Rating: 2 Units

Houston is 13-0/9-4 off a loss. Expect Kelvin Sampson to have his Cougars ready to play tonight. UTEP hits the road after winning a holiday tournament at home, and this is now the third game in four nights for the Miners. Advantage Houston

Rating: 2 Units

Wofford has Duke's attention. This is the Blue Devils first time playing since opening ACC play with a 14-point win at Virginia Tech 13 days ago. They've won three straight times since the shocker to Stephen F Austin. Wofford gave up lots of offensive rebounds to North Carolina. Duke will gladly take advantage of that, if given a similar opportunity. This is a spread that should be north of 20 points.

Rating: 2 Units

New Orleans dropped a 108-101 overtime decision to the visiting Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday as its franchise record for consecutive losses reached 13. The Pelicans shot 34.3 percent from the field in the loss to the Nets with small forward Brandon Ingram (7-for-23) and guard Jrue Holiday (9-for-28) struggling despite scoring 22 and 21 points, respectively. The stop in Minnesota is the first of a four-game road trip for New Orleans, which has lost six straight road contests and stands 2-11 on the season.

Rating: 2 Units

Oregon State is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 Wednesday games, 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a favorite, and 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall. While Texas San Antonio is 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall, 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record, and 0-4 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games.

Rating: 2 Units

Utah is coming off a 114-106 home win over the Golden State Warriors on Friday as forward Bojan Bogdanovic ended a three-game shooting slump by matching his career best of eight 3-pointers to tie the franchise mark shared by Jeff Hornacek, Randy Foye and Rodney Hood. The Jazz have won 13 of the past 17 meetings.

Rating: 3 Units

San Francisco is 7-20 ATS in their last 27 road games vs. a team with a winning home record, 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record, and 3-9 ATS in their last 12 road games.  While Stanford is 21-7-1 ATS in their last 29 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600, 24-8 ATS in their last 32 home games, and 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS win.

Rating: 2 Units

Sacramento is 9-20-1 ATS in their last 30 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. While Charlotte is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Tuesday games, 4-1 ATS in their last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game, and 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.

Rating: 2 Units

The losses keep piling up for the Golden State Warriors, who own the worst record in the NBA a third of the way through the season after representing the Western Conference in each of the last five NBA Finals. The Warriors will try to snap their current slide at three in a row when they host the Sacramento Kings. Golden State fell in overtime to the New York Knicks on Wednesday in a battle between the two worst teams in the NBA and again played well in spurts on Friday and held a late lead in Utah before dropping a 114-106 decision to the Jazz.

Rating: 2 Units

The Los Angeles Lakers were stretched to the limit before escaping Miami with a victory on Friday, but they figure to have a much easier time Sunday when they visit the struggling Atlanta Hawks. The Lakers won their 13th road game in a row and moved 20 games over .500 with a 113-110 triumph on Friday, as LeBron James shook off a rough first half to finish with 28 points and Anthony Davis added 33 points with 10 rebounds. Atlanta has dropped 14 of its past 16 games following Friday’s 110-100 home loss to Indiana. Trae Young scored 23 points but shot just 9-for-30 from the field, and the Hawks did not hit a 3-point attempt in the first half in finishing 6-for-28 from long range

Rating: 2 Units

James Harden looks to continue his stellar scoring outputs when the Houston Rockets host the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. Harden poured in 54 points in Friday's 130-107 road victory over the Orlando Magic for his fifth 50-point effort of the season and 23rd of his career. Harden has reached at least 50 in back-to-back games and stands two behind third-place Kobe Bryant for most 50-point performances in NBA history, and he also joined Stephen Curry as the only players to make at least 10 3-pointers in consecutive games. Detroit is 11-23-1 ATS in their last 35 games overall.

Rating: 2 Units

The Denver Nuggets attempt to defeat Oklahoma City for the seventh straight time when they host the Thunder on Saturday. Denver went 4-0 against Oklahoma City last season and has also won the past four home matchups with the Thunder. The Nuggets had dropped five of six games before posting a solid 114-99 home win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday. Denver star center Nikola Jokic has three double-doubles in the past four games after recording 20 points and 11 rebounds against the Trail Blazers. The Thunder saw a season-long three-game winning streak conclude Wednesday with a 94-93 loss to the Sacramento Kings as they let an 11-point fourth-quarter lead slip away over the final seven minutes.

Rating: 2 Units

The Heat will be finishing up a challenging back-to-back after suffering their first home loss of the season to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Miami was outrebounded 50-34 while sustaining its first setback at American Airlines Arena since April 3, 2019. Miami has won four straight meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

Liberty will be facing a rested Commodores team that hasn't played since a 90-76 win over Buffalo on Dec. 3 and hasn't left its home gym since a Nov. 14 trip to Richmond. Vanderbilt entered Friday ranked 23rd in the country in scoring (82.4) and 28th in field-goal percentage (48.5) behind sophomore guard Aaron Nesmith, the top SEC scorer at 22.8 points per game. The Commodores rode a 33-point effort from Darius Garland, who now plays for the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, to a 79-70 victory over Liberty at home last season.

Rating: 2 Units

Illinois knocked on the door of a confidence-building Big Ten victory before pushing it in last time out and looks to avoid losing the momentum when it hosts Old Dominion for a non-conference contest Saturday night. The Illini lost by two against Miami (Fla.) of the ACC before coming up short in a 59-58 loss to No. 4 Maryland last Saturday, but broke through by holding off seventh-ranked Michigan 71-62 on Wednesday. The Illini won the only other previous meeting 80-62 at the San Juan Shootout in Puerto Rico in 1990.

Rating: 2 Units

Wichita State will try to complete the Okie Double when it hosts Oklahoma on Saturday. The Shockers knocked off Oklahoma State on the road Sunday behind the play of freshman Tyson Etienne and will look to thwart the Sooners in a battle of one-loss teams.Wichita State, which will face Oklahoma for the fourth straight season having dropped the last two meetings, has never beaten the Sooners and Cowboys in the same season.

Rating: 2 Units

The Utah Jazz seem to be pulling out of their funk while the Golden State Warriors remain firmly at the bottom of the Western Conference. The Jazz will try to continue their upward trend at the expense of the Warriors when they host Golden State. Utah dropped six of eight and was coming off a dispiriting 104-90 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder when it turned the page by shooting 56.6 percent from the floor in a 127-116 triumph at Minnesota on Wednesday. Golden State battled back from a 22-point deficit at home to force overtime against the Eastern Conference-worst New York Knicks at home on Wednesday but could not finish it off and ended up falling 124-122 to drop into sole possession of the worst record in the league.

Rating: 2 Units

Even without superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks were barely tested while extending their winning streak to 16 games. They'll try to keep the remarkable run going Friday with a visit to the Memphis Grizzlies -- with or without the reigning MVP. Antetokounmpo missed the 127-112 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday due to quad soreness and his teammates responded in dominant fashion, racing to a 23-point halftime lead while matching the second-longest winning streak in franchise history.

Rating: 2 Units

Indiana didn't play particularly well Tuesday night against Connecticut, but it was good enough to come away with a 57-54 victory at Madison Square Garden in the Jimmy V Classic. The Hoosiers did not have a player reach double figures for the first time in more than 20 years, but 10 players scored and six finished with six points or more. Though Indiana lost at home to Nebraska last season, this group of Cornhuskers is a much different team. Under new coach Fred Hoiberg and with a revamped roster, Nebraska has struggled through its non-conference schedule and dropped three of its last four games, including a 95-76 loss to in-state opponent Creighton on Dec. 7.

Rating: 2 Units

Michigan is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite, 41-18-2 ATS in their last 61 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record, and 34-15-2 ATS in their last 51 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  While Illinois is 6-18 ATS in their last 24 games following a ATS win, 3-9 ATS in their last 12 Wednesday games, and 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

Rating: 2 Units

Defense is not always the strong suit for a Rockets squad that gives up 115.1 points per game, but the Cavaliers do not represent much of a challenge in that department as they average 102.3 points per contest, 29th in the NBA entering Tuesday. Cleveland fell far short of that figure in a 110-88 setback at Boston on Monday, its season-high seventh straight defeat. The Cavaliers were a woeful 9-for-19 from the line while falling shy of the 100-point mark for the fourth consecutive contest.

Rating: 2 Units

The Charlotte Hornets have won seven straight home games against the Atlanta Hawks, a streak they'll try to extend Sunday when the teams have their first meeting of the season. The Hawks snapped a 10-game losing streak with a lopsided win over Golden State earlier in the week before also falling to the Nets 130-118 on Wednesday. Atlanta has given up at least 120 points in 11 of its last 15 games and entered Saturday 28th in the league in scoring defense (117.8 points).

Rating: 2 Units

6-1 Dayton has cracked the AP's top-25 for the first time in four years. The Flyers proved they can play with anyone in nation after an impressive showing in the Maui Invitational. Dayton bested Georgia and Va Tech, before nearly upsetting Kansas in the title game, falling 90-84 in OT. Saint Mary's (9-1) has won EIGHT in a row but has yet to return to the top-25, after being ranked No. 20 in the preseason. The Gaels lone loss was in its second game, 61-59 at home vs Winthrop.

Rating: 2 Units

North Carolina is 6-16-1 ATS in their last 23 games as a road underdog,  1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss, and  1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. While Virginia is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss and have won the last four overall and five straight at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville vs the Heels.

Rating: 2 Units

This is a tough spot for the Heat. Last night, they left it all on the floor in an OT win at Toronto, against the defending champs. A great effort ... but it figures to take a toll tonight. With the Celtics coming in rested and with a perfect 9-0 ATS record (7-2 SU) against teams with a winning record, consider laying the points.

Rating: 2 Units

James Harden is fresh off the fourth 60-point output of his career and he looks to remain hot when the Houston Rockets visit the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday. Harden is tied with Michael Jordan for the third-most 60-point games in NBA history and trails only Wilt Chamberlain (32) and Kobe Bryant (six). Harden didn't play in the fourth quarter of Saturday's 158-111 trouncing of the Atlanta Hawks, and was 16-of-24 from the field, including 8-of-15 from 3-point range, and hit 20-of-23 free throws to fall one point shy of his career high (accomplished twice) and he enjoys the company he is keeping.

Rating: 2 Units

The red-hot Dallas Mavericks search for their eighth victory in the past nine games when they visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. Dallas is a superb 7-2 on the road, including Sunday's impressive 114-100 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Star point guard Luka Doncic scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half against the Lakers and also contributed 10 assists and nine rebounds during what he said was a big victory for the Mavericks.

Rating: 2 Units

The Detroit Pistons' offense sputtered in back-to-back losses to the Charlotte Hornets but came alive Sunday in a 132-98 drubbing of the San Antonio Spurs at home. The Pistons will try to carry that success on the road when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday. The Cavaliers are losers of three straight and nine of their last 10.

Rating: 2 Units

The Washington Wizards are the second-highest scoring team in the NBA but ran into a defense that could shut them down on Friday and are staring at another on Sunday. The Wizards will try to find a way to generate points when they visit Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. Washington is averaging 118.5 points but followed up a 140-point outburst in a win at Phoenix with 103 points on 39.6 percent shooting in a 125-103 loss to the Lakers on Friday.  Washington will see a similar team in the Clippers, who should be motivated to bounce back after having a seven-game winning streak come to an end in a 107-97 loss at San Antonio on Friday. The loss was the first for Los Angeles with George and Leonard on the floor together as the two combined to go 10-of-34 from the floor.

Rating: 2 Units

Rhode Island is 6-13 ATS in their last 19 road games vs. a team with a winning home record, 8-24 ATS in their last 32 Sunday games, and  2-6 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

Rating: 2 Units

Army is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400, 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up loss, and 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record. While Marist is 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 Saturday games, 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record, and 1-5 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.

Rating: 2 Units

Hartford is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points and 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games following a straight up loss. While Texas State is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games and 0-6 ATS in their last 6 Saturday games.

Rating: 2 Units

The Indiana Pacers have found the right balance on offense with multiple contributors helping lead the way, a major factor why they have won 11 of their past 14 games entering Friday’s home contest against the Atlanta Hawks. Wednesday’s 121-102 home triumph over Utah was just another example, as Domantas Sabonis and T.J. Warren each scored 23 points and Malcolm Brogdon sparked a fourth-quarter run in finishing with 22 points and eight assists.

Rating: 2 Units

SE Missouri State is 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600, 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record, and 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record. While Santa Clara is 7-2 ATS in their last 9 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400, 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS win, and 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games overall.

Rating: 2 Units

Chicago was riding a high after Zach LaVine set a franchise record with 13 3-pointers and scored 49 points in a 116-115 win at Charlotte on Saturday but the good vibes did not continue as the team went 9-of-39 from 3-point range in a 117-94 home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. The Warriors are showing some fight, but it has yet to result in wins.

Rating: 2 Units

Antetokounmpo ranks second in the NBA in scoring (31.1 points), fourth in rebounding (13.9) and 15th in assists (6.4), and recorded a triple-double (24 points, 19 rebounds, 15 assists) on Thursday against Portland. The Hawks continue to struggle, losing for the seventh straight time and 13th time in their past 15 games in Monday’s 125-113 home loss to Minnesota. Point guard Trae Young scored 37 points, but a 10-point halftime lead evaporated as Atlanta gave up 72 points in the second half.

Rating: 2 Units

It will be a homecoming for Oklahoma State head coach Mike Boynton on Wednesday as the native of Brooklyn leads his undefeated Cowboys squad into the Barclays Center to face Syracuse in the NIT Season Tip-Off. Off to their best start in five years, the Cowboys used a strong defensive effort to hold off Western Michigan 70-63 on Friday and earn their fifth consecutive victory to open the season. Syracuse has lost two in a row to Oklahoma State with its last win coming in the second round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament. Carmelo Anthony scored 13 points for the Orange while Tony Allen had 10 for the Cowboys.

Rating: 2 Units

SIE Edwardsville is  7-20 ATS in their last 27 non-conference games, 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600, and 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

Rating: 2 Units

With a significant edge on defense, the Nuggets should be able to have their way with this team. Denver allows 101.7 ppg. The Wizards allow 120.3 ppg. Washington's opponents hit 48.3% of their field goals. Teams that face the Nuggets only hit 43.2% of theirs. The fact that the Wizards upset them here, the last time these teams met, figures to help the Nuggets remain fully focused. Consider laying the points.

Rating: 2 Units

Arkansas LR is 7-20-2 ATS in their last 29 games following a ATS loss, 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record, and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.

Rating: 2 Units

The Jazz are on a nice run with three consecutive victories and seven in the last nine games following a 128-120 triumph over New Orleans on Saturday at home. Monday's visit to Milwaukee opens a five-game road trip for Utah, which handed Milwaukee its last loss Nov. 8 in Salt Lake City.

Rating: 2 Units

Villanova is following a familiar script as the team is one win away from claiming its seventh straight in-season tournament. The No. 15 Wildcats aim to capture the championship at the Myrtle Beach Invitational when they wrap up their time in South Carolina with a matchup against No. 23 Baylor today. Villanova has knocked down a combined 28 3-pointers in wins over Middle Tennessee and Mississippi State since arriving in Myrtle Beach as it seems intent on shooting their way to another title. Robinson-Earl had a team-high 22 points with 9-of-12 shooting in Friday's victory over Mississippi State, while Saddiq Bey contributed 17 points and was 7-of-10 from the floor.

Rating: 2 Units

Houston features a pair of former league MVPs in James Harden and Russell Westbrook but the best player on the floor Sunday might be Dallas point guard Luka Doncic, who led his team to 40-plus routs in each of the last two games. The Mavericks are winners of four in a row and followed a 142-94 pasting of the Golden State Warriors with a 143-101 drubbing of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, polishing off a perfect homestand. Harden and Westbrook could not quite hang with another pair of superstars on Friday and watched Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and company come through down the stretch in a 122-119 setback at the Los Angeles Clippers.

Rating: 2 Units

The New Orleans Pelicans are in search of their fourth straight victory when they visit the Utah Jazz today. New Orleans sputtered out of the gate with just three victories in its first 12 games before responding with three wins by an average of 7.3 points. The winning streak comes at a time when rookie forward Zion Williamson is nearing a return from preseason knee surgery.

Rating: 2 Units

Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo has never averaged six assists in a season but that could change this year as he continues to improve his MVP game. The Bucks try for their seventh straight victory when they host the Detroit Pistons on Saturday with coach Mike Budenholzer continuing to create opportunities for Antetokounmpo to make his teammates better. Milwaukee is 18-2 versus the Central Division since the start of 2018-19.

Rating: 2 Units

The Indiana Pacers are winners of eight of their last 11 games and are coming off a dominating performance at Brooklyn on Wednesday in a 115-86 victory. The Pacers will try to pick on an injured opponent and tick off another win when they host the Orlando Magic today. Indiana could not keep pace at Houston and was knocked off at home by the Milwaukee Bucks before stepping up in Brooklyn behind career highs of 24 points and 13 assists from shooting guard Aaron Holiday, who was pressed into point guard duties due to injuries to Malcolm Brogdon and T.J. McConnell.

Rating: 2 Units

Memphis was done in by Denver's 44-17 second quarter on Sunday but consecutive wins at San Antonio and Charlotte plus a home win over Utah prior to the Denver game shows that Memphis may be better than expected this season. Ja Morant was chosen second in the 2019 NBA Draft and leads the team in scoring (18.4) and assists (6.0). Mike Conley, who? SF Jackson was the 4th pick of the 2018 draft and is averaging 14.5 & 5.3.  Brooks is adding 13.4, former Toronto center Valanciunas is averaging almost a double-double at 12.8 & 9.4 plus Gonzaga rookie Brandon Clarke is averaging 12.3 & 6.3 (he's shooting 37-fof-50 from the floor over his last six games).

Rating: 2 Units

The Los Angeles Clippers expect to get Kawhi Leonard and Paul George onto the court together for the first time this season when they host the Atlanta Hawks today. George returned from surgery on both shoulders in the Clippers' 132-127 loss at New Orleans on Thursday, but Leonard sat out on the second night of a back-to-back as part of his load management regimen. George showed little rust on the offensive end and looked like the MVP candidate he was with the Oklahoma City Thunder last season while scoring 33 points on 10-of-17 shooting in 24 minutes.

Rating: 2 Units

The Boston Celtics earned their ninth consecutive win with a 140-133 triumph over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday and embark on a five-game road trip with some momentum behind them. The Celtics will try to push the win streak to double digits when they visit the Golden State Warriors today. Boston dropped the season opener 107-93 at Philadelphia but has not fallen since and is showing itself capable of winning with defense in some games and offense when necessary, though the team is hoping the defense becomes the most consistent piece.

Rating: 2 Units

The NY Knicks finished with the NBA's worst record last season (17-65), as well as its worst home record of 9-32 (Bulls were also 9-32 at home). New York lost 120-102 on Tuesday at Chicago, falling to 2-9, which matches its worst 11-game start in franchise history. The Knicks will try to pull out of their rut and save coach David Fizdale's job when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday in the first game of TNT's doubleheader. The Mavs are 6-4 to open the current season but enter having lost TWO of three. The Knicks are averaging only 99.5 PPG (29th) on an NBA-worst 41.6% shooting. In this quick turnaround from last Friday, expect the Mavs to gain a measure of revenge from that embarrassing home loss. Lay the points.

Rating: 2 Units

The Milwaukee Bucks are winners of five of their last six games but will have to continue their hot play without one of their key players. The Bucks will play their first game this season without All-Star swingman Khris Middleton when they host the Chicago Bulls on Friday. Middleton suffered a thigh contusion in Sunday's 121-119 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder and was ruled out for the next three or four weeks after undergoing an MRI exam on Monday.  Milwaukee took all four meetings last season by an average of 11.5 points.

Rating: 2 Units

Leonard will probably sit out the second contest of a back-to-back after recording 26 points and 12 rebounds in Wednesday's 102-93 loss to the Houston Rockets while Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers ponders how best to incorporate George.  Clippers have won when Kawhi Leonard has played. They are 7-0 when he plays, and 0-3 when he doesn't.

Rating: 2 Units

Opposing perimeter players aren't having much trouble scoring against the Brooklyn Nets, but Kyrie Irving is making sure their own offense keeps up. Irving and the Nets will try to push their winning streak to three straight when they visit the Phoenix Suns today. Brooklyn allowed Brandon Ingram to go off for 40 points against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday and watched Damian Lillard put up 60 on Friday but managed to earn the win in both contests as Irving averaged 36 points.

Rating: 2 Units

The Thunder have won three of their last four after getting past Golden State 114-108 on Saturday in the opener of a two-game homestand. Danilo Gallinari led a balanced attack with 21 points and he is 9-for-12 from 3-point range over the last two games. Oklahoma City improved to 4-2 at home and it has won three in a row at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Rating: 2 Units

It's been a bit of a rough start for the Magic. They failed to break 100 points in their first seven games. But they have reached triple digits the past two games and continue to play lockdown defense. We think it's a good time to play Orlando as it certainly looked as if they turned a corner in their last game. Friday's 118-86 win against Memphis was most definitely the Magic's most complete effort to date. It was a season-high in points scored. Defense hasn't been a problem so far as they lead the Eastern Conference with just 98.2 points allowed per game. Here at home, they are giving up just 93.2 points/game. An Indiana team that's going to be really short-handed tonight isn't about to solve this Orlando defense.

Rating: 2 Units

Hawks: 24-8 SUATS when hosting Sacramento, including 13-0 SU and 12-1 ATS when the Kings are coming off a loss, and 5-0 ATS mark at home when coming off a home loss of 20-plus points

Rating: 2 Units

Kawhi Leonard got the better of Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo in last season's Eastern Conference finals, when the Toronto Raptors got past the Bucks in six games on their way to winning the NBA title. The two meet for the first time since that encounter when the Bucks visit Leonard's new team, the Los Angeles Clippers. Leonard, who was NBA Finals MVP last season, is making his mark with his new team by averaging 29.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.3 steals in six games.

Rating: 2 Units

Philadelphia built its roster to be bigger and more physical than other teams and the defense is proving to be disruptive in the early going, as the 76ers are limiting opponents to 100.4 PPG (4th) through four games. What's more, rookie forward Matisse Thybulle (3.0) and PG Ben Simmons (2.8) rank first and second in the league in steals.All five Philly starters are averaging 13 points or more, with Harris (18.8 & 9.0) and Horford (14.0 & 9.0) starting alongside of Embiid, while Simmons (16.5-5.2-8.0) is joined by Richardson (13.2 & 4.0) in the backcourt.

Rating: 2 Units

Denver is  2-5 ATS in their last 7 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game, 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Saturday games, and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. Eastern Conference. While Orlando is 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 Saturday games, 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600, and 13-6 ATS in their last 19 home games.

Rating: 2 Units

The Denver Nuggets aim to continue their recent home mastery over Dallas when they host the Mavericks on Tuesday. Denver has won the last six meetings at the Pepsi Center and 11 of 13 entering the first of two games to be played in the Mile High city this season. The Nuggets are one of four remaining unbeaten teams but will look to improve on a 36.7-percent shooting effort that occurred in Monday's 101-94 road victory over the Sacramento Kings.

Rating: 2 Units

Pascal Siakam is warming to the role as a go-to player through the first three games of the season and the 25-year-old power forward looks to continue his hot streak when the Toronto Raptors host the Orlando Magic on Monday night. Siakam is averaging 28.7 points along with 10.7 rebounds, and has drained 8-of-17 from 3-point range to help the Raptors win two of three contests to start the post-Kawhi Leonard era

Rating: 2 Units

The Utah Jazz look to defeat Sacramento for the ninth time in the past 10 meetings when they host the Kings on Saturday. Utah will be looking to rebound from a porous Friday night road effort against the Los Angeles Lakers when it committed 23 turnovers and succumbed 95-86. Jazz coach Quin Snyder will hope to receive a better effort against Sacramento after his team was often outclassed in the loss to the Lakers.

Rating: 2 Units

The Wizards' identity is built around All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal, and he signaled his intention to continue building with the team by signing a two-year, $72 million extension last week. Washington is 9-3 ATS in their last 12 vs. Western Conference while the underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Hornets were 25-16 here last season. While there is some talent on the roster, this is still essentially the same Chicago team which went 22-60 last season. Until they prove this year will be different, I don't feel they're ready to be favored on the road. Even here.

Rating: 2 Units

The 9-point deficit that Milwaukee faced on Sunday was the key to their defeat. They won the last three quarters before falling in double overtime. The Bucks had every right to win Sunday despite not playing up to their capability. Khris Middleton should be focused after a poor shooting game and expect Eric Bledsoe to have a short leash. Bledsoe is best when he penetrates and makes the right decisions but Malcolm Brogdon has been playing great. George Hill has also been a steadying force on both ends of the floor for Milwaukee. Look for Coach Budenholzer to tweak his offense and use some pick and rolls to allow Giannis to get to the rim

Rating: 2 Units

Milwaukee will be comfortable in Canada. They beat the Raptors in their own arena in December when Giannis had an ordinary 19-point game. They also beat them on the last day in January when they held Lowry and Leonard to a combined 11 for 31 from the floor. The only time they lost to Toronto this season came when they were playing the second of a back-to-back game and Ersan Ilyasova only had 3 points in that game. Ersan had 17 on Friday. The Bucks bench outscored the Raptors reserves Friday 54 to 39.

Rating: 2 Units on ML

Portland beat the champs in Portland in overtime a couple of days after Christmas despite fact Kevin Durant had a triple double and despite fact the starting Portland guards were just 14 for 42. Durant was not likely to even make the trip to the Northwest for this game. Portland played very well in defeat on Thursday and if C.J. McCollum would have hit the shots he normally makes, this series would now be one and one. Portland was 6th in the league during the season as the home chalk.

Rating: 2 Units

Portland could not stop the Splash Brothers of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Those two were 22 for 47 from the floor and the Warriors shot 52% from the floor. Golden State was a plus 8 in steals, plus 3 in blocks and a plus 9 in assists. Golden State also forced 21 turnovers. As much as people disparage the Warriors bench, they have guys that know their roles and as a group, they work well together. Twelve players scored for Golden State on Tuesday. The bench players were a combined 4 for 5 from downtown. The Warriors also got back Damian Jones, who began the season as the starting center. If he can give them 8 or 10 minutes a night, it will take a ton of pressure off of Andrew Bogut and Kevon Looney.

Rating: 2 Units

Denver was fourth in the league during the season as a home chalk and it’s always been a chore to play in the Mile High. Portland was dead last in the Association as the road dog in the regular season, a measly 12-19 ATS (38.7%).

Rating:  2 Units

The Golden State Warriors own the lead in the Western Conference semifinals over the Houston Rockets, but they are about to take the court as the biggest underdog they have been during their championship run. The Warriors will try to overcome the odds and take the series without superstar Kevin Durant when they visit the Houston Rockets for Game 6 on Friday. Durant left Game 5 in the third quarter on Wednesday and was diagnosed on Thursday with a mild calf strain following an MRI, and he will not make the trip to Houston. The Rockets failed to take advantage of Durant being out of the lineup down the stretch on Wednesday and suffered a 104-99 setback, leaving them one loss away from another disappointing playoff exit.  Durant missed 4 games this season and Golden State won three of them. In the lone loss in that time frame, the Warriors were playing the second of back-to-back games after losing by a point in Miami, 126 to 125

Rating: 2 Units

Boston figures to adjust big time in this game after they allowed Giannis Antetokounmpo to get to the free-throw line 22 times in Milwaukee’s Game 3 win here. The Bucks got a break in the last game when Pat Connaughton scored 12 and George Hill put up 21 points. That pair averaged only about 14 points together during the regular season. Head coach Brad Stevens may have to tweak his lineup a bit here. The Celts went small in the last game and they only had 3 blocks all night. Big man Aron Baynes only played 2 minutes. When he is on the floor, he takes a lot of pressure off of Al Horford. The Boston bench should be focused too, after being outscored 42 to 16 by the Bucks reserves.

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Off a convincing 21 point win for Philly in Game 3, the Raptors have quickly fallen out of favor with the betting public. They opened as slight favorites for this game but are now underdogs. The Raptors, 9-6 ATS as road underdogs, are 11-4 SU off a road loss this season. That includes a perfect 5-0 SU mark when off a double-digit road loss. They're also 6-1 SU when off a loss by 15 or more, a perfect 3-0 SU when off a loss by 20 or more.

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Beyond Harden, the Rockets lack scoring depth. Houston’ guard Chris Paul, who was so crucial in his team’s near “de-throning” of the Warriors in last year’s Playoffs, has been a shell of his former self this season. Golden State lost DeMarcus Cousins to injury in the first round, but it still has the best player on the planet in Kevin Durant playing for it. As good as Harden is, he’s still lacking the talent to get over the hump this year.

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Houston is just 1-3 ATS when playing with three or more day's rest in between games. In addition the Rockets are just 5-7 ATS the last 12 times that they were listed as road underdogs of six or fewer points. The Warriors are a perfect 9-0 SU the past 2+ seasons, in the first game of a series.

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One of the hardest things for a coach to do is to convince his players to keep the pedal to the metal when trying to blow out a team. It’s natural thing to relax but the Spurs did not do that on Thursday. They came out firing and they won the last quarter by a dozen. After shooting 60% from the free-throw line in the previous game, San Antonio was 14 for 17 from the line on Thursday. They were also 4 for 17 from distance in their previous loss but hit the long ball at 42% Thursday. Rudy Gay finally broke out with 19 points and another good game by him and the Spurs can move to the second round.

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The Spurs have been better at home all year than on the road. Denver has exceeded expectations this season, but it definitely struggled with consistency down the stretch. Note that the Nuggets are just 18-25 ATS on the road this year, while the Spurs are 14-5 ATS this season as a home favorite of six points or less.

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Royce O’Neale also had a nice game with 11 points, 11 boards and a block, but Royce only scored 5 and had 4 boards during the first 82 games. Despite the Houston starting guards having off games, the Rockets still had Utah right where they wanted them as they were up 3 with 12 minutes to go. But they were outscored 31 to 12 in the last stanza. Clint Capela has respiratory issues and he scored just 4 points in the last game. He probably will not be 100% for this game but Kenneth Faried should slot into his position nicely. The Rockets bench figures to be hungry. The six Houston reserves that played Monday, had a total of 5 points. Also, look for Chris Paul to be more of a facilitator after Houston only had 14 assists on Monday

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The Toronto Raptors attempt to close out their Eastern Conference first-round series with Orlando on Tuesday when they host the Magic in Game 5. Orlando pulled off a stunning upset in Game 1 before the Raptors rolled off three straight victories, the last two on the road. Second-seeded Toronto rolled to a solid 107-85 victory in Game 4 on Sunday with All-Star small forward Kawhi Leonard leading the assault with 34 points for his second 30-point effort of the series. "Road wins are the best, especially in the playoffs," Leonard told reporters afterward.

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The Raptors got  up more shots but they got kind of lucky because the Orlando starting guards had off games. Orlando was only down by 3 points Friday with 41 seconds to go but the Raptors got a ‘must’ offensive rebound and that sealed the deal. The Magic’s shooting guard Evan Fournier was only 1 for 12 from the floor Friday and that killed the club. During the season he hit at 44% from the floor and 34% from distance. Terrance Ross was solid off the bench for Orlando and the second unit of the Raptors had trouble guarding him on the perimeter

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The Warriors have won championships without DeMarcus Cousins and if they’re going to do it this season again, they’ll have to do it without the big man, as he tore his achilles in the Game 2 setback. However, Golden State is filled with veteran talent. Consider that Golden State is 12-7 ATS in its last 19 when playing with two days rest, and are 16-10 ATS in their last 26 after scoring 110 points or more in four straight games, while the Clippers are a horrible 11-21 ATS in their last 32 as a home underdog, including only 3-9 ATS this year.

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Brooklyn will be without Ed Davis and that will put a lot of pressure on Jarrett Allen to play smart. Davis was good in Game One with 12 and 16 boards but he tweaked his ankle and could only play 10 minutes in the loss on Thursday. Joel Embiid is questionable here but the Philly center position accounted for 23, 21 boards and a couple of blocks on Thursday. In the last game, Philly held Brooklyn to 8 for 39 from beyond the arc and that is no fluke. During the season, the Sixers were 4th in defensive 3-point field-goal percentage

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Outside of the friendly confines of the Moda Center (where they are now 34-9), Portland is just 21-20 on the year. OKC swept the regular season series from Portland, 4-0, so they have to be a little stunned at how the first two games of this series have gone. Getting held under 100 pts both times is incredibly disappointing, especially when you consider that hadn't happened to them since a three game stretch in November where they actually won two of the three games! The Blazers not having Nurkic has to be factored in as does the fact they are still just 9-24-2 ATS in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

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The smothering San Antonio defense could be the difference again. Denver was in the bottom half of the league from beyond the arc this season and the Spurs held the Nuggets to 6 for 28 from downtown on Saturday. Derrick White was a major contributor on Saturday for the Texans. He was a Division II player and did his time in the G league so the hunger is there. He was 7 for 10 from the field Saturday.

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The Magic, who are still below 500 (20-24) on the road, are on a nice run. They've won five straight, the last three of those as underdogs. However, that shouldn't be cause for concern as they're 0-5-1 ATS the last six times that they were off three or more consecutive upset wins as an underdog. Lay the points and expect a double-digit win for the home team.

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The Clippers were the 6th best in the league during the regular season away against the spread while the Warriors were 28th in the league against the spread at home.

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Detroit struggled mightily down the stretch; notching only four wins in their final eleven games.  They didn’t cover a point spread in any of the four regular season meetings with the Bucks, losing three of them by double digit margins.  Blake Griffin is nowhere near 100% with his knee injury, even though he is expected to play; a non-factor in two of the three games he suited up down the stretch.  And let’s not forget that Dwayne Casey’s teams routinely underachieved in the postseason during his tenure in Toronto.

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Portland is 6-0 SUATS in this series prior to losing all four games this season while Oklahoma City is 1-13 SU, 2-12 ATS away in Game One of a playoff series, and 3-11 SU and 5-9 ATS last 14 overall playoff games.  In addition, .646 or greater home teams in Game One of a playoff series are 20-6 ATS when paying with same-season quadruple revenge.

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All four regular season meetings went Under. That's not too surprising actually as neither team plays at a fast pace. The Under is 6-1 in Denver's last seven home games and 21-7 their last 28 games overall. The Under is 7-2 in San Antonio's last nine road games and 9-0 their last nine conference games. When their jumpers aren't falling, the Spurs can struggle to score. While that's not a problem entirely unique to them, they are pretty dependent on three-point shots going in. The Nuggets play much better defense at home (103.6 PPG allowed) than on the road, but we're interested to see where the buckets come from on a team that lacks a primary scorer and playoff experience.

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Orlando is 8-1-1 ATS Saturdays this season, 5-3 SU and 7-1 ATS as a dog versus greater than .701 opponents this season while Toronto is 1-4 SU in the playoffs in this serie and 2-7-1 ATS as a playoff home favorite of more than five points against opponents coming off a win.

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The Los Angeles Clippers have lost three straight games at a bad time and look to halt the slide when they host the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. The Jazz are soaring with 13 victories in their past 15 games after recording a 118-108 home win over the Denver Nuggets. Utah star guard Donovan Mitchell matched his career best of 46 points against the Nuggets as the club reached 50 wins for the second straight season as it will be the No. 5 seed for the Western Conference playoffs.

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Chicago is closing out another disappointing season, with plenty of regulars on the sidelines, and it has dropped seven of the last eight games after a 96-86 loss at home to the NBA-worst New York Knicks on Tuesday. The Bulls, who dropped two of three against the 76ers this season, including a 116-96 loss Saturday, own the fourth-fewest wins in the league and have not had leading scorer Zach LaVine (23.7) since March 18 due to a thigh injury.

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Memphis is 6-2 ATS when seeking same-season triple revenge, including 4-0 ATS the last four; and 5-2 SUATS in their last Home Games of the season while Golden State is 6-17 SU in final away games of the season. With the Grizzlies seeking same-season triple revenge and the Warriors having the top seed in the Western Conference wrapped up, it's a Memphis call.

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Charlotte is only a game out of making the playoffs and they end the season on Wednesday against a team that has already made the post season. They owned the glass when the beat  Cleveland the last time they played.

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Texas Tech lost five of its top six scorers from last season’s Elite Eight team, but leaned on its stifling defense (58.8 points, 36.8 percent shooting against) along with the emergence of Big 12 Player of the Year Jarrett Culver (18.6 points) and third-year coach Chris Beard molded the team into one capable of something special. Clincher: Texas Tech is 11-0 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

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Sacramento recently saw its playoff aspirations disappear and its dream of a rare winning record went by the board with Friday's 119-98 loss at Utah.   Forward Julius Randle has taken advantage of Davis' injuries and playing time reductions, and continued his strong stretch run with 31 points and 14 rebounds at Phoenix. New Orleans scored 76 points in the first half but just 50 after the break.  The clinchers:  New Orleans is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record while the underdog is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings between these two.

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The Denver Nuggets try for their seventh straight victory over Portland when they visit the Trail Blazers today with each club's playoff position still to be decided. Denver is two games behind first-place Golden State in the Western Conference with three to play and 1 1/2 games clear of Houston for the No. 2 seed while Portland is clinging to a one-game lead over Utah for fourth and home court advantage in the first round. Denver clinched the Northwest Division title with a 119-110 victory over Portland on Friday behind 22 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists from Nikola Jokic.  The clincher:  Denver is 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 vs. NBA Northwest.

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The Celtics need just one win to secure the No. 4 seed in the East and home court advantage in the first round. They've won five of their last six and entered Saturday 1 1/2 games behind third-place Philadelphia with two to play.  The clinchers:  Boston is  11-4 ATS in their last 15 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400 while Orlando is 4-12-1 ATS in the last 17 meetings in Boston.

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The Detroit Pistons are stumbling down the stretch and fell into the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference with a third straight loss on Friday. The Pistons will try to avoid falling out of the top eight in the East when they host another desperate team in the Charlotte Hornets.  Detroit looked comfortable to return to the postseason until its recent swoon, and not even the 45-point return of All-Star forward Blake Griffin on Friday could keep it from dropping a 123-110 decision at Oklahoma City.  However, Detroit is 11-1 ATS in their last 12 home games while Charlotte is 6-15 ATS in their last 21 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

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It figures to be a wild contrast in styles in the first game of the Final Four on Saturday, when red-hot Auburn tries to impose its up-tempo style on methodical Virginia in Minneapolis with a berth in the national title game on the line. The Tigers have won 12 in a row, including the last three in the NCAA Tournament over college basketball blue bloods Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky while averaging 87.7 points in those games. The clinchers:  Auburn is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall while Virginia is 2-6 ATS in their last 8 NCAA Tournament games.

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Atlanta is 13-3 ATS on the road when coming off a win this season, including 6-0 ATS the last six while Orlando is 3-19 ATS as division home favorites.

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Brooklyn is 8-3 ATS in this series when playing with same-season double revenge while Toronto is 6-11 ATS as a road favorite when coming off a win this season . The Nets are returning home off a 10-point home loss, and the Raptors off a double-revenge home win over Orlando Monday night, so look to Brooklyn tonight.