Sports Picks & Predictions

We just think that this is too many points. The Warriors are playing well, but when that happens the numbers get too high and this team has been one of the worst bets in the NBA the last couple seasons because of that fact. They are 16-22 ATS on the season, and they have covered only two of their last seven. Houston is the hotter team right now. They have won 10 of 11 and are playing well without Chris Paul. We expect them to put their best foot forward tonight in what should be a very competitive game.

The Suns got smoked last time out against the Warriors, but this team has been playing hard lately and their young nucleus is starting to come together. They have covered in eight of their last 10 games, so they are playing above oddsmakers expectations. Philly comes in on a back-to-back and this is their third game in four nights, and they go home after this game, so this may be a letdown spot for them. This team has not been very good on the road this season, where they are 7-12 ATS on the season.

The Celtics could be without Kyrie Irving tonight, but we don’t think that will matter and we expect them to win this one by 7+ even without him on the court. Boston has  covered in five straight meetings between these teams, and we think they have the upper hand tonight over the inconsistent Wolves, who play much better at home than on the road. The Celtics are coming off a tough road trip but now have a homestand, and we think this team is trending up in betting markets.

Dallas hasn’t been able to win on the road this season, but this looks like a good spot where they can secure win No. 3 away from home. They are a better team in this matchup and we had them as a slight favorite in our handicapping of the game. Dallas has covered in five of their last six games overall, and this team continues to play well while under the radar.

The Sixers have been bad on the road this season, but they are getting better as they played well in their last two road games in Utah and Boston, winning against the Jazz and falling to the Celtics in OT. The main reason we like this play is because the Sixers are well rested. They have had two days off coming into this one. The Blazers are on a back-to-back, and they will be playing their third game in four nights, with both of the previous games coming against the Warriors. Those were very important games for the Blazers, and now they face a rested out-of-conference foe. We just don’t see them giving that maximum effort that would be required in a game like this. Philly has covered in five of the last six meetings.

The Clippers are definitely out of their slump, and they have won four of five and covered in five straight. Both teams are playing in a back-to-back here and both are on their third game in four nights. But the Clippers have been home the whole time (last night they were the “road” team against the Lakers but in their own arena). The Spurs had to play in the high altitude in Denver, and that can really wear a team down. We think revenge is an overrated handicapping angle, but we do think the Clippers remember their absolute beatdown at the hands of the Spurs in San Antonio a couple weeks ago. We think this will be a perfect spot to get some payback tonight.

This is the second end of a home-and-home for the Warriors and Blazers. Golden State is playing some of their worst regular-season basketball we have seen in awhile, but the motivation is not there every night. But we think it will be here as the Blazers won a close one on Thursday, and this sets up a great revenge spot for the better team here, which should put their best foot forward in this matchup.

We expect a big game from the Bucks, who were off on Friday, while the Nets played the second game of a grueling home-and-home with Charlotte, the first of which went to OT. So they are on a back-to-back here and playing their third game in four nights. We don’t see things going well for them. The Bucks are 23-8-1 ATS in this series, so they always seem to get up for this matchup. The early start time goes against the Nets here as well as the back-to-back. This looks like it could be a massive blowout as the Nets should be running on fumes here.

This is another revenge situation as these teams met two nights ago in Dallas, and the Mavs won a close one and covered by only one point. That loss made it five in a row for the Pelicans. They will be desperate to get back on the winning track tonight, and we think they put their best foot forward in this one. The Mavs are an ugly 2-14 away from home this season, and we think the Pelicans will end the losing streak tonight on their home court.

Chicago is a very bad team, but we don’t think that this Wizards squad should be favored by this many over any team in the NBA. This team has stunk as a favorite this season, especially when the line is in this range. The Bulls have had some success in this series as they are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings in Washington. This game should be close, and the Bulls have a chance for a rare road win here tonight.

Brooklyn has the better record but we think the Hornets are the better team. Like many lousy teams, the Hornets are much better at home (12-7) than they are on the road (4-10). These teams played last time out in Brooklyn and the Hornets played well enough to win in a OT loss. We think revenge is way overrated in the NBA as a handicapping angle but it does come into play when the teams met recently, and that is certainly the case here. We think the Hornets will get a comfortable win here at home.

Boston has covered in four straight meetings and in six of the last seven. We like them to win this one tonight. The Celtics had a long winning streak busted with a three-game losing streak, but since they have played very well and won and covered in two straight. When this team gets rolling they can keep it going for a long time, and we think they have the edge here. Houston is not a deep ballclub. Chris Paul is out. James Harden was on the injury report with a calf injury but has been upgraded to probable. We think they will need a “Superman” effort from Harden tonight in order to win this game, and with him injured that is very unlikely. Many of the good teams in the NBA are bad on the road, but the Celtics play well away from home and they have a winning record in road games this season. This is the best coached team in the NBA and they have been one of the most reliable bets in the league for the last couple years.

The Suns have now covered six straight games and this team is playing their best basketball of the season. They have won four out of their last six games, and they could have won another but fell at Washington in OT. On a back-to-back the next night they played their only lousy game recently, but that was to be expected after that barnburner of a game that was multiple overtimes in the nation’s capital. This team is completely healthy right now and they are really coming together as a team. Rookie Ayton is starting to show why he was the No. 1 pick in the draft, and Booker is a star. Orlando is 3-5 ATS this season as a favorite and this is tied with the biggest number they have laid all season. Just don’t think this team is good enough to be giving up a number like this, especially against a surging team like the Suns. Phoenix has covered in all of the last five meetings in Orlando.

Boston has a strong history in this series and they are the better ballclub. And the number is right here for a big win on Christmas. The Sixers haven’t covered a line in their last four trips to Boston and they are 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings. Philly is great at home but they have struggled on the road, and they have very few quality wins away from home. They lost to Boston on the road in the season opener by almost 20 points. They were blown out in Milwaukee. Toronto (twice). San Antonio. Those were their toughest road games, and they lost by double digits in each. We think they have a very good chance to lose here by double digits. Boston has been a bit streaky and they followed up a long winning streak by losing three straight. But they got back on track last time out in a 16-point home win vs. Charlotte and they led that game by as many as 33 before taking their foot off the gas. They shot 50 percent from the field, and we think that hot shooting will carry over here. Philly has won two straight, but they were both at home. They are just 6-9 on the road, however, and they have covered just 5 of 15 away from home this season. Boston has been one of the best and most stable betting teams the last couple years, and we think they have a great chance to win this one by 10+ on Tuesday.

When the Clippers had Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, the Warriors seemed to take pleasure in running up the score on the Clippers. They liked to get into these guys heads, and it always worked. But this is a different Clippers team and they are mentally tougher than previous editions. They also play better team basketball, and the team has great depth. The Clips already won the first meeting between these teams, at home in overtime. LA is coming off one of their best games of the season yesterday in their win over Denver. That was an early game so eliminated some of the brunt of the back-to-back here. We see this being a competitive game.

The Celtics have a strong recent history in this series as they are 6-1-1 ATS in the last eight meetings. Charlotte has had a home-heavy schedule lately, but this squad is just 4-8 on the road this season, and they face a real tough matchup on Sunday. Boston hasn’t been playing well with three straight losses, but before that they were on a long winning streak and we think they will be primed for a big bounce back here and we don’t see them overlooking this squad tonight after losing three straight.

The Kings are a pretty good team this season and one of the best ATS teams in the NBA. But they keep getting disrespected by the oddsmakers, and that is the case again here tonight as we had Sacramento as a small favorite in this matchup. The Pelicans are 4-13 on the road this season.  They are 7-10 ATS away from home and 1-4 ATS as a small favorite. The Kings are 5-1 ATS as a small dog like they are here tonight, and we think they will get another win in a close one on their home court.

The Rockets are a thin team, so the loss of Chris Paul really hurts right now. This team will figure out what to do in his absence, but it might be a rough go of it to start off with in these first few games. The Spurs are getting punished too much for their back-to-back here. We see them getting up to play their Texas rival as a lot of pride is normally involved in these games. San Antonio has been playing well lately for the most part, and we think this will be a close game.

The Suns had struggled offensively for much of the month, but things are a lot better now. Devin Booker is back in the lineup and this team is in a good rhythm offensively. They have actually won four straight, and three of those were very tough matchups. The Wizards have been excellent on offense but they have a trash defense, and we see both teams lighting up the scoreboard here tonight. Four of the last five games for Washington have gone over despite some very high totals. We see this as a competitive game and don’t see any blowout that would affect the total.

The Clippers hit the skids recently after a hot start, but they got back on the winning track last time out and they have actually played pretty good their last three games since that blowout loss in San Antonio. They were competitive against the Thunder, Blazers and in a win over the Mavs. They have seemed to play better in all three of those games, so we think the momentum will carry over here. The Clippers are very strong at home, while the Nuggets are average on the road. We think that Los Angeles has a very good chance to win this one.

Utah has a better record on the road than at home, for whatever reason, and we think this is a very winnable game for them tonight. They have gone under in four straight and six of seven, and when this team starts playing defense they are a force to be reckoned with. Once this team gets it’s act together, and the defense is part of that, they are a much better team than the Blazers, and we think they will show it tonight with another outstanding defensive effort. And the under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings, and we think that’s where this one is headed as well.

Love the Kings in this spot. They have been one of the best betting teams in the league this year and they will hold value all season long because of their lack of big names on the roster as well as their lousy reputation. But they face a Memphis team tonight that is not playing well. The Grizzlies have lost four straight and six of their last seven. They will not be very confident in this game and we think the Kings will be the squad with more swagger tonight.

Utah has a better record on the road than at home, for whatever reason, and we think this is a very winnable game for them tonight. They have gone under in four straight and six of seven, and when this team starts playing defense they are a force to be reckoned with. Once this team gets it’s act together, and the defense is part of that, they are a much better team than the Blazers, and we think they will show it tonight with another outstanding defensive effort. And the under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings, and we think that’s where this one is headed as well.

Neither of these teams is in top form right now after both started off the season defying expectations to become two of the best ATS teams in the NBA.  But this looks like a great spot for the Clippers to get back on the winning track. They played well enough to win in their last two matchups vs. Portland and at OKC, but the opponent played a bit better. They have had two days off to focus here. The Mavs have been horrible on the road at 2-10 on the season, and they are in the midst of one of the toughest road trips any NBA team will see this season. They had been one of the best bets in the NBA but have lost their last three ATS as of this writing. The Clippers have had more time to regroup, and they have been able to do it at home, while the Nuggets have only one day off and should be road weary. We expect the number to be right here and we think this is a great spot for the home team to get a comfortable win.

The Wizards haven’t been very good on the road, where they have won only four games all season. But the Hawks have been just as bad at home, where they have won only four. One of those road wins was less than two weeks ago in Atlanta against these same Hawks. That was a 14-point win but only because the Wizards took their foot off the gas when up by as much as 25 at one point. The Wizards went on to lose four straight after that, but this team looks like it might be on the way back up after one of the best wins of the season last time out in an 18-point home win over the Lakers. This Wizards team has not had enough success this season to overlook a team like the Hawks, and the talent discrepancy between these two clubs is large. We see the Wizards getting another comfortable win here in a game that sure looks like a mismatch.

The Clippers haven’t been playing well, having dropped five of their last six, and this team has lost the confidence of bettors. But we think this is a great spot for them to get back on track tonight. This team has played seven of the last nine on the road, and overall their strength of schedule has been very tough. But this team is still 9-3 SU at home and 8-4 ATS. We have bet against the Clippers in their last two games, and they failed to cover both. But they barely missed the cover last time out at OKC, and we liked what we saw from them down the stretch in that tough matchup. But we think they can continue that momentum here at home against a Portland team that is lousy on the road. They are 5-9 SU and 4-10 ATS on the season in road contests. Damian Lillard also missed practice yesterday and is attending to a personal matter to which we are not sure of the nature, but he might not have his head in the game 100%, and we think the Clippers will be very focused to get a win here and put an end to their current losing streak.

These are two of the best ATS teams in the league facing off in Dallas tonight, but we think the Mavs are the better ballclub and we like them laying fewer than seven here on Sunday Night. The Mavs are coming off a somewhat embarrassing loss to the Suns, and they should bounce back well here. We think they will put their best foot forward here after playing lousy last time out. This is also their last home game before they go on a four-game road trip against WC playoff contenders, and that makes a win here imperative. They should be heavy dogs in all those road games. The Kings are coming off a home loss to Golden State where they played well and covered. This is probably a letdown spot after that strong effort.

Minnesota is one of the best under teams for betting this season, and the Suns are trending in that direction lately as well. And the oddsmakers have once again posted too high of a total for this game. The Suns offense is really struggling without Booker, and they have failed to reach the century mark in seven of their last nine games. Minnesota has been hit or miss on offense, and we don’t see them putting up a massive number tonight. The under is 7-2 in the last nine meetings in Phoenix, and we see this one going in that direction on Saturday as well.

We believe in this Clippers team and think they are a playoff-caliber squad. But they at one point held down the No. 1 spot in the west. Now they are No. 4 and will probably drop further after Saturday. This team is just not on good form right now. They have failed to cover in five straight games and four of those were double-digit blowout losses. The Thunder are coming in on a back-to-back here, but we think the oddsmakers are punishing them too much. The Thunder have been good in limited B2B’s this season. Los Angeles hasn’t covered here in five trips, and we expect another rough outing on Saturday.

If the Rockets were a stock, we would be buying right now. We knew this team would start to turn it on, and now it seems like that is taking place after wins and covers in their last two games, against the Blazers and Lakers. The Grizzlies had a very strong start to the season, but they are trailing off now. Their offense has failed to reach the century mark in five of their last six games. The Houston offense has really got in rhythm and we don’t think the Grizzlies will be able to slow them down. Houston has won and covered the last two meetings by double digits, and they have covered in four of the last six meetings. Those trends hold firm tonight.

We will go with the hot team here as the Pacers come in riding a five-game winning streak. This team is healthy now, while the Sixers have some injury issues, and Butler is questionable here for this one tonight. The Pacers always get up to play the Sixers, and they are 5-2 ATS in the last seven games in Philly and 9-4 ATS overall in the last 13 meetings. We see this as a very competitive team and the Pacers have been a much better betting team than has the Sixers thus far this season. An outright win is not out of the question here.

The Suns are really struggling offensively right now. They have failed to reach the century mark in six of their last eight games, which is tough to do in today’s NBA where most teams put up 110 on a nightly basis. Because scoring is up, bookies have to post high totals. But six of the last nine games for the Suns have gone under. Dallas is playing a back-to-back and their third game in four nights, so we think there’s a good chance their offense could be flat as well and they probably won’t go crazy on the offensive end even against this lousy Suns defense.

The Clippers are trending down right now with four straight ATS losses and five of their last six. They won only one of those ATS loss games, at Phoenix, and the feeble Suns took them to overtime where LA squeaked out the win. Every NBA team goes through these downturns, and you can’t fault the Clips after the way they started the season. But San Antonio is trending up, and they have won and covered three straight, all at home. We thought that this line should be about 4.5 and we would lean Spurs at that number but this small number offers up a lot of value tonight.

We really liked the way the Rockets played last time out in a big home win over Portland. This squad is a much better team than the Lakers, despite the records, and once they get their act together they have a much higher ceiling than does LA. We think maybe they turned a corner in that last game, and they will not have a lack of motivation here tonight against LeBron and Co. on national TV. The Lakers are always overrated by the oddsmakers and they are a bit overvalued tonight. The Rockets seem to get up to play the Lakers historically as they are 13-5 ATS in the last 18 meetings. We think they win by 7+ tonight.

We expected a double-digit spread here but the Mavs are still being underestimated by the oddsmakers. This is the best ATS team in the league at this point, and Atlanta is the third-worst. Dallas is so good ATS by winning games like this, and they don’t often take a night off or overlook an opponent. We expect another workman-like effort from this blue collar Mavs team tonight.

We love the way the Celtics are playing right now. This team has been one of the safest bets in the NBA the last couple seasons since Coach Stevens took over, and they are a much stronger team than the Wizards when both squads are playing their best. Kyrie Irving is listed as probable in this one, but as we saw last time out against the Pelicans, this team can get the job done even if he doesn’t play.

These are two bad teams but the Knicks are the lesser of two evils and they can put together a complete game on a more regular basis than the Cavs can. New York has covered in three of the last four meetings and they are 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings in Cleveland. Great chance the Cavs show up uninterested to this one, and we think the road team should win outright here.

The Clippers are being punished too much for this back-to-back situation. They are 3-1 ATS and SU in back-to-backs this season, and they probably overlooked the Suns last night as they focused on this marquee matchup. They have won and covered two straight in this series, and we like their chances to keep this one close tonight. The Raptors are not in the best form right now as they have lost three of four. They have been overrated by the oddsmakers as they have covered just one of their last six. The Clippers are one of the better ATS teams in the league, and they seem they are getting disrespected again. We see this game as a coin flip as to who wins outright, so getting this many points provides good value.

Five of the last six meetings between these teams have gone under the posted total, and this is the highest total we have seen during that stretch. The Suns have really struggled on offense lately. Five of their last seven games have seen them finish under the century mark for scoring. They played, and lost, in OT to the Clippers last night and this looks like a spot where their offense comes out flat again. Booker is out again for the Suns and Crawford is questionable here. We see this as a likely blowout here the Suns once again fail to reach the century mark, and we think the Spurs will get their points but they won’t go crazy on offense.

After a slow start to the season, the Celtics have come on strong lately and this team has now won and covered in five straight. Most of those games were blowouts, including a matchup at New Orleans to start the streak, a 124-107 Celtics win. We think revenge is an overrated NBA handicapping angle, and the Pelicans have been inconsistent lately and they are just trying to get on the same page as a team. If they are hunting for revenge then they will have a lot of teams in their target as they have been racking up too many losses lately. We have to go with the hot hand here as the Celtics are now playing to their potential, and that potential has them as a Top 2 team in the Eastern Conference.

We were on New York last night as it looked like a good spot at home against Brooklyn, but the Knicks played an absolutely dreadful game and now they face a much tougher matchup on the second end of a back-to-back. Things will not go well for them, and this looks like a possible blowout. The Hornets are one of the better ATS teams out there at 15-10 ATS, and they are very under the radar so as long as they don’t get their win total up too high but keep covering numbers, they can keep their betting value all season long barring major injuries.

The Bucks have been just average on the road this season at 4-5 on the year. We thought that this line should be above 7, so we think there is some great value with what looks like the best team in the NBA during the first part of the season. The Bucks won the last matchup very early in the season, but they are not in the best form right now as they have covered in only one of their last seven games. This one looks like a real mismatch and we expect the home team to win comfortably.

Miami is in a real bad spot here, missing players from injury and for personal matters. They face an angry Clippers team that played a very uncharacteristic bad game last time out in Memphis. This is a very professional team and we feel they will shake that performance off and come out here with a workmanlike effort and get a big win over a bad team. The Clippers are playing like every game counts this season, and we don’t think they will overlook this game, especially with their bad effort last time out.

The Wolves have covered six of their last seven games and this team is really under the radar right now but playing well. Portland looked good last time out against a hapless Phoenix squad but they had lost three straight before that and they have struggled with six losses in their last eight games. They got off to a hot start, but alas it seems like this team doesn’t live up to the hype. Minnesota has all the betting value here in a game that looks like a coin flip. In those cases, getting more than two points offers some great value as we think the Wolves could, and should, win outright.

New York has been dominating in this series, cashing six straight tickets. We think they get No. 7 tonight. New York hasn’t played well lately but they have had one of the most brutal recent schedules in the NBA. They have actually covered in six of their last nine, however, and this looks like a great spot for a win against a Brooklyn team that had possibly their game of the year last night in an OT win at Toronto. They had lost eight straight before that, and this seems like the perfect spot for them to come back down to earth tonight.

In the NBA home-court advantage is everything. And that could not be more evident when looking at the Sixers home/road splits. This team is 13-1 at home but just 4-8 on the road this season. The Pistons are in the same boat at 9-4 at home and 4-5 on the road. This Pistons team is underrated and they are coming off two straight losses in tough matchups, and they will be anxious to get back on the winning track here tonight in front of a national TV audience. Before those two losses they had won five straight, all here at home. The Sixers will be without Embiid tonight, and that hurts their chances here. The Sixers are perpetually overrated by oddsmakers this season, and they have been a money burner at 11-15 ATS, mostly because of their road woes. They are 2-5 ATS on the road against winning teams this season. Detroit is 9-4 ATS in the last 13 meetings in Detroit, and we feel they will get the win here tonight.

The Suns are really struggling on offense lately, and they have averaged just 96 PPG in their last four contests, three of which saw them finish the game under the century mark, which is becoming very rare in this day’s NBA. And because scoring is up league wide, the bookies have to post high totals every night. This looks like one where they got it wrong. Devin Booker is the best offensive weapon for the Suns, and he has been banged up lately and will be out here, and their offense will suffer as a result. The Blazers have been better on defense at home than on the road, but they have been road warriors for awhile and haven’t played much at home in the last couple weeks. We think they put up a big defensive effort against a struggling Suns offense and we don’t see the Suns getting over 100 here tonight. The Blazers offense has been hit or miss, and we just don’t see them exploding for a 120+ type game in this one. They should do enough to win handily and will probably dribble the shot clock out at the end of the game.

The Grizzlies have lost four of five but they faced a real tough slate during that stretch that saw them lose to Toronto, at Philly, and at these same Clippers. The Grizzlies had that game in hand until some late Clipper heroics and then they lost in overtime and missed the cover by ½ point. They will put their best foot forward tonight against a traditional rival and with the venue now at home. Memphis has had two nights off and they are 6-0 ATS with this much rest. We think they will be very focused to get back on track in this one. The Clippers are one of the biggest surprises in the league this year and they are a very good team. But they are starting to be overvalued by the oddsmakers, and we think that is the case here tonight. We think this will be a high-scoring game and that the posted total is about four points too low.

The Grizzlies have lost four of five but they faced a real tough slate during that stretch that saw them lose to Toronto, at Philly, and at these same Clippers. The Grizzlies had that game in hand until some late Clipper heroics and then they lost in overtime and missed the cover by ½ point. They will put their best foot forward tonight against a traditional rival and with the venue now at home. Memphis has had two nights off and they are 6-0 ATS with this much rest. We think they will be very focused to get back on track in this one. The Clippers are one of the biggest surprises in the league this year and they are a very good team. But they are starting to be overvalued by the oddsmakers, and we think that is the case here tonight. We think this will be a high-scoring game and that the posted total is about four points too low.

The Bulls are a terrible team, but they have covered just as many games this season as the Pacers have. We simply think that this line is too large on Tuesday. The Bulls fired Fred Hoiberg on Monday, and sometimes this gives the team some extra motivation as sometimes the coach’s message has stopped getting through to the players. We think they will play hard here. The Pacers are the much better team, but they are missing their superstar and best player in Oladipo and this squad has lost four out of its last six. They are also on the dreaded first game back home after a long road trip, not to mention they play on the road for one game after this home contest, and sometimes players don’t give full effort in these spots since they have off-the-court life dealings to consider. This is too many points on Tuesday.

Most times it would be tough to trust a 2-9 road team laying points away from home. But this team not only got off to a slow start, but they have had just a brutal road schedule this season and this is arguably their easiest road game of the year (they also played at Orlando). This team is 7-5 in their last 12 games and they are playing much better basketball after a slow start. They seem to be taking nearly every game more seriously and we think they give it their all tonight in this very winnable contest. Washington is 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings in New York and 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings overall, and we think there’s a good chance for a 7+-point win here.

Two teams that are playing very well, but the Pistons have won five straight and seven of their last eight. They are in amazing form right now and clicking on all facets of the game when this team has underwhelmed so many times over the years. They are 9-3 at home this season while the Thunder are just average on the road at 5-4. Both teams have been winning against an easy schedule lately, but we have just been more impressed by what the Pistons have done, and they are the team catching points at home. Very live home dog here on Monday that should be able to get the outright win.

The wrong team is favored here. The Clippers have been one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this season and they sit No. 1 in the Western Conference. They have had a decently easy schedule lately and this team is just average on the road where they sit at 6-5 on the season (The Mavs are 8-2 at home). Dallas has won seven of their last nine so they are in fine form as well. DeAndre Jordan will be hyped to play against his old team, and the rest of his teammates will rally around him against what is becoming a bit of an overrated Clippers team.

We had this game handicapped at Charlotte -6, so very nice value here in this line. This number seems very public and not a real representation of how these teams have played on the court thus far. Kemba Walker for the Hornets is putting in an MVP-like season so far, and he has the Hornets at 14-7 ATS and 8-3 at home this season. This team will be undervalued no matter how they play since they are so under the radar on a national level. Utah is the “name” team in this matchup, but they haven’t lived up to the massive preseason hype. They are under .500 on the season and they are not playing the stellar defense that we are used to seeing from this team. There isn’t the same teamwork we saw last season. Their star players have underperformed. This team will probably turn it around at some point, but right now they are overvalued by the oddsmakers, and we will take advantage of this bad line tonight with a big play for the Hornets.

We liked the over in the Clippers game last night and that didn’t work out, but this one looks a lot better here on Thursday. The Kings and Clippers both have Top 10 offenses this season (The Clips are in the Top 5) and both teams have among the worst defenses, statistically, in the league. The Clippers are the better defensive club, but they come in on a back-to-back and we don’t see them having the legs for defense tonight. This team can score no matter what, but we don’t think they can grind down on defense in this matchup, especially against a Kings team that averages more than 114 PPG on the season. Three straight games in this series have gone over the posted total. We think both teams put up a massive number tonight in a game that should be very competitive and entertaining, that is unless you appreciate defensive basketball. But we think the Kings prevail here and we think there is a great chance that both teams surpass 120.

We like this pick for several reasons, the biggest being that we think the Pelicans are the better team, and this number seems short as we had our handicapped number on the other side of the key betting number of 7. This is also a revenge spot for the Pelicans since they lost in Washington less than a week ago. Teams forget about games after a couple weeks, but this will be fresh on their minds. These teams have been on opposite trajectories lately but that just gives value to the line for the home team as this looks like a prime spot for them to get back on track.

We know that scoring is up in the NBA this season and it’s tough to take unders at times, but these two teams played earlier this month and the total reached only 181! And now they think these teams will combine for 30+ more points? We don’t see it. Yes, Westbrook was out for OKC for that game. But we think this one will still be low scoring. The Thunder are a Top 5 defensive team this season. They should be able to hold the Cavs to around 100 or less, and this one could be a blowout where we see the Thunder dribble the ball out on the final 24 second clock.

The Hornets are one of the best ATS teams in the league this season. We don’t often like to lay this many points in the NBA, but we think this game will be a blowout tonight. This is a prime revenge spot for the Hornets after losing to the Hawks in Atlanta recently. But this team rebounded with a win vs. Milwaukee last time out and they will be riding sky high coming into this game and will be looking for payback. The Hornets have covered in four of their last five games overall, and this looks like a prime spot for another cover.

The Grizzlies are 12-7 ATS and they keep getting disrespected by the oddsmakers. That is the case here tonight as we had them +1 in this matchup and give them a good chance to win outright. They lost a tough one on Friday in OT at the Clippers then had a letdown in their last game against the Knicks, so they will be anxious to get back on track here against one of the top teams in the east. Toronto plays Golden State next, so they will probably be more concerned about that matchup, and the Grizzlies head on the road after this game so they know they need a win here. Memphis is 6-3 ATS against above-.500 teams this season, and they are undervalued once again by the bookies tonight.

The Warriors went through their rough patch and we made some money by fading them during their four-game losing streak, but this team has now won two straight and they are playing much better. They will get reinforcements soon, also, as Draymond Green and Steph Curry should be back soon. The Warriors have a long history of success in this rare matchup and they have covered three of the last four meetings despite laying massive numbers. We actually think this number is very short tonight and the Warriors are being punished too much for missing players here. We think they will roll to a double-digit win tonight.

We think the wrong team is favored here, especially with Rockets PG Chris Paul listed as questionable for this matchup. Both teams started off the season ice cold but both are heating up and playing better now. But the Wizards have won five of eight and they have won and covered their last two on the road while the Rockets enter having dropped two straight, both on the road, to Cleveland and Detroit. We think Washington is in better form right now and we think they have a great chance to win this one outright.

This is a real tough spot for the Spurs, who are on a back-to-back on the road and playing their third game in four nights despite all NBA teams getting the night off for Thanksgiving. The Bucks have similar rest, but they had a much easier game on Friday against the Suns and they get to stay home for this back-to-back, which is a big advantage. San Antonio is down this season from what we are used to, and this team isn’t very good on the road. The Bucks are nearly unbeatable on their home court and they are one of the best ATS teams in the league this season, which means you can trust them laying a big number like this.

Overjoyed to get Utah as an underdog here as they are the superior team and should get the straight up road win tonight at Staples Center. Don’t be fooled by the records for these teams; the Jazz have gotten off to a slow start against a tougher schedule. And even at 10-7 straight up, the Lakers have been overvalued by the oddsmakers, as all LeBron James teams tend to be, as they are just 6-11 ATS on the season. Utah has won seven straight in this series. Yes, the Lakers are stronger with LeBron now, but you can’t ignore that long stretch of dominance. The Jazz are pretty fresh off a long road trip where they went 2-3 and then they dropped the normally-tough first game back home after a long trip to the Kings. We think they really need this game to get back on track and we think they give max effort here in a very winnable game. For whatever reason the Jazz have played better on the road than at home this season, and they have also covered five of the last seven meetings between these two teams in LA.

After a hot start the Bucks had some struggles as they went through a tough stretch (3-4 SU and ATS). But they have won and covered two straight and this team is trending up again. This is a more complete and better team than the Blazers, and we expect a comfortable win from the home team tonight. These teams have almost identical records and yet the Bucks are laying a decent-sized number here. We think it’s not big enough, however. Also, the Bucks have owned this series as they are 11-3-1 ATS in the last 15 meetings. The Blazers are coming in on a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights while the Bucks were off Tuesday and they have had a mellow schedule recently. They are primed for a big game tonight.

We like this Clippers squad a lot this season and we have been down on the lousy Wizards, but we think this is a good spot for the home dog to get the straight up win. This is not only a back-to-back for LA but their third game in four nights, all on the road. Things have gone pretty well in the first two games of this road trip, but now this is a fatigued team playing the toughest matchup yet on the last game of this three-game trip. The Wizards have struggled mightily, and John Wall and Bradley Beal have been mentioned in trade rumors. We just think this team steps up tonight. If this game was the first game of the season this line would probably be Wizards -5. But perceptions have changed. But we see value in this line and think Washington should win this one outright.

The Clippers are a Top 4 team in the west in the standings right now, and not many expected this. But if they stay healthy all season, this is going to be a playoff team and one that the top teams in the west will not want to play in the postseason. They are 9-6 against the spread this year so far, so they are defying oddsmakers expectations. This team plays great team basketball and they are unselfish. They have guys that can score and they play decent defense. They started their road trip last time out against Brooklyn in what could have been a letdown spot after home wins against the Spurs and Warriors, but they won and covered in that contest. Now they face a much weaker team in Atlanta tonight. This is arguably the worst team in the NBA. They have lost seven straight and covered in only three of those games, despite some generous lines from the oddsmakers. This Clippers team seems like one that will not lower itself to the level of competition like past Clippers squads, and we think they take advantage of this situation for an easy road win tonight.

We have faded the Golden State Warriors the last two games, and it has worked out pretty well, so we will go for three in a row here. We have the feeling the Warriors may enter their toughest stretch of this current regime. They have off-court drama going on, impending free agency and injuries. They also don’t have the fire they have had in previous seasons. And we don’t think they give a crap. As long as they are healthy and synched heading into the playoffs, we don’t think this team cares about playoff positioning as long as they are a Top 4 seed. The Spurs are in a more desperate situation tonight as they have lost five of six. But they have played a road-heavy schedule. They are still dominant at home at 5-2, and they will put their best foot forward tonight. They aren’t going to give the Warriors any breaks because of their current problems, and we think they win this one by a comfortable margin tonight.

We think that this is a great time to fade the Warriors. The turmoil in this squad is real, and they will continue to be overvalued by the oddsmakers regardless of their performance on the court. After their record-setting season a couple years ago this team started caring less and less about the regular season after they lost in the finals to the Cavs. They started to become a lousy regular-season bet at that point. This team started hot ATS, but they have now failed to cover in four of their last five, and the ATS losses will keep coming. Curry and Green are out tonight, and we don’t see the Warriors playing to their potential against a Dallas team is 5-2 at home and should give their best effort against the world champs.

Both teams come in on a back-to-back, but the Celtics played in OT last night in a much bigger game and we think this might be a letdown spot against a Jazz team that needs a win before a couple lousy games snowball into a concerning losing streak. We see think both offenses might come out a bit flat in this one and there is a good chance for a low-scoring game, which makes the points for the underdog even more valuable. These teams played recently in Utah and the Jazz won that one pretty comfortably, so we know they can match up against Boston. We think the dog has a great chance to bark tonight for the outright win.

Both teams come in on a back-to-back, but the Celtics played in OT last night in a much bigger game and we think this might be a letdown spot against a Jazz team that needs a win before a couple lousy games snowball into a concerning losing streak. We see think both offenses might come out a bit flat in this one and there is a good chance for a low-scoring game, which makes the points for the underdog even more valuable. These teams played recently in Utah and the Jazz won that one pretty comfortably, so we know they can match up against Boston. We think the dog has a great chance to bark tonight for the outright win.

We love to back a good team after a bad loss, and that handicapping angle doesn’t get any better than this matchup tonight. The Jazz suffered what will go down as one of the worst (and most head-scratching) losses of the season last time out when they lost by 50 points in Dallas. That is just a super embarrassing result and this team will come out and give max effort tonight, we have no doubt about that. This is one of the best teams in the NBA. Teams just have off nights like this where nothing goes right, and there was a real lack of effort there after things got out of hand. But starters played limited minutes and they will have extra energy to get things back on track here tonight. The Jazz had won and covered three straight before that loss, so overall we will give them a mulligan for that game and assume they will return to current form here. And they are 5-3 on the road this season.  Philly is undefeated at home, but this team hasn’t had a very tough home slate. This is their toughest home game of the season by far. And we think overall the Jazz are a much better team. Philly is just 6-10 ATS this season, so it’s obvious they are overvalued by the oddsmakers. We think Utah has a great chance for the outright win here.

Love the Rockets in this spot. They started the season real slow, but now they have won five of seven and they enter this one on a two-game winning streak. It seems like parting from Carmelo Anthony did this team a world of good, and they seem to have their confidence back. On the other side of the court is the Warriors. And you have to wonder if the cracks they have shown lately are the start of the end for this dynasty. Draymond Green is starting lots of drama with this team, and one of the best things about this squad in recent years was their ability to mesh on and off the court. This team has now covered only one of their last four, and the Hawks have them all they could handle last time out (we cashed on Atlanta as a big underdog). You get the feeling that the Warriors are not invested in this game as much as the Rockets. Houston is a team that wants to do a lot of damage in the regular season, while the Warriors just want to make sure everything is good before the postseason, and that is their biggest concern. And Curry is the stabilizing force with this Warriors team, and with the current drama surrounding this club, his presence on the court will be sorely missed tonight.

We think Miami will be extra motivated here tonight after dropping three straight games at home, but those were all against playoff-quality teams. They will be desperate for a win tonight, and now they face a lottery team in the Brooklyn Nets. Brooklyn lost one of their best players when Caris LeVert went down with a really bad foot injury last time out against Minnesota. It looks like he won’t be lost for the season, but he was really the engine for this team and see some regression from this team for maybe a few games until they can get back in the groove. The Heat have a very strong history here in Brooklyn as they are 19-7 ATS in the last 26 meetings. This team hasn’t always played well this season and they have been somewhat of a disappointment thus far, but this is a playoff-quality club and we think this is a great spot for them to get back on track against a line that looks quite a bit short in our eyes.

Going to take a shot on Atlanta here in this letdown spot for Golden State. The Warriors had a very hard-fought game last night against the Clippers that went to OT, and this one came with bickering between the teammates at the end of the game. They play Houston next on Thursday, so this out-of-conference opponent will not get much attention tonight sandwiched between games against rivals. The Hawks stink. But Golden State gets most teams’ best shot every night, and we have no doubt the young Hawks will come to play. A win here would be an accomplishment they could hang their hats on all season. We don’t see a straight up win, but we see a competitive game and a distracted home team.

Houston has had a very rough start to the season, no doubt, but this is still the second-best team in the West and they will get it together before long. They are probably not as strong as last season, but they aren’t far off. Denver has had a much stronger start to the season, but you can’t tell me that the Nuggets are more of a championship contender than the Rockets. Houston has been overvalued at home (1-4 ATS) but they have been a bit better on the road and we think there is value in this line tonight. The Nuggets haven’t been in best form the last few games, and Houston we think will come in tonight with something to prove.

We told ourselves we would stay away from Cleveland for the most part since a couple bad early-season losses, but we have to jump when the value is present, and that is certainly the case tonight. The Hornets are coming off a couple big games and they have Philly and Boston on deck, so this is a definite letdown spot. And that doesn’t even take into account that this is an inflated line and it looks like the public keeps betting into this one so there’s a chance it goes up even further. No reason to think that this won’t be a competitive game.

Sacramento is underrated and we think this is a very public line on Monday night. The Kings have one of the better offenses in the NBA right now and they can light up the scoreboard on any given night. The Kings have had some tough games lately, but this seems like a good spot for a bounce back. The Spurs are a bit down this year and they come off a big win over Houston but we don’t see this team putting together two strong games. We had this game handicapped at PK so we think there is nice value on the home dog tonight.

This road trip hasn’t gone that well for the Celtics as they have only one win, and that was against Phoenix in OT. They really have to win this game tonight for the road trip not to be a total disaster. Despite the records, Boston is a much better team than Portland, and we love getting points with them tonight. We think they will give max effort in this spot. Boston has won and covered in all of the last three meetings between these teams. The Blazers are a solid team for sure. But they have been playing a bit over their heads to start the season. We had the Celtics handicapped at -2 in this game, so we think they have a great chance to win tonight.

Denver is a tough place to play, even when the Nuggets aren’t any good. They are very good this season, however, and the Bucks have to play in the high altitude here not only on a back-to-back but on their third game in four nights not to mention they played an extra five minutes in a loss to the Clippers Saturday in a hard-fought game that had to take a lot out of them. Denver had the day off Saturday while Milwaukee was duking in out at Staples Center, and they are coming in with a two-game losing streak in which they lost two close games. We think this is a great spot for them to get back on track.

The Hornets have been very competitive this season, and they keep overachieving against the oddsmaker expectations as they now stand at 8-4 ATS. They have covered all but one game as an underdog this season. They were very impressive last time out in a losing effort at Philly, taking the Sixers to OT on the road. Detroit is just 2-4 ATS as a favorite this season. Charlotte has won and covered in the last two meetings between these teams, and we think they have a great chance to do both again here on Sunday.

We are getting a good line here because Curry and Draymond are out, but this is a complete team even when missing a few key pieces. The rest of the team will step up tonight, and we think there is a good chance this could be a blowout. Golden State has been one of the most dominant teams in the NBA this season, and they are coming off a loss to Milwaukee you can call embarrassing. They face a big step down in competition tonight, and we expect the motivation to be there for a bounce back minus two of the Big Four.

The Sixers are playing not only in a back-to-back and their third game in four nights, but they had OT last night at Charlotte in a lackadaisical performance, and we think that this is a great spot to fade them tonight. Memphis has been off for two nights, and they have the confidence in their hearts from their big upset win over Denver. We think they make it two in a row tonight.

Milwaukee is a very good team but they can be overrated in spots, and we feel like this is one of those spots on Saturday afternoon. The Clippers are a good team also, and they are 4-1 at home this season (Milwaukee is 3-2 on the road). The Bucks are a bit banged up today, and that will hurt their depth. The Clippers are 4-0 ATS in their last four home games, and we expect them to compete for the win here Saturday afternoon.

The Hornets have been good at covering the spread this season, but we think the price is right for the home team in this situation. The Sixers have covered in six of the last seven meetings between these clubs, and the non-cover, this season, was still a Philly win. The Sixers are playing with confidence right now and got their first road win of the season last time out in Indiana, which is a really tough place to play. We think that positive momentum will carry over here on Friday night.

After a slow start the Rockets are really coming on now with three straight wins to start this road trip. The Thunder have won six straight as well, and there were a couple quality wins in there for sure, but for the most part they have beaten up on some dregs. And they are in a tough spot here on a back-to-back and with Westbrook questionable for tonight. This line will change once Westbrook’s status is determined as he nurses an injured ankle. We like the Rockets whether he plays or not, and he probably won’t be near 100% if he does. Not only are they on a back-to-back but they are playing their third game in four nights while the Rockets were off the last two nights. After their slow start, the Rockets can’t afford to take a night off. They need to have a real successful road trip then their slow start will be forgotten. Houston normally plays well here and is 8-1 ATS in the last nine meetings between these clubs.  

We think the bookies are begging the public to take the Nuggets here but we think the other side is much more attractive here on Wednesday night. The Grizzlies have covered the last two meetings and four of the last six. Denver is 9-1 and they are off to a hot start but this team is overachieving a bit to start the season, and this is not the second coming of the Warriors. They played at home against Utah and Boston last two times, and now it will be hard to get motivated heading on the road to an improved Memphis team that is 5-4 ATS but has dropped two straight (both on the road). We think home cooking will do them well tonight and expect a strong performance from the home team.

The Sixers have yet to win or cover on the road this season, but they have had some inflated expectations to start the season. But we think those oddsmakers expectations have gone down and we love them getting points tonight in a game they will fight hard to win. They have had a really tough road schedule to start off with. In their last game, also a road game, they were blown out by the likely-lottery team Brooklyn. That has to be embarrassing for this team that has such lofty expectations. So does the 0-5 road start. Not sure that they will get it tonight, but we think they will have extra motivation to play their best, and at their best this is a better team than the Pacers. Indiana has lost two of their last three here at home, and we think there’s a good chance that they drop this one as well.

The Suns stopped a seven-game losing streak last time out as they hosted Memphis, and we think this team is a tad underrated right now. They are not a good team, don’t get us wrong. But Devin Booker is back in the mix for the Suns, and he is a star in this league and gives his team a chance to win every night. He will help their scoring against this small total (for this season in the NBA, at least). And he gives the Suns a great chance to win here at home tonight. Phoenix has played just a brutal schedule, and they have been considerable underdogs in many games this season. But they have covered three of their last four, and we think they will get the win tonight against another probable lottery team from the east.

The Suns stopped a seven-game losing streak last time out as they hosted Memphis, and we think this team is a tad underrated right now. They are not a good team, don’t get us wrong. But Devin Booker is back in the mix for the Suns, and he is a star in this league and gives his team a chance to win every night. He will help their scoring against this small total (for this season in the NBA, at least). And he gives the Suns a great chance to win here at home tonight. Phoenix has played just a brutal schedule, and they have been considerable underdogs in many games this season. But they have covered three of their last four, and we think they will get the win tonight against another probable lottery team from the east.

Dallas has covered the line in this series for years as these teams don’t play often but Dallas has covered in 10 of the last 11 meetings. We think this is one of the worst versions of the Wizards we have seen in recent years. Yes, they are off to a slow start and can play better, but this team has some problems that will haunt them all season. The Mavs have not started any better as they have the same record as Washington at 2-7. But they have had a few nights off to get over their embarrassing home loss to the Knicks and we think they will do much better here tonight.

Neither of these teams is any good, and this is anybody’s game, in our opinion, and we have to grab the points in this matchup. Orlando is 1-4 ATS this season at home and they failed to cover in their one game as a listed favorite, while the Cavs are 3-1 ATS on the road, so they have done their best work in this situation they are in tonight. The Cavs have also covered 8 of the last 11 games here in Orlando, and we think they have a good chance to win this one outright. Orlando is a team we like to back when they are getting major points as they normally excel as a double-digit dog. But we have to fade them here in the favorites role in what we expect to be a close game.

This is a major trap game for the Grizzlies, who we don’t think are as good as their 5-2 record would indicate. They are coming off a huge win at Utah last time out, and they play at Golden State next, so we think they are due for a letdown in this matchup. And we don’t think the Grizzlies should be this big of a road favorite over anyone. And this is a major revenge spot for the Suns, who got thumped a little over a week ago in Memphis. We expect them to play much better here against a familiar opponent, and with the venue now more favorable. We think they have a great chance for the straight up win in this matchup, and we think there is value in this line.

The Sixers are winless on the road this season, and we feel there’s a good chance they fail to notch the W here on Sunday. Brooklyn is a sneaky-good team. They lost last time out against Houston, but they played much better than the final score might indicate. They have played pretty well overall here at home, in fact, despite a tough slate of opponents thus far. Philly is a tad bit overrated by the oddsmakers right now and we had them as a one-point favorite in this matchup, so we will take advantage of the extra points being offered tonight.

Both teams have been very good lately, but with the Celtics big win over Milwaukee on Thursday this team is trending up big time. Boston has been one of the most consistent teams to wager on the last couple seasons, and we really like them with this short line on Saturday. Indiana has won four of six but they have had some dregs on their schedule lately, while Boston is on a four-game winning streak against very solid competition, and their confidence is sky high after knocking the Bucks from the ranks of the unbeaten on Thursday. Boston is playing some of the best defense in the NBA right now, and that will be the difference here on Saturday.

The Rockets have been playing like dog poop to start the season at 1-5. They have had an extremely tough schedule to start the season, however, playing a bunch of Western Conference playoff contenders. This is the start of a long and important road trip for the Rockets, and they need to get their act together. We have a feeling this road trip may be very good for Houston. This is their easiest game of the season thus far for sure, and this looks like a good spot to start turning things around. Brooklyn has been decent to start the season and this team plays hard on a nightly basis, but if the Rockets play their best, even without Harden, they have much better talent and should win this game going away.

The Hawks are the worst team in the NBA, and we will go against them here on Thursday night at home. The Kings have started the season hot, and maybe this team will actually be competitive this season. They are 5-3 straight up and 6-2 against the spread, and this line has value as well. This team is in the Top 6 in the three most important offensive categories, and the Kings are lighting up the scoreboard on a regular basis. The Hawks don’t do anything particularly well, and we don’t think their offense can keep in in this game. The Hawks will get too much credit on the line here since they are at home in this matchup. But we think the Kings will take care of business here and continue their hot start to the regular season.

We were happy this line came out under 7 as we really like the Pacers tonight. The Pacers have dominated the last two meetings, winning and covering in both games. Indiana has been very solid to start the season, but they are coming off a lousy effort against Portland last time out. We think they will bounce back against a Knicks team that has been on the wrong end of several blowouts already here in the young season. Indiana is healthy and they will take care of business tonight.

These are two of the three best teams in the east, and we think this one will have a playoff atmosphere tonight. Both teams will come to play, and with both teams at their best we think this is just too many points for the home team to be laying tonight. Philly blew it in their game against Boston to open the season and they won’t want to go 0-2 against the other two best teams in the east to start the season. We think they put their best foot forward tonight and expect a close game here.

Charlotte has covered in only one of the last seven meetings between these squads (one push), and we think this is a very close game and we have to take the points in this one. These teams already met once in Miami, and it was a one-point Charlotte win. But that just showed how competitive this game should be, and it also sets up as a revenge spot for the road club. If the Heat hadn’t got off to such a slow start in that game they probably would have won, and we think they have a great chance for the straight up win here.

The Kings have won and covered three straight games, but as a result we are getting some nice betting value here tonight with the home team. Sacramento enters on a back-to-back and the Magic have had two nights off. And they played pretty lousy the last couple games against much better competition so we think they will have a lot of energy tonight and give it their all in this matchup. The Magic have had problems scoring lately, but this Kings defense is giving up a ton of points and we think this rested Magic squad will take advantage in a big way.