Sports Picks & Predictions

10 Unit Play. Take #708 Oregon over Baylor (10p.m., Saturday, December 18 ESPN2) On paper this is a pick’em game. Oregon may have better talent, but they have not played like it so far in 2021-2022. That being said, I just do not see them getting run off their homecourt by a team playing their first true road game of the season. Oregon has looked awful at times this season, but they are 5-1 at home and Coach Altman knows the importance of this game. Baylor played their best game of the season last time out against Villanova (a team that may be vastly overrated), but I think that works to our advantage in this game. They are not as talented as they were last year, and it is hard to imagine they can play that well again against a desperate team. Laying points on the road is always tough and I feel this game will go down to the wire and we will collect with whoever comes out on top.

Cleveland has covered in three straight games. And it looks like they have another juicy line here for Saturday. They are well rested, while the Bucks are coming in on a B2B. The Bucks are likely to be shorthanded again tonight, while the Cavs are relatively healthy. Not only did the Bucks play last night, but they went to OT where they lost in New Orleans. This is just a bad spot for the home team and we think Cleveland will keep the momentum going tonight.

Philly hasn’t been playing great basketball lately, and they are on a back-to-back, but this is a great chance for a win for them and they are the kind of team that can take advantage. The Nets have seven players out for Covid protocols right now and they had to sign someone off the streets to get to the league minimum of eight players to play this game. The situation is so dire and we doubt we will see Durant play super heavy minutes here. So the Sixers have a great chance for a pretty easy win, and we had them laying five points here in our handicapping. They have lost three of four so a win is important. The Nets are 0-6 ATS in their last six home games, and we don’t expect things to go well for them tonight with this very limited roster.

Both teams have key players that may or may not miss this game. But the Suns have been playing amazing team basketball all season and they are better built to weather the storm of injuries than the Clippers, a team still very much trying to figure things out. LA has been playing better recently, but they don’t seem to be a match for the Suns, and this spread is more than fair for the visitors. And, also, even though Pat Bev doesn’t play for the Clippers any more, Chris Paul will be motivated against his old team because of history and also that Pat Bev shove in the back in the postseason last year.

The Nets have had trouble here in recent meetings as they are just 1-4 ATS in their last five in Detroit. Harden for the Nets will be out for rest, and that tells us that the Nets aren’t taking this game too seriously. Brooklyn is 3-8 ATS in this spread range they see themselves in tonight, and they are just 2-4 ATS on the road against sub-.500 teams. That shows us that this team loses focus in situations like this. Detroit is a bad team but they play hard and they have a habit of covering as a decent sized underdog. We expect a close game here tonight.

10 Unit Play. Take #672 Illinois over Arizona (5p.m., Saturday, December 11 FOX) Not sure why this line keeps going up. Illinois has gotten back on track after a rough start and will enter this game having won 5 straight games. Arizona is perfect on the season, but their level of competition has not been great thus far and this is a major step up in class. Arizona is 16-35 ATS (1 push) in their last 52 games played on Saturday. The Wildcats had issues getting to Champaign having to uber from Indianapolis and that will also be a factor in this game.

It would seem that many things would point to a solid bet on OKC here. They are one of the best ATS teams in the NBA, and the Lakers are one of the worst. OKC is coming off two wins, and the Lakers are coming in on a back-to-back on the road after losing last night in Memphis. The Thunder have won both games against the Lakers this season. But it’s that last point in why we like the road team so much tonight. This is a game we have had circled for awhile, and the line certainly set up nicely for us. This is a double revenge scenario for the Lakers, who have been playing much better overall since they lost those two games to OKC. A lot of times teams forget about random games from months ago, but we doubt the Lakers forgot about those two losses. Those are brought up all the time by fans and media in criticisms of the Lakers. LA played a stinker last night in Memphis. They lost by double digits. We get the feeling they were looking ahead at this double revenge spot. And OKC has won two straight after a long losing streak and we don’t see them giving top effort tonight. Lakers by 7+!

10 Unit Play. Take #101 Pittsburg Steelers over Minnesota Vikings (8:20p.m., Thursday, December 9 AMAZON) The Vikings are coming off a bad loss to the Lions that greatly damaged their playoff chances for this season. They also have injuries for this short week game and I do not see them blowing out the Steelers on Thursday night football. Coach Tomlin has never had a losing record and I do not see that occurring in 2021 either. Minnesota is 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games when the are favored. Pittsburgh is 4-1 ATS (1 push) in their last 6 games played on Thursday. Minnesota is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games played in December.

The Cavs are a team we targeted early in the season as a serious ATS threat, and they have been just that, with an 18-7 ATS mark that is one of the best in the NBA. And this team can really keep going strong all season as they are not a popular team with bettors with no superstar players. But this team plays strong team basketball and lock-down defense, which is a great recipe for ATS success. This team certainly looks like a playoff team and a team on the rise. The Bulls are right behind the Cavs on the ATS leaderboards. But they will be missing some players tonight, and depth is already an issue with this team. DeRozan is out because of Covid protocols, and they are missing some role players as well. The Cavs have covered eight straight games, but they lost two in a row to the Jazz and Bucks. This is a great spot for them to get back on the winning track, and we see a comfortable win here.

10 Unit Play. Take #475 New England Patriots over Buffalo Bills (8:15p.m., Monday, December 6 ESPN) First place in the AFC East is on the line in this game as New England travels to Buffalo to take on the Bills. New England will enter having won 6 straight games and if they can keep it close they will likely win it straight up. All of Buffalo’s 7 wins this season have come via blowouts. That means if New England can keep it close early, Buffalo will likely find a way to lose it. The road team is 22-8 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 32 meetings between New England and Buffalo.

10 Unit Play. Take #872 Iowa over Illinois (7p.m., Monday, December 6 FS1) Iowa needs this game to avoid dropping both early conference games. Illinois has not played all that well this season and most of their damage has come at home. They have not won any true road games this season and I am not sure if they will be able to keep pace with Iowa in this game in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes are a top 4 team in scoring this season and if they hit that number today, they should win this game by double-digits. Illinois is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games played on Monday. The favorite is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings between Illinois and Iowa. The home team is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 games as well between Illinois and Iowa.

We just think this is a huge letdown spot for the Warriors after they snapped the Suns winning streak last night. They played two straight against the Suns and also had a game against the Clippers, who are more of a rival than the Spurs, who aren’t really moving the needle from an excitement standpoint at the moment. But the Spurs have won three straight and covered in four of five games, and we see a competitive game here tonight.

10 Unit Play. Take #318 Alabama Crimson Tide over Georgia Bulldogs (4p.m., Saturday, December 4 CBS) Georgia has the best defense in the country but they have not played a quarterback like Bryce Young. Alabama will be able to move the football and put-up points against this defense and I am not sold on how Georgia will respond when that occurs. Stetson Bennett is a game manager, and I was not impressed with him last season. He has been efficient this season but has not faced any pressure. Alabama needs this game to make the college football playoff and Georgia will still make the playoff even if they lose this game. That is a big difference and will allow Alabama to win this game straight-up. The underdog is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings between Georgia and Alabama. The Crimson Tide is 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games following an ATS loss in their previous game.

We rarely take the Lakers for expert picks. They are normally shaded by the oddsmakers and they are normally one of the worst ATS teams in the NBA. But bettor confidence is down for them at the moment, and we had them laying five in this game tonight in our NBA handicapping. The Clippers just look lost lately. They were beaten soundly in their last two games – by the Kings and Pelicans, two of the worst teams in the NBA. The Lakers have been more competitive lately and they have won three out of four, and they will have their full complement of the Big 3 tonight. The Clippers have been playing very bad defense, and we see the Lakers cruising to an easy win here.

10 Unit Play. Take #716 Providence over Texas Tech (8:30p.m., Wednesday, December 1 FS1) Just believe that the wrong team is favored in this game. Texas Tech has a new coach and they have played a terrible schedule thus far in 2021. It is really embarrassing that they have played six cupcakes at home. Providence is 6-1 on the season with a victory at Wisconsin and their only loss coming at Virginia. Texas Tech is 0-7 ATS in their last 7 road games. Providence is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog.

This is a rapid revenge spot for the Thunder as these teams played Monday and the Rockets blew out OKC in Texas. Now we have a venue change where OKC is at home, and we think they are the better team despite the records by a considerable margin. At 13-7, OKC is one of the better ATS teams in the NBA. They are 7-3 ATS in their last 10, so they are playing above oddsmaker expectations. Houston is just not a good team and they don’t handle success well as they are 2-9 ATS after a SU win. The Rockets are 1-8 ATS in their last nine meetings in OKC.

We think this is a great spot for the Nets, who have been playing as well as any team in the NBA lately. They are well rested here after having two nights off after a big win over Boston on Wednesday, while the Suns are on a back-to-back. They played a physical Knicks team last night. Phoenix has been playing extremely well overall lately, but they have had a very busy schedule this week and this road trip will start to wear on them. Brooklyn has had a lot of success in this series as they are 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings. And since these teams don’t see each other often, that trend stretched back for years.

10 Unit Play. Take #174 Purdue Boilermakers over Indiana Hoosiers (3:30 p.m., Saturday, November 27 FS1) BIG TEN GAME OF THE YEAR It can be dangerous laying this many points in the Old Oaken Bucket Game, but Indiana is the worst team in the Big Ten. Injuries have taken their toll on this team, and they have scored over 15 points just one time since September. The Hoosiers are just 2-9 ATS and are one of a handful of teams without a conference win in 2021. Purdue has covered the spread in 4 straight games against Indiana and are 9-3 ATS dating back to 2008. For Purdue to win and cover they need to take care of the football on offense and pressure the Indiana quarterback. If they do that, they should win by 20+ points. Purdue is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against Indiana in West Lafayette.

Boston had been playing very well recently until they ran into a hot Brooklyn team and had kind of a bad loss on Wednesday. We think that was just a hiccup and this is a great spot for them to bounce back and get on track. Boston has found their defense and they have probably been playing some of the best defense in the NBA throughout the last 10 or so games before the Brooklyn loss. We expect them to be focused here against a very beatable opponent, and this line is more than fair laying a small number on the road. Boston has bounced back well after a loss as they are 4-0 ATS after losing a game.  

These teams played Saturday, same venue, and the Bucks won by only 9. Milwaukee is not in playoff form right now, but they keep getting lined by the oddsmakers like they are. The Bucks haven’t covered a spread in five games. They are 1-7 ATS at home. The Magic aren’t a very good team. But this is a revenge spot against a familiar opponent where they just played and kept the game within punching distance. We think there’s a great chance this game is even closer than the Saturday game.

10 Unit Play. Take #475 Pittsburgh Steelers over Los Angeles Chargers (8:20p.m., Sunday, November 21 NBC) Just do not trust the Chargers as this big of a favorite over a traditional powerhouse team like Pittsburgh. The Steelers are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 games as a road underdog. Big Ben should be back for this game and thus we can look past their tie against the Lions last season. Pittsburgh is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games at the Chargers. Los Angeles is 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games played during Week 11 of the regular season. They are also 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games played during the month of November.

We think that this is a good spot for the Lakers to get back on track, on the road vs. a bad team. Going against the Lakers this season has been very profitable as they are bad ATS. But Detroit has been just about as bad. The difference is that the Lakers lines are shaded, while the Pistons lines have been generous. LeBron has had a game back to get his footing, and this team needs a big win bad. We think they get it tonight.

10 Unit Play. Take #322 Nevada Wolf Pack over Air Force Falcons (9p.m., Friday, November 19 FS1) Nevada should be able to bounce back and move the football on the ground and through the air on Friday. They had a devastating loss to San Diego State last Saturday but expect them to bounce back playing a team that will have trouble stopping the pass. Nevada defense will give up some yards on the ground but hopefully they will come up big in the redzone and hold the Falcons to field goal attempts. Air Force will be playing their second straight road game and that will catch up to them in this game. Nevada is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 conference home games. The Force is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a winning record.

The Bucks have been a poor ATS team to start the season, and especially recently. This team seems to be in a bit of a funk to start the season, and they are no where near championship form that we saw over the Summer. But they are being lined as such. The Thunder are becoming a good ATS underdog. They have cashed six of eight tickets. They are gelling well as a young team and playing solid team basketball. They are healthy here and should bring their A Game against the champs to keep this one within double digits.

10 Unit Play. Take #760 Ole Miss over Marquette (7p.m., Thursday, November 17 ESPN2) The Golden Eagles are sky high coming off a victory at home against Illinois, who was without Kofi Cockburn. Watching that game on tv, I saw a poorly officiated game that greatly favored Marquette down stretch. That will not happen in this game and karma will likely strike back at them. Marquette is in a major rebuild under Shaka Smart and they struggled to put away SIUE and New Hampshire in their first two games. Ole Miss returns 4 starters from last season and should challenge for an NCAA Tournament big come March. They have not played anyone this year but will win this game by double-digits. Marquette is 3-8 ATS in their last 11 neutral site games.  Ole Miss is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. 

The Lakers have been bad, but we think this is too many points. The Bucks aren’t exactly in mid season form. They are 6-8 ATS on the season. They have covered only three of their last 10. The Lakers need a win badly, and we think they will play hard against the Bucks. They probably have to feel a bit disrespected also since this is their biggest line as an underdog in a while. Plus, knowing that LeBron is coming back soon might give this team a jolt.

Both teams are hot, but we think the Warriors record and recent results can be taken with a grain of salt. This team has had one of the easiest schedules in the NBA and it has been very home heavy as well. This is only their third road games outside of the state of California. They are facing their toughest opponent of the season, on the road, and we think this spread is short tonight. Might the Warriors be as good as their record indicates? Possibly. They certainly have some talent on the court. But we will have to see how they perform consistently on the road where things are a lot tougher in the NBA. We think there’s a great chance Brooklyn wins this one by 7+.

10 Unit Play. Take #262 Denver Broncos over Philadelphia Eagles (4:25p.m., Sunday, November 14 CBS) Both teams are limited on offense, but I just feel Denver is the better all-around team. Philadelphia could not stop Justin Herbert whatsoever last week (Chargers never punted) and I see Teddy Bridgewater putting up big number in this game as well. Denver is coming off one of the most impressive and shocking results of the season, beating Dallas in Arlington. That game was never competitive and look for them to follow that up with another strong performance in this game. Philadelphia was lucky to hang around against the Chargers last week and if the Broncos can stop the run they will win this game by double digits. The Eagles are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games. The Broncos are 4-1 ATS int their last 5 games against teams with a losing record.

Bad spot here for the road team against the surging Clippers. LA is well rested with Friday off, while the Timberwolves are coming in on a back-to-back after playing the Lakers on Friday in a game they probably wanted more than this one. This is the first back-to-back of the season for Minnesota, and it’s a game we don’t see going well for them. These teams have already played twice and the Clippers dominated both matchups.

10 Unit Play. Take #201 Miami Hurricanes over Florida State Seminoles (3:30p.m., Saturday, November 13 ESPN) Remember when this game was must watch TV? That is certainly not the case now, but Miami has quietly been playing decent football of late. They have won 3 straight games and their last two losses before than just can by a combined 5 points. Miami has won 4 straight in this rivalry including winning last year by a score of 52-10. Florida State will enter off two double-digits losses (Clemson should not have been) and losing has taken its toll on this program. They cannot seem to find the right coach and they will be lucky to win one of their three remaining games. The road team is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 games between Miami and FSU. The Seminoles are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a loss in their previous game.

10 Unit Play. Take #467 Los Angeles Chargers over Philadelphia Eagles (4:05p.m., Sunday, November 7 CBS) Philadelphia got back on track last week but that was against Detroit, a winless team in 2021. Los Angeles is coming off a disappointing loss to New England last Sunday but look for them to bounce back. They have a major edge in talent on the offensive side of the football. Philadelphia is 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games against AFC teams. The Chargers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games. Los Angeles needs this game more and they get it by double digits behind a strong performance from QB Herbert and company.

10 Unit Play. Take #254 Atlanta Falcons over Carolina Panthers (1p.m., Sunday, October 31 FOX) NFL Game of the Year The Panthers are in freefall now having lost 4 straight games. They are backing their turnaround on Christian McCaffrey coming back later in the season, but I do not see things getting any better until then. Atlanta has won 3 of their last 4 games and played well last week against Miami leading for most of that game before turnovers got the Dolphins a late lead. They will clean that up on Sunday and win this game by close to double digits. Carolina has had turnover issues and I do not expect that to be cleaned up in this game either. QB Donald is not a top tier player and Carolina did much of their damage at the start of the season against bad teams. Atlanta is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games against Carolina. The Panthers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games. Atlanta is 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games against teams with a losing record.

10 Unit Play. Take #190 Ohio State Buckeyes over Penn State Nittany Lions (7:30p.m., Saturday, October 30 ABC) Ohio State has been rolling of late winning 5 straight games and all of them have come by more points than tonight’s posted number. Penn State could not run the football against Illinois, and they are gassed after losing to the Illini in 9 overtimes. QB Clifford did return from an injury against Iowa but did not look good, throwing for just 165 yards on 56% completions. Penn State is going to have to score points to stay in this game and I just do not believe that is something they can do at this stage of the season. Ohio State still has a great chance to make the college football playoff if they win out and win convincingly. They have scored at least 52 points in their last four games and if they hit that number on Saturday, they will win this game with ease. Penn State is 4-20 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 26 games following a loss in their previous game. Ohio State is 13-5 ATS in tier last 18 games following an ATS win in their previous game. The James Franklin to USC rumors heat up and Penn State continues to lose games, this one coming by 20+ points.

10 Unit Play. Take #386 UAB Blazers over Rice Owls (3:30 p.m., Saturday, October 23 ESPN+) UAB has dominated this series of late, winning 4 straight games. These teams appear to be heading in opposite directions with Rice being blown out last week by UTSA and barely beating Southern Miss the week before. All 4 of Rice’s losses have come by at least 21 points. The Blazers have won 4 of their last 5 games and pitched a shutout last time out against SMU. Rice is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games played in Birmingham. UAB is 18-7 ATS (1 push) in their last 26 home games.

Spoiler alert! We will be betting Boston a lot this season. This team has been one of the most dependable betting teams in the NBA for many years before taking a step back last season in what was a very strange season for them. But they reshuffled the administration decks and we expect a much stronger effort from them this season. Toronto really looked bad in their first game and they managed only 83 points against Washington. They face a much stronger defense tonight.

The Warriors were very impressive on Opening Night as they beat the Lakers handily on the road, and now they face the other NBA title contender from the city of Los Angeles, and this time in their home opener. The Clippers have had their number lately, but we expect this one to go the other way. Kawhi Leonard is out, of course, until March at the earliest. So they will have to make due without him, and it might take some time for this team to get on the same page. Their depth will take a hit tonight as Batum and Ibaka are out tonight, as well as some role players. This game is a divisional and regional rivalry, and the crowd should be pumped tonight. We just see the Warriors winning this one comfortably as we see them being really good this year and they have a more stable team right now while LAC is a work in progress with rotations and roster and such.

10 Unit Play. Take #272 New England Patriots over Dallas Cowboys (4:25p.m., Sunday, October 17 CBS) Just feel Dallas is due for a regression having covered the spread in every game that they have played in 2021. Dallas has not won a game in Foxboro since the 1980s and they have also lost 6 straight games to New England. Also do not believe the Patriots will lose 4 straight home games. This game will go down to the wire and we will cover the spread with whoever comes out on top. Dallas is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a road favorite. New England is 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games as a home underdog.

10 Unit Play. Take #155 Colorado State Rams over New Mexico Lobos (7p.m., Saturday, October 16 Stadium) Just feel these two teams are going in opposite directions. The Rams are dominated the Lobos over the last decade going 10-0 straight-up and 8-2 against the spread. New Mexico really has trouble moving the football averaging just over 200 yards per game during this 4-game losing streak. They are averaging just 7 points per game over this losing streak. The favorite is 6-1 ATS (1 push) in the last 8 games between Colorado State and New Mexico. The Lobos are 8-22 ATS in their last 30 games following an loss in their previous game.

10 Unit Play. Take #457 New Orleans Saints over Washington Football Team (1p.m., Sunday, October 10 FOX) Just do not believe in Washington especially on the offensive side of the football. New Orleans plays better on the road going 16-7 ATS in their last 16 road games when they are the favorite. They still have more playmakers compared to Washington and that will be the difference today. The Saints are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games. Washington is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games. Jameis takes care of the football and the Saints take advantage of a couple of key injuries on offense for the Football team.

10 Unit Play. Take #379 Oklahoma Sooners over Texas Longhorns (12p.m., Saturday, October 9 ABC) The Cotton Bowl is the site for this annual edition of the Red River Rivalry. Oklahoma has just been getting by of late and thus the spread in this game has dropped to around a field goal. Oklahoma has won 9 of the last 12 meetings and if they win today, they should be able to cover this small spread as well. I still believe Oklahoma’s best football is still ahead of them and it will start on Saturday.

10 Unit Play. Take #280 Los Angeles Chargers over Las Vegas Raiders (8:15p.m., Monday, October 3 ESPN) Just do not feel the Raiders will be able to handle prosperity. They enter this game at 3-0, but needed to survive last week at home against the Dolphins, a team that was playing a backup quarterback. The Chargers are coming off an impressive victory at Kansas City last Sunday and have covered the spread in 5 of their last 7 games (1 push). Las Vegas is 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games played during the month of October. Los Angeles is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 divisional games. 

10 Unit Play. Take #120 Purdue Boilermakers over Minnesota Golden Gophers (12p.m., Saturday, October 2 BTN) Purdue has some injuries on the offensive side of the football, but this is a game Coach Brohm wants badly. Purdue lost to Minnesota last year when a go-ahead touchdown was called back on a terrible offensive pass interference call. Everyone who saw that play was upset with the call and payback will be coming this Saturday. Minnesota is coming off a terrible loss to Bowling Green last week, a terrible MAC team that was a 30+ point underdog. QB Tanner Morgan has not been himself so far in 2021 and this will be the best defense he has had to face so far in 2021. The home team is 11-5 ATS (1 push) in the last 17 games between Minnesota and Purdue. This will be a defensive battle, but Purdue wants it more and wins it by double-digits.

10 Unit Play. Take #496 San Francisco 49ers over Green Bay Packers (8:20p.m., Sunday, September 26 NBC) Green Bay pulling away late on Monday Night Football gave us the value we like for this game. The favorite has dominated this match in recent years covering the spread at an 80% clip. Just am not sold on this Green Bay defense, as new coordinator Joe Barry seems lost as the leader of the defense. Just do not believe the Packers will be able stop the rushing attack of the 49ers and thus I do not expect Jimmy G to have to win this game with his arm. Green Bay must travel on short rest should allow the 49ers to win this game by around double-digits.

10 Unit Play. Take #364 Stanford Cardinal over UCLA Bruins (6p.m., Saturday, September 25 PAC 12 Network) UCLA just cannot handle prosperity and now must travel on the road for this first time in 2021 after a bad loss to Fresno State last Saturday. Stanford has been going along nicely since losing to Kansas State in their first game of the season. Once Tanner McKee has been inserted into the line-up this team has gelled and has been able to score points including 42 against USC two weeks ago. The Cardinal will be playing their first home game after 7 straight road games. Stanford has owned this series under David Shaw winning 12 of the last 13 meetings (11-2 ATS). Just do not think UCLA is back yet and laying points on the road in a conference game is never a spot to back them. UCLA found a way to lose last week, and I see this game going down to the wire as well. UCLA is 8-20 ATS in their last 28 games as a favorite. Stanford is 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games as home underdog.

10-Unit Play: Take 964 CLEVELAND INDIANS -1.5, RL, OVER ROYALS (6:10pm E, Tuesday, September 21) KC: Lynch. CLE: Quantrill

The Indians lost a doubleheader to the Royals, yesterday and we're sure that didn't set well. Look for Cleveland to come out aggressive on the pads and swinging for the fences today and win this one, with Quantrill on the mound.

10 Unit Play. Take #291 Tennessee Titans over Seattle Seahawks (4:25p.m., Sunday, September 19 CBS) Tennessee getting blown out was one of the most shocking results in week 1 of the 2021 Regular Season. The Titans have beaten the Seahawks in 2 of the last 3 meetings and they are 6-2 ATS over the last 8 years in their road opening game. Seattle is 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games following a victory in their previous game. Just think pride sets in for Tennessee and they take this game down to the wire.

10 Unit Play. Take Marshall Thundering Herd over East Carolina Pirates (6p.m., Saturday, September 18 Stadium) East Carolina blew the game last week against South Carolina and now must face a better Marshall team in their first true road game of the season. East Carolina has scored just 36 total points in two games this season. Marshall has been lighting up the scoreboard in their two games this season and has received impressive play from QB Grant Wells, who has thrown for over 300 yards in both games this season. The Pirates are 4-12 ATS (1 push) in their last 17 nonconference games. The favorite has covered the spread in 4 of the last 5 games between these former rivals. East Carolina cannot score enough points to keep this deficit in single digits.

10 Unit Play. Take #361 NC State Wolfpack over Mississippi State Bulldogs (7p.m., Saturday, September 11 ESPN2) This is a classic case of an SEC team playing an ACC team at home and thus the number does not fully reflect the talent disparity between the two teams. Mike Leach is not Lane Kiffin when it comes to offenses in the SEC, the Bulldogs were not able to run the ball at all against Louisiana Tech last week. The La Tech Bulldogs blew that game last week being outscored 21-3 in the fourth quarter and missing a field goal at the buzzer to lose by 1 point. NC State has two strong running backs, and they return their entire secondary. This will not shutdown the Bulldogs passing attack but I expect them to be able to hold their own. NC State is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games. Mississippi State is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games against ACC teams.

10 Unit Play. Take #217 Nevada Wolf Pack over California Golden Bears (10:30p.m., Saturday, September 4 FS1) Just believe Nevada is better on both sides of the football, especially on offense. The Wolf Pack have an NFL prospect in Carson Strong and will have a bunch of fans at this game trying to get away from the smokey conditions in Reno. Cal is just 1-8 ATS (1 push) in their last 9 games as a home favorite and this line has the wrong team favored. The Bears went just 1-3 last season and all 3 of those losses were against bad teams. This is the year Nevada is expected to make a run for the MWC Championship and it will start on Saturday. This line is just a Power 5 team playing at home so the public will jump on that number. In reality Nevada has better talent, and they will win this game straight-up.

10 Unit Play. Take Green Bay Packers over Buffalo Bills (1p.m., Saturday, August 28 NFL Network) This is an absorb line for an NFL Preseason game and a complete overreaction to the Bills dominating performance last week against Chicago. No coach really wants to look this good in preseason and it would not surprise me if Sean McDermott pulled it back a little bit in this game. Green Bay has two capable backups in Jordan Love and Kurt Benkert. The latter played pretty well last week against the Jets, and he is capable to moving the football in this game. This is a ton of points, and we will grab them as the exhibition season comes to and end for both of these teams on Saturday.

7-Unit Play. Competition: EPL. Take Everton +0.5 (-150) over Brighton (Saturday at 10am) Includes 90 minutes + injury time. For this selection to win, Everton must win or draw.

As per your selection on Everton, are books going to continue to disrespect them with lines such as this? I mean, I'm all for it as we get the better team with the more talented players getting +0.5 instead of laying half a goal. Everton was good in their last league game - a 2-2 draw with Leeds - and have since won 2-1 away to Huddersfield. Brighton has won three straight games, but wins against Burnley and Watford don't really mean that Brighton is a team to be feared. Everton is the better team and we are getting a really good line here.

10-Unit Play: Take 904 PITTSBURGH PIRATES OVER CARDINALS (7:05pm E, Wednesday, August 11) STL: Wainwright. PIT: Crowe

The Pirates have proven they're a better team than most give them credit for. The Cardinals are ripe for the taking today. Pittsburgh has seen Wainwright umpteen times, but the Cardinals haven't seen Crow that much. The Pirates lay it to the Cards in Pittsburgh.

10 Unit Play. Take #511 Phoenix Suns over Milwaukee Bucks (9:05p.m., Tuesday, July 19 ABC) Just do not believe Phoenix will go this entire series without winning (or at least covering) one road game. Phoenix could not stop Milwaukee at all during the second and third quarters on Saturday and still had the ball with a chance to win it late in that game. Phoenix is 11-5 ATS in their last 16 games as a road underdog. Milwaukee is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games played on Tuesday. Despite losing the last three games, the Sunday are 8-3 ATS in the last 11 games between Phoenix and Milwaukee.

10 Unit Play. Take #510 Phoenix Suns over Milwaukee Bucks (9:10p.m., Saturday, July 17 ABC) Homecourt has been the play in all 4 games thus far and look for that to continue on Saturday night in the desert. Role players tend to play better at home and expect the Suns to bounce back in a big way on Saturday. Phoenix gave away the game on Wednesday and I see them jumping out early and holding the lead tonight. Milwaukee is 3-11 ATS in their last 14 games as an underdog. Phoenix is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games against Milwaukee.

10 Unit Play. Take #505 Phoenix Suns over Milwaukee Bucks (8:05p.m., Sunday, July 11 ABC) We have used the Suns in both games thus far and won easily. Things will be different in Milwaukee, but I just do not feel the Bucks should be favored by this many points. Milwaukee is still struggling from the arc, and you just cannot win games in this day and age without strong three-point shooting. Phoenix is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 road games. The Suns are also 5-0 ATS in the last 5 games against the Bucks.

10-Unit Play: Take 926 MINNESOTA TWINS -1.5, RL OVER TIGERS (8:10pm E, Friday, July 9) DET: Manning. MIN: Maeda The Tigers have the ability to play over their heads sometimes, but the Twins and Maeda won't let that happen tonight. They know if they want to get back in the race, which they are good enough to do so, they need to win games like this (against Manning and his 7.94 ERA and a dismal 6 strikeouts) and even better, win as many of these types of series, as they can. Twins should score early and often in this one and Maeda should keep the Tigers' bats quiet.

10 Unit Play. Take #504 Phoenix Suns over Milwaukee Bucks (9:05p.m., Thursday, July 8 ESPN) The Suns dominated Game 1 of the NBA Finals and one never got the impression in that game that Milwaukee was going to cover the spread let alone win the game. The Bucks just have not been shooting it well from the arc on a consistent basis and for them to beat Phoenix they must make shots from the three-point line. Milwaukee is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games against Phoenix in the Valley of the Sun. Phoenix is 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games overall.

This is a strange NBA Finals for sure. Milwaukee belongs here, but not sure about the Suns. Phoenix was a team that we thought would flame out in the postseason after a brilliant regular season. They were lacking playoff experience. Teams need to take their lumps with some postseason heartbreak to eventually get to this point. But here we are. The Suns were benefited by a bunch of injuries to key players in the Western Conference Playoffs. They had one of the easier paths to the championship we can remember. But they did earn their postseason experience. They have gotten here by being the healthiest team in the playoffs. They gained a lot of confidence in the postseason, and we think that will be on display here.

We have some major injuries on both sides here but the Bucks have the more complete roster, and the more experienced one. We think they will take the Next Man Up strategy and run with it here to a comfortable win. Even if Young plays for the Hawks, we just don’t see him being effective as he will be rushed back too soon. We have seen it time and time again where they rush a player back and he hinders the team more than he helps. Regardless, we think the Bucks will circle the wagons here and take the win and move one step closer to the Finals.

The Suns had too much time off here. We think that, and the fact that Chris Paul is out for this game with Covid, has thwarted the Suns momentum. The Clippers have all the momentum here and are coming off one of the best second-half performances in playoff history. This team is really clicking on all cylinders, and they have shown they can play at an elite level even with Kawhi out of the lineup. Plus, they have some hope for Kawhi to be back at some point as he was seen at Game 6 against Utah without a brace and walking without a limp. That has led some to speculate that he could be back at some point in this series. These Clippers are more battle tested than the Suns in this postseason as Phoenix had a very easy path with the injured Lakers and the hobbled Nuggets. The Clippers had a tougher path and they have been playing better with each passing game after the first couple games in Dallas. They are getting contributions from throughout the roster, and Paul George has stepped up into the Top Dog role with Kawhi out. We just see the Suns having some problems getting into the flow of the game without Paul and with a week off from their last game. The Clippers won and covered in two of three meetings this season, and longer term they have covered in 14 of the last 19 meetings. We think they have a great chance to win outright here.

It was announced this AM that Kawhi Leonard is out indefinitely with an ankle injury. This is a major blow to the Clippers as they had seized all the momentum in this series and were looking in good shape to possibly steal a rare road win in Utah tonight. But we think they still have a chance. Paul George has broken out of his slump, and if he plays hero ball tonight, he can definitely have the Clips in a position to win this one. LA has its deepest team in franchise history, and they have experience playing without Kawhi. Just don’t see the Clips getting blown out here.

Great momentum for Milwaukee heading into Game 5 here with the series tied up. The Nets will likely be without two of their Big 3, and that is a problem with the way the Bucks have played the last two games of this series. They have all the momentum here, and the Nets have to figure out something quickly if they expect to win this one tonight. We don’t see it happening, and we think the Bucks go for the jugular this evening. Yes, the Nets have experience with playing without members of the Big 3 as they have done all season. And they have some role players that have the ability to step up. But we just don’t see where the points are going to come from for the Nets here tonight. They are really struggling offensively and have failed to reach the century mark in the last two games. The Bucks have the capability to score here, and we just don’t see the Nets being able to match that. Milwaukee has a strong betting history here in Brooklyn as they are 16-5-1 ATS in the last 22 meetings here. This Bucks team gets a mulligan from us for last season in the Bubble as they had some off-court issues going on, and a win tonight and putting the Nets on the verge of elimination would go a long way to put that failure in the rearview mirror.

We loved what we saw from the Clippers in Game 3, and we think that positive momentum will carry over here in Game 4. The Clippers have been in this situation before in a must-win game, and they have had success in this situation already in the playoffs. In Game 3 the stars for LA did what they were supposed to do, and the role players stepped up big time. Mitchell for Utah is banged up for this game. He might not be able to perform at his best. Utah benefitted from some great shooting in Games 1 and 2. They have cooled off, however, and that kind of shooting is unsustainable likely throughout the series. Also, the Clippers have been great in the favorite role as they are 5-1 ATS in their last six games as a favorite. Utah hasn’t done great as an underdog as they are 0-5 ATS in their last five in this situation. This has the look of a series that could possibly go the distance, and we see the Clippers evening things up tonight with a comfortable win.

If Denver was going to make a big stand in this series, Game 3 was the place to do it. But they didn’t. At all. They got blown out. Again. Now the Nuggets are toast. And they know it. It’s virtually impossible to come back from a 3-0 deficit in the NBA Playoffs. And Phoenix is playing some of their best basketball of the season right now, and that’s saying a lot since they had a great regular season. But not only are they playing great, but they match up extremely well with Denver and this series looks like a total mismatch. Denver showed a lot of heart in their postseason comebacks last season, but this is a different season, and they just matched up with the wrong team in the second round.

Denver looks totally outclassed in this series. Phoenix looks like they have barely broken a sweat and they have rolled in the first two games. This one looks like it could very likely be a sweep. We were unsure of the Suns in this postseason because of lack of experience, but Chris Paul has been playing lights out and this team seems dialed in and is playing great team basketball. We think they go for the jugular tonight and essentially put this series out of reach with a win and a 3-0 lead. We had the Suns as 3-point favorites here, and there is great value in the much better team getting points here tonight. We see the Suns putting up a big offensive number tonight, and the Nuggets won’t be able to keep up.

10-Unit Play: Take 914 TAMPA BAY RAYS -1.5, RL, Over ORIOLES (7:10pm E, Friday, June 11th) BAL: Akin. TB: Yarbrough

The Orioles have been impressive lately. They've put up some good numbers and beaten some teams - AT HOME. That's the key: AT HOME. The Rays Yarbrough has quietly become one of the best pitchers in the bigs and have we forgotten that the Rays won the AL Pennant last year? This is basically the same team and they are GOOD. We expect them to make mockery out of the Orioles tonight and send them home to roost with a handsome defeat, maybe somewhere around 6-2... And it shouldn't be that close.

The Nuggets were blown out in Game 1. But they have done a pretty good job of bouncing back from a bad loss in these playoffs and we expect a much more competitive game in Game 2. The Nuggets have covered in seven of the last 10 meetings in this arena and 14 of the last 20 meetings overall. We just don’t trust Phoenix that much in this postseason and think the floor will fall out from under them at some point. Denver will draw on their playoff experience tonight.

It’s rust vs. momentum here. We will go with momentum tonight. The Jazz didn’t play for almost a week while the Clippers closed out Dallas in Game 7 on Sunday. But LA didn’t look tired, and they are playing some excellent basketball. When this team is playing well, they could be the most talented team in the NBA, and we like them getting points tonight in what we feel is a coin flip game as to who wins. The long break has killed the Utah momentum while the Clippers have fresh momentum. We think the Clips will lock down on the defensive end here and that the Jazz may start the game a bit rusty.

We wanted to wait to see what went down in Game 1 before we made a move on the side in this series, and this one turned out exactly as we wanted to go with the Bucks in Game 2. Brooklyn won Game 1 and that gives the Bucks even more motivation here, and James Harden went down with an injury, which increases the Bucks chances to pull even in this series. The Bucks played a pretty lousy game in  Game 1. This team doesn’t often have two bad games in a row. They are a more stable team than the Nets, who threw together a super team on the fly. We just don’t see the same chemistry for Brooklyn, and that is crucial in such a pivotal playoff game. We expect the Bucks to even this series up tonight with a much improved effort compared to Game 1.

The NBA playoffs is all about stars and although the Mavs have one of the best in the business, the Clippers have two difference-makers on the court tonight. The road team has won every game in this series, and we think that trend will continue tonight. There hasn’t been much intrigue in the postseason thus far and you know the NBA wants a Game 7, so the Clippers might get the benefit of the doubt on some calls tonight. Regardless, we think the Clippers will step up with their excellent defense and do everything they can to slow down Doncic and make the rest of the team beat them.

The Lakers were absolutely humiliated in their last game. With a proud team like LA, that isn’t going to cut it. We expect a spirited performance tonight from the home team. AD might be out here or seriously limited. But they still have LeBron. And they still have one of the best defenses in the NBA. We expect them to play D like their life depends on it tonight, and their playoff life basically does. They have shown they can win games on the defensive side, and we expect that to happen tonight. We just can’t get behind the Suns too much in this postseason because the lack of experience.

We think the Grizzlies have a great chance to win this one and even the series up. It should at least be a close game. Memphis has nothing to lose and they are playing with house money right now. All the pressure is on Utah here. Last game the Jazz got off to a hot start and outscored the Grizzlies 34-22 in the first quarter. The Grizzlies pretty much played even with them the rest of the way after that slow start. Of course they won Game 1 and they haven’t embarrassed themselves at any point in this series. Even though they lost by 10 last time out, they have covered their last four at home after losing by double digits. They know this is their last best chance to stay in this series, and we expect to see a spirited effort tonight. Plus, the refs should dish out some home cooking, especially since there are a lack of games coming up as many of the series in the East have been lopsided.

Boston played great in Game 3. Tatum put the team on his back and scored 50 with a legendary effort. That’s doubtful to happen again, and the Nets should bounce back and comfortably win this one against an outmatched Boston squad. This Game 3 was typical of Boston all season as they will look like they are back on track and then fall on their faces. And it was typical of Brooklyn, a team that has been inconsistent. But we think that loss was a wake up call. And with the other top seeds in the East taking care of business quickly, there will be urgency for the Nets to make sure Boston doesn’t win another game and hang around as the competition will get much tougher in the coming rounds.

Kudos to Memphis for winning Game 1. They caught Utah off guard and they got a great win. But Utah showed in Game 2 why they are the top seed as they dropped 141 points in a blowout. Sometimes good teams need a kick in the butt to get going, and it looks like that loss motivated Utah in a big way. That positive momentum should continue here. And Memphis would not even be a playoff team under the normal playoff format. This is a team on the way up but not there yet, while Utah is a true championship contender. And we think they get the job done again tonight.

10-Unit Play: Take 978 BOSTON RED SOX -1.5, RL Over MARLINS (4:10pm E, Saturday, May 29th) BOS: Eovaldi. MIA: Rogers Nobody likes facing Boston's Eovaldi, but especially in this weather. Just like yesterday, wind will be blowing in at over 15, drizzle to rain predicted, and a wet field. Red Sox had no problem with it yesterday, we just wish (for our 7-Unit Play) it could have gone 8.5 innings. Boston is hitting the ball well and doing all the right things to win games, big. We think you'll see one today.

We were hyped on the Bucks entering the postseason but also kind of apprehensive because of the fact that they fell on their face last postseason. Was that the Bubble or is this team a postseason underperformer? Well, Game 2 gave us a lot of confidence, and we think there’s a great chance this series ends up as a sweep. This team has unfinished business, and they looked focused and determined thus far in this series and Miami is just outmatched.

For most of the later part of the season we have been planning to fade the Suns in the postseason. This team has all the look of a regular season wonder but a postseason failure. They don’t have a lot of postseason experience. Chris Paul has a career of postseason disappointments. This team needs some experience before they are a true title threat. Unfortunately, they drew the Lakers in the first round. The Lakers almost never have betting value because they are one of the most public teams in the NBA. There’s no doubt the Suns are scared here. The Lakers are healthy and streaking. We think this line is more than fair for Game 1 and we actually had the Lakers as a slight favorite, so we love the value here for Game 1.

This is what the Clippers played the season for. All the load management, different rotations and team building was intended to be in a good place for the postseason. And we think the Clippers are in a very good place. This team didn’t care about regular season records. All they care about is winning a championship. And this team looks much better than the one we saw flame out of the playoffs last season. Paul George was having some mental issues last season in the bubble but he has been great this season, and this team is pretty much fully healthy here for Game 1. A healthy and motivated Clippers team is on a different level than this Mavs squad, and we think this line is short on Saturday.

Home teams have been dominant in this play in tournament, and we expect that trend to continue on Friday in the final play in game. The postseason is when stars shine the brightest, and although Ja Morant is a rising star, the Warriors have two established stars, including one of the best to ever play the game. We have seen time and time again that Steph Curry elevates his game to a different level when things matter the most, and the stakes couldn’t be higher here. He also makes everyone around him better when he brings his A Game, and we expect to see his best tonight. The Grizzlies wouldn’t have made the postseason in a normal format. This team is on the rise for sure, but we think they are a season away from being a true threat. With Curry, the Warriors can beat any team in the postseason if he elevates his game. Golden State has been a great bet lately as they are 6-0 ATS in their last six games. They are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games against Memphis when playing in the Bay Area. The Warriors scored a double digit win in this same arena against the Grizzlies on May 16. We think there is a great chance they score a comfortable win tonight by 7+ points.

This game features two of the most clutch players of all time facing off in an unprecedented game of two recent championship teams playing for the right to make the playoffs. But Steph Curry has been in fine form for a long time, while LeBron has been oft injured and is just getting back into rhythm for the postseason. This team just doesn’t have a lot of chemistry right now. They won five straight to end the regular season, but they covered only two of those games and they faces teams with questionable motivation while LA had all the motivation. But they will face an extremely motivated Golden State team tonight, and the Warriors are playing well and have covered six straight games. We had the Warriors as slight favorites here and we think it’s their game to lose.

Just think this season is a wash for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown went down for the season. That seemed to take the air out of this Celtics team that looked off anyways. They have dealt with many injuries all season and never got to develop the necessary chemistry needed for a championship run. They lost five of six games to close out the season, and they didn’t reach the century mark on offense in three of those games. They are banged up heading into this game with key players nursing a variety of injuries. The Wizards got off to a slow start this season, but they have been playing as well as anyone in the NBA lately. They have been a covering machine as they have covered the majority of their games over the last month or so. They are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 road games. They are 4-1-1 ATS in the last six meetings. The last five meetings have all gone under the posted number.

Maybe both teams want the Blazers to win here? The Clippers sure looked like they tanked their last game to avoid the Lakers potentially in the first round or closer down the road. Now the Blazers are in that position. They have a chance to knock LA into the play in tourney. Denver doesn’t have any incentive to win and let the Lakers into the top 6 seeds. We see Portland going all out here and the Nuggets focusing on their first-round opponent, which could possibly be these Blazers, so why would they want to give too much away?

10 Unit Play. Take 308903 Sam Houston State Bearkats over South Dakota State Jackrabbits (2p.m., Sunday, May 16 ABC) The line is going up and I feel that the Bearkats have what it takes to take this game down to the wire. The Missouri Valley Conference was not as strong this season, but still got credit based on the strength of NDSU this decade. The Jackrabbits are the best team in the league, but this will be far and away the most explosive team they have seen in 2021. San Houston State had no business winning last week against James Madison, but they scored 28 points in under 3 minutes and held on against James Madison last week. They have a huge edge in this game since it is being played in Texas and they can bus to the game (about a 3-hour trip). This game will go down to the wire and we will come out on top with whoever pulls it out by a field goal.

Despite a 20-50 record, the Pistons are 35-33-2 against the spread. They get too many points on a regular basis. This team is building something good, and the players play hard and play until the final buzzer. Do they get blown out from time to time? Sure. There is a lot of developing talent on this team. But they get an A most nights for hustle, and this has the look of a team that wants to finish the season on a positive note. This team is 26-16-1 ATS when getting five or more points this season, so they are a pretty safe bet as a big underdog. Denver has been overrated by the oddsmakers as they are 1-4 ATS in their last five. This team is pretty secure in their postseason positioning and we just think they have their eyes towards the playoffs now and they aren’t going all out here in Detroit. The Pistons have covered in five of seven meetings. We expect a close game here, and a SU win by the home team wouldn’t be shocking.

We were really impressed by the Clippers last win over Toronto. This has the look of a team that is getting healthy at the right time and wants to build some momentum heading into the playoffs. Ibaka is the only main player that will be out tonight. The Clippers have had a real light schedule down the stretch, so they should have plenty of energy here. And they have covered in four of the last five meetings.

The Magic have suffered two 30+-point losses in their last three games. This team is so wracked with injuries they are fielding a G League-level team right now. And this team stunk before all the injuries. Those big losses were to Minnesota and Boston, one team that stinks and one that is not playing well. The Bucks are in on a back-to-back, and they suffered one of their worst losses of the season last night in San Antonio. They lost by 20+ in what was obviously an off game. We like to back a good team after an embarrassing loss like that as they normally give a lot better effort in their next game. Even on a B2B they should have enough energy to beat this Magic team without breaking too much of a sweat. The Magic haven’t covered in the last six games in this series, and we think they run into a buzzsaw tonight against a Bucks team that will want to remove the bad taste their loss from last night left them.

As bad as the Magic have been playing, the Wolves are not in a position of power to be laying more than seven on the road to anyone. This is the biggest favorite they have been all season. The Wolves have lost three straight and didn’t cover in any of those games. The Magic have won and covered in three of their last six games, so they aren’t playing that bad right now overall. There is more talent on the Wolves side for sure, but we think this is an inflated number.

10 Unit Play. Take #308973 James Madison Dukes over Sam Houston State Bearkats (2:30p.m., Saturday, May 8 ABC) A battle of unbeatens is set to do battle at Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, TX on Saturday with a television broadcast on ABC. The Dukes are outstanding at ball control and I feel they have the better defense in this game. James Madison honestly believes they should be hosting this game and expect them to make a statement in this game as they advance onto the championship game (also being played in Texas). SHS is coming off a big win last week against North Dakota State, the dominate team over the last decade in FCS and I just do not know how much left they will have for this game. NDSU was nowhere near as strong this season and SHS still had to hold onto dear life to beat them. JMU has a much better quarterback than what NDSU showed last week and that will be the different today.

Boston is rested. They had the night off Thursday, and before their 36-point domination of Orlando last time out, they had two days off before that. The Bulls are coming in on a back-to-back. They won last night but had dropped four straight before that, so they aren’t in great form right now. The Bulls are the more desperate team. They are four games out of the last spot in the playoff play-in, with six games left. They are done. And they have been playing like it. They are here in the spot out of the playoffs because they aren’t a very good team. Boston has a lot to play for as they are on the bubble of the play in tourney, but they are currently No. 6. They control their own destiny to avoid the play in. And most importantly, they have been a great bet in this series as they are 4-1 ATS in their last five in Chicago and 12-3 ATS overall in the last 15 meetings. The Bulls got a rare win in this series last month, but we don’t see it happening twice in a row.

The Clippers have been one of the best ATS teams in the league all season and the Lakers one of the worst. The Clippers haven’t been covering lately but they are as healthy right now as they have been in a long time, and they face their biggest rival tonight. The Lakers don’t really think of this as a big rivalry for them, but the Clippers do. That’s why the Clippers are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings. The Clippers didn’t play well last time out vs. the Raptors but still won. We think they were looking ahead to this game a bit. We expect their best performance tonight in what should have a playoff atmosphere. But the Clippers are healthy and the Lakers aren’t, with LeBron and several key players out tonight.

The Clippers are the healthiest they have been in awhile, and their two stars are expected to play tonight. They have lost three straight and they are desperate for a win right now. They have had two nights off to regroup and should be ready here. As of right now they are set to play the Lakers in the first round. They won’t say it, but they don’t want it. They will probably do their best to move up in the seeding, and they don’t have many chances to do it left. We think they give their best effort tonight and win this one by double digits.

10 Unit Play. Take #308958 James Madison Dukes over North Dakota Fighting Hawks (6p.m., Sunday, May 2 ESPN2) Just feel the Hawks are getting to much publicity in this game due to the conference that they played in. North Dakota State destroyed them on March 20, and they have not been able to play many games since then. James Madison is not flashy at the quarterback position and they are rock solid on defense and I just do not see them losing this game at home. The Dukes were upset when they were given a No. 3 seed in the FCS Playoffs and expect them to march onto the final four with a victory on Sunday at home. We will lay the small points and expect close to a double-digit win.

Boston is coming in off two straight losses, so this is a “get right” game for them. And they are playing just the right team to get back on track against. The Thunder have a rag tag group of players competing right now. They have been just god awful on defense as they have given up 119 or more in four straight games. We think Boston will put up a monster number on offense here and they should have no problem covering this big number. The Celtics are resting a couple key players, but that is why we are getting a value number here on Tuesday.

When you are one of the best teams in the NBA and you lose to the Wolves, you know you had an off game. That’s what happened to the Jazz on Saturday as they played very poorly at home and lost straight up. Now this is a quick turnaround rematch, and we just don’t see anything other than the Jazz brining their A Game. Utah is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings here in Minnesota. This is a team that can beat bad opponents by double digits without breaking a sweat. We think that loss on Saturday is a wake up call for Utah and they will put their best foot forward tonight.

10 Unit Play. Take #308919 Southern Illinois Salukis over Weber State Wildcats (4p.m., Saturday, April 24 ESPNU) The Wildcats were a top 5 team going into the spring season, went undefeated and yet are only around a 4-point favorite against a 5-3 team. How is that possible? That is because they have not looked that impressive against fledging team that did not make the playoffs. Their last 4 wins have come by a combined 18 points and Southern Illinois is the strongest team that they will have faced in the spring season. Southern Illinois has wins over Northern Iowa and North Dakota State this season and played in the highly competitive Missouri Valley Conference. Weber State is just playing with fire each and every week and that will bite them on Saturday. Southern Illinois wins this game straight-up and getting points is just icing on the cake.

The Kings have not been good lately, but they are still better than the Wolves. They are coming off a big win at Dallas, and this is a chance to start a rare winning streak. We think they will be up to the task. The Kings have been a disappointment, but they have had a much better season than Minnesota. The Wolves don’t play well on the road against bad teams as they are 0-4 ATS in their last four in this situation. This is also a revenge game as the Kings lost in Minnesota earlier this month.

Boston has some players questionable for Monday and this line could move if some of those players were given the green light. We won’t be scared off by the line movement in that event. We think Boston has a great chance to win this one by double digits. This team has never been about individual players. They play great team basketball, and when they are playing well the system works even with some parts missing. The Bulls will be without LaVine again, and that hurts as he is one of their best players and this team isn’t deep. They snapped a five-game losing streak last time out with a win over Cleveland, but that’s nothing to write home about. That was their only cover in the last six games. Boston is playing their best basketball of the season and they have done it against a really difficult schedule. We don’t think they will overlook this opponent since every win matters after their slow start. When this team is playing well they have been one of the best ATS teams the past several years. This boils down to great coaching. Boston is 12-2 ATS in the last 14 meetings and we expect them to get a very easy win tonight. And don’t forget, even though the Bulls were off last night, this is their third game in four nights as they had a B2B in that Cleveland game.

10 Unit Play. Take #308995 Richmond Spiders over James Madison Dukes (2p.m., Saturday, April 17 Flo Football) The two best teams in the CAA are finally set to do battle Saturday in Harrisonburg, VA. Both teams have had the last two weeks off and both teams are undefeated in 2021. I just do not see a blowout in this game since it means more to Richmond with regards to making the FCS Playoffs. Both teams are strong on offense scoring over 30 points per game and I just do not believe the Dukes will be able to completely shutdown Joe Mancuso and company. This is the toughest opponent James Madison will have played in 2021 and while I see them winning, I expect a battle for 60 minutes. Grab the points in this battle of unbeaten teams.

The Lakers are a bit of “fool’s gold” here as they have won four of seven but those wins were over Charlotte, Toronto, Sacramento and Brooklyn. Only one real quality win among those teams, and Brooklyn is a “work in progress” right now as this team is tinkering with a lot trying to have chemistry and stability once the playoffs start next month. And even the Lakers called that game the best win of the season. The Celtics have won six of seven. They DO have some quality wins there as they won in Portland and Denver in their last two. They also beat the Knicks, who are playing well now. This team is pretty healthy and has shrugged of their slow start. And this team has been one of the safest bets in the NBA the last few years as they normally have a great ATS mark. We think they hold the Lakers to a real low point total tonight.

The Magic have been playing like dog poop lately, to be blunt. But there’s no way the Bulls should be laying this many points to any team. This is the most points the Bulls have given up all season. They have lost three straight games. They are back at home after a long road trip and have been on the road mostly for several weeks. This first game home is often tricky for the home team as the players have personal business to attend to and their minds might not be in the game. Orlando is 4-1 ATS in their last five as a road underdog. They are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 road games against a team with a winning percentage less than .400.