My 8* Oddsmakers Error is on the Dallas Mavericks (8:05 EST).

I think the Rockets have a bit of a mental lapse here after winning six of their last seven.

Conversely, the Mavericks won’t be taking anything for granted this evening after they broke a three-game slide with a win over the Wizards in their last outing.

And to say this is a “revenge” game for the Mavs would be a bit of an understatement I think, as the Rockets have taken five straight in the series.

Houston most recently got the better of Miami 99-90 on Monday, going 15 of 37 from range. James Harden led the way in the victory with 28 points. Note though that Harden had five assists to six turnovers.

Dallas is not in the playoff picture currently, but it’s still fighting, most recently thrashing the Wizards 98-75. The Mavs would go on to shoot 44.2 percent collectively, while also holding a 52-45 edge on the glass. Harrison Barnes leads the team in scoring and he had 20 points and ten boards in the latest victory. 

I’ll point out as well that Houston is already just 7-10 ATS this year after three or more consecutive SU victories and only 4-7 ATS in its last 11 after allowing 90 points or less in its previous outing, while Dallas is already 20-13 ATS as an underdog this year, 8-2 ATS against the division and 19-9 ATS against clubs with winning records.

Harden is back from a recent injury, but still not firing on all cylinders. Dallas has looked a lot better on both ends of the court and I think that momentum gets carried over here. Clearly an outright upset is not out of the question, but in the end I’m going to recommend grabbing as many points as you can. Play on Dallas.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the New Orleans Pelicans (7:05 EST).

New Orleans comes to Charlotte off a 132-128 double OT win over Chicago, while the Hornets enter off a 112-107 victory at home over Sacramento on Monday. 

The Pelicans average 111.2 PPG and they concede 110.9. Anthony Davis leads the team with 26.7 points, 10.5 boards and 2.05 blocks per game, while fellow big DeMarcus Cousins averages 25.6 points, 12.9 boards and 5.2 assists per game. 

The Hornets average 105.8 PPG and concede 105.8 as well. Kemba Walker leads the team with 21.8 points and 5.9 assists per game, while Dwight Howard adds 15.5 points and 12.6 boards per outing.

I’ll point out though that New Orleans has done extremely well in this spot for bettors, going 14-10 ATS already on the road this year, 11-8 ATS in non-conference games and interestingly 2-1 ATS in its last three after scoring 130 points or more in its previous outing, while Charlotte has struggled in this position by going just 11-14 ATS at home this season and only 9-11 ATS in non-conference contests.

The Hornets are sitting in 11th in the East, so despite playing better of late, I still think New Orleans has the advantage here. The Pelicans have won five of seven and are two games ahead of the Clippers in the West standings. 

The added off-court drama of Walker likely being moved before the trade dead line won’t help the home side tonight either. 

Play on New Orleans.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Situational Stunner is on Richmond (7:00 EST).

The 6-13 Richmond Spiders are at Duquesne to take on the 14-6 Dukes and in my opinion, this one is a lot more even than what the oddsmakers are trying to lead us to believe.

The Spiders enter off an 81-74 home win over LaSalle, while the Dukes come in off a 95-89 OT victory over George Mason on Saturday. 

Richmond averages 68.1 PPG and it concedes 73.8. Despite their poor overall record, the Spiders are now 4-3 in A-10 action after hitting 50 percent against the Explorers, including 8 of 16 from range. Grant Golden led the way in that one with 18 points and eight boards. 

The Dukes come in off the win over George Mason, getting 34 points from Eric Williams Jr. Mike Lewis II added 20. Duquesne barely got by La Salle a couple of weeks ago, needing triple OT to eventually pull away for the 101-94 victory. Duquesne averages 74 PPG and it concedes 66. 

I’ll point out as well that Richmond is already 2-1 ATS this year off a win against a conference rival, while Duquesne is just 6-7 ATS in its last 13 in the same position.

Don’t let the overall numbers for these teams fool you, as Richmond had a tough non-conference schedule. The Spiders’ stats have normalized in league play and I think they matchup extremely well here. 

While I obviously wouldn’t be shocked by the outright upset, I will in the end recommend that you grab as many points as you can. Play on Richmond.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the Boston Celtics (10:35 EST).

Boston comes in off a third straight loss, falling 103-95 at home to Orlando on Sunday. Clearly the C’s are going to be looking to start their Western road swing off on the “right foot.”

And with a game at Golden State on the weekend, the visitors can’t take anything for granted tonight either or risk enduring their worst slide of the season. 

But if recent history is any precedence, then Boston has to be liking its chances today, because when these teams met back on November 8th, it was the Celtics which pulled away for the comfortable 107-96 victory. 

Boston comes in averaging 102.6 PPG and it concedes 98. Kyrie Irving leads the nightly charge with 24.5 points, five assists and 1.18 steals per game. 

The Lakers average 106.6 PPG and concede 109.9. Lonzo Ball averages 10.2 points, 7.1 boards and 7.1 assists per game, while Brandon Ingram adds 15.7 points.

I’ll point out though that Boston is already 6-3 ATS this year off an upset loss as a favorite and 14-6 ATS against good offensive teams which average 106 plus points per game, while LA is just 21-23 ATS in its last 44 off an upset win as an underdog. 

Boston can’t be happy and it’s looking for a breakout performance. The Lakers have been playing better lately, but definitely look poised for a letdown here. Everything points to a rout, lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Oddsmakers Error is on Wake Forest (9:00 EST).

Duke looks poised for a letdown here in my opinion after winning four straight, most recently an 81-54 beatdown at home of Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Conversely it’s going to be “all hands on deck” for Wake Forest as it comes in having lost five straight, most recently a 59-49 setback at home to No. 2 Virginia this past Saturday (failing to cover the 8.5 point spread by a single bucket.) 

The Blue Devils average 92.1 PPG and concede 72.8. Marvin Bagley III leads the nightly charge with 21.9 points and 11.5 boards per game.

The Demon Deacons average 74.5 PPG and concede 73.2. Wake actually had a two point lead on the Cavaliers in their latest loss at half time, but the Deacons would eventually succumb to Virginia’s smothering defense. Bryand Crawford was a standout in the setback with 11 points and four assists.

Wake is desperate to break the slide, while Duke comes in a tiny bit complacent. When you add it all up, this spread is just a little high in my opinion. 

Grab the points, play on Wake Forest.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* GAME OF THE WEEK is on TCU (9:00 EST).

WVU comes in off an 86-51 home win over Texas to move to 5-2 in Big 12 play, while TCU will be eager to get back on track after a tight 73-68 road loss in K-State to move to 2-5 in league action.

The Mountaineers average 81.5 PPG and they concede 64.9. In the win over Texas, Jevon Carter led the way with 22 points, while James Bolen added 19.

The Horned Frogs average 87.5 PPG and they concede 77.6. In the loss to the Wildcats, Vladimir Brodziansky posted 15 points, while Alex Robinson contributed 13. 

I’ll point out though that WVU is just 1-2 ATS in its last three after allowing 60 points or less in its previous contest, while TCU is 3-1 ATS this year already off a loss against a conference rival.

I think the “hungrier” home side finds a way to get the job done at the end of the night and as mentioned off the top, all signs do indeed point to a letdown finally here from the Mountaineers.

Play on TCU.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on Utah (8:00 EST).

The 9-9 Washington State Cougars are in Utah to take on the 11-7 Utes and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

The Cougars come into this one in a “tail spin,” having lost five of their last six, most recently falling at Colorado on Thursday.

The Utes can empathize, they had lost four straight, but have to be feeling much more confident tonight after beating Washington earlier in the week.

Since opening the season 6-0, Washington State has gone 3-9 since, most recently falling 82-73 at Colorado. Carter Skaggs and Viont’e Daniels combined for 35 points in the setback.

The Utes looked good defensively in their latest victory (70-62 over the Huskies): “We have a defensive plan, and we’re able to guard people,” Utah senior forward David Collette assessed Friday. “It’s just a matter of effort…but we’ve been missing that. Everyone just has to find it in themselves to give that effort.” Justin Bibbins led the way in the latest win with 20 points. 

I’ll point out that Washington State is just 4-6 ATS as an underdog this year and only 1-5 ATS in its last six after allowing 80 points or more, while Utah is 5-2 ATS as a favorite this season and 4-2 ATS in front of the home town crowd.

Utah is 7-2 SU at home this year, while Washington State is 0-5 in true road games thus far. 

The Utes won’t be taking anything for granted here after their latest victory, as they entered on a four-game losing streak. The Cougars are hungry as well, but they face a very stiff test against this energized Utah defense. 

I expect the home side to comfortably pull away down the stretch. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Oddsmakers Error is on the LA Lakers (3:35 EST).

New York looks primed for a letdown here in my opinion after its big 117-115 road win over Utah on Friday. 

Conversely, I expect the hungry Lakers to build off their recent 99-86 home win over Indiana, a victory which snapped a two-game slide. 

To say this is a “revenge” game would be a bit of an understatement as well, as New York has taken six of the last seven in the series, including a 113-109 OT effort at home back on December 12th.

The Knicks come into this one averaging 104.5 PPG and conceding 105.3. Kristaps Porzingis leads the nightly charge with 23.5 points, 6.8 boards and 2.38 blocks per night, while Enes Kanter adds 13.5 points and 9.9 boards per outing. 

LA averages 106.1 PPG and it concedes 110. Brook Lopez averages 11.6 points and 3.9 boards per game. Lonzo Ball adds 10.2 points, 7.1 boards and 7.1 assists per game. 

I’ll point out though that New York is just 5-7 ATS already this year off an upset win as an underdog and 0-2 ATS after playing three consecutive road games, while LA is 6-1 ATS this season after a win by ten points or more and 2-0 ATS after allowing 90 points or less.

I like this hungry home side to avenge the OT setback in The Big Apple and I expect New York to once again return to mediocrity after its latest road victory.

Play on the Lakers.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Situational Stunner is on the Milwaukee Bucks (7:35 EST).

I base my selections on many things. For this particular one, I simply feel that it sets up extremely well for the Bucks.

Milwaukee has been scuffling of late, loser of seven of its last ten, including a 106-101 setback at home to Miami as a 4.5 point favorite in its most recent action. This is an important stretch for the Bucks, who currently sit in third in the Central, one game behind Indiana for second and only four back of the Cavaliers for the lead. With upcoming home contests against Phoenix and Brooklyn, a nice little three-game win skein would go a long way in turning the tables in the division standings.

And for Philadelphia, there’s no doubt that this sets up as a natural letdown spot after back-to-back wins over Toronto and at Boston respectively. And with a game at Memphis on Sunday, it’s not too hard to imagine the home side in some small way getting caught looking ahead.

Additionally I’ll point out that Milwaukee is 2-1 ATS in its last three after allowing 105 points or more in its previous outing, while Philadelphia is just 2-4 ATS in its last six after two or more SU/ATS victories.

For all the reasons listed above, play on Milwaukee.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the Cleveland Cavaliers (3:35 EST).

The Thunder look poised for a letdown in my opinion after winning three straight, most recently a 114-90 victory over the Lakers at home on Wednesday. Conversely, it’s going to be all hands on deck still for the Cavs who finally broke a four-game slide with a tight 104–103 win over Orlando at home on Thursday.

These teams split a pair of games last year, with each winning on its own floor.

OKC averages 104.3 PPG and it concedes 100.8. Russell Westbrook averages 24.8 points 9.7 boards, 9.9 assists and 2.02 steals per game, while Paul George averages 20.4 points, 5.5 boards and 2.21 steals per game. 

The Cavs average 109.4 points and concede 108.6 per outing. LeBron James leads the nightly charge with 27 points, eight boards and 8.7 assists, while Kevin Love adds 19 points and 9.6 boards per game. Cleveland is loaded with talent that’s still trying to find a way to work together.

LeBron is going to be especially motivated here facing off against George and Carmelo Anthony though. And with two nights off before a home game against the lowly Nets, it’s also not too hard to imagine the visitors in some small way also getting caught looking ahead to that much more “winnable” contest. 

I’m banking on a Cleveland coming out and playing a full four quarters tonight. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* LEGEND is on Providence (3:00 EST).

Creighton comes to town off a victory over Seton Hall, while the Friars enter having won three straight, most recently getting the better of Butler.

The Blue Jays got revenge on the Pirates 80-63, after falling to them to open up league play earlier in the year. Creighton would go on to hold Seton Hall to just 38.1 percent shooting. Ronnie Hall Jr. led the way with 18.5 points, five boards and four assists (note that he normally averages just 8.1 PPG). 

The Friars continue to get little respect in my opinion. Providence has now won three straight and it’s been an underdog in all three. In the latest win over the Bulldogs it allowed just 34.9 percent shooting. 

Note that four different players average double figures for the Friars, led by Kyron Cartwright with 11.1 points and 6.5 PPG.

I’ll point out as well that Creighton is just 1-3 ATS in its last four after scoring 80 or more points in its previous contest, while Providence is 5-2 ATS in its last three after three or more consecutive SU/ATS victories.

Creighton is just 3-4 in true road games this year and in my opinion, all signs point to to the Blue Jays looking past their opponent this afternoon. Play on Providence.

Good luck…Larry

My 9* SITUATIONAL STUNNER is on Massachusetts (2:00 EST).

The 9-10 St. Louis Billikens are at UMass to take on the Minutemen on Saturday afternoon and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Saint Louis has split its last four games, most recently coming off a win at home over Duquesne. UMass will be hungry here, it’s coming off a humbling 73-51 loss to Rhode Island, one of the top teams in the A-10. 

Previous to that though the Minutemen had won three straight.

Saint Louis averages 66.2 PPG and it concedes 66.7. Jordan Goodwin posted a triple-double with 13 points, 10 assists and 15 boards. 

UMass averages 70.8 PPG and it concedes 70.5. The Minutemen just didn’t have it in their loss to the Rams, shooting only 32.2 percent. Luwane Pipkins led the way with 13 points and four assists. Pipkins leads the team with 19.8 points and 4.1 assists per game. 

I’ll point out that Saint Louis is just 1-2 ATS in its last three following a SU win, while UMass is 5-2 ATS in its last seven following a loss in which it scored 55 points or less.

I think the Billikens continue their inconsistent play and have a letdown here after their latest victory, while I look for the Minutemen to regroup with a big effort in front of the home town crowd after their most recent listless setback.

Play on Massachusetts.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* PERFECT STORM is on Fordham (1:00 EST).

The 6-12 Fordham Rams will be eager to get back into the win column here as the come to St. Joe’s sitting at just 1-5 in A-10 action. 

Fordham enters off a 75-67 road loss at La Salle on Wednesday, led by Will Tavares with 18 points. Four other players would go on to post double figures, but it still wasn’t enough for the Rams.

So far Fordham averages 90.8 PPG per 100 possessions, while allowing 113.4 per 100 possessions. 

St. Joe’s is only 8-9 overall and just 3-3 in conference play. The Hawks look poised for a letdown here in my opinion after defeating Dayton 81-65 on Wednesday, led by 19 points from James Demery. 

I’ll point out as well that Fordham is 3-1 ATS in its last four after scoring 68 points or less in its previous contest, while St. Joseph’s is just 2-4 ATS in its last six after scoring 80 or more points in its previous outing.

We don’t have to question the Rams’ motivation levels today, while St. Joe’s gets caught looking past its lowly opponent this afternoon. Grab the points, play on Fordham.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Weekend Wipeout Winner is on Georgetown (12:00 EST)

The 10-9 St. John’s Red Storm are in the nation’s capitals to take on the 12-6 Georgetown Hoyas on Saturday afternoon and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

St. John’s comes in with zero momentum with seven straight losses, including a close-but-no-cigar 88-82 setback at Xavier on Wednesday. 

The Hoyas have been playing better than the Red Storm, but they’ll be looking to bounce back after a humbling 88-56 setback to Xavier on Wednesday. 

The Red Storm average 73.5 PPG and concede 69.8. St. John’s is thin, but is led by Shamorie Ponds with 20 points and 4.8 assist per game.

The Hoyas average 77.5 PPG and concede 70.9. If recent history is any precedence, then Georgetown has to be loving it chances today, because when these teams met in New York ten days ago it was the Hoyas that escaped with the 69-66 victory. 

Jessie Govan leads the Hoyas with 17.3 points and 11.1 boards per game.

I’ll point out as well that St. John’s is just 2-4 ATS in its last six after scoring 80 points or more in its previous contest, while Georgetown is 3-1 ATS in its last four after back-to-back SU/ATS setbacks.

I like Georgetown to come out with a concerted effort after back-to-back poor performances. Lay the points, play on the Hoyas.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Oddsmakers Error is on Ohio State (12:00 EST).

Ohio State has so far exceeded expectations at 16-4 overall and having won all seven of its conference games thus far. 

The Buckeyes enter off a 71-65 win over Northwestern on the road earlier in the week and they’re now tied atop the conference with Purdue.

Minnesota is 14-6 overall and 3-4 in league play. It’s had to deal with the loss of Reggie Lynch and the status of Amir Coffey (averaging 14.1 PPG) is still up in the air. 

The Golden Gophers are coming off a 95-84 OT win over Penn State in their most recent action, led by 24 points from Dupree McBrayer. 

The undermanned Gophers are going to have their hands full today trying to slow down Ohio State’s Keita Bates-Diop, who leads the Big Ten in scoring at 19.8 per game on 51.7 percent shooting. 

I’ll point out as well that this is a spot that Ohio State has done extremely well in for bettors of late, going 3-1 ATS in its last four after holding its previous opponent to 65 points or less, while this is a position in which the Gophers have struggled in by going just 2-4 ATS in their last six after scoring 90 points or more in their previous outing.

I think Bates-Diop leads his team to solid ATS cover for us tonight. Play on Ohio State.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Washington Wizards (8:05 EST).

The 25-20 Washington Wizards are in Detroit to take on the 22-21 Pistons and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors.

Washington most recently fell 133-109 at Charlotte on Wednesday, while Detroit enters having lost three of its last four, most recently a 96-91 setback at Toronto on Wednesday. 

But if recent history is any precedence, then the Wizards have to be liking their chances for a bounce back performance tonight, because they’ve already dominated this series so far this season, winning 115-111 on October 20th and 109-91 on December 1st. 

Wizards’ starters Brad Beal and John Wall played limited minutes in the blowout loss to the Hornets. Washington has been struggling defensively of late, but overall it’s been adequate in that department, allowing 105.3 PPG, which ranks 13th.

The Pistons opened the 2017/18 campaign by going 14-6, but since then they’ve gone just 8-15. Reggie Jackson has missed the last ten games and Detroit has gone just 3-7 in that stretch. Backup Ish Smith was 1 of 12 from the field and had 3 points in the loss to the Raptors.

Detroit averages 102.1 PPG and it concedes 101.7. Andre Drummond was a standout in the loss to Toronto, finishing with 25 points and 17 boards. 

I’ll point out though that the Wizards are 4-0 ATS in their last four following a straight-up loss of more than ten points, while Detroit is just 1-2 ATS in its last three after scoring 92 points or less in its previous outing.

The Pistons have talent, but they’re banged up right now. Washington’s consistency levels have been all over the map of late, but this is a series that it’s dominated in and I expect that trend to continue here. Play on the Wizards.

Good luck….Larry

My 10* ODDSMAKERS ERROR is on Indiana (7:00 EST).

Indiana comes in on top form as it’s won three straight, most recently destroying Northwestern 66-46. 

Michigan State on the other hand has been scuffling of late, dropping two of three, just narrowly getting by Rutgers in OT at home, before then getting crushed 82-70 by rival Michigan in its latest action.

The Hoosiers have been playing tremendous defense of late and I think this will once again prove to be a deciding factor in tonight’s outcome as well. Note that Indiana is forcing turnovers on 22 percent of possessions. Indiana averages 74.2 PPG and it concedes 70.7. Juwan Morgan leads the nightly charge with 15.6 points and 7.4 boards per game.

Michigan State still ranks in the top 10 in the country in offensive and defensive efficiency, but there’s no question that the Spartans have struggled since the start of Big Ten play (fifth in defensive efficiency and third in offensive efficiency.) MSU averages 85 PPG and it concedes 64 and it’s led by Miles Bridges with 16.7 PPG.

I’ll point out though that Indiana is already 2-1 ATS this year after allowing 60 points or less and 2-0 ATS off a win against a conference rival, while Michigan State is just 2-4 ATS against the conference this season and 0-2 ATS after allowing 80 points or more.

While I’ll stop short in calling for the outright upset, I do believe the conditions are right for a much more competitive battle than what the oddsmakers are trying to lead us to believe.

Grab the points, play on the Hoosiers.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on Maryland (8:30 EST).

The 14-6 Minnesota Golden Gophers are at Maryland to take on the 14-6 Terrapins and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Maryland comes in off a loss to Michigan, while Minnesota beat Penn State 95-84 in OT on Monday. 

The Gophers got a career-high 24 points from Dupree McBrayer in the win over the Nittany Lions. Nate Mason led Minnesota with 25 points. Minnesota needed these players to step up big, as the team has already lost Amir Coffey and Reggie Lynch, both key pieces of the offense. 

The Golden Gophers come into this one averaging 80.4 PPG, while conceding 72.4. 

Maryland also has injury issues (Ivan Bender and Justin Jackson.) In its latest loss it also had players dealing with the flu. Despite all that the Terps still almost pulled off the upset against the Wolverines, but were done in by foul shots with just a few ticks left on the clock. Anthony Cowan led the way in the setback with 24 points and four assists.

The Terrapins enter this one conceding just 66.6 PPG.

Additionally I’ll point out that Minnesota is already just 1-5 ATS this year following a conference game and just 2-4 ATS after allowing 80 points or more, while Maryland is 7-3 ATS as a favorite this season and 2-1 ATS off a loss against a conference rival.

I don’t think that the home court advantage can be overlooked as a big factor working in favor of the Terps here as well.

This line could easily be a lot larger in my opinion, play on Maryland.

Good luck…Larry 

My 8* Oddsmakers Error is on Georgia Tech (8:00 EST).

The 16-1 Virginia Cavaliers are in Georgia Tech to take on the 10-7 Yellow Jackets and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

I believe the Cavs have a bit of a mental letdown here after winning eight straight, most recently a victory over NC State on Sunday.

Not to be outdone though, the Yellow Jackets also come in on top form having won four straight, most recently taking down Miami, Yale, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh.

The Cavs get the job done with their stifling defensive play, conceding just 52.9 PPG. Devon Hall posted a career-high 25 points.

Georgia Tech though comes in firing on all cylinders, scoring 21 of the game’s first 22 points in last weekend’s convincing 69-54 win at Pittsburgh. Since Christmas the Yellow Jackets have won five of their last six games, holding the opposition to just 58.5 PPG. Josh Okogie averages 18.8 PPG for GT so far this year.

I’ll point out that Virginia is still just 2-3 ATS in its last five as a road fav in the 6.5 to 9 points range, while GT is already 4-2 ATS as an underdog this season and 4-1 ATS after allowing 60 points or less.

The home side will be out to prove itself here and while I’ll stop short in calling for the outright upset, all signs do indeed point to a much more competitive battle than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe.

Grab the points, play on Georgia Tech.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Weekly Wipeout Winner is on North Carolina State (8:00 EST).

The 8-9 Wake Forest Demon Deacons are at NC State to take on the 12-6 Wolfpack and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Wake has lost five of six and three straight, most recently to Boston College, Virginia Tech and Duke. 

NC State had won two in a row, before falling to Virginia in its most recent action this past weekend.

Wake fell 89-71 to Duke last Saturday and it’s now last in the ACC in scoring defense, conceding 74.1 PPG. Junior guard Bryant Crawford leads the team with 16.1 PPG. 

Note though that this is also a revenge game for the home side, as the Demon Deacons took both meetings against the Wolfpack last year.

NC State knocked off Clemson and Duke, but then fell 68-51 to a red hot Cavaliers team:

“We know that every game is a battle,” Wolfpack forward Torin Dorn (13.3 points per game, team-high 7.1 rebounds per game) assessed afterwards. “If we can clean up some of the things we messed up on (Sunday) and keep on moving the ball and keep playing with intensity, we’ll be fine.”

I’ll point out that Wake Forest is just 2-6 ATS in its last eight on the road and only 3-9-1 ATS in its last 13 against teams with winning records, while NC State is 5-2 TS in its last seven at home and 3-1-1 ATS in its last five against teams with losing records.

I have a hard time seeing Wake Forest just pressing a button and solving all of its issues. NC State is primed for a rebound here. I’m not going to read too much into its latest loss against smoking hot Virginia, as previous to that the Wolfpack had been rolling.

This line should be a lot larger in my opinion. Great value, play on NC State.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* LAS VEGAS INSIDER is on Towson (7:00 EST).

The 7-12 Drexel Dragons are at Towson to take on the 13-6 Tigers and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. 

The Dragons enter off a 91-86 loss to Hofstra on Saturday. Drexel has zero momentum, having now lost three straight and six of seven.

The Tigers suffered a crushing last-second loss to Hofstra last week, but they’d quickly recover to smash William and Mary 99-73 on Saturday. 

Drexel averages 72.2 PPG and it concedes 78.1. The Dragons allowed the Pride to shoot 61.1 percent in their latest loss and were led by Justin Wright-Foreman with 20 points. 

Towson averages 48 percent shooting from the floor overall, including hitting 38.8 percent from range, while the Tigers concede just 66.8 PPG. In their latest victory the Tigers would go on to shoot a whopping 64.4 percent from the floor, while also going 13 of 22 from range.

I’ll point out that Drexel is just 2-4 ATS this year after allowing 80 points or more in its previous contest, while Towson is 2-1 ATS at home already this season and 3-1 ATS after scoring 80 points or more in its previous outing.

In my professional opinion, all signs point to a home side blowout. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* SITUATIONAL STUNNER is on Delaware (7:00 EST).

The 11-8 Delaware Blue Hens are at Hofstra to take on the 11-7 Pride and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visiting side.

Delaware comes in on top form as it’s now won three straight, most recently getting by James Madison 61-60 on Saturday. 

Hofstra enters off a 91-86 win over Drexel on the road last weekend. These teams played three times last year and the Pride went 2-1, but the Blue Hens had the final word with an 81-76 victory in the CAA Tournament to end Hofstra’s season.

Delaware averages 73.4 PPG and it concedes 73.2. Ryan Daly had 19 points in the win over James Madison. 

Hofstra averages 78.9 PPG and it concedes 78.8. Justin Wright-Forman had 20 points and four turnovers in the win over Drexel. 

I’ll point out though that Delaware is 4-2 ATS in its last six after holding its previous opponent to 60 points or less, while Hofstra is just 3-8 ATS in its last 11 following an ATS victory.

I think these teams are much more evenly matched than what the oddsmakers are trying to lead us to believe. Grab the points, play on Delaware.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Arizona State (11:00 EST).

The 14-3 Arizona Wildcats are at Stanford to take on the 10-8 Cardinal and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors.

We don’t have to question the Wildcats’ motivation levels right now, as they come in having lost three of their last five. Arizona State will look to build off its 77-75 home victory over Oregon State though against a Stanford team which looks poised for a letdown in my opinion after winning four straight. 

And if recent history is any precedence, then ASU has to be liking it chances for a bounce back performance here as it would take all three against Stanford last season, including a 98-88 OT win in the Pac-12 Tournament. 

The Sun Devils come in averaging 87.6 PPG, while conceding 74.2. Shannon Evans II had 22 points in the second half to lead ASU to its latest win.

The Cardinal average 75.4 PPG and concede 75. Reid Travis had 16 points in Stanford’s latest victory.

I’ll point out though that Arizona State is 7-4 ATS this year when playing the roll of favorite, while Stanford is just 3-4 ATS as the underdog. 

I like Arizona State to bounce back big here and make an example of this over-achieving Stanford side. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Fresno State (11:00 EST).

Fresno State is 13-6 overall and 3-3 in conference action. The Bulldogs come to town with a ton of momentum after beating New Mexico 89-80 in their most recent action. Deshon Taylor had 22 points in the victory and he leads the team with an average of 18.9 PPG. 

The Aztecs are 11-5 overall and 3-2 in Mountain West play. SDSU looks poised for a letdown here though in my opinion after a tough 83-80 loss to Boise State. Note that the Aztecs are 5-6 ATS in their last 11 after a loss to conference rival.

Fresno State has done exceptionally well for bettors in this position though, going 6-1 ATS in its last seven as a road dog in the 6.5 to nine points range. 

I think these teams are more evenly matched than what the oddsmakers are trying to lead us to believe. Grab the points, play on Fresno State.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on UC Davis (10:00 EST).

The 9-11 Long Beach State 49ers are at UC Davis to take on the 11-6 Aggies and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

The 49ers are poised for a letdown here after winning four of their last five. LBSU most recently got the better of UC-Riverside 75-68, led by 18 points and eight boards from Gabe Levin. Levin leads the nightly charge with 16.3 points and 7.2 boards per game. 

The Aggies on the other hand are going to be eager to return to form here after after having their three-game win streak snapped in a humbling 85-70 loss to Cal State Fullerton in their most recent action. Chima Moneke led the way in that one with 28 points, 12 boards and three blocks.

From a trend based stand point, this one definitely favors the Aggies, as I’ll point out that LBSU is just 2-6 ATS this year against teams with winning records, while UC Davis is a perfect 4-0 ATS against teams with losing records (also 2-0 ATS this season after allowing 80 points or more in its previous contest.)

The conditions point to a home side blowout. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the Chicago Bulls (8:05 EST).

Golden State looks poised for a bit of a mental letdown here in my opinion after winning three straight, including at Boston and most recently a 118-108 victory at Cleveland on Monday.

The Bulls will look to take advantage as they come in “flying under the radar,” having won three straight, most recently an impressive 119-111 victory over Miami on Monday. 

Not surprisingly, this is a “revenge” game for Chicago after it was trounced 143-94 in Golden State in late November.

Golden State averages 115.9 PPG and it concedes 106.8. Stephen Curry leads the team with 27.6 points, plus 5.6 assists per game, while Kevin Durant adds 26.4 points, 6.9 boards and 5.3 assists per night. 

Justin Holiday had 25 points in Chicago’s latest victory. The Bulls average 102.8 PPG and concede 108.3. Lauri Markkanen leads the nightly charge with 15.5 points and 7.6 boards per game.

I’ll point out as well that Golden State is just 8-9 ATS this year after three or more consecutive SU wins and only 9-11 ATS against clubs with losing records, while Chicago is a perfect 6-0 ATS this year after three or more consecutive SU victories and 14-7 ATS against teams with winning records.

With a game at Houston on Friday night, it’s not too hard to imagine the Warriors also in some small way getting caught looking past their lowly non-conference opponent this evening.

While I’m stopping short in calling for the outright upset, the conditions are definitely right for a competitive battle. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* ODDSMAKERS ERROR is on the Detroit Pistons (7:35 EST).

Detroit comes in hungry after losing its second straight, most recently a 118-107 setback at home to Charlotte on Monday. 

The Raptors come in off their third loss in their last four games, falling 117-111 in Philadelphia in their most recent action.

Detroit averages 102.4 PPG and it concedes 101.9. Reggie Bullock and Tobias Harris each had 20 points in the loss to Charlotte. Harris leads the team with 18.2 points plus 5.2 boards per game.

Toronto averages 112.3 PPG and it concedes 104.6. DeMar DeRozan leads the nightly charge with 25.4 points and five assists per game. DeRozan had 24 points in the setback to the Warriors.

I’ll point out though that Detroit has excelled in this spot for bettors all year by going 6-3 ATS after a loss by ten points or more, while Toronto has struggled in this position by going just 3-4 ATS off an upset loss as a favorite.

Both teams are hungry and clearly the Raptors are the deeper and more talented overall squad. The Pistons won’t be going down without a fight today though. I’m going to stop short in calling for the outright upset victory, but the conditions and the stats point to a highly competitive affair. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Orlando Magic (7:05 EST).

I think the Wolves have a letdown here. Minnesota comes in having won five straight, most recently a 120-103 victory over Portland on Sunday. Conversely, it’s going to be all hands on deck for the home side as the Magic enter having lost seven straight, most recently a 125-119 setback to Washington on Friday.

This is definitely a “revenge” game as well, as the Wolves have taken three straight in the series, including a 124-118 win at home in the first meeting this year back on November 22nd.

Minnesota comes in averaging 108.8 PPG, while conceding 104.7. Big man Karl-Anthony Towns averages 20.2 points, plus 12 boards per game, while Andrew Wiggins adds 17.7 and 4.1 respectively.

The Magic average 105.2 PPG, while conceding 111.1. Evan Fournier is on the trading block now and he comes in averaging 17.6 per night, while Aaron Gordon adds a team-leading 18.8 points and eight boards.

With a game at Houston on Wednesday night, it’s also not too hard to imagine the Wolves in some small way getting caught looking ahead to that conference matchup.

While I’m stopping short in calling for the outright upset, I do think that the conditions are right for an extremely competitive affair and as such, I’ll recommend grabbing as many points as you can in the end.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on Notre Dame (7:00 EST).

The 13-4 Louisville Cardinals are in Notre Dame to take on the 13-5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Louisville looks primed for a letdown here after winning three straight in my opinion, most recently over Virginia Tech.

The Cardinals were led by 27 points, 11 points and three assists from Deng Adel in the victory. However Louisville didn’t look overly impressive on the defensive side, allowing VT to shoot 49 percent from the floor and 36 percent from range.

It’s going to be all hands on deck for the Irish though as they come into this one having lost two straight. Most recently ND suffered a close defeat to North Carolina, shooting 34 percent from the floor, including 41 percent from range. 

TJ Gibbs led the way with 19 points, five boards and six assists in the setback, while Martinas Geben added 14 points and nine boards. 

I’ll point out though that Louisville is just 1-2 ATS in its last three after a three-game or more unbeaten streak, while Notre Dame is 5-2 ATS in its last seven following a SU loss.

I think the “hungrier” team finds a way to get the job done at the end of the night. Play on the Fighting Irish.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on Oakland (8:00 EST).

The Oakland Grizzlies beat Cleveland State 81-68 on Friday to move to 3-3 in conference action this year. Jalen Hayes led the charge in that one with 30 points, while Kendrick Nunn chipped in 20. 

Oakland comes in averaging 110.7 points per 100 possessions.

The Illinois Chicago Flames enter off an 88-73 win over Milwaukee, as Dikembe Dixon finished with 22 points.

The UIC Flames are allowing just 100.8 points per 100 possessions this year. However the Flames have been poor with turnovers this season with a 23.2 percent turnover rate, while also shooting just 29.4 percent from range.

Additionally I’ll point out that Oakland has done extremely well in this spot for bettors, going 16-5 ATS in its last 21 road games following three or more consecutive home contests, while Illinois Chicago is just 1-7 ATS in its last eight against a team with a winning straight-up record.

The Flames have looked pretty good defensively, but I think they’ll have issues slowing down Nunn this evening. All signs point to a rout, lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* GAME OF THE WEEK is on Providence (4:30 EST).

The 13-6 Butler Bulldogs are at Providence to take on the 12-6 Friars on Monday afternoon and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Butler comes in off a 94-83 home win over Marquette on Friday, while Providence beat DePaul 71-64 in its latest action. 

Note that these teams split a pair of games last year.

Butler snapped a three game losing streak with the win over the Golden Eagles. So far the Bulldogs average 80.8 PPG, while conceding 72.8. In the victory over Marquette, Kelan Martin had 37 points.

Providence averages 76.8 PPG and it concedes 72.2. In the victory over DePaul on Thursday, Jalen Lindsey had 18 points, while Rodney Bullock added 12 points and eight boards.

I’ll point out though that Butler is 0-4 ATS in its last four on the road, while Providence is 14-5 ATS in its last 19 against the Big East.

In six Big East games so far Butler has allowed an average of 87.7 points. That doesn’t bode well against this hungry home side in my opinion.

Play on the Friars.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Oddsmakers Error is on the Portland Trailblazers (9:05 EST).

Portland will be hungry here as it enters off its second straight loss, a 119-113 setback at suddenly surging New Orleans on Friday. 

Conversely, this sets up as a letdown spot in my opinion for the Wolves, who come in contented after four straight victories, most recently a 118-108 win over the Knicks on Friday. 

Note that this is a revenge game for the Blazers as well after they fell 108-107 in the first meeting in mid December.

Portland averages 103.7 PPG and it concedes 102.8. Damian Lillard leads the nightly charge with 24.9 points and 6.4 assists per game, while CJ McCollum adds 21.6 points.

Minnesota averages 108.5 PPG and it concedes 104.7. Karl-Anthony Towns averages 20.2 points and 12 boards per game, while Andrew Wiggins adds 17.7 points and 4.1 boards per contest.

I’ll point out though that Portland is 4-2 ATS against the division already this season, also 13-8 ATS on the road and 7-6 ATS in trying to revenge a loss against an opponent, while Minnesota is just 5-6 ATS this year after scoring 115 points or more in its previous contest.

For all the reasons listed above, grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 9* Las Vegas Insider is on Fordham (3:00 EST).

The 8-7 Davidson Wildcats are at Fordham to take on the 6-10 Rams and while I’m not calling for the outright upset, I do believe the stage is set for a much more competitive battle than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe.

The Rams looked poised for a letdown here after three straight wins, most recently over George Washington, while conversely, it’s going to be “all hands on deck” for the Rams today as they’ve dropped four of their last five, most recently a set back to Saint Bonaventure on Wednesday.

Th Wildcats routed George Washington 72-45, as Peyton Aldridge had 15 points, six boards and four assists. 

The Rams are led by senior guard Will Tavares, who averages 15.5 points. Note that he’s scored in double-figures in 14 of the 15 games that he’s played in this year. The Rams lead the A-10 in steals with 10.7 per game and they’re fourth in scoring defense in the conference by conceding just 67.8 PPG.

Additionally I’ll point out that Davidson is just 1-3 ATS In its last four after allowing 50 points or less in its previous outing, while Fordham is 1-2 ATS in its last three following an ATS loss. 

I think the hungrier Rams come to play this afternoon and keep this one close enough to comfortably sneak in through the back door down the stretch. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Situational Stunner is on Monmouth (2:00 EST).

The 5-11 Monmouth Hawks are at Canisius to take on the 10-8 Golden Griffins and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors.

The Hawks will be hungry here, they’re now 1-3 in MAAC action after a tight 78-77 loss to Niagara in their latest outing, clawing back from an 11-point deficit, only to then come up short in the end. Monmouth shot a sharp 46.2 percent from range though and was led by Diago Quinn with 10 points and 14 boards.

Monmouth averages 73.9 PPG and it concedes 76.8.

Canisius averages 72.1 PPG and it concedes 69.3. Jermaine Crumpton averages 15.6 points, 4.7 boards and 1.5 assists per game. 

I’ll point out though that Monmouth is 13-5 ATS in its last 18 when playing on one or less days rest, while Canisius is just 9-15 ATS in its last 24 in the same position.

We don’t have to question the motivation levels of the desperate Hawks and while I obviously wouldn’t be shocked by an outright upset, in a contest which I envision being decided by whichever one of these teams has its hands on the ball last, I’ll recommend grabbing as many points as you can in the end.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on Toronto Raptors (7:35 EST).

Golden State and Cleveland have both looked susceptible of late. The Warriors enter off a tough game in Milwaukee just last night, so clearly fatigue is going to be a factor for the defending champs.

But this play is based primarily on the surging Toronto Raptors, who play with revenge today after falling 117-112 in Golden State in late October. 

Toronto also played with revenge most recently when it annihilated the Cavaliers 133-99 at home on Thursday. 

The Warriors average 115.7 PPG and concede 106.6. Kevin Durant averages 26.3 points, seven boards and 5.3 assists per game. 

The Raptors average 112.1 PPG and concede 103.7. DeMar DeRozan has been unstoppable of late, he comes in averaging 25 points and 5.1 assist per game. Fred VanVleet came off the bench to lead Toronto with 22 points in the victory over Cleveland. 

Golden State is just 1-2 ATS in its last three in the second game of a back-to-back, while Toronto is an awesome 7-0 ATS in its last seven when playing on one days rest.

Toronto is playing with a chip on its shoulder and its depth and confidence will simply be too much for the undermanned and exhausted Warriors to handle down the stretch. Play on the Raptors.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* SITUATIONAL STUNNER is on Elon (7:00 EST).

The 12-5 COC Cougars are at Elon to take on the 11-7 Phoenix and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

The Cougars enter off an 82-66 win over Northeastern on Thursday to move to 3-2 in the CAA, while Elon will be eager to get back into the winners circle after its 80-78 OT loss to UNC Wilmington to drop it to 3-2 in league action. 

Charleston averages 72.1 PPG and it concedes 66. Joe Chealey leads the nightly charge with 17.8 points and 4.2 assist per game, while Jarrell Brantley adds 17.6 points per contest.

The Phoenix average 74.7 PPG and concede 73.2. Tyler Seibring had 21 points and 12 boards in his team’s latest loss. 

I’ll point out though that COC has struggled in this spot for bettors, going just 1-3 ATS in its last four after scoring 80 points or more in its previous outing, while Elon has done decently by going 2-1 ATS in its last three after allowing 80 points or more in its previous game.

I don’t think that the home floor advantage can be overlooked here either. I think COC is poised for a letdown tonight, and I look for the “hungrier” team to find a way to get the job done at the end of the night. Play on Elon.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* BLOWOUT OF THE MONTH is on Drexel (4:00 EST).

The 10-7 Hofstra Pride are at Drexel to take on the 7-11 Dragons on Saturday afternoon and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Hofstra looks poised for a letdown here in my opinion after its thrilling 76-73 buzzer beating road win over Towson on Thursday, to move to 3-2 in league play.

Conversely, it’s going to be “all hands on deck” for the Dragons tonight, as they’re now 1-4 in the CAA after a loss at Delaware in their latest action.

Note that these teams split a pair of games last year, each winning at home, the combined score differential between the two games was just 3 points.

The Pride average 76.4 PPG and allow 78.8. Justin Wright-Foreman had 35 points in their latest victory. 

Drexel averages 71.4 PPG and it concedes 77.4. Tramaine Isabell had 14 points and 15 boards in the 72-66 setback to the Blue Hens. Four players would go on to score in double figures in that one. 

I’ll point out that Hofstra is just 2-8 ATS in its last ten following an ATS victory, while Drexel is 2-1 ATS in its last three after scoring 68 points or less in its previous outing.

I think this one comes down to which side is “hungrier.” Look for the Dragons to at the very least, take this one right down to the wire.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* WEEKEND WIPEOUT WINNER is on Michigan State (12:00 EST).

The 14-4 Michigan Wolverines are at 16-2 Michigan State on Saturday afternoon and for a number of different reasons, I believe this one favors the home side.

MSU has struggled a bit in its last two, losing 80-64 to Ohio State, before then almost having another lapse in a much closer than expected 76-72 OT win over Rutgers at home on Wednesday. 

The Wolverines come in off a deflating 70-69 home loss to No. 5 Purdue on Tuesday and suffice it to say, I think the stage is set for another letdown here. Note that this is a revenge game for the Spartans after they fell 86-57 to the Wolverines at Ann Arbor last February. 

Michigan averages 76.4 PPG and it concedes 62.1. In the crushing loss to the Boilermakers, Zavier Stephenson had 15 points, six boards and five assists.

Michigan State could very well have been caught looking past Rutgers after its upset loss to Ohio State, to this revenge scenario against the Wolverines. Nick Ward had 17 points and 10 boards, while Jaren Jackson Jr. added 16 points and five boards in the latest victory.

MSU enters averaging 85.9 PPG, while conceding just 63. 

I’ll point out that Michigan State is 2-1 ATS in its last three after allowing 70 points or more, while Michigan is a poor 1-3 ATS in its last four after scoring 70 points or less in its previous outing.

I think the revenge angle can’t be over-stated as a very real factor working heavily in favor of the Spartans this afternoon. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the New York Knicks (8:00 EST).

The Knicks are fighting right now, most recently falling 122-119 in doubly OT to the Bulls on Wednesday. It was their fourth loss in a row and clearly they’ll be eager to stop the slide. 

Conversely, this sets up as a classic letdown spot for the home side in my opinion after winning three straight, most recently a very satisfying 104-88 victory at home over OKC. 

New York averages 103.6 PPG and it concedes 104.3. Big man Kristaps Porzingis averages 23.7 points, 6.7 boards and 2.26 blocks per game, while Enes Kanter adds 13.4 points and 10.2 boards per contest. 

Minnesota averages 108.3 PPG and it concedes 104.7. Karl-Anthony Towns averages 20.2 points and 11.9 boards per game, while Andrew Wiggins chips in 17.8 points plus 4.1 boards per contest.

I’ll point out though that New York has excelled in this spot for bettors all year, going 5-1 ATS in its last six after allowing 115 points or more in its previous contest (it’s also 12-8 ATS in its last 20 off an upset loss as a favorite), while Minnesota has struggled in this position by going just 3-11 ATS in non-conference contests this season and only 9-12 ATS in front of the home town crowd.

I’m not predicting an outright upset, but the stage is set for a much more competitive battle than what the oddsmakers are trying to lead us to believe.

Grab the points, play on New York.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Indiana Pacers (7:05 EST).

The Cavaliers are in a tail-spin right now, coming in having gone 4-7 in their last 11 after last night’s brutal setback in Toronto. Cleveland has now lost back-to-back games by more than 20 points. This is the finale of a five game trip for the Cavs and suffice it to say, I’m expecting another letdown here.

Indiana had won two straight before falling 114-106 to Miami on Wednesday. 

The Cavs enter averaging 110.2 PPG, while conceding 108.2. LeBron James averages 27.2 points, 8.2 boards and nine assists per game, while Kevin Love adds 19.4 points plus 9.6 boards per contest.

The Pacers average 107.3 PPG and concede 106.8. Victor Oladipo is back from injury and he averages 24.6 points, 5.3 boards, 1.94 steals and 2.24 blocks per game, while Myles Turner adds 13.9 points plus 6.5 boards.

I’ll point out that Cleveland is now 0-5 ATS in its last five road games against teams with winning home records, while Indiana is 2-1 ATS in its last three after allowing 112 points or more in its previous contest.

This is a big game for the Pacers, who will look to close a five game home stand with a win before hitting the road. The Cavs on the other hand can’t help themselves looking ahead to their next home stand after this dismal road trip. Play on Indiana.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Washington Wizards (7:05 EST).

The 12-30 Orlando Magic are in Washington to take on the 23-18 Wizards and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Orlando comes in having lost six straight, while the Wizards will be eager to get back on track after falling to an undermanned Utah team at home in their latest action.

But if recent history is any precedence, then Washington has to be liking its chances for a big time bounce back, because when these teams first met this year, it was the Wiz that pulled away for the convincing 130–103 victory.

Orlando is struggling without Nikol Vucevic in the line-up, who is out until late February with a hand injury. The Magic average 104.9 PPG, while conceding 110.8. Aaron Gordon leads the nightly charge with 18.9 points, plus 7.9 boards per game.

The Wizards average 106.4 PPG and concede 104.1. After winning four straight, Washington has now lost two straight. John Wall had 35 points and 11 assists in the loss to the Jazz.

I’ll point out though that the Magic are just 1-5 ATS in their last six road games and only 13-37-2 ATS in their last 52 following an ATS win, while the Wiz are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 12 when playing at home in this particular series.

The Wizards get untracked with a big effort against an Orlando team that seems destined to grab one of next year’s top draft picks. Lay the points, play on Washington.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Virginia Commonwealth (7:00 EST).

The 11-6 VCU Rams are at the 8-8 Dayton Flyers on Friday night and for a number of different reasons, i think this one favors the visitors.

VCU enters off a 78-67 home win over Duquesne in its latest action, while Dayton posted an 87-80 road win over Richmond on Tuesday. Note that these teams split a pair of games last year.

The Rams have won six of their last seven games and are currently averaging 78.1 PPG, while conceding 73.8. Issac Vann had 15 points in his team’s latest victory.

The Flyers scored their first road win of the year last time out and in my opinion, all signs point to a predictable letdown here. The Flyers average 71.6 PPG and concede 70.7. Josh Cunningham had 20 points, going 8 from 8 from the floor in the win over the Spiders on Tuesday.

I’ll point out though that VCU is 5-1 ATS in its last six in this series, while Dayton is a poor 1-6 ATS in its last seven following an ATS victory and 0-8 ATS in its last eight following a straight-up win.

The Rams are the deeper offensive team and I believe this fact will ultimately prove to be the difference in the end. Play on VCU.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Penn State (7:00 EST).

Nebraska lost to Purdue, but then bounced back to beat Wisconsin 63-59 on Tuesday. the Cornhuskers enter averaging 106.4 PPG per 100 possessions, despite shooting only 46.5 percent from inside the arc. James Palmer leads the team in scoring with 15.8 PPG.

The Huskers are allowing opponents to post 97.9 points per 100 possessions, which ranks the team 43rd in the country.

Penn State comes in off a 74-70 loss at Indiana. Penn State limits its opposition to just 93.3 points per 100 possessions, which ranks it 16th in the NCAA. 

The Nittany Lions are led by Tony Carr, who averages 18.9 points, 4.6 boards and 4.8 assists per game. 

I’ll point out though that Nebraska has struggled in this spot for bettors, going just 1-3 ATS in its last four after holding its previous opponent to 60 points or less, while Penn State has excelled in this position by going 4-0-1 ATS in its last five following an ATS loss.

Of Penn State’s five losses this year, two have come by a single point. The Nittany Lions possess one of the Nation’s best defenses and I expect it to be the difference maker in this one.

Lay the points, play on Penn State.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Canisius (7:00 EST).

The 8-7 Saint Peter’s Peacocks are on the road to take on the 9-8 Canisius Golden Griffins and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

St. Peter’s most recently comes in off an 84-58 win over Quinnipiac. Nick Griffin led the way in that one with 22 points and three boards. 

Canisius looks to get back on track here. The Golden Griffins opened conference play with three straight wins, but they enter off a 65-62 loss to Siena as 4.5 point road favs. Takal Molson was a bright spot with 21 points and four boards. 

From a trend based stand point though, there’s no question that this one favors the home side in my opinion, as note that St. Peter’s is just 1-3 ATS in its last four after scoring 82 points or more in its previous outing, while Canisius is 2-1 ATS in its last three after scoring 62 points or less in its last outing.

I don’t think that home floor can be overlooked as a very real advantage in this matchup. For all the reasons listed above, play on Canisius.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* BLOWOUT is on Washington (11:00 EST).

The Bears are 7-9 overall and 1-2 in Pac 12 play. Washington is 12-4 overall and 2-1 in league play. 

Cal comes in off a win over Stanford in a tight battle, before then coming back down to Earth with back to back home losses to USC and UCLA (losing by 18 and 23 respectively.) 

The Bears defense looked horrible in the loss to UCLA, giving up over 50 points in both halves, allowing the Bruins to hit 58 percent overall and 17 of 30 from range.

The Huskies opened the 2017/18 campaign with an 88-81 win over USC and most recently they beat Washington State 70-65, led by 17 points and five steals from Matisse Thybulle.

I’ll point out that Cal is 0-4 ATS in its last four against teams with a winning straight-up record, while Washington is 2-0 ATS in its last two after playing three consecutive road games.

The Bears have been playing a bit better of late, but the Huskies have matchup advantages across the board. Throw in the home floor advantage and take into account the above listed trends and the correct call in this matchup is on the home side.

Lay the points, play on Washington.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on Oregon (10:00 EST).

Oregon has lost two of its last three, most recently a 74-64 setback on the road at Oregon State last Friday. Arizona State broke a two game skid with a tight 80-77 win over Utah in its latest action on the road Sunday. 

These two teams always play to competitive affairs, however that wasn’t the case in the Pac-12 Tournament last year after the Ducks hammered the Sun Devils 80-57.

Oregon averages 81.6 PPG and it concedes 70.5. The Ducks just couldn’t get anything going against the Beavers, shooting a combined 36.2 percent from the floor, led by 16 points from Paul White off the bench.

Arizona State averages 89.3 points per game and it concedes 74.1. The Sun Devils shot 44.8 percent from the floor in the win over the Utes, led by 22 points from Shannon Evans II.

I’ll point out though that Oregon is 6-1 ATS in its last seven when playing with five or six days rest, while Arizona State is just 3-10 ATS in its last 13 off a win against a conference rival.

The Sun Devils play with revenge, but the Ducks won’t be going down without a fight. Oregon has the fire-power and defensive group to keep this one close until the final moments and that’s exactly what I expect to see happen.

And while I wouldn’t be completely shocked by an outright upset, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can. Play on the Ducks.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* GAME OF THE MONTH is on Clemson (9:00 EST).

The 14-1 Clemson Tigers are in North Carolina State to take on the 11-5 Wolfpack and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors.

Clemson enters off a 74-69 home win over Louisville, while NC State looks poised for a classic letdown after stunning Duke 96-85 in its latest action.

If recent history is any precedence, then the Tigers have to be loving their chances tonight as well, because they’ve dominated this series of late, taking both meetings quite easily last year.

Clemson has won ten straight and I don’t foresee a letdown tonight. The Tigers average 77.9 PPG and concede 63.5. Marcquise Reed had 24 points in his team’s win over the Cardinals. 

NC State averages 83.4 points and it concedes 72.6. In the upset victory over Duke, Torin Dorn scored 16 points, while Allerik Freeman posted 15 points, five boards and five assists.

I’ll point out though that is a spot in which the Tigers have excelled in for bettors over the years, as note that they’re 24-19 ATS the last two seasons when playing the role of favorite (including 6-4 ATS this year), while NC State is just 14-21 ATS the last two seasons as an underdog (including just 3-4 ATS this year.)

The Wolfpack are also 0-7 ATS in their last seven following an ATS victory and just 1-8 ATS in their last nine following a straight up victory.

It’s a classic letdown spot for NC State after its big win over Duke. Combined with the above trends which all clearly point to the team suffering a letdown in this exact position, everything does indeed point to a blowout victory for Clemson.

Lay the points, play on the Tigers.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Toronto Raptors (8:05 EST).

Cleveland has lost five of its last seven, most recently a 127-99 setback on the road in Minnesota on Monday. 

The Raptors come in off only their second home loss of the season in a 90-89 setback to Miami on Tuesday, as they got caught “looking ahead” to this one against the Cavs.

To say this is a “revenge” game would be a bit of an understatement, as the Cavs have knocked out the Raptors from the playoffs the last two years straight and took three of four regular season meetings last year.

Cleveland averages 110.5 PPG and it concedes 107.7. LeBron James averages 27.6 points, 8.2 boards and 9.2 assists per game, while Kevin Love adds 19.8 points and 9.8 boards per contest.

Toronto averages 111.5 PPG and it concedes just 103.8. DeMar DeRozan leads the nightly charge with 25.3 points and five assists per game. 

I’ll point out though that the Cavs are 0-5 ATS in their last five road games against a team with a winning home record, while Toronto is amazingly 6-0 ATS in its last six when playing on one or less day rest.

As much as the Cavs would like to “get up” for this one, the situation just does not favor them at all here. Toronto has been the cream of the crop in the Eastern Conference over the last month (minus its last game against a red hot Miami team) and I believe it finds a way to get the job done in front of the home town crowd.

Play on the Raptors.

Good luck…Larry

My 9* PERFECT STORM is on Iowa (8:00 EST).

Iowa is 9-9 on the season and 0-5 in league play. Clearly we don’t have to question the Hawkeyes motivation levels tonight. Note that this play narrowly missed out on a top 10* rating.

Illinois is 10-7 overall and 0-4 in league action. There are two desperate teams and I’m expecting a competitive “nail-biter,” a contest which I envision being decided by whichever team has its hands on the ball last.

Iowa averages 80.7 PPG and concedes 75, while the Illini average 78.9 PPG and concede 70.8.

The Hawkeyes are led by Tyler Cook, who is averaging 14.7 points and 6.3 boards per game. Iowa has struggled in conference action, but it catches a break here facing Illinois.

Kipper Nichols scored 17 points off the bench in Illinois’ latest loss to Michigan, but not a single starter scored in double digits. 

I’ll point out that Iowa is 4-3 ATS this year already against good offensive teams which score 77 plus points per contest, while Illinois is just 2-3 ATS in its last five as a home favorite in the 3.5 to six points range. 

As stated off the top, this is going to be a battle until the end. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

This is an 8* Oddsmaker’s Error on NC Wilmington (7:00 EST).

The 4-12 UNC Wilmington Seahawks get ready to battle the 11-6 Elon Phoenix on Thursday night and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors. 

The Seahawks come in off a 96-76 road loss to Delaware, while the Phoenix are off an 89-76 road victory over Hofstra.

These teams split a pair of games last year, with UNC Wilmington taking the first game 79-63 and Elon winning the second 77-76.

At 1-3 in conference action, we don’t have to question the Seahawks’ motivation levels tonight. Keep your eyes on Devontae Cacok, who had 18 points and 11 boards in his team’s latest setback. Note that so far UNC Wilmington averages 80.3 PPG and concedes 85.9.

At 3-1 in league play, it’s not too hard to imagine the home side in some small way coming in a bit complacent tonight. Elon averages just 74.5 PPG and it concedes 72.8. Tyler Seibring scored 22 points in the Phoenix’s latest victory.

I’ll point out though that the Seahawks are 2-1 ATS in their last three off a loss against a conference rival, while the Phoenix are just 1-2 ATS this year already after scoring 80 points or more in their previous outing.

I’m not predicting an outright upset, but I do think that the more desperate team can keep this one competitive until the final moments. Grab the points, play on the Seahawks.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Minnesota (9:00 EST).

Minnesota will be eager to get back into the winners circle here after an upset 75-71 home loss to Indiana to fall to 2-2 in conference action.

Northwestern also enters off a loss, most recently a 78-63 beatdown at the hands of Penn State. 

The Golden Gophers average 82.6 PPG and concede just 70.6. Their latest loss snapped a five game win streak. Nate Mason was a standout with 22 points and nine assists.

The Wildcats average 74.4 PPG and concede 67.6. In their latest loss to the Nittany Lions they’d shoot just 37.1 percent from the floor overall, while allowing Penn State to hit 54.5 percent. Bryant McIntosh had 18 points in the loss. 

I’ll point out that Minnesota is already 7-5 ATS this year against teams with winning records, while Northwestern is just 3-4 ATS at home and only 3-4 ATS against good offensive teams which average 77-plus points per contest.

I like Minnesota to get right back on track here and I believe it’s underrated defense proves to be the difference. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Detroit Pistons (7:30 EST).

The Pistons will be hungry here as they lost for the third time in their last four tries in a tight 112-109 setback at New Orleans on Monday. 

The Nets enter off back-to-back losses, falling 114-113 in OT to Toronto on Monday. 

Detroit averages 101.9 PPG and it concedes 101.9 as well. Tobias Harris leads the nightly charge with 18.4 points plus 5.3 boards per game, while Avery Bradley adds 15.4 points. 

Brooklyn averages 106.6 PPG and it concedes 108.8. The Nets are led by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who averages 14.6 PPG. 

I’ll point out though that Detroit has performed extremely well in this spot for bettors, going 4-1 ATS in its last five after allowing 100 points or more in its previous outing, while New Jersey has struggled in this position by going just 1-4 ATS in its last five home games against a team with a losing road record. 

Detroit remains in the playoff hunt and to remain in the thick of it, it needs to win the games that it’s “supposed” too. Detroit is deeper and I think it’s superior defensive play proves to be too much for the Nets to handle down the stretch. 

Lay the points, play on the Pistons.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Miami Heat (7:00 EST).

Miami comes in off a hard-fought 90-89 win at Toronto last night and I believe the team carries that momentum over here. Indiana has won two straight, most recently a 109-96 effort at home over Milwaukee. Note that these teams have already split a pair of games this year.

The Heat are now 8-3 in their last 11 and have won five straight. Miami is surging, now in fifth in the East with an 11-8 road record and a 14-8 mark against the Eastern Conference overall. 

Miami averages 100.9 PPG and it concedes 102.2. Hassan Whiteside is once again putting together a solid campaign with 14 points and 11.5 boards per game. Guard Goran Dragic adds 16.7 points, 4.1 boards and 4.8 assists per game, while Dion Watiers chips in 14.3 points. 

The Pacers average 107.3 PPG and concede 106.6. Victor Oladipo leads the team with 24.5 points, 5.2 boards and 1.91 steals per game. 

Miami is now 11-8 ATS on the road this year and 4-1 ATS in its last five after allowing 90 points or less in its previous contest, while Indiana is just 4-7 ATS already this season following a win by ten points or more.

I’m expecting another nail-biter for the Heat in this one and will therefore be recommending to grab the points. Play on Miami.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Dallas Mavericks (7:00 EST).

Dallas smoked Orlando at home 114-99 last night and I believe the team will carry that momentum over here.

Conversely, this sets up as a classic “letdown” spot for Charlotte, which returns for its first home game after a very satisfying 3-1 Western road swing, including knocking off the Lakers 108-94 last Friday. 

Note that this is a big time revenge game for the Mavs after the Hornets took both meetings last season.

Dallas averages 102 PPG and it concedes 104.4. Harrison Barnes leads the nightly charge with 18.7 points, plus 6.6 boards per game, while Dennis Smith Jr. adds 13.8 points and 4.5 assists.

Charlotte averages 105 PPG and it concedes 106. Kemba Walker leads the team with 21.3 points and 5.8 assists per game, while big man Dwight Howard adds 15.7 points, plus 12.1 boards per contest. 

I’ll point out though Dallas is 10-9 ATS on the road already this year and 17-12 ATS when playing the role of underdog, while Charlotte is already 0-3 ATS this year when playing with three or more days rest and just 3-5 ATS after a victory by ten points or more.

While I’m not going to call for the outright upset (I wouldn’t be shocked by it of course!), I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as I expect this one to be a lot more competitive than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe. Play on Dallas.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Duke (7:00 EST).

The 13-2 Blue Devils get ready to battle the 8-8 Pittsburgh Panthers on Wednesday night and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors Duke.

The Blue Devils will be especially motivated here to get back into the winners circle with a resounding effort after getting upset at NC State this past weekend: “We played crappy defense,” Blue Devils’ coach Mike Krzyzewski assessed afterwards. “We were a little frantic; they played their butts off. We’ve got to get better. To me, it’s that simple. Now the process of getting there; that’s what we’ve got to figure out.… The continuity of what you have to bring every day just isn’t there yet. We have to come to work every day.”

Marvin Bagley II had 31 points and ten boards in the setback. 

Here’s the perfect opponent to get untracked against though as the Panthers enter having dropped three straight, most recently to Miami, Louisville and Virginia Tech.

Jared Wilson-Frame was a standout for Pittsburgh in the loss to the Hokies, finishing with 20 points. The Panthers were actually decent in the setback, shooting a season-high 46.2 percent from the floor, while also going 12 of 26 from range.

I’ll point out though that Duke is 7-2-1 ATS in its last ten road games and 7-2-1 ATS in its last ten road games against teams with winning home records, while Pittsburgh is just 13-39-1 ATS in its last 53 following an ATS victory.

The numbers and the overall situation are stacked against the Panther today. Look for Duke to pull away down the stretch. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Georgia Tech (7:00 EST).

Georgia Tech moved back over .500 with a victory over Yale in its final non-conference contest of the season on Saturday, led by a game-high 23 points from Jose Alvarado. 

The Irish enter off five straight wins, most recently holding on for a tight 51-49 victory over Syracuse on the road. TJ Gibbs led the way in that one with 18 points, while Rex Pflueger added 12 points. 

Note Dame scores an average of 116.2 points per 100 possessions, while it concedes 95.6 points per 100 possessions. 

Georgia Tech has looked better on the offensive end of late, but the Yellow Jackets get the job done with their smothering defensive play most nights. Note that GT enters allowing opponents to score 97.9 points per 100 possessions. Most recently the Yellow Jackets beat Miami 64-54. 

I’ll point out as well that Notre Dame is just 1-5 ATS in its last six after allowing less than 50 points in its previous contest, while Georgia Tech is 6-1 ATS in its last seven home games against a team with a winning road record. 

The Irish are dealing with injury issues (Farrell questionable, Colson out), while the Yellow Jackets are surging. I like GT to take care of business on its home floor and in its conference opener. 

Play on the Yellow Jackets.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the LA Lakers (10:35 EST).

LA snapped a nine-game slide with a resounding 132-113 victory over Atlanta (Lonzo Ball’s second game back from injury, the dynamic point guard narrowly missing out on a triple-double) and suffice it to say, I expect the team to carry that momentum over here. Note as well that this is a revenge game for the Lakers after they fell 113-102 to the Kings in mid November. 

The Kings come in off a 107-100 loss in San Antonio just last night and all signs do indeed point to a predictable letdown here.

So far Sacramento averages just 97.6 PPG, while conceding 106.2. De’Aaron Fox averages 9.9 points, 2.8 boards and 3.8 assists per game. 

LA averages 107 PPG and concedes 111.8. Brook Lopez leads the nightly charge with 12.5 points, plus 4.2 boards per game. Ball averages 10.2 points, 6.9 boards and seven assists per game.

I’ll point out as well that Sacramento is 0-4 ATS in its last four against teams with a losing straight up record and just 1-5 ATS in its last six against the Western Conference, while LA is 3-1 ATS in its last four after scoring 130 points or more in its previous contest.

Sacramento is dealing with injury issues and is playing the second game of a back to back. After an extended stretch of futility, the last thing the Lakers can do is to “look past” this golden opportunity. Expect a similar game-plan for LA as what it featured in its win over the Hawks as its gets out and pushes the pace with its trademark run and gun style. Lay the points, play on the Lakers.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* GAME OF THE WEEK is on St. John’s (6:30 EST).

The 11-4 Georgetown Hoyas are in St. John’s to take on the 10-6 Red Storm and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the Red Storm.

Georgetown enters off a 90-66 home loss to Creighton, while St. John’s fell 91-74 to DePaul in its latest action. 

If recent history is any precedence though, then the Red Storm have to be loving their chances tonight, as note that St. John’s has take two of the last three in the series, including a 74-73 win in the Big East Tournament. 

The Hoyas average 80.6 PPG and concede 69.9. Center Jessie Govan leads the nightly charge with 18.1 PPG. 

The Red Storm average 73.6 PPG and concede 68.2. Bashir Ahmed was a bright spot in the latest loss and he’s now scored 21 points in back-to-back games. 

I’ll point out that Georgetown is just 1-2 ATS in its last three as an underdog, while St. John’s is already 2-1 ATS this year off a loss against a conference rival. 

St. John’s is the more desperate side as it comes in having lost four straight. I’m expecting a decisive victory. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on Penn State (6:30 EST).

The 12-5 Penn State Nittany Lions are in Indiana to take on the 9-7 Hoosiers and in my opinion, all signs point to this one favoring the visitors.

Penn State enters off a big 78-63 home win over Northwestern on Friday, while Indiana beat Minnesota 75-71 in its latest action. 

Note that this is a big time revenge scenario for the Nittany Lions after the Hoosiers secured both match ups last year.

Penn State averages 77.8 PPG and it concedes 64.8. Tony Carr leads the team with 18.3 PPG.

Indiana averages 74.7 PPG and it concedes 72.3. Clearly the margin for error is pretty thin for the Hoosiers, who I think have a predictable letdown here after their big upset win over the Gophers on the road. Guard Robert Johnson came up huge with 28 points and seven boards in that one. 

However I’ll point out that Penn State is 2-1 ATS in its last three after holding its previous opponent  to 64 points or less, while Indiana is just 1-4 ATS in its last five following a straight-up victory.

The Hoosiers ranks 321st in the country in three-point defense, while the Nittany Lions have been sharp from range this year, shooting just under 38 percent. Penn State has five players averaging in double figures and I simply can’t see the home side matching pace down the stretch.

Play on the Nittany Lions.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the Phoenix Suns (8:05 EST).

The Thunder won their second straight with a 127-117 victory over the Clippers on Thursday. The Suns enter having lost two straight, most recently a 103-89 setback in San Antonio on Friday. 

Note that these teams have yet to play this year, but they’d split four match ups last season with the home side winning each time.

The Thunder average 104.9 PPG and concede 100.8. Russell Westbrook leads the nightly charge with 24.8 points, 9.6 boards, ten assists and 2.03 steals per game, while Paul George adds 20.6 points, 5.5 boards and 2.44 steals per game. 

The Suns average 105.5 PPG and concede 112.4. Devin Booker leads the way with 24.8 points, plus 4.3 assists per game. 

I’ll point out though that OKC is just 1-2 ATS this year off an upset win as an underdog and only 6-9 ATS against teams with losing records, while Phoenix is already 8-6 ATS this year following a loss by ten points or more.

With a home game against Portland on Tuesday, it’s not too hard to imagine the surging visitors in some small way looking past their lowly opponent tonight. Play on the Suns.

Good luck…Larry

My 9* Situational Stunner is on Iowa (8:00 EST).

The 9-8 Iowa Hawkeyes are at Maryland to take on the 13-4 Terrapins and while I’m not going to be so bold as to predict an outright upset, I do believe that the pieces are in place for a much more competitive affair than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe.

Iowa is going to be desperate here as it’s 0-4 so far in league play, with losses to Penn State (77-73), Michigan (75-68), to Indiana (77-64) and to Ohio State (92-81)

Maryland is so far 2-1 in conference action, most recently getting crushed by 30 to No. 1 Michigan State on the road Thursday.

Iowa comes in averaging 81.2 PPG, while conceding 74.1. Tyler Cook leads the nightly charge with 15.2 points and 6.6 boards per game.

Maryland averages 76.9 PPG and it concedes 65. Anthony Cowan averages 16.2 points and 4.5 assists per game. 

I’ll point out that Iowa is 4-3 ATS this year after scoring 80 points or more in its previous contest, while Maryland is already just 4-5 ATS this season against good offensive teams which score 77-plus points per contest.

As mentioned off the top, I think Iowa coms to play today and keeps it competitive down the stretch. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on Utah (8:00 EST).

Arizona State comes in off back-to-back losses and I think it looks primed for a letdown here as well. Most recently the Sun Devils fell to Arizona and Colorado respectively. 

The Utes will look to take advantage and to bounce back from a loss of their own. After winning three of four, Utah enters off a 12 point loss to Arizona.

Arizona State has five players which average in double figures, led by Tra Holder with 22 points per game. The Sun Devils average 90 PPG, but they face a stiff test tonight.

Utah also has five players averaging double figures. The Utes average 76.1 PPG and have been tough on the defensive end of the floor. Especially at home. Keep your eyes on David Collette, who averages 13.6 PPG. 

I’ll point out as well that Arizona State is just 1-3 ATS in its last four after losing at OT game in its previous contest in which it gave up 90 points or more (lost to Colorado in OT 90-81 last time out), while Utah is 2-1 ATS in its last three after allowing 90 points or more (lost 94-82 to the Wildcats.)

I think Utah has the fire-power to match pace and I believe the home side has a clear advantage on the defensive side as well. Play on the Utes.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Weekend Wipeout Winner is on Towson (2:00 EST).

The 11-4 Charleston Cougars get ready to battle the 11-5 Towson Tigers on Sunday afternoon and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the Tigers.

This is a revenge game for Towson after it fell 73-62 at Charleston just last week. In that game, Cougars’ junior Jarrell Brantley led the way with 24 points. 

Charleston though comes to town off a shocking 87-82 loss in OT to Drexel and I think it’s primed for another letdown here against this revenge minded Towson side. 

In their last game the Cougars shot just 41.7 percent against the Dragons and only 6 of 19 from range. Charleston would also go on to allow Drexel to shoot 56.9 percent from the floor.

Note that the Tigers broke a four-game slide by bouncing back from the loss to Charleston with a convincing 89-71 home win over UNCW on Friday. 

Towson forced 17 turnovers against the Seahawks, while also also winning the rebound battle by eight. The Tigers would also go on to shoot 12 of 22 from range and 54 percent overall, led by Mike Morsell with 24 points. 

I’ll point out as well that Charleston is just 1-2 ATS this year after scoring 80 points or more in its previous contest, while Towson is 2-1 ATS after scoring 80 points or more this season and 11-3 ATS in its last 14 trying to revenge a road loss against an opponent.

For all the reasons listed above, play on Towson.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PEFECT STORM is on the Sacramento Kings (10:05 EST).

The 20-17 Denver Nuggets are in Sacramento to take on the 12-25 Kings and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. 

No need to overthink this one in my opinion. Denver comes to town off a very satisfying 99-91 win at home over Utah just last night and faces a now desperate Sacramento side which comes in having lost three straight and which also plays with revenge after falling to Denver 114-98 in late November.

The Kings have had three whole nights off to rest and prepare for this one as well. 

Additionally I’ll point out that Sacramento is 8-2 ATS in its last ten when playing with three or more days rest and already 8-7 ATS this season against good offensive teams which score 106 plus points per contest, while Denver is only 8-10 ATS this year against teams with losing records and just 1-2 ATS against good offensive teams which score 98 plus points per contest.

It’s a perfect storm of situational factors working in favor of the lowly home side today and while I obviously wouldn’t be completely shocked by an outright upset, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can. Play on the Kings.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* ACC GAME OF THE MONTH is on NC State (8:00 EST).

I think that NC State is the “hungrier” and more focused team. NC State enters having dropped two straight on the road in ACC play.

Duke most recently smashed Evansville by 64 points and then held on for dear life in a 100-93 victory over Florida State on December 30th. Marvin Bagley III had 32 points and 21 boards. 

NC State is out to atone for back to back poor performances, getting blown out at Clemson and then again 88-58 at Notre Dame in their most recent setback. Senior guard Allerik Freeman was a bright spot with 13 points in that one. 

I’ll point out though that the Wolfpack have in fact performed extremely well in this spot over the years, going 6-2 ATS in their last eight after scoring 60 points or less in their previous contest.

Conversely, note that Duke is just 1-3 ATS in its last four after allowing 92 points or more in its previous outing.

NC State lost to Duke 84-82 last season and I believe that the conditions are once again correct for a very competitive affair. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 9* Situational Stunner is on Pennsylvania (7:00 EST).

The Princeton Tigers have won five of their last six, including over Akron and Hawaii most recently. Suffice it to say, I’m expecting a letdown here.

Penn on the other hand had won four in a row, before then falling to Toledo last week.

Princeton opened the year by going 2-6, but it’s since gone 5-1. The Tigers have been effective shooting the ball during the turnaround, hitting 48.5 percent overall, including 41 percent from range. 

The Quakers though have the firepower to match their opponent today. Note that six different players have led Pennsylvania in single-game scoring this year. The Quakers have now scored at least 90 points four times this season, but they’ll be out to atone for a rather lacklustre 85-72 loss at home to Toledo last time out.

I’ll point out as well that Princeton has already struggled mightily in this spot for bettors this season, going just 2-4 ATS when playing the role of underdog, while Pennsylvania has done well in this position over the years by going a perfect 3-0 ATS as home favorite of three points or less or pick. 

To say this is a “revenge” game would be a bit of an understatement I think, as Princeton has won eight straight in the series. 

The tables have turned now though in my opinion and I look for the “hungrier” revenge-minded team to find a way to get the job done at the end of the night.

Play on Pennsylvania.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on Colorado (2:00 EST).

The 12-3 Arizona Wildcats are at the 9-6 Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday afternoon and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Arizona comes in of a 93-84 road win over Utah in its latest action, while Colorado comes in off an upset 88-84 victory over Arizona State.

Note that this is a double revenge game for the Buffs after they lost both meetings last year.

Arizona averages 84.2 PPG and concedes 72.2. Deandre Ayton had 24 points and 14 boards in his team’s latest victory. 

Colorado averages 75.4 PPG and concedes 74.2. The Buffaloes though looked pretty good in their 90-81 OT win over fourth-ranked Arizona State on Thursday to move to 2-1 in conference action. The Buffs looked particularly impressive on the defensive end, limiting Arizona State to just 36 percent from the floor. McKinley Wright IV finished with 19 points and five assists.

I’ll point out as well that Arizona is just 1-5-1 ATS in its last seven following an ATS win and just 2-7-1 ATS in its last ten against teams with a winning straight up record, while Colorado is 4-1 ATS in its last five as a home underdog.

Arizona has allowed 78 and 82 points respectively over its last two games, so I think Colorado has much more than just a “punchers chance” at an outright upset today as well. That said, grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Situational Stunner is on Louisville (12:00 EST).

The 11-3 Louisville Cardinals are at Clemson to take on the 13-1 Tigers and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors.

Louisville comes in having won seven of its last eight, including a 77-51 victory over Pittsburgh at home on Tuesday. Clemson enters having won nine straight, including a 74-70 victory over Boston College on Wednesday. 

The Cardinals got 19 points from Quentin Snider on Tuesday and out rebounded the Panthers by 15, while also forcing 15 turnovers. Louisville enters averaging 77.4 PPG, while conceding 65.4. 

Clemson averages 78.1 PPG and concedes 63.1. Marcquise Reed leads the team with 15.3 points, 3.1 assists and 4.9 boards per game. 

I’ll point out though that Louisville is 3-1 ATS in its last four after holding its previous opponent to 52 points or less, while Clemson is just 1-3 ATS in its last four after allowing 70 points or more.

David Padgett has done a nice job to keep his team competitive in the wake of the Rick Pitino scandal and while I’m not calling for an outright upset, I do think that the visitors have all the pieces in place to at the very least, take this one right down to the wire.

Grab the points, play on Louisville.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Oddsmaker’s Error is on the Milwaukee Bucks (8:05 EST).

Toronto enters off a 124-115 road win in Chicago on Wednesday, while Milwaukee won for the third time in four games in a 122-101 victory over Indiana on Wednesday. 

To say this is a “revenge” game would be a bit of an understatement, as Toronto has won eight of the last nine, including a 131-127 OT victory at home in the most recent matchup just this past Monday.

Toronto averages 111.6 PPG and concedes 103.8. DeMar DeRozan averages 25.2 points, plus five assists per game, while Kyle Lowry adds 16.2 points, plus 6.1 boards per contest.

Milwaukee averages 105.9 PPG and concedes 105.8. Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the way with 29.1 points, 10.4 boards, 4.7 assists, 1.32 blocks and 1.65 steals per game. Eric Bledsoe is so far averaging 17.9 points, plus 4.3 assists per game. 

I’ll point out though that Toronto is still just 6-8 ATS this year against teams with winning records, while Milwaukee is 9-6 ATS against clubs with winning records this season and 6-4 ATS against good offensive teams which average 106-plus points per contest. 

The Raptors have been playing exceptionally, but I think they run out of gas here vs. this revenge minded Bucks team. Grab the points, play on Milwaukee.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* NON-CONFERENCE GAME OF THE MONTH is on the Minnesota Timberwolves (7:05 EST).

Minnesota comes into this one focused after its 98-97 road loss in Brooklyn on Wednesday, while Boston looks primed for a letdown here against this non-conference opponent and after winning four straight, including a decisive 102-88 victory at home over Cleveland in its most recent action.

The Wolves enter averaging 108.4 PPG, while conceding 105.7. Karl-Anthony Towns averages 20.1 points, plus 11.5 boards per game, while Andrew Wiggins adds 17.7 points, plus four boards per contest.

The Celtics average 103.4 PPG and concede just 98.2. Kyrie Irving leads the team with 24.4 points, 4.9 assists and 1.23 steals per game.

Note though that Minnesota is 2-1 ATS in its last three off an upset loss as a favorite, while Boston is just 8-13 ATS in its last 21 after playing three consecutive home games. 

With a “winnable” game at Brooklyn tomorrow night, this also sets up as a bit of a “look ahead” spot for the home side as well.

While I obviously wouldn’t be completely shocked by an outright upset, I’m going to grab the points as I envision this one coming right down to the wire. Play on Minnesota.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on James Madison (7:00 EST).

While I’m not calling for the outright upset, I do think that the 4-11 James Madison Dukes will keep this one competitive enough to comfortably sneak in through the back door with the healthy spread that they’ve been afforded in this one.

The Dukes have lost three straight and five of their last six. Hofstra is 8-6, but I think it’s poised for a letdown here after edging Northeastern 71-70 on Tuesday. 

JMU averages 74.9 PPG and concedes 77.1. One bright spot in their 84-76 setback to William & Mary in their latest action is that the Dukes would go on to force 18 turnovers. Stuckey Mosley leads the nightly charge with 19.3 PPG so far this year.

Hofstra averages 77.9 PPG and concedes 77.8. Justin Wright-Foreman had 27 points in the victory over Northeastern and he leads the Pride with 24.4 PPG. 

I’ll point out though that JMU has performed extremely well in this spot already for bettors this year, going 3-1 ATS on the road and 21-16 ATS in its last 37 following a conference game, while Hofstra is just 1-2 ATS against teams with losing records and only 1-5 ATS in its last six as a home favorite of 6.5 to nine points.

I think the “hungrier” team finds a way to get the job done at the end of the night. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is in Arizona (9:00 EST).

Arizona comes in on top form as it’s now won eight straight, most recently downing Arizona State 84-78 in its first conference test of the year earlier in the week. Alonzo Trier and Deandre Ayton each had 23 points in that one. 

The Wildcats come in averaging 118.4 PPG per 100 possessions, while limiting their opponents to 97.3 points per 100 possessions. Arizona’s big improvement of late though is definitely on the defensive side of the ball, as it is blocking 11.9 percent of its opponents field goal attempts. 

Utah looks poised for a letdown here in my opinion after opening Pac 12 play with an undefeated 2-0 record, beating Oregon 66-56, before then holding on for a tight 66-64 win at Oregon State.

Five players average double figures for the Utes, led by 13.2 points from David Collette. 

I’ll point out though that the Wildcats are 5-2 ATS in their last seven in Utah, while the Utes are just 1-3 ATS in their last four after two or more consecutive SU victories.

Arizona has two 7-footers in its line-up (Trier and Ayton), which Utah is going to have difficulty matching up against. I think the visitors keep the momentum rolling. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Oddsmakers Error is on Hawaii (10:00 EST).

Hawaii will be eager to show what it can do on the road, as it’s already played 12 of its first 13 games at home this year. The Warriors lost their only road game this year, by 20 in Utah, so there’s no question that they’ll be out for a much better effort this time around.

Hawaii though comes to town off a solid 84-59 win over Howard last week. Jack Purchase came off the bench to post 22 points. The Warriors are a relentless team, which loves to attack. In fact, Hawaii’s collects 23.6 percent of its overall points from the charity stripe, which ranks it 14th in that category. 

LBSU is led by Gabe Levin with 15 PPG, while Bryan Alberts is the only other member to score in double figures with 14. 

The 49ers have struggled defensively, as opponents have shot 56.3 percent from the floor, which ranks the team 319th in the country. LBSU has been particularly inept in guarding the perimeter, as opponents have hit a massive 57.0 percent from range, which ranks the team 332nd in the NCAA in that category. 

Additionally I’ll point out that Hawaii is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 after allowing 60 points or less in its previous contest and already 3-1 ATS this year against teams with losing records, while LBSU is just 3-8 ATS in its last 11 after allowing 60 points or less and just 1-6 ATS this year against teams with winning records. 

LBSU has faced a stiff opening schedule, but the 49ers weakness on defense plays right into the Warriors strength on offense. 

I’m banking on Hawaii’s success from three-point range to be just too much for Long Beach State to handle down the stretch. Play on the Warriors.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Situational Stunner is on Tulane (9:00 EST).

SMU looks poised for a letdown here in my opinion after winning its fifth straight in a 79-39 victory over South Florida at home on Sunday.

Tulane though will be eager to return to the winners circle after its three game win streak was snapped in a 65-56 home loss to Tulsa last Sunday.

To say this is a “revenge” game for the Green Wave would be a bit of an understatement in my opinion, as SMU has won five straight in the series, including an 80-75 victory in the most recent matchup back on February 15th. 

SMU averages 75.5 PPG and concedes 58.9. Shake Milton had 14 points in his teams blowout win over South Florida. 

Tulane averages 76.4 PPG and concedes 70.8. Cameron Reynolds had 15 points in his team’s latest loss. Melvin Fraser leads the team overall with 17 points, plus 5.9 boards and 3.3 assists per game.

I’ll point out though that SMU is just 3-4 ATS this year against teams with winning records and just 1-3 ATS after allowing 60 points or less, while Tulane is 2-1 ATS in its last three against good defensive teams which allow 64 points or less per game.

Tulane is 7-1 at home this year and it certainly won’t be intimidated. SMU has a fight on its hands tonight and while I won’t be so bold as to predict the outright upset, all signs point to this one being a lot closer than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe. Grab the points, play on Tulane.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Weekly Wipeout Winner is on Houston (7:00 EST).

The 12-2 Houston Cougars are at the 11-2 Wichita State Shockers on Thursday night and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the Cougars.

Houston enters off a 76-73 win over Temple, while Wichita State comes in off a 72-62 road win over UConn. 

Houston has won four straight. The Cougars average 80.6 PPG and concede 66.6. The Cougars out rebounded the Owls 42-27 and Breaon Brady led the way with a season-high 21 points. Rob Gray leads the team overall with 19 PPG average.

Wichita State averages 84.7 points and concedes 70.2. The Shockers have won three straight, most recently getting 16 points from Landry Shamet in the victory over Connecticut. 

I’ll point out though that Houston is 4-1 ATS in its last five on the road, while Wichita State is just 1-4 ATS in its last five following a SU victory.

The Cougars are limiting their opponents to just 39.7 percent shooting this year and are also a strong rebounding team. Outright, straight-up victory? Possibly of course. But in the end, I’ll recommend grabbing the points as I expect this one to be competitive until the final moments.

Good luck…Larry

My 9* PERFECT STORM is on Iowa (7:00 EST).

The 11-4 Ohio State Buckeyes are in Iowa to take on the 9-7 Hawkeyes and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

As mentioned in my promo, this play narrowly missed out on being a top rated 10* selection. All of the pieces are in place for a comfortable victory for the home side though in my opinion. 

Ohio State bounced back from a loss to UNC to beat Miami Ohio last Saturday, while Iowa had its five game win streak snapped in a loss to Michigan on Tuesday.

Ohio State got 19 points, nine boards and five blocks from Keita Bates-Dion in the win over the Redhawks. 

Iowa is going to be the more desperate team here in my opinion, as its still winless in Big Ten play after its 75-68 setback to Michigan at home on Tuesday (the Hawkeyes have also lost to Penn State, 77-73 and Indiana, 77-64.) Tyler Cook had 28 points and eight boards in his team’s latest loss: “Learn from it and flush this one is the most important thing,” Cook assessed following the setback against Michigan. “As a unit we need to make sure we’re picking each other up and to a man we need to do better.”

I’ll point out as well that Ohio State is just 2-5 ATS in its last seven against teams with winning records and only 12-30-1 ATS in its last 43 road games overall, while Iowa is 4-1-1 ATS in its last six home games and 3-1-2 ATS in its last six against teams with winning records. 

Ohio State hasn’t beaten Iowa on the road since 2014. I believe the “hungrier” team finds a way to get the job done at the end of the night.

Play on Iowa.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on NC State (9:00 EST).

The 10-4 NC State Wolfpack are in Notre Dame to take on the 11-3 Irish and while I’m not going to predict an outright upset, I do believe that the conditions are right for a much more competitive affair than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe.

Notre Dame comes in a tiny bit complacent after three straight wins, while NC State enters focused after its two game win streak was snapped in a loss at Clemson last Saturday. 

The Wolfpack couldn’t get anything going in the 78-62 loss to the Tigers. Regardless of the sub-par effort though, NC State sill averages 84.3 PPG, while conceding just 70.6. Allerik Freeman leads the nightly charge 15.4 PPG.

The Irish come in off a 68-59 victory over Georgia Tech. Before its three-game win skein though, Notre Dame had dropped three of five.

The Irish now have to deal with a significant injury that occurred a couple of days ago in practice, as senior forward Bonzie Colson, who led the team in scoring (21.4) and rebounds (10.4) is now out for at least eight weeks with a fracture in his foot.  

And for me, that’s going to be the difference maker here. Notre Dame is going to be forced to go through a transition period as it tries to figure out how to fill the void.

For all the reasons listed above, play on NC State.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the New York Knicks (7:35 EST).

The Spurs’ three-game win streak was snapped in a listless 93-79 setback in Detroit on Saturday night and suffice it to say, I believe this one sets up as a letdown spot as well.

The Knicks will look to take advantage and build off a solid 105-103 road win over New Orleans, a victory which broke a four-game slide. 

Note that this is a revenge game for New York as well after it fell 119-107 in the first matchup this year back on December 28th. 

San Antonio averages 101.2 PPG and concedes just 98.1 (ranked first.) Kawhi Leonard returned in December, but he’s so far struggled, averaging 13.5 points and 3.5 boards per game. LaMarcus Aldridge has carried the Spurs on his back for the most part this year with 22 points per night average.

New York averages 103.6 PPG and concedes 103.7. Kristaps Porzingis averages 24.5 points, 6.7 boards and 2.23 blocks a night, while Enes Kanter chips in 13.5 points, plus 10.3 boards per game. 

I’ll point out that San Antonio is just 3-5 ATS this year though when playing with two days rest and only 2-3 ATS this season off an upset loss as a favorite, while New York is 4-3 ATS when playing on two days rest and 5-4 ATS off an upset win as an underdog.

Outright, straight-up upset? Obviously with a spread like this, that’s not out of the question. However, in a contest which I envision being decided late, I’ll recommend grabbing as many points as you can in the end.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Weekly Wipeout Winner is on Towson (7:00 EST).

The 10-4 Towson Tigers get ready to battle the 9-5 Elon Phoenix on Tuesday and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors.

Towson will be desperate here. The Tigers opened the season with ten straight victories, but they come in having lost three straight. 

Elon on the other hand comes in complacent, it’s won three of four, including two straight, most recently a 90-75 win over Drexel on Saturday.

Towson averages 72 PPG and concedes 67.5. Zane Martin leads the team with an average of 18.1 PPG, while Mike Morsell chips in 12.5 per contest.

The Phoenix average 74.5 PPG and concede 72.7. Dainan Swoope leads the nightly charge with an average of 15.1 PPG. 

I’ll point out though that this is a spot in which the Tigers have excelled in for bettors, going 8-6 ATS in their last 14 off a loss against a conference rival, while Elon is 0-5 ATS in its last five as a home dog of three points or less or pick.

I like Towson to get back on track after an extended Christmas Break. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Weekly Wipeout Winner is on the Orlando Magic (7:30 EST).

The Magic will be hungry here, they come in off a 117-111 loss at home to the Heat on Saturday, their tenth loss in their last 11 games. 

But here’s the perfect opponent to get untracked against as the Nets come in off a deflating 108-105 loss in Boston just last night.

Orlando averages 104.8 PPG and concedes 110.2. Nikola Vucevic leads the team with 17.4 points, plus 9.3 boards per game. Vucevic though is out with inury.

Brooklyn averages 107.5 PPG and concedes 110 per contest. D’Angelo Russell leads the team with 20.9 points and 5.7 assists per game. But Russell remains out with injury as well.

Yesterday was the finale of a five-game trip for the Nets and there’s no question that this now sets up as a classic “letdown/trap” for the home side.

Additionally note that Orlando is 2-1 ATS in its last three after allowing 115 points or more in its previous contest, while Brooklyn just 6-8 ATS this season against clubs with losing records.

While I wouldn’t be shocked by an outright upset, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can. Play on the Magic.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Situational Stunner is on Washington State (9:00 EST).

Washington State comes in off a hard-fought 96-82 road loss to UCLA on Thursday, while USC had its three game win streak snapped in an 88-81 home loss to Washington. 

Note that this is a big time revenge game for the Cougars, who have lost four straight in the series, including an 87-64 setback last year.

Washington State averages 77 PPG and concedes 74.6. After starting the year 7-1, the Cougars have now dropped four of their last six. Robert Franks led the charge in the conference opening setback with 20 points and eight boards. 

The Trojans average 81.5 PPG and concede 74.1. In USC’s latest loss, Chimeize Metu posted 26 points. Metu leads the nightly charge with an average of 18.6 points, plus 8.1 boards per game.

I’ll point out though that WSU has performed extremely well in this spot for bettors all year, going 5-1 ATS against good offensive schools which average 77-plus points per contest and 4-2 ATS as an underdog, while USC is just 3-5 ATS at home and only 15-17 ATS in its last 32 against good offensive teams which score 77-plus points per game. 

I’m not predicting an outright victory, but all signs point to a much closer affair than what the oddsmakers are trying to lead us to believe. 

Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the LA Lakers (7:00 EST).

LA won’t be lacking for motivation tonight as it’s lost five straight, including getting thrashed in the last three.

Here’s the perfect opponent to get untracked against, as Houston comes in floundering, having lost five straight. 

The Lakers have lost eight of their last nine, but their one victory was a 122-116 win over Houston on the road. LA most recently dropped a 121-106 decision to the Clippers. One bright spot was the fact that the Lakers posted 70 points in the paint.

Will the Rockets get caught “looking past” the lowly Lakers tonight? I think it’s very possible, with a couple days off before another road game, this time in Orlando. Houston most recently comes in off a 121-103 loss to Washington, shooting just 42.7 percent, including only 14 of 48 from range. James Harden was a bright spot in that one with 20 points, but no rebounds to go along with four assists and five turnovers. Note that big man Clint Cappella has missed the last two games and he’s questionable for this one as well.

Additionally I’ll point out that the Lakers are 10-5 ATS this year against teams with winning records and 7-5 ATS after allowing 115 points or more, while Houston is 1-2 ATS this season after a loss by ten points or more and 0-4 ATS as a home fav in the 12.5 to 18 points range. 

Clearly Houston is the better team. But the desperate Lakers are in a good position to keep this one competitive and that’s exactly what I expect to see happen. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 9* Las Vegas Insider is on UNLV (11:00 EST).

Both teams enters at 11-2 on the season. Boise State allows just 65 PPG, while UNLV averages 91.2 PPG.

Boise State enters off a 93-71 win over Colorado State. Chandler Hutchinson led the way with 24 points, as the Broncos would go 12 of 28 from range. 

The Rebels though have four players that average over 12.8 PPG, led by Brandon McCoy with 18.9 points, plus 10.9 boards. 

Additionally I’ll point out that Boise State has struggled in this spot for bettors for a while now, going just 5-12 ATS in its last 17 following a SU win, while UNLV is 5-2 ATS in its last seven after scoring 90 points or more in its previous contest and 9-3 ATS in its last 12 at home.

The Runnin’ Rebels of UNLV won’t be lacking for motivation tonight as they kick off their conference schedule in front of the home town crowd. 

Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on Loyola Marymount (10:00 EST).

Loyola Marymount comes in off a humbling 87-59 loss to St. Mary’s. LMU is a bad team, but fortunately for the Lions they’re facing another terrible school. One bright spot in Loyola Marymount’s latest setback was the play of Eli Scott, who came off the bench to finish with 13 points, five assists, two boards and a steal. 

Pacific has lost five straight, most recently an 81-48 setback to Gonzaga. The Tigers were just 19 of 57 from the floor, also missing nine of 12 from range. 

Pacific looked completely inept, as not a single player would go on to finish with double digits. 

I’ll point out as well that LMU is 5-2 ATS in its last seven road games against a team with a losing home record and 10-4-2 ATS in its last 16 following an ATS loss, while Pacific is interestingly just 7-17 ATS in its last 24 home games against a team with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 

Loyola Marymount has more talent and while I wouldn’t be completely shocked by the outright upset of course, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* UNDERDOG SUPER-SHOCKER is on the Philadelphia 76ers (9:05 EST).

Philadelphia will be desperate here as it comes in having lost six of its last seven. Here’s a great opponent to get untracked against, as I believe Denver has another letdown after its three game win streak was snapped in a tough OT loss to Minnesota in its latest action.

Joel Embiid had 29 points in his team’s 114-110 loss at Portland. The 76ers had an 18 point lead mid-way through the third quarter, but they then completely fell apart in the fourth. Embiid won’t be playing in tonight, but I still believe this one favors the hungry visiting side.

The Nuggets looked decent during their three-game win streak, but they came unravelled in their latest action. Denver has four different players that score in double digits, but I’ll point out that the Nuggets are just 3-5 ATS this year after scoring 115 points or more and only 5-8 ATS in non-conference games.

The 76ers on the other hand are 10-8 ATS in non-conference contests this season and 3-1 ATS after playing three consecutive road games.

With a four day layoff after tonight’s game, I think the home side gets caught “looking ahead.” 

Philadelphia though can take nothing for granted, with another game in Phoenix tomorrow night.

In a contest which I envision being decided by whichever team has its hands on the ball last, I’m going to grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the LA Lakers (10:35 EST).

The 14-19 Clippers get ready to battle the 11-22 Lakers on Friday night and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the Lakers.

The Clippers enter off a satisfying 122-95 win over the Kings on Friday, while the Lakers come in off a 109-99 setback at hime to Memphis. Note that this is a double revenge scenario for the Lakers as well, with the Clippers taking both earlier meetings, 108-92 and 115-112. 

The Clippers have been playing better, learning how to win without Blake Griffin in the line-up, but he could very well return tonight. I think that’s going to throw a monkey-wrench into the overall timing/chemistry that the Clippers have found of late without Griffin in the line-up. DeAndre Jordan has picked up the slack in Griffin’s absence, so far leading the NBA with an average of 15.2 RPG. So far the Clippers average 105 PPG and concede 106.

The Lakers average 106.3 PPG and concede 109.8. Brandon Ingram led the way in the team’s latest setback with 23 points. 

I’ll point out though that the Clippers are just 1-3 ATS already this year after scoring 115 points or more in their previous contest, while the Lakers are 12-9 ATS this season trying to revenge a loss against an opponent.

I think the Lakers are the much “hungrier” overall team here and I look for them to at the very least, keep this one competitive until the final moments. Grab the points, play on the Lakers.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* LEGEND is on Utah (10:00 EST).

This is the opener of the Pac 12 schedule for each team and suffice it to say, I’m expecting a very competitive battle. Utah enters at 8-3, while Oregon is 10-3. 

Utah averages 77.5 PPG and concedes 67.9 Oregon averages 85.3 points and concedes 70.8. 

The Utes come in having alternated wins/losses over their last five, but do enter off a convincing 84-62 victory over Northwestern State on Wednesday. David Collette leads the team with 13.5 PPG, but five players in total average in double digits. 

The Ducks lost a bunch of the core players from last year’s Final Four team, but so far they’ve lived up to expectations. Payton Pritchard leads the team with 16.3 points, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game. 

Collette is out for the Utes in this one, but as mentioned off the top, this is a Utah line-up which features a ton of depth. Also note that the Utes have in fact excelled in this spot for bettors by going 20-15 ATS in their last 35 after scoring 80 points or more in their previous contest.

Conversely, this has been a position in which the Ducks have struggled in, going just 3-4 ATS already this year after scoring 80 points or more and a poor 1-4 ATS against schools with winning records.

I’m not calling for an outright upset, but everything points to a nail-biting battle in my opinion. Grab the points, play on Utah.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Minnesota Timberwolves (8:00 EST).

The Wolves took care of business in a tight 128-125 win at home over the Nuggets last night and I look for the team to carry that momentum over here.

The Bucks have lost two straight, most recently a 115-106 setback at home to the surging Chicago Bulls. 

Now that Minnesota sits in first in the Northwest, the Wolves will be looking to protect their lead. So far Minnesota averages 108.4 PPG and concedes 106.3. Big man Karl-Anthony Towns averages 20.5 points and 11.6 boards per game, while Andrew Wiggins adds 17.5 points, plus four boards per contest. 

Milwaukee averages 105.2 PPG and concedes 105.8. Giannis Antetokounmpo averages 29.5 points, 10.4 boards, 4.6 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.8 steals per game. Malcolm Bledsoe has chipped in 13.1 points per contest. 

I’ll point out though that Minnesota is 10-6 ATS on the road this year, while Milwaukee is just 6-8 ATS at home (also only 7-9 ATS as a favorite, while the Wolves are 5-3 ATS this season as the underdog.)

The Wolves have been playing/travelling a lot, but I think this young core comes in focused on the task at hand and finds a way to get the job done at the end of the night. Play on Minnesota.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on Bradley (8:00 EST).

The 10-3 Bradley Braves get ready to battle the 6-7 Drake Bulldogs and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the Braves.

Bradley had won three in a row before falling to Ole Miss 82-59 in its most recent action. Darrell Brown was a bright spot with 16 points, three boards and five assists. 

The Bulldogs come in off a win, routing lowly Maryland E. Shore 81-57. Reed Timmer led the way with 21 points, five boards and six assists. 

The Braves have done well in this spot for bettors and I expect these strong trends to continue here, note that they’re already 3-0 ATS against teams with losing records this season, 6-1 ATS when playing the role of favorite and 3-1 ATS in its last four when playing with five or six days rest.

Conversely, this is a spot in which Drakes has struggled in, going just 2-4 ATS in its last six as a home dog of three points or less or pick and only 6-8 ATS in its last 14 after scoring 80 points or more in its previous contest.

For all the reasons listed above, play on Bradley.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* GAME OF THE WEEK is on the Atlanta Hawks (7:35 EST).

Washington looks primed for a letdown here in my opinion after winning its second straight, a 111-103 road win in Boston on Christmas Day. 

Atlanta on the other hand snapped a two game losing streak with a 112-107 win at home over the Mavericks. 

To say this is a “revenge” game for the Hawks would be an understatement, as Washington has won four straight in the series, including a 113-94 victory in the first meeting this year back in mid November. 

Washington averages 105.8 PPG and concedes 103.6. Guard John Wall averages 18.6 points and 8.8 assists per game. 

The Hawks average 103.8 PPG and concede 108.7. Dennis Schroder leads the nightly charge with 19.8 points, plus 6.7 assists per game. 

I’ll point out though that Washington has really struggled in this spot for bettors, going just 2-5 ATS off an upset win as an underdog and only 7-11 ATS against teams with losing records, while Atlanta is already 2-0 ATS this year after playing with three or more days rest and 6-4 ATS following a non-conference game.

I think the Wiz leave the back door open just enough for the hungry Hawks to sneak in through down the stretch. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* GAME OF THE WEEK is on DePaul (7:30 EST).

The 12-0 Villanova Wildcats get ready to battle the 7-5 DePaul Blue Demons on Wednesday night and while I’m not calling for an outright victory, I do definitely feel this is a few too many points to be giving up here.

Villanova enters off a 95-71 win over Hofstra in its latest action, while DePaul comes in off an 83-66 home victory over Miami Ohio. Note that this is a revenge game for the Blue Demons, who dropped both games to the Wildcats last year, falling 68-65 and 75-62. 

Villanova averages 86.5 PPG and concedes just 64.2. Guard Mikal Bridges averages 17.3 points plus 5.8 boards per game. 

DePaul has in fact won six of seven. The Blue Demons average 74.1 points and concede 67.8. Max Strus leads the team in scoring and he had 21 points in their most recent victory.

I’ll point out though that Villanova is 0-2 ATS in its last two as a road fav in the 15.5 to 18 points range, while DePaul is 2-0 ATS in its last two as a home dog of 15.5 points or more and already 5-2 ATS this season against teams with winning records. 

Clearly Villanova is the better team. That said, DePaul won’t simply be rolling over here. The Blue Demons were competitive in both losses last year and I expect another spirited affair this evening as well. As stated off the top, no upset here, but look for a much closer than expected battle and grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Dallas Mavericks (7:05 EST).

The Raptors look primed for a letdown here in my opinion after winning six straight, most recently sweeping a home and home set against the 76ers.

The Mavs enter having lost two straight, most recently a 112-107 setback on the road in Atlanta on Saturday. To say this is a “revenge” game would be a bit of an understatement as well, as Toronto has won four straight and seven of nine, including both match ups last year. 

Toronto averages 111.3 PPG and concedes just 102.4. DeMar DeRozan leads the nightly charge with 24.9 points and 4.9 assists per game, while big man Jonas Valanciunas averages 10.6 points and 7.7 boards per outing. 

Dallas averages 100 PPG and concedes 103.2. Harrison Barnes leads the team with 18.7 points and 6.8 boards per game, while Dennis Smith Jr. adds 13.8 points and 4.2 assists per game.

I’ll point out though that Toronto is still just 20-21 ATS in its last 41 after allowing 90 points of less in its previous outing, while Dallas is 12-8 ATS this year against teams with winning records.

With a game tomorrow night in OKC, I think the visitors get caught looking ahead and while I wouldn’t be shocked by an outright upset, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can. Play on the Mavericks.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Minnesota Timberwolves (10:35 EST).

The Wolves come in with considerable momentum, having won three straight, most recently a 115-106 road victory over Phoenix on Saturday. 

The Lakers enter off back-to-back losses, most recently a listless 95-92 setback at home to Portland on Saturday. 

Minnesota averages 108 PPG and concedes 106.3. Karl-Anthony Towns averages 20.5 points, plus 11.7 boards per game. Jimmy Butler had 32 points in the Wolves most recent victory. 

LA averages 106.6 PPG and concedes 109.4. Big man Brook Lopez averages 12.8 points plus 4.3 boards per game. 

I’ll point out though that Minnesota is 5-1 ATS in its last six on the road, while LA is just 1-2 ATS in its last three after allowing 95 points or less in its previous contest.

These two teams are moving in opposite directions right now. The Wolves have won their first two games of this three game trip and now have a two game lead in the Northwest. 

I like Minnesota to finish up its road trip strong and to take advantage of the scuffling Lakers. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Oklahoma City Thunder (8:05 EST).

The 25-6 Houston Rockets are at Oklahoma City to take on the 18-15 Thunder and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

The Rockets come into this one on the heels of a two game slide, giving up 122 and 128 points to the Lakers and Clippers respectively. 

One has to wonder here how much gas Houston star James Harden left in him after back-to-back 51 point performances?

Houston’s defense looked terrible in the loss to the Clippers and that doesn’t bode well in facing this rejuvenated Thunder team in my opinion. 

OKC has won four straight and ten of its last 13 and quietly comes in as arguably the hottest team in the NBA right now. 

Do it all All Star Russell Westbrook had 27 points, ten boards and ten assists in the Thunder’s most recent win over the Jazz. Paul George also had a huge game in that one, finishing with 27 points, ten boards and ten assists. 

But perhaps most impressively was the Thunder’s defense, which limited Utah to just 89 points (note that it was the third time in OKC’s last four games that it’s held an opponent to under 100 points.) 

These two teams are suddenly moving in opposite directions and I expect those trends to continue on Christmas night. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Boston Celtics (5:35 EST).

The 18-15 Washington Wizards are in Boston on Christmas Day to take on the 27-9 Celtics and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Washington has won four of its last six, but looks primed for a letdown here in my opinion after it’s lop-sided 130-103 win over Orlando on Saturday. Mike Scott led the way in that one with 17 points off the bench, while Bradley Beal added 17 points. 

The C’s have won three of their last five, most recently smashing Chicago 117-92 on Saturday. Team leader Kyrie Irving led the way with 25 points and seven assists in that one. 

I’ll point out though that the home teams is 13-3 ATS in its last 16 in this series, while Washington is 0-9 ATS in its last nine visits overall to Boston. 

Boston has been near impossible to beat at home, winning 14 of 18 so far and on Christmas Day on the national stage in prime time, I look for the Celtics to play a complete four quarters. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* NON-CONFERENCE GAME OF THE MONTH is on Southern Miss.

While I’m going to stop short in calling for an outright victory, I do think that the Golden Eagles come to play tonight after their humbling 98-45 loss to FSU last time out. 

Southern Miss is led by Cortez Griffin with 16.6 PPG. The Golden Eagles played poorly in the loss to the Seminoles, turning the ball over 20 times. 

Southern Mississippi’s weakness comes on the defensive side of the ball, but the Golden Eagles do catch a bit of a break in that department today going up against a Bulldogs team that gets the job done most nights with its smothering defensive play. 

Opponents are shooting just 42.7 percent from the floor against Mississippi State, which ranks 21st in the country. Quinndary Weatherspoon leads the way with 14.5 points, 4.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game. 

I’ll point out though that Southern Miss is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 after allowing 80 points or more and 15-8 ATS in its last 23 after scoring 60 points or less, while Mississippi State is just 2-4 ATS as a favorite this season and only 1-2 ATS after allowing 60 points or less (also just 2-5 ATS in non-conference games.)

As mentioned off the top, I’m not expecting the outright upset, but all signs point to a much closer affair than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* EAST-CONF GAME OF MONTH is on the Philadelphia 76ers (5:05 EST).

Toronto is a pretty good team. But I don’t think it’s a “great team.” It’s hard to beat a team three times in the same season. The 76ers play with double revenge here, having dropped both earlier meetings against the Raptors this year, including a 114-109 setback in Philadelphia on Thursday.

In that game the 76ers had a 20 points lead early in the third quarter. DeMar DeRozan though had different ideas for the visiting Raptors, as he helped his team claw back for the victory with a career high 45 points. 

Philadelphia averages 108.6 PPG and concedes 109.4. Rookie phenom Ben Simmons averages 17.3 points, nine boards, 7.8 assists and two steals per game. 

Toronto averages 111.6 PPG and concedes 103. DeRozan leads the nightly charge with 24.7 points, plus 5.7 assists per game.

As mentioned off the top though, it’s very difficult even for great teams to beat a poor team three times in one season. 

Clearly the 76ers can’t “look past” Toronto to their Christmas Day matchup with the Knicks as they come in having lost four straight and eight of their last ten.

Could the Raptors get caught looking ahead to their Christmas break? Very possible of course. Toronto has won nine of ten, including five straight and two straight on the road. With a game in Dallas on Boxing Day, I do believe that the Raptors will finally have a letdown here against this extremely desperate 76ers side.

Whether big man Joel Embiid plays or not for Philadelphia, I like the visitors to keep this one a lot closer than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe.

Good luck…Larry

My 9* Situational Stunner is on Long Beach State (4:00 EST).

The 5-9 LBSU 49ers get ready to battle the 6-6 Colorado State Rams and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the 49ers. 

LBSU has dropped two straight to Eastern Michigan and Michigan State, while Colorado State has won two straight over Texas State and Arkansas-Fort Smith.

The 49ers average 75.5 PPG. Gabe Levin had 22 points and eight boards in the 85-80 loss to Eastern Michigan, and then 14 points and five boards in the 102-60 loss to the Spartans. 

The Rams returned three players with considerable starting experience from last years squad. Prentiss Nixon averages 18.1 PPG so far this year.

I’ll point out though that LBSU is 3-1 ATS in its last four as a road dog in the 6.5 to nine points range and already 3-1 ATS this year when playing with one or less days rest, while Colorado State is 1-2 ATS as a favorite this season and just 2-6 ATS in all non-conference games.

I think the 49ers are the much hungrier team here. Grab as many points as you can, play on LBSU.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* UNDERDOG OF THE MONTH is on Hofstra (8:30 EST).

The 7-4 Hofstra Pride get ready to battle the 11-0 Villanova Wildcats on Friday night and while I’m obviously not calling for the outright upset, I do expect the Pride to keep this one closer than what the oddsmakers are trying to lead us to believe.

Hofstra had won four in a row before a 63-61 setback to Manhattan on Wednesday. Justin Wright-Foreman was a standout once again in that one with 23 points. Wright-Foreman has now scored at least 22 points in six consecutive games. 

The Wildcats routed the Owls 87-67 in their latest action. Jalen Brunson scored a career-high 31 points in that one. 

The Pride though have performed well in this spot for bettors and I expect that to carry over here, as note that Hofstra is 3-1 ATS in its last four against teams with winning records, while Villanova is 0-2 ATS in its last two as a neutral court favorite between 18.5 to 24 points. 

I think Villanova gets caught “looking past” its lowly opponent to its Christmas break and I look for hungry Hofstra to comfortably sneak in through the back door down the stretch with the ample spread it’s been afforded. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on California (11:00 EST).

The 9-3 Portland State Vikings get ready to battle the 6-6 Cal Golden Bears on Thursday night and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the Bears.

Portland State looks poised for a letdown here in my opinion after winning five of its last six, including a 116-71 rout of lowly Linfield College in its latest action. In that one Deonta North had 27 points and five steals. 

Cal is rolling with three straight victories, but it won’t be taking the foot off the gas tonight or “looking past” its opponent after a disastrous start to the 2017/18 campaign. The 81-59 win over Seattle in its latest action pushed the team just one game over the .500 mark. Darius McNeill led the way with 20 points in that one. 

I’ll point out though that Portland State is just 1-2 ATS in its last three after playing three consecutive road games, while Cal is 6-3 ATS in its last nine against poor defensive teams which allow 77-plus points per contest. 

The Vikings have been an ATS cashing machine this year, but the conditions and numbers point to a letdown here. Lay the points, play on Cal.

Good luck…Larry