Sports Picks & Predictions

All the playoff teams in the Eastern Conference are secure but that is not the case at all in the Western Conference and every game is more crucial out west. And this is another of what is basically a must-win game for the Clippers and every game will probably be like that down the stretch as this game is a couple games out of the playoff hunt and they have a very tough schedule down the line. They play six of their final nine at home so every one of these games carries increased importance. The Clippers just won in Milwaukee last week. They will be very motivated here tonight. This game is sandwiched between games against the Spurs and Warriors for Milwaukee, and that gives this one the potential for a letdown from the road team.

10 Unit Play. Take #780 Penn State over Mississippi State (9:30p.m., Tuesday March 27 ESPN) NIT GAME OF THE YEAR Penn State and their fans really care about the NIT and I expect them to advance to the finals of this tournament on Thursday night in New York City. The Lions have won two straight road games and both were not as close as the final score would indicate. They should have a big crowd for this game and expect them to pull away against Mississippi late and win by 7-9 points. The Bulldogs played their best game of the season last time out and as we have seen in the NCAA Tournament it is very hard to repeat those performances this next day. Penn State is 15-5 ATS (1 push) in their last 21 neutral site games. Mississippi State is 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games following a victory of more than 20 points in their previous game.

This road trip started off really bad for the Nuggets with an inexplicable loss to the Grizzlies then they dropped their next one, in overtime, to the Heat. But now they are getting back on track and they come into this game with some momentum after a blowout in Chicago and a very impressive straight up win as an underdog in Washington. Motivation will be a huge factor in this matchup tonight and Denver needs this game more. They are currently in the No. 9 spot in the Western Conference playoff picture and they are 1.5 games behind Utah while the Sixers can relax more since they are in the playoffs. We think the Nuggets match up well here and expect them to compete for the win tonight.

Boston has been dealing with a lot of injury issues but this team has won and covered in three of four – including two straight – and they seem to be working well with what they have on the floor now. They have a chance for a big win here today against a Sacramento team that barely seems to care on most nights. The Celtics have a chance to rack up two pretty easy wins tonight and Monday as they face the Suns tomorrow, and since this team has faced some adversity lately we don’t think that they will overlook these games and we expect to see a well-oiled machine here tonight.

The Clippers haven’t been playing well. And neither have the Raptors. Toronto basically has the No. 1 seed all but locked up in the Eastern Conference and they seem to be on cruise control until the playoffs. They have dealt with some injuries lately and they seem more concerned about health than winning big down this stretch run. They haven’t covered now in five straight games. With Utah losing to the Spurs on Friday and the Timberwolves floundering a little, slim chances for the Clippers have opened up for the playoffs. They are 2.5 games out of the No. 8 spot and 3.5 out of No. 7. With the Warriors ailing there is a legit chance for any team in the West to do some damage, but this Clippers team must get there first. And this is basically a must-win game for them. We are not sure if they can win it, but we expect them to give maximum effort and we don’t see the same coming from the Toronto side. This line was already inflated a bit to start with. But we expect a close game here, and the Clippers have done very well as a big dog this season as they are 6-1 ATS when getting nine or more points.

10 Unit Play. Take #722 Kansas over Duke (5:05p.m., Sunday March 25 CBS) Kansas has not performed well in this game in recent years to go along with a terrible Elite 8 record by Bill Self. But this is a much different situation, as they are not a heavy favorite like in past years. Nobody will blame Kansas for losing this game against Duke and that lack of pressure will help them a great deal to play free and worrysome. Duke is still a young team and they have not shown the consistency of being a great team very often this year. Kansas has experience and they also have Azubuike at center to negate some of Duke’s interior presence. The Jayhawks are a great three-point shooting team and if can make shots from behind the arc they will win this game. Everyone is in love with Duke, but I feel this is a very tough spot for them having to play Kansas in Omaha, NE. Duke is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games against Kansas. The Jayhawks are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games against ACC teams. Do not be fooled by the final score of Kansas games in the NCAA Tournament, as they have controlled all three games only to let up a little at the end in the last two. There game against Clemson was not close. This one will be close by Kansas will win it by 3-5 points.

The Suns best players are all probably out here. This team is coming in on a back-to-back after getting blown out at Cleveland last night in a game they probably wanted to perform better in than this one tonight. We know it’s hard to lay points with a team as bad as Orlando but this team has some talent and this is like a real NBA team playing a D-League squad tonight. And a tired one at that. Orlando has had lots of injuries this season but this team is relatively healthy right now. They have been playing hard and have been covering lines with somewhat regularity. That’s unlike the Suns, who haven’t covered in five straight, and that’s despite getting very generous odds from the bookies. They lost by 15 or more in all of those games. While they faced a tough schedule, we don’t think this team has enough in the tank to overachieve tonight and they don’t have the talent on the floor to keep this one competitive. Orlando will have a chance for a rare home blowout tonight and we think that will be just what happens.

10 Unit Play. Take #513 Loyola Chicago over Kansas State (6:05p.m., Saturday March 24 TBS) The Wildcats are just not being embarked like the Ramblers. Most of the K-State fan base hates their coach and they were just 10-8 in conference play. Dean Wade could do damage in this game, but he barely played on Thursday and will not be close to 100% for this game. Loyola has been embraced by the entire country and Sister Jean and her magic is for real. This team plays a lower pace and takes high percentage shots and destroyed Nevada for the first 15 minutes of the second half. Loyola is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games against Big 12 teams. Kansas State is 3-9 ATS in their last 12 nonconference game.

10 Unit Play. Take #873 Texas Tech over Purdue (9:55p.m., Friday March 23 TBS) Purdue has able to survive without Isaac Haas against Butler but I do not believe they will be able to do that for a second game. Texas Tech was red hot during the nonconference portion of the season before struggling with injuries down the stretch in Big 12 play. They are healthier now and I believe they will advance to the Elite 8. Purdue has not had any success in this round lately usually getting blown out in the Sweet 16. Texas Tech is 7-2 ATS (1 push) in their last 10 games against Big 10 teams. Purdue is 3-12 ATS (1 push) in their last 16 games overall.

The Bucks will likely be missing the Greek Freak tonight but the Bulls are in full tank mode so we think this is a game Milwaukee can win pretty easily even without their best player. This team has motivation after two straight losses and they have the much better team on the court tonight as the Bulls are resting seemingly any decent veteran player on their roster. Milwaukee is coming off very tough games against the Cavs and Clippers, and this one will serve as a “get right” game for them and we see them rolling to a big win tonight.

You always have to look at the Nets when they are getting a nice amount of points. This team is 24-8 against the spread when getting six or more points as an underdog this season. They always seem to get up for these kind of games and this team has been in the Top 10 of the ATS rankings all year. Toronto has failed to cover in four straight games and they have lost two of their last three straight out, so this team isn’t in top form right now.  We think the Nets have a great chance to keep this one within double digits.

The Clippers scored a win over Milwaukee last time out but we think they are in tough here at Indiana tonight. This team has lost 4 of 5 to see their playoff hopes diminish significantly and this team is not playing well in crunch time. Indiana is a very good team at home and this team is underrated by the oddsmakers here on their home court. They have also covered in four of the last five meetings between these clubs and they have won three of the last four straight out. The Pacers have been playing excellent defense lately and we expect them to control the tempo and cruise to a comfortable win tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #878 Kansas over Clemson (7:05p.m., Friday March 23 CBS) Nobody seems to benefit more from neutral site tournament locations than does Kansas. For some reason Omaha is hosting the Midwest Region and the Jayhawk faithful will flock to this site. Clemson is in unfamiliar territory having not advanced this far in quite some time. They played a perfect game against Auburn last time out, but I question if they can do that again on Friday. Sooner or later the loss of Donte Grantham will catch up with them. Clemson is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games against Big 12 teams. Kansas is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games against ACC teams. Everyone wants Duke vs Kanas in the Elite 8 and I expect the public to get what they want, as the Jayhawks roll in this game.

Both of these teams stink, but we think the Kings are the better ballclub and we expect to get a low spread here in a game we think the Kings should roll in. Sacramento has been very competitive lately and they have actually covered in seven of their last 10 games. They are playing with some pride while many teams are straight out tanking. That latter category would be the Hawks, who have been losing many games by double digits lately. They have covered in only two of their last eight games despite getting some very favorable numbers. The Kings will be well rested heading into this game with two nights off. Also the Hawks play Golden State tomorrow and the Rockets on Sunday, so they probably want to save their energy here as a competitive game over either of those team would be more to hang their hat on than a competitive game against the Kings.

New Orleans is on the only back-to-back-to-back of the season tonight vs. the Los Angeles Lakers. They beat Indiana last night in a make up game from earlier in the season. This is unprecedented lack of rest for the NBA season, and we don’t see it going so well for the home team tonight. We are getting a more than fair line here for the underdog as the Pelicans have won three straight and covered four straight, but we had the Lakers listed as slight favorites in this one and expect them to win this game. The Lakers have had two nights off coming into this game and they had two nights off before their last game, so they are well rested here. And after three straight losses we think the Lakers will really try and take advantage of this bad situation the Pelicans are in tonight.

The Spurs have suddenly gotten their act together and it looks like this team might be getting ready to peak heading into the playoff stretch run, and they have won four straight entering this game. They don’t have a lot of room for error after a real bad stretch of games this past month, so they won’t rest on their laurels and be happy with the four wins. Even with their struggles they have compiled a 27-8 record at home this season. And they have the best coach in the game that can guide them through this crucial stretch to the playoffs. Aldridge has really stepped up during this win streak and he is now leading this team. The Spurs have won three straight in this series and we expect them to continue to play well here in this crucial matchup.

While they aren’t mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, the Clippers postseason hopes are on life support after losing last night in Minnesota in what was a pretty lustful performance. We were on the Wolves last night and we will fade the Clippers again tonight. This is a real tough spot for them on a back-to-back, on the road no less, and this team is not playing with the spark they had been for the last couple months and we think that they peaked too soon. They have been playing at a fast pace but their offense has taken a nosedive and injuries have really caught up with this squad. No total in the last eight meetings have gone anywhere near this high and we think this total tonight has been inflated, and we think there is a great chance for a blowout here, which would bode well for the under.

The Hornets have underachieved big time this season, but they are still the better team here by a pretty large margin. We think they will win this game pretty comfortably tonight. Revenge is an overrated NBA handicapping angle but it does come into play when teams have met recently, and that is the case here as the Nets embarrassed the Hornets in Charlotte less than two weeks ago. We are sure they remember that matchup and will want to put forth a much better performance tonight. They had won three straight meetings between these teams prior to that game. Brooklyn has been a great bet this season when getting lots of points but they have struggled as a small dog and we don’t see them winning this game tonight.

Memphis has won 10 straight in this series and seven straight in Philadelphia. Of course, this isn’t the same dominant Memphis team that we have known the last several years, and the Sixers are a better team this year, but that is long-time domination right there. The Grizzlies are 4-1 ATS when getting 11 points or more this season and they should have the services of Gasol and Evans tonight. Philly has covered only two of their last six games and this team has trouble focusing for a whole game in order to cover some of the huge spreads the bookies have been tagging them with lately.

There’s no doubt that the Blazers are playing excellent basketball right now. But they aren’t anywhere near as good as the Rockets. Houston this year is like Golden State a couple years ago when they set the NBA regular-season record for wins. They want to win every game and with a chance to end the Blazers big winning streak they have extra motivation here. While the Warriors have taken a more relaxed approach to the regular season, the Rockets seem to want to lock up that No. 1 seed and they want to flex their muscle against potential Western Conference Playoff teams. We respect what the Blazers have been doing but they won’t win every game and we think this test will be too tough for them on Tuesday night.

We were on the Clips for our big play on Sunday and they put up a real lousy effort at home in a must-win game against the Blazers. This team has an incredibly tough schedule down the line and they probably ruined their playoff hopes with that loss. Now they face another team that is fighting for a playoff spot. We feel like maybe the Clippers peaked a little early and we didn’t like their effort on Sunday and we expect to see the same type of play here on the road against a team that has beaten them three times already this season. We think that this line is a couple of points too short.

The Raptors are in a bit of a downturn right now as they lost their last game at home to OKC and they needed OT to get by Dallas at home in a game they didn’t cover. This is a tricky spot for the Raptors as they are off the OKC loss and they play the Cavs tomorrow, and that is a game they are probably more focused on. And this line is already inflated as well. Orlando is a great underdog bet when they are getting big points as this team is 10-3 ATS when getting double digit points this season. They have been off since Friday so they are well rested. They should be able to give their best effort here.

4 Unit Play. Take #666 Marquette over Penn State (7p.m., Tuesday March 20 ESPN) A trip to New York City is on the line tonight as the Lions and Eagles to battle in Milwaukee, WI. Marquette is a much better team at home and the line is trending towards them in a big way this morning. The Golden Eagles are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games against teams with a winning record. Penn State is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games played on Tuesday.

4 Unit Play. Take #620 Utah over LSU (9p.m., Monday March 19 ESPN U) The Utes are always a tough out when playing at home. They are now engaged after winning their opening round NIT game and should be able to take out LSU tonight at the Huntsmen Center. LSU is 0-6 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 8 road games. Utah is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games against SEC teams.

The Hornets have been a tire fire lately. You can just look at their last game to see how much effort that this team is putting in lately. They lost by 23 in New York to the Knicks on Saturday. Their only recent wins came against Atlanta, Phoenix and Chicago, and they face a big step up in competition tonight. The Sixers have won and covered in four straight meetings in this series. They have won three of four overall and they have been off since Friday so they have had the whole weekend to rest and prepare for this game. This one has double-digit blowout written all over it.

2-Unit Play. Take #617 Stanford over Oklahoma State (7 p.m. ESPN U)

Stanford plays really hard. This team really maxes out with effort and I think that they have a chance to win this game. Oklahoma State is in the same boat as Louisville, in that they were NCAA Tournament snubs. They managed to run Florida-Gulf Coast. But now they are playing a team with equal talent that I feel will be more motivated. I've seen in the past that teams that got snubbed from the tournament may have enough adrenaline to win one game. But the longer this tournament goes on the more their resentment for not making the NCAAs comes out, and it usually leads to an upset.

We wanted to release this pick early to take advantage of what looks like great line value with the Clippers. The Blazers are at halftime with the Pistons as I write this and they are up big and it looks like they will win easy and bring their 12-game winning streak into Staples Center on Sunday to take on the Clippers. It’s always tough to play in the road in the NBA on a back-to-back. The Blazers win streak is impressive, but they have had a home-heavy schedule and they have played their fair share of teams with issues. The Clips need this win badly as they lost their last two, but those were tough games at Houston and OKC, and they didn’t embarrass themselves in either. We think this is a good spot for them to get back on track against a tired team. The Clippers have really been underestimated by the oddsmakers after their stars left the team but they are playing great basketball and they will play with purpose against a team on a back-to-back that is probably a bit overrated right now.

4 Unit Play. Take #720 Xavier over Florida State (8:40p.m., Sunday March 18 TNT) The Seminoles are just to consistent enough to trust two games in a row. We used them against Missouri on Friday and cruised to a victory but now the tables have turned and they are playing a much better team in Xavier. Florida State is 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games overall. Xavier is 24-6 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 32 NCAA games.

4 Unit Play. Take #724 Auburn over Clemson (7:10p.m., Sunday March 18 TBS) Auburn has not been playing well of late and thus this line is not reflective of the season they have had. Clemson is a good match-up for them and expect Auburn to control the second half and win this game convincingly. Clemson is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games played on Sunday. The people are betting Clemson yet the spread is moving towards Auburn, which is usually a good sign the wise guys are coming in on the Tigers from the state of Alabama.  

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

10 Unit Play. Take #717 Nevada over Cincinnati (6:10p.m., Sunday March 18 TNT) Just do not like Cincinnati as this big of a favorite against an experienced an athletic team. Nevada is riding high now after their comeback victory against Texas and sooner or later they will get hot in this game from the three-point line. Cincinnati likes to play from in front and if Nevada can withstand the early punch they should be able to take this game down to the wire. Nevada is 33-14 ATS (4 pushes) in their last 51 games against teams with a winning record. Cincinnati is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.

The Blazers are looking for win No. 12 in a row tonight and we think that they get it in a big way against the struggling Pistons. The Blake Griffin trade gutted the depth of this team and they don’t have much of an identity and they are lacking leaders and team chemistry. The result has been a 1-16 record in their last 17 road games. The season is over for this team and they know it even though they are not mathematically eliminated at this point. They would have to turn the whole season around and from what we have seen since a hot start to the season, this team just doesn’t have it in them. The Blazers are laser focused right now and we think they will go for the jugular against this struggling Detroit squad.

4 Unit Play. Take #530 Michigan over Houston (9:40p.m., Saturday March 17 TBS) Houston was in a battle last time out with SDSU and I do not feel they will be able to keep up with Michigan. The Wolverines are a great tournament team since they do not foul and play outstanding defense. Michigan will play much better today since they already have a game under their belt. Many people believe Michigan can make the Final Four and they will move onto the Sweet 16 by 8-10 points.

 4 Unit Play. Take #536 Gonzaga over Ohio State (7:45p.m., Saturday March 17 CBS) We will continue to fade Ohio State as I just do not believe they are that good. Gonzaga had a big lead before letting their opponent back into the game on Thursday. They will not make that mistake again.

4 Unit Play. Take #528 Kansas over Seton Hall (7:10p.m., Saturday March 17 TBS) Kansas has a big edge playing this game in Wichita, KS. Seton Hall is still banged up and they just seem to never handle prosperity well.

4 Unit Play. Take #885 Florida State over Missouri (9:50p.m., Friday March 16 TBS) Missouri is in flux now with the return of Michael Porter Jr and the absence of Jordan Barnett. Porter did not play well in his first game back and I do not believe we will see much better in this game. Florida State has their own issues of laying an egg in the ACC Tournament but they match-up well with Missouri. The Seminoles are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games against SEC teams. Missouri is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 NCAA Tournament games.

4 Unit Play. Take #892 Clemson over New Mexico State (9:55p.m., Friday March 16 TruTV) Clemson has not been the same without Donte Grantham but they should have enough to beat a team from the WAC. Clemson had a very good year especially early in the season and for the most part they beat the teams that they should beat. New Mexico State has not done much with their NCAA Tournament appearances going 1-4 ATS in their last five NCAA games. Clemson is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral sites games.

The Nets had Thursday off while the Sixers will be on a back-to-back here. We watched their game on Thursday and they used a lot of energy in a rally to win but not cover the line. They looked pretty lethargic most of the game but had to give everything they could to salvage the game late in the fourth. We think revenge is an overrated handicapping factor for NBA but it does come into play when the teams recently met and Philly blew the Nets out on Sunday in Brooklyn. We think that can and will play much better here with Philly on no rest. The Nets are a Top 6 ATS team this season and they are getting too many points tonight.

10 Unit Play. Take #880 Nevada over Texas (4:30p.m., Friday March 16 TBS) NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME OF THE YEAR Just do not believe that Texas is set up to make a run in the NCAA Tournament. They have great size, but they do not shoot it well at all from the three-point line. Nevada has a very experienced team with great guards. They laid an egg in the semi-finals of the MWC Tournament, but they have not had much success against San Diego State. They are thin with players, so the extra rest likely did them good for this game. Nevada has been ranked for most of the season and getting away from MWC teams should do them good for this game. Texas will have a major edge in size, but I do not believe that they will be able to exploit that enough for 40 minutes to win this game. Texas is 0-8 ATS in their last 8 NCAA Tournament games. Texas is also 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games against MWC teams. Nevada is 17-3 ATS (1 push) in their last 21 games following a loss in their previous game.

4 Unit Play. Take #889 Marshall over Wichita State (1:30p.m., Friday March 16 TNT) Marshall is a very streaky team but they do one thing well: shoot free throws. The Thundering Herd might get down big in this game but sooner or later they will get hot from the three-point line and make a run. Wichita State just does not have the top talent that they have had in years past and thus this is a lot of points for them to be laying. Marshall is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 neutral site games. Wichita State is 7-20 ATS (1 push) in their last 28 neutral site games.

Once again the Cavs are overrated by the oddsmakers because we had this game handicapped at 6.5 and we would lean to the Blazers at that number as well. Cleveland is 17-17 on the road this season while Portland, with one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA, is 23-11 here on their home court. They have won 10 straight and 12 of their last 13 and they are playing as well as anyone in the NBA right now. Yet they continue to get underestimated by the bookies. They have covered in 11 of their last 13 games. They will be hyped for this opponent and they should bring their A Game while the Cavs keep trying to figure things out and it doesn’t work more often than it does lately.

4 Unit Play. Take #722 Virginia Tech over Alabama (9:20p.m., Thursday March 15 TNT) Alabama has have the best prospect on the floor but Virginia Tech has the better team. The Crimson Tide got two wins in the SEC Tournament to make the NCAA Tournament but neither one of them impressed me. Texas A&M had them beat and Auburn is a sinking ship now. Virginia Tech has a bad taste in their month after losing a 20+ lead to Notre Dame last time out. If they get ahead of Alabama I do not see a comeback as the Tide do not have the shooters that the Irish do. Virginia Tech is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 nonconference games.

We had the Spurs the other night getting big points against the Rockets. This team just looked awful. They made a run at the end of the game when the scrubs were in, but in reality the game wasn’t even as close as the final score would indicate, and it showed a blowout on the scoreboard. The Spurs got a blowout win over Orlando their next game out, but they face a bigger step up in competition here. These teams have a similar record but the Pelicans are the much better team right now and we think they could win this one straight out. Even great coaching can’t rally the Spurs right now and if the season ended today this team would miss the playoffs!

10 Unit Play. Take #731 San Diego State over Houston (7:20p.m., Thursday March 15 TBS) I truly believe that the wrong team is favored in this game. San Diego State has been outstanding of late having won 9 straight games. They were never in danger of losing anyone of those 9 games in the final minute. Houston had Cincinnati on the ropes Sunday before a complete scoring collapse in the second half. I do not see them recovering in time for this game. Houston is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 nonconference games. The Aztecs have been in win or go home for their last 4 games and they keep it going on Thursday. The money line is very inviting proposition for this game, but we will just stick with the point spread.

The Knicks are just in a freefall right now. This team has been getting some very generous lines yet they have covered just one of their last 12 games at home. They have lost three of the last four games by double digits, and it seems that is the way this one will go as well. The Sixers have been a bit inconsistent lately but they have played well in the games they are supposed to win, and this one definitely falls into that category. The Sixers have covered in six straight meetings between these teams, and this one is probably one of the bigger mismatches of the night on the NBA schedule.

4 Unit Play. Take #747 South Dakota State over Ohio State (4p.m., Thursday March 15 TNT) Just do not believe Ohio State is that good. They overachieved, and their coach deserves most of that credit, but they just are not one of the top teams in the country. South Dakota State is used to being in the NCAA Tournament and this is one of their better squads having won the regular season title in addition of the conference tournament. Ohio State did not play as well down the stretch having won just 2 of their last 5 games. The Buckeyes are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tournament games. The Jackrabbits are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 neutral site games. 67% of the early money is coming in on the underdog and we concur with that 100%.

The Warriors have been a tricky team to bet on this year. The year they set the NBA record for regular-season wins they seemed to cover just about any line the bookies threw at them. If we could travel back in time this line would probably be 13 points or so. But this season the Warriors are saving themselves for the postseason. They have taken the Cavs philosophy of not really caring much about the wins and losses. However, when this team is motivated they are a good bet. And we feel that is the case tonight. They have lost two straight games. This team does not like losing streaks. We expect to see the championship-level Warriors tonight. They have had two nights off and they will be primed for an excellent performance here.

Miami started off their road trip with a blowout loss at Portland but this is their perfect chance to get back on track here in Sacramento. Miami always played well here in Sac Town and they have covered in 10 of the last 13 meetings. Since these teams don’t play often, that trend stretches back for years. Even with Wade and Whiteside out for this game the Heat are the much better team, and they have all the motivation here as they are currently in the heat (pun intended) of the playoff race while the Kings are tanking and they give a lazy effort more often than they give a strong one. This one is an easy call tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #625 Washington over Boise State (10p.m., Wednesday March 14 ESPN 3) Washington gets to host this game despite being the higher seed. Boise State has NCAA Tournament talent, but they underachieved during MWC play and now find themselves disappointed since they are in the NIT. The Broncos are 7-18 ATS (1 push) in their last 26 games against teams with a winning record.

4 Unit Play. Take #612 Syracuse over Arizona State (9:10p.m., Wednesday March 14 TruTV) We went against UCLA last night and will go against Arizona State tonight. The Sun Devils have not been the same team since PAC-12 Conference play started. The Orange won two of their last three games and their zone is hard to figure out if teams have not seen much of it before. Syracuse is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 NCAA tournament games. Arizona State is 10-26 ATS in their last 36 neutral site games.

The Celtics have not been playing up to their potential lately anyways, but they will be very shorthanded tonight with Kyrie Irving out and Al Horford likely to miss the game as well. The Wizards are coming off two straight losses and we think they will give it their all in this game where they have a chance to notch a win against a hobbled Boston squad. About a month ago the Wizards lost a hard-fought game against Boston at home in overtime. We think “revenge” is an overrated handicapping factor for NBA basketball, but we are pretty sure the Wizards have had this game circled since that loss and that they are in a good position to win this one and cover the spread.

4 Unit Play. Take #646 Canisius over Jacksonville State (7p.m., Wednesday March 14) The Golden Griffins are a tough out at home, a place where they went 11-2 this season. Canisius went 15-3 during MAAC play and they should make some noise in this CBI tournament. Canisius is 12-3 ATS (1 push) in their last 16 home games.

4 Unit Play. Take #559 SE Louisiana over Saint Mary’s (10p.m., Tuesday March 13 ESPN U)

All three of these selections fall into the same category. We are fading the No. 1 seed that is pissed they did not make it into the NCAA Tournament field. Some of these coaches are upset and some tried to put on a good face about being snubbed. But the players feel it as well and expect them just to go through the motions. I would not be surprised if one of these No. 1 seeds lost straight up.

4 Unit Play. Take #545 St Bona over UCLA (9:10p.m., Tuesday March 13 Tru TV) We will gladly take the points in this evenly matched game. The Bonnies had an outstanding season and enter this game with just one loss in their last in their last 14 games. UCLA just went through the motions for most of this season and were not that consistent outside of Aaron Holiday. They had a bunch of road losses and St Bona will win this game straight-up. UCLA is 4-9 ATS in their last 13 nonconference games. St Bona is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a winning record.

4 Unit Play. Take #557 Hampton over Notre Dame (9p.m., Tuesday March 13 ESPN)

The Clippers are one of the best bets in the NBA. Confidence has been down all year since Chris Paul left in the offseason and then it went down even further when they traded away Blake Griffin. But this team still has some nice talent and this season they play like a team. And it seems like Coach Doc Rivers has been reinvigorated with the coaching challenge he has been presented with. We like them laying what we think is too short of a line against the tanking Bulls, who have notched a few wins lately but those have come against the dregs of the NBA. They face a big step up in class tonight.

The Pelicans have lost two straight in blowout fashion, but that has created value here as they face a big step down in competition as those two losses were to the Wizards and Jazz. And this team has still covered in seven of their last 10 games despite those less-than-favorable performances in their last two. We think they are in a good position to get back on the winning track Here. Charlotte has lost five of their last six but won last time out. But they only beat Phoenix by seven at home and they were favored by 13. We think this line is way too short. The Pelicans have also covered in 11 of the last 13 meetings here at home, and we see that trend staying solid here on Tuesday night in the Big Easy.

4 Unit Play. Take #552 Middle Tennessee State over Vermont (8p.m., Tuesday March 13 ESPN U) The Blue Raiders had a great success and they will take out their frustrations of not making the NCAA Tournament on the Catamounts. Conference USA is a tougher league then the American East and often mid-majors are motivated to make it to New York City for the final four. Vermont is 7-15 ATS in their last 22 nonconference games. MTSU is 20-8 ATS in their last 28 home games.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

We think there is some nice value here as we had this game handicapped at PK so getting the Wolves as an underdog here is a really good bet. The Wolves had been in a funk with three straight losses in really tough matchups, but they seemingly got their mojo back last time out with a big home win against the Warriors. The Wizards have played a home-heavy schedule yet they are 2-4 in their last six games. The loss of John Wall is really starting to be felt on this team in the stretch drive to the playoffs. We expect a close game here but it’s a coin flip as to who wins so we feel like we are in a good position getting this many points.

4 Unit Play. Take #549 Wagner over Baylor (7p.m., Tuesday March 13 ESPN 2) 

It’s not often that you get double digit points with the Spurs, but we will take that, and then some, tonight. The Spurs haven’t been playing good basketball. They have lost 10 of their last 13. Aldridge is out tonight. But this team still has a lot of talent, and they have the best coach in the game. And they are a very proud group. And they are suddenly in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in a couple decades. We don’t think there is any doubt that the Spurs will play hard tonight against their in-state rival. And Leonard is set to return this week and that will give the Spurs an extra boost kind of the way the Pistons started to play with more confidence right after the Blake Griffin trade before he even joined the team. The Rockets are on a back-to-back here. This is their third game in four nights while the Spurs had the night off Sunday. James Harden is banged up. There’s also probably a natural regression since their winning streak ended and we think that they played really hard during the long winning streak and it’s normal to stop playing with such intensity once something like that ends. The Spurs played the Warriors and the Thunder pretty tough on this road trip and we think that they will come to play tonight and play a prideful game even though a straight up win might be a tough accomplishment.

This is the last game of a four-game road trip for the Sixers and they have lost two of three and this road trip will be considered a disaster if they don’t win this one to split the trip 2-2, especially since they have been favored in all but one game and were only one-point dogs in Miami last time out. They gave a pretty poor effort in that Miami game and we think they will put their A Game on the floor tonight against a very beatable opponent. This is the first game back home after a long road trip for the Nets and that can normally be a soft spot for the home team. Brooklyn is a very good ATS team but this team normally does its best work when getting massive points but we don’t think Philly will have any problem covering this small line in a game where we expect them to be very motivated while this is just another game for the Nets in the long dog days of the NBA season.

4 Unit Play. Take #823 Kentucky over Tennessee (1p.m., Sunday March 11 ESPN) We have used the Wildcats the last two days and cruised to easy victories. Expect more of the same on Sunday as the SEC Championship is on the line. Tennessee has looked equally impressive, but they do not have a long history of winning SEC Tournament Championships. Kentucky is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games.

4 Unit Play. Take #822 Rhode Island over Davidson (1p.m., Sunday March 11 CBS) The Rams have been the best team in the league all season long and expect them to validate that with a tournament championship on Sunday. Davidson is 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games played on Sunday. Rhode Island is 7-2 ATS in their last 9 neutral site games. Just have a feeling Rhode Island will play their best game of the tournament Sunday.

We think this is way too many points for the Clippers to be laying against a Magic team that has been sneaky good lately. Orlando is 8-2 ATS when getting double digit points this season. Orlando is 6-2-1 ATS in the last nine meetings at Staples Center and we think they will keep this game close tonight.  Yes, the Magic come in on a back-to-back, but this team is young and they should have no problem with heavy legs. The Clippers are on a back-to-back as well, but they played a huge game against the Cavs last night and they got the win. Now they head on the road after this game and they have a big matchup against Houston coming up and we see this as a big letdown spot.

4 Unit Play. Take #544 Arizona over USC (10p.m., Saturday March 10 FS1) I said yesterday that Oregon is not a good match-up for USC and I feel the same way tonight. USC does not match-up well with Arizona and expect them use their use to win this game. USC will miss Bennie Boatwright for this game. The favorite is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings between USC and Arizona. The Wildcats are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games against the Trojans.

4 Unit Play. Take #558 New Mexico State over Grand Canyon (10p.m., Saturday March 10 ESPN U)

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

Washington is on a tough back-to-back here and we think that this game has a good chance to be a blowout. While the Heat were off last night the Wizards expended a lot of energy in a big road win at New Orleans. We don’t think they will have much left in the tank against a tenacious Heat squad. Miami is 5-2-1 ATS in the last eight meetings. We think this is a great spot for the home team and we would not be surprised by a double-digit win.

4 Unit Play. Take #538 Buffalo over Toledo (7p.m., Saturday March 10 ESPN 2) The Bulls are far and away the best team in the MAC and expect them to take care of business tonight in Cleveland. Buffalo won the only meetings against Toledo by double digits. The Rockets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record.

10 Unit Play. Take #531 West Virginia over Kansas (6p.m., Saturday March 10 ESPN) CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT GAME OF THE YEAR. Revenge will be served on the court tonight in Kansas City. The Jayhawks have had a cakewalk to the finals, but this is the game that they will miss having Udoka Azubuike. West Virginia should be 2-0 against Kansas this year but lost both games at the end despite controlling them. Throw in the fact that they got jobbed in the last meeting with a 35-2 free throw disparity and the Mountaineers have had this game circled since 2/17. This is game West Virginia wants and they will win it by 8-10 points. This is not a typical Kansas team this season, as they have lost a ton of home games and have very little size in the paint. West Virginia is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record.

4 Unit Play. Take #518 Wichita State over Houston (3:30p.m., Saturday March 10 CBS)

4 Unit Play. Take #524 Kentucky over Alabama (1p.m., Saturday March 10 ESPN) Kentucky flexed their muscles yesterday against Georgia and I see a similar game today in St Louis. Alabama likely has done enough to reach the NCAA Tournament, and this is not a must win game for them. The favorite is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings between Alabama and Kentucky. Kentucky is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.

4 Unit Play. Take #884 Santa Barbara (pk) over UC Irvine (11:59p.m., Friday March 9)

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

4 Unit Play. Take #880 USC -2.5 over Oregon (11:30p.m., Friday March 9 FS1) This is just not a good match-up for the Ducks. USC beat them twice this season in close games. This should be another close game but expect USC to pull away late and win this game by 5-7 points. The Trojans played well down the stretch winning 5 of their last 6 games. Oregon is 0-4 ATS (1 push) in their last 5 neutral site games. USC is 20-8 ATS in their last 28 games against teams with a winning record.

4 Unit Play. Take #686 Duke -4 over North Carolina (9:30p.m., Friday March 9 ESPN) The victory Carolina got over Duke they made three pointers. They have not been doing that of late and thus they will struggle against the zone of Duke. The Blue Devils pounded a good Notre Dame team yesterday and I see them pulling away late to win this game by double digits. The favorite is 4-1 ATS (1 push) in the last 6 meetings between North Carolina and Duke.

4 Unit Play. Take #873 San Diego State +2.5 over Nevada (9p.m., Friday March 9 CBSSN)

The Bucks have really struggled lately but this team has faced an extremely tough schedule. We think this is a “get right” game for them against the floundering Knicks. New York is another tanking team, and we think they will be very uninterested tonight while the Bucks will be desperate for a big win. The Bucks have won three straight meetings in this series, and they covered in two of them, and we don’t see any way this isn’t a double digit winner tonight as we see the Bucks being very focused and they have the huge edge in talent on the court tonight.

Both teams are playing some incredible basketball right now and this is the marquee matchup for Friday. The Rockets, however, will be playing their third game in four nights, all on the road, and we think this is a good spot for their winning streak to end tonight. The Raptors blew out Houston, in Texas no less, in the last meeting, and we don’t think that they will be intimidated. They will bring their A Game for sure, and they have had a much more favorable schedule even though this will be their third in four as well, but that is much easier at home than on the road. Toronto is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings at home in this series and we think that trend will continue tonight.

It’s seemingly now or never for the Pistons to get their act together and start playing better. We got an indication that might be happening as they took the Raptors to overtime in a loss last time out. That was a heartbreaking loss, but we get the feeling that this is a game the Pistons will dominate. The Bulls are a tanking team and they have failed to cover the line more often than not and normally face very favorable lines, unlike the Pistons, who have probably been overrated by the oddsmakers lately. But we think this is a game where they will shine as they are the much more talented team and they have the motivational edge tonight here at home.

4 Unit Play. Take #842 Georgia State -4 over Troy (6p.m., Friday March 9 ESPN 3) The Trojans are not good enough to beat the Panthers three times in one season. Georgia State finished 12-6 in league play, three full games better than Troy finished. The Trojans are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following a victory in their previous game.

4 Unit Play. #848 Take Kentucky -4.5 over Georgia (3:30p.m., Friday March 9 ESPN) Georgia’s run will end today against Kentucky. The Wildcats have had a disappointing season but they still have talent and I do not see them going down in their first game of the SEC Tournament. Kentucky has covered the spread in 4 of their last 5 games. Georgia is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a victory in their previous game.  

4 Unit Play. Take #764 Seattle -3.5 over Texas Rio Grande (11:30p.m., Thursday March 8 ESPN 3) The Redhawks are going for the season sweep of the Vaqueros. TRGV has not been playing well down the stretch covering the spread just 1 time in their last 6 games. Seattle is the higher seed and expect them to take care of business on Friday night and advance to the semi-finals on Friday.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

4 Unit Play. Take #700 Seton Hall +1 over Butler (9:30p.m., Thursday March 8 FS1) Seton Hall is always a tough out at the Garden and tonight should be no different. The Pirates have righted the ship down the stretch winning three of their last four games. They also won at Butler this year and they could make some noise in the conference tournament. The Pirates are 5-2 ATS (1 push) in their last 8 neutral site games.

4 Unit Play. Take #667 North Carolina -5.5 over Miami (9:30p.m., Thursday March 8 ESPN) The Tar Heels will have revenge on their minds after losing to Miami at the buzzer last week. Carolina flexed their muscles last night against Syracuse and expect them to win this game by 9-11 points. I do not believe Miami is as good as their record indicates and thus expect them to struggle against the elite teams in the league. Miami is 3-7 ATS in their last 10 neutral site games.

We like the Timberwolves here as a home dog. This team is 6-2 ATS as a small underdog this season and we think this is a good spot for them tom score the straight up win. Minnesota lost Jimmy Butler recently and they have had a tough schedule and some mediocre results and oddsmaker confidence is down with this team right now, and that has created betting value in this matchup. We had this game as a PK and we think it will be a close game, so we have to grab the points. Minnesota has a talented team and we have no doubt they will be amped for this game tonight.

It’s hard to take a flier here on a bad team like the Suns, but this is more of a play against the Thunder than for Phoenix. The Thunder are one of those teams that seems to sink to their level of competition. This team is 8-20 ATS when laying six or more points this season. This is one of the worst ATS teams in the NBA and they are always overrated by the oddsmakers. These teams played about a week ago and the Suns held tough at home and led for most of the game but they fell apart late in the fourth and barely missed the cover. But they are familiar with this Thunder squad now with such a recent meeting and we think they will play well here against a big number. The Suns also had two nights off heading into this matchup, and this game is sandwiched between matchups against the Rockets and Spurs for the Thunder, so this is a prime letdown spot.

10 Unit Play. Take #682 Richmond over Duquesne (6p.m., Thursday March 8 NBCSN) No bet against Duquesne is a bad bet. The Duke finished the season losing 9 of their last 11 games. Richmond had a terrible nonconference portion of the season but did show some life in Atlantic 10 play to finish with a respectable 9-9 record. They had a long losing streak of their own but did stabilize things winning their last two games. This is a young Spider team and they have a brighter future ahead and expect them to win this game and advance to the quarterfinals. Richmond won the first meeting by 4 points in Pittsburgh. The favorite is 9-2 ATS in the last 11 meetings. Richmond is 17-4 ATS in their last 21 games against Duquesne.

4 Unit Play. Take #728 UCLA -3.5 over Stanford (5:30p.m., Thursday March 8 PAC-12 Network) Stanford had an easy game to advance to the quarterfinals but that is as far as they will get. This game means more to UCLA since they still have a chance to make the NCAA Tournament. Stanford likely gets into the NIT but would have to win three more games to make the big dance. UCLA is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a winning record. UCLA is 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games against Stanford.

4 Unit Play. Take #735 Long Beach State +2.5 over Cal State Fullerton (5:30p.m. Thursday March 8)

4 Unit Play. Take #704 Kansas -4.5 over Oklahoma State (3p.m., Thursday March 8 ESPN 2) Kansas is without Udoka Azubuike but I just cannot see Oklahoma State beating them for a third time this season. This game is being played in Kansas City giving the Jayhawks a big edge in the home crowd. The Cowboys are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games following a victory in their previous game.

7 Unit Play. Take #718 Nevada -5.5 over UNLV (3p.m., Thursday March 8 CBSSN) TOP COLLEGE HOOPS PLAY OF THE DAY. Just do not see a way UNLV does not get run over. It will not be the quite as bad as the game last Wednesday but it will still be a double digit victory. Despite this game being played on their home floor, UNLV has had no success in this tournament in recent years and they were take to overtime by Air Force yesterday. Nevada has a bad taste in their mouth after losing to San Diego State last time out and they need to make a statement in this game to assure they receive to 6/7 seed in the NCAA Tournament last week. UNLV did beat them in Reno this season but Nevada was without their leading scorer in that game. UNLV is 12-37 ATS (3 pushes) in their last 52 conference games. The favorite has covered 4 of the last 5 games in this match-up.

4 Unit Play. Take #702 Kansas State +2.5 over TCU (12:30p.m., Thursday March 8 ESPN 2)

We love to fade the Cavs, the worst ATS team in the NBA this season. They are a very public team so the bookies don’t have to adjust their lines on this team. This line should be closer to 6 or 6.5. Denver just beat the Cavs by nine in Cleveland a few days ago. Normally that would be a revenge spot but the Cavs have bigger problems than obsessing over revenge against an out-of-conference opponent. If the Cavs were out for revenge they would have a lot of enemies this year because they have lost way more games than expected. We love the way the Nuggets are playing right now and they are rightfully playing like their playoff lives depend on every win. We see them bringing their A Game tonight.

We have been big on the Raptors lately with much success, but we think that this is a bad spot for them on Wednesday. They are coming in on a back-to-back on the road against a desperate team that has revenge on their minds because of an embarrassing beatdown in Toronto late last month. The Raptors will be playing their third game in four nights and they will likely be running on fumes here in what would likely be a close game even without the fatigue factor for the visitors. Not sure what’s up with the Pistons, who should be playing better than they have been, but we think this is a good spot for them to challenge for the straight up win.

Indiana has the better record here in this matchup, but now that Utah is healthy and playing well we think they are the much stronger team. And we feel this is a very favorable line for them tonight as we had them laying 3.5 here. We think that they should win this one pretty comfortably. The Jazz had trouble winning on the road early in the season, but they have solved those problems with eight straight road wins, and they will want to get off to a strong start for this three-game trip and we think this is a very winnable game for them.

10 Unit Play. Take #625 Oklahoma over Oklahoma State (7p.m., Wednesday March 7 ESPN U) This may be a winner take all game with the team that emerges victorious making the NCAA Tournament and the loser in serious bubble trouble. It is hard to have any faith in Oklahoma, but this handicapper does. The Sooners won 2 of their last 3 and had good success against the Cowboys beating them by 20 and losing a hard fought 2-point game. They still have the best player on the floor and Lon Kruger is too good a coach not to have his team ready for this all-important game. Oklahoma is 11-3 ATS in their last 14 meetings against Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are also 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games following a victory in their previous game.

4 Unit Play. Take #576 Florida State -2 over Louisville (12p.m., Wednesday March 7 ESPN) Just do not believe Louisville has much left in the tank after an emotional season and emotional week. They had Virginia dead to right last week yet blew that game and likely their chances to make the NCAA Tournament. Throw in the fact that the committee does not want them in and expect them to come out flat in this game. One can never trust Florida State, but they have talent and should be able to beat Louisville for the second time in three tries this season. Louisville is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games.

The Warriors seem content to finish in second place in the west. They learned during their record-setting regular season a couple years ago that expending too much energy during the regular season will hurt you in the postseason. So this team hasn’t hit it’s extra gear in awhile. The Warriors are 10-14 ATS when laying more than 14 points this season and they are 1-5 ATS in their last six against Eastern Conference teams, who they have seemed particularly bored against lately. The Nets are 11-5 ATS at home against teams with a winning record and we were impressed with their effort Sunday at the Clippers. We think they play hard again here, and they have covered the last two meetings between these clubs.

The Pelicans eight-game winning streak comes to an end tonight. Their winning streak came against mostly bad teams, even though they had a couple big wins during that span. But they face a real tough test tonight and we think the Clippers are in a good spot to take this game. LA has covered in six of their last eight games. The bookies keep underestimating this team. They don’t have any big stars since Blake Griffin and Chris Paul left the squad. But they are playing better team basketball now then they ever did with those two stars, and Doc Rivers is doing some of the best coaching work of his career this year. The Clippers are 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings between these teams in Los Angeles, and they already scored a nine-point win in New Orleans the last time these teams met.

5 Unit Play. Take #526 Charleston over Northeastern (7p.m., Tuesday March 6 CBSSN) The Cougars have a huge edge in location as this game is being played in North Charleston. They have already beaten the Huskies twice this season and will make it three in a row come Tuesday night. Charleston is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings against Northeastern.

Portland has a very strong history betting-wise here in LA as they are 22-8 ATS in the last 30 meetings here, and they always seemed to play well here even when the Lakers were good. We think this line is way too short tonight. The Blazers are playing extremely well and have won seven of their last nine. The Lakers have won five straight, but only one of those wins, last time out at San Antonio, was against a legit team, and the Spurs have a lot of problems right now. A win against Miami was less impressive and they also beat Atlanta, Sacramento and Dallas, three of the worst teams in the NBA this season. They will be in tough tonight. The Blazers have to keep winning as they are one of many teams bunched up behind the Warriors and Rockets in the West, and we think they bring their A Game once again tonight.