NBA TV Top Play - Rickenbach Tuesday NBA 10* Toronto Raptors (+) @ Houston Rockets @ 8:05 ET - This line looks a little "funny" at first glance and you know what that generally leads to! The fact is that this may be a bit of a contrarian play as most will want to back a red hot Houston team at home and laying a small number against a Raptors team that is only playing .500 ball in their last 10 games. The key to the advantage here is that Toronto has not played back to back games a single time this entire season. In fact, the Raptors enter this game having played just 7 games in the last 17 days! Conversely, the Rockets are playing for the 3rd time in 4 days and their 4th game in the last 6 days! The road team has won 3 of the last 4 meetings between these teams (SU and ATS). Toronto was favored at Boston Sunday but lost by a single point. The Raptors are 24-12 SU when off of an upset loss as a favorite. Whether or not Toronto gets the outright win here, I do expect them to drop the Rockets to 28-40 ATS in non-conference action! The Raptors have the fresher legs and they've faced the tougher schedule so far this season. 10* TORONTO

Total Dominator - Rickenbach Monday NBA 8* OVER the total in New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers @ 7:35 ET - The Knicks have gone over the total in 5 of their last 7 games and that comes as no surprised considering they have shot an insane 51.2% from the field during this red hot shooting stretch of 7 games. The Cavaliers have also been quite hot in their last 6 games and all 6 went over the total. I look for Cavs totals to improve to 7-0 to the over their last 7 games as Cleveland is shooting 49.6% from the field during this hot shooting stretch their past 6 games. Neither team has been playing particularly well on the other end of the floor so far this season. Yes, the Knicks allowed only 92 in their most recent game but previously they had allowed 110.3 points per game in their last 6 games! The Cavaliers allowed "only" 104 points in their most recent game but, prior to that, the Cavs had allowed 112 points or more in 10 straight games - an incredible stretch! Not only is the over 6-0 this month in Cleveland's games, the Cavaliers are now 24-9 to the over in November games! Look for the Knicks to improve to 4-1 to the over this season when they are off of a non-conference game! 8* OVER the total in New York

Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 10* Top Play Miami Heat (+) @ Detroit Pistons @ 4:05 ET - The Heat have faced a tougher schedule than the Pistons but they aren't getting much respect here as early indicators are that the public is all over Detroit in this match-up. I love getting teams like Miami plus the points. The Heat have been a different teams since Hassan Whiteside returned to the lineup and their defense is far superior to that of the Pistons. Detroit has allowed opponents to hit 49.6% from the field in their last 6 games. Miami has allowed opponents to hit only 41.1% from the field in their last 8 games! The key to the value here is the Pistons are 4-0 their last 4 games and 7-1 their last 8 games but that is taking attention away from a Heat team that is a solid 4-2 SU their last 6 and 4-1 ATS their last 5. Miami is off of an upset win at Utah but the Heat are actually a fantastic 24-10 ATS when coming off of an outright win as an underdog. The Pistons are 4-11 ATS (including 0-2 ATS already this season) when they are on a winning streak of 3 games or more. Grab the points here! 10* MIAMI

Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach Saturday NBA 8* OVER the total in Houston Rockets vs Memphis Grizzlies @ 8:05 ET - The Rockets have gone over the total in 5 straight games. Houston has been red hot with their shooting and, as usual, they are not playing very well on the defensive end. The Rockets have allowed 48.7% from the field in their last 5 games. What is surprising here and what is adding the value of this play is that the Grizzlies defense has not been nearly as strong as it usually is. Memphis has allowed 46.9% from the field in their last 4 games. The Rockets are averaging 119.8 points per game their last 5 games and the Grizzlies are averaging 104.3 points per game in winning 2 of their last 3. Memphis is off of an upset win at Portland and the over is 23-13 when they are off of an outright win as an underdog. The Rockets have lost both games against the Grizzlies this season but now they face them while they're red hot and the over is 3-1 when Houston is playing with revenge this season. Also, when on a winning streak of 3 or more games, the over is 22-13 in Rockets games. 8* OVER the total in Houston

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach Friday NBA 8* OVER the total in Detroit Pistons vs Atlanta Hawks @ 7:05 ET - These teams are 6-0 to the over in their last 7 meetings (one push). Also, the Hawks come into this match-up having gone over the total in 5 straight games. Atlanta has averaged 108.6 points per game their last 5 games but the Hawks have allowed 116 points per game their last 5 games. Both Atlanta and Detroit have shot very well from three point land so far this season. The Pistons have certainly been the better team on defense but look for the Hawks to really push the tempo in this one. Atlanta has fresh legs as they have been off since Monday. Both teams are missing some frontcourt players for this contest and that does a couple things that helps the over. It allows for more drives to the bucket and it also increases the odds that each team will rely more on outside shooting as well instead of just pounding the rock inside. The result is a good quick pace with plenty of threes being fired up. The Pistons are averaging 112.3 points per game in their last 4 home games and the Hawks just don't play much defense at all. Atlanta will again emphasize the offensive end (as they've been doing all season long) and the result is likely to be another loss by about the average margin they've been losing by. Looking at their last 5 games, as summarized above, the Hawks are scoring 108.6 but allowing 116. That would put this game right near the spread but well over the total and that's why my play here is on the over as 225 would truly not be a surprise. Look for the over to improve to 4-1 in the Pistons last 5 home games. Also, the over is 9-5 when Detroit enters a game on a winning streak of 3 games or more. Look for the over to improve to 4-0 in Atlanta's games against teams with a winning record this season. 8* OVER the total in Detroit

Top Play Dominator - Rickenbach Thursday NBA 10* OVER the total in Houston Rockets vs Cleveland Cavaliers @ 8:05 ET - Will anybody be playing defense in this game? The Rockets have the better numbers on the season but, in their last 5 games, Houston has allowed 47.2% from the field. Also, in the Rockets last two home games they've allowed 112.5 points per game. Of course the Cavaliers defense has been so bad this season that it's making headlines! That's what happens when you're allowing 114 points per game, 48.5% field goal percentage, and 41.9% three pointers! The Cavs defense is in trouble here as the Rockets are well rested and those fresh legs are ready to add to a 3-game run that has seen Houston average 125 points per game. Of course the key to the over here is the fact that Cleveland's offensive production is also "through the roof" of late! The Cavaliers are averaging 119 points per game their last 4 games and all 4 went over the total. Houston is also on a 4-0 run to the over! The Rockets are also 16-8 to the over when off of a game where they scored 130 points or more. The Cavaliers are 19-9 to the over in games with a posted total of 220 points or more. Also, Cleveland is 25-11 to the over when they are off of a game where they allowed 115 points or more. 10* OVER the total in Houston

Rickenbach NBA Thursday 8* New Orleans Pelicans (+) @ Toronto Raptors @ 7:35 ET - The Raptors have failed to cover 3 of their last 4 games and also won't be fully focused on New Orleans as Toronto has a big game at Boston on deck. For the Pelicans, they have won and covered each of their first 3 games on this 4-game road trip and they are eager to complete the perfect run with one more win tonight. New Orleans is the team with the motivation tonight as they have lost each of their last 4 meetings with the Raptors including losing by just 2 points in their most recent visit to Toronto. New Orleans has a powerful front court and should dominate the paint and the glass in this match-up. Also, the Pelicans are 3-1 (SU and ATS) in non-conference games this season. The Raptors historically have struggled against teams that can really "fill it up". Against teams that average 106 points or more per game, Toronto has gone 15-22 SU in recent season and is an ugly 26-64 SU long-term! I'll gladly take the points here! 8* NEW ORLEANS 

Rickenbach Thursday NBA 8* Washington Wizards (-) vs Los Angeles Lakers @ 7:05 ET - The Wizards are off of a 14 point home loss to Dallas. That means they missed the spread by nearly 25 points in that game as they were favored by close to double digits in that one! Washington will be ready to make amends for that horrific effort and they'll do it by getting revenge over a Lakers team that snuck out a 3-point win over the Wizards two weeks ago in Los Angeles. The Lakers lost by double digits at Boston but the 11 point loss could have been much worse as the Celtics scored 107 points even though they only shot 38.8% from the field in that game. That says a lot right there! The Lakers are on a 36-50 ATS run in road games. The Wizards are 52-35 ATS when playing with revenge and also 17-10 ATS when off of an upset loss as a favorite. This home team is angry and ready to initiate a beating on a LA team in the 2nd night of a back to back. The Wizards won't take their foot off of the gas here. 8* WASHINGTON

Earliest Cash Wednesday - Rickenbach NBA 8* New York Knicks (+) @ Orlando Magic @ 7:05 ET - The Knicks are in a back to back spot here but the key is that New York has a ton of momentum right now and their starters really didn't play a ton of minutes last night. That is always a key to look at when analyzing a back to back situation and the Knicks 5 starters averaged just 29 minutes each and not a single player in the 9 man rotation played more than 36 minutes. New York's shooting has been on fire and, riding the momentum of last night's come from behind win, the Knicks head to Orlando with a ton of confidence. New York has won (and covered) 6 of its last 7 games. The Knicks have averaged 111.4 points per game during this 7-game stretch. The Magic have been at the other end of the spectrum of late. Orlando is off of back to back losses and have averaged just 85.5 points per game in those two defeats. While it is true that the Magic will be the more rested team here, the fact is that when a team needs to get it's shooting touch back not playing games actually can be a detriment. Orlando hasn't had a good shooting game since LAST Wednesday! As for the Knicks, they are so hot right now with their shooting that the best thing for them is to keep playing and, keep in mind, Kristaps Porzingis was held under 30 points last night for just the 3rd time in 10 games this season and yet New York still got the win. The 7'3 Knick is averaging 30 points per game this season and shooting the ball very well and that hot shooting continued last night though he finished with 28 points. The road team has won and covered each of the last 3 meetings between these teams and the Knicks overall went 3-1 SU and ATS versus the Magic last season. New York is 4-0 SU and ATS against teams that allow 106 points or more per game this season. The Magic are 0-3 SU and ATS against Atlantic Division opponents. Look for those trends to remain perfect here as the Knicks continue to be an early season surprise! 8* NEW YORK KNICKS

Top Play Dominator - Rickenbach Tuesday NBA 10* Charlotte Hornets (+) @ New York Knicks @ 7:35 ET - Charlotte opened up as a -2 here even though the Hornets are only 1-4 (both SU and ATS) in road games this season and the Knicks are 4-2 (both SU and ATS) in home games this season. Must be some kind of mistake here, right? Of course that's why there has been a big early move toward New York here but, as I have stated many times before, the odds makers know what they are doing! In other words, the Hornets opened up as a favorite here for a reason and, after the move that has taken Charlotte from a -2 to a +1 here, I have no hesitation in going with a top play here. Keep in mind, the Knicks are off of a huge come from behind win versus the Pacers where New York rallied from a huge deficit in the 2nd half. Also, the Hornets have revenge here from losing both games at New York last season with each defeat coming by 3 points or less. The Knicks have a game at Orlando on deck for tomorrow while the Hornets, after yesterday's off-day, have two more days off after this game. Charlotte is off of back to back losses and the last one was by 18 points. Look for the Hornets to improve to 3-0 (SU and ATS) this season when off of a loss by a double digit margin. The Knicks are 10-26 SU when off of an upset win as an underdog and New York won't have enough left in the tank after that surprising rally against the Pacers Sunday. 10* CHARLOTTE

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Tuesday 8* New Orleans Pelicans (+) @ Indiana Pacers @ 7:05 ET - The Pacers are hoping to bounce back after consecutive losses. However, the concern for Indiana is they've allowed their opponents to shoot 50% from the field in 3 straight games! As for the Pelicans, they've been at the other end of the spectrum as they have been playing fantastic defense and have held each of their last two opponents under 39% from the field. Couple that with the fact that the New Orleans big men down low are going to cause all sorts of trouble for the Pacers and you have a fantastic value spot to back the Pelicans in this one. Indiana is toward the end of a 6 games in 9 days stretch while New Orleans comes into this one rested after back to back days off the past two days. The Pelicans are on a 14-7 ATS run versus Central Division opponents and they are also 4-2 (SU and ATS) on the road this season. The Pacers are on a 27-38 ATS run in non-conference games and have a big divisional game against the Central Division leading Pistons tomorrow at Detroit! Tough spot for Indiana and a great spot to fade them with the Pelicans as they continue to be "road warriors" early this season. 8* NEW ORLEANS

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Monday 8* OVER the total in Atlanta Hawks vs Boston Celtics @ 7:35 ET - The Hawks are off of a huge upset win at Cleveland yesterday. Even though Atlanta's defense has been a glaring weakness early this season, the Hawks hot streak on the offensive end has been quite impressive. I don't see that coming to an end now that they're back on their home floor for this one tonight. The Hawks have shot 46.4% from the field in their last 4 games and averaged 109 points per game during this stretch. The Celtics should have no problem scoring at will in this game as the Hawks have allowed an average of 117.5 points per game the last 4 games. Boston, like Atlanta, is off of a win yesterday. Certainly the Celtics defense has been impressive early this season but I don't expect them to fare well in this back to back spot of consecutive road games and facing a Hawks team that is loaded with confidence right now. Keep in mind, Boston viewed the Orlando game as a much tougher game than this one. Likewise, Atlanta viewed the match-up with LeBron James and company as a bigger game than this one. The point is, especially with both the Hawks and Celtics off of wins yesterday, it is only natural that there will be a bit of a let-up on defense in this one given the situation. The over is 4-0 in the Hawks last 4 games. The Celtics only back to back situation this season saw Boston allow their season high in points (108) and that game went over the total. Look for a similar result in this one! 8* OVER the total in Atlanta

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play Memphis Grizzlies (-) @ Los Angeles Lakers @ 9:35 ET - The Grizzlies line is starting to move from a 2 to a 2.5 but also, if you have access to the money line, that is available as low as a -130 and certainly is the best option here if you can get that. Even though this is a back to back for the Grizzlies, keep in mind they have gone 22-14 ATS when playing the 2nd night of a back to back. Also, their game yesterday was a day game and it was right here in LA on this very same floor. The Grizzlies shot well in the game and now Memphis is looking at those very same rims and same shooting backdrop tonight. They're facing a Lakers team that is off of a rare big win as Los Angeles crushed Brooklyn by double digits Friday. That is noteworthy here because the Lakers are 6-13 ATS (and 4-15 SU) when off of a win by a double digit margin! Comparing these two teams, Memphis is the much better team defensively and they also shoot the 3-ball better than the Lakers too. Even though this is a back to back for the Grizzlies, they did have 2 full days off prior to this. The Lakers are playing their 3rd game in 4 days so the rest factor is not necessarily in LA's favor here. I also like the fact that Memphis has a 3-game winning streak and a 2-game winning streak already this season. Coming off of a single win (yesterday) I look for that to begin the next streak for the Grizzlies. As for the Lakers, they are off of a win and they have yet to win back to back games this season. I'll gladly challenge them to do that here! 10* MEMPHIS

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 8* OVER the total in Cleveland Cavaliers vs Atlanta Hawks @ 3:05 ET - The Hawks have gone over the total in 3 straight games. All 3 games totaled at least 223 points. Atlanta has allowed 49% shooting in those 3 games and now they face a Cavaliers team that has been red hot with their recent shooting performances. The Cavs have averaged 118.5 points per game in their last 2 games and have shot 53% from the field. The fact that Cleveland won their most recent game and the fact that they are shooting "lights out" means that their biggest weakness of late will continue to not get enough attention. The Cavs defense has simply been poor! They've allowed 117.3 points per game their last 7 games. Opponents have made 50.4% of their shots from the field in their last 3 games against Cleveland. All 4 meetings between these teams went over the total last season. The Cavs are 22-9 to the over when facing poor defensive teams (allowing 106 points or more per game) and the Cavaliers are also 7-1 to the over when they're off of a game where they scored 130 points or more. 8* OVER the total in Cleveland

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach Saturday NBA 10* Top Play OVER the total in Minnesota Timberwolves vs Dallas Mavericks @ 8:05 ET - The Timberwolves are off of an under but it was their first of the season through 8 games as they've been an "over machine" so far. The Mavericks are also off of an under but they had gone over the total in 3 straight games prior to last night's low-scoring battle with New Orleans. Even though that game was low-scoring it had a lot to do with poor shooting for the Mavs and Pelicans. That said, with Dallas off of back to back poor shooting games, I look for them to get back on track tonight at Minnesota as the Timberwolves are allowing 113 points per game on 51% shooting this season! The Mavericks are allowing 107.4 points per game on 48% shooting this season. These teams have trended under in recent meetings but the situation here dictates a high-scoring shootout! 10* OVER the total in Minnesota 

Top Play Dominator - Rickenbach Friday NBA 10* Houston Rockets (-) @ Atlanta Hawks @ 7:35 ET - The key with laying sizable points in basketball is that motivation is a key. Of course the Rockets are the much better team than the Hawks as that is why they opened up as 8-point favorites here even though this game is at Atlanta. That said, is the motivation there for a blowout win? In this case it is there to the 7th power! Ironically, the Hawks have lost 7 straight games this season as they prepare for this match-up and the Rockets have lost 7 straight games to Atlanta! That includes sweeps each of the past two seasons where the Hawks got the ATS cover in all 4 games too! As you would expect with these results, Houston has plenty of motivation here. The Rockets got their shooters rolling in their huge 22 point win at New York on Wednesday and now they take on an Atlanta team that just doesn't have the firepower to keep up with them. This Hawks team is absolutely a shell of the former Atlanta teams that used to give the Rockets trouble. Atlanta's 7-game losing streak has featured 5 defeats by double digit margins and I expect another one here. The Hawks just got blasted by the 76ers by 10 points on Wednesday and Atlanta is 0-4 SU and 0-4 ATS when off of a loss by double digits this season. Long-term the Hawks are 18-27 (40%) ATS in this situation. Atlanta is allowing 109 points per game this season and the Rockets are 28-19 ATS and 39-8 SU the L3 seasons combined when they are facing a poor defensive team (allowing 106 points or more per game). The Rockets are seeking revenge here so they won't let up and they blast the Hawks by double digits in this one! 10* HOUSTON

TNT Dominator - Rickenbach Thursday NBA 8* OVER the total in San Antonio Spurs vs Golden State Warriors @ 8:05 ET - This total has gone from nearly 220 down to a 216 as of early gameday morning and I love the value being offered here. The Spurs have been without Tony Parker and, most importantly, Kawhi Leonard. San Antonio also has been without Joffrey Lauvergne, a role player. The point is that without all these missing pieces I feel you're going to see Golden State dictate the pace and flow of this game even though it is being played in San Antonio. The Warriors are shooting a ridiculous 52.6% from the field including 40.4% from beyond the arc! That is why Golden State is averaging 121 points per game. The Spurs defense has been struggling recently as they've allowed 49.5% from the field in their last 4 games! San Antonio has allowed 104.8 points per game in those 4 games but it only gets tougher here with the high-flying Warriors in town. Yes, this is a revenge game for San Antonio but they are short-handed and will struggle to slow down a "stacked" and red-hot Warriors team. Look for the over to improve to 6-0 in the last 6 meetings between these teams. The over is 17-6 in the Spurs last 23 games as an underdog. The over is a solid 6-2 in Golden State's games this season. The over is also 26-16 when the Warriors enter a game with 2 days of rest between contests. They are rested here with fresh legs and they know the best way to defeat the Spurs is to create a fast-paced game filled with transition opportunities. The Warriors will do just that! 8* OVER the total in San Antonio

ESPN Top Play Dominator - Rickenbach Wednesday NBA 10* OVER the total in New York Knicks vs Houston Rockets @ 8:05 ET - The Knicks are hot and have won 3 straight games. This is New York's first 3 game win streak of this season but the past two seasons combined they've gone 7-1 to the over when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 games or more. Surprisingly, the Rockets have trended under the total early this season but they are 15-7 to the over the past 2+ seasons in their games against Atlantic Division opponents. Generally not a lot of defensive intensity in match-ups like this and, keep in mind, the Rockets have averaged 123.5 points per game in their last two games against the Knicks. Houston made 36 of 95 three pointers in those 2 games versus New York last season. As for the Knicks, they did hit 40% of their threes when they hosted the Rockets last season and New York comes into this game having averaged scoring 112.3 points per game in their last 3 games. Also, at home this season the Knicks have not been held below 107 points. The Rockets are allowing 104.2 points per game on the road this season. Houston has not shot the ball well their past few games but that is unlikely to continue against a Knicks team not known for defense. The Rockets are likely to be angry and lighting it up from downtown tonight after their home loss to Philly and the Knicks - riding the confidence of a 3-game winning streak - should stay hot on the offensive end. The result should be a shootout here as the Knicks improve that aforementioned "over trend" to 8-1 the last 9 times. 10* OVER the total in New York

Contrarian Dominator - Rickenbach Wednesday NBA 8* Milwaukee Bucks (+) @ Charlotte Hornets @ 7:05 ET - This is a contrarian play because many will look at this as a bad spot for the Bucks since they were in action versus Oklahoma City last night and now are traveling plus losing an hour due to going to the East Coast. However, the fact is that Milwaukee is playing their 3rd game in 4 nights (just like Charlotte is) and the Bucks (just like the Hornets) actually got some rest last night! What do I mean by that? Milwaukee's key players did not have to log a lot of minutes because the Bucks got blasted by the Thunder yesterday. Milwaukee was down by double digits early and was down by 20+ going to the 4th quarter. That type of game means the starters got plenty of rest and it also means it is going to be a fired up and angry Bucks team that takes on the Hornets tonight. Milwaukee has won each of its last 3 meetings with the Hornets and the Bucks also are a perfect 3-0 ATS in the last 3 meetings in Charlotte. The Hornets enter this game off of back to back wins and I am glad to challenge them to win their 3rd straight as they're also playing their 4th game in 6 nights. It may surprise some people to see who actually ends up tiring as this game goes on! As for the Bucks, they are off of a loss and they haven't lost back to back games yet this season! Also, Milwaukee is 2-0 SU and ATS against the Southeast Division this season while Charlotte is 0-2 SU and ATS against the Central Division. Grab the generous points here but I don't expect to need them. 8* MILWAUKEE

Contrarian Dominator - Rickenbach Tuesday NBA 10* Top Play Phoenix Suns (+) @ Brooklyn Nets @ 7:35 ET - The Suns have been a different team since the coaching change. They have covered 3 in a row and they were a dog in all 3 games and won 2 of the 3 outright. Phoenix is definitely putting more emphasis on defense and they've held their last 3 opponents to 43% from the field. The Nets are the same old no-defense Brooklyn team we're used to seeing. The Nets have allowed 5 of their 7 opponents to make at least 48% of their shots from the field! Brooklyn is allowing 118.3 points per game! While the Suns full season points allowed look nearly as bad as the Nets, keep in mind Phoenix has allowed only 105.7 points per game in their last 3 games which of course are the games since the coaching change. The Suns also have plenty of motivation here because they've been swept by Brooklyn each of the last two seasons and each loss last season came by at least 18 points. It's time for payback and Phoenix is well rested since they've been off since Saturday. Conversely, the Nets are playing their 5th game in 8 nights and have yet to have back to back off days this entire season (that finally happens after this game). Though the marketplace appears to be tempted to back Brooklyn here as they expect a response off of a bad loss, the Nets are actually 17-47 SU (26-38 ATS) when off of a loss by double digits! I am expecting the upset here but, should the Suns fall short, I expect it to be by no more than a bucket. 10* PHOENIX

NBA TV Dominator - Rickenbach Monday NBA 8* San Antonio Spurs (+) @ Boston Celtics @ 7:35 ET - The Spurs have won 10 straight meetings with the Celtics. San Antonio also has won each of their last 6 visits to Boston. The Spurs finally got a taste of their own medicine yesterday as they took control, as usual, in the 4th quarter and were up by 9 with under 7 minutes to go. However, this time San Antonio was on the wrong end of the late 4th quarter push and the Pacers ended up getting the 3 point win in Indiana. Even though this is a back to back spot for the Spurs it helps that yesterday's game was an afternoon game and it also helps that San Antonio has two days off after this game. Hungry from back to back losses, you can bet (literally!) that the Spurs are going to go very hard in this one. That said, I like the additional line value here as this line has been pushed higher as the morning has gone on. Boston has won 4 straight (both SU and ATS) but they are 11-27 ATS when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 games or more. The Spurs, despite losing outright as a sizable road favorite yesterday, are still 46-25 ATS in game played in the first half of a season. They were again off to a fast start this season (prior to this 2-game skid) and I expect they'll get right back on track tonight. 8* SAN ANTONIO

Total of the Month - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play OVER the total in New York Knicks vs Denver Nuggets @ 7:35 ET - I like playing overs when two teams come in rolling with confidence and scoring a lot of points. When this happens it is only natural that a team lets up on defense because they are so focused on continuing their offensive onslaught and they have the added confidence factor of "who needs defense when nobody can stop us from scoring" as their mentality. That is the case here for the Knicks as they've won two straight games and averaged 110.5 points in their last two games. That included New York's big upset win at Cleveland last night. As for the Nuggets, they've also won back to back games and they've averaged 114.5 points per game. Keep in mind that Denver, other than the easy win over a hapless Sacramento team, has allowed an average of 107.2 points per game in their 5 contests against teams not named the Kings. As for the Knicks, they were allowing 108.7 points per game in their first 3 games this season and I am not sold on them necessarily having a defensive resurgence just because the Nets and Cavs both had poor shooting nights against them. Also, the Knicks have allowed an average of 129 points per game in their last two games versus Denver. Both match-ups went over the total last season and the Nuggets are a long-term 14-6 to the over in their games against Atlantic Division opponents. Also, the over is 29-16 in Denver's games when they are off of a game where they scored 115 points or more. Couple that with the Knicks being in a back to back and off of a huge upset win on the road and I expect a shootout tonight with an overall lack of effort on the defensive end. 10* OVER the total in New York

Total Dominator - Rickenbach Sunday NBA 8* OVER the total in Cleveland Cavaliers vs New York Knicks @ 7:05 ET - The Knicks are off of a win versus the Nets where they allowed just 86 points. However, this has certainly been the exception rather than the norm for New York as they were allowing 109 points per game in their first 3 games this season. Also, the Knicks allowed 118 points per game versus the Cavaliers in last season's 4 meetings. The Cavs come into this one fired up off of a loss as they were defeated 123-101 at New Orleans yesterday. Cleveland is 22-10 to the over when they are off of a game where they allowed 115 points or more. Also, the Cavaliers are 2-0 to the over this season when they are off of an upset loss as a favorite and they're also 2-0 to the over this season when they are facing a team with a losing record. The over is 10-6 when New York is off of a game where they allowed 90 points or less. As you can see, we have combined factors favoring the over to the tune of 36-16 in this one! 8* OVER the total in Cleveland

Defensive Dominator - Rickenbach Saturday NBA 8* Boston Celtics (-) @ Miami Heat @ 8:05 ET - I had the Heat against the Spurs in their most recent game and I got burned. Until Hassan Whiteside comes back, Miami's rebounding and defense is leaving a lot to be desired. While the Celtics have a positive rebound differential of 3 per game, the Heat are at a rebounding deficit of 5 per game. Also, Miami is allowing opponents to shoot 48.5% from the field and 43.2% from three point land. By comparison, Boston is allowing only 44.1% from the field and just 30.4% from beyond the arc. The Celtics are 32-19 SU against poor defensive teams (allowing 106 points or more per game). The Heat are 11-18 SU against strong defensive teams (allowing 98 points or less per game). The Celtics also have won 7 straight games against Miami. More of the same here. 8* BOSTON

Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach Friday NBA 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (+) @ New York Knicks @ 7:35 ET - Brooklyn is averaging 121.2 points per game this season while the Knicks are averaging 93.3 points per game on the young season. Of course the Nets defense is a different story but that doesn't change the fact that the Knicks are winless both SU and ATS while Brooklyn is 4-1 ATS and 3-2 SU on the season. The Nets have lost both their road games this season but, of course, this isn't much of a "road game" here considering the game is in New York! Also, it is the first divisional game of the season for Brooklyn so there is no way they'll be flat here even though they're off of a win versus the Cavs on Wednesday. The Nets have covered 4 games in a row while the Knicks are still seeking their first cover. Also, Brooklyn has won each of its last two meetings with New York and the Knicks just are not getting good backcourt play. That is why, even though the Nets are without guard D'Angelo Russell tonight, the Knicks don't have the backcourt firepower to take advantage. This total is hovering around the 220 mark and New York is 0-7 ATS in home games with a posted total of 220 or more in recent seasons. The Nets are 4-0 ATS this season in games with a posted O/U equal to 220 or greater! 10* BROOKLYN

Earliest Cash Top Play - Rickenbach Thursday NBA 10* Memphis Grizzlies (-) vs Dallas Mavericks @ 8:05 ET - This line yesterday was a -4 and that game was at Dallas and now the rematch is in Memphis in this rare back to back same team, different city match-up. The fact that the Grizzlies are now available at -8 (at the time of this posting) is a bargain because that is saying that home court is only worth 2 points...Memphis being a -6 on a neutral floor...and that is not right. Home court is worth more than 2 points and the Grizzlies are hungry for revenge here. Last night's loss was their first of the season and the Dallas win was the Mavericks first of the season. There is also another little tidbit that, though not huge, certainly also carries some value here. The Grizzlies do not want to play Chandler Parsons on back to back nights as he hasn't been medically cleared for that so he DID not play last night and WILL play tonight. As for the Mavericks, Devin Harris played last night (first game since shooting death of brother) but was not expected to travel with the team for this game. This personnel variance for each team in the Thursday rematch certainly leads to more home fave line value! The Mavericks are allowing opponents to make 48.7% from the field and 36.1% from three point land while the Grizzlies are holding opponents to 41.7% from the field and 30.7% from beyond the arc! Memphis is 22-13 ATS when playing back to backs while the Mavericks are 13-20 SU in back to backs. Remember that all 3 of the Grizzlies wins this season have come by 8 points or more and that includes winning at Houston and also knocking off the defending champ Warriors here in Tennessee! 10* MEMPHIS

Top Play Dominator - Rickenbach Wednesday NBA 10* Dallas Mavericks (+) vs Memphis Grizzlies @ 8:35 ET - Memphis is 3-0 SU and ATS this season. Dallas is 0-4 SU and ATS this season. Mavericks have no chance, right? Actually the inverse is true. The Mavs are extremely hungry for their first win of the season and they know it need to come against the Grizzlies because otherwise Dallas will be staring an 0-6 in the face. That's because tonight's game is followed by another match-up with the Grizz in Memphis tomorrow! While the Grizzlies rallied from a double digit 4th quarter deficit against the Rockets in Houston to get an improbable road win, the Mavs are off of an embarrassing home loss to Golden State. Dallas is 31-17 ATS when off of a loss by a double digit margin. The Grizzlies are 4-16 ATS when they enter a game on a streak of 3 or more consecutive unders. Also, Memphis is 14-27 (both SU and ATS) when off of a divisional game. Even though the Mavericks are also a divisional opponent the Grizzlies are justifiably more concerned with the Rockets than the Mavs and I see tonight's game as a flat spot for Memphis. Keep in mind, this is just the 2nd road game of the season for the Grizzlies and they were down by 10 points late in the game against the Rockets before their huge game-ending run. 10* DALLAS

Rickenbach Wednesday NBA 8* Miami Heat (+) vs San Antonio Spurs @ 8:05 ET - The Spurs continue to do the unthinkable and grind out wins (and tight covers) despite not having Kawhi Leonard or Tony Parker available. Now they also saw role player Joffrey Lauvergne get hurt and he provides a big body that gets key rebounds and gives LaMarcus Aldridge a rest. While Lauvergne is not a key player, you may be surprised at how he impact the playing rotation of San Antonio for tonight's game in terms of big men. Certainly this helps Miami as the Heat are still without the injured Hassan Whiteside. I really like the hungry home dog here hosting a Spurs team that has seemed to have everything break their way late in games this season. That changes tonight as the Heat look to win their 3rd straight. Good value spot here as the Heat have not covered a game yet while San Antonio has yet to suffer an ATS loss. The Spurs are 36-43 ATS when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 games or more. The Heat are 13-7 (65%) ATS against teams from the Southwest Division and there certainly is "history" between the Heat and Spurs! 8* MIAMI

Rickenbach Wednesday NBA 8* OVER the total in Charlotte Hornets vs Denver Nuggets @ 7:05 ET - The Nuggets have had 3 straight unders to start the season but they've allowed 106 points or more in 2 of their 3 games and are coming off of a game where they scored 104 points. The Hornets have also begun their season with 3 straight unders but a ridiculous 4th quarter (for the offensive production of both Charlotte and the Bucks) in Milwaukee Monday is the only reason they didn't record their first over of the season. The fact is that teams are averaging 92 field goal attempts per game against the Hornets so the pace is there. Now it's time for the points to match the pace and it will in this game. The over is 44-29 in Hornets games against teams with a losing record. Also, the over is 38-21 in Nuggets non-conference games. Match-ups that are inter-conference tend to play out with less defensive intensity than intra-conference match-ups and I expect plenty of "run and gun" in this one. 8* OVER the total in Charlotte

Top Play Dominator - Rickenbach Tuesday NBA 10* Indiana Pacers (+) @ Minnesota Timberwolves @ 8:05 ET - The Timberwolves are over-priced here. I am well aware of the fact that the Pacers are still without Myles Turner but they've been without him since he got hurt in their season opener and Indiana is off of a tight 4-point loss in their most recent game. The Pacers are getting big scoring from Victor Oladipo. They can hang tight with a Timberwolves team that they certainly are catching at the right time. Minnesota is off of a huge win at Oklahoma City on Sunday. That was a big upset win for Minny and they are 10-21 SU when off of an outright upset win as an underdog. Also, the Wolves are 9-18 ATS short-term (and 46-73 ATS long-term) when off of a game where they scored 115 points or more. Also, Minnesota is known for playing down to the level of competition as they are 25-48 ATS in games against teams with a losing record. The Pacers are at the other end of the spectrum against teams with a winning record as they are on a 50-34 (60%) ATS run! Indiana also is 17-7 ATS when playing with 2 days of rest between games. The Pacers are 3-1 in their last 4 meetings with Minnesota and the road team is a perfect 4-0 ATS in those games! 10* INDIANA PACERS

Rickenbach Tuesday NBA 8* New York Knicks (+) @ Boston Celtics @ 7:35 ET - The Knicks were up by 21 points versus Detroit Saturday in the first half but blew the big lead and ended up losing by 4. They know they need to focus more on defense and rebounding and I like their chances to stay inside an inflated number here. The Celtics, without Gordon Hayward now for the season, are relying on a deep rotation of players and that may help them when they're facing a tired opponent. But, in this case, they're facing a New York team that has been off since Saturday and doesn't play again until Friday. The Knicks will go "all out" here and are hungry off of a loss. Also, the road team has won each of the last 3 games (both SU and ATS) between these two divisional rivals. That said, it is also hard to expect the Celtics to win this game by double digits when they're making only 41.8% of their field goal attempts early this season. Boston is on a 13-20 ATS run in divisional games and I it certainly appears they are again over-priced here. The Celtics also have a "revenge game" at Milwaukee on deck for Thursday. The Bucks beat the C's and ruined their home opener Wednesday. 8* NEW YORK KNICKS

Rickenbach Tuesday NBA 8* OVER the total in Orlando Magic vs Brooklyn Nets @ 7:05 ET - This total looks huge of course but it is truly not big enough. It opened up at 229 and Orlando is averaging 117 points per game this season and Brooklyn is averaging 124.3 points per game on the young season. I like the fact that both teams saw their first two games go over the total but are now coming into this game off of an under. The fact is that each team saw their opponent have a rare "off" shooting night in their most recent game. The pace was still for an over but the shooting percentage of the opponent simply didn't get the job done. This leads to value in a spot like this and the over is 8-4 in Orlando's games with a posted total of 220 or more. Also, the over is 16-5 in Magic games when they are playing with 2 days of rest between games and Orlando is off of that huge upset win at Cleveland on Saturday. The over is 11-6 in Brooklyn's road games with a posted total of 220 or more. Also, the Nets are 26-14 to the over when facing a team that allows 106 points or more per game. 8* OVER the total in Orlando

Rickenbach Monday NBA 10* Top Play Toronto Raptors (+) @ San Antonio Spurs @ 8:35 ET - The Spurs are the popular choice here and I love to fade the masses. Yes, San Antonio is off to a 2-0 start but they pulled away very late to beat a Minnesota team that is still learning how to close out games and they then faced a Bulls team that is certainly having some issues and in-fighting right now. Now the Spurs take on a Raptors team that has had 48 or more wins each of the last 4 seasons and San Antonio is still without Tony Parker and, most importantly, Kawhi Leonard. Having won their first two games by a combined 51 points, abeit against weak competition (Bulls and Sixers), Toronto does roll into SA with plenty of confidence for this one. Keep in mind the Raptors are shooting better from the field (including from 3 point land) in comparison with San Antonio early this season. The Spurs are below .500 ATS (49-52 record) when facing a team with a winning record and the Raptors are fantastic 43-18 SU when off of a game they won by a double digit margin. Very confident and ready to make a statement in their first truly challenging game this season, the road team rolls in this one! 10* TORONTO

Rickenbach Monday NBA 8* Houston Rockets (-) vs Memphis Grizzlies @ 8:05 ET - Yes the Rockets are without Chris Paul but they were -13 with him on the floor in their upset win over the Warriors on opening night. Houston has also gone 2-0 without him as he has missed the past two games. Don't get me wrong, Paul is a fantastic player but the point is that others are filling in for very well. Look for the Rockets on Monday to take advantage of a Memphis team playing their first road game of the season. Also, the Grizzlies are coming off of a huge upset win over the Warriors on Saturday. Memphis has lost their last two games against the Rockets by an average margin of 19.5 points per game. The Grizzlies are on a 35-48 ATS run against teams with a winning record and I like the fact Houston is catching them off of an upset win over the defending champs. Keep in mind, the Rockets only non-cover this season was after they upset the Warriors at Golden State. 8* HOUSTON

Rickenbach Monday NBA 8* OVER the total in Milwaukee Bucks vs Charlotte Hornets @ 8:05 ET - The Bucks are 3-0 to the over this season while the Hornets are 2-0 to the under this season so something has to give here. The fact is that Milwaukee, at home, is going to dictate the tempo and they have the NBA's leading scorer leading the way. With Charlotte banged up, I just don't see anyone slowing down Giannis Antetokounmpo (38.3 ppg) and the Bucks! Milwaukee is happy to push the tempo right now and Antetokounmpo continues to fire away and attack on offense which is also opening up great open looks for his teammates as he commands so much attention. In games played in the first half of a season, the Bucks are on a 44-25 run to the over. The Hornets are riding high after their big win over the Hawks and that 18-point win is noteworthy here because Charlotte is 30-15 to the over when they are off of a win by a double digit margin. Bucks games are averaging 214.7 points per game this season and I expect more of the same here! 8* OVER the total in Milwaukee

Western Conf Dominator - Rickenbach Sunday NBA 8* New Orleans Pelicans (-) @ Los Angeles Lakers @ 9:35 ET - Another nice set up here for many reasons. First off the Pelicans are off of a loss but they faced the NBA Champion Warriors and they actually led Golden State by 15 points in the first half of that game. While New Orleans is coming into this one hungry off of a loss the Lakers are feeling satisfied off of a win Friday. That win, however, was at Phoenix, and the Suns don't play defense. Keep in mind, when Lonzo Ball and these Lakers faced the defensive-minded Clippers in their opener on Wednesday, the Lakers were dominated. The Clippers had too much size inside and Ball was out-classed by Patrick Beverley. This will prove to be another tough match-up for Ball and the Lakers because the Pelicans have another former UCLA star (Jrue Holiday) whom will match-up with Lonzo. Look for the highly motivated Holiday to win this battle. Also, in the paint, New Orleans has a huge edge with the big bodies of DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis. The early drop on this line also gives added value with the small road fave here. The Lakers are 2-6 ATS when off of a game where they allowed 130 points or more. Both these teams enter this game 1-1 but the Pelicans have played the much tougher schedule. Grab the line value here as the Pelicans get revenge for April's loss in the most recent meeting in Los Angeles. 8* NEW ORLEANS

Total Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 8* OVER the total in Oklahoma City Thunder vs Minnesota Timberwolves @ 7:05 ET - After scoring just 34 points in the first HALF at Utah last night, you're sure to see a HUGE response from the Thunder in this one! They've scored a total of 158 points - for an average of 26.3 points per quarter in their other 6 quarters of action early this season. The Timberwolves are off of a win versus that same Jazz team Friday and Minnesota did reach triple digits in the game. However, they've shot just 44% so far this season from the field and I expect a breakout game from the Wolves offense in this one as Oklahoma City's focus is on the offensive end after scoring just 87 point in last night's loss. It leads to what should be a shootout here and so I'll gladly take advantage of the downward line move on the O/U in this one. The Timberwolves first road game this season went over the total and they are on a 48-31 run to the over in road games. 8* OVER the total in Oklahoma City

Market Analytics - Rickenbach Saturday NBA 8* Chicago Bulls (+) vs San Antonio Spurs @ 8:05 ET - The Spurs got the win and cover versus the Timberwolves on Wednesday in San Antonio. However, that game was very tight until the final minutes and the final score is quite deceiving. This has resulted in some additional line value here because this is still an SA team that is without Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker right now. The Bulls are hungry off of their 17 point road loss at Toronto Thursday and definitely want to come up with a big effort in their home opener. What could be better than winning a home opener against a highly respected team like the Spurs? I am not saying that will happen but, you get my point! The Bulls want this one and SA is still a banged up team. By the way, the Spurs are only 3-5 SU when off of an upset win as an underdog and now, after a mild upset of Minnesota, San Antonio is laying nearly double digits on the road. Chicago is 64-51 ATS when off of a game where they allowed 115 points or more. 8* CHICAGO

Top Play Annihilation Friday - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play Minnesota Timberwolves (-) vs Utah Jazz @ 8:05 ET - The Timberwolves actually led the Spurs with 5 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. They also were down just 1 point with 4 minutes to go when they missed a 3-pointer that would have given them a 2 point lead. Anyway calling San Antonio an "easy win" Wednesday didn't watch the game very closely as it certainly could have gone either way in the final minutes. In any event, this Minnesota team is well coached and also has added a ton of talent. They've got much more of a veteran presence than the young teams they've had in recent seasons. The result is likely to be a solid season and while they're moving up the Jazz are on their way down. Yes Utah won 51 games last season but they also had Gordon Hayward. You're already seeing what is happening to Boston after they acquired Hayward but he got hurt just 6 minutes into the season opener. The Celtics have seen that no Hayward has left quite a hole. Certainly Utah will be a different team without him. The Jazz did win their home opener but that was against a Denver team projected to be dead last in the division this season. Now Utah is on the road and they've gone 18-50 SU and have covered just 28 of 68 ATS when they are an underdog. That said, I am very comfortable laying the small number with the Timberwolves in their home opener. Minny is on a 45-31 ATS run in games against teams with a winning record and the Wolves are looking for payback here as they've lost 3 of 4 to the Jazz each of the last two seasons. Utah has a home game with OKC tomorrow and they'll be looking ahead to that match-up as they get down by double digits in this one in my opinion. 10* MINNESOTA

TNT Smash Pass Thursday - Rickenbach NBA 8* OVER the total in Oklahoma City Thunder vs New York Knicks @ 8:05 ET - Kristaps Porzingis is probable for the Knicks and he is a key scorer for them. Joakim Noah, mostly known for defense and rebounding, is suspended for 12 games to start the season. Carmelo Anthony is now a member of the Thunder and would love nothing more than to "pour it on" against his former team here. Of course Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook would love nothing more than to feed him, pile up assists, and help in the demolition of Melo's former team. With the line around a dozen points, that's the reason I am on the over here rather than the side. I do expect OKC to win big but once you start getting into double digits with a line in the NBA it can get a little "dicey" as to how the game plays out in the final few minutes. One thing I do know though is that I don't expect the Thunder to ever take their foot off of the gas in this one and that means it will be played at a frenetic pace. OKC is out to make a statement here in their first game of the season and these two teams both were in the top 5 in the NBA for field goal attempts per game last season. The Knicks averaged 88.5 and the Thunder averaged 87.4 shots per game. In other words there will be plenty of "run and gun" in this game. Both games last year totaled at least 215 points and the last 3 match-ups between these teams have averaged 228.7 points per game. Great value here considering the factors above and with this line currently 213.5 at the time of posting this play. 8* OVER the total in Oklahoma City

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach Wednesday NBA 8* Philadelphia 76'ers (+) @ Washington Wizards @ 7:05 ET - The 76'ers were a sizable dog in all 3 match-ups with the Wizards last year. Not only did the Sixers cover 2 of the 3 games, they won the 2 games outright as a big dog each time. Also, in the lone loss, Philly was tied at Washington at half-time. The point is that the 76'ers did just fine "hanging with" the Wizards last season and now that they've substantially "closed the gap" this season and are likely to be a .500 team, this line seems very generous. The upstart Sixers are loaded with young talent and they are ready to go. Look for Philadelphia to immediately make a statement here in Game 1 with the ESPN cameras rolling. Joel Embiid is probable and he was only available for 31 games last season. Ben Simmons will also be on the floor after missing all of last season and he is considered a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year in the NBA this season. Additionally, Markelle Fultz is probable and he was a top draft choice in this year's draft. Yes indeed the Sixers are stacked and they are healthy and, with Gordon Hayward's injury last night being a devastating low for Boston, don't be surprised if the Sixers actually end up challenging the Raptors and Celtics for the top spot in the Atlantic this season. Philly has that much talent so the key will be remaining healthy. Also, coach Brett Brown is a strength as he came up as an assistant with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. Now Brown finally has the pieces intact. This team is going to surprise some people and, if they do fall short against the Wizards, look for it to be by only a bucket or two as the Sixers have a great shot at the upset here. I am grabbing the generous points. 8* PHILADELPHIA

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach Tuesday NBA 8* Boston Celtics (+) @ Cleveland Cavaliers @ 8:05 ET - Kyrie Irving, former Cav, now in a Celtics uniform. Isaiah Thomas, former Celtic, now in a Cavs uniform. The difference is that Thomas won't be playing tonight. He's out for possibly 2 months dealing with an ankle injury. Additionally, Cleveland's LeBron James is dealing with an ankle injury. I do expect James to play tonight but I don't expect him to be 100%. I know the Cavaliers will have Derrick Rose at point guard tonight but he's truly not quite the same player he was before the injury issues. Remember there was a span of 3 seasons there where played a total of only 49 games! I also look for the Gordon Hayward acquisition to pay off big dividends for Boston as he averaged 22 points a game for Utah last season. The road team has dominated at the betting window in match-ups between these teams in recent season. In last year's playoff series, won 4-1 by Cleveland (and giving Boston a revenge factor here), the road team covered all 5 games. Dating back to last April it is a perfect 6-0 ATS run for the road team in meetings between these teams. Look for 7 in a row tonight! 8* BOSTON

Game of the Month - Rickenbach Monday NBA 10* Top Play Cleveland Cavaliers (+) @ Golden State Warriors @ 9 ET - After getting embarrassed by 21 points in Game 4 at Cleveland on Friday the Warriors have to bounce back here, right? Not necessarily! In fact, Golden State is laying a sizable number here even though they are 1-5 ATS this season when off of a loss by 10 points or more. While it is likely that the Warriors close out the series tonight, it would not be a complete shock if the Cavs got the upset win. They've done it before here at Golden State in spots very similar to this one. However, the real key is the line value because lets not forget that Cleveland, at halftime, was only down by 8 to the Warriors in Game One and just 3 to the Warriors in Game Two here. Then the Cavs should have won Game Three were it not for blowing a sizable lead very late. Now, with the added confidence of having won Game Four, look for the Cavs to be able to stay close with Golden State all the way in this one. As you can see, they've "been right there" with the Warriors for much more of this series than what the final scores would lead you to believe but the odds makers simply have to keep this number big on Golden State because the public is likely to be all over them in "bounce back mode" here. In addition to that 1-5 ATS mark for the Warriors off of a double digits loss, also note that the Cavs are 22-10 SU (and have had just 12 ATS losses in those 32 games) when off of a win by a margin of 10 points or more. Momentum is huge when it comes to ATS covers and the Cavaliers have it and will seize the moment here. 10* CLEVELAND plus the big points Monday night.

Rickenbach NBA Friday 10* Top Play Cleveland Cavaliers (+200) vs Golden State Warriors @ 9 ET - I am actually recommending playing this one on the money line. You get 2 to 1 odds by playing Cleveland on the money line and I just don't see the Cavaliers getting swept on their home floor. LeBron James and Company are certainly going to do everything in their power to avoid being a part of history as the Warriors look to become the first team ever to go all the way through the post-season without a loss. While the Game 3 loss was certainly demoralizing for the Cavs, there are no tomorrows should they lose Game 4. In other words, look for the Cavaliers to use Game 3 as added motivation and added confidence. How can they get confidence from that final outcome? It is because they had the very late lead in that game and lets also not forget that Cleveland rallied from a 3-1 series deficit last season to win the championship. They know they face long odds but certainly the Cavs are just taking it one game at a time and the one thing they don't want to have happen is for the Warriors to make history on the Cavaliers home floor. The Warriors shot a ridiculous 48.5% from three point land in Game 3 on the road. That certainly was the difference in the game and it is highly unlikely to be repeated in Game 4 as I just don't see another huge performance from beyond the arc coming again in Game 4. The Wednesday performance was other-worldly! Look for Golden State to drop to 4-8 ATS on Fridays this season while the Cavaliers improve to 13-4 ATS in Friday games. Also, the Cavs do have a long-term mark of 7-2 SU (and 6-3 ATS) in home games with a posted total of 220 points or more and that is even after the crazy finish leading to a loss in Game 3. I am grabbing the Cavaliers on the money line in this one and expecting to triple our money tonight thanks to the 2 to 1 odds! 10* CLEVELAND money line +200

Total of the Month - Rickenbach Wednesday NBA 10* Top Play UNDER the total in Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors - In the typical zig zag of the markets throughout a playoff series now this total has shot back up. That is offering us significant line value here as Golden State is 18-9 to the under in road games with a posted total of 220 or more this season. Generally speaking, the Warriors have more offensive hiccups on the road than at home. In other words, if there is going to be game where the shots aren't falling so well for Stephen Curry and Company, look for it to be this game. The Cavaliers will come out fired up at home and in an 0-2 hole. They must go into shut-down mode on defense as much as possible and look to get the Warriors out of their rhythm - at least as much as that is possible. I look for LeBron James and Company to do just that. Even with the over in Game 2, the under is 12-5 this season (and 36-17 the last 3 seasons combined) in Cavaliers games as an underdog. Also, the Cavs haven't recorded back to back overs in a series since Games 1 and 2 of the Toronto series in very early May. After allowing 132 points on the road in Game 2 to the Warriors, look for the Cavaliers to bring a defensive mindset this one and play very aggressively to limit easy scores for Golden State. The result should be a total falling well short of this number in Game 3 Wednesday night. 10* UNDER the total in Cleveland

ABC Smash Pass - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 10* Top Play Cleveland Cavaliers (+) @ Golden State Warriors @ 8 ET - The Cavaliers have no chance in this series. At least that is prevailing public opinion after the way Game 1 played out. Of course we all know how it usually plays out after the public gets one-sided about things after one game. The point is that the value is clearly with the road dog in this one. The opening line on this game was a 7 and it is now up to a 9. The Warriors turned the ball over just 4 times in Game 1 while the Cavaliers turned it over 20 times. Do you really think that the Cavs are again going to lose the turnover battle 20-4? Do you really think that a LeBron James Cleveland team that also has Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love is just going to lay down in Game 2 after getting embarrassed in Game 1? The Cavaliers were on an 8-0 ATS run away from home before the ugly loss Thursday at Golden State. That was their first non-cover away from Cleveland since in nearly TWO MONTHS - April 9th! Look for the Warriors to drop to 3-10 ATS on the season in Sunday games! They've been feeling a little too good about themselves with their perfect record in this post-season and don't you think beautiful Saturdays in California have a little something to do with that ugly Sunday ATS record for the Warriors? Trust me the Cavaliers certainly have been all business after what happened in Game 1. They'll make some adjustments. Grab the big points. 10* CLEVELAND

THE Game of the Year - Rickenbach NBA Thursday 10* Top Play Cleveland Cavaliers (+) @ Golden State Warriors @ 9 ET - Both teams have had a long layoff but the Warriors layoff has been particularly long heading into this one. Also, the Cavaliers have responded extremely well after a long layoff in this post-season as they blew out the Raptors and Celtics in Game 1 of each of those series. Certainly this is to take nothing away from Golden State. They definitely have proven they are more than capable of blowing teams out but even though they have revenge from last year's Finals loss to the Cavs, Cleveland comes into Game 1 very hungry here as LeBron James and Company are tired of all the talk about being such a huge dog in this match-up. That is tremendous motivation for the defending champs and, even if they do fall short in Game 1 I would expect it to only be by a bucket or two. I know the Cavaliers got the benefit of facing the Celtics with Isaiah Thomas getting hurt in the series but the Warriors faced the Spurs without Kawhi Leonard after the midway point in Game 1 AND then San Antonio ALSO lost Tony Parker to injury. San Antonio just didn't have anybody left (let's not forget Tim Duncan of course was already retired and SA just not what they once were). The point is that the Cavs faced arguably a tougher test to get here than the Warriors. For all the talk of all the weapons that Golden State has (certainly formidable) let's not forget that LeBron James has a healthier cast around him this season and they've got Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love (healthy!) for star power plus plenty of tremendous role players. They're just not even being given a shot here and remember the Spurs were up HUGE here in GS in Game 1 before Leonard got hurt. LeBron and Company are well aware of the +7 that has been assigned to them here and they'd love nothing more than to make a statement here in Game 1. The Cavaliers are going to bring a ferocious attitude to the floor for this game and I expect Game 1 goes to the wire with an outright upset not surprising me in the least. 10* CLEVELAND

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Thursday 10* Top Play Boston Celtics (+) vs Cleveland Cavaliers @ 8:30 ET - I know Kyrie Irving is going to play and his ankle is not "that" big of a deal. However, there is no denying that if the Cavaliers are fortunate enough to have a big lead late in this game they have to start thinking about the Warriors and making sure nobody gets hurt or, in the case of Irving, injures something further. With that said, this is a lot of points for Cavs on the road and I see this game being decided by single digits. Keep in mind, Boston was thoroughly embarrassed on their home floor in this series and, that said, even if they are unable to extend the series by getting an upset win at home tonight, they damn sure want to at least put on a respectable showing for their home fans. Without Isaiah Thomas, the Celtics have looked like a different team and Cleveland even admitted they are still having trouble adjusting to the way Boston is playing sans Thomas. Of course the Cavs don't have to even admit that as it has truly been apparent. The Celtics rallied for the big upset win on the road in Game 3 and for much of Game 4 (even into the 4th quarter) appeared to have a great shot at another upset Tuesday. The fact is that everyone (including bettors) are anxious for the NBA Finals between Cleveland and Golden State to start and many are looking for a close-out game here for the Cavs. That is reflected in this line going from an 8.5 to as high as an 11 and while the Cavaliers may indeed get the close-out win here, I just don't see it coming at a big margin. These series has looked much different since Brad Stevens (a good coach) has made some key adjustments to make things much more competitive after abhorrent performances early in this series in Boston. The Celtics are 11-5 ATS (and SU) this season when off of a loss by 10 points or more and the Game 4 final score does not properly reflect how close that game was. The result is tremendous line value here and, as a result, I am going with my highest rating in this one! 10* BOSTON

TNT Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play Boston Celtics (+) @ Cleveland Cavaliers @ 8:30 ET - Boston made significant adjustments in Game 3 and guys stepped up with Isaiah Thomas out. The Celtics not only covered that game but also got the huge upset win. Now most everyone will be running to the Cavaliers here expecting LeBron James and company to respond in a huge way here. However, while Cleveland is certainly likely to respond and get a W here are they really going to win this one in complete blowout fashion? To me this line is far too high when you consider that Boston has their sights set on making a series out of this. Keep in mind, they're already guaranteed of getting a Game 5 on their game floor so they know they can still battle and make something out of this series. Also, once the mighty has fallen once it can cast a little bit of doubt upon a team. In other words, the Cavs don't have the same "unbeatable" aura flowing around them the way they did before getting upset in Game 3 Sunday. In terms of ATS stats, since the All Star break, the Cavs only once have had a single ATS standalone loss. In other words, when they are off of a defeat at the betting window, it almost always has started a streak of ATS losses and I expect that to be the case here as well. The Cavs were on a 6-0-2 ATS run before Sunday's loss but prior to this ATS hot streak, the Cavaliers were on a long-term 9-18-1 ATS run. Could this be the start of their next big decline at the betting window. I certainly am glad to test that theory with the big points being offered here. The Celtics are on a long-term 16-6 ATS run as a road dog of 12.5 or more points. Cleveland is on a 15-25 ATS run when playing with home loss revenge. 10* BOSTON plus the big points Tuesday evening

Total Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Monday 10* Top Play UNDER the total in San Antonio Spurs vs Golden State Warriors @ 9 ET - The Spurs were able to run with the Warriors for awhile in Game 3 Saturday and even were within 4 points in the 3rd quarter. However, San Antonio is just not healthy and the Spurs quickly found out that, no matter who is on the floor, it is simply a mistake to try and "run and gun" with the Warriors. It's just not going to work! Golden State is the much healthier team and has far too many weapons. With that said, the Spurs still are not going to go down without a fight, at least not on their home floor. That is why I see Game 4 staying under the total. I know all 3 of the games so far have gone over the total in this series (and overs have dominated overall in recent NBA playoff action) but the fact is that the Spurs must slow things down some tonight. Couple that with the fact that the numbers on totals are continuing to become more and more inflated and you certainly have some line value here. The under is 29-17 in Golden State's road games this season and the under is 31-20 when the Warriors are off of a game in which they scored 115 points or more. The Spurs, the last 3 seasons combined, have gone 43-29 to the under in their games against teams that average 106 points or more per game. That's because SA knows how to slow things down and turn up the heat on defense and that is truly their only hope here in a "win or go fishing" Game 4 that could ultimately define their finish to the season. The Spurs go hard here but it will be defense that they'll have to lean on and that's why my only play tonight is on the total. 10* UNDER the total in San Antonio

Total Dominator - Rickenbach Sunday NBA 10* Top Play OVER the total in Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics @ 8:30 ET - This total took a big drop because of Isaiah Thomas now being out. I'll step in and take advantage as it is highly unlikely that the Celtics have another horrific shooting effort as they shot just 37.2% from the field in Game 2. Of course the Cavaliers have been putting up insane numbers and while they are highly unlikely to score 130 again (Cavs won Game 2 by a 130-86 final) I truly don't expect them to slow down much considering they're fired up to be playing on their home floor for the first time in 2 and 1/2 weeks! By the way, the over is a perfect 5-0 this season when Cleveland is off of a game where they scored 130 points or more. As for Boston, the over is a long-term 5-2 when they are off of a game where they allowed 130 points or more. As a road dog of 12.5 points or more, the Celtics have gone 15-7 to the over long-term. The Cavaliers are an incredible 49-26 to the over this season when they are a favorite. Take advantage of the lower total here as the O/U move has helped add great value here. Others will fill in as Thomas now sits out. 10* OVER the total in Cleveland

Contrarian Special - Rickenbach Saturday NBA 8* San Antonio Spurs (+) vs Golden State Warriors @ 9 ET - The Spurs, under coach Gregg Popovich, have long been known as a "character team" in the NBA. The way San Antonio lost on Tuesday (got down huge early and never recovered) totally threw "character" out the window. The Spurs, without Kawhi Leonard, seemed to have self-doubt from the opening tip and they gave a horrific effort in that game. That, of course, is unacceptable to coach Pop and the Spurs and you can bank on a huge effort Saturday night in front of a raucous home crowd in San Antonio. The ugly loss Tuesday was bad enough but the fact that SA has had to wait so long for their next game to try and get rid of the bad taste in their mouth from Game 2 means you're going to see an extremely intense and focused effort from the Spurs in Game 3 Saturday night. There is no doubt the Warriors are loaded with talent and certainly are the healthier team but, after the 36 point shellacking the Spurs were handed Tuesday night, look for this game to be decided by only a bucket or two as San Antonio is far too proud to go away without a fight under coach Popovich. The Spurs had everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, called into question after their effort Tuesday. That is the kind of embarrassing loss that will bring out the best in a team in the next game especially given the circumstances here. In our favor is the extra time off for the Spurs to regroup, the fact they are down 2-0 in the series, and the fact they are now back home. Look for SA to improve to 9-3 ATS this season as an underdog while the Warriors drop to 2-5 ATS when playing with 3 or more days of rest this season. 8* SAN ANTONIO

Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Friday 10* Top Play Boston Celtics (+) vs Cleveland Cavaliers @ 8:30 ET - The Celtics didn't come this far and battle so hard for home court edge only to get trampled in both games on their home floor to open up this series. In other words, after a "wake up call" in Game 1 on Wednesday, look for Boston to respond in a big way on Friday in Game 2. The Celtics were on a 9-2 ATS run before getting blown out by double digits Wednesday. Boston is 10-4 ATS (and SU!) when off of a loss by 10 points or more this season. While I do indeed expect that the Celtics will win this one outright, I am absolutely going to grab the generous points being offered. Boston is 77-52 ATS the last 3 seasons combined when playing with revenge. As for the mighty Cavaliers, they managed to win Game 1 despite making only 35.5% of their three pointers. That is significant because that type of shooting performance has been an ominous sign for the Cavs in recent months. When Cleveland is held under 38% from three point land in their prior game they have a 2-9 ATS record in their next game! The Celtics will turn up the heat on defense in this game and make the proper adjustments and I look for this game to go right down to the wire which means excellent line value with the generous points being offered here. 10* BOSTON

TNT No Doubt ATS Blowout Rout - Rickenbach NBA Wednesday 10* Top Play Boston Celtics (+) vs Cleveland Cavaliers @ 8:30 ET - The Cavaliers have been off for a week and a half. I know the Cavs were off for a week before they met Toronto and yet they still blasted the Raptors by double digits in that game. However, the Celtics are not the Raptors AND this game is on the road! Look for Cleveland to struggle to put away the top-seeded Celtics here. I do expect Boston to win this game outright but I'll gladly grab the generous points being offered. The Celtics might be a little sore and/or tired after their 7-game battle with the Wizards. However, Boston unless comes into this game with momentum and should play crisp basketball tonight while the Cavaliers could be a little disjointed after the long lay-off. Cleveland is facing one of the higher-scoring teams in the league and, interestingly, the Cavs are 10-13 ATS (and SU!) in games this season against teams that are averaging 106 points or more per game. The Celtics are playing this game with home loss revenge from an embarrassing loss in Boston in early April. This season the Celtics are 23-13 SU and 21-13 ATS when playing with revenge! Ton of respect for the Cavs but they opened up as a 3-point favorite here with good reason and yet everyone has jumped all over them and pushed this line higher. Boston coach Brad Stevens is an excellent coach and the Celtics fought hard to earn the #1 seed and home court edge in the East. They certainly aren't going to easily relinquish it. Look for the Celtics to come out very strong here as the Cavaliers struggle to get back into proper game flow. 10* BOSTON

Total Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play UNDER the total in Golden State Warriors vs San Antonio Spurs @ 9 ET - Already without Tony Parker, the Spurs are now also very likely to be without Kawhi Leonard for this one Tuesday. Though both these players are key contributors on defense, there is no denying that Parker is a key catalyst on offense and Leonard is San Antonio's #1 scorer. With that said, the Spurs know they must turn this Game 2 affair into a slow-down, grind-it-out style of game if they have any hopes of springing the huge upset. The Warriors simply have too many weapons for SA to risk getting into a shootout with Golden State. The Spurs also want to do the best they can to keep the crowd out of it. Of course when they lost Leonard to injury in Game 1 there was a little bit of "shell shock" and the Spurs had trouble recovering from that and they blew a huge lead. Now, going into Game 2, coach Popovich and company has had time to adjust and game plan properly and the Spurs know that this is the hand they are dealt with. In other words, it's an entirely different game planning for the Spurs for Tuesday night and I look for them, as usual, to execute it very well under coach Pop's tutelage. The result should be a low-scoring affair as the Warriors can certainly play some D too (allowed only 43% shooting from the field this season) and the Spurs, before Game 1's tight defeat, had held their opponent to 96 points or less in 4 of their last 7 games. That included their stifling defensive effort against the Rockets in Game 6 on the road where they held Houston to 75 points. Certainly the Warriors aren't the Rockets but you understand why the Spurs D can be expected to "rise up" for this one! The under is 9-4 in Warriors conference final games and the under is 42-27 in Spurs games when they are facing teams that average 106 points or more per game. 10* UNDER the total in Golden State

Total Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Monday 8* OVER the total in Boston Celtics vs Washington Wizards @ 8 ET - After two days off, finally Game 7 is here and the early market action has been to the under. However, the Wizards generally know only one way to win and that is offense. Yes, they gutted out an insanely tight Game 6 victory that was low-scoring but that was the exception rather than the norm. Going on the road for this highly anticipated Game 7, Washington knows the best way to get the crowd out of the game is to get a solid early lead. The Wizards can do that by running and gunning early and that is a big part of the "style" that Washington plays on the road. That's why the Wizards are 31-16 to the over in road games this season. Also, Washington is 29-12 to the over when playing with two days of rest between games over the past three seasons combined. With fresh legs and relishing the underdog role (25-13 to the over as an underdog this season), look for the Wizards to come out firing on all cylinders in this one! By the way, 15 of the Wizards last 20 games against teams that average 106 points or more per game have gone over the total. The Celtics are 11-6 to the over this season when playing with 2 days of rest between games. After not playing aggressive enough offensively in Game 6, look for Boston to be very aggressive on their home floor here in Game 7. The last 6 times that the Celtics have been held to 42.9% or less from the field they've averaged 112.5 points per game in their next game. Also, the over is a perfect 6-0 the last 6 times that the Celtics were held to 43% or less in their prior game. Look for these trends to continue here and I'll take advantage of the early morning downward line movement on this total. 8* OVER the total in Boston

Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 10* Top Play Golden State Warriors vs San Antonio Spurs @ 3:30 ET - Even though the Warriors won the most recent meeting between these teams (by 12 at San Antonio in late March), Golden State still has revenge on their minds heading into this one. The only time this season that the Warriors hosted the Spurs this season, it was Golden State's home opener and they got embarrassed in a 29 point loss. Home loss revenge is a pretty strong motivator and there is another reason to expect the Warriors to show no mercy here. They want to set the tone for this series. Golden State wants to flex their muscles in Game 1 and not give the big dog Spurs any chance to get any momentum going early in this series. This line may look big at -10 but the odds makers opened this one up at double digits with good reason. The Warriors are 8-0 in the post-season and 7 of the 8 wins have come by a double digit margin! As for the Spurs, each of their 6 games with the Rockets was decided by double digits except for the lone OT game. It was that OT loss for Houston that took the wind out of their sails and left them dead in Game 6. No excuse really for that but the Rockets were no match for SA in Game 6 and that helped to create some line value because everyone watched the Spurs blowout the Rockets in that series-clinching road win. The Spurs are 2-4 ATS this season when off of an upset win as an underdog. San Antonio is also 5-9 ATS when off of 2 days or more of rest. The Warriors are on a powerful 14-7 ATS run in games against teams with a winning record and, after what happened at Oracle Arena on October 25th, the Spurs have their full attention! 10* GOLDEN STATE

Total Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Friday 10* Top Play UNDER the total in Washington Wizards vs Boston Celtics @ 8 ET - The over is 4-1 so far in this series so it may seem a little "uncomfortable" to back the under but this is an elimination game. Anything can happen in an elimination game (as we saw last night with the Spurs holding the high-powered Rockets to 75 points on their home floor). The point is, I expect the Wizards to not be able to play with the same "free-flowing" mentality here as they face the pressure of elimination. As for the Celtics, they've averaged only 95.5 points per game in the two games played at Washington in this series. Game 3 in Washington stayed under the total. Game 4 in DC only went over the total because both teams shot "lights out" from three point land. The teams actually averaged only 83 shots from the field in the two games played in Washington in this series. That is a slower pace than what we've seen in the games played at Boston in this series. The fact the Wizards are facing elimination also changes the complexion of this one. Washington knows they must again slow down Thomas like they did in Games 3 and 4 on their home floor. The other complementary players for Boston are less likely to have big games here like they did with the ridiculous hot shooting when they are were on their home floor. Keep in mind, the Celtics made only 39.7% of their shots in the two games here and the Wizards were held to just 38.5% Wednesday. Before the over in Game 4 of this series, the under was a perfect 4-0 in Celtics road games in this post-season. Look for that trend to resume here on Friday night. By the way, Boston is 13-7 to the under on Fridays this season. 10* UNDER the total in Washington

Total Contrarian - Rickenbach NBA Thursday 8* UNDER the total in Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs @ 8 ET - This series is certainly grinding down towards "crunch time" and it should result in another tight game in Game 6. Keep in mind, the Spurs and Rockets have combined for just 46 points in their last 17 minutes of basketball. They only had 31 points combined in the 4th quarter of Game 5 and then just 15 points in the 5 minute OT session. This is the point in a series when fatigue sets in and the Rockets used only a 7 man rotation in Game 5 with 6 of the players combining to average 40 minutes. In fact 4 of the 5 starters did log at least 40 minutes in that game. Maybe the Rockets do rise up and win this game and perhaps even cover (the answer on that is with my 10* Top Side play for tonight) but the fact is I expect this to be a tighter, lower-scoring game. The series began it's shift into tough, "grind it out" basketball when it was a 2-2 series and a one point game heading to the 4th quarter of Game 5. Everyone is feeling the pressure, amping up the defensive intensity and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is going to be very careful about the tempo of this game. He doesn't want the Rockets getting out in transition and his offensive game plan will be predicated on the fact that he doesn't want missed shots with long rebounds leading to easy, open looks for Houston in transition. Also, I don't the think weary Rockets are going to be necessarily capable of just "running and gunning" tonight. This should be "playoff basketball" at it's finest tonight and the result should be a solid under. I am calling this a contrarian play because there have been so many overs in this series (although Game 5 was damn lucky for over players - OT) and because there have been so many overs in recent playoff games across the NBA. The over is on a 5-0 run in NBA playoff action as there has not been an under since Saturday. That streak ends here as both teams dial up some defense in the first game of this series where a team is facing elimination. 8* UNDER the total in Houston

Texas Insider - Rickenbach NBA Thursday 10* Top Play San Antonio Spurs (+) @ Houston Rockets @ 8 ET - Even though the Rockets are at home and should have won Game 5 outright (rather than just covering in OT), the fact is that the emotional and physical drain on Houston is big right now. That loss in Game 5 really strung the Rockets emotionally. From a physical standpoint Houston went with just a 7-man rotation Tuesday and 6 of those players combined to average 40 minutes in the grueling overtime affair. In fact 4 of the 5 starters did log 40 minutes or more. It's starting to take a toll on the Rockets and I look for this to once again be another tight match-up that could go either way late in the fourth quarter. That said, there is huge line value with the big points being offered in this one and the word here in San Antonio (I have resided in this area for many years) is that Kawhi Leonard's ankle is not an issue at all. The Spurs are 7-2 ATS as an underdog this season. The Rockets are on a 2-7 ATS run in home games. Fade the line move and grab the big points being offered in this one! 10* SAN ANTONIO

Total of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Wednesday 10* Top Play UNDER the total in Boston Celtics vs Washington Wizards @ 8 ET - Having not played since Sunday, Boston has had two days off to think about the fact that allowing an average of 118.5 points per game to the Wizards just might have had something to do with the Celtics getting blown out in both games in Washington. In other words, look for some solid defense here from the home team as they need to get back on track in this series and they need to turn to their defense to do it. Give some credit to the Wizards defense too as, surprisingly, they have figured out a way to slow down Isaiah Thomas as they've held the Celtics point guard in check the last two games and this has slowed down Boston. The Celtics have averaged just 95.5 points per game in the last two games. Things definitely got "chippy" with this series in the two games down in DC and I expect that to continue here. Keep in mind Game 3 totaled only 205 points and Game 4 only went over the total because both teams shot a ridiculously high percentage of 3 pointers in that game as they combined to go 23 of 52. Look for a return to normal here and Boston is still 13-7 to the under in all playoff games in recent seasons and also 9-4 to the under this season when off of a loss by 10 points or more. Back at home, and off of getting "blitzed" in DC in both games, the Celtics turn up the heat on defense in this one and they will dictate the tempo which will be a little less "chaotic" than what has been the case so far in this series! 10* UNDER the total in Boston

Texas Insider - Rickenbach NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play Houston Rockets (+) @ San Antonio Spurs @ 8 ET - The Rockets got their transition game going in Game 4 and they also got their three point shooting back on track. Both teams have each won on their opponents home court but the difference now is that the Spurs being without Tony Parker is absolutely a big deal. San Antonio managed to rise up in Game 3, their first game after he got hurt. But the Rockets then made the proper adjustments on how to attack the Spurs without Parker and, of course, Game 4 was a full display of just how successful those adjustments can be. Of course it's a bit of cat and mouse here as SA coach Gregg Popovich will most certainly have his team ready to go here and will make some adjustments after getting blown out in Game 4. However, one thing is for certain, Pop's ability to truly "replace" his floor leader Parker is just not there. This is a glaring hole for the Spurs and yet this line is set right near where it was in Games 1 and 2 here in San Antonio. How can that be? It's because the betting public likes to play the "zig zag" theory and many will be backing the Spurs here to bounce back off of the ugly Game 4 loss. The fact that the dynamics surrounding Game 5 are much bigger than anything a "zig zag" can properly address is why we're getting amazing line value with the Rockets here. I'll take it! Grab the points as Houston is 12-5 ATS as an underdog this season. By the way, the Spurs are only 4-6 ATS this season and 10-15 ATS the past 3 seasons combined when they are off of a loss by a double digit margin. San Antonio will certainly be looking to bounce back but I just don't see it sans Parker and with the Rockets fully prepared to maintain the momentum. Keep in mind they blasted the Spurs in SA in Game 1 to start this series. 10* HOUSTON ROCKETS

Primetime Punisher - NBA Monday 10* Top Play Utah Jazz (+) vs Golden State Warriors @ 9 ET - The Jazz are going to fight hard (just like the Raptors did yesterday) as they look to avoid the series sweep on their home floor. Even though Toronto did fall short yesterday, they got the cover for some and pushed for others. In this case Utah is being given an even bigger number in comparison with the Raptors and there is solid line value here with this hungry home dog. The Warriors managed to pull away very late in Game 3 but that has also created line value for Game 4 because this line is a bucket higher even though the Jazz were "right there" with Golden State in the fourth quarter before a late run for the Warriors sealed Utah's fate. The Jazz are 39-16 ATS the last 3 seasons when playing with home loss revenge and they are still 7-3 ATS in all playoff games this season. Also, Utah is 8-4 ATS (and SU!) when off of a loss by a double digit margin this season. The Jazz are definitely going to go hard tonight and look to notch that highly sought home win to extend this series and avoid the sweep. Even with Saturday's win, Golden State is only 3-6 ATS this season in games against teams that allow an average of 98 points or less per game. The Warriors very well could stamp their ticket to the Western Conference finals tonight but the points are simply too much here as I anticipate this one going to the final horn. 10* UTAH JAZZ

Primetime Punisher - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 10* Top Play Houston Rockets (-) vs San Antonio Spurs @ 9 ET - Surprisingly the Spurs were able to get an upset win on the road at Houston in Game 3 even without Tony Parker and even after a huge fourth quarter in Game 2 had propelled them to a massive home court win. Sometimes teams are able to rise up in the first game after a star goes down as everyone is so highly motivated to perform huge and make up for the star's absence. However, those teams then often fall flat in the 2nd game. That is not the only thing going in our favor here however as the other big key is the Rockets are still at home and they are coming off of a dreadful shooting performance and a 2nd straight blowout loss. Sometime a good team will lose bad once but when they lose bad in back to back games there is no doubt about the effort their going to bring in Game 3 of such a scenario. Houston is 9-3 ATS this season when playing with home loss revenge. The Rockets are also 14-4 SU (and 12-6 ATS) when off of an upset loss as a favorite. Harden needs some help from his teammates after he was the only big scorer for the Rockets in Game 3. Similar to how others stepped up for the Spurs in the first game without Parker, look for others to step up for the Rockets to help provide more balanced scoring in a must win scenario in Game 4. Houston can ill afford to go back to SA down 3-1 in this series. Keep in mind, this is not the Spurs of the "Dynasty Years" and I look for San Antonio to drop to 4-8 ATS their last 12 games when leading in a playoff series. 10* HOUSTON

TNT Early Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 8* Boston Celtics (+) @ Washington Wizards @ 6:30 ET - After making only 35% of their shots and getting thoroughly blown out in Game 3 (thanks to a 22-0 1st quarter run for the Wizards), look for the Celtics to respond in a big way here. They just couldn't make any shots Thursday but Boston is 9-3 SU and ATS this season when off of a loss by 10 points or more. Look for Isaiah Thomas to get back on track after a very tough performance for him in Game 3. He's been so hot in the post-season and he'll be ready to be aggressive again as the Celtics make some adjustments to counteract what the Wizards were successful in putting together in Thursday's win. I am well aware of Washington's 4-0 home record so far in this post-season but the Wizards don't exactly have a storied playoff history in 2nd round playoff games. Their long-term runs included 5-14 SU in 2nd round playoff games (including 3-6 in recent seasons) and 8-17 SU when trailing in a playoff series. The Celtics are the better team defensively and they'll bounce back in Game 4. Even with that Game 3 loss, Boston is still 31-15 SU the last 3 seasons combined in games against teams that allow 106 points or more per game. The physicality is on the increase in this series and the Celtics will come out strong and have gone 21-12 SU this season when playing with revenge. 8* BOSTON

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 8* Toronto Raptors (+) vs Cleveland Cavaliers @ 3:30 ET - With professional pride on the line, the Raptors are going to do everything in their power to avoid the sweep and get a W Sunday. The beauty of this situation though is in terms of the line value. The Raptors don't have to get an outright win for us to get the cash and the fact is that this line is truly inflated as it has moved as high as +7 as of Saturday evening. Keep in mind the Raptors were only down 2 heading to the 4th quarter of Game 3 on Friday. So how in the world did Toronto end up losing that game by 21 points? The explanation is really quite simple and it also is a reason that we're getting tremendous line value in Game 4 because the unusual results are highly unlikely to be repeated. The Raptors Tucker made 1 of his 2 three pointers and the rest of the team was 1 of 16 from beyond the arc. For the Cavs, Irving made only 1 of 5 from beyond the arc but the rest of the team was an absolutely insane 12 of 18 from three point land. When a team gets outscored by 33 points from beyond the arc, they are going to have trouble to say the least! Those ridiculous results are leading to big-time line value here. I'll take it! The Cavaliers have covered just 3 of 10 Sunday games this season and this is a rather early start. The Raptors are 30-15 SU at home this season and I expect them to respond here even if Lowry is out again. 8* TORONTO

ABC Blowout ATS Rout - Rickenbach NBA Saturday 10* Top Play Utah Jazz (+) vs Golden State Warriors @ 8:30 ET - The Jazz went 29-12 at home in the regular season. Though they're down 0-2 in this series they certainly showed plenty of fight at Golden State and did get the cover in each game. Some of the adjustments that Utah made in the 2nd half of that game certainly paid off and the Jazz were able to close within as close as 6 in the fourth quarter. Grabbing some momentum from those adjustments as well as the fact that they now get a game on their home floor, I would not be surprised to see Utah get the outright upset here but certainly there is value with the generous points being offered. Even though he's listed as probable, Draymond Green's knee injury is something that the Warriors can afford to be careful with and rest him some as they are working toward a long playoff march. As for the Jazz, there is no time to waste and, though George Hill is questionable for this game, I would be surprised if he is not back out there running the offense for Utah in this one and that will be a big plus. Either way, I am grabbing the home dog here. The Jazz are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games versus the Warriors. Also, Utah is 8-3 ATS (and SU!) this season when off of a loss by a margin of 10 points or more. Tonight I look for the Jazz to improve to an incredible 8-2 ATS in this post-season. Look for the Warriors to drop to 2-7 ATS this season in games played against teams that allow an average of 98 points or less per game. 10* UTAH JAZZ plus the points Saturday evening.

Western Conf Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play Houston Rockets (-) vs San Antonio Spurs @ 9:30 ET - After getting embarrassed in the 4th quarter at San Antonio Wednesday night, the Rockets will be ready to respond here. The Spurs found that their small ball lineup worked well even without Tony Parker on the floor after he got hurt early in the 4th quarter. Even though Parker is now out for the post-season, the Spurs still have others that can step in and maintain the small ball attack in Game 3. However, what is unlikely to happen is for the Spurs to again shoot 54.5% from the field. That said, the Spurs could be in trouble willing to play a game where the winning team is in the 120s. The fact is that even though this series is 1-1, the way it's being played thusfar certainly favors the Rockets. Houston loves to get involved in high-scoring shootouts and they'll hold the upper hand in this one at home. The Rockets had won 6 of 7 before the loss Wednesday. The Spurs barely got by a Memphis team that was without Tony Allen in round one and then San Antonio got pounded in Game 1 of this series before responding in Game 2. One game certainly does not sure all that ailed the Spurs and there will be points in this game where they'll certainly miss the veteran leadership of their floor general, Tony Parker. The Spurs were on a 5-8 ATS run before the big win in Game 2. The Rockets are 25-7 SU (and 21-11 ATS) this season when off of a game where they allowed 115 points or more. Bounce back time for the Rockets here. 10* HOUSTON

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach NBA Friday 8* Toronto Raptors (+) vs Cleveland Cavaliers @ 7 ET - After getting embarrassed on the road in each of the first two games in this series the Raptors respond big here. Toronto has won 8 of its past 10 home games. The Cavaliers aren't going to be able to maintain the ridiculously high clip at which they hit three pointers in the first two games of this series now that the Cavs are on the road. Late in the season Cleveland had some very tough shooting nights from beyond the arc when on the road. The Cavaliers are 6-0 in the playoffs but only 2 of those wins came on the road. Also, the Cavs went only 4-9 SU on the road in their last 13 regular season games away from home. Look for Cleveland to fall to 18-26 ATS in road games this season as the Raptors respond large here. Toronto has only had one home game since the 18th. The 18th was a 6 point win over the Bucks and the the Raptors destroyed Milwaukee at the Air Canada Centre on the 24th by 25 points. In other words, Toronto is thrilled to be back home and will make the most of this opportunity with LeBron James and company in town. In last year's post-season series between these teams the home team won each of the first 5 games before the Cavs then blew out the Raptors for the series-clinching Game 6 victory. The Raptors haven't forgotten that defeat and, for the 8th time in the last 9 post-season games between these foes, I look for the home team to get the job done. 8* TORONTO

Total Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Golden State Warriors vs Utah Jazz @ 10:30 ET - The first game in this series stayed under the total but not by much and that was with the teams combining to make only 16 of 58 three pointers! In other words, if just one of the teams would have had a "normal" night from three point range, there is no way the game would have failed to go over the total. The 106 points scored by the Warriors marked just the 2nd time in their last 11 games that Golden State has been held under 109 points. In fact, in the other 9 games the Warriors averaged 121 points per game. No matter how much the Jazz try to slow them down, particularly tough to do in Oakland, the Warriors are going to get their points. That said, with the downward adjustment on this line and the fact that one (if not both) of the teams is likely to shoot better from three point land means there is exceptional line value here. The over was 7-3 in the Warriors last 10 games prior to Game 1 of this series staying under the total. The over is 4-1 the last 5 times the Jazz have been off of a game where they were held to 95 points or less. Utah averaged 105.2 points per game in those 5 games and I look for them to push hard in this game but once again, the Warriors offensive machine isn't going to be stopped and that should lead to a very high-scoring Game Two. 10* Top Play OVER the total in Golden State

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Thursday 8* Boston Celtics (+) @ Washington Wizards @ 8 ET - Once again fading what is likely to be public perception here. Most everyone is likely to load up on Washington because they are down 2 games to 0 and now back home and basically in 'must win' mode. Of course we all know that the pressure can actually be nearly insurmountable when a team truly 'must win' and I don't expect the Wizards to react well here. They never should have lost Game 2 but they blew a big early lead and then lost ugly in OT. That is a tough loss to bounce back from and Washington doesn't exactly have a good pedigree of recent success. The Wizards are 2-6 in 2nd round playoff games in recent seasons and 4-14 long-term! As for the Celtics, they simply seem to be riding high no matter the scenario they are faced with and are already 6-2 (SU and ATS) in this post-season despite the tough times Isaiah Thomas has dealt with because of his sister's passing. The Wizards are simply an awful team on defense and this includes being bad at defending the 3-point ball. They have allowed 49.4% or more from the field in 9 of their last 18 games. It is truly no wonder that Washington is on a 6-10 ATS run. As for the Celtics, since dropping the first two games to the Bulls they've responded with a 6-0 SU and ATS run! Boston is 26-16 ATS on the road this season. Versus team that average 106 points or more per game, the Wizards have a history of having trouble. They've gone 28-59 SU and 34-51 ATS in those games. More of the same here as the Wizards deficiencies on the defensive end continue to be an issue. 8* BOSTON

TNT Blowout ATS Rout - Rickenbach NBA Wednesday 10* Top Play Houston Rockets (+) @ San Antonio Spurs @ 9:35 ET - Again, the "zig zag" theory is in effect here and yet I'll gladly be a contrarian and step in on the other side of it. Many will be looking to back the Spurs after the ugly loss in Game One. However, I rode the Rockets to victory there and, as I mentioned in my write-up for Monday's game, San Antonio is just not the team they use to be. I firmly believe that had the Grizzlies had Tony Allen available for that first round series, the Spurs would not have even got past Memphis! Now the Spurs have quickly found out they have their hands full with this uber-talented scoring machine filled with lethal three point shooters. The Rockets simply are too much for the Spurs and, though San Antonio will surely make adjustments and will look to respond here on their home floor, that still is no guarantee of victory and certainly no guarantee of a cover. Let's face it, the Rockets are better than they use to be, and the Spurs are just not the same team they were a few short years ago. Kawhi Leonard is an amazing player for San Antonio but just look at the production the Spurs have gotten from the key that is supposed to be their 2nd best player, LaMarcus Aldridge. He hasn't scored more than 20 points in a game since March 23rd and had a very poor Game One performance. The Rockets are relishing the underdog role they are in for this series and they are 12-4 ATS an underdog this season. Houston is also 6-2 SU in recent seasons when leading in a playoff series. The Spurs are on a 2-5 (SU and ATS) run in 2nd round playoff games. After a loss by 10 points or more San Antonio went just 3-6 ATS this season. After allowing 115 points or more the last 3 seasons combined the Spurs are only 4-6 SU! They aren't necessarily going to bounce back here like many expect them to. The last 5 games between the Rockets and Spurs have featured only one Spurs win by more than 2 points and that one came by just 6. I'll take the points with a team that gives SA some major "match-up issues". 10* HOUSTON 

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Wednesday 8* Cleveland Cavaliers (-) vs Toronto Raptors @ 7:05 ET - As usual the "zig zag" theory will be played here by most and, as a result, many will go running to the Raptors and looking for them to bounce back here. The problem with that theory? Toronto is just not that at the same level that this Cavaliers team is and, the last time I checked, this game is still being played at Cleveland. In other words, it's a tough spot for the Raptors to bounce back considering they aren't playing the Bucks anymore. These are the defending champs and Toronto put just enough of a scare into Cleveland (with some big scoring runs in Game One) that there is no way the Cavs aren't going to keep the pedal to the metal tonight. Overall, the Cavaliers had huge leads multiple times in the win on Monday and ultimately settled for an 11 point win and I expect another double digit win here. Toronto is 4-7 ATS when trailing in a playoff series. Overall, after getting blown out in Game One, the Raptors are 10-21 ATS in all playoff games. Cleveland is an incredible 18-3 SU when leading in a playoff series and taking a look at the Cavaliers last 25 SU wins they have covered 20 of them! That's an 80% ATS clip in Cavs victories dating back to late January. The Raptors are an insane 2-28 ATS in their last 30 losses so, as you can see, when Toronto loses SU they tend to lose ATS as well! In other words, unless you think the Raptors are winning this outright, better not be backing them and I'll back a Cavs team that is clicking on all cylinders again and has gone 17-2 SU against Atlantic Division opponents this season. 8* CLEVELAND

Top Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play Utah Jazz (+) @ Golden State Warriors @ 10:30 ET - The Warriors are, of course, the superior team. But that doesn't mean they're going to crush the Jazz in Game One. After having more than a week off there is just no way that Golden State is going to be clicking on all cylinders here in Game One on Tuesday night. At the same time, the Jazz are riding the momentum of their series win over the Clippers where they got the big Game 7 victory on the road on Tuesday. In fact, that was the 8th time in the last 9 Utah games that the road team has gotten the cash. The road team has also been a big money winner in Golden State's recent games with the away team getting the cash in 9 of their last 13 games. Look for the fact that the Jazz have been playing consistently while the Warriors are off of a long layoff to be a huge difference maker here. Also, Golden State is only 2-4 ATS this season when facing a team that allows 98 points or less per game and the Utah D is rock solid. I look for the Jazz to improve to 6-2 ATS in the post-season with this one decided by single digits as they keep this one much closer than many people are expecting. The Warriors rely so heavily on their outside shooting and I just don't see them being strong in that department after the long lay-off. 10* UTAH JAZZ

Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Tuesday 8* OVER the  total in Boston Celtics vs Washington Wizards @ 8 ET - The quick reaction here in the "zig zag" theory that many bettors employ in the NBA playoffs would be to back the under after all the hot shooting that we saw in Game 1 of this series sent the Sunday game flying over the total. However, the Wizards have now scored 111 points in back to back games and they've allowed 111 points or more in 3 of their last 5 games. Washington is simply not known for playing solid defense but they can put up big points in a hurry when they're hot and, right now, they've been feeling it as they continue to ride the momentum of three straight solid performances on the offensive end. The Wizards won the final two games of their series with Atlanta thanks to big offensive production and then had a huge 1st half against the Celtics before their shooting cooled off in the 3rd quarter. Boston has won 8 of their last 10 games and averaged 111.4 points per game in the 8 wins. The over is 6-0 in Celtics Tuesday games and the over is 7-2 in Wizards Tuesday games. Versus teams that average 106 points or more per game Washington is on a 12-3 run to the over. Overall, the Wizards road games are 29-16 to the over this season. There have been only 3 unders in the Celtics last 12 home games and they'll be pushing hard to get the 2-0 series lead here and they certainly showed in game one that they are not afraid to push the pace with the Wizards. Keep in mind Boston scored 123 points Sunday even though the Celtics didn't score a field goal for the first 6 minutes of the game. 8* OVER the total in Boston

TNT Blowout ATS Rout - Rickenbach NBA Monday 10* Top Play Houston Rockets (+) @ San Antonio Spurs @ 9:35 ET - The Spurs barely got by a Memphis team that was without their top defender Tony Allen. My strong opinion is that the Spurs would not have advanced if Allen had not been hurt for the Grizzlies. Memphis played them tough in the regular season and then gave them hell in the post-season even without Allen! I have said it before and I'll say it again, because I reside in the San Antonio area and I follow this team closely. The Spurs are not what they use to be. Certainly they are still a talented, solid team that is well coached but I don't believe they have what it takes to go far in the post-season. Now the Spurs go from facing a short-handed Grizzlies team that barely got into the playoffs to facing one of the best in the west as they host the Rockets. The road team won 3 of the 4 meetings straight-up in the regular season and the road team did go a perfect 4-0 ATS in the season series! One meeting was decided by 6 points and the other three were each decided by only 2 points! You can see why I like having the points in this one and I also like the fact that the Spurs lost 4-2 in their most recent trip to the 2nd round and they also went just 2-4 ATS in that series. With Tim Duncan retired and Manu Giinobili no longer the X factor he once was, too much is expected of Kawhi Leonard. The Rockets weaponry will prove to be too much (at least in Game 1) and I'll gladly fade the line move as the betting markets have pushed this line higher! The Rockets won their most recent 2nd round playoff series, are 4-1 (SU and ATS) when playing with 3 or more days of rest between games and I look for them to improve to a fantastic 13-4 ATS as an underdog this season as they continue to thrive in that role! 10* HOUSTON

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Monday 8* Cleveland Cavaliers (-) vs Toronto Raptors @ 7:05 ET - Sometimes too much rest can lead to rust. Will that be that the case for the veteran Cavaliers here? I don't think so! The defending NBA champs are certainly accustomed to all sorts of scenarios and how to handle them. You don't become the champions of the league if you don't have the ability to adjust and to adapt. That said, the extra rest won't be rust for the Cavs. Instead, look for their fresh legs to have benefited greatly from the time off. The past 3 seasons combined the Cavaliers have gone 14-4 SU (and 11-7 ATS) when playing with 3 or more days of rest between games. Also, Cleveland knocked Toronto out of the post-season last year and all 4 Cavs wins came by at least 19 points per game! In fact, the Cavaliers average margin of victory in that series was 28.5 points per win! Cleveland will want to set the tone early in this series and that means a very aggressive and relentless approach in Game One and I see them winning this one by double digits to make a statement. Toronto got by the Bucks in round one but Milwaukee was lacking in playoff experience. In round two the Raptors get a reality check about the caliber of opponents they're really supposed to face in the playoffs and I expect it to take Toronto so some time to adjust going from facing a team that had a losing record in the regular season to facing one of the elite teams in the league. With the Cavs rested and raring to go, look for the Raptors to drop to 10-21 ATS in playoff games the past 3 seasons combined. 8* CLEVELAND

Total of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Los Angeles Clippers vs Utah Jazz @ 3:30 ET - The 3 games played in Los Angeles in this series have all stayed under the total and, overall, there have been back to back unders in this series as both Games 5 and 6 stayed under the total. That is noteworthy because, in terms of the odds of a 3rd straight under occurring in this series, the Jazz when off of back to back unders have not had a 3rd straight under the last 6 weeks! The Clippers have not recorded 3 straight unders in their games since prior to the All Star break! The games in this series have been tight ballgames with the 6 games all decided by single digits and the average margin of victory being 5 points. The key with that is that another close game is likely in Game 7 and that likely will lead to fouling and trips to the free throw line late in the game as each team knows "there is no tomorrow". Whoever is down is going to be willing to foul even if down 8 or 10 points with only a minute to go. Look for plenty of late "scramble points" in the final sequences of this one but, the fact is, those points may not even be needed here. The Jazz have averaged 100 points per game in the last 4 games in this series and the Clippers are going to grab the momentum from staving off elimination in Game 6 as they now enjoy their home floor in Game 7. That said, don't be surprised if both teams get to triple digits in this one! The Jazz allowed the Clippers to connect on 49.4% of their shots from the field in Game 6. The last 3 times the Jazz have allowed a team to hit 45.4% or better from the field the over is a perfect 3-0 in their next game. 10* OVER the total in Los Angeles Clippers

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 8* Washington Wizards (+) @ Boston Celtics @ 1:05 ET - Washington's first round opponent was a tough Atlanta team. Boston's first round opponent was a Chicago team that had the Celtics in an 0-2 hole (at home no less!) before the Bulls lost Rajon Rondo to injury for the series. Chicago's loss of a key contributor ended up being the key to Boston winning 4 straight games. The point is that I am more impressed with how the Wizards got here in comparison with how the Celtics got here. The road team got the cover in 5 of the 6 first round games in the Boston series and in each of the last two games in the Washington series. Look for those trends to continue here as the Celtics are 3-15 ATS this season when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 games or more. The Wizards are 8-3 ATS when off of an upset win as an underdog. 8* WASHINGTON

Playoff Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Friday 10* Top Play Chicago Bulls (+) vs Boston Celtics @ 8:05 ET - The Bulls lost the turnover battle big in Wednesday's Game 5 and that certainly was a factor in them ending up on the wrong end of a 11-point game. Chicago knocked down 50% of their shots but they could not overcome the turnover differential and they'll need to play a much cleaner game tonight. With the Celtics not shooting well - 19 off 77 from three point land the last 2 games - they are fortunate to still be up in this series. The poor shooting catches up with Boston here. The Bulls will go "all out" at home in hopes of forcing a Game 7 and Chicago plays solid defense when fully focused. Full focus will certainly be at the forefront for the Bulls in this one and they are 7-2 SU and ATS this season (and 16-5 ATS and 15-6 SU the last 3 seasons combined) when they enter a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more. The Celtics are a horrible 2-15 ATS this season when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 games or more. Also, Boston is 6-11 ATS this season when off of a win by a double digit margin. The Bulls have shot well in each of their last two road games with the Celtics but, surprisingly shot poorly in the 2 home games in this series. That has led to line value here as the Bulls are actually a home dog now in this one. Even with Rajon Rondo still out, the Bulls have more than enough weapons to force a Game 7 with a big home W tonight. 10* CHICAGO BULLS

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Friday 8* Atlanta Hawks (-) vs Washington Wizards @ 7:35 ET - The home team has won all 5 games in this series and I see no reason for that trend to stop here. The Hawks have actually out-rebounded the Wizards in 4 of the 5 games in this series. The only reason Atlanta lost Game 5 on the road at Washington was because the Hawks shot only 41% from the field. The Hawks have shot 48.3% in their last 5 home games and outscored by double digits in each game in Atlanta while losing only by single digits in each of their losses at Washington. In many respects, the Hawks have deserved a better fate than being down 3-2 in this series but, in any event, that is helping to keep this line lower than it should be and I look for Atlanta to roll at home and force a Game 7. The Hawks are on a 9-4 ATS run while the Wizards have slumped to a 5-8 ATS mark their last 13 games. Washington is 11-23 SU the last 34 times they've been an underdog and I look for another loss in that role here. With the low number on the Hawks, that SU Wizards loss should also equate to a solid ATS cover for the home team. 8* ATLANTA

TNT Smash Pass - Rickenbach NBA Thursday 10* Top Play Memphis Grizzlies (+) vs San Antonio Spurs @ 9:35 ET - I lost a tough one Tuesday when the Spurs pulled away late to get the cover as a double digit fave over the Grizzlies in Game 5 of this series. However, the Spurs finally got some points from Manu Ginobili and they shot a ridiculous 14 of 28 from three point land. Memphis responded at home in both Games 3 and 4 after losing Games 1 and 2 and I expect the Grizzlies to again come up big on their home floor in Game 6 after coming up short in Game 5. Each of the last 3 games in this series have gone over the total and the Grizzles are 19-10 SU (and 18-11 ATS) the last 3 seasons combined when they enter a game on an "over streak" of 3 games or more. The Spurs are only 4-6 SU (and 3-7 ATS) the last 3 seasons combined when they are leading in a playoff series. Spurs had lost 5 of their last 7 (SU and ATS) before getting the big win in Game 5 that was largely attributable to red hot three point shooting. The odds of that continuing here just are not that good and the Grizzlies have been fired up ever since their head coach's tirade about the officiating after Game 2. There is no way that Memphis is going to stop fighting in Game 6 as it's "win or the season is over" for the Grizzlies. Dating back to the regular season and including this series so far, the home team has a perfect 7-0 ATS mark in the Spurs last 7 games. Look for more of the same Thursday as San Antonio has not had a hot shooting night on the road since they shot 48% from the field at Minnesota over a month ago! The Grizzlies "D up" hard in this one. 10* MEMPHIS

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Thursday 8* Toronto Raptors (+) @ Milwaukee Bucks @ 7:05 ET - The Raptors are fired up about closing out a playoff series in Game 6. They're well aware of their poor history in this situation as they are 0-7 SU (and 1-6 ATS) when leading in a playoff series. Toronto is sick of hearing about that and doesn't want to let Milwaukee extend this to a 7th game. Luckily for the Raptors, this is the right team for Toronto to face to have a great shot at erasing the bitter taste of past defeats. The Bucks have lost 7 straight playoff series and the last 6 all have come in the first round with the final defeat in each of the last two appearances coming in a Game 6. That said, the Bucks aren't exactly loaded with post-season experience to fall back on. Look for the Raptors to improve to 12-3 SU (and 10-5 ATS) this season when playing with two days of rest. Also, Toronto is 19-8 SU (and 17-10 ATS) when off of a win by a double digit margin. The Bucks have been out-rebounded in this series and have now lost 3 of the last 4 games. Their only two wins came when the Raptors were held to 36% or less from the field. How likely is that here? Not too likely! The Raptors were held to 36% or less from the field 3 times in their 82 regular season games. Note also that the Bucks Khris Middleton was ill Wednesday and missed practice. If he's not 100% this further weakens a Milwaukee team that has been outscored by 36 points in the last two games! 8* TORONTO

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Wednesday 10* Top Play Chicago Bulls (+) @ Boston Celtics @ 8:30 ET - The Bulls aren't done yet. I know they just lost two straight at home to the Celtics and are still trying to adjust without Rajon Rondo, but the fact is Chicago won both games at Boston to open up this series. Additionally, the Bulls started out dominating the boards in this series and that domination has continued throughout. With just slightly better shooting, the Bulls just aren't going to lose this game by double digits. That said, there is tremendous line value with  the big number posted on this game. Keep in mind, Boston's Sunday win in Game 4 of this series was the 1st cover in the last 4 times the Celtics were off of a game where they allowed 100 points or less. I look for the Bulls to respond in a big way here after scoring under 100 in back to back home games. Look for Boston to drop to 1-4 ATS the last 5 times they've been off of a game where they held their team under the century mark. The Celtics are an ugly 4-10 ATS this season when playing with 2 days of rest between games. The Bulls are a fantastic 8-4 ATS this season when playing with 2 days of rest between games. Look for the Celtics to drop to 17-27 ATS in home games this season while the Bulls improve to 29-19 ATS as an underdog this season. Big dog value being offered here as the Bulls are off of back to back losses and haven't lost three straight games since early March. They'll make some adjustments here sans Rondo. 10* CHICAGO

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Wednesday 8* Atlanta Hawks (+) @ Washington Wizards @ 6 ET - The home team has won and covered all 4 games of this series but there is a reason the odds makers are holding this number right in line with where it was in the first two meetings in this series in Washington. The fact is that the home dominance in this series is likely to be busted in Game 5. The Hawks have now won the battle of the boards in 3 of the 4 games and they've also cut down on the turnover issues that plagued them earlier in this series. Atlanta is 81-58 ATS in their games against teams with a winning record and, overall, the Hawks come into this game having covered 8 of their last 12. The Wizards are on a 10-17 ATS run entering this game and I believe the fact that this line opened up right in line with Games 1 and 2 of this series is an open invitation to take Washington. We all know what happens when something looks too good to be true...it usually is and I see the Hawks turning this series on its ear with a big upset win on the road but I'll grab the points here just in case. 8* ATLANTA

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play Memphis Grizzlies (+) @ San Antonio Spurs @ 9 ET - The Spurs are getting heavily played again as this line is already up to double digits. Do you remember the Big 3 of the Spurs? Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker. Why do I mention this? Duncan is now retired. Ginobili is 0 for 15 in the series and still hasn't scored a single point. As for Parker, he did bounce back to play his best game of the series in Game 4 but he was held scoreless in Game 3 and his assists are way down in the post-season. The reason I mention all this is because the Spurs true star now (and arguably their only star), Kawhi Leonard scored 43 points in Game 4 and, guess what, San Antonio still lost! This is bad news for the Spurs because they just aren't the team they use to be. I know they had a great regular season but it's playoff time and for a team like Memphis (without the defender - Tony Allen - that was going to be key in slowing down Leonard) to be as tough on SA as they have been, it shows just how far the Spurs have fallen. Making the situation even worse for San Antonio is that they've now given Memphis the confidence that comes with back to back wins. Ever since the Memphis coach went off on all the officials after Game 2 you've seen a different Grizzlies team and they won't stop on Tuesday night. Memphis is now 9-4 SU and ATS in games against teams that allow 98 points or less on the season. Also, the Grizzlies thrive on the underdog role and building momentum from it. They are 12-8 ATS (and 14-6 SU!) when off of an upset win as an underdog this season! The Spurs are just 4-9 ATS this season when playing with 2 days of rest between games and though they should get the home win tonight it's very likely to be an all out war decided by single digits. That said, grab the big points in this one. 10* MEMPHIS

TNT Smash Pass - Rickenbach NBA Tuesday 8* Oklahoma City Thunder (+) @ Houston Rockets @ 8 ET - The Rockets blew out the Thunder by 31 points in Game 1 of this series. Since then, every single game has been tight with none of the last 3 games being decided by more than 4 points. I certainly don't see that changing here in what is a "win or go home for the summer" game for Oklahoma City. As strong as Houston is, the fact is that the Thunder (ever since the game 1 "reality check") have put up quite a fight in this series and I certainly don't see that stopping here! OKC shot better from the field than the Rockets in Games 3 and 4 and they've shot better from three point land in 3 of the 4 games in this series. Oklahoma City has proven to be that they're not going to go away quietly and these points are simply too much for Tuesday's Game 5. The Rockets were on a 1-10 ATS skid before covering both games at Oklahoma City. The Thunder are 7-2 ATS when playing with home loss revenge this season and they'll be looking to bounce back after coming up just short in Game 4. Also, the Rockets are 2-4 ATS this season (and 14-23 ATS the L3 seasons) when off of an upset win as an underdog. If Nene Hilario hadn't gone 12 for 12 from the field the Rockets would not have won that Game 4 and I look for them to struggle to put away this resilient Thunder team Tuesday as Russell Westbrook does everything he can to send this series back to OKC. 8* OKLAHOMA CITY

TNT Blowout ATS Rout - Rickenbach NBA Monday 10* Top Play Atlanta Hawks (-) vs Washington Wizards @ 8 ET - After opening up at a -3 this line has come down down to a -2 and also the money line is even an option here with that price dropping as low as a -130 in some spot as of early gameday morning. The fact is that Atlanta's Game 3 domination was no fluke and I'll gladly grab them again here. The Hawks only made 59% of their free throws in Saturday's win. In other words, had they shot a more "normal" free throw percentage the blowout would have been even worse. They won the battle of the boards and have dominated the glass overall in this series. Also, Atlanta finally reversed the turnover battle and got the better of the Wizards in that department. This comes as no surprise as Washington is a different team when on the road. The Wizards are now 4-8 SU their last 12 road games - a span of 6 weeks. Even though many will be looking for a bounce back from Washington off of a bad loss, they're actually only 21-28 SU when off of a loss by double digits the past 3 seasons combined. Also, this season when the Wizards are an underdog, they've only gone 11-22 SU! Atlanta normally does a good job of maintaining the momentum off of a big win as they're 53-29 SU the last 3 seasons combined when off of a win by a double digit margin. Also, at home the Hawks are on a 94-43 SU run the last 3 seasons combined. Also, with Atlanta's win in Game 3, they've now won 5 straight home games and haven't tasted defeat on their own floor in the past 4 weeks. I don't see that changing here. 10* ATLANTA

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Monday 8* Milwaukee Bucks (+) @ Toronto Raptors @ 7 ET - Off of an embarrassing home loss where the Bucks shot just 37% from the field and had 20 turnovers Sunday, look for Milwaukee to respond here. These teams have alternated wins and losses in this series and I wouldn't be surprised to see that trend continue. The Bucks are 9-2 ATS the last 11 times they are off of a loss by 6 points or more and they were drilled by 11 in Milwaukee on Sunday. That big Raptors road win was their first ATS cover in this series and Toronto is still just 3-12 ATS in 1st round playoff games the last 3 seasons combined. As usual, look for the Raptors to have trouble with developing consistent success. Not only has playoff success been elusive for Toronto but, over the last 4 weeks, they've only had back to back covers once. Even if the Raptors do get the SU win here look for the half dozen points they're laying to prove to be too much! 8* MILWAUKEE

Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 10* Top Play Chicago Bulls (+) vs Boston Celtics @ 6:30 ET - The Rajon Rondo injury is certainly impacting to the Bulls but it is also far from being insurmountable. I look for Chicago to bounce back in a big way at home after getting embarrassed at home on Friday. Certainly that final score looks ugly as the Bulls fell by 17 points to the Celtics but Boston knocked down 46% of their three pointers and outscored Chicago by 33 points from beyond the arc. That's your ballgame right there and that is highly unlikely to be repeated on Sunday. The Celtics won big in Game 3 despite being outrebounded (they've lost badly on boards in this series) and despite attempting just 7 free throws! Now you can see why I am expecting Chicago to prevail in Game 4. They will respond at home after the embarrassing home loss. Keep in mind, the Bulls had covered 4 straight and 12 of their last 16 before losing Friday. Also, the Celtics had failed to cover 9 of their last 12 before the big win in Game 3. The Bulls are 28-18 ATS as an underdog this season. The Celtics are 5-12 ATS this season when off of a win by 10 points or more. Even with the win Friday, Boston is still just 3-10 SU in playoff games the last 3 seasons combined. Look for the Bulls to improve to 7-3 SU and ATS in their last 10 playoff games as they are poised to bounce back and win outright here but certainly I will grab the points being offered. 10* CHICAGO

Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 10* Top Play Houston Rockets (+) @ Oklahoma City Thunder @ 3:30 ET - The Rockets don't want to give the Thunder any hope in this series and that means they certainly can't afford to lose another tight one at Oklahoma City. Houston can't allow the Thunder to tie it up and I like the Rockets chances to take the 3-1 lead here. Keep in mind, the Thunder shot 55.4% from the field (including 47.4% from three point land) and the Rockets were held under 46% from the field plus misfired on 25 of their 35 three pointers and yet Houston still only lost Game 3 by a bucket! That says a lot right there and I expect a more "normal" shooting performance tonight. The noteworthy aspect of that is the fact that OKC had been held to 43.5% or less from the field in 10 of their last 12 games before the offensive explosion on Friday night. As for the Rockets, they haven't been held below 45.8% from the field in any of their last 4 games. Also, on the season, Houston is the better three point shooting team so the Game 3 result certainly was a bit of an aberration. The Rockets are 10-4 ATS this season as an underdog. Houston is also 19-11 ATS when off of a game where they allowed 115 points or more. OKC is 7-14 ATS this season (and 17-35 ATS the L3 seasons combined) in games with a posted total of 220 points or more. The Thunder also are 22-37 (SU and ATS) the last 3 seasons combined in games against teams that average 106 points or more per game. 10* HOUSTON

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 8* Indiana Pacers (+) vs Cleveland Cavaliers @ 1 ET - Devastating loss for sure the way the Pacers lost Game 3 to the incredible Cavs comeback. However, a closer look at the boxscore reveals why I won't hesitate to back the home dog in Game 4 as I expect Indiana to fight incredibly hard to avoid getting swept out of the post-season. The Pacers don't want this to happen on their home floor and now, about that boxscore. Cleveland's comeback was keyed by the fact they made a ridiculous 21 of 44 three pointers! Simply put, that's not happening again and, even with that insane shooting performance the Cavaliers only won the game by 5 points. Note that Indiana outrebounded the Cavs, made more shots from inside the arc, and made more free throws. The fact that Cleveland made 21 three pointers was the difference in the game and the likelihood of that happening again rests somewhere between slim and nil. Keep in mind the Pacers had covered 8 straight games before that ATS loss. Also, the Cavaliers had covered just 5 of their last 18 games before that miracle win and cover. The Cavs are 7-13 ATS this season when on a winning streak of 3 games or more. The Pacers are 6-3 ATS this season when they are on a losing streak of 3 or more games. 8* INDIANA

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA 10* Top Play Atlanta Hawks (-) vs Washington Wizards @ 5:30 ET - The Hawks lost the turnover battle in each of the first two games and that proved to be the difference maker in the two losses, each by single digits. They truly had a great shot at winning the 2nd game outright but lost the game and the cover late in that one. Look for Atlanta to respond now that they're back home where they've won 4 straight games and also covered 3 straight. The home team has won 6 of the last 7 meetings between these teams and all the games have been decided by at least 3 points. The low line here makes sense considering the Wizards were favored by about 5 or 6 at home but the fact is the low number gives great line value to a solid home team. Atlanta is 93-43 SU in home games the last 3 seasons combined. The Wizards are 11-21 SU the last 32 times they've been a dog. That said, any SU loss is likely to also result in an ATS loss for Washington here considering the low number posted on this game. The Hawks are 3-1 ATS the last 4 times they've been held to 40.5% or less from the field. After a poor shooting performance in Game 2, and hungry and highly motivated for a win to get back in this series and avoid the 'death wish' of a 3-0 hole, look for thee Hawks to respond and get the big home win here. 10* ATLANTA

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Saturday 8* Toronto Raptors (+) @ Milwaukee Bucks @ 3 ET - The last 6 times the Raptors have been held under 40% from the field they've responded every single time with a win, a perfect 6-0 SU mark. Toronto did win the battle of the boards again in Game Three and I look for them to be even more aggressive tonight after the embarrassing loss at Milwaukee by 27 points in Game 3. The Raptors are 6-3 SU this season when off of a loss by a double digit margin. The Bucks are 7-18 ATS the last 3 seasons when they are off of a game where they allowed 85 points or less. The Raptors are known for "ups and downs" in playoff series but, as they've done in the past, they'll make the proper adjustments and come up huge in Game Four after that embarrassing Game 3 loss. Look for the Raptors to improve to 7-0 SU the L7 times they've been held under 40% from the field but I'll also gladly grab the couple points being offered here in case they fall just short in a heart-breaker. 8* TORONTO

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Friday 10* Top Play Houston Rockets (+) @ Oklahoma City Thunder @ 9:30 ET - Oklahoma City took 19 more shots from the field in Game Two compared to the Rockets and also had fewer turnovers and won the battle of the boards. However, the end result was a loss for the Thunder and that certainly doesn't bode well for Game Three for OKC. The problem for Oklahoma City is they're just not shooting well at all right now. The Thunder have been held to 43.5% or less from the field in 7 straight games and 10 of their last 12. The Rockets are at 49% so far in this series and even though Houston has been held under their season average of 36% from three point land, the Rockets have still managed to win both games. You know a big game from Houston's outside shooters is coming and, that said, when the markets zig I am glad to zag as most everyone is likely to be backing the Thunder here at home since they're in an 0-2 hole and now back home. This ignores the fact that, sans Durant, the Thunder are just 1-5 and the lone OKC win came by just 2 points. That said, giving the Rockets the 2.5 or 3 points they're getting in this match-up, Houston would be on a 6-0 ATS run their last 6 versus Oklahoma City. In fact, the Rockets are on a 10-3 ATS run the last 3 seasons combined versus OKC and that includes 5-1 ATS in games played at Oklahoma City. The Thunder are 5-15 SU this season in games with a posted total of 220 points or more and I again expect the Rockets offensive potency to prove to be took much for OKC here. Westbrook is simply being asked to do too much with this team. Look for the Rockets to improve to 11-4 ATS as an underdog this season. 10* HOUSTON

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Friday 8* Chicago Bulls (-) vs Boston Celtics @ 7 ET - The Celtics are 3-10 ATS this season and 11-24 ATS the last 3 seasons combined when playing with 2 days of rest. Boston also is an ugly 2-8 ATS when they are off of 3 or more consecutive home games. Look for the Celtics, outplayed so far in this series (the 0-2 deficit is not a fluke), to struggle in their first road game in nearly 2 full weeks! As for the Bulls, they are a fantastic 8-3 ATS this season and 27-12 SU the last 3 seasons combined when playing with 2 days of rest. I am referencing a SU streak here because the line on Chicago is low enough here that I would actually recommend playing them on the money line in this match-up. That line is currently in the -110 to -120 range as of very early Friday morning and that is offering great line value here. The Bulls are on a 10-4 ATS run in playoff games while the Celtics are on a 2-10 SU run in playoff games and are in trouble here after not being able to win either game in Boston. Truly Chicago looked like the better team in Boston as they won the battle of the boards and had fewer turnovers than the Celtics. Whether or not it was the distraction of Thomas' sister untimely passing, the fact is that Boston is just not right and the Bulls are a great value at this price on their home floor. 8* CHICAGO

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Thursday 10* Top Play Memphis Grizzlies (+) @ San Antonio Spurs @ 9:30 ET - Of course the Memphis head coach made some headlines with his comments about the officiating after Game Two and got fined $30K for said comments. One could argue it may end up being the best $30K he's ever spent! I jest of course but there is some truth to my statement. The Grizzlies are fired up, they are back home, they should get some calls tonight, and let's not forget that Memphis split the season series with the Spurs as they won both games at home. In fact, including regular season and post-season, the home team has now won 6 straight match-ups between these teams! Of course the absence of Tony Allen has hurt the Grizzlies here against the Spurs in this series but this is the do or die game for Memphis as they have chance to either make the series "interesting" tonight or they fall into a 3-0 hole. I believe the former will prove true but I am grabbing the points in case the Grizzlies fall just short and lose a close one. The fact is that Memphis is going to go "all out" tonight and the Spurs, even with the win in Game 2, are still just 4-4 SU (and 3-5 ATS) when leading in a playoff series. The Grizzlies respond big here and I do like for the free throw disparity gap to be closing in a big way in tonight's game. That had a big role in the Spurs only attempting 61 field goals compared to 82 for the Grizzlies and yet San Antonio still won the game by a double digit margin. Big changes coming tonight. 10* MEMPHIS

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Thursday 8* Toronto Raptors (+) @ Milwaukee Bucks @ 8 ET - Give the Bucks credit, not only did they win Game 1 but they kept battling back in Game 2. The telling statistic though is that the Bucks biggest lead in the entire game was 3 points. The Raptors led most of the way and led the game by as much as 13 points. Toronto kept pulling away but then the Bucks would battle back each time. However, while the Raptors shot 48% from the three point line and from inside the arc, the Bucks made 47% of their threes but only 39% from inside the arc. Toronto, after being challenged by Milwaukee with the loss in Game One, came out with a much stronger game in Game Two and neither team is likely to be so hot from three point land in this one. In other words, advantage Raptors as they've made some adjustments that paid off with easier 2-point buckets for them and tougher shots for the Bucks. Of course it looks easy to back the Bucks here at home since they're laying such a short number and had a solid home record this season but, keep in mind, the Raptors road record was just as strong as the Bucks record in Milwaukee. Also, Toronto is 6-1 SU when tied in a playoff series in recent seasons while Milwaukee has a long-term mark of 3-9 SU in the playoffs when they are tied in a playoff series and truly they don't have the recent experience level in post-season that the Raptors have. Toronto also has been red hot long-term with 13 wins in their last 16 games while the Bucks have lost 5 of their last 8. The home team will be the popular choice tonight and long-time followers know how I feel about "popular" choices! 8* TORONTO

Eastern Conference Game of the Year - Rickenbach NBA Wednesday 10* Top Play Atlanta Hawks (+) @ Washington Wizards @ 7 ET - The Hawks, after losing game one despite outrebounding the Wizards and earning 22 more free throw attempts and having the stronger bench play, will make the proper adjustments in game two. The two day break should favor Atlanta and they're plenty familiar with John Wall and company and can't let them run wild like they did in the 3rd quarter on Sunday. That was the difference maker in the game as the Hawks looked strong in the first half. Atlanta is 27-11 SU when playing with 2 days of rest between games. Also, prior to the game one result, the dog had gotten the cash in 5 of the last 7 meetings between these teams. The Hawks 4 prior visits to Washington had resulted in 1 outright win and two losses by 4 or less points. Good value with the points here considering that Atlanta, before a meaningless season finale, had gone 6-2 SU with one of the 2 losses by just a bucket. Washington had gone just 8-9 SU to wrap up the regular season and 5 of their last 9 wins this season came by 5 points or less. The defense of the Wizards let them down late in the season while the Hawks defense had tightened things up to close out the season. In other words, don't overreact to the Game 1 result. The Wizards took Game 1 but I certainly would not be surprised to see the Hawks even this up with an outright win and there is definitely added value with the generous points being offered. Looking at the last 14 games between these teams there has not been a single occurrence where one has beaten the other by more than 4 points in back to back games. I like those odds! 10* ATLANTA HAWKS

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Tuesday 10* Top Play Chicago Bulls (+) @ Boston Celtics @ 8 ET - The normal reaction here would be to back the Celtics at home and looking to avoid going into an 0-2 hole in this series. However, Boston showed some very concerning signs in Game One and even if Chicago doesn't again get the upset here, the points should prove to be enough for the cover. Boston got dominated on the glass on Sunday and they've been losing the battle of the boards far too often of late while the Bulls are on a streak where they've been a rebounding machine the past few weeks. Chicago also has been playing rock solid defense with only 89.4 points allowed per game in their last 5 games. Boston has struggled at times on the defensive end late in the season and that was expected to potentially change come playoff time but perhaps the added distraction of Isaiah Thomas' sister having passed away in a car accident is impacting the team. In any event, the Bulls certainly look like the hungrier, fresher team and Chicago is on a 9-4 ATS run in playoff games while the Celtics are on a 2-9 SU run in playoff games! The Bulls are 27-17 ATS as an underdog this season while Boston is 2-7 ATS this season when they enter a game having played each of their three prior games at home. Look for the hungry road dog to be in this one all the way. They're aggressive, they've got some key veteran players, and they're confident as they've won 8 of their last 10 games. 10* CHICAGO