My 10* Situational Stunner is on the LA Lakers (10:35 EST).

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

Sacramento enters off a 102-94 victory over New Orleans on Tuesday. The Kings have shown flashes of brilliance at times this year, but they’ve also looked very poor in others, holding three opponents to under 100 points, but they’ve surrendered an average of 107 points in their five setbacks. 

LA’s fifth ranked offense will look to take advantage, so far the Lakers average 108.6 PPG and a victory tonight would give them four wins in a five-game stretch.

I’ll point out that LA is 4-2 ATS in its last six off an upset loss as a favorite, while Sacramento is interestingly, just 1-3 ATS this year against poor defensive teams which allow 99-plus points per contest.

With a game tomorrow night at Portland and with matchups against San Antonio, the Clippers and Raptors on the horizon, I think the home side gets caught “looking past” the lowly Lakers, who at the very least, keep this one close enough to cover down the stretch. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Toronto Raptors (8:05 EST).

I think DeMar DeRozan and the Toronto Raptors are a good matchup for OKC and while I obviously wouldn’t be shocked by an outright upset, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can.

Like Thunder’ star Russell Westbrook, DeRozan pushes the pace and likes to keep his opponents on their heels. 

Toronto is out to atone for a loss to the Kings on Sunday night, as big man DeMarcus Cousins went off for 22 points, 14 boards and three blocked shots. Toronto was without the services of big man Jonas Valanciunas, but he could be back in the line-up tonight.

Whether Valanciunas suits up or not, I still think that Toronto has a legitimate shot at taking this one outright. The Thunder have so far been very effective defensively, but the unit is about to face a stiff test in DeRozan’s faster pace. 

I’ll point out that Toronto is 4-1 ATS in its last five off an upset loss as a favorite, while OKC is just 58-67 ATS the last two season against good offensive teams which average 99-plus points per contest.

Grab as many points as you can.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Houston Rockets (9:35 EST).

Houston comes to town with a ton of momentum, having won two straight, most recently a 114-106 victory over the Wizards on Monday. 

The Spurs won 40 of 41 regular season games at home last year, but have dropped two straight at the AT&T Center, most recently a humbling 114-92 setback to the Clippers. San Antonio allowed a whopping 73 points at half time.

Forward Kawhi Leonard had just 14 points, all of which came in the first half. Spurs welcome back Tony Parker to the mix, he’s been out since opening night against the Warriors because of a knee issue. I think his effectiveness is in question tonight.

The Rockets looked good in their win over the the Wizards, especially on the defensive end in the final quarter. James Harden has gotten out to a great start as well, he had 15 assists and 32 points in the victory:

"This offense gives me a lot more space, a lot more room for me to get to the basket and for me to find guys," Harden assessed after the victory. "You have to respect our shooters. The guys just knocked down some shots tonight and we found our rhythm in the fourth quarter."

I’ll point out that the Rockets are already 3-0 ATS this year after allowing 105 points or more, while San Antonio is just 7-8 ATS in its last 15 following a loss by ten points or more.

I think Houston carries its momentum over into this one and while I won’t be so bold as to predict an outright upset, I do expect the visitors to take this one down to the wire. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

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

With a date against Cleveland in two nights, the 1-5 Wizards will be risking life and limb in trying to secure a victory against the 3-3 Celtics.

The Wizards most recently fell 114-106 to the Rockets on Monday. 

But here’s the perfect opponent to get untracked against, the C’s have regressed quickly and enter having lost two straight by allowing an average of 125.5 PPG. 

Boston seems out of sorts without big man Al Horford, who missed his third straight in a 123-107 setback to Denver on Sunday. 

Washington also plays with revenge today, it lost all four to Boston last year. 

And I’ll point out that the Celtics are just 8-15 ATS in their last 23 when playing with two days of rest, while the Wizards are interestingly 2-1 ATS in their last three after scoring 105 points or more.

Play on the hungry Wizards.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* WESTERN-CONFERENCE TOTAL OF THE WEEK is the over Mavs/Lakers (10:35 EST).

LA is 4-3, including 3-0 at home this season.

The Lakers’ youth movement most recently pulled away for a 119-108 win over the Suns on Sunday, securing LA its third straight win. The victory over Phoenix came after a 20 point rout of the Golden State Warriors and an upset road win over the Hawks last Wednesday. 

LA’s Nick Young had 22 points and seven boards in the win over Phoenix. 

Dallas is 1-5, but finally got off the schneid in its OT win over the Bucks on Sunday. The Mavs have won ten straight over the Lakers and have taken the last five at Staples Arena. Dirk Nowitzki won’t be in the line-up for the visitors, but Harrison Barnes made up the slack with a career-best 34 points in the OT win. 

I’ll point out that the Mavs have seen the total go over the number in 12 of their last 21 as a road dog in the 3.5 to six points range, while the Lakers have seen the total go over in four of their last six as a home fav in the same points range. 

I’m expecting a faster paced game and for the total to eclipse the posted number once it’s all said and done.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* SIDE OF THE MONTH is on the Chicago Bulls (8:05 EST).

Chicago opened with three straight victories and looked ready to challenge the Cavs for Eastern conference supremacy, but the wheels quickly fell off and the Bull have come back down to earth with three straight losses. 

Orlando opened with three straight losses, but comes into this one riding a three game win streak. 

Most recently the Bulls fell 111-94 to the Pacers, a team which they beat during their opening season win skein. Indiana came in off consecutive defeats and caught the Bulls in a bad spot.

But now it’s time for Chicago to bounce back in this home game. Orlando comes to town off an 88-86 win over Washington on Saturday. Orlando’s turnaround has been decent, but I’ll caution in reading too much into it quite yet as the competition level has been minimal, with wins over the 76ers, Kings and Wizards.

Dwayne Wade has so far been the focal point of the Bulls’ offense, so expect to see a lot more of everyone else, especially Jimmy Butler: "I'm just going to have to lead the charge when it comes to coming out with the right energy, making sure we're doing everything we're supposed to on both ends of the floor," Butler said. "I'm definitely capable of doing that, so I can't come out lackadaisical. I've got to make sure everybody is doing what they're supposed to do. I think that's on us. It's not even on the coaches."

With much easier games at home against Minnesota and Utah this week, I think this sets up as a letdown spot for Orlando tonight. 

And with a tough road trip starting on Wednesday on back-to-back nights, Chicago knows that it can ill afford to waste this opportunity. 

All of the situational factors are in place for the Bulls this evening, but I’ll also point out that Orlando is in fact just 12-13 ATS in its last 25 as a road dog in the 6.5 to nine points range, while Chicago is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 after three or more consecutive SU losses. 

Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Oddsmaker’s Error is on the Philadelphia 76ers (7:05 EST).

Gordon Hayward returned to the Utah lineup yesterday and the Jazz managed to score an upset victory in New York. The Jazz have won three of their last four, but I think are primed for a classic letdown today.

Philadelphia is winless, but if ever there was an opponent to get untracked against, this is it. 

And while I wouldn’t be shocked by the outright straight-up upset, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can.

Hayward had 28 points in the 114-109 win yesterday, while Jazz guard George Hill added 23. 

So while everything is smelling like roses in Utah, the 76ers will clearly be in a foul mood today, their most recent setback was a 102-101 loss to Cleveland on Saturday. 

One player to keep your eys on today is Philadephia’s rookie center Joel Embiid, who made all four of his 3-point attempts while scoring 22 in the setback to the Cavs. 

It’s interesting to note that Utah is just 8-9 ATS in its last 17 against the Atlantic division, while Philadelphia is 16-4 ATS in its last 20 against the Northwest.

I think this one sets up perfectly for the home side and expect this game to be a lot more competitive than what the oddsmakers are leading us to beileve. Play on Philadelphia.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Las Vegas Insider is on the under Suns/Lakers (10:30 EST).

Both teams are primed for a letdown. Phoenix comes to town off a thrilling last-second one-point OT win at New Orleans, while LA is coming off a double-digit destruction of the Golden State Warriors.

Phoenix is 2-4 and is led by Devin Booker, who is averaging 19.5 points, posting 38 in the 112-111 victory on Friday. It was the second straight OT win for the Suns. 

It’s hard to properly gauge the new look Lakers at this point, as they’ve been unstoppable at times, but also very poor in others. But there’s no question that they look a whole lot better that last year’s team, note that both Lou Williams and Julian Randle had 20 points apiece in the win over the Warriors.

But it was LA’s defenive pressure which was the difference, as it would hold Golden State to 5 of 32 from behind the arc.

These are two young teams, coming off a couple of big victories. All signs do indeed point to regression tonight, play the under.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Dallas Mavericks (8:00 EST).

Dallas is 0-5 to open the season and will be playing tonight without the services of Dirk Nowitzki, who is being sidelined with an Achilles injury. Despite those facts, I think the desperation level in which the home side plays with tonight will prove to be the difference once the final horn blares.

And here’s the perfect opponent and situation to take advantage of, as Milwaukee comes to town content after hammering the Kings 117-91 at home just last night, making it three in a row for the Bucks. 

The Mavs most recently fell 105-95 at home to Portland. But if history is any precedence, then Dallas has to be loving its chances today, as it’s won three straight in this series at home and 11 of the last 13.

I thnk it’s significant to note that Milwaukee is just 2-10 ATS in its last 12 after three or more consecutive SU victories, while Dallas is still 7-5 ATS in its last 12 after three or more consecutive SU losses. 

A perfect storm of factors collide to make the Mavs the correct call in this one.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* LEGEND is on the Indiana Pacers (7:00 EST).

Indiana is just 2-3 on the year, but has won both games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. 

The Pacers play with the immediate “revenge” factor after falling 118-101 at the United Center last Saturday. That was the second night of a back to back for Indiana.

But now the tables have turned, as the Pacers look to exact a little revenge on a Bulls team which just gave up 117 points in a loss in New York last night (and that was on the heels of giving up 107 to Boston).

After three straight wins, the Bulls have regressed and the veterans will surely be gassed in this back-to-back scenario. Dwayne Wade especially should be tired tonight after going 5 of 7 from 3-point range and finishing with 35 points, all for naught. 

I’ll point out that Chicago is just 6-9 ATS in its last 15 as a road dog of three points or less, while Indiana is 9-5 ATS in its last 14 as a home fav of 3 points or less.

It’s a great spot to pull the trigger on this LEGEND play, lay the points with the Pacers.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the LA Lakers (10:30 EST).

This is one of those “common sense” plays tonight. Golden State is coming off an emotional 122-96 win over the Thunder just last night and I think it will come out flat in tonight’s game against this much improved Lakers team.

LA comes in with a ton of momentum as well after handing Atlanta its first loss of the year on Wednesday, as the Lakers finished their road trip with the 123-116 victory. Lou Williams had 11 of his 19 points in the final frame. 

The Lakers somehow managed a win against Golden State in their final meeting last year and while I won’t be so bold as to predict an outright upset today as well, I simply feel that this sets up as a classic “letdown” spot for the visitors.

And note that Golden State is already 0-2 ATS this year against teams with losing records, while LA is 5-1 ATS in its last six against clubs with winning records.

I think the home side can keep this one a lot more competitive than what the oddsmakers are leading us to believe, so grab as many points as you can.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Dallas Mavericks (8:30 EST).

It’s all hands on deck in Dallas, the panic button has been pushed after an 0-4 start and ultimately I believe that the tremendous sense of urgency that the home side plays with today will turn out to the be the difference in the final outcome.

Damian Lillard has been impressive in the early going for Portland, but that’s about all you can say for the Blazers right now, who come into this one at a sub-par 2-3 on the year. Lillard is averaging 32.5 points, six boards and 4.6 assists, but his 27 were not enough in his team’s 118-115 OT setback at Phoenix on Wednesday. 

But if history is any precedence, then the Mavs have to be loving their chances today, as note that Dallas has won four straight at home in this series and 26 of the last 32 overall. 

The only significant injury to report is Blazers’ center Festus Ezeli, who is suffering a knee issue.

I’ll point out that Portland is just 7-8 ATS in its last 15 as a road fav of three points or less, while Dallas is 5-3 ATS in its last eight as a home dog of three points or less and 6-4 ATS in its last ten after three or more consecutive SU losses.

I think Dallas finally gets off the schneid with a full four quarter effort. 

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the under Hawks/Wizards (7:00 EST).

This is a big game for the Wizards, who are 0-3 on the year. Washington was looking for a win against visiting Toronto on Wednesday, but the team came up short in the 113-103 setback. The Wizards fell apart in the fourth quarter and had 21 turnovers in total, which Toronto would turn into a whopping 30 points.

Atlanta finally suffered its first loss of the year, a 123-116 setback to the Lakers on Wednesday. Clearly a better defensive effort is expected: "They just played better than us. I give credit when credit is due," Atlanta guard Tim Hardaway Jr. assessed afterwards. "They came out with a sense of urgency in that second half. (Giving up) 39 in the third quarter and 33 in the fourth is unacceptable."

Note that in their three wins, the Hawks would hold their opponents to under 100 points in each game.

Clearly both sides are looking to tighten things up on the defensive end after some recent shoddy play on that end of the court. But also note that Atlanta has seen the total go under the number in 45 of its last 80 after scoring 105 points or more, while Washington has seen the total go under the number in 12 of its last 18 home games as a fav of three points or less.

This number is just a little high, play the under.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Indiana Pacers (8:05 EST).

I like the Pacers to move over .500 with a big effort against the younger Bucks this evening.

If history is any precedence, then Indiana has to be loving its chances today as it would take three of four from the Bucks last year. 

All star forward Paul George averaged 22 points, 7.7 boards and 5.7 assists in those three meetings.

The Bucks were led by Giannis Antetokounmpo with 16.0 points and 6.5 boards in the season series. 

Indiana’s offense finally came alive in its 115-108 win over the Lakers and I’m expecting that momentum to get carried over here. Indiana has failed to cover the spread in three straight games, but all signs point to that trend ending tonight.

I think the Bucks are poised for a letdown after their outright upset victory on the road over New Orleans on Tuesday, note that they’re a poor 21-24 ATS in their last 45 after scoring 105 points or more.

And note that Indiana is 27-23 ATS in its last 50 after scoring 105 points or more.

Lay the points, play on the Pacers.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* Oddsmaker’s Error is on the Chicago Bulls (8:00 EST).

So far the new look Bulls look pretty good with their 3-0 record. Last week they posted a 105-99 win over the Celtics, with Jimmy Buttler and Dwayne Wade each scoring 24. I’m looking for a repeat performance here.

Boston is 2-1 after holding on to defeat Brooklyn in its home opener and then winning at Charlotte on Saturday. 

One player to keep your eyes on is former Celtic Rajon Rondo, who is averaging 6.7 points, 8.7 assists and 4.3 boards this year (note that Rondo has averaged 13.0 points, 9.5 assists and 5.0 rebounds in four games versus Boston). 

The Bulls have always played the Atlantic division strong, 25-13 ATS in their last 38. And note that Boston is just 5-6 ATS in its last 11 when playing with three or more days rest. 

I think that the Celtics get caught “looking ahead” to their game in Cleveland tomorrow night and the surging Bulls take this one down to the wire. Grab as many points as you can.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* SIDE OF THE WEEK is on the Washignton Wizards (7:00 EST).

I had a play on the Timberwovles last night. Minnesota opened the season 0-2 after having late double-digit leads evaporate in both setbacks. The Wolves returned to Minnesota for their home opener on Tuesday and would go on to destroy the Grizzlies.

This is an identical situation to take advantage of, as the 0-2 Wizards will be risking life and limb tonight to secure the victory and avoid the dreaded 0-3 start. 

Most recently the Wizards fell 112-103 in OT to the Grizzlies, after letting a late 96-88 lead slip away. 

Toronto is 2-1, most recently coming off a 105-102 win over the Nuggets on Monday. 

The Wizards dropped all four regular season games to the Raptors a year ago, so will have the added motivation for a little revenge tonight as well.

Note though that Toronto is just 31-46 ATS in its last 77 after scoring 105 points or more, while Washington is 18-13 ATS in its last 31 when playing with two days of rest.

I think the motivated home side gets off the schneid and finds a way to get the job done at the end of the night. Play on Washington.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Golden State Warriors (10:05 EST).

The Warriors have yet to cover the spread this season, but I think they “get off the schneid” in that department tonight.

Portland beat Golden State 137-105 on February 19th, handing the Warriors their worst one-sided defeat in a half decade. Damian Lillard had 51 points in that one. 

The Warriors though would eliminate the Blazers in five games in the playoffs though. 

Lillard has averaged 35 points, 8 boards and 5.3 assists in his first three games this year and is clearly an MVP candidate. Golden State has at least two, or perhaps three players which could challenge for that distinction as well though.

The Warriors haven’t had a “break out” offensive performance yet, as the team continues to come together with some of its new faces. I think that changes tonight though. All eyes will be on this game tonight and I’m expecting the visitors to finally erupt offensively. 

Kevin Durant had 37 points in a 106-100 win over Phoenix on Sunday. Stephen Curry had 28 points. Draymond Green chipped in nine points, 13 boards and nine assists. 

Note that Golden State is 16-9 ATS in its last 25 as a road fav in the 3.5 to 7 points range, while Portland is just 46-51 ATS in its last 97 against teams with winning records.

Lay the points, play on the Warriors.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Utah Jazz (8:35 EST). 

The Spurs are 4-0 and have shown no ill effects of the retirement of Tim Duncan. Most recently San Antonio comes in off a 98-79 win over New Orleans on Saturday. 

San Antonio is an incredibly deep team and its hard to say anything negative about it, so I won’t. I simply feel that the 1-2 Jazz can keep this one closer than what the oddsmakers are leading us to beileve. 

Utah most recently fell 88-75 to the Clippers on Sunday, led by 18 points from George Hill. 

Despite the slow start this season, Utah has performed well in this spot for bettors over the years, going 21-11 ATS in its last 32 against good offensive teams which average 99-plus points per contest. And note that San Antonio is in fact just 4-6 ATS in its last ten after three or more consecutive SU victories.

This is the opener of a home and home set and I think the hungry visitors do just enough to sneak in through the back door down the stretch. Play on Utah.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Minnesota Timberwolves (8:05 EST). 

Minnesota is 0-2 and will be hungry for a victory today. In its two losses, it’s held early double-digit leads. 

The Wolves also play with revenge after falling to the Grizzlies in Memphis on Opening night, a contest which saw them squander a 17-point lead. 

This is Minnesota’s home opener, so energy levels are going to be through the roof for the hungry Wolves. 

Since the win over Minnesota, Memphis lost 111-104 to the Knicks on the road, and then needed a come-from behind OT effort to knock off the Wizards by nine. I think the stage is set for a letdown for the visitors tonight. 

"We lost two games already. We just try to win," Minnesota fourth-year guard Zach LaVine said last night. "That's all that matters to me right now. We invest a lot of stuff this summer to try and get better. The time is now."

I’ll point out that Memphis is just 12-14 ATS in its last 26 off an upset win as an underdog, while Minnesota is 5-3 ATS in its last eight as a home fav in the 3.5 to six points range.

Lay the points with confidence, play on the Wolves.

Good luck…Larry

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

Sacramento is 2-1 to open the season, while Atlanta is 2-0. 

The Kings seemed poised for a letdown here though after being down by as many as 20 points to the Timberwolves on Saturday, only to rally for the 106-103 victory. 

Atlanta has looked good to open the year, most recently destroying the 76ers 104-72 on Saturday. And if history is any precedence, then the Hawks have to be loving their chances today as Sacramento hasn’t won in Atlanta since March 3rd, 2006. 

So far the new faces have looked pretty good for Atlanta, as Hawks’ center Dwight Howard had 19 boards in a win over the Wizards in his home debut, while point guard Dennis Schroder had 11 assists in the win over Philadelphia. Paul Millsap has averaged a respectable 22.5 PPG over the first two. 

This is the start of a big Eastern road swing for Sacramento, which has a quick turn around with a game in Miami tomorrow night. Atlanta on the other hand enjoys a night off before welcoming the lowly Lakers to town on Wednesday. 

I think the visitors get caught looking ahead and the surging home side pulls away down the stretch for the comfortable ATS cover.

Good luck…Larry