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Sunday, the Minnesota Timberwolves scored a whopping 150 points against the Chicago Bulls. Twenty four hours later they toppled tonights opponent in the Dallas Mavericks with a strong fourth quarter push. In the performance Dallas shot just forty one percent from the field as several players including star Luka Doncic had an off night. They’ll regroup as the odds suggest for a 3-11 team on the road. 

St. John’s has impressed record-wise at 11-1, but oddsmakers know of the Johnnies struggles once Big East play begins. The 2019 season they started 11-2 in non-conference, but preceded to lose six of their first seven Big East conference games. Last season as well they were 8-2 in non-conference, and then dropped five of their first seven conference games. Villanova may be adjusting without Jay Wright but matchup well with the Johnnies. Buy the hook and play the home team Wildcats.

Typically if a team is playing in a back to back spot in college basketball it’s tournament related. That is not the case tonight as Southern Indiana travels to play IPFW after defeating IUPUI yesterday. They’ve won four straight games and can use the energy from yesterday’s performance for a good start against IPFW. Play the points here on the underdog.

At times this season Kennesaw State has impressed, which included ending a long road drought in defeating Mercer. Out of all teams in college basketball the Owls are one of the top teams that have a wide disparity of home games versus road. Tonight will actually mark their first home game this season against a division one opponent. This is a big number but look for Kennesaw State’s guard play to excel and lead to a double digit victory.

Thanks to a six-game winning streak the Orlando Magic have went from 5-20 to 11-20. The winning streak is the second best in the NBA behind the Knicks. Yet, tonight Atlanta should have the edge at home as this is already the fourth matchup of the season against the Magic. Before the Magic’s win streak Atlanta easily won the first two matchups by double digits. Expect Atlanta to not be as flat as they were this past Wednesday and to cover as the home favorite. 

The Dallas Mavericks had one of their best wins of the season last night against Portland. Now they are resting several players tonight in a back to back spot against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This would seem troublesome considering the Mavericks just lost to the Cavaliers by fifteen points on their home floor. Yet, the Cavaliers home spread has adapted based on just two losses at home. We saw this yesterday with the Pacers narrowly covering an eight point spread. Back Dallas as their reserves keep this within the 8.5.

One of the biggest head scratchers this season is how poor the Mavericks have been ATS. Sooner or later the payoff for bettors will reverse in a big way, as the Mavericks are still a .500 level team at 14-14. Tonight they are getting a cheaper number based on Portland’s stout play since Lillard has returned. Expect a big effort as the Mavericks have lost three of four and are coming off their worst home loss of the season. Back Dallas. 

The Cavaliers as Richard Jefferson has stated on ESPN have the look of a top five NBA team. The problem is they have fought the inconsistencies of a team implementing new players. After their big fifteen point victory on the road against Dallas, that may be the staple game to push them forward. With how strong they have been at home tonight is a great spot to back the Cave. Take Cleveland. 

Without a doubt there was not a mid-major team more gutted by the transfer portal than St. Bonaventure, as they lost all five starters and four to the portal. It’s led to disarray from oddsmakers who have been wildly off every game the Bonnies have played this season. While Florida Gulf Coast may have the veteran roster, the Bonnies answer their runs and improve to 6-0 at home.

Bethune Cookman is winless on the road this season at 0-4, yet are just a 1.5 point underdog today against Incarnate Ward. This likely has to do with the fact that Incarnate Ward is a team that is more on their level than road games this season against Iowa and Indiana. Look for Bethune Cookman to get their first road win as Incarnate Ward comes in having lost three of their past four. 

Taking away Oregon State’s first three games that were victorious this year, they have lost 24 of their past 25 games. This season alone they have dropped six of their past seven games. Bettors have recognized this as today’s line has shifted in favor of Seattle. Yet, the Beavers have been a different team at home this year where they are 4-1. They’ll have the defense to force Cameron Tyson into tough shots as they cover the small number. 

UC Irvine has a big win on the season over Oregon, and came close to knocking off San Diego State. Tonight they’ll find themselves as small underdogs on the road against another quality smaller California school in Santa Clara. The Broncos may have the better starting five, but from a depth stand point that upper hand goes to the Anteaters. Santa Clara has also had a string of close games, with three of their past four wins coming by four points or less. Grab the underdog.

Furman is not the same caliber team they’ve been in recent years, but they still have two fifth year seniors in guard Mike Bothwell and forward Jalen Slawson. A trait that has stuck with Furman over the years is their ability to play to the level of Power Five competition. Last year they defeated Louisville and lost by just three to Mississippi State. The year prior they lost just by three points to Alabama, and took Auburn to overtime three seasons ago. They’ll continue to play within the number and keep it close on the road at NC State. 

A team that has had reverse fortune to their young season has been Samford. They began the year 6-0, and now have stumbled with four straight losses. One of the losses was to a non division one school in Tennessee Southern. A positive and big take away is all four of the Bulldogs losses have been by five points or less, and three of the four by three points or less. They’ll keep it within range here on the road against a team they matchup well with in UL Lafayette. Play Samford.

Competitive games in non-conference play against smaller schools are noteworthy to spotlight ATS. Nevada had to fight for the full forty minutes in their victory over Pepperdine, prevailing with a late push. At 8-2, look for a letdown road spot today against an Oregon team hungry for a showcase game. Lay it with Oregon

After a string of five straight victories by eight points or more Florida Gulf Coast lost by thirty-two points against Florida Atlantic. The road loss was their worst of the year even surpassing their thirty one point loss against Tennessee. Unlike their loss against Tennessee that sparked their win streak, this loss has made them a vulnerable team. Mercer has the team to compete with Florida Gulf Coast and keep this within the number of six points. Play Mercer. 

On Colorado’s resume are two big wins over Texas A&M and Tennessee but they’ve lost consecutive games against Pac-12 conference mates in Arizona State and Washington. Regrouping against in-state school Colorado State will not be an easy task. Look for a much more heightened effort from the Rams after they took the smaller in-state school in Northern Colorado lightly in their last outing. Play the points here with Colorado State. 

Some nights a team just does not have it. On Tuesday the Hawkeyes were flat for the majority of forty minutes against a Duke team that took advantage of the big stage at Madison Square Garden. In less than forty eight hours since the Hawkeyes must regroup to take on an Iowa State team that embarrassed them a season ago 73 to 53. This should be a completely different level of display from the Hawkeyes against a Cylclones team that may be a tad bit over rated thanks to wins over a now unranked North Carolina and Villanova teams.

A theme throughout college basketball thus far has been revenge spots off of a loss last season in non-conference. It’s happened continuously as profiled on the Early Edge, and has another opportune spot to happen tonight. Last season UMass Lowell lost against the bigger school in UMass by eleven points. New Coach Frank Martin has refreshed UMass and has them off to a 7-1 record, but UMass Lowell has the interior game with Allin Blunt and guard play to cover. Take UMass Lowell. 

The best medicine for team turmoil surrounding the Atlanta Hawks star player Trae Young is a visit to Madison Square Garden. His had several spotlighted performances there and his teammates have an ability to feed off that energy. This occurred earlier this season when the Hawks erased a twenty-three point deficit to comeback and defeat the Knicks at Madison Square Garden by thirteen points. Tail the Hawks to complete the road series sweep against the Knicks. 

Hampton boosted their home record to 2-0 with a pull away victory over Howard. Once again they find themselves as a small home underdog to Loyola Maryland because of two reasons. One they are just 2-6 on the season and last year Loyola Maryland defeated Hampton by thirteen points.  Yet and experienced team and a bit better offense is at hand for Hampton. Tail the home underdog as they get revenge from last year’s defeat.

We’ve seen several top teams falter out of the rankings with Gonzaga and North Carolina. Michigan State is another team that has faltered with a string of losses. Although they’ve had rest on their side and a scouting report edge tonight against Penn State, I still don’t see them turning it around on the road. Tail Penn State as they hand Izzo’s squad another loss.

Unranked unbeaten teams into December in college basketball are red flagged for a reason. UNLV has improved immensely but has been prone to offensive droughts. San Diego is the type of team that can match UNLV’s defense, and has enough offensive skillset players to hand UNLV their first loss tonight. Take the points though as Coach Lavin has his Toreros ready for a great game. 

Expect a flat road spot tonight for Utah Tech as they travel in-state to face Weber State. The Trailblazers exceeded expectations in their last game against Utah State, battling to a five point loss. Weber State is not the same caliber team of last season’s that started 8-0, but can lean on the experience of last year’s 87 to 70 victory over Utah Tech. Take the small home favorite here in Weber State.

A conference as a whole that has vastly under performed thus far this season has been the Big Sky. With most teams at or below .500 now is an opportune buy low spot for several Big Sky teams including Southern Utah. Their opponent tonight in Idaho State has five losses by four points or less, including one against BYU. Look for that to change tonight as Southern Utah puts forth a great road effort.

There are teams early in the season that have multiple losses that are respectable. Xavier fits that mold as all three of their losses have come against current or former top ten teams in Duke, Gonzaga, and Indiana. West Virginia will certainly be another high end challenge but look for Coach Miller and Xavier to find a way at home.

A Big Ten battle that will take center stage on the night slate for college basketball is Illinois and Maryland. Illinois may have the big stage attention in college basketball with their early season schedule, but Maryland is ready to pose a shockwave of their own tonight. They are 7-0, and and took down Illinois by sixteen points at home last season. Play the Terrapins.

Expect a seesaw affair in tonight’s matchup between Kennesaw State and Mercer. On the year six of Mercer’s eight games have been decided by single digits. The pressure is also on the Bears to bounce back from a ten point home loss in their last outing against Towson. With this being an in-state small school matchup expect a competitive tight game. Take the points with Kennesaw State in what was a matchup decided by two points last season. 

A team that has underperformed at home versus on the road has been Pacific. They have dropped four straight games at home all by four points or less. Now the script as a favorite has flipped as they travel on the road to face UC Davis. Expect Pacific to remain competitive as they have and to possibly win outright. Play the points.

Cornell is a two point loss away against Boston College from having an undefeated record. Since that performance they have went on to win five straight games, including an eighteen point road victory against Monmouth. Yet, today’s opponent in Delaware should challenge them with upgraded skill level on the defensive end of the floor. Grab the Blue Hens on their home floor.

Texas has the explosiveness on both ends of the floor to put a clinic on against Creighton. Creighton caught attention in their tournament action a week ago but will have a hard time going up and down the floor against Texas. Lay the points here with the Longhorns.

Seattle University may have the best kept secret in college basketball with guard Cameron Tyson. Tyson is one of the top scorers in college basketball averaging twenty eight points per game. This is a marquee game for Seattle to play the big school in the state of Washington. Take the points with the Red Hawks after Washington’s shocking outright win over St. Mary’s. 

The Longwood Lancers will make the road journey tonight to face San Diego. The Toreros are coming off consecutive losses in Las Vegas against New Mexico State and Nicholls. That has dropped the spread value to a favorable situational spot for Longwood. Although they are 0-2 on the road they have deep experience to keep this game close. Take Longwood.

Non conference- tournament action can lead to a false perception on a teams true identity. Milwaukee has surpassed expectations with recent wins over UC Davis and a blowout win over Boston. They also bolstered their resume with non-conference competition against Purdue and Iowa State. Look for recent tournament action to lead to rusty play from the home team Milwaukee tonight. Play Southeast Missouri.

Sacramento State has been absolutely torched their past couple of games against UC Davis and Hawaii. Both games quickly turned in a matter of minutes which show how vulnerable Sacramento State is defensively. Yet, Southern Utah is lacking that spurt ability on the offensive end of the floor. Grab Sacramento State to establish a lead and hang on to cover on the number. 

East Carolina is one of the strangest teams in college basketball from an ATS stand point. They continue to be underdogs but have past the test with several outright wins. At 5-1 they now travel for a non neutral site game to face Old Dominion. This is also a smaller point spread. The Pirates play well again but lose at the end with Old Dominion making the necessary free throws.

Undefeated early in a college basketball season does have merit but also creates ATS value against. Quinnipiac is 6-0 with wins over Rhode Island and a resounding win over Stephen F Austin. Yet, Montana State can also play a grind it out style of basketball with limited possessions. They’ve underachieved to begin the season and should have the fire power to end Quinnipiac’s undefeated start. Take Montana State.

A late game that should be entertaining is Texas State vs Southern Utah. Texas State has knocked down two opponents in California and Rhode Island that have boosted their ATS ground. Yet, look for Southern Utah to be their match as they play solid team basketball. This is one that should be a pull away spot for Southern Utah.

One bad half of basketball downgraded the Butler Bulldogs. They held their own for one half against Tennessee and absolutely fell apart in the second half en route to a complete beat down. Yet, they are a team that should get better as the season extends. Facing NC State should be a close neck and neck game but I like Butler’s tenacity and guard play to elevate them. Take Butler.

Mercer has three losses on the season but could very well be undefeated. They let a big lead falter against East Carolina, lost to Georgia State in overtime, and could not pull through against Florida State. Sometimes certain teams are in a bad spot post holiday and this is a letdown spot for Mercer. Tail Robert Morris plus the points.

Friday the NBA is back in action with a full slate. The Philadelphia 76ers toppled the Brooklyn Nets a few nights ago as home underdogs of eight points. Yet, the following night they lost to the Hornets and now will face another team that is near the bottom of the NBA in the Magic. Even with a holiday day off look for the Magic to have enough offense to take down the short handed 76ers. Take Orlando. 

A neutral site game played just off the strip will take place in Las Vegas tonight between UC Riverside and Weber State. Weber State is off to a rough start but have not had the opportunity to face a division one school on their level yet. Look for the Wildcats to settle in the second half as they aim for their first win over a division one school this season. Take the small underdog here in Weber State.

Early season ranked teams from the West Coast are under valued because of their late start times. San Diego State has a golden opportunity with a spotlight showcase today against Ohio State. The Aztecs have focused on pushing the basketball and have improved vastly from a team that averaged just sixty five points per game. Additionally, their top player in Matt Bradley has yet to get going as he has averaged just seven points. He will turn it around today, as San Diego State’s team basketball pushes past the Buckeyes.

Georgia Tech will have their first true test Monday against a power five school. At 3-0, they have had a subpar schedule out the gate with victories over Georgia State, Northern Illinois, and a non-division one school in Clayton. Look for Utah’s size and better execution in half court to be the difference. Take the Utes in a bounce back spot after losing to Sam Houston as a double-digit favorite.

With several neutral site tournaments there is value to be had on small schools. Santa Clara will take on DePaul later this evening as slight underdogs. DePaul already has notched a power five win over Minnesota but will face a Santa Clara team that will challenge them on the defensive end of the floor. The Broncos have an under the radar transfer in Parker Braun and a big time scorer in Brandin Podziemski that is averaging 25 points per game. Take Santa Clara.

An ATS boomerang of value lies with the Phoenix Suns. Down a couple players the Suns have had their issues as of late especially on the road. They lost at Orlando and Miami their prior two road games, but the Jazz have also stumbled with a recent loss against the Knicks. Jordan Clarkson is also in a mega slump. Back the undermanned Suns as a small favorite. 

A team that endured a plethora of injuries last season with players in and out of the lineup was Nevada. To start this year they have come out the gate 3-0. UT Arlington’s weak schedule has seen them defeat two non division one schools. Sometimes that type of tune up can prepare you better for higher level competition. At home look for the Mavericks to keep this close to cover the spread.

Starting off 0-3 has cast a shadow of embarrassment on Leonard Hamilton and his Florida State Seminoles squad. Yet, it is early in the season and I expect the Seminoles to regroup and put forth a better effort today against Florida. This is an over reaction spot spread wise. Take the points with the Seminoles.

An aggressive point spread rise Thursday that proved correct was on Troy. From start to finish they had no issues defeating Merrimack and won by nineteen points. They also have a road victory over Florida State. Yet playing in consecutive days is tough for any team and St. Thomas will want to respond after an embarrassing showcase yesterday against Montana. Play the underdog.

A poor loss early in non-conference can actually create immediate value ATS. Oklahoma State did go down 61 to 60 against Southern Illinois, but quickly regrouped to blowout Oakland 91 to 62. Their balance especially at the guard position will be tough for Central Florida to contain. Look for a solid contribution off the bench from former Texas State guard Caleb Asberry to spark the Cowboys. Lay it -6.

The LA Clippers have caught the betting public’s attention thanks to a 6-2 run ATS. Yet, Thursday night is their biggest favored spread on the season against the Detroit Pistons. With the Pistons down Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart combined with the Pistons 0-7 record, the spread is a tad bit high. Take Detroit to sneak within the number.

The Brooklyn Nets lost by double-digits to one of the worst teams in the NBA in the Lakers, and followed that up with a 32 point loss to the Sacramento Kings. Needless to say their west coast road trip has spiraled in the wrong direction. Tonight, they’ll have a chance to regain some confidence before heading back home against Memphis. Take the Nets plus the points with Portland in a back to back spot.

Traveling across the country is not an easy task for any school. Hofstra has been great ATS including a big home win against Iona. Yet, San Jose State has created a bit of a radar blotch on themselves as well. They are 3-0 and have shown to be one of the most improved teams in college basketball. Look for their early season magic to continue. Play the home underdog

Out in the SWAC I’ll do a late add with Alabama A&M. The Bulldogs were competitive against a North Alabama team that was better than their record indicated a season ago. The SWAC is also an underrated conference for it’s skill level especially on the offensive end of the floor. Tennessee State prevails but Alabama A&M gets the cover as an underdog.

A lot of rosters are completely made over in college basketball with transfers that are upperclassmen but inexperienced. UTEP is one of those teams. After losing by fifteen points to a top team in Texas it can be hard to regroup for their second game. UTEP may lack experience but has a group of players that have had high repetition of practices with their former teams. This new playing time is what they covet and should carry over in a win against New Mexico State. Play UTEP.

Binghamton out of the American East conference should have a solid revenge spot today against Marist. A season ago the Bearcats hosted Marist and lost 64 to 51. A spark plug for Marist in that contest was Jao Ituka, who has now transferred to Wake Forest. This should be a slower paced contest and low scoring. Go against the line move here and play Binghamton. 

Amidst the disarray of the firing of Coach Steve Nash and Kyrie Irving’s suspension the Brooklyn Nets have shown momentum. They’ve won three of four games, and only loss was a tight two point game against Dallas. Traveling across the country look for the Nets to stymie the Clippers who have enjoyed a favorable schedule to win five of six. Play Brooklyn.

One more late add with Cal State Fullerton getting a small number at home. Early in the season one can't over react to a big blowout win. Pepperdine blew out an opponent in Rice that they had a revenge angle on. Last year Rice defeated them in double digit fashion to open the season. Cal State Fullerton does not score in bunches but does play solid defense with experience. Take Cal State Fullerton.

Sometimes we see power five schools take a major dip, and take years to rebuild. Georgia has a new look roster of a difficult combination of transfers. It’s going to take some time to build up the talent level of this current roster. Expect Wake Forest to perform better than they did in their first game against Fairfield, and pull away from Georgia.

The Phoenix Suns have managed to get by in recent games without Chris Paul and Cam Johnson. One of the main reasons they were able to blowout Minnesota is because of the poor interior defense of the Timberwolves. That and the fact the Suns just saw Minnesota the prior week. As poor as Orlando has been they have the young athletes to give the bench players that have to play more minutes issues for the Suns. Take Orlando.

It was not going to be an easy transition for new South Carolina Coach Lamont Paris. The Gamecocks former Coach in Frank Martin had three of his former South Carolina players transfer to UMass with him. While the Gamecocks had their issues defeating South Carolina State in their opener, they did shoot 44 percent from the field. Expect better execution Friday and for South Carolina to cover against Clemson.

Coach Pitino has done what expected at Iona and that is maximize his roster year over year. This was on display in Iona’s first game as they stormed the six point spread with ease. Today, expect more of a battle even with Hofstra losing a few key players from last season. Hofstra has grit and always plays tough in non conference. Take the points. 

Early season neutral site tournaments can be of opportune value in the betting market. UL Lafayette against Harvard should be an optimal spot. The Ragin Cajuns are a deep talented team that should project to be a dangerous 12 or 13 seed in March. Led by former Power five player Jordan Brown, and former St. John’s guard Greg Williams UL Lafayette has only built a more dangerous squad around them. Play UL Lafayette.

Delaware returns several starters from last year’s March Madness tournament team, and added L.J. Owens a transfer from UMBC. Their talent will put them in the driver’s seat once again to make a big run in the CAA, but for Friday they’ll be on the road for the first time this season. Their next game will also be on the road against Duke. Take the home underdog from the Mountain West in Air Force. 

We will grab the Torreros who will face Florida Gulf Coast tonight. It’s always tough when a team pulls off an upset in their opening game to play a fluid second game. This should the case tonight with Florida Gulf Coast who had no issues in defeating USC. Grab SD as their defense will keep Gulf Coast in check.

The Mercer Bears will have to find a way to replace their top three scorers from last season, including Felipe Haase and Neftali Alvarez who transferred to Southern Miss. While the offense will be a work in progress I expect the Bears to showcase higher energy on the defensive end of the floor. This was an area severely lacking with last year’s team that were blown out of several games in-conference. Take Mercer as East Carolina loses a season opener for the first time in over twenty years.  

Injuries this early in the season can torpedo a team in the standings and ATS. Portland who is already minus Damian Lillard could also be without Anfernee Simons who is listed as questionable. As great as the Suns have been playing at home, their second unit has struggled. Against Minnesota Coach Monty Williams bench allowed a 17 point third quarter lead to drop to 2 points early in the fourth. Take Portland plus the double digit spread. 

Friday the Boston Celtics will have a chance to avenge an eighteen point loss to the Bulls on October 24th. The game started out terrific for the Celtics as they jumped out to a 12 to 0 lead, and a 20-6 lead. At home expect the Celtics to avoid the in-game lag that allowed the Bulls to flip a switch. Take the Celtics and purchase the hook to 7.

Although the Pacers are playing their third game in four nights, they should still have an edge from an ATS stand point over the Nets. Brooklyn’s dropped four straight games and Indiana just defeated them outright on October 29th 125 to 116. Take the Pacers plus the points to play another thorough contest against Brooklyn.

The Sacramento Kings a season ago had an ugly road trip when they traveled to Charlotte. A game that they could of won ended up slipping away to a one point loss. This time Charlotte is enduring without several key players in Rozier, Ball, and Martin, but have played solid basketball and are coming off a victory over the Golden State Warriors. Look for the Hornets to keep their chemistry intact for a Monday ATS casher. 

This year the NBA ATS picks rollout will be a bit slower to gauge teams top to bottom along with rotations. The Memphis Grizzlies possess the same flash and grit we saw take center stage in the postseason last year. Ja Morant will be a force every single night, but the Grizzlies have shown to be a bit more vulnerable with their depth. The Kings at home should keep this close with the insertion of Keegan Murray into the starting lineup. Take the Kings plus three.

Series that go seven games sometimes prolong the inevitable. The Phoenix Suns have been a disastrous road team in this series but the Mavericks have been equally as poor at Phoenix. Expect the Suns to rise to the occasion after an embarrassing showing in game six. Take Phoenix as they make this look like a regular season game and not a game seven. 

With their backs against the walls the Philadelphia 76ers must find a way to stave off elimination. In game five the 76ers had no answer from the start to the Miami Heat’s intensity. Yet, this series has shown us that the home team has a big edge. Take Philadelphia as they regroup in front of their home crowd, and setup a game seven.

The Golden State Warriors may have the big names from their past playoff runs, but on the court they have not looked the part. With the Grizzlies minus Ja Morant they still showcased a solid effort in game four’s loss. In a potential close out game look for another big effort, as the Grizzlies hang around the Warriors once again. Take Memphis.

In game four, Boston appeared to be headed to a 3-1 series deficit. Thanks to a surge of offense from Jayson Tatum and Al Horford the Celtics evened the series. We’ve seen in the past teams that escape a hole usually jump to a higher level of play going forward. Take the Celtics who should be able to ride their home crowd and destiny to get the Eastern Conference Finals. 

The Phoenix Suns should answer the bell today after disappointing performances in games three and four. I expect better perimeter defense and for the Suns to get back to establishing the paint. They’ll get a big game from DeAndre Ayton and their role players off the bench. Grab the Suns.

A regrettable ending to game three for the Boston Celtics thwarted a tremendous comeback effort. A second round playoff pattern of home teams covering should finally end tonight in game four. Expect the Celtics to heighten their level of play with their backs against the wall. They’ll take game four and get the momentum back in the series. Play the Celtics.

After an odd first round against the Pelicans, the Suns have transformed into top-tier play. Tonight is another high level test for Phoenix who lost three game three’s last post-season. Yet, this is a matchup the Suns have to many weapons for Dallas to counter. Take the Suns as they win their twelfth straight game over Dallas.

In game one the Boston Celtics were caught off guard by a Bucks team that would not back down. Expect quick adjustments to be made, as the Celtics play better half court defense. Isolation basketball by the Milwaukee Bucks should bog down their offense. Take Boston as they play to the level of expectations everyone expected in game one.

Tonight game one will take place between the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns. It’s a matchup the Suns have dominated winning nine straight, including all three this season by seven points or more. Expect Phoenix to be prepared to limit Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson’s production, and to play like the top seed that they are. Grab Phoenix

Each team in the postseason has had their downfall of a flat outing. The Philadelphia 76ers had that in game five and had it exacerbated based on the talent on their team and Coach Doc Rivers history. As a veteran squad they will play to a higher level to avoid a more dangerous option of a game seven at home. Take Philadelphia as they find a way to finish the Raptors.  

The Atlanta Hawks had no answers in game four for the Heat’s defensive intensity. Each minor adjustment the Hawks have tried to do has been countered by the great mastermind of Coach Spoelstra. But what the NBA playoffs always teaches you is that even a clear better team is vulnerable to a let down spot. Grab the points here as Atlanta finally gives the Heat a four quarter game in an elimination spot.

It’s hard to fathom the Brooklyn Nets going from last year’s game seven heartbreak to the Bucks, to potentially being swept in round one this season. Yet, they let two golden opportunities slip away in games one and two to the Celtics. Game three the Celtics figured out not just Kevin Durant but the entire bench production of the Nets. Take Boston as the complete a clean sweep, and defeat the Nets for the seventh straight time.

The patterns of the Western Conference mid-tier teams have been glaring with Denver and Utah. The Nuggets showed strong effort in game three against the Warriors but could not finish in the fourth quarter. Close out games are typically a flat spot especially on a teams home floor. One spurt from the Warriors could spell the exits for fans. Split your action full game and in-game as the Warriors may be down early. 

The Milwaukee Bucks know they could easily be down 0-2. The Bulls flipped a gear in the postseason that the Bucks did not see in blowout regular season victories over Chicago. Look for the road element to wake up the Bucks even minus Khris Middleton. Last postseason, Coach Budenholzer showcased that he is capable of making the necessary adjustments after the first two games of a series. Play the Bucks.

With or without Luka Donkic the Dallas Mavericks showed they have the role players to step up when necessary in game two. Tonight, all the pressure is on a Utah Jazz team that has under achieved time and time again in the post-season. While Dallas may not have the same fire power offensively as in game two, look for Utah to keep them in it with poor stretches. Take Dallas.

When it comes to the Boston Celtics they head into game two knowing they nearly let a big lead slip away, and were lucky Jayson Tatum put in the game winner. Now the young Celtics will face a Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving tandem that will be fully engaged in game two. Yet, Boston at home will have the necessary spurts to quell the Nets. Take Boston to cover and take a commanding 2-0 series lead to Brooklyn.  

Pelicans +10.5

All regular season the Phoenix Suns played like a determined team to earn the Western Conference top seed.  They’re back to finish what they couldn’t do last year, when they raced through the postseason until the Bucks stormed back in the Finals. Their first round series against the Pelicans will be a test they won’t be as easy as last post season. In game one take the value here on the Pelicans. 

Playoff basketball begins for the Bulls and defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks. No one expects the Bulls to truly challenge the Bucks for a series victory. From an ATS stand point though Chicago should perform better than how they ended the season. This included two blowout losses by twenty plus points against the Bucks. Yet, look for a clamp down effort in the fourth quarter defensively to push the Bucks past the number.   

Star player additions at the trade deadline made immediate dividends for the New Orleans Pelicans. Immediately CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram meshed together as the Pelicans surged to gain a play-in spot. Record wise the Spurs at 34-46 don’t belong in this scenario, but have a scrappy roster from top to bottom. Led by Coach Popovich look for a solid effort from the Spurs. Take them as an underdog. 

For the second straight season the Charlotte Hornets find themselves in the play-in round. This is a chance for the Hornets to learn from last year’s epic let down when they were blown out by the Pacers. While the Hawks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, they have had a topsy turvy year to expectations. Take the Hornets on a line that is too high based on the Hawks resume last season and their 27-14 home record.

Normally entering the playoffs one would not have a recent matchup and identical point spread to work off of. The opening line of the Nets and Cavaliers play-in game was the exact same as their matchup on April 8th. One that the Nets dominated the first and fourth quarters by outscoring the Cavaliers by 15 and 16 points. Recency bias combined with the Nets star power has pushed this spread up just a bit too much. Play the underdog here. 

Saturday in a light NBA slate look for the Warriors to deliver as road favorites. An anomaly of the Spurs streaking ATS-wise has featured an 8-1 mark. This included defeating the Warriors outright at Golden State on March 20th. Tonight they’ll be a depleted team with Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Jakob Poeltl out. Take the Warriors.

All signs point to Ja Morant possibly playing today against the Pelicans. Once officially determined expect a further rise in the current market price ATS. After all Memphis has delivered at home time and time again, even without Morant. Yet, this is a Pelicans team that has soared in confidence since coming back down twenty against the Lakers. Back the Pelicans who have won five of their last six games.  

Sometimes in sports an inevitable team downward spiral is never ending. That appears to be the case for the Chicago Bulls who have lost by double digits in three straight games. While those losses were against upper level Eastern Conference opponents, it does not look to be an overnight fix. Take the Hornets as the Bulls home woes continue ATS.

Assuredly, the New York Knicks season did not live up to expectations after last year’s trip to the post-season. With several key players out down the stretch, the tables have turned to put a spotlight on different Knicks players. Tonight, they’ll face a Wizards team also resting several starters. Grab the Knicks to have a fluid game offensively and cover the number.  

A big surprise in the Western Conference has been the end of season finish for the San Antonio Spurs. They are 8-2 over their last ten games, and throttled the Denver Nuggets Tuesday without Dejounte Murray. On the road once again Thursday, look for the Timberwolves to outpace the Spurs. On March 14th, the Timberwolves scored 149 points at San Antonio in a ten point victory. Play the Timberwolves.

We’ve seen a point spread line swing as the 76ers are now favored against the Toronto Raptors. This is a chance for the 76ers to reach a milestone of fifty wins and also improve their positioning from a fourth seed. Yet, Toronto has played well against the 76ers this season with a 2-1 series lead. They also limited Philadelphia to just eighty eight points in a 93-88 victory on March 20th. Play Toronto.

The Detroit Pistons may be one of the worst teams record wise in the NBA, but ATS they have been superb. Since February 16th they are 19-3 ATS, and are on a three game win streak. Evaluating that stretch they faced just three Western conference teams in Oklahoma City, the LA Clippers, and the Portland Trailblazers. Look for a higher level team in the Mavericks to end the Pistons stout stretch ATS. Play Dallas. 

Duke has grown immensely throughout the tournament, but now they’ll face a North Carolina team with top intel on the Blue Devils. UNC already defeated Duke exactly three weeks ago by a score of 94 to 81. Do not expect North Carolina to be afraid of the moment, and a deficit for Duke would spell trouble. Take the Tar Heels.