The Jimmy Butler effect is in play once again for game four now that he has been cleared. In game three I went the other way on the market reacting to Butler being out, and now will do so with him being cleared. As strong as Golden State’s overall record is with Butler in the lineup, Houston did go into Golden State and defeat them on April 6th. This is also the first time in the postseason Steph Curry has to step back on the court in a forty eight hour turn around, which has been troublesome for Curry during the regular season. Back the Rockets for the cover in game four.

The Golden State Warriors are one of the few teams prepared for a postseason injury. They’ve had role players and star players in and out of the lineup, and Jimmy Butler was a late add pre- trade deadline. At home, their role players excel and expect Steve Kerr to adjust the defense off the Rockets excellent game two. Golden State with or without Jimmy Butler gets it done in game three.

The LA Clippers had their moments in game one but could not generate enough offense after an explosive first quarter of 35 points. Defensively though they limited Denver to 44 percent shooting, in a game that saw Jamal Murray play a season high forty eight minutes. Look for Tyronn Lue to have the necessary adjustments for the Clippers to earn a split before heading back home for game three.

The Knicks have an extra aggressive spread today against Detroit. Their dominance over the Pistons spanned from 2019 until this December where they had won sixteen matchups in a row. Now that has flipped with Detroit winning the last three. Yet, the Knicks are a team I believe can flip that postseason on switch. The experience factor is one-sided over a Pistons team that I expect to be overwhelmed in game one. Take the Knicks

Having a short term memory in the play-in is suited for the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks. Miami dismantled a Bulls team that had some injuries, and just was not ready in the first quarter. Atlanta this is their fourth straight season in the play-in, and have a better core of defenders to handle the hot shooting of Tyler Hero, Bam Adebayo, and even Andrew Wiggins. Take the Hawks to advance as the eighth seed in the East. 

The Dallas Mavericks are a team that if they had a bit more time together could have been dangerous. The make up of their team is versatile, but there just has not been enough time together to back on the road. Over their last five road games against Western Conference opponents they have lost by an average margin of 27 points. DeMar Derozan actually had his best game points wise against the Mavericks with 42 this season. This is likely the last instance of getting the Kings at this high of a favored spot, but take the Kings to advance to face the Grizzlies.

The Chicago Bulls were expected to fade from the possibility of a play-in when they traded away Zach Lavine. Instead their roster has sprung to the occasion and been a pleasant surprise. Miami is a team they defeated just last Wednsday by eight points, and also defeated them mid-March by five points. They’re also a team that has had consistent second half issues. Take the Bulls to defeat the Heat for the fourth time this season.

Today’s play-in spreads are competitive to top seeds that await in both the Eastern and Western Conference. That tells me that the market believes the Orlando Magic are better then their 7th seed, which may have been the case if they did not struggle with injuries all season long. This is also the third matchup in a week’s period between both teams, which I believe bodes to the advantage of the home team. Take Orlando on the spread as they solidify the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference.

A point spread that the market over reacted on slightly in my opinion is in play today with the Detroit Pistons. Detroit has the advantage with being at home since April 5th, but their offense has been out of sync. If not for a tired Knicks team in the fourth quarter yesterday, they may have lost their third game in a row. Milwaukee has also won the first two matchups against Detroit. This is a cover only position as I expect the Bucks to finish within the number.

A team that is consistently favored on the road can be tough to evaluate. The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming off a heart breaking loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in which they blew a 24 point fourth quarter lead. It ended their five game winning streak, but expect Minnesota to rally off that loss. Memphis may be on a winning streak, but they’ve had their issues at home losing four out of their last five. Take the Twolves to finish off their road finale with a win.

The Detroit Pistons come into today’s matchup against the New York Knicks looking to avoid three straight losses at home. That’s an occurrence that has not happened the entire season, and I expect their aggression at the onset to overwhelm the Knicks. New York is coming off a difficult overtime loss against Boston. This is also a series that has shifted. New York had won sixteen straight over Detroit, but now the tables have turned with the Pistons taking the last two matchups. They’ve get their third victory in a row over New York and cover the number.

The Houston Rockets are coming off one of their best victories of the season on Sunday, defeating the Golden State Warriors who are 20-5 over their last 25 games. They limited Steph Curry to just three points, but tonight is a fade spot off that great performance. They’ve had a mini layoff, and although the Clippers are in a back to back spot they have won five games in a row, and seven of eight. Take the Clippers as the steep favorite.

Yesterday the Boston Celtics likely completed their last meaningful game in the regular season by sweeping the New York Knicks. The on and off switch has been used often this season with the Celtics, and I expect their backups to be effected with this tonight. Orlando they are competing to be in the proper mode for the play-in games next week, and should exude that effort tonight against the Celtics. Lay the rare big number against Boston tonight.

Today the Celtics can lean on last year’s end of season matchup against the Knicks, to avoid a let down. Similar to last season the Celtics have won the first three matchups decisively by an average margin of twenty one points. At the tail end of last season though the Celtics let up against the Knicks and lost. Even if a couple of players are ruled out take the Celtics to show the focus of completing the season sweep over the Knicks.

A likely play in matchup will be on display tonight as Orlando hosts the Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta actually has more to play for as they want to avoid falling into the ninth spot and being surpassed by Chicago. Yet, Orlando is starting to show upward momentum where they are 6-2 over their last eight games. Lay it with the home team Orlando Magic.

The Toronto Raptors are in a back to back spot, but concern is there with how they performed twenty four hours ago. Beyond the first quarter against Portland they scored just 19 points in the second, and were outscored by double digits in the second half. They’ve already ruled out RJ Barrett, and Scottie Barnes is questionable. Look for Detroit to play elevated basketball after consecutive losses by sixteen points or more.

Right now it is very uncommon not to see a double digit spread in the NBA. As the season winds down there is a big disparity in level of competition. The Philadelphia 76ers were one of the first teams to go down this path, and Milwaukee has adjusted to being without Damian Lillard. Take the Bucks to cruise against the 76ers.

The Portland Trailblazers overall season was better than expected, as Chauncey Billups got the Trailblazers to show improvement from a season ago. Down the stretch to close out the season though, they are struggling with four straight losses by double digits. Expect Atlanta’s pace of play to be the difference as they have one explosive second half quarter and push past the number.

It’s always a tricky spot when a West coast team returns home in their first game back from an East coast road trip. Los Angeles after botching a potential win against the Chicago Bulls, regrouped for a solid road win at Memphis. They’ll face a Houston team that’s in a back to back spot, and I expect to be the aggressor after a slow first quarter in their prior matchup against the Rockets. Take the Lakers to cover the short number.

Typically there is not a shock to a coach being fired. That was not the case for the Memphis Grizzlies as Taylor Jenkins was surprisingly let go. In their first game without Jenkins the Grizzlies lost to the Lakers, and now will face a Celtics team that is getting close to their peak playoff form abilities. Poor spot for the Grizzlies even at home, who I expect to continue to falter against high level teams. Lay it with Boston.

The Portland Trailblazers boomerang of consistency has continued. They won four straight games, but now have dropped three straight all by double digits. The Knicks are starting to adjust even minus rotation players, and can lean on their narrow one point win March 12th at Portland. Better offense this time, as the Knicks get over 120 points. Lay the number here.

The Chicago Bulls have won five out of their last six games, and got the attention of everyone with their miracle victory over the LA Lakers. Today’s spot against the Dallas Mavericks fits the bill of a letdown spot. Although Dallas has several players as game time decisions, they are ignoring being written off as a potential play in team. Take Dallas as they continue a solid road trip, and cover the spread.

Two teams coming off blowout losses will meet today as the Wizards host the Brooklyn Nets. For Washington they are coming off losing by fifty one points to the Indiana Pacers. Yet, two of their sixteen wins on the season came against the Nets, including a recent 107 to 99 victory on February 24th. Take the Wizards to complete the sweep over the Nets.

Recency bias is in play today as the Orlando Magic host the Sacramento Kings. This week we saw another west coast team in the Lakers travel to Orlando as favorites and fall to the Magic. It is the only instance out of the Magic’s last eight home games that they won and covered, as they are 1-7 ATS over their last eight home games. Sacramento now has Malik Monk and Sabonis back, and will build on their win over Portland. Take the Kings on the wrong line move.

The Phoenix Suns were embarrassed their last time out on national television again the Boston Celtics. They’ll now travel on the road against a Timberwolves team that has had their number. Seven straight wins dating back to last postseason, and they have had three full days off. Generous number based on the history and rest factor for Minnesota, take the value on the Suns.

The Dallas Mavericks continue to play beat up as they will be without PJ Washington, but I’m rolling the dice with Anthony Davis being questionable. With Davis in the lineup he provided an immediate lift in a 19 point win over the Brooklyn Nets. He put in one of his best games of the season with 39 points and 9 rebounds against the Magic as a member of the Lakers. Too steep of a number here as I believe this spread should be closer to five.

The LA Clippers have had an uptick in scoring over their last four road games. They’ve produced 121, 119, 120, and 117 points. They also hindered the New York Knicks to just 95 points on March 7th. Even though the Clippers are coming in for their first game on their East coast road trip, tail LA with the Knicks in a back to back spot.

The Philadelphia 76ers have continued to deplete their roster as the season winds down. Kelly Oubre Jr. has not been used since subbing out in the third quarter of March 12th’s loss to the Toronto Raptors, and now Quentin Grimes who has been a big boost is also ruled out. Yet, this Philadelphia team has had time with their revamped roster and will face a Pelicans team also undermanned. Grab the value on the line move for the 76ers

The health of a teams lineup can be misleading ATS wise to close out the season. Although the Utah Jazz have a majority of their depth available compared to the Wizards, it hasn’t changed the end result. Utah has lost ten straight games, and wants another loss as they are tied with the Wizards currently with fifteen wins. Grab the points with Washington who had a sizable lead on Utah on March 5th, and won by three points.

One of the toughest things to do is recover after a long winning streak is ended. The Cleveland Cavaliers won sixteen games in a row, but had that ended by the Orlando Magic 108-103. Now they travel on the road for a West coast night game against the LA Clippers, which is the first of five road games. Cavaliers may win but grab the Clippers to keep this within a possession and cover the number.

Golden State is beginning to look more and more like the Dallas Mavericks of a season ago. Who after their splash trades ended the regular season red hot and carried it over to representing the West in the NBA Finals. Golden State has won 12 of 13 games, and Denver has dropped three of five. The Nuggets also continue to have question marks around their lineup on a nightly basis. Lay it here with the Warriors.

The Oklahoma City Thunder once again showcased the strength and depth of their team in yesterday’s six point win over the Detroit Pistons. It is the second straight cover being short handed, and now the Thunder will travel to Milwaukee. Expect SGA to continue his tear as he has scored 40 or more points in three of four games, as the Bucks will play more reserves being in a back to back spot. Lay it here with the Thunder over the Bucks.

For the Phoenix Suns time is running out on closing the gap and sliding a spot in the play-in. They blew a golden opportunity in their last matchup against a depleted Grizzlies team and lost by two points. Overall though they have fought on their current road trip. They took Denver to overtime and covered the number against Dallas. As impressive as the Rockets are on their home floor, give me the Suns to fight within the number.

The Philadelphia 76ers have lost twelve out of the last thirteen games. Despite that they are sizable favorites today against the Utah Jazz, and this will likely be the last instance of the season as this big of a favorite. Utah is also short handed and typically East coast road trips take their toll on Western Conference teams. Grab the home favorite here in Philadelphia.

The Miami Heat will host the Chicago Bulls tonight in a back to back spot. For the Heat they have been playing solid basketball lately. They pushed the Cavaliers in a close loss, took the Knicks to overtime, and had another close loss yesterday against the Timberwolves. Better competitive play I expect to be on the showcase for the Heat against a Bulls team they should have the edge on both defense and offense. Take the Heat.

Much like the Phoenix Suns the Miami Heat are untrustworthy on a game to game basis. Expect their success off a win against the Atlanta Hawks to be short lived. The Heat have not been successful in consecutive victories since January 27th. Grab the Pacers whose last three wins have been by double digits.

The Golden State Warriors are 6-1 since trading for Jimmy Butler. Post All Star break all three wins have been by 24 points or more. Today, they travel to Orlando and may get off to a slow start in the first game of the night, with the time zone change. Yet, Jimmy Butler is accustomed to facing the Magic, and Orlando has been woeful ATS against Western Conference teams. They are 0-6 ATS over their last six games against Western Conference opponents.

The Miami Heat have dropped six out of their last seven games. Throughout the down play they were favored in back to back road spots against Dallas and Atlanta. Expect that faith from the oddsmakers to come to fruition tonight, as the Heat are fully rested. It’s also a welcome home game as the Heat endured nine out of their last ten games on the road. Lay the small number here with the Heat.

The Houston Rockets are coming off a down performance where they lost outright to the Utah Jazz. They are also dealing with Fred Van Vleet being out, and Dillon Brooks questionable with an illness. Still, the Bucks may be on a four game win streak but they have had to erase deficits to for comeback wins in their last three victories. Look for that dynamic to play its hand for the Rockets who are excellent on their home floor with an 18-9 record.

The first two matchups between the Celtics and 76ers have featured covers by Philadelphia. This included a matchup to begin the month of February where the Celtics traveled to Philadelphia, and found themselves down 26 points in the late third quarter. They stormed back to win by eight points. Look for the Celtics to avoid a repeat of two weeks ago, and get a resounding win over Philadelphia.

For the second time in a week the Miami Heat had a disastrous fourth quarter performance. After a nine point fourth quarter performance against Brooklyn, the Heat dipped one point lower to the Thunder with eight fourth quarter points last night. Look for the Heat to take their frustrations out on the court tonight, against a Mavericks team that exerted a lot of energy in their win over the Warriors. The Heat are also getting more comfortable and adjusted to their new trade acquisitions in Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell. Lay it with the Heat.

The New Orleans Pelicans are the worst team in the Western Conference with a 12-41 record. Yet, the Sacramento Kings are a team they have had success against. Last year they won all five matchups, and this season have covered both matchups as 6.5-7 point underdogs. This includes the most recent matchup on February 8th where the Pelicans led throughout until the fourth quarter. Take the Pelicans on the value of a nine game losing streak and Zion Williamson possibly sitting.

The Detroit Pistons will meet the Chicago Bulls in consecutive games before their All Star break. This is an important moment for a Pistons team that has a chance to go three games above .500 into break. They also defeated the Bulls in their first matchup just nine days ago on February 2nd,  using a late second half surge to win by eight points. Lay it with the Pistons tonight.

The Milwaukee Bucks have been on a prolonged slump that has featured a 2-6 stretch. Without Giannis in the lineup we saw how much of an issue it can be in their latest game against the Atlanta Hawks. Still, this matchup is on their home court and Philadelphia has had their own internal issues that spilled over between Kelly Oubre Jr. and Joel Embiid. Take the Bucks even minus Giannis.

The Oklahoma City Thunder may be atop the Western Conference standings, but Memphis has been the better team as of late. They’ve won nine out of ten games and are 21-5 on their home floor. Look for the Grizzlies to continue their surge especially with the Thunder in a back to back spot.

A team that has been hurt via injuries and trades over their last two games are the Golden State Warriors. They have lost to both the Utah Jazz and the Lakers, but that was a 24-hour period after a heavy trade losing three role players. Expect the addition of Jimmy Butler to ignite them at Chicago, even if Butler plays limited minutes. Lay it with the Warriors.

The Orlando Magic return from a road trip they lost five out of six games. Even facing a Spurs team in a back to back spot expect further trouble. In each of their last four losses they have failed to crack 100 points. Take the Spurs who are aiming for their first winning streak since January 3rd.

Milwaukee multiple times this season has rode extreme waves of winning and losing. After a four game losing streak, they did their job in Wednesday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets. Tonight, they get another opportunity against a below .500 team in the Atlanta Hawks who have dropped nine of ten games. Take the Bucks with new pieces to build upon their Hornets performance.

In the Lakers last game they pulled off a big upset at Madison Square Garden over the Knicks. Returning from an East Coast road trip is often difficult, and now elevated for the Lakers post Anthony Davis trade. Look for a bit of sloppy play as the Clippers take advantage on both ends of the court. Lay it with the Clippers.

The Houston Rockets go into the daunting task of playing their seventh game over the last eleven days. With heavy road travel involved they have lost three straight games, including losing to the Brooklyn Nets at home 110-98. The Rockets delve deeper into their bench rotation last night in preparation for a back to back. Expect Cam Whitmore, Aaron Holiday, and Tari Eason to flourish and give the Rockets an edge.

The Utah Jazz ended an eight game losing streak on Saturday by defeating the Orlando Magic by fourteen points. That’s been a hidden bright spot on the Jazz season is facing Eastern Conference teams. They are 6-2 ATS over their last eight matchups against an Eastern Conference opponent. All six of their wins since December 19th have come against Eastern Conference teams. Grab the points with the Jazz.

Friday night, the San Antonio Spurs get a rematch against the Milwaukee Bucks. The teams met earlier in the month on January 8th, which was a lopsided Bucks victory 121-105. That was a tough stretch for the Spurs who were playing their fourth game in six nights. Look for the road issues to plague the Bucks this time around, who are below .500 on the road and have key game time decisions tonight. Back the Spurs.

On the season the Denver Nuggets have avoided a three game losing streak. Tonight that will be put to the test as they come in on a multi-game losing streak, blown out by Minnesota and a poor loss to Chicago. Expect Denver to come out focused in what is also a revenge spot as Denver lost at home 145 to 118 to the Knicks in November. Grab the points with Denver

Tonight presents one of the top peak spots to go against a team in the Houston Rockets. Houston is coming off consecutive wins over the top team in the NBA in the Cleveland Cavaliers. In those wins they had issues in the fourth quarter. Gave up 47 points in Saturday’s fourth quarter, and the prior game scored just 15 in the fourth. Boston is also 3-0 when facing their former Coach Ime Udoka, including a 109-86 victory this season. Lay it with Boston.

The Sacramento Kings have an uncanny ability to stay in games despite large deficits. That’s not seen throughout the NBA almost halfway through the season. It’s allowed for steep comebacks against the Warriors, and a near comeback cover in their last game against Denver. Expect high energy from the Kings tonight in New York with or without D’Aaron Fox. Take the Kings plus the points. 

The Orlando Magic enter today on a five game losing streak. They’ll face a surging and confident Detroit Pistons team that beat them New Year’s Day, and has won the first two games on their current road trip. This is the game where the Magic have to dig in and avoid the flat low scoring second halves. Expect their defense to also be heightened in a game they need desperately.

The Miami Heat once again will endure a suspension from Jimmy Butler. As a team I expect them to respond off a poor home effort against the Portland Trailblazers. The Heat also may have found something by pairing rookie big man Kel’el Ware with Bam Adebayo. He is averaging 22 point sand 12 rebounds in his two starts. Take the value on the Heat against the Bucks.

Both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks are dealing with injuries. For the Timberwolves they have lost three out of four games as they adjust to being without Donte Divencenzo. Rookie Rob Dillingham has started to emerge off the bench averaging twelve points over his last three games. This matchup still has bad blood from the Twolves postseason loss, and we saw Minnesota get revenge on Christmas at Dallas 105-99. Take the road favored Twolves.

A rare overnight release for me in the NBA, as I believe this line will only go down. The Wizards may have the fewest wins in the NBA but it’s resulted in bloated spreads. They’ve covered three of their last four, including Jordan Poole facing his old team in the Warriors. That is in play with Kyle Kuzma, and the biggest angle is Anthony Davis questionable with a calf issue. There’s a good chance he may rest against the lowly Wizards. Grab the underdog.

The Golden State Warriors are in a poor spot today even on their home floor against the Boston Celtics. The Celtics for one will be fired up after losing to the Atlanta Hawks in their last game. Expect intensity right off the bat against a Warriors team that has been playing short handed for the last several weeks. Lay it with the Celtics.

In the NBA there are not to many regular season rivalry matchup. One that is identifiable is the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta is coming off a big road win over the Boston Celtics, and have defeated the Knicks twice this season. With New York being banged up look for the bench play to be key. Cameron Payne is coming off an 18 point game, and Miles McBride put in 16 in the first matchup against Atlanta. Back the Knicks on their home floor.

Two key pieces amongst the Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks trade are in doubt tonight. Donte Divincenzo is out and Karl Anthony Towns is questionable. The Knicks may be twelve games above .500 but are just 5-5 over their last ten games. They are also coming off an overtime matchup against a 76ers team that was in a back to back spot. Grab the points as the Timberwolves seek revenge from their worst loss of the season of 26 points to the Knicks.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Cavaliers will meet in a rematch of just eight days ago. The biggest change has been the Thunder losing big man Hartenstein, but this Thunder team has adapted without a big before. Last week’s matchup the x-factor was Cavaliers reserve Ty Jerome who put in fifteen points in twelve minutes, including a key eight points in the fourth quarter. He is questionable with an illness, but I expect the Thunder to tighten up defensively overall. Grab the home team in the Thunder

The New Orleans Pelicans have now won two out of their last three games. With nine wins on the season tonight is an opportunity win their tenth game. The Dallas Mavericks are depleted as Kyrie Irving will be out, and they’ve played consecutive up and down fast pace games against Denver. Take the Pelicans at home.

The Phoenix Suns are on the upswing having won four out of their last five games, including three straight. One of those victories was against tonight’s opponent in the Atlanta Hawks. Phoenix had one of their more fluid balanced games as four players scored over twenty points in Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Grayson Allen, and Bradley Beal. Take the Suns to cover and get their fourth straight victory.

Readjusting to a key star returning to the lineup is difficult. We are seeing that with the Orlando Magic who dropped their first game with Paulo Banchero back against the Bucks. The loss is the Magic’s sixth loss in nine games. They’ve also lost five straight games at home. Take the 76ers to continue the Magic’s despair.

Typically there are not many spots for a low win team seeking revenge from a game they should of won. The lowly Toronto Raptors who are 1-17 on the road, are coming off a close loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. In both matchups this year against Detroit they had opportunities to win losing by four and two points. Look for the Raptors to play another hard fought game against Detroit win or lose. Grab the points.

Tonight’s game between the Mavericks and Portland has been moved up due to weather. Look for that to impact a Portland team that has been very inconsistent off a win. Dallas, has been a team with their depth that can manage key players being out. Due to a bug that hit most players, we did not see that during a five game losing streak. Take the value here on the Mavericks to win convincingly consecutive games for the first time since December 23rd.

The Minnesota Timberwolves appeared to be going the right direction after they boosted their record to 17-14. Yet they have reversed course again losing three straight games, including Saturday against a Pistons team that was in a back to back spot. The Clippers last two matchups at Minnesota have hindered the Timberwolves offensively to 93 and 88 points. Grab the Clippers as Minnesota’s struggles continue.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have won eleven straight games to push their overall record to 26-5. During their last six wins each team has had issues with key players out. That won’t be the case tonight against a Timberwolves team aiming to match a season high four straight wins. Improved play and Minnesota also split the series last year. Grab the points here with the underdog.

The Chicago Bulls ended a three game losing streak on Saturday by defeating the Milwaukee Bucks. Health played a big role as both Lonzo Ball and Josh Giddy came back. Giddy had a triple double, and over his last four games for the Bulls is averaging nine assists. Additionally, the Bulls limited the Hornets to a season low 95 points on December 13th. 

The Golden State Warriors after beginning the season 12-3, have spiraled to just one game above .500 at 15-14. In last night’s loss they were without both Steph Curry and Draymond Green, but had some positive take aways. The backups fought hard to nearly erase a nineteen point deficit. Look for the Warriors to grow with the recent new changes of Trayce Jackson-Davis and acquisition of Dennis Schroder having more time on the floor. Lay it with the Warriors.

Post holiday’s the first game for a team struggling presents value. Chicago has been torched their last two home games in which they lost by twenty points or more to Milwaukee and Boston. Yet, their prior three games on the road they have won outright. Expect a competitive game against an Atlanta team they have already defeated twice including a 125-113 victory on the road.

The Milwaukee Bucks managed in their last outing to gain a victory minus Giannis and Damian Lillard against the lowly Washington Wizards. With both status’s up in the air Monday night oddsmakers have given room for the normal -1.5 to plus 1.5 to 2 point swing that will likely occur if Giannis is ruled out. Take Chicago as they have split the season series this year, and the lone loss Giannis put in 41 points. 

Two teams on extreme lows will meet tonight in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Warriors are coming off losing by fifty one points to the Memphis Grizzlies, in a game where Steph Curry scored just two points, and Draymond Green went scoreless. Look for the Warriors to bounce back against a Timberwolves team that clearly has internal issues. Grab the points with the Warriors.

Atlanta is playing superb basketball right now where they have won seven out of their last eight games. After trailing in the first half by double digits against the Knicks, they overtook the game with a tremendous second half. This Bucks team has endured an ugly start to the season and are back in the driver’s seat of an NBA Cup semi-finals appearance. Look for the Bucks to handle this better than they did last year against Indiana. Lay it with the Bucks.

Expect the Lakers free fall to continue as they face a red hot Atlanta Hawks team. The Hawks have won five straight games and are doing it not just with offensive excellence. They are showing an increase in defensive ability, as we saw in their last victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. This could also end up being a refresh and reset game for the Lakers who may rest Lebron James. Lay it with the Hawks.

Victor Wembanyama will not play in Thursday’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls. This has already showcased as being a big value angle before as the Spurs defeated the Thunder as ten point underdogs. This is also a reduced spread as the Bulls have played just one game since last Friday’s loss to the Boston Celtics. Take the value here on the Spurs finding that one second half run to pull away from the Bulls on the short number.

The Denver Nuggets over their last ten games are only .500 with a 5-5 record. Yet, they picked up a come from behind win on Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors that may finally spark them. They came back from a 7 point deficit with four minutes left, and held the Warriors scoreless under the final two minutes and thirty two seconds. As impressive as the Cavaliers start has been to the season, they are just 4-3 over their last seven games. Grab the points with Denver.

The Orlando Magic continue to cash for bettors as they have won twelve of their last thirteen games. They have benefitted from a friendly schedule as they have been in New York City since last Friday’s first matchup against Brooklyn. That is a big reason why this spread has dropped two points from the opener. Yet, look for the Knicks to play with the heightened energy in an NBA Cup game as they are 3-0 in cup play. Lay it with the Knicks.

A rest advantage lies tonight with the Chicago Bulls hosting the Brooklyn Nets. The Bulls last played on Friday in a competitive game against the Boston Celtics. Furthermore, an already thin Brooklyn Nets team is playing in a back to back spot after scoring just 92 points yesterday against the Magic. As thin as the Nets are, attacking the paint and shooting overall is going to much easier then what they’ve seen the last two games against the Magic. Grab the points against a soft defensive Bulls team.

The Brooklyn Nets return from a West Coast raod trip on a three game winning streak. They defeated Sacramento, Golden State, and the Phoenix Suns and have won four of their last five games. Today, they will see a common opponent in the Eastern Conference that defeated them by fifteen points earlier this season. Take the Magic to end the Nets three game winning streak.

The Miami Heat are in a back to back spot tonight against the Charlotte Hornets. In yesterday’s home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks they were flat out the gate, maybe effected by the late scratch of Giannis not playing. Tonight is important for the Heat to get back to .500. Look for the Heat to lean on their prior road trip to Charlotte where they won by eight points. Lay it with the Heat.

Sunday, the Indiana Pacers got back in the win column after losing five of their prior six games. Monday, they will be in a back to back spot and playing their third game in four nights. Do not look for that to deter a Pacers team that will be in a revenge spot after losing to the Pelicans 125-118 on November 1st. Lay it with the Pacers as the Pelicans lose their fifth straight game.

The Memphis Grizzlies are probably a game away from getting Ja Morant back who is listed doubtful for their road matchup against the Bulls. Traveling to Chicago should bring forth a spirited effort from the entire team. In the first matchup the Grizzlies blew a seven point fourth quarter lead to lose outright. Grab the Grizzlies.

The same exact spread movement has occurred between the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons as their first matchup. Charlotte opened as -1.5, and flipped to the Hornets side as the favorite. Charlotte won by a point thanks to a Brandon Miller game winner. A big reason for their win was the free throw disparity. Charlotte made sixteen while the Pistons took only five. Detroit’s lack of an ability to get to the free throw line does them in again. Take Charlotte.

The Los Angeles Lakers won a high intensity game last night over the Spurs, 120-115. In a back to back spot look for the Lakers overall roster depth, and trust JJ Reddick has in an expanded rotation to pay dividends. The Pelicans just ended a six game losing streak and have not won consecutive games since their first two games. Lay it with the Lakers.

In initial opening lines the Toronto Raptors opened as slight favorites over the Detroit Pistons. Detroit has garnered the attention of bettors thanks to pushing Milwaukee to overtime, and their prior four games were all decided by two points or less. As poor as the Raptors overall record is, they have been excellent at home ATS with four straight covers. Take the Raptors returning home from a five game road trip.

The LA Clippers had their four game win streak end on Monday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, in what was just a six point loss. Now, the Clippers head to Houston where we will see James Harden return to where he played the best basketball in his career. This is the first of consecutive games against the Rockets, which is always a bit tricky for the road team. Tail Houston in the first matchup as they seek their longest win streak of the season at three games.

The Dallas Mavericks are in search of a team pickup spot to get them going. At .500 they have lost consecutive games but both were narrow defeats by two points or less. Look for the Mavericks to be inspired by Klay Thompson’s return to Golden State, and cover against a Warriors team that over performed on their recent road trip. Grab the points with Dallas.

The disarray that the Milwaukee Bucks are in is not going to get better in the long term. In the short term tonight is an advantageous spot against the Toronto Raptors. Toronto is 0-6 on the road this season and coming off a four-game West coast road trip against the Nuggets, Kings, Clippers, and Lakers. Even with the Bucks short handed minus Damian Lillard there should be two to three stretches of dominant basketball on the Bucks side. Take Milwaukee.

The San Antonio Spurs had a poor Saturday loss to the lowly Utah Jazz. They did get back Devin Vassell though who put in 21 points in 22 minutes. Tonight, they will take on a Sacramento Kings team that has had issues over their last five games in second halves. Expect that to reoccur in a back to back spot after defeating the Phoenix Suns last night.

The Utah Jazz at 1-7 are in a tough spot once again to conclude their road trip against the San Antonio Spurs. In their last six losses they have lost by eight points or more.  Today’s early start time is troublesome considering the Spurs just defeated the Jazz by eighteen points on Halloween. Take the Spurs as their ATS value is going to be on the rise entering their tenth game with their new starting five. Tail the Spurs.

The Milwaukee Bucks finally got a win last night by twenty three points over the Utah Jazz. In their prior two games they nearly knocked off the Cleveland Cavaliers in two losses by two points or less. Traveling to Madison Square Garden in a back to back spot is the definition of a bad spot. Grab the Knicks to emphatically end their two game losing streak.

Typically one won’t see a team in a back to back spot that just lost by 27 points be a favorite. The Spurs find themselves as one after losing 127-100 to Houston last night. A positive in the loss was the offense picked up with 61 second half points. Look for the Spurs to come out with energy that was missing in the first half of yesterday’s loss to Houston. Take the Spurs as Portland has a let down spot off their 18 point win over the Pelicans.

The Memphis Grizzlies have had difficult covering as favorites this season where they are 1-4 ATS. They are also down two starters in Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart. Yet, the Lakers have struggled defensively on this road trip. Additionally, the Grizzlies had to face six straight Eastern Conference opponents. Seeing the Lakers and a familiar Western Conference matchup bodes to their favor. Take Memphis.

Monday night the Sacramento Kings will finish their four game road trip in Miami. Sacramento had won three straight until a tough spot against Toronto on Vince Carter’s jersey retirement night. Look for the Kings to bounce back against a Heat team returning from playing the Washington Wizards in Mexico City. Take the Kings.

The Brooklyn Nets have had a strong week with wins over the Milwaukee Bucks, and in a back to back spot defeated the Memphis Grizzlies as double digit underdogs. Yet, look for the Bulls to cool them off. Chicago is coming off a fantastic defensive effort where they limited the Orlando Magic to just thirty seven second half points. Take the Bulls to hinder the Nets recent success as the slight road underdog. 

The Denver Nuggets travel to Toronto as the biggest road favorite on the day, despite being 0-2. They will face a Raptors team that has inexperience due to being without multiple starters including Immanuel Quickley. Their one victory on the season was against an undermanned Philadelphia team. Take the Nuggets to have optimal focus and avoid an 0-3 start.

The Golden State Warriors last season were a strong team on the road with a 25-16 record. Additionally they won all four matchups against the Utah Jazz last season. This included a twenty two point road win, and the other road matchup they scored 140 points. Take Golden State as the Jazz lose their first two games at home, to a deep talented Warriors team