11/30 04:35 PM  NBA   (501) BOSTON CELTICS VS (502) MIAMI HEAT (11/30 08:14 AM) edit

Take: (501) BOSTON CELTICS 

Reason: Play Boston +4.5 Boston is coming off a horrid loss but has a coach in Brad Stevens that has a don't look back at yesterday mentality. Off nights happen in the rigorous NBA and that was the case for the Celtics. The Heat have been a team for the first month of the NBA season that have played a bit above themselves. Look for the youth of the Celtics to hold court tonight against the aging Heat that are reliant on defense. Grab the Celtics

11/29 02:00 PM  CB   (725) CAL SANTA BARBARA VS (726) ARIZONA STATE (11/29 08:44 AM) edit

Take: (725) CAL SANTA BARBARA 

Reason: Play UCSB plus 8 Today we'll be grabbing UCSB plus 8 as they travel to Tempe, Arizona to play against ASU. Bobby Hurley has started the transformation in taking over the Devils with carry over players from the Herb Sendek era. An issue that has plagued the current Devils roster under Sendek and Hurley is inconsistency to play team basketball. That's where I believe the advantage lies with a UCSB team that lacks individual one on one players but makes up for it with true team basketball. Expect the Gauchos to be able to keep this under eight.

Ohio State -1

            Afternoon add. I made a mistake on using Friday as an evaluation day by leaving several tournament winners off the board. I'll add a play that was on with Ohio State. The Buckeyes loss to UT Arlington caught people by surprise but losses like that happen all the time early in the season. This Buckeyes team has plenty of talent and is adjusting to life without DeAngelo Russell. Memphis run and gun style of play is a bit too wreckless. Grab the Buckeyes to play a sound brand of basketball and get the ATS win Friday.

11/26 12:30 PM  CB   (513) CONNECTICUT VS (514) SYRACUSE (11/26 08:36 AM) edit

Take: (514) SYRACUSE 

Reason: Syracuse +5 One thing I've learned over the years is JIm Boeheim enters early season tournaments he believes his Orange team can win. If this would have been a day one matchup I would have favored UConn, but it's not. Kevin Ollie is a mastermind for defensive preparation which has been cut down with a quick day two tournament matchup. UConn played in the late game last night while Syracuse played earlier in the day, which bodes to Syracuse's favor on offense. Syracuse also has great length that UConn's nucleus of transfers will have a tough time adapting to for 40 minutes. Grab Syracuse in the Battle 4 Atlantis.

11/25 06:30 PM  CB   (755) MICHIGAN VS (756) CONNECTICUT (11/24 11:17 PM) edit

Take: (756) CONNECTICUT 

Reason: Play UConn -3 The incredible job Kevin Ollie has done with UConn has gone unnoticed from last year's team to this year's team. That'll gradually change as UConn's 2015 season stretches on. Ollie similar to an NBA franchise added key pieces via transfer that halted last year's team. Graduate transfers in Sterling Gibbs and Shonn Miller now give the team balance offensively that they were missing a year ago. Rodney Purvis has also made significant strides to his game that became evident March of last season. While Michigan may have hold over names from their Final Four run of 2013 and Elite 8 run in 2014, they are unprepared to match the Huskies. Grab UConn

Portland +3

            Something is a bit off with the Bulls currently that we've been tracking on several of our covers this season. Yes they can score but their defense has suffered immensely with Doug McDermott, Aaron Brooks, and the obviously not healthy Joakim Noah. This has led to leads being blown time and time again. On the road against a potent Trailblazers guard heavy lineup I do not believe the Bulls should be favored tonight. Expect Lillard to have his way and for plenty of pick and roll opportunities. Grab the Blazers.

TCU +6.5

            Look for the young Horned Frogs to have a solid battle on their hands tonight against the Rhode Island Rams. Rhode Island to me has severe issues at the guard position having lost Biggie Minnis who transferred to Wright State and EC Matthews who is out for the season with a knee injury. Combine that with their 52% free throw shooting and you have to believe the young Horned Frogs can battle in this one.

Play UCLA -3

Early season tournaments are a great gauge on where a team is starting to settle at. UNLV is loaded with talent that should provide a strong challenge to UCLA. But having the talent edge does not always translate to a win. I'll side with the veteran lineup of UCLA that will be led by guard Bryce Alford and stem UNLV runs with key adjustments.

11/22 10:00 AM  CB   (559) GEORGETOWN VS (560) DUKE (11/22 07:31 AM) edit

Take: (559) GEORGETOWN 

Reason: Play Georgetown +6 Yes, Duke has an incredible record at MSG but so does Georgetown. It appeared two nights ago that Duke survived in a win against VCU more than getting an 8 point win. VCU went ice cold and when the shots didn't fall they lost their composure defensively. If there is one area that a John Thompson team will hold their head at it's their defense. After already slipping up against Radford and Maryland this veteran team of Georgetown knows they have to play well today to avoid a 1-3 start. Expect Georgetown's defense to hold tough for 40 minutes and keep this within the number.

Furman +18.5

This game has the same feel written to it that we've seen with Maryland/Rider and UT Arlington/Ohio State. The same point spread range against a pesky smaller school. UConn brought in two graduate transfers this season in Shonn Miller and former Seton Hall guard Sterling Gibbs. This will be a test against a pesky Furman team that got hot in the Southern conference a year ago. We'll grab Furman plus 18.

11/20 06:05 PM  NBA   (515) PHOENIX SUNS VS (516) DENVER NUGGETS (11/20 11:20 AM) edit

Take: (515) PHOENIX SUNS 

Reason: Play Phoenix -2 Phoenix showed some guts in a big comeback effort against the Bulls on Wednesday. Chicago was a team hunting for an all around game after stammering a bit over their last 4-5. You could think Denver is in that same boat tonight as the Suns blew them out just days ago in Phoenix. Yet, I'll be looking for Phoenix to replicate a similar scenario they were in when they played Portland twice in a similar span. They held things together and weathered the storm for two wins over the Trailblazers in less than a week. Expect the Suns to do that tonight as well as small favorites on the road.

11/20 05:05 PM  NBA   (505) DETROIT PISTONS VS (506) MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (11/20 11:16 AM) edit

Take: (506) MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 

Reason: Play Minnesota +2.5 Yes Minnesota is playing in a back to back scenario after an overtime loss against Orlando. 2-3 years ago when the NBA scheduling was revamped you could find value in back to back spots. Now oddmakers and teams have adjusted. The Timberwolves are a young team that should be primed for a successful night at home against the Pistons

11/20 04:30 PM  CB   (573) VA COMMONWEALTH VS (574) DUKE (11/19 09:33 PM) edit

Take: (573) VA COMMONWEALTH 

Reason: Play VCU plus 10 Duke did go down to a strong Kentucky team a few days ago. But to be favored by ten points against VCU is far fetched in my opinion. VCU boasts a strong seven man rotation including key guards in JaQuan Lewis and reserve guard Doug Brooks. The experience with Mo Allie Cox and Melvin Johnson are going to pay dividends against the youth of the Blue Devils. Grab VCU who should be in position all game to stay within this spread.

11/20 04:05 PM  NBA   (501) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS VS (502) CHARLOTTE HORNETS (11/20 11:12 AM) edit

Take: (501) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS 

Reason: Philadelphia +10 As part of our three game NBA pass on Friday night, we'll be playing the 76ers. Yes, they're winless but they're not as poor as the 76ers teams of recent years. They have fight to them and I believe they'll be able to stay within this ten point spread against a Bobcats team that has seen their value rise. Grab the 76ers tonight

Iona -9

            Iona's poor 0-2 start has devalued them today against a Delaware team that matches their style of play. Delaware is a team comfortable pushing the basketball but is not as skilled in shot selection or field goal percentage as Iona. At home I expect Iona to get back into their normal routine offensively. Once the first few shots start falling they should be able to storm past Delaware

Play Clippers +7

We'll grab yet another value play in the NBA tonight as the Clippers look to halt the undefeated Golden State Warriors. Golden State has been unstoppable but nearly went down to Toronto at home a few nights ago. We landed a cover on the Clippers a few weeks back as 7.5 point road dogs to Golden State, and have to take the home value on the same number. Grab the Clippers

Central Florida +3

            Central Florida started to have that look of a program moving upward over the last month of last season. Even though UC Irvine returns immense talent at the guard position and quality depth, they have not faced a team with the speed and depth at the guard position like Central Florida. I expect that to frustrate the veterans on UCI and on the road that's tough to maintain for forty minutes. Grab Central Florida.

Buffalo +8.5

            Buffalo is coming off an ugly loss as 10.5 point underdogs to Old Dominion. They're still adjusting to the loss of their former head coach Bobby Hurley as well as the dismissal of leading scorer Justin Moss. Yet there is still plenty of carry over from last year's 12th seeded team that is getting high value today against St. Joe's. Grab Buffalo.

Play Wake Forest -1.5

            Early in the season you'll see teams returning key players gather extra value ATS to start the season. That's the case for a Richmond team that hails several key starters from last year's overachieving team. But I value Wake Forest today. Danny Manning worked his tail off last year to get buy-in from his players, and it's paying off to start the season. They are missing Codi-Miller McIntyre but scoring is not an issue for Wake or the reason we're taking them today. Their improvements defensively are, and will be the catalyst in our cover.

Play Denver Nuggets +6

Tuesday, we are looking at a play on the Denver Nuggets plus six against the Pelicans. Denver is coming off getting their tails handed to them this weekend against the Phoenix Suns. They shot the ball poorly and were out of the game before the end of the first quarter. Though the Pelicans are playing better basketball they're not to the level of play that would call for just a point decrease from the -7 offered to the Suns on Saturday. Value play here on the Nuggets

Play Marist plus 2

            Contrasting styles are easier to disguise in conference play. Outside of conference play though that can be difficult to mask. Dartmouth survives with efficient offense and the ability to win off of turnovers. Marist on the other hand has some athletes and will be able to get the shots they want. Grab Marist as underdogs.

Play Harvard -4.5

            Harvard has had a strong history of playing well against in-state opponents. Even though they lost against Providence I believe they'll bounce back to avoid being swept in-state. Grab Harvard, which should be able to win this game in the high single digits.

Play Colorado plus 1.5

            Colorado is a slight underdog against Auburn Tuesday. They'll face an up and coming Auburn squad led by Bruce Pearl that showed signs of promise in SEC play last year. Still, they lost graduate Antoine Mason and are still a working progress. Colorado may have lost Askia Booker who left early but I believe they're more balanced because of it. Booker took to many of the shots on offense and bailed on the team for postseason play. With him gone the offense looks better with a plethora of guys that have played 2-3 years of quality minutes. Grab the Buffaloes.

Play Nevada +5

            Games past midnight figure to bode well for the Hawaii Rainbows. In the regular season their games typically start in the latest time slots. But for this 24-hour marathon classic I'll side with the value on  Nevada who have the experience and depth to put up a battle against Hawaii.

Play Virginia -5.5

            Today George Washington hopes to pull off an upset against Virginia. Both teams return several key starters from last year's matchup. In that matchup we had a play on Virginia -14 which looked dead in the water at half as Virginia trailed 26-22. The thing with Virginia and Head Coach Tony Bennett is their capability of putting teams in offensive droughts, which they did in the eventual 17 point win over GW last year. George Washington lacks capable shooters from outside to play a full forty minute game against Virginia. Even though Virginia is prone to offensive lulls they'll get enough stops and timely baskets to grab the cover tonight.

11/15 12:00 PM  CB   (731) LIPSCOMB VS (732) DENVER edit

Take: (731) LIPSCOMB 

Reason: Play Lipscomb +3 Here will side with Lipscomb Bisons. The Bisons are 1-1 on the season with a narrow win over Santa Clara and a close loss to Milwaukee. This tournament is hosted on Santa Clara's court and I expect the Bisons depth and 3-guard lineup to have the upper hand against Denver. The line movement has shifted a bit to Denver, but go with Lipscomb.

Play Iona +7.5

Valparaiso does have a size advantage against Iona, but look for the contrasting style to bode to Iona's side. The Gaels push the tempo and will be able to score in transition and in half-court sets. This will be a competitive game but grab the Gaels plus 7.5

Play UT Arlington -2.5

            UT Arlington caught my attention last season with solid play from their guard Drew Charles and forward Kevin Hervey. They'll pose the same challenges that Fordham faces yearly and struggles against in the Atlantic 10. Back Arlington in an obscure matchup that will cash.

Play Colorado State +7.5

            Today's board features two college basketball plays. To start off the day we'll grab Colorado State plus 7.5 against Northern Iowa. Northern Iowa has been a darling team to back early in the season in years past. They'll still be a talented team this season but 7.5 is too steep against the Mountain West Rams. Safe number with high value.

Play Pacific +23

Though the Wildcats have some carry over talent from last year it's going to be a process to start this season strong. This is a value play on the late night cap with Pacific who should hang inside the high teens tonight.

Belmont +5

Often times a mistake made when analyzing a player year to year is that they will automatically grow from one season to the next. Regression does happen often times and that's the outlook I have on Marquette's Head Coach in Wojichowski. He inherited a talented Marquette team from Buzz Williams and faltered mightily with in-game coaching. Belmont is a tough group that will put the young Marquette Golden Bears to the test. We'll take the points on opening night of the season.

Charlotte Bobcats +6.5

Just a little over a week ago the Bobcats throttled the Bulls by scoring 130 points. They were on fire. So tonight you'd expect a revenge spot from the Bulls to blow out the Bobcats. Not necessarily. The Bobcats have hung in with the majority of their opponents lately besides a late third/fourth quarter meltdown to the Spurs. They'll hang in this one on the road against the Bulls. Grab the Bobcats.

San Francisco -3

An under the radar matchup tonight is San Francisco versus UIC. In my opinion this line should be a bit higher on the Dons side. Illinois Chicago last season was a complete mess until the latter part of conference play. As injuries piled up in the Horizon league, UIC took advantage. That won't be the case to start the season against a healthy Dons team who will be able to limit UIC in half court situations defensively. Grab the Dons.

CS Northridge +9.5

This time last season, Reggie Theus was in the process of dismissing countless players off of Northridge. In his third year, Theus has just a few holdover players left from the past coaching regime. He has brought in a lot of transfers including Kendall Smith from UNLV who will be eligible to play this December. Tonight, I believe the value is high on Northridge on the home court of Northern Illinois. They'll need to avoid sloppy turnovers and weather the storm early. Grab CS Northridge.

Detroit Pistons Plus 1

            I made the mistake of going against the Pistons Sunday and witnessed them come back from a huge deficit against the Trailblazers. That’s not happening today. We’ll back the Pistons who are bringing A-intensity defensively each and every night. While George Karl has done an admirable job to start the season for the Kings, the flow and pace of the Pistons will be too much.

Atlanta Hawks -11

            Last night the Pelicans grabbed a resounding win over the Mavericks. Dallas may have the biggest issues of a team trying to mesh early in the season than any team in the NBA. Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday did get more minutes for the Pelicans last night but I’m still not impressed with the shot selections of the Pelicans. Atlanta teased the Pelicans the other night and should have no problem with production. Grab the Hawks and don't be alarmed if this moves to 10.5 or 10.

Indiana Pacers Plus 3.5

            Size can be a detriment to opposing teams. Boston is a pesky group with small guards such as Isiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, and forward Evan Turner. While the Pacers have Paul George, George Hill, CJ Miles, and Monta Ellis-----all 6’3 or higher. This seems like an advantageous spot to grab the Celtics after their narrow loss to the Pacers a week ago. Instead look for the Pacers defense to frustrate the Celtics as they did in limiting them to 88 points last week. 3.5 is a comfortable number in which should be a one possession game.

Los Angeles Lakers Plus 8.5

            A narrow point spread loss to the Heat last night may cause people to side the other way with a solid Orlando Magic squad. This is a valuable underdog spot in my opinion with a Lakers team that should be able to catch a couple of scoring drives against the Magic. Back the Lakers

Play Utah plus 6

            Throughout Lebron James career he has struggled playing against Utah. Although it’s only twice a season it’s worthy of noting. The Jazz have big bodies inside that prevent James from creating the way he likes. They’ll also present a problem for Tristan Thompson and Mozgov. Grab Utah to play Lebron and company pesky again and cover the six points.

Play OKC -4.5

            Sunday the Thunder had one of those team games that you can count on carrying over to the next. They blistered the Suns with torrid shooting and did so with uncanny chemistry from the starters to the eighth man. Add to that Durant will have his team uplifted back in his hometown. Don’t be surprised if OKC scores over 125 points Tuesday. Grab OKC.

Add Portland -1.5

Play Phoenix Suns +8.5

            Over the years the OKC Thunder have had stellar games from Kevin Durant and Russ Westbrook against the Phoenix Suns. But they also were coached by Scott Brooks during that span. Billy Donovan is the guy now and the Thunder are on a three-game losing streak. Phoenix frustrates opponents as they have a sound backcourt and one of the best big men at stretching the floor in Markieff Morris. Until the Thunder show the ability to play defense I can not back them as 8.5 point favorites.

Play Raptors +2.5

            The Miami Heat have had some of the smallest point spreads in the NBA over their last four games. They were 3.5 point favorites against the Rockets, 3.5 against the Atlanta Hawks, 3 against the Timberwolves, and a point favorite against the Pacers. They split those contests but were fortunate not to go 1-3 as they needed a huge surge to defeat the Rockets. The Heat are getting solid play from Dwayne Wade and timely defense, but I think today they’ll look a bit off against a Raptors team that is playing superb basketball. They’ll bounce back from their loss to the Magic and get the cover Sunday.

Detroit Pistons plus 4.5

            I’m buying the young Pistons on how they’ve looked to start the season. They’ve had two days off to mend their first loss of the season against the Pacers. Phoenix has an open court style of play that Pistons Head Coach Stan Van Gundy will throttle. Phoenix is also a dismal home team on Friday nights for whatever reason. Grab the Pistons.

Pelicans plus 3.5

            The woes of the Pelicans are hard to ignore but the Hawks are exactly the type of team they want to face while in a slump. Atlanta’s an efficient team but one that keeps opposing teams in games with their style of play. That bodes to the Pelicans favor at home and in need of confidence. They’ll get a crucial second half run to get the cover for us Friday night.

NY Knicks

            Derek Fisher may not have the type of talent he wants as Head Coach but he is getting the buyback from his core group of players that you want to see. They’re playing sound defense and I like how Fisher is balancing his bench with his starters. Jason Kidd has maybe the toughest task in the NBA juggling minutes amongst a lineup filled with first to third year players. This is a great home spot for the Knicks at just -2.

Play Portland +4

Portland returns home tonight on a two-game road win streak. They defeated the Timberwolves and last night defeated the Jazz. Memphis shook off some rust to handle the Kings easily two nights ago. Yet, Portland is a team with a great home court advantage. CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard are shooting lights out and that will be a tough combination for a Grizzlies team that has been struggling to score prior to Tuesday’s game.

Play Charlotte +4

Charlotte heads to Dallas to take on a Mavericks team that is pleasantly surprised to have Chandler Parsons back in the lineup. His return plus the acclimation of Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews is going to take on court playing time to adjust.  Instances where teams land new veteran starters have showcased opportunistic value ATS. Charlotte may only have one win but they have an uplifting bench and can be counted on to play for four quarters. Look for them to hang in this game against Dallas.

Play Miami -3.5

The veteran laden Heat will be looking to get off to a better start tonight than they have in their last two wins. They found themselves down high teens to the Rockets and then down to the Hawks at home on Tuesday. This should be a great spot for the Heat to pull together as a team against the youth of the Timberwolves. Minnesota has a bright future but also features a team that is prone to turnovers and poor half court shot selections. Grab the Heat -3.5.

Clippers +7.5

We’re finally able to get the inflated line we need to go against the Warriors at home. Recent blowout wins have catapulted the Warriors to a territory oddsmakers will have a tough time with. This game tonight should help calm those worries. Los Angeles added key defensive assets in Lance Stephenson and Wes Johnson that will cause problems for the undersized perimeter Warriors. Golden State will still have their same explosive offense but I look for 2-3 stretches of solid play from the Clippers to key this ATS win.

Philly +9

This game between the Bucks and 76ers is truly a matchup of all youngsters. The Bucks got back a couple of key players with Tyler Ennis and Jabari Parker declared eligible with medical clearance. Parker’s return should reap rewards for the Bucks. I just don’t see the value on tonight’s game in general for the Bucks. Philadelphia showed four quarters of toughness against the Cavs Monday and should against the Bucks as well.

Spurs -4.5

The Spurs continue their east coast road trip that features their third game in four nights. I’m impressed with how well their rotations have meshed together with the addition of Lamarcus Aldridge. They may not be playing dominating basketball yet but the spurts and stretches they do are proving to be enough to cover. They’ll get it done again on Wednesday.

Indiana +2

I have this game as Indiana -3.5. Boston has lacked the intensity we saw from a Brad Stevens led team a year ago. Defensively they have not been the same and offensively they seem to be lacking clear go to players to lean on for points. That combined with a suspect bench leaves the Celtics vulnerable on the road. Even though Indiana is playing in a back to back spot we’ll grab them tonight

Play Grizzlies -4

This line has been drove down and may likely come down more before game time. I'll go the Contrarian angle here as I believe the Grizzlies can bounce back after a horrific loss last night to the Warriors. It was just one of those nights for the Grizzlies who have not been themselves to start the season. I expect them to buckle-down defensively and get back the style of play they've showcased the past few seasons. Take the Grizzlies tonight in Sacramento.

Play Atlanta +3.5

The Hawks showcased a bit of their team style of basketball in a narrow Sunday win against the Hornets. It was a rusty win for a team that has yet to click similar to last season. The Heat on the other hand are coming off a tremendous come from behind win against the Rockets. The Rockets derailed themselves with lazy passes and poor offensive execution. Tonight's matchup is an advantageous game for the Hawks to utilize their team camaraderie in grabbing a cover in Miami. Grab the Hawks.  

Play Phoenix Suns +9

            The Clippers have added piece after piece that has them primed to match the Spurs in June. But we’re in November. The grind of the NBA season typically presents rust for stretches for teams with superior talent. With a young Suns team opposite and former Clipper Eric Bledsoe leading the way I expect the Suns to stay in this game. Getting nine points is far too many.

Play Portland +5.5

            The Trailblazers are coming off back to back losses to the Phoenix Suns. They’re adjusting to playing without superstar LaMarcus Aldridge and also role player Nicholas Batum. That’s caused a few lapses especially in fourth quarters. Today I think they’ll be able to hang with a young Timberwolves team. As well as the young group of Timberwolves have played you have to expect a downturn. Grab the Trailblazers tonight.

Play Spurs -7

            San Antonio played rusty last night and still was able to cover the spread against Boston. They did it with great half court defense which throttled a young Celtics team that is very similar to the Knicks. In years past the Spurs have been offensive juggernauts at Madison Square Garden. Minutes were reduced last night with key players such as Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobli to pave the way for tonight. Grab the Spurs

Play Cleveland -13

            It’d be easy to mark this game as a typical NBA downtrodden approach from the Cavaliers. They’re clearly the front runner of the Eastern Conference and the 76ers are permanent cellar fixtures. I just can’t back the 76ers at all even as home underdogs of thirteen points. Cleveland’s core group of talent may not be capable of winning this high of a spread based on offense but they surely can with their defense. This is a game at half that the Cavs should be up in the mid to high teens and I expect the role players to continue the score higher in the second-half.

Play Magic +7.5

Play Miami -3

Play Celtics +5.5

Play Knicks +7.5

Play Orlando Magic +8

Play Timberwolves +3.5

Play Atlanta Hawks -6.5

To open up the NBA season we'll be grabbing the Atlanta Hawks at home. Detroit did finish last season on a better note but the Hawks are a focused underrated team. They lack a true go-to star with Jeff Teague being the main catalyst. But they play as a group from all five positions that extends to their bench. Grab the Hawks to use their team style and home court edge to get the cover opening night.

07/17 01:30 PM  NBA   (553) MIAMI HEAT VS (554) SACRAMENTO KINGS edit

Take: (554) SACRAMENTO KINGS 

Reason: Play Kings Miami has lost a couple of games now. To Boston and the other night. They've been down right away in these games as they've been slow out of the gate. The Kings will look to do the same. Early leads are hard to erase and even though the Heat may come back in the later quarters, I'll still grab the 3.5 and buy to 4 here.

07/17 01:00 PM  NBA   (551) HOUSTON ROCKETS VS (552) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS edit

Take: (552) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS 

Reason: Play Philadelphia We'll play on some summer league action Friday. Philadelphia has carried the underdog role just like they do in the regular season. Here I love the points as Philadelphia showed some grit the other night coming back from a 15 point half time deficit. They'll fight hard today. Grab the value with four points.

05/15 04:00 PM  NBA   (745) ATLANTA HAWKS VS (746) WASHINGTON WIZARDS edit

Take: (745) ATLANTA HAWKS 

Reason: Play Atlanta plus 3 The Hawks have a chance to wrap up their series tonight on the road against Washington. Last night we saw the Clippers lose to head to game seven and the Cavaliers finished off the Bulls. Atlanta has not played well it seems like the entire playoffs, but their last two games they've started to resemble more of what we saw in the regular season. Their spacing the floor better and defending the basketball better. Washington's offense seems to be bogging down a bit. Paul Pierce has been expected to take more shots than what he signed up for and inside you never know what type of game you're going to get from Nene or Gortat. Grab the Hawks tonight as they find a way to close this out or keep things close enough for the cover

05/10 12:30 PM  NBA   (725) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS (726) CHICAGO BULLS edit

Take: (726) CHICAGO BULLS 

Reason: Play Bulls plus 2 Buy the half point in this situation. The Lebron factor has carried bettors for half a decade through his last year in Cleveland and four years in Miami. Warning signs have been there all season at this being an adjustment year for the Cavaliers. That was with full health. Kevin Love is obviously out and Kyrie Irving is dinged up. This was the position of the Bulls a month ago with Rose, Gibson, and Butler hurt. They're at full strength and I believe this team will pull off yet another stunner on Sunday. Paul Gasol is day to day but this team has depth in the interior and should get better defense from his substitute if needed. Game three was a sloppy win for the Bulls, but don't be shocked to see this game shape out the way game one did.

05/09 05:00 PM  NBA   (723) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS VS (724) MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES edit

Take: (723) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 

Reason: Play Warriors -4 Game two was confusing to see the Warriors offense befuddled as much as it was. They seemed to be a bit shocked by the play of Mike Conley. He was expected to play but no one anticipated him being able to have the impact he did. Maybe the Steph Curry MVP ceremony also was an emotional high for the Warriors. This is playoff basketball though and I believe the Warriors will have the answers offensively to separate in game three from the home squad of the Grizzlies. Grab the Warriors.

05/09 02:05 PM  NBA   (721) ATLANTA HAWKS VS (722) WASHINGTON WIZARDS edit

Take: (722) WASHINGTON WIZARDS 

Reason: Play Wizards plus 4.5 Money moved significantly in game two and barely caught bettors the line shift from 6 to 9. Today it's also moving slightly on the Hawks side with the impact injury to John Wall. His status and value on the court is the big unknown. What's not is the fact the Hawks just have not played as a number one seed throughout the playoffs. Washington has the size inside and may have to shift their offensive focus for the remainder of this series. Getting Nene and Gortat more involved needs to be a focal point for success. Attacking inside is how the Nets made a series of the first round against the Hawks. Grab the value today on the Wizards

05/08 05:05 PM  NBA   (717) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS (718) CHICAGO BULLS edit

Take: (718) CHICAGO BULLS 

Reason: Play Bulls -2 The Bulls did their job in Cleveland and won one game. Now they'll have to respond to the much more aggressive LeBron James. No team is prepared to see such a drastic shift in a superstar's aggressiveness, and the Bulls just were caught off guard in the first quarter of game two. That coupled with the Cavs red-hot three point shooting may have been a bit of an aberration. I still expect this series to go seven games and I expect the Bulls to make necessary changes in game three. To get that done they'll need to close the gaps of penetration by LeBron James. Poor shots on the offensive end led to missed shots and quick run outs from the Cavs. A team can get back on defense but without guarding the runners on the perimeter it led to wide open three point shots. Better offensive execution has to take place for the Bulls in game three. Grab the Bulls to respond at home as a veteran team that has the roster to shake itself from game two's miscues.

05/04 04:05 PM  NBA   (703) CHICAGO BULLS VS (704) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS edit

Take: (703) CHICAGO BULLS 

Reason: Play Bulls plus 5 If this series is as expected, it'd should start off with a fantastic game one. Lebron has had a history with this Bulls squad from his days back with Cleveland the first go around. This Bulls veteran squad has the young pieces to give the Cavs a run for their money. This is the series where LeBron may have a tug of war battle with his young point guard Kyrie Irving and added traded pieces. Grab the Bulls plus five to start the series.

04/26 03:35 PM  NBA   (505) TORONTO RAPTORS VS (506) WASHINGTON WIZARDS edit

Take: (505) TORONTO RAPTORS 

Reason: Play Toronto plus 6 You don't see to many series that go the course of the underdog such as this one. Toronto just has not been able to contain the Wizards spurts. Each of the first three games has featured a crucial run that sways the game to the Wizards. But for the most part each game has been a back and forth battle. It's tough to measure a teams heart but I'll side with the Raptors plus 6 from what I've seen thus far in the series

04/25 05:05 PM  NBA   (749) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS VS (750) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS edit

Take: (749) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 

Reason: Play Golden State -7 A steep number for a playoff matchup that has featured a series that does not resemble a 1 vs 8 matchup. That it doesn't, but I expect this game four to be the key game we finally see from the Warriors. There are a lot of headlines to draw from game three but the one I latch onto, is how much is left in the tank from Anthony Davis? All that effort that has resulted in him slowing down in fourth quarters. Plus they've had above expected results from their guards in Gordon/Evans/Cole. Look for the Warriors to finish this series and beat the number.

04/24 06:35 PM  NBA   (743) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS VS (744) SAN ANTONIO SPURS edit

Take: (743) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 

Reason: Play Clippers plus 4 Is there really a 2.5-3 point differential on the side of the Spurs home advantage versus the Clippers home advantage? I do not believe so. The Spurs played about as good as they could in game two, and exerted a lot of effort to sneak away with the win. If the Clippers weren't a veteran ball club I would have stayed away from this number and watched to see how they responded. But with the Spurs nicked up and the value here, I'll grab the Clippers to keep this game close.

04/23 04:05 PM  NBA   (733) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS (734) BOSTON CELTICS edit

Take: (733) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 

Reason: Play Cleveland -4 The first two contests of this series went to the wire of the point spread. This one should be different. Boston has had offensive success in spurts with guard Isiah Thomas and others. Defensively though they've struggled in all phases. It's almost as-if LeBron has waited for moments to seize control and carry his team. On the road I do not expect LeBron to take any chances. I expect an all out effort and for the Cavs to play their best game thus far of the post season.

04/22 07:35 PM  NBA   (731) SAN ANTONIO SPURS VS (732) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS edit

Take: (732) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 

Reason: Play Clippers I truly believe this is going to be an advantage series for the home teams. With that being said the Clippers own the home court advantage. If they come ready to play with the same game one intensity we should see the same results. The Clippers are no longer a young team. Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, etc have been around the league for quite awhile. This is just as much an opportunity with the door closing as it is for the Spurs. Grab the Clippers -1 tonight.

04/20 07:35 PM  NBA   (719) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS VS (720) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS edit

Take: (720) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 

Reason: Play Golden State -11 Game one's are usually a bit unpredictable from a point spread stand point. Seeds play a large role and the line was -12 in game one as a result. Golden State controlled the game and had a comfortable spread win dwindled to a loss in the fourth quarter. The fact of the matter was that Golden State played game one like a regular season game. They drew a large lead and got comfortable; while the Pelicans played a full game intensity wise at a playoff level. I expect Steve Kerr to have his team ready for a full entire game and to grab this ATS cover for bettors Monday. Grab the Warriors -11.

04/19 07:35 PM  NBA   (715) SAN ANTONIO SPURS VS (716) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS edit

Take: (716) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 

Reason: Play LA Clippers -1.5 Many believe just because the Spurs are in the playoffs they will trudge along with ease. Not even last year's championship team did so. This is an aged Spurs team that will be tested by a group of young Clippers that senses the door closing. This should be a patented long series and I expect the Clippers to grab game one.

04/18 06:35 PM  NBA   (707) DALLAS MAVERICKS VS (708) HOUSTON ROCKETS edit

Take: (707) DALLAS MAVERICKS 

Reason: Play Dallas plus 5 I'm not going to dive head-first into the NBA playoffs. There will be plenty of action for bigger cards from now through June. One play I do like involves Dallas plus 5. Houston has the mold of a young Mavericks team years back. Run and gun and they try to defeat you by outscoring opponents. They're going to have a hard time relying on a secondary and third scorer behind Harden in this series. Dallas is filled with veteran players that will step their defensive intensity up in the playoffs. Expect a long series and I'll take the Mavericks plus the points in this spot

04/15 05:05 PM  NBA   (511) SAN ANTONIO SPURS VS (512) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS edit

Take: (512) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS 

Reason: Play Pelicans plus 5.5 Playoffs are on the line for the Pelicans. Unfortunately they have to face the red-hot veteran Spurs. The Pelicans control their own destiny to get in the playoffs with a win. I won't suggest money-line here but I do anticipate them hanging in this game and covering the 5.5.

04/15 05:05 PM  NBA   (515) ORLANDO MAGIC VS (516) BROOKLYN NETS edit

Take: (516) BROOKLYN NETS 

Reason: Play Brooklyn -8 Orlando has fought well down the stretch and been competitive against Toronto, Chicago, and others. This matchup I'll side with the Nets. They have an advantage in the back court and should play much stronger than they did against the Bulls a few nights ago. Grab the Nets to end the regular season.

04/14 07:35 PM  NBA   (705) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS VS (706) PHOENIX SUNS edit

Take: (705) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 

Reason: Play Clippers -10 Tonight grab the Clippers -10 against a Suns team that has very little to play for. They seemed to play with effort against San Antonio a few nights ago but still lost by mid-teens. I expect less effort tonight and for the Clippers to play a more potent offensive game than the Spurs showcased.

04/12 12:35 PM  NBA   (705) CHARLOTTE HORNETS VS (706) DETROIT PISTONS edit

Take: (705) CHARLOTTE HORNETS 

Reason: Play Charlotte plus 8 The Bobcats have had two poor performances against the Raptors and Hawks. Two potent offensive teams that torched the unbalanced Bobcats. Detroit is not the caliber of either the Raptors or Hawks. To see the line movement jump from 6 to 8 would have to do with the poor performances of the Bobcats. This is where I'll back the underdog Bobcats against a young Detroit team that Stan Van Gundy is still trying to mold.

04/10 04:05 PM  NBA   (701) TORONTO RAPTORS VS (702) ORLANDO MAGIC edit

Take: (702) ORLANDO MAGIC 

Reason: Play Orlando Magic plus 6 In theory the Magic should not be playing for much and the Raptors have all to gain as they look to play in top form before the playoffs. That's not the way I'm going to handicap this play. The Raptors defeated a Bobcats team in blowout fashion the other day and the Magic came from behind against a Bulls team that scored against them with no problem. The Magic are getting solid play from their young players and I expect them to hang in this game at home. Grab the six points.

04/08 05:35 PM  NBA   (717) HOUSTON ROCKETS VS (718) SAN ANTONIO SPURS edit

Take: (718) SAN ANTONIO SPURS 

Reason: Play San Antonio -6 The Spurs are starting to look like the "Best in the West" at an opportune time yet again. With the playoffs lurking they're playing their best basketball. Houston is also playing well. This seems to be a high spread considering how offensively balanced the Rockets are. I expect the Spurs momentum to carry-over to tonight and would not be surprised to see a double digit win here.

04/08 05:05 PM  NBA   (715) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS VS (716) MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES edit

Take: (715) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS 

Reason: Play New Orleans plus 5 The Pelicans showed they're not going away, with a great effort and win last night against the Warriors. Memphis is always a tough place to play but I like the young leadership Anthony Davis is showing right now. Each time these teams play scoring has been a premium. With scoring low--I'll take the points even in a back to back game situation for the Pelicans.

04/08 05:05 PM  NBA   (713) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS (714) MILWAUKEE BUCKS edit

Take: (714) MILWAUKEE BUCKS 

Reason: Play Milwaukee Plus 8 LeBron and the Cavs are getting towards that **asterisk** playoff mode. This team has had two waves this season. Before LeBron sat out at the end of December no one knew the direction of this team. After his return they've played fantastic with new additions. At this point their second seed is all but locked and I expect this game to be a bit of a challenge. Jason Kidd's Bucks play with toughness each time on the court, and I look for them to cover the large number of eight.

04/04 03:05 PM  CB   (823) MICHIGAN STATE VS (824) DUKE edit

Take: (824) DUKE 

Reason: Play Duke -5 A Final Four is a great achievement and a major advancement for Michigan State. Two months ago they were not even on the bubble. They've done just enough seemingly every game to squeeze out wins. Duke has been a different team defensively and offensively since their back to back losses early in conference play to NC State and Miami. Michigan State does not have the personnel to contend with this Duke team. There is always fight from a Tom Izzo team but I expect the second half to belong to Duke in strong fashion. Grab Duke -5, and hats off to Michigan State for a superb run.

03/31 04:00 PM  CB   (769) MIAMI FLORIDA VS (770) TEMPLE edit

Take: (769) MIAMI FLORIDA 

Reason: Play Miami +1.5 Miami has had a season of ups and downs. Their high point came when they defeated Duke on their home floor to end their high streak of home wins. But low points have been plentiful with the juggernaut conference of the ACC. They likely should have exited the NIT against Richmond but found a way to fight back from a double digit deficit. I like Miami's three guard lineup to give Temple troubles. Manu Lecomte, Sheldon McClennan, and Davon Reed seem to have all been playing better with Angel Rodriguez out. While Temple has the defense to hang in this game I do not believe they have the offense. Grab Miami plus the point and a half.

03/28 05:45 PM  CB   (511) NOTRE DAME VS (512) KENTUCKY edit

Take: (511) NOTRE DAME 

Reason: Play Notre Dame plus 11 Kentucky just came off a clear outmatched game against West Virginia. 1. The Mountaineers could not make a shot 2. Their press was incapable of disrupting Kentucky, and 3. They fouled too much. Notre Dame does not have size on the interior but has four quality guards with size/shooting. Notre Dame likely will have to make at least 8-10 three pointers to stay in this game competitively, and catch Kentucky on a night where they shoot in the 40% range. Grab the points in the Elite 8 of plus 11.

03/26 07:15 PM  CB   (807) XAVIER VS (808) ARIZONA edit

Take: (808) ARIZONA 

Reason: Play Arizona -10.5 In the tournament picking which teams to back when laying double digits can be awfully tough. Xavier is left in the field because of favorable second and third round games. They faced an Ole Miss team that could not match the up tempo style of Xavier. It was an uphill battle for Ole Miss combined with poor defense throughout the game. Georgia State actually played a competitive game in terms of landing a spread cover. Free throw disparity and off the charts shooting from Xavier led to the slight cover for Xavier. Xavier versus Arizona is a clear over-match on paper. I expect Arizona to halt Xavier's strength of half court offense. Defensively Xavier would be one of the bottom ranked teams left in the tournament. This should be one of the highest spread covers from closing line to actual result in the tournament.

03/26 06:45 PM  CB   (803) WEST VIRGINIA VS (804) KENTUCKY edit

Take: (803) WEST VIRGINIA 

Reason: Play West Virginia plus 13.5 Kentucky has not covered in the tournament and I don't think they will here either. West Virginia plays a similar style to Cincinnati but adds better offense to the table. Bob Huggins has been in this position before when they defeated a John Wall led Kentucky team in the tournament. This game will likely not feature an upset but I see it falling in similar fashion to games that Kentucky has been challenged in the SEC. A hard fought game that Kentucky pulls away from down the stretch. That will grab the Wildcats a victory but won't be enough to cover a high number of 13.5.

03/26 04:45 PM  CB   (809) NORTH CAROLINA VS (810) WISCONSIN edit

Take: (809) NORTH CAROLINA 

Reason: Play North Carolina plus 6.5 North Carolina could have been a top ten team all season` if they had grasped the ability to play 48 minutes and prevent ill-advised turnovers. Every year in the field there are teams that finally grow in March. Kentucky was a young team that grew a season ago and I believe this North Carolina team fits that label this season. Wisconsin is a veteran team that has reached its ceiling. They very well still could be a final four team but their true value has been seen over the last two seasons. Of the eight sweet sixteen games, this would be the only money-line value play I'd risk. I fully expect North Carolina to have a lead early in this game and likely into the second-half. They've been in this position before and have let leads whittle away. We'll see the true growth of this team Thursday. Grab the points and put 20 percent of your wager on the money line.

03/26 04:15 PM  CB   (805) WICHITA STATE VS (806) NOTRE DAME edit

Take: (805) WICHITA STATE 

Reason: Play Wichita State -2 It was a surprise to initially see Wichita State favored in this matchup. Notre Dame has had impressive wins to close out the regular season and defeated North Carolina, Louisville, and Duke soundly down the stretch. Expect plenty of lead changes in this game. In the end though I like Wichita State's ability to score in bunches over Notre Dame. Notre Dame plays a lot of close games and in tournament play that comes to haunt you eventually. Grab Wichita State to advance.

03/22 06:40 PM  CB   (735) NORTHERN IOWA VS (736) LOUISVILLE edit

Take: (736) LOUISVILLE 

Reason: Play Louisville plus 2.5 Sometimes an ugly win in the tournament can cause an over reaction from sports-bettors. Louisville has the look of a team that should not make it the sweet 16. They have a limited bench and lost a key starter in Chris Jones after he was dismissed from the program. But they still have one of the best coaches in college hoops in Rick Pitino. Northern Iowa is a sound basketball team but if there is a flaw, it is that pesky guards give them problems. They lost to Evansville, VCU, and Wichita State this season. They're not a team that is going to shoot the lights out and score a lot of points--which bodes well for Louisville. But the key factor will be with Terry Rozier and Snider who has started to emerge. The opening line was a pick and jumped to 2.5 on N Iowa's side. It's the wrong line movement. Play Louisville.

03/22 04:10 PM  CB   (737) IOWA VS (738) GONZAGA edit

Take: (737) IOWA 

Reason: Play Iowa plus 6.5 The line has moved on this game mainly because of the location of this game in Seattle. In the tournament I think that's a bit inflated sometimes. The Hawkeyes are a confident group that matchup well with Gonzaga. This game should feature multiple runs but remain a close game throughout. The Zags are setup similar to Villanova. They come from a conference in the WCC that isn't a true measure to a major conference. Iowa will put the scare in the Zags, play the 6.5.

03/21 06:40 PM  CB   (515) BUTLER VS (516) NOTRE DAME edit

Take: (515) BUTLER 

Reason: Butler plus 5 This game should likely be closer to a 1.5 to 2 point spread, but based on Notre Dame's seeding and five losses is a bit higher. Butler is one of those rare tournament teams that just matches up well for the big dance. They've made two runs over the years and I believe they'll be set up for another appearance to the Sweet 16. Notre Dame has not faced a caliber defense of Butler's in the ACC besides Virginia's. This is a market value play on a game with too many points.