There's a reason the Bucks and other NBA teams didn't want to draw Philadelphia in the playoffs. The 76ers are the hottest team in the league winning and covering each of their last eight games. This includes a four-point win at Miami on April 4. The 76ers have covered the past nine times they've been favored.

Superstar center Joel Embiid returned this month after being out since February. Philadelphia is 6-0 SU and ATS in the six April games Embiid has played. It's not just Embiid. Tyrese Maxey shot up Miami's zone defense averaging 27.3 points and 8.3 rebounds against the Heat this season.

Miami has a history of stepping up come playoff time. But that perception doesn't fit this season, especially against a 76ers team the Heat have trouble matchup up against. The Heat rank 26th in scoring. They can easily beat the Raptors, but they don't have it in a step-up playoff game such as this one.

It's playoff time now in the NBA. That means the defensive intensity goes way up. This matchup should be a perfect example of that.

The Pelicans were embarrassed by the Lakers at home this past Sunday falling behind by 32 points in a 124-108 loss. Expect a very physical, focused defensive effort from the home Pelicans in this rematch.

"We have to come back with the right mentality," Pelicans coach Willie Green was quoted as saying. "They (the Lakers) were the aggressors (this past Sunday). We have to be the aggressive team. We have to be the more physical team. We have to keep them out of our paint and make them take contested shots and rebound the ball."

The Pelicans certainly are capable of this. They are a top-eight defensive team with the second-best 3-point field goal percentage defense.

The Lakers held the Pelicans to 108 points two days ago despite New Orleans making 48 percent of its shots from the floor, which is its average.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis are expected to play. The Lakers need this win to clinch the No. 8 playoff spot. New Orleans is 1-5 in its last six home games and hasn't had Brandon Ingram since March 31.  That's enough for me to back the Lakers in an underdog role.  The Pelicans need this game, too, to lock into the No. 6 seed in the West. But I don't trust them. They've been better on the road than at home where they are just three games above .500. Ingram is the Pelicans' second-leading scorer at 20.9 points a game. If he does play, he figures to be rusty. 

Surprised the Bulls opened such a short favorite against the Wizards?

Don't be. The spot sets up extremely well for Washington. The Bulls played last night in Detroit. They were intense, highly-motivated and routed the Pistons, 127-105. That victory was significant in that it clinched the No. 9 seed for Chicago and allowed the Bulls to claim home court edge against the 10th-seeded Hawks. That was what the Bulls were aiming for since that's the best they could finish during the regular season.

So this road game against the Wizards is meaningless. It's also Chicago's fourth game in six days and the Bulls will be playing without rest - at least the Bulls who Billy Donovan chooses to play. As the Bulls coach could be sitting out his key starters, or at least heavily cutting back their minutes in anticipation of the playoffs. 

The Wizards are 15-65. This is their chance to at least finish their home schedule with a victory. Washington is 3-2-1 ATS in its last six home games, including upsetting the Bucks 10 days ago.

(Update: The favorite has flipped since I released this play early in the morning. Still, while some line value has been lost, I expect the Wizards to soundly win this game. The Bulls already have ruled out Andre Drummond and Ayo Dosunmu. DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso are questionable.) 

This is a get-right spot for the Bulls, who have incentive to host the Hawks in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.

Bulls coach Billy Donovan ripped his team after Chicago lost, 128-117, at home to the Knicks two days ago.

Donovan knows the Bulls have to get better. Chicago draws the perfect patsy in the Pistons, the worst team in the NBA at 13-66. The Pistons are in free fall losing 13 of their last 14 games, including the past five.

The Pistons have lost their last three games by an average of 15.3 points. This is their first home game since concluding a four-game, six-day road trip that finished this past Tuesday night with a blowout loss to the 76ers.

Not helping matters for the Pistons is Cade Cunningham, their best player, missing the past four games due to knee soreness. He's questionable for this matchup.

These two teams just played last night at Phoenix. The Clippers built a huge lead and coasted to a 105-92 win. 

The 197 points scored fell 29 points below the total. That was despite the two teams combining to make 35-of-39 free throws for 90 percent.
Yet we have around the same total for today's rematch in Los Angeles. 

Both the Suns and Clippers have stepped up their defensive play. 

The Suns have held six of their last nine opponents to 106 points or fewer.  Their defensive intensity should be up following last night's embarrassment. The Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard and James Harden due to injuries last night. Leonard has missed the past five games due to knee soreness. I doubt he plays. Harden is questionable. 

The Clippers have held six of their last eight foes from scoring more than 110 points. The Suns have failed to break 105 points in six of their last eight games.

The Timberwolves are tied with the Nuggets for the top spot in the Western Conference. Minnesota plays in Denver against the Nuggets on Wednesday in a huge national TV (ESPN) matchup.

But first the Timberwolves host the Wizards on Tuesday. So you'll excuse the Timberwolves if they don't bring their "A" game in an obvious look-ahead spot.

The Wizards are terrible. But only once in their last 11 games have they lost by more than 16 points.

"...These games matter to us and we're going to try to use each one, and use each day to try to get our team better and grow," Wizards interim coach Brian Keefe was quoted as saying.

Washington won't play again until Friday so a full effort should be forthcoming. The Timberwolves have only blown out one opponent by more than 16 points during their last 10 games.

Orlando is a bit banged-up, but this is a short number for the Magic to lay against a dead Rockets team.

Houston made a move this season, but ran out of gas. The Rockets have lost five in a row. Their average losing margin during this span is 14.2 points. The Rockets are eliminated now from play-in contention.

This has changed the Rockets' focus. They are now looking ahead to next season.

The Magic, however, are in full win mode trailing the reeling Bucks by only one game for the No. 2 seed in the East. The Magic are 4-1 in their last five games.

No team has a better point spread record than the Magic, who are an amazing 50-28 (64%) ATS.

Driven by trying to gain an automatic playoff berth and revenge, Miami should cover this short road number.

The Heat are in a dogfight for the sixth position in the Eastern Conference playoffs. They've played better on the road than at home winning 23 of their 40 away games.

Miami lost to Atlanta in the team's last meeting on Jan. 19 in Miami. The Hawks hit a 3-pointer with two seconds left to win, 109-108.

The Hawks already know their playoff seeding, which will be ninth or 10th. That means involvement in the play-in round.

Atlanta hasn't been in good form returning home after consecutive road losses to the Mavericks, 109-95, and Nuggets, 142-110.

Trae Young remains out for Atlanta.

It's a bonus if Cade Cunningham is available to play. He's questionable after missing the last three games due to knee soreness.

Regardless of his status, though, this is too many points for the 76ers to be laying this late in the season when they carry a high fatigue rating and need to be careful in doling out minutes to their starters.

It's the 76ers' third game in four days and fourth matchup in six days.

The 76ers nearly were upset by the Spurs in their last game this past Sunday, needing overtime to win.

This is Philadelphia's first home game in a week having played its last three games on the road.

Joel Embiid is questionable after missing the Spurs game. If he does suit up, the 76ers are likely to be careful in monitoring his minutes. Same with Tyrese Maxey, who scored 52 points against the Spurs, but logged 54 minutes. The 76ers could get Tobias Harris and Kyle Lowry back, but aren't expected to have De'Anthony Melton and Robert Covington.

Yes, these teams have firepower. But both teams have been playing excellent defense lately. Their defenses are underrated. The Pelicans are fourth in defensive field goal percentage, while the Suns rank seventh in the category. 

New Orleans is averaging only 105.4 points in its last five games. The Pelicans are really missing Brandon Ingram, their second-leading scorer at 20.9 points a game. He remains out with a knee injury. 

The Suns have scored 106 points or below in five of their past seven games. But if you discount the 128 points they surrendered to the Thunder, the Suns are giving up an average of just 101 points in their last six games. 

The teams just met six days ago with Phoenix winning, 124-111. I'm expecting far fewer points in this quick rematch. The Pelicans are in stop-the-pain mode having lost four in a row with the last one being an embarrassing, 111-109, home loss to the Spurs two days ago. An intense defensive effort should be forthcoming from them.

By virtue of winning six of their last eight games, the Hawks have clinched a play-in berth. So they don't have huge incentive here.

The Nuggets, on the other hand, are going for No. 1 seeding in the West trailing the Timberwolves by half-a-game for that distinction. Denver won't play again until Tuesday. That should ensure a strong, all-out effort especially since the Nuggets are off a 102-100 loss to the Clippers on Thursday.
 
Denver's previous loss was to the Timberwolves at home eight days ago. The Nuggets followed that defeat by burying the Cavaliers at home by 29 points. 

The Hawks haven't beaten the Nuggets in Denver since 2019.

I understand the Kings just blew a 21-point lead in suffering a 120-109 road loss to the Knicks Thursday night.

But this is a great spot to back the Kings - and yes it's against the Celtics.

This is Boston's first game since clinching home-court throughout the playoffs. The Celitcs will talk about staying motivated, but they can't help relaxing and taking their foot off the gas now that their regular season goal has been achieved.

Boston's priority is to be cautious with its stars. No reason to risk injury, or burn any of them out, now that the rest of the regular season has become meaningless.

The Kings are an underrated adversary.

Even with that defeat to the Knicks, the Kings are 21-17 on the road. They are trying to chase down the Pelicans and Suns for the sixth playoff spot in the West.

Sacramento has quietly, below the radar, picked up its defense holding 11 of its last 13 opponents to 109 or fewer points. During their last 16 games, the Kings have lost by more than eight points just twice.

Sparked by Joel Embiid's return after missing nine weeks due to knee surgery, the 76ers beat the Thunder, 109-105, at home on Tuesday. The 76ers are going to be careful with Embiid. This is going to be a much tougher task for the 76ers playing the Heat in Miami. It's Philadelphia's fourth straight different venue. 

Erik Spoelstra has Miami peaking again at the right time. The Heat have won four of their last five games, including the past three.
 
The Heat should be pointing to this matchup as they go on the road following this game for their next three games facing the Rockets, Pacers and Hawks. 

Terry Rozier has been hot for Miami averaging 27.6 points in his last three games. The Heat's rotation gets a boost with the return of Kevin Love. The 76ers have Embiid back, but may be minus two important cogs, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris. Both are questionable.

The Hawks are riding high after an important, 113-101, win against the Bulls two days ago. The Hawks are at the Mavericks on Thursday night in a challenging matchup.

But first the Hawks need to take care of business at home against the lowly Pistons.

This is Atlanta's fifth game in eight days. The Hawks remain without superstar Trae Young. So I find value in a point spread this high to back Detroit.

The Pistons are much more respectable with Cade Cunningham in the lineup. He's averaging 22.7 points and 7.5 assists.

Detroit has a winning ATS mark in its last eight road games and has played the Hawks tough during its two meetings this season, losing by six points each time.

The timing is right for the Bulls to cover this road number - if not pull off a surprising upset.

The Timberwolves return home fat and happy after an impressive, 111-98, road win against the defending champion Nuggets Friday night.

The Bulls enter this matchup off an embarrassing, 125-108, road loss to the Nets Friday night.

Chicago defeated Minnesota earlier in the season. The Bulls can do it again. Even with that loss to the Nets, the Bulls are 9-5 SU and ATS in their last 14 away games.

The Timberwolves are 0-5 ATS the past five times they have been favored by eight or more points. There's a chance, too, Minnesota could be minus Rudy Gobbert and Anthony Edwards. Both are questionable with injuries.

The Cavaliers rank fifth defensively in the NBA. Denver ranks seventh defensively. Both teams rate in the bottom-seven in pace. The Nuggets are likely to be missing their second-leading scorer, Jamal Murray. He's been out the last four games with a sore knee. 

The defensive intensity should be way up as Denver has lost two in a row - both at home - and has revenge while the Cavaliers are 2-4 in their last six games. 

Obviously missing Murray's 20.9 point scoring average, the Nuggets are averaging just 97.5 points in their past two games. 

The Cavaliers are averaging only 103.6 points during their last six games.

The Hawks still may not have come down to Earth after beating the Celtics in overtime as a 16-point 'dog two days ago. Atlanta is fat and happy with four consecutive victories.

However, this marks Atlanta's fourth game in six days and third in four days. The Hawks remain without a number of important players, including Trae Young, Jalen Johnson and Saddiq Bey. 

The Bucks are in stop-the-pain mode off consecutive losses to the Pelicans and Lakers. Milwaukee won't have Damian Lillard, but they will have extreme motivation and Giannis Antetokounmpo. That will be enough for them to cover this number.

The teams met just six days ago in LA. The Lakers won a wild, 150-145, shootout. But it wasn't so much the Lakers winning that irked the Pacers, it was how Los Angeles prevailed.

There were 31 fouls called on the Pacers in that game. The Lakers made 38 of 43 free throws. Only 14 fouls were whistled against the Lakers. The Pacers shot just 16 free throws, which were 27 fewer than the Lakers!

The Pacers are doubly mad after losing by 26 points to the Bulls on the road this past Wednesday. They are home now and rested having been idle the past two days.

The Lakers are very much in a situational disadvantage and not just because of the short revenge angle. This marks LA's third game in four days and fourth in six days. It's also the Lakers' third consecutive road game.

There's also the possibility of LeBron James not playing. He's questionable with a sore ankle.

I'm expecting a lot of defensive intensity in this matchup. The Suns are trying to finish as a top-six team in the West while the Nuggets have revenge for a home loss to the Suns three weeks ago.

The ante is raised for the Suns after they got caught looking ahead to this matchup, losing 104-102 to the Spurs this past Monday. Phoenix has been playing better defense lately than its average ratings. The Suns have given up 106 or fewer points in four of their last six games.

The Nuggets are allowing only 103.8 points during their last seven games.

Both Bradley Beal and Jamal Murray are questionable with injuries. Beal is Phoenix's third-leading scorer while Murray ranks No. 2 in scoring for Denver.

The Bulls are averaging 115.7 points in their last four games. They've allowed at least 112 points in six of their last eight games.

The Rockets are playing at a faster pace than earlier in the season and have become more offensive-minded.

Houston is averaging 129.6 points in regulation during its last three games. The Rockets have been good for at least 112 points in all but one of their last nine games.

So I like the chances of this game going Over at this number.

These teams have met three times this season. The combined total of those games was 241, 263 and 254. So why is this total so low?

Well, Utah's leading scorer, Lauri Markkanen, is out. So is Jordan Clarkson, the Jazz's third-leading scorer.

But I'll take that tradeoff to get a total this low.

The Jazz rank 27th defensively. They are last in 3-point defense. Oklahoma City is the No. 3 scoring team in the league and is the top-shooting 3-point team.

It's not a good matchup for Utah, which is obvious by this lopsided point spread.

The Thunder should have plenty of energy having been idle since Saturday.

The Jazz have played the Timberwolves in their last two games. Minnesota is the top defensive team in the NBA. But if you discount those two games, the Jazz have averaged 119.3 points in their last six games when they didn't have Markkanen.

As good as the Cavaliers are defensively, the Heat rank better giving up the fourth-fewest points in the NBA. Cleveland gives up the sixth-fewest points.

Miami also is in excellent defensive form surrendering only 98.5 points per game during its last four games.

But this matchup comes down to situation and injuries. Miami is in the better spot on both of those key counts.

The Heat are without Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo is questionable with a back injury. But Jimmy Butler participated in the team shootaround today, which likely means he'll play after missing the last two games due to a foot injury.

Cleveland is in worse shape injury-wise. Out for the Cavaliers are Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Max Strus.

Miami lost, 98-91, on the road to the 76ers two days ago, while the Cavaliers could be in a letdown spot after upsetting the Pacers, 108-103, as a 7-point road 'dog this past Monday.

The Pelicans are a play-on team. The Nets definitely are not.

It's also a bad spot for the Nets. The Nets are returning to Brooklyn following a 1-5 road trip that essentially killed any realistic chance for a play-in playoff spot. The final blow was an overtime loss to the Spurs in San Antonio two days ago.

The Nets are 2-6 in their last eight games with three consecutive losses and non-covers.

New Orleans, on the other hand, is playing its finest ball - a season-best 15 games above .500. The Pelicans have one of the top road marks at 21-13. They are 6-1 in their last seven games with all of the victories during this span being by more than seven points.

The Pelicans buried the Nets, 112-85, when the teams met the first time this season on Jan. 2.

No Donovan Mitchell for the road Cavaliers. But that doesn't justify this high of a line.

Cleveland is better than Indiana. The Cavaliers have lost five fewer games and rank in the top-five defensively. Cleveland gives up an average of 109.6 points per game. Indiana ranks second-to-last in points allowed and defensive field goal percentage. The Pacers surrender an average of nearly 12 more points per game than the Cavaliers.

Cleveland has covered five of the last six times it has been an underdog. During their last seven games, the Cavaliers have beaten three teams with better records than Indiana - the Celtics, Timberwolves and Pelicans in New Orleans.

So I find this line out of whack.

Portland has the second-worst record in the Western Conference. But the Trail Blazers are having a strong March by a point spread standard going 6-2-1 ATS.

This spot sets up well for the Trail Blazers and the line value is there with the spread above what I had anticipated.

New Orleans just scored a big, 112-104, home win against the Clippers last night. The Pelicans had to play hard in the fourth quarter to secure the win. They won't be taking the Trail Blazers nearly as seriously. The Pelicans also could be distracted knowing that a four-game road trip looms ahead once this game is finished.

Portland is expected to have Anfernee Simons back in the lineup after he sat out the Trail Blazers' last game against the Knicks two days ago. It's an added bonus if the Trail Blazers get back second-leading scorer, Jerami Grant. He's doubtful.

The teams met earlier this season on Feb. 10 in Portland. It was a defensive game with the Pelicans winning by nine points, 93-84.

I want the Clippers going for me as they hit the road following home losses to the Bucks and Timberwolves. No shame in losing to those two elite teams, although the Clippers blew an 18-point lead vs the Timberwolves.

I see the Clippers accepting this challenge with a great deal of urgency making this matchup a priority. The Clippers defeated the Bulls, 112-102, at home this past Saturday before their losses to the Bucks and Timberwolves.

The Clippers have won eight of their last 10 away games. The Bulls are in a difficult situational spot after a thrilling road overtime win against the Pacers last night. Now the Bulls have to return home to play without rest. This also marks Chicago's sixth game in nine days.

Kawhi Leonard and James Harden are each questionable for Los Angeles. However, the Bulls might not have underrated Coby White, who left the Bulls' game in the fourth quarter against the Pacers and didn't return because of a hip injury. White is having a breakout season and probably is the Bulls' third-most important player. Leonard and Harden should be able to go having had an off-day on Wednesday.

The Cavaliers are a top-five defensive team and shouldn't lack motivation taking to the road after consecutive home losses to the Suns and Nets. Cleveland has injuries, but also depth.

New Orleans is in a flat spot playing its first home game since March 1. The Pelicans return home fat and happy having won all three games during their three-game road trip. Those victories were against the Raptors, 76ers and Hawks all of whom were missing a key player.

The Pelicans rank eighth defensively. They allow two more points per game than Cleveland.

New Orleans has a better road record than a home mark. The Pelicans have lost and failed to cover in two of their past three home contests.

Big road win for the Pacers on Tuesday night defeating the Thunder, 121-111. Indiana also beat the Magic in Orlando this past Sunday.

But now's the time to sell high on the Pacers as they return home to host the Bulls playing without rest following that 2-0 road trip. It's the Pacers' first home game in six days and just their second game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse since Feb. 28.

Oh, yes, the Pacers are 1-8 the past nine times when playing the second of back-to-back games. They've lost to far worse teams than the Bulls during this span when playing without rest.

The Bulls have won eight of their last 11 road games with two of those defeats occurring to the Cavaliers by three points and to the Magic in overtime.

There's a negative perception of the Bulls because Chicago is missing Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball and Patrick William. But the Bulls still have star power with DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic along with emerging Coby White, who has quietly averaged 19.6 points, 5.2 assists and 4.7 rebounds a game.

The Celtics are going to get their points against a below average Portland defense that ranks 26th in defensive field goal percentage. Boston ranks fourth in the league in scoring at 120.7 points per game.

I expected the Trail Blazers to contribute their share of points in getting this total to go Over. Portland has reached at least 120 points in three of its last six games.

Portland has gotten two of its key offensive contributors back with Deandre Ayton and Scoot Henderson healthy. They join Anfernee Simons, the Trail Blazers' leading scorer, to give Portland scoring punch. It's just an added bonus if Jerami Grant can play for Portland.

No Stephen Curry for the Warriors here while the Spurs are expected to get back rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama, their top scorer, and Devin Vassell, their second-leading scorer.

I know that going in. But it doesn't matter. I like the Warriors to soundly beat the Spurs in this rapid revenge spot.

The Spurs stunned the totally flat Warriors, 126-113, at San Francisco this past Saturday as 12 1/2-point underdogs. Curry didn't play and he remains out with an ankle injury. The Warriors have the rest of their stars back in action, though, including Klay Thompson and Chris Paul.

Golden State is holding onto the 10th playoff spot in the West, giving it a place in the play-in tournament. The Warriors, however, can't afford to take the 14-50 Spurs lightly. Golden State's next two games are on the road against the Mavericks and resurgent Lakers, who are off home victories against the Timberwolves and Bucks.

The Warriors are 8-1 SU and ATS during their past nine road games with the only defeat in this span coming to the Celtics. They've defeated the Spurs four straight times in San Antonio. The Spurs haven't been home in eight days. So their concentration level could be off and their motivation down after having just upset the Warriors.

The Bucks are at least one tier above the Lakers and have strong motivation after suffering an embarrassing, 125-90, road loss to the Warriors two days ago. Giannis Antetokounmpo was especially vocal about the Bucks' bad loss.

Milwaukee had been playing its best defensive ball of the season before that defeat, holding its previous five foes to an average of 96.8 points.

The Bucks are 6-1 in their last seven games. The Lakers are 1-4 ATS in their past five home games.

There's a chance LeBron James doesn't play for the Lakers after he left the Lakers' last game with ankle soreness against the Kings this past Wednesday.

I like the Bucks to win even if James plays. It's just an extra cherry if James doesn't suit up.

Since Jan. 29, the Kings have been favored by 6 1/2 or more points five times. They are 0-5 ATS in those games with two outright losses. Now the Kings are laying double-digits in a flat spot after a huge home underdog victory against the Lakers last night. Sacramento rallied from an early 19-point deficit to beat the Lakers, 130-120. 

I understand San Antonio has the third-worst record in the NBA and won't have star rookie Victor Wembanyama. He's out with a sprained ankle. 
But the Spurs upset both the Pacers and Thunder before losing to the Rockets, 114-101, at Houston in their last game two days ago. San Antonio has covered five of its last seven games. 

Wembanyama didn't shoot well when the Spurs and Kings last met on Feb. 22. The Kings hosted the Spurs in that game and only by five points, 127-122. Wembanyama shot just 8-of-23 from the floor and was 1-of-6 from 3-point range. Wembanyama didn't play well either in the Spurs' loss to the Rockets scoring just 10 points, which was his lowest scoring output since Dec. 21. 

Regardless if Giannis Antetokounmpo plays or doesn't, I like the Warriors to soundly beat the Bucks. 

The Warriors could be back to full strength and are off an utterly humiliating, 140-88, nationally televised road loss to the Celtics this past Sunday afternoon. 

I want Golden State going for me at home following that embarrassment. 

The Bucks, by contrast, are fat and happy having defeated the Clippers, 113-106, at home this past Monday despite not having superstar Antetokounmpo. He missed that game due to Achilles soreness, which has rendered him questionable for this game. 

Despite the loss to the Celtics, the Warriors are 11-3 in their last 14 games. They are expected to get back Brandin Podziemski and Andrew Wiggins, who had missed the past four games because of a personal matter. Wiggins is the Warriors' fourth-leading scorer and an ace defender. Podziemski is Golden State's fifth-leading scorer and is second on the team in rebounds per game. 

Not only could the Bucks be minus Antetokounmpo, but they are down their third-best player, Khris Middleton. He's out with an ankle injury. 
The Warriors have won and covered against the Bucks at home each of the past three seasons.

The Raptors are just starting to experience life without Scottie Barnes, who is their key player leading them in scoring and assists. Barnes suffered a broken hand two games ago against the Warriors.

Barnes played fewer than 16 minutes against the Warriors before sustaining the injury. The Raptors scored only 105 points vs Golden State. Toronto then scored 111 points against a bad defensive team, the Hornets, in their last game. Charlotte gives up an average of 118 points a game.

Now the Barnes-less Raptors go against a rested New Orleans team that has been idle the past three days. The Pelicans are a huge step up in defensive class. New Orleans ranks eighth defensively and is No. 2 in 3-point defense. Opponents have scored fewer than 107 points in six of the last nine games against the Pelicans. The Under has cashed the past five times in Pelicans' games.

If you discount two games against the Pacers and one against the Wizards - teams who are third from the bottom and last in defense - the Pelicans are averaging 105.3 points in their last six games.

It wasn't just the Pacers losing on the road to the Pelicans this past Friday. It was how they lost. New Orleans thoroughly embarrassed the Pacers beating them, 129-102. All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton, an emerging superstar, was held scoreless.

The Pacers and Haliburton desperately want to redeem themselves. They are in a great position here to do just that.

Indiana is stepping way down in class meeting the 12-48 Spurs, who have the worst record in the Western Conference. San Antonio also is fat and happy, after stunning the Thunder, 132-118, as a double-digit 'dog this past Thursday in their first home game since Feb. 3. The Spurs had lost their previous five games by an average of 12.2 points.

The Pacers are 34-27 and have the fifth-best ATS mark in the NBA. They are the No. 1 scoring and field goal percentage team in the league. Indiana took full advantage of the Spurs' bottom-five defense in the first meeting, rolling past San Antonio, 152-111.

I don't get this line. Yeah the Celtics have won 10 in a row and own the best home record in the NBA at 28-3. But the Warriors are much improved from earlier in the season and playing their best ball.

Golden State has won eight consecutive road games. The Warriors are 6-1 in their past seven overall games. Only once in their last 20 games have the Warriors been defeated by more than nine points.

The Warriors are used to being on center stage and they won't be intimidated by the Celtics, who they beat in overtime when they played them earlier this season at home.

"...We've just gotten healthy and found a groove," Warriors coach Steve Kerr was quoted as saying. "... It took us a while, frankly, just to figure out our team. We were leaning on what we were two years ago when we won the championship early in the season and that wasn't working. ... We've got a good bit of momentum going and we're just going to try and keep it going.''

This is a nationally televised game (ABC) and should have playoff-type intensity.

Even without injured Trae Young, the Hawks are better than the Nets. So I want Atlanta in rapid revenge after the Nets embarrassed the Hawks, 124-97, at home this past Thursday.

That was Atlanta's third game without their superstar Young. The Hawks had beaten the Magic and Jazz minus Young before stumbling in a flat, listless performance against the Nets.

The Hawks should be far more motivated for this short turnaround rematch. If the Nets win they would cut the Hawks' lead to two games over them for the final play-in spot.

It has been more than a month since Brooklyn won consecutive games. The Nets are 4-9 in their last 13 games and have their own injuries. Cam Thomas, the Nets' second-leading scorer at 20.9 points, is out with a sprained ankle and point guard Ben Simmons is questionable with a sore knee.

First off, Toronto is more than capable of beating Golden State straight-up. The Raptors did just that in convincing style, 133-118, at Golden State on Jan. 7.

Golden State has picked up its game. But the Warriors' last three victories have been against the injury-wracked Knicks and Wizards and Hornets, who have a combined record of 24-94. Golden State also has a monster look-ahead game. The Warriors meet the Celtics in Boston in a nationally televised Sunday afternoon game.

The Warriors are carrying a high fatigue rating into this matchup. This marks their sixth game in nine days and second in two nights. Golden State isn't expected to have Andrew Wiggins, their fourth-leading scorer, and one of their better defenders.

Stephen Curry generates all the buzz. But Toronto's Scottie Barnes has been playing at a very high level averaging 21.4 points, 10.4 rebounds and making 50 percent of his field goals during the past five games.

Toronto has been playing well lately, too. The Raptors are 3-1 in their last four games with two of those victories coming on the road against the Hawks and Pacers. The Raptors were bigger underdogs in those games than they are here.

The good news for the Lakers is they are off their best comeback win of the season. They came from 21 points down in the fourth quarter to upset their in-city, division rival the Clippers, 116-112, last night. LeBron James led the rally scoring 19 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter.

The bad news for the Lakers is they have a game today. Yes, the opponent is the Wizards, who have lost 11 of 13 games since replacing Wes Unseld Jr. with interim coach Bran Keefe.

But the Wizards are rested, play at the fastest tempo in the NBA and are 5-4 ATS in their last nine games.

The Lakers are 1-3 ATS in their last four games and have failed to cover three of the past four times when favored. The Lakers are down several big men on their rotation with Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood both out. James played 37 minutes last night. Anthony Davis logged 36 minutes. It wouldn't shock if either was rested, or had their minutes reduced tonight.

This is a huge spot for former Laker Kyle Kuzman, who has emerged as arguably the best player on the Wizards. Backed by Kuzman, look for the Wizards to be motivated for this matchup after being idle yesterday. The spot sets up nicely for Washington.

It's easy to see why this total is as high as it is. The Pacers are the No. 1 scoring team in the league and have a bottom-three defense. The Pelicans have an above average offense and several big-time scorers.

But I'm going Under based on several factors.

The Pelicans have even a better defense than offense ranking in the top eight. They also are the No. 1 defensive team when it comes to guarding the 3-pointer. That's huge against the Pacers. If you toss out their game against the Wizards, the Pelicans have allowed an average of only 98 points in their last six games.

The Pacers, for all of their high-scoring, have gone Under in five of their past seven games. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle is really going to be stressing transition defense to his team after Indiana lost, 130-122, at home to the Raptors two days ago.

Indiana may catch a break if CJ McCollum has to miss his third straight game because of a sprained left ankle. He's New Orleans' third-leading scorer at 18.8 points a game.

Both teams carry a fatigue factor. The Pelicans are playing without rest after beating the Knicks last night, while this is Indiana's third game in four days. The Under has cashed three of the past four times when the Pelicans have played without rest.

Note, too, the same two teams meet Friday in New Orleans. So neither team may want to show all of their tricks.

Below the radar, the Heat have been playing outstanding defense. They've allowed an average of only 101.7 points in their last nine games. The Under has cashed in nine of Miami's last 10 games.

But the biggest news surrounding the Heat is about the suspension of three players, including Jimmy Butler, after a skirmish occurred in Miami's last game, a 106-95 road win against the Pelicans this past Friday.

So Miami will be down three rotation players, including superstar Butler. The Heat also could be without Tyler Herro. He suffered a knee injury against the Pelicans and is questionable. Butler and Herro are Miami's top two scorers. Terry Rozier is Miami's third-leading scorer and he's questionable, too, with a knee injury. Rozier has missed the past two games.

The Heat rank in the bottom three in terms of pace. Eric Spoelstra is an elite defensive coach. The Heat will be stressing defense here down players.

The Kings rank seventh offensively and are 10th in tempo. They are not known for their defense. However, the Kings have held three of their last six opponents to 107 or fewer points. Sacramento just beat the Clippers, 123-107, on the road last night. So this is a back-to-back spot for the Kings. They aren't likely to push pace because of that.

Yes, the Hawks are a high-scoring bad defensive team. So, why go Under? Because the dynamics are not usual for the Hawks in this matchup.

Trae Young is out. The superstar guard leads the Hawks in scoring and assists by a wide margin. He has a finger injury. Center Clint Capela is back. He had missed six games until returning for Atlanta's last game. Capela is rounding into shape. He gives Atlanta strong rebounding and shot-blocking, averaging 10.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.

Orlando is the opposite of Atlanta. The Magic rank sixth defensively, but 25th in scoring.

The Magic are playing for the third time in four days and second in two nights. They endured a much tougher game than expected last night. Orlando was able to edge Detroit, 112-109, on Saturday night in a hard-fought game. So don't look for the tired Magic to push pace. The Hawks' tempo could be slowed, too, with Young not playing.

Never count out Stephen Curry and the Warriors. Golden State is making its move winning 10 of its last 12 games. This includes a 2-0 mark since the All-Star break with double-digit home victories against the Lakers and Hornets.

Look for the Warriors to continue their momentum against the defending world champion Nuggets.

Denver also is 2-0 coming out of All-Star break. However, the Nuggets' victories were against two patsies - the Wizards and Trail Blazers. Denver had gone 0-3 in its three previous games with a pair of losses to the Kings and one to the Bucks.

Now the Nuggets face another real opponent. The Warriors should be extremely motivated. Not just because they have triple revenge having gone 0-3 to the Nuggets this season losing those games by an average of four points. But because they are playing their best ball, are home and need to prove they can beat the Nuggets.

Jamal Murray is questionable for the Nuggets. Murray, Denver's second-leading scorer, missed the Nuggets' last game because of shin splints.

Orlando is one of the more improved teams this season. The Magic came out of All-Star break with an impressive, 116-109, road win against the Cavaliers two days ago. 

The Magic are young, though. I don't trust their mentality to bury the Pistons in what is a letdown and look-ahead spot for them. The Magic have a bigger game on tap Sunday when they play the Hawks in Atlanta. 

Detroit lost, 129-115, on the road to the Pacers this past Thursday in its first game following All-Star break. The Pistons were rusty in the first half, but scored 45 points in the third quarter. They outscored the Pacers by 15 points in the second half. 

Now the Pistons get to play their first home game since Feb. 4 when they lost, 111-99, to the Magic. Detroit is a better team with a healthy Cade Cunningham, who had 30 points and eight assists against the Pacers. 

The Pistons have quietly been effective point spread-wise at home covering seven of their last nine home contests.

These are two excellent defensive teams, who both rank in the bottom 10 in terms of pace. 

The Clippers are off an embarrassing, 129-107, road loss to the Thunder on Thursday night. LA has a top-10 defense. So I see the Clippers really clamping down defensively after surrendering 129 points last night. 

Memphis is the lowest scoring team in the NBA at 107.1 points a game. The injury-decimated Grizzlies rank second-to-last in field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. 

But the Grizzlies give up the 11th-fewest points in the league. They've been especially strong defensively during their last three home games holding the Bucks, Rockets and Pelicans to an average of 106.3 points. 

The Clippers are big favorites. This could mean a reduction in minutes for the Clippers superstars Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden, all of whom played last night.

There's a certain randomness factor when NBA teams haven't played in eight days like these two teams. Randomness is good when backing an underdog in this high of a point range.

All-Star weekend took place in Indianapolis for the first time since 1985. It was a good showcase for the city and state of Indiana. Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton represented the Pacers well during the All-Star Game scoring 32 points.

It's heady stuff for the Pacers, who may come out sluggish against a Pistons squad that has the worst record in the NBA at 8-46.

The Pistons, though, often are undervalued on the road where they have covered six of the past eight times. Detroit added seven new players at the trade deadline. The Pistons have had ample time during the break to get their newcomers in sync with each other. The time off also gave Cade Cunningham, Detroit's emerging star, time to recover from left knee soreness.

The Pacers will be minus Aaron Nesmith, their fifth leading scorer at 12.6 points a game. Nesmith also is the Pacers' second-most accurate 3-point shooter. He's out with an ankle injury.

I don't find it too much to ask the Warriors to beat the reeling Jazz in Utah for the second time in four days. Golden State hammered Utah, 129-107, this past Monday.

The Jazz are using the buildup to All-Star break to experiment and work on different rotation combinations. The result has been three straight losses and non-covers by a losing margin of 17.3 points.

Golden State is 7-2 in its last nine games. However, the Warriors are coming off a 12-point blown lead in the fourth quarter in a 130-125 loss to the Clippers last night. Utah also played last night, losing to the Lakers by 16 points at home. So neither team has a rest advantage.

The Warriors are in better form and are the superior team.

I'm going to use the Zig-Zag method on this total. Both the Wizards and Pelicans are off strong defensive performances where their offenses were held in check. 

Look for the opposite to happen in this matchup, the team's final game before the All-Star break. 

Before holding the Mavericks to 112 points in their last game, the Wizards had allowed an average of 126.5 points in their past four contests.
Washington is the second-worst defensive team in the NBA giving up 123.7 points a game.

New Orleans ranks in the top-nine in field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. If you discount a 107-83 loss to the Thunder, the Pelicans are averaging 133 points during their past four home games. 

This is just the Pelicans' second home game since Jan. 26. The Pelicans want to provide a show to their fans entering All-Star break. The Wizards are likely to accommodate them since they play at the fastest pace in the NBA. 

This is enough line value for me to take the Trail Blazers given the probable return of Anfernee Simons and the favorable spot Portland is in.

Minnesota is fat and happy off an impressive, 121-100, road victory against the Clippers last night. The Timberwolves can't be faulted if they take the lowly Trail Blazers, a team they buried, 116-93, at home on Jan. 12, not very seriously.

Portland, though, is well-rested and off a tremendous defensive performance. The Trail Blazers held New Orleans to 93 points in their last game this past Saturday. That was 23 points below the Pelicans' season average. However, the Trail Blazers didn't have Simons, their top player and leading scorer, so they couldn't muster up enough offense to win.

Simons is expected to return today from his left ankle sprain. That's huge. It's an extra bonus if Scott Henderson also can play for Portland. He's questionable with a foot sprain.

Portland has been home for eight days, idle for the past two full days. Minnesota is playing its fourth consecutive road game. The Timberwolves have a losing ATS mark when playing in the second of back-to-back days.

The Trail Blazers are 4-3 in their last seven home games with straight-up upset victories against the Bucks, 76ers, Pacers and Nets during this span.

When the Timberwolves rolled past the Trail Blazers in the team's first meeting, Portland was at the tail end of a seven-game road trip and had just played the Thunder the previous night. Now it's the Timberwolves who have a fatigue rating.

Note, too, the teams meet again in Portland on Thursday. So the Timberwolves may hold back some things knowing they have to play this same opponent in their next game.

This is an important game for playoff seeding in the East. The Bulls rank ninth while the Hawks are 10th, one game behind Chicago. The Bulls are the superior defensive team and have a winning point spread mark. They are 7-4 ATS in their past 11 games.

The Hawks give up 123.7 points a game. That ranks second-to-last in the NBA. The Bulls rate 11th defensively, allowing 11 fewer points per game than Atlanta.

Atlanta has the worst point spread mark in the NBA at 17-36 (32 percent) ATS. The Hawks are very bad in this role going 6-16 ATS when favored by more than 1 1/2 points. It's also Atlanta's third game in four days.

The Pelicans are playing well, riding a four-game win streak. They rested in Los Angeles on Thursday after upsetting the Clippers on Wednesday. The Lakers, meanwhile, played hard but not smart in losing to the Nuggets, 114-106, on Thursday night.

That was a highly-emotional game for the Lakers as the organization honored the late Kobe Bryant before the game. Anthony Davis logged more than 38 minutes and LeBron James had more than 35 minutes of game time. It wouldn't be shocking if one of them was held out since this is a back-to-back spot for LA. It's also the Lakers' eighth game in 12 days.

The Pelicans are younger and faster than the aged Lakers, who are 2-6 SU, 1-7 ATS when playing without rest.

As bad as the Hornets are, the Bucks are in no position to lay this many points to them. Milwaukee is 1-5 SU and 1-5 ATS in its last six games. The Bucks carry a high fatigue rating, have key injuries and Doc Rivers has been a near-disaster so far as the Bucks' coach. 

This is the Bucks' fifth game in seven days and second in two days after they were buried, 129-105, by the Timberwolves at home last night. Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton, the Bucks' second and third-best players, missed that game because of ankle injuries. 

The Hornets have lost nine in a row, although they've covered in their last two games. Charlotte also has injuries, but have Cody Martin back. 
Clearly, though, my handicap is a fade on the Bucks, who have failed to cover 17 of 21 times against sub .500 opponents this season.

The Pistons are 3-20 on the road this season. Their latest road victory came last night in a 133-120 upset of the Kings. The Pistons achieved this unlikely victory without injured Cade Cunningham and Bojan Bogdanovic leaving them with only nine players.

I don't see the Pistons, losers of 43 of 50 games, pulling off another upset on consecutive nights even if Cunningham, the team's leading scorer, returns to their lineup. Bogdanovic was traded to the Knicks today leaving the Pistons short-handed again.

Portland is 15-35, but playing better. The Trail Blazers upset both the Bucks and 76ers at home before traveling to Denver to play two straight road games against the Nuggets. They lost both of those games to the defending world champions, but covered each game. Portland is 6-2 ATS in its last eight games.

Now the Trail Blazers return home, while stepping way down in class. They have had ample rest and preparation time, too, having last played this past Sunday.

The Lakers have picked up their pace winning eight of their last 12 games. This includes three straight victories to close out a six-game road trip. 
Sometimes it's dangerous to back a team playing their first home game following a lengthy road trip. That certainly was the case with the Clippers last night. They lost to the Pelicans by 11 points as a 6 1/2-point home favorite. The Clippers had been playing well, too.

But this is a different case and much different situation. The Clippers only had one day of rest after returning to Los Angeles. The Lakers concluded their road swing this past Monday giving them two full days of rest and preparation. 

This also is the Lakers' biggest game of the season and it isn't just because they're playing the defending world champion Nuggets. 

It's a special night because the Lakers organization will be honoring the late Kobe Bryant before the game unveiling a statue of him. The game is going to be heavily attended with many dignitaries. It is being shown nationally on TNT. 

"Win one for Kobe,'' will be the Lakers' motto. So I'm expecting maximum motivation and effort. 

The Nuggets are off back-to-back home victories against the 15-35 Trail Blazers. Not exactly a worthy opponent. Denver has lost in its two previous road games, falling to the Thunder and getting blown out by the Knicks.

The Pelicans are in prime position to ambush the Clippers.

The Clippers returned to Los Angeles on Tuesday after finishing a seven-game, 11-day road trip with a victory against the Hawks in Atlanta this past Monday night. There were 293 points scored in the Clippers' crazy, 149-144, victory against the Hawks. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden each played more than 37 minutes in that game. 

Now the Clippers have to get used to being home having played in a different arena for the past seven games. LA has to be feeling good having gone 6-1 on its road trip. The Clippers are not only in a letdown spot, but their concentration could be off having been gone for so long. They also might be dealing with dead legs in action for the third time in four days and fourth time in six days. 

New Orleans is playing well, too, riding a three-game win streak. The Pelicans don't have nearly the fatigue factor LA does. This is just the Pelicans' second game in five days.  

The teams are meeting for the third time this season. The road team has won each of the first two games. Attendance could be less than normal for the Clippers because of the heavy rains that hit southern California. 

Miami hasn't gotten going this season, losing eight of its last 11 games. But the Heat did win a satisfying game beating in-state rival Orlando, 121-95, last night.

The Heat are 1-3-1 ATS the past five times when playing without rest. They also have been terrible in the role of a large home favorite failing to cover 17 of the past 22 times when laying five or more points.

This is the start of the Spurs' nine-game rodeo trip so they'll want to get off to a good start.

Prior to their win against the Magic, the Heat were averaging 101.7 points in their previous 13 games. The Spurs are averaging 114.6 points in regulation during their last 15 games.

Milwaukee is concluding its five-game road trip here. The Bucks are 1-3 on their road swing. This is a good time to buy low on the Bucks coming off a 123-108 Sunday loss to the Jazz.

The Bucks had wide open shots in that loss to Utah. But they blew a 19-point lead, collapsing in the fourth quarter. The high mountain altitude in Utah might have had something to do with that.

Milwaukee is the second-highest scoring team in the NBA and fourth-best shooting team. The Bucks should fare much better with a full day rest and getting out of the mountain air. Phoenix is just an average defensive team.

The Bucks have won the past three times they've faced the Suns in the regular season. Milwaukee also draws Phoenix with the Suns in a vulnerable spot.

The Suns concluded a seven-game, 12-day road trip this past Sunday blowing out Washington. That was a huge, motivational game for the Suns because of Bradley Beal's return to face his former Wizards team.

Now the Suns are playing at home for the first time since Jan. 22. Before they had embarked on their seven-game road trip, their longest road swing had been three away games in a row. The Suns did that three times. Phoenix failed to cover in their first home game back during each of those three road games in a row going 0-3 ATS. Look for that pattern to continue here.

Toronto is 2-11 in its last 13 games, 1-7 in its last eight games and playing its fifth straight road game.
 
But on closer inspection, I find the Raptors to be a good value play here. 

Toronto hasn't been healthy. Now the Raptors are after getting back RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl and Immanuel Quickley. They all played in the Raptors' last game two days ago. That was against Oklahoma City. The Raptors were 8 1/2-point underdogs. Toronto took the Thunder to double overtime before losing but covering. 

The Raptors have had a day to rest and recuperate. They haven't played in back-to-back games since Jan. 17-18. So the fatigue factor isn't that bad. 
New Orleans is laying double-digits despite being in an awkward scheduling spot. This is the Pelicans' sixth game in 11 days. They just concluded a four-game road trip with a one-point victory against the 10-40 Spurs this past Friday. The Pelicans pulled that game out when Zion Williamson scored with 3.8 seconds left. 

After this matchup, the Pelicans go back on the road for four more games. So their concentration level could be off. 

Both the Warriors and Nets are coming off high-scoring games. The Warriors lost 141-134 in overtime to the Hawks this past Saturday. Brooklyn rolled past the 76ers, 136-121, also this past Saturday.

Those games may have influenced the oddsmaker to open what I consider an artificially high total for this matchup.

Golden State had held its previous two opponents to an average of 104 points before losing to the Hawks. Atlanta is the third-highest scoring team in the NBA and plays at the fifth-fasted pace. The Nets are an entirely different opponent.

Brooklyn is average defensively, but below par offensively ranking 25th in field goal percentage. The Nets also are the fifth-worst free throwing shooting team in the league. More importantly, the Nets play at the second-slowest tempo in the NBA. Golden State ranks 12th in tempo. The Warriors' interior defense is improved with the return of Draymond Green from suspension.

I know it's difficult to get behind the Pistons. But they are in an excellent situational spot here. 

Orlando is playing for the fifth time in eight days. It's the Magic's fourth consecutive road contest. They just rallied from 17 points down to upset the Timberwolves this past Friday. Orlando has a bigger matchup up next - on the road against in-state division rival Miami in a battle for first place in the Southeast Division. That game goes Tuesday. 

The Pistons have revenge motivation for an embarrassing, 123-91, loss to the Magic on Dec. 8. Following this matchup, the Pistons go on the road for a five-game West Coast trip. They won't play at home again until Feb. 24. 

So, yes, the spot is ripe for Detroit. But are the Pistons good enough to cover this number? They have been in their last three games. During this span, the Pistons upset the Thunder by 16 points as a 12-point home 'dog, lost by seven to the hot Cavaliers as a 13 1/2-point road 'dog and covered in their last game at home to the Clippers. Now the Pistons are dropping down in class after facing those three strong opponents.

Points are going to be hard to come by in this matchup between the Magic, who ranked fifth in the NBA defensively, and the Timberwolves, who give up the fewest points per game. That's why the oddsmaker has set a low total. So I find this to be a lot of points to get.

The Timberwolves are a bit fat and happy after a blowout victory against the Mavericks two days ago.

Orlando has the best point spread mark in the NBA at 31-17, which is 64.5 percent. The Magic have held two of their last three opponents to 98 points, the Spurs and Suns. That was 18 points below the Suns' season average.

I tried to step in against the Knicks with the Hornets on Monday. It was a mistake. The Hornets are an immature, gutless team. The Jazz aren't. They are well-coached, have a deep rotation and are below-the-radar with a 10-5 record this month. 

Both teams carry high fatigue ratings having been in action last night. Utah is finishing its six-game road trip with this game. New York is in action for the fourth time in six days.

The Knicks have won a season-high seven in a row. They were in a flat spot against the Hornets on the road after satisfying home victories against the Heat and Nuggets. The Hornets, though, were too pathetic to even hang close. Now the Knicks return to Madison Square Garden for this matchup. The Jazz actually had the shorter distance to travel having lost to the Nets in Brooklyn last night. 

The Nets humiliated the Jazz, 147-114. That was Utah's second most lopsided loss of the season. I trust Will Hardy to have his Jazz motivated and ready to play much better against the Knicks, who played their first game of the season without Julius Randle last night. Randle is out with a dislocated right shoulder. New York center Mitchell Robinson is out for the season. Randle and Robinson are the Knicks' two top rebounders. 

The Knicks also didn't have OG Anunoby against the Hornets. He sat out with elbow inflammation. Randle and Anunoby are New York's second and third-leading scorers.
 
The Knicks are fat, happy and saddled with key injuries. That's a combination for a letdown.

The Knicks have won a season-high six straight games. But don't be shocked if the Knicks stumble here against the lowly Hornets, a team they have easily beaten in all three meetings this season.

How come?

Several key factors. The Knicks are going to be without their star power forward Julius Randle for the first time this season. Randle suffered a dislocated right shoulder in New York's Saturday victory against the Heat. This is a huge concern for the Knicks and a big distraction. Remember, the Knicks also don't have center Mitchell Robinson. He's out for the season. Robinson and Randle are the Knicks' two leading rebounders.

Another important factor is the timing of this matchup. The Knicks are coming off satisfying home victories against the Heat and Nuggets. This is just their second road game in 15 days. The Knicks return home for five games in a row following this matchup starting on Tuesday with a revenge game against the Jazz. So it's a very weird scheduling spot for New York.

The Hornets upset the Timberwolves as a 14-point road 'dog last Monday. Charlotte won't lack motivation being home in a triple-revenge spot against an opponent that has other things on their mind and is in a letdown situation.

Yes, the Raptors are going through a rocky stage now losing eight of their last nine games.

But Atlanta isn't playing well either having lost and failed to cover in its last four games. The Hawks are an auto-fade for me in this price range.

The Hawks have by far the worst point spread mark in the NBA at 11-34 for 24 percent. They are especially terrible in this role going 1-11 ATS when favored by more than one point.

The Raptors have enough offense to take advantage of the Hawks' porous defense, which ranks in the bottom-three in scoring defense, defensive field goal percentage and 3-point defensive percentage.

Denver is 5-2 in its last seven games. The Nuggets' losses during this span came to the Pacers this past Thursday on the final game of their five-game road trip and to the 76ers at the start of their road trip, which was 11 days ago.

The 76ers beat Denver, 126-121, in that game. Philadelphia hit 57 percent from the floor and 48 percent from 3-point range. The 76ers also shot nine more free throws than Denver. I don't see a repeat of that with the teams now meeting in Denver. This is rapid revenge for the prideful defending world champion Nuggets.

The Nuggets are 17-4 at home. The 76ers have failed to cover in four of their last five away games with straight-up losses to the Pacers, Hawks and Bulls during this time frame.

The Magic are finally healthy with Franz Wagner back in the lineup. The Grizzlies are so decimated with injuries that Scotty Pippen Jr. is now a key member of their rotation.

The spot is ripe, too, for Orlando. The Magic are off an embarrassing 27-point home loss to the Cavaliers this past Monday. They came into the matchup having beat the Heat the night before. Now they've had three full days to rest and prepare for this matchup.

Memphis is in a rare flat spot returning home after posting upset road wins against the Raptors this past Monday and Heat two days ago. The Grizzlies are a putrid 4-15 at home and not much better point spread wise at 5-14 (26 percent) ATS.

I understand Joel Embiid leads the NBA in scoring and is coming off a 70-point game this past Monday in Philadelphia's, 133-123, home win against the Spurs.

But that's not the lead story for me in this matchup. I see the top story being Indiana's emerging superstar, Tyrese Haliburton, is going to miss this game with a hamstring injury. Haliburton leads the Pacers in scoring at 23.6 points per game and tops the NBA in assists at 12.6 a game.

Haliburton's absence changes many things, including the total. He has missed seven of Indiana's last nine games. The Pacers have gone Under in six of their past seven games minus Haliburton, including a 114-109 home loss to the Nuggets this past Tuesday. That total went Under by 14 points.

It's not a coincidence the Pacers are an Under team without Haliburton. Not only do they miss his dynamic offense, but their tempo is slower without him. Indiana averages 124.6 points. The Pacers have averaged 108.2 points in their last four games minus Haliburton.

Embiid's scoring gets all the attention. But the 76ers are a strong defensive club. They give up the eighth-fewest points in the league and rank No. 1 in 3-point defense.

Indiana is in stop-the-pain mode, losers of three in a row. The Pacers are going to have to dig deep to beat the 76ers. They are home, though, and should provide a strong defensive effort to compensate for not having Haliburton.

A disappointing season turned tragic for Golden State when assistant coach Dejan Milojevic died of a heart attack last Wednesday. The Warriors haven't played since.

The Warriors will honor Milojevic, showing a video tribute of him before the game.

Look for the Warriors to treat this matchup as their Super Bowl. I'm expecting a highly-motivated home performance from Golden State in memory of Milojevic.

Golden State did hold a full practice on Tuesday. Draymond Green also has been getting better since coming back from suspension. This will be his first home game since his Dec. 14 suspension for striking Jusuf Nurkic in the face.

Then there is the opponent. It's Atlanta, which has the worst point spread mark in the NBA by far at 11-32 ATS (25.5 percent).

The Hawks also are going to be without their best player, Trae Young. He missed the Hawks' last game, a 122-107 road loss to the Kings this past Monday, because of a concussion.

While the Warriors should be full of energy, the Hawks are playing for the fourth time in six days. It's also their fourth straight different venue.

After a pair of games against the Bucks, the second-highest scoring team in the NBA, the Pistons host the Hornets. Charlotte just upset the Timberwolves as a 14-point road 'dog two days ago despite Karl-Anthony Towns scoring 62 points.

Charlotte and Detroit are vastly different opponents for each other after its last game. The Hornets and Pistons have bottom-eight offenses.

The Hornets just dealt high-scoring gunner Terry Rozier so their offense will be going through an adjustment. Charlotte coach Steve Clifford says he likes to stress defense. Well here's his chance. The Pistons may have helped get Bucks coach Adrian Griffin fired because Milwaukee permitted Detroit to average 131.5 points in two games vs the Bucks.

The Pistons should be fired-up having a chance at a rare home win. The Hornets are in letdown mode after stunning Minnesota.

Charlotte and Detroit played once this season back on Oct. 27 and there were just 210 points scored in the Pistons' 111-99 road victory.

Two healthy, high-scoring teams playing on extra rest. That's what we have in this matchup. Those factors should spell lots of points and the total going Over.

I'm expecting a lot of energy from both teams. Utah last played this past Saturday. New Orleans hasn't been in action since last Friday.

The Jazz are averaging 126.4 points in regulation during their last 11 games. If you discount a 126-97 road loss to the Celtics that average rises to 129.4 points. Utah is the 10th-highest scoring team in the NBA. The Pelicans have surrendered at least 123 points in three of their past five games.

New Orleans ranks 12th in scoring, ninth in field goal percentage and third in 3-point shooting percentage. The Jazz are below average defensively. The Pelicans are averaging 123.7 points in their last seven games.

Who's the most underachieving team in the NBA? If you go by point spread records it's the Hawks. Atlanta has covered only 26 percent of its games going 11-31 ATS.

The Hawks carry a high fatigue rating here and won't have their superstar, Trae Young. He's out with a concussion. This marks the Hawks' fourth game in six days and seventh game in 11 days.

Sacramento has lost four in a row with three coming on the road. Look at those games, though. The Kings were blown out by the 76ers at Philadelphia. But in their last three games, they lost by one point in overtime at the Bucks, fell on the road to the Suns by two points and then lost at home to the Pacers by five points. That was last Thursday.

So the Kings have ample rest and motivation. This is a great spot for them.

Cleveland is one of the hottest teams in the NBA riding a seven-game win streak. During this span, the Cavaliers have held their opponents to an average of 98.4 points. That figure would easily lead the NBA in defense if it were season-long. Orlando ranks 25th in scoring and has the second-worst 3-point shooting percentage.

The Magic got back Franz Wagner on Sunday. He scored 19 points in 28 minutes to help the Magic defeat the Heat in a Southeast Division showdown match between the first and second place teams in that division. Wagner had missed the previous eight games with an ankle injury. He's Orlando's second-leading scorer at 20.8 points. The Magic could choose to hold Wagner out of this matchup not wanting to risk him playing in a back-to-back situation so early in his recovery.

This also marks the Magic's seventh game in 11 days. Orlando is 2-5 in its last seven games even with the impressive victory against Miami.

The Cavaliers have defeated their last four opponents - Hawks, Bucks, Bulls and Nets - by an average of 22 points. It's not too much to ask them to just win against a tired, low-scoring Orlando team.

The Lakers are good enough - and the Trail Blazers are bad enough - for an LA blowout win here. The spot sets up for the Lakers.

After LA's impressive home wins and covers against the Thunder and Mavericks, two teams far better than Portland, the Lakers fell apart in an embarrassing, 130-112, home loss to the Nets this past Friday. 

The Lakers should be motivated to erase that frustration. They catch the Trail Blazers riding their first two-game win streak since late November. Portland nipped the Pacers and Nets at home by a combined five points. Those Portland victories are enough to catch the Lakers' attention. 

I understand the Lakers have been inconsistent all season. But Portland has the fourth-worst record in the NBA at 12-29. The Trail Blazers are last in scoring and in shooting percentage. So the bar is not high for the Lakers to get a needed blowout win.

I thought the Cavaliers would be good going into the season and Cleveland is living up to that. The Cavaliers are 11-3 in their last 14 games and have won six in a row. Cleveland just buried the Bucks by 40 points. That was on Wednesday. The Cavaliers haven't played since. So they should be well rested and well prepared.

The Hawks are in a letdown mode after upsetting Miami on the road, 109-108, last night when Dejounte Murray hit a 3-pointer with two seconds left.

Atlanta beat the Heat despite not having Trae Young, who ranks in the top-10 in scoring and is second in the league in assists. Young is questionable today due to illness.

The Hawks are the worst point spread team in the NBA at 11-30 (27 percent) ATS. Atlanta not only also is playing without rest, but for the fourth time in six days.

The Heat have had the sixth-best defensive rating during the last 10 games and they draw the Hawks without Trae Young. He's been ruled out due to illness. Young is the eighth-highest scorer in the NBA averaging 27.2 points. He's also No. 2 in the league in assists averaging 10.9 per game. 

Missing Franz Wagner, their second-leading scorer at 20.9 points a game, the Magic are averaging only 98 points during their past five games. 
Wagner is sidelined with an ankle injury. He's not expected to play here against the 76ers. Philadelphia ranks ninth defensively and first in 3-point defense. The Magic are the worst 3-point shooting team in the NBA. So the Magic won't be earning many points from beyond the arc. 

Orlando is the sixth-best defensive team in the league. The Magic have lost four of their last five games. They just concluded a four-game road trip two days ago losing to the Hawks, 106-104. The Magic lost that game, but held the Hawks 15 points below their season average. The Magic have held each of their last four opponents well below their season average. 

The Magic aren't going to lack motivation here. It's their first home game in 10 days. They know they win by defense. Orlando also has revenge for a 112-92 home loss to the 76ers on Dec. 27. Joel Embiid sat out that game. 

Embiid is likely to play today, which is good and bad for the Under. Embiid leads the NBA in scoring at 35.1 points a game. But he's also a tremendous rebounder and rim protector.