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Basketball Archive
Date	Match Up	Rating	Score	Result	Profit	Lead Time	Analysis
12-21-17	Cal-Irvine v. Idaho UNDER 136.5		67-59	Win	100	15 h 23 m	Show
Cal Irvine is coming off a bad loss to Montana. But the game before that the Anteaters held St. Mary's to seven points under its scoring average and 41.1 percent shooting from the floor. The Gaels have the 16th-highest field goal percentage in the nation at 50.9. Point being Irvine can play defense. So can Idaho, which ranks 28th in scoring defense and 27th in defensive field goal percentage. Both team's defenses far outshine their offenses. The Under is 18-7-1 in Idaho's last 26 non-league games. Yes, the total is low. But it's not low enough.
12-21-17	Bulls +11 v. Cavs		112-115	Win	100	12 h 36 m	Show
Maybe the Cavaliers cover a rare home game and beat the spread when laying double-digits for the first time this season. But I have to take the Bulls believing this isn't going to happen. Sparked by the return of Nikola Mirotic and the emergence of Kris Dunn as a legitmate NBA point guard, the Bulls have put their rebuild plans on hold winning and covering seven in a row. Chicago should be motivated to test itself going against LeBron James and Cleveland in a double-revenge spot. The Bulls were playing much worse when they lost to the Cavaliers, 119-112, in the third game of the season during their last visit to Cleveland. The Cavaliers are 13-4 at home, but a mind-boggling 2-15 ATS. They are 0-11 ATS when laying double-digits. Only four times in their 32 games this season have the Cavaliers won by 12 or more points. Cleveland has a monster look-ahead game, too, as following this matchup the Cavaliers take off for the West Coast. The marquee matchup of the season goes Sunday with the Cavaliers meeting the Warriors. The Bulls did play last night. But no Chicago starter even reached the 29-minute mark in the Bulls' 112-94 home win against Orlando.
12-20-17	Magic +5 v. Bulls		94-112	Loss	-110	9 h 35 m	Show
It's easy to do a double-take when looking at this spread. But it's legitimate. Chicago has won six in a row. The Bulls actually are in position to overlook the Magic with upcoming marquee road matchups against the Cavaliers, Celtics and Bucks. Orlando looks at Chicago and sees how its season can turn around, too. The Magic have lost five in a row, but are getting healthier. They have forward Jonathan Isaac, one of their best defensive players, back and could get back leading scorer Evan Fournier. He's questionable along with Arron Affalo. Mario Hezonija stepped up in their absence erupting for 28 points in a 114-110 road loss to the Pistons - a team better than the Bulls - this past Sunday. The Magic have been idle since losing to the Pistons. Orlando has revenge motivation for 105-83 home loss suffered to the Bulls last month when down its two top point guards. Both are back for Orlando. Orlando has covered in seven of its last 10 visits to Chicago.
12-20-17	Kings v. Nets -5		104-99	Loss	-110	12 h 59 m	Show
When is it ever good to lay a mid-size number with the Nets? Now. The spot, situation and history set up a Brooklyn play. The Kings stunned the 76ers last night rallying from 16 points down to win, 101-95, as 8 1/2-point road 'dogs. Now the Kings have to turn around to play the win-starved Nets at the conclusion of their four-game, seven day road trip. Bad timing for them. Sacramento could be short-handed, too, in the backcourt. George Hill missed last night's game due to illness and good-looking rookie De'Aaron Fox reinjured his thigh against the 76ers. The Nets are in stop-the-pain mode with a three-game losing streak. Before then, they had won five of eight. Brooklyn has a winning spread mark when favored. The Nets also are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games versus Western Conference foes. Sacramento happens to be 4-10-2 ATS versus Eastern Conference opponents even with that victory against the 76ers, who were minus Joel Embiid. The Kings are 5-13 on the road this season and had lost seven straight road games to the Nets before winning last season. Brooklyn is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games against Sacramento.
12-20-17	North Texas v. Georgetown -9.5		63-75	Win	100	17 h 31 m	Show
I see this as a bounce back spot for Georgetown and a letdown spot for North Texas. The Hoyas suffered their first loss in nine games when they lost to Syracuse in overtime this past Saturday. There's no shame in losing to the Orangemen. But there would be shame in losing at home to North Texas. Patrick Ewing should have Georgetown on alert for this foe. North Texas is off an 86-83 victory against San Diego this past Saturday winning as 9 1/2-point road 'dogs. The Mean Green had lost seven straight true road games in a row, including going 0-4 this season, before springing the upset. Among the Mean Green's road defeats this season is a 14-point loss to Nebraska.
12-19-17	Dayton v. St. Mary's -10.5		54-69	Win	100	19 h 49 m	Show
St. Mary's ranks third in the NCAA in adjusted offensive efficiency, has the second lowest turnover rate in the country and ranks 16th in the nation in shooting percentage. The Gaels also are ranked 12th in free throw percentage and 34th in 3-point percentage. Jock Landale is one of the best players in the country averaging 21.6 points a game and 9.5 rebounds. So the Gaels definitely have the offense to cover this spread. This matchup sets up well for the Gaels to do just that. Dayton is playing just its second true road game. The Flyers last were on the road 16 days ago. The Flyers have a lot of inexperience. They are struggling to find their identity under first-year coach Anthony Grant. The Flyers don't have much height either. They are going to have problems dealing with the 6-foot-10 Landale. The Flyers managed to hold off Georgia State, 88-83, in overtime during their last game as a six-point home favorite on Saturday. But they have not won back-to-back games all season.
12-19-17	Cavs v. Bucks OVER 215		116-119	Win	100	3 h 41 m	Show
LeBron James is having an MVP-type season and Cleveland has reached triple digits in 24 straight games. The Bucks are an average defensive team and rank last in 3-point defense. Milwaukee has reached triple-digits in its last 12 games. The Bucks have scored 108 or more points during each of their last five games. The Over is 10-1-1 in the Bucks' last 12 games. The teams have met twice this season. Both games went Over the total. That's in keeping with the trend in this series, which has seen the Over cover 22 of the last 29 times. Note the short spread, too, in this game. So there's an increased chance of overtime potentially occurring.
12-18-17	Jazz v. Rockets OVER 216	Top	99-120	Win	100	4 h 60 m	Show
The Rockets have the top offense in the NBA right now. Chris Paul has made James Harden even more dangerous if that's possible. Harden is leading the NBA in scoring at 31.5 points a game. The Rockets have scored at least 115 points in nine of their last 11 games. The Jazz are far more vulnerable on defense without Rudy Gobert, their star center and rim protector. The Jazz have become more up-tempo and offensive-minded minus Gobert. They have scored triple digits in each of their last five games and 11 of their last 12 games. Derrick Favors, the Jazz's second-best big man, is out, too. So there should be a lot of small ball in this matchup.
12-18-17	Charlotte +3 v. East Carolina		69-50	Win	100	8 h 17 m	Show
Charlotte is in stop-the-pain mode having lost four in a row. The 49ers will be well rested having been idle a week. The team should play hard here for interim coach Houston Fancher following Mark Price getting fired. That was a shock. But it should shake Charlotte up. Charlotte holds a backcourt edge. East Carolina is one of the worst free throw shooting teams in the country. Charlotte has underachieved. The 49ers are better than they showed. So the 49ers needed to be shook up.
12-17-17	San Francisco +7.5 v. Stanford		59-71	Loss	-110	6 h 10 m	Show
Stanford hasn't been very good this season. The Cardinal are a below .500 team and own few quality victories. San Francisco won't lack motivation against their nearby Pac-12 rival. This is just a short 35-mile road trip for the Dons. San Francisco is on a 3-game win streak, including beating UC Davis by 13 points in their last game. The Dons won 20 games last season. They are more worthy of than this big line shows.
12-16-17	North Texas v. San Diego UNDER 135.5		86-83	Loss	-110	16 h 48 m	Show
It's rarely wrong to look Under with San Diego. The Toreros have gone Under in 17 of their last 21 games. San Diego has this below the total mark because of its outstanding defense. It's a primary reason why the Toreros are off to their best start since joining Division I 38 years ago. San Diego is holding foes to 59.6 points a game. Only six teams in the country allow fewer points per game. The Toreros also rank third in the nation in 3-point defense and seventh in defensive field goal percentage. The oddsmaker knows all of this of course. So the key to making this Under work is pace. Neither team plays up-tempo. North Texas averages 77.7 points, but the Mean Green are double-digit 'dogs. I see the Toreros controlling pace while playing with a lead.
12-16-17	UNLV -7 v. Pacific		81-76	Loss	-108	14 h 47 m	Show
Pacific is improved, but the Tigers are far from being in UNLV's class. The Rebels are too athletic and have too much scoring for Pacific to handle. UNLV is averaging 91.5 points a game, fifth-best in the country, and rank No. 3 in rebounding. Pacific is just 3-13 ATS in its last 16 home games.
12-16-17	UNLV v. Pacific OVER 157		81-76	Push	0	14 h 32 m	Show
UNLV averages 91.5 points per game. Only four teams average more per game. The Rebels have gone Over the total in all but one of their 10 lined games this season. So I'm going to ride with that. Pacific is playing fast under Damon Stoudamire. The Tigers have gone Over in seven of their 10 lined contests. I see both teams running and pushing tempo.
12-16-17	CS-Fullerton +7.5 v. California		89-95	Win	100	8 h 14 m	Show
California is 4-6 under first-year coach Wyking Jones, but off an improbable 63-62 win against San Diego State. The Golden Bears were 16-point road 'dogs in that game. Cal still could be celebrating that win. If that's the case, the Bears will be in serious trouble because Fullerton is an underrated foe. The Titans have won five in a row. They've defeated Harvard and Portland and have been at their point spread best versus sub .500 foes covering eight of the last nine times against them. Upsetting San Diego State aside, the Golden Bears just aren't that good. Among their losses are games to Chaminade and Central Arkansas.
12-15-17	Nets +11 v. Raptors	Top	87-120	Loss	-105	9 h 43 m	Show
The Nets are a scrappy bunch and very underrated by the oddsmaker. Brooklyn has greatly improved its defense to the point where until last night, the Nets ranked No. 1 in defensive efficiency during their past seven games. Brooklyn couldn't hit its 3-pointers and lost, 111-104, at home to the Knicks Thursday night. The Nets were short favorites in that game. They are much better in an underdog role where they have covered nine of the last 10 times. Despite that defeat, the Nets still have a winning record in their last nine games. The Nets found, if not a star, a very reliable player in that loss to the Knicks. Point guard Spencer Dinwiddie put up a career-best 26 points to go with seven rebounds and seven assists. He is averaging 15.4 points per game since replacing injured D'Angelo Russell. This isn't a good spot for Toronto. The Raptors just concluded a four-game, six-day road trip on Wednesday night beating the Suns, 115-109. The Raptors are 2-4 ATS in their last six games and are in a flat spot playing in their first home game in 10 days.
12-15-17	Blazers v. Magic UNDER 210		95-88	Win	100	3 h 7 m	Show
Portland is a top-six defensive team while the Magic's scoring is greatly reduced with their two leading scorers still out of action as both Evan Fouriner and Aaron Gordon are sidelined by injuries. The Magic haven't broken 95 points in three of their last five games. Portland is a huge Under team. The under is 14-4-1 in its last 19 games.
12-14-17	Knicks v. Nets -120		111-104	Loss	-120	11 h 18 m	Show
The Nets don't get the media attention the Knicks do. They don't have any stars either. But Brooklyn has been playing good ball winning five of its eight games. The Nets have improved their defense by 10 points per game during this span holding opponents to 100.9 points in their last eight games. Brooklyn is a respectable 5-6 at home, covering seven of its last 11 games at Barclays Center. The Nets have defeated the Thunder and Wizards during two of their past three home contests. The Knicks have an NBA-low one road victory in nine away matchups. They are 2-7 ATS away from Madison Square Garden. The Nets take this rivalry more serious than the Knicks and also have revenge motivation for a 107-86 road loss on Oct. 27. There should be a buzz to this game, too, for the Nets as Jahlil Okafor should be making his Brooklyn debut.
12-14-17	Pistons -4 v. Hawks		105-91	Win	100	7 h 2 m	Show
The Pistons are in circle-the-wagons mode and can take their frustrations out of the hapless Hawks. Atlanta is one of the four-worst teams in the NBA at 6-21, including 3-9 at home. Detroit should exploit the Hawks' weak defense that ranks 26th in scoring and 28th in field goal percentage. Opponents have hit 50 percent of their field goals during the past five games against the Hawks. Atlanta is giving up an average of 113 points per game during this span.
12-13-17	Raptors v. Suns UNDER 220.5		115-109	Loss	-107	9 h 23 m	Show
The Suns aren't the same high-scoring team without their leading scorer and best player, Devin Booker. He's been out the last three games and the Suns have averaged 97.3 points in those contests, going Under all three times. Phoenix just lost 99-92 on the road to the Kings last night. Toronto is playing its fourth road game in six days. So there is a fatigue element on both teams, which should mean a slower pace.
12-13-17	Arkansas-Little Rock v. Bradley UNDER 130.5	Top	46-86	Loss	-110	16 h 28 m	Show
My first look is Under when I study teams from the Missouri Valley Conference. With Bradley hosting this opponent, Little Rock, Under strongly jumps out. Bradley is strong defensively and neither team has much of a scoring attack. Both are half-court oriented, too, so the tempo should be slow. All four of Bradley's lined home games this season have gone Under, while LIttle Rock has gone Under in eight of its last nine road games.
12-13-17	Nuggets v. Celtics -6.5		118-124	Loss	-103	8 h 51 m	Show
I want the Celtics going for me here after they suffered their worst and most embarrassing loss of the season in their last game. That was a 100-85 road defeat to the Bulls two nights ago. The Celtics didn't have Kyrie Irving in that game. Irving is expected to play here. Boston won't have Al Horford, but Denver is missing its two best players, big men Paul Millsap and Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets are a bit fat and happy after upsetting the Pistons, 103-84, last night. Even with that victory, the Nuggets are just 5-10 SU, 4-11 ATS on the road this season. Denver carries a high fatigue rating, too, as this concludes their six-game, 10-day road swing.
12-12-17	Wizards -145 v. Nets		98-103	Loss	-145	13 h 2 m	Show
The Wizards aren't going to have John Wall back yet, but they still are good enough to beat the Nets. Washington will have the three best players on the court in Bradley Beal, Otto Porter and Marcin Gortat. Not only is this Brooklyn's first game back after playing a pair of games in Mexico City, but its underrated chemistry has changed. The Nets will be breaking in newcomers Jahlil Okafor and Nik Stauskas and are without Sean Kilpatrick and Trevor Booker. Kilpatrick and Booker aren't great players, but they fit in well with the Nets and were popular teammates. There's going to be an adjustment period as the Nets learn how to best utlize Okafor, a talented big man who failed to mesh with the 76ers. Beal has stepped up well in Wall's eight-game absence averaging 23.3 points. The Wizards should be in angry mood after getting nipped, 113-112, by the Clippers on the road Saturday when Beal's game-winning basket was disallowed. Despite that non-cover, the Wizards still are 9-4 ATS during their past 13 away matchups. They have owned the Nets winning 12 of the past 14 meetings, including the last seven.
12-12-17	Columbia +11.5 v. Boston College	Top	66-81	Loss	-110	17 h 48 m	Show
Boston College is in a huge letdown spot and Columbia is far more competitve than its 1-9 record might indicate. The Eagles took down then No. 1 ranked Duke, 89-84, this past Saturday as 15-point home 'dogs behind a rare sellout crowd. The Eagles had a week to prepare for that game. They've had two days to get down from the skies to play this game. I see Boston College being very flat here and taking Columbia lightly. That would be a mistake. Boston College isn't that good. The Eagles are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games even with that victory against Duke. BC has lost to Texas Tech, Nebraska and Providence by a combined 40 points. This also will be the second game the Eagles won't have Deontae Hawkins, their top rebounder and third-leading scorer. He's out with a knee injury. Columbia has had seven of its nine losses come by 10 points or fewer, including a four-point overtime loss to Connecticut. Another defeat was by 15 points to top-ranked Villanova. The Lions are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 road games when taking on a home team with a winning percentage better than .600.
12-11-17	Raptors v. Clippers OVER 214.5	Top	91-96	Loss	-107	15 h 47 m	Show
The Raptors are comfortable in their new offense. Their recent scoring results prove this. Toronto is averaging 117 points in its last six games - all victories. Toronto has reached triple-digits in 12 straight games while scoring 112 or more in five of its past six games. DeMar DeRozan is the Raptors' main threat and he's hot averaging 25.4 points on 50 percent shooting from the floor in his last five games. DeRozan also is averaging 6.8 assists per game during this span. He'll be highly motivated to perform well being from Southeren California. The Clippers should contribute their share of points. Danilo Gallinari looked sharp in his second game back from injury scoring 25 points in a 113-112 home win against the Wizards this past Saturday. Austin Rivers has been playing well, too, averaging 23 points in his last three games. Lou Williams is a dangerous scorer when he has rest and the Clippers were idle yesterday. There's a chance the Clippers get back guard Milos Teodosic for this game. The Clippers have struggled defensively minus injured Blake Griffin and Patrick Beverley, allowing an average of 114.3 points per game during their last six games.
12-10-17	Missouri State v. Oral Roberts UNDER 143		66-73	Win	100	8 h 10 m	Show
Missouri State ranks 33rd in defensive scoring giving up 63.2 points a game. The Bears should have no trouble handling Oral Roberts, which just was held to 60 points by Southern Nazarene, a subdivision team, in its last game. Like most Missouri Valley Conference schools, the Bears favor a methodical pace rather than go up-tempo. Oral Roberts is among the bottom 50 schools in pace. So I don't see many points being put up here.
12-10-17	Raptors -8 v. Kings		102-87	Win	100	7 h 12 m	Show
The Raptors average 15 points more per game than the Kings. I consider the Raptors a "B" level team, while the Kings are in my "F" level with the Bulls, Suns and Hawks. The questions here are the Raptors' motivaiton level and how much of a home-court edge do the Kings have? Toronto should have strong incentive since Sacramento swept them last season. The Raptors are playing their best ball averaging 115 points during their past 11 games while going 5-0 during their past five games. DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka easily give Toronto the three best players on the court. Sacramento ranks last in scoring at 96.4 points a game. The Kings are returning home after a 116-109 upset road win against the Pelicans on Friday. This is the Kings' first home game following four consecutive road games. That trip began 10 days ago. So this isn't a good situational spot for the Kings, who actually could be in letdown mode, too, after surprising the Pelicans. It's another added plus for the Raptors if Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein has to miss a third consecutive game due to a bad back.
12-09-17	Rockets v. Blazers OVER 215.5		124-117	Win	100	5 h 48 m	Show
The Rockets are averaging 116.1 points in their last six games. That would rank No. 2 in the NBA if computed for the entire season. It's not a fluke. The Rockets' offense has picked up with Chris Paul back from injury. He's made James Harden even more dangerous. The Trail Blazers have a strong scoring backcourt themselves and will have lots of energy having been idle since Tuesday.
12-09-17	Magic v. Hawks -2		110-117	Win	100	10 h 59 m	Show
Atlanta is in short revenge after losing 110-106 to Orlando on the road this past Wednesday. The Hawks blew a nine-point fourth quarter lead and had several controversial calls go against them. Orlando forced overtime by scoring with three seconds left in regulation. The Hawks have been idle since while the Magic were beaten at home by the Nuggets, 103-89, last night. The Magic's offense looked terrible in that game minus injured Evan Fournier, their second-leading scorer and top 3-point marksman. Making it worse for the Magic are they lost leading scorer Aaron Gordon in that loss. He suffered a concussion. Neither he nor Fournier will play against the Hawks. Atlanta is one of the worst teams in the NBA. But Orlando is in free-fall losing 12 of its last 15 games. The Magic are short-handed with swingman Terrence Ross and Jonathan Isaac also out. Orlando is playing for the third time in four days and without rest. So the spot and situation set up well for the Hawks, who have covered four of their last six and are 11-3 in their last 14 home games versus Orlando.
12-09-17	Magic v. Hawks UNDER 210		110-117	Loss	-110	10 h 58 m	Show
Orlando is now down its top two scorers with Aaron Gordon suffering a concussion in the Magic's 103-89 loss to the Nuggets last night, a game which went Under the total by 26 points. The Magic already are without Evan Fournier, who is sidelined with an ankle injury. Fournier is the Magic's top perimeter shooter. His absence was felt very much last night on the offensive end. The Magic have a thin bench, too, with swingman Terrence Ross and Jonathan Isaac out. This marks the Magic's third game in four days and second in two nights. Considering the fatigue factor and multiple injuries, I expect the Magic to play at a slow pace. The Hawks have held their last two opponents to an average of 93 points during regulation. The Magic haven't been playing bad defense either holding foes to an average of 100.7 points per game in regulation during their last four games. Orlando hosted Atlanta this past Wednesday and the teams combined for just 192 points in regulation before Orlando won, 110-106 in overtime. Fournier and Gordon combined for 51 points in that game.
12-09-17	Valparaiso +2.5 v. Ball State		70-71	Win	100	3 h 47 m	Show
I see Ball State in a letdown spot after upsetting Notre Dame as an 18-point road underdog in its last game. The Crusaders, on the other hand, are in bounce back mode. They were 8-0 until their last game when they were buried by Purdue. The Crusaders have covered 11 of the past 16 times following a loss.
12-08-17	Celtics v. Spurs UNDER 197.5	Top	102-105	Loss	-106	12 h 4 m	Show
Not only are the Cetics and Spurs the top two defenses in the NBA, but they also play at a slow pace. Boston gives up the fewest points per game and ranks second in defensive field goal percentage. San Antonio yields the second-fewest points per game and ranks fourth in defensive rebounding. So I see this total as being too high. My opinion also is formed by the high caliber of coaches and the possible injury factor. I rate Gregg Popovich and Brad Stevens as the two best coaches in the NBA. They are going to treat this matchup like a chess game. Boston's rotation could get really stretched if Jaylen Brown and Marcus Morris both have to miss the game due to injuries. That would mean increased minutes for Terry Rozier, Marcus Smart and Daniel Theis, none of whom are noted for their offensive prowess. There is a chance the Spurs get back Kawhi Leonard, the best defensive player in the league, for this game.
12-08-17	Cavs -3 v. Pacers		102-106	Loss	-115	10 h 32 m	Show
The Cavaliers are gunning for a franchise-best 14th consecutive victory. I see them getting it here in a revenge spot. Indiana upset the Cavaliers, 124-107, as a 10-point road 'dog at the start of November. The Cavaliers were really struggling on defense back then ranking last. Now, during their 13-game game win streak, the Cavaliers have had the sixth-best defense. Cleveland has been strong on the road going 16-6-1 ATS in its past 23 away contests, including 8-4 this season. The Cavaliers also are going for a club-record eighth road win in a row. LeBron James is in the MVP discussion. He's the only player in the NBA to average 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists per game. The Pacers are 14-11. All but four of their victories, though, have come against below .500 opponents. Cleveland has covered the past five times it has played against a winning foe. It's a plus for the Cavaliers if Tristan Thompson can return for this game after being out with a calf strain.
12-07-17	Rockets v. Jazz OVER 208		112-101	Win	100	21 h 14 m	Show
The Rockets always were offensive-inclined, but now with Chris Paul back full throttle they could be the highest scoring team in the NBA. Houston has scored 117 points or more in each of its last five games. What makes this Over work, though, is Utah also has been high scoring. The Jazz were averaging 115.5 points in their last six games - all victories - until running out of gas in their last game two nights ago against Oklahoma City. The Thunder is a very good defensive team. Still, the Jazz were leading 80-68 after three quarters before falling down due to fatigue. This will be Rudy Gobert's third game back since returning from injury. His presence as perhaps the best rim protector in the Western Conference do affect the dynamics of Utah. However, the Jazz transformed themselves into more of an up-tempo, offensive-minded team when Gobert was out. They had success at it, too. So they are not going to completely revert back to their half-court ways. Plus Gobert still is working his way back into playing shape. Donovan Mitchell is becoming a below-the-radar star averaging 29.3 points in his last four games. No team fires up more 3-pointers than the Rockets. They are a long-range perimeter team no matter who the opponent is so Gobert has less effect on them. Gobert played in the team's first meeting. It was no contest. The Rockets buried the Jazz, 137-110, at home on Nov. 5. James Harden had a career-high 56 points. The Rockets didn't have Paul for that game either. Harden and the Rockets are even more potent with Paul.
12-06-17	Pistons +4 v. Bucks		100-104	Push	0	6 h 51 m	Show
Detroit is better than Milwaukee and in stop-the-pain mode trying to salvage one game out of its four-game road trip. Detroit didn't play well against the Wizards to begin their trip, but then suffered tough close losses against the 76ers and Spurs. The Pistons have covered nine of their 13 road contests this season. They are 8-1 ATS when getting three or more points, which is the case here. On deck for the Pistons are the Warriors and Celtics, the two-best teams in basketball. So they really need to win this game. The Bucks have proven untrustworthy going 3-6-1 ATS at home this season and 2-5 ATS when laying five points or fewer. Milwaukee has some outstanding talent. But the Bucks are not well coached, rank last in 3-point defense and don't rebound well making them vulnerable to rebounding leader Andre Drummond.
12-06-17	Warriors -5 v. Hornets	Top	101-87	Win	100	15 h 59 m	Show
The Warriors are still an outstanding team without Stephen Curry. They want to prove that on national TV against the Hornets here. Golden State has been playing well and when that happens no team can come close to the Warriors. The Warriors have won four in a row averaging 127 points during this span. All of these victories have come on the road where the Warriors have covered 19 of their last 27 away contests. Golden State has won its last three games by a combined 39 points against the Magic, Heat and Pelicans. The Hornets aren't any better than the Heat and Pelicans. Charlotte is 1-4 in its last five games with its lone win occurring this past Monday at home against the Magic, 104-94. The Hornets didn't play well, though. They were bailed out by a huge free throw advantage. They made 33 of 40 free throws while the Magic were able to get to the line only 14 times. The Hornets rank 26th in field goal percentage and free throw percentage. The Warriors are first in scoring, field goal percentage and 3-point shooting percentage. Golden State has beaten Charlotte six straight times, including the last three in Charlotte. The Warriors have a lot of fans in the area because of Curry.
12-06-17	Wisconsin v. Temple -4.5		55-59	Loss	-101	4 h 14 m	Show
I'm not high on Wisconsin this year. The Badgers are young and not overly talented. Greg Gard is not Bo Ryan. I like Temple in this spot. The Owls haven't played up to expectations losing twice as road chalk during their past three games. They are better than they've shown, which has made this line shorter than I thought. I see the Owls displaying their full potential in this spot.
12-05-17	Suns v. Raptors -13	Top	113-126	Push	0	17 h 22 m	Show
The Suns caught the 76ers playing probably their worst game of the season and upset them, 115-101, as 10-point road 'dogs Monday night. But the Suns aren't going to catch the Raptors in such a generous mood. Toronto is playing extremely well, has been dominant at home, is itching to play having been idle since Friday and won't be taking the lightly-regarded Suns lightly like the 76ers mistakenly did last night. Not only are the Suns in a letdown mood following their imprressive victory, but they could be out of gas, too, as this is the finale of a six-game, 10-day road trip that has resulted in close to 5,000 miles of travel. It's Phoenix's third game in four days, second in two nights and fifth in eight days. The well rested Raptors are 8-1 at home. They have won three in a row beating the Hawks on the road, Hornets and Pacers by a combined 52 points. The Raptors are averaging 119.3 points during their win streak and rank fourth in the NBA in scoring at 110.9. They also have a top-10 defense. Phoenix ranks last defensively in the league surrendering 115.2 points per game. So the Raptors certainly should pile up a high point total.
12-05-17	Gonzaga v. Villanova UNDER 148.5		72-88	Loss	-110	15 h 50 m	Show
It's easy to think offense in this marquee matchup of fourth-ranked Villanova against 13th-rated Gonzaga. After all, Villanova averages 86.4 points while the Bulldogs average 92.9 points a game, third-best in the nation. But what's overlooked is the high quality of defense both teams play. It's not a fluke that the Under has cashed in 68 percent of Villanova's last 34 games. Keep in mind, too, this is a neutral site game in spacious Madison Square Garden with its difficult shooting backdrop.
12-05-17	Winthrop +12 v. Georgia		82-87	Win	100	7 h 54 m	Show
Winthrop has the offense to hang in against Georgia. The Eagles scored 85 points against Auburn and average 90.4 points per game. Winthrop has talent with Anders Broman and Xavier Cooks. Georgia may not have its full intensity after upsetting Marquette on the road in its last game this past Saturday. The Bulldogs are 1-6 ATS following a victory and have failed to cover in seven of their last 10 home contests.
12-04-17	Bucks v. Celtics OVER 203		100-111	Win	100	11 h 44 m	Show
There are reasons why the Over has won in seven of the Celtics' last eight games. Boston's scoring is up and its defense is trending down. Kyrie Irving is getting more comfortable with his new teammates and players like Al Horford, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are benifitting from it. Boston has scored 108 or more points in seven of its last eight games. The Bucks are an average at best defensive club. They give up the highest 3-point shooting percentage in the league. The Celtics, though, have yielded at least 103 points in four of their past six games. The Bucks' offense has picked up since they acquired Eric Bledsoe. Milwaukee is averaging 108 points per game in regulation during its past five games. Bledsoe is averaging 22.6 points on 52 percent shooting from the floor during the last five games. The Over has cashed in four of those games. Giannis Antetokonumpo and Irving are two of the best scorers in the NBA ranking second and 14th, respectively. The Bucks have better backcourt scoring because of Bledsoe and Kris Middleton is a potent offensive player at the wing. Matthew Dellavedova is out for the Bucks, which helps the Over since he's one of Milwaukee's best defensive players.
12-04-17	Bucks v. Celtics -5.5	Top	100-111	Win	100	11 h 5 m	Show
Boston just may be the second-best team in the NBA next to Golden State. Certainly right now the Celtics are No. 1 in the Eastern Conference. Boston is 20-2 in its last 22 games and has won 10 of its past 11 home games. The Celtics have dropped just two home games all season. One of these losses came in their second game of the season to the Bucks. The Celtics had just lost to the Cavaliers the night before and also lost Gordon Hayward for the season with a gruesome injury. The Bucks took advantage of the spot. Boston hasn't forgotten. A motivated Celtics team can beat any team in the NBA at home as they proved when they defeated the Warriors on Nov. 16. The Bucks have a losing record when meeting above .500 opponents. Milwaukee improved when it acquired Eric Bledsoe, but the Bucks are nowhere near the Celtics' level
12-03-17	Kansas State v. Vanderbilt UNDER 139.5		84-79	Loss	-110	9 h 24 m	Show
I'm not impressed with Vanderbilt's offense and Kansas State's mix-and-match defense is tough particularly against non-conference opponents. The Under has cashed in 67 percent of Kansas State's last 53 non-league matchups. The Wildcats have held five of their seven opponents this season to under 60 points. A major plus to going Under in this matchup is that both teams prefer a slow tempo.
12-02-17	Pistons +5 v. 76ers		103-108	Push	0	13 h 43 m	Show
Any time the better team is getting points, especially this many, I'm strongly looking underdog. Yes, the Pistons played last night. They didn't play well either getting embarrassed by the Wizards, 109-91, on the road. That halted a three-game Detroit win streak and Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy was not happy ripping his team for not playing hard. I expect the Pistons to play better and with more intensity today. Detroit has covered each of the past five times following a loss. The Pistons also have revenge for a home loss to the 76ers from back on Oct. 23. Detroit is 14-7 on the season and in the argument for second-best team in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons have covered eight of their 11 road contests. The 76ers are greatly improved, but their record is 12-9 and they are striving to be more consistent with a lot of young talent that still is looking to mesh.
12-02-17	Clippers v. Mavs UNDER 207		82-108	Win	100	8 h 42 m	Show
Because the Dallas Stars hockey team is playing tonight at American Airlines Center, the Mavericks are hosting the Clippers in a day game. It's a morning start for the Clippers. The unusual early start time should be a plus for the Under. The Clippers are minus their two best offensive players, Blake Griffin and Danilo Gallinari. They are struggling to find a true point guard in their post Chris Paul-era with Milos Teodosic injured. LA is minus four of its opening night starters meaning such non-luminaries as Wesley Johnson, Montrezl Harrell, C.J. Williams and Sam Dekker are part of the rotation. So it's not a surprise the Clippers are averaging 89.3 points in their last three road games discounting the 116 points they put up against the Hawks. Dallas ranks in the bottom-four in scoring and field goal percentage. The Mavericks haven't broken triple digits in 10 of their last 15 games. Neither team gets much scoring production from their center. The intensity level in this series has been ratched up, too, the past couple of years when then free agent DeAndre Jordan went back on his word to the Mavericks and resigned with the Clippers. Dallas hasn't forgotten that.
12-01-17	Illinois +6 v. Northwestern		68-72	Win	100	8 h 14 m	Show
Northwestern has been an early season disappointment opening 4-3, including losing its past two games. Illinois started fast until losing 80-73 to Wake Forest. The Illini are 4-1 in their last five meetings against the Wildcats, winning both matchups last season. The Illini are playing up-tempo under new coach Brad Underwood. So they won't get caught up in Northwestern's slow-down tactics. This is a very early Big Ten meeting so points figure to matter a lot.
12-01-17	Spurs v. Grizzlies UNDER 193.5	Top	95-79	Win	100	13 h 6 m	Show
San Antonio gives up fewer points per game than all but one team. The Spurs have gone Under in seven of their nine road games this season. Memphis ranks sixth in both defensive scoring and defensive field goal percentage. The Grizzlies have gone Under in nine of their 11 home contests this season. So there is a clear pattern of Unders involving the home/road breakdowns of these two strong defensive clubs. Now let's get down to the specific matchup. The two teams just met on Wednesday in San Antonio. The Spurs won 104-95. So that was a total of 199 points, which went Over the 195 total. This total opened lower. But for good reason. The teams combined to make 34 of 40 free throws for 85 percent in Wednesday's game. Both are above average free throw shooting teams, but not nearly that good. The Spurs and Grizzlies both shoot 79 percent from the foul line. Memphis made 11 of 22 shots from 3-point range. The Grizzlies rank 29th in 3-point shooting hitting 33 percent. The Spurs shot 50.7 percent from the floor. LaMarcus Aldridge scored a season-high 41 points on 17 of 24 shooting from the field. San Antonio ranks 16th in field goal percentage at 45.6 percent. Aldridge is an outstanding player and he's have a great season. But the Grizzlies aren't going to let him beat them again. Memphis is in desperation mode, losers of nine in a row. This will be their second game under interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff. I can't back the Grizzlies when they don't have Mike Conley, who is out with an Achilles injury. Memphis is averaging 90.6 points in its last six games - all without their star point guard. Tony Parker is back for San Antonio. This is just his third game, though, of the season. So he's still rusty. Put this all together and I believe Under is the way to go.
11-30-17	Cavs v. Hawks UNDER 216	Top	121-114	Loss	-110	11 h 56 m	Show
LeBron James isn't the sole reason why the Cavaliers have won nine in a row. James is playing great, but Cleveland has clamped down defensively holding their past nine foes to 99.8 points per game. Don't look for the Cavaliers to lose their defensive intensity against this lowly foe. The Hawks stunned the home Cavaliers, 117-115, when the teams last met on Nov. 5. Cleveland should have plenty of motivation for this rematch. James may see a reduction in minute, though, as this is Cleveland's third game in four days and a game it should win easily. The Cavaliers play again on Saturday hosting Memphis. Atlanta should have some defensive intensity, too, after being torched, 112-78, at home by the Raptors this past Saturday. Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer ripped into his team following that loss. The Hawks have had four full days off to practice, game plan and concentrate on this matchup. They also could be rusty offensively because of the extra time off.
11-29-17	Warriors -11 v. Lakers		127-123	Loss	-110	8 h 25 m	Show
Off a shocking loss to the Kings on Monday, I want the Warriors going for me today especially against the Lakers, a probable lottery bound team. Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are both expected to play boosting the Warriors' chances. Neither played against the Kings. The Warriors should dominate all phases against the overmatched Lakers.
11-29-17	UNLV v. Northern Iowa +1		68-77	Win	102	7 h 21 m	Show
UNLV has been a major early surprise. But the Rebels have played lesser competition except for Utah. The Rebels like to get up and down the floor. Northern Iowa is a tough foe for them because the Panthers play much slower. The Rebels are 5-18-3 ATS in their last 26 road contests. Unlike UNLV, Northern Iowa is battle-tested having faced Villanova, SMU and NC State. The Panthers dictated pace against those foes - and that pace was slow. Northern Iowa has held its last six opponents to 43 percent or worse shooting from the floor. The Rebels may not have the proper focus either with a rivalry showdown on tap gainst Arizona.
11-29-17	Thunder -5.5 v. Magic	Top	108-121	Loss	-110	13 h 46 m	Show
The Thunder give up the second-fewest points per game in the NBA. They have the sixth-best point differential per 100 possessions. And, oh yes, they have three superstars in their lineup - Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony along with an underrated center who does much of the dirty work, Steven Adams. Yet Oklahoma City is 8-11 SU and ATS. What in the heck gives with this team, anyways? I'm certainly not a fan of Billy Donovan as an NBA coach. He should go back to college. Westbrook, George and Anthony are all playing below expectations especially with their shooting and Oklahoma City can't win on the road going 2-8. This, of course, begs the question of why back them as road chalk? I admit, some of it may be a leap of faith. The Thunder are coming off a horrendous 97-81 road loss to lowly Dallas. That was back on Saturday. They've had to live with the sting of that for three full days. Now finally they get to play again. So part of the handicap is based on situation. Oklahoma City has had ample time to rest and game plan. Orlando is home for the first time in nine days following a four-game road trip that conclued Monday night in Indiana. The Magic are the coldest team in the NBA losers of nine in a row with six of those defeats occurring by double-digits. Orlando is surrendering an average of 117.4 points during its nine-game loss streak. Westbrook, George and Anthony should get well against such a terrible defense. The Thunder average 12 more points per game than the Magic. Orlando doesn't defend well, shoot well and makes poor decisions on offense. Oklahoma City is a bully. The Thunder can beat bad teams. The Magic aren't only bad, but they're soft, tailor-made for the Thunder to exploit. Orlando has a bad history, too, versus Oklahoma City losing in nine of the past 11 meetings, including five of six at home.
11-28-17	Illinois v. Wake Forest UNDER 162		73-80	Win	100	15 h 9 m	Show
Illinois is a top-25 scoring team and Wake Forest is coming off its highest shooting percentage game under Danny Manning connecting on 61.5 percent against UNC Greensboro. So the oddsmaker has set a high total. The total is too high in my view. This is Illinois' first road game and first decent opponent. The Illini is averaging 89 points - all at home and against bad defensive teams. What's overlooked about them is the defensive improvement they've shown under first-year head coach Brad Underwood. The Illini ranks No. 2 in the nation in turnover margin and fifth in forcing turnovers. Wake Forest has played against weak defensive opponents, too.
11-27-17	Lakers +5 v. Clippers		115-120	Push	0	8 h 32 m	Show
First off, there is no home court advantage since both teams play at Staples Center. There are more Lakers fans in the area than Clippers fan. The Lakers have been idle since Wednesday when they lost to the Kings on the road. They are anxious to get back playing and have had good practices. The Clippers, on the other hand, are returning back to LA after five consecutive road games that concluded Saturday night against the Kings. The Clippers have really struggled due to multiple injuries. Losing Patrick Beverley really hurts their backcourt, which was in transition in the post Chris Paul era. The Clippers are 3-11 SU and ATS in their last 14 games with their only victories coming against the Mavericks, Hawks and Kings. The combined record of those teams is 14-45. The Lakers get back Larry Nance today. They also have a quality defensive center in Andrew Bogut to counter DeAndre Jordan. The Clippers have dominated this series taking advantage of the Lakers' rebuilding in winning the past 10 times. The Lakers are better now and the Clippers have regressed.
11-27-17	Oakland v. Oral Roberts OVER 148		93-86	Win	100	12 h 32 m	Show
This teams have met six times, including last season. There never has been an Under. Oakland traditionally is a high scoring team. The Golden Grizzlies are playing at a fast pace again this season and are due for a big offensive showing after road games against Syracuse and Kansas. Oakland can take advantage of Oral Roberts' weakness on the boards. Oral Roberts is coming off a bad game against Penn State shooting just 33 percent from the field. The Over has cashed in eight of Oral Robets' past nine home contests. This one is about offense not defense and the due factor kicking in for both teams.
11-27-17	Blazers v. Knicks OVER 204		103-91	Loss	-110	4 h 33 m	Show
The Knicks averaging more than 109 points per game in 12 games at Madison Square Garden this season while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor compared to 44.9 on the road. New York is expected to have back Kristaps Porzingis, which is huge for its offense. Defensively, though, the Knicks are going to have problems containing Portland's Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, who average a combined 47.4 points a game.
11-25-17	Bucks -118 v. Jazz		108-121	Loss	-118	14 h 38 m	Show
Since their second game of the season, the Jazz have defeated just one team that has a record above .500. That was Portland and the Jazz won that game in overtime. I have to think the Bucks have become good enough to defeat the Jazz, who are minus their best player, rebounder and shot-blocker Rudy Gobert. Utah is 3-4 without Gobert. The victories have come against the Nets, Magic and Bulls. The Nets and Bulls are among the six-worst teams in the NBA and Orlando is playing its worst ball losing seven in a row. The Jazz now are forced to heavily rely on Rodney Hood, Derick Favors and Donovan Mitchell. These are role players. Contrast this with Milwaukee's star power - Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kris Middleton, Malcolm Brodgon and Eric Bledsoe. I'd say those four player give Milwaukee the best four players in this matchup. Antetokonumpo is in the MVP arrgument scoring 29.7 points a game, while averaging 10.3 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game. He's fully expected to play after sitting out Wednesday's game against the Suns to rest a sore knee. Opponents are shooting 50.3 percent inside against the Jazz since Gobert has been out. That percentage was less than 47 percent when Gobert was in the lineup. Antetokounmpo ranks No. 2 in the NBA behind only LeBron James in baskets off drives to the lane at 60.3 percent.
11-25-17	Thunder -5 v. Mavs		81-97	Loss	-110	13 h 22 m	Show
Oklahoma City covered a 10-point spread when it defeated Dallas, 112-99, at home two weeks ago. The Thunder accomplished that without Carmelo Anthony and Steven Adams. Anthony averages 20 points a game and Adams is the Thunder's second-leading rebounder and best big man. Both will be in action here. Yet the spread opened half of what it was in the first meeting. OK, Dallas is home and has been playing better. But the Mavericks can't match the Thunder's superstar trio of Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Anthony. Westbrook is averaging 34.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists during his last four games versus Dallas. The Thunder are in angry mood, too. Just two days off their biggest win of the season, a 17-point victory against the Warriors at home, the Thunder lost 99-98 at home to the Pistons last night blowing a 15-point lead. Look for Oklahoma City to vent its frustration against the Mavericks, a team they have beaten seven of the last eight times. The Thunder have pounded lottery-bound teams like the Mavericks going 16-5 ATS the past 21 times when playing opponents with a winning percentage below .400.
11-25-17	Spurs -125 v. Hornets		106-86	Win	100	8 h 58 m	Show
San Antonio defeated Charlotte, 108-101, at home three weeks ago. San Antonio has been disappointing on the road so far, but have enough factors going its way that they should be backed here. The Spurs are an above average free throw shooting team. Charlotte ranks last in the NBA in free throw percentage. Missed free throws cost the Hornets in a 100-99 road loss to the Cavaliers last night. Now the Hornets have to play without rest while the Spurs have been idle since Wednesday night following a 107-90 road loss to the Pelicans. You know a 17-point loss didn't sit well with Gregg Popovich, the best coach in the Western Conference if not all of basketball. This is Charlotte's third game in four days. The Hornets had to go overtime against the Wizards on Wednesday. Three of the Hornets starters had to log more than 35 minutes last night. The Hornets were without Nicolas Batum, who has an elbow injury, against the Cavaliers. That moved Jeremy Lamb into the starting lineup and further weakened an already mediocre Charlotte bench. The Spurs' reserves outscored Charlotte's bench, 64-16, in the first meeting.
11-24-17	Canisius v. Texas State UNDER 140		68-62	Win	100	19 h 4 m	Show
These are two Under the total teams - and that's the way I'm going here. The Under has cashed in five of Texas State's last six games, while Canisius is 7-2-1 to the Under in its last 10 games. Note that this matchup is at a neutral site, which also is a plus for the Under since neither team is familiar with the court and rims. The Golden Griffins are 8-3-1 to the Under in their last 12 neutral site games. The Golden Griffins don't play at such a slow pace as Texas State does. But they do have a tendency to play at the pace of their opponent. So look for a slow, methodical type of matchup that eats a lot of clock and results in a low-scoring result.
11-24-17	Blazers -3.5 v. Nets		127-125	Loss	-110	14 h 59 m	Show
Portland is the better team, has short revenge and a monster backcourt edge with Brooklyn down to its third-string point guard. The Trail Blazers are legtimate playoff contenders in the stronger Western Conference. The Nets are bottom feeders in the Eastern Conference, losers of eight of their last 11 games. Portland's defense has been better, but its offense has been disappointing. The Trail Blazers, though, shouldn't have problems putting up points versus the Nets, who rank 29th in points allowed at 114.2 and is 25th in defensive ratings. Only twice all season have the Nets held opponents to fewer than 100 points. Not only do the Nets rate an edge in the frontcourt with Jusuf Nurkic, backed up by Ed Davis and Meyers Leonard. but own a huge guard advantage with Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. Those two compose one of the top guard tandems in the league. Brooklyn has lost Jeremy Lin and D'Angelo Russell, its two best scorers. Untested reserve Spencer Dinwiddie is holding down the fort right now at point guard. Led by Russell's 21 points, the Nets upset Portland, 101-97, 13 days ago. The Trail Blazers had won the previous four games in the series.
11-22-17	Spurs v. Pelicans OVER 207.5	Top	90-107	Loss	-105	17 h 10 m	Show
Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins command the headlines as they rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in scoring. But there are more subtle factors that contribute to making an Over work in this matchup. The Pelicans rank 27th in points allowed per game at 110.4. Opponents are making better than 40 percent of their 3-point shots against the Pelicans in New Orleans. The Spurs are above average in shooting 3-pointers. They are the No. 1 free throw shooting team in the NBA. New Orleans is coming off a 114-107 home victory against Oklahoma City this past Monday night. A key takeaway from that game was Rajon Rondo playing a season-high 30 minutes and looking good creating shots for Davis, Jrue Holiday and his other teammates. Rondo had eight assists. A healthy and happy Rondo is one of the top best ball distributors in the league freeing up Holiday to look more for his shot.
11-21-17	Davidson v. Nevada OVER 160.5	Top	68-81	Loss	-110	21 h 16 m	Show
Not only are these two outstanding 3-point shooting teams, but neither team forces many turnovers. Davidson has only committed just seven turnovers in its two games. The Wildcats lead the nation in 3-point percentage and in scoring at 109 points per game. Nevada is shooting 43 percent from 3-point range and can take advantage of Davidson's lack of height. The Wolf Pack have firepower from all of their starters. They are averaging 88 points in two home games. This game is going to be all about offense and the total isn't high enough to reflect that.
11-20-17	Jazz v. 76ers OVER 210.5		86-107	Loss	-115	11 h 0 m	Show
It's not strange seeing a total lined this high involving Utah anymore. This one actually opened short. Minus Rudy Gobert, the supreme defensive force and shot-blocker in the Western Conference, the Jazz have been forced to change their identity. They play more up-tempo and their defense isn't nearly as good. Utah has given up at least 106 points in four of its past five games. The 76ers have the offensive players to take advantage. Sparked by exciting rookie Ben Simmons, the 76ers rank in the top-five in possessions per game and have averaged 113.5 points in their last four games. The Over has cashed in eight of Philadelphia's last 10 games. The last three games involving Utah also have gone Over. Philadelphia put up 74 points in the first half against Golden State in its last game this past Saturday. The Warriors came back to win, though, 124-116. That loss taught the 76ers they need to play hard the entire game. So I don't see the 76ers letting up no matter what the score or situation in this spot. The 76ers are not a good defensive squad ranking 26th. They have permitted their past five foes to average 116.4 points a game. That would rank last in the league if computed over a full season. The Jazz can take advantage with their new faster pace style. Sparked by a now healthy Rodney Hood, the Jazz are averaging 111 points in their last three matchups. Hood is averaging 26 points during this span. Utah has reached triple digits in eight of its last 11 games.
11-20-17	Wolves +2 v. Hornets		102-118	Loss	-110	11 h 59 m	Show
This is a case of the better team getting points and coming off a tough loss. Minnesota blew an 11-point lead at home on Sunday falling to the Pistons, 100-97. The Timberwolves will be eager to redeem themselves for that slip-up here. Yes, the Timberwolves are playing without rest. But Charlotte carries a fatigue rating, too. This marks the Hornets' third game in four days and fourth game in six days. Minnesota easily handled the Hornets, 112-94, at home 15 days ago when also playing without rest. The Timberwolves dominated the boards in that victory outrebounding Charlotte, 54-40. The Timberwolves also did an excellent defensive job on Kemba Walker. The Timberwolves have greatly improved their defense this month holding seven of their first nine November foes to 101 points or less. Walker is a very good player. But Jimmy Butler is better and Karl-Anthony Towns gives the Timberwolves the best big man. The Hornets just played the Bulls and beat-up Clippers. This represents a big step-up game for the Hornets.
11-20-17	South Dakota State v. Wyoming UNDER 164		65-77	Win	100	8 h 51 m	Show
South Dakota State is stepping up here taking on Wyoming. The Jackrabbits are not used to facing this many athletic rim protectors and wingspans. The Cowboys have been playing strong perimeter defense, too, Oregon State could make only 4 of 20 shots from 3-point range in a 75-66 loss in Wyoming's previous game. Wyoming has some good scoring options, but are more efficient on defense, especially at this early stage
11-19-17	Bulls v. Suns -145		105-113	Win	100	12 h 26 m	Show
Phoenix averages 12 more points per game than Chicago, is home and some of its young talent are playing better. The Bulls have lost six of their seven road games this season. They've dropped their past three away matchups by a combined 57 points. Chicago is coming off its best offensive performance of the season, beating the Hornets at home, 123-120, this past Friday. The Bulls haven't won two games in a row all season. Now they're coming from the cold to the desert fat and happy. So focus could be an issue. Some teams can win without bringing their best effort. The Bulls aren't one of those teams. The Suns allow the most points per game in the NBA. Chicago, however, is the second-lowest scoring team in the league and ranks last in shooting percentage. The Bulls were averaging fewer than 87 points a game during their previous three matchups before their outburst against Charlotte. After being trounced by the Rockets on Thursday, the Suns bounced back to defeat the Lakers on the road, 122-113, on Friday. Devin Booker has become a monster ranking 13th in scoring while improving his production in the other statistical categories. T.J. Warren has displayed intriguing potential and point guard Tyler Ulis and center Alex Len had their best games of the season in the win against the Lakers. So the Suns should have a lot of confidence especially against this opponent.
11-18-17	Celtics v. Hawks UNDER 203	Top	110-99	Loss	-110	15 h 10 m	Show
The Celtics have gone under in 11 of their 16 games this season, including going below the total in six of their eight away contests. Most of these Unders have been way below the lined total, too. Boston showed why its No. 1 in the NBA in fewest points allowed and defensive field goal percentage holding defending world champion Golden State to a season-low 88 points in a 92-88 home victory two nights ago. The Warriors entered that matchup averaging a league-best 119.6 points. This puts the Celtics in a flat spot against the 3-12 Hawks. I regard Brad Stevens as the best coach in the Eastern Conference. He'll keep the Celtics focused defensively on the Hawks reminding his players that Atlanta scored 107 points in a three-point road loss to Boston just 12 days ago. That was was the most points the Celtics have allowed all season and only one of two games in their last 14 matchups that Boston has surrendered triple-digits. The Hawks have short revenge so that should ensure a strong, focused defensive effort from them. Atlanta hasn't played since Wednesday when it blew out the Kings by 46 points. So there could be a shooting rust factor for the Hawks having had two full days off. There's also a huge step-up factor for them going from the Kings to the Celtics. But how did the Hawks-Celtics play such a high-scoring game in Boston's 110-107 victory? Each team shot well above their norm from the floor. The Celtics rank 27th in field goal percentage making 42.7 percent of their shots. They hit 48 percent in that game. The Hawks also shot 48 percent from the field. They are a 45.5 percent shooting team. Atlanta also made 13 of 26 shots from 3-point range.
11-17-17	Pistons +1.5 v. Pacers	Top	100-107	Loss	-105	16 h 7 m	Show
Much is being made of the Celtics possibly being the best team in the Eastern Conference right now. But quietly, under the radar, are the Pistons. They've compiled the second-best record in the East. Boston and Detroit also have the two best pointspread marks in the NBA. Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson, Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley are all playing well. Drummond is leading the NBA in rebounding while putting in his best all-around season even improving his free throw shooting making 63 percent after sinking a miserable 38.6 percent of his free throws last season. I like the spot. Detroit is coming off a road loss to the Bucks, 99-95, on Wednesday while the Pacers are off an upset road win against the Grizzlies also on Wednesday. Detroit hosted Indiana eight days ago and won, 114-97. The Pacers are playing better since then. Still, that's a 17-point victory and Myles Turner did play in that game. Drummond had a big performance with 21 rebounds and 14 points. Drummond, though, also had his worst free throw shooting game of the season in that game missing all seven of his free throws. Indiana made 77 percent of its free throws to Detroit's 64 percent yet still were blown out.
11-17-17	Quinnipiac v. Colorado UNDER 150		69-70	Win	100	10 h 23 m	Show
Colorado is a monster 17-point favorite here against Quinnipiac. That's important because the Buffaloes could be playing three games in three day depending on how they fare. Colorado will play either Drake or Wake Forest on Saturday. So the Buffaloes figure to give their starters plenty of rest in a blowup situation, which is likely. This game is being played at a neutral site, at Liberty University in Virginia. So neither team is familar with the settings and rims. Quinnipiac is stepping up in class after opening against a pair of Ivy League teams, Dartmouth and Brown.
11-16-17	Providence v. Washington UNDER 150		77-70	Win	100	11 h 25 m	Show
Providence is a strong defensive team. But Friars coach Ed Cooley wasn't happy with how his team defended in an 86-74 loss to Minnesota on Monday. Look for the Friars to play excellent defense here. Washington showed a slower tempo in its first two games under new coach Mike Hopkins than last season under Lorenzo Romar. This game is being played at Madison Square Garden. Providence is 21-7 to the Under in its last 28 non-conference games. Washington has gone Under 10 of the last 12 times it has played at a neutral site.
11-16-17	Warriors -7 v. Celtics	Top	88-92	Loss	-110	11 h 31 m	Show
Boston very well may be the best team in the Eastern Conference. But if Golden State is fully motivated and plays well, which I believe the Warriors will do here perceiving a real challenge and starting a four-game road trip, no team can stay within double-digits of them. The Celtics are extremely well coached. Brad Stevens, though, doesn't have enough talent to match up up against Golden State's star-studded lineup and excellent bench. It doesn't help matters for Boston that Kyrie Irving is adjusting to playing with a mask on after suffering facial fractures. Boston has to step up big-time here. The Celtics have faced only two probable playoff teams in their last eight games. The Warriors average an NBA-best 119.6 points a game. They also are No. 1 in field goal percentage and assists and expect to have Stephen Curry back. Golden State's average victory margin is 19.9 points. The Warriors have won during each of their last four visits to Boston.
11-15-17	76ers v. Lakers UNDER 219	Top	115-109	Loss	-110	17 h 41 m	Show
A matchp of marquee rookies Ben Simmons versus Lonzo Ball is drawing all the attention in this game. What's lost is how much the Lakers have improved their defensive performance. The Lakers haven't just gone Under in their last four games, but way, way Under. They've gone Under by a combined 94 points during these last four games, which were against the Celtics, Wizards, Bucks and Suns. The Lakers have gone all the way from last in defense last season to fourth in points per 100 possessions this season. A strong commitment to defense, better rim protection courtesy of Brooke Lopez and Andrew Bogut and the horrendous shooting of Lonzo Ball has made the Lakers an Under team right now. Simmons is a great young talent. So is Ball. But I'm more interested in the spot and total. The Lakers' last four games all came on the road. This is their first home contest in nine days. The 76ers are finishing their five-game, nine day road swing here. They are coming off a 109-105 win against the injury-riddled Clippers on Monday. The Clippers defense has fallen apart. They had surrendered an average of 117 points during their previous three games before meeting the 76ers, who scored 109. So the 76ers' jump shots could be off due to tired legs, while the Lakers' concentration level might be off hurting their offense more than defense, which is their fallback position. Another factor in taking the Under is the 76ers and Lakers are the two worst free throw shooting teams in the NBA.
11-15-17	Magic v. Blazers UNDER 211		94-99	Win	100	15 h 20 m	Show
Orlando is thin at point guard, struggles against big, physical teams such as Portland and the Trail Blazers rank third in many of the major defensive categories. Elfrid Payton has missed eight games with a hamstring strain. He still might not be 100 percent. This puts Orlando in a bind at point guard because second-string point guard D.J. Augustin remains out. The Magic are the sixth-highest scoring team in the NBA, but they built up their high scoring average early in the season when their point guards were healthy. Orlando has the second-best 3-point defense in the league holding foes to 31.7 percent shooting. The Trail Blazers heavily rely on their own star point guard, Damian Lillard. He's in a shooting slump, though, making only 32.6 percent of his shots from the floor during his last three games. Lillard is just 4-for-23 (17 percent) from beyond the arc during his last four games.
11-15-17	Wizards v. Heat -117		102-93	Loss	-117	13 h 39 m	Show
This is the first of a home-and-home series between these two teams. I like the Heat to protect their home turf knowing they'll be underdogs in the rematch Friday. Miami has defeated Washington five consecutive times, including four times last season. The Wizards are riding a three-game win streak. Those victories, however, occurred against the Lakers, Kings and Hawks. Before those games, the Wizards lost by 14 points to the Mavericks. So the combined record of Washington's last four opponents is 13-43. Miami is a couple levels higher than the bottom-feeding Mavericks, Kings and Hawks. Hassan Whiteside is back in rhythm after returning from a knee injury. He's played three strong games in a row giving the Heat the best inside player on the court and by far the best defender. The Heat showed improvement during their six-game road trip going 3-3. Their losses were to the Warriors, Pistons and Nuggets by one point. Those three teams are a combined 29-12. Miami finished its trip on Sunday so it has had ample time to get acclimitated to being home again.
11-14-17	Nebraska-Omaha v. New Mexico OVER 161.5		71-103	Win	100	18 h 53 m	Show
New Mexico opened its season with a 147-76 win against Northern New Mexico. OK, Northern New Mexico isn't exactly Duke. But 147 points is 147 points. The Lobos are a run and press team playing very up-tempo under new coach, Paul Weir. Weir prefers this style in order to offset his team's lack of size. Nebraska Omaho certainly will run with the Lobos. They've always been a high tempo team. Nebraska Omaho opened with a 108-89 road loss to Oklahoma. This is a high total, but it's still not high enough. So expect an Over.
11-14-17	Purdue -5 v. Marquette		86-71	Win	100	4 h 55 m	Show
Purdue is far more experienced than Marquette with six of its top seven scorers back. I believe Purdue will have a stronger focus, too, for this matchup. The Boilermakers also have a height advantage. The Golden Eagles have just one senior, Andrew Rowsey, and Marquette coach Steve Wojciechowski is searching for the right rotation. Following this game, the Golden Eagles head off to Hawaii to compete in the Maui Invitation so focus may be an issue, too, especially for such an inexperienced squad with nine players in either their first or second season. Purdue has a strong track record in non-conference games covering 23 of the last 32 times.
11-14-17	Lipscomb +14.5 v. Alabama	Top	64-86	Loss	-110	13 h 50 m	Show
Lipscomb isn't being given enough credit here. The Bison is tough. Lipscomb has mde good progress under coach Casey Alexander. The team went 20-13 last season, finishing second in the Atlantic Sun and have nine of its top 10 returning scorers back. Rob Marberry and Garrison Mathews are excellent players for Lipscomb. Mathews is averaging 31 points in two games this season. The team ranked ninth nationally in scoring last season and has improved its defense. Alabama is nicked up and faces the distraction of playing in its first home game of the season. This is going to be a far closer game than the oddsmaker envisioned with this spread.
11-13-17	Nuggets v. Blazers -115	Top	82-99	Win	100	16 h 48 m	Show
The Trail Blazers have matched up well to the Nuggets winning six of the past seven in the series, including going 3-1 last season. Yet the line opened around pick because Portland is just 6-6 while the Nuggets are 7-2 in their last nine games. Portland, though, could be 10-2 instead of 6-6 if close games had gone its way. The Trail Blazers rank No. 1 in rebounding percentage, hold a strong backcourt edge on the Nuggets with Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum and rank fifth in 3-point percentage. Denver is in an odd scheduling spot. The Nuggets have played six straight home games. This is their first road game in 12 days. The Nuggets then return home to host New Orleans. That game doesn't come until Friday. Denver is 1-4 ATS in its last five road contests. The Nuggets beat Orlando, 125-107, this past Saturday night. The Magic, though, were without their two top point guards. The Nuggets rolled to an 18-point victory. Denver defeated Oklahoma City in its previous game before Orlando. So I don't believe the Nuggets will have as much intensity as the Trail Blazers will have. Portland has one of the best home-courts in the NBA. The Trail Blazers are off a surprising and hugely disappointing home loss to the Nets this past Friday. They had the weekend to steam about that defeat. Now they have an opportunity to vent that frustration in a favorable scheduling spot against a foe they've had good success against.
11-12-17	Heat v. Pistons -3	Top	103-112	Win	100	11 h 47 m	Show
Playing in their new Little Caesars Arena sure agrees with the Pistons. And why not? The new downtown arena is easier for their fans and gives Detroit an improved home-court edge. The Pistons have played well this season, especially at home going 6-1 at Little Caesars Arena. The Pistons have been home for nine days. They catch the Heat on the finale of a six-game, 10-day road swing. Miami is fat and happy winning three of their last four. The Heat's last two victories were by double-digits against the struggling offensively-challenged Jazz and bottom-feeder Suns. Now the Heat play an Eastern Conference foe, one that has the second-best conference record at 9-3. MIami is 0-6-1 ATS in its last seven games versus Eastern opponents and has failed to cover in five of its last six road games against the Pistons. Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson are having nice seasons for the Pistons. This could be Drummond's best all-around season. He's leading the NBA in rebounding. The Pistons should be motivated to close their homestand with a victory as nine of their next 11 games are on the road.
11-11-17	Cavs -5.5 v. Mavs		111-104	Win	100	15 h 13 m	Show
At 5-7, the Cavaliers are the most disappointing team in the NBA. Cleveland is in stop-the-pain mode having lost six of its last eight. Now they get to visit the doctor and get well - playing Dallas. The Mavericks are just 2-10, taking their place now among the five-worst teams in the NBA. Dallas, though, is coming off a stunning road victory against the Wizards this past Tuesday. The Cavaliers' major problem is lack of defense. Cleveland has surrendered at least 112 points in 10 consecutive games. But now the Cavaliers draw the Mavericks, one of four teams in the NBA averaging less than triple-digits. Dallas is 1-5 at home. Among the Mavericks' home losses were defeats to the Hawks and Kings. While Dirk Nowitzki closes out his career in quiet fashion - averaging 10.2 points a game and shooting 40.2 percent from the floor - LeBron James is as strong as ever. James is averaging monster numbers across the board: 29.3 points, 60.1 percent shooting, 8.9 assists and seven rebounds. James will never forget Nowitizki and Dallas beating his Miami team in the NBA 2011 championships series. The Cavaliers also won't forget losing to the Mavericks in Dallas last Jan. 30 during their previous meeting. Cleveland is idle on Sunday so a full effort should be forthcoming.
11-10-17	Heat v. Jazz -145		84-74	Loss	-145	19 h 24 m	Show
This is the Jazz's biggest game of the young season. Utah is in circle-the-wagons mode with a three-game losing streak, two of which have come at home. The Jazz were beaten by the 76ers in their last game this past Tuesday at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Utah had not lost to Philadelphia at home since 2005 when the 76ers had Allen Iverson. Utah has been solid as home chalk this season - 4-1 against the spread in that role - and I see the Jazz coming through here. Quin Snyder has had two full days to prepare Utah for this matchup. The Jazz certainly won't lack motivation. The Jazz still retain their excellent defense. Only three teams give up fewer points per game than Utah. Miami is off a satisfying 11-point win at Phoenix on Wednesday. This marks the Heat's fifth road game in eight days. So they carry a heavy fatigue rating, which could lead to sloppy play. The Heat entered that matchup against the Suns ranked 28th in turnovers so they are vulnerable to Utah's defensive pressure.
11-10-17	Texas A&M v. West Virginia -6	Top	88-65	Loss	-115	11 h 43 m	Show
West Virginia is one of the best teams in the country. The Mountaineers won 28 games last season reaching the Sweet 16. West Virginia defeated five ranked teams, including second-ranked Kansas. Texas A&M finished 16-15 last season and didn't play in a postseason tournament. The Aggies are projected to be much improved this season even though they will be breaking in four new starters. The Aggies are young and not familiar with each other at this beginning stage. This is a rough way for the Aggies to begin the season. The Aggies also are going to be without Robert Williams, their best player, and point guard JJ Caldwell. Both are suspended. The Aggies are going to have problems with West Virginia's unique press especially so without their point guard, this being the first game and being unfamiliar with the Mountaineers.
11-09-17	Pelicans v. Raptors -4.5		118-122	Loss	-110	27 h 50 m	Show
Even though Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins are both playing great, the Pelicans are weak at the wings and lack a good bench. They also have played an easy schedule. New Orleans is riding a three-game winning streak. All of those victories have been on the road. But those wins have come against the Mavericks, Bulls and Pacers. This marks the end of the Pelicans' four-game, seven day road swing. Their intensity could be down after already going 3-0 during the first three legs of the trip. The Pelicans' lone win against a quality opponent this season was against the struggling Cavaliers. New Orleans has not beaten an above .500 team all season. Toronto is 6-4, but battle tested with three of its defeats occurring to the Warriors, Spurs and Nuggets on the road. The Raptors' other loss was to the Wizards in their first game back at home following a six-game road trip. The Raptors have been home now for five days and are healthy with Serge Ibaka and Jonus Valanciunas back in the lineup. Valanciunas is playing well and can factor against Davis and Cousins. The Pelicans are going to have matchup problems at the wing against All-Star DeMar DeRozan, who is averaging 29 points in his last three games. Unlike New Orleans, Toronto should have its full intensity after almost blowing a big lead in a victory against the Bulls on Tuesday. The Raptors don't play again until Sunday when they begin a three-game road trip so a full effort should be there. The Raptors have swept the Pelicans each of the past two seasons.
11-08-17	Knicks v. Magic UNDER 214	Top	99-112	Win	100	15 h 25 m	Show
Orlando really needs this game. The Magic have dropped two straight home games. This is the finale of their three-game homestand. After this matchup, the Magic take off to the West for consecutive road games against the Suns, Nuggets, Warriors and Trail Blazers. That's three likely losses there. So the Magic should play with lots of intensity. The Magic are in a good spot here drawing the Knicks, who will be playing for the third time in four days and without rest following a hard-fought 118-113 home win against the Hornets Tuesday night. The problem for the Magic is a cluster injury problem at point guard. Elfrid Payton isn't likely to play after feeling continued soreness and tightness in his strained left hamstring during Tuesday's practice. Second-string point guard D.J. Augustin already has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. That leaves reserve Shelvin Mack as the only healthy point guard available. Mack is a 39 percent shooter from the floor and not starter-caliber. Orlando has had to play with both Payton and Augustin out the past two games. The results were a two-game average of just 85.5 points in losses to the Bulls and Celtics. This wasn't just cold shooting and good defense by the opposition. The Magic's ofense was out of rhythm. They looked nothing like the team that had put 113 or more points during their first seven games. Not only do the Knicks carry a heavy fatigue rating, but this is their lone road matchup during a nine-game span. So the Knicks are likely to slow down the game looking to exploit 7-foot-3 inch Kristaps Porzingis' height advanatage against Aaron Gordon inside.
11-07-17	Grizzlies +3.5 v. Blazers		98-97	Win	100	13 h 50 m	Show
Portland moved its record to 6-4 after beating Oklahoma City, 103-99, at home on Sunday. That was the Trail Blazers' first victory against a quality opponent. But just when you begin to believe the Trail Blazers are indeed a good team they disappoint. The Trail Blazers are now trying to win three in a row for the first time this season. Maybe they can defeat Memphis. But I'll take this many points to find out as I regard these teams as even and given Portland's below-the-radar big men injuries this becomes even a tougher matchup for the Trail Blazers. The Grizzlies are as rugged and physical as ever. They rank No. 3 defensively and have a much stronger bench than the Trail Blazers. Marc Gasol and Mike Conley are having big seasons. The Trail Blazers are going to have to compete on the boards against the Grizzlies minus injured power forward Al-Farouq Aminu and backup center Meyers Leonard. Memphis defeated the Clippers, 113-104 on Saturday, but then came up flat against the Lakers on Sunday losing 107-102 after a gallant comeback failed. So the Grizzlies should be highly focused for this game. Portland is a bit fat and happy having posted narrow home victories against the Lakers, 113-110, on Thursday and Thunder on Sunday. Not only did the Grizzlies defeat the Clippers, but they also have beaten the Warriors and Rockets twice. They are battle tested. Portland's victories have been against the Suns twice, Pacers, Lakers and Pelicans, who didn't have Anthony Davis, besides the Thunder win. So this is another step up game for the Trail Blazers.
11-05-17	Jazz v. Rockets OVER 202		110-137	Win	100	14 h 47 m	Show
The Houston Rockets are averaging 107.2 points per game this season after averaging an NBA second-best 115.3 points last season. What gives? The Rockets haven't been as up-tempo and their 3-point shots haven't been dropping like last season. They rate 28th in 3-point accuracy compared to 15th last year while putting up the most 3-point shots. Things are beginning to change for the Rockets, however. Houston is coming off a 119-97 road win against the Knicks on Wednesday and a 119-104 road victory against the Hawks Friday. The key to these higher point totals is more fast-break points. Houston has averaged 17.5 fast break points in these past two games. That would rank second in the league if computed for a full season. Previous to these two contests, the Rockets ranked 23rd in fast break points at 7.5. The Rockets should start improving their 3-point shooting, too, with Trevor Ariza getting the rust off after being out. The Jazz are a top-two defensive team unlike the Knicks and Hawks. But the Rockets are looking to continue to push pace against Utah, which gives up an average of 99.6 points a game on the road. Utah has reached triple digits in its last three games. Rookie Donovan Mitchell has been a below-the-radar scorer putting up at least 22 points in three of his past four games. Ricky Rubio is a better Over point guard than George Hill was for Utah last season and Rodney Hood is back healthy.
11-04-17	Mavs +13.5 v. Wolves		99-112	Win	100	11 h 27 m	Show
Dallas could be among the five worst teams in the NBA. But this spots sets up well for the Mavericks. Minnesota is fat and happy riding a three-game winning streak. The Timberwolves' last two victories were on the road against the Heat in overtime and Pelicans. Minnesota hosts Charlotte on Sunday. All of the Timberwolves' victories have been close. Their biggest margin of victory is six points. Dallas is 1-9. The reality of being a lottery team is sinking in to the Mavericks, but they still have prideful veterans such as Dirk Nowitzki. Wesley Matthews and Harrison Barnes are solid pros. Dennis Smith Jr. brings high upside at point guard. The Mavericks lost 99-94 to New Orleans last night. Dallas was hurt by missing 25 of 34 shots from 3-point range. Matthews had an off-shooting night. Look for the Mavericks to shoot better as Minnesota ranks last in defensive efficiency and defensive field goal percentage.
11-03-17	Pelicans -4.5 v. Mavs		99-94	Win	100	14 h 50 m	Show
Dallas is one of the four worst teams in the NBA right now. The Mavericks are 1-8, their worst record since 1993-94. This proud franchise is in need of rebuild. The players know it. Rick Carlisle knows it. Mark Cuban knows it. All of the Mavericks' losses except one have been by five or more points. New Orleans is a serious playoff contender. No team can match the Pelicans' superstar Twin Towers of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins. Both rank among the top-five in scoring and rebounding. The Pelicans are going to hurt the Mavericks inside a lot. Dallas is one of the poorer rebounding teams in the league. The Pelicans, though, have lost consecutive games falling to the much-improved Magic and star-studded Timberwolves. This is the first of four road games in a row for New Orleans. The Pelicans should be focused and play with a great sense of urgency. That should ensure a victory here because the talent gap is huge. Dirk Nowitzki doesn't have much left. Rookie Dennis Smith Jr. is the Mavericks' main man now and he's mistake-prone with bad shooting percentages. The Mavericks don't have the components to take advantage of the Pelicans' major weakness, which is turnovers. Dallas ranks 29th in defensive field goal percentage. This is a major drop in class for the Pelicans after games versus the Cavaliers, Magic and Timberwolves. New Orleans has a good history of taking care of business against bad teams when on the road. The Pelicans have covered eight of the last 10 away times they've met a foe with a sub .500 record at home.
11-03-17	Hornets v. Spurs -3	Top	101-108	Win	100	14 h 55 m	Show
First the bad news. San Antonio has lost four in a row and won't have Kawhi Leonard, its best player. Now the good news. The Spurs competed well last night. Unfortunately for them they were up against the world champion Warriors, who were on their game. When Golden State is on its game no team can beat them. No team can really stay close either. The Spurs are extremely tough at home, continue to receive strong play from LaMarcus Aldridge and will be primed to stop the bleeding against Charlotte, a foe they have beaten the past 10 times at home. San Antonio still has a strong bench despite missing Leonard and Tony Parker. Aldridge was the only Spurs player to log more than 31 minutes last night. Aldridge gives San Antonio the best frontcourt player. He's having a strong season averaging 23.6 points and 8.6 rebounds. The loss to the Warriors was the first one at home for the Spurs. They are 2-1 at home with victories against Minnesota (107-99) and Toronto (101-97). Both of those teams are at least a level higher than the Hornets. Charlotte is coming off a 126-121 home win against Milwaukee two nights ago. That was the Hornets' worst defensive game of the year. They are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games. The Hornets are a borderline playoff team in the much weaker Eastern Conference. I don't see them hanging close to the Spurs, who are in full stop-the-pain mode.
11-02-17	Warriors -7 v. Spurs	Top	112-92	Win	100	12 h 20 m	Show
Even the great Gregg Popovich can't just snap his fingers and have the Spurs immediately turn things around and beat Golden State. The Spurs are at low ebb returning home for the first time in nine days having lost three in a row falling to the Magic, Pacers and Celtics, 108-94, this past Monday. Golden State also has started slow, but the Warriors got their mojo back in a big way in their last game destroying the Clippers, 141-113. The Warriors are at full strength while the Spurs remain down Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker. The Spurs had to play without Leonard during the final three games of the Western Conference Finals against the Warriors and lost by an average margin of more than 20 points a game.
11-01-17	Bucks +3.5 v. Hornets	Top	121-126	Loss	-108	12 h 3 m	Show
I prefer the Hornets taking points rather than laying especially against this opponent. The Bucks have beaten Charlotte during the past three meetings, including 103-94 at home 10 days ago. The Bucks beat the Hornets by nine points despite missing injured point guard Malcolm Brogdon, who is back from a sprained ankle. Giannis Antetokounmpo gives Milwaukee the best player on the court. Antetokounmpo has scored at least 28 points in every game while filling up all the statistical categories. He had 32 points and 14 rebounds in the earlier victory against the Hornets. Milwaukee lost at home to Oklahoma City last night. The Bucks were flat in that game. But only Kris Middleton logged more than 30 minutes. Look for a much stronger effort and performance from the Bucks here. Milwaukee is 7-1-1 ATS the past nine times when playing without rest. The Bucks also have covered in their last six visits to Charlotte.
10-31-17	Suns v. Nets UNDER 231		122-114	Loss	-110	12 h 60 m	Show
Phoenix's numbers are skewed because of a coaching change. In three games under Earl Watson, the Suns allowed 128.7 points a game and allowed opponents to make half of their 3-point shots. Jay Triano replaced Watson three games ago. In three games under Triano, the Suns are giving up an average of 105.7 points per game and holding foes to 36.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The Suns did play a pair of weak scoring teams - Kings and Jazz - under Triano. But there's no doubt Triano has made a difference in Phoenix's improved defensive play. The Suns are playing more intense under Triano. Their young players know they will be pulled if they have defensive lapses, which wasn't the case under player-friendly Watson. The Nets should have a lot of intensity, too. They've lost two in a row since upsetting the Cavaliers, falling to the Knicks and Nuggets in a pair of blowout defeats. The Nets averaged 98.5 points during those two defeats. D'Angelo Russell has emerged as the Nets' major scoring threat. He missed the Cavaliers game because of knee soreness. That absence may have put Russell out of rhythm. He played against the Knicks and Nuggets and was cold in both games shooting a combined 9-for-22 from the floor missing seven of eight 3-point shots. The Nets won't have Quincy Acy for this game either due to a groin injury. Acy leads the Nets in 3-point accuracy hitting 52.4 percent. The Under has cashed the past five times these teams have played in Brooklyn.
10-31-17	Kings +5.5 v. Pacers		83-101	Loss	-105	12 h 31 m	Show
The Pacers are coming off a surprising 97-94 win against the Spurs two days ago. They have the suddenly vulnerable Cavaliers on deck Wednesday. But first comes this home game against the 1-5 Kings. It's a dangerous spot for the Pacers, who once again will be without their best big man, Myles Turner. He's out for a sixth straight game due to a concussion and sore neck. Domantas Sabonis has played well taking over Turner's minutes. Sabonis, though, is questionable because of a head cold. The Kings are in rebuilt mode. But they want to maintain some respectability, so they added veterans George Hill, Zach Randolph and Vince Carter. Sacramento is in stop-the-pain mode after being embarrassed, 110-83, by the Wizards at home this past Sunday. Hill and Randolph were held out of that game in order to give younger players more minutes. But Hill and Randolph will play against the Pacers. This is the first game of a three-game road trip for the Kings - and their best chance to win. Following this game, the Kings play at Boston and Detroit. The Celtics and Pistons are each 5-2.
10-30-17	Magic +7.5 v. Pelicans		115-99	Win	100	11 h 38 m	Show
You may not have noticed it because they are below the radar and don't have a superstar, but the Orlando Magic are a much improved team. The Magic are the No. 2 scoring team in the NBA at 117.2 points a game. The Magic have been consistent in this, too, scoring at least 113 points in each of their six games. The 3-3 Pelicans are coming off an impressive 123-101 home rout of the Cavaliers. New Orleans has a bigger game on deck against fellow Western Conference foe, Minnesota, at home on Wednesday. It's easy to overrate the Pelicans because they have a pair of superstar big men. Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins are two of just five players in the league to average 25 points and 10 rebounds. Jrue Holiday is a decent point guard. But get beyond those three and New Orleans has questionable talent. Orlando lost 120-113 to Charlotte on the road Sunday. It's so early in the season and the Magic have a lot of youth so fatigue shouldn't factor. Before losing to the Hornets, the Magic had won three in a row, including defeating the Spurs and Cavaliers. The Magic beat the Spurs by 27 points and the Cavaliers by 21. You are worthy of respect if you win big against those two teams. Nikola Vucevic can be counted on for a double/double and Aaron Gordon is looking like one of the most improved players in the league. Evan Fournier can score and Jonathon Simmons is an intriguing talent, who scored 27 points against the Hornets. Note, too, that Orlando has defeated New Orleans in four of the last five meetings.
10-30-17	Spurs +3.5 v. Celtics	Top	94-108	Loss	-107	10 h 20 m	Show
When the games mattered, the Spurs did not lose three in a row during the regular season all last season. But now the Spurs have dropped consecutive games falling to the Magic and Pacers. I don't see them losing three straight. San Antonio has beaten Boston 11 in a row with six coming at TD Garden. Yet the oddsmaker sees no Kawhi Leonard and a hot Boston club that has won four in a row. The Celtics' win streak, however, has come against the 76ers, Knicks, Bucks and Heat minus Hassan Whiteside. The Bucks are the only one of that group with a winning record. The Spurs have a deep bench, Pau Gasol is playing better and LaMarcus Aldridge is off to a great start scoring more than 20 points in each of the Spurs' six games
10-28-17	Celtics -125 v. Heat		96-90	Win	100	10 h 28 m	Show
Boston is a better team than Miami. The Celtics are a much better team than Miami when the Heat doesn't have 7-foot center Hassan Whiteside, who will miss his fourth straight game due to a knee bruise. The Celtics have swept the Heat each of the last two seasons. Boston went 4-0 against Miami last season winning by eight and 10 points, respectively, at American Airlines Arena. Whiteside, who is far and away Miami's best player and probably the top rim protector in the Eastern Conference, played in all four of those defeats. The Heat win with defense. Their defense has suffered without Whiteside. Miami ranks third-from-last in defensive field goal percentage and second-to-last in 3-point defense. The Heat are yielding 108.5 points a game, which puts them in the bottom 10 in scoring defense. The Celtics were stunned when Gordon Hayward went down in their opening game. It took the Celtics a couple of games to get over that and also for Brad Stevens to start finding the right rotation. After an 0-2 beginning, Boston has won and covered its last three games, including beating the Bucks on the road, 96-89, two nights ago in its last game. Boston ranks 20 places higher than Miami in the latest defensive rankings. The Celtics don't have a powerful inside game, but Al Horford is off to a good start and Kyrie Irving can take advantage of Miami's vulnerable perimeter defense. The Heat opened their season playing three probable lottery teams - Orlando, Indiana and Atlanta. They finally drew an elite foe, San Antonio, in their last game and lost by 17 points at home. The Celtics aren't in the Spurs' class. But they are at the next level, which is a clear level higher than the Heat especially when minus Whiteside.
10-27-17	Wizards v. Warriors UNDER 231.5	Top	117-120	Loss	-110	20 h 45 m	Show
It's easy to think offense with so many great scorers in this matchup. That's why the total is set so high. The opener is the highest total of the season for both the Wizards and Warriors. It's set too high in my view. I understand, though, why the oddsmaker has to set such a high over/under here. The Warriors have been more about offense. Their defense has slipped. The Wizards are perceived as far more of an offensive team than defensive one. Golden State is surrendering 113.6 points a game this season. That's nine more points per game than they allowed last season. This hasn't escaped the attention of Steve Kerr and Draymond Green. Kerr criticized his team's execution and Green, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, ripped the Warriors for their horrible defense. The Warriors rank 25th defensively and 18th in defensive field goal pecentage. Last year, the Warriors were No. 1 in defensive field goal percentage and 3-point defensive percentage. Improvement on the defensive end is coming - and I see it occurring starting now. The Wizards' main strength is a high-scoring backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal. Wall, though, is in a shooting slump hitting just 10-of-35 shots from the field in his last two games. Washington ranks third-from-the-bottom in 3-point shooting. So the Wizards are going to have to earn a fair share of their points inside, which is tough to do against Golden State. If you play Rotisserie basketball like I do, you'll know that Kevin Durant leads the NBA in shot-block percentage averaging three a game. Green is a defensive monster. This is the third of the Wizards' four-game road trip. The Wizards entered their road swing emphasizing playing stronger defense. They did that in their last game holding the Lakers - a top-10 scoring team - to 92 points in regulation. The Wizards, however, lost that game, 102-99, in overtime two days ago. The Wizards might have got caught peeking ahead to this matchup against the world champs. So Washington's intensity should be way up, too.
10-27-17	Thunder -120 v. Wolves		116-119	Loss	-120	8 h 21 m	Show
I expect Jimmy Butler to play. The Timberwolves have been awful without him. But they haven't been that good with him either. Minnesota didn't play defense last season and there hasn't been any improvement this season. The Timberwolves are last in defensive field goal percentage and 26th in scoring defense. The Thunder, on the other hand, are strong defensively. Each team has stars, but only Oklahoma City plays good defense. This also is short revenge for the Thunder. They where stunned by the Timberwolves at home this past Sunday when Andrew Wiggins hit a long 3-point at the buzzer. That game was poorly officiated with a number of key decisions going against the Thunder at the end. Maybe the Timberwolves will get their act straighten out now that they've upgraded their talent level. But right now the Thunder are the better team and they are going to be highly motivated.
10-26-17	Pelicans -118 v. Kings	Top	114-106	Win	100	12 h 18 m	Show
I'm not expecting Anthony Davis to play. It's a monster bonus if Davis were to play. I'm not counting on that, though. The Pelicans are better than the Kings even if Davis is out after tweaking his knee in the Pelicans' last game two days ago. An MRI exam did come back negative. DeMarcus Cousins has been pointing to this game all summer in his return to Sacramento. Cousins is off to a great start averaging 31 points, 12 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.3 blocks. Yet, the Pelicans are just 1-3. All of their losses have been against tough foes - Grizzlies on the road, Warriors and Trail Blazers on the road when Davis got hurt five minutes into the game. New Orleans took care of business against the Lakers beating them, 119-112, in LA this past Sunday. The Kings are in that bottom rung with the Lakers. This is the Kings' first home game following a three-game road trip. The Kings have a lot of youth and new faces. They are going through an ajdustment period. They also are not used to the national spotlight as this is a rare TNT game for them. The Kings can work as an underdog play. It's too much to expect them to win straight-up.
10-25-17	Jazz v. Suns OVER 203		88-97	Loss	-110	15 h 35 m	Show
Miami finished last season strong, but is a lackluster 2-1 this season with its victories coming against probably lottery-bound Indiana and Atlanta. The Heat's loss occurred against Orlando. Now the Heat face their strongest opponent by far - San Antonio. And the Heat have to play the Spurs without their best player, center Hassan Whiteside. He remains out with a left knee bruise. That's not Miami's only injury. Goran Dragic, the Heat's second-best player, has a bruised thigh and Dion Waiters has a sore ankle. Oddsmakers are downgrading the Spurs because they don't have injured Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker. San Antonio, though, has outstanding depth. LaMarcus Aldridge has handled the heavy lifting averaging 24.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Dejounte Murray has filled in admirably well for Parker at point guard averaging 13.3 points, a team-high 9.7 rebounds and a team-high 4.7 assists. Parker would be hard-pressed to match those numbers. San Antonio also has covered eight of the last nine meetings between the two clubs.
10-25-17	Spurs -3.5 v. Heat		117-100	Win	100	13 h 23 m	Show
Miami finished last season strong, but is a lackluster 2-1 this season with its victories coming against probably lottery-bound Indiana and Atlanta. The Heat's loss occurred against Orlando. Now the Heat face their strongest opponent by far - San Antonio. And the Heat have to play the Spurs without their best player, center Hassan Whiteside. He remains out with a left knee bruise. That's not Miami's only injury. Goran Dragic, the Heat's second-best player, has a bruised thigh and Dion Waiters has a sore ankle. Oddsmakers are downgrading the Spurs because they don't have injured Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker. San Antonio, though, has outstanding depth. LaMarcus Aldridge has handled the heavy lifting averaging 24.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Dejounte Murray has filled in admirably well for Parker at point guard averaging 13.3 points, a team-high 9.7 rebounds and a team-high 4.7 assists. Parker would be hard-pressed to match those numbers. San Antonio also has covered eight of the last nine meetings between the two clubs.