Sports Picks & Predictions

This is a play on the SAN ANTONIO SPURS as part of our NBA Friday Triple Play. After opening the season 1-2, Minnesota has won four straight games including impressive wins over Denver and Boston but all of those were at home and now it hits the road as a significant favorite. The venue has been the difference as the home team is 7-0 in Timberwolves games and while this is certainly a winnable game for them, this is too big of a price. They have been effective thanks to a strong defense that is ranked No. 1 in points allowed, opponents shooting and opponents three-point shooting and they have allowed more than 40 percent shooting only once. San Antonio started the season 3-2 but it has lost three straight games and failed to cover any of those. The last two were by 41 and 21 points against the Pacers and Knicks respectively but those were away from home and the Spurs have actually played five of their last six games on the road. This is the start of a stretch of over their next seven games, six are at home. Not much is expected from San Antonio but it is an exciting time with Victor Wembanyama who has had an up and down start to his career but has shown signs of future stardom. 10* (512) San Antonio Spurs

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS as part of our NBA Friday Triple Play. Boston has lost two straight games following a 5-0 start including a loss against rival Philadelphia on Wednesday but both of those were on the road by a combined eight points. Five of the Celtics first seven games have been on the road and the last time we say them at home, they hung 155 points on Indiana in a 51-point victory. Their last victory came against Brooklyn on the road by 10 points which resulted in a push and now Boston is laying just a point more at home and it certainly wants to get right after the two-game skid. Brooklyn is coming off a win Wednesday against the Clippers which snapped its own two-game skid to get back to .500. The Nets are an impressive 3-1 on the road and overall, they have overachieved which is apparent in their ATS record where they are 7-0-1 against the number, coming in as the underdog in all but one game. Yes, this is a big number but it sets up for a blowout as we should see big games from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown who had subpar games against the Sixers as they combined for only 27 points on 10-27 shooting as they both lit the Nets up last time out. 10* (510) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the DETROIT PISTONS as part of our NBA Friday Triple Play. The Sixers opened the season with a one point loss at Milwaukee but has won six straight games but the last five have been at home and after tonight, their next three are at home so their schedule could not have been more in their favor to open the season. Philadelphia is a perfect 7-0 ATS so that is a streak many will keep riding but we go contrarian of that as the line is being inflated here because of that so while they clearly are a better team that Detroit, being asked to win by nearly double digits on the road is a lot to ask. Detroit got off to a good start at 2-1 but it has been downhill since then with six straight losses. The Pistons did go on a 0-5 ATS run to start the skid but put together a solid effort against Milwaukee on Wednesday, losing by just two points on the road to get the cover and now face their fourth straight title contender. Nine players are averaging double digits as injuries have kept a few players out of the lineup but this is valuable experience to pace the roster behind Cade Cunningham who is having a strong comeback season after missing most of last season, averaging a team high 24 ppg. 10* (506) Detroit Pistons

This is a play on the MILWAUKEE BUCKS for our NBA Thursday Enforcer. Milwaukee has won three straight games to improve to 5-2 but failed to cover any of those and fell to 1-6 against the number with their only cover being their big revenge game against Miami. The Bucks blew a 15-point lead and had to rally against the Pistons last night as they overcame a 10-point fourth quarter deficit. Giannis Antetokounmpo played just 21 minutes after being ejected for picking up a pair of technical fouls but it was Damian Lillard who picked up the slack with 34 points and overall seven Bucks scored in double digits. The poor ATS record is giving us value on their side. Also, part of that is due to the recent play of Indiana which has put together two straight blowout wins after a 3-4 start. The schedule has been in favor of the Pacers in the early going as seven of their eight games have come against teams with a losing record with the only game against a team with a winning record came against Boston in a 51-point loss. The offense remains the highest scoring team in the league with pace being a main factor in that as Indiana is No. 26 in scoring defense and No. 21 in shooting defense. The road favorite price is no issue as Milwaukee is 37-19 ATS in its last 56 games as road chalk. 10* (501) Milwaukee Bucks

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES LAKERS as part of our NBA Wednesday Triple Play. It was a slow start last season for the Lakers and that is the case again this season as they are now 3-4 following a pair of losses in Florida against Orlando and Miami. After a slow start, the offense has picked it up by shooting 51 percent or better in three of their last four games but the problem has been shots taken as they have put up more than 84 only once in that span. Conversely, the defense has allowed 91 or more shots in five of seven games but face a team that does not put it much. Houston opened the season 0-3 but has won three straight games, one against a bad Charlotte team and two other against an banged up Sacramento team. It is a pace scenario with the Rockets as they are No. 7 in scoring defense and No. 20 in scoring defense but are middle of the pack in both shooting categories. This could be a team on the rise going forward with head coach Ime Udoka but this is not a good spot as we see a similar result in their only home loss against Golden St. Here, we play against home underdogs after leading in their previous game by 20 or more points at the half. This situation is 105-57 ATS (64.8 percent) since 1996. 10* (563) Los Angeles Lakers

This is a play on the MIAMI HEAT as part of our NBA Wednesday Triple Play. Miami won on Monday but did not cover again in a one-point win over the Lakers and we are backing the Heat again which are now 0-6-1 or 0-5-2 ATS based on the closing line. Miami is 3-4 on the season following an opening game win over Detroit by one point and then four straight losses before its last two victories. The Heat are 0-4 on the road but those were against two title contenders and a good Minnesota team. The defense has been surprisingly bad, allowing 50 percent shooting or more in four of their last five games but have a great matchup here. Memphis opened the season 0-6 before picking up its first win against Portland on Sunday. The absence of Ja Morant is evident as the Grizzlies are No. 24 in scoring and No. 27 in shooting and have shot 43 percent or less in four of seven games and a lot that is with the depth with the top four bench players shooting less than 38 percent. This was one of the best home floors last season at 35-6 but that is not the case with this current roster. Here, we play against home teams where the line is +3 to -3 after a road game where both teams scored 100 or more points, playing with two days of rest. This situation is 54-27 ATS (66.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (569) Miami Heat

This is a play on the UTAH JAZZ as part of our NBA Wednesday Triple Play. Utah has lost three straight games including two losses to open this roadtrip by 28 and 17 points. That is inflating this number for the Jazz which are 0-4 on the road and failing to cover any of those which makes them the contrarian side here. The defense has struggled this season by allowing 49.4 percent from the floor which is No. 27 in the league and no one will back that based on the Pacers performance in their last game. Pace has played a factor with the offense shooting 46 percent or better in three of their last four games so that is not a liability. Indiana is coming off a thrashing of San Antonio where it scored 152 points in a 41-point victory. That moved the Pacers to 4-3 and that aberration moved them into the No. 1 spot in scoring offense and like Utah, it has a lot to with pace. Indiana is allowing 48.5 percent shooting which is No. 23 and its 121.7 ppg allowed is No. 27 so Utah can keep up. Here we play on teams after 2 straight losses by 10 points or more going up against an opponent after a combined score of 255 points or more. This situation is 34-9 ATS (79.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (555) Utah Jazz

This is a play on the SACRAMENTO KINGS as part of our NBA Monday Triple Play. This is the second game of a home and home for Sacramento and Houston with the Rockets winning by 18 points in the first meeting. The Kings were coming off their worst offensive performance of the season against Golden St. where they scored 101 points on 40.9 percent shooting but they trumped it Saturday by scoring just 89 points on 38.1 percent shooting. Only two starters scored in double figures with just 16 field goals including just five from long range. This is the ideal bounce back spot. Houston opened the season with three straight losses before picking up its first win of the season against Charlotte last Wednesday which was the second game of a seven-game homestand. This is still a team in transition with additions of Fred Van Vleet and Dillion Brooks and we consider Saturday an aberration. As mentioned the, the Rockets consecutive games only eight times last season and was 2-6 following consecutive wins. The line has completely flipped to our side based on one result. (541) Sacramento Kings

This is a play on the MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES as part of our NBA Monday Triple Play. Boston remains the only undefeated team in the NBA as it moved to 5-0 with a 10-point win over Brookyln which was its third straight double-digit victory. The Celtics are in a tough spot here following that win over Brooklyn with another road game at Philadelphia on deck. The numbers back them up as the Celtics are No. 1 in scoring offense and No. 7 in scoring defense with the latter being No. 1 in opponents shooting percentage. Minnesota is off to a 2-3 start as it has won two straight games that included giving Denver its first loss of the season two games back. As typical with the NBA, the home team is 5-0 in Timberwolves games this season and the splits have shown that as Minnesota is shooting 50.8 percent at home in three games while the defense allows just 42.7 percent shooting. The Timberwolves have a great roster that continues to underachieve but there has been great balance thus far with five players averaging double digits led by Anthony Edwards and his 26.2 ppg. Great spot for another upset. 10* (546) Minnesota Timberwolves

This is a play on the MIAMI HEAT as part of our NBA Monday Triple Play. Miami won on Saturday but did not cover after a late 5-0 run from Washington and we are backing the Heat which are now 0-5-1 ATS. Miami is 2-4 on the season following an opening game win over Detroit by one point and then four straight losses before its last victory. The most frustrating part is the Heat had leads of 13 and 16 points in two of those losses and nearly blew a 19-point lead against the Pistons so this has not been able to close which was evidenced by the non-cover against the Wizards. The Lakers opened their roadtrip with a 19-point loss at Orlando and fall into another bad spot getting next to nothing. Los Angeles was coming off a two-game winning streak and has fallen to 3-3 with the home team winning all six games. The Lakers were an under .500 team on the road last season and we always get value based on name and public perception. They are ranked in the bottom half of the league in both points scored and allowed and while a small sample size, they face an offense coming off its best effort of the season. 10* (536) Miami Heat

This is a play on the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS for our NBA Sunday Enforcer. Golden St. opened the season with a loss against Phoenix at home and has since won five straight games. Four of those have come on the road which is pretty impressive considering the Warriors won 11 road games all of last season. They are coming off a win at Oklahoma City in their last game but had their worst defensive performance as they allowed 139 points on 60.2 percent shooting and that was with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander not even playing and were lucky to escape on a last second layup. Cleveland opened the season with a win but has gone 1-4 since then, the only win coming at New York in the second of a back-to-back against the Knicks. The Cavaliers have lost all three of their home games and by an average of 10.1 ppg so it has been a struggle here. Many will question why they are favored, but they are still favored for a reason as this is a great roster that has not been fully together with Daruis Garland only playing once since opening night and he will bounce back after a bad game against the Pacers. This has been a one sided series with Golden St. having won the last 16 meetings and this is the spot to go against that as most of the Cleveland players were not part of most of those. 10* (522) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a play on the SACRAMENTO KINGS for our NBA Saturday Enforcer. Sacramento is off to a 2-2 start as it has alternated wins and losses with both of those losses against Golden St., a team it apparently cannot solve after the Warriors knocked the Kings out of the playoffs last season. They remain on the road for a pair of games in Houston looking for a bounce back and looking to get the offense to get back on track after its worst effort of the short season where they scored just 101 points on 40.9 percent shooting. The absence of De'Aaron Fox was evident and while he will be out for a while with an ankle injury, this will be the second game for adjustments to be made. Houston opened the season with three straight losses before picking up its first win of the season against Charlotte on Wednesday which was the second game of a seven-game homestand. This is still a team in transition with additions of Fred Van Vleet and Dillion Brooks and probably most important, head coach Ime Udoka so a more defensive approach is expected but that will take time and the Rockets have allowed 48 percent or higher shooting in three of four games and not ideal against this up tempo team even sans Fox. Great spot play against a Houston team that won consecutive games only eight times last season. 10* (513) Sacramento Kings

This is a play on the MIAMI HEAT for our NBA Friday Enforcer. The inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament starts Friday for a few teams. All 30 teams have been randomly drawn into groups of five within their conference based on won-loss records and it is important to note that every game counts toward regular season win-loss records so there is no added motivation. The motivation for Miami is to simply get back into the win column as it is 1-4 on the season following an opening game win over Detroit by one point. The most frustrating part is the Heat had leads of 13 and 16 points in two of those losses and nearly blew a 19-point lead against the Pistons so this has not been able to close. Facing Brooklyn should have ended the streak at three but now facing the Wizards is a better opportunity to reinvent the offense that has shot less than 43 percent in four of their games. Washington is 1-3 with the lone victory coming against 0-5 depleted Memphis and the three losses have come by an average of 17 ppg. The offense has been average but has not been able to keep up with its horrid defense that is dead last in points allowed while ranking No. 28 in opponents shooting as the Wizards have allowed opponents to shoot 50 percent to higher in three of four games. Miami cannot take any team for granted right now with the Lakers coming to town next and then embarking on a four-game roadtrip. 10* (572) Miami Heat

This is a play on the ORLANDO MAGIC for our NBA Thursday Enforcer. Orlando opened this roadtrip with a win at Portland but since suffered back-to-back losses in Los Angeles to the Lakers and Clippers. The Magic are now 2-2 and are still going to be buy low team early in the season at least in the right spots and this is one of those. They still have a clean injury report which was rarely the case last season. The Magic went 34-48 last season but after starting 5-20, they went 29-28 the rest of the way and now have the same young roster back but with a big year of experience. They are allowing the second fewest points in the league against one of the worst tonight. Utah won its second game of the season last night against Memphis by 24 points but was not a great win against the now 0-5 Grizzlies. The Jazz are 2-3 overall and this is the second time this season they have played a back-to-back with the first resulting in a Game One win and a Game Two loss, granted that second game was on the road but this is not a good home floor edge to begin with or what it used to be. The defense came through against a depleted Memphis offense last night but prior to that, they had allowed opponents to shoot 54.1 percent in their three previous games. 10* (559) Orlando Magic

This is a play on the MIAMI HEAT as part of our NBA Wednesday Triple Play. We expected to see some regression from Miami after its NBA Finals run last season but it has been a little worse initially thought. The Heat are 1-3 and has lost three straight games since squeaking out a one point win over Detroit. They have yet to cover a game, going 0-3-1 ATS after blowing a big lead against the Pistons and then hitting the road for the next three games, all against likely playoff teams. Bam Adebayo sat out the last game but will be back while Jimmy Butler did not play the fourth quarter against Milwaukee but should be good to go as well. Brooklyn is 1-2 and has been competitive in its two losses, falling to Cleveland and Dallas by six points combined, before winning at Charlotte on Monday. This is a team in transition that just a couple seasons ago had one of the best rosters in basketball but it is now a mish mash. The Nets are led by Cam Thomas with 33 ppg who put up just 10.6 ppg last season and now they will be without one of their top players in Spencer Dinwiddie who is sidelined with an ankle injury. 10* (542) Miami Heat

This is a play on the DETROIT PISTONS as part of our NBA Wednesday Triple Play. It has been a decent start to the season for Detroit as it opened the season with a one-point loss at Miami before winning two straight games but gave one of those back on Monday in Oklahoma City. The Pistons are back home where they have won their only game played here against Chicago and should be able to get back over .500. The return of Cade Cunningham has been the big boost after he played only just over 11 games last season before having to miss the rest of the year as he leads the team with 21 ppg and 7.5 apg. Portland opened the season with three straight losses before a win in Toronto on Monday and it closes its three-game roadtrip tonight. They are coming off their best defensive performance of the season after allowing opponents to shoot 49 percent through those first three games. This is not a good roster and they will continue to be without Anfernee Simons who played in the opener against the Clippers and scored 18 points but a thumb injury will cause him to miss the next month or more. 10* (530) Detroit Pistons

This is a play on the TORONTO RAPTORS as part of our NBA Wednesday Triple Play. Milwaukee is off to a 2-1 start as the addition of Damian Lillard has already shown positive signs as he has averaged 23.3 ppg but it does drop off considerably after he and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks did have a surprising blowout loss against Atlanta but followed that up with a win over Miami. All three games have been at home so this is their first trip on the road where they were solid last season but nothing compared to their 32-9 record at home which was toed for best in the Eastern Conference. Toronto opened the season with a win over Minnesota but it has lost three straight games since then including a bad loss against a bad Portland team on Monday. The Raptors have yet to be able to find their offensive rhythm as they are last in the league in scoring at 99.5 ppg but a lot of that is pace as their starting five are all averaging double digits. They do make up for it on defense as they are No. 3 in points allowed and No. 1 in shooting defense and they will continue that slower play tonight. 10* (532) Toronto Raptors

This is a play on the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS for our NBA Conference Game of the Month. Cleveland has some early season revenge going Tuesday after the Knicks took the Cavaliers out in the first round of the playoffs last season. It was a 1-1 split before the Knicks won three straight games before they eventually lost 4-2 against Miami in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Cleveland is off to a 1-2 start as it won its season opener at Brooklyn but has subsequently lost its last two games at home against the Thunder and Pacers. The Cavaliers are 0-3 against the number and are catching a big number at home with a lot of that based on the availability of Donovan Mitchell who is questionable after missing the Indiana game but did practice Monday so he will likely be a go. New York blew a late lead against Boston in its season opener and has split road games since then. The Knicks have been outshot in all three games and on the season, they are shooting just 40.4 percent from the floor while allowing opponents to hit 47.4 percent. While it is a limited sample, New York is just at 66.7 percent from the free throw line which is second worst in the league after being the eighth worst team from the stripe lat season. 10* (524) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a play on the SACRAMENTO KINGS for our NBA Sunday Enforcer. The Lakers lost their season opener against Denver but bounced back with a win over Phoenix on Thursday. However, that was against a Suns team missing Devin Booker and Bradely Beal and it took a 28-11 fourth quarter to get it done. Anthony Davis bounced back with a big game, scoring 30 points and grabbing 12 rebounds after being non-existent in the second half against the Nuggets. Overall, it was another average night for the offense, shooting just 42.9 percent from the floor including going 5-29 from long range. Now the Lakers hit the road again in a tough matchup. It was a reverse start for the Kings which won at Utah to open the season but then lost at home to Golden St. on Friday with an uncharacteristic shooting night, hitting just 43.6 percent from the floor. Sacramento will be out for its first home win after going 23-18 here during the regular season last year. The defense was never the strength and that showed by allowing 55.2 percent shooting but that effort gets better tonight. The Kings were the healthiest team in the league last season as their 55 games missed were the fewest in an 82-game schedule since 2015-16. Sacramento has everyone back from that mix and it has gone 24-13 ATS in its last 37 games following a loss. 10* (578) Sacramento Kings

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA 76ERS for our NBA Divisional Game of the Month. Toronto is coming off a disheartening loss last night in overtime at Chicago and that makes this a tough recovery spot despite heading back home. Chicago trailed by 17 points with 4:58 to go in regulation but used a 22-5 run to force overtime and pulled out the one point win. The Raptors defeated Minnesota here in their season opener and have covered both games. The defense has led the way as they allowed 34 percent and 37.4 percent shooting but have a much tougher test tonight. The Sixers lost their season opener at Milwaukee by one point but stayed within the number. Philadelphia rallied from a 19-point deficit and eventually scored 12 straight points to take a 102-94 lead but Milwaukee scored 19 of the next 21 points. It was a very balanced attack for the Sixers as four players scored 20 or more points and they shot 51.2 percent from the floor which will make this a big test for the Raptors. Here, we play against underdogs off a road loss of three points or less, average team from last season that won between 45-55% of their games. This situation is 29-6 ATS (82.9 percent) since 1996. 10* (563) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a play on the PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS as part of our NBA Friday Triple Play. We won with Orlando in its opener as it easily defeated a bad Houston team by 30 points and that is affecting this number even after only one game and partly because they are playing what is considered another bad team. The Magic finished strong last season and as mentioned, this should be a team on the rise and one that can surprise but they are getting no breaks here as after a home opener, they have to head out west for four games including a pair of games in Los Angeles against the Lakers and Clippers so this could be a game they easily look past. Portland was overmatched in its opener against the Clippers as it never led and trailed by as many as 30 points before closing the gap in the fourth quarter. The Blazers actually shot a respectable 47 percent from the floor but were outscored by 18 points from long range and could not recover from a very early 12-point deficit as it just got worse. This is going to be one of the worst teams in the Western Conference but the Blazers can be played in opportunistic spots and this is one of those that we can take advantage of. 10* (552) Portland Trail Blazers

This is a play on the CHICAGO BULLS as part of our NBA Friday Triple Play. Toronto opened the season with a lethargic three-point win over Minnesota as it shot just 40 percent from the floor while going to the line only 16 times and converting only 11 of those. The Raptors do have a solid core starting lineup but a weak bench that contributed only 16 points while picking up 11 fouls. They let go of head coach Nick Nurse which was strange in itself, lost Fred Van Vleet to free agency and two of their three best players will be free agents next season and with nothing coming in for improvement, the motivation of this team is in question. Chicago got crushed at home in its opener by 20 points against Oklahoma City as a slight closing favorite and it is in a good bounce back spot before hitting the road for three straight games so this is an early big game. It was a bad shooting night against the Thunder as the Bulls hit only 41 percent from the floor including 29 percent from long range with the starters going only 26-68 (38 percent) and we can expect a better effort here. This is a team that is marginal playoff team but there is continuity with their top eight players back. 10* (544) Chicago Bulls

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS as part of our NBA Friday Triple Play. Boston and Miami are both coming off close wins in their season openers with the Celtics winning on the road and the Heat barely taking care of business at home and now the venues change. The Celtics were huge down the stretch namely Kristaps Porzingis who scored nine points in the final two minutes including the go ahead three-pointer, part of a closing 13-3 run. It was a very efficient game as Boston shot 48 percent from the floor and 85 percent from the free throw line and now it is ultimate revenge time. The Celtics nearly came back from a 3-0 deficit in the Eastern Conference Finals but were bounced in Game Seven by 19 points on this home floor and it is early payback time. Miami built a 19-point lead against Detroit on Wednesday but had to hold off a late rally for the one point victory. We played against the Heat which last season were a pretty average team in a weak conference but caught fire at the right time and came in out of the gate overvalued. They shot just 40.2 percent from the floor including 36 percent from long range and now have the worst road opener after that escape. 10* (542) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES LAKERS for our NBA Thursday Enforcer. We lost with the Lakers on Tuesday as they rallied from 18 points down to pull within three points in the fourth quarter but Denver used a late run to pull away. LeBron James led with 21 points but played only 29 minutes and he could see that increase in the second game. It looked like Anthony Davis was on his way to a night as he had 17 first-half points but did not score in the second half as he was 0-5 in the third quarter and missed his only shot in the fourth quarter. Overall, the Lakers were outscored by 17 points with him on the floor in 34 minutes so a bounce back is expect from him. Phoenix snuck out a win over Golden St. as it won by four quarters in a game that swayed. It was a tied game after the first quarter and then Phoenix pulled ahead by 15 points at halftime before the Warriors outscored the Suns by 21 points in the third quarter before Phoenix dominated late with a 28-18 fourth quarter edge. The Suns benefited from the Warriors going just 10-43 from long range while being without Bradley Beal who is doubtful again as is Devin Booker. This is a good buy spot for the Lakers following the opening night loss. 10* (532) Los Angeles Lakers

This is a play on the UTAH JAZZ as part of our NBA Wednesday Triple Play. Sacramento was the surprise team in the Western Conference last season as it made it to the postseason for the first time in 16 years. The Kings were probably still overvalued despite winning the Pacific Division as they had a lot of things go their way. The Kings were the healthiest team in the league last season as their 55 games missed were the fewest in an 82-game schedule since 2015-16. Sacramento has everyone back and it will be in the mix again but now the markets are on top of the numbers. Utah finished last season 37-45 which was considered a huge success considering it was expected to be a full blown rebuilding year. The Jazz still secured a lottery pick and had three first round picks so the roster is loaded with future talent but they will rely on veteran Lauri Markkanen and All-Rookie center Walker Kessler. They also added John Collins and it was clear first year head coach Will Hardy knows what he is doing. Utah struggled on the road with only 14 wins but was 23-18 at home and catch a good opening number. 10* (524) Utah Jazz

This is a play on the DETROIT PISTONS as part of our NBA Wednesday Triple Play. Detroit finished with the worst record in the NBA at 17-65 in large part to the injury to Cade Cummingham after just 12 games. He was averaging 21.4 ppg through his first 11 games so that loss was huge. He is healthy to start the season and this is a young corps that could make some big improvements in a weak Eastern Conference. The addition of head coach Monty Williams was a solid move and they will be undervalued early based on the record from last year and in this game especially with who they are playing. Miami made an unprecedented playoff run last season to make it to the NBA Finals before losing to Denver. The Heat were hoping to make a splash with the acquisition of Damian Lillard but that fell through and now they basically have the same group back. The Heat had 53 wins in 2021-22 while last season they only won 44 games but awoke in the postseason and despite that run, this is still a middle of the road Eastern Conference playoff team and their 44.5 win total is saying that. 10* (515) Detroit Pistons

This is a play on the ORLANDO MAGIC as part of our NBA Wednesday Triple Play. Orlando should a team on the rise. The Magic went 34-48 last season but after starting 5-20, they went 29-28 the rest of the way and now have the same young roster back but with a big year of experience. Head coach Jamahl Mosley was asked how that finish can help and he said because of the roster continuity, he noticed players came into camp this year with more confidence than before. Additionally, they added lottery pick Anthony Black so strengthen the backcourt even more. Houston had a miserable season at 22-60 which was the third straight season it finished dead last in the Western Conference. The Rockets should be better based on their 32.5 win total with the addition of some key parts with Fred Van Vleet and Dillion Brooks and probably most important, head coach Ime Udoka who will bring in a more defensive approach. With the heavy turnover though, it could take a while to get things going so until we see something, they should be a play against in certain spots. 10* (512) Orlando Magic

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES LAKERS for our NBA Tuesday Enforcer. Denver is starting the defense of its NBA Title so Tuesday the Nuggets will be dropping their championship banner and receiving their championship rings and this has been a lucrative situation over the years. Going against the reigning champions for the first couple weeks of the season has been the way to go as the numbers are overpriced early on. Surprisingly, Denver was not as dominating as one would think as the Nuggets were 12th in the league in points scored and eighth in points allowed last season. Additionally, Denver was 20th in the NBA in turnovers while going 19th in forcing turnovers. To the Nuggets credit, they have one of the best home floors in the league as Denver last year had a 34–7 regular-season record, which it followed up with a 10–1 mark in the playoffs. Los Angeles made a huge last season run to get into the playoffs and made an even more impressive run in the postseason. The Lakers finished sixth in the NBA in scoring while also finishing sixth in rebounds. The magic number here is 113 as Los Angeles put together a 33-20 ATS record and were 36-17 overall when scoring more than 112.5 points. There is also revenge in play for the Lakers who were swept in the Western Conference Finals last season. 10* (501) Los Angeles Lakers

This is a play on the DENVER NUGGETS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. With the Miami loss on Friday, the Heat are all but done in this series despite what they have accomplished prior to the NBA Finals as teams down 3-1 in a series have come back to win it just once in 36 tries and needing to win two more games in Denver will be next to impossible. Denver won both games in Miami by nearly identical scores and after each game, the Nuggets are showing how much bigger and athletic they are in this matchup and scrappiness can take Miami only so far. Denver was 9-0 in the postseason at home prior to the Game Two loss so it will be out to not only make up for that, but to close this series out tonight at home where it would capture its first ever NBA Championship. Miami got beat handily in the opener here and after getting accustomed to the high altitude after a six-day stint here, Miami was able to take Game Two on its best shooting night of the series but now after being away for a week, the Heat are right back where they started. The venue chance has given Miami no value as the line could be shaded even higher but it is another manageable one for the Nuggets. Here, we play against underdogs with a winning percentage between .450 and .550 when trailing in a playoff series. This situation is 39-14 ATS (73.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (522) Denver Nuggets

This is a play on the MIAMI HEAT for our NBA Signature Enforcer. The headline after the Game Three loss for Miami was effort which is hard to believe when it comes to the NBA Finals but sadly that was the case as the energy levels on both sides were near opposites. The Heat had Denver right where they wanted them as they stole home court and showed a way to defend the Nuggets that many teams have been uncapable of and completely regressed on Wednesday. If the Heat want to win Game Four, they are going to need more scoring from Jimmy Butler even though he had a team high 28 points in Game Three nut more importantly, they need to get their physical nature back. The scrappiest team in the NBA lost the battle for loose balls and arguably the best postseason team on the boards got outrebounded 58-33, the most lopsided margin in an NBA Finals game in more than 40 years and over half of those Miami boards came from one player. In the playoffs overall, four different Heat players have averaged at least five rebounds per game but in Game Three, only one, Bam Adebayo managed that many. The task is not easy against the sizable Nuggets but effort does go a long way. 10* (520) Miami Heat

This is a play on the MIAMI HEAT for our NBA Game of the Year. While saying Miami has seized control of this series is a bit of a stretch, the Heat did what they needed to do and that was coming back home with a 1-1 series split following their Game Two victory. Also, while saying Game Two was a must win was 100 percent correct, Game Three is just as important as to not give home court right back to Denver and hand the momentum back to the Nuggets in the very next game. The three factors that Miami needed to accomplish, they did so in Game Two as they actually went to the free throw line, making 18 of 20, shot better from long range where they were 17-35 and got better production from their role players. Now Miami heads home where it has the momentum and gets the Nuggets out of Denver where they are a totally different team. The Nuggets are 23-25 on the road which includes a 4-3 record in the postseason and while that does include three straight wins, those all followed previous victories so they had that momentum in their corner. Miami is 34-17 at home and while it has really struggled to cover as a favorite, it has gone 6-3 ATS in its nine games as a home underdog and there is value in this number based on the venue switch. The Heat are live dogs once again in what is one of their biggest games of the season. 10* (518) Miami Heat

This is a play on the MIAMI HEAT for our NBA Signature Enforcer. The Nuggets proved once again it is really hard to win in Denver but the Heat did themselves no favors in the loss. Miami shot just 40.6 percent from the floor including 33.3 percent from long range and those numbers clearly have to improve to even think about sniffing a victory. But the biggest issue was the fact the Heat went to the free throw line two times the entire game, breaking an NBA playoff record for fewest attempts. There was no aggressiveness from the offense and simply put, Miami needs to attack and first and foremost, that comes down to Jimmy Butler who was only 6-14 from the floor and he has shown in the past to be passive and the Heat cannot have that happen. The role players who have made a big difference in the postseason also have to be better as Caleb Martin, Max Strus and Duncan Robinson shot a combined 2-23 (8.7 percent) in the game. For the Heat to win this series, they have to steal a game in Denver and this has to be the one and they do benefit from already having played a game in the altitude and now being here for six days. Here, we play on road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a game involving two teams allowing between 108 and 114 ppg, after scoring 105 points or less in two straight games. This situation is 49-23 ATS (68.1 percent) since 1996. 10* (515) Miami Heat

This is a play on the MIAMI HEAT for our NBA signature Enforcer. Denver has the clear advantage of having a ton of rest heading into the NBA Finals as well as playing at home where the Nuggets have been unbeatable in the postseason, going 8-0 in their first eight games. That being said, they are favored by their second biggest amount in the playoffs which is overaggressive entering the Finals against a team that has been very solid on the road. Denver has a prominent home court edge with the atmosphere and because of that, the public will be riding it here but the extra time off could be a disadvantage especially when being asked to lay a huge number. Miami has gone 6-4 on the road in the postseason including the Game Seven blowout win over Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals when it easily could have fizzled under the pressure and as mentioned in the analysis of that victory, coaching played a big part of that. Taking nothing away from Denver head coach Mike Malone who has done an incredible job with creating this team but Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has the experience and accolades to have this team ready for Game One. Here, we play against home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 off a road win by three points or less, playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 69-32 ATS (68.3 percent) since 1996. 10* (513) Miami Heat

This is a play on the MIAMI HEAT for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Boston barely survived Game Six as it won on a last second tip in to force a Game Seven and while it seems the Celtics have the big advantage, that might not be the case in this game as the biggest intangible that is not in their favor is coaching. That was even evident at the end of Game Six as the inbound play that the Celtics ran was horrible but they got away with it. One thing that Miami can take solace in from Game Six is that they nearly won despite their two biggest players, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, going a combined 9-37 (24.3 percent) from the floor and it is highly unlikely that both have back-to-back poor games. Admittedly, the pressure has clearly shifted from being on Boston and going over to Miami as it was ready to become just the second No. 8 seed to make the NBA Finals and is now in the position of being the first team ever to blow a 3-0 series lead. There have been only 36 Game Seven road winners in the NBA playoffs but it has happened 15 times in the past 12 seasons so Miami winning this game outright is far from out of the question. Here, we play against home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points with a winning percentage between .600 and .750 off a road win by three points or less, playing a team with a winning record. This situation is 68-32 ATS (68 percent) since 1996. 10* (509) Miami Heat

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. We won with Boston the last two games and we are riding the Celtics again in Game Six and the series has become a series and they can become the first team to win a series after trailing 3-0 in 150 previous chances. While that feat looks daunting based on the raw percentages, it is a skewed stat as the lower seed was rarely the team to take that series lead and of the 14 teams that made it to Game Six after falling down 3-0, only one was the higher seed. It was another confidence building win in Game Five not only because of the actual victory but also because they played the game that got them to where they are this season, efficient shooting and strong defense. The Celtics shot 50.6 percent from the floor, their second straight game over 50 percent but it was the defense that allowed fewer than 100 points for a second straight game. Offensively, Boston relies heavily on three-point shooting where they finished No. 6 in shooting percentage during the season, and it hit 40 percent in Game Four from long range and followed that up by making 41 percent in Game Five from behind the arc. Here, we play against home underdogs in the second half of the season in a game involving two teams allowing between 108 and 114, after a loss by 10 points or more. This situation is 61-36 ATS (62.9 percent) since 1996. 10* (501) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Boston avoided elimination with a Game Four win and it was a confidence building one not only because of the actual victory but also because they played the game that got them to where they are this season, efficient shooting and strong defense. The Celtics shot 51.2 percent from the floor, their second best in the series but it was the defense that allowed a series low 43.6 percent that was the difference. That is the style of defense that led them to the No. 3 defensive efficiency rating in the league and continue that, this will become a series once again. Offensively, Boston relies heavily on three-point shooting where they finished No. 6 in shooting percentage during the season, and it hit 40 percent in Game Four from long range. The Heat have been one of the worst teams in the NBA offensively all season as they finished No. 30 in scoring and No. 26 in shooting including No. 27 from behind the arc, and it cannot keep pace when facing a strong defense that defends constantly and Boston knows that is what has to be done to send this series back to Miami. We are playing a premium number here as we are seeing a 10-point swing from the last game but this has the makings of a blowout, something that has been prevalent throughout the entire playoffs this season. 10* (550) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Month. The Lakers were in this situation last night and had their chance to extend the series but unfortunately did not come through for us and Boston now looks to extend its series. The difference here is that the Celtics can hang their hat on knowing they have two more games at home if the series gets extended to its length should they win tonight. Boston played its worst game of the postseason in the 128-102 Game Three loss as it was outshot by 17 percent from the floor while the 128 points allowed were the second most given up in the playoffs and the 56.8 percent shooting was the highest allowed in the postseason. Because of that awful performance and the hole they have dug, the line has flipped considerably as Miami has gone from a 4.5-point closing underdog to a favorite of as many as two points in some places with the public wanting no part of this Celtics team at this points. Boston should come out with a ton of urgency based on the embarrassment of Miami becoming the first No. 8 seed in league history to win a playoff game by 25 or more points. Here, we play on teams revenging two straight losses where opponent scored 100 or more points, off two or more consecutive upset losses as a favorite. This situation is 49-22 ATS (69 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (545) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES LAKERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. After the loss on Saturday, the Lakers find themselves in an insurmountable 3-0 hole and the chances of winning this series are as close zero percent as possible. Of the 149 teams that have lost the first three games of a best-of-seven series, none have been able to come back and win it. Los Angeles did have opportunities to cut the series to 2-1 as it led Game Three in the fourth quarter by a point but allowed the Nuggets to go on a 13-0 run keyed by reserves making big shots. Denver has had the two best players on the floor in Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, the latter who has scored 37 points in each of the last two games, and a big problem for the Lakers have been the ability of the Nuggets big men making three-pointers as Jokic and Michael Porter, Jr. are a combined 16-34 (47.1 percent) from long range so that perimeter defense needs to step up. One thing historic thing on the side of the Lakers is that of the 152 conference finals, only 23 have resulted in a sweep and pride can be a big factor in these games if nothing else. Here, we play on favorites revenging a home loss, off a home loss by 10 points or more. This situation is 52-18 ATS (74.3 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (544) Los Angeles Lakers

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. The Lakers were in must win mode yesterday and failed to get it done and Boston is in the same spot tonight but in a different situation and one that is more favorable even though they are on the road. Boston was horrible defensively in Game One, allowing 54.1 percent shooting and knocked that down nearly 10 percent in the next game but its own offense was the downfall even though the Celtics outshot the Heat. Not being at home is obviously difficult but Boston has been very good on the road as it is 29-18 which includes a 4-2 record in the postseason. Miami has pulled off quite the stretch in defeating top seed Milwaukee before taking out the Knicks in six games and now winning the first two games of this series on the road. The Heat are in great position for the series but they will be getting a best effort from Boston tonight. Miami is 33-15 at home but that includes just a 3-4 record as a home underdog. Here, we play on favorites revenging a straight up loss as a favorite of seven or more points going up against an opponent off two or more consecutive upset wins as a road underdog. This situation is 30-6 ATS (83.3 percent) since 1996. 10* (541) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the DENVER NUGGETS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. This is a must win for the Lakers to avoid a 3-0 series deficit and the line is reflecting that as we are seeing a 10-point swing from Game Two which is too big of adjustment. Los Angeles lost the first two games despite an equal shooting percentage in each game which shows how big the Denver home floor is and while the Lakers head home, this is a different scenario than what they have seen. Memphis lost all three games here but it finished 0-17 as a road underdog all season and Golden St. lost all three games as well but the Warriors were a miserable road team all season. Denver has been better on the road than both of those teams yet is catching a bigger number than in any of those previous six games the Lakers were laying. The Nuggets are 2-3 on the road in the postseason but all three losses were competitive and came down to the final minutes which makes the underdog the play. Here, we play against teams when trailing in a playoff series, with a winning percentage between .450 and .550 on the season. This situation is 44-19 ATS (69.8 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (539) Denver Nuggets

This is a play on the MIAMI HEAT for our NBA Signature Enforcer. The public will be migrating to Boston in this game after losing Game One and the line is reflecting that with the Celtics bigger favorites tonight after their 123-116 loss on Wednesday. Defense was not on display for either side as the Celtics allowed Miami to shoot 54.1 percent from the floor which was their second worst performance of the postseason and while that should improve, so should the other side. Miami also had its second-worst defensive showing of the playoffs as Boston hit 51.9 percent of its shots from the floor and with both teams expected to improve, the big underdog is the side in an anticipated lower-scoring game. Game One was the epitome of the postseason for Boston which has showed up at times and completely disappeared in others and the biggest culprit of that was Jason Tatum who did not score in the fourth quarter and just touched the ball 13 times. Credit Miami for some of that as while Boston was No. 3 in the NBA in defensive efficiency, the Heat made their living there as well as they were No. 7 in efficiency and were tied for No. 2 in the league on the road. One edge mentioned for Game One for Miami was coaching and that was displayed and will not go away here. 10* (537) Miami Heat

This is a play on the DENVER NUGGETS for our NBA 3rd Rd Game of the Year. Denver took Game One of this series against the Lakers and it ended up being closer than it should have been as the Nuggets built a 21-point lead in the third quarter only to take their foot off the gas and allow the Lakers cut the deficit to three points late in the game and had a chance for the tie with 45 seconds remaining. It was a push for most and it is safe to say Denver is not going to let that happen again as going to Los Angeles with a 2-0 lead with a statement win in Game Two is on the forefront. We are getting early value as this line has stabilized at 5.5 after seeing Game One close at 6.5 in some places and even a rare 7.5. As mentioned, Denver rarely loses here as it is now 41-7 on the season and that was after a 6-3 start while two of the last four losses came without Nikola Jokic in the lineup so the Nuggets have gone 35-4 in those other 39 games. Los Angeles had its opportunity to steal a road game and grab home court advantage and that chance will be more difficult here. The Lakers are 7-15 ATS after successfully covering the spread in two or more consecutive games this season while Denver is 16-7 ATS in home games off a home win this season. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a playoff game, in the 2nd game of a playoff series. This situation is 32-5 ATS (86.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (536) Denver Nuggets

This is a play on the MIAMI HEAT for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Boston dominated the third quarter of Game Seven against Philadelphia to roll over the Sixers but the Celtics were a couple minutes away of being eliminated in Game Six if not for Jason Tatum to finally show up late and he carried that over into the final game. The line is reflecting that final outcome but it is a toss up with what Boston team shows up here as the Celtics were far from dominant in either series. The rolled over Atlanta in the first two games at home and also rolled the Sixers in two home games but the other three home games saw them lose outright. Boston is 9-21 ATS in its last 30 games after two consecutive covers as a favorite. Miami took out top seed Milwaukee in five games and then beat the Knicks in six games and looked very good in doing so. The Heat have peaked at the right time and they do have a significant coaching advantage heading into this series and the extra time off is an added bonus. It was a regular season series split with Miami winning the last two games and one factor Miam needs to have on its side is free throws as they were outshot 93-65 and outscored 77-52 in the four games. Miami is 24-13 ATS in its last 37 games as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points. Here, we play on road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a game involving two teams allowing between 108 and 114 ppg, after scoring 105 points or less in two straight games. This situation is 47-22 ATS (68.1 percent) since 1996. 10* (533) Miami Heat

This is a play on the DENVER NUGGETS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. The Lakers have made it to the Western Conference Finals thanks to their strong play on their home floor as they beat Memphis three times, which finished the season 0-19 as a road underdog and then defeated Golden St. three times, which was awful on the road the entire season at 13-35 away from home. Once they get home, things could get interesting but they open on the road where they are 2-4 in the postseason and 22-25 overall which is not horrible but this is the toughest environment in the league and they lost both trip here during the regular season by 11 and 13 points. The Nuggets have the opportunistic spot in Game One at home to strike first with a short price where they 40-7 on the season and that was after a 6-3 start. Two of the last four losses came without Nikola Jokic in the lineup so this is a very dangerous team at home at full strength and in the postseason, they are 6-0 with the average margin of victory being 12.5 ppg and only one of those games being decided by fewer than nine points. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points after having covered two of their last three games against the spread, playing only their 2nd game in seven days. This situation is 33-6 ATS (84.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (532) Denver Nuggets

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA 76ERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Boston was able to pull away late in Game Six to bring the series back home despite turning the ball over 17 times, the most in their 12 postseason games. The Celtics are now big favorites back on their home floor which has not been a big advantage of late as they have dropped three of their last four games in Boston. The offense does not bring in a lot of momentum as the Celtics have shot only 40.5 percent over their last two games and it has been a downhill regression from the start s they have shot more than 46 percent from the floor only twice since Game One and while the defense has kept it afloat, it has not created east opportunities. The Celtics have forced more than 11 turnovers only once in the series and they have taken it away by an average of only 9.5 per game and as long as the Sixers can shoot anywhere close to the 50.6 percent that they put up in Games One and Five in Boston, they can keep this close with a chance to win it outright again. The Sixers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up loss while the Celtics are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following a straight up win. 10* (509) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES LAKERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Golden St. staved off elimination with a Game Five win at home in a game that was close for a while as it was tied at 54 but the Warriors went on a 16-5 run to take an 11-point lead into halftime and did not look back. The Warriors had their second best offensive shooting game of the postseason as they shot 51.1 percent from the floor but this was only the fourth time in 12 playoff games they have shot 50 percent or better but despite the relatively easy win, the defense allowed the Lakers to shoot 48.3 percent and it has not been good throughout as the Lakers have shot 46.9 percent through the first five games. The Lakers were in this spot in their opening series as they lost Game five on the road against the Grizzlies before returning home to wrap up a series win in Game Six in an absolute blowout and Los Angeles is now 5-0 at home in the postseason and it has won eight straight games at home. Anthony Davis was questionable after taking a hit to the head but has been cleared and should be ready for another big game. Here, we play against underdogs when trailing in a playoff series, with a winning percentage of between .450 and .550 on the season. This situation is 37-12 ATS (75.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (504) Los Angeles Lakers

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Boston is coming off its worst game of this series as it lost its second straight game forcing them to win the final two games to move into the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics shot a series worst 39.8 percent from the floor and that was its worst shooting performance since March 5 against the Knicks, a span of 28 games so we can expect a better effort tonight and the same can be said on the other side of the floor. Philadelphia shot 50.6 percent from the field against one of the best defenses in the league and on the season, the Celtics are 15-5 following a game where they allowed the opposition to shoot 50 percent or better including four straight wins and two in the postseason. Boston has been efficient in this series by not giving it up much but it has not produced turnovers on defense as in the three losses, the Celtics have forced only 7.3 turnovers per game which has let to very few easy scoring chances. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have both been great throughout but the one player that is vital is Al Horford who has gone 214 from long range over the last two games and any success from him opens this entire offense up. Here, we plat on teams revenging a straight up loss as a home favorite of seven points or more, off an upset loss as a home favorite. This situation is 47-12 ATS (79.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (553) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES LAKERS for our NBA Divisional Game of the Month. Down 3-1 in this series following a pair of losses in Los Angeles, it is obviously must win time for Golden St. at it needs to take the final three games which is going to be a tall order. Heading back home, this is a game the Warriors should win to send the series back to Los Angeles but in this spot, the line has been overadjusted because of the must win scenario. The Lakers closed as 2.5-point favorites on Monday and we are seeing a 9.5 to 10-point swing which is too big for the change in venue and while we saw a similar shift when the series went from Golden St. to Los Angeles, the situation is much different with the pressure that is on the line. As expected, the Warriors did shoot better in Game Four coming off a 39.6 percent effort in Game Three but in three of their last four playoff games where they have shot 46 percent or better, they have followed it up with games of 40.0 percent, 37.2 percent and the aforementioned 39.6 percent. The defense has not been good throughout as the Lakers have shot 46.6 percent through the first four games and Golden St. has held Anthony Davis in check only once in those games. We are catching excellent value in what should be a close game which have been few and far between in the entire postseason. Here, we play against teams when trailing in a playoff series, with a winning percentage of between .450 and .550 on the season. This situation is 42-17 ATS (71.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (551) Los Angeles Lakers

This is a play on the DENVER NUGGETS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Denver had opportunities in both Game Three and Four to steal a game in Phoenix to have a chance to close out this series at home but now the Nuggets have to take care of their home floor again before heading back to Phoenix which is not ideal but going down 3-2 in this series would be a disaster. In Game Four, Landry Shamet hit four three-pointers in the fourth quarter so it was an unlikely hero that carried Phoenix which remains without Chris Paul as it heads back to Denver with a 19-26 record on the road following two pretty non-competitive games to open this series. The Nuggets have the opportunistic spot in Game Five at home with a short price where they 39-7 on the season and that was after a 6-3 start. Two of the last four losses came without Nikola Jokic in the lineup so this is a very dangerous team at home at full strength. Phoenix is just 9-24 this season as an underdog and its cover percentage of 40.6 percent is not much better and going back, the Suns are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games against teams with a winning home record while the Nuggets are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games against teams with a losing road record. 10* (548) Denver Nuggets

This is a play on the GOLDEN ST. WARRIORS for our NBA Star Attraction. We made a bad call on the Warriors in Game Three as they lost by 30 points, the second straight game in this series decided by 27 or more points which is pretty ridiculous at this stage of the season. The are not seeing a line shift at all from the previous game and Golden St. can only improve here after committing 19 turnovers. The last two games where they committed 19 or more turnovers, the responded with a combined 18 turnovers in the next two games and the shooting should only get better as well. Golden St. has been ice cold from the floor, shooting only 42.3 percent from the floor over its last five games which makes this team due for a show and this is the ideal spot to get hot once again after shooting 47 percent or better in nine of its previous 11 games. The Warriors shot 39.6 percent in Game Three and this is a similar spot after coming off a 40.6 percent showing in Game One and shot nearly 10 percent better in Game Two. Los Angeles has been efficient with the ball as it has averaged only 9.7 turnovers per game through the first three games of this series and it is imperative for the Warriors to create more on defense to lead to easier opportunities going the other way. The Warriors are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. 10* (543) Golden St. Warriors

This is a play on the NEW YORK KNICKS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Miami was one game away from not even making the playoffs and is now one win away from taking a commanding 3-1 series lead following one of their best defensive efforts of the season. The Heat allowed just 34.1 percent shooting from the floor in Game Three as New York converted only 31 field goals. The Knicks had a similar game against Cleveland in Game Two where they made only 29 shots but bounced back by shooting 47 percent in a 20-point Game Three win. Miami has now covered six straight games including the first three in this series and we are seeing a subtle half-point swing in this line as the public is continuing to ride the Heat despite still possessing one of the worst cover percentages at home at 40.9 percent. Miami caught a scheduling break between Game Two and Three with three days off which gave Jimmy Butler extra time for his ankle injury to get better but now with just one day in-between, there could be a slight regression. New York comes in at 26-19 on the road so winning away from home has not been an issue and this is a good recovery spot as the Heat are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points while the Knicks are 6-2-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. 10* (541) New York Knicks

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA 76ERS for our NBA 2nd Rd Game of the Year. After winning the opener of this series and seizing home court advantage without Joel Embiid, the Sixers have given it right back with two bad losses with Embiid back in the lineup showing just how unpredictable this league can be at times. Philadelphia shot 50.6 percent in Game One but it has gone 62-157 (39.5 percent) over the last two games including 22-67 (32.8 percent) from long range as the Celtics defense has stepped up. But a lot of that can just be attributed to bad shooting, notably James Harden who had an all-world game in the opener and has been non-existent since then and he will be a key piece in order to even this series up. The Boston shooting has regressed in each of the three games and since the Hawks series as they shot 51.2 percent from the floor in the six games against Atlanta and after hitting 58.7 percent of their shots in Game One, the Celtics are just 81-178 (45.5 percent) the last two games and while that is much better than Philadelphia, it is not significant enough to call it dominant. This is a must win for Philadelphia or this series is toast and it is a great rebound spot as the Sixers are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games following a double-digit loss at home. 10* (538) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a play on the GOLDEN ST. WARRIORS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. The NBA playoffs have been anything but dramatic so far this season as of the first 53 postseason games, only six have been decided by four points or fewer. While the probability of the majority of games being decided by well over one possession are always higher, this ratio is absurdly high and has made many games unwatchable. Both of these games have been decided by more than four points although Game One had a chance to come down to the final seconds or head into overtime but Golden St. Missed a game-tying three-pointer with 9.7 seconds remaining. This being said, we are way overdue for a close game and this has the makings of it with the underdog being the favorable play. The Warriors made their adjustments on defense and blew out the Lakers in Game Two as they outshot them 50.5 percent to 42.6 percent and now they hit the road where they have been dreadful but did go 2-2 in Sacramento in the first series. A one possession game either way gets it done. Here, we play against home teams where the line is +3 to -3 revenging a road loss of 10 points or more going up against an opponent off a home blowout win by 20 points or more. This situation is 100-56 ATS (64.1 percent) since 1996. 10* (535) Golden St. Warriors

This is a play on the PHOENIX SUNS for our Western Conference Game of the Year. This is exactly what Phoenix did not want as coming into the postseason, it possessed arguably the best roster from a starting standpoint to make a run as it needed to avoid the injury bug that plagued them all season and down goes Chris Paul for the remainder of the series. Now in a 2-0 deficit, things are looking bleak for the Suns and linesmakers have dropped them to +650 to win the Western Conference. Game Two was there for the taking even with Paul out of the game as they entered the fourth quarter up three points but managed only 14 points on offense as they missed their first nine shots and they could not take advantage of a poor game from Jamal Murray who scored only 10 points. Getting to the free throw line only five times the entire game did them no good but we will see an uptick on that as they need to penetrate more and having an extended break of three off days helps them in the game planning with no Paul available. Denver is 4-12 ATS in road games after two or more home wins this season while Phoenix is 13-4 ATS in home games after playing a road game this season. Here, we play against road underdogs off three or more consecutive home wins, playing five or less games in 14 days. This situation is 39-16 ATS (70.9 percent) since 1996. 10* (532) Phoenix Suns

This is a play on the GOLDEN ST. WARRIORS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. The Warriors find themselves in an early hole after dropping Game One of this series on Tuesday and while they were able to come back against the Kings in the opening round after falling behind 2-0, those first two games were on the road where they have been awful and they need a big bounce back at home which we are expecting here. Golden St. is 35-10 at home and going back to the Sacramento series, it has lost two straight games here and while the Warriors did drop three straight home games earlier in the season, Steph Curry missed two of those games and Kaly Thompson missed another one. The Lakers got the one game they needed to head back to Los Angeles with home court in hand and they will be up for a challenge here. They are a game under .500 on the road and despite the recent win, they are just 13-22 as road dogs. Golden St. has been ice cold from the floor, shooting only 40.4 percent from the floor over its last three games which makes this team due for a show and this is the ideal spot to get hot once again after shooting 47 percent or better in nine of its previous 11 games. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a playoff game, in the 2nd game of a playoff series. This situation is 31-5 ATS (86.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (526) Golden St. Warriors

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA 76ERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Philadelphia stole the opener of this series and will head back home with home court advantage but that does not mean it will be out to steak another one. The initial reaction is the take Boston in this game in a vital spot to win but once again, there is no value in this number which is nearly identical from Game One because of the absence of Joel Embiid. James Harden had a game and silenced some of the naysayers that he was washed up but he showed that running the offense through him can still be successful. As mentioned in that Game One analysis, the Sixers still possess three star players who can make up for it and while the Embiid production and ability to take over a game will not be there, it can still be distributed as the minutes are not lost and while Harden may not duplicate what he did, Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxie have the ability to step up even bigger. Take Harden out of the stat line and the Sixers still shot a solid 47.5 percent from the floor. The Sixers are now 12-5 this season without Embiid and while each situation is different and the competition is not on this same level each time, Boston has yet to show any sort of killer instinct through seven games of the postseason and Philadelphia should be a tough out again. 10* (521) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a play on the NEW YORK KNICKS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Miami was able to steal Game One of this series and going back to the opening round, it has won four straight games, all as underdogs but expect a different outcome tonight in a much more difficult spot. The Heat took advantage of a sizable edge from the free throw line and they outscored the Knicks 23-12 from the stripe while long range shooting also played a huge part as Miami was 13-39 (33 percent) compared to New York going just 7-34 (20.6 percent). Jimmy Butler has taken over in recent games as he is coming off another solid performance with 25 points and 11 rebounds in a team high 43 minutes despite rolling his ankle and he is now averaging 35.5 ppg in the postseason. He was able to finish the game but it does not look good as he is listed as questionable and while he could go, he will not be close to 100 percent. Overall, New York outshot the Heat 47.7 percent to 42.4 percent and won the rebounding battle by nine boards but the two vs. three pointers were not enough. Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle are also listed as questionable for New York but the Brunson injury does not look bad and Randle should return after missing Game One as a late scratch. Here, we play on favorites revenging a loss where opponent scored 100 or more points going up against an opponent off two or more consecutive upset wins as a road underdog. This situation is 68-31 ATS (68.7 percent) since 1996. 10* (518) New York Knicks

This is a play on the PHOENIX SUNS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Phoenix dropped the opener of this series as one bad quarter did it in as the Suns were outscored by 18 points in the second quarter as the other three quarters were played dead even. They outshot the Nuggets 51.2 percent to 47.5 percent but Denver attempted 17 more field goals which was the ultimate difference. The reasons for the disparity were turnovers, as Phoenix committed 16 compared to nine for Denver, and offensive rebounding as the Nuggets doubled up the Suns 16-8. Get those closer to even and Phoenix would have been right in the game but now the Suns find themselves in a big game to avoid a 2-0 deficit and we expect this one to be much closer with a good probability of the outright win. One reason is they have now been acclimated to the high altitude for five days as they now have an additional two days to go along with that one game which was the first one in Denver with the current roster in place. Winning in Denver is not easy as outlined in the Game One analysis but adjustments can be made Here, we play on road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points scoring 114 or more ppg on the season, after allowing 120 points or more in two straight games. This situation is 43-24 ATS (64.2 percent) since 1996. 10* (513) Phoenix Suns

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA 76ERS for our NBA Star Attraction. The big story here is that Joel Embiid is unlikely to go as he is doubtful with a knee injury but no player is worth a seven-point line swing based on power rating and previous meetings and that is what Philadelphia is getting here. Another recent example what that the Sixers laid only three fewer points against Brooklyn in Game One in his absence and while Boston is clearly a better team than the Nets, the adjustment is too big. They still possess three star players who can make up for it and while the Embiid production and ability to take over a game will not be there, it can still be distributed as the minutes are not lost. Boston got all it could handle against the Hawks and the one good thing for Boston getting stretched out against Atlanta was that it probably woke them up even though they know tougher competition awaits. The Celtics have been dominant at home and won three of the four regular season meetings but we saw what happened when Atlanta was without Dejounte Murray. Here, we play on underdogs after allowing 105 points or less in two straight games going up against an opponent after a combined score of 245 points or more. This situation is 43-18 ATS (70.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (515) Philadelphia 76ers

This is a play on the GOLDEN ST. WARRIORS for our NBA 1st Rd Game of the Year. Sacramento stayed alive by taking out Golden St. by 19 points in Game Six to force the series back home and while it was a lopsided win, it was a fortunate one in which it happened. The Kings caught the Warriors on their worst shooting night of the entire season as they hit only 37.2 percent of their shots and coming into that game, Golden St. was 6-16 in its 22 games when shooting 44 percent or less from the floor and it was not because the Kings suddenly learned how to play defense, which they cannot, it was simply a bad night. Conversely, Sacramento shot only 40.4 percent and it came in 3-13 in its 16 games when shooting 44 percent or less which shows how fortunate it was. In this series, the Warriors had outshot Sacramento in all of the first five games prior to Friday and as long as they do not duplicate that performance offensively, they win this game. We have seen this line flip from the Warriors -1.5 to open and now at +1.5 in most places because of that disheartening home loss and their road struggles this season but this is a veteran team that has gone through playoff adversity before while the Kings are facing all of the pressure. Here, we play on teams where the line is +3 to -3 revenging a loss against opponent off an upset win of 10 points or more as a road underdog. This situation is 34-10 ATS (77.3 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (505) Golden St. Warriors

This is a play on the NEW YORK KNICKS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Miami became just the fifth No. 8 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in the NBA postseason and while both teams suffered some significant injuries during the series, the Bucks caught the worst of it with Giannis Antetokounmpo missing most of Game One and the next two games completely which put them out of sorts the whole series but the Heat still deserve the credit. Now things will be getting more physical for Miami in what is not a very good matchup as it lost three of the four regular season meetings and were on the wrong end of the rebounding margin three times, all by double-digit boards. After splitting the first two games against Cleveland and snagging home court advantage, it did not take New York long as it won the next three games against the Cavaliers and the Knicks advanced past the opening round of the playoffs for the first time since 2013. New York dominated on defense against Cleveland as it held the Cavaliers to fewer than 100 points in all four victories and can do the same with Miami despite the Heat offense coming to life against a supposedly good Bucks defense. Game One will put that on display. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points after having won three of their last four games, playing only their 2nd game in seven days. This situation is 28-7 ATS (80 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (502) New York Knicks

This is a play on the DENVER NUGGETS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Phoenix and Denver split the four meetings this season with the Christmas Day matchup that Denver won in overtime being the only meeting with a resemblance of the current rosters in place. The other win in Denver in January was when Phoenix obviously had no Kevin Durant but was also without Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton. The Suns won the two matchups at home but the Nuggets were without Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. and yet still stayed close against a full Suns roster and covered the 13 points in both. That gives us not a lot of season matchup history to go off of and the Nuggets have the opportunistic spot in Game One at home with a short price where they 37-7 on the season and that was after a 6-3 start. Two of the last four losses came without Jokic in the lineup so this is a very dangerous team at home at full strength. Phoenix took out the Clippers in five games but it was far from dominating against a depleted Clippers roster and while some of that can be attributed to not giving 100 percent effort, it is still a concern hitting the road. The Suns came into Denver early to acclimate to the high altitude but playing in a game here is a different story. 10* (554) Denver Nuggets

This is a play on the MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES for our NBA Star Attraction. We have been on Memphis the last two games as it was able to extend the series with a Game Five win on Wednesday after losing Game Four where it should have won and at the very least came away with the cover as the overtime underdog curse reared its ugly head. It is another win or go home situation for the Grizzlies and they will have to do something they have not done all season and that is win as a road underdog as they are 0-18 in this situation on the season but those past instances can be tossed away with what is on the line here. The LeBron James timeline in this series does say a lot. After Game One, the Lakers has two days of rest for the next two games and James was great in both, averaging 26.5 ppg on 51.2 percent shooting but over the last two games where there has been just one day of rest, he has averaged only 18.5 ppg on 37.1 percent shooting and this is the second consecutive game with travel involved. Since going 3-8 from long range in the opener, he is 3-28 (10.7 percent) from behind the arc. Here, we play against teams as a No. 7 seed in the playoffs. This situation is 171-109 ATS (61.1 percent) since 1996. 10* (549) Memphis Grizzlies

This is a play on the SACRAMENTO KINGS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Golden St. has made an unlikely comeback in this series, dropping the first two games and storming back to win the last three and head home with a chance to close it out and that is what championship teams do. That being said, the Warriors are laying their biggest number at home of the three games thus far which is creating value on Sacramento in a game all we are asking for is a cover and the Kings are still playing with confidence. The big story from the last game was the status of De'Aaron Fox and his broken finger and his shot was clearly affected as he went just 9-25 from the floor including 3-10 from long range but he has struggled the whole series and now with a game played with that splint on his finger, he has gotten used to it over the last four days. Sacramento has gone 13-17 in games it was listed as the moneyline underdog so winning this game outright is far from out of the question. Here, we play on road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points averaging 114 or more ppg on the season, after allowing 120 points or more in two straight games. This situation is 42-24 ATS (63.6 percent) since 1996. 10* (551) Sacramento Kings

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Boston had a golden opportunity to not be playing tonight as it had a 13-point lead with about six minutes remaining but the Hawks closed the game on a 23-8 run to force a Game Six. It was Trae Young that pretty much did it alone down the stretch as he scored the final 14 points for Atlanta and for a defensively sound team like Boston to let that happen is completely out of character. The Celtics outshot the Hawks by nearly seven percent from the floor yet could not come up with the needed stops and the moist frustrating thing for Boston has been the success of the offense that has not given it the results. Over the last four games, the Celtics have shot 52.4 percent from the floor yet have split those games and for the series, they are outshooting Atlanta 51.3 percent to 45.4 percent with the difference being the Hawks putting up 36 more field goal attempts. We are seeing early value here as this one could rise similar to Game Four. Here, we play on road teams revenging a straight up loss as a home favorite of seven points or more, off an upset loss as a home favorite. This situation is 26-6 ATS (81.2percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (537) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES for our NBA Star Attraction. We had Memphis on Monday and it was looking good for a Grizzlies cover and then overtime hit and we all know what can happen with an overtime underdog and that came to fruition. The Grizzlies took the lead late in regulation on an end-to-end sequence on a defensive block that led to a breakaway with 10.8 seconds remaining but LeBron James made a layup with less than a second remaining to force overtime. Memphis fell to 0-18 as a road underdog this season so winning this series could be a problem as it will be dogged again in Game Six should they survive here and we see it as a blowout heading back home. The Grizzlies are 36-7 at home, outscoring opponents by 10 ppg and are laying a very reasonable number in a must win game and this is the game Ja Morant needs to take over after scoring only 19 points on 8-24 shooting and the offense as a whole has been trash the last three games, shooting a combined 39.9 percent from the floor. Here, we play on home favorites after having lost five or six of their last seven games, with a winning record on the season playing another winning team. This situation is 42-12 ATS (77.8 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (532) Memphis Grizzlies

This is a play on the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Cleveland was able to salvage a split at home after a Game One loss but it was thoroughly embarrassed in the two games in New York as it held no more than a four-point lead in either game and now it is in a rough situation needing to win three games to avoid the series upset. The Cavaliers have relied on their defense all season but it was not on display in New York as they allowed 47 percent and 45.2 percent but the offense was more to blame as they scored just 79 and 93 points and they have been held under 100 points in all three losses. If there is any hop, Donovan Mitchell needs to take over this offense as after scoring 38 points in Game One, he has put up 50 points total over the last three games and this comes after scoring 40 or mire points in his last four regular season games that he played. This has not been a good matchup this season for Cleveland with the Knicks winning six of the eight meetings but now it is time for the Cavaliers to find out who they are. Here, we play on home favorites averaging between 108 and 114 ppg going up against teams allowing between 108 and 114 ppg, after a combined score of 205 points or less two straight games. This situation is 31-8 ATS (79.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (530) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. After losing the first game of this series, the suns have taken control by winning the last three games and can close it out on Tuesday but are being asked to lay a huge number in doing so. They no doubt want to end it here and get all the rest they can but even down an insurmountable margin, the Clippers will not go away easy. They are without their top two players in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George but the one player that has stepped up and will always go full force is Russell Westbrook and he kept them around in Game Four as the Clippers were down by just a bucket halfway through the fourth quarter before Phoenix pulled away late. The difference in that last game was from the free throw line as Phoenix was 21 of 27 from the stripe while Los Angeles was just 8 of 10 and it will need to make this more even which it should simply based on returning to the median. Norman Powell was a big factor in Game Three but was only 4-15 from the floor and his performance will be key as well. Teams down 3-1 in a series are not in good spots but there is too much value here in this elimination game. Here, we play on road teams revenging a loss against opponent, off a home loss by 10 points or more. This situation is 108-65 ATS (62.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (523) Los Angeles Clippers

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Supreme Annihilator. While this game is a similar situation to the Clippers/Suns game, Atlanta just seems to be done after not being in Game Four for the most part and now they will be without Dejounte Murray who has been suspended for bumping a referee after the game on Sunday and that is a massive blow. So far in the playoffs, Murray has totaled at least 23 points and played in at least 35 minutes in each game against Boston. The Celtics defense came up big in Game Four after allowing the Hawks to shoot 56 percent from the floor in the previous game as they allowed just 43.9 percent shooting. Going under the radar has been the Boston offense as it is shooting 51 percent in the series and it was able to do a better job on the boards on Sunday after it was outrebounded 48-29 in Game Three. If the Celtics take care of business in Tuesday night, it will have done what it needed to set up its series with the Sixers who were hardly challenged against the Nets and with Philadelphia already done in its opening series, the Celtics would like the extra rest as well. Here, we play against teams when trailing in a playoff series, with a winning percentage of between .450 and .550 on the season. This situation is 39-11 ATS (78 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (520) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES for our Western Conference Game of the Month. The Lakers came through for us on Saturday as it was a wire-to-wire beatdown with Los Angeles never trailing in the game while building a 35-9 lead after the first quarter. The Grizzlies made the game look closer than it actually was as they outscored the Lakers 33-23 in the fourth quarter, including 24 points from Ja Morant in a 45-point performance, but it was too late for any shot at a victory. Clearly, Memphis has to open the game better and with a lot more intensity to avoid going back home down 3-1 in the series which looks to be an insurmountable deficit in what is not a typical 2/7 matchup. Take away the game from Morant and the rest of the team was 23-67 (34.3 percent) from the floor including 7-29 (24.1 percent) from long range. The ejection of Dillon Brooks was the big storyline but Memphis was trailing big at that time as he was having a horrible game offensively so it mattered none and he will play a big part in this one defensively after avoiding a suspension for Game Four. We are going against the grain and the public here as despite 89 percent of early money on the Lakers, the line has not moved despite the Grizzlies being 0-17 on the season as road underdogs which is what the public will be looking to continue. Here, we play on teams failing to cover six or more of their last eight games against the spread, with a winning record on the season playing another winning team. This situation is 149-97 ATS (60.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (515) Memphis Grizzlies

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. We lost with Boston on Friday and we are coming back with the Celtics here after one of their worst defensive performances of the season. Atlanta shot 56 percent from the floor which was just the fourth time Boston has allowed an opponent to shoot 50 percent or better in its last 25 games and it worst showing since January 3 when Oklahoma City shot 59.2 percent and hung 150 points against the Celtics. Defending the pick and roll has been a solid trait for this defense but that was not on display in Game Three and there will not be any adjustments to put into the plan tonight, it is all about effort. Atlanta used the high energy crowd crown to build a big early lead only to see it diminish and then eventually pull away but the Celtics have been one of the better road teams in the league as they are 25-17 and have not lost back-to-back road games since late January and they are 16-9 this season following a loss. Here, we play on road favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points off a loss as a favorite against opponent off a home win scoring 110 or more points. This situation is 60-28 ATS (68.2 percent) since 1996. 10* (505) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES LAKERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Game Two was another example of role players stepping up in the absence of a star player as Memphis was without Ja Morant and rode six players scoring double digits to go alone with a lockdown defense on their strong home floor to even up this series heading to Los Angeles. The Grizzlies got the benefit of an extra day of rest and Morant was a full participant in practice on Friday and while listed as questionable, he is likely going to go and the line is telling us likewise. Should he be a late scratch, that only benefits us here if bet early as this line will jump significantly if that happens. One of the stories getting a lot of pub heading into this game is Dillon Brooks challenging LeBron James to score 40 points and James is smart enough to not let that change his game as this offense revolves around Anthony Davis. With Davis on the floor, James averages 27.8 ppg on 17.9 attempts in Lakers wins, but 23.5 ppg on 16.3 attempts in losses. Memphis is now 36-7 at home but just 16-25 on the road and while the Lakers are just above average at home at 24-18, they have dealt with injuries and a very slow start. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points revenging a loss of 10 points or more, playing only their 2nd game in five days. This situation is 71-44 ATS (61.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (570) Los Angeles Lakers

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS for our NBA Afternoon Dominator. The bad news for the Clippers is that they will once again be without Kawhi Leonard who is out with a knee injury but the good news is that they will have had more than a half day to prepare for the situation unlike Thursday when he was ruled hours before tipoff. Los Angeles fought hard in the Game Three loss and that will be the case again with the series on the line. Norman Powell was exceptional in his absence and arguably played a better game than a less than 100 percent Leonard would have as he scored a team high 42 points. This was not out of the blue however as he started in eight games during the regular season and ranked fourth in the NBA in total points off the bench. The Clippers have more depth and the quick turnaround from Thursday night to Saturday afternoon benefits them as Phoenix starters logged 189:15 minutes. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker have played 85:56 and 89:19 respectively in the last two games alone. The Clippers bench has outscored the Suns bench 103-41 overall in the series. Here, we play against favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in the second half of the season in a game involving two teams with +/- 3 ppg scoring differentials, after a combined score of 245 points or more. This situation is 61-22 ATS (73.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (566) Los Angeles Clippers

This is a play on the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS for our NBA Star Attraction. Defense has been the story in this series thus far and Cleveland responded with a Game Two victory to even the series and it again came up strong on the defensive end. They have held the Knicks to 39.5 percent shooting, backing up their No. 1 ranked unit in efficiency and they have held the opponent to 44 or less shooting in five of their last nine games. on the other side, New York did well in Game One on defense but opponents have shot 49 percent or better in six of their last seven games. Cleveland made some key rotation changes in Game Two on offense and it made a huge difference. The lack of offense from forward Isaac Okoro in Game One, who scored only six points on 1-6 shooting despite constantly being open forced a switch as the Cavaliers shifted toward a more spread out offense, playing either Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen at center with four perimeter players completing the rotation. It will not be surprising to see Okoro out of the starting lineup for Game Three. Here, we play on road teams where the line is +3 to -3 allowing between 104 and 108 ppg after two or more consecutive unders, going up against teams allowing between 108 and 114 ppg. This situation is 35-11 ATS (76.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (557) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Playing a team coming home in a 2-0 series deficit is typically a good move considering the desperation at hand and while the Nets did not come through last night against Philadelphia, they had their chances but could not close against a much stronger roster. The Hawks are in the same situation but the way this series has opened, their chances of winning any game looks dire as the Celtics defense has dominated through the first two games. Coming in, Atlanta had the fourth-best offensive rating in the NBA since the All-Star Break but the Celtics held the Hawks to fewer than 100 points for just the third time this season in Game One and in Game Two, the Hawks used a late surge in garbage time to surpass 100 points. Trae Young has shot just 35 percent from the floor on 40 attempts including 23.1 from long range and while he said he will be better at home, Derrick White and Marcus Smart will have something to say back about that as they have bottled him up and forced him to a team high 10 turnovers. Boston easily won both regular season meetings here and they will be too much again. Here, we play against underdogs with a winning percentage between .450 and .550 when trailing in a playoff series. This situation is 30-7 ATS (81.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (555) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the GOLDEN ST. WARRIORS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. While this series is not over, the Warriors are in a must win situation as they head home down 2-0 to the Kings where they had a chance to even this series on Sunday, the ejection of Draymond Green came at a horrible time and he treated it as being it a motivator. Golden St. was down four points at the time and while it made a later charge to get within a point. The Warriors could not make crucial stops with the absence of Green who is now suspended for Game Three and we are getting line value with that. Golden St. fell to a miserable 11-32 on the road but is back home where it is 33-8 and needs both of these next two games. This is where Jordan Poole needs to step up as he has scored 21 points on 5-17 shooting with nine of those points coming from the free throw line. The Kings were the higher seed but came in as series underdogs even after the Game One win and are still just -170 favorites as their defense is an issue as they were outshot in both of those games. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points revenging two straight losses where opponent scored 100 or more points off an upset win over a division rival as an underdog. This situation is 35-11 ATS (76.1 percent) since 1996. 10* (550) Golden St. Warriors

This is a play on the BROOKLYN NETS for our NBA Divisional Game of the Month. This series has started the wrong way for the Nets as they have been blown out in the first two games, never leading Game One and then blowing an early 10-point lead in Game Two. They head home in probably the best chance for a win as a 3-0 deficit will completely deflate them. Brooklyn finished 23-18 at home and while this is a different roster than what it began the season with, it played well down the stretch. The Sixers are on a dominant path thus far but hitting the road up 2-0 can be a lethargic scenario. Philadelphia has dominated this season series with wins in all six games, four of which were at home. The Nets lost by three points in one of their home meetings and while the other home meeting resulted in a 29-point loss, it was the final game of the regular season where it was all reserves. Here, we play on underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points after being beaten by the spread by 42 or more points total in their last seven games going up against an opponent after going over the total by 36 or more points total in their last five games. This situation is 48-19 ATS (71.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (548) Brooklyn Nets

This is a play on the MILWAUKEE BUCKS for our Eastern Conference Game of the Month. Milwaukee lost Game One of this series as Giannis Antetokounmpo exited the game after playing only 11 minutes with a lower back contusion and it is difficult for a team to see that happen and prepare on the fly as the Bucks were never in the game after that. He did not practice on Tuesday, and the Bucks officially listed him as doubtful for Game Two but with no structural damage and an extra day in between games, head coach Mike Budenholzer said he was still feeling encouraged he could to play. We are not counting on that and this line is reflecting that as it peaked at 9.5 and is down to 6 in most places Wednesday morning so we are getting value betting this game early with the added bonus that he could suit up. Bobby Portis will replace him if he does not go and the Bucks are 11-6 in his absence when all other starters are available and Portis has averaged over 17 ppg and 10 rpg as his replacement. Being overshadowed is that the Heat lost Tyler Herro to a broken hand in the game as well and this is the game where the rest of the Milwaukee players step up. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a playoff game, in the 2nd game of a playoff series. This situation is 27-5 ATS (84.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (542) Milwaukee Bucks

This is a play on the MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Memphis is another team that lost its star player as Ja Morant suffered a wrist injury and that completely took the sails out of the Grizzlies as the Lakers went on a game-ending 15-0 run three minutes after Morant went to the locker room. He is questionable and is a gametime decision and this is another instance where we are catching a line with him not playing as this one got to Memphis -3 in some spots and has settled into the Grizzlies getting a point Wednesday morning so we bet this now which will create exceptional value should Morant suit up. Again, we are not banking on that but it would just be an added benefit and Memphis has had time to prepare in his absence and this is where the remaining roster steps up in a must win situation. The Lakers have already captured home floor even with a split so there is hardly as much of a needed win for them here and are still playing in one of the toughest places in the league and the Grizzlies are 11-6 L17 games without Morant and all other starters playing. Here, we play on teams where the line is +3 to -3 revenging a same season loss going up against an opponent off an upset win of 10 points or more as a road underdog. This situation is 33-10 ATS (76.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (540) Memphis Grizzlies

This is a play on the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. New York was able to snag home court advantage with its Game One win on Saturday and Cleveland cannot get itself into a 2-0 hole. The Knicks were able to exploit the best defense in the NBA in the first quarter with 30 points but the Cavaliers clamped down the rest of the way by allowing just 71 points for the rest of the game and overall, they held the Knicks to only 42 percent shooting including 28 percent from long range. As expected, Donovan Mitchell paced the offense with 38 points on 14-30 shooting but the rest of the team shot only 41.5 percent and had just 22 made field goals. The good news is every one of the starters who was on the injury report as questionable played and have now had an extra day of rest. New York has taken the last four meetings this season, all outright as an underdog, after an October win by Cleveland so this is where the Cavaliers clamp down to keep this series within reach. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in a playoff game, in the 2nd game of a playoff series. This situation is 24-5 ATS (82.8 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (534) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a play on the GOLDEN ST. WARRIORS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. A viable and value worthy bet in this series was Sacramento Game One/Golden St. Series +310 and half that leg is complete with the other half in a good place still as this is where the Warriors experience will take over. Golden St. is still favored to win the series at -150 despite losing Game One and that defeat was far from deflating as they had to take a game in Sacramento and it does not matter which one it is. The victory for the Kings opened them as favorites for Game Two but the line has quickly flipped to Golden St. being the slight favorite in a game where a win likely means a cover. One factor we mentioned in Game One was Andrew Wiggins coming back and likely being a non-factor which was the case as he scored 17 points off the bench but was just 7-16 from the floor including 1-8 from long range and we expect a bigger game from him with that first game under his belt. Give Sacramento credit as it trailed for the better part of the game but stayed focused and made some crucial late stops on defense which is not what it is known for as the Kings are No. 25 in defensive efficiency and that will come back and haunt them. Here, we play against home underdogs after a win by three points or less going up against an opponent after a loss by six points or less. This situation is 99-56 ATS (63.9 percent) since 1996. 10* (523) Golden St. Warriors

This is a play on the PHOENIX SUNS for our NBA Divisional Game of the Month. The Clippers won their final three games of the regular season to claim the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference to finish one game behind Phoenix but these teams are heading into the postseason pretty far from each other. The Clippers at +2,000 are ahead of only Minnesota to win the conference and remain at not full strength with Paul George out of the lineup which is a big blow going into the postseason. They have to rely on Kawhi Leonard, who has done it before by himself, but they catch a horrible first round draw facing this Suns team at the wrong time. Phoenix closed the season with two losses but both meant nothing as it had the No. 4 seed locked up and it played both of those games without their starters so this team is well rested and ready to make a run with arguably the best top to bottom roster in the postseason. Injuries were the story all season with Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton missing 17, 21 and 13 games respectively not counting those final two games while having newly acquired Kevin Durant out of action for most of his time but Phoenix is now as healthy as it has been since the start of the season and having added one of the best players in the league. This is a statement game to put the rest of the NBA on notice. Here, we play on favorites (revenging a home loss, off a home loss. This situation is 113-51 ATS (68.9 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (518) Phoenix Suns

This is a play on the MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES for our NBA Signature Enforcer. The Lakers are a sleeper pick to win the Western Conference and win the entire NBA Title as their odds have reflected that as they are currently +650 to win the west, the fourth best odds despite being a No. 7 seed and without having a home court edge in any series. This Game One line is showing the overreaction to that as well as the publicly backed Lakers lines being shaded throughout. Los Angeles was unimpressive in its play-in game win over Minnesota and opens this series in one of the toughest environments in the NBA and while there is experience, the athleticism will be tough to match up with. Memphis closed the regular season with losses in two of its last three games which were all meaningless as it has the No. 2 seed wrapped up for a while and all of those were on the road as were four of the last five with that lone home game coming against Portland so this is the first meaningful home game since March 31 so expect a crazy atmosphere. The Grizzlies finished 35-6 at home which was the best home record in the NBA and the best home record in the NBA since the 2016-17 Warriors. Here, we play on teams failing to cover six or seven of their last eight games against the spread, with a winning record on the season playing another winning team. This situation is 148-96 ATS (60.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (516) Memphis Grizzlies

This is a play on the SACRAMENTO KINGS for our NBA Late Night Annihilator. Sacramento is coming off a magical season after clinching a playoff spot for the first time since 2006 so this is the biggest game in the franchise in close to two decades. Sacramento got a tough draw in the first round by playing the defending World Champions so winning this series will be a challenge but this is a great spot to take the opener based on sheer energy alone. The Kings finished as the No. 3 seed with a 48-34 record and while they come in with three straight losses, those mean nothing since they meant nothing. Golden St. was in jeopardy of missing the postseason altogether at one point but finished strong by going 8-2 over its last 10 games to earn the No. 6 seed and it avoided the play-in tournament by two games. The Warriors will not have home court advantage in any series should all higher seeds win and they have struggled on the road with an 11-30 record. They get Andrew Wiggins back for the postseason but could be a non-factor early until he gets back into basketball form. Here, we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 after successfully covering the spread in four or more consecutive games, playing five or less games in 14 days. This situation is 65-33 ATS (66.3 percent) since 1996. 10* (508) Sacramento Kings

This is a play on the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. The end of the regular season was meaningless for both New York and Cleveland as they had their seedings locked in place entering the final few games. The Cavaliers grabbed the No. 4 seed and home court thanks to an 11-5 run over their last 16 games and that includes a season ending loss against Charlotte where starters were held out or limited in minutes played. The key player to get healthy was Donovan Mitchell who missed the last two games with a sprained finger and while questionable, he will be good to go. He failed to score 20 points only 15 times this season and just six times in his 39 playoff games, where he is averaging 28.3ppg in the postseason. New York lost its final two meaningless games and while it has been a solid road team this season at 24-17 but the injury news is not as good. Julius Randle, who is averaging 25.1 ppg and 10.0 rpg, has missed the last 5 plus games with a left ankle sprain and will be out until later this month. Here, we play on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points after having won three of their last four games, playing only their 2nd game in seven days. This situation is 26-6 ATS (81.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (506) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a play on the MIAMI HEAT for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Miami learned a hard lesson in its play-in game against Atlanta that if you give up 63 rebounds, you are not going to win so expect a big effort on the boards Friday. The Heat remain home where they are 18-6 over their last 24 games and they have a big travel edge as they remain home after playing on Tuesday and the Bulls have to hit the road again following their game on Wednesday. One key factor for Miami is Jimmy Butler who tends to step up in the postseason but had a bad game against Atlanta on Tuesday. After averaging 21.4 ppg during the regular season last year, he averaged 27.4 ppg in his 17 playoff games and after 6-19 performance against the Hawks, he is ready for a massive game. Give the Bulls credit for coming back from a 19-point deficit against Toronto in their first play-in game and they were fortunate Toronto could not make a free throw. The Raptors went 18-36 from the stripe but Chicago now faces a team that is No. 6 in the league for free-throw rate while hitting 83.1 percent of their attempts, second best in the NBA. Here, we play on favorites off an upset loss as a home favorite going up against an opponent off an upset win as a road underdog. This situation is 90-48 ATS (65.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (570) Miami Heat

This is a play on the NEW ORLEANS PELICANS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. Give Oklahoma City a lot of credit for being in this situation to begin win. The Thunder have the youngest roster in the NBA and were picked to finish in the range of anywhere between No. 13 and No. 15 but exceeded expectations to finish No. 10 and make the postseason. They still finished with a losing record and with such a young team, the pressure could get to them here. Oklahoma City closed the season with two wins two get here but went 2-6 prior to that and come in 16-25 on the road. New Orleans finished only two games better but dealt with a lot of injuries throughout the course of the season with obviously Zion Williams being the biggest loss as he has missed 53 games but the Pelicans also were without second leading scorer and assist leader Brandon Ingram for 37 games. They started off solid but then went through a 30-game stretch in January and February by going 8-22 but are playing some of their best basketball right now as they have won nine of their last 12 games. They are 27-14 at home and last year, they needed to win one game at home and one game on the road in the play-in tournament and will need to do the same so that experience helps. Here, we play on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points revenging a loss of 10 points or more, playing only their 2nd game in five days. This situation is 92-57 ATS (61.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (568) New Orleans Pelicans

This is a play on the MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES for our NBA Play-In Game of the Year. Minnesota was able to secure the No. 8 seed in the play-in tournament by winning its final three games to finish two games over .500. It had an internal scuffle during the game on Sunday as Rudy Gobert threw a punch at Kyle Anderson and has subsequently been suspended for this game but it provided a spark as Minnesota came back from a 14-point deficit and that performance can bring in some huge momentum. The Timberwolves were one of the most underachieving teams in the NBA with 16 of their losses to the bottom 10 teams in the league. Making that harder to stomach is the fact that if they had four more wins, they would have the No. 4 seed and home court advantage in the first round. The Lakers are playing excellent with the best record in the Western Conference since the All Star break but the markets will continue to overreact to that and with the public being a Lakers favorite. Los Angeles is 23-18 at home which is nothing spectacular and face a team that has been solid on the road with the Timberwolves going 20-21 which is tied for the third best record on the highway in the Western Conference. Here, we play against favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points in the second half of the season in a game involving two teams with a +/- 3 ppg differential, after a combined score of 245 points or more. This situation is 60-22 ATS (73.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (563) Minnesota Timberwolves

This is a play on the MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES for our NBA Star Attraction. Both New Orleans and Minnesota are in the postseason but the outcome of this game will determine the head-to-head tiebreaker, which will come into play if Minnesota wins. The Timberwolves have won two straight to remain one game out of the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference and a win here puts them into a tie with the Pelicans and they would get a home game in the play-in tournament thanks to the season series win over New Orleans. The Pelicans have also won two straight and going back have won nine of 11 and have a chance to move up out of the play-in but that is unlikely with the three teams ahead of them all double-digit favorites on Sunday. New Orleans comes in just 15-25 on the road. Here, we play against teams where the line is +3 to -3 revenging a straight up loss as a favorite going up against an opponent after a cover as a double digit favorite. This situation is 43-11 ATS (79.6 percent) since 1996. 10* (558) Minnesota Timberwolves

This is a play on the GOLDEN ST. WARRIORS for our NBA Star Attraction. It is a very interesting situation for Golden St. heading into its final two games of the regular season. The Warriors have won six of their last eight games to move into a tie with the Clippers for the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference but both of those teams are just one game up on the Lakers and Pelicans which are in the top two spots in the play-in tournament. Obviously, Golden St. wants to avoid that drop into the play-in games and a win here accomplishes that but passing the Clippers is not ideal as the Warriors would rather face Sacramento in the first round instead of climbing to No. 5 and facing Phoenix. Win here and lose Sunday gets that done. Sacramento ended the longest playoff drought among all sports while also capturing the Pacific Division basically by default with all four other teams getting hit hard by injuries all season. The Kings have locked up the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference and with nothing left to play for, the roster will be short handed tonight with four double-digit scorers likely sitting led by De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis who are No. 1 and 2 with a combined 44.4 ppg. 10* (519) Golden St. Warriors

This is a play on the NEW ORLEANS PELICANS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. The Knicks regular season is complete with two games remaining as they have cliched the No. 5 seed and will face Cleveland in the first round of the playoffs with plenty of rest upcoming. They have some momentum going right now with five straight wins but at this point, staying healthy heading into the postseason is more important. New York will be starting that rest early as Jalen Brunson will be sitting tonight after he missed the previous game against Indiana and there is no reason to rush him back. RJ Barrett is also likely going to sit again and any starters that open the game will not be pressed. New Orleans is playing solid right as it has won eight of its last 10 games following a horrible 7-20 run that nearly knocked the Pelicans out of the postseason. They are not only guaranteed a spot in the playoffs but still have an outside shot at getting into the top six and avoiding the play-in tournament as they are tied with the Lakers at No. 7 and trail the Warriors and Clippers by one game for the No. 6 slot. They close the season at Minnesota on Sunday and this could possibly be their final home game of the season depending on seeding as they could not host a play-in game should they remain in that group and the come in 26-14 at home. 10* (514) New Orleans Pelicans

This is a play on the OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER for our NBA Signature Enforcer. We have ridden Utah the last two games as the Jazz lost to Brooklyn and Los Angeles but covered both and those two losses by a combined three points were devastating and they have to be out of gas at this point. They have lost three straight and seven of their last eight to fall out of playoff contention as injuries have killed them at the wrong time. Utah is down three starters which are also their top three scorers and even though this is a must win or stay home game, the spot is not a good one. Oklahoma City has also lost three straight games but it remains in the driver's seat as if it wins its final two games, it makes the play-in tournament thanks to owning the tiebreak with Dallas. The Thunder have failed to cover their last eight games which is a streak we like to go against and they catch a break after playing Phoenix and Golden St. in their last two games. This number is reflecting the problem on the Jazz roster as Oklahoma City is seeing a 14-point swing from its last game against the Warriors but for good reason. Here, we play on road favorites after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive games. This situation is 124-79 ATS (61.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (579) Oklahoma City Thunder

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS for our NBA Divisional Game of the Year. The Lakers remain on fire but last night took a lot out of them as they defeated Utah but nearly blew a late 10-point lead and needed overtime to secure the two-point win. Los Angeles has won four straight games, all on the road, and is 7-1 over its last eight games to move into the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference with the Clippers and it trails Golden St. by only a half-game to move into the No. 5 or slot so it is looking really good to avoid the play-in tournament but tonight will be challenge where four starters played over 38 minutes including over a combined 80 minutes from LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Sitting at .500 on the road is impressive but now is in a tough spot playing a team in the same situation. The Clippers have been off since Saturday so there will be no load management scenarios coming into play tonight. They possess the same record as the Lakers at 41-38 and like their counterpart, they can move into the No. 5 spot but the loser tonight takes a step back and will be only one game ahead of Minnesota and New Orleans, or tied with the Pelicans should New Orleans defeat Memphis on Wednesday. The Clippers have lost two straight games and would love nothing more that grab the 4-0 season sweep. 10* (572) Los Angeles Clippers

This is a play on the DALLAS MAVERICKS for our NBA Signature Enforcer. This could be one of the epic falls of all time as Dallas was hovering around .500 and looked to make a splash by landing Kyrie Irving but that has gone the wrong way. The Mavericks are coming off a loss against Atlanta, but did cover, and are now 8-16 since the acquisition of Irving and while he and Luka Doncic have both missed time with injuries, they should not be this bad. There have been rumors of the two being shut down for the season but that is not going to happen just yet as the Mavericks are just a half-game out of the play-in tournament with three home games remaining so catching Oklahoma City is still a very good possibility. The Kings are coming off a win over New Orleans last night and have won three of their last four games and five of their last seven while clinching the Pacific Division with that victory on Tuesday. One more Memphis victory and they cannot get the No. 2 seed so there is hardly anything left to play for except to stay healthy and see who their first round matchup will be against. Sacramento improved to 25-14 on the road which is the best road record in the Western Conference but this is a tough back-to-back spot against a team with a lot more on the line. 10* (570) Dallas Mavericks

This is a play on the BOSTON CELTICS for our NBA Star Attraction. Boston is coming off a loss against Philadelphia last night and it was a bigger game for the Sixers than the Celtics as they were at home looking to keep their hopes of the No. 2 seed alive and avoid the 4-0 season sweep against their rival. While a Celtics victory last night would have locked up the No. 2 seed, they have a lot more wiggle room as all they need is one more victory to get it which would secure home court advantage against Philadelphia should the two teams advance past the first round. This is the first of three straight home games to close the season so the situation is great for Boston to close it now and get some rest the remainder of the way. Toronto is coming off a 20-point win at Charlotte last night, the second consecutive 20-point victory over the Hornets and the Raptors are locked into a spot in the play-in tournament and improved to just 14-25 on the road. The only thing they are playing for is getting a No. 7 or No. 8 seed to be able to play host to the first and second game but playing two straight games in Boston and finishing with a game against Milwaukee could pose a problem although they could face some resting teams over the last two games. 10* (562) Boston Celtics

This is a play on the UTAH JAZZ as part of our NBA Tuesday Triple Play. This is a big game for both teams yet the line is over adjusted on the Lakers because they are playing well and are a very publicly backed team to begin with. Los Angeles has won three straight games, all on the road, and is 6-1 over its last seven games to move into the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference and it trails Golden St. and the Clippers by only a half-game to move into either the No. 5 or No. 6 slot and avoid the play-in tournament. The Lakers are a game under .500 on the road still and are laying just a couple buckets less than what they were laying against the 19-60 Rockets two days ago. Utah is playing for their playoff lives as the Jazz have lost two straight games and six of their last seven to fall into the No. 12 spot in the Western Conference, trailing the Thunder by a game and a half for the final play-in tournament berth. The Jazz are 22-16 at home to open this three-game homestand needing to pretty much win out but we are getting a substantial amount of points to at least get a cover. Here, we play against favorites after scoring 120 points or more in two straight games going up against an opponent after scoring 43 points or less in the first half last game. This situation is 50-23 ATS (68.5 percent) since 1996. 10* (552) Utah Jazz

This is a play on the CHICAGO BULLS as part of our NBA Tuesday Triple Play. Chicago has won two straight games to put itself in position to clinch a spot in the play-in tournament with a victory tonight as a win eliminates Orlando. With Milwaukee on deck, this is a game they know they need to take and they remain home after defeating Memphis by 21 points on Sunday to improve to 21-18 at home with two games remaining in Chicago to go along with a pair of road contests. Going back, the Bulls have won nine of 12 to get into this situation so they are playing some of their best basketball in a while. Atlanta defeated Dallas on Sunday in overtime and is guaranteed a spot in the postseason, most likely the play-in tournament but still have an outside shot at the No 6 spot which is unlikely. We have been riding this Hawks roller coaster for some time now and are going against them again as they improved to 39-39 on the season and it has now been 33 straight games where they have been within one game of .500. They have dropped their last five games following a win while covering just one of those. Here, we play against road teams after allowing 120 points or more going up against an opponent after two straight wins by 10 points or more. This situation is 80-43 ATS (65 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (544) Chicago Bulls

This is a play on the MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES as part of our NBA Tuesday Triple Play. Minnesota was rolling along with four straight victories but it has dropped its last three games to fall a game under .500 and is sitting right in the middle of the play-in tournament in the No. 9 spot but it is not guaranteed a spot yet with Dallas and Utah still alive. The Timberwolves can still move into the No. 6 spot but they have to win out and get some needed help along the way but it is game to game right now and this is a big one to get back on track and get that momentum back. Brooklyn meanwhile has won three straight games and is in good shape to claim the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference as it is ahead of Miami by two games with four games left. All three of the recent victories have been at home where the Nets are now 22-16 and this number has actually flipped with more on the line for Timberwolves which are back to playing with their full starting roster. The Nets have struggled against the better offensive teams, going 15-28 ATS in their last 43 home games against teams shooting 46 percent or better. Here, we play on road favorites revenging a straight up loss as a home favorite, off an upset loss as a home favorite. This situation is 26-6 ATS (81.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (539) Minnesota Timberwolves

This is a play on the HOUSTON ROCKETS as part of our NBA Sunday Triple Play. As we enter the final week of the regular season, we are seeing lines being overadjusted for teams needing to keep winning to make a playoff push or for teams that have basically packed it in. The Lakers are playing some of their best basketball right now as they have won five of their last six games and are currently in the No. 8 spot and are looking good to remain in the playoffs as they are 2.5 games clear of the No. 11 spot with five games remaining. Los Angeles has been a road favorite only seven times this season and while they are 6-1 in those games, it has been favored by no more than five points in any of those games and now it is laying more than twice that high point. The Lakers were -3 favorites here just over two weeks ago and while there was no LeBron James in the lineup, this adjustment is too big. The Rockets are not a team that has packed it in or is riddled with injuries as they are still playing hard and will do so the rest of the season behind thing young roster of players that is competing for next season. Houston is coming off a win over Detroit on Friday and while the Pistons are horrible, they are seeing close to a 20-point line swing here. Houston is a respectable 8-8 ATS over its last 16 games and on the season, it has caught double-digits at home five times and those were all against some of the best teams in the NBA, not a team that is hovering around .500. 10* (522) Houston Rockets

This is a play on the DALLAS MAVERICKS as part of our NBA Sunday Triple Play. This could be one of the epic falls of all time as Dallas work hovering around .500 and looked to make a splash by landing Kyrie Irving but that has gone the wrong way. The Mavericks are coming off a loss against Miami last night and are now 8-15 since the acquisition of Irving and while he and Luka Doncic have both missed time with injuries, they should not be this bad. This is another overreaction line as Dallas is now getting a bucket more than it did last night against a Heat team that is ahead of the Hawks in the standings. Dallas is one game behind Oklahoma City for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with a remaining schedule that is very doable for a late season sneak into the postseason. We have been riding this Hawks roller coaster for some time now and are going against then again even though this could be considered a bounce back situation. Atlanta is coming off a loss against Brooklyn on Friday to move to 38-39 on the season and it has now been 32 straight games where they have been within one game of .500 so while the losses have not been piling up, neither have the wins. They are currently in the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference where they have been for a while and are assured to be in the play-in tournament and the only thing left is who they will be playing. 10* (517) Dallas Mavericks