Sports Picks & Predictions

The Warriors offense has averaged 96 PPG in their last four games (in regulation). They are just not in synch right now on the offensive end, and their defense has played halfway decent recently. The Bucks haven’t been playing to their potential on the offensive end, either, and they scored only 104 last time out vs. the Spurs and also 106 in their recent game vs. Minnesota. But this team is normally good defensively. And after an embarrassing loss to the Spurs last time where they allowed 126, we think they will tighten up the defense tonight and possibly hold the Warriors under the century mark or close to it.

6 Unit Play. Take #828 Wisconsin over Illinois (9p.m., Wednesday, January 8 BTN) The Badgers have gotten better of late and will enter this game having won 4 straight games. This team has great balance and will get the victory at the Kohl Center, a place they have not lost this season. Illinois is coming off an impressive win against Purdue, but Wisconsin has much more balance than does Purdue. Illinois is 7-19 ATS (1 push) in their last 27 games following an ATS win in their previous game. The favorite is 19-6 ATS (1 push) in their last 26 meetings between Illinois and Wisconsin.

Porzingis is now injured for the Mavs, and the bookmakers are accounting for too many points for his absence. This is an extremely solid team and one that plays great team basketball, so they are going to be more effective when losing a star than a lot of other teams. We had them handicapped at -6.5 tonight, so we think there is value. The oddsmakers continue to undervalue this team, which has been very good against the spread. They were a solid bet when Doncic was out, and we feel the same will be the case tonight.

We like to back a good team after an embarrassing loss, and Boston fits the bill tonight. They lost at Washington last time out and failed to surpass the century mark on offense. But overall this team has been a joy to bet on lately and they are quietly playing great basketball this season. They have some of the best coaching in the NBA, and we feel they will be ready tonight. The Spurs are very inconsistent. They are coming off a surprising blowout win over Milwaukee at home. But this team is 4-11 on the road this year, and we think a determined Boston club will be too much for them tonight.

This total is so high because the Wizards normally play in a barnburner every time they hit the court. But this team is dealing with a lot of injuries tonight, and they have failed to score more than 103 points in five of their last seven games. Tonight they play an Orlando team that is No. 2 in scoring defense and No. 30 in scoring offense. They have held two of their last three opponents in the 80s. We don’t see the banged-up Wizards doing much on offense tonight, and we think this one has a great chance to wind up well under this posted number.

The Knicks have been much more competitive since the coaching change. They have covered now in four of their last five games overall. We think they will be competitive in this game, and this one could be a game where the Lakers don’t give their all, especially with a road trip looming in the near future. The Knicks played the Clippers really tough last time out and never gave up until the final buzzer, and we think there’s a great chance of a repeat effort here tonight.

Both teams are very dysfunctional right now but we just don’t think the Pistons should be favored on the road over anyone. Blake Griffin could miss the season now and Andre Drummond is probably being shipped out of town soon. And the team is dealing with other injuries as well. The morale here on this squad is very bad right now, and we just don’t see them going on the road and winning big here. The Pistons are 2-6 ATS in their last eight meetings here in Cleveland.

5 Unit Play. Take #608 Maryland over Ohio State (7p.m, Saturday, January 7 ESPN) The Buckeyes are reeling now having lost two straight games against fringe teams and thus will be the hardest environment they will have faced at this point of the season. The Terrapins dominated Indiana last time out and they have yet to lose a game at home this season. The favorite is 7-2 ATS in their last 9 meetings.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

These teams played less than a month ago, and it was one of the more lower-scoring games of the season. But both teams have been trending to the over recently, and we think we are getting an honest total here because of that past result. Sacramento has played in some really high-scoring games lately and the over is 4-1 in their last five. The Warriors have gone over in three of four, and their offense should flourish because of the pace and some lousy defense by the home team.

The Hawks have covered in three straight, but as a result we think we are getting a nice value line tonight. Denver is a respectable 9-7 on the road, while the Hawks are 4-16 at home. We think this game is a mismatch, not to mention the Hawks are quite a bit banged up tonight while the Nuggets are relatively healthy. Denver is coming off a bad loss at Washington, so we think they will be extra focused here.

The Thunder are one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now. They have won and covered in five straight games. The Sixers have lost four straight and haven’t covered in any of those games. Just think this is a very public line and we had this one handicapped at 4.5, so getting this one on the other side of the key NBA betting number of 7 provides some nice betting value.

4 Unit Play. #846 Take Illinois over Purdue (8p.m., Sunday, January 5 BTN) Jut do not believe is that good this season. Throw in the fact they are coming off a double overtime victory last time out and I question how much they will have in the tank for this game. The Illini are always a tough team to beat at home and that will be no different on Sunday night. The home team is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings between Purdue and Illinois. The Illini are 4-1 ATS (1 push) in their last 6 home games.

We don’t quite know who will be available for the Clippers this afternoon but we just think this is a good spot for a strong effort from the Clippers. They had their absolute worst game of the season yesterday in a head-scratching loss to the Grizzlies. The team did not give much effort at all and it was a real sorry game for the home team. Just don’t see any other scenario other than a max effort from the players who do take the court tonight. This is a very good team even if the two main players are out of the lineup, and this is a very winnable game against one of the worst teams in the NBA. The Clippers have been good in bounce back situations as they are 6-0 ATS after an ATS loss and 6-0 ATS after a loss of 10 or more points. This looks like a double-digit win for the home team to us.

The Pelicans have one of the worst defenses in the NBA. They come in on a back-to-back after playing the Lakers last night and we just don’t see them playing much defense here. The Kings have played a couple strong offensive games lately, and we think they have a great opportunity to put up 120+ here tonight. Both teams are trending to the over, hitting the over in three of their last four games. We think both teams will get their points tonight.

3 Unit Play. Take #774 Utah State -3 over San Diego State (10p.m., Saturday, January 4 CBSSN) The Aztecs have bounced back in a big way this season but playing in Logan will be their toughest task of the season. Utah State needs this game more to bolster their at-large status for an NCAA Tournament bid. The Aggies are coming off an embarrassing loss to UNLV but they might have the best two players on the floor in this game. The favorite is 4-1 ATS (1 push) in their last 6 games. The home team is 5-0 ATS (1 push) in their last 6 meeting.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

3 Unit Play. Take #738 Over 127.5 in Texas A&M @ Arkansas (7p.m., Saturday, January 4 SECN) Arkansas has had a remarkable turnaround under Coach Musselman and he likes to play an up-tempo style. All the trends for both teams are pointing toward the under and thus we have a very low total and we can easily collect with the over.

3 Unit Play. Take #702 Utah +4.5 over Oregon (2p.m., Saturday, January 4 PAC12N) Just do not believe Oregon is that good this season. They lost to Colorado last time out and now must play in another tough road environment at the Huntsman Center. The Utes are on pace to receive an NCAA Tournament bid and this win will go along way for them to accomplish that. Utah is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games.

7 Unit Play. Take #650 Marquette -1 over Villanova (2p.m., Saturday, January 4 FOX) TOP NCAA PLAY OF THE DAY The Golden Eagles are a much different team when playing at home. They will also have the best player on the floor in Markus Howard and are playing a team that has not played many true road games this season. The home team and favorite has dominated this series. The favorite is 11-5 ATS in their last 16 matchups between Villanova and Marquette. Villanova is 1-8 ATS (1 push) in their last 10 road games. Marquette is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home games. Unranked team that is favored over a ranked team is always a key indicator.

Things are looking up for the Pelicans. Team chemistry is starting to go well and they have won four straight against a tough schedule. They have Williamson joining the team likely at some point in the next couple weeks. They have really amped up the defensive intensity and everyone seems dialed in right now. They also have some former Lakers on the team who will want to play well against their old team. LA has covered in only two of their last nine games, and they are overvalued by the oddsmakers again tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #694 Under in St Mary’s @ San Francisco (11p.m., Thursday, January 2 ESPNU) You hardly ever find a total this big with Saint Mary’s, but they are playing a team that is 17th in the country in scoring. Expect the Gaels to be able to control the pace of this game and they will not get out of whack even if they trail early. The Gaels have gone under the posted total in 37 of their last 54 road games (3 pushes).

There are some nice trends for the over for this game, and we expect a barnburner tonight. Both teams are trending to the over lately, and Sacramento in particular has been scoring a lot of points and giving up a ton on an almost nightly basis. We expect a close game here and think both teams will get their fair share of points to send this one sailing over the number and we think this one ends up in the 230s.

3 Unit Play. Take #656 Utah over Oregon State (8:30p.m., Thursday, January 2 PAC12N) The Beavers have played a weak schedule this season and do not have any quality wins on the season. Utah laid an egg last time out but expect them to bounce back tonight at home. Utah has covered the spread in 4 of their last 5 games. Protecting your homecourt is a must during conference play and Utah will open up with a victory at the Huntsman Center.

The Timberwolves are having lots of trouble on the offensive end lately and we just don’t see them having much success tonight. Seven of their last eight games have gone under the posted total. The Warriors have played in some high scoring games lately, but one went to OT and we just don’t see either team breaking out on the offensive end tonight.

As bad as the Hornets are, they are a much better club than dysfunctional Cleveland. They have more wins on the road than the Cavs do at home. Cleveland has been covering some games lately so we are getting the benefit of a good line here, but we think this is a good opportunity for the road team to notch the win tonight. The Cavs are 0-3 ATS as a favorite so far this season.

The Kings have lost seven straight. They have been deceptively competitive during this stretch, however, despite a lack of covers. They have lost by double-digits only once during that stretch. During the dog days of the NBA season bad teams can take games off and you never know when it will happen. But the Kings are in desperation mode to stop this losing streak, and a win over the Clippers could really put that bad stretch in the rearview mirror. The Clippers have been dealing with the flu bug. That is normally an overhyped angle for handicapping because these guys are professionals and can play through it. But for a team like the Clippers that doesn’t really care about the regular season, they might not give their all here. And Pat Beverley is out here, and he is kind of the sparkplug for this team and a leader that doesn’t get the credit he deserves. We think that hurts the favorite tonight. LA’s last five opponents: Houston, San Antonio, OKC, LA Lakers, and Utah. This Kings team on a seven-game losing streak isn’t going to really move the needle for them. And we think this spread has been inflated as well.

4 Unit Play. Take #798 Clemson over Miami (4p.m., Tuesday, December 31 ACCN) Clemson has underachieved during the nonconference portion of the season but they still have talent. Being the favorite in this game tells me that this is the correct side to take. Miami has not played the schedule that Clemson has, and they have only played one conference game thus far. The home team is 5-0 ATS (1 push) in the last 6 games between Miami and Clemson. The Tigers are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 home games. Miami is 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games.

4 Unit Play. Take Chicago State over Missouri (8p.m., Monday, December 30 SECN+) Only one time has Missouri covered this big of a spread in their 11 games played this season. They are only averaging 65.9 points per game and unless they go way over that tonight, it is almost impossible to cover this big of a spread. The Cougars have covered the spread in 4 of their last 5 games. Missouri is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

Young is out for the Hawks again and this team has really struggled on the offensive end. They have scored in the 80s in their last two games, which is almost impossible in the present-day NBA. Orlando is one of the better defensive teams in the NBA and has held two of their last three opponents under the century mark. We don’t see the Hawks achieving their offensive goals in this one, and this game looks like a potential blowout, and we don’t think the Hawks will be able to do enough to do their share for the total.

5 Unit Play. Take #868 Stanford over Kansas (12p.m., Sunday, December 29 ABC) The Cardinal are for real this season and they are an NCAA Tournament team. We will grab the points in this game as it is a true road game for the Jayhawks. Stanford lost in overtime to Kansas last year in Lawrence and I just do not see them getting run out of the building today in Stanford, CA. Kansas is 5-16 ATS in their last 21 road games. Stanford is 25-8 ATS in their last 33 home games.

Even though the Clippers have had a couple days off after the big Christmas win against the Lakers, we still think this is a letdown spot after that big game. The players just tried to brush that one off like just another game, but they aren’t fooling anyone as that was probably the biggest game in the NBA thus far this season. Now they face a Utah team that is quietly playing much better. They seem to have found their game late like last year, and we expect a competitive game here.

4 Unit Play. Take #670 Over 128 in Pacific @ UC Irvine (10p.m., Saturday, December 28) Pacific has gone over the posted total 4 of their last 5 games as a road underdog. UC Irvine has gone over the posted total in 7 of their last 8 games when they are favored to win the game. They have also gone over the posted total in 4 of their last 5 games played on Saturday.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

Just think this is a bad spot for the Suns coming in on a back-to-back, and they didn’t look any good last night in a loss to the Warriors. Now they face a much better team in Sacramento and a Kings team that had the night off. The Kings have been struggling with five straight losses and no covers, but those games have been more competitive than it seemed, and they were on the road a bunch, too. We like them to get back on the winning track tonight.

The Spurs have been alternating wins and losses for about a month, and this team can’t seem to get anything together. But they are coming off a loss so should be in a good bounce back spot here (4-0-1 ATS after a loss) and they have covered in four of their last five overall. Detroit is 4-10 on the road this season. It’s understandable the oddsmakers can’t make this line bigger for San Antonio, but we see value here as we think this is a good spot for the home team.

There is really no pressure on the Warriors right now. They are playing free and loose. And they have been playing well, winning four straight. They come in on a back-to-back after a win vs. the Suns last night. But this is just too many points. Luka Doncic is just getting back into the groove with the Mavs after injury, and we don’t think Dallas will bring their A Game today against a Warriors team playing with a lot of confidence. The Mavs win, but Golden State keeps it within double digits.

Trae Young is likely out here and the Hawks are coming in on a back-to-back and we don’t see them doing anything special on offense tonight. The Chicago defense has been really playing well lately and the Hawks aren’t good offensively anyways, on average, and we expect them to struggle tonight. We think there’s a good chance they will struggle to hit the century mark, or maybe just make it, and this one should go way under no problem.

The Pelicans have been playing better lately and the Pacers are coming in on a back-to-back, but we think the oddsmakers have way overadjusted this line. We had this one handicapped at Indiana -4 as they are by far the superior team, and even though they lost a tough one at Miami last night we expect them to come into this one determined and play to win here. The Pacers won both meetings last season when the Pelicans had a better team.

6 Unit Play. Take #630 Kentucky -2 over Louisville (3:45p.m., Saturday, December 28 CBS) Kentucky needs this game in a big way. They have been struggling of late but playing at home in Rupp Arena should be able to get them back on track. Both teams struggle at times on offensive, but Kentucky has had success in this match-up over the years. The favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings between Louisville and Kentucky. Whoever shots the ball better will win this game and I expect that to be Kentucky.

4 Unit Play. Take #609 Wisconsin +3.5 over Tennessee (1:30 p.m., Saturday, December 28 CBS) Both teams are fringe NCAA Tournament teams. Wisconsin got a lift with the eligibility of Micah Potter at the end of the first semester and they should be able to take this game down to the wire and win it straight-up. Tennessee already has lost to Florida State, Memphis, and Cincinnati and their resume is lacking for quality wins. Tennessee is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record.

4 Unit Play. Take #606 Over 136.5 in Long Beach State @ Florida (12p.m., Saturday, December 28 SECN) The Beach has gone over the posed total in 6 of their last 7 games as a road underdog. Florida has gone over the posted total in 5 of their last 6 games overall. Expect score by both teams and we will not worry if Florida can cover this big number and just collect with the over.

The Cavs have won three straight against lousy opponents, and make no mistake about it: this team isn’t any good. These teams played earlier in the month, in this same arena, and the Celtics won by 22 without barely breaking a sweat. Really don’t see any reason why this game would be different. The Celtics played on Christmas while the Cavs have had extra time off, but Boston is at home and had the day off yesterday. This team is playing its best basketball since two seasons ago and they shouldn’t take anything for granted after the disaster that was last season. They have some of the best coaching in the NBA, and we think they will come to play today. Boston has traditionally been one of the best betting teams in the league (you can point to the coaching as a reason). They have won and covered all but two games this month. They should dominate this one today.

Utah has gotten off to another slow start this season, as they did last season, but they turned it around last year and we are starting to see the signs it’s happening again as they have won five of six. Portland has won four of five also, but they have played a home-heavy schedule. They are 6-10 on the road this season while Utah is 11-3 at home. Portland is 1-5 ATS in their last six as an underdog, and when they are getting beat in these situations it’s normally well beyond the spread. Utah is just the better team despite the slow start and they have one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA. We think they roll tonight with a comfortable 7+-point win.

The Knicks are trending to the over with a 4-1 run for the over in their last five games. This team struggled to get over the century mark a month ago but their offense is flourishing under new coaching. But coaching hasn’t done much for the defense as they have given up 120 or more in four straight games. We see the Nets scoring a bunch tonight and the Knicks will be able to do their part to get this one over the posted number.

The Clippers have a clear injury sheet for the first time all season. When healthy and motivated, in our mind this is clearly the best team in the NBA. And they will be motivated tonight because of the opponent. Really shocked the Clips were installed as an underdog as we had them laying two points on our line. This team does not really care much about the regular season but this is one of a handful of games that they will be very motivated for. And the Clippers have had the Lakers number ever since the Griffin/CP3 years.

The Clippers have a clear injury sheet for the first time all season. When healthy and motivated, in our mind this is clearly the best team in the NBA. And they will be motivated tonight because of the opponent. Really shocked the Clips were installed as an underdog as we had them laying two points on our line. This team does not really care much about the regular season but this is one of a handful of games that they will be very motivated for. And the Clippers have had the Lakers number ever since the Griffin/CP3 years.

This Houston team got off to a slow start and there were some chemistry issues earlier in the season, but this team is now in midseason form and playing some of their best basketball of the season now. They have won four straight and covered in three straight, starting with the very impressive win over the Clippers in LA. This team will want to win tonight against the team that has been a thorn in their side for years despite the fact that this Golden State team is a shell of the team from the last few years. We think this one will be a blowout. The Rockets have now covered their last four on the road.

3 Unit Play. Take #807 Georgia State over SMU (7p.m., Monday, December 23 ESPN3) The Mustangs are back home after two straight losses and I do not see a blowout in this game. SMU has lost two straight games and they do not have any quality wins on the season. Georgia State is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog. SMU is 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games as a home favorite.

2 Unit Play.  Take #788 TCU -2.5 over Xavier (5p.m., Sunday, December 22 ESPN2)

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This is a battle of two solid defensive teams and with an early Sunday matinee start time this will probably be a hard-fought defensive battle and this total seems a few points too high. Dallas has been an over team for most of the season, but the oddsmakers have overadjusted and we think there is value with this number today. Dallas held the Sixers under the century mark last time out on the road, and they should have some success defensively here as well.

4 Unit Play. Take #738 Ohio State -3 over Kentucky (5:15p.m., Saturday, December 21 CBS) Kentucky is really struggling to shoot the ball this year especially from the 3-point line. Ohio State got back on track last time out and expect them to win this game by 6-8 points. Kentucky just has not found the chemistry needed to be success this season at this point.

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4 Unit Play. Take #718 Florida -3.5 over Utah State (2:30p.m., Saturday, December 21 FS1) Florida is always a tough team to beat inside the state and they need this game more than does Utah State. The Gators played their best game of the season last time out against Providence and expect them to follow that up with another impressive victory on Saturday. The Aggies struggled with USF last time out and this is a much tougher opponent. Utah State is 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games. Florida is 9-2 ATS in their last 11 neutral site games.

10 Unit Play. Take #722 Butler -2 over Purdue (2:30p.m., Saturday, December 21 BTN) TOP COLLEGE HOOPS PLAY Purdue lost a ton of scoring last year when Carson Edwards left, and they will have trouble keeping pace with Butler in this game. The Bulldogs have a ton of quality wins this season included bating Stanford and Florida. Purdue beat Virginia but they have struggled in their other big games losing to Florida State, Texas, Marquette, and Nebraska. Butler is better than all 4 of those teams. Butler dominated Indiana last year before losing on a freak play to end the game and they have a bad taste in their month from that Crossroads Classic. Butler is 45-20 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 67 neutral site games. Purdue is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games as an underdog.

4 Unit Play. Take #644 Providence (pk) over Texas (2p.m., Saturday, December 21 FOX) This line is begging you to take Texas, but we will not bite and take the Friars in a true home game. Texas has played a weak schedule thus far for their impressive record.

The Knicks have been trending to the over with three of four going over. And we think it will go that way again tonight. This offense has been rejuvenated with the new coaching staff. This team had a hard time reaching the century mark for much of the season, but they scored 143 last time out against the Hawks. We won’t see an effort like that tonight against a stout Miami defense, but we do expect fluid scoring from both teams and think this one will get over 220.

Two lousy teams here, but the Grizzlies are the better overall team and this is a very winnable game for them. The Grizzlies are 5-7 on the road while the Cavs are 4-10 at home this season, and there isn’t much of a home-court advantage here. The Grizzlies have covered in five of their last six games. This team is quietly playing well above expectations right now and providing value for bettors. This team is playing to win lately, and we think they will take this opportunity to bring their A Game against a lowly opponent.

The Clippers are finally getting fully healthy and could very possibly have the full roster at their disposal tonight. This team has been kind of a work in progress with load management and injuries, but we think at full strength that this team is the best in the NBA. We think this is a game where they will want to flex their muscles a bit in front of a national audience. We think with these teams at their best, which we are likely to see tonight, that LA is the clear superior team. The Rockets have been winning, but they are overrated by the oddsmakers recently as they have covered in only one of their last five games. The Clippers, on the other hand, have covered in five of six and this team has been playing some of its best basketball of the season lately, a couple hiccups aside. Los Angeles doesn’t care much about the regular season, but this game for sure will be important for them and we think they put their best foot forward tonight in what we see as a comfortable win by the home team.

5 Unit Play. Take #668 Northwestern over Michigan State (8p.m., Wednesday, December 18 BTN) The Big 10 home winning streak will likely end at tonight, but I do not see it being a blowout. The Wildcats have played better of late winning 3 of their last 5 games. Michigan State has been one of the most disappointing teams this season and they lack quality wins at this point of the season. Michigan State is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite. Northwestern is 5-2 ATS (1 push) in their last 8 games as a home underdog.

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You have to look to play against the Cavs when they are favored against anyone this season. This is one of the worst teams in the NBA. They haven’t been favored many times this season but are 0-2 ATS when laying points. We think this is a very winnable game for the road team, who should have Batum back tonight. Charlotte has won and covered in four of their last five games. They are 5-1 ATS on the second half of a back-to-back, so the lack of rest doesn’t worry us too much tonight.

The Clippers don’t care a lot about each game so it would be hard to lay this many points with them against a decent Phoenix squad. This team can beat anyone on any given day but they just don’t have a lot of motivation every night as we saw last time out in Chicago. This game was selling for very cheap tickets so locals aren’t too excited about it so why would the Clippers be, especially with the Rockets on deck on Thursday. We think the road team keeps this within single digits.

Despite consistently getting very generous lines from the oddsmakers, the Pelicans are one of the worst ATS teams in the NBA. They are getting too much credit from the bookies tonight for playing at home, and they face a hot Nets team tonight in another game that should not go great for them. Brooklyn has won four of their last six and covered in six of their last eight, and this is a team that is trending upwards after a slow start to the season.

The Knicks offense has been playing better lately and they should be able to get plenty of points at home against one of the more porous defenses in the NBA. The Hawks give up nearly 118 points per game, and if the Knicks get anywhere close to that this one should fly over as this should be a close game and no blowout and both squads should get their points. The Hawks have gone over in four straight road games, and we see that trend continuing tonight.

6 Unit Play. Take #629 Florida over Providence (7p.m., Tuesday, December 17 ESPN2) The Gators have not played up to their preseason ranking thus far in 2019-2020 but they still have talent. The Friars are in even worse shape having lost to a bunch of bad teams this year and will enter having won just 2 of their last 6 games. The Gators are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 neutral site games as a favorite. Providence is 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games.

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The Pistons are kind of under the radar right now but playing well, winning three of their last four, including a big win at Houston last time out. Even though they can be inconsistent, they are clearly the better team here, and they are facing a Washington team that has dropped seven of their last eight and already has no hope for the season. Even with some injury concerns tonight we expect this Detroit team to take care of business and stay hot.

4 Unit Play. Take #837 Kent State over Cal Irvine (7p.m., Monday, December 16) The Anteaters have some bad losses on the season including to Detroit, Pepperdine, and & Cal Baptist. The Golden Flashes are off to an impressive start at 8-1 this season and they pounded Detroit by a score of 92-57. Kent State is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games overall. Expect them to win this game by 6-8 points.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The Kings tend to bounce back well from a loss. They are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games after a loss. Before that loss last time out they had won three straight over playoff contenders and they lost in OT in San Antonio before that winning streak. That loss to the Knicks was a head-scratcher, but this is a young team that can be inconsistent. But we still think they are hot and playing well overall and we expect a big effort in a very winnable game tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #758 Arizona over Gonzaga (10p.m., Saturday, December 14 ESPN) Tough spot for the Bulldogs playing their second straight road game against a PAC-12 school. Gonzaga is not as strong as they have been in past years and they are playing a team that is hungry for this quality win and to get back into the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats just have one loss on the season, a true road game at Baylor which went down to the wire. They have not had many competitive games and I feel they will pull away late to win this game by 7-10 points. Arizona is 12-5 ATS (3 pushes) in their last 20 games.

4 Unit Play. Take #746 Arizona State over Georgia (8p.m., Saturday, December 14 PAC12N) These teams met last year in Athens and Arizona State came back from being down 18 points to win by 2. They should have a much easier time this season, as I just do not believe Georgia is much better in year 2 under Tom Crean. The Dawgs are 6-2 but they have yet to record a quality win this season. Arizona State has won 4 straight games and they are a tough team to beat in Tempe. Georgia is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games. Arizona State is 9-2 ATS in their last 10 games following an ATS loss in their previous game.

4 Unit Play. Take #742 San Jose State over Stanford (7p.m., Saturday, December 14 CBSSN) The Spartans have played better basketball of late despite losing 5 in a row. They nearly won at San Diego State, a team many believe will get to the NCAA Tournament this season. Stanford is better this year, but they are not the type of team to be laying this kind of a number in a true road game. They are scoring just 75.6 points per game and it will be hard for them to cover if they just hit their average. Stanford is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games as a road favorite.

We feel this is a joke of a line and based on name more than performance this season. The Spurs are just a lousy team. The Suns are coming off a loss and we think they will be primed for a good bounce back today. The Spurs are 1-4 ATS in their last four road games and we had this line handicapped at 5 so there is good value today.

Orlando is one of the worst offensive teams in the NBA and one of the best defensive clubs, and you have to always look for the under when this team has a total in the 220s. Five of the last seven games they have played have gone under the posted total, and they average under 103 PPG on offense. The Rockets have played under in three of their last four, and we don’t expect a shootout here and it’s very likely this total finishes well under 220.

This game is in Mexico City. Dallas has a lot of international players, so they should feel right at home here! The Mavs have been getting the job done in the favorite role as they are 8-1 ATS in their last nine when laying points. This team has been covering lines like crazy lately but are staying under the radar because of all the other big stories in the NBA this season. The Pistons are just so inconsistent, and we don’t think they will do well in this setting that they aren’t used to. We think there’s a great chance for a Dallas double-digit win here.

The Warriors have played a bunch of unders lately, but we are getting a too-low total as a result. In fact, this total is crazy low in today’s NBA. But the Knicks played last night and chased the Blazers up and down the court in a lousy effort. We don’t see them playing a lick of defense tonight, and the Warriors offense should thrive. And the Knicks will keep this competitive enough to where they will get their share of points to go over this posted number.

We just think the Thunder are the much stronger team here and this line is more than fair with them catching points on the road. In fact, we had them handicapped as a slight favorite in this game and we think they have a great chance for the outright win. They have won five of their last six and are playing very well right now. And this team is under the radar but they have been cashing tickets on a regular basis lately. There is value with the road team.

Phoenix started their season off hot then went into a bit of a lull. But they have got their groove back lately and this team has covered in four of its last five. After a four-game road trip they came back home in that tricky first game after a road trip and walloped the Timberwolves. Now they face an even bigger step down in competition against the Grizzlies. Memphis is a very bad team this season. They are getting a lot of points on a nightly basis from the oddsmakers but can’t cover any lines. They are coming off a win and a cover last time out against the Warriors, and they should be content tonight and won’t play desperate since not on a losing streak. This looks very much like a double-digit win for the home team.

5 Unit Play. Take #635 Wisconsin over Rutgers (7p.m., Wednesday, December 11 BTN) Rutgers is coming off two straight defeats and in appears obvious that this team will not be going anywhere come March for yet another season. Wisconsin played their best game of the season last time out against Indiana and expect to follow that up with another victory on Wednesday. Rutgers does not have a quality win this season and will lose this game straight-up. Both teams need this win, but Wisconsin has a history of coming up big during conference play and Rutgers does not.

4 Unit Play. Take #618 BYU over Nevada (9p.m., Tuesday, December 10 ESPNU) The Wolf Pack have beaten up on weak teams for their 7 wins this season. Their last two losses have come by double digits and playing BYU in Provo will be too much for them to overcome. Having Yoeli Childs back gives the Cougars a big edge in this game. Nevada is 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games as an underdog.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The Wizards have had some really high totals. But some of these numbers are getting ridiculous. Bettors are probably blindly taking the over every night so the bookies are increasing the numbers. The Hornets are one of the worst offensive teams in the NBA. They have scored more than 107 only once in their last eight games. They play some pretty solid defense. This should be a higher scoring game than they are used to, but we had this one handicapped around 223 so we think there is some nice value on the under.

This line is just too large, in our opinion. The Magic got off to a slow start, but they come in having won four in a row (against an easy schedule, but still impressive). They are playing with a lot of confidence and playing like the playoff contender many thought they were coming into the season. When a good and popular team like the Bucks start winning a lot and covering the lines sometimes get out of control, and we think that is the case here as we expected 9.5 but got a few more points than we were expecting on the spread.

4 Unit Play. Take #804 Washington over Gonzaga (7p.m., Sunday, December 8 ESPN2) Just do not believe Gonzaga should be favored in this true road game for the Bulldogs. Gonzaga is not as talented as they have been in past years and Washington is a legit Top 25 team in 2019-2020. Gonzaga is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games. Expect this to be a close game that goes down to the wire and we will come out top with whoever wins it by a bucket.

This total is low because the Knicks have a lousy offense, but with the Pacers coming in on a back-to-back after playing their blood rival Detroit last night, we don’t see their defense being up to snuff. We think the Knicks will have an opportunity to score the basketball tonight. The over is 6-1-1 when the Pacers are on the second end of a back-to-back. This will be the first game for the Knicks with their interim coach, and they might push the pace more than we have seen recently.

6 Unit Play. Take #654 Wisconsin over Indiana (4:30p.m., Saturday, December 7 BTN) The Hoosiers have yet to play a true road game this season and they have not had much success at all playing in Madison. Wisconsin is a much better team at home, and this is a game they need to win to record if they have any hopes of making the NCAA Tournament come March. Wisconsin already beat Marquette at home and they will keep their undefeated home winning streak alive.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

3 Unit Play. Take Over in Southern Cal @ TCU (9p.m., Friday, December 6 ESPN2) Both teams are off to good starts and this should not be a blowout allowing some late scoring to occur via fouls at the end of the game. USC has gone over the posted total in 10 of their last 14 road games. Expect that trend to hold true again on Friday night and we will not worry if TCU can cover this spread and just collect with the over.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The Spurs have been one of the bigger disappointments to start the season, but there have been signs of life lately with home wins over the Clippers and Rockets in their last three. Of course, they had that real stinker at Detroit in between those games, but the Spurs need this with badly and we have to think they will take care of business against a Kings team that has been very inconsistent so far this season. San Antonio is still one of the toughest places for an opponent to come in and have success, and we think the Spurs get the job done tonight.

When all is said and done we think the Clippers have a great chance to win the championship this season, and they will likely have to get through this Bucks team to achieve that goal. But at this point the Bucks are way ahead of the curve while the Clippers are still figuring a lot of things out on the go. The Clippers, smartly, don’t seem to care much about the regular season and are forward thinking with their gameplans for the playoffs. We just think the Bucks are in a much better spot for a big win tonight.

The Wizards come in on a back-to-back after playing a tough game last night in a loss to Philly. This team is also playing their third game in four nights. We don’t think they will have anything left in the tank here. Miami had their own back-to-back on Wednesday and lost badly to Boston. They will be fired up to get back on track here. We see this one as a total blowout and don’t see the Wizards scoring enough to get anywhere near this total against a tough Miami defense.

It’s crazy how the Warriors have gone from one of the best teams the NBA has even seen to maybe the worst team in the NBA this season. But this team has been besieged with injuries and they are bringing out a very young and raw roster every night. Chicago has had a rough start to the season, but they have been playing better lately and this is a good chance for them to keep the positive momentum going tonight.

These teams have similar records, but the Nets are the much better ballclub. They have been underachieving this season, however. But this team has been playing better lately and they have covered in six of their last eight. The Nets already beat Charlotte this season a few weeks ago by 10, and we think we could see a similar result here. Brooklyn was a real lousy bet to start the season, but they are starting to gel without Irving and there is some betting value here now.

The Suns were one of the strongest ATS teams to start out the season, but they have fallen off a cliff recently. They have covered in only two of their last nine games, and they are in a real tough spot here, coming in on a back-to-back after getting blown out in Orlando last night. This will not only be a back-to-back but their third game in four nights, and fatigue is starting to become a real issue at this point of the season. The Pelicans haven’t had great results, either, but they have played a very tough schedule with recent games against Dallas, OKC (X2), Lakers, Clippers and Jazz. Their last win was Nov. 21, against this same Phoenix team, in Arizona, and they won by 3. They are rested with the night off last night and at home in this matchup, and we think this is a great chance for a rare comfortable win. The Pelicans have covered in seven of the last nine meetings between these clubs, and we expect that trend to hold strong tonight.

The Blazers got spanked by the Clippers last night. We like to back a good team coming off a bad loss, especially when they take a big step down in competition. And even though the Blazers are on a back-to-back, their previous game was on Friday so they should not be too worn down. The Kings have been very inconsistent. We think the Blazers are being punished too much by the oddsmakers for this back to back and we expect them to score a win by 7+ tonight.

3 Unit Play. Take #867 Wisconsin over NC State (9:15p.m., Wednesday, December 4 ESPN2) The Badgers need a quality road win and should be able to take this game down to the wire in Raleigh. NC State is 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games overall. Neither team deserves to be a favorite and thus we will just grab the points in this ACC/Big 10 Challenger game.

3 Unit Play. Take #863 Weber State over Utah Valley (9p.m., Wednesday, December 4) The Wildcats have played a tough schedule this year and are in desperate need for a victory after starting the season 1-5. They are a traditional power in the Big Sky and should be able to play a competitive game against an in-state team in Utah Valley. This spread has come way down since it opened at -6 and yet most of the bets are coming in on Utah Valley. That tells me the sharps are playing Weber State. The Wolverines are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite.

3 Unit Play. Take #865 Air Force over Wyoming (9p.m., Wednesday, December 4 themwc.com) Mountain West play opens tonight and both teams are desperate for a victory. The Force returns a bunch of players from last year and that should allow them to win this game in Laramie. The Cowboys are predicted to finish 10th in the MWC and have a coach on the hot seat. Air Force is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as a road favorite. Wyoming is 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games after scoring less than 50 points in their previous game.

Both teams trend to the over this season, and we expect a barnburner here tonight. Both teams have explosive offenses, and Dallas has the better defense, but we don’t see them playing very strong D tonight since they are on the back end of a back-to-back. We think both teams will get better than their season averages on offense tonight and this one should fly over the posted total.

Boston comes into this one on two day’s rest and the Heat not only will be playing on a back-to-back and their third game in four nights, but they played a really tough OT game last night in a win over Toronto. This is the point in the season when back-to-backs are really affecting teams, and we just don’t see the Heat having anything left in the tank, while the Celtics will have lots of energy and motivation since these two teams are two of the top clubs in the east and this game could be an important tiebreaker down the road.

Both teams trend heavily to the under this season with a 24-13 combined mark for the under. These teams are a combined 30-7 on the season and this is a massively huge matchup and could have an affect on playoff seeding, and we think both defenses will be in top form for a game that could have a playoff atmosphere. Only one of the last six meetings has gone over, and we just think the defenses will dominate in this crucial matchup.

10 Unit Play. Take #746 Louisville over Michigan (7:30p.m., Tuesday, December 3 ESPN) NONCONFERENCE TOP PLAY Louisville is the No. 1 team in the country and are a legit final four team under year team with Chris Mack. Michigan has skyrocketed up the polls currently at No. 4 in the country after winning the Battle for Atlantis last week. They went from unranked to No. 4 in the country, but I am still not completely sold on them. This will be their first true road game of the season and I am always weary on teams traveling from out of the country over Thanksgiving. I have seen these teams come out flat and not have much energy and expect that to be the case this evening. Michigan has solidified their NCAA Tournament bid at the end of the season beating North Carolina and Gonzaga might not be that great of a victory, as a believe both of those teams are fringe top 20 teams. Louisville is 10-4 ATS (1 push) in their last 15 games against Big 10 teams. They have a great frontcourt led by Joran Nwora, who will come up big tonight as the best player on the floor. Louisville wins this game by 8-10 points giving us another top play winner on Tuesday.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The Wizards have been allowing tons of points on defense and playing at a fast tempo. But they have played some excellent offensive teams lately, and we think that this number is inflated tonight. Orlando is one of the worst offensive teams in the league this season (101 PPG on offense) and one of the best defensive teams in the NBA (102 PPG allowed). They don’t have much of a chance here in a shootout, so we think they try to thwart the tempo tonight. We think this total is inflated due to recent results for the Wizards.

It’s hard to back a team that has lost 10 straight laying this many points. But the Hawks have just had a brutal schedule and this seems like a great spot for them to get a win. Not only will the Hawks have the extra motivation of ending this losing streak, but they have lost to the Warriors nine straight times. Of course, this is a different Warriors team now as all the stars are injured. Atlanta is a better team than they have shown recently and we think they come to play a strong game at home tonight.

The Rockets haven’t been good when laying big points as they are 1-3 ATS when laying eight or more points. The Hawks are a perfect 4-0 ATS when getting double-digit points this season, so they normally show up against the top teams. Atlanta has lost nine straight yet they have covered in three of their last four and lost to the Pacers in OT last time out. This team has talent and they will try hard tonight to stop the bleeding and we think this one has a great chance to come in under double digits.

6 Unit Play. Take #657 Florida State over Purdue (7p.m., November 30 CBSSN) Purdue played the late game last night and had to spend a lot of energy beating VCU and now they face the Seminoles in their home state. FSU is the more rested team and should be able to take care of business on Saturday and win the Emerald Coast Classic. Florida State is 10-4 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 16 neutral site games.

4 Unit Play. Take #616 Bowling Green over Dartmouth (4p.m., November 30) The Falcons have challenged themselves in the nonconference portion of the season and are ready for a home game after making the finals of the Paradise Jam this past week. The Big Green have played a much easier schedule and they are not ready for this step in class. Dartmouth is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games against MAC teams. Bowling Green is 12-5 ATS (1 push) in their last 18 home games.