road and while that is better than the Lakers home record, it is not by much which does not warrant another road favorite situation. Denver is banged up with Danilo Gallinari still on the shelf and Kenneth Faried not even close to 100 percent and possibly out once again tonight. Going back, the Lakers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. 10* (866) Los Angeles Lakers

We played on Portland last night which resulted in a push or a loss depending on the line and now the Blazers hit the road trailing Memphis by four games for fifth place in the Western Conference. Portland is just 15-23 on the road and it has really struggled of late, losing seven of its last eight games on the highway. The Blazers are now in the wrong place at the wrong time as the Clippers are back home following a loss last night in Golden St. That defeat concluded a disappointing five-game roadtrip where they went just 1-4 and are now ahead of Memphis by just three games for fourth place in the Western Conference. Los Angeles has covered just once in its last eight games and there should be some extra motivation heading home as it got hammered by Cleveland in its last game at the Staples Center by 16 points. The Clippers are laying a decent number here and they are 15-7 ATS in their 22 games this season as favorites of fewer than six points. Additionally, the Clippers are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games following a road trip of seven or more days while the Blazers are 0-4 ATS in their last four games following a straight up win. 10* (810) Los Angeles Clippers

Cleveland is coming off a win over Milwaukee last night to make it two straight victories and now hits the road in what should be a very uninspired situation. The Cavaliers have struggled all season in these spots as they are 3-12 ATS on the road against teams with a losing record. Here is a very interesting stat and one that brings up how favorable the Cavaliers schedule has been this season compared to the rest of the NBA. Playing with no rest happens a lot in the NBA and while Cleveland has had its share of back-to-back situations, this is the first time this season it goes from a home game to an away game with no rest, the only team in the NBA that has yet to do this. The combined record of all the other teams in the league in this scenario are 48-87. Brooklyn has lost three straight games but we won with the Nets in their last game on Tuesday as they stayed within the number against Charlotte. Going back, the Nets are 4-0 ATS in their last four games against teams with a winning straight up record while the Cavaliers are 0-4 ATS in their last four games following a straight up win. 10* (804) Brooklyn Nets

This is another situation of immediate revenge and this one entails home revenge. Portland is looking to avenge an overtime loss at Dallas on Sunday as it let a double-digit loss slip away and ended up losing by 12 points. That dropped their lead over Dallas to just a half-game for sixth place in the Western Conference as the bottom section of the playoff picture is extremely tight. Only a game and a half separates sixth place and ninth place so games are becoming more and more important and holding serve on home court is huge. The Blazers are 21-12 at home including wins in 13 of their last 16. This is just their third home game since late February as 11 of their last 13 games overall have come on the road. Dallas picked up a much needed win but it might be too little, too late for the Mavericks as they are struggling and are now without Chandler Parsons for the rest of the season. They have lost seven of their last nine games and are just 3-7 in their last 10 road games while going back, the Mavericks are 8-21-1 ATS in their last 30 road games against teams with a winning home record. Meanwhile, the Blazers are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. 10* (774) Portland Trailblazers

Houston and Utah are both fighting for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference and being separated by just a half-game, this is just like a playoff game. We won with Utah on Monday as it won in Milwaukee which made it five wins in six games for the Jazz following a rare road win. They are just 12-23 away from home this season and going to Houston will not help improve that record as they have dropped six straight meetings in Houston. The Rockets are coming off a two-game roadtrip at Atlanta and Oklahoma City, both resulting in losses. The loss to the Thunder came last night by just four points so while it was a tough loss, they can build from it and need to take advantage of their home floor. Houston is the team with the half-game lead so upping it to a game and a half is big considering the Jazz are at Oklahoma City tomorrow which could easily result in another loss. While Utah has struggled here, it has also struggled against the better teams overall as it is 3-13 ATS in its last 16 road games against teams with a winning home record. The Rockets are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* (764) Houston Rockets

Revenge can be overstated at times but situations like this can dispel that since it is pretty immediate. The Hawks lost at home against Washington on Monday by 15 points which snapped a five-game winning streak and with the Miami Heat win last night, they are now a half-game back in the Southeast Division. Atlanta now wants to avenge that loss and most likely will vault back into first place since the Heat are at San Antonio tonight. Going back, Atlanta is 10-3 over its last 13 games which includes four wins in its last five road games so winning on the road is not an issue especially considering they have covered five of the last six meetings here. The Wizards now have a five-game winning streak of their own and they are quietly moving back into the playoff picture, trailing Detroit and Chicago by just a game and a half for the final playoff spot. Washington is just 19-17 at home which is better than just four other teams in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games following a double-digit loss at home while going 5-1 ATS in their last six road games against teams with a winning home record. Meanwhile, the Wizards are 1-5 ATS in their last six home games against teams with a winning road record. 10* (751) Atlanta Hawks

Charlotte picked up a win last night that was seemly going the other way after just the first period. The Spurs led the Hornets 28-7 after one quarter, limiting them to just 14.3 percent shooting from the field and has a chance to put the game away but Charlotte would not quit. It was its biggest comeback win of the season but while the momentum of that comeback and the fact it was against one of the best teams in the NBA is big, it provides a huge letdown opportunity. The Hornets have had great energy at home but they are just 13-19 on the road and this is just the third road game the entire month of March as 10 of 12 games have been at home. The Nets have lost two straight games and eight of their last 10 as the recent schedule has been brutal. It has been the opposite of Charlotte as Brooklyn has played 11 of its last 13 games on the highway and it was surprisingly competitive in a majority of those games despite posting a 7-27 record on the road. The Nets are not a whole lot better at home but they matchup pretty close to the Hornets road record and it is the home/road splits that provide the value here. The late line is due to the status of Brook Lopez who is questionable but should suit up as he was able to practice on Monday. The Nets are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. 10* (652) Brooklyn Nets

We played against San Antonio in its game previous to playing Golden St. and we are going to play against the Spurs following their victory Saturday night over the Warriors. That victory concluded a five-game homestand where the Spurs are now 35-0 on the season and while they are a very solid road team, the road/home splits with Charlotte does not justify this line. The Spurs have gone 10-4 over their last 14 road games but only three of those victories came against teams currently sitting in a playoff position. The Hornets are coming off a home loss against Denver on Saturday which snapped a two-game win streak. They have been playing exceptional as they are 15-4 over their last 19 games which has propelled them to sixth place in the Eastern Conference and they trail Atlanta by just a game and a half in the Southeast Division. Charlotte is 15-8 ATS this season as an underdog of fewer than eight points and it has lost consecutive games only twice since early January, going 7-1 in its last eight games following a defeat. Additionally, the Hornets are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600 while the Spurs are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games following a straight up win. 10* (606) Charlotte Hornets

This line came out late due to the uncertain status of Gordon Hayward in the game last night but he came back after missing two games with a foot injury and he is good to go again tonight. He had a rough game Saturday as he managed only nine points in the loss at Chicago which snapped a four-game losing streak for the Jazz. They have had their share of struggles on the road this season but most of that has come against the top teams as 14 of 23 road losses have come against teams currently in playoff positions. Milwaukee is not part of that group and while the Bucks have won four of their last five games, two came against lowly Brooklyn and New Orleans while the last victory came against the injury riddled Grizzlies. Milwaukee has played well at home but it is just 7-12 ATS this season on its home floor against winning teams while going just 12-17 ATS this season following a win. Additionally, the Bucks are 4-9-1 ATS in their last 14 games against the Western Conference while the Jazz are 4-0 ATS in their last four games against teams with a losing straight up record and 15-6-1 ATS in their last 22 games playing on no rest. 10* (709) Utah Jazz

There is certainly a lot of incentive for both sides tonight as the Warriors and Spurs are fighting for the top spot in the Western Conference. This is the second meeting this season and the Spurs should be pretty motivated after losing by 30 points in the first meeting back in January. They have been unbeatable at home, going a perfect 34-0 but this is obviously the biggest challenge thus far. The Warriors defeated Dallas last night as they pulled away late after a game that was competitive for a while. Golden St. once again showed its advantage behind the arc as it shot over 57 percent from long range and while the success will be difficult to repeat here, they will take it on. The Spurs have the revenge angle but Golden St. has a little more in the tank as it has lost 32 straight regular season matchups in San Antonio with this being by far the best Warriors team to visit. This is just the third time this season that Golden St. has been the underdog and in the first two instances, at Cleveland and at Houston, it came out on top both times. The Spurs are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up win while the Warriors are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (517) Golden St. Warriors

The Cavaliers won against Dallas in their last game on Wednesday as they took down the Mavericks by a point while resting LeBron James. They now hit the road where they are still solid but not nearly as good as they are at home and the situation is not in their favor tonight. Cleveland heads to Miami tomorrow night which presents us with a solid possibility of a lookahead spot. The Cavaliers are just 10-17 ATS this season as road favorites and they have really struggled in trying to play at a high level against the lesser teams as they are just 3-11 ATS this season on the road against teams with a losing record. Orlando lost at Charlotte on Wednesday to fall to 11-22 on the road and while they are not overly dominant at home, the Magic are 18-15 and that is after a 0-2 start. They are 10-6 ATS as underdogs of five or more points which correlates to them playing well against the better teams and that is proven with the fact the Magic are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. There is also some revenge on the table for today as Orlando looks to avoid the four-game season sweep after losing the first three games by 14, 35 and 25 points. 10* (804) Orlando Magic

Portland has had two days off to stew over a loss at Oklahoma City on Monday as it was blasted by 34 points by allowing the Thunder to shoot 59 percent from the floor. The Blazers have now lost five straight games on the road and that is certainly playing into this number but they have been a great bounce back team this season, going 21-12 ATS following a loss. Even stronger is the fact they are 6-0 ATS in their last six games following a double-digit loss. The Spurs have won four straight games following a loss at Indiana 10 days ago which includes three home wins where they are a perfect 33-0 on the season. That too is playing into the number but this is not the ideal spot. While keeping pace with Golden St. is the goal, which it trails by four games in the Western Conference, San Antonio faces the Warriors on Saturday so the lookahead to that game is a definite possibility. No one as of yet has been ruled out for the Spurs tonight but a late scratch is always a possibility which would help for sure. While the Blazers have been great off losses, the Spurs are just 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win. 10* (713) Portland Trailblazers

While the Clippers remain contenders in the Western Conference to make a possible something happen against Golden St. come playoff time, they sure did not look it last night in San Antonio. Los Angeles lost by 21 points against one of the other contenders as it got outscored by 20 points in the fourth quarter so a quick regroup needs to happen tonight. The Clippers have dropped two straight as they also fell at home against Cleveland by 24 points on Sunday so a bounceback is even more important. This is the first time since before Christmas that the Clippers have lost consecutive games and they are now 10-1 since then following a defeat so getting points here against what has been an average Houston team is even more attractive. The Rockets are coming off a blowout victory against Memphis, which has been depleted by injuries, and they are on a solid run of winning four of their last five games but are facing the Clippers at the wrong time. Houston is just 10-16 ATS this season as a home favorite and going back, the Rockets are 0-6 ATS in their last six games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game. 10* (613) Los Angeles Clippers

One great situation in the NBA is playing on teams that are coming off bad losses and Detroit more than fits. The Pistons are coming off a 43-point loss against Washington which was their worst loss in 22 years and even worse it came in a nationally televised game on ESPN. The Pistons concluded their four-game trip with a 2-2 record and now head to the Palace for a much-needed nine-game home stand. The two losses on the trip resulted in the most points allowed in regulation this season and after getting called out by head coach Stan Van Gundy, it is safe to say we will see a full out effort tonight. Atlanta has won two straight games, both of which came at home, and going back it is on a solid 5-1 run. The Hawks are a game behind Miami in the Southeast Division and currently sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference but this is a bigger game for Detroit which is on the outside looking in as it trails Chicago by percentage points for eighth place. The Pistons are 14-5 both straight up and against the number as home favorites this season. 10* (610) Detroit Pistons

The Celtics lost last night in Indiana which made it two straight losses, a rarity of late for Boston. This was just the second time since mid-January that Boston has lost consecutive games and you have to go all the way back to early January to find more than two straight defeats. The Celtics other loss prior to last night came at home against Houston which snapped a 14-game home winning streak so this is a team chomping at the bit to return to its winning ways. Oklahoma City won its last game, a 34-point romp over Portland at home which snapped a two-game slide. The Thunder have been very inconsistent as since the All Star Break, they are just 5-8 which includes a 3-4 record on the road. All three of those wins came against losing teams and they have struggled on the highway against the better teams, going 3-10 ATS against teams with a winning record. Oklahoma City is 7-15-2 ATS this season as a road favorite while the Celtics are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (608) Boston Celtics

Toronto lost at home last night to the Bulls as it failed to pick up ground on the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference as it is now 2.5 games back for the top position. The Raptors completed a 5-2 homestand and while they hit the road for the first time in a while. They have been solid on the highway with a 17-13 record and they have covered 10 of 15 games against teams with losing records. Milwaukee has won three straight games as it continues to hang around in the playoff picture, sitting five games behind Chicago for the No. 8 seed but there are also two other teams in front of it. The Bucks are just 17-33 as underdogs this season and are 7-10 ATS at home against winning teams. Milwaukee is just 8-16 against the top ten teams in the NBA and three of those losses have come against Toronto so while revenge is a factor, the Raptors have big matchup edges. We do not like going with road chalk nor do we like taking big public consensus plays but sometimes the situation calls for it and this is one of those. Toronto is 9-2 over its last 11 games following a loss and with games against Indiana and Boston up next, this is a pretty big game. 10* (537) Toronto Raptors

This line came out late due to the questionable status of Washington guard Bradley Beal. It has been a bad stretch for the Wizards as they have dropped their last five games but four of those have come on the road and the lone home loss was by just a point against Indiana. Going back prior to that, Washington had won six straight home games and the spot is a good one tonight to snap the losing skid. The Wizards are now in tenth place in the Eastern Conference and are sitting 3.5 games out of the playoff picture and the team they are chasing is the Pistons. Detroit won in Philadelphia on Sunday to make it three wins in its last four games and going back further, it has won seven of 10 games following a five-game losing streak of its own. The Pistons have struggled on the road as they are 15-21 and are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games against teams with a losing home record while the Wizards are 5-2 ATS in their last seven home games. 10* (502) Washington Wizards

Dallas is in the midst of a very tough stretch right now as a loss on Saturday made it five straight defeats. The Mavericks are still tied with Houston for seventh place in the Western Conference and with Utah winning again, they are just two games away from ninth place. The bad stretch is giving them value however as they hit the road and while the record is just 14-17 on the highway, they have been more competitive than not as the last three road games have all gone into overtime. Charlotte has been surging as it has won seven straight games, covering six of those, and is tied for fifth place in the Eastern Conference and is just a half-game behind Miami for fourth place. The Hornets have been getting the job done at home with eight straight victories but they are getting the opposite treatment with lines being overadjusted. They are favored by just two points fewer here than they were against New Orleans despite the Pelicans being 8.5 games worse than Dallas. The Mavericks are 6-2 ATS this season as single-digit underdogs of six or more points. 10* (503) Dallas Mavericks

*2:05 ET start* Indiana is coming off a very impressive win over San Antonio in its last game but it will be hard to carry any momentum forward from that as the Pacers have had four days off since that victory. Rest is good in this league but too much rest can be a problem and Indiana is heading to Dallas at the wrong time. The Mavericks are struggling with losses in four straight games, three of which have come at home. Dallas is now tied with Houston for seventh place in the Western Conference and is just three games up on Utah which is sitting in ninth place following its win over Washington last night. After today, Dallas hits the road to face the surging Hornets and the Cavaliers on Monday and Wednesday so this has turned into a very big game. Indiana won the first meeting at home by 26 points so the Mavericks will be out to avenge that loss and despite that win, the Pacers are just 8-18 ATS against the Western Conference this season. Additionally, the Pacers are 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up win. 10* (702) Dallas Mavericks

Minnesota is coming off a pair of losses against Charlotte and San Antonio as it hits the road to take on another surging opponent. Surging may not be the right word for Oklahoma City at this point but it has won two straight games following a brutal 2-6 run coming out of the All Star break. We won with the Thunder in their last game as they defeated the Clippers by 12 points in a revenge game from a week prior where they blew a 22-point lead. We could certainly see a letdown from the payback victory and on top of that, they travel to San Antonio for the primetime ABC game tomorrow night. Getting up for the below average Timberwolves will be difficult to do but you can expect to see Minnesota get up for Oklahoma City as it has been a Thunder punching bag for a while now with 10 consecutive losses in this series. The Timberwolves have excelled in these situations this season as they are 11-3 ATS on the road against teams with a winning record and have covered four straight when getting double-digits. Going back, the Thunder are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games following a straight up win while going 1-6 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. 10* (509) Minnesota Timberwolves

Phoenix was riding a two-game winning streak heading into last night but got thumped at home against the Knicks by 31 points and the Suns hit the road again where it has struggled this season. However, the two previous wins came on the highway and this is another winnable game so we will be grabbing the generous pointspread here. Injuries have hurt this team all season long but they Suns are on the cusp of getting a big player back. Brandon Knight has not played since January 19th with a groin injury and he is getting closer to his return which could take place tonight after missing again last night even though he was listed as probable. Denver has been playing well as it is 3-1 over its last four games, all games taking place at home where the Nuggets are also 3-1 against the number in those games. This is a team that cannot be trusted laying a number this big as they are 1-4 ATS this season as favorites with the lone cover coming by just 1.5 points. Denver has won only eight of 25 games following a victory this season and taking a step down in class is not a good thing as the Nuggets are 14-35-2 ATS in their last 51 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. Meanwhile, the Suns are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games following a double-digit loss at home. 10* (705) Phoenix Suns

This is a pivotal game for Oklahoma City due to the criticisms it has been getting for losing to really good teams while blowing leads in doing so. The Thunder lost down the stretch against Golden St. for a second time and in-between those was a 22-point blown lead against these Clippers exactly one week ago. They have now dropped six of their last nine games and while it can be argued that they have played six of those games on the road, the three home games have all resulted in losses which makes this game even that much bigger. Oklahoma City is still a very solid 25-8 at home and it will certainly be out for revenge here. The Clippers defeated Dallas on the road two nights ago and they have been a very strong road team as their 20-10 record is third best in the NBA. The problem in this spot as they are just 3-6 on the road when getting points in contrast to going 17-4 when playing as a road favorite. Additionally, the Clippers are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games following an ATS win while the Thunder are 27-9-2 ATS in their last 38 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (512) Oklahoma City Thunder

Dallas has lost three straight games, including two at home, and is now just a game and a half ahead of Houston for seventh place in the Western Conference. The Mavericks are now a half-game behind Portland for sixth place which is an important spot as that seed avoids both Golden St. and San Antonio in the first round of the playoffs. But the fact of the matter is that the Mavericks just need to pick up a victory and they are catching a solid number here based on the recent skid. Detroit meanwhile is coming off a victory at home against Portland by 20 points to move eight games over .500 at home but on the road, the Pistons are seven games under .500 while going 10-20 over their last 30 games on the highway. The Pistons are 2-6 ATS in their last eight road games while the Mavericks are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. Dallas has won 22 of 30 games this season when favored showing it has defeated the vast majority of teams it should be defeating while covering five of seven games in this price range. 10* (510) Dallas Mavericks

Charlotte has won four straight games to move to six games over .500 to remain in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. It has been a great turnaround from a dreadful 4-14 run in December and January but this is not an elite team but the line is reflecting that the Hornets are just that. They have rarely been favored by this many points and when so, it has been against worse teams than the Pelicans. New Orleans has been an underdog of nine or more points nine times this season and the list of the opposing teams is petty elite. San Antonio twice, Oklahoma City twice, Golden St., Cleveland, Los Angeles, Toronto and Atlanta. Granted, Atlanta does not fit but that was way back in November when it was thought the Hawks were elite like last season. Basically, Charlotte does not fit into this list despite what is considered a nice season. New Orleans defeated Sacramento in its last game to snap a four-game skid but it is important to note than it covered all three games as an underdog and is 4-1 ATS in its last five games when getting points. 10* (503) New Orleans Pelicans

Laying points on the road in not usually a way to go but when the situation calls for it, we can take advantage. Orlando is coming off a hard fought effort last night in Golden St. as it lost by six points but it was more of a hard fought comeback as the game was not close until the very end. While it was a disappointing loss, the Magic were not expected to compete, let alone win, so they can carry some positive momentum into Tuesday. The Lakers meanwhile beat that same Warriors team the previous day as they won by 17 points as a 17.5-point underdog. It was the biggest upset in over two decades so if there is ever a letdown situation, this is it. Los Angeles is just 3-9 this season following a victory including a 2-8 record when it won that first game as an underdog. Even worse, the Lakers are a meager 4-25 this season coming off a cover win. Going back further, the Lakers are 8-22-1 ATS in their last 31 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points while the Magic have won six of their last seven games following a loss. Additionally, Orlando is 11-2 ATS this season when laying fewer than five points. 10* (711) Orlando Magic

After suffering a pair of losses on the road, the Cavaliers have run off three straight wins at home and are now three games ahead of Toronto for first place in the Eastern Conference. They are coming off a big win over Boston on Saturday as they won by 17 points after trailing by as many as 18 points and they look to make it four straight before embarking on a four-game west coast roadtrip. Memphis had a three-game winning streak snapped with a loss yesterday and going back, the Grizzlies are 5-2 over their last seven games with both defeats coming against Phoenix of all teams. The Grizzlies are still 12 games over .500 overall as they sit in fifth place in the Western Conference. They have had some struggles on the road but sit just a game under .500 overall and this is the first time this season that Memphis is getting double-digits. One factor that led to the loss against the Suns yesterday is the possible lookahead to this game as the Grizzlies have had this one circled since their opening game this season when they lost at home to the Cavaliers by 30 points. The Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games against teams with a losing road record while the Grizzlies are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games following a straight up loss. 10* (503) Memphis Grizzlies

Typically, we do not look at road favorites but the Mavericks are in a great spot today as they look to bounce back from a bad home loss against Sacramento on Thursday. Dallas is now 33-29 on the season and sit a half-game ahead of Portland for sixth place in the Western Conference making every game at the point of the season matter a great deal. The Mavericks have been a solid team when laying points as they are 22-7 as favorites including a perfect 6-0 when laying points on the road. Additionally, they have won 18 of 28 games coming off a loss. Denver lost on Friday at home against the lowly Nets which was its sixth loss over its last eight games. The Nuggets are 1-4 at home over this stretch with the only home victory coming against the 12-51 Lakers and they are seven games under .500 at home on the season. Dallas only has nine wins against the top 16 teams in the league which is the fewest of any team ranked in the top 25 but the Mavericks are 24-7 against everyone else. They are 4-0 ATS in their last four games against teams with a winning percentage below .400 while going back, the Nuggets are 20-42-3 ATS in their last 65 home games against teams with a losing road record. 10* (827) Dallas Mavericks

Chicago returns home after dropping a pair of games in Florida to stretch its losing streak to four games and falling back to .500 on the season. It has been a very turbulent season for the Bulls which are now outside of the playoff standings and are in desperate need of a quality win. The Bulls will receive a big boost tonight as Jimmy Butler will return to the lineup after missing 11 games with a knee injury. His absence was definitely felt as the went 3-8, including the game in which he strained his left knee, in Denver on Feb. 18. Houston is also having an up and down season but is coming off a win at home against New Orleans. Since a five-game winning streak at the start of January, the Rockets have gone just 9-11 over their last 20 games and have gone only 3-6 following a victory. They are 4-7 on the road over this stretch and two of those wins came against lowly Phoenix and while Chicago has been slumping, it is still a solid 19-11 at home while winning five of nine games outright as a home underdog. The Rockets are just 6-14 ATS against the Eastern Conference this season and they find themselves in another very tough spot tonight. 10* (514) Chicago Bulls

Cleveland is getting a lot of bad press right now, some toward the chemistry of the team and some toward the coaching change that took place. Since opening with two wins right after the All Star break, the Cavaliers are just 2-3 since then and it was the last loss where the criticisms came out and that was a 14-point loss at Washington. Granted, LeBron James sat that game out but it was the second loss this season against the Wizards with the first coming at home back on December 1st so there will be some double revenge in play on Friday. Washington has backed up that win over Cleveland with a pair of victories to make it four straight overall and while the Cavaliers win was a quality one, two of the others came against the woeful Sixers. Washington is just 6-18 this season against teams ranked within the top ten and while a third of those came against the opponent on Friday, this spot is a very poor one. The Wizards are 3-11 ATS in their last 14 games when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game while the Cavaliers are 3-1 ATS this season when playing with three or more days of rest. 10* (832) Cleveland Cavaliers

We played against Portland on Wednesday in Boston and the Blazers had their three-game winning streak snapped. The Blazers were in a horrible spot as they were playing their fourth game in five nights and it looked as though the fatigue set in during the second half when they were outscored 30-12. Now with a day off and plenty of motivation, we can expect a solid rebound here. Portland is still 14-3 over its last 17 games and one of those losses took place at home against Toronto and while we do not typically play road revenge, it is definitely in play here. The Raptors bounced back from a loss in Detroit at the end of February with a home win over Utah on Wednesday which was the first of a seven-game homestand so this is a great chance to extend their lead in the Atlantic Division over Boston. While Toronto has excelled at home against winning teams, it is not in a good spot with Portland coming off that loss as the Blazers have covered their last five games following a defeat and they are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* (827) Portland Trailblazers

Boston won for us the other night, making it 12 straight home wins for the Celtics to remain 4.5 games behind Toronto in the Atlantic Division and by the look of this spread, making it 13 straight at home should not be a problem. But coming off that win and asking to lay a big price may be too much to ask for especially with a game at Cleveland on Saturday night. This is the third time this season Boston has had a homestand of three or more games and the Celtics have gone on to lose the final games in each of the first two times. As bad as New York has been this season and especially of late, one would expect them to roll over again here but this is a pretty big rivalry and despite the rough last couple years, the Knicks tend to play Boston very tough. New York has won just twice in its last 13 games but the linesmakers are certainly taking that into consideration with this number. The Knicks are 5-1 ATS this season when getting nine or more points and 14-5 ATS when getting six or more points so they do step it up against the better competition. 10* (829) New York Knicks

San Antonio is coming off a victory last night at home against the Pistons which made it six consecutive victories to move to 51-9 on the season. The Spurs would normally be getting all of the attention with that record but the Warriors are taking center stage and that is probably what San Antonio actually prefers. The win last night clinched a playoff berth and with this being the second of back-to-back games involving travel, it would not be a surprise to see a possible scratch or two tonight. We are not banking on it but it is possible so wagering this one early is a safe bet. Additionally, all starters have played in the two most recent back-to-back sets so this could be the time to rest. New Orleans is coming off a loss last night which was its second straight defeat as the inconsistent season continues. The Pelicans now return home where they have been playing well, going 9-4 over their last 13 games and on the season they have won five of nine games outright as home underdogs. As crazy as it sounds, New Orleans is just six games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference so there is still plenty to play for. The Pelicans have had the Spurs number at home, covering nine of the last 10 meetings here while going 22-10 ATS in their last 32 home games against teams with a winning road record. Meanwhile, the Spurs are 1-4 ATS in their last five games against teams with a winning percentage below .400. 10* (504) New Orleans Pelicans

We tossed around going against Portland last night and smartly held off to wait until tonight. The Blazers won their third straight game and are now 14-2 over their last 16 games but tonight finds them in a tough situation and one they have not seen over this stretch. This is only the second time they have played back-to-back games and both have come on this current roadtrip which makes this their fourth game in five nights. Portland has won six straight road games which is very impressive but now it catches the best home team on a run over this span. Boston has won 11 straight games at home including the first three on this current homestand as it now trails Toronto by just 4.5 games in the Atlantic Division and has a 1.5-game lead on Miami for third place in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Both of these teams are in the top ten in power rankings which is not good for Portland as it has only four wins against top ten teams which is tied for third fewest in the NBA, leading only the Lakers and Sixers and tied with the Pelicans. Boston is 5-0 ATS in its last five games against teams with a winning straight up record while the Blazers are 4-13-1 ATS in their last 18 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (706) Boston Celtics

The Lakers are in the rare role of the favorite tonight as they have laid points on only three other occasions this season. It has been a tough stretch for Los Angeles of late as it has dropped eight straight games but the schedule has played a big part of that. The majority of games have come on the road and the home portion of the schedule has been against playoff teams and it has been this way all season as the Lakers have played the toughest schedule in the NBA. That is no excuse for the horrible record it is important to note that they are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games against teams with a winning percentage below .400. The Nets have had a solid roadtrip as they may be just 2-2 but they have covered all four of those games. Three of those have been as double-digit underdogs and that certainly will not be the case here. Brooklyn played last night and while there is no travel involved, this is still the third game in four nights and the fourth game in six nights. Additionally, the Nets are just 2-8 this season playing with no rest. 10* (510) Los Angeles Lakers

We are going against one of the biggest home consensus teams of the night and for good reason as Washington finds itself in a very tough spot here. The Wizards took care of Cleveland on Sunday afternoon for their second straight victory and fifth over their last seven games. This is still a very inconsistent team and taking out the top team in the Eastern Conference, with or without LeBron, sets up the perfect letdown opportunity. Big wins have been an issue as well as the Wizards are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. The Sixers are not a good team as we all know but the value is simply too good to pass up here as they have lost eight straight games while failing to cover five in a row. That plays a big part in the huge public backing of the Wizards which failed to cover their only game this season as a double-digit favorite and actually lost it outright at home against the Lakers. Coincidentally, the Wizards were coming off a win over Cleveland the previous day then as well. These teams met here earlier this month and Washington closed as an 8.5-point favorite but now the Wizards are favored by a full four points more which is a huge overadjustment. 10* (703) Philadelphia 76ers

Portland is one of the hotter teams in the NBA as it has won seven of its last eight games following a win in Chicago last night. The Blazers are now three games over .500 on the season and are sitting in seventh place in the Western Conference. They are riding a four-game road winning streak but are still six games under .500 on the highway and overall they have won just eight of 20 games against the Eastern Conference. The Pacers lost a tough one on Friday night against Charlotte as it fell by a point with Kemba Walker scoring the game winner with just 2.4 seconds remaining. The Pacers had won three of four games coming out of the break and with Cleveland on deck for tomorrow, this is a big game now. They are sitting in sixth place in the Eastern Conference playoff race but are just a game and a half out of ninth place so taking care of home court is a must. They will be out for some revenge after a 12-point loss in Portland earlier this season where they allowed a franchise record 18 three-pointers. Going back, the Blazers are 7-19-1 ATS in their last 27 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while the Pacers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss. 10* (808) Indiana Pacers

Golden St. concludes its seven-game roadtrip at Oklahoma City after winning five of the first six games. The Warriors got away with one on Miami as Stephen Curry bailed them out late and the next night they shot an unheard of 60.2 percent from the floor against Orlando in a 16-point blowout. Now comes the biggest challenge of the trip as the Thunder looks to prove that they are still a contender as well. They have looked pretty bad coming out of the All Star Break as they have dropped three of their four games including two straight at home where they are now 25-7, still a very impressive record. These teams met earlier this month with the Warriors pulling away late for an eight-point win. They were favored by 7.5 points in that game and with the venue change, they are overvalued as this line should be more in the pickem range. While Oklahoma City has not fared well as an underdog this season, going 1-4 straight up and against the number, this is the first time they have been a home underdog and going back they are 7-2 ATS in this role since 2014. The Thunder are 27-9-1 ATS in their last 37 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600 while the Warriors are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games playing on one-day rest. 10* (512) Oklahoma City Thunder

Everyone was counting the Bulls out after suffering their fifth straight loss in their first game out of the All Star Break against Cleveland but they have gone on to win three straight wins since then. Additionally, they have covered four in a row as they stayed within the number against the Cavaliers but the last three victories came at home and now they hit the road where they have lost four straight and are 1-6 over their last seven games on the highway. Chicago lost at home against Atlanta, its last home defeat, right before the break but we are not worried about road revenge in this situation. The Hawks were talking about breaking this team up heading into the trade deadline a week ago but they held together and have gone on to lose their last three games. Atlanta lost to Miami by four points, lost to Milwaukee in overtime and most recently went down against Golden St. Losses are losses but these were not the worst losses but this is now a great opportunity to get back on track, especially on their home floor where they were once 17-8 but have dropped four straight games. Atlanta now trails Miami by a game and a half in the Southeast Division so the time to bounce back starts here. Derrick Rose missed the last game for Chicago and is questionable with a hamstring issue and that is the reason this line came out late but in or out, Atlanta has the matchup edge as well as the Hawks have comfortably won four of five meetings the last two seasons. The Hawks are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games following a double-digit loss at home while the Bulls are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games following a straight up win. 10* (850) Atlanta Hawks

Phoenix continues to ride the longest current losing streak in the NBA as it has hit 12 games and going back, the Suns have dropped 18 of their last 19 games. 10 of those 18 losses have come at home which doesn’t seem to bode well here but taking a look at those home losses show that is was a brutal stretch against some quality opponents. Nine of those opponents are heading to the playoffs and the other opponent is Houston, which is just a half-game out in the Western Conference. There are few excuses for losing but the Suns have a legitimate gripe with the recent schedule and overall they have played the second toughest slate in the NBA. Brooklyn opened a nine-game roadtrip with a respectable eight-point loss at Portland but in no way does it deserve to be a road favorite. Even when going to Philadelphia, the Nets were underdogs and on the season they are just 4-20 on the highway including losses in seven straight. While this is certainly a winnable game for Brooklyn, the same can be said for Phoenix which has three more games on deck against future playoff teams. The Nets are 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game while the Suns are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. 10* (708) Phoenix Suns

There are seven games on the board with spreads of eight or more points so while there will inevitably be some close games, I do not expect this to be one of those. Memphis has been on a roll as it has gone 16-7 over its last 23 games and while winning the Southwest Division is not going to happen, the Grizzlies are fifth in the Western Conference. They are coming off a loss against Toronto on Sunday and they have been a great bounceback team this season, going 15-7 following a defeat including going 6-1 over the last seven. The Grizzlies have covered 12 of their last 16 games at home and they are laying a very manageable number here. The Lakers have not been winning but they are keeping this number lower than it should be as they have covered seven of their last eight games but six of those were instances where they were getting more points. The last game resulted in a cover against Milwaukee where Los Angeles was getting nine points but now it is getting fewer points against a team that is nine games better than the Bucks. This is the first of a home-and-home that concludes Friday so there is no lookahead for Memphis so coming off a bad loss at Toronto helps the situation here. 10* (512) Memphis Grizzlies

Charlotte is playing some of its best basketball of the season as it has won five straight games including two in row coming out of the All Star Break. The winning streak is a season high and has put the Hornets three games over .500 and into a tie for seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Those wins came against not the best of opposition however as road wins over Brooklyn and Milwaukee were against teams a combined 36 games under .500 while two others came at home against struggling Washington and Chicago. Charlotte has 13 losses against teams ranked in the top 16 of the league which is tied for the most defeats against such teams and it is catching Cleveland at a bad time. The Cavaliers are coming off a horrible game against Detroit, snapping their five-game winning streak so they will be ready to bounce back. These teams played back on February 3rd in Charlotte and the Cavaliers were favored by eight points and now they are favored by nearly the exact same amount at home which is not a correct line swing based on venue. Kemba Walker did not play in that game but he is not worth anything close to eight points. Cleveland lost that game by nine points on top of it so revenge will be in play here also. 10* (504) Cleveland Cavaliers

Orlando has gone over the total in each of its last two games but not by big margins. In the last game, the Magic went over by just four points while in the game prior to that, it took overtime for the total to be surpassed. Thy are right at 50 percent with their over/unders this season but we are getting a lot of value as this is just the third time this season that Orlando has seen a total of higher than 207. The Sixers have gone over the total in each of their last three games as the defense, which is bad to begin with, has been really bad by allowing 114, 121 and 129 points. Philadelphia has been more of an over team this season but by a slight margin and because of the recent run, the value is in its number as well. The Sixers have had larger totals than Orlando but not of significance. The first two meetings this season have seen a split with the over/under but the one game that went over would have stayed under had the total tonight been posted. The under is 13-3 in the last 16 games for Orlando against teams with a losing straight up record including 5-0 to the under against a team with a winning percentage below .400. Additionally, the Magic are 4-0 to the under this season as a road favorite. Meanwhile, the under is 8-2 in the Sixers last 10 games against teams with a losing straight up record. 10* Under (701) Orlando Magic/(702) Philadelphia 76ers

This line was delayed in coming out due to the uncertain status of Kyrie Irving who left yesterday’s game against Oklahoma City with flu like symptoms after playing just nine minutes. The Cavaliers did not seem to miss him however as they rolled over the Thunder by 23 points which sets up a possible letdown situation tonight. We played on Detroit yesterday and the Pistons were unable to control Anthony Davis who scored over half of the Pelicans points as he put up 59 points to go along with 20 boards. That was the fifth straight loss for Detroit going back prior to the All Star break and the Pistons have not been able to cover any of those games as well. Cleveland is on the opposite end of the streak as it has won five straight games but it has struggled all season in this role, going just 19-27-1 ATS as a favorite including a horrible 10-21 ATS when favored by six or more points. Part of the problem has been playing up or down to the competition as the Cavaliers are 6-15-2 ATS in their last 23 games against teams with a losing straight up record. 10* (501) Detroit Pistons

After losing three straight games prior to the All Star Break, the Pistons opened the second half with a poor effort at Washington as they managed just 86 points which was their lowest point total since scoring 82 points at Indiana back on January 2nd. They followed that up a huge effort in their next game which was at home against Orlando in a 24-point victory and I expect another big bounce back effort here. The one bright spot on Friday was newly acquired Tobias Harris who came off the bench to score 21 points in 30 minutes of work. New Orleans won its first game out of the break but that was at home against Philadelphia and it wasn’t exactly a dominating performance as it won by just seven points. The Pelicans hit the road where they are just 3-8 over their last 11 games and are a woeful 6-21 on the season. New Orleans is just 5-10 ATS on the road against teams with a losing record while the Pistons are 8-1 ATS at home against losing teams. Additionally, the Pistons are 15-6 ATS in their last 21 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points while the Pelicans are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following a straight up win. 10* (804) Detroit Pistons

Golden St. did not come out of the break as expected as it was trounced in Portland last night by 32 points. It was the most one-sided defeat for Golden St. since a 123-84 loss to Denver in April 2012. The Warriors previous worst loss was 114-91 to Dallas on Dec. 30. That was just the fifth loss for the Warriors this season and following their four previous losses, they bounced back with wins by an average of 20.3 ppg. The Clippers meanwhile had last night off following a 19-point victory against San Antonio on Thursday, their fourth win in five games and eighth win in 10 games since late January. Many feel that the Clippers present a tough matchup challenge for Golden St. and we have partly seen that this season as the Warriors won the first two meetings by just four and seven points but those games were way back in November and Golden St. was not coming off a loss, let alone an embarrassing one like last night. They are 6-1 ATS this season when favored by fewer than seven points while going 7-2 ATS on the road against winning teams. Additionally, they are 6-1 ATS in the second of back-to-back road games playing with no rest while the Clippers are 5-12-1 ATS in their last 18 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (507) Golden St. Warriors

Handicapping the first full day back from the All Star Break can be very challenging based on the fact that teams are coming back at essentially the same strength with no positive or negative situations in their favor. However, the All Star Break came at a good time for a lot of teams but probably none more so than Phoenix. The Suns limped into the break on a nine-game losing streak while going just 1-15 over their last 16 games. To their credit, they have played one of the toughest over that stretch as of those 16 games, 12 of those teams are currently sitting in a playoff position. Another of those losses came here against Houston two weeks ago by just six points. The Rockets didn’t close the first half very well either as they dropped their final three games while losing six of their final eight games. They have played decent at home this season but are just 11-15 on the road and they have been especially horrible in this role as Houston is 2-8 ATS as favorites of seven or more points this season. Phoenix has covered four of its last six games as a home underdog and all of those have come against playoff bound teams. A week off was needed mentally for the Suns and they come out strong in the second half of the season with a great effort. 10* (860) Phoenix Suns

The Clippers took out the Spurs in a great seven-game series in the Conference Quarterfinals last season and San Antonio was able to revenge that loss at home back in December. Now the season series shifts to Los Angeles where the Clippers are back home following a solid 3-1 roadtrip prior to the All Star Break. While they are 0-3 as home underdogs this season, one loss came by a point against the Thunder, a loss to Indiana was without Chris Paul and the third came against the Warriors. San Antonio won its final six games before the break and its overall record is what is driving this line. The Spurs are 17-8 on the road which is identical to the Clippers record at home and while a road record can be given more credibility in this league, most of the success has come against losing teams. The Clippers have been on a solid run, winning 15 of their last 20 games while also winning seven of their last nine home games and 12 of their last 16. This is a game that can come down to a final possession so getting home points is very advantageous. The Spurs are 1-5 ATS in their last six games against teams with a winning percentage above .600 while the Clippers are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games following an ATS loss and 4-1 ATS in their last five games against teams with a winning straight up record. 10* (504) Los Angeles Clippers

Milwaukee is coming off a solid but what might be considered fortunate win over the Celtics on Tuesday as the Bucks blew a 19-point lead in the final quarter but won in the final second to snap a five-game losing skid. Milwaukee is still a disappointing 11 games under .500 but the issues have been on the road where it is 7-24 compared to being 14-8 at home. You can see a nine-game difference there so the schedule has not been on the Bucks side and because of this, they have played the toughest schedule in the Eastern Conference. The Wizards are coming off a victory against the Knicks in their last game on the road despite getting outshot but the difference was their 16 made three-pointers compared to just eight for New York. Washington is now a game over .500 on the road which is a reason the line is as low as it is. But stringing together consecutive wins has been a problem of late as the Wizards are 0-4 in their last four games following a win while going 3-7 in road games following a win in their last road game. Additionally, the Wizards are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game while the Bucks are 7-1 ATS in their last games against the Eastern Conference. 10* (704) Milwaukee Bucks

While Golden St. remains the hottest team in the NBA with ten straight victories, the second hottest team may come as a surprise as it is the Utah Jazz following their seventh consecutive victory last night against Dallas in overtime. The Jazz have won three straight games on the road, two of those coming against Phoenix and Brooklyn, both of which are 14-39, but they have won only nine games on the highway the entire season. To their credit, they are now over .500 for the first time since being 8-7 in late November but coming off a tough battle last night makes tonight's game a tough challenge. New Orleans has had a tough season but it is 14-14 following a brutal 5-18 start so the latter part of the first half has been a lot better. The Pelicans are coming off a win at Minnesota last time out and they return to New Orleans on a 6-3 run to move over .500 on the season at home. The Jazz are 1-6 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with a winning home record while the Pelicans have covered five straight against Northwest Division teams. 10* (516) New Orleans Pelicans