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The Kings are a huge success story this season with a 44-29 record, which translates to a .603 winning percentage.

Sacramento, however, has a losing record when its star point guard, De'Aaron Fox, doesn't play. Fox isn't likely to play here after suffering a hamstring injury in the Kings' 135-127 home win against the Suns last night.

The Jazz also played last night and were buried at home by the Bucks, 144-116. Because of the blowout, none of the Jazz players logged big minutes. The Kings, on the other hand, had three starters go big minutes in the win against the Suns.

Utah has proven resilient going 11-5-1 ATS following a loss. The Jazz also are 13-3 ATS when playing an opponent with a win percentage above .600.

Utah and Sacramento have met three times this season. The Kings won the first two games by a combined three points. The Jazz upset the Kings, 128-120, at home in the last meeting this past Monday. Utah won that game despite not having Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson. It's a plus if either of those two can play today with Markkanen being listed as questionable.

The Jazz have covered the past five times against Sacramento.

I understand why the Bulls are favored. Portland is 1-6 in its last seven games. Chicago is 5-2 in its last seven games.

I just don't agree that the Bulls should be road chalk here.

This is last-stand time for the Trail Blazers as they open a five-game homestand being 3 1/2 games out of a play-in playoff spot. They need to open their homestand with a victory here.

The buy sign is on after Portland showed life by upsetting the Jazz on the road, 127-115, two days ago. Yes, Portland had lost six straight games prior to that victory. But those defeats occurred to the Celtics twice, 76ers, Knicks, Clippers and Pelicans. Every one of those teams has a better record than Chicago.

The Bulls are 14-21 on the road. They are 2-6-1 ATS in their past nine away contests and 3-8 ATS the past 11 times when playing on one day's rest. The Bulls won't have injured DeMar DeRozan.

I understand why the Bulls are favored. Portland is 1-6 in its last seven games. Chicago is 5-2 in its last seven games.

I just don't agree that the Bulls should be road chalk here.

This is last-stand time for the Trail Blazers as they open a five-game homestand being 3 1/2 games out of a play-in playoff spot. They need to open their homestand with a victory here.

The buy sign is on after Portland showed life by upsetting the Jazz on the road, 127-115, two days ago. Yes, Portland had lost six straight games prior to that victory. But those defeats occurred to the Celtics twice, 76ers, Knicks, Clippers and Pelicans. Every one of those teams has a better record than Chicago.

The Bulls are 14-21 on the road. They are 2-6-1 ATS in their past nine away contests and 3-8 ATS the past 11 times when playing on one day's rest. The Bulls won't have DeMar DeRozan.

The line has gone up since I released this play as Damian Lillard is questionable and Jusuf Nurkic is doubtful. Given the iffy status of these key players, I would downgrade my selection from one unit to half a unit.

The Bucks are not a team I normally want to go against. Not only do the Bucks have the best record in the NBA, but they've also covered 57 percent of the games.

But this spot sets up for Utah and the line value is there. The Jazz are a top-four team against the spread like Milwaukee, covering 57 percent of their games, too.

The Bucks haven't been on the road in 10 days. They have a huge look-ahead marquee game up next at the Nuggets - the West's No. 1 seed - on Saturday.

Utah had its two-game win streak snapped in a bad 12-point home loss to the Trail Blazers two days ago. Prior to that, Utah had covered six in a row. The Jazz should play hard here following that home humiliation. Utah has to play road games in four of its next five games.

The Bucks won't have Khris Middleton, arguably their second-best player. They may limit Giannis Antetokounmpo's minutes, too, knowing they have a monster matchup tomorrow.

Milwaukee traditionally hasn't fared well in Utah's high altitude. The Bucks are just 4-17 ATS in their last 21 games in Salt Lake City.

I'm going to buy low on the Knicks' defense here. New York has lost two in a row. The Knicks allowed 127 points to the Heat and 140 points to the Timberwolves in those losses.

Is New York's defense that bad?

No. The Knicks rank 12th in scoring defense, third in defensive field goal percentage and seventh in 3-point defense. They had allowed an average of 107.7 points during their four previous games going against the Nuggets, Trail Blazers, Lakers and Clippers. Those teams all are superior offensively to the Magic, who rank 26th in scoring.

The Knicks will be focusing much harder on the defensive end here and they have a weak-scoring opponent. The Magic should have their intensity, too, still alive for the play-in tournament spot. Orlando relies more on defense - where it ranks 17th in scoring defense and eighth in 3-point defense - than offense to beat opponents.

This has been an Under series with the low side cashing the past four times.

Maybe the Bulls have the 76ers' number this season. But I'll lay this short number to find out.

Chicago ended the 76ers' eight-game home win streak back on Jan. 6, winning 126-112. Joel Embiid didn't play in that game. The Bulls then halted the 76ers' eight-game win streak this past Monday, beating Philadelphian in double overtime, 109-105. 

That was the first time Embiid lost to the Bulls in 13 career games. 

The 76ers didn't play well at home against Chicago. They committed 21 turnovers and missed 26 of 36 shots from 3-point range. James Harden was uncharacteristically bad making just 2-of-14 shots from the field. 

Philadelphia is the most accurate 3-point shooting team in the NBA and also ranks No. 3 in defensive 3-point percentage. I'm betting on a bounce back game from the 76ers, who are 14 games better than the Bulls, in this short revenge spot. 

Ja Morant is set to make his return today for Memphis. That's great news for the Grizzlies. But it also could affect their concentration. This already is a letdown spot for the Grizzlies after they rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the Mavericks at home two days ago in a hotly contested game. 

Morant is expected to play. However, Memphis will be minus three key rotation players - suspended Dillon Brooks and injured Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke. 

Don't be deceived by Houston's poor season record. The Rockets have gotten healthy and have been playing better going 5-5 in their last 10 games. They've covered in their last two road games, losing to the Pacers in overtime and rolling past the Spurs.  

The total has been bet up to the point where I'm going Under.

This is an important game for both teams. So the defensive intensity should be there.

Oklahoma City is underrated defensively. Since Jan. 1, the Thunder have ranked 11th defensively. They rank 12th in defensive field goal percentage on the season.

The Thunder have allowed 108.2 points in their last five games. The Clippers are giving up an average of 107.2 points in their last five games. The Clippers are a top-10 defensive team.

The Under has cashed 74 percent of the time during the Clippers' past 39 home games.

The Kings have been a huge success story this season. But Utah is below-the-radar and this is a bad spot for the Kings, in action for the fourth time in six days and off three consecutive road wins beating the Bulls, Nets and Wizards.

The Jazz have covered five in a row. They just upset the Celtics at home two days ago. This is only the Jazz's second game in seven days so they are fresher than Sacramento.

Utah has double revenge going, too, The Kings nipped the Jazz twice, winning by a combined margin of three points.

The Jazz are 12-2 ATS the past 14 times they've played an opponent with a winning percentage above .600. They also are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings versus the Kings.

You have to go back to Feb. 13 to find the last time the Pacers lost consecutive games. It's not asking too much of Indiana to just beat Charlotte straight-up.

The Pacers were blown out by the 76ers this past Saturday. Indiana upset the Bucks on the road in its previous game. The Pacers are 5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS following a loss.

Unlike the Hornets, the Pacers still have a shot at earning the play-in spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana's best player, is out with a knee injury. But the Hornets also have a key injury with LaMelo Ball out. The Hornets are 2-7 since Ball suffered his season-ending ankle injury.

The Hornets are 0-4 SU, 1-3 ATS during their current homestand. They are the second worst home team in the league at 11-24.

The 76ers have won eight in a row. They've had this game circled for more than three months. Sparked by Zach LaVine's torrid shooting in a 41-point performance, the Bulls upset the 76ers, 126-112, as 5-point road 'dogs on Jan. 6. That snapped Philadelphia's 11-game home win streak. LaVine made 14 of 19 shots from the floor and hit 11 of 13 3-pointers.

I highly doubt LaVine comes close to repeating those numbers. The 76ers rank third defensively and fourth in defensive 3-point percentage. Nobody in the NBA is playing better than Joel Embiid. He's scored 30 or more points in nine consecutive games. Embiid should be rested and raring to go after sitting out the fourth quarter in the 76ers' 141-121 blowout victory against the Pacers this past Saturday.

The Bulls are 4-1 in their last five games, although they needed a lot of good fortune to pull out a double overtime home win against the Timberwolves two games ago. The Timberwolves lost Anthony Edwards early in the game. This is Chicago's third game in four days and fourth game in six days. It's the Bulls' first road game in nine days. The Bulls are 1-6-1 ATS in their past eight away matchups.

Philadelphia has been dominant at home with a 26-10 record. The 76ers have covered seven of the last nine times they've hosted Chicago. The 76ers had covered eight in a row against Chicago until that January defeat.

The Pelicans won't be taking the 18-52 Rockets lightly. Just the opposite. Houston upset New Orleans, 114-112, at home this past Friday.

New Orleans may have suffered from overconfidence in building a 16-point second-half lead. It was the first time during the past six meetings Houston covered against New Orleans.

The Pelicans are fighting to make the postseason. They can't take a second straight loss to the lowly Rockets. New Orleans has the two best players on the court in Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas.

The Rockets are 5-14 in their last 19 games. They are on a season-best three-game win streak. The Pelicans have excelled in these spots, though. They are 18-7-1 ATS (72 percent) the last 26 times playing a foe with a winning percentage below .400.

The 35-35 Timberwolves are a better team than the 31-37 Bulls. The question is can the Timberwolves beat the Bulls on the road? I'll take these points to find out.

Minnesota is in better current form and has been playing well on the road. The Bulls have lost their last three home games, falling to the Kings this past Wednesday, Pacers and Suns.

Chicago is 2-3 in its last five games. The Bulls are 2-7 ATS the past nine times following a loss.

Minnesota is off a tough, 104-102, home loss to the Celtics this past Wednesday. The Timberwolves were whisted for four technical fouls in the loss. They held Boston to 13 points below its season average.

Despite that tough loss, the Timberwolves are 4-3 in their last seven games. They've won their last three road games defeating the Hawks, Lakers and Clippers. They also are 4-0 ATS the past four times as a 'dog and are 9-3 ATS following a loss.

It's going to take a lot of points for me to pick against the Bucks. But the combination of getting enough points and the situation put me on the Pacers.

The Bucks just concluded a three-game West Coast trip late Tuesday night. They beat the Kings on Monday in a physical game that turned ugly at the end when Brook Lopez had to play enforcer after Trey Lyles committed a cheap shot foul on Giannis Antetokounmpo during the final seconds. The Bucks then scored a satisfying victory against the Suns on Tuesday playing without rest.

Now Milwaukee returns home to face the Pacers. The Bucks can't be faulted for feeling good about themselves - and taking this opponent lightly. Milwaukee has beaten Indiana 10 straight times. The Pacers are coming off a 117-97 road loss to the Pistons this past Monday.

Indiana was trying to sweep the lowly Pistons without its best players. The Pacers defeated the Pistons this past Saturday, but couldn't do it again minus Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner and backup point guard T.J. McConnell.

I expect all three of those players to be in Indiana's lineup today. They all practiced on Wednesday. The Pacers had covered four consecutive road games before that Monday defeat to the Pistons.

Magnificent at home, terrible on the road. That's been the Warriors' pattern all season and I don't see a deviation from it here. 

Golden State is off impressive home victories against the Bucks this past Saturday and against the Suns on Monday. But now they go on the road to face a peaking and rested Clippers squad. 

The Warriors are 7-26 away from home. They have lost their last eight road games. 

The Clippers have gotten in sync with recently acquired Russell Westbrook after a slow transition period. LA has won three in a row and is back to playing outstanding defense giving up an average of 97.5 points during their last two games. The Warriors average 12 fewer points per game when on the road. 

The Clippers last played on Saturday. So they should be well-rested and ready. 

The Lakers are playing without rest after burying the Pelicans last night and won't have LeBron James nor Anthony Davis.

But this spread is low enough to back LA against the Rockets, who are 3-14 in their last 17 games.

The Lakers are 5-0 ATS the past five times on zero rest. They've covered in five of their last six visits to Houston.

The Rockets are in a rare letdown spot after shocking the Celtics, 111-109, at home two days ago. The Lakers should have their full intensity knowing the Rockets beat the Celtics and not having their two superstar players to rely on.

This total is too high given the caliber of defenses these two teams have.

The 76ers rank No. 3 defensively in the NBA. They've held two of their last three opponents to fewer than 95 points.

Cleveland is the No. 1 defensive team in the league. If you discount the Cavaliers allowing 119 points to the Heat, they've given up an average of 102.2 points in their last five games.

Want to know who the top point spread team in the NBA is? It's Oklahoma City. The Thunder are 40-25-3 (60.5 percent) ATS. They also are 20-15 straight-up at home and catch the Nets in a heavy fatigue spot.

Both teams are playing well each going 5-1 in their last six games. But Oklahoma City is home and drawing what should be a tired Nets squad.

This is Brooklyn's fourth game in six days and the finale of a five-game, eight-day road swing. The Nets just upset the Nuggets, 122-120, two days ago. So a letdown could be in store.

I don't find it too much for the Thunder to simply win this game. They defeated the Nets, 112-102, on the road Jan. 15 during the first meeting.

This may be the only time I write this for the rest of the season, but the Spurs are actually fat and happy. They are coming off a shocking, 128-120, win against the Nuggets this past Friday.

Oklahoma City won't be overlooking the Spurs now for sure. The Thunder are the third-highest scoring team in the NBA. San Antonio is the worst defensive team in the league by far.

The Thunder are in the playoff picture. They've won four of their last five games, including beating the Pelicans, 110-96, in New Orleans last night. Fatigue shouldn't factor for the Thunder since they were idle the previous two days prior to that win.

The teams have met twice so far this season. The Thunder won those games by 16 and 8 points, respectively.

It's not a surprise that the last four Nets games that didn't go into overtime all went Under. Brooklyn has been first in defensive efficiency and 27th in offensive efficiency during its last five games.

Despite no Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Nets have won four of their last five games. However, they run into an angry Nuggets team here. Denver has dropped two in a row with the latest being an embarrassing, 128-120, road loss to the lowly Spurs two days ago.

Expect some serious defensive intensity from the Nuggets, who rank 13th defensively and are fifth in 3-point defense.

An early start is a plus, too, for the Under.

The Suns don't need Kevin Durant to cover this small home point spread.

Phoenix is 5-1 in its last six games. The Suns' lone loss during this span came to the Bucks by three points on the road. Phoenix's average winning margin during this time frame is 15.8 points.

The Suns are 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 home games. Devin Booker is on fire averaging 38 points during his last four games.

The Kings are much improved. Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox are having superstar-type seasons. But the Kings are not an elite team. They are off a 122-117 home win against the Knicks two days ago where they were outrebounded, 58-42.

The Suns defeated the Kings, 120-109, in the team's last meeting on Feb. 14. Phoenix also beat the Kings on the road by five points in the first meeting this season.

The Raptors hung in against the Nuggets this past Monday taking it to the final minute before losing. Toronto then was homered in a 108-100 loss to the Clippers two days ago. The Raptors shot just 38.5 percent from the floor in that game and the Clippers got to shoot 17 more free throws. Both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George played for the Clippers in that matchup.

Now the hungry Raptors step down in class to face the Lakers, who remain without LeBron James.

The Lakers are fat and happy having won their last two games, both at home beating the Warriors and Grizzlies. D'Angelo Russell is expected back for LA. However, he figures to be rusty having missed the last six games.

The Raptors beat the Lakers earlier this season and have covered 13 of the last 16 times on the road against LA.

The Knicks are tied for the best road record in the NBA at 20-12.

New York just suffered its first loss since Feb. 10, ambushed by the Hornets at home this past Tuesday. That ended the Knicks' nine-game win streak. The Knicks had just beaten the Celtics in double-overtime at Boston prior to meeting the Knicks.

The Knicks ran out of gas against the Hornets after leading by 16 points at halftime.

Now the Knicks have regrouped and gotten their focus back. This is the first of four games on the West Coast for the Knicks. I'm expecting a strong effort following that surprising loss to the double-digit underdog Hornets.

The Kings are expected to get De'Aaron Fox back from a hamstring injury. But the Knicks could get back their star point guard, Jalen Brunson, from a foot injury. He made the trip to Sacramento.

The Knicks are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 games. They also have covered 74 percent of their last 43 away games.

The Raptors rank seventh defensively giving up 112.1 points per game. That average shrinks to 108.1 points going by their last six games.

However, we have a high total here because the Clippers have been getting torched on the defensive end.

I see a renewed defensive commitment from the Clippers starting with this game.

This is the first time in nine games the Clippers are playing an Eastern Conference foe. Their last eight games have all been against Western Conference opponents, including the high-scoring Kings twice, Nuggets and Warriors.

Toronto ranks 23rd in scoring at 112.6 points. The Raptors don't play fast like many Western Conference teams.

The Clippers still rank 13th in the league defensively. The Under has cashed in 26 of their last 35 home games for 74 percent.

The Under also has cashed six of the past eight times these two teams have met.

The Knicks are generating headlines with nine wins in a row, the last coming in double-overtime on the road against the Celtics two days ago.

No one is talking about the Hornets. Not that they should be. Charlotte doesn't have injured star point guard LaMelo Ball and has dropped three in a row.

However, this situation lays out well for the Hornets to keep within double-digits of New York.

The Knicks are playing for the seventh time in 12 days. Their last four games have been against four long-time rivals - Celtics, Nets, Heat and Celtics again. They nipped the Heat and Celtics on the road by two points each in their last two games.

Now the Knicks return to Madison Square Garden fat and happy. They will go on a four-game West Coast trip that begins Thursday following this matchup.

This is a real flat spot for the Knicks, who could be without their own star point guard, Jalen Brunson. He's questionable with an ankle injury.

Despite not having Ball, the Hornets are capable. Charlotte usually plays with effort and energy for Steve Clifford. The Hornets have held four of their last five opponents to 106 points or fewer. Ball was their leading scorer. But Kelly Oubre Jr. and Terry Rozier both average more than 20 points a game. Dennis Smith is a capable veteran point guard. He's also a former Knick.

The Hornets have covered five of the last seven times when playing the Knicks on the road.

The Raptors are a mediocre Eastern Conference club that has a losing record on the season, mainly because of a 12-20 road mark.

Only once have the Raptors played an above .500 team during their last 10 games. That was a road game against the Cavaliers. Cleveland buried the Raptors, 118-93.

Denver is 29-4 at home. The Nuggets have lost once at home since Dec. 6. Denver has won each of its last seven home games by nine or more points.

So why should this home matchup be any different?

It shouldn't. The Raptors are 2-6 ATS in their last eight road games and that includes covering against the Wizards in overtime this past Saturday.

The Raptors have failed to cover on the road against the Nuggets in six of their last seven visits. Playing in Denver's thin mountain air isn't going to help them coming off a Saturday night overtime game that was played on the East Coast.

The Nuggets have covered each of the last six times they've hosted an opponent with a below .500 road record.

After missing the past 11 games with a knee injury, Stephen Curry is set to return here against the Lakers. Aside from Curry likely to be rusty, the Lakers are in must-win mode and catch the Warriors fat and happy after Golden State just swept its five-game homestand.

So this spot sets up for the underdog Lakers especially given the Warriors' Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde home/road performances. Golden State is 27-7 at home and 7-23 on the road.

The Lakers can't afford to lose home games like they did to the Timberwolves this past Friday. They did get Anthony Davis back for that. I'm expecting a much more focused and intense effort from the Lakers.

The Warriors are playing for the seventh time in 11 days. Every one of their five victories during their recent homestand were come-from-behind wins with four of those games involving double-digit comebacks.

Golden State isn't going to be able to turn the switch on and off like that being on the road, where it has lost the past five times going 0-4-1 ATS.

After missing the past 11 games with a knee injury, Stephen Curry is set to return here against the Lakers. Aside from Curry likely to be rusty, the Lakers are in must-win mode and catch the Warriors fat and happy after Golden State just swept its five-game homestand.

So this spot sets up for the underdog Lakers especially given the Warriors' Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde home/road performances. Golden State is 27-7 at home and 7-23 on the road.

The Lakers can't afford to lose home games like they did to the Timberwolves this past Friday. They did get Anthony Davis back for that. I'm expecting a much more focused and intense effort from the Lakers.

The Warriors are playing for the seventh time in 11 days. Every one of their five victories during their recent homestand were come-from-behind wins with four of those games involving double-digit comebacks.

Golden State isn't going to be able to turn the switch on and off like that being on the road, where it has lost the past five times going 0-4-1 ATS.

Surprised the Raptors opened an away favorite against the Wizards after just losing to Washington, 119-108, on the road this past Thursday?

Don't be.

The oddsmaker knows what he is doing. I see Toronto bouncing back in this shortest of revenge spots.

The Raptors were flat against the Wizards. They played terribly and Toronto coach Nick Nurse let them know about that. He questioned his team's energy and competitive juices.

Nurse is a good coach. He knows how to make proper adjustments and to motivate his team. I'm looking for the Raptors to put forth a strong effort this time around.

The Raptors have covered the past four times after losing by double-digits.

The handicap here is very straightforward. Denver is extremely tough at home and in short revenge. The Grizzlies are terrible on the road.

The Nuggets are 28-4 at home. Their last loss at Ball Arena came on Dec. 6. They've been idle since Tuesday and have revenge for an 18-point road loss to the Grizzlies suffered six days ago.

The Grizzlies are 12-18 on the road. Until they beat the bottom-feeding Rockets in Houston two days ago, the Grizzlies had lost eight consecutive away games going 1-7 ATS in those matchups.

The Spurs are playing their first home game since Feb. 3. Their season-long nine-game road trip finally has finished.

So I'm looking for a loosely-played, up-tempo game.

The Pacers certainly should produce their share of points. They rank 12th in scoring without the benefit of getting to play too many games against weak defensive opponents from the Western Conference.

Indiana is averaging 123.3 points in regulation during its last three games against much stronger defenses than the Spurs, while getting high level play from Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner. San Antonio is the worst defensive team in the NBA ranking in the bottom in scoring defense, defensive field goal percentage and 3-point defense.

The Pacers, though, have a bottom-10 defense. The Spurs should be motivated to put on a show being back home and having just ended their 16-game losing streak.

There were 271 points scored in the first meeting, won by the Spurs, 137-134. It won't take nearly that many to get this total Over.

After winning three in a row, the Lakers lost LeBron James and then lost to the Grizzlies, 121-109, last night in their first game without James.

James remains out. But I believe the Lakers bounce back in this revenge spot against the Thunder. The Lakers have had a game to adjust to James' absence. Oklahoma City also is without its own LeBron James with All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined. He's missed the Thunder's past three games due to an abdominal strain and a right ankle injury. Oklahoma City is 0-3 in those games losing by nine points to the Suns and suffering losses to the Kings by nine and six points.

The Thunder have allowed 123, 124 and 124 points in their past three games. LA is the better defensive team.

The teams met on Feb. 7. James broke the NBA's all-time scoring record in that game, but the Thunder won. The Lakers haven't forgotten. They are a better all-around team following the trade deadline minus Russell Westbrook and with the addition of several good rotation players. 

The total has dropped but it still is worth going Under. 

Much has changed since the Lakers nipped the Grizzlies, 122-121, last month. Memphis is playing much stronger defense now. The Lakers have altered their roster. Russell Westbrook and his fast-tempo style have departed. LeBron James is out with a foot injury. D'Angelo Russell isn't likely to play either due to an ankle sprain. 

Memphis is giving up an average of 105.1 points during its last seven games. That low figure shrinks even more to 102.8 if you toss out the 119 points the Grizzlies surrendered to the Celtics, the fourth-highest scoring team in the NBA, four games ago. Memphis held the powerful Nuggets to 94 points in its last game this past Saturday. That was 23 points below the Nuggets' season average. 

The Lakers have held their last three opponents to an average of 107 points. Those foes were the Pelicans, Warriors and Mavericks, three pretty good offenses. 

Both teams have games on Wednesday. So if the game were to get out of hand star players such as Ja Morant and Anthony Davis could see reduced minutes. 

It's only late February. But this matchup has the makings of a playoff game with all the defensive intensity that comes with that.

New York has won five in a row. Boston is 9-2 in its last 11 games since losing, 120-117 in overtime, to the Knicks on the road a month ago. There were 220 points scored in regulation during that game.

Both teams are underrated defensively and have been playing well on the defensive end.

The Celtics are giving up an average of 104.3 points during their last nine games if you discount their overtime games. Boston ranks in the top-eight in scoring defense and defensive field goal percentage.

The Knicks have held their last seven opponents to an average of 105.1 points, not including their 126-120 win against the Jazz. New York ranks ninth in scoring defense and are in the top four in defensive field goal percentage and 3-point defense.

A hidden key to this Under is center Mitchell Robinson being back healthy for New York.

Robinson is a premier shot-blocker - the only shot-blocking threat the Knicks have - and New York's second-best rebounder. His presence strongly fortifies the Knicks' front-court defense.

Robinson has been back for two games now. In those two games, the Knicks held the Wizards to 109 points - which is four points below Washington's season scoring average - and the Pelicans to 106 points, which is eight points under New Orleans' season scoring average.

The Warriors are 23-7 at home. They are without Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins. They didn't need those two in their last home game, a 116-101, win against the Rockets this past Friday.

The Timberwolves are a step up from the lowly Rockets. But Minnesota isn't good enough on the road to pull off the upset here. The Timberwolves are 11-17 on the road. They have a key injury themselves with Karl-Anthony Towns out.

Golden State has won six of its past seven home games. The Warriors are primed to make a move down the stretch. I don't expect them to lose at home to a mediocre Timberwolves team.

The Heat are in stop-the-pain mode having lost three in a row. They were embarrassed by the Bucks, 128-99, last night in Milwaukee.

Charlotte, on the other hand, is fat and happy having won three straight after beating the Timberwolves, 121-113, on the road last night.

Miami is the No. 2 defensive team in the NBA. Minnesota ranks 28th defensively allowing 10 more points per game than the Heat.

The Hornets usually fail to step up against better teams, too, with a 12-25 record versus above .500 opponents.

I want the Warriors going for me after they lost on the road to the Lakers last night in their first game back from All-Star break. Golden State is home where it has played far better with a 22-7 mark.

The Warriors also have the advantage of having had a game following All-Star break. Houston's last game was nine days ago.

The Rockets entered the break having lost seven in a row. Their last two games - both on the road - were a 19-point loss to the 76ers and a 37-point defeat to the Thunder.

Golden State is the No. 2 scoring team in the NBA at 118.5 points a game. The Rockets rank 26th defensively and 29th in scoring.

Stephen Curry remains out, but Houston is minus its two leading scorers, Kevin Porter Jr. (foot) and Jalen Green (groin).

Defense and a 7-23 road record have been the killers for Golden State. But the Warriors are home here and have made a commitment and priority to playing stronger defense having had ample time during the All-Star break. It's not like the Warriors aren't capable. They had the No. 2 defense last season.

These teams just met three games ago. The final in that one was Lakers, 109-103, for a total of 212 points.

I'm expecting another low-scoring game this time around, too.

The Warriors were the No. 2 ranked defense last season. Now they rank 27th defensively. They are due to start playing much defense. I see that starting now, following All-Star break, where intensity increases.

The Lakers are breaking in five new rotation players and no longer have Russell Westbrook, who was good for the Over. So they are in transition. They also draw the Warriors minus Stephen Curry.

Neither team has played in more than a week so there could be a rust factor, too.

The Mavericks are an auto-fade when laying these kinds of points. Dallas is a mind-boggling 4-20-1 ATS (17 percent) when favored by more than five points this season.

San Antonio nearly upset Dallas in the first meeting. The Spurs lost, 126-125, at home on Dec. 31.

The Spurs are on their rodeo trip, but will be rested following the week-long All-Star break. Gregg Popovich should have his team well prepared for this in-state, division rivalry matchup.

This will be just the third time Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic will be playing together. So the Mavericks aren't fully in sync yet with their new lineup.

The Bucks have won 11 in a row. The Bulls, by contrast, are reeling, losing and failing to cover in their last five games.

Milwaukee didn't play well in its last game, having to go to overtime at home to dispatch a short-handed Celtics squad. This is the Bucks' final game before the All-Star break. They won't play again in eight days. So expect a strong, focused effort from the Bucks, especially in revenge mode. The Bulls won the last meeting, 119-113 in overtime, on Dec. 29

That should ensure a double-digit Milwaukee victory. The Bulls also won't have their leading scorer, DeMar DeRozan. He's out with a quad injury.

Brooklyn is ahead of Miami in the standings. But the Heat are the better team right now.

The Nets are going through a transformation with a retooled roster. Brooklyn won 27 of its first 40 games. Then Durant got hurt. Since then, the Net are 6-11.

Brooklyn has four new people in its rotation learning life without Durant and Kyrie Irving. while also finding out Ben Simmons is nearly worthless.

The Nets are averaging just 102 points in their last two games. Miami is the No. 2 defensive team in the NBA.

Expect a playoff type atmosphere - and playoff-like defense - when the Bucks host the Celtics. These are the two best teams in the Eastern Conference with the Celtics ahead of the Bucks by 1 1/2 games.

It's easy to think offense with these teams that feature superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum. Both teams, though, are very strong defensively and are in good defensive form.

Boston ranks sixth in scoring defense, seventh in defensive field goal percentage and ninth in 3-point defense. The Celtics have held their last six opponents to an average of 104.1 points. The Under has cashed 10 of the last 11 times the Celtics have been on the road taking on a foe with a home winning percentage greater than .600. The Celtics have consistently gone Under away from home - 20-8-1 (71 percent) - during their past 29 away contests.

The Bucks rank seventh in scoring defense, second in defensive field goal percentage and fifth in 3-point defense. They have permitted just 106.6 points during their last three games. Milwaukee draws the Celtics when Boston is missing injured Jaylen Brown, its second-leading scorer at 26.5 points. The Celtics also could be down Malcolm Brogdon and Marcus Smart leaving them thin in the backcourt.

Milwaukee hasn't played since beating the Clippers, 119-106, at LA this past Friday. So the Bucks could be rusty. They will be prepared, though, with this extended rest. Note that the Under has cashed the past six times the Bucks have played on three or more days of rest.

Kyrie Irving teaming up with Luka Doncic to make his Dallas home debut is the major storyline here.

What's not in the headlines is this being a dangerous spot for Dallas. The Mavericks last played at home 11 days ago. This marks their fourth game in six days and third game in four days. Irving is going to be a distraction. So the Mavericks' concentration level could be off.

Minnesota just got blown out, 128-107, by the Grizzlies this past Friday. This is the conclusion of the Timberwolves' four-game road trip. Minnesota had the weekend to rest up and prepare for this matchup. I'm expecting a much better performance from the Timberwolves, who are 6-0 ATS following a loss.

The Timberwolves upgraded themselves, too, at the trade deadline picking up veteran point guard Mike Conley.

Dallas has the worst point spread mark in the NBA at 22-34-2. The Mavericks are 3-8 ATS the past 11 times when laying seven or more points.

It's strange to see a total this low on a Spurs game. You have to go back to Dec. 29 to find the last time there was this low of a total on a San Antonio game.

It's understandable, though, because the Spurs' opponent is Cleveland. The Cavaliers have the best defense in the league.

The Spurs have the worst defense in the NBA ranking last in scoring defense, defensive field goal percentage and 3-point shooting percentage. San Antonio gives up an average of 122.8 points per game.

So why get involved in a total where you have the top defensive club versus the worst defensive team?

Because I see this matchup having garbage time written all over it. The Cavaliers are averaging 119 points in their last five games, discounting their last game against the Bulls.

Cleveland has a much bigger game on deck, playing at the 76ers on Wednesday before heading into the All-Star break. So the Cavaliers' starters could see reduced minutes, especially in a projected blowout.

The Spurs could take advantage of Cleveland's bench players to help this total go Over. The Over has cashed in 13 of San Antonio's past 17 road games.

The Hawks want to make a mark before All-Star break hits. The Hornets can't wait until the All-Star break. 

This may be the only time I write this but the Pistons are fat and happy. Detroit won its battle of terrible teams defeating the Spurs, 138-131 in double overtime, at home two days ago.

Prior to that victory, the Pistons had lost 12 of the previous 15 games. I made the mistake of actually backing the Pistons two games ago when they were receiving 13 points against the Cavaliers, who were missing their star backcourt players, Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. Cleveland rolled past Detroit, 113-85, at home.

The Pistons are 0-7 ATS the past seven times following a win.

Toronto is the flip side. The Raptors blew a 13-point fourth-quarter lead at home to the Jazz this past Friday. Toronto had won three in a row prior to that defeat.

The Raptors are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home contests when facing a foe with a road winning percentage of less than .400.

This spot sets up for a Toronto blowout.

This spot sets up for the home Knicks catching the Jazz playing for the fourth time in six days and without rest.

Utah upset the Raptors in Toronto last night. The Knicks also played last night - and blew a 12-point third-quarter lead in a 119-108 loss to the 76ers.

New York is 20-7-1 ATS the past 28 times when playing the second of back-to-back games.

Russell Westbrook may or may not make his debut for the retooled Jazz. It's a major transition for the Jazz if ball hog Westbrook is in the lineup.

The Knicks have a huge historical edge, too, when hosting Utah covering 13 of the last 17 times at home in the series.

Kyrie Irving is with the Mavericks now. I doubt Luka Doncic plays, though. He's been out with a bruised heel. But even if Doncic suits up, I still like the Kings to beat Dallas at home here. There's going to be a transition period for Irving and Doncic. I'm not convinced the two can effectively co-exist. 

The Kings have their own two stars - De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, who leads the NBA in double/doubles. 

Dallas is playing its fourth road game in six days. The Mavericks are off consecutive upset victories against the Jazz and Clippers, both achieved minus Doncic. 

The Mavericks, however, are 8-20-1 ATS following a victory. They also have the worst ATS mark in the NBA despite those two wins at 21-33-2 and are six games below .500 on the road.

The Kings are 16-11 at home. They have the sixth-best ATS record in the league at 29-24-1 and are 4-1-1 ATS the past six times hosting Dallas. 

Even with key players out, you can't fault the Celtics if they overlook Charlotte. The Hornets have lost five in a row. The Celtics are off a highly-satisfying home victory against the 76ers this past Wednesday, beating Philadelphia while playing shorthanded. After this game, the Celtics host the Grizzlies on Sunday and then play at the Bucks on Tuesday.

So it's not an ideal situational spot for the Celtics to be highly motivated for this weak opponent.

The Hornets, though, have triple revenge. The Celtics are 1-5 ATS the last six times they've hosted a foe with a road winning percentage of less than .400.

Boston also is going to be without All-Star Jaylen Brown and ace defender Marcus Smart. The Celtics also could be minus Jayson Tatum. He's questionable with a non-COVID illness.

The 76ers are in stop-the-pain mode, losers of two in a row. Both of those losses came on the road - to the Knicks this past Sunday and to the Celtics two days ago. The 76ers blew an early 21-point lead against New York and did not play well versus Boston.

Now, though, the 76ers are back home where they are 20-8. Philadelphia has covered 17 of its past 23 (74 percent) home contests.

I trust the 76ers to get the job down at home against a foe they are at least one level higher than.

The Lakers have had some great teams. This isn't one of them. Acquiring D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt while getting rid of Russell Westbrook should help the Lakers. Just not right now for this matchup.

The Bucks have won 10 of their last 11 games, including the past eight, in compiling the third-best record in the NBA at 37-17. The Bucks also have the fourth-best mark against the spread mark (ATS) at 29-23-2. They rank No. 2 in defensive field goal percentage and 3-point defense. Milwaukee's Big Three of Giannis Antetokounmpo - solidly in the MVP running - Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday are all healthy. The Bucks are well-rested, too, following their 127-108 road victory against the Trail Blazers this past Monday.

The Lakers are always going to get respect from the oddsmaker because they are such a public team and have superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. James broke the NBA's all-time scoring record two days ago at home. That drew the headlines. Oh, yeah, the Lakers lost that game to the Thunder as a 6 1/2-point favorite.

LA surrendered 133 points to the Thunder. Lack of defense has been a problem all season for the Lakers, who rank 28th in scoring defense permitting 118.6 points a game.

Davis has returned from a foot injury. But he hasn't sparked anything while playing second fiddle to James. LA is 3-4 in seven games since Davis has been back.

I find this another case of the Lakers getting too much respect on the line. They didn't make the playoffs last season. They aren't on track to make the postseason this season with a 25-30 record that puts them 13th out of 15 teams in the Western Conference.

The Lakers' ATS mark is similar to their won-lost record at 25-29-1. They are merely a .500 team at home.

LA doesn't have a good record either when stepping up in competition going 8-18-1 ATS the past 27 times versus above .500 opponents.

Milwaukee has revenge motivation for a 133-129 home loss to the Lakers on Dec. 2. The Bucks have covered in four of their last five road games against the Lakers.

Maybe I should drink some sake because I feel like a kamikaze pilot attacking a Kings-Rockets total by going Under. 

Sacramento just beat Houston, 140-120, on the road this past Monday. Now the Rockets host the Kings again in the rematch. 

The Kings lead the NBA in scoring at 119.3 points per game. So why go Under? 

I see the Rockets going all out defensively following that embarrassment and with Houston coach Stephen Silas ripping his team and questioning their defensive effort and intensity. Silas was understandably livid after that humiliation. 

The Kings shot 58.4 percent from the floor in that 20-point victory. The Rockets aren't that bad ranking 19th in defensive field goal percentage. Sacramento also made 21 of 41 3-pointers in that game for 51 percent. Sacramento shoots 36.8 percent from 3-point range.

Believe it or not, the Under has cashed in 20 of the Kings' last 28 away games. 

Sacramento is below average defensively ranking 21st, which isn't horrible. But keep in mind the Rockets rank 29th in scoring and last in field goal percentage. They have gone Under six of the past eight times following a double-digit home loss. 

Due to playing the Timberwolves at Minnesota on less than 24 hours rest this past Sunday, the Nuggets held out a number of key players, including Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.

The result was a 128-98 Timberwolves' victory. Welcome to today's NBA where teams combat unfair schedule spots by resting their best players, thus conceding the game before it even begins. The Nuggets had just beaten the Hawks this past Saturday night for their third straight win before deciding to give up against Minnesota the following day.

This sets up a day of reckoning for the Timberwolves here. And I like the Nuggets, who will be back to full strength, to exact vengeance.

Denver is 7-1 ATS the past eight times following a loss.

The Timberwolves now are facing a fatigue factor - playing for the seven time in 12 days and third in five days - while missing players. Minnesota is minus injured Karl-Anthony Towns and suspended Austin Rivers. Kyle Anderson could be out, too, with a back injury. He's missed the last two games.

I don't like laying points with the Mavericks. I do like them as an underdog, though, even when they don't have superstar Luka Doncic.

That's the case again in this matchup.

The teams just met on Jan. 28 in Salt Lake City. The Mavericks didn't have Doncic and lost, 108-100, in that game. The Mavericks were plus 7 1/12 in that matchup. So they just missed covering. Dallas had covered the previous five times on the road against the Jazz.

Now the Mavericks are getting close to double-digits. They won't have Kyrie Irving yet, but their rotation players should be highly motivated to produce knowing their roles could change with the expected arrival of Irving. 

Dallas has had good success versus Utah covering 10 of the last 13 times. 

The Bulls are laying the most points they have all season. I don't see the spot setting up well enough for them to cover.

Chicago is fat and happy having won two in a row, both at home. The Bulls rallied from 17 points down to defeat the Trail Blazers, 129-121, this past Saturday. This marks Chicago's third game in five days. The Bulls have a much more challenging matchup on Tuesday when they meet the Grizzlies in Memphis. So there's no need for them to go all out against the lowly Spurs. 

Overconfidence could factor against the Bulls, too. San Antonio has lost eight in a row. This is the start of the Spurs' annual rodeo trip. They've been idle since Friday. 

The Spurs are capable of beating the Bulls. They proved that with a 129-124 win back on Oct. 28 during the first meeting this season. San Antonio has covered five of the last six times versus the Bulls.

The Wizards have blown 20-plus point leads in each of their last two games. So they should be extremely focused for this matchup. They catch the Cavaliers playing without rest after Cleveland defeated the Pacers, 122-103, on Sunday. 

This is important. So are the Wizards owning a winning home record. The Cavaliers are 6-13-1 ATS in their last 20 road games versus opponents who are above .500 at home. Cleveland also is 5-11-1 ATS the past 17 times when playing on zero rest and 2-7 ATS following a win. The Cavaliers are 6-14-2 ATS in their past 22 road games. 

That's a lot of trends lining up against the Cavaliers.

Bradley Beal should play for the Wizards after missing their last game this past Saturday due to a foot injury. He participated in the Wizards' shootaround this morning. 

I want the Grizzlies going for me at home in this spot. The Grizzlies are in an ornery mood following a 128-113 road loss to the Cavaliers. Dillon Brooks was suspended for this game because of his cheap shot actions against Donovan Mitchell in that loss to Cleveland.

The Grizzlies don't see it that way. They believe the NBA is against them. Memphis has won eight of its last nine home games and are expected to get back center Jaren Jackson, who missed the Cavaliers game due to a thigh bruise. That's huge because Memphis remains without Steven Adams.

Toronto concludes its seven-game, 12-day road journey here. The Raptors just beat the Rockets, 117-111, two days ago. The fatigue factor on the Raptors is high.

The Raptors are 2-6 ATS the past eight times when playing an opponent with a winning home record. The Grizzlies are 36-15-1 (71 percent) ATS in their last 52 home contests.

The Bucks and their superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, are playing extremely well with six consecutive victories. But Milwaukee has trouble with Miami. The Heat have matched up well to the Bucks. I see another close game here.

Only twice in their last 21 games have the Heat lost by more than five points.

Miami has the No. 2 defense in the NBA giving up 108.1 points. The Heat are 5-1 ATS the past six times on the road when going against a foe with a home winning percentage better than .600.

The Bucks still might be breathing a sigh of relief after a huge come-from-behind national TV win against the Clippers this past Thursday. Milwaukee pulled the game out, 106-105, by scoring the final seven points of the game.

Even with that win, Milwaukee is 3-8 ATS the past 11 times versus opponents with a winning record.

The Heat have covered the past four times against the Bucks, including posting 108-102 and 111-95 home victories on Jan. 12 and Jan. 14. Antetokounmpo and Kris Middleton, who is back healthy, didn't play in those games. Still, the Heat play the Bucks physically, tough and with confidence. It wouldn't surprise me to see the Heat pull out the outright win.

The Pacers are an underrated home team with a 16-11 record. They have covered eight of their past 11 home contests.

Indiana has revenge for an embarrassing 23-point road loss to the Kings on Nov. 30. The Pacers also have back their best all-around player, Tyrese Haliburton. He played last night scoring 26 points and dishing off 12 assists against the Lakers after missing the previous 10 games.

The Pacers blew a double-digit fourth quarter lead to the Lakers in that loss. Indiana is playing without rest. However, the Pacers' previous game before the Lakers was back on Sunday. So there should not be a fatigue factor.

Sacramento will be missing its star guard and leading scorer, De'Aaron Fox. He's out for personal reasons. This will be the Kings' first game without him since Dec. 11. So there will be an adjustment factor.

These teams aren't as bad defensively as perceived.

The Kings are giving up an average of 108.4 points during their last five games, all of which have gone Under. The Pacers have surrendered 112 points, or fewer, in four of their last six games.

Sacramento will be minus its leading scorer, De'Aaron Fox. He's out for personal reasons. Fox also is No. 2 on the team in assists. It's a big blow for the Kings not to have him.

The Under has cashed 14 of the last 17 times the Kings have been on the road against a foe with an above .500 home record.

The Under has also cashed four of the last five times Indiana has hosted Sacramento.

The Pelicans are in full stop-the-pain mode, losers of nine in a row. Except for Zion Williamson, the Pelicans are finally healthy now. Brandon Ingram should have the rust off having played in the past three games following a 29-game absence because of a toe injury.

New Orleans is stepping down in class after having played the Bucks this past Sunday and Nuggets two days ago.

The Mavericks aren't fully healthy either minus Maxi Kleber and Christian Wood, their second-leading scorer at 18.4 points per game.

Dallas is coming off a victory against the Pistons and has a bigger matchup on deck facing the Warriors on Saturday. The Mavericks are 5-20-1 ATS following a win. They also have been terrible when laying three or more points going 7-20-1 ATS in that role.

The Thunder should play with defensive intensity having lost six in a row, including giving up 128 points to the Warriors at home this past Monday. Oklahoma City ranks sixth in defensive field goal percentage.

Houston is minus its leading scorer, Jalen Green (calf), and top assists guy Kevin Porter Jr. (foot).

The Rockets have been playing better defense lately holding their last five foes to an average of 112.4 points. This is down from their season average of giving up 117.1 points a game.

There were 223 points scored in the first meeting with the Rockets winning, 118-105, back on Nov. 26. It marked the sixth time in seven meetings the teams had gone Under when playing in Houston.

The Clippers were riding a season-best five-game win streak going into their last game. That streak came to a crashing halt with a 122-99 road loss to the Cavaliers two days ago. The Clippers didn't play well in that game. They also chose to sit out superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George along with point guard Reggie Jackson.

I don't care so much about Jackson, who is questionable with a sore Achilles, but Leonard and George aren't on the injury report. Both are expected to play. That's good enough for me to get involved with the Clippers against an inconsistent 23-26 Bulls squad that isn't in a great situational spot. It's Chicago's first home game in a week. The Bulls have been on the road for their past three games.

Leonard and George are playing at high levels. Leonard is averaging 30.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.4 steals during his last five games. George is averaging 24.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.2 steals in his last five games.

The Clippers have covered eight of the past 11 times when playing a below .500 opponent.

The Bulls have a huge revenge game up next hosting the Hornets on Thursday. Charlotte upset the Bulls in embarrassing fashion, 111-96, this past Thursday in Charlotte.

Despite two consecutive losses, Orlando has been one of the hottest point spread teams in the NBA covering 19 of its last 26 games for 73 percent.

The 76ers have won seven in a row with the last two of their victories coming against the Nets and Nuggets this past Saturday. That's highly satisfying. Joel Embiid sparked the 76ers in that victory with 47 points and 18 rebounds in the 126-119 win.

I see this as a flat spot for the 76ers. So much of a flat spot that there is the possibility they would rest Embiid, who has been dealing with left foot soreness.

Even if Embiid plays, I believe the spunky Magic will hang in. They haven't lost three in a row since late December. Orlando is 8-4 ATS the past 12 times when getting points and is 13-3 ATS the past 16 times when playing on one day rest.

The Mavericks defeated the Suns on the road two days ago without Luka Doncic for most of the game and they can keep this game close minus Doncic.

Dallas has won the past two times as an underdog defeating Phoenix and Miami eight days ago.

Dallas has covered 10 of the last 12 times versus the Jazz, including the past five times in Utah.

The defending world champion Warriors are a disappointing 24-24. Golden State, though, is 18-6 at home. The Warriors will be highly motivated to defeat Toronto at home tonight. They still haven't forgotten the Raptors beating them to win the 2019 championship. 

Golden State also goes on the road for its next three games following this matchup. 

Toronto is 7-15 away from home. The Raptors are 6-14 ATS playing at Golden State. Toronto is fat and happy after an impressive, 113-95, win against the hot Kings this past Wednesday. 

The Raptors have won two straight. Only once this season have they posted three consecutive victories. 

Since Dec. 28, the Bulls have beaten many teams much better than the Hornets. The list includes the Bucks, Nets, 76ers, Jazz, Warriors and Hawks. Chicago was riding a three-game winning and covering streak going into this past Tuesday's game against Indiana.

The Pacers were minus Tyrese Haliburton, their best all-around player, and had lost seven in a row. The Bulls built a 21-point lead and looked in full control. But the Pacers stunned the Bulls by scoring 70 points in the second half to win, 116-110.

Chicago has a chance for redemption now playing the Hornets. Not only are the Hornets terrible - with the third-worst record in the NBA at 13-36 - but they are banged-up and in a bad situational spot.

Kelly Oubre and Cody Martin are out for Charlotte. LaMelo Ball missed Charlotte's last game because of an ankle injury. He's questionable as is Gordon Hayward, who has a groin injury. Ball is the Hornets' leading scorer and top assists man. Oubre is the team's No. 3 scorer. Hayward ranks fifth on the team in scoring. Martin is a reliable rotation player.

The Hornets are 5-16 at home. They have lost 10 of their last 13 games.

Charlotte ranks 28th defensively giving up 119.1 points per game. That figure climbs to 123.8 points going by their last eight games. The Bulls rank fifth in the NBA in field goal percentage and free throw percentage.

The spot isn't good either for the Hornets. They just returned from a four-game, seven-day road trip that concluded Tuesday night in Phoenix with a 31-point loss to the Suns. Charlotte has lost and failed to cover during its past five home games.

Center Rudy Gobert may be the best defensive front-court player in the NBA. His presence makes a difference. And he's back for Minnesota.

Given that plus the situation and the Pelicans ranking No. 1 in 3-point defensive field goal percentage, I'm going Under this total.

The Timberwolves are off an embarrassing 119-114 loss to the Rockets, who had lost 13 straight losses entering the matchup. Gobert returned after missing the previous three games due to a groin injury. He had 16 rebounds and four blocks. But the Timberwolves ran into a sizzling Jalen Green, who scored 42 points on 15-of-25 shooting from the floor. Minnesota coach Chris Finch ripped his team following the loss for their lack of focus.

The Pelicans showed a lot of defensive heart holding the Nuggets to a season-low 36 points in the second half last night. The Pelicans lost, 99-98, though, despite holding the Nuggets to 18 points under their season average. The Pelicans should be up for another strong defensive effort being home while not looking to push tempo playing without rest.

I understand why this total is being bet up. Both teams are offensive-minded and haven't been playing very good defense. 

But there are situational elements that favor the Under. The Hawks are in action for the third time in four days. Their last game was a track meet against the Hornets. I don't expect a fast pace. The Bulls just returned from beating the Pistons in Paris this past Thursday. So they might not have their legs due to jet lag. 

These Eastern Conference teams know each other well. This is their third meeting of the season. There were 218 points scored when the Bulls won, 110-108, on Dec. 22 the last time they played. There were 220 points scored in regulation during the first meeting, which went into overtime. Now look where the total sits. 

Boston is hot, winners of nine in a row. The Celtics also are banged-up and in a flat spot. Boston has a bigger game on Tuesday playing the Heat in Miami.

The Celtics won't have Jayson Tatum today. They aren't likely to have Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III either. Both were injured in the Celtics' 106-104 road victory at Toronto this past Saturday. That was a gutty win for the Celtics. Boston loses a lot of defense without Smart and Williams. 

The Magic should be motivated after giving up a season-high 138 points to the Wizards in a 20-point road loss to the Wizards two days ago. The Magic lacked energy in that game having beaten the Pelicans at home the night before. They should be far more physical in this matchup. 

Until that loss to the Wizards, the Magic were flying below the radar going 12-8 SU, 15-5 ATS pulling off straight-up underdog victories against the Celtics, Raptors, Warriors, Trail Blazers, Pelicans and Clippers. 

Sure it's a huge plus if Giannis Antetokounmpo can play having been out with knee soreness. But I see the motivated Bucks rolling past the Pistons even if Antetokounmpo can't go.

Milwaukee is in stop-the-pain mode losers of three of its last five games, including 114-102 to the Cavaliers this past Saturday. The Bucks are 4-1 ATS following a non-cover.

The Pistons are the worst team in the Eastern Conference. They are 1-6 in their last seven games. Detroit has lost by 12 or more points in seven of its last eight defeats.

There's also a situational factor working against Detroit. The Pistons just played in Paris this past Thursday where they were blown out by the Bulls, 126-108. So jet lag and concentration could be issues.

From a historical perspective the Bucks have dominated this series winning 15 of the last 16 times. Milwaukee is 2-0 versus Detroit this season with wins by two points and 25 points. Both of those victories were in Milwaukee. The Bucks are 7-1-1 ATS the past nine times meeting the Pistons in Detroit.

Kudos to the Suns for beating the Nets and Pacers during their last two games despite having multiple injuries to key players. However, I don't see the Suns winning a third straight game minus so many players against an angry Grizzlies squad.

Memphis had its 11-game win streak halted by the Lakers on Friday night, 122-121. The Grizzlies blew a 13-point second-half lead.

Until defeating the Pacers - who shot 37.5 percent from the floor against Phoenix and were missing their leading scorer, Tyrese Haliburton - the Suns had lost nine of 10. The Suns are without Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton - their three best players - along with Cam Johnson and guards Cam Payne and Landry Shamet.

The Grizzlies hosted the Suns three games ago and buried Phoenix, 136-106, six days ago.

The Raptors will be stressing defense after blowing an 18-point lead in a 128-126 loss to the Timberwolves this past Thursday. They catch Boston minus Jayson Tatum, who will sit out because of a sore wrist.

The Celtics rank in the top-seven in defensive efficiency since big man Robert Williams returned. The Celtics won't be playing fast after a tiring, 121-118, come-from-behind overtime win against the Warriors two days ago.

The Raptors play at a slow pace, too. The Under has cashed seven of the last nine times the Raptors have hosted Boston.

The Pelicans should be highly motivated to beat the Magic after an embarrassing, 124-98, home loss to the Heat this past Wednesday. 

The 16-28 Magic are playing their first home game in more than two weeks after concluding a five-game road trip that finished this past Sunday with a 119-116 loss to the Nuggets. Being idle for five days is being off for too long. So I don't expect the Magic to be sharp. 

New Orleans is at its best against bad team teams. The Pelicans are 19-7-1 (73 percent) ATS versus foes with a winning percentage below .400. They have covered the past five times against sub .500 opponents. 

The Pelicans are the superior team even without injured Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram and this spot sets up well for them. 

The 76ers are 3-0 on their five-game Western Conference road swing and playing well. But I see them getting tripped up by the Trail Blazers here. It's Philadelphia's fourth game in six days. The 76ers have failed to cover a spread during their last six games in Portland. 

The Trail Blazers are 8-2 ATS in their past 10 home games. Philadelphia is 2-7 ATS in its last nine road games when facing an opponent that has a winning home record. 

Portland is playing well, too. The Trail Blazers won and covered both of their home games against the Mavericks this past Saturday and Sunday. They then played the Nuggets tough in Denver two days ago in a loss that had a misleading final score. 

Look for Portland to bounce back being home again catching the 76ers fat and happy. 

The Nets must prove they can win without Kevin Durant. Or at least beat bottom-feeders. This is their chance.

I see the Nets being highly motivated in this matchup against the Spurs, who are 1-8 in their last nine games, including losing five in a row.

Brooklyn had won 14 of 15 games. But then superstar Durant went down with a knee injury and the Nets lost to the Celtics - no shame in that - and then suffered an upsetting, 112-102, home loss to the Thunder this past Sunday. Ben Simmons didn't play in the loss to the Thunder because of back pain.

Simmons has been cleared to play in this game, which is a boost to the Nets' shrinking rotation. Not only do the Nets want to redeem themselves for losing to the Thunder, but this also is the start of a five-game road trip consisting of games against the Suns, Jazz, Warriors and 76ers. Brooklyn doesn't want to start out with a loss to the 13-31 Spurs. So the Nets should be focused.

The Nets give up 11 fewer points per game than San Antonio, which ranks last in all of the major defensive categories, including scoring, field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. The Spurs' defense has been especially bad lately. The Spurs are surrendering an average of 130.6 points during their last five games.

The Nets have covered five of the last six games in this series.

Aside from Cleveland being the No. 1 defensive team in the NBA giving up an average of 107 points a game, there are strong situational reasons why I like this game to go Under.

New Orleans is playing its fifth consecutive road game. It's the first and only time this season the Pelicans will be playing a fifth straight away game. Cleveland just concluded a five-game, 10-day road swing this past Saturday night. The Cavaliers had to go through three different time zones during this time.

On top of these fatigue factors is this is an early-start Martin Luther King Day matinee game. So I'm certainly not expecting either team to push pace.

The Pelicans are missing two of their three best offensive players with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram out with injuries. The Pelicans have relied on 7-foot center Jonas Valanciunas to pick up the scoring. But Valanciunas is going to find it difficult against Cleveland's defensive-minded big men Eric Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Those two have been instrumental in Cleveland ranking No. 1 in defensive rebounding.

Donovan Mitchell easily paces the Cavaliers in scoring at 28.8 points per game. Mitchell, however, has been dealing with illness. He was just 5-for-16 shooting from the floor in the Cavaliers' 110-102 loss to the Timberwolves this past Saturday. The Pelicans are a middle-of-the-road defensive team. Their defensive strength is 3-point defense where they rank No. 2. So I'm not expecting Mitchell to go off. He missed seven of nine 3-point shots against Minnesota.

Look, I like the Grizzlies. But I don't like them enough to lay this many points in a flat spot against a good home team such as the Pacers.

The line is high - inflated in my view - because Indiana is without point guard Tyrese Haliburton and center Myles Turner. There's a chance, though, the Pacers get back forward Aaron Nesmith, who has missed the last two games due to illness. I also like the Pacers' younger players, particularly Bennedict Mathurin. I believe they will step up given the opportunity.

The Grizzlies aren't 100 percent healthy either with Dillon Brooks and Brandon Clarke both questionable.

Memphis has won eight in a row. However, the Grizzlies' last five victories were against the Spurs twice, slumping Jazz, Magic and Hornets. Memphis has failed to cover its last three games and has a bigger game on deck at home in revenge mode against the Suns.

The Pacers are 15-8 at home, including 6-1 SU and ATS in their past seven home contests. They are off a tough, 113-111, home loss last night to the Hawks, who scored the winning basket with less than a second left.

Indiana is 21-8 ATS when playing on zero rest. Memphis is 2-8 ATS the last 10 times on the road when playing an opponent with an above .500 home mark.

This is only the third time the Kings are laying more than 9 points. They are 0-2 ATS the previous two times. 

The Rockets are a bottom feeder, but they shouldn't lack motivation in a rapid revenge spot. The Kings beat Houston, 135-115, two days ago at home. That score was misleading, though. The Rockets led with 8:44 to go before the Kings scored 26 of the final 37 points. The Kings were aided by getting 14 more free throw attempts than the Rockets.

Houston lost point guard Kevin Porter Jr. just 10 minutes into the game with a bruised foot. It's a plus if he can play today. If not, the Rockets won't go in unprepared to not having him. 

Sacramento has failed to cover in six of its last eight home games. 

This is my Game of the Week.

The Pistons are off a 135-118 win against the Timberwolves on Wednesday. Detroit hasn't won consecutive games since Nov. 22-23. I don't see the Pistons doing that here.

Each of the Pistons' last nine losses were by double-digits. 

New Orleans is 7-5 in its last 12 games. However, all five of the losses during this span were to good teams. 

The Pelicans are several tiers better than the Pistons, which makes this point spread too small. Yes, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram remain out for the Pelicans. However, the Pistons also have injuries and their rotation isn't as talented as New Orleans is. Detroit has been without frontcourt players Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. 

The Thunder have been double-digit underdogs four times this season - and covered each time Oklahoma City has the best point spread mark in the NBA at 25-16 for 61 percent.

Oklahoma City has short revenge for a 115-96 home loss suffered to the 76ers on New Year's Eve.

The Thunder have thrived in these spots going 19-8 in their last 27 (70 percent) away games when taking on an opponent with a winning home record.

The 76ers are a bit fat and happy off consecutive easy victories against the Pistons. The Thunder are off a frustrating, 112-111, road loss to the Heat from Tuesday. Miami won by making all 40 of its free throws. It was the third straight game the Thunder have covered and fourth in their last five.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey are playing at high levels. They can keep the Thunder in this game.

I'm going to fade the injury-ravaged Suns following their huge upset win against the Warriors last night at Golden State. 

Phoenix stunned the Warriors despite missing Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, Cam Johnson, Landry Shamet and Cameron Payne. Before that game, the Suns had lost nine of 10, including six in a row. 

The Nuggets are rolling, winning their last three games by an average of 19 points with all three victories coming by at least 13 points. 

Denver has held its last three foes to an average of 102.6 points. 

The spot is right for the Heat to cover this number. Miami is 5-3 in its last eight games. The only bad loss the Heat have during this span is to the Lakers on the road by three points. The other two defeats were to the 27-13 Nuggets on the road by five points and at home to the sizzling Nets by one point this past Sunday. 

There is no way Miami overlooks Oklahoma City, which is four games below .500. Not only have the Thunder won two in a row, but the Heat's next two games are both against the Bucks. So the Heat can not afford a home defeat to this lowly opponent.  

This is only the Thunder's third road matchup in their last 13 games. Oklahoma City is fat and happy having won its last two games, both at home against the Wizards and Mavericks, who were missing superstar Luka Doncic, two days ago. 

The Thunder have lost their last four road contests - falling to the Magic by 11, Hornets by 8, Cavaliers by 7 and Grizzlies by 21 for an average away loss of 11.7 points. 

Oklahoma City is 13-9 at home, but 5-13 on the road. 

The Knicks are fat and happy, winners of four in a row. Note that two of those four victories were achieved against bottom-feeders San Antonio and Houston.

New York is 1-4 ATS in its last five home games.

The Bucks have had all weekend to reflect about a shocking, 138-109, home loss to the lowly Hornets this past Friday. Giannis Antetokounmpo was held to a season-low nine points.

I see Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee bouncing back here. The Bucks are 4-1-1 ATS in their six visits to Madison Square Garden.

I respect the Grizzlies and they are hot with five straight wins. Utah is off a disappointing road loss to the Bulls last night.

However, I see this as too many points for the Grizzlies to be laying. They were on the road for their last two games, having last played this past Thursday. I question their motivation and concentration being fat and happy right now.

Utah is 3-6 in its last nine games. The Jazz, though, haven't lost any of those six games by more than eight points. They are 8-1 ATS the past nine times versus foes with a winning percentage above .600.

Utah also is 6-2-1 ATS in its last nine games against the Grizzlies, including winning and covering both matchups earlier this season. Those games were back in October so this isn't a huge revenge spot for Memphis.

Surprised the spread is so low here? Don't be. The Bulls are in a tough situational spot. Chicago just ended the 76ers' 11-game home win streak, beating Philadelphia, 126-112, on Friday night. The 76ers were minus injured Joel Embiid.

The Bulls also ended the Nets' 12-game win streak with a 121-112 win this past Wednesday.

Back-to-back impressive victories for the Bulls. But now they fly back to Chicago where they'll have the rested Jazz awaiting them.

The Jazz halted a five-game losing streak by rolling past the Rockets, 131-114, on the road this past Thursday. Utah had lost its previous five games by an average of three points with the five defeats occurring by a combined 15 points.

Lauri Markkanen scored a career-high 49 points to lead Utah past Houston. Now Markkanen faces his former team. The Bulls are not only playing without rest, but this is their third game in four days and fourth game in six days.

The Bulls are reliant on their 3-point shooting. Zach LaVine hit 11 of 13 3-pointers against the 76ers. Utah, though, ranks in the top-10 in 3-point defense.

Kudos to the Pistons for upsetting the Warriors, 122-119, on a 3-point buzzer-beater by Saddiq Bey on Wednesday. I don't see the Pistons following that big win with another victory, though. Only once all season have the Pistons won consecutive games and that was back on Nov. 22-23. 

This marks Detroit's fifth road game in eight days. 

The Spurs return home after losing, 117-114, to the Knicks two days ago at Madison Square Garden. The Spurs are 2-1 in their last three home games beating the Jazz and Knicks while losing to the Mavericks by one point.

The Pistons have failed to cover during their last four visits to San Antonio. 

It's easy to think offense about the Memphis Grizzlies because of star guard Ja Morant. But the Grizzlies are a strong defensive team. They give up the seventh-fewest points per game in the NBA and rank first in defensive field goal percentage. Memphis has gone Under in seven of its last eight games.

The Grizzlies have allowed just 105.5 points per game during their last four games.

Orlando ranks 27th in scoring. The Magic have had their rotation messed up, too, in their last couple of games because of multiple suspensions stemming from an altercation against the Pistons last Thursday.

Both teams played and won last night with the Grizzlies burying the Hornets by 24 points on the road and the Magic defeating the Thunder by 11 as a one-point home 'dog. So I'm not expecting a fast tempo. The Magic are below average in terms of pace.

The Magic are the best defensive team the Grizzlies have faced during their past couple games. Memphis is off games against the Kings, who rank 28th in defensive field goal percentage, and Hornets, who rank 28th in scoring defense.

Orlando relies heavily on Paolo Banchero, its leading scorer. The Grizzlies have a number of good defenders - Jaren Jackson Jr., Dillon Brooks and Steven Adams - who can bother Banchero.

The Hawks are in stop-the-pain mode. They've lost four in a row. Two of those losses were in heart-breaking fashion. One was a double overtime road loss to the Warriors in their last game played two days ago. The other was a one-point loss to the sizzling Nets. 

The Kings return to Sacramento off a 117-115 road win against the Jazz on Tuesday night, scoring the winning basket with 0.4 seconds to play. 
Sacramento's concentration may be off along with a letdown factor following last night's narrow victory. The Kings haven't been home since Dec. 30. This marks their third game in four days and they are coming from Utah's high altitude. It's also the Kings' sixth game in nine days so there is a fatigue factor against them. 

The Kings have failed to cover in their last four home games. The Hawks have won the last three meetings between the two teams, including scoring a 115-106 home win on Nov. 23. 

The teams just met this past Friday in Sacramento. The Kings won, 126-125, for a combined total of 251. So why now go Under in the rematch?

The shooting in that Friday game was unbelievable. The Jazz shot 55 percent from the floor and made 25 of 30 free throws. The Kings shot 56 percent from the field while making 12 of 30 3-pointers.

Both defenses are below average. Neither, though, is bottom-six. I expect adjustments to be made following that game five days ago. Kings coach Mike Brown has a respected defensive mind.

The Jazz rank eighth in 3-point defense. So I don't expect the Kings to make 40 percent of their 3-pointers like they did Friday.

The Under has cashed in five of the Kings' last six road games. This is Sacramento's fifth game in eight days and is being played in Utah's high altitude. So I don't believe the Kings will be that up-tempo.

The teams just met this past Saturday night in Chicago. The Bulls were 5-1 in their last six games heading into that matchup while the Cavaliers had lost three in a row. The Cavaliers held off the Bulls, 103-102, despite not having Evan Mobley and Darius Garland. Donovan Mitchell had an off-game shooting 5-of-16 from the floor.

Yet Cleveland still won.

I like the Cavaliers to cover this margin even if they are missing Mobley and Garland again. It's a bonus if either of them plays. Mitchell should shoot a lot better, too.

The difference is defense. The Cavaliers are the No. 1 defensive team in the NBA holding foes to 106.2 points. The Bulls rank 18th giving up 114.8 points a game.

The Cavaliers have been big money-makers at home going 15-6-1 ATS in their last 22 home contests.

The Cavaliers have lost three in a row - just surrendering a season-high 135 points to the Pacers this past Thursday - and aren't likely to have Darius Garland. The Bulls are playing their best ball winning five of their last six games. 

Yet the Bulls are home 'dogs to the Cavaliers? What gives?

It's the NBA where things on the surface don't always make sense. The oddsmaker knows what he's doing. So I'm on the Cavaliers, who are in obvious stop-the-pain mode. 

The Cavaliers' two other losses during their losing streak were against the Raptors and sizzling Nets. They remain the No. 1 defensive team in the NBA. Cleveland is giving up nearly nine fewer points per game than Chicago. 

The Cavaliers buried the Bulls, 128-96, in Chicago without Garland back on Oct. 22. The Bulls are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games. They also carry a higher fatigue rating than the Cavaliers being in action for the third time in four days and fourth in six days.

It's not just the playoffs. There is plenty of zig and zag to the regular season, too. I see that playing out in this matchup where the Jazz are in stop-the-pain mode while the Kings are fat and happy after beating the Nuggets, the top team in the Western Conference, at home this past Wednesday. The Kings nipped the Nuggets, 127-126, scoring the winning point with less than a second left.

The Jazz are 0-2 on their current road trip, which concludes with this game. Utah entered this road trip going 4-2 with its only losses during this span coming on the road to the Bucks and Cavaliers.

However, Utah then was upset by the Spurs and Warriors two days ago. The Jazz blew a double-digit lead to the Warriors by scoring just 13 points in the fourth quarter. The Warriors were minus Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins.

The Jazz should be motivated and ready for this matchup not wanting to go 0-3 on this road trip. They have covered during their last four visits to Sacramento and also are 6-1-1 ATS in their last eight games versus the Kings.

So what do the Mavericks and Luka Doncic do for an encore after coming from nine points down with 33 seconds left in regulation to beat the Knicks in overtime with Doncic producing 60 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists?

The answer is they don't have an encore. Instead the Mavericks suffer a massive letdown hosting the Rockets, who have the worst record in the Western Conference.

It's going to be difficult for the Mavericks to come down from the high of that improbable victory against the Knicks on Tuesday and Doncic's historic night. Prior to that game, teams trailing by nine points with under 35 seconds left were 0-13,884 during the last 20 years, according to research compiled by ESPN Stats and Info.

The Mavericks have been terrible as mid-sized-to-big favorites. They are 3-15-1 ATS when laying 5 or more points. They also are 1-8-1 ATS the past 10 times against sub .500 foes.

The Rockets are capable of springing upsets. They have defeated the Bucks, Suns and Bulls during their last nine games. Houston shouldn't lack motivation after getting buried by the Celtics in their last games two days ago.

Houston has covered in four of its last five visits to Dallas.

The Bucks are in stop-the-pain mode losers of three in a row. I see the Bucks ending that losing streak against the Bulls whether they have Khris Middleton back in the lineup or not.

The Bucks dominate the Bulls especially in Chicago where they have covered 14 of the last 17 times.

The Bulls have lost their last three home games falling to the Rockets by 15, Knicks by 23 and Knicks by eight in overtime.

Expect the Clippers' starters to play much better after their bench rallied them to an overtime victory against the Pistons in Detroit last night. It was an improbable victory for the Clippers. They trailed, 126-112, with 3:34 left when Clippers coach Tyronn Lue pulled his starters. But the Clippers' second-unit rallied them, bailing out the starters.

The Clippers didn't have Kawhi Leonard in that game. Leonard is expected to play here. That should make a big difference, too.

The Raptors could have some holiday rust on them. They completed a tough, three-game road trip by defeating the Cavaliers, 118-107, this past Friday. The Raptors had halted the Knicks' eight-game win streak in their previous game. Toronto has been idle the past three days.

Toronto has failed to cover in four of its last five home games.