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Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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03-18-23 | Kings v. Wizards OVER 235.5 | 132-118 | Win | 100 | 11 h 20 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Sacramento and Washington at 8:10 pm et on Saturday. The Kings have seen the first two games of their current road trip stay 'under' the total but I look for a reversal of that trend on Saturday as they stop in Washington to face the Wizards, who find themselves in a back-to-back spot off last night's blowout loss in Cleveland. The Wizards were a virtual no-show last night, knocking down only 35-of-76 field goal attempts in the 23-point loss. Washington's defense has regressed considerably lately as it has allowed more than 40 made field goals in five of its last six games. Sacramento has inexplicably shot poorly over its last two games but I do expect it to 'get right' here. Note that while Washington put forth an abysmal offensive effort against an elite Cleveland defense last night, it has knocked down 46, 47, 43 and 44 field goals over its last four home games. Take the over (8*). |
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03-17-23 | 76ers v. Hornets OVER 226 | 121-82 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 12 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Philadelphia and Charlotte at 7:10 pm et on Friday. The Hornets have seen the 'over' cash in each of their last three games - not surprising given they've been a mess defensively since losing key space-eater Mark Williams to a thumb injury. Note that Charlotte has allowed its last three opponents to make good on 46, 41 and 45 field goals. That includes a pair of games against the slow-paced Cavaliers, who got up only 80 and 76 field goal attempts. The 76ers play a similarly slow pace but figure to take advantage just the same. Philadelphia had its streak of seven straight games knocking down 40 or more field goals snapped last time out against the aforementioned Cavs but it still scored 118 points. For whatever reason, the Hornets offense has given the 76ers defense fits going back to the start of last season, making good on 48, 39, 46, 42, 44 and 38 field goals in six meetings with a low-water mark of 106 points in terms of scoring. Charlotte enters this contest having knocked down 40 or more field goals in five straight games after being held under that number in four of its previous five contests. The return of Kelly Oubre has certainly given it a boost, rounding out a capable scoring trio that also includes Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward. Take the over (8*). |
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03-16-23 | Magic v. Suns OVER 228 | 113-116 | Win | 100 | 16 h 39 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Orlando and Phoenix at 10:10 pm et on Thursday. The Suns are in desperate need of a 'get-right' performance offensively and I think they get it on Thursday against the Magic. With that being said, Orlando checks in off an off day on Wednesday following a disappointing loss in San Antonio on Tuesday. The Magic offense has been on point during a 6-1 'over' run, scoring 114 points in all seven games and I do expect it to give the Suns defense some trouble here. The problem for Orlando is that its own defense has been non-existent lately. You'd be hard-pressed to find a team playing worse at that end of the floor as it has allowed 46, 49, 42 and 48 made field goals over its last four games. Prior to that stretch, there were also three games where the Magic allowed 48 or more made field goals from February 14th to March 1st. The opportunities have certainly been there for the Suns as they've hoisted up 94 or more field goal attempts in three of their last four contests. On the flip side, Phoenix has faded a little defensively, yielding 40 or more made field goals in three straight games despite holding all three of those opponents to 85 or fewer FG attempts. The 'under' has cashed in each of the last two meetings in this series but we haven't seen three consecutive 'under' results between these two teams since back in 2016-17. Take the over (8*). |
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03-16-23 | Kings v. Nets OVER 237.5 | 101-96 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 45 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Sacramento and Brooklyn at 7:40 pm et on Thursday. The 'pop-gun' Bulls offense struck again last night as we just missed with the 'over' in the Kings 117-114 win in Chicago. The fact that the game even got to 231 total points was encouraging given the Kings got off just 78 field goal attempts while the Bulls knocked down only 38-of-97 from the field. Here, I'm expecting both teams to take part in a track meet in Brooklyn. The Nets certainly looked road-weary two nights ago as they wrapped up a five-game in eight-night trip in Oklahoma City. Brooklyn clearly ran out of gas late in that game, unable to make a double-digit halftime lead stand up. I do think we see the Nets bounce right back offensively following an off day on Wednesday. Prior to Tuesday's game, Brooklyn had made good on 40 or more field goals in four straight games. Defensively, the Nets have been matador-like, however, allowing 44, 48, 45 and 45 made field goals over their last four games and more than 40 in nine of their last 11 contests. Each of their last four opponents has gotten off at least 90 field goal attempts. Take the over (8*). |
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03-15-23 | Warriors v. Clippers OVER 234 | 126-134 | Win | 100 | 13 h 53 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Golden State and Los Angeles at 10:10 pm et on Wednesday. This may look like a lofty total given these two teams just met less than two weeks ago and combined to score only 206 total points. I believe it's warranted, however. The pace and scoring opportunities should be there in this one, noting that the Warriors have employed a 'swinging-gate' defense lately, allowing five straight opponents to get off at least 93 field goal attempts, with all five of those foes knocking down at least 42 (one was aided by overtime). Interestingly, the Clippers have also been affording their opponents plenty of opportunities, yielding 90 or more FG attempts in seven of their last eight contests. The only occasion where they didn't we still saw a whopping total of 255 points scored in a matchup with Sacramento. With both teams rested and looking ahead to another day off tomorrow, I don't expect either side to leave anything on the table here. As a final note, the Clippers have seen their last two games stay 'under' the total. That's worth mentioning as they haven't posted three straight 'under' results since January 8th to 15th, when they went on a 4-0 'under' run. Take the over (8*). |
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03-15-23 | Warriors v. Clippers -2 | Top | 126-134 | Win | 100 | 15 h 18 m | Show |
Division Game of the Month. My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Golden State at 10:10 pm et on Wednesday. For a team that manages its schedule ultra-conservatively from a personnel standpoint, the situation doesn't get much better for the Clippers. They've been off for the last three days and after tonight's contest will get two more days off before playing at home again on Friday against Orlando. And the good news is, the Clips enter this contest playing some of their best basketball of the season. They've won three straight games to pull even with the Warriors in the Western Conference standings. Their offense is rolling, having knocked down 47, 45, 39 and 42 field goals over their last four games with the lone outlier coming in a 108-100 victory over Toronto in which they hoisted up only 71 field goal attempts. Defensively, Los Angeles is locked-in, most recently holding the Raptors and Knicks to just 37 and 32 made field goals, respectively. It's a different story at that end of the floor for the Warriors as they've employed a 'swinging-gate' style of defense, allowing 42, 50, 50, 43 and 46 made field goals over their last five contests, albeit aided by overtime in one of those games (against the Bucks). Offensively, they've been fine, as expected, but most of their damage has been done at home. The Warriors remain a woeful 7-26 on the road, where they've been outscored by an average margin of 7.2 points. Interestingly, you would have to go back to 2019 to find the last time the Warriors covered the spread in consecutive meetings with the Clippers when one of those matchups took place in Los Angeles, as is the case here. Take Los Angeles (10*). |
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03-15-23 | Kings v. Bulls OVER 238.5 | 117-114 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 7 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Sacramento and Chicago at 8:10 pm et on Wednesday. The only previous matchup between these two teams this season totalled only 211 points and that's helping to keep the number in check in Wednesday's rematch in Chicago. Both of these teams come in red hot offensively. The Kings have made good on 43 or more field goals in nine of their last 10 games and 40+ in all 10 of those contests. Meanwhile, the Bulls have been heating up, knocking down 45, 46 and 44 field goals over their last three games, despite getting off fewer than 90 field goal attempts in all three contests. The Kings are coming off a home loss to the Bucks on Monday and that's notable as they've scored 140, 133, 133 and 134 points in their last four games following a loss. The Bulls average 113.2 points per game this season but that scoring average bumps up to 115.0 points per game when coming off a win, as is the case here. Take the over (8*). |
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03-14-23 | Nets v. Thunder OVER 231.5 | Top | 107-121 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 52 m | Show |
Non-Conference Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Brooklyn and Oklahoma City at 8:10 pm et on Tuesday. When these two teams last met the Thunder secured a 112-102 road win back on January 15th. Keep in mind, the Nets were a much different team then with Kyrie Irving in the lineup and Kevin Durant still on the shelf pre-trade. Brooklyn has certainly been re-energized since dealing away Kyrie and K.D. The Nets check into this contest on the heels of five straight ATS victories including consecutive 'over' results. While they got off only 84 field goal attempts against a good Nuggets defense on Sunday, they still managed to knock down 40+ field goals for the fourth straight game. It's worth noting that they haven't been held to fewer than 90 field goal attempts in consecutive games since late February. As much as head coach Jacque Vaughn would like his team to play tougher defense, I'm not sure they have the personnel in place to do so. Note that Brooklyn has allowed 44, 48 and 45 made field goals over its last three games (one of those games was aided by overtime) with all three of those opponents hoisting up 90+ FG attempts. The Thunder didn't have their best shooting performance on Sunday in San Antonio but still had enough to get by the lowly Spurs. The good news for our purposes was that the Thunder did continue to push the pace, getting off 95 FG attempts in the victory. They've hoisted up at least 87 FG attempts in seven of their last eight and 11 of their last 13 contests. While we did see Oklahoma City hold its last two opponents to 34 and 33 made field goals, that was against the Pelicans and Spurs, respectively. It will be taking a step up in class against the fifth-in-the-East Nets on Tuesday. While the scoring wasn't necessarily there in that most recent matchup between these two teams, we did see each side get off 90 or more FG attempts. I think the pace will be there again on Tuesday and with both teams coming off an off day, their shooting legs should be firmly beneath them as well. Take the over (10*). |
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03-13-23 | Suns v. Warriors UNDER 237.5 | Top | 112-123 | Win | 100 | 14 h 38 m | Show |
Division Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Phoenix and Golden State at 10:10 pm et on Monday. The Suns dropped a high-scoring 128-119 decision at home against the Kings on Saturday but still check in having held an incredible 10 straight opponents to 41 or fewer made field goals. They've been red hot (no pun intended) shooting the ball themselves but will be in tough with Kevin Durant sidelined (given all the key pieces they dealt away to acquire him). The Warriors continue to scuff their heels offensively, shooting worse than 44% as a team in three of their last four games. Their most recent contest did end up touching the total, but only thanks to overtime against Milwaukee on Saturday. Here, we'll go the other way and call for a lower-scoring contest than most are expecting, noting that the 'over' has cashed in all three meetings in this series this season but we haven't seen four straight matchups go 'over' the total since way back in 2008-09. The 'under' checks in 34-18 with Phoenix coming off a loss over the last two seasons, resulting in an average total of only 218.2 points. Take the under (10*). |
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03-13-23 | Pacers v. Pistons UNDER 228 | 97-117 | Win | 100 | 11 h 53 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Indiana and Detroit at 7:10 pm et on Monday. We missed with this same play on Saturday as the two teams got off to a red hot start and that was enough to ultimately push the final score 'over' the total by a little more than a handful of points. The injury situation has only gotten worse for both squads since then with Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley going down in that contest as well. Keep in mind, the Pacers are already missing the likes of Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner and Benedict Mathurin among others. Detroit is without Jaden Ivey and Bojan Bogdanovic. Credit the subs for stepping up and filling the void on Saturday but I'm willing to bet they don't do it again here. Note that the Pistons will play again tomorrow night in Washington so they likely have an interest in shortening proceedings as much as possible on Monday, given the limited number of bodies they have on hand. The 'over' has now cashed in three straight meetings in this series which is worth noting as we haven't seen four consecutive 'over' results in this matchup since way back in 2013-14. Take the under (8*). |
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03-12-23 | Knicks +2.5 v. Lakers | 112-108 | Win | 100 | 13 h 7 m | Show | |
My selection is on New York plus the points over Los Angeles at 9:10 pm et on Sunday. The Knicks may be missing Jalen Brunson but there's still no reason for their offense to go in the tank the way it has over the last few games. Off a dreadful performance on this same court against the Clippers yesterday, I look for them to rebound on Sunday night against the Lakers. Los Angeles is coming off a win over Toronto on Friday night. That had more to do with the Raptors inability to lay the hammer down than anything else. Toronto had a number of opportunities to take full control of that contest but simply failed to do so. Off three straight losses, I expect the Knicks to play inspired basketball as they look to at least give themselves a shot at splitting this four-game road trip. Note that New York is 20-14 on the road this season, where it has outscored the opposition by an average margin of 1.3 points. It also checks in an impressive 24-10 ATS when playing the second night of back-to-backs over the last three seasons, outscoring foes by 5.1 points on average in that spot. Take New York (8*). |
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03-12-23 | Wizards v. 76ers UNDER 230.5 | Top | 93-112 | Win | 100 | 10 h 18 m | Show |
Eastern Conference Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Washington and Philadelphia at 6:10 pm et on Sunday. The 76ers have gotten back to a slower pace yet do check in having seen the 'over' cash in four of their last five games. Last time out, that had everything to do with the visiting Blazers quite simply shooting the lights out (they actually got off only 80 field goal attempts). Philadelphia has hoisted up 84 or fewer field goal attempts in an incredible 12 straight games. The Sixers have also limited the opposition to 86 or fewer FG attempts in seven of their last eight contests. The Wizards have gotten off 88 or fewer FG attempts in five of their last six games. The only time they surpassed that number they lost 117-111 to the Bucks - with that game still failing to surpass the total we're working with tonight. Off consecutive losses, I do think we see the Wiz play some defense here, noting that they've allowed more than 117 points just once in their last 11 contests. Take the under (10*). |
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03-11-23 | Pacers v. Pistons UNDER 229 | 121-115 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 13 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Indiana and Detroit at 7:10 pm et on Saturday. This was already going to be an ugly Saturday night matchup in the Motor City but with super rookies Benedict Mathurin and Jaden Ivey sidelined it sets up that much worse. The Pacers are coming off a wild overtime win over the Rockets two nights ago. The 'over' has now cashed in each of their last three games, helping to keep tonight's posted total in a lofty range. The Pistons have struggled to score lately (by today's NBA standards at least), putting up fewer than 110 points in all but two of their last nine contests. While the defense-optional Pacers would appear to offer a reprieve, the Pistons are simply missing too many key contributors to be counted on for an offensive explosion here. Indiana has its own absences to deal with. Mathurin has already been ruled out while Myles Turner, Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell are all nursing injuries and currently listed as questionable to play. Even if all three are able to go, there's no guarantee they'll see their usual workload, especially if the game is well in control. Take the under (8*). |
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03-10-23 | Raptors +1 v. Lakers | Top | 112-122 | Loss | -110 | 16 h 23 m | Show |
Non-Conference Game of the Year. My selection is on Toronto plus the points over Los Angeles at 10:40 pm et on Friday. This is a big spot for the Raptors who were fuming (feeling wronged by the officials) following Wednesday's loss on this same court against the Clippers. Toronto hasn't played all that poorly but is just 1-3 on its current road trip. We were actually on the Raptors in their lone victory - an overtime win in Washington last Saturday. I like the fact that Toronto has gotten back to its preferred style of basketball at the very least, holding six straight and nine of its last 10 opponents to 86 or fewer field goal attempts. The Raptors last contest marked the first time in four games that they didn't make good on at least 41 field goals. The Lakers are undoubtedly playing well but have also caught some favorable matchups lately, facing the Thunder without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a reeling Warriors squad and a Grizzlies team missing Ja Morant among others. Here, they get the Raps at virtually full strength. Note that Los Angeles is just 13-26 ATS when coming off two or more consecutive ATS wins over the last three seasons, as is the case here, outscored by 0.8 points on average in that spot. Meanwhile, the Raptors are a long-term 163-126 ATS when playing on the road off two or more losses in a row. Take Toronto (10*). |
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03-10-23 | Blazers v. 76ers -8.5 | 119-120 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 39 m | Show | |
My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Portland at 7:10 pm et on Friday. While they have managed to scrap their way to two wins in their last three games, the Blazers are not playing inspiring basketball right now. They've had a tough enough time just getting shots off, hoisting up 83 or fewer field goal attempts in five of their last seven games. They've been limited to fewer than 40 made field goals in five of their last six contests. That's a recipe for disaster for a team that has allowed an incredible 28 straight opponents to knock down at least 40 field goals with 18 of those making good on 43 or more. The 76ers enter this game playing some of their best offensive basketball of the season after making good on 40 or more field goals in five straight games. They've also held 11 of their last 14 opponents to 86 or fewer field goal attempts. Last time out, in what should have been a bad spot playing the second night of back-to-backs off a wild, high-scoring affair against the Pacers, they held the Timberwolves to 34-of-86 shooting in a 23-point rout, on the road as three-point underdogs no less. We'll note that Portland is just 13-24 ATS when seeking revenge for a home loss against an opponent over the last two seasons, as is the case here after the Sixers won by 10 in Portland back in January, outscored by an average margin of 9.6 points in that situation. Take Philadelphia (8*). |
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03-09-23 | Warriors v. Grizzlies OVER 235.5 | 110-131 | Win | 100 | 11 h 29 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Golden State and Memphis at 7:30 pm et on Thursday. We're seeing a considerable adjustment to the total in this game since the most recent meeting between these two teams on January 25th. That game totalled 242 points, staying just 'under' the closing total of 245.5. We're working with a total around 10 points lower (at the time of writing) for this rematch, largely due to the absence of Ja Morant for the Grizzlies. I don't believe that big of a shift is warranted. To say the Warriors have been a bad defensive team away from home this season would be an understatement. They've allowed a whopping 123.6 points per game on north of 49% shooting. You would have to go all the way back to January 13th to find the last time they held an opponent to 40 or fewer made field goals on the road and even further to December 16th to spot the last time they limited a foe to fewer than 40. Defensive warts aside, Golden State should be 'feeling it' offensively in this one after knocking down 47-of-89 field goal attempts in Tuesday's 137-128 loss in Oklahoma City. After holding four straight opponents to 38 or fewer made field goals, the Grizzlies have now yielded 40, 45 and 41 made field goals over their last three contests. Offensively, it doesn't get much worse than Memphis' 36-of-93 shooting performance against the Lakers last time out. Keep in mind, the Grizzlies are just one game removed from a 50-of-92 shooting effort against the Clippers. The short line says a lot here as despite the short-handed nature of the Grizzlies, a competitive affair should be in order. That lends itself to a high-scoring contest in my opinion. Take the over (8*). |
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03-08-23 | Thunder v. Suns UNDER 234 | 101-132 | Win | 100 | 13 h 16 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Oklahoma City and Phoenix at 9:10 pm et on Wednesday. The Thunder have posted a 6-0-1 o/u mark over their last seven games but I look for that run to come to an end on Wednesday as they face the Suns in a difficult back-to-back spot. I'm not sure any team is as locked-in defensively as Phoenix right now. The Suns have held nine of their last 12 opponents to fewer than 40 made field goals. While the Thunder are playing well, winners of three games in a row while scoring 130, 129 and 137 points over that stretch, the fact that they're in a back-to-back and three-in-four situation on the road has to be factored in (their last three wins came at home). The last time we saw Oklahoma City on the road it was held to 41-of-94 shooting right here in Phoenix (also in a back-to-back spot). That previous meeting did end up totalling 239 points, however, helping keep this total in a lofty region. I mentioned the Thunder's red hot offense but their defense has stepped up to a certain extent as well, limiting six straight and 10 of their last 12 opponents to fewer than 90 field goal attempts. The addition of Kevin Durant hasn't necessarily served to speed up the Suns offense, noting that they're hoisted up 89, 84 and 89 FG attempts in his first three games. Take the under (8*). |
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03-08-23 | Cavs -2.5 v. Heat | 104-100 | Win | 100 | 10 h 25 m | Show | |
My selection is on Cleveland minus the points over Miami at 7:40 pm et on Wednesday. The Cavs nearly got caught overlooking the undermanned Celtics who were in a back-to-back spot and resting a number of players on Monday in Cleveland. While the Cavs did ultimately win that game in overtime, they didn't cover the spread. That brought an end to their three-game ATS winning streak but I look for them to start a new one on Wednesday in Miami. The Heat wrapped up a two-game sweep of the Hawks at home two nights ago. We actually cashed with Atlanta in that game but were fortunate to do so thanks to a 'meaningless' buzzer-beater from the Hawks. Atlanta had that game in control before coughing it up in the fourth quarter, due in large part to its defensive ineptitude. The Cavs should offer a 'shock to the system' to the Heat in that regard, noting that they've held four straight and 10 of their last 12 opponents to fewer than 40 made field goals in regulation time. Miami isn't playing at a pace that would appear to challenge that Cavs run, noting that the Heat have hoisted up 83 or fewer FG attempts in six straight games, making good on 42 or less in 12 consecutive contests. Contrast that with Cleveland, which enters on a streak of eight straight and 15 of its last 16 having knocked down 40 or more field goals. The last time these two teams met in late January the Heat prevailed as a four-point road underdog. Look for the revenge-minded Cavs to answer back here. Take Cleveland (8*). |
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03-07-23 | Jazz v. Mavs UNDER 232.5 | Top | 116-120 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 40 m | Show |
Western Conference Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Utah and Dallas at 8:40 pm et on Tuesday. Both of these teams are coming off 'over' results - in fact, the Jazz have seen their last two games go 'over' the total while the Mavericks have posted three consecutive 'overs'. I expect those streaks to end here. After another tough loss - this one coming at the hands of the Suns on Sunday - the Mavs know they can't keep playing the way they have been, and by that I mean getting involved in repeated track meets. It's not the pace they're comfortable playing at and it just doesn't give them the best chance to win on most nights, despite the wealth of offensive talent they possess. Here, I think Dallas catches a bit of a break as Utah hasn't been on point offensively, topping out at 43 made field goals in seven straight games (it reached that number three times over that stretch). You have to figure the Jazz will be looking to tighten things up defensively here as well after allowing 130 and 129 points in consecutive losses in Oklahoma City. While the most recent meeting between these two teams in early February did snap a five-game 'under' streak in this series, it only got there thanks to 50 made free throws (the two teams average a combined 39 made free throws per game this season). Only once in the last 11 meetings have we seen either team knock down more than 41 field goals and that came in a contest that totalled only 203 points. Take the under (10*). |
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03-06-23 | Hawks +3.5 v. Heat | 128-130 | Win | 100 | 12 h 34 m | Show | |
My selection is on Atlanta plus the points over Miami at 7:40 pm et on Monday. We'll fade the Heat after they delivered a 117-109 win in the front half of this two-game set against the Hawks. We haven't seen Miami post consecutive ATS victories since January 6th and 8th, going an ugly 7-16-1 ATS since. The Heat have done a nice job of limiting their opponents' scoring opportunities lately but I expect the Hawks to get loose here, noting that they had knocked down at least 40 field goals in eight straight and 14 of their last 15 games prior to Saturday's defeat. While Atlanta is just 14-19 on the road this season, it has been a 'tough out', outscored by an average margin of only 1.9 points per contest. Meanwhile, the Heat are 20-12 on their home floor but have only managed to outscore the opposition by 0.8 points per game on average. Take Atlanta (8*). |
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03-05-23 | Knicks v. Celtics -5.5 | 131-129 | Loss | -110 | 29 h 2 m | Show | |
My selection is on Boston minus the points over New York at 7:40 pm et on Sunday. We'll back the Celtics to rebound off their embarrassing loss at home against the Nets on Friday - in a game they led by 28 points at one point. Meanwhile, the Celtics are coming off a last-second victory over the Heat in Miami on Friday. Here, we find the C's in a quick revenge spot after getting drilled 109-94 in New York on February 27th. In fact, it's a double-revenge spot as the Knicks also won 120-117 here in Boston back on January 26th. We'll note that the Celtics are a long-term 18-6 ATS when coming off an outright loss to a division opponent as six points or more, as is the case here. They're also 89-61 ATS when coming off a double-digit home loss. Take Boston (8*). |
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03-04-23 | Raptors -1 v. Wizards | Top | 116-109 | Win | 100 | 24 h 26 m | Show |
Eastern Conference Game of the Week. My selection is on Toronto minus the points over Washington at 5:10 pm et on Saturday. The Raptors haven't lost consecutive games since January 30th and February 1st and I look for them to avoid that fate in the second half of this two-game set against the Wizards on Saturday. Note that Washington is just 11-22 ATS when coming off a home win over the last two seasons. The Wizards are also a long-term 183-233 ATS when coming off consecutive victories, which is also the situation here. The Raptors had their opportunities on Thursday night but simply couldn't take advantage, connecting on only 41-of-92 field goal attempts. They did hold Washington to just 84 field goal attempts - the third straight game in which they limited the opposition to that number or less. Take Toronto (10*). |
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03-03-23 | Suns v. Bulls OVER 222.5 | 125-104 | Win | 100 | 10 h 34 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Phoenix and Chicago at 8:10 pm et on Friday. The Bulls are on an incredible 'under' run right now (even though their most recent game did find its way 'over' the total in Detroit). I do think the total has been adjusted too low in this particular matchup, however, noting that Chicago figures to have its hands full with the new-look Suns offense. Phoenix didn't need to keep its foot on the gas for four quarters two nights ago in Charlotte (in Kevin Durant's team debut). I suspect they'll have to on Friday though. Note that the Suns have been pushing the pace more than usual lately, hoisting up 88 or more field goal attempts in six straight games. The Bulls play at a slow tempo but have been making the most of their scoring opportunities, knocking down 40 or more field goals in three of their last four games. This has been a high-scoring series with each of the last three meetings eclipsing the 230 point mark. Take the over (8*). |
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03-01-23 | Pelicans v. Blazers OVER 232 | 121-110 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 26 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between New Orleans and Portland at 10:10 pm et on Wednesday. We missed with the 'over' in the Blazers loss against the Warriors last night. While this is a difficult back-to-back spot for Portland, I do think the game is well-positioned to fly 'over' the total. New Orleans last took the floor on Monday, suffering an embarrassing 101-93 home loss against the Magic. That was arguably the Pelicans worst offensive showing in over a month. I'm confident they bounce back here, noting that the Blazers are a mess defensively, having allowed 45 or more made field goals in eight of their last nine games. In fact, each of their last 21 opponents have knocked down more than 40 field goals. You have to figure Portland goes off offensively as well in this spot, noting that the Pelicans rarely play a lick of defense on the road, allowing 117.2 points per game on 48% shooting. These two teams last met in November and that contest totalled only 201 points. Both teams shot poorly on that night and the game was played at a snail's pace. I expect a different story to unfold here. Take the over (10*). |
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02-28-23 | Blazers v. Warriors OVER 235.5 | Top | 105-123 | Loss | -110 | 16 h 49 m | Show |
Non-Division Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between Portland and Golden State at 10:10 pm et on Tuesday. We missed with the 'over' in the Warriors most recent game on Sunday as they defeated the T'Wolves by a 109-104 score. I won't hesitate to go back to the well here, however, noting that the pace was certainly there for a much higher-scoring affair in that Sunday contest, and I'm confident Portland will do its part to help this total along. The Warriors have run into a bit of a shooting funk over their last few games but figure to get on track here, noting that Portland has allowed 45 or more made field goals in seven of its last eight games with the opposition knocking down at least 40 field goals in an incredible 22 straight contests. Golden State has seen each of its last two foes - the T'Wolves and Rockets - get off 90 or more field goal attempts, but fail to take advantage of their wealth of scoring opportunities, making good on just 38 and 36, respectively. Portland doesn't figure to have such trouble, noting that the Blazers have knocked down 42 or more field goals in five of their last six games, despite getting off 86 or fewer FG attempts in four of those contests. In fact, Portland has connected on 40 or more field goals in 12 of its last 14 games overall. Largely due to the Warriors recent low-scoring results (along with the fact that the likes of Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins remain sidelined) we're not seeing much of an adjustment to this total since the last time these two teams met on February 8th. That's notable when you consider that game reached a whopping 247 total points. Take the over (10*). |
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02-26-23 | Wolves v. Warriors OVER 234 | 104-109 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 44 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Minnesota and Golden State at 7:40 pm et on Sunday. Both of these teams enter this contest off consecutive 'under' results but I look for a different story to unfold on Sunday evening in San Francisco. The Timberwolves continued to struggle defensively in Friday's 121-113 home loss to the Hornets, allowing Charlotte to knock down 43-of-92 field goal attempts in the loss. Note that Minnesota has now allowed 43 or more made field goals in six straight games and has shown little interest (or ability) in slowing its opponents' pace, yielding 92 or more field goal attempts in four of its last six contests. The story for the Warriors has been more about who has been missing from the lineup than who has been in it lately but Klay Thompson did manage to lift the team to a 116-101 win over the Rockets on Friday, pouring in 42 points. That game snapped a streak of eight straight contests in which Golden State had made good on at least 40 field goals. That had a lot to do with the fact that the Warriors didn't need to go full throttle after building a 66-49 halftime lead. Like the T'Wolves, the Warriors have done little to slow the opposition lately, allowing 90 or more FG attempts in seven of their last 12 contests. Here, we'll note that the 'over' has gone 29-10 with Minnesota coming off three ATS losses in its last four games over the last two seasons, resulting in an average total of 238.1 points. Meanwhile, the 'over' is a long-term 251-202 with the Warriors playing at home seeking revenge for a road loss against an opponent. Take the over (8*). |
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02-24-23 | Thunder v. Suns UNDER 232.5 | Top | 115-124 | Loss | -110 | 15 h 53 m | Show |
Western Conference Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'under' between Oklahoma City and Phoenix at 10:10 pm et on Friday. I'm not convinced this will be the high-scoring track meet that most are expecting in Phoenix on Friday night. Oklahoma City is in a tough back-to-back spot after an overtime loss in Utah last night - not ideal when your conditioning might not be there after an extended All-Star break. You'd be hard-pressed to find a team as locked-in defensively as the Suns as they check in having held six of their last seven opponents to 85 or fewer field goal attempts. They allowed more than 40 made field goals just once over that stretch and that came in a game that still stayed 'under' the total in Atlanta - a game where they were short-handed on trade deadline day. Offensively, the Suns are rounding back into form with Devin Booker back in the lineup. However, they've still topped out at 43 made field goals in eight of their last nine games. The outlier came in a game where they shot the lights out against Sacramento just before the break (that contest still totalled 'only' 229 points). The Thunder have limited each of their last three opponents to fewer than 40 made field goals in regulation time. Last night's contest in Utah ended a stretch of four straight games in which they had held the opposition to fewer than 90 field goal attempts. Oklahoma City was red hot from the field earlier in the month but has since cooled off, connecting on 38, 42 and 40 field goals in regulation time over its last three contests. This is actually the first meeting between these two teams this season. They met on four occasions last season with 222 serving as the highest posted total. None of those four matchups surpassed the total we're working with tonight. As was often the case last season, I'm confident we'll see one, if not both teams bring their 'A' game defensively on Friday. Take the under (10*). |
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02-23-23 | Blazers v. Kings -5.5 | 116-133 | Win | 100 | 14 h 49 m | Show | |
My selection is on Sacramento minus the points over Portland at 10:10 pm et on Thursday. We successfully faded the Kings in their last game before the All-Star break as they couldn't overcome a blistering shooting performance from the Suns in a double-digit loss in Phoenix. Here, I won't hesitate to go the other way and back Sacramento as it aims to bounce back on its home floor. We've seen wild swings in production from the Kings offense lately. They've knocked down 46 or more field goals in five of their last nine games. They were held to fewer than 40 made field goals in the other four contests. I do think they turn in a strong offensive performance here, noting that the Blazers have allowed 48, 47, 46, 47, 42 and 45 made field goals in their last six contests - consistently bad in other words. The Kings are by no means a defensive juggernaut but they have held eight consecutive opponents to fewer than 90 field goal attempts. Meanwhile, Portland has been held to fewer than 90 field goal attempts in nine of its last 11 contests. I mentioned the high ceiling of the Kings offense. Perhaps the opposite could be said of the Blazers, at least in recent weeks, as they've been held to 44 or fewer made field goals in nine of their last 10 contests. This is a double-revenge spot for the Kings as they look to get back at the Blazers after dropping a 115-108 decision at home against Portland back in October. Of note, Jerami Grant poured in a team-high 23 points, getting to the free throw line 13 times and knocking down all three of his three-point attempts, in that game. He's expected to return to the lineup on Thursday but hasn't played in just shy of two weeks. He's also struggled to recapture the form he displayed earlier in the season, scoring fewer than 20 points in seven of his last 11 contests. Take Sacramento (8*). |
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02-16-23 | Clippers v. Suns UNDER 224.5 | Top | 116-107 | Win | 100 | 15 h 41 m | Show |
Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'under' between Los Angeles and Phoenix at 10 pm et on Thursday. We have a good setup for this play on Thursday as both the Clippers and Suns shot the lights out in their respective games two nights ago but are unlikely to reach those heights in a much tougher matchup here. Los Angeles took advantage of an undermanned Warriors team playing the second of back-to-backs on Tuesday, putting up a whopping 134 points in a 10-point victory. Kawhi Leonard knocked down 12-of-17 shot attempts including a ridiculous 7-of-9 from three-point range. Norm Powell also enjoyed an outlier of a night off the bench, pouring in 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting. Powell is expected to sit out Thursday's game, however. Prior to that contest, the Clippers had been held to 38 and 42 made field goals in their previous two games, getting off just 86 and 85 field goal attempts in those contests - both of which stayed 'under' the total. Defensively, the Clips have been limiting their opponents' scoring opportunities, holding five of their last eight foes to 84 or fewer FG attempts. The simple fact is, their last three opponents have shot incredibly well. I do think we see Los Angeles tighten the screws defensively here in its last game prior to the All-Star break against a familiar opponent in the Suns. Note that while Phoenix has made good on 42 or more field goals in all five meetings in this series going back to the start of 2022, it scored 'only' 106, 103, 109, 112 and 111 points in those five contests. The Suns did knock down a whopping 50 field goals in a night where everything was going in against a subpar Kings defense on Tuesday. Prior to that they had topped out at 43 made field goals over their last seven games. Few teams are as locked-in defensively as the Suns right now. They've limited five of their last six opponents to 85 or fewer FG attempts and have allowed just 35, 38, 43, 36 and 37 made field goals over that stretch. The lone outlier came in a road game at Atlanta with a short-handed lineup on trade deadline day last Thursday. Phoenix has certainly had Los Angeles' number defensively, holding it to 96 points or less in an incredible four of five meetings since last January (all five of those contests stayed 'under' the total). Take the under (10*). |
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02-15-23 | Heat -1 v. Nets | Top | 105-116 | Loss | -107 | 12 h 20 m | Show |
Eastern Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Miami minus the points over Brooklyn at 7:40 pm et on Wednesday. The excitement around the new-look, youthful Brooklyn Nets has faded somewhat as they've dropped consecutive games against the 76ers and Knicks. Despite catching fire from the field for stretches, the Nets still managed to knock down only 35 field goals and score just 106 points in Monday's lopsided defeat in Manhattan. You would have to go back five games to find the last time Brooklyn knocked down 40+ field goals in a game and things certainly won't get any easier as they host a Heat team coming off a loss two nights ago on Wednesday. Miami ran into a red-hot shooting Nuggets squad on Monday, falling by four points. Still, the Heat have held an incredible 16 straight opponents to 88 or fewer field goal attempts and 17 of their last 22 foes to 40 or fewer made field goals. On the flip side, the Heat have been limited to 40 or fewer made field goals in six of their last seven and 10 of their last 12 games overall. On many occasions, the opportunities just haven't been there in abundance as Miami does play at a slow pace. I don't anticipate that being an issue here, however, noting that the Nets have allowed four of their last seven opponents to hoist up more than 90 FG attempts. This is undoubtedly a game the Heat have had circled on their calendar since dropping a 102-101 decision at home against the Nets back on January 8th. Brooklyn has now won back-to-back meetings in this series which is notable as it hasn't posted three straight victories over the Heat since 2017-18. Take Miami (10*). |
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02-14-23 | Kings v. Suns -2.5 | Top | 109-120 | Win | 100 | 11 h 28 m | Show |
Pacific Division Game of the Year. My selection is on Phoenix minus the points over Sacramento at 9:10 pm et on Tuesday. I really like the way this spot sets up for the Suns as they try to close the gap on the Kings in the Pacific Division standings (Phoenix currently sits two games back of Sacramento for top spot). Sacramento has been a terrific story this season but we've certainly seen some regression from the Kings lately as they've gone an even 6-6 over their last 12 games. We did get the result we wanted from them on Saturday as they successfully avenged a loss to the Mavs in the second half of a back-to-back set at home, prevailing 133-128 in overtime. That sets us up with a reasonably short number in favor of the Suns at home here. While Phoenix is a little undermanned right now with Kevin Durant still sidelined and yet to make his team debut, I like the fact that it has gone back to its bread-and-butter, that being its defense, to right the ship. The Suns have won three of their last five games and are absolutely locked-in defensively right now having held four of those five opponents to 38 or fewer made field goals. Suns opponents have had a tough enough time just getting shots off let alone knocking them down, managing only 75, 81, 79, 95 and 85 field goal attempts over their last five contests. The outlier came in a game where they were severely short-handed on trade deadline day against the Hawks (Devin Booker missed that game as well). Save for that poor performance in Atlanta, the Suns have made good on more than 40 field goals in four of their last five and six of their last eight games overall. Meanwhile, Kings' opponents have been 'filling it up' lately, knocking down 48, 44, 47, 43 and 47 (aided by overtime) field goals over their last five contests. In fact, Sacramento has allowed an incredible 20 straight and 27 of its last 28 opponents to make good on 40 or more field goals. Offensively, the Kings are explosive but we've seen some inconsistency in that department lately as they've been held to fewer than 40 made field goals in three of their last six games. Take Phoenix (10*). |
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02-13-23 | Wizards v. Warriors OVER 232.5 | 126-135 | Win | 100 | 14 h 51 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Washington and Golden State at 10:10 pm et on Monday. I think we see a 'slingshot' effect from the Warriors offense here after they failed to make the most of their wealth of scoring opportunities in a 109-103 loss to the Lakers on Saturday. Here, they're in a prime bounce-back spot against a Wizards squad that has allowed 42 or more made field goals in eight of their last 10 games (the only two occasions where they didn't over that stretch came against struggling offenses in the Pelicans and Hornets - both of those teams managed to get off 92+ field goal attempts). Note also that five of the Wizards last eight opponents have hoisted up at least 92 field goal attempts so they've shown no ability, or interest, in slowing the pace. Prior to Saturday's game, the Warriors had made good on 43, 45, 56 and 46 field goals over their last four contests. They've gotten off at least 90 FG attempts in six of their last eight games overall and figure to stay aggressive here off consecutive losses. Defensively, the Warriors have left a lot to be desired. They check in having allowed at least 40 made field goals in an incredible 19 of their last 20 games. They're just one game removed from allowing Portland to shoot north of 55% from the field. The last time these two teams met we saw 245 total points in a Warriors road victory in mid-January. We're actually working with a lower posted total this time around and that has a lot to do with who isn't playing for the Warriors right now (Steph Curry is sidelined until after the All-Star break and Andrew Wiggins is questionable to play due to an ankle injury). Take the over (8*). |
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02-11-23 | Nuggets v. Hornets OVER 235.5 | 119-105 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 19 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Denver and Charlotte at 7:10 pm et on Saturday. I'm anticipating a track meet as the Nuggets lick their wounds following a loss in Orlando two nights ago and head to Charlotte, where they'll face a reeling Hornets squad on the second of back-to-backs. The Hornets have lost six straight games, with the 'under' going 5-1 over that stretch. We've certainly seen signs of life from Charlotte offensively, however, noting that it has knocked down exactly 45 field goals in two of its last three games. The Hornets are certainly pushing the pace, hoisting up 90 or more field goal attempts in five of their last six contests. I'm confident we'll see them find offensive success here, noting that the Nuggets have allowed 40 or more made field goals in seven straight games and 47+ in two of their last three contests. Offensively, Denver has been inconsistent, largely due to key contributors in and out of the lineup due to 'load management' and otherwise. Here, we find the Nuggets coming off an off day and well-positioned to feast against a non-existent Hornets defense that has allowed seven consecutive opponents to knock down more than 40 field goals. Just last night, the Hornets held the Celtics to 89 field goal attempts but still allowed a whopping 127 points. In fact, Charlotte has given up 114 or more points in seven straight games. The first meeting between these two teams this season reached 'only' 234 total points but that was a situation where Denver was able to 'manage' the game as a -9-point home favorite. Here, I expect the Nuggets to be far more aggressive from the opening tip to the final buzzer in what sets up as a high-scoring affair in Charlotte. Take the over (8*). |
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02-10-23 | Thunder v. Blazers OVER 241.5 | Top | 138-129 | Win | 100 | 12 h 18 m | Show |
Western Conference Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between Oklahoma City and Portland at 10:10 pm et on Friday. While the number may look sizable at first glance, I'm not sure they can set this total high enough. Opponents have been 'filling it up' against both the Thunder and Blazers lately. Oklahoma City checks in having allowed 45 or more made field goals in four of its last five games. Meanwhile, Portland has seen three straight opponents knock down at least 46 field goals. The good news is, both offenses are humming as well. The Thunder have put up 120 points or more in four of their last seven games and have made good on 56, 44 and 49 field goals over their last three games. They're pushing the pace at every opportunity as well, getting off more than 90 field goal attempts in each of their last five contests. It's a similar story for the Blazers. Apart from a brief lull against the Bucks earlier this week, they've knocked down 40 or more field goals in eight of their last nine games overall. While dealing away Josh Hart leaves a bit of a void offensively, that should only mean more shot attempts for the red hot Damian Lillard. You certainly don't get better defensively after dealing away a guy like Hart. You only have to go back two meetings in this series to see the last time Oklahoma City and Portland combined to put up more than 240 total points and four matchups to find the last time they got into the 260's. Take the over (10*). |
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02-09-23 | Bucks v. Lakers OVER 239 | 115-106 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 54 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Milwaukee and Los Angeles at 10 pm et on Thursday. This total is on the rise, and for good reason. The Lakers made a big splash in a three-way trade with the Grizzlies and Timberwolves last night although their reinforcements aren't expected to suit up until Saturday against Golden State. For Thursday, the absence of Russell Westbrook (he's off to Utah) leaves the Lakers in a tougher spot defensively than offensively in my opinion. Westbrook is actually quietly having one of his best defensive seasons even if his offensive performance is brought into question on a regular basis. The Lakers enter this game on a roll offensively having made good on 48, 42, 45 and 49 field goals over their last four games. They should relish the opportunity to push the pace against a Bucks squad that has shown no ability (or interest) in slowing the tempo, allowing 91 or more field goal attempts in five straight games. Of course, the Bucks can score with the best of them. They've knocked down at least 43 field goals in five of their last six games. Here, they'll face a Lakers squad that has allowed 45, 44, 45, 52 and 49 made field goals over their last five games. In the lone previous meeting between these two teams this season we saw a whopping 262 total points scored. While we're dealing with a higher posted total this time around, I believe it's warranted. Take the over (8*). |
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02-09-23 | Bucks v. Lakers +6.5 | Top | 115-106 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 33 m | Show |
Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Los Angeles plus the points over Milwaukee at 10 pm et on Thursday. I'll take a flyer on the Lakers here as they catch a generous helping of points against the Bucks on Thursday night. Everything went right for Milwaukee on Monday as it cruised to a 19-point win over the Blazers in Portland. The Bucks were certainly fortunate that Portland had an off night shooting as the Blazers actually got off 91 field goal attempts in that contest. Milwaukee is still giving up far too many scoring opportunities for my liking, allowing each of its last five opponents to hoist up at least 91 field goal attempts. Here, they'll face a Lakers squad that brings solid offensive form to the table having made good on 48, 42, 45 and 49 field goals over their last four games. Note that the Bucks enter this game off consecutive ATS wins which is notable as they haven't strung together three straight ATS victories since the first week of November. The Bucks are a long-term 113-166 ATS when coming off three or more consecutive straight-up wins, as is the case here. Despite their lopsided win in Portland on Monday, they're still just 14-12 SU on the road this season, where they've been outscored by an average margin of 2.4 points. The Lakers are winless ATS over their last three games. That's their longest ATS losing streak since dropping the cash in five straight games from December 18th to 25th. While they're just 13-13 SU at home this season they've outscored opponents by 2.3 points on average here at Crypto.com Arena. Take Los Angeles (10*). |
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02-09-23 | Nuggets v. Magic +6.5 | 104-115 | Win | 100 | 9 h 28 m | Show | |
My selection is on Orlando plus the points over Denver at 7:10 pm et on Thursday. We got the results we wanted two nights ago to set up this play on Thursday. The Nuggets avenged a loss in Minnesota two nights earlier with a resounding 146-112 win over the Timberwolves at home (they jumped ahead 49-19 after the first quarter) while the Magic dropped a 102-98 loss at home against the surging Knicks. It's important not to disregard the Magic, however, as this is a young team that is learning to win, having notched 10 victories in their last 14 games. Incredibly by today's NBA standards, Orlando has held eight of its last nine opponents to 85 or fewer field goal attempts. On the only occasion where an opponent did get over that number, the Magic still won by seven points in Minnesota. The Magic are coming off a subpar offensive performance against a good Knicks defense two nights ago but it's worth noting they haven't been held to fewer than 40 made field goals in consecutive games since December 3rd and 5th. The Nuggets are likely to re-tool prior to Thursday's trade deadline in an effort to 'keep up with the Joneses' in the Western Conference, which could also help our cause in terms of closing line value here. Here, we'll note that Denver enters this contest having allowed six straight opponents to knock down 40 or more field goals. Remember, when these two teams last met in Denver on January 15th, the Nuggets won by only three points as -10.5-point favorites. Take Orlando (8*). |
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02-08-23 | Wolves v. Jazz OVER 236 | 143-118 | Win | 100 | 11 h 59 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Minnesota and Utah at 9:10 pm et on Wednesday. I'm anticipating a high-scoring track meet between these Northwest Division rivals on Wednesday night. Minnesota got crushed by Denver last night. The lopsided nature of that contest actually helps the Timberwolves cause here as no starter played more than 20 minutes. Here, we'll note that Minnesota has been the picture of consistency offensively, scoring at least 110 points in 16 straight games entering Wednesday's contest. Utah has been held to 108 and 111 points in suffering consecutive losses over its last two games. I'm not one bit worried about the Jazz offense though. They're just two games removed from a 131-point performance in a home win over the Raptors. They've scored at least 120 points in five of their last nine games. Utah has faced Minnesota only twice at full strength (or close to it) this season and scored 132 and 126 points in those two contests (it was missing both Lauri Markannen and Collin Sexton in the other meeting - a 118-108 loss). I think both teams enter this game knowing they'll need to keep their foot on the gas for four quarters in order to secure a win. Take the over (8*). |
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02-08-23 | Pacers +7 v. Heat | 111-116 | Win | 100 | 9 h 18 m | Show | |
My selection is on Indiana plus the points over Miami at 7:40 pm et on Wednesday. We got the result we wanted from the Pacers on Sunday to set up this play as they fell in blowout fashion at home against the Cavs. I don't think Miami has any business laying so many points at home, noting that while it has gone 17-9 on this floor this season, it has only outscored the opposition by an average margin of 1.5 points. This particular series has been as close as it gets in three previous meetings this season, with those three contests decided by a grand total of 10 points, with Indiana winning twice, including a 111-108 victory here in Miami on December 23rd. Here, we'll note that the Pacers are a long-term 54-32 ATS when coming off a home loss against a division opponent, as is the case here. Take Indiana (8*). |
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02-08-23 | Spurs v. Raptors OVER 234 | Top | 98-112 | Loss | -110 | 25 h 0 m | Show |
Non-Conference Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'over' between San Antonio and Toronto at 7:40 pm et on Wednesday. This one has the potential to get ugly fast for the Spurs. However, rather than lay the points with the Raptors, we'll play the 'over' in this spot as I am confident San Antonio can punch back for stretches in this game. The Spurs are the worst defensive team we've seen in the NBA in quite some time. They enter this game in their absolute worst form of the season having allowed six straight and eight of their last nine opponents to knock down at least 46 field goals with five of those foes hitting 50 or more, including their most recent opponent, the Chicago Bulls. On the road this season, they're allowing a ridiculous average of 47 made field goals per game, leading to just north of 125 points per contest. The Raptors enter this game playing fast. They've hoisted up 90 or more field goal attempts in seven of their last eight games. They've made good on 40 or more field goals in 11 straight contests. On the flip side, the Raptors have been doing a good job of slowing their opponents down. I'm just not sure they'll need to given the wealth of scoring opportunities they're likely to have at the offensive end of the floor in this one. Note that Toronto did hold an opponent to fewer than 40 made field goals for the first time in six games on Sunday in Memphis. Of course, that was with the Grizzlies missing a number of key contributors including Ja Morant, not to mention the fact that Memphis got off just 78 field goal attempts in the game (they knocked down 38 of them). Should the pace tick up at all in this one, as I suspect it will, the potential is there for the Spurs to go off offensively. Despite San Antonio's lack of success from a win-loss perspective, it does enter this game having made good on 40 or more field goals in five straight contests and 27 of their last 30 games overall. Note that both of these teams are coming off an off day (two in the case of Toronto) and will also have the day off on Thursday. No reason for either to hold anything back in this one. Take the over (10*). |
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02-07-23 | Thunder +7.5 v. Lakers | 133-130 | Win | 100 | 14 h 30 m | Show | |
My selection is on Oklahoma City plus the points over Los Angeles at 10 pm et on Tuesday. I like the way this bounce-back spot sets up for the Thunder as they come off last night's drubbing at the hands of the Warriors in San Francisco. Keep in mind, Oklahoma City is just one game removed from a 153-point explosion in a rout of the Rockets on Saturday. Being brought back to Earth by the defending champion Warriors might not have been the worst thing for the young Thunder. Los Angeles has been playing some of its best basketball but is in a bit of a tough spot here, returning home following a five-game road trip, noting that it is just 13-12, outscoring opponents by an average margin of only 2.5 points here this season. With no player seeing 30 or more minutes of action last night, I'm not as worried about the back-to-back spot for the Thunder. This is a team that has been outscored by just 3.3 points on average on the road this season and I expect them to respond favorably following last night's blowout defeat. Take Oklahoma City (8*). |
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02-06-23 | Spurs +11 v. Bulls | Top | 104-128 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 18 m | Show |
Underdog Game of the Month. My selection is on San Antonio plus the points over Chicago at 8:10 pm et on Monday. The Bulls are in uncharted territory right now having reeled off four straight home wins (their longest previous home win streak this season lasted only three games). I can't help but feel they're in for a letdown on Monday, however, as they host the lowly Spurs, who haven't tasted victory since January 17th. This one might not be as straight-forward as it looks on paper for Chicago, noting that San Antonio has actually taken two of three meetings in this series going back to last season, including a 129-124 victory as a five-point underdog back in late October. While the Spurs enter this game riding an eight-game losing streak (seven straight losses ATS), they have shown signs of life lately, knocking down 48, 42, 48 and 52 field goals over their last four games. In their last five contests playing with at least a day's rest on the road, they've lost by three in New York, eight and six (in a two-game set) in Memphis, by 20 in Portland and by nine in Los Angeles (against the Lakers). So it's not as if they've been getting their doors blown off away from home. Defensively, San Antonio is arguably the league's worst team and it certainly doesn't head to Chicago in solid form in that regard. With that being said, the Bulls are certainly poised for some regression offensively. Chicago has actually gotten off 81 or fewer field goal attempts in four straight games, but managed to knock down 41 or more of those shots on three occasions over that stretch. I don't think the numbers add up to extended pointspread success. Here, we'll note that the Bulls are a long-term 112-154 ATS when playing at home off consecutive ATS wins. Take San Antonio (10*). |
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02-05-23 | Nuggets v. Wolves UNDER 238.5 | Top | 98-128 | Win | 100 | 12 h 37 m | Show |
Division Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Denver and Minnesota at 7:10 pm et on Sunday. PLEASE NOTE: I released this play in the early morning hours when the total was in the high-230's. With the news of Jokic, Murray and Gordon possibly all sitting for the Nuggets, it has dropped considerably. I do still recommend the play at the current number, albeit with a lower confidence level. We just missed with the 'under' in the Nuggets rout of the Hawks last night but I won't hesitate to go back to the well with the same play as Denver hits the road for a back-to-back spot at Minnesota on Sunday. Last night's game ended a streak of 11 straight games in which the Nuggets held opponents to fewer than 90 field goal attempts. The lopsided nature of that affair against Atlanta certainly contributed to Denver's relatively loose defensive play. 'Fat and happy' off three straight wins, scoring 122 or more points in all three contests, I'm not convinced we'll see a peak offensive performance from Denver again on Sunday. Minnesota will certainly be focused on tightening things up defensively after allowing Orlando to go off for 127 points in an 'upset' home loss on Friday. Prior to that contest, the Timberwolves had seen seven straight games stay 'under' the total and the 'under' remains 18-13 in their home games this season. Take the under (10*). |
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02-04-23 | Hawks v. Nuggets UNDER 234.5 | Top | 108-128 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 44 m | Show |
Non-Conference Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'under' between Atlanta and Denver at 9:10 pm et on Saturday. The Hawks are in a tough spot here, playing the second of back-to-backs and for the third time in the last four nights (in three different cities) as they continue their road trip in the high altitude of Denver on Saturday. Atlanta has been shooting the lights out, knocking down 44 or more field goals in five straight games. It also got off more than 90 field goal attempts in four of those five contests, however, a number I believe it will have a tough time approaching here. The Nuggets check in having held 11 straight opponents to fewer than 90 field goal attempts. They certainly haven't been at their best defensively during their current 3-0 'over' streak, allowing 46, 42 and 43 made field goals but again, I like the spot they catch the Hawks in here. While Atlanta is known for being extremely vulnerable defensively, the addition of Dejounte Murray has certainly helped its cause in that regard this season. The Hawks enter this contest having held eight of their last 11 opponents to fewer than 90 FG attempts. In the back half of their last six back-to-back situations, they've limited their foes to 89, 87, 83, 83, 86 and 83 FG attempts with the 'under' going 4-2 along the way (only one of those games went 'over' the total we're working with tonight). In the first meeting between these two teams this season both sides actually shot exceptionally well (Denver was 45-of-85 and Atlanta was 49-of-88) yet that game still totalled 'only' 226 points. Take the under (10*). |
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02-03-23 | Blazers v. Wizards -4 | Top | 124-116 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 29 m | Show |
Revenge Game of the Month. My selection is on Washington minus the points over Portland at 7:10 pm et on Friday. Both of these teams enter this game red hot ATS, although in the case of the Blazers, getting over the hump in that regard has proven difficult. They're coming off consecutive ATS victories (and four in their last five games) but haven't reeled off three straight ATS wins since December 10th to 14th. In that case, the third ATS win came in a rout of the lowly Spurs. The Wizards check in riding a perfect 6-0 SU and ATS streak. Impressively, the last four wins came on the road. They won by 21 points last time out in San Antonio and that's notable as they've gone 24-11 ATS when coming off a double-digit win over the last three seasons. Note that Washington has held seven of its last nine opponents to 42 or fewer made field goals. While that's not all that impressive on the face of it, keep in mind, seven of those nine opponents got off 90 or more field goal attempts. Here, the Wizards are unlikely to face such a shooting barrage as the Blazers have hoisted up fewer than 90 FG attempts in 11 of their last 12 contests. On the flip side, Portland has proven extremely vulnerable defensively, allowing 11 straight opponents to knock down more than 40 field goals. Not only that but they've had no success (or interest) in slowing their opponents' pace, yielding 90 or more FG attempts in four of their last five contests. While these non-conference matchups sometimes leave teams feeling a little flat, I don't think that will be the case for the Wizards, not after they dropped both meetings in this series last season, including a home loss where they were favored by seven points. Look for revenge-minded Washington to gets its payback here. Take Washington (10*). |
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02-02-23 | Warriors v. Nuggets OVER 232.5 | Top | 117-134 | Win | 100 | 13 h 12 m | Show |
Western Conference Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Golden State and Denver at 9:10 pm et on Thursday. There's little chance we see the likes of Klay Thompson, Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins in this game and that leads to the total sitting in a very reasonable range. Remember, the last time the Warriors rested their stars, they still scored 120 points in an upset win over a good Cavs team in Cleveland earlier this month. There's a good chance we see the Nuggets offense absolutely go off in this one. Denver is in fine form offensively after knocking down 44 and 43 field goals over its last two games, scoring 119 and 122 points in the process. Keep in mind, those were relatively slow-paced affairs. Here, the Nuggets will face a Warriors squad that has allowed 101, 93 and 95 field goal attempts in regulation time over their last three games. Incredibly, nine straight Golden State opponents have knocked down at least 42 field goals in regulation time. You would have to go back 16 games, all the way to December 28th, to find the last time the Warriors held an opponent to fewer than 40 made field goals. As I mentioned, Golden State is likely to give a number of its key contributors the night off, probably not the worst thing after Thompson and Curry combined to shoot 11-for-34 in last night's overtime loss in Minnesota (we won with the Timberwolves in that game). That game did manage to stay 'under' the total, which is notable as the Warriors haven't posted consecutive 'under' results since a four-game streak from December 25th to 30th. Take the over (10*). |
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02-01-23 | Warriors v. Wolves +3.5 | 114-119 | Win | 100 | 23 h 36 m | Show | |
My selection is on Minnesota plus the points over Golden State at 8:10 pm et on Wednesday. I'll back the revenge-minded T'Wolves on Wednesday as they look to get back at the Warriors after dropping the first meeting of the season by 23 points back in late November. Minnesota checks in off a loss in the second game of a two-game set with the Kings. Sacramento made the necessary adjustments after dropping the opener, knocking down a whopping 47 field goals in a 118-111 win on Monday. Prior to that, the T'Wolves had held three consecutive opponents to 38 or fewer made field goals. On the flip side, Minnesota enters this game having knocked down 40 or more field goals in five straight and 11 of its last 12 games overall. It's a similar story for Golden State offensively, but at the other end of the floor, it has struggled. The Warriors have yielded 42 or more made field goals in eight straight games and 40+ in 14 consecutive contests. Here, we'll note that Golden State is just 17-30 ATS when playing on the road off a win over the last two seasons, as is the case here, outscored by an average margin of 3.4 points in that situation. Take Minnesota (8*). |
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01-31-23 | Heat v. Cavs -5 | 100-97 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 42 m | Show | |
My selection is on Cleveland minus the points over Miami at 7:10 pm et on Tuesday. The Heat were playing with a thin margin for error during their recent three-game winning streak. They got off a combined 38 more field goal attempts than the opposition over that stretch, yet still only won those three contests by a grand total of 12 points. Perhaps not surprisingly, they got caught by the Hornets on Sunday, still getting off 10 more field goal attempts than Charlotte but falling by five points. Now Miami, with its woeful 19-30-2 ATS record, heads to Cleveland to face a Cavs squad that just welcomed back Donovan Mitchell and rolled to a 122-99 win over the Clippers last time out. Cleveland has now scored 100 points or more in 13 straight games which is an accomplishment when you consider the fairly deliberate pace they tend to play at. The Cavs have knocked down 40 or more field goals in six of their last seven games despite hoisting up 88 or fewer field goal attempts in all seven of those contests. On the flip side, few teams do it better defensively, with Cleveland having limited five straight opponents to 40 or fewer made field goals. The Heat can of course play some elite defense as well, I'm just not convinced their offense will be along for the ride on Tuesday. Here, we'll note that the Cavs are 27-14 ATS when coming off a double-digit win over the last two seasons. Better still, they're 18-7 ATS when following up a double-digit home victory, outscoring the opposition by an average margin of 6.8 points in that situation. Take Cleveland (8*). |
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01-30-23 | Magic +10.5 v. 76ers | 119-109 | Win | 100 | 11 h 54 m | Show | |
My selection is on Orlando plus the points over Philadelphia at 7:10 pm et on Monday. We won with the Magic on Friday in Miami and then got the result we wanted in a lopsided loss to the Bulls on Saturday, setting Orlando up as a significant underdog against the red hot 76ers on Monday. The Magic had a tough night at the office against the Bulls on Saturday, not all that surprising as they were in a back-to-back and three-in-four situation and it showed as they allowed Chicago to knock down 48-of-81 field goal attempts. Here, I'm confident we'll see Orlando rebound, noting that it remains a terrific 7-2 ATS over its last nine games. Philadelphia has reeled off seven straight wins, however, I do think it could prove difficult to get up for this Monday night affair, noting that it has won 10 straight matchups in this series. The 76ers have incredibly shot better than 50% from the field in six straight games. That's masked the fact that they've struggled to contain opposing offenses, allowing 43 or more made field goals in six of their last eight contests, despite seven of those opponents getting off 87 or fewer field goal attempts. Take Orlando (8*). |
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01-29-23 | Pelicans v. Bucks UNDER 235 | 110-135 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 42 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between New Orleans and Milwaukee at 8:10 pm et on Sunday. The Pelicans enter this game on the heels of four consecutive 'under' results, not to mention seven straight losses. Based on the way they're playing right now, I think it's tough for any of their games to get well into the 230's. Note that New Orleans has held five straight opponents to 88 or fewer field goal attempts. You would have to go back six games to find the last time one of its opponents knocked down more than 40 field goals as well. The Bucks shot the lights out against Indiana on Friday, not surprising as the Pacers are down bad with stopper Tyrese Haliburton out of the lineup. Milwaukee has gotten into the 90's in terms of field goal attempts three times in its last eight games. Two of those games came against the aforementioned Pacers and the other was against the Pistons. Here, I expect the Pelicans to offer more resistance at the very least. From an offensive standpoint, New Orleans has been held to fewer than 40 made field goals in four straight and six of its last seven games overall. They've gotten more than 90 field goal attempts only twice in their last nine contests and scored just 110 and 103 points in those two affairs. Here, we'll note that the 'under' is a perfect 8-0 with the Pelicans playing on the road off three or more consecutive losses over the last two seasons, leading to an average total of just 203.8 points in that situation. Take the under (8*). |
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01-29-23 | Pelicans +10.5 v. Bucks | 110-135 | Loss | -115 | 12 h 33 m | Show | |
My selection is on New Orleans plus the points over Milwaukee at 8:10 pm et on Sunday. These teams are clearly heading in opposite directions right now with the Pelicans having lost seven games in a row and the Bucks having won five of their last six contests. With that being said, I expect New Orleans to give Milwaukee a run on Sunday night. Based on the way the Pelicans are playing right now, it's not easy to beat them by a considerable margin. Three of their last four losses have come by single-digits while the other came by 10 points (last night against Washington - a game where Jonas Valanciunas was ejected early). New Orleans has held five straight opponents to 88 or fewer field goal attempts. You would have to go back six games to find the last time one of its opponents made good on more than 40 field goals. Offensively, the Pelicans have sputtered, still missing Zion Williamson while Brandon Ingram is being eased back from injury. They should at least be given plenty of opportunities here, as the Bucks have allowed 14 of their last 16 opponents to get off at least 87 FG attempts. All told, Milwaukee has covered the spread in four of its last eight games overall. Of those ATS wins, only two came by more than 10 points. Also note that they shot the lights out in all four spread-covering victories (52% or better from the field). I think we see the Pelicans offer some resistance here. Take New Orleans (8*). |
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01-28-23 | Nuggets v. 76ers UNDER 231.5 | 119-126 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 32 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Denver and Philadelphia at 3:10 pm et on Saturday. The 76ers have been on an incredible run of 'over' results over the last month-plus but I'm not sure it's sustainable. Note that Philadelphia has now held five straight opponents to 87 or fewer field goal attempts. Last time out, the 76ers limited the Nets to only 76 field goal attempts but Brooklyn shot the lights out and the result was a game that totalled a ridiculous 270 points. Philadelphia is just one game removed from knocking down 49 field goals in a win over the defensively-challenged Kings in Sacramento. Apart from that, the Sixers have been held to 43 or fewer made field goals in six of their last seven games and 40 or less on three occasions over that stretch. The Nuggets have reeled off three straight 'under' results, most recently resting a number of starters in a tight game in Milwaukee. Denver has now held eight consecutive opponents to fewer than 90 field goal attempts. You would have to go back five games to find the last time the Nuggets allowed an opponent to knock down more than 40 field goals. On the flip side, Denver is suddenly laboring offensively, making good on just 36, 39 and 38 field goals over its last three contests. The Nuggets did hoist up 97 FG attempts in that loss in Milwaukee on Wednesday but that was largely due to the fact they were missing the production of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, forcing them to push the pace in an effort to keep up with the Bucks. That marked the first time in nine games Denver had gotten off 90+ FG attempts. Take the under (8*). |
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01-27-23 | Magic +7.5 v. Heat | Top | 105-110 | Win | 100 | 13 h 52 m | Show |
Division Game of the Month. My selection is on Orlando plus the points over Miami at 8:10 pm et on Friday. The Heat enter this game off consecutive wins but both of those games could have gone either way as they beat the Pelicans by four and the Celtics by three. I can't help but feel they're in for a letdown off the big win over the Celtics on Tuesday (they were without Jimmy Butler in that game). The pace alone in Miami's recent contests makes grabbing a generous helping of points an attractive proposition. The Heat's last three games have seen a total of 149, 158 and 168 field goal attempts. Miami checks in having knocked down 33, 35 and 34 field goals over that stretch. In stark contrast, Orlando is as healthy as it has been all season and it shows - at least offensively. The Magic have made good on 40 or more field goals in eight of their last nine games - the lone outlier came in a contest where they still scored 123 points in a double-digit win over New Orleans. Yes, Orlando has gone an ugly 6-17 SU on the road this season but it is a far more respectable 11-11-1 ATS. Compare that with the Heat, who are 16-9 SU but just 8-15-2 ATS on their home floor. When you break down the numbers, the Heat actually don't hold much of an advantage at all in this matchup. Orlando has knocked down one less field goal per game on the road compared to Miami at home, but has done so on two fewer field goal attempts on average. At the other end of the floor, the Magic yield two more made field goals per game on the road compared to the Heat at home, but do so on four additional FG attempts given up per contest. Finally, we'll note that the Heat are a woeful 4-14 ATS when coming off an ATS victory this season, as is the case here, outscored by an average margin of 3.8 points in that situation. They're also just 5-15 ATS when following up consecutive home wins over the last two seasons, outscored by 1.5 points on average in that spot. Take Orlando (10*). |
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01-26-23 | Cavs v. Rockets OVER 221 | 113-95 | Loss | -113 | 11 h 17 m | Show | |
My selection is on the ‘over’ between Cleveland and Houston at 8:10 pm et on Thursday. The Rockets were involved in a relatively low-scoring game against the Wizards last night. Regardless whether Donovan Mitchell is able to go for the Cavaliers (he re-injured his groin on Tuesday in New York) I still expect Cleveland to go off offensively in this one. The Rockets were fortunate the Wizards couldn’t make the most of their scoring opportunities last night or the result would have been far more lopsided. Houston allowed a whopping 98 field goal attempts in that contest. The Rockets have allowed four of their last five opponents to get off 91 or more field goal attempts. Meanwhile, Cleveland has hoisted up 87 or fewer FG attempts in four straight games. In spite of that it has knocked down 40 or more field goals in each of those four contests. Defensively, the Cavs are terrific but they do face a Rockets squad that has made good on 42 or more field goals in four of its last five games. I do think we see Cleveland suffer a bit of a letdown defensively here after going against Memphis, Golden State, Milwaukee and New York in consecutive games. Take the over (8*). |
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01-25-23 | Nuggets +8 v. Bucks | Top | 99-107 | Push | 0 | 11 h 38 m | Show |
Underdog Game of the Month. My selection is on Denver plus the points over Milwaukee at 8:10 pm et on Wednesday. I understand the logic behind the Nuggets being substantial underdogs here. After all, the Nuggets are in a back-to-back spot, on the road, while the Bucks return home after putting up a ridculous 150 points in a win over the Pistons two nights ago. They're not all that flashy by any means but the Nuggets have won an incredible 20 of their last 24 games. Based on the style Denver is employing right now, it's going to be tough for anyone to beat it by a considerable margin. The Nuggets have held seven straight opponents to fewer than 90 field goal attempts. They've limited 11 consecutive opponents to 42 or fewer made field goals. While Denver has made good on only 36 and 39 field goals in its last two contests that had a lot to do with the snail's pace those two games were played at. Here, they'll have a chance to get loose against a Bucks squad that has allowed their last six opponents to knock down 42, 45, 43, 46, 48 and 43 field goals, going a modest 3-2-1 ATS over that stretch. Yes, Giannis Antetokounmpo just returned two nights ago but this is a team that has figured out how to win without him in recent years. Here, Milwaukee will be missing an underrated contributor in Bobby Portis after he suffered a knee injury. Note that the Bucks are just 29-48 ATS when returning home off a road win over a division opponent going all the way back to 1996. Take Denver (10*). |
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01-24-23 | Wizards v. Mavs OVER 224.5 | Top | 127-126 | Win | 100 | 10 h 19 m | Show |
Non-Conference Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between Washington and Dallas at 8:40 pm et on Tuesday. I think we see a 'slingshot' effect from the Mavericks offensively after they were held down by the Clippers last time out. In fact, Dallas is coming off consecutive low-scoring, slow-paced games against Miami and Los Angeles. I expect nothing of the sort here as the Mavs host the Wizards on Tuesday. Yes, Washington will be without Kristaps Porzingis and just dealt Rui Hachimura to the Lakers after he poured in 30 points last time out. I still anticipate the Wizards pushing the pace here, noting they've knocked down 42, 42 and 51 field goals over their last three games and have hoisted up 93 or more field goal attempts in three of their last four contests. On the flip side, Washington has had no success (or interest) in slowing its opponents' pace, allowing nine of its last 10 opponents to get off 90 or more field goal attempts. You would have to go back nine games to find the last time the Wiz held an opponent to fewer than 40 made field goals. While Dallas held up well defensively in its last two games, it is still sorely missing the presence of Christian Wood on the inside and the blowout nature of those last two contests likely contributed to keeping the pace down. Note that prior to those two contests, the Mavs had allowed 44, 49, 43 and 49 made field goals over their last four games. Here, we'll note that the 'over' is 22-11 with the Wizards coming off two wins in their last three games over the last two seasons, as is the case here. Meanwhile, the 'over' is 15-7 with Dallas coming off a loss this season, leading to an average total of 231.0 points in that situation. Take the over (10*). |
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01-23-23 | Grizzlies -1 v. Kings | 100-133 | Loss | -110 | 15 h 8 m | Show | |
My selection is on Memphis minus the points over Sacramento at 10:40 pm et on Monday. While the Grizzlies staged an incredible second half comeback, they still fell short in Phoenix last night, marking their second straight loss to open their current road trip. I do like their chances of getting back in the win column as they head to Sacramento to face the Kings, who just lost for the first time in seven games on Saturday against Philadelphia. Despite last night's undesirable result, Memphis continues to play terrific defensive basketball, holding four of its last five opponents to fewer than 40 made field goals. It's a much different story for the Kings as they've allowed nine consecutive opponents to knock down more than 40 field goals. To find the last nine times the Grizzlies have allowed the opposition to eclipse that number in that department you would have to go all the way back to November 18th. Offensively, both teams have been thriving. Despite the dreadful start they got off to last night, the Grizzlies still managed to connect on 40 or more field goals for the 13th straight game. Here, we'll note that Memphis is a perfect 8-0 ATS when coming off consecutive road losses over the last three seasons, outscoring opponents by an incredible average margin of 14.0 points in that situation. The Grizz are also 13-3 ATS after losing three of their last four games ATS over the last two seasons, as is the case here, outscoring the opposition by 15.3 points on average in that spot. Take Memphis (8*). |
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01-23-23 | Hawks v. Bulls -1 | Top | 100-111 | Win | 100 | 12 h 24 m | Show |
Eastern Conference Game of the Week. My selection is on Chicago minus the points over Atlanta at 8:10 pm et on Monday. Having strung together consecutive wins - as healthy as they've been in a quite a while with both Zach Lavine and Demar Derozan available - and with each of their next four games coming against Eastern Conference opponents, this is where the Bulls need to get on a run if they want to put themselves in good position to reach the playoffs (they currently sit in 10th place in the conference). Tonight's opponent, the Hawks, are one of the teams Chicago is looking up at in the Eastern Conference standings. I like what I've seen from the Bulls lately. Save for a poor showing against the red hot Thunder, they've held four of their last five opponents to 41 or fewer made field goals and have certainly rounded into form offensively, knocking down 48 and 50 field goals themselves over their last two contests. The Hawks have also been hot offensively but their defensive play has left a lot to be desired. Atlanta checks in having allowed its last four opponents to make good on 43, 44, 49 and 45 field goals. Keep in mind, the Hawks are just 11-13 on the road this season, where they've been outscored by an average margin of 2.0 points per contest. The Bulls check in 12-10 at the United Center, outscoring the opposition by 1.7 points on average. To find the last time Atlanta won a game here in Chicago, you would have to go back to December of 2020. Take Chicago (10*). |
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01-22-23 | Grizzlies -8.5 v. Suns | Top | 110-112 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 43 m | Show |
Western Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Memphis minus the points over Phoenix at 8:10 pm et on Sunday. We just saw this matchup on Monday as the Grizzlies rolled to a 30-point home victory. While the Suns would certainly like to get some quick revenge here at home, I don't feel they're well-positioned to do so. Note that Phoenix has been getting healthier with Cam Johnson returning this past Thursday. In fact, the Suns have now won consecutive games after posting a five-point victory against the Pacers last night. But now they're in a tough back-to-back spot with a number of key contributors questionable to play due to injury management or otherwise. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are just one day removed from a tough one-point loss against the Lakers in Los Angeles. They remain locked-in defensively, having held three of their last four opponents to fewer than 40 made field goals. On the flip side, the Grizz continue to roll along offensively, making good on an incredible 43 or more field goals in 12 consecutive games. In fact, their 43-for-102 shooting performance against the Lakers on Friday was their low-water mark going all the way back to December 27th. The Suns have been lagging defensively. Prior to last night they had allowed their last four opponents to knock down 48, 47, 52 and 43 field goals. Last night's opponent, the Pacers, quite simply had an off night shooting as they actually got off a whopping 96 field goal attempts but only knocked down 36 of them. Usually stingy defensively when full strength, Phoenix has now allowed four of its last six opponents to get off 90 or more FG attempts. I expect the Grizzlies to take advantage on Sunday. Take Memphis (10*). |
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01-21-23 | Bucks v. Cavs -1.5 | Top | 102-114 | Win | 100 | 10 h 14 m | Show |
Central Division Game of the Month. My selection is on Cleveland minus the points over Milwaukee at 7:40 pm et on Saturday. There's still a cloud of uncertainty around the status of the stars of both of these teams with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Donovan Mitchell questionable to play in Saturday's fourth meeting of the season. It sounds like there's a better chance that Giannis will return than Mitchell but regardless, I like the way this spot sets up for the Cavs at home. Cleveland fell in stunning fashion against a Warriors squad that was resting its stars last night. Needless to say, I think the Cavs took a win for granted given the undermanned nature of the Warriors in that one. I don't expect Cleveland to have any trouble regrouping for a visit from one of the NBA's elite teams in the Bucks. Milwaukee is coming off consecutive near-perfect offensive showings in wins over the Pacers and Raptors at home. Lost in the Bucks recent offensive success is the fact that their defensive play hasn't been up to par. They've allowed their last four opponents to knock down 42, 45, 43 and 46 field goals. They've also had little success (or interest) in slowing their opponents' pace, yielding 92 or more field goal attempts in nine of their last 12 contests. Meanwhile, the Cavs have limited seven of their last nine opponents to 86 or fewer field goal attempts. They're allowing just 39 made field goals per contest at home this season, a big reason they've gone 19-5 SU and 16-8 ATS here in Cleveland. Take Cleveland (10*). |
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01-20-23 | Nets v. Jazz -6.5 | 117-106 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 9 m | Show | |
My selection is on Utah minus the points over Brooklyn at 9:10 pm et on Friday. There's always a risk of looking foolish when backing a team one night, losing, and then fading them the next night. I'm not afraid to admit when I'm wrong, however, and I was off the mark with the Nets last night in Phoenix. That was an ideal bounce-back spot for Brooklyn after an embarrassing loss in San Antonio to open its current road trip (we did win with the 'under' in that game). What we saw, though, was a rather listless performance from the Nets, falling behind by 20 points before staging a 'false rally' in the fourth quarter to make the final score more respectable than it otherwise would have been. The Nets got about as much as they could expect from Kyrie Irving as he played through a calf injury, scoring 30 points in the loss. Curiously, Irving played 38 minutes in what was a lopsided affair most of the way. Utah checks in off a blowout win over the Clippers two nights ago. Lauri Markkanen continued his red hot tear to pace the Jazz offense on that night. Utah is now 4-1 SU in its last five games and riding a three-game ATS winning streak. While it has been red hot offensively, knocking down 43 or more field goals in six of its last eight games, it has also seemingly righted the ship defensively, holding four of its last five opponents to 42 or fewer made field goals. The Nets have been hanging tough defensively but offensively they're just not the same without Kevin Durant in the lineup. Last night marked the first time in six games that they eclipsed the 40 field goal mark and that was only thanks to the Suns letting down their guard leading by 20 points entering the fourth quarter. If the Nets aren't shooting the lights out, it's a struggle to put up a lot of points as they average just 84 field goal attempts per game this season. The Jazz average five more field goal attempts per contest by comparison, and eight additional tries per game from beyond the arc. Take Utah (8*). |
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01-19-23 | Nets -1 v. Suns | Top | 112-117 | Loss | -110 | 15 h 35 m | Show |
Revenge Game of the Month. My selection is on Brooklyn minus the points over Phoenix at 10 pm et on Thursday. The Nets are fresh off an embarrassing loss in San Antonio two nights ago (we won with the 'under' in that game). That marked their third straight loss although perhaps it was to be expected with Kyrie Irving sidelined (remember Kevin Durant is on the shelf as well). Kyrie is expected to return from that one-game absence on Thursday. The Suns will likely have Cam Johnson back and it sounds like there's an outside chance that Chris Paul could be back in the lineup as well. I simply see a Phoenix squad that is completely out of sorts right now, and will likely remain that way until its regulars get back up to speed. Note that the Suns have been torched for 48, 47 and 52 made field goals over their last three games. While they had been at least limiting their opponents' pace for a stretch, they've now allowed three of their last four foes to get off at least 90 field goal attempts. It's a much different story for Brooklyn. It has held five straight opponents to 41 or fewer made field goals and three of its last five to 38 or less. Offensively, it's been a grind without KD in the lineup but I expect scoring opportunities to be in abundance against a listless Suns defense on Thursday. Note that Phoenix took both meetings between these two teams last season. Look for the revenge-minded Nets to rebound here, noting they've gone 25-10 ATS when playing on the road following an ATS loss over the last two seasons, outscoring opponents by 5.0 points on average in that situation. Take Brooklyn (10*). |
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01-18-23 | Wizards v. Knicks UNDER 222 | Top | 116-105 | Win | 100 | 12 h 4 m | Show |
Conference Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'under' between Washington and New York at 7:40 pm et on Wednesday. While both of these teams are coming off 'over' results on Monday, it's still been a bit of a grind offensively of late. Monday's game marked the first time in three contests the Wizards managed to knock down more than 38 field goals. Playing against the Warriors - a team that often plays at a break-neck pace - certainly helped their cause. All told, Washington has topped out at 42 field goals or less in six straight games, yet the 'over' has inexplicably gone 5-1 over that stretch. I do expect things to level out in that regard, at least in the short-term. The Knicks have knocked down 42 or fewer field goals in six consecutive games as well, and only got to that number thanks to overtime last time out against Toronto. New York has quietly been locked-in defensively, limiting seven of its last nine opponents to fewer than 40 made field goals. It held this same Washington squad to 36-of-92 shooting just last week. While last week's matchup did find its way 'over' the total, it didn't eclipse the number we're dealing with tonight (at the time of writing). It's worth noting that we haven't seen consecutive 'over' results in this series since back in 2018 - that goes back a whopping 17 matchups. Take the under (10*). |
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01-17-23 | Nets v. Spurs UNDER 235 | Top | 98-106 | Win | 100 | 13 h 45 m | Show |
Non-Conference Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Brooklyn and San Antonio at 8:10 pm et on Tuesday. This Nets team is just not the same without Kevin Durant on the floor. I realize that's a major understatement and fairly obvious to even the most casual NBA observer. But it's worth noting as we work with a total in the mid-230's with the Nets having just come off a winless two-game homestand that saw them struggle mightily from an offensive standpoint, knocking down just 38 and 39 field goals while scoring 98 and 102 points. The Spurs are of course one of, not the league's worst defensive team. With that being said, I do think they're better than they've shown in their last three games, allowing 135, 144 and 132 points against three teams that love to push the pace in the Grizzlies, Warriors and Kings over that stretch. While the Nets offense has regressed without Durant, their defense has held strong, limiting four straight opponents to 41 or fewer made field goals heading into this contest. In fact, the 'under' has cashed in each of their last five games. When these teams last met in Brooklyn on January 2nd, it was no contest as the Nets rolled to a 139-103 victory. Keep in mind, Kevin Durant paced Brooklyn's offense on that night, recording a double-double with 25 points and 11 assists. Here, we'll note that the 'under' is 130-106 with the Spurs playing at home off consecutive ATS losses under head coach Gregg Popovich. Interestingly, the 'under' is 26-12 with Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn's teams playing on the road after losing four or five of their last six games ATS as well. Take the under (10*). |
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01-16-23 | Pacers v. Bucks OVER 228.5 | 119-132 | Win | 100 | 7 h 45 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Indiana and Milwaukee at 2:40 pm et on Monday. The Bucks have seen the 'under' cash in four straight games entering Monday's matinee affair against the down-trodden Pacers in Milwaukee. The wheels came off for Indiana defensively in Saturday's 130-112 home loss against the Grizzlies. Tyrese Haliburton is of course sidelined indefinitely for the Pacers and that hurts them defensively more than anything else. Indiana has zero answers for the Grizzlies offense on Saturday and will be hard-pressed to bounce back in this tough road matchup against a Bucks team fresh off a two-game sweep at the hands of the Heat in Miami (with Giannis Antetokounmpo set to return from a two-game absence on Monday). We know the Pacers will continue to force the issue offensively, noting they've hoisted up 101 and 103 field goal attempts in their last two games. The Bucks have done little to slow opposing up-tempo offenses this season, entering Monday's contest having yielded 92 or more field goal attempts to eight of their last 10 opponents. Milwaukee has proven to be a much stronger offensive team at home compared to on the road this season, averaging 43-of-90 shooting and just north of 117 points per game on its home floor, with the 'over' cashing at a 14-7 clip. Here, we'll note that the 'over' is 20-8 with the Pacers coming off a loss by 15 or more points over the last three seasons, resulting in an average total of 235.5 points in that spot. Take the over (8*). |
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01-15-23 | Thunder +4.5 v. Nets | 112-102 | Win | 100 | 9 h 50 m | Show | |
My selection is on Oklahoma City plus the points over Brooklyn at 6:10 pm et on Sunday. It's going to take quite an effort to derail the Thunder given how they've been playing on this road trip. They check in off five straight ATS wins, knocking down 44 or more field goals in all five contests. In the same vein, they've held five straight opponents to fewer than 40 made field goals. Meanwhile, the Nets are adjusting to life without Kevin Durant once again. They've made good on 39 or fewer field goals in three straight games. While Brooklyn owns the better overall record this season, Oklahoma City has been the far better bet, going 27-16 ATS. Having won by 21 points on this floor last January there's no intimidation factor at play. Take Oklahoma City (8*). |
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01-14-23 | Celtics v. Hornets +8 | 122-106 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 59 m | Show | |
My selection is on Charlotte plus the points over Boston at 7:10 pm et on Saturday. I see this as an incredibly difficult spot for the Celtics to get up for as they look for their sixth straight victory after opening this road trip with a double-digit win in Brooklyn on Thursday. Keep in mind, Boston already took the first meeting between these two teams by a whopping 35 points back in late November. It catches Charlotte on a three-game losing streak and a woeful 1-6 SU over its last seven games. The Hornets actually haven't covered a spread in four games - the last time they did we were on board as they pulled off a stunning blowout win over the Bucks in Milwaukee. In stark contrast to the C's, the Hornets should have no trouble at all getting up for this front half of a two-game home set against Boston. Note that they'll be looking to avenge three straight losses suffered at the hands of the C's. While Boston is a long-term 87-119 ATS when coming off a road victory by 10 points or more, Charlotte is 199-156 ATS after losing at least two games in a row ATS. Noting that the Celtics are now without Jaylen Brown as he deals with an injury while the Hornets were without LaMelo Ball the last time these two teams squared off in November, I think we see a game that's closer than expected on Saturday. Take Charlotte (8*). |
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01-14-23 | Bucks +1.5 v. Heat | 95-111 | Loss | -115 | 15 h 42 m | Show | |
My selection is on Milwaukee plus the points over Miami at 1:10 pm et on Saturday. The Bucks dropped the front half of this two-game set in Miami on Thursday in what was essentially a throw-away game as they sat Giannis Antetokounmpo among others in an eventual six-point loss. That was a back-to-back situation off a win in Atlanta the night previous (which marked their second straight victory to open their current road trip). It should be a different story on Saturday as the Bucks look to take this opportunity to get right back at the Heat, who haven't won more than two games in a row since a four-game winning streak (that included victories over the lowly Rockets and Spurs) back in mid-December. Take Milwaukee (8*). |
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01-13-23 | Thunder v. Bulls -4.5 | Top | 124-110 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 30 m | Show |
Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Chicago minus the points over Oklahoma City at 8:10 pm et on Friday. The Thunder exercised some demons against the 76ers in Philadelphia last night, winning in convincing, blowout fashion as a considerable underdog (we won with Oklahoma City in that game as well). Here, I believe they'll be hard-pressed to duplicate that effort as they play the second of back-to-back nights against the Bulls in Chicago. Chicago is fresh off a 100-97 loss in Washington two nights ago to wrap up a brief 0-2 road trip. A return home should help the Bulls cause, noting that they're 11-9 SU at the United Center and will be looking for their third straight victory in the Windy City on Friday. Of course, the Bulls will likely be without Demar Derozan for a second straight game after he exited Monday's loss in Boston with an injured quad muscle. Zach Lavine suffered a hand contusion in Wednesday's loss in Washington but is expected to be good to go on Friday. While I'm certainly not banking on it, I do think this could be a 'load management' spot for Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in a back-to-back situation. He has suited up for two back-to-backs previously this season but sat out the front half of the team's most recent two-game in two-night set on January 3rd. Note that the Thunder will be playing their seventh game in the last 11 nights, in five different cities on Friday night. While Oklahoma City did prevail last night in Philadelphia, that win snapped a six-game road losing streak. The Thunder are just 6-14 SU away from home this season. Also note that they're a miserable 3-14 ATS when coming off four or five wins in their last six games over the last three seasons, as is the case here, outscored by an average margin of 12.7 points in that situation. The Bulls are a long-term 121-90 ATS when coming off consecutive road losses. Take Chicago (10*). |
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01-12-23 | Mavs -3 v. Lakers | 119-115 | Win | 100 | 12 h 38 m | Show | |
My selection is on Dallas minus the points over Los Angeles at 10 pm et on Thursday. While the Lakers check in 5-1 over their last six games, I can't help but feel another slide is right around the corner. Their recent five-game winning streak had everything to do with their red hot shooting. They caught fire for a week or so but couldn't keep it going last time out as they connected on just 44% of their field goal attempts in a double-digit loss in Denver. I expect to see some carry-over effect from that poor performance here. Dallas checks in off consecutive losses, both SU and ATS, to open its current five-game road trip. No team wants to go winless in its two-game stop-over in Los Angeles, especially given the current vulnerable state of both the Clippers and Lakers. Here, we'll note that the Mavericks are 11-2 ATS when playing on the road off an upset loss away from home over the last three seasons. Dallas has outscored the opposition by an impressive average margin of 13.0 points in that situation. The Lakers continue to give up way too many easy buckets, having allowed 42 or more made field goals in an incredible 13 consecutive games. In stark contrast, Dallas has allowed just four of its last 10 opponents to knock down 42 or more field goals. Take Dallas (8*). |
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01-12-23 | Bucks v. Heat -2.5 | Top | 102-108 | Win | 100 | 10 h 51 m | Show |
Eastern Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Miami minus the points over Milwaukee at 7:40 pm et on Thursday. This is a classic fade spot for the Heat as they play the second of back-to-back nights off a win in Atlanta last night. In fact, Milwaukee will be looking for third straight win to open its current road trip. However, in a back-to-back spot and knowing it will have another shot at the Heat here in South Beach on Saturday, I'm not convinced we see the Bucks best effort on Thursday. Miami was undermanned but prevailed by a single point against Oklahoma City two nights ago. Here, the Heat should have Bam Adebayo back on the floor as they look to secure a second straight victory. Despite the ATS loss against the Thunder, the Heat remain a solid 6-3 ATS over their last nine contests. They're just 6-14 ATS at home this season, laying inflated numbers on most nights, but that's not the case here. At the very least, the Heat have managed to outscore the opposition by 0.3 points on average on their home floor (which is more than can be said about the Bucks on the road, as you'll read below). Milwaukee has been a better bet on the road than the Heat have been at home, but it still just 8-10 ATS on the highway, where it has been outscored by an average margin of 3.8 points. Note that Milwaukee has gone a woeful 21-37 ATS after winning four of its last five games over the last three seasons, as is the case here. Take Miami (10*). |
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01-11-23 | Pelicans +9.5 v. Celtics | 114-125 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 56 m | Show | |
My selection is on New Orleans plus the points over Boston at 7:40 pm et on Wednesday. While most expected the Pelicans to take a nose-dive without Zion Williamson, that hasn't necessarily been the case. There was the 'shock to the system' game immediately following the Zion injury as the Pelicans fell by 15 points in Memphis. However, since then, they've lost by nine points against the red hot 76ers, won by 11 vs. Houston, lost by only six against the blistering Nets, lost by 10 against the Mavs in Dallas and most recently rolled to a 25-point rout of the Wizards. In other words, blowout losses have been few and far between. The Celtics aren't exactly setting the world on fire right now, in fact they're just 1-5 ATS over their last six games. This is actually a triple-revenge spot for the Pelicans as they've dropped all three meetings with the Celtics since the start of last season, including a 117-109 loss back in November. Here, we'll note that New Orleans is a solid 24-10 ATS after losing four or five of its last six games ATS over the last two seasons, as is the case here, outscoring opponents by 3.1 points on average in that situation. Take New Orleans (8*). |
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01-10-23 | Pistons v. 76ers UNDER 229.5 | Top | 116-147 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 21 m | Show |
Eastern Conference Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'under' between Detroit and Philadelphia at 7:10 pm et on Tuesday. These two teams were just involved in a relatively high-scoring affair two nights ago as the 76ers rolled to a 123-111 win in Detroit. That's been the norm for the Sixers lately as they enter this game riding a four-game 'over' streak (which matches a season-high). With both teams playing their fifth game in five nights, I believe both would prefer a slower-paced affair in Tuesday's rematch. The Pistons quietly shot the lights out in Sunday's contest, knocking down 44-of-87 field goal attempts. I don't anticipate a repeat performance with the scene shifting to Philadelphia, noting the 76ers are allowing just 40 made field goals per game on average at home this season. In a similar vein, the Pistons are making good on just 39 field goals per contest on the road this season. Philadelphia knocked down 46-of-94 field goal attempts on Sunday. The 76ers have been pushing the pace lately, getting off 98, 92 and 94 FG attempts in their last three games. I just don't see that being a sustainable trend, noting that Philadelphia averages just 85 FG attempts per contest this season, with that number rising only slightly to 86 here at home. Take the under (10*). |
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01-07-23 | Pelicans v. Mavs -7 | 117-127 | Win | 100 | 12 h 39 m | Show | |
My selection is on Dallas minus the points over New Orleans at 8:10 pm et on Saturday. I like the bounce-back spot for the Mavericks against the Zion-less Pelicans here, with the latter finding themselves in a difficult back-to-back situation off last night's six-point home loss to the Nets. New Orleans has cooled off considerably following a hot start to the campaign, going just 5-8 ATS over its last 13 contests. The Mavs have dropped the cash in three straight games heading in and got blown out by the Celtics on their home floor two nights ago. I look for them to turn the tide here, noting that they're 23-11 ATS when playing at home after scoring 105 points or less in their last game over the last three seasons, as is the case here, outscoring the opposition buy 9.8 points on average in that spot. Take Dallas (8*). |
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01-06-23 | Heat v. Suns +1.5 | 104-96 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 30 m | Show | |
My selection is on Phoenix minus the points over Miami at 10:10 pm et on Friday. I believe this is a 'wrong team favored' situation as the Heat head to Phoenix on Friday night. Miami had its brief two-game winning streak snapped at the hands of the Lakers in Los Angeles two nights ago. Here, they'll face a desperate Suns squad that has lost four straight and seven of their last eight games overall. I do think Phoenix carries some confidence into this game as it gave Cleveland all it could handle in a 90-88 road loss two nights ago. The Suns have gone back to work defensively, holding four straight opponents to 82 or fewer field goal attempts and their last two foes to just 36 and 30 made field goals. Phoenix has undoubtedly had this rematch with Miami circled on its calendar after dropping a one-point decision in South Beach back in November. Here, we'll note that the Heat are a woeful 3-13 ATS when playing on the road after winning four or five of their last six games ATS over the last two seasons, as is the case here, outscored by an average margin of 2.2 points in that situation. Meanwhile, the Suns are 42-26 ATS when seeking revenge against an opponent over the last three seasons, outscoring the opposition by 6.5 points on average in that spot. Take Phoenix (8*). |
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01-06-23 | Clippers +3.5 v. Wolves | 115-128 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 41 m | Show | |
My selection is on Los Angeles plus the points over Minnesota at 9:10 pm et on Friday. The Clippers got roasted by the Nuggets in Denver last night in a game that was never competitive. That makes it four consecutive losses for Los Angeles, three in a row ATS, but I look for it to bounce back on Friday night in Minnesota. The T'Wolves check in off two straight victories, which comes on the heels of six consecutive defeats. Minnesota is just 11-9 on its home floor this season, only outscoring foes by an average margin of 0.6 points. Off last night's less-than-taxing affair (Paul George played 13 minutes while Kawhi Leonard saw 18 minutes of floor time), look for the Clips to rebound here. Take Los Angeles (8*). |
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01-06-23 | Hornets +11 v. Bucks | 138-109 | Win | 100 | 12 h 52 m | Show | |
My selection is on Charlotte plus the points over Milwaukee at 8:10 pm et on Friday. The Bucks enter this game off consecutive wins both SU and ATS (we were on board for the first of those two victories) but they're just 2-3 ATS when laying double-digits this season and I expect them to have their hands full with the lowly Hornets on Friday night. Charlotte has lost three straight games both SU and ATS. Sometimes hitting the road isn't a bad thing and I believe that will be the case here after a 1-3 homestand. While Charlotte lost by 24 points against Memphis last time out, it's worth noting that it hasn't dropped consecutive games by double-digits since December 9th and 11th. That's only happened three times previously this season which is notable considering how many games the Hornets have lost (29). The Bucks are only outscoring opponents by an average margin of 2.0 points this season and while that number grows to 8.3 points here at home, that's still considerably lower than the pointspread we're working with tonight. On the flip side, as bad as things have gone for the Hornets, they've been outscored by an average margin of 7.1 points and that number only rises to 7.3 points on the road. In five meetings between these two teams going back to the start of last season, Milwaukee won by double-digits only once. Take Charlotte (8*). |
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01-06-23 | Knicks v. Raptors -3.5 | Top | 112-108 | Loss | -105 | 12 h 39 m | Show |
Division Game of the Month. My selection is on Toronto minus the points over New York at 7:40 pm et on Friday. The Raptors are coming off an absolutely dreadful offensive display against Milwaukee two nights ago as they shot worse than 33% from the field yet still somehow rallied to force overtime in an eventual three-point loss. They check into this game off consecutive SU and ATS losses but I'm confident they'll bounce back against the division-rival Knicks on Friday. Note that New York has won three games in a row but those victories all came against down-trodden squads in the Rockets, Suns and Spurs, with the last two coming on their home floor. They're still just 2-5-1 ATS over their last eight games. You would have to go back 12 meetings here in Toronto - all the way to 2015 - to find the last time they won a game in Toronto. While laying points with the Raptors given their current state seems a little dicey, they've managed to cover the spread in all but two of their 16 straight-up victories this season, and both of those wins still came by four or more points. While the Raps are as healthy as they've been all season, the Knicks are without one of their best players, R.J. Barrett. This is a critical six-game homestand for the Raptors as it will likely decide whether or not they'll be 'selling' at the trade deadline. All is not lost after dropping the opener, I look for them to bounce back here. Take Toronto (10*). |
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01-04-23 | Nets v. Bulls +5.5 | Top | 112-121 | Win | 100 | 9 h 27 m | Show |
Underdog Game of the Week. My selection is on Chicago plus the points over Brooklyn at 8:10 pm et on Wednesday. The Nets look unstoppable right now having won 12 straight games. I don't think we'll see Chicago back down easily on Wednesday, however, noting that the Bulls already defeated the Nets in Brooklyn this season and have taken three of four matchups in this series going back to the start of last season. The Bulls are fresh off a tough overtime loss against the Cavs on Monday as Cleveland got an other-worldly performance from Donovan Mitchell. At 5-2-1 ATS over its last eight games, Chicago does continue to play well. Here, I think the Nets are in for a letdown after absolutely shooting the lights out (60% or better from the field) in consecutive games. While Chicago is just an even 9-9 on its home floor this season, it has managed to outscored the opposition by an average margin of 1.1 points. The Nets are 12-7 on the road but outscore opponents by just 1.9 points on average. I simply feel the Bulls are catching too many points here. Take Chicago (10*). |
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01-03-23 | Wizards v. Bucks -8 | 113-123 | Win | 100 | 13 h 54 m | Show | |
My selection is on Milwaukee minus the points over Washington at 8:10 pm et on Tuesday. Handicapping 101 dictates a play on the Bucks here as they host the Wizards in the second of a two-game set in Milwaukee after dropping Sunday's contest by 23 points (without Giannis in the lineup). The fact that Giannis was understandable as 'load management' came in to play following his 43-20 game in a win and cover against the T'Wolves two nights earlier. Milwaukee has admittedly struggled lately, losing five of its last six games, while the Wizards are riding a five-game winning streak. Here, we'll note though that the Wiz are 93-125 ATS when coming off an outright victory as a road underdog going all the way back to 1996. Worse still, they're 20-40 ATS when playing on the road off a double-digit win as an underdog over the same stretch, outscored by an average margin of 10.7 points in that situation. Despite their recent struggles, the Bucks remain a stellar 15-4 SU and 13-6 ATS at home this season, outscoring opponents by 8.2 points on average. Take Milwaukee (8*). |
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01-02-23 | Raptors v. Pacers UNDER 229 | Top | 114-122 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 30 m | Show |
Non-Division Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'under' between Toronto and Indiana at 7:10 pm et on Monday. The Pacers enter this game on the heels of three consecutive 'over' results - their longest such streak of the season to date. I don't believe tonight's opponent, the Toronto Raptors, will have any interest in getting involved in a track meet, noting that Indiana has shot the lights out over its last three games, putting up 129, 135 and 131 points in reeling off three straight victories. The first meeting between these two teams totalled just 222 points back in November. Toronto dropped that game by double-digits, pushing the pace to its own detriment, shooting just 37-of-94 from the field. After snapping its two-game skid with defense last time out (Toronto limited Phoenix to 35-of-71 shooting), I'm expecting the Raps be selective at the offensive end of the floor, noting that they've hoisted up 84 or fewer field goal attempts in three of their last four games. Having held the opposition to just 81 FG attempts on average on the road this season, Toronto's gameplan is fairly clear at this point. As I mentioned, the Pacers have been shooting the lights out. The pace hasn't necessarily been there for such high-scoring results though, noting that they've gotten off 88 or fewer FG attempts in four of their last five contests. Given we've seen point totals of 218, 191, 211, 222 and 222 in five meetings between these two teams going back to the start of last season, I believe tonight's total will once again prove too high. Take the under (10*). |
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12-31-22 | Cavs v. Bulls UNDER 224.5 | Top | 103-102 | Win | 100 | 11 h 8 m | Show |
Central Division Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Cleveland and Chicago at 7:10 pm et on Saturday. I really like the way this one sets up as a lower-scoring game than most are expecting on Saturday. The Cavs have seen each of their last five games go 'over' the total while the Bulls enter riding a four-game 'over' streak. Note that both teams shot the lights out in their most recent game with Cleveland knocking down 50-of-96 field goal attempts and Chicago hitting 53-of-92. I'm certainly not anticipating a repeat performance from either team on Saturday. Despite its recent 'over' streak, Cleveland has held four straight opponents to 85 or fewer field goal attempts. It has allowed the opposition to knock down an average of only 39 field goals per contest on the road this season. Chicago yielded just 86 FG attempts in last night's double-digit win over the Pistons. It has now held five of its last six opponents to a reasonable 43 or fewer made field goals. The only previous matchup between these two teams this season reached 224 total points but it got there thanks to the Cavs exploding for 128. Take the under (10*). |
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12-30-22 | Blazers -2.5 v. Warriors | Top | 112-118 | Loss | -115 | 13 h 28 m | Show |
Western Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Portland minus the points over Golden State at 10:10 pm et on Friday. The Warriors have inexplicably gone on a three-game winning streak without a number of key contributors including Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins but I look for that run to end here against the Blazers. Portland snapped a three-game losing streak with a home win over Charlotte last time out. This is undoubtedly a game the Blazers have had circled after dropping all three meetings with the Warriors last season, including a 132-95 home loss in their most recent matchup last February. The Warriors have actually allowed their opponents to get off 94, 92 and 91 field goal attempts over the course of their three-game winning streak. Those three opponents just haven't been able to make good on their wealth of opportunities. I don't expect the Blazers to suffer a similar fate tonight. Portland 'got right' offensively last time out, knocking down 43-of-86 FG attempts and should keep it rolling here. Take Portland (10*). |
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12-30-22 | Suns v. Raptors -2 | 104-113 | Win | 100 | 11 h 52 m | Show | |
My selection is on Toronto minus the points over Phoenix at 7:40 pm et on Friday. I like the bounce-back spot for the Raptors here as they take the court at home for the second time in as many nights off a less-than-competitive affair against the Grizzlies last night. They're catching the Suns without Devin Booker which is obviously a positive for the hometown Raps. Phoenix has won just four of its last 13 games, largely due to a number of key injuries and off a 25-point rout in Washington, I don't expect it to pick itself up off the mat on Friday. Take Toronto (8*). |
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12-29-22 | Clippers v. Celtics -6 | 110-116 | Push | 0 | 10 h 49 m | Show | |
My selection is on Boston minus the points over Los Angeles at 7:40 pm et on Thursday. The Clippers have been one of the best bets in the league in recent weeks but we'll fade them here as they head to Boston off consecutive ATS victories on their current five-game road trip. Note that the Celtics are hot as well, winners of three straight games both SU and ATS. I don't think there's any letdown in order for the C's here as they dropped their lone previous matchup with the Clippers this season by a whopping 20 points in Los Angeles. With the Clips having allowed their last three opponents to make good on 47, 44 and 43 field goals, I think the Celtics are catching them at the right time here. Boston cleaned things up defensively last time out, holding Houston to just 38 made field goals on 95 attempts. On the flip side, the C's have knocked down 44, 50 and 43 field goals over their last three contests. Look for them to keep rolling on Thursday. Take Boston (8*). |
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12-27-22 | Hornets +4.5 v. Warriors | 105-110 | Loss | -110 | 15 h 36 m | Show | |
My selection is on Charlotte plus the points over Golden State at 10:10 pm et on Tuesday. We'll fade the banged-up Warriors off their stunning Christmas Day rout of the Grizzlies as a 7.5-point underdog. While they do catch the Hornets in a back-to-back spot, Charlotte is off a double-digit loss in Portland. I like the way the Hornets have been pushing the envelope offensively, hoisting up 92 or more field goal attempts in eight straight games entering Tuesday's contest. It's been a much different story defensively, but I do think they're well-positioned here with the undermanned Warriors having made good on 43 or fewer field goals in seven straight games and Sunday's 91-FG attempt performance marking a four-game high (they had gotten off 81, 74 and 83 FG attempts in their previous three contests). Simply put, it's difficult to win by margin when you're only attempting 80-83 FG attempts per game, especially against a team like the Hornets that will find its offensive opportunities regardless (they've scored over 100 points in 11 straight games). Take Charlotte (8*). |
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12-27-22 | Knicks +5.5 v. Mavs | 121-126 | Win | 100 | 13 h 18 m | Show | |
My selection is on New York plus the points over Dallas at 8:40 pm et on Tuesday. I like the way this one sets up for the Knicks as they look to snap their three-game losing streak in Dallas on Tuesday night. New York has been quite efficient offensively, despite its recent losing ways, knocking down 42 or more field goals in four straight games entering this contest. They lost at home against the 76ers on Christmas Day despite limiting Philadelphia to only 77 field goal attempts while getting off 90 themselves. I expect a reversal of fortunes here noting that the Mavericks are fresh off a nine-point win (and cover) over the Lakers on Christmas Day, getting off a four-game high 84 FG attempts while holding Los Angeles to a six-game low 80 in that affair. Dallas took the first meeting between these two teams this season by 21 points in New York earlier this month. New York had swept the two-game series last season, winning those contests by 23 and 30-point margins. Take New York (8*). |
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12-26-22 | Wolves +4.5 v. Heat | Top | 110-113 | Win | 100 | 11 h 23 m | Show |
Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Minnesota plus the points over Miami at 7:40 pm et on Monday. I'll grab all the points I can get with the T'Wolves here as I'm confident they can at the very least take this game down to the wire in a matchup of two teams riding two-game losing streaks. Minnesota had won three games in a row prior to dropping tough decisions against the Mavericks and Celtics. They still enter Monday's contest having made good on 42 or more field goals in five straight games, while holding three of their last six opponents to 34 or fewer made shots. Miami had also been hot prior to dropping its last two games, winners of four in a row. I don't see the same level of consistency from the Heat offense, however, noting that they've been limited to fewer than 40 made field goals in seven of their last 10 contests. Interestingly, the T'Wolves have knocked down four more field goals per game than the Heat this season, despite getting off just one more field goal attempt per contest. At the other end of the floor, Minnesota has allowed one more made field goal but on five additional attempts yielded to opponents. The T'Wolves should come in with confidence having taken all three meetings in this series going back to last season, including a 113-104 win here in Miami last March. Take Minnesota (10*). |
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12-25-22 | Bucks v. Celtics OVER 223.5 | 118-139 | Win | 100 | 21 h 31 m | Show | |
My selection is on the first half 'over' between Milwaukee and Boston at 5:10 pm et on Sunday. I see this as a potential blow-up spot for the Celtics offense against a Bucks defense that has struggled to find its way in the early going this season. Milwaukee checks in having allowed more than 90 field goal attempts in five of its last seven games overall. Meanwhile, the Celtics have gotten off an incredible 100 or more field goal attempts in four of their last eight contests. The C's certainly looked in-sync on Friday as they knocked down 44 field goals and scored 121 points in a double-digit win over Minnesota. Defensively, the C's have allowed six of their last seven opponents to knock down 42 or more field goals. My concern here is that we see a lopsided contest and one side or the other takes the air out of the basketball in the second half, so we'll play the first half 'over' the total only. Take the first half over (10*). |
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12-23-22 | Pacers v. Heat UNDER 224 | Top | 111-108 | Win | 100 | 10 h 16 m | Show |
Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'under' between Indiana and Miami at 8:10 pm et on Friday. The Pacers scored 117 points in an upset victory in Boston last time out but needed a whopping 98 field goal attempts to get there. It's highly unlikely they come close to approaching that level of production here as Miami has held five of its last seven opponents to 80 or fewer field goal attempts, including these same Pacers back on December 12th, in a game that totalled just 169 points. For their own part, the Heat aren't scoring with much consistency right now, knocking down 40 or more field goals just once in their last six contests. The Pacers have quietly held the opposition in check lately, yielding just 38, 39 and 39 made field goals over their last three games. Take the under (10*). |
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12-21-22 | Bucks v. Cavs -1.5 | Top | 106-114 | Win | 100 | 12 h 2 m | Show |
Revenge Game of the Month. My selection is on Cleveland minus the points over Milwaukee at 7:10 pm et on Wednesday. We'll take this opportunity to fade the Cavs, who check in 8-5 straight-up on the road this season but have been outscored by an average margin of 3.0 points per contest. The Cavs are 15-2 on their home floor, laying waste to the opposition by an average margin of 10.3 points per game. While it's true Milwaukee just dismantled a good New Orleans team in a 128-119 victory in the Big Easy two nights ago, the Bucks are also just two games removed from a 41-point rout at the hands of the Grizzlies in Memphis. The Cavs are riding a four-game winning streak and will have revenge in mind here after dropping the first two meetings in this series this season (both games were played in Milwaukee). Cleveland took both matchups on its home floor last season and neither game was all that competitive with the Cavs winning by 16 and 18 points. Take Cleveland (10*). |
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12-20-22 | Grizzlies v. Nuggets OVER 233.5 | 91-105 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 31 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Memphis and Denver at 10:10 pm et on Tuesday. A letdown was certainly to be expected from the Grizzlies last time out as they went into Oklahoma City after scoring 128 and 142 points in home wins over the Hawks and Bucks, what turned out to be the tail-end of a seven-game winning streak. While the Grizz still got off 90 field goal attempts in the loss to the Thunder, they made good on just 34 of those shots. Here, they do draw another forgiving defensive team in Denver, noting that the Nuggets have allowed 41 or more made field goals in six of their last eight games and more than 90 field goal attempts in four of their last five contests. Denver had rattled off eight straight games shooting better than 50% from the field before slowing down in its last two contests. I expect it to get right back on track here, noting that Memphis has allowed five straight opponents to hoist up 90 or more FG attempts and gives up an average of 42 made field goals per game away from home this season. Take the over (8*). |
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12-19-22 | Magic v. Hawks -7 | 125-126 | Loss | -115 | 12 h 8 m | Show | |
My selection is on Atlanta minus the points over Orlando at 7:40 pm et on Monday. This is a prime letdown spot for the Magic as they come in 'fat and happy' off a two-game sweep of the Celtics in Boston and now play their second game in as many nights, in Atlanta on Monday. The Hawks are desperately trying to find some consistency, winners of just two of their last seven games overall. The good news is, they're coming off one of their best performances of the season as they defeated Charlotte 125-106 on Friday. On the heels of two days off and having scored 116 or more points in four of their last five games, I look for them to pull away for a convincing win over the upstart Magic on Monday. Take Atlanta (8*). |
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12-18-22 | Nets v. Pistons +7.5 | 124-121 | Win | 100 | 11 h 8 m | Show | |
My selection is on Detroit plus the points over Brooklyn at 6:10 pm et on Sunday. The Nets are rolling right now, already a perfect 3-0 SU and ATS on their current road trip and winners of five consecutive games overall. I think this is a tough game to get up for, however, as they head to Detroit to take on the lowly Pistons on Sunday. Detroit will be revenge-minded in this one after dropping all four matchups against the Nets last season. Note that Brooklyn checks in a woeful 2-11 ATS after covering the spread in three of its last four games over the last two seasons, outscored by an average margin of 8.4 points in that situation. The Nets are also just 19-31 ATS after winning four or five of their last six games, as is the case here, over the same stretch, outscoring opponents by just 1.9 points on average in that spot. The Pistons, meanwhile, have gone 39-20 ATS off a home loss over the last three seasons. Take Detroit (8*). |
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12-17-22 | Grizzlies v. Thunder +9 | 109-115 | Win | 100 | 11 h 21 m | Show | |
My selection is on Oklahoma City plus the points over Memphis at 8:10 pm et on Saturday. I'll grab all the points I can get with the down-trodden Thunder here as they look to snap their five-game losing streak (not to mention get back at the Grizzlies after dropping both previous meetings this season) on Saturday nigiht in Oklahoma City. The Grizzlies are of course red hot off seven consecutive wins both SU and ATS. It's worth noting however that they've only managed to outscore opponents by an average margin of 1.6 points when playing on the road off consecutive double-digit wins over the last three seasons (13-game sample size). Teh Thunder are 27-15 ATS after losing five or six of their last seven games over the last two seasons and 17-6 ATS over the same stretch when coming off four or more losses in a row, outscored by only 3.1 points on average in that latter situation. Note that last season, the Thunder went 2-1 ATS against the Grizzlies despite getting drilled by a ridiculous 73 points in their first matchup of the season. Memphis has won only two of 14 road games by double-digit margins this season and it needed to get off nine more field goal attempts against Sacramento and eight more against Detroit to do so. It's unlikely it will benefit from that sort of shot disparity here as it checks in having allowed 90+ field goal attempts to each of its last four opponents while Oklahoma City has limited three of its last four opponents to 87 or fewer FG attempts. Take Oklahoma City (8*). |
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12-16-22 | Knicks v. Bulls UNDER 228.5 | 114-91 | Win | 100 | 12 h 3 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between New York and Chicago at 8:10 pm et on Friday. We missed with the 'under' in this same matchup in Chicago two nights ago. While that contest reached a whopping 248 total points, it was aided by overtime, not to mention both teams shooting the lights out. I expect a different story to unfold in Friday's quick rematch. Note that the 'under' is 18-5 with the Bulls coming off five or six losses in their last seven games over the last two seasons, as is the case here, resulting in an average total of only 215.2 points in that spot. The Bulls have also seen the 'under' cash at an 18-8 clip when coming off consecutive defeats over the same stretch, leading to an average total of 222.7 points, still comfortably below the number we're dealing with tonight (at the time of writing). It's not as if this has been a particularly high-scoring series. Of last season's four meetings, three totalled 213 points or less. Wednesday's 'over' result snapped a six-game 'under' streak for the Knicks and their road games have still totalled an average of just 224.7 points this season. Meanwhile, the Bulls have seen their home games total an average of 225.8 points. I simply feel this total has been set too high as a result of Wednesday's track meet. Take the under (8*). |
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12-16-22 | Nets v. Raptors UNDER 227 | 119-116 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 43 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Brooklyn and Toronto at 7:30 pm et on Friday. Having lost three games in a row and after allowing 124 points against the Kings two nights ago, I can't help but feel the Raptors main focus will be on tightening things up defensively ahead of this clash with the Nets on Friday. Offensively, Toronto did put up 123 points against Sacramento, but it needed 94 field goal attempts (knocking down 50% of those) to get there. Here, we'll note that the Nets have seen the 'under' go 33-16 when the total has been set between 220 and 229.5 over the last two seasons, resulting in an average total of 222.3 points. Meanwhile, the Raptors have posted a 3-13 o/u mark when playing at home after losing four or five of their last six games ATS over the same stretch, leading to an average total of only 209.2 points in that situation. None of the three previous meetings between these division rivals this season have sniffed out tonight's posted total, reaching just 214, 210 and 219 total points. Take the under (8*). |
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12-16-22 | Hawks v. Hornets UNDER 234.5 | Top | 125-106 | Win | 100 | 11 h 25 m | Show |
Southeast Division Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Atlanta and Charlotte at 7:10 pm et on Friday. I like the way this one sets up as a lower-scoring affair than most are expecting on Friday night in Charlotte. The Hawks have gotten drilled in the first two games of their current road trip, allowing 128 and 135 points in lopsided defeats in Memphis and Orlando. You have to imagine they'll be looking to button things up defensively in this one, noting that they've actually allowed 120 points or more in four straight games heading in. The good news is, they've allowed just 91 and 116 points in their last two trips to Charlotte going back to last season with neither of those contests coming close to approaching the lofty total we're dealing with tonight. Charlotte is reeling as well having lost six consecutive games. Here, we'll note that the 'under' is 26-13 with the Hornets playing at home off a loss over the last three seasons, 13-3 when playing at home off two straight losses over the last two seasons and 9-1 when at home following three consecutive defeats over the same stretch. Perhaps better still, the 'under' is 15-5 with Charlotte playing at home after losing four or five of its last six games ATS over the last three seasons, leading to an average total of only 214.5 points in that spot - a full 20 points below the total we're working with tonight. Take the under (10*). |
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12-15-22 | Pelicans -1 v. Jazz | 129-132 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 7 m | Show | |
My selection is on New Orleans minus the points over Utah at 9:10 pm et on Thursday. Utah took the front half of this two-game set in Salt Lake City two nights ago but I look for the Pelicans to answer back on Thursday. Utah has actually taken both meetings in this series so far this season. However, it's worth noting that neither team has managed to pull off a three-game winning streak in the series over the last 11 meetings going back to 2020. New Orleans checks in averaging the same number of made field goals per game as Utah this season, but on one fewer attempt per contest. It knocks down four fewer three-pointers per game but that's on nine fewer attempts on average. At the other end of the floor, the Pelicans give up two fewer made field goals per contest, on two fewer attempts. Utah is giving up three fewer made threes per game - but again, that's on seven fewer attempts from beyond the arc. I'll bite with the Pelicans here. Take New Orleans (8*). |
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12-14-22 | Knicks v. Bulls UNDER 226.5 | 128-120 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 16 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between New York and Chicago at 7:40 pm et on Wednesday. I like the way this one sets up as a lower-scoring affair than most are anticipating with the Bulls coming off consecutive high-scoring contests. In stark contrast, the Knicks have seen each of their last six games stay 'under' the total. Here, we'll note that the 'under' is 31-17 with New York playing on the road off an ATS win over the last three seasons, resulting in an average total of only 208.4 points. As for the Bulls, they've seen the 'under' go 23-10 after losing four or five of their last six games over the last two seasons, leading to an average total of 218.9 points in that spot. This season, Chicago has posted a 3-11 o/u mark when coming off a loss, with an average total of 221.1 points scored in that situation. Take the under (8*). |
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