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It seems the Nuggets are back on track as they have won and covered two straight and three of four. The Bucks are on a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights, and you have to think that the key guys will get limited minutes if they suit up at all. Health for the playoffs is more important to the Bucks here than winning. The Nuggets are well rested here, and a win would go a long way to putting their recent poor play in the rear-view.

The Spurs have gone under in three straight, and their offense has been abysmal. They have scored 94 and 84 in their last two games. This team has a questionable roster to begin with, but they are very banged up right now, although they should get some players back from injury tonight. But this roster hasn’t had much continuity lately, and we don’t see their offense getting back into a flow tonight. The Wizards have an underrated defense. They are also trending to the under, as five of their last seven have gone under the posted number. This Spurs defense is bad. But it’s unlikely that they allow anywhere near the 130 they gave up to Milwaukee last time. The Wizards offense is Bottom 10 in the league for scoring, and two of their Top 3 scorers are out tonight.  

This is a strong revenge spot for the Clippers after the Thunder edged them here on Tuesday. Not only is this a revenge spot, but the Clippers are mad/frustrated with their performance on Tuesday as they had the ball with a near full shot clock down 1 at the end of the game and didn’t even get a shot off. Paul George will miss this game and all the others to end the regular season. But Kawhi and a deep roster around him should be able to pick up the slack against a Thunder team that has been playing above their heads recently.

Utah has won two straight, including an impressive home win over Boston. They have covered in six straight and they are trying to hold onto their spot in the play in here tonight. The Blazers are cooked and don’t have a realistic chance to make the play in, so they are basically playing out the string here. They enter on a six-game skid.

Brooklyn has lost three straight both SU and ATS. They had been playing well after the big trade, but they seem to have fallen off a cliff lately and their offensive struggles have been the culprit. That doesn’t bode well for tonight against the top defensive team in the NBA. Cleveland has been playing well, and they have been beating up on bad teams lately. We think this one has a good chance to be a blowout.

The Clippers are trying to put it together before the playoffs. They had their four-game winning streak snapped last time out vs. Orlando, but this team should bounce back well here, with or without Kawhi, who is listed as questionable. Portland has lost five straight and covered in only one of those games, so they are definitely vulnerable, and you know the Clips want to string together some wins and solid play before the postseason.

There is some reverse line movement here as the majority of the cash is on the Sixers but the odds have moved the other way, which is always a good sign since we were really high on the Pacers to start off with. The Sixers are playing great, but they are on a back-to-back here and playing their third game in four nights, while the Pacers are well rested here with Friday off. Philly has been playing very well, but they should be tired here and we don’t see them giving 100%. These teams played two weeks ago, here in Indiana, and the Sixers had to rally for a four-point win. We think Indiana can do even better here and possibly win outright. Indiana needs to win games down the stretch to make the play in. So they will be the more motivated team. Philly traditionally struggles in this matchup as they are 0-4 ATS in the last four visits to Indiana and 1-6 ATS in the last seven meetings overall.

Cleveland has gone over in the last four games, but we are getting a great number here as the oddsmakers have overadjusted. Cleveland has the No. 1 scoring defense in the league. We expect them to hold Washington to a real low total. The Wizards are underrated defensively. They are in the top half of the league for points allowed. The under has gone 6-2 in the last eight meetings, and we think that is where the value is tonight. Cleveland is coming off a blowout loss to Philly last time out, and we think they will step up the defense here against an inferior team. This one has a chance to be a blowout, which would bode well for the under.

10-Unit Play Take LA Clippers -2.5 over Golden State (10 p.m. EST,  Wed March 15)

Something has finally clicked with the Clippers. After a season of trials and tribulations, this team finally is playing at the level that most expected coming into the season. And tonight is their most important game of the season as they are tied with the Warriors and a game behind the Suns. By the end of the weekend, if all goes according to plan, Los Angeles could see themselves in the Top 4 in the West. After a season of major ups and downs, LA is in a great position to get a decent seed and do some damage in the postseason. But they need a win tonight. And we think they do just that. This team is well rested and has had three nights off coming into this super important game. The Warriors are coming off consecutive wins over the Bucks and Suns. So they are in a letdown spot here. And this team has been horrible on the road this season. They are 7-26 on the road. And they are 8-23-1 ATS on the road. A healthy and clicking Clippers team is better than the Warriors, and we think they prove that on the court tonight.

Best of Luck, Doc's Sports

There is a chance this line could move through the day depending on the status of Damian Lillard for Portland, but we like the Knicks for a comfortable win even if the Blazers star plays. The Knicks are often underrated on the road, where they have played excellent basketball this season, and are 23-12 ATS on the road. This current road trip hasn’t gone the best, with a head-scratching loss in Charlotte and losses to playoff teams in the Clippers and Kings. So there will be a little bit or extra urgency here to salvage the road trip. Brunson will likely miss this game for the Knicks. But this is a more complete team than the Blazers, and we think New York will be fine without him. This is the Blazers first home game after a long road trip and that can often be tricky for a team as the players often have their minds on personal business rather than the task at hand.

Sacramento is a very good team but Milwaukee is a great team. They are coming off a loss at Golden State and will want to get back on the winning track here. Milwaukee should be getting the Greek Freak back tonight, and this Bucks team can go toe to toe with the Kings on the offensive end. But they are much better at defending, and they will have a big edge on the boards, which should result in many second chance points.

The Spurs are coming off an improbable win over Denver, but this team is not going to build a winning streak or anything. They are probably too happy with that win and this could be a letdown spot. OKC has won and covered in four of their last five, so they are in good form. The Spurs have covered only one of the last eight meetings.

Brooklyn is Fat and Happy with three wins in their last four, but we don’t see that success continuing tonight. The Wolves are the better team and this line is more than fair. Minnesota has also won three of four and they are playing well right now. Brooklyn usually doesn’t play well here and they are 5-16 ATS in the last 21 meetings.

The Pacers are not a great team. But they can score. And they will be highly motivated here as they are a couple games out of the Play In Tournament. They know that if they don’t get a convincing win here, that they don’t belong in the postseason. We think they get the job done. The Rockets are one of the most tanking teams right now, and they have covered only two of their last nine games. Both of those were against the Spurs, another tanking club, so maybe that was just a case of San Antonio wanting the loss more. They aren’t covering despite some very generous lines from the oddsmakers. Indiana has covered six of seven, so they have been a money machine lately and underrated by the oddsmakers. The Pacers are 21-13 ATS at home, and they normally take care of business against bad teams. The Rockets are 11-22 ATS on the road, where they normally get massive spreads like we see tonight. Houston normally doesn’t play well here and they are 4-11 ATS in the last 15 meetings in Indiana.

The Clippers have been a schizophrenic team, but when they start playing well they can string together some good games. They are healthy and they snapped their losing streak last time out vs. the Grizzlies. They also played well in a one-point loss at Sacramento before that. We think they are primed for a win and a cover here. Kawhi will no doubt want to play well against his former team, and this just looks like a game where the Clips Big Two could potentially go off for a big game. You know the Clippers stars like their rest, and this team has had two nights off.

Milwaukee is playing the best basketball of any team in the NBA. They ended their long winning streak lately vs. Philly, but they look to start another winning streak tonight. These teams played last week in Milwaukee, and the Bucks won by 20+. We don’t think a venue change will make too much of a difference here. Revenge is out the window since the teams have had games in between. Orlando has a nice foundation for the future, but they are not playing as well as they were a couple months ago. This team is unlikely to make the play in tourney, so looks like tanking is in order down the stretch.

The Pacers have covered in five of six, and this team is playing well at the moment. This is a letdown spot for the Sixers after their big win vs. the Bucks on Saturday. Indiana has covered five of six in this series and they normally bring their A Game when facing off against Philly. The Sixers have also covered only one of their last seven meetings here. Indiana needs all the games in hand that they can get and we think they come into this one wanting the win.

Portland has been on the wrong end of some blowouts lately, in five of their last six games. Orlando is sneaky good this season and they will not hesitate to take advantage of a team on a slump. They have won two straight and three of four in this series and we see another comfortable win here on Sunday.

Miami has covered in only two of their last 10 games, and this team continues to be one of the worst bets in the NBA night after night. The Hawks have won three of four and they are playing well right now. We think they have a great chance to win here in what should be a close game.

We don’t get in the habit of taking NBA double-digit favorites, but we think it is justified in this situation. After the trade deadline, the Nets are sinking and will be lucky to make the play in once all is said and done for the regular season. This team is clearly looking towards next season. They have lost four straight, three by double digits, and two by 20+. In their last game, they allowed 142 to the Knicks. They have allowed 129 or more in three of their last four. That doesn’t bode well against what is, in our opinion, the best team in the league. This Boston team is a covering machine lately. This is one of the most poised, veteran clubs out there – not to mention one of the most talented – and they aren’t a team that is going to take many nights off or overlook an opponent. We think they bring their A Game here as the playoffs are quickly approaching. They are right on the heels of the Bucks for the No. 1 seed, so they know every game is important down the stretch. They have won the last three meetings by double digits (they have covered in six straight meetings), and they won by 40+ at the start of February against a stronger Nets team.  This one looks like blowout city to us.

This is a letdown spot for Philly after their big revenge win over the Heat last night. Now they are on a back-to-back and with their best player questionable. Even if Embiid does play, he will not likely be 100%. Since they won last night, we think they rest him again here and hope for the best. The Sixers have played four straight unders, and the under has hit in five consecutive meetings between these teams. We think this total is about five points too high.

The Bucks have been playing amazing basketball and have some high profile wins lately, but this looks like a game where they could have a letdown effort. They are on a back-to-back here and also have Philly on deck. Orlando is rested, healthy and a team on the rise. They have been money in this price range (16-9-1 ATS as a dog of 7.5 or more), and we think they bring their A Game tonight and they should be confident they can compete for the win against a tired team.

OKC is such a fun team to watch. They are great offensively and play little defense. Their games are often shootouts, and we see that being the case here tonight. We agree with the oddsmakers that this will be a competitive game, and we think both teams get their share of the points to send this one sailing over the total.

This sets up as a nice revenge spot for the Heat’s win Monday in Philly. That was a rare cover for them recently, which shows the oddsmakers have been continuously overrating them. Philly is 14-6 ATS as a small favorite this season, and they are clearly the better team in this matchup. Miami has been one of the worst ATS teams all season and they continue to get too much respect from the oddsmakers. Revenge is an overrated handicapping angle in the NBA UNLESS these teams played recently, and that is certainly the case here.

The Clippers have been inconsistent but they still have been a better bet this season than the Wolves, and we think they will want to bring their A Game tonight and leave nothing to chance after a pair of OT losses to Sacramento and Denver. The Wolves have covered in only one of the last seven meetings to LA and we think they are in for a tough game tonight.

The Heat are one of the worst ATS teams in the league and they have covered in only one of their last nine games and enter on a four-game losing streak. The Sixers had their five-game winning streak snapped vs. Boston even though they played well, and this looks like a great bounce back spot. Philly is one of the best ATS teams in the league, and they do their best work at home. We see them getting a comfortable win tonight, and a blowout isn’t out of the question.

Love the Thunder in this spot. The Suns will be shorthanded as Durant will likely be postponing his Suns debut. The Thunder are on a back-to-back here but they have been solid in these situations at 4-3 ATS on the season. In fact, this is one of the best ATS teams in the NBA on the year. They are 8-2 ATS on the season when getting around this many points. They normally bring their A Game on the road against top teams, where they are 25-9-1 ATS in their last 35 against a team with a winning home record.

Teams will want to get off to a strong start for the stretch run after the all-star break, and we think this is a game that the Sixers will want to take very seriously. These teams are somewhat close together record wise but we think the Sixers are the much stronger team, and they should take care of business with a comfortable win here in front of the home faithful. Philly is one of the best betting teams this season at 34-23 ATS, while the Grizzlies have a losing ATS mark. The Sixers are a dominant home team at 23-8, while Memphis does their best work at home as well but is 11-17 on the road. The Sixers won and covered four straight before the break, and we think that momentum will continue here after. The Grizzlies have covered only one of their last six road contests. They have covered in only one of their last six visits to Philly. They are 9-19 ATS in road games this season, while the Sixers have been dominant, at 21-10 ATS at home. Memphis is 3-7 ATS when in an underdog role this season, and we think they come up well short of the cover here tonight

Six straight meetings have gone under. We think both teams will lock down defensively and expect this one to finish at least five points under the total as we had this one handicapped under 220. The Suns have been trending to the under and we think their defense will hold the Clippers to a reasonable score tonight.

The Clippers have been an under team this season, especially at home, so the oddsmakers have to be sure not to set the totals too high. But they went too low here, in our opinion. Even without Curry on the court this team can score, and they are going to push the pace. They have gone over in five of their last six. Two of the last three meetings have gone over, and we see this one as being high scoring as well, and the Clippers offense should benefit from the pace here tonight.

Both teams have been playing well but we just don’t believe in the Thunder as a favorite although we love to take them when getting points. But they are laying too many here in what we think is pretty much a coin flip of a game. OKC is 2-5 ATS as a small favorite like this. We think this is a great chance for a rare road win by the Pelicans tonight.

We really like the Bulls to compete here tonight and think they have a decent chance for the outright win. The Cavs have to be exhausted on a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights. The Bulls come in rested and have lost two straight. So they will likely bring their A Game tonight as they had won three straight before the current slide. Cleveland has had a pretty favorable schedule lately. They should be fat and happy here tonight and probably won’t have much urgency like the Bulls should have.

These teams played Sunday and the total went under by 21 points. The oddsmakers didn’t make enough of a downward adjustment on this total, in our opinion, and there is nice value here on the under. The under is 18-7 in the last 25 meetings in Philly. It is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings overall. While the offenses will likely make some adjustments from Sunday’s game, we have a lot of wiggle room here for the total even if the offenses play much better. But these are two very good defensive teams. Philly is No. 3 for defense, while the Knicks are right outside the Top 10. But the Knicks have held three of their last four opponents to 104 or less, including these Sixers, and they have stepped up the defense lately. Philly has gone under in four of five, and they have been excellent on the defensive side. We see this one as comfortably under the number.

The Bucks are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings against the Lakers in Los Angeles, As a small-market team they normally bring their A Game when playing under the bright lights in the big city, and we think that will be the case again tonight. LeBron broke the scoring record last time out and that is one of the biggest stories in the nation, and we think this could create a letdown spot for them. He is also listed as questionable tonight and his status will no doubt move this line, but we like the Bucks for a comfortable win whether he plays or not. The Bucks are in playoff form right now with eight straight wins, and the Lakers are still trying to figure things out.

The Suns have quietly been playing great basketball and they get their Big 3 back tonight as Booker is expected to join the roster. They face a Brooklyn team in flux after the trade of Kyrie Irving, and the Suns will be facing a depleted roster tonight that is on the second night of a back-to-back. We expect a double-digit win from the road team here.

The Clippers are quietly one of the hottest teams in the league. They have won seven of nine and their two losses were by one in Milwaukee (in a game they led at one point by 20+) and in Cleveland on the second of a B2B when they rested half the team. Tonight they face a very vulnerable Nets team that not only is missing Durant, but they have other key players on the way out of town and others coming in via the Dallas trade. The Nets will try their hardest but they just don’t have the firepower to stay competitive here tonight. LA has covered in seven of their last eight, and we think this team won’t overlook the Nets since they had lots of struggles before things came together for this recent positive run.

These are two strong defensive teams. The Knicks are coming not only off a back-to-back but after an OT game vs. the Clippers where they let a lead slip away. So this looks like a flat spot for them, and we don’t see them putting up a big point total here against the No. 6 defense. We think NY will have to rely on their D to keep them competitive here.

The Clippers at full strength, which they will likely be tonight, have been playing some of the best basketball in the NBA recently. They deserved the win last time out in Milwaukee and controlled most of that game but couldn’t hit any shots late and lost by one. That makes this game against a lesser opponent even more important. The Clippers have covered in six of their last seven games, with the only non cover coming in Cleveland in the game where a lot of key players sat out. With some of those types of games on the schedule, it makes full squad games like this more important, and we think they take care of business here tonight. The Clips have covered in seven of the last nine visits to MSG.

We like to back a good team after a bad and embarrassing loss as they normally bring their A Game in the next outing. That is the case for the Suns here. They were embarrassed at home by the Hawks last time out, 132-100. NBA players have a lot of pride and ego, and good teams don’t often fail to show up in consecutive games. And the Suns had been playing well as they had won six of seven entering that game. Boston has been winning, but they have covered only one of their last seven games as the oddsmakers are posting too high of spreads. They probably won’t be on their A Game against this out-of-conference foe. The Suns aren’t a big underdog often, but they are 5-2 ATS when getting five or more points. The Suns have also had great betting success here in Boston as they have covered in eight of the last 11 meetings. They have also covered in 10 of the last 14 meetings overall.

Both teams have been inconsistent on offense, and we think this is an inflated total tonight. Five of the last six for Dallas have gone under. Four of the last six for New Orleans have gone under. These teams played a high-scoring game last month but that the bookies have not adjusted the total from that matchup tells us a lot here.

The Warriors are 8-16 ATS on the road. Minnesota has won three of four and five of seven, and they are quietly playing great basketball right now. These teams have traded ATS covers for the last seven meetings, and it’s now the Timberwolves turn. We think they have a great chance for the outright win.

The Clippers offense has finally found its stride and the oddsmakers haven’t adjusted enough. We had this total handicapped in the low 230s, so there is insane value on this total tonight. The Clippers had a dud of an offensive game last time out, but half the team was scratched before the game and they played the Cavs, one of the best defensive teams in the league. But prior to that outing, the Clips had scored 120 or more in four of their previous five games. They have gone over in six of their last eight games, and we see the pace and scoring here being fluid and see a competitive game where both teams get their share of the total.

The Suns have won five of six. They are getting healthier and trending upwards. We think this line is more than fair for the home team tonight. The Raptors normally don’t play up to expectations when a small dog like this as they are 4-7 ATS when a dog of under 2.5 points. They are only 2-7 ATS in the last nine meetings in Phoenix and 5-14 ATS in the last 19 meetings overall. Since these teams don’t meet often, that is a trend that goes back years. We expect the home team to pull away late in the game.

The Bucks are trending upward and have won four of five, including a big win over Indiana less than two weeks ago. The Bucks needed a rally as the Pacers played well in the first half. But Milwaukee ended up winning by double digits. We expect to see a more complete game from the Bucks here. They match up very well against the Pacers and have a strong history against them as they have covered in seven of the last nine meetings. Five of those games were double digit blowouts. The Pacers started off the season strong but now might not even make the play in. They have covered only two of their last 10 games.

The Clippers have won three straight, including a win over these Clippers in San Antonio, and they are playing better every game as they get healthy. The last time they played here in LA they won by more than 20, and we could see that type of result here with the Spurs coming in on a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights.

OKC has had a couple days off and they should be well rested and ready to go here and are winners of five of their last six. This is one of the top ATS teams in the league the last couple seasons and they keep getting the job done. Atlanta is much better at home than on the road, and they are trending downward with two straight losses. OKC has covered 25 of the last 36 meetings.

Despite the Clippers struggles recently, they are the better team here, and they are almost worthy of a blind bet when playing the Lakers. They are 11-0 ATS when the Lakers are the HOME team. They are 37-17 ATS in the last 54 meetings, one of the strongest betting trends in the NBA long term. They are getting healthy and have been playing well, and the Lakers are not healthy at the moment and we expect a dominating performance.

Sacramento has won six of seven, but most of those wins came against sub par competition. They face one of the best in the west tonight, and we think the Grizzlies are quite a bit better than the Kings. The Grizzlies started this road trip with consecutive losses to the Lakers and Suns, by a combined three points. So they will really be focused on getting a win here and this team doesn’t want to drop three straight. They can do it against a team they have had a lot of success against. They have covered in all four of their recent trips to Sacramento and are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings overall.

Boston is missing Tatum for this one, so their offense will definitely take a hit. Toronto has been trending to the over, so we think we are getting an inflated number here. But four of the last five meetings have gone under the posted number, and we see a defensive battle here this afternoon.

This is an opponent that the Clippers normally play well against. They are 4-1 ATS in the last five visits to San Antonio and 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings. LA has been playing horribly. They have been dealing with more injuries, a problem that has to this point derailed their season. But it looks like the Big 2 will be playing tonight, and this team is desperate for a win. They have lost many games lately, but they have had a tough schedule littered with playoff teams. Their last easy opponent was vs. Houston, and they won by 21. We think we could see s similar result here as if the Clippers don’t get a convincing win here then it might be time for heads to roll in LA. We think they bring their A Game tonight.

We have seen that the Suns aren’t a great team at full strength, but with the two best guys of their Big 3 missing and some other injuries, this team has been in a free fall lately. The Nets are without Kevin Durant, and they have lost three straight. But Kyrie Irving should be back tonight, and the Nets have a much better roster taking the court tonight, and this should be a nice spot to get back on the winning track.

OKC is playing excellent basketball right now. They went 3-1 on their recent four-game road trip, with wins at Philly and Brooklyn. They have home blowouts vs. Dallas and Boston in their last eight games. Indiana is going the other direction as they have lost four straight and they have covered in only one of their last five, showing they have been overvalued by the oddsmakers recently. We think that is the case again tonight.

This one has a strong history of the under, with 10 of the last 12 meetings going under the posted number. These are two Top 10 defenses, and the offenses are towards the bottom of the league. Both teams are coming in on a back-to-back, where the teams are a combined 8-3 to the under on the second end of a B2B. We expect a low scoring game here.

The Knicks are coming in on a back-to-back, but they have a winning record ATS in these situations, so we aren’t really worried about that aspect too much. They barely broke a sweat in a blowout at Detroit yesterday. The Knicks are playing their best basketball of the season. They have won seven of eight and covered in six of those contests. The oddsmakers are punishing them too much here for the B2B. Toronto is 5-13 on the road this season and this will be another tough situation for them to get the win. They hosted the Knicks earlier in the month and lost by four. This one should see a larger margin of victory.

The Magic have been solid as a big underdog, with a 16-10-1 ATS record when getting five or more points. This team has cooled off since their big win streak but they have still been covering, as they enter on a two-game cover streak and they have covered in three of four overall. They catch a Nuggets team that is a little banged up now, though Jokic should return tonight. But this game is sandwiched between important conference games against the Clippers and Blazers, so if there were to be a game they would take less seriously, it would probably be this matchup against the Magic, who we think can keep this one within single digits.

Note: there will likely be line movement in this game because of MVP favorite Jokic and his injury status. He is questionable with a wrist injury. We like the Clippers for a comfortable win whether he plays or not. We think Revenge is an overrated NBA handicapping angle. That is unless the teams played recently. And the Clippers no doubt remember that game last week in Denver where they got spanked, 122-91. The Nuggets have won six of seven, but they have been enjoying some home cooking lately. All those wins were at home, but they are just 2-4 in their last six road contests. Even though George is out tonight for the Clippers, this team is very deep with talent, but they just have not had consistent rotations. But they looked real good last time out in a double-digit home win vs. the Mavs, and wins and losses have come in bunches for this team. But they need to start stacking some wins together after the lackluster start to the season, and we expect them to bring their A Game tonight and for Kawhi to lead the way to a win and cover.

Oklahoma City was one of the best ATS teams last season, and they are doing it again as they are the No. 1 betting team this season at 25-16 ATS. This is the perfect betting team as they play hard almost every night yet keep it close more often than getting the outright win. They have covered in four of their last five games, and we expect them to keep this close tonight. OKC does most of their ATS damage as a big dog as they are 18-7 ATS when getting three or more points. If this line goes up to double digits, they are a perfect 5-0 ATS in those scenarios. While teams like the Lakers and Warriors get the best shot from other teams even when they aren’t high in the standings, OKC is a team they often overlook and we don’t see the Sixers bringing their A Game tonight. OKC has covered in four of the last five meetings in Philly.

The tanking Rockets are in a freefall right now and have covered only one of their last seven games despite very generous lines from the oddsmakers. The Kings have been inconsistent but they are coming in off a confidence-boosting blowout of a better Orlando team. We think they can ride that momentum to a double digit win here. The Kings have covered in four of the last five meetings.

For Dallas, Luka Doncic is questionable for this matchup. If he plays, the line will move. But we like the Clippers to win this one by a comfortable margin despite the line movement. Paul George is out for LA but Kawhi should play. Tonight., we have to plug our noses and take the Clippers, who are on a 6-game losing streak. This is the worst losing streak in years. This team has been inconsistent. But this just has the feeling of a Must Win game, and we think LA will respond to the pressure tonight. It’s not like they have lost to scrubs, as all the losses were to playoff type teams. They played their best game of the bunch last time out vs. the Hawks, who eventually rallied for the win. But LA has covered in five of the last seven meetings, and this is a good familiar foe with which to halt the losing streak.

Two teams on winning streaks as the Bulls have won three straight and the Celtics have won two straight. But Boston has not been covering many lines as they have been overvalued by oddsmakers and they haven’t been playing at their top level. They have covered only one of their last four games. Chicago covered in all three of their recent wins. We expect a hard fought game here. The Bulls typically bring their A Game when playing Boston. They are 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings and they have covered four straight in Boston. We were planning to take the Bulls here and thought the line would be closer to 6, so there is excellent value here tonight.

We took the Celtics for a big play last time out against the Mavs after their embarrassing loss to the Thunder and they destroyed Dallas by nearly 30. Now we are going to back Dallas with the same philosophy, backing a good team after an embarrassing loss. They didn’t show up in that game, and they will no doubt produce a better effort here win or lose. They come in rested, while the Pelicans are on a B2B after a game they probably wanted more in Brooklyn last night that was hard fought but ended up a loss. New Orleans is not a very deep team, and they are missing two of their Big Three and we think their lineup will be lacking here in the B2B. Dallas has been an awful ATS team this season, but that can turn around. We think they have a great chance for a blowout here.

The Clippers look to have hit rock bottom last night with a 30+-point loss in Denver. Now they are on a back-to-back against a surging Timberwolves team that has won two straight. We don’t know what roster moves Ty Lue will do tonight, as Kawhi and/or George may site the second end of the B2B. But if they both do play, that is probably a sign of pure desperation. Both were ineffective last night. In fact, no starter scored in double digits.

The Mavs have won seven in a row, while the Celtics have been blown out in two straight and lost to OKC by 30+ last time out. Yet the Celtics are still favored here on the road. That tells us a lot. We always like to take a good team after an embarrassing loss. The Celtics certainly fit the bill here as they are arguably the best team in the NBA. And that loss is certainly embarrassing, but it’s also forgivable. During the long grind of the NBA season, teams just don’t always show up to play. But after a real poor effort, we expect the Celtics to bring their A Game tonight in Dallas. The Celtics have covered in 12 of 17 meetings here and they are the much better team. We think they show it tonight.

The Suns offense is really struggling right now. They have scored 104 or fewer points in four of their last six games and put up only 83 last time out vs. the Knicks. Things won’t get any easier for them tonight against the Cavs, the No. 1 defensive team for points allowed this season. The Suns are a pretty good defensive team also, so they will have to rely on that facet of the game to stay competitive here and Cleveland probably isn’t going to light up the scoreboard tonight. The under is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings in Cleveland, and we expect another low scoring game here tonight.

This is the perfect revenge spot for the Bucks, who lost to Washington here on this same floor in a blowout Sunday. Antetokounmpo and Holiday, the Bucks two best players this season, missed that game but both should be back here. Milwaukee has lost five of six, so there should be a sense of urgency here tonight. Four of those losses were on the road, and three were to the other top teams in the east, so it’s not like they have been beaten by a bunch of bad teams. This looks like a good spot for a blowout win and revenge.

The Clippers finished out their road trip with two losses and they need a win here. We think they will get it against a Heat team that is banged up right now. The Clippers will have close to a full roster tonight and are one of the deepest teams in the league. The Heat are 1-7 ATS in the last eight meetings, and Miami has been one of the worst teams for bettors this season at 13-22-2 ATS.

Utah has not been playing great on the road and is 1-4 ATS in their last five road games. The Kings shine has worn off since the start of the season as this team has been inconsistent. But they are healthy here and this line is more than fair. This homestand hasn’t been the best, but they head on the road after the new year so we think this game is a priority to get a win and salvage the homestand. Utah hasn’t looked very good the last couple games and even lost to the Spurs. They are 7-13 on the road and we think they are in for another tough game tonight.

Boston has been the best team in the NBA to start the season, but now that the Clippers are healthy, they have possibly the strongest roster in the league. They should have most of the squad playing tonight, and this is just too many points. The Celtics were in a big slump but have won three straight, but wins over Minnesota and Houston don’t really move the needle. Just don’t think this club is in top form right now. The Clippers always seem to play well in Boston, where they are 9-4 ATS in the last 13 meetings, and we think they bring their A Game tonight.

The Clippers played last night so enter on a back-to-back but the starters played limited minutes and Kawhi was out, but he should play here and should bring his best against his former team. The Clips are the much better team and a deep club and they should be fine here. That the bench came back last night from a huge deficit in Detroit showed the depth of this Clippers team.

Both teams have struggled and we think this will be a lower-scoring, hard fought game. Boston is the more complete club right now and in slightly better form, and we see them putting together a strong showing in front of the home crowd today. The under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings, and both clubs will want a strong defensive showing under the bright lights today.

Atlanta has covered only two of their last nine games. Yet here they are laying another big number. They are 4-11 when laying more than three points. The Pistons are 12-3-3 when getting 7.5 or more. They have also covered in seven of the last 10 meetings. We expect a very competitive game here.

Brandon Ingram has been out for the Pels but now the main member of the Big 3, Zion Williamson, will join him as he has been placed in Health and Safety protocols. We have no doubt players will step up in his absence, but we don’t think they will cover this big number. The Pels haven’t been playing great even with Zion in the lineup as they have lost four straight both SU and ATS heading into this matchup. And now they have to face the Spurs without their two best players. San Antonio was looking like the worst team in the NBA for awhile as they lost nine straight and didn’t cover in any of them. But they have been playing a lot better recently. They come in with confidence after a blowout win at Houston. They have won four of six and covered in all those wins as an underdog. They have covered in all seven of their most recent visits to New Orleans, and they have one of the best coaches in the league that probably devised a nice gameplan here with two days off to maximize the chance of being competitive here.

The Clippers should have nearly a full squad tonight and at full strength this team should start to play better offensively. They should put up a big total on a Charlotte defense that is among the worst in the league. Charlotte is getting key players back recently and we think they will push the pace here. These teams played earlier this month and that was the Clippers highest scoring game of the month. They could do even better tonight with a more dangerous roster.

The Knicks have gone under the total in eight of nine and this team is playing the best defense in the league recently. During this streak, they have held four opponents under the century mark, and two finished in the 80s. With Curry out, the Warriors of course aren’t as potent offensively. They are a banged up team right now and we think they have a poor night. The Knicks have covered seven straight games and we expect another great defensive effort tonight.

Don’t get us wrong, the Magic are playing great basketball right now and their recent six-game winning streak has been impressive. Especially the last two games, a sweep of the best team in basketball, the Boston Celtics, in Boston. The streak also included a home win against these same Hawks. Atlanta is a much better home team (9-5) than road team (6-10). And this game was recent so this is a revenge spot for the Hawks. We have to remember that Orlando is only 11-20, so this current win streak includes more than half of their wins. They are Fat and Happy after the sweep of Boston. They are coming in on a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights while the Hawks have had two days off. Orlando has covered only one of the last five visits to Atlanta and they are 2-7-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings overall. Expect Orlando to play strong in the first half and then wilt down the stretch.

These teams played here Friday and Orlando won their fifth straight in an eight-point win. Boston will probably play a lot better here. But we think this line is still too large for a Magic team that is playing with tons of confidence right now.

Paul George is questionable here but Kawhi looks to play. We think there is a good chance both play. Regardless, this looks like a blowout. The Clippers rested everybody last time vs. Phoenix so they took a mulligan in that one. But they had won the previous three games and looked like the team we all expected coming into the season. This team doesn’t have a lot of room for error after a slow start. They are 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings with Washington in LA.

Sacramento has had somewhat of a tough road trip as they have dropped three of five. But this will be their easiest matchup on this road swing, so we think they bring their A Game here. The Kings have one of the best offenses in the league, and Detroit has one of the worst defenses. While the Kings defense isn’t going to win many accolades, they are better than Detroit, and the Detroit offense is one of the lowest ranked in the NBA. Sacramento normally plays well against bad teams. They are 6-1 ATS in their last seven against losing teams. They are 7-1 ATS in their last eight on the road against teams with a losing home record. We think this is a great chance for a double digit win.

Love the line value here as we had the Rockets as a slight favorite. Miami is the second worst betting team in the NBA at 9-19-1 ATS. They are just barely better than the worst betting team, Dallas. They are coming in on a back-to-back here after OKC took them to the brink last night. They won but didn’t cover, and we don’t see them playing a better game than they did last night. The Rockets have been playing well and have won three of four. They are 15-12 ATS on the season, meaning they are surpassing oddsmakers expectations on a regular basis. The Rockets have covered six straight at home, and we think they have a great chance to win outright.

Atlanta is banged up and this team stinks on the road. The Magic have two more wins at home than the Hawks have on the road. We had this game handicapped at PK and think the home team has a great chance to win outright. They have won three straight and covered four straight and are in much better form at the moment.

The Pelicans have won seven straight and are playing as well as any team in the NBA right now. Utah has lost two straight and three of four, and the shine has come off their hot start a bit. New Orleans has a better offense and a much better defense, and they should dominate this game on both sides. This team looks very headstrong this season and we don’t think they will have a letdown after a pair of big wins over the Suns.

We were on the Spurs for their last two wins, as we saw a slight upswing for them after losing nine games SU and ATS. Now they are fat and happy after two wins over Houston and Miami, two struggling teams, but now they are probably going to revert to their tanking ways and they face a true championship contender in Cleveland. Mitchell is questionable here. But we think the Cavs win by double digits whether he plays or not. This team plays excellent team basketball and the sum is greater than the individual parts. The Spurs are a struggling offensive team and the Cavs posses the No. 1 defense. San Antonio gives up more than 120 PPG, so we don’t think the Cavs will have any problem scoring enough to get this one over the posted number. Cleveland has covered in five of six meetings and four straight in San Antonio.

Six of the last nine for the Kings have gone under the posted number. The oddsmakers have just adjusted these totals too high on a nightly basis. We think that is the case here again tonight. The Knicks have gone under in five straight, so they are trending the right way here as well. Eleven of the last 14 meetings have gone under the total.

To say this road trip has been rough for the Clippers would be an understatement. They have lost two straight, against the Magic in OT and then at the Heat. This is a long season, but this seems like a very crucial game for the struggling Clippers. We never know who will start for LA as their two stars are never a sure thing to make it on the court. But it’s very likely the Big Two should play here. Even if one of them doesn’t, this line will likely swing, but we won’t be deterred if it does. We think this is a great chance for a double digit win even if PG or Kawhi sit. Washington is coming in on a back-to-back. They are banged up as well. They haven’t been playing well, either. But the biggest thing is that we expect the Clippers to play with a sense of urgency here as a loss or another bad game might be the time to hit the panic button. We don’t think that will be needed, however, as we expect a comfortable win and we think the stock will be rising in the coming weeks for LA. Oh yeah, and they have covered in five of the last six meetings, so they normally play well against this opponent.

The Pistons were a sexy pick to be an improved team this season and possibly sneak into the play in tourney. They got off to a slow start and had some major injuries to deal with. But this team has been getting healthier and playing better. They have been a particularly good bet when getting big points, and they are 7-2 ATS when getting double digit points on the spread. These teams played recently in Detroit and Memphis won by 10. We just don’t see them replicating a double digit win in two games so close together.

Make no mistake, the Spurs have been playing some of the worst basketball in the NBA and have been making an art out of tanking. But this looks like a very winnable game for them and they are going to get a win and cover at a certain point. We think tonight is the night. This team shot out of the gate with some great performances and was once one of the better bets in the league. Then some injuries hit and they fell off the cliff. But we think the value has swung the other way now and they should be a favorite here. Houston has only one more win than the Spurs. They are 3-12 away from home. They are 3-7-1 in the last 11 meetings. The Spurs have had extended rest coming into this one and should get a couple of their injured soldiers back for this game, and we expect a rare win from the home team tonight.

Miami is one of the worst ATS teams in the NBA at 8-15-1 ATS. They were one of the best last season but they have not lived up to oddsmaker expectations so far this season. Miami enters this one on a back-to-back, while Detroit had the night off Monday. Detroit has struggled to start the season and has dealt with many injuries, but they are starting to get players back. They have been a very strong bet when getting more than seven points, and they have also covered in all of the last four meetings.

The Thunder were on an over tear, but their offense has come back to earth a bit while the bookies have overadjusted their totals on a nightly basis. Two of their last three have gone under, and we think that is the way this one will go as well. Minnesota is 13-9 to the under this season. The Thunder have been having some scoring lapses lately and their best player is banged up as well. Also, the last five meetings in Minnesota have all gone under the posted number.

The Jazz got off to a hot start but have cooled off big time and are now looking more like the team we expected to see entering the season. They also have some key injuries that are holding them back. They got a win last time out but that was their first in six games. Utah has excelled in the underdog role for betting purposes, but they are just 2-6 ATS as a favorite this season. Indiana is one of the best ATS teams in the league, and they quietly get the job done night in and night out. They are 8-3 ATS when getting more than three points as a dog. They are also 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings in Utah and 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings overall.

Dallas is a very poor road team at 1-7 on the season. They have failed to cover in five straight on the road. Detroit is 8-3-2 ATS as an underdog of 7.5 or more, and they have served bettors well as a big underdog. Dallas is 2-11-1 ATS as a favorite of three or more points. At 5-14-1 ATS, this is the absolute worst ATS team in the league, cashing less than 27 percent of their games for bettors. Detroit’s only ATS loss in their last six games was last time out in a 30-point home loss to the Knicks. They will want to put in a much better effort in front of the home fans here. This is another inflated line for Dallas and this is an easy call to go against them.

The Thunder offense has fallen off the cliff the last couple games, failing to score more than 105 in consecutive games, Looks like this team is trending to the under after being a hot over team for awhile. Besides the last game against the Lakers, which was a barnburner, the Spurs have had offensive issues and scored under the century mark in three of their last five games. The under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings and we see this one going well under the number here.

The Suns are rolling lately but they have played a very easy schedule. This Kings team is very underrated right now and they have been one of the best ATS teams in the NBA this season. They didn’t play well in their recent three-game road trip so they will want to bring their A Game tonight against a Western Conference rival back at home. The Kings have covered in four of the last five meetings, and we think that trend continues here on Monday.

The Pacers are one of the best ATS teams this season and this team is quietly getting the job done and staying off the radar for public bettors. They are 12-6 ATS on the season, including a 5-2 ATS road mark. They are deserving favorites here. The Clippers will be without their stars again here. And although this team is one of the deepest in the league, it’s still a work in progress and the Clippers haven’t been able to string together much consistent play. Indiana is coming in off an impressive blowout over the Nets and we think they play with a lot of confidence here in LA.

The Lakers are a bad team and not a championship contender. But they have won four of five and are playing decently well right now. The same can’t be said for the Spurs, who started strong but have since fallen off a cliff. They have lost seven straight and covered only one of those contests. They seem to have fully embraced the tanking strategy, and we don’t see them putting up much of a fight here. The Lakers have covered in five of the last seven trips to San Antonio.

Minnesota has won five straight and they are playing with a lot of confidence right now. They are playing the best they have so far this season. Charlotte is just not a good team right now and will likely be missing a couple top players here. We think this game has blowout potential and the Wolves should win by double digits. Minnesota does well on the road against bad teams (8-2 ATS run) and we expect a dominant performance here. We have stayed away from the Wolves a lot this season because of a slow start but it looks like this team is figuring things out and the Wolves seem like a good Buy Low option right now for bettors.

The Thunder have now gone over in seven straight and the oddsmakers can’t set a total high enough for this team right now. They are pushing the pace at one of the highest rates in the NBA and they just rely on scoring to be competitive more than defense. Denver hasn’t been playing great offensively but they have faced some strong defensive teams. This is a chance for them to open up the offense a bit and we think they have a monster night offensively as they have historically played well here. We are expecting another OKC track meet here as this should be a competitive game with both teams getting their share to put this one well over the posted number.

After a 5-game skid, the Cavs are swinging back in the other direction and have now won two straight. This team has been streaky lately but this looks like an excellent spot for them to continue their win streak against a Hawks team that plays better at home. The Hawks have dropped three of four ATS, and they got throttled by Boston on their recent homestand. The Cavs normally step up big at home in these marquee game type situations. Atlanta hasn’t had much luck here in Cleveland as they have covered in only one of their last six meetings. We see that trend continuing here on Monday.

The Kings are the top ATS team in the league at 11-3 ATS. With all the big stories in the NBA this season, this team is flying under the radar. The Pistons are coming off a string of big games against big-name teams, and this matchup won’t move the needle for them as much as recent games against the Clippers, Lakers and Celtics. Sacramento is the No. 1 offense in the NBA and averaging more than 12 PPG more than the Pistons.

OKC’s offense is humming, and they have gone over in five straight games and scored more than 120 in each of those. Actually, they have scored over 130 in three of those (one OT game) and over 140 in a non-OT game. Memphis has a middle of the pack defense, and we don’t see them slowing the Thunder down tonight. And Memphis has an exceptional offense as well that can work without key players as they will again be without Bane tonight, but this team has shown in the past that they can perform at a high level with top players out. And we are confident that Memphis will be more than happy to run with OKC tonight. The over is 5-1 in the last six meetings. The last meeting saw 240+ points scored, and we think we will see the same type of game tonight.

Sacramento is 10-3 ATS on the season and playing their best basketball of the season at the moment. This is starting to look an awful lot like a playoff team. They have won four straight: Golden State, Cleveland and Brooklyn were included in that bunch. They are coming off a 30+ point win over the Nets. They have the No. 2 offense in the NBA this season and are facing the league’s worst defense. We just think the Kings will be able to outscore the Spurs tonight. They have put up 120 or more in four straight and 153 against the Nets. They have also covered in 9 of 13 meetings and 4 of 5 in Sacramento.