Wolves/Nuggets 10:00: Wolves didn't waste any time going into a hostile environment and punching them in the mouth. Similar to the Phoenix series. Like I mentioned in first game analysis, Wolves have the length and depth to give Denver trouble. Denver's starting five are the best in the NBA but bench production is limited. Braun, Holiday and Jackson spell some good relief, but Wolves have players that fill in without missing a beat. Naz Reid, as I mentioned in Game 1 analysis, didn't get Sixth Man of the Year for nothing. And Jordan McDaniels spent 39 minutes on the floor without scoring a bucket. Normally he's a double-digit scorer.  Legs look fresh for Anthony and the Wolves. We'll stay on them here. 

Pacers/Knicks 7:30: Brunson gets to show his old boss (Carlisle) how much he's grown since running the show for Indiana. Knicks are proving they have players who can step up when it counts most (playoffs) unlike previous years with Randle (injured) and departed Barrett, Toppin, Quickley and Grimes. The new Knicks with DiVincenzo, Anunoby, Hart and even McBride can hit clutch shots. And Hartenstein and Robinson are workhorses on the boards. Pacers are softer and weak defensively. We'll look for the Knicks to deliver. 

Magic/Cavaliers 1:00: Game 7's historically have gone to the home team; however, since Covid era, road teams in Game 7 are 6-3 SU. Want to lean on Cleveland but Donovan Mitchell was virtually a one man show in Game 6. It looks like All-Star Jarrett Allen (ribs) won't go and Evan Mobley is working through a swollen ankle. Orlando has a more balanced team now. The young Magic got ordained to the playoffs in a harsh way in Cleveland for the first two games. Then they settled in at home and nearly pulled the upset in Cleveland for Game 5 before finishing off Cleveland Friday to force a Game 7. Banchero, Wagner brothers, Suggs, Carter. Orlando has been a more cohesive unit down the stretch of the game in the last four games of this series. We'll look for the carry over today. Orlando the call. 

Wolves/Nuggets 7:00: This series in last year's playoffs was tightly contested despite the Nuggets win in 5 games. Wolves showed signs of competitiveness. In the off season, Wolves bolstered their 3 spot with length and athleticism in Jaden McDaniels, and off the bench with Naz Reid. Minnesota has the height with Big K.A.T. and Golbert to strongly compete on the boards. Conley is a veteran PG and we know what Edwards can do. We'll look for the Wolves to deliver Game 1. 

Analysis to follow...

Knicks/76ers 9:00: Tuesday night at MSG, the Knicks left the door open in the last minute of the game for Philadelphia to force a Game 6, and the 76ers took advantage of it. Maxey was brilliant. Knicks can't be too disappointed coming into this one. They've played great in this series, and they have grit. Their on-court leadership with Brunson running the show will allow them to stay focused. Hart, DiVincenzo, McBride, Anunoby giving Brunson consistent scoring support. Embiid, on the other hand, needs another monster game from Maxey to deliver. 76ers deficient in consistent bench scoring. We'll look for the Knicks to deliver. 

Dallas/Los Angeles 10:00: In Game 4, Clippers jumped all over Dallas early to build a 39-16 lead before Dallas woke up an made a furious comeback to just fall short. Lue is doing a great job adjusting to previous game while Kidd counters late. Clippers were able to keep Lively and Gafford (combined 13 points) from getting easy throw downs. Lue only has so many tricks in his arsenal without Leaonard (out). Mavericks adjusted to the Clippers running their offense through Zubac. And George and Harden expended themselves in Game 4. We'll look for the Mavericks momentum to carry over here and deliver. Doncic not on injury report but told media his knee is hurting (gamesmanship). He'll be fine and should be on his game tonight. 

Heat/Celtics 7:30: Road series, with road team covering 6 of last 8. We'll get back on Miami here. Porzingis (out) is a big part of spreading the floor to open up Celtics' perimeter game. Veteran Horford has to play extensive minutes. Bam does a nice job on both ends of the floor. He'll need help from Herro, Martin, Robinson to hit shots that weren't falling in Miami. We'll look for the Heat to be competitive here. 

Lakers/Nuggets 10:00: Nuggets hurting themselves by playing catch up in this series. They're expending enormous amounts of energy late to put the pesky Lakers away. And Jamal Murray has a calf strain which means, one bad twitch could spoil the chemistry of the best starting five in the NBA; moreover, his backup - Reggie Jackson- is dealing with a sprained ankle. We'll look for Los Angeles to once again make a game of it.  

Thunder/Pelicans 8:30: Pelicans not going to get it done averaging 17 turnovers per game in this playoff series; moreover, shooting less than 30% from the perimeter and their top two scorers - McCollum and Ingram are a combined 7 of 29 from beyond the arc. That's not going to get it done vs a well-coached OKC team that's settling in and playing very well together. And this court offers no advantage to the Pelicans. Thunder should roll again. 

Celtics/Heat 7:30: Spoelstra does a nice job at making adjustments. I had the Celtics (-9') in Game 3 after picking Miami (+14') in Game 2. In Game 3, Celtics immediately got Porzingis more involved, and his quick success eventually opened up the perimeter. Although Miami won the second half in scoring, the first two quarters of a scoring barrage by Boston was too much to overcome. Tonight, Heat will need to be energy driven out of the gate on both ends of the floor. Without Butler, Adebayo has been the most consistent player on both ends. He'll need Herro, Martin, Jacquez, Jovic and Highsmith to turn up their games a few notches. We'll look for Miami to cover here.  

Bucks/Pacers 7:00: I'm going to lay the wood with the Pacers here. With Giannis out and now Lillard bailing, I don't believe a hobbling Middleton (ankle) can carry the Bucks. They still have depth as Portis can get hot, but the defensive discipline under overrated coach Rivers is not there. Pacers' offense can turn it up on this floor. Indiana the call. 

Clippers/Mavericks 3:30: I'm going to look for Clippers' HC Lue to make the needed adjustments here. Mavericks got too many easy buckets with Lively and Gafford. Clippers were still in Game 3 despite getting virtually nothing from Leaonard and everybody else besides Harden and Powell shooting 1 of 15 from 3-point range. Clippers had a lack of energy and sloppy in Game 3. Look for that to change today. Dallas was not that consistent of a defensive team all season under Kidd; tonight, I'm looking for that inconsistency to present itself. Clippers the call. 

Knicks/76ers 1:00: Knicks have a lot of grit. They'll fight in there to the end.  This series has been tight, and they've done well at Philadelphia covering two of the last three trips. Mitchell Robinson, who spells great relief for Hartenstein, sprained his ankle and could sit out here. But second tier guys under Thibodeaux have a tendency to step up when needed. Achiuwa should get more minutes. Like the consistency f the role players on this Knicks team in relation to 76ers. Hart, Anunoby and Hartenstein and DiVincenzo have been consistently supporting Brunson. While McBride and Bogdanovic come off bench to add quality minutes. 76ers rely on Maxey to support Embiid with inconsistency in supporting cast. Knicks the call. 

Nuggets/Lakers 8:30: This series is taking a similar pattern to last year's series in which the Lakers covered the first two in Denver, and Denver covered and finished them off in Los Angeles. I'll stay with that sequence. Nuggets have beaten the Lakers twelve consecutive times. Lakers don't have the answers for a couple reasons. Number one, Nuggets just a better starting five. Jokic, Murray, Porter Jr., Gordon and Caldwell-Pope are just better. Number 2:  Lakers' A.D. playing great but there is clearly a disconnect between HC Ham and his players. Defensive lapses, confusion in crucial times of the game, and inability to execute on both ends of the floor down the stretch of games spells impending doom. Denver, on the other hand, runs like a well-oiled machine when they have to. Denver the call. 

Celtics/Heat 6:00: I had the Heat (+14) in Game 2 and they delivered in a big way. Spoelstra was determined to win the perimeter game and slow down Porzingis. It worked. His men shot 53% from 3-point range, compared with Boston's 38%, while Porzingis shot 1 of 9 from the field. It was a complete flip of the switch from Game 1. Today, look for the Celtics to make the needed adjustments. They clearly have the advantage in personnel, and a better regular season road record than Miami had a home record. Boston is also in the top tier defensively guarding the perimeter whereas Miami is 12th in hitting three pointers. Tonight, a bit much to ask for Herro to take over that Jimmy Butler (out) role that he did so well in Game 2. Boston the call. 

Nuggets/Lakers 10:00: Game 3 was as demoralizing as it gets for the Lakers. To know that as a franchise, they gave up a 20-point lead late in the third quarter for the first time ever in a post-season game, it will be hard to function, again, down the stretch vs a team that has their number. Lakers have uncertainty down the stretch; consequently, that leads to tiredness, missed defensive assignments, and poor offensive execution. On the other hand, Nuggets, which have the best five starters in the NBA, are well versed in crunch time and have the confidence to deliver. Nuggets the call. 

Knicks/76ers 7:30: Without question, 76ers are a formidable opponent under Nurse. Maxey is arguably one of the best guards in the NBA, and they have a good blend of veterans to give support to Embiid. Embiid is battling in there but still struggling with that surgically repaired knee. Hartenstein and Robinson doing a bang-up job at the 5. And I like the grit of the Knicks. DiVincenzo, Hart and Brunson working great together like their days on Villanova. And Bogdanovic is turning in big time scoring help off the bench. And when Anunoby and Brunson play in a game, they are 6-0 ATS as underdogs! We'll take the points. 

Heat/Celtics 7:00: Miami has actually covered 4 of the last 6 and 2 of the last 3 in Boston. The Heat were thrashed in Game 1 as Boston was up as high as 34 before Miami actually whittled it down to as low as 14 in the final minutes. Miami, of course, is without Butler. Boston defensively tied up Herro with Holiday. Herro was just 4 of 13 from the field. The Heat will need Bam, Herro and more bench production to stay in this today. Moreover, will need to at least break even at the perimeter, where they were sorely outdueled. Spoelstra a solid coach in adjustments should keep his men competitive tonight. Take the points. 

Mavs/Clippers 10:00: Game 1, Clippers' HC Lue put in a nice wrinkle to his offense that Kidd and company just couldn't iron out. Without Leonard, again, they ran their offense through Zubac, who had season highs of 20 points/12 rebounds. In the process, Harden got good looks and George did some quality work. Chance Leonard plays tonight. He was involved in the shootaround this morning. The line adjusted favoring his return and I'll take it. Clippers' defense was impressive whereas Dallas looked lost and out of rhythm. Clippers the call. 

Analysis to follow...

Lakers/Nuggets 10:00: Lakers need to get out of the gate strong, like Game 1, but this time hold on with a better finish. Lakers have trouble finishing against the Nuggets, which operate like machine-like precision down the stretch of games. If the Lakers can just get something out of D. Russell (1 of 9 from 3 pt./ 6 of 20 field) and increased bench production to help out A.D. and James, they have their best chance of covering tonight. We'll look for that scenario to play out tonight. 

76ers/Knicks 7:30: In Game 1, Brunson didn't have his usual spectacular game, but he got help from teammates Hart and McBride who took advantage of open looks. Hart and McBride are normally single digit scorers. 76ers' HC Nurse should employ similar defensive strategy on Brunson to once again test the shooting ability of the other Knicks' role players. The 76ers' health is a concern. Maxey, who was virtually unstoppable slashing to the basket in Game 1, missed the morning shootaround with an illness. And Embiid still working through a painful knee that isn't totally healed. Nevertheless, we'll look for the two superstars to grit it out while others - Hield, Batum, Oubre, Lowry, Payne and C Reed continue to step up to make it competitive.  

Analysis to follow...

Pacers/Bucks 7:00: Giannis is listed as "out" in this one and that goes without saying that it's a huge blow to the Bucks. Giannis had monster games vs Indiana earlier this year including dropping 64 on them December 13th in Milwaukee. Pacers did win the next two in this regular season series. None of that past is significant because their coach Griffin was fired and replaced by Rivers while Indiana acquired Siakam on January 23rd. Rivers is not great at shuttling in players while Siakam has been rock solid - 21.3 PPG/7.8 RPG in helping Haliburton and C Myles Turner light up the scoreboard. Can't count on Lillard here either. He's a hit and miss with injuries and personal problems. Pacers should deliver. 

Mavs/Clippers 3:30: Last few times the Mavericks faced the Clippers, in late November and late December, they were blown out. In both of those games, Mavericks got nothing out of their then Center - Holmes (now with Washington). As the Mavericks reloaded with new Center - Gafford, they're a much more dangerous team. Gafford adds to the transition game of Dallas, giving scoring support to Doncic and Irving. Also hits the boards hard. Clippers once again have the drama on whether or not Leonard (knee). We're betting he doesn't based on the line. And Dallas has been money this season when cast as a small road favorite (-1 to -3') at 14-3 ATS. Dallas the call. 

Heat/Celtics 1:00: Heat have proven to be a resilient team under Spoelstra regardless of injury. Butler out and still delivered as I anticipated. Tougher task on hand today but like their chances to be competitive here. Someone always stepping up for Miami. Herro, Jaquez, Love helped significantly Friday. And remember, Miami won the first 3 games of this series last year before Boston roared back to force Game 7. And Miami blew them out in Boston. Miami was a solid road team during the regular season and shouldn't fold here. Adebayo playing large and we'll look for continued good play from the supporting cast of Heat. 

Lakers/Nuggets 8:30: Nuggets, who've recently dominated this series, may have to shake off a bit of rust before rebooting. Denver has been off since the 14th and may get out of the gate a bit slow here. Nuggets swept this playoff series last season and swept the regular season series. But let's not forget that the Lakers covered the first two games in Denver of that playoff series. Denver doesn't have Bruce Brown (Toronto) locking down Russell anymore. And Jeff Green (Houston) isn't around hitting clutch shots. Lakers added sharp shooting Gabe Vincent who overcame injuries this season to give them a boost since late March. And the Lakers did the right thing by beating New Orleans in the Play-In, getting the needed rest for veterans LeBron and A.D. Look for Los Angeles to show up competitive tonight. 

76ers/Knicks 6:00: Knicks have finally assembled a playoff caliber team. They have championship experienced players in Divincenzo, Hart and All-Star Brunson. Throw in Anunoby, who was a huge pick up for them mid-season, and they're money. Knicks are 20-3 SU with him on the floor. Of course, 76ers have a huge advantage with Embiid patrolling the paint. Thibodeau will shuttle in Hartenstein and Robinson to contain him. Embiid did not look impressive vs Miami on Wednesday. Miami's Adebayo, who has been Embiid's kryptonite in recent years, kept him at bay. Embiid's conditioning looked questionable at best, walking up floor, waving off plays in post. His knee not fully recovered. The 76ers do have really good surrounding talent in Maxey, Harris and someone (Batum/Hield) seems to step up consistently. They're also well coached with Nurse. This will be a dog fight but going to give it to the gritty Knicks today. They're 3-1 ATS in this series this season and in good hands with Brunson running the show when the lights shine the brightest. 

Kings/Pelicans 9:30: New Orleans has beaten Sacramento like a drum five consecutive times. Kings' HC Brown not the greatest basketball mind but should construct a game plan to deliver a win against a team without the services of Zion Williamson (hamstring) and a guy who is working his way back into condition Ingram (knee bruise). Kings, who spread the floor well and attacked Golden State Tuesday, despite the absence of Monk and Huerter, will need Barnes to show up big to aid Sabonis and Fox. And we'll look for someone else on the Kings to step up. Kings the call. 

Bulls/Heat 7:00: With Butler out, Heat still a bargain here. Butler didn't have a great game Tuesday night and the Heat came within a bucket from upsetting the red hot 76ers. Adebayo, once again, did a bang-up job on Embiid and he should get the best of Vucevic. These teams split games during the regular season; however, Miami was without Herro for all of them and Adebayo sat out two. Herro is playing well and he's getting help from Jaquez Jr. The Bulls' defensive stopper and clutch shot maker - Caruso - is laboring with a sprained ankle sustained Tuesday night. He will have a hard time staying with Herro. And look for playoff savvy Spoelstra to employ a solid game plan on stopping Coby White from a big follow up from his 42-point Tuesday. Edge to Miami. 

Miami/Philadelphia 7:00: Big difference in the way 76ers play under Nurse as opposed to Rivers last season. Nurse has turned Philadelphia into a legitimate contender in the East. Their success is contingent on Embiid staying healthy. He tweaked his knee Friday vs Orlando and sat out Sunday. The 76ers continued to roll (10 straight covers) as Maxey and Harris continue to shine while Hield, Reed and Payne added significant quality minutes. Miami is always dangerous this time of year under Spoelstra but with Rozier (neck) down, the shooting depth a shade down to take down the rolling 76ers. We'll look for Philadelphia to advance to play #2 seed NY while the Heat will have to take on Bulls or Hawks on Friday for that 8th seed. 

Lakers/Pelicans 7:30: I had the Lakers (+2) on Sunday and I'm staying on them here. They've won 3 of 4 games in this series this season and New Orleans continues to struggle at home. The winner of this game gets #1 Denver. The loser gets a second chance with either Golden State or Sacramento. Look for the Lakers, again, to jump on them early and hold on. 

Lakers/Pelicans 3:40: Pelicans went on an unusual ride down the stretch by dropping four straight at home before reversing course to win four straight on the road. Pelicans now back at home in the critical finale to determine play-in seeding for Los Angeles or help playoff seeding for New Orleans. Lakers have covered 4 of the last 5 in this series. With LeBron and AD good to go, we'll take the Lakers and the points with much on the line. 

Raptors/Heat 1:10: Raptors got waxed by Miami Friday but still competing. Of course, Miami in need of a win and some help to avoid play-in. But don't expect the Raptors to roll over here. Miami will not yet be at full strength with Rozier and Robinson out. We'll look for Toronto to keep it tight. 

Phoenix/Sacramento 10:40: Both teams jockeying for position in the Western Pacific as we go down the stretch of the regular season. Kings, currently holding the #6 seed, want to avoid the play-in-tournament. Meanwhile, Suns want to clinch the #6 seed to avoid play-in. These teams split the season series thus far at 2 games to 2. Suns, however, were without Durant and Beal in the first loss, and without Beal in the second. Suns are fully loaded now and playing a pretty good stretch of basketball (4-2 SU/ATS). Kings haven't really been the same when they lost Huerter (out) 3-6 ATS. And not having Monk (out) hurts their depth, especially going unrested. I'm fading the Kings again tonight. 

Pelicans/Kings 10:00: Pelicans have been a thorn in the ass of Sacramento. They've beaten them four straight, including the last two in Sacramento. Pelicans won't have Ingram but Sacramento not quite the same without the significant minutes from Huerter (out) and Monk (out). Pelicans not ready to give up their seeding and it should show tonight. 

Knicks/Celtics 7:30: Knicks in more need of this win tonight. They're looking to secure the #3 seeding and avoid a second-round matchup with the very team they're playing tonight. Boston has dominated this series this season to the tune of 4-0. They have already secured the #1 seed. Boston's key defensive stopper - Holiday - is a game-time-decision. And Porzingis (hamstring) is day-to-day. Knicks playing a pretty good stretch of basketball in April with DiVincenzo hitting a blistering 45% of his perimeter shots. And as long as Brunson is on the floor, the Knicks have a fighting chance. Knicks the call. 

Suns/Clippers 10:40: Clippers got off to a quick start last night and hung on for dear life as the Suns rallied to come back from a 37-point deficit to cut it to seven, before falling off. Paul George was part of the Clippers win, contributing 23 points, 5 assists, 7 rebounds and a steal. Tonight, George (knee) along with Harden (foot) and Leonard (knee) will sit. A major uphill climb for them without the Big 3 as they take on the vengeful and fully loaded Suns. Moreover, Suns need the win a lot more than the Clippers; after all, they're now currently sitting in Play-In territory. Lay the wood tonight with Phoenix. 

Purdue/U Conn 9:20: The two teams destined to be here, and it should be a fun game to watch. Two-time men's college basketball player of the year - 7'4" Zach Edey squares off against 7'2" Cam Clingan. I actually give the edge to Clingan here. Although both have been exceptional in the tournament, I give the edge to Clingan. He's more athletic and able to make decisions on both ends of the floor quicker; consequently, that holds weight in championship games. In addition, I like the backcourt of U Conn better. Newton and Castle seldom get rattled and stay poised down the stretch. U Conn is the #2 rebounding team in the nation, locked in defensively, and know how to finish. We'll lay the wood with Connecticut. 

Analysis to follow...

Alabama/U Conn 8:49: Offensive proficient Illinois was stalled out on a 30-0 run in the second half to put that game away. Alabama, the #1 offense in the nation, does have a big-time guard in Sears. And someone is always stepping up on the offensive end - Estrada, Nelson, Pringle; however, U Conn is so well coached and prepared. 7'2" Clingan has yet to be stopped in this tournament and Alabama has no defensive stoppers for him. And Newton and Spencer are locked in. U Conn has stifled foes defensively; as a matter of fact, no team has scored more than 58 points on them since March 15th. And they've routed teams by an average of 27.8 PPG in this tournament. U Conn the call. 

NC State/Purdue 6:09: Great run for NC State but it should end here. No team has effectively stopped Zach Edey yet. Tennessee is a well-disciplined long interior strong team, yet Edey dropped 40 on them. I like 6'9" DJ Burns but he and the undersized Wolfpack should struggle to contain 7'4" Edey. Edey has solid support from Smith, Jones, Loyer and a deep bench shuttled in effectively by HC Painter. Horne and Burns not enough to deliver here. Purdue the call. 

Indiana State/Seton Hall 7:00: I've ridden Seton Hall throughout this tournament but will fade them here. Indiana State, which has been equally impressive in this tournament, has the court advantage; after all, Hinkle Fieldhouse is less than 100 miles from their campus. The Sycamores will surely continue to feed off the partisan Indiana State crowd. Sycamores a better shooting team than Seton Hall, knocking down shots at a 50.4% clip - 3rd nationally. They also knock down 10.7 perimeter shots per game. Seton Hall, which has been hot from the perimeter in this tournament, won't sneak up on the well-disciplined defense of Indiana State. And Seton Hall allow 32.8% (195th nationally) from 3pt. range. Both teams have great backcourt play, but like the game of 6'10" Avila who adds an inside and outside game for the Sycamores. Indiana State the call. 

NC State/Duke 5:05: NC State has done its best work as a dog going an electric 12-5 in its last 17 dog roles. They've won eight straight games and found their rhythm on both ends of the floor precisely at the right time. Offensively, they've got the inside out game working with big man Burns Jr. and Horne. Burns only had 4 points vs Marquette but had 7 assists. He's very crafty around the rim with soft hands, deft touch around the rim and great awareness. Morsell and the strong Wolfpack bench contribute well. Wolfpack the call. 

Tennessee/Purdue 2:20: This series has been extremely competitive. Last 4 meetings resulted in two overtimes, a one-point win and 4-point win Purdue getting the best of the series 3 games to 1. Tennessee is physical and disciplined defensively. They realize the key to slowing down Purdue is to limit Edey touches. Volunteers will employ their guards to deny entry passes to Edey from the left side of the floor (his favorite). Knecht is a big-time player for Tennessee, and he wasn't happy with his Sweet 16 performance - as good as it was. We'll grab the dog here. 

Clemson/Alabama 8:49: Clemson covered the last three in this series, which were all at Alabama, including November 28th this season in an 85-77 outright as an 8' point dog. Sure, Alabama appears to be playing better defense in this tournament, and Grant Nelson has emerged as a force; however, Clemson has gotten better too. And the Tigers have been consistently solid defensively throughout the season. P.J. Hall, Girard III, and Hunter continue to be solid on both ends of the floor. We'll look for Clemson to deliver again. 

Illinois/U Conn 6:09: Realize that U Conn is the real deal and they've been blowing out virtually every team thrown at them. Illinois, however, no pushover. Illinois can rebound and score points. They have length - every starter at least 6'6" or taller. Shannon is a playmaker and he's got strong support from Domask and even Hawkins. Illinois on a 5-0 ATS run including stifling a really good Iowa State team. We'll grab the points here.  

Creighton/Tennessee 10:10: Tonight, Creighton brings a bit more finesse to the floor while Tennessee has the physicality and depth. We'll go with the latter here. Knecht, Zeigler and Aidoo, which combine for about 60% of their points, have a slight edge in their all-around game than Creighton's big three: Sheierman, Alexander and Kalkbrenner. The Blue Jays launch nearly 30 from the perimeter per game. Virtually all season, Volunteers have been solid defensively in limiting the strengths of a team's offensive firepower; after all, they beat down Alabama twice, took out Illinois and won at Wisconsin - not easy tasks defensively at any stretch. We'll grab Tennessee. 

Duke/Houston 9:40: To beat Houston, a team has to get out in transition, set and successfully hit threes. Tough task to do vs the #1 defense in points allowed (57.7 PPG) and FG% allowed (37.8%). And they're tied for 14th in 3-point shooting defense (30%). Duke has the shooters who hit from the perimeter, including freshman sensation - McCain who hit 8 vs James Mason. Of course, Houston HC Sampson is great at taking away offensive strengths of a team. And he has the ultimate playmaker in Shead. But Duke hasn't had any bad losses the entire season, and they stick around in games, - getting to the charity stripe and making foul shots. We'll take the points. 

Gonzaga/Purdue 7:39: Gonzaga has had trouble with Purdue the last few years; more particularly, in stopping Edey, who dropped 23 and 25 on them, respectively. We won't dismiss Gonzaga's HC Few in making the right adjustments. We'll look for a tight one here. 

NC State/Marquette 7:09: Great run for NC State but it should end here. Coaching edge for Smart here. The Wolfpack struggle vs pick and roll sets ranking in the bottom 1/4 of the NCAA in that role. A now healthy Kolek is one of the best assist men and playmakers in the tournament. We'll look for Marquette to spread out and make lumbering DJ Burns to defend space. Marquette on a 14-6 ATS run and surely toughened through the battles of conference strong Big East. We'll lay the wood with Marquette.

Illinois/Iowa State 10:10: Iowa State is great at taking away the strengths of their foe. They've exhibited that all season long including during their magical run to get here. Look for the well-disciplined Otzelberger' defense to find a way to stall out Illinois top gun Terrence Shannon Jr. Shannon is 6-0 vs Iowa State going back to when he was on Texas Tech. Iowa State defense has been outstanding at FG attempts allowed (3rd in nation) and creating turnovers (2nd in nation 17.3). Cyclones have fed off their defense all season and really locked in during tournament time. They've had great shot selection and hitting from the perimeter at a 45% clip since the conference tournaments rolled around. Illinois allows a generous 73.4 PPG and should open the door for the Cyclones to deliver tonight. 

Alabama/North Carolina 9:40: North Carolina more made for tournament basketball than Alabama. Alabama was fortunate to get a good draw in opponents for this tournament. College of Charleston just couldn't match up down the stretch and had no answer to stop Sears. Grand Canyon hung with the 'Tide in an absolute physical scrum. The Antelopes' offense unfathomably relied solely on isolation, accumulating a mind boggling 5 assists! And they still almost covered. North Carolina has two veteran big-time players from the 2021-22 national runner up team in RJ Davis and Bacot. They're well-disciplined defensively under Coach Davis and in good rhythm offensively. North Carolina the call. 

Clemson/Arizona 7:09: I don't believe the stage is too big for this Clemson team. Brownell has done a great job preparing them for this tournament. They are locking teams down defensively and hitting shots. They've got some dudes in Hall, Girard III and Schieffelin. And remember, the Tigers locked down another fast-paced offensive machine in Alabama back on November 28th in an 85-77 win. They also got the extremely rare win at Chapel Hill on February 16th -80-76. Like our chances here with the Tigers. 

Pacers/Bulls 8:10: Road team 4-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings. Pacers traveling well (5-1 SU/ATS last 6 road tilts). Indiana getting great work out of Siakam lately. Meanwhile, Bulls have lost 3 straight including an inexcusable loss to a depleted cellar dweller - Washington on Monday. Grab the Pacers.  

UNLV/Seton Hall 7:00: I realize the Big East has been a strong conference this season and dominating in the NCAA Tournament. Seton Hall narrowly missed the Big Dance and playing like it has a chip on its shoulder in the NIT; however, UNLV is no lightweight. They played well in a strong MWC and sport a profitable 18-10 ATS season mark. Moreover, they've played very well on the road (8-3 ATS). They're playing a great stretch of basketball now including lighting up the perimeter at near 44% in this tournament. Sure, they have to travel cross country for this one but I believe they have the wherewithal to deliver. Seton Hall has shown inconsistency throughout the year. They're just 6-7 ATS in their last 13 at home. We'll grab the points. 

Suns/Spurs 8:10: On the surface, this looks to be another route. Suns are reasonably healthy this time of year with a fully loaded lineup while the Spurs will be without Wembanyama (ankle). Spurs got smoked in the front end of this series at Frost Bank Center. Suns, however, do have Denver on deck Wednesday and may rest some starters late. Spurs still have some fight, and pride, left in them and should put up a respectable revenge effort here. Backdoor cover a possibility. Spurs the call. 

Yale/SDSU 9:40: Bulldogs outcoached and outplayed a very good Auburn team that most sportswriters had going to the Final Four. Yale is proficient on both sides of the floor. Poulakidas and Mahoney are a solid backcourt with clutch capability. On the other hand, respect SDSU but they struggle offensively and should allow Yale to stick around in this game. 

Texas A&M/Houston 8:40: Texas A&M was a horrible shooting team for most of the season but have come on recently as Taylor IV is getting more offensive support. What was keeping them in the game is their dominance on the glass. A great rebounding team - especially on the offensive boards and that is one area where Houston struggles. Houston won this game earlier in the year but Aggies' Radford was not playing. A&M is a scrappy and physical team that matches well with Houston. Remember, A&M won at Iowa State 73-69 earlier in the season. That was Iowa State's only home loss. Now that the Aggies are finding their offensive rhythm, we'll look for them to give the Cougars trouble. 

Grand Canyon/Alabama 7:10: Alabama holds the distinction as the #1 scoring offense in the league at 91.3 PPG; however, defensively they also allow a whopping 81.5 PPG (353rd). Teams that are able to slow them down, limit turnovers, and get back on defense to avoid the Tide's transition buckets, will usually win. Grand Canyon is well disciplined defensively and has an offensive game with a solid backcourt in Grant-Foster and Harrison. Take the Antelopes. 

Oregon/Creighton 9:40: PAC 12 continues to do well in this tournament and I'm staying on Oregon. Oregon's HC Altman does his best work this time of year. He's got a great backcourt in Couisnard, Shelstad and an inside presence with Dante. Take the points.

Washington State/Iowa State 6:10: PAC 12 an underrated conference with the likes of Arizona, Colorado, Oregon and the Cougars hanging around here. Cougars are no joke. This season they defeated Oregon, Colorado and Arizona twice! Iowa State is ridiculously locked into their man/zone hybrid defense; however, Cougars capable of lighting it up from the perimeter as they did Thursday at 50% vs Drake. To beat Iowa State, you have to have that perimeter game working. We'll look for the Cougars to hang around. 

Michigan State/North Carolina 5:30: I won't underestimate the ability of Tom Izzo in getting his men ready for NCAA Tournament play. The Spartans have underachieved virtually all season but starting to mesh at the right time. We'll look for Michigan State to find a way to limit Davis and Bacot while unleashing Akins and company. Izzo sports an NCAA Tournament record of 17 victories in games as a lower seed, including 64-51-win vs Mississippi State Thursday. Take the points. 

Gonzaga/Kansas 3:15: Kansas barely hung on against the game Samford Bulldogs on Thursday. Jayhawks were outscored 30 points from beyond the arc and still survived. I don't believe the Jayhawks have the wherewithal to beat Gonzaga without their All-American McCullar (knee). We'll look for Few to continue to advance to the Sweet 16. 

Dayton/Arizona 12:45: Dayton showed moxie Thursday by overcoming a 17-point deficit with 7:39 left in the game. The Flyers put together a 24-4 run. Flyers able to make stops when needed and have the 3-point shooting (40.2% - 3rd nationally) to give the Wildcats trouble. Someone always stepping up for Dayton. DaRon Holmes, Brea, Santos are consistent scorers. Anthony Grant has done a great job coaching them. They've only suffered one bad loss - a 14-point fall at #1 Houston as a 12-point dog. Arizona's top gun - Caleb Love - struggling to the tune of 13 of 51 (25.5%) last 4 games. We'll grab the points. 

Utah State/TCU 9:55: TCU is a prolific scoring team but tend to struggle when forced into a half-court game. Utah State has demonstrated good defense on neutral floors this season under first year Aggies' HC Sprinkle. Utah State is led by 6'8" Osobor (18 PPG) with good support from the backcourt of Martinez, Brown and Falslev. TCU's Jamie Dixon - a great coach in the regular season but has had trouble in tournaments. We'll grab the points. 

James Madison/Wisconsin 9:40: JM not an easy out. They won 30 games on the season, including against Michigan State on November 6th. The Dukes' are 8th in the NCAA in scoring with 84.4 PPG. They shoot a healthy 48% from the floor while Wisconsin allows a generous 45.8% (320th). Wisconsin not used to seeing this kind of high-octane pace per game in the Big 10. Dukes' defense takes away the 3 pointer (28.8%) and limit from the floor scoring (41.3%). We'll take the points.

New Mexico/Clemson 3:10: Clemson was red hot early in the season playing great basketball with signature wins over NCAA Tournament teams. Then they went 11-9 SU against ACC teams and were routed by Boston College in the first round of the conference tournament. As for New Mexico, they are a solid tournament team that can play a physical half-court game and also run the floor in full court. They have a few players with NBA genes in House and Mashburn. Add Dent to the equation and the Lobos drop 82.6 PPG. Go with the Lobos. 

SDS/Iowa State 7:35: Both head coaches know each other well from their years on the staff at South Dakota State. Henderson now runs the sidelines for the Jackrabbits and Otzelberger for Iowa State. Otzelberger surely has the talent on his side and he's coached them up well. I don't believe the Jackrabbits have the athleticism to outmaneuver the Cyclones. Iowa State just got off winning the Big 12 in a romp over #1 seed Houston. When they ratchet up the defensive intensity, teams struggle mightily to get into an offensive rhythm. And the Jackrabbits yield 71 PPG (182nd nationally). We'll lay the wood with the Cyclones. 

McNeese State/Gonzaga 7:25: McNeese State no joke. They have TCU transfer Wells (Southland P.O.Y.) who can scorch the net from the perimeter at 37% while contributing 18 PPG. And he has support with Shumate and DJ Richards. The Cowboys are not only proficient on offense (80.4 PPG/39% 3 pt.) but can "D" up. They're the #1 FG% defense in the nation allowing 38.5% and sport the 4th scoring defense (61.5 PPG). Their HC Will Wade - in his first year at the helm of the Cowboys - has completely turned around the culture. Rember, Wade too LSU to the Sweet 16 back in the 2018-19 season. Gonzaga defense soft in spurts during games. And they land a bad draw here. Take McNeese State. 

Colorado State/Texas 6:50: Colorado State playing like they're in a power conference. Earlier in the season, they captured impressive tournament wins over BC, Washington, Colorado and crushed Creighton. They're hot again sweeping the conference tournament and blasting Virginia in the NCAA Play-In yesterday. Texas, which got to the Elite Eight last year, bowed out of the conference tournament against Kansas State. Texas defense not good enough to stall out the Rams. Take Colorado State. 

Oregon/South Carolina 4:00: Great job by Gamecocks' HC Paris overachieving for the year with a team that the media had at the bottom of the SEC in a pre-season poll. They notched some strong wins and have a freshman -Murray-Boyles who is getting plenty of attention by NBA scouts. But don't rule out the Ducks as long as Dana Altman is manning the bench. He got his injury ravaged Ducks to the dance by sweeping (3-0) the PAC 12 Tournament. And he's a sweet 7-0 SU in the 1st Round of the NCAA Tournament as the Ducks' HC. Like Auburn's Bruce Pearl did, he'll find a way to slow down Murray-Boyles and steal a victory here. 

Colorado/Boise State 9:10: Boise notched a few strong wins including at St. Mary's, and swept San Diego State. Broncos using their disrespectful seeding along with being the underdog here as motivation. Broncos worked Colorado in Myrtle Beach last season. Broncos are a physical, defensive team that also has a respectable offense with four players in double-digits. Colorado State getting lots of action, but we'll grab the points with the Broncos. 

Colorado State/Virginia 9:10: Contrasting styles take court in Dayton for the First Four In. Colorado State likes to push the ball up the floor while Virginia will attempt to slow the pace to a crawl. Both teams do have senior point guards - Stevens - Colorado State/Beekman - Virginia. I'm going to give the edge to Cavaliers' HC Bennett who guided the 2019 Virginia Cavaliers to the NCAA Tournament Championship. I believe his third ranked scoring defense (allow 59.5 PPG) can turn this into a half-court game. Colorado State is 0-6 SU when failing to score more than 65 points in a game. Virginia the call. 

Kansas State/Iowa 9:00: Kansas State could have made a good argument to the NCAA Committee on why they weren't selected as one of teams in; after all, they had enough Quad 1 wins. It all boiled down to too many close wins vs lower tier teams, and the bid thieves. As for Iowa, they went 0-6 SU vs Top 3 seeded NCAA Tournament teams. Iowa has no trouble scoring. They are in the top tier of the NCAA in scoring at nearly 83 PPG; however, they're in the bottom tier of the NCAA in scoring defense - allowing 79 PPG. K State does not have a prolific scoring offense (72 PPG) but not deficient. They have a solid trifecta attack with Perry, Kaluma and Carter. And Wildcats' HC Tang has them playing solid defense (40.8% allowed from floor and 30.7% from perimeter) - which bodes well this time of year. K State is able to get those critical stops down the stretch while Iowa struggles in that area. We'll take the points with the road team. 

Knicks/Warriors 10:10: Knicks' defense has been awesome lately. Over the last five games, they've held opponents to an average of 83.2 PPG. And they're coming off a strong performance against Sacramento. They won't have to travel far in a revenge matchup tonight. The Knicks looking to avenge the 110-99 loss at MSG on February 29th. With a healthy Brunson - who makes his teammates on the floor a bit better, we'll look for NY to be competitive here. 

Florida/Auburn 1:00: Florida, in its 4th game in as many days, should run out of gas here. They've done an amazing job and capitalized on turnovers while getting into a full court shootout. They were fortunate to have Aberdeen, who averages 2.6 PPG dropped 20 yesterday. That was an outlier and most likely won't happen here; after all, Bruce Pearl's boys are well schooled in tournament play and won't get into a shootout with the Gators. Tigers have played strong defense in both of their wins and should have fresher legs. Auburn the call. 

Duquesne/VCU 1:00: Both of these teams well-schooled and it should be a tough fight. But Dukes' HC Dambrot has years of tournament experience with an a near equal amount of talent. Dambrot coached 13 years at University of Akron getting them to the NCAA's for 3 years. He's building a quality program here and we'll give him the edge in tournament play. Duquesne sports a 3-1 SU/4-0 ATS mark in this series and I'll be glad to grab Dae Dae Grant and company as a dog. 

Wisconsin/Purdue 1:00: Purdue has certainly been a consistent winner all season and deserved of #1 seeding in NCAA Tournament. Their urgency to win this game and move on to the conference finals not as great as Wisconsin's need. The Badgers had a bad losing streak down the stretch of the season (2-7 SU/0-9 ATS) but magically found its rhythm in this tournament. They throttled Maryland - a good defensive team - shooting 64% from the perimeter; moreover, they followed it up with a 45% 3-point range performance vs NW as Blackwell (4 of 6 from perimeter) joined the trey bomb party of Crowl, Storr, Klesmit. Badgers also have played the Boilermakers tough covering 4 of the last 5 in this series. I realize it is the 3rd game in 4 days for the Badgers but they're pretty deep and getting good minutes off the bench. Badgers proving to be a good neutral floor team 4-0 SU/3-0-1 ATS. We'll take the points. 

Lakers/Kings 10:10: Although the Kings have dominated this series (7-1 SU/ATS) in the last 8 matchups, this is a trouble spot for Sacramento. The Kings have not fared well in back-to-back games at 3-7 ATS; moreover, coming off a big win unrested just 1-4 ATS. Lakers' James (ankle) and Davis (Achilles) were in shoot around earlier so most likely a go. Lakers playing a decent stretch of basketball now and most likely will send a message to the young Kings. Look for Lakers to avoid the season sweep.