Cappers Sports Picks - The Experts

This is just too many points for the Knicks, who have put together one of the best playoff performances in history. They lost only two games in the playoffs, each by a single point, and have now rattled off 12 straight wins after stealing home court advantage with a Game 1 win. This is an extremely confident team right now and they are not going to be complacent with a Game 1 win and heading back to New York with a split in the series. They have the players needed down low to slow down Wemby and they are playing with a lot of confidence on offense. Game 1 was not a fluke. We think this will be a close game either way and we think the points might be crucial at the final buzzer.

Besides Game 3, where the Thunder won in San Antonio, the Zig Zag Theory has worked for every matchup in this series with teams trading wins and losses and covers. We have always expected the Spurs to put up a fight but for the Thunder to prevail in the end, and we will bank on that happening tonight as the Thunder have the pedigree and experience to succeed here in this high pressure situation. We think the Spurs will get their chip but they are at least a year away from being able to get to the finish line, but tonight’s loss will be a great learning experience and will pay off in the future.

The Knicks obviously match up well against the Cavs and Cleveland really blew it in Game 3 as they had a chance to get back in the series but they instead were blown out at home. Now down 3-0, they have no chance. Really don’t see a last gasp for them here in Game 4. The Knicks have looked like the best team in the playoffs so far and they don’t look like a team that will let up in this elimination game. With OKC and the Spurs locked into a tight series, there is extra motivation here to wrap this series up and have extra preparation time and rest for the NBA Finals.

We are taking the Spurs for the first time in this series as we think they will win at least one in the first portion of this series at home. San Antiono will make some adjustments here on the offensive end that will be able to produce stronger results, and we expect them to lock down on defense. The Spurs should even the series tonight with a comfortable win and we love their chances to do so.

New York has been the dominant team in this series but we think the Cavs will win at least a game and Game 3 looks like the likely candidate as this is a crucial game to get back in the series and save their season. The Cavs have won and covered three straight meetings at home, and this team has an extremely strong home court advantage this season, while the Knicks have not always been the same squad on the road that they have been at home.

2-Unit Play Take Oklahoma City +2 over San Antonio (8:30 p.m. EST, Friday May 22)

The Thunder have a chance to regain home court advantage here and we throw out the regular season results between these teams as this is a different OKC team in the postseason than the one that slogged through the regular season. The Thunder were rusty in Game 1 but regained their edge in Game 2 and we think they continue the positive momentum here tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

The Knicks were rusty to start Game 1 then dug themselves into a huge hole until one of the biggest chokes of playoff history as the Knicks not only came back to win it in OT but they also covered. The morale with this Cavs team can’t be strong right now and it will be tough to bounce back from that one, especially considering the Knicks are the much better team. Cleveland might make some noise when the series moves back to Ohio but we think we will see a dominant performance from the home team tonight.

We were on the Thunder Game 1 and they played their worst game of the playoffs and still almost won the game. It’s obvious they were a little rusty after the long layoff and the Spurs weren’t. But we think they will make the necessary adjustments needed here and some of the many players with cold shooting in Game 1 should heat up.

We always stated that we thought this series would go the distance, and here we are at Game 7 on Sunday night. Detroit has not had an easy road so far in the postseason but they have raised their level of play when it mattered most and we saw that against Orlando then again here in Game 6 of this series with a blowout win at Cleveland. Now it’s time to get the job done at home. The spread hasn’t really been a factor at all in this series and we think that will continue in Game 7 as Detroit earns a comfortable win to advance.

Minnesota obviously matches up well with the Spurs and they have them on the ropes as they evened the series in Game 4. This has been a very competitive series and we just don’t see the Wolves being blown out here and we think both teams get their share of the total, as 7 of the last 10 meetings have gone over.

OKC knows the assignment here and this team is ruthless and will not have a letdown game in an elimination matchup. With the Spurs having trouble in their series with the Timberwolves, the Thunder know it is crucial to wrap up this series early and have extra rest a preparation time for the WCF. They have won all but one playoff game by double digits and they have now won and covered eight straight vs the Lakers. LA doesn’t have any answers here and we think OKC steps on their necks here for a decisive Game 4 win to close out the series.

Even though the Cavs lost Games 1 and 2, they didn’t embarrass themselves and they are still in this series as far as we are concerned. They must win tonight and we think they will do that. The Cavs have enjoyed one of the best home court advantages in the Eastern Conference this year and this team has plenty of experience and we don’t think they are panicking and will go out and get the job done tonight.

The Thunder didn’t play extremely well in Game 1 and still covered the number. We think there is a great chance they play better and win by more in this one. The Lakers don’t have any chance in this series unless OKC has an off night. OKC has won the last six meetings by an average of more than 20 points!

With the Timberwolves win in Game 1 this team has now won six of the last seven meetings between these two teams. We think this line is ridiculous and a very public line. Will the Spurs win and even the series? Very likely. But we don’t think the Game 1 performance from the Timberwolves as a fluke. This team struggled a lot during the regular season but they are built for the postseason and they have a lot of experience here. We see a low scoring game either way, and that makes each of these points more valuable on the point spread.

Orlando had one of the biggest choke jobs in NBA history in Game 6 but lucky for them they were up 3-2 in the series and have another chance at redemption. That was a super embarrassing second half for Orlando and we think they will play well here with a chance to win. They had outplayed the Pistons most of the series and we think this line is an overreaction to Game 6. We think they will play even harder than they would if Game 6 was a normal game where they lost at the buzzer.

The Sixers have covered four of six in this series and they are once again getting a juicy line. Even though Embiid is playing with discomfort, this Philly team is finally healthy and they have played to their potential in the playoffs so far. They will no doubt give it their all here in Game 7, and the Celtics just haven’t looked themselves this series. The Sixers have won the last two games in Boston in this series and we think they will put everything on the line here in Game 7. All the pressure is on Boston, which allows Philly to play free and just do their thing.

Orlando has covered four of five in this series and we are a bit surprised they are getting this much value here in Game 6 with a chance to close out the series at home. The Magic had a disappointing regular season. But this team is built for the postseason and that has shown so far. The one game Orlando didn’t cover was that Game 2 in Detroit where the Magic struggled shooting from the floor and only scored 83. Franz Wagner is out for Orlando but they have been playing great team basketball and unselfishly, and that is the recipe for success with you don’t have a lot of big names on the roster. Orlando is very hard to beat at home, and if the Pistons extend this series it will likely go down to the wire.

Really love what we saw from the Rockets in Game 4 and we think they have retaken the momentum in this series. It’s evident that Kevin Durant has played his last game for Houston and now the team doesn’t have to play the waiting game to see if he comes back or not. We like the confidence we have seen from Houston and they seem to believe that they can come back from a 3-0 deficit and they look like a team that will take it one day at a time. We see another great defensive effort from the Rockers and we expect a very close game and think they have a great chance to extend the series to Game 6.

Webanyama is a game time decision and if he plays this prediction will hold even more value. But the Spurs are really stacked even without their star and we think the players will step up in his absence as they have done before. After losing Game 2 the Spurs really have to win this one and regain home court advantage, and we expect an A+ effort from them tonight.

We have to think Kevin Durant will play here for the Rockets and this line indicates that is likely to happen. The Rockets shot horribly in Game 1 but the game was still pretty close and we imagine they will shoot much better here. The Lakers aren’t going to shoot better than 60 percent from the floor and 50 percent from long range. We think Houston earns a comfortable win whether Durant plays or not.

4-Unit Play Take Boston -12.5 over Philadelphia (1 p.m. EST, Sunday April 19)

The Celtics are the most complete team in the NBA and they have a championship pedigree. They know the assignment here and we expect a blowout. The Sixers are without their best player and the Celtics will amp up their NBA-best defense for a resounding Game 1 blowout.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-Unit Play Take Atlanta +6 over New York (6 p.m. EST, Saturday April 18)

The Hawks have played as well as any team down the stretch. Early season injuries contributed to a slow start, but this is a complete team and a real contender. We think the odds here are a little disrespectful to the Hawks, and we think this series will go a long way and we wouldn't be shocked if the Hawks took over home court advantage with an outright win in Games 1 or 2.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-Unit Play Take Denver -6.5 over Minnesota (3:30 p.m. EST, Saturday April 18)

Minnesota has turned it on in the playoffs in recent years but we just don't see it this season. This team just doesn't have it. At 37-45 ATS they often fell short of oddsmakers expectations, and they didn't get a good matchup for the first round as Denver knows the assignment here and will take care of business against a short line. The Nuggets have won and covered in three of the last four, and we think that trend continues here on Saturday.

4-Unit Play Take Toronto +8 over Cleveland (1 p.m. EST, Saturday April 18)

Cleveland was one of the worst ATS teams in the league this season and they are laying a big number again here on Saturday. The number is too big, in our opinion. Toronto doesn't have the household names but they play hard on a nightly basis and they play great fundamental team basketball. They have also had the Cavs' number with wins and covers in the last three meetings. We see this series going a long way and Toronto will have value throughout if the oddsmakers give us numbers like this.

What a disappointing season for the Magic, and we think the season ends here for them. Charlotte has been the better team down the stretch and they earned their chance here while the Magic played a pretty uninspiring game against in the loss at Philly. The Hornets have all the momentum, not to mention they have won and covered in three straight meetings. They have been more clutch lately and will come in with tons of confidence and not nearly as much pressure as Orlando. The Magic haven’t shown us much to think they will rise to the occasion in such a high pressure situation, while Charlotte is playing with house money here.

The Clippers would not even be in this position if not for a slow start to the season and they are a legitimate playoff team in our eyes. We expect a strong defensive performance tonight and Kawhi Leonard is rested for the Clippers and should have a big game. These teams always seem to play in low scoring games (the under is 7-1 in the last eight). And we think the Clippers take control of this and set up a meeting with the Suns for an invitation to the big dance.

The Clippers still have hope for the No. 8 seed but they really blew it on Friday in the loss to Portland. They need a win and Portland loss and there is a lot of difference between those seeds in the play in tourney. Golden State is locked in to the 10 seed and they will very likely play the Clippers in the play in tournament. We don’t think they have much interest in this game other than examining matchups for the likely play in game. And after seeing how Portland dismantled the Clippers, they probably want to play LA anyways and will likely tank here. Kawhi is a gametime decision for LA but regardless if he plays or not we see a very minimal effort from the Warriors here tonight.

Both teams are coming in on a back-to-back, but the Thunder have superior depth and can easily handle any B2B. The Clippers, not so much. LA needs this win more than the Thunder, but they are the ones that put themselves in this position. They need to stay ahead of the Blazers in the play-in and try to catch the Suns. They play the Blazers next and could be looking ahead to that matchup. The Thunder seem to really be gearing up for the playoffs and they are playing their best basketball of the season right now. The Lakers were without some of their best players last night, but OKC barely broke a sweat in their 36-point win.

OK is back to destroying opponents as they get ready for the postseason. They won their last two matchups by nearly 80 points! One of those was here in OKC against these same Lakers, a 43-point win. The Lakers even had Doncic and Reeves in that game, but they are both out tonight and LeBron James is a gametime decision. The Thunder have won and covered in four straight meetings with the Lakers now, and Los Angeles seems to bring out the best in this OKC club.

The Hawks have won 18 of their last 20 and they have covered in many of those games. We have been on the train many times during this streak. They have had a few tough teams during this run but mostly it has been tanking teams. So we think their current run is somewhat fraudulent. This is a team that could win a playoff series if everything goes right but we don’t see them as a true championship contender. We do see the Knicks as that, however. During the Hawks current streak they did lose to two true contenders in Houston and Boston. The Knicks had a recent tough stretch where they lost three straight but they have now won two straight and they should be ready for this one and Atlanta is no longer a team that can sneak up on opponents as everyone knows about their winning streak.

The Clippers haven’t been playing well lately and they suffered consecutive home double digit losses to San Antonio and Portland. Even though the Kings are tanking, it’s hard to trust the Clippers to go on the road and score a blowout. Sacramento has won consecutive games and they have covered in four of their last five, so they are playing hard on a nightly basis recently. The Clippers are 5-11 ATS as road favorites this season and we think this line is a little to high tonight.

These teams played in San Antonio last month and the Nuggets won by five. You know the Spurs are a public team now when they are favored here on the road against a Nuggets squad that has won seven straight. They have played an easy schedule, but you can only beat who you are scheduled against, and you can’t deny Denver’s momentum with the playoffs approaching. They should bring their A Game today. The Spurs are also on a long winning streak but this may be a very tough matchup for them.

The Hawks have been steamrolling the league lately and winning and covering at a very high rate but we think this will be a flat game for them. The Nets are a team that always gives them trouble (8-2 ATS in the last 10) and they really challenged for the win the last time these teams played. They were down by only three heading into the fourth quarter and the Hawks pulled away for an 11-point win. The Nets have covered in three of their last four and five of their last seven and we think they play hard tonight. They have been playing solid defense lately, and that has led to covers. The Hawks have the Knicks and Cavs on deck so will want to conserve energy for those matchups.

This is the first game in four games where the Spurs have been under a 15-point favorite. This team is that good. We have said all along this is the only team that can disrupt the potential Thunder dynasty. They are playing championship-caliber basketball right now. San Antonio enters on a back-to-back but they have great depth and a young team and we don’t think that will be a factor at all, but we are getting a great value number as a result.

The Pacers won outright when these teams played in January and it wasn’t just a win as they won by 24. We don’t see that type of game here but Indiana has been a hot ATS team lately and they have covered five straight. This team is taking because of their trade with the Clippers, but they have at least played with heart and kept games close even though Ws have been hard to come by. The Heat have covered only two of their last seven, so they have been a bit overrated by the oddsmakers.

Minnesota has been a lousy ATS team all season but we have to take notice on them as a small underdog at home. They have won four of five here at home vs. Detroit and this is a game they will play hard for. They have won four of five and are coming off consecutive wins vs. Houston and Boston, so that is impressive. Detroit has been racking up the wins but they have played a very weak schedule lately and we think the Wolves are the more battle tested team tonight and home court will reign supreme.

Denver has won four straight meetings and covered in three of those, and the game they didn’t cover they missed the cover by only a point. We really like what we have seen from the Nuggets lately. They are healthy and rounding into playoff form. They have covered in five of their last eight games overall. They have won five of seven outright, and they have faced an overall challenging schedule. They are rested tonight with Monday off and they had Saturday off, while the Suns come in playing their third game in four nights. Rest advantages really come into play at this point of the season. The Suns snapped a five-game losing streak on Sunday with a win over the Raptors but they face a much bigger challenge tonight. Nobody expected much from Phoenix this season but they have been one of the best ATS teams of the season and a surprise all around. But the oddsmakers have caught on and they aren’t getting those value numbers on a night to night basis anymore.

The Hawks have won and covered in two straight meetings and three of the last four. This team is playing as well as any team in the NBA right now and they have been beating bad teams by double digits on a regular basis. They have covered in 11 of their last 13 games. Memphis has covered in two of their last eight and half of those games were winnable games for the level of roster this Grizzlies team has right now. No reason Atlanta shouldn’t roll in this one.

Portland has won three straight so they may come in overconfident, even though two of those wins were against the Pacers and Nets. Their last win was impressive at Minnesota, but the Timberwolves have been a flawed team this season. Denver is not a flawed team, and we think Portland walks into a buzzsaw tonight. The last time these teams met, the Nuggets won by 50+. We think they match up well. Portland has some key injuries today, while Denver is relatively healthy. We see a double-digit win here.

The Lakers have won eight straight and they are playing as well as any team in the NBA right now. We will jump on the bandwagon here. The Magic are banged up and have lost three straight. They have allowed 120+ on defense in four of their last six games, and the Lakers are really clicking offensively right now (they have almost 260 points in their last two games). We just don’t think the Magic will be able to keep up on the offensive end, and the Lakers offense is good enough to cover this number.  

Didn’t think we would see the day when we take a road favorite laying this kind of number but here we are. The Nets don’t even want to win games right now and most of their best players are sidelined. This is a rivalry game and the Knicks won’t take it easy on the struggling Nets, who have lost their last two in blowouts. New York has been blowing out bad teams lately, and the Nets haven’t covered in four straight meetings. Although this is a road game technically, the Knicks don’t have to travel far and will have plenty of fans in the building cheering them on.

The Bucks (losers of 8 of 9) haven’t been much better than the Pacers (12-game losing streak) lately and we just think this is too many points. The Pacers will want to snap this losing streak and the players have some pride even though management probably doesn’t want them to win many games. What better team to do it against vs a struggling rival. There are a lot of players banged up for both teams and many game time decisions, including Giannis for Milwaukee. The Pacers have kept four of the last five meetings within seven points, and this is a winnable game for them today. Indiana at least had the day off Saturday, while the Bucks are on a back-to-back.

The Clippers don’t have great depth and now have to face Sacramento on a back-to-back. They were laying the same number to the Bulls last night and didn’t cover, and we think the Kings can keep this one within double digits. Sacramento has covered in three of the last four meetings, and we think fatigue will play a major factor for the Clips tonight.

We have to plug our nose here and back this horrible Wizards team, but we think they will play hard tonight and keep this one within double digits. Washington is one of many tanking teams this season. But they were exposed on a major level nationally last game against Miami when they let Adebayo score 83 points for the second most of all time in NBA history. At the end of the game they were basically letting Adebayo do whatever he wanted and not even trying on defense, and their tanking ways were exposed to a wide audience. They received a lot of criticism. This team isn’t going to play hard on most nights, but this looks like a game where they will give 100% effort. They are rested while Orlando is on a back-to-back after a big game against Cleveland last night. Orlando has in-state rival Miami up next, followed by another division rival in the Hawks, and then they play the defending champs. They probably won’t give max effort here. Also, Orlando has been one of the worst ATS teams of playoff type teams this season, and their ATS mark isn’t much better than the tanking Wizards.

Charlotte had won six straight but are coming off consecutive losses but we like what we have seen overall from this team and this looks like a great situation for them to get back on track. The Blazers have beaten some bad teams lately but this team is not very good and they will face a tough task tonight against a motivated Hornets club. Charlotte is a very strong road team this season, and we think they win this one by a comfortable scoreline.

The Clippers played last night and were up 25 at one point against a Spurs team on a back-to-back, but then the lack of depth on this team showed up majorly and they lost the big lead and lost the game. Now they face a main rival who has won and covered three straight against them. The Grizzlies have covered in four straight games and they are rested with a couple days off. We think we will see their A Game tonight and we might sprinkle a little on the moneyline here.

The Spurs are on a back-to-back after their big win over Detroit last night, but San Antonio has been very good on back-to-backs recently. They have won and covered in their last four in this situation. They were at home last night and will be again tonight, so the B2B doesn’t really hurt them as much as it might if either of the games were on the road, plus the Spurs have a young and athletic team with great depth. The B2B is of no concern to us. The Clippers have been playing great and covering a lot of spread lately. But now they are getting hit with injuries a bit as Collins is out for a few games. They also lost Niederhauser for the season. The young player had been getting more playing time recently (around 16 minutes a game in the last 10 games) because of the lack of depth on this team. That he was even playing that much shows the lack of depth for this team, and this team just can’t withstand injuries right now and stay competitive. Kawhi can’t do it all himself. The Spurs have plenty of players that can step up in the case of injuries. San Antonio barely broke a sweat in their easy win vs. Detroit last night and we expect a similar result tonight.

The Rockets offense is really clicking lately. And when they have an offense, combined with their stellar defense, this is one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA. They have scored over 120 in three of their last five games. Houston has one of the best home court advantages in the NBA at 20-7. A certain superstar in Houston will want perform well against his old team. The Warriors are just 3-7 ATS in their last 10 and they just suffered double digit losses to the Clippers and Lakers. Now they face an even better team tonight.

The Hawks are finally fully healthy and they have won and covered in five of their last six games. We think they have a great chance for another win and cover here. This team has a lot more upside than the Bucks, who’s own players have told fans to limit expectations for the season. A healthy Hawks squad can make some noise in the play in tourney and possibly the playoffs. The Hawks played some crappy teams during this stretch of stellar play, but we have liked what we have seen from them. Milwaukee has dropped three straight, all blowout losses, and this team hasn’t looked competitive lately. The Hawks have won three of the last five visits to Milwaukee, and all the wins were blowouts. Could we see a repeat?

The Clippers have covered in three straight and four of five meetings. Two of those were Timberwolves wins where they didn’t cover. This looks like another possibility tonight as the Wolves have been overvalued by the oddsmakers all season The Timberwolves have won four of five but have only two covers in that span. Those two covers were the only ones they earned in their last nine outings. The Clippers traded away two of their best players. But this is still likely a play in team and they still have Kawhi Leonard. They will be a tough out at home.

We like to take a good team off an embarrassing loss, and the Wolves certainly fit the bill here. They are coming off a home trouncing at the hands of the Sixers, who won by almost 30. It’s a long season and teams will have bad nights. But if they play another lousy game here, that would be problematic. We don’t see that happening. Portland is just 4-6 ATS in their last ten games and they have been getting a lot of favorable lines. Minnesota is healthy here and this looks like a great spot for a double digit win.

The Spurs have been pretty good at covering double-digit spreads and have done so in four of the last five situations. The Kings have lost 15 straight and are clearly one of the worst – if not THE worst – teams in the NBA. They have covered only four of their last 15 spreads during this stretch. This matchup will be played in Austin at the Moddy Center as part of the I-35 Series, and the Spurs will want to put on a show in front of their Austin fans. Any bet against the Kings is a good one right now, and this has 20+-point blowout written all over it.

Charlotte is on a back-to-back after a tough battle against the Rockets yesterday. They lost that one, and as we said in our writeup on Houston (lost by the hook), we think the All-Star Break might have halted the Hornets momentum. It’s not only tough to get back in game mode after a break but then to play a back-to-back both against championship contenders is difficult. Houston should have won by a wider margin last night but had a couple mistakes down the stretch. Cleveland barely broke a sweat last night in their win over the Nets. They have the squad to better handle a B2B. They have been playing championship quality basketball lately and all the sudden covering lines, something they didn’t do often all season.

The Hornets have been one of the surprise teams in the NBA this season and they have won 10 of their last 11 games. One of those included a 10-point win at Houston. That was one of a couple really legit wins during this run, but otherwise the Hornets played a lot of bad teams. We also think the All-Star break could have halted their momentum. The oddsmakers and betting public have caught on to the Hornets. They are getting the same number of points they were in Houston but here at home. We think revenge is an overrated handicapping aspect for professional sports. But we get the feeling that the Rockets remember that upset at home. We expect a much better showing from them tonight. And just like we think the break might have killed the momentum for the Hornets, we think it was a good reset for the Rockets, who have not been playing up to their potential. They have won a fair amount of games, but their offense has often times sputtered and they have been pulling out close games. We think the break will be really good for this team. Houston normally plays well in Charlotte and they have won three straight here. This is a team that will prioritize a strong second half of the season. One other breaking story to note is that Lamelo Ball was in a minor car accident yesterday. He wasn’t hurt, but he could be shaken up or distracted and might not give a peak performance.

Even though the Clippers gave up on the season with the trades for Zubac and Harden, this team still has some good players and we think they have a nice mix to compete and cover some spreads as big underdogs the rest of the season. Houston is five games under .500 ATS this season and they have covered only three of their last ten games. This team frankly stinks offensively, so they often can’t score enough to cover the inflated lines they face. They have won six of their last nine outright yet covered in only three of those games. The Clippers have won consecutive games, including a blowout win at Minnesota last time out. They should be confident they can compete tonight.

The Clippers have given up on any hopes of a championship this season by sending away two of their best players for draft capital and younger players, and we don’t think this is a very good team. However, the players left here have a lot of pride and we think they will be competitive down the stretch. And they always have that guy Kawhi Leonard, who is a pretty good player when healthy. But the biggest reason we like LA here is that the Timberwolves are one of the worst teams ATS this season. They always play down to their level of competition and squeak out close games when laying big numbers. After a string of covering four straight they have now failed to cover in three straight and this line looks inflated here for Super Bowl Sunday. Minnesota has won five straight but the lines have been inflated and LA has covered in two straight and three of four, so they usually play it close. We expect that to be the case again here.

The Spurs have won and covered against Dallas in three straight meetings, including their meeting in Dallas on Thursday, a 135-123 win. In the past, these home-and-home, back-to-back meetings were rarer, and the losing team often covered the second game. But these types of games have become a lot more common and the better team has now often won and covered in both meetings. San Antonio knows they need every win they can get in their quest for the postseason as this team has a real chance for a championship this season as they have beaten the Thunder several times already. They won’t look past or take for granted their struggling in state rival. San Antonio has won three straight and four of five, so they are playing well. They have a couple key players who are gametime decisions, but we feel they will win big no matter who suits up as this team is stacked with talent.

The Clippers thew up the white flag on the season at the trade deadline, sending two of their three best players packing. Team morale can’t be too high right now. The new additions won’t be joining the Clippers on the court tonight, and the Kings have to think of this one as a winnable game. Sacramento has been one of the worst ATS teams this season, but we have to plug our nose and go with them tonight as we see value in the odds here.

The Magic are one of the worst ATS teams in the league, and they are especially bad when laying big points. They are 1-6 ATS this season when laying 7.5 or more points, and their lone ATS win as a big favorite came all the way back on November 1. One of those ATS losses as a big favorite came against this same Brooklyn team, also back in November. In the first meeting this season between these teams, the Nets were up most of the game before a 26-16 fourth quarter that resulted in a 7-point Magic win when they were laying 14. Then, just last month, these teams met in Brooklyn, and the Nets took it to overtime before losing by a single point. Brooklyn had covered three straight but they were blown out in their last two against the Lakers and Pistons. This team has been good at bouncing back after a poor performance and we think they will play well tonight and keep this one close. Orlando has covered only two of their last eight games, and this team is underperforming and constantly overvalued by the oddsmakers.

We like a good team off a bad loss, and Cleveland fits the bill today. They got spanked in Phoenix by 13 and the game wasn’t that close as the Cavs were down big all game. This team has been one of the worst ATS all season with a slow start combined with inflated lines. The odds have become more realistic, and the Cavs have been playing much better and overall have looked like the championship contender we have expected. The Blazers have lost four straight and covered only one of those games, and only by the hook. We think the cream will rise to the top today and Cleveland will get a comfortable win.

Cleveland is suddenly playing the way we all expected them to this season. They have won eight of ten and covered in seven of those games. This team was one of the worst ATS all season as they were figuring things out. Now that they have, they are a legit championship contender. We would say they have the most upside of any team in the East. Phoenix was the best ATS team all season but they are no longer getting the favorable lines that they once were. They have covered in only one of their last four games.

Brooklyn is in a pattern of playing well every other game. They have literally alternated covers and non covers for eight straight games. The losses haven’t even been close. This pattern looks like it could continue with a double-digit loss tonight then the Nets play a back-to-back tomorrow at Utah and that is a more winnable game. Denver is starting to play well without Jokic and they have covered three straight. Both teams have some injuries, but Denver has a much better team for what both squads will trot out on the floor tonight. We see the Nuggets getting a comfortable win at home tonight.

Cleveland has won and covered the last two meetings and four of the last six. We really love what we have seen from the Cavs lately as they are rounding into midseason form. They have been one of the worst bets in the NBA as they had too high of expectations from the oddsmakers combined with a slow start and lack of chemistry. But they have won four straight and six of seven, and they have been covering on a more regular basis. The Lakers have been winning, too, but they have had a very easy schedule lately. They got handled by the Clippers in their most recent difficult matchup. Cleveland has shown they can score lately and they can match the Lakers on offense, but LA isn't a strong team defensively, and Cleveland is. They held the Lakers to 110 points the last two meetings, and both were double-digit blowouts. And the crowd should be really into this one tonight with their former franchise player coming back to town. It's always one of the biggest home games of the year for any team when the Lakers come to town. And we expect the Cavs to respond with a comfortable win tonight.

We were on the Nets last time after their 50+ point loss to the Knicks when they faced the Celtics the next game, and they played much better and almost won outright. Then the Nets went out the next game and lost big to the Clippers. The Nets seem to play hard every other game, and they have alternated covers and non covers for seven games now. We feel they will play hard here tonight off the embarrassing loss to LA. The Suns have been one of the best ATS teams in the league this season but the word is out and now they aren’t getting the value in the lines anymore. They have covered just one of their last four. One of those games was a nine-point loss at Brooklyn. The Nets have actually covered in four of the last six meetings and won outright in their last two trips to Phoenix.

The Cavaliers seem to be rounding into mid-season form, while the Magic are floundering. These teams are playing a back-to-back, home-and-home, as Cleveland won easy, 119-105 in Orlando on Saturday. Normally we would go for the losing team in these situations, but there have been a lot of sweeps this year in these situations, and we just like what we have seen from the Cavs lately. They have won five of six, with their only loss coming against the defending champs. With the loss on Saturday, Orlando has lost five of eight, with their wins coming against Brooklyn, New Orleans and Memphis. With Saturday’s win, Cleveland has won and covered in four of five meetings with the Magic. Cleveland has played four back-to-back sets like this already this season, and they won and covered the second game in three of four tries. Orlando has lost SU and ATS in the second game of both similar sets they have played this season.

OKC is just 4-6 ATS in their last ten games and they are just not playing as hard every game like they did last season. But they are still being lined like last season, so we can pick spots for value by going against them. That certainly looks good tonight. The Raptors are on their last game of a five-game road trip and it has gone very well so far as they have won and covered in three straight. We think they will want to finish strong here against the defending champs, which is always a game circled on the opposing team’s schedule each season. OKC has lost two of four outright, including last time out vs. the Pacers, and they aren’t in top form right now. Toronto is a very strong road team and we think they can keep this one within double digits.

Brooklyn won outright the last meeting in November, and they have covered in three of the last four meetings. We like to take a team off a bad loss, and they don't get any worse than what the Nets experienced last time out as they lost by more than 50 to the Knicks. We were on New York in that game but didn't expect it to be that easy. They will no doubt be more focused here and probably be hustling a lot for lose balls and rebounds. We are probably getting a couple extra points on the line here because of that performance, and the Celtics have been playing well. Boston has a back-to-back at the Bulls coming on Saturday, so it's likely they won't go 100% in this one, while we expect the Nets to do just that.

We don’t yet know if Kawhi Leonard will suit up for the Clippers and the odds will change based on his availability, but we like the Lakers to take this one Kawhi or not. The Clippers used to always cover against the Lakers and this was one of their biggest matchups every season, but with the Clips getting their own arena, it kind of removed the chip on their collective shoulders, and the Lakers have won and covered in five of the last seven meetings. We think revenge is an overrated handicapping factor, but we are sure the Lakers remember the last meeting, which was a Clippers blowout where the Lakers scored only 88 points. We forsee a much better effort tonight.

The Spurs barely broke a sweat in beating the Jazz by double digits last night for their third straight win, and we don’t see the B2B affecting this young team much. They will be up for facing their in state rival tonight. The Rockets have had all kinds of trouble offensively lately and even though they have picked up some wins, they are not covering games as they are just 1-8 ATS in their last nine games. We think the Spurs have a great chance for the outright win, and they won by double digits in their only meeting this season.

The Cavs won the last meeting outright and they have won three of the last four meetings at home. OKC is clearly the best team in the league again this season, but they just aren’t running away with games like they did last season. They were far and away the best betting team last year but now are lower middle of the pack in ATS ratings. They aren’t playing as hard on a nightly basis and also they have inflated lines by the oddsmakers. This line certainly seems inflated. The Cavs have won and covered three of four, and this team looks all the sudden like one that can cover some lines after a poor ATS performance most of the season. This is one of the biggest home games of the season in Cleveland, and we expect them to show up and challenge for the outright win.

Atlanta has played seven of their last eight on the road, and they have been playing better basketball overall despite the results maybe not being evident because of this long road stretch. But we feel this is a good spot for them to compete for a win. The whole Trae Young saga is in the rearview mirror, and this team he left behind is solid. Boston has covered only four of their last five games, and they have been overrated by the oddsmakers. The Hawks have won and covered in four of the last five meetings, so they usually raise their level of play against the Celtics. After consecutive losses, we think the Hawks bring their A Game tonight.

We always say that revenge is an overrated handicapping factor in NBA betting. When a team loses to another one the previous month, they have had so many intense games between then that they likely don’t remember the loss too much or they have more recent games that the players focus on. Honestly, many of the players in the NBA probably don’t even think much about past games unless there was a massive blowout or a skirmish that stays in their head. But when revenge does come into play is when teams play in consecutive games like we are seeing tonight with the Cavs and Sixers. This is when revenge comes into play as the game is still fresh on the losing team’s minds, and we love to take the losing team in a true revenge spot like this. This one ticks several boxes for us. Philly gets both games at home, instead of a home-and-away. They were blown out and embarrassed, so they should make adjustments and play with more focus. And Philly has been a superior ATS team (23-15-1) compared to Cleveland (13-19), one of the worst betting teams this season. The Sixers should have all their key players for this one, and Garland is out for the Cavs and he had a huge game on Wednesday with 20 points and 7 assists.

These teams played three times in December, and the Spurs won all three as underdogs and of course covered all three spreads. We said before those games that the Spurs are a potential threat to the OKC dynasty. They match up well against them, the Thunder have no answer for Webanyama (no team does), and they have great depth after stockpiling young talent in the draft for years. They always seem to raise their level of play against OKC. The Thunder do not have that killer instinct to just destroy teams like they have in the past. After being by far the best ATS team last season, they are 19-21 ATS this year. They are still being overvalued by the oddsmakers and have failed to cover in five straight. They just aren’t playing their best right now and still being overvalued on the lines.

The Thunder have failed to cover in four straight games, and this team is doing enough to get the job done but they aren’t winning big lately. The Heat have been an excellent ATS team this season and we think they will play hard here. When you face off against the defending champs, that is always one of the biggest games of the season. Will OKC have the same enthusiasm for this game? Probably not. They know they can give 75% and still win this one, and they are smartly learning to tone it down in the regular season as you have to save energy and health for the postseason.

This is a revenge spot since the Pistons lost in LA right before the new year. The Pistons had an off night and they couldn’t hit anything from deep. But now they have won four of five since that loss and they catch the Clippers on a back-to-back and they have had two nights rest. Kawhi Leonard doesn’t always play in back-to-backs and he has nagging injuries so his status is in question tonight. Hopefully Cunningham suits up tonight for the Pistons after a couple days of rest. The Pistons are incredible at home, while the Clippers have won only five games on the road after beating Brooklyn on Friday.

The Clippers have resorted back to a mediocre team after their six-game winning streak and they have lost two of three, with both losses coming in blowout fashion. We think the Nets have a great chance to win here. Kawhi is hurt again, and that is probably the most predictable thing we could expect with this team this season. He is listed as questionable as of this writing, but we think this will be a close game with or without Leonard. The Nets have covered in five of their last eight games and this is a team we targeted for ATS value at the start of the season. They did not play well to start but have been a much better team lately, and we expect them to compete hard tonight.

The Pacers are the worst team in the league and come into this one having lost 13 straight. The Hornets aren’t a good team, but they have won two of three, including their blowout vs. the Thunder, and they should have no problem with a comfortable win here. They have covered in five straight and eight of nine. They have also covered in four of five meetings with Indiana. This is a great spot to fade the Pacers without laying too many points, as they will be getting a ton of points down the stretch of the season.

OKC is coming off consecutive losses, rare for this team, including a very embarrassing blowout here vs. Charlotte last time out. This team doesn’t care about the regular season as much as last year, but we don’t think they want a three-game losing streak and we think we see their A Game tonight. They have certainly displayed that A Game in recent meetings with Utah, a team they match up very well against. They have won three straight against the Jazz – all in Utah – by 30 or more points, and they have won five of the last six meetings by 20 or more. This is a team that can dominate if they want to, and we think that urgency will be on display tonight. Utah lost by 20 at Portland last time out, and they are facing a big step up in competition here.

These teams played in Miami on Saturday, and the Timberwolves earned a ten-point victory. Throw revenge out the window, as this is an overrated NBA handicapping factor and these teams have each played another game since then. They both won that game, so both teams should come in happy. Miami has been generally playing well lately, but they have enjoyed a home-heavy schedule, and this team is much better at home than on the road. Minnesota stated the season as one of the worst ATS teams, as they would often win but not cover. They have started to gel, however, and have been covering numbers on a more consistent basis. They have covered in three of four, including that easy win at Miami, and they should have no problem with them here at home as they are healthy and confident right now and rounding into mid-season form.

The Knicks are the superior team, in our opinion, and the Pistons are in a bad spot here with some injuries and on a back-to-back after a hard fought game against the Cavaliers on Sunday. The Knicks were off Sunday and had time to regroup after losing their third straight to a rejuvenated Philly squad on Saturday. We just don’t see the Knicks losing four straight and this team should really bring their A Game tonight. They have won and covered three straight in Detroit stretching back to the playoffs, and they will be confident they can pick up the win tonight in enemy territory. Detroit looked good on Sunday, but they have covered in only two of their last six and have won two of five. They just aren’t in peak form tonight, and we think the Knicks are by far the more motivated team here.

Cleveland matches up very well with the Pistons and they have won nine of ten against them and covered in four of the last six. These teams are going in opposite directions right now as Cleveland has won three straight, while the Pistons have lost three of four. Detroit has covered in only one of their last five, and the Cavs are on a 5-1 ATS run. Duren is out for Detroit today, so things won’t get any easier missing a starter. All the sudden Cleveland is playing the way they were expected to, and they have shown a lot of confidence during this winning streak. It was obvious they would put it all together at some point, and this looks like that time. This is a huge game for them, and we expect a comfortable win today.

The Celtics have won three straight meetings and five of six. We expect them to get the win here also. The Clippers have won six straight to climb back into the playoff race, but we just don’t think this team is that good. Kawhi Leonard is playing like a man on a mission lately, but he has shown in recent years that he can’t sustain that level of play, and just when you think this Clippers team has turned a corner, they usually play a bad game. The oddsmakers truly are back behind the Clippers as we had the Celtics handicapped as a slight road favorite here. Boston is one of the best ATS teams this season and the Clippers one of the worst. We expect LA’s winning streak to come to a screeching halt tonight.

The Clippers seem to be back to being a competitive team. They have won and covered four straight, and three of those were against legit championship contenders. Kawhi Leonard is playing otherworldly basketball right now and may have had his best game as a Clipper against the Pistons last time out with 55 points, 11 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 blocks. One of the best games of his career, and Harden is playing well too. After digging a big hole for themselves they have to take every game seriously as they try and climb back into the playoff race. Luckily, they face a very beatable Kings team that is going nowhere fast. This team is even worse ATS than the Clippers, and they have had the benefit of getting lots of points on a nightly basis from the oddsmakers.

The Spurs are playing as well as any team in the NBA right now. They had a hiccup last time out in a loss to the Jazz but a letdown after their epic Christmas Day win over the Thunder was expected. They should be very motivated to get back on track here. The Cavs have been very inconsistent and they have been one of the worst ATS team all season. They certainly seem overvalued in this one. The Spurs have covered in five of the last seven meetings, and this is definitely the best San Antonio team the Cavs have faced. Cleveland won earlier this month at home vs the Spurs, but we think that this is a great spot for San Antonio to get their revenge.

The Clippers have won three straight, but we don’t think this is a good team. They are being overvalued against a healthy Pistons team tonight. The Clippers are notorious for looking like they have turned a corner only to lay an egg in a game like this, and we expect a comfortable Pistons win here. Detroit is 11-5 on the road, while the Clippers are 5-8 at home. Detroit has a winning ATS record, while LA is 11-19 ATS on the season despite three straight covers. The Clippers have owned this series for years, but this is a different Pistons team. It’s worth noting that Detroit has covered in eight of the last ten meetings.

The Nets are a team we always thought would be a sneaky good ATS team this season but early in the season they were on the wrong end of a lot of blowouts. But this team has been improving over the course of the early season and we are starting to see the team we envisioned at the outset. They have covered in four straight games and five of six. They have won two straight outright, and three of four. Minnesota is going to be overvalued by the oddsmakers almost every night. They have been one of the worst teams in the NBA ATS this season. And this team often plays down to its competition in games like this and doesn’t give 100 percent effort. They usually wind up with a win but not the cover. We could see a hangover also from their epic OT Christmas game against the Nuggets, and we think the Nets keep this one within double digits.

Boston has to be pissed they were snubbed for the Christmas Day game after playing in that game the past eight years. This team has shown they are still elite and deserved to be there. We think they will take it out on the lowly Pacers. The Pacers are a dumpster fire and their home court advantage has evaporated as they have lost three straight here. Indiana has one of the worst offenses in the league and they only managed 95 points when these teams played on Monday. They followed that up with a 94-point effort against Milwaukee on Tuesday. We don’t see them doing much better than they did Monday, but Boston has a chance to put up more points on offense.

Detroit is one of the best teams in the NBA and they are also a strong ATS team and strong road team. We think they get the job done against this banged-up Portland club tonight. Portland has won three straight, and the win over the Warriors was solid. But their two wins against Sacramento didn’t impress, and they didn’t even cover in either of those games. Detroit has won four straight in this series, and that includes consecutive covers here in Portland.

A couple years ago you could blindly bet on the Clippers in this matchup and win most of the time. We always said this is a one-sided rivalry as the Lakers are the Clippers biggest rival, but the Lakers have a lot of more traditional rivals they have cultivated over the years. But this Clippers team is so bad now. Their stars know they could be on the way out of town any day now and they just don’t get much support from a very underwhelming supporting cast. Kawhi has definitely lost a step, and there aren’t really many players who can step up late if the game is close. We don’t expect this to be close, however, and think the Lakers will earn a comfortable win.

Miami was one of the best ATS teams to start the season but they have really fallen off lately and are close to a 50 percent ATS team. They have covered only two of their last ten games, which shows they are overrated by the oddsmakers. We think this line is off as well. Boston did lose their last two both SU and ATS, but before those tough games (vs. Detroit and at Milwaukee), they were on a 10-2 run both ATS and SU. They have had a few nights off to regroup from the losses, and we think they will be fired up for this matchup. They usually are, as Boston has won and covered in six of the last seven meetings. Miami scored a rare win here in Boston last time these teams met, and we have no doubt that the Celtics remember that game. Miam has played very well at home this season but are only 5-8 on the road, and we think Boston will win comfortably here tonight.

Just think this line is a bit inflated and the Jazz have played well at home. They have the shooters to challenge for the win if the shots fall, and these teams met here in Utah late last month and the game was close, with the Lakers earning a two-point win. Utah has covered three straight meetings at home, and they always raise their level of play when the Lake Show come to town.

We are always looking for spots to fade the Timberwolves, who are one of the worst teams ATS this season and a team that seems like they will continue to fail to cover spreads all season. They are overrated by the oddsmakers and they don’t care about winning pretty or winning big and just want to be in a good place once the postseason starts. Memphis all the sudden is playing to their potential and have won three of four and six of eight. They have seven covers in their last ten games. We expect a close game here.

Both teams are playing incredibly well right now but the Spurs have covered a lot vs. the Knicks and even though these teams don’t play often, they have covered in five of the last six and they have won two of the last three outright. The Spurs have had a tougher schedule lately and we just like them a little more than the Knicks right now and on a neutral court for this NBA Cup Final we thought a PK would be more appropriate for a line but we will take the points here as we think this one could go down to the wire and we feel San Antonio has a great chance to grab the hardware.

We think the Spurs are a team that can threaten the OKC dynasty that looks like it will likely happen. They have been stockpiling top tier young talent, and the cornerstone is Wembanyama, who return to action here in this NBA Cup semi-final matchup. The Spurs have been one of the teams that has consistently covered against the Thunder. They have covered in two of the last three meetings and three of the last five. We think at this point the Thunder are the better team, but we definitely think San Antonio will keep this one within double digits. No blowout tonight!

We have to hold our noses here and pick the Timberwolves in this matchup. They have been a poor ATS team but have faltered laying big numbers but we like them as a slim underdog tonight. We like the Wolves deep roster to compete to win this one even if Anthony Edwards plays, but lock in your bets soon as if he suits up the line will move. The Wolves won and covered four straight, including the last two in the Bay Area, and we think they are a sharp pick today. 

The Clippers are in a world of trouble and there are trade rumors swirling around their two best players and it looks like this team is headed for a long rebuild. They have fallen way below expectations this season and team morale has to be at an all time low. That’s not good when facing the Rockets, a team that has already surpassed their strong expectations and is playing playoff caliber basketball in the first half of the season. They are one of the top ATS teams in the league and they usually take care of business against bad teams with blowouts. We expect more of the same tonight.

These teams already played in the NBA Cup and the Suns kept things close, but now they are likely without Booker for this game and also we can see the Suns coming back to reality a bit after they were one of the best ATS teams to start the season. That cover in the NBA Cup group stage was the Suns first cover against OKC in seven tries. OKC can see the Cup on the horizon, so they will probably raise their level of play here from the group stage, and they had some massive wins in group play. Both teams are struggling with some injury issues, but OKC has superior depth and first-class players who can step in for injured guys and they won’t miss a beat.

Miami has covered in four straight meetings and we like them to win outright here at a PK line as they have been underrated by the oddsmakers all year and they are probably thinking the NBA Cup is a more realistic goal this season rather than the NBA Championship. Orlando’s to scorer, Franz Wagner, could miss a month with an ankle sprain and the Magic are trending downward. This team has been overrated by the oddsmakers all season long and they also have been inconsistent. This is a quick revenge spot for the Heat, who lost by a point on Friday. But Wagner had 32 of Orlando’s 106 points, and it will be tough for them to replace him.

One of the best ATS teams in the league (Phoenix) against one of the worst (Minnesota), getting double digits. We will bite. Booker remains out for the Suns and Brooks is questionable here but if he were to play that would be another good factor for us. But the Suns have some players that can get the job done even with a short rotation and they have been playing good, fundamental team basketball, which is the reason they have had a surprising season so far and have been a great bet all season. Minnesota always seems to play to their level of competition and when this team wins it’s often not by enough to cover big numbers like this.

The Clippers are on a back-to-back here while the Timberwolves are fresh and healthy. You never know if they will pull Kawhi Leonard right before the game, so we could get even more value here. The Clippers have no other players other than Kawhi and Harden who can score when needed. That was evident at Memphis last night when the game was close at the end and no one could make a shot and the Grizzlies cruised to a win. Both teams have been horrible ATS but someone has to cover here and we believe in the Timberwolves even though they have underachieved. They have won four straight entering this game, and they are starting to turn things around. They have won eight of the last nine meetings and they covered in six of those games.