This is a big game for Orlando, which begin a five-game homestand desperately needing a victory. I see the Magic getting that win against a Pistons squad they defeated, 110-106, on the road this past Friday.

The impressive thing about that victory against the Pistons wasn't just that it came on the road. The Pistons shot 53.7 percent from the floor and also out-shot the Magic from the free throw line connecting on 16 of 20 for 80 percent. Still, the Magic won.

The key for the Magic in that game was the return of point guard Jameer Nelson, who had missed six games with groin and hamstring injuries. The Magic have good 3-point shooters in Arron Affalo and JJ Redick. The problem was that minus Nelson the Magic were turning the ball over too much and not getting their shooters in the right spots.

Detroit ranks 21st in defensive field goal percentage.

The Hornets are one of those under-the-radar teams that quietly cashes nearly all the time when getting points at home. The Hornets are 11-2 ATS the last 13 times they've been a home 'dog.

The Knicks have been playing great. No knock on New York at all, I just see this as a tight defensive battle where the Hornets produce a strong effort and the game is tight.

The Hornets are a good defensive team. However, they are off their worst defensive game of the season, a 117-113 loss to Milwaukee. The Hornets go on the road for four games after this matchup. So they should be focused, primed and highly motivated.

After so many marquee games already this season, the Knicks can't be too excited about this game.

New Orleans has covered 12 of its last 14 home contests. Star rookie big man Anthony Davis tweaked his ankle, but is expected to play so no worries there.

New Orleans laid an egg last night at home against Oklahoma City trailing by as many as 34 points before losing, 110-95.

Look for a much better effort from the Hornets today. The Hornets are a top-10 defensive team and have been tremendous as an underdog covering 18 of the past 26 times in that role, including 4-2 this season.

The Bucks are playing well, but are not strong enough to cover a mid-range number like this unless they produce an "A" game while their opponent plays horrible. I don't see the Hornets playing back-to-back horrendous games. They've defeated Milwaukee in 11 of the past 12 meetings.
A key for the Hornets is defending Brandon Jennings, who is shooting just 34.7 percent in five career meetings against the Hornets.

It's hard to go wrong backing the Hornets as an underdog. New Orleans is 18-7 ATS the past 25 times it has received points under Monty Williams, one of the more underrated coaches in the NBA. The Hornets have covered five of their six games so far, going 4-1 ATS when taking points.

Oklahoma City has a great offense led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. New Orleans, though, is giving up the third-fewest points per game at 90.5. No opponent has managed to reach triple digits this season against New Orleans.

A key to the Hornets' defensive success is they are the second stingiest team in letting opponents get to the free throw line. This is huge because the Thunder are the best free throw shooting team in the league sinking 84.3 percent.

The Thunder are playing for the sixth time in nine days. This heavy duty schedule is taking a toll as the Thunder barely won at Detroit this past Monday and then on Wednesday lost by double-digits to Memphis. Durant and Westbrook each had to play more than 40 minutes in those games.

Are the 5-0 Knicks really for real? Improved yes, but not in San Antonio's class. This matchup should prove it.

The Knicks caught the Heat in a flat spot and have reeled off wins against Dallas,Orlando and twice against Philadelphia in going 5-0. Aside from the Heat, I haven't been impressed in the early going with the 76ers, Magic or Mavericks, who also have lost to the Bobcats.

Carmelo Anthony is off to a hot start. But the Knicks still are missing two starters, Amare Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert.

The Knicks have lost their last nine games in San Antonio averaging just 88.6 points in those nine losses. The Spurs are 17-1 in their last 18 regular-season home contests.

The Spurs are out of the gates fast, too, going 7-1. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are all healthy, Gregg Popovich is the premier coach in the league and he has a stronger bench this season. The Spurs are 13-2-2 ATS versus Eastern Conference opponents. As good as the Knicks have been, there's still a class difference between these two clubs plus San Antonio is at home.

This is just Chicago's second road game of the season. It's the start of a five-game, 10-day road trip for the Bulls and their best opportunity to win. They've beaten the Suns three consecutive times in Phoenix.

The Bulls are primed for a strong effort after losing to Boston, 101-95, this past Monday. That was the first time Chicago has given up triple digits this season. Tom Thibodeau will have Chicago focused and ready for a much better game against the Suns, who lack a go-to scorer. The Bulls had the best road mark in the league last season and defeated Cleveland, 115-86, in their lone away contest this season.

Chicago has a history of bouncing back strong off a loss going 39-18-2 ATS following a defeat.

Despite giving up 101 to the Celtics, the Bulls rank fifth defensively giving up 90.4 points per game. The Suns, by comparison, rank 29th defensively surrendering 103 points a game. Only once have the Bulls been out-rebounded.

Phoenix upset Denver, 110-100, at home this past Monday. The Suns have failed to cover eight straight times in their next game after posing a victory. Phoenix is 4-10 ATS at home versus winning teams and is 1-5 ATS in its last six home contests.

The Suns are 4-4, a record that may surprise since the Suns aren't expected to do well this season. That record isn't impressive, though, considering the Suns don't own a victory against a foe with a winning record. Denver is off to a slow start and is at .500. The Suns' three other wins are against lottery-bound opponents Detroit, Charlotte and Cleveland.

In time the Lakers will turn things around. But that time isn't yet. The Lakers remain in disarray amid heavy distractions involving who is replacing Mike Brown. It's Mike D'Antoni much to Phil Jackson's displeasure. D'Antoni, though, won't be behind the Lakers' bench yet.

The Spurs are 6-1 and unlike the Lakers their players are in sync with clearly defined roles. Gregg Popovich is an elite coach. Bernie Bickerstaff is simply a fill-in. Popovich is at his best with time to prepare. The Spurs have covered the past eight times when having two days rest.

The Lakers haven't faced a team the caliber of San Antonio. The toughest team the Lakers have faced have been the Clippers and Jazz and they lost those two games by a combined 19 points. The only victories the Lakers have cobbled together have been against Detroit, Golden State and Sacramento - three lottery bound clubs.

The Lakers aren't help by having a cluster injury problem at point guard with Steve Nash and Steve Blake both out.

The Timberwolves have been a huge early-season surprise going 4-1. But Minnesota is due for a fall and finds itself in a horrible spot here.

The Timberwolves face an aroused Bulls squad that is off a tough nationally televised loss to Oklahoma City this past Thursday. The Timberwolves are extremely banged-up and off a tough two-point victory last night against a physical Indiana team that wasn't decided until the final second. This marks the Timberwolves' fifth game in seven days and second in two nights.

Already without Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio - their two best players - Minnesota now must deal with a depleted backcourt with J.J. Barea not expected to play due to a sprained foot and Brandon Roy leaving last night's game with a sore knee, a problem that caused him to retire last season.

The Bulls are 64-14 during the last two plus seasons at United Center. Chicago has won the last five against Minnesota, winning by an average of 15.8 points. The combination of Timberwolves' injuries and fatigue plus the Bulls being motivated and still a talented, excellent defensive team without Derrick Rose should ensure a double-digit victory.

Denver is home for just the second time. The Nuggets have played four of their first five games on the road. Their scoring is up after a bad first two games. Denver is averaging 106 points in its last three games despite being the second-worst free throw shooting team in the league. Expect the Nuggets to improve from the charity stripe while maintaining their league-leading scoring form of a year ago.

Utah beat the struggling Lakers at home in its last game this past Wednesday. The Lakers, though, are playing terrible. Utah plays much worse on the road. The Jazz have failed to cover in their last five road games.

The Jazz are 0-3 ATS away from home this season losing to the Hornets by two, to the Spurs by 10 and to the Grizzlies by 9. The Nuggets are of similar quality to San Antonio and Memphis.

Utah is 3-7-1 ATS in its last 11 meetings at Denver, including losing six of the past eight times at Pepsi Center.

After getting past the Bulls on the road Thursday night in a tough nationally televised game, the Thunder are in a letdown spot traveling home to take on the winless Pistons.

The 0-5 Pistons should be primed to give a full effort. This is Detroit's fifth of six consecutive road game. They've been competitive in all but one of these games

Detroit lacks talent, but the Pistons showed some grit this past Tuesday at Denver when they cut a 19-point deficit to six before losing by 12 as 10-point underdog. The Pistons then lost by two at Sacramento covering as 6 1/2-point 'dogs.

The Thunder plays the Pistons again on Monday so the backdoor should be open as there is even less reason for Oklahoma City to run up a score.

The Wizards don't have the bench, nor the guard play, to match up well to Milwaukee with its explosive backcourt of Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis. Making things worse for the Wizards is they may be without Jordan Crawford, who averages 21.8 points in six career matchups versus Milwaukee. Crawford suffered a sprained ankle six days ago and limped through just 15 minutes in Washington's last game this past Wednesday.

Milwaukee had a weak frontcourt last season. The Bucks' frontline still isn't very good, but it doesn't have to take a backseat to the Wizards' cast of no-names. Washington still is missing Nene. The Bucks have been getting good play from Larry Sanders, who is emerging in his third season averaging 12.3 points and 8.3 rebounds while proving to be an excellent shot-blocker.

The Bucks have fared well against the Wizards winning seven of the last nine in the series, while covering six of the last eight times on the road.

Don't read too much into the Bulls' 3-1 start and Oklahoma City just 2-2 after four games. The gap is much bigger than this short spread between these two teams with Derrick Rose out even with the Bulls playing at United Center. The Thunder hammered the Bulls, 92-78, at home in their lone meeting last season on April 1.

Chicago has played only one road game. The Bulls' opponents have been Sacramento, Cleveland, New Orleans and Orlando. None of these teams figures to make the playoffs.

Here's a telling quote from Bulls center Joakim Noah, "... we need to play better. This isn't going to cut it against a better team. We've just got to keeping fighting."

Oklahoma City has made the adjustment from James Harden to Kevin Martin. The Thunder will create a lot of matchup problems for the Bulls and not just with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Look for Serge Ibaka to come up big, too.

Yes, Phoenix is down this season. The Suns no longer are a playoff contender. But they still have more talent than Charlotte especially with the Bobcats missing injured Gerald Henderson, who led the team in scoring last season and was playing well this year before going down with a sprained foot.

The Bobcats were the worst team in NBA history last season with a .106 winning percentage. They were terrible against the spread, too, covering just 35 percent of their games. The Bobcats are going to be improved this season, but they still will be the worst team in the league.

This short point spread is an overreaction to the Suns getting blown out by Miami and Orlando during the first two games of their current road trip and the Bobcats upsetting Indiana, 90-89, in their season opener this past Friday.

The Heat and Magic combined to make 24 of 37 shots from 3-point range against the Suns. That's a fluke 65 field goal percentage from beyond the arc. The Bobcats don't have that kind of perimeter game.

Phoenix has better talent than Charlotte with underrated point guard Goran Dragic, Michael Beasley and Marcin Gortat, who leads the NBA in blocked shots at 3.5 per game. The Suns won't be overlooking the Bobcats as they try to salvage the final game of their three-game road trip, especially knowing the Bobcats beat Indiana.

Both of these teams are 0-3. The Pistons are a legitimate bad team. The Nuggets are not.

Denver opened with three straight road games. The Nuggets shot poorly in their first two games with Danilo Gallinari missing the opener and struggling with his shot when he came back. Denver also is working in newcomer Andre Iguodala.

The Nuggets led the NBA in scoring last season. They got their offense going in their third road game scoring 116 points against the defending world champion Heat. The Nuggets should have defeated Miami, but lost by three when Ray Allen made a miracle-type four-point play with six seconds left.

This is a Stop the Pain game for the Nuggets, who have several days of rest and practice to get Gallinari back in rhythm and adjust to Iguodala, a major new presence.

The Pistons are a natural victim. The Lakers got well at Detroit's expense this past Sunday. The previously winless Lakers beat Detroit, 108-79. This is the Pistons' third of a six-game road trip. The Pistons are losing by an average of 14 points during their three losses.

Besides Greg Monroe, a decent but by no means outstanding player, the Pistons lack talent, chemistry and confidence. They are a team with no identity. Pistons coach Lawrence Frank still is seeking the right lineup - if his team even has one.

The Nuggets are motivated, finally at home and have the explosive offense with a strong bench to easily win by double-digits against such a weak opponent.

As expected the Kings dropped all three of their road games to begin the season. But the Kings showed promise playing much better defense. They should have covered two of the three losing by eight in overtime to Indiana as 7 1/2-point underdogs.



The oddsmaker has a good early feel on Sacramento. They've installed the Kings a basket favorite at home against Golden State, which is seeking its first 3-0 road start in 18 years. They are indicating Sacramento should win, which I agree.



The Warriors are off an emotional 114-110 road win against the Clippers on Saturday after losing guard Brandon Rush for the season when he suffered a torn ACL during Friday's home loss to Memphis.



Now it's the Kings who will be emotional playing at home for the first time and in desperate need of a victory.



Keith Smart has Sacramento playing hard and with intensity. The offense should start to come because there are weapons. Tyreke Evans has looked impressive with the switch from point guard to off guard and Marcus Thornton is one of the best instant scorers off the bench.



The Warriors sat out center Andrew Bogut in their win against the Clippers. He's expected to play,but has been averaging only around 18 minutes as he gets back into shape. Rush's injury puts the Warriors into a bind at shooting guard and small forward, where they lack depth. Harrison Barnes isn't ready yet to step in as a quality starter.

Golden State, with its lack of height, has problems matching up against the tall and physical Grizzlies. Memphis has won six in a row from the Warriors, including sweeping all four meetings last season.

The Warriors are trying to transition their trademark run-and-gun offense/no defense approach to more of a balanced attack. Monta Ellis is gone and 7-foot center Andrew Bogut is in. Bogut was healthy enough to play 18 1/2 minutes in the Warriors' opener after being out since Jan. 25 when he suffered a broken ankle.

Bogut could help the Warriors reduce Memphis' size and rebounding advantage, but not so much in this matchup. The Warriors are taking it easy with Bogut in the beginning. His minutes probably will be limited again tonight and he's not expected to play on Saturday against the Clippers because it's a back-to-back spot.

It's going to take time for the Warriors to get comfortable learning a new style. The Grizzlies led the NBA in steals and forced turnovers last season. They opened the season like they always do - with a loss. But the Grizzlies still came up with 14 steals and 22 turnovers against the Clippers in an 11-point road loss. The Grizzlies don't play again until Monday. I see them playing hard and much better than they did in their opener. They'll get the job done against a team they always beat and is in transition.

Denver led the NBA in points per game last season at 104.1. The Nuggets have way too much scoring for Orlando, which no longer has Dwight Howard to clean up their defensive mess and cover up its many weaknesses.

Orlando is putting up a brave front acting excited about a new post-Howard era under first-year head coach Jacque Vaughn. Truth be told, though, the Magic are going to be terrible. While Howard's departure is a monster blow, the Magic also lost the much underrated Ryan Anderson. That really hurts their perimeter shooting and rebounding.

The Magic were 5-12 without Howard last season. They are going to be among the worst teams in the league this year with a weak backcourt, no shot blockers and learning a new offense. The Magic lack a focal point on offense now with Howard gone. Vaughn will have the Magic play at a faster tempo, which fits right into the Nuggets' hands. Denver has one of the quickest point guards in basketball with Ty Lawson.

George Karl has a much deeper bench than Vaughn even if Danilo Gallinari has to miss a second straight game due to a sprained ankle. Gallinari had a good workout on Thursday, but remains a game-time decision. The Nuggets can go big or small. Karl has a lot of versatility with his lineup because of his team's outstanding depth. The Nuggets have improved their defense, too, with the addition of Andre Iguodala.

The Nuggets laid an egg in their opener, a bad road loss to the 76ers. Denver, though, is 9-1 ATS following a straight-up loss. There's a class difference between the Nuggets and Magic and Denver is not going to lack motivation after its poor opener.

The Nuggets have covered 69 percent of their last 55 road games and are 6-0-1 ATS the past seven times playing Orlando, going 3-0-1 ATS in their last four meetings at Orlando.

The Spurs have been anxious for this matchup ever since the Thunder eliminated them in the Western Conference finals. The Spurs had a tough time last night beating the Hornets in New Orleans, but some of that was due to focusing on this game.

The Spurs will be a much different team tonight against the Thunder. Yes, it's the second of back to back games for San Antonio. But it's just the start of the season so the Spurs should have fresh legs. It's actually an advantage for San Antonio because they've played a game while the Thunder haven't.

This also is the Thunder's first game without departed James Harden. The team still could be reeling from the organization's surprising decision to trade Harden on the eve of the season. Oklahoma City has a much weaker bench now without the NBA's top sixth man.

It's very tough to cover, let alone win, for a visiting team in San Antonio. The Spurs are 23-6-1 ATS in their last 30 home games.

The Hornets are anxious to put last season's injury-plagued disaster behind them, especially now that they have stability with solid ownership in place.

The Hornets are going to be much improved this season. San Antonio is a veteran team that typically starts slow and peaks during the spring right before the playoffs. I see the Spurs pacing themselves in this matchup with a much bigger game on Thursday when they take on their main rivals, Oklahoma City, on national television.

The Thunder eliminated San Antonio in the Western Conference finals. That loss, coming after San Antonio had won the first two games, left the Spurs fuming all summer and pointing to the early-season matchup. First up, though, are the Hornets tonight.

Because this is the first of a back-to-back situation, don't look for savvy Gregg Popovich to dole out big minutes to Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. Popovich already has said he'll hold out Manu Ginobili, who has been dealing with back spasms. Popovich wants his Big Three fresh for Thursday's game against the Thunder. This game is far more important to New Orleans, which needs to get off to a good start to win back their fan base. The Hornets finished last season covering in their last nine home games.

I like Monty Williams. He'll have the Hornets playing hard the entire game. Under Williams last season, the Hornets finished eighth in defense holding foes to 93.4 points a game. They should be even better this season with the addition of big man Anthony Davis, the No. 1 overall pick. Davis was impressive during preseason averaging 14.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks.

Both teams have new identities and key injuries that hurt them offensively. Neither team is remotely in sync yet.

Kobe Bryant hasn't practiced or played since suffering a bruised foot on Oct. 21. He's questionable to play. If the league's No. 2 scorer last year at 27.9 points per game does play, he'll be limited. His shot could be off, too, because of rust.

Things are worse on the Dallas side where Dirk Nowitzki, the league's No. 8 scorer last year at 21.6, is out following knee surgery. The Mavericks aren't going to have center Chris Kaman either. He's nursing a strained Achilles'. This is a huge plus for the under as Kaman is far more offensive-minded than defensive-minded. His replacement is the well-traveled Eddy Curry, a wide body who has played 24 games during the past four years and is far less limited offensively than Kaman.

The Mavericks are a team in transition. They are struggling right now. Where are their points going to come from with Nowitzki and Kaman out and Jason Terry gone to Boston? There's a new point guard, Darren Collison. He shot 44 percent from the floor last season. Newcomers O.J. Mayo and Elton Brand shot poorly during preseason. There's also a shortage of backcourt scoring with Delonte West suspended and then cut from the team on Monday.

The Lakers have their own issues. They went 0-8 in preseason averaging just 85.8 points per game. That average would have put them on the bottom in scoring last year.

It's going to take time for the Lakers' new superstars to get to know their teammates. Dwight Howard is a tremendous defensive force. He's a terrible free throw shooter. That could factor with Curry guarding him. Howard will be able to help out more than normal on defense since he doesn't have to worry about Dallas getting scoring from the center position.

The Celtics have been thirsting for revenge ever since blowing a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference finals last season.

Seeing the Heat get their championship rings and former teammate Ray Allen on the Miami side is going to make Boston even more determined.

Unlike other teams, the Celtics play the Heat tough. Boston has covered in eight of the last 11 meetings.

The Celtics aren't just talking revenge. They went into the off-season determined to narrow the gap between themselves and the Heat. Even though the Celtics lost the aging Allen to the Heat, they still made improvements by becoming more athletic, faster and have more scoring options on the perimeter. Boston added an influx of youth, picked up Jason Terry to come off the bench and provide a spark along with Courtney Lee and have a healthy Jeff Green, who missed last season after undergoing heart surgery. Green played well during preseason.

Sure the Heat have LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. But Boston has three potential Hall of Fame players, too, in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo. The Heat figure to be distracted by the pregame awarding of the rings ceremony. It may take them a while to settle down and get in rhythm. Boston is taking this game very serious. It's grudge time for them.

Washington's starting five of A.J. Price, Bradley Beal, Trevor Ariza, Emeka Okafor and Trevor Booker has to rank as one of the most obscure opening-day lineups in NBA history. The top reserves are Jan Vesely, Chris Singleton and Jordan Crawford.

But these guys give the Wizards what they've lacked in previous years - intensity, full effort and unselfishness. Gone is the lingering stench left from the Gilbert Arena period. Underachievers and head cases JaVale McGee, Andray Blatche and Nick Young have moved on.

Chemistry and morale are up in Washington. The Wizards are going to be undervalued minus injured John Wall and Nene, their two most talented players. This opening game is a good example. The teams met less than three weeks ago during a preseason game in Cleveland. The Cavaliers were healthy. Their starters all logged more than 20 minutes. The Wizards were minus Wall, Nene, Okafor, Booker and Singleton. Yet Washington won, 99-95.

Both teams have plenty of youth. The Cavaliers are in new territory here being a mid-range favorite. The Cavaliers, though, are only in Year 3 of the post LeBron James era in what probably is going to be five-year rebuilding job. Cleveland has failed to cover in 15 of its last 20 home contests.

The Cavaliers' best player, point guard Kyrie Irving, had all four of his wisdom teeth extracted on Wednesday. He was bedridden until the weekend losing five pounds. He's likely to play, but he won't have all his strength and his minutes could be reduced.

If we've learned anything about this championship series it's that it is highly unpredictable.

Just when one team seems to assert dominance, the other team rallies. Now it's the Thunder's turn.

Can Oklahoma City do it, though? The Thunder have proven resilient all season. They took out San Antonio after being down 2-0 and are 20-9 ATS the past 29 times following a straight-up loss.

Miami is tough at home. Certainly I'll concede that point. However, Oklahoma City is not outclassed. I would argue the Thunder are the better team.

Oklahoma City has more size and a better bench. Kevin Durant is proving unstoppable shooting 57 percent from the floor, which is nine percent better than LeBron is shooting.

The Thunder also have proven themselves in Miami having covered in seven of their last nine visits.

A major problem for the Thunder has been the subpar play of key reserve James Harden. The Heat have held him to 40.7 percent shooting from the field and 11.7 points per game, marks that are way down from his season averages.

Harden is past overdue for a breakout game. If the Heat, with their smaller lineup, continue to key on Harden it will open things up more for the Thunder's big people.

This is the lowest total of the series and there's no reason for it. Yes, the series is switching to Miami but that's not cause for the linesmaker to open Game 3 so low.

Oklahoma City is averaging 105.4 points in its last seven games. The Thunder scored 96 in their Game 2 loss despite shooting 43 percent from the floor, making 34.6 percent of their 3-pointers and sinking 73.1 percent from the foul line. These numbers are all down from their season average of 103.1 points per game, 47.1 percent shooting from the floor, 35.8 percent from beyond the arc and 80.6 percent shooting from the foul line.

The Thunder have gone over in five of their last six road games. The Heat are 6-1-1 to the over in their past eight games.

Miami has averaged 102.8 points during its last five home matchups. Those games were against Boston and Indiana, much stronger defensive teams than the Thunder.

Oklahoma City was the third-highest scoring team in the NBA during the regular-season averaging better than 103 points and the Thunder have taken it up a notch recently during the playoffs,

The Thunder are averaging 105.4 points during their last nine games. They put up that average against Miami in Game 1 this past Tuesday despite being rusty from being inactive for six days and shooting 74 percent from the foul line when their season average is an NBA-best 80.6 percent.

The Thunder were able to easily run on Miami outscoring the Heat, 24-4, on fastbreak points. The Heat have no answer for Kevin Durant.

Of course no one can defend LeBron James and Dwayne Wade when they're at the top of their games like James has been. James and Wade combined to make just 18 of 43 shots from the floor in Game 1. That's less than 42 percent. Expect better shooting from Miami's duo superstars.

The Heat can't match the Thunder on the boards. So look for them to do more running. Game 1 was a feeling out game. Despite that the teams still combined for 199 points, going above the total. It's the 11th time in the last 16 meetings between the two clubs that the over has cashed.

Expect more of a fast-pace in Game 2. The feeling out process is over. The Heat can't succeed playing half-court, especially in such a tough road venue. They were outscored, 56-40, in the paint. So look for the Heat to do more running contributing to a high pace game and plenty of points.

The Thunder battled jitters and a six-day rust period of not having played yet still beat Miami by 11 points in Game 1 this past Tuesday.

Yet the oddsmaker still stubbornly clings to the belief that Miami is better by opening the Thunder such a low home favorite again.

The Thunder will be even more confident this game having outscored the Heat by 18 points in the second half. The Thunder settled down and committed only two turnovers in the second half.

The Thunder have one of the strongest home-courts in basketball. They are 5-0 ATS in their last five home games. They are 6-0 ATS the past six times they've been chalk.

Miami is 0-7-1 ATS as a road 'dog. These are strong trends and they are backed up by fundamental matchup analysis that clearly favors the Thunder.

Oklahoma City is the better rebounding team, has the better bench and has a superior offense. Kevin Durant is the one player who can outscore LeBron James.

The Thunder outrebounded Miami by 10 in Game 1 and outscored the Heat by 16 points in the paint. The Thunder were the No. 3 scoring team in the NBA averaging 103.1 points per game. They've been even more dominant in the postseason averaging 105.4 points in their last nine games.

Oklahoma City also was the best free throw shooting team in the league at 80.6 percent. The Thunder shot just 74 percent (20 of 27) from the foul line in Game 1 yet won by double-digit points.

Maybe Miami gets back in this series. But if that happens, it's not going to come until the Heat return home.

This has been a tough series to get a grasp on, but the Celtics have the history, experience and due factor to cover this large number.

Miami, for all its glory and superstars, has yet to prove it is a clutch team. The Celtics aren't going to be intimidated in this setting and spot. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo all should play much better than they did in Game 6.

Boston has responded with a victory during five of the last six times following a loss in the playoffs. The Celtics are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 meetings with the Heat, including 4-1 ATS in Miami.

Yes, Boston is the older team. But the Heat are only 1-4 ATS the past five times they've played on one day's rest.

LeBron James had a game for the ages in Game 6. One of his many impressive statistics was going 8-for-14 shooting from the floor when being isolated by Boston. Keep in mind that during the first five games of the series, James was 9-for-30 shooting when being keyed on by the Celtics.

Improved play from Boston's proven stars and James having anything less than a monster performance should be enough for the Celtics to stay within this big number.

I don't see the Celtics having anything left in the tank for this matchup, This is the aging Celtics' fifth game in 10 days.


The Celtics did what they had to do - win twice at home to tie the series, including going overtime this past Sunday. But the physical and emotional cost was high. The Celtics' tired legs already were on display in the second half during Sunday's Game 4 when Miami outscored the Celtics, 42-28.


The Heat are younger and more athletic. They will take advantage. LeBron James and Dwayne Wade are in their prime. The same can't be said for Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.


James and Wade are going to get their points. The same can't be said for Boston's Big Three. It's a nice plus for Miami if Chris Bosh can play.


The Celtics can't be trusted to score enough to keep this game close. Boston is averaging 86.2 points in eight playoff games. That average shrinks to 83.2 points per game if you take away the 107 points the Celtics put up against the 76ers.


Miami is 7-1 at home in the playoffs. The Heat are 6-1 ATS when laying seven or more in the playoffs.

San Antonio has the best offense its ever had under Gregg Popovich. The Spurs have gone above 100 points in 20 of their last 22 games.


If you discount Game 3, the Spurs are averaging 108 points in this series. Oklahoma City is averaging 107.3 points during the series. That's a combined average of better than 215 points, which would soar above this total.

Both teams ranked in the top three in scoring and field goal percentage during the regular season. In their last eight head-to-head matchups, the Thunder and Spurs have gone over six times.

Oklahoma City played hard and well in dispatching the Spurs, 102-82, during Game 3 of this Western Conference finals.

The Thunder caught the Spurs by surprise by frequently switching on defense. That took the Spurs out of their rhythm and was a key in San Antonio scoring the fewest points it has all season.

But let's not overreact to one game. San Antonio had won its previous 20 games. The Spurs will be more prepared for the Thunder's multi-facet defense this time. The gamble in frequently switching off defensively is that the offense can take advantage by creating mismatches.

Gregg Popovich's is a tremendous coach. This is the best offense he's had in San Antonio. He has the talent and versatile players to adjust and get his team back on track.

You always hate to lose a playoff game, but this was a major wake-up call for the Spurs. They will match the Thunder's intensity from now on. San Antonio has a tremendous record in bouncing back from a loss covering eight of the past nine times. They also are 9-4 ATS when taking points.

The Spurs have proven themselves on the road, too, going 18-8-3 ATS. Oklahoma City is 3-9 ATS the past 12 times it has played at home when facing an opponent with an above .500 road mark.

Normally I would look to fade the aging Celtics when playing for the fourth time in seven days. Not this time, though.


Home-court and playing with the desperation of an 0-2 team will get Boston past Miami in this Game 3 matchup.


Rajon Rondo is playing at the highest level. However, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce - Boston's Big Three - are a combined 34 for 89 shooting from the floor. They are better shooters than this.


Yes Boston has tired legs. But coming home is huge. The Celtics are 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 home contests. The Heat are 0-5-1 ATS the last six times they've been a road 'dog.


Boston has been hurt by fouls. The officials did serve up some home-cooking to the Heat. It's realistic to believe that if the Celtics don't at least get the benefit of some calls, at least they won't be hurt by bad calls.


The Heat had 18 second-chance points in Game 2. The Celtics will clamp down on this.


This is the Celtics' game to win. I see them getting the job down here based on adrenaline spurred on by their crowd, veteran savvy. a fair break on fouls and the continued brilliance of Rondo.

Lose this game and the Thunder very well could get swept. The zig/zap theory, which I do respect, says Oklahoma City. But I can't lay points into a San Antonio team that has won 20 in a row and so far has looked superior to the Thunder in all facets.


This leaves the total for which one play is worth an investment - under.


As good as Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden are, they aren't going to make a combined 30-for-54 field goals like in Game 2, nor is Tony Parker going to make 16 of 21 shots from the floor.


The Spurs have sharpened their defense during the playoffs giving up an average of 91.9 points per game during their 10 postseason matchups.


Oklahoma City has been playing hard. I see the Thunder going all out, though, to crack down on the Spurs' pick-and-roll game, which has been highly effective. The Spurs are a much better offense team than some perceive, but their perimeter game is far from a sure thing.


Down 2-0, the Thunder need to slow down the pace in order to guard against the Spurs' pick-and-roll and to make that extra pass, which Thunder coach Scott Brooks has stressed leading up to this game.


The pressure is all on the Thunder here. Because of that, I see them being more methodical than usual and caring on defense. The Thunder aren't a great defensive team, but they are better than they've showed.

Based on Game 6, points should be hard to come by in this Game 7 matchup. A lot of people feel this way. I don't.

I see the 76ers and Celtics easily going over this extremely low total.

While Game 6 was a dead nuts under, the previous three games in this series went over the total. The average combined point total during Games 3, 4 and 5 was 185 points, which easily would exceed this Game 7 total.

The 76ers pounded the Celtics in the paint at home in Game 6. Kevin Garnett had a lot of trouble in the low post. I see the Celtics scoring much more in the paint in this matchup.

The 76ers know they can't get away with going toe to toe against the Celtics inside in Boston. The 76ers are younger and quicker. They will try to exploit those edges by forcing a quick tempo. They will want to run - a key factor in going over. The over has cashed in 12 of the 76ers' last 16 games.

The Celtics also aren't going to back away from speeding up the pace with Rajon Rondo. He needs to push the ball in order to set up Garnett and Boston's other key veterans.

Boston has been playing every other day during the playoffs. Now the Celtics will have had two full days of rest having last seen action this past Wednesday. Note that six of the last eight meetings between these two division rivals has gone above the total.

The oddsmaker has over adjusted based on a freaky Game 6 result.

As great as LeBron James and Dwayne Wade are, the Heat have too many serious roadblocks to overcome to cover in this Game 6.

While the focus always is on James and Wade, the Heat have a depleted front-court. Chris Bosh is out and Udonis Haslem is suspended. Little used Dexter Pittman also is suspended.

The Pacers are not a good team to match up against when missing key frontcourt players such as Bosh and Haslem. Bosh was the Heat's major inside scoring threat while the underrated Haslem was a key to Miami's rebounding, defense and doing a lot of the important little things.

This has turned into a rough and rugged series. The Pacers will be highly motivated and emotional after being called soft by Larry Bird and with their playoff lives at stake. They were beaten and bullied in Miami. That won't be the case at home.

Miami isn't the same team on the road. The Heat are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games. They are just three games above .500 on the road. More telling, they are 4-11 ATS on the road versus opponents with a home winning percentage of .600 or higher.

The Pacers have been big money-makers in this type of role covering seven of the last nine times they were short 'dogs of up to 4 1/2 points.

Surprised to see the 76ers favored? I'm not. The Celtics are a losing team on the road.

The 76ers have the motivation, young legs and depth to force a Game 7. The Celtics aren't to be trusted especially knowing they would be home for Game 7 if necessary.

Boston has the marquee stars. But these teams are close in talent. The 76ers own the stronger bench.

The 76ers have responded every time following a loss in the playoffs going 4-0 in their next game. Boston, on the other hand, is 2-5 off a victory.

The aged Celts are 1-4 ATS when playing on one day's rest. They have failed to cover during five of their last six trips to Philadelphia.

The Celtics are 17-21 away from Boston this season, including the playoffs.

The first three games of this series have all gone under the total. The teams are averaging a combined 167 points. So why buck the system here and go over?

Several factors. This total is down nine points from the Game 1 over/under number. So there's been a huge adjustment.

The Heat averaged 98.5 points per game during the regular season. That was good for seventh-best. They shot an NBA fourth-best 46.9 percent from the floor while connecting on 35.9 percent of their 3-point shots.

During this series, however, the Heat are averaging 81.7 points and shooting 37.6 percent from the field. They have made only 5-of-42 shots from beyond the arc for a 3-point percentage of less than 12 percent.

Yes, some of this has to do with Indiana's defense. But it's also the result of unreasonably bad shooting that can't continue to be this poor especially from 3-point range.

Chris Bosh being out definitely hurts Miami's offense. I see LeBron James and Dwayne Wade picking up the slack even more in this crucial game for the Heat, though. Wade is going to shoot a lot better than he did in Game 3. He's a superstar who can't be kept down.

Indiana's scoring and shooting also is down and due for a correction. The Pacers are putting up 86 points per game during this series after averaging 97.7 during the regular season. Their 3-point shooting percentage is down from 36.8 percent, which ranked sixth during the regular season, to 32.6 percent.

Both teams have been missing an inordinate amount of free throws, too. Miami is making 72.9 percent of its free throws after averaging 77.5 percent in the regular season. The Pacers are hitting 75.6 percent of their free throws after making 77.5 percent of their charity tosses during the regular season.

This game is going to be intense. James and Danny Granger have been going at it hot and heavy. It wouldn't be surprising if a lot of free throws were shot in this Game 4.

The Pacers are a physical team looking to gain a breakthrough. They very well may get it. I'm not a conspiracy theorist yet I don't trust the NBA or the networks. They have to be rooting for James, Wade and the high-profile Heat rather than the small market Pacers who lack marquee stars. So the Heat, particularly James and Wade, could be making frequent trips to the free throw line.

Keep in mind, too, the short pointspread range. So it's not inconceivable that this game could go into overtime. It's certainly not asking too much for each team to reach 90 points.

The NBA playoffs are all about zigging and zagging. This is the time to zag and take the over.

The veteran, aging Celtics caught the 76ers by surprise during this past Wednesday's Game 3 by doing a lot of running.

That wasn't something the 76ers were expecting.

Not only are the 76ers going to be more prepared, but also they will be at their peak intensity level knowing a loss puts them down 3-1.

The Celtics are going to pay a price for their winning strategy in Game 3 - tired legs. Playing every other night during the playoffs following a grueling compressed schedule is going to take a big toll on the Celtics in this matchup. Don't be surprised if Boston's gas tank registers empty for this road matchup.

The Celtics have not been a strong road team either going 15-18 during the regular season. The 76ers have covered four of the last five times they've hosted Boston. They are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 overall meetings with Boston.

Having dispatched the heavily favored Bulls in their opening series and splitting two one-point games in Boston, the 76ers aren't going to be intimidated by the Celtics' mystique and superstars. Philly has by far the younger legs and a better bench.

Look for the 76ers to tie up the series with a solid victory in this matchup.

The Thunder are the dominant team in this matchup, especially when playing at home. That was proven when they beat the Lakers, 119-90, this past Monday night.

It is on the Lakers to make the proper adjustments. I don't believe Lakers coach Mike Brown is capable of making the right moves, at least until his team gets back to Los Angeles. The Lakers have failed to cover 17 of the past 23 times when playing on just one day's rest.

The Lakers have been brutal on the road all season. They don't have the young legs and athleticism of the Thunder. This is a bad matchup for the Lakers. The Thunder has the big people to bother Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Oklahoma City has covered in six of its last eight home meetings against the Lakers.

Los Angeles doesn't have the defensive stoppers to keep in check Oklahoma City's pick-and-roll game. Ron Artest, or whatever name he's calling himself these days, no longer has the ability to clamp down on star scorers such as Kevin Durant. Russell Westbrook and Durant combined for 58 percent shooting from the floor against the Lakers. It wasn't a fluke.

A key for the Lakers is defensive pressure. Yet the Lakers could force only four turnovers in Game 1 against a Thunder squad that was the most turnover-prone team in the league.

The Lakers have been a money-burner in this role going just 1-7 ATS as a playoff underdog. Don't think the Thunder are going to take their foot off the gas either if they build a big lead after Artest's cheap elbow shot knocked out James Harden.

Gutty performance for the Clippers winning Game 7 on the road against Memphis this past Sunday. It was the first time the Clippers have ever won a Game 7.

Unfortunately for the Clippers, this quick turnaround leaves them highly vulnerable for this matchup. The Spurs have had more than a week to rest and prepare. No coach is better with additional prep time than Gregg Popovich.

No team is hotter than San Antonio either. The Spurs are riding a 14-game winning streak. They are 22-5-1 ATS in their last 28 home games.

The Spurs will be ready. The same can't be said of the Clippers, who are drained and battered. Blake Griffin is playing on one leg. If this weren't a playoff game, he would be sitting out. Chris Paul is dealing with hip and groin injuries. Caron Butler has a broken left hand.

The Clippers upset Memphis in Game 7 thanks to a great bench performance and the Grizzlies choking. That combination isn't going to happen here. The Spurs have a strong bench, thanks in part to a masterful job by Popovich of resting his veterans during the regular season to get his reserves more quality time, and the Clippers can't count on Randy Foye and Nick Young. These are Washington Wizard castoffs after all.

I'm not deterred by the double-digit spread. The Spurs are 10-1 ATS the last 11 times they've given up 11 or more points. San Antonio also is 10-3 ATS versus the Clippers.

The Pacers were right with the Heat until the final few minutes in Game 1. Now the Heat don't have Chris Bosh, out with an abdominal strain. It's a huge loss for Miami.

The Pacers really have a huge size advantage now. Miami is hurt both offensively and defensively without Bosh.

Bosh gave Miami a low-post scoring presence, which helped free up double-teams on LeBron James and Dwayne Wade. Now the Heat's scoring options are more limited. The Pacers certainly will be anticipating more pick-and-rolls for James and Wade.

Miami has the best home mark in the Eastern Conference, but the Pacers have played well down the stretch and on the road. They had won seven straight away matchups until losing to Miami in Game 1.

Spread-wise, this has been an underdog series with the favorite going just 10-24-1 ATS during the past 35 meetings.

Boston owns the star power, but these two teams are very even.

The Celtics have playoff experience and bigger names. The 76ers have younger legs, are more athletic and have a deeper bench.

The statistics were nearly even in Game 1. The Celtics won, 92-91, after falling behind by 10 points in the last quarter. Boston sank 18 of 19 free throws for the game.

I don't see the Celtics connecting on nearly 95 percent of their free throws again. The 76ers outscored Chicago in their first-round series every time during the final period. The 76ers aren't intimidated by the Celtics. They learned a tough lesson in Game 1. I see them confident and prepared to pull the upset in Game 2 after coming so close this past Saturday.

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett continue to play big minutes without much rest between games. Tired old legs could catch up to Boston in this matchup.

Yes, Indiana is much improved. The Pacers also have played well down the stretch against the big boys, which has been impressive.

But the Pacers aren't strong enough to keep things close against Miami in American Airlines Arena, where the Heat are 31-5 counting their three home wins versus the Knicks in Round One of the playoffs.

The Pacers are sailing in unchartered waters being in the second round of the playoffs against an elite foe.

The Heat need to make an early statement in this playoff series. Pacers coach Frank Vogel's comments about the Heat doing a lot of flopping may have closed any back-door possibilities his team had of Miami letting up late if it builds a big lead.

Indiana has excellent height. The Heat, though, are an underrated rebuilding team. They finished first in defensive rebounding, a category the Pacers were 17th in.

The Heat also has not only the two best players on the court - LeBron James and Dwayne Wade - but also the third-best in Chris Bosh. I would take Bosh over Danny Granger, Indiana's best player. Granger is just a 40.5 percent shooter from the floor career-wise versus the Heat.

Atlanta is a much more dangerous team with All-Star big man Al Horford back from pectoral surgery. Horford and Josh Smith give the Hawks a key edge in the paint.

The Hawks have playoff experience. They are talented enough to take the next level - that of knocking off a quality playoff foe. That very well could happen if the Hawks win this game since they would then host Game 7.

All season, the Hawks have played to the level of competition. They've been better against tougher foes while relaxing against lesser opponents.

The Hawks have covered six of their last seven road contests. They are 9-4 ATS as underdogs. This has been an underdog series with the 'dog getting the money seven of the past nine times these teams have met.

Aside from Rajon Rondo, the core of the Celtics aren't in their prime. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett are all over-the-hill. They may have enough left to pull this game out, but covering this mid-range number is asking too much of aged Boston against a quality foe looking to take the next step up.

Philadelphia and Chicago are two very strong defensive clubs. But this total is too low.

Yes, the two teams went under this number during Games 3 and 4. That was in Philadelphia. This matchup is in Chicago where the teams averaged better than 197 points combined in Games 1 and 2.

Each team just needs to reach 85 points for this total to go over. The 76ers and Bulls got to 171 in Game 4 this past Sunday despite shooting only 40 and 39 percent from the floor.

In Game 3, the teams shot just 34 and 37 percent from the field. The defenses are strong - but not that strong. A correction is in order and it won't take much of that to nudge this one over.

The 76ers, for instance, have gone over 85 points in 13 of their last 14 games. The Bulls have scored at least 85 in 12 of their past 16 games.

Joakim Noah is out for the Bulls. That hurts the over, but the Bulls have had a full game now to adjust to Noah's absence. The flip side of Noah being out is it makes 76ers center Spencer Hawes a much more feared offensive player. Hawes scored 22 points hitting nine of 11 shots from the floor during Sunday's 76ers' victory.

Hawes was having an excellent season until getting hurt. He's healthy now and a offensive force with Noah out.

The Celtics have grabbed a 2-1 series lead courtesy of their overtime victory against Atlanta in Game 3. But the series is taking a toll already on Boston particularly aging veterans Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

Both have been playing big minutes. Celtics coach Doc Rivers is going to have to reduce their minutes, or their effectiveness is going to diminish.

I see Boston not being as intense partly because of this. The Hawks need this game desperately and will be going all out. The Hawks took Game 3 to overtime despite missing Josh Smith, their best all-around player.

The versatile Smith can play center, which is huge with Atlanta missing Al Horford. Smith missed Game 3 due to a sprained knee but vows to play in this game.

The Hawks have covered the past six times following a straight-up defeat. They are 7-2 ATS the last nine times they've been road 'dogs.

Boston is going to be hard-pressed to win by a margin - if the Celtics even manage to win this game. The Celtics are 3-15 ATS when laying between five and 10 1/2 points.

I don't care if Derrick Rose is out and Philadelphia is home, Chicago should not be an underdog.

The Bulls are at least one level higher than the 76ers even without Rose.

Philadelphia finally played a good game in blowing out the Bulls in Chicago. Don't look for the 76ers to shoot 59 percent from the floor like they did in Game 2.

The Bulls have tremendous pride in their defense under Tom Thibodeau. Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer both had off games. That won't happen again.

The Bulls have proven they can win on the road and without Rose. They have covered 21 of their last 31 away contests.

The 76ers are not a dominant home club. They have failed to cover in their last five home games, while losing their past four home contests straight-up.

While Rose being out of the playoffs rates a headline, the 76ers' best player, Andre Iguodala, is less than 100 percent due to Achilles' tendonitis. Iguodala is the key to the 76ers' fast-break and also a top defender. If he's not 100 percent, the 76ers might be forced to play more half-court, which fits into the Bulls' hands.

Miami has won the first two games of this series by a combined 43 points. Now the scene shifts to New York so the spread is much lower with the Knicks down 0-2.

But the Knicks don't have the heart and key bodies to keep this game close.

New York's backcourt is down Jeremy Lin, Inman Shumpert, its top perimeter defender, and Baron Davis is limited by a back injury. In the forecourt, Amare Stoudemire is out and center Tyson Chandler has been battling the flu.

The Heat smell blood. They want this series over with fast so there will be no letdown. LeBron James and Dwayne Wade have strong histories when playing at famed Madison Square Garden. The Heat are 4-1 ATS during their past five visits to New York.

The Heat also have covered nine of the past 11 times they've been playoff favorites.

Utah received a humbling lesson in Game 1, losing to the Spurs, 106-91.

The Jazz found out the hard way that veteran, playoff savvy teams like the Spurs turn things up a notch in the playoffs.

Expect the Jazz to be more mentally prepared for this matchup and also to play harder particularly in guarding point guard Tony Parker.

Utah has the height and talent to stay within this double-digit pointspread range. The Jazz entered the post-season playing well winning seven of their last nine, including the past five. They earned their way into the more competitive Western Conference playoffs. They are a team worthy of respect.

The Jazz, though, have a lot of youth. That inexperience showed in Game 1. Lesson learned.

Utah is going to be more physical in this matchup. More important, the Jazz have the necessary big people to be effective with this kind of motivation. The Jazz have a tough front line with Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap and Derrick Favors. The Spurs' front line probably is going to be down a key reserve with backup center Tiago Splitter doubtful with a left wrist injury.

The Spurs haven't been great as a playoff favorite going 1-5-1 ATS in that role.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau is taking some unfair heat for leaving Derrick Rose in the game when the Bulls had Game 1 in hand against the 76ers. Rose tore his anterior cruciate ligament and is out for the rest of the playoffs.

I expect the Bulls to respond to Rose's injury and the criticism of their coach with a huge effort. Even without Rose, the Bulls are good enough to cover this number at home against Philadelphia.

The Bulls didn't have Rose for 27 games this season and still won 18 of those contests.

The Bulls hosted the 76ers on March 17 in the team's last regular-season meeting and Chicago won by nine despite Rose not playing. Chicago has covered four of the past five times it has hosted Philadelphia.

The 76ers beat up bad teams - especially at home - but failed all season to step up when playing elite foes. They are 2-10 ATS the past 12 times they've faced opponents with a winning percentage above .600. Philadelphia is 4-10 ATS the last 14 times it has been an underdog.

Indiana's lack of playoff experience showed when it was upset at home, 81-77, this past Saturday in Game 1 by Orlando.

Expect the Pacers to be better prepared this time and not to take the Dwight Howard-less Magic lightly.

The playoff-tested Magic were successful in getting the Pacers to play their halfcourt style of game. Indiana only had five fastbreak points. The Pacers didn't shoot well either from the floor or foul line where they were 13 of 22. The Magic turned in their "A" defensive game.

I don't see the Magic doing that again as the Pacers will be determined to run more. Indiana knows its season is on the line as it can't go to Orlando down 0-2 in the series.

The Pacers were playing well heading into the postseason going 12-3. I see them regaining the momentum with Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert coming up big. They are the two best players on the court with Howard out.

Boston may very well win this series, but I don't see the Celtics stealing Game 1 from the Hawks in Atlanta.

The Hawks are younger than Boston, have home-court advantage and have paid enough playoff dues to be considered a serious contender to reach the Eastern Conference finals now that Chicago's Derrick Rose has been sidelined for the rest of the season.

Home-court advantage can't be underestimated here. The Hawks were 23-10 at home during the regular season. Boston was 15-18 on the road. The Celtics' last road game was on April 20 at Atlanta. The Hawks won, 97-92, although the Celtics did hold out their key players, including Rajon Rondo.

The Celtics may be without Ray Allen, who has missed the last two weeks with a sore ankle.

The Hawks have made strides during the past few years. They are ready to step up now. This is their chance. A Game 1 loss could prove devastating to their fragile egos - and they know it. The Hawks will be ready.

The defending world champion Mavericks certainly are down from last season. But they have enough veteran savvy, pride and talent to make things close.

Oklahoma City isn't playing well. The Thunder are not an elite defensive team and were not sharp down the stretch. They are just 7-7 in their last 14 games, including 3-3 during their past six home contests.

Dallas has lost by an average of just three points in its two visits to Oklahoma City this season. The road team is 17-4-1 ATS in this series.

The Mavericks have enjoyed great pointspread success in Oklahoma City going 13-3-1 ATS. The Mavericks are 8-1-1 ATS the past 10 times they've been playoff 'dogs.

Dallas is the more experienced playoff team and gave up nearly three points fewer per game than the Thunder.

James Harden is expected to play for Oklahoma City, but he figures to be rusty seeing his first action since suffering a concussion.

It's a mistake to take Toronto lightly, which the oddsmaker is doing. Since March 28, the Raptors have upset Denver, Philadelphia and Boston. The Raptors are 8-3 ATS versus foes with a winning home mark.

The spread is high because this is a must-win spot for the Bucks. Let's face it, though, the Bucks aren't going to make the playoffs. For that to happen, the Bucks would need to win their final three games while the 76ers lose their last three games.

The 76ers tip off an hour earlier than the Bucks tonight. The 76ers are big favorites against the Nets. There's a possibility the Bucks could find out the 76ers have closed them out even before their game against the Raptors is finished. That would be very mentally deflating and certainly open up the back-door.

The Raptors, though, probably aren't going to need a back-door as they should be competitive all the way with Milwaukee. The Bucks haven't responded well to the pressure losing five of their last seven games.

Milwaukee has failed to cover 10 of the past 14 times it has been home chalk. Only twice since the start of February have the Bucks won by more than 10 points at home.

Toronto has been a solid money-making road club all season cashing 59 percent of its away matchups. The Raptors don't get enough respect from the marketplace. That's the case again.

The good news for the Knicks is they are in the playoffs. The bad news is there's nothing the Knicks really can do to avoid meeting either Chicago or Miami in the first round of the playoffs.

The Hawks are a better team than the Knicks, have home-court and won't lack for motivation. The Hawks are trying to secure home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs. They need to beat out Orlando and Boston to accomplish that.

The teams met three weeks ago in Atlanta and the Hawks won by 10 as three-point favorites. Atlanta is 8-3-1 ATS the past 12 times it has been chalk.

This is a very short number for the Hawks to cover.

Done in by injuries and the trade of Monta Ellis, Golden State has dropped 18 of its last 22 games.

Things have gotten so bad that the Warriors were mentioned on ESPN during a report on tanking for a high lottery pick.

The Warriors were mad about this. I expect them to go all out in this matchup. Dallas can clinch a playoff berth with a win in this game. Winning and covering by more than 10 points, though, are two different things.

The Mavericks do not have a good history when it comes to covering a large number at home. They are 6-18 ATS when laying 11 or more at home. The last time Dallas won by more than 10 points at home was on Feb. 20, a span of 15 home games.

The Warriors are the youngest team in the league right now starting four rookies. One of these rookies is Klay Thompson, who is playing very well averaging 23.5 points in his last four games.

Yes, that's a lot of inexperience for Golden State. But it's also fresh legs, which is so important at this late stage of a condensed and compressed NBA schedule caused by the lockout. The Mavericks happen to be the oldest team in the league.

This marks Dallas' fourth game in six days. The Mavericks play at Chicago on Saturday. The backdoor is wide open here for the Warriors, whose young players can be counted on to play hard the entire game as they audition for next season.

As bad as Golden State has been from a straight won-lost perspective, the Warriors have been big money-makers on the road covering 11 of their last 14 away contests.

Houston is fighting for a playoff spot. New Orleans is lottery bound. Hence a lopsided spread.

The Rockets probably will come out hard, but they are not playing well enough to be installed as this high of a road favorite. Houston has lost five in a row, allowing an average of more than 107 points per game during this span.

New Orleans is the superior defensive team. The Hornets rank in the top 10 in defense and are No. 2 in defensive 3-point percentage. The 3-point shot is a key weapon for the Rockets, whose one-time bench strength has been reduced by injuries and wear and tear of the condensed season.

The Hornets are playing loose - and well. They've won four of their past five yielding an average of less than 83 points per game during this time frame.

The Hornets have covered seven of the last eight times versus Houston. The Hornets have been a huge money-maker taking points covering 21 of the past 29 times as a 'dog. This includes seven straight covers as a home 'dog.

Phoenix has done a nice job of making a playoff run. Steve Nash still is a great talent. But the Suns are nowhere near the class of Oklahoma City.

The Thunder rank with Chicago, Miami and San Antonio as one of the four best teams in the NBA. The Suns have fared well against lesser foes, but haven't been able to step in against these elite teams. They are 0-7 versus these foes, including 0-2 to Oklahoma City losing by 11 and 10 points.

Oklahoma City is in a tight battle with San Antonio for the best record in the West. So the Thunder not only will be playing hard and focused in this matchup, but they are off a humiliating loss blowing a nine-point halftime lead in a 92-77 road loss to the Clippers this past Monday. The Thunder were held to an embarrassing 25 second-half points.

The Thunder are 17-6 (74 percent) ATS in their next game after not covering the spread in their previous game.

Oklahoma City also matches up well to the Suns, who do not have a great bench and are small in the paint. The Thunder have beaten Phoenix five straight times. They are 12-4 ATS during their last 16 visits to Phoenix.

Ancient Grant Hill probably is still the Suns' best defender. He missed Phoenix's last game this past Monday with a sore knee and would be limited to keep Kevin Durant in check even if he were able to play against the Thunder, which is iffy.

It's not often the Lakers are home underdogs even minus Kobe Bryant. But they are right now. The Lakers cashed as home 'dogs earlier this season against Miami and Chicago. They are 7-1 ATS the past eight times they've been 'dogs of up to 4 1/2 points.

Bryant remains out, but the Lakers have been playing well without him winning three in a row. Los Angeles' big people are stepping up and Matta World Peace is playing his finest ball of the season.

I expect the Spurs to play hard in this matchup, but there's always the possibility of Gregg Popovich resting his three star starters - Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Popovich has been unpredictable in this regard, usually waiting until near tip-off to make that decision. Obviously that would be a huge plus if that were to occur locking into the Lakers' dog number right now.

But I like the Lakers to win straight-up, if not cover this number, regardless. They have beaten San Antonio during the past three meetings, winning by an average of 13 points. They are 10-4 ATS versus the Spurs during the last four meetings.

Revenge can be overrated in the NBA. But not in this quickest of turnarounds.

Toronto shocked Atlanta, 102-86, as 10-point road 'dogs Sunday dealing a blow to the Hawks' chances of getting the No. 3 seed in the East. Now the Hawks have a golden revenge opportunity with the humiliation of losing to the lowly Raptors fresh in their minds.

Toronto has multiple injuries. The Raptors are minus three of their top four scorers, including assists leader Jose Calderon. The Raptors also shocked the Celtics this past Friday winning straight-up as a 7 1/2-point 'dogs. I don't see any way the Raptors beating the Celtics and Hawks twice during a four-day span, especially with their depleted roster.

The Hawks had more assists and fewer turnovers than the Raptors on Sunday. But were out-shot 55 percent to 40 percent from the field. Atlanta missed 17 of 22 shots from beyond the arc. This was a fluke occurrence. The Hawks rank fifth in defense giving up 93 points per game, while Toronto is 27th offensively averaging 91 points per contest.

The Hawks have the stars with Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, the motivation and bench to take advantage of a crippled Raptors squad that has played above their heads two straight times. It's rare in the NBA for even good teams to put together three straight "A" game efforts. I certainly can't see the Raptors pulling it off.

Orlando clinched a playoff spot beating Cleveland, 100-84, on Sunday. Even though the lowly Cavaliers were the opponent, the Magic still were relieved to win because of their many key injuries.

Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu may not play again during the regular season. And now the Magic have a cluster injury problem in the pivot as Glen Davis, Howard's replacement, went down with a right knee injury just seven minutes into the game against the Cavaliers.

While the Magic are playing for the third time in four days, the 76ers have been idle since Friday. This not only is a revenge game for the 76ers, which fell to the Magic at home eight days ago, but also a key matchup regarding their now iffy playoff status. The 76ers host Indiana on Tuesday and then close with five straight road contests. They have to take advantage of this favorable situational spot.

I think the 76ers will as they are healthy now and have the quality reserves to take advantage of Orlando's thin lineup. The Magic have only covered once the last nine times they've played a foe with a winning record.

The Knicks have been playing well at home under Mike Woodson. It now looks like the Knicks are indeed a playoff team. In fact, if the season ended today the Knicks would open against Miami.

That's one of many factors why the Heat are the right side in this matchup. The Heat haven't been playing well on the road. They want to put a halt to that. The opportunity couldn't come in a better matchup - against a possible first-round foe, on national television and at Madison Square Garden. The motivation for the superior team will be there.

It's the Heat's first visit this season to MSG and you know LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, who is expected to play, will be itching to put on a great show in the Big Apple.

The Heat still are a much better team than the Knicks no matter where the game is played. Miami is 2-0 versus New York beating the Knicks both times in Miami winning by an average of 12 points.

The Knicks are down Amare Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin. It also looks like that guard Ian Shumpert may be out, too, with a sprained ankle. If he goes, he won't be 100 percent. Shumpert is the Knicks' first choice to defend James.

The Pacers have established a little breathing room in their quest to gain the all-important No. 3 playoff seed in the East owning a two-game lead.

The Pacers escaped the Cavaliers' upset bid this past Wednesday and face easy opponents in their next three games. So this matchup sets up as a letdown spot for Indiana. Certainly the back-door should be open for Cleveland as the Pacers have games on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday.

The Pacers do not have a good track record in this situation failing to cover eight of the last 10 times when facing a sub .500 foe. They are 3-8 ATS the last 11 times when laying points.

The second part of this equation is can the Cavaliers hold up their part?

Star rookie Kyrie Irving remains out with a sprained shoulder. But the Cavaliers have been getting spirited play from youngsters Lester Hudson, Alonzo Gee and Tristain Thompson in covering their last five games. The Cavaliers have either won or lost in overtime during their past four games. Hudson is becoming a remarkable story as the D-League castoff is riding a hot hand averaging 23.3 points in the last four games.

Cleveland led Indiana by seven with six minutes left in its overtime loss this past Wednesday at home. The Cavaliers were outshot from the floor and shot 13 fewer free throws in that loss to Indiana. Yet they still took it to overtime. Irving didn't play in that game either.

The Cavaliers have a good history, too, in Indiana during their post LeBron James era going 4-1-1 ATS in their last six visits.

Chicago has the best road mark in the NBA and expects to get back Derrick Rose for this matchup. He's missed the last 12 games with a groin injury.

I still like the Bulls strong even if Rose doesn't play. Chicago is 15-7 when Rose hasn't played. The Bulls had won 12 of their last 14 road games by an average of more than 13 points until losing in their last away matchup. That was to powerful Oklahoma City.

Chicago has covered 19 of its last 26 road matchups. The Bulls are 8-2 ATS the past 10 times they've been road chalk.

The Knicks get a ton of publicity, but they are just one game above .500. They are a borderline playoff team, while the Bulls rank with the Heat, Thunder and Spurs as one of the four best teams in the league. You could make a case the Bulls are the best when Rose is healthy.

The Knicks are minus star Amare Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin, their best point guard. The Knicks would have a hard time keeping close to the Bulls even if they had a full deck.

I like Memphis much more as a 'dog rather than a favorite. I feel the same way about Dallas.

Now we have a matchup where the Grizzlies are favored against Dallas. The Mavericks have covered 73 percent during the past 27 times they've been an underdog.

The Grizzlies have failed to cover seven of the past eight times they've been chalk. Memphis just ended Miami's 17-game home win streak on Friday night in what could be its most satisfying win of the season. The Grizzlies now have to turn around fly home and play 24 hours later.

Memphis is 2-6 ATS following a straight-up victory. The Grizzlies are facing fatigue issues, too. This is their fourth game in five days and sixth game in nine days. They might be without starting guard and key defender Tony Allen a second straight night. He missed the win against the Heat due to facial lacerations suffered this past Wednesday.

Dallas can't afford not to be ready and focused for this game. The Mavericks lost at home to Portland on Friday night, dropping a game behind second-place Memphis in the Southwest Division. The Mavericks beat the Grizzlies at home, 95-85, this past Wednesday.

Golden State is under the radar when it comes to be a money-making road team. The Warriors have covered seven of their last eight away games and are in a good spot to get the money again.

Memphis is playing for the fourth time in five days. The Grizzlies are returning home following a huge upset road win against Oklahoma City on Monday night.

The Grizzlies are in a letdown spot now. This is their least important game of the week as they go right back on the road following this matchup taking on the Mavericks in Dallas Wednesday and then play at Miami on Friday.

It's tough to be on the road for three straight games and then return home for less than 24 hours to play another game before taking off again. It's difficult both from a physical and mental standpoint. That's what the Grizzlies face, though. Making matters harder for the Grizzlies is they have injuries.

Starting point guard Mike Conley (ankle) and reserve Dante Cunningham (ankle) have missed the last two games. Zach Randolph is back, but has averaged a mediocre 12.7 points since returning from a torn right MCL.

The Warriors have improved their defense on the road and cut down on their turnovers. They have held five of their last seven road foes to 93 points or less during regulation.

Golden State isn't going to the playoffs. But the Warriors won't lack for motivation in a triple revenge spot. Two of the Warriors' losses to Memphis this season have been by one point, including a game at home when they blew a 17-point fourth-quarter lead.

The Warriors will be gunning hard in this matchup, while it's hard to believe the Grizzlies will produce an "A" type game in this letdown spot. The Grizzlies aren't nearly strong enough to cover this large of a number unless coming up with a strong performance.

It wouldn't surprise me at all to see Miami win the championship this season. But right now the Heat don't deserve to be laying this big of a number to the defending world champions.

Dallas is 6-2 in its last eight games. The Mavericks have been up and down. Right now they are up and highly motivated. Yes, the Mavericks beat the Heat in the championship series last season.

But Miami embarrassed the Mavericks in their previous meeting this season beating Dallas, 105-94, on Christmas Day. It was championship banner day for the Mavericks and the Heat buried them building up a 35-point lead.

The prideful Mavericks haven't forgotten. They will be sky-high for this nationally televised matchup. A key for Dallas is the shooting of Dirk Nowitzki and right now he's hot averaging 25.6 points per game during his last nine games.

Historically, the Mavericks have been strong in this type of situation. They are 37-16-1 ATS versus foes with a winning home mark. Dallas is 13-3-1 ATS in its last 17 visits to Miami.

Every team experiences low points during the season. The Heat are going through theirs right now, losing by double-digits in their last two games falling to Oklahoma City and Indiana on the road.

The Heat are suffering from fatigue, boredom and a painful injury to LeBron James, who is playing with a dislocated ring finger on his non-shooting hand.

Miami has been held under 100 points in 11 of its last 13 games. The Heat are averaging just 89.8 points during their last six games. Since March 2, the Heat rank 25th in scoring.

Maybe the Heat turns things around in this matchup. But I'll take this many points with a quality, veteran, motivated underdog to find that out. Miami would just be happy to escape with a victory considering the way it has been playing.

Chicago isn't likely to have Derrick Rose again. But the Bulls are still 12-5 without Rose and in a favorable situation.

The Bulls are highly motivated following their most embarrassing loss of the season, a 108-91 defeat at home this past Monday to Denver.

If the Bulls play their normal strong defensive game, Atlanta is going to be in deep trouble. Chicago ranks second in the NBA in fewest points allowed at 89.1 per contest.

Chicago has covered 18 of its 26 road games. The Bulls are playing for just the third time in seven days.

Atlanta is in a much different situation. The Hawks are playing for the fifth time in six days. The Hawks had to go four overtimes to beat Utah this past Sunday and then lost on Tuesday night to the Bucks in Milwaukee.

If this were last year, or even earlier in the season, I probably would stay away from this game since I have great respect for Oklahoma City and for Portland - when the Trail Blazers are playing in the Rose Garden.

But things are different now in Portland. The Trail Blazers have blown up their season sacking Nate McMillan and dealing their two best defenders, Gerald Wallace and Marcus Camby.

The Trail Blazers are in rebuilding mode and deficient at two key positions, point guard and center. Oklahoma City is the top team in the Western Conference right. The Thunder rank with the Heat, a team they just beat by 16 points this past Sunday, and the Bulls as the best in basketball.

Oklahoma City is playing at one of its highest levels averaging 122 points during the past three games, all victories. The Thunder are shooting 53.2 percent from the floor, averaging more than 10 steals per game and more than six blocks per game during this span.

The Thunder shouldn't lack for motivation. It has been two days since they knocked off the Heat and they are playing for home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Portland isn't a good team anymore. The Trail Blazers are 14 games worse than the Thunder. They are 6-18 ATS the past 24 times they've been an underdog.

The Thunder, on the other hand, are 11-5 ATS versus opponents with a losing record.

Normally you won't find me laying points with New Jersey. But this is an exceptional situation.

The Nets are terrible at home. But Utah is no bargain on the road losing 17 of 24 away matchups.

New Jersey catches the Jazz after Utah just played the third-longest game in league history yesterday losing in quadruple-overtime to Atlanta on the road. Utah had five of its players log more than 49 minutes against the Hawks.

There is no rest for the weary, however. The Jazz now have to play for the fourth time in five days. Utah is 2-7 ATS on the road when facing an opponent with a losing home record. The Jazz also have failed to cover in six of their past eight visits to New Jersey.

The Nets aren't going anywhere except to the lottery following the season, but they do have a revenge motive. The Jazz beat them 107-94 in mid-January. Deron Williams, a former Jazz player, had a terrible game missing 12 of 15 shots from the floor and committing five turnovers.

Expect the prideful Williams, an elite point guard, and his teammates to be motivated and take advantage of an obviously worn down Jazz team.

Indiana hasn't been a good home team against the spread failing to cover 11 of the past 16 times at home. Now the Pacers catch an angry Heat team coming off a 103-87 loss on national television to Oklahoma City.

Miami ranks with the Thunder and Bulls among the upper elite. Indiana is at least two rungs below the Heat. The Pacers have played the Heat three times this season and lost all three times with only one of the matchups being close.

Miami won the other two games by 15 points at Indiana and by 35 at home. Prior to losing to Oklahoma City, the Heat had allowed an average of only 81.7 points in their last four games.

Miami is in a back-to-back situation, but Indiana is playing for the fourth time in five days. The Heat have covered in 11 of their last 15 Eastern Conference matchups and is 7-3 ATS the past 10 times when facing the Pacers.

The line is short here for two big reasons - the Spurs are playing their third game in three days and there is a strong possibility they could rest Tim Duncan.

Still, I like the Spurs to cover this short number.

Despite Gregg Popovich occasionally sitting out one of his star players, the Spurs still are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games. They got past New Orleans on the road last night despite resting Manu Ginobili. San Antonio is 10-0-1 ATS following a non-spread performance.

Philadelphia isn't playing nearly as well as it did early in the season, especially on the road where it is 3-8 ATS. They have failed to break triple digits in five of their last six games.

The 76ers have lost in their last seven visits to San Antonio. They are 2-7 ATS in their past nine games versus Western Conference foes.

Philadelphia has crushed weaker competition, but has failed repeatedly to step up versus elite teams. Since Feb. 29, the 76ers have played the Thunder, Bulls twice and the Heat. They lost to the Thunder by four at home. They lost to the Bulls by five at home. They lost to the Heat by six at home and they lost on the road to the Bulls by nine despite Chicago missing Derrick Rose.

Golden State is at low ebb with four straight losses. Morale is at a season-low with the Warriors following the trade of Monta Ellis and Epke Udoh for two players - Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson - who won't play for the Warriors this season. Bogut is out for the year with a broken ankle and Jackson was immediately dealt away.

Golden State fans are down with team ownership and now the players are down knowing management has done nothing to help them make the playoffs.

Ellis was Golden State's most explosive player. The Warriors also are without Stephen Curry. He's sidelined with an ankle injury. In addition, big man Andris Biedrins may not play due to a groin injury.

This is a rare winnable home game for the Hornets. They should be primed for it having not played since Saturday when they beat New Jersey on the road. The Hornets are 9-1 ATS when playing on three days rest.

Golden State was idle on Tuesday, but is 1-5 ATS when playing on one day rest. This marks the Warriors' fourth game in six days and eighth game in 12 days. The loss of Ellis and Curry leaves them shorthanded in the backcourt.

There are reasons why Oklahoma City easily has the best record in the Western Conference. One primary factor is a 15-7 road mark, including a 13-9 ATS record.

The Thunder also know how to beat Utah. The Thunder are 8-2 in their last 10 meetings versus Utah, including 2-0 this season winning by 14 at Utah and by 26 at home. The Thunder have captured the past five meetings by an average of 15 points per game.

Utah is a good home team and off a shocking road win against the Lakers. But the Lakers didn't play well in that game. The Jazz aren't close to being in the Thunder's class and Oklahoma City won't be taking Utah lightly after seeing what the Jazz did to the Lakers.

New Jersey is one of the weakest home teams covering just seven of its past 28 home contests. Cleveland has covered in five of its last six visits to New Jersey.

The Nets are at their worst when playing weak opponents failing to cover in 10 of their last 12 matchups versus below .500 teams.

The Cavaliers are 8-2 ATS when taking up to 4 1/2 points.

Both teams are breaking in new players following this past Thursday's trade deadline. So there is a feeling out process going on both sides of the ball.

This is Cleveland's second game in two days, but only their second game in five days. New Jersey could be the more tired team since this marks the Nets' third game in four days.

It's a big game for the Cavaliers' prize rookie star Kyrie Irving, who starred in high school in New Jersey. He should have a good local following. The Cavaliers are still in the playoff hunt, 3 1/2 games out of the eighth position in the Eastern Conference.

The teams have met twice since January. Cleveland won 98-82 and lost 99-96. The Nets aren't strong enough to get away with laying this many points.

High morale. Added firepower and six straight covers. The Bucks have all that going for them as they take the court tonight against a very short-handed Warriors team still dealing with the fallout of their controversial and much-criticized deal with Milwaukee.

It's the Bucks now, not the Warriors, who have the far more dangerous backcourt with Monta Ellis joining Brandon Jennings. The Warriors not only don't have Ellis anymore, but also Stephen Curry isn't expected to play due to a sprained ankle.

So instead of Ellis and Curry, one of the better backcourt tandems in the NBA, the Warriors now go with well-traveled midget Nate Robinson and rookie Klay Thompson.

The Warriors are taking plenty of heat for not only dealing Ellis, but also promising Ekpe Udoh for injured Andrew Bogut and disgruntled Stephen Jackson. The Warriors immediately shipped Jackson to San Antonio for a washed-up Richard Jefferson.

Milwaukee has four straight victories. The Bucks' only defeat during their past six games was by two points to Chicago. Milwaukee is 22-4-1 ATS in their last 27 road games when facing a team with a losing home mark. The Warriors have a losing straight-up mark and ATS record at Oracle Arena.

Drew Gooden is playing well at center for Milwaukee. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is healthy and providing strong defense. Milwaukee's backcourt has been fortified. Swingman Mike Dunleavy has picked up his game.

Milwaukee, flying under the radar screen, is tied with the Knicks for the final playoff spot in the East. So this is an important game for the Bucks. Certainly Ellis and Udoh will be pumped. The Bucks have enjoyed good pointspread success at Golden State covering in eight of their past 11 visits.

The Lakers have yet to win three straight road games all season. I don't like their chances in this game either.

The Lakers knocked off Memphis, 116-111, in double overtime on Tuesday. Kobe Bryant played nearly 52 minutes. Andrew Bynum played nearly 49 and Pau Gasol logged more than 46 minutes.

A big key to the Lakers' victory against the Grizzlies was in free throw shooting. The Lakers made 28 of 34. The Grizzlies only got to shoot five free throws despite being at home. That discrepancy is sure to be on the mind's of the officials tonight.

Despite posting two consecutive road victories, the Lakers still are only 8-14 on the road. They are 8-20 ATS the past 28 times on the road when going against an opponent with a losing record.

New Orleans, on the other hand, is 7-2 ATS the last nine times it has faced a team with a winning mark. The Hornets also are 10-5 ATS in their past 15 contests.

This is the Lakers' third game in four nights. The Hornets were idle last night. They were embarrassed at home two nights ago losing to Charlotte, the worst team in the league. The Hornets should be highly motivated going against a marquee opponent and having had two days to suffer through that embarrassing Bobcats loss.

Charlotte is the worst team in the NBA. No argument there. Michael Jordan should be ashamed.

But the Bobcats are going to be golden in this spot and matchup.

Somehow Houston, an 11 1/2-point underdog, upset Oklahoma City straight-up on the road Tuesday night despite trailing by 11 during the final three minutes and missing both of its starting guards.

Out for Houston is Kyle Lowry, who has been their key player, and Kevin Martin. Lowry is out another couple of weeks with a bacterial infection while Martin was sidelined with a strained right shoulder.

The Rockets have played their last five games on the road. This is their first home game in 10 days and they've had no time to get adjusted to returning home since they played last night in Oklahoma City. This marks their fourth game in five days.

The injuries to Lowry and Martin rob the Rockets of one of their best strengths - their bench. No longer can Houston withstand such a grueling scheduling spot even against a weak opponent. The Rockets also are in a huge letdown spot and have a poor track record when stepping down in competition failing to cover the past seven times they've met a foe with a losing mark.

The Rockets have been playing terrible, too, since the All-Star break despite their great win against the Thunder compiling a 3-6 mark and 1-8 ATS record.

This atrocious spread record has occurred against terrible opponents. Just in the past week, the Rockets have lost by 18 to the Raptors and by 11 to the Cavaliers. Toronto scored the most point it has all season in regulation against the Rockets by 10 points and the Cavaliers also reached their season-high in points against the Rockets scoring 118. Just three games ago, the Nets put up 106 points on Houston despite missing Brook Lopez and Deron Williams.

Almost of this handicap is a fade on Houston, but Charlotte has covered four of its last six games and is off a road victory. The Bobcats are rested and have revenge for an embarrassing 82-70 home loss to the Rockets back on Jan. 10.

The Bobcats are as healthy as they've been the entire season. Part of their horrendous season has been due to a cluster injury problem that has now cleared up. Charlotte ranks last in scoring and is not a good rebounding team.

However, the Rockets are surrendering 108.2 points in their last eight games and have been outrebounded in 13 of their last 15 games. Given this and the scheduling spot, the Bobcats definitely can hang in if not pull the outright upset.

Give me a fair price and I have no problem fading the Trail Blazers on the road. That's what we have here.

Portland has lost 14 of 20 games on the road. The Trail Blazers are 7-13 ATS away from Rose Garden. They aren't playing particularly well either.

If it weren't for victories against two of the league's three worst teams - New Orleans and Washington - the Trail Blazers would be 0-7 in their last seven games. Portland is giving up more than 108 points per game in its last five losses.

This is Portland's fourth consecutive road game and third matchup in five days having last played on Saturday. The Trail Blazers have failed to cover the past seven times when playing on two day's rest. They also have failed to cover 15 of the past 21 times in an underdog role.

Indiana is 11-5 at home. The Pacers have dropped four in a row after winning six straight. Those defeats, however, occurred to four good-to-excellent teams - Orlando, Miami, Atlanta and Chicago.

Now the Pacers drop down in class - way down considering Portland's road history - in a stop-the-pain game. The Trail Blazers are 8-20 ATS the last 28 times they've played a foe on the road who has a winning home mark.

Portland traditionally has struggled against the Pacers on the road failing to cover in six of its last eight visits to Indiana. The Pacers are 12-3 ATS during the last 15 overall meetings against Portland.

The Trail Blazers are a totally different team away from Portland. They are a distracted lot right now with trade rumors swirling, especially involving Jamal Crawford. There also are rumblings about Nate McMillan losing his head coaching position.

The Pacers have a rugged front line with a big edge at center with Roy Hibbert. The Pacers' backcourt also could get a boost as George Hill might return after missing the last two games with a sprained shoulder. Portland continues to hurt at the key point guard position with inconsistent play.

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin certainly are star players, but how good are the Clippers?

The answer is under .500 since losing Chauncey Billups going 8-9. The Clippers have failed to cover seven of the last eight times they've been favored.

Clearly, the Clippers are an overrated team right now. The Celtics still remain dangerous this season. Yes, this is their second consecutive game and third in four days. But the Clippers are in the same boat and have even more fatigue and injury issues.

The Celtics had an early Sunday game They played against the Lakers at Staples Center, site of tonight's game. The Clippers were home, too, to Golden State but played a late night game.

The Celtics have far more age on them than the Clippers, but it was the Clippers who suffered from fatigue issues on Sunday. They had concluded a six-game road trip this past Friday knocking off the Spurs. That was an impressive win, but it should be noted that Tony Parker didn't play in that game, which was a huge negative for San Antonio.

Previous to beating the Spurs, the Clippers had lost to the Nets, Timberwolves, beat the Rockets in overtime and lost to the Suns. The losses to Minnesota and Phoenix were in the second of consecutive games.

Kenyon Martin has missed the last two games for the Clippers due to sore ribs. Paul is playing with a protective facemask to protect a nasal fracture suffered against the Spurs. This could prove bothersome for Paul playing for the second time in 48 hours. Paul also has to worry about Rajon Rondo, who is playing better than any point guard right now.

The Kings are playing better and are at home, while the Hawks have dropped two in a row, including losing in their last game to the lowly Pistons.

So are the Kings deserving of being favored here? No, the Hawks are several notches above Sacramento.

First off, the Hawks could have beaten the Heat losing, 89-86, at Miami on Wednesday blowing a 10-point second-half lead against probably the best team in basketball. Then the Hawks lost by one point to the Pistons at Detroit on Friday.

Atlanta has been playing solid defense not allowing more than 99 points in 12 straight games. During the past seven games, the Hawks are giving up an average of 88.2 points per game. That would rank them second in the NBA if computed during the entire season.

Joe Johnson returned from his knee injury against the Pistons. He had missed the four previous games. He should be less rusty against Sacramento.

The Kings are off a big revenge win against defending world champion Dallas this past Friday. The Kings shot a blistering 50.6 percent from the floor in that victory. The Kings, though, have yet to show any consistency.

Atlanta has covered the past four times it has been a 'dog. The Hawks also have defeated Sacramento seven consecutive times, averaging 110.9 points during this span.

This is a clear case of the better team getting points.

The 76ers were slumping, but are revived following an impressive home victory against Boston this past Wednesday.

Utah is playing its fourth consecutive road game. This marks the Jazz's seventh game in 11 days. Utah opened this road trip just 4-13 away from Salt Lake City.

The Jazz are 2-1 during this road swing, but their victories have been against the Cavaliers and Bobcats, two of the worst teams in the league with a combined record of 19-55.

The 76ers have been strong all season against weaker clubs, particularly at home where they are 13-6 ATS when favored.

Philadelphia has been very good when favored in this price range covering 11 of the past 13 times when laying between five and 10 1/2 points.

The 76ers also are 16-5 ATS when favored at home against a foe with a road winning percentage of less than .400.

It's taken a season and one-half, but Evan Turner had his coming out party against the Celtics. Turner is playing his finest ball, which is a huge plus to a deep 76ers squad that holds a huge guard advantage. Devin Harris hasn't come close to filling the shoes of Deron Williams at point guard for Utah.

The Bulls were flat against Milwaukee last night, happy to escape with a 106-104 road win. Tom Thibodeau wasn't happy at all with his team's defense against the Bucks. It was the first time Chicago had yielded more than 97 points in 10 games.

Now the Bulls are at United Center where they are 15-2 and giving up 84.6 points per game. That would lead the league in defense by three points.

Orlando is heavily reliant on its outside shooting since defenses pack it in against Dwight Howard. The Bulls rank fifth in the NBA in defensive field goal percentage. I see the Magic having problems scoring against a fired-up Bulls team at home. Chicago has won eight in a row and 10 of its last 11.

The Bulls are 39-19 ATS following an ATS loss.

Orlando remains inconsistent. The Magic's reliance on their up-and-down perimeter game was evident in their last game, a shocking loss this past Tuesday to the Bobcats. The Magic shot less than 39 percent from the floor and had 18 turnovers.

Orlando is weak in the backcourt, especially matching up against Derrick Rose with either Jameer Nelson or Chris Duhon. Those two can't stop Rose. The Magic have dropped four in a row to Chicago, the last one occurring on Jan. 6 when the Bulls beat Orlando, 97-83.

Memphis is playing better than any team going 9-1 in its last 10 games.

Despite this, the Grizzlies aren't getting any respect from the oddsmaker. They are a much better team than Golden State but opened as a 'dog to the Warriors.

The Grizzlies have a strong six-man rotation. Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol are two of the more underrated players in the league. Memphis does have a short bench, but that won't be a factor here.

That's because the Grizzlies are very well-rested having last played on Saturday. Golden State, though, is playing for the sixth time in nine days.

The Warriors just returned from a six-game road swing that finished Monday night at Washington. They've had less than a day to recover after flying back cross-country on Tuesday.

The Grizzlies are 2-0 this season against the Warriors. They have seven more victories than Golden State does. The wrong team opened as the favorite.

The huge gap between these two teams doesn't justify this spread at all. Houston is a playoff team right now in the Western Conference at 21-18. Toronto is tied for the fourth-fewest wins in the NBA.

True, the Rockets played on Tuesday night. They blew a 10-point lead with 5 1/2 minutes left at Boston in a 97-92 overtime loss.

But that loss not only should make the Rockets more determined, but they are a tremendous money-maker when playing for the second time in 48 hours covering eight of the last 10 times in that role.

Toronto is 6-13 straight-up at home. The Rockets hold a backcourt edge and have far superior depth, which has been a big factor in Houston compiling such a strong spread mark when playing in the second of back-to-back games. Center Samuel Dalembert also has begun to play well again for the Rockets.

Houston is 5-0 ATS the last five times it has been a road favorite. The Raptors have beaten only two teams above .500 - Minnesota and Boston.

The 76ers have struggled at home versus elite foes, but have buried weaker opponents.

The key question here is just where do the Celtics fit in? The Celtics, to me, are closer to being a non-playoff team than an elite squad,, especially when on the road without rest.

Boston has won five in a row. Those wins were against Cleveland on the road and the others were at home versus the Bucks, Nets, Knicks in overtime this past Sunday and Rockets in overtime last night.

Impressive? I certainly wouldn't say so.

I see the aged Celtics highly vulnerable in this spot after nipping the Rockets in overtime. In the last two games, Rajon Rondo is averaging 46 minutes a game, Paul Pierce 43, Ray Allen 43 and Kevin Garnett nearly 40 minutes.

Boston is 3-7 ATS in the second of back-to-back games, including 0-4 during the past four times it has been in this spot. It's the third game in four days, too, for Philadelphia. But the 76ers are much deeper than Boston with the best combination of sixth, seventh and eighth men in the game.

Lou Williams is on track to become the first reserve to lead his team in scoring without starting a game since Dell Curry in 1993-94.

The Celtics would love to win this game, but they have a more realistic chance of winning on Friday when they host Portland. Following that game, the Celtics go on the road for eight straight games, including the first four on the West Coast.

The 76ers are in a stop-the-pain situation after a tough home loss to Chicago followed by a surprising road defeat to Milwaukee. The 76ers have covered 10 of the past 12 times they've been favored by five to 10 1/2 points. Boston is 3-8 ATS as a road 'dog of between five and 10 1/2 points.

Dallas has been in a slump losing six of its last eight. But I expect the Mavericks to get back on track at home against the Knicks.

Dirk Nowitzki is shooting better, Lamar Odom has returned to the lineup and the Mavericks will be highly motivated after the Knicks beat them, 104-97, two weeks ago at Madison Square Garden.

Jeremy Lin burned the Mavericks for 28 points and a career-high 14 assists. Lin, though, is in a shooting slump missing 20 of 27 shots from the floor during the past two games. The Mavericks also know how to play Lin better now that they've faced him.

Dallas is 17-3 in its last 20 games against the Knicks despite the previous meeting. The Mavericks hung tough against Oklahoma City, the best team in the Western Conference, on the road last night losing by four points despite the Thunder getting to shoot 23 more free throws.

Nowitzki is heating up scoring 67 points in the last two games, shooting 24-of-43 from the floor during this span. The Knicks are not in good form going 2-3 in their last five games, while surrendering an average of 106.6 points in their last three games. Lin has yet to show he can successfully mesh with Carmelo Anthony.

Portland is 0-3 since the All-Star break. It's desperation time and a "Stop The Pain" game for Portland. The Trail Blazers have lost to Miami, high-scoring Minnesota and a rejuvenated Denver squad in their last three games.

Now the frustrated and mad Trail Blazers step way down in class and draw the weary and heavily banged-up Hornets.

New Orleans is making the long journey after hosting Indiana on Saturday, a 102-84 loss to Indiana. This marks the Hornets' fifth game in seven days.

The Hornets are missing Carl Landry (MCL sprain), Emeka Okafor (sore left knee), Jason Smith (concussion) and Eric Gordon (right knee injury). They also have been without Trevor Ariza (illness) for the last two games, suiting up just nine players.

The Hornets aren't going to cause Portland defensive problems like the fast-paced Heat, Timberwolves and Nuggets did. New Orleans ranks second to last in scoring averaging 88.4 points per game. Their slow style is much more suited for a half-court team such as Portland.

Despite their recent woes, the Trail Blazers are extremely tough at Rose Garden. They are 15-7-1 ATS the past 23 times they've faced a foe with a winning percentage below .400.

Charlotte is one of the worst teams in NBA history. The Bobcats have dropped seven in a row at Charlotte Arena. Their average home loss during this span is by more than 17 points.

On the season, the Bobcats are a hideous 4-30, which includes a 2-12 home mark.

The Nets have been a bad team, but are starting to come on. They've recently beaten the Bulls, Knicks and Mavericks - all on the road. Bad teams don't accomplish that.

The Nets are eager to get back to winning after a 107-94 road loss to Boston this past Friday. New Jersey has huge edges at point guard with Deron Williams and at center with Brook Lopez, who has looked great since missing most of the season with a stress fracture in his foot. He's been back for three games and is averaging 33 points in his last two games.

Lopez averaged 31 points in his last two games against Charlotte. The Bobcats might be missing starting center Bismack Biyombo, who has a shoulder injury.

The Bobcats don't have the offense to keep up with New Jersey. They are averaging an NBA-low 86.3 points per game.

The Bobcats have struggled offensively all season, averaging an NBA-low 86.3 points. They are shooting less than 39 percent from the floor during their last seven home games. They put up just 72 points in their last game this past Friday at San Antonio. The Spurs are not as strong defensively as they have been.

D.J. Augustin is one of the worst starting shooting point guards in the league and rookie off-guard Kemba Walker could be hitting the wall as he's missed 20 of 30 shots from the field during the last three games.

This is the second meeting between the two clubs. The Nets won, 97-87, at home on Jan. 22. They achieved that win without Lopez.

Now that Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and Richard Hamilton are all back healthy, the Bulls simply have too much depth and scoring for the Cavaliers to stay within single digits even at home.

The teams met in Cleveland on Jan. 20 and it wasn't close. Chicago won 114-75 despite not having Rose while the Cavaliers did have their best frontcourt player, Anderson Varejao. Now that situation is reversed with Rose playing and Varejao out.

Chicago is 7-0 ATS the past seven times it has given up five or more points on the road. Chicago also is 7-3 ATS on one day's rest and is 4-1 ATS during its last five visits to Cleveland.

Cleveland has failed to cover 14 of the past 20 times it has hosted a foe with a winning road mark. The Bulls are idle on Saturday while the Cavaliers travel to Washington to meet the Wizards in a much more realistic winning spot. Because of that, the Cavaliers very well could limit the minutes of their starters if they fall too far behind early.

No team had been playing as well as Miami before the All-Star break.

But the Heat hasn't played in a week. It's going to be difficult for Miami to put out an "A" performance with so much rust. It's going to take an "A" type of game, though, for Miami to beat an aroused and mad Trail Blazers team in Portland.

Portland didn't play well on Wednesday falling to Denver on the road, 104-95. The Trail Blazers are anxious to perform better, which they almost always do when playing at home.

Portland's Rose Garden is one of the toughest home venues in the league. The Trail Blazers are 13-5 there this season, 12-5-1 ATS.

The Trail Blazers also are 10-2 ATS following a straight-up loss. Portland has the versatility, home-court and motivation to keep this game extremely tight if not pull out the outright upset.

Dallas was very sloppy playing one of its worst games of the season in a 93-92 home loss to New Jersey Tuesday night. Some of the Mavericks' poor play can be blamed on the long All-Star break.

I see the Mavericks fired-up and bouncing back strong tonight against Memphis, which faces the same rust issues Dallas had last night. The Grizzlies last were in action back on Feb. 21.

The Grizzlies aren't in the Mavericks' class. The Grizzlies are a little better than a .500 team, especially minus Zach Randolph, while the defending champion Mavericks still are a serious contender to win the Western Conference again.

Dallas has a lot of favorable trends pointing in its direction such as an 18-7-1 ATS road mark, a 30-12-1 ATS record versus Western Conference opponents and a 10-3 ATS record following an ATS loss.

Memphis is just 1-6 ATS the last seven times it has faced Western Conference foes.

I'll ride the Hornets, who are playing their best ball. They've covered seven straight games.

New Orleans played Tuesday night and nearly upset Chicago on the road, losing 99-95 after the Bulls scored the final eight points.

That loss left the Hornets frustrated, but also confident feeling they definitely should have beaten the Bulls. New Orleans is 10-1 ATS following a cover.

The Raptors also played last night, hanging in but losing on the road to Houston, 88-85. It was Toronto's eighth loss in its last 10 games.

The Raptors have been a good spread team on the road. But this is a short line and Toronto is facing a tough defense minus its best offensive player, Andrea Bargnani.

Toronto has lost five of its last six road games straight-up. The Raptors' only road victory during this span was against the Nets.

The Hornets are getting healthier and playing their best ball. The Raptors desperately miss Bargnani's scoring.

The Wizards actually showed something on Tuesday night coming from 22 points down on the road in Milwaukee to nearly beat the Bucks, losing 119-118.

Orlando figures to be rusty having last been in action back this past Thursday. The Wizards won't have that rust problem. They should be fired-up playing at home for the first time since the All-Star break.

Washington is starting to get some mileage out of young, hungry players Chris Singleton, Jordan Crawford and Trevor Booker. They Wizards hold a big edge at point guard with John Wall against a shaky Jameer Nelson.

Orlando, of course, still has Dwight Howard. But the Wizards actually have a center who can defend well against Howard in shot-blocker JaVale McGree.

The Magic have had a tendency to play to the level of their competition particularly on the road where they are 1-5 ATS the last six times they've met a foe with a losing home mark.

The Magic also have a much bigger game on deck when they host Oklahoma City Thursday night on national television.

New Orleans entered All-Star break way under-the-radar screen having covering six straight games while going 4-2 straight-up. The Hornets, sparked by the return of point guard Jarrett Jack, were playing their best ball.

Scoff at Jack, but he's played better than some bigger name point guards
averaging 15.1 points and 6.4 assists per game.

The key is are the Hornets playing well enough to stay within this large point spread? Chicago buried the Hornets, 90-67, in New Orleans seven games ago.

The combination of the Hornets playing much better since then, possibly getting more injured players back and the Bulls with a major look-ahead game on Wednesday when they play at the Spurs should keep New Orleans within this large spread.

Certainly the backdoor is open. Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau isn't going to dole out major minutes to Derrick Rose and Luol Deng, both of whom are less than 100 percent, with a nationally televised marquee game the next night.

The Hornets are respectable defensively ranking 11th surrendering 93.2 points per game. They have held four of their last six opponents to under 90 points a game.

Center Chris Kaman has stepped up his play for the Hornets averaging 17.8 points and nine rebounds during his past six games. Now Kaman may get help as the Hornets could get big men Emeka Okafor and Jason Smith back for this matchup.

It's too early to count out the Celtics yet even though they have lost five straight times and are under .500. The oddsmaker isn't giving Boston enough respect with such a short line.

Yes, there's a lot of age on Boston. But there's a lot of pride, too. The Celtics hold down the last playoff spot right now with Cleveland just below them by 1 1/2 games. So it's a key game.

The Celtics should be refreshed following All-Star break. The teams are 1-1 against each other having played in late January. The Cavaliers upset the Celtics in Boston, 88-87 and then two days later the Celtics beat the Cavaliers in Cleveland, 93-90. The Celtics built up huge early leads in both games - and let down. The Cavaliers scored the final 12 points to pull out the first game against Boston and the Celtics nearly blew a 22-point lead in the third quarter in the next meeting.

The Celtics were caught by surprise by Kyrie Irving, who averaged 22 points in the two games, and also had to deal with Anderson Varejao, who had 20 points and 20 rebounds in the second meeting. The Celtics will be primed to stop Irving and don't have to worry about the injured Varejao.

I don't see visiting Golden State keeping this one close against the rejuvenated Pacers, who have won four in a row.

There's a huge drop, but the Pacers are the third-best team in the Eastern Conference behind Miami and Chicago. It's going to be especially tough for Golden State if star guard Stephen Curry is out with a foot injury.

Curry suffered a sprained ligament in his right foot in the Warriors' last game six days ago in a road win against the Suns. The undersized Warriors already face a matchup problem inside against All-Star Roy Hibbert. The Pacers went into break playing top-notch defense holding their last four opponents to an average of less than 90 points per game.

Indiana has beaten Golden State four straight times at home covering each game. Indiana is 9-1 in its last 10 meetings with the Warriorrs at home.

The Pacers should be fully focused coming off the All-Star break and not playing again until Saturday.

LeBron James is the best player in the NBA and Dwight Howard could be in line for a monster performance playing at home, but the underdog West has far more depth both in the frontcourt and backcourt.

The East certainly can't match the West's four-headed monster point guard roster of Steve Nash, Russell Westbrook, Tony Parker and Chris Paul.

The West also has better players in the frontcourt with Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant, Andrew Bynum, Kevin Love, Dirk Nowitzki, LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol. They are more than enough to combat Howard.

James is great in this game, but so is Kobe Bryant. He can match James point for point.

The East has several players who are good, but I don't consider real All-Stars such as Roy Hibbert, Andre Iguodala and Luol Deng. They also have players on the roster who aren't having good seasons, including Deron Williams, Paul Pierce, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh.

The coach for the East is Tom Thibodeau of Chicago. He may choose to limit the minutes of his star point guard Derrick Rose, who has battled injuries.

Obviously there's a lot of randomness that goes with an All-Star game. But the West has the stronger up-and-down lineup and is catching points. That's worth a small play.

On the surface this seems like a big number for Miami to lay. The Knicks, after all, not only have superstars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire back, but point guard Jeremy Lin is the hottest thing going in the NBA.

The reality of the situation, though, is this is a kill spot for the Heat. LeBron James and Co. can destroy any foe at home when properly motivated and in the right situation. This is the right spot and the Heat have the incentive.

The Knicks are a weary team in transition heading into All-Star break. New York is playing for the fourth time in five days and second in two nights. This is just Anthony's second game back from injury. He and Lin are not on the same page yet. The Knicks also are breaking in newcomers J.R. Smith and Baron Davis, too.

The Heat are playing their best ball. They've won seven in a row, covering six. Their only non-cover during this span was a 12-point victory against Sacramento as 13 1/2-point favorites. The Heat have won all of their games during their winning streak by 12 or more points.

Miami doesn't want to lose this momentum entering the break. The Heat are sick about answering questions about Lin. James and Dwayne Wade have huge egos. They're used to being on the cover of Sports Illustrated not Lin. This is a nationally televised game with the whole country watching.

Unlike the Knicks, the Heat are rested with their past few games being spaced out. James and Wade will be going all out playing big minutes since Miami won't be in action again until a full week later.

Memphis is a mediocre team with a short bench. This marks the Grizzlies' fourth game in five days and sixth in the last eight days.

The Grizzlies played Houston tough on the road Monday night but lost by three points. Memphis' three best players all logged at least 38 minutes.

The 76ers are the superior team. The 76ers have a stronger defense, take care of the ball better and have a much stronger bench. Yet the line is in the pick range because the 76ers are on the road and riding a three-game losing streak.

The 76ers hadn't lost more than two straight all season until falling to Minnesota this past Sunday with one second left. The 76ers led by one point, but the referee called a foul with a tick left on the clock sending Kevin Love to the free throw line. He canned both free throws giving the Timberwolves a one-point home win and leaving the 76ers steaming.

The 76ers will be highly motivated to stop the pain. The Grizzlies are 2-5 ATS in their last seven home contests and host defending world champion Dallas on Wednesday.

Oklahoma City is not in physical shape to cover a double-digit number having defeated Denver in overtime Sunday night. The Thunder's key players logged major minutes, including Kevin Durant going 45:27 and Russell Westbrook playing nearly 44 minutes.

The key here is if New Orleans is good enough to take advantage of this scheduling break. The Hornets have been idle since Friday. Oklahoma City is playing for the third in four days.

The Hornets have started to play much better. They've won and covered three in a row, including their last two on the road defeating Milwaukee and a red-hot Knicks squad.

The return of underrated guard Jarrett Jack has been a huge plus for New Orleans, which also has been getting solid contributions from unsung players such as Gustavo Ayon and Greivis Vasquez.

New Orleans ranks in the top 10 in defense, has covered 61 percent of its road contests and is 13-4 ATS when taking 11 or more points.

The Thunder host Boston on Wednesday in a nationally televised matchup. This is a flat spot for the Thunder and the Hornets are good enough now to take advantage and keep things close.