50* Powerhouse Play on Louisiana Tech +9½ -110

The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (2-0) are aiming for a perfect start through three games, but they’ll need to upset the Creighton Blue Jays (1-1) to do so.

The Bulldogs have had no trouble scoring points this year. After putting up 82 in a win over Texas A&M-CC, Louisiana Tech scored 98 points in a victory over Wiley.

On average, the Bulldogs are scoring 90 points and allowing 50.5 points per game.

Louisiana Tech is currently led by guard Kalob Ledoux, who’s averaging 15.5 points, three rebounds, and two assists per game while hitting 41.2% of his shots from three. JaColby Pemberton is shooting 61% from the field to score 14 points per game.

Creighton beat up on Kennesaw State in their season opener, but were then slapped around by Michigan in a 10-point defeat. The Blue Jays are yet to score more than 81 points in a game.

On average, the Blue Jays are scoring 75 points and allowing 67 points per game.

Guards Ty-Shon Alexander and Marcus Zegarowski lead this Creighton team in scoring. While Alexander is hitting half his three-point attempts and averaging 19.5 points and six rebounds per game, Zegarowski is shooting 54.5% from beyond the arc and averaging 18 points per game.

50* Powerhouse Play on Buffalo PK -109

The Harvard Crimson (3-1) are off to a hot start this season, and they’ll now go on the road for a clash with the Buffalo Bulls (1-1).

Currently sitting third in the Ivy standings behind only Dartmouth and Brown, both of whom are 3-0, a win today would keep Harvard right near the lead. After winning a cupcake game against MIT to start the season, the Crimson fell to Northeastern before bouncing back with back-to-back wins over Maine and Siena.

On average, the Crimson are scoring 72.3 points and allowing 53.3 points per game.

Although five Harvard players are averaging nine points per game, none are hitting double-digits. Forward Chris Lewis is averaging 9.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

After falling by five points to Dartmouth in the season opener, Buffalo responded by putting up 109 in a victory over Nazareth.

On average, the Bulls are scoring 86 points and allowing 70 points per game.

Five Buffalo players are scoring more than 10 points per contest. Guard Jayvon Graves is scoring 16 points and bringing down 6.5 rebounds per game. Forward Josh Mballa is averaging 12 points and nine rebounds per game. To earn 11 points per game, Ronaldo Segu is shooting 54.5% from three and 61.5% from the field.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Hawaii -5½ -109

Tonight, the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (2-1) are looking to build on a solid start to the season with a game against the Portland State Vikings (1-1).

After a comfortable victory over Puget Sound in the season opener, Portland State lost by 11 to the Hoosiers in Indiana. Thus far, the Vikings are shooting 43.5% from the field.

On average, Portland State is scoring 84 points and allowing 77 points per game, although those numbers are skewed by the game against a heavily outmatched Puget Sound.

Against Indiana, Portland State relied on two scorers throughout the contest. Apart from Holland Woods, who scored 27 points, and Matt Hauser, who scored 21 points, the rest of the team managed just 26 points.

Before and after their lone loss to South Dakota, Hawaii took down Florida A&M by 13 and Pacific by five. The Rainbow Warriors have scored at least 65 points in each contest this year.

On average, the Rainbow Warriors are scoring 70.7 points and allowing 66.7 points per game.

Hawaii is led by guard Eddie Stansberry, who’s averaging 17.3 points, four rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. By shooting 47.6% from three, Samuta Avea is another key player for Hawaii with his 12.7 points per game.

50* Powerhouse Play on UCLA -7 -110

The Rebels of UNLV (1-2) face a difficult path back to a .500 record as they take on the UCLA Bruins (2-0) in California this evening.

Although UNLV has twice as many losses as wins, both of their defeats have come in overtime. After taking down Purdue Fort Wayne in the season opener, the Rebels weren’t able to keep up with either Kansas State or Cal in the extra period of play.

On average, the Rebels are scoring 72.3 points and allowing 70 points per game.

Yet to miss a free throw, guard Amauri Hardy is UNLV’s leading scorer. Thus far, Hardy is averaging 19 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while hitting 42.9% of his three-point attempts.

UCLA began the season with back-to-back wins over Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara. The Bruins were able to score at least 69 points and hold their opponent to 65 points or fewer in both contests.

On average, the Bruins are scoring 73 points and allowing 63 points per game.

With five players averaging 11 points or more, UCLA has plenty of offensive firepower. Leading the bunch is forward Jalen Hill, who’s averaging 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

50* Powerhouse Play on Alabama +1 -110

The Crimson Tide of Alabama (1-1) and the Rams of Rhode Island (1-1) are both in search of a winning record at this point in the young season. These two teams will play this evening on Rhode Island’s home court.

Alabama did well to bounce back from a heart-breaking, one-point loss to Pennsylvania in the season opener with a 78-59 victory over FAU. Thus far, the Crimson Tide have shown the ability to get to the hoop with consistency.

On average, Alabama is scoring 79 points and allowing 70 points per game.

Guard Kira Lewis Jr. has been the main man for the Crimson Tide thus far. While hitting 40% of his shots from three, Lewis is averaging 23 points, seven rebounds, and 6.5 assists. Jaden Shackelford is adding another 16.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Rhode Island picked up a win over Long Island to open the season, but hit a roadblock as they fell to Maryland 73-55. Thus far, Rhode Island is hitting 34.3% of their three-pointers.

On average, the Rams are scoring 65.5 points and allowing 69 points per game.

While Rhode Island has four players averaging at least 11 points a game, none are scoring more than 13.5 points per game. Cyril Langevine is averaging 11 points and 16 rebounds per game.

50* Powerhouse Play on Pistons -3 -109

The Pistons (4-8) and Hornets (4-7) have both failed to reach five wins at this point in the NBA season. Tonight, both teams will face off against one another in Charlotte.

Detroit has lost three straight to Indiana, Memphis, and Miami, but two came by just six points and the last loss was on the latter end of a back-to-back.

On average, the Pistons are scoring 108.9 points and allowing 112.5 points per game.

In addition to the three players who’ve been averaging 18 points or more throughout the season, the Pistons now have the services of Blake Griffin, who’s returning from injury. In his one game played this year, Griffin scored 19 points while racking up seven rebounds and six assists.

After squeaking out a two-point overtime win over the Pacers, the Hornets have lost their last four games. The most recent lost came two days ago in a 119-117 game against Memphis.

On average, the Hornets are scoring 106.8 points and allowing 113.7 points per game.

In a rough start to the season, the Hornets can take pride in the fact that five players are averaging 12 points or more. However, no Hornet is scoring more than the 18 points that Devonte Graham is averaging.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on West Virginia PK -109

The West Virginia Mountaineers (1-0) are looking for a flawless start to the season through two games. The Pitt Panthers (2-1) might have something to say about that when these teams match up this evening.

The Mountaineers are coming off a 10-point win over the Akron Zips, which they played a full week ago. Although West Virginia allowed Akron to score 51 points in the second half, the Mountaineers did enough by duplicating their 47-point first half in which they held the Zips to just 33 points.

Of the 11 West Virginia players who saw the floor for at least five minutes, six had nine points or more. Both Jermaine Haley and Derek Culver led the Mountaineers with 16 points and seven rebounds apiece. Miles McBride led the bench in scoring with 11 points.

The Mountaineers shot 38.5% from three and 47.5% from the field.

Between wins over Florida State and Robert Morris, the Panthers fell by five points to Nicholls. Thus far, Pittsburgh is 1-1 on their home floor.

On average, the Panthers are scoring 68 points and allowing 64.3 points per game.

Guard Ryan Murphy has led the Panthers in scoring so far this season. While hitting 47.4% of his shots from beyond the arc, Murphy is averaging 17 points, 3.7 rebounds, and two assists.

50* Powerhouse Play on Arkansas State -6 -109

After playing three games, the VMI Keydets (0-3) are still in search of their first victory of the season. Tonight, they’ll attempt to claim win number one when they go up against the Arkansas State Red Wolves (1-1).

The Keydets have failed to win any of their first three games against East Carolina, Marist, or Presbyterian, but they haven’t been blown out in any of them. While they lost by 12 to the Pirates, VMI only fell by two points to Marist and then Presbyterian needed overtime to get the win.

On average, the Keydets are scoring 67 points and allowing 72.7 points per game.

VMI only has two players scoring at least 10 points per game. Greg Parham leads the team with 12.7 points per game, and Jake Stephens trails shortly behind with 10.3 points per contest.

After opening the season with a win over Ark Monticello, the Red Wolves fell to Ole Miss by a score of 71-43. Thus far, Arkansas State is shooting 40.4% from the field.

On average, the Red Wolves are scoring 54 points and allowing 60 points per game.

VMI is led by guard Canberk Kus, who’s averaging 13.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, four steals, and three assists per game. J.J. Matthews is adding another 10 points and six rebounds per game.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Michigan State -6 -109

The #3 Michigan State Spartans (1-1) aren’t afraid of testing themselves early in the season. After opening the year against #2 Kentucky, Sparty will now take on the #12 Seton Hall Pirates (2-0).

Entering the season as the top-ranked team, Michigan State fell to the Kentucky Wildcats by seven points in the season opener. The Spartans rebounded with a big 100-47 win over Binghamton days later.

On average, the Spartans are scoring 81 points and allowing 58 points per game.

Against Kentucky, Michigan State was unable to recover from a slow start after scoring just 24 points in the first half. Despite hitting just one of his seven three-point attempts, Cassius Winston led the Spartans by a wide margin by scoring 21 points in the contest.

Seton Hall opened the year with a pair of wins over Wagner and Stony Brook. Neither game was ever in jeopardy for the Pirates, who scored 105 against Wagner and held Stony Brook to just 57.

On average, the Pirates are scoring 89.5 points and allowing 64 points per game.

Currently, four Seton Hall players are scoring double-digit points per contest. Leading the group is Sandro Mamukelashvili, who’s averaging 14 points, five rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Clippers -2½ -110

While the Clippers (7-4) have gotten off to a decent start without one of their two star players, the Pelicans (2-8) have won just 20% of their games thus far. Tonight, the Pelicans will be hosting the Clippers in New Orleans.

The two Los Angeles teams are once again atop the Pacific standings after the Clippers have earned a 0.5-game lead over the Suns. Yet the Clippers will need to go on a winning streak in order to catch the 9-2 Lakers. Before yesterday’s loss to Houston, the Clippers defeated both Portland and Toronto.

On average, the Clippers are scoring 110.2 points and allowing 106.5 points per game.

Kawhi Leonard leads Los Angeles with 26.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, six assists, and 2.1 steals per game. Lou Williams is the team’s second-leading scorer with 22.1 points per game.

The Pelicans are in the basement of the Southwest standings and don’t look to be much of a threat without Zion Williamson on the floor. New Orleans is also coming off a loss to the Rockets.

On average, the Pelicans are scoring 117 points and allowing 122.4 points per contest.

Brandon Ingram leads New Orleans with 25.9 points per game, but it’s unclear if he’ll be able to go this evening after picking up a knock to his knee.

50* Powerhouse Play on Marquette -2 -109

The Marquette Golden Eagles (1-0) are set to kick off their season with two consecutive home games. If they’ll stay perfect through two games, Marquette will need to overpower the Purdue Boilermakers (1-1) this evening.

Purdue opened the season with two home games of their own. After taking down Green Bay in a comfortable game, the Boilermakers fell to Texas in a four-point contest.

On average, the Boilermakers are scoring 72.5 points and allowing 63.5 points per game.

Against Texas, Purdue was led by the 14 points of Sasha Stefanovic, who came off the bench. The pairing of Eric Hunter Jr. and Jahaad Proctor both scored a dozen points in at least 28 minutes on the floor as the most productive of the starting five.

Marquette faced Loyola-MD in the season opener and never had much trouble. Whilst scoring 44 points in both halves, the Golden Eagles built a big lead by holding Loyola to just 15 points in the first half before coasting to victory.

In the opener, the Marquette offense flowed through guard Markus Howard. In 26 minutes, Howard scored a game-high 38 points while shooting 7-of-10 from beyond the arc and 9-of-10 from the free-throw line. Howard also added five rebounds and two assists.

The rest of the Marquette team didn’t need to do much in the way of scoring, but both Koby McKewen and Sacar Anim dropped 11 points in the victory.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Northwestern +8½ -109

Having started the season with a flawless record through two games, the Providence Friars (2-0) will go on the road to take on the Northwestern Wildcats (0-1).

Providence topped the 100-point mark in their season opener against Sacred Heart while holding their opponent to just 60. The Friars then welcomed the NJIT Highlanders and had little more trouble, easily winning a 76-47 contest.

On average, the Friars are scoring 91 points and allowing 53.5 points per game.

Providence currently has five players scoring double-digit points per contest, three of which are averaging 10.5 points a game. Guard Alpha Diallo is the main man for the Friars thus far with an average of 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game.

Guard David Duke has added another 16 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game.

After losing by 10 to Merrimack, the Northwestern Wildcats are getting 8.5 points in tonight’s contest. After trailing Merrimack by just a single point at the half, Northwestern let their opponent get away from them in the final period of play.

Forward Pete Nance put in the best performance of the game for Northwestern. In 33 minutes, Nance went for 19 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 7-of-15 from the floor. Miller Kopp and Pat Spencer added 11 and 10 points, respectively.

50* Powerhouse Play on Miami-OH -2 -109

Both the Miami of Ohio Redhawks (0-1) and Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons (1-2) are seeking a .500 record. One of them will do so when these two teams meet today.

Miami of Ohio opened the season against Wright State. A closely contested matchup ended in a seven-point loss for the Redhawks. A strong comeback effort fell short for Miami as they weren’t able to make up the ground lost after going down by nine before halftime.

For Miami of Ohio, only four players scored more than six points against Wright State. However, two of those players dropped more than 20 points.

Guard Nike Sibande was the top player for the Redhawks with his 24 points and nine rebounds. From the bench, Mekhi Lairy was the second-leading scorer for Miami of Ohio with his 21 points.

Fort Wayne has played two more games than tonight’s opponent, but have only one win to their name. That win came against Manchester, with both losses coming against UNLV and SE Missouri State.

On average, the Mastodons are scoring 80 points and allowing 81.7 points per game.

Two of Fort Wayne’s top three scorers are shooting less than 28% from three, with only forward Matt Holba topping that mark. On the season, Holba is averaging 14.3 points per game.

50* Powerhouse Play on Washington State +4 -110

Santa Clara is going in search of its third-straight win to open the season as the Broncos (2-0) are set to host the Washington State Cougars (1-0).

Washington State began their season with a 85-54 demolition of the Seattle Redhawks. While holding Seattle to a 21-point first half, the Cougars were able to score 43 and 42 in a consistent team performance.

In total, 12 Washington State players got onto the scoresheet against the Redhawks. The Cougars’ bench put up 25 points as a unit.

Forward CJ Elleby led the way with 27 points in 28 minutes on the floor. Elleby also added seven rebounds and two steals. Guard Isaac Bonton pitched in with 12 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.

Santa Clara followed up a big win over UC Santa Cruz with a 77-63 victory over Cal Poly. The Broncos used a 44-point second half to pull away from the Mustangs in the latter matchup.

On average, Santa Clara is scoring 87 points and allowing 57.5 points per game.

Of the four Santa Clara players averaging double-digit points, only forward DJ Mitchell is averaging more than 13 points per game. In addition to his 18 points per contest, Mitchell is bringing down 4.5 rebounds and dishing two assists per game.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Texas-Arlington +6 -109

The UT Arlington Mavericks (2-0) are searching for three wins out of three as they go on the road to take on the Nevada Wolf Pack (1-1) this evening.

The Mavericks followed up a destruction of the Texas Dallas Comets with a 73-59 win over Tulsa. Thus far, UT Arlington hasn’t allowed more than 59 points in a game. Meanwhile, the Mavericks have scored at least 73 points in both their games.

On average, the Mavericks are scoring 78.5 points and allowing 54.5 points per game.

The interesting thing about UT Arlington is that no one player stands out as a great scorer. Instead, the Mavericks offer a balanced offense with seven players averaging at least eight points per game. Forward Jabari Narcis leads the way with 11 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

Nevada is a six-point home favorite, but the Wolf Pack have already lost once at home. Before a five-point win over Loyola Marymount, Nevada lost by five to Utah.

On average, the Wolf Pack are scoring 73 points and allowing 73 points per game.

Nevada doesn’t have much to offer offensively beyond Lindsey Drew and Jazz Johnson. While Drew is scoring 27 points per game and Johnson is scoring 18 points per game, only two other Wolf Pack players are scoring more than four points per game.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Jazz -6½ -109

As the Jazz (7-3) look to keep up with the Nuggets in the Northwest division, they’ll look to stay perfect at home against the Nets (4-5) this evening.

Brooklyn is just 1-3 on the road this season, and is coming off a 138-112 loss to the Suns. In all but one of their nine games thus far, the Nets have allowed 113 points or more to their competition. Brooklyn has also allowed 125 points or more in four games.

On average, the Nets are scoring 119.8 points and allowing 121.7 points per game.

Although Brooklyn tries to overcome their weak defense with offensive firepower, only Kyrie Irving is currently averaging more than 16.8 points per game for the Nets.

The Jazz are finding their form once again with three wins in a row, two of which came against strong Eastern Conference teams in the form of Philadelphia and Milwaukee. In each of those three wins, Utah held their opponents to 108 points or fewer.

On average, the Jazz are scoring 103.1 points per game and allowing 98.1 points per game.

Young superstar Donovan Mitchell continues to lead the Jazz with 24.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. Center Rudy Gobert is a big defensive presence for Utah with his team-high 13.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.

50* Powerhouse Play on Tulsa -6 -110

After today’s game between the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (1-1) and the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, one team will fall below .500 and the other will gain a winning record.

Oral Roberts recently recovered from a season opening loss to Oklahoma State with a 95-81 win over the Houston Baptist Huskies. The Golden Eagles’ opposition was able to reach 80 points in both contests.

On average, Oral Roberts is scoring 85 points and allowing 80.5 points per game.

Against Oklahoma State, the Golden Eagles allowed five players to score 10 points or more. Against Houston Baptist, the Golden Eagles allowed guard Jalon Gates to hit six threes on his way to 25 points.

Oral Roberts’ leading scorer is Deondre Burns, who’s scored 21 points per game.

Tulsa opened the season with an eight-point win over Houston Baptist before dropping their second game to UT Arlington.

On average, the Golden Hurricane are scoring 69.5 points and allowing 72.5 points per game.

Against Houston Baptist, forward Jeriah Horne led all scorers with his 22 points. Guard Brandon Rachal earned a double-double in that contest with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Against UT Arlington, guard Reggie Jones led Tulsa with 19 points from the bench.

50* Powerhouse Play on Northeastern -2 -109

Today, either the Northeastern Huskies (2-0) or the UMass Minutemen (2-0) will be served their first loss of the season when these two teams go head to head.

In their first two games of the season, Northeastern beat up on Boston University and Harvard. Both contests were decided by five-point margins. Against Harvard, the Huskies scored at least 40 points in each half.

On average, Northeastern is scoring 78 points and allowing 73 points per game.

There’s no denying that guard Jordan Roland leads this Northeastern team on the floor. In addition to his four rebounds and two assists per game, Roland is averaging a monstrous 40.5 points per game so far this year after dropping 42 in the Harvard game.

After a comfortable win over Lowell River, UMass barely edged out Fairfield in a 62-60 contest. In the latter game, the Minutemen only received three points or fewer from five of its nine players who played at least nine minutes.

On average, the Minutemen are scoring 70.5 points and allowing 62 points per game.

UMass is led by guard T.J. Weeks, who’s averaging 16 points, 4.5 rebounds, and two steals per game. Center Tre Mitchell has added another 14 points and eight rebounds per contest.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Rockets -4½ -109

While Houston is figuring out its new star backcourt, they’ve managed to jump out to a 6-3 start. Tonight, the Rockets (6-3) will head into New Orleans for a showdown with the Pelicans (2-7).

With a win this evening, Houston would extend its current winning streak to four games. Against Memphis, Golden State, and Chicago, the Rockets were able to average 118 points while holding their three opponents to an average of 106 points.

On the season, the Rockets are averaging 120.1 points and allowing 118.7 points per game.

It appears that Houston will goes as far as guards James Harden and Russell Westbrook will take them, and that could be a deep playoff run.

Thus far, Harden is averaging 37.1 points and 8.2 assists per game, and Westbrook is averaging 21.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game.

Without first-overall pick Zion Williamson, the Pelicans have struggled throughout their first nine games of the season. Before overcoming Charlotte by five points two nights ago, New Orleans hit a stretch of three straight losses.

On average, the Pelicans are scoring 117.1 points and allowing 122.4 points per game.

In Zion’s absence, Brandon Ingram is leading the Pelicans with his 25.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on DePaul +9½ -110

Having started the year with three games in four days, the DePaul Blue Demons (3-0) have jumped out to a flawless record. Tonight, the Blue Demons will be on the road to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes (1-0).

While they haven’t played NCAA Tournament-level competition thus far, DePaul has taken care of business against whoever’s been put in front of them. Through three games, the Blue Demons have won by at least 11 points in each contest against Alcorn State, Chicago, and Fairleigh Dickinson.

On average, the Blue Demons are scoring 75.3 points and allowing 56 points per game.

Thus far, DePaul can boast four players averaging 11 points or more. Charlie Moore has separated himself as the top scorer on the team with 19.3 points per game in addition to his five assists and 2.3 assists per contest.

With an 87-60 win over SIU Edwardsville, Iowa started the season on the right foot. The Hawkeyes were led by center Luka Garza, who earned a double-double with a team-high 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Guard Joe Wieskamp was Iowa’s next-best player, as he went for 16 points, four rebounds, and two assists. Apart from Garza and Wieskamp, no other Hawkeye player scored more than nine.

50* Powerhouse Play on Celtics -3½ -110

After Gordon Hayward fractured his hand in a collision with LaMarcus Aldridge, the Celtics (7-1) will be without their star big man when they host the Mavericks (6-3) in Boston this evening.

The Mavs have won three of their last four after taking down Memphis by a score of 138-122 two days ago. However, Dallas fell to the lowly 2-8 Knicks the day prior.

On average, the Mavericks are scoring 116.3 points and allowing 111.9 points per game.

The duo of Luka Doncic and Kristapz Porzingis has been the leading force for a solid Dallas team. While Porzingis is averaging 20.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game, Doncic is tops on the team with his 27.7 points, 10.8 rebounds, 9.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.

Although they lost Hayward in the contest, the Celtics were able to defeat the Spurs 135-115 as they extended their winning streak to seven games. On this streak, Boston has scored at least 112 points in five of the seven games.

On average, the Celtics are scoring 113.1 points and allowing 103.8 points per game.

Boston will miss Hayward’s 18.9 points per game, but they can make up with it with three other scorers. While Kemba Walker leads the team with 24.5 points per game, Jayson Tatum is averaging 21.3 points and Jaylen Brown is averaging 18.8 points per contest.

50* Powerhouse Play on Samford +9 -110

Both the Samford Bulldogs (1-1) and Belmont Bruins (0-1) are trying to build some momentum early in the 2019-20 season. One team will fail to do so when these team face off this evening.

Samford is just a four-point, double-overtime loss to Morehead State away from beginning the season 2-0. Despite dropping their season opener, the Bulldogs bounced back with a 68-42 victory over KY Wesleyan. Samford put together a consistent performance against Wesleyan, scoring 33 and then 35 while holding Kentucky Wesleyan to 21 in both halves.

The Bulldogs rely on their starters for the majority of their points, but they appear to be up to the task. Against Wesleyan, guard Brandon Austin led all scorers with 17 points. Forwards Robert Allen and Jalen Dupree added another 14 and 11 points, respectively.

Belmont went up against Illinois State in their season opener. Despite jumping out to a 31-23 lead at the half, Belmont ended up losing by seven points to the Redbirds.

In addition to Nick Hopkins’ 12 points from the bench, the Bruins had three starters with 13 points or more. Center Nick Muszynski led the way with 20 points, followed by 17 from Grayson Murphy and 13 from Adam Kunkel.

50* Powerhouse Play on Suns -2 -110

While much of the offseason discussion revolved around the new-look Nets (4-4), it’s the Suns (5-3) who own the better record through eight games. Today, the Suns will host the Nets in Phoenix.

Brooklyn has struggled for consistency so far this season, but they’re on their best stretch after winning three of their last four contests. In those three wins, the Nets have allowed their opponents to score at least 115 points.

On average, the Nets are scoring 120.8 points per game and allowing 119.6 points per game.

Kyrie Irving is a man on a mission after leaving Boston for a fresh start in Brooklyn. Thus far, Irving is averaging 31.9 points, 7.5 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game. Caris LaVert is second on the team with 17.9 points per game.

One of the most surprising stories at the start of the NBA season has been the strength of the Suns, who won three straight before a loss to Miami in their most recent contest. In those three wins, Phoenix scored at least 114 points in each contest.

On average, the Suns are scoring 114.1 points and allowing 108.6 points per game.

While Devin Booker leads the team with 25.6 points per game, Ricky Rubio has been one of the Suns’ best players by contributing 12.4 points, 8.1 assists, and 6.6 rebounds per game.

50* Powerhouse Play on UC-Santa Barbara +5½ -109

When the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (1-0) and UCLA Bruins (1-0) go head to head this evening, one team will exit the game with their first loss of the season.

The Gauchos opened the year against Jackson State, who they dominated in a 21-point victory. UC Santa Barbara had racked up 83 points by the end of the game, using a 46-28 second-half performance to pull away.

While holding Jackson State to just three players with double-digit points, UC Santa Barbara had four double-digit scorers of their own.

Three Gauchos starters had 17 points or more, as Amadou Sow led the way with 20 points in addition to his nine rebounds and two assists. Max Heidegger added another 19 points, and guard Jaquori McLaughlin had a strong performance with 17 points, four assists, and three rebounds.

UCLA could breathe a sigh of relief after surviving Long Beach State in the season opener. After trailing at the half, the Bruins needed a 42-point second half to win by the score of 69-65.

A balanced UCLA offense had four players with at least 10 points, but no Bruin scored more than 15 against Long Beach State.

Leading the way for UCLA was Tyger Campbell, who managed just 15 points in 37 minutes on the floor.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on San Jose State -1½ -109

The San Jose State Spartans (1-0) are aiming for a perfect start through two games of the season. To do so, they’ll need to overcome the visiting Portland Pilots (1-1).

After a dominant victory over Willamette, Portland dropped a 76-65 contest to USC. The Pilots struggled to keep up throughout the game, letting the Trojans get too far out in front with a 41-35 first half.

In the USC game, Pilots guard Isaiah White led the team with 22 points. White made six of his 10 three-point attempts and both of his free throws. Only two other players, Takiula Fahrensohn and Jojo Walker, had 10 points in the game.

The Spartans earned a 79-71 win over Hofstra in the season opener. Tonight will be San Jose State’s first home game of the year.

The Spartans had four players score double-digit points in the victory over Hofstra. From the bench, Richard Washington led the way with 23 points in addition to his seven rebounds and three assists. Forward Craig LeCesne was a force in the paint with 19 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double.

Guard Seneca Knight added another 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

50* Powerhouse Play on Cal-Irvine +3 -110

While the UC Irvine Anteaters (1-0) earned a victory in their season opener, the Pepperdine Waves (0-1) weren’t so fortunate. Tonight, these two squads will face off in Firestone Fieldhouse.

With a huge come-from-behind performance, the Anteaters earned a big 76-73 victory over San Diego. UC Irvine was outscored 48-34 in the first half, then used a suffocating defensive effort to limit San Diego to just 25 second-half points.

In an effort to bridge the 14-point gap the Anteaters were up against, three Cal Irvine starters scored at least 13 points. Guard Evan Leonard led the team with 19 points, six rebounds, three steals, and two assists while hitting all 10 of his free throws.

Tommy Rutherford added another 16 points and six rebounds while Collin Welp scored 13 points and four rebounds.

Pepperdine faced a tough task in a season-opening matchup against California, and they couldn’t stand up to it. By a score of 87-71, the Waves were beaten handily despite taking a two-point lead into the locker room at half.

Guard Colby Ross was the best player on the floor for Pepperdine. In 35 minutes, Ross scored 19 points and added seven assists and three rebounds. Kessler Edwards was right behind Ross, scoring 18 points of his own.

50* Powerhouse Play on Long Beach State +2 -110

Both the San Diego Toreros (0-1) and Long Beach State 49ers (0-1) got off to a rough start in their respective season openers. Today, it’s going to get worse for one of these two squads who face off today.

The UC Irvine Anteaters handed San Diego a tough three-point loss in their first game of the season. The Toreros fell apart with just 25 points in the second half after jumping out to a 48-34 lead at halftime.

Stamina may have been an issue for San Diego with only seven players seeing meaningful minutes on the floor. Both Joey Calcaterra and Braun Hartfield played 35 minutes.

Offensively, Hartfield led the way with a team-high 17 points in addition to his eight rebounds and two assists. Guard Marion Humphrey added another 14 points.

Long Beach State took a tough loss of their own as the UCLA Bruins came out on top by just a four-point margin. This was another case of letting the game slip in the second half after the 49ers earned a 33-27 at halftime.

Of the three Long Beach State players who reached double-digit points, Michael Carter III and Chance Hunter did most of the damage. While Carter III had 20 points, Hunter added another 19.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Spurs -1 -109

The Celtics (6-1) have rolled over just about every team they’ve faced so far this season. Tonight, they’ll attempt to do the same to the Spurs (5-3) in San Antonio.

Since a loss to the 76ers in the season opener, Boston has ripped off six straight wins. Throughout that streak, only one game has ended as a one-possession game. The Celtics have scored at least 104 in every win, but were held to just 93 points by Philly.

On average, the Celtics are scoring 110 points while allowing 102.1 points per game.

Among the three Celtics averaging at least 20 points, Kemba Walker leads the way with 24.3 points per game. Jayson Tatum is averaging 21.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, and Gordon Hayward is averaging 20.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.

After two straight losses to the Lakers and Hawks, the Spurs responded with a 121-112 win over the Thunder in their most recent game. While San Antonio has lost three games, only one has come at home.

On average, the Spurs are scoring 112.3 points and allowing 109.9 points per game.

DeMar DeRozan leads all San Antonio scorers with his 20 points per game while adding five rebounds and 4.8 assists.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Tennessee State +3 -109

While the Chattanooga Mocs (0-1) failed to come out of their season opener as victors, the Tennessee State Tigers (1-0) did. Today, these two teams will face off against one another.

Against Alabama A&M, Tennessee State exploded for 106 points while holding their opponent to just 66. With 64 points in the first half, the Tigers nearly matched the Bulldogs’ total in half the time.

Apart from two 14-point scorers, Alabama A&M didn’t have another player reach double-digit points against Tennessee State. Meanwhile, four of the Tigers’ five starters and a bench player all reached 10 points or more.

Leading the way for Tennessee State was Carlos Marshall Jr., who dropped 22 points with four rebounds and three assists. Guard Will Harris added another 15 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

With a 79-68 loss to Eastern Kentucky, Chattanooga picked up where they left off last year after a 20-loss season. The Mocs actually led at the half, but were outscored 46-30 in the second half.

Three Chattanooga players went for 12 points or more, but two Mocs who played double-digit minutes failed to score a single point.

David Jean-Baptiste led the way with 18 points in addition to his five rebounds.

50* Powerhouse Play on Loyola-Chicago +5½ -110

Both the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (1-0) and the Furman Paladins (1-0) kicked off the college basketball season with a win. Tonight, these two teams will go head to head.

In Loyola’s first game, which came against UC Davis, the Ramblers demolished their opponent by scoring 82 and holding the Aggies to just 48 points. Loyola jumped out to a 39-22 lead at the half and never looked back.

In the opening contest, four Loyola starters reached double-digit points. Center Cameron Krutwig led the way with 15 points in addition to his 11 assists and eight rebounds. Krutwig finished the night 6-for-8 from the floor, and figures to be a big part of Loyola’s plans going forward.

Tate Hall was another vital player for the Ramblers in the season opener. In total, Hall scored 14 points while racking up nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals.

Furman was on the road against Webber to open the season. A relatively close game ended in a seven-point victory for the Paladins.

Much of Furman’s offense came down to the trio of Noah Gurley, Alex Hunter, and Clay Mounce, who were the only three Paladins in double digits. Gurley was the leading scorer of the bunch with 18 points.

50* Powerhouse Play on Marist +7½ -110

The Marist Red Foxes are set to open their 2019-20 college basketball season with a matchup against the VMI Keydets (0-1).

Marist will be looking to improve upon a season in which they managed just 12 wins. To end the season, the Red Foxes followed up a four-game winning streak with a five-game losing streak, including a 71-68 overtime loss in the season finale.

Against non-conference competition last year, the Red Foxes went 5-7 while allowing 68.9 points per game and scoring 65.8 points per game.

On the flip side, VMI went 3-6 out of conference and allowed those opponents to score 81.8 points per game while scoring 70.9 points per game of their own.

The Keydets started the season with a 80-68 loss to East Carolina. In that contest, only two VMI players managed to get to double-digit points.

Greg Parham was the leading Keydets scorer by a wide margin with 23 points. Parham also added four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Jake Stephens, who scored 10 points in 22 minutes, was the only other VMI player to reach double digits.

In addition to a lack of scoring, the Keydets have an issue slowing down opposing offenses. Against ECU, VMI allowed two Pirates to score 20 points or more.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Siena +20½ -109

Cincinnati, Ohio will be the destination for a showdown between the Siena Saints (1-0) and the #19 Xavier Musketeers (1-0). Siena is getting 20.5 points in this contest.

The Saints opened the season with a big 96-80 win over American. In that game, Jalen Pickett led all scorers with his 22 points from the bench. Pickett also added five rebounds and four assists in his 30 minutes on the floor.

In addition to Pickett, Siena had three other scorers drop 14 points or more. Forward Elijah Burns was perhaps the most influential player on the floor for the Saints as he put up 19 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Manny Camper pitched in with 14 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.

A fast-paced Siena team figures to offer more of a challenge for Xavier than the Musketeers’ first opponent, Jacksonville University. Despite severely outmatching Jacksonville, Xavier was only able to muster a 19-point victory, and they’re laying more than 20 points tonight.

Against Jacksonville, both Tyrique Jones and Naji Marshall scored 17 points. While Jones also snagged 11 rebounds, Jones added six rebounds, four assists, and two steals.

In total, four Musketeers scored at least 11 points.

50* Powerhouse Play on Ohio State -6½ -109

A pair of Ohio rivals will take the court in the season opener as the Cincinnati Bearcats go into Columbus to take on the #18 Ohio State Buckeyes.

After a strong 14-4 performance in the American Athletic Conference and a 28-7 season overall, head coach Mick Cronin left Cincinnati for greener pastures at UCLA. Cronin has been replaced by John Brannen, who led Northern Kentucky to two NCAA Tournament berths in three years.

Although they appear to be outmatched this evening, the Bearcats can lean on returning wing player Jarron Cumberland. Last season, Cumberland averaged 18.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.

Cincinnati will also send out transfer point guard Chris McNeal, who averaged 9.5 points a game last year, but who’s also going to be playing for his fifth team in five years.

After bringing in the top recruiting class in the Big Ten, the Buckeyes are ready to bounce back from a disappointing 20-15 season.

The Buckeyes have a host of talent ready to replace the likes of C.J. Jackson, who averaged 12 points and 3.5 assists per game last year. Look for E.J. Liddell, who highlights a freshman class as a 6-6, 236-pound all-around player who blocked 500 shots in high school.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Belmont -6 -114

After losing their head coach to retirement and their star guard to graduation, the new-look Belmont Bruins will look to start the season strong against the Illinois State Redbirds.

Rick Byrd did a wonderful job in his last season in charge of the Bruins, leading the team to a 27-6 record and an NCAA Tournament berth. Byrd now hands to reigns over to his former player, Casey Alexander.

On the floor, Belmont also loses a big piece in the form of guard Dylan Windler, who was a first-round draft pick after a senior season in which he averaged 21.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

However, the Bruins are returning three starters from a year ago, including OVC Freshman of the Year Nick Muszynski, who averaged 14.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

Last year, Belmont was the second-ranked scoring offense in college basketball with 86.9 points per game.

Illinois State was perfectly average last year. On top of a 9-9 record in MVC play, the Redbirds went 17-16 overall.

The Redbirds are returning only one starter from last season – Zach Copeland. If Illinois State will improve, they’ll likely need more than 9.6 points per game from Copeland.

50* Powerhouse Play on California +2½ -109

Berkley, California will be the site of a non-conference season opener for both the Pepperdine Waves and Cal Golden Bears with the latter playing host.

Under first-year head coach Lorenzo Romar, Pepperdine won 10 more games than the year prior last season. However, the Waves still finished with a losing record after winning only 16 games and advanced the school’s streak of NCAA Tournament absences to 17 seasons.

Colbey Ross was Pepperdine’s standout player last year. On average, Ross put up 19.7 points and seven assists per game whilst shooting 39.6% from three. In addition to Ross, Pepperdine will feature Kameron Edwards, who scored 14.7 points with 6.2 rebounds per game, and Kessler Edwards who scored 10 points with 5.6 rebounds per game.

The Pepperdine offense played with pace under Romar, but left themselves open to attack on the defensive end. Opposing offenses were able to score by shooting 53.9% from the field.

California is looking for a quick turnaround after last year’s 8-23 season, and they brought in former Georgia head coach Mark Fox to do so. Fox finished with a winning record in each of his last five seasons with Georgia in a tough SEC.

Senior Justice Sueing led the 2018-19 Cal team with 14.3 points and six rebounds per game.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Heat +4½ -109

Through 12 total games, you’ll find only three losses between the Heat (5-1) and Nuggets (4-2). Tonight, these two teams will do battle in Denver.

Miami has been a pleasant surprise in the Eastern Conference. Only a 116-109 loss to the Timberwolves separates the Heat from a perfect record. Most recently, Miami won back-to-back games against the Hawks before taking down the Rockets in a comfortable win.

On average, the Heat are scoring 117.8 points and allowing 106.2 points per game.

The Heat are getting production from all over the place. In total, Miami has eight players scoring in the double digits on average. Of those eight, half are scoring at least 15 points per game. Kendrick Nunn leads the way with his 19.5 points per game.

The Nuggets jumped out to a 3-0 start before dropping two straight against Dallas and New Orleans, the latter of which felt like a blowout against a weak NBA roster. Most recently, Denver bounced back with a 91-87 win in Orlando.

On average, the Nuggets are scoring 103.5 points and allowing 103.2 points per game.

Nikola Jokic is scoring 15.8 points while averaging a team-high 10.5 rebounds and six assists per game. While Jokic is the most productive player, Jamal Murray is leading the team in scoring, with 18.5 points per game.

50* Powerhouse Play on Lakers -7 -109

All of a sudden, the Lakers (5-1) look like the best team in the NBA. This evening, the Bulls (2-5) will do their best to slow down L.A. when they host LeBron and company in Chicago.

Since dropping the season opener to the cross-town rival Clippers, the Lakers have ripped off five victories in a row. Defense has been the special ingredient on this streak that includes wins over Utah and San Antonio.

On average, the Lakers are scoring 109.8 points and allowing 99.3 points per game.

When LeBron recruited Anthony Davis, the Lakers instantly had one of the best duos in basketball. So far, it’s showing. While James is scoring 25.5 points per game while leading the team with 11.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game, Davis is tops on the Lakers with 28.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, and three blocks per game.

The Bulls haven’t had much success through the early part of the NBA season. After notching their second win of the season at the start of November, Chicago then lost handily to the Pacers.

On average, the Bulls are scoring 105 points and allowing 110.3 points per game.

Zach LaVine continues to be the leading scorer for Chicago. On the season, LaVine is averaging 21.1 points, four rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game.

50* Powerhouse Play on George Washington +6½ -110

Both the George Washington Colonials and Towson Tigers struggled throughout the season last year. Tonight, both teams will aim to start a new campaign on the right foot as they face off on Towson’s home floor.

In the Atlantic Ten, George Washington managed just four conference wins as part of their 9-24 overall record. Meanwhile, Towson earned a similar record of 10-22 while going 6-12 in the Colonial Athletic Association.

After last year’s underperformance, the Colonials decided a change was needed at head coach. So, George Washington opted to hire Jamion Christian, who spent a single year in Siena, where he led the Saints to a record of 17-16 and 11-7 in conference play.

Christian will try to open things up for guard Maceo Jack, who returns as the team’s third-leading scorer form a year ago with 11.5 points per game.

Towson played decent defensive basketball last year, holding opponents to 43.6% shooting from the field. However, the Tigers’ offensive production was severely lacking. By shooting 32.7% from three and 43.5% from the field, Towson struggled to outscore anyone.

Senior Brain Fobbs led the team with 17.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

50* Powerhouse Play on Clemson -6½ -105

Neither the Virginia Tech Hokies or the Clemson Tigers will be ranked as the 2019-20 college basketball season gets underway. Tonight, these two teams will go head to head on Clemson’s home court.

Last year, Clemson finished with a record of 20-14 and went 9-9 in ACC play. Virginia Tech finished the season with a 26-9 record that included a 12-6 performance in the conference.

These two squads most recently met back in February. Although you can’t necessarily glean too much from a contest between last year’s teams, it’s worth noting that Clemson earned a 59-51 victory at home.

After a trip to the Sweet 16, head coach Buzz Williams departed Virginia Tech in favor of Texas A&M. Now, new coach Mike Young will have to see what he can do without the team’s top five scorer from a season ago, all of whom are no longer with the Hokies.

Finding offense will be tough for a Virginia Tech team that ranked 170th in the nation with 73.5 points per game last season.

By allowing just 63.9 points per game last year, the Tigers ranked 23rd in scoring defense. Offensively, Clemson will be counting on Curran Scott, who scored 8.9 points a game at Tulsa, and Tevin Mack, who scored nine points per game at Alabama.

50* Powerhouse Play on East Carolina -7½ -109

After a 10-21 season, the East Carolina Pirates are aiming for a more successful season this year. To start towards that goal, the Pirates will play host to the VMI Keydets in the first game of the new campaign.

VMI finished the 2018-19 season as one of the worst teams in the Southern Conference. Only Western Carolina was worse in a conference that featured the likes of Wofford, UNC Greensboro, and Furman.

The Keydets don’t have a lot to build on, and it’s gotten even worse after guard Bubba Parham, who led the Southern Conference in scoring, decided to transfer away from VMI to Georgia Tech. Without another scorer averaging even 11 points per game a season ago, VMI will miss the 21.4 points per game Parham racked up last year.

East Carolina only managed three wins out of 18 conference games last season to finish 13 games back of the AAC-leading Houston Cougars.

Second-year head coach Joe Dooley is spearheading one of the biggest rebuilds in the country with only two players returning from last year’s squad: Seth LeDay, who scored 11 points per game, and Jayden Gardner, who scored 16.3 points per game. 11 newcomers are joining this Pirates team.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Bradley -4½ -109

The Hawks of St. Joe’s will kick off the season with a non-conference contest as they host the Bradley Braves.

Bradley is coming off a strong 20-15 season in which they won nine of their 18 games in conference play. With Drake leading the conference, the Braves finished fifth in the MVC standings.

By allowing just 65.3 points per game, Bradley ranked 35th in the nation a year ago. The Braves were clearly a defensive team, as they ranked 366th with their 66.5 points per game on offense.

St. Joe’s was one of the weaker teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference, trailing well behind 25-8 VCU and 24-10 Davidson. With just six wins out of their 14-19 record coming in the conference, the Hawks will need a big improvement if they’ll come close to competing for anything meaningful this year.

The Hawks were a mediocre team on both side of the ball a season ago. While St. Joe’s ranked 269th in scoring offense with 70.5 points per game, they ranked 211th in scoring defense with 72.6 points allowed.

After serving as St. Joe’s captain for three years, guard Lamarr Kimble transferred to Louisville, taking his 15.6 points per game with him.

50* Powerhouse Play on Miami-FL +7 -105

After finished with a record of 20-14 a year ago, the #5 Louisville Cardinals are set to kick off the college basketball season against the Miami Hurricanes in Coral Gables.

While both teams will be short-handed to start the season, Louisville will have the biggest of the losses with the absence of center Malik Williams, who averaged 9.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in his last five games. After breaking his foot in September, Williams is likely to return later this month.

In Williams’ place will be Steven Enoch, who averaged 10 points and 5.6 rebounds per game from the bench over the Cardinals last 20 games.

Miami is looking to rebound from a 14-18 season, and they should have more talent and depth in that endeavor. Last season, the Hurricanes played the majority of their games with a seven-man rotation. This year, Miami should have more to offer with center Rodney Miller and forwards Sam Waardenburg and Anthony Walker in the frontcourt.

Last season, guard Chris Lykes led the Hurricanes with 16.2 points per game in addition to his 3.2 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game. Guard Dejan Vasiljevic was the best shooter on the team, hitting 91.8% of his free throws and 36.7% of his attempts from three.

50* Powerhouse Play on Bucks -6 -109

A pair of strong NBA rosters will face off in Minnesota this evening when the Timberwolves (4-1) play host to the Bucks (4-2).

Milwaukee has regained some of its preseason shine with a pair of victories over Orlando and Toronto. The Bucks won both those games handily, despite having to play them on consecutive days.

On average, the Bucks are scoring 119.2 points per game while allowing 111 points per game.

Milwaukee will go as far as Giannis Antetokounmpo takes them, and that will likely be enough for a deep postseason run. So far, Giannis leads the Bucks with 26.7 points, 13.8 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.

In Milwaukee’s most recent game, Giannis had a game-high 36 points in addition to 15 rebounds and eight assists. Three other Bucks starters pitched in with at least 11 points in the game.

Only a loss to the 76ers that featured a scuffle between Karl-Anthony Towns and Joel Embiid has kept Minnesota from earning a perfect record through five games. Most recently, the Wolves defeated the Wizards 131-109.

On average, the Wolves are scoring 118 points and allowing 112 points per game.

Towns has been Minnesota’s best player through the opening part of the season. With 27.2 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, Towns leads the Wolves.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Mavs -4½ -109

It’s been a strong start to the season for the Mavericks (3-2), who took the Lakers to overtime two night ago. Tonight, Dallas will go into Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers (2-3).

That overtime loss to Los Angeles was one of just two Dallas losses, with the other coming in a two-point game against a strong Portland team. The Mavericks have been able to take down the Pelicans, Wizards, and Nuggets so far this season.

On average, the Mavericks are scoring 113.8 points per game while allowing 112.4 points per game.

Of the star duos in the NBA, the pair of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis are often forgotten behind the offerings of the Lakers, Clippers, or Rockets. However, the Dallas duo has been very strong. While Porzingis leads the team with two blocks per game in addition to his 21 points per game, Doncic leads the Mavs with 26.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, 8.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game.

The Cavaliers have an interesting collection of talents, but they’re currently trying to get back to .500. Most recently, Cleveland lost to Indiana after having beaten the Pacers earlier in the season.

On average, the Cavaliers are scoring 103.8 points per game while allowing 107 points per game.

Kevin Love is back to averaging a double-double so far this year with his 17.2 points and 16.8 rebounds per contest. Tristan Thompson is also off to a solid start with 17.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.

50* Powerhouse Play on Kings +1 -114

An early-evening NBA matchup will feature two of the worst teams in the league when the Knicks (1-5) host the Kings (1-5) in New York. No matter what, one of these squads will start the year with just one win out of their first seven games.

After dropping their first five contests of the season, Sacramento was able to scrape together their first victory in a one-point game against a strong Utah team. De’Aaron Fox led the Kings in that contest with his game-high 25 points.

On average, the Kings are scoring 99.2 points per game and allowing 113.2 points per game.

Fox leads the team on the season with his 17.7 points per game in addition to his 6.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds per contest. Buddy Hield struggled from the three-point line in the team’s win over the Jazz, but he’s normally very capable from that range, which is why he’s averaging 16.3 points per game.

Since defeating Chicago towards the end of October, the Knicks have lost two straight to Orlando and Boston. In that contest against the Magic, New York only scored 83 points.

On average, the Knicks are scoring 100.8 points per game while allowing 108 points per game.

While Julius Randle leads New York in both rebounds, with 11 per game, and assists, with five per game, young RJ Barrett is the team’s leading scorer with 17.7 points per game.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Jazz -1½ -105

The Clippers (3-1) are the favorites to win the Western Conference as well as the NBA Finals, but there’s plenty of good competition aiming for an upset. One of those good competitors is a talented Jazz team (3-1). Tonight, the Jazz are hoping to prove they can play with anyone when they host Los Angeles.

After opening the season with a pair of relatively comfortable wins over the Lakers and Warriors, the Clippers fell to the Suns before rebounding against Charlotte with a 111-96 victory.

With a 52% field goal percentage, the Clippers are averaging 121.5 points per game while holding their competition to 112.5 points per game.

There’s a sharp drop off in scoring without Paul George on the floor for Los Angeles. Kawhi Leonard, Lou Williams, and Montrezl Harrell are all averaging at least 20 points per game, but the next scorer on the list is Landry Shamet, who’s scoring just 10.3 points per game.

The Jazz have every chance to compete for a Western Conference championship, especially if Donovan Mitchell can take the next step towards superstardom. So far, he’s helped Utah to three wins out of four, with only a loss to the Lakers blemishing the record.

Mitchell, who’s averaging 24 points, five rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, is getting help from CJ McCollum, who’s scoring 23.7 points per game of his own.

The most impressive aspect of the Jazz in the early part of the season is their ability to hold all four opponents to 95 points or fewer.

50* Powerhouse Play on Blazers -1 -109

Through four games of the NBA season, the Trail Blazers (2-2) are a .500 team. Tonight, Portland will travel into Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder (1-3).

Portland is now set for its third-straight road game after going 2-1 against the Kings, Mavericks, and Spurs, with their only loss coming in the second game of a back-to-back against San Antonio. Before this road trip, the Blazers opened the season with a 108-100 loss to Denver.

On average, the Blazer are scoring 113.3 points and allowing 113 points per game.

The scoring duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum has picked up where it left off a season ago. So far, Lillard is averaging 30.8 points per game while McCollum is adding another 23.3 points per game.

Hassan Whiteside has gotten off to a great start for Portland, as he’s dominated the boards with 12.3 rebounds per game while pitching in offensively with 13 points per contest.

The Thunder haven’t found much success in this early season. Of their three losses, Oklahoma City failed to score more than a 95 points in two of them. On average, the Thunder are scoring 103 points per game while allowing 101.3 points.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been the top scorer for Oklahoma City, averaging 23.8 points per game. The only other Thunder player over 14 points per game is Danilo Gallinari, who’s scoring 19.3 points per game.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Heat -8 -105

Through three games, the Hawks (2-1) and Heat (2-1) have identical records. Tonight, the Heat are set to host the Hawks in Miami.

Atlanta opened the season with a pair of wins over Detroit and Orlando. Most recently, the Hawks took their first loss in a tight 105-103 game against Philadelphia. With a win this evening, the Hawks would take control of the Southeast division.

Through three games, Trae Young has been exceptional for Atlanta. Young leads the team in both points, with 34 points per game, and assists, with nine per game. However, it’s hard to find a second scorer on the Hawks right now. John Collins, who leads the team with 10 boards per game, is second on the team with 14.3 points per game.

The Heat have followed the same path to 2-1 as the Hawks by winning their first two contests before dropping the third. It’s easier to forgive Miami’s loss, though, as it came in the second game of a back-to-back.

In the Heat’s overtime win against Milwaukee, Goran Dragic led the team in scoring from the bench with 25 points. On the season, Dragic is tied with Justice Winslow as the second-leading scorer with 19 points per game.

Playing less than 32 minutes per game, Kendrick Nunn leads Miami with 22.3 points per game.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Blazers -2½ -109

Two teams looking for their first when will face off this evening when the Trail Blazers (0-1) take on the Kings (0-1) in Sacramento.

Portland is coming off a relatively close home loss to a good Nuggets team. The Blazers didn’t shoot well, making just 41.4% of their shots from the field, but they showed their scrappiness with nine steals in the game.

Damian Lillard led all scorers in the game with 32 points, including three three-pointers. Lillard also added eight assists and four rebounds.

Hassan Whiteside put in an efficient shift for Portland, snagging 19 rebounds and scoring 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field.

Sacramento had a tougher time in their season opener against the Suns. By shooting a dismal 39.1% from the field, the Kings were blown out by a score of 124-95.

By shooting 50% from the three-point line and putting up a high volume of shots from the field, guard Buddy Hield scored 28 points in addition to his five rebounds and two assists.

With 14 points, Marvin Bagley III was the next-highest scorer for Sacramento. By bringing down 10 rebounds, Bagley III earned a double-double.

50* Powerhouse Play on Bulls -1 -109

Both the Bulls (0-1) and Grizzlies (0-1) will aim to avoid an 0-2 start when they take on one another this evening in Memphis.

These two teams opened up the 2019-20 season Wednesday night on the road, and while they both lost, Chicago fell by only a single point. By a score of 126-125, Charlotte bested the Bulls while the Grizzlies lost in Miami by a score of 120-101.

Although the outcomes were the same, the Bulls managed to display a better a shooting performance in their matchup. With a 46.7% field goal percentage, Chicago outshot a Memphis team that made just 42.7% of their shots from the field.

For the Bulls, Lauri Markkanen was a beast from everywhere on the floor aside from the three-point line, where he was 1-of-7. In 34 minutes, the Chicago big man scored 35 points and pulled down 17 rebounds, five of which came on the offensive end.

Both Thaddeus Young and Coby White added 17 points each from the bench, which was more than any starter not named Markkanen.

Even without Jimmy Butler in uniform, the Heat cruised to victory over the Griz on Justice Winslow’s 27-point performance.

Memphis didn’t have a single player get to the 20-point mark, but Ja Morant started his NBA campaign with 14 points and five rebounds. 

50* Powerhouse Play on Magic -8 -114

New Cavaliers (0-0) head coach John Beilein is set to make his debut for the franchise on the road against the Magic (0-0) in Orlando.

Beilein is taking over a team that has three remaining or returning players from the 2016 glory days: Matthew Dellavedova, Kevin Love, and Tristan Thompson. Love hasn’t been able to return to his 26 point, 13 rebound days from Minnesota, but he averaged 17 points and 10.9 rebounds a season ago.

With some young talent in the form of Collin Sexton and rookie Darius Garland, the Cavs have a shot at the playoffs if they get solid contributions from Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson.

The Magic have made some moves that give them a great opportunity to make a second-straight postseason appearance for the first time since 2012. First of all, Orlando resigned Nikola Vucevic, who averaged 20.8 points, 12 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game last year.

Orlando simply offers more firepower than the Cavs, featuring Terrence Ross, Michael Carter-Williams, Markelle Fultz, Aaron Gordon, and Jonathan Isaac.

If Gordon, who shot 34.9% from three last year, and Isaac, who shot 32.3% from three last year, can improve from deep, this team could be dangerous.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Lakers -2½ -110

The NBA season will tip off with a bang as we get things started with the battle for Los Angeles between the Lakers (0-0) and Clippers (0-0).

While we’ll have to wait for the real war between LeBron James and Anthony Davis versus Kawhi Leonard and Paul George – George is out after undergoing surgery on his shoulders – tonight’s matchup will certainly quench a thirst that was created as soon as these two teams acquired their premier talent.

After sending a host of young players to New Orleans, including Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and Brandon Ingram, the Lakers acquired Davis and became an instant favorite in the Western Conference. Davis joins LeBron and the up-and-coming talent of Kyle Kuzma in addition to veteran role players like JaVale McGee and Rajon Rondo.

The Clippers pulled off a pair of blockbuster moves to land free agent Kawhi Leonard and acquire Paul George from the Thunder. With the likes of Patrick Beverley leading the role players on the Clippers, this team is full of scrappy guys who’ll compliment their stars.

Without George on the floor, the advantage falls to the Lakers. Last year, Davis averaged 25.9 points, 12 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game with the Pelicans, and LeBron averaged 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game for L.A.

As we get our first look at these two teams, keep an eye on Danny Green and what sort of contribution he can provide for the Lakers from three.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Melbourne United +23 -110

The Kings (2-2) will open up the regular season against the Suns on October 23rd. Tonight, Sacramento will complete its final in-game preparations in the team’s preseason finale against Melbourne United.

After starting the preseason with a pair of losses to the Pacers, including a 132-131 overtime loss in the first exhibition game, the Kings have rallied to defeat the Suns 105-88 and the Jazz 128-115.

The latter of Sacramento’s wins came against Utah, when the Kings received another effective night from guard Buddy Hield. On 9-of-17 shooting from the field and 3-of-6 from three, Hield racked up 23 points in 28 minutes. Hield ended with a plus/minus of +22 and added five assists and three rebounds.

The team’s second leading scorer was Marvin Bagley III, who put up 22 points in 30 minutes on the floor. Bagley was a 50% shooter from the floor and from three on 16 and four attempts, respectively. The Kings power forward had a strong night on the boards, bringing down 11 rebounds and blocking two shots.

The Sacramento bench was led by Bogdan Bogdanovic, who scored 16 points alongside eight assists and five rebounds in 29 minutes.

50* Powerhouse Play on Spurs +4 -110

Through three preseason games, the Spurs (0-3) are winless. For head coach Gregg Popovich, getting better performances out of his team with just two games remaining before regular season play will be the objective. Tonight, the Spurs will take on the Rockets (3-1) in Houston.

While the Spurs have allowed between 107 and 125 points in each preseason game thus far, the Rockets have scored at least 109 points in each of their exhibition games. The bigger issue for Houston is having allowed 129 and 111 points to the Raptors in back-to-back games.

San Antonio most recently took on New Orleans in a game highlighted by Demar DeRozan and Bryn Forbes. While DeRozan had 16 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field, Forbes was 7-for-13 on his way to 18 points for the Spurs.

It was no surprise to see both James Harden and Russell Westbrook leading the Rockets in scoring in their latest contest. Both men put up 22 points, three rebounds, and three steals while Westbrook dished out four assists and Harden assisted nine times.

Both teams will have one preseason game remaining after this evening’s contest.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Cavs +4½ -110

Through three preseason games, the Celtics (3-0) have failed to lose a single contest. Tonight, the Celtics will go into Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers (1-2) for the second-straight game.

Game by game, Boston has scored 107, 100, and 118 points against the Hornets, Magic, and Cavs. Meanwhile, Cleveland has scored 120, 105, and 72 against San Lorenzo, Detroit, and Boston.

In Sunday’s matchup between these two squads, a 37-9 second quarter put the game out of reach for Cleveland before the halftime break. On the way to a 118-72 blowout, Boston outscored the Cavs in every single quarter of play.

The Cavaliers can’t be much worse from the three-point line. The five Cleveland starters went a combined 1-for-22 from beyond the arc. So, of a potential 66 points, the starter alone left 63 points on the floor.

Sindarius Thornwell was Cleveland’s best player, scoring 12 points and bringing down five rebounds in 17 minutes. Thornwell wasn’t all that far off from matching the combined point total of all five starters, who managed just 21 points on a horrid shooting night.

The Celtics, who received double-digit scoring nights from three starters and three subs, should be expecting tougher competition from a Cavaliers team that would struggle to shoot worse than they did a few nights ago.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Blazers -1½ -109

Both the Suns (1-1) and Blazers (1-1) have earned one win and one loss so far in the preseason. Tonight, these two teams will continue the road towards regular season basketball with a contest in Portland.

Phoenix followed up a 111-106 win over the Timberwolves with a 105-88 loss to the Kings.

In that recent game against Sacramento, Devin Booker led the Suns with 18 points in 24 minutes. Booker also contributed seven rebounds alongside three assists and three steals.

Dario Saric failed to get in a rhythm, shooting just 3-for-12 from the field and 1-for-5 from three. In the end, Saric had nine points and six rebounds in the game.

The Trailblazers opened the preseason with a 105-94 loss to the Nuggets, but quickly rebounded with a 104-68 win over Haifa Maccabi.

In the latter game, Anfernee Simons scored a team-high 22 points in 30 minutes on the floor. In addition to a plus/minus of +21, Simons added four three-pointers, five rebounds, and three assists. With 16 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and two blocks, Zach Collins earned the best plus/minus on the Blazers with a +22.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Bucks -2½ -110

As the Utah Jazz (1-0) and Milwaukee Bucks (1-0) prepare to kick of the 2019-20 NBA regular season, they’ll face off against one another this evening. Both teams won their preseason opener.

The Jazz began their preseason campaign with a 133-81 win over the Adelaide 36ers. Center Tony Bradley led the team with 18 points and a plus/minus of +30. Jeff Green added 16 points in 18 minutes of play.

The Bucks kicked off the preseason with a 122-112 win over the Chicago Bulls. The Lopez brothers each played 19 minutes. Robin Lopez ended the game with 14 points and five rebounds while Brook Lopez racked up 13 points, five rebounds, and three assists.

Utah will go into this game with several players on the injured list. Donovan Mitchell, Dante Exum, and Rudy Gobert are all listed as day-to-day at this point in time, with no reason with risk their health in a preseason game.

While Giannis Antetokounmpo, Eric Bledsoe, and Khris Middleton didn’t see action in the first preseason game, coach Mike Budenholzer has intimated those players are likely to get action in this game.

The Jazz will play New Orleans, Sacramento, and Portland before getting the regular season underway. The Bucks have Dallas, Washington, and Minnesota remaining on their preseason schedule.

100* Sharp Money Syndicate Play on Rockets -3½ -110

Coming off a 140-71 victory over the Shanghai Sharks, the Houston Rockets will face off against the Clippers in another preseason matchup. This will be Los Angeles’ first preseason contest, and will take place in Honolulu, Hawai’i.

After a 53-29 season, the Rockets will head into a new year with James Harden at the forefront of everything they do. However, Houston has added a big piece in the form of former Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russel Westbrook.

Last season, Harden scored 36.1 points per game while earning an average of 6.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists. Meanwhile, Westbrook racked up 22.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game.

Despite putting Westbrook and Harden together, the more anticipated duo will be that of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Leonard comes to LA after a championship season with the Raptors, and George arrives in his new home after playing with Westbrook in Oklahoma City last year.

Leonard, who averaged 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game last year, is unlikely to play in the Clippers’ two preseason games in Hawai’i.

In the 2018-19 season, George led the Thunder with 28 points per game. George also average 8.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.