Milwaukee at Indiana 6:30 ET

Pacers (-) over Bucks- The undermanned Milwaukee Bucks were able to stave off elimination in their last outing despite being without the services of superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. The Bucks still don't know if the two stars will be able to return to the court on Thursday night when they play Game 6 of their Eastern Conference first-round series against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis. Both players were listed as doubtful on Wednesday afternoon. Indiana missed a golden opportunity on Tuesday to record its first playoff series win since 2014. Before Tuesday’s upset win by the Bucks the Pacers had won five of the past six meetings. Take INDIANA!

Dallas at LA Clippers 10:00 ET

Mavericks (-) over Clippers- The best-of-seven series is tied at two wins apiece, but the path to get there has been anything but conventional. The teams split a pair of games at Los Angeles and another two at Dallas, with the Clippers forced into an alternate reality as Kawhi Leonard deals with knee inflammation. Leonard already has been ruled out for Game 5. The Mavericks are dealing with their own injury issues as Luka Doncic is playing through a right knee sprain, though he is listed as probable. Take DALLAS!

Orlando at Cleveland 8:00 ET

Magic (+) over Cavaliers- The Cleveland Cavaliers recorded a pair of convincing victories at home to open their Eastern Conference first-round series before the Magic held serve in Orlando during the next two games. The fourth-seeded Cavaliers look to rebound following a second-half collapse in their last contest when they host the fifth-seeded Magic. They mustered just 10 points in the third quarter and were outscored 61-29 in the second half of Saturday's 112-89 setback. The Cavaliers couldn't throw it in the ocean from 3-point range. They made just 4 of 17 attempts, with Darius Garland going 2-for-5 to lead the team. Cleveland has failed to score 100 points in seven consecutive playoff games dating back to last year. In a surprise take ORLANDO!

Oklahoma City at New Orleans 8:30 ET

Pelicans (+) over Thunder- The No. 1 seed Thunder have a 3-0 lead and will try to sweep the No. 8 Pelicans in Game 4 on Monday night in New Orleans. Oklahoma City Thunder dominated Games 2 and 3 of their playoff series after a scare in Game 1. We are all aware that no team in NBA history has come-back from 0-3 in the playoffs and that OKC is a beast offensively. The Pelicans offensive struggles have involved all of the Pelicans as they are shooting 40.3 percent from the floor and 27.8 percent on 3-pointers for the series. But, you should expect an all out effort for the home club here. Take NEW ORLEANS!

Milwaukee at Indiana 7:00 ET

Pacers (-) over Bucks- The Pacers are bidding to win a playoff series for the first time since reaching the 2014 conference finals. The Indiana Pacers will look to push the injury-riddled Milwaukee Bucks to the brink of elimination on Sunday. Damian Lillard's availability could be in jeopardy after he sustained an apparent left leg injury late in the first quarter. The eight-time All-Star returned to the game before aggravating an Achilles injury. The injuries are wreaking havoc with Milwaukee. Take INDIANA!

Oklahoma City at New Orleans 3:30 ET

Pelicans (+) over Thunder- The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder had to battle to the buzzer to win their Western Conference first-round series opener against New Orleans. The Thunder had a much easier time in Game 2, routing the Pelicans 124-92 Wednesday night. The eighth-seeded Pelicans will look to break through at home Saturday afternoon in Game 3. Oklahoma City's defense was excellent in both games as New Orleans scored fewer than 100 points in consecutive games for just the second time this season. In Game 2, the Pelicans shot 45.2 percent from the floor (including 7 of 26 from 3-point range) and the Thunder scored 22 points off 18 New Orleans turnovers. New Orleans, which had the best road record in the NBA at 28-14, lost six straight home games before defeating Sacramento (NBA ‘Do or Die’ GOY winner) in a play-in elimination game. Oklahoma City, which won eight more games than the Pelicans during the regular season, was 24-17 away from home. The Thunder were 2-0 at New Orleans in the regular season, prevailing 107-83 and 119-112. Turn about...take NEW ORLEANS!

Milwaukee at Indiana 5:30 ET

Bucks (+) over Pacers- Milwaukee's Damian Lillard will look to continue his trend of strong starts on Friday. He scored all 35 of his points in the first half in the series opener before scoring 26 of his 34 points over the first two quarters on Tuesday. Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo has missed his team's last five games dating back to the regular season due to a left calf injury. Bucks coach Doc Rivers was optimistic about how Antetokounmpo looked in practice on Thursday, but the club listed him as doubtful. Indiana (Megabucks winner) exploited the interior on Tuesday with Antetokounmpo reduced to the role of a spectator. Bucks suck it up here. Take MILWAUKEE!   1

New York at Philadelphia 7:30 ET

Knicks (+) over 76ers- have you seen what I’ve seen? I don’t believe that the New York Knicks should be an underdog to anybody, anywhere, (maybe OKC) or anytime. Tibs has them playing the best of all and with the way Boston looked (vulnerable) and that can only help the Knicks mindset. It seems obvious to me that Embiid is not 100% although he is still the best Philadelphia has and they felt with him that they could be unbeatable...not! There is a karma teams acquire when together and in sync. Like Connecticut in the NCAA’s! Right now I will have to see them break down before I will be looking for it. The Sixers are a little bit too distracted by the attention being paid to referee's calls. Take NEW YORK!

New Orleans at Oklahoma City 9:30 ET

Thunder (-) over Pelicans- In Oklahoma City’s playoff opener against New Orleans a 94-92 victory Sunday, head coach Mark Daigneault played 11 players. Nine of them played in the first quarter and final quarters. The Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made the late shots and Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren came up big offensively as well. Without Zion Williamson, New Orleans needs more production from forward Brandon Ingram, who had 12 points Sunday while going 5-of-17 from the floor and hasn’t return to form yet. Williamson has missed the last two games with a hamstring strain and will be out again Wednesday. Take OKLAHOMA CITY!

Indiana at Milwaukee 8:30 ET

Pacers (+) over Bucks- Former two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (strained left calf) missed Sunday's 109-94 victory in Game 1 and could be out of the lineup again on Tuesday. The Pacers only led in the opening few minutes against Milwaukee. After trailing by nine at the end of the first quarter, they were outscored 39-21 in the second. The Bucks led 69-42 at halftime and cruised the rest of the way. The Pacers averaged an NBA-best 123.3 points per game during the regular season and failed to reach 100 just once. But one game into the playoffs, that season low of 99 points is standing out now.Take INDIANA!

 Indiana at Milwaukee 7:00 ET

Bucks (-) over Pacers- Indiana (47-35) won four of the five meetings against Milwaukee (49-33) this season, including in a tournament setting during the in-season tournament in December. The Milwaukee Bucks lost six of their last eight games to limp into the playoffs as the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged a robust 42.2 points and 13.0 rebounds in Milwaukee's season series against Indiana. He erupted for a franchise single-game-record 64 points in the Bucks' lone victory over the Pacers. He is a on a wait-and-see approach as to playing Sunday. Take MILWAUKEE!

Los Angeles Lakers at Denver 8:40 ET

Lakers (+) over Nuggets- Last year, Denver broke through against the Lakers in the Western Conference finals on its way to the first NBA championship in franchise history. The Lakers get an early shot at redemption when the teams meet in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. The Nuggets, the No. 2 seed, host Game 1 against seventh-seeded Los Angeles on Saturday night. The Nuggets have won eight straight against the Lakers, including the sweep in the Western Conference finals, and they won the three meetings this year by an average of 10 points. The four games in last year's playoffs were close, with only one, Denver's 119-108 win in Game 3, by a double-digit margin, and the circumstances are different this year. Lebron James, even at 39 years old, is capable of taking over games but knows his team has a small margin for error against the Nuggets. Take LA LAKERS!

Sacramento at New Orleans 9:30 ET

Pelicans (+) over Kings- I couldn’t have asked for a better set-up (in my mind anyway) as the Kings fly into New Orleans after eliminating their perennial nemesis. It was more than a just setting the Warriors aside it was the manner in which they dismantled Golden State and were in complete command. New Orleans of course with be without Zion Williamson which is not so unusual but it did come when he appeared to be reaching his potential. The Pelicans were 8-4 ATS without Williamson this season  and there is more. The line jumped from the home team Pelicans at -2 to the visiting Kings to -1.5 and I expect it to go higher from their. But, here is the dirty little secret that the bookies are aware of and now you will be aware of it. New Orleans actually has played and is rated a half-point better in the 12 game played without Williamson. I love that the expectations have shifted but no the players will. Take NEW ORLEANS!

Golden State at Sacramento 10:00 ET

Warriors (-) over Kings- The winner of the game between the No. 10 seed Warriors (46-36) and No. 9 Kings (46-36) will advance to play either the No. 8 Los Angeles Lakers or No. 7 New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. The winner on Friday advances to play the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs the loser-goes-home Western Conference in this play-in contest. The history of losing to the Warriors made last season's postseason ouster feel even harsher for Sacramento. They floundered down the stretch with five setbacks in six games prior to hammering the visiting Portland Trail Blazers 121-82 in Sunday's regular-season finale.The Warriors had a hot finish with 10 wins in 12 games, including Sunday's 123-116 home win over the Utah Jazz. The teams split four regular-season meetings this season, going 1-1 in both Sacramento and San Francisco. The Kings have been favored in the past six home game against the Warriors and yet the 10-seed is favored on the road over the 7-seed. Smells...take GOLDEN STATE!

Houston at L.A. Clippers 8:00 ET

Rockets over Clippers- Okay, this is easy to explain...I think. Houston is 40-41 looking to keep from finishing under .500 for the regular season and currently out of the playoff picture.   The Clippers are 51-30 (21 games better than the Rockets) and are 25-15 SU at home. The visitor despite winning only 17 of 41 road games are favored against a team that they have lost to nine straight times. If this doesn’t qualify as the ‘Don’t Make Sense’ Game ...what does! Take HOUSTON!

Chicago at Washington 7:00 ET

Wizards over Bulls- Chicago, with a 127-105 road rout of the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, clinched the No. 9 seed in the East and home-court edge for its matchup with No. 10 Atlanta last week. Chicago won the regular-season series against Atlanta 2-1. As the No. 9 and No. 10 seed, the Bulls and Hawks each need two wins in the play-in round to advance to the playoffs. Washington (15-65) heads into its final two games of the season guaranteed the worst record in franchise history, both in terms of total losses and win percentage. The 2023-24 Wizards will not finish with the NBA's worst record this season. Washington maintains a two-game lead over Detroit at the bottom of the East going into the final weekend. Though the Wizards ride a four-game losing streak into their final two games, they have been competitive lately. All four setbacks were by single-digit-point margins. The Bulls are locked-in and a win or loss means nothing. Take WASHINGTON!

New York at Boston 7:30 ET

Knicks (-) over Celtics- The Knicks moved into third place in the Eastern Conference with a 128-117 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday. New York (47-32) trailed Milwaukee by one game entering the Bucks' home game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. Boston (62-17) has already secured the top seed in the Eastern Conference and the best record in the NBA. The Celtics are coming off Tuesday's 104-91 loss to Milwaukee, which ended the team's five-game winning streak. Boston was held to 43 points in the first half and trailed by 20 points at halftime. The Celtics became the first NBA team not to shoot a free throw during Tuesday's loss. Boston has won 13 straight home games. After Thursday's matchup, the Celtics will wrap up the regular season with home games against Charlotte and Washington. New York will conclude the regular season with home games against Brooklyn and Chicago. The Knicks are win-less in four games against the Celtics this season. Celtics will remain passive until the playoffs. Take NEW YORK!

Dallas at Miami 7:30 ET

Heat over Mavericks- Dallas (49-30) is in fifth place in the Western Conference. The Mavericks appear likely to avoid the play-in round, which is for teams in spots seven through 10 in the standings. Miami (44-35) is eighth in the Eastern Conference, and it looks like the Heat again are destined to compete in the play-in round. The Mavericks, who have won 15 of their past 17 games, started this week with a thrilling 147-136 overtime win at home versus the Houston Rockets on Sunday. Heat guard Tyler Herro, playing just his third game since returning from injury, scored 33 points on Tuesday. He made 13 of 25 shots from the floor. Herro is the difference. Take MIAMI!

Boston at Milwaukee 7:30 ET

Bucks (+) over Celtics- The Bucks (47-31) have lost six of their past seven, and the four straight losses represent their longest skid of the season. Milwaukee is trying to hold off the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee Bucks will attempt to end a four-game losing streak when they host the Boston Celtics. The Celtics have been on cruise control since they secured the NBA's best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Boston coach Joe Mazzulla has been resting his top players in the fourth quarter recently, but it hasn't prevented the team from winning. The Celtics will enter on a five-game winning streak. Boston has won two of the three meetings with Milwaukee this season. Both victories came in Boston. The Bucks prevailed 135-102 when the teams played in Milwaukee on Jan. 11. Take MILWAUKEE!

Purdue vs Connecticut 9:30 ET

Huskies (-) over Boilermakers- Like I said last time out, ‘until someone beats this team there is no reason to play against the Huskies.’ Yes, of course, unless you are up against Zack Edey the Two-time NCAA Payer of the Year! Both of these clubs are championship worthy and I was surprised the opening number was as high as it was at -6.5. Most of my west coast Vegas friends like I believe the price would be Connecticut around -3...but of course my east coast people showed their bias and said it could have been higher. Now, my thoughts are who’s instincts are better. Las Vegas is very sharp and I respect their opinion as I do New York but in actuality as to who would have more influence over the outcome?...Straight-up, if this game was played without referees (I was one of them) I see Connecticut getting the best of a very good team The key of course is Zack Edey and I wonder after what I saw if he has been up against a player with the size and the talent of  UConn’s  7’2’ 285 Lbs center Donovan Clingan who had four blocks against Alabama and controlled the boards. Take CONNECTICUT!

Miami at Indiana 5:00 ET

Heat (+) over Heat- The Heat, who are set to visit the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in Indianapolis, are 43-34 good enough for seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Indiana (44-34) is in sixth place, just a half-game ahead of Miami. Tyler Herro is finally back, and that could make the Miami Heat extra dangerous. Herro ranks second on the Heat in scoring (20.7), trailing only Jimmy Butler (21.0). Aside from the playoff implications, Sunday's contest will be interesting because the Heat have been better on the road (23-16) than at home (20-18). In fact, only the Boston Celtics have more road wins than Miami among Eastern Conference teams. Indiana, meanwhile, has been just about as good at home (24-15) as Miami on the road. Take MIAMI!

NC State vs Purdue 6:05 ET

Boilermakers (-) over Wolfpack- Purdue has won 21 consecutive non-conference, regular season or postseason games against power conference or nationally ranked teams. That equals the second longest such streak in NCAA history. Purdue is looking for its first national championship. The Boilermakers have played for the title just once, losing to John Wooden's UCLA team 92-72 in 1969. Their last trip to the Final Four came in 1980, when they lost again to UCLA. On the line for Zack Edey and Purdue (33-4) and DJ Burns Jr. and the Wolfpack (26-14) is a trip to Monday's championship game against the winner of the semifinal between UConn and Alabama. Edey will take center stage Saturday in the first national semifinal when the Boilermakers, the No. 1 seed in the East Region, meet tournament Cinderella North Carolina State, who advanced despite being the No. 11 seed in the South Region. The Wolfpack were never ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 all season. The big man too tough for State...take PURDUE!

Oklahoma City at Indiana 7:00 ET

Pacers (-) over Thunder- Oklahoma City (52-24) has dropped back-to-back games, including Wednesday's 135-100 loss at Boston. The Thunder come into Friday's game in third place in the Western Conference, just behind Minnesota and Denver. But as the Thunder try to make their push for one of the top spots in the Western Conference, they're also working to navigate life without their top two scorers. There's a good chance both will sit out Friday when Oklahoma takes on the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis. The Pacers (43-34) are coming off a 115-111 loss in Brooklyn on Wednesday. With five games remaining, Indiana is trying to climb out of play-in position and into the playoff field. The Pacers were mere percentage points behind Miami for sixth place in the Eastern Conference before the Heat played Thursday night. Take INDIANA!

Sacramento at New York 7:30 ET

Kings (+) over Knicks- Sacramento (44-31) is jockeying with the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in the race for seeding in the play-in round. The Kings also are trying to catch the New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks to avoid being in the play-in. The Knicks (44-31) were in the midst of a 7-1 run when Jalen Brunson scored 42 in their 98-91 win at Sacramento on March 16. They were third in the East after a 145-101 win over the Toronto Raptors last week and are trying to avoid their second four-game losing streak of the season. The Knicks, who have been clear of the play-in round, are two games in front of the seventh-place Heat and trying to fend off the sixth-place Indiana Pacers. Exact records have these two in the playoff mixed in opposite conferences. Take...KINGS

Indiana State vs Seton Hall 9:00 ET

Pirates (+) over Sycamores- Indiana State (32-6) and Seton Hall (24-12) are both No. 1 seeds and certainly have looked the part over the last four games. The Sycamores have been impressive offensively, averaging 90.5 points in wins over SMU, Minnesota, Cincinnati and Utah. The Sycamores took advantage of a partisan crowd in the win over Utah, as the Final Four is being played fewer than 100 miles from the Indiana State campus in Terre Haute. Hinkle Fieldhouse will likely be loaded with Indiana State fans again on Thursday, but not much has rattled Seton Hall in this tournament. The Pirates slipped past Saint Joseph's in overtime in their NIT opener before posting double-digit wins over North Texas, UNLV and Georgia. Take SETON HALL!

Indiana at Brooklyn 7:30 ET

Nets (+) over Pacers- Brooklyn (29-47) will host the visiting Pacers in the regular-season series finale. Indiana (43-33) won two earlier meetings over the Nets at home by a combined margin of 43 points. After the one-sided result in Indianapolis on Monday, the Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets will quickly put that game behind them and prepare for a rematch on Wednesday night in New York. The Nets are hoping to avoid the season series sweep. The Nets enter with back-to-back losses against the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana. In both games, they quickly fell into double-digit deficits after slow starts. This time around they just out quick. Take BROOKLYN!

New York at Miami 7:00 ET

Knicks (+) over Heat- Miami (41-33) is in seventh place in the Eastern Conference and in possession of a spot in the play-in tournament with an eye on the sixth-place Indiana Pacers just ahead. The top six in each conference are guaranteed a spot in the first round. Miami will open a challenging four-game stretch against teams with winning records to open the month of April. Miami is 17-24 this season against teams entering with records at or above .500. The Knicks aim to rebound from back-to-back losses at San Antonio and home against Oklahoma City on Sunday. New York lost the games by a total of five points. The Knicks (44-30) got the best of the Heat in a pair of home games this season, 100-98 on Nov. 24 and 125-109 on Jan. 27 in the rematch. They rebound here. Take NEW YORK!

Utah vs Indiana State 7:00 ET

Utes (+) over Sycamores- Utah (22-14) closed its regular season with eight losses in its final 12 games, followed by a defeat to Colorado in the Pac-12 tournament quarterfinals. Still, the Utes earned an NIT bid as a No. 2 seed and they've certainly made the most of their opportunity. Utah's bumpy finish to the postseason feels like a distant memory at this point. The resurgent Utes find themselves in the NIT Final Four in Indianapolis, where they will battle Indiana State (and likely a large contingent of Sycamore fans) in Tuesday's first semifinal. The top-seeded Sycamores (31-6), who gave up 92 points to SMU in their NIT opener and Indiana State yielded 81 points in a four-point win over Cincinnati in the quarterfinals. Great season for State but the difference in the level of competition played with be on display tonight. Take UTAH!

Cleveland at Denver 3:30 ET

Cavaliers (+) over Nuggets- Denver (51-23) has lost two straight, including a pivotal game to Minnesota on Friday night, to fall into third in the West with eight games remaining. The Nuggets also are concerned with the health of center Nikola Jokic, who is dealing with a sore right wrist. Jokic had his right arm wrapped when he was on the bench during the 111-98 loss to the Timberwolves. The Cavaliers (45-29) are third in the Eastern Conference, just a half-game ahead of New York and 1 1/2 games behind Milwaukee for second. Cleveland climbed the standings with a 17-2 stretch to start the calendar year but followed that up by going 10-13. Cleveland lost four of the six games while Donovan Mitchell was out with a broken nose and starts a difficult six-game road trip. Mitchell's return to the Cleveland lineup after a six-game absence led to a win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night. The Cavaliers won the first meeting between the teams, 121-109 in Cleveland on Nov. 19 when Mitchell and Murray missed for separate injuries. This one will be in Denver where the Nuggets were dominant until the past two games. They are 29-8 at home while the Cavaliers have struggled on the road of late. Cleveland has lost four of its past five away from home but still has a winning road record (21-15). Mitchell’s return is the difference. Take CLEVELAND!

Tennessee vs Purdue 2:20 ET

Volunteers (+) over Boilermakers- Top-seeded Purdue faces No. 2 seed Tennessee in an Elite Eight, Midwest Region matchup attempting to reach the Final Four for the first time since 1980. The Boilermakers (32-4) have won their first three tournament games by double digits, including an 80-68 win Friday over No. 5 Gonzaga. Purdue’s Zach Edey, the potential National Player of the Year for the second straight season has 27 points and 14 rebounds in Purdue’s win over the Bulldogs. Purdue faces the Volunteers (27-8) for the second time this season, having defeated Tennessee 71-67 in the Maui Invitational in November. But unlike the rematch against the Zags the Boilermakers may have a bit more struggles against the Volunteers defense. Take TENNESSEE!

Clemson vs Alabama 8:50 ET

Tigers (+) over Crimson Tide- Saturday's NCAA Tournament West Regional final matchup pitting No. 4 seed Alabama against No. 6 seed Clemson comes with a guarantee to be a landmark moment for either program, as each is vying for its first Final Four spot in school history. The two have faced off in the national title game three times since the inauguration of the College Football Playoff in 2014 which is one time more than either basketball program has appeared in the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight, including Saturday's contest. Alabama (24-11) beat top-seeded North Carolina 89-87 on Thursday to reach its first Elite Eight since 2004 and it will be difficult for them to maintain that level of play. Defeating Carolina was a huge accomplishment and they are riding high right now. Clemson (24-11) is playing its first Elite Eight game since 1980 after beating No. 2 seed Arizona 77-72 on Thursday. The regional-final round might be unfamiliar territory for the Crimson Tide and Tigers, but the teams know each other. Clemson knocked off Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 85-77 on Nov. 28 and they are ready to do it again. Take CLEMSON!

Chicago at Brooklyn 7:00 ET

Nets (+) over Bulls- The Bulls (35-38) head into their second visit to Brooklyn four games behind the eighth-place Philadelphia Sixers and 4 1/2 behind the seventh-place Miami Heat. The Bulls avoided a four-game slide with a 125-99 rout of the Indiana Pacers (Megabucks winner) on Wednesday. The Nets (28-45) earned a pair of wins over Chicago as part of their 13-10 start and hit 25 3s in their 118-109 home win on Nov. 26. Since then they are 15-35, including 7-12 under interim coach Kevin Ollie. The Nets stopped a six-game skid with Monday's 96-88 win over the Toronto Raptors and followed it up by hanging on for a 122-119 overtime win against the Wizards on Wednesday. Take BROOKLYN!

Alabama vs North Carolina 9:40 ET

Crimson Tide (+) over Tar Heels- North Carolina (29-7) has won 10 of its last 11 games after its 85-69 defeat of Michigan State on Sunday in the second round. the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament's West Region finds itself two wins shy of the Final Four when it faces No. 4 Alabama in the Sweet 16 on Thursday. The Tar Heels come to Los Angeles aiming for their second Final Four under Hubert Davis and fourth since 2016. The Tar Heels will try to keep the high going against an Alabama team that reached the Sweet 16 for the third time in four seasons but is looking to secure its first Elite Eight appearance since 2004. The Crimson Tide (23-11) limped into the NCAA Tournament having gone 2-4 over their last six games before facing No. 13 seed Charleston last Friday. While Alabama's offense features four scorers averaging at least 11 points per game. Take ALABAMA!

Milwaukee at New Orleans 8:00 ET

Pelicans (+) over Bucks- The Pelicans and Bucks will both look to bounce back on Thursday night when they meet in New Orleans. Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado called the loss "a great learning experience," and Giannis Antetokounmpo had a similar description of the Bucks' loss to the Lakers. In a scheduling quirk, this is the second time this season that the Pelicans have played the Bucks in between games against the Thunder and the Celtics. The first trio of games didn't go well. New Orleans lost at home to Oklahoma City, 107-83, on Jan. 26, was routed 141-117 by host Milwaukee the next night and lost at Boston, 118-112, two nights after that. The Bucks led New Orleans by as many as 34 points in their final game under interim coach Joe Prunty before Doc Rivers became the full-time replacement for the fired Adrian Griffin. This time the trends reverses. Take NEW ORLEANS!

Indiana at Chicago 8:00 ET

Bulls (+) over Pacers- Indiana (41-32) stood in sixth place in the East entering Tuesday. The Nos. 7-10 seeds compete in the play-in tournament. The Bulls (34-38) are ninth in the conference, 1 1/2 games clear of the Atlanta Hawks in the No. 10 spot. Both the Bulls and Pacers know they'll need to be aggressive down the stretch to maintain their respective positions in the postseason race. The teams split the first two meetings before the Bulls earned a 132-129 overtime road victory against the Pacers on March 13 behind 46 points from DeMar DeRozan. The fourth quarter featured 12 lead changes. The victory capped a run of four wins in six games for the Bulls, who since have lost four of six. They get back on track here. Take CHICAGO!

UNLV at Seton Hall 7:30 ET

Runnin’ Rebels (+) over Pirates- Seton Hall, an NCAA snub and a No. 1 seed in the NIT, will host UNLV in the quarterfinals on Wednesday in South Orange, N.J. The winner heads to Indianapolis next week for the tournament's semifinals and championship game. The Big East Conference got a mere three teams into the NCAA Tournament (and all three advanced to the Sweet 16), the conference's fourth-best squad has started 2-0 in the NIT. While the MWC who was 3-32 in NCAA Tournament games had six teams selected and UNLV was not one of them. UNLV (21-12) knocked off No. 2 seed Princeton and Boston College in its first two rounds. The Rebels are much better than they they are rated. Take UNLV!

LA Lakers at Milwaukee 7:30 ET

Lakers (+) over Bucks- The Bucks (46-25) have won five of their past seven games, including a 118-93 victory at home over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. That visit to Los Angeles is also one of just four losses in the past 15 games for Milwaukee. Home is where the victories are for the Milwaukee Bucks, who will take a six-game winning streak inside their own building into a matchup Tuesday with the visiting Los Angeles Lakers. Los Angeles closed out a four-game homestand with a three-game winning streak after scoring a season-high 150 points in a victory Sunday over the Indiana Pacers. The Lakers (39-32) will be trying to match a season-best four-game winning streak, accomplished in early December. Los Angeles is in ninth place in the Western Conference and currently eligible for a spot in the play-in tournament, while sitting three games out of sixth place and an automatic playoff spot. Take the LAKERS!

Oklahoma City at Milwaukee 7:00 ET

Thunder(+) over Bucks- Milwaukee has owned this series winning the past five meetings and 7-of-8 and just rebounded with a win over Brooklyn after losing at Boston. Brooklyn trailed by as many as 20 late in the first half before cutting the deficit to 81-69 at the end of the third quarter. The Nets opened the fourth quarter on a 21-6 run to move ahead 90-87 with 6:41 remaining in the contest. OKC has won four straight and 7 of 8 as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 23 points in his homecoming and the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder overcame a slow start to defeat the short-handed Toronto Raptors 123-103 on Friday. Take OKLAHOMA CITY!

James Madison vs Duke 5:15 ET

Blue Devils (-) over Dukes- James Madison (32-3), which extended the nation's longest active winning streak to 14 games, will play Duke in a second-round game Sunday. The fourth-seeded Blue Devils beat No. 13 Vermont 64-47 earlier Friday. The Dukes were a Megabucks winner over Wisconsin and this time it will be the ‘Dukies’ who with eight losses is not considered one of the Blue Devils. With James Madison's victory, a 12 seed has won at least one game against a five seed in 33 of the 39 NCAA Tournaments since it expanded to 64 teams in 1985. Take DUKE!

Texas vs Tennessee 8:00 ET

Longhorns (+) over Volunteers- Second-seeded Tennessee (25-8) will meet seventh-seeded Texas (21-12) with the right to advance to the Sweet 16. For Tennessee coach Rick Barnes this is a homecoming of sorts. Texas coach Rodney Terry was an assistant coach under Barnes from 2002-11 at Texas, so he should be familiar with Barnes’ tactics. And there is more as Texas assistant coach Frank Haith was on Barnes' staff before becoming a head coach at Miami, Missouri and Tulsa and then rejoining the Longhorns. The Volunteers had some late-season slippage that probably cost them a No. 1 regional seed. Tennessee depends on toughness, and getting after it defensively is a big part of Barnes' formula for success. Texas scored a season-low point total in Thursday night's 56-44 dismissal of 10th-seeded Colorado State. The Longhorns know they probably need to ramp up production. Texas will join the SEC next season and gets a jump of the conference here. Take TEXAS!  

Michigan State vs North Carolina 5:30 ET

Spartans (+) over Tar Heels- Top-seeded North Carolina (28-7) will play about a 2 1/2-hour drive away from its campus in Chapel Hill. Ninth-seeded Michigan State (20-14) has taken a winding road this season. North Carolina recorded a 90-62 win over No. 16 seed Wagner on Thursday while Michigan State turned out in nice numbers for the first-round game against No. 8 seed Mississippi State. The Tar Heels are 35-2 in NCAA Tournament games in the state of North Carolina. That mark is 13-1 in Charlotte but MSU coach Tom Izzo holds an NCAA Tournament-record 17 victories in games as a lower seed, including in Thursday's victory. North Carolina began the 2022-23 season with the No. 1 national ranking was were improperly seeded No. 1 and will fall to a club with big game experience. Take MICHIGAN STATE!     

James Madison vs Wisconsin 9:40 ET

Dukes (+) over Badgers- Fifth-seeded Wisconsin and 12th-seeded James Madison will begin NCAA Tournament play when they close out a quadruple-header at Barclays Center in a South Region first-round game. Wisconsin (22-13) received an at-large bid after losing to Illinois, 93-87, in the Big Ten championship game Sunday afternoon. James Madison (31-3) earned the Sun Belt Conference's automatic bid by cruising past Arkansas State, 91-71, in the conference championship game on March 11. Wisconsin, which missed the NCAA Tournament last season for just the second time since 1998, allowed fewer than 70 points in regulation in each of its first three Big Ten tourney games after allowing at least 70 points in nine of the last 11 regular season games. Few teams in the field enter the tournament playing better than James Madison, whose 31 wins are matched only by No. 1 UConn and whose 13-game winning streak is the longest in the nation. The trip to the NCAA Tournament is the sixth for James Madison and its first since 2013, when the Dukes were a 16th seed after earning the then-Colonial Athletic Association's automatic bid.

Take JAMES MADISON!  

Colorado State vs Texas 6:50 ET

Rams (+) over Longhorns- Seventh-seeded Texas (20-12) is in the NCAA Tournament for the 22nd time in the last 25 editions of the event. No. 10 seed Colorado State (25-10) is in the field for the second time in three years and has already padded its March credentials. The Rams throttled Virginia 67-42 in Tuesday night's First Four game in Dayton, Ohio. But that was just the fifth all-time NCAA Tournament victory for Colorado State and its first in 11 years.Texas, which is aiming for a first-round victory for the third season in a row after reaching the Elite Eight last season, lost two of its last three games coming in. The Longhorns haven't played since a March 13 setback to Kansas State in the Big 12 tournament's second round.The Rams want to build on the momentum from Tuesday night when they overwhelmed their opponent from the Atlantic Coast Conference. Now, they face a team in its final year in the Big 12. Since losing their last three games in February, the Rams have gone 5-1. Take COLORADO STATE!

Colorado vs Boise State 9:10 ET

Broncos (+) over Buffaloes- Boise State is making a third consecutive appearance in the field and were shaken when their stock dropped and shock set-in that they were being sent to the play-in portion of the NCAA Tournament. The Broncos (22-10) meet Colorado (24-10) in the final game of the eight-team, pre-tournament on Wednesday night. Boise State had seven wins against NCAA Tournament teams and expected to be a part of the core group. The Broncos finished No. 26 in the NET rankings, which projected as the equivalent of a No. 7 seed. They were second in the Mountain West standings with a 13-5 record and the conference has six teams in the Field of 68. Boise State has four players averaging double-figures in scoring but still they are 0-9 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. That streak ends here. Take BOISE STATE!

Miami at Cleveland 7:00 ET

Heat (+) over Cavaliers- Miami comes into Cleveland for the first of two matchups between the teams this week, they play again Sunday in Miami sitting eighth in the East. Back-to-back wins over Detroit last Friday and Sunday snapped a four-game losing streak for the Heat, but they dropped a 98-91 decision Monday in Philadelphia. Despite their recent struggles, the Heat trail Philadelphia by only one game for sixth in the East, a coveted spot to avoid the play-in. Miami is a half-game behind Indiana. Cleveland trailed Milwaukee by a game entering Tuesday, with New York and Orlando looming two and three games back, respectively, of the Cavaliers. Take MIAMI!

North Texas at LSU 7:00 ET

Mean Green (+) over Tigers- LSU is returning to postseason play.

It's not the NCAA Tournament, but the No. 4 seed Tigers' game against unseeded North Texas in the first round of the NIT on Tuesday night in Baton Rouge, La., is a notable step in the rebuilding of the program. LSU (17-15) went 9-9 in the Southeastern Conference after winning just two league games in 2022-23 in coach Matt McMahon's first season after he was hired to guide the program in the wake of NCAA sanctions. The Tigers, who defeated the Mean Green 66-62 on Nov. 17 in the Shriners Children's Charleston (S.C.) Classic, won three of their last four regular-season games to earn a first-round bye in the SEC tournament. They lost to Mississippi State 70-60 in their conference tournament opener. North Texas (18-14) is very familiar with the NIT. The Mean Green are in the tournament for the third consecutive season and they won it last season, defeating UAB in the final. North Texas won three of its last four regular-season games, then defeated Tulane 81-71 in the first round of the American Athletic Conference tournament before losing to Florida Atlantic 77-71. Take NORTH TEXAS!

Denver at Dallas 3:30 ET

Mavericks (+) over Nuggets- Denver (47-20) has won five straight heading into a road matchup against the Dallas Mavericks (38-29) on Sunday. The Nuggets are 11-1 since the All-Star break and hold the top seed in the Western Conference with 15 games to play. Dallas saw its four-game win streak come to an end with Thursday's 126-119 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Mavericks are in eighth place in the West and hoping to climb out of the play-in tournament bracket. Dallas has dropped its last three meetings against Denver, including a 130-104 road loss on Dec. 18. The Mavs Luka Doncic (sore left hamstring) and Josh Green (right ankle sprain) missed Thursday's game against Oklahoma City, but an MRI came back clean and he could return. The Mavericks are 3-6 in games this season without Doncic. The line tells me he will be ready. Take DALLAS!

Florida vs Auburn 1:00 ET

Tigers (-) over Gators- The Gators are 8-2 ATS in the past 10 meetings with Auburn including an 81-65 February win in Gainesville. Florida is off of a huge come-from behind and and ‘cover’ over the nagging Texas A&M Aggies while the Tigers enter with five straight wins and off of a non-cover victory over Mississippi State. Better coaching and better overall talent as cream rises...take AUBURN!