The Knicks handily defeated the Brooklyn Nets last night and now will head to Boston Wednesday evening. On Monday, Boston ended their losing streak with a narrow 111-110 victory over the Denver Nuggets. In a lower number than anticipated for a team in a back to back scenario oddsmakers are expecting a rusty Celtics team. Yet, even though they’re travel back from Denver will create rust expect the Celtics to push through in the fourth quarter. Grab Boston.

Two teams with identical 12-9 records will battle in the MAC as Eastern Michigan hosts Western Michigan. Both teams are coming off wins which makes tonight matchup even more important. With a small point spread Vegas is banking on the same thing. Here expect Eastern Michigan’s overall better defense and home court edge to prevail and get the cover for backers. 

The Lakers travel to Toronto on Sunday as they continue to extend their east coast road trip. Toronto is coming off a lackluster home loss against the Jazz in which they surrendered a late lead. With their strong home court edge over the last several years a bounce back spot seems in order against the Lakers. Instead grab Los Angeles whose youth is finally starting to mesh minus the assists of injured point guard Lonzo Ball. 

Maintaining proper production for forty minutes on the road is extremely difficult in-conference. UT-Arlington found that out the hard way as they led for thirty minutes in their latest matchup against Georgia State, before the Panthers pulled away. Today, UT Arlington will get a better matchup against Georgia Southern. Yet, a consecutive road game produces the same result for UT Arlington. Grab Georgia Southern.

Jamie Dixon’s Horned Frogs are back in the fold after faltering for a stretch. They’ll travel to Vanderbilt as part of the Big 12 vs SEC classic. This should be a solid test for TCU even with Vanderbilt’s 7-13 record. On the year TCU has not been a good road team at 1-3. That’s where the value lies. Grab the Horned Frogs.

The Timberwolves travel to Portland with two key players out. Jimmy Butler and Jamal Crawford both will sit out with injuries. That factored with a late night west coast game has put oddsmakers in the spot to make Portland favorites. A boost of confidence for Trailblazers point guard Damian Lillard is that he is an All-Star reserve. Yet, expect the Timberwolves to rise to the occasion and benefit off the Blazers poor shot selections. Grab the Timberwolves. 

The Aggies precipitous fall from the top twenty-five looks uncommon from the outside. The fact of the matter was they were on the bubble of being ranked week one and gained momentum in non-conference. Yet they’ve won consecutive games in the SEC to move to 2-5 in conference. With both wins at home oddsmakers are putting bettors in an unseen position as the Aggies are 0-3 on the road in-conference. That’s where value lies. Grab the Aggies.

Denver -3

The struggling Denver Nuggets have dropped consecutive games to dip to .500. Their struggles have caught the attention of oddsmakers as typically they’re inflated due to their home court edge. Portland on the other hand is healthy and has won three straight games. Yet even with the Nuggets tinkering with their starting lineup grab Denver to handle the Trailblazers. Take Denver. 

Thursday UCLA will travel to take on an Oregon State team that fared unsuccessful in a road trip to Arizona. The Beavers showed strong competitiveness to show their improvements against Arizona, and had a great chance to defeat ASU before melting late. For UCLA a possibility of looking ahead to Saturday’s matchup in Oregon is plausible. Still, even minus depth look for the Bruins to pull away from the Beavers. 

Wright State -4

Out in the Horizon league Wright State has begun conference play 6-0. All of their conference wins have been by ten points or less, showcasing an ability to close out games. Thursday marks their fourth road game in five games which has decreased the spread against Wisconsin-Green Bay. Still, expect Wright State’s confidence to win to be the deciding factor in a late push past the number.

The Philadelphia 76ers will travel to Boston and face the Celtics for the second time in a week. Last week’s 114-103 Boston win was played in London and was a tale of two halves. Leading by nine at halftime the 76ers fell apart with poor offense and defense in the third quarter. Expect a better performance tonight as they withstand the Celtics home crowd. Grab the 76ers.

At just 1-4 in Big 12 play the TCU Horned Frogs find themselves as double digit favorites Wednesday. The reason why is they’ve been a play or two away in all of their losses this season. In fact all four of their losses were by five points or less. While Iowa State has the team identity and public betting notoriety they’re a huge liability in a down season. Their win in their latest outing over Baylor dips the line just enough here to grab the Horned Frogs. 

In the American conference the only winless team that remains is South Florida. They’ll travel on the road to face an East Carolina that’s one conference win was on the road against South Florida. This is a spot where one can grab the value on East Carolina’s win in South Florida. Expect a better offensive effort from the Bulls and for them to avenge their prior loss to the Pirates.

Parity in the Missouri Valley conference has created an oddsmaker conundrum for Tuesday. After starting conference play at 0-5, Northern Iowa finally broke through and toppled Valparaiso. Drake on the other hand is 5-1 in conference but their one loss was a 17 point drubbing to Valparaiso. With Northern Iowa’s big win over Valparaiso bettors may chase the illusion that they’re a team to back with confidence. Yet with six days rest expect Drake to have the fresher legs and withstand the Panthers. 

Friday the Phoenix Suns were one of the more popular underdog consensus plays as they hosted the Rockets. A rare stretch of five days rest was the angle bettors chased but the Suns were blown out by 17. Now they’ll step onto the court less than 48 hours later against a Pacers team that defeated the Cavaliers in a miraculous comeback Friday. That’s created value on the Suns as Indiana is inflated off that victory. Grab the Suns. 

After pulling off a narrow ATS victory against Colorado Wednesday, USC will look for another Pac-12 victory against Utah. Utah once was a 10-3 team that looked the role as a dark horse Pac-12 contendor. Unfortunately scheduling has not benefitted them as they’ve lost three straight against the meat of the Pac-12 in Arizona, ASU, and UCLA. Although USC has been turnover prone and susceptible defensively they’ve grown accustomed to playing in the Sunday night spot on a weekly basis. Grab the value on the Trojans.

Sunday, Davidson travels to take on Fordham in the Bronx. Fordham’s a team that has been an under the radar reliable conference ATS team in recent years. Yet, they’re 1-3 in conference play and are coming off two steep consecutive losses. Davidson on the other hand has rebounded from a 4-6 start to win four of their last five. Grab them to continue their higher level of play on the road against Fordham.

A team that keeps losing in the WCC is Portland. They’re winless in conference and just lost by fifty points at Gonzaga. Pacific on the other hand has rebounded from a subpar non-conference performance to go 3-2 in conference. Yet they’re venturing on the road for the first time in nine days. Still this is a baited home dog spread as Pacific’s 8-10 record offers a peculiar spot for a favorite. Grab it as Portland’s woes continue.

The return of Zach Lavigne for the Bulls is not one to consider from a value stand point. Lavine has been away due to injury for a year and is also stepping onto the court with a new team as opposed to his familiar prior setting with the Timberwolves. The thunder of the Bulls former torrid stretch of having won ten of twelve games has dissipated as they’ve dropped five of seven. Detroit has the depth and size to offset a young Bulls team. Still, look for the back end of a Detroit three-game road trip to keep the Bulls in position to win. Grab the Bulls.

In college hoops ASU continues to be a hot bed to go against ATS for several reasons, but primarily based on their schedule. After opening up conference play with three straight road games the Sun Devils dropped their first home game to Oregon on Thursday. Saturday’s opponent is one in Oregon State that also lost but on the road Thursday to Arizona. The angle that ASU is in need of a win and is facing a team continuing road travels is one offered by oddsmakers. Yet even though ASU has the quick spurt capabilities this is too many points to bypass. Grab the Beavers.

Friday the Bucks will host the Warriors in a key interconference matchup. On the injury report for the Warriors is Steph Curry who is listed as doubtful with a sprained ankle. Yet the Warriors have already dealt with playing without Curry prior this season and boast a 17-3 away record. Of their nine losses this year none have come consecutively. That’s where the value lies here as bettors chase the number on the Warriors team strength of the past four seasons. Grab the home Milwaukee Bucks.

Arizona State returns home tonight to face Oregon after a three-game road stretch to start the Pac-12. Most coaches would have been happy with the results of the stretch. ASU fought tough against 17th ranked Arizona, played Colorado to overtime, and held off Utah. Yet, tonight’s point spread is more indicative of a returning home tilted line as well as ASU’s strong ATS record (10-2). The fact of the matter is ASU lacks size and does not defend for forty minutes. Grab the value on Oregon. 

At 4-12 UNC Wilmington has had an extreme free fall from their tournament appearance two years ago. Tonight they’ll take on conference opponent Elon whom has won four of their last five. Yet I see value on UNC Wilmington who still has prime talent at several positions. The Seahawks looked extremely flat in their latest matchup allowing 96 points in a twenty point loss to Delaware. That’s created value on the Seahawks tonight as they conclude a conference three-game road trip. Grab the Seahawks.

Oddsmakers have dangled out a large point spread Wednesday on the Trojans. The fact of the matter is their improper top ten ranking to start the season made it difficult  for oddsmakers to adjust their number. At 11-6 they’re the only team not in the Pac-12 outside of ASU that has a positive mark ATS at 10-7. Colorado is coming off home upsets against both Arizona State and Arizona which further elevates their inflation. They also played their latest game against Arizona mid-day Saturday PST compared to USC’s Sunday evening buzzer beat loss to Stanford. Grab the value on the underachieving but talented Trojans.

Once again the Pelicans will be minus star athlete Anthony Davis. Traveling on the road against Memphis will be a challenge as the Grizzlies still are capable of solid half-court defense. Yet offensively they’ll keep the Pelicans within striking distance with their inopportune offensive lulls. Value here is based on the fact that of the Grizzlies last twelve games four opponents they faced multiple times. That led to tighter games based on familiarity similar to an MLB home-away series. Grab the value on the Pelicans.

In a back to back scenario the Dallas Mavericks will travel to Charlotte. This is a skewed line as Charlotte returns home from a lengthy west coast trip. During the trip the Hornets defeated the Warriors and also blew out their last two opponents. That figures to translate at home against a tired team far below .500. Yet look for the Mavericks to fight in this one and cover a skewed line.

Dropping from a top five team to unranked has occurred for Texas A&M. Issues diagnosed pre-season with Texas A&M’s lack of a point guard have been a main downgrade to their 0-3 SEC start. Opposite the Kentucky Wildcats have not been the same caliber of a typical Coach Calipari. That’s showcased by oddsmakers offering low numbers against Louisville (-4.5) and Virginia Tech (-6.5). Yet there is value to be had here off the Aggies slide and last year’s blowout 100-58 Kentucky victory over A&M. In the victory Kentucky did not ease off the gas as they hunted to score 100 points. An added ATS indicator for the Aggies is this is the first collegiate game of conference play with class back in session from the holidays. Grab the Aggies.

The depleted Clippers were further hit with the injury bug as they’re now minus Blake Griffin and Austin Rivers. That’s created ATS value tonight against an Atlanta Hawks team that were blown out by 19 points against the Lakers and by 21 in Portland. Grab the Clippers to get it done with a core of non original starters as they sweep the Hawks.

The Suns thin roster will likely be without more players Sunday as TJ Warren and Isaiah Canaan are likely to miss today’s game against Oklahoma City. For the Thunder they’ve become a stronger group on their current road trip with blowout wins over the Lakers and Clippers. The catalyst has been rookie Terrance Ferguson whom has given the Thunder an athletic spark of youth. Phoenix’s poor home record of just 7-14 adds to their value. Grab the Suns to put up points and cover the big number.

Signs of ASU having glaring weaknesses were evident before conference play began. Under sized and offensive droughts plagued them in come back wins over Vanderbilt, Longwood, and others. Starting off the Pac-12 0-2 is a cause of those issues but also a tough conference schedule out of the gate. Both their games were on the road as is tonight’s matchup against Utah. That’s where the value lies ATS. Look for ASU to show a concerted effort to avoid falling to 0-3 in the Pac-12.

It’s rare to see two teams at 11-5 in the wild card round. Yet, a deep NFC has caused an NFC South matchup. This of course will be the third meeting between the teams with the Saints dominating both over the Panthers. While the Saints went just 3-3 to finish out the season, they have the edge on both sides of the football to handle the Panthers one more time. This line likely would be higher if it were not for the Panthers strong regular season and Super Bowl appearance just two seasons ago. The notion of a team having difficulty beating a team three times won’t be the case here. Grab the Saints. 

Continued credit for being a former dominant conference team is what oddsmakers have granted Northern Iowa. The Panthers have now lost four straight after starting the season 8-3. The Missouri Valley has increased their offensive production and been able to bypass the Panthers typical strong defense. After consecutive road games this is a spot oddsmakers have baited bettors to grab the home Panthers. Instead look for further rust from Northern Iowa and for Loyola-Chicago to be the aggressors as they’ve lost three of four.

Samford finds themselves in an unordinary spot as a favorite this season. Minus key contributors Wyatt Walker and Christen Cunningham Samford has started the season 5-10. Yet, they both may play today which would be a small conference oddsmaker miss in the Southern conference. Even if both fail to return expect Samford to bypass Western Carolina’s methodical slow pace offense. Grab Samford.

Saturday, we’ll grab the value on Brooklyn as home underdogs against the Celtics. Boston is coming off a nationally televised blowout win as Kyrie got the upper hand over Lebron and the Cavaliers. Yet the Nets have won consecutive home games and have played two close games against the Celtics. One resulted in a seven point loss and there most recent matchup on New Year’s Eve was by three points. Grab the Nets to keep this close again.

Saturday there is value in the Ohio Valley conference as Jacksonville State travels to take on Belmont. Here the value lies with Jacksonville State’s second consecutive road game. In their prior road game the Gamecocks lost by seven to a lowly 6-8 Tennessee State team. Yet, Belmont should bring a higher level of energy from the Gamecocks. Grab the road value.

Just one team in the Pac-12 has a losing record below .500. That is Stanford which is just 6-8 overall and has poor losses on their resume to teams such as Portland State, Eastern Washington, and Long Beach State. They’ll face a UCLA team tonight that’s gaining their confidence. After a neutral site victory over Kentucky, UCLA has started off Pac-12 play 2-0. Yet, expect Stanford to show some strides in this one as they lost by just three points in their latest matchup against California.

The Wofford Terriers host their first home game in Southern Conference play against VMI. VMI is coming off a thirty point loss in which they allowed sixteen three pointers to Furman. Fletcher Magee of Wofford figures to be in for a great evening as one of the country’s premier three-point shooters. Yet, be leery of another Wofford offensive lapse to detriment this large spread. In their latest matchup against UNC Greensboro they scored just twenty second half points, including a stretch of twelve minutes with just seven points. Grab the underdog here. 

In two of the Jazz last three home games they’ve defeated the Spurs and Cavaliers. Still they’re a team struggling with camaraderie amongst their starting five with a record of 16-21. Meanwhile the Pelicans have dropped consecutive home games against the Knicks and Mavericks. Yet, their starting five has been extremely productive and has to much fire power for the Jazz in a road spot. Grab the Pelicans.

Four of five losses by Saint Joseph’s has dropped their season record below .500 at 5-7. Today they’ll host a VCU team that is 9-5. All five of the Rams losses were to reputable teams in Texas, Michigan, Virginia, Marquette, and Seton Hall. That’s created value for Saint Josephs tonight on their home floor. Grab the Hawks.

We’ll grab the value on the College of Charleston for Tuesday in college hoops. This has been a competitive series over the last couple of years with Charleston sweeping last year’s matchup. Charleston’s pace of play seemingly hurts them on a big number ATS. Yet they’re a team that you can feel comfortable clinching a spread with late free throws. Grab Charleston.

At first assessment of Alabama and Clemson my angle was to side with Alabama. Nick Saban’s overhaul of coordinators has been a non-issue for the majority of this season. That in large part was off set by his upper echelon recruits. Yet, Clemson has maintained their core of coaching with long term coordinators in Tony Elliott and Brent Venables. Although Deshaun Watson is no longer a Tiger, Clemson has the determination and better overall coaching to overcome. Grab Clemson to head back to the National title game.

Zack will grab the value on the Lakers traveling to Minnesota tonight. There are a couple of quality angles in this game, with both teams in back to back scenarios. For one the Timberwolves handily defeated the Lakers on Christmas Day. Secondly, the Lakers lost in overtime in a high scoring affair last night against the Rockets. They’re lacking depth but expect them to showcase their youth and hang tighter than expected. Grab the Lakers. 

Two teams with subpar records meet today as the Magic travel to Brooklyn. Orlando has lacked the cohesiveness shown last season. For one Jonathan Simmons is adjusting as a starter and their bench has far less fire power. That’s an issue against a Nets team that’s depth is challenging even for veteran teams. Yet, expect Orlando to capitalize off of the Nets turnovers and poor defense. Grab the Magic.

After six straight wins the OKC Thunder lost in a controversial finish against the Milwaukee Bucks. Sunday, they’ll face a Mavericks team that has won three straight games. Yet they’re just 12-25 and on the third game of their road trip. This has created value as bettors seek to back OKC to get back in the win column. Grab Dallas.

Two teams with division familiarity will square off in the AFC East in the Bills and Dolphins. Buffalo has motivation to finish above .500. Their quarterback in Tyrod Taylor also will be showcasing his skillset as it doesn’t appear that he will remain a Bill. With these two teams just meeting two weeks ago value may appear to be on Buffalo. Yet grab the value on the Dolphins who have a young roster improving heading into 2018.

Post holiday break two teams looking for a boost in-conference will be the Dons and Pilots. Both have six losses with inconsistent offense to match subpar defense. Yet the Dons have a core starting five that is starting to show growth. While many will remember Portland’s national TV game against UNC, they’ve not shown the team chemistry needed. Grab the road value on the Dons.

Road games aren’t supposed to happen in bowl season but that is the case for Wisconsin as they take on the Hurricanes. Some may look at this as a matchup of two teams that were on the doorsteps of the playoffs. Wisconsin’s poor schedule harmed them while Miami’s issues with playing complete games finally caved at season’s end. Even with time off I don’t see the Hurricanes on field issues changing. Grab the Badgers in Miami.

Off of just one day of rest Portland will attempt to travel to face an Atlanta team that’s coming off a road game in Toronto. It’s one of the more peculiar travel assessments to break down. Yet, I see value with the two angles of the Hawks playing 24 hours ago and their poor overall record. Grab the value on the Hawks.

Wofford ended their non-conference play with a big win over fifth ranked North Carolina. It was a game they had supreme offensive efficiency and also their second win over an ACC opponent. Saturday they’ll step into conference play against UNC Greensboro. Look for Wofford to shake off the rust of last year’s 19 point loss at UNCG and grab the cover.

Out of all of the changes amongst college football programs one move remained relatively quiet. Earlier this month the Memphis Tigers and Mike Norvell agreed to a long-term deal to keep him in Memphis. His octane offense is coveted and is one that will be awfully tough for Iowa State to handle. The biggest key in this small number is the durability and explosiveness of Memphis. Grab the Tigers Saturday.

A key injury to Bulldogs quarterback Nick Fitzgerald has skewed Saturday’s bowl line on Louisville’s side. The hype of Lamar Jackson did not wane in 2017 yet the level of Louisville’s play as a team did. Poor defense and less playmakers for Jackson thwarted the teams growth. Look for the Bulldogs SEC defense to keep them in this matchup against the Cardinal. Grab the Bulldogs. 

For the second consecutive season the Sun Belt has been stellar in bowl season. New Mexico State will look to add to the success as they take on Utah State. Yet, the Aggies have one of the worst consistent offenses remaining in bowl season. Unsettling performances down the stretch showcased an offense that lacks the combo running to pass balance. This bodes to Utah State who should outproduce a poor New Mexico State defense. Grab Utah State.

At first review this matchup seemed to be an ASU read. They’ve played above expectations all season and have had Todd Graham’s back throughout the process. Yet this is a poor matchup for the Sun Devils. The youth on the defensive side of the football will be in for a long day against NC State quarterback Ryan Finley. Defensively NC State should be well prepared for ASU’s go to play calls as they’ve seen similar styles from their conference. Grab NC State to spoil Graham’s exit.

Two strong variables are in-line to side with Texas A&M Friday. For one the Aggies no longer have former Coach Kenny Sumlin. Second, the Aggies are traveling to North Carolina the home state of Wake Forest. Yet, the identity of Wake Forest flipped this season from a defensive minded team to an increasing offensive attack. With the layoff of bowl season don’t be surprised for rust to show for Wake Forest. Grab the Aggies.

The first conference top twenty-five game is slated between Creighton and Seton Hall. Can Seton Hall score at the same level as Creighton? That will be a challenge as depth-wise the BlueJays have the upper hand. From an ATS perspective the line is a bit lower due to Creighton’s full eight days of rest versus Seton Hall’s five. Still, look for the Pirates to take advantage of home-court and pull off the ATS cover. 

Thursday’s bowl games are filled with tight lines and little margin of advantages. Yet, I have my eyes on the AM game between Virginia and Navy. In the ACC Virginia showcased an ability to hang in games but not solidify victories, while Navy lacked the defense to contain teams. This should be a matchup dictated by field position and clock management. Look for Navy to control both and too pull out a close victory. Grab Navy.

The Arizona Wildcats were a team the entire country started to back amidst a five game winning and ATS streak. That’s hard to resist in a small bowl game line with an electrifying player such as Tate at quarterback. He’s healthy and the Wildcats have the ability to score 40 plus with him on the field. Yet, defensive game plans have become better against him as the season has gone on. Look for Purdue to employ a solid strategy as well and get the cover.

Iowa’s offensive woes against solid defenses in Big 10 play is a detractor against Boston College. Yet Boston College is a team that may have reaped the benefits of an end of season run. They won five of their last six games against teams that were vulnerable that given week. Look for Iowa to showcase the strength of their 7-5 Big Ten record over BC in the ACC. Grab Iowa. 

Duke was a team that had issues finishing off games. Four of their six losses were by seven points or less. To end the season they were able to correct their errors and roll off two dominant wins against Georgia Tech and Wake Forest. That combined with the MAC’s poor showing with Toledo has created value on Northern Illinois. Grab Northern Illinois to prevail ATS on a key two point move from the original 4.5. 

Cleveland will look to get revenge based on last year’s NBA Finals 4-1 result. Minus Steph Curry the Warriors will be relying on more youth than in prior matchups. Cleveland has solidified their veteran depth with new acquisitions. Look for the Cavs to showcase their growth. This is a rare spot where the Warriors are slight home favorites. Take advantage with a play on the Cavaliers. 

Examining both the Bears and Browns will offer many comparisons. Both have been in numerous games only to fall apart late. Attraction for the Browns to not go winless is something bettors continue to chase. Yet there has been no balance of play calls offensively which has only become worse with Josh Gordon’s return. This should play into the Bears hands which has been a top five team at sticking to their game plans under John Fox. Look for their discipline and hunger to get a strong win to payoff ATS. 

Under the radar entering the season oddsmakers placed high priority of a slanted home number against the Washington Redskins. After all they had been a juggernaut ATS in prior seasons. That changed for the first two and a half months of this season. That caused a dip in market value by oddsmakers which the Redskins have capitalized on in consecutive home covers. Denver is a team in the same boat. A downgraded offense and defense resulted in nine eight straight ATS losses. Bypass the pendulum shift of oddsmakers and the Broncos holiday road travels. They’ll cover the number for the third straight week.

The decision to shut down Aaron Rodgers was a proper decision by Green Bay management . Uplifting play witnessed in prior weeks by the wide receivers and running backs came as a product of great matchups. Sunday is not one as Minnesota has been a strong force for several seasons against Green Bay. Earlier this season against the Vikings Brett Hundley was confused to the point that Mike McCarthy over simplified the play calls. Look for the Vikings to capitalize again defensively and sure up their offense before the playoffs.

The Brooklyn Nets travel to take on Indiana after a home win last night against the Wizards. Six days ago the Pacers crushed the Nets in Brooklyn by twelve points. That has created value on the Nets tonight as oddsmakers were forced inflate the number of 3.5-4 of last week. Grab the Nets.

Sometimes in bowl season certain teams just get the right matchup. It’s bound to happen with over forty bowl games. Toledo against Appalachian State appears to be that matchup. On paper Appalachian State had returning the talent run away with the Sun Belt but struggled with sloppy wins and poor cohesiveness. They did finish the season strong but against shoddy competition. Look for the layoff to hurt Appalachian State and the Sun Belt’s current bowl success to hurt them ATS. Grab Toledo.

High value lies with an Army team that’s poor schedule has produced a solid line against San Diego State. Earlier in the season San Diego State had the attractive wins over teams in the Pac-12 in Arizona State and Stanford. Yet, Army’s ground attack and improved defense should cause problems for a San Diego State offense that’s use to relenting defenses of the Mountain West. Grab Army.

Oddsmakers were not fooled by South Florida’s difficulty to win games throughout the season. Their record of 9-2 may have been in similar territory as Texas Tech’s with stiffer competition. Issues Charlie Strong has had in changing over South Florida should be balanced out with the Bulls extended preparation. Grab South Florida to have an elevated look from their regular season play.

We’ll grab the value on Cal Poly for Thursday. UT-Arlington has been a darling the last three years against big schools, including this year with wins over BYU and nearly defeating Creighton. With Cal Poly on the second leg of their Texas road trip, one may expect a clunker outing here. After all they did not showcase enough scoring ability against an SMU team that had played in consecutive games. Yet, grab the value here on Cal Poly.

Perhaps no team has shown more vulnerability at finishing teams off than Tennessee. Games against Lipscomb, Villanova, and their recent matchup against UNC they had numerous opportunities to stretch the lead to put away their opponent. Furman is a turnover prone team that lacks size to compete with the Vols but expect Tennessee to showcase rust from their loss to UNC. Grab Furman. 

No team is hotter ATS than the Chicago Bulls. Bringing Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic off the bench has reinvigorated not only the second unit but the starters as well. Six straight wins has led to a complete 360 from oddsmakers from a point spread perspective. Meanwhile the Orlando Magic have lost five straight games and will be without two key starters Wednesday. Pick this spot as a good opportunity to jump in against the Bulls. Grab the Magic. 

A year ago one of the more popular attractors came with a matchup of East Tennessee State and Detroit. The number moved up significantly towards the Bucs before tip-off and proved to be correct in a big way. Yet, I see value with this rematch as Detroit is coming off a severe blowout loss to Michigan, and East Tennessee State nearly upset Xavier. Grab Detroit here as East Tennessee State’s defense and offensive efficiency isn’t nearly the same as a year ago. 

Based on USC’s lackadaisical play there is no reason to see them as double-digit favorites against UC Santa Barbara. UCSB has improved offense to match their typical strong half court defense. Yet, USC being 0-3 against solid competition has given them value tonight as well as UCSB’s short travel to LA. Look for their offense to outrun UCSB Sunday night just enough for the cover. 

Colorado State hopes they can stay undefeated at home as they take on Texas State.  A home court they protected in a solid win over Pac-12 school Colorado. With the Rams coming off consecutive blowout road defeats against Arkansas and Oregon, this would seem like a spot for a team to get their confidence back. Especially considering Texas State lost by four points on the road in their latest game to Abilene Christian. Instead look for Texas State to give the Rams a handful and a cover.

Both the Rams and Seahawks are coming off tough losses in week fourteen. Returning home the Seahawks will hope to build on the newfound offense that Russ Wilson has been the catalyst as recently. For the Rams they hope to avoid being swept by a Seahawks team that limited them to just ten points. Curiously in the opening line for this matchup oddsmakers avoided the Seahawks home field advantage over the years. Look for the Rams to take advantage of implementing a better offensive blueprint against a Seahawks team that has masked injuries for over a month. 

Tennessee’s lone loss this season was in a game they dominated for a large stretch against Villanova. UNC on the other hand has looked vulnerable especially against athletic teams such as the Vols. Yet this is where the Tar Heels can use their veteran experience as did Villanova stay calm during Tennessee’s runs.

From an offensive standpoint the Buffalo Bills have been as poor as any team over the last month. At their worst the Bills were blown out by an average of 26 points weeks eight through eleven. Yet, even with below average offense the Bills have managed to win two of their last three games. With the Dolphins coming off their biggest win of the season against the Patriots look for the Bills home advantage (5-2) to pay dividends. 

After playing in matchups last night the Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies will take on each other in Memphis tonight. The Celtics have now lost three of their last five games as offensively they’ve taken a step backwards. The value here lies with the Grizzlies inability to cover in a a close win Friday night. The victory was against a Hawks team in a back to back scenario as well. Yet, look for the Grizzlies to carry over the win to an ATS advantage.

A month ago the Lions found themselves down 17-7 before mounting a comeback win over the Bears. It was a game that the Bears let get away as they outplayed the Lions. Last week the Bears ended a five game skid with a dominating road win over the Bengals. Although the Lions have been wildly inconsistent the Bears new look offense of a week ago will not carry over in the division. Grab the Lions. 

Cincinnati travels to Los Angeles to take on a UCLA Bruins team that is 5-0 at home. Two losses to Xavier and Florida have pushed the Bearcats on the brink of falling outside of the top twenty five. In both losses the Bearcats failed to sustain the offense to keep up with their opponents. That figures to be an issue against UCLA yet look for the Bearcats to take advantage of their depth and skillset advantage. Grab the Bearcats.

Southern Utah takes on a dynamic Central Michigan team from an offensive and scoring standpoint. While Southern Utah does not have the exposure or top-tier schedule they’re also capable of playing a fast-paced style. Look for Southern Utah to answer the bell and what should be an entertaining game. Grab the points here. 

Memphis woes are hard to ignore. They played poor in a road effort against the Wizards which extended their losing streak to sixteen of their last seventeen games. Yet suddenly they’re steep favorites at home against the Hawks Friday. Although this is a short road trip for Atlanta, look for the Grizzlies to let off some prolonged frustration of losing. Grab the Grizzlies tonight.

Injuries continue to mount for the Clippers to an unfathomable level. Tonight they’ll be minus several key starters against a Wizards team that is fresh with John Wall back in the lineup. After losing to the Clippers on the road just three games ago this would seem like an easy revenge spot. Yet LA’s players and current lineup is use to filling in for spot start duty. Grab them to play another competitive game against the Wizards. 

A formidable opponent for the Wisconsin Badgers lies with Western Kentucky tonight. The Hilltoppers run just an eight man rotation but have key transfers in Lamonte Bearden (Buffalo) and Dwight Coleby (Ole Miss/Kansas) at their disposal. In their first road game of the season the Hilltoppers stumbled in a five point loss to Ohio. That’s created an interesting line tonight in the same range against a Wisconsin team that is lacking confidence with six losses against power five schools. Grab the value here on Western Kentucky.

Tonight John Wall makes his return from injury at an appropriate time. The Wizards were not been getting the same level of contributions from Kelly Oubre Jr. and Otto Porter Jr. that were vital with Wall healthy. Memphis on the other hand has been abysmal with a roster of talent that has not blended together. Three losses in a row has created value on the road tonight in Washington. Grab Memphis.

LA Lakers +3

Consecutive road wins for the Lakers have placed a tough spread for Tuesday. The Knicks return home where they boast a 12-5 record. After an ugly loss to the Bulls the Knicks bounced back with a home win against the Hawks. Yet the young Lakers seem to be playing better away from home and growing as a team. Look for Luke Walton to continue his proper rotations and have the advantage over the Knicks. Grab the Lakers.

One of the poorer lines this season was Dallas as a slight home favorite against the Giants. That’s a factor Sunday along with the Giants story line. For the second time in four weeks they traveled to California. Heavy miles returning home amidst their coach getting fired is distracting. Yet, it’s the Cowboys that have the pressure on them. At 6-6 they need to keep winning to stay in the playoff hunt. Look for a spirited effort from the Giants and a Sunday cover.

In five starts Texans starting quarterback Tom Savage has thrown five touchdowns to six interceptions. With the backfield banged up and defense relenting weekly, value would seem to be on the side of the 49ers. After all Coach Shanahan was able to muster a ball control game plan in last week’s win over the Bears. Look for the 49ers to show imbalance this week offensively and for the Texans to capitalize. Grab the Texans. 

To become a true contender in the West the Utah Jazz must find away to win on the road. Thus far on the year they’re just 2-8 away from home. Saturday, they’ll hope to end a two-game losing streak as they travel to Milwaukee. Having won five of six the Bucks are starting to find their balance on both ends of the floor. Still, one has to rank the level of play in the Western conference appropriately. Grab the hidden value here on the Utah Jazz who would be favored if not for a poor road record.

Saturday, there is value to be had on the Providence Friars as they take on UMass. UMass is struggling this year at just 4-5, but should be ready for their best effort in this in-state matchup. For the Friars they’re coming off a close call against Brown on Wednesday. Down twelve points at halftime they needed a late surge to win in OT. That’s created value for today. Grab the Friars.

The Vols have an in-state matchup against small school Lipscomb Saturday. At 6-1 the lone loss by the Vols were to the Villanova Wildcats. In that loss they blew a double-digit lead, which puts at the forefront not taken an opponent lightly. Look for Tennessee to handle Lipscomb and continue to rise up in the polls.

Thursday, Zack will look for the value on Eastern Washington. The Eagles are just 3-5 and have been lackluster as all five of their losses have been by double-digits, including a 19 point loss to Seattle in their last game. They’ll face a San Francisco team that narrowly avoided a three-game losing streak with a close home win over Central Arkansas. With Eastern Washington playing in their third straight road game ATS value is on their side. Grab the Eagles here.  

Denver Nuggets +5

We’ll grab value on the Denver Nuggets as road dogs against the Pelicans. As a road team the Nuggets are just 3-8 overall. This includes a poor loss in their latest game against the Dallas Mavericks. In the outing the Nuggets trailed by double-digits for the majority of the game. Minus Paul Millsap and Nikola Jokic the Nuggets are missing a size/scoring combo that’s detracted their ATS value. Yet, look for the Pelicans to have a hangover performance after letting an opportunity to beat the Warriors slip away. Grab the Nuggets here. 

The Spurs find themselves as an underdog on the road against OKC. OKC has won five straight home games and will look to avenge a road loss to the Spurs. This is where the point spread has swayed to value on the Spurs. San Antonio is just 5-5 on the road while the Thunder have been stout at home at 7-3. Still, the Thunder are below .500 because of inconsistencies with their core team development. Grab the Spurs to cover here. 

Oddsmakers are not fooled by the Bradley Braves whom have started the season 7-1. They’ve battled in competitive games all season against subpar competition. San Diego State on the other hand has provided a much tougher schedule and should have the right mindset in this Missouri Valley-Mountain West challenge. A key here is San Diego State is not afraid to play a slow pace half court game. They’ll have the proper tactics to offset tempo with winning the turnover and free throw battle. Grab SD State.

One typically won’t see a team below .500 as a sizable road favorite. Yet that’s the case for the Stanford Cardinal as they take on Long Beach State. At 4-5 Stanford has not looked like a Pac-12 team with losses to Portland State and Eastern Washington. Yet they found a bit of confidence against Montana and should expose a poor defensive 49ers team. Grab Stanford.

Former first round pick Blaine Gabbert has caught the attention of Bruce Arians with two quality starts. His play warranted a victory in a close loss to the Texans and was the main catalyst in a victory over the Jaguars. A blowout 33-0 loss in London earlier this season offers a revenge spot for the Cardinals. This game boils down to a scheme advantage that fully sides with the Rams. Defensively they have the skillset to counter Bruce Arians offensive adjustments which will showcase why Gabbert is a backup. Grab the Rams. 

A true barometer test lies with Seton Hall Sunday as they take on Louisville. Louisville has the talent from Rick Pitino’s tenure but showed glaring weaknesses in a loss to Purdue. The veteran laden Pirates need to put their foot on the gas early to keep the confidence away from the Cardinal. Look for that to happen and for the Pirates to hold off a late flurry from the Cardinal.

We’ll take the points on Samford today against Jacksonville State. Jacksonville State has opened up the season 5-2 with both losses within reach against Buffalo and Mississippi State. They also blew out Richmond and defeated a sound Chattanooga team. Meanwhile Samford has had all types of issues as they deal with a new lineup that hasn’t meshed yet. Still, this is too many points to pass up. Grab Samford. 

A strong schedule often times can create an illusion ATS. Atlanta has been one of the top teams at home over the last few seasons, but continues to find themselves in small home favored spots. The reason why has to due with the strength of their opponents. Minnesota has defied expectations and been one of the best teams balanced offensively and defensively. Their Thanksgiving victory was the early game which added even more rest in preparation of week thirteen. Look for the Falcons to continue to open up their offense as they’ve scored a season high thirty-four points in consecutive weeks. Grab Atlanta.

Sometimes bettors can get into the game of cat and mouse with a particular football team. I’ve seen this first hand in Vegas on the Kansas City Chiefs. They’ve stumbled considerably with three straight losses, yet are still in the lead of the division. That’s placed false value on a Chiefs team that’s not getting the big plays they were to start the season. The Jets may be 4-7 but they’ve managed to be a very dependable team at insurance of a close game. Of their six losses only one was by more than double digits.