Sports Picks & Predictions

Dallas is quietly starting to play really well and they have won six of their last eight games overall. They are doing this pretty quietly as other stories dominate the news wire. But they are coming off a very impressive win over the Clippers on Wednesday. They also have wins over Denver and Brooklyn during this stretch, so they haven’t been playing only scrubs. Portland is coming off their rematch with New Orleans and will be playing their fifth game in seven nights. We think this is a real bad spot for Portland.

10 Unit Play. Take #753 Rutgers over Clemson (9:20p.m., Friday, March 19 TBS) NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME OF THE YEAR I just like the talent on Rutgers better than the talent on Clemson. The Scarlet Knights are the only higher seed to be favored against a lower seed and it is for good reason. Both teams lost games they should not have lost this season but feel Rutgers will be playing with a renewed confidence, as they broke the NCAA Tournament drought of 30 years in 2021. Rutgers has great balance on offense and played in a much better conference this season. Clemson did not do much damage away from home once ACC play started and I am just not sure they can score enough points to keep pace with Rutgers. The Tigers are 3-7 ATS (1 push) in their last 11 games against teams with a winning record. Rutgers is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a loss in their previous game.

4 Unit Play. Take #731 North Texas over Purdue (7:25p.m., Friday, March 19 TNT) Thought Purdue really overachieved this season and just do not believe they are as good as their record indicates. They were down big to Ohio State before a late rally and I just do not believe they can blow out North Texas unless they shoot it well from the arc. The Mean Green are 21-7 ATS (1 push) in their last 29 games following an ATS win in their previous game.

4 Unit Play. Take #728 North Carolina over Wisconsin (7:10p.m., Friday, March 19 CBS) Couple of key stats from this game that are remarkable. Roy Williams is 29-0 in Round 1 games of the NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin has only won 4 times at Mackey Arena and that is just a building they have very little success in. Both teams have major issues, as Wisconsin struggles on offense and North Carolina does not shoot it well from the 3-point arc. But the Tar Heels rebound the ball well and have size, something that has given Wisconsin problems of late. The Badgers just do not have many quality wins on the season and the entire fan base is down on them. Wisconsin is 0-3 ATS (1 push) in their last 4 neutral site games. North Carolina is 3-0 ATS (1 push) in their last 4 neutral site games.

4 Unit Play. Take #734 Texas Tech over Utah State (1:45p.m., Friday, March 19 TNT) Utah State has a solid program but they almost never win games in the NCAA Tournament. Texas Tech played in a much from difficult conference and feel playing a team outside the Big 12 will benefit them greatly. For the most part, Texas Tech beat the teams they should have beaten this season and Utah State has not faced a team this physical. The Aggies are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tournament games. Texas Tech is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tournament games.

4 Unit Play. Take #717 UCLA over Michigan State (9:57p.m., Thursday, March 18 TBS) Very few people are giving UCLA a chance in this game. All you hear about is Coach Tom Izzo and his magic in March, but this Michigan State team is not very good. They played a little better at the end of the year, but they still lost 12 games this season. UCLA did not finish the season well losing 4 straight games but they were very competitive in those losses and feel they will come out rejuvenated today once tournament play begins. The underdog is 4-1 (1 push) in the last 6 games between UCLA and Michigan State. Michigan State is 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games as a favorite.

The Wiz Kids haven’t been playing well lately, but we still think this is too many points. The Jazz are just not playing their best basketball overall right now and are not just destroying teams like they were earlier in the season on a nightly basis. They have covered only one of their last five games. The Wizards have been a solid underdog play as they are 13-6 ATS when getting five of more points. We think this will be a competitive game and that the home team will stay within double digits.

4 Unit Play. Take #708 St Mary’s (CA) over Western Kentucky (9p.m., Wednesday, March 17 ESPN2) Just do not believe the Hilltoppers will be motivated for this game after blowing a late lead on Saturday that would have gotten them into the NCAA Tournament. St Mary’s has had time to regroup, and they already knew they would not make the NCAA Tournament. The Gaels have won 3 of their last 5 games with those two losses coming against Gonzaga and BYU, both of which made the NCAA Tournament. The Gaels are 4-1 ATS in their last 4 games played on Wednesdays. The Hilltoppers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games played against teams with a winning percentage above .600.

These teams played earlier this month and the game was very high scoring with the total eclipsing 250. But that is very rare for teams to score that many points, and the oddsmakers made a major adjustment to this line as the last total was around 235. That was the only meeting in the last six meetings that went over the posted total. Both of these defenses are terrible. But this is just too many points as a cold shooting spell here or there will cut into this total. Since these teams played recently they will probably make some adjustments on the defensive end. We think the Wizards will pull this out as they had been playing better until they hit a real tough part of the schedule, but this is one of their most winnable games in awhile.

Minnesota has covered in three straight games and they are playing possibly their best basketball of the season right now. Those three covers include SU wins over Portland and New Orleans. The Lakers are banged up right now and coming off a big win over the Warriors, so they probably won’t be giving 100 percent here in this matchup. Minnesota will give LA their best shot tonight while the Lakers will probably rest on their laurels a bit and we think this will be a close game.

The Pelicans are a real inconsistent team. They can look like a championship contender one night and then lose to a basement dweller the next. We expect a letdown after their win over the Clippers last time out that was one of their biggest of the season. The Blazers are coming off a loss to the Timberwolves and they will be focused here in a very winnable game. Home court will make the difference here tonight.

Wow we have come a long way to see the Celtics posted as decent sized underdogs at home. We will take it. The Celtics are finally getting healthy and cohesive. They have won five of their last six games. Utah has lost three of four and they aren’t playing like the dominant force that we saw earlier in the season. That’s not a knock on Utah – it’s tough to keep that level of performance up all season long and even the best teams go through down points of the season. We had this line handicapped at PK so we think there is real nice value in the home dog as we think this game is a coin flip as to who wins SU.

We were on the Clippers last night in an absolute duck of a game as they got blown out by the Pelicans. They probably had their eye on this game, since the Mavs gave them one of the worst defeats in franchise history early in the season. That was a revenge game for Dallas last time but now the revenge angle goes to the Clippers. LA has been known to take games off this season, and they didn’t give full effort last night. But this team normally comes out with a lot better effort after one of those bad games, and we expect them to bring their A Game tonight.

The Bucks have been overrated on the road as they are 0-6 ATS in their last six road games. We think that is the case again tonight as we had this line closer to 6. Washington has been playing better overall after a real slow start to the season. They have been hit and miss lately but they played pretty well when these teams matched up Saturday as they easily covered the double-digit spread. This team is on a 4-1 ATS run as a home underdog and we expect another close game tonight.

The Kings have been horrible in the underdog role as they are 1-7 ATS in their last eight as a lined underdog. This team is really hampered by their lousy defense, which is easily the worst in the NBA. The Hornets are playing well lately and have won three straight and four of five. They don’t get a lot of respect from the oddsmakers as they don’t have many big names on the roster. This team definitely has the capability to put up some points on this Kings defense, and their defense should get enough stops late for them to cover the number, which they have done in the last four meetings in this series.

The Clippers had one of the most dominant performances of the second half of the season in their blowout of Golden State. We see this is a team that wants to start the second half with a lot of momentum after losing their last three before the break. The Pelicans are 2-5 in their last seven games and they are not in top form right now. This team is very inconsistent. The Clips are healthy besides Pat Bev, who is not on this road trip, but they have a lot of depth and they should be motivated tonight.

Just don’t think the Celtics should be favored by this many on the road. This is the biggest favorite they have been all season. They are 0-3 ATS when laying seven or more points this season. This game is sandwiched between matchups vs. Brooklyn and Utah, possibly the two best teams from each conference. They aren’t going to get super excited for this matchup and Houston will be desperate to end their losing streak. We see this as being a lower scoring game and think the Rockets can keep it within double digits.

Despite getting generous points from the oddsmakers nightly, Minnesota is still one of the worst ATS teams in the NBA. That’s hard to do and a sign of a truly terrible team that doesn’t give effort on a nightly basis and can’t string four quarters of solid play together. The Blazers are coming off a loss that followed a three-game winning streak. But we think they are playing well and the Wolves are a far cry from the Suns team that beat them last time out. A motivated Portland team should win by 10+.

This will be the Wizards third game in four nights. This team is razor thin as it is, and they have been overworked and just haven’t looked good recently. They have to be running on fumes here and they looked tired already last night in getting manhandled at home against Philly. The Bucks looked great in their return after the break and put up 134 on the best defense in the league. This looks like a team that wants to start the second half with momentum, and we could see another blowout here.

5 Unit Play. Take #618 San Diego State over Utah State (6p.m., Saturday, March 13 CBS) Utah State has done enough to make the NCAA Tournament and thus this is not a play-in game for them. San Diego State has a huge edge in rest for this game and I just do not believe Utah State can beat them 3 times in one season. Beating SDSU in Logan is much easier than beating them in Las Vegas. The Aztecs have won 13 straight games. The favorite is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings between the Aggies and Aztecs.

4 Unit Play. Take #608 Arkansas over LSU (3:30p.m., Saturday, March 13 ESPN) This is the rubber game between LSU and Arkansas on Saturday afternoon in Nashville, TN. The Razorbacks have won 9 straight games and expect them to take care of business today and advance to the finals on Sunday. They will go on a run at some point in this game and I just do not expect LSU to be able to keep pace. LSU is 3-12 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 17 neutral site games as an underdog. Arkansas is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a winning record.

These are two of the worst offensive teams in the NBA. Neither team has the potential of a breakout night on offense. And both teams are pretty good defensively, with the Knicks at No. 1 for points allowed and the Thunder in the top half of the league defensively. The Knicks played one of their worst defensive games of the season last time out against the Bucks, and we think they will try hard in that area today and make the necessary adjustments. New York normally locks down defensively against lousy teams. We think they cover a low-scoring game.

10 Unit Play. Take #606 Alabama over Tennessee (1p.m., Saturday, March 12 ESPN) Alabama is the best team in the SEC this season and expect them to make the finals of the SEC Tournament in Nashville, TV. Tennessee may be without John Fulkerson, as he was taken to the hospital after a brutal foul in their game Friday against Florida. That is a big loss for this team if he is not 100% and Alabama will be able to take advantage of that. Tennessee has underachieved this season and just do not have much confidence in a Rich Barnes led team. When Alabama is making three-point shots they are one of the best teams in the country and they will enter having won 4 straight games with the last three coming by double-digits. Alabama is 22-9 ATS in their last 31 games following an ATS win in their previous game. Tennessee is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following an ATS win in their previous game.

4 Unit Play. Take #817 Wisconsin over Iowa (9p.m., Friday, March 12 BTN) Wisconsin took Iowa down to the wire on Sunday and led late in the second half. Now they get them on a neutral site with Wieskamp questionable for this game. Wisconsin played better than what the final score indicated yesterday and everyone, but Trice played well for Wisconsin which is a welcome sign. The underdog covered both meetings this year between Wisconsin and Iowa and they are 11-5 ATS (1 push) in the last 17 meetings.

4 Unit Play. Take #854 Florida State over North Carolina (8:30p.m., Friday, March 12 ESPN) The Tar Heels just have not shown consistency this season and they run in the ACC Tournament will end tonight. Florida State had a bad loss to North Carolina earlier this year losing despite leading up 17 points in that game. North Carolina is 6-15 ATS in their last 21 neutral site games when they are an underdog. The favorite is 7-3 ATS (1 push) in the last 11 games between North Carolina and Florida State.  

We think this is a great spot for the home team getting points tonight. The Sixers are a very average road team at 9-9 on the season. They are missing two of their top players tonight. The Wizards got off to a real slow start to the season and they lost confidence from a lot of bettors. But they have turned a corner and have been playing much better of late. They have won six of their last 10 despite a slip up last night. They normally play well in this series and have covered in five of the last six meetings. We had the Sixers laying a single point here so nice value tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #880 Niagara over Iona (6p.m., Friday, March 12 ESPNN) Still believe Iona is being overvalued because Rich Pitino is their coach. They had no business beating Siena on Wednesday but got lucky and now they are too big of a favorite. The underdog has covered the spread in 5 straight games between Niagara and Iona. The Purple Eagles are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog.

10 Unit Play. Take #813 Ohio State over Purdue (2p.m., Friday, March 12 BTN) Conference Tournament Game of the Year Ohio State is just a better all-around team that Purdue in 2021. The Buckeyes had a brutal schedule down the stretch but were able to right the ship yesterday against Minnesota. Purdue had a much easier schedule to close out the regular season and they have not played a team has strong as Ohio State since January 22. They have been feasting on bad teams of late and thus they have an inflated conference record. Ohio State is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 neutral site games. The favorite is 3-1 ATS (1 push) in the last 5 games between Ohio State and Purdue. The Boilers will need to shoot it well form the arc to cover this spread and I do not expect that to happen.

Both teams lost three straight entering the break. But the Clippers just had a bad string of games and they don’t have a lot to worry about for that losing streak. They should bounce back well here against a traditional rival. The Warriors are more of a team that is still trying to figure things out. After the All-Star Break we try to look for teams in their first game out that are very motivated, and we see the Clippers falling into that category tonight. When this team brings its A Game they can beat any team in the NBA by double digits.

5 Unit Play. Take #678 Wisconsin -5.5 over Penn State (9p.m., Thursday, March 11 BTN) Wisconsin is pissed off how their regular season ended on Sunday at Iowa and expect them to make some noise in the upcoming Big 10 Tournament. They split the season series with Penn State winning the last game by 16 points and I see them winning this game by double digits as well. The Lions struggled to put away Nebraska on Wednesday and will not be able to stay with Wisconsin in this game. Penn State is 1-4 ATS (3 pushes) in their last 8 neutral site games. Wisconsin is 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games played on Thursday.

The Knicks are an under machine this season at 23-14 on the year so far. This team has the No. 1 defense in the NBA and they bring it on that end of the court on a nightly basis. They are a true old-school defensive team as the offense leaves a lot to be desired and is one of the least productive in the league. This team regularly goes under the century mark on offense, which is very rare in today’s NBA. Luckily for us, the Knicks went on a bit of an over streak before the break. But they are rested and they have probably been looking forward to this game against one of the best teams in the East and this matchup will be a measuring stick to where they are at right now as a team. We expect them to lock down on the defensive end and for this to be a close game. Just don’t see the Knicks engaging in a shootout tonight. And there’s a good chance that after the break that these teams could start the game rusty on offense, especially New York. The under is 7-1 in the Knicks last eight road games.

3 Unit Play. Take #713 Oklahoma +3 over Kansas (6:30p.m., Thursday, March 11 ESPN2) Always hard to go against Kansas when they are playing in Kansas City, but the Jayhawks are without a couple of key players today and Oklahoma just has better talent now. The underdog is 9-4 ATS in the last 13 games between Oklahoma and Kansas. The Sooners are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games as an underdog.

4 Unit Play. Take #744 Boise State over Nevada (5:30p.m., Thursday, March 11 CBSSN) Nevada is a much different team at home compared to when playing outside of Reno. They are not good enough to beat this Boise State team 3 times and thus we will ride with the Broncos on Thursday afternoon. Boise State is on the NCAA Tournament bubble and this is a must win game for them to remain on it. The Broncos are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games following a loss in their previous game. Boise State has the edge at 4 of the 5 positions on the court and will emerge victorious on Thursday.

Free Play from Doc’s Sports. Take West Virginia over Oklahoma State (11:30a.m., Thursday, March 11 ESPN2) One of the more shocking results last weekend was Oklahoma State winning in Morgantown without Cade Cunningham. He is questionable for this game and the injury report is big for the Pokes in this game. Either way I do not see them beating West Virginia twice in less than a week. The Mountaineers played well down the stretch and look for that to continue in the postseason starting on Thursday. Do not miss out on Doc’s Sports weekend card featuring our Conference Tournament Game of the Year on Friday along with UFC, FCS, NBA, NHL and horse racing action.

Both of these teams can score. Only one can play defense, though, and that’s Memphis. And we believe that will be the difference in the game as we expect a rested Grizzlies team to make some stops down the stretch. Both teams are rested and that should help the defense instead of the offense, which could be out of rhythm early and rusty. Memphis is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings in this series. We think they are the better team at this point and expect the defense to step up and lead them to the win tonight.

10 Unit Play. Take #616 Siena over Iona (5p.m., Wednesday, March 10 ESPN+) The Saints are the No. 1 seed in the MAAC tournament this week in Atlantic City. They enter having won 4 of their last 5 games and should be able to take down the Rick Pitino led Gaels. The underdog is 13-3 ATS in the last 16 games between Iona and Siena. The Saints are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a loss in their previous game.

4 Unit Play. Take #819 Cal Poly over Cal State Fullerton (9p.m., Tuesday, March 9 ESPN3) The Mustangs are terrible, but they should be able to take this game down to the wire against the Titans tonight as the Big West play in games get underway tonight in Las Vegas. These teams did not play one another in the regular season and thus that should be an advantage for the Mustangs. Cal Poly has covered the spread in 5 of their last 6 games. Cal Fullerton is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games.

3 Unit Play. Take #824 Cleveland State over Oakland (7p.m., Tuesday, March 9 ESPN) The Vikings just find ways to win games despite being down in most of their games of late. They were the top seed in the Horizon League tournament and feel that they are the best team remaining. Tough task for Oakland to have to beat Wright State and Cleveland State in consecutive nights. Cleveland State is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 neutral site games.

10 Unit Play. Take #738 TCU over Texas (7p.m., Sunday, March 7 ESPN+) Texas does not have much to play for in this game and thus I do not believe they will be all that motivated to play a Sunday night game in Fort Worth. Texas got blown out last year in their regular season finale in a shocking upset and I believe that this game will do down to the wire as well. TCU likes to keep games in the sixties and if they do that today they should be able to cover the spread. This will be the Longhorns fourth straight road game and that will eventually catch up with them and cause a flat spot. The home team is 9-4 ATS in the last 13 meetings between Texas and TCU. Texas is 3-8 ATS (1 push) in their last 12 games. TCU is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight-up loss in their previous game.  

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

4 Unit Play. Take #733 Wisconsin over Iowa (12:30p.m., Sunday, March 7 FOX) I just believe that they spread has finally been over adjusted on Wisconsin. We have been fading Wisconsin with top play for quite some time now, but it is too high for this game. Wisconsin will try and keep the scoring low and thus it may be hard for Iowa to cover this big of a number. The road team is 8-3 ATS (1 push) in the last 12 games between Wisconsin and Iowa. The Badgers are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games played on Sunday.

10 Unit Play. Take #651 Duke over North Carolina (6p.m., Saturday, March 6 ESPN) Duke just needs this game in the worst way and it would not surprise me if they get it. North Carolina does not shoot it well form the arc and I just do not believe they are good enough to beat Duke twice this season. North Carolina has lost 2 of their last 3 games and both came against teams that will likely not make the NCAA Tournament come March. The underdog is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings between Duke and North Carolina. The Tar Heels are 3-13 ATS (1 push) in their last 17 home games against a team with a road winning percentage under .400.

4 Unit Play. Take #620 Utah over Arizona State (2p.m., Saturday, March 6 FS1) Arizona State has been one of the most disappointing teams in the country this season and I do not see things getting any better in the regular season finale against Utah. The Utes are always a tough out at home and they have beaten much better teams in Salt Lake City they what they will see today in ASU. The Sun Devils have talent but they just have not put it together this season.

3 Unit Play. Take #858 Nevada over Colorado State (9p.m., Friday, March 5 CBSSN) The Wolfpack lost a pair of games in Logan last weekend, but they are a much different team when playing at home. We have seen throughout the MWC that there is not much carryover from week to week. Colorado State has a chance to win the regular season title with a pair of wins today, but I just do not see them being able to accomplish that. Colorado is 7-19 ATS (1 push) in their last 27 games played on Friday. Nevada is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games.

3 Unit Play. Take #840 Wake Forest over Georgia Tech (8p.m., Friday, March 5 ACCN) Sooner or later Wake Forest will play to their potential and they are hitting Georgia Tech off a big win Tuesday against Duke. This is a must win game for Georgia Tech to remain on the correct side of the NCAA Tournament and I expect a letdown in this game. The Yellow Jackets will win this game but it will be much closer than what the experts believe.

4 Unit Play. Take #767 Southern Illinois over Bradley (6p.m., Thursday, March 4 ESPN+) Everyone is tired of Bradley representing the MVC in the NCAA tournament and they will be disposed of tonight in Arch Madness. Both teams had bad years; however, the Salukis gave the top seed Loyola Chicago all that they could handle in two games last week. Expect that to carryover into this game and they will win it by 6-8 points. The Braves are 3-12 ATS (1 push) in their last 16 games as an underdog.

The Blazers scored a blowout in their last game against Charlotte. That followed a losing streak against tough competition. This is a team we were high on to start the season, but they have dealt with a lot of injuries. But we think this is a very winnable game for them. They are 4-1 ATS in their last five games. They will be motivated because of the recent losing streak and they need to stay afloat in the playoff race until their soldiers are all back in the lineup.

The Hawks have not been good on the favorite role as they are 0-4 in their last four as a lined favorite. They failed to top the Century Mark in their last two games against Miami, and now they face another good defensive team in the Magic tonight. Orlando has lost four straight after a three-game winning streak. This team is not as bad as they have looked at times this season, and this is a very winnable game for them as their problem is scoring and the Hawks aren’t in very good form offensively right now and we think they are ripe for an upset here.

The Jazz have lost two of their last three and they aren’t in top form right now. Even the best teams in the NBA go through down turns, and Utah is not immune. Philly has won five of seven and they didn’t embarrass themselves in their two losses. We think this line is a bit of a public one and we had this game as a pickem, so we like the value here. Utah is 3-7 ATS in their last 10 meetings here in Philly and we don’t see them bringing their A Game as this road trip wears on.

4 Unit Play. Take #666 Syracuse over Clemson (5p.m., Wednesday, March 3 ACCN) We used Syracuse on Monday and will ride them again on Wednesday at home, this time against Clemson. The Orange are not currently an NCAA Tournament team and they need all the wins they can get now. The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games between Clemson and Syracuse. The Tigers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games.

It’s very rare we take the Lakers. We mostly look to fade them as they are often overvalued by the oddsmakers and bet blindly by public bettors. But this line tonight seems fair. The Lakers played well last two games in dominant wins. They have Schroeder back, and he is a big difference maker on this team. This squad went through a rough patch recently, and they want to keep this winning streak intact and they should be more focused. Seeding will be important in the West playoffs this season. The Lakers are 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings.

10 Unit Play. Take #644 Purdue over Wisconsin (9p.m., Tuesday, March 2 ESPN2) Sill not sure why Wisconsin is getting this much respect from the oddsmakers. Now they travel to West Lafayette, a place they have not had much success at for decades. Purdue has won 3 straight games and they have solidified their spot in the NCAA Tournament and now have a chance to improve their seed for the Big 10 conference tournament with two home wins. Wisconsin had a great chance to beat Illinois on Saturday without Ayo Dosunmu, but they came out flat. The final score of 74-69 and the shooting stats are very misleading, as they never led in that game and Trice scored 19 points in the final 2:30 of the game to make their 3-point shooting stats better than what they appeared to be. The favorite is 6-2 ATS (1 push) in the last 9 games between Wisconsin and Purdue. The home team is 5-1 ATS (1 push) in the last 7 games. Purdue is 9-3 ATS (1 push) in their last 13 games.

4 Unit Play. Take #636 Georgia Tech over Duke (8p.m., Tuesday, March 2 ACCN) Duke suffered a devastating loss on Saturday and home to Louisville. Now they might need to win both road games to close out the regular season to get back onto the NCAA bubble. Georgia Tech has won 4 straight games, and this is the game that they have had circled for quite some time. They should have beaten Duke in Durham early this season but fell apart in the last minute of that game. The favorite is 24-10 ATS in their last 34 meetings between Duke and Georgia Tech. Duke is 3-9 ATS in their last 12 road games.

The Clippers are coming off a loss to Milwaukee. They played well in that game but sputtered down the stretch. They did have a chance to win at the end but could not make the shots. But LA normally plays really well after a loss. The last time they lost before the Bucks, an embarrassing loss to Memphis last week, they came back the next night and dominated them. We think they will bring their A Game tonight, and Boston is a team that is just not playing well that almost lost to a Washington team that was in a very bad spot with severe lack of rest.

4 Unit Play. Take #840 Syracuse over North Carolina (7p.m., Monday, March 1 ESPN) Syracuse and their 2-3 zone is not a good matchup for North Carolina. The Tar Heels usually do not shoot it well from the arc and I believe that they will have to accomplish that in this game for them to win. North Carolina is coming off one of their best performances of the season on Saturday, but they have not been able to handle prosperity much this season. The home team is 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings between North Carolina and Syracuse. The Tar Heels are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a road favorite.

We are going against the Wizards here just because they have had a brutal schedule lately. They are on a back to back while the Celtics are rested. They are playing their third game in four nights. They are coming off a tough road trip where they had success. But they also had a brutal back-to-back last week on Monday and Tuesday with the Lakers and Clippers. They got blown out of the building by LAC on the second end of that back-to-back, and we could see the same thing happening here tonight. The Wizards are 3-12-1 in the last 16 meetings here in Boston. Maybe the Celtics turned the corner in this season as they gutted out a win last time vs. Indiana that could be a springboard for this team to start playing better consistently. We just don’t see the Wizards having much gas in the tank for this one, and the Celtics should be extra motivated as they are coming off a bad recent losing streak.

The Clippers always play well in this series and are 4-1-1 ATS in the last six meetings. We think they will be primed for a great performance today, especially after their blowout loss against the Grizzlies the other night. Even though they bounced back and got revenge the next night, that loss still had to sting. And there wouldn’t be any better remedy then a big win over one of the biggest powers in the East. We had the Clippers laying a couple points as we think they are the better all around team, and we expect them to win here on the road.

3 Unit Play. Take #796 Maryland over Michigan State (2p.m., Sunday, February 28 CBS) The Spartans are on the buttle after winning three straight games, but their good fortune is going to run out on Sunday. Michigan State got a good whistle on Thursday against Ohio State, but I do not see that being the case on Sunday. Maryland has some impressive wins on the season, and they have 3 winnable games to close out the season. The Spartans are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 road games. The Terrapins are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games played on Sunday.

10 Unit Play. Take #750 Kansas over Baylor (8p.m., Saturday, February 27 ESPN) The Bears were not impressive at all this week in the first game back after coming off a long covid pause. Kansas has been much better of late and should have beaten Texas on Tuesday in Austin. Just do not believe Baylor can run the table in the Big 12 and one of the next two games (or both) will trip them up. Iowa State is terrible, and they struggled to beat them in Waco, winning by just 5 points. The Jayhawks have won 5 of their last 6 games and I see them taking this game down to the wire with a great chance to win it. The underdog is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 games between Baylor and Kansas. Kansas is 5-0 ATS (1 push) in their last 6 games.

The Timberwolves are a dumpster fire right now and they haven’t covered in six straight games despite some very generous odds from the linesmakers. These teams both got off to a slow start. The Wizards are a developing team that took awhile to gel, but they seem to have gotten there and lately have been playing playoff-worthy basketball though they have a lot of ground to make up, But they have covered in six of their last seven games. They are coming off a road trip that included wins over the Lakers, Nuggets and Blazers. Impressive. We had this line handicapped at 8, so there is really great value here as the home team is being lined according to record and not recent form. Not to mention the Wizards are 11-4 ATS in the last 15 meetings in Washington and 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings overall.

4 Unit Play. Take #716 Duke over Louisville (6p.m., Saturday, February 27 ESPN) The Blue Devils continue to play home games and will enter this game looking for their fifth straight win. The Cardinals got back on track after getting bombed by North Carolina after a covid pause but Duke is a much better team now than Notre Dame is. Everyone wants Duke to make the NCAA Tournament this year and thus I feel they will continue to win games down the stretch. The home team is 5-2 ATS (1 push) in their last 8 games between Louisville and Duke. Louisville is 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games. Duke is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games.

4 Unit Play. Take #628 Wisconsin over Illinois (2p.m., Saturday, February 27 ESPN) If Wisconsin is ever going to make noise again this season it has to come in this game. They are catching Illinois at the perfect time, as this will be their third game in five days and they are without Ayo Dosunmu and his 21 points per game. Wisconsin has been lackluster but sooner or later they will play a complete game like they did earlier in this season. The line tells you how much Illinois will miss Dosunmu. The favorite is 20-7 ATS (1 push) in the last 28 games between Illinois and Wisconsin. The Badgers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 Saturday games.

4 Unit Play. Take #640 Arkansas over LSU (2p.m., Saturday, February 27 ESPN2) The Hogs are on a roll and we will continue to ride them with these low numbers. They have won 5 straight games and 8 of their last 9 games. They also have revenge in this game, as they already lost by 16 points to LSU earlier this season. The Tigers are coming off a bad loss to Georgia by 13 points last time out and things will be much tougher in this game. LSU is 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games. Arkansas is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games.

4 Unit Play. Take #606 Texas Tech over Texas (12p.m., Saturday, February 27 CBS) Texas Tech is the more desperate team in this game and they must win today in Lubbock to even up their conference record at 7-7. Texas is coming off a lucky win on Tuesday against Kansas in Austin and I question how much they have left in the tank for this game. The Red Raiders have lost 3 straight games with the last 2 coming on the road but they already have won in Austin earlier this season. Texas is 1-7 ATS (1 push) in their last 9 games.

The Blazers over the Lakers is always one of our favorite bets to make. LA is normally overrated by the oddsmakers. The Blazers consider the Lakers one of their main rivals but the feeling is not mutual. But Portland brings their A Game almost every time these teams play. And they have covered more often than not in this series for years. They are 22-8 ATS in the last 30 meetings. Portland is 6-1 ATS in their last seven games as an underdog, and the Lakers just aren’t playing well right now. We expect a very close game here and either team could win this one.

3 Unit Play. Take #880 Utah State over Nevada (9p.m., Friday, February 26 FS1) Utah State is a strong team at home, especially being one of the few venues that allows fans into the game. Nevada has been on pause for close to 3 weeks and we have seen many teams (besides Michigan) struggle in their first game back. The Aggies has a rough series against Boise State but they will get back on track tonight. They are better inside the paint and unless Nevada goes crazy from the 3-point line they will lose by double digits. The favorite is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 games between Nevada and Utah State. The Aggies are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games as a favorite.

We like to go with a good team that was embarrassed in their last game. We also like to go with the losing team when teams go against each other back-to-back this season. We have both scenarios tonight as these teams rematch from last night, where Memphis scored a near 30-point win. This Clippers team sometimes plays a bad game. This is the team that has looked like one of the best in the NBA many nights but yet lost to the Mavs earlier in the season by almost 50. It’s just one game. And the Clippers have shown the ability to bounce back after a bad game. This team has great depth and they are normally competitive when their stars are out or resting. The Grizzlies don’t have the same kind of depth. There are no indications that the Clippers won’t suit up their A Team tonight, and they should bring their A Game. The Clippers have been great in back-to-backs and are 5-0 ATS in their last five games playing on zero rest. Great chance for a dominating effort by the road team tonight.

The Wizards are playing real well lately. They are coming off a blowout loss to the Clippers. But LA is the second best team in the NBA right now and they were on a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights and they were competitive to a point then just ran out of gas. But they are rested with Wednesday off and we think they will get back to the stellar basketball they have been playing, winning five of their last six, with some impressive wins on that resume. It has taken some time for this team to come together, but they are playing to their potential lately and we see them being competitive here in this road matchup as well.

4 Unit Play. Take #766 Michigan State over Ohio State (9p.m., Thursday, February 25 ESPN) Michigan State is making a late run like always and should make the NCAA Tournament come March. Ohio State has some injury issues and Kyle Young will not play in this game because of a concussion. The Spartans have won 2 in a row including a dominating victory against Illinois last time out. The home team is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 games between Ohio State and Michigan State. The Spartans are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog.

The Magic have been trending to the under with four of their last five games going under the posted total. This team is strong defensively but poor offensively. We think they can slow down the Nets explosive offense a bit, and that’s the only way they can be competitive here as they are very unlikely to match Brooklyn on the offensive end. This team finishes under the century mark on offense in way too many games. The Nets have had some big games recently and we don’t think this matchup will move the needle for them to bring their A Game. Orlando is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings, and we think their defense keeps it close enough to be competitive.

4 Unit Play. Take #698 Providence over Xavier (9p.m., Wednesday, February 24 FS1) Just feel Providence is the more talented team and playing at home should allow them to emerge victorious. They have had a disappointing season, but they still have talent led by David Duke and Nate Watson. The underdog is 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings between Xavier and Providence. The Friars are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games against teams with a winning road record. Arkansas is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite.

4 Unit Play. Take #704 Arkansas over Alabama (9p.m., Wednesday, February 24 ESPN2) Two of the top teams in the SEC are set to do battle tonight in Fayetteville. The Hogs are rested for this game and will enter having won 4 straight games. Alabama has been beating up on bad SEC teams of late and thus I feel their record is not as good as it suggests. They shoot a lot of three pointers and if Arkansas can defend the arc, they should be able to win this game.

The Wizards are off their big OT win over the Lakers last night but this team can’t afford to take the night off as their bad start to the season has put them in a precarious position where they need to stack wins in order to get back in the playoff race. This team has won five straight and they are playing with the confidence that was lacking early in the season, and we think they will bring some solid energy despite their long game last night. This line looks about three points too high as we think the Wizards stay within double digits.

5 Unit Play. Take #643 Kansas over Texas (9p.m., Tuesday, February 23 ESPN) Shocking to nobody, Texas is once again falling down the stretch, losing 4 of their last 6 games. Kansas has been the opposite having won 5 straight games and they continue to move up the rankings. Kansas is starting to figure out their rotations and will be a tough out come March in both the conference and NCAA Tournament. The road team is 12-2 ATS in the last 14 meetings between Kansas and Texas. Kansas is 15-7 ATS in their last 22 road games. Texas is 19-40 ATS in their last 59 games as a favorite.

We are starting to see some more consistent play from the Celtics. Both of these teams had slow starts to the season, but we think all things being equal that Boston is the much better team. Dallas hasn’t been good in the underdog role and have failed to cover in their last four games when a lined dog. We just feel like this will be a close game throughout but the better team will pull away in the fourth.

We feel like the oddsmakers are begging bettors to take the Nets here and this line just seems fishy. But there are some reasons to like the Kings here. This team has not been playing well and they are in desperate need of a win. A win here would right the ship for now. Brooklyn is off a long road trip and in that traditional first game back home where sometimes players are distracted by family or personal matters. The Nets are coming off massive games (both wins) over the Lakers and Clippers, so it’s hard to get hyped up for a game of this caliber.

Orlando is finally playing up to their potential as they have won three straight and four of five. These teams met last time out and the Magic got a very comfortable win. They were never really challenged and it was a very steady performance. We normally like to back the losing team in situations like this, but we are not big fans of this Detroit team and we liked what we saw from Orlando in the first matchup and think they match up well again tonight.

The Wizards are playing well right now. They are 4-0 ATS in their last four games. They won all those games SU, including matchups against Denver, Portland and Boston. No pushovers there. This is probably a game they have been looking forward to as almost all teams have their visit to the defending champs circled. The Lakers haven’t been playing up to oddsmaker expectations as they are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games. They aren’t in top form with losses in three of their last four. We think the Wizards come to play tonight and expect a close game.

Just think this is too many points. We had this game handicapped at 3.5, so we think there is real nice value here in what looks like a close game to us. Portland is one of the most underrated teams in the NBA right now as they have been a covering machine lately. They have been especially good as an underdog, where they have cashed five straight ATS. For some reason they play better on the road this season where they have a 10-5 record that is identical to the Suns home record. Just no reason for a spread this big as either team can win this game.

4 Unit Play. Take #858 Duke over Syracuse (7p.m., Monday, February 22 ESPN) The Blue Devils having been playing better of late and are getting closer to the NCAA Tournament bubble, but they must continue to win game. They are coming off their best win of the season against Virginia on Saturday and now should have an easier time with Syracuse on Monday. The Orange are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games. Syracuse will need to make shots from the arc in order to stay in this game and they just have not done that on a consistent basis. Duke pulls away late to win by 7-9 points.

Orlando is trending upwards in our opinion. This team has dealt with a lot of injuries and their offense has suffered but this team is a lot better than Detroit. They are playing well lately as they have won three of four and they have covered in four of their last five. This is another very winnable game for them, and the line is short tonight. Both teams are poor offensively but the Magic have a pretty good defense, and that and home court will make the difference tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #825 Wisconsin over Northwestern (7p.m., Sunday, February 21 BTN) Wisconsin should be able to get back against Northwestern, a team that has lost 12 straight games. The Badgers beat the Wildcats by 16 points earlier this season and that is how I see this game going as well. Northwestern does not have the athletic ability to hurt this Wisconsin team like some other in the league do. The favorite is 3-0 ATS (1 push) in the last 4 meetings. Northwestern is 2-8 ATS (1 push) in their last 11 games as a favorite.

The Blazers are quietly playing out of their minds lately as they have won and covered in eight of their last nine games. We think this line is short once again on Saturday. This team had a lot of promise to start the season but they had a mediocre start as they dealt with injuries. But this team is learning how to play together and the results have shown on the court. The Wizards have won three in a row, but we’re not sure if this team is just hot or decent. They have been underwhelming this season and the Westbrook addition doesn’t seem to be working out. We think Portland will cool them off tonight.

After a four-game winning streak that included wins over the Clippers and Denver, the Kings have lost five straight. But they have had a very tough schedule. We think they will stop the bleeding tonight in a very winnable game. Chicago is in tough here on a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights. They played a much bigger game against a conference rival last night in a loss to Philly and they probably won’t come with the same energy tonight.

We like to back a good team after an embarrassing loss. While the Lakers last game wasn’t embarrassing for most teams, losing to the Nets by 11, the Lakers aren’t used to losing big and they will want to bounce back here, especially against LeBron’s old team. He has a lot of pride and always seems to step it up a level when he has to. We don’t take the Lakers often as they normally don’t have betting value as a public team. But the oddsmakers have overcompensated for the loss of Davis and we think the Lakers will roll here to a comfortable win.

4 Unit Play. Take #741 Virginia over Duke (8p.m., Saturday, February 20 ESPN) Virginia is coming off their worst performance of the season on Monday against Florida State. But Duke is not Florida State and the Blue Devils will not have any home court advantage tonight at Cameron. People think Duke turned the corner after Jalen Johnson left the team but that is fools gold, as that two-game winning streak has come against Wake Forest and a depleted NC State team. Virginia is still on track to win the ACC regular season championship and this line has been creeping back towards Virginia all morning long. Virginia is 31-14 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 47 road games. Duke is 2-8 ATS in their last 10 home games.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

4 Unit Play. Take #714 North Carolina over Louisville (6p.m., Saturday, February 20 ESPN) The Cardinals are coming back from yet another pause and I just do not see how they will be able to hang with UHC at Chapel Hill. Louisville got pounded by Wisconsin coming back from their first pause and I see things going the same tonight. The Cardinals have played a very weak conference schedule, but they finish with a tough slate and it would not surprise me if they win just 1 of their remaining 5 games. The Tar Heels got to play a game this week against Northeastern and should be better tonight than they were in that game. Louisville is 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games. The favorite is 8-1 ATS in the last 9 games between Louisville and UNC.

10 Unit Play. Take #658 Minnesota over Illinois (3:30p.m., Saturday, February 20 FOX) Top College Basketball Play of the Day The Gophers are just a different team when playing at the Barn. They are 13-1 at home this season and also have revenge on their minds after getting blown out by Illinois earlier this season. The Illini have won 6 straight games but 4 of those wins have gone right down to the wire and this game should be no different. The home team is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings between Illinois and Minnesota. Minnesota is 4-0 ATS (1 push) in their last 5 games as a home underdog.

4 Unit Play. Take #605 Georgia Tech over Miami (12p.m., Saturday, February 20 ACCNX) No bet is a bad bet against Miami this year. Chris Lykes has been out forever, and they just are not that talented of a team. Georgia Tech is a veteran team, and they are better than their 10-8, 6-6 conference record would indicate. The Hurricanes are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games.

4 Unit Play. Take #894 Boise State over Utah State (10p.m., Friday, February 19 FS1) It seems that they are been a lot of sweeps in these two games series that the MWC has decided to play this year and tonight should be no different. This is a must win game for Boise State if they have visions of winning the regular season championship with two games against San Diego State on deck. Utah State has played most of the tough teams at home this season and thus I do not believe their 113- record is as good as it looks. The Broncos are 19-7 ATS (1 push) in their last 27 home games.

OKC is 9-5 ATS as a dog of 7.5 or more points. We think they are in a good spot to be competitive tonight. They had the night off while the Bucks will be playing a back-to-back and their third game in four nights. And they just finished a series against the Raptors, one of their main rivals. So it’s kind of a comedown to them face a Thunder team from the Western Conference. The Thunder have been getting up for big opponents on the road like when they hung with the Lakers tough. We think this will be another close game.

Cleveland started off the season playing well, but to say the wheels have fallen off would be an understatement. This team is 0-7 ATS in their last seven against winning teams. They are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games. They are 1-10 in their last 11 games as an underdog, and this is despite some very generous lines from the oddsmakers. Denver is coming off a couple losses and this will be an easy get right game for them and we doubt they overlook this opponent.

4 Unit Play. Take #786 Oregon over Colorado (11p.m., Thursday, February 18 ESPN2) Oregon is once again making a late season surge and they now have their sights set on a PAC-12 Regular Season Championship. The Ducks have won 3 straight games including a sweep of the Arizona schools last week in the desert. The Buffaloes are coming off a terrible loss to Cal last time out and that basically wiped them out of the regular season championship. They are not the same team on the road and expect them to lose this game by close to double-digits. The home team is 14-2 ATS in the last 16 meetings between Colorado and Oregon. The Buffaloes are 17-43 ATS in their last 60 road games.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

10 Unit Play. Take #739 Iowa over Wisconsin (7p.m., Thursday, February 18 ESPN) Wisconsin is a poor man’s version of Iowa and nowhere near as talented on the offensive side of the floor. Wisconsin is really struggling to score points and I feel sooner, or later Iowa will get on a roll and pull away late in this game. Iowa has rebounded nicely with two straight wins and want to remain in the top four to receive a double bye for the upcoming Big 10 Tournament next month. The Badgers just do not fare well against the top teams in the league and tonight should be no different. The road team is 7-3 ATS (1 push) in the last 11 games between Iowa and Wisconsin. The Badgers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600.

5 Unit Play. Take #712 Boise State over Utah State (9p.m., Wednesday, February 17 CBSSN) Two of the top teams are set to do battle tonight at ExtraMile Arena in Boise, ID. Utah State has not played since 2/4 and expect them to be a little rusty tonight. Boise State has a chance to overtook Utah State in the standings if they can sweep this series. The Aggies have played a favorable home schedule thus far and I do not believe they are as strong as their record would suggest. The Broncos are 18-7 ATS (1 push) in their last 26 home games.

The Rockets haven’t covered in six games. This team is dealing with a bunch of injuries, and they don’t have any firepower tonight. The Sixers are coming off a game where they were beaten pretty good by the Jazz, and we think they will come out with their A Game here tonight. This one looks like a blowout. The Rockets have failed to cover in all but one game in the last eight meetings. We see Houston getting a real low team point total in this game, and we think this should be a very easy win for the home team.

If you follow our picks, you know we love to bet against the Lakers and rarely take them. But we think there is some value tonight. LA is coming off a bad loss to the Nuggets, one of their worst games of the year. They don’t want a repeat performance. A loss here would be bad as the Wolves are one of the worst teams in the West. LeBron will likely play here even though Davis is out for the foreseeable future. But this team has a lot more depth this season, and we think they will play a great team game tonight against an overmatched opponent.

The Grizzlies are trending upwards and they are the better team here. We had this line handicapped at 3, so we think there is some nice value here. The Grizzlies have won two of their last three, both by blowouts, and they hung tough with the Lakers too. This is coming off a long losing streak. This team is better than that, though, and we think we will start to see some more positive results, and there’s no reason they shouldn’t win this one tonight against an inferior team.

Boston has been a disappointment so far this season. But this team will turn things around at some point, and tonight could be that night as a win here could be a springboard to better results as this team is getting healthy. They are coming off two bad losses, to Detroit and Washington, so they will be very focused on this one, because of the losing streak and the strength of opponent. Boston usually gets up for the big games. Denver is coming off their big blowout win over the Lakers, and we think this could be a letdown spot.

4 Unit Play. Take #631 Nebraska over Maryland (7p.m., Tuesday, February 16 BTN) We nailed Maryland for our Big 10 Game of the Year on Sunday but do not expect a blowout tonight against a team coming off their first conference win on Sunday. Do not believe Maryland can shoot it as well as they did on Sunday and expect this game to be played in the single digits. The underdog and road team are 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings between Nebraska and Maryland.

The Clippers will likely be without the services of their Big Two tonight, definitely Paul George and likely Kawhi. But we like the depth on this team and they will play well tonight here at home. This team won’t fall apart without their main players, and the Heat are 4-8 on the road this season, so it’s not like they are a huge threat to win this game. LAC is 4-0 ATS in their last four back to backs and this team seems to take almost every game seriously this season so we think they will come to play tonight.