Saturday 3-Pack
Play: OKC Thunder
Rating: 8/10*

The Oklahoma City Thunder are coming off three consecutive defeats, but all in tricky spots on the road (at Milwaukee, Charlotte and Houston). They gave the Rockets a run for their money in a 118-116 loss on Thursday, and I like the Thunder to come up big here against the reeling Denver Nuggets who have dropped four straight SU and are 1-7 ATS last eight overall. The Thunder are 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine home games and 4-1 ATS in the last five when hosting Denver. 

CBB Subscribers Only
Play: Villanova
Rating: 5/10*

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Golden State Warriors
Rating: 10*

The Golden State Warriors have dropped just five games all season, but one of those setbacks was a 110-89 loss to the Grizzlies at Memphis on Dec. 10. Huge revenge angle for Golden State here. Note that the Warriors are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings with the Grizzlies home at Oracle and they've won the last two home games against Memphis by a total of 71 points. The Grizzlies have the best scoring defense in the NBA, but they've dropped four of their last six games and allowed at least 112 points in each of those four defeats. Golden State owns an average margin of victory of +12.4 points on the season, and I like them to put a beating on the Grizzlies tonight. 

NBA Subscribers Only
Play: Houston Rockets
Rating: 8/10*

The Houston Rockets are coming off a dramatic 118-116 win against OKC on Thursday for their 17th win in 19 games. Houston has been money playing on back-to-back this season, and I don't think the Rockets will have any trouble with the lowly Orlando Magic here. Rockets are 8-1 ATS in their last nine road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400 and 7-2 ATS in their last nine games playing on no days rest. Magic are 4-12-1 ATS in their last 17 home games and coming off a 111-92 loss to Atlanta. They're 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games playing on one days rest.

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Washington Wizards
Rating: 8/10*

The Washington Wizards are coming off back-to-back losses at Houston and Dallas, but they're 8-0 SU and ATS in their last eight home games and I think they'll take care of business here against Minnesota. 

The Timberwolves have won just two of their last seven games, and they're coming off an embarrassing 93-91 loss to the lowly 76ers. The Timberwolves are 2-9 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Washington, and this should be an easy win for the Wizards. 

Subscribers Only
Play: San Antonio Spurs
Rating: 5/10*

The San Antonio Spurs are an excellent road team and 16-3 SU and 11-7-1 ATS away from home on the season. They're 8-0 ATS in their last eight games vs. a team with a losing straight up record, and Denver Nuggets are really heading in the wrong direction, dropping three straight and five of their last seven, covering the spread just once over that stretch. 

NBA Total
Play: Over
Rating: 8/10*

The Phoenix Suns play at the second highest tempo in the NBA at 102.9 possessions per game. The over is 14-6 in their 20 road games this season and 18-9 against poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game. Dallas fits the bill allowing an average of 100.7 points per game, and the Mavs have looked decent offensively lately with both Andrew Bogut and Dirk Nowitzki back in the lineup. Phoenix is allowing an atrocious 112.2 points per game (only Brooklyn is worse), and I think we'll see a relatively high-scoring encounter between two of the worst teams in the NBA. 

NBA 3-Pack
Play: New Orleans Pelicans
Rating: 8/10*

The Atlanta Hawks have won four straight and five of their last six, but they're in a let down spot here coming off a 111-92 win at Orlando last night. They'll face a Pelicans team looking to bounce back from a 90-82 loss at Cleveland on Monday, but they had won four straight prior to the setback. The Hawks are 2-6 ATS in the last eight head-to-head meetings and I like the Pels to get the job done tonight. 

NBA 3-Pack
Play: Utah Jazz
Rating: 8/10*

The Utah Jazz had a four-game winning streak snapped as they fell 115-104 at Boston on Tuesday. Jazz are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points and could very well threaten a slumping Toronto Raptors team here. Toronto returns home from a six-game road trip, and the team has dropped three of its last four outright, scoring just 82 points in a 110-82 loss at San Antonio on Tuesday. Take the points on the Jazz. 

NBA Total
Play: Over
Rating: 8/10*

Here we have two teams playing at high pace (Golden State 2nd in the NBA, Portland 11th), and only two of the past 10 meetings have gone under the total. One of those games that went under was a 135-90 Golden State win here at Oracle Arena on Dec. 17, but the total was set at 234 for that contest and went over the number set for tonight's game. Portland has been without its point guard in Damian Lillard, who sat out the last four games with a sprained ankle and is doubtful for Wednesday, but I think the two teams will combine enough points to push this over the set total. 

CBB *DOG OF THE DAY*
Play: Iowa State
Rating: 8/10*

The Iowa State Cyclones are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games as a road underdog of 7.0-12.5 while the Baylor Bears are 1-4 ATS in their last five games as a home favorite of 7.0-12.5. Baylor leads the Big 12 and ranks fifth nationally in scoring defense, allowing an average of 58.4 points, but the Cyclones are strong on the defensive end of the court as well allowing just 82.5 points per game, and they're fifth nationally in field-goal percentage defense at 36.6 percent. This is too many points for Butler to give up in what should be a defensive battle. 

NBA 
Play: Milwaukee Bucks
Rating: 8/10*

The New York Knicks have been without forward Kristaps Porzingis in the last two games, and he's likely to miss this matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks as well. The Knicks are losers of five straight and eight of their last 10, allowing an average of 111.8 points in those contests. They'll host a Milwaukee Bucks team that will enter this game filled with confidence following back-to-back wins against Chicago and Oklahoma City. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been phenomenal lately, averaging 27.5 points on 56.3 percent shooting, nine rebounds and 5.9 assists in the last 10 games. Milwaukee won two of the three meetings last season and it has won six of the last eight head-to-head matchups. 

NBA Total
Play: Over
Rating: 8/10*

The Atlanta Hawks will visit the Orlando Magic Wednesday night, and I think the total is set way too low here. The teams squared up at Atlanta on Dec. 13, a game the Magic won 131-120. The Magic are coming off a 115-103 win against the Knicks and have not had much trouble scoring lately, splitting their last four games with each going over the total. The Hawks are playing with great confidence at the moment, winning three straight games, two straight overs, and coming off a 114-112 OT win against the Spurs. 

CBB
Play: Villanova
Rating: 8/10*

The Villanova Wildcats are a perfect 14-0 SU and 8-5 ATS on the season. They're 33-13-1 ATS in their last 47 games as a road favorite and should get the job done as a small favorite here at Butler. The Bulldogs are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600 and the Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.

NBA *BANKROLL BUILDER*
Play: Detroit Pistons
Rating: 8/10*

One of the Indiana Pacers' mere four road victories this season came here at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Dec. 17 when they handed the Pistons a 105-90 defeat. I like Detroit to claim revenge here. The Pistons started the year with a solid 107-98 win at Miami, and they need to start winning more games if they want to make the playoffs again. The Pacers are coming off back-to-back home wins against Chicago and Orlando, but they're generally much stronger at home than on the road. 

Indiana is 5-11 ATS as an underdog this season while Detroit is 2-0 ATS as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points. 

ACC *ANNIHILATOR*
Play: UNC Tar Heels
Rating: 8/10*

The North Carolina Tar Heels will take on the Clemson Tigers at Littlejohn Coliseum Tuesday night, and I think this looks like a favorable spot for UNC. The Tar Heels will be looking to bounce back from a 75-63 upset loss as a 17-point favorite against Georgia Tech so they should come out strong here. The Tigers meanwhile trailed by 10 with under five minutes to go Saturday before scoring the game’s final 15 points for a 73-68 win at Wake Forest for their ninth straight win. A sense of accomplishment might sneak into the Clemson team at this point, and I'm backing the more motivated Tar Heels. We can also note that UNC is 6-1-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.

NBA *LATE SHOW*
Play: Golden State Warriors
Rating: 8/10*

The Golden State Warriors have covered the spread in just one of their last four games, but this looks like a good spot for them to go on a rampage against the Denver Nuggets who are 0-5 ATS in their last five games. 

The Nuggets rank 25th in the NBA in 3-point percentage defense, and that should spell trouble here against the sharpest 3-point shooting team in the NBA. The Warriors had little trouble to defeat the Nuggets 125-101 at Denver back in November, and this game could very well end with a similar scoreline. We can also note that the Nuggets have a matchup with the Kings on deck home at Denver tomorrow while the Warriors will have a day off before hosting Portland on Wednesday. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Charlotte Hornets
Rating: 8/10*

The Chicago Bulls closed out 2016 in a poor fashion, dropping eight of their last 11 games of the year. Here they'll host a Charlotte team that has won five of its past seven, and the Hornets will be looking to bounce back from a 121-109 home loss to the Cavs on New Year's Eve. Note that Charlotte is 6-2 ATS in its last eight games following a double-digit loss at home while the Bulls are 1-8 ATS in their last nine when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game. Hornets are 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings overall and 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings at United Center.

CBB
Play: Canisius
Rating: 8/10*

The Canisius Golden Griffins are coming off five consecutive wins (7-1 L8), and they're 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall. The Siena Saints are a pathetic 0-8 SU on the road this season. They've struggled with their shooting lately, particularly from behind the arc while Canisius is knocking down 40 percent of 3-pointers to average 80.6 points per game on the season.

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: San Antonio Spurs
Rating: 10/10*

The San Antonio Spurs are a small road favorite at Atlanta Hawks here on New Years Day, and I think this looks like a great spot to back the Spurs. They're 9-1 SU and ATS through their last 10 games, and they're coming off a 110-94 win against Portland on Friday. We can note that the Spurs are 6-0 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win of more than 10 points and 5-1 ATS in their last six Sunday games. Small forward Kawhi Leonard has missed the last two games due to a stomach bug but could be back in the lineup here.

The Hawks have won three of their past four games and they're coming off back-to-back home wins against New York and Detroit. They're however just 1-8 ATS in their last nine home games and 5-11-2 ATS in their last 18 Sunday games.

The Spurs are 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings in Atlanta, and I expect a comfortable win for the visitors. 

Top Rated 10* New Years Eve *FIRECRACKER*
Play: Houston Rockets
Rating: 10/10*

Both teams on a back-to-back, but the Rockets have the luxury of staying home at Houston following last night's 140-116 win against the Clippers while the New York Knicks are coming off a 104-92 loss at New Orleans. Houston has been among the hotter teams in the NBA in the last month, and the Rockets are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games playing on no rest while the Knicks are 1-4 ATS in their last five on no rest. The Rockets have covered the spread in 15 of the last 19 meetings and I expect a blowout win for the Rockets in this contest.

Top Rated 10* NBA *TOTAL OF THE WEEK*
Play: Under
Rating: 10*

The Bulls defeated the Indiana Pacers 90-85 at Chicago on Monday. Under is 8-1 in Chicago's last nine overall, and I think we'll see another low-scoring clash when the teams do battle again, this time at Bankers Life Fieldhouse Friday night. The Pacers are losers of four straight games, but they're a solid 11-5 SU at home where they're allowing just 101.4 points per game compared to a 106.0 season average overall. The under is 7-0 in the last seven head-to-head matchups at Indiana.  

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Cleveland Cavaliers
Rating: 8/10*

The Cleveland Cavaliers took down the Warriors 109-108 on Christmas Day but gave LeBron James the day off the following night when they fell 106-90 at Detroit. King James will be back on the floor tonight, looking to do some damage to the third best team in the East. The Cavs defeated the Celtics 128-122 here at Quicken Loans Arena back in November, and they're a solid 7-1 ATS in their last eight vs. teams from the Eastern Conference. The Celtics have played well lately, but I don't think they got what it takes to run with the best team in the East just yet. 

NBA
Play: OKC Thunder
Rating: 8/10*

The red hot Oklahoma City Thunder are going for a fifth consecutive win when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies Thursday night. They've covered the spread in each game during that span and are 6-2 ATS in their last eight road games. The Memphis Grizzlies are trending in the opposite direction, dropping back-to-back decisions at Orlando and Boston and they've won just two of their past seven games (2-5 ATS). Mike Conley missed Tuesday's 113-103 loss at Boston with a toe injury. He is questionable for this contest and Memphis struggles big time on offense without the point guard, Oklahoma City took two of the three meetings last season, including a 125-88 win in Memphis on Dec. 8, 2015 and I think the fast-paced Thunder will run away with this game. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *LATE SHOW*
Play: Toronto Raptors
Rating: 10*

The Golden State Warriors are coming off a 109-108 loss at Cleveland on Christmas Day, and here they'll take on the second best team in the East as the Toronto Raptors are coming to town. The Warriors are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games overall, and I think they're asked to cover way too many points here. 

The red hot Raptors have won eight of their last nine games and they've opened a six-game road trip with wins at Utah and Portland. They're 8-1 ATS in their last nine road games vs. a team with a winning home record and none of the past three meetings with the Warriors have been decided by more than six points. We can also note that the Raptors are 6-1 ATS as an underdog this season. 

Toronto has a strong backcourt in Kyle Lowry and Demar DeRozan, and I think they'll give the Warriors dito all kinds of problem. 

NBA *BANKROLL BUILDER*
Play: Washington Wizards
Rating: 8*

The Indiana Pacers are just 4-12 SU and ATS on the road this season, and I think they're in for a tough game when taking on the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center Wednesday night. 

The Wizards are 5-1 ATS as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points this season and they've been playing well lately, winning five of their past seven games outright. They're getting good production from John Wall and Bradley Beal in the backcourt, and small forward Otto Porter Jr. stepped up with 32 points in Monday's 107-102 win against Milwaukee. 

The struggling Pacers have dropped three straight and they're 0-4 ATS in their last four games. They defeated the Wizards 107-105 as a five-point home favorite on Dec. 19, but we can note that the Wizards are 12-6 ATS when revenging a loss vs. an opponent this season. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Utah Jazz
Rating: 10*

The LA Lakers are in a huge let down spot following a 111-102 win against the Clippers on Christmas Day, their first in 12 attempts in the series. The Lakers are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win, and they've already lost twice to Utah this season (96-89 on the road and 107-101 here at Staples Center). The Jazz will be desperate for a win after dropping three on the bounce, and the schedule leading into the Christmas weekend was brutal. Here they'll come in well rested not playing since Dec. 23, and I like them to make the most of the rest advantage in this contest.   

HARDWOOD HAMMER
Play: Washington Wizards
Rating: 8*

I like the Washington Wizards here as they get an instant chance to revenge Friday's 123-96 loss to Milwaukee. The Wizards are 11-6 ATS when revenging a loss vs. an opponent this season and a solid 10-6 SU and 9-7 ATS home at Verizon Center. The Bucks are far better at home than on the road where they're 4-7 SU and ATS. We can also note that they've covered the spread in just one of the last five visits to Washington. 

The crowd will be fully behind the home team and ready to rock after a weekend of festivities. Take the Wizards to get their revenge.

NBA *BATTLE OF LA*
Play: Under
Rating: 8*

The Lakers will host the Clippers in the battle of LA on Christmas Day. The Clippers won the last meeting 91-81, the seventh straight meeting to go under the total. This is THE game of the year for the Lakers and they would like nothing more than to end an 11-game skid in the series, so I have no doubt that they'll bring it on the defensive end of the court. We can note that the under is 7-0 in Clippers last seven vs. a team with a losing straight up record and 8-0 in Lakers last eight vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

NBA Early NBA from MSG
Play: Boston Celtics
Rating: 8*

The Boston Celtics will visit the New York Knicks at MSG on Christmas Day, and I like the visitors in this spot. The Celtics are a terrific road team and 6-0 ATS as a road favorite of 3 points or less this season. They handed the Knicks a 115-87 defeat home in Boston on Nov. 11, and the Celtics will be looking to get back to their winning ways after having a four-game winning streak snapped with a 117-112 loss to the Thunder on Friday. The Knicks are coming off back-to-back wins, the most recent a 106-95 triumph over Orlando. They're just 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points though, and they've lost back-to-back Christmas Day home games.

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Denver Nuggets
Rating: 8*

The Denver Nuggets have played some inspired basketball of late. Sure they're coming off a 119-102 loss at LA Clippers, but they've won three on the bounce home at Pepsi Center and four of their past six overall while averaging 115.6 points per game during that stretch.

The Atlanta Hawks have been wildly inconsistent this season, and they looked pretty bad in a 92-84 home loss to Minnesota on Wednesday. The Hawks are 2-12 ATS in their last 14 games playing on one days rest and 2-7 ATS in their last nine Friday night games. The Nuggets have had an additional day of rest since their loss to the Clippers, and they're used to the high altitude in Denver.

Top Rated 10* NBA *LATE SHOW*
Play: Toronto Raptors
Rating: 10*

The Utah Jazz boast the best scoring defense in the league in allowing just 94.9 points per game, but I think the dynamic Raptors will be too much to handle here. Toronto is averaging 112.3 points per game, second to only Golden State and Houston. 

The Raptors have won six of their last seven games, and they're coming off a solid 116-104 win against Brooklyn on Tuesday. They should have plenty of energy after two full days of rest, and we can note that the Raptors are 5-0 ATS in their last five games playing on two days rest. 

The Jazz looked pretty good while winning 11 of 13 games, but they enter this contest as losers of their two most recent matchups, against Golden State and most recently Sacramento as they managed to blow a 20-point lead to lose 94-93. With their momentum gone I don't think they'll be able to keep up with a Raptors team that has been a bad matchup for the Jazz in recent seasons with Toronto going 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings. 

NBA 3-Pack
Play: Under
Rating: 8*

I think we'll see a low-scoring contest when the Chicago Bulls visit the Charlotte Hornets Friday night. Neither of them are playing at a blistering pace, and the under is 5-0 in Bulls last five overall. Playing on Fridays usually brings out the best of Charlotte's D as well with under going 6-2 in the Hornets last eight Friday night games. 

Under is 11-5-2 in the last 18 meetings overall, and we should see a low-scoring slugfest between two teams playing far from their best basketball at the moment.

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: San Antonio Spurs
Rating: 10*

The San Antonio Spurs head to LA to revenge a loss to the Clippers from earlier in the season. Keep in mind though, Spurs were playing the second game of a back-to-back set and were without Tony Parker and Danny Green in the 116-92 win against San Antonio on Nov. 5. Tonight's matchup looks way more favorable for the Spurs as they'll face a Clippers team playing without Blake Griffin who contributed 28 points on 13-of-19 shooting in the last meting, so he'll be a massive miss for the home side. 

San Antonio is 15-1 SU and 10-5-1 ATS on the road this season. They showed great mental toughness to come from behind and defeat the Rockets at Houston on Tuesday, and I like them to win this game outright.

Top Rated 10* NBA *GAME OF THE WEEK*
Play: Utah Jazz
Rating: 10*

The Utah Jazz had won four on the bounce and seven of their past eight prior to taking a 104-74 beating at Golden State last night. I like them to bounce back with a blowout win here against the Sacramento Kings who defeated Portland last night. We can note that the Kings are 2-6 ATS in their last eight road games vs. a team with a winning home record, and playing on back-to-back nights in the altitude at Utah won't be easy. The Jazz are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six home games, 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games playing on no rest and obviously more used to the altitude in Salt Lake City.

Utah won 104-84 as a 6-point favorite when the Kings came to visit on Dec. 10, and I would not be surprised to see the Jazz winning by a similar scoreline tonight.  

NBA 3-Pack
Play: OKC Thunder
Rating: 8*

The Oklahoma City Thunder will visit the New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday night, and I like the visitors to prevail in a low-scoring affair. Under is 7-1 in the Thunder's last eight overall, and they'll face a Pelicans team that won 108-93 at Philadelphia last night. Under is 20-8 in the Pels last 28 games playing on no rest and the Thunder are 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings in New Orleans. The Thunder will be desperate for a win after a frustrating 110-108 loss to Atlanta to start the week. They've now dropped three of their last four, and the Thunder should really bring it on the defensive end of the court and run away with the game. 

NBA 3-Pack
Play: Under
Rating: 8*

The Oklahoma City Thunder will visit the New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday night, and I like the visitors to prevail in a low-scoring affair. Under is 7-1 in the Thunder's last eight overall, and they'll face a Pelicans team that won 108-93 at Philadelphia last night. Under is 20-8 in the Pels last 28 games playing on no rest and the Thunder are 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings in New Orleans. The Thunder will be desperate for a win after a frustrating 110-108 loss to Atlanta to start the week. They've now dropped three of their last four, and the Thunder should really bring it on the defensive end of the court and run away with the game. 

NCAAB *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Creighton Bluejays
Rating: 8*

The Creighton Bluejays are 11-0 on the season, but they had to fight hard for the W as a 24.5-point home favorite against Oral Roberts on Saturday. Creighton walked away as a 66-65 winner in the end, and I expect a much better performance here as they're 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games following a ATS loss. Arizona State on the other hand has struggled to cover spreads all season long, and the team is 3-12-1 ATS in its last 16 games as an underdog last season included. 

Creighton has the eighth most prolific offense in the nation in averaging 89.3 points per game. Arizona State's D meanwhile ranks among the worst in the NCAA, and I expect Creighton to run away with a big win here. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *LONE STAR STATE SLAUGHTER*
Play: Houston Rockets
Rating: 10*

Two of the hottest teams in the NBA will do battle when the Houston Rockets host Lone Star State rival San Antonio Spurs Tuesday night. The Rockets are 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings at Toyota Center, and they'll be looking to revenge a 106-100 loss to San Antonio here back in November. Houston has been money when revenging losses this season going 9-2 ATS, and the team is going for its 11th consecutive victory overall. San Antonio is 14-1 SU and 9-5-1 ATS on the road this season, but we can note that the Spurs are just 7-16 ATS in their last 23 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Go with the Rockets to pick up the win here. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: OKC Thunder
Rating: 10*

The Oklahoma City Thunder are coming off a 114-101 win against Phoenix. They're now 4-1-1 ATS in their last six home games, and I like them to take care of business when hosting the Atlanta Hawks Monday night. The Hawks have been widely inconsistent this season, and they took a 102-99 beating by the Thunder home at Atlanta two weeks ago. Here we can note that Atlanta is just 1-4 ATS when revenging a home loss vs. an opponent this season and 3-8 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Oklahoma City.

Atlanta suffered a 107-99 home loss to Charlotte on Saturday, and the team has surrendered an average of 116 points in the last three contests. Here the Hawks need to find a way to slow down an offense averaging 109.2 points per game in their own building, and I don't think they'll succeed. 

NBA Jazz/Grizzlies *BANKROLL BUILDER*
Play: Utah Jazz
Rating: 8*

The Utah Jazz gave won six of their last seven games, although all but one of those were at home. They'll hit the road to visit the Memphis Grizzlies looking to revenge a 102-96 loss from last month, and I like the Jazz in this matchup. We can note that Utah is 5-1 ATS when revenging a home loss vs. an opponent this season and 10-3 ATS in their last 13 Sunday games. Memphis meanwhile is just 1-6 ATS in its last seven Sunday games and the Grizzlies fell 96-92 to Sacramento on Friday. The Grizzlies hit only 37.7 percent from the field and 20 percent from the 3-point line in the loss to the Kings, and points won't come easy here against a Jazz team that is holding opponents to 95.4 points per game on the season.

College Basketball *AFTERNOON APOCALYPSE*
Play: Auburn Tigers
Rating: 8*

The Auburn Tigers will host Mercer Bears Sunday afternoon, and my money is on the home team to win and cover the spread. Auburn is 4-1 ATS in its last five games as a home favorite of 7.0-12.5 while Mercer is 3-12-1 ATS in its last 16 games as a road underdog. Auburn tied an SEC record with 21 3-pointers and shot 55.6 percent in Thursday's 117-72 blowout victory as an 11.5-point favorite against Coastal Carolina. Mercer fell 90-47 at Clemson on Dec. 10, and I'm not sure that much rest is beneficial.

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Golden State Warriors
Rating: 10*

The Portland Trail Blazers are going through an incredibly tough stretch of the schedule. This will be their seventh road game (of eight total) since Dec. 5. They've lost all but one of those road games outright and covered the spread just once. Here they'll visit the Golden State Warriors who are going for a fourth consecutive win and cruised to a 103-90 victory over the Knicks on Thursday.

Golden State is 14-5 ATS in its last 19 games playing on one days rest and it has covered the spread in 22 of the past 30 meetings with Portland. The Warriors took the last three regular season meetings while averaging 130.3 points and the Blazers are playing absolutely terrible defense this season.

We can also note that the Blazers are just 6-14 ATS vs. teams averaging 99+ points/game, and I would not be surprised to see the Warriors running away and win this game with 20+ points. The Warriors next game is not until Dec. 20 at home against Utah, so no reason not to give 100 percent effort for the full game here. 

NBA *CA$H COW*
Play: Philadelphia 76ers
Rating: 8*

The LA Lakers are 0-8 SU and ATS so far here in December, and this looks like a tough spot for them to end the slide even though they're taking on the lowly Philadelphia 76ers. The Lakers will play their third game on a seven-game road trip, and they have matchup with the Cavs on deck tomorrow. They'll face a 76ers team that is looking to bounce back from a 123-114 loss to Toronto, a game that marked the opener of a four-game home stand. The 76ers had recorded back-to-back wins at New Orleans and Detroit prior to that defeat, so they do have some momentum. I'm gonna go with the hotter of the two teams here and back the 76ers. 

Play: Houston Rockets
Rating: 10*

The New Orleans Pelicans are coming off a home win against the Pacers on Thursday, but I think they'll run out of gas here at Houston the very next night. The Rockets aim for their ninth consecutive victory. They destroyed the Kings by a 132-98 score on Wednesday night and have averaged 119 points per game over their last seven. An additional day of rest compared to their opponent for the hottest team in basketball the moment, and we can note that the Pelicans are 3-11 ATS in their last 14 Friday games while the Rockets are 5-0 ATS in their last five Friday games. Toyota Center will be rocking tonight, carrying Houston to yet another blowout victory.

NBA 3-Pack
Play: Toronto Raptors
Rating: 8*

A very simple case of backing a team that is hot vs. a team that is not. The Raptors have won 10 of their last 11 games, covering the spread in each win. They return home to Toronto following a 123-114 win at Philadelphia and they're 7-1-1 ATS in their last nine home games, 5-1 ATS in their last six Friday night games and 11-1 ATS in their last 12 vs. Eastern Conference foes. The Hawks meanwhile have dropped eight of their last 10. They're coming off a 131-120 home loss to Orlando, and if they can't stop the lowly Magic's offense I don't see how they could possibly slow down Toronto here. The Hawks are 1-7 ATS in their last eight Friday games and 1-6 ATS in the last seven matchups in Toronto.

Top Rated 10* Blazers/Nuggets Total
Play: Over
Rating: 10*

The Portland Trail Blazers picked up a 115-113 win at Denver on Oct. 29, and I think we'll see another high-scoring affair when the two teams do battle at Pepsi Center once again. Both teams are taking the "offense is the best defense" approach, and the over is 18-9 in Portland's games this season and 17-8 in Denver's. 

The Blazers shot 53.8 percent from the field in a 114-95 win against OKC on Tuesday while Denver allowed the lowly Mavericks to shoot 58.4 percent in a 112-92 loss at Dallas the day before. Over is 6-1 in the last seven meetings, and that's a trend I think will continue. 

NBA Pacers/Pels
Play: New Orleans Pelicans
Rating: 8*

The New Orleans Pelicans are coming off a solid performance in a 113-109 home loss to Golden State, and they've picked up five of their eight wins on the season home at Smoothie King Center. "My message to them was we have to play this well against every team," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters after the defeat.

The Indiana Pacers are in a very rough spot after losing 95-89 at Miami last night. The Pacers are 1-4 ATS in their last five games playing on no rest and 1-10 ATS in their last 11 Thursday games while the Pels are 5-1 ATS in their last six Thursday games.  Indiana is just 3-9 SU and ATS on the road this season, and I like the Pels in this matchup. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Houston Rockets
Rating: 10*

The Houston Rockets will host the Sacramento Kings at Toyota Center Wednesday night, and this looks like an excellent spot to back the home team. Houston leads the league with 37.4 3-point attempts per game, and they're making an impressive 38 percent of those shots. The Kings are among the worst in the NBA at defending the three-ball, and they're in a letdown spot here following a 116-92 win against the Lakers.

Houston is undefeated through its seven games so far in December and is averaging 119.1 points during the winning streak. The team is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 vs. Western Conference teams and 8-2 in the last 10 meetings with the Kings. The Rockets won 117-104 at Sacramento on Nov. 25, and I expect them to win with a similar margin tonight.

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Toronto Raptors
Rating: 8*

The Toronto Raptors are asked to lay a bunch of points on the road at Philadelphia Wednesday night, but I like them to win and cover the number. Philly is coming off back-to-back wins at New Orleans (6.5-point dog) and Detroit (12-point dog), but I think they'll come back to reality in a very harsh way tonight. The Raptors are 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings and 24-9-2 ATS in the last 35 meetings at Wells Fargo Center, so they're a proven terrible matchup for the 76ers. 

The Raptors went 14-of-25 from 3-point range in Monday's 122-100 win against Milwaukee, and they're 9-1 SU and ATS through their last 10 games. Don't let the 76ers recent results fool you, they'll stand no chance in this contest. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: NY Knicks
Rating: 8*

The New York Knicks have won six of their last seven games, covering the spread in each victory. The lone setback during that stretch was a blowout loss against Cleveland, and I like them to record another win when visiting the Phoenix Suns Tuesday night. The Suns have dropped four of their last five, and they're coming off a frustrating 120-119 OT loss to the Pelicans as they managed to squander a 15-point lead. New York took the two meetings last season by an average of 24.5 points, and this looks like a good spot to back the Knicks.

NBA Total
Play: Under
Rating: 8*

The New York Knicks have won six of their last seven games, covering the spread in each victory. The lone setback during that stretch was a blowout loss against Cleveland, and even though the over is 3-1 in the Knicks' last four games I think we'll see a low-scoring affair when they visit the Phoenix Suns Tuesday night. The Under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings overall and 4-1 in the last five meetings in Phoenix, and that's with much lower totals than the number we see here today.

NBA *CA$H COW*
Play: Golden State Warriors
Rating: 8*

The Golden State Warriors came from behind to beat the Timberwolves 116-108 on Sunday, a game that closed out a brutal stretch of four games in different cities in just five days. They've had a full day to recover before closing out their a five-game road trip at New Orleans Tuesday night, and I think the Warriors will come out strong here. The Pelicans snapped a five-game skid with a 120-119 OT win as a 2-point underdog at Phoenix on Sunday, but that victory puts them in a let down spot here. Fading home dogs coming off a win as an underdog is a proven profitable proposition, going 56-32-2 ATS over the last two seasons, and we can note that the Warriors are 9-4-1 ATS in the last 14 meetings with the Pels at Smoothie King Center.

Top Rated 10* NBA *GAME OF THE WEEK*
Play: Charlotte Hornets
Rating: 10*

The Charlotte Hornets opened a five-game road swing with a 116-105 loss at Cleveland. They'll be looking to get back in the win column as they visit the Indiana Pacers Monday night, and I like the visitors in this matchup. The Hornets are 14-5 ATS in their last 19 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points and 4-0 ATS in the last four head-to-head meetings with the Pacers.

Indiana is in a rough spot as they've just returned home from a five-game road trip of their own. They defeated Portland 118-11 on Saturday but are just 5-11 ATS in their last 16 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game and 1-4 ATS in their last five Monday night games.

We're getting points on the much better team, in a much better spot with plenty of trends supporting the play? This warrants a BIG BET!

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER TOTAL*
Play: Under
Rating: 8*

The Golden State Warriors put up a very weak performance in Saturday's 110-89 setback at Memphis. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson each went 4-of-14 from the field and the team committed a season-high 23 turnovers. They travel to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves here the next day, and I don't think this will be an easy matchup for the Warriors. 

Point guard Ricky Rubio told reporters that the Timberwolves were "playing with no heart" following a 117-90 setback against Detroit on Friday. While that might be true, what about yourself Ricky? Either way, I think the Wolves will look at yesterday's result and smell weakness from the Warriors and really step it up here, especially on the defensive end of the court. 

Normally I would back the Warriors to bounce back here, but they're playing their fourth game in five nights and considering how they looked yesterday there might not be that much gas left in the tank. 

Under is 6-2 in Warriors last eight games playing on no rest, 11-4 in Warriors last 15 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400 and 14-6-1 in their last 21 Sunday games. Under is 6-2 in Timberwolves last eight vs. a team with a winning straight up record, and I think we'll see this game go under the total. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: OKC Thunder
Rating: 10*

The Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Boston Celtics Sunday evening, and I think this looks like a good spot to back the home team. The Celtics are just 4-12 ATS in their last 16 vs. Western Conference teams, and they were without leading scorer Isaiah Thomas due to a groin injury in Friday's 101-94 home loss to Toronto. Thomas is expected to sit out tonight's contest as well while the Thunder's superstar Russell Westbrook is on absolute fire, going for his eighth consecutive triple-double. The Thunder will be looking to bounce back from a 102-99 loss to Houston, and they're 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.

CBB
Play: Kentucky
Rating: 8*

The No. 7 Kentucky Wildcats will take on Hofstra Pride at Barclays Center in Brooklyn Sunday afternoon. Kentucky is coming off a 87-63 win against Valparaiso as it bounced back from a 97-92 loss to UCLA. Hofstra meanwhile had won four straight before coming up short in a 81-71 loss to St. Bonaventure last Tuesday. 

The Wildcats are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games as a favorite of 13 points or greater and 6-1 ATS in their last seven neutral site games as a favorite. I think the loss to UCLA as an 11-point favorite worked as a wake up call for the Wildcats, and I don't see them underestimating any team in the nearest future. "Coming off the loss, we wanted to get things rolling early," Kentucky’s senior forward Derek Willis told reporters after the win against Valparaiso. "We keyed in on the things we messed up last game against UCLA. We came out a lot more focused and had way more energy." The Wildcats are the superior team by a mile, and I expert them to cover the spread. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Golden State Warriors
Rating: 10*

The Memphis Grizzlies are coming off an 88-86 triumph against Portland on Thursday to make it five consecutive wins. I think they're about to run into a brick wall when they host the phenomenal Golden State Warriors Saturday night though. Golden State has won 16 of its last 17 games and four on the bounce since a 132-127 loss to Houston to open the month. The Warriors failed to cover the spread in Thursday's 106-99 win at Utah as they let the Jazz come back and backdoor cover. The Grizzlies are banged up though, and I don't see them being able to keep up with the healthy Warriors for a full 48 minutes.

Yes, this will be the Warriors third game in four nights and they have the Timberwolves on deck tomorrow, but they have a fairly deep bench (especially compared to Memphis at the moment) and I still expect the visitors to run away with a big score in the end. We can also note that the Warriors are 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.

Saturday 3-Pack
Play: Portland Trail Blazers
Rating: 8*

This looks like an extremely unfavorable spot for the Indiana Pacers. Not will they be playing back-to-back following a 111-103 defeat to the struggling Dallas Mavericks last night, but they're returning home from a five-game road trip. The Pacers are 7-19 ATS in their last 26 games playing on no rest and 2-6 ATS in their last eight home games following a road trip of seven or more days. The Portland Trail Blazers are 1-2 entering the fourth contest of a five-game road swing, and they'll be looking to redeem themselves after letting a 13-point fourth-quarter lead slip in a 88-86 loss to the Grizzlies on Thursday. The Trail Blazers are 4-0 ATS in the last four head-to-head meetings, and I think they have the clear edge in this contest. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Indiana Pacers
Rating: 8*

The Indiana Pacers will close out a five-game road trip Friday night, and they have the luxury of doing it at the worst team in the NBA right now. The 4-17 Dallas Mavericks have lost four of their last five games and didn't stand a chance in a  120-89 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. Note that the Mavericks are 1-6 ATS in their last four games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points and 0-4 ATS in their last four Friday games. The Pacers meanwhile are coming off a 109-94 win at Phoenix and are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. Paul George enjoyed his best game since recovering from an ankle injury and collected 25 points and 13 rebounds. 

The Pacers have covered the spread in seven of the last eight meetings at American Airlines Center, and I don't think the injury-ridden Mavs will be able to keep this a close game. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Detroit Pistons
Rating: 10*

The Minnesota Timberwolves rough season continued with a 124-110 loss at Toronto on Thursday. They were competitive and hung in there for most of the game until the score ran away late in the fourth quarter. I think the fact that the Wolves played hard last night will hurt them here when they host the Detroit Pistons the very next night. Detroit is just 4-9 SU and ATS away from home this season, but the team had won three straight on the road, covering the spread in each game, before losing 87-77 at Charlotte on Wednesday. 

The 6-15 Timberwolves are not only losing games, they're losing by a lot of points. Watch the Pistons run away with this game.

College Basketball
Play: UNC Greensboro
Rating: 8*

UNC Greensboro Spartans will host the Wake Forest Demon Deacons Friday night, and I think this looks like an excellent spot to take the points on the home team. The Spartans average more than 10 made 3-pointers per contest this season and they're shooting 39 percent from behind the arc. They're coming off six consecutive wins, the most recent a 108-56 demolition of Mars Hill as junior forward Marvin Smith led the team with 23 points and made five of his six attempts from behind the arc. Wake Forest has won each of its last two and four of its last six games. It's however worth noting that the Demon Deacons are just 3-11 ATS in their last 14 games following a straight up win.

No one has managed to score more than 66 on the Spartans this season, and I think they'll be able to keep this a closer game than the spread would indicate. Take the points on the home team. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Toronto Raptors
Rating: 10*

The Toronto Raptors will close out a six-game homestand with a matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday night. Toronto had recorded six consecutive wins before coming up short in a 112-106 loss to Cleveland on Monday, but I like the Raptors to bounce back with a win tonight. The Raptors are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall and 3-1-1 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss. The Timberwolves are struggling and have dropped five of their last six games. They're coming off a 105-91 home loss to San Antonio and are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record. 

The Raptors are 14-6-1 ATS on the season while the TWolves are 7-14 ATS. Timberwolves are 3-9 ATS in the last 12 meetings in Toronto. This shouldn't even be close, and I expect a double-digit win for the Raptors. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *MAIN EVENT* Warriors/Clippers
Play: Golden State Warriors
Rating: 10*

The Los Angeles Clippers opened the season red hot, but they've cooled off in recent weeks winning just two of their last four games. They lost 111-102 to the Pacers at home on Sunday, a team the Golden State Warriors demolished 142-106 the next day. Klay Thompson scored a career-high 60 points on 21-of-33 shooting in 29 minutes and he averaged 26.3 points while burying 53.8 percent of his 3-point attempts in four games against the Clippers last season.

The Warriors have won each of the last six meetings, all but one by at least four points. They're playing some fantastic basketball at the moment, and laying the points with the two-time defending West champs is a no-brainer here IMO. 

Subscribers Only
Play: Cleveland Cavaliers
Rating: 5*

CBB
Play: SMU Mustangs
Rating: 8*

The TCU Horned Frogs are still undefeated on the season, but they've been favored in all those games I think their winning streak is about to end as they visit SMU Mustangs Wednesday night. TCU is coming off a dominant 77-54 win against Arizona State, a matcup that closed out a three-game homestand. The Horned Frogs are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games following three or more consecutive home games and 0-6 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. SMU is a perfect 5-0 at home on the season and 5-1 ATS in its last six home games. SMU has won back-to-back games, allowing an average of 51.5 points in the process, and I can see the Mustangs shut down TCU here and run away with the victory.

Subscribers Only
Play: Detroit Pistons
Rating: 5*

CBB
Play: Indiana State
Rating: 8*

The Indiana State Sycamores will host No. 15 Butler Bulldogs Wednesday night, and I think this looks like a good spot to take the points on the home team. Indiana State is 5-0 ATS in its last five games as an underdog and the team is coming off back-to-back victories, the most recent a 62-61 win at Utah State as a 5.5-point underdog. The Bulldogs are a perfect 8-0 on the season and they're clearly the superior team, but the backdoor will be wide open and note that while Indiana State has four losses on the season, the defeats have com by a total of 10 points.

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: San Antonio Spurs
Rating: 8*

The San Antonio Spurs have been outstanding on the road this season, boasting a perfect 12-0 record while going 7-4-1 against the spread. They won a close one 97-96 at Milwaukee last night, but I think they'll win by a bigger margin at Minnesota here the next day. The Timberwolves have talent and are coming off a 125-120 OT win at Charlotte but they really struggle on the defensive end of the court and the Spurs never give up easy points in return. Spurs are 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings at Target Center and 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings overall. Go with the Spurs to cover another game. 

College Basketball *BOOKIE BREAKER*
Play: Evansville Purple Aces
Rating: 8*

The Evansville Purple Aces are a perfect 4-0 straight up at home this season, covering the spread each time. The Bowling Green Falcons meanwhile have yet to win a game on the road this season with their average loss being at 14.3 points per game. Evansville has been playing solid D all season and held Boise State to 36.8 percent shooting from the field in a 72-67 win its last time out. Bowling Green shot just 36.8 percent from the field while allowing Cincinnati to shoot 55.7 percent in a 85-5 loss last last Sunday. Look for Evansville to take command early and run away with the game. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Chicago Bulls
Rating: 10*

The Chicago Bulls came up short in a 112-110 loss to Portland last night. I like them to get back on track on there here at Detroit the very next night. The Bulls were without Rajon Rondo who sat served a one-match suspension yesterday (should be back tonight), and keep in mind that the Bulls always bring their best against division opponents going 9-2 ATS in their last 11 vs. NBA Central. The Pistons had a three-game winning streak come to an end with a 92-92 home loss to Orlando on Sunday. It was their first game since returning from a four-game road trip, and teams in the NBA tend to struggle even more in their second game back from a longer trek. Take the points on the Bulls and watch them threaten to win outright.

Top Rated 10* NBA *GAME OF THE WEEK*
Play: Chicago Bulls
Rating: 10*

The Chicago Bulls are coming off a 107-82 loss to Dallas on Saturday. They had however defeated the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers the previous night and decided to rest Dwyane Wade. He'll be back on the floor tonight and the Bulls are 5-0 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss and 7-2 ATS in their last nine home games.

The Trail Blazers are coming off a 99-92 triumph over Miami home in Portland on Saturday. They're 7-20 ATS in their last 27 games following a straight up win and 1-5 ATS in their last six road games.

Chicago thrashed Portland 113-88 on Nov. 15, and I like the Bulls in a blowout here Monday night. 

CBB *PLAY OF THE DAY*
Play: Syracuse Orange
Rating: 8*

The Syracuse Orange are 5-2 on the season. I like them to win and cover the spread here against the 3-4 Connecticut Huskies. The Huskies are 1-5 ATS in their last six games as an underdog while the Orange are 4-1 ATS in their last five games as a favorite.

UConn is banged up and won without impressing in a 51-49 victory over Boston University its last time out. The Orange meanwhile are coming off a 77-71 win against North Florida and led by as many as 24 points in the second half before slowing down. The Orange know they can't allow the Huskies to stay close here, and I expect the Orange to dominate this game from start to finish. 

NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Portland Trail Blazers
Rating: 10*

The Miami Heat have already secured a winning record on this three-game road trip with back-to-back wins at Utah and Denver. I don't think they'll make it three in a row as they visit the Portland Trail Blazers Saturday night. 

Portland has won two of its last three games home at Moda Center and the Blazers defeated the Pacers 131-109 their last time out. They've struggled on the defensive end of the court all season long, but here they'll take on a Heat team that averages just 97.4 points per game. 

We can also note that the Trail Blazers are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 Saturday games while the Heat are 1-5 ATS in their last six Saturday games.

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: NY Knicks
Rating: 8*

We won with the New York Knicks when they defeated the Timberwolves 106-104 at Minnesota on Wednesday, and I think they'll get the job done home at MSG this time around. Knicks are 7-1 ATS in their last eight Friday night games and 6-1 ATS in their last seven at home. The Wolves are 2-5 ATS in their last seven overall.

NBA *FRIDAY NIGHT TOTAL*
Play: Under
Rating: 8*

The LA Lakers will visit the Toronto Raptors Friday night, and I think we'll see a relatively low-scoring affair. The Raptors knocked down 16 of 32 from long range and shot 55.1 percent from the field in a 120-105 win over the banged up Grizzlies on Wednesday. It's unrealistic to think that they'll make shots at the clip again and note that the Lakers are holding opponents to 33.9 percent shooting from behind the arc, the seventh best mark in the NBA. The Raptors always play solid D home at Air Canada Centre and the Lakers are still without second-year star D'Angelo Russell (knee). Under is 4-0 the Lakers last four games. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Cleveland Cavaliers
Rating: 10*

Great spot to back the Cleveland Cavaliers here IMO. The LA Clippers opened a six-game road trip with a win at Washington, but they've since lost at Detroit Indiana and most recenly a 127-122 OT setback at Brooklyn as a 10.5-point favorite. Note that the Clippers are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games following a straight up loss and just 1-7 ATS in their last eight games overall. They also don't seem to take Eastern Conference foes that serious going 0-5 ATS in their last five vs. the East.

The Cleveland Cavaliers had won four straight prior to a 118-101 loss at Milwaukee on Tuesday, arguably their worst game of the season. Here we can note that the Cavs are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss and 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. They seem to take teams from the opposite conference more serious than the Clippers going 5-1 ATS in their last six vs. Western Conference.

The Cavaliers won the past four meetings by an average of 13.3 points and the Clippers are 2-12 ATS in the last 14 meetings in Cleveland. Let's go with a BIG wager on Cleveland. 

College Basketball *MONEYMAKER*
Play: SMU Mustangs
Rating: 8*

SMU Mustangs will visit Boise St. Broncos Wednesday night, and I like the Mustangs in this matchup. The Mustangs have dropped two of their past three games, against Michigan and USC. They're however 6-1 ATS in their last seven games as a favorite and 4-1 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss. The Broncos are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six games as an underdog in the 0.5-6.5 range. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: New York Knicks
Rating: 8*

The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming off a 112-103 loss to Northwest rivals the Jazz on Monday. It's worth noting that they're 8-24 following a game against a division opponent and I think the Knicks will give them a tough game here on Wednesday. The Knicks have dropped two in a row following three consecutive wins. They're however 4-1 ATS during that stretch and 3-1-1 ATS in the last five meetings with the Wolves at Target Center. 

I actually like this talented Minnesota team, but the Timberwolves have proven time and time again that they're not a team to rely on just yet. Take the points on the Knicks and watch them threaten to win outright. 

NBA *BANKROLL BUILDER*
Play: Chicago Bulls
Rating: 8*

The Bulls are back home in Chicago following a six-game road trip. They've had four full days off to rest and recover and I think they'll come in well prepared for this game against the Los Angeles Lakers. LA fell 105-88 at New Orleans on Tuesday and Nick Young was forced to leave the game with an Achilles injury. A big blow for the Lakers who are also without starter D'Angelo Russell for at least two weeks after receiving a PRP injection in his left knee. 

The Bulls are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games overall and 4-0 ATS in their last four games playing on 3 or more days rest. The Lakers are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games playing on no rest and 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall. Take Bulls in a blowout.

NBA Bonus Play
Play: Over
Rating: 5*

It's never easy to play on back-to-back nights, and that is particularly true when taking on an up-tempo offense like the Rockets. They rank fourth in the NBA for offensive efficiency and they're coming off a 130-114 win at Portland. Houston has won five of its last six games, scoring 111 points or more all but once and this looks like a good spot to take advantage of tired Utah legs. 

NBA Western Conference *GAME OF THE MONTH*
Play: Houston Rockets
Rating: 10*

The Utah Jazz are coming off a 112-103 win at Minnesota last night. They'll host the Houston Rockets here the very next day, and altough we won with the Jazz last night I would advice to switch side and take their opponent in this contest. 

It's never easy to play on back-to-back nights, and that is particularly true when taking on an up-tempo offense like the Rockets. They rank fourth in the NBA for offensive efficiency and they're coming off a 130-114 win at Portland. Houston has won five of its last six games, scoring 111 points or more all but once and this looks like a good spot to take advantage of tired Utah legs.  

The Rockets are 6-0 ATS in their last six road games and 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings, including a 111-102 win at home on Nov. 19. I'm going with a BIG WAGER on the Rockets Tuesday night. 

As a bonus play I'm also advising the over with a 5* rating. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Utah Jazz
Rating: 10*

The Utah Jazz are coming off back-to-back wins after a pair of terrific defensive performances, holding the Nuggets and the Hawks to an average of 75.5 points. They're allowing just 92.8 on the season, and while Minnesota has some offensive talent I think the Timberwolves will struggle in this matchup. 

The Wolves have dropped four of their last five games, and they're 2-6 ATS when playing against a team with a winning record. The Jazz took three of four matchups last season, including a 93-84 win in the last meeting here on March 26, 2016 and they're a perfect 2-0 as a road favorite of three points or fewer on the season. While Minnesota can compete with teams happy to play shootout type of games, I don't see them scoring enough here against this well drilled Jazz D. 

Situational *BANKROLL BUILDER*
Play: Boston Celtics
Rating: 8*

This looks like a very tough spot for the Miami Heat. They split a four-game road trip before a 110-107 loss to Memphis on Saturday. Not all that surprising as NBA teams tend to struggle when returning home from extended road trips, and that applies to the second game back as well. I think that situation is enough to back the Celtics here, but we can also add in the fact that Boston is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings at American Airlines Arena and swept the three-game season series in 2015-16. 

The Celtics had won three on the bounce on the road before suffering a 109-103 home loss to San Antonio on Friday, but I like them to get back on track here. 

College Basketball *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: FSU Seminoles
Rating: 8*

The Minnesota Golden Gophers look like a much improved team from the side that finished last season with an 8-23 record. They're a perfect 6-0 through their first games of the season, but keep in mind that each of those games have been at home. I think they'll come up short here when visiting the talented Florida State Seminoles. 

Note that the Golden Gophers are 0-4-1 ATS in their last five road games following three or more consecutive home games and 0-4 ATS in their last four games after allowing less than 50 points in their previous game, which they are coming off a 57-45 win over Southern Illinois. 

FSU is 6-1 ATS in its last seven home games and returns home from a solid 72-61 win at Illinois. Take the home team to cover a rather large spread. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Houston Rockets
Rating: 10*

The Houston Rockets have won four of their last five games. They're coming off a solid 117-104 win at Sacramento on Friday, and they're 8-1 ATS in their last nine games playing on one days rest. On Sunday the Rockets will visit a Portland Trail Blazers team that has dropped five of its last seven games. The Blazers are coming off a 119-104 win against New Orleans, but they've generally done terrible against the spread lately going 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games overall. We can also note that they're 2-5 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.

Both teams are more than capable of putting up points on the offensive end of the floor, but Portland has really struggled on defense in recent games. Houston defeated the Blazers 126-109 at home on Nov. 17. The Rockets are 9-3-1 ATS in the last 13 meetings at Moda Center, and this looks like another good spot to back Houston. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: San Antonio Spurs
Rating: 10*

We cashed a big ticket with the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, and I'm going back to the well for more Saturday night. San Antonio put up another strong performance in an afternoon game at Boston, winning 109-103 in the end. The Spurs have a solid and deep team and are 17-8 ATS in their last 25 games playing without rest. The Wizards meanwhile won 94-91 at Orlando, last night, and I actually like the fact that they won, making them less desperate for this game. We can note that the Wizards are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games playing on 0 days rest.

The Spurs have been money on the road this season, going 8-0 SU and 5-2-1 against the spread. They are 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings at Verizon Center and Washington is just 1-5 ATS in its last six vs. Western Conference teams. Look for the Spurs to remain perfect on the road and cover the spread in the process.

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Memphis Grizzlies
Rating: 8*

The Memphis Grizzlies enter Black Friday on a six-game winning streak. They'll host the reeling Miami Heat tonight, and I think we'll see a blowout win for the home team. 

Miami opened a four-game road trip with a win at Washington, but it has lost back-to-back games at Philly and Detroit since. The Heat are 0-5 ATS in their last five road games vs. a team with a winning home record and 0-5 ATS in the last five meetings with the Grizzlies in Memphis. 

The Grizzlies came from behind to beat the 76ers 104-99 in overtime in their last game. They're in a good flow, and 10-2 ATS in their last 12 Friday games. Look for Memphis to win and cover the spread. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: San Antonio Spurs
Rating: 10*

The red hot San Antonio Spurs are coming into this game riding a seven game winning streak, and they're a perfect 8-0 (5-2-1 ATS) on the road this season. They've not exactly blown teams away as each of their last six wins have come by single digits, but they're asked to cover a rather small spread at Boston in this contest. This has been a very favorable matchup for the Spurs in recent seasons, and they're 12-3-1 ATS in the last 16 meetings in Boston. The Celtics are just 3-10 ATS in their last 13 vs. Western Conference teams, and I think they'll come up short here. 

NBA 3-Pack
Play: Memphis Grizzlies
Rating: 8*

The Philadelphia 76ers are going for a fifth consecutive win home at Wells Fargo Center when they host the Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday night. Keep in mind though, the teams they've beaten are Indiana, Washington, Phoenix and Miami, so they've not exactly played the top of the crop- The Grizzlies are winners of five straight despite facing much tougher opposition, and they've played excellent D during the winning streak. Memphis took the last seven in the series (6-1 ATS), including four in a row in Philadelphia. Go with the Grizzlies to win and cover the spread. 

NBA 3-Pack
Play: Under
Rating: 8*

The slumping Portland Trail Blazers have dropped four of their last five games, and they sure have their work cut out for them when visiting the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. Portland ranks dead last in the league in defensive efficiency, but I think the total for this game is set way too high. Four of the last five meetings have gone under the total, each time with a much lower number than this. The lone over during that stretch was a 105-100 Cleveland win with the total set at 200 last December. 

The Cavs held the Pistons to 31.6% shooting from the field in a 104-81 rout on Friday. Under is 8-2 in the Cavaliers last 10 games playing on three or more days rest and 5-1 in Cavaliers last six games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. Portland is coming off a 107-103 loss at New York last night, and the under is 8-3 in Trail Blazers' last 11 games when their starting five players combine for more than 160 minutes on the previous day.

NBA 3-Pack
Play: San Antonio Spurs
Rating: 8*

The Charlotte Hornets have dropped two in a row and four of their last six games. They host the San Antonio Spurs Wednesday night, and I think the Spurs will prove too much to handle. San Antonio has been money on the road this season, going 6-1 ATS. The Hornets are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Charlotte has a strong D, but so does the Spurs, and while Tony Parker and LaMarcus Aldridge were rested in Monday's 96-91 win over Dallas we can expect them to be back in the lineup for this contest. 

NBA *LATE SHOW*
Play: OKC Thunder
Rating: 8*

The LA Lakers have had a terrific start to the season by their standards, but they've dropped three of their last four games while going 0-3-1 ATS, the two most recent defeats to Chicago and San Antonio. I think it will be tough to turn it around here against the talented Oklahoma City Thunder. 

OKC had won back-to-back games prior to a 115-111 OT loss to Indiana, and they'll be looking to open a three-game road trip on a positive note. They're 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings with the Lakers who have point guard D'Angelo Russell listed as questionable due to a sore left knee, and he didn't participate in Monday's practice.

LAL has an interesting team, and I can see them beating up on the lesser teams in the NBA. The Thunder are not in that category, and we can note that the Thunder defeated the Lakers by a 113-96 score home in Oklahoma City in late October.

Top Rated 10* NBA *TOTAL OF THE WEEK*
Play: Over
Rating: 10*

The Denver Nuggets host the Chicago Bulls Tuesday night. The under is 2-7 in the Bulls' nine games on the season, but I think we'll see a high-scoring affair flying over the set total here. 

The Bulls are coming off an impressive offensive effort in a 118-110 win at the Lakers on Sunday. Over is 13-3 in Bulls last 16 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400, while over is 4-1 in Denver's five games on the season when playing against a team with a winning record, and the over is 9-4 overall in games involving the Nuggets. 

Denver shut down Utah effectively in a 105-91 win on Sunday (over is 6-1 after Denver scored 105 points or more its last game), but this Chicago team is a completely different opponent. Jimmy Butler is red hot, fresh off a season-high 40 points, and Dwyane Wade should be back in the lineup after sitting out the last game. 

Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings and I expect points to come fast and easy for both teams. Take the over. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Miami Heat
Rating: 10*

The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off a 120-105 win as a small dog against Phoenix. I think they'll get back to their losing ways when they host the Miami Heat Monday night. Sure, each of Philadelphia's three wins this season have been recorded home at Wells Fargo Center, but coming off an upset win usually means a let down the game the next time out. 

Miami is coming off a 114-111 win at Washington as a 4.5-point underdog, their second consecutive victory. The difference is that Miami is a team used to winning, so a let down game following an upset win is unlikely. We can also note that the Heat are 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings in Philadelphia. 

The Heat have had a disappointing start to the season, sitting on just four wins (one more win than the 76ers), so building a three game winning streak here would be massive. Bank on the Heat to get the job done and cover the spread. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *SITUATIONAL SLAYER*
Play: Denver Nuggets
Rating: 10*

The Utah Jazz have lost three in a row following a 111-102 loss at Houston on Saturday. Travelling from Houston to Denver to play without rest is an extremely tough ask, and I like the Nuggets in this contest. Denver has lost five of its last six games and coming off a 113-111 OT loss to Toronto Friday night. Still no shame in that result, and the physical Nuggets should be able to take advantage of their rest advantage. The Jazz have the more talented team, and this is purely a situational play, but such a strong one that I still have it as a top rated 10* selection. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: LA Clippers
Rating: 10*

The LA Clippers are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games as a home favorite, and I think they'll take care of business and defeat the Chicago Bulls Saturday night. The Bulls have played good basketball lately coming off four consecutive victories. They've won the last two as underdogs at Portland and Utah, and a third consecutive upset is extremely unlikely. This will be their fifth road game since Nov. 9, and I don't think they can play at this level for much longer withtout a let down game. 

The Clippers have been one of the best teams in the NBA this season, sitting on an 11-2 straight up record while going 9-4 ATS. They've failed to cover the spread in each of their last two games, a 111-107 home loss to the Grizzlies as a 12.5-point favorite on Nov. 16 and a 121-115 win at Sacramento as an 8.5-point favorite last night. The Clippers are 5-2 ATS in their last seven in the second game of a on back-to-back situation, and the favorite is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings. 

Chicago is not a bad team, but the Clippers are stronger in just about every aspect of the game, including the bench, and I like them to win and cover the spread. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: LA Lakers
Rating: 8*

The San Antonio Spurs will visit the Los Angeles Lakers Friday night. The Spurs have won four on the bounce, but they've failed to cover the spread in each of their last two games, winning 94-90 as an 11-point favorite against Miami and 110-105 as an 5.5-point favorite at Sacramento. 

Los Angeles is not a team on the Spurs' radar, and they have no motivation to do much more than just enough to get the W here. A win might not come that easy though against a Lakers team that has played above and beyond all expectations so far, and I expect the Lakers players to step up big here against a big name opponent. Keep in mind that this is Lakers team handed Golden State a 20-point defeat earlier this month. 

A 7-5 straight up record while going 8-3-1 against the spread is extremely impressive by the Lakers standard, and first year head coach Luke Walton has this young team believing. He knows how build a winning mentality from his time as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, and point guard D'Angelo Russell and power forward Julius Randle have both made the most of the responsibility given them.

Defeating San Antonio straight up will be tricky as Pop usually finds a way to grind out a win, but I expect the Lakers to cover the spread. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *GAME OF THE WEEK* Warriors/Raptors
Play: Golden State Warriors
Rating: 10*

The Toronto Raptors are coming off a 121-117 loss to the defending champs Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday. Tonight they'll host the Golden State Warriors, and I predict another setback for Toronto. The Raptors have covered the spread in each of their last eight when playing on no rest, but how many of those games have been against the up-tempo Warriors? 

Golden State leads the league in offensive efficiency (the number of points a team scores per 100 possessions) and the team is third for pace (the number of possessions a team uses per game), so it should come as no surprise to see the Warriors top of the league in scoring, averaging 116.4 points per game. Toronto might want to try and slow down the tempo, but I think the Warriors will have none of it and really put pressure on the Raptors at both ends of the court. 

Warriors are 19-7 ATS in the last 26 meetings, and I think they'll cover the spread as they travel north of the border Wednesday night. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Charlotte Hornets
Rating: 10*

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been widely inconsistent this season, and they have yet to win back-to-back games under new head coach Tom Thibodeau. With the Wolves coming off an impressive effort in Sunday's 125-99 rout of the Lakers I think that trend will hold true again and that they'll come up short tonight. 

The Wolves are 0-4 ATS in their last four games following a straight up win, and they'll face a Charlotte team looking to get back in the win column after back-to-back losses to Toronto and Cleveland. The Hornets played decent basketball though, losing by just a combined nine points against arguably the two best teams in the East. Charlotte is 5-1 ATS as a favorite this season, and I think the Hornets will go on a rampage here when facing a lesser opponent.