I'm laying the points with the Miami Heat on Thursday night. There's a lot of panic in the voice of some Miami fans, but how quickly many have forgotten they were down 2-1 in last year's finals after suffering a 113-77 loss to the Spurs in Game 3. LeBron James put the team on his shoulders and the Heat won three of the final four games to win the NBA title. I expect Miami to be focused and intense right from the opening tip tonight after getting out-scored in the first quarter in each of the first three games in the NBA Finals. Gregg Popovich started Boris Diaw over Tiago Splitter in Game 3 and the Spurs spread Miami all over the floor when San Antone had possession of the basketball. The chess match falls back in the hands of Erik Spoelstra tonight. I expect Miami to defend the deep perimeter with extreme prejudice, while also forcing the Spurs out of the paint. Miami has to believe they won't get beat if the Spurs aren't draining 3-pointers or scoring from under the basket. And like last year's Game 4, I expect the changes to produce a winning result for Miami...and a cover. The Heat, as most know by now, have won 13 straight games following a SU playoff loss. They followed last year's Game 3 blowout loss with a blowout win of their own (109-93). And as we head into tonight's game, neither team has won and covered two straight games in last year's or this year's NBA Finals. I expect more of the same and I'm laying the points with Miami, my Thursday Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Spurs, my Tapout release on Tuesday. We haven't seen any lengthy series in Finals rematches that went seven games the previous postseason, but this one has all the makings of a long series. We had San Antone in Game 1 and came back with Miami in Game 2. We'll never know how the series opener would have turned out if not for LeBron James' cramping. But we did say in our Game 2 analysis that all of the negative attention James received for "cramp-gate" would likely serve to "poke the bear." And it did. James came out a man possessed on Sunday night and scored 35 points on 14-of-22 shooting, while grabbing 10 rebounds. As a team, Miami made 53% of their shots, while the Spurs made just 44% of their FGA and made just 12-of-20 free throws. Missed free throws (2 each by Parker and Duncan) while looking to stretch a lead in the fourth quarter could have made the difference in the game for San Antone. But the missed chances were just part of a sluggish fourth quarter for the home team. It's no surprise that a missed opportunity here or there decides the winner between these two teams. The Heat now own a slight 5-4 SU edge in NBA Finals action against the Spurs since last postseason with the edge coming by three points in OT of last year's Game 6. These teams are about as evenly matched as it gets. Neither team owns two straight wins and covers in the 2013 & 2014 Finals, combined. I expect the trend to continue. Under Gregg Popovich, the Spurs are 25-12 ATS when tied in a playoff series, out-scoring those 37 opponents by an average of 97-90. The Spurs are 14-4 ATS off a home loss the last two seasons, winning by an average score of 108-95. And putting the myth of an aging team to rest, the Spurs are on an 8-2 ATS run when playing on one day rest. I'm taking the points with the Spurs, my Game 3 Tapout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Miami Heat on Sunday. Miami is on a 12-0 SU run off postseason loss since the 2012 playoffs and understand the significance of falling behind 2-0 in this series. They also understand they need a more focused effort from start to finish. Erik Spoelstra has said on numerous occasions that his team wins basketball games when Mario Chalmers plays at a high level. Besides the LeBron cramping issue in Game 1, the negative no one mentions is that Chalmers was whistled for five personal fouls in just 13 minutes of game time. Chalmers never got into a rhythm and never had a chance to get involved in the flow of the game. Obviously, the most important issue was the severe cramps that drove James from the game. LeBron had already stopped attacking on the offensive end before leaving the game in the fourth quarter. At the time, the Heat led the Spurs, outright. He came back a few minutes later, but for only a matter of seconds. And with James sidelined, the Spurs pulled away to the win. A healthy James and Game 1 was a 50-50 affair. In fact, Miami led 88-84 with 6 1/2 minutes to go in the game before the Spurs ended on a 26-7 run with James on the bench. LeBron is expected to be fine with two days off between games and I believe the situation in Game 1, the barrage by media and fans alike will simply have "poked the bear." I look for a big game out of James, which means a big game out of Wade & Bosh, also likely. Miami is on a 4-0 ATS run off a SU loss and they're on a 23-9 ATS run off a loss by more than 10 points. Meanwhile, the Spurs have covered just 3 of their last 10 with two days rest between games. And finally, Miami has out-scored their opponents by an average of 101-91 the last 40 times in same season revenge. I'm grabbing the points with the Miami Heat, my Sunday Night Tapout! Thanks & Good Luck! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Thursday night. Tony Parker is expected to play in Game 1 and obviously, if he is suffering from injuries, this will likely be the spot when he's his healthiest after having a few days off between games. SAS has had their problems at times with athletic and quick teams, but the changes made in Games 5 & 6 against OKC will make this an even better team against Miami. No longer will the Spurs wait to share Tiago Splitter's time with Boris Diaw, giving the Spurs a desired "stretch-4" and forcing at least one of Miami's "bigs" to the perimeter on the defensive end, while spreading the floor. We also have LeBron's kryptonite in the form of Kawhi Leonard, who has done as good a job as anyone in the league when it comes to defending the Miami superstar. I believe the Spurs will be as intense as it gets looking to hold serve at home. San Antone enters on a 7-0 ATS run at home, while the Heat are on a 0-4 ATS slide against Western Conf opposition. I'm laying the points with the Spurs in Game 1, my NBA Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Thunder on Saturday night. There's not a lot to say that I haven't already stated in my daily radio show in Las Vegas. We felt Gregg Popovich would sit Tiago Splitter at the start of Game 5 and give a lot of his minutes to Boris Diaw. While "Pop" sat Splitter, he opened the game with Matt Bonner on the floor, later switching to Diaw. Having "bigs" on the floor who can shoot from the deep perimeter took Serge Ibaka away from the paint, giving SAS a desired stretch-4. Look for Scotty Brooks to make the move tonight by playing Ibaka at center. It's the next move in this chess match and it is the move that I believe will send this series back to San Antonio for a Game 7. OKC has been "money" at home against top level teams, those playing at least .700 basketball, going 17-6 ATS while winning by an average of 7 ppg. They have won by an average margin of 9 ppg the last 38 times they have been at home in revenge. Meanwhile the Spurs have struggled on the road covering just 1 of 7 road playoff games this postseason. And finally, the Thunder are on a 9-0 SU/ATS run at home against the Spurs, winning by an average margin of 11.1 ppg. I'm laying the points with the Thunder, my Saturday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Pacers & Heat on Friday night. While the teams barely went Under the total last time out, the fact is, they combined to score just 183 points despite an Indiana offensive out-burst over the final two quarters of play. Paul George scored 31 of his 37 points after halftime and the Pacers scored 60 second half points. Miami was softer than usual on defense in the second half with LeBron missing a lot of time due to foul trouble, picking up his 5th with 8 1/2 minutes still to go in the third quarter. Indiana scored 37 points through the first 13 1/2 minutes of the second half (all of the third and the first 90-seconds of the fourth). LeBron return with 10 1/2 minutes to go in the game and the Pacers scored a total of just 23 points the rest of the way. We should also note they scored a grand total of 22 points over a 19-plus minute stretch of game time from the end of the first quarter until the 5:30 mark of the third quarter. As far as Miami is concerned, Rashard Lewis "canned" 6-of-9 3-pointers after going 0-for-6 through the first four games of the series. In fact, Lewis had made a total of just 3 treys in the entire postseason before Wednesday night. I expect to see a defensive battle tonight, not unlike Game 2 when we saw the teams combine to score 170 points. Pacer games are 34-15 to the Under this season when the total sits in the 180 to 189.5 range. I'm betting on more of the same. I'm playing the Under, my Total Tapout on Friday night. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Thursday night. By sitting his starters with several minutes left in the third quarter of Game 4, Gregg Popovich has made Game 5 in San Antonio his team's biggest game of the season, for all intents & purposes. While announcers were saying the usual stuff like, "all they have to do is win all their home games and they will advance," the fact of the matter is that if the Spurs don't win Game 5, they may not get back home for a Game 7 after showing an inability to win at Chesapeake Arena for quite some time. After watching the reserves for 15-17 minutes of game time on Tuesday, I expect a rested group of key players for San Antone tonight. I also expect a focused and intense effort at both ends of the floor. San Antonio didn't play well on the defensive end in OKC. They didn't shoot well either and it wasn't due simply to Serge Ibaka. While his presence is a big deal, the fact is, the Spurs made just 14-of-42 uncontested shots in Game 3 and the key players didn't shoot much better in Game 4. I also believe we'll see more of Boris Diaw in Game 5 and less of Tiago Splitter. The reserves showed how it's done in the Spurs' motion offense, now it's time for the starters to show they can get it done also. San Antone is on a 25-11-1 ATS run off a loss by 11 points or more and they're on a 6-0 SU/ATS run at home. They're 8-1 ATS at home against top teams, those out-scoring their opponents by at least 3 ppg. The Spurs out-scored those nine teams by an average of 111-92. I expect the Spurs to "hold serve" and I'm laying the points with San Antonio, my Western Finals Tapout GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Spurs on Tuesday night. Before Game 3 all we heard is that it was time for a change in OKC. That this team was "cooked" and that San Antonio had all but booked their spot in the NBA Finals. Serge Ibaka returned in Game 3, the Thunder played well, the Spurs played terribly, and now much of the talk is about OKC doing to the Spurs the same thing they did two seasons ago -- coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win the series. I'm not buying...at least not by spread-covering margin in Game 4. Yes, Ibaka had a big affect on the game. But one particular website reported that the result in Game 3 had as much to do with San Antonio's futility as anything else. The site reported that the Spurs made just 14 of 42 uncontested shots. Again...UNCONTESTED shots, not those that were defended in the paint or on the perimeter. The Spurs were also on the short side of a 22-0 FT advantage in the third quarter. It was a San Antone meltdown not unlike the Game 2 matchup with Dallas in the opening round, ending in a 113-92 Spurs' loss. It was also a case of OKC crashing the glass with both their "bigs" and their guards. That's not going to work again, in my opinion. If San Antonio brings their "A-Game" tonight, and I expect they will, the Spurs will grab those rebounds leading to odd-man rushes (to steal a hockey term) at the other end. Give Brooks and the Thunder credit. Not only was Ibaka back on the floor, but the Thunder made major adjustments in assuring themselves a strong potential for a better result on the boards. Now it's Popovich's turn to make the next chess move and we already know "Pop" is the "Grandmaster." I'm taking the points with the Spurs and I expect them to extend their run to 7-1 ATS when playing on one day rest. The Spurs are my Tuesday Tapout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Pacers & Heat on Monday night. Game 3 barely eked over the posted total despite the fact the Miami Heat made 10-of-18 3-pointers and 54.4% of their FGA overall, while Indiana made 48% of their FGA. The game was on par for an Under through three quarters-plus, but Ray Allen scored 13 points in the fourth and made 4-of-4 treys. Also, the Heat finished with their highest offensive efficiency in their seven games against the Pacers this season. All that yet the game still finished with a grand total of just 186 combined points. I believe defense will rule tonight's game. Miami has held the Pacers to 87 and 83 points in the last two games, while the Pacers must play better "crunch-time" defense on Monday and I believe they will. Pacer games are 34-14 to the Under when the total is in the 180 to 189.5 range. They're 37-18-1 to the Under when playing with one day of rest and 5-1 Under off a SU loss. I'm playing the Under between the Pacers & Heat, my Monday night Total Dominator. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Spurs & Thunder on Sunday night. There's only one way Oklahoma City can stay with the Spurs and that's if their "big" lineup stays on the floor for long periods of game time. Scotty Brooks has had enough time now to realize this and I expect the Thunder to do their best to keep the Spurs out of the paint as much as possible. This means the Thunder will also be sacrificing on the offensive end, to an extent, because while they need the "bigs" on the defensive end, they're not exactly known for their scoring. Do otherwise and the Thunder are likely to get blown off the floor again. The Thunder have held San Antonio to 90.8 ppg in their last four meetings in OKC (all four went under the total) and I expect another strong defensive effort in this one. The Under is 34-18 the last 52 times in Game 3 of a playoff series if the total is 200 or higher. And we have a 37-12 Under run if the total is in the 200 to 209.5 range, provided the road team is off a win of 15 or more and their "host" is off a loss by at least 15 points. Obviously, that's the case in this one. I'm playing the Under between the Spurs & Thunder on Sunday night. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Pacers & Heat in Saturday's Game 3 tilt in Miami. Tied at one game apiece, tonight's contest becomes huge for both teams and I expect to see a defensive effort not unlike we saw in Game 2. Both teams will pick it up on the defensive end and that means more problems for Indiana in the paint on the offensive end. The Pacers were shut down inside when Chris Anderson was on the floor for the Heat. Indiana made just 29% of their shots in Anderson's 29 minutes of playing time, including 3 of 12 on shots attempted inside five feet from the basket. And let's also remember that it took a terrific fourth quarter from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, combining for 22 points, just for Miami to reach 87 points. As a team, the Heat made 50.7% of their shots, yet again, couldn't reach the 90 point mark. The Under is 10-4 in Indiana's last 14 games, overall, and 5-0 when the Pacers are off a SU loss. Pacer games are also 34-13 to the Under when the total sits in the 180 to 189 1/2 range. I'm playing the Under between the Pacers & Heat, my Total Knockout on Saturday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with Oklahoma City on Wednesday night. San Antonio played as well as a team can in Game 1 and left with a 122-105 win. The Thunder had to have learned in that contest that they can't simply play a small lineup for the majority of the game if they want a chance to beat the Spurs. The Thunder trailed at one point by 15 points then "went big" and fought back to take a 78-77 lead with four minutes to go in the third quarter. Not long after, the Thunder went back to the lineup that struggled so badly throughout the first two quarters and the results were the same throughout the rest of the game. It was all Spurs. I expect to see more of the big lineup on Wednesday and that should lead to a closer, harder-fought game. I also expect to see a less timid Kevin Durant along with more trips down the lane by Russell Westbrook. The Thunder are on a 10-2-1 ATS run against the Spurs. While much of that included Serge Ibaka and he isn't expected to return this season, the fact is, Durant and company knows they can compete with the Spurs. I expect this one to be close to the wire. I'm grabbing the points with the Thunder on Wednesday, my Slam Dunk. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Heat on Tuesday night. The Miami Heat were lazy in Game 1 and Indiana was in attack mode right from the start and the game was never really in doubt in the second half. By being lazy on the defensive end, the Heat kept "reaching" rather than getting in front of their matchups and denying. That led to 37 Indiana free throw attempts and the Pacers finished with a 29-10 advantage in made free throws. Add in 51% shooting, including 8-of-19 from behind the arc and it was "all she wrote." Miami will get busy on the defensive end in this one and while the 3's weren't falling in Game 1, I expect more driving and kick-outs for better looks. It's not a complicated "fix" to write about. It's all about energy on the defensive end and getting tougher on the glass. And by going small again in the playoffs, Chris Bosh was able to hang out on the deep perimeter. But unfortunately for Miami, he couldn't hit a single attempt, going 0-for-5 from beyond the arc. So, here they are again, laying 2 1/2 on the road, however, this time I expect different results. Indiana, by the way, is just 2-11 ATS off a home underdog win under Frank Vogel. They have covered just 8 of their last 35 when playing with one day of rest between games, and finally, Indiana has covered just 3 of their last 18 after scoring 100 or more points in their previous game. I'm laying the points with Miami, my Tuesday Tapout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Heat on Sunday. The good news for Indiana is also the bad news for the Pacers. Frank Vogel's troops captured home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. But while they're on a 5-0 SU/ATS run on the road, the Pacers are just 3-4 SU & 2-5 ATS at home, dropping three straight against the number. This year's Pacers have shown a propensity to get themselves in trouble - and I expect another struggle in this one. The Pacers lost both of this postseason's series openers, losing 101-93 at home to Atlanta and 102-96 at home to Washington. Miami is coming off a few days rest and they have been excellent in this situation currently on a 4-0 ATS run when playing with at least three days off. And LeBron and company will be looking to "steal" home floor advantage for the rest of this series. The Pacers enter just 1-9 ATS at home against teams with a winning record and they have covered just 3 of their last 17 against teams that commit no more than 14 turnovers per game. Miami fits the bill and if they aren't turning the ball over, Indiana won't be getting too many fast break looks. I expect the Pacers to get themselves in trouble again. I'm laying the points with the Heat on Sunday, my Game 1 Sunday Smackdown. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night. It's been an odd couple of months for Indiana, including their Game 5 home loss to Washington last time out. The Pacers had a chance to close out the series, but instead, barely made a game of it and lost 102-79 at home no less. But I'm back on the Pacers in this one. I expect Paul George and Roy Hibbert to get back on track and dominate like they did in Games 3 and 4. In all due respect to the Washington backcourt, the Pacers are clearly the more talented team from top to bottom, but haven't always played that way since the all-star break. I expect full attention on the task at hand and ultimate intensity from the Pacers tonight. Indiana has played well on the road in the postseason entering tonight's game on a 4-0 SU/ATS road run, allowing just 82.8 ppg. They're also on a 13-3 ATS run on the road in revenge of a SU loss, while the Wizards have covered just 6 of their last 23 as home chalk of 3 1/2 to 6 points. I'm taking the points with the Pacers, my Thursday night KNOCKOUT. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Wednesday night. Portland took care of a seemingly disinterested Spurs' squad in Game 4 a couple nights ago. After a horrible third quarter, the Spurs' starters were rested for the most part. In fact, not a single San Antonio player, starter or reserve played more than 27 minutes in Game 4. It was a horrible night from the perimeter for the Spurs with Tony Parker not attempting a 3-pointer, while Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, and Manu Ginobili, combined to make just 1 of 12 treys. Back home and fully rested I expect the Spurs to hand Portland a double-digit loss. After all, it's what they do in this situation. San Antone is 14-3 ATS against teams average no more than 7 steals per game, winning by an average score of 109-94. The Spurs are also on a 61-33 run under Popovich when they're off a double-digit loss as a favorite. It was a great effort by the Blazers in Game 4, but I expect a big win and cover by the Spurs tonight. I'm laying the points with San Antonio, my Tapout on Wednesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs to close out their series in Portland. We felt the best spot to back the Blazers was Game 3, but the matchup situations lie too heavily on the side of San Antonio and they certainly are leaving nothing to chance. The Blazers will obviously start tonight's game with a lot of emotion and intensity, but they won't be able to sustain it over an entire four quarters, in my opinion. The Spurs would love to close things out and get some rest for the veterans and I believe they'll make it happen. There's not a lot to add to what we have already seen. The Spurs' backcourt is getting plenty of quality looks as is the inside game. The bench is ridiculously strong. And the defense being played has been suffocating. No reason to think the Spurs will "take a night off." The Spurs are on a 4-0 ATS run, while the Blazers are on a 0-7 ATS slide against teams with a winning record. I'm backing the Spurs on Monday night, my NBA Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Washington Wizards on Sunday. The basketball world is jumping all over Indiana's two recent performances - and maybe they find a way to win this series and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. But on Sunday, I believe they're going to lose by margin. Indiana made some pick-and-roll changes last time out and the Wizards were confused for a big chunk of game-time, but they've now not only faced it, but have had ample time to adjust to it. Washington also collapsed on the offensive end, scoring just 63 points in the 22-point loss. We have stated a couple of times this playoff season that teams off blowout losses of 20 points or more have been solid play-on playoff teams over the years. Not only do we have that in our favor, but the Pacers have covered just 4 of their last 19 games against teams with a winning record and they're 1-13 ATS in their last 14 against teams that average no more than 14 turnovers per game. Meanwhile, the Wizards are on a 39-19 ATS run in revenge of a home loss under HC Randy Wittman. I'm not buying the Roy Hibbert revival just yet. Two games do not outweigh nearly six weeks of sample size. I'm laying the points with the Wizards, my Eastern Conf Tapout GOM on Sunday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the short points with the Trail Blazers on Saturday. Portland may be down 2-0 in this series, but I don't expect them to lay down for the Spurs. We saw a lot of fight out of Portland in the fourth quarter of Game 2. They were down big at the half, but kept fighting back and got within nine points with about six minutes to go in the game before San Antonio pulled away again at the end. I liked the fight in this team despite LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard combining to make just 14 of 43 shots. But the Blazers are a confident group at home where they're 33-11 SU on the season. While I believe the Spurs will eventually move on to the conference finals, I don't believe they're going to sweep the young and talented Blazers and this is the spot we'll jump in. The Spurs enter on a 0-4 ATS slide on the road, while the Blazers are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 home games against San Antonio. I'm grabbing the points with Portland, our Saturday Slam Dunk. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Clippers on Friday night. I played OKC in Game 2 and cashed our Tapout Game of the Month. But I believe LAC gets back on track by margin tonight. Oklahoma City got a fantastic effort leading to great results from Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant when the two combined for a 23-of-44 night and 63 points. The Thunder made over 50% of their shots, overall, and Thabo Sefalosha and Serge Ibaka played well. But the Clippers looked a bit lethargic to start the game, got a couple of key fouls called against them relatively early-on, and never truly hit their stride. Matt Barnes and Blake Griffin finished with 4 personal fouls, while DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul each committed 5 fouls. The one thing the Clippers can hang their hat on was their bench play. Doc Rivers' reserves out-scored OKC's 33-13 in Game 2, and now own a 71-44 advantage through the first two games of the series. That's going to continue to be a difference maker throughout this series and when you throw in a better, or more normal result from Griffin & Paul, you have a distinct advantage for the Clippers. That's what I expect tonight...a result more like Game 1. The Clippers are on a 20-8 ATS run off a SU loss and they're on a 5-0 ATS run off a loss by more than 10 points. Meanwhile, the Thunder enter on a 2-7-1 ATS slide on the road against teams with a winning record. I'm laying the points with the Clippers, my Friday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Trail Blazers on Thursday night. The playoff-inexperienced Portland Trail Blazers were fresh off the big series win over Houston when they opened round-2 in San Antonio. Portland looked like victims of the proverbial "deer in the headlights" syndrome right from the opening tip. In fact, they were down 65-39 at the half (more on that in a bit). The Spurs are off back-to-back near perfect performances. We had San Antonio in both games on these pages, but I expect a tougher outing tonight. Portland owns the talent to disrupt the Spurs enough at both ends of the floor to keep this one very close throughout and I'm betting they will. Let's not forget that before the last two games the Spurs had lost 8 straight games ATS. They're also just 4-12 ATS in their last 16 against teams that average at least 53 rebounds per game...Portland fits the bill. Meanwhile, NBA teams are on a 39-12 ATS run if they average at least 103 ppg, provided they trailed by at least 20 points at the half of their most recent game. These teams are obviously talented on the offensive end and they're normally hellbent on getting off to great starts. I expect Portland to start well and end well...with a cover in hand. I'm grabbing the points with the Trail Blazers, my Thursday night Smackdown. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Thunder on Wednesday night. OKC played one of their worst games of the season in their Game 1 loss to the Clippers. I certainly expect a more focused bounce-back effort in Game 2...after all, it's what they do. The Thunder are 47-26 ATS off a home loss under Scotty Brooks and they have out-scored their opponents 106-95 the last 24 times at home when playing with same season revenge. While OKC couldn't have played much worse, Chris Paul played like a postseason MVP, sinking 12 of 14 shots, including 8 of 9 treys. OKC will keep a close eye on the star point-guard, while doing more to deny Blake Griffin inside. The Thunder hustled in Game 1, but just couldn't make up for the Clippers' red-hot shooting, which included a 15 of 29 night from area code 3. OKC out-rebounded the Clips 47-31, but also couldn't make up for a 17 turnover night. I believe their Game 1 performance was a one-time thing and I'm betting they'll bounce back in a big way tonight. Besides the situations already mentioned, the Thunder went into Game 1 with a 9-0 ATS mark this season against elite teams, those out-scoring their opponents by at least 6 ppg. Their first loss in 10 tries came last time out. I'm laying the points with the Thunder, my Western Conference Tapout GOM on Wednesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Over between the Blazers & Spurs on Tuesday night. The last three times these teams have met, the total has ranged from a low of 209 1/2 to 213. Obviously, the Over/Under posted for this one is much lower (205 1/2 as we release this play). We expect both teams to get out of the gate in a hurry tonight. LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard have been tremendous thus far in the playoffs and Aldridge creates problems for San Antonio by bringing his defender, a Spurs' big man, outside more than normal due to his excellent mid-range game. This frees-up the Blazers, especially Lillard, to enter the lane. Toss Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum into the mix and the Spurs are going to be busy tonight on the defensive end. At the same time, the Spurs have certainly found their offensive rhythm scoring 109, 111, and 119 points in their last three games. Besides the "big 3," Tiago Splitter was tremendous in the first round, shooting 62% from the field, and I expect the deep perimeter game to fare well early in this series with help from Danny Green off the bench. That's a lot of potential firepower and I haven't even mentioned Kawhi Leonard, Patty Mills, or the occasional strong offensive contributions from Boris Diaw. Blazer games are 22-12 to the Over against teams that out-score their opponents by at least 3 ppg with an average combined point total of nearly 215 ppg in those 34 contests. They're also on a 17-5 Over run when playing with double-revenge this season. I'm playing the Over between the Blazers & Spurs on Tuesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Over between the Wizards & Pacers on Monday night. Before their final game with Chicago, an Under, the Wizards had forced their style upon the Bulls forcing four straight Overs in the opening round series and six straight Overs going back to the regular season. The Wizards will attack an Indiana team that I expect to be worn thin on the defensive end. The Pacers battled their tales off to avoid a series loss to 8-seed Atlanta and got it done with an increased intensity on the defensive end on May 1 and May 3. They'll play tonight's contest with just one day off between games and it marks their third playoff tilt in five days, overall. Obviously, the hectic Pacer schedule will not be lost on the Wizards. I expect an uptempo game forced by the Washington backcourt. The Wizards enter on a 6-1 Over run, while the Pacers are on a 5-2 Over run in their last seven home games. I'm playing the Over between the Wizards & Pacers on Monday night. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday. The Spurs lost in Dallas last time out, a game they looked primed to take, leading by 7 points in the 4th quarter. But the Spurs couldn't close the deal and now they're back home for Game 7. Manu Ginobili was horrible in Game 6. In fact, if he has his typical game, I feel confident in saying we wouldn't be looking at a Game 7. The Argentine scored just 6 points on 1-of-8 shooting, including 0-of-5 from behind the arc. The worst part about it is that he took some of those "bricks" at inopportune times when the Spurs had chances to go up by four or more buckets on a couple of occasions. I expect Manu to return to form on Sunday. Tony Parker has looked strong the last couple of games and the Mavericks have had no answer for Tiago Splitter and Tim Duncan inside over the last three games. The Mavs want to deny the Spurs their deep perimeter offense and San Antone has made the adjustments, taking what the Mavericks give them, as Duncan stated after the Spurs' Game 5 win. More of the same today, plus a more focused effort from Manu and I'll be surprised if the Spurs don't win by a spread-covering margin. The offense is clicking now (sans Manu in Game 6) and that's important because the Spurs are on a 37-13 ATS run after scoring at least 105 points in back-to-back games, outscoring those 50 teams by an average of 108-96. This is why teams work hard during the regular season...for home floor advantage in the playoffs. I'm backing San Antonio minus the points, my Sunday Smackdown GOM. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Hawks & Pacers on Saturday. No suspensions were handed out between these two teams, so all hands on deck. I expect to see an intense brand of defense in this Game 7 clash. Indiana has gone to a smaller and quicker lineup which has meant less quality looks for Atlanta on the offensive end. The Hawks were unable to replicate their early series success when the Pacers committed to the new look last time out. No longer were the Hawks able to spread Indiana out on the deep perimeter, which had been leading to relatively easier looks at the basket. I expect both teams to be even more deliberate on the offensive end today. The series is already on a 4-1 Under run and Atlanta is on a 12-3-1 Under run off an ATS loss. The Hawks are also 14-4 to the Under this season against teams playing between .600 & .700 basketball. Meanwhile, the Pacers are 12-3 to the Under this season when at home with a total of 180 to 189 1/2. I'm playing the Under, my Total Dominator on Saturday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Friday night. As I watched the Spurs win Game 5, I thought how simple yet genius Spurs' basketball really is sometimes. Dallas had taken away San Antone's deep perimeter game. So, in the last contest, San Antonio slammed the Mavs inside for 49 points. I kept thinking how simple yet smart it was to finally say, okay, we're going to take what Dallas gives us. After the game, Tim Duncan said, "we took what they gave us." Yes, DeJuan Blair is back tonight after serving a one-game suspension, but I believe the Spurs finally found their offensive rhythm and now Dallas has too much to worry about on the offensive end. That's it in a nutshell for me. The road team is on a 9-3 ATS run in this series. And the Spurs are on a 9-0 ATS run off of two consecutive wins over a division rival, winning the nine games by an average margin of nearly 14 ppg. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, my Tapout release. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night. Indiana is the short favorite at the time of this release, but "team dysfunctional" is a #1 seed that's changing the approach that got them to the top of the conference and I don't believe it's going to work in Game 6. Atlanta has been spreading the floor on the offensive end on the deep perimeter. Indiana has not been able to defend it, whether the Hawk guards have been driving the paint and shooting the ball themselves, or dealing outside to open teammates. Atlanta led by 30 points in Game 5 when the Pacers sat Roy Hibbert and brought Chris Copeland into the game. Indiana shaved off a good amount of those points, but still fell by a 10-point margin. The Pacers felt they might have found something with Copeland, a solid perimeter or interior defender in the game. I believe it was "fools gold." Yes, Indiana shaved off a lot of points when they made the change, but Atlanta also let-up on their intensity after building the 30-point lead. The Hawks, led by Gregg Popovich protege Mike Budenholzer will be ready for either Pacer version after watching what Indiana did when down big last time out. The Pacers have covered just 7 of their last 29 road games and they're on a 3-13 ATS slide on the road against teams with a winning home record. Meanwhile, there has been no letdown by Atlanta off a big win. They'll enter tonight with a 12-4 ATS mark this season, following a double-digit win. I'm backing the Atlanta Hawks, my Thursday Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas has proven for four games that they're capable of beating the Spurs home or away. Their new look, which is to take away San Antonio's deep perimeter game has worked wonders and there is nothing to make me think the Spurs can make the type of changes to their game to win by wide margin after not being able to do so thus far. It really is as simple as that, as far as the game plans are concerned, in my opinion. Dallas has held the Spurs to 33% shooting from beyond the 3-point line. Not only have they denied San Antone's normally strong outside game, but DeJuan Blair has been tremendous inside and Monta Ellis and at times Shawn Marion have been on top of their games offensively. Bottom line is that Dallas is quicker than the Spurs and there is obviously nothing that can be done about a quickness disadvantage. Dallas heads into this one on a 41-14 ATS run off a SU loss and they're on a 5-0 ATS run, overall. Meanwhile, the Spurs are on a 0-6 ATS slide, overall. I'm grabbing the points with the Mavericks on Wednesday, my Top Dog Stunner. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Clippers on Tuesday. We had the Warriors in Game 4 and it had nothing to do with the situation surrounding Donald Sterling. I played the Warriors before his recordings were released to the public. I felt it was a solid spot for Golden State and I believe Tuesday night's Game 5 presents an even better spot to back the Clippers. Doc Rivers gave his team Monday off, which I believe was a good move. He wanted his troops rested and focused for this one and for all the right reasons. The Clips were sluggish in Game 4, committed 19 turnovers, and only Jamal Crawford seemed to have his rhythm. Add in a Steph Curry's ridiculous first quarter shooting and it was almost done before the game got started. But we should note that Curry, who struggled so badly from the deep perimeter through most of the first three games reverted to early series form, making just 2 of his final 9 treys. Let's remember that the Clippers are not just the highest scoring team in the NBA, but they also own the stingiest 3-point defense, holding their opponents to 33% shooting. Golden State has covered just 3 of their last 13 games following a win by more than 10 points, while the Clippers are on a 4-0 ATS run following a loss by more than 10. The Clips are 14-3 ATS this season in revenge of a SU loss as a favorite, outscoring the 17 opponents by an average of 113-100. I expect the Clippers to put their bigoted owner behind them for 48 minutes tonight. I'm laying the points with the L.A. Clippers on Tuesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Monday night. Yes, this line is currently a point higher than the number the Spurs laid on Saturday, for the most part. But I expect adjustments from the league's best coach to turn things around. Monta Ellis is "going off" in this series, but it's due in part to the way the Spurs have been defending Dirk. Tiago Splitter and Boris Diaw, even Duncan, have been taking their turns on Nowitziki and he's been held to a grand total of 45 points on less than 40% shooting. But the doubling of Dirk has led to open looks and even room in the paint for others. Ellis has taken full advantage. I do expect a wrinkle or two from Popovich tonight and let's not forget the Spurs were up by five points in the closing minutes of Game 3 as they began to find their rhythm at both ends of the floor. San Antonio's transition defense has not been up to snuff the last two games either, but all of the above is fixable. The Spurs looked much better on the offensive end in Game 3 than they did in Game 2. I expect the improved play to continue tonight. Improved play on the offensive end, taking care of the basketball, and Popovich defensive adjustments puts the Spurs back in the win column, in my opinion. Many people will say the Spurs are old and they'll be tired for tonight's contest. But we point out that they're actually on an 8-3 ATS run when playing on just one day of rest. The Spurs are on a 15-5 ATS run on the road after failing to cover the spread, averaging 108 ppg in the 20 outings, while allowing less than 98 ppg. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, my Monday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Saturday. We had the Mavericks in Game 2 and cashed an easy one. While we liked the points in that one, we must admit we didn't think Dallas would win by 21 points, outright. It was a case of a perfect storm, with Dallas playing at peak level, while the Spurs were certainly sluggish to say the least. Dallas was able to deny San Antonio's deep perimeter offense. But the best coach in the game is not going to sit around and expect things to change on its own. I expect adjustments from Popovich to counter Dallas' "new" defensive style of perimeter denial. I also expect full focus and intensity from the championship contending Spurs. San Antone is on an 8-2 ATS run off a double-digit loss at home. Dirk Nowitzki spoke about how concerned he is returning to Dallas for Game 3. Well, if you're backing the Mavs at home you understand where he's coming from. The Mavericks are on a 0-5 ATS slide at home and they're on a 0-7 ATS slide after a win by more than 10 points. We had Dallas in Game 2, but we'll back the Spurs, minus the points, for our Blockbuster on Saturday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm playing the Under between the Rockets & Blazers on Friday night. This is basically it for the Rockets. A loss tonight and their season is virtually over. I expect massive detail and intensity on the defensive end tonight and a focus on looking and working for the better show on the offensive end. Houston must force LaMarcus Aldridge to work harder for his points which means denial defense to make it tougher for the Portland star away from the basketball. A more deliberate offensive approach and attention to detail on the defensive end make for a lower scoring game in tonight's Game 3, in my opinion. NBA Game 3 tilts are on a 33-14 Under run, provided the total posted is 200 or higher. Game 3 is normally such a difference maker in a series and this is usually when we see the defensive intensity at its best. And finally, NBA games are 33-9 to the Under, again when the total is 200 or higher and a team is in revenge of a loss as a favorite (Houston, in this case), provided both teams play between .600 and .750 basketball on the season. I'm betting on more of the same. I'm playing the Under between the Rockets & Blazers, my NBA Total Knockout GOY. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm backing the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night. Teams off of wide margin losses, the kind Golden State suffered last time out have been strong the next time out in playoff action. I expect the Warriors to do the same. Blake Griffin was tremendous last time out and after getting called for a ton of early ticky-tack fouls in Game 1, was afforded a virtual "free pass" in Game 2. I expect the Warriors to benefit in this one. Klay Thompson should be able to play more minutes staying out of foul trouble and I like the way Steph Curry played in the second half of Game 2 as he began driving the ball to the basket in order to get his offensive game back on track. I believe the Warriors will put pressure on the Clippers with an attack-style approach with the occasional deep jumper from Thompson and Curry. Look for more of that tonight at home and for the Warriors to bounce back into the win column. The Warriors enter on a 12-2-2 ATS run following a loss by more than 10 points and you're 35-6 ATS going against NBA road teams if the line is in the +3/-3 range, provided the previous game went over the total by at least 18 points and they own a .600 to .750 record and are playing a team with a winning record. Besides the fact I believe Curry and Thompson will get back on track, the techs also call for a home team cover. I'm grabbing the available points with the Warriors, my Thursday Tapout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. So far this postseason, NBA playoff sides off a home loss are 3-1 SU & ATS. The Raptors, Pacers, and Clippers all cashed after losing, while the Bulls were the only team not to bounce back from a Game 1 loss. I expect Houston to join the three teams that landed backed in the win column. The Rockets have something the Bulls absolutely do not...a dependable offensive star in James Harden. They also have others they can count on when it comes to scoring points, including Dwight Howard. The Rocket big-man scored 27 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in Game 1, but knows he must play better, or at least more efficiently in Game 2 and I expect him to. Howard also didn't fare well on pick-and-rolls against LaMarcus Aldridge, but stated that he will switch things up a bit, denying Aldridge the post. And we also expect a better night from Harden who missed 20 of his 28 shots, while Patrick Beverly says his knee injury is a little stiff between games, but not bothering him during the actual contests. Houston's problems in Game 1 are fixable and I'm betting they'll get it done. The Rockets have been strong in tonight's situation under Kevin McHale, going 20-5 ATS at home after failing to cover in four of their last five or six games. Houston out-scored those 25 teams by an average final of 110-97. Meanwhile, the Blazers are on a 1-7 ATS slide when playing on two days rest. I'm laying the points with the Rockets, my Blockbuster on Wednesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Pacers on Tuesday night. I'll likely be in the minority with this one. Some believe the Pacers are done after blowing homecourt advantage in this series in game-1. Game-2 has now become a game that better bring out Indiana's best or they will be all but done for all intents and purposes. And if we get Indiana's best effort we know we have a wide talent advantage. There was talk that the Pacers struggled with Atlanta's "spread-five" offensive game plan. But the talk should be about Indiana's sloppy play that led to 17 turnovers and more than two-dozen Atlanta points. Shore up the turnovers and the Hawks' offense doesn't look so hot. Yes, the Pacers looked dysfunctional at times. But the advantages are in place and I expect the Pacers to come through in game-2. There's also talk of the Pacers going to a smaller lineup for bigger chunks of the game, which will help them against the Atlanta offensive attack and also help reduce their turnovers. The Pacers enter on a 43-29 ATS run when laying 3 1/2 to 9 1/2 points, holding those 72 opponents to an average of less than 90 ppg. Meanwhile, the Hawks have covered just 5 of their last 26 when playing on two days rest, including a 3-11 ATS mark this season. I'm laying the points with the team that has had issues, but at the same time, was good enough to post the best record in the East. I'm backing the Indiana Pacers, my Tuesday night Blockbuster. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Clippers on Monday night. I didn't have a betting interest in game-1 between these teams, passing side and total. I did watch every second of the contest and saw a Clippers' squad that was completely taken out of their game early-on by shoddy officiating and they were never able to find their offensive rhythm. I doubt the whistles work that way for a second straight game and that means Blake Griffin and the regulars will be on the floor their normal amount of time. That also leads to what I believe will be a wide-margin win for the home team. The Clippers are on a 14-5 ATS run off a SU loss and they're on a 12-2 ATS run off an upset loss as a favorite, winning by an average score of 110-99. I'm laying the points with the Clippers, my Monday night Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm laying the points with the Spurs on Sunday. San Antonio couldn't have asked for a better matchup than the Dallas Mavericks. The Spurs have won nine straight over Dallas and doing so by decisive manner. They also out-rebounded the Mavs by an average of 9 boards per game in this season's meetings. Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard seemingly went unguarded inside, grabbing more than 22 rpg combined. The Mavericks desired style of play has led to and should lead to more open looks for the Spurs, who will bring their offensive barrage to the table. Besides their quality of depth both inside and on the perimeter on the offensive end, the Spurs play a much better brand of defense than the Mavs, putting Game-1 over the top for me. Add in a healthy and rested trio of Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker, and I'm betting this one gets ugly. The Spurs enter on a 15-5 ATS run, overall, along with a 15-5-1 ATS mark in their last 21 against the Mavs. They are on a 9-1 ATS run against marginal winning teams this season, those playing between .510 and .600 basketball, winning by an average score of 110-96. And finally, you're on a 36-14 ATS run going against road underdogs of 3 1/2 to 9 1/2 points, if they have lost at least two straight to their opponent, giving up at least 100 points in each game, provided the road dog is playing just their second game in seven days. The line currently sits at 9 1/2 at the time of this release. As you can see, both matchups and "techs" lie heavily in favor of the home team in Game-1. I'm laying the points with the Spurs, my Tapout on Sunday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

I'm taking the points with the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. The Nets' roster is full of veteran players who have been there and done that. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are two of those vets - who not only know what it takes to win a title, but were also quite shrewd in their last few seasons playing for Doc Rivers in Boston. As I stated on my Las Vegas radio show, I believe the Nets were playing a clever brand of basketball to end the regular season, virtually "tanking" to draw the Toronto Raptors to open the playoffs. A series with the Raptors at least draws up as a more winnable series than if the Nets would have finished 5th and opened with Chicago. Brooklyn is off a 1-4 SU slide to end the season, including a 29-point loss at Cleveland last time out. But under the coaching of Jason Kidd, the Nets are a perfect 8-0 ATS on the road off a loss by at least 15 points, out-scoring the eight opponents by an average of 103-95. And NBA road teams with a +3/-3 line range are 32-5 ATS if they average 98 to 102 ppg, allowed 100 points or more in two straight games, and are playing a team that gives up 98 to 102 ppg. That's a combined 40-5 ATS mark. But most of all, I like the veteran savvy of the Nets against the more youthful Raptors in Game-1. The Nets are my early Knockout. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.