Sports Picks & Predictions

Despite identical records, we think the Jazz are the much better team in this matchup. Remember, they got off to a super slow start this season and since have turned it on and are playing as well as anyone in the league right now. And this is a very important game and should have a playoff-like atmosphere, and we just think the cream will rise to the top tonight. We like to back a good team after a bad loss, and the Jazz certainly fit the bill here as they had the floor wiped with them against the Rockets last time out and Houston was without Westbrook and Harden. Utah was a double-digit favorite and lost by 9. But they have had two nights off since then (Denver has had only one), and this game is more important, so win here and that loss is officially in the rearview mirror. After playing horrible defense last time out we are sure the focus for Utah has been strong defense, and we think the Jazz will lock down on that end tonight. The Jazz are 16-7 ATS in the last 23 meetings, and we feel this is their game to take tonight.

The Sixers road woes are well documented as they are 9-15 on the road this season. They are 7-15-2 ATS on the road and on a 1-7-1 ATS plunge in their last nine games. The Hawks have been playing hard despite a lack of talent, and they have covered in five of their last eight games. The Sixers haven’t covered in the last four meetings in Atlanta. We think the Hawks will put up a fight and play to win here tonight.

The Thunder are 32-16 ATS on the season and this team continues to hold value while some of the other teams in the NBA are grabbing all the headlines and respect from the oddsmakers. But Oklahoma City is quietly having one of the most surprising seasons in the NBA this season. They had a five-game winning streaked snapped last time with a double-digit loss to the Mavs, and we think they will come out in this one focused and hungry against a Sacramento team that has lost six of eight, with only wins over Minnesota and Chicago to their credit.

We think this is too many points. We think the Hawks match up well with Toronto. And the Raptors lines are starting to grow too big. These teams played a little more than a week ago in Atlanta, and the Hawks hung tough with the Raps all game long. It was a one-point game entering the fourth quarter and Toronto won by 5. Atlanta has been a good bet lately, covering in five of their last seven games. They are also 6-2 ATS when catching double digit points. We expect them to keep this one within double digits tonight.

The Clippers will for sure be without Paul George and we don’t know the status of Pat Beverly as of this writing, but even if he plays he probably won’t be anywhere near 100%. The Clippers are coming off their big win over Miami and then play the Lakers next, so this is a big sandwich game for them, and they don’t have their full complement of players. This game reminds us of the recent Hawks game, where we were also on the underdog, and they won outright. Just doesn’t seem like a spot for a full effort from the road team.

We always look for situations where the Cavs are favored against other lousy teams. This has been one of the best bets in the NBA this season as the Cavs are a perfect 0-5 ATS when favored. The Bulls are quite a bit better than Cleveland and they have been able to take care of business against bad teams. We expect more of the same tonight.

Dallas has been playing very well and they are a legit team. But they are just not on the same level as the Jazz. Utah is a true championship contender, and they have been playing like it lately, while the Mavs are a year or two away from being a true contender. There is probably no team in the NBA playing as well as the Jazz right now, and they are not only winning but covering on a regular basis. This line has moved early with sharp action, but we still don’t think it moved enough as we had this game handicapped at -7.5 for the Jazz so we think there is some real good value here. Utah is 7-0 ATS in their last seven home games and we think they cover easy again tonight.

NBA handicapping can be very streaky. The Houston Rockets had lost four straight and people were wondering what was wrong with the team. Then they flexed their collective muscle in an extremely impressive home win over the Nuggets last time out. We think they will build on that positive momentum tonight against a very lousy Minnesota team. The Wolves have lost seven straight. They have covered in only one of those games despite some very generous lines courtesy of the oddsmakers. Houston is 10-4 ATS in the last 14 meetings between these teams. We don’t think there is any chance of a letdown tonight since that losing streak is still fresh on the Rockets minds, and they need to take care of business, hopefully with an exclamation point, against a sub-par opponent.

The Grizzlies have three more wins on the season than do the Pistons. But Memphis was putting together a whole new roster this season and it took them awhile to get it together. But they have been playing their best basketball of the season lately and this team is solid. Detroit just can’t put anything together consistently. We think the disparity in these teams is greater than those three extra wins on Memphis’ record and we think the better team will take this one tonight.

We think this is a throwaway game for the Clippers tonight. They had their big game against the Mavs last night and won. And that game will be crucial for tiebreakers. But now they go out of conference for a game that doesn’t mean much. They got in to Atlanta super late last night. Pat Bev was hurt in the game last night and probably won’t play here. This will be a back-to-back so Kawhi is unlikely. And Paul George probably isn’t ready to come back. Atlanta has covered in three of their last four and we think they have a great chance for the outright win.

The Sixers road woes are highly publicized this season. They have won two straight road games, but they didn’t impress us with those wins. They were against both New York teams. Now they take a big step up in competition against one of the better ATS teams in the NBA this season. Toronto has covered in seven of the last nine meetings at home in this series. We just think the Sixers will fall on their faces again here and we don’t see them being too competitive here.

We will plug our nose and go with the Knicks here as we just don’t think the Cavs should be laying points to anyone in the NBA at this point. Cleveland has been a favorite only four times this season. And the result? 0-4 ATS. We just think the Knicks have been playing a bit better overall and this is the perfect chance for them to get a rare road win. (As we were compiling the writeup the Knicks moved to slight favorites and that is OK because we see them winning this one clearly.).

Detroit has won two straight but that just means we are getting a better line here for the home team. Sharp bettors took the Wizards on the opening line and moved this number ½ point but there is still value here. Despite the records these teams are pretty much even and Detroit has been inconsistent and we just don’t see them going on the road and winning this one for this Monday matinee.

We think the Thunder are the much better team here. They have lost two straight coming into this one, both against Eastern Conference opponents. Now they are back against a familiar divisional foe, and we think they will be very focused here. A two-game losing streak isn’t the end of the world, but a three-game slide starts to become concerning, and this team is going all out for a playoff bid after everyone wrote them off. This is a down year for Portland, one of the worst ATS teams in the NBA this season.

Utah is almost an automatic play lately. This team started off slow like last season but is coming on strong now and one of the hottest teams in the NBA despite the loss last time out. That loss will keep them focused here, and they have a big time talent advantage over the Kings. The Jazz have not only been winning lately but when they win they have been covering as well, and we think this will be a double-digit win tonight as the Jazz stay hot.

The Sixers have been horrible on the road this season. But this is a good team and they will figure out their road woes at some point, and there is no better time than tonight against this horrible Knicks team. The Sixers are 10-4 ATS in the last 14 meetings. They are being punished by the oddsmakers because of their road record and the fact they are on a back-to-back, but they are 5-2 in back-to-backs this season and this is a good spot for them laying a short number tonight.

The Celtics come in off two straight losses, so they will be primed to get back on the winning track. And this is a great opportunity to do just that against a team they will have a talent advantage over. Over the last several years the Celtics have been one of the most trustworthy betting teams. They have covered in three of their last four despite the two straight losses, and we feel this line is short as well. Phoenix has covered in just one of their last six games. We think this is a great opportunity for a double-digit win for the Celtics.

We just love the way the Grizzlies are playing now. This isn’t a fluke, and they are playing playoff quality basketball right now and have a budding superstar in Ja Morant. They have won and covered in six straight games. And those games weren’t against all scrubs. They won at the Clippers and at home against Houston and San Antonio. They have scored 119 or more in all of these games, and with Cleveland allowing 128 in each of their last two games, we just don’t see them slowing Memphis down tonight. The Grizzlies aren’t really on bettors radars right now and they should be laying double digits here.

The Magic scored the win last night in LA against the Lakers. This is a back-to-back but they will be playing in the same building so no travel worries. And this is not some scrub team that will be happy with their win and not show up for this game. This team made the playoffs last season and has aspirations of getting back there this season. The Clippers are working out a lot of kinks right now and Paul George is out of the lineup again tonight. We think this will be a close game.

The Celtics haven’t been playing well and enter this one on a back-to-back, but we just think this is too many points to give one of the top teams in the east. They were blown out in Detroit last night but were probably looking ahead to this one, and we think they will put in a much better effort. This team isn’t an underdog often, but they are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games when catching points.

The Suns have been inconsistent lately, but this is a game where they have a clear edge in talent and they should win this one going away. They already scored a win and cover over the Knicks at home earlier this month. They are coming off what we would consider an embarrassing loss to Atlanta last time out and they will need to put their best foot forward here tonight. The Suns are 7-2 ATS in their last nine meetings in New York.

Miami is one of the better ATS teams in the NBA this season, and they still aren’t getting proper respect from the oddsmakers as they should be laying more points tonight in our opinion. The Spurs just can’t be trusted this season as almost no team in the NBA has been more inconsistent. Could they win this by 20? Anything is possible in the NBA on any given night. But the Spurs are 6-12 on the road and the Heat have been dominant at home, and we expect them to take care of business tonight.

Whenever we see a line this high we have to look for a way to back the underdog. And that’s what we will do here on Tuesday. The Clippers aren’t playing their best basketball of the season right now. They seem to be complacent in the dog days of the season, and Paul George is out for the foreseeable future. They have failed to cover in four straight games. The Cavs have covered in three of four. They were ran off the court last night and come into this one on a back-to-back, but they won’t want to lose bad to both LA teams and they have no real pressure here and should play freely. They have been playing hard for the most part lately. We think they can keep this one within double digits.

There might not be a better bet in the NBA right now than Utah, who has covered in 10 of their last 11 games. They got off to a slow start, just like last year, and now they are turning it on big time, just like last year, and have cemented themselves as one of the best teams in the league and a championship contender. They could also get Mitchell back tonight. Their offense has been playing extremely well lately and we just don’t see how the Nets can stop it tonight. Irving is back in his second game with the team since returning for the Nets, and he should help the offense. But it won’t be enough as the Jazz pull away in the fourth quarter of a high scoring game.

The Sixers are without Embiid now and they haven’t been playing great basketball lately, losing five of their last seven games. They have been overvalued by the oddsmakers and covers are becoming more and more rare. We think they are overvalued again tonight and that this is a very public line. The Pacers are incredibly tough to beat at home where they are 15-5 on the season. We had this game handicapped at -4.5 for the home team so there is some decent value at this small number.

OKC has a favorable rest situation tonight as they had the night off while the Lakers had to play in Dallas. Playing two tough opponents on the road on consecutive nights is tough, especially at this point of the season where back-to-backs are serious business. The Lakers and Clippers are hogging all the NBA headlines these days, and quietly the Thunder are playing as well as anyone in the league lately. And they are criminally underrated by the oddsmakers right now. This team has now covered in 10 of 11 games.  This team is now 26-12 ATS on the season. And they can hold value as long as they keep playing well since they aren’t on the public radar right now. OKC is playing great team basketball right now, and we think they have had this game circled and will come to play against a Lakers team that may or may not have AD.  It won’t matter as the Thunder win outright.

The Spurs are coming off very impressive wins against the Bucks and Celtics. But this team has been one of the most inconsistent in the league and they normally fall flat on their face once you think they have turned the corner. Even if they play their best this will be a tough game tonight. The Grizzlies have won four out of five and have covered in all those wins. This team has a legitimate budding superstar in Ja Morant, who is getting plenty of playing time. The Grizzlies always rise up against the Spurs and they are 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings. We also feel like this is a very public number intended to get the public to take the road team, which they are doing at a very high rate as of this writing. And we always like to be on the side of the sportsbooks, who will be rooting for the home team here tonight.

These teams played Tuesday and Detroit rallied for the win. We would like this play more if Cleveland’s coach hadn’t made a verbal snafu when talking to the players that some considered racist. Not sure how the team will respond so we will keep this one a low rated play. But it’s tough to beat the same team twice in a row. Cleveland was up big most of that game last time out so we think they match up well. They just couldn’t close it out. And Detroit has a ton of problems of their own. They are not in a good place right now and can’t be trusted to be laying this many points.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Looks like the Spurs run might be over. This team just stinks this season, and they have lost the home court magic. The Clippers have enjoyed a home-heavy schedule to start the season, and they are on the road quite a bit the next couple weeks. But they have passed all tests so far with big road wins at Dallas and Memphis, and this team is hungry and playing well together as a team. And we have no doubt they would like to blow the Spurs out and kick them while they are down here on Friday.

We like to back a good team after an embarrassing loss, and that’s surely the case here as the Thunder were run out of the building in Portland on Wednesday. This is a proud team and they should be able to right the ship against a lousy New Orleans team that comes in having lost three straight. These teams met earlier in the month and OKC won by double digits. We don’t see any reason why this could not be a similar result.

Toronto has dominated this series and they have been the ATS darling of the NBA this season. They have also dominated this series. But beating the NBA oddsmakers is never that easy. If this line came out on the first game of the season, Orlando would probably be a slight favorite. But they have gotten off to a slow start and bettors are down on this team, a non-public team that doesn’t get wagered on in the best of times. They played well last time out in getting their first road win, and we think that positive momentum will put them in a position to compete for the win here tonight.

Portland just doesn’t seem to have it this season. They are 6-12 on the season and, although they have played a road-heavy schedule so far, they are just 1-4 at home. They are just coming off a disastrous road trip where they went 2-4 with only wins over the struggling Bulls and Spurs. This will be the tricky first game home after a long road trip. This is a game where the home team sometimes struggles as the players often have their minds on their life off the court and there are plenty of distractions. The Thunder have been a good betting team at 10-6 ATS, and this new mix of players has had their moments. They have been playing strong defense for sure. This looks like a very winnable game for the road team, and with the day off tomorrow we think the Thunder will be the more focused team in this matchup, They also have revenge for an October loss in OKC in a game that was very close. We see this one as close also and think the road team will do what needs to be done to eek out a close win at the final buzzer.

Washington has covered in five of the last six matchups, and they look primed for another cover tonight. This team is 9-4-1 ATS this season. That’s a great betting recipe for success when a team isn’t getting wins on the court but covering numbers. They can hold value for a long time since they escape the public’s radar. They are a perfect 6-0 ATS when getting four or more points this season, and it looks like they are being underestimated again tonight against a Denver team that is overvalued despite their 12-3 record as they are just 7-7-1 ATS.

Philly hasn’t been any good on the road, where they are 4-5 on the season, while the Raptors are a perfect 6-0 at home. The Raptors were expected to take a step back this season after losing Kawhi Leonard, but they have way exceeded expectations so far. They are 11-4 and have been profitable ATS at 9-6. We think they are being undervalued here again by the oddsmakers. Some very nice value on an early-season line.

We think this is a good spot for the Grizzlies on Saturday. The Lakers come in on a back-to-back after the second part of their home-and-home against the Thunder and this just feels like a letdown spot for them as they take a step down in competition. While the Lakers are coming in with no rest, the Grizzlies have had three nights off and they should be primed for a strong showing as an underdog. They had won three straight, including a win at home vs. Utah, so we know they can compete here if focused. But they come off two bad losses so they will likely be really focused on a strong performance here. We think they will get it.

The main reason we like this play is that the Pistons should not be laying this many points to anyone. This team has currently lost five straight and they haven’t covered in any of those contests. Atlanta has lost seven of eight. They have had a ridiculously tough schedule, however. In their last three games, they finished off a five-game road trip with visits to Staples to face the Clippers and Lakers and then came back home to face Miami. That’s probably the three best teams in the NBA. But now they are going way down in class tonight. They seem to normally play well against Detroit and have covered three straight meetings and five of six. This is the biggest favorite Detroit has been all season, and they are 1-3 ATS as a favorite at any number so far.

The Blazers have gotten off to a poor start this season at 5-10, and the Bucks look like arguably the most complete team in the NBA right now. But this is just way too many points for a Blazers team that is pretty solid even with Lillard sidelined tonight. This is by far the most points that the Blazers have received on the handicap this season, and the Bucks are just 1-3 ATS when they are laying big points like this. They normally get the job done but don’t blow teams out as big favorites, and we expect a similar showing tonight in Milwaukee.

The Suns are one of the best betting teams in the league at 9-3 ATS on the season. We think they are undervalued here again tonight. They are being punished too much by the oddsmakers are a back-to-back here, and this team is young and so is the season, so we don’t think it’s as big of a deal as the oddsmakers do. We just can’t help but remember the last time these teams squared off, last month, with one of the more one-sided second halves we have seen this season with the Suns outscoring the Kings 70-36 in the second half of a rout. We think Phoenix matches up well here tonight also.  They have covered in five of the last seven meetings. We think they have a great chance to win this outright, and we had the Suns, who we think are a better team, laying one point on our line.

The Pacers are just the better team in this matchup right now. Brooklyn gpt a lot of attention this offseason for some big moves, but they are being lined like a superstar team right now but Durant will not be here until likely next season. Right now they are just another decent team trying to find their way. Remember, Kyrie Irving never did much to lead his team to big places before he teamed up with LeBron. They have lost three of four coming into this game and they are just 5-7 ATS, which tells us the bookies have them overvalued. Irving is banged up right now but will probably go and LeVert is a key player for Brooklyn who has missed some time. Indiana has been pretty good even while they wait for Oladipo to rejoin the lineup. They have lost two straight coming into this game, but that was at Houston and vs. Milwaukee, and we think they have a much better chance to succeed here against lesser competition. The Pacers are 9-2 ATS in the last 11 meetings and 5-0 ATS the last five meetings in Brooklyn. They tend to play well here, and we see that being the situation again tonight.

This isn’t the biggest matchup for the Clippers this season, but this is probably the biggest game so far, because Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are expected to play together for the first time. Kawhi is fully integrated as the leader of the team now. And George seemed to fit in perfectly in scoring 30+ in his debut, even though it was a losing effort. Even if these guys don’t instantly click, which there is no reason to indicate that they won’t, after all Kawhi chose George as his preferred running mate, the rest of the team should rise up and play their best here. This team truly seems to be buying into the team mentality, and even though the Clips have gotten off to a slow start, at full strength we don’t think there’s a better team in the NBA. They are coming off two tough losses, at Houston in a game they didn’t play well in, and at New Orleans on the second of a back-to-back. They won’t take Atlanta lightly. The Hawks are on the fourth game of a rough road trip and were routed by a lesser Suns team last time out. The Clippers are 5-0 ATS in their last five home games, and we expect to see the best version of this LA team on Saturday night.

We are getting good value on the Spurs here in what is a very winnable game for them. They come into this one having lost three straight and five of six. They have had a very tricky schedule, however, and we think this team will be fine and there is no reason to panic. This team is one of the best coached in the league, and they don’t often go on extended losing streaks, and we have a feeling they will just come into Orlando and take care of business in a professional manner. They are certainly the better team in this matchup. If the Spurs had played to expectations so far they would be at least PK here. We have them as a slight favorite in this game, so getting this many points is just icing on the cake. And it’s not like Orlando has been dominating or anything, they have endured a lousy start to the season and are 4-7 so far on the year. Also, the Spurs always seem to play well here in Orlando, where they have covered in six of the last eight meetings.

The Clippers have played a home heavy schedule so far. They are just 1-2 on the road this season, and their lone win was against Golden State, which turned out to be not that special as the Warriors just aren’t good this season. This is their biggest road test so far. Westbrook is out for the Rockets, but this is still a very good team. It looks like Kawhi will play tonight for the Clippers, but George will probably debut for Los Angeles tomorrow, and it seems like this team has a bit of distraction for that situation heading into this game. The Rockets are a team that seems to care more about the regular season and seeding while the Clips want to be healthy for the playoffs. We think they will take this game far more seriously tonight, and we have a short line here for a Rockets team that has won four straight and is playing with a lot of confidence.

Both teams are off to a slow start. But we think this is just a slow start for the Blazers but that the Kings are likely a lousy team. Despite generous lines they are not covering many early-season games like they did last season (although they come into this one on an ATS streak). The Blazers got a confidence-boosting win last time out against Atlanta and they have had a pretty difficult schedule lately and we expect them to use that positive momentum to score the win tonight against this short line as a slight road favorite.

We really like what we have seen from Phoenix so far this season and this looks like a legit strong team. Last year the Kings got off to a hot start and were in the playoff discussion until falling off a cliff later in the season. But this strong play looks sustainable for the Suns barring injury. But we think that they are in over their heads tonight against a Lakers squad that is one of the best three teams in the league and looks much more together at this early point in the season than we assumed heading into the new season. The Suns have had a fairly easy schedule thus far and we think the Lakers will come into this one with a sense or purpose after a rare home loss last time out against Toronto. An angry and focused LA team should be too much for this upstart Suns club tonight, and we expect them to score a comfortable victory. They have also covered in seven of the last nine in this series!

Golden State was getting some very big lines there for awhile but they have covered three of four games and the bookies seemed to have backed off here a bit as we thought this one would come in at double digits. We think there’s a great chance Utah could win this one by 10+. After a two-game slide the Jazz are playing well again and they come in on a two-game win streak with impressive victories over the two best teams in the East, Philly and Milwaukee. Utah has covered in six straight meetings in this series, and we think they will take some pleasure in kicking the Warriors while they are down tonight.

The Suns have been almost perfect for bettors this season at 7-1 ATS. They played their worst game of the season last time out in a home blowout loss to the Heat. But they have had two nights off to regroup and they should play much better here tonight. We think the Nets come into the season a bit overrated. This team will be a real contender when Durant is in the mix, but he won’t be on the court until next season most likely. But it seems like the bookies are lining their games like he is playing because this team had a lot of offseason buzz.  

Orlando ended a four-game losing streak last time out with a big win over the Grizzlies. It’s only the Grizzlies and this is not a good team, but Orlando was super dominant in that game and we think this is a team trending upwards after a slow start. They have won three straight in this series and covered in four of five meetings, and we think they match up well here as well, especially with Oladipo still sidelined for the Pacers.

The Timberwolves have played a road-heavy schedule thus far this season, and we think they are a but undervalued right now. We had this game handicapped at PK, so we think there is nice value here. The public is heavily on the road favorite here, and often that is a good spot for a sharp bet on the home underdog. We think the Wolves will bring their A Game here in this Sunday afternoon matchup and expect them to compete for the outright win.

The Spurs have covered in five of the last six meetings, and we think this line is short again today. We like both of these teams, but on their home court we think the Spurs are the better squad. The Spurs are healthy and they are 4-1 at home this season, and this team just is under the radar right now we think because we had this line handicapped at 4.5 and think there is nice value here at this small number. Boston is 3-1 on the road but the only legit team they played was Philly, and that was their lone loss. They beat New York, Cleveland and Charlotte, three of the NBA’s worst teams. We see the Spurs likely winning this one by 5+.

Orlando is off to a slow start this season but they have had just a brutal schedule. They have lost four straight, and that stretch of games was particularly tough. They lost to Milwaukee and Denver at home and then fell to OKC and Dallas on the road. But make no mistake, this is a solid club. They are just off to a bad start against a tough schedule. They have mostly taken care of business against lousy teams, and that is the case tonight as Memphis isn’t a good team. We had this game handicapped at 9 with a lean to the Magic even at that number so we are thrilled that the bookies are underestimating the home team tonight. The Grizzlies have been getting much better lines from the oddsmakers but still are playing under expectations. We think this is a get right game for Orlando and expect a double-digit win tonight.

 These teams are a combined 12-1-1 ATS this season. But the Suns are a perfect 7-0 ATS and this team is very much improved from last season, and some people are even talking playoffs when discussing this team in the tough Western Conference. The general betting public hasn’t caught on to this Phoenix team yet since there are much bigger stories in the NBA going on right now. The oddsmakers have made a small adjustment on this team but all they have to do here is win and they will probably cover the spread, and we expect that to happen tonight.

The Spurs have covered in six of the last eight meetings in this series. While the Spurs may not be as good as they were during their peak years, this is a very stable franchise and they have one of the best home-court advantages in the entire NBA. OKC is going through a lot of changes in this transition season. The Spurs are coming off two losses so we are getting some nice value here as last season this line would have been about 3, but the Thunder aren’t close to the same team as last season with Westbrook out to Houston. The Spurs are 3-1 this season at home while OKC is winless on the road, and we think the Spurs have a great chance for a 7+-point win tonight.

Boston is rolling and they are doing in very quietly while some of the other teams in the NBA are grabbing the headlines. That makes for a strong bet, and they have failed to cover in only one of their last five games (one push). The Hornets have been playing well but doing it against a very easy schedule. We think the Celtics have a great chance for a double-digit win tonight. Aside from last season, the Celtics have been one of the best bets the last few seasons in the entire NBA, and with the hype gone from last season we think they will be profitable again this season.

Kawhi is out tonight and we think these are the best two teams in basketball. But with their star out of the lineup, the Bucks are the much better squad. This is a chance to make a statement for them. It’s likely that Leonard is sitting out here and will play tomorrow in the more important conference matchup against Portland on TNT. While this Clippers team plays hard every night, we think they will really bring their best effort on Thursday while this move by Doc Rivers shows that this game is just not as important to the team, and that can have a mental effect on the squad as a whole.

Philly was kind of exposed during their trip to Phoenix as they lost their first game of the season. The Suns are much improved for sure. But they aren’t anywhere near as good as this Utah team. The best teams in the West are much better than the top teams out East, Milwaukee withstanding as the Bucks are a true title contender. We had this line handicapped at 4.5 and think there is nice value tonight on this short line.

Even though the Warriors beat the Blazers getting big points last time out, we still think this is a team to fade. The Blazers played very poorly and they underestimated the Warriors in that game. We still think the Warriors are a team to fade with the current lineup they have on the court right now. Because they have the name Warriors on the jersey they have more respect from oddsmakers and bettors than they should. Teams aren’t going to care about kicking them when they are down, and a team like the Rockets that can score lots of points should have a field day against this defense.

This is a really interesting situation with the Golden State Warriors this season, at least until Stephen Curry comes back. With him out and Draymond Green out and likely Russell as well, this is barely a G-League squad that the Warriors are fielding tonight. I have seen some NBA writers exclaim that this is the worst team fielded in the NBA for years. There are some really bad teams in the NBA every year. And they normally get generous points from the oddsmakers, and that is definitely the case here tonight. But the strange thing about this situation is that the Warriors are the biggest dynasty in the NBA for the last five years and teams are not going to overlook them. I think teams will take pleasure in “kicking them when they are down” and especially in the West this season where every win is a potential playoff tiebreaker we think that Golden State could have a really tough time covering numbers and we might start to see 10+ points with them every night until they get healthy.

Dallas has had a tough schedule to open the season. They are coming off a tough OT loss to the Lakers. They should be highly motivated to get back on track here tonight against one of the worst teams in the NBA and the easiest matchup on their schedule so far. Every game counts in the West, especially for a team like Dallas that could be on the fringes of playoff eligibility in April. They are 2-0 on the road this season, so early indications are that this team is ready to compete in road games. We see them notching a comfortable win tonight.

We went against the Magic last night and they were blown out of the water at home by Milwaukee. Now they face a good team off an embarrassing loss. Denver was blown out in New Orleans last time out, giving the Pelicans their first win of the season. Mike Malone called his team out publicly for lack of effort. When your boss calls you out for lack of effort, you are going to give a better effort next time out… right? Me neither! But we think the Nuggets players will respond tonight. Good teams off a bad loss are normally a good bet in the NBA as they give better effort next time, and with their coach calling them out we think the Nuggets will bring their A Game. They were off Friday while the Magic were getting rolled by the Bucks, and you would think Orlando would want to play their best game against a conference foe. But this team has gotten off to a real slow start and they have covered only one line this season, but two points against the lowly Knicks. We think Denver will flex their muscles a bit in this one and they should cruise to a comfortable win.

Orlando has gotten off to a real slow start for a team that is on the rise and they have covered in just one of their four games so far. Their defense has been good but this team just can’t generate any offense right now. Milwaukee is averaging 119 points on offense thus far. We don’t think the Magic defense will be able to slow them down, and we for sure don’t see their offense being able to keep up. Milwaukee should have extra motivation after losing by double digits last time out at Boston. A motivated Bucks team is by far the best team in the East, and we see them taking their frustrations out on a Magic team that still seems to be figuring some things out in the early going of the season.