TOP RATED PELS @ WARRIORS GAME 1 TOTAL

The New Orleans Pelicans are not getting much respect here despite coming off a dominant sweep of the third-seeded Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs. The Pels may very well be underrated here, but I have my eyes on the total which is set extremely high for a playoff game. Note that under is 4-0 in Pelicans last four Conference Semifinals games and 6-1 in their last seven road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Under is 5-1 in Warriors last six home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

10* play on NO @ GS to go UNDER the total. 

TOP RATED THUNDER @ JAZZ *BOOKIE BREAKER*

The Utah Jazz failed to close out the series on Wednesday as the OKC Thunder managed to come back from a 25 point deficit less than four minutes into the third quarter to win 107-99. The Jazz are still holding a 3-2 lead in the series, and I think they'll get the job done home at Vivint Smart Home Arena Friday night. The place will be no doubt be rocking, and the Utah crowd has carried the Jazz to 13 and 17 point victories in previous home games in this playoff series.

10* play on Utah Jazz. 

CAVS @ PACERS *MONEYLINE MASSACRE*

The Indiana Pacers were in command of this playoff series after three games, but the Cavs have bounced back with two close victories to take a 3-2 lead in the series. I like the Pacers to stay alive and force a Game 7 with a win home at Bankers Life Fieldhouse Friday night. 

The Pacers were ahead 56-49 at halftime Wednesday night, but lost as Lebron James drilled a 3-pointer to win it at the buzzer. "The series ain't over," Pacers' leading scorer Victor Oladipo said. "You got to win four games, right? We still got a game on Friday. I don't think anyone is discouraged or upset. It sucks we lose. But we can give ourselves a chance to come back (to Cleveland) for Game 7."

Cavaliers are 6-14 ATS in their last 20 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Pacers are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record and 7-0 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up loss.

8* play on Indiana Pacers. 

TOP RATED CELTICS @ BUCKS *BOOKIE BREAKER*

The Boston Celtics took a 3-2 series lead with a 92-87 win two nights ago, and I think they'll finish the job and advance to the Conference Semifinals with a win at Milwaukee Thursday night. 

The Celtics are getting healthier and had guard Marcus Smart back on the floor after missing the last six weeks with a thumb injury. Smart only scored nine points in 25 minutes of work but was a force on the defensive end; there's no coincidence that Bucks' superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was limited to 16 points and just 10 shot attempts on the night.

"You can look at stat sheets all you want; with Marcus it just doesn’t tell the story," Celtics coach Brad Stevens told reporters. "It's his energy, it's his emotion, it's little plays that turn out to be game-changing plays. Those are huge plays. And we have other guys that are making them when he hasn't been here, but he makes them every night. He makes them every night that he plays."

Either team have yet to win on the road in this series, but the Bucks won by just two points the last game here at BMO Harris Bradley Center and we can note that they're 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

10* play on Boston Celtics. 

TOP RATED 10* WIZARDS @ RAPTORS *BOOKIE BREAKER*

The Toronto Raptors, the No. 1 seed in the East, must be extremely disappointed to enter Game 5 of this series with the No. 8 seed Washington Wizards tied at 2-2.

I expect them to really bring it in front of the fired up home-town crowd Wednesday night. 

Both teams have defended their home court so far, and that's a trend likely to continue here; the Wizards are a pathetic 1-9 ATS in their last 10 road games while the Raptors are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five home games.

Home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings. 

10* play on Toronto Raptors. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NBA)

The Spurs just delayed the inevitable when they stayed alive with a 103-90 win home at San Antonio in Game 4 on Sunday. It was the perfect storm with Spurs hitting 15-of-28 from 3-point range and the Warriors turning the ball over 18 times (seven turnovers in the game's first 5 1/2 minutes). 

That loss can't sit right with the Warriors who are still holding a 3-1 lead in the series and will be looking to the Western Conference semifinals where the Pelicans are already waiting. "Lack of focus to start the game was really the key," Warriors coach Steve Kerr noted. "More than energy, it was a sense of purpose. And I take a lot of the blame for that. I should know better as a coach of a team that's been up 3-0 plenty times -- you gotta know you're going into the lion's den ..." 

Kerr won't make the same mistake twice, and we can note that for the third game in a row, the Spurs will be coached Tuesday by assistant Ettore Messina, with Gregg  Popovich having left the team after the death of his wife last week. Massive coaching advantage GS. 

The Warriors won the first three matchups of the series by an average of 16.3 ppg, and I expect a BLOWOUT win for GS home at Oracle Arena Tuesday night.

10* NBA Game of the Week: Golden State Warriors. 

TOP RATED 10* THUNDER @ JAZZ TNT BLOWOUT

The Utah Jazz coasted to 115-102 triumph on Saturday to take a 2-1 series lead in the series. The Thunder now need a victory here in Game 4 to avoid going back to Oklahoma City facing an elimination game on Wednesday, but they're just 2-5 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points and I think Utah will roll to another relatively comfortable victory here Monday night. 

The Jazz might not have talented players like Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony, but they make up for it with arguably the best defense in the league and as a bonus Ricky Rubio went off for 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in Game 3. 

Throughout the series, Utah has outscored the Thunder 140-108 in the paint and also owns a 37-25 advantage in offensive rebounds plus a 49-36 edge in second-chance points.

OKC is likely to come out with purpose and determination, but so will the home team and I expect Utah to prove to be too strong again. 

10* play on Utah Jazz. 

LATE NIGHT CAVS @ PACERS TNT BLOWOUT

The Indiana Pacers have all the momentum after battling back from a 17-point deficit to win Game 3 and take a 2-1 lead in the series. The Cavs superstar LeBron James can't do it all on his own and the Pacers should be fired up and determined to not let the home fans down here Sunday night. 

Cavaliers are 12-26-1 ATS in their last 39 games following a straight up loss and 5-14 ATS in their last 19 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Pacers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

Cavaliers are 3-9-1 ATS in the last 13 meetings in Indiana. Cavaliers are 5-16-1 ATS in the last 22 meetings.

8* play on Indiana Pacers. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NBA)

The Golden State Warriors are on a mission; to prove that they don't need Steph Curry to compete with the other elite teams in the NBA. They've cruised to triumphs in each of the first three games in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs, and I expect another easy Warriors win to complete the sweep here in Game 4. 

San Antonio has not been able to match Warriors offense, averaging just 96.7 points in the series, and I don't see why this contest would be any different. "We want to not come back, limit our road travel and expand our time to rest so we can get our best guys healthy, like Steph (Curry), KD and Shaun," shooting guard Klay Thompson told reporters after Game 3. "That’s our motivation."

Warriors are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings in San Antonio. Warriors are 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings overall.

10* NBA Game of the Week on Golden State Warriors. 

EARLY CELTICS @ BUCKS *ATS ANNIHILATOR*

The Boston Celtics took a day off in Game 3 of this series after winning back-to-back games home at TD Garden. I expect coach Brad Stevens to have his squad fired up for this game after taking a 116-92 loss Friday night. Celtics are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games following a straight up loss while the Bucks are just 1-7 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

Celtics are 7-2 ATS in the last 9 meetings in Milwaukee and 19-6 ATS as an underdog this season. 

8* play on Boston Celtics. 

SATURDAY NBA TOTAL OF THE DAY

The Portland Trail Blazers are at risk of an early exit from the NBA playoffs when they enter Smoothie King Center Saturday afternoon. They've scored an average of just 99.7 ppg through the first three defeats, and I don't think points will come easy today either. 

Betting Portland games to go under the total has been a winning recipe all season long and note that the under is 6-1 in Trail Blazers last seven vs. a team with a winning straight up record. Under is 9-3-1 in Pelicans last 13 vs. a team with a winning straight up record and I expect to see solid and aggressive defense from both teams in this contest. 

8* play on POR @ NO to go UNDER the total. 

SATURDAY NBA *MONEYLINE MASSACRE*

The Miami Heat will virtually fight for their postseason life when hosting the 76ers Saturday afternoon, desperate to avoid traveling to Philadelphia in a 3-1 hole in the series. 

I think they're in big trouble though with this talented Philly team getting even stronger with the return of Joel Embiid. Playing for the first time since March 28, Embiid had 23 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists in 30 minutes in the Sixers' 128-108 Game 3 win over the Miami Heat. 

76ers are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points and I like Philly to win here and advance to the next round. 

8* play on Philadelphia 76ers. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (NBA)

The Boston Celtics made the most of their homecourt advantage to the first couple of games of this series after escaping with a 113-107 overtime triumph in Game 1 and following up with a 120-106 win in Game 2 Tuesday night. 

They're an underdog at Milwaukee Friday night, but I would not be surprised to see the Celtics win this one outright. They're extremely well coached under Brad Stevens and can adjust to whatever Milwaukee tries to do.  

Boston is 19-5 ATS as an underdog this season, and this is a lot of points to get in what should be a close game.

10* GAME OF THE YEAR on Boston Celtics. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *BOOKIE BREAKER*

The Golden State Warriors claimed the first two games of this series by an average of 18 points while scoring 114.5 ppg. I don't think they'll want to give seventh-seeded San Antonio Spurs a chance to get back into it, and I expect the Warriors to try to close out this series ASAP.

San Antonio has huge matchup problems especially from behind the arc; note that Spurs were just 4-of-28 from 3-point range in Game 2, while the Warriors were 15-of-31. 

Warriors are 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings.

10* play on Golden State Warriors. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA PACERS @ CAVS *BOOKIE BREAKER*

The Indiana Pacers claimed Game 1 98-80 as a 7-point underdog. I find it unlikely that they'll win back-to-back games at Cleveland outright, but I'm well happy to take the points on the Pacers in this matchup. 

Cavs superstar Lebron James has never lost a first-round series (12-0), and had never even a Game 1 of any first round prior to Monday's contest, but he's not surrounded by much talent this season as proven by the result in the first game of this series.

Indiana has a lot of grit, and we can note that the Pacers are 7-1 ATS in their last seven games vs. a team with a winning straight up record while the Cavs finished the regular season a NBA-worst 32-49-1 ATS. The Cavs should be fired up for this one, but I still think they're asked to cover too many points.

10* play on Indiana Pacers. 

TOP RATED 10* PELICANS @ BLAZERS TOTAL

The New Orleans Pelicans stole a 97-95 victory in Saturday's opener with the total closing at 216.5. I think we'll see another relatively low-scoring contest here in Game 2. 

New Orleans played excellent defense in Game 1 and held Portland to 31.9 percent shooting from the field, including 3-of-17 from behind the arc. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum combined for just three points on 1-of-15 shooting in the first half, which the Blazers finished trailing 45-36. "We just didn't make shots," said Lillard. "Give credit to what they did defensively. They were physical, and they were trapping a lot of my pick-and-rolls."

Expect more of the same tonight. 

Under is 8-2-1 in Pelicans last 11 vs. a team with a winning straight up record and 5-0 in Trail Blazers last five vs. a team with a winning straight up record. Under is 7-2-1 in the last 10 meetings in Portland.

10* play on NO @ POR to go UNDER the total. 

BUCKS @ CELTICS *MONEYLINE MASSACRE*

The Boston Celtics did extremely well to finish as the No. 2 seed in the East considering the amount of injuries they've battled throughout the season. 

A lot of credit must be given to coach Brad Stevens as they're one of the best coached sides in the NBA, and I'm sure Stevens has set up a plan how to handle Giannis Antetokounmpo as stopping him = stopping the Bucks. 

Al Horford did his best to keep the Greek Freak occupied at the other end of the floor in Game 1, a contest the Celtics won 113-107 after overtime. "I've got to do a better job guarding Horford," Antetokounmpo said. "He's a really big body, he's under control, he knows what he's doing down there. Hopefully in Game 2, I won't play on my heels. I'll play more on my toes and be able to defend without fouling, too."

I like Boston to take a 2-0 lead in the series. 

8* play on Boston Celtics. 

SPURS @ WARRIORS *ATS ANNIHILATOR*

The Golden State Warriors stumbled into the playoffs, losing three of their last four (and 10 of their last 17) regular season games, but had no trouble to dismiss the San Antonio Spurs 113-92 in Game 1 of this Conference Quarterfinals series. I assume they're looking to make a statement and prove people that doubted them wrong, and I predict another rout here Monday night.

This is not a great Spurs team, and coach Gregg Popovich was not happy with the performance in the first game.  "I thought we were very prepared physically and mentally, but I was mistaken. As I said, we looked like deer in the headlights. The defense was really poor as far as following game plan of the first quarter, and it's a bad combination to play defense like that and not shoot at the other end."

Warriors are 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings. 

8* play on Golden State Warriors

WOLVES @ ROCKETS *NO-BRAINER*

The Minnesota Timberwolves clinched their playoff berth with an overtime victory on the final day of the regular season. The "reward" is a series against the NBA-best Houston Rockets. 

This is simply a terrible matchup for Minnesota which struggles do defend the perimeter while Houston has fired 42.3 3-point attempts per game and made 36.2 percent of those shots. Over is 14-3 in the last 17 meetings, and I think we'll see another high-scoring affair tonight. 

8* play on MIN @ HOU to go OVER the total. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*

The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a very disappointing season and enter the playoffs as low as the No. 4 seed in the East. They'll be matched up with the Pacers in the first round, and I think Indiana will keep it a close game here in the series-opener. Cavs superstar Lebron James has never lost a first-round series (12-0), nor even a Game 1 of any first round, but he's not surrounded by much talent this season.

Indiana has a lot of grit, and we can note that the Pacers are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games vs. a team with a winning straight up record while the Cavs finished the regular season a NBA-worst 32-49-1 ATS. The Cavs are overrated once again here IMO.

8* play on Indiana Pacers. 

BUCKS @ CELTICS *MONEYLINE MASSACRE*

The Boston Celtics have done extremely well to finish as the No. 2 seed in the East considering the amount of injuries they've battled throughout the season. A lot of credit must be given to coach Brad Stevens as they're one of the best coached sides in the NBA, and I'm sure Stevens has set up a plan how to handle Giannis Antetokounmpo as stopping him = stopping the Bucks. 

The Celtics closed out the season on a solid 14-6 ATS run, and I don't think the break between the regular season and the playoffs will affect them negatively (4-1 ATS in their last 5 games playing on three or more days rest). The Bucks on the other hand are 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 games playing on three or more days rest.

8* play on Boston Celtics. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*

The Philadelphia 76ers closed out the regular season with 16 straight victories and took down the Bucks 130-95 their last time out. The 76ers are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games following a straight up win of more than 10 points and look good to get the job done here against the Miami Heat who had lost two straight before beating Toronto 116-109 in OT in their last regular season game. Philly is simply too hot to not back here, and note that the Sixers are a solid 27-13 ATS at home this season. 

10* play on Philadelphia 76ers. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*

The Toronto Raptors are the beast of the east right now and finished the regular season as the No. 1 seed in the conference. I think they're asked to cover too many points here when taking on the Washington Wizards in Game 1 of the conference quarter-finals on Saturday though. Note that the Raptors have yet to win a Game 1 of a first-round postseason series in their franchise history, and they've been overrated by the books lately going just 3-10-1 ATS in their last 14 games overall.

The Wizards are 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings in Toronto and I think this will be way closer than the line suggest. 

8* play on Washington Wizards. 

NBA *ATS ANNIHILATOR*

The Utah Jazz are coming off a 119-79 thumping of Golden State Tuesday night. They'll play on no rest, but coach Quin Snyder used no player more than 28 minutes in yesterday's contes. I think the Jazz will be able to keep this a close game with the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference on the line. 

Utah has won six straight and scored plenty of points during that stretch while Portland is slumping at the wrong time, heading into this contest off four straight defeats. The Blazers shot just 33 percent from the floor in an 88-82 loss at Denver Monday night. 

8* play on Utah Jazz. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *BOOKIE BREAKER*

The Washington Wizards are slumping at the wrong time and have lost four straight to drop into eighth place in the Eastern Conference. 

They took a 103-97 home loss to the lowly Atlanta Hawks their last time out and coach Scott Brooks was far from happy with the performance. "Not passing the ball to one another. Simple as that. Nobody wanted to share the basketball tonight," coach Scott Brooks said. "When you do that, you end up taking bad shots. When you take bad shots, you end up missing. Simple game. You pass it to your teammate."

The Boston Celtics are banged up and will be without Kyrie Irving (knee) for the rest of the season, but they're also extremely well coached under Brad Stevens and according to the Boston Globe, Stevens promised he was going to play his first unit major minutes against Washington. 

Boston suffered a 112-106 setback to Atlanta on Sunday but is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games following a straight up loss and 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings in this series. The Celtics are 17-4 ATS as an underdog on the season. 

10* play on Boston Celtics. 

NBA *ATS ANNIHILATOR*

The Brooklyn Nets made a franchise-record 24 3-pointers in their 124-96 triumph at Chicago two days ago, their fourth win in the last six games. During those six games, the Nets are shooting 41.2 percent from 3-point range. "When we're hot, I felt like we can run with anybody in the gym," Quincy Acy told reporters. "And tonight, we got hot."

Brooklyn shot 38.1 percent from 3-point range in its 104-87 home win over Chicago on Feb. 26. The Nets are looking to finish the season strong while the Bulls don't mind losing to improve their chances in the draft lottery. 

8* play on Brooklyn Nets. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *BOOKIE BREAKER* TOTAL

The Oklahoma City Thunder are coming off a huge 108-102 triumph at top-seeded Houston Rockets on Saturday. They can clinch a playoff spot with a win here against Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena Monday night, so I have no doubt that they'll bring it on the defensive end of the court.

The Heat are already in the playoffs but took a brutal 122-98 loss to the New York Knicks on Friday, so they no doubt want to do better defensively here. Under is 23-11 in Heat's last 34 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.

Under is 4-0 in OKC's last four road games, 7-1 in its last eight overall and 20-6 in its last 26 Monday games. Under is 7-0 in Miami's last seven vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

Under is 8-0 in the last eight meetings, including a 105-99 Thunder win in Oklahoma City on March 23. 

10* play on OKC @ MIA to go UNDER the total. 

SUPER EARLY 10* NBA *BOOKIE BREAKER*

The Indiana Pacers have won six of their eight (beating the Warriors twice) but set season lows for points, made field goals and field-goal percentage in Friday's 92-73 loss to Toronto, the second night of a back-to-back. 

I expect the Pacers to come out ready to play here as they seek to rebuild some momentum with the playoffs just around the corner. The Pacers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a straight up loss and 15-7 ATS in their last 22 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.

The Charlotte Hornets meanwhile will watch the postseason on TV and are expected to give expanded minutes to the younger players on the roster down the stretch. They've won five of nine games since officially eliminated from playoff contention, three of the four losses against three of the East's playoff teams -- Cleveland, Washington and Philadelphia. 

Charlotte is just 8-21-3 ATS in their last 32 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

10* play on Indiana Pacers. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER* (TOTAL)

The Washington Wizards blew a late lead in last night's 119-115 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. I don't see them having any intention of driving up the tempo here when playing on no rest, and the Atlanta Hawks have failed to score more than 100 points in all of their last four games. Under is 6-2 in Atlanta's last eight and 6-1 in the last seven head-to-head matchups in Washington.

10* play on ATL @ WAS to go UNDER the total. 

NBA 3-PACK

The Cleveland Cavaliers have won eight of nine while playing under interim coach Larry Drew. They'll have Tyronn Lue back on the sidelines tonight, and I think they'll play hard to give him a win. Washington meanwhile has lost six of its last eight games and has failed to cover the spread in nine of their last 12. 

Cavaliers are 7-0 ATS in their last eight home games. Wizards are 0-6 ATS in their last six road games.

8* play on Cleveland Cavaliers. 

NBA 3-PACK

The Golden State Warriors have won three in a row following a 111-107 triumph at Oklahoma City on Tuesday. They were without Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green or Stephen Curry available in a 92-81 home loss to Indiana on March 27, but they're getting a little bit healthier lately and I think they'll be fired up to avenge that loss tonight. 

The Pacers dropped a 107-104 decision at Denver on Tuesday and they're just 2-6 ATS in their last eight home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

Under is 12-5 in Warriors last 17 overall. Under is 7-1 in Pacers last eight home games. Under is 6-2 in the last eight meetings in Indiana.

8* play on GS @ IND to go UNDER the total. 

NBA 3-PACK

The Golden State Warriors have won three in a row following a 111-107 triumph at Oklahoma City on Tuesday. They were without Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green or Stephen Curry available in a 92-81 home loss to Indiana on March 27, but they're getting a little bit healthier lately and I think they'll be fired up to avenge that loss tonight. 

The Pacers dropped a 107-104 decision at Denver on Tuesday and they're just 2-6 ATS in their last eight home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

Under is 12-5 in Warriors last 17 overall. Under is 7-1 in Pacers last eight home games. Under is 6-2 in the last eight meetings in Indiana.

8* play on Golden State Warriors. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *PLAY OF THE DAY* (TOTAL)

The Philadelphia 76ers have won 11 in a row following a 121-95 win over Brooklyn last night. They'll be without All-Star center Joel Embiid (orbital fracture) and Dario Saric (elbow), and we can note that under is 5-2 in 76ers last seven games playing on no days rest.

The Detroit Pistons have won five in a row and seven of eight to stay alive in the playoff race in the East. They held Brooklyn to 96 points their last time out and under is 15-4-2 in Pistons last 21 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600 and 12-3 in 76ers last 15 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

10* play on PHI @ DET to go UNDER the total. 

NBA 3-PACK

The Golden State Warriors main motivation must be to get to the playoffs as healthy as they can as they're already locked into the No. 2 spot in the West. 

Kevin Durant (ribs), Klay Thompson (thumb) and Draymond Green (pelvic contusion) are back in the lineup, but Stephen Curry will miss his sixth consecutive game with a sprain of his left medial collateral ligament, Patrick McCaw is also out after a scary Saturday night injury that left him with a lumbar spine contusion and Andre Iguodala (knee soreness) and Kevon Looney (flu) are listed as doubtful for this contest. 

The OKC Thunder had lost three in a row before picking up a 109-104 win at New Orleans their last time out. They are battling for homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs so motivation should be high for the home team. 

Warriors are 0-7 ATS in their last seven road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. Under is 7-1 in Warriors last eight vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

Thunder are 41-19-3 ATS in their last 63 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600. Under is 13-3 in Thunder's last 16 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

8* play on OKC Thunder. 

NBA 3-PACK

The Golden State Warriors main motivation must be to get to the playoffs as healthy as they can as they're already locked into the No. 2 spot in the West. 

Kevin Durant (ribs), Klay Thompson (thumb) and Draymond Green (pelvic contusion) are back in the lineup, but Stephen Curry will miss his sixth consecutive game with a sprain of his left medial collateral ligament, Patrick McCaw is also out after a scary Saturday night injury that left him with a lumbar spine contusion and Andre Iguodala (knee soreness) and Kevon Looney (flu) are listed as doubtful for this contest. 

The OKC Thunder had lost three in a row before picking up a 109-104 win at New Orleans their last time out. They are battling for homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs so motivation should be high for the home team. 

Warriors are 0-7 ATS in their last seven road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. Under is 7-1 in Warriors last eight vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

Thunder are 41-19-3 ATS in their last 63 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600. Under is 13-3 in Thunder's last 16 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

8* play on GS @ OKC to go UNDER the total. 

NBA 3-PACK

The Boston Celtics have won six in a row, including a 110-99 triumph against the Raptors on Saturday to move just two games behind Toronto who sits top of the Eastern Conference standings. The Milwaukee Bucks are coming off a 128-125 OT loss at Denver. They're 0-6 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record while the 20-7 ATS in their last 27 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. Boston is 16-3 ATS as and underdog this season and I would not be surprised if they win this game outright. 

8* play on Boston Celtics. 

NCAA TOURNEY FINAL *BEST BET*

The Villanova Wildcats have won all their games here in the NCAA tournament by double-digits. Can they do the same when taking on the Michigan Wolverines here in the final? Sure, why not! 

Villanova has made at least 13 3-pointers in four of its five wins in this event and set a Final Four record with 18 3-pointers in Saturday's semifinal victory over Kansas. Michigan had an easier draw in Loyola-Chicago, but still had to rally back from a 10-point second-half deficit to make it here. 

Wildcats are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 vs. Big Ten.

10* play on Villanova Wildcats. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *BOOKIE BREAKER* TOTAL

The Golden State Warriors will play on no rest following a 112-96 win at Sacramento last night. They have six games left of the regular season but little to play for with the Rockets already having clinched the best record in the league and the Warriors themselves clinched the No. 2 seed in the West. 

Stephen Curry is expected to miss the rest of the regular season so the Warriors must avoid more injuries and keep the rest of their stars fresh which means more time on the floor for their fringe players. 

Under is 7-2 in Warriors last nine home games and they'll face a Phoenix team which may have lost four straight, but the Suns are coming off three straight impressive efforts against Boston, the LA Clippers and Houston. Under is 6-0 in Suns last six overall and 11-1 in their last 12 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.

10* play on PHX @ GS to go UNDER the total.

NBA 3-PACK

The Cleveland Cavaliers have won seven of their last eight games. They're allowing an average of 109.9 ppg on the season but have played much better defense of late and under is 4-1 in Cavs last five overall. Here they'll host a tanking Dallas team which has lost two in a row and seven of its last eight. Each of their last four games have gone under the total and they've averaged 92.5 ppg in the last two. 

Under is 9-4 in the last 13 meetings overall and 5-1 in the last six meetings in Cleveland.

8* play on DAL @ CLE to go UNDER the total. 

NBA 3-PACK

I expect a low-scoring contest when the two worst teams in the East clash at Philips Arena Sunday night. 

Orlando is coming off a 90-82 loss against Chicago. It has lost eight of its last 10 with only three of those going over the total. Atlanta has lost nine of its last 10 with four of the last six going under the total. It fell 101-91 against Philly its last time out. 

Atlanta's leading scorer PG Dennis Schroder suffered a medial bone bruise and a sprained left ankle against Golden State on March 23 and will miss the rest of the season, and it'll also have to do without its third-leading scorer Kent Bazemore. 

Under is 21-6 in the last 27 meetings in Atlanta.

8* play on ORL @ ATL to go UNDER the total. 

GAME OF THE YEAR (CBB)

This Final Four matchup will feature a pair of No. 1 seeds with the Villanova Wildcats battling Kansas Jayhawks.

The Wildcats have won all their four games here in the NCAA Tournament by double-digits while Kansas had failed to cover the spread in two straight games before recording an 85-81 upset in OT against Duke. 

The experienced Wildcats know what it takes to win it all after capturing the national title in 2016. Junior guard Jalen Brunson was part of that national championship team and was named the Most Outstanding Player at the East Regional this year, averaging 21.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists. Villanova is 1st in the nation in scoring offense and has an extremely deep roster with six guys averaging in double figures. 

Kansas has a talented team, but the Jayhawks have not been in the National Title Game since 2012. Villanova's depth and experience will win the game for them.

10* CBB Game of the Year on Villanova. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*

The Heat would wrap up a playoff spot if they beat the Brooklyn Nets home at Miami Saturday night. I like the home team to come through in a big way here. 

Miami has won five of its last seven overall and it is 7-1 ATS in its last eight home games. It has won both its last two games by double-digits and is 8-2-2 ATS in its last 12 vs. Eastern Conference foes.

The Nets snapped a three-game skid with a 111-104 win at Orlando their last time out but have very little to play for at this stage of the season. Brooklyn took the last two meetings in the series but the super motivated Heat should win this one by a big number. 

8* play on Miami Heat. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER (TOTAL)

The Minnesota Timberwolves ended a two-game skid with a 126-114 triumph over Atlanta on Wednesday. They enter this contest at seventh place in the Western Conference 1 1/2 games up on the ninth-place LA Clippers, so they'll have everything to play for.

I think we'll see good defending and way fewer points scored than their last time out when they visit the Dallas Mavericks Friday night. The tanking Mavs have played three straight unders and we can note that under is 9-1-1 in Timberwolves last 11 vs. a team with a losing straight up record.

The Wolves have won four straight meetings, the most recent a 97-92 win home at Minnesota. Each of the last seven matchups in the series have gone under the total.

10* play on MIN @ DAL to go UNDER the total. 

LATE NIGHT MAVS @ LAKERS *NO-BRAINER*

The Dallas Mavericks are coming off a 103-97 win at Sacramento last night, their second straight game to go under the total. Four of their last five games when playing on no rest have gone under the total, and under is 13-6 in Mavericks last 19 vs. a team with a losing straight up record. Here they'll visit the 32-41 LA Lakers who have seen five of their last seven games stay under the total and under is 5-1 in Lakers last six home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

8* play on DAL @ LAL to go UNDER the total. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER* TOTAL

The LA Clippers have played three straight unders and the Phoenix Suns four straight unders. Phoenix has pretty much checked out and topped 100 points in only one of their last six games. The Clippers trail the eighth-place Minnesota by 1 1/2 games in the Western Conference so they'll be up for this game and I see no risk of them slacking on their defensive duties.

My selection is an 8* play on LAC @ PHO to go UNDER the total. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NBA)

The Boston Celtics are coming off four straight triumphs, including upset wins against OKC and Portland. They'll take on another tough team when visiting the Utah Jazz Wednesday night, but we can note that the Jazz have only split their last four games and covered the spread in only one of their last five (when they beat a banged up Warriors side their last time out). The Celtics are a solid 14-3 ATS as an underdog on the season and 9-3-2 ATS in the last 14 meetings with Utah. 

My NBA Game of the Week is a 10* play on Boston Celtics. 

NBA 3-PACK

Under is 14-3 in the Indiana Pacers last 17 games and 6-0-1 in their last seven road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. Here they'll visit a Golden State Warriors team that will be without three of its All Stars with Stephen Curry (knee), Kevin Durant (ribs) and Klay Thompson (hand) all sidelined. Under is 9-3 in Warriors last 12 overall and 7-1 in their last eight home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

My selection is an 8* play on UNDER the total. 

NBA 3-PACK

Two of the worst teams in the NBA will clash at Golden 1 Center when the Dallas Mavericks visit the Sacramento Kings. The Mavs have made no secret that they're in full tank mode, and they enter this game off five straight defeats. The Kings have split their last six games and they're perfect 6-0 ATS in their last six games vs. a team with a winning % below .400. Mavericks meanwhile are 6-18 ATS in their last 24 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.

Under is 7-1 in Kings last eight home games and 5-2 in the last seven meetings with the Mavs in Sacramento. The Kings are 8-2 ATS in the last eight meetings overall.

My selection is an 8* play on UNDER the total. 

NBA 3-PACK 10* PICK

Two of the worst teams in the NBA will clash at Golden 1 Center when the Dallas Mavericks visit the Sacramento Kings. The Mavs have made no secret that they're in full tank mode, and they enter this game off five straight defeats.

The Kings have split their last six games and they're perfect 6-0 ATS in their last six games vs. a team with a winning % below .400. Mavericks meanwhile are 6-18 ATS in their last 24 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.

Under is 7-1 in Kings last eight home games and 5-2 in the last seven meetings with the Mavs in Sacramento. The Kings are 8-2 ATS in the last eight meetings overall. 

My selection is a 10* play on Sacramento Kings. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *BOOKIE BREAKER*

The Detroit Pistons' chances of making the playoffs are slim to none, despite winning three of their last four. Beating up on lottery-bound Sacramento, Phoenix and Chicago is far from impressive though, and I think the LA Lakers will give the Pistons all they can handle Monday night. 

The Lakers snapped a four-game skid with a 100-93 triumph at Memphis on Saturday. They're 15-6 ATS in their last 21 games following a straight up win and we can note that the Pistons are 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.

The Lakers earned a 113-93 home win over Detroit on Oct. 31 to improve to 12-5 ATS in the last 17 meetings in the series. 

My selection is a 10* play on LA Lakers. 

NBA 3-PACK

The Atlanta Hawks are pretty much just playing out the string, but they're in a decent spot to record an upset when they visit the Houston Rockets Sunday night.

The Rockets will play on no rest following a dominant 114-98 triumph over New Orleans yesterday, a win that set a franchise record for victories in a season. They now own a 4 1/2-game lead over Golden State in the race for first place in the Western Conference with nine contests remaining and I wouldn't be surprised if they fall for the temptation to look past the lowly Hawks here.  

Rockets are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points and 1-8 ATS in their last nine home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400. Hawks are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and they've won each of their last three visits to Toyota Center.

Under is 10-1 in Hawks last 11 road games. Under is 8-2 in Rockets last 10 overall.

My selection is an 8* play on Atlanta Hawks. 

NBA 3-PACK

The Atlanta Hawks are pretty much just playing out the string, but they're in a decent spot to record an upset when they visit the Houston Rockets Sunday night.

The Rockets will play on no rest following a dominant 114-98 triumph over New Orleans yesterday, a win that set a franchise record for victories in a season. They now own a 4 1/2-game lead over Golden State in the race for first place in the Western Conference with nine contests remaining and I wouldn't be surprised if they fall for the temptation to look past the lowly Hawks here.  

Rockets are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points and 1-8 ATS in their last nine home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400. Hawks are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and they've won each of their last three visits to Toyota Center.

Under is 10-1 in Hawks last 11 road games. Under is 8-2 in Rockets last 10 overall.

My selection is an 8* play on ATL @ HOU to go UNDER the total. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *BOOKIE BREAKER*

The Portland Trail Blazers had won 13 straight before losing back-to-back home games against a pair of elite teams (Houston and Boston).

They'll visit the OKC Thunder Sunday night. Both teams are playoff bound and battling for home-court advantage in the Western Conference with the Blazers coming into the game with a one-game lead over the Thunder for third place in the conference. 

I'm happy to take the points on the visitors in this Northwest division rivalry matchup. Note that Trail Blazers are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 vs. division rivals opponents while Thunder are 3-13 ATS in their last 16. 

Portland is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record and won each of the first three meetings on the season, including a 117-106 triumph here at Chesapeake Energy Arena back in January. 

My selection is a 10* play on Portland Trail Blazers. 

TOP RATED 10* TEXAS TECH / VILLANOVA *ATS ANNIHILATOR*

The No.1 Villanova Wildcats seek their second national title in the last three years and their third all-time. They've won eight in a row and shot 13-of-24 from 3-point range in Friday's 90-78 triumph over West Virginia. They now have 47 threes for the tournament and I don't see third-seeded Texas Tech Raid Raiders keeping them at bay if West Virginia couldn't. 

Texas Tech is in the Elite 8 for the first time following a 78-65 win over Purdue in the Sweet 16. The Red Raiders did however allow Purdue to shoot 38.9 percent from downtown and they're just 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall. 

Wildcats are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 NCAA Tournament games and 10-2 ATS in all neutral court game on the season. 

My selection is a 10* play on Villanova Wildcats. 

SUPER EARLY CAVS @ NETS AFTERNOON DAYTIME DESTROYER

The Cleveland Cavaliers are coming off four straight victories, but they can't really afford to look past anyone right now as they desperately need to keep any kind of momentum going with only 10 games left of the regular season. They should receive a boost down the stretch with Tristan Thompson, Nance and Hood returning from injuries.

"Ten games is enough time when you have your whole team back for the first time all season, it gives you an opportunity to, No. 1, establish some type of rotation that you're going to be using," Cavs assistant coach Larry Drew told reporters after trouncing the Suns 120-95 on Friday.

The Nets sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and should not be able to keep up with the fired up Cavs. 

My selection is an 8* play on Cleveland Cavaliers. 

TOP RATED 10* ELITE 8 *BOOKIE BREAKER*

The No. 9 seed Florida State Seminoles defeated the fourth-seeded Gonzaga 75-60 as a 6-point underdog Thursday night, but I don't see another upset in the cards when they take on the third-seeded Michigan Wolverines in the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tourney on Saturday. 

Michigan put up a scrappy performance against Houston in the second round but was saved by Jordan Poole's buzzer beater. The Wolverines bounced back in a big way in the Sweet 16, recording a dominant 99-72 triumph over Texas A&M.

Michigan has now won 12 straight games, eight of those by double digits. FSU's run ends here, and Michigan will advance to the Final Four.

My selection is a 10* play on Michigan Wolverines. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *MONEYLINE MASSACRE*

The Charlotte Hornets are all but officially eliminated from playoff contention, but they enter Saturday on a bit of a roll following back-to-back wins against Brooklyn and Memphis. 

They beat the Grizzlies by 61 points, the largest margin of victory in the NBA in 20 years Thursday night despite playing without Dwight Howard who missed the game because of a one-game suspension for technical fouls. 

Here the Hornets will visit a tanking Mavericks team which has dropped four in a row, and we can note that Charlotte will seek to avenge a 115-111 home loss to the Mavs back in January.

The road team is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings and I like the Hornets to come through here. 

My selection is a 10* play on Charlotte Hornets. 

HOOPS 3-PACK

The 11th-seeded Syracuse Orange have recorded three upset wins here in the NCAA tournament, beginning with a First Four escape against Arizona State, but I think they'll run out of luck here in the Sweet 16 against the dominant Duke Blue Devils. 

No. 2 seed Duke has won its first two games by an average of 23.5 points and defeated Syracuse 60-44 on Feb. 24. Blue Devils are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games overall and 10-3 ATS in their last 13 NCAA Tournament games.

Both teams are playing great zone defense, but Duke has too much offensive firepower overall to be slowed down, and in particular ACC Player of the Year Marvin Bagley who has scored 22 points in each of the first two rounds. 

My selection is an 8* play on Duke Blue Devils. 

HOOPS 3-PACK

The Miami Heat are coming off three straight wins, the most recent a 119-98 blowout triumph over New York. That victory sets up a bad spot here though as the Heat are 0-5-2 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. 

Here they'll face an angry and fairly well rested Thunder team which will be looking to bounce back from a heartbreaking last-second 100-99 setback against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday. 

The Thunder had ripped off six straight wins prior to that defeat, covering the spread in all but one of those games, and they're a solid 14-6 ATS in their last 20 games playing on two days rest.

The Thunder are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings in the series.

My selection is an 8* play on OKC Thunder. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *BOOKIE BREAKER*

We should see two highly motivated teams playing hard defense with the LA Clippers battling to get back into the race for a playoff spot in the Western Conference and the Indiana Pacers drawing closer to clinching a playoff berth and trying to catch the Cavs for third place in the East.

Only one of the Pacers' last 12 games have gone over the total while the Clippers have played four straight overs, but the under is 10-4 in their last 14 vs. a team with a winning straight up record. 

These two teams had played three straight unders with the total set at an average of 205 points before the last meeting went over with 213 points and the total closing at 207. That would still not be enough to cover this line, and I think this game will go under without any problem.

My selection is a 10* play on LAC @ IND to go UNDER the total. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *MONEYLINE MONEYMAKER*

Two of the worst teams in the NBA will do battle at Golden 1 Center Thursday night with the 23-49 Sacramento Kings hosting the 21-50 Atlanta Hawks.

The Hawks are coming off an impressive 99-94 upset at Utah Jazz on Tuesday, but they had lost six straight prior to that win and another upset here seems unlikely, particularly as even if the fans seem more concerned with the draft lottery.  

The Sacramento Kings defeated the Warriors 98-93 on March 16 but have lost back-to-back games since. I do however expect them show up for this contest as they seek revenge for a 126-80 loss at Atlanta back in November. 

The home team is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings, and the Kings are a solid 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall while the Hawks are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games overall.

My selection is a 10* play on Sacramento Kings. 

LATE COLLEGE BASKETBALL *NIGHTCRAWLER*

The fourth-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs and the ninth-seeded Florida State Seminoles will clash in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tourney Thursday night. FSU is coming off an impressive 75-70 win as a 5.5-point underdog against No.1 Xavier, and I would not be surprised if the Seminoles came up with another straight up upset here. 

The Zags are riding a nation-leading 16-game winning streak, but they've failed to impress so far in the tourney. They beat UNC Greensboro by just four points in the first round and a  second-half charge by Ohio State (OSU led 67-62 with 6:02 to go) gave them a scare in the last round.

My selection is an 8* play on Florida State Seminoles. 

TOP RATED 10* SWEET SIXTEEN *BOOKIE BREAKER* (THURSDAY)

The Kansas State Wildcats defeated Creighton by 10 points in the first round of the NCAA Tourney but were not quite as sharp, and struggled big time on the offensive end of the court, in their 50-43 over UMBC in the second round. They're just 4-3 in their last seven games, and here they'll take on the fifth-seeded Kentucky Wildcats who have won five straight and nine of their last 10 games overall, covering the spread in all victories. 

Kentucky had no trouble to get past Buffalo in the second round, winning by 20 points as a 5.5-point favorite, and I don't see KSU matching up with a Kentucky team which is playing its best basketball of the season at just the right time. 

My selection is a 10* play on Kentucky Wildcats. 

NBA 3-PACK

Both the LA Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans have played more unders than overs lately, and that's a trend I like to continue when the teams meet at Smoothie King Center Thursday night. The Lakers are on a 4-0 under run while the under is 4-1 in the Pels last five. 

This will be the Pels third game in three nights due to rescheduled games, and I think they'll try and slow down the tempo in this contest. They've defeated Dallas and Indiana in the first two games of this tough stretch, but sweeping the tripleheader will be extremely hard, and the Lakers could very well prove too much to handle here, particularly as the visitors should be pretty fired up for this one, coming off three straight losses and playing on two days of rest. 

My selection is an 8* play on LA Lakers. 

NBA 3-PACK

Both the LA Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans have played more unders than overs lately, and that's a trend I like to continue when the teams meet at Smoothie King Center Thursday night. The Lakers are on a 4-0 under run while the under is 4-1 in the Pels last five. 

This will be the Pels third game in three nights due to rescheduled games, and I think they'll try and slow down the tempo in this contest. They've defeated Dallas and Indiana in the first two games of this tough stretch, but sweeping the tripleheader will be extremely hard, and the Lakers could very well prove too much to handle here, particularly as the visitors should be pretty fired up for this one, coming off three straight losses and playing on two days of rest. 

My selection is an 8* play on LAL @ NO to go UNDER the total. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *BOOKIE BREAKER*

Only one of the Indiana Pacers' last 11 games have gone over the total, and I think the books have set the number way too high once again when they visit the New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday night.

The Pels had played three straight unders prior to a 115-105 triumph over Dallas (with the total closing at 218.5). Under is 16-4-1 in Pelicans last 21 overall vs. a team with a winning straight up record and 8-1-1 in Pacers last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

The Pelicans posted a 117-112 victory at Indiana on Nov. 7, but eight of the last 10 meetings have gone under the total and none of those games closed with the total set as high as this.

My selection is a 10* play on IND @ NOP to go UNDER the total. 

NBA 3-PACK

The Charlotte Hornets have allowed an average of 118.3 points over their last 10 contests. They're more or less battling to stay in postseason contention, entering this game 7 1/2 games out of a playoff spot following a 108-94 loss at Philadelphia on Monday. Each of their last six games prior to that game had gone over the total. 

I expect the Hornets to play hard here, but they'll probably need a lot of points in order to outscore this Brooklyn side which has averaged 116 points through back-to-back triumphs over Dallas and Memphis. The Nets have no reason to tank as they do not own their first-round pick this season, and they should be able to pour in the points against this reeling Charlotte team.

My selection is an 8* play on CHA @ BRK to go OVER the total.  

RAPTORS @ CAVS *HARDWOOD HAMMER*

The Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Raptors will play on no rest here following a 93-86 victory at Orlando on Tuesday, but I don't think that will an issue. All-Star DeMar DeRozan (thigh) sat out yesterday's game but is expected back tonight, and I like the Raptors too keep rolling here as they go for their 20th victory in 22 games. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers' will play under interim coach Larry Drew as Tyronn Lue is on leave while dealing with health issues, no doubt compounded by the team's poor results. They're just third in the conference, a massive 11 1/2 games behind Toronto and the Raptors have won the last two meetings, including a 133-99 home triumph back in January. 

The Raptors are a solid 7-2 ATS in their last nine road games while the Cavs are just 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. 

My selection is an 8* play on Toronto Raptors. 

TOP RATED 10* ROCKETS @ BLAZERS BEST BET

The red hot Houston Rockets (won 26 of their last 28) will visit the equally hot Portland Trail Blazers (won 13 in a row) Tuesday night, and I think the total is set way too low considering both teams ability to shoot the 3-ball. Portland is hitting 38% of its shots from behind the arc with an average of 10.5 made per game while Houston is averaging a league-best 15.4 3-pointers per game. 

Six of the last seven meetings have gone over the total, all with a higher number than what we see here today, and we can note that over is 8-1 in Trail Blazers last nine games when taking on a team with a winning % above .600.

My selection is a 10* play on HOU @ POR to go OVER the total. 

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

The Indiana Pacers had won six of seven before taking back-to-back losses to Toronto and Washington. They've been involved in several low-scoring games lately, and I think the bookmakers have set the total way too high for this contest. 

The Pacers had seen nine straight games go under the total before losing 109-102 to Washington (with the total closing at 210). They'll take on a Lakers team which lost 92-91 against Miami its last time out and each of its last three games have gone under the total. 

The Lakers won the last meeting 99-86 back in January (with the total closing at 214). Under is 16-9 when the Pacers are looking to avenge a loss vs. an opponent this season. I expect the Pacers to come through and not only win, but also cover the spread in a low-scoring contest. 

Note that Pacers are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 Monday games while the Lakers are 1-4 ATS in their last five Monday games.

My selection is an 8* play on Indiana Pacers. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NBA)

The Indiana Pacers had won six of seven before taking back-to-back losses to Toronto and Washington. They've been involved in several low-scoring games lately, and I think the bookmakers have set the total way too high for this contest. 

The Pacers had seen nine straight games go under the total before losing 109-102 to Washington (with the total closing at 210). They'll take on a Lakers team which lost 92-91 against Miami its last time out and each of its last three games have gone under the total. 

The Lakers won the last meeting 99-86 back in January (with the total closing at 214). Under is 16-9 when the Pacers are looking to avenge a loss vs. an opponent this season. 

My NBA Game of the Month is a 10* play on LAL @ IND to go UNDER the total. 

CBB *MONEYMAKER*

We'll see a battle of the Tigers at Viejas Arena, San Diego, California Sunday evening, when the Clemson Tigers take on the Auburn Tigers. Clemson recorded a solid 79-68 first-round victory over New Mexico State on Friday while Auburn struggled to get past College of Charleston as a 9.5-point favorite. Auburn is 0-5 ATS in its last five games vs. a team with a winning straight up record while Clemson is 4-1 ATS in its last five games vs. a team with a winning straight up record. I'm happy to take the points on a Clemson side which I think should be favored here. 

My selection is an 8* play on Clemson Tigers. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*

The Houston Rockets have won 21 of their last 22 games. A simply amazing record, but they're in a tough spot here at Minnesota Sunday night. 

The Rockets are coming off a 107-101 win at New Orleans last night, but their starters logged heavy minutes and Houston is only 1-6 ATS in its last seven games when its starting five players combine for more than 160 minutes of the previous day. 

They'll face a Minnesota team looking to bounce back from a 16-point loss at San Antonio yesterday, and we can note that the Wolves are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 home games and 3-1-1 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. 

Minnesota will no doubt be fired up for this one after losing the first three meetings of the season.  

My selection is an 8* play on Minnesota Timberwolves. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA THUNDER @ RAPTORS *BASKET BRAWLER*

The Toronto Raptors have won 11 in a row and they've lost just one of their last 19 games. The surge have allowed them to pull five games ahead of the Celtics at the top of the Eastern Conference, but I don't see them slowing down anytime soon.

They host the Oklahoma City early on Sunday, and I expect the home team to win and cover the spread. The Thunder have little trouble beating up on the weaker sides in the league, but they're only 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. The Raptors have no such issues, and here they'll be highly motivated seeking revenge for a 124-107 loss at OKC on Dec. 27 plus going for a franchise-record 12 straight wins.

My selection is a 10* play on Toronto Raptors. 

TOP RATED 10* BUTLER/PURDUE *BOOKIE BREAKER*

The Purdue Boilermakers have covered the spread in only two of their last 10 games, but they're coming off a dominant 74-48 triumph as a 20-point favorite against Cal State Fullerton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and 14-6-1 ATS in their last 21 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. I think they'll win and cover here when taking on Butler Bulldogs Sunday afternoon. 

The Boilermakers will be without center Isaac Haas but are still loaded with talent and exceptional three-point shooting ability. Purdue ranks second in the country in three-point efficiency at 42.0% and lit up the Bulldogs from the perimeter back in December, going 9-for-21 from behind the arc in the 82-67 victory. The Bulldogs didn't have an answer then, and I don't see why today would be any different. 

My selection is a 10* play on Purdue Boilermakers. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*

Two teams heading in opposite directions and in very different positions. The Portland Trail Blazers are in third place in the West, have won 11 in a row but still only 4 1/2 games in front of the Clippers and Nuggets who are tied for ninth. The Detroit Pistons have lost eight of their last 10 to drop 5 1/5 games behind the eighth-place Miami Heat in the East (before Miami's game against the Lakers Friday). 

Trail Blazers are 16-4-1 ATS in their last 21 home games. Pistons are 1-8 ATS in their last nine road games.

This spread doesn't scare me, and I see no reason not to back the red hot favorite in this matchup. 

My selection is a 10* play on Portland Trail Blazers. 

CBB *CA$H COW*

Top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks got off to a slow start and had to come from behind to beat Pennsylvania on Thursday, as they trailed by as much as 10 in the first half. They did however cover the spread in the end, winning 76-60 as a 13.5-point favorite, to improve to 8-0-1 ATS in their last nine games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. 

I don't think they'll make the same mistake twice though and expect the Jayhawks to come out fully focused from the very first minute here against Seton Hall Pirates who took down NC State 94-83 in their first round matchup. We can however note that Seton Hall is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games after scoring more than 90 points in its previous game and 1-7 ATS after allowing 80 points or more on the season. 

My selection is an 8* play on Kansas Jayhawks. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER* TOTAL

The red hot Indiana Pacers took a 106-99 loss to Toronto on Thursday, but they've still won six of their last eight, a surge fueled by excellent play at the defensive end of the court. Each and every of their last nine games have gone under the total, and that's a trend I like to continue when they visit the Washington Wizards on Saturday. 

Washington recorded a dramatic 125-124 win in double overtime over a banged up Celtics team at Boston on Wednesday and both the Pacers and the Wizards have their eyes on the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference.

Note that Indiana won the last meeting 98-95 here at Washington on March 4, and under is 9-2 on the season in Wizards games where they seek revenge for a home loss. 

I think we'll see a game with playoff like intensity and good defending at Capital One Arena tonight. 

My selection is an 8* play on IND @ WAS to go UNDER the total. 

SUPER EARLY TOP RATED 10* CBB *ATS ANNIHILATOR*

The Duke Blue Devils cruised past Iona with a 22-point victory on Thursday while Rhode Island Rams needed overtime to get past Oklahoma, so on top of everything else, there's also a slight rest advantage for the Blue Devils when the teams clash in the second round of the Midwest Region on Saturday in Pittsburgh. 

The Blue Devils are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall and should have little trouble with this Rhode Island team which relies highly on its defense. 

Duke has the whole package though and shot an impressive 58% from the field in its win against Iona. Standout freshman and leading scorer Marvin Bagley III recorded 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Rhode Island will find it very difficult to slow him down.  

Duke is 7-0 ATS when the total is 140 to 149.5 this season, and I'm happy to lay the points on the favorite in this contest. 

My selection is a 10* play on Duke Blue Devils. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*

The Miami Heat took a 123-119 overtime loss at Sacramento on Wednesday, their ninth straight defeat on the road. 

They're severely banged up at the moment, with several key pieces missing. Josh Richardson missed the last game due to soreness in his left ankle and is not expected to play Friday against the Lakers. Dwyane Wade will miss the game due to a left hamstring strain and Hassan Whiteside will miss his fourth straight game with a hip injury. 

The Heat are just 15-20 SU away from home on the season, and here they'll face a surging Lakers team which has won eight of its last 11 games overall and is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 home games. 

My selection is an 8* play on LA Lakers. 

TOP RATED 10* TGIF NCAA TOURNEY *BOOKIE BREAKER*

The New Mexico State Aggies won the Western Athletic Conference tournament to earn an automatic berth to the Big Dance. They'll face a Clemson Tigers team that will be eager to play ball again after getting knocked out in the semifinals of the ACC tournament by eventual champion Virginia, and will be playing its first NCAA Tournament game in seven seasons. Note that New Mexico State has lost its NCAA Tournament opener in its last nine appearances and the Tigers are a perfect 5-0 in their last five game non-conference games. 

Sure, New Mexico State is WAC champions while Clemson finished tied for third place in its conference, but here the Aggies will face a defense of a different caliber than they've seen so far in a tough Clemson D that is ranked 35th in the nation in opposing field-goal percentage (41%). I have no problem laying points on the superior ACC team here. 

My selection is a 10* play on Clemson Tigers. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA PLAY OF THE DAY (TOTAL)

The Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Raptors are coming off a 106-99 win at Indiana Thursday night. Seven of their last nine (including last night's game) have gone under the total, and that's a trend I expect to continue when they host the Dallas Mavericks Friday night.

Dallas has managed to win three of its last four with each of the last three going under the total. The Mavs are playing at a very slow pace at 97.5 possessions per game and I don't see Toronto pushing the tempo here when playing on no rest. 

Under is 8-2 in Mavericks last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600 and 9-1-1 in Raptors last 11 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.

My selection is a 10* play on DAL @ TOR to go UNDER the total. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA PLAY OF THE DAY (TOTAL)

The Toronto Raptors have won nine in a row and own a solid lead over Boston in the race for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Here they'll run into the Indiana Pacers who are won 10 of their last 13 and looking to hold onto third place in the East. 

The Pacers have held three straight opponents to fewer than 100 points, and all of their last eight games have gone under the total while the under is 7-0 in the last seven meetings with the Raptors in Indiana. 

The Raptors are certainly no strangers to great defensive displays, and I think they'll play hard on the defensive end here in a playoff like game. Under is 6-2-1 in Raptors last nine overall and 5-2-1 in their last eight vs. Eastern Conference foes.

My selection is a 10* play on TOR @ IND to go UNDER the total. 

THURSDAY AFTERNOON CBB *BOOKIE BLOWOUT*

The No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes take on the No. 12 South Dakota State Jackrabbits Thursday afternoon, and I fully expect the favorite to run away with this game and win by double-digits. 

South Dakota State has won 11 straight games and qualified for an automatic NCAA bid by winning the Summit League championship. It's however worth noting that it has suffered first-round losses in the NCAA Tourney in each of the last two seasons, to Gonzaga (66-46) and Maryland (79-74) as a 16th and 12th seeds, respectively. 

Ohio State's roster only features seven combined games of NCAA Tournament experience, and that's probably the main reason why the books are underestimating this Buckeyes squad. The Buckeyes will be fired up after an early exit in the Big Ten Tournament, and I'm happy to give the points in this matchup. 

My selection is an 8* play on Ohio State Buckeyes. 

TOP RATED 10* NCAA TOURNEY *ATS ANNIHILATOR*

The No.1 Kansas Jayhawks look like a very reasonable favorite here against Ivy League champions Pennsylvania Quakers. 

The Jayhawks took down West Virginia by double-digits in the Big 12 championship game and won their three tournament games by an average of 13.7 points per game. They should have little trouble with this inferior team, who's coach hardly seem to believe they belong here himself.

"Honestly, I didn't even dream about this, I didn't think we could do it," Pennsylvania coach Steve Donahue told reporters after the win in the Ivy League title game. "I drove home last night saying, 'I gotta get that out of my head, I gotta show some confidence. I didn't think it was possible for us to get to the NCAA Tournament until that horn went off." 

The Jayhawks are 7-0-1 ATS in their last eight games vs. a team with a winning % above .600 and 6-2 ATS in their last eight NCAA Tournament games. 

My selection is a 10* play on Kansas Jayhawks. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CBB) 

The Arizona State Sun Devils lost four of their last five to close out the regular season and took a 97-85 loss as a 7-point favorite against an unranked Colorado team in the first round of the Pac-12 tourney last week. 

I think they're in for some serious trouble here in their First Four matchup with the Syracuse Orange who defeated Wake Forest by nine points before getting by blown out by the defending national champions UNC in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. Syracuse has otherwise done very well to accumulate a 20-13 record, considering it has had a top-20 strength of schedule with four wins against top-50 RPI teams.

The Orange are ranked 16th in the nation in points allowed, giving up just 64.5 ppg, while the Sun Devils are ranked 254th in the nation in points allowed at 75.3 ppg. Arizona State has an edge offensively, but it won't be enough IMO. 

My CBB Game of the Week is a 10* play on Syracuse Orange. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*

The Boston Celtics will be severely shorthanded when they host Eastern Conference rival Washington Wizards Wednesday night; 

Kyrie Irving will miss several games while resting a sore knee, rookie big man Daniel Theis will miss the rest of the season due to knee surgery, Marcus Smart went down with a right thumb injury in Sunday night's loss to the Indiana Pacers while Jaylen Brown suffered a concussion in that very same game and will be out for at least a week. Al Horford, out Sunday with illness, is also questionable for this contest.

The Washington Wizards are playing without injured star John Wall, but they're still the Southeast Division leaders and will be desperate for a victory after taking a 27-point loss at Miami on Saturday night and dropping a 116-111 home decision to the Minnesota Timberwolves last night. 

The teams played a vicious seven-game playoff series last spring and have split the first two contests of their four-game season series, both winning on the other's court. I like that trend to continue and the Wizards to claim a victory at TD Garden tonight. 

My selection is a 10* play on Washington Wizards. 

FIRST FOUR *BANKROLL BUILDER*

The UCLA Bruins took Pac-12 Tournament champion Arizona to OT in the semifinals and defeated that Wildcats team as a 9.5-point dog during the regular season, one of several impressive scalps. 

The Bruins are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600 and they know what it takes in the Big Dance, making their fifth trip to NCAA Tournament in six years and having won at least two games three years in a row. The St. Bonaventure Bonnies had won 13 straight prior to an 82-70 loss to Davidson in the Atlantic-10 semifinals, taking away all the momentum. 

The winner of this First Four contest will travel to Dallas to take on sixth-seeded Florida in the first round of the tournament on Thursday. I think that team will be UCLA. 

My selection is an 8* play on UCLA Bruins. 

NBA TOTALS 3-PACK

The San Antonio Spurs have five losses in six games and 11 in their past 14, and they're struggling to score easy buckets. Here they'll play on no rest following a 109-93 defeat at Houston Monday night, and I think they'll try to beat Orlando with a solid defense.

The Magic have dropped 11 of their last 13 games and been held to fewer than 90 points in two of their last four. They had played four straight unders prior to their last game going over the total of 217 with a single point.

Under is 6-0 in the last six meetings.

My selection is an 8* play on ORL @ SAS to go UNDER the total. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA TOTAL

The Atlanta Hawks had averaged 88.5 points through their last two games prior to a 129-122 loss to Chicago on Sunday. Under is still 8-2 in Hawks' last 10 and I think we'll see a relatively low-scoring contest when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder Tuesday night.

The Thunder have played three straight unders following a 106-101 win against Sacramento last night, and we can note that Under is 4-1 in Thunder's last six overall and 6-0 in the last six meetings with the Hawks in Atlanta.

My selection is a 10* play on OKC @ ATL to go UNDER the total. 

NBA TOTALS 3-PACK

The Indiana Pacers are coming off an impressive 99-97 triumph at Boston, and solid play on the defensive end of the court is a big reason why they've won five of their last six games. Even in the lone defeat the played good D (104-84 loss against Utah) and all of their last seven games have gone under the total. 

The Philadelphia 76ers return home from a four-game road trip which concluded with a 120-97 triumph at Brooklyn, and they will play seven of their next nine games at the Wells Fargo Center. They've been inconsistent offensively lately though, and six of their last eight have gone under the total. 

My selection is an 8* play on IND @ PHI to go UNDER the total. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA BASKET BRAWLER

The red hot Portland Trail Blazers have won nine in a row and took down the reigning NBA champions Golden State Warriors 125-108 Friday night. They're 13-2-1 ATS in their last 16 home games and 5-0 ATS in their last five games playing on two days rest.

The visiting Miami Heat are coming off an impressive 129-102 drubbing of the Wizards on Saturday, but they're 0-4-2 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win of more than 10 points and this looks like an obvious let down spot on the road. We can also note that Miami C Hassan Whiteside (hip) sat out Saturday and is questionable for this contest.

The Blazers have covered the spread in four straight meetings in the series, including a 102-95 triumph at Miami on Dec. 13.

My selection is a 10* play on Portland Trail Blazers. 

NBA TOTAL *BANKROLL BUILDER*

Two reeling teams will clash at FedExForum Monday night when the hapless Memphis Grizzlies host the Milwaukee Bucks.

Memphis has lost 17 straight and been held to 80 points or fewer in each of its last two games while Milwaukee has lost six of its last eight and scoring under 100 points in four of its last six. The Bucks have played a tough schedule though, and I don't see them giving up many points here against the NBA-worst Memphis Grizzlies. Milwaukee has struggled with its guard play in recent outings, playing without Malcolm Brogdon (torn quad) and Matthew Dellavedova (sprained right ankle) so points aren't likely come easy for the visitors either though. 

Under is 11-3 in Bucks last 14 road games and 6-1 in Grizzlies last seven overall. Under is 10-3-1 in the last 14 meetings.

My selection is an 8* play on MIL @ MEM to go UNDER the total. 

NBA *MONEYLINE MASSACRE*

The New Orleans Pelicans took a 116-97 loss against Washington at home Friday night, a defeat that ended a 10-game winning streak. They'll host the Utah Jazz on Sunday, and I expect the visitors to come out ahead.

Utah is riding a five-game winning streak into Louisiana and put up an impressive performance in Friday's 95-78 triumph at Memphis. The Jazz are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up win of more than 10 points and 7-1 ATS after allowing 85 points or less this season. 

The Pels are 17-13 SU (12-17-1 ATS) home at Smoothie King Center on the season while the Jazz are 8-0 ATS in their last eight road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Utah is 15-19 SU (17-17 ATS) on the road while the Pelicans are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

My selection is an 8* play on Utah Jazz. 

EARLY NBA TOTAL BANKROLL BUILDER

The Atlanta Hawks will host the Chicago Bulls in a rather meaningless game Sunday afternoon.

The only reason for either side to try is to avoid finishing with the worst record in the Eastern Conference, but I still think we'll see a slow and low-scoring game. The Bulls scored just 36 points in 2nd half of a 99-83 defeat at Detroit Friday while the Hawks took a 112-87 loss at Indiana the same night. Atlanta has averaged 88.5 ppg through its last two games.

Under is 8-2 in Bulls last 10 road games vs. a team with a losing home record and 5-0 in Hawks last five overall. Under is 18-8 in the last 26 meetings in the series. 

My selection is an 8* play on CHI @ ATL to go UNDER the total. 

SUPER EARLY 10* NBA TOTAL *AFTERNOON ASSASSIN*

Toronto snapped Houston's 17-game winning streak with a 108-105 triumph Friday night, the Raptors' eighth win in a row. They've played excellent D during that stretch with five of the last six going under the total, and I think they'll keep the Knicks offense in check with ease here Sunday afternoon. 

The Knicks have allowed an average of 117.8 points during a six-game slide, but under is 10-3 in Knicks' games where they face a divisional opponent this season and 5-1 in their last six vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

Five of the last six meetings have gone under the total and I expect a low-scoring contest at MSG Sunday afternoon.

My selection is a 10* play on TOR @ NYK to go UNDER the total. 

TOP RATED 10* SEC BOOKIE BREAKER 

The Kentucky Wildcats lost four straight games at the beginning of February, but they've won six of seven since and are without a doubt coming into the SEC Tournament Championship game playing their best basketball of the season. I don't think it will be enough though as they'll face a Tennessee Volunteers team coming off six consecutive victories and already has beaten the Wildcats twice this season. The Volunteers are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings and 9-4 ATS in their last 13 neutral-site games. 

My selection is a 10* play on Tennessee Volunteers. 

MAGIC @ CLIPPERS NIGHTCRAWLER

Both teams will play on no rest here with the Orlando Magic coming off a  94-88 loss to the Kings while the LA Clippers posted a 116-102 home victory over the Cavaliers Friday night. 

Orlando has lost 10 of its last 12 games and averaged only 91.7 ppg through the last three with each of the last four and six of the last seven going under the total. 

The Clippers have had no trouble with their scoring while winning 12 of their last 17 games, but note that under is 8-1 in Clippers last nine vs. a team with a losing straight up record.

The Clippers posted a 106-95 victory at Orlando on Dec. 13 and eight of the last 10 meetings in this series have gone under the total.

My selection is an 8* play on ORL @ LAC to go UNDER the total. 

NBA 3-PACK

The San Antonio Spurs may be banged up, but they're still well coached and extremely hard to beat with Gregg Popovich on the bench. They gave the Warriors a big scare in a 110-107 loss at Golden State on Thursday and I think they'll keep it close enough here at Oklahoma City as well and at the very least cover the spread.

The Thunder are coming off a 115-87 win against Phoenix on Thursday but are only 5-13 ATS after a win of 10 points or more this season. They had suffered back-to-back losses to Golden State and Portland prior to that victory and it's more than a month since they last defeated a team with a winning record. 

The Spurs are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 road games and 4-1 ATS in their last five road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600 while OKC is 2-5 ATS in their last seven home games and 5-11 ATS in its last 16 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

The teams come into this contest in a virtual tie for the fifth spot in the Western Conference but just a couple games from falling out of the playoff picture entirely. Big game for both teams, and I expect a very tight contest.

Over is 6-2 in Spurs last eight road games and 8-3 in Spurs last 11 overall. Over is 5-1 in Thunder last six games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.

My selection is an 8* play on SAS @ OKC to go OVER the total. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA *ATS ANNIHILATOR*

The San Antonio Spurs may be banged up, but they're still well coached and extremely hard to beat with Gregg Popovich on the bench. They gave the Warriors a big scare in a 110-107 loss at Golden State on Thursday and I think they'll keep it close enough here at Oklahoma City as well and at the very least cover the spread.

The Thunder are coming off a 115-87 win against Phoenix on Thursday but are only 5-13 ATS after a win of 10 points or more this season. They had suffered back-to-back losses to Golden State and Portland prior to that victory and it's more than a month since they last defeated a team with a winning record. 

The Spurs are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 road games and 4-1 ATS in their last five road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600 while OKC is 2-5 ATS in its last seven home games and 5-11 ATS in its last 16 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

The two teams come into this contest in a virtual tie for the fifth spot in the Western Conference but just a couple games from falling out of the playoff picture entirely. Big game for both sides, and I expect a very tight contest where taking the points is the play.

My selection is a 10* play on San Antonio Spurs.