Sports Picks & Predictions

4 Unit Play. Take #887 Kansas over Texas Tech (9p.m., Monday, February 12 ESPN) Kansas has been bad on the road this season, but they have the more talented team and sooner or later they will win a road game. The Red Raiders have been in free fall of late losing 3 of their last 4 games and Kansas is better then the three teams that they lost too. The Jayhawks need to win this game if they have hopes of winning the Big 12 and will get this win tonight in Lubbock.

4 Unit Play. Take #863 Northern Iowa over UIC (4p.m., Sunday, February 11 ESPN+) The Flames sit at the bottom of the MVC and will struggle to win any games the rest of the way. The Panthers have underachieved this season but they still have experience and talent and should win this game by close to double digits. UIC has lost 8 of their last 9 games including an 8 point loss to Northern Iowa.

10 Unit Play. Take #708 Ohio State Buckeyes over Maryland Terrapins (4p.m., Saturday, February 10 FS1) TOP PLAY OF THE DAY Nothing good can be said about Ohio State of late, but they did cash for us in December with our Nonconference Game of the Year against UCLA. Now they play a terrible road team in Maryland, as Ohio State is desperate for any kind of a win. The Buckeyes have lost 5 straight games, and their coach is clearly on the hot seat. But they have talent and Maryland is one of the worst shooting teams in the conference, especially from the arc. You cannot lose them all and Ohio State picks up a much-needed victory at home on Saturday.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

Despite the Rockets poor play on the road, we had them favored in this matchup. Toronto after the Trade Deadline looks like one of the worst teams in the NBA and they will likely be tanking the rest of the season. The Raptors will miss VanVleet for sure as he is out for likely a few games but we think that Houston has a good enough roster, plus the motivation, to win here. They looked pretty good in their first game with VanVleet sidelined as they went toe to toe with the Pacers on the road and lost by three, easily covering the 8-point spread. The Rockets aren’t going to win a lot of games on the road this season, but this looks like a very winnable game for them. They need every win they can get for the postseason so we think they will be focused here. Toronto is playing their first home game after a long road trip, and those are often tricky since players have obligations in their personal lives, and for Toronto with no hope, those probably outweigh the game tonight. The Raptors haven’t been just losing but they haven’t been covering, either, despite some generous lines from the oddsmakers.

6 Unit Play. Take #843 Cal Ply over Cal State Northridge (10p.m., Thursday, February 8 ESPN+) Just do not believe the Matadors are good enough to be laying double digit in a conference game. Before beating UC Riverside, Northridge lost 5 straight games and only one of those losses was competitive. The Mustangs have lost all of their conference games this season, but they have been competitive in most of their recent games. Look for them to keep the score low and that will allow them to lose by single digits.

We think this is a real nice spot for the Spurs to play a competitive game. They catch the Heat not only on a back-to-back but playing their third game in four nights. Those came against the Clippers and in-state rival Orlando, so this game really isn’t going to move the needle for them as far as motivation goes. The Spurs have been up and down lately but are getting generous lines from the oddsmakers and they have covered more games recently than they haven’t, and they also have a better ATS record than the Heat. We think they have a great chance to keep this close.

4 Unit Play. Take #687 Wisconsin -5.5 over Michigan (7p.m., Wednesday, February 7 BTN) The Badgers will enter this game having lost two straight games and are looking to get back on track against the worst team in the Big 10. The Badgers are the better coached team and will win this game by double digits. Juwan Howard is likely to be replaced come seasons send and Michigan is just playing out the string now.

We were on the Thunder last meeting between these two. The line was similar, and we had a massive play on OKC and honestly we were lucky to win that one as everything went right for us in the last 30 seconds. Utah is rested and healthy, and they have revenge here for the earlier meeting. They had a real chance to win that one outright. OKC has three nights off after this game then a trip to Dallas, and as a result they may not be full focused here. Even if they are, the Jazz are strong enough at home to beat any team, any night.

4 Unit Play. Take #637 Dayton over St Joes (8p.m., Tuesday, February 6 CBSSN) The Flyers are the best team in the Atlantic 10 and are well on their way to receiving an at-large bid for the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Never like Anthony Grant as a head coach, but his team is loaded with talent this season. They have just one loss since the middle of November and that trend will continue on Tuesday with a 6-8 point victory tonight on Hawk Hill.

Brooklyn has won three of four and are playing well at the moment. They have enjoyed a light playing schedule lately and should be primed to defend the home court tonight. The same can’t be said for Golden State. While not on a back-to-back, they will be playing their third road game in four nights, and it’s not like this is the youngest bunch… so fatigue will be a factor. The Warriors are just 8-11 on the road this season. These teams played last month in the Bay Area, and Brooklyn held their own in a four-point loss. We think they match up well and will be able to get their revenge here. Golden State covered that one by just the hook, and that was their first cover in four games in this series. The Nets have actually covered in six of the last eight.

Love the Clippers in this spot. Miami has been underachieving lately and they have been overvalued by the oddsmakers. They have covered two straight but that followed a seven-game non cover streak. The Clippers play tomorrow also, but this team has been taking things one game at a time this season more than season’s past, and we think they will be extra focused on this very winnable game. Oh, and they have also covered in eight of the last 10 meetings.

6 Unit Play. Take #830 Wisconsin over Purdue (1p.m., Sunday, February 4 CBS) Purdue got gifted a game earlier this week and I expect Karma to hit them on Sunday. Purdue had a huge free throw advantage last time out against Northwestern, but they will not get that against Wisconsin on the road at the Kohl Center. Wisconsin is coming off a bad loss to Nebraska last time out, a game in which they blew a big lead and lost by 8 in overtime. Wisconsin needs this game if they have any hope of winning the regular season conference championship and expect them to grind out a win late behind A. J. Storr.

10 Unit Play. Take #702 Kansas Jayhawks over Houston Cougars (4p.m., Saturday, February 3 ESPN) COLLEGE BASKETBALL GAME OF THE YEAR Kansas at home getting points is too good to pass up. Houston does not face this type of environment in the AAC, but will see it on Saturday now they are a member of the Big 12. Kansas takes great pride in winning the Big 12 and this is a game they need to win if they have any hopes of winning the conference come March. This will be the Cougars third road game in their last four games, and they will not be able to push around Kansas in Lawrence. The Jayhawks have the much better offensive team and are coming off their best performance of conference play last time out. That was without Kevin McCullar, who is probable for this game. Kanas needs this game more, and they will get it by 6-8 points. They should never be an underdog at home and we will gladly ride them in this game.

The Rockets have been a bit back and forth lately but we think this is a good spot for them, and the line is more than fair. They seem to be locked into winning every other game lately, and good for us they lost last time out. That was against a better team, and this is a good spot for a bounce back. Toronto has been a very poor road team and have just seven wins away from home. They have covered in two straight but haven’t been good in general at covering despite some generous lines from the oddsmakers. Houston has covered in three of their last four, so they are playing a bit better than expectations. They have also covered in seven of the last nine meetings in this series.

The Knicks are just rolling right now and we think they have the defense to slow down the Pacers. They play at one of the slowest paces in the league and they can throw Indiana off their game tonight. The Knicks are banged up right now but they have one of the best home records in the league, while the Pacers are less than a .500 team on the road. New York has covered sin six straight and they continue to be underappreciated by the oddsmakers.

The Spurs are vastly improving throughout the season right in front of our eyes, and this is a team that should have great betting value down the stretch run of the season. They have covered in five of the last seven and have been underrated by the oddsmakers. Orlando started off the season great, but it looks like they may not be as good as advertised as they have fallen off quite a bit recently. San Antonio has covered in seven of the last nine meetings, so they have a strong history here.

The Celtics expended a lot of energy last night in a rally vs the Pelicans and they honestly haven’t looked great the last couple games. Indiana has covered in six of the last nine meetings and they normally come to play when visiting Boston. Every team goes through ups and downs at points in the season and that big loss to the Clippers, who were on a tough back-to-back, has to be concerning. Indiana might get some players back tonight as well and we think this will be a close game regardless.

2 Unit Play. Take #625 Texas Tech over TCU (7p.m., Tuesday, January 30 ESPN2) Texas Tech has been sneaky good in the Big 12 this season currently sitting at first play with a 5-1 record. TCU is coming off a marathon 3 overtime victory on Saturday and thus we expect tired legs and a little letdown in this game. We will grab the points and play the road underdog.

7 Unit Play. Take #701 Over 148 in Charlotte 49ers @ Tulane Green Wave (4p.m., Saturday, January 27 ESPNU) The 49ers have been hot and will enter this game having won 6 straight games. Yet this are on underdog to the Green Wave, and we expect the Green Wave to be able to control the pace of this game at home. Tulane averages 86 points per game and has gone way over this posted total in 5 straight games. For Charlotte to be competitive in this game they will need to keep up in scoring and will not be able to just sit on the ball or they may find themselves down big quick in this game.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

They haven’t been winning a lot of games so it may not be evident to the casual eye, but the Spurs are improving a lot as the season goes on. They have had a very tough schedule recently but they have hung with some of the big boys and they have been covering more frequently. They had a real bad outing last time out in a home blowout to OKC, and that was a very good team and the first home game after a long road trip can be tricky. But now they drop down a couple levels in talent and they are settled at home and they should be primed for a comfortable win over the Blazers.

6 Unit Play. Take #886 Wisconsin Badgers over Michigan State Spartans (8p.m., Friday, January 26 FS1) Wisconsin is in control to win the Big 10 regular season championship and expect them to take care of business at home against Michigan State. The Spartans have faced 3 bad opponents of late to have a winning streak, but they have struggled against the top teams in the league and the country. Wisconsin has only lost once at home this season and that streak will stay intact after Friday night.

4 Unit Play. Take #809 Over in San Francisco Dons @ Gonzaga Bulldogs (9p.m., Thursday, January 25 ESPN2) The Zags have become a bubble team in 2024 and it is not a given they will make the NCAA Tournament come March. They have a strong offense and their best chance for success is outscore opponents. This total has been going up all morning long and we will back it on Thursday.

Even though the Celtics already got a comfortable win over Miami at the start of the season, we are confident revenge is still on their mind from the playoff series loss. And they are in a great spot for a big win tonight. They are healthy and have had two nights off, while the Heat come in on a back-to-back. They lost last night at home to the banged-up Grizzlies in another ugly performance that marked their fourth straight loss. All those opponents were much worse teams than the Celtics. Boston should be extra motivated tonight and they won’t take it easy on the Heat just because they are struggling. We think they bring their A Game tonight and score a double digit win.

4 Unit Play. Take #738 Nevada over Colorado State (10:30p.m., Wednesday, January 25 FS1) This is a make or break game for Nevada, as their chances to make the NCAA Tournament are slim at the moment. They have lost 3 straight games, but still have a solid 15-4 record and I expect them to right the ship on Wednesday night playing at home. The Rams are just not the same team in true road games and expect them to lose their third straight road game. Nevada is desperate and gets this game by 7-9 points.

We think the sky is the limit for this total and think it can easily fly over 250 here tonight. The Spurs just don’t play much defense at all. OKC is coming in on a back-to-back after getting pushed to the limit by Portland last night, and we don’t see them with much energy on the defensive end. We lean heavily to the Spurs here in this matchup as they have been very competitive lately, and we definitely expect them to get their share of the total in this one. They have scored 120 or more in their last three games, so their offense is playing great at the moment. Both teams are solidly over teams for their season records, and we just don’t see much defensive effort on either side tonight and both offenses should run up a big score in the Alamo City.

This one is a road game for the Knicks but one of the easiest road games in the NBA. These teams are going in opposite directions and we don’t see the Nets being too competitive here. They have been getting some pretty generous lines from the oddsmakers and still haven’t been covering. The Knicks are playing some of the best defense in the NBA since their big trade, and we think they will shut down the Nets inconsistent offense. The Knicks have won and covered in three straight meetings, and we expect a comfortable win tonight.

7 Unit Play. Take #625 Wisconsin over Minnesota (7p.m., Tuesday, January 23 BTN) Wisconsin has dominated this series and we will gladly lay the points in this game tonight at the barn. Not sure why this line has been coming down since it was posted yesterday afternoon, as the Badgers have beaten Minnesota six straight times. Wisconsin has great depth and can score points this season in a variety of ways. Minnesota is 11-2 at home but those two losses came against Iowa and Missouri. Wisconsin is better than both of those teams, as Minnesota will enter tonight having lost 3 straight games. The Badgers have a lot of recruits from Minnesota and they always get up for playing this game.

We are likely going to be a buyer for the Spurs in the second half of the season – in good sports of course. This team is improving and they are well coached. They are going to be much more competitive and one we will be looking at when getting a big number like this. San Antonio is 8-2 ATS in their last 10. We think there is a great chance they keep this one within single digits as this matchup doesn’t really move the needle for the Sixers.

2 Unit Play. Take Maryland +1 over Michigan State (12p.m., Sunday, January 21 CBS) Michigan State is not out of their funk and Maryland is a much better team when playing at home.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

10 Unit Play. Take #639 Over in Iowa State Cyclones @ TCU Horned Frogs (2p.m., Saturday, January 20 ESPNU) Both teams average over 80 points per game and we expect at least one team to hit their average in this game at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, TX. Iowa State has played some physical defensive minded teams of late, but TCU should allow them to go up and down the court like BYU did last time out (they have up 87 points). TCU gave up 81 points to Cincinnati last time out and to win this game today they need to score close to 80 points. 

Utah has been playing great basketball, and OKC is coming off a pair of losses. But it is very telling that the Thunder are laying some points here on the road. Sharp bettors pounded OKC when the line was released, but there is still plenty of value at this number. Even though OKC is playing their third game in four nights, they are coming in off a night off, and this team is young, athletic, and conditioned, and we don’t see fatigue being an issue. Props to the Jazz as they have been playing great, but they are a hot team that will likely flame out in the postseason very quickly, while the Thunder are a legit championship contender. And OKC has been one of the most reliable betting teams for the last few years. The Thunder will take this game very seriously after a pair of losses to the Lakers and Clippers. Utah was supposed to play Golden State last night, but the game was postponed due to the tragedy with the Warriors coach. This blip might have thrown the Jazz off their momentum. OKC always plays well against the Jazz. They have won and covered in four straight meetings. Utah has covered in only one of the last eight meetings (one push).

6 Unit Play. Take #799 Illinois over Michigan (8:30p.m., Thursday, January 18 FS1) Just do not see Illinois losing two games in a row to inferior competition. Michigan is a mess and has a terrible head coach and they struggle on both ends of the court. The Illini have great balance and that will be the difference on Thursday. The Wolverines have lost 5 of their last 6 games and Illinois is a better team than all of them.

4 Unit Play. Take #690 Kentucky over Mississippi State (7p.m., Wednesday, January 17 ESPN) Kentucky is 8-1 at home and Mississippi State will struggle during most of SEC play, especially when they are playing road games. This Kentucky team can shoot it better than past teams averaging over 10 made three pointers per game. The Wildcats are coming off a tough loss to Texas A&M last time out and they will be ready to make a statement in this game winning it by double digits.

Love the Clippers in this spot. They are coming off a rare loss at Minnesota that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated, so they will want to get back on track here. OKC comes in on a back-to-back after a really tough game against the Lakers last night. They expended lots of energy in that one, so facing a better team in the second leg will be difficult.  We love that this number is on the good side of the key NBA betting number of 7, as that is the point where the losing team stops fouling at the end of the game and concedes the loss.

4 Unit Play. Take #645 Wisconsin over Penn State (9p.m., Tuesday, January 16 BTN) Wisconsin is going to win the Big 10 this season. They already have quality road wins at Ohio State and Michigan State. Now they take a step down in class against a rebuilding Penn State team. The Lions are 2-4 in conference and should be 1-5 if not for a miraculous comeback against Ohio State, a game in which they were down big. Wisconsin is better at 4 of the 5 positions on the court and will win this game by double digits.

The Hawks are 9-29 ATS on the season, so you have to take notice when they are laying a number like this. We really like the way the Spurs have been improving. They are coached by one of the best to ever do it, and he is getting the most out of his club at the moment. They are no longer an easy blowout for their opponent. They have covered six straight games. This Spurs team is starting to show the recipe for a team we really like to bet on. They are underappreciated by the oddsmakers and betting public, yet they are competing on a nightly basis and covering but not winning a lot of games. So if they stay under the radar, they can produce a lot of betting profits. They have also covered two straight and three of four against the Hawks.

2 Unit Play. Take #845 Washington (PK) over UCLA (7p.m., Saturday, January 14 PAC-12 Network) This is a straight fade against UCLA. Until they prove they can win a game we will fade them. They have lost 8 of their last 9 games.

This line is just ridiculous that the Jazz are the underdog. This just shows the power of the Lakers as the public team in the NBA. They have dropped five of seven and they aren’t looking like a championship contender at the moment. The Jazz are on a B2B but they have won seven of eight and are playing as well as any team in the NBA right now. We had the Jazz handicapped at -3, so there is great value here tonight.

6 Unit Play. Take #699 Arkansas +8 over Florida (4p.m., Saturday, January 13 ESPN) Just do not believe Arkansas is as bad as they have played of late. Also do not believe Florida is good enough to be laying this many points in a SEC game. Both teams are winless in the league, Arkansas played better last time out against Georgia. This team beat Duke earlier this season and should be able to take this one down to the wire. 

The road trip languishes on for this Raptors club and they face a Utah team that has been dominant lately but doesn’t get the notice of the oddsmakers or public bettors because of the lack of big names on the team. But we think they show up tonight with their great home court advantage and a team that seems to be brimming with confidence right now. The oddsmakers have been too slow to adjust to how this team is playing right now.

3 Unit Play. Take #839 Stanford over Oregon State (11p.m., Thursday, January 11 ESPN2) No bet against Oregon State is a bad bet. They have a lame duck coach that should have been fired long ago and a team that is just not very good. The Beavers are just 1-3 in the league and have little home court advantage. Stanford has the better talent and they should be able to win this game by double digits.

We think the Lakers are overrated and there is normally value in going against them regardless of how well they play as they are one of the biggest public plays in sports. The Suns haven’t been playing great, but we think this game is more important to them than the Lakers and we think they bring their A Game after a couple losses.

7 Unit Play. Take #726 Ohio State over Wisconsin (8:30p.m., Wednesday, January 10 BTN) Always like to use an unranked team that is favored over a ranked team. Ohio State needs this game, as they have a strong record but do not have many quality wins on the season. The Buckeyes are coming off a loss to Indiana by 6 points in which Burce Thornton and Roddy Gayle could not make many shots. I just do not see them struggling that bad at home in a game they need to have. Wisconsin has been playing well of late but they have blowout losses against NCAA Tournament teams and Ohio State is in the field of 68. Playing on the road is tough in the Big 10 and Wisconsin will not get the calls they are used to getting at the Kohl Center. Play the home team tonight in Columbus.

These teams played a week ago, in Sacramento, and the Hornets not only covered by won outright by seven points. We think they match up well here. Forget about the revenge factor. Enough time has passed since that game, and the Kings have bigger aspirations than holding a grudge over the lowly Hornets. The biggest factor here is that the Kings are on a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights. This isn’t the deepest team, and they have had a handful of B2Bs this season and haven’t covered a single one. The Hornets have won and covered in eight of the last ten meetings, and normally bring their A Game against the Kings. We believe that will happen again tonight and expect a close game.

2 Unit Play. Take #657 Duke over Pittsburgh (9p.m., Tuesday, January 9 ESPN) A pair of former Dukies are set to square off as one another as coaches tonight at Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, PA. Duke has righted the ship of late winning 6 straight games and look for that to continue again on Tuesday. Pittsburgh is just 1-3 in the ACC with their only win coming against Louisville, the worst team it he league.

Damian Lillard will be out here for the Bucks, but that absence is already cooked into the line. The Bucks are off a tough road trip where they lost two of three, and they have lost three of four overall. So we think here, back at home against an inferior opponent, that we are going to see a very focused and determined Bucks team. If they had been playing better they might overlook this game, but they need a big performance tonight and to get far enough ahead where they won’t leave anything to chance at the end of the game. The Bucks are 16-3 at home, and Utah is one of the worst road teams in the NBA at 6-15. Utah is coming off a rare road win at Philly and they are probably Fat and Happy right now and won’t give full effort here. The Bucks have won and covered three in a row in this series, and the last two were blowouts. We see the same result happening here tonight.

Now this is what we like to see: Houston back in the underdog role. We went against them last night and they were blown out by Minnesota. There’s a good chance they were looking ahead to this game. Even though the Timberwolves have the best record in the Western Conference, they don’t move the meter for excitement like Milwaukee does. Houston is a solid team and they are one of the best teams in the NBA ATS. We just don’t see them getting blown out two nights in a row. And the Bucks aren’t in top form right now as they have lost three of six and covered in only two of those games. In fact, the Bucks have been overrated by the oddsmakers and they are just 15-9-1 ATS on the season. Houston played the Bucks tough in Milwaukee last month but lost and didn’t cover. We think they will do better here at home. They didn’t mount any comeback last night, so they should be more fresh than normal with the lack of energy expended. And a B2B at home is much more easy to navigate than on the road.

7 Unit Play. Take #664 Wisconsin over Nebraska (2:15p.m., Saturday, January 6 BTN) Nebraska has improved this season, but both of their losses have been blowouts and I see this being a double-digit loss as well. Wisconsin is a bad matchup for them, as the Badgers have size and depth. If Wisconsin can shoot it well from long range, they should win this game going away. They did not play that well against Iowa this week, yet still pulled away in the second half to win by 11 points.

Nothing against Houston here. We think they are a solid team and often a value bet. Heck, we took them for our 8-Unit season win total pick on the over. They have covered a lot of games this season since they were a surprise competitive team and also they were getting some generous lines from the oddsmakers. The oddsmakers have caught up with them a bit, and they aren’t surprising teams any more. Also, they are going to face the ups and downs that come with a young team coming out of its rebuild. They have lost six of their last 10 and haven’t covered in any of the losses. We think this team will make the play in tourney for sure, but across the court from them will be a team that is championship ready. Only the Celtics have a better record in the NBA. The Wolves will take this game very seriously as they are off a couple tough losses. They don’t want a three-game losing streak. They have won seven of the last eight meetings and covered in six of those. We expect them to bring their A Game tonight.

3 Unit Play. Take #881 Iona -2.5 over Saint Peter’s (7p.m., Friday, January 5 ESPN+) The road team being favored tells me what the line makers believe about the talent of each team. But teams have similar records, but the Gaels are a traditional powerhouse in the MAAC. They need this game more in the standings and will get it in close to double-digits.

The Spurs have covered in eight of the last ten meetings and we think they put their best foot forward on national TV tonight. Milwaukee is on a back-to-back after playing a budding rival in Indiana twice, losing both games, and this is a letdown spot as a result. We think this is a close game and this is too many points as this will be one of the bigger games of the season for the Spurs on TNT.

2 Unit Play. Take #740 Under in Cleveland State @ Wright State (7p.m., Thursday, January 4 ESPN+) We will follow the line movement and side with the under in this game. We had a bad beat with the under last time out with the Raiders and sooner or later the under will cash again with them.

These have been two of the best ATS teams in the league this season. But we think Houston is the better team, and they have been great at home this season, while the Nets have been bad on the road. Both teams have been struggling a bit, but Houston got a massive blowout win over the Pistons last time out, and that is the perfect thing for a confidence boost to get things back on track. They have had an incredibly tough schedule lately, and that is one of the reasons they haven’t been racking up wins. Brooklyn has been really struggling lately and has only a pair of wins over the Pistons to show for recent efforts, and they haven’t been covering lines like they did at the start of the season.

3 Unit Play. Take #675 Fordham +3.5 over George Washington (7p.m., Wednesday, January 3 ESPN+) GW is 11-2 on the season and facing a 6-7 team at home, yet they are just a slight favorite. The Rams have underachieved thus far in 2023/24, but they have talent and should be able to take this game down to the wire.

We always take notice when a team is getting this many points. They can lose in a blowout and you can still cover the spread. And you know the players are aware of the spread. That might give them extra motivation or help with a backdoor cover late in the game. Charlotte has won seven of the last nine meetings, and we think the Kings will overlook this one and the underdog will keep it within double digits.

5 Unit Play. Take #606 Wisconsin over Iowa (7p.m., Tuesday, January 2 BTN) Even when Iowa had good teams, Wisconsin often dominates them and this year it is the opposite. Iowa is not good and Wisconsin is a veteran team that can beat you in a variety of ways. The Hawkeyes only have a quality win against Seton Hall this season and have been pounded by teams like Oklahoma, Iowa State, and Michigan. Wisconsin is better than all 3 of those teams and expect them to take care of business tonight at the Kohl Center.

We think the Spurs might make this competitive and we think they will at least get their share of the total. Boston should be able to achieve their offensive goals tonight. They put up 137 the last meeting and we think they could see that type of output here. The Spurs have one of the worst defenses in the NBA. They have given up 130 or more in three of their last four games. They are 21-10 to the over this season.

3 Unit Play. Take #868 Under in Wright State @ Milwaukee (3p.m., Sunday, December 31 ESPN+) What better way to ring in 2024 with an under bet. Look for Milwaukee to be able to dictate the pace of play at home and keep Wright State from running up the scoreboard. Milwaukee averages just 75 points per game.

We said it before with our sharp ATS winner on Detroit over Boston last time out that now that the pressure of the longest losing streak in NBA history is off the Pistons, they are free to play better. And they have. They played one of their best games of the season last time out against Boston and even sent the game to OT before losing. They showed some grit in getting the game to OT in the final minutes. Now they take a big step down in competition against a Raptors team that is horrible on the road and also on a back-to-back. We thought the Pistons had the talent to possibly reach the play in before the season started so it’s not like this team doesn’t have the talent to win games. They have had major chemistry issues and injuries. We think this is a winnable game for them tonight.

7 Unit Play. Take Over 148 in UNC Wilmington @ Arkansas (5p.m., Saturday, December 30 SECN) The Hogs have had a much-needed layoff and need to get back to playing their up-tempo style that Coach Musselman loves. They should be able to score points against the Seahawks today, as they look to get up and down the court as well. Wilmington is averaging over 85 points per game. I believe both teams will come close to scoring 80 points today and we will not worry if Arkansas can cover this double digit spread and instead just collect with the over.

3 Unit Play. Take #875 Over 148 in San Diego State @ Gonzaga (9p.m., Friday, December 29 ESPN2) The Zags need a quality win at home and expect them to be able to dictate the temp has both teams should reach the seventies in scoring. Gonzaga averages over 84 points per game this season.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

3 Unit Play. Take #719 USC over Oregon (9p.m., Thursday, December 28 ESPN2) Just feel USC is the more talented team and Oregon will have no home court advantage in this game. The students are not on campus and many in the state just do not care about college basketball. Still believe USC will make a run to earn an NCAA Tournament bid and it starts tonight as conference play opens up.

Great value here as Philly has a long history of success over the Magic. Yes, Embiid is out tonight and the Sixers are banged up. But this is a very deep team and we think they have the roster to win this one outright. Orlando is also coming in on the second end of a back-to-back. The word is out on the Magic and they are not going to surprise teams anymore, and Philly will want to put their best foot forward here.

The Clippers were on a nine-game winning streak but since have lost two straight. This team was banged up and overworked, and they lost by double-digits at OKC and last time out at home to Boston. But LA didn’t play on Xmas and they are at home here the day after, which is a big advantage as we are confident they will be in a better place mentally than the Hornets, on the road after the holiday. We always like to take a good team after a bad game, and the Clippers were embarrassed last time out here vs. Boston. Good teams normally up the effort after a game like that, and Charlotte is certainly a team that can be susceptible to a blowout. They have lost four straight road games by double digits. The Clippers have won and covered in four of the last five meetings.

3 Unit Play. Take #626 UCONN over St Johns (8p.m., Saturday, December 23 FOX) We saw Marquette pound Georgetown last night after suffering an embarrassing loss the previous game. Expect UCONN to follow suit and win this game by double-digits after losing to Seton Hall last time out. St Johns has a famous coach in Rick Pitino, but the roster is not championship caliber to be able to compete night in and night out in the Big East. An angry UCONN wins this game going away and we collect in the process as well.

The Wizards are a bad team. But they are not bad on the level of the Pistons or Spurs. They have a couple players that can make a difference, and they have been a decent bet in spots. And we think one of those spots is tonight. And we think one of those players that can make a difference is Jordan Poole, the former Warrior who was punched by Draymond Greene in practice, but he was kind of disrespected in the trade that brought Chris Paul to the Warriors. We think he will raise his game up tonight. Washington actually has covered more games than Golden State. They are on a B2B but have covered four straight after winning in Portland last night. They have three nights off after this game, so they don’t need to hold back for energy. The Warriors play on Saturday then also on Christmas at Denver, so we don’t know how focused they will be here. They have been double digit favorites twice this season and didn’t cover in either game.

5 Unit Play. Take #874 Missouri Tigers over Illinois Fighting Illini (9p.m., Friday, December 22 FS1) This game seems to mean more to Missouri and expect their players and fans to go all out to win this game. Missouri has played better of late, hanging with Kansas and Seton Hall and I feel that they can take this one down to the wire. Many of these games between these two bordering state schools have gone down to the wire and 2023 should be no different. The Tigers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against the Fighting Illini.

It’s tough sometimes to go against a team like the Clippers who have won nine straight and are playing as well as anyone in the league. But we think this is a real bad spot for the Clippers. They are coming in on a back-to-back. This is their third road game in four nights. This is a veteran Clippers team that has seen it all and done it all, and we don’t think they care about the streak nearly as much as the fans do. This seems like a game they might not give full effort in. Some members of the team have been sick. Kawhi Leonard has played unprecedented minutes to start the season, and he got really banged around last night. The Thunder have had two nights off and are completely healthy. They have won four of five, including a road game against the defending champs. They are one of the best ATS teams in the NBA at 17-8 on the season.

4 Unit Play. Take #306578 George Washington over Alcorn State (2p.m., Thursday, December 21 ESPN+) No bet against Alcorn State is a bad bet. The Braves are in the process of playing 15 straight road games and they have yet to win any of them. Their last 8 road games have been blowouts and today should be no different. This is just a cash grab playing all of these buy games and it really is not fair to the players and coaches. The Revolutionaries have played an easy schedule as well full of cupcakes, but playing the Braves is easily considered another cupcake.

7 Unit Play. Take #666 Duke Blue Devils over Baylor Bears (7p.m., Wednesday, December 20 ESPN) Baylor got exposed last time out against Michigan State. Now they travel to MSG to play Duke in a de facto home game for the Blue Devils. Duke has a great record at MSG and they cannot afford any more losses on the season, since they are just 7-3 on the season. This is not the NFL and I do not expect a bounce back from Baylor tonight. Duke gets the victory and we collect in the process as well.

3 Unit Play. Take #306528 Drake over Alcorn State (8p.m., Tuesday, December 19 ESPN+) No bet against Alcorn State is a bad bet regardless of how high the number is. The Braves are playing a brutal road schedule to collect checks and in return are losing these games by 30+ points. They rallied late to only lose by 18 to a Northern Iowa squad, but Drake is a much better team than Northern Iowa. This is the Braves 10th straight road game.

Ja Morant should return to the court on Tuesday, but we think this will hurt an already struggling team in the short term. This team already has chemistry issues and now will insert a new puzzle into the mix. Morant will get his numbers but we doubt he will make the team competitive right away. Plus, the Grizzlies are massively banged up right now. This roster is paper thin. The Grizzlies have lost five straight and have failed to cover in any of those games despite generous lines from the oddsmakers. New Orleans has won seven of nine (6-3 ATS), and they are playing playoff-quality basketball right now.

The Clippers are finally clicking and they are playing as well as any team in the NBA right now. After their slow start to the season they are taking every game seriously. We think with both teams playing their best that the Clippers win comfortably on the road at Indiana. After their tourney championship loss, the Pacers have not been good and have only a win and cover over Detroit as their only success in the last four games.

2 Unit Play. Take #750 Hawaii +1.5 over Nevada (10p.m., Sunday, December 17 ESPN+) The Wolf Pack have injuries and are a sinking ship now having gotten blasted by Drake last weekend. Hawaii is always a tough team to beat on the island and expect them to hand Nevada their second loss o the season Sunday night.

The Knicks have been playing in a lot of high scoring games lately, but we feel they are in a letdown spot tonight. The Clippers are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA and they are one of the strongest under teams as well. The Knicks scored 139 last night and Brunson went off for 50 of those. We doubt he will stay hot on a back-to-back and against tougher defenders. These teams met already in New York and the total didn’t even cross the 210 mark. We see a similar game tonight.

10 Unit Play. Take #636 Ohio State Buckeyes over UCLA Bruins (3p.m., Saturday, December 16 CBS) NONCONFERENCE GAME OF THE YEAR. The Bruins still take money in the desert and thus this line is lower than it should be. UCLA has played just one game this entire month and this will be their second trip to the east coast in the last 7 days. They had to replace a ton of veterans from their squad from last season and they are really struggling to score points this season. Ohio State is coming off a bad loss to Penn State last Saturday, a game in which they led by 18 points. This is a strong offensive team and they want to get back to the NCAA Tournament after missing out last season. They should be close to full strength for this game with Roddy Gayle and Scotty Middleton available and that means they will have 3 of the 4 best players on the floor for this game. The Bruins are the second youngest team in the country among major conferences and will enter this game in Atlanta having lost 3 of their last 5 games. Ohio State is 9th in 3 points shooting and 15th in adjusted efficiency. Early in the year I will take the better offensive team compared to the team that has a higher upside come March. Ohio State wins this pick’em game and we collect in the process as well.

The Clippers are very quietly playing as well as any team in the Western Conference right now. While other teams – including the Clippers opponent right now – have tons of drama surrounding them, Kawhi and co. have put their heads down and gotten to work. This team always had the talent, but they had chemistry issues. But they seemed to have worked those out, and this is a real championship contender now that they are playing well. There is a current circus going on in Golden State and they have not been playing well overall. We think they are in for a tough night tonight as LA should be clicking on all cylinders and they will want to put their best foot forward as they are currently tied for the season series.

4 Unit Play. Take #644 Nevada over Weber State (10p.m., Thursday, December 13 Local) The Wolf Pack are coming off their first loss of the season, when they got pounded by the Bulldogs in Las Vegas. Nevada is a much better team when playing at home and look for them to get back on track tonight with a double-digit victory. The Wildcats have played a super weak schedule this season and will struggle to be competitive in this game. Nevada will get to the line a bunch and look for them dominate this game.

The Knicks’ defense has been their calling card but they are faltering in that aspect and they have given up 130+ in three straight games. They aren’t going to win a lot until they fix the defensive issues. The Jazz are getting healthy and could see Markkanen return tonight. The Knicks have covered just one of the last five meetings (one push) and we don’t see their road trip getting off to a good start tonight.

These teams met a few weeks ago, and the total finished 40 points under the posted total. That was the fourth straight meeting that went under and their seventh out of the last nine matchups. The Lakers have also played four straight unders. There might be a letdown factor here after LA winning the inaugural Play In Tourney, and we feel they could be flat on offense. We expect both teams to step up the defense here.

5 Unit Play. Take #306510 Maryland over Alcorn State (7p.m., Tuesday, December 12 BTN) This is a great right game for Maryland, as they are one of the worst shooting teams in the country this season. They do offense rebound well and are playing a team that cannot defend much whatsoever. The Braves will be playing their eight straight road game and they have gotten blown out in most of these buy games. That is a ridiculous schedule for a team to have to endure and I think they lose tonight by close to 30 points.

Sacramento has won and covered two straight and three out of four. Both teams have been great ATS, but this number is more than fair for the home team that is well rested. Brooklyn has had a fairly easy schedule lately that has inflated their worth in the eyes of the oddsmakers. We expect a comfortable win for the home team tonight.

2 Unit Play. Take #306610 Gonzaga over Mississippi Valley State (9p.m., Monday, December 11 ESPN+) Hardly ever see a spread this big in any sport besides college football. Gonzaga is pissed and will take out on the Delta Devils after losing to Washington last time out. This will be ugly early and often.

3 Unit  Play. Take #856 Iowa -4 over Michigan (4:30p.m., Sunday, December 9 BTN) Michigan is not any good and has major coaching issues with Juwuan Howard. Iowa got blown out last time out, look for them to get back on track at home. Iowa plays much better at home. Lay the points!

Love the way the Pacers played in their semifinal game against Milwaukee. It looked in the third quarter that the Bucks would take over the game, but Indiana switched to a different gear and dominated the fourth. The Lakers had a much easier matchup against the inconsistent Pelicans. They blew out New Orleans, so the Lakers are further shaded by the oddsmakers here as the biggest public team in the NBA.

7 Unit Play. Take #659 Wisconsin +9.5 over Arizona (3:15p.m., Saturday, December 9 ESPN) This line keeps going up since many feel Wisconsin is in a letdown spot coming off back to back victories against Marquette and Michigan State. The Badgers treat every game the same and should give maximum effort for this game. Wisconsin plays a style of basketball that makes it tough to cover this big of spread, especially if they get ahead early in this game. The Badgers have the size to matchup with Arizona down low and this will likely come down to which team can shoot it better from long range. Arizona struggled to put away Michigan State and they beat Duke by just 5 points. I see Arizona winning this game, but it will be by single digits.

The Nuggets will likely get back Jamal Murray tonight but this team is just not in playoff form right now and they are being lined too high by the oddsmakers. They are just 8-14 ATS this season, and coming in off two straight losses. While they were probably win tonight, the Rockets have been one of the best ATS squads and we think they keep this close.  

We were unsure how serious teams would take the in season tournament, but some teams did take it seriously, and now that we are close to the finals we think teams will start to take it very seriously. And while the Pacers are a very solid club and their offense is almost unprecedented, with both teams playing at their best, we think Milwaukee is the much better team. They had some new pieces to acclimate on the team but you get the sense recently this team is turning the corner. They scored their highest point total of the season last time out, 146-122, against the Knicks in tourney action. New York is one of the best defensive teams in the league. While it might not be evident when looking at final scores, they have been improving on the defensive side. The Pacers are all offense but not defense. The Bucks can match the Pacers on offense but they have a defensive edge that will be the difference in this game in Las Vegas today.

2 Unit Play. Take #717 South Carolina over Clemson (8p.m., Wednesday, December 6 ACCN) This battle of South Carolina should be closer than what the experts believe. Both teams are undefeated and I just do not see a double digit victory for the home team. Carolina already has some major conference wins against Virginia Tech, DePaul, and Notre Dame.

The Bucks are still a work in progress and we feel this team is focused on building a team that will win a championship once the postseason comes around and we aren’t sure how invested they are in the in-season tournament. Last meeting the Bucks were hitting their threes at a very high rate and still didn’t blow the Knicks out. We expect a close game here and the Bucks are weak defensively but they are going to put up points.

7 Unit Play. Take #611 Wisconsin over Michigan State (7p.m., Tuesday, December 5 Peacock) These two teams have had great battles over the last decade and many of those games have come down to the wire. Michigan State is not the same team as they will be later in the year and they have lost to every good team that they have played this season. Expect a low scoring game and getting over 5 points is too good to pass up with this veteran Wisconsin team.

Boston dropped 155 on the Pacers when these teams played last month, and even if they don’t score that much, we still think they are going to put up a big number on offense. We also think the Pacers will be much more competitive in this game. They scored only 104 in that game, one of their lowest outputs on offense this season. Seven of the last 10 meetings have gone over the posted number.

This is the second of a home-and-home and we think the Clippers will come out on top in the rematch, with style points. This team is healthy and this is the longest stretch PG and Leonard have played together since they joined the Clippers. Chemistry seems to be improving for between the players. The Warriors are a bit banged up here, and it’s tough to beat a team twice in a row.

7 Unit Play. Take #608 Wisconsin over Marquette (12:30p.m., Saturday, December 2 FOX) Gettting a field goal with a home underdog is too good to pass up. Wisconsin beat Marquette last year in Milwaukee and they return everyone from that squad. The Badgers need this game more, since they do not have many quality wins on the season. Look for Wisconsin to use their size down low and they will win this game straight-up.

2 Unit Play. Take #878 Kansas over Connecticut (9p.m., Friday, December 1 ESPN2) Connecticut has played a weak schedule thus far but it is going to get hard the next two games against Kansas and North Carolina. Playing in Kansas is always a tough task and look for the Jayhawks to emerge victorious since they have a great home court edge.

We like to back a good team off an embarrassing loss, and we aren’t sure the Clippers are a good team but they have talent that can’t be denied. They had one of their worst losses of the Kawhi era last time out against a banged up Denver squad. We think they will give max effort here against a Kings squad that played a tough game last night.

10 Unit Play. Take #678 North Carolina over Tennessee (7:15p.m., Wednesday, November 29 ESPN) Always like to play North Carolina at home in the nonconference portion of the season. Tennessee has issues and went 1-2 in Hawaii. Carolina went 2-1 in the Bahamas and playing this game at home is a big advantage. Tennessee struggled to score points in Hawaii, and I see them losing this game by close to double digits on Wednesday.

3 Unit Play. Take #606 Maryland over Rider (7p.m., Tuesday, November 18 BTN+) The Terrapins sit at 3-3 on the season and need to string together some nonconference wins to get a more respectable record. Tonight, should be a perfect opportunity for a 20+ point victory. Rider is a terrible team that will enter having lost 4 straight games and are just collecting check with 6 straight road games.

The Sixers have won nine of the last 10 meetings and covered in seven of those games. The Sixers are a more complete team at this point of the season. The Lakers two stars are banged up for this game, and LeBron could miss the game. We like the Sixers for a big win whether LeBron and AD play or not. Every team gives their best effort against the Lakers, but this is just another game for LA, who is trying to work out the kinks. This team is definitely focused on the postseason more than the regular season. Philly has been one of the best betting teams this season, and they are undervalued again today.

3 Unit Play. Take #743 Over in Texas A&M vs Iowa State (6:30p.m., Sunday, November 26 ESPN2) The Aggies have gone over today’s posted number in 9 straight games. Look for that to continue on Sunday, as consolation games tend to be played more up-tempo.