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The Toronto Raptors peculiar start to the season has them at 1-5. Yet they continue to draw small numbers, including for today’s road matchup against the Phoenix Suns. Expect the veteran Raptors to finally rise to the challenge, as they’ve defeated the Suns in six straight matchups. Take the points here on the Raptors.

On the young season the Virginia Cavaliers have yet to defeat a power five team by fourteen points or more. Yet, the Cavaliers continue to get strong numbers from oddsmakers ATS based on their past history. In-conference they execute game plans as good as any team in college basketball. With Wake Forest undermanned expect the Cavaliers to pull away by a significant margin. Grab Virginia. 

Prior to their team coronavirus outbreak the Houston Cougars looked the part of a tier-two national contender. They have not had the same rhythm and look since returning to the court, and that resulted in their first loss of the season. In their last game against SMU they needed to pull away from a game that was closer than the final score. The Shockers have been solid and have yet to lose a game by double-digits. Expect that spectrum to change as the Cougars have enough return time back on the floor to be sharp. Grab Houston. 

One of the more obscure lines of the season lies with today’s matchup of Northwestern State vs Incarnate Ward. With a 1-11 record the Demons find themselves as seven point favorites. Northwestern State has defeated Incarnate Ward in four consecutive matchups since 2017-2018. Lay the points. 

In college basketball teams have yearly patterns that bettors can capitalize on. A season ago, Richmond began 10-1 before losing three of five at the tail end of December and into January. That pattern has lurked once again as the Spiders have lost consecutive home games. Take the value on the underdog as the Rams keep it close.

After a 2-0 start the Minnesota Timberwolves have quickly faded. They’ve lost four straight including their last matchup against the Denver Nuggets, 124-109. In fact, all of their losses have been by double-digits.  Still, their woes are expected but Denver’s have not been. With the same record and the recent matchup result grab the value on the Timberwolves, as bettors continue to chase the Nuggets.

 Tuesday, Rutgers will travel to take on Michigan State in a battle of top twenty-five teams. Close losses in two games are the difference in Rutgers not being a top ten team. They are shooting just sixty percent from the free throw line, which proved costly in their lost against Iowa. With Michigan State just 1-3 in-conference this line is a bit short. Grab the Spartans. 

The Clemson Tigers have one of the best surprise early resumes. They have defeated Purdue, Maryland, Alabama, Mississippi State, and Florida State. That has catapulted them inside the top twenty, but today’s opponent is tricky for them. NC State has torched recent ACC opponents in first halves, with 49 points against North Carolina and 45 against Boston College. Expect another big first half and for Clemson to be in an unfamiliar spot facing a deficit. Grab NC State. 

Pre-season, no mid-major team received more of a boost than Bowling Green when Justin Turner announced he would return to the school. The Falcons have raced out to a 7-2 start and have covered decisively in three-straight road games. Returning home to face Central Michigan is a value spot on the Chippewas to fade the Falcons recent ATS-run. Grab the underdog.

The Mavericks have been helter skelter to begin the year. After an 0-2 start they’ve settled down winning two of their last three. A big part has quietly been improved defense. In wins against the Clippers and Heat they held both teams beneath 83 points. With the Bulls having all types of issues look for the Mavericks to get a second straight win over an Eastern Conference team. 

Two teams that have extended layoffs will meet today in the CAA. Both Morgan State and James Madison have not stepped on the court in nearly two weeks. In the Dukes last loss they nearly pulled off an upset over VCU. Expect that to be fresh in bettors minds but for the layoff to benefit the road team in Morgan State. Take the points here.

Consecutive days of games have seen a familiar pattern. Single digit spreads the team that loses in the first day, typically covers the next. This scenario just happened with Georgia State-Coastal Carolina and South Alabama-Georgia Southern. I expect it to happen in the Missouri Valley Sunday as Northern Iowa’s 2-6 record is not indicative of the type of team they are. Young they are a work in progress and will take a step forward today against Evansville.

One of the surprise teams to start the season have been the Orlando Magic. At 4-1,  one of their wins came against today’s opponent in the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder  have lost three straight games all at home, are struggling to find their identity. Expect a change of scenery from their home environment and revenge to spark the Thunder. Grab the underdog. 

A familiar team has returned to Summit League competition in UMKC. Saturday, after seven years away in the WAC they’ll meet against North Dakota. At 1-8, the Fighting Hawks are coming off their worst loss of the season, 88-55 against Drake. An even level of competition today against UMKC should help elevate North Dakota’s offense. Take the home favorite to spoil UMKC’s return to the Summit League.

A season ago the Dayton Flyers were one of the top choices to make a Final Four run. A cancelled season and a talent drop off has placed uncertainty on this year’s team.  Already 0-1 in conference play, they’ll face a feisty George Mason team Saturday. The Patriots have played four straight games that have been decided by five points or less. Take the points here. 

A strange conundrum has taken place with the Utah Jazz. They are 2-0 on the road and 0-2 at home. Oddsmakers have adjusted for tonight placing them as an underdog against the LA Clippers. In a back to back scenario for the Jazz expect the Clippers to take advantage. Grab the Clippers tonight as one of the final games on the Friday board. 

Two teams that are explosive offensively are Coastal Carolina and Georgia State. The Panthers boast scorers up and down their roster and have a knack for going on crucial decisive scoring runs. I expect that to take fold in the second half even if the Panthers are down early and at halftime. Take the Panthers to pull away in the final minutes.

Two teams that have under performed to in the MAAC have been Rider and Fairfield. They’ll meet today with a combined record of 2-14. An ATS edge is a common opponent in Iona, whom the Stags have their lone win over and a team that Rider lost against. In what may be a sloppy game take the forward thinking value on the road team in Rider. 

The Pelicans were a major dud for myself and a lot of bettors as road underdogs against the Suns a few nights ago. Letdowns are going to happen with a young team and a new Coach. Yet, Stan Van Gundy will get his team to respond. Oklahoma City loses its third straight as their NBA best ATS record in 2019 continues to free fall.

Over the years one of the top teams James Harden has been dominant against are the Sacramento Kings. With all the issues for the Rockets they have played just two games. There’s plenty of time to bounce back. Recent betting bias is in play here as both the Kings and Rockets played against the Nuggets. The Rockets lost in blowout fashion while the Kings won by ten. Play the right side here as the Rockets get their first win.

With Tennessee Tech winning yesterday there are few teams left without a win. One of those plays today in a repeat matchup of Wednesday, as USC Upstate takes on High Point. USC Upstate has had a drastic change over from their days in the Southern Conference six years ago. Talent is down and they struggle mightily with transition defense. Yet, High Point is a slower pace team. This will be closer than yesterday’s eleven point road loss. Grab Upstate.

The Brooklyn Nets have shown two sides of the spectrum to begin the NBA season. With KD and Kyrie on the floor they have been electric with two blowout wins. Without they’re more of the team that took the floor last season. Tonight, expect the return of both to spark ATS value on the road underdog Hawks. Precedent point spreads of -3 against Boston and -7.5 against Golden State have cast value here. Grab the Hawks. 

Eric Musselman has quickly revamped Arkansas, as they are off to an 8-0 start. Yet, they are one of the few power five schools that have not had any true non-conference tests. In fact, the highest rated team they have faced is 4-3 North Texas. Expect Auburn to capitalize on Arkansas weak non-conference schedule as the home underdog. Grab Auburn. 

St. Bonaventure and Rhode Island both head into Wednesday’s matchup off a long holiday break. The Bonnies have not played since December 19th, and Rhode Island since the 18th. The break may have been a good thing for the Rams as they had a fierce non-conference schedule. Working in several transfers takes time. Expect the Rams to show improvement and get one win closer to .500.

 After going undefeated in the bubble the Phoenix Suns have carried momentum into the new season. They’re 2-1, and have caught the eyes of the betting public and sharps. The dynamic has created a value spot tonight with the Pelicans. Under new coach Stan Van Gundy look for the Pelicans mix of veterans and youth to give Phoenix problems. Grab the Pelicans. 

The Toronto Raptors were one of the few contending teams that came into the 2020 season with very few changes. Yet, they’re off to an 0-2 start. Tuesday, they’ll face a revamped Philadelphia 76ers team led by new Coach Doc Rivers. On a small number go against uncharted territories for an 0-3 start for Toronto. Grab Philadelphia.

Senior guard, Tahj Eaddy is one of several small school transfers the USC Trojans have utilized this season. Eaddy played his past two years at Santa Clara, which should be added motivation for the Trojans. Take the Trojans to run away from Santa Clara with their underrated blue chip transfer depth. Grab USC.

A great battle should be on display today in the ACC as Clemson hosts Florida State. In last year’s series the team’s split, including a late February home victory for Clemson. In that matchup the Tigers small ball lineup featured 44 of 70 points from guards Clyde Trapp, Al-Amir Dawes, and John Newman III. Personnel may be different but the Tigers have an uncanny lineup that should get a boost from Fordham transfer Nick Honor. Take the Tigers.

Colorado and Arizona were supposed to meet several weeks ago but had their initial game postponed. They’ll meet tonight in what will be a true barometer test for both teams. One player to keep an eye out on is McKinley Wright. The Buffaloes guard has had particularly solid games against UofA. Look for his play to give the Buffaloes an edge in what should be a tight game. 

Sunday a late add will be on UC Irvine. The Anteaters have not played in eight days and will play their first Big West conference game of the season. In what’s the first of a two-game matchup against UC Santa Barbara look for Irvine to be the aggressor. The Gauchos are a bit over valued thanks to a 4-1 record and an outright upset over Pepperdine. Take Irvine.

Despite three losses, Illinois finds themselves still ranked in the top twenty in college basketball. That’s largely due to their three losses being against top twenty-five teams. Today, they’ll face an Indiana team that played them wire to wire last season in a 67-66 game. Expect another close matchup as Illinois is coming off of four of five road games. Play Indiana. 

The defending NBA champions in the Los Angeles Lakers lost their opening game against the Clippers. Now the pressure is on to avoid an 0-2 start against the Dallas Mavericks. Minus Porzingis the Mavericks were a bit sloppy in their loss against the Suns. Yet, they have pieces that can shine against the Mavericks especially with their second unit. Grab the value on the underdog as the NBA champions go 0-2 ATS to start the year. 

The Iowa Hawkeyes lone loss this year has been against the top team in the country in Gonzaga. Their presence offensively is sparked by one of the best players in the country in Luke Garza. A season ago they demolished Minnesota in one matchup and held on by three points in another. The Gophers weak schedule this year and blowout loss against Illinois has placed value here on them. Grab Minnesota to stand up in the final game tonight in college hoops on Christmas Day. 

 Each year we see a team that jumps higher than they should in the polls off of one big win. Michigan State soared after defeating Duke, but is coming off a fourteen point loss to Northwestern. Expect Wisconsin to continue to expose the Spartans, and redeem themselves from losing their only road game of the season against Marquette. Play the Badgers. 

A team that has lost some pieces from a season ago are the Pelicans. Former coach Alvin Gentry was let go, and Jrue Holiday was sent to the Bucks. In return the Pelicans received Eric Bledsoe, and now will be led by Stan Van Gundy. I expect the changes to be beneficial out the gate. The Raptors strong hold as a home dominant team and Eastern Conference reign is value based here on the underdog. 

Coach Pitino’s return to college basketball to Iona has had early mixed results. At 4-3, Iona has been sporadic as they learn Pitino’s system. Expect an uptick in performance against today’s opponent in Coppin State. The Eagles have lost all five of their road games by a combined average of twenty-six points. Grab Iona.

Rutgers has picked up where they left off in 2019, with a stout 6-0 record. As a result they’ve surged in the polls to 11th place. Wednesday, they’ll face a Buckeyes team that has a knack for keeping games close. In fact, their last four games have all been decided by seven points or less. Grab the Buckeyes as Rutgers loses their first game of the season.

On the young basketball season one team that has struggled has been UT San Antonio. Their three wins have been against non division one competition. All their other games have been double-digit losses. Yet, I expect the continuity to be much more fluid today against Lamar. Grab UT San Antonio to roll.

Friday, the Ohio Valley begins conference play as Southeast Missouri State hosts UT-Martin. Both teams have played one common opponent in Evansville. UT-Martin defeated the Purple Aces, while Southeast Missouri State lost in their last game against Evansville. The fresh loss has devalued this spread slightly. Grab the value here on Southeast Missouri State.

A team that has had difficulties transitioning from graduates of 2019 has been College of Charleston. They’re just 2-3, and have had difficulties replacing the scoring of Grant Riller and Jaylen McManus. Yet, they’ve shown strides in their last two games and will face a Western Carolina team that’s record is masked by weak opponents. Grab College of Charleston. 

Thursday, the San Francisco Dons will face a Pac-12 team for the second consecutive game. In their last matchup against California they surrendered a seven point lead in the final minutes, and lost 72-70. Their reliance on three-point shooting should play into the hands of the Ducks half-court defense, as they’ve forced 19 turnovers or more in consecutive games. Grab the Ducks.

Thursday, Delaware State returns to the court after a lengthy layoff of twenty-two days. The layoff should play into the hands of Coastal Carolina, which features electric guard DaVante Jones. In last year’s matchup against Delaware State, Jones came two rebounds short of a triple-double. Grab Coastal Carolina as they surpass last season’s matchup total of 92 points.

It was just a few short years ago that Middle Tennessee State built a reputation centered around their March Madness run. Times have changed for the Blue Raiders but they do have experience against today’s opponent in Ole Miss. Last year forward Tyson Jackson scored a career-high fourteen points and made all seven of his shot attempts. Take the value here on the home double-digit underdog.

One of the hottest teams in the country for field goal percentage has been Campbell. At 4-0, they have shot the ball over sixty percent in consecutive games, this includes a whopping 21-41 from three-point range. Wednesday, a familiar opponent in Elon should have a proper game plan in-place to derail Campbell. Take the Phoenix to avenge last year’s 60-46 loss. 

 The Mean Green have lost three straight games yet find themselves steep favorites tonight against Arkansas Pine-Bluff. It’s justified as the three losses were all against power five schools in Arkansas, Mississippi State, and West Virginia. In fact, the Mean Green held a 29-21 lead over West Virginia at halftime. Expect a blowout as North Texas cruises past the lowly Golden Lions.

Saturday, Valparaiso hopes to end an 0-3 start on the road. They’ll take on a Central Michigan team that has one common opponent with Valparaiso, in Illinois-Chicago. The Chippewas lost by two points while Valparaiso lost by sixteen against the Flames. The common opponent factor and Valparaiso’s road woes are ATS value indicators. Grab the Crusaders. 

An under the radar small school matchup will take place tonight between George Washington and Delaware. The Colonials are coming off a double-digit loss against UMBC, but closed the gap from a twenty-five point deficit to two points in the final minute. Expect the Colonials to start off faster against a Delaware squad that has just two games under their belt.

Year to year Creighton has continued to make strides quietly under Coach Greg McDermott. 2020 appears to be the year they take a further step, which may be devalued ATS-wise. Last season the Blue Jays got their second-best non-conference win over Nebraska, 95-76. Look for the smaller school in the state to get the upper hand once again. 

Only a handful of teams have played six games thus far this year. Xavier is one of them as they are coming off a solid win over crosstown rival Cincinnati. At 6-0 they’ve shown the explosiveness to be a contender in the Big East again. Yet, the Sooners are a different caliber. Even with the fact that they’ve only played two games, they have the upper hand talent wise. Grab Oklahoma.

Inexplicably Georgia Tech began the season losing to both Georgia State and Mercer. The wake up call has paid dividends as they blew out Kentucky 79-62, in their last game. Aggressive play and better shot selection should continue today against Nebraska. Tail the slight favorites in Georgia Tech in their first true road game of the season. 

A former ACC clash will take place today as Maryland heads to Clemson. The Tigers have impressed on the young season with double-digit wins over both Mississippi State and Purdue. Maryland may not have the team experience the Tigers do, but this a good spot in the schedule for them. Grab the points here as Clemson has had a full week off since their last win over South Carolina State. 

In prior years Lipscomb had developed into one of the better small schools to take advantage of. This year they’ve started 1-3 with three straight losses to big schools. This included a thiry-six point loss Saturday against Arkansas. A quick turn around against a small school Monday spells value. Take the Bisons tonight against Southeast Missouri State.

Out in the Big Sky, Idaho will travel to take on Sacramento State. Last season the Vandals were one of the worst teams in college basketball with an 8-24 record. Yet, they played Sacramento State well. Losing their home matchup by eleven points, and toppling them by fourteen on the road. Look for Idaho to play confidently in their first game of the year. Take the points.

Montana has one of the more peculiar schedules of any team in college basketball. Virtually the first full month they are on the road, with four matchups against the Pac-12. In between are two road matchups against Big Sky rival Southern Utah. Look for Montana to be dialed in and ready against a familiar opponent, and get the first game of two straight against Southern Utah.

Nebraska Omaha already has three losses on the season at 1-3. Two of those losses were against little known schools Abilene Christian and Austin Peay. That’s placed a bit of value on them against an undefeated Drake team, that has already defeated a power five team in Kansas State. Back the underdog here in Omaha.

Dixie State will make their division one debut tonight as they host North Dakota.  Due to Covid-19 protocols Dixie State will have limited capacity of 1,000 fans. That’s a small number but a distinct factor in an arena that holds just 5,000. Shot selection and transition defense were big issues for North Dakota in their double-digit season-opening loss to Miami-Ohio. Grab Dixie State in their debut to division one hoops.

One of the few college basketball teams that will allow fans is Iowa State. Tonight they’ll have limited capacity as they face South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits are coming off three nationally televised tournament games in which they went 1-2. Tournament level competition should have them prepared against an Iowa State team that’s only game was against Arkansas Pine-Bluff of the SWAC.

Last season, SIU Edwardsville had one of the worst records in college basketball at 8-23. Of their ten non-conference losses last year only one was by single digits against Northern Illinois. That sets up a solid underdog spot tonight against a Northern Illinois squad that surrendered a twenty-two point lead in their debut. 

Over the last three years, VMI has had an overall record of 29-66. Tuesday, they’ll take on Longwood that battled hard against Wake Forest in their first matchup. In fact, they were tied at halftime 34-34. Yet, value is to be had in the rare spot of VMI being favored. Look for VMI’s senior tandem backcourt in Myles Lewis and Greg Parham to carry VMI. 

Bryant nearly pulled off a huge upset against Syracuse, but fell short 85-84 in their season opener. Tuesday, they’ll take on New Hampshire whom they lost to in overtime in non-conference play last season. It was a contest that the Wildcats out-rebounded Bryant 59 to 38, and also shot ten more free throws. With their front-court personnel intact, grab New Hampshire. 

The Alabama Crimson Tide were a delight ATS last season. At one point they were neck and neck with St. Francis as the top school in the country ATS. With many returnees from last year the program figures to progress under second year coach Nate Oats. Yet, today’s matchup is a tricky one against Stanford. The Cardinal not having a home court to practice at currently combined with Alabama’s success ATS last year are value indicators. Take Stanford. 

Monday, a fantastic small school in-state matchup will take place between Georgia State and Mercer. Both teams have a power five win over Georgia Tech. Electric scoring capabilities has featured the Panthers averaging 114 points per game. But look for an overhauled Mercer team with an advanced front court to be game ready. Grab Mercer.

Two winless teams will meet today as Arkansas State takes on Morehead State. This is a spot where Arkansas State’s guard play figures to be an advantage, as Morehead State has struggled in consecutive blowout losses. Yet, those losses were against big schools in Kentucky and Richmond. Grab the underdog in a close Sunday battle.

Saturday, UNC Asheville and Western Carolina will meet in an under the radar matchup. Both have already played UNC Wilmington, with UNC Asheville losing by ten points and Western Carolina rolling to a twenty-two point victory. That common opponent has swayed the point spread. Expect consecutive days of action to benefit the host tournament team in UNC Asheville.

The Missouri Valley has already made some noise to begin the 2020 season with Northern Iowa and Bradley. Friday, the Crusaders can be the latest as they travel on the road against SEC opponent Vanderbilt. The Crusaders may have struggled in 2019 but it gave a young lineup a chance to develop. Key personnel and their strong half-court defense should give them an ATS edge Friday. Grab Valparaiso. 

For three halves of basketball St. Mary’s struggled in a blowout loss against Memphis and the first half against Northern Iowa. A dominant second half against Northern Iowa helped avoid an 0-2 start. Yet, clearly Randall Bennett has his hands full as he works to develop St. Mary’s. Grab South Dakota State as their hot three point shooting continues.

Two teams that finished 2019 in opposite directions will meet to begin the 2020 season. Yet the biggest team adjustments entering 2020 will be Utah State who lost all three of their starting guards, including main scorer Sam Merrill. Their strength will be in the front court which should be an advantage challenging shots at the rim by VCU. Expect the Aggies to turn have an advantage off rebounds and transition fast breaks. Grab Utah State. 

Wednesday, a conference matchup to begin the season will take place as California travels to Oregon State. The Beavers will have their hands full as they lost both Kylor Kelly and Tres Trinkle to graduation.  While the Bears have the experience advantage, that can be used against them by the Beavers staff. Look for the Beavers to pull away in the second half thanks to halftime adjustments on prior scouting intel. 

In 2019, Pepperdine caught the attention of the betting public with covers against Arizona, USC, Providence, and Gonzaga twice.  Wednesday’s opener against UC Irvine is a matchup the Waves won at home last season 77 to 73. The Anteaters surrendered a nine point lead with two minutes left by going scoreless. Expect the revenge angle to be strong. Grab UC Irvine.

The Lakers and Heat meet after a mini break Friday. That’s allowed the Heat to get some extra rest for banged up personnel, but also gives the Lakers a chance to focus on completing their task. Expect the Heat’s offense to fizzle out as the Lakers quest to win a championship is finalized. Grab the Lakers. 

The Miami Heat showcased that they do belong in the finals with a spirited effort and win in game three. It’s surely to wake up the Lakers and odds have adjusted two full points. Look for minimal changes from both teams in terms of game plans but an increase in production from the young Heat players. Grab Miami. 

The Miami Heat experienced their worst loss in the bubble in game one in a 116-98 loss. Compounding matters were key injuries and the fact that the Heat didn’t show the skillset of talent to matchup with Anthony Davis. Yet this is a position the Heat have been in before as they experienced several stretches with players in and out of the lineup the last two seasons. Chances of an outright victory are slim but expect a more competitive game than the spread indicates. Grab Miami.

The Denver Nuggets find themselves in a familiar spot. They’ll face elimination with a series deficit of 3-1 against the Los Angeles Lakers. Competitive games two, three, and four have featured covers and a push for the Nuggets. This has caused a dip in the line and thoughts of the Nuggets repeating another series comeback. Expect the Lakers to avoid giving the Nuggets series life with a strong second half to end the series. Grab LA

In game three it was obvious the Nuggets were the aggressor while the Lakers were relaxed with a 2-0 series lead. Denver now has the confidence knowing they have come back in consecutive series and nearly won game two over the Lakers. Expect the Lakers to have a more fluid game four on defense and especially from three point range. Grab LA. 

Wednesday, the Heat and Celtics will meet for game four after a mini-layoff of four days. Boston negated the Heat’s defense in game three with better ball movement that was sparked by the return and versatility of Gordon Hayward. With the layoff expect the Heat to regroup from a poor shooting performance in game three and maintain high energy. Grab the Heat plus the points.

The Nuggets nearly evened their series against the Lakers in game two. A game winning three-pointer by Anthony Davis sealed the victory for LA. Look for the Nuggets to exhaust their energy early in game three. LA has been a great closing team in second halves against Portland and Houston. They’ll do it again from mid third quarter on and cruise to a game three victory. Grab LA. 

The Heat’s dominant playoff run has correlated ATS. Yet, just like their series against the Raptors the number ATS continues to grow on the Celtics side. Boston could easily be the team up 2-0 in the series. Tonight look for the Celtics to not let off the gas in the final minutes. Grab Boston. 

The Miami Heat are 9-1 in the post-season thanks to stout defense in second halves. They’ve also had an uncanny team chemistry to rely on several different hot hands in key stretches. Expect the Heat to carry over the confidence of game one’s victory into another strong performance. Grab the Heat. 

The LA Lakers have negated the Rockets small ball approach for three straight wins and ATS covers. With a limited lineup the Rockets have had severe breakdowns and lapses. Yet, they’ve fought in each loss and have the veteran makeup to take it one game at a time. Grab Houston as the Lakers bench contributions take a small dip of above average play.

The Denver Nuggets once again find themselves down 3-1 in the playoffs. Similar to their series against the Utah Jazz, the Nuggets lack of defense has been an immense burden. Expect a big team effort offensively in a must-win situation to over ride their half court defense. Grab the Nuggets. 

The Raptors suffered an embarrassing game five loss to the Celtics 111-89. It’s clear the Celtics have several mismatches on the floor. Wednesday will mark the tenth matchup of the season against each other. Expect a do or die scenario and the knowledge of each other’s strengths to bode to the advantage of the Raptors. Grab the points here. 

A problem for the Houston Rockets throughout the playoffs has been their inability to play solid basketball quarter to quarter. This allowed Oklahoma City to erase deficits and for the Lakers to pull through in game two. Tuesday, expect the Rockets to finally play a well-rounded game and push the Lakers ATS. Play the Rockets. 

The Milwaukee Bucks were able to fight off elimination in game four. Post game Jimmy Butler stated the Heat lost their focus. In game five expect Coach Spoelstra to implement a hardened defensive strategy focusing on Khris Middleton. Grab the Heat to finish off the Bucks and become the first team to enter the conference finals.

The Toronto Raptors used defense to squeak by in game four against the Celtics. The third quarter has been a big key as the Raptors have outscored Boston each game in the series. Yet, Boston has the unexpected bench advantage. Look for the Celtics to go on a key run and continue to stifle the Raptors defensively.  

Playoff rust after a layoff is inevitable. This was apparent in the Lakers game one loss to the Rockets. One of the big keys to the Lakers success is adjustments. They did it against Portland and should have swift adjustments against the Rockets small ball play. Grab the Lakers Sunday evening.

The Toronto Raptors were on the verge of faltering to 1-5 on the season against the Celtics. Instead a miracle play stole game three for the Raptors. It’s clear that they have not played their best basketball but look for that win to inspire the Raptors. Grab the Raptors plus the points.

A problem for the Rockets has been their lack of closing out games. All of their playoff losses to the Thunder have been caused by surrendering leads down the stretch. Expect the Thunder to be the looser team knowing they likely should not be in this situation. Take the Thunder plus the points. 

The Houston Rockets dominated the Thunder in game five with exceptional shooting. It’s been a continual theme for the Rockets who likely could have swept Oklahoma City if not for second-half meltdowns. In game six look for the Thunder to play hard in the first half, and falter dramatically in the second. Grab Houston.

A regular season series edge of 2-1, belonged to the Miami Heat over the Bucks. In round one of the playoffs Miami was the only team to sweep their opponent. This created a full seven days of rest for the Heat that could be detrimental in game one. Expect the Bucks to be the more fluid team and fight off the number ATS in the fourth quarter. Grab Milwaukee. 

Consecutive second half meltdowns by the Rockets have allowed the Oklahoma City Thunder to even their series against Houston. Wednesday I anticipated the Rockets having the advantage. Due to a long layoff and now the return of Russ Westbrook I believe that changes. Look for the young Thunder to get the upper hand Saturday from an ATS stand point. Grab OKC. 

Tuesday, the Utah Jazz have a chance to close out the Denver Nuggets in game five of their first round series. Heavy guard reliance has boosted the Jazz to octane scoring performances. In game four, Jordan Clarkson, Donovan Mitchell, and Mike Conley Jr. scored 101 of the teams 129 points (78 percent). Expect downgraded play from one of the three as the Nuggets balanced attack finally overrides the Jazz. Grab Denver. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder scored a big overtime win in game three. Monday, they have a chance to swing momentum and even their series against the Rockets. A key subtle change from the Thunder in game three involved switching to an eight-man rotation. This led to better attacks to the basket which led to eleven more free throw attempts than the Rockets. Grab the Thunder to build upon game three and cover the small number.

Dallas and the LA Clippers have both had strong double-digit leads in games one and two. Tonight for game three expect a much more tighter ball game. Veteran leadership of the Clippers may prove to be to much for the Mavericks youth tonight, but not ATS wise.  Grab Dallas plus the points. 

Friday, the Jazz will get a veteran presence back in guard Mike Conley. The Utah Jazz who have grown comfortable playing the Nuggets style. This was displayed in game two’s victory as the Jazz shot forty-four three pointers making twenty. Their bench production is rising with Jordan Clarkson becoming one of the best sixth man’s in playoff basketball. Grab the Jazz. 

The Portland Trailblazers have put a bright spotlight on the NBA with high-energetic comeback wins. In their last four games they’ve needed fourth quarter come backs against the Mavericks, Nets, Grizzlies, and Lakers. That’s a pattern a team does not want to be in against a Lakers team with their backs against the walls. Grab the Lakers to play as a true one seed tonight.

Awaiting for the Bucks to hit the on switch was expected in game one against the Magic. Instead an early start time led to sloppy play and an outright loss. Attention to detail will be ramped up in game two as the Bucks defend Nikola Vucevic better. Grab the Bucks to roll.

Monday, the Jazz and Nuggets kicked off the NBA playoffs with a tightly played game that went into overtime. Under manned the Jazz must re-group in forty-eight hours in a crucial game two. Expect the Jazz ability to control the boards to benefit them ATS. In game one they out rebounded the Nuggets by eleven, and had double the offensive rebounds with sixteen. Grab the Jazz. 

The Rockets will be without Russ Westbrook to begin their series against the Thunder. Down the stretch of the regular season bubble the Rockets lost three straight and were not competitive besides a last push against the Pacers. Yet I saw promising development that should give them an edge against the Thunder in game one. Grab the Rockets to impress tonight. 

In their last matchup against the Denver Nuggets, the LA Clippers used a strong fourth quarter to surge past the number. Friday, they’ll face an Oklahoma City Thunder team that will be without both Chris Paul and Dennis Schroder. Short-handed look for the youth of the Thunder in Darius Bazley, Terrance Ferguson, Hamidou Diallo, and Luguentz Dort to relish in the spotlight. Grab the Thunder. 

Injuries and pressure in the NBA bubble have been a big problem for the Memphis Grizzlies. Instead of increasing their lead for the eighth seed, they’ll now have to be in a play-in matchup on Saturday. Expect an increased effort from the Grizzlies against a Celtics team that is in exhibition mode. Grab Memphis.