GAME OF THE WEEK (NBA): MIKE'S TOP RATED TOTAL

Both teams have been involved in relatively low-scoring contests lately with under is 9-2 in Spurs last 11 overall and 8-2 in Rockets last 10 overall.

This contest is important for both teams as San Antonio is in a dogfight with the Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder for the No. 5 seed in the West, so it will most certainly be motivated to bounce back from a 110-105 loss to Miami. The Spurs had won nine in a row prior to that setback and have produced a 104.1 defensive rating over the past 10 games. "Defense -- and understanding that's what's going to take us to get to the next level and beyond," Mills said in explaining the Spurs' recent run. 

The Rockets are fighting to hold off Portland for the No. 3 seed in the conference and will also be looking to bounce back from a defeat after taking a 126-125 OT loss at Memphis last time out. They had won eight of nine prior to that setback while never allowing more than 106 points. 

We can also note that under is 5-1 in the last six meetings overall and 12-3 in the last 15 meetings in Houston. The Rockets won the last meeting 108-101 with a total closing at 217.5 points, and I think this game will stay under the total as well. 

10* play on UNDER. 

OREGON VS. WISCONSIN BOOKIE BLASTER

The Wisconsin Badgers look like a bad matchup for the Oregon Ducks here in this first round of the South Region contest in San Jose, California Sunday afternoon. 

The Oregon Ducks are coming off eight straight victories after winning their final four games of the regular season followed by a perfect 4-0 run in four days, including a 68-48 rout of top-seeded Washington to claim the PAC-12 Conference Tournament. 

They did however close as favorites in all but one of those games, but here they're an underdog against a Wisconsin side that had won four on the bounce before coming up short in a 67-55 loss to Michigan State in the semifinal round of the Big 10 Tournament on Saturday. 

I think that setback will make the Badgers even more motivated for this contest while Oregon is coming in overrated by the bookies and the public and "due" for a bad game. Wisconsin is far from an offensive juggernaut, but it is one of the stingiest defensive teams in the nation which is a great asset for tournament basketball. 

8* play on Wisconsin Badgers. 

COLGATE VS. TENNESSEE ATS ANNIHILATOR

The Tennessee Volunteers are a well deserved favorite here in this NCAA Tournament first round matchup with the Colgate Raiders, but I think the underdog is spotted too many points to pass up on.

Colgate will enter Nationwide Arena steaming hot and high on confidence following 11 straight wins, including a 94-80 triumph over Bucknell in the Patriot League title game last Wednesday. 

Tennessee is without a doubt a Final Four contender, but it will also know the road there is quite long and there's no reason to waste more energy than needed to just get past its first round opponent. 

The Raiders on the other hand will have nothing to lose and will without a doubt give maximum effort throughout the whole game, opening for a backdoor cover. 

8* play on Colgate Raiders. 

SUPER EARLY NCAA TOURNEY BANKROLL BUILDER

The Ole Miss Rebels enter this NCAA Tourney matchup with the Oklahoma Sooners as losers of four of their last five games, but that straight up record is a bit deceiving. The Rebels played a tough schedule and were 4-1 ATS in those five games and a solid 13-6 ATS as favorites on the season. 

Here they'll face an Oklahoma team that is 2-4 ATS through its last six games and lost straight up as a 6.5-point favorite against WVU in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday. The Sooners are just 3-9 ATS in their last 12 NCAA Tournament games.

The Rebels will have a clear advantage on the charity stripe in this matchup, entering Friday ranked fifth nationally at 78.3%, while the Sooners are 235th at 69.1%. With this expected to a close game free throws could easily play a huge part down the stretch. 

8* play on Ole Miss Rebels. 

TOP RATED THURSDAY NIGHT NCAA TOURNEY BOOKIE BREAKER

Neither of these two teams played particularly well down the stretch with Baylor Bears losing each of their last four and Syracuse going 4-6 in its last 10 games, but note that two of those losses came against Duke ...

The Orange have performed alright against the spread lately and are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games following a straight up loss and 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 Thursday games. They'll be without PG Frank Howard, who has been suspended indefinitely for "a violation of athletic department policy." The Bears meanwhile have really struggled since losing Tristan Clark, a 6-foot-9 forward, to an ACL injury and are 1-8-2 ATS in their last 11 games overall. 

Baylor ranks 264th in the nation in offensive turnover percentage and I think it'll struggle to put points on the board against a Syracuse team that ranks 10th nationally in defensive turnovers forced.

10* play on Syracuse Orange. 

NUGGETS @ WIZARDS THURSDAY NIGHT HARDWOOD HAMMER

The Denver Nuggets have won four on the bounce and clinched a playoff spot with a 114-105 win as a 4-point underdog at Boston Celtics Monday night. Risk for a hangover? I don't think so as the Nuggets are 6-1 ATS off an upset win as an underdog this season and they have had two days to zone in on their new task; defending the top record in the Western Conference. "We said what we wanted to do at the beginning of the season and that's what we did," Nikola Jokic told the Denver Post. "Now we want to do something more."

The Washington Wizards on the other hand took an overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls Wednesday night, their third loss in four games, to fall 5 1/2 games behind eighth-place Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference. 

The Nuggets are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games playing on two days rest and I don't see a fatigued Washington side keeping this close enough to cover the spread. 

8* play on Denver Nuggets. 

TOP RATED WEDNESDAY NIGHT NCAA TOURNEY NO-BRAINER

The Arizona State Sun Devils look like a solid favorite here in their First Four matchup with the St. John’s Red Storm in Dayton, Ohio Wednesday night.

Arizona State has won six of its last eight, only losing to a surging Oregon team twice including an OT loss in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals. The Sun Devils are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a straight up loss and 5-2 ATS in their last seven games vs. a team with a winning straight up record. They recorded some big wins during the regular season, including victories over Kansas, Utah State, Washington, Mississippi State and Utah State.

Here they'll face a St. John's team that shot just 32.8% from the floor as it fell to Marquette in the second round of its conference tournament and has lost four of its last five games. We can also note that St. John owns the 12th worst offensive rebounding percentage in the nation and is one of the worst defensive squads in this year's Tournament. 

Arizona State is out-rebounding opponents by 4.8 a game and should be able to out-muscle this Red Storm team to advance to the next round and face Buffalo in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Friday. 

10* play on Arizona State Sun Devils. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA BOOKIE BREAKER

The San Antonio Spurs are the hottest team in the NBA and undefeated through nine games since taking an 85-101 loss at Brooklyn on Feb 25. They're 8-1 ATS during that stretch and coming off a solid won over defending NBA-champion Golden State at home on Monday. 

Here the Spurs will face a Miami team that has played its best basketball on the road (17-16) and is coming off an upset win at Oklahoma City. Miami is desperate for wins, sitting in the No. 8 spot in the East 1 1/2 games ahead of the Orlando Magic with 12 regular-season games to play, but I think it'll come up short here. 

Note that Spurs are one of the best home teams in the league and 18-4 ATS in their last 22 home games vs. a team with a winning road record and 26-5 ATS in revenge spots this season, which this certainly is with the Heat winning the last meeting in the series 95-88 back in November. 

10* play on San Antonio Spurs. 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT NBA TOTAL

The Memphis Grizzlies have struggled on the defensive end lately, giving up 130+ points in back-to-back losses at Atlanta and Washington. Four of their last five have gone over the total, and here they'll face an offensive powerhouse in the Houston Rockets who have averaged 119 points through their last two games. 

The Rockets are coming off a 121-105 win over Atlanta Tuesday night and over is 6-2 in their last eight games playing on zero days rest. 

All-Star guard James Harden has scored at least 20 points in 13 straight games and contributed 31 points and 10 assists against the Hawks while veteran point guard Chris Paul recorded his second consecutive double-double with 13 points and 11 assists.

8* play on OVER. 

COLLEGE BASKETBALL MIDNIGHT MASSACRE

The fourth-seeded Colorado Buffaloes are a perfect 3-0 ATS as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points this season and 11-4 ATS in all home games. 

The Buffs took a loss to top-seeded Washington in the Pac-12 Tournament final but look good to bounce back with a win here as they take on the fifth-seeded Dayton Flyers in the first round of the NIT Tuesday night. Dayton took a 64-55 loss to St. Louis in the Atlantic 10 quarterfinals its last time out. It is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600 and 0-4 ATS in its last four non-conference games. 

Colorado usually makes its homecourt advantage count, and I can easily see the Flyers struggling with the altitude at CU Events Center in Boulder. 

8* play on Colorado Buffaloes. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NBA)

Both the Sacramento Kings and the Brooklyn Nets are in desperate need of wins, the former more than the latter though as they enter Tuesday six games behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They snapped a three-game losing streak (all on the road) with a 129-102 rout of Chicago on Sunday in improve to 15-4 ATS as a favorite on the season. 

"Whether we talk about it or not, it feels like every game is a must-win coming out of the (All-Star) break," Sacramento coach Dave Joerger told reporters after the victory. "Just to have a little bit of mental relief is good for us at this point in the season."

The Nets have some margin for error as they are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. They have however dropped the first three contests of a seven-game road trip and will be facing a Kings team that is 12-3-1 ATS in its last 16 home games. We can also note that the Kings will be looking to avenge a 123-94 loss at Brooklyn back in January and that they're 23-14 ATS in revenge spots this season. 

10* play on Sacramento Kings. 

TUESDAY NIGHT NBA TOTAL

Ten of the Golden State Warriors last 11 games have gone under the total. They will have plenty of reason to slow down the tempo here as well in the second game of a back-to-back situation following a 111-105 loss at San Antonio last night. 

They'll face a Minnesota team with nothing to play for and the Wolves have averaged just 103 ppg through their last four games. Point guards Derrick Rose (elbow) and Jeff Teague (foot) have missed the last three games, and Teague has already been ruled out for this contest while Rose is listed as doubtful. 

Under is 24-8 in the last 32 meetings between these two teams, and I expect to see a relatively low-scoring affair. 

8* play on UNDER. 

LATE NBA MIDNIGHT MASSACRE

The Portland Trail Blazers had won three straight prior to a 108-103 loss at San Antonio on Saturday. "I thought it was a really good basketball game," Portland coach Terry Stotts told reporters. "Both teams really defended hard, played hard, had good performances. I thought it was good effort on our part. ... It was disappointing to lose, though."

They are a solid 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record and 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games following a ATS loss. 

Here Portland will face a Pacers side that covered the spread in a 102-100 loss at Denver on Saturday, but it is still only 2-8 ATS in its last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. 

The Blazers will be without starting shooting guard CJ McCollum (knee), but note that they're 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings with the Pacers who haven't won in Portland since 2007.

8* play on Portland Trail Blazers. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA TOTAL 

The Golden State Warriors fell to Phoenix Suns on March 10 but have bounced back with a pair of wins at Houston and Oklahoma City Thunder while allowing an average of just 96 ppg.

"I think the loss to Phoenix opened our eyes a little bit," Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters. "And I think our guys just felt threatened on the road. We've played two great teams, we've got another one, maybe the hottest team in the league in San Antonio coming up, so anytime they're threatened, I think our guys tend to play better."

Under is 9-1 in the Warriors last 10. and here they'll face a San Antonio team that has won eight straight games and held all but one of those opponents (Milwaukee) to fewer than 105 points. The Spurs lead the league in scoring defense during their winning streak, allowing just 99.8 points per 100 possessions.

The Warriors put a 141-102 beating on San Antonio last month, but you better believe Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will have his team better prepared defensively for this one. 

10* play on UNDER. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA SUNDAY NIGHT BOOKIE BREAKER

The Sacramento Kings are in desperate need of wins and will be looking to make the most of a soft patch in the schedule, starting with a matchup with the Chicago Bulls Sunday night. 

The Kings are six games out of a playoff spot following a 123-114 loss in Philadelphia on Friday, but note that they're 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games following a straight up loss and 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400. "We're playing hard, we're playing the right way, we're playing together," Kings coach Dave Joerger assured reporters after the most recent setback. "The wins are going to come."

Here they'll face a Chicago Bulls team that is just 19-51 SU on the season and 1-4-1 ATS in the last six meetings with Sacramento. With nothing to play for I don't see the Bulls keeping up with the home team here in Sac Town. 

10* play on Sacramento Kings. 

TOP RATED 10* BEARS VS. COUGARS MAJOR WAGER

The Houston Cougars have a chance to claim their first AAC tournament title in school history when they take on the Cincinnat Bearcats at FedExForum Sunday afternoon. 

The Cougars were cruising to an easy win over Memphis in their semifinals matchup on Saturday before completely shutting off down the stretch. They scored just seven points in the final 10 minutes to allow the Tigers back in the game, winning just 61-58, closing as an 8-point favorite. I doubt they'll make the same mistake two games in a row though, and we can note that the Cougars are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 games following a ATS loss.

Houston has already beaten the Bearcats twice this season and routed them 85-69 at Cincinnati just a week ago. Cincinnati is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 games and 0-4 ATS in the last four meetings with Houston.

The Cougars defense has been excellent in recent weeks and held Memphis to 23.5% shooting from the field yesterday. Cincy can no doubt play defense as well, but it doesn't shoot the ball nearly as well as the Cougars who had scored 84+ points in three straight games heading into Saturday. 

10* play on Houston Cougars. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NHL): MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* TOTAL

The Colorado Avalanche host the New Jersey Devils at Pepsi Center Sunday afternoon. The Avs are trying to hold on to their ever-slimming postseason hopes but have dropped three of their last four games and been shut out twice during that stretch.

"We have to win hockey games. We can't keep letting games slip away," Colorado defenseman Ian Cole said after the most recent loss. "Not only do you have to beat the teams that we should beat, which I guess at this point is up in the air, but we need to win games, and that's really all there is to it."

I think the Avs will come out playing tight defense to make sure they don't fall behind, leading to a low-scoring matchup with a New Jersey team that had scored just 11 goals through an 0-6-1 slide before coming up with back-to-back wins at Edmonton and Vancouver. 

Under is 19-6-5 in the last 30 meetings overall and 4-0-1 in the last five meetings in Colorado.

10* play on UNDER. 

TOP RATED 10* SATURDAY NIGHT NBA BOOKIE BREAKER

This looks like a tough spot for the Portland Trail Blazers who will be playing their second road game in two nights following a 12-point triumph at New Orleans team without Anthony Davis Friday night. They're 2-5 ATS in their last seven games playing on zero days rest and 3-9 ATS in the last 12 meetings with the Spurs at AT&T Center. San Antonio will also be playing on no rest but do not have to travel anywhere after putting a 109-83 beating on the Knicks at home Friday night. 

The Spurs are playing their best basketball of the season and own the league's longest active winning streak with seven straight victories. "It just feels good," San Antonio forward Rudy Gay said. "Things are clicking. Playing defense. Even when the ball is not going in like we want it to, we're still getting wins, and that's how you know we're getting better as a team." 

The Spurs are a solid 26-7 SU (21-12 ATS) in front of the home town crowd on the season and should be fired up for this one as they try to avenge a nine-point loss at Portland on Feb 7. They're 23-5 ATS in revenge spots this season, and I fully expect Spurs to run away with this game. 

10* play on San Antonio Spurs. 

SATURDAY NIGHT NBA TOTAL

Both the Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder have played mostly low-scoring games in recent weeks with the under 8-1 in the Warriors' last nine overall and 8-2 in OKC's last 10 overall. 

We can also note that Warriors' superstar forward Kevin Durant missed Wednesday's matchup at Houston with an ankle injury and is questionable for this contest. 

The first two meetings of the season have seen an average of only 213 points and under is 9-1 the last 10 meetings in the series. This total looks way too inflated to pass up on.  

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CBB): MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* SIDE

The Houston Cougars have averaged a scorching hot 86.3 ppg through a three-game winning streak. They're however not all about offense, as they also boast one of the best defenses in the nation entering this contest 10th in scoring defense and 2nd in defensive FG%. 

The Cougars limited the UConn Huskies to 26-percent shooting from the field in a 84-45 rout Friday afternoon, and I think they'll come through with another complete effort here against the Memphis Tigers Saturday afternoon.  

They'll face a Memphis team that is playing its best basketball of the season and advanced to the semifinals of the AAC tournament with an upset win over UCF on Friday, but keep in mind that the Tigers lost by 13 at Houston in early January. 

Memphis has improved since and will have homecourt advantage with this contest taking place at FedExForum, but it simply won't be enough to overcome this Houston team. The Cougars are 7-1 ATS in their last eight neutral site games, 22-8-1 ATS in their last 31 games vs. AAC opponents and 13-3 ATS in their last 16 Saturday games. Back Houston to get the job done. 

10* play on Houston Cougars. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (NBA): MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* SIDE

The LA Clippers had won five in a row prior to taking a 21-point loss to Portland Tuesday night. 

The loss didn't come as a complete surprise though as they were in a letdown spot and playing on no rest after putting a 140-115 beating on the Boston Celtics the previous night. 

The Clippers have now had two days to rest and prepare for Friday night's matchup with the Chicago Bulls, and I think they'll get back to their winning ways with an easy victory. 

The Bulls will also be playing on two days rest, but they're trending in the opposite direction of the Clippers going 1-5 SU and ATS through their last six games. They'll face an angry Clippers side that is 6-0 ATS in its last six games following a straight up loss and a phenomenal 21-5 ATS in its last 26 Friday night games.

10* play on LA Clippers. 

FRIDAY NIGHT NHL MONEYLINE MASSACRE

The Columbus Blue Jackets look like a solid home favorite here against the Carolina Hurricanes Friday night. 

The Canes are in a letdown spot following back-to-back road wins at Nashville and Colorado. This will be the finale of a three-game road trip and odds are they're already looking ahead to their upcoming four-game homestand. 

Columbus on the other hand will play its last home game before heading out on a four-game trek. It must make the most of home-ice advantage here to keep pace in the tight Eastern Conference playoff race. 

The Canes have been red hot on the road since the All Star break, but I think they'll come up short here. 

8* play on Columbus Blue Jackets.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON CBB BANKROLL BUILDER

The favorite is 9-0 ATS in the last nine meetings between the St. Bonaventure Bonnies and the George Mason Patriots. That's a trend I think will continue here at Barclays Center Friday afternoon. 

The Bonnies will have a significant rest advantage as their 66-57 victory over Saint Louis last weekend earned them a bye into the quarterfinal round of the A10 Tournament. George Mason on the other hand was in action yesterday and spent a lot of energy in its victory over rival George Washington. Patriots are 6-22-1 ATS in their last 29 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record and 0-6 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win

The Bonnies won the last meeting 79-56 on Feb 17 and should be able to take full advantage of a fatigued Patriots side.

8* play on St. Bonaventure Bonnies. 

SUPER EARLY UCONN VS. HOUSTON AAC TOTAL

Two teams more than capable of running up the score will clash in Friday's early matchup at FedExForum as the Connecticut Huskies clash with Houston Cougars in the quarterfinals of the AAC Tournament. 

Houston is coming off an 85-69 win over Cincinnati. It has scored 85+ points in three of its last four games and averages 76.4 ppg on the season. Connecticut shot 13-of-24 from behind the arc in an 80-73 win over South Florida last night to make it two straight games with 80+ points scored. 

Over is 9-2 in Cougars last 11 Friday games. Over is 9-2 in Cougars last 11 Friday games.

8* play on OVER. 

NBA MIDNIGHT MASSACRE

The Denver Nuggets had lost four of five including a loss to Golden State on Friday before coming through with a complete effort in a 133-107 triumph over the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night. Here they'll get an opportunity to take advantage another weak opponent with injury woes. 

Dallas has lost six straight (11 of 12) and Mavericks rookie standout Luka Doncic is banged up and managed just 12 points on 5-of-18 shooting while missing six of his seven shots from beyond the arc in Tuesday's loss to the Spurs. "He had a rough night," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said after the game. "I probably played him too many minutes."

"Honestly, I wasn’t 100 percent, but I want to play," Doncic said after the game. "I want to play always. Even if we’re not playing for that much right now, I want to play every game."

The Mavs have struggled on the road all season long, and here they'll play in one of the most hostile environments in the league. Denver won by 10 at Dallas on Feb 22 and is 23-11 ATS home at Pepsi Center this season. I like the Nuggets to roll over the Mavs tonight.  

8* play on Denver Nuggets. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NBA): MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* TOTAL

The Indiana Pacers should be farily well rested here following 103-98 win over New York at home Tuesday night.

They've struggled to put points on the board of late though, averaging only 98.8 ppg through their last four but have limited opponents to a league-best 103.9 ppg on the season.

Under is 24-11 in Pacers' games home at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. They enter this contest off four straight unders and under is 16-5 in Pacers' games after three or more consecutive unders this season. 

The OKC Thunder will be playing on no rest after defeating the Nets last night. They have failed to cover the spread in each of their last three playing on zero days rest while Indiana is 4-0 in its last four against opponents playing on back-to-back nights. Under is 13-3 in OKC's games as underdogs this season and 19-10 when playing against a team with a winning record.

10* play on UNDER. 

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

The Indiana Pacers should be farily well rested here following 103-98 win over New York at home Tuesday night.

They've struggled to put points on the board of late though, averaging only 98.8 ppg through their last four but have limited opponents to a league-best 103.9 ppg on the season.

Under is 24-11 in Pacers' games home at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. They enter this contest off four straight unders and under is 16-5 in Pacers' games after three or more consecutive unders this season. 

The OKC Thunder will be playing on no rest after defeating the Nets last night. They have failed to cover the spread in each of their last three playing on zero days rest while Indiana is 4-0 in its last four against opponents playing on back-to-back nights. Under is 13-3 in OKC's games as underdogs this season and 19-10 when playing against a team with a winning record.

While the UNDER in this contest is the BIG PLAY in the NBA today, I also like Indiana to win. 

8* play on Indiana Pacers. 

CREIGHTON VS. XAVIER ATS ANNIHILATOR

Both the Creighton Bluejays and the Xavier Musketeers ended the regular season on impressive runs. 

The Bluejays won each of their last five games SU and ATS while Xavier won six of its last seven, covering the spread in all wins. The two teams split a couple of regular season meetings with both defending homecourt, but I like Creighton to claim this conference tournament quarterfinal matchup at Madison Square Garden Thursday night. 

Note that the Musketeers top scorer Naji Marshall was held out of Saturday's win over St. John's with an ankle injury and is expected to be a game-time decision for this contest. 

Points won't come easy for Xavier here against a Bluejays side that has held four of its last five opponents to 70 points or fewer, and note that Creighton has scored an average of 91.3 ppg on the road this season. 

8* play on Creighton Bluejays. 

SUPER EARLY BIG TEN DAYTIME DESTROYER

The Indiana Hoosiers will clash with the Ohio State Buckeyes at United Center in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament Thursday afternoon. The Hoosiers put an 89-73 beating on Rutgers on Sunday to improve to 6-0 ATS through their last six games. They've won four in a row straight up, three of those as underdogs. 

The Buckeyes meanwhile took an OT loss to Wisconsin in their last game of the regular season to fall to 1-4 SU and ATS through their last five games. Ohio State's leading scorer and rebounder, sophomore center Kaleeb Wesson, has missed the last three games due to suspension but is expected to be back here. 

I still don't think that'll be enough for the Buckeyes though, facing a red hot Indiana team more or less forced to win to have any change of making the NCAA Tournament. 

8* play on Indiana Hoosiers. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL): MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* NHL MONEYLINE

Two slumping teams will clash at Rogers Arena Wednesday night as the Vancouver Canucks host the New York Rangers.

The Nucks have dropped five of their last six, but they were sizable underdogs (+150 or more) in all those six games and all but two of those contests were on the road. They beat Anaheim 4-0 their last game closing as a favorite and have had three days to rest and recover since taking a 6-2 loss to Vegas Saturday night. 

The New York Rangers on the other hand will be playing their third game in four nights after taking a 3-2 OT loss at Edmonton Monday night. They've lost seven of their last eight, with the lone win during that stretch as a -175 favorite against New Jersey. The Rangers are 7-20 in their last 27 games as a road underdog of +110 to +150. 

Great spot to back the Canucks to get a much needed win.

10* play on Vancouver Canucks. 

WARRIORS @ ROCKETS ATS ANNIHILATOR

The Golden State Warriors took a 115-111 home loss to the West-worst Suns on Sunday. That can't sit right with the two-time defending champions who had impressed in a 17-point win over Denver just a couple days earlier. I expect a solid outing from the Warriors tonight. 

"Frustrated," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said describing his team. "Frustrated with our play, with ourselves, just our approach. So, we all feel it. I think the Denver game was a better indicator of what we're capable of, and then to so quickly get off track one game later, that's very frustrating and that's something we've got to correct. We've got to build some momentum; we've got to build better habits. We've got to stay connected emotionally, and it's the only way it can work."

Here the Warriors will be playing on two days rest and facing a Houston Rockets team that will be playing its third game in four nights and is in a letdown spot after winning nine in a row. The run that started with a win in Oakland on Feb 23, but this is a good spot to back the Warriors to avenge that loss. 

8* play on Golden State Warriors. 

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

The Golden State Warriors took a 115-111 home loss to the West-worst Suns on Sunday. That can't sit right with the two-time defending champions who had impressed in a 17-point win over Denver just a couple days earlier. I expect a solid outing from the Warriors tonight. 

"Frustrated," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said describing his team. "Frustrated with our play, with ourselves, just our approach. So, we all feel it. I think the Denver game was a better indicator of what we're capable of, and then to so quickly get off track one game later, that's very frustrating and that's something we've got to correct. We've got to build some momentum; we've got to build better habits. We've got to stay connected emotionally, and it's the only way it can work."

Here the Warriors will be playing on two days rest and facing a Houston Rockets team that will be playing its third game in four nights and is in a letdown spot after winning nine in a row. The run that started with a win in Oakland on Feb 23, but this is a good spot to back the Warriors to avenge that loss. 

Additionally we can note that under is 7-1 in Warriors last eight vs. a team with a winning straight up record and 20-8 in Rockets last 28 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

8* play on UNDER. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA BOOKIE BREAKER

The Memphis Grizzlies turned over a lot of their roster at the trade deadline, but that have only had a positive effect so far. They enter this contest as winners of four of their last five (5-0 ATS), with the lone SU loss as a 10-point underdog at Oklahoma City. 

Here the Grizzlies will be playing on two days rest since a 105-97 win over Orlando on Sunday and are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games playing on two days rest.

The Atlanta Hawks will also play on two days rest after snapping a three-game losing streak with a 128-116 win over New Orleans on Sunday. They're 6-19-1 ATS in their last 26 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points though, and note that the Hawks are playing with some minute restrictions for key players late in the season. 

With both teams well rested I expect to see aggressive defense from both sides, and that will fit Memphis and its superior defense just fine. Take Grizzlies. 

10* play on Memphis Grizzlies. 

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

The Memphis Grizzlies turned over a lot of their roster at the trade deadline, but that have only had a positive effect so far. They enter this contest as winners of four of their last five (5-0 ATS), with the lone SU loss as a 10-point underdog at Oklahoma City. 

Here the Grizzlies will be playing on two days rest since a 105-97 win over Orlando on Sunday and are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games playing on two days rest.

The Atlanta Hawks will also play on two days rest after snapping a three-game losing streak with a 128-116 win over New Orleans on Sunday. They're 6-19-1 ATS in their last 26 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points though, and note that the Hawks are playing with some minute restrictions for key players late in the season. 

Atlanta is often involved in high-scoring games but under is 5-1 in the last six meetings with Memphis. With both teams well rested I expect to see aggressive defense from both sides, and that will fit Memphis and its superior defense just fine. Take Grizzlies to win a relatively low-scoring game. 

8* play on UNDER.

PATRIOT LEAGUE TOURNAMENT TITLE GAME

The Bucknell Bison look like a good value underdog here in the Patriot League Tournament title game.

The Bison shot a red hot 53.4% from the field in a 97-75 rout of Lehigh last time out and are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.

The Colgate Raiders have failed to cover the spread in two of their last three games and struggled to pull away from Navy in their semifinals game. 

Bucknell and Colgate split a couple of games during the regular season with both winning at home. We can however note that Bison are the two-time defending Patriot League Tournament champions, so they know what this game is all about. I'm looking for the visitors to overcome Colgate's homecourt advantage and at the very least cover the spread. 

8* play on Bucknell Bison. 

EARLY ACC TOURNAMENT DAYTIME DESTROYER

The Miami (FL) Hurricanes are at a huge rest disadvantage in this early ACC Tournament matchup with the Virginia Tech Hokies Wednesday afternoon.

Virginia Tech has had four days to rest and prepare since its 84-70 win over the Hurricanes last Friday. The Canes on the other hand were in action last night as they earned a spot in the second round by beating Wake Forest. The Hurricanes are still just 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record while VT is 15-5-1 ATS in its last 21 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.

The Hokies have managed to overcome an injury to senior point guard Justin Robinson and enter this contest as winners of five of their last seven games. sophomore guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker has picked up the slack and put up 21 points against the Canes last time out. "In adversity, you kind of have to bring your best out. I think I've done that," Alexander-Walker explained. "Thanks to my teammates, because through this transition, they’ve been nothing but supportive."

Additionally we can note that Miami is 1-3 ATS in neutral court games this season while Virginia Tech is a perfect 4-0 ATS in such spots. As the clincher; The Hokies are 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.

8* play on Virginia Tech Hokies. 

NBA SPURS @ MAVS BANKROLL BUILDER

The San Antonio Spurs are on a roll, travelling to Dallas off five straight victories including a 121-114 triumph over the East-leading Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. We can however note that they're just 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games playing on one days rest and 1-8 ATS in their last nine vs. Western Conference foes. 

The Dallas Mavericks have lost five in a row and 10 of 11, but they usually step up their game against their in-state rivals. The Mavs gave Houston a scare on Sunday losing by just one point and they have covered the spread in eight of the last 10 meetings with the Spurs. We can also note that Dallas is 21-12 SU (21-11-1 ATS) home at American Airlines Center this season. 

The underdog is 23-4 ATS in the last 27 meetings in the series, and I expect a fired up Mavs side to keep this close against a Spurs team in a letdown spot. 

8* play on Dallas Mavericks. 

EARLY ACC ATS ANNIHILATOR

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish have split a pair of games so far in 2019, but the Yellow Jackets are 11-1-1 ATS in the last 13 meetings. 

I like Georgia Tech to come through with a win here in this ACC Tournament first-round matchup Tuesday night. Note that Notre Dame is just 1-10 ATS in its last 11 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record and 1-6 ATS in its last seven Tuesday games. 

Georgia Tech is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 Tuesday games and will be high on confidence following back-to-back wins, the most recent a 63-61 triumph as an 11-point underdog against NC State. The Fighting Irish on the other hand have dropped seven in a row since defeating Georgia Tech on Feb 10. 

8* play on Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. 

LATE NIGHT NCAAB TOTAL

The St. Mary's Gaels have played seven straight unders and have not been in action since a 69-55 loss to Gonzaga on March 2. I would not be surprised to see them come out rusty with some wild shooting to start this game. 

It certainly won't help matter that the Gaels will face a San Diego side that has held its first three opponents in the WCC tournament to an average of 49.7 ppg. Under is 6-2 in the Toreros' last eight overall. 

The under is 5-0 in the last five head-to-head meetings and they combined for just 112 points in the very last matchup in the series just a few weeks ago. 

8* play on UNDER. 

TOP RATED 10* PISTONS @ NETS BOOKIE BREAKER

The Detroit Pistons are one of the hottest teams in the NBA with 12 wins through their last 14 games. They'll be playing on no rest tonight but didn't have to burn all that much fuel in their 131-108 rout of the Chicago Bulls early Sunday afternoon. 

Coach Dwane Casey could afford to rest Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson for the entire fourth quarter after finishing the third with a 23-point lead. "That was huge, because we're playing in Brooklyn tomorrow and then we go to Miami," Casey said. "We're not in a position to use what they are calling load management to give our players a night off, so being able to sit them in the fourth is a bonus."

The Brooklyn Nets have followed a three-game skid with three straight wins, but they've mostly been taking advantage of lesser teams and are just 1-5 ATS through that six-game stretch. 

This is an important contest for both teams with 6th-placed Detroit just 1/2 game ahead of the 7th-placed Brooklyn in the Eastern Conference standings and both teams looking to distance themselves from the playoff bubble. The road team is 7-0 ATS in the last seven meetings, and I'm well happy to take the points on the white hot Pistons here. 

10* play on Detroit Pistons. 

TOP RATED 10* CBB BOOKIE BLASTER

The Ball State Cardinals have been absolutely atrocious against the spread lately, failing to cover in each of their last seven games and going 3-14 ATS through their last 17. 

Here they'll face an Eastern Michigan team that won the last meeting in the series 68-61 on March 5 and have covered the spread in each of their last three games. 

The Eagles fell 64-58 at Toledo last time out (as a 10-point dog), but note that they're 6-1 ATS after scoring 60 points or fewer this season and 4-1 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss. 

Great spot to back Eastern Michigan to bounce back with a big performance against a reeling Ball State side. 

10* play on Eastern Michigan Eagles. 

TOP RATED 10* SUNDAY NIGHT NBA TOTAL 

The Phoenix Suns will head to Oakland with their heads held high as they had won three on the bounce before taking a 127-120 loss at Portland on Saturday. Under is 8-4 in Phoenix games with total of 230+ points this season and I think we'll see a relatively low-scoring affair as they visit the Golden State Warriors Sunday night. 

The Suns had allowed just 103.3 ppg during their winning streak and limited the Milwaukee Bucks to 105 points Monday night. Here they'll face a Golden State Warriors team that is coming off a 122-105 win over Denver to make it six unders through their last seven games. The Warriors have not played particularly well of late and will most likely not do much more than needed to get the W here. 

Golden State claimed the first meeting of the season 117-107 about a month ago and has won 18 straight meetings in the series. The Warriors have outscored Phoenix by an average of 16.4 points during that stretch, and I think we'll see Golden State run up the score early and then slow down the tempo in the 4th quarter. Who will cover is tough to say as the Suns might get the backdoor cover, but I'm confident this game will stay under the total. 

10* play on UNDER. 

BUCKS @ SPURS SUNDAY NIGHT BOOKIE BLASTER

The San Antonio Spurs are playing great basketball at the moment, coming off four straigth wins SU (3-1 ATS). 

Milwaukee is still the better team, but at a significant rest disadvantage playing on no rest following a 131-114 win over Charlotte late Saturday. The Bucks have played two games (and flown 1,100 miles south) since the Spurs last game, a 111-104 victory in Atlanta Wednesday night. 

Spurs are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games playing on three or more days rest and 16-5 ATS in their last 21 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

8* play on San Antonio Spurs. 

MAGIC @ GRIZZLIES HARDWOOD HAMMER

The Orlando Magic are fighting for their playoff lives, but they're in a tough spot here at FedExForum. The Magic had lost back-to-back road games at Cleveland and Philadelphia before returning home to beat Dallas Friday night, and now they'll play another two games on the road.

The Memphis Grizzlies meanwhile are coming off back-to-back home victories, the most recent an impressive 114-104 win over Utah Friday night. They're 8-2 ATS after a win by 10 points or more this season and I like the Grizzlies to come through with a big outing here as they close out a three-game homestand. 

8* play on Memphis Grizzlies. 

TOP RATED 10* BIG TEN BOOKIE BREAKER

The Wisconsin Badgers are coming off a dominant 65-45 win over Iowa. They're 6-2 ATS in their last eight games vs. a team with a winning straight up record and I expect the Badgers to win and cover the spread here at Ohio State Sunday afternoon. 

The Buckeyes have lost five of their last seven and have averaged just 50.5 ppg in back-to-back blowout losses, by 35 points at Purdue and 18 at Northwestern. That two-game slide has coincided with the suspension of their leading scorer and rebounder in sophomore Kaleb Wesson who will be forced to sit this one out as well. 

Buckeyes are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600 and 1-5 ATS in their last six home games vs. a team with a winning road record. 

OSU's woes without Wesson continues and Wisconsin runs away with this game.

10* play on Wisconsin Badgers. 

NCAAB DAYTIME DESTROYER TOTAL

The Iowa Hawkeyes are losers of three in a row and shot just 30.5% from the field in a 65-45 loss to Wisconsin last time out.They'll have coach Fran McCaffery back on the bench for this contest after serving a two-game suspension.

I think coach McCaffery will be looking for a solid defensive effort from the Hawkeyes, but their scoring woes are likely to continue against a Nebraska side that has held opponents to 59.1 ppg home at Pinnacle Bank Arena this season (under is 6-1 in Cornhuskers last seven home games). 

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (SOCCER)

Manchester United's transformation since replacing Jose Mourinho with caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been has nothing short of extraordinary. They've won 15 of 18 games under OSG, travelled to Paris without 10 players and still managed to knock out PSG of the Champions League with a 3-1 victory Wednesday. 

Nothing is impossible for the Red Devils at the moment, and you better believe the players will be fired up for this rivalry game with Arsenal. Playing at Emirates sure won't scare the visitors who are on a club record run of nine successive away victories in all competitions, and we can note that Arsenal took a 3-1 loss at Rennes i the Europa League on Thursday. 

10* play on Manchester United. 

EARLY TOP RATED 10* NBA DAYTIME DESTROYER

The Sacramento Kings are desperate for wins to stay in contention for a postseason berth. They have lost four of their last five but a tough schedule has been a factor. The Kings only win during that stretch 115-108 home triumph over the New York Knicks on March 4, and I think they'll pick up an easy win here at MSG Saturday afternoon.  

The Kings are just 12-18 SU on the road overall but 5-1 SU and ATS as road favorites. They're 8-2-1 in their last 11 road games overall and 9-3 last 12 games following a straight up loss, which they are here after taking a tight loss to Boston Wednesday night.

The Knickerbockers are 2-7 ATS in their last nine home games vs. a team with a losing road record. They took a 107-96 loss to Phoenix last time out and are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up loss. As an organization. the Knicks have very little incentive to win games as they rather look to improve their chances of getting the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. 

10* play on Sacramento Kings.

GAME OF THE YEAR (CBB): MIKE'S TOP RATED EARLY BIG 12 BET

I absolutely love the Texas Longhorns home at Frank Erwin Center Saturday afternoon. The visiting TCU Horned Frogs are a complete mess, entering this contest as losers of six of their last seven games (SU and ATS). The Longhorns will smell blood and not doubt look forward to the opportunity to revenge a 65-61 loss at TCU back in January. 

We can also note that a Longhorns win would put them at .500 in conference play for some additional motivation for the home team.  

Texas is 1-3 SU through its last four games but had covered the spread in four straight prior to a blowout loss at Texas Tech last time out.

The Longhorns are 5-0 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss and put a 69-57 beating on Oklahoma State their last time out as a favorite to improve to 5-1 ATS L6 as favorites.

10* play on Texas Longhorns.  

GAME OF THE MONTH (NBA): MIKE'S TOP RATED TOTAL

The Golden State Warriors are in need of a solid defensive outing following a 128-95 blowout loss to Boston Tuesday night. Only one of their last six games have gone over the total total and under is 8-2 in Warriors last 10 games after allowing more than 125 points in their previous game. Tonight they'll face Denver team that seen each of its last seven games go under the total.

Both the Nuggets and the Warriors are obviously very capable of putting up good numbers, but neither side is playing particularly well at the moment. I expect to see a tight playoff-like affair as they jostle for the top spot in the conference and home-court advantage throughout the Western playoffs. 

10* play on UNDER. 

FRIDAY NIGHT NHL MONEYLINE MASSACRE

The Montreal Canadiens took a 5-2 loss at San Jose Thursday night, not all that surprising considering regular goalie Carey Price got the night off in the 2nd game of a back-to-back situation. Price had started eight in a row prior to that loss and figures to be back in the crease tonight. 

Both teams will be playing their third game in four nights; Ducks are 6-18 in their last 24 in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation while Canadiens are 9-2 in their last 11 in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation.

The Habs enter Friday as owners of the second wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and I expect to see a motivated Montreal team make light work of Anaheim Ducks, a Western Conference bottom-feeder. 

8* play on Montreal Canadiens. 

TOP RATED 10* BIG TEN BOOKIE BREAKER

This looks like a great time to back the Maryland Terrapins as they seek to rebound from back-to-back losses to Penn State and Michigan. They're 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a ATS loss and have covered the spread in six of the last eight meetings with the Minnesota Golden Gophers (including a 82-67 win on Jan. 8). 

The Golden Gophers are in a letdown spot following a 73-69 upset victory over ninth-ranked Purdue on Tuesday. Minnesota is just 6-15 ATS in its last 21 games following a ATS win and I expect the home team to run up the score here at XFINITY Center Friday night.

10* play on Maryland Terrapins. 

THURSDAY NIGHT BIG TEN ATS ANNIHILATOR

Both the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Wisconsin Badgers have been atrocious against the spread lately with Iowa going 0-6 ATS through its last six games and Wisconsin 0-5-1 ATS through its last six. 

The Badgers might have performed poorly against the spread, but they're going for a fourth win in five games here and I expect the home team to come up with a big performance here. The Badgers defeated PSU 61-57 last time out and have plenty of motivation as they look to earn a double bye in the Big Ten tournament. 

"In this league you have to scratch and claw for everything you get," Wisconsin coach Greg Gard told reporters. "Our guys have figured out what our identity needs to be and how tough we need to play." The Badgers are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 home games vs. a team with a winning road record and have covered the spread in five of the last seven meetings in this series. 

We can also note that this will be the final game of Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery’s two-game suspension. They lost the first one by 14 to Rutgers on Saturday. 

The Hawkeyes are a poor 6-14-1 ATS in their last 21 road games and I like the Badgers to run away with this game. 

8* play on Wisconsin Badgers. 

CELTICS @ KINGS MIDNIGHT MASSACRE

This looks like a great spot to fade the Boston Celtics who are in a major letdown spot following a blowout win over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. Boston had lost five of six before that win and is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games playing on zero days rest. 

Here the Celtics will face a Sacramento team that is desperate for wins, entering Wednesday night three games out of the final playoff spot in the West after dropping five of its last six games. The Kings did defeat the Knicks last time out and are far from a pushover home at Golden 1 Center going 11-3 ATS in their last 14 home games (20-13 SU, 22-11 ATS at home on the season). 

The home team is 11-4 ATS in the last 15 meetings and I'm well happy to back the Kings here at a pick'em. 

8* play on Sacramento Kings. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CBB): MIKE'S BEST BIG EAST TOTAL

The Creighton Bluejays host the Providence Friars at CHI Health Center Omaha Wednesday night. Under is 8-1 in the last nine meetings, and I think this will be another relatively low-scoring affair.

Providence had played back-to-back unders (against St. John's and Marquette) before going over at Butler last time out, but only because the game went to OT.

Under is 10-1 in Friars last 11 vs. a team with a winning straight up record, and here it'll face a Creighton team that held conference-leading Marquette to 60 points last time out.

Under is 3-0 in Bluejays games where they held their previous opponent to 60 point or fewer this season and 9-1 in their last 10 overall.

10* play on UNDER. 

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

The Creighton Bluejays host the Providence Friars at CHI Health Center Omaha Wednesday night. Under is 8-1 in the last nine meetings, and I think this will be another relatively low-scoring affair.

Providence had played back-to-back unders (against St. John's and Marquette) before going over at Butler last time out, but only because the game went to OT.

Under is 10-1 in Friars last 11 vs. a team with a winning straight up record, and here it'll face a Creighton team that held conference-leading Marquette to 60 points last time out.

Under is 3-0 in Bluejays games where they held their previous opponent to 60 point or fewer this season and 9-1 in their last 10 overall.

Additionally we can note that Providence is a perfect 4-0 ATS as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points on the season. Take the visitors to cover the spread in a low-scoring contest.

8* play on Providence Friars. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NBA): MIKE'S TOP RATED NBA SIDE

The Detroit Pistons are playing their best basketball of the season right and have won nine of their last 11 after defeating Toronto 112-107 on Sunday.

They're 7-1 ATS in their last eight games playing on two days rest, and here they'll take on a reeling Minnesota team that had lost four of five prior to an 11-point triumph over OKC Tuesday night.

Detroit has covered the spread in seven straight meetings in the series, and with momentum and rest favoring the Pistons I expect nothing less than a blowout win for the home team here at Little Caesars Arena Wednesday night. 

10* play on Detroit Pistons. 

CELTICS @ WARRIORS MIDNIGHT MADNESS

The Golden State Warriors are coming off a high-scoring 120-117 win at Philadelphia Saturday night, but that game still went under an extremely bloated total which closed at 238 points. The total for this contest is not quite as inflated, but I see many trends supporting the under here. 

Under is 6-0 in both the Celtics and the Warriors last six vs. a team with a winning straight up record. The Celtics have averaged only 102 ppg through a 1-5 slide and under is 8-1 in their last nine road games. 

Under is 6-0 in the last six meetings in this series.

8* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NHL)

The Montreal Canadiens enter Tuesday in the second wild-card slot in the Eastern Conference and had won four of six games before Saturday taking a 5-1 home loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday. They're 4-0 in their last four games playing on two days rest, 23-7 in their last 30 games following a home loss of three or more goals and 5-1 in their last six games as a road favorite. 

Here the Habs will face a LA Kings side that is in a major letdown spot after snapping a 10-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory over Chicago on Saturday. "Just awesome," All-Star defenseman Drew Doughty proclaimed after the streak-busting victory. "It feels really good. But it's hard to look past all those losses we had." 

I really don't expect LA to go on a run, and this looks like a more than reasonable price on a motivated Montreal team. 

10* play on Montreal Canadiens. 

TOP RATED 10* SEC BASKET BRAWLER

The Kentucky Wildcats took a 71-52 loss at No. 4 Tennessee on Saturday to fall to third place in the SEC standings. They're still 10-4 ATS through their last four games, and here the Wildcats will face an Ole Miss Rebels side they've owned in recent years, winning nine in a row straight up while going 6-1 ATS through the last seven meetings. 

Ole Miss lost a heart breaker 74-73 to Arkansas on Saturday for its third loss in four games. I think the Rebels find it extremely tough to reset mentally and bounce back against an angry Cats side that lost in a blowout last time out. 

Kentucky senior forward senior forward Reid Travis has missed the last three games after injuring his knee in a win over Missouri on Feb 16. "That’s all up to the medical staff," Wildcats assistant coach Tony Barbee said Monday when asked if Travis could return for this contest. I don't expect Travis to play tonight (if he plays it's just a bonus), but Kentucky has enough quality to win and cover the spread here either way. 

10* play on Kentucky Wildcats. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA BOOKIE BREAKER

The Chicago Bulls have played slightly better lately than their 18-46 record would indicate in winning five of their last seven games. They have however still struggled against tough opposition and are 1-4 ATS in their last five games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. 

Here the Bulls will face an Indiana Pacers team that sits 3rd in the East with 41-23 record, but will be desperate to get back on track after dropping three of their last four games.

The Pacers took a 117-112 loss to the Orlando Magic last time out and Pacers coach Nate McMillan was not pleased with his players' mentality. "You can talk about a call, but after you talk about that call, you've got to get back to calm," McMillan said to the Indianapolis Star. "The officiating was a distraction. There's been a couple games since this (All-Star) break where we are looking at the officiating. We kind of get drunk on emotions out there. Everything is rushing. You're not clear about what you need to do."

The Pacers are 7-0 ATS in their last seven home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400 and 22-9 ATS in their last 31 games following a straight up loss. I think McMillan will have his team ready to go for this one. 

10* play on Indiana Pacers. 

TOP RATED 10* BIG 12 BASKET BRAWLER

To say that the No. 11 Texas Red Raiders are red hot would be an understatement. They enter this contest on a seven-game winning streak during which they're 6-1 ATS and they've put up 80+ points in four straight games. 

On Saturday Texas Tech shot 56.9 percent from the field to earn an 81-66 victory at TCU. The Red Raiders can not afford to take a breather just yet though as  Kansas State is keeping pace with them atop the Big 12 standings. 

The visiting Texas Longhorns are in a letdown spot after ending a two-game slide with a dominant 17-point win over Iowa State on Saturday. Easy play on the home team here IMO. 

10* play on Texas Tech Red Raiders. 

PELICANS @ JAZZ HARDWOOD HAMMER

The New Orleans Pelicans are 2-0 in March after posting back-to-back wins, first at Phoenix and most recently at Denver Saturday night (despite playing the 2nd game of a back-to-back set and resting Anthony Davis). They're 18-13 ATS as an underdog this season and 7-1 ATS in their last eight games vs. a team with a winning straight up record. 

I think the Pels will cover the spread here as they take on a Utah team very much in a letdown spot after four consecutive victories, the most recent over Milwaukee on Saturday.

Utah put a 132-111 beating on the Pels in the first meeting of the season, but note that NO is 18-11 ATS when trying to revenge a loss vs. an opponent. 

Pelicans are 6-0 ATS in their last six Monday games. Jazz are 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 Monday games.

8* play on New Orleans Pelicans. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA BOOKIE BREAKER

The Brooklyn Nets are holding on to 7th place in the Eastern Conference despite a three-game slide (SU and ATS). They'll need to get back to their winning ways ASAP though with several teams within striking distance behind.

"This is kind of like playoff time and teams raise their level, so just playing good defense isn't good enough," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said after Saturday's 117-88 setback at Miami. "We have to take another step up, and the contests have to be a little better, the individual defense has got to be a little better. We've got to turn it up a notch. Just being OK, or good isn't good enough right now with teams desperate to get in the playoffs."

I like the Nets to put an end the slide tonight as they take on a Dallas team which heads to Brooklyn with six losses (SU and ATS) in its last seven games. The Mavs took a 111-81 beating by Memphis last time out. That loss came at home, and now they'll have to go on the road where they're a pathetic 6-24 SU on the season.   

The Mavericks won the first meeting of the season 119-113 home in Dallas back in November. The Nets are 25-12 ATS in revenge spots this season and I expect a blowout win for the home team in this contest. 

10* play on Brooklyn Nets. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL MONEYLINE MASSACRE

The Winnipeg Jets recorded a 5-3 win over Nashville on Friday, but they've won just four of their last 12 games and have not recorded back-to-back wins for three weeks. 

Here they'll face a Columbus Blue Jackets team that will be looking to bounce back from a 4-0 loss to Edmonton on Saturday for their second loss in three games. "It's below our standard, which can't happen this time of year," Columbus forward Nick Foligno said following the defeat. "We're moving right by it. I'm not gonna pick it apart, talk about what's good or bad, we're moving right by it,"  coach John Tortorella told reporters.

The favorite is 6-2 in the last eight meetings, and I think the price is right to back the home team to come through with a win despite the rest disadvantage. 

10* play on Columbus Blue Jackets. 

TOP RATED 10* WOLVES @ WIZARDS BOOKIE BREAKER

We'll see two reeling teams desperate to get back on track and remain relevant in the playoff hunt clash at Capital One Arena Sunday night. The Minnesota Timberwolves are heading to D.C. with just one win through their last four games, but they're still in better shape than the Wizards who are 1-5 through their last six. 

The Wolves have had two days off since a 122-115 loss at Indiana on Thursday. Karl-Anthony Towns scored a season-high 42 points in the loss and has averaged 37.7 points, 18.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists over the past three games. The Wolves are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall and 4-1 ATS in their last five road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

The Wizards took a 107-96 loss at Boston Friday night and are just 2-7 ATS in their last nine games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.

Minnesota is 12-6 ATS when the total is greater than or equal to 230 while the Wizards are 6-10 ATS in such spots.

10* play on Minnesota Timberwolves. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NBA): MIKE'S TOP RATED EASTERN CONF TOTAL

This will be the 2nd leg of a back-to-back set for the Detroit Pistons, but they didn't have to spend too much energy in a comfortable 129-93 win over the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers Saturday afternoon. 

Under is 25-8-1 in their last 34 games playing on zero days rest and the Pistons should have plenty of gas left in the tank to play good defense in this matchup with the Toronto Raptors. "We played as well as we expected," Detroit coach Dwane Casey said. "I wouldn't put anything into the amount of points or the point differential. I promise it's not going to be that type of game tomorrow."

Toronto is coming off a high-scoring 119-117 triumph over Portland Friday night, but they had played two straight unders prior to that and under is 7-2 in their last nine vs. Eastern Conference foes. 

The Pistons defeated the Raptors 106-104 in Toronto on Nov. 14 and under is 3-1-1 in the last five meetings in the series.

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CBB): MIKE'S BIG TEN ATS ANNIHILATOR

The No. 17 Maryland Terrapins took a 78-61 beating at Penn State on Wednesday, perhaps a result of looking ahead to this matchup with the No. 9 Michigan Wolverines home at XFINITY Center Sunday afternoon. 

They'll face a Michigan team that is coming off an 82-53 rout of Nebraska and has covered the spread in 11 of its last 15 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. 

The Wolverines recorded a 65-52 win over Maryland on Feb. 16 and are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 Sunday games. The Terrapins are 1-6-1 ATS in their last eight Sunday games.

Michigan is allowing just 58.2 ppg on the season, and the Terps shooting was far from sharp last time out, going just 2-of-19 from downtown. The visitors superior defense will earn them the win here. 

10* play on Michigan Wolverines. 

SUPER EARLY BLAZERS @ HORNETS TOTAL

The Portland Trail Blazers took a 119-117 loss at Toronto on Friday and over is 3-1 in their last four games. The Charlotte Hornets recorded a 123-112 win at Brooklyn the same night and five of their last six games have gone over the total. 

Additionally, over is 11-1-1 in Trail Blazers last 13 games playing on one days rest and 13-3-1 in their last 17 vs. opponents from the Eastern Conference. 

8* play on OVER. 

SATURDAY NIGHT NBA HARDWOOD HAMMER

The Brooklyn Nets are coming off back-to-back home losses, the most recent a 123-112 setback to Charlotte Friday night. They're 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games playing on zero days rest and 1-5 ATS in their last six games vs. a team with a losing straight up record. The Miami Heat have dropped four of their last five but put up a good fight in a 121-118 loss at Houston on Thursday. They really need a win here, entering Saturday 1 1/2 games out of a playoff spot. I think the rest advantage, as slim as it is, and desperation will be the deciding factor for the home team.

8* play on Miami Heat. 

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The Brooklyn Nets are coming off back-to-back home losses, the most recent a 123-112 setback to Charlotte Friday night. They're 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games playing on zero days rest and 1-5 ATS in their last six games vs. a team with a losing straight up record. The Miami Heat have dropped four of their last five but put up a good fight in a 121-118 loss at Houston on Thursday. They really need a win here, entering Saturday 1 1/2 games out of a playoff spot. I think the rest advantage, as slim as it is, and desperation will be the deciding factor for the home team.

In addition, I also think we have good angles supporting the over. The Nets have allowed an average of 124 points through their last two games and over is 7-2 in their last nine overall. The Heat have allowed an average of 122.3 points through their last four games with each going over the total.

8* play on OVER. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (CBB): MIKE'S BEST 2018/2019 REG SEASON TOTAL

The No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats put an 86-69 beating on the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers three weeks ago and have won an additional three straight games since. They've played great defense during that four-game stretch, holding opponents to an average of 61.5 ppg. 

The Vols had won 19 straight prior to that defeat, and you better believe the home side will be angry and hungry for revenge here in the rematch at Thompson-Boling Arena Saturday afternoon. They've struggled to put points on the board lately though, scoring just an average of 70 ppg through their last four contests (including an 80 point OT outing at LSU). 

Under is 7-1 in Wildcats last eight overall and 13-5-2 in Volunteers last 20 vs. a team with a winning straight up record. Under is 13-5-2 in the last 20 meetings.

Kentucky, Tennessee, and LSU are tied at the top of the SEC with identical 13–2 records, so this is a lot at stake here. I expect to see a tense, low-scoring affair. 

10* play on UNDER. 

IOWA STATE @ TEXAS BIG 12 BOOKIE BLASTER

The Iowa State Cyclones have not been at their very best of late, but they snapped a two-game losing streak with a 78-61 win over Oklahoma last time out and own a pretty impressive resume with triumphs over teams like Kansas State, Texas Tech and Ole Miss. 

The Longhorns are coming off back-to-back defeats, the most recent a 84-83 loss at Baylor on Wednesday night. They've won just one of their last four and averaged 70.7 points in those games, and that simply won't cut it against an Iowa State team more than capable of running up the score. 

8* play on Iowa State Cyclones. 

SUPER EARLY LSU @ BAMA BANKROLL BUILDER

The LSU Tigers are coming off back-to-back wins over No. 7 Tennessee and Texas A&M, but they've covered the spread in only one of the last seven meetings with Alabama, and that was when they won the first meeting of the season 88-79 at home. Note that Bama is a perfect 6-0 ATS when trying to avenge a road loss this season giving us a 100% PERFECT angle to back the home team. 

The Crimson Tide are 7-1-1 ATS in their last nine home games vs. a team with a winning road record and in desperate need of a win, looking to improve their position on the NCAA Tournament bubble. LSU won't lack motivation as it enters Saturday in a three-way tie for the SEC regular season title, but I like the home team to come through with a big win in this matchup. 

8* play on Alabama Crimson Tide. 

TOP RATED 10* CLIPPERS @ KINGS BOOKIE BREAKER

This is a huge contest for both teams with the LA Clippers two games ahead of the Sacramento Kings for the final Western Conference playoff spot. 

The Clippers took a 111-105 loss at Utah on Wednesday and have found it hard to get in the groove since trading leading scorer Tobias Harris to Philadelphia at the trading deadline. 

The Kings will be even more desperate for a win after losing four of their last five, the most recent a 141-140 OT home loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday. They've been underdogs in all those five games though and beat Phoenix by 13 points their lsat game as a favorite. On the season, Sacramento is 14-1 SU and 13-2 ATS as a favorite. 

The Clippers have won 13 straight meetings at Sacramento, but the Kings are having a solid season and I think the value is on the home team in this matchup. 

10* play on Sacramento Kings. 

CAPITALS @ ISLANDERS METROPOLITAN DIV MASSACRE

Huge rest advantage for the Washington Capitals who have had several days off since their 7-2 victory over Ottawa on Tuesday while the New York Islanders were in action Thursday night, posting a 6-1 victory over Toronto.

The Islanders are 1-4 in their last five vs. a team with a winning record and 1-4 in their last five games as a home underdog. Capitals are 14-6 in their last 20 games as a road favorite and I expect the Caps to be the favorite come game time. 

The Islanders enter this contest top of the Metropolitan Division, two points ahead of Washington. That can't sit right with the reigning Stanley Cup-champion and I expect to see a well rested and focused Caps team come through with a win here. 

8* play on Washington Capitals. 

TOP RATED 10* CBB ATS ANNIHILATOR

The Quinnipiac Bobcats beat St. Peter's by 19 points home at People's United Center about a month ago. They're coming off a 68-56 triumph at Monmouth-NJ to improve to perfect 4-0 SU and ATS through their last four on the road and the the Bobcats are a solid 10-4 ATS away from home on the season. 

I don't think they'll have any trouble to take care of business here Friday night, facing a Peacocks team that may have won back-to-back games but had lost eight straight prior to that. 

St. Peter's is just 4-7-1 ATS at home on the season and has dropped four of its last five home at Yanitelli Center outright. 

10* play on Quinnipiac Bobcats. 

NBA MIDNIGHT MASSACRE (LATE START)

The Denver Nuggets were going through somewhat of a rough patch at the beginning of the month, but they've stepped up since and are a perfect 3-0 SU and ATS since the All Star break. 

The Nuggets are the best home team in the league at 27-4 SU (22-9 ATS) and here they'll be looking to take advantage of a Utah team that will be playing the 2nd game of a back-to-back set following a 111-105 win over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers last night. 

The home team is 13-3 ATS in the last 16 meetings and the Nuggets have covered the spread in five straight meetings with the Jazz at Pepsi Center, including a 103-88 triumph back in November. We also have a revenge angle for the home team as the Jazz won the last meeting (at home) on Jan 23. 

8* play on Denver Nuggets. 

HORIZON LEAGUE HARDWOOD HAMMER

The Northern Kentucky Norse are 16-1 at home but just 5-7 SU (3-9 ATS) on the road this season. They've played four of their last five at home and I think the Norse will come up short in terms of covering the spread here at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena Thursday night. 

The Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers have lost nine in a row SU, but seven of those were on the road. They would like no more to play spoiler for a N. Kentucky team that is battling for the top spot in the Horizon League despite splitting their last eight games. Note that UW-Milwaukee has covered the spread in six of the last eight meetings with the Norse. 

8* play on Wisc-Milwaukee Panthers. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NBA): MIKE'S TOP RATED SIDE

This looks like too many points for the Golden State Warriors to cover. They're 1-7 ATS through their last eight games overall will be playing on no rest here following a 126-125 loss at Miami last night. Warriors are 0-5-1 ATS in their last six games playing on zero days rest and 3-13 ATS in their last 16 Thursday night games.

The Magic have won eight of their last 11 contests overall and are 6-2 ATS L8 despite a lackluster outing last time out, a five-point loss at New York. It's very likely the Magic looked past the lowly Knicks though, and I have no doubt they'll be fired up for this matchup with the reigning champions. 

Golden State has won 11 straight vs. Orlando but won by just six home in Oakland back in November. Bank on the host to keep it close at Amway Center Thursday night. 

10* play on Orlando Magic. 

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

This looks like too many points for the Golden State Warriors to cover. They're 1-7 ATS through their last eight games overall will be playing on no rest here following a 126-125 loss at Miami last night. Warriors are 0-5-1 ATS in their last six games playing on zero days rest and 3-13 ATS in their last 16 Thursday night games.

The Magic have won eight of their last 11 contests overall and are 6-2 ATS L8 despite a lackluster outing last time out, a five-point loss at New York. It's very likely the Magic looked past the lowly Knicks though, and I have no doubt they'll be fired up for this matchup with the reigning champions. 

Golden State has won 11 straight vs. Orlando but won by just six home in Oakland back in November. Bank on the host to keep it close at Amway Center Thursday night. 

I also think we have good angles to back the under here: Under is 17-7-1 in Warriors last 25 games following a straight up loss and 7-2 in their last nine games after allowing more than 125 points in their previous game. Under is 10-2 in Magic's last 12 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.

8* play on UNDER. 

TOP RATED 10* PACERS @ MAVERICKS BASKET BRAWLER

The Indiana Pacers have won eight of their last 10 straight up but took a 113-109 loss at Detroit on Monday to fall to 3-9 ATS in their last 12 road games. Here they'll visit a Mavericks team that is 20-10 SU and 19-10-1 ATS home at American Airlines Center, and I'm well happy to back the home team in this matchup. 

The Mavs certainly won't lack motivation as they seek to end a five-game SU and ATS slide. They've played a tough schedule lately though and were without rookie sensation Luka Doncic (ankle) for a couple of games. Doncic was back in action Monday and contributed 28 points in Dallas' 121-112 road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Note that Dallas will be seeking to avenge a 12-point loss at Indiana back in January and that the Mavs are 24-14 ATS in revenge spots this season.

10* play on Dallas Mavericks. 

NBA HARDWOOD HAMMER

The Chicago Bulls had won three on the bounce before taking a 117-106 loss to Milwaukee last time out. 

The winning streak started with a 12-point home win over Memphis on Feb 13, and you better believe the Grizzlies will be fired up to even the score in front of the home fans at FedExForum Wednesday night. 

The Grizzlies will be looking to build on a 110-105 upset win over LA Lakers Monday night and are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400 (Chicago is 9-20 on the road). 

8* play on Memphis Grizzlies. 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT CBB BANKROLL BUILDER

The Drake Bulldogs had won four straight before taking a 67-60 loss as a 2-point underdog at Illinois State on Sunday. They were in a position to win but will be very disappointed after allowing their opponent to run away with the game late. 

The Bulldogs are 9-2-1 ATS home at Knapp Center on the season and look like a solid home favorite here against an Indiana State team that has covered the spread in back-to-back games but is just 1-6 ATS in its last seven games following a ATS win. The Sycamores are giving up 77.5 ppg on the road which is way above their season average overall. 

Drake won the first meeting of the season by six points at Indiana State and is still the favorite to claim the MVC title despite its most recent defeat. I expect the Bulldogs to make the most of their motivational and home advantage here.

8* play on Drake Bulldogs. 

TOP RATED 10* MARYLAND @ PENN STATE BOOKIE BREAKER

The Maryland Terrapins picked up a 66-65 triumph at Iowa last time out on the road on Feb 19 to improve to 8-3 ATS in their last 11 road games and followed that up with a 10-point triumph over Ohio last Saturday.

The Nittany Lions have won three of their last four following an 83-76 win at Illinois on Saturday, but they're 3-8 ATS in their last 11 home games and 2-6-1 ATS in their last nine games following a straight up win.

Maryland is 7-1 ATS and Penn State 0-3 ATS in games with a total of 130 - 139.5 points this season. 

The Terps won the first meeting of the season 66-59 without even playing that well, and they've covered the spread in each of the last three meetings with Penn State. I think the visitors will come through with a win here. 

10* play on Maryland Terrapins. 

TUESDAY NIGHT NBA NO-BRAINER

This looks like a good spot to back the Toronto Raptors as they seek to bounce back from an embarrassing 113-98 home loss to the Orlando Magic on Sunday. 

Toronto gave All-Star small forward Kawhi Leonard the day off for that contest but he figures to be back in action here against Eastern Conference rival Boston Celtics who have won just two of their last six. 

The visitors also need a bounce back after taking a 126-116 loss to Chicago Bulls on Saturday, but note that the Celtics have failed to cover the spread in seven straight visits to Toronto.

8* play on Toronto Raptors. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL): MIKE'S TOP RATED MONEYLINE

The Calgary Flames travel to New York riding a five-game winning streak, including a 4-2 win over New York Islanders last Wednesday. It's however worth noting that the Flames were heavily favored in all but one of those games, and I think this looks like a good spot to back the Islanders to get revenge. 

The Flames barely squeeked by the Senators at Ottawa as a -225 favorite on Sunday, scoring the winning goal with just 41 seconds left in regulation. They are 3-12 in their last 15 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600, and here the Flames will run into an Islanders team that is a solid 18-7-1 as a home team on the season and blanked the Canucks in a 4-0 triumph at Vancouver last time out.

The favorite is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings, and I expect that team to the Islanders come game time. 

10* play on New York Islanders. 

TUESDAY NIGHT ACC ATS ANNIHILATOR

The Miami Hurricanes are winless on the road this season (0-7), but they lost by just three points as a 16-point underdog at North Carolina on Feb 9. Miami recorded a 76-65 home win over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Jan. 12 and I think the Hurricanes are due for a big win on the road here at Lawrence Joel Coliseum Tuesday night.

The slumping Demon Deacons have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last nine and took a 94-74 loss as a 15-point underdog at NC State on Sunday. Here Wake Forest will face a Hurricanes team that will have a one-day rest advantage after putting an 80-65 beating on Georgia Tech on Saturday. Miami has covered the spread in five of six games this month. 

Additionally we can note that Wake Forest is 6-12 ATS as an underdog on the season and 0-5 ATS when trying to avenge a road loss vs. an opponent, making this a good spot to fade the home team. 

8* play on Miami-Fl Hurricanes. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (CBB): MIKE'S TOP RATED ACC TOTAL

The Under is 8-2 in the Duke Blue Devils last 10, 18-6-2 in their last 26 and 7-0 in their last seven Tuesday night games. 

Zion Williamson (knee sprain) has been ruled out for this contest and I expect another relatively low-scoring contest for the Blue Devils tonight as they face a Virginia Tech team that held Notre Dame to 32.8 percent shooting from the field in a 67-59 triumph last time out. 

Under is 13-3 in Hokies last 16 vs. a team with a winning straight up record and 13-3 in the last 16 meetings with Duke. 

10* play on UNDER. 

MONDAY NIGHT NHL MONEYLINE MASSACRE

The Colorado Avalanche have outscored opponents 20-4 during a four-game winning streak. They're expected to have Semyon Varlamov back between the pipes here after giving the 30 year old Russian the night off in Saturday's 5-0 win at Nashville, and I don't think the Avs will have any trouble to take care of business here against the Florida Panthers Monday night. 

Sure, the Panthers have won four of their last five, but all of those games were at home and they're just 2-6 in their last eight road games. We can also note that Colorado has all the momentum in the series, having won three straight meetings after earning a 5-2 victory at Florida on Dec. 6. 

8* play on Colorado Avalanche. 

TOP RATED 10* BIG 12 BOOKIE BREAKER

This looks like a good spot to back No. 12 Kansas Jayhawks as they need a quick bounce back from an embarrassing 91-62 loss at Texas Tech on Saturday. 

It was their worst loss in a Big 12 game in the 16-year Bill Self era, and I think KU will come out sharp tonight. "Coach talked about getting ready for K-State. He said, ‘Can’t get this one back. Worry about the next one.’ I think we’ll bounce back pretty well," KU junior forward Dedric Lawson said, adding, "Sometimes a loss can be a blessing in disguise."

On the other end of the spectrum we have a Kansas State Wildcats team in a letdown spot after beating Oklahoma State by 39 points last time out. It's also worth noting that the Jayhawks will be seeking to avenge a 74-67 loss in Manhattan, Kansas on Feb. 5. 

The Jayhawks are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points and the favorite is 18-6-2 ATS in the last 26 meetings with Kansas State.

10* play on Kansas Jayhawks. 

MONDAY NIGHT ATS ANNIHILATOR

The San Antonio Spurs took a 130-118 beating by the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden yesterday. That marked the 12th time in Spurs last 13 games the score went over the total, and I think that will be the case once again here at Brooklyn Monday night. 

Over is 14-2 in Spurs last 16 games playing on zero days rest and 12-3-1 in their last 16 games after allowing more than 125 points in their previous game. The Nets are coming off a 117-115 triumph at Charlotte and five of their last six overall have gone over the total. 

In addition to picking the over as a free play, I also think we have strong case for backing the Nets here. San Antonio has dropped six of of its last seven, and fatigue will surely be an issue tonight. "It was a pathetic performance defensively but the Knicks had something to do with that," coach Gregg Popovich told the media yesterday. "They were physical. They did a good job." 

San Antonio has won seven straight meetings. Expect Nets team fired up to end that losing streak as they can smell blood in the water. 

8* play on Brooklyn Nets. 

PACERS @ PISTONS MONDAY NIGHT BOOKIE BLASTER

Two of the hottest teams in the NBA will clash at Little Caesars Arena as the Detroit Pistons host the Indiana Pacers. The home team is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings, and I think this looks like a good spot to back the home team Detroit. 

The Pacers won six of seven prior to the All Star break and didn't lose any momentum during the layoff, recording back-to-back wins against New Orleans and Washington. They're however only 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games, and here they'll face a Detroit side that has won six of its last seven and will be seeking to avenge a 125-88 loss at Indiana on Dec. 28.

Indiana has since lost All-Star Victor Oladipo to a season-ending injury, and a motivated home team should get the job done here.

8* play on Detroit Pistons. 

SUNDAY AFTERNOON BIG TEN BOOKIE BLASTER

The Michigan State Spartans have answered a three-game skid by winning four in a row, but they failed to cover the spread in a 71-60 win over Rutgers last time out and here they're in a tricky spot on the road at instate rivals Michigan. Note that this is a huge matchup for both teams as they enter this contest tied with Purdue at the top of the Big Ten standings with 13-3 conference records. 

The Spartans have been underdog twice this season and failed to cover the spread both times, first against Kansas at neutral location back in November and more recently losing by 10 at Purdue Jan 27. Here Michigan State will face a Wolverines team that is a perfect 16-0 SU home in Ann Arbor and 11-0 ATS in its last 11 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.

This will be the first meeting of the season, but Michigan has dominated the last three matchups and I think the home team will get the job done here. 

8* play on Michigan Wolverines. 

MAGIC @ RAPTORS ATS ANNIHILATOR

The Orlando Magic entered the All Star break on a five-game winning streak (SU and ATS) but took a disappointing 110-109 home loss as an 8-point favorite against Chicago in their first game back in action Friday night. 

They're 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 Sunday games, and here the Magic will face a Toronto team that has failed to cover the spread in four straight games and is 26-34 ATS on the season. The Raptors are sitting in second place in the East but have constantly just put in the bare minimum effort needed to get the W.

Orlando's recent loss to the Bulls should give the team a wake up call that it can't take anything for granted if it wants to reach the postseason, entering this game on the outside looking in 1 1/2 game back of Charlotte. I'm counting on Orlando to keep this a close game. 

8* play on Orlando Magic. 

TOP RATED 10* BIG EAST BOOKIE BREAKER

The Villanova Wildcats recorded an 85-75 triumph over Xavier on January 18, and I think another matchup with the Musketeers will help them end a two-game slide (losing as favorites at St. John's and Georgetown). 

The Wildcats are still 9-3 ATS in their last 12 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600 and here they'll face a Xavier team that is often overrated by the books home at Cintas Center, going 5-11-3 ATS in its last 19 home games. The Musketeers are on a nice run having won three on the bounce, but they had lost and failed to cover the spread in six straight prior to that. 

Villanova is one game behind Big East-leading Marquette while Xavier is trying to stay in contention for the big dance, so neither team will lack motivation. I think Villanova will prove too strong though and I'm happy to give the points and back the visitors.

10* play on Villanova Wildcats. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

The New York Islanders look like great value here at Vancouver as they seek to end a two-game slide, first losing 4-2 at Calgary followed with a tough 4-3 OT loss at Edmonton. 

"It's a couple of tough games for us, it's going to be important here that we bounce back and re-focus and get back to playing the way we need to play," defenseman Ryan Pulock said after the most recent defeat. 

Here the Islanders will face a reeling Vancouver team that is 2-5-2 in its last nine games and just lost at home to the Arizona Coyotes. The Islanders are 5-1 in the last six meetings and should get the job done once again.

10* play on New York Islanders. 

SATURDAY NIGHT BIG 12 BOOKIE BLASTER

Huge matchup for No. 12 Kansas Jayhawks and No. 14 Texas Tech Red Raiders who are tied for 2nd place in the Big 12 with 9-4 records, one game behind Kansas State.

Texas Tech will be seeking revenge for a loss at Kansas on Feb 2, and it has won and covered the spread in four straight games since, winning by an average of 24 points while holding opponents to an average of 54 ppg. 

Kansas has won and covered the spread in three straight games but is 1-4 ATS as an underdog this season and 2-6 ATS in its last eight road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. We can also note that Lagerald Vick, second on the team in scoring, has missed the last three games and is out indefinitely as he deals with personal matters.

8* play on Texas Tech Red Raiders. 

PISTONS @ HEAT BOOKIE BLASTER

The Miami Heat took a 106-102 loss at Philadelphia in their first game back from the All Star break on Thursday. This will be their first game home at American Airlines Arena since Feb 2, and I think they'll be eager to put on a show for the home town crowd.

They'll face a Detroit team in a less than ideal spot, playing on no rest after a hard-fought win at Atlanta Friday night. We can also note that the Pistons usually struggle to put points on the board away from home. 

The teams have split two matchups in Motor City this season. The home team is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings in the series and that's a trend likely to continue. 

8* play on Miami Heat. 

TOP RATED 10* BIG EAST BOOKIE BREAKER

The Georgetown Hoyas are coming off an impressive 85-73 upset win over Villanova. They still have their work cut out for they want to make the NCAA Tournament, and a loss here would be devastating. "We have to build on this, it can't be just a one-game thing," coach Patrick Ewing told the media. "We have five more games to go and our dreams and our goals are to make the NCAA Tournament."

Creighton had lost four straight before finally breaking out of the slump with a 79-67 win at DePaul last time out. The Bluejays are 8-6 SU but just 5-8 ATS at home on the season and 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games overall vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

Creighton has won each of the last four meetings SU (3-1 ATS), but I would not be surprised to see Georgetown winning this one straight up and I'm well happy to take the points on the visitors in this matchup. 

10* play on Georgetown Hoyas.