Sports Picks & Predictions

There is a lot on the line tonight in Los Angeles as one game separates second and sixth place in the Western Conference and both of these teams are right in the mix. Memphis is coming a pretty unimpressive win last night in Utah but a win is a win and coupled with the Rockets loss against San Antonio, the Grizzlies regained the lead in the Southwest Division where three teams are within a game of each other. Memphis has won four of five games following a three-game losing streak and with a game at Golden St. on deck, this one is suddenly pretty huge to keep a hold on second place in the Western Conference. The Clippers are in fifth place but a win here can put them into a tie for second place so while the motivation is on their side as well, they are being asked to lay a bigger than expected number against a quality team. Los Angeles 28-11 at home which is only four games better than the Grizzlies record on the road and while it has won 27 of 37 games as a home favorite, it has covered just 15 of those games. Memphis has already won once here this season and it surely has not forgotten the last meeting in Memphis where the Clippers won by 18 points. The Grizzlies are 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600 while the Clippers are 4-12 ATS in their last 16 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (507) Memphis Grizzlies

This total continues to drop with a reason due to the fact that Memphis has stayed under the total in six straight games. The last game against New Orleans stayed below the total by just a half point as the defense once again came to the forefront by holding the Pelicans to 74 points on 35 percent shooting. It was the fourth straight games that the Grizzlies have held their opponent to 92 points or less but the challenge will be more difficult tonight. Utah has won two straight games with the offense putting up 101 and 103 points and while those games were both against Sacramento, the Jazz have been shooting the ball very well over the short-term. This number has dipped to the point of it being a very rare low number as this is just the second time this season Utah has had a total of less than 180 points and this is the first time it has occurred in a game for Memphis. The over is 4-1 in the Grizzlies last five road games while the over is 7-3 in Utah's last 10 home games against teams with a winning road record. Look for a higher scoring game than anticipated tonight. 10* Over (721) Memphis Grizzlies/(722) Utah Jazz

The Rockets get a chance for some quick revenge as they look to remain in the top half of the Southwest Division. This is the tightest division in the league right now as the top three teams are separated by just a half-game and as far as playoff seedings, those three spots can finish anywhere from No. 2 all the way down to No. 6 which shows how tight the conference is as a whole. San Antonio has made it very interesting with wins in nine straight games including a win over Houston on Wednesday by 12 points. In addition to those nine straight up wins, the Spurs have been able to cover every one of those games as well which is giving us great value tonight. They were favored by 6.5 points at home two days ago which should make them an underdog here based on venue change but instead they are favored by over a bucket. Houston is 28-10 at home this season including a 19-5 record over its last 24 home games. Three of the final four games of the season are here with the line roadie being at Charlotte. The Rockets are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a loss of more than 10 points. 10* (718) Houston Rockets

The Pacers remain in the playoff mix in the Eastern Conference and because of that, they are seeing their lines get inflated as we head into the stretch run of the season. Indiana has won and covered three straight games to move a game back from seventh and eighth place in the conference but the schedule is not on their side. Their final three games are against teams either fighting for playoff spots or working on seedings and two of those against the Western Conference. Two of the three recent wins were at home and the only road win was at New York and going back, Indiana is just 3-6 in its last nine road games with two of those coming against the Knicks. Detroit has nothing to play for expect to be a spoiler at this point and this is one team the Pistons would love to knock out of the postseason. They are a healthy home underdog here and in comparison, they were getting a points and a half against Boston last time out and are now getting at least three points more against a team that has a worse record than the Celtics. Detroit is 5-1 in its last six home games and going back, it is 14-3 ATS in its last 17 games following an ATS loss. 10* (704) Detroit Pistons

Golden St. closed out its road portion of the regular season not the way it had hoped to as it dropped its final two games at San Antonio and at New Orleans. It is just the fourth time this season that Golden St. has lost consecutive games and in the previous three instances, it avoided a three-game losing streak. The Warriors play their final four games at home where they are a league-best 35-2 including wins in 14 straight. A win by the Warriors Thursday would assure Golden St. finishes with the best record in the NBA for the first time since 1975-76 and would give it home court advantage in the NBA Finals. Portland rolled over Minnesota last night and is currently 1.5 games back of the Clippers and Spurs in the race for home-court advantage in the playoffs so this is obviously a big game but a horrible spot to be put in. The Blazers are 4-6 on the road this season against the Western Conference's top eight teams. The Warriors are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600 while the Blazers are 4-14 ATS in the last 18 meetings in Golden St. 10* (504) Golden St. Warriors

We won with Miami in its last game as it snapped a four-game losing streak and kept it just a game back for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Heat could be in the drivers seat with their remaining schedule which includes three home games and the lone road game being at lowly Philadelphia. But the first two home games are not easy with Chicago tonight and Toronto on Saturday both of which are still fighting for seeding in the conference. Overall the Heat are eight games under .500 and are just 19-19 at home so there is not an edge here at all. The Bulls lost last night in Orlando which was their second straight loss and they are now just a game ahead of Washington for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference so this is now a very big game. The return of Derrick Rose last night didn't do a whole lot as he managed just nine points and two assists in 19 minutes while committing four turnovers. Defense will have to step up tonight and should not be a problem as the Heat have shot 18.2 percent from three-point range in the past three games. The Bulls are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 games following an ATS loss. 10* (501) Chicago Bulls

This total came out late due to the uncertain status of Zach Randolph for the Grizzlies. Whether he plays or not, while it will certainly effect Memphis as a whole, it will not be a big factor in the total as his offense and defense would be a wash. New Orleans is coming off a win last night against Golden St. and coupled with the Oklahoma City loss, the Pelicans moved into eighth place in the Western Conference. They held Golden St. to 100 points which was just the third time in the last 23 games that the Warriors have been held to 100 or fewer points so that was an impressive defensive performance last night. They have picked up the defense of late but overall, they are still allowing 45.5 percent shooting and that jumps even higher on the road. New Orleans has gone under in three straight games and the low total is reflecting that. The Pelicans have not seen an over/under of less than 190 in 13 games. Memphis has gone under in five straight games and it has been a mix of offense and defense along the way. The Grizzlies have been off since Saturday and going back, they are 13-6 to the over in their last 19 games playing on three or more days rest. Meanwhile, the over is 5-2 in the Pelicans last seven games following an ATS win. 10* Over (715) New Orleans Pelicans/(716) Memphis Grizzlies

This is another late release and while it was due to the Hawks Paul Millsap, who was already out so the delay in the line makes no sense, there are more issues for the Hawks. There was a stabbing last night in New York that involved the Pacers Chris Copeland but Hawks players Pero Antic and Thabo Sefolosha were also on hand and booked for trying to prevent police from setting up a crime scene. Whether they play tonight is still unknown but hearing things like this can really hurt a team. Atlanta blew away Phoenix at home last night but traveled to New York after the game which in hindsight was a bad idea. Atlanta set a franchise record for wins last night so that could provide a letdown for tonight. It was the second straight win for the Hawks and the first victory is what is keying this play for Brooklyn. The Nets were the victims of that win as they were blown out by 32 points in Atlanta on Saturday night, the third double-digit loss against Atlanta this season. Besides that though, the Nets have been playing well as they have won seven of their last eight games and 11 of their last 14 to move into seventh place in the Eastern Conference. This includes five straight home wins which is big after a horrendous start at home. The Nets are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (710) Brooklyn Nets

The Lakers and Clippers just met on Sunday and it resulted in a Clippers blowout victory by 28 points. The fourth and final meeting takes place tonight and while the Lakers will be out to avoid a four-game season series sweep, their defense cannot be trusted to think about victory and even coming within this big number. We are concentrating on the total here and based on that recent game, we are getting a great deal of value as this over/under is currently five points less than what it was just two nights ago. While the Lakers offense has stumbled of late, we can bank on the defense not showing any resistance as the stop unit has allowed 106.7 ppg on the road this season and 108.8 ppg over their last five games. I do expect the offense to improve as well as scoring fewer than 80 points in three straight games is a rarity in this league. The Clippers offense is perforating on a very high level right now as they have averaged 113 ppg over their last 10 games and don't expect it to slow down here. Both teams have stayed under in two straight games which both came after some runs on the over. The over is 6-2 in the Clippers last eight games following a double-digit win while the over is 9-3-1 in the Lakers last 13 games against the NBA Pacific. 10* Over (661) Los Angeles Lakers/(662)/Los Angeles Clippers

Oklahoma City has lost three straight games and is just a half-game ahead of New Orleans for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Going back, the Thunder have dropped five of their last six games but they have been fortunate that the Pelicans have not been able to gain more ground. Three of their final five games are at home where they are 27-11 on the season despite the recent loss against Houston on Sunday and against Dallas prior to that. While playoff motivation is typically good enough, Oklahoma city has not forgotten the 39-point loss suffered in San Antonio less than two weeks ago. The Spurs have won seven straight games and snapped the Warriors 12-game winning streak on Sunday at home and they were out to prove something, expending their home winning streak against Golden St. to 32 games and showing the championship still runs through San Antonio. The Spurs are two games behind Houston in the Southwest Division which comes with homecourt in the first round of the playoffs and with a back-to-back set against the Rockets on deck, the lookahead is there. The Spurs are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while going 1-9 ATS in the last 10 meetings in Oklahoma City. 10* (656) Oklahoma City Thunder

It is a four-team race between Boston, Indiana, Miami and Charlotte for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and two of those teams square off tonight. Miami is tied with Indiana at one game back and a win over Charlotte tonight puts the Hornets in a tough spot and likely out of the race. While the Heat are not in the lead, they are in the drivers seat in my opinion as they have by far the easiest remaining schedule as they have four straight home games starting tonight and while two of those arte against Chicago and Toronto the home finale is against Orlando and the lone road game is at Philadelphia. They have to take care of business tonight. Charlotte is coming off a win last time out against Philadelphia which was far from impressive and it has struggled on the road of late, going 1-6 in its last seven games on the highway with the lone victory coming at 16-60 Minnesota. Overall, they are nine games under .500 on the road and the absence of center al Jefferson is a big loss for tonight. Going back, Hornets are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a win while the Heat are 12-4-1 ATS in their last 17 games following a loss of more than 10 points. 10* (652) Miami Heat

Things are getting a little too close for comfort in the Western Conference for Oklahoma City which is just one game ahead of New Orleans for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Thunder have dropped two straight and four of their last five games but they have been fortunate that the Pelicans have not been able to gain more ground. Four of their final six games are at home but with Houston and San Antonio back-to-back, they cannot afford to continue their losing streak. The Rockets won 108-101 at Dallas on Thursday, their sixth victory in seven games to remain a game ahead of Memphis in the Southwest Division and for second place in the Western Conference. That certainly makes this a big game as well for the Rockets and while they won the first meeting here this season, the Thunder were without both Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Houston has covered just three of the last 12 meetings here and despite all of the injuries that have impacted Oklahoma City's season, being 27-10 at home is still very respectable. Additionally, this is the time they tend to step up as the Thunder are 21-4-1 ATS in their last 26 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (502) Oklahoma City Thunder

Dallas lost at home against Houston in its last game and it has now dropped three of its last four games and five of its last seven going back to mid-March. While a playoff spot is imminent, it has not yet been clinched by the Mavericks which are sitting in seventh place in the Western Conference, four games behind the Spurs but also four games ahead of the Thunder and with six games left, the Mavericks know they're not in a position to start preparing for one particular opponent in the playoffs. And that is a good thing as they try to restore from confidence heading into the postseason. With its victory on Thursday against Phoenix, Golden St. already has exceeded its franchise record for wins in a season, clinched the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs, and has won 11 games in a row. The Warriors are road favorites for those reasons as well as the fact Dallas has yet to cover this season inside this number as the Mavericks are 0-8 ATS as underdogs of four or more points. Most of those roles were on the road though as they have been a home underdog only twice and the last time resulted in a win over San Antonio. Additionally, Dallas will be out to avoid the season sweep against the Warriors so there is plenty of motivation there. 10* (814) Dallas Mavericks

The Spurs are picking up the pace at the right time but it may be too little, too late when looking at the big picture. San Antonio is on the verge of extending its NBA record of 15 consecutive 50-win seasons after clinching an 18th straight trip to the playoffs with a win over Orlando Wednesday but the chances of moving up into a home court playoff advantage is very slim. San Antonio has won five straight games but coming off a roadtrip and with its next four games coming against Western Conference playoff teams including top ranked Golden St., this is not the spot to back the Spurs. Denver has dropped two straight games and while the Nuggets are just playing put the string in waiting for this disappointing season to end, they have shown signs of improvement and would like nothing more than to snap their six-game losing streak in this series. Denver is a respectable 8-8 under interim head coach Melvin Hunt and it has covered in 10 of its last 12 trips to San Antonio. Additionally, the Nuggets have covered eight straight games when playing with a day of rest while going 6-1 ATS this season as double-digit underdogs including wins in three straight games when getting that amount of points. 10* (515) Denver Nuggets

The bad news for Toronto is that it is playing only one NBA bottom feeder in its remaining seven games but the good news is that of those games, none are against teams with a winning record. The Raptors are tied with the Bulls for third place in the Eastern Conference with Washington not far behind so everything from here on out is important for seeding. Toronto has won its last three games including a victory at Minnesota to move to two games over .500 on the road. The Nets have been even better with five straight wins but the fact they are favored here is an overaggressive move. Brooklyn narrowly defeated the Knicks in their last game on the road and in their most recent home game, they were getting s point against 32-43 Indiana but are now favored by three points in most places against a team that is 13 games better than the Pacers. Toronto will be out to avenge a 16-point home loss against the Nets and the Raptors are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games against teams with a losing record. Meanwhile the Nets are just 2-5-2 ATS in their last nine home games while going only 7-14-1 ATS this season as a home favorite. 10* (505) Toronto Raptors

Golden St. defeated the Clippers on Tuesday, its 10th straight victory and eighth straight cover. The Warriors have locked everything up from winning the division and grabbing the number one seed in the Western Conference and is close to wrapping up the best record in the NBA. The win over the Clippers may not seem anything special but that was a game the Warriors wanted badly as they fell behind by as many as 17 points in the first half, cranked up the defense in the fourth quarter, holding Los Angeles to 23.1 percent shooting and forcing seven turnovers. It was the first win at Los Angeles since January 2013 so there is the letdown effect coming into tonight and getting some starters a little extra rest is always a possibility. Phoenix is hoping to keep its slight playoff hopes alive following four straight losses as it is now four games back in the Western Conference standings. The Suns have been an underdog by this much only once this season and they were able to cover at Cleveland. They are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games following a double-digit loss while the Warriors are 5-13 ATS in their last 18 games playing on one day of rest. 10* (705) Phoenix Suns

We are going with the value in this one based on recent history on both sides as well as the season series to date. The Suns offense has been poor during their four-game winning streak as they have scored no more than 99 points while averaging a mere 90.8 ppg which is considerably below their 103.5 ppg on the season. To no surprise, all four of those games have stayed below the total and the under has come in five straight games for Phoenix. While the Suns are 24-15 to the under at home, they are 20-16 to the over on the road. The Warriors meanwhile are on a similar run as they have stayed under the total in three straight games as the defense has led the charge by allowing just 95 ppg. While the defense has been good all season, this is below the season average 99 ppg and they will be facing an opponent that will run with them. These are the two fastest teams in the NBA as Golden St. averages 101.6 possessions per game while the Suns average 101 possessions per game. Additionally, the Warriors lead in possessions at home while Phoenix leads in possessions on the road. Golden St. is home after a four-game road trip and the over is 5-1 in the Warriors last six home games. 10* Over (705) Phoenix Suns/(706) Golden St. Warriors

The Bucks won four straight games in late February but then went on a 3-13 skid before finally putting together a winning streak for the first time since that run. However, they have since dropped their last two games and are just two games ahead of Miami for the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference which is a big spot because falling back one more slot means facing Cleveland in the first round of the playoffs. As of right now, Milwaukee would face Chicago in the first round and while it has had little success against the Bulls this season, this is a big game to get some confidence prior to the postseason. Chicago has won the first three meetings this season and has won six straight against Milwaukee going back to last year but is getting a little too much respect here. The Bulls have won their last three games and five of their last six with all of those victories coming by double digits which is a big reason for the big road chalk. The lone defeat came at Detroit and Chicago has a rematch with the Pistons on Friday meaning a lookahead is imminent followed by a game against the Cavaliers on Sunday. The Bucks are 11-5-2 ATS in their last 18 games following a double-digit loss while the Bulls are 2-7 ATS in their last nine road games. 10* (512) Milwaukee Bucks

The Knicks have lost seven straight games while covering just one of those but it was a meaningful cover as it came against the rival Celtics and as far as any more rivalry games go, this is the final one of the season. With two weeks left, New York aims to not only put an end to its recent skid but to avoid a four-game sweep against the Nets this season after dropping the first three. With nothing to play for, why not try and play spoiler at this point? "We don't have a chance of making the playoffs. We know that. We want to make sure that other teams don't really get that chance either, especially Brooklyn, our hometown rival," Cleanthony Smith said. Brooklyn is currently in the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference thanks to a four-game winning streak so while winning is at the forefront, winning on the road by this many points is a challenge. The Nets have been favored by eight or more points three times this season and have failed to cover any of those games and despite playing the worst team in the NBA, they have no business laying this number on the road against a rival. The Nets are 2-6-1 ATS in their last nine games when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* (510) New York Knicks

San Antonio won last night in Miami by 14 points to make it four straight wins, all coming by double-digits and tonight marks the 20th game of the season when playing with no rest. The Spurs can clinch a playoff berth with a victory tonight and while the linesmakers are saying this is likely, this is one of those games that San Antonio could falter. The Spurs are 48-26, good for sixth in the conference and until recently, they have danced between the fifth and seventh spots in the Western Conference. However, they are now three games up on the Mavericks at No. 7, so it's becoming increasingly unlikely that the Spurs will draw a top-two team in the first round. Rest is now becoming a big factor which works in our favor in the second of a back-to-back. Orlando is riding a three-game losing streak, all coming at home and all coming by double-digits so we are seeing the exact opposite of what the Spurs have done but the linesmakers are certainly aware. That is not keeping the public away though as the Spurs are the biggest consensus of the night in the NBA despite laying the biog road number. Orlando has not played since Friday and it has covered four of its last five when playing with this much rest while also covering seven of its last 10 games against the Western Conference. 10* (506) Orlando Magic

Both Indiana and Brooklyn are going after the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference as the Pacers are a half-game out while the Nets are now tied with Boston after the Celtics win last night. While there is no real edge either way as both teams come in with some momentum, we are looking at a great spot for a low scoring game based on recent play and series games. Indiana has gone over the total in five straight games thanks to an offense that has averaged 105 ppg and a defense that has allowed close to 109 ppg. These averages are a complete aberration of the numbers from the entire season and I think we see things get back to normal tonight. The same goes for Brooklyn. While it has not been as consistent in scoring and allowing a big number of points of late, the Nets have scored 106 and 107 points the last two games, well above their season average. These teams played just over a week ago and they put on an offensive show with 234 points scored which made it two overs in two meetings this season and four straight going back to last season. Because of that last result, it is no surprise that this total is four points higher and it is also shaded higher because of the recent run for the Pacers. The under is 7-3 in the Pacers last 10 games following a win while the under is 5-2 in the Nets last seven home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 10* Under (763) Indiana Pacers/(764) Brooklyn Nets

We lost with Memphis yesterday as it went to San Antonio in a game it never led yet had chances late but were outscored by 10 points in the fourth quarter and lost by 14 points. It was the third straight loss for the Grizzlies which have fallen into second place in the Southwest Division and third place in the Western Conference so they need to right the ship. Those losses came by 22, 21 and 14 points and while the three losses aren't the worst losing skid of the season as they lost four straight in late December, it is easily the worst three-game stretch of the season. They catch a good opponent to turn things around against as Sacramento continues its roadtrip after splitting the first two games. The Kings are a dismal 10-25 on the highway, one of just six teams in the NBA with 10 or fewer road wins. They lost at New Orleans Friday by 14 points and now they are getting a line that is just a point higher against a team 10.5 games better than the Pelicans so clearly the linesmakers have no faith in the Grizzlies. Memphis is out to avenge a 12-point loss in Sacramento last month which was the start of its recent 9-10 stretch. The Kings are 0-8 ATS in their last eight road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (742) Memphis Grizzlies

Houston is coming off a win on Sunday against Washington which was its fifth straight victory and coupled with three straight losses for Memphis, the Rockets have jumped ahead of the Grizzlies in the Southwest Division and into second place in the Western Conference. They end their short two-game roadtrip tonight but this is not an easy spot as this is their fifth game in eight days and they are 4-4 on the season playing back-to-back road games. Houston has been outstanding of late against the Eastern conference while Toronto has been struggling to cover much of anything for a while but we are getting a very good number because of it. The Raptors defeated the Lakers on Friday so they have had a couple valuable days of rest to continue the playoff push. They remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and while catching the Bulls would be good, staying ahead of Washington is most important since home court advantage is involved. Houston was favored by just a bucket at home last month in its win over Toronto and the line has shifted only four points since then. The Raptors lost that game by 22 points which was their second worse loss of the season aside from a 24-point loss against Golden St. so revenge will be big tonight as well. 10* (736) Toronto Raptors

Memphis is clinging to a half-game lead in the Southwest Division over Houston and those spots could flip by the time the night is done but I expect the Grizzlies to hold their own here in a pretty good spot. They are coming off back-to-back blowout losses at home against Cleveland and Golden St. and now they hit the road to face another hot team but they are definitely getting value in the line because of it. This is the second biggest line the Grizzlies have seen this season and the first one came at Washington when Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph sat out so this marks the biggest number of the season with a healthy and full lineup. Memphis has the third best road record in the NBA and the Grizzlies are 5-2 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. San Antonio is rolling along with a 12-3 record over its last 15 games following a blowout against Dallas on Friday but that game was a revenge game from just three days prior and now the Spurs are favored by just a point less against a team that is five games better than the Mavericks. And as another example, they are favored by just one point less than they were favored by against the 32-40 Celtics in their most recent home game before that. 10* (715) Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis was the lone team in the NBA that Golden St. had not defeated but that changed last night as the Warriors got some revenge from a December loss and have now defeated every team in the league while tying a franchise record for wins. They have been unbeatable over the last two weeks, going 8-0 while covering seven of those including their last six. They are the biggest consensus play on the NBA card today and while the public isn't always wrong, I think they are here as the letdown effect could be big. Additionally, Golden St. closes the four-game roadtrip at the Clippers and even though it is three days away, there is always the chance of a lookahead. WE have backed Milwaukee the last two games and will do so again here is it has bounced back from a brutal six-game stretch to get back to .500 on the season. As mentioned before, Milwaukee had dropped six straight games but two of the losses came in overtime, three other ones came against three of the better teams in the NBA in Cleveland, Memphis and San Antonio while the sixth came to a solid New Orleans team by just one point on the road. Granted, Golden St. is the best team in the NBA but it has not done well in this spot as while it is 11-4-2 when playing with no rest, it is just 3-3-1 ATS in those games when playing the second of back-to-back road games. 10* (506) Milwaukee Bucks

We have two teams playing the complete opposite right now so it may be surprising to some to see the team on the downturn is laying a big number. New Orleans has lost four straight games and while it can be tough to justify losing, all four losses came against teams that are either in the playoffs or just on the outside looking in. Three of those were on the road while the one loss at home came by just two points against the Rockets. Despite that loss to Houston, the Pelicans are still 10 games over .500 at home and are 11 games better overall than their opponent. Sacramento has won four straight games which is one victory short of a season high which took place early in the season when it opened 5-1. As a matter of fact this is the first time the Kings have won consecutive games of any kind since late November as was on a horrid 0-14 run following a victory prior to this recent winning streak. Three of these wins have come at home and while the win in Phoenix seems impressive, the Suns has won four straight going into that game including back-to-back wins over Dallas and Houston. The Kings are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games against teams with a winning home record. 10* (866) New Orleans Pelicans

On Tuesday, Milwaukee snapped its six-game losing streak on a last second three-pointer for an absolute must win victory. The Bucks needed something good to go their way after a brutal stretch where two of the losses came in overtime, three other ones came against three of the better teams in the NBA in Cleveland, Memphis and San Antonio while the sixth came to a solid New Orleans team by just one point on the road. Now Milwaukee can carry that momentum into another big game to create some more separation in locking down the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference. Indiana snapped its own six-game losing streak with a win over Washington last night as it came back from a 13-point deficit to win in the final seconds. The Pacers are in a similar spot where they can carry their momentum into tonight but playing back-to-back road games goes against them here where they are just 13-22 on the highway this season and just 1-4 ATS in their last five games playing with no rest. Milwaukee is 7-3 ATS as a favorite of fewer than five points and will be playing with double revenge including an overtime loss at Indiana just over two weeks ago. 10* (802) Milwaukee Bucks

Atlanta has lost three straight games for the first time this season and while the offense has been erratic, the defense can take full responsibility. The Hawks have allowed 114, 123 and 114 points in those losses which followed up giving away 103 points which marks the first time this season they have allowed 100 or more points in four straight games. Prior to this recent stretch, Atlanta had allowed 110 or more points only seven times and followed those games up by allowing just 95.2 ppg. Orlando meanwhile has scored 100 or more points in three straight games for only the second time all season and after the first instance, the Magic put up 86 points which happened to be just a couple weeks ago. To no surprise, the last three games have gone over the total and we are catching a good number here with Atlanta having gone over the total in four straight games. Also, this is the highest total in this series on the season by five points. The under is 7-0 in the Hawks last seven games against Eastern Conference teams while the under is 4-1 in their last five road games against teams with a home winning percentage of less than .400. Meanwhile, Orlando is 24-4 to the under in its last 28 games against winning teams. 10* Under (757) Atlanta Hawks/(758) Orlando Magic

This line came out late due to the injury status of Raptors guard Kyle Lowry who was questionable to play last night, but did, and that could have been a mistake as he will be out for an extended time now. The Raptors have more than capable backups with a deep bench and with the loss last night, this has really turned into a big game. They are now a half-game behind Chicago for third place in the Eastern Conference which is a big position as third place gets Milwaukee and fourth place gets the dangerous Wizards in the first round of the playoffs. Additionally, Toronto needs to take some frustrations out to avoid a four-game series sweep against the Bulls this season. Chicago won on Monday at home against Charlotte but ever since a 6-1 run in late February, the Bulls have had trouble stringing wins together as they are 2-5 in their last seven games following a victory. Playing on the highway has been even worse as Chicago is 1-6 in its last seven road games, the lone victory coming at lowly Philadelphia and that took overtime. Toronto is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games playing with no rest and is a perfect 2-0 ATS this season when playing at home following a road game, winning by 13 and 17 points. 10* (760) Toronto Raptors

It has been another long season for the Kings but they are not giving up as they have won two straight games and both of those were done by the defense, allowing 91 and 86 points. Whether it was actually solid defense or plain bad offense on the other side or a mixture of the two, it provides us with a great opportunity for a high scoring game here. This is the first time the Kings have allowed fewer than 100 points in consecutive games since the first three games of the season but don't expect it again. Sacramento has allowed 90 points or less just eight times all season long and in the previous seven instances, it has allowed 100 or more points in all of those follow up games, allowing an average of 107.4 ppg. The Sixers have gone under the total in three straight games which is the biggest under run since late January. Since then Philadelphia is 5-1 to the over following consecutive unders and while its offense has been hit or miss, it scored 114 points against the Kings which was its last time it surpassed the century mark. The over is 6-2 in the 76ers last eight road games while the over is 4-1 in the Kings last five home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 10* Over (659) Philadelphia 76ers/(660) Sacramento Kings

It has been a bad run for the Bucks as they have dropped six straight games which is their longest losing streak of the season and while these skids can rarely be justified, the schedule has certainly played a role along with some tough luck. Two of the losses came in overtime, three other ones came against three of the better teams in the NBA in Cleveland, Memphis and San Antonio while the sixth came to a solid New Orleans team by just one point on the road. Milwaukee is now just a game and a half ahead of Miami for sixth place in the Eastern Conference which is the spot to be in to avoid playing the Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs. Granted, that makes this a big game for Miami as well to try and inch closer to that sixth spot but winning on the road has been a challenge of late as the Heat are 2-8 over their last 10 road games Miami will be out to avoid the season sweep but with Milwaukee winning the first three games, that can only help the Bucks confidence tonight. The Bucks are 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a double-digit loss at home while the Heat are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games against teams with a winning home record. 10* (656) Milwaukee Bucks

A 10-2 run has put San Antonio into sixth p[lace in the Western Conference as it was able to jump over Dallas in the standings. The Spurs two losses over that stretch came in overtime so this is a great run, its second best of the season after going on a 13-2 run back on November and December. They have spend the majority of time at home in March in follow up to their lengthy roadtrip and this is just the second of back-to-back road games since February. The Mavericks have done nothing to let San Antonio leapfrog them as they have dropped two straight games which came after a three-game winning streak so it hasn't been all that bad. Because of the Spurs run, Dallas comes in as a home underdog which is extremely surprising as the only other time this season was against Cleveland. In their last home game, the Mavericks were a three-point favorite over Memphis which is five games better than the Spurs. In this series, the underdog is 10-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings with Dallas being the underdog eight times, going 7-1 ATS. Despite the cover at Atlanta Sunday, the Spurs are 2-7 ATS in their last nine road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (658) Dallas Mavericks

Memphis is coming off a big win over Portland on Saturday as it defeated the Blazers by 11 points to make it two straight wins to stretch its lead over Houston to 3.5 games for second place in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies now hit the road again and what looks like an easy task tonight but it is what looms ahead that makes this a tough sandwich spot. They head back home to face Cleveland on Wednesday and will be out for retribution following a 14-point loss in Cleveland earlier this season. They have failed to cover five of their last six games as road favorites. New York is coming off a loss at Toronto yesterday by 17 points and while it has obviously been a brutal season, the linesmakers aren't stupid as the numbers have been serious adjusted. New York is 6-1 ATS in its last seven home games when getting 7.5 pr more points including outright wins over Oklahoma City, Toronto and San Antonio. Memphis meanwhile is 1-7 ATS this season as a double-digit favorite and an even worse 1-10 ATS in its last 11 games against teams with a losing record. 10* (604) New York Knicks

Atlanta is back home following a six-game west coast roadtrip where it ended up splitting but lost the last two games against the Warriors and Thunder. While today's task is far from easy, the return home is a big advantage. While the recent two-game skid is motivation enough, the Hawks will have something to try and prove as they have gone eight straight games without defeating San Antonio. Atlanta is 30-4 at home this season which includes a 25-2 record over its last 27 games. San Antonio looks to be shaping back into form as it has moved into sixth place in the Western Conference thanks to two straight wins as well as victories in nine of its last 11 games. The Spurs have been a much better home team than road team as they are right at .500 away from home and have struggled against some of the top teams of late, going 1-7 ATS in their last eight road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Meanwhile the Hawks are 21-6 ATS in their last 27 games against teams with a winning record and they get their revenge on Sunday. 10* (704) Atlanta Hawks

A horrible call on the over in the Phoenix/New Orleans game on Thursday sets us up for a bounceback here and the total is in our favor. The last two meetings in this series had back ends of 220.5 and 217.5 and both went over without a problem and now we are catching a number that is 10 points less than that second one. Phoenix is in the midst of its second significant run of unders as after going eight straight games in January of staying under the total, it has now gone under in its last seven games. With the exception of Thursday, it has not been anything consistent however which is the key as one game of bad offense has been followed by one game of good defense and neither have intertwined. The Suns matched a franchise low for points in a victory in that game against New Orleans. It was their third-worst shooting performance of the season for a team that had scored at least 70 in a half twice this season. Houston has won three straight games and went over the number in the last one on Thursday and I expect that to continue here with this favorable number. The over is 5-2 in the Suns last seven games after allowing less than 75 points in their previous game while the over is 4-1 in the Rockets last games against teams with a winning record. 10* Over (507) Phoenix Suns/(508) Houston Rockets

Injuries are the story here as neither team is at full strength which of course caused a delay in the release of the line at most places and the total everywhere. The Hawks defense which has been very solid this season, did not perform well against Golden St. in their last game and will look to bounce back against a Thunder offense that has been on high octane despite the absence of Kevin Durant. Atlanta allowed 114 points on 52.4 percent shooting against the Warriors and that was just the eighth time they have allowed 110 or more points. In the previous seven times, the defense allowed fewer than 100 points six times whole allowing an average of 95.3 ppg. The Thunder have gone over the total in their last three games and the last two were not even close with 234 and 240 points being scored. Those were against two of the faster teams in the NBA however as they were both up and down games and the Hawks are not that team and do not want to get involved in a shootout knowing defense is the best cure for a bounce back. The under is 7-3 in the Hawks last 10 games following a loss while the under is 17-7 in the Thunder's last 24 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* Under (811) Atlanta Hawks/(812) Oklahoma City Thunder

This total came out late due to injuries for Anthony Davis and Brandon Knight for New Orleans and Phoenix respectively. The total is the play tonight as we are getting a very attainable number that is being aided by recent lack of success of the over. Phoenix is in the midst of its second significant run of unders as after going eight straight games in January of staying under the total, it has now gone under in its last six games. It has not been anything consistent however which is the key as one game of bad offense has been followed by one game of good defense and neither have intertwined. New Orleans is coming off a game against Milwaukee where 169 points were scored, its second lowest scoring game of the season. The Pelicans have had 11 previous games where fewer than 180 points were scored and in the follow up game, the over has come in 8 of those 11 times. Phoenix has been off since Sunday which is a good thing as the over is 5-1 in its last six games playing on three or more days rest while the over is 10-3 in the Pelicans last 13 games playing on one day of rest. Additionally, we play on the over involving a home team coming off a home win by 10 points or more, in a game involving two teams with winning percentages between .501 and .600. This situation is 63-29 (68.5 percent) to the over the last five seasons. 10* Over (705) New Orleans Pelicans/(706) Phoenix Suns

We lost with Orlando last night as the Magic were in their game withy the Rockets for three quarters but were outscored 30-16 in the final frame to blow the cover by a buckets. We will come right back with them here though as the line value has gotten better as they are catching a bigger number against a tea with a worse record than Houston that is sitting in a horrible situation. As mentioned yesterday, they have been the best team in the NBA in there spots as they are 14-4 ATS this season in road games when playing against teams with a winning record and an even better 17-6 ATS in their last 23 road games against teams with a winning home record. Dallas took care of Oklahoma City on Monday, its second straight win over a conference heavyweight and while that not only puts them on a breather alert, they have a huge revenge game against Memphis on Friday before another revenge game at Phoenix and then a home-and-home set with the Spurs. Orlando falls into a great contrarian situation here as we play on double-digit road underdogs with a winning percentage between .250 and .400 after failing to cover the spread in two or more consecutive games, playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 173-116 ATS (60 percent) since 1996. 10* (613) Orlando Magic

Miami is coming off a win over Cleveland on Monday, its second home victory over the Cavaliers this season. The Heat responded with a home loss two nights later against Memphis and that has been a typical theme for them all year as the Heat are 0-12 ATS in 12 games coming off a win as an underdog this season. They are still fighting for a playoff spot as they are in a three-way tie for seventh place in the Eastern Conference but sitting three games under .500 at home shows there is little edge here. Miami has won consecutive games only eight times all season. Portland is sitting in third place in the Western Conference as its eight-game lead over Oklahoma City in the Northwest Division is looking pretty solid,. The Blazers are coming off a loss though at Washington on Monday, one of their uglier games of the season as they fell behind by as many as 25 points in the eight-point defeat. They have covered five straight games after allowing over 100 points and they fall into a solid situation where we play against teams in the second half of the season where the line is +3 to -3 in a game involving two teams allowing between 43.5 and 45.5 percent, after a game where they shot 55 percent or better. This situation is 35-13 ATS (72.9 percent) since 1996. 10* (607) Portland Trailblazers

Orlando blew a chance to break its three-game losing skid against Cleveland on Sunday as shot 47.7 percent from the floor including 47.4 percent from long range while outrebounding the Cavaliers 17-3 on the offensive glass. The issue was that Cleveland shot 59.2 percent while going 18-35 from behind the arc so there was nothing Orlando could do. Now the Magic hit the road for two games in two days and while the task here may seem daunting, they have been the best team in the NBA in this particular situation. That being they are 14-3 ATS this season in road games when playing against teams with a winning record and an even better 17-5 ATS in their last 22 road games against teams with a winning home record. The Rockets are coming off a road win at Los Angeles on Sunday which put them a half-game out of third place in the Western Conference and two games clear of fifth place. They have been solid at home all season no doubt but this is one of those unmotivated letdown spots which is enhanced even more with the double-digit spread. The Magic fall into a solid contrarian situation where we play on road underdogs of 10 or more points with a winning percentage between .250 and .400 after failing to cover the spread in two or more consecutive games. This situation is 201-135 ATS (60 percent) since 1996. 10* (531) Orlando Magic

This line was released late due to the status of some key players for both sides. The Hawks will be without Kyle Korver who was injured last night and Al Horford who is going to be rested following a big game last night. The move makes since as Atlanta has games at Golden St. and Oklahoma City which conclude this six-game roadtrip. They can afford it because of a 10-game lead in the Eastern Conference. Things could not have gone worse on Saturday for the Kings as they blew a 21-point lead and lost by 16 points against Washington, the final game of a disappointing 2-6 roadtrip. Included in that was a loss in Atlanta by 25 points as the Hawks recorded an NBA season-high 42 assists and shot 60.2 percent from the field while making 20 three-pointers. To say this is a revenge game would be an understatement while Sacramento has been solid coming off bad games as it is 5-2 ATS in its last seven games following a double-digit loss. Additionally, the Kings are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 home games following a road trip of seven or more days while the Hawks are 0-4-1 ATS in their last five road games against teams with a losing home record. 10* (518) Sacramento Kings

The chances of Cleveland catching Atlanta in the Eastern Conference are slim to none as it is 10 games behind the Hawks but it is laying double-digits on the road for just the third time this season. While the Cavaliers won and covered both of those games, the situations were extremely different. In those cases, they were coming off wins against Sacramento and Washington ,not exactly letdown enhancing victories, while they had Philadelphia and Detroit in their next games. Flash back to the present and they are coming off a big overtime win over San Antonio, their third straight victory but most important they head to Miami tomorrow night in LeBron James' second trip back to Miami and the first one did not go well. Cleveland lost by 10 points on Christmas and while it got revenge at home, you know how important tomorrow will be. The Magic have dropped three straight but all of those were on the road and they do bring in a two-game home winning streak. Orlando is 9-3 ATS as a double-digit underdog and falls into a great situation where we play on underdogs that are revenging a home loss going up against an opponent off two or more consecutive road wins. This situation is 80-39 ATS (67.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (876) Orlando Magic

Philadelphia is coming off a rare win last night as it defeated Sacramento by overcoming an 18-point deficit so I see a big letdown coming tonight. The Sixers have won back-to-back games only three times the entire season, going 3-11 overall following a victory and they catch the Nets at a bad time. Brooklyn has dropped five straight games, failing to cover any of those games as well. The Nets have been off since Wednesday and while being a road favorite has been rare, they have won five of seven games in this role including a win and cover here in the first meeting this season. They will also be out to avenge a home loss to the Sixers in the most recent meeting and going back, the Nets are 24-7 ATS in their last 31 road games after failing to cover the spread in two or more consecutive games while going 11-5 ATS in their last 16 games against teams with a winning percentage below .400. additionally, we play on road favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points with a losing record that are revenging a loss. This situation is 90-48 ATS (65.2 percent) since 1996. 10* (505) Brooklyn Nets

The Pistons are fading in the Eastern Conference as they have dropped eight straight games to fall six games out of the playoff picture but tonight presents a good opportunity for a bounce back. Detroit played a solid game two nights ago against the Warriors and while this is their third straight road game, this is not the game to be concerned about as tomorrow will be its fourth game in five nights against a resurgent Utah team. The Pistons are obviously not a great road team based on wins and losses but they have been overly competitive at these prices, going 9-3 ATS this season when getting eight or more points. Portland won on Wednesday against Houston and this is a game the Blazers may not be fully into following that victory as well as embarking on a five game roadtrip right after this. They have one of the best home courts in the NBA but they pay the price for it and on the season Portland is just 10-14 ATS when favored by six or more points. Going back, the Pistons are 23-7 ATS in their last 30 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while the Blazers are 1-5 ATS in their last six home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 10* (817) Detroit Pistons

The Mavericks have been seething for a few nights since getting blown out against Cleveland at home on Tuesday, their fifth loss in their last seven games. Only one of those was considered a bad loss though as getting beaten at home against Brooklyn is nothing to be proud of but three of those losses came on the road against the Hawks, Blazers and Warriors. Dallas lost by 33 points against the Cavaliers in a game that was pretty much over by halftime and the extended time off was a welcomed break after playing five games in nine days. The Clippers took care of Oklahoma City on Wednesday and while we were on their side then, we will go against them here as they are catching six points less tonight. Los Angeles has dominated the first two meetings this season, winning by 20 and 17 points and while that could be playing into the number slightly, the motivational factor on the other side is substantial. The Clippers have been without Blake Griffin for a while, will be without Jamal Crawford for the fifth straight game and have a banged up Chris Paul so this is the perfect time for Dallas to take advantage and gets its payback while moving back ahead of San Antonio in the Western Conference playoff race. 10* (812) Dallas Mavericks

While this is far from a breather, it is a nice break in the schedule that Toronto definitely needed. The Raptors have played nine of their last 11 games on the road and while two of those were against the Sixers and Knicks, the other nine were against playoff participants or contenders. Miami is part of that group but the Heat are far from a deserving playoff team as they are one of two teams in the Eastern Conference that have a playoff slot thus far but possess a losing record. The Raptors have lost four straight games and nine of their last 10 but prior to that they defeated the Clippers, Spurs, Wizards and Hawks in a four-game stretch so they are obviously capable. This is one team that Toronto has been unable to solve as it has dropped 16 straight meetings with the Heat but only one of those has taken place this season with a totally different team than in the past and that was on the road. Miami is coming off a win over Brooklyn but it is 6-19 ATS coming off a win this season while going 7-20 ATS after a game where it covered the spread. The Raptors meanwhile are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 home games following four or more consecutive losses. 10* (808) Toronto Raptors

The status of Utah leading scorer Gordon Hayward has kept this game off the board in a lot of places as he is listed as questionable with a back injury. He missed the last game and the Jazz were able to overcome that however that game was against the Knicks and the challenge will be a lot tougher tonight. Utah has won three straight games, six of seven and 10 of its last 13 so it is playing at a high level, thus the reasonable number with this game. Houston is coming off a loss against Portland last night to remain two games behind Memphis is the Southwest Division. The Rockets are in fourth place in the Western Conference but they have resurgent San Antonio right on their heels so they cannot afford to lose a winnable game. Houston falls into a great situation as well as we play against favorites in the second half of the season that are allowing between 92 and 98 ppg going up against teams allowing between 98 and 102 ppg, after three straight games where both teams scored 95 points or less in the game involving the favorite. This situation is 32-8 ATS (80 percent) since 1996. 10* (507) Houston Rockets

Indiana is playing its best basketball of the season which has come at the right time as it looks to keep moving up in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers have won six straight games and going back further, they are 12-2 over their last 14 games to sneak into seventh place in the conference. However, the run has helped us in going against them as this liner is inflated and we can show that by looking at their last game where they were favored by 8.5 points against Orlando and are now favored by just one point less against a team that is 14 games better than the Magic. The Bucks defeated Orlando last night and they hit the road to try and halt a six-game road losing streak which is also helping with the value. The Bucks are four games clear of Indiana for sixth place which makes this a big game for both sides. Here, we play against home favorites in a game involving two teams with a scoring differential of +/- 3 ppg, after a win by 15 points or more. This situation is 72-36 ATS (66.7 percent) over the last five seasons. Additionally, Milwaukee is 16-7 ATS in road games revenging a loss this season. 10* (501) Milwaukee Bucks

Phoenix is on the outside looking in at the playoff situation in the Western Conference as it trails Oklahoma City and New Orleans by three games with the season winding down. The Suns have been up and down since the trade deadline and most recently, are coming off a loss against the Warriors on Monday at home but this is the type of game where they need to hold serve at home. The last meeting here in January, Phoenix failed to cover but it won by 11 points as a 13.5-point favorite which shows the value this time around in being able to buy a team low. Minnesota is the worst team in the Western Conference and possesses the worst road record at 5-24 including losses in eight of its last nine games with all of those defeats coming by more than what it is getting tonight. The Suns arte part of a great situation where we play on teams after two straight losses by 10 points or more going against an opponent after a game where both teams scored 90 points or less. This situation is 48-20 ATS (70.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (716) Phoenix Suns

Chicago has lost its lead in the Central Division as a one game lead has turned into a 1.5-game deficit behind Cleveland. The Bulls have dropped three straight games but while things have not gone good of late, they remain one of the best road teams in the league as their 19-12 road record is fifth best in the NBA and second best in the Eastern Conference. This is the start of a three-game swing that concludes in Charlotte and Oklahoma City so this one is imperative. The Sixers are off an upset win over Atlanta in their last game but that was all the way back on Saturday so any momentum gained from that has been lost. Playing with a lot of rest has been an issue all season anyway as Philadelphia is 0-12 when playing with two or more days off while covering just one of those games. Since February started, Philadelphia has been a home underdog eight times and this is the lowest of them all including playing some teams that will not even be in the playoffs. While the Sixers have covered three straight in this series, they were double-digit underdogs in all of those including two games at home so we grab the value in this one tonight. 10* (701) Chicago Bulls

Toronto is sitting in third place in the Eastern Conference as it has been passed by Cleveland after sitting in that second spot for most of the season. The Raptors are not playing good right now as they have dropped three straight games and eight of their last nine games following a four-game winning streak in early February which was also the ending of a 10-2 run. The defense has been the main culprit as Toronto has allowed 105.2 ppg during this nine-game stretch so facing a hot offense may not be what they want but the situation is giving us a good number because of it. The Spurs have won five straight games by averaging 111.2 ppg on 47.9 percent shooting. The offense is not as good as what has been on display recently while the Raptors defense is similarly not as bad as recent times. The Spurs haven't exactly been beating elite competition as the best win over this stretch came against either Chicago or Phoenix, two very depleted teams right now. Going back, the Spurs are 1-5 ATS in their last six games against team with a winning percentage above .600. Believe it or not, this is the biggest number Toronto has seen all season and it is 4-1 ATS in five games when getting five or more points. 10* (655) Toronto Raptors

Sometimes streaks come together with no particular rhyme nor reason and that is the case with the Dallas over/under run. The Mavericks have stayed under the total 11 straight games and it is not due to the defense being strong throughout or the offense struggling every game. It has been a mix of both but rarely has there been consistency as well as both occurring the same night. There has been at least 99 points score by one side in eight of those games and it is a mix of both sides as Dallas has tallied that on offense four times while allowing at least a century mark five times. Meanwhile Cleveland has stayed below the total in two straight games as it has scored 97 and 89 points over that stretch which is the first time since early January the Cavaliers have failed to score 100 points at least once in consecutive games and that was when LeBron James was out. Now we are catching a smaller than anticipated total with two of the highest scoring teams in the NBA as Cleveland is eighth and Dallas is fourth. While no over trends favor Dallas because of the recent run, the over is 5-1 in the Cavaliers last six road games against teams with a winning home record. 10* Over (657) Cleveland Cavaliers/(658) Dallas Mavericks

New Orleans is coming off a win last night in Milwaukee, its second straight victory following an upset of Memphis on Saturday. Going back, the Pelicans are 8-2 over their last 10 games which is keeping them in the hunt in the Western Conference. They are just a half-game out of eighth place but that team is Oklahoma City which will be a tough one to catch and seventh place is five games away so that is not a possibility. Not only is this a game being playing on no rest but this is the fourth game in five nights for the Pelicans which are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation. Brooklyn is fighting in the Eastern Conference but its chances are dimming as it trails eighth place Charlotte by two and a half games with two teams in-between. After opening this homestand with an upset over Golden St., the Nets have dropped three straight winnable games so while the run isn't good, the situation takes precedence. For some reason, Brooklyn has a higher winning percentage against the Western Conference and a much better ATS winning percentage as well and going back, the Nets are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games following a loss. 10* (654) Brooklyn Nets

Two of the three highest scoring teams in the NBA square off tonight and while this total may seem high, we are getting a bargain. One look at the last meeting will show you the value as just over a month ago, a 225 over/under was posted so we are seeing a significantly lower number. That game stayed under by 32 points which was the second under in two meetings this season and that is helping with the value as is the recent runs on both sides. Golden St. has stayed under the total in its last three games while Phoenix has stayed under the total in its last two contests. The Warriors defense has been the reason of late as they have allowed just 93.3 ppg over the three-game stretch but those games were all at home where the defense has been a lot better than on the road. Phoenix allows the second most points in the NBA at home while it averages the third most points on offense at home. The over is 12-4 in the Suns last 16 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600 while the over is 17-9 in the Warriors 26 games this season as a single-digit favorite. 10* Over (713) Golden St. Warriors/(714) Phoenix Suns

We lost yesterday playing against Charlotte as the Pistons blew a late lead by getting outscored 30-17 in the fourth quarter. The Hornets have won five straight games and currently have the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference locked down but they are just a game out of falling out of the playoff picture completely. This is their second five-game winning streak of the season for Charlotte which has not surpassed a streak of this kind in five years. Washington lost in Milwaukee on Saturday which made it eight losses over the last 10 games. The Wizards have failed to cover their last nine games but we are getting value because of it. Washington was favored the last time these teams played here last month but it is now the underdog and there is some revenge on the table as well. After winning the first meeting last season, the Wizards lost the final three meetings and they have dropped the first two this season so there is no doubt some added motivation. Bradley Beal was a late scratch Saturday for rest but he will be back in the lineup tonight. Charlotte is just 12-19 ATS at home this season and the Hornets are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* (701) Washington Wizards

We lost with Brooklyn Friday as the Nets blew a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter and then ended up losing in overtime. It was the second straight loss for them but I believe it may have served as a wakeup call as a team that is fighting for the playoffs has no business losing a game like that as well as getting blown out by Charlotte by 24 points after coming off back-to-back wins against Dallas and Golden St. Speaking of blowouts, the Nets suffered one of their worst losses of the season at Utah back in January as they were thumped by 35 points. Utah has been playing well on this roadtrip and going further back as it is 2-1 on the trek with the lone loss coming by a point and it is 7-3 over its last 10 games, its best 10-game stretch of the season. The Jazz are just 7-17 following a win this season and winning consecutive road games has been a challenge as they are 1-6 this season in road games following a road win in their last game. Brooklyn has covered four of its last five games following a loss and the Nets are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* (806) Brooklyn Nets

Detroit is back home following a three-game roadtrip where it lost all three games to add to its losing skid which has now reached five games. The Pistons are now four and a half games back in the Eastern Conference playoff race and this is a big game considering they head back out on the road for a four-game west coast roadtrip starting on Tuesday. Despite being 15 games under .500, they are getting outscored by only 1.5 ppg overall which is also the same scoring differential they have been outscored by at home. They are 7-5 in their last 12 home games with two of those losses coming against Cleveland and another against San Antonio. One team they are chasing is Charlotte which has won four straight games following a 1-6 stretch. The Hornets have been a streaky team all season and while they have done well against the number as underdogs, they have won only half of those games outright and with the low number here, a Detroit win likely means a cover as well. The Pistons are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games following an ATS loss while the Hornets are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following an ATS win. 10* (810) Detroit Pistons

After struggling throughout the start of their rodeo roadtrip, the Spurs responded with wins in the last two games and have since won their last two games, making it a four-game winning streak which is their first since mid-January. While they have seemed to turn the corner, I'm not as impressed as others may be with this streak as two wins came over 21-40 Sacramento, another over 22-41 Denver and the last coming against Phoenix which is struggling. San Antonio is 15 games over .500 but Chicago is as well and despite two of its stars missing, this is still a very strong team as not many NBA teams could endure the losses. We won with Chicago Thursday as it defeated Oklahoma City but it was clearly in letdown mode the next night as it was destroyed at Indiana by 14 points. That alone will provide enough motivation to keep the Bulls focused here as they are 5-0 ATS in their last five games following a double-digit loss while going 8-1 ATS in their last nine games following an ATS loss. The Spurs have dropped five straight games against the number against teams with a winning percentage above .600 and on the season they are just 9-18 ATS against teams with a winning record. 10* (801) Chicago Bulls

The Hawks will find themselves in a very difficult spot tonight as they are laying double-digits on the road following a big win last night against Cleveland, cementing their cause as the best team in the Eastern Conference. That brings in a huge letdown possibility for Saturday which makes covering a big number on the highway will be a difficult task to accomplish. They have been killing it in every aspect of betting this season as Atlanta has the best overall ATS record in the league including the best road ATS record as well but a lot of that came during its historic winning streak as the Hawks are 7-9-1 ATS over their last 17 games as the linesmakers have caught up. The Sixers continue to play hard despite having a starting lineup with names a casual fan would not even recognize. After a couple blowout losses to start the month, Philadelphia took the Thunder to overtime on the road and played a good game against Utah last night and it could have been better if not for Jason Richardson going 0-10 from the field. The Sixers have done very well playing with no rest and on the season, they are 11-4 ATS at home against teams with a winning record including a 9-1 ATS record as a double-digit home underdog. 10* (506) Philadelphia 76ers

Indiana and New York meet for the second time in four days and while New York will out to seek revenge following a 23-point loss in Indiana, we see some excellent value with the total as the situation is heavily in our favor. The Pacers have played a game in-between the two meetings as they faced the Bulls last night and came away with a big home victory as the defense once again put forth an outstanding effort. The Pacers allowed an average of 81.5 ppg during their four-game homestand, all of which resulted in wins and the under cashing. Now Indiana hits the road where the over has been cashing plenty of tickets, 22 of 31 to be exact, the highest road over percentage in the NBA. Playing with no rest also helps the cause as the defense is unit that gets fatigued. The Knick have been off since that last meeting but even with the rest, the defense will not be any better off as they are allowing 111.4 ppg over their last five games. The offense has been hot and cold but playing a tired Pacers defense will help. New York had gone over in its previous four games before Wednesday and on the other side, the over is 9-4 in the Pacers last 13 games playing on no days rest. 10* Over (507) Indiana Pacers/(508) New York Knicks

Brooklyn has been on the wrong end of some lopsided games this season and one took place last timer out. After upsetting Golden St. on Monday, the Nets laid an egg in their game on Wednesday at home against Charlotte, losing by 24 points. To their credit, they have done a good job for the most part of recovering from these losses and I expect that tonight. The Nets are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing 100 or more points while going 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a loss. While Phoenix is coming off a win in its last game against Orlando, it has struggled for the most part since the trade deadline, going 3-5. the Suns are still in the hunt in the Western Conference as they are two games behind Oklahoma City for the eighth spot but this is not a good spot or a good number. Brooklyn is 7.5 games better than Orlando yet it is laying a very reasonable number tonight as the spread differential is not big enough. The Suns are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games following a victory and add to that, the Suns travel to Cleveland tomorrow night in a definite lookahead situation. 10* (810) Brooklyn Nets

We played on Boston Wednesday and while that resulted in a push, the low scoring outcome sent the Celtics into their third straight game that has gone under the total. This is definitely a rarity as Boston has not had many long streaks of low scoring games and on the season, this is just the third three-game under run and overall, the Celtics are 7-3 to the over following two or more consecutive unders. Boston is one of only four teams in the NBA that are averaging 100 or more possessions in their games and the lone team from the Eastern Conference to do so. That gives them more opportunities on both ends of the floor. New Orleans is also riding a three-game under streak following four consecutive overs. The offense have been held in check for the most part during this recent run but should get going again against a poor Boston defense. While the Pelicans are not a fast paced team, they are one of only seven teams in the league whose offensive and defensive combined shooting percentages are more than 91 percent. The over is 7-2 in the Celtics last nine games following a win while the over is 17-4 in the Pelicans last 21 home games against teams with a losing road record. 10* Over (819) Boston Celtics/(820) New Orleans Pelicans

It has been a recent struggle for Washington but the schedule has not been on its side. The Wizards have dropped seven of their last eight games which has dropped them all the way down to fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings and they are only two games up on Milwaukee for sixth place. Five of the eight games have been on the road, all resulting in losses, and while Washington is just 1-2 at home over this stretch, those losses were against Cleveland and Golden St. Because the Wizards have dropped seven straight games against the number, they are getting a very fair price tonight as they look to build upon their 21-10 home record. The Heat are coming off a Wednesday win over the Lakers, their second straight win but winning three in a row will be a challenge as they have done that only once this season and are 1-6 straight up and 1-5-1 ATS in their previous seven games following consecutive victories. Miami is one of just three teams that has more wins on the road than at home but it is still under .500 and is 9-14 as an underdog. Overall, the Heat are 8-18 straight up and 5-18-3 ATS following a win this season. 10* (818) Washington Wizards

The Bulls complete their seven-game homestand tonight as they host Oklahoma City in looking to finish 5-2 after winning four of the first six games. Chicago has won eight of its last 11 games overall but still comes in as the underdog here despite the Thunder missing their best player. This is due to the fact that Chicago is missing two of its best players but as mentioned in the most recent writeup on Tuesday, there is still a lot of talent on this team to make up for it. The Bulls have been home underdogs four times since January 22nd and have won three of those outright. The Thunder were hoping for a breather last night against the Sixers but they got much more than that as Philadelphia gave them all they had, eventually losing in overtime. Oklahoma City has had its share of struggles on the road this season but to its credit, a lot of that was early on when both stars were out. However, they were underdogs most of the time anyway and as road favorites, they are just 7-9 ATS and they are 5-11 ATS this season on the road against winning teams. Chicago will be out to break a five-game losing skid against the Thunder and as a result, add to its 8-3 ATS run against teams with a winning record. 10* (502) Chicago Bulls

Milwaukee has dropped its first three games of this four-game roadtrip including two losses as a favorite, most recently last night in Denver. I think that ended up being a tougher spot than expected when the Nuggets fired head coach Brian Shaw and the players seemed to have gotten a jolt from that, snapping their six-game losing streak. The Bucks remain in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and are just a game and half behind Washington for fifth place so these losses have been big and while not many will be giving them a chance tonight, this line is inflated. The Warriors are back home following a 3-3 roadtrip and this is just their second home game after playing 10 of their last 11 games on the highway. Golden St. has the best home record in the NBA at 24-2 but it is paying for it with a double-digit spread now more often than not. The Bucks have been very competitive when getting doubles as they are 4-1 ATS, covering against the Cavaliers, Clippers, Blazers and Spurs. Even though this roadtrip has been unkind, Milwaukee is 19-7 ATS following a loss, winning 17 of those outright. Surprisingly, the Warriors are 0-7 ATS in their last seven games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* (725) Milwaukee Bucks

Over half of Wednesday's NBA games were off the board until late morning with this being one of those. Goran Dragic is questionable for Miami tonight with a back injury while Nick young is questionable for Los Angeles as he continues to nurse a knee injury and he will likely be out. Despite his absence over the last four games, the Lakers have gone over the total extending their streak to six games of surpassing the total. Four of these games have been at home however and the road has much more of a place where lower scoring games have occurred as prior to the most recent two, the Lakers were 11-2-1 to the under in their previous 14 games on the highway. Miami went over the total in its last game as it put up 115 points against Phoenix but it has been rare for the Heat to put together consecutive strong offensive games as after scoring 100 or more points, they have failed to reach the century mark in the next game 10 straight times, averaging just 88 ppg. Going back, the under is 14-4 in the Heat's last 18 games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game. Meanwhile, the under is 4-0 in the Lakers last four games playing on 0 days rest. 10* Under (715) Los Angeles Lakers/(716) Miami Heat

We played against Utah last night which ended up being a horrible call as the Jazz went into Memphis, second in the Western Conference, won by 11 points and covering by 18. It was their third straight win and going back, their seventh win over their last nine games. While Utah has been playing over its head right now, I expect a letdown tonight following last night's victory and it is heading to Boston at the wrong time. Boston is coming off a shellacking in Cleveland last night as it lost by 31 points in a game it trailed by as many as 44 points. Prior to last night, the Celtics were playing well also as they had won seven of their last 11 games, while going 9-2 ATS which shows even higher competitiveness. After a 2-8 start at home, Boston is 12-8 over its last home games and has covered six straight. Utah is 1-5 this season in six road games that immediately followed a road win, not necessarily playing with no rest. Which brings up another scenario as the Jazz are 2-4 straight up and ATS in the second of back-to-back road games with no rest. Boston meanwhile is 8-2-1 ATS with no rest this season. 10* (706) Boston Celtics

Memphis is the top consensus play in the NBA tonight but the public isn't always wrong as I feel the Grizzlies deserve the nod and are in a great spot to do some damage. They are coming off a win at Minnesota on Saturday but it was far from a good effort as they won by just four points after blowing a 15-point lead. That came right after getting blown out at home against the Clippers the previous night which was just their sixth home ,loss of the season so Memphis will be out to make up for that mess. The Grizzlies have failed to cover three straight games which triggers the play on value. Utah continues to play solid basketball as it has won two straight, four of five and six of its last eight games while going 6-1-1 over that stretch. The last time the Jazz lost by double-digits happened to come against Memphis ten games back which also shows us why we have that value tonight. Utah was getting 6.5 points art home and now is getting only one more point on the road where there should be an eight-point swing based on venue change. We will take advantage of that tonight. 10* (508) Memphis Grizzlies

This number was released late due the injuries on the Chicago side but we already knew the status of the players involved so withholding it made no sense. The Bulls are without a lot of offense and its recent history is giving us a lot of value with the over tonight. Chicago has stayed under the total in four straight games and only one of those even came close to the posted number as the offense has struggled while the defense has held its own. This is the first game that Jimmy Butler will not start since being diagnosed with a sprained elbow and while his offense will be missed, so will his defense and there is plenty around to make up for his missing offense. Washington meanwhile has gone under the total in three straight games but the offense has been more productive going forward. Overall, the Wizards are averaging 98.7 ppg on 46.6 percent shooting, the latter being tied for third best in the NBA. The over is 7-1 in the Wizards last eight games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. I expect their offense to continue to improve while the Bulls will find a way to fill the pieces and send this one over. 10* Over (509) Washington Wizards/(510) Chicago Bulls

Golden St. finishes up its roadtrip tonight in Brooklyn and also brings an end to a brutal stretch of games that goes back to early February. This is the end of the recent six-game roadtrip while also closing out a stretch of 10 of the last 11 games being on the road so the Warriors wanting to head home is an understatement as 10 of the next 12 games are at Oracle Arena. This is also the fourth game in five nights following an improbable comeback against Boston last night where Golden St. overcame a 26-point deficit to pull off the victory. It is the just the opposite for the Nets as they return home following a rugged eight-game roadtrip. They finished 3-5 but did come away with a much needed win over Dallas in the finale which kept them in a tie for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. 10 of their last 13 games have been on the road and while the home floor has been below average this season, Brooklyn is 4-1 ATS in its last five games following a lengthy roadtrip of seven or more days while going 7-0 ATS in its last seven games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. The Warriors meanwhile are 0-5 ATS in their last five road games against teams with a losing home record. 10* (706) Brooklyn Nets

This line came out late due to the injury report on the Cleveland side but there are no questionable statuses for key players. We played the Cavaliers/Pacers over on Friday but we got dealt some unfortunate luck as both LeBron James and Kyrie Irvine were late scratches and while Irvine will not play here, James is back. The offense managed only 86 points without them which broke a four-game streak of scoring at least 100 points. While the defense did hold Indiana to 93 points, the Cavaliers are allowing 100 ppg on the road on 46.2 percent shooting, the latter being the fourth highest in the NBA. While Cleveland has gone under the total in four straight games, Houston has stayed below the number in its last two games and five of its last six. The offense has done its part though on this homestand, averaging 105.8 ppg through the first four games and I expect the success to continue. The first meeting this season stayed under the total but that was by just a half-point and going back, the over is 5-2 in the Cavaliers last seven road games against teams with a winning home record while the over is 8-3 in the Rockets last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* Over (813) Cleveland Cavaliers/(814) Houston Rockets

Milwaukee is getting three points in a game that arguably should be a pickem based on power ratings and the last meeting. The Bucks were upset at home as an eight-point favorite by the Jazz last month and now they hit the road with a swing of 11 points since that meeting which is too much of an adjustment. Milwaukee is coming off a loss last night in Los Angeles against the Lakers and while the bounceback aspect is a strong one, the fact that the Bucks were favored by 6.5 points against a team that is just six game worse shows additional line value with the line differential here. Utah is definitely playing well as it has won five of its last seven games including a victory last night in Denver by 22 points. The Jazz have been terrible in following wins up this season however as they have won just five times in their 21 games following a victory and they are catching Milwaukee at a very bad time. The fact that Milwaukee has not covered here in 12 years seals the deal. 10* (511) Milwaukee Bucks

We played the Grizzlies/Clippers over last night and a 33-point first quarter pretty much killed that call. Memphis ended up with just 79 points as it shot a mere 37.9 percent from the floor including 25 percent from long range but I expect a huge turnaround tonight. The Grizzlies have gone under the total in eight straight games which is affecting the number tonight not mention the fact that it is five points less than the total posted in the last meeting in Memphis three weeks ago. The Timberwolves are coming off a loss last night in Chicago as they were held to just 89 points but they were held to just 77 shot attempts and with both teams coming off a game last night, I expect the offense to be able to muster more. Minnesota has gone under in two straight games which is an anomaly from the defense that has allowed only 173 points combined in those two games. Overall, the Timberwolves are allowing 105.6 ppg on 48.5 percent shooting on the season, both of which are worst in the NBA. 10* Over (507) Memphis Grizzlies/(508) Minnesota Timberwolves

This is a great spot and a great number for Washington which is in its worst losing skid of the season that reached six games last night following a loss in Philadelphia. While the Wizards have lost to some poor teams over this stretch, Philadelphia includes along with Minnesota and Detroit, it has also lost to arguably the top two teams in the NBA in Golden St. and Cleveland and both of those were at home. That loss against the Pistons means payback time and that game was just six days ago with the Wizards favored by two points on the road and now they are favored by not much more than that here at home. The Pistons are coming off an embarrassing loss last night as well as they lost against the woeful Knicks and while that normally could trigger a play on situation here, the fact that this is Detroit's first road game in 18 days negates that. While the fact Detroit has improved and is making a playoff run cannot be ignored, neither can the fact that it is 1-5 in its last six road games. 10* (502) Washington Wizards

The Clippers and Grizzlies met just four days ago and played a low scoring game that finished with just 177 points. That was the seventh straight under for Memphis while it was the second straight under for Los Angeles and all of this put together is giving us some great value on the over tonight as the total is four points or more less that what it was in that previous meeting. While these aren't two of the fastest teams in the NBA as far as pace goes, they make up for it in efficiency with the Clippers being number one and the Grizzlies number nine. This is a rare number for Los Angeles as this is the first time it has seen a total of less than 200 in close to a month, a span of 11 games. Memphis has seen more lower totals for sure and it has taken advantage by eclipsing the number more often than not when the total is below 200. we can call that last meeting an anomaly as in the eight previous meetings, at least one team has scored 100 points and I expect both to do it tonight. 10* Over (813) Los Angeles Clippers/(814) Memphis Grizzlies

The loss of Derrick Rose is obviously a tough blow for Chicago but this is a very talented team still that can make up for that loss and move forward. Many are saying they are done because of Rose being gone and while he is a special player, his numbers are way down from what they used to be and now everyone can get back to work on a playoff run. The Bulls were routed by Charlotte at home in their first game without Rose as they were emotionally out of it but now is the time we can expect them to pull together. Minnesota meanwhile is playing its second game with Kevin Garnett with the first one being a very emotional one in Minnesota in his return to the team. I expect an opposite effect tonight in a huge letdown possibility and the Timberwolves are just 5-22 on the road. They have won just two of 10 games this season following a win and we are getting an exceptional line because of the Rose injury. Chicago has been favored by 7, 7 and 8 points the last three games and are favored by less against a team that is at least 10 games worse than all of those other three teams. 10* (820) Chicago Bulls

Phoenix picked up a much needed victory last night as it defeated Denver on the road, snapping a five-game losing streak. Tonight's game is even bigger however as the Suns trail Oklahoma City by 2.5 games for the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference so this is a big swing contest. Phoenix moved back to two games over .500 with the victory and tonight marks only the third time that the Suns have been a home underdog, the last resulting in a one-point loss to Memphis, and this is the biggest spread of them all. Part of that is due to Oklahoma City being on a roll with seven straight wins and seven straight covers. The last three have come without Kevin Durant and while the Thunder have done well without him, those wins were against the Pacers, Nuggets and Hornets which are collectively 37 games under .500. In its 30 road games, Oklahoma City has played 15 games against teams with a winning record and is just 3-12 in those games. Going back, the Thunder are 4-13 ATS in their last 17 road games against teams with a winning home record while the Suns are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games following a win of more than 10 points. 10* (504) Phoenix Suns

The Spurs are coming off a dismal offensive performance at Utah on Monday as they scored just 81 points on 40.5 percent shooting including going only 5-19 from long range. San Antonio has been held to 85 points or fewer on four other occasions this season and is has come back with much better efficiency in its next game, averaging 101 ppg. The Spurs have gone under the total in two straight games and six of their last seven which is keeping this number down lower than it should be. Portland meanwhile has stayed below the number in its last three games but two of those games were against Utah and Memphis, two of the seven slowest teams in the NBA averaging 93.6 and 96.6 possessions per game respectively. The offense will get a big boost with LaMarcus Aldridge back in the lineup after missing the last game. The over is 6-2 in the Spurs last eight games against teams with a winning record while the over is also 6-2 in the Blazers last eight games against teams with a winning record. 10* Over (723) San Antonio Spurs/(724) Portland Trailblazers

After opening the season by staying under the total in 32 of its first 50 games, Miami has played five straight games with the over coming in. The total tonight has been adjusted because of it as the Heat are seeing their biggest total in over a month, a span of 15 games. They put up 119 points last time out against the Sixers which is by far a season high and this was just the 15th times they have scored 100 or more points since early November. They followed that up with another 100-point performance only once while averaging a mere 85.5 ppg in those 14 games next time out. Orlando is coming off an over as well which coincidentally also came against the Sixers. That snapped a stretch of five straight unders with the offense going over 100 points only once and that took overtime to do so. The under is 12-4 in the Heat's last 16 games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game while the under is 11-5 in the Magic's last 16 games following a win. 10* Under (701) Miami Heat/(702) Orlando Magic

Cleveland had gone over the total in five straight games prior to Sunday as it stayed below the number against the Knicks. Now the Cavaliers close out their four-game roadtrip in Detroit with another great opportunity for a high scoring game. The Cleveland offense is playing at a high level right now as it is averaging 108.6 ppg since suffering a six-game losing streak in mid-January, a span of 18 games. In those games, the Cavaliers failed to hit the century mark only four times but still managed 97, 98 and 99 points twice. The Pistons won't be considered to have the most efficient offense in the league but since scoring a mere 69 points against the Sixers to end January, they are averaging 103.2 ppg in February over nine games. They are 3-0-1 to the under over their last four games which is keeping this total lower than it should be. The over is 5-2 in the Pistons last seven home games against teams with a winning road record while the over is 5-1 in Cleveland's last six games overall. 10* Over (503) Cleveland Cavaliers/(504) Detroit Pistons

Typically we are not an advocate of road chalk but when the situation calls for it, we will jump on it. The Spurs have come out of the break with a pair of losses at Golden St. and Los Angeles but this is a chance to get right before having to travel to face another tough opponent at Portland on Tuesday. We are getting some serious line value here as the fact that four days ago, the Spurs were favored by 2.5 points at the Clippers and now are favored by just three points more against a team that is 16 games worse. Utah won its lone game after the All Star break as it took care of Portland in a 16-point blowout win at home on Friday. The Jazz have won two straight home games but at 11-15 overall, they are well short of a dominant home court advantage. Utah has won just four of 19 games following a win this season and it has yet to win three straight home game on the season. Additionally, the Jazz are just 4-30 this season when allowing 97 or more points and the Spurs are averaging 102.8 ppg in their last 18 games after scoring fewer than 100 points. 10* (709) San Antonio Spurs

Miami has gone over the total in four straight games which is certainly a rarity as the Heat had gone under the total in 32 of their first 50 games. It has been the mix of a poor defense and a potent offense over this recent stretch but keep in mind that Miami remains the slowest team in the NBA, averaging just 93 possessions per game so it takes hot shooting from either side to surpass the number. Philadelphia meanwhile has gone over the total in its two games since the break and now it is seeing its highest number of these three games overall. The Sixers are another team that has seen a majority of unders come in as they are 35-20 to the under with that 63.6 percent being the biggest percentage in the league. The numbers go up on both sides as Miami and Philadelphia are a combined 54-26 (67.5 percent) to the over when the total is 190 or higher. Additionally, the under is 21-7 in the Sixers last 28 games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game while the under is 18-7 in the Heat's last 25 games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* Under (701) Philadelphia 76ers/(702) Miami Heat

After putting together a 12-3 run, Charlotte has lost its last four games including a home loss against Oklahoma City on Friday to open the second half. The Hornets were hurt mostly on the glass in that one but now they face the worst rebounding team in the NBA so they won't have to worry about that tonight. Charlotte is just 9-15 on the road and 10-21 as an underdog but because the numbers are inflated so much, the Hornets are 15-9 ATS on the highway while going 18-13 ATS when getting points which are huge differentials based on line differentials. Dallas is coming off a win over Houston on Friday which followed up a loss against the Thunder to open the second half. The Mavericks are 18-9 at home but like the Hornets and inflated lines, they have covered just nine of those games. Charlotte is without Kemba Walker but the Mavericks will be without Chandler Parson so we can call that a wash. The Hornets are 6-1 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while the Mavericks are 0-4-2 ATS in their last six home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 10* (813) Charlotte Hornets

We backed the Pistons on Friday but now we will be going against them as they come in a shorter home underdog. Detroit was able to take out Chicago outright but as good as the value was in the line there, it has completely disappeared as the Pistons are roughly getting five points fewer against a team that is just a game and a half worse than the Bulls. As mentioned Friday, Detroit has one of the better records in the Eastern Conference since late December at 17-10 while Washington is just 13-14 but the situation trumps that today. The Wizards have lost four straight road game to drop to 13-13 on the highway this season which is a part of the line makeup while the loss on Friday at home against Cleveland by 38 points is also playing into it. That was a devastating defeat but that is the type of loss that will spark a team in its next game which I expect with Washington. Speaking of Cleveland, the Pistons have them on deck at home on Tuesday. Detroit is 1-5 ATS in its last six games after a win while Washington has won 10 of 13 games this season as a road favorite. 10* (805) Washington Wizards

While the rest of the NBA card features games involving notable injuries as well as many big name players playing with other teams, Toronto and Houston is the lone game where there will be no surprises. A big surprise from last night came from Toronto as it trounced the Hawks in Atlanta by 25 points thanks to a 56-35 second half advantage. Taking nothing away from what it has accomplished but Toronto has played the third easiest schedule in the NBA Pounding the best team in the Eastern Conference provides an immediate letdown opportunity while on the other side, Houston looks to bounceback from a poor effort in Dallas last night. The Rockers fell to the Mavericks by 11 points in a game that was not even as close as that as they trailed by 20 points late in the second half. The Rockets are now back home where they are 18-8 on the season including wins in eight of their last 10 games. We are getting a solid price and Houston has been awesome in this situation this season, going 13-4 straight up and ATS following a loss while going 7-1 ATS in their last eight games following a double-digit loss. 10* (508) Houston Rockets

A new chapter begins in Sacramento with George Karl the new head coach and while it may take some time to bring the franchise back to a winner, I expect it to start out pretty strong the first game after the break. While the Kings were active in trades on Thursday, the core of the team is intact and a new successful voice is what this team needs following a poor ending to the first half that two coaches come and go. The Kings are just 11-17 at home but they are in a good spot here, especially with heading back out on the road to play the Clippers Saturday night. Boston played pretty well prior to the break as it won four of its last five games while covering the spread in all of those. This included a win against Atlanta to close things out but only one of those wins came on the road and that was against the lowly Knicks. The Celtics are just 8-16 on the road and this is not where they have thrived as they are 15-5 ATS as underdogs of six or more points but just 4-8 ATS as underdogs less than that. 10* (822) Sacramento Kings

Despite a horrendous start to the season and sitting 12 games under .500, the Pistons are very much alive for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They are just two games out of the eighth and final playoff spot and while the likelihood of advancing out of the first round are very slim, it would be a huge achievement. After starting the season 5-23, Detroit is a very respectable 16-10 over its last 26 games which is actually one of the best records in the Eastern Conference. The acquisition of Reggie Jackson from Oklahoma City shows they are going for it. Chicago has won four straight games but the extended time off may hurt that momentum and going back, the Bulls are just 14-11 over the same timeframe of the Pistons streak. They have been a very good road team this season but they are just .500 against the number as a road favorite. Going back before the break, the Pistons are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS loss while the Bulls are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a losing record. 10* (818) Detroit Pistons

We played the under in the Clippers last game before the All-Star break but we will go the opposite Thursday as we are seeing a good amount of value in the over. Los Angeles had gone over the total in three straight games prior to that and all of those were some big numbers. As a matter of fact, this is the lowest total the Clippers have seen in eight straight games. The Spurs went under the total in their final four games before the break as their defense really rose to the occasion. They will find the going a lot tougher here against a Los Angeles team averaging 107.1 ppg on 47.6 percent shooting at home. Last year, the over was 13-6-1 the first two days after the break after going 12-8 to the over two years ago and this has been a pretty common theme as the time off has helped the offenses. The over is 6-1 in the Spurs last seven games against teams with a winning record while the over is 6-1 in the Clippers last seven games against teams with a winning record. 10* Over (503) San Antonio Spurs/Los Angeles Clippers

The Rockets are coming off a win last night in Phoenix, but more importantly, it was the third straight game that went over the total which provides us with some contrarian value for tonight. Houston has been a team that has gone over the total on the road in seven of its last nine games but two of those games were against Phoenix and the other against Golden St., the top fastest teams in the NBA with 101.2 and 102.5 possessions per game respectively. The Clippers are no where near that as they average 97.3 possessions per game which is 18th in the league and they are finally back home following a lengthy roadtrip of eight games covering 14 days. They too have gone over the total is three straight games following a 6-1 under run and at home. Los Angeles has stayed below the number in nine of its last 13 games. In those, the Clippers have had a total of 210 or higher seven times with six of those staying under. Additionally, the under is 11-5-1 in Clippers last 17 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* Under (723) Houston Rockets/(724) Los Angeles Clippers

We are catching a very good number with Dallas due to the Mavericks possessing some key injuries so the break comes at a good time. Dallas will be without point guard Rajon Rondo, leading rebounder Tyson Chandler and leading scorer Monta Ellis and while they are certainly some key injuries, unlike college basketball, other professional players step up in these situations. The Mavericks were blown out at home against the Clippers in their last game as they lost both Ellis and Chandler early in the first quarter but now there has been time to prepare for their absences. Utah has been playing very well leading into the break as it has won two straight games but has been competitive for a lot longer, going 7-3 ATS over its last 10 games. The Jazz are coming off an upset win over New Orleans last time out but they are just 4-14 this season following a victory while the Mavericks are 28-11 ATS in their last 39 games following a loss of more than 10 points. We will grab the home value tonight. 10* (720) Dallas Mavericks

Brooklyn can't seem to figure things out. After losing two straight games by 39 and 35 points and then falling to two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, the Nets got Deron Williams back and went on to win three in a row. Since then however, they lost another game in blowout fashion, by 37 points at Washington and are coming off a loss last night in Milwaukee. They have not failed to cover three straight and we are backing them for that reason as we are getting solid value in Brooklyn's final game prior to the break. We rode Memphis Sunday to a victory over Atlanta as it used an 8-2 run to close the game. The Grizzlies could be in letdown mode after that after its ninth win over its last 10 games and they have a game at Oklahoma City tomorrow night in their final game before the break which could turn into a lookahead situation as well. Brooklyn is cashing at a 60 percent clip as a road underdog this season while going 4-0 ATS in its last four games against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 10* (503) Brooklyn Nets

The Clippers lost their fourth straight game on Sunday to fall 8.5 games behind Golden St. in the Pacific Division and they now sit in sixth place in the Western Conference. They are only 2.5 games away from third place and while the losing streak isn't bad enough, Los Angeles will be without the services of Blake Griffin for an indefinite period of time. We will be backing them tonight however as they close this eight-game roadtrip before heading home on Wednesday in the final game before the break. Even with Griffin out, this line is very favorable as Dallas is coming off a win against Portland on Saturday in overtime, its second straight victory. The Mavericks are 16-8 at home but those 16 home wins are tied for the fewest in the Western Conference for teams currently in playoff slots so they have not been dominant and really have no business laying this sort of number. Dallas is 8-14-2 ATS as a home favorite this season and the Mavericks are 2-6 ATS in their last eight home games against teams with a winning road record. 10* (715) Los Angeles Clippers

The Hawks incredible run continued on Friday as it took out the best team in the Western Conference and now will be out to beat the second best team in the conference. Atlanta beat Golden St. by eight points to make it two straight wins but more impressively, it improved to 21-1 over its last 22 games and 35-3 over its last 38 games. Those records are hard to argue but with that comes a bulls-eye on the back and Memphis will no doubt be ready for the challenge on Sunday. The Grizzlies lost at Minnesota on Friday by a point which snapped their eight-game winning streak and they now trail the Warriors by 3.5 games in the Western Conference, Part of the huge Atlanta run was a victory over Memphis last month by 10 points which is tied for the Grizzlies second biggest loss of the season so don't think they haven't forgotten. They will be up for the challenge as they have been in the past, going 47-22-2 ATS in their last 71 home games against teams with a winning road record. 10* (806) Memphis Grizzlies

The Celtics are off a win last night which made it three straight victories but victories over the Knicks and Sixers are nothing to brag about nor is a win over Denver which has dumped five straight games. Give credit to Boston for continuing to play hard despite knowing it is a rebuilding season and the fact that management continues to keep that going into the season, most notably the Rajon Rondo trade. The Celtics are 8-15 on the road and Boston's last road game against a team with a pulse, albeit a faint one, was at Utah and the Celtics were getting seven points and now they are getting fewer points against a much better team. They head to Milwaukee at a bad time as the Bucks are coming off a loss last night in Houston which snapped their five-game winning streak. Milwaukee has been the best team in the NBA following a loss as it is 18-4 ATS coming off a defeat and it is now still just three games back in the Central Division. This season, the Bucks are 19-6 against teams ranked outside the NBA top 16 while the Celtics are 4-21 against teams inside that ranking. 10* (512) Milwaukee Bucks

Since breaking their 16-game losing streak, the Knicks are in the midst of their best stretch of the season as they are 5-3 over their last eight games despite coming off a loss last time out against the Celtics. New York has not been good on the road this season which is stating the obvious but despite a .130 winning percentage, it has covered half of those games while going 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with a losing home record. To say this line is inflated would be an understatement as Brooklyn is not only laying points for the first time since January 9th but is laying this many points for just the sixth time all season. The Nets have been underdogs for 12 straight games and prior to that, they failed to cover their last four games when favored. Granted, they did face some tough teams along the way and while this may be considered a breather alert, that is actually in our favor especially with a revenge game at Washington tomorrow. The Knicks will be out to avenge two losses against the Nets earlier this season which are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a win of more than 10 points. 10* (801) New York Knicks

Following a 10-game losing streak, the Orlando brass had seen enough and fired head coach Jacque Vaughn on Thursday. Assistant James Borrego takes over on an interim basis and we will back the Magic in this very strong in season angle that favors teams playing their first game with their new head coach as it gives the players a greater sense of urgency. Orlando has actually played pretty decent over its last two games, holding its own with Oklahoma City and San Antonio on the road before losing each game by seven points. The Magic have lost their last five home games and failed to cover any of those but all of those games were against teams that are guaranteed to be in the playoffs or in the hunt at the very least. The Lakers are not one of those teams. They are just a game and a half better than Orlando and while playing the league's toughest schedule hasn't helped, Orlando has played the leagues fifth toughest slate and second toughest in the Eastern Conference. The Magic will also be looking for some payback after losing in Los Angeles by 27 points four weeks ago and the Lakers are 0-4-1 ATS in their last five games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game. 10* (806) Orlando Magic

We lost with the Clippers/Cavaliers over last night as a 42-point fourth quarter did us in not to mention the fact it took Los Angeles over three quarters to get its offense going. It has been a rough five-game stretch as the Clippers have averaged just 99.2 ppg on 44.6 percent shooting and the last two games have been big reasons for losing. They have shot just 44.4 percent against Brooklyn and Cleveland but they now get to face a Raptors defense that has allowed 106.2 ppg on 46.9 percent shooting the last five games. Toronto has stayed under the total in its last two games as the offense has really fallen off, averaging just 84 ppg on 38.2 percent shooting. Last night we mentioned it is a good angle to play the over when teams have a combined shooting percentage of over 90 percent and that is the case again for both teams as the Clippers are at 92.3 percent while the Raptors are at 91.7 percent. The Clippers have gone over the total in eight of 12 games when playing with no rest including five of six in the second of back-to-back road games while the over is 10-2 in the Raptors last 12 games following a loss of more than 10 points. 10* Over (807) Los Angeles Clippers/(808) Toronto Raptors

We have a great situation tonight in what has the potential to be a very high scoring game. We saw it in the first meeting this season between the Clippers and Cavaliers as 247 points scored in Los Angeles less than three weeks ago. The situation is even better this time around as both teams have been by under runs but the home and road splits dictate a lot of offense. The combined field goal percentage for the Clippers on the road is 93.1 percent while the combined field goal percentage for the Cavaliers at home is 93.9 percent and anytime you can get two teams over a combined 90 percent, it is great for points and even more so in this case. Los Angeles has stayed under in two straight games as well as five of six while Cleveland has stayed under the total in six straight games as the defense has really picked things up. The last time they allows 100 points was the game against the Clippers as they have played some weak offenses since then. Los Angeles is 6-2 to the over this season when playing with two days rest while Cleveland is 4-2 to the over this season when playing with two days rest. 10* Over (503) Los Angeles Clippers/(504) Cleveland Cavaliers

It has been a rough eight days for Washington as it lost at Phoenix last Wednesday which has sent the Wizards into a four-game spiral capped off with a loss at Atlanta last night. Going back further, they have dropped six of eight and most important for our purposes, they have dropped all eight of those games against the number. Washington has been close which doesn't help its backers but it shows it has been competitive as five of those spread losses were by just a possession. One of those defeats came at home on Monday against Charlotte and while I am not a fan of road revenge, the Wizards will be motivated for sure. The Hornets have won two straight games and since a five-game losing streak, they have won 11 of their last 14 games. This includes four straight wins at home but those were all against losing teams. On the season, Charlotte is 14-7 against teams outside the top 16 but just 7-20 against teams inside. Conversely, Washington is 21-4 against teams outside the top 16 and the Wizards have won eight of 12 games this season when playing with no rest. 10* (501) Washington Wizards

It has been a very streaky five weeks for Toronto as it went through a 3-8 stretch before winning six straight games to close out the month of January. February opened with a bad home loss against Milwaukee on Monday as the Raptors scored just 75 points on 32.1 percent shooting. They trailed by as many as 18 points while never leading and I expect them to come out with some fire tonight. Toronto's 75 points represent the squad's fewest since it had 74 in a loss to Portland on Dec. 10, 2012. We won with Brooklyn Monday as it upset the Clippers at home which snapped a four-game skid. The Nets have covered three in a row so we are going against that tonight as they are 0-4 ATS in their last four games following a win. Toronto is 23-4 against teams with records below .500 but are just 10-12 against teams with winning records. 10* (704) Toronto Raptors