15* NBA Friday Late-Night BAILOUT on Pistons/Warriors OVER 240.5

The Detroit Pistons have gotten healthy here recently which is why they are playing a lot more competitive basketball of late.  But they are only competitive because they have improved greatly offensively, but they are still a terrible defensive team ranking 27th in defensive rating.

The OVER is 6-0 in Pistons last six games overall and 10-2 in their last 12 games overall.  The Pistons and their opponents have combined for at least 240 points in nine of their last 12 games overall.  That includes 302 with Utah last game, 249 with Houston the game prior, 256 with Toronto the game prior and 250 with the Celtics the game prior.

The Warriors are without their two best defenders in Draymond Green and Gary Payton II right now, which makes them more of an OVER team.  The Warriors rank 20th in defensive rating.  The OVER is 3-0 in Warriors last three games overall as they combined for 257 points with the Nuggets, 236 with the Magic and 254 with the Mavericks.  These two teams should have no problem combining to top the 240.5-point total tonight.

Detroit is 22-12 OVER in all games this season, including 13-5 OVER in road games.  The Pistons are 9-0 OVER vs. teams that make 14 or more 3-pointers per game this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* Grizzlies/Lakers ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on UNDER 228.5

The Memphis Grizzlies are a dead nuts UNDER team even with JA Morant.  They start three elite defenders in Marcus Smart, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Xavier Tillman who also don't provide a ton offensively at the same time.

The UNDER is 21-13 in all Memphis games this season.  The UNDER is 4-0 in Grizzlies last four games overall with 227, 204, 215 and 223 combined points, which all would have stayed UNDER this 228.5-point total.

The Lakers are 10-5 UNDER in all home games this season.  They are averaging just over 222 combined points per game at home with their opponents.  Making the Lakers an even stronger UNDER team right now is the fact that they are without PG D'Angelo Russell.  Their offense really bogs down and slows down without him.  They have been held to 96, 109 and 106 points in their last three games overall.

Memphis is 8-1 UNDER after losing four of its last five games this season.  The Lakers and Grizzlies have combined for 228 or fewer points in five of their last six meetings, which makes for a 5-1 system backing the UNDER pertaining to this 228.5-point total.  Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Thunder/Nets OVER 234.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 5th in offensive rating and 6th in pace this season.  The OVER is 6-2 in Thunder last six games overall with 249 or more combined points in five of those eight games.  They just combined for 279 with the Hawks and 250 with the Celtics in their last two games.

Now they get another Eastern Conference foe here in the Nets.  The Nets have gone under the total in four consecutive games, which has suppressed this total as a result.  But the Nets shot 42.9%, 38%, 35.7% and 38.7% from the floor in those four games, which were all on the road.  Now they are back home and primed to shoot it much better.

The Nets are scoring 115.9 points per game at home this season.  If they just get to their season average, which I think they will, we will cash this OVER ticket.  The Nets have allowed at least 110 points in 14 consecutive games.  Brooklyn is 18-6 OVER in its last 24 games off three consecutive losses by 10 points or more.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Jazz/Celtics OVER 239.5

The Utah Jazz have gotten healthy and are playing their best basketball of the season right now.  The improvements have come on offense, where the Jazz have scored at least 116 points in eight of their last nine games overall.  But the Jazz rank 24th in defensive rating this season.  If they get to 116 points in this one, which they should, we are going to cash this OVER ticket.

The Celtics rank 2nd in offensive rating right behind the Pacers this season.  They are loaded on that end with Tatum, Brown, Porzingis, Holiday and White being pretty much unstoppable.  The Celtics have scored at least 120 points in eight consecutive games and will easily get 120-plus in this one.

The Celtics are 7-1 OVER in their last eight games overall with 235 or more combined points in all eight games, and 241 or more in six of those.  Utah is 26-13 OVER in its last 39 non-conference games.  Boston is 17-4 OVER in its last 21 games vs. Northwest Division opponents.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* CBB Thursday Undervalued Underdog on Wisconsin-Milwaukee +7.5

Wisconsin-Milwaukee just got its best player back from injury in BJ Freeman (20.0 PPG, 5.6 RPG).  Freeman averaged 17.0 PPG and 5.1 RPG last season for the Panthers.  He was out from November 25th to December 31st.

Freeman returned to action against Wright State last time out and poured in 23 points in a 91-83 victory.  He means everything to this team, and the Panthers should not be 7.5-point road underdogs to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies tonight with him in the lineup.

Oakland is 2-5 SU & 2-5 ATS in its last seven games overall with the two wins coming against Eastern Michigan and Younstown State.  They were upset by 21 at home by IUP-FW, they were upset at home by Toledo, they lost by 17 at Michigan State, lost by 24 at Dayton and lost by 8 at Cleveland State.  The Golden Grizzlies aren't playing well enough right now to warrant being 7.5-point favorites here.

Oakland is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 games after a game with 5 or fewer offensive rebounds.  Milwaukee is 149-113 ATS in its last 262 games as road underdogs.  The Golden Grizzlies are 1-8 ATS in their last nine home games vs. teams that make 8 or more 3-pointers per game.  Bet Wisconsin-Milwaukee Thursday.

15* CBB Thursday UPSET SHOCKER on Monmouth +3.5

Monmouth has been grossly undervalued all season going 7-6 SU & 9-3 ATS.  The highlights include an upset road win at West Virginia 73-65 as 14.5-point dogs, an upset win on a neutral over Belmont 93-84 as 6.5-point dogs, a narrow 4-point loss at Cornell as 12.5-point dogs, a narrow 9-point loss at Seton Hall as 14-point dogs, and an easy cover in a 16-point loss at Oklahoma as 22.5-point dogs.

Now Monmouth is back home where they are 4-1 SU this season with their lone loss to Princeton, which is 12-1 this season and one of the best mid-major teams in the country.  Towson State is not that.  The Tigers are also 7-6 this season while playing a much softer schedule than Monmouth.

The Tigers have played the 241st-ranked schedule in the country.  All six of their losses have come by 8 points or more.  The seven wins have come against Coppin State, Robert Morris, Morgan State, UMass, UMBC, Nicholls State and Arcadia.  They haven't beat a decent opponent yet with the exception of UMass.

Monmouth is 6-0 ATS after covering two of their last three games this season.  Bet Monmouth Thursday.

20* CBB Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Hofstra -1

Hofstra is 1-4 SU in its last five games overall with all four losses coming on the road to Saint Louis, Duke, UNLV and St. John's.  They only lost by 5 to a very good St. John's team last time out.  They will be highly motivated for a victory when they return home tonight.

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Pride after losing four of their last five.  They have played a brutal schedule this season, a schedule that ranks 22nd-toughest in the entire country.  They have only played four home games all season and have shown well, beating South Florida 82-63 as 5.5-point home favorites and Norfolk State 74-58 as 9-point favorites in their last two home games.

It's a great time to 'sell high' on College of Charleston coming off five consecutive victories.  All five wins came at home against a very soft schedule.  They were last seen on the road losing 90-74 at Florida Atlantic as 14-point dogs on December 10th.  They also lost by 18 to Duquesne, by 9 to Vermont and by 7 to Wyoming on a neutral earlier this season.

Hofstra is 20-8 ATS in its last 28 games as a favorite.  The Price are 16-4 ATS in their last 20 conference games.  Hofstra is 7-0 ATS in its last seven home games after four straight games committing 14 or fewer turnovers.  Bet Hofstra Thursday.

20* CBB TOTAL OF THE WEEK on California/USC OVER 151.5

USC is really a dead nuts OVER team with loads of offensive talent but poor defensive chemistry.  That's why the Trojans are just 6-7 this season despite having so much talent.  They rank 84th in adjusted tempo, 63rd in adjusted offense and 84th in adjusted defense.

The Trojans just allowed 86 points to Oregon State, which is one of the worst offensive teams in the country.  They also allowed 82 points to Oregon the game before, plus 91 to Auburn, 84 to Long Beach State and 89 to Gonzaga recently.

California just allowed 100 points to Arizona, 88 to Ole Miss and 97 to Butler in some recent games.  The Golden Bears rank 120th in adjusted offense but just 237th in adjusted defense.  They also play faster than most teams ranking 169th in adjusted tempo.

California is 7-0 OVER as an underdog this season.  USC is 10-3 OVER in all games this season.  USC is 8-1 OVER in its last nine home games vs. a team with a losing record.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Pistons/Jazz OVER 237.5

The Utah Jazz are fully healthy right now and lighting it up offensively.  They have scored at least 116 points in seven of their last eight games overall and 10 of their last 12 games overall.  They will hang a big number on the Pistons, who rank 26th in defensive rating this season.

The Pistons have also gotten healthy in recent weeks which is why they have been more competitive and were able to snap their losing streak.  The Pistons have scored at least 111 points in eight consecutive games.  But they are so bad defensively, allowing at least 118 points in 12 consecutive games.  The OVER is 9-2 in Pistons last 11 games overall with 240 or more combined points in eight of those 11 games.  The OVER is 5-0 in the last five games overall.

Detroit is 21-9 OVER as an underdog this season.  Utah is 17-6 OVER in its last 23 home games off a win by 10 points or more.  The Jazz are 25-13 OVER in their last 38 non-conference games.  The Pistons rank 6th in pace while the Jazz rank 11th, so we'll get the pace we need to cash this OVER.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* Stanford/UCLA ESPN 2 ANNIHILATOR on UCLA -4.5

It's a great time to 'buy low' on UCLA and 'sell high' on Stanford tonight with the perfect storm here.  UCLA is 1-5 SU in its last six games overall as the Bruins have been one of the biggest disappointments in the country up to this point.

But I expect the Bruins to fire back here at home tonight against a Stanford team coming off one of the biggest wins of the entire season.  They throttled Arizona 100-82 at home on December 31st to pull off the upset as 12-point underdogs.  They shot a ridiculous 58.1% from the floor as everything they looked at went in.

Things won't come nearly as easily against UCLA, which ranks 39th in adjusted defense.  Remember, this is a Stanford team that lost by 22 to Northern Iowa, by 14 to San Diego State and by 12 to Santa Clara earlier this season.  That win over Arizona was the aberration, not the norm for this Cardinal team.

UCLA owns Stanford, going 4-0 SU & 3-1 ATS in the last four meetings with all four wins coming by 9 points or more.  Jarod Haase is 4-12 ATS in road games off a conference win by 10 points or more as the coach of Stanford.  Mick Cronin is 10-2 ATS in home games vs. teams that make 8 or more 3-pointers per game as the coach of UCLA.  Bet UCLA Wednesday.

20* NBA Western Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Blazers/Mavs OVER 236.5

The Dallas Mavericks are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 8th in pace, 10th in offensive rating and 23rd in defensive rating.  Kyrie Irving just returned from injury against the Jazz last time out and was rusty.  The Mavericks scored 90 points and shot 39.8% from the floor as a team.  This total has been suppressed due to that result, and now it's a good time to 'buy low' on a Mavericks OVER.  Irving will be much sharper in his 2nd game back tonight.

It's also a good time to 'buy low' on a Blazers OVER after they scored 88 points on 41.2% shooting against the Suns last time out.  Anfernee Simons (27.1 PPG) has sat out the last three games with an illness.  I have to think he returns for the Blazers tonight.  Simons scored at least 23 points in six consecutive games prior to going down with Illness.  His presence on the court makes the Blazers an OVER team.  Shaeden Sharpe (16.4 PPG) also just returned from injury, while center DeAandre Ayton is out right now.  Ayton is their most important defender so it's good for us that he is out.

Dallas is 11-1 OVER in its last 12 home games off an upset loss as a favorite.  The Mavericks are 14-3 OVER vs. a team with a losing record this season.  The OVER is 6-0 in the last six meetings.  The Blazers and Mavericks have combined for at least 237 points in five consecutive meetings.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* Thunder/Hawks Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on OVER 247

The Atlanta Hawks are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 5th in pace, 6th in offensive rating and 27th in defensive rating.  The OVER is 9-3-1 in Atlanta's 13 home games this season where they are scoring 123.8 points per game on 48.4% shooting and allowing 125.4 points per game on 50.4% shooting.

The Oklahoma City Thunder rank 5th in offensive rating this season and are filling it up right now.  The Thunder have scored at least 116 points in 12 consecutive games and are averaging 121.5 points per game on 49.9% shooting this season.  They will get what they want on offense tonight, but they may have a letdown defensively after upsetting the Celtics last night.

The OVER is 11-2 in the last 13 meetings between the Thunder and Hawks including 269 and 254 combined points in a couple recent meetings.  Atlanta is 7-0 OVER  after losing four of its last five games this season.  Oklahoma City is 13-2 OVER in its last 15 games vs. teams that make 14 or more 3-pointers per game.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Wizards/Cavs OVER 239

The Washington Wizards are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 1st in pace and dead last (30th) in defensive rating this season.  But they do fill it up on offense with plenty of talent to get their points on a nightly basis.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are more of an OVER team this season than in year's past because they are shooting a lot more 3-pointers and playing faster.  They just went for 245 combined points with the Raptors in their last game, and I think we get 240-plus here with ease.

The Wizards and their opponents have combined for at least 241 points in 17 of their last 27 games overall.  Washington is 33-21 OVER in its last 54 games when the total is 230 or higher.  The Wizards are 13-3 OVER vs. a team with a winning record this season.

Plays on the OVER on all teams where the total is 220 or higher (Cleveland) - off a road loss, a marginal winning team (51% to 60%) playing a terrible team (25% or less) are 27-5 (84.4%) since 1996.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* Bucks/Pacers Eastern Conference ANNIHILATOR on UNDER 258.5

Familiarity favors defense and low-scoring games.  Well, this will already be the 5th meeting between the Pacers and Bucks this season.  They have combined for 250, 247, 266 and 235 points in those four meetings.  The Books have set the bar too high tonight.

The Pacers and Bucks just combined for 235 points in their 4th meeting just two days ago on January 1st.  It will be more of the same here as these teams know each other inside and out at this point and will be able to defend one another.  Injuries will also help us cash this UNDER with Middleton questionable for the Bucks and Brown and Nembhard questionable for the Pacers.

Milwaukee is 32-17 UNDER in its last 49 road games vs. a team with a winning record.  Plays on the UNDER on all teams where the total is 220 or higher (Indiana) - off an upset win as a road underdog, a marginal winning team (51% to 60%) playing a winning team are 27-6 (81.8%) over the last five seasons.  Bet the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

15* New Mexico/Colorado State MWC Late-Night BAILOUT on Colorado State -3.5

Colorado State is not only one of the best mid-major teams in the country but one of the very best college basketball teams in the country, period.  The Rams are 12-1 this season with their lone loss coming to St. Mary's when they were short-handed.  They have wins over two of the best teams in the country in Creighton (69-48) and Colorado (88-83), and they should be more than 3.5-point home favorites over New Mexico tonight.

Colorado State lost two key players in Jalen Lake and Josiah Strong for a stretch of games recently.  But they just got Lake (8.2 PPG) back from injury and will be getting Strong (8.5 PPG) back later this month.  And they still have four players averaging 12.2 PPG or more this season.

Somehow New Mexico has only played one true road game this season.  The Lobos nearly lost outright at New Mexico State in a 73-72 win as 14.5-point favorites in that lone true road game.  We know the Lobos dominate at home with one of the best home-court advantages in the country.  But they struggle on the road, and I'll gladly fade them here in only their 2nd true road game this season.

Colorado State is 7-1 ATS vs. teams with a winning record this season.  Colorado State is 5-1 SU in its last six meetings with New Mexico with all five wins coming by 6 points or more.  Bet Colorado State Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Northwestern +6

Illinois just lost its best player in Terrence Shannon Jr. (21.7 PPG) to a suspension due to rape charges over Christmas Break.  That's a big blow to their season and a huge distraction right now.  They should not be favored by 6 over Northwestern tonight without Shannon Jr.

Northwestern is 10-2 this season with a win over Purdue.  The Wildcats have been a thorn in Illinois' side in recent meetings as well going 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings not once losing by more than 7 points despite playing three of those on the road.

Northwestern is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 road games after playing a game as a favorite.  The Wildcats are 8-1 ATS in their last nine road games coming off an ATS loss.  Bet Northwestern Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday UPSET SHOCKER on Oklahoma City Thunder +4.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been the best covering team in the NBA for three seasons running.  They just cannot seem to get the respect they deserve because they are a small market team.  They continue playing with a chip on their shoulder as a result.

Now they will prove themselves once again against the team that everyone is picking to win the NBA title in the Boston Celtics.  The Thunder are 22-9 SU & 22-8 ATS this season, including 13-5 SU & 13-5 ATS at home where they are outscoring opponents by 8.5 points per game.  The Thunder (+8.7) rank 3rd in the NBA in net rating, only behind the Celtics (10.4) and 76ers (10.3).  This line should be much closer to PK when you look at net rating and factor in home-court advantage.

The Celtics have been vulnerable on the road where they are 10-6 SU & 6-8 ATS.  They were just taken to OT by the Pistons at home and won by 2 over the Raptors in two of their last three games.  They did blow out the Spurs on the road who were without Keldon Johnson, but everyone is beating the Spurs.

Oklahoma City is 8-1 ATS off a blowout win by 15 points or more this season.  Boston is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 road games vs. good pressure defensive teams that force 15 or more turnovers per game.  Bet the Thunder Tuesday.

20* Celtics/Thunder NBA No-Brainer on OVER 240

Two of the most efficient offensive teams in the NBA square off tonight when the Boston Celtics visit the Oklahoma City Thunder.  The Celtics rank 2nd in offensive rating while the Thunder rank 6th.  Both teams are fully healthy right now as well so expect plenty of fireworks in this one.

I expect both the Thunder and Celtics to exceed 120 points in this one.  The Thunder have scoreda t least 119 points in six consecutive games and 116 or more in 11 consecutive games.  The Celtics have scored 120 or more points in seven consecutive games, and 114 or more in 12 consecutive games.

Oklahoma City is 18-4 OVER in its last 22 games off a home win by 10 points or more.  Boston is 16-4 OVER in its last 20 games vs. Northwest Division opponents.  The OVER is 3-0 in the last three meetings with 267, 248 and 255 combined points.  The Thunder are 14-1 OVER in their last 15 games vs. teams that attempt 39 or more 3-pointers per game.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

15* Big Ten PLAY OF THE DAY on Purdue/Maryland UNDER 141.5

Maryland is a dead nuts UNDER team.  The Terrapins rank 270th in adjusted tempo, 25th in adjusted defense and 134th in adjusted offense.  They will control the tempo playing at home tonight, and they will slow it down to a snail's pace to try and give themselves their best chance to upset Purdue.

The Boilermakers rank 9th in adjusted defense.  They always tend to play Maryland in low-scoring games home or away.  Indeed, the UNDER is 4-0 in the last four meetings with 122, 113, 123 and 121 combined points scored in those four.  The UNDER is 8-1 in the last nine meetings as well with 126 or fewer combined points in seven of their last eight meetings.  Bet the UNDER in this game Tuesday.

15* NBA Monday Total DOMINATOR on Mavericks/Jazz OVER 245

The Dallas Mavericks are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 8th in pace, 7th in offensive rating and 22nd in defensive rating.  The Mavericks got great injury news heading into this one with Doncic and Exum participating in shootaround today, plus the big one in Irving also participating and expected to make his return.  They are really an OVER team when Irving is playing.

The Utah Jazz are a dead nuts OVER team when healthy as well.  They rank 12th in pace and 24th in defensive rating, and are a much better offensive team when Markkanen and Clarkson are playing, which is the case right now.  The Jazz have scored at least 116 points in six of their last seven games overall.

Dallas is 21-11 OVER in all games this season.  Utah is 9-1 OVER in its last 10 home games when revenging a road loss by 10 points or more.  They gave up 147 points to the Mavericks in their first meeting this season.  The Mavericks are 14-2 OVER vs. a team with a losing record this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

20* NBA Non-Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Pistons/Rockets OVER 227.5

The Houston Rockets have been a dead nuts OVER team since losing their best defender in Dillon Brooks to injury.  He doesn't provide much offensively.  The OVER is 3-0 in Rockets last three games overall with 240, 242 and 258 combined points.  This total of 227.5 is way too short tonight.

The Detroit Pistons are as healthy as they have been all season which is why they are playing much better of late.  The OVER is 6-1 in Pistons last seven games overall and we have seen 230 or more combined points in all seven games.  Again, this total of 227.5 is too low given those facts.

Detroit is 20-9 OVER as an underdog this season.  The Pistons are 9-1 OVER in road games vs. teams who attempt 24 or fewer free throws per game this season.  Detroit is 12-2 OVER vs. good 3-point shooting teams that make 36% or better this season.  Houston is 16-6 OVER in its last 22 games vs. terrible defensive teams that allow 48% shooting or higher.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE MONTH on Celtics/Spurs OVER 238.5

The San Antonio Spurs are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 3rd in pace and 25th in defensive rating.  They play the Boston Celtics, who rank 4th in offensive rating and will hang a big number on them today.  I expect the Spurs to score enough themselves to push this one OVER the total.

Both teams are very healthy coming into this game, which is good for the OVER.  The keys for the Celtics to being an OVER team is having Porzingis, Tatum, Brown and White healthy, and all four are expected to play.  Jrue Holiday is questionable, but he's an elite defender so not having him for this OVER would be just fine.

The Celtics have scored at least 120 points in six consecutive games.  They have allowed 115 or more points in five of those six.  The OVER is 6-0 in Celtics last six games overall.  The OVER is 7-2 in Spurs last nine games overall.  They have scored 118 or more points in seven of those nine games.  They have allowed at least 114 points in eight of those nine games.

Boston is 9-1 OVER in its last 10 games after five straight games making 47% of their shots or better.  San Antonio is 13-2 OVER in home games this season.  The Spurs are 7-0 OVER after playing their last two games on the road this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE MONTH on New Orleans Pelicans -5.5

I love the spot for the New Orleans Pelicans tonight.  They are rested and ready to go after having the last two days off and will be playing just their 3rd game in 8 days as well.  They want revenge on the Lakers after getting knocked out by them in the semifinals of the in-season tournament.

I like their chances of getting that revenge considering the Lakers are a tired team.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and in their 3rd different city in 4 days after a 106-108 loss in Minnesota last night.  LeBron James and Anthony Davis each played 39 minutes in that game, and don't be surprised if one or both sit.  Plus, De'Angelo Russell got hurt in that game and is questionable to play tonight.

The Lakers have been pretty dreadful since winning the in-season tournament as they just lack motivation in these less important games.  They are 3-7 SU & 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  I don't expect a very good effort out of them tonight given the spot, and I conversely I expect a max effort from the revenge-minded Pelicans, who are fully healthy right now.

The Pelicans are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 home games after failing to cover 5 or 6 of their last 7 games against the spread.  Bet the Pelicans Sunday.

20* NBA GAME OF THE WEEK on Detroit Pistons +5

The Detroit Pistons have tied the NBA record for longest losing streak in history at 28 games.  They don't want to be the sole owners of this streak, and I expect them to win outright tonight.  We will take the points for some insurance.

The Pistons are as healthy as they have been all season and are trending in the right direction.  They are 2-0 ATS in their last two games and played well in both.  They only lost by 6 to the Nets as 6.5-point underdogs, and then took the Celtics to OT as 17-point underdogs.  They even led the Celtics by 20-plus points early in that game.

Now the Pistons are in a favorable spot here playing just their 3rd game in 7 days.  The Raptors are in a terrible spot, playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd road game in 4 days.  They are coming off a deflating 118-120 loss at Boston last night and won't have much left in the tank for the Pistons.  

Keep in mind Boston was missing Tatum and Porzingis last night and was playing the 2nd of a back-to-back, so the fact that they hung with the Celtics isn't very impressive as they closed as 4.5-point dogs.  Siakam played 40 minutes, Barnes 38, Anunoby 37 and Schroder 34 for the Raptors last night.  They won't have much left in the tank for the Pistons, and they could choose to rest a starter or two.

The Raptors are 4-10 SU & 5-9 ATS in their last 14 games overall, so it's not like they are playing well enough to warrant being 5-point road favorites here.  The Pistons are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 meetings with the Raptors.  That includes 5-0 ATS in their last five home meetings with Toronto.  Bet the Pistons Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Total DOMINATOR on UNC-Wilmington/Arkansas OVER 146.5

The books have missed their mark setting this total below 150 between UNC-Wilmington and Arkansas, two great offensive teams that can fill it up.  Arkansas ranks 99th in adjusted tempo and 66th in adjusted offense and is scoring 80.3 points per game on 47.6% shooting on the season.

Wilmington ranks 98th in adjusted offense this season and is putting up 85.4 points per game on 48% shooting, including 38.7% shooting from 3-point range.  They won't be intimidated by the Razorbacks as they already beat Kentucky 80-73 as 18-point road dogs.

Each of Wilmington's last four games have seen 147 or more combined points.  They have gone for 147 or more combined points in eight of their 11 games this season.  Better yet, Arkansas has gone for 149 or more combined points in 11 of its 12 games this season.  That makes for an 11-1 system backing the OVER pertaining to this 146.5-point total.  

Arkansas is 10-2 OVER in all games this season, including 7-0 OVER in all home games this season.  The Razorbacks are 17-4 OVER in their last 21 home games with a total set of 140 to 149.5.  Bet the OVER in this game Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Indiana State +9

Indiana State is one of the best mid-major teams in the country.  The Sycamores are 11-1 this season with their lone loss coming on the road to Alabama.  They rank 34th in adjusted offense and can fill it up, and they are improved defensively ranking 101st in adjusted defense.  I think they can give Michigan State a run for its money today.

It's a good time to 'sell high' on the Spartans.  They are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall.  But we saw the Spartans get upset earlier this season at home by another great mid-major in James Madison as 16.5-point favorites.  This could be a flat spot for the Spartans coming off Christmas Break and with a Big Ten game against Penn State on deck.

Indiana State is 30-16 ATS in its last 46 games overall.  The Sycamores are 18-4 ATS in their last 22 games off a win by 10 points or more.  Bet Indiana State Saturday.

15* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Thunder/Nuggets OVER 235.5

The Denver Nuggets are fully healthy right now with the exception of Aaron Gordon, who is their best defender.  They just hung 142 points on the Grizzlies last night, who are a very good defensive team.  They have scored at least 113 points in nine of their last 10 games overall, including 120 or more six times.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have scored at least 116 points in nine consecutive games, including 120 or more seven times.  I think both teams can get to 120 tonight, which is more than enough to cash this OVER 235.5 ticket.

The Thunder are 25-10 OVER in their last 35 games following a home win.  The OVER is 7-2 in Thunder last nine games overall with 235 or more combined points in eight of those nine games.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on 76ers/Rockets OVER 224

The Houston Rockets are without two key defenders right now in Dillon Brooks and Jabari Smith that will really take away from them defensively.  They have had a great defensive season, but we saw how it went without Brooks against the Suns last time out.  They lost a 129-113 shootout to the Suns and 242 combined points.

The 76ers go more small ball without Embiid and play faster.  They have gone for 232 or more combined points in three of their last four games overall.  They also take a hit defensively without Embiid.

The OVER is 20-10 in all 76ers games this season largely due to them ranking 3rd in offensive rating.  The 76ers and Rockets have combined for at least 226 points in seven of their last eight meetings, making for a 7-1 system backing the OVER pertaining to this 224-point total.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Spurs/Blazers OVER 233.5

The San Antonio Spurs are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 3rd in pace and 25th in defensive rating.  The OVER is 6-1 in Spurs last seven games overall with 241 or more combined points in six of those seven.  This total of 233.5 is too low for a game involving the Spurs right now.

The Blazers are more of an OVER team in their current state because they have all of their key guards healthy, plus they are without center DeAndre Ayton, who is their eraser inside.  They have gone more small ball lately.  The OVER is 6-3 in Blazers last nine games overall with 232 or more combined points in eight of those nine games.

The OVER is 3-0 in the last three meetings between the Spurs and Blazers with 256, 264 and 240 combined points in those three.  San Antonio is 20-9 OVER in all games this season.  Plays on the OVER on all teams where the total is 210 or higher (Portland) - after a win by 10 points or more against an opponent that is off four consecutive losses by 10 points or more are 22-3 (88%) over the last five seasons.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday Total DOMINATOR on Jazz/Pelicans OVER 238.5

The Utah Jazz are back to being a dead nuts OVER team now that they are fully healthy getting both Markkanen and Clarkson back.  The OVER is 3-1 in Jazz last four games overall with 240, 230, 245 and 248 combined points.

The New Orleans Pelicans have faced a brutal schedule of opposing defenses here of late with games against the Grizzlies (twice), Rockets and Cavaliers.  The scoring in those four games was suppressed, but now the Pelicans get a reprieve here against the Jazz, who rank 24th in defensive rating.

This game will play out similarly to recent games against the Wizards and Spurs.  The Pelicans beat the Spurs 146-110 for 256 combined points and the Wizards 142-122 for 264 combined points.  Both the Spurs and Wizards have similar profiles to the Jazz as dead nuts OVER teams who play poor defense.

Utah is 9-1 OVER in its last 10 road games when paying just its 2nd game in 5 days.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

15* NBA Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on 76ers/Magic OVER 224.5

The Orlando Magic have gone for at least 227 combined points in three consecutive games.  The Philadelphia 76ers have gone for at least 232 combined points in three consecutive games while going OVER in all three.  The OVER is now 11-3 in 76ers last 14 games overall.

The 76ers are playing faster without Joel Embiid right now, and they are going with more small ball, which is beneficial to OVERS.  The 76ers rank 2nd in the NBA in offensive rating, largely due to the fact that they have a lot more talent on this roster outside Embiid than most realize, especially at the guard positions.  They rank 12th in pace and like I said play faster without having to run the offense through Embiid.  But they are much worse off defensively without him.

Philadelphia is 20-9 OVER in all games this season.  The 76ers are 10-2 OVER when playing against a team with a winning record this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Total DOMINATOR on Hawks/Bulls OVER 233.5

The Atlanta Hawks are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 4th in pace, 5th in offensive rating and 27th in defensive rating.  This total of 233.5 is a very low total for a game involving the Hawks.

The OVER is 9-3 in Hawks last 12 games overall.  They have gone for 235 or more combined points in 10 of their last 12 games overall.  They take on a Bulls team that has changed offensive philosophy since losing Zach LaVine to shoot more 3-pointers and layups instead of mid-range jumpers.  

It has worked wonders as the Bulls are 8-4 SU & 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games overall, and they have scored at least 111 points in nine of those 12 games.  The OVER is 11-4 OVER in their last 15 games overall.

Atlanta is 12-4 OVER following a loss this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

20* NBA Western Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Oklahoma City Thunder -1.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder want revenge on the Minnesota Timberwolves.  They knocked the Thunder out of the playoffs last year in the play-in round with a 120-95 victory at home.  They also beat the Thunder 106-103 at home in their first meeting this season.

But now the Thunder finally get the Timberwolves at home in Oklahoma City, and they will get their revenge tonight.  The Thunder are 18-9 SU & 18-8-1 ATS this season, including 10-5 SU & 10-5 ATS at home.  The Timberwolves have just one loss at home all season, but five losses on the road.  Minnesota could be without Karl-Anthony Towns, who is questionable.

Oklahoma City is 12-2 ATS in its last 14 games when revenging a close loss by 3 points or less.  The Thunder are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 home games after playing three consecutive home games.  Bet the Thunder Tuesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Houston Rockets -3

The Houston Rockets are 12-2 SU & 12-2 ATS at home this season.  They are outscoring opponents by 12.3 points per game at home this year, where they have been grossly undervalued.  That is the case again tonight as only 3-point home favorites over the struggling Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers have struggled since the in-season tournament.  They are just 1-6 SU & 1-6 ATS in their last seven games overall with their lone win coming at home against the lowly Hornets.  They lost by 14 in Milwaukee, by 14 in Washington, by 18 in Minnesota and by 13 in Memphis in their four road games during this stretch.

While the Rockets are fully healthy, the Pacers will be without Bruce Brown (11.6 PPG), who was their biggest offseason acquisition.  Indiana is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 road games after two straight games where they allowed 50% shooting or higher.  Houston is 15-2 ATS following an ATS win this season.  Bet the Rockets Tuesday.

15* Celtics/Lakers ABC ANNIHILATOR on Boston -2.5

The Boston Celtics are the best team in the NBA, period.  They should be more than 2.5-point favorites over the Los Angeles Lakers today.  The Celtics aren't distracted and are on a business trip here in the midst of a four-game road trip.

After opening it with a OT loss at Golden State, the Celtics have been on a mission since.  They dominated the Kings 144-119 in Sacramento despite being on the 2nd of a back-to-back and off an OT game.  They had the next two days off and then crushed the Clippers 145-108 in Los Angeles on Saturday.  Now they will be rested and ready to go against the hated Lakers today.

The Lakers have been terrible since winning the in-season tournament.  They are 2-5 SU & 2-5 ATS in their seven games since the tournament.  They are banged up and distracted right now.  They have been on the road for eight of their last nine games and haven't been able to spend much time with family at home.  They have a lot of obligations to deal with back home for Christmas, which is a big distraction for them.  I like the mental state of the Celtics much more heading into this one.

The Lakers are 6-19 ATS in their last 25 games following a road win.  Boston is 30-15 ATS in its last 45 road games with a line of +3 to -3.  The Celtics are 4-1 SU in their last five meetings with the Lakers.  Bet the Celtics Monday.

15* NBA Monday Total DOMINATOR on Warriors/Nuggets OVER 233

The Golden State Warriors are without their two best defenders right now in Draymond Green and Gary Payton II.  They are even more of a dead nuts OVER team without them, and they have been for weeks now.

The OVER is 14-6 in Warriors last 20 games overall.  They have scored at least 118 points in five consecutive games while allowing at least 114 points in seven of their last eight games.  The Warriors and their opponents have combined for at least 232 points in eight consecutive games.

The Denver Nuggets are fully healthy right now and potent offensively when that's the case.  They have scored at least 114 points in seven of their last eight games overall.  I think both teams can get to 115-plus in this one, which will lead to us easily cashing this OVER 233 ticket.

Golden State is 11-2 OVER when revenging a loss this season.  The Warriors are 13-4 OVER vs. a team with a winning record this season.  Golden State is 14-4 OVER vs. good shooting teams that make at least 46% of their shots this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

15* NBA Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Portland Trail Blazers +9.5

Golden State is without its two best defenders in Draymond Green and Gary Payton II.  The Warriors can't be this big of a favorite over anyone right now given their current state.  In fact, Golden State has just one win by more than 11 points all season!  They have just one win by more than 6 points in their last 20 games, making for a 19-1 system backing the Blazers pertaining to this 9.5-point spread.

That 11-point win came against the Wizards last night who were playing the 2nd of a back-to-back.  Now it's the Warriors who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and on tired legs since they are short-handed.  The Warriors could also be caught looking ahead to their game against defending champion Denver on Christmas Day and not take the Blazers seriously tonight.

The Blazers are playing much more competitive basketball here of late with their last three games all decided by 5 points or less.  They upset the Suns, lost by 1 to the Wizards and lost by 4 to the Warriors.  That makes this a revenge spot for the Blazers as well as they just lost to the Warriors on December 17th.  They will be the more motivated team.

A big reason the Blazers are playing a lot better of late is that they have finally gotten healthier with Brogdon, Simons, Henderson, Grant and Ayton all missing some time this year.  But all five are healthy now.  The Warriors are just 3-10-1 ATS at home this season and have been consistently overvalued at home.  Asking them to win this game by double-digits to beat us given the tough rest spot is asking too much.  Bet the Blazers Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Night BLOWOUT on Chicago Bulls -5

The Chicago Bulls are 8-3 SU & 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games overall and playing their best basketball of the season since Zach LaVine got hurt.  They are playing team basketball, playing smarter on offense with more 3's and layups, and I expect them to keep this momentum going tonight against the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers.

Cleveland is without its top three scorers in Mitchell (27.7 PPG, 5.5 APG), Garland (20.7 PPG, 5.9 APG) and Mobley (16.0 PPG, 10.5 RPG) right now.  Sam Merrill has been playing well at PG in their absence but even he is questionable tonight as well.  The Cavaliers stand no chance of being competitive on the road against the Bulls without Mitchell, Garland and Mobley.  Bet the Bulls Saturday.

15* Lakers/Thunder NBA ANNIHILATOR on Oklahoma City -3.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been grossly undervalued for three seasons now and remain undervalued this season.  They are 18-8 SU & 18-7-1 ATS this season.  The Thunder rank 3rd in the NBA in net rating this season trailing only the 76ers and Celtics.

The Los Angeles Lakers won the in-season tournament and have just tanked since as they haven't bene as motivated.  The Lakers are 1-5 SU & 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall with their lone win coming against the Spurs by 3.  They also lost to the Spurs by 14, lost to the Knicks at home by 5, lost by 16 at Chicago and lost by 7 at Minnesota.

Injuries are really starting to pile up for the Lakers as James, Davis and Hachimura are all questionable for this one.  The Thunder blasted the Lakers 133-110 as 5.5-point home favorites in their lone meeting with them this season on November 30th.  It will be more of the same tonight, this time as even shorter 3.5-point favorites.

The Thunder are the much fresher team playing their 2nd game in 5 days and just their 6th game in 15 days.  The Lakers will be playing in their 7th different city in 12 days.  Bet the Thunder Saturday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE MONTH on Memphis Grizzlies ML -115

JA Morant showed no signs of rust in leading the Grizzlies to a big comeback win in a 115-113 victory at New Orleans as 8-point dogs in his return from suspension.  Morant had 34 points including the game-winner at the buzzer in a dramatic return.  He means everything to this team's success, and I think the Grizzlies are a 'bet on' team in the immediate future because of it.

Morant had 20 points and 8 assists in his second game back while Bane had 31 and Jackson Jr. had 21 as Morant just makes everything easier on his teammates.  We're getting an undervalued Grizzlies team due to a poor 8-19 start this season.  But now they have no margin for error the rest of the way and have to really go on a run if they want to make the playoffs.  I expect Morant and company to continue making a run from here on out.

Now the Grizzlies get to face a tired Atlanta Hawks team that will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  Young and Bey both played nearly 40 minutes last night while Murray played 34 in a 113-122 loss in Miami.  The Hawks are short-handed right now without Jalen Johnson and AJ Griffin, plus De'Andre Hunter is questionable.

Atlanta is 7-21 ATS in all games this season, including a dreadful 1-10 ATS at home.  The Hawks are 0-8 ATS in home games with a total of 230 or higher this season.  Atlanta is 0-7 ATS off two consecutive road games this season.  Bet the Grizzlies on the Money Line Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on UT-Arlington +8

North Texas lost its star PG to Kansas State in the transfer portal.  The Mean Green only brought back one starter this season and were gutted.  They have a reputation of being one of the best mid-major teams in the country from previous seasons, but that is no longer the case this season.  They continue to get too much respect for that reputation.

The Mean Green are just 5-5 SU this season with their five wins coming against Mississippi Valley State, Angelo State, Towson State, Nebraska-Omaha and Northern Iowa in OT.  When they have stepped up in class they have lost to Fordham, Mississippi State, Boise State, LSU and St. John's.

I like what I've seen from this UT-Arlington team on the road this season.  They only lost 80-82 as 14.5-point dogs at New Mexico, 69-76 as 11-point dogs at Grand Canyon and 66-77 as 13.5-point dogs at Texas Tech.  They took all three of those very good teams to the wire, and North Texas isn't nearly as good as those three squads.

Arlington is 71-49 ATS in its last 120 games as a road underdog.  The Mavericks are 7-2 ATS in all games this season, including 4-1 ATS in road games.  Bet UT-Arlington Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday UPSET SHOCKER on Toledo +5

West Virginia is rebuilding this season after moving on from Bob Huggins to Josh Eilert. They have five new starters this season and it has not gone well.  The Mountaineers are 4-7 SU & 4-7 ATS this season and they have no business being 5-point favorites against Toledo today.

West Virginia's four wins this season came by 8 over Missouri State, by 13 over Jacksonville State, by 4 over Bellarmine and by 6 over Drexel.  There are some very concerning losses as well.  They lost by 8 to UMass as a 3-point favorite on a neutral and were upset by Radford as a 6.5-point home favorite.  They were also blasted by Pitt by 17 at home and were upset as 14.5-point home favorites by Monmouth.

Toledo is one of the better mid-major teams in the country.  They took three other mid-major powers to the wire in losses to New Mexico by 8, UC-Irvine by 6 and Indiana State by 2.  They upset Oakland and upset Wright State in their two true road games this season.  I fully expect them to upset West Virginia today.

Toledo is 49-29 ATS in its last 78 games overall.  The Rockets are 8-1 ATS in their last nine road games after giving up 9 or fewer offensive rebounds in two consecutive games.  West Virginia is 1-8 ATS in its last nine home games after losing two of its last three games.  Kowalczyk is 16-4 ATS after a game where they made 33% of their shots or worse as the coach of Toledo.  Bet Toledo Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Mississippi State/Rutgers UNDER 133

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are a dead nuts UNDER team.  They rank 246th in adjusted tempo, 361st in average defensive possession length, 14th in adjusted defense and 185th in adjusted offense.  The UNDER is 8-2 in all Rutgers games this season with 133 or fewer combined points in seven of their 10 games this season and 134 in another.

Mississippi State ranks 174th in adjusted tempo and 253rd in average possession length on offense.  The Bulldogs are also 13th in adjusted defense, so these are two Top 15 defensive teams in the country.  This is a sleepy early start time at 12:00 EST which will also favor defense, poor shooting and a slower tempo.

Rutgers are 11-2 UNDER in its last 13 games as an underdog.  Mississippi State is 24-12 UNDER in its last 36 games as a favorite.  Bet the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* NBA Friday Undervalued Underdog on Washington Wizards +12.5

The Washington Wizards have quietly gone 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall with three against playoff contenders.  They upset the Pacers by 14 as 8.5-point home dogs, took the Suns to the wire in a 4-point road loss at 13-point dogs, covered in a 12-point loss at Sacramento as 14-point dogs and upset the Blazers as 4.5-point road dogs.  They are also a solid 11-6 ATS on the road this season, while the Warriors are 3-9 ATS at home.

This number has been adjusted up too much for the fact that the Wizards will now be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back.  But they had two days off prior to the Portland game, so they should still be pretty fresh.  And they are nearly at full strength right now and one of the deepest teams in the NBA playing nine different players significant minutes last night.

I think the spot is actually worse for the Warriors, who are coming off an upset win over the Celtics in OT on Thursday, which now sets them up for a letdown spot.  Golden State is without its two best defenders in Draymond Green and Gary Payton II, plus Brandin Podziemski is questionable after leaving the Boston game with a back injury.  The Warriors can't be double-digit favorites over anyone right now given their current state.

In fact, Golden State has just one win by more than 11 points all season!  Their largest margin of victory in their last 19 games has been 6 points! They haven't won any of their last 23 games by more than 11 points, making for a 23-0 system backing the Wizards pertaining to this 12.5-point spread.  Golden State has beaten Washington by more than 9 points just once in their last nine meetings.  Jordan Poole wants some revenge here on the team that let him go as well.  Bet the Wizards Friday.

20* NBA Friday No-Doubt Rout on Houston Rockets -8.5

I love the spot for the Houston Rockets tonight.  They will be highly motivated for a victory following three consecutive losses to the Bucks, Cavaliers and Hawks.  They took all three to the wire in single-digit losses but came up just short.

Now the Rockets will take out their frustration on the short-handed Dallas Mavericks.  The Mavericks were already struggling even when Luka Doncic was healthy because they were missing so many other key guys.  Now they are without Doncic too, and the future is grim for the Mavericks until some of these guys get back healthy.

Indeed, the Mavericks are 1-3 SU & 1-3 ATS in their last four games overall losing by 18 at home to Minnesota, by 26 at Denver and by 9 at home to the Clippers.  The Mavericks will be without Doncic (32.7 PPG, 9.1 APG, 8.4 RPG), Irving (23.0 PPG, 5.2 APG), Lively II (8.9 PPG, 7.7 RPG), Exum (8.6 PPG) and Green (6.9 PPG) tonight.  They don't stand a chance of even being competitive against the motivated Rockets, who won't be taking them lightly given they have lost three straight.

The Rockets are 11-2 SU & 11-2 ATS at home this season and outscoring opponents by 11.2 points per game.  Houston is 11-1 ATS after playing a home game this season.  The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.  Bet the Rockets Friday.

15* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Raptors/76ers UNDER 230.5

Familiarity favors defense and low-scoring games.  This will be the 3rd meeting between the 76ers and Raptors already this season.  The first two meetings saw 221 and 213 combined points, and it will be another defensive struggle tonight.

In fact, the 76ers and Raptors have combined for 229 or fewer points in 11 consecutive meetings, making for a perfect 11-0 system backing the UNDER pertaining to this 230.5-point total.  Most of these meetings haven't even sniffed this total with 213 or fewer combined points in seven of those 11 meetings.

The Raptors are a dead nuts UNDER team.  They rank 21st in pace, 21st in offensive rating and 15th in defensive rating.  The 76ers rank 2nd in defensive rating which has been the key to their success this season.  The 76ers may not have PG De'Anthony Melton, who left their last game with a thigh injury and is questionable, which would also help us cash this UNDER ticket.  Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* CBB Friday Night BLOWOUT on SMU -5.5

Steve Prohm is one of the worst head coaches in the country.  He was fired from Iowa State, and he returned to Murray State where he previously had success.  It was a disaster last season in his first season back, and it hasn't gone any better this season, proving that he's one of the worst in the business.

Murray State is just 3-8 SU & 3-7 ATS this season.  The Racers just lost outright two games ago at home to SE Louisiana as a double-digit favorite.  Then they were blown out by 14 as 1.5-point favorites at Arkansas-Little Rock to suffer their 8th loss in 9 games.

Murray State has compiled this awful record against the 278th-ranked schedule in the country.  Now they must face one of the best teams they have all season in SMU.  And the biggest difference between these teams is defense, where Murray State ranks 316th in adjusted defense while SMU ranks 34th and actually gets after it on that end.  Prohm just doesn't coach defense.

SMU won its last road game 68-57 at Florida State as a 5.5-point dog.  This will be a pretty big step down in class for the Mustangs, who have already faced the likes of FSU, ASU, Dayton, Wisconsin and Texas A&M.  Murray State won't have its normal home-court advantage with students home for Christmas.  I expect the Mustangs to treat this is a business trip.  The Mustangs are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 December games, while the Racers are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 December games.  Bet SMU Friday.

20* Drake/UAB CBB No-Brainer on Drake -3

The Drake Bulldogs are one of the best mid-major teams in the country.  They should have beaten Miami in the NCAA Tournament but blew a double-digit lead late.  Miami went on to the Final Four.  Drake brought back almost everyone from that team and is off to an 11-1 start this season.

UAB has been one of the best mid-major programs in the country for the last handful of years.  However, that's clearly no longer the case when you look at the results for the Blazers thus far.  But they are still getting respect for what they have done in the past, so there is value in fading them still.

UAB is 6-5 SU & 4-6 ATS this season with some very troubling results.  They only beat Alcorn State by 3 as 16.5-point favorites.  That gives them a common opponent with Drake, which just beat Alcorn State 92-55 as 18-point favorites.  That result tells you all you need to know.

But UAB has also lost at home to McNeese State by 21 as 5.5-point favorites, was upset at home by Southern Miss as 9.5-point favorites, and got crushed at Arkansas State by 19 as 4.5-point favorites.  UAB is now 1-9 ATS in its last 10 December games.  The Blazers won't have much of a home-court advantage at all with this being an afternoon game at 3:00 EST and students home for Christmas.  I expect the Bulldogs to treat this as a business trip.  Bet Drake Friday.

15* NBA Thursday Total DOMINATOR on Spurs/Bulls OVER 228.5

The Chicago Bulls have undergone a philosophical change of late that has led to them playing their best basketball of the season mainly because of their improvements on offense.  The Bulls have scored at least 106 points in 10 consecutive games and 120 or more six times during this stretch.  They are still a poor defensive team ranking 20th in defensive rating.

The OVER is 11-2 in Bulls last 13 games overall.  Now they take on a Spurs team that is 4-0 OVER in their last four games overall with 241, 244, 256 and 251 combined points scored.  The Spurs rank 3rd in pace and 24th in defensive rating, making them a great OVER team.  

They also played the Bulls to an OVER on December 8th in a game that saw 233 combined points.  In fact, the Bulls and Spurs have now combined for 229 combined points or more in each of their last five meetings, making for a 5-0 system backing the OVER pertaining to this 228.5-point total.  It will be more of the same tonight with 230-plus combined points.

The Spurs are 10-1 OVER after playing a road game this season.  The Bulls are 27-13 OVER in their last 40 non-conference games.  San Antonio is 7-0 OVER in non-conference games this season.  The Spurs are 10-1 OVER when the total is 220 to 229.5 this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE MONTH on Pacers/Grizzlies OVER 246

The Indiana Pacers are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 2nd in pace, 1st in offensive rating and 28th in defensive rating.  The OVER is 21-6 in all Pacers games this season including 254 or more combined points in five of their last six games overall.  Books just can't set these Indiana totals high enough.

That's the case again tonight with this 246-point total against a Memphis Grizzlies team that has been an under team to this point, but they quickly flip to an over team with the return of JA Morant from suspension.  He has 34 points in their upset win of the New Orleans Pelicans in his return to action on Tuesday.  He makes everything easier on his teammates with his ability to break down a defense.

Indiana is 10-1 OVER in all road games this season and we're seeing an average of 259.1 combined points per game in all Indiana road games.  The Pacers are 18-4 OVER vs. good passing teams averaging 23 or more assists per game this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

15* CBB Thursday Night BLOWOUT on Bradley -10.5

I love the spot for Bradley tonight.  They opened the season 6-0 SU & 5-0-1 ATS but have since gone 0-5 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last five games with a step up in competition.  It's safe to say they will be highly motivated for a victory tonight to end this skid, and I think they get a double-digit blowout victory as they are taking a big step down in class tonight.

SIU-Edwardsville is 7-5 this season but ranked 268th in KenPom.  They have really struggled on the road, going 0-5 SU in true road games losing by 16 at Dayton, by 18 at Missouri, by 12 at South Alabama, by 23 at Troy and by 12 at Ball State.  So they have lost all five road games by 12 points or more, and Bradley (122nd) is ranked higher than South Alabama (183rd), Troy (210th) and Ball State (241st) in KenPom.

Bradley is 16-4 ATS in its last 20 home games with one of the best home-court advantages in the country.  The Braves are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 home games following an ATS win.  Edwardsville is 13-27 ATS in its last 40 December road games.  Bradley is 11-1 ATS in its last 11 home games vs. teams who are called for 17 or fewer fouls per game.  Bet Bradley Thursday.

15* Celtics/Kings NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on Sacramento ML -115

The Boston Celtics are in one of the worst spots I've seen all season.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days after going to OT with the Warriors last night.  All five starters played at least 35 minutes last night, including 40-plus from Tatum, Brown and White.  They won't have much left in the tank for the Kings tonight.

The Celtics haven't been playing very well on the road as it is.  They are actually 2-4 SU & 0-6 ATS in their last six road games.  Their two wins came by 3 as 9-point favorites at Toronto and by 2 as 11-point favorites at Memphis.  They lost outright as 8.5-point favorites at Charlotte, lost outright by 17 as 5.5-point favorites at Orlando, lost outright by 10 as 4.5-point favorites at Indiana and lost outright by 6 as 5-point favorites at Golden State last night.

The Kings are rolling at home right now going 4-0 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last four home games winning by 13 over the Nets, by 5 over the Thunder, by 21 over the Jazz and by 12 over the Wizards.  They also recently beat the defending champion Nuggets at home.  They are 10-3 SU at home this season.  Bet the Kings on the Money Line Wednesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Celtics/Kings OVER 233.5

The Sacramento Kings rank 8th in pace, 12th in offensive rating and 19th in defensive rating.  The pace and offensive rating would be higher if not for several missed games from De'Aaron Fox.  But they are a dead nuts OVER team when Fox is healthy, and they are fully healthy as a team right now.

The Kings just combined for 274 points with the Wizards last time out and 249 with the Nets and 251 with the Thunder in three of their last four home games.  This total is just too low tonight for a Sacramento home game.

That's especially the case when you consider they will be taking on one of the most efficient offensive teams in the NBA in the Boston Celtics.  The Celtics rank 6th in offensive rating.  They combined with 242 points with the Warriors at the end of regulation last night and they didn't even have offensive weapon Kristaps Porzingis, who likely sat out that game knowing he would play in this game on the 2nd of a back-to-back.

Sacramento is 14-3 OVER in its last 17 home games following two consecutive wins.  The OVER is 37-20 in Kings last 57 home games.  Sacramento is 9-1 OVER in its last 10 home games vs. good teams that outscore their opponents by 3-plus points per game.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on UC-Irvine +8.5

UC-Irvine is one of the most underrated mid-major teams in the country.  The Anteaters are 7-4 SU & 8-2 ATS this season with all four losses coming by 10 points or less, including three by 8 points or fewer.  They are once again catching too many points tonight at New Mexico.

UC-Irvine only lost by 1 at San Diego State as 8.5-point dogs two games ago and SDSU is every bit as good as New Mexico.  They only lost by 4 at Duquesne as 5.5-point dogs, upset USC 70-60 as 11.5-point road dogs and crushed New Mexico State 91-74 as 9-point home favorites.

Speaking of New Mexico State, that is a common opponent of these two.  New Mexico only beat New Mexico State 73-72 as 14.5-point favorites, failing to cover the spread by 13.5 points.  The Lobos are coming off that win over their in-state rivals and won't be as motivated to beat UC-Irvine tonight.  Bet UC-Irvine Wednesday.

20* NBA Western Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Los Angeles Clippers -3

The Los Angeles Clippers are showing how dangerous they can be when fully healthy.  They are 8-0 SU & 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall and I fully expect them to extend that winning streak to nine games tonight in Dallas.

The Mavericks are not healthy.  They are without Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II, Josh Green and Maxi Kleber right now.  That puts a lot on Luka Doncic's shoulders to carry the scoring load, and while he's playing at an MVP level, he cannot beat this loaded Clippers team on his own.

It did not go well for Doncic and the short-handed Mavericks in two games against two other elite teams here recently.  They lost 119-101 at home to the Timberwolves three games ago and 130-104 to the Nuggets last time out.  I fully expect them to get blasted again tonight against another title contender in the Clippers.  Bet the Clippers Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Lakers/Bulls OVER 224.5

The Chicago Bulls have undergone a philosophical change of late that has led to them playing their best basketball of the season mainly because of their improvements on offense.  The Bulls have scored at least 106 points in nine consecutive games and 120 or more five times during this stretch.  They are still a poor defensive team ranking 22nd in defensive rating.

The Los Angeles Lakers are also playing very poor defensively since winning the in-season tournament.  They are 3-1 OVER in their four games since with 252, 241, 244 and 223 combined points.  They have allowed 127, 119, 129 and 114 points in those four games.  But the Lakers have scored at least 115 pints in five of their last six games, including 122 or more four times.

The Lakers are 40-22 OVER in their last 62 road games.  The Bulls are 26-13 OVER in their last 39 non-conference games.  The Lakers and Bulls have combined for at least 224 points in four consecutive meetings and 224 or more in seven of their last eight meetings with the OVER going 7-1 in those eight games.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Houston Rockets -3

The Houston Rockets have the biggest home/road splits of any team in the NBA.  They are 2-10 SU & 5-7 ATS on the road, but an impressive 11-1 SU & 11-1 ATS at home.  The Rockets are coming off consecutive road losses to the Bucks and Cavs by single-digits, so they return home motivated for a victory tonight.

They take on an Atlanta Hawks team that is one of the most overrated teams in the NBA.  The Hawks are 11-15 SU & 6-20 ATS this season.  That includes 2-14 ATS in their last 16 games overall, and they are once again getting too much respect here as only 3-point road dogs to the Rockets, who are the much superior and more complete team.

The Rockets rank 2nd in the NBA in defensive rating while the Hawks rank 27th, and that is the biggest difference between these teams.  One plays defense and the other does not.  Plus, injuries are mounting up for the Hawks as Jalen Johnson remains out while both Bogdan Bogdanovic and AJ Griffin are questionable.  The Rockets look to be fully healthy right now.

Atlanta is 1-11 ATS vs. good 3-point shooting teams that make 36% or better this season.  Houston is 9-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record this season.  Bet the Rockets Wednesday.

15* CBB Wednesday UPSET SHOCKER on Utah Valley +5.5

Utah Valley is 6-5 SU & 6-3 ATS this season.  The Wolverines are 4-0 SU & 2-0 ATS at home.  They upset Seattle 78-72 as 3-point home dogs and upset Weber State 70-54 as 2-point home dogs.  They are coming off consecutive covers as road underdogs at Oregon State and at Utah as well.

The Wolverines now host a Liberty team that I believe is grossly overvalued due to a home-heavy schedule in the early going.  In fact, the Flames have played just one true road game this season, and that resulted in a 83-58 blowout loss at Florida Atlantic.  They should not be favored by 5.5 points on the road today.

I've seen Liberty play a few times this season and what stands out to me is just how short they are as a team.  The Flames rank dead last (362nd) in the country in average height.  Utah Valley ranks 119th and will have a big advantage on the boards in this one.

Utah Valley is 31-12 ATS in its last 43 games overall, including 9-1 ATS in its last 10 December games.  The Wolverines are 14-1 ATS in their last 15 games after covering three of their last four games.  Utah Valley is 24-5 ATS in its last 29 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Wolverines have been grossly undervalued for multiple seasons now.  Bet Utah Valley Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Jazz/Cavaliers OVER 227

The Cleveland Cavaliers are more of an OVER team than most realize because they brought in a couple shooters and are attempting more 3-pointers and playing faster this season.  That has been on display here of late as they combined with 244 points with the Rockets at the end of regulation, 246 points with the Hawks, 223 with the Celtics in the rematch and 233 with the Celtics in the first meeting in their last four games coming in.

The Utah Jazz are an OVER team as long as their best player in Lauri Markkanen is on the floor, and he has been healthy here of late.  The Jazz and their opponents have combined for 233, 229, 236, 230 and 254 points in their last five games coming in.  As you can see, this total of 227 is too low based on what both these teams have done of late.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Hornets/Pacers OVER 248.5

The Indiana Pacers are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 1st in pace, 1st in offensive rating and 29th in defensive rating.  The OVER is 20-6 in all Pacers games this season including 254 or more combined points in four of their last five games overall.

Now they take on a Charlotte Hornets team that doesn't mind getting up and down.  It's also a Hornets team that ranks 28th in the NBA in defensive rating, so these are two of the three worst defensive teams in the NBA to this point.

Indiana is 11-1 OVER following a loss this season.  The Pacers are 8-1 OVER vs. poor defensive teams that allow 116 or more points per game this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

20* Celtics/Warriors TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on OVER 231.5

The Golden State Warriors are without their two best defenders right now in Draymond Green and Gary Payton II.  They are going to be a dead nuts OVER team because they don't play defense without these two, but they are still a pretty good offensive team without them as neither provides much on that end.

The Warriors are 10-4 OVER in their last 14 games overall with 232 or more combined points in 11 of those 14 games.  This total of 231.5 is too low for a game involving the Warriors right now.  Each of their last five games have seen 232 or more combined points.

Now they face a Boston Celtics team that is extremely efficient on the offensive end, ranking 6th in the NBA in offensive rating.  The Celtics have scored at least 112 points in nine consecutive games while going 8-1 over that stretch.  They score 117.6 points per game on 47.8% shooting this season.

Golden State is 13-3 OVER vs. good shooting teams making 46% or better this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

15* Marquette/Providence FS1 ANNIHILATOR on Providence +4.5

Marquette is overvalued right now after early season wins over Illinois, UCLA, Kansas and Texas.  Since that Texas win, they failed to cover against Notre Dame and were nearly upset by St. Thomas in a 5-point home win as 23-point favorites.  I think they are being overvalued again today on the road at Providence.

Providence is 8-0 at home this season and outscoring opponents by 17.4 points per game. That includes a 72-59 win as 1.5-point dogs to Wisconsin.  That gives these teams are common opponent as Marquette actually lost 75-64 at Wisconsin as 3-point favorites.

The Friars are 8-1 ATS in their last nine home games vs. good ball handling teams that commit 12 or fewer turnovers per game.  Bet Providence Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Troy +13

It's time to 'sell high' on the Ole Miss Rebels.  They are 10-0 this season but very fortunate to still be unbeaten.  Nine of their 10 wins have come by 11 points or fewer including narrow wins against the likes of Alabama State (10), Eastern Washington (11), Detroit (1), Sam Houston State (3, Temple (1) and Mount St. Mary's (9).

Ole Miss has also faced the 256th-ranked schedule in the country, and as you can see the competition has been weak.  I think Troy can stay within 13 tonight.  The Trojans have just one loss this season by more than 12 points.

Troy went on the road and only lost by 12 at Dayton as 13.5-point dogs.  They also have a 1-point loss at Oregon State as 7.5-point dogs and a 1-point loss at Eastern Kentucky as 5.5-point dogs.  They have actually done their best work away from home and are 5-1-1 ATS in all lined games this season.

Ole Miss is 0-8 ATS in its last eight games after a combined score of 155 points or more.  The Rebels are 1-8 ATS in home games with a total of 140 to 149.5 over the last three seasons.  Troy has had the last six days off to rest and prepare for Ole Miss.  The Rebels have only had the last two days off and won't be nearly as fresh or prepared.  Bet Troy Tuesday.

15* Knicks/Lakers NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on OVER 234.5

The New York Knicks have been a dead nuts OVER team since losing C Mitchell Robinson to injury.  He is their eraser inside defensively but he doesn't provide much offensively.  The Knicks have had to go more small ball since losing him.

The OVER is 8-0 in Knicks last eight games overall.  We have seen 230 or more combined points in seven of those eight games.  That includes 261 combined points with Phoenix and 266 combined points with the Clippers in their last two games.  It should be more of the same against the Lakers tonight.

The Lakers are in a letdown phase since winning the in-season tournament.  They have just quit playing defense.  The OVER is 3-0 in Lakers last three games overall with 252, 241 and 244 combined points.  They allowed 127 to the Mavericks, 129 to the Spurs and 119 to the Spurs.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

15* CBB Monday UPSET SHOCKER on Arkansas-Little Rock +1.5

Steve Prohm is one of the worst head coaches in the country.  He was fired from Iowa State, and he returned to Murray State where he previously had success.  It was a disaster last season in his first season back, and it hasn't gone any better this season, proving that he's one of the worst in the business.

Murray State is just 3-7 SU & 3-6 ATS this season.  The Racers have been awful on the road, going 0-5 SU in neutral/true road games this season.  They also just lost outright at home to SE Louisiana as a double-digit favorite for their 7th loss in 8 games.  They should not be favored on the road tonight.

Arkansas-Little Rock is 5-2 SU & 5-2 ATS at home this season, including 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four home games coming in.  They also have a massive rest advantage.  They have had the last four days off to prepare for this game, while Murray State just lost to SE Louisiana on Saturday and only had one day to get ready, plus the travel.  It will be the 3rd game in 6 days for the Racers as well.

Murray State is 0-7 ATS in its last seven road games when playing a marginal losing team (40-49%).  Bet Arkansas-Little Rock Monday.

15* NBA Monday Total DOMINATOR on Clippers/Pacers OVER 245.5

The Indiana Pacers are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 1st in pace, 1st in offensive rating and 28th in defensive rating this season.  The OVER is 19-6 in all Pacers games this season.

The Los Angeles Clippers are showing how potent they can be offensively when fully healthy, which has been the case during their 7-game winning streak and is the case tonight.  The Clippers have scored at least 111 points in nine consecutive games.  They have combined for 266 points with the Knicks and 259 points with the Blazers recently, and another high-scoring affair will be the result tonight against the Pacers.

These teams combined for 261 points in their most recent meeting.  The Clippers are 33-20 OVER in their last 53 road games, including 20-6 OVER in their last 26 road games after going over the total in their previous game.  The Pacers are 59-35 OVER in their last 94 home games.  The Pacers are 10-1 OVER following a loss this season.  Indiana is 13-2 OVER in its last 15 home games vs. a good team (60-70% winning percentage).  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

20* NBA Non-Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Los Angeles Clippers -3

The Los Angeles Clippers are showing how dangerous they can be when fully healthy.  They are 7-0 SU & 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall and I fully expect them to extend that winning streak to eight games tonight in Indiana.

The Pacers are going through a letdown phase after coming up just short in the in-season tournament, losing in the championship to the Lakers.  They have gone 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall, losing by 14 at Milwaukee, by 14 as 8.5-point favorites at Washington and by 18 at Minnesota.

I always like fading teams in their first home game back from a long road trip.  Well, the Pacers have been on the road since December 7th dating back to the in-season tournament in Las Vegas.  There are a lot of distractions they have to deal with at home when returning from a long road trip.  Plus, their two best players in Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner are questionable.  Bet the Clippers Monday.

20* CBB GAME OF THE MONTH on Oakland +16.5

Oakland is one of the most underrated teams in all of college basketball.  The Golden Grizzlies have gone 6-5 SU & 9-2 ATS this season.  They upset Xavier as 15-point road dogs, only lost to Ohio State by 6 as 19.5-point road dogs and only lost to Illinois by 11 as 24-point road dogs.  They have shown they can play with the big boys, and they will give Michigan State a run for its money tonight.

Michigan State has been one of the most overrated teams in the country.  The Spartans are 5-5 SU & 4-6 ATS this season despite coming into the season being ranked in the Top 5 in the country.  They lost outright at home to James Madison as a 16.5-point favorite and lost outright to Wisconsin by 13 as a 5-point home favorite.

The spot really favors Oakland tonight.  They have had the last 9 days off to rest and prepare to play Michigan State.  The Spartans are coming off an upset win over Baylor in Detroit on Saturday to hand the Bears their first loss of the season.  They are in a letdown spot off that win, and they won't be prepared to face Oakland with just one day to get ready for them.

Oakland is 8-0 ATS off a non-conference game this season.  The Golden Grizzlies are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 road games following a win.  Oakland only lost by 13 to Michigan State last year and by 12 to the Spartans the year prior.  They are getting too many points once again here in this annual meeting.  Bet Oakland Monday.

15* NBA Sunday Total DOMINATOR on Warriors/Blazers OVER 231.5

The Golden State Warriors are without their two best defenders right now in Draymond Green and Gary Payton II.  They are going to be a dead nuts OVER team because they don't play defense without these two, but they are still a pretty good offensive team without them as neither provides much on that end.

The Warriors are 10-3 OVER in their last 13 games overall with 234 or more combined points in 10 of those.  This total of 231.5 is too low for a game involving the Warriors right now.

That's especially the case when you consider the Blazers have gotten healthy lately and have been an OVER team themselves since.  The OVER is 4-0 in Blazers last four games overall with 236 or more combined points in all four.  They have a bunch of talented young guards and will be a fun team to watch moving forward.

Golden State is 10-1 OVER in its last 11 December road games.  The OVER is 12-3 in Warriors last 15 games as a road favorite of 6 points or less.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Orlando Magic +9

I love the spot for the Orlando Magic today.  They will be out for revenge from a 111-128 loss in Boston on Friday night.  They were closing 5-point dogs in that game, and after getting blown out, they are now 9-point dogs in the rematch.  That's too big of an adjustment up.

The Celtics won't be motivated at all to beat the Magic for the 2nd time in 3 days, so they are primed for a letdown.  Asking the Celtics to win this game by double-digits to beat us is asking too much.  The Celtics have just two wins by more than 10 points in their last 14 games overall.

The Magic are 11-3 SU & 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games overall.  The Magic are 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings with four outright upsets as 13.5, 10.5, 7.5 and 5.5-point dogs.  The Magic are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings as well with that 17-point loss the only one that came by more than 6 points.  Bet the Magic Sunday.

15* NBA Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Utah Jazz +10

The Utah Jazz are getting healthier and playing well again as a result.  They are coming off consecutive upset wins as underdogs over the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers.  They recently got both Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler back from injury, and these are arguably their two most important players.

Now the Jazz are catching too many points on the road against the Sacramento Kings tonight.  De'Aaron Fox is questionable to play and he means everything to the Kings' success.  I still like the Jazz even if he does play, but this line will crash if he doesn't.

Utah has just one loss by more than 9 points in its last 35 meetings with Sacramento.  That makes for a 34-1 system backing the Jazz pertaining to this 10-point spread.  Bet the Jazz Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Nets/Warriors OVER 234.5

The Golden State Warriors are without their two best defenders right now in Draymond Green and Gary Payton II.  They are going to be a dead nuts OVER team because they don't play defense without these two, but they are still a pretty good offensive team without them as neither provides much on that end.

The Warriors are 9-3 OVER in their last 12 games overall with 234 or more combined points in nine of those.  The Nets are the definition of team basketball with multiple guys that can beat you on any given night.  The Warriors will have a hard time adjusting to try and stop the Nets, who have seven players averaging double-digits scoring.

The Nets and Warriors combined for 256 and 236 points in their last two meetings.  Golden State is 12-3 OVER vs. good shooting teams that make 46% or better this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Saturday.

20* NBA BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Minnesota Timberwolves -7.5

The Minnesota Timberwolves are loaded this season.  They are 18-5 SU including 10-1 SU & 7-3-1 ATS at home this season where they are outscoring opponents by 11.8 points per game.  The Timberwolves will make easy work of the Indiana Pacers tonight.

While the Timberwolves are fully healthy, the Pacers could be without MVP candidate Tyrese Haliburton tonight.  They are already without PG Andrew Nembhard and PF Jalen Smith.  Haliburton suffered a knee injury in a 123-137 loss at Washington last night.  Now the Pacers will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 4th road game in 6 days.

This is a tired Pacers team after making it to the championship game of the in-season tournament.  That has started to show in their last two games losing by 14 as 6.5-point dogs in Milwaukee and then getting upset by 14 as 8.5-point favorites in Washington last night, failing to cover the spread by 22.5 points.

The Timberwolves will be the much fresher team playing just their 2nd game in 5 days.  They are also the much better defensive team ranking 1st in the NBA in defensive rating while the Pacers are 28th.  Plays against road underdogs (Indiana) - off two or more consecutive road losses against an opponent that's off a road win by 10 points or more are 23-4 (85.2%) ATS over the last five seasons.

The Timberwolves are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three meetings with the Pacers.  Indiana is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 road games after two straight games allowing a shooting percentage of 50% or higher.  Minnesota is 13-2 ATS in its last 15 home games after a blowout win by 15 points or more.  Bet the Timberwolves Saturday.

15* Alabama/Creighton FOX ANNIHILATOR on Alabama +7.5

It's a good time to 'buy low' on Alabama.  They have gone 2-3 SU & 0-4-1 ATS in their last five games overall against a brutal schedule.  The three losses came to Ohio State, Clemson and Purdue.  The Crimson Tide have now faced the 21st-toughest schedule in the entire country and are battle-tested to say the least.

Creighton is good at beating up on the weak.  But the Bluejays have struggled in a couple games this season that are very concerning.  They lost outright 69-48 as 9-point favorites on a neutral to Colorado State and outright 79-64 as 13.5-point favorites on a neutral to UNLV.  They got blown out in both of those games.

Now this is a tough spot for Creighton having just two days since the UNLV game to get ready to face Alabama.  Meanwhile, Alabama has had an entire week to get ready for Creighton after having the last six days off since a tough 92-86 loss to Purdue on a neutral.  Many consider Purdue the best team in the country.

Alabama is 8-1 ATS in its last nine games after making 10 or more 3-pointers in consecutive games.  Alabama ranks 1st in adjusted offense, 6th in effective FG percentage and 5th in 3-point percentage this season.  Creighton hasn't faced a team as good as Alabama yet, and they shouldn't be 7.5-point favorites here.  

Nate Oats is a perfect 6-0 ATS as an underdog of 6.5 to 12 points as the coach of the Crimson Tide.  Bet Alabama Saturday.

20* Arizona/Purdue No-Brainer on Arizona PK

The Arizona Wildcats look like the best team in the country and continue to lack the respect they deserves.  The Wildcats are 8-0 SU & 8-0 ATS this season, outscoring opponents by 30.1 points per game on average.  They have the big men inside that will finally give Purdue trouble.

We've seen Arizona already handle a pair of Big Ten teams in Wisconsin 98-73 and Michigan State 74-68.  The Wildcats also went on the road and beat Duke 78-73, handing the Blue Devils their first loss at Cameron Indoor in a couple seasons.

Purdue lost 92-88 (OT) to Northwestern.  The Boilermakers have had to escape with several victories, beating Gonzaga by 10, Tennessee by 4, Marquette by 3 and Alabama by 6.  Their luck runs out today against a superior team here in Arizona, which ranks 2nd in adjusted defense and 6th in adjusted offense, the only team to rank in the top 6 in both categories this season.  Bet Arizona Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Utah State -2

Utah State is loaded this season.  The Aggies are 10-1 and outscoring opponents by 17.0 points per game.  This will basically be a home game for them being played in Salt Lake City, UT.

San Francisco is 8-3 this season and has not fared well when stepping up in class.  The Dons have losses to Boise State, Grand Canyon and Arizona State.  Utah State is a team that is on Grand Canyon's level and better than both Boise State and Arizona State.

Utah State is 15-4 ATS in its last 19 neutral court games.  The Aggies are 6-0 ATS in their last six games vs. teams that make 48% of their shots or better.  Bet Utah State Saturday.

15* Clemson/Memphis ESPN+ ANNIHILATOR on Memphis -2.5

The Memphis Tigers are really starting to play well under Penny Hardaway.  He always gets the top recruits so it can take some time for his team to gel.  But they have certainly shown those signs of gelling of late, beating VCU 85-80 as 2-point road favorites and upsetting Texas A&M 81-75 as 8.5-point road dogs in their last two games coming in.

Memphis has faced the 11th-toughest schedule in the entire country to this point.  The Tigers have only had two home games all season.  Now they finally get to play at home for the first time since November 17th, and they will be excited to do so.  They have unbeaten Clemson coming to town.

I think it's telling that Clemson is the unbeaten and ranked team here and actually is an underdog at unranked Memphis.  I think Memphis proves it is the better team here.  The Tigers are 30-11 ATS in their last 41 games off an upset win as a road underdog.  Bet Memphis Saturday.

15* Baylor/Michigan State FOX ANNIHILATOR on Baylor -3

The Baylor Bears are one of the best teams in the country and oddsmakers are failing to catch up to how good they are.  Baylor is 9-0 SU & 7-1 ATS this season.  They beat Auburn and Florida on a neutral and now they will take down this overrated Michigan State team today.  Baylor ranks 2nd in adjusted offense and 44th in adjusted defense.

Michigan State is 4-5 SU & 3-6 ATS this season and consistently overvalued.  The Spartans were upset at home by James Madison as 16.5-point favorites in the opener, which would be a sign of things to come.  They lost by 9 to Duke on a neutral, by 6 to Arizona, by 13 at home to Wisconsin and also by 7 at Nebraska.

While Baylor ranks 1st in the country in 3-point percentage, Michigan State ranks 301st.  The Spartans shoot just 29.5% from 3 as a team.  That shooting discrepancy will come into play here in a big way and will be a key reason why the Bears run away with this one.

Michigan State is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 games after making 88% of their free throws or better last game.  Bet Baylor Saturday.

15* CBB Saturday Afternoon BLOWOUT on Indiana State -13

Indiana State is one of the best mid-major teams in the country.  The Sycamores are 9-1 SU & 7-2 ATS this season with their only loss coming on the road against Alabama.  They are outscoring opponents by 17.6 points per game on the season despite facing the 140th-ranked schedule.

Ball State is 8-2 but that has come against the 319th-ranked schedule.  Both losses came in two of their three true road games and both were in blowout fashion.  They lost 74-50 at Evansville and 90-64 at Arkansas-Little Rock.  Their lone road win came at Detroit by 3, and Detroit is 0-10 this season.  This will be by far the toughest test of the season for the Cardinals.

Indiana State is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 games as a double-digit favorite.  The Sycamores are 17-3 ATS in their last 20 games off a win by 10 points or more.  Indiana State is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 games after making 13 or more 3-pointers last game.  Bet Indiana State Saturday.

20* Kansas/Indiana CBS No-Brainer on Indiana +8

The Indiana Hoosiers have one of the best home-court advantages in the country.  They should not be catching 8 points at home to the Kansas Jayhawks today in what is going to be a hostile atmosphere for the visitors.

Indiana is 4-0 at home this season, which includes a 65-53 win over Maryland as 2-point favorites.  The Jayhawks are a very motivated team coming off their worst loss of the season to Auburn on a neutral.  Their only other loss came to defending champion UConn on a neutral.

Kansas will be playing its first true road game of the season.  The Jayhawks got to host UConn and were fortunate to come away with a victory.  They are also coming off a 73-64 home win over Missouri as a 13-point favorite.  Off those two big wins recently, I don't think we get their best effort today, especially in their first road game.

Indiana is 6-0 ATS in its last six home games vs. top-level teams that win more than 80% of their games on the season.  It is actually outscoring opponents by 13.3 points per game in this spot.  Plays on underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (Indiana) - after losing by 18 or more points ATS last game, in non-conference games between two teams from power conferences are 23-6 (79.3%) ATS over the last five seasons.  This is a 'buy low' spot on the Hoosiers off that loss to Auburn.  Bet Indiana Saturday.

15* Knicks/Suns ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on OVER 231.5

The New York Knicks have been a dead nuts OVER team since losing C Mitchell Robinson to injury.  He is their eraser inside defensively but he doesn't provide much offensively.  The Knicks have had to go more small ball since losing him.

The OVER is 6-0 in Knicks last six games overall.  We have seen 230 or more combined points in five of those six games.  Now they face a Phoenix Suns team that finally has Durant, Booker and Beal healthy at the same time for the first time all season.  They are going to be an offensive juggernaut moving forward when these three are on the court at the same time.

Phoenix is 13-4 OVER as a favorite this season.  The Suns are 11-3 OVER vs. poor defensive teams allowing 46% shooting or higher this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* CBB Friday PLAY OF THE DAY on Bradley -9.5

I love the spot for the Bradley Braves.  They opened 6-0 SU & 5-0-1 ATS this season, but have since gone 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games overall against a brutal schedule.  They suffered road losses to Murray State and Akron plus a home loss to Indiana State, which looks to be one of the best mid-major teams in the entire country.

Now I know we are going to get a very inspired effort from Bradley tonight to try and end this skid.  The Braves take a big step down in class here against Cleveland State, and a double-digit blowout in their favor should be the result.

Cleveland State is 6-5 SU & 5-4-1 ATS this season.  But the Vikings have gone 0-5 SU in all true/neutral road games this season.  They lost by 7 at Eastern Michigan, by 25 at Youngstown State, by 13 at St. Mary's and by 6 at Kent State.  And while Bradley has faced the 43rd-toughest schedule in the country, Cleveland State has faced the 216th.  This big difference in SOS is a big reason I'm on the Braves.

Bradley is 16-3 ATS in its last 19 games as a home favorite or PK.  The Braves are 6-0 ATS in their last six games as a home favorite of 9.5 to 12 points.  The Braves are 8-0 ATS in their last eight non-conference home games.  They have one of the most underrated home-court advantages in the entire country.  Bet Bradley Friday.

20* Lakers/Spurs ESPN No-Brainer on San Antonio +7.5

I love the spot for the San Antonio Spurs tonight.  They get a shot at quick revenge here after losing 122-119 to the Lakers on Wednesday.  Now they get to play the Lakers here two days later and go from 3.5-point dogs to 7.5-point dogs tonight.

While the Spurs will be motivated for revenge, the Lakers will have a hard time getting up emotionally to beat the Spurs by margin again tonight.  The Lakers just won the In-Season Tournament, and it's no surprise they are 0-2 ATS in their first two games out of the tournament as they just aren't as motivated to win these regular season games.  Don't be surprised if they lose outright tonight.

The Spurs are as healthy as they have been all season and playing competitive basketball with their last nine games all decided by 15 points or less, including six by single-digits.  Darvin Ham is 6-18 ATS off a road win as the coach of the Lakers.  Bet the Spurs Friday.

20* NBA Situational GAME OF THE WEEK on Orlando Magic +6.5

The Orlando Magic have a big rest advantage over the Boston Celtics tonight.  The Magic have had the last three days off while the Celtics will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 116-107 win over the Cavaliers last night.  This will also be the 3rd game in 4 days for the Celtics.  They have had some guys banged up and playing through injury, so don't be surprised if they rest one or multiple starters tonight.

The Magic have been grossly undervalued all season especially of late.  The Magic are 11-2 SU & 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games overall.  They are nearly at full strength and one of the deepest teams in the NBA, and they will have an advantage over the Celtics when they go to their bench, which they will need to given how tired their starters are right now.

Orlando has absolutely owned Boston in recent meetings.  In fact, the Magic are 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings with four outright upsets as 13.5, 10.5, 7.5 and 5.5-point dogs.  The Magic are 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings as well with their lone SU loss coming by 6 points.  

Boston is 0-11 ATS in its last 11 home games when revenging a road loss.  Bet the Magic Friday.

15* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Pacers/Wizards OVER 258.5

Two dead nuts OVER teams square off tonight when the Indiana Pacers travel to face the Washington Wizards.  The Pacers rank 1st in pace, 1st in offensive rating and 28th in defensive rating.  The Wizards rank 2nd in pace and 30th in defensive rating.

The Pacers are 18-5 OVER in all games this season while the Wizards are 15-8 OVER in all games.  These teams met on October 25th earlier this season and the result was a 143-120 victory for the Pacers and 263 combined points.  It will be more of the same tonight.

Indiana is 7-0 OVER as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  Indiana is 9-0 OVER in road games this season.  The Pacers are 9-0 OVER off a loss this season.  Washington is 9-0 OVER in its last nine home games after a combined score of 245 or more points in two consecutive games.  These four trends combine for a perfect 34-0 system backing the OVER.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Thursday Late-Night BAILOUT on Oklahoma City Thunder +2

The Oklahoma City Thunder are better than the Sacramento Kings this season and should not be underdogs to them, even on the road.  The Thunder are 15-7 SU & 15-6-1 ATS this season and outscoring their opponents by 7.6 points per game.

The Kings are 13-9 SU & 12-10 ATS this season and actually getting outscored by 0.6 points per game.  The Thunder rank 3rd in net rating (+7.6) which combines their offensive and defensive rating.  The Kings rank 20th (-0.5).

The Thunder are fully healthy right now and a dangerous team when that's the case.  They weren't fully healthy when they lost 105-98 in Sacramento in their first meeting this season.  I know they want revenge on the Kings, especially since they will be reminded that they have lost seven consecutive meetings in this series overall.  

That's why we will get a max effort from OKC tonight, and it will be good enough to pull off the outright upset.  Bet the Thunder Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday Undervalued Underdog on Brooklyn Nets +9.5

The Brooklyn Nets have been grossly undervalued all season.  They are 13-10 SU & 17-5-1 ATS this season.  They are the definition of team basketball with any of their five starters that can beat you on any given night, and also one of the best benches in the league.

This line has been adjusted up too much for the fact that the Nets are on the 2nd of a back-to-back after winning outright at Phoenix against a Suns team that had Durant, Booker and Beal on the court at the same time for the first time all season.  But this will be just their 3rd game in 6 days, so they should still be pretty fresh.

There will be no letdown here for the Nets facing the defending champion Denver Nuggets.  The Nuggets have been grossly overvalued after winning that title last year.  They are just 6-11 ATS in their last 17 games overall.  They will be without starter Kentavious-Caldwell Pope tonight, and their lack of depth this season is a big reason for their struggles.

The Nets are 8-1 ATS when the total is 230 or higher this season.  Asking the Nuggets to win this game by double-digits to beat us tonight is asking too much.  Bet the Nets Thursday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE MONTH on Cleveland Cavaliers +9.5

I love the spot for the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight.  They get a chance at quick revenge here after losing 113-120 in Boston on Tuesday.  Now they get their shot at revenge here just two days later.  The Cavaliers will clearly be the more motivated team, while the Celtics will have a hard time getting up to beat this team again.

The Celtics aren't really blowing anyone out here of late.  They have just one win by more than 10 points in their last 12 games.  Asking them to win this game by double-digits to beat us in a letdown spot is asking too much.

Keep in mind the Celtics made 20 more free throws than the Cavaliers did in that last meeting and still only won by 7.  They got the benefit of the whistles in that game, and I don't see that being the case again.

Cleveland is actually 6-4 SU & 6-4 ATS in its last 10 meetings with Boston with just one loss by more than 9 points.  That one loss came by only 10 points as well.  That makes for a 9-1 system backing the Celtics pertaining to this 9.5-point spread.

Plays against favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (Boston) - after scoring 120 points or more in two consecutive games are 192-124 (60.8%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Plays against home teams (Boston) - who force 12 or fewer turnovers per game in the month of December are 31-11 (73.8%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Cavaliers Thursday.

15* CBB Wednesday Night BLOWOUT on Creighton -12.5

The Creighton Bluejays got a wake up call with a bad loss to Colorado State on November 23rd.  That's a really good Colorado State team, but it refocused them and we have seen what they are capable of when locked in in their three games since.

Indeed, the Bluejays are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall winning 79-65 as 8-point road favorites at Oklahoma State, 89-60 as 4-point road favorites at Nebraska and 109-64 as 31-point home favorites over Central Michigan.  I fully expect another blowout win in Creighton's favor in this neutral court game actually called the Jack Jones Classic at Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, NV.  No, I'm not the actual sponsor.

UNLV has been overvalued all season off to a 3-4 SU & 2-5 ATS start this season.  The Rebels lost a lot in the transfer portal.  Their three wins this season have come against Stetson, Pepperdine and Akron.  They were actually upset 85-71 by Stetson as 20-point home favorites in their opener, a sign of things to come for this team.  They lost by 8 as 3-point dogs to FSU on a neutral and by 17 as 3-point favorites to Richmond on a neutral.  Now Creighton will be by far the best team they have faced this season, and I don't expect it to go well for them.

Doug McDermott is 172-133 ATS as a favorite as the coach of Creighton.  McDermott is 19-6 ATS following two straight blowout wins by 20 points or more as a head coach.  Bet Creighton Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Night BLOWOUT on Milwaukee Bucks -6.5

I love the spot for the Milwaukee Bucks tonight.  They have lost to the Pacers in both meetings this season and both were away from home.  That includes their 128-119 loss to the Pacers in the in-season tournament that knocked them out in the semifinals.  It's safe to say they want revenge, and we will get their best effort tonight as they get them at home for the first time this season.

The Pacers were in a letdown spot after losing to the Lakers in the finals of the in-season tournament, but unfortunately the Detroit Pistons haven't won a game in over a month and couldn't take advantage.  The Bucks will take advantage, and I think this is where we finally see the letdown for the Pacers, especially after just beating the Bucks a week ago.  They won't be nearly as motivated to beat them in this game as they were in the in-season tournament.  This one has blowout written all over it.  Bet the Bucks Wednesday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE WEEK on Charlotte Hornets +8

I love the spot for the Charlotte Hornets tonight.  They have a chance at quick revenge here after losing 114-116 to the Heat on Monday night.  Now they travel to Miami to face the Heat here just two days later on Wednesday.  I like them to stay within this inflated number at the very least and possibly pull off the upset.

The Heat are in no position to be laying 8 points to the Hornets right now.  They are without Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Haywood Highsmith.  They are just 3-5 SU in their last eight games and 2-5 ATS in their last seven games.  Adebayo is arguably their most important player, at least even with Jimmy Butler.

The Hornets have been playing some very competitive basketball with four of their last five games decided by 6 points or fewer.  They rarely get blown out by the Heat, either.  The Hornets are 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.  All four were decided by 6 points or less with two outright upsets by the Hornets.

Miami is 14-29 ATS in its last 43 games as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points.  The Heat are 2-15 ATS in their last 17 games as home favorites of 6.5 to 12 points.  Miami is 14-31 ATS in its last 45 games vs. a team with a losing record, including 3-15 ATS in its last 18 games when playing against a bad team (25-40% winning percentage).  They Heat are the classic team that plays to the level of their competition, and they won't be motivated at all to beat the Hornets for a 2nd time in 3 days.  Bet the Hornets Wednesday.

15* Kings/Clippers NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on OVER 234.5

The Sacramento Kings are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 11th in pace, 12th in offensive rating and 20th in defensive rating.  They are fully healthy right now and as long as De'Aaron Fox is on the court, they are going to be an OVER team.  They have scored at least 112 points in 12 of their last 13 games overall.

The Los Angels Clippers are showing their offensive potential when fully healthy, which is the case right now.  They have scored at least 111 points in five of their last six games overall.  They are coming off a 132-127 win over Portland last night.

The OVER is 3-0 in the last three meetings between the Clippers and Kings.  They combined for 248 points in their lone meeting this season, and 255 and 351 points in their final two meetings last season.  The 351 was an OT game that still saw 306 points at the end of regulation.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Cavs/Celtics OVER 223.5

Both the Cavaliers and Celtics are more OVER teams than people realize, especially when healthy.  The Celtics are loaded on offense with Tatum, Brown, Holiday, Porzingis and White.  They have all five guys healthy right now for basically the first time this season.  They rank 7th in offensive rating and are probably the most efficient offensive team in the NBA when healthy.

The Celtics just showed what they are capable of with a 133-123 victory over the Knicks last time out with a total of just 221.  This total has been set too low at 223.5 against the Cavaliers tonight as well.  Cleveland has more shooting this season with the additions of Strus and Niang, and they could get both Evan Mobley and Caris LeVert back tonight, who sat out last night but are upgraded to questionable today.  Those two combine for nearly 31 points per game.

The OVER is 4-0 in the last four meetings between Cleveland and Boston.  We have seen 227 or more combined points in all four meetings.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

15* CBB Tuesday PLAY OF THE DAY on Monmouth +15

Monmouth has been one of the most underrated teams in college basketball.  The Hawks are 5-4 SU & 6-2-1 ATS this season with just one loss by more than 15 points despite playing the 99th-toughest schedule of 362 teams in the country.  That came to Princeton, which is 9-1 this season.

The Hawks lost by 11 at George Mason as 11-point dogs, upset West Virginia by 8 as 14.5-point road dogs, upset Belmont by 9 as 6.5-point dogs on a neutral and only lost by 4 at Cornell as a 12.5-point road dog.  I think they can hang with Seton Hall on the road tonight.

Seton Hall has been grossly overvalued here of late.  The Pirates have gone 1-4 SU & 0-5 ATS in their last five games overall.  They lost by 8 to USC at 4-point dogs on a neutral, lost by 13 to Iowa as 1.5-point dogs on a neutral, only beat Northeastern by 13 as 15-point home favorites, lost by 18 at Baylor as 11-point dogs and lost by 7 at home to Rutgers as 3.5-point favorites.

When you look at what Rutgers and Iowa have done recently, those losses look even worse.  Keep in mind they also only beat St. Peter's by 11 as 17-point favorites at home earlier this season.  The only three games they covered were against overmatched competition in Farleigh Dickinson, Albany and Wagner.  Monmouth is not overmatched here.  Bet Monmouth Tuesday.

15* NBA Monday Undervalued Underdog on Chicago Bulls +11.5

The Chicago Bulls have quietly gone 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall since losing Zach LaVine to injury.  It's no surprise nobody wants to trade for this guy.  The Bulls are playing better team basketball now and it is paying off.

The Bulls upset the Bucks 120-113 as 9.5-point dogs, upset the Pelicans 124-118 as 3-point dogs, crushed the Hornets 111-100 as 5-point favorites and rolled to a 121-112 victory at San Antonio as 2-point favorites.  Now the Bulls are catching too many points against the Bucks again tonight.

The Bucks will have questionable motivation here after being on the big stage and losing in the semifinals to the Pacers in the in-season tournament in their last game.  They won't be nearly as motivated here in their first game back from the tournament, which will help the Bulls keep this one close.

The Bulls are 3-3 SU & 4-2 ATS in their last six meetings with the Bucks which have all six been decided by 13 points or fewer, so they tend to take the Bucks to the wire every time.  Billy Donovan is 42-24 ATS as a road underdog of 6.5 to 12 points as a head coach.  Bet the Bulls Monday.

15* NBA Monday Total DOMINATOR on Nuggets/Hawks OVER 241

The Atlanta Hawks are a dead nuts OVER team.  They rank 3rd in pace, 5th in offensive rating and 26th in defensive rating.  The OVER is 6-2-1 in Atlanta home games this season where they are scoring 125.3 points per game and allowing 126.1 points per game with an average of 251.4 combined points per game.

The Hawks and 76ers just combined for 239 points last game in a game Trae Young sat out with an illness.  But Young returns tonight and he is the key to them being an OVER team.  Now they take on a Denver Nuggets team that recently got Jamal Murray back, and he is the key to them being an OVER team when he's on the court.

Mike Malone is 67-38 OVER off a home loss as the coach of Denver.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Orlando Magic ML -120

I like the spot for the Orlando Magic tonight.  They want revenge from a 111-121 loss in Cleveland on November 6th just five days ago.  Now the Magic get the Cavaliers at home this time around.  

The Magic are 10-1 SU & 9-2 ATS at home this season.  They have beaten the Lakers by 19, the Bucks by 15, the Nuggets by 5 and the Celtics by 17 at home this season.  So it's not like they are beating up on a bunch of bad teams.

The Cavaliers will be missing two key players tonight in Evan Mobley (16.0 PPG, 10.5 RPG) and Caris LeVert (14.9 PPG).  They should not be getting this much respect from the books without these two.  The Magic have won 9 consecutive home games and they make it 10 in a row tonight.  Bet the Magic on the Money Line Monday.

15* CBB Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Memphis +8

The Memphis Tigers are catching too many points against the Texas A&M Aggies today.  Memphis just reloads under Penny Hardaway and has been impressive this season.  The Tigers are 6-2 this season with their only losses coming to Villanova and Ole Miss.

The Tigers have been through the gauntlet once against testing themselves in the non-conference with the 28th-toughest schedule in the country to this point.  Their highlights have been a 70-55 upset road win at Missouri as 3-point dogs, a 71-67 upset win over Michigan on a neutral as 1-point dogs and a 84-79 upset win over Arkansas on a neutral as 1-point dogs.  They ran out of gas against Villanova playing for a 3rd consecutive day.  They only lost by 3 at unbeaten Ole Miss, and they won by 5 at VCU as 2-point favorites.

Texas A&M already has two losses this season as well with a 96-89 loss to FAU on a neutral and a 59-47 road loss at Virginia as 3-point dogs.  They played close games against Ohio State, Oreal Roberts and Iowa State that were all decided by 8 points or fewer, and I think this one is decided by 8 points or fewer as well.

Memphis is 32-16 ATS in its last 48 games as a road dog of 6.5 to 12 points.  The Tigers are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 games as underdogs.  Texas A&M is 15-30 ATS in its last 45 games following a home win where they scored 85 points or more.  Penny Hardaway is 28-15 ATS as an underdog as the coach of Memphis.  Bet Memphis Sunday.

20* Colorado/Miami ESPN 2 No-Brainer on Miami PK

The Miami Hurricanes made the Final 4 last year and brought back three starters from that team.  All three are off to good starts with Wooga Poplar averaging a team-high 16.5 points, Norchad Omier averaging 16.1 points and a team-high 9.8 rebounds, and Nijel Pack averaging 13.5 points and 4.1 assists.

Bensley Joseph (9.1 PPG, 3.3 APG, 2.1 SPG) has taken over a starting role this season and is a Swiss army knife, doing a little bit of everything for this team.  Florida State transfer Matthew Cleveland took the place of NBA draft pick Jordan Miller, and he is filling those massive shoes nicely averaging 14.8 points and 4.4 rebounds.  This team is absolutely loaded to say the least.

Miami is 7-1 SU & 5-3 ATS this season with their lone loss coming on the road at Kentucky.  Now they are on a neutral where they have thrived in recent seasons making deep runs into the NCAA Tournament.  They take on a Colorado team that is getting too much respect from the books.

Colorado is 6-2 this season with 5-0 at home against weak competition and 1-2 in road/neutral games.  They only beat Richmond by 5 as 9-point favorites on a neutral, lost outright to Florida State by 6 as 6-point favorites on a neutral, and lost by 5 at Colorado State as 3.5-point dogs.  The Buffaloes have some of the biggest home/road splits in all of college basketball for years.  This will be an early body clock game for them tipping at 2:00 EST, and they aren't used to playing this early in the day.

Colorado is 0-7 ATS in its last seven road games following a win by 10 points or more.  Miami is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 road games after playing a home game.  The Hurricanes are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games with a line of +3 to -3.  Bet Miami Sunday.

20* CBB Saturday Late-Night BAILOUT on UC-Irvine +10

UC-Irvine is one of the better mid-major teams in the country.  The Anteaters are 6-3 SU & 6-2 ATS this season.  They pulled the 70-60 upset as 12.5-point dogs at USC.  They did lose by 4 at Duquesne as 5.5-point dogs and by 10 at Utah State as 6.5-point dogs, so they have been through the gauntlet.  They have faced the 25th-toughest schedule in the entire country and won't be phased by San Diego State.

The Aztecs came into this season way overvalued after making the championship game of the NCAA Tournament last year.  San Diego State is 7-2 SU but 2-6 ATS this season.  They are fortunate to have escaped with a bunch of close wins over bad teams.  They lost at BYU by 9 in and only beat Cal San Diego by 1 as 13.5-point road favorites in their only two true road games.  They also failed to cover in a 12-point win over Long Beach State, a 3-point win over Washington and a 9-point win over California.  They only beat Division II Point Loma by 20 at home prior to that 1-point escape at Cal San Diego.  They were upset by Grand Canyon last time out.  They have no business being double-digit favorites here.

UC-Irvine is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games vs. good offensive teams that score 77 or more points per game.  The Anteaters are 35-12 ATS in their last 47 road games off a road loss by 10 points or more.  Bet UC-Irvine Saturday.