This is a 10* ART OF WAR on South Florida.

While we won't be so bold as to call for an outright upset, we will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as we look for the visitors to keep this one close enough to sneak in through the back door with the large spread they've been afforded tonight. USF is 3-9, while Seton Hall is 9-2. It was only four years ago that these team's were both members of the Big East Conference until the AAC formed in 2013. Last year they met and the Pirates pulled away for the 89-69 victory, making the "revenge factor" a real one today. USF looked pretty good in its 79-68 loss to defending Conference USA champion UAB on Saturday, it was a second consecutive game that the Bulls shot well, going almost 50 percent from the floor, led by senior Angel Nunez with 18 points. USF can play defense with the best in the nation as well, it's third in the conference and 14th in the NCAA in averaging 6.3 blocks per game. Also note that the Bulls are starting to heat up from behind the arc, making 15 three-point bombs over the last two games, after making 15 in their previous seven contests. And finally note that USC has a +9.5 rebounding advantage in its last four games, outrebounding three of its last four opponents. This sets up as a classic "look ahead/letdown" spot for the home side, which has won four straight and seven of its last eight and which enjoys a big Christmas Break after tonight's game, before a huge Big East battle with Marquette on the 30th. Note that South Florida is 2-1 ATS in its last three as a road dog in the 15.5 to 18 points range, while Seton Hall is 3-6 ATS in its last nine as a home favorite of 12.5 points or more. Play on SOUTH FLORIDA.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* GAME OF THE WEEK on San Francisco.

While we are primarily a situationally based handicapping service, we don't prescribe to any one single handicapping methodology and believe that being flexible with one's approach is the best way to secure profits over the long-term. We routinely look at many factors, including motivation, scheduling, other external factors along with line price/movement and one thing we always take into consideration are strong and relevant Against The Spread statistics and they're what we're basing this pick on entirely, as note: USF is already 3-1 ATS in true road games this year and 23-16 ATS vs. the conference over the last two, while Saint Mary's is 10-13 ATS in its last 23 after allowing 60 points or less. Play on SAN FRANCISCO.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* EXPRESS on the Indiana Pacers.

While we are primarily a situationally based handicapping service, we don't prescribe to any one single handicapping methodology and believe that being flexible with one's approach is the best way to secure profits over the long-term. We routinely look at many factors, including motivation, scheduling, other external factors along with line price/movement and one thing we always take into consideration are strong and relevant Against The Spread statistics and they're what we're basing this pick on entirely, as note: the Pacers are 10-2 ATS this year vs. teams with winning records and 10-3 ATS vs. good offensive teams which score 99-plus points per contest, while San Antonio is already 6-7 ATS this season after three or more consecutive SU wins and just 11-18 ATS in its last 29 when playing with two days of rest. Play on INDIANA.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* SITUATIONAL DESTRUCTION on the Boston Celtics.

While we are primarily a situationally based handicapping service, we don't prescribe to any one single handicapping methodology and believe that being flexible with one's approach is the best way to secure profits over the long-term. We routinely look at many factors, including motivation, scheduling, other external factors along with line price/movement and one thing we always take into consideration are strong and relevant Against The Spread statistics and they're what we're basing this pick on entirely, as note: Minnesota is a poor 16-28 ATS the last three seasons when playing on back-to-back days and just 4-6 ATS in its last ten after allowing 85 points or less, while Boston is already 5-2 ATS in non-conference contests this season and 9-7 ATS vs. poor defensive teams which allow 99-plus points per contest. Play on Boston.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* ASSASSIN on the Philadelphia 76ers.

We think this is a few too many points to be giving up as we look for the lowly visitors to catch the defending Eastern Conference Champs a little flat-footed and disinterested and while we won't be so bold as to predict an outright upset, we will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can. Cleveland will welcome back Kyrie Irving into the fold and suffice it to say, we don't think the transition for the new point guard and his team will go off seamlessly right out of the gates. This also definitely sets up as a classic "letdown/look ahead" spot for the home side, after four straight victories the Cavs now face the 76ers, before a game vs. New York on the 23rd and the much anticipated Christmas Day matchup in Golden State. Also note that Philadelphia is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 as a road dog in the 15.5 to 18 points range, while Cleveland is 0-2 ATS in its last two as a home fav in the same points range. Play on the 76'ERs!

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the Washington Wizards.

We look for the hungry home side to find a way to get the job done at the end of the night. Washington is chasing the Hornets in the Southeast Division and has been hit hard by the injury bug, the team will be without the services of Bradley Beal and Nene once again: "We can't use (injuries) as an excuse," coach Randy Wittman said. "We just haven't been consistent in terms of night in and night out. Night in and night out, your shooting can change. You take shots and miss shots, but defensively, and effort-wise putting the commitment into it has to be every night." Charlotte also has a bunch of injuries to contend with though, including to big man Al Jefferson and guard Nicolas Batum. The Hornets would stop a two-game slide with a 109-99 OT win over the Raptors on Thursday, but the extended absence of Jefferson will prove to be too much in our opinion tonight, note that he's averaged 18.8 points and 10.9 boards in helping his team win six of the last eight in this series, including a 101-87 home decision on November 25th. So not only do the desperate Wizards play with revenge, but they can also actually play with confidence, because if history is any precedence, then the team has to be loving its chances here as Washington is 8-2 in its last ten division games dating back to last season and has won five straight at home vs. Southeast foes. Note that Charlotte is just 4-6 ATS on the road this year and only 2-4 ATS vs. division opponents, while Washington is 59-44 ATS the last three seasons in front of the home town crowd and 3-2 ATS vs. its division this year. Play on WASHINGTON.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* ASSASSIN on Kentucky.

Kentucky has stumbled for bettors against the spread to open the season, but we expect the Wildcats to make a statement today as they look to finish strong before the Christmas break. Kentucky is 9-1 SU and and is coming off a good win over a veteran Arizona State team last time out. The Wildcats also took out Duke a month ago. Ohio State is 5-5 SU and comes in having won three of its last five, including a 67-54 win over Northern Illinois last time out. This is simply a bad matchup for Ohio State though, which has struggled against athletic and talented big men; and note that from a trend based stand point, they don't get much stronger than this as Ohio State is already 0-3 ATS this year after allowing 60 points or less and just 2-3 ATS vs. teams with winning records, while Kentucky is 14-9 ATS in its last 23 neutral court contests. Play on the WILDCATS.

AAA Sports 

This is an 8* SITUATIONAL DESTRUCTION on Northeastern.

While we won't be so bold as to call for an outright upset, we do think that the home side can catch the No. 1 team in the nation a bit complacent and look for it to comfortably sneak in through the back door down the stretch. This is the first times these teams have ever played against each other. The Huskies have won 12 regular season conference championships and eight tournament titles, including last year's title which sent Northeastern to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 24 years. The Spartans opened the season ranked 13th, but losses by Kentucky and North Carolina have pushed the team into the No. 1 spot in both the AP and Coach's polls. This team has suddenly been thrust into the spotlight and with that inevitably comes the weight of expectations. Suffice it to say, this now definitely sets up as a classic letdown spot for the visitors, especially coming off an extremely satisfying win over Florida last time out. And note that Michigan State is 0-2 ATS this year vs. good offensive teams which score 77-plus points per contest and just 4-5 ATS in its last nine when playing with five or six days rest. Conversely, note that the Huskies are already 2-0 ATS at home this season, 2-1 ATS vs. good offensive teams which score 77-plus points per contest and 2-1 ATS in their last three when playing with five or six days of rest. This is just a few too many points in our opinion, grab as many as you can on NORTHEASTERN.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the Utah Jazz.

We are primarily a situationally based handicapping service, which means we look at things like motivation and scheduling to base a lot of our selections, but that said, we don't prescribe to any one single handicapping methodology and instead believe that being flexible with one's approach is the best way to secure profit over the long-term. One set of factors that we always take into consideration when making a selection are relevant and strong "Against The Spread" statistics, and it's what we're basing this entire 5-game report on: note that Denver is already just 2-4 ATS this year off an upset win as an underdog and just 3-7 ATS after scoring 105 points or more, while Utah is a perfect 4-0 ATS off an upset loss as a favorite and 2-1 ATS off a loss by ten points or more. Play on the JAZZ.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the Brooklyn Nets.

We are primarily a situationally based handicapping service, which means we look at things like motivation and scheduling to base a lot of our selections, but that said, we don't prescribe to any one single handicapping methodology and instead believe that being flexible with one's approach is the best way to secure profit over the long-term. One set of factors that we always take into consideration when making a selection are relevant and strong "Against The Spread" statistics, and it's what we're basing this entire 5-game report on: note that Brooklyn is already 2-0 ATS this year as a road dog between 9.5 and 12 points, as well sat 11-6 ATS vs. good offensive teams which average 99-plus points per contest, while Indiana is just 4-5 ATS this year vs. teams with losing records and only 4-5 ATS following a non-conference contest (also note, that it's not too hard to imagine the Pacers "looking ahead" to their tough two game Western road swing, which starts tomorrow night at Memphis and ends at San Antonio on Sunday). Play on the NETS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the Philadelphia 76ers.

We are primarily a situationally based handicapping service, which means we look at things like motivation and scheduling to base a lot of our selections, but that said, we don't prescribe to any one single handicapping methodology and instead believe that being flexible with one's approach is the best way to secure profit over the long-term. One set of factors that we always take into consideration when making a selection are relevant and strong "Against The Spread" statistics, and it's what we're basing this entire 5-game report on: note that New York is just 3-4 ATS this year after scoring 105 points or more and 0-2 ATS in its last two as a road favorite in the 6.5 to 9 points range, while Philadelphia is a perfect 4-0 ATS this season after playing three consecutive road games and 8-6 ATS vs. poor defensive teams which allow 99-plus points per contest (and with a game at home tomorrow night vs. the Bulls, its not too hard to imagine the visitors getting caught "looking past" the lowly home side today). Play on the 76'ERs!

AA Sports

This is a 10* RED DRAGON on Northern Arizona.

Northern Arizona is just 2-6, while Arizona is 9-1. While we won't be so bold as to call for an outright upset, we will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as we look for the Lumberjacks to do just enough to sneak in through the back door down the stretch. We won't try to convince you that Northern Arizona is a great team which has just caught some unlucky breaks, or that the Wildcats are over-rated and lucky to be where they are, that's not the case obviously. NAU is a poor team, while Arizona is a great team. However, this is simply a bad "spot" for the home side and one which we can definitely take advantage of: after winning five of their last six, it's not too hard to imagine the Wildcats "looking past" lowly Northern Arizona today to their matchup at UNLV on Saturday, a team which they lost 71-67 to last season. And note that from a trend based stand point, they simply don't get much stronger than this, as NAU is 7-4 ATS in its last 11 after scoring 60 points or less and 17-12 ATS in its last 29 vs. teams with winning records, while Arizona is already 0-2 ATS this year vs. teams with losing records and interestingly, only 1-2 ATS in its last three vs. poor defensive teams which allow 77-plus points per game. Play on NORTHERN ARIZONA.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* ASSASSIN on the LA Lakers.

While we wouldn't obviously be shocked by an outright upset, we will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as we look for the hungry home side to at the very least, take this one down to the wire and to sneak in through the back door down the stretch with the handful of points that it's been afforded. LA has lost six straight. Milwaukee has lost nine-straight on the road. But the Bucks come in off a monumental victory and suffice it to say, in our professional opinion this does indeed set up as a classic letdown spot for the visitors after they beat the previously unbeaten Golden State Warriors 108-95 on Saturday. But not only does this set up as a letdown spot, it's also a classic "look ahead" spot as well for Milwaukee, as it will be in Golden State on Friday for the rematch. Note that Milwaukee is just 1-2 ATS this year when playing with two days of rest and just 1-4 ATS after scoring 105 points or more, while LA is 12-6 ATS in its last 18 when playing with two or more days of rest and already 7-5 ATS this season in all non-conference contests. Play on the LAKERS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* SITUATIONAL DESTRUCTION on Appalachian State.

This is a great situational/spot bet as we look for the highly contended home side to have enough of a letdown here to let the visitors comfortably sneak in through the back door down the stretch. App State comes in looking to break a three-game slide; note that Frank Eaves leads the Mountaineers and the Sun Belt Conference with 20.5 PPG. App State can score points, so far its averaging almost 77.0 PPG over its last three games, while shooting almost 50 percent from the floor and over 45 percent from behind the arc, while also hitting over 78 percent from the charity stripe. Texas rides a four-game win streak into this one, including a victory over then No. 1 North Carolina last time out; suffice it to say, this absolutely sets up as a letdown/trap situation for the home side. And with games at Stanford and vs. UConn to end December and a big matchup vs. Texas Tech on January 2nd, it's certainly not too hard to imagine the Longhorns getting caught "looking" ahead to those much more important upcoming contests. Grab as many points as you can with APPALACHIAN STATE.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* GAME OF THE WEEK on South Alabama.

The South Alabama Jaguars are 3-5 and are coming off a 68-55 loss at MTSU last time out, but with nine whole days off between games for exams, we look for the well rested and now focused home side to pull away down the stretch for the comfortable ATS cover: "I think the break has been really good," USA head coach Matthew Graves assessed on Saturday. "It's given us a chance to reevaluate some things that we're doing offensive and defensively. It's allowed a couple of guys to get healed up a little bit. We have a three-game mini-season before we head into Christmas break and the conference season, so I'm looking forward to it." The Jaguars have been particularly sharp on the defensive end of the floor and we look for that momentum to get carried over here, note that South Alabama has forced 19.3 turnovers with 10.3 steals in its last three contests. Southern Miss is just 1-6 this season, opening the campaign with six consecutive setbacks, before breaking the slide with a 74-62 win over NDSU on Monday. Note though that USM is last in Conference USA in scoring offense and we definitely have a hard time seeing the visitors mounting much of an attack vs. this aggressive Jaguars defense. Also note that Southern Miss is 0-2 ATS in its last two when playing with seven or more days rest, while South Alabama is 2-0 in the same position (and finally note that the Jaguars are 10-5 ATS their last 15 when playing the role of favorite); play on SOUTH ALABAMA.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the Philadelphia 76ers.

While we are primarily a situationally based handicapping service, we don't prescribe to any one single particular handicapping methodology and believe that being flexible with one's approach is the best way to secure profit over the long-term. We definitely take strong ATS trends into consideration whenever handicapping a game and that's the case with today's three NBA picks, these selections are all based entirely on ATS trends: note that Philadelphia is already 8-5 ATS on the road this season and 6-3 ATS in revenging a home loss vs an opponent, while Toronto is just 6-8 ATS as a favorite this season and only 4-8 ATS vs. teams with losing records. And with a game at Indianapolis tomorrow night, it's almost impossible not to imagine the home side coming in a bit complacent here as it gets caught looking ahead to that one. Play on the 76ers.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on Texas A+M.

The Aggies are 7-2, but will be hungry here as they come in off a 67-54 road loss at Arizona State: "We wanted to see some humility and guys excited to practice and get better," A&M coach Billy Kennedy said. "We saw both of those things [in practice], and now we've got to go do it out on the court." With a date vs. No. 18 Baylor next week, the Aggies can ill afford to "look past" this potentially dangerous Wildcats team. This is a revenge game for the home side though, a definite factor we can take advantage of, as K-State defeat A&M 71-64 last season; note though that the Wildcats are a much different team this year, as only two players from that squad are still with them today. And note that Kansas State is 0-3 ATS in its last three as a road dog of 6.5 to nine points and just 10-11 ATS in its last 21 on the road, while Texas A&M is 4-2 ATS in its last six as a home fav of 6.5 to nine points and 19-11 ATS in its last 30 in front of the home town crowd. Play on the AGGIES.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on California.

Cal has been tough to beat at home and we think the Golden Bears can catch the Gaels a bit complacent and keep the momentum rolling. California has won three straight, including a 78-72 OT win at Wyoming and a 74-62 victory over Incarnate Word in the past week. But the Bears are a perfect 6-0 at home, outscoring their opposition by nearly 20 PPG and outrebounding them by a +15.8 margin. Cal is a huge team and we think this is simply a bad matchup for Saint Mary's; note that the Golden Bears' +10.3 differential is tied for second best in the Pac-12 thus far. Cal also has 40 blocks through nine games, an average of 4.4 per outing. Note that Saint Mary's is just 4-8 ATS in its last 12 as an underdog and only 9-13 ATS in its last 22 after allowing 60 points or less. And note that California is 10-8 ATS in its last 18 vs. good offensive teams which score 77-plus points per contest. Play on the GOLDEN BEARS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on Connecticut.

A little home cooking is just what the doctor ordered for Connecticut, which returns to familiar confines to host a game at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion for the first time since November 21st. The Huskies come in hungry after falling 76-66 to No. 6 Maryland on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, Daniel Hamilton had a season-best 23 points in the setback. But as mentioned off the top, UConn has been tough to beat at home, it owns a 3-0 record at Gampel Pavilion and is 81-7 (.920) vs. non-conference foes since the building opened in 1990. And note that fourth year head coach Kevin Ollie is 4-1 in five career games vs. the Big Ten. The Buckeyes are 4-4 and come in complacent after a 74-50 home win over Air Force. Note that Ohio State is just 5-7 ATS in its last 12 as the underdog and only 12-19 ATS in its last 31 after allowing 60 points or less. Conversely, UConn is 2-1 ATS as a favorite this year and 18-14 ATS in its last 32 non-conference games. Play on UCONN.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* RED DRAGON on North Dakota State.

NDSU beat UND 71-42 on December 14th, 2014, but the last time these teams played at Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, North Dakota would win 95-77. It was a rough game too, as both teams were whistled for a combined 77 fouls. The Bison have not won in Grand Forks since 2003: "That's a long time," said Bison head coach Dave Richman. "We want to right that." North Dakota State is 5-3, while the Fighting Warhawks are 4-4. We think this sets up as a letdown spot for the home side, which is coming off a thrilling 65-59 double-OT win at Bradley on Saturday. Conversely, NDSU comes in off two straight losses, suffice it to say we expect the visitors to be extremely focused today. And from a trend based stand point, they simply don't get much stronger than this as North Dakota State is 2-0 ATS in its last two after playing three consecutive road games and 16-13 ATS in its last 29 non-conference games, while North Dakota is just 2-5 ATS in its last seven when playing with five or six days of rest and just 8-13 ATS in its last 21 in front of the home town crowd. Play on the BISON.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

When the smoke clears at the end of this one, we look for the visitors to find a way to get the job done at the end of the night. LeBron James had 33 points and ten boards in a 105-100 win over the Blazers last time out, the Cavs fighting their way back from an 18-point deficit to snap a three-game slide. And if history is any precedence, then Cleveland has to be loving its chances to roll that momentum into this contest, as the Cavaliers have won 11 straight in the series by an average of 14.1 points. The Magic are now trending in the opposite direction, after winning five-straight, Orlando would drop two of its last three on a five-game road trip, most recently a disheartening 107-104 setback at Phoenix on Wednesday. We love how the situation sets up in this one, but it's also strong from a trend based stand point as well, as note that the Cavs are 5-3 ATS this season vs. teams with winning records, while Orlando is just 9-12 ATS in its last 11 as home underdogs of three points or less. Play on CLEVELAND.

AAA Sports 

This is an 10* ASSASSIN on the Chicago Bulls.

While we obviously wouldn't be shocked by an outright upset, we will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as we look for the visitors to at the very least, keep this one close enough to sneak in through the backdoor down the stretch with the handful of points that have been afforded to them. The C's return home after a successful 3-2 road trip and suffice it to say, we believe this does now indeed set up as a classic letdown spot for them. Conversely, the Bulls will be extra focused tonight to stop a two-game slide, but have to be feeling pretty confident in this matchup as they've won three straight and 13 of the last 17 in the series. The Bulls had been playing well up to their recent slide: "I don't know what it is," guard Jimmy Butler assessed last night. "Can't close teams out; have a lead, don't finish, lose games ... We keep talking about it, yadda, yadda, yadda, but eventually we're going to have to fix it or we're going to keep finding ourselves on the losing end of ball games." Note that Chicago is 3-2 ATS in its last five off an upset loss as a favorite, while Boston is just 17-18 ATS in its last 35 following a victory by ten points or more. Play on the BULLS.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* SITUATIONAL DESTRUCTION on Pennsylvania.

Temple opens up its Philadelphia Big 5 schedule against Pennsylvania at The Palestra, it had won back-to-back games before a 76-60 loss at 2015 NCAA runner-up Wisconsin in its first true road game last time out. This is a revenge game for Penn though, the Quakers have lost eight straight in the series, including 76-67 at Temple last year. The Owls other three losses have all come against ranked teams this season and it marks the first year that they've played three ranked teams over their first four games; and now the team hits the road again to play lowly Pennsylvania, suffice it to say we definitely feel that this sets up as a classic "letdown" spot for Temple today. And from a trend based stand point, they simply don't get much stronger than this as the Owls are in a fact a poor 6-11 ATS in their last 17 after scoring 60 points or less and just 14-15 ATS in their last 29 non-conference games. And note that Pennsylvania has in fact done very well in this spot for bettors, going 9-4 ATS in its last 13 after three or more consecutive SU losses and 8-7 ATS in its last 15 vs. teams with losing records. Grab as many points as you can with PENNSYLVANIA.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* GAME OF THE WEEK on Western Michigan.

When the smoke clears at the end of this one, we look for the home side to find a way to get the job done. WMU is off to a 3-5 start, most recently a 63-57 setback at James Madison on Thursday. Note that all five losses have been by eight points or less. Western Michigan though is 2-0 at home, defeating San Diego and Rochester College; suffice it to say, we can't understate how important we feel that home court advantage will be once again for the Broncos: since Steve Hawkins was named head coach at the start of the 2003-04 season, University Arena has been a brutal road trip for visiting teams, especially conference foes. Overall, WMU is 133-33 (.801) against opponents in Kalamazoo under Hawkins, including an 80-21 (.790) mark against conference opposition and a 53-12 (.815) record against non-conference opponents. Northeastern is 6-2, opening the season by going 4-0 before then going 2-2 over its last four, most recently a 76-73 setback at Detroit on Saturday. Note though that the Huskies are just 15-25 ATS in their last 40 when playing the role of favorite and just 13-17 ATS in their last 30 non-conference games, while WMU is 6-3 ATS in its last nine after scoring 60 points or less and 3-2 its last five non-conference games. Play on WESTERN MICHIGAN.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the Clippers.

While we're mainly a situationally based handicapping service, we definitely don't prescribe to any one single handicapping methodology and instead believe that being flexible with one's approach is the best way to handicap a contest. For this particular five-game NBA report, we're basing all of the picks on strong ATS and O/U trends: note that Orlando is 1-3 ATS its last four as a road dog of three points or less and just 7-15 ATS in its last 22 vs. the Pacific division, while LA is 6-4 ATS in its last ten as a home fav of three points or less and 17-14 ATS in its last 31 when playing with two days of rest. Play on the CLIPPERS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the Toronto Raptors.

While we're mainly a situationally based handicapping service, we definitely don't prescribe to any one single handicapping methodology and instead believe that being flexible with one's approach is the best way to handicap a contest. For this particular five-game NBA report, we're basing all of the picks on strong ATS and O/U trends: note that Golden State is interestingly just 10-12 ATS in its last 22 vs. Atlantic division opponents, while Toronto is 6-1 ATS when playing the role of underdog this season and a perfect 6-0 ATS vs. teams with winning records. Play on the RAPTORS.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* ASSASSIN on Wisconsin.

Wisconsin is coming off a big upset win over Syracuse and we like the Badgers to carry that momentum over into this one vs. the Owls. Some may think of this as a classic letdown spot, but Wisconsin has already identified and exposed the trap, says assistant coach Gary Close: "They're good enough to come in here and beat us," Close assessed. "No question." Of the three losses for Temple, all have come against Top 25 opponents. This does however also set up as a letdown spot for the Owls after back-to-back cream puff wins at home over Delaware and Fairleigh Dickinson. The Badgers would outscore the Orange 30-14 in the paint and its an area of weakness for Temple as well. Wisconsin also won handily on the boards vs. Syracuse, 51-25. Note that Temple is just 1-2 ATS in its last three as a road dog in the 6.5 to 9 points range, while Wisconsin is 26-17 ATS the last two seasons following a non-conference contest. Play on WISCONSIN.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* GAME OF THE WEEK on Kentucky.

When the smoke clears at the end of this one, we look for the visitors to pull away down the stretch for the comfortable ATS cover. The top ranked Kentucky Wildcats are 7-0, most recently defeating the Illinois State Redbirds 75-63 on Monday. It was closer than it should have been, but Kentucky dominated the second half, especially on the defensive end, holding the Redbirds to 29% shooting to secure the victory; we believe this momentum gets carried over here. Kentucky was led by Marcus Lee who had a double-double with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks. The Bruins are 4-3 and snapped a two-game losing streak to beat CS Northridge 77-45 on Sunday. Note though that Kentucky is 5-3 ATS in its last eight after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive games, while UCLA is already 2-5 ATS this year in all non-conference games. Play on KENTUCKY.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* RED DRAGON on Ohio State.

We think the Buckeyes will take this one down to the wire and keep this contest a lot more competitive than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe. Note that Ohio State has won five of the last seven Big Ten/ACC Challenge games. Virginia is 5-1, it's lone loss was a road setback to George Washington, 73-68 on November 16th. The Cavaliers have won four-straight, but we think come in a bit complacent here; note that Virginia is in fact a brutal 0-4 ATS their last four when playing with five or six days rest and just 2-4 ATS their last six after scoring 80 points or more. Ohio State is just 2-3 so far this year, but matches up very well against the Cavaliers and we think this is a crucial factor obviously. Also note that the Buckeyes are 8-6 ATS their last 14 vs. good offensive teams which score 77-plus points per contest. Play on OHIO STATE.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on the Utah Jazz.

We're going to recommend a sprinkling a little on the money line today as well, this one has all the makings of a classic letdown spot for the visitors as we look for the home side to at the very least, take this one down to the wire and sneak in through the back door down the stretch. This is the opening game of a seven-game road trip for the Warriors. From a situational stand point, this one sets up perfectly. Golden State is clearly the cream of the crop in the NBA this year, but Utah has quietly been dominating as well, it will be gunning for its first three-game win streak of the season, falling short on three previous tries. Note that the Jazz are in fact one of the best defensive clubs in the league, allowing 93.2 PPG, while also allowing the fewest field-goal attempts at 75.6 per contest. Most recently Utah is coming off a 101-87 victory over New Orleans. Grab as many points as you can with the JAZZ.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* GAME OF THE MONTH on Minnesota.

When the smoke clears at the end of this one, we like the Golden Gophers to find a way to get the job done. Clemson comes in off a 76-58 win over Rutgers on Wednesday, moving to 4-1 on the season, but now faces much stiffer competition. The Golden Gophers played Rutgers in the Big Ten Tournament on March 11th, 2015 and beat it 80-68. Ultimately though we feel that Minnesota will present major matchup issues for the Tigers; and note that Clemson is a poor 9-12 ATS in its last 21 on the road and just 11-12 ATS in its last 23 following a non-conference game, while the Gophers are 3-0 ATS their last three as a home dog of three points or less or a pick and 12-8 ATS in their last 20 after scoring 80 points or more. Play on MINNESOTA.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* ASSASSIN on Duke.

We look for the home side to find a way to get the job done at the end of the night. Duke is 5-1, while Utah State is 4-0. The Blue Devils overcame a slow start vs. Yale on Wednesday to record the victory and then had a break off to celebrate Thanksgiving. The Aggies are coming off an 81-55 rough of Utah Valley on Tuesday. Duke looked good in the second half of its win over the Bulldogs, using its defense to create offense, led by Matt Jones who had 17 points. The Aggies are getting significant contributions from the bench, with their reserves having nearly doubled their opponents' reserves' offensive output over their first four games. We look for that streak to end today though against a Blue Devils team which is averaging 85.5 PPG. Note that Utah State is just 13-14 ATS in its last 27 when playing the role of underdog, while Duke is 38-32 ATS in its last 70 as a favorite. Play on the BLUE DEVILS.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* SUPER-SHOCKER on Cleveland State.

While we won't be so bold as to call for an outright upset, we will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as this play definitely sets up as a top rated "spot wager." Sometimes we feel that it's necessary to completely dissect a contest, looking at situational, motivational and trend based factors as well as scheduling and even other components. Other times we feel that a more "common sense" approach is the best way to handicap a matchup and that's definitely the case here. There is a huge talent discrepancy between these two teams, hence the large spread. However, Maryland has a massive non-conference showdown at North Carolina on Tuesday night, the team's toughest matchup of the entire season. Simply put, there is no way the Terps won't be caught "looking ahead" to that one and it's the perfect situational factor that we can take advantage of. And note that Cleveland State is a perfect 4-0 ATS the last two season as an underdog of 12.5 points or more and 17-9 ATS in its last 26 when playing the role of underdog, while Maryland is 1-9 ATS in its last ten as a home favorite of 12.5 points or more and just 10-15 ATS in its last 25 non-conference contests (also just 18-20 ATS in its last 38 when playing the role of favorite). Play on CLEVELAND STATE.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* RED DRAGON on Cincinnati.

The Bearcats are rolling, winners of five straight by an average margin of 36.8 points. Cincinnati has averaged 89.8 points thus far, but had to hold on by the skin of its teeth to beat lowly Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday night. And because of that near "brain fart," we are expecting the Bearcats to come out highly focused from start to finish in this one and look for the team to pull away comfortably down the stretch. Cincinnati faces Nebraska at the Barclays Center Classic in Brooklyn. The winner moves on to face either George Washington or Tennessee on Saturday. Nebraska is 4-1 and its only loss of the year cam to No. 8 Villanova. The Huskers were just 13-18 last year, but look much better this season by averaging 78.8 PPG. But take note that this is a big revenge game for Cincinnati after it fell 56-55 in double OT at Nebraska last December. This is simply a bad matchup for the Cornhuskers, the BEARCATS are much bigger and we ultimately feel this will prove to be the difference in the end.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* WEST-COAST EXPRESS on the Phoenix Suns.

When the smoke clears at the end of this one, we're expecting the home side to find a way to get the job done. Phoenix will be extra motivated to "right the ship" after losing three of its last four, most recently a 98-84 loss at San Antonio on Monday. It was a poor performance after averaging 106.5 points. This is also an immediate revenge game for the Suns after falling 122-116 at New Orleans on Sunday. After a brutal start to the season, New Orleans has now won three straight, including a 14-point win over San Antonio on Friday. Can anyone say "letdown spot?!" Note that the Pelicans are 0-7 on the road this year. This is the first of two straight at home for Phoenix, before embarking on a season-high six-game road trip and with a date vs. the first-place Warriors on Friday, tonight's contest has basically become a "do-or-die" scenario. And note that New Orleans is a poor 1-3 ATS in its last four when playing with two days of rest, while Phoenix is 18-8 ATS in its last 26 after a loss by ten points or more and 17-7 ATS in its last 24 after playing three consecutive road games. Play on the SUNS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* SITUATIONAL DESTRUCTION on the Houston Rockets.

Patrick Beverley returns to the lineup for the Rockets and we believe he'll be a difference maker today vs. a tired and contented Grizzlies team which is coming off a victory just last night. This is also an immediate revenge scenario after Houston fell to Memphis last week. The Rockets are starting to look a lot better defensively as well, allowing 102 points and 41.5 percent shooting since firing head coach Kevin McHale. Big man Dwight Howard is also expected back in the lineup after sitting out in Saturday's setback to the Knicks. The Grizz have gone 5-1 their last six, including beating Dallas 110-96 last night; in our professional opinion, there's no question that this sets up as a classic letdown spot for the visitors. It's a great situational play, and note that Memphis is in fact a poor 13-21 ATS in its last 24 vs. division opponents, while Houston is 40-36 ATS last three years in trying to revenge a loss vs. an opponent and 21-18 ATS in its last 39 off an upset loss as a favorite. Play on the ROCKETS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* EAST-COAST EXPRESS on the Orlando Magic.

We like the Magic to find a way to get the job done at the end of the night. After an extended win streak, New York is coming off its worst offensive performance of the season and we definitely feel that this now also sets up as a classic letdown spot for the visitors. The Knicks were flat in a 95-78 setback to Miami on Monday, setting season lows in points and field-goal percentage. Orlando looks to bounce back after a 117-103 road loss to Cleveland, the team gave up its most points in regulation this season. Two completely different mind sets for both teams, after an extended stretch of excellence, New York finally lost and comes in deflated. Orlando on the other hand is coming off a poor effort and will be extra motivated to get back on track. A great situational play in our opinion, but also note that the Knicks are a horrible 26-35 ATS in their last 61 following a loss by ten points or more and a poor 40-50 ATS their last 90 vs. teams with losing records. And note that Orlando has excelled in this spot for bettors, 3-1 ATS in its last four when playing against a team with a winning record and 29-25 ATS last three years following a loss by ten points or more. It's also not too hard to imagine the Knicks getting caught "looking ahead" to their rematch at home vs. the Heat on Friday. There's no question that there are a bunch of different factors that all point to NEW YORK as the savvy move in this contest.

AAA Sports 

This is an 8* BLOCKBUSTER on the LA Lakers.

While we won't be so bold as to call for an outright victory here, we do think that the visitors can catch a complacent and contented Warriors team a little flat footed and expect them to sneak in through the back door down the stretch with the ample spread they've been afforded tonight. If you're wagering on this game, you are more than just a casual fan, you know what the Lakers are about and you know what the Warriors are about. With a win today, Golden State will open the season 16-0, setting the all time NBA record for best start ever. We won't try to convince you that Golden State is a mediocre team which has just gotten lucky to this point, or that the Lakers are a lot better than what their record indicates. That's obviously not the case for either team whatsoever. We do feel however that this a great spot to go against the red hot Warriors and that the value has clearly shifted to the visiting side. While there's incentive to gain the 16 wins, LA will be as equally as motivated to play the unlikely spoiler. And note that the Lakers are in fact 30-26 ATS in their last 56 after three or more consecutive losses, while Golden State is just 2-5 ATS in its last seven as a home favorite in the 12.8 to 18 points range. Grab as many points as you can with the LAKERS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* MID-MAJOR MAULING on Marshall.

While we obviously wouldn't be shocked by an outright victory, we will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as we look for the visitors to at the very least, keep this one close enough to sneak in through the back door down the stretch. Marshall is 0-1 to start the season and takes Interstate 64 to Morehead Kentucky to take on regional rival, 2-1 Morehead State at the Ellis T. Johnson Arena. The Thundering Herd are coming off an 84-74 loss at Tennessee on November 19th, the first time the team had had to face a power conference opponent in its opener since 1969. The Eagles most recently defeated Northern Kentucky 64-56, but Marshall plays with the double revenge factor here, as Morehead State has taken the last two, including 77-68 in 2014. Note that the Herd are 9-7 ATS in their last 16 after allowing 80 points or more, while the Eagles are 9-12 ATS their last 21 at home and just 6-7 ATS in their last 13 after allowing 60 points or less. Play on MARSHALL.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* BLOWOUT on Marquette.

We use many different sports handicapping methodologies in making our selections, this particular one is based entirely on strong ATS trends: note that LSU is a poor 4-6 ATS in its last ten neutral court games, while Marquette is 6-4 ATS in the same position. Also note that LSU is just 11-13 ATS in its last 24 non-conference games, while Marquette is 14-12 ATS in its last 26 in the same position. Grab as many points as you can with MARQUETTE.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* WEST-COAST EXPRESS on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

We look for the hungry home side to find a way to get the job done at the end of the night. Whether Kevin Durant plays or not, we expect the Thunder to rally after losing 93-90 to New York on Friday. This sets up as a classic letdown spot for the Mavericks though, who can't help but come in complacent after winning six straight, including a 102-93 victory over Utah on Friday. But not only is it a letdown spot, but it's also a "look ahead" contest with road games at Western Conference foes Memphis and San Antonio after this, marking three road games in four nights. Note that Dallas is 14-19 ATS in its last 33 after three or more consecutive SU victories, while OKC is 20-17 ATS its last 37 off an upset loss as a favorite. Play on the THUNDER.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* NON-CONFERENCE DESTRUCTION on the LA Clippers.

LA has lost six of eight, making this contest almost a "must win" scenario and because of that, we fully expect the home side to find a way to get the job done at the end of the afternoon. The Clippers catch a huge break here as well in not having to face Raptor center Jonas Valanciunas, who broke his hand in Friday's 102-91 win over the Lakers. LA is coming off back-to-back losses and also plays with the double revenge factor after dropping both to Toronto last year. Note that the Raptors are in fact a poor 5-13 ATS in their last 18 after playing three consecutive road games and just 27-31 ATS the last three season's after a victory by ten points or more. And note that LA has dominated in this spot for bettors, 22-17 ATS in its last 39 off an upset loss as a favorite. The loss of Valanciunas will prove fatal for Toronto today, expect the hungry CLIPPERS to put the foot on the gas early and never let up.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* ASSASSIN on Pacific.

Simply put, we think that home court advantage can't be overlooked in this game between very evenly matched teams and expect Pacific to find a way to get the job done at the end of the night. The Tigers have won the last three meetings in a row with Nevada and are 7-3 the last ten in the series. Most recently Pacific beat the Wolf Pack 69-65 in Stockton back on December 18th. The Tigers will be extra motivated here as well after falling 77-76 to Cal State Fullerton in the team's home opener on Tuesday. Pacific is now 0-2. Nevada on the other hand comes in complacent in our opinion, it's 2-1 SU an 3-0 ATS after falling 76-75 as a five point underdog at Hawaii last time out. Note that Nevada is just 11-12 ATS in its last 23 when playing the role of favorite, while Pacific is 15-8 ATS in its last 23 non-conference games and 4-1 ATS in its last five vs. the Mountain West. Play on the TIGERS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

AAA Sports uses a variety of handicapping methodologies every single day, but this five game NBA report is based entirely on strong ATS and Over/Under trends. Note that New York is just 6-13 ATS in its last 19 when playing with two days of rest and just 26-36 ATS the last two seasons in all non-conference games. And note that OKC is 4-3 ATS at home this year and 55-43 ATS in front of the home town crowd the last two, while also going 55-46 ATS after scoring 105 points or more in the same time frame. Play on the THUNDER.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the New Orleans Pelicans.

AAA Sports uses a variety of handicapping methodologies every single day, but this five game NBA report is based entirely on strong ATS and Over/Under trends. Note that San Antonio is just 1-3 ATS this year after three or more consecutive SU victories and a poor 16-23 ATS in its last 39 vs. division opponents. And note that New Orleans is 46-42 ATS the last two years vs. teams with winning records and 20-13 ATS its last 33 vs. division opponents. Play on the PELICANS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* MID-MAJOR DESTRUCTION on Brown.

We look for the visitors to pull away down the stretch for the comfortable ATS victory. The Bears are 1-1, but come in with momentum after Cedric Kuakumensah and Steven Speith each posted double-doubles in Monday's 71-55 victory over Holy Cross. Niagara is 0-2 to start the season, with road losses to Old Dominion and St. Joseph's. This early in the season College basketball selection though is based mainly on strong trends, as note that Brown is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 when playing with one or less days rest and 12-10 ATS in its last 12 on the road, while Niagara is 4-5 ATS in its last nine as a home dog in the 3.5 to 6 points range and just 8-9 ATS in its last 17 non-conference contests. Play on BROWN.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* ART OF WAR on Penn State.

1-0 DePaul travels to the Bryce Jordan Center to take on 1-0 Penn State and when the smoke clears at the end of this one, we look for the home side to find a way to get the job done. The Nittany Lions downed VMI 62-50 in their 2015/16 home-opener on Saturday, while the Blue Demons beat Western Michigan 69-63 on Saturday. Note though that Penn State has won each of its last 13 non-conference games in the Bryce Jordan Center dating back to November 2013. And note that DePaul is just 1-2 ATS in its last three as an underdog in the 3.5 to 6 points range, while Penn State is 10-8 ATS in its last 18 after allowing 60 points or less. Play on the NITTANY LIONS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* BLOWOUT on George Washington.

While we won't be so bold as to call for an outright upset, we do feel that the home side can keep this one a lot more competitive than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe. No. 9 Virginia comes to town and the Smith Center will have a WHITE OUT going on as rabid fans get ready for this nationally televised game. This is a revenge game for GW after it fell 59-42 on November 21st last year. The Colonials are coming in off an 85-76 win over Lafayette on Friday, keep your eyes on Tyler Cavanaugh and Kevin Larsen, who combined for 39 points and 28 boards. George Washington is facing a difficult non-conference slate, having beaten 2015 NCAA Tournament participant Lafayette before facing UVA, then heading to South Florida on Thursday. GW also has games vs. Tennessee and Cincinnati or Nebraska in the Barclays Center Classic, and home dates with Seton Hall, Penn State and Rutgers in December, in addition to road dates with DePaul and UCF. Suffice it to say, a win today vs. a ranked opponent would obviously be huge for the home side. Note that Virginia is 1-2 ATS in its last three after scoring 80 points or more, while GW is 13-8 ATS in its last 21 non-conference games and 3-1 ATS in its last four vs. the ACC. Play on the COLONIALS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* SITUATIONAL DESTRUCTION on the Philadelphia 76ers.

While we won't be so bold as to call for an outright upset, we will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as we look for the home side to at the very least, sneak in through the back door with what we believe to be a healthy amount of points afforded to it. In our professional opinion, this one sets up as a classic letdown spot for the Mavericks who have won three straight, over the Clippers, Lakers and at Houston respectively. Remember, it was the Rockets that ousted the Mavs from the Playoffs last year as well. Conversely, the 76ers have not even won a game yet this year, in fact the organization hasn't won in almost eight months dating back to last season. One player to keep your eyes on today is Philadelphia center Jahlil Okafor, who is averaging 19.2 points and who had 21 to go along with 12 boards in Saturday's 92-83 loss at San Antonio. Also note that the home side gets a boost offensively today with the expected return of Robert Covington, the third-year small forward averaged 13.5 points last season. Play on the 76'ERS!

AAA Sports

This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on Fairfield.

We think that UNC comes in a bit complacent today and leaves the backdoor open just enough for the Stags to sneak in through. Despite receiving solid play from all four classes in its season debut, Fairfield is coming off a season-opening setback against Yale University at the Connecticut 6 Classic. Curtis Cobb, Marcus Gilbert and Matjia Milin each scored eight points to pace the offense. Defensively the Stags looked pretty good as well, as the team held Yale under 40 percent from the floor, under 30 percent from behind the arc and would also go on to block seven shots. UNC comes in off a 91-67 victory over Temple, Kennedy Meeks led the way with 25 points and 11 boards. Note though that the Tar Heels are just 15-17 ATS in their last 32 in front of the home town crowd and only 12-19 ATS in their last 31 after scoring 80 points or more. And note that Fairfield has performed admirably in this position, going 10-9 ATS its last 19 when playing with one or less days rest and 17-8 ATS in its last 25 on the road. In our professional opinion, this is a few too many points, play on the STAGS.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* GAME OF THE WEEK on California.

We expect the 14th ranked Golden Bears to make an example of a Rice team which returns just five letterwinners from last year's squad that finished 12-20. Cal returns eight letterwinners off of last year's team, including two starters. Keep your eyes on senior Tyrone Wallace, who averaged 17.1 PPG and 4.0 APG a year ago. The blend of new faces and veterans is the reason why the Golden Bears are picked to finish 2nd in the Pac-12 this year. Note that Rice is just 11-12 ATS in its last 23 on the road, while California is 7-6 ATS in its last 13 as a home fav of 12.5 points or more. Play on the GOLDEN BEARS.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on Texas.

These teams open the season in China. Both universities took drastically different approaches to sending their teams to China and it's because of this that we like the Longhorns to find a way to get the job done once the final horn blares. With a revamped roster featuring 10 newcomers, nine of which are eligible this season, Husky fans will have a lot of new faces to get used to. These new faces all took a special course to help them on this trip to China, the school has gone "all in" to make this an unbelievable all around experience for the young players. Texas though is all business, it did nothing extra other than get ready for the plane ride over and to play this game and come home. The Huskies are also a very small team, which works great in the Pac-12, but the Longhorns are going to have a significant advantage today. This is a strong situational play to open the season, play on TEXAS.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* EAST-COAST EXPRESS on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers are rolling to open the season, sitting at 7-1 and most recently stormed from behind to take a 118-114 home win over Utah on Tuesday. LeBron James had 31 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter. Cleveland now starts a three-game trip vs. New York, a team that it beat 96-86 at home back at the start of the season. The Knicks come in off a deflating 95-93 loss at Charlotte on Wednesday, getting outscored 26-14 in the fourth quarter in which they shot a dismal 27.3 percent. Cleveland is starting to get healthier, which is more bad news for the Knicks as guard JR Smith is back in the line-up after missing three games with a bruised right knee. Note that Cleveland is 17-10 ATS in its last 27 when playing with two days of rest, while New York is 3-10 ATS in its last 13 as a home dog in the 3.5 to 6 points range. Play on the CAVALIERS.

AAA Sports

 This is an 8* SITUATIONAL DESTRUCTION on the Orlando Magic.

Orlando is gunning for its fifth win its last seven games and to also break a four-game slide at home in this series. Most recently the Magic are coming off a 101-99 home win over the Lakers on Wednesday. Orlando now catches a tired Jazz team coming off a disheartening 92-91 loss at Miami just last night. After winning four of its previous six, Utah has now dropped the first two of its tough four-game East Coast road swing. The wheels have come off the bus for the Jazz defense, it allowed a season-high point total in Tuesday's 118-114 loss at Cleveland and surrendered 48.3 percent shooting over the past two. Both teams have significant injuries, so we'll call that department a "wash." This is simply a great situational play, Utah is tired and deflated while the Magic have plenty of positive momentum; play on ORLANDO.

AAA Sports 

This is an 8* play on the Memphis Grizzlies.

We jumped on this line the moment it came out and got 5.5 and it's since gone up closer to 7 as of writing this (6 AM EST), but regardless, we love this selection and while we wouldn't be completely shocked by an outright upset, we will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as well look for the home side to at the very least, take this one right down to the wire. The Warriors are 8-0 after their 109-95 win over Detroit on Monday. After winning eight straight games, it's not too hard to imagine Golden State finally having a letdown here. The Grizzlies though won't be a tiny bit complacent whatsoever, in fact they'll be playing with utter desperation tonight as they look to break out of a sluggish patch. Memphis (3-5) will also be playing with the immediate revenge factor after getting thumped 119-69 in Oakland on November 2nd. The Grizz though looked pretty good in their last start, falling 94-92 to the Clippers on Monday: "If we play like that, keep playing like that, we'll get back to our old selves," forward Zach Randolph said yesterday. "A loss is a loss but we've got to take the positives, the energy, the defense, the things we did well." Note that Golden State is just 1-3 ATS already this year vs. poor defensive teams which allow 99-plus points per contest, while the Grizzlies are 57-45 ATS in their last 102 vs. teams with winning records. Play on MEMPHIS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the Brooklyn Nets.

While we won't be so bold as to call for an outright upset here, we do definitely feel that the lowly Nets will come to play today and will be able to keep this one a lot closer than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe. Houston has won four straight, while Brooklyn has lost seven straight. Contentedness vs. desperation. This is also a revenge game of epic proportions, as the Rockets have won 16 of 17 in the series, including eight straight at the Toyota Center. Note that Brooklyn is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 when playing with three or more days rest, while Houston is 1-6 ATS in its last seven as a home favorite between 12.5 to 18 points and 0-2 ATS in its last two vs. poor offensive teams which score 91 points or less. Play on the NETS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* BAIL-OUT BLOWOUT on the New Orleans Pelicans.

No need to overanalyze this one, desperation breeds motivation, we love the home side to finally get off the schneid tonight and get revenge for its 107-98 setback at Dallas on Saturday. The Pelicans are 0-6, but have gotten great play from big man Anthony Davis, who is averaging 25.2 points, 9.3 boards and 2.8 blocks per game thus far. Davis gets a boost with the expected return of Jrue Holiday to the line-up. The Mavericks are 3-3 and have struggled with consistency from night to night, note that Dallas is just 15-19 ATS in its last 34 when playing with two days of rest, while New Orleans is 12-7 ATS in its last 19 as a home favorite of three points or less. Play on the PELICANS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* SITUATIONAL DESTRUCTION on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

When the smoke clears at the end of this one, we look for the home side to find a way to get the job done. If history is any precedence, then LeBron James and company have to be liking their chances as Cleveland has taken six straight in this series. After losing 97-95 to the Bulls on opening night, the Cavaliers have gone unbeaten, most recently a 101-97 victory over Indiana on Sunday. James had 29 points, six boards and four assists. Big man Kevin Love had 22 points and a season-high 19 boards. The Jazz come to town contented, having won three straight on the road, but now face a Cleveland team which is 15-1 in its last 16 vs. the Western Conference and which has won eight straight at home vs. the West. Note that Utah is just 7-13 ATS in its last 20 when playing with two days of rest, while Cleveland is 35-32 ATS in its last 67 non-conference games. In our professional opinion, this number should be a little higher, play on the CAVALIERS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* BLOCKBUSTER on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

LeBron James may have to sit this one out after injuring his leg in a 108-102 win over Philadelphia on Friday, but regardless, we like the home side to find a way to get the job done at the end of the night. After an opening day loss to the Bulls, the Cavs have won five straight and now face a Pacers team which has won three straight. Note though that Indiana has struggled mightily in this spot for bettors, going just 8-11 ATS in its last 19 off an upset win as an underdog and only 17-21 ATS in its last 38 after three or more consecutive SU victories. And note that the Cavs are 23-16 ATS in their last 39 vs. division opponents. Play on CLEVELAND.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* COAST-TO-COAST EXPRESS on the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Pelicans will be looking to get off the schneid and end the team's worst start in 11 years and take advantage of what we believe will be a complacent Hawks side which has won five straight. Desperation vs. contentedness. Is Anthony Davis and company really as bad as their 0-4 record would indicate? We definitely think the answer is: no way! "I've just got to find the (open) guy, try to make the right play, which I'm trying to do," Davis assessed last night. "Then it's on the guys to knock down the shots. Once they do that, then (the defense) can't double and triple team as much, because we have guys who can shoot the ball. I just want to be the best I can be to help the team win. I feel I'm not doing it right now." A date vs. Atlanta is just what the doctor ordered to get untracked though, note that Davis is averaging 26.0 points and 11.3 boards while shooting 52.9 percent in the last four in the series. With a game at home vs. division rival Washington tomorrow night, it's definitely not too hard to envision the visitors getting caught "looking ahead" to that contest. Note that Atlanta is just 43-48 ATS the last two seasons vs. teams with losing records, while New Orleans is 15-11 ATS in its last 26 off an upset loss as a favorite, 15-13 ATS in its last 28 after three or more consecutive SU losses and 15-14 ATS in its last 29 when playing with two days of rest. We expect the home side to finally hit a couple shots and to at the very least, keep this one close enough to escape with the ATS victory; play on the PELICANS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* EAST-COAST EXPRESS on the Boston Celtics.

We look for the home side to find a way to get the job done at the end of the night. The Wizards are coming off a come from behind 118-113 win in Milwaukee last Friday, before a 102-99 win over San Antonio, a game in which Bradley Beal hit a 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds left on the clock. The C's though shut down Beal last year, holding him to just 11 points while shooting under 32 percent in three meetings. There's no question that the home side will be the hungrier of the two teams here, Washington is off back to back thrilling victories and now hits the road, whereas Boston has lost three straight, most recently a 100-98 setback to Indiana on Wednesday. The Wizards won two of three in the series last year, this sets up as a revenge game as well after Boston fell 101-88 in Washington in the most recent meeting back on December 27th. One other player to keep your eyes on today is Celtics leading scorer Isaiah Thomas, who is averaging 20.8 points in his last five in this series. Note that Washington is just 16-19 ATS in its last 35 following an upset win as an underdog, while Boston is 13-11 ATS in its last 24 off an upset loss as a favorite and 26-17 ATS in its last 43 after three or more consecutive SU losses. Play on BOSTON.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* RED DRAGON on the Chicago Bulls.

Both teams are coming in off losses, but the Thunder played just last night. No need to overanalyse this pick, we look for the hungry home side to finally step up and to take advantage of this matchup. Chicago is coming off a humiliating 130-105 loss at previously winless Charlotte on Tuesday, surrendering its highest point total in regulation since 2010. We had the Hornets in that one and it was just a bad spot for the Bulls, as Charlotte was going to be risking life and limb in that game to secure the victory. But now the situational tables have turned in favor of the now equally as desperate Bulls, who have lost two of their last three. The Thunder have averaged 114.2 points so far this season, but struggled down the stretch in Wednesday's 103-98 home loss to unbeaten Toronto. And to say this is a "revenge" spot for Chicago would be a bit of an understatement as well, as the Thunder have won six of the last seven meetings, including a 109-100 effort at home in the latest back on March 15th. Note that Oklahoma City is just 51-54 ATS vs. poor defensive teams which allow 99 plus points per contest, while Chicago is 20-15 ATS in its last 35 after allowing 105 points or more. Play on the BULLS.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* ASSASSIN on the LA Clippers.

Both teams come in without a loss and while the home side may ultimately gut out the victory in this one tonight, we feel that the visitors can at the very least, keep this one close enough to sneak in through the back door down the stretch. Golden State most recently annihilated Memphis 119-69 on Monday. Note, all three teams that Golden State has beaten this year, New Orleans twice, Houston and Memphis are the same ones in which it eliminated en route to the NBA title. LA is off to a 4-0 start as well, most recently a 102-96 victory over the Suns on Monday. So far it's been a cake-walk for the Warriors, but the team now faces its stiffest test to date, and note that Golden State is in fact just 8-11 ATS in its last 19 after allowing 85 points or less, while LA is 3-1 ATS in its last four as a road dog in the 6.5 to 9 points range and 53-41 ATS in its last 94 on the road. Play on the CLIPPERS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* UNDERDOG DESTRUCTION on the Brooklyn Nets.

No need to overanalyze this one, Brooklyn is winless and will be risking life and limb today, pushing the pace from the outset as it desperately looks to get off the schneid. Atlanta on the other hand has won four straight and comes in complacent after winning 98-92 in Miami just last night. This is also a revenge scenario after the Hawks eliminated the Nets from the first round of the playoffs in six games. Also note that it's widely been reported that Atlanta will be resting a lot of its starters in the second game of the back-to-back scenario this season. Desperation vs. contentedness. Note that Brooklyn is 11-7 ATS in its last 18 as a road dog of 6.5 to 9 points, while Atlanta is just 18-19 ATS in its last 37 following a divisional contest. We look for the visitors to keep this one a lot closer than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe, play on the NETS.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* GAME OF THE WEEK on the Indiana Pacers.

We jumped on this line early and only got +3.5. It's since moved closer to +5.5 in most places, but we still love this selection and while we obviously would not be shocked by the outright upset victory, we will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as we look for the desperate and hungry visitors to take this one down to the wire. Detroit has yet to lose a game, while Indiana has yet to win. Contentedness vs. desperation. Divisional contests are always the most important, this is doubly so for the winless Pacers in this spot obviously. Detroit has looked great to this point, but in our opinion this definitely sets up as a classic "letdown" spot for the home side, which is coming off an extremely satisfying 98-94 OT win over the Bulls on Friday. Also note that Indiana is 22-19 ATS in its last 41 after a loss by ten points or more and 17-13 ATS in its last 30 when playing with two days of rest, while Detroit is just 5-14 ATS in its last 19 as a home fav in the 3.5 to 6 points range and only 4-8 ATS in its last 12 when playing with three or more days rest. Play on the PACERS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* SITUATIONAL DESTRUCTION on the Charlotte Hornets.

The Hornets will be playing with desperation today as they look to avoid their worst start in 26 years and suffice it to say, we believe this determination will finally translate into production on the court and while we obviously wouldn't be shocked by the outright upset, we will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can. This is also a revenge spot for Charlotte after it fell 98-89 in the team's most recent meeting back on March 23rd. We actually had the Hornets in their last game, a tough 94-92 defeat to Atlanta on Sunday; we had +1.5, failing to get the cover by a single free throw and after choking away an outright lead with under two minutes to play. Note though that this is a spot in which Chicago has struggled in for bettors, just 43-51 ATS the last two seasons vs. teams with losing records, while Charlotte is 43-32 ATS vs. teams with winning records in that same span. Desperation breeds motivation, play on the HORNETS.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* EAST-COAST EXPRESS on the Philadelphia 76ers.

We think the home side comes out firing tonight and keeps this one close enough to comfortably sneak in through the back door down the stretch. This is a perfect situational play as the Cavaliers are injured and enter a stretch in which they play six games against non-playoff teams from a year ago; it's a classic "letdown" spot. Cleveland has already opened 2-1 with three tough games vs. Chicago, Memphis and Miami; LeBron James' back is ailing and Kyrie Irving is still out due to injury. Kevin Love is also feeling sore after surgery to his shoulder in the offseason. Philadelphia is 0-2, most recently coming off a listless 99-71 loss to Utah on Friday. The 76ers are a young team, but need no more motivation today than taking on the Eastern Conference defending champions and with some of the Cavs' stars seeing reduced time, this is indeed a fantastic situational play for us to take advantage of. Note that Cleveland is just 10-11 ATS in its last 21 after a victory by ten points or more, while Philadelphia is 16-11 ATS in its last 27 after scoring 85 points or less and 8-2 ATS in its last ten as a home dog of 12 points or more; play on the 76ER's.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the Charlotte Hornets.

While we obviously wouldn't be shocked by the outright upset today, we will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as we look for the home side to exact a little revenge from an early season loss to the Hawks. Atlanta won 112-101 in New York on Thursday and then hung on for a 97-94 home victory over Charlotte on Friday. There's no question that Charlotte will be "hungry" here after opening the season 0-2, having not dropped three in a row to open a campaign since 2010. The Hornets roared back and nearly overcame a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter vs. ATL, but were ultimately unable to overcome 20 turnovers which led to 26 Atlanta points. One player to keep your eyes on today is Charlotte's Kemba Walker, the guard is averaging 18.7 points in his last three at home vs. the Hawks. Note that Atlanta is just 17-19 ATS in its last 36 following a divisional contest, while Charlotte is 48-41 ATS the last two seasons in revenging a loss vs. an opponent and 8-5 ATS in its last 13 as a home dog of three points or less. Play on the HORNETS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* SITUATIONAL DESTRUCTION on the New Orleans Pelicans.

While we obviously wouldn't be completely surprised by an outright upset, we will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as we look for the hungry and revenge minded home side to at the very least, take the defending champions down to the final shot. Golden State beat New Orleans 111-95 at home to open the season and then would pull away for a 112-92 win in Houston just last night. Note that the Warriors will almost assuredly be without the services of sharp-shooter Klay Thompson though, who played just 24 minutes in last night's win due to an ailing back and who will likely be sitting in the second game of the back-to-back scenario. And note that center Andrew Bogut did not play in last night's game and won't be in this one either because of a concussion suffered in the opener. To say this is a "revenge" game is a bit of an understatement as well as the Warriors have won 15 of the last 16 in the series, including the first round playoff sweep last year. After the loss to the Warriors, New Orleans would then fall 112-94 to Portland on Wednesday. But with a few extra days off to prepare for this game, we like the desperate home side to come out focused on the task at hand. And note, Golden State is just 12-15 ATS in its last 27 as a road fav in the 3.5 to 6 points range, while New Orleans is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 as a home dog in the same points range and 15-12 ATS in its last 27 when playing with two days of rest. Play on the PELICANS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* BAIL-OUT BLOWOUT on the Phoenix Suns.

Damian Lillard is the only player remaining from the Blazers lineup from last season, but the team would get a career night from CJ McCollum in its 112-94 win over New Orleans on Wednesday. McCollum had 37 points, topping his previous regular-season high by ten. Suffice it to say, we're not expecting a repeat performance tonight, in fact there's no question that this now sets up as a classic "letdown" spot, both for McCollum and for his team. Phoenix is coming off a 111-95 setback to visiting Dallas, a game in which all of its top scorers struggled with consistency: "I think everybody from top to bottom can take a piece of this loss," said center Tyson Chandler. For us it's simple, we don't think that Portland is as good as what its opening performance would indicate and we certainly don't think that Phoenix is really as horrible as it played in its opener. And note that the Blazers are in fact a poor 26-29 ATS in their last 55 after a victory by ten points or more, while the Suns are 16-8 ATS in their last 24 after a loss by ten points or more. Play on PHOENIX.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* WEST-COAST EXPRESS on the Houston Rockets.

We bet against the Warriors in their home opener vs. New Orleans and came up short, but believe the Rockets can catch the defending champs "looking ahead" to their rematch with the Pelicans tomorrow night. Houston is coming off a horrible 105-85 loss in its home opener to Denver, a team not expected to do much this year and it also plays with revenge after Golden State ousted it from last season's playoffs. Also note that Golden State will be without the services of big man Andrew Bogut, who left the opener with a concussion. This is obviously a significant loss, as Bogut played a key part in slowing down Houston center Dwight Howard last year: "We can't worry about what wasn't brought in Game 1," Howard said. "That's over with. There's no need to focus on that anymore." Note that Golden State is just 8-9 ATS in its last 17 as a road favorite of three points or less, while Houston is 5-0 ATS in its last five as a home dog of three points or less and 6-1 ATS after scoring 85 points or less. Play on the ROCKETS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* WEST-COAST EXPRESS on the Minnesota Timberwolves.

While we wouldn't be completely shocked by an outright victory, we will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can. There is literally only one way the Wolves can move this season and that's up as they'd finish dead last in the league a year ago. Minnesota will be extra motivated today as well as it looks to win one for Flip Saunders after the coach finally succumbed to cancer last week. The Wolves have a nice mix of veteran experience and explosive young talent. Kevin Garnett is back in Minnesota for another year and he's joined by Andre Miller, and Tayshaun Prince, the trio have a combined 29 years of experience. These three will be tasked to influence Andrew Wiggins, No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns and slam dunk champion Zach LaVine. The Lakers were 21-61 last season and will once again be led by Kobe Bryant, who will be looking to mentor nine players who have three seasons or fewer of NBA experience. Bryant has been a shell of his former self the last two years because of injury and already comes into the regular season banged up after suffering a lower-leg contusion in the final preseason contest. To say this is a "revenge" game would be a bit of an understatement, the Lakers have had the Wolves number for a few years now, having won 29 of the last 34 in the series and 15 of the last 17 at the Staples Center, a situational factor that we can also take advantage of. We think the WOLVES depth will prove to be the difference in the end.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* SITUATIONAL DESTRUCTION on the Indiana Pacers.

Indiana won 56 games in 2013/15, but only 38 last year, due in part to several injuries over the courts of the season, most notably to leading scorer and heart of the team Paul George, who returns to 2015 at full health: "With the talent we have, this should be the most prolific offense we've had here," said coach Frank Vogel. Complimenting George will be Monta Ellis and center Myles Turner. Toronto won't be surprising anyone this season, after back-to-back trips to the playoffs, the team will obviously be looking to make a deeper run after getting bounced in the first round on both occasions. The Raptors look pretty good, DeMarre Carroll is a defensive specialist who has a nice touch from the outside, he's been tasked to fill the void left by Louis Williams (the 2015 Sixth Man of the Year) and Greivis Vasquez. Toronto finished among the league leaders in scoring average, but lacked considerably on the defensive end of the court, which would ultimately prove to be their downfall in the playoff series loss to Washington. Note that Indiana is 7-6 ATS in its last 13 as a road dog in the 3.5 to 6 points range, while Toronto is just 6-13 ATS in its last 19 as a home fav in the 3.5 to 6 points range. While we wouldn't be shocked by the outright SU victory, we will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can, play on the PACERS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the New Orleans Pelicans.

Will the Warriors suffer a letdown after their epic run to NBA greatness last year? Maybe, but there is little chance that the team will completely implode and miss the postseason. Suffering a bit of a mental lapse on opening night after receiving their championship rings right before tip-off against a revenge minded Pelicans team which has lost 14 of 15 in the series, including seven straight at the Oracle Arena is not too hard to imagine though. Alvin Gentry was an assistant coach for the Warriors last year, but is now the head man in New Orleans. The Warriors core group of players are back, so to is Pelicans' big man Anthony Davis, who was fourth in the NBA with 24.4 PPG last year, first with 2.9 blocks per game and the top eight in field goal percentage, rebounds per game and double-doubles. Davis and company will be out for some serious revenge after getting swept by the Warriors in four straight in last years playoffs; the team looks poised for another strong run though with the additions of Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson, who will pull duty with guard Eric Gordon, who finished second in the NBA in 3-point shooting at 44.8 percent. We expect the visitors to keep this one a lot more competitive than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe, play on NEW ORLEANS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the Chicago Bulls.

We aren't overthinking this one, Chicago was eliminated by the Cavaliers in last season's conference semifinals and we are expecting the home side to exact a little revenge this evening as it looks to take advantage of a less than 100% LeBron James. James had been sitting for the last two weeks because of a back issue. While big man Kevin Love is back in the lineup for Cleveland, point guard Kyrie Irving is still weeks away from returning after getting surgery on his knee. Chicago has a new coach (Fred Hoiberg), but a lineup which has consistently competed for Eastern Conference supremacy over the last half decade, and that group is 100% healthy. A great situational play, we're laying the short points.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Sometimes I feel it's necessary to completely dissect a contest, looking at individual player match-ups and at situational and motivational factors and in other instances, I believe a more "common sense" approach is the best way to handicap a game. That's definitely the case with this selection. With their backs against the wall, I look for the Cavaliers to play their best game of the series and would obviously not be surprised whatsoever to see the home side win this one outright. And from a trend based stand point, this selection is about as strong as you could possibly ask for, as Golden State is 13-14 ATS this year after a win by 10 points or more, while Cleveland is 7-3 ATS following a loss by 10 points or more. Consider sprinkling a little on the money line as well as "The King" holds serve on his court, play on the CAVALIERS.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

I grabbed an early +7 and it's since gone up, but regardless, while I wouldn't be shocked with an outright Cavs victory, I do definitely feel that despite losing Kyrie Irving to injury, that the visitors won't be going down without a fight today and look for them to at the very least, sneak in through the back door down the stretch with what I feel to be a healthy spread afforded to them. Irving had an awesome game, but I think the combination of Matthew Dellavedova and Iman Shumpert can fill the void. It was in fact just the second time that Cleveland has failed to cover the spread in the team's last six playoff games. And remember, the Cavaliers were 2-0 SU against the Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals without Irving and went 1-1ATS with Dellavedova averaging 14 points in his place (also note that LeBron James picked up the scoring slack vs. the Hawks by averaging 33.5 points in the two games that Irving missed). I had the Warriors as my NBA Finals GAME OF THE YEAR in Game 1 and obviously feel pretty fortunate to get the victory. This is do or die for the Cavaliers though, if they can somehow manage to steal this one outright, they'd absolutely be in the "drivers seat" heading back home. Golden State has struggled in this spot as well already in the postseason, just 4-5 ATS so far when leading in a playoff series (and note that the Cavs are 10-4 ATS this year when playing with two days of rest). While the rest of the World goes one way, we'll go the other, grab as many points as you can with CLEVELAND.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* Finals GAME OF THE YEAR on the Golden State Warriors.

An interesting match-up indeed, but I think that the Warriors' depth, health and clear home court advantage will ultimately prove to be too much for the Cavaliers. In Game 1 anyways. LeBron James is playing the best basketball of his career, but his supporting cast is not only injured (guard Kyrie Irving is hobbled with a knee issue), but it's arguably the worst one he's had surrounding him in his career. Golden State is loaded with talent up and down the line-up and I simply can't see the Cavs' bench keeping pace. Cleveland's turn around started in January when the team transformed itself into a defensive juggernaut, but now the Cavaliers face their stiffest test yet. Irving has been the most trustworthy defender, but his injury is obviously a major concern for the team. The Cavs have given up just 98.5 points per 100 possessions during the postseason; but note, Golden State's defense has been one of the league's best all year long. The Warriors have played 49 games at Oracle Arena this season and they've won 46 of those outings. Golden State just faced one of the league's most potent offensive weapons in the entire league in James Harden and would go on to dispatch his team in five games. Granted, James is the better and more experienced all around player, but "The King" definitely doesn't have the same supporting cast around him which Harden enjoys. Note that Cleveland is just 6-13 ATS this year when playing the role of underdog, while Golden State is 48-34 ATS when dubbed the favorite. Look for the WARRIORS to pull away down the stretch for the comfortable ATS cover.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* BLOCKBUSTER on the Golden State Warriors.

I think the Warriors are going to bounce back and finish off the Rockets in Game 5. I took the Rockets at +1500 to win the NBA Championship last summer but have been hedging my wager throughout this series, but that said, I obviously didn't expect the Warriors to sweep. After its extremely satisfying win in Game 4, I think the table is set for an equally as epic letdown for Houston this evening and look for Golden State to play with a chip on its shoulder and to comfortably pull away down the stretch for the ATS cover: "We just don't want to come back to Houston," Warriors guard Klay Thompson confirmed last night. "It's not going to be easy. They are here for a reason. We have to come and play with more intensity and play together and we'll win the game." Good news for us, Warriors guard Stephan Curry is fine after suffering a nasty fall in Game 4. More good news for us, Rockets' center Dwight Howard, who received a flagrant 1 foul in Game 4 could be suspended a game because of his reckless actions. No need to break down individual player match-ups at this point, the strengths and weaknesses of each team is well known to even the most casual NBA fan, I simply feel the situation benefits the WARRIORS and look for the team to find a way to get the job done at the end of the night.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* WESTERN-CONFERENCE FINALS GAME OF THE YEAR on the Golden State Warriors.

Golden State has a 2-0 series lead, but has yet to cover the spread. The Rockets have fought valiantly to this point, I had Houston and the UNDER in Game 1 and then the UNDER again in Game 2. However, while Houston continues to deal with injuries, the Warriors continue to gain confidence. One player to keep your eyes on today is the Warriors Stephen Curry, who had 34 points in Game 1 and 33 in Game 2. Obviously it's not going to be a cake walk though: "It hurts, but they did what they had to do," said the Rockets James Harden last night. "They won two games at home. We're going back home to get two games." Golden State though is hardly getting cocky, especially after it let a 17-point lead slip away in Game 2: "They feel like they lost two games they should have won," Golden State's Draymond Green assessed afterwards. "We feel like we almost gave this one away ... we have a ways to go, there's a lot we can get better at. But we're sitting here 2-0 and that's the most important thing." Expect to see a lot of shots from the outside, these teams obviously love shooting the 3-ball, as Golden State leads the league with 29.3 average per game, while Houston clocks in at 27.6. In my professional opinion, we haven't even seen the best of the Warriors yet, this is a difficult match-up for the Rockets and with the injury issues continuing to surround Howard and in a near pick-em game, I think that GOLDEN STATE takes full advantage and finally gets the job done ATS.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on the Houston Rockets.

I think that the visitors will keep this one competitive enough to sneak in through the back door down the stretch. The only thing that people are talking about from the Clippers/Rockets series is the epic collapse from LA, but I think we need to give credit where credit is due, mainly to Kevin McHale and the coaching staff of Houston, which made huge adjustments defensively to come back from the 3-1 series deficit. Now the Rockets come into this series with a ton of confidence and momentum; also note that they play with the revenge factor today after losing all four regular season contests (also note that Dwight Howard sat out two of those meetings and is once again playing at 100% now). These teams are very similar in that they like to play tough defense and then get out on the break and spread out the opposing team with a lot of three-balls; look for each side to be putting an added emphasis on perimeter defense today, making this area a “wash.” From a trend based stand point though, this selection is about as strong as you could possibly ask for as Houston is 20-15 ATS in revenging a loss vs. an opponent this season, while Golden State is interestingly just 10-12 ATS vs. poor defensive teams which allow 99-plus points per contest. While I won’t be so bold as to predict an outright victory, I do think that the ROCKETS have all of the tools in place to take this one down to the wire.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the Golden State Warriors.

Momentum is something that the books often have time properly quantifying into a line and while it's a factor which can clearly be over-rated in some instances, that's not the case in this one in my opinion as I expect Golden State to continue to play well on both ends of the floor. Tony Allen is once again injured, if he does play tonight he'll basically be a non-factor. Allen was the only thing slowing down Golden State's Curry and Klay Thompson; Thompson had a series-high 21 points and Curry netted 18 to go with a career playoff-high six steals, seven boards and five assists in Wednesday's 98-78 dismantling. But as mentioned off the top, the Warriors are getting the job done at both ends of the floor, limiting Memphis to an average of 81 points and 38.6 percent shooting in the back-to-back victories (note that Golden State is 6-2 ATS this season after allowing 85 points or less). Warriors coach Steve Kerr knows that the team can ill afford to give the Grizzlies any hope, look for him to press the pace of this one from the outset, I expect the WARRIORS to pull away down the stretch for the comfortable ATS cover.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* play on the Atlanta Hawks.

While I obviously feel that the outright win isn't out of the question, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as I look for Atlanta to at the very least, take this one down to the wire and sneak in through the back door down the stretch. The Wizards' John Wall would play through five fractures in his left wrist and hand and looked gassed in Game 5, he'd struggle to get 15, along with seven assists and six turnovers. Walls injury isn't getting better and it's going to be a huge factor once again tonight. The Wizards have been getting some timely shots throughout this series, but I think that luck runs out tonight, while conversely, Atlanta has clearly gotten better with each passing game and is once again starting to resemble the dominant regular season team that it was. The tools are in place for an outright victory, and note that Atlanta is in fact 5-2 ATS this year after scoring 85 points or less, while Washington is just 3-4 ATS this season after scoring 85 points or less. Play on the HAWKS.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* play on the Houston Rockets.

I picked the Houston Rockets at +1500 to win the NBA championship before the season started and have to say that I am pretty surprised at the lack of passion this team has showed in this series. The Rockets are a better defensive team that what they've shown to this point and with their backs against the wall today, I believe we'll see a much more complete effort overall on that end tonight. It's also hard to imagine Houston playing any worse on the offensive end, it would go on to miss 12 of its final 15 3-point attempts in Game 3. Note, it was in fact the first time since April 8th in San Antonio that the Rockets were held under the century mark in points. And from an ATS trend based stand point, this play is about as strong as you could possibly ask for as Houston is 13-3 ATS this year after a loss by 10 points or more, while LA is just 26-28 ATS this season after scoring 105 points or more. While I do indeed feel that the outright win is not out of the question, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can, play on the ROCKETS.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* play on the Chicago Bulls.

While I obviously feel that the outright win isn't out of the question, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as all signs once again point to another nail biter in Game 4. I played the UNDER in Game 3 and Derrick Rose's dagger at the buzzer sealed the 99-96 victory for me. The Cavs were able to bounce back in Game 2 behind massive games from LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, but once again they'd falter in Game 3, the Bulls depth is just too much for the Cavs to handle. This is the biggest game of the entire year for both teams, Chicago can take a commanding grip of this series and I think will take advantage of the friendly confines and find a way to get the job done. For me it's as simple as that: while I feel that James is still the best player in the league and Irving is one of the best, the Bulls' bench will prove to be the difference again today, play on CHICAGO.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* play on the Houston Rockets.

I got down on this line the second it came out and am saddled with just +3, most of you would have been able to get 4 or at least 4.5 as of Friday morning. However, I still love this selection and while I obviously feel that the outright win is certainly not out of the question whatsoever, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as I look for the visitors to at the very least, sneak in through the back door down the stretch with the handful of points they've been afforded. LA is almost certainly going to be without the services of all star point guard Chris Paul once again tonight and if he does play, he's not going to be at 100%; suffice it to say, I think this is going to be a major factor. LA has played excellent without its floor general and has gotten Herculean efforts from Blake Griffin, but I simply can't see the team continuing to play so well with his continued absence. In fact, Houston was finally able to make some appropriate adjustments to defend Griffin in the second half of Game 2, it limited him to just 8 points over the final two quarters and overcame a 13-point deficit to win by six, failing to cover the spread for a second straight game by a single point. And the Rockets must also be extremely confident with the return of James Harden's stellar play, after struggling through the first seven quarters of this series, the MVP runner-up would score 16 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter: "We let Game 1 slip away and we didn't want that feeling for Game 2," Harden assessed afterwards.. "It's going to be a tough two games in a row, but we've got our mojo now." Note that Houston is 8-3 ATS this year after playing three consecutive home games, while LA is just 1-6 ATS this season as a home favorite in the 3.5 to 6 points range and already 0-3 ATS when tied in a playoff series. Play on the ROCKETS.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on the Houston Rockets.

No need to overanalyze this play in my opinion, this is basically a do-or-die game for the Rockets, an 0-2 hole and heading to LA would likely be their downfall and as such, I'm fully expecting all hands on deck tonight and for the home side to comfortably pull away down the stretch for the ATS cover. To tell you the truth, I'm shocked in Houston's effort in Game 1, it was a gift facing the Chris Paul-less Clippers who were coming off an extremely tough seven-game opening round series win over the defending champions. I simply can't see the home side not coming in much more focused tonight, it was uncharacteristically poor play which ultimately would doom the Rockets, the Clippers were able to score 34 points off 24 turnovers. Also note that from a ATS trend based stand point, this play is about as strong as you could possibly ask for as LA is a poor 0-7 ATS the last two years when leading in a playoff series and just 12-14 ATS this year after three or more consecutive SU wins. And note that Houston is 12-1 ATS this season off an upset loss as a favorite and 13-2 ATS after a loss by ten points or more. Play on the ROCKETS.

AAA Sports

This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on the Chicago Bulls.

I played the Bulls in Game 1 and if you did not get a chance to read that analysis, it's worth a second look here, as for the most part, the reasoning behind it also directly pertains to tonight's selection:

While I obviously feel that the outright win isn't out of the question in this one, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as I look for the visitors to at the very least, sneak in through the back door down the stretch with the handful of points that they've been afforded. Yesterday I had a play on the Golden State Warriors and stated that the absence of guard Mike Conley in the Memphis Grizzlies line-up was a major situational factor that was working in our favor and suffice it to say, with two starters sitting out for the Cavaliers, the same line of reasoning also applies in this one. Not only will Cleveland be without the services of big man Kevin Love, but it's also not played in eight days; I think rest turns to rust here. The Bulls in contrast are healthier than they've been in the last three years and have played twice in the last eight days. The stars have truly aligned for Chicago, I think its depth will be just too much for LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in Game 1; play on CHICAGO.

Both Love and JR Smith will once again be sitting this one out, meaning that James and Irving will once again have to carry the majority of the load. And once again, I think this is simply too much to be asking of them, Chicago's depth at this point of the season is something that the Cavaliers are going to have an extremely hard time over-coming, the only way this team wins is if both James and Irving have monstrous nights. I'll gladly grab the points here. And note that Chicago is 13-7 ATS in its last 20 vs. good offensive teams that score 99-plus points per contest, while Cleveland is a poor 7-12 ATS in trying to revenge a home loss vs. an opponent this season. Play on the BULLS.

AAA Sports

This is an 8* BLOCKBUSTER on the Golden State Warriors.

I played the Warriors in Game 1 and if you didn't get a chance to read the analysis from that selection, it's definitely worth a second look as the reasoning behind that play also directly applies to tonight's pick:

The Warriors are exuding confidence right now, while the Grizzlies come to town battered and bruised. In my opinion, this one has all the makings of a beatdown of epic proportions, I look for the hot-shooting home side to bombard the under-manned visitors and to comfortably pull away down the stretch for the ATS cover. Memphis is unsure if point guard Mike Conley will start because of surgery he had on his face; if he does play, he'll be far from 100% in my opinion, a crucial factor here that we're going to take advantage of in Game 1. Also note that Golden State has another clear advantage of being able to play in front of the home town crowd where it's 41-2, including winning its past 20 in a row. And note again, the Warriors would go 2-1 against the Grizzlies in the regular season, their only loss came when Andrew Bogut was out with injury, the big man though is back and healthier than ever: "Whether it's a flashy up-tempo game or whether it's an 87-83 game, we feel like we have enough pieces and versatility to win all sorts of ways now," the Warriors Stephen Curry assessed on Friday. "Our defense is going to show up. That's what we're going to bank on for the whole series." Golden State is fresh, it's healthy, it's confident, I'm backing the WARRIORS in this one.

As if the Warriors weren't confident enough already, but after his 22 point performance in Game 1's 101-86 victory, star Stephen Curry was officially named the NBA's MVP. Conley is once again questionable tonight, and even if he does play, he's not going to be 100%; suffice it to say, whether he plays or not isn't going to matter, Golden State has won 21 in a row at Oracle Arena, including playoffs. The Warriors are just too deep for the Grizzlies, note that in all, thirteen players saw action for Golden State in Game 1. Also note that Memphis is interestingly just 1-3 ATS in its last four as a road dog in the 9.5 to 12 points range, while the Warriors are 29-16 ATS this season after a victory by 10 points or more. Look for GOLDEN STATE to continue to stretch the Grizzlies under-manned defense and to pull away down the stretch for the comfortable ATS cover.

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This is a 10* WESTERN-CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND GAME OF THE YEAR on the Houston Rockets.

I chose the Houston Rockets at 15 to 1 to win the NBA Championship last September and while the team has a long way to go before that comes true, it has to be liking its chances today I think as it catches a Clippers club coming off a monumental Game 7 win over the defending NBA Champions; suffice it to say, this sets up as a classic "letdown" spot for the visitors. All of the emotion and energy that it took to finally get over the hill and vanquish their bitter rival has been expended and the Clippers reward is a quick turn-around for a road game against a focused and well rested Rockets squad. From a situational stand point, they simply don't get much stronger than this. I am primarily a situational handicapper at heart and these are obviously the exact types of scenarios that I am constantly looking out for. And as a situational capper, for the most part individual player match-ups rarely factor into my handicapping process and that's the case here. These are two very evenly matched teams (they'd split the regular season 2-2), so finding influencing external factors will be crucial in handicapping this series in my opinion and that's the case here. All signs point to a blowout, play on the ROCKETS.

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This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on the Chicago Bulls.

While I obviously feel that the outright win isn't out of the question in this one, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as I look for the visitors to at the very least, sneak in through the back door down the stretch with the handful of points that they've been afforded. Yesterday I had a play on the Golden State Warriors and stated that the absence of guard Mike Conley in the Memphis Grizzlies line-up was a major situational factor that was working in our favor and suffice it to say, with two starters sitting out for the Cavaliers, the same line of reasoning also applies in this one. Not only will Cleveland be without the services of big man Kevin Love, but it's also not played in eight days; I think rest turns to rust here. The Bulls in contrast are healthier than they've been in the last three years and have played twice in the last eight days. The stars have truly aligned for Chicago, I think its depth will be just too much for LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in Game 1; play on CHICAGO.

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This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on the Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors are exuding confidence right now, while the Grizzlies come to town battered and bruised. In my opinion, this one has all the makings of a beatdown of epic proportions, I look for the hot-shooting home side to bombard the under-manned visitors and to comfortably pull away down the stretch for the ATS cover. Memphis is unsure if point guard Mike Conley will start because of surgery he had on his face; if he does play, he'll be far from 100% in my opinion, a crucial factor here that we're going to take advantage of in Game 1. Also note that Golden State has another clear advantage of being able to play in front of the home town crowd where it's 41-2, including winning its past 20 in a row. And note again, the Warriors would go 2-1 against the Grizzlies in the regular season, their only loss came when Andrew Bogut was out with injury, the big man though is back and healthier than ever: "Whether it's a flashy up-tempo game or whether it's an 87-83 game, we feel like we have enough pieces and versatility to win all sorts of ways now," the Warriors Stephen Curry assessed on Friday. "Our defense is going to show up. That's what we're going to bank on for the whole series." Golden State is fresh, it's healthy, it's confident, I'm backing the WARRIORS in this one.

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This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on the Brooklyn Nets.

I played Atlanta last time out, but for the most part this series has been pretty damn competitive. In fact, the teams are separated by a mere nine points so far in the playoffs. It was the first time the Hawks had covered in this series and to say home-court advantage is a major factor would be a big understatement I think as each team has won every game on its home court so far. I firmly believe the Nets have a very legitimate shot at continuing that trend tonight, at the very least, keeping it close enough to comfortably sneak in through the back door down the stretch with the handful of points they've been afforded. Brooklyn is actually 5-0 in Game 6 best-of-seven, first round series, fighting off elimination the last two years, losing to Chicago in Game 7 in 2013, but beating the Raptors last year. Also note, that from a trend based stand point, this play is about as strong as you could possibly ask for as Atlanta is 0-6 ATS the last two years when leading in a playoff series, while Brooklyn is 8-3 ATS in the same position and time frame, while also going 3-1 ATS this season as a home dog in the 3.5 to 6 points range. While I would obviously not be shocked at all to see the home side take this one outright, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can with BROOKLYN.

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This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on the Atlanta Hawks.

So far I'm 3-1 in this series, I had the OVER in Game 4, but for a number of different reasons I believe the value in this contest lies with the home side, which I think surprisingly, has yet to cover in this series. Atlanta has struggled with the Nets so far, after winning the first two games of this series by a combined 12 points, Brooklyn would take Game's 3 and 4, including Monday's 120-115 OT effort to even it. But with the shift in venue, I think this highly motivated and clearly under-achieving Hawks team comes to play today. It's not all doom and gloom for Atlanta obviously, the Hawks have to be feeling very confident today, they've won 24 of their last 27 in front of the home town crowd. And note, Brooklyn has lost 12 of its last 14 in Atlanta. The No. 1 seed has struggled so far, but I think the conditions are now finally right for a lop-sided rout; also note that this is a spot in which the Nets have struggled in for bettors all year, a poor 6-11 ATS off an upset win as an underdog and only 10-13 ATS after scoring 105 points or more. Conversely, this is a position in which the Hawks have dominated in, a great 8-3 ATS off an upset loss as a favorite and 12-9 ATS after allowing 105 points or more. This is it, the game that ATLANTA fans have been waiting for, lay the points.

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This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

I've targeted the total over the first three games of this series, but finally shift my attention to the side and with a chance to wrap up this series with a big effort tonight, I am fully expecting the Cavs to clamp down defensively and to comfortably pull away down the stretch for the ATS cover. The Celtics have put up a valiant fight, but with the knowledge of the fact that no team in NBA playoff history has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a series, I believe the home side will throw in the white towel against this hungry and determined Cavs team. It was a complete team effort for Cleveland in Game 3 and the team is simply exuding confidence at the moment. The C's stars are starting to show signs of stress, Isaiah Thomas led Boston with 44 points over the first two games, but was limited to five on 2 of 9 shooting on Thursday. I think the stage is set for a beatdown performance in Game 4. Note that Cleveland is 9-4 ATS this year when playing with two days of rest, while Boston is just 3-4 ATS in the same position. In my opinion, the situation, the numbers and the trends do all indeed point to the CAVALIERS as the savvy move in this contest.

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This is an 8* BLOCKBUSTER on the Atlanta Hawks.

Slow starts in Games 1 and 2 have seen the Hawks hold on for a SU victory in both, but unable to cover the spread in either. I think that changes tonight though and look for the under-performing visitors to comfortably pull away down the stretch for the ATS cover. Atlanta would lead by as many 16 in Game 1 before gutting out the 99-92 win after allowing the Nets to close to within four in the final two minutes. The Hawks also had a 12 point lead in Game 2 and would have to hold on for the 96-91 victory. Atlanta came into this series with some bumps and bruises, but players like Paul Millsap and Al Horford have clearly started to make some adjustments and I think the Hawks are just getting stronger at this point. I also think the Nets have to be feeling pretty lucky to have even put up as much as a fight as they've done to this point, as note that they've shot 45.2 percent, including hitting just 13 of 46 from long range so far in this series. Also note that Atlanta is 23-15 ATS on the road this year, while Brooklyn is just 17-23 ATS in front of the home town crowd. I'm not buying what the bookmakers are trying to sell here and am expecting a lop-sided rout, lay the short points on the HAWKS.

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This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on the Toronto Raptors.

For a number of different reasons I expect the desperate Raptors to at the very least, keep this one competitive enough to comfortably sneak in through the back door down the stretch with the hand full of points they've been afforded. It's a do-or-die game for the underachieving visiting side, no team in NBA playoff history has ever rallied from an 0-3 hole to win a series: "If being down 0-2 (doesn't) stimulate urgency, then I don't know what would," Raptors guad DeMar DeRozan confirmed last night. "Nobody's ready to go home, nobody's ready to pack it up. We understand how bad we played these last two games and we want to do a lot better." As a primarily a situational handicapper, individual player match-ups rarely factor into my decision process and that's the case here. Washington is just 2-6 ATS this season as a home favorite in the 3.5 to 6 points range and just 4-5 ATS off an upset win as an underdog. Conversely, note that Toronto is 6-4 ATS this year as a road dog in the 3.5 to 6 points range and 8-7 ATS off an upset loss as a favorite. While I obviously feel that the outright win isn't out of the question, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can with the RAPTORS.

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This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on the Atlanta Hawks.

For the most part the No. 1 seeds have struggled to cover the spread in both the East and the West, but I finally feel that the conditions are right for a lop-sided blowout and expect the home side to pull away down the stretch for the comfortable ATS cash. I had the Nets in Game 1 and feel fortunate to have come away with the 99-92 victory as the Hawks were clearly struggling in stretches. But with that awkward first contest out of the way, I think it’s going to be business as usual for high-flying Atlanta. Remember, Brooklyn went 0-4 against Atlanta in the regular season by an average of 17.2 points. Both teams are banged up, I’m not reading too much into that angle at all, but take note that the Nets are a poor 4-5 ATS this season as a road underdog in the 9.5 to 12 points range, while Atlanta is a great 27-22 ATS vs. poor defensive teams that allow 99 plus points per contest. I expect the home side to play a lot “looser” this evening and believe this factor to translate into production on both ends of the court for ATLANTA.

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This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on the Toronto Raptors.

I played the Wizards in Game 1, but with their backs against the wall, I look for the Raptors to find a way to get the job done at the end of the night and head to the nation's capital all knotted up. Game 1 saw Washington gut out the 93-86 OT victory, but note that it was actually a rarity for the team who would struggle mightily on the road, losing 15 of their last 19 away from friendly confines. Toronto's big men got caught out of position in Game 1, the defense was stretched and was ultimately outrebounded 61-48 once the smoke cleared; also note that the Raptors had to deal with all-star Kyle Lowry fouling out with 2:36 remaining in the fourth quarter. Toronto actually did a very good job in shutting down the Wizards dynamic backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal, the duo combining for just 26 points. Note that Washington is just 3-5 ATS off an upset win as underdog this year, while Toronto is 8-6 ATS off an upset loss as a favorite. In my opinion, the situation, the numbers and the trends do all indeed point to the RAPTORS as the savvy move in this contest.

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This is a 10* BLOCKBUSTER on the Golden State Warriors.

When the smoke clears at the end of this one, I am expecting the home side to have pulled away down the stretch for the comfortable ATS cover. I grabbed this line the second it came out and got -10.5, it's since gone up, but regardless, I love this selection and fully expect the Warriors to push the pace of this one from the outset and to run the visitors off the court before the end of the third quarter. Note that the Warriors have won 19 straight and 40 of 42 in Oakland. Anthony Davis rallied his team from a 25 point deficit but would ultimately come up short in Game 1, the big man finished with 35 points and seven boards, but suffice it to say, I believe this now sets up as a natural letdown spot for the Pelicans; they gave it their absolute best shot and still were unable to get the SU victory. Knowing that they did survive New Orleans' best effort is a huge mental boost for Golden State, I am fully expecting the Warriors to come out extremely confident this evening. Look for Golden State to stretch the now deflated Pelicans defense today, in my professional opinion, the writing is on the wall and a blowout is in the cards, play on the WARRIORS.

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