Utah seems to be over their funk and they have scored two very impressive wins, vs. a very hot Portland team and also at the Rockets last night. Yes, they come in on a back-to-back tonight, but Dallas had a back-to-back Saturday so they are playing their third game in four nights as well. Utah is really healthy right now also, which is a plus for this bet. When both teams are at full strength the Jazz are the much better squad, but they have better health here with Doncic out for the Mavs. Utah is 3-1-1 ATS in the last five meetings. Dallas has been very inconsistent lately and we think that Utah keeps their positive momentum going with a big win tonight. When this team has issues it seems to be in their heads and when they win it builds a lot of team confidence and that confidence normally keeps them playing to their ability.

OKC is trending to the under and it is 5-1 in their last six. We think these teams will play some good defense in the Sunday matinee. These are two Top 10 defenses. Both teams have been playing particularly well in defending the rim lately, and we just don’t see either team breaking out for a big points total today. We handicapped this total before we saw the number and came out with 213, so we think there is nice value on the under here.

10 Unit Play. Take #840 Wisconsin over Ohio State (1p.m., Sunday, February 9 CBS) Wisconsin is a different team when playing at home and have only lost one time this season at the Kohl Center. Coach Gard has a knack for getting the big win when it needs it just like he did last Saturday against Michigan State. Ohio State has won 3 in a row but those wins came against fringe tournament teams and thus will be their third road game in their last 4 overall. Wisconsin beat Ohio State in Columbus earlier this season for one of their few road wins on the year. The favorite is 12-5 ATS in the last 17 meetings between Ohio State and Wisconsin. Ohio State is 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games played on Sunday. Wisconsin is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games played on Sunday. 

4 Unit Play. Take #814 Utah State -9.5 over Boise State (10p.m., Saturday, February 8 CBSSN) The Aggies have been playing much better basketball of late and when they win games it comes by double digits. Their last 6 wins have all been by double digits. Boise State has been on a roll as well winning 5 straight games but those have come against some bad teams and undermanned squads. They are not playing as well as their record would indicate. Boise State is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games. Utah State has covered the spread in 4 straight road games.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports.

Toronto has been trending to the over, but the oddsmakers have inflated this total too much as a result. We see this one going well under the posted number tonight. Toronto has a Top 3 defense, and we don’t see the Nets doing anything crazy in this one offensively. The Raptors are coming in on a back-to-back, and we think we could see a flat game from them offensively and this might be a bad spot for them overall after a hard-fought win over Indiana on Friday.

The Hornets are 0-4 ATS in their last four despite some very generous lines from the oddsmakers. They have one win in their last seven games and all of their losses were by double-digits. The Mavs enter on a back-to-back but they have a winning record both SU and ATS in these situations this year. The Mavs aren’t playing their best recently and are dealing with some injury issues, but this should be an easy win for them and they can’t afford a letdown here after losing two straight to much better teams than this Hornets club.

The Knicks have won three straight and are flat out playing harder than the Pistons right now. They have the same wins at 8 on the road as they do at home, so this New York team doesn’t have a real home court advantage. They can get the job done here tonight. The Knicks are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games, and the oddsmakers are behind on this team right now. The Pistons come in on a back-to-back and this is not a good spot for them tonight.

10 Unit Play. Take #666 Missouri over Arkansas (3:30p.m., Saturday, February 8 SECN) I thought Arkansas would play well against Auburn on Tuesday, but game 2 without Isaiah Joe will prove to be much more difficult. Missouri is nothing to brag about but they have talent and getting points at home is too good to pass up. 5 of their last 7 games have come on the road and they are ready for some home cooking this afternoon in Columbia. Arkansas is 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games as a favorite. Missouri is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a home underdog. The underdog has covered the spread in 11 of the last 16 games between Arkansas and Missouri. Arkansas losing in overtime to Auburn last time out affects this today.  

6 Unit Play. Take #654 Villanova -3.5 over Seton Hall (2:30p.m., Saturday, February 8 FOX) TOP NCAA PLAY OF THE DAY The Pirates are in great shape in the Big East and thus I feel the Wildcats need this game more. Villanova has lost two straight games but playing this game in Philadelphia will get them back on track. The Wildcats are 17-7 ATS in their last 24 home games against teams with a winning road record. The home team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings between these two teams. Seton Hall struggled to put away Georgetown on Wednesday and will lose this game by 7-9 points.

4 Unit Play. Take #621 Kentucky over Tennessee (1p.m., Saturday, February 8 CBS) Just think Kentucky is the best team in the SEC this season and they should be able to take down a bad team in Tennessee, even though the game is in Knoxville. Tennessee is 5-4 this season in the SEC but none of those 5 wins have come against teams that will reach the Big Dance. Kentucky has wins at Arkansas and at Texas Tech in the last month and they are starting to put it together as they usually do in February under Coach Cal. The Volunteers have not handled prosperity well this season going 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games following a victory in their previous game.

Utah has reverted back to their early-season ways and they are playing very poor basketball right now. They faced the same spread pretty much last time out vs. Denver and got spanked on their home court. Portland has won and covered in five of their last six games and they are in great form right now and playing some of their best basketball of the season. We just think this spread is way overinflated. Could Utah play their game and blow the Blazers out? Of course. But we have to go with recent form here and this line just looks way off to us.

We like to take a good team after an embarrassing loss and that is the case tonight as the Heat ran into a buzzsaw last time out at Staples against the Clippers. But they are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 after a blowout loss, and we expect them to get back to their winning ways tonight. Miami was playing well before that Clippers have and have covered in three of their last five. They are the much better team in this matchup and we think they bounce back well tonight.

OKC has really ramped up the defense lately, and we don’t see the Pistons having much offensive success tonight. The Pistons have scored 100 or less in three of their last six games. With Drummond being shipped out of town, that will hurt this team not only on the court but also in the morale department. We expect a real flat performance tonight from the road team. The oddsmakers tab this one as a blowout, and we agree, and we think the Pistons will struggle to score their share of points to get this one over the posted number.

2 Unit Play. Take #872 Illinois (-155 Money Line) over Maryland (8p.m., Friday, February 7 FS1) Home teams in the Big 10 are still the way to go. Illinois has not lost a conference game at home this season and they lost by just 1 point to Maryland earlier this season in College Park. Illinois is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following an ATS loss in their previous games.

Memphis is one of the better ATS teams this season, and Philly is one of the worst. We think this line is out of whack once again on Friday. The Grizzlies are playing much better right now. They have won six of seven games and are playing their best basketball of the season. They have covered in all the wins. They seem to be playing with a chip on their collective shoulders, and that is the kind of team you want to back with your betting dollars. Philly has lost four straight and have covered only one in their last seven. The Sixers are good at home, but they are vulnerable tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #694 Over in LMU @ Gonzaga (11p.m., Thursday, February 6 CBSSN) The Bulldogs are averaging over 88 points per game and I expect them to reach the nineties in scoring tonight. LMU has gone over the posted total in 5 of their last 6 games following an ATS win in their previous game. Gonzaga has gone over the posted total in 8 of their last 9 home games.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

Westbrook is questionable in this one but we think the Rockets will play it close whether he plays or not tonight. Houston is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 games in Los Angeles against the Lakers, and we think they will cover this inflated line tonight. Houston has won three straight and they are playing well right now. We think the Rockets could challenge for the win but we like the points here in what we think will be a close game.

4 Unit Play. Take #668 Weber State over Sacramento State (9p.m., Thursday, February 6) The Wildcats are a traditionally strong team in the Big Sky and they should be able to take care of business at home against Sacramento State tonight. 76% of the money is coming in on the home team and they favorite has covered the spread 4 of the last 5 games in this series. Sacramento State is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games.

4 Unit Play. Take #621 Delaware over Towson (7p.m., Thursday, February 6 CBSSN) The Blue Hens have been playing well of late having won 4 straight games including a victory at Hofstra. Towson is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog. Delaware is 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games played on Thursday.

4 Unit Play. Take #833 Wisconsin over Minnesota (9p.m., Wednesday, February 5 BTN) The Badgers are coming off their best performance of the year dominating Michigan State on Saturday. Now they get Brad Davison back and should be able to take this game down to the wire. Minnesota has lost 2 straight games and they are one of the few Big 10 teams not expected to make the NCAA Tournament.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

10 Unit Play. Take #829 Seton Hall over Georgetown (8:30p.m., Wednesday, February 5 FS1) TOP NCAA PLAY OF THE DAY Both teams likely have a key player out, but Seton Hall has better team from 1-15 and that will be the difference tonight. Georgetown has no business beating St Johns on Sunday and expect them to be down big in this game as well. Seton Hall is coming off a shocking home loss to Xavier by double digits last Saturday, but they are still 8-1 in Big East play. The Hoyas are 3-6 with 2 of the wins coming against St Johns. The favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings. Georgetown is 5-13 ATS in their last 19 games as a home underdog. Seton Hall is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games. Without Matt McClung, Georgetown lacks any depth and that will be the difference tonight in the district.

We were on the Grizzlies last time out against Detroit in what was one of the easiest wins of the year with only 178 points scored in that game. This one won’t be that low scoring. But Memphis has struggled on offense recently against good defensive teams. And Dallas has been playing very solid defense lately. They held their last two opponents to 103 or fewer points. We don’t see the pace here in this game being super fast, and we had this game total handicapped at 218, so we think there is some really nice value here. Several trends involving Memphis here point to the under as well. The under is 5-1 in the last six for Memphis following a 10+-point win. The under is 8-3 in their last 11 games, and the oddsmakers haven’t adjusted properly yet. Because of some massive scores in the NBA this season, bookies are scared to post too low totals, but there is value created as a result on the under leaguewide right now, and we think this game definitely falls into that category tonight.

The Blazers suddenly are playing their best basketball of the season right now. They have won four straight and covered in all those games. And it wasn’t any easy schedule, either. We think they come to play again tonight and we will ride the hot hand here on Tuesday. Portland has better rest coming into this game and we think they are primed for another solid performance. We expect a close game here, and the visitor definitely has a chance to score the upset.

4 Unit Play. Take #628 Michigan State over Penn State (8p.m., Tuesday, February 4 BTN) Michigan State laid an egg last Saturday against Wisconsin but playing at home will get them back on track. Penn State has won 4 straight games and will reach the NCAA Tournament this season, but they will not be able to shoot it well enough in this game. Michigan State is 48-23 ATS (1 push) in their last 72 home games.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

6 Unit Play. Take #610 Arkansas over Auburn (7p.m., Tuesday, February 4 SECN) Unranked team that is favored over a ranked team is usually a receipe for success when it comes to college basketball betting. This is a tough spot for Auburn coming off a big win over Kentucky on Saturday with the college gameday crew in town for that occasion. Arkansas is coming off a bad home loss to South Carolina and needs some more quality wins to ensure they reach the NCAA Tournament in Coach Musselman’s first season. The favorite is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 meetings. Arkansas is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games played on Tuesday.

The Pistons are not only coming in on a back-to-back, but this is a super back-to-back for them after a rare win in OT yesterday against the Nuggets. We don’t think they have anything left in the tank here, and we just don’t see how they will put many points on the board tonight. Detroit has performed real poorly in back-to-backs this season at 1-7, 2-6 ATS and they have averaged only 104 PPG in these situations this season. We don’t see them having any offensive success today. The under is 6-0 in the Grizzlies last six home games, and that is the way we see this one going down on Monday night.

Both offenses have been really good lately, but we have to take a shot at the under here in what is one of the highest posted totals in the NBA this season. With a total this high, if there is a cold shooting streak by either team than this one will likely go under. If a crucial player goes cold, that’s good news for us. With a total this high there has to be fluid scoring and fast pace all throughout the game. The players could be distracted because of the Super Bowl. Also, the under is 31-15-1 in the last 47 meetings.

3 Unit Play. Take #824 Hawaii -6.5 over CS Northridge (1a.m., Sunday, February 2) This game takes place during the overnight hours early Sunday morning. This is a tough trip for the Matadors who played Thursday in California and now must travel to the islands to play this game against one of the top teams in the Big West. Northridge is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following an ATS win in their previous game. Hawaii is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS win in their previous game.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

Utah has lost three straight, but it’s not time to panic. They had an off game against Houston at home where they didn’t play good. And then they lost at San Antonio, a very tough place for a visitor to get a win. Then on a back-to-back they had a strong game at Denver but faded in the second half on the backend of a back-to-back. They really have to choice but to play with a sense of purpose here. And now Portland is the team on a back-to-back. And they just played in an unprecedented emotional game in LA. They played with the Mamba Mentality and left everything on the floor. They won as 13-point underdogs last night. We were on Portland in this game. But we just think they will be spent and have nothing more to give tonight. Portland isn’t a deep team and they are 2-4-1 ATS on the second end of a back to back. And they spent so much effort last night. Against a very good team tonight, and a legit title contender desperate to end a losing streak. Also, Utah is 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 games on Saturday. This just looks like a great spot for a dominating win tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #822 Washington over Arizona State (10:30p.m., Saturday, February 1 PAC12N) Washington played pretty well last time out against Arizona and should use that to win this game by double digits. Arizona State does not have the top end talent that Arizona does, and I believe they will not make enough shots in this game against the zone. Washington shot 50% from the 3-point line and made 14 of 28. If they come anywhere near those number tonight, they will win big. Arizona State lost to Washington State last time out and has had to stay in the Pacific Northwest for two days stewing on that performance. The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games between Arizona State and Washington. The Huskies finally get a get-well game and we collect big in the process as well.

3 Unit Play. Take #728 North Carolina -12 over Boston College (6p.m., Saturday, February 1 ACCN) The Tar Heels have played much better of late winning two straight games by double digits and now should have Cole Anthony back for this game. Boston College just beats the bottom feeder teams and will not be very competitive in Chapel Hill today.

10 Unit Play. Take #711 Rutgers over Michigan (4:30p.m., Saturday, February 1 BTN) When Michigan agreed to play this game in New York City instead of Ann Arbor they could never imagine that Rutgers could be this good. The Wolverines will likely have Zavier Simpson back for this game, but it will not matter, as Rutgers is the better and more talented team. Michigan got back on track last game against Nebraska, but they still have lost 4 of their last 5 games and that included two home games to Penn State and Illinois. The magic during the nonconference season has worn off and there is a lack of talent and once can see why John Beilein left. Rutgers has won 4 of their last 5 games and playing this game in New York City should give them a big edge in the stands. Rutgers is 19-7 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 29 games. Michigan is 1-5 ATS (1 push) in their last 7 games.

Since the game against the Lakers and Clippers was cancelled, bettors have been looking to this game as the first game after the Kobe Bryant tragedy where the Lakers will win one for Kobe. But as a result we knew this line would be inflated and it has come out even a couple more points than we expected. And it's not like Kobe didn’t have friends on the Blazers that will want to play hard in his honor. The Blazers aren’t going to roll over and let the Lakers win. We think they give everything they have tonight against a Lakers team that is still grieving. The Blazers have a strong history in this series (10-2 ATS in the last 12 meetings in LA and 45-22 ATS as a long-term trend). If the Lakers just play their game they will probably have success but we feel like they might try to hard or do something different than normal. We think there’s a great chance for a close game here.

When a couple lousy teams hook up in a Friday game like this, and they are teams that play inconsistent defense, you can have a good idea the game will be a barnburner. And we think that’s the case here. The Bulls have the better defense, but they have been pourous in that area lately, and that has led to the over hitting in four of their last five. The Nets have gone over in four of five as well.  We just see the pace here as being fluid and we expect both teams to get their points in a likely close game.

Toronto is coming in on a back-to-back, but they barely broke a sweat last night against the Cavs. That was their ninth straight win. We don’t see them letting up here. Detroit has lost four straight and this team just has not been playing with any enthusiasm lately. Injuries have staked up and everyone is on the trade block, so it’s no wonder why this team hasn’t played with a sense of purpose lately. We think this could be a double-digit win for the road team.

4 Unit Play. Take #873 VCU over Rhode Island (7p.m., Friday, January 31 ESPN2) This line has swung in the morning and we will follow the line movement. VCU was terrible ATS early in the season but they have come on of late, winning 4 straight games and all of them by double digits. Rhode Island already beat them once this season in Richmond, but I do not believe they will be able to beat them twice in one season. VSU is 25-10 ATS in their last 35 games as a road favorite. Rhode Island is 2-6 ATS (1 push) in their last 9 games as a home underdog. The favorite is 9-2 ATS in the last 11 meetings between these two Ram teams.

Despite identical records, we think the Jazz are the much better team in this matchup. Remember, they got off to a super slow start this season and since have turned it on and are playing as well as anyone in the league right now. And this is a very important game and should have a playoff-like atmosphere, and we just think the cream will rise to the top tonight. We like to back a good team after a bad loss, and the Jazz certainly fit the bill here as they had the floor wiped with them against the Rockets last time out and Houston was without Westbrook and Harden. Utah was a double-digit favorite and lost by 9. But they have had two nights off since then (Denver has had only one), and this game is more important, so win here and that loss is officially in the rearview mirror. After playing horrible defense last time out we are sure the focus for Utah has been strong defense, and we think the Jazz will lock down on that end tonight. The Jazz are 16-7 ATS in the last 23 meetings, and we feel this is their game to take tonight.

Despite identical records, we think the Jazz are the much better team in this matchup. Remember, they got off to a super slow start this season and since have turned it on and are playing as well as anyone in the league right now. And this is a very important game and should have a playoff-like atmosphere, and we just think the cream will rise to the top tonight. We like to back a good team after a bad loss, and the Jazz certainly fit the bill here as they had the floor wiped with them against the Rockets last time out and Houston was without Westbrook and Harden. Utah was a double-digit favorite and lost by 9. But they have had two nights off since then (Denver has had only one), and this game is more important, so win here and that loss is officially in the rearview mirror. After playing horrible defense last time out we are sure the focus for Utah has been strong defense, and we think the Jazz will lock down on that end tonight. The Jazz are 16-7 ATS in the last 23 meetings, and we feel this is their game to take tonight.

The Sixers road woes are well documented as they are 9-15 on the road this season. They are 7-15-2 ATS on the road and on a 1-7-1 ATS plunge in their last nine games. The Hawks have been playing hard despite a lack of talent, and they have covered in five of their last eight games. The Sixers haven’t covered in the last four meetings in Atlanta. We think the Hawks will put up a fight and play to win here tonight.

6 Unit Play. Take #628 Illinois over Minnesota (7:30p.m., Thursday, January 30 FS1) Illinois is a top team in the Big 10 this season and Minnesota has won just one road game in the league this season. The Fighting Illini have won 6 straight games and the favorite is 7-1 ATS in the last 8 games. Minnesota got blown out by Michigan State last time out and this will be a double-digit loss as well.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The Thunder are 32-16 ATS on the season and this team continues to hold value while some of the other teams in the NBA are grabbing all the headlines and respect from the oddsmakers. But Oklahoma City is quietly having one of the most surprising seasons in the NBA this season. They had a five-game winning streaked snapped last time with a double-digit loss to the Mavs, and we think they will come out in this one focused and hungry against a Sacramento team that has lost six of eight, with only wins over Minnesota and Chicago to their credit.

4 Unit Play. Take #836 TCU over Texas (8p.m., Wednesday, January 29 ESPN+) Texas is not any good this season despite having some talented players. They enter this game having lost three straight games including a 38-point loss to West Virginia the last time they were on the road. TCU is well coached, and they will not beat themselves. That should be good enough to win this game against a team in freefall with a coach squarely on the hot seat. The home team is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 meetings between Texas and TCU. Texas is 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games. TCU is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following an ATS loss in their previous game.

7 Unit Play. Take #628 Rutgers over Purdue (8p.m., Tuesday, January 29 BTN) TOP COLLEGE BASKETBALL PLAY OF THE NIGHT Purdue is just a different team on the road compared to at home. Rutgers is ranked and on their way to the NCAA Tournament if they take care of business at home. The Boilermakers have not won a road game this season in Big 10 play. Rutgers has won 3 of their last 4 games and they have better talent at the guard position than does Purdue. The Boilermakers are 1-6 ATS (1 push) in their last 8 games as an underdog. The Scarlet Knights are 8-1 ATS (1 push) in their last 10 home games. The home team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games between Purdue and Rutgers.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

We think this is too many points. We think the Hawks match up well with Toronto. And the Raptors lines are starting to grow too big. These teams played a little more than a week ago in Atlanta, and the Hawks hung tough with the Raps all game long. It was a one-point game entering the fourth quarter and Toronto won by 5. Atlanta has been a good bet lately, covering in five of their last seven games. They are also 6-2 ATS when catching double digit points. We expect them to keep this one within double digits tonight.

4 Unit Play. #602 St Johns over Villanova (6:30p.m., Tuesday, January 29 FS1) This line is begging you to take Villanova, but I feel playing their second straight road game will doom them in tonight at MSG. The Wildcats were not very impressive last time out against Providence and would have lost if Providence did not play to lose that game. St Johns has won 2 of the last 3 games against Villanova. The underdog has covered the spread in 4 straight games between the Wildcats and the Red Storm. Villanova is 3-9 ATS (1 push) in their last 13 road games. St Johns is 8-2 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 12 games.

The Rockets will be shorthanded tonight. We don’t see how they will be able to put up enough points to eclipse this total. They are coming in on a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights. We hate to bring tragedy into handicapping but we think some players and teams experienced an adrenaline rush when the news hit on Sunday but tonight might be the hangover from that rush, and we think the road team out here could come out real flat while shorthanded. Not to mention Utah is getting back to their defensive ways and is playing perhaps some of the best defense in the NBA right now. We think this total might be as many as 8 points too high tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #869 Wisconsin over Iowa (8:30p.m., Monday, January 27 BTN) Wisconsin struggles in certain venues but this is not one of them. The Badgers have won 8 of the last 8 games against the Hawkeyes. Iowa does not have the explosive players to threaten the Badgers and thus I expect this game to go down to the wire. The road team is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 games between Wisconsin and Iowa.

The Clippers will for sure be without Paul George and we don’t know the status of Pat Beverly as of this writing, but even if he plays he probably won’t be anywhere near 100%. The Clippers are coming off their big win over Miami and then play the Lakers next, so this is a big sandwich game for them, and they don’t have their full complement of players. This game reminds us of the recent Hawks game, where we were also on the underdog, and they won outright. Just doesn’t seem like a spot for a full effort from the road team.

4 Unit Play. Take #826 Indiana over Maryland (1p.m., Sunday, January 26 CBS) Some Big 10 road teams have been winning of late but for the most part this league has been dominated by the home teams. Indiana has won 2 straight games and 4 of their last 5 overall. Maryland seems to lose on the road against good teams and today will be no different. The home team has covered in 5 of the last 6 meetings and the favorite is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings between Maryland and Indiana.

We always look for situations where the Cavs are favored against other lousy teams. This has been one of the best bets in the NBA this season as the Cavs are a perfect 0-5 ATS when favored. The Bulls are quite a bit better than Cleveland and they have been able to take care of business against bad teams. We expect more of the same tonight.

Dallas has been playing very well and they are a legit team. But they are just not on the same level as the Jazz. Utah is a true championship contender, and they have been playing like it lately, while the Mavs are a year or two away from being a true contender. There is probably no team in the NBA playing as well as the Jazz right now, and they are not only winning but covering on a regular basis. This line has moved early with sharp action, but we still don’t think it moved enough as we had this game handicapped at -7.5 for the Jazz so we think there is some real good value here. Utah is 7-0 ATS in their last seven home games and we think they cover easy again tonight.

10 Unit Play. Take #638 Oklahoma over Mississippi State (2p.m., Saturday, January 25 ESPN2) The Bulldogs have won they have all come in Starkville against weaker teams in a suspect SEC Conference. They have lost their last two road games including getting blown out at Alabama. Oklahoma has lost just 1 game at home this season and that came against a Kansas before their suspensions happened last Tuesday night. They took Baylor to the wire last time out despite Kristian Doolittle not doing much in that game. Expect a much better performance from him today at home. Both teams need this victory if they have visions of making the NCAA Tournament and expect the home team to prevail by 6-8 points. Mississippi State is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games following three or more consecutive home games.

NBA handicapping can be very streaky. The Houston Rockets had lost four straight and people were wondering what was wrong with the team. Then they flexed their collective muscle in an extremely impressive home win over the Nuggets last time out. We think they will build on that positive momentum tonight against a very lousy Minnesota team. The Wolves have lost seven straight. They have covered in only one of those games despite some very generous lines courtesy of the oddsmakers. Houston is 10-4 ATS in the last 14 meetings between these teams. We don’t think there is any chance of a letdown tonight since that losing streak is still fresh on the Rockets minds, and they need to take care of business, hopefully with an exclamation point, against a sub-par opponent.

The Grizzlies have three more wins on the season than do the Pistons. But Memphis was putting together a whole new roster this season and it took them awhile to get it together. But they have been playing their best basketball of the season lately and this team is solid. Detroit just can’t put anything together consistently. We think the disparity in these teams is greater than those three extra wins on Memphis’ record and we think the better team will take this one tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #632 Utah over Washington (8p.m., Thursday, January 12 PACN12) We will follow the line movement in this game. Washington opened as a -2.5 favorite and now is it close to a pick’em. The Huskies are just not the same team without Quade Green. Utah is just 1-4 in PAC 12 play but they have played a brutal schedule and getting back to the Huntsman Center should allow them to get back on track. Washington is coming off a brutal loss to Oregon over the weekend in which they controlled that game until overtime. Washington is 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games. Utah is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games following 3 or more consecutive road games.

Both of these teams are out of the playoff picture. Both have played lousy defense lately. We just don’t see any way either team will lock down on defense tonight and both teams should put up a high total on offense. The Bulls have been trending to the under and the Wolves have been trending to the over. But we just think this number is too low tonight as we think both squads have a chance to get over 110 in points tonight.

We think this is a throwaway game for the Clippers tonight. They had their big game against the Mavs last night and won. And that game will be crucial for tiebreakers. But now they go out of conference for a game that doesn’t mean much. They got in to Atlanta super late last night. Pat Bev was hurt in the game last night and probably won’t play here. This will be a back-to-back so Kawhi is unlikely. And Paul George probably isn’t ready to come back. Atlanta has covered in three of their last four and we think they have a great chance for the outright win.

The Sixers road woes are highly publicized this season. They have won two straight road games, but they didn’t impress us with those wins. They were against both New York teams. Now they take a big step up in competition against one of the better ATS teams in the NBA this season. Toronto has covered in seven of the last nine meetings at home in this series. We just think the Sixers will fall on their faces again here and we don’t see them being too competitive here.

4 Unit Play. Take #794 Davidson over Saint Louis (7p.m., Wednesday, January 22 ESPN) The Billikens are coming off a tough fought game to Dayton last time out and I don’t think they will have much left in the tank tonight against the Wildcats. Davidson is better than what their record indicates and hopefully they get back on track tonight after getting some wins against the bottom feeder teams in the league. Saint Louis is 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a losing record. Davidson is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games played on Wednesday.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

4 Unit Play. Take #602 Villanova over Butler (7p.m., Tuesday, January 21 CBSSN) Butler is heading in the wrong direction having lost two straight games including a double-digit loss to DePaul last time out. Villanova has won 4 straight games, and this is a must win game for them if they have visions of winning the Big East Regular Season Championship. The home team has covered the spread in 4 of the last 5 games between Butler and Villanova. Butler is 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following a loss in their previous game. Villanova is 16-7 ATS in their last 23 home games against teams with a winning road record.

We will plug our nose and go with the Knicks here as we just don’t think the Cavs should be laying points to anyone in the NBA at this point. Cleveland has been a favorite only four times this season. And the result? 0-4 ATS. We just think the Knicks have been playing a bit better overall and this is the perfect chance for them to get a rare road win. (As we were compiling the writeup the Knicks moved to slight favorites and that is OK because we see them winning this one clearly.).

Brooklyn’s defense has been lousy lately and they have given up 117 or more in three straight games and we feel as if the Sixers will do even better than that today. Philly has been offensively challenged lately but this is a game where the pace will work in favor of their offense and we expect a breakout game in matinee action here on Monday. Both teams will get their points here as this one sails over the posted number.

Detroit has won two straight but that just means we are getting a better line here for the home team. Sharp bettors took the Wizards on the opening line and moved this number ½ point but there is still value here. Despite the records these teams are pretty much even and Detroit has been inconsistent and we just don’t see them going on the road and winning this one for this Monday matinee.

3 Unit Play. Take #855 South Dakota State over South Dakota (4:30p.m., Sunday, January 19 ESPN3) The Jackrabbits are playing well at the moment and will enter this in-state battle having won 5 straight games. They have been on an ATS run of late having covered the spread in 12 of their last 14 games. The Coyotes are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games played on Sunday.

We think the Thunder are the much better team here. They have lost two straight coming into this one, both against Eastern Conference opponents. Now they are back against a familiar divisional foe, and we think they will be very focused here. A two-game losing streak isn’t the end of the world, but a three-game slide starts to become concerning, and this team is going all out for a playoff bid after everyone wrote them off. This is a down year for Portland, one of the worst ATS teams in the NBA this season.

Utah is almost an automatic play lately. This team started off slow like last season but is coming on strong now and one of the hottest teams in the NBA despite the loss last time out. That loss will keep them focused here, and they have a big time talent advantage over the Kings. The Jazz have not only been winning lately but when they win they have been covering as well, and we think this will be a double-digit win tonight as the Jazz stay hot.

Orlando is the top defensive team in the NBA for scoring, but they haven’t been great recently in that area, allowing 112 or more in three straight. We think the Warriors have a chance to put up some points on them tonight, and we have a pretty low total here for a game involving the Warriors. Golden State has allowed 122 or more in their last three. Neither team is playing strong defense right now, and we think the pace here will be fluid on Saturday night.

The Sixers have been horrible on the road this season. But this is a good team and they will figure out their road woes at some point, and there is no better time than tonight against this horrible Knicks team. The Sixers are 10-4 ATS in the last 14 meetings. They are being punished by the oddsmakers because of their road record and the fact they are on a back-to-back, but they are 5-2 in back-to-backs this season and this is a good spot for them laying a short number tonight.

The Celtics come in off two straight losses, so they will be primed to get back on the winning track. And this is a great opportunity to do just that against a team they will have a talent advantage over. Over the last several years the Celtics have been one of the most trustworthy betting teams. They have covered in three of their last four despite the two straight losses, and we feel this line is short as well. Phoenix has covered in just one of their last six games. We think this is a great opportunity for a double-digit win for the Celtics.

7 Unit Play. Take #766 USC over Stanford (6:30p.m., Saturday, January 18 PAC12N) TOP COLLEGE BASKETBALL PLAY OF THE DAY Both of these teams have good records, but Stanford has played a weak schedule thus far and having to sit around in Los Angeles for 3 days will doom them in tonight at the Galen Center. USC has good talent and should be able to take advantage of Stanford inside the paint. The home team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 games between Stanford and USC. The Trojans are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games played on Saturday.

10 Unit Play. Take #634 Florida Gators over Auburn Tigers (1:30p.m., Saturday, January 18 CBS) The Gators opened as a favorite and an unranked team favored over a ranked team is usually a sign to play them. Auburn is a fraud this season and their 15-1 record is more about a weak schedule that they have played thus far. They got pounded last time out against Alabama, a team that will struggle to make the NIT. Now they are on the road for a second straight game against a team that has not played up to their talent at times this season. Florida has just as much talent as does Auburn and they need this one more to ensure they make the NCAA Tournament this season.

2 Unit Play. Take #601 Ohio State over Penn State (12p.m., Saturday, January 18 ESPNU) Both of team are frauds to some degree but I have no confidence in Penn State. They just do not shoot it well enough from the 3-point line to be expected to compete in these games against the top teams in the Big 10. The road team has covered 5 of the last 7 games between Ohio State and Penn State. The Nittany Lions are 1-3 ATS (1 push) in their last 5 home games. Ohio State is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a victory in their previous game.

We just love the way the Grizzlies are playing now. This isn’t a fluke, and they are playing playoff quality basketball right now and have a budding superstar in Ja Morant. They have won and covered in six straight games. And those games weren’t against all scrubs. They won at the Clippers and at home against Houston and San Antonio. They have scored 119 or more in all of these games, and with Cleveland allowing 128 in each of their last two games, we just don’t see them slowing Memphis down tonight. The Grizzlies aren’t really on bettors radars right now and they should be laying double digits here.

We just love the way the Grizzlies are playing now. This isn’t a fluke, and they are playing playoff quality basketball right now and have a budding superstar in Ja Morant. They have won and covered in six straight games. And those games weren’t against all scrubs. They won at the Clippers and at home against Houston and San Antonio. They have scored 119 or more in all of these games, and with Cleveland allowing 128 in each of their last two games, we just don’t see them slowing Memphis down tonight. The Grizzlies aren’t really on bettors radars right now and they should be laying double digits here.

3 Unit Play. Take #861 Wisconsin over Michigan State (7p.m., Friday, January 17 FS1) This line is rocketed up this morning and now we feel the value lies with the underdog. Wisconsin has been good with us in the past few games and expect them to keep this under double-digits. Wisconsin already has road wins at Penn State, Tennessee, and Ohio State. Wisconsin is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog. Michigan State will play much better today than they did at Purdue but expect Wisconsin to control the tempo and keep the scoring low.

The Magic scored the win last night in LA against the Lakers. This is a back-to-back but they will be playing in the same building so no travel worries. And this is not some scrub team that will be happy with their win and not show up for this game. This team made the playoffs last season and has aspirations of getting back there this season. The Clippers are working out a lot of kinks right now and Paul George is out of the lineup again tonight. We think this will be a close game.

The Celtics haven’t been playing well and enter this one on a back-to-back, but we just think this is too many points to give one of the top teams in the east. They were blown out in Detroit last night but were probably looking ahead to this one, and we think they will put in a much better effort. This team isn’t an underdog often, but they are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games when catching points.

The Suns have been inconsistent lately, but this is a game where they have a clear edge in talent and they should win this one going away. They already scored a win and cover over the Knicks at home earlier this month. They are coming off what we would consider an embarrassing loss to Atlanta last time out and they will need to put their best foot forward here tonight. The Suns are 7-2 ATS in their last nine meetings in New York.

3 Unit Play. #624 Charleston over Northeastern (7p.m., Thursday, January 16) Charleston and Northeastern are predicted to be two of the top teams in the CAA this season. With this game coming at TD Arena it is important for the Cougars to protect their homecourt. Expect Grant Riller to come up big again as he makes his case for CAA Player of the Year. Charleston is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games. Northeastern is 3-9 ATS (1 push) in their last 13 games as an underdog.

Both of these teams are under teams this season. The Magic are one of the top defensive teams in the league, but they can’t score. We don’t see them having any success on offense tonight and they should finish well under the Century Mark yet again. There are a lot of trends for the Magic going under tonight, and even though the Lakers have been putting up lots of points lately this strong Orlando defense will slow them down to a respectable total.

The Wizards went through a little scoring drought and an under run, but the last couple of games scoring is up again and this one looks like a probable barnburner. Washington is the worst defensive team in the league by many metrics and the Bulls have their moments of competence defensively but they also give up 115+ on a regular basis, and we think that will be the case tonight. We see both teams getting close to 120 tonight. The over is 6-1 in the Wizards last seven road games, and we just don’t see either team getting stops tonight and scoring should be fluid for all four quarters.

Miami is one of the better ATS teams in the NBA this season, and they still aren’t getting proper respect from the oddsmakers as they should be laying more points tonight in our opinion. The Spurs just can’t be trusted this season as almost no team in the NBA has been more inconsistent. Could they win this by 20? Anything is possible in the NBA on any given night. But the Spurs are 6-12 on the road and the Heat have been dominant at home, and we expect them to take care of business tonight.

Boston is one of the better under teams in the NBA this season on the strength of their No. 2 scoring defense. They have been very good defensively lately, and we don’t see the Pistons doing anything on offense tonight. The under is 5-1 when the Pistons play on the road with a team with a winning percentage over .600, meaning they normally struggle to get points in this situation. Their offense has not been good lately, and the only way they will be able to compete here is to lock down defensively.

4 Unit Play. Take #793 Miami over North Carolina State (7p.m., Wednesday, January 15 ACCNX) These are two similar teams and we will grab the points in this game. Homecourt is an advantage but I do not believe it is an 8-point advantage. Miami is coming of a nice win against Pittsburgh on Sunday and they should be able to take this game down to the wire. NC State is 2-3 and those losses have come against Virginia Tech, Clemson, and Georgia Tech. Those are not teams that will be making the NCAA Tournament come March. The Underdog is 10-4 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 16 meetings. NC State is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games.

Whenever we see a line this high we have to look for a way to back the underdog. And that’s what we will do here on Tuesday. The Clippers aren’t playing their best basketball of the season right now. They seem to be complacent in the dog days of the season, and Paul George is out for the foreseeable future. They have failed to cover in four straight games. The Cavs have covered in three of four. They were ran off the court last night and come into this one on a back-to-back, but they won’t want to lose bad to both LA teams and they have no real pressure here and should play freely. They have been playing hard for the most part lately. We think they can keep this one within double digits.

10 Unit Play. Take #642 Wisconsin over Maryland (9p.m., Tuesday, January 14 ESPN2) Just do not believe odds makers have caught up to how good Wisconsin is with the addition of Micah Potter. Wisconsin has won road games at Ohio State, Tennessee, and Penn State and should have beaten Illinois last week for it not for late game struggles. The Big 10 has been dominated by home teams and Maryland is not a strong enough team that can consistently win games on the road. They got run over by Iowa last time out and they have not won a true road game this season. The home team is 9-4 ATS in the last 10 meetings between Maryland and Wisconsin. Maryland is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games. Wisconsin is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games.

There might not be a better bet in the NBA right now than Utah, who has covered in 10 of their last 11 games. They got off to a slow start, just like last year, and now they are turning it on big time, just like last year, and have cemented themselves as one of the best teams in the league and a championship contender. They could also get Mitchell back tonight. Their offense has been playing extremely well lately and we just don’t see how the Nets can stop it tonight. Irving is back in his second game with the team since returning for the Nets, and he should help the offense. But it won’t be enough as the Jazz pull away in the fourth quarter of a high scoring game.

There might not be a better bet in the NBA right now than Utah, who has covered in 10 of their last 11 games. They got off to a slow start, just like last year, and now they are turning it on big time, just like last year, and have cemented themselves as one of the best teams in the league and a championship contender. They could also get Mitchell back tonight. Their offense has been playing extremely well lately and we just don’t see how the Nets can stop it tonight. Irving is back in his second game with the team since returning for the Nets, and he should help the offense. But it won’t be enough as the Jazz pull away in the fourth quarter of a high scoring game.

The Sixers are without Embiid now and they haven’t been playing great basketball lately, losing five of their last seven games. They have been overvalued by the oddsmakers and covers are becoming more and more rare. We think they are overvalued again tonight and that this is a very public line. The Pacers are incredibly tough to beat at home where they are 15-5 on the season. We had this game handicapped at -4.5 for the home team so there is some decent value at this small number.

3 Unit Play. Take #846 Miami over Pittsburgh (6p.m., Sunday, January 12 ACCN) The Hurricanes have played a brutal schedule to open ACC play. They are 1-3, but those losses have come against Louisville (2) and Duke. Pittsburgh is not in that level and thus they will emerge victorious tonight and win this game by 6-8 points. Pittsburgh is 3-14 ATS (1 push) in their last 18 games as an underdog. Miami is 7-2 ATS (1 push) in their last 10 games as a home favorite.

3 Unit Play. #811 Arizona State +10 over Oregon (10:30p.m., Saturday, January 11 PAC12N) Oregon is coming off a hard-fought overtime victory against Arizona, their main rival in the conference over the last decade. Arizona State is coming off one of their best performances of the season. Just do not see a blowout in this game after such an emotional game for Oregon last time out. The road team is 9-4 ATS (1 push) in the last 14 meetings between Arizona State and Oregon.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

OKC has a favorable rest situation tonight as they had the night off while the Lakers had to play in Dallas. Playing two tough opponents on the road on consecutive nights is tough, especially at this point of the season where back-to-backs are serious business. The Lakers and Clippers are hogging all the NBA headlines these days, and quietly the Thunder are playing as well as anyone in the league lately. And they are criminally underrated by the oddsmakers right now. This team has now covered in 10 of 11 games.  This team is now 26-12 ATS on the season. And they can hold value as long as they keep playing well since they aren’t on the public radar right now. OKC is playing great team basketball right now, and we think they have had this game circled and will come to play against a Lakers team that may or may not have AD.  It won’t matter as the Thunder win outright.

5 Unit Play. Take #671 Over 145.5 in Marquette @ Seton Hall (4p.m., Saturday, January 11 CBSSN) An import game for both teams and we expect a fast pace game that goes over the posted total. The Golden Eagles have gone over the posted total in 6 of their last 7 games. Marquette has also gone over the posted total in 20 of their last 30 road games (1 push).

10 Unit Play. Take #601 Wisconsin over Penn State (2:15p.m., Saturday, January 11 BTN) Penn State being ranked and favored over Wisconsin is not a situation you find often. Wisconsin has been playing much better of late and despite losing to Illinois last time out, they should be able to take this down to the wire. The underdog is 13-3 ATS in the last 16 meetings between Wisconsin and Penn State. The Nittany Lions are 0-3 ATS (1 push) in their last 4 games played on Saturday. The Badgers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.

4 Unit Play. Take #614 Indiana over Ohio State (12p.m., Saturday, January 11 FOX) We will continue to fade Ohio State until we are proven wrong. We have gone against them the last two games and won easily and today we look for three in a row. They will enter this game having lost three straight games and have injuries to go along with their troubles. Indiana does not have any bad losses on the season, and they have just as much talent as does Ohio State. They righted the ship last time out against Northwestern and should play even better in this game on Saturday. The home team has won 7 of the last 9 meetings between Ohio State and Indiana. Indiana is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games when they open as a home underdog.

The Spurs are coming off very impressive wins against the Bucks and Celtics. But this team has been one of the most inconsistent in the league and they normally fall flat on their face once you think they have turned the corner. Even if they play their best this will be a tough game tonight. The Grizzlies have won four out of five and have covered in all those wins. This team has a legitimate budding superstar in Ja Morant, who is getting plenty of playing time. The Grizzlies always rise up against the Spurs and they are 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings. We also feel like this is a very public number intended to get the public to take the road team, which they are doing at a very high rate as of this writing. And we always like to be on the side of the sportsbooks, who will be rooting for the home team here tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #692 Saint Mary’s over BYU (11p.m., Thursday, January 9 ESPN2) The Gaels are always a tough team to beat at home and losing last time out to Pacific makes this game much more important. The series have been dominated by the home team, as they have covered the spread in 9 of the last 12 meetings. The favorite is also 10-2 ATS in the last 12 games between BYU and Saint Mary’s. BYU is 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games as a road underdog.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

3 Unit Play. Take #676 Idaho over Montana State (9:30p.m., Thursday, January 9) The Vandals are at home for a second straight game and they will win their second Big Sky game of the season. Idaho is 5-1 ATS (1 push) over the last 7 home games. The underdog is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meeting. Montana State is 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games as a road favorite.

These teams played Tuesday and Detroit rallied for the win. We would like this play more if Cleveland’s coach hadn’t made a verbal snafu when talking to the players that some considered racist. Not sure how the team will respond so we will keep this one a low rated play. But it’s tough to beat the same team twice in a row. Cleveland was up big most of that game last time out so we think they match up well. They just couldn’t close it out. And Detroit has a ton of problems of their own. They are not in a good place right now and can’t be trusted to be laying this many points.

The Warriors offense has averaged 96 PPG in their last four games (in regulation). They are just not in synch right now on the offensive end, and their defense has played halfway decent recently. The Bucks haven’t been playing to their potential on the offensive end, either, and they scored only 104 last time out vs. the Spurs and also 106 in their recent game vs. Minnesota. But this team is normally good defensively. And after an embarrassing loss to the Spurs last time where they allowed 126, we think they will tighten up the defense tonight and possibly hold the Warriors under the century mark or close to it.