We think the extra time off benefited Boston more, especially since they start this series at home. Boston has been one of the best betting teams for several years as they normally cover when they win, and we love that we are getting them for Game 1 on the other side of the key NBA betting number of 7. We think the offenses will be ahead of the defenses to start this series off, and that also benefits Boston.

First of all, we think this is too many points for Dallas in a series where they have had the upper hand and where most of the games have been close. This is not only a must-win for the Timberwolves but also nearly a must win for Dallas as they will let Minnesota fully back into this series with a loss. We think both defenses will lock down here in this crucial matchup and we think we saw our fair share of circus shots in Game 4 and this game will be more straightforward.

If the roles were reversed here we think there would be a ton of pressure on the team down 0-3, but we don’t think that applies to the Pacers here. They weren’t supposed to be here and this was an overachieving season. They should be proud of what they accomplished and we don’t think they will come into this game feeling tons of pressure and we think they will leave everything on the court tonight to in order to win at least one game in this series. Not sure if it will happen, but we think this will be a close game regardless.

4-Unit Play Take Indiana +7.5 over Boston (8:30 p.m. EST, Saturday May 25)

Even with Haliburton questionable for the Pacers, this line is just too large. Boston had their way with the Pacers in Game 2, but this series could easily be tied at 1-1 as the Pacers played well enough to win in Game 1. We like the depth of the Pacers even if Haliburton doesn't play, and we had this game handicapped at 4 so we think there is nice value here on the other side of the key NBA betting number of 7.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

The Timberwolves slipped up in Game 1 but this series will go back and forth but when the dust settles we think the Wolves will wind out on top. They played pretty well in Game 1 but Dallas just went crazy late in that game and we don’t see that happening again tonight. Minnesota is the more well-rounded team and Dallas relies too much on two players. It has worked out for them so far but against more flawed teams than the Wolves. We think both teams put up some points tonight but that Minnesota pulls away for a comfortable win.

We loved the Pacers in Game 1 and they let that one slip away at the end of the game but we like them even more in Game 2. Indiana has played free and loose this entire postseason and we just feel like they aren’t going to dwell on that missed opportunity and that they will just come out and play their game here in Game 2. We don’t think it was a fluke at all that Indiana almost won Game 1 and this game should be close, too. The oddsmakers made only a small adjustment on this game from the last one, and we still think there is excellent value. We are going to sprinkle a little on the moneyline here, because, remember, the Celtics lost Game 2 to both Miami and Cleveland, and the Pacers are a much better squad than those two clubs.

This spread is ridiculous for Game 1. The Pacers are battle tested in this postseason and they have a real chance in this series. A double digit spread for Game 1? We will bite! We think they match up well with Boston and this is not going to be an easy series for the Celtics. We think Indiana keeps it close in a high scoring Game 1. We think this is a very public line tonight and the Pacers should bring their A Game tonight.

Dallas has taken control of this series and we think this one ends at Game 6 in Dallas. They have won and covered three of the last four games in this series, and they seemed to have figured the Thunder out, as the only loss was by four points. The Thunder started the playoffs great, but their inexperience is starting to show, and teams need several seasons of trials and tribulations in the postseason to be able to excel in a high-pressure situation like this. We think Dallas rolls tonight.

The Cavs have covered two of the three double digit spreads they have faced in this series. It’s obvious this squad is not championship caliber, but they fight hard and we think they will go down swinging tonight. They could be missing some key players but they will play strong defense and we think they have a great chance to keep this one within double digits.

New York didn’t get their share of the total in Games 3 and 4, but the number has been adjusted downward and also the Knicks will probably have better luck on offense in Game 5, at home and after a cold shooting night in Game 4 that wasn’t all a result of Indiana defense but rather some shots that just didn’t fall. The Pacers can probably still be counted on to score their share. But we think New York will play better and this should be a competitive game as this is them most pivotal game in the series.

We think this game can go one of two ways. Either it is a blowout from Boston or the Cavs go all out on defense and keep it close in a low scoring game. We think both outcomes bode well for the under. Cleveland can’t just let Boston run rampant on offense and they have to buckle down or they don’t stand a chance. Mitchell is questionable here and if he is limited or can’t play at all then that will hurt the Cavs offensively. We also think the Cavs understand that they can’t get in a hole early as this is not the type of team that can come back from a big deficit against the top dogs in the league. We do think the Cavs will make some adjustments from Game 3 and expect this to be one of the lowest scoring games of the series.

The Pacers had every chance to win Game 1 but the refs gave them some bad calls down the stretch. The Knicks have a short rotation and we think that will start to hurt them as this series goes on as the Pacers have more depth. Indiana should come into this one with a chip on their shoulder and we think they will be very focused after getting robbed of the win in Game 1. Nice price on the moneyline here and we think this one goes back to Indiana tied 1-1.

Cleveland got blown out of the water in their first two games in Orlando and we can’t imagine what a rested Celtics team will do to them, especially after coming off a 7-game series with Orlando. Boston got a great matchup here as they avoided the Pacers and Knicks, both who would have presented more of a challenge in the second round. The Cavs are probably not mentally over their last series and this team has looked mentally weak at times in this playoffs, especially those two games in Orlando in which they didn’t even show up. We have to think Boston will want to make a statement here.

These teams always find a way to Game 7 and we think the Clippers will leave everything on the floor tonight. There are big issues for LA as a franchise if they bow out in six games in the first round and this team is built to withstand an injury to one of their two stars. They have won two of three in Dallas and we think they won’t be intimidated here. Dallas can be streaky and we don’t see them dominating two straight games. And the Clippers know if they can somehow win this series that Kawhi could be back at some point in Round 2 and then they would have a serious chance at a championship run. We see a close, high-scoring game here and LA has a legit chance to win in our opinion.

The Celtics have rolled in three of the four games of this series but this is an elimination game and the Heat will leave it all on the court. They have the better coach at the end of their bench and we think he will cook up a game plan to keep them competitive with the limited players they have on the court. Boston is probably due for a letdown game, especially after losing Porzingis for a good chunk of the second round. We consider a double-digit win a blowout, and we can het blown out here and still cover. But we think the Heat will play hard and with pride here and keep this within double digits.

The Thunder look every bit the No. 1 seed and they have made it look easy in this series so far. They got off to a slow start in Game 1 but then they have turned it on and dominated. The Pelicans are an incomplete team without their best player, and they can’t have a lot of team morale going on the court tonight. OKC will pull ahead in the fourth quarter and win this one comfortably.

We liked the Bucks to flame out in the playoffs even before the Freak went down with injury. Now we think it will likely be in the first round. The Lillard acquisition was a bad one for Milwaukee, and it has hurt their defense, while the offense hasn’t been consistent. The Pacers don’t play much defense either, but that isn’t their focus. And their offense is consistent. They match up really well with the Bucks and have won five of the last seven meetings, including a high stakes in season tourney game. We think they win this comfortably.

Both Games 1 and 2 went over this total, and we expect Game 3 to do the same. We expect another close game and expect both teams to get their points. With the way Game 2 ended, overtime would not be out of the realm of possibility. But we don’t think we will need OT here to cash this ticket. The Knicks are no longer anemic on offense and this team can put up some points. They have scored over 110 in 7 of their last 9 games. They scored 120 or more in four of those. Jalen Brunson is a threat to have a big scoring night at ant time, and he seems like the type of player that will step up in a game like this. We don’t think the Sixers can rely on defense to get the win here. So they will need to execute on offense. We expect both teams to get their share of the total tonight, and both teams should surpass the century mark just as they did in the first two games of this series.

Just don’t see the Heat getting blown out by Boston in consecutive games. This total is crazy low at 203.5 at the time of this writing. With such a low total, every point for the underdog is more valuable. We agree this will be a low scoring game and we think the Heat will keep this competitive on the strength of their defense. This Miami team is banged up right now but they play with a lot of heart and are well coached. They will have a plan coming into this game and they aren’t going to just roll over tonight. And we have to remember that it is the Heat who have played in two Finals in recent years while this super team from Boston has been to only one. It’s telling that the bookies have not adjusted the line since the Celtics covered in Game 1 and we think the public is all over Boston here and we will side with the sportsbooks and count on the Miami defense to pull some tricks out of their sleeve and keep this one competitive.

The Pacers were off on their shooting in Game 1 but that was one of their worst offensive games in forever and we just think they are more competitive tonight. We lean towards them to win the series still as the Bucks have seemed like a team that will flame out in the postseason – mainly because of their defense. They played a strong defensive game last time out but without their best player on the court we think it will be tough for them to go up 2-0, and the Pacers should be able to score the ball a lot better tonight. We think they have a great chance to steal this one.

Some say that Dallas will dominate this series and it will be an early end for the Clippers and another disappointing season. But we see this series being long and drawn out, like these teams always tend to do when they meet in the playoffs, The Mavs normally get the early jump on LA, then the Clippers rally late in the series. With word Kawhi Leonard may be able to come back later in the series, this script could play out again. But here for Game 1 we see the Mavs dominating. They are incredibly hot heading into the postseason and they have the upper hand here. The Clippers sputtered down the stretch. We think they will figure some things out later in the series, but Game 1 will be all Dallas.

We have had the opinion all season that the Timberwolves are a regular season club but they will flame out in the playoffs. On the other end of the spectrum, the Suns had a disappointing regulars season, but this team is built for the postseason. Phoenix has covered in nine straight meetings. They have won eight of those outright. We think this is a bad matchup for the Wolves in the first round. Seeding is thrown out the window if you can win the first game on the road, and we think there’s a great chance that happens in Game 1.

Sacramento is playing really well at the moment and we think they deserve a playoff spot. They ended the Warriors dynasty in their first playoff game and they looked confident and were extremely effective on both ends of the court. The Pelicans can’t have a lot of confidence right now after their best player went down. They have lost five straight home games and their prospects aren’t looking good here. We had the Kings handicapped at -4.5 here, so we think there is excellent value and we think there is a great chance they win by a lot more than that.

This is a very important game for the Pacers. They need to win here to stake their claim to a playoff spot and avoid the play in tournament. If they make the playoffs, they will have plenty of time off before their first round matchup. So they have to go all out here. Atlanta plays mid week in their play in game and all their focus is on that matchup. They don’t want to expend too much energy here or risk injury. And Indiana is a team that can really pour on the points, so we don’t think they will have any trouble getting the cover here.

It’s fade city for Utah tonight. We sometimes mention a team being Fat and Happy. That is when a poor team gets a big win that wasn’t expected and they usually rest on their laurels and come out flat in the next couple contests. This is the case for Utah tonight as they are on a back-to-back after winning in Houston last night as a double-digit underdog. Utah has a very thin roster with injured starters and this is a very tough back-to-back, no matter who plays for the Clippers. LA has a very deep roster and they have something to play for as seeing is still a factor for the first round. This win for Utah last night was their first in 14 games, and they have covered only four games during this stretch despite very generous odds from the bookies. These teams played here earlier this month, without Kawhi, and the win and cover were never in question for LA. We think this will be a one-sided game from the opening tip.

Love the Knicks in this spot. The Celtics have nothing but pride to play for, while the Knicks need this game for seeding, With the new NBA playoff format with the play in tourney, there is no momentum for teams already set in the bracket, so we don’t think Boston cares at all about this game or if they lose out for the regular season as long as they are healthy for the playoffs. The Knicks are legit championship contenders this year and we think they bring their A Game here tonight.

This is a quick revenge spot as the Knicks lost to the Bulls by 8 here on Friday. The Bulls don’t have much chance to rise above the play in tourney, while the Knicks can definitely drop into the play in. So they have the motivational edge tonight along with revenge. They have won and covered in four of the last six meetings, and we will give them a mulligan for the poor performance on Friday and expect them to bounce back strong here. They are also fairly healthy tonight, while the Bulls have a long injury list and could be missing key players tonight.

Detroit is not a deep team by any means and not only are they on a back-to-back, but they are playing their third game in four nights. The Nets have had two nights off. Brooklyn has been eliminated as well but they will want to finish the season strong and should take this game seriously and this is one they should win by double digits.

The Suns have been one of the worst ATS teams this season but they seem to be making a playoff push and are playing some of their most inspired basketball of the season. They have covered in five of their last seven, and they catch the Cavs on a B2B and Mitchell is questionable after missing their game against Utah last night. We think Phoenix is just in better form right now, and these back-to-backs, especially on the road, really start to take their toll here at this point of the season.

The Jazz stink and are missing some key players here, but this is simply too many points. The Jazz still have some players that can compete, and they have one of the better home court advantages in the NBA. Despite players in and out of the lineup, they have played well enough at home recently to keep games close and haven’t lost by more than 10 in four straight, including games against the Mavs and Timberwolves. Cleveland has covered in only one of their last seven games, so the oddsmakers have them a bit overvalued recently. We think the home team keeps this one within double digits.

Whenever we see a line this high, we always try and figure out a reason to take the underdog. And we like the Blazers to keep this somewhat close tonight. Even if this one is a blowout, we can cash the ticket with this many points, and a backdoor cover is always in the mix. The reason we like the Blazers here is because of the very low total. In a low-scoring game, every point becomes all the more valuable. Portland had one of their worst games of the season last time out but have had a couple days off and we think we see a more focused effort here tonight.

The Nets have won two straight in this series, and we think they will challenge for the win today. The Lakers are banged up and we don’t yet know who will suit up. Even with the Lakers at full strength, we think Brooklyn will play well at home. The Nets are still alive but their season is on life support and this is essentially a must win game. They have won three straight and are playing well at the moment. And the Lakers have been a lousy team all season on the road, where they are 14-21 on the season.

1 Unit Play. Take #658 Duke -7 over NC State (5:05p.m., Sunday, March 31 CBS) The Elite 8 is the round most Cinderella teams go to die. NC State has not beaten Duke twice in a season since 1995. I do not see it happening on Sunday, as Duke makes the Final 4.

10 Unit Play. Take #643 NC State over Marquette (7:09p.m., Friday, March 29 CBS) We collected going against Marquette last week and feel we will be able to cash another ticket on Friday night. This is a lot of points to be laying, and the ACC has already proven they should have had more teams make the field of 68. NC State has some size that they can use to their advantage, and I feel they will get this game close late in the second half and take it down to the wire. Take the points in the first Sweet 16 game on Friday.

The over has hit in seven straight meetings, and we expect another high scoring affair here. Milwaukee has been playing well offensively and has scored 114 or more in six straight games. Just like the oddsmakers, we expect a very close game here and we think both teams will get their points, and overtime is not out of the realm of possibility. We see a similar type of result to the Pelicans last game against OKC here at home that easily went over the total.

10 Unit Play. Take #634 Connecticut over San Diego State (7:39p.m., Thursday, March 28 TBS) This is a rematch of the 2023 National Championship, and I feel it will be another side sided affair. San Diego State did not have a great year especially during Mountain West play and they will be running into a buzzsaw having to play UCONN in Boston. The Huskies have been on a roll of late and I do not see any team being able to knock them off before the Final Four. They have too much size for the Aztecs and if they shoot it well at all they should be able to win this game by double digits. We will not overthink this play and just back the home Huskies.

2 Unit Play. Take #621 Over in UNLV @ Seton Hall (7p.m., Wednesday, March 27 ESPN) UNLV is an over team and Seton Hall is an under team. Expect the Rebels to be able to control the pace of this game, as they already played in New Jersey during this tournament and got the Tigers to up their pace.

Dallas has been racking up wins lately, but they have played some bad teams on the road and their toughest matchups at home. We feel they are a bit overvalued in this spot as we had the Kings laying a couple more points in our handicapping. The Kings have been playing well also (also against an easy schedule), and they scored a very impressive win at Orlando two games ago. We think they will be up for this game as these teams have identical records so this is am important game for playoff position. Sacramento has won two straight meetings, and three of four, and has covered in four straight meetings.

2 Unit Play. Take #612 Indiana State over Cincinnati (9p.m., Tuesday, March 26 ESPN) Indiana State is over the heartbreak of not making the NCAA Tournament and now seems poised to make the Final Four in Indianapolis, IN. They have already beat two Power Conference teams and are getting better as the tournament goes on. Cincinnati has played two mid major programs and playing this one on the road will be too much for them to overcome.

Toronto should play hard in this winnable game and they will want to end their long winning streak. But this is more a bet against the Nets than for the Raptors, as there is no situation where Brooklyn should be favored by this many on the road against any team. This team is 10-26 on the road this season. They have lost five straight on the road. Nice value on the Raptors tonight.

Four of the last five meetings have gone under the posted number, and we expect a low scoring game here as well. The last meeting totaled 205, and we would not be surprised to see a similar score. Minnesota has one of the best defenses in the league, and we think they will set the tempo at home.

Memphis has a long history of success in this series but the tide is turning and the Spurs are the better team now. Memphis is wrought with injuries this season and they are fielding a glorified G-League squad right now. The Grizzlies are a team likely to reset in the offseason, so this team is a fade the rest of the way out, while the Spurs are building something special here with their phenomenal rookie and some nice supporting players. We think, with both squads eliminated, that there will be not a lot of defense played here but when all is said and done, the Spurs should win this one by double digits.

10 Unit Play. Take #779 Texas A&M over Nebraska (6:50p.m., Friday, March 22 TNT) NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME OF THE YEAR. The Cornhuskers are getting some love after making it to the NCAA Semifinals and having a unique star in Keise Tominaga. But I am not buying them and feel they would have to shoot it outstanding to win this game. They did that in the first half against Illinois on Saturday and still lost that game by 11 points. Tominaga is a liability on defense and look for the Aggies to exploit them. Nebraska has never won an NCAA tournament game and they will struggle with the physicality of Texas A&M. Nebraska has not beaten an NCAA tournament team this season since 2/1/24.

Texas A&M underachieved most of the season but they have been playing better of late winning 5 of their last 6 games. They do not shoot it very well but rebound extremely well and should be able to take advantage of this undersized Huskers team. The SEC was a strong conference this season and the middle is much better than what Nebraska faced in the Big 10. They also have the best player on the floor in Wade Taylor IV. Most of the Huskers wins came at home this season and this game will be played in Memphis, TN. This is not the type of team that is good enough to break the NCAA Tournament drought and I feel there will be a carryover effect going into this game from their last game.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

5 Unit Play. Take 732 Texas over Colorado State (6:50p.m., Thursday, March 21 TNT) The Rams are riding high after beating Virginia on Tuesday, but I do not expect them to follow that up with another win. Texas is not Virginia, and I am not expecting them to go an actual hour without scoring a basket in this game. Texas underachieved this year, but this still have talent and expect them to reach the round of 32.

2 Unit Play. Take Nevada over Dayton (4:30p.m., Thursday, March 21 TBS) Many people were surprised that Dayton and Virginia made the NCAA Tournament. We saw how well Virginia did with their performance and I think Dayton will lose as well. Nevada is a veteran team and should benefit from the week off after losing to Colorado State in the quarter-finals last week in Las Vegas.

2 Unit Play. Take #740 Under in Akron vs Creighton (1:30p.m., Thursday, March 21 TNT) We will ride the under in this early start game in Pittsburgh, PA. We think of Creighton over the year’s as an up-tempo team that can score a ton of points. But that is not the case with Coach McDermott’s squad this year. Their scoring has come against bad team and Akron should not allow them to light up the scoreboard. The Zips are 178th in scoring in college basketball this season.

3 Unit Play. Take #708 Princeton over UNLV (8p.m., Wednesday, March 20 ESPN+) Just do not see UNLV putting forth much effort in this game. Princeton is happy to play in the NIT and getting to host a home game makes them motivated to win this game big. UNLV lost again early in the conference tournament and has a coach that is squarely on the hot seat.

Minnesota is banged up (Towns is out and Gobert is now questionable for tonight), and they are on a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights. We don’t see them doing well against the defending champs, who are playing championship-caliber basketball right now and playing as well as any team in the NBA. They are rested since they had Monday off, and Minnesota has to be running on fumes after a hard-fought game at Utah last night. Minnesota has looked good lately but this line being so large for Denver on the road is very telling, and we think the Wolves run into a buzzsaw tonight and the Nuggets get a comfortable win on the road. These teams also have identical records, so this game will be important for playoff seeding. Another reason for Denver to bring their A Game.

3 Unit Play. Take 672 Virginia Cavaliers over Colorado State Rams (9:10p.m., Tuesday, March 19 Tru Tv) Everyone is upset that Virginia made the NCAA Tournament and thus I expect them to come out and prove people wrong. Colorado State did not do much during the MWC play, most of their damage was done during the nonconference portion of the season. Virginia still plays good defense and if they can make any shots, they should be able to take this one down to the wire and grind out a victory.

The Spurs aren’t favored often, but they are a rightful favorite tonight. Brooklyn is at the tail of a long road trip that has seen them go 1-4, with losses to Detroit and Charlotte. They needed a strong showing on this road trip for any hopes of the postseason, but they fell flat on their faces. They probably just want to get home, and we don’t see them suddenly giving an inspired performance here in San Antonio against an improving Spurs team. Brooklyn is also on a back-to-back, and they were run ragged by the Pacers on Saturday in a 20+-point loss. The Spurs were off on Saturday and they will enjoy home court advantage tonight. The Spurs have been underrated by the oddsmakers and they have covered six of nine. This team has been quietly improving all season long and they have some nice players that have been developing. We see them notching a comfortable win tonight.

5 Unit Play. Take #649 Wisconsin Badgers over Illinois Fighting Illini (3:30p.m., Sunday, March 16 CBS) These two teams played a contested game a few weeks ago and I see this one going down to the wire as well. Wisconsin is poised to win this conference tournament championship for the first time under Gregg Gard and this will silence a bunch of his critics. Badgers have more rest than the Illini and I do not expect Wisconsin to go cold like Nebraska did yesterday. This means more to Wisconsin and they get it by winning straight-up!

3 Unit  Play. Take #621 Over 121.5 in Iowa State vs Houston (6p.m., Saturday, March 16 ESPN) Iowa State has been playing outstanding and will have a big crowd edge in this game. Houston will need to score in the sixties to win this game and thus we expect this game to easily go over the posted number.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10 Unit Play. Take #854 Iowa State Cyclones over Baylor Bears (9:30p.m., Thursday, March 15 ESPN) CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT GAME OF THE YEAR We went against Baylor last Saturday for our top play and will do so again on Friday as our Conference Tournament Game of the Year! The home crowd plays a major edge in the Big 12 Conference Tournament and Iowa State is driving distance away from Kansas City. Baylor is not the same team as they have been in past years, and they do not shoot it as well against good teams. Iowa State has revenge, losing their only meeting with Baylor this season and just do not have any bad conference losses on the season. They want to play Houston in the finals, whereas Baylor might want the extra rest. Hilton South will be alive and kicking as the Cyclones move on and we lay the small change with them on Friday night.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

Orlando is one of the best ATS teams in the league and they keep quietly getting the job done. They have son six of eight and have covered in every win. Toronto has all sorts of problems and they are not only banged up now but have a major non-hoops related absence tonight. They have lost seven of eight and covered in only two of those games despite some very generous lines from the oddsmakers. The Magic blew the Raptors out in the last meeting and we think there is a very good chance this is another double-digit win as the Magic are healthy and well rested.

5 Unit Play. Take #789 New Mexico over Boise State (11:30p.m., Thursday, March 14 CBSSN) The Lobos are fighting for their tournament life and likely need to win this game to qualify for the NCAA Tournament next week. This is another situation where I truly believe Boise State cannot beat New Mexico 3 times in one season. Losing at home to the Broncos is what spiraled the Lobos season, but they will get back on track during the conference tournament. I believe New Mexico is the most talented team in the conference and has great guard play. Guards are what wins during March and look for them to win this game and advance to the semifinals of the MWC Tournament.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

Embiid is really an MVP type player and the way the Sixers have fallen apart really shows how much he means to the team. They put up 79 points last time out in a loss to the Knicks, and this will be another tough game for them. No doubt Doc Rivers will want to lay the beat down on his former team. We don’t see the Bucks letting down for this matchup and we expect them to keep hooping until the final buzzer sounds.

4 Unit Play. Take #713 Bowling Green over Central Michigan (1:30p.m., Thursday, March 14 ESPN+) Like our selection with Utah last night, it is hard for Central Michigan to beat Bowling Green three times in one season. These are similar talented teams and I see the Falcons prevailing in this game and will enter the semifinals winning 3 straight games. The Falcons being favored is a key indication that they are the better team.

2 Unit Play. Take #678 Utah -5.5 over Arizona State (11:30p.m., Wednesday, March 13 PAC12N) The Bobby Hurley era may be coming to an end shortly and I do not expect the Sun Devils to make any noise in the conference tournament in Las Vegas. Utah had a disappointing season and actually lost to ASU twice this season. Arizona State is not good enough to beat any team in this league three times in a season. The Utes will win this game by double digits.

3 Unit Play. Take #685 Over 125.5 in Rutgers vs Maryland (6:30p.m., Wednesday, March 13 BTN) Both these teams are offensively challenged and bad, but I expect them to open things up in the conference tournament. If you are going to be bad, you at least need to be exciting to get some fans out to support you. One of these teams should reach 70 points and that will allow us to collect with the over.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

3 Unit Play. Take #633 Gonzaga over Saint Mary’s (9p.m., Tuesday, March 12 CBS) Gonzaga is one of the most improved teams during the second half of the season. Both teams are squarely in the tournament, but I feel Gonzaga will win this rubber match. The Bulldogs have not lost a game since February 3rd when they hosted Saint Mary’s.

2 Unit Play. Take #609 West Virginia over Cincinnati (3p.m., Tuesday, March 12 ESPN+) Just do not see why Cincinnati is this big of a favorite in a neutral site conference tournament game. Both teams split games on their home court with the Bearcats winning big last game. It will be hard for them to follow up that game and I see this game being played in single digits. West Virginia has won 5 of the last 6 games against Cincinnati.

Boston has won two of the last three and three of the last four visits to Portland by double digits. We just don’t see a letdown here for the best team in the NBA, in our opinion. The Celtics are rolling right now and they just won in Phoenix by 10, so we think they can do even better here. They have covered in seven of their last nine games, and when they win, they usually win big and big enough to cover the large number.

4 Unit Play. Take #858 Northern Kentucky over Milwaukee (9:30p.m., Monday, March 11 ESPN2) This is the rubber game between these two schools for a berth in the winner take all Championship Game tomorrow night. Both schools won on their home floor, but I feel Milwaukee’s season will end having to play an extra game to reach the semi-finals. The Norse have won 7 of their last 9 games and avenged one of those losses last time out.

Orlando is by far the strongest ATS team in the league this season and they are being underestimated by the oddsmakers once again. This is a young team and they will have a dud every now and then. That was surely the case last time out as they played one of their worst games of the season, a 98-74 loss at New York. We will give them a mulligan on that one, however, and expect they come out strong here in this one. Indiana has lost three of four and this team has been inconsistent lately. Orlando has held four of six opponents under the century mark and we think that defense wins this matchup on Sunday.

2 Unit Play. Take #802 Michigan over Nebraska (12p.m., Sunday, March 10 BTN) Juwan Howard may be on his way out, but I just do not believe Nebraska is good enough to be laying this many points on Senior Day in Ann Arbor. Michigan has talent and Nebraska is 2-8 in true road games this season. Take the points and hope Michigan gives some effort in this game.

3 Unit Play. Take #713 New Mexico +3.5 over Utah State (8:30p.m., Saturday, March 9 CBSSN) New Mexico needs this victory to solidify a spot in the NCAA Tournament and I feel they will get it. Utah State does not have the same homecourt advantage as they have had over the last two decades. They have a lot on the line as well, playing for an outright conference championship, but I expect them to play tight and struggle in this game. New Mexico has the most talent of anyone in the league and they

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The Nets are coming off an embarrassing loss at Detroit and they should give much better effort here against a team that is probably worse than the Pistons. Brooklyn should be getting some injured players back tonight, and this team needs a win badly for the play in tournament. They have covered in three of the last four meetings, and they are the much better team here. A motivated Brooklyn squad should get the comfortable win.

7 Unit Play. Take #686 Texas Tech over Baylor (6p.m., Saturday, March 9 ESPN2) An unranked team that is favored over a ranked team is always a strong betting trend. This is senior day in Lubbock, TX and I am looking for the Red Raiders to take care of business against an overrated Bears team. Baylor is coming off back-to-back wins against their traditional rivals in Kansas and Texas and I see a letdown for them in this game. Baylor is 4-8 ATS in their last 12 games following 3 straight wins. Homecourt is still strong in the Big 12 and Texas Tech wants this game to finish off with 3 straight wins and improve their seeding in both the conference and NCAA Tournaments.

4 Unit Play. Take #868 San Diego State -7.5 over Boise State (10p.m., Friday, March 8 FS1) Neither team can win the league, but I look for the Aztecs to take out their frustrations and improve their seed for the upcoming NCAA Tournament later this month. The Aztecs do not want to have to play in the prelims next week in Las Vegas and a win ensures that they will not have to. Boise State laid an egg at home earlier this week against Nevada and I do not see them bouncing back tonight. This will be a double-digit victory for the home team.

This spread is short, in our opinion, as we had the Knicks as 4.5-point dogs here with a lean to Orlando at that number. Orlando is healthy, while the Knicks are banged up and a shell of the team that looked like a true championship contender earlier in the season. New York has dropped eight of 11, and this team might not even make the play in. Orlando is playing amazing defense, and we don’t see the Knicks cracking the century mark tonight and they will have to lean on defense to keep this competitive. We don’t see them keeping this  one close, and there is nice value here with the road team.

6 Unit Play. Take #772 USC Trojans over ASU Sun Devils (11p.m., Thursday, March 7 FS1) USC has the second most talent of anyone in the PAC-12 this season and are starting to show signs that they can make a run next week in Las Vegas. ASU has a lame duck coach, and they are just playing out the string of games this season. They have some blowout losses this season and they gave all they had last week against Arizona but still lost big. Injuries have taken its toll on the Sun Devils and they just do not field much of a roster in March. The line being this big with a 12-17 tells me all I need to know about the talent of each team.

3 Unit Play. Take #827 Over in Rutgers Scarlet Knights @ Wisconsin Badgers (7p.m., Thursday, March 7 FS1) We nailed our Big 10 GOY on the over with Wisconsin and look to collect again on Thursday with a smaller play with them. This is one of the worst defensive teams Wisconsin has ever had and Rutgers will get many open looks in this game.

2 Unit Play. Take #716 New Mexico over Fresno State (10:30p.m., Wednesday, March 6 FS1) The Lobos are squarely on the bubble and likely need to win their last two games to ensure they make the NCAA Tournament. They have a strong NET rating but have some bad losses, especially at the PIT. They need to beat one of the bottom feeder teams in the MWC by at least 20 points tonight to keep their strong NET rating. Fresno State has a lame duck coach and are just playing out the string of games. They have lost big a bunch this season and tonight should be no different.

The Clippers have won eight straight meetings and covered in five of those. We love to take a good team off a bad or embarrassing loss, and that is the case with the Clippers tonight. Last time they were on a back-to-back against a banged up Bucks squad and really fell apart late in that game after relinquishing a big lead. So we think they will be a lot more focused tonight. Houston is a solid team but they are a couple rungs below the Clips, who are a true championship contender and probably the second best team in the league behind Boston. We think a determined Clippers team wins this one comfortably.

Miami has been playing great basketball but we think the oddsmakers have overinflated this number so we have to plug our nose and take the Pistons here. The Pistons had a horrible start to the season and injuries were a major issue. Some felt heading into the season that this team could make the play in. But they ended up setting the NBA record for longest losing streak. But this team has gotten healthy and has been very competitive lately. They are 15-7 ATS in their last 22 games. There were a couple of those ATS losses that were close, also. They didn’t play well last time out vs. Orlando so we think we will see a better effort here. And Miami goes on the road after this one to play at Dallas and at OKC on back-to-back nights starting Thursday.  They probably won’t give full effort here and that should play to our advantage. Detroit has covered in seven of the last eight meetings, so they normally get up for this opponent.

3 Unit Play. Take #618 Illinois over Purdue (7p.m., Tuesday, March 5 Peacock) Illinois is favored in this game against what many feel is the best and most accomplished team in the country. The Illini are coming off one of their best games of the season on Saturday against Wisconsin and look for them to win this game as well. Purdue just needs to beat Wisconsin at home on Sunday to win the regular season title and I see them faltering in this game in a hostile environment. Illinois is a great offensive team and sooner or later they will get hot from the arc and pull away late in this game.

The Clippers have been overrated by the oddsmakers lately compared to their effort on the court and they are just 3-7 ATS in their last 10. They come in on a back-to-back after a hard-fought win at Minnesota in a game that probably meant more to the team than tonight’s matchup at Milwaukee from the Eastern Conference. This Clippers squad isn’t the youngest team, so back-to-backs can really take their toll at this point in the season. It doesn’t get any easier with this matchup at the Bucks, who have won and covered five straight and are rounding into postseason form. We think Doc Rivers will do all he can to beat his old team, and the Clippers are definitely looking vulnerable tonight as they have been inconsistent since the all start break and we just think this is a real bad spot for them tonight.

3 Unit Play. Take #823 Indiana over Maryland (2p.m., Sunday, March 3 CBS) Did Maryland become good overnight and worthy of laying this many points against anyone in the Big 10? Indiana is terrible on the road, but they did play one of the better games on the season last week hosting Wisconsin and I look for them to follow that up on Sunday. Maryland cannot shoot very well and does not score many points and thus we will take the dog on Sunday.

Houston has covered in four of five meetings, and we think they will keep this one close tonight. There was a point where the Rockets started to be overvalued by the oddsmakers, but that time has passed. We really like them coming off a loss, yet a hard-fought one that included an ATS cover, against these Suns here on Thursday. It’s very difficult to beat a team twice in a row, and we have also seen some reverse line movement on this game that would favor the Rockets to cover.

10 Unit Play. Take #619 Over in Illinois Fightin Illini over Wisconsin Badgers (1p.m., Saturday, March 2 BTN) You think of these teams are big and strong defensive teams, but that just is not the case this season. Both defenses have been poor of late, as Illinois is giving up 1.10 points per possession since early February and Wisconsin is at 1.01 ppp during that same time. Illinois has gone way over today’s posted number in 8 straight games, a streak that last from January 28th. During this streak they have given up at least 75 points to their opponents in all but one game. Wisconsin has not been giving up that many points, but this is a get-well game for them on offense. They are a sinking ship and this is the perfect for their shots to go in, as this will be an up and down game.

The Cavs haven’t covered in their last seven games. They have been winning quite a bit, but they haven’t been dominating. Detroit has been the opposite as they have been losing but covering as they are exceeding the oddsmaker expectations recently. They have covered in three straight and six out of nine. They have also covered in three straight meetings (all losses), and we think they will play well enough to keep this one close.  

4 Unit Play. Take #814 UC Davis over Hawaii (9p.m., Thursday, February 29 ESPN+) Hawaii is just not the save team when playing on the road compared to when playing on the islands. UC Davis will have revenge on their minds after getting blown out in Hawaii earlier this month, but they still have a strong homecourt advantage. UD Davis has been trending down but they will have a winning conference record and need to improve their seed for the winner take all conference tournament next month.

Four straight meetings have resulted in OKC double-digit wins. They have covered in six straight meetings. This is a regional rivalry, and we think that the road team will bring their A Game tonight. They have won and covered in six straight and the Spurs are back home after a long road trip, which is usually a bad spot for the home team.

The Lakers are banged up as LeBron and AD are suffering from various ailments and won’t be 100 percent, although both are expected to play. They better bring their A Game, because the Clippers always do in this matchup. If you have followed our service for a long time, you would know that we always think of this as a one-sided rivalry. The Lakers are the Clippers biggest rival, so they always bring their best. The Lakers have more traditional rivals, so this is just another game to them. In fact, they often like to make it seem like they don’t care at all about the Clippers, and that often shows on the court, as the Clippers have won 12 of 14 meetings, and they have had a lot of success in this series since the early Lob City days. Both squads have been sluggish out of the break, but we are confident the deep Clippers, without George, will bring their best performance to the court tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #692 Georgia Southern over Marshall (7p.m., Wednesday, February 28 ESPN+) The Eagles did not win a game during the nonconference portion of the season but have done much better in Sun Belt play. They lost by just 5 points at Marshall earlier this season and I see them winning this game by 5-8 points. They took James Madison to the wire last time out and will get over the hump with a win tonight W.S. Hanner Fieldhouse.

The Knicks took all they could handle from the Pistons last night and now this very thin roster finds itself on a back-to-back against a much better squad. We don’t think the slumping Knicks have a chance here. The Knicks have covered in only one of the last five meetings. They have dropped six of their last nine overall and those three wins were not against quality opponents (the Sixers are banged up now also). The Pels get it done tonight with a comfortable win.

5 Unit Play. Take #613 Wisconsin over Indiana (7p.m., Tuesday, February 27 Peacock) The Badgers need to show they can beat a bad team on the road and tonight should be that day that this gets accomplished. Indiana has lost 4 straight games and Wisconsin is a better team than 3 of those opponents. That included home losses to Northwestern and Nebraska. Wisconsin will be able to dominate the paint and if they make some shots from the arc they will win this game by double-digits.

We think this game will go one of two ways: either Knicks blowout or close, low-scoring game. We just don’t envision a shootout here. The Knicks are just a mess right now with all the injuries that have piled up and this team hasn’t been playing well on offense. They have the defensive system in place, however, to plug in players that can perform, and we don’t see either team breaking out for a big offensive game. We had this one handicapped around 218 so nice value tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #858 Nebraska Cornhuskers over Minnesota Golden Gophers (6:30p.m., Sunday, February 25 BTN) Nebraska is outstanding at home this season and Minnesota is not as good as their 8-7 record would indicate. Nebraska has the better shooting team and that will be the difference on Sunday night. They cannot afford a bad loss and will win this game by double digits.

5 Unit Play. Take #682 Kentucky Wildcats -2.5 over Alabama Crimson Tide (4p.m., Saturday, February 24 CBS) Kentucky has already lost multiple home games this season and they cannot afford to lose anymore in Lexington. Alabama is a tough animal at home, but they got pounded by Auburn on the road, a spot Kentucky just won at. Kentucky needs this game more and they will find a way to get it.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

7 Unit Play. Take #612 Arkansas Razorbacks -5.5 over Missouri Tigers (12p.m., Saturday, February 24 ESPN2) This is a straight fade against Missouri, the worst team by far in the SEC. Arkansas is not very good either, but they still have a strong homecourt advantage and should be able to take care of business today at Bud Walton Arena. Missouri has been more competitive of late, but losing close games is eventually taking its toll on its team. Arkansas already beat Missouri in Columbia this season by 7 points and they will win this game by double digits.

The Clippers got embarrassed last night at OKC and they had an off night; it happens to the best teams in the NBA at some point in the season. We think this team will bounce back nicely tonight as they take a big step down in competition. The Clippers have won and covered two straight in this series, and injuries have derailed the Grizzlies season in a big way. This team is just a shell of the squad we expected to be competing for a playoff spot by this point of the season.

6 Unit Play. Take #815 Washington over Arizona State (9p.m., Thursday, February 22 ESPN2) Washington trails Arizona State in the standing, yet it a small favorite in this game despite it being in Tempe. That tells me that Arizona State has thrown in the towel on this season and is ready for it to end. They are coming off a 45-point loss to their rival last time out and I see them struggling to keep this game within single digits. The Sun Devils score just under 70 points per game, 324th in the country. Washington has an identity and can usually beat the bad teams on their schedule and Arizona State is certainly a bad team. The Huskies already beat them once by 15 points and that is how I see this game going as well.

The Clippers are healthy coming out of the break and entered the break with an epic win at Golden State without their best player. Kawhi is back here and rested, and we think the Clippers will be pumped for this game. We had them as a 2-point favorite here, so there is nice value in the spread tonight. OKC is a very good team and they rarely lose at home, but the Clippers may be the best team in the league and they certainly have the soldiers to come in and get a win here. The Clippers haven’t won here in awhile, but they didn’t have their full squad, either, and we expect a strong showing tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #692 Samford over Furman (7:30p.m., Wednesday, February 21 ESPN+) The Bulldogs are the best team in the Southern Conference this season and will enter this game with a 23-4 record and a perfect record at home. One of their four losses came at Furman and they will look to avenge that tonight. I expect them to win by double digits and all but clinch the regular season title.

4 Unit Play. Take #644 BYU over Baylor (9p.m., Tuesday, February 20 ESPN) The Cougars are always a tough team to beat in Provo and we will lay the small number of points backing them tonight. BYU is coming off a bad loss last time out against Oklahoma State and look for them to bounce back in a big way tonight at the Mariott Center. Baylor has been on a nice winning streak and is likely due for a loss in this brutal conference.

3 Unit Play. Take #864 UCLA over Utah (7p.m., Sunday, February 18 FS1) The Bruins have been rolling and will enter this game having won 6 straight. They were embarrassed at Utah earlier this season, but they are a much better team now.

7 Unit Play. Take #655 Wisconsin (pk) over Iowa (2:15p.m., Saturday, February 17 BTN) Wisconsin has had great success against Iowa over the last couple of years and today should be no different. This is not a great Iowa team on either side of the floor and Wisconsin should be able to make ways inside the paint with their post players. The Badgers have beaten Iowa three straight times and are 3-0 ATS in those games as well.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4 Unit Play. Take #649 Duke -5.5 over Florida State (2p.m., Saturday, February 17 ESPN) FSU will be up for this game, but the Noles just do not have the firepower that they have had in year's past. Duke is coming off three straight wins since their lost to North Carlina and for the most part this season they have beaten the bad teams on their schedule.

These teams played Tuesday and the Timberwolves scored a comfortable win. The game wasn’t as one-sided as the final scored might indicate as the Blazers entered the fourth quarter down only one before falling apart late. But it’s very tough to win two games in a row on the opponent’s floor in the span of two consecutive games. Revenge is an overrated factor in handicapping as it is in college ball because these guys are professionals and they let losses slip away after the game and move on to the next matchup. But when teams play in consecutive games like this, it is definitely a factor and we think Portland will give an extra push to play a more complete game here. The Blazers are a bad team. But they are on a level above the real dregs like Washington, San Antonio and Charlotte. This team is competitive, can score some big wins over strong opponents, and they have covered in close to half their games. So we don’t think the Wolves will just come in and dominate here. Portland has covered in four of their last seven. One of those ATS losses was by a half point, so we think they have been playing slightly above the oddsmakers expectations lately and we think they will give it all they have tonight in the rematch as rest is coming during the all0star break.