Gardner-Webb is well-coached and battled-tested. The Runnin' Bulldogs defeated Purdue on the road and defeated Clemson at a neutral site. They have covered in 11 of their last 16 road games. They also are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 non-league games.
Colorado is going to have to go through an adjustment to deal with Gardner-Webb's up-tempo pace. The Bulldogs love to fire up 3-pointers averaging more than 23 per game. They make 8.1 per game. Colorado is 5-8 when its opponent connects on at least eight 3-pointers.
The Bulldogs will be minus Jerome Hill, their leading scorer and rebounder. Hill had not been shooting well, though, going just 8-for-32 from the field during the last two games.
Colorado isn't motivated for this game playing in the College Basketball Invitational, a third tier tournament. The Buffaloes have a short rotation made shorter by their leading scorer, senior guard Askia Booker, skipping the tournament because he didn't deem it worth his time. That's great for team morale.
The Buffaloes are down to seven normal rotation players because sophomore forward Dustin Thomas, who was averaging nearly 17 minutes per game, won't play either because he is transferring to another school.
Booker's loss is huge as he ran the team. Only three players in the country had a higher percentage of shots their team was involved in than Booker. He accounted for 35.9 percent of the shots Colorado took. 
 

The Pacers are averaging 103.5 points in their last four games. The Bulls are giving up 104.5 points during their last five games.
Chicago's defense has been down all season especially at home. The over has cashed 62 percent of the time during Bulls home games this season.
Indiana is 24-10-1 to the over during its last 35 road contests.

Orlando is a lottery team that has lost eight of its last 10.
But the Magic excel in situations exactly like this, partly because the marketplace usually doesn't care for them.
Orlando has covered 17 of the past 22 times versus foes with a winning home mark. The Magic is 6-1 ATS the past seven times they've been double-digit road 'dogs.
Houston is a bit fat after an impressive road upset win against the Clippers two days ago. The Rockets have more challenging tasks following this matchup hosting improved Denver and playoff-contender Phoenix. There is no reason for the Rockets to go all out against a non-conference lottery foe.
Orlando is vulnerable from 3-point range, which is Houston's strength. However, the Rockets are in a long range shooting slump making just 27.5 percent from beyond the arc during their last five games compared to hitting nearly 35 percent before then.
The Magic have improved a great deal defensively once they got rid of Jacque Vaughn. They are off an embarrassing 123-108 loss to the Cavaliers this past Sunday. This is what Magic coach James Borrego said following that loss to Cleveland. "Tonight (Sunday) was not a great defensive effort. It was probably due to Cleveland and partly our effort, our execution defensively. But we are a defensive team, and I'll continue to say that. Our identity is on the defensive end."
Statistics back up what Borrego says. Even giving up 123 points to the Cavaliers, Orlando still is surrendering nearly three fewer points per game at 99.5 since Borrego replaced Vaughn, while forcing nearly three more turnovers per game, too.
The Rockets historically have trouble with Orlando, too. The Magic have covered nine of the past 10 in the series, including the last four in Houston. The Rockets also may be without starting point guard Patrick Beverley, who is dealing with an elbow injury.

First off, this is not an easy trip logistically for Central Michigan getting to Ruston, La., on short notice. The Chippewas don't have a senior nor did they face a tournament team on the road this season. They had a losing spread record away from home, including losing straight-up three times as road chalk.  

Central Michigan lacks the interior defense, too, to slow down Louisiana Tech ranking 301st defending against two-pointers. 

Louisiana Tech is anchored by three senior starters who want desperately to go to Madison Square Garden after falling in the quarterfinals during last year's NIT. Tech is very strong at home having won 29 in a row.  

Central Michigan isn't a strong enough offensive rebounding team to take advantage of Louisiana Tech's rebounding weakness. 

An off-day in their conference tournament and playing on the road. Those are two key reasons why the James Madison Dukes are underdogs to South Carolina State in an opening round College Insider Tournament game.
A couple of books opened the Spartans as 2 1/2-point favorites. Early betting, though, has pushed the Spartans up to this mid range. I thought the books opened a wrong favorite, so I'm happy to fade the marketplace and back the underdog in this price range.
Yes, James Madison laid an egg in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament losing its opening game to fifth-seeded Hofstra. The Dukes simply had an off day. Three of their players had horrible shooting games. It happens.
It can't take away that the Dukes tied a school record for most single-season victories in CAA play, a conference stronger than South Carolina Upstate's Atlantic Sun. The Spartans didn't play anybody. That's why they have a 23-11 record.
Prior to losing to Hofstra, James Madison had won six of its last seven. The Dukes are 6-1 ATS following a straight-up loss. They have covered in eight of their last 10 road contests.

The Lakers actually have been playing excellent defense during their last six games holding foes to an average of 91.6 points per game during this span.
LA isn't winning, but is staying close and covering spreads. The Lakers have not lost by double digits during their past 12 games and are 7-0 ATS following a straight-up loss. They also have covered in their last four road games.
The Lakers are going with a lot of youngsters. So they are one of the few teams with fresh legs at this late stage of the season. Stronger foes also are resting key players, or at least reducing their minutes when they play the Lakers.
Golden State has one of its bigger games of the season on deck when it hosts Atlanta on Wednesday. It's a revenge spot for the Warriors and a pivotal matchup in deciding the NBA's best record. So I'm not expecting big minutes from their starters, or an all-out intense effort. At the very least, the back-door should be wide open.
The Warriors have had trouble gearing up for lottery teams failing to cover eight of the past nine times versus below .500 opponents. Golden State plays five games during the next eight days. So this figures to be a spot where the Warriors will be reducing starter's minutes.

Portland is averaging 112.3 points during its last four games - all without Wesley Matthews. 

Damion Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge continue to play at high levels and now Nicolas Batum finally has begun to step up. Portland's ball movement has been excellent.

But I expect Washington to score its share of points, too, as John Wall is back to playing at a high level and the Wizards are much more dangerous offensively with Bradley Beal in the lineup. 

Toronto was starting to play better until getting blown out at home last night by Portland. The Raptors have a solid bench. They are 9-4 ATS the past 13 times when playing without rest.

Indiana is a different type of team than Portland. The Raptors match up much better against Indiana. Toronto has won the past three meetings in the series, incuding both times this season with one of the victories coming by 13 at Indiana. 

The Pacers are thin in the backcourt. I'm expecting Kyle Lowry to play much better than he did in the loss to Portland this past Sunday. George Hill is an underrated point guard, but he's not Damian Lillard.

Portland is just an average road team made worse by the absence of Wesley Matthews. The Trail Blazers lost 121-113 to Minnesota in their lone road game since Matthews went down with a ruptured left Achilles tendon.
Toronto has been slumping, but the Raptors took a huge step beating Miami, 102-92, this past Friday. Kyle Lowry is back at point guard and the Raptors are healthy. There has been nothing wrong with their top-five offense. They are averaging 105.5 points per game during their last six games, which is slightly above their season average.

UC Irvine is ready to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The Anteaters won the Big West last season by fell in the semifinals of the conference tournament. Lesson learned. They are primed and ready this time. They also draw Hawaii, fresh off an upset of regular-season champion UC Davis.
Hawaii doesn't have enough time to come down after that surprising win. It's also the first time Hawaii has reached a title game since 2002. The Warriors aren't ready to post back-to-back upsets. They are 3-9 in conference tournament games going back to 2005 and 1-4 ATS the past five times they've played foes with a winning record.
The Anteaters are 10-2 ATS the past 12 times they've met a foe with a winning record. They also are 2-0 versus Hawaii this season winning 75-60 at home and 78-72 on the road.

The Pistons were blown out last night by the Trail Blazers losing by 19 points. Detroit is 6-0 ATS following a loss of more than 10 points and 10-3 ATS the next game when they didn't cover the spread during their previous game.
Detroit can match up to the Jazz's tall front line with Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe, both of whom are having solid seasons. Drummond has pulled down 20 or more rebounds in three of the last five games. The Pistons would catch a major break if Utah center Rudy Gobert, who is having a breakout season, can't play after tweaking his ankle during the Jazz's last game this past Thursday.
The line is high here because Utah is playing its finest ball winning nine of its last 11. Detroit has lost nine in a row to fall out of playoff contention.  This is the Pistons' final game of their road swing. I see a bounce back effort after last night's embarrassing defeat. 
This is the fourth time in their last 10 games the Jazz are laying more than seven points. They are 0-3 ATS the previous three times. Utah is 26th in scoring. The Jazz lack the offense to lay a big number.  
The Pistons can stay with the Jazz. In their last eight road games, the Pistons have only lost by more than seven points twice. During this span, the Pistons beat the Hornets by 28 points, lost by three to the Pelicans, lost by five to the Pacers, lost by four to the Wizards and lost by seven to the Warriors.

With their season on the brink, I don't believe it's a leap of faith to believe the Nets can cover this mid-range number against the 76ers.
This may be the only time all season where the 76ers are fat and happy after coming from 18 points down at home to beat the road-weary Kings, 114-107, last night.
Despite putting up those many points, the 76ers still rank last in the league in scoring and shooting percentage. The Kings rank 28th defensively. The Nets rate a respectable 17th in points allowed per game.
While the 76ers' roster is littered with unknowns, the Nets have star power with Deron Williams (who finally started shooting better), Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez, who is playing better.
The prideful veteran Nets not only have revenge for a loss to the 76ers in their last meeting, but their season is on the line here. Brooklyn has lost five in a row to fall 3 1/2 games back of the last playoff spot in the East with 19 games remaining on the regular season schedule. A loss here to the 76ers, arguably the worst team in the NBA, would be the end.
The Nets have age on them, but they've also been idle the past two days. Philly, on the other hand, is playing for the third time in four days and without rest.
Brooklyn has covered five of its last seven road contests and has taken care of business against bad teams going 11-5 ATS the past 16 times playing foes with a winning percentage below .400.

The Hawks have little to play for these days with the best record in the Eastern Conference all but clinched. That's been evident when the Hawks rested starters in a loss to the 76ers this past Saturday and during a 115-102 blowout loss two nights ago to the lowly Nuggets.
When the Hawks want to play, though, they are an elite team. That was the case a week ago when the beat the surging Cavaliers by nine points.
I see the Hawks wanting to get back on track after that embarrassing defeat to the Nuggets. Atlanta is 8-1 ATS the past nine times following a defeat and has covered 73 percent of its last 27 road games.
Since Feb. 28, the Suns have played three opponents with winning record. In those games they lost by 25 to the Spurs, by 10 to the Cavaliers and by 18 to the Warriors. The losses to the Spurs and Warriors came at home where the Suns have dropped four of six.
Phoenix also might be missing Brandon Knight again. He's dealing with a sprained ankle that caused him to sit out Phoenix's last game this past Wednesday, a victory against the Timberwolves.
The Suns lack the size to hurt Atlanta inside and they give up the second-highest 3-point shooting percentage when playing at home at 38.5 percent. Sparked by sharp-shooter Kyle Korver, the Hawks own the second-best 3-point shooting percentage in the NBA at 38.5 percent.

 

Purdue can't afford a loss here being a bubble team. So the Boilermakers won't lack for motivation. 

The timing is excellent for Purdue, which is rested while Penn State is playing for the fourth time in six days and third time in three days.

Purdue has won nine of its last 12 games.

Penn State is too dependent on D.J. Newbill. That's going to catch up to the Nittany Lions here going against the best team in the Big Ten in defensive field goal percentage.

Santa Barbara comes into the Big West Conference Tournament riding a lot of momentum winning its last five games. During this span, the Gauchos have defeated regular-season champion UC-Davis, UC Irvine, Hawaii and Cal Poly in their last game.
The Gauchos defeated the Mustangs, 64-56, at home this past Saturday. This isn't a surprise. The Gauchos have a better record and more talent than Cal Poly.
Don't look for the second-seeded Gauchos to overlook seventh-seeded Cal Poly. Just last year, the Mustangs buried the Gauchos by 31 points after losing to Santa Barbara five days before the tournament. History won't repeat itself.

Seattle was 2-0 versus Chicago State during the regular season winning 57-31 at home and 75-67 on the road. This matchup is in Las Vegas.
Seattle tied for being the top defense in the Western Athletic Conference, while the Cougars are one of the worst offensive teams in the nation averaging 58.4 points per game while shooting less than 38 percent from the floor. They also are not a good free throw shooting team either.
The Redhawks' strength is their backcourt where Isiah Umipig averages 16.7 points per game and Jarell Flora averages 14.2. Both average more than Chicago State's leading scorer. The Cougars, in fact, have only one player averaging more than nine points a game.
I can't see offensively-challenged Chicago State staying without double digits of Seattle.

I recognize that Utah is playing its finest ball right now. The Jazz are 6-1 in their last seven games.
Houston, though, is playing well, too, winning seven of its last 10. The Rockets did lose at Portland last night. But the fatigue factor shouldn't rate high here since prior to meeting Portland, the Rocket last played on Saturday. Houston doesn't play again until Sunday. So a focused, intense effort should be forthcoming as unlike the lottery-bound Jazz, the Rockets are battling for playoff positioning.  
Houston usually takes care of business against below .500 teams covering 14 of the last 18 times in that spot. The Jazz are playing excellent defense, but their last four games have been against the Celtics, 76ers, Nets and Knicks. Now they step way up in class.
The Jazz also could be without their leading scorer, Gordon Hayward. He missed Utah's last game two nights ago due to a back injury.
Houston is the superior team. The Rockets have owned the Jazz winning seven of the past eight meetings, the last three by an average of 21.3 points. It has been 10 games since the Jazz last faced an offensive player as prolific as James Harden, who ranks No. 2 in scoring in the league at 27 points a game.

Oregon State was a nice story during the first half of the season. But the Beavers are shot now down to seven scholarship players and losing while failing to cover in six of their last seven games.
The Beavers don't have the size and bench to beat Colorado. They have been outrebounded in 13 consecutive games. The Beavers also haven't shown they can win away outside of Corvallis dropping 11 of their past 13 away games.
Colorado is coming on as Josh Scott, hurt earlier, is playing well. Sparked by Scott, the Buffaloes have averaged 51.3 percent from the floor during the last three games.
This is clearly a case of two schools heading in opposite directions.

Yes, the Bulls are without their top three scorers although Derrick Rose wasn't having a great season. 

But Chicago still has enough depth and talent to cover this number against the 76ers. Philly has been idle since Saturday when it upset the Hawks. That's too long for the 76ers to sit. They are 0-5 ATS the last five times when playing on three or more days rest. 

The Bulls had to play at the Spurs, who are playing better now, and then hosted the Grizzlies in their last game two days ago. The Bulls played well, but were too short-handed to beat Memphis. Now Chicago steps way down in class and will be highly focused trying to get the No. 2 seed in the East in what is now a circle-the-wagons game for them following three consecutive losses.

The 76ers haven't won consecutive games since January. I don't see the 76ers ending that streak here. 

Kansas State has been up and down all season. Now the Wildcats realize they need to win this Big 12 Tournament in order to go to the Big Dance.
That's a tough order, but I see the Wildcats being up to the challenge for this first-round matchup. They are 5-3 versus the top seeds and own home victories against Kansas, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Baylor.
This isn't a home game, but playing in Kansas City does mean more Kansas State fans than TCU fans. The Horned Frogs have dropped three straight. Their only consistent scoring threat is guard Kyle Anderson.
Kansas State has talent and potential. TCU isn't in good form and doesn't shoot well from the free throw line or from long distance.

I don't see USC, losers of 13 of its past 15, keeping this close. 

The Sun Devils have really come on. They've won five of their last seven and have shown tremendous improvement during the past four weeks. I haven't seen that from the Trojans. 

Arizona State has the versatility and backcourt strength to match up well against the Trojans. I see USC struggling to keep a hot Shaquille McKissic in check. 

The Sun Devils are 5-2 in their last seven games despite shooting just 26.7 percent from 3-point range. I expect the Sun Devils to shoot better than that against the Trojans, who rank 274th in defense giving up 70.4 points per game. 

If the Pistons want to retain any flicker of playoff hope, they must win this game. A six-game losing streak make them a long shot to make the playoffs after they pulled within one game of reaching the eighth spot on Feb. 22.
Maybe flying to the West Coast and not practicing yesterday will help Detroit because the Pistons are a tired team. And tired teams usually don't shoot well. That's been the problem for the Pistons, particularly in their backcourt where Reggie Jackson and Kenavious Caldwell-Pope have been ice cold.
I see the Lakers as being the remedy to Detroit's cold-shooting woes. The Lakers have been torched by other team's guards this month, including giving up 31 points to Monta Ellis at home two nights ago. Ellis entered that matchup shooting less than 28 percent from the floor during his last four games.
The Lakers are an NBA-worst 4-21 since Jan. 11. They've dropped five in a row and are likely to still be missing Nick Young. The Pistons have covered 11 of their last 16 road contests.
Following this matchup, the Pistons play road games against the Warriors, Trail Blazers and hot Jazz. That makes this game their easiest one - and a huge must-win. A loss to such a bad team as the Lakers would be devastating, something Stan Van Gundy is well aware of.

I want LeBron James and Cleveland in this revenge spot against a bogus Western Conference playoff team that is in a bad spot.
Dallas shot a blistering 56.4 percent when it beat Cleveland, 109-90, on the road Jan. 4. James didn't play in that game and Kyrie Irving had to depart in the third quarter with an injury.
Cleveland is healthy now and refreshed having last played on Saturday after playing four games in five days. Dallas got past the Lakers on Sunday night. This is the Mavericks' first game back from three games on the West Coast.
The Mavericks are just 16-14 in their last 30 games and have consistently failed to step up against stronger competition. They are 7-17 ATS versus foes with a winning record.
Dallas doesn't play that well at home either, covering 45 percent of their games at American Airlines Center. Dallas gives up the second-worst percentage of 3-point baskets at home in the league behind only the Knicks. The Cavaliers have stepped up their perimeter attack averaging 31.3 shots from beyond the arc since Jan. 15.
The Cavaliers have three superstars in their prime plus a strong bench and rotation. They are 10-2 ATS the past 12 times going against Western Conference opponents. Dallas isn't nearly at that level. Dirk Nowitzki is past him prime and Rajon Rondo has been a disappointment since coming from Boston.

Tony Parker finally is playing better and the Spurs have picked up their scoring. In their last five games, San Antonio is averaging 111.2 points per game while shooting nearly 48 percent from the floor. Parker is averaging better than 25 points while shooting better than 64 percent from the floor during his last three games.

Toronto is giving up an average of 106.1 points per game during its last eight games. Toronto is slumping, but look for its offense to pick up with point guard Kyle Lowry back to run things. Only four teams score more points per game than the Raptors. 

Valparaiso is the class of the Horizon League. The Crusaders match up well against Green Bay and get to play at home in this Horizon League Tournament game.
The Crusaders set a single season school record for wins with 27 this season. Valparaiso has better offensive and defensive numbers than the Phoenix and are 14-1 at Athletics-Recreation Center, including winning all eight of its conference games there.
Green Bay, by contrast, is 0-5 during the past four season playing at Athletics-Recreation Center, including losing 63-59 there on Feb. 13.
The Phoenix are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games. Valpo is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 home games versus foes with a winning road mark.  
Green Bay needs to score inside to be effective. The Phoenix are going to have problems getting points in the paint, though. The Crusaders have size and athleticism. One of those athletes is 6-foot-10 center Vashil Fernandez, who averages nearly three blocks a game.

Portland put aside concerns about finishing with four consecutive losses by upsetting Saint Mary's 69-52 this past Saturday in a quarterfinal game of the West Coast Conference Tournament.
BYU, on the other hand, struggled barely getting past Santa Clara, 78-76, in its quarterfinal game on Saturday. It's obvious the Cougars are looking ahead to a likely title match against Gonzaga.
Portland should play with a lot of effort and intensity. The Pilots have nothing to lose and are playing for only the second time in nine days. They catch a huge break in the WCC changing its tournament format. There were no games on Sunday. The tournament, which is being played in Las Vegas, resumes today so it can be televised nationally.
The Cougars are 16-35 (31 percent) ATS the past 51 times they've played on a neutral court. They aren't 100 percent healthy either. senior guard Anson Winder reinjured his upper leg and Corbin Kaufusi rolled an ankle against Santa Clara. 
BYU did beat Portland both times during the regular season, winning by nine in Provo and 82-69 on the road. Portland trailed by just two, though, with 3:21 left in that loss.

Pepperdine has the defense, determination and right situation to throw a scare into Gonzaga.
The Waves are 7-1-1 ATS the last nine times they've played opponents with a winning record. They've played the two top teams in the West Coast Conference - Gonzaga and BYU - very strong in four games going 2-2 SU and 4-0 ATS. The Waves swept BYU and lost to the Bulldogs 78-76 at home and 56-48 in Spokane.
This is just Pepperdine's second game in nine days. The Waves catch a break in they won't have fatigue issues because the WCC switched their format giving the teams Sunday off in order to set up a nationally televised doubleheader for Monday.
The tournament is being held in Las Vegas, a neutral site. Gonzaga is 0-5-1 ATS in its last six neutral site matchups. The Bulldogs aren't looking to cover a huge margin - just win and move on. They need to conserve energy unlike Pepperdine, which can go all out with nothing to lose being such a heavy underdog.  
Pepperdine showed its determination coming from eight points down in the second half to beat San Diego, 50-47, in the quarterfinals on Saturday. The Waves are holding foes to 61 points per game on 40.7 percent shooting from the field.  
So Gonzaga doesn't figure to get many easy baskets especially if 6-foot-10 forward Kyle Wiltjer can't play or is limited. Wiltjer, the Bulldogs' leading scorer, suffered a hip injury late in the Bulldogs' quarterfinal win against San Francisco this past Saturday.

The record shows New Orleans and Milwaukee each having 29 losses. But know this: New Orleans is better than Milwaukee. And the Bucks playing at home doesn't change that.
The Pelicans are 7-2 in their last nine games. Every game is a must win spot for them as they battle to grab the final playoff position in the much superior Western Conference.
New Orleans is coming off a win against Memphis this past Friday. That was Anthony Davis' third game back from a shoulder injury. He's averaging 30.3 points and 12.3 rebounds since returning. He's a legitimate MVP candidate. Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans are playing at high levels, too.
Trading for point guard Norris Cole to help fill the void of injured point guard Jrue Holiday was a shrewd move by the Pelicans. Cole is a nice complementary player and knows how to win having collected a couple of rings when he was with the Heat.  
The Pelicans have covered seven of the last eight times on the road when going against a foe with a winning home record.
The Bucks were maybe the biggest surprise team of the first half. But opposing teams have caught up to them and the Bucks have gotten worse after trading point guard Brandon Knight and getting turnover-prone, poor shooting Michael Carter-Williams in return.
Since that deal, the Bucks have gone 3-6. Their only victories during this span were against the Nuggets, 76ers and Wizards. This was before Denver made its much needed coaching change and had lost 13 of its past 15. The 76ers are tied for the second-fewest wins in the league. The Wizards are 4-13 in their last 17 games and were without Bradley Beal. The Bucks needed a career-game from Kris Middleton to get past Washington. 
Before swapping point guards, the Bucks had won eight of nine. The young and inexperienced Bucks haven't fully adjusted to Carter-Williams and have lost some of their chemistry and confidence. The Bucks have turned into an undisciplined, out-of-control team playing not to lose instead of being loose.
The Bucks now step up in class to face a legitimate Western Conference playoff contender that is playing well. Milwaukee is 1-7 ATS in its last eight games versus Western Conference opponents.
The Pelicans have a good track record versus Milwaukee winning 14 of the last 16 in the series, including going 6-2 the past eight times in Milwaukee.

The aging Nets made the decision at the trade deadline that they are all in. They didn't deal any of their veterans. They are going for the playoffs and they know they can't afford a home loss to the Jazz.
Yes, Utah is playing tremendous defense. But Brooklyn is decently defensively, too, has a stronger bench with Jarrett Jack, Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young. The Nets also catch the Jazz concluding their four-game, six-day road trip.
This is close to a circle-the-wagons game for the Nets after consecutive home losses to the Hornets this past Wednesday and in overtime to the Suns on Friday in which they blew a 15-point lead with less than six minutes to play. Those were bad home defeats. The Nets are going all-out here and they catch the Jazz with a high fatigue rating.

The timing is right for the Timberwolves to upset the Trail Blazers.
Minnesota has lost four in a row, including all three during its current homestand. This is the Timberwolves' final game at Target Center before heading out for four consecutive road games - all likely losses since they face the Clippers, Suns, Thunder and Spurs.
The Timberwolves are off an embarrassing blowout loss to the Nuggets in their last game. Flip Saunders said it was his team's most disappointing loss in two months. Following an off day and then a day of practice should ensure a fresh and motivated Timberwolves squad for this matchup. Nikola Pekovic and Gary Neal are expected to play.
This will be Portland's first game since finding out that Wesley Matthews is out for the season after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon on Thursday against the Mavericks. Matthews isn't just Portland's third-leading scorer and top 3-point shooter. He brings a strong all-around game and is a steady force having played in 153 straight games. Matthews is an underrated player and his loss is going to be felt. LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard are the stars, but Matthews has been the unsung glue for Portland.
 The Trail Blazers' weak bench is made worse by the Matthews' injury since it elevates Arron Afflalo into the starting lineup. Afflalo is having a down year so far. That may change since he's now with the Trail Blazers and not the Nuggets. But he's still going through an adjustment period.  
The Timberwolves usually play better defense at home. They also have capable scorers. Rookie Andrew Wiggins is averaging 20.9 points in his last seven games. Minnesota has covered five of the past six times at home.
Portland is in a weird spot and not just because of the shell shock over losing Matthews. The Trail Blazers just hosted the Mavericks on Thursday and blew them out. After this game they fly back to Portland for consecutive home games. So this is an odd situational element and also marks Portland's third game in four days. That's rough on any team especially one with weak reserves.

Purdue is decent offensively, but neither team plays at a fast pace and both have been playing strong defensively lately. I'm expecting an intesense defensive effort as each team is on the NCAA Tournament bubble. 

Illinois is averaging just 60.1 points on the road while shooting less than 38 percent from the floor. The Illini, though, is giving up only 58.5 points during its last nine games.

Purdue is holding foes to less than 60 points at home aided by a pair of 7-footers in its lineup. The under has cashed in 35 of Illinois' last 51 road games. Purdue has gone under in 12 of its last 17 games.  

The Irish are off a huge upset win against Louisville. Clemson has more to play for than Notre Dame, which has clinched third place in the ACC. Clemson is looking to go .500 and gain better seeding for the ACC Tournament.
Clemson is not a strong offensive team, but has some capable scorers. Notre Dame lacks shut down defenders. The Tigers are tough defensively holding foes to four points less per game than the Irish.
Clemson nearly beat Notre Dame in its earlier meeting on Feb. 10 losing 60-58. I just don't see Notre Dame covering a double-digit spread against a respectable conference foe without playing its "A" game.

The defending champion Huskies don't have it this season. That was made evident after they suffered a grueling 54-53 home loss to Memphis just two days ago. Memphis won despite not having its leading scorer, Austin Nichols.
That game didn't finish until late Thursday night. Connecticut starters logged 165 floor minutes. Now the demoralized Huskies have this quick turnaround to Philadelphia knowing their only realistic hope of defending their NCAA title is to win the American Athletic Conference tournament. An early start time here certainly doesn't help fatigued Connecticut either.
The Huskies are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games. They have lost and failed to cover in five of their last seven conference road matchups falling 30 points below market expectations in these games. The Huskies actually would best be served by not wasting energy because a victory isn't going to improve their NCAA chances. They're going to need to win the AAC Tournament so they should scale back the minutes of their starters in preparation for achieving that long-shot goal. So I'm certainly not expecting to see the Huskies' "A" game here.
Temple needs this game more than Connecticut in terms of trying to land an NCAA Tournament berth. The Owls are 21-9. They have covered eight of their last 11 AAC games. They defeated Connecticut, 57-53, on New Year's Eve on the road in overtime. The setting is much better here for the Owls.
The atmosphere should be highly favorable for Temple. This is the last home game for Will Cummings and Jesse Morgan. The Owls also played two days ago, but their starters logged 35 fewer minutes than Connecticut's starters did on Thursday. Temple not only is the better team but is in better shape for this matchup mentally and physically.

.

Now that word has come down that Devin Harris will not play the Mavericks are really hurting at guard. Monta Ellis represents the Mavericks' only backcourt scoring threat. Dallas' backcourt rotation is Ellis, Rajon Rondo, who has not been a good fit for the Mavericks, J.J. Barea, who has a thumb injury, and Raymond Felton. 

Keep in mind, too, the Mavericks also are without Chandler Parsons and that Golden State ranks No. 1 in defensive field goal percentage. 

The Mavericks have been playing better defense lately giving up an average of 94.6 points during their last six games. 

Yale has proven worthy on the road going 10-2 versus Ivy League opponents. The Bulldogs are 8-2-1 ATS in their 11 lined road games this season. Going back ever farther, Yale is 18-6-2 ATS in its past 26 away matchups.
The road team has covered in the last five in this series. Yale shot just 31.3 percent from the field and shot fewer free throws than Harvard during the first meeting this season yet still lost by only two points.

The Cavaliers have been the hottest team during the last six weeks. Record-wise, the Hawks are the best team in the NBA. But based on current form, Cleveland is better than Atlanta right now.
The Hawks aren't quite in the same great form they showed earlier this season although still are plenty good. But with home-court advantage through-out the conference playoffs all but locked up, the Hawks don't have quite the motivation and incentive the Cavaliers do as the Cavaliers are in a dog fight for the second seed in the East.
The Hawks have won the last two meetings in the series, both of which occurred in December. Cleveland is different and better since then as newcomers and supplemental pieces J.R. Smith, Timofey Mozgov and Iman Shumpert have fit in well and upgraded the Cavaliers' defense.
The Hawks have four All-Stars but none of them are as good as LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.

Power ratings-wise, I have Oakland as a double-digit winner here. 

Oakland is 2-0 versus UIC this season winning 81-56 at home on Feb. 22 and also winning 91-77 on the road. 

The Golden Grizzlies are 14-4-1 ATS in their last 19 games and have covered 10 of their past 13 Horizon League games.

Only six teams give up fewer points per game than Wichita State. Southern Illinois gives up 62.1 points per game to rank 57th. So we're definitely talking two excellent defenses here.

That's why we have a low total. But it's not priced low enough. This is the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament where defense dominates. Just look at Thursday's games when 103 and 102 points, respectively, were put up in the two games. 

The two teams met on Feb. 17 and the Shockers won 84-62. So Southern Illinois knows all too well it must slow tempo. Both teams have played three games at neutral sites. The Shockers allowed 56.3 points during those games wjile the Salukis gave up only 53.7 points. 

Utah is nothing special on the road. The Utes are just 6-5 away from home. Washington State has been keeping its last few games close as five points or less has been the winning margin during its past three games.

The Cougars are capable at home owning victories against Stanford and Oregon. They are 5-1 ATS the past six times when hosting an opponent that has a winning road record. 

This is Davidson's second look at VCU and a a huge game for the Wildcats' program being Senior Night and on ESPN. The Wildcats are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 home games. 

Look for the Wildcats to handle the Rams' presses and take them out of their half-court offense. VCU has lost its last two games falling at Richmond and to Dayton. The Rams shot just 33 percent from the floor combined in those two games.

They clearly miss Briante Weber. Davidson is No. 2 in the country in adjusted turnover ratio. The Wildcats are going to have three players with more than 100 assists on the season. They have excellent ballhandlers that can withstand VCU's presses especially after seeing it before. 

South Carolina is not a good shooting team. The Gamecocks are averaging just 58.2 points during their last five games. If you discount their last game giving up 81 points to Mississippi State, the Gamecocks are averaging 54.8 points during their last 10 games.

Arkansas ranks 9th in the country averaging 79.1 points a game. However, that average shrinks to 71.7 when on the road. If you take away the 101 points the Razorbacks put up on Auburn, the average would be down to 66 points in their other seven SEC road contests. 

South Carolina is strong defensively at home allowing 60.7 points a game. The average combined score in South Carolina conference home games this season has been 126 points. The under has cashed in 13 of South Carolina's last 19 home games. 

Oregon enters this huge rivalry on an 8-1 run, including four consecutive victories. The Ducks have a spot in the NCAA Tournament firmly in mind. Oregon State overachieved for the first half of the season, but its lack of talent, offense and bench has caught up.
The Beavers have lost five of their past six. They were swept by Stanford and California on the road last week outscored by a combined 45 points in the second half.
Oregon has won the last three in this Civil War series, including a 12-point home win this past Jan. 3.
Even respecting Oregon State's 15-1 home mark, I can't see the gassed Beavers keeping up with the Ducks. The Beavers have the lowest-ranked offense in the Pac-12 and fare poorly against the more up-tempo conference teams.
The Beavers have an excellent backcourt, but they have fewer than seven players on their roster with real Division I talent. Their lack of depth has brought down their defensive intensity, which is their key to victory. They just don't have it anymore. Look for Oregon to successfully spread the court on the Beavers while owning the stronger bench and better athletes.

Colorado State 98, Nevada 42. That was the score of the first meeting. It was the largest margin of victory in a Mountain West Conference game. And the Rams did this without having their leading scorer and rebounder, J.J. Avila.
Of course I'm not expecting Colorado State to win this rematch by 56 points even with Avila back. But the Rams should prevail easily by double-digits.  
Colorado State is a bubble team that can't afford a slip up here. The Rams create big match up problems for the Wolf Pack with their four-guard offense and up-tempo style.
The Rams average nearly 73 points per game. Nevada doesn't have the offense to stay with them. The Wolf Pack lost by 32 points to Boise State, by 16 to Utah State at home and by 13 on the road to the Aggies. Those two teams are similar to Colorado State.

Question: Which team has been playing the best defense in the NBA? Go to the head of the class if you answered the Utah Jazz.
The Jazz always had the height, but now the defensive effort and mindset have kicked in. Utah is giving up an average of only 83.2 points per game during its last seven games. That's simply incredible.
Boston scored just 79 points in an embarrassing 31-point loss to Cleveland last night. Brad Stevens called out his team for lack of effort. So I'm expecting an intense Celtics effort here. I'm also expecting a slow pace as the Jazz just played the physical Grizzlies last night.
The under has cashed 10 of the past 14 times the Jazz have been on the road playing a foe with a losing home record. The under also has cashed seven of the last 10 times the Celtics have played following a loss.
 

The Suns are worse than their overall won-lost record. Their players realize they aren't going to make the playoffs after some early season promise so morale and chemistry are down. Phoenix has dropped 10 of its last 13. The Suns are 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 road games.
The Magic have become rejuvenated defensively under interim coach James Borrego. Since Borrego replaced inept Jacque Vaughn nine games ago, the Magic have given up an average of 92 points per game. Not one opponent has reached triple digits against them during this past nine-game span.
Orlando is 7-3-1 ATS in is last 11 games and can take advantage of the Suns' 28th-ranked defense and minus 2.2 rebound differential.

This is a lot of points to be taking with a hot Jazz squad especially with such a low over/under total.
Utah is playing its best defense of the season holding its past five foes to an average of 82.8 points per game. The Jazz are 6-2 in their last eight games - and their wins have come against solid opponents. During this span, Utah has defeated the Pelicans, Trail Blazers, Spurs and Bucks.
The Jazz have the height and physical front line to match up to the Grizzlies with Derrick Favors and underrated Rudy Gobert.
Memphis isn't playing well right now. In their last three games, the Grizzlies lost by 12 points to the Kings, lost by 18 to the Clippers who were missing Blake Griffin, and nipped the Timberwolves by four.
The Grizzlies also have a bigger game on deck Wednesday when they play on the road against the Rockets.  

Even if Kyrie Irving plays as expected after missing the last two games with a shoulder strain, I'm backing Boston at this point spread range.
The Celtics are well-coached, have good chemistry and are playing hard the entire game. They won't lack for motivation either just one game out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Boston has covered 11 of its last 15 road games and is 8-0 ATS the past eight times meeting foes with a winning record.
The Cavaliers are off a frustrating overtime road loss to the Rockets this past Sunday. So LeBron James and Co. might be fired-up here, but they also have a tougher foe on deck Wednesday when they play at Toronto.  

Forget their season record. The Timberwolves are much better now with a healthy roster, except for Nikola Pekovic who is questionable, and the addition of Kevin Garnett.
Garnett is near the end of a great career, but the team's all-time leader in points and rebounds can still inspire and provides much needed leadership and a winner's mentality. Garnett's return to Minnesota also has rejuvenated the fan base. Garnett purchased 1,000 tickets for this game to be given out to fans.
The Timberwolves have the talent to upset the Blake Griffin-less Clippers and they catch LA in a vulnerable scheduling spot. The Clippers are off impressive road victories against the Grizzlies on Friday and Bulls on Sunday. After this game, the Clippers fly back to LA to host Portland on Wednesday in a much more challenging contest for them.
Despite these recent victories, the Clippers still are 6-13 ATS during their past 19 road contests. They also haven't done well when playing on Monday failing to cover seven of the past eight times on that day.
Minnesota has covered its past four home games and in six of its last seven versus Western Conference foes.

This is a stop the pain game for the Raptors, who have beaten the 76ers seven times in a row.

The Raptors are off their most embarrassing loss of the season falling to the Knicks and won't have a better opportunity to end their losing streak even without Kyle Lowery.

The 76ers could be without their current leading scorer, Robert Covington. The 76ers rank at the bottom of most of the major statistical categories, including scoring, and are playing without rest. The Raptors have the depth to take full advantage of that. 

Under Brad Stevens, you can usually count on the Celtics to play scrappy and hard. The Celtics have been playing well covering eight of their last 10, including winning and covering their last three games.
Boston catches Golden State playing its fourth road game in six days and with a game at Brooklyn on deck Monday. The Warriors are just 3-6 ATS during their past nine games.
The Celtics have been getting solid contributions from their latest newcomers Isaiah Thomas, who knows the Warriors well having played in the same division against them with Phoenix and Sacramento, and Jonas Jerebko.
Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley are hard-nosed defenders who will make Stephen Curry work to earn his points.
The Celtics played Golden State tough on the road losing 114-111 in the first meeting on Jan. 25.

The bloom is off Oregon State and I don't see the Beavers getting it back in this road setting.
The Beavers are 1-4 in their last five games. Never a strong offensive team, the Beavers averaged 49.7 points in those four losses. Oregon State can't play on the road either losing and failing to cover in eight of its 10 away matchups, including the last five.
Oregon State's latest road defeat came this past Thursday to Stanford, 75-48. The Cardinal scored 47 second-half points.
Cal is celebrating senior day and has beaten Oregon State four consecutive times at home. The Golden Bears are unlikely to make the NCAA Tournament, but hold matchup edges to go with their home-court advantage against Oregon State.
Aside from Gary Payton II, the Beavers can't match Cal's talent level. Tyrone Wallace is one of the top guards in the nation. He and Jordan Mathews are one of the better guard tandems in the West.
The Golden Bears also can exploit a size advantage. Their up-tempo backcourt can take advantage of Oregon State's depth issues that are made worse by getting worn down this late in the season.

Both teams played last night, which favors the deeper Hawks. 

Miami isn't close to Atlanta's level. It has been more than a month since the Heat even beat an above .500 team. Their last five victories have been against the 76ers, Knicks twice, Magic and Celtics before the Isaiah Thomas trade. 

The teams met twice this season and the Hawks won both times by double-digits. Miami has fared much better on the road than at home where it is 10-16 SU, 8-16-2 ATS. The Hawks, by contrast, have covered 20 of their last 26 road contests. 

The Heat are minus Chris Bosh and have ball-handling problems that the Hawks can exploit. 

I can easily see North Carolina State overlooking Boston College in this ACC sandwich spot. The Wolfpack are off a huge victory against arch-rival North Carolina and have a revenge game on tap against Clemson. That victory at North Carolina just may have put the Wolfpack into the NCAA Tournament and cause a letdown for this matchup against the lowly Eagles.
North Carolina State traditionally struggles at Boston College failing to cover in their last five visits.
Boston College guard Olivier Hanlan has been red-hot. Hanlan leads the ACC in scoring and is averaging 28 points in his last seven games.

Now that the reality of Derrick Rose undergoing his third knee surgery since 2011 and being out for the season has sunk in, look for the Bulls to regroup for this home matchup. The Bulls were slapped by the Hornets, 98-86, at United Center two nights ago in their first game since learning of Rose's injury.
This is what Bulls center Joakim Noah was quoted as saying after the loss to the Hornets: "We've got to play a lot harder.Mentally, I think we were a little bit drained with everything that happened. I just know we have to play a lot harder if we're going to be successful."
The Bulls have covered each of the last six times following a loss. Rose actually wasn't having a strong year - his shooting percentage and minutes played per game were way down from his career marks - and Chicago has good backcourt depth.
Minnesota isn't 100 percent either as rotation players Anthony Bennett and Shabazz Muhammad are out.
The Timberwolves are off an emotional 97-77 home win against the Wizards. That game marked the return of Kevin Garnett, the team's all-time leader in many of their statistics categories. There is a chance the Timberwolves rest the 38-year-old Garnett since the Timberwolves have a home game on Saturday. Minnesota is 3-7-1 ATS in its last 11 games following a victory.
The Bulls have won six of the past seven times when hosting the Timberwolves. I see the Bulls' intensity being up here while the road Timberwolves have a letdown following Garnett's emotional home return.

Golden State is not playing at peak efficiency heading into its fourth of six consecutive road games. The Warriors have allowed 107 and 110 points during their last two games beating the Wizards and falling to the Cavaliers last night when LeBron James went off for 42 points.
Toronto doesn't have a star anywhere close to James. Its best scorer is streaky DeMar DeRozan, who is shooting 34 percent in his last three games. The Raptors are struggling themselves averaging 92 points in their last six games.
This is the Raptors' first game back from a four-game road swing so their offense still may be off especially facing a Golden State defense that ranks No. 1 in defensive field goal percentage and fourth in defensive 3-point percentage.
Both teams are going to be strongly motivated to play intense with tight defense. The Warriors didn't like James embarrassing them last night while the Raptors are on a three-game losing streak.

Discount Orlando's season statistics. Instead concentrate on how improved the Magic are particularly defensively since James Borrego replaced overmatch Jacque Vaughn as head coach. 

Since Borrego took over, the Magic are giving up just 91.7 points per game. This isn't a kill spot for the Hawks, who have to play on the road against the Heat Saturday night. 

The Magic have been gold on the road covering 64 percent of the time. 

The road and a weak bench are a combination that will sink the Beavers here. Aside from beating Washington State in early January, Oregon State hasn't won a Pac-12 road game going 1-6. The Beavers have lost their last four away matchups by a combined 70 points!
The Beavers' weak bench figures to get exposed by Stanford, a veteran squad that also can take advantage of the Beavers being without suspended 6-foot-7 forward Victor Robbins.
Oregon State has failed to cover in seven of its last nine games.  
 

The Suns are not a playoff team - and they know it. Their frontcourt is nothing special and their backcourt isn't deep anymore.
Until they beat hopeless Denver last night, the Suns were 1-8 in their last nine games, losing five in a row. They are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 Western Conference matchups.
The Suns lose part of their home-court edge having to play last night in Denver while the Thunder was idle. The Suns come home tired. Oklahoma City has covered in six of its last eight visits to the desert.
The Thunder have covered in their last seven games. They are 4-0 since the All-Star break beating market expectations by 30 points during this span.
No player has had a better February than Russell Westbrook. Serge Ibaka is playing at a high level now, too, and can help Oklahoma City's front line take advantage of the Suns' mediocre inside players. The Suns give up the third-most points in the NBA, have the sixth-lowest rebounding percentage in the league and are undergoing trade-transition trouble with nearly one-third of their roster revamped.

The timing is right to ride the red-hot Cavaliers and fade the Warriors in this matchup. Cleveland is 17-2 in its last 19 games and has won 10 in a row at home. They catch the Warriors in the middle of a six-game road swing and not playing up to their earlier high standards. In their last two games, the Warriors allowed the Pacers to shoot better than 48 percent from the floor and then allowed the Wizards to make 53.2 percent of their field goals this past Tuesday.
Going back even further the Warriors only beat the 76ers by five points, Timberwolves by three and struggling Spurs by 11. Maybe in the end the Warriors prove to be the best team, but right now they are in a down cycle.
The Cavaliers are going to be highly motivated for this matchup especially with a revenge factor and being on the road during four of their next five games. Cleveland was missing LeBron James when it lost to Golden State last month and entered that matchup on a three-game losing streak.
The key to beating the Warriors is limiting their fast breaks and defending well against the 3-pointer. The Cavaliers allow less than 10 fast break points at home, which leads the league. The Cavaliers have held their last three opponents to 22 percent from 3-point range.

Minnesota plays better defense at home. If you discount its performance against Atlanta, Minnesota has allowed an average of 98.3 points during its last eight games at Target Center. 

Expect the Timberwolves to pay more attention to defense now that Kevin Garnett has joined them. I see the Timberwolves slowing the pace down in this matchup after Flip Saunders played Andrew Wiggins 41 minutes, Ricky Rubio 41 minutes, Kevin Martin 41 minutes and Nikola Pekovic 34 minutes in a 113-102 loss to Houston this past Monday. 

The Timberwolves have a history of slowing down the pace following an up-tempo game. The under has cashed 13 of the past 18 times after Minnesota scored 100 or more points in its previous game. The Timberwolves also are 5-0 to the under following a double-digit defeat. 

The Wizards don't figure to push things either after a hard-fough game last night against Golden State. The Wizards have been without shooting guard Bradley Beal. His chief replacement - Garrett Temple - is more about defense than offense.

Note, too, that the under has cashed five of the last seven times Washington has played without rest. 

Here's the short answer: South Dakota is playing well and Denver is terrible on the road.
South Dakota has won five of its last six, including its last four. The Coyotes are playing consistent yet still are capable of more. This is what South Dakota coach Craig Smith was quoted as saying following the Coyotes' last game: We are consistently starting to play our best, but I am not sure if we've had our best game. But we've show more consistency in the last two weeks."
South Dakota has the better offense, better athletes and stronger bench. Denver is in real danger if it gets into foul trouble. The Coyotes have a winning record in the Summit League, while Denver is five games below .500 in league play. South Dakota has covered six of the past eight times versus opponents with a losing mark.
South Dakota defeated Denver, 74-69, on the road on Jan. 4. The Coyotes achieved this despite making just 41.8 percent of their shots from the floor while the Pioneers connected on 53.5 percent of their shots from the field. Denver also hit 17 of 20 free throws for 85 percent. The Pioneers are a good free throw shooting team, but not nearly that good. The Pioneers average fewer than 63 points per game.
Denver won its last game, beating Western Illinois on the road. Western Illinois is tied for last in the Summit at 3-11. The Pioneers are 4-13 ATS the past 17 times following a victory. That was just their second road win in 11 away matchups this season. They are 2-8 ATS in their lined road contests this season. The Pioneers have failed to cover the past three times they've been underdogs.


 

The Hawks are back on track after a satisfying road win at Milwaukee. They have had two days to rest and prepare and are back home. Dallas has had problems when stepping up in class. The Mavericks are 6-14 ATS the past 20 times playing a foe with a winning record.

The Mavericks' chemistry has been altered with Rajon Rondo and not in a positive way. Rondo and Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle got into a shouting match during last night's victory against the Raptors. 

Dallas has padded its record against easy foes. The Hawks, though, are 14-3 ATS when playing an opponent with a record above .600.

It's an added plus if Tyson Chandler can't go for the Mavericks after he banged up his hip last night. 

Utah State is playing well winning and covering its past four games. The Aggies rank in the top 20 in 3-point shooting and hold a huge coaching edge with Stew Morrill against David Rice.
This is a short turnaround for the Rebels, who upset New Mexico State on the road this past Saturday. That was just UNLV's second true road victory of the season. Utah State is 18-7-1 during its past 26 home games when taking on a foe with a road winning percentage of less than .400.
The Aggies have a revenge motive, too, after losing in overtime to UNLV earlier this season.

Look I'm not fooled by the Pistons' 23-33 record. They are better than that and have been playing well going 18-10 in their last 28 games, including posting decisive victories against the Bulls and Wizards following All-Star break.
But I'm not sold on the new-look Pistons stepping up in this matchup against a vastly superior opponent that is the hottest team in basketball. The Cavaliers have come together winning 16 of their last 18. During this time, the Cavaliers are shooting a league-best 47.9 percent from the field while averaging 108.6 points.
The Cavaliers have adjusted to their new faces, Timofey Mozgov, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert. They have fit in well supporting  superstars LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.
The Pistons are on their third starting point guard with newcomer Reggie Jackson, who will be making just his second  appearance with Detroit. Jackson likely will be joined in the starting lineup by another Detroit newcomer, Tayshaun Prince. The Cavaliers are the wrong team - at the wrong time - for the Pistons to make these adjustments against.
Cleveland is 7-2 ATS on one day's rest and has covered 11 of the past 15 times following a win.  

You have to go back to mid-December to find the last time the Spurs dropped three in a row. The Spurs are 0-2 out of the All-Star break losing to the Clippers and Warriors. Now, though, they step way down in class.
Utah is off an impressive 92-76 win against Portland this past Friday in its first game following All-Star break. That was the Jazz's second consecutive home victory. They haven't won three in a row at home all season.
The young Jazz are a lottery team and very inconsistent. They are 11-15 at home with a .500 spread record in Salt Lake City.
San Antonio's offense is down this season. Tony Parker has yet to fully get going. But the Spurs still average 97.6 points on the road. The Jazz have lost 30 of the past 34 times when giving up 97 or more points.  
The Spurs have a huge edge in talent with Parker, a still highly effective Tim Duncan at 38 and Kawhi Leonard. They aren't going to lack for motivation either off back-to-back defeats.
When the teams last met on Jan. 18 in San Antonio, the Spurs held the Jazz to their lowest point total in 16 years winning 89-69.  

The last four in this series have gone over the total and this one should, too.
Houston's defense has been going downhill minus Dwight Howard. The Rockets did hold Toronto to 76 points in their last game, but during their previous five games gave up an average of 111.8 points per game.
The Timberwolves are much improved offensively with Ricky Rubio back in sync, Kevin Martin healthy and Andrew Wiggins coming around. Nikola Pekovic can hurt the Rockets down low without Howard patrolling the middle.
Minnesota is averaging two more possessions on the road than at home while going over 56 percent of the time away from Target Center.
The Timberwolves are terrible on defense giving up the second-most points per game and ranking last in defensive field goal percentage. They also are tied for last in 3-point defensive field goal percentage on the road making them highly vulnerable to James Harden. The Rockets rank sixth in the league in scoring while Harden leads the league in scoring.

Xavier has picked up its game. But St. John's is 4-1 in its last five games, beat the Musketeers, 78-70, on the road 10 days ago and is in a good situational spot.
The Red Storm pose matchup problems for Xavier. The Musketeers had trouble keeping up with the athletic Red Storm in transition during their first meeting. St. John's is even faster and better at home where it is averaging 85 points in the past three games while shooting better than 50 percent from 3-point range during this span.
Xavier is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 away games. This is a tough spot, too, for the Musketeers. Xavier is off big wins against Cincinnati - a huge in-state rivalry matchup - and a 73-56 victory against 19th-ranked Butler this past Saturday.
Now the Musketeers have to travel to New York for their third big game in six days. Xavier hasn't won three in a row since early December.

The Hornets got the rust off on Saturday when they lost 110-103 to the hot Thunder at home. That was Charlotte's first game since Feb. 10.
The Hornets had covered five straight times as underdogs until last night. They are contending for a playoff spot, upgraded their backcourt by adding veteran Mo Williams, who played extremely well last night, and rank fifth in fewest points allowed per game.
Charlotte is scrappy, well-coached and usually very good in an underdog role. The Hornets also have covered in seven of their last nine road games.
The Hornets can take advantage of Dallas' soft frontcourt with Al Jefferson and have perhaps their best defensive player back from injury in Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
Dallas is off a satisfying and much needed victory this past Friday against Houston. Up next for the Mavericks are far more challenging games against Toronto and Atlanta.
The Mavericks are not a strong home club. They are 5-13-2 ATS in their last 20 home games. Dallas also is likely to be missing Chandler Parsons, who suffered a sprained ankle against the Rockets. Parsons is Dallas' third-leading scorer and top 3-point shooter. His absence will be felt especially with Monta Ellis in a shooting slump making only 35.1 percent of his shots from the floor during the last eight games.  

Washington is just 14-16 in its last 30 games. But there still is a class difference between these two teams. The Pistons are adjusting to their third new starting point guard and Reggie Jackson is no match for John Wall, who is averaging 30 points in his last three games versus Detroit. This is Jackson's first game for the Pistons.
The Wizards are sure to be fired-up after losing by 38 points to the Cavaliers in their first game following the All-Star break. That was their worst home defeat in 40 years.
Washington is just 1-8 against the Raptors, Hawks and Cavaliers. But they have taken care of business versus bad teams in the conference. The Wizards have the rebounding to match up against Detroit and own the stronger backcourt even with Bradley Beal out. Newcomer Ramon Sessions, a solid backup veteran point guard, is more comfortable after seeing his first action for the Wizards against Cleveland.
This is an important game for the Wizards. They are in the midst of playing six games in nine days and have Golden State on deck Tuesday, which is a probable loss.  

.

The Hawks haven't lost three in a row all season. They will, though, if they lose this matchup. I don't see that happening.
Atlanta wasn't playing up to its early high standard right before the All-Star break and then came out of the break getting blasted 105-80 by the Raptors at home.
I see the Hawks hunkering down here, improving their defense and comfortably beating the Bucks. Milwaukee is playing well, but its lineup is different now with Brandon Knight gone. Until Michael Carter-Williams is ready to return from a toe injury - and it won't be here - the Bucks are way below average at point guard.
The Bucks' strength is coaching, versatility and a strong bench. The Hawks have all of those traits, too, plus a far better starting lineup with four All-Stars. The Hawks have won during their last five visits to Bradley Center.
There are several distractions the Bucks face, too. They were active at the trade deadline so adjustments have to be made. Also Larry Sanders was let go ending an on-going saga. Milwaukee was fortunate to draw totally messed-up Denver for its first game following the All-Star break. This is a huge step up in class.  
Atlanta received a wake-up call from the Raptors. The Hawks haven't been playing well - which is a big reason why this line is so low. But I see a full, focused effort from the more talented team. That should result in an easy Hawks cover.

UAB has qualified for the Conference USA Tournament. The Blazers are coming off a huge emotional home victory against Western Kentucky this past Thursday, 71-66. They are a decent, but far from outstanding team.
Marshall has a bad record but has been coming on. The Thundering Herd had won and covered three in a row until suffering an embarrassing 90-51 road loss to Middle Tennessee State this past Thursday where they were outscored 50-7 at one juncture of the second half.  
This is what Marshall coach Dan D'Antoni was quoted as saying following that humiliation: "We've got to be a little more disciplined and a little more tougher minded. I thought when things went bad you could see them kind of drooped. You could see the droop. That was something we did early in the year and don't want that to come back."
I see Marshall, which is still trying to qualify for the Conference USA Tournament, giving a full, all-out effort here and getting good line value due to its blowout loss in its last game. The Thundering Herd are 11-5-1 ATS following a loss. They also are 3-0 ATS this season when off a loss of more than 20 points.
The Blazers are 2-6 ATS in their last eight home games versus a team with a road winning percentage of less than .400. This has been a road team series with the visitor going 7-1-1 ATS in the last nine meetings.

I'll go with the borderline playoff team from the Western Conference against the borderline playoff team from the much inferior Eastern Conference.
The Pelicans are a .500 club playing in the far more difficult division while Miami is 23-30.
The Heat have been a better road club. They are 9-15 SU at home, 8-15-1 ATS. Miami is 2-8-1 during its past 11 home contests versus opponents with a losing road mark.
This has become a crucial game for the Pelicans after losing last night to the Magic. Anthony Davis and Ryan Anderson each returned from injury, but both were rusty against the Magic. They should both be much better today. The Heat have no one near the caliber of Davis.
New Orleans has covered 13 of the past 16 times when playing without rest.  
Dwayne Wade is back for Miami from a hamstring injury, but his minutes may be limited since he played last night. The Heat had an easy time since they played the Knicks, who are now without Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. The Pelicans are several tiers above the Knicks.
Goran Dragic could make his Miami debut here. However, there is going to be an adjustment period for Dragic, Wade and the rest of the team. Chris Bosh remains out and his health concerns must be a team distraction.

Central Michigan is the best team in the MAC and has strong revenge motivation. 

The Chippewas were hammered 83-65 by Ball State last month. The Cardinals are 2-11 in conference. That's one of their MAC victories and an embarrassement to Central Michigan.

The Chippewas are the top offensive team in the conference and are hot having won four in a row. They rank 12th in the country in scoring at better than 79 points per game. Ball State ranks 294th in defensive field goal percentage. The Cardinals lack the defensive perimeter game to slow down the Chippewas' strong offense. Plus the Cardinals are worn down with multiple injuries.

The Cardinals have failed to cover in 8 of their last 10 games. They also are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games. 

Murray State clearly is the class of the Ohio Valley Conference. Austin Peay sits at the bottom of the West standings. 

The Racers already have captured the league championship and No. 1 seed for the conference tournament. So they have no strong incentive. Austin Peay won't be going to the tournament barring a miracle. This is the Governors' Super Bowl. They only lost by 10 in the first meeting covering the 11 1/2-point spread two weeks ago. Now the line is close to 10 points higher. 

Murray State coach Steve Prohm has a history of pulling his starters once his team reaches a comfortable lead. That leaves the backdoor wide open for Austin Peay. The Governors are a very bad shooting team, but they have outrebounded their opponents and created more turnovers during league play. 

Murray State wins, but doesn't necessarily cover. The Racers are 1-6 ATS in their last seven Ohio Valley games. Since Jan. 17, Austin Peay has been an underdog of 7 or more points four times. The Governors have covered each of those games. 

The Governors should be rested and prepared. They've had a week off after their scheduled game for this past Tuesday at Eastern Kentucky was postponed. 

Nobody is saying the Nets are a good team. But despite an awful record, the Nets are just one game out of a playoff spot. Brooklyn can't compete against elite teams, but can be trusted to take care of business against bottom feeders.  
The Lakers are 1-15 in their last 16 games going 3-12-1 ATS. They have dropped six in a row, rank last in defense and are in the midst of more lineup changes. Winning is not paramount with the Lakers. Improving their lottery position is.
Minus Kobe Bryant, the Lakers have no one to push and motivate.  
The week-long All-Star break should prove beneficial to the veteran-laded Nets especially for Joe Johnson and Deron Williams. Brooklyn retained Brook Lopez so it has a scoring advantage inside against the Lakers.
The Nets improved themselves at the All-Streak break trading Kevin Garnett for Thaddeus Young, who is averaging 14.3 points this season and ranked in the top three in steals last season. Young should be available against the Lakers.
The Nets give up nearly seven fewer points per game than the Lakers and their defense is going to be improved with Young's presence. Brooklyn ranks 14th defensively despite not having a player ranked in the top 50 in steals.  
Brooklyn has four more road games on this Western Conference road trip. This is the Nets' easiest matchup. They can't afford not to be ready.

I see the Kings and their fans motivated and energized for the first time in a long period with the coaching switch to George Karl, who makes his Sacramento coaching debut here.
The Kings have a huge frontcourt edge with DeMarcus Cousins, who is averaging a career-high 23.8 points and 12.5 rebounds. The Celtics are further hampered inside with Jared Sullinger out with a foot injury. Sullinger is Boston's leading scorer and rebounder. The Celtics lack size minus Sullinger.
Boston's lacks the frontcourt depth to adequately replace Sullinger. The Celtics' backcourt was upgraded at the trade deadline yesterday with the acquisition of Isaiah Thomas. He is not expected to play tonight. If Thomas does play, it will be an adjustment with all new teammates. The Kings also know their former teammate.   
The Celtics have lost in their last three trips to Sacramento and are 1-4 ATS the past five times playing the Kings on the road.

The Hawks had lost some of their mojo going into All-Star break. They were just 3-3 and off a loss to Boston. The Hawks are one of the few teams that didn't benefit that much from the week long break as four of their players and head coach participated in the All-Star Game.

The Raptors have a history of playing well in their first game back following the All-Star break under Dwane Casey. They beat the Wizards on the road each of the past two years in these instances and three years ago nearly won at Houston despite having a terrible team. 

Toronto is 2-1 versus the Hawks this season. The Raptors have outrebounded the Hawks in each of the games. The Hawks lack a wing man who scares the Raptors. 

The Raptors match up well to the Hawks. They are the more rested team and have a good history in this spot. 

Oregon State has overachieved all season at home. But the Beavers are no match for Utah either from a height, depth and talent standpoint.
The Utes have won their Pac-12 games by an average of 22.8 points per game. They rank No. 1 in the conference in both offensive and defensive efficiency.
Oregon State doesn't have the offensive to stay with the Utes even at Gill Coliseum. The Beavers have failed to cover in six of their last seven Pac-12 contests.
The only thing keeping this spread under double-digits is Oregon State's unbeaten home mark. Look for that to get erased in a big way in this matchup, though.

I like Doc Rivers, but no coach is better with extra preparation time than Gregg Popovich.
This, of course, is the first game for both teams since the All-Star break. The Clippers entered the break 3-5 in their last eight games. They are not in great form especially defensively where they have surrendered an average of 110.4 points during their past five games.
San Antonio plays at Golden State on Friday. The Spurs are not going to be favored in that matchup. No way does Popovich want his team losing their first two games following All-Star break.
The Spurs also will be extra motivated by an embarrassing 105-85 home loss to the Clippers during their last meeting on Jan. 31. That was the Clippers' widest margin of victory ever against San Antonio. The star of the game was Blake Griffin, who scored 31 points and pulled down 13 rebounds.
Griffin is expected to be out at least another two weeks after having surgery last week to remove a staph infection from his right elbow.
The Spurs are the better defensive club, giving up four less points per game than the Clippers. San Antonio, though, is averaging 103.9 points per 100 possessions down from 108.2 from last season when they won the championship.
Tony Parker hasn't had a great year. Look for Parker, who had been dealing with a sore hamstring, to be rejuvenated following the long break and up for the challenge of squaring off against fellow star point guard Chris Paul.
The Spurs have a long history of starting to peak following the break. The Spurs have shown signs of coming on winning 13 of their last 17. They are fresh following the All-Star break, are a prideful, extremely well-coached team with revenge and draw the Clippers minus their star inside scorer, Griffin.
All of this should result in the Spurs winning this game by more than a basket.   

Northwestern has some much needed confidence after upsetting Iowa this past Sunday, can take advantage of Minnesota's weakness in 3-point defense and has proven itself on the road in the Big Ten.
The Wildcats have had only one bad conference road loss in six trips. They covered at Wisconsin. They beat Rutgers, which defeated Wisconsin at home. The Wildcats also took Michigan State to overtime in East Lansing and lost hard-fought road games to Michigan and Maryland by a combined three points. They are 6-1 ATS in their past seven road matchups.
Minnesota's defensive weakness is 3-point defense. The Gophers give up 35.7 percent shooting from beyond the arc, ranking them 241st. Northwestern ranks fifth in the Big Ten in 3-point shooting at 35.8 percent.
The Gophers were blown out in their last game by Indiana, which leads the Big Ten in 3-point shooting. Prior to that game, the Gophers had won three in a row beating Iowa, Purdue and Nebraska. The Hawkeyes ranked ninth in the league in 3-point shooting while the Boilermakers were 12th and Cornhuskers 14th.
Before meeting Indiana, the Gophers had played just one of the Big Ten's top five 3-point shooting teams and that was Maryland. The Terrapins made eight 3-pointers in beating the Gophers, 70-58, at home. Northwestern lost to the Terrapins by one point on the road.  
Minnesota has failed to cover in 11 of its last 14 Big Ten games. Its last two meetings against Northwestern have been decided by a combined seven points.

UCLA is not the same team on the road. The Bruins are just 3-9 away from Pauley Pavilion. Lack of depth and experience has hurt the Bruins on the road. Arizona is the second-most experienced team in the Pac-12 and has the guard depth to take advantage of UCLA's road woes. 

Arizona State has stepped up its offense averaging just under 75 points in its last eight games. The Sun Devils are the second-highest scoring team in the league and have the best field goal percentage. UCLA ranks ninth in the Pac-12 in points allowed per game. 

UCLA has a look-ahead game this Saturday at seventh-ranked Arizona. The Sun Devils defeated Arizona by three points at home earlier this month.  

Yes, it's a great rivalry, but that can't hide the fact these teams are going in opposite directions.
Michigan State is off its best week of the season blowing out Northwestern on the road and defeating then 23rd-ranked Ohio State this past Saturday. This is the time where Tom Izzo has his Spartans starting to peak. I don't see them taking a step back against a banged-up and demoralized Michigan squad that has lost three overtime contests during its past six games.
Michigan has lost five of its past six, including its last four. The Wolverines have a short bench and are minus their best players as Derrick Walton and Caris LeVert remain out. Their perimeter game really is hurting without those two.
The Wolverines are averaging 57 points during regulation in their last three games. Michigan State ranks 54th defensively giving up 61.2 points. I don't see the Wolverines putting up enough points to get the cover.  
Note, too, that Michigan has failed to cover in nine of its last 13 home games.

Notre Dame is rested and prepared to blow out Wake Forest. The Irish last played a week ago. They had not been playing well during their last four games - losing at Pittsburgh, only beating ACC-worst Boston College by eight in their last home game on Feb. 4, getting blown out by 30 to Duke and nipping Clemson by two.
Look for the Irish to be rejuvenated following a welcome seven days of rest and practice.
Wake Forest nearly upset third-ranked Virginia this past Saturday, losing 61-60. The Demon Deacons meet the Cavaliers in their next game. I don't see the Demon Deacons, 4-9 in the ACC, stepping up in consecutive games.
Notre Dame has too much offense for Wake Forest ranking 14th in the country in scoring at 79.2 points per game. The Irish lost twice to Wake Forest last season so double revenge is added motivation.
Notre Dame isn't in action again until Saturday when it plays Boston College so a fully focused effort should be ensured.

The record shows Virginia to be 23-1 and Pittsburgh having lost four of its five ACC road games. The Panthers probably aren't going to get an NCAA Tournament bid - unless they beat Virginia here on the road.
But there is far more behind the records that indicate the underdog Panthers are the right play in this matchup.
Pitt is playing its finest ball. In their last five games, the Panthers have gone 4-1 with their only loss during this span coming to Louisville in which they led by six with 12 minutes left. Pittsburgh has knocked off Syracuse, Notre Dame and North Carolina by 13 points in its last game during this span.
The Panthers aren't going to lack for motivation even coming off the huge win against the Tar Heels just two days ago. That's because they likely need a win - or at least to play a close game - to impress the NCAA Tournament committee that they are capable of playing well on the road since they lack quality road victories.  
This is what Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon was quoted as saying about his team, "You're seeing guys improve. They're playing with a lot of confidence. We're getting better at the right time."
Virginia is not the same since losing forward Justin Anderson, its best player and defender. He's missed the past two games with a broken finger and remains out. Since Anderson was lost, the Cavaliers beat North Carolina State, 51-47, as a 7-point road favorite and nipped Wake Forest, 61-60, at home as an 18-point favorite this past Saturday. The Demon Deacons had the ball at the end with a chance to win.
Virginia was 3-of-23 from 3-point range in those two games. Anderson is by far the Cavaliers' best 3-point shooter. North Carolina State and Wake Forest are a combined 10-16 in ACC games.
The Panthers played the Cavaliers tough during their two meetings last season losing 48-45 on a 3-pointer at the buzzer and falling 51-48 in the ACC Tournament semifinals. The Panthers shot a combined 34.4 percent from the floor in those two games and still lost each time by just three points.
No, the Panthers aren't going to shoot 64.9 percent from the floor and score 89 points like they did versus North Carolina two days ago. But they are more than capable of keeping this far closer than this spread indicates especially with Anderson out for the Cavaliers.

Cal has turned things around winning five in a row. The Golden Bears are 5-2 in true road games. They've won their past three away games while going 6-2 ATS in their last eight road contests.  
Utah, of course, is very strong. But this is just too many points. This has been a 'dog series with the underdog covering five of the past seven times.
The Utes are very good, especially at home. There's no denying that. But they've been fortunate to catch their road opponents either in a rut or with injuries. That's not the case with Cal, which comes in with a lot of momentum.
The Golden Bears are one of the stronger defensive teams in the Pac-12 and have an excellent guard in Tyrone Wallace and a top 3-point shooter in Jordan Mathews, who has made at least three 3-pointers in four of his last five games.
The Bears are a scrappy and physical team. KenPom ranks the Bears as the eighth-best defensive rebounding team in the country.  

This is a huge game for Illinois and the Illini will be up for the challenge remembering last year. That was when they were 13-2, ranked No. 23 and lost by 25 points at Madison. That loss derailed the Illini for the rest of the season.
Wisconsin is outstanding, obviously capable of winning the NCAA championship. So this isn't a fade on the Badgers. It's just a strong belief that Illinois can keep this close. The Illini have reached a high point in their season with four straight victories pushing their record to 17-8.
Illinois is capable owning victories against Baylor and Maryland, two teams that rank in the top 15 in the RPI standings. The Illini also have senior guard and leading scorer Rayvonte Rice back. He had missed nine games with a broken hand and team suspension, but got some rust off against Michigan in the Illini's last game. Rice averaged 21.5 points in two meetings against the Badgers last season.

Nevada will be going all out at home off their worst defensive effort of the season and having dropped their last four at Lawlor Events Center. In three of their last four home losses, the Wolf Pack lost by a combined 10 points to UNLV, San Diego State and Fresno State.
Expect another close game here. New Mexico is a .500 Mountain West team that lacks enough offense to cover this large of a road number against what should be a fired-up Wolf Pack squad desperate to give their home fans a victory.
The Lobos aren't playing well dropping five of their last six. Their only victory during this span was against last-place San Jose State, who is 2-21 on the season and in total disarray.

Usually it's prudent to avoid Oregon State on the road. Play on the Beavers at home, but certainly not away. That's not the case here, though.
Oregon State is hungry to establish its credibility away from Corvallis. It desperately needs a road win and the timing is right here. USC is really struggling. The Trojans last won on Jan. 7. They've lost nine in a row and are likely to be without point guard Jordan McLaughlin, who injured his surgically repaired left shoulder during USC's 80-75 home loss to Oregon this past Wednesday.
McLaughlin, the Trojans' team leader in assists, steals and minutes played, is difficult to replace. USC is thin and weak shooting in the backcourt. Making matters worse for the Trojans is Oregon State has one of the best defensive backcourts in the country. Gary Payton II has 70 steals and is one of the top all-around guards in the country. He has at least one steal in 24 straight games.
USC has covered just 31 percent of its last 62 home games. Oregon State has beaten USC eight of the past 11 times and is 7-2 ATS the last nine times against foes with a losing mark.

Here's what you need to know about the Horizon League. Valparaiso, Green Bay and Cleveland State are all tied for first and all are undefeated in conference play at home, a combined 17-0.
I want Valpo going for me at home and in a revenge spot. The Crusaders lost 51-50 on the road to Green Bay on Jan. 23. Valpo fell by one point on the road to the Phoenix despite shooting less than 35 percent from the floor and missing 16 consecutive shots in the second half.
Look for the Crusaders to be far more in sync at home where they are 11-1 on the season. Since that loss to Green Bay, the Crusaders have won four in a row. The Phoenix, on the other hand, have failed to cover in four of their last five Horizon League games.
Green Bay's senior point guard Keifer Sykes might be the best player in the Horizon League. But Valpo has the more balanced lineup and a star, too, in Alec Peters. He's averaging 17.3 points and is on pace to become the first sophomore in program history to score 1,000 points in a season for the Crusaders. Valpo hasn't lost all season when Peters reaches double figures.

Stanford has the offense to hang with Utah. The Cardinal rank 34th in the country in scoring at 74.9 points per game. They also rank 14th in 3-point shooting despite senior Chasson Randle missing 13 of 15 shots from beyond the arc during the last two games.
Randle leads the Pac-12 in scoring and made 7 of 10 shots from 3-point range when the Cardinal beat Utah, 61-60, in last season's regular-season finale.
Stanford is doing a great job getting to the free throw line shooting 26 more free throws than its opponents during the past six games.
The Cardinal have lost their four Pac-12 games by an average of five points. They are 5-1 ATS the past six times facing an opponent with a winning percentage above .600.

Oregon is coming on while USC has dropped eight in a row done in by inexperience and lack of offense.
The Trojans rank last in the Pac-12 in offensive efficiency. They have covered only 32 percent of their last 61 home games. Nikola Jovanovic is USC's leading scorer at 12.7 points per game. He's missed 14 of 21 shots from the floor during the last three games.
Oregon ranks 20th in the nation in scoring at 77.2 points per game. Then Ducks have the Pac-12's leading scorer in Joseph Young and gets back from suspension Jordan Bell, who leads the Ducks in rebounding and is the seventh-leading shot-blocker in the country.
The Ducks have been red-hot from the free throw line, too, hitting 84 percent in their last six games. They also have defeated USC nine consecutive times.

The Spurs shouldn't lack motivation as they have revenge for a blown 18-point lead in a 105-104 home loss to the Pistons last month.
San Antonio was missing Kawhi Leonard in that game and Tony Parker missed the second half. The Spurs are healthy now.
Detroit has failed to cover in 21 of its last 30 home games. The Pistons are 3-11 ATS in their past 14 home contests versus foes with a winning road mark.
The Pistons are fat and happy heading into break having defeated the Hornets on the road last night in big fashion. The Pistons have a huge backcourt disadvantage minus Brandon Jennings, who scored the winning basket in their earlier victory against San Antonio.  

Xavier is ranked 34th in the NCAA Daily RPI while Marquette rates 114th. The 15-9 Musketeers clearly are the superior team probably around a ninth seed if the NCAA Tournament were being seeded right now. Marquette has a losing record.
The key here is how Xavier will play on the road. In two of the Musketeers' last three road games they had good performances upsetting Georgetown and losing in overtime to Providence. Marquette has failed to cover in its last four home contests.
The Golden Eagles are a big effort team, but they could start to wear down with just seven scholarship players as life in the physical Big East takes a toll this late in the season. Marquette has a short bench and could be without leading scorer, senior guard Matt Carlino. He suffered a concussion six days ago against Villanova and missed the Golden Eagles' last game.
Carlino scored 27 points in the team's first meeting won by Xavier, 62-58. The Musketeers struggled with Marquette's pressure defense in that game scoring only 22 points in the first half. Look for Xavier to be better prepared now that they've faced the Golden Eagles and with something to prove being on the road. The Musketeers are riding a wave of confidence after a 78-69 win over  Providence this past Saturday.
Marquette also is coming off a win, a road victory against Seton Hall on Saturday. Prior to that, however, the Golden Eagles had dropped six in a row.   

 

The Nets are an old, veteran team composed of one-time stars past their primes. They are vulnerable to athletic, deep teams.
Memphis isn't especially athletic, nor does it have a deep bench. The Grizzlies' strength is rebounding and physical play. They are much more of an Eastern Conference team than a racehorse Western Conference opponent. Brooklyn has defeated Memphis in two of its past three meetings.  
The Nets can hang with them matchup-wise and won't lack for motivation. The veteran Nets have a lot of prideful players. This is their last game before All-Star break. The Nets are battling for a playoff spot and also some of their veterans - Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson come quickly to mind - are playing for their futures. There are trade rumors swirling around them. So a strong effort should be forthcoming.
The Grizzlies aren't looking to cover a double-digit margin. They have a more important game and tougher opponent on deck Wednesday when they play the Thunder in Oklahoma City.
 

This marks the Clippers' final game of their eight-game road trip that started Jan. 28. The trip has turned into a disaster with Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick out. The Clippers have lost and failed to cover in their last four games. They have a high fatigue rating here.
But they also are catching far too many points here in a step-up spot against an overrated foe that is 3-11 against the Western Conference's seven other teams in playoff position.
Dallas is 5-16-1 ATS in its last 22 games versus Western Conference foes and has covered just 40 percent of its home games this season.
The Clippers have been hurt on the boards, outrebounded by 46 during their last three games. The Mavericks are not a good rebounding team, though, and will have trouble dealing with DeAndre Jordan, who has averaged 16.4 points and 15.2 rebounds in his last five games versus the Mavericks.

The won-lost records show Toronto better than San Antonio at 34-17 compared to the Spurs' 32-18. But make no mistake, there is a class difference between these two clubs.
The Spurs are far superior to the Raptors. The defending world champions finally appear healthy now for the first time.
This is the opening game of the Spurs' annual rodeo road swing - nine consecutive away matchups. San Antonio just concluded a 5-1 homestand and has won nine of its last 11. The Spurs won't be home again until March 4. They certainly want to start their trip out right.  
The Spurs are a perfect 6-0 SU and ATS this season when beginning a road trip of two or more games. No coach is more dangerous with a day of extra preparation time than Gregg Popovich. The Spurs have added incentive here, too, because their next victory would give Popovich his 1,000th win. Popovich is not the type of guy who wants that distraction and hoopla to linger with his team. The Spurs want to achieve that milestone for Popovich as soon as possible.
Toronto took advantage of a tired Clippers squad to post a 123-107 win two days ago. Prior to that, however, the Raptors lost games to the Bucks and Nets, two borderline playoff teams in the much weaker Eastern Conference.
The Raptors have failed to cover in seven of their last nine home games and are 3-12-1 ATS on one days rest. They also are only 1-7 ATS in their last eight home games when facing a foe with a winning road mark.
San Antonio not only has a winning road record - straight-up and ATS - but has won seven in a row versus the Raptors, including the past four in Toronto. The Spurs are far better than the Raptors on one day rest covering 23 of the past 34 times during those instances.

Oregon State is 13-0 at Gill Coliseum. The Beavers are like night and day when they are home compared to the road.
The Beavers have revenge and Washington has lost its best big people. The Huskies aren't nearly as good or dangerous minus Robert Upshaw, who was leading the nation in blocked shots, and Jernard Jarreau.
Washington still has an excellent point guard, Nigel Williams-Gross. But he faces tremendous backcourt pressure from the Beavers. Williams-Gross also is facing a fatigue issue having played the entire game during four of the past five games.
The Huskies have a losing road mark, both SU and ATS. Oregon State is 8-2 ATS the past 10 times hosting an opponent with a losing road mark.
Washington shot a season-best 56.6 percent from the floor in its last game this past Wednesday at Oregon. Yet the Huskies still lost by four points. They aren't going to shoot that well in this matchup. Oregon State limits foes to an average of 56.6 points a game and ranks sixth in the country in defensive field goal percentage.  

The Bulls have the better talent especially with Jrue Holiday out for New Orleans. The Bulls have been idle for two days and are seeking to halt a three-game losing streak. They have not lost four in a row all season.
New Orleans is coming off a dramatic 116-113 road win at Oklahoma City last night when Anthony Davis made a 3-pointer as time expired. Davis is a monster, but the Bulls can slow him down with Joakim Noah, one of the top defensive players - if not the best - in the league.
The Pelicans used up a lot of energy in upsetting the Thunder last night. This will be their third game in four days. They lost to the Bulls in Chicago, 107-100, when they had Holiday back on Dec. 27.
The Bulls are 17-9 on the road. That's the best away mark in the Eastern Conference.
Chicago is 8-16 ATS at home, but owns a winning road ATS mark. The Bulls have defeated New Orleans 10 of the last 13 times while covering five of the past six times in New Orleans.

VCU managed to cover against George Mason this past Wednesday, 72-60, in a game that was closer than the final score. The Rams won that game despite missing point guard Briante Weber, lost for the season with a knee injury sustained in a 64-55 loss to Richmond on Jan. 31.
But I don't see the Rams covering here especially if leading scorer Treveon Graham is out, too. VCU leads the Atlantic 10, but is vulnerable especially in this road matchup. Graham suffered a high ankle sprain in the victory against George Mason. Even if he manages to play he'll be limited. Weber's loss is huge. He was leading the country in steals per game and had a tremendous assist-to-turnover ratio.
St. Bonaventure is 15-5-1 ATS in its last 21 home games versus foes with a winning road mark. The Bonnies are coming off a dramatic 62-61 road win against Davidson on a basket by Marcus Posley at the buzzer this past Wednesday. Posley leads the Bonnies in scoring at 17.4 points a game and is hitting 36.6 percent from 3-point range. The Bonnies have a good inside-outside game with 7-foot center Youssou Ndoye and Posley. The Bonnies have covered five of their last six games.  

Matchup-wise Orlando is the more talented team. They have the best frontcourt player in Nikola Vucevic and a huge backcourt advantage.
Throw in a huge situational spot for the Magic and it's worth laying this number.
The Magic are desperate to end their 10-game losing streak and five-game home losing skid. Orlando is better than its 15-37 record with Vucevic, Victor Oladipo, Tobias Harris and Elfrid Payton. The Lakers can't match that young talent.
On Thursday, the Magic addressed their underachieving ways by firing coach Jacque Vaughn and his young assistant coaches. A coaching change usually brings short term positive results especially one needed as much as this.
Interim coach James Borrego, who is 37, will be anxious to prove himself now that he has a chance. It's probably not a coincidence the Magic made the coaching move right before playing the Lakers, who have lost eight in a row on the road and 11 of their past 12 overall games. The Lakers' morale can't be too good after blowing a late six-point lead in regulation during their last game falling in overtime to the Bucks on the road. That loss had to sting Lakers coach Bryon Scott, who doesn't like Bucks coach Jason Kidd. The feud stems from when Scott coached Kidd when they were with the Nets.  
Orlando has added incentive because the Lakers blew them out earlier this season. The Lakers likely won't be nearly as motivated coming off the matchup versus Kidd's Bucks and with a national TV game coming up next against LeBron James and the Cavaliers on Sunday.
The Magic have been competitive in their last two games against far superior competition going against the Thunder and Spurs on the road. They lost to both of these teams by seven points, covering each game. Now they drop down in class to face the bottom-five Lakers.