I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Wednesday night. San Antonio returns home off the beatdown they took at the hands of the Warriors. But we're still not sure if the Spurs were that overwhelmed, or if they were also playing possum a little on the defensive end, not caring to show Golden State what they might do in the postseason. What we do know is that the Spurs are 24-0 SU at home (17-7 ATS). They're also on a 13-3 ATS run off a SU loss. The Spurs entered this week with the league's most efficient defense. It doesn't stop there. One site that delves deeper than most, shows that heading into Monday, San Antonio had allowed a league best 0.94 points per possession. They were also the only team in the NBA to allow less than 1.00 ppp. The same site showed us that the Spurs were leading the league in transition points, or points per possession allowed after a turnover through the weekend. Once again, the Spurs were head-and-shoulders above the rest of the league. The information is worth repeating from Monday because that game was such an anomaly. And besides the 13-3 ATS mark mentioned above, we should note that the home team in this series is on an 8-0, 100% run. The Spurs won the last meeting by 18 points in early January. I expect similar results tonight, even with Duncan likely sidelined. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. Tim Duncan is listed as doubtful, while LaMarcus Aldridge is expected to play at the time of this post. The Spurs are the deepest they have ever been and they are capable of winning games whether Duncan suits-up and scores 15, barely registers in the boxscore, or misses the entire game. We have the two most efficient teams in the league, overall, with the Spurs owning the league's most efficient defense. And as reported elsewhere, the Spurs own the NBA's biggest point-differential since December 1. It doesn't stop there. One site that delves deeper than most, shows that heading into this game, San Antonio allows a league best 0.94 points per possession allowed. They're the only team in the NBA to allow less than 1.00 ppp. The same site shows that the Spurs are leading the league in transition points, or points per possession allowed after a turnover. Once again, the Spurs are head-and-shoulders above the rest of the league. And without jumping too deep into it, we'll just relay the numbers. The Spurs own a 0.98 rate in this category, while the Warriors are a middle-of-the-pack, 1.22. This was the area Gregg Popovich worked to improve the most after bowing out of last year's playoffs. San Antonio has enjoyed their games against teams that make at least 36% of their treys, covering 11 of 13, while covering 12 of 13 off a spread loss. Golden State has struggled covering numbers at home of late, cashing just one of their last five. And while the spread isn't double-digits this time, I still believe they're laying more than they should. SAS took two of three from Golden State even in the Warriors championship season. The Spurs are better than they were a season ago. I'm taking the points with the Spurs, my Monday Showdown. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. Charlotte began the season 14-8 and looked like a "player" in the NBA Southeast, before the wheels started coming off. It's been a while since Al Jefferson played significant minutes and he remains out indefinitely with a knee injury. The Hornets have won just three of their last 15 games SU/ATS and have dropped seven in a row, outright. Making things tougher, Charlotte is playing their first home game following a four-game road trip with stops at Golden State, Phoenix, the Clippers, and Denver. Charlotte is on a 3-12-1 ATS slide in their first game at home following a road trip of at least seven days. The legs could be a little shaky and they're hosting a team that scores 103 ppg on 46% shooting. We'll back the Hawks, our NBA Main Event on Wednesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Raptors on Wednesday. We went against the Nets a couple nights ago on these pages and cashed with the Celtics. Boston was off two straight losses, losing to a pair of teams they shouldn't have, and bounced back in spread covering fashion. The Raptors are in the same situation tonight with the exception that while they were expected to beat Chicago, they weren't expected to beat Cleveland. Toronto went to sleep on the defensive end in both games, allowing 115 points and 122 points. Having said that, the Raptors are still 5th in the NBA in points allowed per game, allowing just over 97 points per contest. Toronto enters on a 19-7 ATS run after losing at least two consecutive games and NBA road teams are on a 25-10 ATS run after allowing 110 or more ppg in two straight games, provided they're facing a home team that allows at least 103 ppg. Brooklyn fits the bill and they have been worse of late, allowing 105 ppg over their last 16 contests. In fact, the Nets have been tagged for 100 or more points in 14 of their last 16 games. The Raptors lost their last two games against Brooklyn, but I'm betting they'll bounce back tonight in spread covering fashion. I'm laying the points with the Raptors, my Conf Mismatch GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Boston Celtics on Monday night. The Celtics went into their last two games with an 18-13 SU record and a four-game win streak in the books. With back-to-back home games against the Lakers & Nets, most felt the Celtics would extend that winning streak to at least six games before heading to Brooklyn tonight. Instead, Boston played sluggish basketball and lost both games. Players spoke about their poor starts, while Brad Stevens held himself accountable. But tonight, after two embarrassing defeats, Boston has a chance to right one of the wrongs. Brooklyn is hamstrung for the rest of the season after losing Jarrett Jack to an ACL injury in the win over Boston on Saturday. Neither Shane Larkin or Donald Sloan are capable of replacing Jack. Boston will have the head-to-head matchup advantage even if Avery Bradley (questionable) sits this one out with a sore hip. The Celtics are on a 20-8 ATS run on the road, while the Nets have dropped four of their last five ATS at home. I'm laying the points with Boston on Monday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Friday night. We have ridden the Spurs to the win column several times this season and we'll look to do so again tonight. Houston has been a major disappointment, both before and since the firing of Kevin McHale. They don't play an intense enough brand of defensive basketball when stepping up to the level of the San Antonio Spurs. That's a killer if you're the Rockets. The Spurs are on a 16-5 ATS run against teams that allow 99 or more ppg, winning by an average margin of 15 ppg. I've mentioned before that I believe this is the best Spurs' team since Popovich arrived on the scene and I'm sticking to it. Both ends of the court are played with an intense team effort, and even LaMarcus Aldridge has bought into Spurs' basketball. Kawhi Leonard is a defensive star and Tony Parker looks like he found the Fountain of Youth during the off-season. Once again, if the Spurs are focused, this one gets ugly. San Antonio has won and covered seven straight games, winning by an average margin of more than 21 ppg. I'm laying the points once again, with the Spurs, my Friday Knockout. Merry Christmas and best of luck. Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Wednesday. We have backed the Spurs twice in the last week and cashed both times, including their 106-92 win and cover last time out against the Pacers. San Antone enters tonight's game with a 24-5 SU record and 21 of those wins have come by double digits. Tony Parker is on fire, nailing over 55% of his shots in his last four games and ball movement is as crisp as it gets. The Spurs are aiming for the best record in the NBA this season, they want home court advantage in the playoffs. Because of this, we aren't going to see a lot of "nights off," and even when a star or two takes a night off, this Spurs' version is so deep, those getting more playing time will continue to work towards the goal of the best record. And obviously, with Golden State cooking, San Antonio understands what's at hand. The Spurs certainly took no games off against Minnesota last season, winning and covering all four meetings. San Antonio averaged 118.8 ppg in those outings, topping 120 points in three of the four games and winning by an average margin of 23 ppg. The Spurs are on an 8-0 ATS run after covering three straight games as a favorite of seven or more and they're on a 10-2 ATS run against teams with a losing record, winning by an average final of 104-84. Meanwhile, the T-Wolves are just 2-11-1 ATS at home this season, allowing over 105 ppg. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, my Wednesday Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Miami Heat on Tuesday. Both teams have won four of their last five games, but the Pistons have been a mess on the road, winning and covering just three of their last 11. And tonight, Miami will look to exact some revenge for a 104-81 loss to the Pistons on November 25. Miami ranks 4th in the NBA, holding their opponents to 31.8% shooting from behind the arc. They're 3rd stingiest in FG percentage allowed, overall. This is why the meeting last month was so out of character. In fact, it was out of character for both teams. Detroit, one of the worst shooting teams in the league inside or outside the arc, nailed 16 of 31 3-pointers. Take a 1 of 6 night from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope out of the mix and the rest of the Piston players made 15 of 25 treys. That's equivalent to a 22.5 of 25 night from inside the arc, or 90% shooting. Andre Drummond had his best overall night of the season, to go along with it. Dwyane Wade stated after the game that his team did just about everything wrong and it was more of their failures than it was Detroit's play. Detroit enters this one on a 1-4 ATS slide on the road against teams with a winning record and I expect the Heat to take full advantage and gain that measure of revenge. I'm laying the points with the Miami Heat, my NBA Slam Dunk. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. The Pacers normally go as Paul George goes and the Spurs have the "sweet elixir" to slow down the Pacer star in Kawhi Leonard. And thanks to the signing of LaMarcus Aldridge and his ability to "dial it down" and play Gregg Popovich, Spurs basketball, along with a rejuvenated Tony Parker, this may be the best team we have seen in San Antonio. The Spurs aren't letting up as they have done in seasons past. This team wants homecourt advantage and are playing hard each and every night. Besides, the depth is in place if any of the aging vets take a night off. San Antone will look to extend their 2015-16 home record to 16-0 SU tonight and I expect them to do so. The Spurs are 11-4 at home ATS, where they have won by an average margin of more than 16 ppg. And they're on a 6-0 ATS run at home against teams with a losing road record. Indiana has lost four straight on the road, both SU & ATS, (10-0 combined w/ 6-0 mark mentioned above), getting outscored by an average of more than 12 ppg. They're 2-9 ATS in their last 11 against Western Conference opponents. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, my Perfect-10 on Monday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Friday night. The last time the Spurs faced the Clippers, L.A. was putting the finishing touches on a best-of-seven series with a 111-109 win in Los Angeles. It was an unbelievable shooting night for the Clips and they garnered the win. LAC has found success of late on this floor, but this Spurs' team might be Coach Pop's best yet and so far, they're taking no prisoners, not taking nights off. SAS is 22-5 SU and 18-9 ATS. The Spurs are a perfect 14-0 SU at home this season, winning by an average margin of nearly 17 ppg, while covering 10 times. San Antone has been a home favorite of eight or less just two times this season and covered both. The Clippers have not shot well from the deep perimeter and have not hit the glass too well so far this season and they're not likely to find the sweet elixir in this one with the way the Spurs' play defense and hit the boards. LAC has played better of late, but they're 0-7 ATS off a cover, while the Spurs enter on a 4-0 ATS run. I'm laying the points with San Antonio, my NBA Friday Night Slam Dunk. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. These teams met on this floor in late November and it was a virtual wire-to-wire blowout win by the Utah Jazz. Despite getting outscored 24-16 at the FT line, Utah won the contest 101-87, which included a 49-35 advantage on the glass. The Jazz will look to right the ship over the next few games against beatable opposition, including tonight. Utah lost back-to-back games to OKC, including an OT loss on December 13. The Jazz were gassed the following night and got crushed 118-81 by San Antonio. But they've now had a couple of days to stew about that one and they'll take on a New Orleans' team that's 1-12 SU on the road. The struggling Pelicans are just 6-18 SU, overall, and Utah is on a 5-0-1 ATS run against teams playing less than .400 basketball. They're also 6-1-2 ATS in their last nine against the Pelicans. The Jazz are outstanding from the deep perimeter and should shine tonight facing a team that allows over 108 ppg, while ranked 27th & 29th in FG percentage defense and 3-point defense. Utah gets back in the win column. I'm laying the points with the Utah Jazz, my Wednesday night SLAM DUNK! Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday afternoon.  The Nets have won their last two games and four of six, while covering 12 of their last 15 games.  The Clips are playing their fourth road game of a five game road trip and are off a loss to Chicago last time out.  LA allows 101 ppg and will have to be on their defensive game against a Nets' squad that ranks 10th in two-point FG accuracy.  The Clippers are actually just 4-5 SU on the road this season and Brooklyn, besides their 12-3 ATS overall run, are on a 6-2-1 ATS run at home against teams with a losing record and they're on a 14-1 ATS run against the Clippers.  I'm grabbing the points with the Brooklyn Nets, my Saturday Slam Dunk.  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers on Tuesday night. Cleveland may not be at full strength yet and LeBron sitting out in their most recent game against Miami had them completely out-manned, but James will be in the lineup on Tuesday and he'll be looking to end a 3-game losing streak. The Cavs will face a Portland team playing their third road game in four nights and second in back-to-back nights after playing in and losing to Milwaukee on Monday. Portland has covered just one of their last six when playing without rest and they're 5-16-1 ATS on the road against teams with a winning home record. No, Cleveland hasn't been a money-maker in 2015-16, but I expect a supreme effort tonight looking to snap the skid. I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers my Slam Dunk on Tuesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Chicago Bulls. I don't have a problem backing teams playing in the second of back-to-back nights if the side fits. But in the case of the Phoenix Suns, not only will they be playing without rest after losing in Memphis yesterday, but this will mark their sixth road game in nine days. They're 1-4 SU through the first five and just 2-8 on the road this season. Phoenix already doesn't matchup well with the Bulls and the lack of rest is likely to catch up to them over the final quarter or so. Chicago beat the Suns 103-97 in Phoenix earlier this season, without Derrick Rose and despite turning the ball over 19 times. Chicago and their outstanding play on the defensive end will look to bounce back from just their second home loss this season. The Bulls bounced back from their first with a 23-point win next time out on November 9. I expect another wide margin win tonight. Chicago is 4-0 ATS off a SU loss, overall, while the Suns are on a 1-6 ATS slide against the Eastern Conference. I'm laying the points with the Bulls, my Monday night Mismatch. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. Orlando rides into Minneapolis with a three game SU/ATS win streak in tow, facing a Minnesota team, that outside of two games, has struggled in front of the home folks. The T-Wolves had their three-game win streak snapped at the LA Clippers last time out and enter tonight's game just 2-6 SU at home this season and 2-14 ATS in their last 16 at home, overall. The Magic received good news late Monday night when Evan Fournier was upgraded to probable for Tuesday's tilt. Fournier leads the team in scoring, but even if he sits out for big chunks of game time, we like the Magic to circle the wagons and gain the victory. Orlando has played well since taking Victor Oladipo out of the starting lineup and bringing him off the bench. Both team and player have reacted well to the change. Orlando enters on a 9-3 ATS run off a SU win and they're on a 7-1 ATS run in Minnesota. I'm betting they make it 2-0 SU against the T-Wolves this season. I'm backing the Orlando Magic, my Tuesday Shocker. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night. The Bucks hung around yesterday afternoon, eventually covering by a bucket in an 87-82 loss to Charlotte. Tonight, the Bucks are back home facing a team they can handle in the Denver Nuggets. Denver has dropped six in a row SU and five in a row ATS and the losses have come by nearly 12 ppg. Denver beat Milwaukee 103-102 a couple weeks ago. The Bucks led by 11 points at the half, but couldn't overcome a tough free throw discrepancy. Denver was afforded 24 FTA to just nine for the Bucks, outscoring Milwaukee 17-8 from the stripe. Denver's likely to be without its best perimeter shooter with Gary Harris listed as doubtful (concussion). The Nuggets are ranked in the bottom-third in the league from behind the arc as it is. As mentioned, the Nuggets have dropped five straight ATS, while the Bucks are on a 4-0 ATS run when playing in the second of back-to-back nights. I'm betting Milwaukee exacts a little revenge. I'm laying the points with the Bucks, my Monday Beatdown. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers on Tuesday night. Detroit is in a tough spot tonight. They're in their first home game following a six game, 10 day, west coast road trip where the team really wore down at the end. Even Stan Van Gundy made mention of a couple of players who were giving it their all, but just didn't have their legs at the end of the trip. Van Gundy also said, "Offense is a bit of a mess right now and we just are not making any shots." The Cavaliers are also coming off a road loss, losing in double OT to Milwaukee on Saturday. And while the Cavs have dropped a bunch of games ATS (we have stayed away from the Cavs), I believe this is the spot to jump in. LeBron James scored 37 points, had 12 rebounds, and dished out five assists in the loss, but he also turned the ball over seven times. The team finished with 21 turnovers, overall. James was noticeably unhappy and he was vocal with his frustration with himself and his team, saying, "we give a half-ass effort and expect that we can just make a run at the end." I'm betting LeBron is focused (he always is) and his teammates get the message. Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert are still out, but I expect the rest of the troops take it to the Pistons on Tuesday. I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers, my NBA Tapout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Raptors on Tuesday night. "This is one of our stinkers of the year," - Raptors coach Dwane Casey stated after losing 96-76 to Miami last time out. Casey said his team will be focused on Tuesday after a bad third quarter and a rough stretch during the fourth quarter in the loss to the Heat. Toronto was only down by three points at the half, and pulled within seven points in the fourth quarter, but that's as close as it got. The team struggled, allowing a 19-4 Miami advantage in second chance points, and that was that. Good teams can turn that around in a hurry, simply with a little more hustle and focus. The Raptors may not have DeMarre Carroll (questionable) on Tuesday. Carroll is suffering from plantar fasciitis and will likely be a gametime decision. But this is a play for us whether Carroll suits up or not. The Knicks snapped a 3-game skid with a 99-95 win (ATS loss) over the Lakers on Sunday. But New York doesn't shoot well most nights, ranked 27th in FG percentage and 24th from behind the arc. Toronto is one of the best teams in the league on the defensive end of the floor and they'll be a fired up team tonight. The Knicks enter on a 1-7 ATS slide off a SU win, while NBA favorites of more than three points but less than 10 points, are on a 41-14 ATS run, provided their offensive average and their opponent's defensive average are both 98-102 ppg. The favorite must be off a loss by at least 20 points. I'm laying the points with the Raptors, my TKO release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Chicago Bulls minus the points on Monday night. Chicago is looking for more consistency on the offensive end as they look to grasp onto the style of play desired by the new coaching staff. The Bulls will also look to bounce back from a 102-93 OT loss to Minnesota last time out. The Bulls didn't shoot well in the loss, but they are the league's 2nd best 3-point shooting team on the season. That's an important note because the Sixers are 27th defending the trey and 22nd in FG percentage defense. They look to be "just what the doctor ordered" for the Bulls to get back on track. Philadelphia owns potential with young stars Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel. But there's not a lot of dependable support around them. The Sixers enter Monday on a 0-6 ATS slide at home against teams with a losing road record. I expect that slide to continue. I'm laying the points with the Bulls, my Monday Mismatch. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the OKC Thunder on Thursday night. Oklahoma City has been inconsistent, losing back-to-back games after winning their first three of the season. Last night took the cake. The Thunder led 81-73 after three quarters and 91-83 with 5:30 to go in the game, but collapsed, getting outscored 20-7 over the final 5+ minutes in a 103-98 home loss to Toronto. The Thunder finished with just 12 made FTs on 14 attempts, while the Raptors made 32 of 39. I expect more of an attack style of offense tonight as OKC looks to draw more whistles. I also expect full focus for the entire four quarters. OKC will fact a Chicago squad that's waiting for the "arrival" of Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose. Neither is playing up to expectations and I don't believe they'll turn things around against a hungry OKC squad. Going back to last season, the Bulls have dropped four straight ATS when playing with one day of rest, while the Thunder are on a 9-4 ATS run with no rest and they have covered 10 of the last 14 trips to the Windy City. I'm backing the Thunder, my Thursday night Slam Dunk. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night. Memphis couldn't have played any worse than they did last night in their season opening, 106-76 loss to Cleveland. The Grizzlies were horrible right from the opening tip, trailing 26-10 after the first quarter of play. But I expect a bounce back tonight from the western conference entry laying a reasonable number on the road. The normally reliable Mike Conley and Courtney Lee couldn't hit the broadside of a barn last night, while the Cavaliers nailed nearly 50% of their shots, including 13 of 29 from behind the arc. Look for a much better outing from the Grizzlies' backcourt and for domination in the paint by Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, facing a beatable Indiana front-line. The Grizzlies have covered 11 of the last 14 meetings with the Pacers, while Indiana dropped their final five in a row ATS when playing in the second of back-to-back night's last season. I'm laying the points with the Grizzlies, my Thursday night Slam Dunk! Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Cavaliers in Sunday's Game four clash. Cleveland was in a tough spot last time out. Matthew Dellavedova was coming off a case of dehydration and when you consider the other injuries this team has faced, LeBron didn't have a lot of healthy teammates along side him. Steve Kerr made adjustments - we saw more of David Lee, and more importantly, Andre Iguodala answered the bell and then some. It's now the Cavs turn to adjust - they're healthier after a couple days off and I expect a game that goes right to the wire, giving us plenty of line value with the underdog. Cleveland enters on an 8-2 ATS run when playing with two days rest. They're 15-4 ATS against Western Conf competition, while the Warriors have covered just four of their last 13 home games. Finally, LeBron led teams have won 16 of their last 18 SU off a playoff loss. I'm grabbing the points with the Cavaliers, my Tapout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Warriors & Cavaliers on Tuesday night. Cleveland has controlled the tempo in this series thus far and I expect the Cavs to force a deliberate pace again on Tuesday. The Cavs have clamped down on the defensive end and have forced a slower pace. They have also relied on one scorer. Golden State has been off from the deep perimeter and part of that is the tempo Cleveland is forcing. Golden State is 12-4 to the Under in this year's playoff action and Cleveland home games are 13-3 to the Under when facing very good teams, those that average at least six more points per game than they allow. I'm playing the Under between the Warriors & Cavs, my NBA Finals Total GOY. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Cavaliers on Sunday night. The Cavs looked primed to win Game-1, but ran out of steam in OT and lost Kyrie Irving, who's out for the remainder of the series. This means everyone on the Cavs picks up the slack for at least one game, including LeBron James. JR Smith will get more time with the Irving injury. The Cavs will still make the Warriors work on the offensive end and there's nothing wrong with Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov, who'll look to continue to work the offensive glass. At this point, with the Irving injury, Cleveland is not going to win this series. But I expect an all-out effort that I believe will lead to a very close game and a Cavs cover on Sunday. Despite the tough loss in Game-1, the Cavs are still on a 13-3 ATS run against Western Conf teams. You're 40-14 ATS playing against favorites who're leading in a playoff series, provided they're playing .750 or better basketball, against an opponent playing .600 to .750 basketball. I'm grabbing the points with the Cavaliers, my Smackdown release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night. This could be a lengthy series and we may look to play the other side in future games, but I do believe there will be a bit of an adjustment in store for the Cavs in Game-1. Cleveland has faced Atlanta, Chicago, and Boston to get to the Finals and none of those teams even come close to the efficiency of Golden State at both ends of the floor. The Warriors efficiency marks put them in the class of past elite level NBA teams. Klay Thompson is expected to be cleared to play and he finally began to find his shot in the late stages of the series with Houston. GST can play bigger than Atlanta, which means less second chances for the Cavs, but they will also go small at times and do so better than anyone in the league with Draymond Green at the "five." I truly believe Game-1 will be a night of adjustments for the Cavaliers. I'm laying the points with Golden State, my Thursday Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Golden State on Wednesday night. I had the Rockets on these pages in Game 4 and we cashed an easy one. I expect another wide-margin decision tonight, but this time with the Warriors ending on top. James Harden had a huge night leading his team last time out, but it was a case of a team that got on a roll right out of the blocks and never letting up. Houston nailed 57% of their FGA, including 17-of-32, 53% of their 3-pointers. And if that wasn't enough, the Rockets outscored the Warriors 25-7 at the FT line. It could have been worse if not for Houston missing 18-of-43 FTA, thanks to horrible results from Josh Smith and Dwight Howard. The Warriors have bounced back well off of bad defensive performances, entering this one on a 24-9-1 ATS run after allowing more than 125 points. And NBA favorites are on a 26-9 ATS run if they lost their previous game as road chalk, provided their opponent won by double digits as an underdog in their most recent game. Steph Curry is probable tonight and I expect the league MVP to lead his team to a win and in the process, a cover for us. The Warriors are my Tapout on Wednesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Cavaliers on Wednesday night. The first item to note is that Kyrie Irving says he won't miss a playoff game despite his injuries. Irving at 80-90% is better than most guards in the league...we'll take it. A couple of the main reasons we're backing the Cavs, Tristan Thompson has made a huge difference filling-in for Kevin Love. Once Thompson was moved into the starting five, his presence freed-up LeBron to play the "3" which means he starts the offense from the deep perimeter, a big advantage for the Cavaliers. Atlanta's DeMarre Carroll draws the defensive assignment of guarding LeBron and that's a positive for the Cavs. The more Carroll has to worry about his defensive game, the more it could draw away from his work at the other end and Carroll has been Atlanta's leading scorer in the postseason. Another problem for the Hawks, everyone outside of Carroll & Al Horford are struggling with their shot, including Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver, who're both making less than 40% of their FGA. I also like the way Timofey Mozgov has "perfected" the offensive tipout on the glass. He's facing a smallish frontline and should be able to give his offense second and third chances at times, giving Cleveland a new shot-clock on occasion, wearing on the Hawks. Atlanta has covered just two of their last seven at home. Cleveland is a short dog tonight and underdogs are on a 49-26 ATS run if they outscore their opponents by at least three ppg and are facing a team off a win by three or less. I expect a Cavalier win and Cleveland is my Game 1 Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers on Tuesday night. Cleveland is a different team since starting Tristan Thompson...at least on the offensive end. LeBron is able to start the offense from the "3" spot, which means he's able to handle the ball on the deep perimeter rather than playing the "4." The shift allows the Cavs to open things up a bit more and nothing wrong with James handling the basketball as much as possible. Defensively, the Cavs will face a Bulls' team that's a bit banged-up. Pau Gasol (hamstring) is listed as doubtful and if he plays he's much less than 100 percent healthy. Taj Gibson is listed as questionable with a sore knee. The Bulls were already limited with Joakim Noah doing little on the offensive end. This puts the onus of the offense even more on the shoulders of Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler. This also plays into an advantage for the Cavaliers. The last two games have been decided in the closing seconds, but I believe tonight's will resemble Cleveland's 15-point win in Game 2. I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers, my Tapout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night. We're 2-1 in this series thus far, including one of our biggest releases in the playoffs on Memphis in their Game 2 win at Golden State. Games 2 & 3 have been rather close and the contest could have been closer a couple nights ago if Klay Thompson doesn't come up short at the FT line at a key moment in the game. The Splash Brothers have been unable to control the tempo in the last two games, thanks to the return of Mike Conley. And the Warriors have not been able to solve Tony Allen's defense. Toss in the interior offensive games of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph and winning by margin on the road is going to be a tough task for the Warriors. I believe this one goes to the wire, which makes more than two baskets worth taking. Golden State has covered just 2 of their last 10 games, overall. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11, and 5-0-1 ATS in their last six at home. I'm grabbing the points with the Memphis Grizzlies, my Monday Blockbuster. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Cavaliers on Sunday. The Cavs trail two games to one after Derrick Rose banked a winning buzzer beater last time out. Cleveland has yet to drop two straight in the playoffs and in fact, the last time they lost two in a row when it mattered was the first week of March. We saw LeBron take offensive matters into his own hands in Game 2 after falling down one game to none. James began running the offense from the deep perimeter and everything fell together in a 106-91 win. I expect more of the same in this one. And when LeBron creates, the Bulls tended to get back on their heels, which also effects them on the offensive end. Kyrie Irving is listed as probable. If he plays - great. If he doesn't play, it means we get more of LeBron. Either way, I'm fine with the situation. The Cavs are on a 4-0 ATS run after failing to cover a game. I'm backing the Cavaliers, my Sunday NBA Slam Dunk! Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Warriors on Saturday night. Golden State was caught flat-footed when Mike Conley returned for Memphis in Game 2. We were not flat-footed as we released Memphis...a Tapout, one of our biggest plays so far this postseason. Having to pay attention on the defensive end, the Splash Brothers simply couldn't find their shot on the offensive end. I expect a bounce back in this one. The Warriors have dropped two straight just four times this season and I expect a return to form with their perimeter shooting. The teams haven't played since Tuesday and the Warriors are on a 6-0 ATS run when playing with at least three days off between games. We should also note that NBA teams in revenge of an upset loss as a double digit favorite are on a 62-32 ATS run. Most importantly, the Warriors have now had a decent amount of time to adjust to Conley being back at the point and to shore things up in the paint. I'm laying the points with Golden State, my NBA Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Houston Rockets on Friday. Chris Paul is listed as questionable at the time of this release. While I'm backing Houston whether the star guard plays or not, at least late Thursday evening, reports are coming in that Paul has not yet begun to run, which has led some on the scene to state that he's more doubtful for Game 3 than he is questionable. Home floor has meant little to the Clippers and their first two playoff opponents this postseason and I expect more of the same tonight. The Clips are 1-8 ATS in their last nine home games and they're on a 0-9 ATS slide in postseason Game 3 matchups. Changing venues has not agreed with them, at least at the book. The Clips must contend with Dwight Howard, who's playing his best basketball since his days in Orlando. Trevor Ariza hit his stride last time out and the Clippers are having to rely too much on Austin Rivers. Add in a poor shooting Jamal Crawford and Blake Griffin is being asked to carry this team all by himself if Paul doesn't play or plays with limited minutes. All this and I haven't even mentioned James Harden! The number is high in my opinion and I'm grabbing the points with the Rockets, my Friday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Grizzlies on Tuesday night. We had Golden State on Sunday and we cashed the ticket. Memphis didn't have Mike Conley and it looks like he will be sidelined again tonight. But changes are being made in his absence. Nick Calathes will likely watch Courtney Lee run the point for the Grizzlies tonight. Calathes filled-in for Conley on Sunday, but he was simply out-classed. Calathes finished the game with no points and three turnovers in about 20 minutes of running the point. Lee should provide an instant upgrade directing the offensive attack. Plus, the opposing defender will also have to worry about Lee's shot, which is something Golden State did not have to think about two nights ago when facing Calathes. As good as the Warriors have been, they have not been covering at home where they have cashed just one time in their last six games. And NBA underdogs are on a 37-12 ATS run when trailing in a playoff series, provided they're playing between .600 & .750 basketball on the entire season and the favorite is playing at least .750 basketball. I'm taking the points with the Grizzlies, my Tapout on Tuesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer. 

I'm playing the Over between the Bulls & Cavs on Monday night. No J.R. Smith and no Kevin Love tonight for the Cavaliers. Instead of slowing this team down on the offensive end, I expect the short-handed situation to light the fire under LeBron James. Every game matters so much that James will understand he must take over on the offensive end. At the other end of the floor, I don't believe Cleveland will be able to hold the backcourt tandem of Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose in-check. I also expect Chicago's "bigs" to do damage against the short-handed Cavaliers. The total originally came down a tad and we're going the other way. I'm playing the Over between the Bulls & Cavaliers, my Total Dominator on Monday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Golden State on Sunday. Mike Conley will be in attendance on Sunday, but likely won't play in Game 1. Whether he plays or not, this is a tough task at hand for the Grizzlies. You must be able to defend the deep perimeter when you face Golden State and Memphis is below average defending the 3-point shot, ranked 18th in the league. Some will expect rustiness to be on display because the Warriors have been off for several days. But well rested teams normally play well in the postseason. Golden State is a perfect 5-0, 100% ATS when playing with at least three days rest. In fact, they're a perfect 7-0, 100% ATS at home this season when playing no more than six games over a 14 day span, outscoring their opponents by an average of 118-97. I'm laying the points with the Warriors, my Sunday Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Brooklyn Nets on Friday. Hawks' offensive efficiency ratings have dropped off from where they were not all that long ago. The Hawks never made a move before the trade deadline to get a "big," to help out at both ends of the floor. We thought it would hurt their chances for a deep playoff run and shortly before the postseason began we thought they may have some trouble against a Nets' team that does have a big body inside in Brook Lopez. It's a matchup problem for Atlanta, especially when you consider their bumps and bruises and the loss of Thabo Sefalosha. Atlanta won Game 5 by a 107-97 final score, but the final hardly told the story. The Hawks led by a 97-95 score with 1:40 to go in the game and their bench was outscored 41-16. Yes, the Nets had a chance to win despite Brook Lopez playing his worst basketball of the series down the stretch and despite just two players scoring over the final 9+ minutes of game time. I expect a bounce back tonight, leading to a Game 7. The Nets enter on a 7-1-1 ATS run off a SU loss, while the Hawks are on a 1-6-1 ATS slide in their last eight games. I'm taking the points with Brooklyn, my Friday night KNOCKOUT. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Clippers on Thursday. While San Antonio holds the 3-2 lead, this series has been about as close as it gets. Both teams won a game by a comfortable margin, but the other three have been close. In fact, the Clippers could have won last time out if not for a correctly called offensive goal-tending call on DeAndre Jordan. If the shot goes in, the Clippers would have held the lead with less than five seconds to go in the contest. That's how close LAC came to winning Game-5, despite getting outscored 33-3 from the 3-point line. The Clippers will look to do what they did in Game-4, which is to play at a faster tempo, giving Chris Paul his best chance at a big game. The Clips enter on a 12-3-1 ATS run on the road, while the underdog has cashed 13 of the last 17 meetings. And for what it's worth, the average margin in more than 240 playoff games coached by Gregg Popovich is less than 4 ppg. I'm doing what I did last time the teams met at this venue, I'm taking the points with the Clippers, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Grizzlies on Wednesday. This one could resemble last night's Houston win over Dallas. Portland staved off elimination last time out, but now Memphis has a chance to wrap things up on their home court. Memphis won't have Mike Conley and that's a concern moving forward, but they should not miss him tonight. Even with the Portland win the other night, the Grizzlies are still 7-1 SU against the Blazers this season. And we should note they actually led Portland by 10 points in the fourth quarter of Game 4. Marc Gasol took his teammates to task for "blowing" a chance at the series sweep. But the fact is, despite not having Conley, the Blazers don't match up well with Gasol or Courtney Lee. The Blazers are on a 0-6 ATS slide on the road, while the Grizzlies are on a 15-5 ATS run as a home favorite of less than 6 1/2 points. Memphis has covered five straight at home against Portland. I'm laying the points with the Grizzlies, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Spurs on Tuesday. The Clippers evened the series with a 114-105 win on Sunday in San Antonio. The series moves back to Los Angeles on Tuesday, but as I thought before the series began, home court isn't going to mean a lot in this matchup. Blake Griffin has even stated that Staples Center does not provide the Clippers a strong home advantage. His team is just 1-6 ATS in their last seven home games. And after outplaying the Spurs in Game-4, I doubt the Clippers will enjoy another huge night out of Austin Rivers. Look for the Spurs to capture the road underdog win -- San Antonio is my Tuesday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Houston as the Rockets look to close out their series in four games. After losing by 10 points and 12 points in Houston, Dallas looked to save their series chances and played their tails off on Friday, even shooting better than 50 percent from the field, but still fell two-points short in a 130-128 loss at home. The Rockets have now scored 130, 111, and 118 points in the first three games, averaging nearly 90 FGA per game, completely controlling the tempo. I expect Dallas to be "game" when the contest tips off, but I also expect Houston to take care of business down the stretch. James Harden made just 9-of-28 shots and scored just 48 points combined through the first two games. But when needed in Game 3, Harden kicked it up a notch, scoring 42 points. Dwight Howard has been a man-possessed in this series, grabbing 26 rebounds last game, after scoring 28 points with 12 rebounds in Game 2. The Mavs simply don't have an answer for either player. Houston enters on a 7-0 ATS run in opening round NBA playoff action, while the Mavs have failed to cover four straight. The Rockets are also on a 4-0 ATS run in the last four meetings, for a combined 15-0 ATS mark. I'm laying the points with the Rockets on Sunday, my NBA Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Clippers on Friday. I have nothing but respect for one of the greatest franchises of all time. But I'm not quite "buying" the Spurs based off of one fortunate win. Tim Duncan and Patty Mills brought their "A" game to be sure. But the bottom line - if DeAndre Jordan was even a mediocre FT shooter or if Blake Griffin takes care of the basketball with less than one minute to go in the fourth quarter, the Clippers are up 2-0 as the series shifts to San Antonio. The Spurs have more problems with Tony Parker's latest injury and he is questionable on Friday. Knowing Parker, he'll likely give it his best shot, but he's far from 100 percent healthy. The better starting five belongs to the Clippers and tonight I expect them to take care of business. The Clippers are on a 12-3-1 ATS run on the road, while the Spurs have covered just two of their last nine quarterfinal games. I'm grabbing the points with the LA Clippers, my Tapout G.O.M. on Friday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Nets on Wednesday night. The Brooklyn Nets have had a couple of days to work on a couple of issues and I expect a supreme effort tonight. The Nets know a couple of tweaks to the system and they could have won Game 1 in Atlanta. Despite a subpar game from Joe Johnson the Nets were within four points of the Hawks with just over a minute to go in the game. The rest of the starting five shot well and played well for the most part. Tonight, the Nets will take the ball inside against a banged-up Al Horford (probable) and I expect more success on the interior. I also expect more chances for Brook Lopez on the offensive end after making 6-of-7 shots in Game 1. Lopez and Thaddeus Young both finished with double-doubles, but the Nets couldn't overcome a 5-of-20 night from beyond the arc. The Nets enter on a 12-3 ATS run against teams playing better than .600 basketball and the road team is on a 6-1 ATS run between these teams. I'm taking the points with the Nets, my DogPound release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Raptors on Tuesday. The Wizards threw a wrench into the system in Game-1, playing Paul Pierce at the "4" and it disrupted the Raptors for most of the game, including the decisive OT period. But the element of surprise is gone and while Washington says they'll continue to play Pierce at the "4" - the Raptors have now seen it and can make adjustments. Playing with just one "big" on the floor, Pierce was able to draw defenders and spread the court a bit for Bradley Beal and John Wall. I don't believe this will work two games in a row. Washington is just 4-13-1 ATS when playing with two days rest. They're also on a 5-16 ATS slide against uptempo teams, those that average at least 83 FGA per game. Look for Toronto to bounce back on Tuesday. I'm laying the points with the Raptors, my Tuesday KO. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Pelicans on Monday night. Tyreke Evans only played 12 minutes in Game-1 and may not play tonight (knee) but the Pelicans have two players to fill the void. Eric Gordon will get more playing time as will Jrue Holiday. Anthony Davis proved once again that he's one of the top players in the league and he also proved that Golden State doesn't own the defender to slow him down, scoring 35 points in the Game-1 loss. New Orleans enters on a 17-8 ATS run against teams playing better than .600 basketball, while the Warriors enter on a 0-4 ATS slide, always laying a premium. We'll grab the big points with the Pelicans on Monday, my Slam Dunk release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers on Sunday. A rarity took place yesterday when a double digit dog, (Pelicans), covered a playoff spread. Before that double digit dogs in opening round action had covered just 29 of the last 70+ chances. I expect things to return to normal after Golden State saw much of their 20+ point third quarter lead fade away. Celtics coach Brad Stevens has done a tremendous job with mediocre talent - and his team has no Anthony Davis to single-handedly cover a point-spread when his team is over-matched. I expect Cleveland to take care of business, reestablishing their superiority in game-1. I say "reestablish" because Boston whipped the Cavaliers twice down the stretch to solidify their playoff spot. But the Cavs had many of their key players sitting the bench in the fourth quarter of the first meeting and four starters, including LeBron James didn't play in the second late-season meeting. Much different results this time and I'm laying the points with the Cavaliers, my Sunday Slam Dunk. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Golden State Warriors on Saturday afternoon. New Orleans beat out OKC for the final spot in the Western Conference playoffs. Their reward is a date with the best team in the NBA. While New Orleans spoke about a goal of making the postseason, the Warriors' goal is to win an NBA title. In fact, after wrapping up the final spot, Anthony Davis said, "we've reached our goal." I expect it to take a game for the Pelicans to adjust to postseason play. They don't have solid defenders on the deep perimeter and that spells doom against the Warriors. Golden State enters on a 26-13 ATS run at home, averaging 113 ppg in the 39 outings. Meanwhile the Pelicans have dropped five straight ATS on the road. I'm laying the points with the Warriors, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Suns & Spurs on Sunday. These teams have met three times this season and all three meetings finished easily below today's total. The Spurs have been sound on the defensive end during their current run, holding their last 10 opponents to 90.2 ppg. Take their two games against high scoring Houston out of the mix and that number drops to 87.6 ppg in their other eight outings. The Suns have hit a rough patch on the offensive end, averaging just 88.1 ppg in their last eight games and they have failed to top 75 points in two of their last three. San Antone enters on an 18-6 Under run against Western Conference teams and we expect more of the same tonight. I'm playing the Under between the Suns & Spurs on Sunday night, my Total Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night. The Hawks received bad news when it was revealed that Thabo Sefalosha has been lost for the season with a broken leg suffered during the scuffle in New York when he and Pero Antic were arrested the other night. While that may be cause for concern in the postseason, the Hawks are all about the team, with several contributors, and even if they rest a couple of plays...or limit minutes, they have more than enough to get over this number against a struggling Charlotte squad. The Hornets are now 3 games out of the Eastern Conference playoffs with 4 games to go...they're all but done. Charlotte is a banged-up basketball team and they're running into a Hawks' team that has won and covered 3 straight games. In fact, 5 of the Hawks' last 6 wins have come by double digits. I expect more of the same tonight. Atlanta is 5-0 ATS at home against teams with a losing road record. They're on a 41-20-1 ATS run, overall, and the home team is on a 4-0 ATS run in this series. I'm laying the points with the Hawks, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Golden State on Thursday night. The Warriors rode a 12-game winning streak into San Antonio on April 5, but not only got blown out by the Spurs, but then lost a second straight game when New Orleans beat them 103-100. We had the Spurs and won in rather easy fashion. That loss could very well put a seed of doubt in the minds of the Warriors. Add in the so-so second half in the loss to the Pelicans and I believe the Warriors will be ready and focused for tonight's contest...a get back on track type of approach. Coach Steve Kerr mentioned his team was sluggish over the final two quarters on Tuesday. Steph Curry talked about the fact they weren't ready for New Orleans' desperation over the final 24 minutes. While the Warriors are looking to stay healthy, their top six players are still getting a decent amount of minutes. Curry, Green, and Thompson all topped 30 minutes on Tuesday and Andrew Bogut even played 28 minutes. And now off of back-to-back losses, I expect GST to play with a bit of urgency as they look to regain a bit of that season-long swagger, which makes this game more important than it would have been if they had at least split the last two games. Portland will "bring it" as they are playing for home floor in early round postseason action. But the Warriors are on a 13-3 ATS run as home chalk of 6 1/2 to 12 points this season, winning by an average margin of 14 ppg. And when backing teams with a winning record, you're 33-10 ATS going against NBA road dogs of 3 1/2 to 9 1/2 points, provided those teams are playing between .600-.750 basketball and are off a divisional win by at least 20 points (Portland is off a 25 point win over Minnesota). I'm laying the points with the Warriors as they look to extend their ATS dominance to 15-4 at home over the Blazers. Golden State is my Western Conf Tapout GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night. Big win for the Pelicans last night and they have pulled ahead of OKC by 1/2 a game for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. I suspect that lead will be short-lived. Memphis is off a loss to Washington and they lost in their most recent matchup with New Orleans. The home loss to the Wizards last time out was especially ugly as they made just 6.7 percent of their 3-pointers. Yes, Memphis made just 1 of 15 treys in the nine-point loss. Grizzlies' coach Dave Joerger told media his team is treating tonight's game with great importance. Joerger said they'll approach this like a "mini-playoff prep, to get us in our mindset as we are getting ready for the playoffs." I expect a big bounce back for Memphis whether Zach Randolph (questionable) plays or not. Memphis is on a 34-19 ATS run as home chalk of 6 or less. I'm laying the points with the Grizzlies, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Spurs & Thunder on Tuesday night. We had San Antonio on Sunday and cashed an easy one when they sent a clear message to the Golden State Warriors. The Spurs were on-fire throughout, making 53 percent of their FGA. The red-hot shooting was a carry-over from their previous game when they made 55 percent of their FGA, including 14 made 3-pointers. Some may feel the Thunder will be hard-pressed to slow down the Spurs. After all, OKC has left something to be desired on the defensive end. But if they want to land a spot in the postseason, attempting to outscore their opponents is not the way to go. The Thunder are barely holding onto the final spot in the Western Conference, leading New Orleans by just 1/2 a game. Playing fast-paced basketball and forgetting to play defense has led to recent losses. I expect the Thunder to focus on the defensive end tonight. Meanwhile, the Spurs have taken care of business against good offenses, those scoring at least 103 ppg, allowing just 96 ppg, while scoring 101 ppg the last 21 times. San Antone has played 37 road games this season and they and their "hosts" have combined to average just 194 ppg. The Spurs are also on an 11-2 Under run on the road following three straight wins by more than 10 points, the situation they're in tonight. Finally, OKC is on a 14-2 Under run as a home dog 3 1/2 to 6 points, combining their "guests" to score 180 ppg. Those spots combine for a 25-4 mark. I'm playing the Under between the Spurs & Thunder, my Situational Total of the Month! Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Sunday. Golden State may be leading the Western Conference, but they have not won in San Antonio in over 18 years. The thing is, I don't believe their motivation is as strong as the Spurs in this one. Golden State owns the top spot in the West as we inch to the postseason and now lead the Hawks by 6 games with 6 to go for overall best record. One more win or an Atlanta loss and the Warriors wrap it up, so it's just a matter of when. Golden State hasn't been resting players for an entire game much, but they have been watching minutes and I expect more of that tonight. The Spurs have won and covered 6 straight games. They're 9-1 SU/ATS in their last 10 and they have won 16 of their last 19 since late February. San Antone has made no secret that they'd like to continue to move up in the West. They're currently in 6th, but just a 1/2 game behind the 5th place Clippers. And finishing in 5th could mean a date with the Blazers in the playoffs, rather than the Grizzlies. San Antone will be motivated tonight and had last night off, while the Warriors played on Saturday. Besides their 6-0 ATS run, the Spurs are 16-7 ATS in their last 23 at home against Golden State. While these Warriors are much better than most of the editions that have lost in San Antone, we still believe it's a great spot for the Spurs. I'm laying the points with San Antonio on Sunday, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Grizzlies on Friday night. After facing three title contenders in a row, (losing all three), the Memphis Grizzlies bounced back with a 14-point win over Sacramento last time out. Tonight, the Grizzlies get a chance at revenge for a 16-point loss to OKC. Memphis lost 105-89 in their most recent meeting with the Thunder, a night when Kevin Durant scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Obviously, Durant has since been lost for the season and OKC has been struggling of late, dropping three of their last four games. The Thunder have been leaving a lot to be desired on the defensive end where they have allowed 115 points or more in six of their last nine games. Serge Ibaka's absence has certainly added to their woes and he remains sidelined with a knee injury. The Thunder have covered just 6 of their last 20 on the road against teams playing better than .600 basketball at home. The home team has covered four straight in this series. One final note: Zach Randolph (elbow) is expected to play tonight. I'm laying the points with the Grizzlies, my Friday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Thunder on Wednesday night. OKC is battling to hang onto the final spot in the Western Conference playoff standings, 2 1/2 games ahead of New Orleans. There's little room for slippage and the Thunder can also gain another game on Dallas, pulling within 2 games of 7th with a win tonight. Dallas has dropped four of five games and continues to look sluggish, while winning just 6 of their last 15 games. Monta Ellis may return, but if he does he's still not expected to be 100 percent healthy, suffering from a calf injury. OKC enters on a healthy 17-7 SU run, despite not having Kevin Durant on the floor. Durant will miss the rest of the season, but Russell Westbrook has taken the lead role and should thrive in tonight's matchup situation. OKC is on a 5-1 ATS run at home, while the Mavericks enter on a 0-8 ATS slide on the road. In fact, Dallas has covered just 9 of their last 36 games against Western Conference opposition. I'm laying the points with the Thunder, my Wednesday night KNOCKOUT. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night. Jeff Teague is likely to miss his third straight game (ankle) and the Hawks are 1-1 without him. I don't believe his absence will be a problem against an out-manned Milwaukee squad. The Hawks are off a 115-100 loss to Charlotte, a night where they played little defense. But Atlanta has been "money" in this spot, going 10-3 ATS following their last 13 SU losses, including a 6-1 ATS mark if the loss came by more than 10 points. Milwaukee has won just two of their last nine games and have allowed 109 ppg in their last six outings. The Bucks should provide the Hawks with "just what the doctor ordered." I'm laying the points with Atlanta, my Monday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Tuesday. San Antonio has overtaken the Mavericks for 6th in the Western Conference standings and now they can begin to solidify the position. The Spurs have won three straight games and 10 of their last 12 (9-3 ATS) since a 4-game losing streak came to an end on February 27. We had the Spurs that night and cashed the ticket when the beat Sacramento and we believe they're in for another relatively wide-margin win against Dallas. San Antone has made a habit of winning in March. In fact, they're on a 20-6 ATS March run this year and last combined, outscoring the 26 opponents by an average of 113-98. They'll face a Mavericks' squad that's once again struggling, losing two in a row heading into Tuesday. Dallas has had their troubles on the defensive end where they have allowed over 108 ppg in their last six outings. The Mavs are on an 8-24-2 ATS slide against Western Conference opposition and they're on a 0-5 ATS slide when playing on one day of rest. They have also covered just 5 of the last 19 against teams with a winning record, allowing over 105 ppg. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, my Tuesday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Houston Rockets on Monday night. Houston is coming off an ugly 15-point home loss to Phoenix last time out. Houston has been "money" this season following a double-digit loss, going 10-2 SU & ATS. They out-scored the opposition by an average of 108-99 in those 12 games. Tonight, they'll face a struggling Indiana team that's dropped five straight games outright and have covered just one of their last six games. Paul George may return tonight, the rumor mill has been busy saying George may return sometime this week. We don't care whether he plays or not in this one. James Harden scored 45 points in a 110-98 win over Indiana in January and he's likely to be unstoppable again tonight, especially with Rockets off the loss to Phoenix. Indiana enters on a 0-4 ATS slide at home and we'll go against them again tonight. I'm backing the Houston Rockets, my Road Warrior on Monday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night. After a 33-point loss to Cleveland, their fifth loss in seven games, Amare Stroudemire took on a bit of a leadership role. The newest member of the Mavericks basically told his new teammates it was time to get it together and right the ship. Stoudemire challenged his team saying there was too much goofing around in practice and even in games. The team responded with a focused effort on Friday night leading to a 129-99 win over the Clippers. I'm betting the newly found focus lasts more than one game. Dallas will be well rested with a feeling of getting back on track tonight when they host short-handed Oklahoma City, fresh off a game last night against Chicago. Kevin Durant is still out and Serge Ibaka is listed as questionable. While Ibaka may play, he is suffering from a sore knee. OKC has also been a solid go-against in tonight's spot, covering just five of their last 20 road games against teams with a winning home record. Meanwhile, Dallas has been a momentum team, covering four of their last five after winning a game by more than 10 points. I expect another win and cover for the Mavs tonight. I'm laying the points with Dallas, my Monday Night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night. Last night we jumped on a struggling Toronto Raptors squad in need of a win and they got it, covering the number for us along the way. Brooklyn is also struggling, having dropped five straight games, both SU & ATS. There probably won't be a ton of public takers at the books in Las Vegas today, but we will. Yes, Philadelphia won last night, a 114-107 victory over Sacramento, and yes, they have won two of their last three games. But the 76ers exerted a lot of energy, coming back from an 18 point third quarter deficit in the Friday night win. I expect them to be ripe for the picking tonight. The road has been kind to Nets' backers. Brooklyn enters on a 24-7 ATS run on the road following at least two straight ATS losses and they're on a 30-17 ATS run on the road following a road loss over the last two seasons. Big game for the Nets as their playoff chances are in need of a shot in the arm. I'm laying the points with the Nets, my Tapout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Raptors as they look to snap a personal 16-game losing streak to the Miami Heat. A big chunk of that came against Heat teams with LeBron James and a healthy Chris Bosh. And yes, the Raptors have been mired in a slump. But we should note that Toronto has not had the luxury of playing in the same venue two games in a row since before the all-star break. Some of their recent road games came at San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Dallas, New Orleans, Houston, and Atlanta. It certainly has not been an easy slate since the break. They have played just two home games in their last 11 outings, and the two homers came against Cleveland and Golden State. Tonight marks a drop in level of competition and I believe Toronto will snap the skid. The Heat head into this one on a 17-35-2 ATS slide off a SU win. And we should note that Dwane Casey teams are 12-2 ATS at home off of at least four straight losses. I'm laying the points with the Raptors on Friday, my Knockout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Tuesday night. Tim Duncan failed to make a FG in Sunday's win over Chicago. It marked the first time Duncan has failed to do so in his entire career. Having said that, the Spurs won 116-105 anyway, and Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard have both broken out of their slumps. Toronto, meanwhile, have not played two straight games in the same venue since February 11. Eight of their 10 post-all-star break games have been played on the road and they're just 1-8 SU (2-7 ATS) since breating Atlanta on February 20. But the Raptors have dealt with some bumps and bruises and they have allowed over 108 ppg over their last six contests. Now throw in a chance for the Spurs to gain a measure of revenge for an 87-82 loss in early February, and we have a play on the home chalk. The Spurs have won five straight (covering four) with three of the wins coming in March. San Antonio is now on a 15-4 ATS run this March and last, out-scoring their 19 opponents by an average of 112-95. San Antone is heating up. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, my Tuesday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Grizzlies on Monday night. The Chicago Bulls return home off a 0-2 road trip. Losing Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler is truly hamstringing this team. Last night, in a 116-105 loss at San Antonio, the Bulls committed 22 turnovers. The task will remain tough even though they're back home tonight. Memphis enters with a 20-11 SU road record on th e season and will look to atone for a poor performance in a loss to New Orleans on Saturday. Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph had a rare bad night on the offensive end, but I expect a bounce back against an out-manned Bulls' team. Memphis is on a 5-0-1 ATS run against teams that have won more than 60 percent of their games, while the road team has covered four straight in the series. More of the same. I'm laying the points with the Grizzlies, my Monday Night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. This marks the third straight game we have backed Denver and so far we're 2-0 SU/ATS. Nugget players abandoned Brian Shaw a long time ago and the organization finally cut Shaw loose. The Nuggets have gone from just wanting the season to come to an end, to having fun and it's shown on the scoreboard. Kenneth Faried has really taken to the new-found freedom, scoring 32 points, grabbing 28 rebounds, and blocking 4 shots in the first two games of the post-Shaw-era. San Antonio has also played better of late winning three straight games, although two came against the Kings. Thanks to their recent margins of victory, the line is rather high. We'll take advantage, betting that Denver continues their inspired play and gives the Spurs all they can handle. Denver enters on a 9-2 ATS run in San Antonio, while the Spurs have covered just 5 of their last 17 games. I'm taking the points with the Nuggets, my Friday Night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Denver on Wednesday night. The Nuggets are in day-two of the post Brian Shaw-era and the players are in a great mood. The wheels came off months ago when Shaw (rightly or wrongly) publicly accused his team of losing games on purpose to sabotage his job with the team. He may have been spot-on after the team broke a timeout huddle in recent games, with the chant: "6 more weeks," obviously, referring to the time remaining in the regular season. Shaw had completely lost the respect of the Nugget players. But Shaw didn't operate the correct game plan in Denver. Coaches who have had success with this organization have attempted to run opponents out of the arena, taking full advantage of the altitude. Shaw decided to ignore this advantage, a move that signaled a short stay. Last night, the Nuggets won at home and tonight we'll back them on the road in Minnesota. The T-Wolves have lost three straight games and 14 of their last 20, and they have won just 8 of 31 home games this season. Tonight, in order to cover, the T-Wolves not only need what would be a rare home win, but would need to do so by nearly four buckets, something they have done just twice in almost three months (since mid-December). We'll grab the points with the Denver Nuggets, my Tapout Shocker. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer. 

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Friday night. There comes a time when even the best go through gut-check time and I believe this is one of those times for the Spurs. After four straight losses, San Antone takes on a team they should find beatable, obviously, but it won't happen without focus. A four game losing streak gets one focused and there's no doubt in my mind the effort will be there. I like the hiring of George Karl in Sacramento. But his team is over-matched and the Spurs are likely to be in an ornery mood. Sacto has won twice under Karl, including a win over a weak Boston entry and they caught Memphis in a very tough spot for the visitor. The Grizzlies were off three straight road games against the Clippers, Blazers, and Thunder. Looking past the Kings, as Tony Allen admitted his team did, was easy to do and Sacramento caught a break. The Spurs will look past no one at this point. The Kings enter on a 0-6 ATS slide off one day of rest, while the Spurs enter on a 6-2 ATS run in their last eight in Sacramento. Nice bounce back spot for the road team and I'm betting they take care of business. DeMarcus Cousins is expected to miss tonight's game (ankle) as is Darren Collison. But whether Cousins plays or not, we'll lay the points with the Spurs, my Tapout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Monday night. I went against San Antonio on Friday and we cashed rather easily with Golden State. But I expect the Spurs to be in an ornery mood when they take on the Jazz on Monday. The Spurs have dropped their first two games after the break and are now 2 1/2 games behind the Clippers & Mavericks, sitting in 7th in the Western Conference with OKC nipping at their heels. They had two days off after the loss to the Warriors and can take some hope regarding Kawhi Leonard who may have broken out of a slump with a 5-of-7 night. The Spurs also won't have to worry about a barrage of 3-pointers like they faced on Friday; Utah ranks 20th in 3-point accuracy overall, and they're even worse at home where they make just over 32% of their 3-point attempts. Besides looking to avoid a 3-game losing streak, the Spurs will be on high-alert again, just as they were when these teams met in January. You'll remember San Antone lost the first matchup of the season to Utah, but rebounded with a dominating 89-69 win last month. I expect more of the same in this one. The Spurs are 11-1 ATS on the road against weak home teams, those winning just 25% to 40% of their games, averaging 110 ppg, while allowing just 93 ppg. Meanwhile, NBA road favorites are on a 27-7 ATS run against home teams off a cover by at least 18 points, provided they own the same win percentage already mentioned. And finally, the Jazz have covered just one of their last eight following two days of rest. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, my Monday NBA Blockbuster. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Warriors on Friday night. Before the break, Steph Curry mentioned that his team was worn out, that the break was coming at the perfect time. He also mentioned his team would come out blazing after having a few days off to regroup. Besides being well-rested, while the Spurs played a barn-burner last night, the Warriors have the motivation of revenge, losing 113-100 to the Spurs at home in November. Curry, Klay Thompson, and Harrison Barnes made 25-of-47 FGs in the game, but the rest of the team made just 13 FGs on the night. And after 25 home games, the loss remains just one of two on the season for the Warriors. The Spurs enter just 14-13 on the road, Duncan and Parker both saw intense minutes last night, and Kawhi Leonard has been ice cold from the field over the last few days. The Spurs are on a 2-8-1 ATS slide overall, and they're 0-5 ATS on the road against teams with a home win percentage above .600. Golden State is on a 15-4-2 ATS run at home against teams with a winning road record. We'll back the Warriors, my Blockbuster Game of the Month. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. Houston played in Phoenix last night, but while the Clippers had Tuesday off, they're in a much tougher spot than the Rockets. By now, you know that Blake Griffin is sidelined by a staph infection in his elbow having undergone surgery on Monday. The last time these teams met, Griffin scored 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 17-point November win. But November was a lifetime ago. Besides the fact Griffin is out, the Clippers are coming home off an 8-game, 13-day road trip, a situation tough enough even if the Clips were at full strength. And take a look at some of the teams they faced on the road: Dallas, Oklahoma City, Toronto, Cleveland, the Spurs, and the Pelicans. LAC did win the final roadie in Dallas, thanks to Chris Paul's 25 points and 13 assists, along with DeAndre Jordan's 22 points and 27 rebounds. That's going to be tough to duplicate and combined with the Clippers mediocre play on the defensive end, they'll be hard-pressed to stay in this game, in my opinion. Houston has clamped down on the defensive end, going 5-1 ATS after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game, which is the case here. Meanwhile, the Clippers have covered just 7 of their last 27 against teams that scored at least 100 points in their previous game. And finally, the Clips are on a 0-6 ATS slide on one day of rest. I'm grabbing the points with the Houston Rockets, my Tapout GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. The Rockets beat the Suns with a buzzer beater last time the teams met, one of four buzzer beater losses for the Suns this season. But they have a chance to exact some revenge and I believe they will, following a loss to Sacramento last time out. The Suns expect to have their leading scorer back in the lineup tonight and they certainly missed Eric Bledsoe last time out. With Bledsoe back on the floor, they can get back to playing the type of basketball that has Phoenix averaging 105.7 ppg, 5th highest in the league. I don't believe Houston will be able to keep up. Dwight Howard remains sidelined and the Rockets are not one of the better shooting teams in the NBA. Phoenix fits a winning 46-19 ATS situation playing on home teams with a +3/-3 line range, provided the home team averages at least 103 ppg and the opponent is coming in off a double-digit loss. Houston is off an 11-point loss to Portland and fits the bill. I'm backing the Phoenix Suns, my Slam Dunk. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Chicago Bulls for the second straight night. Chicago crushed New Orleans by 35 points on Saturday and the minutes were spread out quite a bit, so little chance anyone is fatigued. Toss in the fact they have played just five games since January 26 and the Bulls will be ready to with a chance to exact revenge for an embarrassing defensive performance when these teams met last month. Orlando beat the Bulls 121-114 in the Windy City, making 48-of-81, 59.3% of their shots. Life hasn't been so great for the Magic since beating the Bulls and the Rockets on back-to-back nights, winning just one of their last 11 games and on a 0-4 ATS losing streak against fellow Eastern Conference opponents. As mentioned earlier, the Bulls didn't expend a lot of energy last night. No less than 10 players saw double-digits in minutes played and just one player saw more than 29 minutes of action. We should note that NBA teams are 52-25 ATS if they're a road favorite looking to avenge a home loss and are well rested, having played just five games in the 14 days. Chicago fits the bill and with motivation from the ugly loss last month, I'll back them here. I'm laying the points with the Bulls, my NBA Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night. Memphis has been crushing teams in the paint on the offensive end, while clamping down on defense and the formula has led to a current 8-game winning streak and overall, a 37-12 mark and a first place spot in the ultra-tough Southwest Division. The good news for Memphis tonight is that Minnesota is one of the worst teams in the league, as reported, in points in the paint allowed. The T-Wolves allow roughly 47 ppg inside. This is a matchup nightmare for Minnesota, who is beginning to get a little healthier, but may still not get Shabazz Muhammad back tonight. Even if he returns, the T-Wolves are still not match underneath on the defensive end. Minnesota would love to exact revenge for this season's earlier meeting, but they have covered just 3 of 17 in revenge of a road loss this season, on the wrong end of an average score of 105-93 in the 17 tilts. And you're 37-12 going against poor defensive NBA teams, those that allow at least 103 ppg on the season if they're off a win by 3 points or less. I'm laying the points with the Grizzlies, my Mismatch on Friday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Wizards on Wednesday. I went against the Hawks a couple of nights ago when their 19-game winning streak came to an end. But as I stated in the write-up, you could see it coming. Atlanta has now looked sluggish in three straight games, including the blowout loss to New Orleans and their 91-85 win over the 76ers, a game that was tied with 90-seconds to go in regulation. Besides the fact ATL is going through a little low-point (relatively speaking) they are off that long winning streak and many times you'll see teams struggle in the game after a lengthy winning streak comes to an end. Washington will be looking to snap a 3-game skid with better play on the defensive end tonight. They're also coming in with serious motivation after getting crushed 120-89 by Atlanta in January. Washington is on an 11-2 ATS run the last two season when playing with revenge, provided the opponent scored at least 110 points in that particular game. They have also been outstanding on the road off at least three straight losses, posting a 17-5 ATS mark under the direction of Randy Wittman. I'm taking the points with the Wizards, my Southeast Division GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points on Friday night. The Boston Celtics have shown signs of life recently, but they didn't end their road trip well and now return home off of a 6-game, 10-day trip and had just one day off in-between. It's a spot I won't play blindly, but will look to play when other factors back it up, and in this case, we have plenty of reasons to back the road team. Besides playing their first game back after a long trip, the Celtics will have to deal with a Houston Rockets' squad aiming for their fourth straight win. Houston has beaten the teams they're "supposed to," currently on an 11-1 ATS run against teams with a losing record. Boston certainly is that. The Celtics are on a 0-5 ATS slide at home against teams playing better than .600 basketball on the road. The chalk has been the way to go in this series, covering six straight and Houston has won the last three meetings by an average score of 106-89. I expect more of the same tonight. I'm laying the points with the Houston Rockets even if Dwight Howard sits this one out. Houston is my Friday night Main Event. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Raptors for the second straight night.  We won last night when Toronto beat the Pacers 104-91 and tonight's they'll shoot for their fourth straight win.  We mentioned yesterday that the Raptors are in a nice spot, a chance at a serious surge, especially with DeMar DeRozan getting back on track.  The Raptors' forward has scored 25 and 24 points in the last two games on 15-of-29 shooting.  I also stated yesterday that Toronto wins the games they're "supposed to" win when all hands are on deck and they backed that statement up against Indiana.  Tonight, they'll face a Kings' squad that can't shoot from the deep perimeter and can't stop teams at the other end, allowing over 104 ppg on the season, ranked 26th in points allowed per game.  In fact, Sacto has allowed 100 points or more in 15 of their last 19 games and they're 2-8 SU (3-7 ATS) in their last 10 at Air Canada Centre.  The Kings are on a 1-10-1 ATS slide against Eastern Conference opposition, while the Raptors enter on a 7-1 ATS run when playing in the second of back-to-back nights.  I'm laying the points with Toronto, my Wednesday Wipeout!  Thanks & GL!  Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Raptors on Tuesday night. It's been a tough season for Indiana right from the start. Heck, even before the start when you consider they lost Paul George for the season about 2 1/2 months before it began. They enter with a 16-30 SU mark, overall, including 8-11 at home. They're in a league-wide tough situation tonight, playing their first home game following a 5-game, 9-day road trip and with just one day off between the final road game and tonight's contest. Indiana won the road trip finale, but they have covered just 14 of their last 45 following a SU win. They're also on a 2-8 ATS slide, overall. Toronto will aim for a three-game winning streak with a win tonight. We're also getting the Raptors at the right time with DeMar DeRozan breaking out of a slump last time out, scoring 25 points on 8-of-14 shooting in a win over Detroit. The Raptors have been just fine against fellow Eastern Conference opponents, currently on a 20-8 SU run and they have won 19 of their last 23 against teams with a losing record. They win the games they're "supposed to" and I expect that trend to continue tonight. Toronto is on a 5-0 ATS run at Indiana, while the Pacers enter on a 0-7 ATS slide in same season revenge. Toronto won a December meeting 106-94 at home and I expect another win and cover tonight. I'm laying the points with the Raptors, my Road Warrior. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. I look for the Suns to bounce back in the win column after having their 4-game winning streak snapped on Friday night, a 113-111 loss to Houston. While the Suns lost, the Clippers exploded for a 39-point win over Brooklyn. The Clips have fattened-up against bottom feeders in their last three games and the number has been adjusted too much in their favor, in my opinion. The Suns will also be looking to snap a 5-game skid against the Clippers. The losing streak should have ended in their meeting on December 8 when Phoenix had LAC in the cross hairs in Los Angeles in the closing 30-seconds before collapsing and losing 121-120 in OT. We should note that Isaiah Thomas missed that game and he has been a huge contributor for the Suns, averaging over 15 ppg this season and scoring 22 or more in each of his last three games. Thomas is also good for 4 apg...reaching that number in each of his last five games. LAC enters on a 1-6 ATS slide on the road, while Phoenix is 52-25-2 when playing on one day of rest. I'm backing the Suns plus the points, my Late Release Slammer. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer. 

I'm taking the points with the OKC Thunder on Friday night. Believe it or not, this marks just the third true playoff contending team from the Western Conference to visit Atlanta this entire season. Atlanta beat the first two, including a hard-fought 107-104 win over the Clippers and a 96-86 win over Memphis, a game that was anyone's to win and tied at 76 more than halfway through the fourth quarter. When healthy and focused OKC is at the very least on par with both of those teams. In fact, I have the Thunder slightly ahead of the Clippers & Grizzlies in my ratings when all hands are on deck as they are tonight. OKC won and covered each of their last four games, including a 127-115 win over the best team in the NBA, the Golden State Warriors. The Thunder have not shot well in their last two games, yet still finished in the win column on the road against Washington & Miami. I'm a believer when it comes to Atlanta sustaining their strong play throughout the season. However, we must note that they have played one of the five softest schedules in the league. I do believe they don't matchup quite so well with the Thunder, who will make the Hawks work for every shot. OKC ranks 2nd in the NBA in FG percentage allowed, 6th against the trey, and they allow just 98.6 ppg. The Thunder are 62-38 ATS as an underdog of 3 1/2 to 9 1/2 points under Scotty Brooks. They're on a 10-1 ATS run in Atlanta and the Thunder are 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven against Eastern Conference Opposition. I'm grabbing the points with OKC, my Slam Dunk Shocker. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night. When the Bucks win, they do so impressively, at least of late. Milwaukee's last seven SU wins have all come by double digits, including a 107-77 win over the 35-8 Atlanta Hawks. The Bucks won the seven games by an average final score of 99-82. They'll enter tonight's contest off a 3-point loss to Toronto, but on a 22-5-1 ATS run off a SU loss. They're also an Eastern Conference team that has been "money" against teams from the Western Conference, going 20-8 ATS the last 28 times. Tonight, they'll welcome one of the weaker Western teams when the Jazz roll into town. Utah is off a 14-point loss in Cleveland, never truly threatening in the game, falling behind 31-20 after one quarter of play. The Jazz beat the Lakers 94-85 on January 16, but in five losses surrounding the victory, the Jazz were outscored by an average of 13 ppg. They allowed the Bucks to score 109 points or more in its last two trips to Milwaukee and the Bucks are on a 15-5 SU run at home against teams with a losing record. I expect Milwaukee to handle the Jazz again. I'm laying the points with the Bucks, my Thursday Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Toronto Raptors on Friday night. We have sided with the Hawks quite often this season, either on these pages or on my ESPN radio show. And while they're a true contender and on a 10-0 SU/ATS run, the line value lies with the home team tonight. DeMar DeRozan is back from injury and will be make his second start in 2015 and just his 17th appearance this season. DeRozan returned in Toronto's 100-84 win over Philadelphia, playing 28+ minutes and scoring 20 points. Having the 6'7 guard puts the Raptors right back in the mix in the Eastern Conference, he's such a tough matchup for the opposition. Toronto was 12-9 SU when he was sidelined this season, but they're 14-3 SU when DeRozan is in the lineup. Toronto won the first two meetings of the season, winning 109-102 at home and 126-115 in Atlanta. DeRozan scored 15 points and grabbed 11 boards in the home win and tallied 27 points on 50% shooting in the 11-point victory in Atlanta. Besides the fact he's back and played well in the win in November, the other important note from the game is that Toronto was laying 3 1/2 points on the road and they're now laying just 1 1/2 points at home. The line has caught up with the Hawks and we'll look to go against them in this one. Toronto has lost its last two ATS and they're 37-18 ATS when dropping at least two straight with Dwane Casey as coach. The home team enters on a 5-1 ATS run in the series, losing only when ATL fell short as mentioned earlier. With DeRozan back I believe we'll see the Raptors gain their third win in three tries over the Hawks this season and I'm backing Toronto, my Friday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Bulls on Wednesday night. Chicago is coming off a very ugly, un-Chicago-like performance last time out. The Bulls gave up 121 points in a 7-point home loss to the Orlando Magic, allowing 63 points in the first half alone. Chicago normally bounces back from a bad defensive performance under defensively sound coach Tom Thibodeau. His squad is 17-5 ATS after allowing at least 60 points in the first half of their previous game, giving up just 91.8 ppg in those 22 outings. In fact, in 56 games following a home loss under Thibodeau, the Bulls have allowed just 89.6 ppg the next time out. I expect a major clamp down on the defensive end in this one, taking on a Washington team that's off a big win last night over the Spurs. We should note that the Wizards are 0-4 ATS when playing in the second of back-to-back nights. I'm laying the points with the Bulls, my Situational Smackdown Game of the Month. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Dallas on Tuesday night. The Mavericks have lost two straight games twice this season prior to their current two-game skid. They have not lost three in a row this season and I don't believe they'll start tonight. I have nothing but respect for the way DeMarcus Cousins is playing and for his new-found positive attitude. Rudy Gay has had some high turnover games, but has played well for the most part. But the Kings are in the wrong spot tonight. Dallas has been "money" in several categories involved in tonight's contest. To start, they're 48-20 ATS off a SU loss, including a 27-9 ATS run following a loss by more than 10 points. They have also taken 19 of the last 21 meetings with Sacramento (outright). While the Kings have had their spots this season, they enter on a 0-5 SU/ATS slide against teams playing better than .600 basketball and Dallas fits the bill. The Kings still need to beef-up the supporting cast and their lack of overall talent should show up tonight. I'm laying the points with Dallas, my Tuesday night KO! Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Pistons on Friday night. We have been on Detroit a few times during their current 7-0 SU/ATS run and we'll ride the streak again. No reason to go into detail again, other than to note that since the Pistons dumped Josh Smith, several key players have been able to spread their wings and soar. Brandon Jennings is scoring nearly 23 ppg in their last four outings. Big time post players, Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond have been playing extremely well averaging nearly 28 ppg & 23 rpg combined, and both players have averaged double-doubles over the last seven games. As a team, the Pistons were 5-23 before the winning streak began, averaging 94.4 ppg on just 41.3% shooting. During the 7-0 run, Detroit is averaging 108 ppg on better than 48% shooting. Their offensive efficiency and defensive efficiency are both top-5 in the league since Smith was given his walking papers, as opposed to 28th & 24th, respectively, through their first 28 games. Tonight's game is a big matchup against an Eastern Conference under the radar contender. But over the last seven games, no one is playing better than the Pistons and we'll back them yet again. Stan Van Gundy-coached teams are 46-27 ATS off an upset win as an underdog and I'm betting the winning will continue. I'm grabbing the points with the Pistons, my Friday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Hornets & Raptors on Thursday night. This total has come down a 1/2-point to a point in most books at the time of this post, but it hasn't come down enough. This has been an under series with the low cashing 11-5-1 in their last 17 meetings in Toronto. We've seen three straight Overs collect in Charlotte games, but the total has been over-adjusted thanks to the home team tonight. The Hornets have played to totals of 198 1/2 or less for nine straight games. In fact, the last time a total was posted 200 or higher for a Charlotte game, the contest stayed Under by eight points in a game against Denver on December 22. Toronto, meanwhile is talking about picking it up on the defensive end after allowing a whopping amount of points in their last two games. After three days off to prepare, I believe Dwayne Casey's troops will get the memo and clamp down with more focus on the defensive end than they have shown of late. We have the data that shows what they do after allowing a lot of points. Toronto is 19-7 to the Under at home if they allowed at least 110 points in each of their previous two games. I'm expecting more of the same in this one and I'm playing the Under between the Hornets & Raptors on Thursday, my Total Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Pistons on Sunday. We have been backing Detroit since coach Stan Van Gundy gave Josh Smith his walking papers and switched back to a more traditional lineup. There's not a lot more that we can say about the move and results than we already have over their last couple of games. The Pistons have been winning by wide margins and can capture their first 5-game winning streak in five seasons with a win tonight. "We are playing with more energy, playing harder, more inspired and together," Van Gundy told reporters about the streak. Meanwhile, Sacramento continues to struggle having won just 3 of their last 12 SU and going 0-9-2 ATS in their last 11. Detroit is on a 6-1 ATS run in the series and I expect them to win their fifth straight SU/ATS, overall. I backed the Pistons on these pages on Friday and we won in blowout fashion. I'm laying the points again with the Pistons and they are my Sunday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Washington on Monday night. Tough spot for the Rockets who played last night and didn't go too deep on the bench. Houston lost by four to the Spurs, despite making nearly half their shots. But an 18-for-31 night at the FT line did them in. The problem for Houston in this one is that all five starters played more than 31 intense minutes of basketball. Only two bench players saw more than 16 minutes of action. Besides last night's contest, the Rockets played at Memphis on December 26, while taking on Portland and Atlanta in two games prior to the match with the Grizzlies. Here comes Washington, just one more tough opponent in a matter of 10 days. Washington enters on a 7-1 ATS road run against teams with a winning home record. The road team is 12-4 ATS the last 16 times in this series and the Wizards have covered five of six in Houston. It's simply a bad spot for the Rockets and we'll back the road team. I'm grabbing the points with the Wizards, my Monday Night Mismatch. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Washington Wizards on Thursday morning. Please note, normal write-ups return beginning with Friday's reports. As far as today's Main Event, Washington has dropped two straight following a 19-6 start to the season. But after losing to Phoenix and Chicago, the Wizards have found the perfect foil to get back into the win column. The New York Knicks have won just 5 of their first 30 games, losing five in a row heading into Thursday, while losing 15 of their last 16, overall. The Knicks have covered just 3 of 15 as an underdog of less than six to a favorite. Meanwhile, the Wizards are 21-8 ATS on the road off a home loss under Randy Wittman. They're also on a 4-0 SU/ATS run in head-to-head meetings with the Knicks, including a 15-point win in this season's first meeting, also in New York. I expect more of the same on Thursday. I'm laying the points with the Washington Wizards, my Main Event. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Rockets on Monday night. Portland is a busy team and will run into a Houston team getting to full strength and looking to atone for a postseason loss to the Blazers. Portland will be playing their third road game in four nights when this one tips off with another road game on Tuesday night in OKC. The Blazers beat San Antone to kick off the busy stretch, winning 129-119 in triple-OT. Three starters saw more than 49 minutes of playing time on Friday. Portland then came back two nights ago and showed no signs of fatigue in a blowout win over New Orleans. But I expect the situation to catch up with them here. Houston expects to have guards Alexey Shved and Corey Brewer available tonight, acquiring the two in a trade last week. Brewer should provide an instant upgrade on the defensive end. While it would be nice to have the two on the floor, we don't need them for this to be a play. Dwight Howard and James Harden will be in uniform and both are playing at a high level. Harden always does and Howard is looking for his 5th straight double-double. Bottom line: Houston has had this once circled, while Portland could be gassed. The Blazers have covered just 4 of 14 against teams playing better than .600 basketball, while Houston is on a 9-2 ATS run at home against teams playing better than .600 basketball on the road. We should note that the Rockets are also on a 4-0 ATS run in this series. I'm laying the points with the Rockets, my Main Event. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Oklahoma City on Thursday night. The Golden State Warriors are in a couple of tough spots tonight. They have been traveling quite a bit, playing 10 of their last 13 games on the road, including three straight. They're also off a 105-98 loss in Memphis, snapping their 16-game winning streak. I won't be surprised if the Warriors take a game to get back on track and that would mean a second straight loss tonight. One of the 16 wins came against the Thunder, but neither Kevin Durant nor Russell Westbrook played in the 91-86 Golden State win. Tonight offers the now healthy Thunder a chance to prove to everyone, most importantly themselves, that they are one of the teams to beat in the Western Conference. And again, I believe they're catching the Warriors at the right time. The dog is on a 4-0 ATS run in this series. OKC is on a 10-2-1 ATS run against Western Conference opponents, and they are on a 5-0 ATS run off a SU win. I'm grabbing the points withy Oklahoma City, my Thursday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night. I won with the Bulls on these pages yesterday, but they're in a tough matchup spot tonight. The Bulls didn't have a lot of depth of late due to injuries and seven players saw over 20 minutes of action in Sunday's win over Miami. While they might get Noah and Snell back on Monday, I don't believe they matchup well with the balanced attack of the Atlanta Hawks. Mike Budenholzer, a Gregg Popovich disciple has done a fantastic job with this squad and they have won and covered each of their last two following a SU loss, doing so by an average of 9.5 ppg. We should also note that the Bulls have covered just 4 of their last 15 matchups against teams with a winning record. It all adds up to a play on the Hawks, minus the points, my Monday Mismatch. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Thunder on Friday night. OKC played last night, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were without LeBron James. While they played just 24 hours ago, the minutes were spread around. In fact, 10 Thunder players saw at least 18 minutes of playing time. It shouldn't be a problem staying focused. OKC understands that at 9-13 SU and in 12th in the ultra-tough Western Conference, there aren't any "nights off" for the time being. Scotty Brooks' squad is playing a fierce brand of basketball on the defensive end where they're ranked 3rd in ppg allowed and in 3-point defense, and 2nd in FG percentage allowed. It's all bad news for the T-Wolves, who due to injuries are playing bench players as starters and some who would normally be inactive are forced to come off the bench. Minnesota is off a rare win last time out, but they're 3-14 SU and 4-12-1 ATS in their last 17 games, overall. They're also 0-3 SU/ATS and losing by an average score of 113-96 following their last three SU wins. I believe we'll see OKC bring their "A-game," which should lead to a double-digit win. I'm laying the points with the Thunder, my Friday night Knockout GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with OKC on Friday night. The Thunder welcomed Kevin Durant back to the floor last time out and while he was put on a 30-minute limitation, he still scored 27 points. OKC didn't win, however, as they had to get their rhythm back with their leader returning to the squad for the first time this season. The Thunder enter with a 5-13 record and know they have to start stringing together wins if they wish to make the playoffs in the Western Conference. Tonight, they get "just what the doctor ordered" facing a 76ers' squad that finally got off the schneid with a win over Minnesota. I not only expect a bit of a letdown from the Sixers, but I also expect a wide margin win from the Thunder. Those who have followed me in the NBA already know one of my favorite situations is backing the Thunder off a SU loss under Scotty Brooks. OKC is 61-31 ATS off a loss as a favorite, including a 28-12 ATS mark when that loss came on the road. With Durant back, I expect things to begin to return to normal for Oklahoma City. I'm laying the points with the Thunder, my Situational Smackdown GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Miami Heat on Wednesday. Miami had won three of four before getting blasted by the Wizards two nights ago. But they have had a day to regroup and have the extra motivation of revenge after getting whipped 114-103 by the Hawks on November 14. Miami did not have Dwyane Wade for that one and the guard is back on the hardwood for tonight's contest after having played each of the last two games. Atlanta exerted a lot of energy last night, coming back from a 66-50 halftime deficit to beat Boston 109-105. It took a big-time close by the Hawks, including a 9-point advantage in the fourth quarter to overcome the struggling Celtics. I like the job Mike Budenholzer is doing in Atlanta, but this is a tough spot. We should also note that Miami is on a 20-8 ATS run at home against Atlanta, while the Hawks are 10-21-1 ATS after allowing 100 or more points in their previous game. Their defensive shortcomings aren't remedied in quick fashion when the Hawks have an "off" game. I'm laying the points with the Miami Heat, my Wednesday Wipeout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Toronto on Sunday night. The Raptors are off to a tremendous, 13-3 start in 2014, but lost 106-102 to Dallas last time out. Toronto was dealt another loss in the game when DeMar DeRozan suffered a groin injury. He's not expected to play on Sunday, but we're okay with that short-term. DeRozan is the team's leading scorer, averaging about 1 ppg more than Kyle Lowry. While it would be a detriment if Toronto loses DeRozan long-term, tonight I expect the Raptors to pick up the slack, keeping them focused against the struggling Lakers. Los Angeles is a mess, (the understatement of the month), and when listening to the players post-game interviews after a Friday night home loss to Minnesota, you got the picture that most of them are not thrilled with Byron Scott. I didn't like the hiring of Scott (416-521 record) in the first place. After all, look at the teams he has been employed by before landing in Los Angeles (New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers). Most of those seasons were pretty lean and he has been "canned" more than once. This year's Lakers are 23rd & 28th in FG percentage and 3-point accuracy, while ranking 28th or worse in 3-point defense, FG percentage defense, and points allowed per game. The Lakers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven home games against teams with a winning road record, while Toronto is on a 20-6-2 ATS run off a SU loss. I'm laying the points with the Raptors, my NBA Tapout GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night. The Nuggets played last night and beat the Chicago Bulls, 114-109. But I'm not backing off them tonight. The Nuggets are on a 4-0-1 ATS run and they're now getting too many points, in my opinion, due in part to the situation. But I believe it's the Suns who're in the tougher spot. Phoenix is off a 6-game, 10-day road trip and they have been horrible in this situation. The Suns are 0-8 ATS at home off a road trip of at least seven days. And while teams and coaches change, for what it's worth, the Suns were installed as just a 1 1/2 point favorite both times they hosted the Nuggets last season. Both teams are surging right now. Phoenix just wrapped-up an impressive 4-2 road trip, while Denver has won five straight. The best thing about this one, we don't need Denver to pull the outright upset to cash. The line is big...and we'll grab the points with Denver, our DogPound release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with Dallas on Friday. The Laker win streak ends at two, in my opinion. Kobe Bryant may have a partner-in-crime in Nick Young, but the teams they played to gain the two wins had as much to do with the wins as the Lakers, themselves, did. Dallas will prove too tough on the perimeter and on the defensive end where they won't disappear like the Rockets did for stretches of game time. The Mavs swept the 3-game set with the Lakers last season, by an average margin of nearly 15 ppg. I expect more of the same. Dallas enters on a 41-19 ATS run against teams with a losing record and they're 19-7 ATS in their last 26, overall, while the favorite in this series is on a perfect 4-0 ATS run. I'm laying the points with Dallas on Friday night, my KO release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the LA Clippers on Saturday night. LAC has been off since losing to the Spurs on Monday night, plenty of time to get things together after a sluggish 4-3 start (0-7 ATS). They have also had the time to deal with Blake Griffin's off-court legal issues and that shouldn't be a distraction when the ball is tossed in the air. Obviously, LAC owns the talent to challenge in the West, but their shots haven't been falling. I expect a change tonight. The Suns are 24th in the league in ppg allowed and they're off a 103-95 home loss to Charlotte. The Suns led by 14 points after the first quarter, but scored just 20 points over the final 12 minutes of the game, while allowing 29. Phoenix has not defended the 3-point line well, ranked 21st in the league and Charlotte nailed 44% of their treys last night. I believe the Suns and the four days off are just what the Clippers need to put together a win by margin. LAC is on a 14-4 ATS run off an upset loss as a favorite, outscoring the 18 opponents by 12 ppg. I'm laying the points with the Clippers, my Saturday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Suns & Lakers on Tuesday night. Most who have followed me in the NBA over the last several years know when it comes to totals I like to wait for what I believe are over-adjustments, especially when the point totals in those team's games don't meet the type of basketball they have been playing. Check out the metrics and you'll find that both teams play to a pace that would normally produce lower scores than we have seen thus far, yet now we're seeing adjusted point totals. In fact, when these teams met last week, the posted total was 208. Tonight's total opened 7 points higher and we look to take advantage of the adjustment. Both teams are off poor defensive performances with Utah allowing 119 points last time out, while the Lakers gave up 127 to Golden State. But Utah had allowed just 89 and 99 points in their first two games and they're on an 8-2-2 Under run after allowing at least 100 points. Meanwhile, as bad as the Lakers have been of late, they have bounce-back well off a bad defensive performance, going 4-0 to the Under following a game where they allowed at least 125 points. I believe we'll see a better defensive effort from both teams tonight and I'm playing the Under, my Total Dominator. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Clippers on Monday night. LAC was tremendous at home off a loss last season and that's the situation they're in tonight. And with Doc Rivers as coach, the Clippers are 14-3 ATS off an upset loss as a favorite, averaging over 111 ppg in those 17 outings. Jamal Crawford is doubtful tonight (DNP last game), but Chris Paul is expected to play and I believe we'll see a focused effort after the ugly loss to Sacramento. Utah won big last time out, but got shredded by Dallas & Houston to start the season, giving up 224 combined points in the process. I expect the Jazz to struggle trying to hold the Clippers in-check. LAC won all three meetings last season and have taken nine straight in the series. Interestingly enough, LAC was a 12 1/2 and a 15 point favorite at home last season. We're getting value in this one and we'll look to take advantage. I'm laying the points with the Clippers, my Monday Slam Dunk. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. Tough spot for the Rockets tonight. There's no doubt they wanted to whip the Lakers last night for several reasons, and they did. Besides the team spot, it's also a situation I like to play early in the season. Teams starting the season on the road for their second straight game have not fared well against teams opening up at home. It's an angle I was made aware of a while back and have played ever since. As far as the Jazz are concerned, the team got off to a horrible start last season and they never recovered, loaded with plenty of inexperience. They upgraded at the top bringing in Quin Snyder and showing Ty Corbin the door. Snyder will make this a better team, at least schematically, right off the bat. The Jazz will play at a quicker pace under Snyder and they'll also "play with the pass" as GM Dennis Lindsey calls it. Snyder-coached teams are known for dishing out assists and creating shots...a definite change from what we saw in Salt Lake City under Corbin. The Rockets covered just 3 of their last 16 off a SU win by 15 points or more and let's not forget that despite their horrible start to last season, the Jazz did beat the Rockets 109-103 in early December as a home underdog. We'll back them in this one. I'm grabbing the points with the Jazz, my Wednesday Wipeout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Heat & Spurs on Sunday. It's an elimination game for the two-time defending champions and I expect to see intensity on high for this one. Let's not forget that while the Spurs have put up historic efficiency numbers at times in this series, Miami did hold San Antonio to 96 points in their Game 2 win in San Antonio, and had held the Spurs to 80 points with 8:33 to go in the fourth quarter of Game 1 (on par to score 97 points) before LeBron first left the game with massive cramping issues. It also wouldn't surprise us to see some lineup changes on Sunday with Udonis Haslem possibly getting more minutes, which would certainly help out on the defensive interior. The Under is on a 7-1 run when the Heat play on two days rest and 7-0 to the Under off a loss by 15 or more points (2-0 in this series). I'm playing the Under between the Heat & Spurs, my Tapout Total. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.