Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Monday 8* OVER the total in New York Knicks vs Toronto Raptors @ 7:05 ET - Kyle Lowry is going to miss today's game just like yesterdays but DeMar DeRozan is averaging 37.3 points per game when Lowry misses. Sunday's 112-106 Raptors win went the over total and Toronto, in the 2nd game of a back to back situation, has gone 30-18 to the over the past 3 seasons combined. The Knicks are off of back to back games that stayed under the total but those just two games just barely fell short and the only reason was because the totals were so big. Prior to that, New York had gone over the total in 8 of its previous 10 games. The over is 20-10 in Knicks games against teams with a winning record this season as their porous defense struggles to stop good teams. However, New York is averaging 107 points per game in home contests on the season and that is why this game has the makings of a shootout. The Raptors enter this game having won 3 straight and the over is 8-4 this season when Toronto is on a winning streak of 3 games or more. Look for Toronto to stay red hot, even without Lowry, but the Knicks should continue their pattern of putting up big points at home. New York has averaged 110.5 points per game in their last 8 home games not played against the defensive-minded Spurs. The Knicks lone slip-up in their last 9 home affairs came versus San Antonio but other than that, they've scored very well and I see no reason for that not to continue here and that will help send this one soaring over the over-adjusted number due to Lowry being out for Toronto and Kristaps Porzingis being out for New York. Keep in mind, the Knicks forward did not play in the win over Philly Saturday and he shot a combined 12 for 33 in his 3 prior game so it's not like he's a big loss with the way he's been shooting of late. 8* OVER the total in New York

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NBA Game #806 Sunday 8* Washington Wizards (-) vs Utah Jazz @ 5:05 ET - The Jazz are off of a big win at Milwaukee but they have a huge gave with the division rival Thunder on deck for Tuesday in Oklahoma City. That sets this one up well as the Wizards are at home laying a small number and are fully focused. Washington lost at Philadelphia on Friday as their defense decided to take off the 2nd and 3rd quarters. That proved to be the difference in the game and they know they screwed up by underestimating the Sixers. Needless to say, they won't underestimate the solid Jazz team that is paying them a visit Sunday. Washington is 24-7 SU (and 20-11 ATS) in home games this season. The Wizards are also 5-1 SU (and 4-2 ATS) this season when off of an upset loss as a favorite. After allowing 115 points or more in a game, Washington has responded by going 4-1 (SU and ATS) this season. The Wizards will take advantage of a Jazz team in a clear lookahead spot here. Also, Utah is an ugly 2-12 SU (and 3-11 ATS) as an underdog this season. The Jazz also are an unimpressive 9-15 (SU and ATS) when playing against teams with a winning record this season. 8* WASHINGTON

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #803 Sunday 8* Phoenix Suns (+) @ Milwaukee Bucks @ 3:35 ET - Three weeks ago in Phoenix, the Bucks completely embarrassed the Suns in a 137-112 victory. Milwaukee simply couldn't miss that night as they knocked down a ridiculous 63.4% of their shots! Even though Phoenix is certainly going nowhere this season (18-40 record) professional pride still exists and the Suns will be looking for payback here. Meanwhile Milwaukee will be looking at something else here...a big game at Cleveland on deck for Monday. The Bucks are known for overlooking weaker foes. Yes, Milwaukee won big at Phoenix at 3 weeks ago but the Bucks are 10-20 ATS on the season in their games against teams with a losing record. Also, Milwaukee is 1-4 ATS in Sunday games this season. The Suns, despite that big loss to the Bucks in Phoenix 3 weeks ago, are 13-6 ATS in non-conference games this season. Look for the Suns to again get the cover against an Eastern Conference foe that simply finds it too easy to overlook them. 8* PHOENIX

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #502 Saturday 10* Top Play Sacramento Kings (+) vs Charlotte Hornets @ 5:05 ET - The Hornets are in a horrible slump and have lost 12 of their last 13 games. The Kings are rejuvenated after the DeMarcus Cousins trade (won by double digits in first game after the All Star Break) and also have won and covered 4 straight home games. Sacramento should hold a big edge on the boards in this game as they have outrebounded 3 of their last 4 opponents by a solid margin while Charlotte has been outrebounded by a ridiculous 15 boards a game in their last 4 games. The Hornets are 0-4 ATS against Pacific Division foes this season and also 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a losing record! In other words, Charlotte doesn't take care of business when they should and that is also why they are an ugly 8-17 ATS when playing with revenge this season. The Kings are 15-10 SU and ATS this season when playing against teams with a losing record so they have proven they do take care of business when they should. With that said, there is tremendous line value here with the home dog. 10* SACRAMENTO

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #855 Friday 10* Top Play Dallas Mavericks (+) @ Minnesota Timberwolves @ 8:05 ET - You have to be careful looking at full season numbers with teams. Dallas was garbage for much of this season but they were ravaged by injuries. They were playing better ball leading into the All Star break. As for Minnesota, they won 8 of their last 11 games in January but February turned into a disaster when they lost Zach LaVine early in the month to a season-ending injury. Losing your starting point guard is always tough and the Timberwolves were 2-6 in February before winning their final game before the All Star break, at Denver. The T-wolves defense has been struggling badly. They've allowed 49.4% from the field in their last 6 games. By comparison, the Mavericks (who won 11 of 16 before dropping their last 2 games before the break) have held 7 of their last 13 opponents to 45.9% or less from the field. With the #8 seed well within reach for both of these teams don't be surprised if there is great intensity for tonight's game and I like the Mavericks (healthier and playing the better overall basketball) to get the W tonight on the road. Dallas has won 8 of its last 9 meetings with Minnesota. Also, the Mavs come into this game on a 6-2 ATS run in their last 8 games against teams with a losing record this season. The Timberwolves are 9-18 ATS as a favorite this season and on an 11-28 ATS run when off of a divisional game. Also, when Minny is off of a win by 10 points or more (beat Denver by 13) they have gone 2-9 ATS this season and an ugly 5-18 ATS (2-21 SU!) the past 3 seasons combined. Road rout looks probable here. 10* DALLAS MAVERICKS

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #843 Friday 8* Washington Wizards (-) @ Philadelphia 76'ers @ 7:05 ET - The 76'ers now are likely to go into "tank mode" on the season and the Wizards do have motivation here. Washington lost at Philadelphia in November and, though they got some measure of revenge by then beating the Sixers in DC last month, the Wizards still want to "return the favor" on Philly's home floor. That said, the 76'ers are in trouble here as Washington has won 18 of their last 21 games. Philadelphia has lost 8 of their last 12. The Sixers last 10 losses have come by an average margin of 14.1 points per defeat. Each of the 76'ers last 7 losses have come by at least 8 points. The Wizards are 9-4 SU and ATS when playing with 3 or more days of rest while the Sixers have gone 3-8 ATS and an awful 1-10 SU when playing with 3 or more days of rest and the big issue here is Philly's playing rotation has been effected by some recent moves. They'll be a little "off" in terms of their execution and the added time off because of the All Star break just compounds the issue for the 76'ers. The Wizards are 8-0 SU and 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games against teams who are allowing an average of 106 points or more per game on the season. I spoke earlier about the tanking and the numbers support that with Philly as, in the 2nd half of a season, the Sixers are now 3-39 SU when facing a team with a winning record. Another ugly loss beckons here and we get line value since the Wizards are on the road. 8* WASHINGTON

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #506 Thursday 10* Top Play New Orleans Pelicans (+) vs Houston Rockets @ 8:05 ET - Houston is 40-18 on the season and New Orleans is 23-34 on the season. Something looked "funny" with the opening number on this game, didn't it? Of course now, as expected, the markets have already done some early "pounding" on the Rockets side and have driven this line up. In typical contrarian fashion (hence the title - Contrarian Crusher) I am stepping in on the other side of this one. Of course the big story in New Orleans is the DeMarcus Cousins acquisition. But there is much more than "just that" to like about the Pelicans in this match-up. They went 3-1 on their 4-game road trip right before the All Star break and this is one of just 3 home games they have scheduled in the entire month of February! That said, they certainly want to make it "count" and they did lose their most recent home game. Another key here is that the Pelicans have not lost back to back home games since prior to the mid-way point of December! New Orleans had gone 9-5 in their 14 home games since December 15th but then lost to Utah two weeks ago. That adds "fuel to the fire" for the Pelicans tonight and the Rockets are only 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games. Also, New Orleans is seeking revenge for a 22-point beating at Houston when these teams met in December. Prior to that, the last 4 games between these teams had been decided by a total of just 15 points. With Cousins now in the mix, the Pelicans are going to be tough for the Rockets to put away in this one. Look for the outright upset and if New Orleans does fall short it certainly should be by just a single possession. The Pelicans are 27-16 ATS the past 3 seasons against teams that average 106 points or more per game. Everyone will be lining up for the Rockets in this one and, from experience, I know what that usually results in...an upset! 10* NEW ORLEANS

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Thursday 8* OVER the total in Orlando Magic vs Portland Trail Blazers @ 7:05 ET - Portland scored just 88 points in their final game before the All Star break. The Trail Blazers had averaged 110.2 points per game in their 10 prior games so a bounce back is fully expected here. Also, the Blazers are 5-2 to the over this season after a divisional game and Portland is also 9-5 to the over this season in games who are allowing an average of 106 points or more per game on the season. Not only do the Magic "fit the bill" in that regard, Orlando went into the All Star break allowing an average of 113 points per game their last 6 games. The Magic had an ugly effort on offense right before the break with just 79 points against San Antonio so they're fired up about bouncing back at home tonight. Orlando is 16-8 to the over the last 3 seasons combined when they are off of a game where they were held to 85 points or less. The Magic are also 7-1 to the over against Northwest Division opponents and, considering they defeated the Blazers in Portland last month, this game is going to have plenty of "energy" tonight and I look for it to fly over the total as both teams will be happy to push the pace considering the situation. 8* OVER the total in Orlando

Eastern Conference Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Game #702 Thursday 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (+) vs Washington Wizards @ 7:05 ET - Most likely, no one will want Indiana here. The Pacers are in a back to back while the Wizards have had two days off heading into this one. Indiana is on a 5-game losing streak while Washington has been one of the hottest teams in the league for many weeks now. Of course you know what usually happens when everyone is going one way...it usually doesn't pan out too well. In typical contrarian fashion I am going with the Pacers here. However, it is certainly not without reason. For one thing, the Pacers got very bad shooting nights from George and Teague last night at Cleveland. Even with that, Indiana was in that game for 3 quarters before having a horrible 4th quarter. Also, the hunger of the Pacers is a key here as the last thing they want to do is go into the All Star break having lost 6 straight! Conversely, though they would say otherwise, the Wizards can't help but already be looking ahead to the break. They are very comfortable with where they're at now and likely are already "halfway in" to All Star break mode coming into this one because this will be just the 2nd game for Washington in 6 days. In fact it was last Friday that the Wizards knocked off the Pacers in Washington. Look for some revenge to be served in Indiana tonight. The Pacers will prove to be the hungrier team tonight and, keep in mind, they are 20-9 at home this season while the Wizards are 9-14 on the road this season. 10* INDIANA PACERS

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #508 Wednesday 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (+) vs Milwaukee Bucks @ 7:35 ET - Classic case of an ugly dog here. Yes, the Nets have a long losing streak going, both overall and at home, but Brooklyn should take care of business here. 11 of the 13 losses in their current losing streak have come by single digits. The Nets have been on the cusp of getting over the hump and, going "all out" in their final game before the All Star break is a given here. Brooklyn wants to put an end to the "nonsense" and they are catching the right team at the right time to do it! The Bucks come into this game off of a divisional win over Detroit. Surprisingly, Milwaukee held the Pistons to only 89 points but that was the first time since January 2nd that the Bucks have held a team under 100 points. Also, you have to go all the way back to December 16th to find a game where Milwaukee gave up less than 94 points. As you can see, Monday's win over Detroit was a rare gem for the Bucks and this is a team that is 1-10 ATS against Atlantic Division opponents this season. Also, Milwaukee is an ugly 4-8 SU (and 3-9 ATS!) in road games where the posted total is 210 points or more. The Nets are undoubtedly one of the worst teams in the NBA and I won't try to convince you otherwise. But the fact remains that Brooklyn has been going very hard for weeks now and just hasn't been able to get into the win column. After so many close calls, they catch a Bucks team that is overconfident off of back to back divisional wins (big win at Indiana before knocking off Detroit) and that sets this up as a "dangerous game" for Milwaukee. The Bucks had lost 7 straight road games before notching wins at Phoenix and Indiana. Look for the upset here with a gritty, determined effort from the home dog here but grab the available points. 10* BROOKLYN NETS

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Wednesday 8* Indiana Pacers (+) @ Cleveland Cavaliers @ 7:05 ET - I successfully used the Cavaliers last night but the Cavs did struggle to put the Timberwolves away in Minnesota. Cleveland had to give their key guys more minutes than they would have liked to in last night's game and now they'll have their hands full in a tough back to back. In fact, this one does has the makings of an upset as Cleveland is only 3-7 SU (and 2-8 ATS) in the 2nd game of a back to back on the season. While the Cavaliers were battling with the T-wolves last night at Minny, the Pacers were off and were able to fully prepare physically and mentally for this divisional battle. Even though Indiana has lost four straight games, this was preceded by a 7 game winning streak. Also, 2 of the 4 defeats have come by 5 points or less and the Pacers have faced some tough competition during this streak. In fact the 4-game losing streak started with an ugly home loss to the Cavs 132-117 last Wednesday. The Pacers will be seeking payback tonight and Indiana has gone 27-15 ATS versus divisional opponents the past 3 seasons. Also, Indiana is 3-1 ATS this season when they enter a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more. The Cavaliers are an ugly 18-33 ATS versus divisional opponents the past 3 seasons. Even though the Pacers are still without Thaddeus Young, the Cavs are missing Kevin Love and the big man is particularly missed in a back to back situation like this where a divisional road dog is coming in very hungry and plus has the rest edge. 8* INDIANA PACERS

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #703 Tuesday 8* Cleveland Cavaliers (-) @ Minnesota Timberwolves @ 8:05 ET - The Cavs come into this game with 2 days of rest as they last played on Saturday when they knocked off the Nuggets at home. Even though this is the 1st game of a back to back (Cavaliers host Indiana tomorrow), there is no doubt the Cavs will go all out here. That's because the All Star break looms and Cleveland knows they'll have plenty of time to rest up then. Certainly Minnesota will be up for this game as they host the world champs but the Timberwolves have been swept by the Cavaliers each of the prior two seasons and the T-wolves already lost at Cleveland earlier this month. The Cavs, just as they are tonight, played without Kevin Love but they still won by 28. Cleveland may again be catching the Timberwolves at the right time for another big win as Minnesota is off of a blowout win over Chicago Sunday. Minny beat the Bulls 117-89 but the Timberwolves are 2-8 ATS this season (and 5-17 ATS the last 3 seasons combined) when they are off of a win by a double digit margin! Even though Minnesota has now won 2 of its last 3, the three games were against a struggling Toronto team, the 21-34 Pelicans, and an injury-depleted Bulls team. That is significant here because, prior to winning 2 of 3, the Timberwolves had lost 4 straight games SU and were on a 1-8 ATS run. In other words, don't be surprised if the T-wolves get drilled again as they take a big step up in level of opponent for this one. Cleveland has won 7 of its last 9 SU and is also on a 6-2 ATS run its last 8. The Cavaliers are 10-2 SU (and 8-4 ATS) when playing with 2 days of rest this season and, with rested legs, the Cavs roll in this one as the absence of point guard Zach LaVine (out for season now with torn ACL) is significant in a match-up like this. 8* CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NBA Game #511 Monday 10* Top Play Detroit Pistons (+) @ Milwaukee Bucks @ 8:05 ET - Many will likely be looking to Milwaukee today after the Pistons rallied late and got the upset win at Toronto yesterday. However, this is not a "normal" in-season situation here. The All Star break begins later this week and so players aren't "holding anything back" and, right now, Detroit has been playing much better ball than Milwaukee. Not only that, the Pistons suffered one of their worst home defeats of the season in late December when the Bucks defeated them by 25 points. The Pistons haven't forgotten that game as, of course, Milwaukee is a division rival. Now Detroit gets their shot at revenge and, even though it is a back to back, only one guy played more than 32 minutes for the Pistons yesterday. Also, Milwaukee is off of a big upset win too as they won at Indiana on Saturday. One of the key differences though is the Bucks recent wins have been "fortunate" ones where they simply shot the ball extremely well. Milwaukee's win over the Pacers saw them knock down 54.8% of their three pointers and that was just the 3rd win for the Bucks in their last 15 games. Conversely, Detroit was held to 43% from the field and 26% from three point land and yet still won at Toronto yesterday. The Pistons are winning the "hustle points" and are playing much better team basketball than the Bucks right now. Detroit is on a 6-2 ATS run and are 5-2 SU and ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a losing record. Conversely, Milwaukee is an ugly 1-5 ATS and SU in their last 6 games against teams with a losing record. This is a classic case of "hot versus not" and "hungry versus complacent" and, even though it is a back to back for Detroit, they did play early yesterday and each of these teams are playing their 3rd game in 4 days. Advantage to the road dog Pistons and I expect them to get their revenge here against the struggling Bucks. Talking about the "stronger level of play" angle above. The Bucks have been outshot by 40 shots over their last 8 games. The Pistons have outshot their opponents by 44 shots in their last 4 games. The road team is clearly getting more scoring opportunities while also allowing less. More of the same here. 10* DETROIT PISTONS

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #509 Monday 8* OVER the total in Indiana Pacers vs San Antonio Spurs @ 7:05 ET - The Spurs are off of an extremely ugly effort on the offensive end (36.3% from the field) at New York yesterday. That is noteworthy here because, since Christmas, San Antonio has been held under 42.7% just three times and their next game went over the total every single time! A big key here is the fact that the Pacers Thaddeus Young is doubtful for tonight's game and he is a defensive-minded starter who is responsible for guarding opponents power forward scoring threats. The fact is that his absence (due to wrist injury) is starting to impact the Pacers as they've allowed an average of 120 points per game in their last 3 games. As you would expect, all 3 games went over the total and I would not be surprised to see LaMarcus Aldridge of the Spurs break out of his recent slump and have a huge game on the offensive end. Kawhi Leonard is off of a huge game for San Antonio and should have another one here as well. The Spurs will have a little extra focus on the offensive end in this one after the poor effort at New York and the Pacers, at home, are certainly likely to stay hot. They have shot 48% or better from the field in each of their last 3 games and Indiana has averaged 108 points per game during this stretch. Overall, on the season, the Pacers are averaging 107 points per game at home while shooting 47% from the field. The Spurs are averaging 106 points per game on the road and shooting 47.3% from the field away from home. The over had been 4-1 this season when San Antonio entered a game having played each of their three prior games on the road so, after the poor effort at MSG yesterday, look for normalcy (high-scoring game) to resume Monday given the situation. As for Indiana, the over is 7-3 this season when off of a divisional game. Their sub-par effort on defense against Milwaukee Saturday is part of a 3-game stretch where Pacers opponents are hitting 50% from the field. More of the same here. 8* OVER the total in Indiana

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NBA Game #838 Sunday 10* Top Play Sacramento Kings (-) vs New Orleans Pelicans @ 9:05 ET - The Pelicans have the full attention of the Kings because New Orleans has given them trouble in recent meetings. Sacramento finally ended a Pelicans "run" in this series with a home win over New Orleans in their most recent meeting in November. The Kings won that game by 8 and, with this being Sacramento's last home game until after the All Star break, I fully expect huge effort from them here. Though both teams have played rather well their last couple games, I like the fact that the Kings have averaged 10 more field goal attempts per game than their opponent in their last 2 games. The Pelicans have been at the other end of the spectrum on that stat as they have given up an average of 9 more field goal attempts per game than what they've taken. Of course limiting the number of opportunities for your opponent while also maximizing your own is a key to success and the Kings come in strong and have won 3 of their last 4 games. Not only does Sacramento have the back to back wins, they also have had a win over Golden State in this four game stretch. The Pelicans, prior to their road win at Minnesota, had lost 5 straight road games. Overall, New Orleans had failed to cover 4 straight games before the win over the Timberwolves. Sacramento is 20-8 ATS long-term in their home games against New Orleans and the Kings have shot at least 47.5% from the field in 7 of their last 9 games. The Pelicans, before erupting at Minnesota, had been held under 46% from the field in 5 of their last 6 games. 10* Top Play SACRAMENTO KINGS minus the short number Sunday night

Contrarian Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Game #503 Saturday 10* Top Play Milwaukee Bucks (+) @ Indiana Pacers @ 7:05 ET - This is a contrarian pick all the way. The fact is that the Bucks have been struggling badly and Jabari Parker was just lost for the season and, even though Khris Middleton finally played in last night's game, he did not travel with the team to Indiana. All that said, this line opened up at "only" a 6 and that is a strange line considering the Pacers have the much better record and also are at home. Considering the home/road dichotomy of the way these two teams play home versus away you can see why the betting markets already pushed this to the 7 in early action. Nothing is ever as "easy" as it seems and my expectation is that this game tonight is absolutely going to turn into a divisional dogfight. Milwaukee simply got done in last night by the Lakers hitting a ridiculous 15 of 30 three pointers. The Bucks got down early and then rallied late but they'll be ready to bounce back after being outscored by 21 points from three point land (Lakers hit 7 more threes than Milwaukee) last night. Even though this is a back to back for the Bucks, it is also a back to back for the Pacers and they are the ones laying 7 points here even though they are 3-7 SU (and 2-8 ATS) this season in the 2nd game of a back to back! Even though this is part of 3 games in 4 days for the Bucks they previously had 3 full off days. As for the Pacers, they are playing their 6th game in 9 nights. Look for the Pacers to be a little weary in this one and they're missing Thaddeus Young (wrist) and have been playing a little soft in the middle. The Bucks are 6-3 SU and ATS in divisional games this season and they'll push Indiana to the limit in this one. The Pacers are only 2-2 in the last 4 meetings between these clubs and the two Indiana victories each came by only 5 points. 10* Top Play MILWAUKEE BUCKS plus the points Saturday evening

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Saturday 8* Los Angeles Clippers (+) @ Charlotte Hornets @ 5:05 ET - The Clippers are a small road dog here. Of course the only reason they're a dog is that Chris Paul is injured. These are the types of situations that lead to phenomenal line value as the Hornets are struggling badly but they are laying points against a solid Clippers team that, even though without Paul, has seen Blake Griffin really step up his game of late. Though LA still has only 2 wins in its last 5 games the 3 losses did come against solid playoff-level foes. When the Clippers have faced weaker foes (like Phoenix and New York), they have taken care of business. Just like the dysfunctional Knicks that they defeated Wednesday, this Charlotte team is having all sorts of issues. Kemba Walker is struggling badly with his shot and he had 6 of the Hornets 22 turnovers in the loss to the Rockets Thursday. The Hornets have only 1 win in their last 9 games and they've been held to 44.4% or less from the field in 8 of those 9 games. Conversely, the Clippers have shot 46.5% or better in 7 of their 10 games since Chris Paul got hurt! With the Hornets slumping and the Clippers looking poised to take advantage of another "lesser" opponent, this game is offering solid line value. Charlotte is 5-13 SU (and 3-14-1 ATS) in games with posted total of 210 points or more this season. You can see, with the big total posted on this game, that plenty of points are expected here and you can also see (from the info I noted above) that it is the Clips who have had the better offensive execution (even without Paul) and that has me backing the road dog in a big way here. The Clips are 5-1 SU this season (and 20-6 SU the L3 seasons!) in their games against Southeast Division opponents. 8* LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS plus the points in Saturday's earliest game in NBA action.

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #855 Friday 10* Top Play Denver Nuggets (+) @ New York Knicks @ 7:35 ET - Denver is 9-17 SU on the road this season and yet the Knicks are a very small home favorite here. Looks easy to play New York, right? Exactly! That is why I am on the Nuggets here in typical contrarian fashion. The key here is that the Knicks are just a huge mess right now. The Charles Oakley situation (in the stands) just adds even more fuel to the fire and the fact is that the Knicks truly would be better off on the road right now than playing again at home where turmoil has gripped this team. New York comes into this one having lost 3 straight games and they are now 6-19 dating back to Christmas Day! Even though the Nuggets are off of a loss they had previously won 9 of their last 14 games and gone 10-4 ATS at the betting window during this solid stretch. Though their road record looks poor they have been playing quite well on the road. The trouble has been that recent games have included a pair of trips to San Antonio and a trip to Atlanta. Only 3-5 SU in their last 8 games played away from Denver but note that the 3 of the 5 losses came by 6 points or less and the Nuggets will take advantage of facing a struggling Knicks team in this one. Denver has won each of its last 3 meetings with the Knicks and that includes their last visit to New York. Also, the Nuggets are 7-3 SU and ATS (including 3-1 SU and ATS this season) when they are a road dog of 3 points or less. The Knicks are 3-0 to the over in their L3 games because their defense has given up 117 points per game! We're not playing the over here as you can but the significance in that is that New York is 5-12 SU and ATS the L3 seasons when they enter a game on an "over streak" of 3 games or more. The lackluster play on that end of the floor will again cause the demise of the Knicks tonight and I expect the road dog to get the upset win. 10* DENVER NUGGETS plus the points Friday

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #708 Thursday 10* Top Play Dallas Mavericks (+) vs Utah Jazz @ 8:35 ET - The Jazz are off of a huge win last night at New Orleans. That makes this a tough back to back spot for Utah and the Jazz are on a 1-6 ATS run in the 2nd night of back to backs. They face a Dallas team that has been playing much better of late and was off last night. The scheduling and situational edge is big here for the Mavericks who are on an 11-3 ATS run. The Mavs are playing this game with home loss revenge and Dallas has gone a fantastic 8-2 ATS when playing with home loss revenge this season. Look for the Mavericks to tighten things up defensively after allowing 114 to the Trail Blazers in a one point loss Tuesday. The Mavs are 12-6 ATS this season when off of a game where they allowed 105 points or more. After this game against a Western Conference foe, the Mavericks won't face another team from their conference for two weeks. Couple that with the home loss revenge factor as well as the back to back spot for Utah and you have the perfect situational advantages that dictate playing on the Mavericks in this one. They are off of back to back losses and haven't lost three straight since early January. Look for the Mavs to get back on track with a W here. 10* DALLAS MAVERICKS plus the points Thursday night

Conference Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #515 Wednesday 8* Utah Jazz (-) @ New Orleans Pelicans @ 8:05 ET - Utah has won 10 of its last 13 games including 3 straight. Most impressive about the current 3-game run is the fact that the Jazz have won the games by an average margin of 16 points per game. Utah is one of the top defensive teams in the league and they'll now take advantage of facing a team that has definitely been heading the wrong direction when it comes to level of play on the defensive end. The Pelicans have allowed an average of 114 points per game in their last 9 games. New Orleans is hosting a Jazz team that is allowing only 95.4 points per game on the season! Utah also has a great rest edge here as they are playing only their 4th game in the last 11 days! Conversely, the Pelicans are playing their 6th game in the past 11 days. New Orleans is 2-5 SU and ATS against Northwest Division foes this season. The Jazz are 24-5 SU against teams with a losing record this season. That said, with this line only a couple buckets, I'll gladly take the "risk" of laying the short number here because the Jazz are also 10-1 SU (and 7-4 ATS) as a road favorite of 3.5 to 6 points the past 3 seasons combined. 8* UTAH JAZZ

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #518 Wednesday 10* Top Play Minnesota Timberwolves (+) vs Toronto Raptors @ 8:05 ET - This is the classic case of the ugly home dog. Few will want Minnesota here as they recently lost PG Zach LaVine to season-ending injury and the Timberwolves come into this game having lost 4 straight. However, Minny is fired up for responding here after their defense let them down in their most recent game, a tight home loss to a red hot Miami team. The T-wolves caught an earful from their head coach about playing well on BOTH ends of the floor just one and Minnesota will be ready to go here. Keep in mind, the Timberwolves had held 3 of their 4 prior opponents under 45% from the field. Even though Toronto enters this game off of back to back wins, they faced a Clippers team struggling without Chris Paul and they faced the Nets (one of the worst teams in the league). Prior to those wins the Raptors had lost 8 of its last 10 and they're still trying to "work out the kinks" as they welcome back players who had missed some time due to injury. The home team has won each of the last 3 meetings between these teams and Toronto is playing their 3rd game in 4 nights and each game has been in a different city. Against teams with a losing record the Raptors have failed to cover 4 of its last 6. The Timberwolves, seeking revenge for a loss at Toronto in December, are 7-4 SU and ATS in home games with a posted total of 210 or more. Also, when Minny enters a game off of 3 or more consecutive losses, they are 7-2 ATS this season. Being a contrarian generally pays off well and I love fading the line move in this particular situation that favors the home dog! 10* MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Game #705 Tuesday 10* Top Play Portland Trail Blazers (+) @ Dallas Mavericks @ 8:35 ET - Big revenge spot for Portland and Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard as he had one of his worst games of the season versus Dallas Friday night. In that very same game, Yogi Ferrell (on a 10 day contract!) had a ridiculously big game and scored 32 points including hitting a ridiculous 9 of 11 from three point land. No disrespect to Ferrell as he appears to be on his way to earning a 2-year deal with the Mavericks but this guy was in the D-league this season prior to coming to Dallas due to their injury situation. The fact is that this game is about much more than Lillard vs Ferrell but look for the entire Trail Blazers team to be focused on home loss revenge here and get the big win at Dallas. This is a tough back to back spot for the Mavericks as they were in Denver last night and got throttled 110-87. After playing in the thin air of Denver, the Mavs are likely to struggle in this back to back spot even though they are back home. Although the Nuggets won the 2nd game of their most recent back to back, that certainly has been the exception rather than the norm this season. In fact, Dallas was 0-9 in the 2nd game of back to backs this season before that win over the Cavaliers last week. The Mavericks recent numbers on defense (45.5% or more FG % in 6 straight games) also is a concern for the Mavs here as the Blazers have been better on that end of the floor. The Trail Blazers have held 4 of their last 8 opponents under 40.9% from the field. Look for the Mavericks to drop to 1-10 SU on the season when in the 2nd game of a back to back. 10* PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS Tuesday

No Doubt Blowout Rout - Rickenbach NBA Game #513 Monday 8* Miami Heat (+) @ Minnesota Timberwolves @ 8:05 ET - The Heat have won and covered 10 straight games and there is on reason for the streak to end here. Miami is well-rested as they are playing for just the 3rd time in 7 days and there is no lookahead either as the remainder of this road trip features Milwaukee, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia. Those teams have a combined record of 49-102 so, in other words, the Heat remain focused on a Minnesota team that beat them in Miami in the most recent meeting between these teams last season. It is time for a little payback here and the Heat are catching the Timbewolves at a good time to exact revenge. Minnesota has lost 3 straight games and has also failed to cover in 7 of its last 8 games. Minny has been held under 43.7% from the field in 3 of its last 4 games and they are facing a red hot and confident Heat team that is hitting 49.8% of their shots over their last 8 games! The Timberwolves are allowing 111.3 points per game in their last 10 games. The Heat are allowing just 98.5 points per game during their 10 game winning streak. Miami is 14-6 ATS in their games against teams with a losing record this season while the Timberwolves are 7-13 ATS this season (and 33-56 ATS the last 3 seasons) when they face a team with a losing record. We are getting line value here with one of the hottest teams in the league because they are on the road. Keep in mind, the T-wolves are only 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games. 8* MIAMI HEAT Monday night

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #505 Monday 8* Oklahoma City Thunder (+) @ Indiana Pacers @ 7:05 ET - Even though Oklahoma City burned me yesterday with their tight win over Portland I am actually playing on the Thunder in this spot. While it may seem like a good spot to fade OKC off of a win and now traveling for a back to back, there is plenty of good reason as to why this line is on a downward move from as high as 5 down to as low as 3.5 at some books. Even though this is a back to back spot for the Thunder, they will be playing their 3rd game in 4 nights just like the Pacers are. Even though Indiana was off yesterday they had played games back to back the 2 prior days and a big key here is they are in a lookahead spot. This is a non-conference match-up for the the Pacers and they are much more concerned with their big game Wednesday (hosting the division rival and defending champ Cavaliers) than they are with this game. As for OKC, this is their only road game in the 1st 12 days of this month so this one has their full focus and attention. Also, the road team has taken each of the last 3 meetings between these clubs and that includes the Pacers winning at Oklahoma City earlier this season. The Thunder have payback on their minds here and they have absolutely been dominating the boards in recent games. Conversely, Indiana has been out-rebounded in 3 of its last 5 games. The Thunder are 4-1 ATS this season when playing with home loss revenge, 3-0 ATS when a road dog in a range of 3.5 to 6 points, and 7-1 ATS when off of a divisional game! The Pacers are 11-17 ATS in games with a posted total of 210 points or more. 8* OKLAHOMA CITY plus the points early Monday evening.

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Game #855 Sunday 10* Top Play Portland Trail Blazers (+) @ Oklahoma City Thunder @ 3:05 ET - This series has been dominated by the home team in recent match-ups but there are number of indicators pointing to an upset in this one. Portland comes into this one having gone 4-2 SU and ATS in their last 6 games. One key for the Trail Blazers, in comparison with the Thunder, has been turnovers. In their last 5 games, the Blazers have turned the ball over only 9.6 times per game. Conversely, Oklahoma City has turned the ball over an average of 16.2 times per game in their last 6 games.  In 2 of their last 3 games the Thunder have turned it over 20 times. OKC enters this game having gone 1-3 SU and ATS in their last 4 games. The Thunder have been held to 38% or less from the field in 3 of their last 4 games. The Trail Blazers have been consistently at the other end of the spectrum of late. Portland is averaging 47% from the field over their last 6 games and has not been held below 45% in any of those games. This is also a tough scheduling spot for the Thunder as it's the 4th game of a stretch of 5 games in 7 days which is never easy on a team. As for the Blazers, this is one of only two games they have in the first 6 days of this month. Oklahoma City was a small home dog versus Memphis and the Thunder are an ugly 7-11 ATS when off of an upset win as an underdog. The Trail Blazers have excelled in divisional games with a 27-11 SU mark the past 3 seasons combined and they are 4-2 ATS in divisional games this season. 10* PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS plus the points Sunday

PA Insider - Rickenbach NBA Game #507 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Miami Heat vs Philadelphia 76'ers @ 7:35 ET - The 76'ers had gone over the total in 7 straight games and then had an ugly game at San Antonio Thursday where they fell apart after a strong 1st half. Look for the over streak to resume here after that ugly 102-86 loss to the Spurs. The Sixers have gone over the total EACH of the last 6 times they were off of a game where they were held to 93 points or less. Overall, that system has a 12-3 mark on the season as Philadelphia has gone over the total in 12 of 15 games this season when they enter off of a game where they scored 93 points or less. The Sixers come into this game having allowed 113.4 points per game in their last 8 games and the Heat offense is literally at full HEAT! Miami has won and covered 9 straight games and they've averaged 107.5 points per game in their last 10 games. The Heat have been shooting the ball very well and I doubt the Sixers will be able to put up much resistance. As well as Philly had been playing it truly has been big offense rather than solid defense that led the way and I look for a very free-flowing high-scoring game here as Miami is off of a divisional game where they certainly brought the defensive intensity. They'll let up against the Sixers. The over is 6-1 in 76'ers road games with a posted total between 205 and 209.5 points this season. The over is 4-1 in Miami's home games with a posted total between 205 and 209.5 points this season. Look for more of the same here. 10* Top Play OVER the total in Miami Saturday evening

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #505 Saturday 10* Top Play New Orleans Pelicans (+) @ Washington Wizards @ 7:05 ET - This is one of my typical contrarian plays as certainly the line had to look a little "funny" to most when the hot Wizards opened up as only an 8 point choice even though they are at home against a slumping Pelicans team. Of course, whenever line look a little "off" it merits additional investigation and, in this case, I certainly like what I found. The Wizards are off of their non-covering win over the Lakers and have a huge game on deck with the Cavaliers. This is clearly a tough scheduling spot for Washington. Look for the Wizards to look right past a 19-31 New Orleans team that they've dominated in recent meetings. That makes the Pelicans a very dangerous dog in this spot. New Orleans is off of an ugly effort at Detroit and that was their 3rd straight SU loss. However, the Pelicans had gone 11-6 ATS prior to that non-cover against the Pistons and, after losing by 20, I look for N.O. to come out with plenty of fire in this one. New Orleans is 15-9 ATS in non-conference games this season and has played a tougher overall schedule than Washington this season. Look for the old West vs East disparity to play a factor in this one as well as, generally, the Western Conference teams face tougher competition than the East. The Wizards get caught looking ahead to the Cavs. 10* NEW ORLEANS plus the big points Saturday evening

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NBA Game #855 Friday 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (-) @ Brooklyn Nets @ 7:35 ET - This is a classic case of two teams heading in opposite directions so the only concern in laying the points would have to be motivation. But you can also "check the box" on that factor as well - for multiple reasons - and that is why I am laying the points with the Pacers in this one. Even though Indiana has a home game with Detroit on deck there is no way they'll look past the Nets here. That's because the Pacers have lost their last two visits to Brooklyn including their lone match-up there this season. That was Indiana's road opener and started a stretch of 5 straight road losses to begin the season. The other key factor is that the Pacers have been getting tremendous production of late from Paul George but he was held to a season-low 8 points at Orlando Wednesday and Indiana still won the game by double digits. That tells us two things as it relates to tonight's game: the Pacers supporting cast is fully capable of stepping up on an off night for George AND look for one of the NBA's best players to absolutely "go off" tonight with a huge game against one of the worst teams in the league. The Nets come into this game having gone 1-18 SU in their last 19 games. Brooklyn is also 4-14 ATS in their last 18 games. This is in stark contrast to a Pacers club that has won 11 of its last 15 games SU and has gone 4-0 ATS in its last 4 games. When Indiana enters a game on a winning streak of 3 games or more they've gone 3-1 ATS this season. When Brooklyn enters a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more, they've gone 6-16 ATS this season. The Pacers have beaten the Nets by a combined 33 points in their last two home meetings but they've lost their last two road meetings by a combined 19 points and it is time for some road revenge here. 10* INDIANA PACERS minus the points

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #701 Thursday 10* Top Play Los Angeles Lakers (+) @ Washington Wizards @ 7:05 ET - The Wizards have won 15 straight home games which is the longest current home winning streak in the NBA. The Lakers have won only 5 road games this season which is fewer than any other team in the Western Conference. The combination of these two factors is likely going to have many jumping all over Washington in this one but this situation favors Los Angeles and I'll gladly grab the big points here. While the Lakers will be playing just their 2nd game in the past 7 days, the Wizards will be playing their 4th game in 7 days. Also it is easy for Washington to overlook a 17-34 team like the Lakers. I wouldn't be surprised to see a slow start for the Wizards in this one and though they should pull out the win in the end it is likely going to be by single digits as the Lakers are going to given them a tough game. Los Angeles welcomed back D'Angelo Russell in their most recent game and got the win over Denver Tuesday. Also, the Lakers could have Julius Randle back tonight. Whether Randle is back or not, I like the fact that LA has some momentum coming in off of their win over the Nuggets and I also like the fact that 4 of the Lakers last 5 defeats have come by 8 points or less. The Lakers last road trip started horribly with a bad loss at Dallas but that is the only game in their last 7 games that has resulted in a loss by more than 8 points. Lakers are playing better and are fully focused as they want to get this 5-game road trip started on the right foot. The fresher legs will prove to help as well as they had 4 days off before that victory over Denver. It is going to be difficult for a superior Eastern Conference foe to maintain their intensity against a Pacific Division opponent. In fact, the Lakers have gone 5-2 ATS this season (and 17-9 ATS the past 3 seasons) in games against Southeast Division foes. They "sneak up" on the Wizards here and end their 10-0 ATS run! 10* LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #503 Wednesday 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (-) @ Orlando Magic @ 7:05 ET - The Pacers are a much better home team than road team. There is no doubt about that. However, Indiana has won 10 of its last 14 games overall, including 3 in a row, and Paul George has been red hot and certainly seems to be rounding into top form again. The Pacers have won 3 of their last 5 road games and Orlando is only 8-15 at home this season. Even though the Magic just recently got Evan Fournier back, he'll take some time to round back into top form and the backcourt depth has been hurt with the absence of CJ Wilcox and Jodie Meeks. Indiana is 8-1 (SU and ATS!) in its last 9 meetings with the Magic and this is an Orlando team that enters this game having lost 13 of its last 17 games. All 13 losses for the Magic during this rough stretch have come by at least 6 points so the small point spread here certainly should not prove to be an obstacle. The Magic are 7-15-1 ATS in home games this season and have field to cover 2 of 7 as a home dog of 3 points or less. The Pacers are on a 4-1 ATS run when off of a game where they allowed 104 points or less. Orlando has been held to 98 points or less in regulation in 10 of its last 14 games. This is in stark contrast to a high-powered Indiana offense that has scored at least 100 points in 17 of its last 20 games. Lay the small number with the small road fave in this one. 10* INDIANA PACERS

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #703 Tuesday 8* New Orleans Pelicans (+) @ Toronto Raptors @ 7:05 ET - Toronto may be a popular choice here since they are off of a loss but I'll explain why, from a situational standpoint, the Raptors are actually in quite a tough spot here. First off though I just want to say that the Pelicans are the type of scrappy underdog I like to have a in a spot like this. New Orleans is coming off of a bad home loss to Washington but the Pelicans were off of a big win versus the Spurs in their prior game so losing to the Wizards was not a big surprise. Prior to knocking off San Antonio, the Pelicans lost to Oklahoma City by single digits and that game followed a New Orleans upset of Cleveland so they truly have been a tough "out" of late and they catch the Raptors at a good time to spring the upset. Toronto has a game on deck at Boston tomorrow night. Of course the Raptors are currently neck and neck with the Celtics at the top of the Atlantic Division so it's hard for Toronto to not get caught looking ahead here. That said, the Raptors weren't necessarily a lock to win this game even if they didn't have a lookahead. Toronto has lost 6 of its last 7 games and they now host a New Orleans team off of a loss and looking for revenge after getting swept by the Raptors last season - lost each game by at least 19 points! The Pelicans had shot 46% or better from the field in 6 of their last 10 games before the loss to the Wizards. By comparison, the struggling Raptors haven't shot better than 45.6% in ANY of their last SEVEN games! The revenge seeking dog, off of a loss, facing a struggling home fave in a lookhead spot, is absolutely the play here. 8* NEW ORLEANS

Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Miami Heat vs Brooklyn Nets @ 7:35 ET - The Heat are 7-0 SU and ATS in their last 7 games. They're now hosting a Brooklyn team they just beat again last week. Miami is now 8-1 SU and ATS in their last 9 games against the Nets. That said, I don't expect a lot of defensive intensity from the Heat in this one. Miami knows "they got this" and they'll simply "run and gun" and that should be more than to enough for the Heat to keep enjoying their winning ways. After all, the Nets are the worst team defensively in the entire league. Brooklyn has been particularly bad on that end of the floor of late as they have allowed an average of 121 points per game in their last 9 games. Miami, thanks to winning, has lost a little bit of its intensity on the defensive end and, surprisingly, the Heat have allowed 102 points or more in 6 of their last 9 games. Miami's defense certainly could be stretched a bit by a Brooklyn offense that has averaged 111 points per game in their last 9 games. As bad as the Nets defense is, they have definitely proven capable of putting up some big points. The over is 5-1 in Brooklyn's last 6 road games. The over is 4-0 in Miami's last 4 home games against Eastern Conference foes. Though this total may seem high, note that Brooklyn is 15-7 to the over in their road games with a posted total of 210 or more this season. Also, when the Nets enter a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more, the over has gone 14-6 this season. 10* OVER the total in Miami

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #546 Monday 8* Philadelphia 76'ers (+) vs Sacramento Kings @ 7:35 ET - Many are fading the Sixers because this is a back to back spot and Joel Embiid, even though he didn't play yesterday, is listed as questionable for tonight due to knee soreness. However, the 76'ers have been playing well, even when Embiid has missed, and although this is a back to back spot for Philly the Kings scheduling situation is arguably worse. This game was rescheduled from November 30th when the court was unplayable due to too much moisture. The result is that this game is now near the tail-end of a lengthy Sacramento road trip. The Kings have a game at Houston tomorrow night that wraps up a stretch of 8 games in 12 days and all have been on the road! As for the Sixers, even though they are playing their 7th game in 11 days at least they are at home and they don't have a game tomorrow. Look for Philly to go "all out" in this game tonight. Yesterday the Sixers were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time as the Bulls were desperate for a win and had been "called out" by their coach, it was their first game that followed starters not starting, etc. Now the Sixers catch a road-weary Kings team that is off of a win and Philadelphia has revenge on its mind after falling just short against the Kings in Sacramento 5 weeks ago. Philly, even with yesterday's non-cover, is still a red-hot 12-3 ATS in its last 15 games. The Kings are a short road favorite here and let's not forget they were 4-11 SU in their last 15 games before eking out a win at Charlotte Saturday. The resurgent Sixers have been particularly tough at home where they have covered 7 in a row. Look for that 7-0 ATS run to add another W Monday. 8* PHILADELPHIA

Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Game #843 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Chicago Bulls vs Philadelphia 76'ers @ 7:05 ET - The Sixers, even though off of a loss, continue to be a "story" in the NBA as they are playing their best basketball of the season. Each of the 76'ers last 4 games have gone over the total and they've shot 50% or better in each of their last 3 games. The fact that Joel Embiid is going to sit for this game doesn't necessarily hurt our play on the over because that is a significant defensive presence that now won't be out there to disrupt shots or clear the defensive glass. I expect the Sixers to continue their hot shooting but their defense will struggle to stop a determined Bulls team. Chicago is coming off of an ugly home loss to Miami and that was a game in which Wade and Butler did not start. There was/is a lot of in-fighting going on among Bulls players right now but now that a "statement" was sent in their last game, and Chicago was held to 88 points, look for the Bulls to get back on track here. They have a history of success putting up big numbers against the Sixers and that has played a key role in 7 straight overs before November's Bulls win (Chicago totaled 105 points) stayed under the total. I'll gladly test the 7-1 over streak with this match-up as I expect Wade and Butler to come out with fire in this one. Overall, the over is 29-12 in Bulls games against the Atlantic Division and the over is a perfect 3-0 in Chicago's Sunday games this season. The over is 4-1 this season in Sixers road games with a posted total between 205 and 209.5 points. The way Philadelphia has been moving the ball on offense and getting open looks, I look for another strong effort here. The 76'ers averaged 117.7 points in their last 3 games while the Bulls averaged 105.3 points per game in their 3 games before the debacle against the Heat. Look for a great pace to this game to help our cause as the Bulls come out fired up to attack on offense. 10* OVER the total in Chicago

THE Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Game #505 Saturday 10* Top Play Boston Celtics (+) @ Milwaukee Bucks @ 8:05 ET - Both teams are in a back to back. The Celtics won in a blowout and the Bucks lost in a blowout. That will likely have many backing Milwaukee since they are at home for this one. However, neither team had to go extended minutes on any of their players last night and the Celtics are the better team and playing the much better basketball. More on that shortly. First off, lets also note the following stats in the 2nd day of back to backs: The Bucks are 2-7 ATS this season and 17-33 SU the past 3 seasons combined! The Celtics are a phenomenal 7-3 SU this season and 31-15 ATS the past 3 seasons combined! You can see that back to back spots have clearly favored Boston over Milwaukee. Also, the Bucks come into this game slumping and their defense has been atrocious of late. This has played a large role in Milwaukee going 1-7 (both SU and ATS) in their last 8 games. As for the Celtics, they are expected to have Al Horford back for this game and certainly they've adjusted well since Avery Bradley got hurt. Long-term the Celtics are on a 15-6 SU run and, on the road, Boston has gone 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games. This line has been flip-flopping this morning but, no matter what, it is still noteworthy that in road games where the Celtics line is between a pick'em and -3 Boston has gone 7-0 SU and ATS this season! The Bucks are a horrible 1-9 ATS against Atlantic Division opponents this season. The Celtics have averaged just 12.7 turnovers per game in their last 7 games. The Bucks have turned the ball over 19 times in each of their last 3 games. Boston has held 10 of its last 12 opponents to 47.1% or less from the field. Milwaukee has allowed 3 of its last 4 foes to knock down better than 50.5% of their shots from the field. This one has the makings of a road rout. 10* BOSTON

Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Game #503 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Miami Heat vs Detroit Pistons @ 7:35 ET - Both teams are playing very well on the offensive end right now. The Pistons have won 3 of their last 4 games and have averaged 109 points per game during this 4-game stretch. The Heat have won 6 straight games and have shot the ball very well over their last 7 games while averaging 105.6 points per game in these 7 games. Surprisingly, though they've been hot on offense, big posted totals have led to the under actually going a perfect 3-0 in Miami's last 3 games. This only the 5th time that has happened this season. The first four times it happened the Heat have gone a perfect 4-0 to the over in their next game! Also, the over is 5-3 in the 2nd game of back to backs for Miami and the Heat are 5-1 to the over in Saturday games this season. The Pistons come into this game with fresh legs as they have been off since Monday. Detroit has gone over the total in 3 straight games and 10 of its last 13 games! The over is 15-8 when the Pistons enter a game having played each of their 3 prior games at home. Also, the over is 9-3 in Detroit's last 12 games against Southeast Division opponents. Both teams have been winning plus shooting the ball very well. That leads to defensive lapses and I expect plenty of offense in this one especially with Hassan Whiteside of the Heat still dealing with an ankle injury and that limits the Heat defensively and on the defensive glass. 10* OVER the total in Miami

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #857 Friday 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (+) @ Cleveland Cavaliers @ 7:35 ET - The Cavaliers are struggling and, as a result, many will likely be looking to back them here after a home loss. However, there are a number of issues with that. Historically, playing teams off of an overtime loss is often a dicey play as OT losses are toughest on a team's psyche and, the fact is the Cavs were already fragile before losing at home to the Kings on Wednesday. Another factor going against Cleveland here is simply the large spread. The Cavaliers are not only trying to get back on track here but they're being asked to cover a 15 point spread. This seems to be far too much considering Brooklyn has been playing a little bit better. The Nets actually led the Heat by 18 points in what was an eventual 3 point loss at Miami Wednesday. That means that 3 of Brooklyn's last 4 losses were decided by an average of 6.7 points per game. By the way, the one win in their there was a Nets "explosion" on offense as they erupted for 143 points at New Orleans last Friday. Certainly the Brooklyn D is not a strength but their offense has averaged 110.6 points per game in their last 7 games and it is that type of offensive production that makes a team dangerous in terms of a backdoor cover as well. The point is that even if the Cavs are fortunate enough to get up by 20 points in this game, when they start emptying the bench and looking ahead to a weekend showdown with OKC, the Nets can very easily get this one back to a 10 or 12 point game. The fact is I feel this one will be decided by single digits as the Cavs are just looking to get back into the win column after losing 3 straight and 6 of their last 8. Cleveland's ATS numbers are even worse as they've covered only 3 times in their last 15 games - a 20% ATS clip! Other than a blowout loss versus San Antonio (one of the hottest teams in the league) the Nets have looked much better over the past week and a half and everyone gets up for facing the Cavs. In other words, look for another strong effort from the hungry road dog in this one as Cleveland's issues continue. The Cavaliers are an ugly 6-14 ATS in their games against teams with a losing record this season. The Nets are 8-4 ATS when playing with home loss revenge and they lost to the Cavs by 8 points in Brooklyn three weeks ago. I wouldn't be surprised to see another 8 point loss for the Nets here and that means plenty of line value with the big points here. 10* BROOKLYN NETS

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #702 Thursday 8* Minnesota Timberwolves (-) vs Indiana Pacers @ 8:05 ET - The Timberwolves have won 3 straight games and 6 of their last 8. As a young team, momentum and confidence are very important and Minnesota certainly has all that on their side after Wiggins nailed a jumper at the buzzer for a win at Phoenix Tuesday. Indeed the Wolves come rolling into this game with confidence and are happy to be back home where they have won 4 straight and 7 of their last 10. Minnesota is seeking revenge in this one as the Pacers got the win in both match-ups last season. Indiana comes into this game heading the opposite direction with 3 straight losses and would love to get back on track but the road has not been kind to them. The Pacers are 6-15 (both SU and ATS) in road games this season and they also are 7-17 ATS in all games with a posted total of 210 or more this season. The Timberwolves are 6-2 ATS in home games with a posted total of 210 or more and they are playing their best basketball of the season right now. Look for them to stay red hot here as Indiana's lineup change (CJ Miles starting instead of Glenn Robinson) certainly did not go well as he made only 4 of 14 in Monday's home loss to New York. Simpy put, the Pacers are trying to "find it" right now while the Timberwolves have already "found it" in terms of team chemistry and player rotations. 8* MINNESOTA

Contrarian Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Game #507 Wednesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76'ers (+) @ Milwaukee Bucks @ 8:05 ET - The Bucks will be a popular play here since they are at home, seeking revenge, and catching the Sixers in a back to back. However, the 76'ers are on the top of roll right now that, no matter the situation, they are going to be a tough out for anyone. Philadelphia has now won 9 of its last 12 games and they've gone 10-2 ATS during this stretch. Also, Philly has covered 3 of its last 4 match-ups with the Bucks including winning in Milwaukee earlier this month. Though Joel Embiid is expected to miss again tonight, the Sixers got huge frontcourt production from Noel and Holmes last night and Okafor may be available tonight. Even though this a back to back spot for the Sixers they did have have a pair of off days prior to this and they have a non-conference game on deck. Even though the Sixers are off of a big upset win last night (over the Clippers) they have gone 9-5 ATS this season when off of an upset win as an underdog. Also, the 76'ers are 12-6 ATS this season when playing against teams with a losing record. Philadelphia is 6-1 ATS against Central Division opponents this season and Milwaukee is 1-7 ATS against Atlantic Division opponents this season. The Bucks also are a long-term 19-37 ATS as a home favorite of 9.5 to 12 points. Milwaukee is only 8-15 ATS this season against teams with a losing record and, off of a big win over Houston and with a tough match-up at Toronto on deck, the Bucks may struggle to fully focus on the Sixers in this one. Milwaukee was 2-8 ATS before their win and cover over the Rockets and this pointspread tonight is heavily inflated considering the way the 76'ers are playing right now. Also, only one player logged more than 29 minutes for Philly in last night's win over the Clippers. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Wednesday 8* Sacramento Kings (+) @ Cleveland Cavaliers @ 7:05 ET - Everyone will be lining up on Cleveland here but, as is typical for my contrarian style, I like to be on the other side of what looks like a "must play" on the Cavaliers. The fact is that the Cavaliers are having struggles, as many teams do, when they are off of a championship season. It's just had to find that motivation or extra added edginess when you've already reached the top of the mountain. That said, I don't expect the Cavaliers to be too excited about facing a non-conference team with a 17-30 record that they already beat earlier this season and whom they swept last season. The Cavs are on a 2-9 ATS run and I expect them to get the win here but look for the margin to be single digits. The Kings are off of a road win, will be motivated by revenge here, have won 4 of their last 7 road games and gone 5-2 ATS in the process. The Cavs are 6-13 ATS against teams with a losing record this season. Cleveland is also 4-12 ATS when they are off of a non-conference game. It's just difficult for a team like the Cavs to "get up" for a game unless they are facing a team like the Warriors or Spurs or a top tier Eastern Conference foe. The Kings are 4-1 ATS in road games with a posted total of 210 points or more this season. 8* SACRAMENTO

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #703 Tuesday - 8* Chicago Bulls (-) @ Orlando Magic @ 7:05 ET - As of early Tuesday morning this line is a -2.5 but the money line is available as low as -135 and that makes that option certainly worth a look as well. The fact is that the backcourt situation for the Magic is a real problem right now. Starters and depth have both been impacted as each of the following four players (all guards) are dealing with injury issues: Evan Fournier, Jodie Meeks, CJ Wilcox, and DJ Augustin. Look for the Bulls to take advantage. Even though Orlando has revenge from a blowout loss at Chicago earlier this season, the Bulls haven't forgotten what happened to them the last time they visited Orlando. That was an ugly loss by 22 points for Chicago and they'll look at make amends for that road loss by getting the W over the short-handed Magic in this one. Orlando has lost 10 of its last 13 games. The Magic have also failed to cover 4 of their last 5 home games. Chicago lost its most recent road game and also failed to cover in the defeat but, previously, the Bulls had covered 3 of their last 4 road games. The Bulls are 4-2 SU and ATS this season when playing with 2 days of rest between games. Also, Chicago is 21-13 ATS (and 24-10 SU!) the past three seasons combined when they enter a game off of two days of rest. The Magic are on a 14-27 ATS run (and 7-34 SU) in January games! Also, Orlando has lost 33 of their last 45 games against teams from the Central Division. Grab the rested road team in this one as the struggles for the Magic continue. 8* CHICAGO

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #506 Monday 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (+) vs San Antonio Spurs @ 7:35 ET - The Nets are hell-bent on turning things around and I like what I have been seeing from them. Brooklyn is coming off of a pair of road games where they won big at New Orleans (143-114) and then showed a lot of heart in their next game even though it was a back to back situation. After the big win over the Pelicans, the Nets visited Charlotte the next night and they got down huge early (not surprising given the rare road win the night before) but they battled all the way back to eventually take a lead in the 4th quarter. Granted the lead was brief but the resilience and mettle that Brooklyn showed in that game was something to take note of. I expect another huge effort from the Nets here and they are a big home dog to the Spurs so it is a perfect spot to take Brooklyn. While the Nets will be fully focused on this "opportunity" against one of the best teams in the NBA, it is a tough situational spot for the Spurs. They are off of their big OT win at Cleveland Saturday night and Kawhi Leonard logged a career-high 46 minutes in that game. In terms of team depth San Antonio is still without Pau Gasol and Tony Parker. The poor scheduling spot for the Spurs is because, not only did they beat the Cavs in OT Saturday, they have a trip to Toronto on deck to face the Raptors tomorrow. These are the types of games where coach Gregg Popovich will alter his playing rotations and minutes to make sure the Spurs have a lot left in the tank for the tough match-up with Toronto that is immediately on deck. San Antonio is likely to win this but only by single digits. 10* BROOKLYN

Shotgun Shellacking - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 10* Top Play Phoenix Suns (+) @ Toronto Raptors @ 6:05 ET - Many are likely to back the Raptors here as they look for the bounce back from Toronto after back to back ugly losses at Philly and Charlotte. However, the Raptors actually don't have a good history in spots like this. In fact, when off of a game where they scored 85 points or less, Toronto has gone 1-9 ATS the past 3 seasons. Also, the Raptors are hosting a Suns team that has been tough on them in recent meetings. Phoenix has won 3 of the last 5 meetings and they have gone a perfect 5-0 ATS in those games. The last 3 games have all been decided by 8 points or less. That said, there is significant line value with the large spread posted on this game. The Suns will be fired up for this game as they enter off of a double digit loss at Cleveland. Prior to that loss to the Cavs, Phoenix was on a 7-2 ATS run and had been playing some of their best basketball of the season with a 3-3 SU run where all 3 losses came by 5 points or less. The point is that the Suns have been playing ultra-competitive basketball and I don't foresee them getting blown out here. Phoenix is actually a solid 10-4 ATS in non-conference games this season. The Raptors are only 6-8 ATS in their last 14 games and only had 2 SU wins by more than 10 points during this stretch. In other words, laying points in the price range they are in today would have had Toronto on a 2-12 ATS run. Look for this game to be much closer than most are expecting. 10* PHOENIX

Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Sunday 8* Dallas Mavericks (-) vs Los Angeles Lakers @ 3:35 ET - Dallas has a long winning streak going against the Lakers and that includes a perfect 2-0 already this season with both wins coming by a dozen points. Those games were both in LA and now the Mavericks will get the last two match-ups of the regular season series in Dallas. The set up here is perfect as the Lakers are off of an upset win versus Indiana while the Mavs are off of back to back losses. The Lakers have not won consecutive games in over 2 months so another win here is unlikely, especially given the Mavericks domination in this series. Also, Dallas will have extra hunger off of back to back losses as they had started to turn the corner with three straight victories. The Mavericks had been getting a little healthier and the loss of back-up point guard Jose Barea won't be nearly as impacting to the Mavs as what the Lakers are dealing with right now. They just lost starting point guard D'Angelo Russell to injury and they are 3-10 this season in games that he misses. He did not travel with the team for this game. The Mavericks are 5-0 ATS (and 20-10 ATS long-term) in Sunday games while the Lakers are 13-35 SU (and 19-29 ATS) long-term in Sunday games. Grab the hungry home team in this one as LA drops to 1-4 ATS this season as a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points. 8* DALLAS