Seven of the last nine games for Washington have gone under the posted total. They are playing better defense, and their offense hasn’t been consistent. They face a Top 5 defense tonight in the Suns. We think this could be a letdown spot for Phoenix here as they are coming off huge games with WC playoff implications against the Jazz and Clippers. We don’t see them playing with their usual gusto here. And we think the Wizards will be competitive as they have covered every game on this road trip.

Seven of the last nine games for Washington have gone under the posted total. They are playing better defense, and their offense hasn’t been consistent. They face a Top 5 defense tonight in the Suns. We think this could be a letdown spot for Phoenix here as they are coming off huge games with WC playoff implications against the Jazz and Clippers. We don’t see them playing with their usual gusto here. And we think the Wizards will be competitive as they have covered every game on this road trip.

The Lakers have covered in three of four and this team is underrated by the oddsmakers right now. They are highly motivated as their playoff hopes are slipping as they lose and fall down the standings. They need to compete until their stars are back. And this team assembled a roster with more depth than last season. The Nets are 7-21 ATS as a favorite of five or more this season, so they normally play down to the level of their competition.

This is a bad spot for the Clippers, who are coming in on a back-to-back after facing the Suns on Thursday. They have faced a who’s who of teams that will be in the WCF in recent games: Phoenix, Portland, LA Lakers and Denver. Throw in a recent game against potential Finals opponent Milwaukee, and we don’t think this Houston team is going to move the meter for the Clippers. They probably won’t have the energy to give 100% here even if they were inclined to, which we don’t think they will be. And who know who will take the court for LA as they often have a scratch in back-to-backs. Houston was off on Thursday. They have been playing much better lately and are coming off a win over Dallas and an easy cover against Phoenix. They are 3-0 ATS when getting this range of points as an underdog and 5-0 ATS on the road against above-.500 opponents.

Boston has been playing well lately and they have won three of four overall. They have been particularly good when a big favorite as they are 3-0 ATS in their last three when laying six or more points. That means they are taking care of business when they need to, and they are facing an overmatched opponent here tonight. Boston can’t afford to take any “lesser” teams for granted because of their average record this season, so we think they bring their A Game for a very winnable game. Minnesota hasn’t covered in Boston in seven years.

We are going to fade the Suns here, who played an amazing game against Utah last night that they won in OT. They played very hard in that game and left everything on the court. Don’t know how much they will have left in the tank here for the Clippers, who are playing as well as any team in the NBA right now and are relatively healthy. The Suns rarely play to expectations in this series as they are 1-8 ATS in the last 9 meetings away from home and 3-10 ATS overall in the last 13 meetings.

We think the Blazers are catching the Jazz at the right time here, off their epic game against the Suns on Wednesday. Utah lost in OT and both clubs gave it everything they had. The Blazers were off last night and they had a two-day rest before their last game, so they should be very well rested tonight compared to the home team. The Jazz have covered only one of their last five games, so they aren’t in top form right now. We expect a close game here and we think the Blazers have a great chance for the outright win in a clear letdown spot for Utah.

Just not a believer in the Heat as this big of a favorite. The Lakers have seemingly figured out a way to play together recently as they have won two of three as they wait for their stars to come back. The Heat have won four of five but those were against a lousy bunch of teams. The Lakers are in danger of dropping down the standings and out of the playoff race if they aren’t competitive. They need to play hard in games like this and give themselves a chance to win. We had this game handicapped on the other side of the key NBA betting number of 7, so we think there’s nice value here.

This is a meeting of two Top 10 defenses. The Knicks are by far the best defensive team in the NBA and this squad is a total throwback to the era when defenses ruled the court. They play with a lot of intensity on that side of the ball nearly every game. Six straight Celtics games have gone under the posted number. The under is 4-1 in the last five meetings and 7-3 in the last 10 meetings in Boston. This is a big rivalry game and we expect both defenses to play hard here.

The Nets are 6-21 ATS this season when laying five or more points. This is one of the most overrated teams by the oddsmakers this season and this team is definitely a work in progress and we won’t see their true celling until the postseason. The Nets are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games overall, and we think this will be another close one. The Pelicans are inconsistent but can play with anyone when they are on, and they will probably be highly motivated tonight for this matchup.

The Wizards are trending to the under with all four of their recent games going under the posted total. They will probably be without NBA scoring leader Bradley Beal tonight. They have some other key players questionable as well. They have scored more than 106 points only once in their last six games. They have scored 91 or fewer in two of their last three games. The Magic have a ton of injury issues, too, and we don’t know where the offense will come from with this team, which is No. 29 in the NBA for scoring offense. We don’t see either team doing anything special on offense. The under is 6-2 in the last eight meetings in Orlando.

The Clippers have been somewhat streaky and they followed up a big win streak with a couple losses. But they had their big blowout win over the Lakers last time out and now we think they will continue the streak with a comfortable win here. Portland has been playing well but it could be Fool’s Gold as they have had a very easy schedule lately. They will take a big step up in competition here. The Clippers have covered in all four of the last four meetings and we think they are the much stronger team in this matchup.

Looks like the Celtics could be making a move. They had two easy opponents, but their last two games were blowout wins and covers. Boston usually brings their A Game against top opponents, and especially against Philly at home where they are 8-1 ATS in the last nine meetings. Boston has had a strange and underachieving season so far, but this team looks to turn it on as we head towards the playoffs, and we had them handicapped as a slight favorite here.

We like what we have seen from Toronto lately. They had that monster win over the Warriors a couple games ago and then they came back with a big rally to beat Washington last night. They come in on a back-to-back here, but they have had a lot of success over the Lakers in the past and are 4-0 in the last four meetings at home and 19-7-1 in the last 27 meetings overall. The Lakers are just a poor team with their stars out and we expect the Raptors to win this one comfortably as they need every win they can get now.

This series has a strong history of the under, with 7 of 10 meetings going under the posted total. Houston is on a back-to-back here, and they are 4-1 to the under in their last five with no rest. Phoenix is one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, and we just don’t see Houston doing anything on offense here. We think the rested Suns will hold the Rockets around the century mark on offense, and the Rockets will have to rely on defense here if they want to stay competitive.

We have been patiently waiting for the Raptors to turn the corner. This team has a solid roster and there is no reason this team shouldn’t be making a playoff push. Well, with that game last time out, the dominating win over Golden State that was one of the biggest wins of the season in the NBA, maybe now is the time they start to turn it on. Sometimes all you are missing in the NBA is confidence, and they should have plenty of that after dismantling the Warriors. The Wizards are going nowhere fast, and who know which games they choose to give max effort in. We get the feeling Toronto will be the more motivated team tonight.

Orlando’s offense isn’t anything to write home about. They really struggle to put points on the board on a nightly basis. But they have been playing very good defense lately and they give a lot of effort on that end. Both teams have been trending to the under lately, and we think this game can go one of two ways. If Orlando is competitive here it will be on the strength of their defense. If it’s a blowout, the No. 5-ranked Jazz defense will probably keep the Magic under the century mark, which has been a pretty common occurrence for this team. Either scenario puts us in a good spot to cash this ticket.

4 Unit Play. Take #803 UCLA over Gonzaga (8:34p.m., Saturday, April 3 CBS) Just cannot justify laying this many points in a Final Four game. Gonzaga is loaded on offense but USC had numerous chances to cover tonight’s posted number in the Elite 8 and UCLA plays at a much slower pace. Gonzaga may jump out early but UCLA has came back in numerous tournament games this year. UCLA is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 NCAA Tournament games. The Bruins find a way to keep this deficit around 8-10 points and we collect with the underdog.

10 Unit Play. Take #802 Baylor over Houston (5:14p.m., Saturday, April 3 CBS) Baylor cleared a major hurdle by getting to the Final Four and expect them to play a more relaxed game against Houston. The Cougars are an outstanding defensive team, but I just do not believe that they will be able to match Baylor’s high-powered offense to keep the deficit in single digits. Baylor is 9-3 ATS in their last 12 neutral site games when they are the favorite. Houston got all that they could handle from Rutgers in the round of 32 and I see do not believe they can keep up in scoring with the Bears.

Both teams scored under 90 points in their last outing. We are willing to bet that the poor shooting and lethargic play carries over into this matchup. The Hornets have been an ATS covering machine lately, and that has been on the strength of their defense as their offense has been inconsistent. Seven of their last eight games have gone under the posted total, and the under is 26-7 in the last 33 meetings in Indiana. We think this is another total that has been posted too high and we had this one penciled in at 214.

The Magic are playing well. They are coming off a confidence-boosting win in LA against the Clippers and they have covered in seven of their last nine games overall. This young team plays solid defense and lately they have been able to put together enough offense to stay competitive. The Pelicans have Zion and Ball on the injury report tonight. If one or both can’t go that will help us a lot. We think Orlando can keep this close regardless of the status of those players. The Pelicans have not been good as a big favorite this season. They are 1-5 ATS when laying 7.5 or more points. They could be in a letdown spot after one of their biggest wins of the season against Boston. They are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games against a team with a winning percentage below .400. Orlando has also covered in all of the last four meetings. We expect a close game here.

This is a revenge game for New York and their coach, who was fired from the Wolves. The Knicks have totally bought into his defensive philosophy and they have the best D in the NBA. They have gone under in six of their last seven games overall and held six of their last seven opponents to 102 or fewer points. Minnesota is probably the worst team in the NBA and New York will be very motivated to play shut down defense here. Both teams are among the worst offenses in the league, but we think there’s a great chance that New York holds Minnesota under the century mark tonight.

Toronto should be a lot better defensively than they have been. They were pretty much embarrassed in their last game by the Pistons, who scored 118 on them. We were on Toronto in that one and stated it was a must win game as the playoffs are quickly slipping away. But now this is REALLY a must win game. OKC doesn’t have a very good offense, and we see the Raptors really giving full effort on defense here in this one. As long as the road team doesn’t put up a monster number on offense, we think this one will easily go under.

The Blazers have been playing real well on offense and they should be able to put up a huge point total here. They scored 122 in Toronto and 125 in Miami in recent games. Portland has the No. 27-ranked defense in the NBA, so Detroit should get their points, especially at home. Both teams are trending to the over with the Blazers going over in three straight and Detroit in three of four. Detroit scored 118 last time out so we think they can put up a respectable number here. Seven of the last 10 meetings in Detroit have gone over the posted total.

We expect a down game from the Clippers here. They are missing some starters and are coming in on a back-to-back after playing their best game of the season as they dominated the Bucks last night here at Staples. After that performance, how do they get hyped to play the Bucks? Paul George was out last night and he could miss this game, and will they wit Kawhi in a game where they can probably win with the bench? Orlando isn’t a high-scoring team but they have been playing pretty good defense. We don’t see the Clippers putting up a strong effort here and we think this will be a low scoring game.

4 Unit Play. Take #658 Gonzaga over Southern Cal (7:15p.m., Tuesday, March 30 TBS) We saw last night that the better team jumped out big early in both games and expect Gonzaga to do that on Tuesday as well. The Bulldogs are the best team in the country, and they have the tools to combat the Trojans on defense and I just do not believe USC can keep up in scoring. USC has covered every NCAA Tournament games under Andy Enfield and that streak will end tonight.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The Clippers are playing some of their best basketball of the season right now and they are winners of five straight. All but one of those games was a double-digit win. And the Bucks aren’t playing their best basketball at the moment as they are in a mid-season funk and have lost two straight. They have failed to cover their last six games when a posted underdog. We thought this line should be at least 4.5 at Staples and think this line is short. We would have leaned to LA at the bigger number but we think there is nice value here with this short line.

4 Unit Play. Take #653 Arkansas over Baylor (9:57p.m., Monday, March 28 CBS) This game has been Baylor’s nemesis under Scott Drew, as they have yet to advance to a Final Four. Now they are a big favorite and expected to do so and I just do not see a blowout in this game. Arkansas has been down big in every tournament game they have played and sooner or later they will put it all together and play a complete 40-minute game. I expect them to take this game down to the wire and we will collect with whoever comes out on top.

10 Unit Play. Take #628 Michigan over Florida State (5p.m., Sunday, March 28 CBS) This is not as strong of Seminole team as they have been in the last couple of years. Michigan has had good recent success against FSU and expect that to carry over into this game as well. Florida State has some shaky losses this season to UNC, Notre Dame, and Georgia Tech (twice) and if Michigan can shoot it well from the arc they will take care of business. Florida State is 1-3 ATS (1 push) in their last 5 neutral site games. Michigan is 17-7 ATS in their last 24 games. This team has adjusted to life without Isaiah Livers and will make a deep run this weekend with a good chance to make the Final Four.

The Hornets have been playing some solid ball, but they have been playing above their heads a bit and they have had a pretty easy schedule. We think this is a real tough test for them on Sunday. The Suns have been playing very well, and they tend to have a down game every now and then but we think they got that out of their systems two games ago in a loss to the Magic. Phoenix can hang with anyone offensively but they have an elite defense and that should be the difference in this Sunday matinee.

The Clippers are on a 4-0 ATS run and playing very well. They have some players questionable tonight but the team is really coming together and we think they will have success tonight no matter who takes the court, and the Sixers are without their best player also. The Sixers have been racking up wins but it has come against a pretty easy schedule. We think they are in for a reality check tonight. The Clippers should be hyped to beat their former coach, who didn’t seem extremely popular with the team.

10 Unit Play. Take #647 Syracuse over Houston (9:55p.m., Saturday, March 27 TBS) Syracuse is playing outstanding now and the same cannot be said for Houston. The Cougars needed a late run to put away Rutgers on Sunday and I do not see them blowing out the Orange in this game. The Cuse have won 5 of their last 6 games and playing against a 2-3 zone is something Coach Sampson has struggled with in the past. Syracuse is 18-7 ATS (1 push) in their last 26 neutral site games when they are an underdog.

We were on the Rockets last night when these teams met, in the same venue, and Houston was in command the most of the game until the fourth quarter when they went cold. And we mean COLD. They didn’t score a single point in the last seven minutes of the fourth quarter and barely still missed the cover. It’s tough to beat any team twice in a row on consecutive nights. Even harder when that team is as bad as Minnesota. The Rockets are probably embarrassed they let that game slip away and we expect a more complete effort from them tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #631 Mississippi State (pk) over Louisiana Tech (3p.m., Saturday, March 27 ESPN) The Mississippi Bulldogs survived by the skin of their teeth on Thursday and now I expect them to advance to the NIT Finals tomorrow in North Texas. Miss State is young but they have great size and that will pose a problem for La Tech in this game. State is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS loss in their previous game.

This Dallas team seems to be rounding into form after a real slow start to the season. They have had a real relaxed schedule lately so they should have a lot of energy for this game. They have wins over the Blazers, Clippers and Nuggets in their last six games, so they are battle tested. Indiana has covered only three of their last 10 games and this team just isn’t in top form right now while Dallas is playing their best ball of the season. Not to mention they have covered in six of the last eight meetings.

These teams played Wednesday, here at the same venue, and the Bucks eeked out a two-point win. Boston got the cover but not the win, and they will be motivated to play better here tonight. The Celtics have been playing well but they lost their last two, that game to Milwaukee and before in OT at Memphis (on a back-to-back). This team will go all out to win tonight as they need this game more than Milwaukee, and it’s very tough to beat a good team twice in a row.

The Suns have a very underrated defense. They are No. 3 in the NBA for points allowed this season. They are coming off a poor defensive performance and a loss to Orlando and we think that will wake them up a bit for this game and we expect a much better defensive effort. The under is 6-1 for the Suns after an ATS loss, so that is normally the pattern. Toronto’s offense has been hit or miss lately, but we don’t expect them to put up too big of a number in this one against this stingy D.

These teams played last night and the Clippers blew the Spurs out. It’s very difficult to dominate a team like that for two nights in a row, on their home court no less. And the Spurs have one of the best coaches to ever do it, so we have to imagine that Popovich will have a plan in place to have his team more competitive. The Spurs are 4-0 ATS in their last four after a blowout loss, so we think they will bounce back strong tonight.

10 Unit Play. Take #611 Mississippi State over Richmond (6p.m., Thursday, March 24 ESPN2) Richmond had know business winning their first-round match-up against Toledo but they did and now find themselves up against a better team in Mississippi State. Richmond still has injury issues and that will not go away in this game. The Bulldogs are coming off an impressive win against Saint Louis last time out (a No. 1 seed) and they are better at 4 of the 5 positions on the court with Richmond’s current roster. The Bulldogs are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games. The Spiders did not perform well down the stretch losing their final 3 games before the NIT began and that included a loss to Saint Louis, a team Mississippi State just beat.

The Kings have the worst defense in the NBA. But the oddsmakers post too high totals for this team lately. Six of their last seven games have gone under the posted number. And we think this one is too high as well. Atlanta has been playing really good defense lately. They have held three of their last four opponents under the century mark. We think they will be able to do enough on defense to keep the Kings to a respectable total tonight.

The Rockets finally ended their losing streak last time out. This team is getting healthy and with their main players this team isn’t that bad. They got the monkey off their back of that losing streak and now they can just play without that burden. The Hornets have lost three of four and aren’t in top form right now. They lost their tremendous rookie, Ball, for the season, and that has to hurt team morale. The Hornets never play well here in Houston as they are 3-14-2 in the last 19 meetings.

Have really been impressed with the way the Celtics have played the last couple games since their team meeting. They lost last time out but they staged a furious rally in Memphis when they just weren’t hitting shots and they lost in OT and were on a back-to-back. They showed a lot of heart in that loss. And they should have Tatum and Walker back for this game. This is a real important game for Boston and we see them bringing their A Game tonight. Milwaukee has been winning but not covering a lot of spreads.

The Lakers aren’t a playoff team without LeBron and AD. They improved the roster this season around their two main guys, but this team goes as their stars do. They will play strong defense, but their offense won’t be able to get the job done. The Pelicans seem to be coming together as they have covered in four of five and have SU wins vs the Clippers (blowout) and at Denver. This team has been inconsistent but they will no doubt bring their A Game against the defending champs.

The Wizards have one of the worst defenses in the NBA and their offense can be dynamic. But they often struggle to score against top defensive teams, and the Knicks are head and shoulders above the rest of the NBA in defense. Washington scored 106 last time out against Brooklyn and they will face a much tougher test tonight. The Knicks have held four of their last five opponents under the century mark in regulation. The under is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings.

The Magic have been good as a home underdog lately with a 3-0-1 ATS record. We don’t see any reason this one won’t be a close game, and the Magic are getting the hook off the key NBA betting number of 7, which always has more value than 7 or 6.5. Teams down by seven (three possessions) don’t normally foul at the end of games. Orlando had a bad game last time out but they have been more competitive and they have covered in four of their last six. The Nuggets have covered in only two of their last six and are overvalued a bit here on Tuesday.

4 Unit Play. Take #821 USC over Kansas (9:40p.m., Monday, March 22 CBS) USC has great talent and they can do damage to Kansas inside the paint. The oddsmakers know this and have installed USC as the favorite in this game despite being the lower seeded team. USC has won 3 of their last 4 games and if they make shots from the arc, they will win this game by double digits. Kansas struggled for most of their game against Eastern Washington on Saturday and this is a must more talented team than the Eagles are. USC is 17-8 ATS in their last 25 neutral site games. Kansas is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 neutral site games.

We had the Celtics as a slight favorite in this game so we think there is good value. Boston had a team meeting the other day and then came out and dominated an Orlando team that had been playing well on Sunday. They played earlier in the day, so the back-to-back here was not so brutal. Memphis had the day off Sunday but they are playing their third game in four nights just like the Celtics, so we think the rest factor is pretty even here. Memphis has lost four of their last six games, so they aren’t in top form right now. The game yesterday against Orlando for Boston might be a turning point as this team seems determined to save their season after a slow start. And you have to remember this is one of the best coached teams in the NBA and they have been one of the best betting clubs in the NBA for years. We could see them going on a run after a real slow start to the second half of the season. Boston has a strong history in this series as they are 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.

4 Unit Play. Take #820 Creighton over Ohio (6:10p.m., Monday, March 22 TNT) Much of the public is on Ohio in this game yet the line is going up. Villanova pounded a mid-major last night in North Texas and it will not surprise me if another Big East team does this same tonight. Ohio is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games played on Monday. Creighton is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games played on Monday. If the Bluejays can make shots, they should be able to jump on early in this game and cruise to a victory.

4 Unit Play. Take #829 Abilene Cristian over UCLA (5:15p.m., Monday, March 22 TBS) The PAC-12 is having a remarkable run, but this is the game that has tripped up Mick Cronin in the past. UCLA is a little banged up and did not have a strong finish during the regular season and conference tournament. ACU is coming off a big win over Texas on Saturday and they are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games. UCLA struggles in the role of a favorite going 2-8 ATS the last 10 times they have been expected to win. Just expect this game to go down to the wire and underdogs have been hitting a high rate thus far in the Round of 32.

These are two Top 5 defensive teams. The Lakers looked awful on offense once LeBron left the court on Saturday. They will have to figure something out on the offense. We don’t see it happening tonight, however, and we think they will struggle to score and will have to rely on their defense to stay competitive here. We either think this will be a Suns blowout or a close, low-scoring game, and we think both scenarios bode well for the under. The under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings, and we expect a similar result here.

While it hasn’t made a difference in their W/L record, the Magic are playing well right now. They just haven’t been able to close out games. But they are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven games. They are coming off one of their best games of the season as they beat Brooklyn last time out. The Celtics have been one of the best ATS teams in the NBA for years as they normally get the job done. However, not this season as they have one of the worst ATS records in the league and they are 1-5 ATS in their last six. We expect a close game here.

10 Unit Play. Take #801 Wisconsin over Baylor (2:40p.m., Sunday, March 20 CBS) Wisconsin finally put together a complete game on Friday and expect that to carryover into Sunday against the No. 1 seed Baylor Bears. Baylor just has not been the same team since coming off a long pause and I do not see them blowing out this experienced Wisconsin team. The Badgers are getting better contributions from their guards and if they can make shots from the arc, they can win this game straight-up. Wisconsin is 15-5 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 22 NCAA Tournament games when they are an underdog. Baylor is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tournament games when they are the favorite.

Really like the Sixers here. They are coming off a tough OT loss to the Bucks and they will want to put their best foot forward here against a much weaker opponent. The Kings have been playing well but are on a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights. They are ending a long road trip. If Philly is motivated, and we think they will be, the Kings might just be content as they beat Boston last time and have a much easier game coming up to close out the road trip. Philly is well rested here with two days off.

4 Unit Play. Take #765 Missouri over Oklahoma (7:25p.m., Saturday, March 20 TNT) Oklahoma will be without De’Vion Harmon for this game and that is a major void for them. The Sooners have been struggling down the stretch having lost 5 of their last 6 games including a loss to Kansas State, one of the worst teams in the country. Missouri has struggled down the stretch as well, but they are healthy and should be able to take down Oklahoma. The Sooner are 8-20 ATS in their last 28 games as a favorite. The Tigers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games played on Saturdays.

4 Unit Play. Take #792 UCONN over Maryland (7:10p.m., Saturday, March 20 CBS) Just feel that Connecticut has the best player on the floor and a tradition of making runs in the NCAA tournament. Maryland has a fan base that does not embrace their current head coach. The Terrapins just made the NCAA Tournament based on the stretch of the Big 10, since a 16013 overall record and a 9-11 conference record is not that impressive. Maryland is 2-7 ATS in their last 9 NCAA Tournament games. UCONN is 16-5 ATS in their last 21 NCAA Tournament games.

4 Unit Play. Take #793 Iona over Alabama (4p.m., Saturday, March 20 TBS) Iona was able to keep the scoring down during the MAAC Conference Tournament and thus we will grab the points in this game. Alabama struggled to put away teams over the weekend they were much better than and you can bet Coach Pitino is going to defend the arc in this game. Iona is 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games as an underdog. Alabama is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 NCAA Tournament games when they are the favorite.

The Hawks have been playing great basketball lately and they have won seven straight games even though they don’t get the press as more popular teams around the league. They have really stepped things up on the defensive end and they are playing as a cohesive unit during this stretch. Sometimes coaching can make all the difference. The Lakers have been playing well also, but they are always overvalued by the oddsmakers and we think that is the difference here as the value lies with the visitors. We expect a low-scoring, close game here.

5 Unit Play. Take #784 Under in Georgetown vs Colorado (12:15p.m, Saturday, March 20 CBS) Really like the under in this game, as it is an early start and both teams struggle at times on offense. Georgetown has gone under the posted total in 6 of their last 8 games. Colorado has gone under the posted total in 8 of their last 11 games.

Dallas is quietly starting to play really well and they have won six of their last eight games overall. They are doing this pretty quietly as other stories dominate the news wire. But they are coming off a very impressive win over the Clippers on Wednesday. They also have wins over Denver and Brooklyn during this stretch, so they haven’t been playing only scrubs. Portland is coming off their rematch with New Orleans and will be playing their fifth game in seven nights. We think this is a real bad spot for Portland.

10 Unit Play. Take #753 Rutgers over Clemson (9:20p.m., Friday, March 19 TBS) NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME OF THE YEAR I just like the talent on Rutgers better than the talent on Clemson. The Scarlet Knights are the only higher seed to be favored against a lower seed and it is for good reason. Both teams lost games they should not have lost this season but feel Rutgers will be playing with a renewed confidence, as they broke the NCAA Tournament drought of 30 years in 2021. Rutgers has great balance on offense and played in a much better conference this season. Clemson did not do much damage away from home once ACC play started and I am just not sure they can score enough points to keep pace with Rutgers. The Tigers are 3-7 ATS (1 push) in their last 11 games against teams with a winning record. Rutgers is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a loss in their previous game.

4 Unit Play. Take #731 North Texas over Purdue (7:25p.m., Friday, March 19 TNT) Thought Purdue really overachieved this season and just do not believe they are as good as their record indicates. They were down big to Ohio State before a late rally and I just do not believe they can blow out North Texas unless they shoot it well from the arc. The Mean Green are 21-7 ATS (1 push) in their last 29 games following an ATS win in their previous game.

4 Unit Play. Take #728 North Carolina over Wisconsin (7:10p.m., Friday, March 19 CBS) Couple of key stats from this game that are remarkable. Roy Williams is 29-0 in Round 1 games of the NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin has only won 4 times at Mackey Arena and that is just a building they have very little success in. Both teams have major issues, as Wisconsin struggles on offense and North Carolina does not shoot it well from the 3-point arc. But the Tar Heels rebound the ball well and have size, something that has given Wisconsin problems of late. The Badgers just do not have many quality wins on the season and the entire fan base is down on them. Wisconsin is 0-3 ATS (1 push) in their last 4 neutral site games. North Carolina is 3-0 ATS (1 push) in their last 4 neutral site games.

4 Unit Play. Take #734 Texas Tech over Utah State (1:45p.m., Friday, March 19 TNT) Utah State has a solid program but they almost never win games in the NCAA Tournament. Texas Tech played in a much from difficult conference and feel playing a team outside the Big 12 will benefit them greatly. For the most part, Texas Tech beat the teams they should have beaten this season and Utah State has not faced a team this physical. The Aggies are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tournament games. Texas Tech is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tournament games.

Free Play from Doc’s Sports. Take #735 Under in Colgate vs Arkansas (12:45p.m., Friday, March 19 TruTV) This is a lot of combined points for two teams that played over the weekend and now must travel to an unfamiliar arena. Colgate has gone under the posted total in 13 of their last 20 games when they are an underdog (1 push). Arkansas has gone under the posted total in 7 of their last 9 games when they are a favorite. We will not worry if Arkansas can cover this big number and instead just look to collect with the total. Do not miss out on Doc’s Sports March Madness card including our NCAA Tournament Game of the Year on Friday. Get all the action right here, right now and let 49 years of handicapping experience work for you.

4 Unit Play. Take #717 UCLA over Michigan State (9:57p.m., Thursday, March 18 TBS) Very few people are giving UCLA a chance in this game. All you hear about is Coach Tom Izzo and his magic in March, but this Michigan State team is not very good. They played a little better at the end of the year, but they still lost 12 games this season. UCLA did not finish the season well losing 4 straight games but they were very competitive in those losses and feel they will come out rejuvenated today once tournament play begins. The underdog is 4-1 (1 push) in the last 6 games between UCLA and Michigan State. Michigan State is 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games as a favorite.

The Wiz Kids haven’t been playing well lately, but we still think this is too many points. The Jazz are just not playing their best basketball overall right now and are not just destroying teams like they were earlier in the season on a nightly basis. They have covered only one of their last five games. The Wizards have been a solid underdog play as they are 13-6 ATS when getting five of more points. We think this will be a competitive game and that the home team will stay within double digits.

These teams played Monday and the total reached only 208. The oddsmakers made a but of an adjustment downwards, but there is still value here. Dallas has been trending to the under big time as their offense is hit or miss and their defense has been playing pretty well. The Clippers have a Top 10 D. The under is 5-0 in the Mavericks last five home games, and we think this game will be a bit more high scoring than the game on Monday but we think this one will comfortably go under the posted number.

4 Unit Play. Take #708 St Mary’s (CA) over Western Kentucky (9p.m., Wednesday, March 17 ESPN2) Just do not believe the Hilltoppers will be motivated for this game after blowing a late lead on Saturday that would have gotten them into the NCAA Tournament. St Mary’s has had time to regroup, and they already knew they would not make the NCAA Tournament. The Gaels have won 3 of their last 5 games with those two losses coming against Gonzaga and BYU, both of which made the NCAA Tournament. The Gaels are 4-1 ATS in their last 4 games played on Wednesdays. The Hilltoppers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games played against teams with a winning percentage above .600.

These teams played earlier this month and the game was very high scoring with the total eclipsing 250. But that is very rare for teams to score that many points, and the oddsmakers made a major adjustment to this line as the last total was around 235. That was the only meeting in the last six meetings that went over the posted total. Both of these defenses are terrible. But this is just too many points as a cold shooting spell here or there will cut into this total. Since these teams played recently they will probably make some adjustments on the defensive end. We think the Wizards will pull this out as they had been playing better until they hit a real tough part of the schedule, but this is one of their most winnable games in awhile.

These teams played earlier this month and the game was very high scoring with the total eclipsing 250. But that is very rare for teams to score that many points, and the oddsmakers made a major adjustment to this line as the last total was around 235. That was the only meeting in the last six meetings that went over the posted total. Both of these defenses are terrible. But this is just too many points as a cold shooting spell here or there will cut into this total. Since these teams played recently they will probably make some adjustments on the defensive end. We think the Wizards will pull this out as they had been playing better until they hit a real tough part of the schedule, but this is one of their most winnable games in awhile.

Minnesota has covered in three straight games and they are playing possibly their best basketball of the season right now. Those three covers include SU wins over Portland and New Orleans. The Lakers are banged up right now and coming off a big win over the Warriors, so they probably won’t be giving 100 percent here in this matchup. Minnesota will give LA their best shot tonight while the Lakers will probably rest on their laurels a bit and we think this will be a close game.

The Pelicans are a real inconsistent team. They can look like a championship contender one night and then lose to a basement dweller the next. We expect a letdown after their win over the Clippers last time out that was one of their biggest of the season. The Blazers are coming off a loss to the Timberwolves and they will be focused here in a very winnable game. Home court will make the difference here tonight.

Wow we have come a long way to see the Celtics posted as decent sized underdogs at home. We will take it. The Celtics are finally getting healthy and cohesive. They have won five of their last six games. Utah has lost three of four and they aren’t playing like the dominant force that we saw earlier in the season. That’s not a knock on Utah – it’s tough to keep that level of performance up all season long and even the best teams go through down points of the season. We had this line handicapped at PK so we think there is real nice value in the home dog as we think this game is a coin flip as to who wins SU.

We were on the Clippers last night in an absolute duck of a game as they got blown out by the Pelicans. They probably had their eye on this game, since the Mavs gave them one of the worst defeats in franchise history early in the season. That was a revenge game for Dallas last time but now the revenge angle goes to the Clippers. LA has been known to take games off this season, and they didn’t give full effort last night. But this team normally comes out with a lot better effort after one of those bad games, and we expect them to bring their A Game tonight.

The Bucks have been overrated on the road as they are 0-6 ATS in their last six road games. We think that is the case again tonight as we had this line closer to 6. Washington has been playing better overall after a real slow start to the season. They have been hit and miss lately but they played pretty well when these teams matched up Saturday as they easily covered the double-digit spread. This team is on a 4-1 ATS run as a home underdog and we expect another close game tonight.

The Kings have been horrible in the underdog role as they are 1-7 ATS in their last eight as a lined underdog. This team is really hampered by their lousy defense, which is easily the worst in the NBA. The Hornets are playing well lately and have won three straight and four of five. They don’t get a lot of respect from the oddsmakers as they don’t have many big names on the roster. This team definitely has the capability to put up some points on this Kings defense, and their defense should get enough stops late for them to cover the number, which they have done in the last four meetings in this series.

The Clippers had one of the most dominant performances of the second half of the season in their blowout of Golden State. We see this is a team that wants to start the second half with a lot of momentum after losing their last three before the break. The Pelicans are 2-5 in their last seven games and they are not in top form right now. This team is very inconsistent. The Clips are healthy besides Pat Bev, who is not on this road trip, but they have a lot of depth and they should be motivated tonight.

Just don’t think the Celtics should be favored by this many on the road. This is the biggest favorite they have been all season. They are 0-3 ATS when laying seven or more points this season. This game is sandwiched between matchups vs. Brooklyn and Utah, possibly the two best teams from each conference. They aren’t going to get super excited for this matchup and Houston will be desperate to end their losing streak. We see this as being a lower scoring game and think the Rockets can keep it within double digits.

Despite getting generous points from the oddsmakers nightly, Minnesota is still one of the worst ATS teams in the NBA. That’s hard to do and a sign of a truly terrible team that doesn’t give effort on a nightly basis and can’t string four quarters of solid play together. The Blazers are coming off a loss that followed a three-game winning streak. But we think they are playing well and the Wolves are a far cry from the Suns team that beat them last time out. A motivated Portland team should win by 10+.

The Kings are one of the best over teams in the league. They like to run and can score, and they don’t try on defense. The over is 5-0 in the Hawks last five home games and this team can score when given the opportunity and we think the pace will benefit their offense tonight. They have averaged 118 PPG in their last two and we think they will do better tonight. These teams don’t play often but they have a history for the over that stretches back years, with the over 19-7 in the last 26 meetings.

This will be the Wizards third game in four nights. This team is razor thin as it is, and they have been overworked and just haven’t looked good recently. They have to be running on fumes here and they looked tired already last night in getting manhandled at home against Philly. The Bucks looked great in their return after the break and put up 134 on the best defense in the league. This looks like a team that wants to start the second half with momentum, and we could see another blowout here.

5 Unit Play. Take #618 San Diego State over Utah State (6p.m., Saturday, March 13 CBS) Utah State has done enough to make the NCAA Tournament and thus this is not a play-in game for them. San Diego State has a huge edge in rest for this game and I just do not believe Utah State can beat them 3 times in one season. Beating SDSU in Logan is much easier than beating them in Las Vegas. The Aztecs have won 13 straight games. The favorite is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings between the Aggies and Aztecs.

4 Unit Play. Take #608 Arkansas over LSU (3:30p.m., Saturday, March 13 ESPN) This is the rubber game between LSU and Arkansas on Saturday afternoon in Nashville, TN. The Razorbacks have won 9 straight games and expect them to take care of business today and advance to the finals on Sunday. They will go on a run at some point in this game and I just do not expect LSU to be able to keep pace. LSU is 3-12 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 17 neutral site games as an underdog. Arkansas is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a winning record.

These are two of the worst offensive teams in the NBA. Neither team has the potential of a breakout night on offense. And both teams are pretty good defensively, with the Knicks at No. 1 for points allowed and the Thunder in the top half of the league defensively. The Knicks played one of their worst defensive games of the season last time out against the Bucks, and we think they will try hard in that area today and make the necessary adjustments. New York normally locks down defensively against lousy teams. We think they cover a low-scoring game.

These are two of the worst offensive teams in the NBA. Neither team has the potential of a breakout night on offense. And both teams are pretty good defensively, with the Knicks at No. 1 for points allowed and the Thunder in the top half of the league defensively. The Knicks played one of their worst defensive games of the season last time out against the Bucks, and we think they will try hard in that area today and make the necessary adjustments. New York normally locks down defensively against lousy teams. We think they cover a low-scoring game.

10 Unit Play. Take #606 Alabama over Tennessee (1p.m., Saturday, March 12 ESPN) Alabama is the best team in the SEC this season and expect them to make the finals of the SEC Tournament in Nashville, TV. Tennessee may be without John Fulkerson, as he was taken to the hospital after a brutal foul in their game Friday against Florida. That is a big loss for this team if he is not 100% and Alabama will be able to take advantage of that. Tennessee has underachieved this season and just do not have much confidence in a Rich Barnes led team. When Alabama is making three-point shots they are one of the best teams in the country and they will enter having won 4 straight games with the last three coming by double-digits. Alabama is 22-9 ATS in their last 31 games following an ATS win in their previous game. Tennessee is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following an ATS win in their previous game.

4 Unit Play. Take #817 Wisconsin over Iowa (9p.m., Friday, March 12 BTN) Wisconsin took Iowa down to the wire on Sunday and led late in the second half. Now they get them on a neutral site with Wieskamp questionable for this game. Wisconsin played better than what the final score indicated yesterday and everyone, but Trice played well for Wisconsin which is a welcome sign. The underdog covered both meetings this year between Wisconsin and Iowa and they are 11-5 ATS (1 push) in the last 17 meetings.

4 Unit Play. Take #854 Florida State over North Carolina (8:30p.m., Friday, March 12 ESPN) The Tar Heels just have not shown consistency this season and they run in the ACC Tournament will end tonight. Florida State had a bad loss to North Carolina earlier this year losing despite leading up 17 points in that game. North Carolina is 6-15 ATS in their last 21 neutral site games when they are an underdog. The favorite is 7-3 ATS (1 push) in the last 11 games between North Carolina and Florida State.  

We think this is a great spot for the home team getting points tonight. The Sixers are a very average road team at 9-9 on the season. They are missing two of their top players tonight. The Wizards got off to a real slow start to the season and they lost confidence from a lot of bettors. But they have turned a corner and have been playing much better of late. They have won six of their last 10 despite a slip up last night. They normally play well in this series and have covered in five of the last six meetings. We had the Sixers laying a single point here so nice value tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #880 Niagara over Iona (6p.m., Friday, March 12 ESPNN) Still believe Iona is being overvalued because Rich Pitino is their coach. They had no business beating Siena on Wednesday but got lucky and now they are too big of a favorite. The underdog has covered the spread in 5 straight games between Niagara and Iona. The Purple Eagles are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog.

10 Unit Play. Take #813 Ohio State over Purdue (2p.m., Friday, March 12 BTN) Conference Tournament Game of the Year Ohio State is just a better all-around team that Purdue in 2021. The Buckeyes had a brutal schedule down the stretch but were able to right the ship yesterday against Minnesota. Purdue had a much easier schedule to close out the regular season and they have not played a team has strong as Ohio State since January 22. They have been feasting on bad teams of late and thus they have an inflated conference record. Ohio State is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 neutral site games. The favorite is 3-1 ATS (1 push) in the last 5 games between Ohio State and Purdue. The Boilers will need to shoot it well form the arc to cover this spread and I do not expect that to happen.

Both teams lost three straight entering the break. But the Clippers just had a bad string of games and they don’t have a lot to worry about for that losing streak. They should bounce back well here against a traditional rival. The Warriors are more of a team that is still trying to figure things out. After the All-Star Break we try to look for teams in their first game out that are very motivated, and we see the Clippers falling into that category tonight. When this team brings its A Game they can beat any team in the NBA by double digits.

5 Unit Play. Take #678 Wisconsin -5.5 over Penn State (9p.m., Thursday, March 11 BTN) Wisconsin is pissed off how their regular season ended on Sunday at Iowa and expect them to make some noise in the upcoming Big 10 Tournament. They split the season series with Penn State winning the last game by 16 points and I see them winning this game by double digits as well. The Lions struggled to put away Nebraska on Wednesday and will not be able to stay with Wisconsin in this game. Penn State is 1-4 ATS (3 pushes) in their last 8 neutral site games. Wisconsin is 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games played on Thursday.

4 Unit Play. Take #686 Over 140 in North Carolina vs Virginia Tech (9p.m., Thursday, March 11 ESPN) Carolina has a huge edge playing this tournament in Greensboro and they exploded last night for 101 points against a decent Notre Dame team. We only need 140 points tonight to collect on this ticket and we will get it as they take on the Hokies. North Carolina has gone over the posted total in 5 of their last 6 games as a favorite. Virginia Tech has gone over the posted total in 5 of their last 7 neutral site games (1 push).

The Knicks are an under machine this season at 23-14 on the year so far. This team has the No. 1 defense in the NBA and they bring it on that end of the court on a nightly basis. They are a true old-school defensive team as the offense leaves a lot to be desired and is one of the least productive in the league. This team regularly goes under the century mark on offense, which is very rare in today’s NBA. Luckily for us, the Knicks went on a bit of an over streak before the break. But they are rested and they have probably been looking forward to this game against one of the best teams in the East and this matchup will be a measuring stick to where they are at right now as a team. We expect them to lock down on the defensive end and for this to be a close game. Just don’t see the Knicks engaging in a shootout tonight. And there’s a good chance that after the break that these teams could start the game rusty on offense, especially New York. The under is 7-1 in the Knicks last eight road games.

The Knicks are an under machine this season at 23-14 on the year so far. This team has the No. 1 defense in the NBA and they bring it on that end of the court on a nightly basis. They are a true old-school defensive team as the offense leaves a lot to be desired and is one of the least productive in the league. This team regularly goes under the century mark on offense, which is very rare in today’s NBA. Luckily for us, the Knicks went on a bit of an over streak before the break. But they are rested and they have probably been looking forward to this game against one of the best teams in the East and this matchup will be a measuring stick to where they are at right now as a team. We expect them to lock down on the defensive end and for this to be a close game. Just don’t see the Knicks engaging in a shootout tonight. And there’s a good chance that after the break that these teams could start the game rusty on offense, especially New York. The under is 7-1 in the Knicks last eight road games.

3 Unit Play. Take #713 Oklahoma +3 over Kansas (6:30p.m., Thursday, March 11 ESPN2) Always hard to go against Kansas when they are playing in Kansas City, but the Jayhawks are without a couple of key players today and Oklahoma just has better talent now. The underdog is 9-4 ATS in the last 13 games between Oklahoma and Kansas. The Sooners are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games as an underdog.

4 Unit Play. Take #744 Boise State over Nevada (5:30p.m., Thursday, March 11 CBSSN) Nevada is a much different team at home compared to when playing outside of Reno. They are not good enough to beat this Boise State team 3 times and thus we will ride with the Broncos on Thursday afternoon. Boise State is on the NCAA Tournament bubble and this is a must win game for them to remain on it. The Broncos are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games following a loss in their previous game. Boise State has the edge at 4 of the 5 positions on the court and will emerge victorious on Thursday.

Free Play from Doc’s Sports. Take West Virginia over Oklahoma State (11:30a.m., Thursday, March 11 ESPN2) One of the more shocking results last weekend was Oklahoma State winning in Morgantown without Cade Cunningham. He is questionable for this game and the injury report is big for the Pokes in this game. Either way I do not see them beating West Virginia twice in less than a week. The Mountaineers played well down the stretch and look for that to continue in the postseason starting on Thursday. Do not miss out on Doc’s Sports weekend card featuring our Conference Tournament Game of the Year on Friday along with UFC, FCS, NBA, NHL and horse racing action.

Both of these teams can score. Only one can play defense, though, and that’s Memphis. And we believe that will be the difference in the game as we expect a rested Grizzlies team to make some stops down the stretch. Both teams are rested and that should help the defense instead of the offense, which could be out of rhythm early and rusty. Memphis is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings in this series. We think they are the better team at this point and expect the defense to step up and lead them to the win tonight.