The Boston Celtics are once again huge favorites in game two. Thanks to a big fourth quarter run from the Miami Heat in game one, I expect an even faster start from the Celtics in game two. Additionally, Celtics star Jayson Tatum will play with a chip on his shoulder after Caleb Martin collided into him at the tail end of the game. Miami just does not have the personnel to run full speed with the Celtics for four quarters. Take the Celtics to cover once again.

Look for the Pacers to respond in game two tonight in Milwaukee. As poor of a first half as the Pacers played they fought back to cut the deficit to just twelve points. They held Damian Lillard scoreless in the second half, and Milwaukee to just forty points post half time. Look for Indiana to shoot much better from the field and not be held under 100 points again. Take Indiana.

At first I leaned towards the Oklahoma City Thunder side but sometimes we see teams get better through a key injury. The Pelicans know they will be without Zion, but have one of the better developed rosters in the NBA. Ingram looks ready to go, and I expect CJ McCollum to bounce back from two rare off games in the play in. Additionally, the Pelicans had one of the eight wins on the Thunder’s home floor this season. Take the Pelicans. 

One of the toughest elements of the postseason is handling a team’s talent and escalated pressure. For the Minnesota Timberwolves they had a banner year but now enter a phase they have not experienced as a higher seed in the Western Conference. To make matters worse the Suns have won nine out of the last ten matchups including a road win last Sunday. Take Phoenix to get another win over the young Timberwolves. 

Atlanta goes into the play in with a record of just 36 and 46. At ten games below .500 they lost the final six games of the season. Yet, this team has adapted after missing Trae Young for nearly two months. Furthermore, Chicago is a team they defeated at the United Center on April 1st by a margin of twelve points. Grab the generous amount of points here on the Hawks side.

The Sacramento Kings are a team that down the stretch of the season did not look like a postseason team. Yet, they have two young talents in D’Aron Fox and Sabonis that can override their depth issues for one game. Additionally, the Warriors appear to have peaked towards the end of the season. Lets not forget they Rockets were a game back of catching them for the tenth spot. In a Northern California battle grab the Kings plus the points.

The Milwaukee Bucks head into Sunday’s matchup against the Knicks with three straight losses against the Wizards, Grizzlies, and Toronto. Piling on to the matter is the fact that Giannis is questionable. Expect the Knicks to give maximum effort as they are two games back of the Bucks for the 2nd seed in the East. Tail the Knicks as the Bucks woes continue.

The Detroit Pistons put forth a disastrous effort and performance yesterday against the depleted Memphis Grizzlies. That creates a buy low opportunity today against a Brooklyn Nets team they defeated last month by six points. Jaden Ivey had his second best performance of the season with 34 points, and is coming off thirty one points in yesterday’s loss to the Grizzlies. Take the points here with Detroit.

The Philadelphia 76ers used a late surge to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder in their last game. The win was Joel Embiid’s return, but also devalued because the Thunder were without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. Thursday, the 76ers get a solid matchup against a Heat team they defended well and limited to 91 points on March 18th. Grab the 76ers as the slight underdogs.

The Portland Trailblazers continue to have key players out in Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, and off the bench Matisse Thybulle. As a result the Trailblazers have lost ten straight games as they utilize more role players. Yet, they did come close to defeating the Magic as they lost by one point. Take the Blazers in what is a solid matchup against the Hornets.

The Houston Rockets had their eleven game win streak snapped in a big way by the Dallas Mavericks. Now the Rockets are two games back of the Golden State Warriors for the final play-in spot, and will face a Timberwolves team driven to win. The Timberwolves are just one game back of the top seed in the Western Conference, and are coming off a poor let down home loss to the Bulls. Grab the Timberwolves.

The Phoenix Suns will aim to bounce back after a twenty five point loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The last three times they have lost by double digits they have responded with wins by an average margin of ten points. Additionally, the Suns have incentive for their true last attempt to get out of the play in round. Two games back of the sixth spot Pelicans, they have tonight and at the end of the week a home matchup against New Orleans. Take the Suns.

Under Doc Rivers the Milwaukee Bucks have had several mini stretches that make a person scratch their head. They appear to be in the middle of another down turn after blowing a near twenty point fourth quarter lead to the Lakers, and then falling to the Pelicans. Atlanta may be lacking depth but they have won four straight, including two wins over the Celtics. Play the Hawks

It is odd to have an Eastern Conference and Western Conference opponents face each other again in a quick turn around. Yet, that is the case with the Philadelphia 76ers who just defeated the Clippers three days ago in LA. Off their four game West Coast road trip look for the Clippers to be fueled to even the series. Lay it with the Clippers.

The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to deal with a bulk of their starting lineup out. It has resulted in losses in three of their last four games, including just ninety one points scored in their last matchup against the Timberwolves. Yet, the Miami Heat’s style of play should keep Cleveland in this one. Just four days ago they lost by three points to the Heat. Take the points.

The final stretch of the NBA regular season is upon us. This is an important phase for the Phoenix Suns to take care of business against below .500 teams. Eight of the Suns final twelve games are on the road, making it even more important to handle weaker opponents. Grab the Suns to put on a showcase performance in what is the first of two straight road games against the Spurs.

Typically I do not go against streaks but I’ll back the Bulls against the Houston Rockets. Their lone regular season matchup went to overtime, but it was a game the Bulls should have won decisively. Houston’s perimeter defense was poor as the Bulls made nineteen three pointers, and had five players that made two or more three’s. Grab the Bulls to at least cover the number.

Even with travel in play look for the Sacramento Kings to handle the Toronto Raptors decisively. Value is to be had with the Kings faltering ATS in consecutive home games against the Knicks and Grizzlies. Yet, this is a Raptors team playing for next year and were handily defeated in their last game against the Magic. Tail the Kings.

The Denver Nuggets are coming off a rare loss Sunday to the Dallas Mavericks. Look for Denver to bounce back as a motivated team against a Timberwolves squad that defeated them 110-89 in the lone matchup. Minnesota’s last back to back spot was a lackluster performance and a nine point loss to an undermanned Cavaliers team. Tail Denver as Minnesota is playing their third game in four nights.

The Memphis Grizzlies have shown fight the entire season, even with how thin they are. Expect that Monday as Sacramento is coming off a low point in their season, scoring just 91 points against the Knicks. It was De’Aaron Fox’s worst shooting performance of the season. Tail Memphis

The Atlanta Hawks seek to end their two game losing streak on the road against the Utah Jazz. This should be a favorable matchup for the Hawks who won in lopsided fashion by twenty seven points against Utah on February 27th. It was their best game post All Star break, and when the Jazz were relatively healthy with Lauri Markannen available. Back the Hawks as the slight road favorites.

Utah has had its issues with a three game losing streak. As depleted as their lineup is they should still have an upper hand against a Washington Wizards team on a current West Coast road trip. The Wizards will drop their fifteenth straight game and falter ATS.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have not had a strong performance post All Star break yet. In four games they are 2-2, and both victories were not their best output. Today, look for the Cavaliers to be sparked off Max Strus’s insane winning shot. Additionally, they played the Bulls in a recent matchup on February 14th, and the Bulls are coming off a poor loss to the Pistons.

The New Orleans Pelicans have had issues to post All Star break with consistency. Brandon Ingram missed action as well as CJ McCollum, and today Zion Williamson is questionable. Look for the Pelicans to rise above leaving home and heading on the road to Madison Square Garden. The Knicks have struggled with a depleted lineup and are in a back to back spot.

The New Orleans Pelicans will be down a couple of role players tonight due to suspension in Naji Marshall and Jose Alvarado. That will affect their second unit rotation but also give a chance for their deep roster to shine. Look for the Pelicans starters to put forth a crisp effort, especially after a lackluster first half their last matchup. Take the Pelicans as the favorite. 

Cleveland is hopeful to have Donovan Mitchell back tonight, after missing yesterday’s return against the Magic. Expect the Cavaliers to regroup especially on the defensive end where they gave up 123 points to the 76ers eleven days ago. That is the most they had given up since New Year’s Day. Grab the Cavs in a revenge spot.

Milwaukee has stifled their last two opponents from a defensive stand point in the Hornets and Nuggets. Even in a back to back spot they should have the upper hand over a Miami Heat team missing several key players. Additionally, the Bucks have won and covered both prior matchups this season against the Heat. Lay it with the Bucks.

Any time a team makes a major adjustment there are typically growing pains. The Milwaukee Bucks are just 1-4 over their last five games under new Coach Doc Rivers. They had the defense to win versus Phoenix, and I expect them to put together a bounce back outing tonight offensively. This play is only with Damian Lillard cleared to play.

Certain veteran teams can hit the on switch at any given time. We saw this last postseason with the Miami Heat as a play-in eighth seed. Yesterday they had a statement victory of twenty six points over the Magic. Even being in a back to back spot look for the Heat to have the upper hand over the Spurs. Lay it in this spot.

The Toronto Raptors finally have the right matchup to get back in the win column in a big way. They will face a Charlotte Hornets team that is just 5-20 on their home floor and has lost eight straight games. Look for the team to finally gel after having players in and out of the lineup.

Throughout the Miami Heat’s inconsistencies this season they have been solid against the Orlando Magic. 2-1 on the year and have limited the Magic to an average of 102 points. Healthier look for the Heat to bounce back from a close loss to the Clippers on Sunday.

In a back to back spot the San Antonio Spurs find themselves as huge home underdogs. They have been strong ATS on their current home stand where they have won two games outright and covered yesterday against the Pelicans. Look for another solid effort as their seven game home stand comes to conclusion.

The Brooklyn Nets are on their first win streak not involving the Detroit Pistons since early December. Positive signs for a Nets team coming off their best win of the season, in a 33 point victory over the Utah Jazz. Grab the Nets as a slight home underdog over the Suns.

Toronto new pieces as part of their trades are injured in RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. Still, the Raptors showed fight in their last loss by a point to the Atlanta Hawks. Rookie Gradey Dick put in fifteen points, and Jordan Nwora scored a season high 24 points. Look for the Raptors to show fight again tonight.

The LA Lakers looked like a tired team last night in a double digit loss to the Rockets. Now they are in a back to back road spot as they have to travel to Atlanta. Expect the defense to continue to be an issue, and offense to lag without Anthony Davis. Lay it with the Atlanta Hawks.

The San Antonio Spurs are on a rare winning streak having won their last two games. Overall they have won three out of their last five games, which includes a road win over tonight’s opponent in the Washington Wizards. Additionally, they have won by double figures the last three times they were favorites this season. Lay it with the Spurs.

The Memphis Grizzlies continue to be one of the more depleted teams from an injury stand point in the NBA. It’s began to take its toll on their current road trip as they have dropped consecutive games ATS and lost by double digits. Expect that to continue against a new look Toronto team eager to put on a showcase performance. Lay it with Toronto.

The Miami Heat draw a small number on the road against a Raptors team that has lost four straight. Toronto has been competitive and has the new look talent but just can’t close games. Trade rumors surrounding Pascal Siakam are certainly an issue. Take the Heat as the Raptors drop another close one.

Through a couple of games the impact of not having Tyrese Haliburton has not been felt for the Pacers. They have won three straight games and today will get to face a Denver Nuggets team in a back to back situation. Look for Denver to thrive against the Pacers fast pace offense, and also be motivated to defeat their old teammate in Bruce Brown.

Today is a bad matchup for the home Dallas Mavericks. They looked flat on both ends of the floor in their seventeen point loss to a short handed Memphis Grizzlies. Now they will face a surging Knicks team on a five game win streak. Look for the Knicks to out hustle the Mavericks, and also for Jalen Brunson to have a showcase against his old team.

Chicago enters Wednesday on a two game win streak, but both of those wins were against the lowly Hornets. Today they face a Houston Rockets team that is on the second leg of a difficult six-game East coast road trip. Take the Bulls as the Rockets road struggles continue.

Detroit had a quality team on the ropes yesterday in the Sacramento Kings with an eighteen point lead. Before it was even halftime they were trailing and went on to lose by 21 points. Positioning for the worst record in the NBA continues against the five win spurs. Grab San Antonio.

A tough feat to complete is defeating an opponent and a home and away matchup. The Chicago Bulls defeated the Charlotte Hornets on Friday by thirteen points. Even with injury concerns and the status of Zach Lavine up in the air attack the Bulls side today. Outside of the Hornets win over the Kings they have been abysmal with losses in twelve of their last thirteen games. Play the Bulls.

A lack of effort is not what you expect from the top team in the Western Conference in the Minnesota Timberwolves. Yet, in their last game against the Pelicans it was apparent that they were being outplayed in all phases. For the first time this season the Timberwolves have lost consecutive games. Tonight look for a much different outcome on the road against Houston.

Today is a situational spot to back the Atlanta Hawks on the road against the Indiana Pacers. Indiana is coming off back to back wins over the Milwaukee Bucks. The wins showcase that the Pacers are legitimate but this could be a severe let down spot. Atlanta thrived in their last game against Oklahoma City, and I expect another good showcase today. Take the Hawks.

With the spread coming down off Kevin Durant being out tonight, I’ll jump in on the Suns side. Even in a back to back spot, look for the Suns to remain aggressive. They are on their longest home stand of the season in six games, and a revenge spot in a recent road loss at Portland. Take the Suns to finally match a win with a cover. Grab Phoenix.

Post holiday look for value on the home underdog in the Washington Wizards. The Orlando Magic have lost four of their past five games. It’s sometimes tough for teams coming out of a holiday especially facing a five win team in the Wizards. Washington also played the Magic competitively in a five point loss to begin the month. Take the Wizards.

Even with Kristaps Porzingis out, I’ll side with the Celtics. They just defeated two teams multiple times that gave them problems last season in Orlando and Cleveland. Golden State on the other hand is having a multitude of issues, and now their superstar in Steph Curry is coming off his first game without a three in 268 games. Grab the Celtics.

The Detroit Pistons abysmal stretch of twenty one straight losses is likely to continue Friday evening. They’ll face a Philadelphia 76ers team they just lost to on Wednesday on their home floor by eighteen points. Yet, there’s room for a stretch of a lack of effort on Philadelphia’s side. Additionally, the Pistons had the 76ers on the ropes in their first matchup on November 10th. Grab the points on the Pistons.

Friday’s play in tournament games should create a rise in the level of play. For the Knicks they will need a win to have a chance in their group. Additionally, the Knicks will seek revenge from last season’s playoff loss to the Heat. Take the Knicks as they end the Heat’s impressive 9-1 run.

Chicago has been a troubling team to watch. In most games this year they have dug themselves huge holes including their last matchup against the Miami Heat. After being down 20 to 1 they surged for a comeback win. It may be short lived but look for the Bulls to play inspired basketball off the big comeback.

The New York Knicks come into Monday’s game against the Timberwolves surging. They are also on a road trip that could cause them problems. Minnesota themselves have concluded their West Coast road trip, and sometimes that can lead to a sluggish start. Yet, I believe they will find their energy at a juncture in the second half and add another win. Take the Timberwolves.

Despite being on a six game losing streak the LA Clippers still are sizeable favorites tonight. I expect Los Angeles to answer the call in a big way. In their last outing against the Denver Nuggets they showed a level of competitiveness that can finally get them over the hump. Take the Clippers.

The NBA travels to Mexico City today as the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic meet. The Magic appeared to be going in the right direction after two strong wins, including one over the Lakers. Yet, in their last matchup they surrendered a double digit halftime lead of thirteen points to the Dallas Mavericks. They scored just thirty six second half points. Look for the Hawks to take advantage on the international stage.

The Washington Wizards travel to face a Miami Heat team that may rank as the top team in search of a win tonight. Slow starts of the Heat are nothing new as last year they began the season 7-11. They have had a difficult schedule to begin the season but also are lacking the depth they had last year with Gabe Vincent and Max Strus. Grab the points here with the Wizards.

Friday, the Cleveland Cavaliers will attempt to get revenge on the road for the second time this season. They just defeated the Knicks on Wednesday after losing to them on Tuesday at home. That was a confidence booster for a team that was on a three game losing streak. Take Cleveland as Indiana’s poor defense continues.

The New Orleans Pelicans continue to have players in and out of the lineup. Tonight in a back to back scenario the Pelicans will have Zion Williamson out due to rest. There’s also a chance Brandon Ingram returns to the court. Look for the Pistons to bounce back off of consecutive losses and keep this close due to the Pelicans lack of lineup consistency. Grab the points.

The Dallas Mavericks undefeated start to the season is not fooling anyone. All wins were against teams that are undermanned or in a true transition with youth. Chicago may be a veteran team but their issues of competition for four full quarters are a real deal. Look for Dallas to continue taking advantage of a weaker schedule to begin the season. Grab Dallas.

Milwaukee is 2-1 on the season but has yet to cover a spread. In their first road game of the season tonight they may be under valued against the Toronto Raptors. Their new first year coach in Adrian Griffin was an assistant for the Raptors the prior five seasons. Additionally, the Raptors are struggling to adjust early in the season. Take the Bucks as the road favorite.

Two teams that have not began the year strong will meet in the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers. Last season the Knicks dominated their postseason matchup winning four games to one. Additionally, the Cavaliers are surrendering 115 points per game which is up considerably from last year’s top ranking. Take the Knicks as the Cavaliers lose their third straight home game.

The Utah Jazz have always been the type of team where home court has been a big advantage. It still may be but they just have run into the wrong first two opponents on their home court. The Sacramento Kings elevated their play for a double digit win, and the Clippers appear to have one of the deepest rosters in the NBA. Lay it here with LA.

The Portland Trailblazers are a completely new look team after trading Damian Lillard. Early in a season though often times we see these type of teams over achieve to begin the year. The youth and veteran presence of DeAndre Ayton, Malcolm Brogdon and Jerami Grant can give the Clippers enough of a battle to cover this big spread. Take the points as the Trailblazers cash as the biggest NBA underdog on the board.

The Phoenix Suns made the necessary moves of trading DeAndre Ayton and Chris Paul after years of playoff failures. Adding Bradley Beal now makes them a more offensive team, which should pay dividends off the bat against the Warriors. Last season they won the first three matchups decisively by double digits. Take the Suns who have consistently been one of the best regular season teams in the NBA.

The Boston Celtics quickly have shifted the thoughts on the possibility of being the first team ever to erase a 3-0 series deficit. They have supreme confidence once again and the experience of so many trips to the Eastern Conference Finals. They may not jump out on the Miami Heat as quickly as in game five but their surge will happen. Take Boston to push this series to seven games and cover the number.

The Miami Heat used the momentum from stealing game two and rode it to a cruising game three victory. Clearly the Celtics were not ready to match the Heat’s intensity from the onset of game three. Yet, for the first time this series the tide has shifted to the Celtics being the underdog. Look for Boston to finally play with an edge as the Heat stumble a bit with such a big series advantage. Grab the Celtics.

The Miami Heat have full control of the Eastern Conference Finals series after winning games one and two at Boston. Yet, don’t expect the Celtics to not counter. They were down in their last series to the 76ers and have the pedigree of experience to overcome. They’re also a team that’s style of play does not wane on the road. On the steep spread discount grab Boston in game three.

In game one the Denver Nuggets dominated from the middle of the first quarter until the five minute mark of the fourth quarter. While the Lakers did make a run I expect game two to be a tale of two halves. Denver’s home dominance will not be over rode as their playoff streak improves to 8-0. Take Denver

The Lakers success this post-season has been their ability to knock off teams in game one. They did so against both Memphis and Golden State to set the tone. Yet, Denver is the first team this postseason that has the interior and perimeter balance to negate the Lakers defensively. Lay it as Denver covers and boosts their regular season and postseason home record to 41-7.

The point spread has not been a deciding factor in the playoffs. Tonight look for that to change with Golden State in a must win situation on the road. What has been their downfall in this series is executing in tight games. They’ll perform better in crunch time with their season at stake. Grab the points with Golden State.

The New York Knicks are lucky they are not down three games to nothing against the Miami Heat. They needed to rally in game two against an undermanned Heat team to win. Look for game three’s lackluster effort to finally be the wake up call the Knicks need. This will be a much more competitive game. Grab the points.

The Phoenix Suns have their backs against the wall after two disastrous road performances in Denver. They’ve had three full days off to regroup and accept a challenge. That challenge is to take care of home court with two games in the next forty eight hours. A new look lineup will benefit the Suns. Take Phoenix.

No matter how poor a series goes, teams that are down usually show a mini pulse on their home floor. Cleveland has to revert to the old adage of one game at a time. Game five tonight should be their best showcase performance of the season. Angry and poor play to get to this point should boil over. Take the Cavaliers.

The Denver Nuggets have shown to truly be a viable top seed in the post-season. That may change in the second round but clearly they have the upper hand from a roster stand point against the Timberwolves. Minnesota may show some fight for the first quarter or even first half, but look for the Nuggets to end this series today and close out the Timberwolves. 

After Saturday’s game one victory over the Cavaliers the Knicks have now won four straight over Cleveland. Yet often times we see a game one victory be an after thought. The tide can change quickly and I expect Cleveland to play much better where they were 31 and 10 on their home floor. They’ll boost their offense and keep the Knicks under 105 points. Take the Cavaliers.

Philadelphia cruised in game one over the Brooklyn Nets to win by twenty points. The merit to keep their foot on the gas and make quick work of the Nets is there. Yet, this is a big number for a Nets team that was within range of this spread for three quarters in game one. This may be a quick series but expect the Nets to put in their best effort tonight. Take the underdog here.

Almost by default the Timberwolves are slight underdogs Tuesday after an outright loss as near twenty point favorites to Portland. As inexcusable as the loss was the Timberwolves now have a handful of games with Karl Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards back on the court together. They’ve also been a better road team as of late where they are 3-1 over their last four road games. Take the Timberwolves

A non playoff team that has been stellar ATS-wise down the stretch has been Orlando. They’ve gone 8-0-1 ATS over the last nine games. Tuesday though is a spot of concern. Cleveland’s potent guard play combined with their top team defense is going to give the Magic problems. Additionally, minutes have been tough to come by with Markelle Fultz, Gary Harris, Cole Anthony, and Jalen Suggs all getting playing time. Take the Cavaliers as the Magic’s ATS streak comes to an end.

Down the stretch of the season the Denver Nuggets are becoming a conundrum. Although their home record is 32-7, they’ve dropped three of their past four home games. Uncertainty regarding starters and more importantly Nikola Jokic is creating value on road teams. Golden State may have just nine road wins but they are a team you can bump up ATS-wise April onward. Tail the Warriors

The Dallas Mavericks continue to fall short as they are 3-7 over their last ten games. They’ll travel to Atlanta today in a back to back spot still on the outside looking in for the post-season. Expect a tale of two halves as Dallas likely races out to a lead but falls short when it matters most. Tail Atlanta. 

Incentive to get into the post-season has trumped point spreads over the last several days. The Pelicans have been one of the best examples as they have won six of their past seven games, and the one loss they surrendered a twenty point lead to the Warriors. Yet, this is a spot where I believe the Clippers as a veteran team will rise to the occasion after a poor showing yesterday to the Grizzlies. Take the points here in a close game.

Tonight we should get a much better matchup than Wednesday’s Clippers and Grizzlies matchup that featured several players out. On the Clippers side they did see Norman Powell return to action, and Kawhi Leonard is expected to play tonight. Yet, I expect the Grizzlies to put on a showcase performance as this is their last true home game against a playoff opponent. Tail Memphis 

Before line movement occurs I want to get out in front with a mid-week play on the Phoenix Suns. Kevin Durant’s likely return should spark line movement on the Suns side. Phoenix has done very well this year with a 3-0 ATS mark against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Additionally, Devin Booker matched a season-high ten assists in one of the victories over the Timberwolves. With Minnesota playing their third game in four nights take the Suns.

Despite being on a six game winning streak the Memphis Grizzlies are favored only one point more than they were on the road against Orlando in January. That speaks to the recent success of the Orlando Magic who have won four of five games, and are on a 6-1-1 ATS streak. Take Orlando as they continue to compete hard and carry over some momentum into next season with their youth.

Tuesday, the Cleveland Cavaliers  will return to the city of their worst loss of the season against the Atlanta Hawks. On February 24th the Cavaliers lost by seventeen points and gave up 136 points total. Atlanta shot lights out at 59 percent and even had a forty nine point second quarter. As strong as the Cavaliers have been as of late, look for the Hawks to protect their home floor once again. Take Atlanta.

A late add for the night cap on the Clippers. LA comes in having won five of six while the Thunder have won seven of nine. The big angle here is Kawhi Leonard and Paul George will be on the floor together for the first time this season against the Thunder. Look for the Clippers to attack a Thunder team that’s had a strange schedule as of late. Play the Clippers.

Wednesday, the Minnesota Timberwolves return home where they have lost four straight. In fact, their last home win was prior to All Star break on February 5th. The slide gets worse if you examine the Timberwolves on their home floor against Eastern Conference opponents, where they have dropped five straight. Take the Boston Celtics to recover from a poor loss to the Houston Rockets. Tail the Celtics. 

A matchup the public has been wrong on repeatedly this season has been the Warrior and Suns. The first three matchups the point spread moved heavily in the Warriors favor, to only see the Suns blow out the Warriors all three times. In fact, the Suns have won by double figures in all three meetings. For the fourth and final matchup look for the Warriors entire roster to dig in and avoid the embarrassment of four losses to the Suns this season. Grab the Warriors. 

The inconsistencies of the Miami Heat’s season has been puzzling this season. They are just three games above .500, and as a veteran team need to begin to raise their level of play. Tonight should be a golden opportunity against the Utah Jazz. Miami has had a home friendly schedule with six of their past seven games at home. There lone road game was in Orlando, so they have not left the state since February 27th. Play the Heat.

The Pistons have dropped ten straight and the outlook is bleak with several starters out. But the Pacers are untrustworthy on the defensive end of the floor, and this should be a spot where the Pistons actually show some value. Take them at home as the slight underdogs against the Pacers. 

The LA Clippers free fall began last Friday with a loss against the Sacramento Kings. In that scenario the Kings were in a back to back spot but did not rest any players. In fact D’Aron Fox and Malik Monk both scored forty plus points. To see the way the Clippers melted in yesterday’s loss and now will have Kawhi Leonard on load management speaks volumes. Take the Kings who show no mercy.

We’ve seen this repeat story with the Lakers fading without LeBron as the season nears end. Although they have a more talented team it’s a group that also senses the inevitable. Expect a lackluster effort against an Oklahoma City Thunder team filled with young and promising talent. Follow the line move here and ride the Thunder.

Wednesday a true conundrum exists whether to buy low on the Brooklyn Nets or buy high on the Knicks current six game win streak. I’ll buy low on the Nets, who I expected to struggle with their new look lineup especially post All Star break. The talent is there however and I expect the Nets to put up a good fight in a back to back scenario at Madison Square Garden. Grab the points here. 

Madison Square Garden will be electric tonight as the New York Knicks look to push their winning streak to six games. They’ll have an opportune chance as they face a Celtics team short handed minus Jaylen Brown. Still, this Celtics team is more than just stars in Jayson Tatum and Brown. Their ability to score in bunches will be the difference as they pull away late. Take Boston.

The Grizzlies wilted a huge lead to lose at Philadelphia in their first game back from All Star break. The loss now makes the Grizzlies just 4-10 over their last fourteen games. They’ll face a Denver Nuggets team that handed them their fewest points of the season in a 105 to 91 loss earlier this season. Yet, on their home floor look for the Grizzlies to correct their errors and play the type of basketball we expect. Tail the Grizzlies. 

The Suns made significant changes before the trade deadline that will position them as one of the strongest contenders. Yet, they sat a lot of players in yesterday’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Although they have Devin Booker back, it’s still a tough spot playing in a back to back. Grab the Pacers to have enough offense to handle the Suns on their home floor. 

There’s a possibility that the Wizards will be without both Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma for Wednesday’s contest against the Charlotte Hornets. Right now the Wizards are feeling the affects of over achieving for a six-game winning streak and melting huge first quarter leads against Portland and Brooklyn. A flat outing was expected against Cleveland and it happened with a twenty three point loss. Wednesday, is a great bounce back spot against the lowly Hornets. Play the Wizards. 

The Chicago Bulls do have the extra day of rest versus the Magic who are in a back to back spot. The problem is the Bulls have reversed to their bad play once again. They blew a 21 point lead to the Pacers and then lost by fifteen points to one of the worst teams in the NBA in Charlotte. The Magic led most of the way against the Miami Heat yesterday before the defense of Miami hindered the Magic in the fourth quarter. Today, look for the Magic to be the stronger team against a Bulls team that lacks defensive intensity.

Charlotte comes into Saturday’s contest not having played since Wednesday. Although Atlanta played last night against the Knicks that should not deter bettors from laying the big number on Atlanta. Charlotte is coming off a win against the Rockets, and have not won consecutive games since November 25th. Additionally, Atlanta defeated Charlotte by nineteen points last month with several starters out. Back the Hawks.

Friday, the Phoenix Suns will continue the third game of their four game road trip against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although the Suns will still be without several players, they will have one main player back on the floor in DeAndre Ayton. Phoenix may be undermanned but can lean on already having two victories this season over the Timberwolves similar to the way they did for the Warriors. Grab the Suns plus the points.

It’s been customary for the Milwaukee Bucks to sit several players in back to back spots. They’ll do that once again tonight against the Miami Heat after defeating the Atlanta Hawks yesterday. While one can’t expect the Bucks to triumph to victory as they did in the same scenario against Toronto, there is reason to believe they can cover the number. Over Miami’s last nine home games only one game did they win by more than five points. Take the Bucks on the big number.