Sports Picks & Predictions

4 Unit Play. Take Wyoming over San Diego State (9p.m., Monday, February 28 CBSSN) Not sure why San Diego State is favored in this game at Arena Auditorium in Laramie, WY. The Cowboys have a better chance to make the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team and they have not lost a home game this season. SDSU has been playing better of late and most of those wins have come against the bottom of the conference. Wyoming is 24-7 ATS in their last 31 games as an underdog. 

Sacramento is 7-22 on the road this season. They are a slightly better team in this matchup but we think this is too many points for them to lay on the road. The Thunder are one of the best ATS teams in the NBA this season. They should be focused here as this is a very winnable game, and we think the home dog has a great chance to cash.

4 Unit Play. Take #717 Wisconsin +2.5 over Rutgers (6p.m., Saturday, February 26 BTN) Just do not believe Rutgers is good enough to beat Wisconsin twice in the regular season. The Scarlet Knights have been streaky this season and now they are on a downward trend having lost two straight games but 9 or more points. They play better at home, but they do not warrant being favored against the top team in the conference. The Badgers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 road games against teams with a winning home record.

10 Unit Play. Take #727 South Carolina over Alabama (6p.m., Saturday, February 26 SECN) We have been fading Alabama during much of the conference season and today will be no different. The Tide are not anywhere near as strong as they were last season. They struggle to shoot it well from the arc as well as rebound efficiently. Carolina will enter having won 4 straight games and are starting to play some of their best basketball of the season. The underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 games between Alabama and South Carolina. The Gamecocks have covered the spread in their last 5 games. Alabama is 1-10 ATS in their last 11 home games.

7 Unit Play. Take #616 Detroit -3 over Purdue Fort Wayne (1p.m., Saturday, February 26 ESPN+) Detroit has an impressive 10-6 record at home despite playing 11 of their 16 Horizon League games on the road. They close out the regular season with 4 straight home games and look to make it 4 for 4 with a win today. This was just a two point game when these two teams met earlier this season in Fort Wayne and I expect the Titans to win this game by close to double-digits. Detroit is 10-1 ATS (1 push) in their last 12 games as a home favorite.

The Clippers are the disrespected little brother in their own city, and they normally get up big for this matchup. They are 9-1 ATS in the last 10 when the official road team in this matchup. They should have covered in the last meeting but they fell apart late but still won the game. This Lakers team is a mess and we just don’t think they are good or going to turn it around at any point. Nice value in this line tonight.

The Bulls are a much better team overall and the Hawks struggle on the road. We think after the long break that going on the road for the first game back is a bad situation for a team that plays poorly in general away from home. The Bulls were a hot betting team before the break at 5-1 ATS, and we feel they will pick up right where they left off.

These are two of the big surprise teams in the NBA this season. But the difference is that the Wolves are just a surprise but the Grizzlies are a true contender. Memphis has been one of the best betting teams this season and very consistent. Minnesota has been somewhat inconsistent. We think the Grizzlies will put an emphasis on starting off the unofficial second half of the season with a strong performance.

4 Unit Play. Take #796 Georgetown over DePaul (8:00p.m., Thursday, February 24 CBSSN) Georgetown is terrible and Patrick Ewing will likely be fired in March. That being said, I just cannot picture them going winless in the Big East this season and this is their only chance to get a win in their last 4 games. DePaul will enter with just a 3-13 conference record and they just should not be favored against anyone on the road. DePaul is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite. The home team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 games between DePaul and Georgetown.

4 Unit Play. Take #735 Wisconsin over Minnesota (9p.m., Wednesday, February 23 BTN) Wisconsin usually plays to the level of their competition, but they are coming off an emotional win against Michigan on Sunday and look for them to take care of business tonight at the Barn. The Badgers have a chance to win the regular season title but must win their next two games in order to achieve that. They let Minnesota hang around in the first game but expect a more complete 40 minute performance tonight. Wisconsin is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 road games. Minnesota is 0-8 ATS in their last 8 games following an ATS win in their previous game.

3 Unit Play. Take #718 Missouri State over Bradley (8p.m., Wednesday, February 23 ESPN+) Bradley may make a run in the MVC Conference Tournament but I do not see them being competitive in this true road game. The Bears already won in Peoria earlier this season and still have a chance to split the regular season conference championship. Missouri State is 34-15 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 51 games as a favorite.

4 Unit Play. Take #632 Florida over Arkansas (7p.m., Tuesday, February 22 ESPN2) Both teams are coming off a big win over the weekend. You might think Florida would be in a letdown spot, but they are playing this game at home and cannot afford to lose many more games this season in order to make the NCAA Tournament. Arkansas really struggled to score on Saturday against Tennessee, and they will not have favorable home refs for this game. Florida needs this game more and expect them to get it. The home team is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 games between Arkansas and Florida.

6 Unit Play. Take #822 Wisconsin over Michigan (1p.m., Sunday, February 20 CBS) It is hard to pass up taking Wisconsin at home at this line. The Badgers lost at home last weekend, but I just cannot see them losing two straight games at the Kohl Center. Michigan has played better of late, but they are still just 14-10 on the season and this will be their second straight road game. Michigan is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following an ATS win in their previous game. Wisconsin is 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games following an ATS win in their previous game.

8 Unit Play. Take #674 Arkansas -2 over Tennessee (4p.m., Saturday, February 19 ESPN) Tennessee dominating Kentucky on Tuesday has given us great value fading them in this game. The Volunteers will enter having won 5 straight games but only one of those wins came against a team that will make the NCAA Tournament come March. Arkansas played a weak nonconference schedule and thus their ranking is not as indicative of how good they are. They have been dominating of late winning 10 of their last 11 games with only a 1 point loss to Alabama during this streak. They have been jumping out on teams early and if they do that on Saturday I do not believe Tennessee will be able to come back. Playing at Bud Walton Arena with this coach and this fan base will be a tough task for Tennessee. The Volunteers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS win in their previous game. The Razorbacks are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games. The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings between Tennessee and Arkansas.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

10 Unit Play. Take #644 Iowa State over Oklahoma (2p.m., Saturday, February 19 ESPN+) Oklahoma has had a brutal schedule of late having lost closes games to Texas and Kansas. Now they will be without Elijah Harkless for the rest of the season and fatigue will start to set in for this program. They have lost 5 of their last 6 games and will be facing a team that has revenge on their minds. Iowa State has struggled in conference play after running the table in the nonconference portion of the season, but they are coming off a win last time out and should be able to follow that up with two straight on Saturday. Oklahoma is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games played on Saturday. Iowa State is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games against teams with a losing road record. The home team is 9-2 ATS in the last 11 games between Oklahoma and Iowa State.

Just not buying the Clippers as double digit favorites over anyone. This team has been highly inconsistent and they aren’t blowing out bad teams on a regular basis. They are 1-4 ATS this season when laying 7.5 or more, so they normally letdown backers in spots like this. The Rockets are coming off their best game in awhile last night as they played tough and got the cover in Phoenix. They lost by 3 as 16.5-point dogs. They have a good chance here to end their losing streak before the all star break, and we think they play a competitive game.

4 Unit Play. Take #833 Colorado over Cal (9:30p.m., Thursday, February 17 PAC12N) Cal is terrible and anytime you can get them with this low of a number you must fade them. They are coming off their best win of the season beating Oregon last time out. That kept this number now and look for Colorado to take them out at Haas Pavilion. Colorado will enter having won 3 straight games, all over tonight’s posted number. The Buffaloes are 5-2 ATS (1 push) in their last 8 games as a favorite.

Just don’t like the Spurs as a big road favorite like this. OKC has covered three straight and they have been playing well, and we think this will be a competitive game here in OKC on Wednesday night. The Spurs traditionally don’t play well here and they are 7-19 ATS in the last 26 visits here. They have won only three of their last eight overall.

Portland has won and covered three straight. Two of those games were against very flawed teams and we think the Bucks just had an off game. Memphis is one of the hottest teams in the NBA and they have just been destroying teams lately. They have won and covered six straight even though the numbers have been rising. They are 7-3 ATS on back-to-backs so we don’t see that as a problem tonight.

Detroit hasn’t been playing well lately but they catch the Celtics in a letdown spot on a back-to-back, playing their third game in four nights, and coming off a big beatdown of Philly last night in a game that was more important to them. These teams played earlier in the month and the Pistons hung tough and got the cover. In fact, they have covered five straight in this series and are 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings in Boston.

6 Unit Play. Take #691 Mississippi State over Alabama (7p.m., Wednesday, February 16 ESPN2) We will go to the well once again fading Alabama, as this team should not be ranked. They are just 6-6 in SEC play and do not shoot it well from the arc or rebound effectively. Mississippi State struggles on the road but they need some quality wins and thus they should be able to take this game down to the wire. Alabama may jump out early, but they struggle to play a complete game and tonight should be no different. Alabama is 1-9 ATS in their last 10 home games.

3 Unit Play. Take #651 Wisconsin over Indiana (9p.m., Tuesday, February 15 ESPN2) Just do not trust Indiana in the role of a favorite against one of the top teams in the conference. Indiana gave away the first game against Wisconsin and expect the Badgers to play much better in this game. The underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games between Wisconsin and Indiana. Wisconsin is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 road games. Indiana is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record.

Orlando has covered in six of the last seven meetings in Orlando. The Magic have won four of their lasy eight, so they are playing decent basketball right now for a bottom feeder. Whenever you see a spread like this you have to look for a reason to play the underdog. You can cover even in a blowout. Phoenix just played their NBA Finals revenge game against Milwaukee and they have the Clippers on deck, so they probably won’t take this game too seriously as they can win without 100% effort.

10 Unit Play. Take #603 Arkansas over Alabama (12p.m., Saturday, February 12 SECN) We will continue to fade Alabama, as they get to much respect from the oddsmakers this season. This sounds like a broken record, but they do not rebound or shoot the 3 well this season. Beating Ole Miss is not an accomplishment, and they will face a red hot team in Arkansas on Saturday morning. Arkansas has won 9 straight games and they have the best player on the floor in JD Notae. Arkansas is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games. Alabama is 3-12 ATS (1 push) in their last 16 games. Like Arkansas to win this game straight-up.

This is a huge revenge spot for the home team. For the Bucks, it’s just another game against a very good team from the other conference. Of course, the Suns lost in the NBA Finals to the Bucks. So this matchup has probably been on their minds since the Summer. Milwaukee has been playing well, but they have had a very easy schedule lately. We think the Suns are the much more motivated team tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #845 Northern Colorado -6 over Sacramento State (10p.m., Thursday, February 10 ESPN+) This time of year many teams have thrown in the towel and the Hornets are one of those teams. They have lost 7 of their last 8 games but somehow beat the Bears on the road earlier this season. Northern Colorado has a major revenge and talent edge in this game and will win this game by dou ble-digits. The Bears are 37-18 ATS (1 push) in their last 56 road games.

4 Unit Play. Take #813 Duke -6 over Clemson (8p.m., Thursday, February 10 ACCN) Clemson has to play this game after losing to North Carolina on Tuesday, a team Duke just pounded over the weekend. This is not as strong of Tigers teams as we have seen in the past and they do not have many quality wins on the season. Duke is coming off a bad loss on Monday and expect them to take it out on Clemson tonight. The Blue Devils are 6-0 ATS (1 push) in their last 7 games played on Thursday.

4 Unit Play. Take #724 Drake over Missouri State (8p.m., Wednesday, February 9 ESPN+) These are two of the top teams in the MVC and expect the Bulldogs to rebound from a loss last time out. Drake has revenge from a 5-point loss earlier this season and they have won 4 of their last 5 games. Missouri State is 1-8 ATS (1 push) in their last 10 games as an underdog.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The Lakers stink. They beat New York in OT last time out in a game that shouldn’t have been close. The Bucks have won seven of nine and they are playing some of their best basketball of the season after slogging through the beginning part of the year. Their offense has been humming and they have scored 137 in both of their last two games. We don’t see them getting anywhere near that tonight, but we think they will pull away in this game in the fourth quarter and get a comfortable win that falls well below the posted total.

These are two of the worst offensive teams in the league, and the Mavs are one of the best defensive teams. We expect a low scoring game here, and a low total makes the points for the underdog more valuable. Dallas is coming off two games against playoff type teams then they have the Clippers, a rival, coming up, so we don’t see them giving 100% in this matchup.

Brooklyn is likely without all of their Big 3 tonight and some role players because of injury. This team has not had any roster continuity this season, and it has shown on the court. They are 20-32-1 against the spread. Boston is one of the hottest teams in the league right now, winners of 7 of 8. And we don’t think they will take it easy against the Nets because of their roster issues. This game is important as a potential tiebreaker down the line.

4 Unit Play. Take #617 Wisconsin over Michigan State (7p.m., Tuesday, February 8 BTN) Just do not believe Michigan State is good enough to beat Wisconsin twice this season. The loser of this game will likely see their hopes of a regular season championship fade and Wisconsin will be a full strength for this game. Expect a low scoring hard fought game that goes down to the wire and we will grab the points. The underdog is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 games between Wisconsin and Michigan State. The Spartans are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite.

Just think this is too many points. The Jazz have won two straight, but this team is still really banged up and their recent results have not been much better than the Jazz, who have been slogging through the months of Jan and Feb. Utah is 9-17-1 ATS at home, where they are often overrated by the oddsmakers. That seems like the case again tonight. New York has had a light schedule lately, so they should be well rested. They played well enough to win last time out in an OT loss to the Lakers. They are also 12-4 ATS in their last 16 visits to Utah.

3 Unit Play. Take #906 Montana over Southern Utah (9p.m., Monday, February 7 ESPN+) The Grizzles are coming off a terrible loss to Idaho State last time out, but they now return home where they are undefeated on the season. Southern Utah is 5-17 ATS in their last 22 games played on Monday. Montana is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games following an ATS loss in their previous game.

4 Unit Play. Take #907 Kansas over Texas (9p.m., Monday, February 7 ESPN) The Jayhawks sit atop the standings in the Big 12 and will stay there come March as well. They are coming off their best performance of the season last time out against Baylor. Texas had an emotional loss to Texas Tech on Saturday, and I do not believe they will be able to recover in time tonight. The road team is 12-3 ATS (1 push) in the last 16 games between Kansas and Texas.

Boston has won four straight and six of seven. This team has dealt with all sports of adversity this season to start following their very disappointing season last year. But they seem back on track lately, and they are healthy now. Boston has been one of the best betting teams of the last five or so years, before last season happened. But when they are on track they can easily cover a large road spread like this against a lousy team on a back-to-back. They have covered six of the last seven in Orlando.

4 Unit Play. Take #836 Georgetown over Providence (12p.m., Sunday, February 6 FS1) Georgetown will not go winless in the Big East and look for them to put forth a good effort today. The Friars are winning games but not by double digits and look for that to occur again today. Providence is 7-20 ATS in their last 27 games against teams with a losing record.  

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

Does Portland have Dame Lillard back? Of course not. This spread doesn’t make sense. Portland has been playing well with a turnstile roster, but we don’t think they deserve to be this big of favorites. OKC just beat Portland – by 18! – the last day of January. Portland scored only 81 points. And they didn’t hit the century mark last time out against the Lakers in one of the worst performances of the season. We expect a low scoring game here, which makes the points for the underdog more attractive, and we will sprinkle a little on the moneyline as well.

The Clippers have had two nights off, while the Lakers played last night. That rest advantage is crucial during the mid-season slog. The Lakers won last night, but we have to say that might have been one of the most unimpressive wins we have seen in awhile. Both teams played horribly, but the Blazers played one of the worst games of the season and lost by only five points. They took 20 more shots than the Lakers and hit in the mid-30s for shooting percentage. Late in the game their shooting was especially atrocious. So we give more credit to the Blazers for losing than the Lakers winning. Now they face a rested Clippers team that has been playing the most consistent basketball they have played this season. They have had more roster continuity recently and this has been one of the teams in the NBA hit hardest by Covid and injuries. They lost last time out at Indiana on a back-to-back and on the last game of their long road trip. The first game back after a long trip can be tricky, but we like how the Clippers have had two days off. This allowed a day for the players to focus on personal matters before getting back into basketball mindset. The Clippers had covered seven of eight before that loss to Indiana. The Clippers want this game more. This is a one-sided rivalry since the Lakers have bigger rivals but not the Clippers. They are considered the Little Brother in LA, and they normally bring their best performance when playing the Lakers. They have won four straight meetings and covered in five straight, and they have a long term 17-8 ATS mark when listed as the home squad. The Clippers have a better record (barely) despite having worse injury luck. The Lakers were supposed to be championship favorites. The Clippers were going to be lucky to make the postseason. We think this Clippers roster is definitely a playoff team without Kawhi and George, and they are starting to play better and gel together despite the absence of their stars.

4 Unit Play. Take #779 Marshall over Old Dominion (8p.m., Thursday, February 3 CBSSN) Marshall is coming off their best performance of the season beating UAB last time out. The Monarchs do not deserve to be favored by this many points against anyone in Conference USA. Marshall has played better than their record would indicate. The road team is 6-2 ATS in the last 8 games between Marshall and Old Dominion.

The Nuggets have been playing well, but they are on their last game of a grueling six-game road trip. From the looks of their performance last night in Minnesota, they are ready to go home. And not only are they on a back-to-back, but they are playing their third game in four nights. They are 1-6-1 ATS on the second leg of a back-to-back, so they traditionally don’t play well in these situations. Utah has been a dumpster fire lately because of injuries. Now Ingles is out for the season. They have lost five straight. But four of those losses were to Phoenix (X2), Memphis and Golden State. This isn’t exactly a Must Win Game, but we think they will bring their A Game in order to end this losing streak, and Denver is very susceptible to a blowout because of their travel situation. The Nuggets are 4-13 ATS in their last 17 trips to Utah.

4 Unit Play. Take #711 Wisconsin over Illinois (9p.m., Wednesday, February 2 BTN) These are two similar teams, and we will definitely grab the points as the Badgers head south to Champaign to take on the Illini. The Badgers already have a win at Purdue, and they have played a much more difficult schedule compared to the Illini. They also have the best player on the floor in Johnny Davis and getting around a touchdown is too good to pass up. The road team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 games between Wisconsin and Illinois. The Badgers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 road games.

4 Unit Play. Take #696 Norther Iowa over Bradley (8p.m., Wednesday, February 2 ESPN+) The Panthers are finally starting to play to their potential during MVC play and will enter this game having won 2 straight games. The Braves have been hot as well winning 4 straight games but they are not as strong of a team on the road. Seeding is very important for the upcoming conference tournament and expect the Panthers to win this game by close to double-digits.

4 Unit Play. Take #684 Indiana State over Drake (7p.m., Wednesday, February 2 ESPN+) This is a tough spot for the Bulldogs, as they will suffer a letdown coming off a big win over Loyola Chicago last time out. This will be their third road game in their last four games and look for that to have an effect on them tonight. Drake is 3-13 ATS (1 push) in their last 17 games as a favorite. Indiana State is 4-1 ATS (1 push) in their last 6 home games.

10 Unit Play. Take #654 UNLV over Nevada (10:30p.m., Tuesday, February 1 FS1) Nevada is a sinking ship at the moment and they will enter this game off yet another blowout loss. This team does not do anything well and they have minor injuries to their star player in Grant Sherfield. The Pack have no quality wins on the season and are playing a team tonight that is desperate for playback on the count. The Rebels have not had good success against Nevada in recent years, but this is a game they have a major edge in talent. UNLV is coming off an impressive win against Colorado State time out and they have the best player on the court in Bryce Hamilton. The favorite is 8-3 ATS (1 push) in the last 12 games between Nevada and UNLV. Nevada is 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games overall.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4 Unit Play. Take #613 Rutgers +5.5 over Northwestern (7p.m., Tuesday, February 1 BTN) Rutgers has more talent than does Northwestern and we will grad the points tonight at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, IL. Northwestern is just 2-8 in Big 10 play and it is beyond me why they are favored by this many points against a team with a winning record in conference play. The road team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games between Rutgers and Northwestern. The Wildcats are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games.

5 Unit Play. Take #619 Kent State -1 over Miami (OH) (7p.m., Tuesday, February 1 ESPN+) The Golden Flashes have been playing well of late and will enter this game having won 4 of their last 5 games. They have won all 4 of those games by at least 8 points and tonight should be no different. The RedHawks are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 home games.

The Clippers have dealt with more adversity and roster upheaval as almost any team in the NBA this season. That is a big reason they have been so inconsistent. But they have been pretty healthy lately, they have had more roster continuity, and they have played better, scratching their way back to .500 and back into the thick of the playoff race. They have showed they can win games multiple ways. They are coming in on a back-to-back, but they played early Sunday so they should be plenty rested here. This team has been playing with swagger recently, and we expect them to beat an inferior team on the road.

This is the most points the Spurs have gotten all season as an underdog. We think it’s too many tonight. San Antonio has been one of the better bets in the NBA with a winning ATS record. They do their best work as an underdog. They are 12-6 ATS when getting seven or more points. The Suns are only 5-5 ATS when laying double digits. The Spurs have won two of three and they are playing pretty well right now. We think they keep this one within double digits.

4 Unit Play. Take #836 Wisconsin over Minnesota (1p.m., Sunday, January 30 BTN) Minnesota is still banged up and will have trouble scoring in this game. Wisconsin got back on track against Nebraska on Thursday and will win this game by double-digits as well. The favorite is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings between Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Badgers are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games played on Sunday.

5 Unit Play. Take #745 Rutgers -2 over Nebraska (6:30p.m., Saturday, January 29 BTN) Rutgers has been one of the more disappointing teams this season but they have much more talent than does Nebraska. The Cornhuskers have yet to win a Big 10 Conference game this season and that streak should continue into Sunday. Rutgers is 8-3 ATS (1 push) in their last 12 games played on Saturday. Nebraska is 7-16 ATS (1 push) in their last 24 games following an ATS win in their previous game. 

7 Unit Play. Take #664 Florida State -2.5 over Virginia Tech (3p.m., Saturday, January 29 ABC) These two teams are heading in opposite directions with Florida State winning 6 of their last 7 games. Virginia Tech has lost 3 straight games against 3 teams that will likely not make the NCAA Tournament come March. The Hokies are 3-14 ATS in their last 17 road games against teams with a winning home record. Florida State is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following at ATS loss in their previous game. The Noles laid an egg last time out but expect them to bounce back in a big way on Saturday.

4 Unit Play. Take #831 UMKC over Denver (9p.m., Thursday, January 27) No bet against Denver is a bad bet this season. I do not believe they are good enough to beat the Roos twice in one season. Since that loss UMKC has won 3 straight games and should be able to complete the superfecta tonight. The Roos are 3-0 ATS (1 push) in their last 4 games as a road favorite.

4 Unit Play. Take #840 UTEP over Florida Atlantic (9p.m., Thursday, January 27) FAU has been playing a home heavy schedule of late and playing their first road game in some time will doom them in tonight. UTEP has won 3 straight games as well and look for them to take down both Florida schools during this homestand. FAU is 4-10 ATS in their last 14 road games following 3 or more consecutive home games.

The Spurs are coming in on a back-to-back while the Grizzlies have had two nights off. That is huge at this point of the season. San Antonio looked good last night. But this team has been highly inconsistent and we just don’t see them bringing the same effort on B2B nights. The Grizzlies are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven meetings here.

4 Unit Play. Take #731 VCU over Davidson (8:30p.m., Wednesday, January 26 CBSSN) This is a rematch from last week of two of the top teams in the Atlantic 10. The Wildcats won on the road last week and expect the Rams to return the favor on Wednesday. Expect this game to go down to the wire and we will side with the underdog. The Rams are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games played on Wednesday. The Wildcats are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games played on Wednesday.

4 Unit Play. Take #668 UCLA over Arizona (11p.m., Tuesday, January 25 ESPN) This line just keeps going up and now the value lies with the home team getting over a field goal. UCLA would have been a big favorite in this game before the season started and I feel that they need this game more if they hope to become a NO. 1 seed come March. UCLA is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a underdog.

The Clippers have covered in three of four games, and we think this is a very winnable game for them. The two big stars are still out for awhile, but the role players are mostly back and this is a pretty talented team even without the Big 2 but they haven’t had a consistent roster yet this season. We think as long as this core group stays healthy that the Clippers will start winning more games and covering more spreads. The Clippers are 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings.

4 Unit Play. Take #635 Wright State over Northern Kentucky (7p.m., Tuesday, January 25 ESPN+) The Raiders have been rolling as they move up the Horizon League Standing having won 9 of their last 10 games. The Norse have been beating the bad teams in the conference but struggling when they face the top teams. Northern Kentucky is 1-6 ATS following a victory in their previous game.

4 Unit Play. Take #872 Delaware over Towson (7p.m., Monday, January 24) These are two of the top teams in the CAA and we will side with the home tam tonight in Newark, DE. Delaware has won 3 straight games and seems to have a knack for winning close games this season. They have great balance with 5 players averaging over 9.5 points per game.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The Pistons are playing well lately. They have covered the last two, and their last game against Utah was much closer than the final score indicated as Detroit was in position to win for most of the game until a late Utah flurry. Denver is 4-8 ATS when laying five or more points, so they haven’t met expectations as a big favorite. They haven’t covered in three straight games. We think the road team can keep this one within double digits.

The Bulls are banged up right now but we still think they win this game. Orlando is on an 0-4 ATS slide despite some very generous odds nightly. The Bulls have been playing well lately despite the roster issues and they have covered three of the last four. After a loss to the Bucks last time out where they were very competitive, we see them taking this game seriously tonight.

The Heat have been a good favorite bet lately at 4-1 ATS when laying points. The Lakers won against lowly Orlando last time out but they had a harder time than they should have. The Lakers are one of the worst ATS teams in the NBA and we think this line is too short on Sunday as we see the Heat taking care of business.

7 Unit Play. Take #718 Florida Atlanta over Marshall (4p.m., Saturday, January 22 ESPN+) Marshall is not any good this season, currently sitting at 0-5 in conference play. They used to be a tough out a home but they are not good at home this year either. FAU is coming off a nice win against WKU last time out and look for them to follow that up with another victory today. Marshall is 0-7 ATS (1 push) in their last 8 games against teams with a winning record. FAU is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

Houston is playing with a lot of confidence right now. They have won three of four, all on the road. They will want to put their best foot forward tonight against one of the best teams in the conference. Golden State is coming in on a back to back and they played in OT last night so fatigue will definitely be an issue. This team has not been consistent lately, and they have upcoming games against playoff teams like Utah and Dallas that they will probably give full energy for. We think they might not bring it here.

The Jazz have covered only one of their last seven games and this team has lost every time they failed to cover. We don’t think their form warrants this big of a spread. The Pistons have a nice young group of players and they normally don’t give up, and we think they will go all out tonight as this is certainly a winnable game with the way the Jazz have been playing.

7 Unit Play. Take #892 Wisconsin over Michigan State (9p.m., Friday, January 21 FS1) Wisconsin is on a roll now and we will continue to pound them. Michigan State has played a much easier schedule than has Wisconsin in Big 10 play and thus their 5-1 record is not an indication of the talent of this team. Wisconsin has played a brutal schedule in Big 10 play, and they are always a tough team to beat at the Kohl Center. Wisconsin has won 6 straight games including beating Northwestern last time out, a team that beat Michigan State in East Lansing. Michigan State 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a road underdog. Wisconsin is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games as a favorite.

The Blazers are 3-11 ATS in their last 14 as a road underdog. We think the Celtics will take care of business here and this looks like a double digit win for us. Portland has been very poor on the road this season and we don’t think they have the personnel to be competitive in this matchup.

This is a perfect Get Right game for the Lakers. The oddsmakers have made major adjustments with this team, and deservedly so. They have been awful. They do have the best player on the planet, who should be motivated to get the convincing win here.

The Thunder are one of the best ATS teams in the NBA this season. They suffer the occasional blowout but they more often than not play it close and lose the game but cover as a big dog. And when they do suffer one of those blowouts, they normally come back strong the next game. They are 4-0 ATS when losing by 10 or more points their previous game. OKC has covered four straight here in Charlotte and they are 17-7-1 in the last 25 meetings.

5 Unit Play. Take #858 Stanford over Arizona (11p.m., Thursday, January 20 ESPNU) This is a lot of points for a true road game that will not have any atmosphere. Stanford has been playing better of late having won 4 of their last 5 games. They are coming off a bad loss to Washington last time out but should rebound tonight and take this game down to the wire. Arizona has been winning games but not covering of late going 1-4 ATS (1 push) in their last 6 games. Stanford is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games as a home underdog.

After their almost 40 point loss at Denver on Saturday, the Lakers faced their harshest criticism from the media, and even Magic Johnson chimed in on Twitter, bashing the team’s performance. LeBron went on Twitter to say this team will do better and Westbrook had to respond to the Johnson comments. We think this team has circled the wagon a bit and we expect another solid performance after they beat Utah last time out. Sometimes a team just needs a spark, and we think the Lakers found it. The Pacers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven road games, despite some very generous spreads. The Lakers have been getting the job done against the worst teams as they are 4-0 ATS against sub-.500 teams. And the Lakers are 5-0-1 ATS in the last six meetings overall.

6 Unit Play. Take #707 TCU over Oklahoma State (8p.m., Wednesday, January 19 ESPN+) Oklahoma State is banned from the NCAA Tournament this year and they are a much better team as an underdog. Now they are favored by around 5 points against a team that will likely qualify for the NCAA Tournament this season. The Pokes are coming off a big win against Baylor last time out, but I do not believe they can play at that level at a consistent basis. TCU is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games as a road underdog. Oklahoma State is 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games.

We always look for a reason to take the underdog when the points are this high. Detroit has been about 50% at covering these big spreads. However, Golden State is figuring some things out right now with getting their No. 2 star back in the rotation, and they are 1-5 ATS in their last six games as favorites, so we aren’t getting the consistent play from them recently that we are used to.

7 Unit Play. Take #651 Wisconsin over Northwestern (9p.m., Tuesday, January 18 BTN) Until Wisconsin losses a game we are going to keep riding them, as the Badgers will enter this game having won 6 straight games. Their last 4 wins have come against teams that are better than Northwestern and expect them to take care of business tonight at Welch Ryan Arena. Northwestern is coming off a nice win against Michigan State last time out, but that kept this line low and allows us to attack it with the better more experienced team. The favorite is 4-0 ATS (1 push) in the last 5 meetings between Wisconsin and Northwestern. Wisconsin is 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games following an ATS win in their previous game. Northwestern is 15-35 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 52 games following an ATS win in their previous game.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

4 Unit Play. Take #606 VCU over Davidson (7p.m., Tuesday, January 18 CBSSN) This is a matchup of two of the top teams in the Atlantic 10 and we will side with the home team tonight in Richmond. The Rams will enter having won 4 straight games and they are facing a Wildcat team that will be playing their second straight road game. The favorite is 7-0 ATS in the last 7 games between Davidson and VCU. The Rams are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games.

The Mavs have been playing very well. But this OKC team just has a knack for covering the spread and keeping games close. They don’t often get the outright win, so that keeps the value with this team. They have covered six of their last eight overall with one push. They are 27-14-1 ATS on the season. The Mavs have been blowing teams out. But this is their third game in four nights even though they were off on Sunday. OKC has the rest advantage because they played Saturday but not Friday. Dallas is 3-6 ATS when laying 5 or more points this season. OKC is 23-11-1 ATS when getting 3 or more points as a dog. OKC is solid defensively and Dallas is a Top 5 defense. The total is low and we expect a low scoring game, which makes every point in a big line more valuable for the underdog. These teams met in OKC about two weeks ago and the Mavs won by nine. The Thunder were without their best player for that game and they are much healthier tonight. We expect a close game.

6 Unit Play. Take #848 Illinois over Purdue (12p.m., Monday, January 17 FOX) The Illini can take firm control of the Big 10 with a win today at State Farm Center. Purdue is the higher ranked team, but they have not played like it this season especially during conference play. The Illini have won 6 straight games, all of them coming by double digits. Illinois has the size to matchup with Purdue down low and I feel Purdue will have to make shots from the arc to win this game. The home team is 6-1 ATS (1 push) in the last 8 games between Purdue and Illinois. Purdue is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a winning record. Illinois is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite.

4 Unit Play. Take #778 Tulsa over Houston (8p.m., Saturday, January 15 ESPN2) This is a lot of points to be giving for a true road game, especially since Houston is not a high scoring team. The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings between Houston and Tulsa. The Golden Hurricanes are 20-7 ATS in their last 27 games as a home underdog.

10 Unit Play. Take #752 Mississippi State over Alabama (6p.m., Saturday, January 15 SECN) The Tide are not the same team that they were last year on either side of the floor. They do not shoot it that well from the arc and they are not defending at the same level either. Alabama has lost two straight games and now face an under the radar team in Mississippi State who is getting back Tolu Smith back for this game. The Bulldogs are a much better team at home, and they will enter off a blowout win against Georgia. The favorite is 9-2 ATS in the last 11 games and the home team is 10-1 ATS in the last 11 games between Alabama and Mississippi State. Alabama is 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games.  

The Cavs went into a bit of a slump when Rubio went down, but they have been playing better as of late and have won three of four. We think they will take care of business against a floundering Spurs team. San Antonio has won only one of their last nine and they have covered only three in that span. They are going long stretches where they can’t hit any shots on a regular basis, and Cleveland’s excellent defense should keep them away from the basket tonight.

The Warriors are struggling (1-4 SU and 2-6 ATS). They are coming in on a back-to-back. The Bulls were on their own B2B Wednesday and they were embarrassed by the Nets. We think that will be extra motivation for them here tonight at home. Golden State is just trying to get Klay acclimated and up to speed and we don’t think they are massively concerned about winning every game right now. This team is all about the postseason.

After a bit of a slump at the end of December, the Suns are playing well again, having won four of five. We think they are in line for another comfortable win here. They are well rested with two nights off. They have covered in seven of 10 meetings here in Indiana. The Pacers sometimes play a great game out of nowhere, but this team just isn’t playing well right now with only one win in their last eight games.

6 Unit Play. Take #782 Wisconsin over Ohio State (7p.m., Thursday, January 13 ESPN2) Wisconsin is playing at a high level now and they will get revenge for getting blown out in December against Ohio State. The Badgers have been playing outstanding basketball now and have the best player on the court in Johnny Davis, a player that will be a top ten pick in the NBA draft and is averaging over 22 points per game. Since that loss to Ohio State, Wisconsin has won 5 games in a row including at Purdue and at Maryland. The favorite is 14-6 ATS in their last 20 games between Ohio State and Wisconsin. Ohio State is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following an ATS win in their previous game.

4 Unit Play. Take #754 Nevada over Boise State (10:30p.m., Wednesday, January 12 FS1) Nevada has had Boise State’s number is recent years with the home team covering the spread in 4 of the last 5 meetings. Nevada is 10-4 ATS in their last 14 home games. The Wolf Pack beat the Broncos 3 times last season and look for another win by the Pack on Wednesday.

The Spurs are a bit in desperation mode here as they have lost seven of the last eight games. They have played a brutally tough schedule, however. Their last eight games included matchups with: NY and Brooklyn, Philly, Boston, Toronto, Memphis and Utah. They have lost two of their last six games in overtime. Seven of their last eight were on the road. Now they are back home and very much in need of a win. They have the perfect opponent to get it against tonight as the Rockets are of a much lower caliber than most of the Spurs recent opponents. They have lost their last three games by a full 40+ points over the very generous lines they have been given. This looks like another potential blowout but we think a comfortable Spurs lead is all but certain. They have one of the best coaches in NBA history. They have covered five of the last seven meetings in San Antonio.

4 Unit Play. Take #668 Alabama over Auburn (9p.m., Tuesday, January 11 ESPN) The Tide are coming off a bad loss to Missouri last time out despite being a double-digit favorite. Look for them to take out their frustrations from football and basketball on their hated rival tonight. Auburn has been playing over their head to start the season and I just do not believe they are as good as their record indicates. Auburn is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog.

Minnesota is very underrated and they are laying a small number here on the road in a game they should win comfortably. They are hot right now and have won four straight heading into this game, while the Pelicans have lost four of five. Minnesota is 5-0-1 in their last six road games, and they are being underestimated by the oddsmakers once again. Not to mention they have covered in their last four meetings in New Orleans.

The Pistons pulled off one of their biggest wins of the season last night vs. Utah and now this is a major letdown spot for a team that is competitive at times as a big dog but also has the ability to lose big. We think the later will be the case tonight, and that bodes well for the favorite and the under here. After a big game the Pistons normally have a letdown. In their last nine games after scoring 125 or more, they are 1-8 ATS. The Pistons have not covered in nine straight meetings and the under is 6-0 in the last six meetings.

The Thunder are one of the best ATS teams in the NBA and they are decently healthy and they had the night off Monday. No reason they should be getting this many points at Washington, a lousy ATS team that hasn’t been favored by this many points against anyone this season. When they have been a favorite of three or more points, they are 5-10 ATS. OKC has covered in four of their last five games, while the Wizards have failed to cover in three straight. OKC has the rare game where they get blown out of the water, but this is a winnable game for them and we think they put their best foot forward tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #635 Toledo over Miami (OH) (7p.m., Tuesday, January 11 ESPN+) The Rockets should contend for a top seed in the MAC Conference Tournament in March and expect them to win this road game tonight at Millett Hall. Toledo has the best player on the floor in Ryan Rollins. The Rockets are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games played on Tuesday. Miami is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games.

10 Unit Play. Take #855 Wisconsin over Maryland (7:30p.m., Sunday, January 9 BTN) Wisconsin is the hottest team in the league and will enter Sunday off back-to-back impressive wins against Purdue and Iowa. Maryland has already made a coaching change this season and they have yet to record a win in the Big 10 this season. I just do not trust Danny Manning as a head coach, and they will be up against the best player in the conference and a likely top 10 pick in the NBA draft come June. Wisconsin has won 4 straight games and will move up the ranking likely into the top 10 come Tuesday. Wisconsin is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games. Maryland is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games when they are an underdog. The favorite is 3-1 ATS (1 push) in the last 5 games between Wisconsin and Maryland.

4 Unit Play. Take #798 BYU over St Mary’s (CA) (10p.m., Saturday, January 8 ESPN2) The Mormons are undefeated at home this season and we will lay the small number with them on tonight at the Marriott Center. The Gaels are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games as a road underdog. BYU is 11-4 ATS (1 push) in their last 16 games played on Saturday.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The Suns have just been destroying teams lately. All season in fact. They should be getting some key players back here today, while key guys for Miami should still be sidelined. Phoenix has shown they have great chemistry to matter who they put out on the court. And that they are such a strong ATS team despite their pedigree and shaded lines constantly is a testament to how good this team is. We see another double digit win here.

Indiana has lost six straight, but they have been competitive recently. We think this is a great chance for them to notch one in the win column. Utah is all banged up right now and this is a shell of the team that has done so well this season. They enter here on a B2B and playing their third game in four nights. They had a big lead on Toronto yesterday but just fell apart in the second half, and we see that continuing here and the wrong team is favored.

Two bad teams here but we think the Pistons are the better team. They have been more competitive overall, and the Magic come into this one very banged up. Detroit has covered in six of the last eight meetings, and we see them pulling away for a comfortable win in the fourth quarter.

4 Unit Play. Take #618 Texas A&M over Arkansas (1p.m., Saturday, January 8 SECN) The Aggies have an impressive 12-2 record, but their quality wins are lacking. But they are in much better shape than Arkansas is at the moment, as the Hogs have lost 4 of their last 5 games. They do not have many quality wins either and Coach Musselman has had to do down his twitter hype. Arkansas is 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games played on Saturdays.

This is more of a bet against the Cavs than for the Blazers. Cleveland has been a team we have used a lot for picks this season with great results. They have been the top ATS team for most of the season. However, they have really struggled since Rubio went out for the season with injury. This team has covered just one of their last seven games. Portland is missing their two best players here, and they haven’t been good ATS either, but they are getting too many points at home for what looks like a very winnable game for them.

The Lakers are relatively healthy compared to the Hawks, who have a very long injury list. The biggest stars for both teams are on the list tonight, but LeBron has a good chance to play. The Lakers have won and covered in four of five games and they are playing well right now. We normally rarely take the Lakers as they don’t often have betting value. But their current form, combined with this small number, make them a play tonight.

The Kings are definitely the more healthy team right now. This team has been back and forth and you kind of never know what you are going to get with them on a nightly basis. But they are 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings between these teams, and we think they match up well tonight, especially against this inflated number. This is a winnable game for them. The Nuggets are coming off two consecutive losses, so they aren’t in top form. They also are 1-6 ATS in their last seven home games.