Sports Picks & Predictions

The Eastern Conference playoff race is tightly-contested at the bottom, and Nos. 6-8 could all miss the playoffs if they don’t win down the stretch. Brooklyn is certainly in that situation. The Pacers loss to the Celtics pretty much cemented their first-round meeting, with Boston holding home court, but the Nets need this game badly as they are in the No. 6 slot. They are only 1.5 games ahead of the Heat, in the No. 9 spot, however. They come in on a back-to-back, but we think they will give it their all after beating Milwaukee on Saturday. Also think this total is a couple points too high.

10 Unit Play. Take #802 Michigan State over Texas Tech (8:49p.m., Saturday, April 6 CBS) Michigan State has an advantage over the other 3 teams in Minneapolis in that they have been here many times before. Texas Tech, Virginia, and Auburn are just happy to be here where Coach Izzo has stated be might need a second championship to validate his coaching career. Michigan State knocked out the projected best team in the NCAA Tournament last Sunday and should be able to move onto the final game on Monday. When Michigan State losses in the final four it is generally because they do not have the best team and overachieved to get here. That will not the be the case on Saturday, as Michigan State is the much better offensive team in this match-up and will pull away late to win this game by 5-7 points. The Spartans are 26-9 ATS in their last 35 games.

4 Unit Play. Take #803 Auburn over Virginia (6:09p.m., Saturday, April 6 CBS) Just believe Auburn will get hot at some point in this game from the 3-point line and take this game down to the wire. Auburn is the team with a cloud hanging over their shoulder with Bruce Pearl and I believe that has motivated them through this entire country. Virginia has been playing with the most pressure of any team in this tournament and tonight will be no different. They should have lost to Purdue on Saturday and will not be as fortunate as they were in that game. Virginia is 2-6 ATS in their last 8 NCAA Tournament games. Auburn is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.

The Nets have been sliding lately and this team needs a win bad to make the postseason. These teams could meet in the first round of the playoffs. We don’t think this game means much to the Bucks, and they probably won’t want to show a lot here in case these two teams meet next week. But Brooklyn should be highly-motivated here, and we expect them to do everything they can to get the win. This game should be close.

The Clippers have been pretty much the best team since the all-star break. But they had a big hiccup last time out in a blowout loss to the Rockets. This was a rare game where they just didn’t show up to play. That went very much against the profile of how this team has played all season, and we expect a major bounce back tonight. The Lakers come in on a back-to-back after playing the Warriors last night. They got down big and expended a lot of energy in the comeback, and this looks like a very flat spot for them. We expect the Clippers to win this one by 15+

This game means nothing for Minnesota, playing an out-of-conference team when their playoff hopes are gone in the dust. But Miami is desperate here as they try to regain the No. 8 seed in the playoffs. They should give everything they have here as they are off tomorrow and then have to play Toronto on the road. That is a less-winnable game, so they have to take care of business here, and that makes this pretty much a must-win game.

This one is essentially like a playoff game. These teams will likely meet in the first round, and a win in this game will go a long way to deciding home-court advantage in that series. We think both teams will lock down defensively. Both of these teams are excellent defensive clubs. And we expect that to be on display tonight as these teams battle for home court. The under is 25-14 in the Pacers home games this season. The under has gone 9-4-1 in the last 14 meetings between these teams. The under is 5-0 for Pacers games after they win the last game, which means they normally like to follow up a win with a strong defensive performance. We think this total is about five points too high.

The Lakers have covered in five of the last seven meetings. We like the way Los Angeles has been playing and had them against OKC the other night and they had the cover in hand until just missing at the end with some very poor play the last couple minutes of the game. But that broke a streak of five straight covers, and this team is playing hard down the stretch, probably for their coach. Golden State is pretty much assured the No. 1 seed, and we don’t see them giving top effort down the stretch as they rest towards the playoffs.

4 Unit Play. Take Lipscomb over Texas (7p.m., Thursday, April 4 ESPN) This championship just means more to mid-majors and expect the Bison to complete the task on Thursday. Lipscomb is 22-7 ATS (1 push) in their last 30 nonconference games. Texas is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games.

The Clippers have covered six of the last seven in this series. They match up well with Houston, and this could be a winnable playoff series for them if they do meet up in the postseason. The Clippers have the best record in the NBA since the all-star break. They have great team chemistry and solid coaching. They are underestimated by the oddsmakers on a nightly basis, and that is the case again tonight. They won both meetings this season already, and we think it’s a point of pride to get the season sweep tonight against Chris Paul, so gave up on the squad.

A team visiting Denver on a back-to-back is another situation where we would probably stay away from said team. But Denver is in a bad spot here too, and they played and failed in Golden State last night in a game that was much bigger than this one. So we think they have just as tough of a back-to-back here tonight. The Spurs have been playing some of their best basketball of the season overall in the last month, and we had this line handicapped at 3 so we see some value here.

4 Unit Play. Take #717 South Florida over DePaul (8p.m., Wednesday, April 3 ESPNU) Game 2 of this best of three series takes place tonight just outside of Chicago. USF needs to win 1 of the final 2 games to claim the CBI Championship. 64% of the money is coming in on the visitor and DePaul has never been a team good enough to lay this many points with. USF is 11-3 ATS in their last 14 road games. DePaul is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

Even with their struggles the Celtics are a much stronger team than the Heat. They need to keep winning to start the playoffs at home, and that is a major goal right now. The Heat are trying to hold the No. 8 seed in the EC, and there is a reason they are that low in a down year at the bottom of the EC. These teams played Monday and the Celtics won by 5 at home. Normally in these quick turnaround games we would take the team that lost, but this is crunch time and we think the cream will rise to the top tonight.

The Warriors seem to be rounding into playoff form. This is probably the most important game for them left in the regular season, and we have no doubt that if they really flex their muscle that the Nuggets can’t really compete with them in the Bay Area. Golden State has covered in the last two meetings, and both were blowouts. Golden State has been one of the worst betting teams all season long, but they have been covering more lines lately and have had more dominating performances, and they should be motivated tonight.

10 Unit Play. Take #712 TCU over Texas (9:30p.m., Tuesday, April 2 ESPN) I am a big believer in riding teams that have had success in previous NIT Tournament. TCU won this two years ago and has been playing dominating basketball over this tournament winning all three of their games by at least 13 points. The Horned Frogs have beaten Texas twice already this season and the Longhorns still have injuries and I just do not believe they are all that excited to be in this game. This spread is 3 points short and I fully expect TCU to win this game by double digits. TCU has covered the spread against Texas in 5 of their last 6 meetings. TCU is 17-7 ATS in their last 24 neutral site games. Texas is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games. Shaka Smart has been a disappointing hire thus far and I do not see things changing in this game.

This is just too many points for the Thunder to be laying tonight. No team is limping towards the postseason more than OKC. They have lost seven of their last nine overall (against a home-heavy schedule, no less). Their ATS record is the same during that stretch. Yet they are being lined like they are playing well. The Lakers have won four of five and covered in all those games. These young players are playing hard for contracts and pride. We think there is a great chance they can keep this one within double digits, and possibly even win if OKC implodes again. OKC is 0-7 ATS in their last seven against sub-.500 teams!

In a must-win situation last night in the Bay Area, the Hornets fell flat on their faces. They lost by almost 50 points. Teams normally put their best foot forward against the Warriors. The Jazz don’t create the same excitement. The Hornets are now on a back-to-back against another very good team, and we just don’t see how they will be competitive tonight. This just doesn’t seem like a team where pride will kick in but instead will feel sorry for themselves as they are No. 10 in the east with not much hope of rising up unless they won last night and tonight.

Not only are the Bucks coming in on a back-to-back, but they played OT vs. Atlanta on Sunday and now this team has to go on the road to face an underrated Nets club. The Greek Freak and Middleton are both questionable tonight for Milwaukee, and we are pretty confident that the Bucks will err on the side of caution with their two best players with the postseason coming soon. Even if they play, the Nets will play well at home vs. a team that shouldn’t have a lot left in the tank.

With Blake Griffin most likely out for the Pistons tonight, we like the Pacers to take care of business here at home tonight. The Pistons never seen to play well here as they are 1-7 ATS in the last eight meetings. Indiana has been struggling lately, but they have had a very tough schedule that has been road-heavy. This team plays much better at home, and we expect them to up the defense tonight as they not only need to get back on the winning track but they are trying to get a home playoff series as well.

4 Unit Play. Take #702 South Florida over DePaul (7p.m., Monday, April 1 ESPN U) This is a best of 3 games series, and it is imperative that USF wins this game with the next two games being played in Chicago. The Bulls are 17-5 at home this season and we will pound them with this short number. DePaul is 3-14 ATS (1 push) in their last 18 games played on Monday. USF is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 nonconference games.

Most Golden State lines seem inflated anyways, and this one looks that way as well. That, and the fact they normally get the best effort from their opponents, has factored into them being one of the worst betting teams in the league this season and the worst by far the last couple seasons. And this team could care less about the regular season. They will play to their top level in the playoffs. And they probably have lost a bit of fire after all the championships. But Charlotte needs this game badly as their playoff hopes are on life support. We should see a solid effort from them tonight.

8 Unit Play. Take #692 Duke over Michigan State (5:05p.m., Sunday, March 31 CBS) Coach K is 11-1 straight-up against Coach Izzo. ENOUGH SAID!

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

2 Unit Play. Take #861 Purdue over Virginia (8:49p.m., Saturday March 30 TBS) Purdue has been hot and if they can stabilize this game early, Virginia will start to feel the pressure of making it to the Final Four. Virginia is 1-6 ATS in their last 7 NCAA Tournament games. Purdue is 9-4 ATS in their last 13 NCAA Tournament games.

We like the under here on Saturday. These are two of the better defensive teams in the NBA. They are both Top 5 for points allowed, with Indiana holding down the top spot. Indiana is coming in on a back-to-back and they allow even fewer points in these situations than their season average. The under is 25-12 in Pacers home games this season. It is 23-14 in Magic road games. We think there’s a great chance both teams finish under the century mark.

1 Unit Play. Take 684 Gonzaga over Texas Tech (6:09p.m., Saturday March 30 TBS) Texas Tech would have been down big on Thursday if they were playing Gonzaga instead of Michigan. The Wolverines could not throw the ball into the ocean on Thursday and had trouble scoring points for most of the season. Gonzaga played a tough Florida State team and never really were threatened in that game. Expect them to pull away late and win this game by 7-9 points. Gonzaga is 9-4 ATS in their last 14 games against Big 12 teams.

3 Unit Play. Take #672 Kentucky over Houston (9:57p.m., Friday, March 29 TBS) Houston has not faced many teams this talented in quite some time and I expect Kentucky to pull away late in the second half and march onto the Elite 8. Houston is legit but I see a Kentucky – North Carolina Elite 8 game that everyone wants. Houston is 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games against SEC teams. Kentucky is 5-1 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 8 NCAA Tournament games.

Utah has been a solid ATS betting team this season. But they have been especially good as big favorites as they are 7-2 ATS as a favorite of 11 or more points. These big spreads are normally designed to lure in the public sucker bettors, so when a team like Utah is good at covering these big lines it makes you take notice. The Wizards have lost five of six and this team is just waiting for the pain to end and for the season to finish. They got a win last time out against hapless Phoenix, so they probably has them content. We don’t see them putting up much of a fight here. They have one of the worst defenses in the NBA so we don’t see Utah having many issues putting up enough points to cover this big number. And Utah can play solid D, so they will hold the Wizards score down. Utah has won and covered in six straight meetings in this rare series, and we think they will win this one going away without breaking much of a sweat.

3 Unit Play. Take #674 North Carolina over Auburn (7:29p.m., Friday, March 29 CBS) Auburn likes to play fast but that should not be any issue for North Carolina. Auburn shot lights out earlier against Kansas and knocked them out in the first 5 minutes of that game. I just do not believe that they can do that again in this game. North Carolina is healthy and I believe they are destined to reach the Elite 8 for a rematch against Kentucky. Auburn is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games against ACC teams. North Carolina is 20-8 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 30 games against SEC teams.

4 Unit Play. Take #657 Texas Tech over Michigan (9:39p.m., Thursday, March 28 CBS) Just do like this Michigan team all that much this year and believe Texas Tech can reach the final four by winning this region. Michigan is still extremely well coached, but they do not have much top end NBA talent and are not a lights out three points shooting team. Those are trademarks of most Michigan teams. Texas Tech is for real and they dominated Buffalo for 38 of the 40 minutes and can do the same thing to Michigan. They play both sides of the floor and I believe have more top end talent than does Michigan. Texas Tech is 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games overall and 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games against Big 10 teams.

Even though the Spurs have lost thee of four, they had nothing to be embarrassed about in those tough games and overall this team has been playing its best basketball of the season this month. This team is starting to look like a factor in the Western Conference Playoffs and they are probably a team no higher seed wants to face. The Spurs have covered four straight in this series and they will want to get back on the winning track tonight. This is the perfect team to do it against, and we think it will be in blowout fashion.

The Clippers are one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now. We have backed them on many occasions. However, we think tonight is a time to go the other way. They are getting a lot of buzz right now for their recent play. But we think their current record is a bit deceiving as they have played some lousy teams. They have also caught the better teams on their schedule at a bad time (on a back-to-back or after or before playing a big game). This is the last game of a four-game road trip. They have gone 3-0 so far (but against Cleveland, New York, and Minnesota). Even if they get blown out here, they can head home with their heads held high. And that is what we think will happen. The Bucks are the No. 1 ATS team in the NBA this season. We think the Clippers are getting too much credit here and we had this game handicapped above double-digits and we think this one has blowout written all over it.

10 Unit Play. Take #652 Tennessee over Purdue (7:29p.m., Thursday, March 28 TBS) Purdue looked much better than Tennessee in the first two rounds but this is the game that has tripped them up in recent years and 2019 should be no different. Tennessee has experience and did not have to replace 4 of their 5 starters from last season. Purdue shot lights out against Villanova and I just do not believe that they can do that for a second straight game. The Boilermakers are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games following a victory of more than 20 points in their previous game. Purdue has been blown out in the Sweet 16 the last two years and I see them losing this game by 7-9 points against a hungry Tennessee team.

is right for the Thunder tonight, and we expect them to win this one comfortably. They have covered in three of the last four meetings between these teams. The Pacers have covered in only one of the last eight on the road. The Thunder are in the No. 7 spot for the WC playoffs and they will want to avoid the Warriors so they need to move up. Indiana is more secure in their seeding. We think both teams will play strong defense, but we expect the Thunder to come out on top, and there’s a good chance this one is a double-digit win.

The Warriors are battling with the Nuggets and a couple other teams for the top spot in the west. They have kind of sleepwalked through the regular season, and they have not been a good betting team. But we have seen some indications lately that they are putting forth a better effort, the home loss to Dallas notwithstanding. Three of the last four meetings with Memphis have been Golden State blowouts, and this is a rival and the Warriors always want to play their best against this opponent. We think that they will put their best foot forward tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #620 TCU over Creighton (9p.m., March 26 ESPN) TCU won this tournament two years ago and should be able to get back to New York with a victory tonight in Fort Worth. The Horned Frogs are 11-0 ATS in their last 11 non-conference games. This will be the Bluejays first road game in the NIT and will lose it by 7-9 points.

Never thought it would happen but the Bucks are becoming kind of a public team. This line sure seems inflated to us as we had the Bucks at -1. Houston has been playing well lately. They have been a bit up and down all season, but they seem to be making a strong push as we had towards the playoffs. This is the marquee game of the day and we don’t see this as a letdown spot. We think if both teams are playing their best that this is a pretty even matchup, so getting the points is the way to go here.

Minnesota matches up well with the Clippers and they always seem to play them well. They are 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings. They have won seven of the last eight meetings straight up. The Clippers have been very hot lately but we think this line is inflated and we had this one handicapped at PK so we think there is nice value here. The Wolves are normally very solid at home and we think they play hard tonight. This game is a coin flip, so getting the points is the only way to go.

This game has some reverse line movement so that is always a good sign when you are on the team not getting the majority of action. Atlanta has covered four straight in this series, and they have won three of those games. We think that the Hawks are playing hard down the stretch and they seem to want to end the season on a positive note while the future in New Orleans remains unclear and this team is kind of spinning its wheels right now. We like the underdog here to win straight up.

Boston has lost four straight and they haven’t been covering a lot of lines. They have had a very tough schedule lately, however, and the oddsmakers seem to have made a big adjustment here so we think this is a very winnable game and coverable line. Not only are the Celtics desperate for a win, but they have won three straight in this series, and they would have covered this line each time. And even without Irving they have the talent to win this one going away as long as they play a solid game.

4 Unit Play. Take #632 Hampton over Charleston Southern (7pm., March 26) The home/away records of these two teams are glaring. The Pirates are 11-3 at home and the Buccaneers are 4-10 in road games. Hampton is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games.

4 Unit Play. Take #630 Marshall over Presbyterian (7p.m., March 26) Marshall is a tough out at home and sooner or later they will get the 3-ball going and pull away to win this game by double digits. The Herd are 13-3 at home this season and this will be the Blue Hose second straight road game in the CIT. Marshall is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games.

We just think that this is too many points. The Suns have been playing some of their best basketball of the season this month, and they have covered more numbers than not in March. Utah is back home after a four-game road set, and these first games back can be tricky, especially against a lousy team like the Suns, as the home team players may be distracted by personal, off-court business. These teams played recently in what turned out to be a blowout Utah win, but the Suns hung in these most of the game until the fourth quarter. We think there’s a good chance to see a more complete game from them tonight since the teams have played recently.

4 Unit Play. Take #900 TCU over Nebraska (9:30p.m., Sunday, March 24 ESPNU) Just do not believe Nebraska can win this game on the road with a depleted roster. If they lose Tim Miles will likely be fired and that should occur against the No. 1 seed. The Frogs won the first game by double digits in the NIT and I see this one as a double-digit victory as well. TCU is 10-1 ATS in their last 11 nonconference games. Nebraska is 2-8 ATS following an ATS loss in their previous game.

10 Unit Play. Take #872 Houston over Ohio State (8:40p.m., Sunday, March 24 TNT) Ohio State went out in the Round of 32 last season against a mid-major and I see the same thing happening again on Sunday. Houston is legit and dominated for most of the season in the AAC. Unlike Iowa State, the Cougars can rebound, and I do not believe the Buckeyes will be able to dominate on the board in this game. When Ohio State losses games it tends to come big and thus if Houston wins this game, they should easily cover the spread as well. Ohio State is 1-8 ATS in their last 9 NCAA Tournament games. Houston is 8-3 ATS in their last neutral site games.

4 Unit Play. Take #870 Texas Tech over Buffalo (6:10p.m., Sunday, March 24 TNT) I expect Texas Tech to win this region and thus we will take them today with this short number. Buffalo is legit but Texas Tech can get it done on both sides of the basketball. Texas Tech is 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games.

We think this total is a few points too high. The Pacers are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, and they do their best work in that department at home. They have been trending to the under here all season, and the last two meetings both went under the posted number.

5 Unit Play. Take #849 Auburn over Kansas (9:45p.m., Saturday, March 23 TBS) Auburn is on a roll and Kansas is just not the same team when they play away from Lawrence. Auburn is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against Big 12 teams. Kansas is 5-11 ATS in their last 16 games following a victory in their previous game. The injuries of the Jayhawks will become evident in this game and Auburn will advance to the Sweet 16.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

5 Unit Play. Take #837 Villanova over Purdue (9p.m., Saturday, March 23 TNT) Neither team is overly talented and thus we will side with the defending champions getting points. Purdue is beatable if Carsen Edwards is off on his shot. Villanova is 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games against Big 10 teams Purdue is 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games against Big East teams. 61% of the money is coming in on the underdog and that gives us confidence we are on the right side.

4 Unit Play. Take #842 LSU over Maryland (12:10p.m., Saturday, March 23 CBS) The Tigers are one of the most talented teams in the tournament and should be able to defeat the Terrapins by 6-8 points. The line is low based on the distractions surrounds the LSU program but on paper they are a much better team than this young Maryland team. Maryland is 1-7 ATS in their last 8 NCAA Tournament games. LSU is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games against Big 10 teams.

4 Unit Play. Take #813 Ohio State over Iowa State (9:50p.m., Friday, March 22 TBS) Iowa State is the hot public betting team now since they are coming off a Big 12 Conference Championship, but I feel they are being overvalued. Both teams are similar in how they played to close out the regular season but Ohio State got back their best player and I feel that they can take this game down to the wire. Iowa State is 1-4 ATS (1 push) in their last 6 games against Big 10 teams.

4 Unit Play. Take #799 UCF over VCU (9:40p.m., Friday, March 22 CBS) The Golden Knights have flown under the radar most of the season despite having the tallest player in college basketball. The AAC was a much better conference than the A-10 this season and UCF just played better competition over the last two months of conference play. UCF is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games. VCU is 1-6 ATS (1 push) in their last 8 games played on Friday.

The Spurs had their long winning streak snapped last time out vs. Miami. We predicted that loss after a win over the Warriors and with this game upcoming. We think the Spurs were probably looking ahead to this one. We think they will put their best foot forward. They are playing some of their best hoops so far this season right now, and I think all of the teams at the bottom of the playoff standings in the West want to keep winning to avoid the No. 8 seed and a dreaded matchup with Golden State in the first round.

Past Clippers teams would be scary to trust in situations like this. They had more talent than the current club for sure, but they didn’t play like a team and they would often underwhelm against bad teams on the road. But this current squad plays like a team, and they are one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this season. They are also getting possibly the best coaching job from Doc Rivers in his career. This team is 12-7 ATS on the road against sub-.500 clubs. They have covered four straight in this series. They are playing some of their best basketball of the season right now and they seem to want to improve their playoff standing as the season winds down, so we don’t see them overlooking the Cavs tonight.

OKC has lost four straight and they need this game badly. These teams just played Wednesday in Toronto and the Raptors won in OT. It is extremely hard to win consecutive games over the same team like this, and it is pretty rare for one team to get the sweep. OKC is 12-5 ATS in the last 17 meetings in Toronto.. Lowry is out here for the Raptors. This Toronto team seems like one that is content to ride out the rest of the regular season while the Thunder really need a win here, so the road team should have all the motivation tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #816 Houston over Georgia State (7:20p.m., Friday, March 22 TBS) Houston is the best team in the country not coming from a power conference. They get it done on both sides of the floor and will win this game by double digits. The Panthers are not as strong of a team as their past NCAA Tournament teams and I just do not see them developing any magic this March. Houston is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games against teams from the Sun Belt.

4 Unit Play. Take #826 Wisconsin over Oregon (4:30p.m. Friday, March 22 TBS) We will go against the public in this game, as Oregon is the hot pick after winning the PAC-12 Conference Tournament. Wisconsin just does not match up well with Michigan State, but playing a different team from a different conference should get them back on track. Wisconsin has won 4 of their last 5 games and played much better competition throughout the year compared to Oregon. Wisconsin is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games against PAC-12 teams.

4 Unit Play. Take #828 Kansas State -4 over UC Irvine (2p.m., Friday, March 22 TBS)

4 Unit Play. Take #820 Texas Tech over Northern Kentucky (1:30p.m., Friday, March 22 TNT) Texas Tech laid an egg against West Virginia in the Big 12 Tournament but that may have been a blessing in disguise. This is the best team in the league, and I believe they have a good chance to win this region. They have still won 9 of their last 10 and most of those games have not been close. WKU is 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS win in their previous game. Texas Tech is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games vs teams with a winning record.

The Warriors have been one of the worst ATS teams all season. They just don’t give a crap about the regular season and their lines are always inflated. That certainly looks like the case tonight. After a rough patch the Warriors kind of flexed their muscles a bit and they have covered in three of the last four games. But we don’t think they will keep it up. They can give a subpar effort tonight and still win this game. Revenge doesn’t play a huge role in our NBA handicapping, but in certain situations we think it does come into play. And we have no doubt that the Pacers remember the 32-point beatdown they received at home to these Warriors earlier in the season. Every team wants to give Golden State their best shot, and we feel they will play strong defense tonight and give an all-out effort. Going to sprinkle 1 unit on the moneyline.

The Warriors have been one of the worst ATS teams all season. They just don’t give a crap about the regular season and their lines are always inflated. That certainly looks like the case tonight. After a rough patch the Warriors kind of flexed their muscles a bit and they have covered in three of the last four games. But we don’t think they will keep it up. They can give a subpar effort tonight and still win this game. Revenge doesn’t play a huge role in our NBA handicapping, but in certain situations we think it does come into play. And we have no doubt that the Pacers remember the 32-point beatdown they received at home to these Warriors earlier in the season. Every team wants to give Golden State their best shot, and we feel they will play strong defense tonight and give an all-out effort. Going to sprinkle 1 unit on the moneyline.

4 Unit Play. Take #759 Old Dominion over Purdue (9:50p.m., Thursday, March 21 TBS) Just not sold on this Purdue team being this big of a favorite. The Boilermakers won the Big 10 but lost 2 of their last 3 games down the stretch and have a very streaky start player in Carsen Edwards. He can be a volume scorer and seems to force the action when his shot in not going. The Monarchs are still not getting much respect from the odds makers despite winning the regular season and conference tournament in CUSA. They were an underdog in the championship game, and I feel they will be able to keep this game in single digits. Old Dominion is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 nonconference games. Purdue is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a winning record.

10 Unit Play. Take #788 Syracuse over Baylor (9:57p.m., Thursday, March 21 TRUTV) Just do not believe Baylor can go very far in this tournament without Tristan Clark. The Bears have lost 4 straight games and were not competitive in their last game out. This will be a battle of teams that like to play zone and I believe Syracuse will have the edge from the 3-point line. Baylor is 1-8 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 11 games overall. Syracuse has covered the spread in 4 straight NCAA Tournament games.

The Wizards won’t be making the playoffs. They would need a miracle for that to happen. But they are not mathematically eliminated, and we think they will play hard tonight. They have covered in three of the last four meetings in this series. They played a dud game last night as they went to OT at Chicago. But this team is a lot better at home and we don’t see them rolling over tonight. This looks like an inflated line, and we will take advantage of the extra points against a Denver team that is average on the road.

4 Unit Play. Take #778 Nevada over Florida (6:50p.m., Thursday, March 21 TNT) Florida really struggles to score points on offense and I believe the experience of Nevada will allow them to emerge victorious I this game. This may be a defensive grinder, but unless Florida shoots much better from the three point lie than their average, they will not win this game. Nevada has faced huge spread all season long and they have just 4 losses on the season. Nevada is 30-3 after a loss under Eric Musselman and 19-6 ATS (1 push) in their last 26 games following a loss as well. Florida is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a loss.

4 Unit Play. Take #784 Kansas over Northwestern (4p.m., Thursday, March 21 TNT) This is not a typical Kansas year, as injuries and suspensions have taken its toll on this game and they did not win the Big 12 this year. But they are still talented and if they can make it to the Sweet 16, they will get to play in Kansas City, giving them a huge home crowd edge. Kansas is 39-18 ATS (3 pushes) in their last 60 games following a loss.

3 Unit Play. Take #745 Loyola Marymount over Cal Baptist (10p.m., Wednesday, March 20) One of these teams play in a much better conference and we will side with the Lions tonight. LMU is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games. Generally, the favorite does well in these lesser tournaments and expect that to be the case on Wednesday.

4 Unit Play. Take #714 St Johns over Arizona State (9:10p.m., Wednesday, March 20 Tru TV) Everyone is on ASU tonight and thus the value lies with the more talented Red Storm. St. Johns did not perform well down the stretch but making it to the First Four will lift a weight off of this team. They are the better offensive team and I believe that will be the difference tonight in Dayton. ASU lost this game last year and do not feel they are better in 2018-2019. ASU is 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games against Big East teams. St Johns is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following an ATS loss in their previous game.

The Spurs are more secure in their playoff seeding right now and there is a lack of drama in the Western Conference playoff race. But Miami is in the No. 8 spot in the east and only 1.5 games secure in that spot. They need every win they can get, and the playoffs essentially start early for them if they want to keep this seeding. This is a sandwich game for the Spurs after their win over the Warriors last time out and with the Rockets on deck after this game. This looks like the perfect spot for a letdown game for the home team. Miami is one of the best betting teams on the road at 22-11 ATS this season. We think they will play some great defense tonight in a low-scoring affair. The only meeting this season, way back in November, saw the Heat win 95-88.

The Spurs are more secure in their playoff seeding right now and there is a lack of drama in the Western Conference playoff race. But Miami is in the No. 8 spot in the east and only 1.5 games secure in that spot. They need every win they can get, and the playoffs essentially start early for them if they want to keep this seeding. This is a sandwich game for the Spurs after their win over the Warriors last time out and with the Rockets on deck after this game. This looks like the perfect spot for a letdown game for the home team. Miami is one of the best betting teams on the road at 22-11 ATS this season. We think they will play some great defense tonight in a low-scoring affair. The only meeting this season, way back in November, saw the Heat win 95-88.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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