Rotation #824: College Hoops Saturday Stanford (-) vs USC @ 10 ET - The Cardinal have only allowed more than 89 points once this season in a loss and that was at USC. The Trojans have since gone 1-7 and their only win was against the team (Oregon State) they share the Pac-12 basement with. USC is having a rough run and a down season and they are in the wrong place at the wrong time here. Stanford also lost to the Trojans last season so this is a double revenge spot. Also, the Cardinal are normally strong at home but they are coming off a tough home loss in which they had a rough shooting night and their opponent hit 11 threes. But that was against a hot UCLA team. Now they face a cold USC team. Also, Stanford knows how crucial this game is. After this one they have just 2 more home games out of their remaining 7 games. With a tough 2-game road trip on deck, the Cardinal will come out with a very strong effort here at home. They are normally strong on their home floor and, while neither of these teams is good defensively, Stanford will be the more focused team here at home and looking to avenge a loss in which they allowed 93 points earlier this season! USC has been recently starting freshman Bronny James and, no disrespect intended, but he is just not quite ready to be a starter at USC. It shows how far this program has fallen. The Cardinal lost to UCLA by 8 points but that was because they were outscored by 21 points from three point land and 9 points at the free throw line. That is an unusual 30 point variance for a team on its home floor. The result here is line value as this line has dropped from its opener. Currently just a 2 point line as of about 11 hours before tipoff. Take advantage of the value. Lay it! STANFORD (-)

NBA Saturday Philadelphia 76ers (-) @ Washington Wizards @ 7:10 ET - This is a bargain price in the -4 range on Philly as of 10 hours before tipoff. Yes the 76ers are struggling but they got Payne and Hield both into action last night and now this is their 2nd game with both on the floor. Also, Maxey should be back for this one but, even if he is not, look at the value in this match-up! Washington has the WORST home record in the NBA as they are just 3-22 SU at home this season. This is a value spot to grab a talented Sixers team that, though without Embiid and dealing with some injury issues, is still a far superior team to this Wizards team. Also, the Sixers have won 4 straight over the Wizards. All 4 wins were by at least 5 points and the average margin of victory was 21 points! More of the same on the way here in a road rout! Make no mistake the Sixers have struggled but the Wizards are having a very rough season and each of their last 29 losses have been by at least 4 points which is the line currently available in the marketplace as of 10 hours before tipoff. PHILADELPHIA (-)

Rotation #695: College Hoops Drexel Dragons (+) @ College of Charleston Cougars @ 3:30 ET - Drexel is off their worst loss in CAA action this season. They are still 8-3 in conference games and the two prior losses were by 5 or less points. We are getting value here because this line has gone from a 4 to a 6 in favor of College of Charleston. There has been an over-reaction to the recent struggles of Drexel and we get line value with a very hungry road dog in this one off of B2B losses. This is the first and only meeting between these clubs this season. Note that 6 straight meetings have been by decided by 5 or less points! In other words, tremendous value with this line in the 6 range as of about 5 hours before tipoff. The Dragons ugly loss at UNC Wilmington came down to poor shooting for them and excellent shooting for the Seahawks. Again, that 75-56 loss has created line value here with a Drexel team that is scrappy and was 7-0 in CAA action as of just 2 weeks ago. The Dragons will bounce back here and note that the Cougars are tied with them in the CAA standing but only on a modest 4-3 run and they lost the 3 games against tougher teams. All 4 wins have come against 4 teams with a combined 13-31 record in CAA action. I am not saying Charleston will lose this game outright. But I am saying the Dragons are very undervalued here and they keep this game tight and indeed do have a great shot at the outright upset here. Don't be surprised if this one makes it a 7-0 RUN of meetings decided by 5 or less points! Grab the 6 points here. DREXEL (+)

Rotation #775: CBB Thursday Iowa Hawkeyes Pick'em or -1 at Penn State Nittany Lions @ 7 ET - The Hawkeyes are 2-5 SU in true road games this season while Penn State is 8-3 in true home games this season. That said this line must be a huge mistake, right? Not at all actually as Iowa's most recent road loss - which I fully expect they will bounce back from here - is their only road loss against an unranked foe this season. Their 4 prior losses in true road games were to Wisconsin, Purdue, Iowa State and Creighton! All of those teams are Top 25 teams. I love the situation here with the Hawkeyes having lost their most recent road game and catching Penn State off B2B wins. Note the only time this season the Nittany Lions have won more than 2 in a row was way back at the beginning of the season. Penn State started the season 4-0 but faced a bunch of cupcake opponents. The oddsmakers have this game with Iowa at a pick'em or -1 with good reason and I look for the Hawkeyes to have too much offense for the Nittany Lions in this one. Yes, Penn State has that signature home win over Wisconsin but upsets do happen at times when everything comes into place in one game. Other than this, the Nittany Lions other 4 Big Ten wins have come against teams that currently have a combined 16-31 Big Ten record on the season. Penn State, other than the upset of Wisconsin, has gone 3-2 L5 home games but with wins over a struggling Ohio State team and non-conference home wins over Rider and Le Moyne! Remember Iowa lost here last year so they have plenty of motivation here and though the Hawkeyes appear on track for an overall season comparable to last year, the Nittany Lions have regressed and were 9-11 this season prior to the B2B wins. The road team gets it done here. IOWA Pick'em or -1

Rotation #746: CBB Wednesday Stanford (-) vs UCLA @ 9 ET - The Bruins have won 3 straight games but let's not forget this was followed by a tough 3-9 stretch for UCLA. Included in that stretch was a home loss to Stanford. That will have some looking at the Bruins here with the revenge angle. UCLA, however, is in a tough spot as Stanford is strong on their home floor and the much better club offensively. The Cardinal are averaging 78 ppg compared to the Bruins averaging 66 ppg. Also, Stanford hits 47% from the field while UCLA hits only 42% from the field. Remember too that those shooting variances have a strong tendency to be even more pronounced in the home/road factor as well. So in this case the better shooting team is on their home floor and I look for the Bruins to struggle to keep up in this one. UCLA is 2-7 in their last 9 games played on the road or at a neutral site. Stanford is 1-2 last 3 games but those were on the road. They finally get a home game again and are 8-3 at home this season. The Cardinal are 4-1 at home this season when they are at home and coming off a loss. That includes a win over an Arizona team that is one of the top teams in the country. Now they are coming off a loss at Arizona and I expect them to respond immediately here. UCLA is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Current line is 3.5 as of about 8 hours before tipoff. Lay it! STANFORD (-)

Rotation #735: CBB Wednesday Creighton Bluejays (-) @ Providence Friars @ 8:30 ET - Creighton is off a loss and they have only lost B2B games once this season and are actually a perfect 4-0 SU this season when coming off a loss in regulation time. The Bluejays are laying only 2 points here - as of 9 hours before tipoff - and that means most any SU loss will also translate to an ATS win. I like the fact that Creighton had won 7 of 8 prior to that loss. Also, Providence has lost 6 of 9 games. Not only that but 2 of those 3 wins were against Georgetown and DePaul. Those two teams are a combined 1-21 SU in Big East action this season. The Friars, in other words, have been struggling for many weeks now. Also, when they lost at Creighton a month ago by 9 points, their biggest lead was only 2 points while the Bluejays led by as many as 18 in that game. In other words, it was quite dominating and now you can grab Creighton off a loss and facing a weaker foe and only lay 2 points. Count me in! Of course many will look at the revenge aspect for the Friars here but Bluejays are fired up to respond off a loss plus they lost here last season in double-OT so they have some extra motivation here to win at Providence this time around. CREIGHTON (-)

NBA Wednesday Philadelphia 76ers (+) vs Golden State Warriors @ 7:40 ET - The 76ers lost the last meeting a week ago and that is when Kuminga fell on Embiid's knee and the latter is now out for 6 to 8 weeks recovering from surgery. Embiid was already hobbled in that game but that finished him off. That is part of the line value here. This line is all the way up to a 4.5 as of 10 hours before tipoff and it is just too much. Embiid had a horrible game when these teams met last week and the Sixers were also without All-Star Maxey in that game. So we are truly getting some line value here by going against an over-rated Warriors team that just does not travel well. They were horrible on the road last season but then shockingly started this season 5-1 on the road. Sure enough, their normal pattern has resumed and they have gone just 4-11 in their road games since then. Here they face a Sixers team that is off B2B home losses after starting the season 17-6 in home games! Philly is without Embiid but the Warriors also have some injury concerns entering this game as well. Also, Golden State off a win at Brooklyn but the Warriors have not won B2B road games since that 5-1 road run to start the season 3 months ago! As for the Sixers, they have only lost 3 consecutive home games one time this season and that also was all the way back in November as well. The point is we have quite a few strong trends in our favor here plus I also like the situational value here! I expect a huge effort from Maxey and the home team in this one in front of a raucous Philly crowd out for revenge in this one. PHILADELPHIA (+)

NBA Tuesday Minnesota Timberwolves (-) @ Chicago Bulls @ 8 ET - The Wolves are the much stronger team and this is a reasonable spread to lay. Consider that the Bulls are 8-8 L16 games which does not sound that bad but the only winning team they beat is the Houston Rockets. The other 7 wins were against bad teams like Charlotte (3) and Portland, Memphis, Toronto and San Antonio. As for the Timberwolves, like Chicago, they also have a recent win over Houston and actually beat them twice during their current 11-6 run. The difference between Minny's wins and the Bulls wins however is the fact that Minnesota also has beaten Dallas, OKC, Brooklyn, the Clippers and Orlando during this solid run. Until Chicago truly proves they can step up against top tier competition, that is the big difference between these teams. Also, the T-Wolves are the much healthier team entering this match-up. This line is currently a 5 as of about 8 hours before tipoff. Lay it! MINNESOTA (-)

CBB Tuesday St Joseph's Hawks (+) vs Dayton Flyers @ 8 ET - This is a Triple Revenge spot for St Joe's. Not only did they lose the most recent meeting in Philly and in Dayton but also they lost in a neutral site venue last March which knocked them out of the Atlantic Ten tourney. That said, don't let the line on this A-10 match-up fool you on Tuesday. Why is a ranked team that is 18-3 this season and 8-1 in conference action laying just a bucket against a team that is only 5-4 in A-10 action this season? Exactly! The fact is that the Hawks are heating up and they are playing their best basketball of the season and their big man is starting to become a true gamechanger at both ends of the floor also. The play on the wings was already solid for St Joseph's but now that they have the interior presence coming to full strength, they are looking more and more solid with each game. The Hawks have won 5 of 6 games overall and, with only 2 exceptions this entire season (both 3 point losses), they have been unbeatable at home. They also took Kentucky to OT earlier this season and the Wildcats are also a ranked team like Dayton and that game was at Kentucky! The Flyers lost their most recent road game and the Hawks have the edge of a 3rd straight game in Philly as their last "road" was at LaSalle here in Philly as well. Don't let this line lead you astray. This one has upset and revenge written all over it! The line is currently a 2 as of about 9 hours before tipoff. We'll grab the bucket but should not need it!  ST JOSEPH'S (+)

CBB Monday Miami Hurricanes (+) @ Virginia Cavaliers @ 7 ET - Certainly I have plenty of respect for Virginia and they are arguably the best team defensively in the nation. However, there is line value here with a live dog catching about a half-dozen points against a Cavaliers team that has had a somewhat friendly ACC schedule so far. Virginia has played 11 conference games so far and 4 of them were against Louisville and Notre Dame and each of those teams are 2-9 in ACC action! Also, the Cavs have played Georgia Tech who is 3-8 and NC State who is 4-6 as well as Syracuse and Virginia Tech and each of those teams is 5-6 in ACC action. So that leaves 3 games against teams that currently (like Miami) have a winning record in ACC action. Those 3 games saw Virginia lose by double digits at Wake Forest and at NC State! They did win the rematch with the Wolfpack here but that 6-point win was in OT. The fact is that Virginia could very easily be 0-3 against teams that currently have a winning record in ACC action on the season and I feel the Canes are vastly undervalued here. The line has moved toward Virginia here so we have even more line value and I am grabbing the points (currently 6 as of 10 hours before tipoff) and expect this to be a great game where the points prove invaluable in a tight finish. MIAMI (+)

NBA Sunday Charlotte Hornets (+) vs Indiana Pacers @ 6 ET - The Pacers have a number of banged up players for this one. Yes, they won by 31 when these teams met in Indiana but they outscored the Hornets by 30 from three point land in that one! Ridiculously hot shooting for the Pacers was the difference in that game. I know it may seem tough to play on a team that has lost 6 in a row and is having a tough season but I am happy to challenge the Pacers to win this game by double digits over the Hornets! Note that Charlotte is the much healthier team and they are at home and the Pacers are on a 4-8 SU run. In those dozen games, Indiana had only 1 win by more than 6 points! This is a tricky scheduling spot for Indiana too because it is a 1-game road trip before B2B home games. Could the Pacers "mail it in" here against a Charlotte team they blasted in the first meeting? I absolutely believe that will be the case and the Hornets will be the hungrier team here at home and the Pacers health issues keep this one from turning into a complete rout. This one decided by single digits. CHARLOTTE (+)

Rotation #856: Sunday CBB Villanova Wildcats (-) vs Providence Friars @ 6 ET - Many Wildcats fans in Philly have lost faith in coach Kyle Neptune and are calling for his firing. However, the team is rallying around this and fully support him. The reason they are on a 5-game losing streak is they are not quite the same team they once for sure but also take a deeper look at this run! The 5 losses included one at Butler in double OT and was a game Nova never trailed in. Also, the Wildcats other 4 losses included just one ugly one versus St John's and the other 3 were losses against ranked teams including top-ranked UConn. In other words, the Cats are not as strong as past teams but they certainly deserve a little leeway on the tough recent run. Now they host a Providence team they have double revenge against! This is the first meeting between these teams and last season the Friars beat the Cats in both games in Neptune's first season. In other words, this has not been forgotten and Nova also so hungry for a win in this spot and they are at home. Remember they are 3-1 SU in last 4 home games versus unranked foes! This is a game they can (and will) win. Providence is just 3-5 SU last 8 games and 2 of those wins were against the two worst Big East teams - DePaul and Georgetown. Value here with a reasonable line with a desperate, revenge-minded home team here. Lay it! Payback! 10* VILLANOVA (-)

Rotation #849: Sunday Temple Owls (+) @ Tulane Green Wave @ 4 ET - This line is now in the double digit range and it is just too much. The Owls have a sub-par record but they are fighting hard and there is no quit in this team. As a result, they are hanging tight in many of their recent defeats and I expect more of the same here. Temple is just 2-7 SU last 9 games but each of last 3 losses by 6 or less points. Tulane has the better record on the season but, keep in mind, they have not exactly been setting the world on fire of late! The Green Wave have lost 6 of last 8 games and both wins were by 7 or less points. Also, Tulane is off a tough loss at SMU and have a tough game at Memphis on deck. Memphis was a ranked team not too long ago and don't be surprised when this game, given all the situational aspects, is decided by a single digit margin. TEMPLE (+)

Rotation #789 CBB Saturday 10* Top Play Iowa State Cyclones (+) @ Baylor Bears @ 8 ET - The Cyclones have won 11 of 13 games. The Bears are off a win but this followed a 5-5 stretch and was on the heels of 3 straight losses for Baylor. The Bears certainly have revenge on their minds from losing all 3 games to Iowa State last season. However, the Cyclones look like the stronger team this season without a doubt. That said, the Bears laying about 4 points here is just too much because these teams are not equal on a neutral floor in my opinion. Also, Baylor is facing a Cyclones team that is among the best in the nation for steals per game with 11.2 and I look for Iowa State to force enough turnovers here to capitalize and grab the road win. We'll grab the points just in case but note that the Cyclones are looking to make it 4 in a row over the Bears and certainly will have no shortage of confidence in facing Baylor here. 10* IOWA STATE (+)

NBA Saturday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Brooklyn Nets @ 6:10 ET - Yes, the 76ers are without Embiid right now but Maxey is back and lighting things up on the statsheet. Also, this as much a play against Brooklyn as it is a play on Philly. Note that the Nets have lost 75% of their games since mid-December as they are on a 6-18 SU run. Not only that, Brooklyn had 2 of the 6 wins against a bad Detroit team and also a pair of recent wins against currently slumping Houston and Utah teams. So this line is basically saying that because Embiid is out, the 76ers are about the same level of team as the Nets. I completely disagree with current market assessment that on a neutral court these teams are about equal. Yes, even without Embiid, the Sixers are stronger than Brooklyn. Also, the Nets have lost 9 of last 11 road games and one of the only two wins was against the worst team, Pistons, in the entire league! Now the Sixers are back at home where they have won 11 of 14 games and this is a very reasonable number on Philly which has come down from about a half-dozen when it first came out. As of 10 hours before tipoff, this line is in the -4 range. Lay it! 10* PHILADELPHIA (-)

CBB Rotation #691: Saturday Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+) @ Michigan Wolverines @ 4 ET - This line is currently as high as a 4.5 as of about 5 hours before tipoff. Rutgers is off a crazy game in which they made just 1 of 17 from 3-point land. I am sure they will bounce back here. The Scarlet Knights have allowed just 66 ppg this season. The Wolverines have lost 9 of 10 games and allowed 83 ppg during this stretch. I like scrappy underdogs that are facing fellow weak teams that have a tendency to not play defense. Look for the Scarlet Knights to force an ugly low-scoring scrappy game and that leads to a great shot at the upset or, worst case, a tight finish likely decided by a single possession. The points are well worth it here. 10* RUTGERS (+)

CBB Friday Creighton Bluejays (-) vs Butler Bulldogs @ 9 ET - Butler's most recent game was against Villanova and we had the Wildcats there. The Bulldogs pulled off a miracle with a double-OT win in a game they NEVER LED in regulation and trailed by as much as 14 points in the SECOND HALF of the game. Give Butler some credit but also know that the Wildcats are proving to be a shell of the type of teams they use to be under head coach Jay Wright. Other than that miracle win over a Nova team that is proving to be one of the 3 worst teams in the conference AND an amazing win over Marquette on a rare night in which the Golden Eagles had a rare horrific shooting night, the Bulldogs other 3 wins are against the two worst teams in the Big East. That trio of victories coming against DePaul and Georgetown. The point is that this Butler team is 5-5 in Big East action but I am not impressed. Conversely, the Bluejays are chasing UConn for the top spot in the Big East and they are at home for this one where they are so strong and tend to shoot the ball very well. I also like the fact they have some size inside and this will frustrate Butler and the Bulldogs will struggle to get easy buckets all night long. That is why this is one of those rare instances where I am willing to lay bigger points as this one is a line that is currently in the -10 range as of about 10 hours before tipoff. Lay it! CREIGHTON (-)

Rotation #737: CBB Thursday 10* Top Play Drexel Dragons @ Monmouth Hawks @ 7 ET - The Dragons bounced back nicely from their very first CAA loss of the season (by just 3 points at Towson) by coming up big at home against NC AT & T. The Dragons are a very strong defensive team and they are strong on the offensive boards and they are a very deep team. Those are the kind of gritty teams that can win big games and it is a big reason Drexel is having such a solid season including now 8-1 in CAA action. As for Monmouth, the Hawks did almost upset the Dragons at Drexel last month in CAA action. However, the Hawks shot surprisingly well in that game and Drexel did not and yet the Dragons still pulled out the 4 point win. Also, all 7 of the Dragons CAA wins have been by 4 or more points this season. The current line on this one is a 4 as of about 9 hours before tipoff. Monmouth is not as strong defensively or on the boards or in terms of shooting percentage on offense either. They are 4-4 in CAA action but had lost 4 of 5 (with the only win over a bad Hampton team) prior to coming up with a win versus Hofstra in most recent game. Hofstra has not beaten any of the top tier teams in the CAA either so that win is not ultra impressive. Monmouth will have their hands full here against a Dragons team that already tasted defeat once in their most recent road game and they are very motivated and hungry here as a result in their very next road opportunity as they look to add to an 8-1 conference record. Monmouth just 9-17 SU in last 26 conference games. 10* DREXEL (-) 

CBB Wednesday 10* Top Play Kentucky Wildcats (-) vs Florida Gators @ 8 ET - This line has come down from the -7 range down to as low as a -5.5 on Kentucky as of about 7 hours before tipoff. Note that the Wildcats won the first meeting this season at Florida and that was despite the Gators outscoring them by 12 points from three point land. The Cats were an uncharacteristic 5 of 20 from 3-point land in that one. UK still won that game on the road despite the shooting variance. Now they are at home and hosting a Florida team that is just 1-3 in true road games. The only win was against a Missouri team that is having a tough season including 0-7 in SEC games! The point is that the signs strongly point to a home win here but now, what about the all important cover? Well, Kentucky has 15 wins on the season and the 2 point win over Florida and a 4 point win over a ranked UNC team are the only wins they have this season by less than 6 points! As for Florida, their last 4 losses included the 2 point defeat at home versus Kentucky and then 3 losses all by double digit margins! Look for this one to be the next one! 10* KENTUCKY (-)

NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (+) @ Golden State Warriors @ 10 ET - I took the over last night in the Sixers game because even if Embiid missed that would mean more of a "small ball" type of game and I liked the Blazers long-term scoring trends at home as I noted in the write-up. I certainly was not shocked that Embiid did not play because he and the Sixers caught flak, including getting the attention the league office, by him not playing the prior game at Denver. From a Philly perspective it was essentially a "see, he really is hurt" statement by having him miss at Portland. I really expect both he and Maxey will return tonight. Even if they do not (though I certainly expect at least one will), note that the Sixers are in a situation that has not lost since November of 2021! Indeed that was the last time the Sixers have had a losing streak of more than 3 games. Since that point in time, Philly is 6-0 SU when they enter a game on a 3-game losing streak! In this match-up they are a dog and I did consider playing the money line here but we'll grab the available points which is currently 3.5 as of early gameday morning. The Warriors are not a strong team. Golden State is dead last in the Pacific and they continue to give up too many points. The Warriors enter this game having lost 10 of 14 games. So in this game GS is what I would term a "false favorite" as they are laying points against a solid Sixers team that will play desperate here no matter who is on the floor. We will grab the points just in case but I do look for that SU multi-year run of the Sixers when on a 3-game losing streak to reach a PERFECT 7-0 last 7 as they come out strong in this one. 10* PHILADELPHIA (+)

CBB Tuesday 10* Top Play Air Force Falcons (-) vs Wyoming Cowboys @ 9 ET - Double revenge spot for Wyoming from last season and they are much higher in the conference standings and Air Force has lost 9 of 10 games! That said, why are the Falcons favored by 4 here? Exactly! Do not let the line fool you. This Falcons team is the better team defensively, stronger on their home floor and they catch Wyoming off a huge OT upset win over Colorado State where they celebrated as if they just won the MWC Championship! The point is that the Cowboys could be flat here while the Falcons are at home and hungry and then here is another big key that might surprise you to hear. In true road games this season, Wyoming is still winless! The Cowboys are not only 0-7 SU on the road this season, they also have lost all 7 games by double digits! That means they are being asked to do something they have not managed to do in a single road game this season - that is to lose by less than 10 points! Considering this line is a 4 that means this is a go-against Wyoming spot that is a perfect 7-0 this season! Look for this one to make it 8-0 ON THE SEASON as the Falcons also catch the Cowboys off that huge upset win of a ranked team in OT! 10* AIR FORCE (-)

CBB Monday 10* Top Play Texas Longhorns (+) vs Houston Cougars @ 9 ET - Grabbing the +5.5 that is currently available as of about 13 hours before tipoff. When the betting markets are down on a team it is oftentimes the best time to back said team! That is the case here with the Longhorns! Texas has lost 3 of 5 and just lost at BYU by double digits. However, now they are a home dog to a Houston team that is very strong but proving to certainly not be unbeatable. Now, I am not saying the Horns win this outright but I am saying that I certainly will not be shocked if that happens and I feel we have excellent value here with the sizable points available. Remember that Texas won at Oklahoma and beat Baylor in their two games prior to the loss at BYU. All 3 of these teams the Longhorns have just faced are ranked teams and, of course, Houston is as well. However, the Cougars have lost 2 of last 3 road games and those were at TCU and Iowa State. Texas is arguably at a similar level to both the Horned Frogs and Cyclones so, the point is, we have some definite home dog value here. UT hungry off a loss while the Cougars could get caught looking ahead to their next game at Kansas. Yes the Jayhawks are down a little this season but they are still one of the top programs in the country annually and Houston entered the Big 12 this season knowing that Kansas, year in and year out, has a tendency to be the team to beat in this conference. Definite possibility of a lookahead here and Austin will be rocking for this home game! 10* TEXAS (+)

NBA Saturday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (+) @ Denver Nuggets @ 5:40 ET - The Nuggets are at home and this line has gone from as low as 3.5 to as high as 5.5 points. This is a revenge game for Denver as they lost at Philly earlier this month. However, Embiid is so focused when he is healthy and playing this team and he is ready for this one just like he was in Philly less than two weeks ago. It is the big battle between Jokic and Embiid. In past visits here for the Sixers, Embiid either missed the game or played but was not healthy. The situation this season is different and that will be reflected on the scoreboard as well. The Nuggets are the defending champs and a great team but only 1 of their last 5 games has resulted in a Denver win by more than 5 points. We have some value here with a talented underdog that sees this match-up as a huge game. The Sixers know the NBA title chase ran through Denver last season and that it ultimately could be the same story out west this season. The Sixers must prove they can win here. I do expect Maxey (ankle) to play and, keep in mind, the Nuggets have key players banged up too. That counteracts the impact should Maxey not play in this one. The points are just too valuable here in a game the Sixers can win outright if Embiid keeps playing like he has been. I look for another aggressive game from him here as he looks to again outduel a player, Jokic, that he greatly respects. 10* PHILADELPHIA (+)

NBA 10* Top Play Thursday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) @ Indiana Pacers @ 7:10 ET - The Sixers are about 5 to 5.5 point favorites on the road here. Even though Indiana is at home, they will be without Haliburton and also the Pacers just got back from a long road trip. After a long road swing like that, the first game back is almost the toughest. Making it even tougher is when you face a revenge-minded Sixers team that is on a hot streak. I know Harris might be out for the Sixers tonight but they are otherwise looking strong and certainly the Haliburton absence for the Pacers is the big one. Indiana did spring that upset at Philly as noted above but the Pacers outscored the Sixers beyond the arc by 21 points (differential of 7 threes) as the 76ers had a rare tough shooting night from deep. Philly had taken the first meeting this season by double digits and I expect a repeat of that here. The Sixers enter this one on a 6-game winning streak and the average margin of victory has been 11 points per game. The Pacers have lost 5 of 6 games and are a very weak team defensively. In this revenge spot it will be Philly bringing the better defensive effort. 10* PHILADELPHIA (-)

Rotation #755: CBB Thursday 10* Top Play Drexel Dragons (+) @ Towson Tigers @ 7 ET - I like games like this in which the line flips. Drexel has gone from being a small favorite when this opened to now being a small dog in the 1.5 point range as of about 6 hours before tipoff. Something has to give here as the Dragons are 7-0 in conference play but the Tigers are 8-0  L8 home games. I like the way this Drexel is such a cohesive group and they have the better numbers on both ends of the floor. The Dragons have a higher shooting percentage on the offensive end and they are one of the top 25 teams defensively in the nation! Towson is solid defensively but not as strong as Drexel and the Tigers offense often bogs down against top defensive units. Home court is important in college hoops especially but the odds makers are certainly well aware of that as well. That being said, the Dragons were installed as the favorite here with good reason. I am fading the line move and rolling with a defensive-minded road dog that has meshed well this season. This team is very cohesive as I noted above and a true "team" that is building a winning culture. Season after season of late the Dragons are looking better and better. Now they sit at the top of the conference and that is not a perch they will give up easily. They are ready for this game and have solid team depth also. 10* DREXEL (+)

Rotation #723: CBB Wednesday 10* Top Play Villanova Wildcats (+) @ St John's Red Storm @ 8:30 ET - The Wildcats lost the first meeting at home by double digits this season. It was a 10 point defeat thanks in part to the Red Storm hitting 44% of their threes while Villanova was a horrible 6 of 28 from beyond the arc! Overall in the game St John's hit 48% from the field while Nova hit just 39% from the field. Now we have a nice revenge spot set up here and the Wildcats are hungry but also confident in this rematch. That's because they just put a scare into the #1 team in the country when they nearly upset UConn this past weekend! I know some will look and say that they are spent after a loss like that, the reality is the Wildcats are hungry because they know they almost did it but almost is not good enough of course. They will have great determination here and we can take advantage of a line that was lower but has moved higher on the Red Storm. I love fading line moves like that. Note that St John's has not been great. The Red Storm have lost 3 straight and now face a team that swept them last season and that normally holds the upper hand in this series. Prior to the upset win by St John's earlier this season, the Wildcats had beaten them 6 straight times. The Cats are not what they used to be under Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright but they are showing signs of turning the corner on this season as the 1-point loss to the Huskies shows. I expect an outright win here but we'll grab the points just in case. 10* VILLANOVA (+)

CBB Tuesday 10* Top Play Fresno State Bulldogs (+) vs Boise State Broncos @ 10:30 ET - This line is in the 5.5 to 6 range as of about 10 hours before tipoff and it is a great spot for a home dog upset. We will grab the points just in case but the Bulldogs are playing this game with triple revenge and the set-up is perfect. Not only did Fresno State lose last season's meeting, they also lost both meetings the season before and that included the only home loss out of these three games coming in OT. Not only do the Bulldogs have plenty of motivation here, the setup is perfect. Boise State is off a hard-fought 1-point win over San Diego State while Fresno State is off one of their worst performances of the season. The Bulldogs just lost by 21 points at ranked Utah State. Fresno State was on a 5-5 run prior to that with 2 of those losses by 3 or less points. They have played a road-heavy schedule too so they are offering extra value here on their home floor after 5 of their last 7 games have been on the road. Boise State, on the other hand, has had very few true road games this season and 8 of their last 11 have been home games. Based purely on records, everyone will be looking at the road team in this one but the situational edge and motivational edge is all Bulldogs in this one. 10* FRESNO STATE (+)

NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play Utah Jazz (+) @ New Orleans Pelicans @ 8:10 ET - This line is in the 6.5 range as of 9 hours before tipoff and I like the underdog value here. Yes, Utah does not have a good SU record on the road and the Pelicans are tough at home. However, this Jazz team has been playing very well for an extended stretch here and the 3 meetings between these teams so far this season have all been tight. Those 3 games have been decided by an average margin of 4.7 points. Utah enters this game off B2B losses but both were by 5 or less points! Prior to this, the Jazz had won 12 of 14 games! So this Jazz team is still hot and and they have been tough to beat by a big margin and here they have revenge for losing their most recent game at New Orleans and yet we have a half-dozen points to work with! I will take it! The Pelicans have not exactly been setting the world on fire as they are just 9-7 SU last 16 games and I feel we have solid value with the way the Jazz have been playing and yet entering this game off B2B losses. The Jazz have not lost 3 straight since early December. Upset alert here but we'll grab the points just in case. 10* UTAH (+)

CBB Monday 10* Top Play Wake Forest Demon Deacons (+) @ North Carolina Tar Heels @ 7 ET - Yes this will be a tough test for the Demon Deacons but, as of 11 hours before tipoff, 8 is the line on this game. That is noteworthy as Wake Forest is 13-5 this season and has not lost a game by more than 7 points! So WF, based on the line in this game, would be 18-0 on the season. Also, in their most recent game the Demon Deacons just got senior Damari Monsanto back and he has been a solid contributor in his career and already produced a solid showing in his first game of this season. He is a strong 3-point shooter so having him back is a key. Monsanto delivered 12 points in the win. Plenty of respect for this Tar Heels team but UNC is facing a confident Wake Forest team that is playing with an extra boost right now after the return of Monsanto. Also, the Demon Deacons beat the Tar Heels in their most recent meeting last season. Don't be surprised if this game goes to the wire. 10* WAKE FOREST (+)

NBA Sunday 10* Top Play Portland Trail Blazers (+) @ Los Angeles Lakers @ 10:10 ET - First off I know the Blazers are one of the weaker teams in the league but the Lakers are only mediocre in my eyes and that means we have excellent line value here given a few other keys with this one as well. Portland enters this game off B2B wins so that helps a little with confidence. The Lakers are off a bad loss in most recent game and they also could get caught looking ahead to a big game with the rival Clippers on deck. Don't be surprised if LeBron and Company make the mistake of looking right past these Blazers. Also, about LeBron, he is not 100% and could be rested some especially as this game goes on which would allow Portland backdoor cover potential, if that is even needed. Also Anthony Davis appears to have a more serious injury issue he is dealing with now so, even if he plays, he will not be 100% and he could be rested here as a maintenance day given his new injury designation. So, at the end of the day, this is just too many points to give the Blazers in a game like this. Their confidence has been increasing also with recent wins. They will hang around in this game and this one decided by single digits. We'll grab the 10.5 points on offer in this one as of 9 hours before tipoff. 10* PORTLAND (+)

Sunday CBB 10* Top Play Indiana State Sycamores (-) @ Murray State Racers @ 5 ET - Even though the Racers lost the 2nd meeting last season, the first meeting was a loss for the Sycamores at Murray State. That being said, there is no way that Indiana State is overlooking this match-up and they are just too strong for Murray State. The Sycamores are 15-3 this season and their only 3 losses were to Michigan State, Alabama and Drake. Note that Drake is another of the top teams in the MVC just like Indiana State. As for the Racers, 4 of their 5 conference wins have come against 3 teams that have a combined 6-18 record in the MVC. So, even though Murray State has been hot, it deserves an asterisk. The Sycamores on a whole other level. Lay it! This line currently in the 5 to 5.5 range. 10* INDIANA STATE (-)

Rotation #793: CBB Saturday 10* Top Play Connecticut Huskies (-) @ Villanova Wildcats @ 8 ET - The Wildcats are just not on the level of prior teams in the Jay Wright years. Yes they are a solid team and they are at home here. However, that is what is keeping this line lower than it should be because the Huskies are a elite team and the Wildcats are not. Connecticut only has 2 losses this season and they were on the road but against Kansas, one of top teams in country and Seton Hall, the other strongest team in the Big East Conference along with UConn. That said, excellent value with this line in the 3.5 range as of 8 hours before tipoff. The Wildcats have only won 5 of 10 games and, of the 5 wins, two were against a very bad DePaul team and one was against a UCLA team struggling badly at the time. Though they did have a surprising win over Creighton their only other win of these 5 was against a Xavier team that has only been mediocre so far this season. That said, the Huskies wins have all been by at least 4 points and they have not lost to a team that is on the level of the Wildcats this entire season. Huskies win and Huskies cover! 10* CONNECTICUT (-) 

NBA Saturday 10* Top Play Charlotte Hornets (+) vs Philadelphia 76ers @ 7:10 ET - This line is in the 11 range as of 8 hours before tipoff. This is the 2nd of 4 meetings between these teams this season and the first game was in Charlotte and was a memorable one! The Hornets suffered their worst home loss in franchise history! 135 to 82 was the final score in that one. Now you have a motivated Hornets team at home and playing with some added confidence after winning their most recent game. Yes it was against the lowly Spurs but that was a much-needed win for Charlotte. Now they host a Sixers team off a big win at Orlando last night. Though Embiid will likely play some, with this being the 2nd game of a B2B and now facing a lesser foe, Philly may choose to rest him some as the game goes on. The Hornets will prove to be the more motivated team here and that will help them keep this game to single digits. The hosts remember all too well how the prior meeting played out this season. Embarrassing home court loss, worst of franchise history, means payback here. Hornets keep this one to single digits. 10* CHARLOTTE (+)

NBA Friday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) @ Orlando Magic @ 7:10 ET - This line is around a -5 as of about 10 hours before tipoff. The Sixers recently beat the Magic at Orlando by 20 points so this is a revenge spot for the Magic. However, Orlando will again be without Wagner and he scored 24 of the 92 points the Magic had in the prior game with Philly. Yes, this is the front end of a B2B for the Sixers but tomorrow it is lowly Charlotte that they will be facing. In other words, I am sure this game has the full attention of Philadelphia and the absence of Wagner will be significant here for the Magic. They enter this game having lost 4 of 5 and the fact they are off a buzzer-beater loss versus a divisional foe will not help them in the confidence department here. The high-flying Sixers can take advantage. 10* PHILADELPHIA (-)

CBB Rotation #887 Friday: Akron Zips (pick'em) @ Kent State Golden Flashes @ 7 ET - The Zips played their most recent game without Nate Johnson but Ali Ali came back mid-December and Akron is 8-1 in the 9 games he has played in with the only loss coming by a single point. Ali Ali has been fantastic. Also, this is a great spot for Akron as this is a double revenge spot. Not only did the Zips lose in their late season visit to Kent State late last season, the Golden Flashes then knocked them out of the conference tourney soon after that as well! In other words, high motivation here and this is a big rivalry match-up and we get line value since this one is at Kent State. The fact is that Akron has been the much stronger team early this season and they enter this game winners of 5 straight and 9 of 10. The Golden Flashes enter this game off a win but had lost 5 of 6 games prior to that victory. Home court matters a lot in college basketball but it is not enough to get this Kent State team over the hump against a double revenge-minded rival that is in better current form. 10* AKRON Pick'em 

Rotation #819: CBB Thursday Washington Huskies (+) @ California Golden Bears @ 9 ET - This line has swung from Huskies being roughly a 2 point favorite to now the Bears being roughly a 2.5 point favorite as of about 11 hours before tipoff. I like fading line moves like this plus there is a lot more to like about this play! For starters Cal is overvalued here. Lets not forget this Golden Bears team is coming off a 3-29 season. In a season with so many losses like that, there would be very few where payback would matter but the one that ended their season was a loss to Washington State in the Conference Tourney. The Bears have the Cougars on deck and certainly that one would be more of an attention-getter than this one! Also this is a Cal team that is now 30-80 the past 3 and 1/2 seasons! As for the Huskies, they are off their worst loss of the season. Washington just lost by double digits. Prior to this, the Huskies were 10-6 this season with all losses by a single-digit margin and by an average margin of just 4 points! Coming off the double digit loss and facing a team that has won only 27% of games last 3 and 1/2 seasons, I like our chances here! We get excellent line value because the Huskies are on the road. Yes, home court matters, but Cal has been losing everywhere in recent seasons including this one! The Bears did beat Colorado here but, other than that, their wins are nothing to write home about AND in that win over the Buffaloes they were down by as many as 20 points. The Huskies are well aware of that and will keep their pedal to the metal all game long in this one. Now getting as much as 2.5 points here as of gameday morning, love the value in this one. WASHINGTON (+)

NBA Wednesday 10* Top Play Dallas Mavericks (+) @ Los Angeles Lakers @ 8:40 ET - The Mavericks are in the +4 or +3.5 range in this one and I know many will be looking at the Lakers here in a double revenge spot but I look for the Mavs to complete the trifecta and make the series a 3-0 sweep for the regular season. The key here is the line value with the Mavericks getting solid points as a road dog to a team that has been struggling for quite some time now. The Lakers have lost 12 of 18 games. Also, in those 18 games, ONLY 3 have been victories by more than a 3 point margin. Yes, I am aware Doncic is a game time decision here but Hardaway Jr just had 41 with the extra minutes he is getting because Doncic is out. Couple that with the fact Irving is on fire, the Mavs have won 2 of 3 now even with Doncic out. Long-term this Dallas team is on an 8 of 13 run and one of those 5 losses was by just 5 points. They are the top team in the Southwest Division and the Lakers continue to be over-rated by the betting masses. Los Angeles is not a great team. Let's grab the underdog value here. 10* DALLAS (+)

NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Denver Nuggets @ 7:30 ET - This line has dropped a little from as high as a 4.5 overnight to now being down to as low as a 2.5 as of about 8.5 hours before tipoff. There are so many injury question marks entering this one but I feel the biggest key is that the only significant one for the Sixers is Embiid and yet he just came back from some time off. So, even though this is a B2B spot, Embiid is in good shape and even his coach is expecting him to play again tonight. Keep in mind, the 76ers win was an early game yesterday too at mid-day so that helps in the rest department plus it was a blowout win that was not nearly as close as the final score would lead you to believe. The Sixers were therefore able to rest guys and no one played more than 31 minutes. As for the Nuggets, they have a number of key players on their injury report including Jokic. Now certainly I do expect Jokic to play tonight but with other players likely missing and a number of guys (including Jokic) not 100% if they even do play, the Sixers are the play here at home. Philly's Embiid also would have some extra motivation here because Jokic got his ring with Denver last season and, of course, Embiid and Jokic are two of the best big men in the league! Extra motivation for a 76ers club that still wants to prove it can beat the best and rise the elite level. Lay the short number here. 10* PHILADELPHIA (-) 

Rotation #623: CBB Tuesday 10* Top Play Florida Gators (+) @ Tennessee Volunteers @ 5 ET - The line on this is in the range of 10 points as of about 5 hours before tipoff for this early game on Tuesday. The Volunteers are a great team but the Gators are no slouches and I am going to challenge the Vols to win this thing by double digits. The fact is that Florida has 3 tight losses in the 5 defeats they have this season. In their only truly ugly loss this season (against Ole Miss), it was simply one of those nights when the Rebels were making everything. They just could not miss that night and, other than that, the Gators have been in every game this season. Florida had a big year under their first year coach last year and his 2nd year should end up being just as strong. This is a very talented team that scores well and rebounds well and they will not be intimated on the road. Yes, Barnes is a great veteran coach for the Volunteers and Tennessee does want revenge for last season's loss at Florida. However, this Gators team is solid and the Vols also have Alabama on deck and the Crimson Tide are one of the few remaining undefeated teams in conference games in SEC so far this season. Value on the big dog in this one as revenge is being over-priced here! 10* FLORIDA (+)

NBA Monday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Houston Rockets @ 1:10 ET - The Sixers should have Embiid back for this one but, either way, they are off a blowout win over the Kings without him. Philly is now 14-6 at home this season and Houston is only 4-13 on the road this season. This looks like a blowout that favors the host in a big way. The Rockets just lost by 32 at Boston and that was their 3rd loss in 4 games. Philly already won the first meeting by 4 points and that was at Houston and the Sixers did not have Embiid in that one. Again, he could be back for this one and Philly is at home and he did practice fully each of the last two days. Lay the points here for another blowout as the home/road variance is a big edge for the hosts in this one. Laying 7.5 points here (as of 3 hours before tipoff) is a value line in my opinion. 10* PHILADELPHIA (-)

CBB Sunday 10* Top Play Washington Huskies (Pick or +1 or -1) @ UCLA Bruins @ 7 ET - The Bruins are a mess right now and they are hoping to fix things but it won't come quickly and it won't come against a solid Huskies team like this one. UCLA has been trying to fix things for awhile but the issue is that Cronin can't get the confidence of this team back. They get down on offense because their shots won't fall and they don't create the looks they need to on the offensive end so then they fall behind. As they see the scoreboard constantly going against them. their defense and rebounding also starts to struggle as they just lose their confidence. This has been a recurring pattern for this Cronin team this season and I don't see it turning around immediately. They will have to face a weaker foe in the right situation to turn this around. This is not the right team nor the right situation. Huskies roll. 10* WASHINGTON

NBA Saturday 10* Top Play Chicago Bulls (-) @ San Antonio Spurs @ 8:40 ET - Great set up here. The Spurs are off B2B wins and it has been over a year since they have won 3 straight! Indeed, you have to go back to December 2022 for the last time the Spurs won 3 games in a row! Adding to the value here is the fact that Wembanyama will be rested for San Antonio plus Chicago is off a loss. The Bulls, in other words, will be hungry here as they had won 3 straight before that loss and the defeat ruined their ring of honor night which also was ruined by the boos when long-time owner Jerry Krause, whose widow was in attendance, had his name announced. Unsurprisingly, the Bulls went on to get destroyed in the 2nd half after that. Also, this was even despite having a double digit edge at the half. So the Bulls will be ready here and the fact this game is on the road is even better for them after that debacle at home. It also keeps this line manageable. Considering that Wembanyama will not play because SA is in a B2B and considering this line is just 5.5 as of about 8 hours before tipoff, this is a great value! 10* CHICAGO (-)

Rotation #817: CBB Thursday 10* Top Play Michigan State Spartans (+) @ Illinois Illini @ 9 ET - This is one of those "someone knows something" lines. The Spartans are only 3.5 dogs here as of about 9 hours before game time. That would mean these teams are rated equally on a neutral floor but yet Illinois is a ranked team in the Top Ten and has only 3 losses this season while the Spartans already have 6 losses including 3 in the Big Ten! In what universe could this line be only 3.5 on the Illini given these facts? Exactly! That is why the play here, in my typical contrarian fashion, is absolutely on Michigan State. Keep in mind the Spartans lost the only meeting between these teams last season so this is also a revenge spot for them. The Illini are currently without Terrence Shannon Jr after off the court issue that continues under investigation. Though they only lost by 5 points at Purdue they were down big most of the game and, by as many as 21 points, and they never led the entire way in the 5-point loss. The Illini shot a higher 3 point percentage than usual and that helped the cause and it should have been a loss by double digits. The Spartans also off a loss in which they were done in by turnover margin and points off turnovers killed them. They will respond here. So well-coached under Izzo and they will clean things up here and they catch Illinois off a game in which they gave a lot of effort twice battling back from huge deficits in that game. Spartans have great shot at the upset here but we'll grab the points just in case. Illinois also won both meetings the year before last so this is a double revenge spot. 10* MICHIGAN STATE (+)

Rotation #739 CBB Wednesday 10* Top Play Oklahoma Sooners (+) @ TCU Horned Frogs @ 9 ET - Much is made of home court edge in College Basketball and certainly it is valid that there is a solid edge in College Hoops for the host. However, this Sooners team is loaded with plenty of upper classmen as well as not freshmen in its entire normal playing rotation. Oklahoma is being undervalued here as they are 13-1 SU this season. I realize they are playing their first true road game of this season but they are 3-1 in neutral site games and plus the players they have got plenty of road experience in the past too. This is not a big group of freshmen going on the road. That said, these teams split last season with each team winning at home including the Sooners knocking off the Horned Frogs in Norman, OK in the last regular season game. That makes this a revenge spot but TCU already has 3 losses this season and I feel strongly that they are over-valued here. We have seen this line go from an opener in the 3-point range to now as high as nearly a half-dozen points in the market place as of about 10 hours before tipoff. If you look at the Frogs schedule so far, they had a soft very early-season schedule. As it has toughened up they have struggled and lost 3 games in the more recent action. Also, they have a huge game on deck with Houston. Not only are the Cougars another Big 12 foe from the same state, they are currently undefeated and #2 in the entire country. This spot going to be a battle down to the wire the way I see it. Also, will there be a normal crowd for this game? The kids at TCU are still on a winter break before classes resume. How much will home court matter? Not enough the way I see it. This is also a well-coached Sooners team and I expect them to surprise here! 10* OKLAHOMA (+)

NBA Wednesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (+) @ Atlanta Hawks @ 7:40 ET - The Hawks are just 6-14 SU last 20 games. Trae Young is expected to play in this one but it is evident from his recent shooting numbers from distance that the right shoulder is bothering him. The 76ers will be without Joel Embiid but this is a "rally the troops" type of game off B2B losses and having proven many times before that they can be okay without Embiid when they have to. If the Sixers win this game straight-up then of course it is an ATS win as they are an underdog of 1.5 to 2 points here as of about 10 hours before tipoff for this one! Philly, including post-season, is a PERFECT 5-0 the last 5 times they entered a game on a losing streak of 2 or more games. That includes a PERFECT 3-0 this season. I look for this situation to make it a perfect 4-0 here on the season and perfect 6-0 long-term. Before these B2B losses Philly was 23-10 this season. The Hawks started the season 8-7 but have gone 6-14 since. This line, even though Atlanta is at home, is still over-adjusted because of Embiid being out. That means value here with the road dog. Grab the points but we should not need them. 10* PHILADELPHIA (+) 

NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play Dallas Mavericks (-) vs Portland Trail Blazers @ 8:40 ET - The Mavericks are laying about 8.5 points here as of 10 hours before game time. This is a great value considering the Mavs are rolling and now the Grizzlies just lost Morant for the rest of the season. This is the final match-up between these divisional foes these season. Shockingly, the road team has taken all 3 so far but this one is an entirely different situation with the Mavericks on a power surge and also able to take advantage of a short-handed Memphis team. Dallas has won 3 straight games and Memphis is off B2B wins but is still 10 games below .500 on the season! They really have struggled when Morant has not been available and now that is the case again here and the Grizzlies are 6-3 with Morant this season and went 7-20 without him! Mavs roll huge at home. 10* DALLAS (-)

NBA Monday 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (+) vs Boston Celtics @ 7:10 ET - The Celtics are dealing with a number of injury concerns entering this one. Boston just hammered the Pacers at Indiana Saturday but look at a key stat from that game and that tells you all you need to know here. The Celtics made 16 of 41 threes while the Pacers made just 8 of 42 threes. bey is very unusual for this high-scoring Indiana team and yet the Celtics won that game by only 17 points. That means if you back out the 24 point edge from beyond the arc, the Pacers win the game OUTRIGHT by 7 points! Considering this plus immediate revenge plus a 2nd chance at home against Boston plus all the Celtics injuries, the home team underdog looks like a great option here. The Pacers will be better on the boards in this one too. It was an all-around embarrassing effort so this is a great opportunity for immediate revenge and they will make the most of it! Grab the points - currently 3.5 as of early game day morning. 10* INDIANA (+)

Rotation #861: CBB Monday 10* Top Play Northeastern Huskies (+) @ Monmouth Hawks @ 7 ET - The Huskies are just 5-9 this season and the Hawks are 8-6 this season plus hosting this game! That being said, how is it that Monmouth is just a 2.5 to 3.5 point favorite in this one even on their home floor? Exactly! Do not let the line fool you! This one has trap written all over it and I expect Northeastern to roll here just like they did in last year's victory by a 15-point margin. The Huskies have played a tougher schedule than the Hawks so far in my opinion and that is part of the reason this game is priced this way. Again, do not let this line fool you. Grab the underdog here! 10* NORTHEASTERN (+)

Rotation #783: CBB Saturday Texas Tech (+) @ Texas @ 8 ET - This is a rivalry game. Last season the home team did win each game but both games were tight. With this one moving as high as a 7 as of 6 hours before tipoff, we have excellent value with the big dog here. UT is ranked and Texas Tech is not but the Red Raiders are off to a hot start this season with only 2 losses and one of those was in OT. They match up well with Texas and are fully capable of pushing Texas to the limit in this one. UT has played a weaker schedule recently and that could hurt them here. Keep in mind, they have not played as well against stronger teams this season. As a ranked team, all the pressuer ison the Horns here as well. Don't be surprised if they are pushed to the limit here and the Red Raiders take this one to the wire. Tech has some veteran leadership which helps in a tough Big 12 road game like this. The visitors will be ready. 10* Texas Tech (+)

NBA Saturday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Utah Jazz @ 7:40 ET - The Sixers have some injury question marks but those are minor and don't be surprised if most, if not all, of those guys play in this one. Also, the Sixers are not just off a home loss, it was the worst loss of the season and it came right here in Philly. The 76ers next game is on the road so don't be surprised if they go all out here in this chance to get right back on track. The Sixers bounce back after almost every loss and the Jazz just got hammered at Boston. Yes, Utah wants to bounce back but they are still on the road. and a lot of their recent wins were over poor teams with bad records. Tonight they face an angry beast on the road and this one gets ugly. This is the type of situation where the Sixers will keep the pedal to the metal all game long! This line has dropped to the 11 range as of about 6.5 hours before tipoff. Lay it! 10* PHILADELPHIA (-)

NBA Friday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs New York Knicks @ 7:40 ET - The Sixers are stronger at home than on the road and their 13 point win in most recent game does not even do it justice. Philly led by as many as 31 points in that game but then took their foot off the gas. Also, they were able to rest guys in that one and no one played more than 31 minutes. They will be rested and ready for this one and this line is currently in the -6 range but that suggests that the Sixers are only 3 points better than the Knicks on a neutral floor and I disagree with that. The Knicks are improving but they are not that close to the Sixers level. Also, New York is 9-11 on the road while Philly is 13-4 at home. Those are SU records of course but 9 of the Knicks last 11 losses have been by at least 9 points. Lay it! 10* PHILADELPHIA (-)

Friday CBB 10* Top Play Connecticut Huskies (-) @ Butler Bulldogs @ 6:30 ET - Last night this side was 6.5 and now it is in the 4 to 4.5 range as of 6.5 hours before tipoff. This is just too low. Connecticut is such a strong team and even against tough, ranked opponents, they have impressed this season. I know the Bulldogs are looking better this season than last season and they have long been known for a strong homecourt edge, however the Huskies are too tough. Note that UConn won both meetings last season, each in blowout fashion. Also, the Bulldogs have often struggled against tougher competition this season. So it is true that Butler is 10-4 this season and the Huskies are only slightly better at 12-2 in terms of SU records. However, look at the talent level of each team and the performance against high-quality foes and you will see that the Huskies have huge edges. With this number coming down, I have no hesitation in getting involved here. 10* CONNECTICUT (-) 

NBA Thursday 10* Top Play Milwaukee Bucks (-) @ San Antonio Spurs @ 7:30 ET - Yes, this line is a big one at 9.5 overnight but the Bucks absolutely should win this one by double digits. Milwaukee is in the 2nd game of a B2B but will still play very well here as they are off B2B losses so they will be fired up for this game against a lesser opponent. The Bucks have not lost 3 straight games all season. As for the Spurs, they are having a very rough season and many of their recent losses, even at home, have come by a big margin. San Antonio has lost 26 of 28 games and each of their last 3 home losses have come by at least a dozen points. The average margin of those 3 home losses was 27 points and another ugly one awaits here as Bucks are fired up to get back on track. 10* MILWAUKEE (-)

Rotation #671: CBB Wednesday 10* Top Play St Joseph's Hawks (-) @ Rhode Island Rams @ 7 ET - The Rams started the 2021-22 season with a 12-4 mark. Since then, Rhode Island is 18-41 SU! If you look at their games so far this season their wins have been against weaker foes and St Joe's certainly does not fall into that category! The Hawks are off a huge win by a 41-point margin and have won 7 of last 8 games which included a win over a ranked Villanova team! Also, they took a ranked Kentucky team to OT before losing. This St Joseph's team is very solid this season and this is an absolute bargain line against a still struggling Rams team. Not only is Rhode Island 18-41 SU, they also had lost 5 straight before a win over Northeastern in their most recent game. By the way, 8 of the Rams last 9 losses have been by double digits so the small number here - 5.5 range as of 7 hours before tipoff should not be an issue. 10* ST JOSEPH'S (-) 

Rotation #627: CBB Tuesday 10* Top Play Illinois-Chicago Flames (+) @ Murray State Racers @ 8 ET - Murray State is off a win but they had lost 9 of 10 before that. The Racers traditionally are strong but this does not look like one of their better teams. I like the fact that this line has gone from nearly a pick'em to now Murray State in the -4 range as of about 9 hours before tipoff. We are getting solid line value here because Illinois-Chicago is off B2B losses. The Flames have not 3 straight games all season long. I am looking for a big response here as this team has been ultra competitive this season. The Flames, before the 62-50 loss at Southern Illinois, had gone 7-4 SU last 11 games and the largest margin of defeat was 5 points and the other 3 losses were by 2 or less points. In other words, exceptional value here with the points and we'll grab them! 10* ILLINOIS-CHICAGO (+)

NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Chicago Bulls @ 7:10 ET - This line is in the 10.5 range as of 8 hours before tipoff and is the final meeting between these teams this season and the Bulls have taken the first two games. This is a double revenge spot for a Philly team that will have Embiid back on the floor for this one as well. Chicago is 15-19 on the season and Philly is 22-10 and there is also strong home/road dichotomy factors here as the Sixers are 12-4 at home and the Bulls are 4-10 on the road. Of course these are all SU records but I see Philadelphia winning this game huge with Embiid back on the floor and the fact this is double revenge including a home loss two weeks ago as well. The Sixers just lost at Chicago on the 30th as well so they enter this game off a loss. Philly is 3-0 L3 times coming off a loss. Blowout alert! 10* PHILADLELPHIA (-)

NBA Monday 10* Top Play Miami Heat (+) @ LA Clippers @ 10:40 ET - A lot of injury issues here on both teams. I am aware of the situation and I know Butler will miss this game for Miami. However, this is too much underdog line value (7.5 as of 9 and 1/2 hours before tipoff) for Miami. The Heat are coming off a loss and a perfect 5-0 SU the last 5 times they were off a loss. Of course a SU win for Miami is a guaranteed ATS win in this one as they are a sizable underdog in this one. We'll grab the points here but we may not even need them. Note that the Clippers are off B2B wins but Kawhi Leonard will not be 100% here even though he is expected to play. LA had lost B2B games before those two wins and the Heat have won 3 straight meetings. Also, the Clippers do not have a win by more than 7 points in any of the past 6 meetings. I am grabbing the points with a hungry Heat team coming off a loss. 10* MIAMI (+)

Rotation #704 CBB Saturday 10* Top Play Oregon State Beavers (+) vs USC Trojans @ 10 ET - This line is currently in the 8.5 to 9 range as of about 7 hours before tipoff and there is excellent value here with the underdog. The Beavers have not played as tough of a schedule but they are at home for this game and are coming off a loss but had an 8-3 record prior to that. Also, the Trojans have revenge here from a loss here last season. However, USC enters this game just 4-6 last 10 games and only 3 wins by more than 8 points in their last 10 games! Oregon State won 5 straight games before their tough loss to UCLA in most recent game by 7 points. The Beavers last lost by more than 7 points was back on Thanksgiving weekend! The Beavers have played the Trojans tough in each of the last 3 meetings with an outright win and each of the two losses by 3 or less points. Remember that Oregon State went from an ugly 3-win season to an 11-win season last year to now looking lite a 15-win type team this season. People still remember that Beavers team that went 14-49 the past two seasons combined but they truly are looking much better this season and Corvallis is not an easy place to play. We'll gladly grab the generous points being offered here. 10* OREGON STATE (+)

NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play Utah Jazz (-) @ San Antonio Spurs @ 8:10 ET - The Spurs might be without Wembanyama as he has a sprained ankle and is listed as questionable. I know the Jazz have not been good this season but were it not for the Pistons losing 26 games in a row I feel we would all be hearing much more about just how horrific this Spurs run has been. San Antonio started this season 3-2 but they have since gone 1-22 in an awful run of futility only overshadowed by the Pistons nightmare run. Also, 23 of San Antonio's 24 losses this season have been by at least 3 points so laying the number here (currently 3 as of about 11 hours before tipoff) is no problem either. The Jazz have won 5 of last 7 games so they have won more games the past two weeks than the Spurs have won all season long! Only 1 of Utah's last 11 wins have been by less than a 3 point margin. So excellent value here because of the Jazz being on the road for this one and we'll fade San Antonio again here. 10* UTAH (-)

NBA Monday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (+) @ Miami Heat @ 8:10 ET - Embiid is out for the Sixers but now they are catching 3 points as of about 9 hours before tip off. Keep in mind, Butler might miss this game for the Heat. Either way, I like the value here of a deep Sixers team catching points because of the absence of Embiid. This is a rare chance to catch Philly as an underdog and, keep in mind, Miami is 0-3 SU the last 3 times they have entered a game on a winning streak of at least 2 games. Including post-season games, the Heat are just 19-19 SU last 38 games. Philly is 29-12 SU last 41 games. The Sixers are 8-1 SU last 9 games overall entering this one and offer exceptional line value here. I know they are without Embiid but the Sixers are so loaded with other talent and depth that they will get the Christmas Day upset here. We'll grab the points just in case but I do not expect to need them. 10* PHILADELPHIA (+)

CBB Sunday 10* Top Play Nevada Wolf Pack (-) vs Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets @ 9 ET in Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii - Perfect set up here. The Yellow Jackets blew a huge 20 point 2nd half lead against Hawaii yesterday and barely hung on. That is the kind of game that takes a lot out of a team, especially when it is part of a tournament like this where teams are playing so many games in a short period of time. I look for yesterday's game to be the final good moment for Georgia Tech over in Hawaii as the fresher legs and overall stronger roster belongs to Nevada. The Wolf Pack are coming off a much more comfortable win yesterday as they maintained a big lead for much of the game and cruised to the win over TCU by double digits. The Pack are now 11-1 this season and all 11 wins have been by at least 6 points and that is the number on this game as of about 12 hours before tipoff. 9 of the other 10 Nevada wins have been by double digits. Georgia Tech's last 3 wins have been by an average margin of just 3 points and one of those victories was in OT! In other words, the Jackets have been winning too but not by big margins and there is a lot of value here with a 1-loss team facing a 3-loss team whose 3 losses have, by the way, been by a margin of 17 points on average. Lay the reasonable number here and look for the favorite to roll by double digits in this one. 10* NEVADA (-)

NBA Saturday 10* Top Play Dallas Mavericks (-) vs San Antonio Spurs @ 8:40 ET - The Mavericks are off an ugly 122-96 loss at Houston. They were without so many guys but I expect some back here for this one and Doncic is on track to play! That will be a big boost to the Mavs and they will take advantage of facing a Spurs team that is having a disastrous season. San Antonio started the season 3-2 but has since gone 1-21. This is unreal and the Spurs and 7 of the last 8 losses have been by 8 or more points. The current line on this one is in the 7.5 range and SA likely to get hammered again as Dallas is angry off an embarrassing loss. The Mavericks had won 5 of 6 before  tough recent slide but those 5 wins by an average margin of 14.6 points! They can roll this SA team that is an absolute disaster right now. The Mavs already won by 7 against the Spurs earlier this season and that game was at San Antonio and the Spurs were a different team then. They are really lacking in confidence and execution compared to the team we saw early this season. 10* DALLAS (-)

Rotation #883: Friday CBB 10* Top Play Temple Owls (-) vs Old Dominion Monarchs @ 7:30 ET - Temple will bounce back here in Hawaii - this line 3.5 as of about 6 and 1/2 hours before tipoff - as the Owls take advantage of a struggling Old Dominion team here. The Monarchs have lost 4 straight games and allowed an average of 90 ppg in those 4 defeats! Old Dominion only has two wins in regulation time this season and both were against outclassed foes. The Monarchs certainly do not outclass the Owls! So, in other words, look for their losing skid to continue here. The Owls are off their worst loss of the season to a tough Nevada team but, prior to that defeat, Temple was 6-4 on the season and the average loss was by just 6 points. The Owls have faced a tougher schedule than Old Dominion as well and the Monarchs are just 3-7 SU on the season. So when you factor all this in, this is a solid line value situation to back a short favorite off their worst loss the season. 10* TEMPLE (-)

NBA Friday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Toronto Raptors @ 7:10 ET - Current line on this is an 8.5 as of 7 hours before tipoff! There is only one team in the entire NBA that does not have a SU divisional win yet this season and it is the Raptors! Toronto is 0-7 SU in divisional action this season and their road losses in divisional games have come by an average margin of 14 points per defeat. The Sixers have won 7 of 8 and each of their last 6 wins have come by a double digit margin! In fact, the average margin has been 29 points! Philly should roll huge again here as this is their last home game until after New Year's so they will make the most of it. Toronto drops to 0-8 SU in divisional games this season and you can see why I am expecting the win to be by a double digit margin! 10* Top Play PHILADELPHIA (-)

CBB Thursday 10* Top Play Boise State Broncos (+) vs Washington State @ 11 PM ET at Spokane, WA @ 11 ET - This one is a neutral site game though the location certainly favors the Cougars over the Broncos as Pullman is closer to Spokane than Boise is but the point is this is not a true home game for Washington State. I love the contrarian aspect to this one as Washington State has revenge plus they are the Pac-12 foe facing a Mountain West team so they are the perceived stronger team and want payback for a loss to Boise State early last season. Consider all these aspects and then think about why this line would have opened up in the pick'em range? Exactly...and this line has now even moved up to Washington State as a 2.5 point favorite. Of course most are backing the Cougars given all of the above but the odds makers know that revenge is not always all it is cracked up to be plus the Broncos have played a tougher early season schedule. So when you fact all this in you can see the line value with the underdog in this match-up and I am backing the underdog in this one and we'll grab the bucket though we should not even need the points. 10* BOISE STATE (+) 

NBA Thursday 10* Top Play Minnesota Timberwolves (-) vs LA Lakers @ 9:10 ET - This line is up around an 8 but it is with good reason. James is out for the Lakers and Davis is questionable for LA. Both these teams are off losses yesterday but Minnesota is the much healthier team plus overall the stronger team plus they have the home court edge in this one. Also, the Timberwolves are a PERFECT 5-0 SU this season when off a loss. Additionally, when off a loss in which they allowed 127 points or less, the Wolves are not only 4-0 SU but every single win was by at least a 16 point margin and that means they are a perfect 4-0 ATS this season in this situation. Look for this one to make it 5-0 ATS on the season as this will be a home blowout against a short-handed Lakers team. 10* MINNESOTA (-)

Rotation #685: Wednesday 10* Top Play Villanova Wildcats (+) @ Creighton Bluejays @ 9 ET - The Wildcats are only 7-4 SU this season but they have wins over some teams and plus 3 of their 4 losses this season have been by 4 or less points. I feel we have excellent line value here with this one in the 9 to 9.5 point range and I will not hesitate to step in with a solid play on the Wildcats in this one. Villanova also has revenge here as they were knocked out of the Big East tourney by the Bluejays last season. The Wildcats lost their regular season game at Creighton last season as well but that defeat was by just 5 points. There is a lot of value here on Nova because this is still a talented team and they just beat UCLA without Justin Moore. Everyone is stepping up with Moore out of the lineup and that will happen again tonight. Also, the Wildcats have a tendency to play poorly against weaker foes and then be at their best against stronger foes. In other words, you will see their best again tonight. They also have a rest edge with 10 days off since their most recent game. Even though the Bluejays are at home for this one, there could be a lot of students home for the holidays already so they may not have an exactly raucous crowd for this one either. All factors considered (including the fact that Moore is out for this one) has led to a big value with the big underdog here. 10* VILLANOVA (+) 

NBA Wednesday 10* Top Play Dallas Mavericks (+) vs LA Clippers @ 8:40 ET - The Mavs are getting about 2.5 points here and of course it looks easy to lay the 2 or 2.5 with the Clippers here as they have won 8 straight games! Of course we all know what usually happens when something looks too easy, right? Indeed! So the point is this is the perfect time to go contrarian and back the Mavericks as a home dog in this one. First off, note that 6 of the 8 wins in the Clips win streak were home games! Also, one of the only two road wins was against a Jazz team that now stands just 10-17 on the season. The Clippers are still just 5-7 on the road this season and now they face their toughest road test since a 120-114 loss at Golden State. Also, 2 of the other road wins LA has this season were against a Western Conference league-worst Spurs team! So, the point is the Clippers are facing a much bigger challenge here but we get line value because of the current LA hot streak! Let's take advantage as the Mavericks are off a loss and they have gone 7-2 this season when coming off a loss! 10* DALLAS (+) 

NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play Portland Trail Blazers (+) vs Phoenix Suns @ 10:10 ET - Big revenge game for the Suns is on deck against the Kings. That said, I like the value here of the big home dog Blazers who are playing this game with revenge and have been playing better of late but are off a tight home loss in which they covered ATS versus the Warriors. The Trail Blazers are still fighting hard for a win to snap their losing streak and they are on the cusp and should battle all the way through again here in this one. The points are a huge value in this one given the revenge situation for the home dog and the lookahead situation for the road favorite in this one! 10* PORTLAND (+)

CBB Tuesday 10* Top Play Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (+) @ California Baptist Lancers @ 10 ET - The Hilltoppers have won 5 straight games and I like the fact they are averaging 8 steals per game. This WKU team plays opportunistic defense and their confidence is surging with each win. The Toppers can hang tough in this game and they are facing a California Baptist team that has just one win in last 3 games and that win was by just a single point. The Lancers come from a weaker conference and the Toppers are undervalued here the way I see it. An outright upset would not surprise me in the least but certainly there is value in the points here even though the Hilltoppers are on the road for this one. Keep in mind Cal Baptist off tight 1-point win over UC Riverside which is, of course, a city rival of theirs in Riverside so the set up here is even better than most realize. Love this spot for at least a road dog cover in this one. 10* WESTERN KENTUCKY (+)

NBA Monday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Chicago Bulls @ 7:10 ET - This line in the 11 range as of about 9 hours before tipoff. I know this is a big number and normally I do not like to lay such big numbers but this 76ers team, including their bench play, is absolutely on a tear right now. The Sixers have been getting great play from their bench and this has allowed them to sustain blowout margins in recent games and they are at home here and the Bulls have struggled overall this season. Chicago is a little better than their 10-17 record in my opinion but they are dealing with injury issues and the Bulls also are on the road and walking into a buzzsaw here. The 76ers have won 6 straight games and the average margin has been 27 points! Yes they are dominating teams! Each of last 4 wins by at least a margin of 18 points! The Sixers should roll big again here as on deck is a Western Conference foe and that game is not until Wednesday. So Philly is fully focused here. Also, though they won most recent game with Bulls, they lost the game immediately before that in a "home and home" B2B spot last season and that was in Philly. Chicago beat the Sixers in double OT in that one and the Sixers will get their home court revenge here the way I see it! 10* PHILADELPHIA (-)

Rotation #873 CBB Monday 10* Top Play Oakland Golden Grizzlies (+) @ Michigan State Spartans @ 7 ET - This line in the 16.5 point range as of about 5 hours before tipoff. Spartans off that huge win over the highly-ranked Baylor Bears and it was a blowout win. However, Michigan State shot lights out in that game including a ridiculous 8 of 12 from three point land. That said, we absolutely have some value here with this solid Oakland team catching huge points in a classic little brother versus big brother match-up. Of course the Spartans are the much stronger team but the Golden Grizzlies are loaded with Michigan guys who want this game of course. Last season they did lose by double digits in this match-up but the Spartans were heavily outshot by Oakland in that game and the Golden Grizzlies were done in by poor shooting. That said, there is value here with a big dog that has proven they can compete with stronger teams. The Golden Grizzlies have competed just fine with solid programs like Xavier and also other Big Ten teams like Ohio State and Illinois. This one will likely be decided by single digits and we take advantage of the strange shooting percentages that the Spartans just had in their win over Baylor plus the crazy shooting dynamics of last season's meeting between these teams. 10* OAKLAND (+)

NBA Sunday 10* Top Play Portland Trail Blazers (+) vs Golden State Warriors @ 9:10 ET - I know the Trail Blazers have a bad record but this is a great spot for them. They are at home off a home loss and they catch Golden State traveling off a hard-fought home win over the Nets last night. Yes, Portland has an ugly record and is on a losing streak but they are catching 5.5 points here and they are hosting a Warriors team that has lost 7 straight road games. I know the Blazers are off B2B ugly losses but this followed an 8-game stretch in which only 1 game was a loss by more than 6 points! They will be in this one all the way and, considering the Warriors 0-7 SU run in road games, an outright win is not of the question either! This line is round a 5.5 as of 7 hours before tip-off so we'll grab the generous points in this one! 10* PORTLAND (+)

CBB Friday: 10* Top Play Connecticut Huskies (-) @ Gonzaga Bulldogs @ 10 PM ET - The Huskies are the stronger team and have an experience edge and they are so strong in the paint. Connecticut also has enough outside shooting prowess to stretch teams out and that open things up inside the paint as well. Note the Bulldogs lost their only game against a ranked team this season while Connecticut has played 3 ranked foes already and gone 2-1. I feel strongly that the Huskies are better prepared for this intense match-up and that is also why you are seeing them favored by about 4 points here (as of mid-day Friday) even though they are on the road and playing in a tough venue. Lay the points with the road team in this one. 10* CONNECTICUT (-)

NBA Thursday 10* Top Play Cleveland Cavaliers (+) @ Boston Celtics @ 7:40 ET - This line currently in the 9.5 to 9 range as of mid-day Thursday. Boston is the only team that has an undefeated home record this season but this sure looks like too many points! Cleveland is 2-0 the last 2 times they have entered a game on a losing streak of at least two games. The Cavaliers are 12-8 SU last 20 games but, only 3 of their last 20 games have been losses by a double digit margin! Boston is 8-3 SU last 11 games but only 3 of the 11 games were Celtics wins by a double digit margin. The Cavs did lost this same match-up when these teams met Tuesday but Boston outscored them by 20 points at the free throw point line. In other words, the Cavaliers actually won the game by 13 points if not including free throws and I feel we have excellent line value here in this revenge spot for the Cavs. Grab the points in this one. 10* CLEVELAND (+)

NBA Monday 10* Top Play Washington Wizards (+) @ Philadelphia 76ers @ 7:10 ET - These teams just met in Washington and the Sixers only won by 5 points and that was with Joel Embiid scoring 50 in that contest. I realize that the Wizards shot very well in that game, including from 3-point land. But now the Sixers are heavier favorites here - 11.5 to 12 points as of early gameday morning - and this is with Embiid questionable. Embiid did practice fully Sunday but why is he still on the report then? The fact is there is a chance that, facing a 3-18 team, the Sixers might try to give him rest here. Even if they do not rest him fully, there is a chance they will limit his minutes. Either way, the Sixers are likely in for at least a dogfight in which the Wizards keep this one to a single digit margin again. Washington has scorers and has some confidence given the way the last game played out. The Wizards off ugly loss at Brooklyn but this followed a 7-game stretch in which Washington had only 2 losses by more than 5 points! As for the 76ers, they only have 2 wins by more than 11 points in their last 15 games. I feel this is a nice value here as this is a game where Philly knows they have bigger fish to fry and I could see them being a bit flat or disinterested in this one. Even if they do manage to get up by 15 points or so the Wizards could easily backdoor the cover in the final stages too. Just too many points. 10* WASHINGTON (+)

Rotation #859: CBB Sunday 10* Top Play Michigan State Spartans (-) @ Nebraska Cornhuskers @ 6:30 ET - The Huskers are 7-2 this season plus at home and plus playing with revenge from last season. Yes they are a 3-point dog to a Spartans team that is just 4-4 this season. Big mistake, right? Actually, not at all! The Huskers have played a weaker schedule than the Spartans. Also, Nebraska lost their Big Ten opener to Minnesota despite the Golden Gophers losing their leading scorer to injury early in the game. Yes the Spartans also off a loss to open up Big Ten action but they faced a tough Badgers team and mainly lost that game because Wisconsin was much better from 3-point land than Michigan State. So here we are getting solid line value in this spot as there has been an over-reaction the Spartans mediocre record so far this season. We step in and take advantage of a quality team laying a small number in a bounce back spot. We get the small number because they are on the road and because of a forced adjustment on the line by the marketplace. 10* MICHIGAN STATE (-)

NBA Saturday 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (+) vs Los Angeles Lakers @ 8:30 ET in Las Vegas, NV - There is some extra value baked into this line because the Lakers just absolutely destroyed the Pelicans on the scoreboard. However, LA shot 55% overall plus made 17 of 35 threes. New Orleans had a dreadful shooting game and was outscored by 30 from 3-point land as the Lakers made 10 more threes in the game. Keep in mind, the Lakers entered that game against NO in Vegas having gone just 4-7 in road games this season. The Pacers entered their game, a win over the Bucks, having gone 4-3 on the road this season and 2 of the 3 losses were at Boston and Philly. Of course the Celtics and 76ers are two of the best teams in the league. The point is that Indiana is arguably a better road team than the Lakers yet they are catching sizable points here against an over-rated LA team that is now over-valued after the hot-shooting win over the Pelicans. The Pacers are a very cohesive group. I like the team chemistry this roster has and I feel they will pull together to win this thing. Even if they fall short I look for it to be by one possession. This game could go right down to the wire but I am expecting the outright upset. We'll grab the 4.5 points. 10* INDIANA (+)

NBA Friday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Atlanta Hawks @ 7:10 ET - This line in the 7 or 7.5 range and this is a bargain in my opinion. Looks like Trae Young could miss due to illness or at least would not be 100% here. That is bad news for a Hawks team that already lost to the Sixers by double digits earlier this season and that game was in Atlanta! Also, Philadelphia won their most recent home game by 44 points over the Lakers and the 76ers are getting healthy again with Oubre having come back as well. The Sixers are off a road game at Washington and have another game versus the Wizards at home up next. That said, the Hawks are certainly getting the full focus and attention of the Sixers right now. When Philly is focused they can blow teams out. They know they let that game at DC be much closer against the Wiz then it should have been and they will respond huge here with a strong home game. The Sixers have 7 home wins this season and all were by double digit margin except the Celtics. The Hawks are definitely not at the level of the C's. In other words, another blowout home win is imminent here! 10* PHILADELPHIA (-) 

NBA Thursday 10* Top Play New Orleans Pelicans (+) vs Los Angeles Lakers in Las Vegas, NV @ 9 ET - The Lakers are such a popular team they tend to get some extra attention in the betting markets and that can put lines out of whack a bit. Lets not forget that this is a neutral site game and they are 4-7 SU away from home this season. Davis should play here but is managing some injuries. James is questionable but I am sure he will play but the point is that neither are likely to be 100% here. Couple that with the fact that the Pelicans have won 8 of 12 games plus they are the healthier team entering this match-up and they have revenge from losing 3 of 4 with LeBron and the Lakers last season. This line is now up to a 2.5 and I like the value with the underdog in this one given all of the above. 10* NEW ORLEANS (+)

NBA Wednesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) @ Washington Wizards @ 7:10 ET - Normally I do not like to lay 9.5 or 10+ points in NBA games but this Sixers team is finally going to have everyone back and healthy on the floor for this one and they are off B2B losses and they are facing a 3-16 team. Not only that, this 3-16 Wizards team might be without Shamet and Poole. The latter is of particular importance but even Shamet gets some decent minutes. Poole is one of the top scorers. If either or both guys play they are unlikely to be 100% for this one. The Wizards have lost 11 of 12 games. The Sixers are strong when off B2B losses and are 9-2 SU the last 11 times they have entered a game on a losing streak of 2 or more games. This team just not have long losing streaks and they are a much better and more cohesive club this season than last season. Of course a SU win is not the only key here as we also have a big spread to cover. The key with that is the Sixers have had 4 of last 5 wins come by 10+ points and the Wizards most recent loss was by 5 points. However, Washington has lost 6 straight road games and 5 of the 6 have been by more than a dozen points! 10* PHILADELPHIA (-) 

NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play Milwaukee Bucks (-) vs New York Knicks @ 7:30 ET - The Bucks line is down to 4.5 in this one. After the line move especially there is value on Milwaukee in this one. The Bucks are 9-1 at home this season. 8 of their last 9 wins have been by 6 or more points. Of the Knicks last 6 losses, 5 have been by 5 or more points. Home court is a key factor here as the Bucks are 41-10 since the start of last season. The Knicks are solid on the road but certainly not at 80%+ like Milwaukee is at home. The Bucks have won 7 in a row over New York in their regular season meetings and I am grabbing the extra value here after the line move. The Bucks are without Connaughton and they are certainly better with him on the floor but are these teams really equal on a neutral floor (which is what this line is practically saying) when Bucks don't have him? I say no and I know the hosts want this tourney game and will have a strong crowd behind them. 10* MILWAUKEE (-)

NBA Saturday 10* Top Play Sacramento -4.5 vs Denver Nuggets @ 10:10 ET - Tough spot for Nuggets off the big win over Phoenix last night. B2B spot for Denver and, this is the 3rd time they have entered a game on a 4-game winning streak. Both times thus far they lost the 5th game each time. This is a solid Kings team they face here and Sacramento is angry off a loss. The Kings just lost to the Clippers but Sacramento was off a big win over the Warriors. Remember that Golden State had won each of the first two meetings this season plus knocked Sacramento out of the playoffs last season. Not only that, the Kings had to rally and practically won that game in miracle fashion. So it was a definite flat spot. They bounce back here and take advantage of catching the defending champs in a tough scheduling spot. 10* SACRAMENTO -4.5

NBA Friday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (+) @ Boston Celtics @ 7:40 ET - This line is as high as 7 as of about 7 hours before tipoff. Embiid missed the morning shootaround so now speculation is rampant that he will miss tonight's game. Don't be surprised when Embiid plays tonight. I just do not see him missing this contest as the Sixers seek revenge here. They probably wanted to let him rest as much as possible this morning rather than force him for the shootaround. Either way this is a lot of points in a rivalry game and I like Philly here. Before the loss to the Pelicans, in which it was a surprise that Embiid did not play, the Sixers were 5-2 SU on the road this season and one of those losses was by just 1 point. We have great line value here with this line possibly now even going higher. You are going to see a huge effort here in this revenge spot from the Sixers no matter who is on the floor. 10* PHILADELPHIA (+)

NBA Thursday 10* Top Play Golden State Warriors -5 vs Los Angeles Clippers @ 10:10 ET - Last night the Clippers caught the Kings off a dramatic huge-deficit come from behind victory the night before. LA took advantage and got the win at Sacramento but the situation was a good one for the Clips and a horrible one for the Kings plus LA hit 14 of 28 three-points in the game! They will not do that again tonight. Now it is the Clippers that are in a B2B situation and they are facing the very team (Warriors) that had blown a massive lead in a gut-wrenching loss at Sacramento! That said, Golden State is rested and ready and angry and this is a very reasonable line to lay here. I would not be surprised to see Leonard and Harden be less effective in the 2nd game of a B2B plus Powell got hurt last night and will not play here. Yes I am aware of the Chris Paul injury for the Warriors but the rest of the team in good shape entering this one and now Draymond Green is back from his suspension too. The Warriors are ready to go tonight and I am expecting them to have one of their best games of the season thus far in this one. They led by as many as 24 points in that loss at Sacramento and did lead by 17 at the half. GSW can not wait to get back on the floor. 10* GOLDEN STATE -5

Rotation #752: CBB Sunday 10* Top Play Illinois-Chicago Flames (-) vs Illinois State Redbirds @ 8 ET - As I mentioned in Sunday's write-up on UIC - an underdog cover as they lost by just one point - the Flames have been developing well in recent years. They are well-coached and now the coach has been able to assemble the type of roster he wants here. It has been a process for sure but this Flames team looks stronger this season than they have been in a long time. Now Illinois-Chicago is 5-2 on the season and with Illinois State, this is not the right kind of team roster to take advantage of the Flames guard-heavy style. This is an MVC opener for these teams and the Flames will fare well in this match-up. I like laying a very reasonable number of points in this one with a team that is undefeated at home and hosting a team that has lost 3 in a row in games played away from home. Note that UIC is hitting 48% from the field this season and the Redbirds are hitting just 39% from the field. Also, the Flames are averaging much higher blocked shots numbers. This is no surprise as, in this match-up too, UIC has some height and length edges in guard play as well. Illinois-Chicago lost the most recent meeting between these teams in a game played at Illinois State and that was in OT last season. This will be payback at home and they bounce back from a 1-point loss. Keep in mind the Flames only other loss this season was to Cincinnati! Lay it! Illinois-Chicago (+)

NBA Wednesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers Pick'em @ New Orleans Pelicans @ 8:10 ET - As of very early game day morning this line is showing some movement toward the Pelicans and the Sixers have gone from being a small favorite to right around a pick'em. The 76ers might even end up being the dog here but we are getting in on this now at the pick'em price. Yes, the 76ers have a revenge game on deck at Boston and are 1-1 this season when they have the Celtics on deck. However, the win was by 18 points while the loss was a game in which they were in the 2nd leg of a B2B with a Pacers team they had just beaten. This is a different situation. Philly going on the road off a blowout win over the Lakers and they know they do not want to make the same mistake they made against the Pacers. In other words, the fact this is a road game might even help the Sixers in the focus department and they know they can not overlook these Pelicans. New Orleans is at home and that is why this game is priced this way but they have lost B2B games and another reason for the pricing is that CJ McCollum could be back tonight. But if you are the Pelicans, wouldn't you rather wait and bring him back Friday against a bad Spurs team? Also, if he does play here, he would likely not be 100% plus he would be on a minutes restriction. The Sixers are 5-1 last 6 road games and a PERFECT 5-0 L5 road games when Embiid plays. He is playing tonight and the lone road game he missed was a loss he sat out of due to a b2b situation and playing with a sore hip. So this is a non-B2B and it is a road games streak I expect Philly to take to a PERFECT 6-0 RUN! 10* PHILADELPHIA pick'em 

Rotation #629 CBB Tuesday 10* Top Play NC State Wolfpack (+) @ Ole Miss Rebels @ 9 ET - The Wolfpack are a 2 or 2.5 dog in this one as of about 11 hours before tipoff. This line actually opened with NC State as a small favorite in some spots. I love fading line moves like this. First off, Ole Miss is undefeated. Secondly, the Rebels are at home. Thirdly, the line is moving toward the undefeated home team on their home floor. I will grab the dog often in spots like this and particularly when are 1-loss team is coming off that very first loss of the season. The Wolfpack are a solid team loaded with upperclassmen. This is part of the ACC/SEC annual battle and I like the fact the Rebels last 3 wins have all come by slim margins - an average margin of victory of just 1.7 points - and now they face the toughest test yet! This will be the toughest team they have faced and the Wolfpack not in a good mood coming off that loss. Give me the motivated ACC dog that won nearly TWICE as many games as Ole Miss last season! 10* NC State (+)

NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play Toronto Raptors (+) @ Brooklyn Nets @ 7:40 ET - First off this line looks funny with Brooklyn only a 1.5 point favorite as of about 10 hours before tipoff. Why are the Nets such a small home favorite here? Glad you asked! The fact is Brooklyn is dealing with some injury concerns entering this one and that will impact both their effectiveness and team depth in this one. Also, they are off B2B wins here and not going to be as hungry as a Toronto team that is off a loss and has gone 5-0 the last 5 times this season in which they are off a defeat in which they scored 107 points or less. Look for this hungry Raptors to make it 6 in a row in this situation. Do not let the line fool you here! 10* TORONTO +1.5

NBA Monday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Los Angeles Lakers @ 7:10 ET - This line is around a 5.5 or 6 and that is saying the Sixers might only be about a bucket better than the Lakers on a neutral floor. I am just not buying that argument. The Lakers have won 3 straight road games but they lost 5 straight road games prior to that. Also, the Sixers have surprisingly lost each of their last 3 home games so you know they have this one circled on their calendar. This is particularly true because Philly has a couple road games on deck. Also, their most recent win was only by 4 points but this followed the first 9 of 10 Philly wins coming by a margin of at least 7 points and I feel certain this one will too! Lakers have some banged up players and I expect Davis and James to play but neither is likely to be 100% here. 10* PHILADELPHIA (-)

NBA Sunday 10* Top Play Chicago Bulls (+) @ Brooklyn Nets @ 7:40 ET - The Bulls are hungry for a win. They have revenge here against the Nets from a loss earlier this season too. Also, Chicago is catching Brooklyn in the 2nd night of a B2B and off a revenge win over the own. The Nets had revenge against Miami and they got it. Don't be surprised if, based on scheduling dynamics and situational advantage, the Bulls are the more aggressive and fresh team here. I know Caruso and LaVine are each listed as questionable for this one but I expect them to play. Either way, I like the underdog Bulls here in this one and will grab the points, currently around a 4 or 4.5 as of mid-day Sunday. 10* CHICAGO (+) 

Rotation #751: CBB Sunday 10* Top Play Illinois-Chicago Flames (+) vs UNC Greensboro Spartans @ 7 ET -As I mentioned in yesterday's write-up on UIC, the Flames were off a blowout win Friday so they were able to rest guys and only 2 guys exceeded 27 minutes and neither one of those topped the 31 minute mark. UIC is well-coached and now the coach has been able to assemble the type of roster he wants here. It has been process for sure but this Flames team looks stronger this season than they have been in a long time. Now Illinois-Chicago is 5-1 on the season and that was a solid George Washington team they beat yesterday. Now they face UNC Greensboro. The Spartans are 4-1 on the season and have looked strong but they have hit a very high percentage of 3's recently and now face tough tourney situation in that it is a B2B2B and the hot shooting fades. Couple that with the fact they've been giving up too many offensive boards and this is not the right kind of team to take advantage of the Flames guard-heavy style. The Flames will fare well in this match-up and I like having the sizable points in this one. Also UIC has some height and length edges in guard play as well. Grab the points! Illinois-Chicago (+)

NBA Friday 10* Top Play Detroit Pistons (+) @ Indiana Pacers @ 8:10 ET - As of about 8 hours before tipoff this line is in the 7.5 range and the Pacers are hurting with some injuries including top scorer Haliburton. Even if he plays, he is dealing with right wrist pain. That will not help in the scoring department. That said, the Pacers have to score a ton to win games because this team just not play defense. There is a reason this line is coming down even though we are talking about a Detroit team (2-13) that has the worst record in the league. Pacers allowing 126.4 ppg and this is the worst mark in the league. If you look at Indiana's last 6 games, none were Pacers wins by more than 6 points and they have gone just 3-3 in those games. There is a reason some action is coming in on a team that has lost 12 straight games, 5 of the last 7 defeats have been by a single digit margin. Look for another very tight game here as the Pistons are very hungry for a win and will take advantage of shoddy defensive play of the Pacers. 10* DETROIT (+)

CBB Friday 10* Top Play Seton Hall (+) vs Iowa Hawkeyes @ 6 ET - Iowa might rate as a slightly better overall team and Seton Hall is only +1 or +1.5 as of about 5 hours before tipoff. However, the better defense belongs to the Pirates. Iowa certainly has some key seniors too but the overall rotation for Seton Hall is loaded with seniors. They are coming off their first loss off the season. Conversely the Hawkeyes have lost 2 of 3 games now. They are a very good team and score well but they are not good on the defensive end. That said, the defensive edges for the Pirates and the fact this is a veteran-laden team early in the season coming off their first loss has me siding with the small dog here. 10* SETON HALL (+)

NBA Wednesday 10* Top Play Minnesota Timberwolves (-) vs Philadelphia 76ers @ 8:10 ET - Current line is in the -4.5 range and I expect a solid home win. Philly had 4 guys score in double digits in last night's OT loss at home to Cleveland. Those 4 players were also the big 4 in terms of minutes played last night as they all topped 40 minutes! This is a really tough spot here for Philly as they are in a B2B while Minny has some rest and the Timberwolves have been playing so well this season. Also, the Sixers have now lost 3 of 5 and certainly are not as a strong of a team as they were early this season before Oubre got hurt. Yes they are still a top team but now short-handed already plus playing the 2nd night of a B2B and the Wolves are 6-0 at home this season and most have been blowout wins and the one that wasn't was still a 5-pt win in OT here. I look for the Timberwolves to take advantage of the situation and roll the Sixers here. 10* MINNESOTA (-)

NBA 10* Top Play Tuesday Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Cleveland Cavaliers @ 7:30 ET - This line is in the 7.5 range as of early gameday morning. The Cavaliers are a solid team that has won 3 straight games so this line makes sense. However, Cleveland is going to again be without leading scorer Donovan Mitchell here. Also, the Cavaliers could be without Caris LeVert again. If he does play, LeVert (knee) will not be 100% most likely and, keep in mind, he is also one of the Cavs top scorers. This the Sixers only home game in about a 2-week stretch so they want to make it count! Philly has been so strong and they were encouraged by having Oubre back at practice yesterday. His return is likely still weeks away but the team chemistry in Philly right now is as high as it has been in years so they definitely were also encouraged by having him back at practice Monday! The Sixers are 10-2 last dozen games and 8 of last 9 wins by at least 8 points! In fact, the average margin of victory in Philly's wins this season is 13.4 ppg so I do not expect the spread to be an issue here. 4 of the Cavs last 5 losses by at least 8 points and the Sixers are so strong and confident so far this season and this is particularly true at home. 10* PHILADELPHIA (-)

NBA Sunday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Brooklyn Nets @ 3:10 ET - The Nets are just 3-4 last 7 games and a big key with that is 2 of their 3 wins came against teams that are now a combined 6-17 this season. Against tougher teams the Nets continue to lose and Brooklyn also hurting without leading scorer Cam Thomas. If you look at this Brooklyn roster you can see it is no wonder why they tend to struggle against top teams. Of course the Nets would like revenge for last season's playoff ouster at the hands of the Sixers but they don't have the roster to do it right now in my opinion. Also, keep in mind, Philly's only losses this season came against a strong Bucks team by 1 point in Milwaukee and they lost both ends of a B2B. But that B2B featured a front-end lookahead with a tough Celtics team the very next night. The point is, the way Philly is playing right now, even without Oubre a bit longer, they just do not lose to lower-tier teams. They will get the big win here in my opinion and we have a very manageable line to work with. 10* PHILADELPHIA (-)

CBB Friday 10* Top Play Villanova Wildcats (-) vs Maryland Terrapins @ 8:30 ET - The Wildcats are in a great bounce back spot after that embarrassing loss to Penn. They had won their first two games this season and can't wait to get back on the floor after the loss to the Quakers. As for the Terrapins, they are off B2B losses. They have not looked good early this season and now they face an angry team that was ranked heading into that loss to Pennsylvania. The Cats had a huge edge in shots from the field in that game but had an ugly performance. They will bounce back big here on their home floor and take this one by double digits the way I see it and this line is currently in the -6 range. 10* Villanova (-)

NBA Thursday 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (+) @ Miami Heat @ 7:40 ET - The current line on this one is around a 3.5 and the Heat are still without Tyler Herro. The game he got hurt in was a game that he only played 8 minutes in. So including that game, Miami has won 4 straight games without him. However, the key here is that 3 of those teams were really bad and are struggling overall this season. In fact, the combined record of all 4 teams is 14-29. Now the Heat face a red hot Nets team that already beat the Heat at Miami this season and that was when Herro was the leading scorer for Miami with 30 points and now he is not even playing tonight. I understand the Heat being favored here as they are at home and have won 6 straight. However, Brooklyn has won 6 of 9 and the only 3 losses were to Boston (twice) and Milwaukee. Of course the Celtics and Bucks are two of the best teams in the league. The Heat, without Herro, are not at that level. The road team gets it done here. 10* BROOKLYN + points

NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (+) @ Philadelphia 76ers @ 7:10 ET - Embiid may not play here as he has a sore left hip. To put that on the injury report in a different way, Embiid may rest here because the Sixers have another huge game with the rival Celtics on deck for tomorrow night! In all seriousness that is a real factor here and it would not surprise me if this is the Sixers excuse to end up holding Embiid out of this one. Even if he does play I expect Philly to rest some guys if they do have a sizable lead late. But the fact is this Pacers team can hang around in this one and possibly even steal an upset win. The Sixers can not help but to think about the huge showdown with the Celtics on deck. Yes they finally beat them when these teams met last week but that does not change importance of "round two" of their season series. Also, though Philly won by 11 in the game versus Indiana Sunday, that was with Maxey scoring 50 points and with the team overall making 14 three pointers! I just do not see those types of numbers again and expect a tight battle here in this one. The Pacers have a strong shot at revenge here but we'll grab the points being offered for added insurance. The current line on this one as of early gameday morning is +5.5 points. 10* INDIANA + points