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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Miami Heat welcome back both Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic for today’s matchup against the Pacers. Normally, two starter’s back is high value ATS. Yet expect the Miami Heat to be cautious and play both on a minutes restriction. Grab Indiana to continue to excel as they improve to 5-1 ATS in the bubble.

Monday, the Milwaukee Bucks will be without superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo against the Toronto Raptors. Thus far in bubble action the Bucks have been subpar. Blown leads and inconsistent bench play have been primary reasons. Yet at the latter stage of the bubble regular season, expect the Raptors strong defense to lag. Grab the Bucks.

Facing an undermanned Lakers squad the Rockets pulled away for a sixteen point victory. Essentially with a seven man rotation the Rockets have figured it out. Their small ball lineup is mixed with competitors that bring it every night. Sacramento on the other hand has too many lapses to trust here. Grab the Rockets. 

Teams with high spreads haven’t necessarily been strong ATS. Expect that to change Sunday as the Celtics take on the Magic. Even if the Celtics have their players on a minutes restriction expect a comfortable pull away. Orlando has not benefitted playing near their home city as expected. Grab the Celtics.

Just 1-3 in the bubble the Dallas Mavericks have shown a lackluster capability on the defensive end of the floor. Saturday, they’ll likely be short handed without Seth Curry and possibly Dorian Finney Smith. Even with depth limitations look for the Mavericks to be the latest to challenge the Milwaukee Bucks. Grab Dallas here.  

Second unit expectations of a championship level team are high. With the Bucks resting starters in the second half against the Nets, The second unit failed in a 119-116 loss, as the Bucks rested the majority of their starters in the second half. Expect a high level of intensity as the Bucks end their two game slide against the Heat.

The pressure is officially on Indiana Pacers forward TJ Warren. He has been an automatic basket leading the Pacers to an unblemished 3-0 start. Facing his former team in the Phoenix Suns should be added motivation for himself and his teammates to flourish once again. Grab the Pacers to put a dagger to the Suns playoff hopes.

The San Antonio Spurs have come to the bubble and played with strong intensity. The result has been three straight covers. Facing a Nuggets team that is a bit dinged up could mean an early lead for the Spurs. Yet look for the Nuggets intense pace to eventually get the Spurs. Grab Denver.

Tuesday, the Miami Heat will look to bounce back from yesterday’s loss to the Toronto Raptors. They’ll face a Boston team that defeated them by eight and nineteen points this season. Yet the Heat have a new starting five and a dynamic bench coming into form. Look for former Celtics in Jae Crowder and Kelly Olynk to spark both units. Grab Miami. 

Sunday, the first big injury inside the NBA bubble occurred with Orlando losing Jonathan Isaac to a torn ACL. That’s created immediate ATS value for Tuesday, as the Magic face one of the hottest teams in the Indiana Pacers. In two games, the Magic’s fluid offense has featured an incredible 42 percent three-point shooting. That should be a catalyst to override the Pacers red-hot TJ Warren. Grab Orlando.

An NBA team that was hit hard by the coronavirus were the Sacramento Kings. Expect them to have a similar edge in game one that the Jazz did against the Pelicans. They’ll face a Spurs team Friday that’s odds to make the post-season is minimal. A strong burst early from the Kings should put the Spurs away. Grab Sacramento. 

Memphis was one of the few teams that ensured their main core of player’s was not on restrictions in exhibitions. This included Ja Morant played 29 minutes in Tuesday’s exhibition finale against Miami. Portland on the other hand went 0-3 in exhibitions and did not burden their player’s. Look for the Trailblazers to be the looser team. Grab Portland. 

A number that was adjusted quickly was the Jazz and Pelicans. The adjustment swiftly moved to the Pelicans as a small favorite and has stayed there. Even with Zion Williamson’s status unclear, the Pelicans have enough arsenal to give the Jazz fits offensively. Grab the Pelicans to roll in this one.

The Charlotte Hornets depleted lineup has led to losses in four of their last five games. Yet ATS wise they have been solid covering five of their last six. Expect that trend to continue Wednesday against a Heat team that’s dominant 27-4 home record has skewed the spread. Grab Charlotte. 

The Phoenix Suns have played just two games in the last seven days. One was a double-digit win over tonight’s opponent in the Portland Trailblazers, and the other was a dominant win over the NBA’s best team in the Milwaukee Bucks. Yet tonight serves as a buy opportunity on a Blazers team that’s just 3-8 ATS their 11 games. Grab Portland to even the season series against the Suns at two games a piece. 

A team the Chicago Bulls have had success against has been the Cleveland Cavaliers. In a season that’s been mired with forty-three losses, two of of the Bulls last five wins have been over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Expect another win Tuesday against a Cavaliers team thats recent wins over the Spurs and Nuggets have diminished this spread. Grab Chicago. 

The Orlando Magic come into Friday’s matchup against the Timberwolves on a three-game losing streak. Their play has not resembled a team that can be either the seventh or eighth seed in the East. Continue to fade them as the Timberwolves are seeking their first three-game win streak since October 27th. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder find themselves a sizable road favorite Wednesday against the depleted Detroit Pistons. In the lone prior matchup this season the Pistons lost by just seven points and that was without Derrick Rose. Don’t look for a similar outcome as the Thunder have not lost three straight since November.

Winless post All-Star break the Utah Jazz have suffered three home losses. All have been by nine points or more by an average defeat of thirteen points. Wednesday night they’ll face a surging Celtics team that’s 9-3 ATS over their last twelve games. Yet anticipate the Celtics coming out flat at the tail end of a four-game road trip. Go contrarian here as the Jazz have not lost four straight home games since 2014.

Wednesday, the New York Knicks have an opportunity to end a four-game skid as they travel to Charlotte. The Hornets are playing in consecutive nights and are just 2-6 in back to back scenarios this season. At virtually a pick’em grab the value here on the Knicks.

Friday the Oklahoma City Thunder will look to thwart impressive streaks by the Denver Nuggets. Since early December the Nuggets have managed to go thirty-three games without losing consecutively. They’re also undefeated in the Northwest division at 9-0. Yet look for the Thunder to buck that trend and hand the Nuggets their first division loss of the year. 

The Toronto Raptors will be looking to restart a win streak after losing to the Nets prior to All-Star break. They’re impressive streak stands at seven consecutive home wins but since December 3rd they are 1-5 at home straight up against a Western Conference opponent. Phoenix also has won outright at Toronto in three of the last four matchups. Grab Phoenix here. 

Prior to All-Star break one of the best rising teams in the NBA were the Memphis Grizzlies. Led by likely rookie of the year Ja Morant they won eight of their last ten games. In late December through January 17th the Grizzlies also won eight of nine games. The one loss came at Sacramento. Expect the eight-day layoff to hinder the Grizzlies as the Kings win both games at home against the Grizzlies this season. 

Four nights ago the Brooklyn Nets nearly took advantage of a Raptors team playing in back to back nights. The comeback was thwarted with a one-point loss. Look for Brooklyn to build off the eleven point fourth quarter advantage they had over the Raptors tonight. Grab the home underdog with the Nets

A rematch from Wednesday will take place as the Raptors head to Indiana. Toronto’s streak of twelve straight wins has been remarkable to witness. It’s been a team balanced effort with six different leading scorers during that stretch. Yet grab the value on Indiana ending the Raptors streak as they finish off what could have been accomplished Wednesday. Grab Indiana. 

Friday there is value to be had on the Memphis Grizzlies as they travel to take on the Philadelphia 76ers. Philadelphia’s recent woes are well documented. With the Grizzlies elevating their play something has to give with Philadelphia’s stout 23-2 home record. Look for the young Grizzlies to be the latest to give Philadelphia problems. Grab Memphis.

The Warriors head into the back end of their east coast road trip on a two-game win streak. They’ll face a Brooklyn Nets team that’s won three consecutive home games by outscoring opponents by an average of fifteen points. That’s a value contrarian edge as the Warriors keep their focus even amidst heavy trade deadline speculation. 

The Houston Rockets will get a Hornets team that is in a back to back scenario. Charlotte has lost eleven of twelve games and each of their last six losses has been by twelve points or more. That’s a value angle to back the Hornets here against a Rockets team that’s prone to allow teams to go on runs. Grab Charlotte. 

The likelihood of the Rockets being without James Harden creates an interesting position tonight for bettors. Houston showed in their last road game against the Jazz that their depth is better than people give them credit for. D’Antoni just chooses to play a smaller rotation. With the Blazers still struggling for consistency their prior home court edge has caved. Grab the Rockets.

A rematch from four days ago will occur between the Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets. In the prior matchup Kyrie Irving exploded for forty-five points. It was the difference as the Pistons blew a half-time double-digit lead and lost in overtime. Tonight expect a better effort from a Pistons team that is coming off losing three straight at home.  

Eight of nine home victories by the Memphis Grizzlies has positioned them as a slight favorite tonight against a 32-14 Denver Nuggets team. With this being the Nuggets third road trip since January 16th expect the Grizzlies to capitalize. Look for an early lead to build before the Grizzlies hold off the Nuggets in the second half. 

The Chicago Bulls will face a Cleveland Cavaliers team that has lost six games in a row tonight. Cleveland’s disarray will setup a nice ATS matchup with the Bulls playing in back to back games. Star Zach Lavine nearly carried the Bulls back from a double digit half time deficit but the offense fizzled with just twelve fourth quarter points. Expect the offense to struggle again and the Cavs to get the win.

The Sacramento Kings have lost six straight games heading into Friday’s road matchup against the Bulls. During their losing streak the Kings have yielded an average of 123 points per game. Yet look for the Kings to have value in this spot in their fourth straight road game. Grab Sacramento.

After six consecutive road games the Orlando Magic return home Wednesday to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder. While Chris Paul may keep his scoring momentum going look for his teammates to have some rust on the road as the Thunder have lost three of four against Eastern Conference opponents. Grab the Magic. 

The Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks will participate in an early MLK day game. The time frame and travel for the Raptors would be expected to be an issue on a high number. Yet the Hawks defensive efficiency is to poor for a Raptors team that is well coached on a nightly basis. Grab the value on the octane Raptors. 

Tonight the last game on the board presents value for the Pacers. Denver has played well without Jamal Murray due to their extensive depth and shining youth. Both of those intangibles have been strengths of the Pacers. Expect the impressive 17-5 home record of the Nuggets to not withstand tonight. Grab Indiana. 

Friday, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana Pacers will meet for the second time in three days. The Pacers won 104-99 at Minnesota on Wednesday and will get an even more depleted Timberwolves team tonight. Minnesota traded away Jeff Teague Thursday and will continue to be without Karl Anthony Towns. Yet expect the Timberwolves to compete and produce a better second half than Wednesday’s forty points. Grab Minnesota. 

The Toronto Raptors travel on the road Wednesday to face an Oklahoma City team that has been red-hot. Winners of eight of their last ten games they’ve been led by a variety of players. Their balanced scoring will be difficult to negate but look for the Raptors to utilize gain from their recent poor stretch. Grab Toronto. 

Monday the Pelicans will embark on their third game on their current road trip. Prior to their last game and loss to the Celtics the Pelicans had been playing better. After surrendering 140 points poor defense is likely to carry over into tonight. Grab the Pistons who will attempt to win just their fourth home game since December 1st. 

The Utah Jazz have upped their level of scoring since their recent trade for former Cavaliers guard Jordan Clarkson. They’ve won seven straight games and twelve out of thirteen. They’ll face a Hornets team that has lost eight of ten and has a thin rotation. Look for a competitive game as the last Hornets have covered two consecutive games on the road. Grab Charlotte. 

The Portland Trailblazers are coming off a thrilling win in which Carmelo Anthony drilled a game winner over the Toronto Raptors. That win has moved the Trailblazers to a current three-way tie for the eighth seed in the West. Minnesota on the other hand has been without big man Karl Anthony Towns and is just 5-11 at home. Yet look for the Timberwolves to get necessary contributions from their bench and get the win at home. Grab Minnesota. 

The Utah Jazz have been on a tear having won five straight games and ten of eleven overall. Throughout their winning streak the Jazz have found uncanny ways to cover ATS, including narrow spread wins over the Nets, Pistons, and Bulls. Tonight though look for the Pelicans to show some life as they’ve been a team improving. Grab the Pelicans to thwart the Jazz’s incredible surge. 

The Utah Jazz have now won eight of their last nine games. They’ve done so with a an increase in offense without limiting their half court defense. That’s a style adjustment that has led to several blowouts but one that can’t be sustainable. Tonight look for the Bulls to take advantage of their home court and keep this game close. Grab the Bulls. 

One of the early New Year’s Eve games in the NBA will be between the Clippers and Kings. The Clippers have dealt with a few injuries that have caused them three losses recently. Point guard Patrick Beverly remains out for today’s game. For the Kings they’ve lost seven straight games. The majority of those losses have been competitive games. Yet look for another loss as the Clippers play with an edge to close out 2019.

The Utah Jazz head into Monday’s game against the Detroit Pistons winners of seven of their last eight games. Expect another big effort from the Jazz as they’re facing a Detroit Pistons team unsettled on both ends of the floor. An uncanny schedule from the Jazz is in the middle of seven of nine road games. Look for the Jazz to take advantage Monday of a home spot before a three game road trip. 

The Golden State Warriors have now won three straight games. Their win over the Rockets on Christmas Day showcased their rising youth along with Draymond Green and DeAngelo Russell. Friday they’ll face a Suns team that’s been trending in the wrong direction. Yet look for the Suns to be the aggressor early and end the Warriors win streak. Grab Phoenix 

News of Luka Doncic returning for the Mavericks today is big news for Dallas. Minus Doncic they had struggled with consistency going 3-4 over their last seven games. An area they’ve faltered throughout the year is creating a standout identity on their home floor. Look for tonight’s task against a veteran Spurs team that’s out of sync to be of capitalization. Grab Dallas. 

The Brooklyn Nets come into Thursday’s game against the Knicks with a full five days of rest. Brooklyn has won both matchups this year against the Knicks by a combined margin of six points. This included a matchup on November 24th where the Nets allowed a backdoor cover after nearly surrendering an eleven point lead. Grab the Knicks here for another competitive matchup even with Spencer Dinwiddie playing at an elite level. 

Christmas Day features five main games in the NBA, and I’m eyeing the first. The Boston Celtics will take on a team in the Toronto Raptors that have been outstanding at home. They also got Kyle Lowry back from injury a few games ago. Yet this Celtics team has gained major momentum over the last ten days. Look for their rising strength to show on the road in a tough environment against the Raptors. Grab Boston.

The LA Clippers travel up north to face Oklahoma City. It’s their third game in four days and will be a back to back scenario. That likely means no Kawhi Leonard to go up against Paul George’s former team. Keep in mind the Thunder also have a plethora of ex Clippers including veteran leader Paul George. Yet this Clippers team has a different pedigree even minus Leonard. Grab the Clippers. 

Surprisingly the Boston Celtics will meet the Detroit Pistons for the first time this season Friday. The Celtics were able to avoid a three game losing streak by mounting a comeback win over the Dallas Mavericks. The late surge was done via offensive spurts that should carry over against the Detroit Pistons. Grab the Celtics to roll Friday.

Thursday night a big game will take place between the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers. The Rockets have already defeated the Clippers once this season but that was when the Clippers were minus Paul George. Houston has also been sporadic as of late. Yet even with the Clippers strong home record look for the Rockets to play spoiler as they did earlier this season. Grab Houston.

Wednesday the Boston Celtics will look to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season. They’re on the road against a Dallas Mavericks team that ended the Milwaukee Bucks eighteen straight victories on Monday. It was a big win but also showcased the Mavericks strong away record at 10-2. At home they’re not as strong. Look for the Celtics to take advantage tonight. 

Aside from a blowout losses to Milwaukee and Houston the Orlando Magic have been ATS friendly against teams above .500. A strong reason for that is their immense depth which translates to different scoring options. Yet look for the Jazz to have one of their showcase home wins as they neutralize the Magic’s depth advantage.

The Knicks just ended their elongated losing streak but still made it difficult on themselves. They blew an 18 point lead against the Warriors and had to win the game in overtime. Friday they’ll face a Kings team that has won three straight games. They also have a road blowout win at Madison Square Garden under their belt. Still look for the Knicks to continue to show fight as they continue on their west coast road trip 

Eight straight losses by the Cleveland Cavaliers have put them in another predicament. Trade rumors have began to swirl around big man Kevin Love as the Cavaliers look to go in a complete rebuild mode. Friday they’ll face a Spurs team that has recently patched together wins after losing ten of eleven. Still there are high concerns in uncharted territories for a Spurs team coached by Popovich. Grab the points here on the Cavaliers. 

The Miami Heat’s home dominance has reached double digits at 10-0. Two of their victories have came against tonight’s opponent in the Atlanta Hawks. Both matchups were decided by nine points or more. With the Hawks poor defense and Heat’s ability for explosive offensive quarters a third victory is likely for Miami. Yet I’ll take the points here as Atlanta gives a better effort than the prior two.

With Houston’s loss last night the Mavericks moved up to first place in the division. Winners of eight of their last nine games the Mavericks have shown they are a true elite contender in the West. They’re also returning home from three straight road wins that featured a six-point outright win over the Lakers. I’ll still take the points here as the Mavericks have shown a bit of weakness at home and the Timberwolves on the other hand play better on the road. Grab the Timberwolves. 

Offensively the Portland Trailblazers have seen a spark since acquiring Carmelo Anthony. Where they still are lacking is defensively. That could be troublesome Tuesday against a Clippers team that prides itself of both ends of the floor. On a big number look for Portland to have a couple of surges offensively to offset the number and Clippers 12-1 home record. 

The Miami Heat extend from Brooklyn to Toronto for Tuesday’s big showdown. Miami’s win over the Nets boosted them back over .500 on the road at 6-5. Meanwhile the Raptors have been undeniable at home with a stout 9-0 record. They’ve been able to carry over last year’s title run with a deep roster of talent. Tonight though look for the Miami Heat to match the Raptors intensity and come within the number.

Internal issues have once again carried over onto the court for the Chicago Bulls. Three straight losses have dropped them to 6-14. If not for a dramatic come from behind win against the Hornets they’d be on a five game losing streak. They’ll face a Sacramento Kings team coming off a thrilling crazy fourth quarter against the Nuggets that led to an overtime win. Here though look for the Bulls to finally showcase a formidable effort and get the job done ATS.