Sports Picks & Predictions

Boston matches up well here. They have covered in four straight meetings and in seven of the last eight. This line looks a little fishy as you would expect the Sixers to be favored by more points tonight and we think the sportsbooks are trying to get the public to load up on the home team here. But Boston has a strong history in this series and we think they will want to win this game coming off a loss last time out.

4 Unit Play. Take #689 Loyola Chicago over Creighton (9p.m., Tuesday, March 19 ESPNU) This is a lot of points to be giving for a team that is somewhat disappointed to be here. With a total in the mid 130s we will grab the points in this game. If the Ramblers can control the pace of this game they should be able to take it down to the wire. The Bluejays are 6-14 ATS in their last 20 games following an ATS loss in their previous game.

Philly has won all three meetings this season, but two have gone to overtime and one was decided by two points. In fact, all three Philly wins were by a combined six points for all three games. Charlotte matches up well here, and they will not want to get swept in the season series. The Hornets are 2.5 games out of a playoff spot, so this game is a must-win tonight, and we think this team will be focused on the task at hand. And Embiid is out of the lineup for the Sixers. This game is sandwiched between games against Milwaukee and Boston for the Sixers, and there’s no doubt they care more about those matchups than they do this one. Philly has been just average on the road this season, while the Hornets are very strong at home.

4 Unit Play. Take #673 Hofstra over NC State (7p.m., Tuesday, March 19 ESPN2) The Wolfpack feel that they got snubbed and are not that excited about playing in this game. The Pride are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 nonconference games. NC State is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS loss in their previous game.

4 Unit Play. Take Fairleigh Dickinson over Prairie View A&M (6:40p.m., Tuesday, March 19 TRUTV) Both teams have been covering machines of late, but we will side with the favorite. The line keeps moving their way despite 52% of the money coming in on the underdog. The Knights are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games. The Panthers are 0-4 ATS (1 push) in their last 5 nonconference games.

Golden State is one of the three worst ATS teams in the NBA this season. And they keep getting the benefit of the doubt of the oddsmakers. Every now and then they flex their collective muscle and play a playoff-type game, but mostly they are just going through the motions waiting for the playoffs while they get their best effort from opponents on a nightly basis. The Spurs have won eight straight and we think there’s a good chance they will keep that winni9ng streak going tonight.

Almost every game from here on out is a must win for Washington if they want to make the postseason. This team played pretty well at home, while the Jazz are just average on the road. Washington has covered in seven of their last eight games and they are playing well above their handicap from the oddsmakers lately. We expect a close game here and think the home team will put their best foot forward.

This is a bad spot for the Pistons and an inflated number also. They are coming in on a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights. They also had one of their biggest games – and wins – of the season on Sunday with a home win over Toronto. They probably won’t be able to emotionally get up for this game like that one. And this is the start of a five-game road trip for the Pistons, and we just think they will get out of the gate slow here. Cleveland has won their last two home games. Going to sprinkle a little on the moneyline here as well.

We just think that when push comes to shove that the Bucks are a much stronger and deeper team than are the Sixers, and we think that if both teams flex their muscles on national tv here that the Bucks will come on top with a comfortable win. Milwaukee has covered in three of the last four meetings and in five of the last seven, and we think they will match up well again here today. Nice line value here, in our opinion.

4 Unit Play. Take #647 Saint Louis over St Bonaventure (1p.m., Sunday, March 17 CBS) This is a winner take all game with the A-10 Champion going to the NCAA Tournament. The Billikens are starting to peak at the right time and should be able to win this game on Sunday. Saint Louisa is 24-7 ATS (1 push) in their last 32 games played on Sunday.

We like this price for the underdog tonight for what we think is the better team. The Blazers have a shot to win this one outright. They were off on Friday and have played a light schedule lately while the Spurs enter on a back-to-back. The Spurs are 3-8 straight up in the second half of back-to-backs. The home team has been dominant in this series lately, but we think the Blazers flip the script tonight and we think they have a chance for the outright win.

4 Unit Play. Take #636 Old Dominion +2 over Western Kentucky (8:30p.m., Saturday, March 16 CBSSN) The Monarchs are the clear-cut best team in the league this year and should be able to finish it off in the conference tournament tonight in Frisco, TX. ODU has already beaten WKU twice this season and they need to win this game as well to make the NCAA Tournament. The line has been over adjusted and expect them to take care of business tonight in Frisco.

4 Unit Play. Take #626 Kansas -1.5 over Iowa State (6p.m., Saturday, March 16 ESPN) The Jayhawks may have more to play for in this game, as a win may get them into the Midwest Region and games in Kansas City. Iowa State was in a terrible slump to close out the regular season losing three straight games. They got to play Kansas State without Dean Wade but Kansas has been playing with this same team for the last couple of weeks.

4 Unit Play. Take #612 Kentucky -1.5 over Tennessee (3:30p.m., Saturday, March 16 ESPN) Kentucky will be able to knock off Tennessee for the second time in three tries this season. Getting Reid Travis back is big and should help them inside against this veteran Tennessee team. The Vols have not been the same team on the road as they are when playing in Knoxville. Kentucky is 32-15 ATS (4 pushes) in their last 51 neutral site games.

7 Unit Play. Take #605 Wisconsin +6 over Michigan State (1p.m., Saturday, March 16 CBS) Conference Tournament Game of the Year. Wisconsin should be able to keep this game low scoring and take it down to the wire. Wisconsin has won 4 straight games and played Michigan State tough in the only meeting this season. Michigan State still has an eye on getting the job done in the NCAA Tournament and does not care as much about winning this conference tournament and likely playing Michigan again on Sunday. Michigan State is 2-7 ATS in their last 9 neutral site games. The Underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings. Expect this to a 3-point game either way and we will collect with whoever comes out on top.

4 Unit Play. Take #841 Duke over North Carolina (9:30 p.m., Friday, March 15 ESPN) Just do not believe North Carolina can beat this Duke team three times in one season. Zion looked good last night after a long layoff and if Duke can make anything from the 3 point line they should win this game by 6-8 points. North Carolina is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 neutral site games.

The Spurs are 2-10 ATS when laying more than seven points this season. In the past you could trust this Spurs team to run up the score on clubs and they would try to give opponents the dagger when up big late. But this just isn’t the same team this year, and this team doesn’t have the same killer instinct. We think this line is a few points too high and we think the Spurs will do just enough to get the job done but we don’t expect them to win in a blowout.

This game is much more important for the Heat than it is for the Bucks. The Heat hold a 1.5-game lead for the final playoff spot in the east. They have won and covered in six of the last seven meetings between these clubs. This is the last game of a three-game road trip for the Bucks and they have Philly on deck at home on Sunday, and we think this may be a letdown spot for them Friday night.

This is a letdown spot for the Rockets after their big game against Golden State last time out. This line looks inflated by a couple points to us. The Suns are playing some of their best basketball of the season right now and this looks like a team that wants to enter the offseason with some momentum as opposed to some tanking teams out there. They have covered six of their last eight games overall, including an outright win over Golden State.

This is just too many points for the Pistons to be laying tonight. This team has gotten blown out the last two games, and they scored only 74 and 75 points in those contests. They failed to cover those games by almost 60 points! They are just not in good form right now. This is probably a good spot for them to bounce back, but we don’t see them winning by double digits. The Lakers are 4-1 ATS when getting nine or more points this season.

Charlotte hasn’t been playing well lately, but we think this is a very winnable game for them. Despite their similar records, we think the Hornets are the better team in this matchup. They are the more likely team to make the playoffs if either of these teams were to make it, and we think this is a must-win game for them in order to push themselves closer to that goal. They have won the last two matchups, and we think they match up well here.

4 Unit Play. Take #836 Buffalo over Central Michigan (6:30p.m., Friday, March 15 CBSSN) The Bulls are far and away the best team in the league and should have no problem taking care of business tonight in Cleveland. Buffalo is 19-6 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 27 neutral site games. The favorite is 5-1 ATS (1 push) in the last 7 meetings between Central Michigan and Buffalo.

The Mavs are flailing as the season wears on. At the trade deadline they made a bunch of moves with an eye towards the future, and they pretty much took a flier on this season. They have lost six straight and 11 of 12 entering this contest. Not only that, but their plane into Denver was delayed because of weather problems. And star rookie Doncic is dealing with an injured knee that he has been playing through and Mavs Coach Carlisle admits he has been playing the rookie too many minutes. We think there is a good chance he plays very limited minutes here in this one. Denver played great last time out in their big win over the Wolves, and we think that positive momentum will carry over here. Plus, Denver goes for the season sweep tonight, and the first two games were both decided by double digits. Bad matchup for Dallas here.

6 Unit Play. Take #728 Kansas over Texas (9:30p.m., Thursday, March 14 ESPN2) The Jayhawks are banged up but this game is in Kansas City and I still trust Bill Self much more than I do Shaka Smart. Texas beat Kanas in the last meeting but the Jayhawks are a much better team when playing in the state of Kansas. They will have a huge edge in home crowd and Texas is just not that good. We will lay the short number with Kansas and expect them to win by 6-8 points.

4 Unit Play. Take #686 Marquette over St Johns (7p.m., Thursday, March 14 FS1) Just do not believe St Johns can beat Marquette three times in one season. The Golden Eagles have been struggling down the stretch and lost out on a regular season title they had in their hands. Despite winning last night, St Johns has still lost 3 of their last 4 games and all three of those losses have come against teams that are .500 or below in the Big East. We have seen through the early days in this tournament that chalk and teams with byes have been holding up and expect that to happen once again in this game.

4 Unit Play. Take #756 San Diego State over UNLV (5:30p.m., Thursday, March 14 CBSSN) UNLV has had little success in this tournament despite hosting in on their own floor. San Diego State has already beaten them in Las Vegas this season and will beat them for a third time today. The Aztecs must win this tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament and expect them to advance to play Nevada tomorrow night.

4 Unit Play. Take #713 Indiana over Ohio State (12:30p.m., Thursday, March 14 BTN) Both teams need this win, but I just believe Indiana is playing better at the moment. Ohio State will get a boast with Kaleb Wesson back in the line-up, but they will enter this game having lost 3 straight games. The Hoosiers have won 4 straight games including a pair of blowouts in their last two games. They are getting better and healthy each game and will advance to the quarterfinals of the Big 10 Tournament. This line is short and we will grab it in a big way.

The Suns have been playing well lately and are coming off the biggest win of the season and probably the biggest win for the franchise in the last few years when they beat Golden State in the Bay Area on Sunday. The Warriors don’t care much about the regular season and they didn’t give full effort in that game. But we think Utah will give full effort tonight. They have lost three of their last four and are in desperate need of a win and some positive momentum. This is just the team to get a big win against. Utah has won the last five meetings all by double digits. The Suns are one of the worst ATS teams in the league, and this is a letdown spot for them after the big win at Golden State. This looks very much like a double-digit win by the road team to us.

4 Unit Play. Take #658 Texas A&M over Vanderbilt (9:30p.m., Thursday, March 13 SECN) This is a low number for a team that did not win a game this season during SEC play. Texas A&M won 6 games in SEC play compared Vanderbilt that went 0-18. Vanderbilt is 3-13 ATS in their last 16 neutral site games. The favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.

4 Unit Play. Take #654 St Johns over DePaul (9:30p.m., Thursday, March 13 FS1) The Red Storm must win this game and I finally believe that can put together a complete 40 minute game. The Blue Demons have always been a bottom feeder team in the Big East and you just cannot count on them to win games consistently in the tournament. DePaul is 6-20 ATS in their last 26 neutral site games.

4 Unit Play. Take #648 Rutgers over Nebraska (6:30p.m., Wednesday, March 13 BTN) Tim Miles days are numbered as head coach at Nebraska. This should have been an NCAA Tournament team but they fell apart once Isaac Copeland went down and will likely be one and done in this tournament. Nebraska was dominated by Iowa for most of their last game before Iowa choked but I do not see them carry that momentum into this game. Nebraska is 3-11 ATS in their last 14 games. Rutgers is 6-1 ATS (1 push) in their last 8 games.

Portland has covered six of the last eight meetings between these clubs. The Clippers have been playing very well lately, but they are in a tough spot tonight coming in on a back-to-back and after playing Doc Rivers old team in the Celtics last night. This is a tough task facing a Portland team that has had two nights off. After a big winning streak the Blazers have lost two of three, and they should enter this game angry and fired up against a fatigued team.

4 Unit Play. Take #606 Boston College over Pittsburgh (7p.m., Tuesday, March 12 ESPNU) The Panthers finished at the bottom of the standings in the ACC and we will wade them again on Tuesday. Boston College won the only meeting with Pittsburgh this season by 9 points and they should be able to win this game by 4-6 points. Boston College is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games.

4 Unit Play. Take #601 Wake Forest over Miami (12p.m., Tuesday, March 12 ESPN2) Miami is not good enough to be laying this many points against any ACC team. Wake Forest played pretty well for most of their last game against Florida State being falling apart in the end. I believe that they can hang with Florida State for all 40 minutes. Wake Forest is 4-1 ATS (1 push) in their last 6 games against Miami.

We thought the Celtics would turn the corner at some point and start playing better. They have, and they come into this one having won all three games on the current road trip, including that big win over the Warriors. We think the positive momentum will continue here against a Clippers team that will be overmatched out on the court. The Clippers have won four straight, but the only impressive win was against OKC, and they were on a tough back-to-back. We had this line handicapped at 5.5, so we think there is nice value here tonight.

The Jazz slipped up last time out in a poor performance in Memphis, and they have had two days off since to get back into a good state of mind as a team and we think they will be ready tonight. Utah has to remember when these teams met late last month in OKC and the Jazz lost by a point in OT. Revenge is an overrated handicapping aspect for NBA, but it does come into play when teams have recently met. And we think home cooking will get the Jazz over the hump tonight.

Detroit has won three of four in this series, and the one they didn’t win was last time out, and that was only a one-point loss in OT. Detroit is playing very well lately. They have won eight of nine and covered in seven of their last eight. Brooklyn has been playing well, but they haven’t been covering as the oddsmakers have overvalued this team, and they are 1-5 ATS in their last six. The Pistons have been more reliable lately, and we had this game handicapped as a pickem.

6 Unit Play. Take #782 Eastern Michigan over Ball State (7p.m., Monday, March 11 ESPN+) The Eagles look to sweep the Cardinals three straight times this season. They finished 3 games ahead of the Cardinals in the MAC Standing and playing this game at home should allow them to advance to Cleveland later this week. Ball State is 8-26 ATS in their last 34 MAC games. Eastern Michigan is 18-7 ATS in their last 25 MAC games. The favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

7 Unit Play. Take #843 Wisconsin over Ohio State (4:30p.m., Sunday, March 9 CBS) Due to the Saturday results in the Big 10, Wisconsin now must win this game in order to secure a double bye next week in the Big 10 Tournament. Ohio State has been leaking oil over the last few weeks and will enter this game having lost 5 of their last 7 games. Through in the fact that Kaleb Wesson is out for this game and they will have trouble defending Wisconsin in the paint. The Buckeyes will get a boast from senior day, but that will not be enough to allow them to win this game. The favorite is 11-4 ATS in the last 15 meetings. Ohio State is 5-13 ATS in their last 18 games. Wisconsin is 13-5 ATS (1 push) in their last 19 road games.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The Blazers have had a very tough schedule lately. They had a massive road trip and then returned home to play OKC to OT in a loss on Thursday. They have lost two straight heading into this game, so there will be no letdown situation tonight. The Suns have actually won three straight. They got a surprise win over the Bucks, but the other two wins were over trash teams. And the Suns are one of the worst ATS teams in the league this season despite getting very generous lines from the oddsmakers. We think this one will be a blowout tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #649 Michigan +3.5 over Michigan State (8p.m., Saturday, March 9 ESPN) A conference title in on the line tonight when Michigan heads to East Lansing to take on the Spartans. Michigan State is really injured, and this is a game Michigan can get. Not sure if the Spartans are good enough to beat the Wolverines twice in one season. Michigan is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games at Michigan State.

4 Unit Play. Take #697 Duke over North Carolina (6p.m., Saturday, March 9 ESPN) Just do not believe North Carolina can beat this Duke team twice in one season. They are not favored and have a chance for a No. 1 seed in both the conference tournament and NCAA Tournament. Duke almost lost to Wake Forest at home this week but expect a much better effort on Saturday. We will take the points in this game. 

4 Unit Play. Take #608 Xavier over St Johns (5p.m., Saturday, March 9 FOX) Just do not have any confidence in St Johns at the moment. The Red Storm have lost 3 of their last 4 games including an 11 point home loss to Xavier. The Musketeers have creep back onto the bubble and this is a must win game for them to keep those hopes alive. They will enter this game having won 5 of their last 6 games have 3 of those wins have come on the road. Xavier is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games.

4 Unit Play. Take #654 Arizona over Arizona State (4p.m., Saturday, March 9 CBS) The Wildcats have had a miserable year but beating ASU on Senior Day and knocking them off of the bubble would have a great way to close out the regular season. Arizona is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games against ASU in Tucson. ASU is 6-13 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 12 road games.

4 Unit Play. Take #656 Colorado State -2.5 over UNLV (4p.m., Saturday, March 9 ESPN3)

4 Unit Play. Take #611 Villanova over Seton Hall (12p.m., Saturday, March 9 FOX) Despite having a down year Villanova has a chance to win the Big East Regular Season Title. Seton Hall is 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games. Villanova is 35-17 ATS in their last 52 road games.

The Thunder had a much more important game last night, in Portland, and they prevailed in overtime. So not only are they on a tough back-to-back here, but they played an extra five minutes of hard basketball. The win last night was good, but this team hasn’t been playing well overall. The Clippers are underrated and one of the best ATS teams in the NBA this season, and they seem to be making a playoff push despite selling off some pieces at the trade deadline.

Chicago has covered in six of their last nine overall, and they are playing hard almost every night lately. The Pistons have been covering a lot as well, but it didn’t take long for this team to get overvalued, and this spread definitely looks out of whack for Friday. Detroit has covered in only one of their last five visits to Chicago, so they don’t play well here. We expect a competitive game here on Friday night.

3 Unit Play. Take #880 Missouri State over Bradley (3:35p.m., Friday, March 8 FSMW) The Braves are not the same team on the road or in neutral sites as they are when playing at home. Missouri State beat Bradley twice this season already and expect them to complete the trifecta on Friday in St Louis. The Bears are 9-4 ATS (1 push) in their last 14 games against the Braves.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The under has cashed in four of the last five meetings, and this is the highest total these teams have faced during that stretch. This game is on TNT, of course, and we are getting down to the playoff stretch drive of the regular season. We think this game will have a playoff atmosphere, and there will be a more intense level of defense and it won’t be a free-flowing offensive game. We think this total is about 5-6 points too high, and we also expect the Blazers to win this one comfortably as they are in better current form than the Thunder.

6 Unit Play. Take #625 Santa Barbara over Northridge (10p.m., Thursday, March 7) The Matadors are coming off a trip to Hawaii over the weekend and that may affect their performance in this game. The Gauchos won the first meeting by 6 points and that is how I see this one going as well. Santa Barbara is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games at Northridge.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The Pacers haven’t been more than an eight-point underdog all season, and we just think this is too many points for the underdog. Milwaukee has been one of the best ATS teams all season, but their lines are starting to get inflated. The Pacers have been a good ATS club as well, but the public bettors haven’t caught on because since Oladipo went down there are no stars on this team. Yet the Pacers are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, and this is a big game for them. We expect them to be very competitive tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #820 San Diego State -2.5 over Fresno State (10p.m., Wednesday, March 6 CBSSN) This game will be for third place in the MWC and the chance to avoid the No. 1 seed in the MWC Tournament until the final game. San Diego State has won 6 of their last 7 games including a dominating victory over Nevada. With a return trip to Reno over the weekend this is an important home game for the Aztecs to get. SDSU is 33-16 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 51 home games. Fresno State is 0-3 ATS (1 push) in their last 4 games played on Wednesday.

We were confident the Celtics would turn the corner at some point, and sometimes it just takes a confidence-building win to turn things around. They got that last night in Golden State in a 32-point road win, the worst loss for the Warriors at home in the Steve Kerr era. Boston can’t really afford to let up now, and we think the positive momentum from that win will carry over into tonight’s matchup. The Kings have been a great story this season and they have been money for bettors at home, but when both teams are playing their best game the Kings just can’t compete with the Celtics. We might be hesitant to back a team on a back-to-back after a big win like last night, but the Celtics didn’t seem to break a sweat and we don’t see them being in a letdown spot tonight. Plus, they are 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings, and we think they can score a comfortable road win here in this matchup.

6 Unit Play. Take #849 UT Martin -1.5 over Eastern Illinois (9:30p.m., Wednesday, March 6) The Panthers are in free fall now and will enter this game having lost 5 straight games and 8 of their last 9 games. Just do not believe the Panthers are good enough to beat the Skyhawks 3 times in one season. UT Martin is 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games. Eastern Illinois is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games.  

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

Boston has lost five of six and this team is slumping big time. But we think they play desperate tonight. Golden State always seems to bring out the best in this team, and Golden State has covered in only two of the last nine meetings (one push). Golden State has dropped four of their last seven games, so they are not in top form right now. This team is the worst ATS team in the NBA this season, and the bookies post too-high lines on a nightly basis for this squad. We thought this line should be closer to 5 points. If Boston can win this game then all is right in the world again and the pressure will be off for awhile. We think they put their best foot forward tonight. The Warriors probably don’t care about this game nearly as much as they don’t put much emphasis on the regular season anymore. But for Boston this game means a lot tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #639 Kentucky over Mississippi (9p.m., Tuesday, March 5 ESPN) Kentucky has not been losing much of late and even when they do it usually comes against the other top teams in the conference (LSU & Tennessee). The Rebels have been going the other way losing 3 of their last 4 games and seeing their tournament status come into jeopardy. That being said Kentucky has much more talent than does Ole Miss and that will become evident again on Tuesday. The favorite is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings. Kentucky is 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games.

4 Unit Play. Take #633 Kansas over Oklahoma (9p.m., Tuesday, March 5 ESPN2) Just do not think Kansas is going to make it easy on Texas Tech and Kansas State to win the Big 12. A loss by Kansas tonight would eliminate them for the championship for the first time in 16 years. The Sooners are 1-4 ATS (1 push) in their last 6 games following a victory in their previous game. Kansas gets to prolong the streak at least until Saturday with a victory tonight in Norman.

4 Unit Play. Take #636 Colorado State over Utah State (9p.m., Tuesday, March 5 ATTSN) Everything is on the line tonight in Fort Collins for the Aggies. A win tonight guarantees them a share of the conference championship. Not sure how much they will have left in the tank after an emotional victory over the Wolf Pack on Saturday. Now they must go on the road in a hostile environment and it will be hard for them to stay up for 40 minutes in this game. The Aggies win but it comes close they the experts believe.

The Clippers are building towards the future and they probably don’t even want to make the playoffs this season as they lose their draft pick in that scenario. The Lakers are desperately trying to finish strong and make the postseason, because once they make the playoffs anything can happen with LeBron in the lineup. They currently sit at No. 10 in the west, and there aren’t a lot of games left, so they need every one they can get. This is a very winnable game tonight, and we think the differing motivation will be the difference in this one.

4 Unit Play. Take #866 TCU over Kansas State (9p.m., Monday, March 4 ESPN2) Does not seem to be much carryover in the Big 12 this year from game to game. TCU looked terrible over the weekend but expect them to bounce back on Monday against a team with a ton of pressure. If the Wildcats win this game, they will be able to clinch the regular season title next Saturday with a very winnable game hosting Oklahoma. That will lockout Kansas from sharing the title for the first time in 15 years. That is a lot of pressure and I just do not believe K-State will be up for the challenge. The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 match-ups.

It’s not often a team has a letdown spot after playing the Bulls, but that is the case here. On Friday yje Hawks and Bulls played the third-highest-scoring game in NBA history, and this made the headlines in the sports world (yeah, we were on the over in that game). Then they had a rematch last night in a game that was highly-contested almost like a playoff game. So not only did they play a lot of extra basketball on Friday, but they are playing their third game in four nights tonight. This team isn’t going anywhere, so it’s understandable if they take a breather here and we don’t expect to see their best effort tonight.

The Cavs have actually been playing some of their best basketball of the season recently as they have won three of their last five. They didn’t beat any marquee teams or anything, but Orlando doesn’t actually fit into that category either. This seems like a huge letdown spot for the Magic after their wins over Golden State and Indiana (they are on a back-to-back here after beating the Pacers last night), and they have Philly on deck. Cleveland is on a b2b as well but playing at home is a much more desired position. Just don’t like Orlando laying this big number on the road

3 Unit Play. Take #825 Michigan -1 over Maryland (3:45p.m., Sunday, March 3 CBS) Michigan needs to win this game in order to keep their hopes of a Big 10 Championship alive. The Terrapins are coming off a terrible performance against Penn State last time out and they also lost to Michigan by double digits last month. The road team has covered the spread in 4 of the last 5 meetings. Maryland is 1-6 ATS (1 push) in their last 8 games played on Sunday.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

This Pelicans team is not even very good with Anthony Davis in the lineup, but he is out tonight for rest and this team is awful without him. The Pelicans are playing a back-to-back in this one and they are 4-7 ATS and 2-9 SU in these situations this season, so they don’t play well in back-to-backs, where Davis normally sits out. Denver suffered a rare home loss last time out vs. Utah, and they will want to take out their frustrations on this team. They should roll here and we think this one has the potential of a 20-point blowout.

We think that this is a real tough spot on the schedule for Milwaukee. They are nearing the end of a long road trip, and they play the Suns next in the last game of a five-game trip. They are playing their third game in four nights and on a back-to-back after playing the Lakers last night. They needed to expend a lot of energy late in that game as it was closer than expected but they pulled out the win and cover. Now they face a much tougher test against a Jazz team that has won three straight and covered in five of six, and we think fatigue will set in tonight for Milwaukee.

10 Unit Play. Take #735 Nevada over Utah State (8:30p.m., Saturday, March 2 CBSSN) Utah State has a chance to win the MWC with a victory this early evening but they will have their hands full with the Wolf Pack. Just do not believe the Aggies, picked 9th in the MWC, with a new coach can win this league. They are not a good match-up with the Pack, as Nevada has better size and experience and they will not be intimidated by playing at the Spectrum. The Wolf Pack won the first meeting by 23 points and they have the size to match-up with Sam Merrill and he will have to earn whatever points he gets. Nevada has covered the spread in 5 straight meetings against Utah State. Utah State is 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a winning record. Nevada is 25-12 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 39 games following an ATS loss in their previous game.

This is a very important game for both teams that are fighting for the playoffs. But judging by the moves at the trade deadline, the Kings really want to make the postseason this year while the Clippers are building towards the future. The Kings have been one of the strongest bets in the NBA this season at home, and we think they will be the more motivated club tonight.

We are going to look hard at the home team whenever they are getting points against these Pelicans. You look up the word dysfunctional in the dictionary and there is a picture of the Pelicans. This team has all sorts of issues – and is not very good as a team – and they should not be laying this many points on the road to any team, even the Suns. This game is sandwiched between bigger games for New Orleans (Lakers and Nuggets), and we don’t see them giving max effort here. The Pelicans are 3-10 ATS on the road against sub-.500 clubs.

Toronto has covered in three of the last four meetings. We expect them to take this one comfortably. Portland has covered every game on this long road trip so far. And the bookies just can’t give them too many points tonight. But the bookies are giving them a bit too much credit right now as this is the toughest game by far on the road trip. And fatigue has to set in at some point. Toronto has been excellent lately and we expect them to take care of business tonight

Getting some reverse line movement overnight on this one with the line shrinking despite most of the bets on the home team. That is normally a good sign if you like the underdog. And we do tonight as we think this is a coin flip matchup, so getting the points is the only way to go here. The Nets have overachieved while the Hornets, like always, have underachieved. But on paper we think the Hornets are a bit stronger despite the records, and they should fight hard here.

3 Unit Play. #660 Take Oregon over Arizona State (11p.m., Thursday, February 28 PAC12N) Just cannot trust the Sun Devils to win with any consistency, especially when playing on the road. Oregon has been playing a road heavy schedule of late and they will be ready for some home cooking tonight in Eugene. Arizona State just does not have the shooters to be able to win on the road with any regularity and they were not that impressive last time out against Cal. ASU is 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games played on Thursday.

Denver was off last night while the Jazz had to expend a lot of energy to rally to beat the Clippers in what was a very tough game for them despite the big line in that contest. Not only did they have to use a lot of energy in the comeback, but now they come in on a back-to-back and have to play in one of the toughest arenas in the NBA and at high altitude. Utah is 4-6 ATS on the second night of a back-to-back so they aren’t great in this situation anyways, and we always call back-to-backs in Denver a super back-to-back since it’s so tough to play there. We don’t see things going well for the road team tonight.

Always looking to fade the Sixers on the road. This team is very popular with bettors this season, but on the road they are just average. And there is sometimes value in going against them. We think that is the case tonight. The Thunder have covered in five of the last six meetings in OKC and in the last four meetings altogether. We think the Thunder are the more complete team, and they need to put their best foot forward after losing three of their last four against a pretty tough schedule.

We love this Bucks team but the Kings are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games and it looks like they are underrated once again by the oddsmakers. The Bucks have bigger road games upcoming and they probably won’t give max effort here. Sacramento has one of the best ATS records in the league at home, and we thought this line should be closer to -2 and we think this will be a very competitive game.

The Clippers have some talent still after the trade deadline but this team is tanking. It benefits them to make the lottery this season instead of the playoffs. LA has had a brutal schedule lately and they are playing their third game in four nights after a night off last night after their back-to-back. Now they face an underrated Utah team that has covered in five straight games. Utah had a couple recent tough losses to OKC and GSW on the road, so they will take this game very seriously and they are playing some very good basketball overall right now. Plus, they have covered in five straight meetings.

The Pacers are the best defensive team in the NBA. And since Oladipo went down they have been playing even better for the most part on that side of the ball. They have been playing better overall as if they have something to prove with the loss of their best player. Dallas gutted their team at the trade deadline in favor of the future and this is not the same team that was an ATS darling through most of the season. We think the Pacers take this one in a low-scoring game.

We were on the Celtics last night and they put forth another really bad effort in their worst loss of the season. That comes after a loss in Chicago. If they don’t play well tonight then things are really bad. We think they will bounce back here tonight. It should all start with defense. This total looks a tad high already, but with the two bad losses we think coach Stevens will have his team really give max effort on the defensive side of the ball. Boston has covered in three of the last four meetings and the under has hit in two of the last three.

10 Unit Play. Take #808 Bradley over Valparaiso (8p.m., Wednesday, February 27 ESPN+) The steam has come off of the Crusaders of late and they will enter this game having lost 8 of their last 10 games. The Braves have been going in the opposite directions having won 5 of their last 6 games and they need to continue winning games to avoid playing on Thursday of the MVC next week. Bradley has revenge on their minds after losing by double digits to Valparaiso earlier this season, but they will be able to win this game by 8-10 points. Valparaiso is 1-4 ATS (1 push) in their last 6 road games. Bradley is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games played on Wednesday.

Atlanta is a lousy team but they are not on the bottom tier and this team is pretty competitive compared to some of the NBA’s bottom feeders. The Timberwolves have not covered in the last three meetings in this series. Minnesota has been hot lately, but that has just made them overvalued. But the fact is that this team stinks on the road (9-21 record) and we think the Hawks could possibly pull off the upset tonight.

6 Unit Play. Take #634 Indiana over Wisconsin (9p.m., Tuesday, February 26 ESPN) This line keeps going down and it is for good reason. Indiana matches up well with Wisconsin and they are hitting the Badgers at the right time, playing a second straight road game. Wisconsin was lucky to beat Northwestern over the weekend and they are playing a team desperate for wins. Ethan Happ is becoming less and less effective for the Badgers and I am not sure if they will be able to make enough jump shots to win this game. Wisconsin is 0-3 ATS (1 push) in their last 4 games. The line opened at -3 and keeps coming down meaning we are on the correct side with the Hoosiers.

Toronto is the fourth-worst betting team in the NBA this season. That is because the oddsmakers post too-high lines for them on a nightly basis and they cooled down big time after their hot start to the season. We are many times looking for spots to go against them. We think that this is one of them. Boston sits No. 5 in the east as of Tuesday. This team, however, is talented, playoff tested, and well-coached. They are going to move up in the standings as we head to the postseason and in our minds are the team to beat once the playoffs get here. We like to take a good team off an embarrassing loss, and that is certainly the case with Boston after losing in Chicago last time out. They have had two nights off after that game so they should be rested and focused. The Celtics covered at the Bucks and at Philly in their last five games, and we think they will be focused tonight against another EC power.

3 Unit Play. Take #866 Kansas over Kansas State (9p.m., Monday, February 25 ESPN) Kansas is just a much better team when playing at home and I do not see them suffering their first loss of the season in Lawrence tonight. Kansas is coming off a 29-point loss to Texas Tech on Saturday but the Red Raiders shot out of their minds in that game and I do not see the Wildcats having that much success from the 3-point line tonight. Kansas is 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games following a loss of more than 20 points in their previous game. The favorite is 18-6 ATS (2 pushes) in their 26 meetings. Kansas is 17-7 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 26 games against Kansas State.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

10-Unit Play #565 Take Golden State -8.5 over Charlotte (7 p.m. EST, Mon. Feb 25)

The Warriors are one of the worst betting teams in the NBA this season and they have been particularly bad recently. This team is always overrated by the oddsmakers and they don’t give 100% every night just because the regular season isn’t that important to this team and they don’t have to give full effort to win since this team is so talented. We have made a lot of money going against this team this season. However, there will be certain spots where this team will be motivated, and we think this will be one of them. The Warriors have lost two of three and they are coming off a loss to the Rockets. They will probably take it out on poor Charlotte tonight as losing three of four would be an official slump so we think this team will flex its muscles a little here. If this team is really motivated they can beat the Hornets by 20, even on the road. This team has covered in only one of their last nine games. This is a rare GSW game where you don’t have to lay double digits, however, and we think this motivated squad will put their best foot forward tonight. 

3 Unit Play. Take #833 Michigan over Michigan State (3:45p.m., Sunday, February 24 CBS) The Spartans are really banged up at the moment and I just do not see them going into Ann Arbor and winning this game. The Wolverines are undefeated at home and Michigan State has been playing the weaker part of the schedule recently. Michigan is 11-1 ATS in their last 12 games played on Sunday.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

10 Unit Play. Take #707 Kansas over Texas Tech (8p.m., Saturday, February 23 ESPN) The loser of this game is likely out of the conference championship race. I just do not believe Kansas will get run out of the building in Lubbock, TX. The Jayhawks have won 3 straight games and already beat the Red Raiders by 16 points earlier this season. The Red Raiders have won 4 straight games but those have come against 3 of the worst teams in the league. Kansas is getting a key player back for this game and they are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 games against Texas Tech. The Red Raiders are 4-9 ATS (1 push) in their last 14 games against teams with a winning record. The Jayhawks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.

Both teams played last night so no b-2-b advantage for either team. The Pacers are the better squad and they have been a covering machine since losing Oladipo for the season and this is still a very good team and they are underestimated by the oddsmakers. Last night the Pacers looked great in a comeback vs. New Orleans while the Wizards fell flat at Charlotte, both games we cashed on. Two teams going in different directions here tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #682 Boise State +3 over Utah State (4p.m., Saturday, February 23 Stadium) Just do not believe Utah State can run the table until the game against Nevada in 7 days. Taco Bell Arena is always a tough place to play and Utah State has been playing over the head for most of the conference portion of the season. I still believe the MWC is a one bid league unless Nevada losses in the conference tournament. Utah State is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games. The Underdog has covered the spread in 4 straight meetings.

7 Unit Play. Take #645 Iowa State -1.5 over TCU (2p.m., Saturday, February 23 ESPN2) One of the most surprising results this season was Iowa State getting pounded at home by TCU. I just do not believe the Horned Frogs are good enough to beat Iowa State twice in one season. The Frogs have lost 3 straight games since beating Iowa State and two of them have come against teams that will likely not make the NCAA Tournament. This is a must win game for Iowa State if they have any hopes of winning the Big 12 and I expect them to dominate for 40 minutes. The Cyclones are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a loss in their previous game. TCU is 1-6 ATS in their last 7 Big 12 games. The favorite is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.

The Hornets are starting a homestand that will be very important to their playoff hopes. We think they start off with a strong win against a Wizards team that is going nowhere. The Hornets are on a three-game winning streak in this series at home. The home team is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings. We think the Hornets are a much better team and they have all the motivation here on Friday.

New Orleans has been held to 90 or fewer points in two of their last three games before the break. Now they face the best defensive team in the NBA, and we just don’t see this one as being a shootout. The Pacers are really upping their defensive intensity since Oladipo went down, and of course their offense misses his scoring. But this is still a very good team in our eyes, and the oddsmakers keep punishing the Pacers too much for the loss of their best player as we think there is value in this line. And the Pacers covered five of seven before the break. The under is 22-8 in Pacers home games this season, one of the strongest betting trends in the NBA this season and one the oddsmakers haven’t adjusted to because no one is betting unders. But we have been making lots of profits off this trend!

3 unit Play. Take #854 Brown over Harvard (7p.m., Friday, February 22 ESPN+) This line tells me that Harvard may struggle in this game. This will be the third straight road game for Harvard and with Yale on deck this is a look ahead situation for them. The Bears need to sweep their home games this weekend in order to make the conference tournament next month.

Some teams feel they really will need to turn it on after the break. Golden State is not one of those teams, in our opinion. This team doesn’t care about the regular season, and they can give half effort and still win. In our opinion this is a Top 3 team in NBA history, But that doesn’t mean they are a good bet. They are the fourth-worst betting team this season. They have covered only one of their last seven overall. Sacramento has covered in three straight meetings and in six of the last eight, and we see this as another inflated line on Thursday.

Boston has been a big underachiever this season. But for some reason we still think this team is going to be the top dog in the East when all is said and done. We think at this point after the All-Star Break is when they will come on strong and get in playoff mode. If the Celtics were a stock we would buy right now. This is a very talented roster and the best coach in the NBA, and they will find a way to have success. We loved what we saw from this team before the break, and we think they will compete with a chance to win this one tonight.

3 Unit Play. Take #622 Texas State over ULM (8p.m., Thursday, February 21) The Bobcats sit atop the standing in the Sun Belt Conference and will enter this game having won 4 straight conference games. ULM has lost 4 of their last 6 games and they are in the middle of a 3-game road trip. The favorite is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.

We think after the All-Star break that the best teams in the East will really start to flex their muscles. Philly is rested and even though Embiid is out here this team still has a stacked lineup. They are rested so there should be no problems with the rotation, and this Sixers team is almost unbeatable at home. We think the bookies are penalizing this team too much for Embiid with this line, and we think this one has a decent chance to be a double-digit win.

These are two of the worst teams in the NBA. But we think the Suns have a brighter future with some talented youngsters, and we think they are a team that will want to have a strong finish to the season and build momentum for next season while the Cavs are tanking and their future just isn’t as bright. We think the Suns are a slightly better team and we think this line is more than fair as we had them at -2.5 and we think they will get the road win here.

6 Unit Play. Take #842 San Diego State over Nevada (11p.m., Wednesday, February 20 CBSSN) This is likely the toughest game Nevada will face this season and we will grab the points with the home underdog. Nevada has never won in San Diego State since joining the MWC and I just do not see them blowing out the home team tonight. SDSU is 12-2 at home and have an NBA prospect in Jalen McDaniels something the Wolf Pack do not have. The home team is 9-1 ATS in the last 10 games between Nevada and San Diego State. The Aztecs are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 MWC games.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

4 Unit Play. Take #632 Iowa State over Baylor (9p.m., Tuesday, February 19 ESPN2) The Bears are banged up and will enter this game having lost 3 of their last 4 games included two blowouts during that losing streak. I think Iowa State is the best team in the league and they will enter this game having won 5 of their last 6 games. They have revenge on their minds after a 3 point loss to Baylor earlier in the season and will win this game by double digits. The home team is 18-6 ATS in the last 24 meetings between the Bears and Cyclones.

4 Unit Play. Take #606 Penn State over Nebraska (7p.m., Tuesday, February 19 FS1) No bet against Nebraska is a bad bet especially with a low number on the road. Penn State is just 2-12 on the season but they have been competitive in most games and beat Michigan in their last home game. Being favored is a strong indication that we are on the right side for this game. Nebraska is 1-8 ATS in their last 9 Big 10 games. Penn State is 3-0 ATS (1 push) in their last 4 games. The favorite is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings between these two teams.