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Tonight the Wizards will travel too Indiana having won seventeen of their last twenty. On February 11th they defeated the Pacers by five points falling short of the closing number of six. In fact, all three games in the series this season have been decided by six points or less. With the Pacers lineup missing Thaddeus Young and likely Lavoy Allen this figures to be a tricky spot in a back to back scenario. Star player Paul George has shown severe signs of fatigue with all three of his season low point totals coming in February with one coming last night against the Cavaliers. Instead look for Pacers star Paul George to bounce back nicely and for the Pacers to play the Wizards tight once again. 

Typically one won't see a team below .500 favored less at home than they were on the road against the same opponent. That's the case with the Pistons who were higher favorites on the road in a slim ATS victory over the Mavericks on December 14th. Adjustments to the Mavericks lineup with Seth Curry and health are main elements for the oddsmakers adjustments here. Still, the Pistons are a lethal home team especially against poor defensive teams. Grab the value on the Pistons.

Oddsmakers did a splendid job in pin-pointing a precise line in the Jazz versus Celtics first matchup, and have done so again here. In Boston, the Jazz were playing in back to back nights as a 5.5 point underdog to the Celtics. Boston pulled away late tow in 115-104. Tonight look for the Jazz to utilize their home court altitude edge to wear down 5'9 Isaiah Thomas. An added bonus here is for former Butler players in Shelvin Mack and Gordon Hayward to get a win versus their college coach.

Friday the Spurs play in their third of eight road games as they take on the Detroit Pistons. Thus far they lost by fifteen points to the Grizzlies and defeated the 76ers in a tight contest by eight points.  New balance offensively has helped ignite the Pistons in winning seven of eight home games. Yet, becoming a more potent offensive team has hurt them defensively. Grab the Spurs to have no problem matching the pace of the Pistons on Friday.

Losing Zach Lavine to a season ending injury has derailed the Timberwolves even further. They've lost consecutive games at home and just signed Lance Stephenson to a ten day contract. Meanwhile the Toronto Raptors just received All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan back from an ankle injury in their latest rout win over the Clippers. Still, the Raptors haven't been playing sharp basketball. The Timberwolves have enough offense to hang in this one on their home floor.

We'll jump in here with money being bought down on the Wizards side from 8.5 to 7. Seemingly the sudden out of no where momentum from the Wizards has caught bettors/oddsmakers off guard. Records aside the Wizards are playing the best basketball in the Eastern conference as they're currently a third seed. Tonight, the edge on a sizable number should come via the Pelicans inconsistent interior play. While the guard play has been terrific the balance alongside Anthony Davis just isn't there (Where they miss R Anderson). Solomon Hill has been the biggest free agent bust (Yes, ahead of Evan Turner), Terrence Jones has peaked his last ten games, Dante Cunningham is at the end of the line of a solid career after being undrafted, and Motiejunas team chemistry isn't there. An added bonus points wise should come via Markieff Morris after his twin brother Marcus poured in a career high 36 points last night for Detroit.

The Pacers look to continue momentum of a four game win streak as they travel to Brooklyn Friday. Indiana has won eleven of their last fifteen thanks to Nate McMillan's proper lineup adjustments. Former starter Monta Ellis now comes off the bench with equally important young forward Glenn Robinson III. On a nightly basis teams typically count on a sixth man spark in the form of a guard, but the Pacers do so with big man Al Jefferson. Jefferson's averaging 8.6 points per game in just under fifteen minutes. While the Pacers lost game two this year in Brooklyn as six point favorites, this is a team with newfound chemistry from the starting five to the first five off the bench. Steep road favorites have poured it on in Brooklyn but don't be surprised if the Pacers impress at an elite level.

Suddenly the Miami Heat have won seven straight games. During the streak one of their more difficult wins came against the Nets. Down eighteen points the Heat needed a miraculous fourth quarter to pull out the victory. The nature of the win may look attractive to ride the dog tonight with a near double digit line. In fact, the Nets have scored an average of 110 points over their last nine games(Including a recent eight point loss in Cleveland). Still, look for the Heat to to dictate this game with the same defense they showcased in their fourth quarter comeback win days ago in Brooklyn. Grab the Heat.

In a quick turn around the Suns will aim to get payback against a Nuggets squad that's defeated them twice this season. Dating back to last year the Nuggets have defeated the Suns four games in a row. Still, the Suns offensively have been receiving additional points from the bench and bottom end starters. With the Nuggets shootout mentality on a nightly basis, look for the Suns scoring depth to payoff Saturday.

Perhaps no team has been less talked about that has had to endure a complete overhaul from last season than Atlanta. The Hawks traded away Shelvin Mack, lost Al Horford/Jeff Teague in the off-season, and recently traded Kyle Korver. Korver's lost presence is a bigger void than anticipated, as the Hawks have found themselves in steep early deficits recently against the 76ers, Bulls twice, and were blown out by the Pistons and Clippers. Grab the momentum of the Wizards to take care of business Friday.

Since Stan Van Gundy received a vote of confidence, not only has he coached better but his team has performed at an elite level. The return of Reggie Bullock from injury has provided the team with the necessary forward play missing. Sacramento did fall just short against the Bulls in their last matchup, but tonight are running into a team with higher confidence. Grab the Pistons

Earlier this season we nabbed an early Sunday morning blowout win with the Hawks in Philadelphia. Now the tide turns as both teams are playing in back to back nights. With Philadelphia coming back to defeat Portland, one has to wonder what energy they have left. They'll also be without big man Joel Embiid. Meanwhile Atlanta in a blowout spot nearly let the Bulls back in with a 21 point fourth quarter disadvantage. Look for Atlanta to carry over the lackluster finish and for Philadelphia to cover this time around.

It's always difficult for a team to go right back on the road. That's the case with the Bulls as they lost their lone home game sandwiched in between against the Mavericks. Compounding decreased value on them is the fact that the Hawks were obliterated in their latest game a road loss to the Pistons. Still, I like the Bulls to get back on track here. They played a methodical game in their last outing against the Mavericks but were still in a winnable position. Grab Chicago.

The Raptors just have not been able to get back into proper flow since their extended west coast trip. It may be until the All-Star break that they get refreshed completely. Yet, I like the value on them for Friday at Charlotte. The Hornets themselves have lost a step after a five consecutive losses on the road. Don't be fooled by their twenty-two point win against the Trailblazers on Wednesday.

The Bulls new look lineup has been the plus side of expectations. A road victory over Memphis should carry over at home against the Mavericks. Yet, Dallas is starting to show some rhythm with a veteran lineup. Look for the road team's current upside to carry over on the road against the Bulls.

The road show continues for the Rockets as they are coming off a dominating ATS cover as fourteen point road favorites against Brooklyn. This is a back to back scenario for the Rockets, but they have the depth and skill to overlook that factor. Miami blended this team together last minute and it shows on a nightly basis. They have far too many scoreless periods to trust as a steep home dog. Grab the Rockets.

The Jazz have been a completely different team with health on their side. At home they've exhibited solid play that's translated to their ATS rise. They've been especially dominant in fourth quarters. That should happen again here today against a Suns team that's played two games in a week in Mexico city. Usually you don't see a home team exhibit wear late in games, but I'll take the value of it happening tonight.

We'll grab ahold of the Wizards as a slight home favorite against the Portland Trailblazers. Portland's been riding the hot hands of their back court but also improved defense. Washington's coming off a sloppy first half performance against the 76ers, but were able to hit a new gear in the second half. They've found something with the elevated play of Otto Porter Jr. combined with surging offense. Grab the home Wizards.

We'll grab a play on the 76ers as they travel to take on the Washington Wizards. Here we have two teams playing much better, as the Wizards have won three of four and the 76ers three in a row. The factor here is the young 76ers are heading into a back to back scenario after a home win last night against the Hornets. Keep in mind this 76ers team defeated the Wizards earlier this season for their second win. Grab the value on the 76ers here as they show their growth as a young team.

Cleveland

The Cavaliers continue their west coast road trip where they've looked every bit of a team on a road trip. On a similar trip last year they were blown out in Portland. After losing last night to Utah one would expect tired legs again in a hostile environment. Instead grab the value here on the Cavs.

The Pelicans have played both better defensively and offensively recently, with shooting guards Tyreke Evans and Buddy Hield sparking the Pelicans. Still it has not translated to wins as they're on a current three game losing streak and remain winless in 2017. The Knicks current losing stretch has been seven of their last eight games. While some may grab the Pelicans here off their twelve point win versus the Knicks on December 30th, grab the value on the Knicks to get back on track.

Usually it's an ATS rule not to back a team that has had an extensive road trip (Raptors six games), followed by one home game, than back on the road. That is the case here with the Raptors as they struggled to muster the effort to beat a fatigued Jazz team a few nights ago. Furthermore, Kyle Lowry was dinged up in the game. While Chicago's new look lineup defeated the Cavaliers and has been better minus Rondo, this Raptors team is more than capable of digging deep in a conference game. Keep in mind all six of the Raptors recent road trip games were against Western Conference opponents. Back the Raptors here.

The Grizzlies continue game four of their California road trip Friday against the Warriors. They've lost their last two by fourteen to the Lakers and blew a steep lead to the Clippers on Wednesday. To make matters worse the Grizzlies annihilated the Warriors on their home floor for their worst loss of the season. While revenge may be on the mind of the Warriors they have not won a game by double digits in their last five wins. Grab the Grizzlies to give the Warriors a run for their money.

The Wizards have been a tough team to back lately but perhaps no team is as frustrating to watch currently than the Minnesota Timberwolves. On court chemistry has not blended properly since Ricky Rubio returned to the lineup. They're also collectively settling for poor shots. While Washington's depth is a concern here, this is too small of a number for a reeling Timberwolves squad.

Detroit's free fall has continued as they are 2-8 overall in their last ten. Consistent reshuffling of the lineup by Coach Stan Van Gundy has made the team better offensively, but they're still highly susceptible defensively. Charlotte may have tired legs after a solid comeback win over OKC but they'll have enough in the tank to tackle a Detroit team prone for poor quarters.

Today, we'll make a play on the Raptors as they continue their road trip in game number six against the Spurs. The angle here is decreased value on a Raptors team that's trending backwards ATS. They had a difficult time defeating the Trailblazers undermanned team, were blown out by the Warriors, lost to the Suns, and needed a strong second-half to cover against the Lakers by a half point. Meanwhile the Spurs have resurged and are coming off a tough road loss against Atlanta that featured an abnormal spark from Tim Hardaway Jr (11-13 FGs). Instead of envisioning a Spurs refocused game here at home, grab the value on the Raptors to rise to the occasion in a formidable matchup for them.

This line has come down .5 point from the opener. It's odd to see a Wizards team with as much talent as it has be steep underdogs. The lack of chemistry amongst it's star players and role players is the main reasoning here. John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Otto Porter are efficient nightly, but they're cohesion defensively/offensive with the rest of the Wizards is lacking. That's a problem on the road against a potent Rockets team that has found an higher level of balance since Patrick Beverly's return. Grab the Rockets here.

Damian Lilliard is out still with an injury and it's obvious like the Clippers how much they miss their star player. The Timberwolves inconsistency to win back to back games is bothersome here, but this is a spot where they should be able to runaway with offense alone. Portland's road woes even with Lillard in the lineup has featured a plethora of allowance of points north of 105. Grab the Timberwolves here.

Detroit's mishaps lately have created value here on the road against an Atlanta team that typically is a home team worthy of backing. Yet, this is a predictable head swing game. Atlanta's still trying to feel out their new lineup and more importantly consistent role players. Meanwhile, Stan Van Gundy has went with defense over offense by bringing Tobias Harris of the bench in favor of Jon Leur. I think the lineup has had enough time to get their chemistry in order to be a difference maker on the road. Grab Detroit.

Post holiday the 76ers will have one of the toughest games, as they travel to take on the Kings. Pre-holiday the Kings posted comeback wins over both the Trailblazers and Jazz from double-digit deficits. They've seem to put some of the negative media attention behind them. The 76ers on the other hand are in a tough position dividing up minutes amongst their young roster. Grab the Kings to continue to win ATS and tonight against Philadelphia.

The Pelicans take on a Dallas Mavericks team that has caught attention of backers lately. They upset the Clippers, took the Jazz to the brink, and have played better as of late. Yet, this is a spot where the Pelicans balanced and potent offensive attack should overwhelm the Mavericks. Play the Pelicans.

The Bulls recent slide on the road has featured losses against the Hornets and Bucks. Disarray has shown on both ends of the floor, and one would expect this to be a revenge spot off the Bulls home win over the Spurs earlier this season. Combined with the Spurs strong play as of late, the spread seems correct. Yet, I like the mixture of the Bulls experience to show it's colors in a spotlight game. Grab the points here.

We're starting to see the same pattern of veteran age creep up on the Cavaliers as it has the past two seasons. Both Kevin Love and JR Smith are dinged up but the Cavaliers still have their top two players in Kyrie Irving and LeBron James. After defeating the Bucks last night in overtime by a margin of six, we're seeing the same number here on their home floor tonight. Yet, perhaps no team in the Eastern Conference has grown from a matchup standpoint against the Cavs as the Bucks have. They not only boast athleticism but feature immense size. Of the Bucks top eight man rotation no one is shorter than Matthew Dellavedova at 6'4. It's almost a carbon copy of the Cavaliers size, except a high advantage of youth lies with the Bucks. We'll side with that factor here and take the Bucks as a road dog.

With how solid the Nets are playing offensively it'd seem like they'll be in for a good fight tonight against Toronto. Yet, the Raptors are too potent of an offensive team to allow the Nets to stay in this one. I'm also concerned with the Nets road trip causing a significant let down here. Grab the Raptors.

Something has to give Sunday between the youth of the 76ers and that of the Nets. Brooklyn attracted value prior to their loss against the Magic with key ATS covers against the Wizards, Nuggets, Rockets, and Lakers. The blending of their youth has flourished as of late with Brook Lopez as a catalyst. Yet, their issues on the road (one win) are troublesome for a young team. The 76ers have several big men to throw at Brook Lopez which is going to leave the Nets needing to find extra scoring. Look for the Nets road issues to continue.

Sunday, the Clippers continue their east coast road trip in Washington. The Clippers are coming off consecutive narrow ATS losses to Orlando and Miami. In last year's late spring matchup in LA against the Wizards, the Clippers surrendered a 6.5 point spread loss in the final few minutes thanks to a flurry of final minute three pointers from John Wall. The game was Blake Griffin's return from a lengthy absence and team chemistry was rusty. That's a non-issue Sunday and I expect the Clippers to take advantage of a small road line.

The Clippers continue their road trip in Florida, after a five-point victory over the Magic. Beyond the second quarter in the contest the Clippers led in solid fashion. For the Heat one has to disbelieve they have the offensive punch to keep up with the Clippers.  Yet, defensive pieces are there with Justice Winslow back combined with Tyler Johnson and Hassan Whiteside. Grab the Heat to make this more interesting than anticipated as they become the second Florida home team to cover as underdogs against the Clippers.

The fire power the Raptors are showcasing currently is quietly being devalued. DeMar DeRozan is playing at a level unseen and the Raptors rotation balance extends as deep as any team. The struggling Hawks would seem as no match especially after a recent forty-four point loss in Toronto. Yet, this is a good buy low spot to grab the Hawks against the surging Raptors.

An odd line takes place in most eyes Friday as the Nets are six point underdogs against the Orlando Magic. The main reason here is the Nets have been dysfunctional to say the least on the road, with a 1-10 record. I see that extending Friday and at the right price for the home Magic. Brooklyn may seem to have ATS value as they've covered four of their last five, but are still in a major conundrum rotation wise. Grab the home Magic to take advantage.

After a losing road trip the Trailblazers took care of business against the Thunder. Now they head back onto the road aiming to win a third matchup of the season against Denver. One of those match ups was an overtime win in Denver October 29th, in which the Trailblazers erased an eight point lead in the final two minutes. While many may see motivation on the side of the Nuggets combined with the Trailblazers slide as an angle, I'll side with the value of another Portland win over Denver.

Here we'll take a look at a Pelicans team that's regaining health and value. Indiana on the other hand has struggled with consistent play over their last three games. Two of the three were wins which may seem strange, but in both they needed to rally either from surrendering a steep deficit or in comeback fashion. Traveling in consecutive nights should extend that weakness as the Pelicans are becoming a potent offensive team. Grab the Pelicans.

Detroit

Off a poor home loss to the 76ers, one would believe the Pistons are vulnerable here on the road against the Mavericks.

Yet, the Pistons are a capable team of bouncing back here. Even on the road, one can not mask the poor play the Mavericks have exhibited. 

Imbalance with youth and veterans is an odd mix that doesn't bode well against a reliable depth-laden Pistons team.

Portland's sloppy road trip continued to go worse as they blew a 98-90 fourth quarter lead, regain the lead back to six, and lost it once again.

This doesn't seem to bode well for them on Monday as they travel to Los Angeles, a team that has already exacted revenge for last year's playoff exit twice.

To get the job done Monday, I expect the Trailblazers to capitalize against a boosted line here.

Both the Trailblazers guards are playing at peak levels right now, and if one other player can get back on track this should be an easy cover.

The Pelicans lost in embarrassing fashion on Saturday to the Clippers. With several starters out--including key star Anthony Davis who DNP due to rest. Expecting the Pelicans to be refreshed against a Suns team they took to overtime at home is a factor here. Phoenix is also a team that's not shown consistency off a key win, as they just defeated the Lakers. Yet, I like the Suns here to grow off of Friday's win and keep the Pelicans reeling on their current road trip.

Not often will I play against a team on consecutive days, but Sunday I will with the Timberwolves. Golden State is coming off a steep loss to the Grizzlies in which they weren't in it from the onset. Minnesota on the other hand has been abysmal ATS, because of the inability to finish games. Three quarters in they've been competitive. At home and playing the best team in the NBA, I do not expect their motivation to fall apart late. Grab the Timberwolves on a line that should be closer to 7.5-8.

The Detroit Pistons are coming off two impressive wins including a blowout win over the Timberwolves. Their value is even higher as they've been a different team on their home floor. That figures to play into the hands of a 76ers team that is subpar on paper and poor on the road. Yet, I see the 76ers coming to play in this one. Grab the value on the high line.

Memphis +10.5

For Saturday we'll back the home Grizzlies who many may believe are an illusion at this point. A five game win streak has boosted their record from 11-8 to 16-8. Each win was slim with none higher than five points. The competition in those wins can also be a question mark. Yet, this Grizzlies team knows how to stay in games and is riding the great underrated play of Marc Gasol. With the Warriors having won in easy fashion as of late, I'd be leery with how they finished of their last win against the Jazz. Grab the Grizzlies.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have looked out of sorts since Ricky Rubio returned from injury. The ball is not moving fluidly and frankly the youth is showing. Home/away losses to the Knicks, and a loss to the Spurs have detracted their value against a Raptors team that has been a strong home team. With the Raptors losing their latest game to the Cavs many may want to jump on the Raptors here. Instead, grab the roster versus roster value here on the Timberwolves who are much more athletic and have a size advantage over the Raptors.

It's not typical to see a team play three games in three nights. Amidst the NBA's plans to adjust scheduling to avoid such, some people may get caught into the Bulls current slide. They've lost in consecutive nights and are facing a Detroit team that's 7-3 at home. Off a home loss to the Magic one would expect the Pistons to bounce back strongly here against a tired Bulls team. Instead we'll grab the Bulls to challenge the Pistons with a deep roster, and get unexpected points from one of their young talented bench players.

Teams traveling from coast to coast on a road trip aren't supposed to gain in value ATS. Yet, the Kings won outright against the Nets, pushed against the Wizards, and covered by a point against the Celtics. The Knicks on the other hand have won consecutive games against the Timberwolves to push themselves back above .500. So why is this line so small? A season ago the Kings swept the Knicks, which included a home game in which they nearly blew a nineteen point lead. The fact that the Knicks have added better pieces does not mask the issues they still have defensively. Even minus Rajon Rondo the Kings have proper balance to cause the Knicks problems once again.

Here we have a rematch from a few weeks back between the Magic and 76ers. When both were winless the Magic eked out a two-point win at Philadelphia as a five point favorite. In fact, they faced steep deficits in the matchup before rallying back with a 41 point third quarter. Fatigue is factored into this line swaying as well as the 76ers detracted value amidst their poor start. Grab the 76ers who should wear out a road weary Magic team.

After losing to the Bucks in blowout fashion one would expect the Cavaliers to bring their A game on Thursday. Yet, the Clippers are also coming off a poor loss to the Nets. One in which their head coach Doc Rivers was ejected with intense emotions. Three straight losses on an East coast road trip to the Pistons, Pacers, and Nets, would lead to the assumption that another downfall is expected Thursday. Instead, look for the Clippers to attack a Cavaliers team they've had scoring success against.

Orlando Magic +2

Post Thanksgiving serves us one of the best line traps of the season involving the Washington Wizards and Orlando Magic. Already this season the Magic defeated the Wizards 88-86 on their home floor, in a game they won with lackadaisical effort. With the Wizards having won two of their last three, they're finally showing signs of life. Yet, they're 0-5 on the road and continually dig themselves a hole in the first quarter. Look for the Magic to get out early and hold on for the ATS cover.

Boston

People still aren't buying the Celtics as a strong team let alone sizable home favorite. Combine that with being a road favorite and there is even more disinterest. Yet, the Nets are starting to show heavier cracks to their overall team, in particular on their most recent West Coast road trip. Those issues lingered over in their home loss to the Trailblazers this weekend. Grab the Celtics to showcase one of their stronger outings of the season tonight.

Chicago's strong west coast road trip has not lost steam. They'll look to add their fourth win on the trip against another difficult opponent in the Denver Nuggets. Both teams exhibit an up and down tempo, yet the Bulls also have the capability of honing in on defense when necessary. Grab the Bulls to cash as small road favorites

Play Charlotte 

Cavaliers

Cleveland looks to bounce back after a loss to the Pacers on Wednesday. In the matchup LeBron sat out for rest and JR Smith didn't play as well. This is a spot where a sizable line may look favorable for the underdog. After all the Pistons size and team skill posed problems for the Cavaliers in the playoffs. Yet, the Pistons bring a different level of play out of the Cavaliers especially from the three point line. Grab the Cavaliers to go on a patented second half run and pull away from the Pistons.

Bulls

The Chicago Bulls look to continue off their strong win against the Portland Trailblazers. In it they did not need much defense as the Trailblazers were cold. With injuries in their lineup facing a healthy Jazz team figures to be troublesome. Yet, Utah has tricked bettors as of late with hot/cold runs with the ability to control the pace of games. Here, I like Chicago's pace to dictate tempo and continue their road trip success.

Cleveland

The Cavaliers played a neck and neck game on their home floor against the Toronto Raptors. Defensively the Cavaliers struggled to contain the Raptors and one would figure more of the same in a back to back scenario against the Pacers. Yet even with an improved roster the Pacers have been prone to offensive droughts. Grab the Cavaliers to pull a close one off ATS.

Houston Rockets

After a five game road trip the Rockets host the Spurs. The Spurs shook off the cobwebs of their home woes last night defeating the Pistons. As expected Coach Poppovich utilized the Spurs bench to preserve minutes for tonight. That, a 4-0 away record, and revenge for the Spurs losing as 8.5 point underdogs to the Rockets serve as value on the Spurs side tonight. Yet, this Spurs team is not a crisp as it was to start the season. Grab the Rockets as slight underdogs here.

Spurs -8.5

The Detroit Pistons value thus far ATS has come with a strong home record. On the road they've been abysmal as their offense is lacking an identity. If it's not Andre Drummond in the post, it's usually an errant shot from Tobias Harris or a wing player. This plays into the hands of the Spurs that have a shocking home record below .500, but have also played teams such as the Jazz, Rockets, and Clippers. Grab the Spurs here.

New York Knicks +5.5

Everyone is waiting for the Celtics to showcase the skill we all expected. Expectations can be the biggest downfall early in the season for attractors ATS. Frankly, this Celtics team is not a top team in the East at the moment. Signs were shown in the playoffs and was the main reason Danny Ainge revamped the roster. The Knicks on the other hand have played three consecutive games of a tale of two-halves basketball that may detract people here on the road. Instead, grab the Knicks to carry over the momentum of a comeback home win against the Nets.

Orlando Magic +5

Utah's revamped team has shown to play better offense, but a long road trip appears to have worn on them. Lets not forget Gordon Hayward made his return against the Knicks, and the Jazz have implemented a deeper rotation minutes wise. It's the same scenario the Magic have struggled with, including a steep home loss to the Timberwolves in their latest game. Yet, grab the Magic here to showcase offense against the Jazz.

Sacramento

During the Kings road trip a week ago they could not get out of their own way in losses to the Heat, Magic, and Bucks. Yet a Sunday win against the Raptors in Canada has boosted their confidence. Sometimes teams return home from a long road trip and play sloppy in their first game. The Kings did so against a winless Pelicans team but still managed to cover the number. In a prime time network game people are always quick to remember their last visual of a team. The Lakers knocked off the Warriors in impressive fashion. Play the contrarian angle here on a Kings team refreshed and focused in a new arena.

New Orleans +4.5

The Pelicans continue a road trip after losing both games in California to the Warriors and Kings. 0-8 and traveling to Wisconsin figures to be a poor outcome for the Pelicans. Instead I've seen a team that has been in a handful of their losses. They were competitive in both games against Golden State, a game against Denver, their latest loss to the Kings, and played in two overtime games. The Pelicans may falter again in a close affair but they'll cover the number.

NY Knicks -8

The Nets come off an impressive home win last night as five point underdogs. They defeated the Timberwolves with efficient scoring from a plethora of players. Traveling from Brooklyn to Manhattan figures to be as minuscule of a road factor in a back to back scenario. Yet, I like the Knicks veteran lineup and leadership to get back on track from an early Sunday loss to the Jazz. Grab the Knicks here.

Memphis

Attraction on Memphis is hard to calculate. They've dealt with injuries upon injuries and now Mike Conley is questionable for Tuesday's game. Chandler Parsons return on Saturday did not fare as well as planned as he went 0-8 from the field. With scoring balance in doubt the notion would be to take the Nuggets here who just put up 123 on the Celtics. Yet, this is a conference matchup where both teams have advanced scouting on each other's rosters. Take the Grizzlies to wear down a Nuggets team that is playing their sixth of seventh road game to start the season. 

Phoenix +3

The Lakers are at their highest value ATS since Kobe's last healthy season. After a big win over the Warriors in front of a national televised audience the Lakers must maintain focus with a young team combined with new Coach Luke Walton. I expect both the Lakers personnel on the court to have a letdown but also Coach Walton after an emotional high defeating his ex-team. An added bonus value here is the fact that the Suns are on on of the oddest road trips in recent years. Phoenix traveled to New Orleans on Friday and now back to LA before a Tuesday game in Portland. A noteworthy fact pointed out by long-time Suns color commentator Eddie Johnson, who does not ever recall a trip as such. Yet, the Suns offense seems to be gaining steam as Earl Watson configures more minutes for TJ Warren, Brandon Knight, and rookie spark plug Marquesse Chriss.

An East coast road trip figures to detract value on the Denver Nuggets. In fact last year the Nuggets were down by twenty points in the fourth quarter at Boston before rallying back for a backdoor cover. This is a scenario where you would expect an improved Boston roster to thrive at home. Instead grab the value on the Nuggets having learned last years matchup.

Utah -1

Utah here as a small favorite has all the variables to take the home Knicks. First, the Knicks are riding an emotional high as ex-Bulls D. Rose and Joakim Noah upset the red-hot Bulls in Chicago. Utah, on the other hand detracted value with a poor home loss to the Spurs. Flying across the country to New York for an early AM game with daylight savings change over is another variable to side with the Knicks. Instead, we'll take the Jazz who have been a hot-potato offensively but should come to life against a poor Knicks defensive team.

OKC

After a big letdown loss against the Warriors, the public/sharps likely will look to fade the Thunder here against a Timberwolves team that has great depth. Especially with the fact that this Timberwolves team upset a better OKC roster as 14 point underdogs last March. Yet, this Timberwolves team is faltering to find offensive balance with a solid inside-outside game. Part of that has been due to utilization of Kris Dunn/Tyus Jones who are adjusting to the NBA. Grab the Thunder to bounce back nicely and improve to 5-1.

Sacramento

Sacramento continues their road trip traveling to take on the Magic Thursday. While Sacramento did run out of gas in their last game, I still like the floor spacing and offense they've showcased thus far. Orlando on the other hand did show life in a comeback win against the 76ers. Still, the better team chemistry lies with the Kings who should get enough from Cousins/Gay and complimentary scoring to get the cover Thursday.

Thus far the Trailblazers and Suns have been teams unable to play four full quarters of basketball to start the season. Portland's came back to defeat the Jazz/Nuggets while faltering to higher caliber opponents in the Clippers and Warriors. Phoenix on the other hand has been competitive after a blowout opening loss to the Kings. Yet, this is a spot where a young Suns team can show some growth. Last year to start the season they lost twice to the Trailblazers in the early portion of the season. Look for the Suns to capitalize from an ATS standpoint as the Trailblazers play in a back to back scenario.

Brooklyn

Were aiming for a value play on Monday. Chicago comes in with two victories over revamped quality teams in the Pacers and Celtics. The value here is opponents based. Brooklyn has also played the Celtics and Pacers to start the season and faced steep deficits in both. They did rally to beat the Pacers in the exact same spread as tonight's six point line. Look for backers to over react to the Bulls blowout win over the Pacers on a line that looks 'pleasing'. Grab the Nets.

The Clippers and Jazz both have done an excellent job at building their rosters with depth. That's not easy to find throughout the NBA. From an ATS standpoint though the Clippers appear to have bought in to playing team defense. It's a catalyst that combined with their potent scoring is worthy of backing as a steep home favorite. Grab the Clippers.

Portland +2

Denver at home is always an x-factor ATS. In an odd scenario the Nuggets have had three days off since their first game in a victory over the Pelicans. The rest and first game at home our factored into this spread. After a loss to the Clippers in which the Trailblazers were outplayed in bench points, one has to wonder if the Nuggets deep roster will give the Blazers the same fits. Instead, side with the cohesive starting lineup edge of the Blazers who should benefit from a bit of rust from the Nuggets.

Atlanta -7

Change over isn't supposed to be a seamless transition. Yet, the Hawks elevated pieces that were in place with point guard Schroder, forward Mike Muscala, and Tim Hardaway Jr. Interior experienced advantage with Dwight Howard and Paul Millsap will be too much for four quarters for the youth of the 76ers.

Detroit

Both Detroit and Orlando had awful outings in their first matchup. Yet, the Pistons fought back to some degree against the high scoring Raptors. Orlando, on the other hand looks like they have on-court chemistry issues combined with adjusting proper five man rotations. Grab the Pistons who will use their home court edge and sideline experience of Stan Van Gundy.

Charlotte -2

The Bucks are certainly a team on the rise that looks to return to form of two seasons ago. Now healthy for the most part they seem poised to challenge for a bottom seed. Yet, Charlotte is a team that blended well last season as their youth began to shine next to Kemba Walker. The losses of Jeremy Lin, Courtney Lee, and Al Jefferson may be a detractor but I believe the new depth is ready to step up. Grab the Hornets.

Miami +4

In the span of three years the Heat have went from fielding LeBron, DWade, and Bosh to having a team expected to miss out on the playoffs. Pat Riley made no qualms about waiting to attract prime free agents, besides retaining Hassan Whiteside. Orlando on the other hand seems ready to ascend forward with the youth at their disposal. In fact, they added veterans Serge Ibaka, Jeff Green, and Bismack Biyombo, and Jodie Meeks in the offseason. Yet, for an opening game look for Coach Spoelstra's defensive minded team philosophy to trump the home Magic. Grab the Heat.

Portland -5

Both the Trailblazers and Jazz made off-season moves to bolster their rosters. Last season Utah was a team that had sporadic play last due to injuries and unsettled play at point guard. They believe they've alleviated those issues which should elevate their play based on solid defense. Yet, Portland is one of those teams that goes on surges versus spurts offensively. Grab the Trailblazers here.

New Orleans Pelicans

We're seeing slight line movement towards the NBA D-League Select team. And for good reason as the Pelicans have lacked defensive intensity and their star has struggled to shoot at a high percentage in Buddy Hield.

Yet, I was not impressed with the D-League Select's effort in-person against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Body language shifted quarter to quarter to a mindset of lost focused.

That happens in these tournaments as the D-League select is filled with players that know their roles next season.

The Pelicans roster may be below average for summer league but I expect them to have the higher level of effort for four quarters. Take the Pelicans.

Phoenix Suns

Yesterday, the Miami Heat sat out both Josh Richardson and Justice Winslow as they've played extended time in the Orlando and beginning of the Vegas summer league.

That didn't stop the Heat from playing well yesterday in a blowout win over the Denver Nuggets.

Keep in mind this Heat roster will likely add several summer league players as they look to fill out a roster that has only a few players signed for next season.

Still, I like the Suns organization in the summer league. They're giving key minutes to their youth in Devin Booker/Tyler Ulis and first-round pick Dragan Bender.

They also have solid depth with Kyle Kuric and Troy Williams in case the Suns decide to rest key players. Grab the Suns to take care of business Tuesday. 

Cleveland

Both the Cavaliers and Timberwolves sit at 0-2 in the NBA Summer League. 

Both have been competitive in close narrow losses, yet at the end of today one will be 0-3.

Minnesota's future back court with Tyus Jones and Kris Dunn have played above par. In college both were main facilitators on a daily basis for their respective teams in Duke/Providence.

Yet, summer league is a different caliber that bodes well to scorers and an open court style.

Cleveland has that with natural scorers in Kay Felder, DeAndre Liggins, and Jordan McRae.

The also have former St. John's do it all performer in Sir-Dominic Pointer that suits summer league style perfectly.

New Orleans

This line has come down in favor of the Utah Jazz. Utah have a mix of talent from different teams in the Orlando summer league that include Treveon Graham, Mike Tobey, Aaron Craft, and Jazz forward Trey Lyles.

New Orleans on other hand has a nice blended mix of guards that should be able to score in the open court with Ryan Boatright and Anthony Barber.

They also have first round pick Buddy Hield who should be anxious to get in on the action. 

Concerns with rebounding may be there for New Orleans but I'll believe they'll be able to combat that with their scoring and forcing turnovers.

Grab the value on the line movement here and take the Pelicans.

Sacramento Kings

Today, we'll gravitate to the Las Vegas Summer League, which figures to be a fun-filled eleven days.

Sacramento comes in as a two baskets underdog against the Toronto Raptors.

On paper the main reasons for this have to do with the Kings getting late roster additions and a new coaching change over with Joerger taking over for George Karl.

Yet, talent wise I like the Kings presence with athletic position players all over the court (Elgin Cook, Cauley Stein, D Jones, R Ledo, D Dukan to combat the size and veteran presence of the Raptors.

Miami Heat

Detroit has been devalued in Orlando as I had them as the top team overall.

Today, they'll face their toughest challenge against a Miami Heat team that continues to feature both Justice Winslow and Josh Richardson getting quality minutes.

That likely will continue with the fact the Dwayne Wade has signed with the Bulls.

Yet, were playing the spread here and we'll jump on a three point spread line movement from three to six in the Heat's favor.

Detroit's stayed close and won all their games thus far with a solid young core. 

They'll give the Heat a challenge but expect the Heat's squad to over power and close above the closing number of six.

LA Clippers

The Clippers have under performed in their first two games against the Heat and Thunder.

Before the tournament I had them ranked as the second best team overall and the Knicks the worst.

Nothing has changed with the Knicks who have been blown out their first two games.

Perhaps they'll be more competitive here against a winless Clippers team. 

Yet, look for the Clippers to finally start playing a higher level of basketball after showcasing glimpses in their latest loss to the Thunder.

Grab the Clippers

Orlando Magic White

Today, we'll take the Orlando Magic White against the Dallas Mavericks.

Both had a day off Sunday after playing their first games on Saturday. Saturday, the Mavericks lost a heart breaker to the OKC Thunder, while the Orlando Magic White blew out their opponent in Charlotte.

I expect the balance of the Orlando Magic White to continue to excel today. In the interior they may have the best scorer of the Orlando Summer League with Arinze Onuaku.

They also under achieved from the perimeter in their initial game.

Expect even more scoring from them against a Dallas team that may get support off a close last second loss in their first matchup against OKC.

Take Orlando Magic White.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder rode Cameron Payne, Mitch McGary, and others to a thrilling last second victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

Flashy scoring paved the way as the roster did just enough to out duel a Mavericks team that fought hard down eight points late in the third quarter.

The Clippers on the other hand came into the Orlando tournament with the second-best roster in my opinion.

Yet, sometimes a roster and team synergy are two vastly different elements.

I did not like the team chemistry showcased in yesterday's loss to the Heat.

Look for their flat effort to continue Sunday and for the Thunder's dynamic scoring to outpace the Clippers.

Charlotte

Yesterday we hit on the Pacers who were shockingly underdogs. Today, they find themselves a favorite against a Charlotte team that fell short to Orlando White by five points.

I like the effort Orlando White showcased in yesterday's near comeback.

Today they'll take on an Indiana team riding an extreme high from Joseph Young, Glenn Robinson III, and Rakeem Christmas.

All three in my opinion did enough in game one to settle their NBA nerves down (rosters for next season).

Expect a come down to Earth game from the Pacers and for the Hornets to capitalize. Grab the Hornets.

Indiana Pacers

This is an actual game I anticipated earlier in the week. On paper I believed the Pacers should be 4.5-5 point favorites.

With the Orlando Blue team favored by three points I'll jump on the other side on this one.

The Pacers made some key moves in free agency and via the draft that may divide up the relationship with young talent in Rakeem Christmas and Joe Young.

They're literally on the clock to prove their worth.

Coupled with Stephan Hicks an underrated scorer from Cal-State Northridge, Julian Jacobs (USC), and Nate Wolters (former Bucks draft pick) and Indiana should have no problems scoring.

This is a day one oddsmaker misread in my book. Take the Pacers

Orlando White

The second game in summer league play for Saturday features a veteran laden Orlando White team against a young Hornets squad.

Orlando's veterans include 30 year old Justin Dentmon and a carry overs from the Atlantic 10 in Patricio Garino, Treveon Graham, and Jordan Sibert. 

On the other hand the Charlotte Hornets have young talent including Bobcats draft choice last year in Aaron Harrison along with UNLV's early exit in Goodluck Okonoboh.

Look for the veterans in Orlando White to use their poise to buckle down defensively when needed and close out this game in style to cover a small three point margin.

Cleveland

While value seems to be on Golden State for game seven, I'll side with the Cavaliers again here.

History is against them as they look to become the first team in history to win a championship down three games to one.

Yet, this series changed after game two. Cleveland has found the balance needed defensively and offensively with a shortened rotation.

Keep in mind Warriors Coach Steve Kerr is in just his second year. He started the season out with a back injury. 

This is the first time he has seen his team flounder a bit amidst adversity. Unlike against the Thunder the chemistry offensively has been missing. That's a challenging issue when relying on depth is your balance.

The x-factor for Cleveland is Kevin Love as he has to respond in game seven. After a dismal performance in game five and a foul plagued seven minutes in game six, I think he'll have the mindset necessary.

Grab Cleveland to become the second sport to witness a team knock off a strong regular season team (Panthers 4.5-5)

The Cavaliers have suddenly went from dead in the water at three games to one to a game away from forcing a game seven.

They've done so by buying in to Coach Tyronn Lue's defensive game plan for an entire game.

In fact, if not for a breakdown in the third quarter of game four, this could have been a closeout game for the Cavaliers.

The lure of Draymond Green's return coupled with the Cavaliers depleted bench poses quick reaction to buy the Warriors here.

Since game two Matthew Dellevedova has seen his minutes decrease and Channing Frye did not play a single minute in game five. This combined with Kevin Love's putrid two point performance in game five is worrisome.

Yet, I believe the confidence had already been there for the Cavs as a defense, and now is there offensively with the combination duo of Irving/Lebron.

This is a case where depth can be trumped by elite level play from Lebron/Kyrie. Grab the Cavs in game six.

Cleveland

We've now won three of four Finals plays as we look to grab number four in game five.

Golden State used defense and timely offense from their back court to spurn a solid effort from the Cavaliers in game four.

The win by Golden State has undoubtedly shifted value exponentially on the Warriors. They won 73 regular season games and were dominant at home.

Yet, I'm not discounting the Cavaliers just yet.

They had a solid game plan that worked to perfection in game three and for the majority of game four.

Ragged offense cost them a chance to even the series combined with uncanny offense from the Warriors.

In the NFL sometimes scrambling quarterbacks can go off even though defenses know it's coming. One big run leads to others as containment gets unraveled from missed assignments.

That's what I saw in game four. Cleveland lost containment of Curry/Thompson in the third quarter and as a result completely unraveled.

Instead of expecting the Cavaliers to lay an egg on the road, look for them to play a strong game and keep containment for a better amount of time in game five on the Splash Brothers.

Golden State Warriors

The Cavaliers did a great job in showcasing the ability to step up on their home court with improved defense in game three.

Limiting both the Warriors starters and bench a consecutive game though will be a tough task.

I'm not sold on continuing to see Irving and JR Smith thrive for four quarters, and more worried about the Cavs limited depth.

Coach Steve Kerr of the Warriors defeated the Thunder with series adjustments and tonight we'll see a few more tweaks.

This should be a great inspired effort once again from the Cavaliers, but they're still under manned to cover two consecutive games.

Grab the value on the Warriors to cover the number in game four.

Cleveland

Cleveland is starting to look more and more like a team that can't contend with the West.

After a great playoff run they're looking in no form of resemblance of what we saw in the first three rounds.

While Golden State has surged in the last ten days to the level we saw during their record breaking regular season.

Yet, traveling to Cleveland I think we'll awaken the Cavaliers somewhat to stave off an improbable 3-0 deficit.

They showed in game one they can play defensively with the Warriors as well as in the first quarter of game two. Problems continue to lie with the Cavaliers bench which just is getting destroyed by the Warriors potent bench.

Challenging the starters to do more has to be an optimal goal from Coach Tyronn Lue.

Look for the Cavaliers to get the offense they need and to get a better level of defense all around to grab game three.

Cavaliers

Market value is always a big indicator of where to go ATS. Prior to the playoffs the Warriors were -330 to win the NBA title.

A subpar post season from their regular season standard dropped them to just -220 over the Cavaliers.

Now after one game series odds have leapt to -400. Nearly double!

That's a steep leap from a one game result, that stemmed from an impressive effort from the Warriors bench.

I don't expect the Cavaliers to over react as they played their defensive game plan extremely well on Warriors guards Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.

Areas of growth offensively are there as the Cavaliers need to shoot the ball better and limit their turnovers.

Lebron and his Cavaliers in my estimation have more room to grow from game one to game two than the Warriors.

In my opinion seeking the extra point from game one's ATS spread is a golden opportunity.

Warriors

While the rested Cavaliers have played better overall in the playoffs than the Warriors, it's a new beginning with a fresh slate in game one.

Suddenly the Warriors have won three consecutive playoff games after being just 9-5 in the playoffs.

Were starting to all know that Steph Curry is not 100 percent. That has limited the Warriors potent offense somewhat.

Yet, the Warriors have found new ways to flourish by turning up their defense another level.

That's the key in game one as the Raptors showed that defensive energy can frustrate the Cavaliers, especially on the road.

While the Cavaliers may play a better first half, there will come a time where the Warriors utilize their home court and defense to go on a patented surge.

Take the Warriors in game one.