I am playing on LOUISVILLE (vs Kennesaw State) as my *10 CBB *Blue Marlin* on Wednesday @ 7 PM ET - Of course you can tell by the line on this game but this match-up truly has colossal blowout written all over it. The 7-1 Cardinals take on an over-matched Kennesaw State team. The Cards have already proven that they are not opposed to absolutely imposing their will against smaller, inferior teams. Louisville's 7 wins have come by an average margin of victory of 36 points this season. Kennesaw State has played 3 games this season where they were a double digit dog and they have have been crushed by at least 22 points in each of those games. The bad news for Kennesaw State is that is likely the toughest match-up they have faced yet this season and their long-term record is 2-5 ATS as a road dog of 12.5 points or more. Louisville is on a long-term run of 49-35 ATS in their games against teams with a losing record. The Cardinals also are 4-1 ATS in home games with a total set in the 135 to 139.5 range. Blowout Wednesday!

I am playing on SACRAMENTO (vs Houston) as my *10 NBA *Main Event* on Tuesday @ 10:05 PM ET - The Kings will take advantage of the Rockets being in a very tough scheduling spot on Tuesday. Houston had to battle it out with the Nuggets in Denver last night and will be playing the second night of a back to back here plus it will be the Rockets third game in four nights. Houston has won five straight games against the Kings so, without a doubt, Sacramento is fully focused on the task at hand here. The Kings want revenge and it's the ideal situation to get it. Not only will the Rockets be worn down for this game, Sacramento is well rested as they have not played since Thursday. That was the Kings second straight win and they have won 3 of their last 4 home games. The Rockets come in having played well on offense in recent weeks but their defense has left a lot to be desired. Sacramento has been picking up the intensity on the defensive end with holding their last three opponents to a shooting percentage of 41.3% or less. Look for another strong defensive effort with fresh legs to wear down this road-weary Rockets team Tuesday night as the Kings get their revenge.

I am playing on WISCONSIN (vs Texas A & M Corpus Christi as my *10 Blue Marlin on Tuesday @ 9 PM ET - Off back to back losses to two in-state foes (Marquette and Wisconsin Milwaukee), the Badgers will take out their frustration on a much weaker foe in this match-up. Wisconsin had won 6 of their last 8 games before dropping two straight games to the Golden Eagles and Panthers. The Badgers have still been playing solid defense but their offense failed them recently. Look for them to take advantage of hosting a Texas A & M Corpus Christi team that has not faced near the schedule that they have. Also, the Islanders are 5-0 at home but just 2-2 away from home and Texas A & M CC lost those two games by an average margin of 18 points to UT and the A & M Aggies. Corpus Christi likes to play an uptempo game under head coach Willis Wilson but that will be stifled by Bo Ryan's Badgers. Especially with Wisconsin off back to back losses, look for an exceptional defensive performance from the Badgers. This is the type of game that will show the gap in conference strength between the Big Ten and the Southland Conference.

I am playing on SOUTH ALABAMA (vs Southern Miss) as my *10 Personal Favorite on Monday @ 8 PM ET - The Jaguars are solid in the back-court this season as they have improved in both experience and depth. Though the Jags are off to a tough 3-4 start this season they have cut down on turnovers which is something that plagued them in the past. South Alabama is hosting a 1-6 Southern Miss team so it's the perfect opportunity for the Jaguars to get a big home win to jump start a big winning streak. The Jags offense has struggled at times on the road this season but South Alabama has been solid on their home floor averaging 83.5 points per game. Coming off of tough road loss, the Jaguars should respond with a big home win today. The Southern Miss basketball program continues to struggle as former Golden Eagles coach Donnie Tyndall brought a lot of problems to the program and three more players transferred out during the off-season. The Golden Eagles have been covering game this season but they continue to lose the games straight-up and this line has come down low enough that is absolutely worth a play. Southern Miss is averaging just 51 points per game on the road this season. The Golden Eagles won't be able to keep up with a South Alabama team known for putting up big points on their home floor.

I am playing on INDIANA (vs Toronto) as my *10 Blue Marlin on Monday @ 7:05 PM ET - After getting blasted by a 22 point margin on the road at Detroit on Saturday, the Pacers will respond in a big way on their home court Monday. Indiana is 8-2 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. The Pacers also have revenge on their minds here as they have lost 4 straight games against the Raptors. Indiana has won 7 of their 10 home games this season. The Pacers are 4-1 ATS when off of a divisional game and also 4-1 ATS this season as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points. The Raptors straight-up record is 33-52 in their last 85 games against teams with a winning record. With the small line on this game, any straight-up win for the Pacers is also quite likely to be an ATS cover as well. The Raptors crushed a bad Philadelphia team yesterday evening and that makes this a back to back spot for them. Toronto has lost the 2nd game of a back to back three straight times. Look for that streak to reach four tonight.

I am playing on #628 - PORTLAND (vs Cal State Sacramento) as my *10 Personal Favorite on Saturday @ 10 PM ET - Portland lost some key players from last seasons team so they knew some junior college transfers would have to be key contributors and that is exactly what has happened. Frontcourt newcomers Jarrel Marshall and Ray Barreno have come in and done a good job in the paint for the Pilots. Portland was already strong on the perimeter with guys like Alec Wintering and Bryce Pressley taking care of business. The Pilots come into this game seeking revenge for the March 18th loss to Cal State Sacramento. Portland won the rebounding battle in that game and took more shots from the field but CS Sacramento had a rare strong shooting night, including from beyond the arc, and that was the difference in the game. It is payback time tonight. The Pilots are on a 19-11 ATS run in non-conference games. Cal State Sacramento has lost 23 of their last 34 road games and this is a very manageable line for Portland to cover. 

I am playing on DALLAS (vs Washington) as my *10 Blue Marlin on Saturday @ 8:35 ET - Washington was in New Orleans last night and now had to travel to Dallas for this game. This is only the 12th of December and yet it will be the 8th game already this month for the Wizards. Needless to say this is a tough scheduling spot for Washington. Dallas is playing just their 5th game in the last 11 days and had two off days prior to this game. The Mavs have dominated the Wizards in their last two meetings (average margin of victory of 19.5 points per game) and Dallas has won all five meetings with Washington the past three seasons. The Wizards were heading into the game at New Orleans last night having lost seven of their last ten games. Though Washington is playing this game with home loss revenge (annihilated by the Mavericks earlier this season in DC), that is a situation that has seen the Wizards go 0-3 ATS this season. Look for the Mavs to improve to 7-3 ATS as a favorite this season as they take advantage of the favorable scheduling situation here while sending the weary Wizards to another loss. 

I am playing on ATLANTA (vs San Antonio) as my *10 Main Event on Saturday @ 8:05 PM ET - The Hawks lost by 20 at San Antonio last month so a little payback is on order here. Atlanta has won 8 of their last 11 home games and here they are a home dog against the Spurs. San Antonio is in a back to back spot and they've been wanting to get rest for Tony Parker plus Kawhi Leonard has not been 100%. After hosting the Spurs Friday night San Antonio had to quickly head east to Atlanta for this game. It will be the 7th game in 11 nights for an aging Spurs team. The Hawks are rested here as they were off last night. San Antonio has a 5-11 ATS mark in their last 16 games as a road favorite of 3 points or less. The Hawks are on a 9-4 ATS run as a home dog of 3 points or less. Revenge, rest, scheduling situation...it all combines to provide for a very strong home dog situation involving the Hawks. Grab Atlanta for a *10 in this spot.

I am playing on #528 - WISCONSIN (vs Marquette) as my *10 Main Event on Saturday @ 1:30 PM ET - The Badgers want to protect their home turf here against the boys from Milwaukee. Marquette comes to Madison on Saturday and Wisconsin will be fired up after their loss to Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Wednesday. After that defeat, the Badgers need to respond against the Golden Eagles as Wiscy doesn't want to lose to both in-state rivals back to back. Wisconsin's six wins this season have come by an average margin of 14 points per game so covering this relatively small number should not be a problem. The Badgers certainly have played the much tougher schedule in comparison with Marquette so far this season. The Golden Eagles are 7-2 so far this season but the two losses included a loss to Belmont and a 28 point loss at the hands of Iowa. Look for another blowout loss here as Marquette is catching their 'big brother' in their home state at absolutely the wrong time. The Badgers are angry and Wisconsin gets the big win here.

I am playing on INDIANA (vs Miami) as my *10 Blue Marlin on Friday @ 7:05 PM ET - The Heat have enjoyed a home-heavy schedule to start the season as 14 of their first 20 games have been in Miami. However, tonight's game at Indiana is part of a stretch where the Heat are playing 4 of 5 games on the road and Miami's struggles away from home have seen them go 2-4 SU and ATS so far this season on the road. Indiana will be ready to bounce back at home after being dealt a home loss by Golden State. Certainly there was no shame in losing a tight battle with the Warriors on Tuesday as they are still undefeated on the season! The Pacers had previously won 6 of their 8 home games this season and are ready to respond after a rare home loss. When playing with two days of rest Indiana is 6-1 ATS this season. In their games against teams with a winning record the Pacers have gone 7-1 ATS this season. The Heat are 13-23 ATS in games in the month of December the past 2+ years. Home/road values are the key to this play on Indiana who deserves more respect as a home favorite here. The Pacers are a big value at this low number.

I am playing on SACRAMENTO (vs New York) as my *10 Main Event on Thursday @ 10:35 PM ET - The Kings were off last night while the Knicks were battling it out with the Jazz in Utah. New York lost by 21 points yesterday to the same Jazz team that the Kings just beat 114-106 on Tuesday. Look for Sacramento to take advantage of a Knicks team now dealing with a tough back to back spot. New York has lost 7 of its last 9 games. Included in this stretch is 4 straight road losses for the Knicks and traveling to Sacramento is unlikely to improve things for New York. The Knicks have lost 13 of their last 19 visits to Sacramento. Also, New York's most recent meeting with the Kings was an ugly beating by a margin of 38 points. Sacramento shot 56% from the field against Utah on Tuesday and the offense stays hot here against a Knicks team not too excited about playing defense after having battled with the Jazz in Utah last night. The Kings did allow 106 points to Utah Tuesday and Sacramento is 9-4 ATS when they are off of a game where they allowed 105 points or more. The Knicks are 6-14 ATS in their last 20 games against Pacific Division opponents. Look for the Kings to again pound the Knicks as they take advantage of home court plus catch New York in a back to back.

I am playing on MISSOURI STATE (vs IUPU-Indianapolis) as my *10 Personal Favorite on Thursday @ 8 PM ET - Both of these teams have struggled early this season but Missouri State's 2-5 record is helping to create some line value here. The Bears have played the tougher schedule early this season, are at home for this game, and are only two years removed from a season in which they won 20 games. The Bears added some solid junior college transfers under the direction of coach Paul Lusk and this team will jell as a unit. Tonight Missouri State takes advantage of hosting an IUPUI team that is projected to be among the worst in The Summit League. That says a lot because the Jaguars conference certainly is not on par with The Missouri Valley Conference that is the home of the Bears. IUPU-Indianapolis was just 10-21 last season and is off to a 3-7 start this season. The Jaguars are 23-36 ATS in games against teams with a losing record. The Bears have a straight up record of 22-9 in home games the past two seasons and this will be just their third home game this season as they look to go to 2-1 at home on the year. With the small number on this game, any SU victory is likely to also be an ATS win and I look for Missouri State (always tough to beat here) to get the job done again on their home floor. The Bears just beat Oklahoma State outright as a double digit dog in their most recent game. IUPUI is really beat up mentally after their 27 point loss at Purdue in their last game.

I am playing on PEPPERDINE (vs Long Beach State) as my *10 CBB Blue Marlin on Wednesday @ 10 PM ET - Long Beach State is 5-5 so far this season. In the long run they may end up being a solid team in the Big West Conference this season. However, in the short-term there is certainly some early season adjustments going on. The 49ers lost all five starters from last season's team. Long Beach State has been cashing tickets at the window early this season but that is helping to provide some line value here as Pepperdine is a very small home favorite even though the 49ers have lost 5 of their last 7 games straight-up. Any win for the Waves is likely to result in ATS cover here as well for Pepperdine thanks to the low spread posted on this game. The Waves come into this game with only a 4-4 mark on the year but this is a team that has improved from 10 wins to 12 wins to 15 wins to 18 wins in their first four seasons under coach Marty Wilson. The Waves also returned nearly every key player from last season's team. Pepperdine is known for solid defense as they held opponents to 61.6 points per game last season. Heading into this game, the Waves have given up just 61.5 points per game in their last 4 games. Pepperdine is off of a big 15 point win at Cal-State Northridge on Saturday and carries momentum from that win into this home game for bragging rights in the LA area. Long Beach State is 8-16 ATS in road games with a total set in the 135 to 139.5 range. Pepperdine is 12-5 ATS when they are off of a game where they allowed 60 points or less. Look for the Waves stingy defense to get the job done again tonight. 

I am playing on PHOENIX (vs Orlando) as my *10 NBA Blue Marlin @ 9:05 PM ET - The Suns have won three of their last four meetings with the Magic both straight-up and against the spread. Phoenix also has won 12 of the last 17 games hosting Orlando. The Suns are thrilled to be back home as this will be the first home game for Phoenix since Black Friday! The Suns bring a little momentum into this match-up as Phoenix got a much-need victory at Chicago on Monday to wrap up their tough six-game road trip back east. Orlando is in the middle of a road trip of their own as they are wrapping up a five-game road trip tonight. What makes this spot extra tough for the Magic is that they were at Denver last night. Orlando 'left it all on the floor' last night as they got the 85-74 win over the Nuggets. The Magic are on a 7-15 ATS run against teams from the Pacific Division. Also, Orlando is on a 35-53 ATS run in games against teams with a losing record. The Suns are 4-0 ATS this season - and 20-6 ATS the last 3 seasons - in home games with a total set in a range of 205 to 209.5 points. Phoenix is 41-26 ATS in non-conference games and 19-9 ATS when they enter a game having played each of their three prior games on the road. Look for the Suns to take advantage of being back at home as they catch the Magic in a tough scheduling spot. 

I am playing on WISCONSIN (vs Wisconsin-Milwaukee) as my *10 CBB Personal Favorite on Wednesday @ 9:00 PM ET - The Badgers blasted the Panthers by 39 points last season and this is nothing new as Wisconsin also crushed Wisconsin-Milwaukee the year before by a 26 point margin. Both teams come into this match-up with identical 6-3 records so far this season but the Badgers have played the tougher schedule early this season. Wisconsin has compiled a 17-7 ATS mark in home games with a total set in a range of 135 to 139.5 points. The Badgers have covered 3 straight games (and 25 of their last 42) as a home favorite of 9.5 to 12 points. The Panthers are on a 4-8 ATS run in December games while the Badgers are on a 10-5 ATS run in games in the month of December. Wisconsin has held each of their last two opponents to 38% or less from the field. Both games were solid wins and covers for the Badgers. The Panthers have failed to cover three of their last four games heading into this match-up. Prior to holding Southern Illinois - Edwardsville to 51 points Thursday, Wisconsin-Milwaukee gave up an average of 77 points per game in their four prior games. The Panthers defense will prove to be no match for the tough defense of coach Bo Ryan's Badgers and this one turns into a Wiscy blowout.

I am playing on TORONTO (vs San Antonio) as my *10 NBA BEST BET on Wednesday @ 7:35 ET - The Raptors battled hard but came up just short against the Warriors on Saturday. Now, after blasting the Lakers Monday, Toronto gets a shot at the #2 team in the league. The Spurs are in town and the Raptors are relishing the shot at knocking off San Antonio here after that tight Saturday loss to the #1 team, Golden State, who is now 23-0 on the season. Toronto is seeking revenge for a 10 point loss at San Antonio in their most recent meeting in March. The Raptors have some incredible money-earning stats in their favor here as they are 7-0 ATS in games against teams with a winning record this season. Also, Toronto is 7-1 ATS as an underdog this season. As strong as the Spurs are, they are not superhuman. That said, it's hard to be entirely focused on your next opponent when you are off of a blowout win of epic proportions. The Spurs absolutely annihilated the 76'ers in Philly on Monday as they won by a margin of 51 points! Look for San Antonio to come out a little flat here as a result and the Raptors have the talent to take advantage. Excellent home dog value here with Toronto.

I am playing on STONY BROOK (vs Notre Dame) as my *10 Main Event Tuesday @ 9 PM ET - There is a reason this line is so low on Notre Dame. Stony Brook is projected to be the top team in the America East Conference this season. The Seawolves are led by the best player in their conference, Jameel Warney and he is one of five returning starters that coach Steve Pikiell's team has on board for this season. This is the same Stony Brook team that would have made the field of 64 last season except for a buzzer beater in the AEC Championship game against Albany. Of course the Seawolves don't play as tough of a schedule as Notre Dame does but Stony Brook has beaten Princeton and Loyola-MD this season and the two Seawolves losses came by just one point to Western Kentucky and seven points to Vanderbilt. Stony Brook has played solid defense again this season and that will help keep them in this game all the way through. Notre Dame is likely to overlook Stony Brook as the Fighting Irish are coming off of 3 straight games against the likes of Iowa, Alabama, and Illinois. Undoubtedly this game means more to Stony Brook than it does to Notre Dame. Stony Brook has a 5-2 ATS mark in road games. The Irish are on an 8-20 ATS mark in home games including an 0-6 ATS mark in home games where they are a 6.5 to 9 point favorite. 

I am playing on INDIANA (vs Golden State) as my *10 MAIN EVENT on Tuesday @ 7 ET - The Warriors have now alternated wins and losses (in terms of ATS covers) in each of their last four games. With their incredible 22-0 straight-up record on the season they are beginning to be over-valued by the betting markets. Playing their 5th straight road game and facing a Pacers team that is 6-2 straight-up at home this season, Golden State is likely to fall short of the money again on Tuesday night. Indiana is well-rested here as the Pacers have been off since Saturday's tight loss at Utah. The Pacers are a perfect 6-0 ATS this season when playing with two days of rest. Indiana also has a great history of covering against Golden State as the Pacers are 14-5 ATS in home games against the Warriors. This included an Indiana six point win back in January. The Pacers are 7-0 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. Indiana is also 5-1 ATS this season when they are off of a game where they scored 105 points or more. Indiana began this season with three straight-up (and ATS) losses but since then the Pacers have not lost (or failed to cover) in three straight games. Coming into this game well-rested but off of back to back straight-up and ATS losses, it is the ideal time to back a Pacers team that hasn't lost three straight games since October.

I am playing on OREGON (vs Navy) as my *10 Blue Marlin on Monday @ 9:45 PM ET - This game is being played in Hawaii. Oregon is 8-1 ATS in neutral court games with a total set in a range of 135 to 139.5 points. The Ducks, overall, are on a 7-3 ATS run in all games with a total set in a range of 130 to 139.5 points. Oregon is on a 20-12 ATS run in non-conference games and the Midshipmen are going to have trouble matching up with this solid PAC-12 team. Navy is on a 6-9 ATS run in lined, non-conference games. The Midshipmen have a great record on the season but haven't played any significant competition other than Florida. In that game against the Gators, Navy was blown out and failed to cover the spread as the Midshipmen made just 29% of their shots from the field. For the first time in three and a half weeks Navy is involved in a lined game and, just as they were against the Gators, look for the Midshipmen to be outclassed here. Navy is again projected to be among the weakest teams in the Patriot League and they lost the only two double digit scorers they had on last season's team. Oregon is coming off of their first loss of the season, a tight one against UNLV, and the Ducks will take advantage of now facing a much weaker foe to bounce back with a huge victory on Monday. 

I am playing on NEW ORLEANS (vs Boston) as my *10 Main Event on Monday @ 8:05 ET - Boston battled hard at San Antonio on Saturday night but came up just short. That is the type of tough defeat that is difficult to bounce back from. Look for the Celtics to struggle tonight in New Orleans as a result. The Pelicans are well rested here as they have been off since Friday after knocking off the Cavaliers at home that night. Though the Pelicans overall record does not impress, New Orleans has won four of their last six home games and this is an ideal spot to keep the strong play going at home. Boston's straight-up record on the road is 33-61 the past 2+ seasons. Also, the Celtics have lost 20 of their last 24 games against Southwest Division opponents. The Pelicans are 14-8 ATS in their last 22 games as a home favorite of 3 points or less. Boston's David Lee is expected to miss tonight's game and this certainly hurts the frontcourt depth of the Celtics. Boston won both match-ups with the Pelicans last season including the game in New Orleans in March. A little payback is in order tonight and this is the Pelicans only game in the span of a week so you know a huge effort is forthcoming. Boston could get caught looking ahead to their next game as it will be back home against an Eastern Conference foe (Chicago). 

I am playing on CHARLOTTE (vs Detroit) as my *10 Personal Favorite on Monday @ 7:05 ET - Scheduling situation here favors the Hornets in a big way. Detroit battled with the Lakers yesterday and that makes this a back to back spot for the Pistons. Detroit has lost the 2nd game of their back to back situations three of the four times it has occurred this season. Charlotte was off yesterday and the Hornets have won 11 of their last 16 games. Charlotte is a perfect 3-0 ATS this season as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points. The Hornets also are 48-35 ATS the last three seasons in their games against teams with a winning record. In games against the Central Division, Charlotte is on a 25-14 ATS run. The Pistons got the big home win yesterday but they are a money-burning 4-7 ATS on the road this season. As a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points, Detroit is 6-10 ATS the last three seasons. Charlotte is catching the Pistons at the ideal time to exact revenge for an embarrassing 116 to 77 loss at Detroit in April. Indeed it is payback time!

I am playing on WASHINGTON (vs CS-Fullerton) as my *10 Personal Favorite on Sunday @ 9 PM ET - Cal-State Fullerton went 1-15 in the Big West Conference last season and comes into this season again projected to be the worst team in the conference. This is a team that finished up last year losing each of its last nine games. Also, Cal-State Fullerton only returned two players from last season's team who averaged more than 5 points per game last season. With that said, look for a powerful PAC-12 team, Washington, to win this one in an absolute rout. The Huskies are 9-2 ATS in games where the total is set between 150 and 159.5 points. Cal State Fullerton has gone 6-18 ATS as a road dog in a range of 9.5 to 12 points. Fullerton has surprised some early with a 6-1 record this season but they have played a weak scheduled and that is what will be evident when they try to match up with the Huskies on Sunday night. Cal State Fullerton is 2-6 ATS in December games the past two years. The Huskies are coming off of three straight non-covers and this is a situation that has seen Washington go 6-3 ATS the past two seasons so look for the big win and cover for the Huskies Sunday night. 

I am playing on BROOKLYN (vs Golden State) as my *10 BEST BET Sunday @ 6:05 ET - The Warriors appear to be overvalued again here just like they were yesterday in Toronto. After barely squeaking by the Raptors yesterday, Golden State is now a double digit favorite at Brooklyn the very next night. A back to back situation on the East Coast is a tough test for this West Coast team no matter how dominant they have been so far this season. The tight win at Toronto was the 2nd close call that the Warriors have had in their last three games as their amazing unbeaten streak to open up the season certainly appears lose to ending. This back to back spot on the road is a tough spot for any team to blowout another on the road. This is even tougher when the opponent is a Brooklyn team that is on a 10-2 ATS run. The Nets have been big money-earners at the ticket window in recent weeks and Brooklyn will be absolutely rocking for this shot at the unbeaten Warriors Sunday evening. The Nets already covered earlier this season at Golden State and Brooklyn also covered both games with Golden State in last season's series. The Nets are 6-2 ATS this season in games against teams with a winning record. The Warriors are 0-3 ATS against teams from the Atlantic Division this season. The Nets will give Golden State all they can handle Sunday as every team is gunning for the Warriors right now and Brooklyn is next in line to cover the inflated numbers set by the marketplace.

I am playing on TORONTO (vs Golden State) as my *10 Best Bet on Saturday @ 5:05 PM ET - Don't be surprised if the Raptors get the OUTRIGHT WIN here to put an end to Golden State's unbeaten season. Toronto battled tooth and nail with the Warriors in their earlier meeting this season in California. That tight loss (by just 5 points) gives the Raptors the confidence they need to pull off the upset here. Toronto was looking ahead to this match-up with the 20-0 Warriors when the Raptors lost to Denver on Thursday. Toronto had won 5 of their last 6 games before that defeat and the Raptors are hungry to get right back on track here. The Warriors were involved in a narrow escape recently (at Utah) to keep their streak alive and I am forecasting the streak to either end here or continue only by way of yet another narrow escape. In other words, the generous points being offered here are worth the taking. Toronto is a fantastic 6-1 this season as an underdog. Also, the Raptors are a perfect 6-0 ATS in their games against teams with a winning record. 

I am playing on HOUSTON (@ Dallas) as my *10 Best Bet on Friday @ 8:35 ET - There is a chance that the Rockets Dwight Howard may miss this game to rest up for the home game that Houston has against Sacramento Saturday. This seems to be getting a bit of an over-reaction from the betting markets and the Rockets are being given some sizable points in this match-up. Houston knocked the Mavs out of the playoffs last spring but then the Mavs got some revenge in Houston last month so this is a revenge game for the Rockets after the home loss on the 14th of November. The Mavericks come into this game off of an upset win at Portland on Tuesday. Dallas won outright as a small dog in that game. The Mavs have gone 10-16 ATS when off of an upset win as an underdog. Also, prior to the Dallas win at Houston last month, the Rockets had gone 9-4 SU and ATS in their last 13 match-ups with the Mavs. Houston matches up very well with Dallas and they continue to exert their series dominance here as they get revenge for last month's loss. Even if they are without Howard, the Rockets are adept at winning games with the 'small ball' approach and their smaller lineup will get the job done with speed in transition on both ends of the floor. 

I am playing on DUQUESNE (@ Pittsburgh) as my *10 Best Bet on Friday @ 7 ET - Duquesne is knocking down over 50% of their shots from the field this season and the Dukes have already covered 3 of their first 4 games. Duquesne is located in Pittsburgh and they always have plenty of motivation about facing their 'big school' rivals. The Dukes face the Panthers on Friday and Pitt has been over-valued early this season and has failed to cover 3 of their first 4 games. With the hot shooting that Duquesne has displayed early this season I don't see them being out of this game at any point on Friday night. The other key is that if the Panthers are able to establish a significant lead, the Dukes certainly would have great 'backdoor cover' potential with the way they've been knocking down shots. A high-scoring game is being called for by the oddsmakers tonight and Duquesne is 8-3 ATS in games with a total set in the 150 to 159.5 range. The Panthers are just 17-31 ATS as a favorite the last 3 seasons and have gone an awful 1-9 ATS in December the last three years.

I am playing on PORTLAND (vs Indiana) as my *10 BEST BET on Thursday @ 10:05 PM ET - The Blazers have a huge edge here as they were off yesterday and now get to host a Pacers team that had to battle it out with the Clippers in LA last night. Indiana has been rolling this season but this is a tough spot from a scheduling perspective. Additionally, the Pacers have been struggling against the Trail Blazers in recent meetings as Portland has held them to 85 points or less in each game...both of which resulted in Indiana losses. The Pacers went into last night's game at Los Angeles with an 0-4 ATS mark in non-conference games this season. As a road favorite of 3 points or less the past two seasons Indiana went 7-14 ATS. Portland has gone 4-1 ATS as a home dog of 3 points or less the past three seasons and that record is 52-32 ATS long-term. This is a proven situation that the Blazers thrive in and they are absolutely catching the Pacers at the perfect time to get the big home win. Look for Indiana to struggle again in this back to back spot as their ATS struggles against the West continue on Thursday night. 

I am playing on HOUSTON (vs New Orleans) as my *10 Blue Marlin on Wednesday @ 8:05 PM ET - New Orleans is in a tough back to back spot here. They were home against Memphis last night but the Pelicans are now back on the road Wednesday. New Orleans has lost 9 of their 10 road games this season and the back to back element with this one makes the situation even tougher. So far this season the Pelicans are 0-5 in the 2nd night of a back to back and all five losses have come by at least 7 points. The Rockets are laying only a couple buckets in this one and seem well worth the short home price. Unlike New Orleans, Houston was off last night so they come into this game rested as well as winners in 2 of their last 3 games. The Rockets are 41-24 ATS when they are off of a non-conference game. After losing to the Pistons on Sunday, look for that trend for Houston to continue as they get back on track after losing to an Eastern Conference foe as the Rockets may have been caught looking ahead to this divisional match-up. The Pelicans entered Monday's action with an 0-4 ATS mark in games against teams with a losing record this season. Also, New Orleans entered Monday with a 4-9 ATS mark as an underdog this season. The back to back situation and the fact that the Rockets will be fired up off of a loss after having won two straight are keys to this selection. *10 rating here on Houston.

I am playing on WISCONSIN (@ Syracuse) as my *10 Main Event on Wednesday @ 7:15 ET - The Orange are only a small favorite here even though they are undefeated on the season and the Badgers are an unimpressive 4-3 on the season. That alone ought to tell you something here. Wisconsin is the play! When a line looks a little 'off' like this it's time to investigate and in this case, some good supporting points for the Badgers are certainly in place. Syracuse really padded their defensive numbers early this season against some weak competition. In recent games the defense has not been as impressive with 74 points per game allowed in their last 3 games. The Orange have been shooting lights out from three point land but that is also skewing the numbers here. Teams simply can't go on relying on knocking down the high percentage of threes that Syracuse has been draining in recent games. The Badgers have given up a high percentage of threes so far this season so defending the perimeter is already a focus of Wiscy's heading into this game and they magnify that even more based on the early success that Syracuse has had. In other words, look for a full lock-down mode on the perimeter from the Badgers in this one. Wisconsin is 6-2 ATS an underdog the last 3 seasons. Syracuse is 11-19 ATS in home games the last three seasons. The Badgers are a bit of a younger team this season but they've already endured some important early-season growing pains and Bo Ryan will have his team ready for the potential upset tonight. The points are certainly worth taking. *10 Wisconsin

I am playing on PORTLAND (vs Dallas) as my *10 Main Event on Tuesday @ 10:05 PM ET - This is a back to back situation for each club but for the Blazers it's nice to be back home after battling the Clippers in LA last night. For the Mavericks it's another tough night on the road after going toe to toe with the Kings in Sacramento last night. The Mavs went into last night's game having lost three straight road games and I look for the overall road struggles to continue regardless of last night's result. For Dallas this will be their 8th road game in their last 10 games. That is a tough stretch. For the Blazers, they had won 3 of their last 4 games heading into last night's battle with the Clips and Portland also is seeking revenge for a 16 points loss at Dallas in April last spring. This will be their first shot at payback and the Blazers have blasted the Mavs in their last two visits to Portland with an average margin of victory of 20 points per game. Dallas is 0-3 SU and ATS on Tuesday nights this year while Portland is 6-3 ATS this season in games against teams that are allowing 99+points per game this season. Portland gets the job done at home once again where they have a 71-26 record the last 3 seasons combined. 

I am playing on OHIO STATE (vs Virginia) as my *10 ESPN *MAIN EVENT* on Tuesday @ 7:30 PM ET - Part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge and Ohio State is hosting Virginia and yet getting no respect. Certainly Virginia deserves respect as a Top Ten team in the nation but Ohio State is still quite a talented team to be getting this many points on their home floor and I am riding the home dog value in this one. After an upset loss to UT-Arlington the Buckeyes have lost two more games but those defeats came against a solid Louisiana Tech team that is still undefeated on the season as well as a solid Memphis team (that line was right around a pick'em). So, the point is, don't write off the Buckeyes just yet. In fact, look for them to bounce back strong in a spot like this and look for the Cavaliers to be mistaken in underestimating them. The Buckeyes are 3-1 ATS as a home dog of 6.5 to 9 points. Also, Ohio State has a long-term 62-43 ATS mark when facing teams averaging 77+ points per game. The point is they know how to play with teams like the Tigers and this is particularly true when they get them on their own floor. Look for the Buckeyes to test the Cavaliers in Columbus tonight. Virginia has played a weak schedule this season, other than the game against George Washington and the Cavs did lose that game. The Cavaliers also have had a long layoff heading into this game as they haven't played in almost a week (when they faced an overmatched Lehigh team). Virginia is 0-4 ATS the past two seasons when they enter a game having been off for 5 or 6 days between games. Look for a little rust for the Cavaliers in this one. 

I am playing on DALLAS (vs Denver) as my *10 NBA TV MAIN EVENT on Saturday @ 8:30 PM ET - Tough spot for Denver as they had to travel to Dallas after battling with the Spurs yesterday. Back to backs are never fun and certainly not when facing San Antonio and then the Mavericks on back to back nights. The situation here is much better for the Mavs as they are rested and ready at home as they've been off since Wednesday. Dallas has won each of their last four home games and they'll bounce back here at home after a tough recent road trip. The Mavericks have won those four home games by an average margin of victory of 9 points per win and I look for their home dominance to continue here. This will be the fourth back to back situation the Nuggets have been in and the first three certainly have not gone well. Denver lost the 2nd night of the back to back all three times and the average margin of defeat was 16.7 points per loss. Look for another blowout loss here as the Mavs take advantage of the scheduling edge. Dallas has won 60 of their last 93 home games while the Nuggets have lost 61 of their last 89 road games. Home court means an awful lot to each of these clubs and that means a big edge for the Mavericks in this one.

I am playing on CREIGHTON (vs Western Illinois) as my *10 Blue Marlin on Saturday @ 8 ET - Western Illinois is 5-0 on the season but they truly have played a weak schedule (other than their upset win of Wisconsin) and have not been tested yet (other than the Badgers). Now they step up in class (as evidenced by being installed as a big dog here) and Western Illinois is on a 3-10 ATS run when they are a big dog of 9.5 to 12 points. Creighton is well aware of the upset win that Western Illinois scored over the Badgers early this season and you can bet that the Bluejays won't underestimate the Leathernecks. Creighton's four wins this season have come by an average margin of 20 points per victory and they'll be ready to roll again here. The Bluejays have gone 5-1 ATS as a home favorite of 9.5 to 12 points. Western Illinois is on a 15-25 ATS run as an underdog and a 9-17 ATS run in road games. Many projected the Leathernecks to be at the bottom of the Summit League this season so their strong early start has been a surprise. That makes for even more value in fading them at a reasonable price as they now take a big step up in class to face a solid Bluejays team.

I am playing on the LA CLIPPERS (vs New Orleans) as my *10 NBA Game of the Week on Friday @ 10:35 ET - New Orleans comes into this game off of back to back wins over the Suns and that includes an upset win at Phoenix. That was the first road game that the Pelicans have won all season long. That puts them in the perfect 'fade spot' now after the rare road win. New Orleans is 4-7 ATS as an underdog this season and the Pelicans are 0-3 ATS when facing a team with a losing record. Even though the Clips have had a tough start to the season, they have shot the ball very well in 2 of their last 3 home games and I look for the Pelicans to struggle to keep up in this one. New Orleans has been held to just 43.7% from the field in road games this season and the Clippers have shot at least 50% from the field in 2 of their last 3 home games. The Clips are off of an upset loss as a favorite and that is a situation that has seen them go 30-11 SU the last 3 seasons combined. Indeed the Clips are hungry for the bounce back home win here and they have won 66 of their last 82 games against teams with a losing record. With the relatively small spread on this game, the SU win is very likely to equate to an ATS win as well. Lay the points with the Clippers. 

I am playing on Orlando (vs Milwaukee) as my *10 Main Event on Friday @ 7:05 ET - Orlando has a long-term run of 26-11 in match-ups between these teams in Orlando. This includes winning 3 of the last 4 played in Florida. However, the Magic did suffer that loss in the most recent match-up that took place between these clubs in Orlando. That was in January of last year and that means that revenge is on order here. The Magic come into this game off of a home win over New York on Wednesday and Orlando has won 5 of their last 6 home games. Milwaukee has not only lost their last three road games, the Bucks have been absolutely annihilated as they've been rolled by an average margin of defeat of 27 points per loss in their last three games away from home. Milwaukee enter this game off of a 129 to 118 home loss to Sacramento. The Bucks are 0-3 SU and 0-3 ATS when they are off of a game where they scored 105 points or more. This is the perfect spot for the Magic to continue their recent run of home domination. 

I am playing on GEORGIA TECH (vs Arkansas) as my *10 Personal Favorite @ 2 PM ET - The Yellow Jackets were a perfect 3-0 on the season before enduring an upset loss to East Tennessee State as a 17.5 point favorite on Sunday. Look for Georgia Tech to come up with a big effort after the one point loss last weekend. Arkansas is 2-1 on the season but they lost their only game that was against a respectable foe. That defeat came at the hands of Akron. So, in the one game so far this season that the Razorbacks needed to step up the could not do it. Arkansas lost to the Zips by 8 even though they were a 6 point favorite. The Hogs need to step up today as they face a tough ACC foe but history suggests they will be unable to do so. Arkansas is 2-8 ATS in their last 10 against ACC competition. As a neutral court underdog of 3.5 to 6 points, the Razorbacks are 3-8 ATS. The Hogs are missing Anton Beard as the point guard was expected to be a significant contributor but he's out for the first semester due to a suspension. The Yellow Jackets are shooting better on the young season than Arkansas is. Also, Georgia Tech has been defending the 3-ball much better than the Razorbacks have been early this season. 

I am playing on Wisconsin (vs Prairie View A & M) as my *10 Blue Marlin on Wednesday @ 8:00 PM ET - As you can tell by the spread on this game, this is a colossal mismatch. However, even with the big number posted on this game, the point spread is not nearly big enough. The Badgers already learned their lesson about underestimating an opponent when they lost to Western Illinois in their season opener two weeks ago. With that said, Wisconsin is certainly not going to overlook Prairie View A & M. The Badgers have gone 3-1 in their last 4 games and will now take advantage of a winless foe that is completely overmatched. Not only are the Panthers from the weak SouthWestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) but they lost a ton of key players from last season's roster. As a result, Prairie View A & M is likely to be among the worst teams in the SWAC. The Panthers two games this season against formidable opposition both resulted in ugly losses. Prairie View A & M lost to Houston and Virginia Commonwealth by an average margin of defeat of 33 points per loss. As a home favorite of 24.5 to 30 points the Badgers have gone 8-4 ATS and they roll big again in this one.

I am playing on ORLANDO (vs New York) as my *10 Personal Favorite on Wednesday @ 7:05 ET - The Knicks have been severely challenged on offense this season and Monday was no exception as they were held to just 78 points at Miami. New York, the last 3 seasons, has a straight-up record of 8-26 when they are off of a game where they were held to 85 points or less. In other words, don't look for a bounce back from the Knicks tonight. The Magic come into this game off of back to back losses but they did shoot 49% from the field in their defeat at Cleveland Monday. Look for another hot shooting night here and the Knicks simply won't be able to keep up. The Magic have been favored just 4 times so far this season and their straight-up record in those games is 3-1. With the small spread on this game taking that SU record to 4-1 on the season is very likely to result in an ATS victory as well. The Magic are also 3-1 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. Orlando is already 2-0 SU and ATS against Atlantic Division opposition this season and I look for that record to rise to 3-0 here as the Magic take advantage of a Knicks team playing their 4th game in 6 nights.

I am playing on OHIO STATE (vs Louisiana Tech) as my *10 Tuesday Main Event @ 8:00 ET - After starting the season 2-0, the Buckeyes come into this game off of an upset loss as an 18.5 point favorite to UT-Arlington. That defeat has the Buckeyes fired up here and Ohio State will shut down an over-rated Louisiana Tech team today. The Bulldogs have had a lot of success in recent seasons but they lost a number of key players from last season's squad plus Louisiana Tech was forced into a coaching change heading into this season. That leaves the Bulldogs vulnerable to a blowout loss here as Thad Matta's Buckeyes have held each of their first three opponents this season to 37.5% or less from the field. Ohio State is 4-2 ATS as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points. Also, the Buckeyes are 54-36 ATS in games with a posted total between 140 and 149.5 points. In a higher-scoring game (total on this game is expected in the 140s), the better defense and the team off of an upset loss is the play here.

I am playing on SAN DIEGO STATE (vs East Carolina) as my *10 Blue Marlin on Monday @ 10 PM ET - Even though San Diego State is just 2-2 on the season they have played the much tougher schedule in comparison with 2-1 East Carolina. Also, the Aztecs have played fantastic defense so far as they have held opponents to 35% shooting from the field. The Pirates have been held under 33% from the field in two of their three games so far this season so they could be in trouble here against the tough defense of San Diego State. East Carolina scored just 62 and 61 points, respectively, in those two aforementioned games. The Aztecs come into this game off of an embarrassing loss to Arkansas Little Rock where San Diego State was held to just 43 points in the defeat. The Aztecs previously had scored at least 71 points in all 3 of their games this season. The Pirates struggling offense simply won't be able to keep up here as San Diego State is fired up and ready to roll huge on offense after the rare ugly defeat they were just dealt. The Aztecs are 8-3 ATS in November game the last 3 seasons combined. Blowout bounce back victory for San Diego State here.

I am playing on MIAMI (vs New York) as my *10 Main Event on Monday @ 7:35 ET - Streaks are meant to be broken. The Knicks have surprisingly covered 7 straight games as they head into this match-up at Miami on Monday night. The Heat come into this game having failed to cover 4 straight games. This is what has resulted in this line being much smaller than it should be. The Heat are a small home favorite and are fully capable of a blowout win at home. Miami has a solid 7-2 straight-up record at home this season. The Heat are 6-1 straight-up and ATS the last three seasons against New York. This includes a perfect 3-0 straight-up and ATS mark in the games played in Miami. The Knicks are off of a 107-102 win at Houston and New York has gone 1-3 SU when off of an upset win as an underdog this season. Also, in games after scoring 105 points or more in their prior game, New York has gone 0-3 SU. Look for another SU loss here and with the low number on this game, the Heat stay hot at home while also getting the ATS cover.

I am playing on USC (vs New Mexico) as my *10 Blue Marlin BEST BET on Saturday @ 10:30 PM ET - A match up of undefeated teams Saturday night. The Trojans have the big edge with home court. The Lobos are without Devon Williams (neck) for the rest of the season. Though he was not a huge scorer, he is a key returning player that New Mexico was counting on heading into this season. New Mexico is 3-0 on the young season but their early season schedule has included feasting on some weaker competition like Loyola-IL and Texas Southern. USC is averaging 92 points per game so far this season and will be tough to slow down on their home floor. The Trojans are still a bit of a young team but they've added a lot of talent thanks to some strong recruiting since Andy Enfield took over. USC is 3-1 ATS as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points since Enfield took over as head coach. The Lobos entered this season with a 3-7 ATS mark in the past two Novembers. New Mexico is 10-14 ATS when off of a game where they allowed 60 points or less. After holding Loyola-IL to just 51 points, the Lobos will have their hands full with a Trojans offensive attack that has been firing on all cylinders early this season. 

I am playing on CALIFORNIA (vs East Carolina) as my *10 Blue Marlin on Friday @ 11 PM ET - Both teams enter this game with a 2-0 mark on the season but that is where the similarities end as there is truly a large disparity between these two programs. California came into this season with a trio of proven veterans and, in the off-season, the Golden Bears added a pair of top recruits. It truly makes them one of the top programs in the PAC-12. I like the fact the coach Cuonzo Martin has this team focused on defense coming into the new season. A trip to Australia in August helped the team gel and the Golden Bears have a solid roster capable of adjusting to playing either big or small. Cal has started off the season on fire offensively and the Bears have won their first two games by an average of 23 points per game. The Pirates also are 2-0 on the season but the fact that East Carolina was held to only 31% from the field in their win over Grambling is certainly concerning. The Pirates two main weaknesses coming into this season were defense inside the 3-point line and the ability to compete for rebounds against bigger foes. I don't see East Carolina as being much improved in either one of those areas and that spells trouble when facing one of the top teams in the country as they are on Thursday night.

I am playing on the LA CLIPPERS (vs Golden State) as my *10 MAIN EVENT on Thursday @ 10:35 ET - Of course the 13-0 Golden State Warriors are getting plenty of attention and that means value in going against them in spots like this. The Clippers have won five of their six home games this season and they are well rested here as they have been off since a big home win over Detroit on Saturday. The Clips have won 6 of their last 8 games when they enter a game off of three or more days of rest. Golden State has failed to cover 5 of their last 8 games. The Warriors are 0-2 ATS in their two games against divisional opponent so far this season. The Clippers will take advantage of a Golden State team that has allowed 108.3 points per game in their last 3 games. The Clips have given up 96 points or less in 4 of their 6 home games this season. The Clippers have won just 1 of their last 4 match-ups with Golden State but the 3 losses have come by an average margin of just 5.3 points per game. Look for another tight game here and, therefore, even if the Clippers end up on the wrong end of the scoreboard, they should still end up well within the inflated point spread here. I would not be surprised to see both Chris Paul and JJ Redick back on the floor for this one but this one is a play regardless of their presence. You can this is the game the Clippers have had circled on their calendars!

I am playing on LOYOLA MARYMOUNT (@ Colorado State) as my *10 BEST BET on Thursday @ 9 PM ET - Colorado State opened up their season with an upset win on the road at Northern Iowa where the Rams were a 7.5 point underdog and won outright by a half dozen. The Rams are susceptible to complacency after a big win like that and they may not be fully focused on a Loyola Marymount team that could prove to be a dangerous dog. The Lions are off a disappointing loss at UC-Irvine where Loyola Marymount scored just 53 points. That is precisely the type of ugly game (Lions shot 27.4% from the field) that you will see a team bounce back huge from. The Lions have defended the 3-ball well so far this season and the Rams only shot 30% from beyond the arc in their opening game of the season. This could help keep the Lions well within striking distance throughout this game. Loyola Marymount is a huge dog here and the Lions are facing a Rams team that has gone 2-5 ATS as a home favorite of 12.5 points or more. In games with a total between 140 and 149.5 points, Colorado State has gone 3-8 ATS. Overall, in home games, the Rams are on an 11-17 ATS run and in non-conference games Colorado State is on a 6-12 ATS run. Off the big road win over the Panthers, the Rams are likely to prove to be a little disinterested tonight against the Lions.

I am playing on UTAH (vs Toronto) as my *10 Personal Favorite Wednesday @ 9:05 ET - Toronto is in a tough back to back here. The Raptors had to face the Warriors at Golden State last night. Toronto entered that game having lost four of their last six games. Utah will be playing their first home game in over a week and a half and the Jazz also will be boosted by getting a big road win at Atlanta in the last game of their road trip on Sunday. After losing their season opener Utah has covered 7 of their last 9 games. The Raptors have been heading the opposite direction as they've failed to cover four of their last six games. As a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points the Jazz are on an 8-3 ATS run the past two seasons. The Jazz are a perfect 3-0 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. Heading into their game against Golden State last night, Toronto had a 27-40 SU record in their last 67 games as an underdog. With the small points posted on the side in this game, any SU win for the Jazz is likely to equate to an ATS win as well. Utah appears to be in a good spot here and laying the small number with the Jazz looks well worth it. 

I am playing on WISCONSIN (vs North Dakota) as my *10 Blue Marlin Tuesday @ 8 PM ET - The Badgers lost their season opener outright as a 25 point favorite. Wisconsin responded by exploding for a huge win over Siena by 27 points on Sunday. After that win, the last thing the Badgers want to do is lose momentum as they have a date with Georgetown coming up on Friday. That means a repeat of the same huge effort that Wisconsin gave against Siena can be expected here. The Badgers held Siena under 40% from the field while shooting nearly 60% from the field themselves. North Dakota played an outclassed foe (MN-Morris) in their first game this season and now take a huge step up in class as they face the Badgers. That is tough to do early in the season and the talent gap here is simply far too much. North Dakota lost six of their top eight scorers from last season's team and that will make early season contests against stellar teams like Wisconsin quite problematic for a team lacking in experience on the floor. Look for North Dakota to get pummeled here. 

I am playing on MEMPHIS (vs Oklahoma City) as a *10 BEST BET Monday @ 8:05 ET - Memphis got the win at Minnesota yesterday and they've put their recent struggles in the rear view mirror by posting back to back victories in their last two games. Now the Grizzlies are back home where they've won 2 of their last 3 and their only loss in that 3 game stretch was to Golden State. The Grizzlies got their offense back on track yesterday with 114 points and ridiculously hot shooting. Memphis also was draining the 3-ball against the Timberwolves and this confidence boost on the offensive end for the Grizzlies is perfect timing as they now travel home to face a tough Oklahoma City club. The Thunder also are in a back to back spot here as OKC hosted Boston yesterday and lost 100-85. Kevin Durant's hamstring injury is a major concern for the Thunder and I look for the Grizzlies to take advantage. Oklahoma City wasn't even playing that well when Durant was healthy. In fact, yesterday's embarrassing home loss to the Celtics was their 4th loss in their last 7 games. The hot shooting of Memphis yesterday and the stone cold shooting of the Thunder yesterday is a sign of what is to come today. Memphis should win this one in a rout. 

I am playing on PHOENIX (vs Denver) as my *10 Personal Favorite on Saturday @ 9:05 ET - The Nuggets have won three straight games but this is a very tough scheduling spot for them. Denver was in action last night and got the home win. In fact, all 3 of their wins in this three game streak have come at home. The last time they were on the road the Nuggets lost by double digits. That said, not only is this a return to the road for the Nuggets, it's also a tough back to back spot. Denver has gone 14-20-2 ATS and 7-29 straight-up in their last 36 times in the 2nd night of back to back. Phoenix is in a great spot here. The Suns are at home and playing just their 2nd game in the last 6 days so they are well rested. Phoenix is 18-6 ATS in their last 24 home games where the total was in a range of 200 to 204.5 points. The Suns also are 23-14 ATS in their last 37 games against teams from the Northwest Division. Phoenix has won (and covered) six of the last 7 meetings with Denver! With the strong situational edges here, I have little doubt about the streak reaching 7-1 ATS today.

I am playing on CHICAGO (vs Charlotte) as my *10 Blue Marlin on Friday @ 8:05 ET - Nice situation for the Bulls as they come into this game well rested after having three days off following the pummeling they laid on the 76'ers on Monday. Look for Chicago to take advantage of a Charlotte team playing their 3rd game in 4 nights. The Hornets, as a road dog of 6.5 to 9 points this season, have already failed to cover both games that fell into that range. Teams are shooting 46.5% from the field against Charlotte as their defensive effort has not nearly been on par with that of Chicago. The Bulls are only allowing opponents to hit 41% from the field so far this season. Of course the big story here for the Bulls is revenge as the one 'hiccup' they have had this season came at Charlotte on on the 3rd of this month when the Bulls normally stout defense got lit up for 130 points. Now it's payback time Friday. Chicago is a stellar 52-34 ATS the last three seasons combined when they are playing with revenge against an opponent. That's why Chicago should absolutely roll huge against the Hornets as my *10 Blue Marlin on Friday.

I am playing on INDIANA (@ Boston) as my *10 NBA *BEST BET* Wednesday at 7:35 ET - Boston is in a tough back to back here as they were in Milwaukee last night. The Celtics also used up a lot of energy in holding the Bucks to just 83 points on the night. Though Boston has had a good ATS history when playing on back to back night in recent seasons, the Celtics have gone just 18-20 straight-up when playing the second night of back to back. That is a significant stat because Boston is the favorite in this match-up and the underdog value looks great with the Pacers. Unlike the Celtics, Indiana is not in a back to back spot. The Pacers got a much needed day of rest yesterday and this was after blowing out the Magic by double digits in their prior game. Indiana has now covered five straight games and should remain red hot here ATS as they have the scheduling edge over Boston. The Pacers have won 6 of their last 9 games with the Celtics. Indiana is also an incredible 25-8 ATS in November games the past three seasons combined. The Celtics are 11-17 ATS in home games with a total between 200 and 204.5 points.

I am playing on PHILADELPHIA (vs Toronto) as my *10 BIG DOG *SHOCKER* on Wednesday @ 7:05 ET - While the Sixers have struggled out of the gate with an 0-7 mark on the young season there is no denying that his is a tough spot for the Raptors. Toronto is playing the 2nd night of a back to back and they have now lost three straight games both straight-up and ATS. The fact that the Raptors started the season 5-0 straight-up and ATS truly seems like a distant memory now. The Sixers are 10-6 ATS in home games with a posted total between 190 and 194.5 points. The 76'ers are off of a home loss to Chicago where they simply shot very poorly from the field. Look for Philly to bounce back in the finale of this homestand just like they did when hosting LeBron James and Company a little over a week ago and gave the Cavaliers a tough game. They did it again against the Cavaliers when they faced them last Friday. The Sixers can, and will, surprise tough teams in the right situation and this is another one of those prime spots right here as they catch the Raptors in the 2nd night of a back to back. Grab the big points with the hungry home dog here. 

I am playing on NEW ORLEANS (vs Dallas) as my NBA *10 GAME OF THE MONTH Tuesday @ 8:05 ET - The Pelicans are winless on the season but this is a fantastic revenge opportunity which makes it the perfect spot for New Orleans to get that elusive first victory of the season. The Pelicans lost at Dallas on Saturday and now get a chance to turn the tables on the Mavericks at home on Tuesday. Comparing the Mavs and Pelicans, New Orleans certainly has played the tougher schedule so far this season. Also, despite the poor record, New Orleans has been shooting the ball better than Dallas this season. The Mavericks have gone 23-45 straight-up as an underdog the last 3 seasons. Tuesday they are a small dog at New Orleans so nearly any win for the Pelicans will also translate to an ATS victory. I certainly like these odds. Consider that a high scoring shootout is expected here and New Orleans is 4-1 (80%) straight-up the 5 times the last 3 seasons that they are at home in a game with a total of 210 points or more. The Pelicans are averaging 103 points per game this season while the Mavericks are averaging just 99 points per game on the young season. The last time these teams met in New Orleans the Pelicans came out on top in a high scoring match-up in January. I look for a similar result tonight as New Orleans gets their revenge. 

I am playing on INDIANA (vs Orlando) as my *10 Personal Favorite Monday @ 7:05 ET - The Pacers came up just short at Cleveland yesterday. It was an afternoon game so, although this is a back to back spot for Indiana, it certainly is not as bad as many back to backs. Additionally, the fact that the Pacers are back home now and that the travel was a short trip also certainly helps. The key in this match-up is the Pacers are likely to be the much hungrier team and this will translate to the play on the floor. Indiana is looking to bounce back off of a loss and the Pacers previously had won three straight. The Pacers are catching Orlando at the perfect time as the Magic are off of a road win at Philly. It is tough to go on the road and win back to back games but that is the challenge facing Orlando tonight. Though the Magic have a perfect ATS record so far this season, Orlando is still just 3-4 SU on the season. The Pacers have gone 24-8 ATS in the month of November the last 2+ seasons - including a perfect 4-0 ATS this season. The Magic have lost 68 of their last 86 road games and the Pacers are a very small favorite Monday. That should equate to a nice ATS victory in what I expect to be a solid home victory for Indiana. Laying the short number with the home team is my *10 Personal Favorite Monday.

I am playing on DALLAS (vs New Orleans) as my *10 Personal Favorite @ 8:35 ET Saturday - Davis and the Pelicans truly "left it all on the floor" in last night's loss to Atlanta. That said, this is not only a back to back spot for New Orleans, it's also one where a little less energy may be left in the tank. With the Mavericks 0-2 at home so far on the young season, that makes this home game the perfect spot for Dallas to erupt and get a huge home win. The Mavs were resting last night while the Pelicans were doing battle with the Hawks. New Orleans straight-up record when playing the 2nd night of a back to back is 15-25 and, with the small spread here on Dallas, any straight-up win is quite likely to be an ATS win as well. Dallas generally takes advantage of weaker foes as the Mavs are 40-29-3 ATS and 57-15 straight-up in their last 72 games against teams with a losing record. Look for a home rout in this one.

I am playing on BROOKLYN (@ Milwaukee) as my *10 Best Bet @ 8:35 ET Saturday - Both teams are in a back to back spot here. Though Brooklyn is the road team in this one there is a little extra value in this spot because both teams are essentially traveling from the same place anyway. Brooklyn was at home against the Lakers last night while the Bucks were on the road facing the Knicks in New York last night. While Milwaukee got a win yesterday, the Nets are off of a loss and are still seeking their first win of the season. Look for Brooklyn to have plenty of hunger in this game and the Nets are also grabbing about a half dozen points here which adds to the value for the road team. Brooklyn lost at home to the Bucks earlier this season and the Nets went 24-16 ATS the past two seasons when they're playing a game with home loss revenge. The Bucks , surprisingly, have won 3 straight games but they are 1-7 ATS the past two seasons and 47-84 ATS long-term when they enter a game on a winning streak of three games or more. From a situational perspective, this is the perfect value spot to grab the winless Nets. 

I am playing on BROOKLYN (vs Los Angeles Lakers) as my *10 Personal Favorite Friday @ 7:35 ET - The Nets will be hosting the Lakers who make a tough cross country trip to the East Coast that begins here. Though they've had some extra time for the travel it is often still an adjustment for teams making the long trip and the Lakers have bigger issues than just travel. The Lakers defense has been atrocious as they are allowing opponents to shoot 49% from the field and score 117 points per game. Even though Brooklyn is also allowing a high shooting percentage from the field they are at least somewhat limiting of possessions and are allowing 104 points per game so far this season. Just like the Lakers, the Nets are winless on the season. However, having the home court edge here is big and Brooklyn has taken 3 of the last 4 meetings between the teams both SU and ATS. The Nets are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 games against Pacific Division opponents. The Lakers are 22-61 straight-up in road games the past three seasons combined. With the low number on this game, a straight-up win for the Nets is likely to result in an ATS cover. 

I am playing on CHICAGO (vs Oklahoma City) as my *10 TNT *MAIN EVENT* @ 8:05 ET Thursday - The Thunder are now reeling with two straight losses. This spot tonight is not only a back to back for Oklahoma City, it is also their 4th game in 5 nights. The Thunder are unlikely to have enough energy left in the tank to get the job done against a tough Bulls team. Chicago is not going to be a hospitable host as they are fired up after allowing 130 points in their most recent game, at Charlotte on Tuesday. The Bulls are 26-10 straight-up when they are off of a loss by a double digit margin. With this line being right around a pick'em a straight-up trend like that is absolutely in play and the Bulls are fired up to get back on track at home after such an embarrassing loss. Overall, in home games, the Bulls are 59-34 straight-up at home and they've won both their home games this season. The Thunder are 6-12 ATS when they are a road dog of 3 points or less and Oklahoma City is also 6-12 ATS when they enter a game on a streak of 3 or more consecutive unders. Play against a weary road team on Thursday.

I am playing on NEW ORLEANS (vs Orlando) as my *10 Personal Favorite Tuesday @ 8:05 ET - Two winless teams match-up here in early season action on Tuesday. Though each team is 0-3 straight-up, the Magic have covered all 3 games so far this season and the Pelicans are winless at the betting counter so far this season. This is helping to sway the markets and is offering some nice value on the home team Pelicans laying a very short number at home Tuesday. In terms of straight-up wins, New Orleans has won 18 of their last 27 games hosting the Magic. Also, the Pelicans have won and covered each of their last two home meetings with Orlando. The Magic are 0-3 SU and 0-3 ATS the past two seasons as a road dog of 3 points or less. The Pelicans are 12-7 SU and 12-7 ATS the past two seasons as a home fave of 3 points or less. New Orleans is also a solid 62-41 ATS longterm against southeast division opponents. This is all part of the longterm West over East dominance that has been prevalent in the NBA and I see great value with the Western Conference team laying a short number on their home floor Tuesday.

I am playing on HOUSTON (vs Oklahoma City) as my *10 NBA Best Bet - The whole world is jumping on the Thunder here at the time of this write-up. With Oklahoma City 3-0 on the season and the Rockets 0-3 so far this season, the betting markets seem to think tonight's result is already set in stone for an Oklahoma City victory. I beg to differ. The Rockets are expected to have Dwight Howard back after he rested up for this game by sitting out of the Miami game last night. Also, Houston is catching Oklahoma City in a back to back too and the Thunder just got a big home win over Denver last night. I look for a huge effort from a hungry Rockets team after the embarrassment of losing their first three games by a 20 point margin in each defeat. The last three seasons, when off of three consecutive losses, the Rockets have gone 4-0 straight up and 4-0 against the spread in their very next game following a 3 game losing streak. Howard and the Rockets are fired up and hungry here and they have knocked off the Thunder in each of their last three meetings. I expect that streak to reach 4 in a row tonight. *10 NBA Best Bet HOUSTON

I am playing on INDIANA (vs Utah) as my *10 Personal Favorite Saturday @ 7:05 ET - Nice edge here for the Pacers based on the situation and schedule. While Indiana was resting up last night thanks to an off day, the Jazz were in Philly where they got a blowout win over the Sixers. The fact the win was so easy could leave Utah a little lackadaisical coming into this game on Saturday night. It's hard to be entirely focused when a victory comes as easy as that one did last night for Utah. This will open up the door for a hungry Pacers team to dominate the intensity level. Indiana lost their first two games this season and that included losing their home opener on Thursday. There is no doubt the Pacers are looking for a little payback here and they also have dominated the Jazz the past two seasons with wins in all 4 match-ups. Indiana has been known for getting off to solid starts to a season. In fact, in games in the first half of the season schedule, the Pacers entered this season with a 41-20 ATS mark. Having not covered either of their first two games this season (and with both being outright losses) there is every reason to expect a huge effort from Indiana tonight. The Jazz have gone 35-89 SU in games where they are the underdog (and this is a small spread for the Pacers to cover here). Also, Utah has gone 26-57 SU in road games the past 2+ seasons. Indiana covers the small number here. *10 Personal Favorite INDIANA

I am playing on PHOENIX (vs Portland) as my *10 Personal Favorite on Friday @ 10:35 ET - This is the front end of a home and home set between these two teams and the Suns have revenge on their minds. Phoenix has lost three straight to Portland (including a rare home loss) and the three defeats came by a combined margin of 50 points. The Suns will undoubtedly bring some extra energy for this Friday night game which also is Portland's first road game of the season. The Trail Blazers are 21-37 straight-up in their last 58 games as an underdog. Considering how low the spread is here, a straight-up Blazers loss is likely to result in an ATS win for Phoenix. The Blazers also are a longterm 58-111 straight-up as a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points. The Suns are a sparkling 16-6 ATS in home games with a posted total between 205 and 209.5 points the last 3 seasons. Also, while Portland won big over New Orleans in their first game this season, the Suns were embarrassed by losing by double digits even though they were at home against Dallas. Phoenix is 16-8 ATS the last 3 seasons when off of a loss by 10 or more points in their prior game.

I am playing on HOUSTON (vs Golden State) as my *10 Main Event on Friday @ 9:35 ET - Playoff revenge for the Rockets after being eliminated in 5 games by the Warriors last spring. It looks like, based on the home opener results, Houston may have already been looking ahead to this game when they hosted Denver on Wednesday. That embarrassing 20 point home loss for the Rockets just fires them up even more for this big game with Golden State. The Rockets only scored 85 points against the Nuggets on Wednesday and they went 6-1 SU and ATS last two seasons when off of a game where they were held to 85 points or less. Also, Houston was 21-7 SU (and 19-9 ATS) the last two seasons when off of a loss by a margin of ten points or more. As home dog of 3 points or less the last two seasons, Rockets went 5-0 SU and ATS. With Dwight Howard back and listed as probable for Friday's game, look for Houston to be fully prepared to exact some revenge against the Warriors on Friday night. 

I am playing on ATLANTA (@ New York) as my *10 NBA Game of the Month on Thursday @ 8:05 PM ET - Losing by double digits on their home floor while hosting a losing team from last season is certainly not the way the Hawks envisioned starting their season. That said, this is the perfect spot for the Hawks to respond in a huge way and impose their will against a lesser foe off of a shocking result. The Knicks won huge at Milwaukee by 25 points last night even though they were a 4.5 point dog. The Hawks are off of a loss by 12 points Tuesday even though they were a 5.5 point favorite. As you can see from these disparate results, a return to normality tonight would mean a big road win with Atlanta and I see plenty of value with them at this low number. The Hawks are 11-3 SU the past two seasons and a longterm 50-23 SU when they are a road favorite of 3.5 to 6 points. Of course getting a straight-up win when playing on a favorite is half the battle. The other half is the all-important cover and with the low number and grabbing a solid Atlanta team knowing full well they will be motivated and ready to go here. getting such a low number on the favorite is certainly appealing. By the way, the Knicks have gone 2-10 SU and 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points. *10 NBA Game of the Month ATLANTA

I am playing on PORTLAND (vs New Orleans) as my *10 Personal Favorite on Wednesday @ 10:05 ET - The Pelicans were dominated on the glass in their loss at Golden State last night. New Orleans also did not shoot particularly well. Now the Pelicans face a tough back to back spot and their SU record in the second night of back to backs is 15-24 the past two seasons. With the low point spread on this game, any Pelicans SU loss is likely to result in an ATS win for the Trail Blazers. While New Orleans was battling hard with top team Golden State last night, the Blazers were able to prepare mentally and physically for this game. Portland is rested and ready and the Trail Blazers are 67-22 SU in home games the past two seasons. The Blazers have also done a great job in recent seasons of getting off to strong starts right out of the gate. Portland also has won 6 of their last 7 meetings with New Orleans and that includes 4 straight for the Blazers at home.

I am playing on BROOKLYN (vs Chicago) as my *10 Main Event on Wednesday @ 7:35 ET - Even though the Bulls failed to get the cash last night (Chicago blew a big late lead), this is still an ideal spot to fade them because they did get the straight-up victory and that was a huge revenge game for Chicago last night. The Bulls were seeking revenge for last season's playoff ouster at the hands of the Cavs and they got that sweet revenge last night. That makes this a particularly tough back to back spot for Chicago. While the Nets were resting up and going through preparation for this match-up, the Bulls are battling hard with LeBron James and company Tuesday. Brooklyn is a young team but they are hungry and they are also highly motivated about Derrick Rose and company paying a visit in their home opener. The Bulls have gone 18-25 ATS the last two seasons when off of a divisional game. Also, Chicago has gone just 20-17 SU when playing the second game of a back to back situation. Here they are not only being asked to win but to cover about a half dozen points. This is quite the challenge against the hungry and rested Nets in their season opener and on their home floor. New Jersey has gone a respectable 52-38 in home games the past two seasons and the Nets have won OUTRIGHT 6 of the last 10 times they've been a home dog of 3.5 to 6 points. 

I’m playing on the Cleveland Cavaliers as a 10*.

The Cavaliers have their backs to the ropes in Game 6 at home. Cleveland looks tired and lethargic in its Game 5 loss to the Warriors, but we expect the home crowd at Quiken Loans Arena to energize the home side and keep this game much closer than the oddsmakers expect. The Cavs were forced out of their game plan by the Warriors' smaller lineup and head coach David Blatt may have made a mistake trying to match that speed, which left his thinning team running on empty in Game 5. Blatt knows he can’t try to run with the Warriors, so we expect Cleveland to go back to what kept it in this series: size and strength. LeBron James will continue to put up monstrous numbers and the best player on the planet will do everything in his power to keep this series alive. It might not be pretty at times, but we do see Cleveland fighting tooth and nail in Game 5 and covering as a home dog. The host has been the hot bet when these teams collide going 5-2 ATS in their last seven clashes.

I’m playing on Cleveland as a 10* Tuesday.

CLEVELAND at GOLDEN STATE 
I am playing on CLEVELAND. The Cavs have been the better team against the spread these playoffs and I believe they are getting too many points for this first game at Golden State. 
The Cavs are 8-6 ATS in the postseason, compared to the Warriors' record of 7-8 and this marks the most points Cleveland has gotten so far. With points to work with, the Cavs are 3-1 against the number in these playoffs and they also happen to be on a 4-1 ATS stretch heading into Game 1 Thursday night. 
Obviously LeBron James plays a huge factor in taking the Cavs in here but he's been supported in a big way by J.R. Smith lately, among others. Smith is coming off a pair of big double-doubles that helped Cleveland close out the series against Atlanta. 
Cleveland matches up pretty well across the board when you look at shooting and rebounding stats but what I really like is the Cavs rank third in defensive efficiency in the playoffs. Though Golden State holds some slight analytical advantages, I just don't think they are worth six points. 10* MAIN EVENT

I’m playing on the Cleveland Cavaliers as my 10* Main Event.

Cleveland has an opportunity to close out the Atlanta Hawks in a series sweep of the Eastern Conference finals Tuesday night. The Cavs are coming off a thrilling 114-111 overtime victory in Game 3, which ripped the heart out of the Hawks and should have some resounding impact in this contest. Cleveland has withstood the best Atlanta has thrown at it and doesn’t want to chance taking this series back to Atlanta, with the Hawks holding home court in this series. Cleveland is waiting on the status of All-Star guard Kyrie Irving but in the meantime is getting solid production and playoff grittiness from backup Matthew Dellavedova, who is coming off a 17-point effort in Game 3. Tristian Thompson has also come up big for the Cleveland frontcourt, making up for some missing big bodies down low. He battled for 10 points and seven rebounds Sunday. Books have the Cavaliers set as lofty favorites for this matchup but we think it’s for a reason, especially after the way Atlanta lost in Game 3.

I’m playing on Cleveland as my 10* Main Event Tuesday.

CLEVELAND at ATLANTA 
I am playing on ATLANTA. I think the Hawks will bounce back to tie up the series with the Cavs in Game 2. 
Once again Atlanta is seeing a line so small that it pretty much comes down to which team will win the game. I believe that team is Atlanta after the Hawks had a substandard performance in Game 1 in my opinion. 
Atlanta went just 4-of-23 from 3-point range and was badly out-rebounded 49-37 on Wednesday. I don't think the Hawks can play any worse than that and they still managed to keep this game within eight points. I think we'll see more shots drop for Atlanta in Game 2 and good news on the injury front is that DeMarre Carroll's knee injury just looks like a sprain and isn't as serious as initially feared. 
Jeff Teague has really elevated his performance in recent games after a slow start to the postseason and I think he'll be a huge factor in this series. I also feel we'll see a much better game from Atlanta's front court on Friday and I'm expecting Paul Millsap and Al Horford to step up their efforts from what we saw in Game 1. 10*

HOUSTON at GOLDEN STATE 
I am playing on GOLDEN STATE. The Warriors appear to have their confidence back, pulling off four straight wins following a pair of losses to the Grizzlies last round. Golden State is 3-1 against the spread in those efforts and I see them earning the cover tonight at home against Houston in Game 2 of the Western finals. 
Stephen Curry was the MVP whenever he needed to be in Game 1 when he scored 34 points and drained six of 11 3-point attempts. When he's shooting hot, the Warriors become pretty close to being unstoppable as they spread the floor and share the ball too. 
Last game also marked the fifth win of the season for Golden State against Houston and I'm just not sure if this Rockets squad believes it can beat the top team in the NBA. I'm looking for a big win tonight for the Warriors and their sixth cover in the last seven meetings with the Rockets. 10*

I’m playing on the Atlanta Hawks as a 10*

The Hawks escaped a tough series with the Wizards, thanks to some last-second heroics as well as some luck, with Washington having a Paul Pierce buzzer beater called back in Game 6. And those close calls have oddsmakers showing the Eastern Conference’s top seed little respect in this conference finals opener against Cleveland. Atlanta matches up better with the Cavs, being able to throw some multiple athletic forwards at LeBron James as well as possessing a much deeper frontcourt. Cleveland lucked out against Chicago in Round 2 with the Bulls’ big men playing banged up. The Hawks have All-Stars Al Horford and Paul Milsap at forward along with budding star DeMarre Carroll. The Cavaliers don’t have much muscle or talent down low, since Kevin Love was lost for the postseason, and we expect the Hawks to flex its frontcourt prowess and pick up an impressive win in Game 1 of this Eastern Conference final Wednesday.

I’m playing on Atlanta as a 10* Wednesday.

I’m playing on the Golden State Warriors as a 10*.

 The Warriors had a tough series with the Memphis Grizzlies, overcoming their size and dominating defense. Now, Golden State switches gears against the high-powered Houston Rockets in the Western Conference finals. This Rockets play more at the Warriors’ pace than the Grizzlies did and that might not be a good thing for Houston in Game 1. The Rockets are ripe for the letdown spot after battling back from 3-1 down to Los Angeles, including an improbable Game 6 comeback and a huge victory in Game 7. The Warriors have covered in five straight meetings with the Rockets and showed plenty of character in the previous series versus Memphis. They will set the tone with a big win in Game 1 Tuesday night.

 I’m playing on Golden State as a 10* Tuesday.

I’m playing on the Los Angeles Clippers as a 10*.


The Clippers let Game 6 get away from them, collapsing in what would have been a home win that sent them to the Western Conference finals. However, now the series swings back to Houston and the Clippers are desperate to win this Game 7 showdown and not become the latest team to collapse under the pressure. Los Angeles held a 19-point lead in Game 6 then caved in for a 40-point fourth quarter to the Rockets. We expect head coach Doc Rivers to preach defensive intensity before Game 7 and the Clippers will extra cautious to let Houston build any momentum offensively. The Rockets were able to pick up plenty of scraps and outscored L.A. 26-5 in second-chance buckets. Those offensive putbacks will be much harder to come by Sunday. We expect both teams to battle but see the Clippers doing enough to cover this short spread and advance to the conference finals.


I’m playing on the L.A. Clippers as a 10* Sunday.

ATLANTA at WASHINGTON 

I am playing on ATLANTA. The Hawks played about as poorly as they can play on Wednesday night and they still managed to squeak out the win over the Wizards. I think we'll see a much better effort on Friday in Game 6 and I believe they'll not only cover the number, but could very likely end the series.  The Hawks coughed up the ball a sloppy 25 times in Game 5, which should have been enough to doom them. However, I just feel they are the better team, and tougher in the paint, and Al Horford managed to haul in a big rebound and put back the basket needed to take the game.  Nene continues to be sporadic for the Wizards down low (nine points and 40% shooting in Game 5) and as a result, Atlanta holds a big edge in the paint with Horford and Paul Milsap. The Hawks out-rebounded the Wizards 50-46 last game and I think we'll see that continue to give Atlanta a big edge down low in Game 6.  I'm expecting Atlanta to finish this series off on Friday and as a result, I love the points here. 10* Best Bet

CLEVELAND at CHICAGO 
I am playing on CLEVELAND. This one all comes down to LeBron, who has simply gone off in this series and I don't see him slowing down any time soon. 
James is coming off a 38-point triple-double and he's averaging 30.8 points over his last four games. The Cavs went 3-1 in those contests and it's like LeBron just decided Cleveland wasn't going to lose this series. All the Bulls have really been able to do is watch. 
Historically, James is incredible when it comes to putting teams away and I expect him to have another big night. In close-out playoff games (with three wins in the series), LeBron's teams are 22-8 and 20-9-1 against the spread. That's a rate of covering the spread at 69 percent and with a small spread tonight, I expect Cleveland to cash in again tonight. 10*

MEMPHIS at GOLDEN STATE 
I am playing on GOLDEN STATE. I like the Warriors to continue in their turnaround of this series after winning Game 3 and for two main reasons: a key defensive adjustment and shots are finally starting to fall for them. 
The Warriors made a surprising change on defense by making Andrew Bogut guard Tony Allen in Game 3. The goal was to try to force Allen to shoot jumpers and make the Grizz beat them in a shooting contest. The result was that Memphis beat Golden State 44-34 in the paint but the Grizzlies were badly out-shot from everywhere else. 
The Warriors shot 47% from the field and 42.4 percent from downtown compared to 37.5% and 22.2% for the Grizzlies.
I expect the momentum to carry into tonight's game back in California with a Golden State team that has its confidence back. 10*

I’m playing on the Atlanta Hawks as a 10*.

Atlanta is riding the momentum of a Game 4 victory and looks to score another blow to the Cinderella Wizards at home in Game 5 Wednesday. The Hawks were able to overwhelm a Washington offense that sorely missed John Wall down the stretch of Game 4. Wall is a question mark for Game 5 but even if he does play, the dynamic point guard will be forced to use his offhand which allows defenders to dictate which direction they want to force Wall, not to mention what that does to his shot. The Hawks finally saw some of the offensive balance that made them the top seed in the East, with forward Paul Milsap stepping up with 19 points and stuffed stat line. Atlanta will build on that last outing and get a solid boost from the home crowd, going 6-2-1 ATS in their previous nine games with the Wizards.

I’m playing on Atlanta as a 10* Wednesday.

I’m playing on the Cleveland Cavaliers as a 10* PLAYOFF SIDE OF THE YEAR.

The Cavaliers – LeBron James more specifically – tore the hearts out of the Chicago Bulls with his game-winning corner jumper at the buzzer in Game 4 to even this series at 2-2, swinging back to Cleveland Tuesday night. Chicago, which won Game 3 in similar fashion, thought it had the Cavs on the ropes but now they must rebound from a gut-wrenching loss on the road – not an easy task for even the savviest club. Cleveland didn’t shoot well in the two games inside the United Center and generally haven’t for the first four games of this series, but we expect the home-court advantage to really show up in Game 5. The Cavs pushed back against the Bulls frontcourt in Game 4, taking advantage of Pau Gasol’s hamstring injury, and won the battle on the boards. Gasol is still questionable for Game 5, putting weight on fellow forward Taj Gibson, who is nursing a knee injury, and Joakim Noah, who hasn’t been healthy all season. Cleveland will continue to exploit those ailments and knows it can’t afford to drop a game at Quicken Loans Arena and head back to Chicago facing elimination.

I’m playing on Cleveland as a 10* Tuesday.

I’m playing on the Golden State Warriors as my 10* Western Conference Main Event.

The Warriors were punched in the mouth in Games 2 and 3, with the Grizzlies enforcing their brand of physical basketball on the finesse-based Golden State squad. Memphis was able to bring the tempo to a standstill with its methodical offense and aggressive perimeter defenders. However, we see the Warriors making some major adjustments in Game 4. Golden State can’t rely on Stephen Curry to piggyback the offense, and we expect a much more deep attack coming from the Warriors. Klay Thompson showed signs of life with 20 points and eight rebounds in Game 3, and getting him back on track will open up the offense for everyone. A quick start for the Warriors offense is key here. They were second in the NBA in first quarter points and have averaged 24.7 points in the opening frame against one of the stingiest defenses in the league in this series. While many are writing the Warriors off, oddsmakers are still showing Golden State respect with this line and we feel as though we should too.

I’m playing on Golden State as my 10* Western Conference Main Event Monday.

I’m playing on the Atlanta Hawks as my 10* Eastern Conference Main Event.

The Hawks and Washington Wizards have gone tit-for-tat in the first three games of this Eastern Conference semifinal series and now it’s Atlanta’s opportunity to return serve. The Hawks were burned by last-second heroics from Wizards veteran Paul Pierce, who stepped up in the absence of star guard John Wall. Washington was able to survive one game without their MVP but we expect the Wizards’ weakness without Wall to be on full display in Game 4. The Hawks forced 15 turnovers and turned those into 25 fastbreak points and if not for a hot shooting night for Washington, which nearly blew a 21-point lead, the Hawks would have the Wizards on the ropes. We expect Atlanta to tighten up on defense and really put pressure on Washington to fill that scoring void left by Wall.

I’m playing on Atlanta as my 10* Eastern Conference Main Event Monday.

I’m playing on the Cleveland Cavaliers as my 10* Main Event.

The Cavaliers are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Chicago Bulls in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series, with Bulls guard Derrick Rose banking in a buzzer-beater 3-pointer to avoid overtime. Cleveland has already shown the ability to respond in a big way with a win in Game 2 following a loss in the series opener, as we expect LeBron James & Co. to answer the call Sunday. The Cavs didn’t shoot especially well in Game 3 – hitting at just 39 percent from the field – but still were in the game until Rose launched that prayer. The return of JR Smith from suspension gave Cleveland some added scoring pop off the bench and allowed James to get some much-need rest. The Cavs did a solid job containing the Bulls big men in Game 3 and may not face a fully-healthy Pau Gasol in Game 4. Gasol is a question mark for Sunday after suffering a hamstring injury. Either way, that’s a huge break for Cleveland and it won’t pass up this opportunity to tie the series going back home for Game 5.

I’m playing on Cleveland as my 10* Main Event Sunday.

ATLANTA at WASHINGTON 
I am playing on WASHINGTON. The biggest story for the Wizards in Game 3 is obviously John Wall's injury, which has now been diagnosed as multiple fractures in his left hand and wrist. 
Wall will likely be on the sidelines again but I feel that just means oddsmakers are undervaluing the Wizards as they know the injury will attract Atlanta money. Wall's fill-in, Ramon Sessions, was more than a strong replacement with 21 points and four assists and Game 2's loss can't be blamed on the back court. Bradley Beal also had 20 points and seven assists. 
Washington actually got beaten in the paint 38-30 and that's where I see the Wizards improving in Game 3. I think home court will do wonders for the Wizards, who pulverized the Raptors at home last round and I love that they are getting points. 10* Personal Favorite

I’m playing on the Cleveland Cavaliers as my 10* Super Play.

Cleveland was knocked down by the Chicago Bulls in Game 1 of this Eastern Conference semifinal series but we expect LeBron & Co. to come roaring back with a strong effort in Game 2, not risking the loss of homecourt advantage and heading to the Windy City down 0-2. Cleveland got off to a slow start and couldn’t claw its way back into the game, unable to match the Bulls inside-out attack. The Cavs will be much more mindful of the importance of a strong start and we expect James to see a more versatile role in Game 2, taking his strength to the blocks to battle the Bulls’ big men. Cleveland went with a much smaller starting lineup but we expect them to counter Chicago’s size with a bigger lineup Wednesday. Cleveland has been a strong bounce-back bet, going 13-6 ATS in its last 19 games after failing to cover the spread.

I’m playing on Cleveland as my 10* Super Play Wednesday.

I’m playing on the Atlanta Hawks as my 10* Main Event.

The Hawks were caught sleeping in Game 1 of this Eastern Conference semifinal series, losing 104-98 after coming off a grueling opening-round set against the Brooklyn Nets on short rest. Atlanta has had time to refocus and prepare for the Wizards, who they had on a ropes after a strong first half. The Hawks won’t risk blowing home-court advantage and we expect that if Atlanta gets up again, it’ll keep its foot on the gas. As this series plays out, the Hawks' depth will eventually overwhelm Washington. Atlanta goes very deep with six players averaging double figures which is a contrast to the Wizards who really on their starting backcourt to tow the load offensively. We expect a better all-around effort from Atlanta in Game 2 now that it's rested and refocused, having gone 4-1-1 ATS in its previous six meetings with the Wizards.

I’m playing on Atlanta as my 10* Main Event Tuesday.

I’m playing on the Houston Rockets as my 10* Main Event.

The Houston Rockets are hoping to catch the Los Angeles Clippers in a disastrous letdown spot in Game 1 of their conference semifinal series Monday night. Los Angeles knocked off the reigning NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in dramatic fashion in Game 7 this past Saturday night, and a letdown seems only natural after one of the biggest wins in franchise history. The Rockets, on the other hand, have had plenty of time to catch their collective breath and plan for L.A. Houston will be looking to also take advantage of a possibly shorthanded Clippers squad, with Chris Paul nursing a hamstring injury. Even if Paul does play, he’s not 100 percent and is going against a very dangerous scorer in James Harden. These teams split the season series but Houston did win and cover in the two most recent meetings.

I’m playing on Houston as my 10* Main Event Monday.

I’m playing on the Washington Wizards as my 10* Best Bet.

Washington has been patiently waiting for their second-round opponent following a dominant series sweep of the Toronto Raptors to open the playoffs. While the Wizards have been out of action for some time now they do catch the Hawks in a dangerous letdown spot coming off a grueling series with the Brooklyn Net and a short turnaround into the conference semifinals. Washington can dictate the tempo against this tired Hawks side, with their guards coming off a sizzling series with Toronto. Atlanta did win three of the four meetings with Washington in the regular season – but Toronto did sweep the Wiz and we all saw how much that played into that series. We’re getting tremendous spread value on a well-prepared Wizards team in Game 1.

I’m playing on Washington as my 10* Best Bet Sunday.

I’m playing on the Los Angeles Clippers as a 10*.

The Clippers forced a Game 7 showdown with the San Antonio Spurs with a 102-96 victory in San Antonio to swing this Round 1 series back to the Staples Center. Home court hasn’t amounted to much in this series but we expect the Clippers to have a ton of momentum and a solid home edge Saturday night. The Spurs may finally be showing their age – or at least all those deep playoff runs. San Antonio’s stars had a horrible Game 6 performance and while we expect them to play much better in Game 7, this could be the beginning of the end for the Spurs' reign.

I’m playing on the Los Angeles Clippers as a 10* Saturday.

ATLANTA at BROOKLYN
I am playing on ATLANTA. I successfully took the Hawks in Game 5 and I'm taking them again here Friday night. 
Al Horford seems to have awoken in this series and is the biggest reason I like the Hawks to win and cover this small number tonight. After a substandard first three games, Horford has had two solid games and he picked up 20 points and 15 assists in Game 5. The Hawks outscored Brooklyn 42-32 in the paint and they held a 17-point lead at one point. 
I expect Atlanta to continue to hold that lead down low tonight, which is also opening up the rest of the floor. Kyle Korver has 33 points over his last two games and has been doing some damage from beyond the 3-point line. 
I like the series to end tonight and the Hawks to cover a number that wasn't set high enough by oddsmakers in my opinion. 10* Main Event

I am playing on the CLIPPERS. Oddly, there is something about playing on the road in this series that is giving teams the edge all of a sudden. The visiting team has won and covered in three of the last four matchups and I think that trend continues tonight. 
Even though the Spurs won and covered last game, it was one that just as easily could have gone the Clippers' way. A DeAndre Jordan feather-touch of the ball with 4.3 seconds left proved to be the difference that may have prevented the Clippers from being up 3-2 in this series instead of being down 3-2. Jordan was called for basket interference, which would have given L.A. the 109-108 lead with just a few seconds left. 
Now the Clippers are getting a handful of points, which I believe is too many for a game they could very well win outright and send this series to a seventh and deciding game. 
Los Angeles destroyed the Spurs in points in the paint in Game 5 (56-34) and in fast break points (25-11), both good signs of outplaying San Antonio. Where the Clippers fell down was on 3-pointers where the Spurs went 11-for-23 while L.A. went an ugly 1-for-14. 
Clippers sharp shooter J.J. Redick got into foul trouble and fouled out without having attempted a trey and I don't see that happening two games in a row. Clippers coach Doc Rivers was fined $25 grand after the game for crticizing the officials and I believe the veteran coach may have bought some calls back. 
I expect the Clippers to drain some treys and better defend the 3 in Game 6 and continue to outplay the Spurs in other key facets. I am more than happy to take the points here and it should be noted the underdog is 6-3 against the spread in the nine meetings between these teams this season. 10* Main Event  

I am playing on ATLANTA. It was a bit of a stunner than Brooklyn managed to win both games it has played at home in this series but I think the series turns back around in Game 5 back in Atlanta. 
Home court is clearly taking on huge importance in this matchup and I can't ignore the fact the Hawks are 36-7 straight up and 26-17 against the spread at home this year. 
Game 4 was a game where the stats told a slightly different story than the score when Brooklyn won 120-115 in overtime. The Hawks out-rebounded the Nets 55-40, they outscored them 60-44 in the paint and they knocked down 13 3-pointers. They also blew a 12-point lead at one point in what looked to be a sure win and cover for Atlanta. 
I think that will serve as a bit of a wake-up call for the Hawks that they need to be more consistent. I also don't think the Nets can rely on a blast-from-the-past magical performance from Deron Williams, who scored 35 in Game 4. That effort was the deciding factor last game and I just don't think Brooklyn can cross its fingers and hope for that to happen again. 
Atlanta plays tougher defense at home where it allows an impressive 94.8 points this season and I think we'll see the Hawks better contain the Nets tonight.  10* Main Event

I’m playing on the Portland Trail Blazers as my 10* Annihilator.

The Trail Blazers are backed up against a wall, facing a possible four-game sweep at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies Monday. We expect Portland to come out fighting in Game 4 and see solid line value with the Blazers.

Portland tried to change the tempo of the series in Game 3 at home. The Blazers pushed the pace and tried to overwhelm Memphis with a high-scoring attack, which backfired when the Grizzlies matched Portland’s offensive efficiency and scored 39 of their total 115 points from the foul line. That was the most amount of points scored by Memphis since a 122-point effort in overtime back in January.

The Blazers do catch a break with Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley out for Game 4 with an eye injury. Conley is the motor behind the Memphis offense and an underrated defender. Portland should try to up the tempo again and challenge the Grizzlies’ backcourt depth and ball handling with Conley out of action. Damian Lillard, especially, will be looking to test Memphis after being hounded by Conley all series.

The Blazers desperate and upping the tempo on a shorthanded Grizzlies backcourt are why I’m playing on Portland as my 10* Annihilator Monday.

I’m playing on the Dallas Mavericks as my 10* Western Conference Main Event.

Dallas is on the ropes down 0-3 to the Houston Rockets at home Sunday night. The Mavericks are coming off a heartbreaking 130-128 loss to their in-state rivals in Game 3, despite holding a 13-point lead over Houston in that matchup.

We see value in a desperate Dallas side Sunday. This is a veteran NBA team that has been in plenty of playoff wars. They won’t be shaken by the situation and will want to save face on their homecourt in Game 4, avoiding the sweep. The home team has been the wise bet when these Texas teams collide, with the host going 10-4 ATS in their last 14 head-to-head meetings.

Game 3 was the style Dallas would like to play against the more finesse-based Rockets. There were 56 personal fouls called and the Mavericks were vocal about the officiating, saying there should have been more on Houston. The Mavs' best chance of slowing down the Rockets’ up-tempo pace – which ranks second fastest in the NBA – is to get physical with the ball carrier. With emotions running high, we expect another tight physical game between these rivals in Game 4.

The Mavericks playing for pride and slowing the Rockets down with a physical style are why I’m playing on Dallas as my 10* Western Conference Main Event Sunday.

I’m playing on the Toronto Raptors as my 10* Eastern Conference Main Event. The Raptors are facing an embarrassing sweep at the hands of the Washington Wizards, despite standing as the higher seed and taking all three meetings against Washington in the regular season. Toronto fell down 0-3 with a 106-99 loss in DC Friday night, trailing at the half and battling an off-shooting night. There is desperation with the Dinos in Game 4 and we see that providing plenty of pointspread value. Washington is a very young team and has never held a 3-0 stranglehold on the playoff series. Teams must learn to put opponents away when they have them on the ropes, and this Wizards squad just isn’t there yet. We expect Toronto to live to see another day with a gritty effort Sunday. The Raptors defense wasn’t able to translate 17 Washington turnovers into offense, despite 12 steals. Toronto had just nine fastbreak points and needs to do a better job in transition, breaking out and capitalizing on those errors. The Wizards have averaged 14.7 turnovers per game in this season while Toronto has coughed the ball up only 10.7 times per contest, including just nine turnovers in Game 3. The Wizards' inexperience closing out games and the Raptors turning turnovers into points are why I’m playing on Toronto as my 10* Eastern Conference Main Event Sunday.

I am playing on PORTLAND. I expect the Blazers to be relieved to be heading back to home court, where they scored about two more points and allowed about three fewer points than they did compared to their overall averages this season. 
The better play was evident by the fact the Blazers were a much better bet on home court this year than they were on the road. They were a miserable 18-25 against the number as the visitor but a more bankroll pleasing 22-18-1 for their bettors as the host. 
Aron Afflalo is expected to be back in the lineup after missing the first two games of the series and I think he’ll give Portland a big lift. Damon Lillard could use all the help he can get after starting the series in a shooting funk but I fully expect him to break out of that how that the series has shifted out of Memphis. 
LaMarcus Aldridge has been a bright spot for Portland and a big reason I believe this team still feels it can win this series. He poured in 24 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in Game 2 and I feel his stellar play will continue. 
I also think Memphis won’t be able to play quite the same physical style it likes to play in Portland. We often see the home team get the benefit of the doubt on calls in the NBA playoffs and I don’t think this game will be any different. I feel that will break Memphis out of the style of game it usually likes to play while giving a big edge to Portland. 

The Blazers are 14-8 against the spread versus winning teams at home this season and I think they’ll grab a big win at home in Game 3 and declare this series isn’t quite over yet.  10* Opening Round Game of the Year

CHICAGO at MILWAUKEE 
I am playing on MILWAUKEE. The Bucks had some pretty hard betting luck against the spread during their first two playoff games in Chicago and I think the luck will turn around tonight back home. 
Milwaukee failed to cover by a combined measly 3 1/2 points in those two games and I think they'll be more comfortable in their familiar surroundings with a few points in their back pocket to work with. 
What I like about the first two games is though the Bucks didn't play their best basketball, they forced the Bulls to get into some sloppy play too. Game 2 was especially ugly to watch with both teams shooting below 40 percent from the field while the Bucks picked up just 13 assists. 
I think we'll see the Bucks moving the ball much better in Game 3. Meanwhile, the Bulls may have a little more trouble doing the same with Nikola Mirotic out of the lineup with a leg injury. Mirotic scored 20.8 points per game in March and tends to add more than the average fan realizes to the Bulls' lineup. 
He adds a lot of versatility to our frontcourt," the Bulls' Pau Gasol said. "(It's) going to be more open when he's out there because of his shooting ability. We're going to miss some of his stuff."   I also like that the Bucks ended a nine-game home losing streak to the Bulls this month with a 95-91 victory on April 1. I think they’ll earn another win tonight and it’s a comfort knowing they don’t have that hanging over their heads. 10* Best Bet

I’m playing on the Portland Trail Blazers as my 10* Best Bet.

The Trail Blazers opened this series with a disappointing 100-86 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, falling short as 5.5-point underdogs. Portland let those postseason nerves get the best of them, stumbling out of the blocks for a very slow start to Game 1 – scoring only 39 points in the first half – and battling from behind for the rest of the game.

We expect those playoff jitters to have passed by the time the ball goes up in Memphis Wednesday night. The Blazers, who shot a dismal 33.7 percent from the field, will be much more comfortable with their surroundings and be hungry to bounce back with a solid effort in Game 2.

Portland, which is one of the better perimeter shooting teams in the NBA, has the ability to stretch this big Memphis lineup with those outside looks – when those shots are going down. The Blazers made only eight of their 26 attempts from deep in Game 1 but this is a much better shooting team than that, knocking down 36.2 percent from downtown during the season – eighth in the NBA.

The Trail Blazers getting over those postseason nerves and their ability to stretch the Grizzlies defense are why I’m playing on Portland as my 10* Best Bet Wednesday.

I’m playing on the Atlanta Hawks as my 10* Personal Favorite.

The Hawks may have gotten a wake-up call from the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of this Eastern Conference opening round series. Atlanta edged Brooklyn 99-92 and failed to cover as 11-point favorites this past weekend, with the Nets fighting right until the final horn.

The No. 1 seed in the East knows it has a poor history of early postseason exits and would be one of the most memorable busts if they were to fall to Brooklyn this season. We fully expect the Hawks to take zero chances with that in Game 2 and gladly give the points, predicting a big night for Atlanta.

All eyes are on Hawks center Al Horford and his finger injury but Atlanta shouldn’t be worried. This team has some of the best scoring depth in the NBA, with six players averaging 10 or more points per game. Atlanta has shown an ability to absorb injuries to key players all season and won’t suffer as big a letdown as expected if Horford is unable to go.

The Hawks waking up after a close call in Game 1 and their uncanny scoring depth are why I’m playing on Atlanta as my 10* Personal Favorite Wednesday.

I’m playing on the Toronto Raptors as my 10* Personal Favorite.

The Raptors stumbled in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference playoff series with the Washington Wizards, getting edged 96-86 in overtime at home Saturday. We expect a big bounce back from Toronto, with the pressure of another first-round exit against a lower seed hanging over its head.

The Raptors were obviously playing beyond themselves in Game 1. They scored just 56 points through three quarters and shot a dismal 38 percent from the field, including a 6-for-29 performance. Toronto’s offense looked rattled from the opening tip and star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan took terrible shot after terrible shot, finishing the night 6 of 20 from the field for 15 points and three turnovers.

Those postseason nerves will settle down with an extra day between Games 1 and 2, allowing the Raptors to regroup and focus on getting better looks from its offense. Toronto didn’t do too bad a job on the defensive end, as Washington was a bit anxious as well. The Raptors did win all three meetings with the Wizards in the regular season and checked them to 93 and 84 points in two of those games.

The Raptors getting back on track offensively and continuing their defensive dominance are why I’m playing on Toronto as my 10* Personal Favorite Tuesday.

I am playing on the CLIPPERS. Los Angeles soars into the playoffs on an eight-game winning streak and though the Clippers went 0-3-1 against the spread in their last four games, I like the fact they barely have a point spread to worry about covering here. 
The Clippers own the second best offense in the league with 106 points per game this season and I believe they'll be able to keep the pace up and do enough to take the first game of this series on home court. 
Chris Paul was once again incredible this season with 19.1 points per game and a league leading 10.2 assists. He's had the benefit of having Blake Griffin back for the last month following a staph infection and he's going to be a nightmare matchup for the Spurs. Griffin scored 31 and grabbed 13 rebounds to go along with five assists in his last game against the Spurs - a 20-point win back in January in San Antonio. 
The reason why the Clippers are so tough though is they can score with just about any style a team wants to give them. J.J. Redick shot the lights out from 3-point range this season (43.2 percent), which opens the floor in the paint for Griffin and DeAndre Jordan so it's a little of pick your poison when you face L.A. 
The Clippers aren't quite as terrible on defense as they're made out to be this season either and I think they'll do just enough to keep the Spurs in check. Paul finished fifth in the league in steals per game Jordan finished fifth in the league in blocks per game while leading the league in field-goal shooting percentage at the other end. 
Los Angeles has won the last two meetings between these two squads and the most recent one came without Griffin in the lineup. Now that he's back I don't think the Clippers are going to be slowed on home court in Game 1, even against the Spurs, and I like the first game to go to L.A. 10* Sunday Main Event