ASA top play on 10* Miami Heat -3 over Philadelphia 76ers, 7:30 PM ET Tuesday - The 76ers got an emotional boost in Games 3 & 4 at home with the return of Joel Embiid and tied this series up 2-2. We are betting the 76ers cannot continue to shoot as well as they did in the two home games when they shot 48% overall in Game 3, 48% from Deep. In Game 4 they were even better at 54% overall and 48% from beyond the Arc. Those numbers aren’t sustainable as Philly was below average in terms of team average FG% at 46.6% and had a team 3PT% of 36.4%. Not to mention, the Heat held the 4th best FG% defense this season at 44.7% and were the 2nd best 3PT% defensive team in the league allowing opponents to make 33.9% of their attempts. Miami also had two abysmal shooting performances in the two games in Philly but should find their stroke again back in South Beach. In Game 3 the Heat shot just 35% overall and 23% from 3. Miami then shot 46% in Game 4 but hit just 7 of 35 from Deep or 20%. Those 3-point statistics are unusually strange considering the Heat are the best 3-point shooting team in the NBA this season at 37.9% and the 76ers allowed 34.6% so expect a much better shooting performance by Miami back at home. Miami was very good off a loss this season with a 20-11 SU record, 10-5 SU at home. The Heat are 34-12 SU at home this season, 5-0 SU in the playoffs. Expect the Heat’s defense to step up here and their 3-point shots to fall. Bet Miami in Game 5.

ASA top play on 10* Boston Celtics +1.5 vs Milwaukee Bucks, Game 4 Monday 7:30 PM ET - This game presents another “Zig-Zag” opportunity, so we’ll back the Celtics in this pivotal Game 4. With a win the Celtics can even the series and reclaim home court advantage. Good or bad shooting has played the biggest role in this series and the Celtics are coming off a horrible shooting Game 3 and we expect a correction here. Boston shot just 37% overall and 27% in Game 3 after shooting 47% from beyond the Arc in Game 2. Jayson Tatum (averages 26.9PPG, 8RPG) will bounce back after a poor game in which he scored 10 points on 4 of 19 shooting (0-6 from 3). Even with their All-Star and best player (Tatum) struggling the Celtics still played the Bucks to a 2-point game. Giannis was absolutely incredible in Game 3 with 42-points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists but we doubt he can replicate that performance here. Jrue Holiday contributed 25-point in the G3 win but it took him 30 field goal attempts to get it which isn’t a good sign. Boston has a roster capable of winning it all this season and they’ll bounce back off the previous game loss. The Celtics are 21-12 SU off a loss this season, 10-7 away from home.

ASA top play on 10* Miami Heat +2 over Philadelphia 76ers, 8 PM ET - The 76ers got an emotional boost in Game 3 with the return of Joel Embiid in their 20-point home win, which makes this a 2-1 series in favor of Miami. Embiid didn’t have a big statistical impact with 18-points and 11-rebounds and he’s clearly not 100% with a bad thumb and orbital fracture. The 76ers had a great shooting Game 3 at home with 48% overall and 48% from beyond the 3-point line. Maxey and Green had unusually great games with a combined 42-points and 12 of 15 shooting from beyond the arc. Those numbers aren’t sustainable and will revert back to the norm. Miami also had an abysmal shooting performance in G3 of 35% overall and 23% from 3. The Heat are the best 3-point shooting team in the NBA this season at 37.9% and the 76ers allowed 34.6% so expect a much better shooting performance by Miami in this one. The Heat aren’t intimidated playing on the road as they finished the regular season 24-17 SU with a +/- of +3.4PPG. The 76ers were slightly above average in terms of average margin of victory at +3.1PPG when playing at home this season. Miami was very good off a loss this season with a 20-10 SU record, 10-5 SU away from home. Expect the Heat’s defense to step up here and their 3-point shots to fall. Bet Miami in Game 4.

ASA top play on 10* Milwaukee Bucks -117 over Boston Celtics, 3:30 PM ET - Based on the line in the opening game of this series this number should be slightly higher than it is so we’ll gladly take the value and the Bucks off a loss, back at home. Specifically in Game 2, the Celtics had a remarkably well shooting night from beyond the arc at 47% or 20 of 43. Those are surprising numbers considering Boston was 14th in the league in 3PT% at 35.5%. Granted, the Bucks aren’t great defending the 3-point line (35.6%) but the 47% in Game 2 was more of an aberration than a norm. Speaking of 3-pointers, the Bucks were the 5th best 3-point shooting team in the NBA this season at 36.6% but in Game 2 they hit just 17% or 3 of 18. That’s not going to happen again with the Bucks back on their home court. Milwaukee was 22-11 SU off a loss this season, 13-7 at home. Let’s not forget the Bucks are 12-2 SU their last 14 home playoff games dating back to last season and the Celtics are a young team playing a huge game on the road. This is a classic Zig-Zag spot to back the home team Bucks!

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 211 Miami Heat @ Philadelphia 76ers, 7 PM ET - Game 1 finished with 198 total points, Game 2 ended with 222 but based on the field goal attempts, they both should have finished Under the Totals. In Game 1 these two teams attempted 171 field goals, in Game 2 it dropped to 162. League average this season was 176 which contributed to roughly 220PPG. The 76ers offense has struggled without potential MVP Joel Embiid in the lineup for the first two games and he’s been ruled out again for Game 3. The 76ers have shot under 22% from beyond the arc in the series and 44% overall from the field. Miami has had two solid shooting nights on their home floor at 47% overall but expect some struggles on the road in this pivotal Game 3. Philadelphia was the 7th best defense in terms of points allowed at home this season (106.8) while the Heat were the 2nd best team in the league in points allowed on the road at 105.6PPG. Miami was the 3rd slowest paced team in the NBA during the regular season, Philadelphia was 6th slowest and in the playoffs both have been slower yet. This game sets up for an Under wager!

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 216.5 Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns, 10 PM ET - These two teams combined for 235 total points in Game 1 but did it by taking just 120 field goal attempts. That’s insane! The league average for FGA in an average game is 176 this season. The Mavs averaged 1.20-points per possession, Phoenix was even better yet at 1.30PPP. What makes that especially unique is the fact that these two teams finished top 6 in the NBA in defensive efficiency during the regular season. Phoenix was 3rd in the league allowing just 1.074PPP, Dallas gave up just 1.094PPP. The Mavericks were the slowest paced team in the NBA during the regular season while the Suns were 8th fastest but, in the postseason, they’ve preferred a much slower tempo averaging 93.4 possessions per game. We can assume Dallas will shoot better than the 41% they hit in Game 1 but it is highly unlikely the Suns shoot 64% from the field and 50% from deep in Game 2. Granted Game 1 went Over because of the Suns shooting but the three regular season meetings between these two teams all finished with 216 or less points. The Under is the play here.

ASA top play on 10* OVER 227.5 Golden State Warriors @ Memphis Grizzlies, 9:30 PM ET - Game 1 of this series is a clear indicator of how this game is going to play out too as the two teams combined for 188 total field goals which is 12 more than league average. The Warriors had 106 possessions in Game 1, Memphis had 104 and both teams attempted a shot within the first 13.8 seconds of their offensive possession. Those numbers dramatically suggest another Over here when you consider the league averages for the entire season of 99 possessions per game and on average it took teams 14.5 seconds to get a shot up. Again, looking at the baseline of the regular season we see all NBA games finished with roughly 220 total points. This number is barely higher than that and it’s not like either team shot insanely well in Game 1 and they got to 233 total points. Golden State shot 47% on the season and hit 48% in G1. Memphis shot 46% for the year but only hit 43% in the opener and still scored 116 points. The oddsmaker have adjusted this number up slightly compared to Game 1 but it’s not enough. BET OVER!

ASA top play on 10* Boston Celtics -4.5 vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 7 PM ET - Let’s not over-react to Game 1 of this series and predict the Bucks are winning this series. Did the Bucks play extremely well in the opener, or did Boston play that poorly? We feel it was the latter and the Celtics under-performed. Don’t forget Boston is 30-7 SU their last thirty-seven games and were the best team in the NBA the second half of the season. In Game 1, the Celtics really struggled, shooting only 33.3% from the field, which is WELL below their season average of 46.6%. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were especially bad, shooting 32.3%, and combining for just 33-points. In the four games against the Nets those two combined to average 52-points per game. For the season the Celtics were 30-14 SU at home with an average +/- of +6.4PPG which was the 5th best average MOV in the NBA this season. When coming off a loss the Celtics were 20-12 SU on the year with a +/- of +6.3PPG, 10-5 SU at home. Granted, Milwaukee was very good on the road this season at 27-17 SU but given the circumstances of: no Khris Middleton and his 20PPG average, along with Boston in a must-win situation, we have to lay the points here.

ASA top play on: Phoenix Suns 5.5 vs Dallas Mavericks, 10 PM ET - We felt going into the Playoffs that the Suns were the team to beat. In this opening series game we like them to flex their muscle at home and produce a double-digit win over the Mavs. Dallas is 23-18 SU on the road this season with a +/- of +.03 which is clearly respectable. The Phoenix Suns though were 32-9 SU at home this season with the 4th best average Margin of Victory of +8.9PPG. In the two regular season meetings in Phoenix the Suns were favored by -8 and -8.5 points so we are getting slight value with them here in this matchup. Phoenix swept the 3-game season series with all three wins coming by 7 or more points. Defensively these teams are eerily similar to each other ranking 3rd and 6th in defensive efficiency but offensively the Suns hold a big advantage with the 5th best OEFF rating compared to the Mavs 14th. Dallas ranks 18th and 19th in overall FG% and 3PT% while the Suns are the best overall shooting team in the NBA and rank 9th in 3-point percentage. The Mavericks don’t rebound the ball well with the 24th ranked offensive rebounding unit in the league so second chances are going to be hard to come by. Phoenix wins this game big.

ASA top play on 10* Golden State Warriors -120 @ Memphis Grizzlies, Sunday 3:30 PM ET - The Grizzlies are about to step up to the big time with a playoff series against an experienced playoff team that is built to win Championships. Memphis got past a young Minnesota team that blew several second half double-digit leads because of their youth and inexperience. That’s not about to happen here against the Warriors. Memphis beat the Warriors the last two meetings of the regular season but most recently the Warriors were without Klay Thompson, Steph Curry and Draymond Green. On Jan 11th these teams met in Memphis with the Grizzlies winning 116-108 but Golden State was without Green and Thompson was just coming back and only played 19-minutes. The Warriors looked like a serious contender in their near series sweep of the Nuggets in opening round with an offense that averaged 1.219-points per possession. Golden State shot 54.5% in the series overall and 45.1% from Deep in the opening round. Rest will be a key factor here also as the Warriors have 3+ days off, while Memphis just played Friday night in Minnesota in their emotional win. Golden State is 7-1 ATS their last eight games when playing with this type of rest while the Grizzlies have failed to cover 4 straight as a Dog. Speaking of being a dog here, why is the #2 Seed and home dog in this game? That’s right, the oddsmakers are telling us something here, bet the road favorite! Value here with the low money line rather than laying the bucket so we'll grab the money line here!

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 229 Memphis Grizzlies @ Minnesota Timberwolves, 9 PM ET - Three of the five meetings in this series have stayed Under 229 total points with the most recent game finishing with 220. Over the course of the regular season the Grizzlies attempted 94 field goals per game while the Wolves attempted 90 per game. In this series those attempts have dropped significantly with the Grizz taking 88.2 FGA per game, the Wolves are getting up just 81.6. The five games themselves have averaged 224.6 total points scored per game. Both teams are also shooting below their season field goal percentages in this series with Memphis shooting 45.1%, Minnesota is hitting 44.1%. With the pressure on for both teams we don’t expect shots to fall in this elimination game and the defenses will step up. Bet UNDER.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 209.5 Dallas Mavericks @ Utah Jazz, 10 PM ET - With the Mavs holding a 3-2 advantage in this series the pressure is on for both teams which will lead to a lower scoring game. With that said we expect the defensive energy to be high for both teams. Pace is critical here and these two teams are the two lowest possession teams currently in the Playoffs as the Mavs have 365 total possessions, Utah sits with 368. These teams averaged 96 (Dallas) and 98 (Utah) possessions per game during the regular season and are now averaging just 92. Not only that, but the Mavs have, on average, taken 16.8 seconds per field goal attempt which is slowest among all Playoff teams. Utah is faster at 14.7 seconds per FGA, but they’ve struggled to score as a byproduct of the Mavs perimeter defense and their lack of 3-point makes and attempts. Utah is reliant on 3-pointers with the 2nd most 3-point attempts per game during the regular season at 39.8 per game. They made 35.9% of those 3-point attempts during the regular season but have made just 30.7 % in the five games of this series. These two teams were both top 10 in defensive efficiency during the regular season allowing less than .970-points per possession. The first game of this series in had a posted Total of 208.5 so this number is still slightly higher than what Vegas originally projected. The Jazz offense has really struggled against this Dallas defense scoring 104 or less in 4 of the five games and now their best offensive player in Donovan Mitchell is either out or less than 100% with a pulled hamstring.

ASA top play on UNDER 217.5 Chicago Bulls @ Milwaukee Bucks, 7:30 PM ET - The Bulls offense has really struggled in this series and now they will be without a key piece as Zach LaVine is in health and safety protocol. A combination of great Bucks defense and poor Bulls offense has led to Chicago scoring just .94-points per possession in this series which is the lowest among all playoff teams. Milwaukee hasn’t been much better at 1.07PPP which is 13th worst out of 16 teams. In this series the Bulls have shot 39.8% overall and just 28% from beyond the arc. That’s significant considering the Bucks don’t defend the 3-point line well at all ranking 19th in the NBA in that defensive category. Milwaukee has overcome the loss of Khris Middleton with two straight huge games by Grayson Allan scoring 22-points on 8 of 12 shotting form the field including 5 of 7 from deep in Game 3. Then Allan put up 27-points on 10 of 12 shooting including 6 of 7 from downtown. The Bulls will make adjustments here and you cannot expect him to continue shooting that well here. Chicago has scored 95 or less in 3 of the four games and it’s going to be tough to score here without LaVine. The Under is the bet here.

ASA top play on 10* Miami Heat –6.5 vs Atlanta Hawks, 7 PM ET Tuesday - If you read our Efficiency Champions article you know we talked about the Heat being one of just five teams that historically, fall into a category that can win it all in 2022. Miami is 10th in offensive efficiency for the season and owns the 5th best defensive efficiency rating allowing 1.091-points per possession. The Heat's defense has been even better in this series by holding the Hawks to 1.030PPP which is the second-best number in the postseason behind the Bucks. Miami has held Hawks All-Star guard Trae Young to a pair of his worst offensive showings all season long. Atlanta can’t boast the same statistical dominance that the Heat have as the Hawks ranked 2nd in offensive efficiency but were 26th in defensive efficiency which is the worst of any playoff team. Miami is the BEST 3-point shooting team in the NBA at 37.9% and the Hawks are 25th in the league in defending the 3. Conversely, the Hawks rely on their 3-point shooting at 37.4% (2nd) but the Heat defend the Arc with the 2nd best 3PT% D in the league allowing just 33.9%! Miami was 29-12 SU at home with a +/- of +5.6PPG during the regular season and have won both home games versus the Hawks by double-digits in this series. The Hawks were 16-25 SU away from home with a negative differential of minus -1.9PPG during the reg ssn. Miami has covered 7 of the last eight on this court against the Hawks.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 213 Utah Jazz @ Dallas Mavericks, 9:30 PM ET - With this series even at 2 games apiece this becomes a huge swing game in the winners favor to advance. With that said we expect the defensive energy to be high for both teams. Pace is critical here and these two teams are the two lowest possession teams currently in the Playoffs. Not only that, but the Mavs have, on average, taken 16.8 seconds per field goal attempt which is slowest among all Playoff teams. Utah is faster at 14.7 seconds per FGA, but they’ve struggled to score as a byproduct of the Mavs perimeter defense and their lack of 3-point makes and attempts. Utah is reliant on 3-pointers with the 2nd most 3-point attempts per game during the regular season at 39.8 per game. They made 35.9% of those 3-point attempts during the regular season but have made just 324 % in the four games of this series. These two teams were both top 10 in defensive efficiency during the regular season allowing less than .970-points per possession. The first two games of this series in Dallas had Totals posted of 208.5 and 206 so grab the extra value with the current number and bet UNDER!

ASA top play on 10* Miami Heat -120 over Atlanta Hawks, 7 PM ET - We are going to keep this one pretty simple in terms of analysis and back the Heat in Game 4. In the first two games of the series the Heat outscored the Hawks by a combined +34-points and then lost Game 3 by 1-point late. Miami has clearly been the dominant team in the series and are one play away from being up 3-0. The Heat have averaged 1.160-points per possession in the series, the Hawks have averaged 1.050PPP which is the 3rd worst number of all the teams in the first round. Let’s also point out the Heat were the 4th best defensive efficiency team in the NBA during the regular season allowing just 1.080PPP compared to the Hawks who ranked 26th worst, giving up 1.130PPP. Miami was very good off a loss this season with a 14-7 SU record and even if Lowry can’t go they’ll get this road win and a commanding lead in the series.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 232.5 Memphis Grizzlies @ Minnesota Timberwolves, 10 PM ET - These two teams were 1st and 3rd in pace of play during the regular season at 100.3 and 100.9 possessions per game. Not only did they play fast, but they were also efficient offensively ranking 5th and 7th in OEFF at 1.144-points per possession and 1.147PPP. During the regular season those two key factors translated to nearly 116PPG for each team. In the Playoffs though, they’ve continued to play fast but their offensive numbers have dipped to 1.126PPP for the Grizzlies and 1.046PPP for the Wolves. What these two teams did especially well during the regular season was play defense when either at home or on the road. Minnesota owned the 7th best road defensive efficiency rating in the league allowing 1.074-points per possession, Memphis was 9th on the road in DEFF giving up 1.109PPP. Seven of the 12 quarters in this series has seen 55 or less points being scored. Both teams struggled shooting the ball in Game 3 as the Wolves hit just 39% of their attempts, Memphis made 42%. This series has gotten chippy and will have an intense defensive attitude in Game 4 which will lead to an easy UNDER!

ASA top play on 10* Brooklyn Nets -2.5 over Boston Celtics, 7:30 PM ET - Much has been made of Kevin Durant and his struggles in this series, but that is about to change here. Statistically, we are betting things return to normal for KD back in the friendly confines of Brooklyn. Durant shot just 9 of 24, 1 of 5 from 3 in Game 1. He then struggled in Game 2 by going 4 of 17 from the field and 1 of 2 from Deep. On the season he’s a 51.8% shooter from the filed and 38.3% from beyond the arc. Let’s also consider the Nets have average 1.160-points per possession in the two games even with his shooting woes. Boston has played extremely well in the first two games but now go on the road and face a veteran team in a must win situation. Don’t be misled by the Nets home numbers this season as Kyrie missed most of the home games due to Covid mandates. Brooklyn did go 7-2 SU their last nine home games and every one of those wins came by 5 or more points. We are banking Kyrie and KD will make a series of this yet and it has to start here. Lay it!

ASA top play on 10* Chicago Bulls +3 vs Milwaukee Bucks, 8:30 PM ET - The Bucks look like the Playoff Bucks from a year ago where teams have made adjustments to stop their offensive flow, but coach Bud doesn’t make any counter moves. Now the Bucks need to find a way to win without their second-best scorer Khris Middleton who is out with a knee injury. The Bulls struggled in the opener managing just 86-points in Game 1 on 32.3% shooting. In Game 2 the Bulls found a rhythm on offense adn shot 49.4% from the field. After struggling in Game 1, DeMar DeRozan bounced back in Game 2 by hitting 16 of 31 (51.6%) and scored a career playoff-high 41 points. In Game 1, the Bulls' “Big 3” of DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine went 21 of 71 (29.6%) from the field. In Game 2 those three players were 33 of 62 (53.2%). Milwaukee is going to miss Middleton’s scoring and we don’t see anyone stepping up to fill the void. In Game 1 it wasn’t a case of the Bucks playing great, as we touched on, the Bulls couldn’t buy a basket. Milwaukee won a close game with Middleton going 5 of 20 from the field for 11-points. Chicago shot 48.5% at home this season and the atmosphere/energy will be high tonight in Game 3. The Bulls were 27-14 SU at home in the regular season with a +/- of +2.4PPG. Grab the points with the home dog.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 224.5 Golden State Warriors @ Denver Nuggets, 10 PM ET - Both games have gone Over the number but we like this one to stay Under. In Game 2 the Warriors had another incredible shooting night at 55% overall and 42% from Deep (17 of 40) which helped that game go Over the number. These two teams had an insanely high scoring 3rd quarter in Game 2 of 74-points and we don’t see them duplicating that type of number here. Golden State won’t shoot as well on the road as they did at home where they made 33 of 75 3-pointers in the first two games. We doubt Jordan Poole can continue his torrid shooting on the road too as he’s accounted for 10 of 17 made 3-pointers for the Warriors. Golden State has averaged 1.300-points per possession in the two games which is not sustainable and significantly higher than the league average of 1.130PPP, which is what Denver is averaging. Denver has scored 107 and 106 points and we don’t see much changing here as the Warriors defense has been one of the best in the league all season long allowing 1.070-points per possession (2nd). Golden State was 14th in pace of play this season, Denver was 19th so neither wants to play fast. In fact, in the two playoff games these two these two teams have both averaged 15.2-seconds to get a shot up which is in the bottom half of all the teams left in the post season. Both games in this series have gone Over, yet the Total remains the same? Bet UNDER!

ASA top play on 10* Chicago Bulls +10 at Milwaukee Bucks, 9:30 PM ET - We are betting Game 2 is going to be a dog fight and we like the double-digits with the Bulls. Game 1 of this series was ugly to say the least. The Bucks averaged .93-points per possession in the opener, the Bulls .85PPP. Those numbers were well below both teams' season averages of 1.14PPP (Bucks) and 1.12PPP (Bulls). The Bulls had an especially bad shooting night at 32% which is WELL below their season average of 48% which was the 3rd best shooting percentage in the NBA this season. Chicago also hit 36.9% from beyond the arc in the regular season but hit just 7 of 37 from deep or 19%. The Bucks didn’t shoot overly well either but not nearly as bad as Chicago. The Bucks were one of the worst home favorites in the NBA this season and their +/- at home wasn’t great at +4.2PPG which is down from +8.9PPG a year ago. Milwaukee was 14-24 ATS at home laying points this season with an average margin of victory in those games of +4.9PPG. Consider this, the Bulls have been double-digit dogs just two times this season and they are 2-0 ATS. Chicago has covered 8 of the last eleven here and will keep this game close throughout.

ASA top play on 10* Memphis Grizzlies -6.5 over Minnesota Timberwolves. Tuesday 8:30 PM ET - It’s do-or-die here for the Grizzlies after the opening series loss at home in Game 1. The Grizzlies didn’t look interested from the opening tip and thought they were going to cruise to a victory. The Wolves started hot, gained confidence, and played well throughout. We don’t see Minnesota shooting 50% in Game 2 or outrebounding the Grizzlies by a +11 margin. Minny shot well above their season average from beyond the arc, Memphis shot well below. Memphis is one of only 5 teams in the entire NBA that ranks top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, and they own the 4th best efficiency differential in the league. The Grizzlies have the second-best home +/- in the league at +9.2PPG to go along with their 31-11 SU home record. As a home favorite the Grizz are 19-12 ATS with an average Margin of Victory of +11.6PPG. The Wolves were 21-21 SU away from home this season with a +/- of plus +0.2PPG. Minnesota had the 2nd best offensive efficiency ratings on the road this season but were 25th in DEFF allowing 1.161-points per possession. The Wolves are not a great shooting team averaging 45.7% from the field which is 22nd in the NBA. They’ll have a tough time scoring against a Grizzlies team that allowed the 12th fewest points in the league, held foes to 45.5% (10th) and 34.9% from beyond the arc (11th). The glaring difference between these two is rebounding as the Grizzlies are 1st in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game, 7th in defense. Minnesota (who isn’t a great shooting team) ranks 16th in offensive rebounding, 23rd in defensive. Memphis is 10-4 SU at home off a loss this season.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 224.5 Denver Nuggets @ Golden State Warriors, 10 PM ET - These two teams combined for 230 total points in the opener but 70 of those points came in the 4th quarter. Golden State shot exceptionally well in the game at 52% overall and 46% from Deep. The Warriors scored 1.28 points per possession which was much higher than their season average of 1.126PPP. The pace of play wasn’t overly fast as the Warriors had 95 possessions to the Nuggets 94 which are both less than league average. Over the course of the regular season the NBA average for a team to shoot on offense was 14.5 second and the Warriors took 15.8 seconds per possession, the Nuggets were 14.7. Denver was near their season average for offensive efficiency at 1.14-points per possession. Golden State finished the regular season as one of the best overall defenses in the NBA ranking top 5 in most key categories. Denver was 10th in 3-point percentage defense so don’t expect the Warriors to light it up from deep again with the Nuggets making some adjustments. This game stays below 220.

ASA top play on 10* Utah Jazz -5 @ Dallas Mavericks, 8:30 PM ET - I am going contrarian here as the numbers tell us its not time to use the Zig-Zag theory in this series. The Jazz got off to a slow start in Game 1 with an offensive efficiency rating or .91 in the 1st quarter which is well below their season average of 1.160PPP. For the game the Jazz shot 43% as a team overall and 32% from beyond the arc. Those numbers are significantly lower than their season averages of 47.1% and 36% which both rank in the top 11 of the NBA. Utah has had some issues with closing out games recently but the confidence gained in the opener should carry over here. Dallas averaged 1.010PPP in Game 1 which is lower than their season statistics but it’s still higher than anticipated with the absence of Luka Doncic. The Mavs will struggle to score again in this contest as Brunson and Dinwiddie can’t carry a team like Luka does. As we mentioned previously, the Jazz are one of five teams with offensive and defensive efficiency numbers good enough to win it all this year. Back them here as a short favorite.

ASA top play on 10* OVER 229.5 Chicago Bulls @ Milwaukee Bucks, 6:30 PM ET - We have two of the better offenses squaring off here with a Bucks team that is the 3rd most efficient offense in the NBA at 1.152-points per possession, while the Bulls are 13th at 1.132PPP. The Bucks have slipped defensively this season to 13th in DEFF allowing 1.118PPP while the Bulls are 22nd giving up 1.136PPP. The Bucks are 3rd in points scored per game, 12th in shooting and the 5th best 3-point shooting percentage. Chicago is 13th in scoring, 3rd in team FG% and 4th in 3PT%. Neither team defends the 3-point line well at all with the Bulls ranking 27th in 3PT% defense, the Bucks are 19th giving up 35.6%. Milwaukee is the home team here and they will dictate tempo which should be fast. The Bucks are 6th in pace of play on the season with 99.9 possessions per game, since the All-Star break though they have played faster yet at 101.4 possessions per game. In the three most recent meetings between these two teams (since March 4th) they have combined for 230, 234 and 233 total points. They should get to 230+ here too.

ASA top play on 10* Miami Heat -6.5 vs Atlanta Hawks, 1 PM ET Sunday - If you read our Efficiency Champions article you know we talked about the Heat being one of just five teams that historically, fall into a category that can win it all in 2022. Miami is 10th in offensive efficiency for the season and owns the 5th best defensive efficiency rating allowing 1.091-points per possession. The Heat put up those impressive statistics with a roster that was hit harder than most with Covid issues. The Hawks have won two emotional games in the play-in contest and will have a hard time getting up for a third big game in a row. Not to mention they lost their starting center Capela versus the Cavs. Atlanta can’t boast the same statistical dominance that the Heat have as the Hawks ranked 2nd in offensive efficiency but were 26th in defensive efficiency which is the worst of any playoff team. Miami is the BEST 3-point shooting team in the NBA at 37.9% and the Hawks are 25th in the league in defending the 3. Conversely, the Hawks rely on their 3-point shooting at 37.4% (2nd) but the Heat defend the Arc with the 2nd best 3PT% D in the league allowing just 33.9%. These two teams met on April 8th in a meaningless game for the Heat (had sown up the #1 seed) and a purposeful game for Atlanta, yet the Heat won by 4-points. This time around it’s going to be much worse, and we call for a BLOWOUT! Miami was 29-12 SU at home with a +/- of +5.6PPG. The Hawks were 16-25 SU away from home with a negative differential of minus -1.9PPG. Miami has covered 5 of the last six here against the Hawks.

ASA top play on 10* Memphis Grizzlies -6.5 over Minnesota Timberwolves. Sat 3:30 PM ET - We’re not sure everyone fully realizes just how good this Grizzlies team is and we feel they could make a serious run in the West. Memphis is one of only 5 teams in the entire NBA that ranks top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, and they own the 4th best efficiency differential in the league. The Grizzlies have the second-best home +/- in the league at +9.2PPG to go along with their 31-10 SU home record. As a home favorite the Grizz are 19-11 ATS with an average Margin of Victory of +11.6PPG. Minnesota is coming off a big home win over the Clippers and celebrated like they won the NBA Finals and we expect a letdown here. The Wolves were 20-21 SU away from home this season with a +/- of plus +0.2PPG. Minnesota had the 2nd best offensive efficiency ratings on the road this season but were 25th in DEFF allowing 1.161-points per possession. The Wolves are not a great shooting team averaging 45.7% from the field which is 22nd in the NBA. They’ll have a tough time scoring against a Grizzlies team that allowed the 12th fewest points in the league, held foes to 45.5% (10th) and 34.9% from beyond the arc (11th). The glaring difference between these two is rebounding as the Grizzlies are 1st in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game, 7th in defense. Minnesota (who isn’t a great shooting team) ranks 16th in offensive rebounding, 23rd in defensive. Memphis is 10-3 SU at home off a loss this season and the home team has won all four meetings between these two teams this season by an average of 16PPG.

ASA top play on 10* OVER 234 Minnesota Timberwolves @ Memphis Grizzlies 3:30 PM ET - PACE! These two teams are going to play fast which means plenty of extra possessions for each team and more scoring opportunities. The Wolves are the fastest paced team in the league at 100.9 possessions per game. Memphis is 3rd in pace at 100.3 possessions per game. Not only do these teams get up and down the court in a fast manner but shots go up quickly. The Wolves average a FG attempts every 13.8 seconds on offense which is 2nd fastest, Memphis is 7th at 14.1 seconds. It typically doesn’t take opponents long to get a shot up against these defenses either as teams playing Memphis take 14.3 seconds to get a field goal attempt up, Minnesota foes take 14.4 seconds to attempt to score. The Grizzlies are 1st in the league in fastbreak points per game, the Wolves are 4th. Both teams also struggle to stop opposing fastbreak points per game with the Wolves ranking 26th worst in the NBA, Memphis is 21st. These two teams are also top 8 in offensive efficiency as the Grizzlies average 1.147-points per possession, the Wolves are 7th at 1.144PPP. Minnesota has gone OVER in 36 of 52 road games this season, Grizzlies OVER in 7 of their last eight when playing with 3 or more days rest. In the most recent meeting between these two teams the O/U posted was 240 and the two teams combined for 233 total points. In that recent game the Grizzlies shot just 39% which is well below their season average of 46.1%. This has all the makings of a shootout!

ASA top play on 10* LA Clippers -3.5 vs New Orleans Pelicans, 10 PM ET - We like this situation for several reasons. First the win/loss results of each teams play-in games with the Clippers home off a loss and the Pelicans on the road off a win. Despite not having their two best players for portions of the season (Leonard has been out all year) the Clippers own a 25-16 SU record at home this season with a +/- of +2.5PPG. Again, despite injuries the Clippers are a respectable 22-19 SU off a loss this season, 11-8 SU at home in that situation. L.A. has played well in Paul George’s return going 7-2 SU their last nine games allowing 109 or less points defensively in 5 straight games. The Clippers hold a decisive advantage over the Pelicans defensively with a unit that ranks 11th in PPG allowed, 6th in FG% defense and 7th in 3-point percentage. Comparatively, the Pelicans rank 13th in points allowed, 24th in opponents FG% and 26th defending the 3-point line. Offensively these two teams are similar and we would even lean towards the Clippers on that end of the floor with the return of George and Powell. Both teams rank in the low 20’s in scoring and overall FG% but the Clippers are by far the better 3-point shooting team at 37.4% compared to the Pels 33.2%. We like the Clippers who have covered 5 of their last six as a Chalk, against a Pelicans teams that is 1-5 ATS their last six against a team with an above .500 record.

ASA top play on 10* New Orleans Pelicans -5 over San Antonio Spurs, 9:30 PM ET - The Pelicans have played really well since they traded for CJ McCollum shortly before the All-Star break. Since the break the Pelicans are just 13-10 SU but they have the 6th best average point differential in the league at +4.7PPG. In that same time frame, they own the 9th best offensive efficiency ratings (1.181PPP) and defensive efficiency rating (1.133PPP) and they did that with Brandon Ingram missing several games. The young Spurs have played well also but they are hovering around league average in both OEFF and DEFF for the season. For the year the Spurs are 18-23 SU on the road but do own a +/- of +0.4PPG. This game comes down to the veteran leadership of McCollum, Ingram and Valanciunas who are better than the top 3 for the Spurs. New Orleans by double-digits.

ASA top play on 10* Minnesota Timberwolves -2.5 vs LA Clippers, Tuesday 9:30 PM ET - Granted the Clippers recently got Paul George back and Norman Powell but the Timberwolves have been the better team all season long. Remember we predicted the Wolves would go over their win total this season and we will continue to back them here. Karl Anthony Towns has been outstanding this season averaging 24.6PPG and 9.8 rebounds per game along with 1.1 blocks and 3.6 assists per game. The Clippers have won 5 straight games but those wins need to be taken with a grain of salt. They beat two horrible teams in the Thunder and Kings that were tanking. Phoenix was off a big win the night before against the Lakers and were locked into the #1 seed. The game before they beat the #9 seed Pelicans and prior to that they beat a Bucks team that sat their starters. So don’t be fooled by that current streak. Minnesota was pretty much settled into their playoff position and were focused on staying healthy and fresh for the postseason. The Wolves are far superior offensively ranking 8th in offensive efficiency compared to the Clippers who rank 24th. Defensively the Clippers hold an advantage ranking 8th in DEFF but the gap isn’t as wide as you’d think with the Wolves 14th. Minnesota is much better at home defensively allowing 1.074-points per possession compared to their season PPP allowed of 1.118PPP. Minny is 26-15 SU at home this season with an average +/- of +5PPG. The Clippers are 17-24 SU away from home this season with a negative differential of minus -2.4PPG which is 19th in the NBA. Throw out history here and simply bet the team that is currently better. Bet Minnesota!

ASA top play on 10* Golden State Warriors -4.5 over New Orleans Pelicans, 9:30 PM ET - The Warriors still have some incentive to win here as they lock up the #3 seed in the West with a win. The Pelicans are locked into the 9 seed and will host San Antonio in a play-in game. Both teams played last night but the Pelicans will be playing their 3rd game in four days and are in their 6th game in a 10-day span and rest right now is more important than anything. New Orleans will give their bench players (which isn’t good to begin with, 8th worst in bench scoring) extended playing time here. The Warriors will play starters less in this game, but they have a bench that has produced the 11th most points per game in the NBA. In general, when playing unrested the Pels are 3-11 SU with an average +/- of -6.4PPG while the Warriors are 9-5 SU +4.5PPG. New Orleans ranks in the 20’s in most key defensive categories, the Warriors rank top 5. Offensively it isn’t close either as the Pels are 21st in scoring, 21st in 3PT% and 27th in 3PT%. Golden State is 15th in scoring, 12th in FG% and 9th in 3PT%. This is a short number and we’ll lay it with the road team!

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 216.5 Toronto Raptors vs. NY Knicks, 7 PM ET - The Raptors are set for the 5th seed in the East and have nothing to play for. The Knicks are done for the year and are looking forward to the offseason. The Knicks offense has been bad all season long ranking 27th in scoring, 27th in shooting and 13th in 3PT% offense. They hold the 22nd ranked offensive efficiency rating at 1.106PPP. Putting up points in this game will be tough to do versus a Raptors defense that is 5th best in defensive efficiency since the All-Star break and ranks 7th in PPG allowed. Conversely, the Raptors could struggle to score here against a Knicks defense that is 6th in points allowed, 5th in FG% defense, 6th in 3PT% defense and 10th in defensive rebounding. Toronto is 20th in scoring at 109.6PPG, 25th in shooting 19th in 3PT%. Toronto has played in 4 higher scoring games recently but that came against either fast paced teams or higher scoring teams and the Knicks are neither. The Knicks are on a 5-2 Under streak, Toronto Under in 5 straight road games. The play here is UNDER!

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 224.5 Sacramento Kings @ LA Clippers, 9:40 PM ET - Our model is projecting just 219 total points being scored here with the Kings out of the playoffs and the Clippers settled into their seed. LA is locked into their positions in the Western Conference and will face the Timberwolves on Tuesday. They are still in the process of building chemistry with Paul George and Norman Powell back in the lineup but they really don’t have anything to play for here. Sacramento’s season has been over for a long time and now it’s all about a higher lottery pick. Looking at the recent schedule of the Kings we see they’ve really struggled offensively against good defensive teams and only put up points against a Rockets defense that is one of the worst in the league. Since the All-Star break the Kings are averaging 112PPG and 1.106-points per possession which is 26th in the NBA. In their last five games the Kings have been even worse with an average of 1.093PPP and that’s with two games versus the Rockets, who allow 1.166PPP (2nd to last in the league). The Clippers own the 8th best defensive efficiency numbers in the league at 1.106PPG and hold foes to 108.8PPG (11th). LA is 6th in team FG% defense, 10th in 3PT% defense. Neither offense is great as both rank in the bottom half of the league in most key offensive categories (FG%, 3PT%, PPG). The Clippers are 25th in offensive efficiency, the Kings are 24th. The Clipper home games have averaged 216.7 total points per game. In the two most recent meetings between these two teams they have scored 194 and 203 total points. BET UNDER

ASA top play on 10* OVER 232 Charlotte Hornets @ Chicago Bulls, 8:10 PM ET - Both teams have incentive to play well tonight as they still have a chance to improve their playoff positioning. Charlotte has been one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA all season long allowing 1.137-points per possession which is 24th in the NBA. Chicago hasn’t been much better giving up 1.132PPP which is 21st worst in the league. Since the All-Star break both teams have been even worse yet allowing more than 1.163-points per possession. The Hornets allow 115PPG which is 26th in the NBA, allowing 46.6% shooting (20th) and 36.1% 3-point shooting which is 22nd. Chicago’s numbers look similar to the Hornets allowing 111.6PPG, 47.2% shooting by opponents and 36.5 3PT%. What both teams do well though is play fast and score points. The Bulls rank 3rd in team FG%, 5th in 3PT% and score over 111PPG. Charlotte is 4th in the NBA in scoring at 115PPG with the 10th best 3PT% shooting and 14th best overall FG%. Charlotte is coming off a game last night and in that scheduling situation they are 8-6 Over with those games averaging 239.4PPG. The Bulls are off 4 low scoring games but those came against 4 of the better defenses in the NBA. All the indicators say OVER here.

ASA top play on 10* Chicago Bulls -2 over Charlotte Hornets, 8:10 PM ET - Both teams have incentive to play well here so we know what kind of effort to expect from both teams. Scheduling clearly favors the Bulls here who are rested but off three straight losses and looking to rebound off a blowout loss to the Celtics. Charlotte is coming off a game last night and playing their 3rd game in four days. The Hornets beat the Magic last night but had suffered a pair of crushing losses to the Heat and 76ers where they gave up 144-points in each. The Bulls three recent losses came against the Celtics, Bucks and Heat who are the three best teams in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls have been solid at home all season long with a 27-13 SU record and a +/- of +2.8PPG. The Hornets are a respectable 20-20 SU away with a +/- of -1PPG. Charlotte is 1-13 SU on the season when playing without rest, 3-11 ATS minus nearly -6PPG. The Bulls have struggled covering numbers of late but this line is so low we’re basically just asking them to win. Easy call on the Bulls!

ASA top play on 10* OVER 222 LA Lakers @ Golden State Warriors, 10 PM ET - Hasta la vista Lakers! This roster was put together by LeBron and was destined to fail right from the start. Los Angeles will miss the playoffs and will have to make major moves in the offseason if they expect to compete next season. Was it a coincidence that LeBron sat several games down the stretch against good defensive teams and when his team was in dire need of him to make the playoffs? He needs to play in the final three games to be eligible for the scoring title so I’d be surprised if he doesn’t play here. The Lakers are 12th in scoring at 111.6PPG and 7th in overall FG% offense and if they get to 110 or more this game goes Over. A big reason why will be the points the Warriors put up. Golden State is still playing for a better playoff position, so we know what kind of effort we’ll get from them. The Warriors should score plenty here against a Lakers defense that is 26th in points allowed, 22nd in FG% defense and 16th in defending the 3. The Lakers have allowed 1.230-points per possession in their last five games and 122.9PPG. The Warriors are 10th in both overall FG% and 3PT%. The three meetings this season between these two teams has ended with 240, 232 and 235 total points. More of the same here.

ASA top play on 9* LA Clippers +1.5 vs Phoenix Suns, 10 PM ET - Here’s the deal. The Suns are locked into the #1 seed in the Western Conference and overall. They had lost two straight prior to facing the Lakers on Tuesday night. They started and played regulars against the Lakers as it gave them a chance to help eliminate L.A. so they don’t face them in the playoffs. But expect a night off for the regulars against the Clippers on Wednesday. The Clippers have been without Paul George for a large portion of the season but he’s back now and they are trying to build continuity before the start of the playoffs. These two teams are very similar defensively and rate two of the better defenses in the NBA. The Suns have much better offensive numbers, but the Clippers have missed Kawhi Leonard for the entire season and George for most of it. The Clippers have been home underdogs just 8 times since the start of the 2020 season and they’ve covered six of those games. This is a tough game to find statistical support for the Clippers ,but the situation couldn’t be better for the home team here. Grab the points!

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 227 Phoenix Suns @ LA Clippers, 10 PM ET - These two teams are founded on defense. The Suns allow the 9th fewest points in the NBA at 107.1PPG, the Clippers give up just 108.8PPG. L.A. ranks 7th in team field goal percentage defense allowing 45.6% and 10th in 3-point percentage defense allowing 34.6%. The Suns are better than the Clippers in FG% defense allowing 44.4% and rank 1st in the NBA defending the 3-point line allowing 33.9%. The Suns are 9th in the league in pace of play but the Clippers are 17th and prefer a slower tempo. Looking at recent games for the Suns we see they’ve played three higher scoring games but they came against Memphis, Nuggets and T’Wolves who are all top 7 of the league in offensive efficiency rating. The Clippers aren’t in that category as they rank near the bottom of the league in OEFF at 25th scoring 1.097-points per possession. The Clippers put up some sizable offensive numbers in recent games but none of those defenses are equal or better than Los Angeles. The one defense they played recently that resembles the Clippers in the 76ers and they managed just 97-points in that game. This will be the 4th meeting of the season for these two teams and all three thus far have stayed Under the total. In fact, the oddsmakers haven’t set a line on the three games higher than 223. All three meetings have totaled 206 or less points and never threatened going Over. The Suns are off a game yesterday, have locked up the #1 seed and aren’t interested in scoring a ton of points here. Easy call on the UNDER!

ASA top play on 10* OVER 228.5 Milwaukee Bucks @ Chicago Bulls, 8:10 PM ET - There is tremendous value in this number and we like OVER here. These two teams met in late March and Vegas set a number of 235.5 total points. On March 4th the Over/Under was set at 240. Both games stayed Under the number, but one game finished with 230 total points and the other was 224. This game has huge playoff seeding implications for both teams as the Bucks could fall as low as 4th in the Eastern Conference, the Bulls could fall as low as 7th and be in the play-in game. You can bet we will see both teams’ full rosters on Tuesday night and we will get max efforts from both teams. This total is set slightly higher than the league average of a NBA game right now of 220.2PPG. In their last five games the Bucks have given up an average of 126.6PPG, while scoring 118 or more in 3 of the five. These two teams can score with the Bucks averaging 115PPG on the season while the Bulls score 111.7PPG. Both are top 12 in shooting and top 5 in 3-point percentage shooting. Neither has put up great defensive numbers on the season as both rank in the bottom half of the league in points allowed per game. This game doesn’t even have to be a shootout to go Over the Total!

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 225 Philadelphia 76ers @ Cleveland Cavaliers, 6:10 PM ET - Philadelphia just put up 144 points against the Charlotte Hornets who are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA. Philly shot 61% from the field overall, made 21 of 43 3-point attempts (49%) and hit 17 of 21 free throws. Those numbers are insanely high compared to their season averages of 109.2PPG (20th in NBA) 46.3% FG% and 36% 3-point percentage. In other words, they aren’t sustainable here, especially versus a solid Cavs defense. Cleveland is 6th in the NBA in defensive efficiency this season allowing just 1.094-points per possession and 107.4PPG. The Cavs rank 4th in points allowed, own the 6th best FG% defense and 16th 3-point percentage D. The Cavs are also coming off an anomaly game in which they shot 54% as a team, 44% from deep and made 16 of 21 FT’s against the Knicks yesterday. The Cavs are 25th in scoring this season and own the 18th ranked 3-point percentage in the league. Both teams are coming off games yesterday which factors in here. How much will the 76ers play Embiid and Harden on the second day of a back-to-back? On zero days rest this season the 76ers games have averaged 210.4PPG. The Cavs playing without rest have averaged 206.7PPG. When playing without rest the Cavs are 21-10 UNDER their last 31. The Sixers 4-1 Under in their last five games without rest. These two teams met twice in March and both games went Over yet the pace of play was very slow. That will be the case today and neither shoots it well enough to go Over. The UNDER is the play here!

ASA top play on 10* Brooklyn Nets -120 @ Atlanta Hawks, 7:40 PM ET - This game has playoff implications as the Hawks and Nets are trying to avoid the play in situation in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn is coming off a very disappointing home loss to the Bucks and will be highly motivated here. Both teams are top 7 shooting teams in the NBA with the Nets ranking 4th at 47.4% while the Hawks re 7th at 47%. But the Nets play much better defense that the Hawks holding opponents to 45.3% shooting (9th in NBA) and 34.6% 3-point percentage which is also 9th best. In comparison the Hawks are 26th in FG% defense, 27th in defending the 3-point line. Brooklyn is also the #1 ranked efficiency offense when it comes to fast break points per possession at 1.892. Atlanta is 20th in opponents fast break efficiency, allowing 1.704PPP. Isn’t it strange the Nets are favored here against a Hawks team that has won four straight and 7 of their last ten. The Hawks last four wins aren’t impressive considering they came against a Cavs team that is struggling, the Thunder, Pacers and a shorthanded Warriors team. The Hawks don’t have an answer for KD and Kyrie and we expect those two to shine in this playoff like atmosphere. The Nets have beaten the Hawks twice this season by 8 and 9-points respectively.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 231.5 Portland Trailblazers @ San Antonio Spurs, 8:40 PM ET - San Antonio clearly has plenty to play for as they battle the Lakers for the 10th spot in the West. Portland’s season has been over for quite some time. These teams met on March 23rd with the Spurs winning 133-96 in Portland. The Spurs shot extremely well for the game by making 19 of 44 3-pointers, hitting 49% of their FG attempts overall and making 92% of their free throws. San Antonio has been playing “playoff” like defense of late allowing less than 112PPG in 4 of their last five contests. On the offensive side they scored 133 against this Blazers team but have scored 111 or less in four of their last six games. Portland’s offense has been atrocious this season since the Lillard injury and trade of McCollum. In fact, since the All-Star break this team is last in the league in offensive efficiency averaging just 1.041-points per possession and 104.7PPG. Since the Break the Spurs are also in the bottom half of the league in OEFF. In the last five meetings between these two teams, they have not topped 230 total points and let’s not forget this number is significantly higher than the league average of points scored in an NBA game of 220.2PPG. The bet here is UNDER!

ASA top play on 10* Atlanta Hawks -5 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:40 PM ET - This is a very big game for both teams as they jockey for better playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference. The Cavs currently hold the 7th spot in the East, the Hawks are 10th but only 3 games separate the two teams. The Cavs are struggling right now with a 1-4 SU record their last five games and injuries have a lot to do with it. Cleveland has been without All-Star Jarrett Allen and now are playing without Evan Mobley. Those two are the Cavs best two frontline players and its showed in recent games as they’ve been outscored by 68-points in the paint the past three games. Atlanta has won 3 straight games and 4 of their last five and are making a strong late season push. The Hawks have won 8 of their last nine home games and one of those wins came against this same Cavs team 124-116. The Cavs had Mobley for that game and he grabbed 10 rebounds and scored 22-points. The Hawks have a +5.8PPG average MOV at home this season, while the Cavs have a negative differential in their last five games of -6PPG. The healthy Hawks get a big home win here.

ASA top play on 10* Minnesota Timberwolves +3 at Toronto Raptors, 7:40 PM ET - Both teams are coming off opposite results with the Raptors coming off a big OT win over the Celtics, while the Timberwolves are off a bad loss in Boston. The Wolves have lost 3 of their last four games but those beats came against the Celtics, Mavericks and Suns. Minnesota is 19-8 SU their last 27 games and a team nobody wants to face in the Western Conference playoffs. Toronto is 9-2 SU their last eleven games which has me wondering why they are such a low home favorite here. The Wolves have the 10th best road margin of victory in the NBA at +.5PPG and they’ve covered 5 of their last six away from home. Minnesota is 16-17 SU off a loss but have covered 8 of their last nine in that situation. Toronto is just 2-6 ATS their last eight as a home favorite and really struggled beating a Celtics team the other night that was without Tatum, Brown, Williams and Horford. Grab the points with Minnesota.

ASA top play on 10* OVER 223 Chicago Bulls @ Washington Wizards, 7:10 PM ET - These aren’t two of the faster paced teams in the NBA and the Wizards rank in the bottom 3rd of the NBA in offensive efficiency, the Bulls rank 10th. Chicago scores 111.6PPG, Washington 108.3PPG. What both teams do have in common is their lack of defense. The Bulls rank 20th in defensive efficiency allowing nearly 1.130-points per possession, the Wiz are worse yet at 25th giving up 1.141PPP. Both have been even worse since the All-Star break when it comes to DEFF. The league average points scored in an NBA game right now is 220 and this number is only slightly higher than that. Chicago is coming off a game last night and they’ve gone Over the total in 9 of their last twelve games in that scheduling situation. The Wizards have gone over the total in 10 of their last fourteen games and 7 straight as a home underdog. We are betting this game will be slightly higher than league average and get to the high 220’s.

ASA top play on 10* San Antonio Spurs -6.5 vs. Houston Rockets, 8:10 PM ET - Obviously, the Spurs have everything to play for right now as they still have a shot at getting into the post season. With just 20 wins the Rockets season is essentially done. The line on this game opened -5.5 points and was immediately bet up by the Sharps. There is still value and we’ll take the road favorite. The Spurs are significantly better offensively than the Rockets who rank 19th in scoring, 22nd in FG%, 21st in 3-point% and 30th in rebounding. The Spurs rank 8th in scoring, 12th in shooting and 17th in 3-point% with the 9th best offensive rebounding average in the league. Defensively the Spurs aren’t great ranking mid-20’s in most key defensive categories but the Rockets are far worse ranking 30th in points allowed and opponents FG%. San Antonio has won 3 straight and 4 of five. Houston has won 2 in a row but both were against Portland. The Rockets are just 1-4 SU their last five home games and they have the 3rd worst +/- at home in the NBA at minus -6.8PPG. The Spurs have drubbed this Rockets team in the two most recent meetings by 30 and 25-points respectively. Lay the points!

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 220 NY Knicks at Detroit Pistons, 3:40 PM ET - We like the spot for an Under here with the Knicks coming off a big road win over Miami and another big game looming with the Bulls. New York is running out of chances to make the playoffs as they sit 5 games behind the Hawks and 6 behind Charlotte. The Knicks have recently played some lower scoring games against Miami, Utah, Washington, and Dallas who are slower paced teams in the NBA more similar to Detroit. Yes, they’ve had a few higher scoring games but that was versus uptempo teams or high efficiency offenses. The Pistons are slightly above league average in pace of play but rank 28th in offensive efficiency scoring 1 point per every 105.4 possessions per game. The Pistons have been a money-making machine since the trade deadline and that has a lot to do with them not dealing Jerami Grant. Grant has been the Pistons leading scorer but was injured last game and won’t play here. Detroit has scored 109 or less points in 6 of their last nine games and only managed 97-points last game when Grant was hurt just a few minutes into the contest. Detroit is on a 6-1 Under streak at home as a dog, the Knicks are 4-0 their last four as a road favorite. The two meetings this season have resulted in 196 and 179 total points. Bet Under!

ASA top play on 10* San Antonio Spurs +5 vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 5 PM ET - This is a quick turnaround revenge game for the Spurs who were blown out by the Pelicans on March 18th, 91-124. Coach Popp was ejected in the second quarter after the Spurs scored just 10-points in the 1st. This game has huge playoff implications as both are fighting to stay in the top 10 in the West. After the loss to the Pels the Spurs bounced back with a win over the Warriors then blew out the Blazers. The Pelicans are off a big home win over the Bulls but are 1-3 SU their last four at home. New Orleans is 17-20 SU at home and below average in +/- of +1.1PPG. San Antonio is 15-21 SU on the road but they are 15th in the league in average MOV at +0.2PPG. The Spurs have covered 6 straight in New Orleans and are 7-1 ATS the last eight meetings overall. Grab the points.

ASA top play on 10* Utah Jazz -3.5 over Charlotte Hornets, 7 PM ET - We love to back elite NBA teams when they are off embarrassing losses which is the case here for Utah. The Jazz are coming off a humbling 97-125 loss against the Celtics on Wednesday night and should rebound here with a big effort. After facing the #1 ranked defense in the NBA the Jazz step down here to face a Charlotte team that is 23rd in the league in defensive efficiency allowing 1.135-points per possession. Utah is one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the NBA and they couldn’t buy a basket from deep against the Celtics but should have success here versus a Hornets D that allows 35.9% which is 21st in the league. Utah ranks top 7 in the NBA in points scored, FG% offense, 3-PT% and rebounding. They are also top 11 defensively in those same categories. While the Hornets are top 13 in most key offensive categories, they rank 28th in points allowed 19th in FG% D, 21st in 3-PT% and 29th in defensive rebounding. Charlotte has won 5 of their last six games but are coming off a loss to the Knicks. Charlotte doesn’t possess a great home court advantage which is why they are 19-18 SU at home with a below average +/- of +0.4PPG. We like the bounce back factor with the Jazz in this one.

ASA top play on 10* Utah Jazz +5.5 over Boston Celtics, 7:40 PM ET - This line is clearly higher than it should be because of the Celtics current hot streak. That makes it a great opportunity to sell high and buy low with Utah. We must acknowledge Boston’s 20-3 SU run and won’t pretend that it doesn’t exist, but this is a solid spot to fade them. Utah doesn’t have a great overall road record at 19-16 SU but they do own the 5th best average margin of victory at +3.3PPG. Boston has a 24-12 SU home record with a differential of +5.5PPG. These two teams own two of the best defenses in the NBA with the Jazz top 10 in points allowed FG% D and 3-point % D and rank #1 in rebounding. The Celtics are 1st in points allowed 1st in FG% D and 2nd in 3-point% but 14th in rebounding. Utah holds a huge advantage offensively with a unit that ranks top 6 in scoring, FG%, 3PT% and rebounding. In comparison the Celtics rank 16th or worse in the three main offensive categories and 5th in offensive rebounding. Utah is a solid 15-11 SU when coming off a loss, while the C’s are 8-14-1 ATS when off a win. In a few of their recent road games the Jazz have been favored over the Nets, Knicks and Mavericks and now they are getting an inflated number here. Will you be surprised in the Jazz win this outright? I won’t!

ASA top play on 10* Milwaukee Bucks -5.5 versus Chicago Bulls, 8:10 PM ET - We like the scenario here with the Bulls coming off a game last night and the Bucks coming off a horrible loss a few nights ago in Minnesota. There is value in this number. Earlier this month these two teams squared off in Chicago and the oddsmaker set a spread of Bucks -5.5-points. Now the Bucks are laying 6-points at home! Chicago has not faired well against the leagues elite teams and are currently 0-5 ATS their last five versus teams with a winning percentage greater than .600. On the season the Bulls are 4-18 SU against the top 10 teams in the league. The Bucks have been terrible as a home favorite this season, but they have covered 5 of their last six as a chalk. The Bucks have a +/- of 4.6PPG, the Bulls have a negative road differential of -2.9PPG. Given the circumstances and the fact the Bucks just laid a similar number in Chicago (and won by 6-points) we like them here by double-digits.

ASA top play on 10* Charlotte Hornets -5.5 over New Orleans Pelicans, 7PM ET - The Hornets have been a “hot or cold” team all season long and right now they are currently “hot” with 4 straight wins and covers. Included in this four game stretch is a 142-120 win over the Pelicans as a -3.5-point favorite in New Orleans. The Pels did play without McCollum and Ingram in that game and will again be without Ingram their leading scorer here. New Orleans is coming off a road win yesterday in Atlanta and also playing their 3rd game in a four-day span. Last night saw their starters all get extended minutes and the bench is short the way it is. When playing without rest this season the Pels are 2-10 SU with an average loss margin of -8PPG. The Pelicans aren’t great off a win either with a 6-11 SU road record in that situation. The Hornets last four wins have all come by double digits and they own the 5th best average point differential in the NBA over the last five games. Charlotte has covered 6 straight as a favorite and they get a big 10+ point win in this one.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 222.5 Utah Jazz at New York Knicks, 7:40 PM ET - We expect a low possession, low scoring defensive batter today in the Garden when the Jazz and Knicks square off. The Knicks rank 26th out of 30 NBA teams when it comes to pace of play with 96.1 possessions per game. Utah is slightly faster at 97.6 which ranks 20th in the league. When playing away from home the Jazz are slower yet at 97 possessions per game. Both of these teams excel on the defensive end of the court as each rank in the top 10 when it comes to points allowed per possession or defensive efficiency. The Jazz may be the most efficient offense in the NBA but they’ll be without Mike Conley here and Donovan Mitchell is less than 100%. The Knicks rank 23rd in OEFF at 1.098PPP. Our model is projecting both teams to score less than 110 points. The Jazz have stayed Under in 4 straight road games, Knicks Under in four straight when playing a team with a winning record. The Under is now 4-0 the last four times these two teams have met.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 225.5 Dallas Mavericks at Charlotte Hornets, 7 PM ET - Given the circumstances we must play Under in this one. The Mavs are off a game last night in Philadelphia and they’ve been a strong Under team when playing without rest with a 2-8 mark. Those ten games have averaged 206.5PPG. Charlotte has been off for two days and in that scenario they are 4-6 Under with those games averaging 223.5PPG. On the season the Mavs have the 6th best defensive efficiency ratings in the league and they are the slowest paced team in the NBA. Dallas is also below average in offensive efficiency ranking 18th and 26th in scoring at 106.6PPG. Charlotte for the season is the 3rd fastest paced team in the NBA at 100.3 possessions per game. Since the All-Star break though they have slowed to 98.7 possessions per game which is 19th slowest. Charlotte is one of the highest scoring teams in the NBA but in recent games against similar defenses to the Mavs they’ve struggled to score with 101 vs. Boston, 119 vs. Cleveland and 106 against the Bucks. We don’t see these teams getting into the 220’s.

ASA top play on 10* Philadelphia 76ers -2.5 vs Dallas Mavericks, 7:10 PM ET - Yes, we know just how hot the Mavericks have been, but we like the situation to fade them here. Dallas is coming off a huge last second win over Brooklyn on Wednesday night and we expect a letdown here. Philly is coming off a win in Cleveland, but they didn’t play well so expect a rebound here back at home. The Mavs were recently a +6.5-point underdog at Boston which means this line is off by a few points. Philadelphia was a home favorite of -3.5-points two games ago at home against Denver who rates higher than the Mavs in our power index. The Mavs don’t have anyone that can match up with Joel Embiid who is scoring nearly 30PPG with 11.4 rebounds per game this season. This is a great opportunity to back a low home favorite that is underpriced given the circumstances.

ASA top play on 10* OVER 237.5 Atlanta Hawks @ Charlotte Hornets, 7PM ET - Very rarely will you find us on an Over when the number in nearly 240 points but today we break the rules. Both of these two teams are getting into the 120’s tonight with a pair of high powered offenses and bad defenses. The Hornets have put up 121 or more points in 6 of their last nine games and are coming off a 142 outburst and 134 in consecutive games. They’ve also given up more than 120 in 4 of their last eight games. Atlanta has had back to back games with 131 and 122 points and have scored 122 or more in 4 of their last nine. Charlotte gives up nearly 115PPG on the season which is 28th in the NBA. Atlanta allows 112PPG which ranks 21st. The Hawks have been one of the most efficient offenses all season long ranking 2nd behind only Utah. Since the All Star break the Hornets have produced the 2nd best offensive efficiency numbers at 1.216-points per possession. Charlotte will force the tempo here at home and the Hawks will efficiently score. It results in an easy OVER.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 217.5 Detroit Pistons @ Miami Heat, 7:40 PM ET - The Heat are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA allowing 104.8PPG which is the 4th lowest number in the league. They have the 4th best overall FG% defense, 6th in defending the 3-point line and 1st in rebounding. Miami should be able to contain a Pistons offense that 29th in scoring, FG%, 3PT% and 27th in rebounding. Offensively the Heat rank 17th in the league in scoring at 109.4PPG. The Pistons are 18th in defensive efficiency on the season and have been better on that end of the floor recently by allowing 106 or less points in 3 of their last six games. What’s most important here will be the pace of play. The Heat are the 2nd slowest paced team in the NBA on the season while the Pistons have been the 2nd slowest team since the All-Star break. Two of the three meetings between these two teams have been in the 190’s. This game won’t be that low but it will stay Under 216.

ASA top play on 10* OVER 224.5 Washington Wizards vs. Golden State Warriors, 10:10 PM ET - This is a marginal Over-Under based on the overall NBA season averages and we expect both teams to get to 115 or more. The Warriors are going to put up points in this game against a Wizards defense that has allowed 115 or more points in five straight games. Most alarming is the 127 they just allowed to a Portland offense that has REALLY struggled scoring 95 or less points in 5 of their last seven games. The Warriors are starting to find their offensive groove again and are coming off a 122-point showing against a solid Bucks defense last time out. Since the All-Star Break the Warriors are averaging 116.3PPG and 1.182-points per possession which is 9th best in the NBA. Coincidentally, the Wizards have the 5th best offensive efficiency average since the Break while scoring over 117PPG. Golden State is going to feast on this defense and the Wiz will put up their fare share of points as well. The bet here is OVER!

ASA top play on 10* Dallas Mavericks +7.5 over Boston Celtics, 3:30 PM ET - The Celtics have been playing lights out and garnering a ton of media attention which has driven this line higher than it should be. If I ask you which of these teams has a better overall record you would be quick to tell me Boston. If I were to say who has won 12 of their last fifteen you would probably reply Boston. In reality the team I’m talking about is Dallas. The Mavs have flown under the radar for most of the season and are the bet in this situation. Dallas owns the 8th best average point differential in the NBA at +3.1PPG. Boston is slightly better at +5.7PPG. Boston owns a slightly better overall offensive efficiency rating but both are near equal defensively ranking 3rd (Boston) and 5th (Dallas). Boston has the 5th best home average margin of victory in the league at +5.7PPG but Dallas holds the 7th best road differential at +1.7PPG. Dallas has been an underdog of more than +7.5 points just three times this season and they are perfect against the spread in those games or 3-0 ATS. Boston hasn’t faired well as a bigger favorite this season with a 7-11 ATS mark when laying -7.5 or more points. Dallas has covered 9 of the last 12 meetings in Beantown. Grab the points.

ASA top play on 10* Chicago Bulls -3 over Cleveland Cavaliers - The Cavs are coming off a big game last night in Miami and have a tough matchup here against a highly motivated Bulls team that is 1-5 SU their last six games. The lack of rest for the Cavaliers is magnified in this game as they are missing two of their top 6 players with LeVert and Allen sidelined. With rest advantage the Bulls are 12-5 SU (10-7 ATS) +3.4PPG in those 17 contests. The home team has won 4 straight in this rivalry, both games this season. The Bulls are 24-10 SU this season at home with a +/- of 4.4PPG. Chicago will get starting center Vucevik back here and likely LaVine. Chicago has the 5th best offensive efficiency numbers in the league this season, the Cavs rank 19th. Given the scheduling circumstances we like the Bulls to get a 8 or more point win here.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 228.5 Charlotte Hornets @ New Orleans Pelicans, 8:10 PM ET - The Pelicans will be shorthanded on Friday night as Ingram and McCollum are both out of this contest. That will make scoring incredibly hard for the Pelicans as those two combine for 45PPG and we don’t see that production coming from other players that easily. The Hornets defense has been bad all season long, allowing 115PPG, but without Ingram and McCollum on the floor they won’t look as bad as usual. New Orleans is allowing 109PPG which ranks them 14th in the NBA but since the All-Star break, they rank 2nd best in the league in defensive efficiency allowing just 1.069-points per possession. On the season the Hornets are the 3rd fastest paced team in the league but since the break they have slowed considerably to rank 18th. Charlotte is 5-0 Under when coming off a loss, Pelicans Under in 9 of their last twelve when off a loss.

ASA top play on 10* Golden State Warriors -1.5 vs. Denver Nuggets, 10:10 PM ET - At first glance, why are the Warriors favored in this game? This number is a drastic swing from the Nuggets recently being an 8-point home favorite over the Warriors, but it’s warranted given these circumstances. Denver is coming off a game last night in Sacramento, playing their 3rd day and 4th in five days. The Nuggets are 5-7 on the season when playing without rest with a negative differential. Golden State just lost here in Denver 3 days ago, but they opted to sit all of their starters and were still competitive, losing by 7-points. The Warriors had lost 5 straight games but got a much-needed win against the Clippers on Tuesday. These two teams have near identical offensive numbers, but defensively the Warriors are much better. Golden State ranks top 5 defensively in points allowed FG% D, 3PT% D and rebounding. Golden State is playing with revenge and rested and the oddsmakers clearly are baiting you into backing Denver. We won’t bite!

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 223 Orlando Magic @ New Orleans Pelicans, 8:10 PM ET - We are grabbing the extra value with the Under in this game as our model is predicting a lower possession and scoring game. We are weighing both teams' current play more than their regular season numbers in this handicap which projects 216 total points being scored. Since the All-Star break these two teams rank 1st and 2nd in overall defensive efficiency allowing less than 1.066-points per possession. Those numbers are significantly better than their overall averages for the season as they rank 19th and 20th respectively. Granted, the Pels have been much more efficient offensively since acquiring CJ McCollum, but the Magic hold the 2nd worst offensive efficiency ratings since the break at 1.042PPP. Both teams are coming off a game last night which factors in here as they Magic games have averaged less than 210 total points per game when Orlando isn’t rested. Orlando is 8-3 Under their last eleven in this scheduling situation. When New Orleans is playing the second night of a back-to-back those games have averaged 217.2PPG. The last 12 times the Pelicans have been a home favorite they stayed Under the number in nine of those games. With both team’s 20th or worse in scoring we can’t see this game getting into the 220’s.

ASA top play on 10* Atlanta Hawks +5.5 over Milwaukee Bucks, 7:30 PM ET - We will start with the obvious here and the fact the Bucks have been horrendous at home as a favorite this season with a 11-20 ATS record and a +/- of +5.3PPG in those games. Milwaukee is just 4-3 SU their last 7 at home and just can't get untracked at home. Scheduling clearly favors the Hawks with the Bucks coming off a game Tuesday night in OKC and they are just 3-8 ATS this season when playing without rest. Milwaukee is also playing their 3rd game in 4 nights and have a much bigger game on deck at Golden State. We like the Hawks who are rested and coming off an embarrassing loss to Detroit on Monday night as an 8-point favorite. Atlanta is 8th in offensive efficiency since the All-Star break, 17th in DEFF 1.150PPP which is drastically better than their season average of 27th allowing 1.146-points per possession. Since the break the Hawks have a +3.3 PPG differential. Atlanta is a matchup problem for the Bucks as they’ve beaten them twice this season already. Hawks 13-5 ATS their last eighteen meetings in Milwaukee

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 220.5 Phoenix Suns @ Orlando Magic, 7:10 PM ET - The Suns are missing several key components here with Johnson, Booker and Paul all out. Those three players account for over 53PPG for the Suns. Orlando has had difficulty scoring all season long with the 2nd worst overall offensive efficiency in the NBA at .993-points per possession. Scoring will be even more difficult for the Magic here going up against a Suns defense that is 3rd in the NBA in defensive efficiency. Not to mention, the Suns are coming off an embarrassing defensive showing against the Bucks last time out in which they allowed 132-points. Despite a 16-49 SU record the Magic have the 20th ranked DEFF numbers on the year and since the All-Star break they are 2nd in defensive efficiency at 1.070PPP. The Suns road games have averaged 219.5 total points per game, the Magic home games 215.8PPG. The Suns have stayed Under the Total in 15 of their last twenty-one games when coming off a loss. The Magic are on a 4-1 Under streak overall. The bet here is UNDER.

ASA top play on 10* Detroit Pistons +7.5 over Atlanta Hawks, 7:10 PM ET - The Pistons have looked like a completely different team since the trade deadline which has led to a 5-2 SU record in their last seven games as they gun for their 3rd straight win tonight. The Pistons wins have been solid too as they’ve beaten the Raptors, Hornets, Cavs and Celtics in that stretch. Detroit continues to be under-valued by the oddsmakers and it shows in their ATS streak which now stands at 7 covers in a row. The Hawks are making a playoff push themselves and have also won 5 of their last seven and two in a row but this isn’t a great spot for them, off a win and facing the Bucks next. In their last five games the Pistons have shown a dramatic improvement in both offensive and defensive efficiency numbers and they have an average +/- of -0.8PPG. The Hawks average +/- in their last five games is +4.6PPG which clearly doesn’t get a cover in this match up. Atlanta is 12-19 SU on the road this season with an average MOV of minus -2.2PPG. The Hawks may get a win here but it’s going to be close. Grab the dog and points.

ASA top play on 10* LA CLIPPERS -4.5 over NY Knicks, 10 PM ET - Remember when the Knicks started the season off with one of the best offenses in the NBA? Yeah, that was through the first few weeks of the season and was short lived. New York is the 27th lowest scoring team in the league, 27th in FG% at 43.4% and 16th in 3-point%. The Knicks are 25th in overall offensive efficiency at 1.089-points per possession and have a net differential on the road of minus -2.8PPG. The Knicks have lost 7 straight games and have a 3-13 SU record their last sixteen games. The Clippers are gaining traction in the West with 5 straight wins and 7 of their last eight overall. At home the Clippers have been especially tough with a 7-1 SU record their last eight and the lone loss came against the defending Champions, Milwaukee Bucks. Since the All-Star break the Clippers have the 3rd best overall defensive efficiency rating and a +/- of +9.5PPG. We like the Clippers to get a double-digit win in this one.

ASA top play on 10* Sacramento Kings +7.5 over Dallas Mavericks, 5:10 PM ET - This is a great opportunity to sell the Mavericks when their stocks are high and buy the Kings when they are low. The Mavs enter this game having won 9 of their last eleven games which has driven this number higher than it should be. Not to mention, the Mavericks are coming off a huge 3-game winning stretch against the Warriors (twice) and the Lakers. The last loss on the Mavs schedule was against the Utah Jazz who coincidentally is next on their schedule. You can’t blame Dallas for looking ahead to that game as the Jazz currently sit 4th in the West, one spot ahead of Dallas who is 5th. The Kings have alternated wins in their last four games and are coming off a solid road win in San Antonio last time out. It's a well-known fact the Kings aren’t good defensively but can the Mavs 25th ranked scoring offense take advantage and cover a number as high as this? When laying more than 5-points this season the Mavericks are 7-11 ATS which ties into their record as a home favorite the past two seasons of 10-17 ATS. Dallas is 21-11 SU at home on the year with an average MOV of +5.2PPG which won’t get it done here. The Kings have covered 7 of the last nine meetings in Dallas and 22 of the last thirty-one meetings overall. Given the situation and the price we like the Kings here.

ASA top play on 10* Chicago Bulls +5 over Milwaukee Bucks, 7:30 PM ET - This is a big game in the Eastern Conference as the Bulls currently sit 3rd overall at 39-24, the Bucks rank 4th at 38-25. The Bulls are clearly the more desperate team here having lost 3 straight games. Chicago had won 6 straight games prior to that and the three losses came to Memphis, Miami and Atlanta so it’s not like they were lower level teams. The value in the line clearly sides with the Bulls considering they were just +5 AT Miami the other day and even +2.5 at home against a red-hot Memphis team who is 26-7 their last 33 games. Milwaukee is coming off a big win at home against the Heat and may let down here. The Bucks were down in the 4th quarter of that game and rallied from behind for the last second win. The Bucks defense has slipped this season ranking 16th in points allowed per game and 12th in 3-point% defense. The Bulls can take advantage with the 8th highest scoring offense in the league and the best 3-point shooting percentage in the NBA. The Bulls are 14-9 ATS off a loss this season with a +2.4PPG differential. Milwaukee is 3-10 ATS their last 13 when coming off a win.

ASA top play on 10* OVER 221.5 Miami Heat @ Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 PM ET - The Heat are coming off a disappointing 119-120 loss last night in Milwaukee which factors into tonight’s wager which we’ll get to shortly. The Heat have now scored 110 or more points in 9 of their last eleven games and have played Over the Total in 11 of their last sixteen road games. The Heat are known for their defense which is 6th best in the league in terms of defensive efficiency allowing just 1.083-points per possession. But the Heat struggle on the defensive end of the court when playing without rest as they have gone Over in 39 of their last 56 games when playing the 2nd night of a back-to-back. This season the Heat are 9-1 Over without rest and those games have averaged 225.5PPG. You would think with Durant and Irving missing most of their games this season the Nets would have struggled offensively but they’re better than you think. Brooklyn is 11th in scoring, 10th in overall FG% at 46.5% and 15th in offensive efficiency. There is a good chance Kevin Durant is back tonight which will give the Nets offense an immediate boost. Brooklyn isn’t known for their defense either as they give up 111.6PPG which ranks 20th in the NBA. These two teams met in early February and produced 226 total points. Bet OVER here.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 226 Miami Heat @ Milwaukee Bucks, 8:10 PM ET - HUGE game in the Eastern Conference with Miami Heat 1st at 41-21 while the Bucks are 4th at 37-25. The Bucks hold an advantage offensively with the 4th most efficient offense in the NBA at 1.139-points per possession compared to the Heat’s 1.131PPP which ranks 7th. The Heat are better defensively with the 6th best DEFF numbers allowing 1.081PPP versus the Bucks who rank 13th allowing 1.103PPP. We see this game playing out much like a Playoff game with defensive energy at a very high level. In the first meeting of the season the Heat exploded for 137 points and that game went Over the number. The last two meetings this season have resulted in 226 and 217 Total points and the most recent clash had an O/U set of 218 and now we have a number nearly 10-points higher here. The Bucks have played a stretch of games against some of the league’s highest scoring or fastest paced teams in the NBA and it’s resulted in some very high Totals which has forced the oddsmakers to adjust this number. Miami is the 2nd slowest paced team in the NBA and will want to keep this a low scoring affair much like they just did to a Bulls team the other night. Our math model is projecting 218 total points and we couldn’t agree more with it.

ASA top play on 10* Golden State Warriors pick’em over Minnesota Timberwolves, 8:10 PM ET - Much like our win last night on the Bucks, the Warriors fall into a similar situation here against the Wolves. Golden State is off a horrible loss the other night (we had them), when they gave up a 19-point lead in the 4th quarter and lost to the Mavs. The Warriors have a day of rest off that terrible loss while the Wolves are coming off a game last night in Cleveland. So not only is the 2nd night of a back-to-back but their 4th game in six days. That’s significant considering the Wolves are 3-7 SU this season when playing without rest with an average loss margin of -7PPG and they’ve failed to cover 5-straight. These two teams have some similar numbers offensively, but the Warriors are far superior on the season defensively ranking 1st in defensive efficiency while the Wolves rank 17th. Golden State has the 8th best average margin of victory on the road this season and a 17-11 SU record. Expect a bounce back in this one.

ASA top play on 10* Milwaukee Bucks -10.5 over Charlotte Hornets, 8:10 PM ET - This is a solid spot to back an elite team like the Bucks off a home loss, playing at home and play against a Hornets team off an OT road game yesterday. Last time out the Bucks lost a big game at home to the Nets as a -9.5-point favorite. Milwaukee is 10-6 SU off a loss, playing at home this year, 8-8 ATS. Going back to 2018 there is no team better in the NBA when coming off a loss that the Bucks who have a 70-34 SU record. In general, the Bucks are 123-36 SU at home their last 159 at home with a +10PPG average. The Hornets played a fast-paced over-time game yesterday in Detroit and haven’t fared well in recent years when playing without rest with a 16-37 SU record. Lastly, these two teams met they played a back-to-back set of games in Charlotte with the Hornets winning both which will provide a little extra incentive for Milwaukee here. The big difference between these two teams is defense. The Bucks have been one of the best defensive units in the NBA in recent years and currently rank 13th in defensive efficiency. The Hornets are 22nd in DEFF overall, 24th on the road and are 28th in points allowed per game which makes it that much easier for a double-digit favorite to cover a big number.

ASA top play on 10* Golden State Warriors -4 over Dallas Mavericks, 7:40 PM ET - We like the Warriors in their first game after the All-Star break for several reasons and we feel this team is poised to make a serious run at the top spot in the West. Golden State shot 51% as a team and held the Blazers to just 39% in their 132-95 blowout win the other night. Dallas is off a loss at Utah as a +6.5-point underdog on Friday night and we don’t feel the adjustment by the oddsmakers is warranted here. These two teams are somewhat similar defensively with the Warriors holding a slight edge but offensively it’s close. Golden State is 10th in points per game, 6th in FG% and 6th in 3-point percentage. Dallas on the other hand is 20th or worse in those same categories. Golden State has the best home court differential in the NBA this season at +11.8PPG and they beat the Mavs here handily earlier this season 130-92. Golden State lost their most recent home game so expect a focused effort in this one and a double-digit win.

ASA top play on 10* Denver Nuggets -8.5 over Sacramento Kings, 9:10 PM ET - These same two teams just met in Sacramento the other night with the Nuggets winning by 18-points. You would think that makes this a revenge spot but we can’t ignore the value in the number and will side with Denver. The Nuggets were just a 4-point road favorite at Sacramento and are now laying just a few more points at home. Denver was covering this game the entire 4th quarter and had a remarkable shooting night. The Nuggets shot 56% from the field and 43% from beyond the arc, which is abnormally high, but what’s to say they can’t repeat that performance? Sacramento is 29th in scoring defense allowing 115.1PPG, 29th in overall field goal percentage defense and 26th in defending the 3-point line. That’s a bad matchup against a Nuggets team that is 13th in scoring, 3rd in FG% and 11th in 3-point percentage. Denver has the 10th best average margin of victory at home at +4.9PPG. Sacramento has the 27th worst road differential in the NBA at minus -8.5PPG. Bet the value, bet Denver.

ASA top play on 10* OVER 223 San Antonio Spurs @ Washington Wizards, 7:10 PM ET - The Spurs are one of the fastest paced teams in the NBA and 9th in the league in scoring at just under 112PPG. They score the 7th most points on the fast break which is a big reason why they are the 9th best shooting team in the NBA at 46.6%. Washington doesn’t necessarily play fast, ranking 22nd in pace but in their last five games they have the 11th best offensive efficiency numbers and are shooting over 48% as a team in that same stretch of games. Neither team is known for their defense as both rank 18th or worse in defensive efficiency allowing 1.114 or more points per possession. Both teams are fresh off the break and will have fresh legs for a faster paced game (Overs 5-2 last night). The Over is 7-1 the last eight meetings between these two teams.

ASA top play on 10* Golden State Warriors -9 over Portland Trailblazers, 10 PM ET - The Warriors limped into the All-Star break with losses in 4 of five games, including their most recent 2 games against the Clippers and Nuggets. Portland on the other hand won 4 straight games with quality wins over the Lakers, Bucks and Memphis. The Blazers though were dealt another injury blow as starting center Nurkic (scored 32-points last game) is out for this game which leaves a short-handed Blazer team even more depleted. Portland used to be fantastic at home with a 76-44 SU home record between 2018-2021 but are just 16-16 SU this season with a negative differential of minus -0.8PPG. Golden State struggles can be directly attributed to some poor shooting by Steph Curry who found his stroke in the All-Star game, scoring 50-points. We expect that momentum to carry over here. The Warriors are 4-0 this year when playing on 4 or more days rest with a +12PPG differential. They have beaten the Blazers by double-digits twice already so a third doesn’t seem to be asking too much. Lay the points.

ASA top play on 10* OVER 226 Miami Heat @ Charlotte Hornets, 7:10 PM ET - Let’s start with the baseline O/U numbers in the NBA. The league average currently in the NBA is 218.2PPG but in the last three weeks games have trended up to 221PPG. The Over is 84-66 in the last three weeks of the NBA season. The Hornets games have finished with the highest average points per game this season at 228.4PPG. The Heat are the best Over team this season with nearly 63% of their games going Over the number. The Hornets play at a break-neck speed with the fastest paced offense in the NBA at 100.8 possessions per game. They also rank 11th in offensive efficiency in large part because they average 16.1PPG via the fast break which is 2nd in the league. What Charlotte doesn’t do well is defend with the 24th ranked defensive efficiency. They also rank 22nd in 3-point percentage defense which doesn’t bode well versus the Heat who are 3rd in the NBA in 3-point percentage offense at 37.5%. The Heat are 7th in offensive efficiency this season and are a top ranked DEFF team but they do have one weakness defensively. Miami is ‘average’ in defending the 3-point line and Charlotte is 9th in 3-point shooting. Miami is also 14th or near average in the NBA is points allowed off the break. These two recently stayed Under the total with 190 points but both teams had poor shooting nights and the Hornets managed just 8-points in the 3rd quarter. Expect a revert back to normal for both teams and a higher scoring game.

ASA top play on 10* Golden State Warriors -5.5 over Denver Nuggets, 10 PM ET - We have an opportunity to buy low with the Warriors here who have lost 3 of their last four games overall, including a most recent loss against the Clippers. That ties into this wager as the Warriors are 12-3 SU off a loss, 8-1 SU at home off a beat. The Warriors are 26-5 SU at home and have the best home court point differential in the league at +12.2PPG. Golden State is coming off a very poor defensive showing against the Clippers and will play with a chip on their shoulder here. The Warriors have #1 ranked defensive efficiency numbers at home this season allowing just 1.019-points per possession. They also have the 8th best offensive efficiency at home The Nuggets will have a size advantage with Jokic but the Nuggets concern comes on the defensive end of the court where they rank 13th in defensive efficiency and 22nd in opponents FG%. The Nuggets are 16-15 SU on the road this season with a negative differential of -0.2PPG. The Nuggets have lost 3 of their last four road games against similar opponents to the Warriors. Golden State has covered 6 of the last seven meetings between these two teams at home and we like them to get a double-digit win in this one.

ASA top play on 10* Philadelphia 76ers +3.5 over Boston Celtics, 7:30 PM ET - This is a bad line and a clear over-reaction to the Celtics current hot streak so we will grab the value and play on Philadelphia. Boston is 10-1 SU their last eleven games and gaining ground in the Eastern Conference. At closer look though the current streak might be a little overrated. The best wins came at home over a depleted Hawks and Heat team and the Denver Nuggets. The road wins the Celtics had in that stretch came against a Nets team without Durant, Harden and Irving and versus Orlando, Detroit, New Orleans and Washington. Those four teams have a combined record of 76-155 SU. The 76ers have two straight wins including a solid win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Philly was dealing with distracting issues during the trade deadline and now are rid of Ben Simmons in the deal for James Harden who is not expected to play tonight. Granted, the 76ers are without Seth Curry now but they were just favored by 1.5-points at home against the Suns and are now a home dog to Boston? That doesn’t add up according to our model. Philly has covered 7 straight in the series and 4 in a row at home. Embiid and company get it done tonight.

ASA top play on 10* San Antonio Spurs +3.5 over Chicago Bulls, 8:10 PM ET - We like the Spurs and the points over the short-handed Bulls are expected to be without Zach LaVine here. The Bulls are 21-8 SU at home, yet have the worst average Margin of Victory at home of all the teams that have 20 or more home wins this season. Chicago wins at home by +4.8PPG which is 9th in the NBA. A big reason why the Bulls don’t win by large margins is their lack of defense at home. Chicago ranks 21st in defensive efficiency at home allowing 1.119-points per possession. The Bulls have the best home efficiency numbers in the league at home but will be without one of their main offensive weapons in LaVine. San Antonio is 11-17 SU on the road this season but their average loss margin is -0.4PPG. The Spurs have the 7th best road defensive efficiency numbers in the NBA allowing 1.088PPP. The Spurs have two straight wins as road dogs and we expect them to keep this game close.

ASA top play on 10* Minnesota Timberwolves -6.5 over Indiana Pacers, 3:10 PM ET - Let’s consider this basic analysis first. Before the trade deadline the Pacers were just a +1.5 home underdog to the Chicago Bulls. They then traded away their two leading scorers in Sabonis and LeVert along with key role player Craig and were +6.5 points at home to the Cavs in the first game after the trade. Yes, they added talented Haliburton and Hield but clearly the oddsmakers feel they will regress in the short-term. The Wolves are off back-to-back losses but had won 5 straight games prior to that with a pair of impressive double-digit wins over the Jazz and Nuggets. The Pacers are on an 0-5 ATS streak while the Wolves are 5-1 ATS their last six games coming off a double-digit loss. As a favorite the Wolves have an average +/- of +9PPG and they have covered 11 of fifteen on the road against sub .500 teams. Don’t be scared off by the number, bet Minnesota.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 215.5 LA Clippers @ Dallas Mavericks, 8:40 PM ET - These two teams just met the other night with the Mavericks winning 112-105 for 217 Total points. Both teams shot well above their season averages with Luke Doncic of the Mavs having a big night with 51-points on 17 of 26 shooting. Dallas made 49% of their FG attempts (season average is 45.4% 19th in NBA) while the Clippers hit 48% (Clippers 22nd in NBA at 45.4%). The pace of play obviously favored the Under which would have cashed had they not both shot it so well. The Mavericks are the 28th slowest paced team in the NBA, the Clippers are 15th. Both teams are exceptional at defending the 3-point line with the Mavs holding the 5th best 3PT% D, the Clippers are 6th. The Clippers have the 9th best defensive efficiency rating in the NBA allowing 1.093-points per possession, the Mavericks are better yet ranking 5th at 1.072PPP. The Over is 2-1 this season between these two teams but they had an abnormally hot shooting night on Thursday and barely went Over the number, played on OT game to go Over and then scored 188 in the first meeting of the season. We like UNDER in this one.

ASA top play on 10* OVER 226.5 Charlotte Hornets at Detroit Pistons, 7:10 PM ET - We know two constants in this matchup and that is pace and poor defense. Both teams are going to play fast which means plenty of possessions to get an Over here. Charlotte is the 2nd fastest paced team in the NBA at 100.4 possessions per game, Detroit is 12th at 98.8. Defense, or lack of defense is the other trait both teams share. The Hornets rank 24th in defensive efficiency allowing 1.130-points per possession, the Pistons rank 26th allowing 1.132PPP. We are getting tremendous value here with Charlotte’s recent offense struggles but the main reason they haven’t scored is the defenses they’ve faced. In 6 of their last seven games they’ve faced a team with a top 13 defensive efficiency rating. It will become much easier to score here against this Pistons D that is giving up 112.3PPG. Charlotte is the 9th best 3-point shooting team in the NBA, Detroit is 30th in defending the 3. We get a marginal Total set by the oddsmakers and the value clearly lies with the OVER!

ASA top play on 10* Phoenix Suns -3 over Milwaukee Bucks, 10 PM ET - The Suns are 44-10 SU on the season and clearly playing at another level. Milwaukee is turning the corner and moved to 2nd place in the Eastern Conference. We don’t use “revenge” often in the NBA but that’s the case tonight as the Suns will be at another level emotionally tonight after losing to the Bucks in the Finals last year. The Bucks do have a positive road differential of +3.6PPG on the season but the Suns are 22-5 SU at home this season with the second-best margin of victory at +8.3PPG. Both teams are highly rated in terms of offense, but the difference tonight will be the Suns defense that ranks 4th best in the league in efficiency compared to the Bucks who rank 15th in points allowed per game this season. The energy and home crowd will carry the Suns to a double-digit win here.

ASA top play on 10* Chicago Bulls Money Line -120 over Charlotte Hornets, 7:40 PM ET - LaMelo Ball has made a big splash in the NBA this season and he’s been rewarded with an All-Star appearance as an alternate. He is dynamic offensively, but arguably the worst defender in the NBA. Charlotte will need to make a correction on the defensive end of the court to really ascend to the next level. The Hornets rank 28th in points allowed per game allowing over 114PPG, allow opponents to make 46.3% of their field goal attempts (20th) and 35.9% of their 3-point attempts (23rd). The Bulls aren’t great defensively, but they are better than the Hornets and rate slightly stronger offensively. Chicago is 5th in offensive efficiency (Hornets (12th) rank 8th in scoring, 1st in FG% and 3rd in 3-point shooting percentage. Charlotte has lost 5 straight game and we don’t see them correcting here against the Bulls who are also off two straight losses to the Suns and 76ers. The Bulls are 22-12 ATS as a favorite and we trust their Big 3 of LaVine, DeRozan and Vucevic much more than the Hornets lineup, especially without Hayward. In the last meeting the Bulls led by as many as 23-points and eventually won by 14. We expect similar results tonight.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 228.5 Houston Rockets @ New Orleans Pelicans, 8:10 PM ET - These two teams just met the other night and combined for 227 total points. The points for both teams came via great shooting by both teams. The Pelicans hit 53% from the field overall, 41% from beyond the arc (12-29) and made 26 free throws. The Rockets shot above their season averages too with 48% overall and 36% from the 3-point line. To put these numbers into perspective, these two teams rank in the bottom 10 of the league in both FG% and 3-point FG%. Watch for a regression here by both teams as they trend back to the “norm” in this rematch. Houston’s road games average 224 total points, New Orleans home games average 217PPG. The longterm history between these two teams favors the Under with 19 of the last 27 meetings in the Big Easy staying below the total. Bet UNDER here.

ASA top play on 10* OVER 224 Toronto Raptors @ Charlotte Hornets, 7:10 PM ET - We have a great play for you on Monday with the Over in this contest. This line is lower than it should be based on Charlotte's recent offensive struggles and lower scoring outputs. The Hornets have put up 90, 107, 101 and 86 points in their last four games. BUT those numbers come against Miami, Cleveland, Boston and the Clippers who ALL rank top 8 in the league in defensive efficiency. Toronto ranks 17th in DEFF, allow 46% shooting by opponents (18th) and 35.7% 3-point shooting by foes (21st). Charlotte is going to find their shooting groove here with the 2nd highest scoring offense in the NBA at nearly 114PPG and the 7th best 3-point shooting offense. Toronto is going to score here too against a Hornets defense that is 28th in points allowed per game (114.2PPG), 20th in FG% defense and 23rd in 3-point percentage D. Over the course of their last five games the Raptors have the 10th most efficient offense in the league at 1.162-points per possession. These two teams met in late January and produced 238 total points. More of the same tonight!

ASA top play on 10* OVER 221 Atlanta Hawks @ Dallas Mavericks, 6:10 PM ET - This shapes up to be a high scoring affair with plenty of points from both teams. The Mavs were on a strong UNDER streak in mid-January with 8 straight games staying below the Total but recently they’ve gone OVER in 5 of six. Dallas has the 4th best offensive efficiency rating in the NBA over the last five game span at 1.222-points per possession. On the season they have a top 5 defensive efficiency rating but in their last five games they’ve regressed on that end of the court to 11th allowing 1.123PPP. The Mavs recently put up 132 points against the Pacers and Blazers and they shouldn’t have a problem scoring here against a Hawks defense that is one of the worst in the league. Atlanta is 27th in DEFF, 24th in points allowed per game, 23rd and 25th in overall FG% defense and 3-point% defense. What Atlanta does to well is score points. The Hawks are 7th in scoring, 6th in shooting and 1st in 3-point percentage offensively. With current injuries to both teams we are projecting small ball lineups for both teams which should lead to a faster tempo and an up-and-down game. Four of the last six meetings have resulting in 221 or more points. The bet here is OVER.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 227.5 Miami Heat vs Charlotte Hornets, 7:10 PM ET - Miami is the alpha team in this matchup, and they’ll dictate tempo in Charlotte. The Heat are the 2nd slowest paced team in the NBA, behind only the Knicks when it comes to possessions per game. Charlotte is the 2nd fastest for the season but in their last five games they’ve slowed, and their offensive efficiency has dipped. Miami is 5th in points allowed per game, giving up just 104.8PPG behind the 8th best field goal percentage defense. The Heat are 8th in defensive efficiency allowing1.087-points per possession. At first glance, the Heat have played OVER in 7 of their last eight games but 7 of those eight games finished with less than 226 points (in regulation). Miami just played the Spurs, a very similar team to the Hornets and that game finished with 207 total points. Charlotte has been a high scoring team all season long, but they haven’t topped 220 total points in three straight games and 7 of their last ten. These teams have met once this season and that game finished with 213 total points. We like UNDER here.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 219 Atlanta Hawks @ Toronto Raptors, 7:40 PM ET - We are going contrarian here, grabbing the extra value with UNDER in this contest. This line opened 215.5 and has since moved to the current number of 219 giving us extra value. Not only that, these same two teams just met the other night in Atlanta and the O/U was 212.5. Both teams are coming off big emotional wins last night as the Raptors beat the Bulls in OT while the Hawks defeated the Suns at home. When playing the second night of a back-to-back these two teams average right around 215 total points per game and combined, they are 10-8 to the Under. These two teams rank 19th and 28th in pace of play so they prefer the slower tempo to begin with but given the circumstances this game should be slower yet. The Canadian government is not allowing fans at games, yet which makes this a dead environment and lacking energy for either team to feed off. Toronto’s home games this season have averaged 215 total points per game which is the 3rd lowest number in the NBA. Bet UNDER.

ASA top play on 10* OVER 220.5 Miami Heat vs San Antonio Spurs, 8:40 PM ET - These two teams go about scoring their points in different manners. The Spurs score by getting out in transition and forcing tempo with the 5th fastest paced offense in the NBA. San Antonio is 9th in scoring this season at 111.4PPG, 13.4 of those points come via the fast break which is 8th highest in the NBA. They are also the 7th most efficient team in the NBA when it comes to scoring on the break. Miami on the other hand prefers to play slow, ranking next to last in the league when it comes to pace of play. But the Heat are the 5th most efficient offense in the league at 1.127-points per possession. The Heat are the 2nd best 3-point shooting team in the NBA at 37.5% and the Spurs have a tough time defending the 3-pointer with the 19th ranked 3PT% defense. San Antonio ranks 9th in overall FG% and 13th in 3PT% and the Heat rank 18th in 3PT% defense. Miami is coming off 3 straight lackluster offensive performances and now get a chance to put up big offensive numbers against a Spurs defense that is 20th in efficiency that has given up 115 or more points in 7 of their last nine games. Get your play in on the OVER.

ASA top play on 10* LA Lakers -3.5 over Portland Trailblazers, 10:40 PM ET - Man, I hate betting on the Lakers! LA is obviously a very popular and public team which means they more than likely are over-priced most nights. Since LeBron joined the Lakers, they are a money-burning 136-162-6 ATS (45.6%) which is the second worst spread record in the NBA since 2018. Portland has been horrible on the road this season though with a 7-17 SU record and the 4th worst average loss margin of -8.9PPG. They rank 25th in offensive efficiency on the road and last in road defensive efficiency. The Lakers have played a large portion of the season without Anthony Davis, so their home statistics are somewhat misleading. In games he’s played at home they are 9-7 SU. Yes, the Lakers will be without James here, but the Blazers continue to play and lose without their best player Lilliard. LA has covered 4 straight when coming off a spread loss and recently beat the Blazers by 33 at home. We like Los Angeles to get a solid home win and cover on Wednesday.

ASA top play on 10* Minnesota Timberwolves -5 over Denver Nuggets, 8:10 PM ET - We like the home team to prevail by double-digits in this matchup and will back the Wolves here. Let’s get this out of the way first. The Nuggets are playing lights-out right now with 5 straight wins and 8 of their last ten. We do like they are coming off a blowout win of the World Champion Milwaukee Bucks and may letdown here, especially with a potential look-ahead with the Jazz. The Nuggets have won 4 straight on the road but other than the Bucks they won at New Orleans, at Brooklyn who played without the Big 3 and at Detroit. In contrast, let’s look at the Wolves' most recent home games. They beat the Jazz by 20, the Nets by 11 with Irving and Harden and the Warriors by 20. Minnesota is 6-1 SU their last seven at home with all six wins coming by 6 or more points. The Nuggets are a respectable 15-12 SU on the road this season but only 6 of those wins came against teams with a winning record. That ties into the Nuggets 8-18 ATS record in their last twenty-six road games versus a team with a winning home record. We like the Wolves by 10+

ASA top play on 10* Portland Trailblazers -3.5 over Oklahoma City Thunder, 8:10 PM ET - This is one of those “plug your nose” bets as we are backing a losing team as a road favorite. We will though for several reasons including going against a Thunder team that is 14-34 SU on the season and a team without their best player. The Thunder have the 4th worst overall point differential in the NBA at minus -7.2PPG and lose at home by an average of -4.3PPG. OKC is better than the Blazers statistically on the defensive end of the court but are much worst offensively. The Blazers are 16th in offensive efficiency ratings and are the 7th best 3-point shooting team in the NBA. The Thunder rank 30th in points, FG% shooting and 3-point% shooting with the worst offensive efficiency numbers at 1.025-points per possession. Scoring will be even tougher tonight without their best players Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who is averaging 24.4 points, 7.1 assists and 5.5 rebounds in wins this season. The Thunder haven’t won this season without SGA in the lineup and stand 0-5 SU on the year. In those five losses the Thunder have been beaten by 12, 6, 73, 18 and 9 points. Going back further we find the Thunder are a miserable 6-36 SU without Alexander over the past two full seasons. OKC has lost 12 of their last thirteen. Portland is on a 5-0 spread run their last five games when coming off a loss of 10 or more points. The bet here is backing Portland.

ASA top play on 10* UNDER 211.5 Dallas Mavericks @ Orlando Magic, 7:10 PM ET - We are getting some extra value here after the Mavs put up over 130 points offensively in two straight games. Dallas shot extremely well in big wins over the Pacers and Blazers by hitting over 53% in both games which is drastically higher than their season average of 45.2% (19th). It also helps that the Pacers and Blazers are two of the worst defensive efficiency teams in the NBA. Orlando isn’t great by any means, but they do rank 18th in opponents FG% and 21st in defensive efficiency ratings. The Magic will have a tough time scoring themselves with the 28th ranked scoring offense facing a Mavs defense that allows just 103.PPG which is 3rd best in the NBA. Dallas is coming off a game last night and the dominant team in this setting so they’ll dictate the pace of play which will be slow. The Mavs rank 29th in the league in tempo or possessions per game. When playing the second night of a back-to-back the Mavs are 8-1 to the Under and those games have averaged 205.2PPG. These two teams met a few weeks back and combined for 200 total points. More of the same today. Bet under!

ASA top play on 9* Chicago Bulls -5 over Portland Trailblazers, 3:40 PM ET - We like the situation to play an elite team in the NBA off a disappointing loss, versus a bad team off a win. The Bulls are coming off a loss in San Antonio and have been solid at home when coming off a beat with a 6-2 SU, 5-3 ATS record. Portland defeated the Rockets in their most recent game and have struggled in this situation with a 3-8 SU/ATS record when coming off a win and on the road. Portland is 7-15 SU away this year with the 4th worst point differential in the league at minus -8.4PPG. The Blazers have the 29th ranked road defensive efficiency and 22nd offensive efficiency numbers. Chicago is 17-6 SU at home with the 8th best average MOV at +4.7PPG. The Bulls were recently a -4-point home favorite over the Raptors who are playing much better than the Blazers and now this line is only a 1.5-points higher?

ASA top play on 10* Washington Wizards +5.5 over Memphis Grizzlies, 8:10 PM ET - The Grizzlies are coming off a big game last night versus the Jazz and are ripe for a letdown. Memphis is playing the 2nd of a back-to-back, 3rd in four nights and 7th in thirteen days. Washington meanwhile has been off since the 25th and will come into this game well rested. The Wizards are getting healthy with Dinwiddie, Beal, Bryant and Hachimura all back in the lineup. Washington is coming off an embarrassing home loss to the Clippers (lost by 1-point after leading by 35-points) the last time out and will be highly motivated here. Memphis is 5-4 SU when playing without rest, but their average margin of victory is minus -1.7PPG. The Wiz are a respectable 10-13 SU away from home on the season and not only do we like them to cover here, but we also won’t be surprised if they win outright.

ASA top play on 10* Chicago Bulls +1.5 over San Antonio Spurs, 8:40 PM ET - We successfully played against the Spurs the other night with part of our analysis touching on scheduling and fatigue being a factor for San Antonio. It showed late in the game and the Grizzlies took advantage with a cover. This isn’t a back to back for the Spurs but this will be their 9th game in sixteen days. The Bulls are 30-17 on the season and sit second in the East behind the Heat. Chicago went through a funk recently with a 4-6 SU record their last ten games but that was largely due to injuries to Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozen. Both are back here and played well in their most recent game, a win over Toronto. Chicago ranks in the top half of the NBA in most key statistical categories when playing on the road. The Spurs on the other hand rank 25th in defensive efficiency at home which will show in this game with the weapons the Bulls have offensively. Chicago is the 2nd best overall shooting team in the NBA, 1st in 3-point percentage and they should take advantage of a Spurs defense hemorrhaging points in the paint. The Bulls get this road win.