At 7:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (502) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (501) in Game Two of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (53-25) looks to bounce back from their 128-124 upset loss to the Hawks in Game One of this series. Atlanta (46-32) has won nine of their last ten games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: Philly came out flat on Sunday even with Joel Embiid's surprise return to action despite the meniscus tear in his right knee. They allowed the Hawks to make 63.4% of their shots in the first half en route to their 51.2% shooting percentage for the game. That was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five games. The 76ers’ outscored the Hawks in the second half by a 70-54 margin once they refocused at halftime. Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after suffering an upset loss. They are 9-4-1 ATS in their last 15 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. They are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 29 home games with the Total set from 220 to 229.5 points. Philly has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games when favored. Atlanta closed out their series with the New York Knicks with an upset 103-89 victory on the road as a 1-point underdog. The Hawks have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after an upset win. And while Atlanta has covered the point spread in four straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after covering the point spread in four straight games. They stay on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 34 road games with the Total set at 220 or higher. The Hawks posted an Offensive Rating of 118.5 in Game One with an effective field goal percentage of 62.8%. That is not likely to happen again tonight.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. With home-court now in hand, the Hawks may not be able to stop themselves from letting up a bit tonight. 10* NBA Tuesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Philadelphia 76ers (502) minus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (501). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (584) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (583) in Game One of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (55-23) has won three in a row after their 113-100 upset win in Los Angeles against the Lakers as a 2-point underdog on Thursday to close that series out in six games. Denver (51-27) has won four of their last five games after defeating the Trail Blazers in six games last round with their 126-115 win in Portland as a 5.5-point underdog on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINTS: Phoenix should build off their momentum. They are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after a win against a divisional opponent. The Suns have covered the point spread in three straight games while scoring at least 113 points in their last two games. Phoenix has then covered the point spread in 28 of their last 42 games after covering the point spread in their last two games — and they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 32 games after scoring at least 111 points in two straight games. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 34 home games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Suns have also covered the point spread in 21 of their last 33 games with the Total set in the 220s — and they are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Denver made 51.2% of their shots to close out their series with the Blazers which was the highest field goal percentage in their last four games. The Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 29 of their last 43 games after winning on the road by 10 or more points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 39 of their last 60 games after winning two in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after winning two in a row against a Northwest Division opponent. Furthermore, Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games when playing with at least three days of rest. They stay on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Nuggets remained thin at guard with Will Barton and P.J. Dozier still injured along with Jamal Murray out the season. Denver will continue to rely on Austin Rivers, Facundo Campazzo, and Monte Morris. Rivers was out of the league in March after being cut by Oklahoma City while Campazzo is a 30-year-old rookie and Morris is a former second-round pick who usually plays minimal minutes. The Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 opening games to a new playoff series.

FINAL TAKE: Denver won the last meeting between these two teams back in January by a 120-112 score — and Phoenix has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games at home when playing with revenge. 10* NBA Monday Late Show Bailout with the Phoenix Suns (584) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (583). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (581) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Brooklyn Nets (582) in Game Two of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (50-27) had their four-game winning streak snapped with their 115-107 loss at Brooklyn as a 3.5-point underdog in Game One of this series on Saturday. Brooklyn (53-25) has won three straight games as well as 10 of their last 11 contests.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINT(S): The Bucks endured the combination of some bad shooting luck and just an underachieving effort on the offensive end of the court on Saturday. They made only 6 of their 30 shots from behind the arc. They missed 8 of their 19 free throw attempts. They shot just 44.6% from the field which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. Milwaukee should approach their 48.6% field goal percentage along with their 38.3% mark from 3-point land and their 78.3% free throw percentage when on the road tonight. They should be encouraged by the 15 offensive rebounds they pulled down on Saturday. Their size advantage should help them get plenty of second-chance scoring opportunities all series — and Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez should dominate with their inside scoring. Milwaukee outrebounded the Nets by a 58-47 margin on Saturday. The Bucks attempted 101 shots in Game One after taking 99 shots in Game Four of their shots — and this is the style from which Mike Budenholzer’s team thrives. Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 51 of their last 84 games after taking at least 90 shots in two straight games. The Bucks have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Milwaukee has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 second games to a new playoff series. Brooklyn has played their last two games Under the Total — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after playing two straight Unders. Blake Griffin had a surprising breakout game on Saturday with 18 points and 14 rebounds while making four of his five shots from 3-point range. Griffin was also loose with the trash talk — but I am skeptical that a cocky and empowered Griffin is in the best long-term interests of the Nets. Brooklyn has only covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Additionally, the Nets failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games against playoff teams with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving healthy and playing but without James Harden.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee has covered the point spread in 6 of the last 8 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 second games in a playoff series. 10* NBA Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Milwaukee Bucks (581) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Brooklyn Nets (582). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (574) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (573) in Game Seven of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (50-28) forced a climactic seventh game in this series after their 104-97 win on the road against the Mavericks as a 3-point favorite. Dallas (45-33) has lost three of the last four games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: It may look easy to take the Mavericks getting 6 or so points in this seventh game — but Los Angeles has been the dominant team in this series since making some adjustments after Game Two. Dallas was on fire with their 3-point shooting by making 47.2% and 52.9% of their 3-pointers in the first two games in this series. But the Regression Gods made their appearance and the Mavs have not been the same from behind the arc. They made only 11 of their 34 shots (32.4%) of their 3-pointers in Game Six. Ty Lue made the decision to not play Ivica Zubic when Luka Doncic is on the court since he was getting torched on the pick-and-roll. Going with a small lineup of Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum for Zubic and Patrick Beverley has been a game-changer for the Clippers. Beverley is not the same player on defense — and he has never been much of a scorer, so he is a liability if he has lost his defensive prowess. I’m not surprised that Los Angeles blew Game Five at home after picking themselves off the mat to win both games in Dallas. But facing elimination, Kawhi Leonard is finally defending Doncic — he held him to 2 of 6 shooting in the times he guarded him on Friday. I expect Leonard to take on this defensive assignment even more for this Game Seven. And how far away is Doncic from being 100% with the neck injury has been dealing with for most of this series? Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with one day of rest. They have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 22 home games when laying 6.5 to 12 points. Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after a loss at home. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games with one day of rest. And in the last 9 games after losing three of their last four games, the Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in all 5 games. For Dallas to win, Doncic will have to carry the team. Kristaps Porzingis is a big disappointment coming off a 7-point game on Friday. He has not reached double-digits three times in this series.

FINAL TAKE: The Mavericks had their chance to win this series on Friday. The challenge is even harder now, even though they have won three times already in the Staples Center. They will play hard — but expect the Clippers to eventually pull away. Dallas remains a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 playoff games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. 25* NBA 1st Round ABC-TV Playoff Game of the Year with the Los Angeles Clippers (574) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (573). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Atlanta Hawks (571) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (572) in Game One of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION:  Atlanta (45-32) has won eight of their last nine games after their 103-89 victory at New York as a 1-point underdog on Wednesday to close out that series in five games. Philadelphia (53-24) has won six of their last seven games with their 129-112 victory against Washington as a 6-point favorite on Wednesday to end that series in five games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: Atlanta has been a much better team since Nate McMillan took over as their head coach midseason. The team is playing much better on the defensive end of the court. The Hawks have held their last eight opponents to no better than 44.2% shooting — and six of their last seven opponents have not topped 42% shooting. Atlanta has a rising superstar in Trae Young who can carry the team. The Hawks have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, Atlanta has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit loss. They go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 road games as an underdog of up to six points. And in their last 7 games against teams with a winning record, Atlanta has covered the point spread 6 times. Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Joel Embiid is going to attempt to play this afternoon despite the tear in the meniscus in his right knee. I am skeptical how effective he can be — and the point spread has moved a few points in Atlanta’s favor since the announcement. The Sixers remain a team that is 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 games when playing a team with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta will be looking to avenge a 126-104 loss to the 76ers in Philly on April 30th. The Hawks have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games when avenging a loss on the road. 10* NBA Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Atlanta Hawks (571) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Brooklyn Nets (562) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (561) in Game One of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (52-25) returns to the court for the first time since Tuesday after they completed their four-game sweep of Boston in Round One of the playoffs with their 123-109 victory as a 12.5-point favorite. Milwaukee (50-26) has won seven of their last eight games after sweeping against the Heat in four games after their 120-103 victory on the road in Miami as a 4-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NETS MINUS THE POINTS: Brooklyn should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a point spread victory. The Nets have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit victory. After Kevin Durant missed 38 regular-season games, James Harden missed 14 games in the regular season, and Kyrie Irving missed 18 regular games, the Brooklyn Big Three added five games to the 13 total overall this season that they have played — and the results were impressive. They scored 128 points per 100 possessions against the Celtics in the opening round of the playoffs — and I don’t care if the Boston defense was not elite, that is an incredible number against a playoff team. The Nets host Game One where they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 home games when favored in the Barclays Center. Brooklyn has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Furthermore, the Nets have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 47 games with the Over/Under set at 230 or higher — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Milwaukee may suffer an emotional letdown after exorcising the demons of getting upset by the Miami Heat in the playoffs last postseason. The Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after winning three games in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games. Milwaukee may suffer from rest with the week off — they are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games when playing with at least three days of rest. They go on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight road games as an underdog. Furthermore, the Bucks are 16-33-2 ATS in their last 51 games in the playoffs as an underdog. Milwaukee lost an important piece last round with the season-ending foot injury to Donte DiVincenzo.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee won the last meeting between these two teams with their 124-118 victory at home on May 4th. The Bucks have yet to play the Nets with Durant, Harden, and Irving all on the court — and the Nets have covered the point spread in 41 of their last 68 games when avenging a loss on the road. 25* NBA 2nd Round Saturday TNT Game of the Year with the Brooklyn Nets (562) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (561). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (557) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (558) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (49-28) looks to stave off elimination after losing Game Five of this series with their 105-100 upset loss at home to the Mavericks as a 7.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Dallas (45-32) returns home with the opportunity to close out this series with their 3-2 lead.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles dominated the Mavericks in Dallas in Game Three and Four of this series with two double-digit victories by an average winning margin of +17.5 PPG. Not surprisingly to us, they returned home to the Staples Center complacent — and they got burned by Luka Doncic who was able to carry his team after he had an extra day to rest his sore neck. But head coach Tyron Lue probably made the key move in this series by benching Ivica Zubic who was getting burned on the pick-and-roll unable to defend Doncic. Instead, Lue has put Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum in the starting lineup for Zubic and Patrick Beverley (who has not played well since returning from the injury that kept him out most of the regular season). The Clippers are back to facing a four-alarm emergency — so they should play better tonight. They made only 41.2% of their shots on Wednesday which was the lowest shooting percentage in their last 14 games. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 34 of their last 54 games after a straight-up loss. The Clippers have lost and failed to cover the point spread in five of their last seven games — but they have then covered the point spread in 13 of their last 15 games after losing five of their last seven games — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 16 games after failing to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 16 games after failing to cover the point spread in five of their last seven games. They have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with one day of rest. Los Angeles goes back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Dallas benefited from a resurgent performance from Luka Doncic who rebounded from his subpar 9 of 24 shooting mark in Game Four with a 42 point night on Wednesday which included him nailing 6 of 12 shots from behind the arc. Doncic also assisted on 14 baskets in Game Four — he scored or assisted on all but six of the Mavericks’ field goals. He clearly benefited from the extra second day of rest. But this game is being played with one day of rest — will Doncic be able to recover from his injured neck that seemed to hold him back in Game Four? As it is, Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games played with just one day of rest. The Mavericks have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after a win by six points or less — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 23 home games after a win on the road. They return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 home games with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range. Dallas remains a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 playoff games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers have covered the point spread in 43 of their last 66 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss where they were favored by at least seven points — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when avenging an upset loss on their home court where they were laying at least seven points. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Los Angeles Clippers (557) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (558). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (544) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (543) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (544) tries to pick themselves off the mat from a 115-85 blowout loss on the road against the Suns as a 4.5-point underdog on Tuesday. Phoenix (54-23) took a 3-2 lead in the series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS MINUS THE POINTS: Things started fine for Los Angeles as LeBron James exerted himself early to help the Lakers take a 10-5 lead in the opening four minutes of Game Five. But as often the case with James in non-elimination games, he then deferred to his “supporting cast” to see if he was going to get any help. The answer was a resounding “no” as the Suns went on a 16-0 run to take a 21-10 lead. The Lakers battled back to pull within five points at the end of the quarter. Phoenix then went on a 21-2 run to start the second quarter — and James put a cork in it to conserve his energy for Game Six. Three things will be different for this contest. First, James will give 100% since his team is on the brink of a long summer vacation. Second, his supporting cast will play better not only because they return to the Staples Center but because they cannot play any worse than they did on Tuesday. Some unkind rims did not help — but players like Kyle Kuzma need to step up and make an important basket (besides when his team is trailing by 20 points). We got clobbered with our Lakers play on Tuesday, but sometimes we are victims of the outlier performances. I do not expect Anthony Davis to play tonight — if he does, even better. But as I wrote for Tuesday’s Report, the Lakers were 11-7 straight-up in their 18 games playing with James but without Davis — and they outscored their opponents by a very respectable +7.1 points per 100 possessions playing with James but without Davis on the court. Tuesday was an outlier. The Lakers made only 34.5% of their shots in that game in what was the worst shooting effort for them all season. The Lakers’ defense should be better tonight as well after they led the NBA by holding their opponents to just 106.8 points per 100 possessions (with many of those games without Davis. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit loss. They have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after losing two in a row to Pacific Division rivals. Additionally, the Lakers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after not scoring more than 90 points in their last game. And in their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road, Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 4 of these games. Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread win — and they are 0-6-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a double-digit win. The Suns have also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after a win at home by 20 or more points. By holding the Lakers to just 34.5% shooting, Phoenix played their best defensive game of the season. Devin Booker is scoring 31.7 PPG on his home court on 50% shooting in this series — but his production drops to 18.0 PPG on 33% shooting in the two previous games in the Staples Center in this series. The Suns have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Lakers have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 10* NBA Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the Los Angeles Lakers (544) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (543). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (546) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (545) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Portland (44-33) looks to rebound from their epic 147-140 double-overtime loss at Denver as a 2-point underdog on Tuesday. Denver took a 3-2 lead in the series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS MINUS THE POINTS: Damian Lillard was sublime in Game Four with 55 points on 17 of 24 shooting which including tying a playoff record with 12 made 3s — and he bailed out Portland with buzzer-beating shots in regulation and the first overtime to keep his team alive. But his teammates did not offer much help. The Blazers’ supporting cast to Lillard made only 1 of their 19 shot attempts in overtime. Returning home should help where the role players are more comfortable. Portland has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better on the road. Additionally, the Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a loss on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Now after winning Game One of this series, Portland has lost and failed to cover the point spread in three of the last four games in this series. But the Blazers have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after losing three of four — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after only covering the point spread once in their last four games. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after a game where at least 235 combined points were scored. Michael Porter, Jr. had his best game in the playoffs on Tuesday by nailing 10 of his 13 shots en route to 26 points — but he sleepwalked his way through in Game Four and has yet to demonstrate the consistency to be a reliable Number Two to Nikola Jokic. Head coach Michael Malone has gotten surprisingly great play from the quartet of guards he is deploying in lieu of the injuries to Jamal Murray, Will Barton, and P.J. Dozier. Austin Rivers, Facundo Campazzo, Markus Howard, and Monte Morris have combined to average 41.2 PPG in this series while averaging 7.6 made 3-pointers per game on 42.7% shooting from behind the arc. With the three injured guards higher up on the depth chart still out tonight, can this group continue to put up these numbers? Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games as a dog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Furthermore, Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight playoff games when they were leading in the series — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 opportunities to close out a series.

FINAL TAKE: Portland has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 23 opportunities to exact same-season revenge. 25* NBA 1st Round Northwest Division Playoff Game of the Year with the Portland Trail Blazers (546) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (545). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (533) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (534) in Game Five of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Dallas (44-32) has lost the last two games of this series after their 106-81 loss at home to the Clippers as a 3-point underdog on Sunday. Los Angeles (49-27) has evened this series at 2-2 after losing the first two games at home at the Staples Center.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS PLUS THE POINTS: The big question in this game concerns how effective Luka Doncic will be with the cervical strain that seems to be impacting his shooting. He made only 9 of his 24 shots on Game Four. Even assuming Doncic is not much better, I still expect his teammates to play better after losing both games in Dallas by double-digits. The Mavericks have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after suffering two straight double-digit losses at home. Dallas made only 34.8% of their shots on Sunday in what was the worst shooting effort for them all season. They also made only 5 of their shots from bending the arc after shooting over 50% of their 3-pointers in both Game Two and Game Three. The Mavericks go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight road games against teams winning at least 60% of their games on their home court. Additionally, Dallas has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 road games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. And in their last 22 road games as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points, the Mavericks have covered the point spread in 16 of these games. Dallas has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Los Angeles may be due for a letdown after picking themselves off the mat from their disastrous start to this series. The Clippers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a double-digit victory. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with two days of rest. And while Los Angeles has scored at least 10 points three straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 29 games after scoring at least 105 points in three straight games. The Clippers return to the Staples Center where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 home games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Furthermore, Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 playoff games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 25 playoff games when the series was tied.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has covered the point spread in 3 of their 4 opportunities this season when avenging two straight double-digit losses to their opponent. The Mavericks have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against the Clippers in Los Angeles. 10* NBA Wednesday Late Show Bailout with the Dallas Mavericks (533) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the New York Knicks (532) minus the point(s) versus the Atlanta Hawks (531) in Game Five of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: New York (42-34) has lost the last two games in this series with their 113-96 loss at Atlanta as a 5-point underdog on Sunday. Atlanta (44-32) has won seven of their last eight games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE KNICKS MINUS THE POINT(S): New York should respond with a strong effort tonight. The Knicks have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a loss by 10 or more points — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after a straight-up loss. New York is also 14-6-1 ATS in their last 21 games after a point spread loss. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 home games when favored. This team will continue to play hard for head coach Tom Thibodeau — and they should be energized by the raucous crowd at Madison Square Garden tonight. They are 11-5-1 ATS in their last 17 games against teams with a winning record. They have also covered the point spread in 26 of their last 32 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Atlanta may not benefit from the extra day from the game on Sunday — they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games the playing with two days of rest. They go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home.

FINAL TAKE: The Knicks have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games when avenging a double-digit loss to their opponents. 10* NBA Atlanta-New York TNT Special with the New York Knicks (532) minus the point(s) versus the Atlanta Hawks (531). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (525) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (526) in Game Five of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (45-32) looks to rebound from their 100-92 upset loss at home to the Suns as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday. Phoenix (53-23) has won five of their last seven games after evening this series at 2-2.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS PLUS THE POINTS: The tenor of Game Four changed with Anthony Davis suffering a groin injury that limited him to playing only 19:24 minutes. He is doubtful to play on Tuesday with what has been described as a painful injury. Even without Davis, Los Angeles will be tough to beat. LeBron James remains the straw that stirs the drink in the NBA. His “supporting cast” should step up for this game. And head coach Frank Vogel has two days to make adjustments specific for the Suns. The Lakers played 18 games this season with James on the court playing without Davis. Los Angeles won 11 of these contests. Los Angeles outscored their opponents by +7.1 points per 100 possessions with James on the court without Davis. This Lakers’ roster is improved from the one that won the NBA title in the bubble last year. Dennis Schroeder and Montrezl Harrell are nice new additions that can provide scoring. Wes Matthews is a veteran who can provide reliable minutes. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is listed as questionable with a knee injury — but he says he is feeling better. His return will help. Expect Alex Caruso and Marc Gasol to play more minutes in place of Davis. Caruso is a valuable swiss army knife energy player. And while Gasol’s minutes have declined as the season went on in his first in a Lakers’ uniform, that is because he is not a good fit with Davis on the court. He is a valuable piece without Davis being available. As it is, Los Angeles should shoot better tonight after making only 39.5% of their shots on Sunday, the lowest shooting effort in their last 11 games. They made just 13 of their 40 shots from behind the arc — they should improve on that 32% shooting mark. The Lakers make 36.3% of their 3-pointers on the road. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss to a divisional rival. The Lakers have also covered 4 of their 6 games played this season on the road with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. This remains a team that has covered the point spread in 24 of their last 32 playoff games when tied in the series. Phoenix played their best defensive game in their last 22 games by holding the Lakers to 39.5% shooting. But the Suns have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games after an upset victory on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games when playing at home after an upset win on the road as an underdog. Additionally, Phoenix is 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread win. Even with Davis playing less than 20 minutes on Sunday, Phoenix only scored 100 points. The Suns are only hitting 33% of their shots from behind the arc in this series. The Lakers will continue to play stout defense. Los Angeles led the NBA in the regular season by holding their opponents to just 106.8 points per 100 possessions — and this includes Davis missing a big chunk of the season. Furthermore, the Suns are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: This is the game where the lack of playoff experience for this Suns team (outside Chris Paul and Jae Crowder) will likely play a role. Phoenix may win this game — but In LeBron, I Trust to make this contest a coin flip at the end (at least). James missed six of his seven shots from behind the arc on Sunday — he will play better. The Lakers have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games when avenging a loss at home. 25* NBA 1st Round Pacific Division Underdog of the Year with the Los Angeles Lakers (525) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (514) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (513) in Game Four of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Memphis (41-36) has lost the last two games in this series after their 121-111 loss at home to the Jazz as a 5.5-point underdog on Saturday. Utah (54-21) took a 2-1 win in this series with the victory after taking Game Two by a 141-129 score.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: While bettors are jumping on the Utah bandwagon tonight, the national media seems to have missed the narrative that I took from Game Three. Memphis entered the fourth quarter trailing by a 96-85 margin before going on a 24-9 run to give them a 109-107 lead with just 4:20 left in the game. But the Jazz then outscored the Grizzlies by a 14-2 margin the rest of the way to take the win while (unfortunately) covering the point spread late in the game. I chalk that game up to it being a learning experience for Memphis — something that most good young teams have to grow through becoming reliable playoff veterans. I suspect the bitter experience will harden them for this game — an opportunity to still even this series at 2-2. The Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a loss by 10 or more points on their home court. Memphis has also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after a loss at home. Additionally, the Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after losing two in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after not covering the point spread in two straight games. Memphis has allowed at least 109 points in four straight games — and they have then covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after allowing at least 105 points in four straight games. They stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games as an underdog getting up to six points. Utah is a great defensive team — but they are having difficulty stopping Ja Morant who is averaging 33.7 PPG in the last three games. Morant is one of the brightest young stars in the league — I expect him to continue scoring. He is drawing so much attention that it is opening up space for the underrated Dillon Brooks to average 27.0 PPG in this series. The Grizzlies are a dangerous underdog because they do several things to create more scoring chances. They were second in the NBA in the regular season by averaging 9.1 steals per game. They were sixth in the league in offensive rebounding. And they also take advantage of their scoring chances as they were sixth during the regular season in turnover rate on offense. Memphis has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games as an underdog. The three games in this series have all finished Over the Total with all three seeing at least 221 combined points scored. But the Jazz have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after playing at least three straight Overs — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after playing three straight games where at least 210 combined points were scored. Utah is vulnerable against defensive pressure as they had the eleventh highest turnover rate in the league. And because they attempt 42.3% of their shots from behind the arc, they are vulnerable to the adage of “live by the 3, die by the 3.” These are characteristics that make them unreliable favorites. The Jazz have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 playoff games when favored — and they are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Utah has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games when playing with revenge from a loss at home. 25* NBA TNT Game of the Month with the Memphis Grizzlies (514) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (513). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (578) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (577) in Game Three of this Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Memphis (41-35) looks to bounce back from their 141-129 loss at Utah as a 10-point underdog on Wednesday. Utah (53-21) has won three of their last four games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: Memphis had been on a three-game winning streak during a treacherous stretch that included both Play-In Tournament games and Game One of this series. A letdown was coming (and we were on the Jazz). The Grizzlies allowed the Jazz to make 54.4% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 40 games. Memphis had been playing better on the defensive end of the court to close out the regular season — they ranked twelfth in the league in Defensive Efficiency. Getting Jalen Jackson and his interior defense back on the court after he missed most of the season with an injury. Jackson averaged 1.6 blocks per game and 1.1 steals per game to close out the regular season. Memphis should tighten up on defense. They have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games after a double-digit loss. The Grizzlies are a dangerous team with an underrated head coach in Taylor Jenkins and a rising superstar in Ja Morant. Morant is making 55.3% of his shots in this series after scoring 47 points in a losing effort on Wednesday. Dillon Brooks is underappreciated as well — the former Oregon star is averaging 27 PPG on 57.5% shooting in this series despite playing limited minutes because of foul trouble on Wednesday. These are some of the reasons why the Grizzlies are often reliable underdogs. They have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight home games as a dog. Memphis has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Utah rebounded from their Game One loss by nailing 19 of their 39 shots from behind the arc for a 48.7% percentage. The Jazz’s 54.4% shooting percentage was their best mark in their last eight games. But Utah has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last contest. The Jazz have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Additionally, they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the playoffs when favored — and they are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 26 games when playing with revenge for a same-season loss. 10* NBA Saturday Late Show Bailout with the Memphis Grizzlies (578) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (577). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (574) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (573) in Game Four of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Portland (43-32) has lost the last two games in this series with their 120-115 upset loss to the Nuggets as a 4-point underdog on Thursday. Denver (49-26) has won five of their last seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS MINUS THE POINTS: Portland only shot 45.0% from the field on Thursday which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last five games. They made only 14 of their 45 shots from behind the arc — and they made four straight 3s late in the game (before missing a 66-foot attempt at the buzzer) to make the score appear closer than it was for most of the game which would have changed the dynamic of the contest. After dealing with a host of injuries impacting Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum along with many of the supporting cast, when this team got healthy again, they nailed 43.2% of their 3-pointers from April 27th to the end of the regular season. For the year, the Blazers ranked sixth in the NBA by making 38.5% of their 3-pointers. They should shoot better tonight. Portland has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. The Trail Blazers have lost and failed to cover the point spread in the last two games. But not only has Portland covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after losing two in a row — and they have covered the point spread 9 of their last 13 games after not covering the point spread in two straight games. Head coach Terry Stotts made an adjustment at half-time to go small with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson at center rather than Enes Kanter when starter Jusuf Nurkic needs a breather. The Blazers were outscored by a 16-1 margin when Kanter subbed for Nurkic in the first half. Kanter is simply too much of a liability on defense — and that is before he tries to defend the league MVP Nikola Jokic. Portland was +10 when Kanter was off the court in Game Three — and they even outscored the Nuggets when Stotts went small in the second half without Nurkic on the court. The Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when favored. Portland has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 playoff games when trailing in the series. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after an upset win. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning two in a row against a Northwest Division rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. The Nuggets will once again be playing without three of their top five guards on the depth chart with Jamal Murray out the season and Will Barton and P.J. Dozier still out with injuries. Denver got spectacular performances from Austin Rivers and Facundo Campazzo. Rivers nailed five 3-pointers including three with under two minutes to go which were all daggers. Campazzo has 11 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. But Campazzo is a 30-year old rookie and Rivers was out of the league after being dropped by Oklahoma City (!) two months ago. Can these two guards replicate their performances? I doubt it. As it is, Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games as an underdog in the 3.5 to 9.5 point range. The Nuggets have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games when leading in the playoffs.

FINAL TAKE: Portland has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games when avenging a loss at home to their opponent — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss at home. 25* NBA Northwest Division Game of the Month with the Portland Trail Blazers (574) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (573). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (572) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (571) in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Miami (40-35) looks to stave off elimination this afternoon after falling to an 0-3 deficit in this series with their 113-84 loss as a 1.5-point favorite on Thursday. Milwaukee (49-26) has won six of their last seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT PLUS THE POINTS: What is happening to Miami? Sure, the Bucks were going to be ready for bear in this series to avenge last season’s upset loss in the playoffs. And Milwaukee is better than their detractors suggest (and, believe it or not, Mike Budenholzer is a better basketball coach than NBA Twitter). The Bucks improved their shooting depth in the offseason. Miami faces a starker dilemma this time around regarding how to defend Brook Lopez: use a smaller defender to accompany Bam Adebayo to counter Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo, or go big with Dewayne Dedmon alongside Adebayo but hurt the desired spacing on offense. Budenholzer has had Antetokounmpo defend Jimmy Butler which has limited his effectiveness. But Erik Spoelstra has answers to all this. Adebayo needs to do more being defended by Lopez. Even simpler than that: the Heat simply needs to make some shots. They upset Milwaukee last year because Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro led the way with an avalanche of 3s. Make outside shots — and everything changes. It is that simple. Miami made only 37.6% of their shots on Thursday including only 9 of 32 (28%) from behind the arc. They made 8 of 28 (29%) shots from downtown in Game Two. Their 38% field goal percentage for the series is the lowest mark of all 16 teams in the playoffs. In the first game of this series, the Heat nailed 20 of their 50 shots from behind the arc. They lost that game on the last possession in overtime. Spoelstra is a great coach — and he is going to make an adjustment or two that NBA Twitter (and me!) will not think of for this game. But an investment in Miami this afternoon is an investment that the Heat will simply make more baskets. They make 46.8% of their shots at home with a 36.9% 3-point shooting percentage. If they approach those numbers, they should be in a close game. And I have faith in the Heat culture to play hard in this game if simply for pride's sake after two straight embarrassing losses. Miami is 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a point spread loss. They have allowed at least 105 points in five straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 18 games after allowing at least 105 points in five straight games. They are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games on their home court. And in their last 7 playoff games as an underdog, the Heat have covered the point spread in 5 of these games. I suspect Milwaukee will come out flat. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit victory. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after winning three in a row. The Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games as a favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 37 games when laying 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Miami has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games when avenging two straight losses by double-digits. Milwaukee has won the last four meetings between these two teams going back to the regular season — but the Heat have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing with revenge for at least four straight losses. 10* NBA Milwaukee-Miami TNT Special with the Miami Heat (572) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (571). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (565) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (566) in Game Three of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (47-27) lost their fourth game in a row on Tuesday with their 127-121 upset loss to the Mavericks as a 7-point favorite in the second game of this series. Dallas (44-30) has pulled off upsets in the first two games of this series while winning 13 of their last 17 games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles has to play better in slowing down Luka Doncic and this Mavericks offense that has scored at a 128.3 points per 100 possessions rate. Patrick Beverley will likely play more tonight than the 20.5 minutes per game he has averaged — head coach Tyron Lue needs his defensive talent on the court. The Clippers allowed Dallas to make 58.5% of their shots in Game Two which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 34 games. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of the shots. And while the Clippers have allowed their last four opponents to make at least 50% of their shots, the Clippers have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after allowing their last three opponents to shoot at least 47% from the field. In theory, Los Angeles is supposed to be a better defensive team — even with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George missing 20 and 18 games respectively, they finished 8th in the league in the NBA — and they were sixth in the league by holding their opponents to 35.5% shooting from behind the arc. The Clippers have lost five of their last seven games — but they have then covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after losing five or six of their last seven games. They go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 21 games with the total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Dallas is not likely to continue to make 50% of their 3-pointers as they have so far in this series. The Mavericks’ 58.5% field goal percentage on Wednesday was their best shooting mark of the season. An emotional letdown is likely. As it is, they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 home games after a win on the road. And while Dallas has seen at least 216 combined points scored in three straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games after playing three straight games where at least 215 combined points were scored. This remains a franchise that has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games when playing the same-season revenge — and they have covered the points spread in 42 of their last 65 games when avenging upset loss where they were favored by at least 7 points. 10* NBA Friday Late Show Bailout with the Los Angeles Clippers (565) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (566). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (556) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (555) and the Portland Trail Blazers (556) in Game Three of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Portland (43-31) looks to rebound from their 128-109 loss at Denver as a 2-point favorite on Monday. Denver (48-26) evened this series at 1-1 while snapping a two-game losing streak.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLAZERS MINUS THE POINTS: Portland allowed the Nuggets to make 52.9% of their shots in Game Two which was the worst defensive effort in their last 15 games. Head coach Terry Stotts did make some adjustments at halftime which helped his team hold Denver to just 42.2% shooting in the second half. The Trail Blazers should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. Additionally, Portland has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss. They return home where they are a small favorite tonight — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when favored. The Trail Blazers have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Denver enjoyed the best shooting effort in their last 14 games by making 52.9% of their shots. But the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 29 of their last 42 games on the road after a double-digit victory. Denver has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win. And in their last 6 games when playing with two days of rest, the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of these games. They go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning record at home. Denver has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 51 games with the Total set at 220 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: Portland has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 29 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 110 points. 10* NBA Thursday Late Show Bailout with the Portland Trail Blazers (556) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (555) and the Portland Trail Blazers (556). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (552) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (551) in Game Three of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Miami (40-34) has lost the first two games of this series with their 132-98 loss at Milwaukee as a 5-point favorite on Monday. Milwaukee (48-26) has won five of their last six games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT PLUS THE POINTS: On the heels of a 34-point loss in Game Two, many pundits are forgetting that this Miami team was in a possession-for-possession battle with the Bucks in the opening game of this series which they lost on a buzzer-beating shot — in overtime. There is a perception held by some that the Heat were flukes in making the NBA Finals last year. While perhaps the team was fortunate and in a better position to make a deep playoff run in the bubble last fall, they should be immediately discounted because of one bad first half. Milwaukee raced out to a 78-51 halftime lead on Monday — but Miami has then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after trailing by at least 20 points in their last game. Additionally, the Heat are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread loss. Miami has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after allowing at least 130 points in their last game. Now after playing their last four games on the road, the Heat return home for the first time since May 13th. Miami has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after playing their last four games on the road — and they are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games at home. The Heat have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 playoff games as an underdog. Milwaukee is likely due for a letdown after their easy win in Game Two. They nailed 22 of their 53 shots from downtown at a sizzling 42% rate. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a win at home by at least 20 points. The Bucks have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win by 30 or more points. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Additionally, they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after holding a halftime lead of 20 or more points. Milwaukee has also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after winning their last two games at home. The Bucks hit the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games when favored. Furthermore, Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Miami only made 8 of their 28 shots from 3-point land (29%) on Monday after they nailed 20 shots from downtown in Game One. The same Heat culture that helped them thrive in the bubble should lead to a very determined effort tonight. Erik Spoelstra is a great coach — and he has plenty of pieces on the roster from which to make adjustments. A playoff series starts when a team losing on their home court, goes the adage. Miami has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when avenging a 20-point loss on the road. 25* NBA 1st Round Playoff Underdog of the Year with the Miami Heat (552) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (551). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (546) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (545) in Game Two of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Utah (52-21) looks to rebound from their 112-109 upset loss at home to the Grizzlies in Game One of this series. Memphis (41-34) has won three in a row and eight of their last nine games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ MINUS THE POINTS: Utah started strong in Game One by taking a 10 point lead after the end of the first quarter before taking a 14-point lead. But the Jazz got sloppy with the basketball — and they can sometimes “die by the 3” given their reliance on 3-point shooting when things start to go bad. Utah missed 17 of 19 shots from distance before halftime while turning the ball over 10 times to open the door for the Grizzlies to get back into the game. Rudy Gobert also got into foul trouble — he only played 25 minutes in the game. Donovan Mitchell was supposed to return to action in this game but he did not play. And despite all this, the Jazz were almost in a position to steal this game at the end. The extra day of rest should help this team tonight as they are 11-4-1 ATS in their last 16 games playing with two days of rest. Gobert should play more minutes tonight. Utah should also come closer to their 38.9% shooting from 3-point range after they made only 12 of their 47 shots from behind the arc on Sunday. The Jazz have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Getting Mitchell back tonight is expected — and it can only help. But Utah closed out the regular season winning ten of fifteen games without Mitchell — and they led the league with a +9.8 Net Efficiency Rating so head coach Quin Snyder’s team has demonstrated they can still play at a very high level without him. Memphis has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread win. The Grizzlies play on the road for a third straight game in what has been a busy ten-day period that included two single-elimination Play-In Tournament games and an important game at Golden State to determine seeding on the last day of the regular season. This is the first time in their last five games when Memphis did not have to travel. After two straight upset wins, they look like a prime candidate for an emotional and physical letdown. As it is, this franchise has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 playoff games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Utah has covered the point spread in 11 of the last 18 games when avenging a close loss by three points or less. 10* NBA Wednesday Late Show Bailout with the Utah Jazz (546) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (545). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (542) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (541) in Game Two of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (50-23) has won three games in a row with their 125-118 win against the Wizards in Game One of this series as an 8-point favorite on Sunday. Washington (35-40) has lost four of their last seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: Philadelphia was lax on defense in this game as they allowed the Wizards to make 55.7% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 46 games. Head coach Doc Rivers should get the play of their defense tightened up — the Sixers hold their guests to 45.0% shooting on their home court. Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 home games with the total listed at 220 or higher. Additionally, the 76ers have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 playoff games as the favorite. Washington's great shooting night came on the heels of them making 58.7% in their Play-In Tournament victory against Indiana last Thursday. But the Wizards have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after making at least 50% of their shots in two straight games. And while Washington has lost two of their last there games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 35 of their last 53 games on the road after losing two of their last three games. This is the Wizards’ fourth game in the last ten days — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games when playing no more than four games in a ten-day span. This remains a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 playoff games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Washington has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games played in Philadelphia. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Philadelphia 76ers (542) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (541). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (536) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (535) in Game Two of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (47-26) looks to rebound from their 113-103 upset loss to the Mavericks in the opening game of this series as a 6-point underdog on Saturday. Dallas (43-30) has won seven of their last nine games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles closed out the regular season with twelve wins in their last sixteen games — but they need to get back to business after being upset in all three games of their current losing streak. One of those losses was their controversial upset loss on the last day of the regular season where they tanked the game to avoid the Lakers in the first round — the smart move since the reigning champions have a tough series of their own with the Phoenix Suns before a hypothetical “Battle for Los Angeles.” But head coach Tyron Lue needs to get his team back to playing good basketball. That should happen tonight. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a loss by 10 or more points at home. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combined to make only 17 of their 40 shots from the field (42.5%) including going just 3 of 14 from behind the arc. As a team, Los Angeles made only 11 of 40 (27.5%) of their 3-pointers in Game One which was far below their 41.1% clip from downtown during the regular season. Besides interior players Serge Ibaka and Ivica Zubic, the Clippers’ top-11 players all make at least 39.7% of their 3-pointers. Los Angeles also needs to tighten up on defense after allowing the Mavericks to make at least 50% of their shots. The Clippers have let all three of their opponents during their recent losing streak make at least 50% of their shots — but they have then covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after allowing their last three opponents to make at least 47% of their shots. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 home games when favored by 6.5 to 12 points. Lue learned early in Game One that Zubac will be a liability in this series given his defense on the pick-and-roll. Luka Doncic torched him on Saturday. But Dallas is due for a visit from the Regression Gods after they made 50% of their shots from the field while nailing 17 of their 36 shots from downtown. That was the best field goal percentage in their last five games — and they did not even have the shooting of J.J. Redick who is out with a heel injury. The Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after an upset victory by 10 or more points. This remains a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games in the playoffs as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers are as healthy as they have been all season with Patrick Beverley, Serge Ibaka, and Marcus Morris all back in the mix after missing 35, 31, and 15 games respectively. Leonard and George missed 20 and 18 games as well. Los Angeles has now lost their last two games to the Mavericks after suffering a 105-89 loss at home to Dallas as a 2-point favorite on March 17th. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 home games when avenging a loss where their opponent scored at least 110 points. LA has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when playing with double-revenge. 25* NBA 1st Round Western Conference Playoffs Game of the Year with the Los Angeles Clippers (536) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (535). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (533) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (534) in Game Two of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (43-31) looks to rebound from their 99-90 loss to the Suns as a 2.5-point favorite in Game One of this series on Sunday. Phoenix (52-21) has won four games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS MINUS THE POINT(S): We expected Los Angeles to be flat in Game One after getting a moment to exhale after surviving the Play-In Tournament (and the grind to avoid the ninth or tenth seed which would have required two straight victories. Anthony Davis had one of his worst games of the season by making only 5 of his 16 shots from the field with the Lakers getting outscored by 18 when he was on the floor. He will play better tonight. Los Angeles is 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 games after a straight-up loss — and they have veered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when failing to score more than 90 points in their last game. LeBron James has been in this spot before where his team lost Game One in one of the first three rounds of the playoffs. His teams are 39-12 straight up in Game Twos after an opening game loss — and they are 33-16-2 ATS in those spots. Even better, since the 2012-13 season, James’ teams are 19-2 straight-up and 14-5-2 ATS in their last 21 playoff games (excluding the NBA Finals) in Game Two after dropping Game One. The Lakers have been good on the road with a 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 road games when favored. And while the Lakers had won six in a row before this loss, they have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 37 road games after winning four or five of their last six games. Phoenix may be due for a letdown after taking the lead in this series. They are just 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after a point spread win. Learning how to handle short-term success may be one of the challenges this team will have to learn how to deal with given their playoff inexperience. By holding the Lakers to just 43.4% shooting, they played their best defensive game in their last 14 contests. Chris Paul will likely play with his right shoulder injury — it looks like a stinger injury which will likely impact his shot. He had trouble moving his arm after the injury on Sunday. Paul is not likely to be close to 100%.

FINAL TAKE: Paul is the glue for this to offer them playoff experience — so this is a tough injury. The Suns have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 35 home games when favored by up to six points. 10* NBA Tuesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Los Angeles Lakers (533) minus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Denver Nuggets (524) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (523) in Game Two of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Denver (47-26) looks to bounce-back from their 123-109 upset loss to the Trail Blazers in Game One of this series on Saturday. Portland (43-30) has won seven of their last eight games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NUGGETS MINUS THE POINTS: Denver has rebounded to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit loss at home. The Nuggets have lost two games in a row to the Blazers after losing at Portland last Sunday by a 132-116 score to close out the regular season. The Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games after losing two games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 35 games after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games. Portland has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after pulling off an upset win. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games on the road after a win against a Northwest Division rival. The Blazers have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after winning two in a row against divisional rivals. And this remains a team that is just 13-29-2 ATS in their last 44 games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

FINAL TAKE: Denver has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games when trailing in a playoff series. And in their last 11 games when playing with revenge from a loss a home, the Nuggets have covered the point spread in 9 of these games. 10* NBA Monday Late Show Bailout with the Denver Nuggets (524) minus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (523). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:45 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (521) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (522) in Game Two of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Miami (40-33) has lost two of their last three games after dropping the opening game of this series by a 109-107 score as a 5.5-point favorite. Milwaukee (47-26) has won four of their last five games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT PLUS THE POINTS: Miami was in a position to win Game One despite Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo combining to make only 8 of their 37 shots from the field. The team only hit 36.4% of their shots which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last 32 games. They will shoot better tonight. The Heat are better than their 40-33 record after enduring a season impacted by injuries and COVID issues. They are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, Miami has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Heat have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 playoff games as an underdog. Milwaukee played their best defensive game in their last 25 contests by holding Miami to just 36.4% shooting. But the Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a victory at home by three points or less. Additionally, Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. And while the Bucks have won nine of their last eleven games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 24 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games. They stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 home games when favored by up to six points. Furthermore, Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games playoff games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Miami has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when avenging a loss by three points or less. 10* NBA Miami-Milwaukee TNT Special with the Miami Heat (521) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (522). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (516) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (515) in Game One of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Utah (52-20) goes into the postseason with seven wins in their last nine games after their 121-99 victory at Sacramento as an 11.5-point favorite last Sunday. Memphis (40-34) has won seven of their last eight games after their upset 117-112 win at Golden State as a 4.5-point favorite on Friday night.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ MINUS THE POINTS: Utah should build off the momentum from last week — they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 34 games after a double-digit win. They have also covered the point spread in 25 of their last 36 games after a point spread victory. And while they have covered the point spread in two straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. The Jazz hope that their star point guard Donovan Mitchell returns to the court tonight — he is listed as probable. Without him, the Utah Train did not derail. The Jazz won ten of their fifteen games after Mitchell’s ankle injury — and their +9.8 Net Rating over that span was tops in the NBA. Their Defensive Rating of 106.2 in their last 15 games is the best mark in the NBA. Utah is also third in the league in Offensive Rating due to a bevy of 3-point shooters. The Jazz average 43.3 shots from behind the arc per game — and they are fourth in the NBA by making 38.9% of these shots. The Grizzlies are 18th in the league by allowing their opponents to make 36.7% of their shots from behind the arc. Utah returns home where they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 32 home games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Jazz have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 home games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Memphis may be due for a letdown after their whirlwind week which included winning two straight single-elimination games. The team racked up the frequent flier miles — traveling from San Francisco last Sunday (after playing the Warriors to close out the regular season) back to Memphis to Los Angeles on Friday and now Salt Lake City. Playing at the higher altitude won’t help their cause either after this grueling week. As it is, the Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread win. Furthermore, Memphis has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 road games against teams winning at least 60% of their games on their home court.

FINAL TAKE: Utah swept the three-game regular-season encounters between these two teams. The Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 playoff games as an underdog. 25* NBA 1st Round Sunday TNT Game of the Year with the Utah Jazz (516) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (515). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:35 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (514) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (513) in Game One of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (51-21) enters the postseason on a three-game winning streak after their 123-121 win at San Antonio as a 2-point favorite last Sunday. Los Angeles (43-30) survived the Play-In Tournament with their 103-100 win at home against Golden State as a 5.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINTS: I don’t like this situation for the defending champions. Getting by the Warriors absolved them from the potential embarrassment of not making the playoffs. Now they have the luxury of a seven-game series — and I think they will exhale just a little bit after being in playoff mode for the last few weeks trying to avoid the Play-In Tournament. As it is, they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after a win at home. The Lakers are still not in-synch on the offensive end of the court just yet. They have only registered an offensive efficiency rate above 109.8 points per 100 possessions once in their last five games — and that was against an Indiana team that has been a train wreck on defense since losing Myles Turner to a season-ending injury. For context, 109.8 points per 100 possessions are what the Lakers averaged during their injury-riddled season which was just 24th in the league — so underachieving versus that meager number even with LeBron James and Anthony Davis back on the court is not good, Bob. Now they go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 road games with the total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games as an underdog. Furthermore, the Lakers have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 playoff games as an underdog. Phoenix has covered the point spread in 29 of their last 42 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Suns are an offensive juggernaut that finished sixth in the NBA by scoring at a 117.7 points per 100 possession rate. They have made 47.2% or more of their shots in five straight games with a 51.0% or better mark in four of those games. Phoenix has covered the point spread in 25 of their last 35 games after making at least 47% of their shots in five straight games.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played on May 9th when the Suns were upset at Los Angeles by a 123-110 score as a 7-point favorite. Phoenix has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games when avenging a same-season loss. 10* NBA LA Lakers-Phoenix TNT Special with the Phoenix Suns (514) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (513). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (508) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (507) in Game One of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (49-23) enters the postseason with two straight victories after their 128-117 victory against Orlando as a 6.5-point favorite last Sunday. Washington (35-i39) made the playoffs with their 142-115 win against Indiana as a 4.5-point favorite in the Play-In Tournament as a 4.5-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: Philly is cruising with ten wins in their last twelve games — and they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 31 games after winning two of their last three games. The 76ers have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when they have at least three days of rest — so this group should be rested and ready. The Sixers are dominant on their home court where they are 29-7 with a net +8.9 Points-Per-Game differential. They make 48.6% of their shots at home which helps them generate 117.4 PPG. They are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 home games with the Total set at 220 to 229.5. Additionally, Philadelphia has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games when favored overall — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a losing record. Washington made 58.1% of their shots in their blowout win against a Pacers’ team that could not play defense after losing their rim protector, Myles Turner, to a season-ending injury. The Wizards made 58.1% of their shots on Thursday which was the best shooting effort in their last nine games. I expect a significant emotional letdown for this team after two Play-In Tournament games last week. As it is, Washington has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games when playing with two or more days of rest. The Wizards are much better than their losing record suggests because they have been hampered by injuries all season. But size remains a problem for this team — they really miss Thomas Bryant who suffered a season-ending injury early in the year. Defense and rebounding are liabilities for this team. Joel Embiid should dominate this game. While their defense and rebounding have improved, it is still middle of the pack at best — which is not great when playing the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The Wizards rank 12th in Defensive Rating over their last 15 games. They also rank 19th in Defensive Rebounding during that span. This is a franchise that has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia also has not been healthy for much of the season but this team enters the postseason in as good a shape as they have been all season. Embiid is rested. The 76ers have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the playoffs when favored — and the Wizards have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 playoff games as an underdog. 10* NBA Washington-Philadelphia TNT Special with the Philadelphia 76ers (508) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (507). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (511) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Denver Nuggets (512). THE SITUATION: Portland (42-30) has won six of their last seven games after their 132-116 win against Denver as an 8.5-point favorite on Sunday. Denver (47-25) had their three-game winning streak snapped with the loss, but they avoided a first-round matchup with the Lakers which may have impacted their short-term motivation in that game.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINTS: Portland is a team that was impacted by a barrage of injuries throughout the regular season. C.J. McCollum missed 25 games. Jusuf Nurcic missed the early part of the season — and his absence impacted the overall defensive numbers for this team. The Blazers hold their opponents to -8.7 Points-Per-100 Possessions below their PPP defensive average when Nurcic is off the court. Portland has been in playoff mode to close out the regular season to avoid the Play-In Tournament. Getting healthy again has helped. They have won ten of their last twelve games while posting the second-best Net Rating in the NBA over that span. The Blazers have the best Offensive Rating in the league during that stretch — but it is the defensive numbers that may be more important. While Portland ranks 29th in Defensive Rating for the season, they improved to 15th in their last 12 games. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after scoring at least 130 points in their last game. They have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. And while they have covered the point spread in three straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after covering the point spread in three straight games. Portland has been reliable on the road where they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games. The Blazers have also covered the point spread in 22 of their last 32 road games with the Total set at 220 or higher — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Portland has also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Additionally, the Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games when playing with at least three days of rest. While Michael Porter has stepped up his game with the scoring burden increased on him, this is a playoff series where the Nuggets will really miss Jamal Murray who suffered a season-ending torn ACL. While Portland’s Damian Lillard and McCollum are a lethal backcourt duo on offense, they can be exploited on the defensive end of the court. Denver lacks dominant scoring threats in their backcourt without Murray — and the injury shooting guard Will Barton who will miss tonight’s game compounds this problem. Austin Rivers is also questionable with an illness so the Nuggets’ are thin at the guard position which only increases their defensive challenge in slowing down Lillard and McCollum. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 home games in expected higher-scoring games with the Total set at 220 or higher. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. And not having their top point guard in Murray has hurt the team down the stretch — they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games in expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Portland has covered the point spread in the last 4 meetings between these two teams. While the Blazers had more at stake in their contest on Sunday since the victory ensured they avoided the Play-In, it remains telling that the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games when avenging a loss on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when playing with revenge from a loss on the road by double-digits. 25* NBA Saturday ESPN Game of the Year with the Portland Trail Blazers (511) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Denver Nuggets (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (503) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (504) in Game One of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Miami (40-32) enters the playoffs having won five of their last six games with their 120-107 victory at Detroit as a 3-point favorite last Sunday. Milwaukee (46-26) had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 118-112 upset loss at Chicago as a 7.5-point favorite last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT PLUS THE POINTS: Miami is playing their best basketball of the season after enduring a regular-season hit hard by injuries and COVID issues. Jimmy Butler was load-managed for much of the season — he did not play in any of the three regular-season games against the Bucks. The Heat will be very confident in this series after disposing of Milwaukee in the playoff bubble last fall. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win. They have also covered the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games when playing with at least three days of rest. Miami has been reliable on the road — they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games away from home. They have covered the point spread in five of their last six games — and they have covered the point spread in 28 of their last 43 games on the road after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Furthermore, the Heat have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 playoff games as an underdog. Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after an upset loss as a road favorite laying seven or more points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss by six points or less — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last games after a point spread loss. And while the Bucks have still won three of their last four games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games after winning three of their last four. Milwaukee has not been a reliable favorite so far this season. They have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games when laying the points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 35 games when laying 3.5 to 9.5 points. The Bucks are also 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games in the playoffs when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee got some measure of revenge from getting upset by the Heat in last year’s playoffs by winning two of the three meetings with Miami. The Bucks won the last encounter on May 15th by a 122-108 score — but the Heat have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 28 games when avenging a double-digit loss. 10* NBA Miami-Milwaukee ESPN Special with the Miami Heat (503) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (579) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (580). THE SITUATION: Memphis (39-34) has won six of their last seven games after their 100-96 win against San Antonio as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Golden State (39-34) had their six-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday in their 103-100 loss at Los Angeles against the Lakers as a 5.5-point underdog. The winner of this game inherits the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs and a first-round date with Utah.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: I really like this spot for Memphis — a young but very talented team that has experience playing in these single elimination games from the bubble last season. We had the Spurs on Wednesday — I mentioned then that the Grizzlies have not been a reliable favorite. But they have been consistent when donning the role of the underdog. Memphis has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games as a dog. They will not have any pressure in this game with most of the world (and the betting public) assuming that Stephen Curry will carry his team to a comfortable victory. Ja Morant is a rising superstar. The Grizzlies also have a good interior player in Jonas Valancianas who can take advantage of the lack of size of the Warriors. The seven-footer is averaging 22.0 PPG while grabbing 15.4 Rebounds-Per-Game in his last five games. He scored 29 points against Golden State in their most recent game last Sunday. Injuries have depleted the Warriors’ depth at center so it will be Draymond Green who will likely be defending Valancianas. Green is a great defender, but he is only 6’6. Memphis will also have an edge on the boards — they lead the NBA by averaging 55.8 points in the paint per game. The Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in four straight games — but they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after not covering the point spread in their last two games. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after a win at home against a Southwest Division rival. They go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games as an underdog. And while Memphis has played four straight Unders, they have then covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after playing at least three straight Unders. Golden State may have blown their playoff chances on Wednesday considering they had a double-digit lead at halftime — and they were up 98-85 with just 2:30 minutes left in the fourth quarter. They held the Lakers to just 40.7% shooting which was the best shooting effort in their last five games. Now they are expected to get past the upstart Grizzlies. But the Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a straight-up loss on the road where they covered the point spread as an underdog. Golden State struggles against teams who rebound — they have the fourth-lowest rebounding rate in the NBA and they allow the fourth-most second-chance points in the league. The Warriors are also 24th in the NBA by turning the ball over in 14.7% of their possessions — not a great trait in a favorite. Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 33 of their last 51 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games.

FINAL TAKE: The Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in a decisive 39 of their last 61 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. 25* NBA Play-In Tournament Game of the Year with the Memphis Grizzlies (579) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (580). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Washington Wizards (576) minus the points versus the Indiana Pacers (575). THE SITUATION: Washington (34-39) lost their initial Play-In Tournament game on Tuesday in a 118-105 loss at Boston as a 1.5-point underdog. Indiana (35-38) has won four of their last six games after their 144-117 win against Charlotte as a 1.5-point favorite in their first game in the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday. The winner of this game inherits the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WIZARDS MINUS THE POINTS: Washington only made 43.5% of their shots on Tuesday which was the worst shooting effort in their last 15 games. They should respond with a better shooting performance tonight. The Wizards are 7-0-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread loss. Washington returns home where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games when laying 3.5 to 9.5 points. Indiana made 16 of their 35 shots (46%) from 3-point range en route to their 55.2% shooting percentage in their victory against the Pacers -- that shooting mark was the best effort in their last seven games. But Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after scoring at least 130 points in their last game. And while the Pacers have nailed at least 50.5% of their shots in three straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after making at least 50% of their shots in three straight contests. Indiana is far full strength for this game. Caris LeVert is still out due to COVID quarantine protocols. Malcolm Brogdon played 21:20 minutes in his first action on the court in eleven games this month — but he is not close to 100% with his hamstring injury. As it is, the Pacers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit victory.

FINAL TAKE: Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games in the playoffs. Despite the blowout victory against Charlotte, the Pacers have a volatile locker room with the team griping about head coach Nate Bjorkgren after they drove out Nate McMillan last year. Scott Brooks has a better culture in place with Washington — look for the Wizards to bounce-back. 10* NBA Indiana-Washington TNT Special with the Washington Wizards (576) minus the points versus the Indiana Pacers (575). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (570) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (569). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (42-30) has won five in a row with their 110-98 win at New Orleans on Sunday. Golden State (39-33) has won six straight games after their 113-101 win against Memphis as a 3-point favorite on Sunday. The winner of this game inherits the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs while the loser will face the winner of the earlier San Antonio-Memphis game to determine the eighth seed.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS MINUS THE POINTS: While the Lakers are disappointed to have to compete in the Play-In Tournament, this was a team that was always built for the postseason anyways. I am just not going to read much into their 42-30 record especially given all the time that LeBron James and Anthony Davis missed. Winning this game decisively is important — not only to get the extra days of rest by avoiding the Friday single-elimination game but also because they know how dangerous Stephen Curry can be in a close game. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 home games after a win on the road. The Lakers play outstanding defense — they are second in the NBA by allowing 108.0 points per 100 possessions in non-garbage time. They also defend the perimeter by limiting their opponents to 36% shooting from 3-point land which is -1.2% below the league average. Los Angeles is in as good a position as possible to slow down Curry. Dennis Schroder is a pesky on-the-ball defender. LeBron James can play free safety amidst the Warriors’ attempts to pick-and-roll. Anthony Davis can play center in a small-ball lineup which gives Golden State another lengthy wing on the perimeter but without sacrificing Davis’ rim protection since he can defend the wing as well given his agility. Frank Vogel is an experienced defensive tactician as a head coach. And the roster is filled with veterans who have played the Steve Kerr motion offense designed to get Curry (and Klay Thompson) open looks. The Lakers also retain a significant size advantage against the Warriors. They controlled the boards in their three meetings against Golden State this season. The Warriors have covered the point spread in six straight games in their furious pace down the stretch to ensure they qualified for the Play-In Tournament — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. And while they have covered the point spread in their last two games as a favorite, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after winning and covering the point spread in their last two games. They go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning record at home — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games in the second half of the season against teams winning 51-60% of their games. 10* NBA Wednesday Late Show Bailout with the Los Angeles Lakers (570) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (569). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (567) plus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (568). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (33-39) limps into the postseason with four straight losses after their 123-121 loss to Phoenix as a 2-point underdog on Sunday. Memphis (38-34) had their five-game winning streak snapped on Sunday in a 113-101 loss at Golden State as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS PLUS THE POINTS: San Antonio has lost ten of their last twelve games — but that does not worry me too much. Head coach Gregg Popovich has had one eye towards developing the young talent on his team for the future. This is a hard-working team with a versatile roster which will allow Popovich many options to keep his team in this single-elimination game. And with DeMar DeRozan leading the way alongside the underrated Dejounte Murray, the Spurs have veteran experience that can make big baskets. San Antonio is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a straight-up loss. The Spurs have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after losing at least four games in a row. The days of rest should help this team as well — they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games when playing with two days of rest. San Antonio has been capable road warriors this season — they are 14-6-1 ATS in their last 21 games on the road and they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 27 road games with the Total set at 220. The Spurs have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 road games against divisional rivals. Memphis has won six of their last eight games even after Sunday’s loss — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning six or seven of their last eight contests. The Grizzlies return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games. This Memphis team has a very bright future — but I prefer them in the underdog role right now, in general. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a losing record. This team’s clutch numbers are underwater — they have a Net Rating of -6.1 in clutch time which is just 21st in the NBA. This makes their ability to pull away in close games harder to pull off. It is telling that they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight home games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13  home games when favored by up to six points.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis has dominated the last two meetings with the Spurs this season. They followed up a 129-112 upset win on the road as a 3.5-point underdog on January 30th with a 133-102 victory in San Antonio as a 4-point underdog on February 1st. San Antonio has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games when avenging loss by at least 20 points — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when avenging a loss by at least 30 points. And in their last 9 opportunities at revenge from two straight upset losses to their opponent, the Spurs have covered the point spread 6 times. Trust Pop tonight. 25* NBA Southwest Division Game of the Year with the San Antonio Spurs (567) plus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (562) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (561). THE SITUATION: Boston (36-36) limps into the postseason with five losses in their last six games after their 96-92 loss at New York as a 12-point underdog on Sunday. Washington (34-38) has won two games in a row after their 115-110 win against Charlotte as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS THE POINT(S): Boston has been one of the biggest disappointments in the regular season with their inconsistent play. Too often this season, the Celtics’ players took games off — especially on defense. But this is a team that has been hit hard by injuries and COVID quarantining issues. Their ability to make a deep playoff run took a big hit with the season-ending injury to Jaylen Brown. But this is a veteran team with plenty of playoff experience that should be able to step up their game to secure the seventh seed tonight. Kemba Walker is finally playing better after a disappointing regular season — he is scoring 29.8 PPG on 50.6% shooting in his last four games. The acquisition of Evan Fournier at the trade deadline has been proven as he has averaged 18.6 PPG on 46.9% shooting since joining the Celtics. And with Jayson Tatum leading the way, Boston will have the best player on the court (especially at crunch time). The Celtics have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games after losing five or six of their last seven games — including ten of these last eleven situations. Boston has played three straight Unders — and they have covered the point spread in 37 of their last 55 games after playing at least two straight Unders. The Celtics return home after playing their last three games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after playing at least three in a row away from home. Washington held the Hornets to just 39.4% shooting which was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 28 games. But the Wizards have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after a win against a divisional rival. Washington has also failed to cover the point spread in 34 of their last 52 road games after a point spread loss. Bradley Beal is not 100% with a nagging hamstring, but he will play tonight. That puts more of the onus on Russell Westbrook who is a triple-double machine — but his judgment is too often lacking in crunch-time as he tries to do too much (like test his poor 3-point shooting skills). There is a reason that the Wizards have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games on the road when listed at +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Washington plays at one of the fastest paces in the league — they average 91 shots per game. But Boston has failed to cover the point spread in 28 of their last 41 games in the second half of the season against teams who attempt at least 88 shots per game. The Celtics have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 opening games of a playoff series under head coach Brad Stevens. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Play-In Game of the Year with the Boston Celtics (562) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (561). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Charlotte Hornets (559) plus the points versus the Indiana Pacers (560). THE SITUATION: Charlotte (33-39) goes into this play-in tournament game with five straight losses after their 115-110 loss at Washington as a 6.5-point underdog on Sunday. Indiana (34-38) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 125-113 win at Toronto as a 5.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HORNETS PLUS THE POINTS: Charlotte has bounced back to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a loss on the road to a Southeast Division rival. The Hornets only made 39.4% of their shots on Sunday which was still the best shooting effort in their last three games. They have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not shooting better than 42% in three straight games. Charlotte allowed the Wizards to make 48.4% of their shots as well which was still the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage they have allowed in their last three games. The Hornets have then covered the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games after allowing their last three opponents to make at least 47% of their shots. Despite them losing seven of their last nine games, I like the direction this team is going in under their underrated head coach James Borrego. Lamelo Ball is the real deal. Terry Rozier was a great signing in the offseason who can drop 40 points on any given night. Miles Bridges is developing. Charlotte has covered the point spread in a decisive 42 of their last 66 games after losing at least two games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after losing six or seven of their last eight games. The Hornets are 21-7-1 ATS in their last 29 road games against teams with a losing record at home. Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit victory — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 home games after a game where at least 235 combined points were scored. The Pacers are playing at a fast pace in an effort to simply outgun their opponents after losing their defensive presence in the middle with the season-ending injury to Myles Turner. Indiana has scored at least 115 points in three straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after scoring at least 110 points in three straight games. The Pacers return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 home games against teams with a losing record on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 28 home games as a favorite. This is a mess — riddled with injuries and filled with internal drama. The players don’t like first-year head coach Nate Bjorkgren. They didn’t like Nate McMillan either who is not doing a great job with the Atlanta Hawks. Sabonis is questionable with a quad injury. Malcolm Brogdon is a game-time decision with a hamstring injury after missing ten games this month. Even if he plays, it remains a question as to how effective he will be. Caris LeVert is out due to COVID quarantine protocols. This is not the way a team wants to approach a single-elimination game that has previously failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight postseason games.

FINAL TAKE: Indiana can go home for the summer with a loss, winch may look appealing since they are going nowhere in the first round of the playoffs. They have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Charlotte upset the Pacers in the last meeting by a 114-97 score on April 2nd as a 5-point underdog — but Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games when avenging an upset loss. 10* NBA Tuesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Charlotte Hornets (559) plus the points versus the Indiana Pacers (560). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (571) plus the point(s) versus the Miami Heat (572). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (47-22) had their eight-game winning streak snapped with their 103-94 upset loss at Indiana on Tuesday. Miami (38-31) has won three straight as well as six of their last seven games with their 129-121 win at Boston as a 1.5-point favorite on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS PLUS THE POINT(S): Philly made only 43.7% of their shots on Tuesday which was the worst shooting effort in their last nine games. The 76ers have bounced back to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after an upset loss. Philadelphia is also 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread loss. I waited to pull the proverbial trigger on this play for the late news on the status of Joel Embiid who is questionable with an illness. The word tonight is that he will play. The Sixers have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 road games with the Total set in the 210s. Miami comes off a victory against the Celtics with the Heat making a season-high 59.3% of their shots. They also nailed 16 of their 30 shots from behind the arc. It will be hard to keep up that high level of efficiency in their shooting — especially if Jimmy Butler is not available tonight. Butler is questionable after suffering an eye injury on Tuesday. Miami has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. The Heat are just 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Miami has also failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 31 games with the Total set in the 210s — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: Miami will be looking to avenge a 125-108 loss at Philadelphia on January 14th. The Heat have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. The Sixers have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 10* NBA Philadelphia-Miami TNT Special with the Philadelphia 76ers (571) plus the point(s) versus the Miami Heat (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Atlanta Hawks (552) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (551). THE SITUATION: Atlanta (38-31) has won four of their last five games after their 125-124 win against the Wizards as an 8-point favorite on Monday. Washington (32-37) has their two-game winning streak end with the setback.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKS MINUS THE POINTS: The Wizards made 13 of their 26 shots from behind the arc on Monday while making 51.6% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last four games. Expect a visit from the Regression God’s to Hotlanta tonight for a team that makes only 36.3% of their 3-pointers who will be without Bradley Beal again who is out with a hamstring injury. Washington has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after a point spread cover where they lost the game straight-up. The Wizards have played six straight Overs — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after playing at least three straight Over. Not having Beal and his 31.4 PPG will hurt this Washington team that made their game on Monday much closer than expected due to a furious fourth-quarter rally. The Wizards trailed by a 96-79 score after the third quarter before making 17 of their 24 shots in the final twelve minutes while watching Atlanta make only 8 of their 23 shots. Washington outscored the Hawks by a 45-29 margin in the fourth. But the Wizards have still lost ten of their eleven games this season playing without Beal while posting a -10.7 Net Rating in those games. Washington scores 115.7 points per 100 possessions with Beal on the court — but those numbers decline to them scoring 104.7 points per 100 possessions without Beal. In their ten games without Beal this season, the Wizards have an Offensive Rating of 103.5. Atlanta should learn their let-up in the fourth quarter on Monday. They have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a win at home by three points or less. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games after a win against a Southeast Division rival. The Hawks have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a game where at least 245 combined points were scored. Atlanta should shoot better from 3-point land after making only 10 of their 30 shots from behind the arc on Monday. The Hawks need to tighten up on defense after allowing the Wizards to shoot 51% which was on the heels of them allowing the Pacers to nail 62.1% of their shots. Those two efforts were the worst defensive performances in their last six games. Atlanta stays at home where they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 29 games — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 16 home games when favored. And in their last 10 home games with the Total set at 230 or higher, the Hawks have covered the point spread in 7 of these games. Atlanta has also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Washington averages 116.6 PPG while allowing 118.8 PPG — and the Hawks thrive in higher-scoring games. Atlanta has covered the point spread in 17 of their last 23 home games in the second half of the season against teams who score at least 106 PPG — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 23 home games in the second half of the season against teams who allow at least 106 PPG. 10* NBA Washington-Atlanta ESPN Special with the Atlanta Hawks (552) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (551). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (571) minus the points versus the Toronto Raptors (572). THE SITUATION: Memphis (33-33) has lost three of their last four games with their 111-97 upset loss at Detroit as a 9-point favorite on Thursday. Toronto (27-40) has lost two in a row as well as five of their last six contests with their 131-129 loss to Washington as a 2-point underdog on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES MINUS THE POINTS: Memphis allowed the Pistons to make 53.0% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 18 contests. Memphis should play better tonight. They have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after suffering an upset loss by 10 or more points. The Grizzlies have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after a point spread loss. This team plays hard for head coach Taylor Jenkins. They stay on the road where they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 road games against teams with a losing record at home. Memphis has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games when favored. Additionally, the Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games against teams with a losing record. Toronto has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after a loss at home. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 32 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. The Raptors have lost six of their last eight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after losing six or seven of their last eight games. Toronto has likely played themselves out of reach to qualify for the play-in tournament with this recent slide. Their defense is letting them down — they have allowed their last five opponents to make 47.6% of their shots which has resulted in their opponent’s averaging 115.4 PPG. Head coach Nick Nurse is giving Fred VanVleet and Kevin Lowry the night off for rest — and OG Anunoby is out with a calf injury to leave the roster thin for tonight’s game. The Raptors have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games at home with the Total set in the 220s — and they are just 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 home games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis will be motivated to avenge a 128-113 loss at home to Toronto on February 8th — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games when avenging a loss at home to their opponents. 25* NBA Road Warrior of the Month with the money-line on the Memphis Grizzlies (571) minus the points versus the Toronto Raptors (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (563) minus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (564). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (31-34) has lost five games in a row with their 126-94 loss at Utah as a 6.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Sacramento (29-37) has won four games in a row after their 104-93 win at Indiana as a 6-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS MINUS THE POINTS: San Antonio made only 40.2% of their shots on Wednesday which was tied for the worst shooting effort in their last 37 games. The Spurs have bounced back to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a double-digit loss. San Antonio was outworked on the glass against the Jazz as they got out-rebounded by 18 rebounds. The Spurs have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after being out-rebounded by at least 15 rebounds in their last game. San Antonio was blasted by Utah in the first game of their two-game series by a 110-99 score back on May 3rd — but they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after losing two in a row by double-digits. The Spurs have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after losing at least four in a row. They stay on the road where they are 12-4-1 ATS In their last 17 games — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games when favored. Sacramento has fake to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a double-digit win as an underdog getting at least six points. They return home where they are just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 home games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Kings are not at full strength with De’Aron Fox in COVID quarantine, Tyrese Haliburton out indefinitely with a knee injury, and Harrison Barnes doubtful with a hip injury. The Kings are just 1-8-1 ATS in their last 10 games against teams with a losing record. 10* NBA Friday Late Show Bailout with the San Antonio Spurs (563) minus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (564). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Charlotte Hornets (554) minus the points versus the Orlando Magic (553). THE SITUATION: Charlotte (32-34) has lost two of their last three games after their 120-99 loss at home to Chicago as a 4.5-point underdog last night. Orlando (21-45) had their two-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday with their 132-96 loss at home to Boston as a 12-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HORNETS MINUS THE POINTS: Charlotte should respond with a strong effort as they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss by 20 or more points. The Hornets have also covered the point spread in 31 of their last 49 games after losing two of their last three games. And while Charlotte has not covered the point spread in three straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 32 of their last 50 games after not covering the point spread in at least two straight games. Despite their recent disappointing play, the Hornets are getting healthy again with Lamelo Ball and Malik Monk returning to action. They are still without Gordon Hayward and Miles Bridges — and Devonte Graham is out tonight with a knee injury. But this team plays hard for their underrated head coach James Borrego. Charlotte stays at home where they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games when favored by 6.5 to 12 points. Orlando has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a loss at home by at least 20 points. The Magic have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss by at least 30 points. They are also just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Since trading away their best players at the trade deadline, this franchise is in tank mode. They entered the week with the second-worst offense in the NBA since the trade deadline — and they are a M*A*S*H* unit tonight. Six players have been declared out tonight including Otto Porter, Michael Carter-Williams, and Wendell Carter. As it is, this team is 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Charlotte usually takes care of business against the lesser teams in the league — they are 37-13-1 ATS in their last 51 games under Borrego against teams not winning more than 40% of their games. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Charlotte Hornets (554) minus the points versus the Orlando Magic (553). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (546) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (545). THE SITUATION: The Clippers (44-22) ended their three-game losing streak with a 105-100 victory at home against Toronto as an 11.5-point favorite on Tuesday. The Lakers (37-28) snapped a three-game losing streak with their 93-89 upset win against Denver as a 3.5-point underdog on Monday. The Clippers (44-22) ended their three-game losing streak with a 105-100 victory at home against Toronto as an 11.5-point favorite on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Clippers are 11-5-1 ATS in their last 17 games after a straight-up win. And while they have not covered the point spread in five straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. And while that game finished below the 217.5 point total, they have then covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games at home after playing their last game Under the Total. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games at the Staples Center. The Lakers held the Nuggets to just 43.9% shooting on Monday which was the best defensive effort in their last eight games. But they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after not allowing more than 90 points in their last game. The Lakers have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread victory. The Lakers are the technical road team but they are playing on their shared home court with the Clippers at the Staples Center. They have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games at home with the Total set in the 210s — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games as an underdog. They will be missing two important pieces to their offensive attack with both LeBron James and Dennis Schroder out for this game.

FINAL TAKE: The Lakers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog -- and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games against teams with a winning record. 10* NBA Thursday Late Show Bailout with the Los Angeles Clippers (546) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (545). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (529) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (530). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (31-33) has lost four games in a row after their 110-99 loss on the road against the Jazz as a 7.5-point underdog on Monday. Utah (47-18) has won three of their last four games with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS PLUS THE POINTS: San Antonio has bounced back to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a double-digit loss. The Spurs stay on the road where they are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games — and they are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 road games as an underdog. They will be without Trey Lyles and Derrick White tonight but the head coach Gregg Popovich has a role for every player on his roster. Yet San Antonio's five of their last seven losses have been by six or less even after Monday’s 11-point setback. They are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games as an underdog. Utah has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread victory. The Jazz have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit victory. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home when favored. Utah remains undermanned in their backcourt with Donovan Mitchell out with his ankle injury — and Mike Conley has been downgraded to out tonight with his lingering hamstring issue.

FINAL TAKE: San Antonio has covered the point spread in 25 of their last 30 games when avenging a double-digit loss on the road. 20* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the San Antonio Spurs (529) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (530). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (514) minus the points versus the Toronto Raptors (513). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (43-22) has lost three games in a row with their 110-104 upset loss to Denver as a 6-point favorite on Saturday. Toronto (27-38) snapped a three-game losing streak with their 121-114 upset victory in Los Angeles against the Lakers as a 10.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles has bounced back to cover the point spread in 39 of their last 56 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 24 of their last 36 games after an upset loss. And while the Clippers have failed to cover the point spread in five of their last six games, they have then covered the point spread in 10 straight games after failing to cover the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. They have allowed their last three opponents to make at least 47.3% of their shots — but they then covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after allowing their last three opponents to make at least 47% of their shots. They stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games at home against teams with a losing record on the road. Los Angeles has also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 home games when favored. Toronto has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after an upset victory — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after an upset victory by 10 or more points. The Raptors stay on the road for this second game at the Staples Center — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning record. 10* NBA Tuesday Late Show Bailout with the Los Angeles Clippers (514) minus the points versus the Toronto Raptors (513). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Brooklyn Nets (505) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (506). THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (42-22) had their four-game winning streak snapped with their 117-114 loss on the road against the Bucks on Sunday as a 2-point underdog. Milwaukee (40-24) has won two in a row and five of their last seven games with that win.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NETS PLUS THE POINTS: Brooklyn made only 42.7% of their shots on Sunday after shooting just 42.1% of their shots on Friday — both these marks are far below the 49.2% mark they enjoy for the season. They should shoot better tonight — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss. The Nets have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. And while they have allowed at least 113 points in three straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 30 of their last 44 games after allowing their last three opponents to score at least 110 points. Brooklyn stays on the road where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better at home. The Nets have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games as an underdog. Brooklyn has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games this season — and they will have Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving suiting up tonight. Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a victory by three points or less. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after winning three of their last four games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games after winning five or six of their last 7 games. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games when favored by up to 6 points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. They will be without Jeff Teague with an abdominal injury.

FINAL TAKE: Brooklyn has covered the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games when playing with revenge from a loss on the road. 10* NBA Tuesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Brooklyn Nets (505) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (506). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (577) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (578). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (31-32) has lost three in a row after their 113-111 loss to Philadelphia as a 10-point underdog yesterday. Utah (46-18) has won two of their last three games with their 106-102 win against Toronto as a 7-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS PLUS THE POINTS: San Antonio made only 44.8% of their shots yesterday which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last four games. The Spurs have bounced back to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a loss. They are also 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games after a point spread win. And in their last 8 games played without rest, San Antonio has covered the point spread in 6 of these contests. They go back on the road where they hare 24-9-1 ATS in their last 34 games away from home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games at home. The Spurs are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 road games as an underdog. Utah has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games. The Jazz has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: San Antonio will be without Trey Lyles who is dealing with an ankle injury — but Dejounte Murray has been upgraded to probable. Michael Conley has been downgraded to out tonight which leaves the Jazz thin in their backcourt with Donovan Mitchell out with his ankle injury. The Spurs will be motivated to avenge a 130-109 loss at home to Utah on January 3rd — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 19 games when playing with revenge from a loss by 20 or more points. 10* NBA Monday Late Show Bailout with the San Antonio Spurs (577) plus the points versus the Utah Jazz (578). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Brooklyn Nets (549) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (550). THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (43-21) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Friday in a 128-109 loss to Portland as a 3-point underdog. Milwaukee (39-24) has won two of their last three games with their 108-98 win at Chicago as a 1.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NETS PLUS THE POINTS: Brooklyn was without Kevin Durant on Friday as he was given the night off by head coach Steve Nash with the team playing without rest. Durant did play three games last week — so he has back in the mix. The Nets only made 42.1% of their shots against the Trail Blazers which was the lowest shooting effort in their last five games. They also allowed Portland to make 51.6% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last six games — but they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. Brooklyn has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. Furthermore, the Nets have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a double-digit loss at home. They go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on their home court. Brooklyn has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 road games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. The Nets have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Milwaukee held the Bulls to just 38.5% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last four games. But the Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a point spread victory. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after winning two of their last three games. Milwaukee returns home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games when favored by up to six points. Additionally, the Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games against teams who are wining at least 60% of their games.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee will be looking to avenge a 125-123 upset loss to the Nets on the road as a 3.5-point favorite on January 18th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games when avenging a loss where they gave up at least 110 points. The Bucks have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games when attempting to avenge an upset loss. 10* NBA Brooklyn-Milwaukee ABC-TV Special with the Brooklyn Nets (549) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (550). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (546) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (545). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (43-21) has lost two games in a row with their 109-101 loss at Phoenix as a 4.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Denver (42-21) has won four in a row after their 121-111 win against Toronto as a 4.5-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: Kawhi Leonard has missed the last three games due to a foot injury — but he expects to play tonight in this crucial game for seeding in the Western Conference playoffs. As it is, Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 38 of their last 56 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 39 of their last 55 games after a point spread loss. Their loss to the Suns finished well below the 220 point Total — and LA has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games at home after playing an Under in their last game. They return home to the Staples Center where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Clippers have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 27 of their last 38 road games after a double-digit win. Additionally, they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 33 games after winning at least three games in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning three games in a row at home. The Nuggets are undermanned in their backcourt and at wing with Will Barton and Monte Morris out — and Jamal Murray is already out the season with his torn ACL.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers will have revenge on their minds from their 101-94 upset loss at home to the Nuggets on April 1st — and they have covered the point spread in 38 of their last 59 games when motivated to avenge a loss. 10* NBA Saturday Late Show Bailout with the Los Angeles Clippers (546) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (545). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (520) minus the points versus the Orlando Magic (519). THE SITUATION: Memphis (31-30) has lost two in a row after their 130-109 upset loss to Portland as a 2-point favorite on Wednesday. Orlando (19-43) ended a six-game losing streak with their 109-104 upset win at Cleveland as a 3.5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES MINUS THE POINTS: Memphis made only 42% of their shots on Wednesday which was tied for the lowest shooting effort in their last 18 games. The 48.9% field goal percentage of the Trail Blazers was also the highest opponent’s shooting mark in their last five games. They should bounce-back with a strong effort. The Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit loss. They have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a point spread loss. They stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games on their home court. They are relatively healthy right now — Jalen Jackson remains out and Grayson Allen is doubtful as he deals with a hand injury. By April 2021 NBA standards, only two missing players is considered very healthy. Memphis has covered the point spread in 5 straight games against teams who are not winning more than 40% of their games. The Grizzlies have also covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games against teams from the Eastern Conference. Orlando made 50.6% of their shots on Wednesday in what was the best shooting effort in their last 21 games. And by holding the Cavaliers to 40.2% shooting, they played the best game on defense in 31 contests. But the Magic have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread win. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 32 of their last 52 games after losing at least two of their last three games. Orlando will be without seven of their players tonight with Otto Porter, Terrence Ross, and Michael-Carter Williams all declared out. This is a team that is full-tank mode after they traded away their veterans at the trade deadline.

FINAL TAKE: Orlando is just 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games as an underdog — and Memphis has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games as a favorite. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Memphis Grizzlies (520) minus the points versus the Orlando Magic (519). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Atlanta Hawks (513) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (514). THE SITUATION: Atlanta (34-29) has lost two games in a row with their 127-83 loss at Philadelphia as a 9.5-point underdog. Philadelphia (41-21) has won two in a row with that victory against the Hawks.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: I needed to wait on the injury update this evening for Atlanta — they are just riddled with injuries right now which goes a long way to explain their 44-point loss to the 76ers on Wednesday. The Hawks announced at 6 PM ET that Trae Young will be available to play which is an upgrade to his being listed as questionable throughout the day. Clint Capela is also available to play — and Tony Snell is probable as well after missing a bunch of time with his ankle injury. Atlanta is still banged up — but the availability of these three players makes a big difference for this team that is getting around 7 points (as of this writing). The Hawks played one of the worst games of the season on Wednesday. Their 33.3% shooting percentage was the worst effort in their last 41 games. They allowed the Sixers to make 53.9% of their shots which was tied for the worst defensive effort in their last 12 games — but they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. Atlanta has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a loss by at least 30 points. Additionally, the Hawks have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. Atlanta stays on the road for their third straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after losing two games i a row on the road. Philadelphia may be due for a letdown after such an easy win — they played their best defensive game of the season by holding the Hawks to just 33.3% shooting. But the Sixers have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up loss. Philly has won two games in a row after their 121-90 victory against an Oklahoma City team that is a glorified collection of G-Leaguers. But the 76ers have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 29 games after winning two in a row by double-digits — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning two in a row by 10 or more points at home. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games after covering their last two games as a favorite. The Sixers have made 54.7% and 53.9% of their shots in the last two games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after shooting at least 50% of their shots in their last two games, and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after scoring at least 110 points in two straight games. Philly stays at home where they are just 2-5-1 ATS — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home as a favorite. And in their last 6 games against teams with a winning record, they are 1-4-1 ATS.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games when avenging a loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 29 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 110 points. The Hawks have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when avenging a loss by at least 30 points to their opponent. 25* NBA Underdog of the Month with the Atlanta Hawks (513) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (514). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Toronto Raptors (509) plus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (510). THE SITUATION: Toronto (26-36) has lost two of their last three games after their 116-113 loss at home to Brooklyn as a 4.5-point underdog on Tuesday. Denver (41-21) has won three in a row after their 114-112 win against New Orleans as a 3.5-point favorite last night.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAPTORS PLUS THE POINTS: The Nuggets will be undermanned tonight playing without a day of rest with Will Barton and Monte Morris out with injuries — and they are already without Jamal Murray who suffered a season-ending injury. Denver is left thin in the backcourt particularly at point guard. As it is, the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing without a day of rest. Denver has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a narrow win by three points or less. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games after winning three in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after winning three in a row on their home court. Denver does stay at home for their fourth straight game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on their home court. The Nuggets have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when favored. Toronto made only 39.6% of their shots on Tuesday against the Nets which was the worst shooting percentage in their last four games. They will be without Fred VanVleet who is getting the night off and Gary Trent, Jr. who has a foot injury, but Jalen Harris has been upgraded to probable. The Raptors have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. Toronto has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Denver will be looking to avenge a 135-111 upset loss to the Raptors as a 1.5-point favorite on March 24th. The Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games when looking to avenge a loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread when motivated by revenge from a double-digit loss. 10* NBA Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the Toronto Raptors (509) plus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (510). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (583) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (584). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (43-20) had their four-game winning streak snapped in a 120-103 upset loss at New Orleans as a 2-point favorite on Monday. Phoenix (43-18) ended their two-game losing streak with a 118-110 win at New York as a 3-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS PLUS THE POINTS: The Clippers made only 40.6% of their shots on Monday in what was the lowest shooting effort in their last six games. Los Angeles should respond with a strong effort. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 24 of their last 35 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 after an upset loss as a road favorite. Furthermore, LA has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after a loss by 10 or more points on the road. The Clippers have also been consistent in bounce-back situations as they have covered the point spread in 39 of their last 54 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 38 of their last 55 games after a point spread defeat. They allowed the Pelicans to make 53.7% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 23 games. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games on the road after allowing at least 120 points in their last game. Head coach Tyron Lue has an undermanned group tonight with Kawhi Leonard and Serge Ibaka out indefinitely with injuries, and Patrick Beverley remains on the shelf with a hand injury. Nicolas Batum is questionable with a shoulder injury. But the good news is that Paul George has been upgraded to probable with his foot injury. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road as an underdog. Phoenix made 54.2% of their shots on Monday which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. But the Suns are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after a straight-up win — and they are 0-7-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a point spread victory. Now after playing their last five games on the road, they return home for the first time since April 17th — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 30 home games after playing at least their last seven games on the road. Phoenix may not be at full strength either with Jae Crowder and Dario Saric questionable with injuries.

FINAL TAKE: The Suns are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite — and the Clippers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 trips to Phoenix to play the Suns. 25* NBA Wednesday ESPN Game of the Month with the Los Angeles Clippers (583) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (584). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (553) minus the points versus the Indiana Pacers (554). THE SITUATION: Portland (32-28) has lost five games in a row after their 120-113 upset loss to Memphis as a 3.5-point underdog on Sunday. Indiana (29-31) has won three games in a row with their 131-112 victory at Orlando as a 5.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS MINUS THE POINTS: Portland made only 37.1% of their shots on Sunday in what was the worst shooting effort in their last 13 games. They have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after an upset loss. The Blazers were upset in both their games at home against the Grizzlies over the weekend — but they have then covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after failing to cover the point spread in their last two games. They also have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 road games after failing to cover the point spread in at least two games in a row. They go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 road games with the Total set at 230 or higher. Portland has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a losing record. Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a point spread win. The Pacers made 54.9% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last 10 contests. They also allowed held the Magic to just 39.6% shooting — and that was the best defensive effort in their last 48 games going all the way back January 14th. Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games on their home court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 home games as an underdog. The Pavers have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight home games against teams with a winning record on the road. They will be without Domantas Sabonis who is out with a back injury.

FINAL TAKE: Portland will be looking to avenge a 111-87 upset loss to Indiana on January 14th — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss. 10* NBA Blowout Bookie Buster with the Portland Trail Blazers (553) minus the points versus the Indiana Pacers (554). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Detroit Pistons (536) plus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (535). THE SITUATION: Detroit (18-43) has lost three games in a row after their 115-109 loss at Indiana as a 4-point underdog on Saturday. Atlanta (34-27) has won two straight games as well as four of their last five after their 111-104 upset win against Milwaukee as a 6-point underdog yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PISTONS PLUS THE POINTS: Detroit only made 40.6% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last 12 games. The Pistons have bounced back to cover the point spread in 28 of their last 42 games after a straight-up loss. Detroit has also covered the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Pistons have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after allowing at least 115 points in their last game. Detroit has still played their last two games Under the Total — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after playing at least two straight Unders. And while the Pistons have lost seven of their last nine games, they have then covered the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games after losing at least six or seven of their last eight games. Atlanta has pulled off two straight upsets — both without Trae Young — as they defeated Milwaukee at home by a 118-103 score getting 6.5-points on Friday. But the Hawks have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after two straight upset wins at home. Atlanta has also failed to cover the point spread in 31 of their last 48 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. The Hawks are also just 7-15-1 ATS in their last 23 games when playing without rest. And while Atlanta has scored at least 105 points in 15 straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 road games after scoring at least 105 points in at least three straight games.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta will be without Trae Young once again tonight with the ankle injury he incurred last Wednesday against the Knicks. 10* NBA Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Detroit Pistons (536) plus the points versus the Atlanta Hawks (535). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (530) minus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (529). THE SITUATION: Golden State (30-30) has won two of their last three games after their 118-97 upset victory against Denver as a 2.5-point favorite on Friday. Sacramento (24-35) has won two of their last three games as well with their 128-125 victory against Minnesota as a 2.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARRIORS MINUS THE POINTS: Stephen Curry had 32 points to carry Golden State to the upset win against the Nuggets. Curry is enjoying a monster month. In 12 games, he is scoring 38.2 PPG on 52.9% shooting from the field and a 47% clip from behind the arc. He is also averaging 6.4 Rebounds-Per-Game and 4.6 Assists-Per-Game in April. Curry will be the best player on the court — by far — tonight. The Warriors stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games with the Total set at 220 or higher. Golden State has also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games when laying 6.5 to 12 points. Sacramento made 58.1% of their shots on Wednesday which was the best shooting effort in their last 14 games. But the Kings have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. And while Sacramento has scored at least 110 points in seven straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after scoring at least 110 points in four straight games. Furthermore, the Kings have the worst Defensive Rating in the NBA. They have allowed their last two opponents to make 52.9% and 56.7% of their shots — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after allowing their last two opponents to both make 50% of their shots. Sacramento has allowed 107 points in 13 straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 33 games after allowing at least 105 points in five straight games. The Kings have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games when playing their second game in five days. Sacramento will be without their best player tonight with De’Aaron Fox who is in COVID quarantine. Fox has been a one-man wrecking crew in the fourth quarter when the Kings win — he scored 30 points against the Timberwolves on Wednesday. This team is also still without Marvin Bagley III who is still out with a hand injury. Sacramento has also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Sacramento crushed the Warriors in the last meeting between these two teams by a 141-119 score on March 25th. Golden State has covered the point spread in 33 of their last 55 games when avenging a double-digit loss. 25* NBA Pacific Division Game of the Month with the Golden State Warriors (530) minus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (529). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (519) plus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (520). THE SITUATION: Phoenix (42-17) looks to bounce back from a 99-86 upset loss at Boston as a 1-point underdog on Thursday. Brooklyn (40-20) has won two of their last three games with their 109-104 win against Boston as a 3.5-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS PLUS THE POINTS: Phoenix made only 40.9% of their shots on Thursday which was the worst shooting effort in their last three games, and far below their 48.7% field goal percentage for the season. The Suns have bounced back to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after an upset loss as a road favorite. Phoenix has also covered the point spread in 15 of their last 18 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after a point spread loss. This Suns team continues to be under-appreciated this season. The addition of Chris Paul took this team to another level. Devin Booker is an emerging superstar. Head coach Monty Williams usually pushes the right buttons — and he has a good bench from which to make moves. Phoenix is 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Suns have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 road games as an underdog. Additionally, Phoenix is 13-2-1 ATS in their last 16 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread victory. The Nets held the Celtics to just 40.4% shooting from the field in what was the best defensive effort in their last six games. Brooklyn has played two straight Unders —but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after playing at least two straight Unders. The Nets have also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after winning two of their last three games. Kevin Durant and Tyler Johnson are probable to play this afternoon (with James Harden still out with his hamstring issue) — but Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix looks to avenge a 128-124 upset loss at home to the Nets as an 8.5-point favorite on February 16th. The Suns have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NBA Sunday Afternoon Special Feature with the Phoenix Suns (519) plus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (520). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (511) plus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (512). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (35-24) has lost two games in a row with their 115-110 loss on the road to the Mavericks as a 3.5-point underdog on Thursday. Dallas (32-26) has won two games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS PLUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles should play well tonight as they look to stave off the Mavericks from catching them in the Western Conference playoff race. They are currently 2 1/2 games ahead of Dallas for fifth place in the standings — two positions clear of having to engage in play-in games. The Lakers have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. LA has also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after allowing at least 115 points in their last game. They did get Anthony Davis back on the court on Thursday — he played 17 minutes but missed eight of his ten shots from the field. He should play better and for more minutes tonight. The Lakers have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Dallas had failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 39 games at home after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 34 home games after a point spread victory. The Mavericks have allowed at least 110 points in seven straight games — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 home games after allowing at least 110 points in their last game. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games. Dallas appears to be undermanned in this game with the biggest news being that Kristaps Porzingis is questionable with an ankle injury. The Mavericks drop significantly when they do not Porzingis taking some of the pressure off Luka Doncic. The underrated Max Kleber and Josh Richardson are also questionable with injuries. Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Lakers have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games when playing with revenge — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 meetings with the Mavericks. 10* NBA Lakers-Mavericks ABC-TV Special with the Los Angeles Lakers (511) plus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Detroit Pistons (505) plus the points versus Indiana Pacers (506). THE SITUATION: Detroit (18-42) has lost three of their last four games after their 106-91 loss at San Antonio as a 7-point underdog on Thursday. Indiana (27-31) snapped a three-game losing streak with their 122-116 win against Oklahoma City as a 9-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PISTONS PLUS THE POINTS: Detroit should play better tonight — what they lack in talent, they usually make up for with effort under head coach Duane Casey. The Pistons are 21-8-1 ATS in their last 30 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 24 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, Detroit has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 11 straight games after a loss by at least 15 points. The Pistons have lost six of their last eight games — but they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games after losing six or seven of their last eight games. And while this is Detroit’s third game on the road since Wednesday, they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games when playing their third game in four days on the road. Rodney McGruder and Dennis Smith are out tonight, but the Pistons get back their best player in Jerami Grant who has been upgraded to probable with his quad injury. General manager Troy Weaver drafted well as Isaiah Stewart are Saddiq Bey both listed in NBA.com’s top-ten rookies of the season — and the team has back Killian Hayes, the number seven pick in last year’s draft back from being injured for much of the season. This trio of first rookie first-round draft picks offers this franchise an intriguing core of talent. Detroit has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a losing record. Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a win by six points or less. Additionally, the Pacers have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games at home after a point spread loss. They have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games when playing with two days of rest. And while they have allowed at least 106 points in twelve straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after allowing at least 105 points in five straight contests. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games on their home court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 home games with the Total set at 220 or higher. Domantas Sabonis is getting the night off for rest — and this team is already without Myles Turner and T.J. Warren to season-ending injuries. Injuries may explain why the Pacers have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games as a favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Detroit will have revenge on their minds after losing to the Pacers in Indiana by a 116-111 score as a 7.5-point favorite on March 24th. The Pistons are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings with Indiana. 25* NBA Central Division Underdog of the Year with Detroit Pistons (505) plus the points versus Indiana Pacers (506). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (517) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (518). THE SITUATION: Utah (42-15) had their two-game winning streak snapped with a 127-1115 loss to the Lakers at the Staples Center as a 2-point underdog on Saturday. Los Angeles (35-22) has won two of their last three games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ MINUS THE POINTS: Utah only made 41.6% of their shots on Saturday which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last 33 games. They also allowed the Lakers to make 51.6% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last three contests. The Jazz have not covered the point spread in four straight games as well as six of their last eight contests. Utah has then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after not covering the point spread in four straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. The Jazz will be without Donovan Mitchell indefinitely after he injured his ankle on Saturday — so his teammates will have the challenge of stepping up without him. Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert have been upgraded to probable to play tonight. Utah has still won four of their last six games — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games after winning four or five of their last six contests. Los Angeles had their best shooting effort in their last 17 games with their 51.6% field goal percentage. They also enjoyed their best defensive game in their last six games by holding the Jazz to 41.6% shooting. But the Lakers have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit win. Los Angeles has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as they continue to play without LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Lakers have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight home games as an underdog. Furthermore, Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games as an underdog.

FINAK TAKE: Utah has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when avenging a loss on the road. 10* NBA Monday Late Show Bailout with the Utah Jazz (517) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (518). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (504) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (503). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (39-17) has won four games in a row after their 106-103 win against the Los Angeles Clippers as a 4-point favorite on Saturday. Golden State (28-29) had their four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday in a 119-114 loss at Boston as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: Philadelphia only made 42.2% of their shots against the Clippers which was the lowest shooting percentage in their last four games. The Sixers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 31 home games after a point spread setback. Philly stays at home where they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 23 games with the Total set in the 220s. Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris are both questionable tonight — Simmons is under the weather and Harris is dealing with a knee. George Hill has been upgraded to questionable with the thumb injury that has kept him out. But Philly still has a healthy Joel Embiid — and the Warriors lack players who can cover the big man. Golden State is thin at center with James Wiseman and Eric Paschall out the season with injuries. The 76ers have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a losing record. Golden State has covered the point spread in five of their last seven games even after not covering against the Celtics — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 straight games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. The Warriors may not have Stephen Curry tonight as he is questionable with an ankle. Curry might be playing the best basketball of his career — so his absence will likely be a game-changer. Kelly Oubre is also questionable with the wrist injury that has kept him out. Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Warriors have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 trips to Philadelphia to play the 76ers. 10* NBA Golden State-Philadelphia ESPN Special with the Philadelphia 76ers (504) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (503). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Charlotte Hornets (574) plus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (573). THE SITUATION: Charlotte (27-28) has lost four games in a row after their 130-115 loss at Brooklyn as a 12-point underdog on Friday. Portland (32-23) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 107-106 upset win at San Antonio as a 1.5-point underdog on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HORNETS PLUS THE POINTS: Charlotte is a M*A*S*H unit right now — but the Trail Blazers will once again be without Damian Lillard tonight as he is out with his hamstring injury. The Hornets allowed the Nets to make 55.3% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last 16 games. But Charlotte has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after allowing at least 130 points in their last game. The Hornets have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after a point spread loss. Their loss to the Nets was preceded by a bad 13-point loss at home to Cleveland where they were laying three points. Charlotte has covered the point spread in 38 of their last 60 games after losing two games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games after suffering two straight double-digit losses. The Hornets are missing three starters in Gordon Hayward, LeMelo Ball, and Malik Monk — and P.J. Washington and Devonte Graham remain questionable with injuries that kept them out against Brooklyn. But this group still has a healthy Terry Rozier and Mykal Bridges — and head coach James Borrego usually gets the most out of his talent. They are 14-5-1 ATS in their last 20 games at home as an underdog. They have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games with the Total set in the 220s. Portland was without Lillard on Friday in their upset win against the Spurs. But C.J. McCollum and company may suffer an emotional letdown after exceeding expectations without their leader. The Trail Blazers have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after an upset victory — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a win on the road. The Blazers have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. Portland has also been playing without big man Zach Collins who is out indefinitely with an ankle injury.

FINAL TAKE: The Blazers average 91 shot attempts-per-game — and the Hornets have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 29 games against teams who average at least 88 shots-per-game. After two double-digit losses, the Hornets should play hard tonight — even if they are dealing with a depleted roster. 10* NBA Sunday Night Discounted Deal with the Charlotte Hornets (574) plus the points versus the Portland Trail Blazers (573). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the New Orleans Pelicans (569) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the New York Knicks (570). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (25-31) has lost two in a row after their 117-115 upset loss at Washington as a 3.5-point favorite on Friday. New York (30-27) has won five games in a row with their 117-109 upset win at Dallas as a 6.5-point underdog on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PELICANS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINT(S): New Orleans made only 41.2% of their shots on Friday against the Wizards which was the worst shooting effort in their last six games. They also allowed Washington to make 46.9% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last three games. The Pelicans have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after an upset loss as a road favorite. New Orleans has suffered two straight upset losses as they got stunned by these Knicks at home in the Big Easy by a  116-106 score as a 2.5-point favorite on Wednesday. The Pelicans have covered the point spread 11 of their last 16 games after losing two games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after getting upset as the favorite in two straight games. And while New Orleans has only covered the point spread once in their last four games, they have then covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games. New York made 51.2% of their shots on Friday — including 14 of their 28 shots from 3-point range — in their upset win against the Mavericks. That was the best shooting effort in their last seven games. We had Dallas on Friday — and I am reticent to to immediately fade the Knicks again today. But, I won’t avoid betting against New York simply because of the disappointing results on Friday. The fact remains that (A) the Knicks’ performance on Friday was an outlier, and (B) the evidence for the play-New Orleans side of this equation is strong. And, the evidence remains solid that New York is due for an emotional letdown. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning at least three games in a row. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after pulling off two straight upset wins. And while the Knicks have covered the point spread in eight straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after covering the point spread in at least seven straight games.

FINAL TAKE: New York will be without Alec Burks who is in COVID quarantine. New Orleans has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when avenging an upset loss. 25* NBA Sunday ESPN Game of the Year with the New Orleans Pelicans (569) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the New York Knicks (570). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (554) minus the points versus the New York Knicks (553). THE SITUATION: Dallas (30-24) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 114-113 win at Memphis as a 3-point favorite on Wednesday. New York (29-27) has won four games in a row with their 116-106 upset win at New Orleans as a 2.5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS MINUS THE POINTS: Luka Doncic saved Dallas against the Grizzlies with a stumbling buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the game (although he was probably fouled on the play — so he may have been given free throws to win the game). Doncic will be the best player on the court tonight — and Kristaps Porzingis will likely be the second-best player. The Unicorn has been on fire as of late with a 22.0 Points-Per-Game scoring average in his last ten games along with a 10.2 Rebounds-Per-Game mark on 50% shooting from the field and a 38.6% mark from downtown. Porzingis got Monday off at home against the 76ers in a game where the Mavs got blown out — but he returned on Wednesday with 21 points against the Grizzlies. Injuries and COVID slowed down this team early — but they are pretty much healthy again and playing much better basketball on both ends of the court. The Mavs have won seven of their last ten games. This team played at a historic level on offense last season — they were due to regress in that area this year. Defense has been the concern for this team — and they rank fifth-best in the NBA in Defensive Rating over their last ten games. They should play well tonight as they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after a narrow win by three points or less against a Southwest Division rival. The Mavericks have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a point spread loss. And in their last 5 home games as a favorite, they have covered the point spread in 4 of these games. New York is a team due for an emotional letdown after pulling the upset on the road against the defensively-challenged Pelicans. The Knicks have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after a double-digit upset win as a road underdog. Furthermore, New York has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their 6 games this season after winning three in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after winning four of their last five games. The Knicks have covered point spread expectations in seven straight games after their upset win against New Orleans — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 straight games after going on a seven-game point spread cover run. Tom Thibodeau’s team is just 12-17 on the road this season. And while they rank 3rd in the NBA in Defensive Rating as the team takes to Thibodeau’s defensive philosophy, they are just 22nd in the league in Offensive Rating.

FINAL TAKE: Defense goes only so far against talent such as Luka Doncic — as he showed with that game-winner on Wednesday. The Mavs are particularly dangerous when Porzingis is healthy and playing well. The Mavs won easily against the Knicks on April 2nd in a 99-86 victory. New York has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games in the second half of the season against teams winning 51-60% of their games. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Game of the Year with the Dallas Mavericks (554) minus the points versus the New York Knicks (553). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (582) minus the point(s) versus the Boston Celtics (581). THE SITUATION: Portland (31-22) has lost three of their last four games after their 107-98 loss to Miami as a 1-point underdog on Sunday. Boston (28-26) has won five of their last six games with their 105-87 upset win at Denver as a 3-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS MINUS THE POINTS: Portland has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after point spread loss. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after losing three of their last four games. And while the Blazers have only covered the point spread once in their last four games, they have then covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after not covering the point spread in three of their last four games. They stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Boston held the Nuggets to just a 36.4% field goal percentage which was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage for them all season. But the Celtics have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after a double-digit win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a win by at least 15 points. Furthermore, Boston is just 4-13-1 ATS in their last 18 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after a point spread win. They are just 11-16 on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 road games with the total set at 220 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: Both these teams will be without big men — the Celtics’ Evan Fournier is in quarantine and the Blazers’ Zach Collins is out with an ankle. Boston has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and Portland has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when favored. 10* NBA Tuesday Late Show Bailout with the Portland Trail Blazers (582) minus the point(s) versus the Boston Celtics (581). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Denver Nuggets (567) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (568). THE SITUATION: Denver (34-19) had their eight-game winning streak snapped yesterday in a 105-87 upset loss to Boston as a 3.5-point favorite. Golden State (25-28) has won two of their last three games with their 125-109 win against Houston on Saturday as a 7-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NUGGETS minus the points: Denver made only 34.6% of their shots yesterday in what was the worst shooting effort for them all season. I am happy with my decision to pass on the Nuggets yesterday — and this sets up a good situation tonight. Denver has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit loss at home. The Nuggets go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on the road against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Golden State shot 53.8% of their shots on Saturday in what was the best shooting effort in their last 14 games. But the Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. Golden State is also 16-33-2 ATS in their last 51 games after a double-digit victory. The Warriors stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as an underdog. Golden State has also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games as an underdog overall — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: Jamal Murray did not play last night for Denver as he deals with a knee injury — he is questionable tonight. But Golden State is dealing with injuries as well with Kelly Oubre, James Wiseman, and Eric Paschall all out tonight with injuries. The Warriors will be looking to avenge a 114-104 loss at Denver on January 14th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss on the road. 10* NBA Monday Late Show Bailout with the Denver Nuggets (567) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the New York Knicks (554) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (553). THE SITUATION: New York (27-27) has won two in a row with their 102-96 win against Toronto as a 3-point favorite yesterday. Los Angeles (33-20) has won two of three games after their 126-101 upset victory at Brooklyn on Saturday as an 11.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE KNICKS MINUS THE POINTS: The Lakers were on fire on Saturday — they nailed 50.5% of their shots in their upset win against the Nets. They are making only 46.6% of their shots in their last five games (even after that effort) as they continue to play without LeBron James and Anthony Davis. I expect an emotional letdown for this Lakers’ team after shocking Brooklyn. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a double-digit win. The Lakers have also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 24 games when playing their fourth game in seven days on the road. Los Angeles has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games at home. New York is 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 31 games after a point spread win including covering their last four games after a point spread cover. The Knicks have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after winning two of their last three games. And in their last 4 games playing without rest, New York has covered the point spread all 4 times. They beat the Raptors despite making only 39.8% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games. This team has bought-in to first-year head coach Tom Thibodeau’s template of toughness and effort on defense. They are fourth in the NBA in Defensive Rating this season while ranking second-best in Defensive Efficiency in their last ten games. They are outscoring their last five opponents by +10.0 PPG. They stay at home where they are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 games — and they are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. New York has also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 home games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: The Knicks are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. New York has also covered the point spread in 18 of their last 23 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 13 home games when listed in that range. 10* NBA Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the New York Knicks (554) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (553). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (560) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (559). THE SITUATION: Dallas (29-23) has lost two of their last three games after their 119-117 upset loss at home to San Antonio as a 6-point favorite last night. Philadelphia (36-17) has won four of their last six games with their 117-93 win at Oklahoma City as a 9.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS PLUS THE POINTS: I committed to this play this afternoon after seeing that Maxi Kleiber was upgraded to probable after missing time with a leg injury. Because Kristaps Porzingis played almost 36 minutes last night, head coach Rick Carlisle may give him the night off to rest his back for “load management” reasons. If Porzingis plays, let’s consider it a bonus — but I have to assume he will not take the court. The Mavs’ getting Kleiber back tonight helps with their front-court depth. Dallas is much better than their record. Injuries and COVID hit this team hard early in the year which contributed to their 8-13 season — but they have since put up an impressive 21-10 record. Defense has been the Achilles’ heel for this group over the last two seasons — but they have won six of their last eight games while ranking third in the league in Defensive Rating over that span. In these last eight games, the Mavericks rank fourth in the NBA in Net Rating. They lost focus on defense last night by allowing the Spurs to make 54.2% of their shots which was the worst opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 29 games. They have still held their last five opponents to 43.1% shooting which has generated just 102.4 PPG. Dallas should play better tonight. They have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games after an upset loss. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a point spread loss. The Mavericks stay at home where they have won eleven of their last fifteen games still even after last night — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games at home. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home against teams with a winning record on the road. And in their last 26 home games as an underdog getting up to six points, Dallas has covered the point spread 17 times. Philadelphia made 46.8% of their shots last night which was the best shooting effort in their last four games. But the 76ers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up victory — and they are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread win. Additionally, Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 34 of their last 54 road games after allowing at least 115 points in their last game. The 76ers are playing better on the road this year with a 16-12 record — but they remain dominant at home with a 20-5 mark. Philly may have one eye on the plane ride home with this being their final game in a four-game road trip. The Sixers have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after playing their last three games on the road. Philadelphia is 10-23-2 ATS in their last 35 road games against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas may be without Porzingis — but they still have Luka Doncic and a very nice roster which always gives them a chance to win (when not decimated with injuries). The Mavericks will be looking to avenge a 111-97 loss at Philadelphia on February 25th — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 15 games when playing with revenge from a loss on the road. 25* NBA Monday ESPN Game of the Year with the Dallas Mavericks (560) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (559). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (549) minus the point(s) versus the Portland Trail Blazers (550). THE SITUATION: Miami (27-25) has won five of their last six games after their 110-104 win against the Los Angeles Lakers as a 9.5-point favorite on Thursday. Portland (31-21) has won six of their last nine games after their 118-103 win against Detroit as an 11-point favorite yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT MINUS THE POINT(S): Miami has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread as a favorite — and they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 35 games on the road after a win where they did not cover the spread. The Heat have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games when playing with two days of rest. Miami has survived a six-game losing streak — they got healthy again during this recent run. This team is particularly good when Jimmy Butler and Andre Iguodala are both healthy and on the court — as they are now. Entering the week (two games ago), The Heat was +11.7 points-per 100 possessions in their last 22 games with Butler and Iguodala on the court at the same time. Miami has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games when favored. Portland had lost three of their last four games before their win against the Pistons. By holding Detroit to 44.6% shooting, the Trail Blazers played their best game on defense in their last three games. Portland has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win by at least 15 points. The Blazers stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games with the Total set in the 220 to 229.5 point range. Portland has also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. The Trail Blazers have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Portland is still with big man Zach Collins who is out with an ankle injury. Miami is without the recently acquired Victor Oladipo who is dealing with a knee injury and KZ Okpala who is in quarantine. The Heat lost at home to the Blazers on March 25th by a 125-122 score — and they have covered the point spread in 3 of their 4 opportunities this season to avenge a close loss by three points or less. 10* NBA Sunday Late Show Bailout with the Miami Heat (549) minus the point(s) versus the Portland Trail Blazers (550). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (514) minus the points versus the Charlotte Hornets (513). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (32-19) has lost two of their last three games are their 116-101 loss at Dallas as a 2.5-point underdog last night. Charlotte (26-24) has won two of their last three contests after a 113-102 victory at Oklahoma City as a 5.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Milwaukee should respond with a strong effort tonight — they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games after a double-digit loss. The Bucks have also covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games at home after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after losing two of their last three games. And while Milwaukee’s five starters logged in 164:26 combined minutes last night, they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after their five starters played at least 160 combined points the day before. The Bucks only shot 38% from the field last night which was the worst shooting effort of the season for a team that makes 48.6% of their shots. Milwaukee has not covered the point spread in seven of their last nine games — but they have then covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after failing to cover the point spread six or seven of their last eight games. The Bucks return home for just one game during a ten-game stretch. Milwaukee has played their last six games on the road — their last game at home was March 27th. The Bucks have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 37 games at home after playing at least their last seven days on the road. Milwaukee outscores their guests by +8.4 PPG when playing at home with an 18-7 record. Charlotte held the Thunder to just 43.5% shooting on Wednesday which was the best defensive effort in their last four games. But the Hornets have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a win on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win by double-digits on the road. Charlotte stays on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 22 road games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games at home. The Hornets have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games as an underdog. We had Charlotte on Wednesday despite them being down three starters in Gordon Hayward, Malik Monk, and LeMelo Ball. The Hornets play hard for head coach James Borrego which is why I was comfortable with them taking care of business against a Thunder team severely lacking in quality players. But Charlotte is only 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee is not at full strength either with Giannis Antetokounmpo questionable with the knee injury that has kept him out the last three games. The recently acquired P.J. Tucker is also questionable with a calf issue. But the Bucks’ remained stacked with talent including Kris Middleton and Jrue Holiday (who recently signed an extension with the team). Milwaukee looks to avenge a 126-114 upset loss to Charlotte on January 30th as a 9-point favorite — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games when avenging an upset loss where they were a road favorite laying at least 7 points. 10* NBA Blowout Bookie Buster with the Milwaukee Bucks (514) minus the points versus the Charlotte Hornets (513). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Detroit Pistons (573) plus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (574). THE SITUATION: Detroit (15-36) has lost two of their last three games after their 131-119 loss at Denver as an 11.5-point underdog on Tuesday. Sacramento (22-29) has lost four in a row with their 116-106 upset loss at Minnesota on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PISTONS PLUS THE POINTS: The Kings have been consistently inconsistent this season. Sacramento has a five-game winning streak and they won seven of eight games earlier this season — but they have also suffered losing streaks of at least three games four times this season including a nine-game losing streak in mid-February. The Kings have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games after a point spread setback. Additionally, Sacramento has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after an upset loss. And in their last 11 games after a loss of at least three games, the Kings have failed to cover the point spread 9 times. Head coach Luke Walton has failed to get his team to play with effort on defense. Sacramento is last in the league in Defensive Rating — despite their holding the Timberwolves to just 41.8% shooting on Monday which was the best defensive effort in their last 14 games. They have allowed at least 115 points in five straight games — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after allowing at least 110 points in four straight games. The Kings return home where they are allowing their opponents to score 119.5 PPG with them these visitors making 49.6% of their shots. Sacramento has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 home games against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40% on the road. The Kings have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games when favored. Detroit allowed the Nuggets to make 59.1% of their shots on Tuesday in what the worst defensive effort of the season. The Pistons have bounced back to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after a double-digit loss while covering the point spread in 8 straight games after a loss by at least 15 points. Detroit has also covered the point spread in 17 of their last 21 games after a point spread loss. The Pistons have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. What this team lacks in talent, they make up for in playing hard for head coach Duane Casey. Balance on offense has helped them score 110.6 PPG over their last five games with them making 47.3% of their shots over that span. Detroit has also covered the point spread in 7 of the last 10 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Pistons are without Jerami Grant tonight as he deals with a knee injury, but the Kings will be without Marvin Bagley who is dealing with a hand injury. Detroit will be motivated to avenge a 110-107 loss at home to Sacramento on February 26th — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their 16 opportunities this season to avenge a same-season loss at home. 10* NBA Thursday Late Show Bailout with the Detroit Pistons (573) plus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (574). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Charlotte Hornets (555) minus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (556). THE SITUATION: Charlotte (25-24) has lost two of their last three games after their 116-86 loss at Boston as a 9.5-point underdog on Sunday. Oklahoma City (20-30) has lost three straight games as well as six of their last seven contests after their 132-108 loss to Detroit as a 3-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HORNETS MINUS THE POINTS: Both of these teams are simply savaged by injuries right now — but Charlotte still has some quality NBA players. The Hornets are missing three starters in Gordon Hayward, Malik Monk, and LeMelo Ball to injuries. They still have Terry Rozier and Malik Bridges — and Bismack Biyombo, Devonte Graham, and P.J. Washington are solid role players. Head coach James Borrego is doing a fantastic job with this team to keep them in the playoff race. This is a winnable game — and Borrego will have them ready to play. Charlotte has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a loss by double-digits. The Hornets have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after a point spread loss. Charlotte has also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after losing two of their last three games. Furthermore, the Hornets are a dominant 20-5-1 ATS in their last 16 road games against teams with a losing record at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight road games when favored. Oklahoma City has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread setback. Head coach Mark Daigneault has even less talent at his disposal with his current active roster. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been their Mr. Everything — but he is out indefinitely with a foot injury. Luguentz Dort is one of three players currently dealing with the concussion protocol (not sure how that epidemic happened). The franchise already went into unofficially “tank” mode by shutting down Al Horford for the rest of the season and trading away George Hill at the deadline. Aleksej Pokusevki was the leading scorer for the Thunder on Monday — this is a very depleted group of players. Oklahoma City has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home — and they are just 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. The Thunder have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games as an underdog. OKC has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Charlotte will have revenge on their minds after losing at home to Oklahoma City by a 109-107 as a 3-point underdog on December 26th. The Thunder will have none of their five starters and just two of the ten players who took the court in that game. 10* NBA Blowout Bookie Buster with the Charlotte Hornets (555) minus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (556). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (544) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (543). THE SITUATION: Golden State (23-27) has lost three straight games as well as seven of their last eight after their 117-111 loss at Atlanta as a 1-point underdog on Sunday. Milwaukee (32-17) has won three in a row with their 129-128 win at Sacramento as a 3-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARRIORS PLUS THE POINTS: The Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a narrow win by three points or less. Milwaukee made 53.8% of their shots on Saturday — and they have made at least 53.2% of their shots in three straight games. But the Bucks have then failed to cover the point spread after shooting 50% from the field in at least two straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Milwaukee plays their fifth game in a six-game road trip — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning two in a row on the road. The Bucks have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when playing tighter third game on the road in five days. Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on the road when favored. Additionally, the Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a losing record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games when favored in the 3.5 to 9.5 point range. Milwaukee is vulnerable to teams that hit 3-pointers. They allow their opponents to make 37.6% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking 24th in the NBA. They also allow their opponents to attempt 38.8% of their shots from 3-point range, the 28th highest mark in the league. Golden State makes 38.5% of their shots from behind the arc at home — and they are 7th in the NBA with 42.2% of their field goal attempts coming from 3-point range. The Warriors have Stephen Curry back in the mix — he returned to the court on Sunday where he scored 37 points against the Hawks. He had missed six of the team’s last nine games with his latest ailment being a tailbone injury. This team is much better with Curry leading the way with Draymond Green. They tend to play up or down to their competition. Golden State has covered the point spread in 47 of their last 75 home games in the second half of the season against teams who are outscoring their opponents by at least +6.0 PPG (Milwaukee: +6.3 PPG). The Warriors have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 home games with the total set at 220 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: Golden State will be looking to avenge a 138-99 loss at Milwaukee on December 25th — and they have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 51 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 10* NBA Tuesday Late Show Bailout with the Golden State Warriors (544) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (543). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:20 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Baylor Bears (811) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (812). THE SITUATION: Baylor (27-2) has won five straight games as well as nine of their last ten contests after their 78-59 win against Houston as a 5-point favorite on Saturday. Gonzaga (31-0) survived overtime in a 93-90 buzzer-beating win against UCLA as a 14-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS PLUS THE POINTS: In assessing this potential National Championship matchup for the last few months, I presumed I would take Baylor plus the points in a matchup between two teams that I considered roughly even. The events from Saturday make the Bears’ play a bit better. Gonzaga having to expend more physical and emotional energy by playing an extra five minutes against the Bruins. This game with UCLA also continued to expose some flaws with this, albeit, great Bulldogs’ team. Their half-court defense is not elite. They allowed the Bruins to make 57.6% of their shots — and the Zags have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of their shots. Gonzaga ranks only 55th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 47.5%. The Bulldogs were also a bit loose at times with the basketball — taking ill-advised chances — which might be the result of a team that has become overconfident from winning all their games. There is a reason that the last team to finish a season undefeated was during the Jimmy Carter Administration (granted, his last year in office). And the flip-side of this coin is that overconfidence can suddenly become insecurity when threatened. The pressure of making history make become a factor for Gonzaga. It is one thing for Jalen Suggs to make an improbable from 35-feet when the game is tied— it is another to make winning shots when missing the shot risks infamy for the shooter. As it is, the Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. And while the Zags had covered the point spread in their previous four games before not coming close to covering the point spread against UCLA, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Baylor should build off their momentum from their easy victory against a good Houston team. They have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after a win by at least 10 points. They have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games on the road when playing their second game in three days. What I like about this Bears team is that they have multiple ways to create more scoring opportunities if their shots are not falling. They are sixth in the nation by pulling down 36.9% of their missed shots. They are also third in the nation by forcing turnovers in 24.6% of their opponent’s possessions. But as they demonstrated against the stout Cougars defense that went into the Final Four with the nation’s top statistical defense in terms of effective field goal percentage, Baylor makes their shots more often than not. The Bears shot 52.7% from the field against Houston — including making 11 of 24 (45.8%) from behind the arc. Baylor leads the nation by making 41.2% of their 3-pointers. Leading the nation in 3s, while ranking top-six in offensive rebounding and forcing turnovers is a great formula for winning a National Championship. The Bears are 34-16-2 ATS in their last 52 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games under head coach Mark Few.

FINAL TAKE: I think the laptops may actually be undervaluing this Baylor team -- their three-week COVID pause took them a few weeks to recover and get back to playing in their earlier form. This Bears team is playing much better in April than they were in February. And this group will likely have a chip on their shoulder installed as an underdog for the first time all season. Baylor has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games as an underdog under Drew. 25* CBB Game of the Year on the Baylor Bears (811) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (812). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (504) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (503). THE SITUATION: The Los Angeles Clippers (32-18) have lost two straight games after their 101-94 loss to Denver as a 2-point favorite on Thursday. The Los Angeles Lakers (31-18) come off a 115-94 upset win at Sacramento as a 4.5-point underdog on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Clippers have suffered two straight upset losses at home as their loss to the Nuggets was preceded by an upset loss to Orlando despite being an 11.5-point home favorite. The Clippers are without Patrick Beverley and Serge Ibaka — but they still have Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Losing to Denver is excusable — but the loss to the Magic was from a loss of focus. The Clippers should be very motivated to hand the Lakers (and their roommates at the Staples Center) the loss as they look to pass them in the Western Conference standings. They only made 41.2% of their shots against the Nuggets which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after suffering two straight upset losses at home. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 37 of their last 52 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 35 of their last 51 games after a point spread loss. The Clippers have responded to the 21 points spread losses this season by covering the point spread this season 13 times. They have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. The Lakers made 47.8% of their shots on Friday which was the best shooting effort in their last three games. This team is taking advantage of their opportunities to beat the lesser teams in the league while LeBron James and Anthony Davis are out. They are 3-5 without their two superstars with their other two wins against Cleveland and Orlando. But four of their five losses during this stretch were against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. The Lakers have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a double-digit win. And while this team has played five straight Unders, they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after playing at least four straight Unders. Additionally, the Lakers have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers will be getting Rajon Rondo into the mix after the recent acquisition from Atlanta practiced with the team yesterday. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when favored. The Lakers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games. 10* NBA Lakers-Clippers’ ABC-TV Special with the Los Angeles Clippers (504) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (503). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:34 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Gonzaga Bulldogs (804) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (803). THE SITUATION: Gonzaga (30-0) reached the Final Four on Tuesday with their 85-66 win against USC as a 12-point favorite. UCLA (22-9) won their fifth straight game in this Big Dance with their 51-49 upset win against Michigan as a 6.5-point underdog on Tuesday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS MINUS THE POINTS: Gonzaga has won all four of their NCAA Tournament games by at least 16 points — and they should continue to roll against the Bruins. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread victory. Gonzaga has covered the point spread in all four of their games in the Big Dance — and they have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 46 games after covering the point spread in four straight games. The Bulldogs made 50% of their shots against USC after they made 59.6% of their shots against Creighton — and they have covered the point spread in 34 of their last 51 games after making at least 50% of their shots in two straight games. UCLA may be due for a letdown after pulling off their second straight upset victory. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after winning five games in a row. The Bruins have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a game where both teams did not score more than 65 points. UCLA only had 12 team assists against the Wolverines after generating only 12 team assists against Alabama in their previous game. They have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not generating more than 12 team assists in two straight games. The Bruins too often have resorted to Johnny Juzang playing “hero ball” to bail them out. The lack of ball movement will get them burned against Gonzaga. Frankly, UCLA has been pretty fortunate to make it this far in this Big Dance. They survived overtime against Michigan State and Alabama. Michigan had many opportunities to score a final basket to either force overtime or win the game in regulation. The Wolverines made only 6 of their 11 free throws. The Crimson Tide made just 11 of their 25 free throws. In their Round of 64 game against BYU, the Cougars made only 9 of 16 free throws. None of their five opponents have shot better than 33% from 3-point land — Michigan was 3 of 11 (27.2%), Alabama was 7 of 28 (25%), Abilene Christian was 4 of 19 (21.0%), BYU was 3 of 19 (15.8%), Michigan State was 6 of 18 (33%). Now UCLA faces a confident Gonzaga team that makes 37.1% of their 3-pointers.

FINAL TAKE: The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in all 4 games in this NCAA Tournament. UCLA is due for a letdown and have been fortunate to survive — while the Zags are a machine. 25* CBB Final Four Game of the Year with the Gonzaga Bulldogs (804) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (803). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:14 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Houston Cougars (801) plus the points versus the Baylor Bears (802). THE SITUATION: Houston (28-3) won their 11th straight game on Monday with their 67-61 win against Oregon State as an 8-point favorite. Baylor (26-2) won their fourth straight game with their 81-72 victory against Arkansas as a 7.5-point favorite on Monday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COUGARS PLUS THE POINTS: Houston has only played one team this season ranked in the top-20 by metrics guru Ken Pomeroy — that was Texas Tech back on November 29th. But the Cougars did defeat the Red Raiders by a 64-53 score. Baylor played Texas Tech twice this season — they beat them twice by 8 and 15 point margins. The laptops project this to be a 1-point game with one of the systems I track protecting Houston as the small favorite (Pomeroy has Baylor by 1-point). I think the market is wrong — the Bears have been a public team all season, and bettors are backing Baylor against this Cougars team from the unheralded American Athletic Conference. Houston should relish in their role as the underdog for the first time since that November game against the Red Raiders. They should shoot better than 32.3% of their shots as they did against the Beavers which was the lowest shooting mark of the season for them. The Cougars have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 10 straight games after a point spread loss. Houston’s defense should keep them competitive in this game. They have held their last five opponents — all NCAA Tournament teams — to 55.4 PPG on a 36.3% field goal percentage. The Cougars lead the nation with an opponent effective field goal percentage of 43.3% while ranking in the top-11 in 2-point and 3-point defense. Baylor outlasted the Razorbacks while making 48.4% of their shots which was the best shooting mark in their last five games. The Bears have covered the point spread in three straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after covering at least three of the last four games. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after winning at least 18 of their last 20 games. Baylor also allowed Arkansas to make 48.1% of their shots which resurrected concerns about the play of their defense that took a step or two back in February after their three-week pause because of COVID. Teams can shoot on the Bears — they have an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 48.9% which is just 120th in the nation. 

FINAL TAKE: It strikes me how similar both these teams are. They both are top-seven in the nation in offensive rebounding. Houston is second nationally by pulling down 39.8% of their missed — and Baylor allows their opponents to rebound 30.6% of their misses. Both force turnovers in at least 21.3% of their opponent’s possessions. While the Bears lead the nation in 3-point shooting, the Cougars are 11th in opponent’s 3-point shooting defense. This is going to be a tough matchup for a Baylor team that is supposed to be awaiting coronation for a championship game date with Gonzaga on Monday. Houston has covered the point spread in 21 of their last 29 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. The Cougars have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games as an underdog on a neutral court. 10* CBB Saturday Daily Discounted Deal with the Houston Cougars (801) plus the points versus the Baylor Bears (802). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (516) minus or plus the point(s) versus the Dallas Mavericks (515). THE SITUATION: Boston (23-24) had their two-game winning streak snapped on Monday in their 115-109 upset loss to New Orleans as a 2.5-point favorite. Dallas (24-21) ended their two-game losing streak with a 127-106 win at Oklahoma City as an 11.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS (OR PLUS) THE POINT(S): Boston only made 43.0% of their shots against the Pelicans which was the worst shooting effort in their last six games. They also allowed New Orleans to make 50% of their shots which is tied for the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last seven contests. The Celtics have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a point spread loss. Jaylen Brown did not play on Monday as he deals with a hip injury. He was listed as questionable for tonight’s game — but this news late this afternoon is that he will be able to take the court tonight. That update was what I needed to change this situation from Yellow Light to Green Light. Boston has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Dallas made 53.1% of their shots on Monday which was the best shooting effort in their last four games. But the Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a double-digit victory. Additionally, Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. The Mavericks stay on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games as an underdog. Dallas will likely still be without starting center Willie Cauley-Stein who has missed the last six games due to COVID quarantine. The Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games against teams with a losing record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Boston will be looking to avenge a 110-107 upset loss to Dallas as a 2.5-point underdog on February 23rd — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when avenging a loss by three points or less. 20* NBA Dallas-Boston ESPN Special with the Boston Celtics (516) minus or plus the point(s) versus the Dallas Mavericks (515). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:57 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Michigan Wolverines (660) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (659). THE SITUATION: Michigan (23-4) has won four of their last five games after their 76-58 win against Florida State as a 1.5-point favorite on Sunday. UCLA (21-9) won their fourth game in this Big Dance with their 88-78 win in overtime against Alabama as a 5.5-point favorite on Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES MINUS THE POINTS: Michigan held the Seminoles to just 40% shooting — and that was the highest opponent field goal percentage against them so far in this Big Dance. The Wolverines are an outstanding defensive team that ranks eighth in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They held Florida State to under 60 points for the first time all season. Michigan also had their offense clicking by making 49.2% of their shots against a tough Seminoles’ defense whose length was supposed to overwhelm the Wolverines. Juwan Howard has this team operating an NBA-style offense with pick-and-rolls designed to create mismatches and open players. Everyone in the rotation is a competent scorer. Michigan should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after a straight-up win. The Wolverines are averaging 81.7 PPG in this tournament with the 76 points against Florida State being their lowest scoring output. They have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after scoring at least 75 points in two straight games. The loss of Isaiah Livers has been absorbed by several players on this team. Brandon Johns took his spot in the starting lineup — he scored 14 points with six rebounds on Sunday. Johns gives the team more of a post-up presence alongside freshman phenom Hunter Dickinson as opposed to Livers who thrived on the perimeter as a slasher and 3-point shooter. He is averaging 10.7 PPG in this tournament. Wake Forest transfer Chaundee Brown is getting more playing time with Livers on the shelf — and he has scored 33 points in the last two games. Michigan has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games when favored. UCLA scored 23 points in the overtime session to smother the Crimson Tide in overtime on Sunday — but that additional energy may come back to haunt them on short rest for this game. Head coach Mick Cronin has survived this season despite losing his best player, Chris Smith, to a season-ending injury in late December. And forward Jalen Hill did not make the trip to the bubble with this team which further depleted the depth of this team. The Bruins have played one extra game in this tournament with their play-in game First Four victory against Michigan State in another overtime game. But the Bruins have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning at least four games in a row. And while UCLA has allowed only 29 and 21 points in the first half of their last two games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after not allowing more than 30 points in the first half in two straight games. The Bruins are playing better on defense after a bad first half against the Spartans — but this is still an area of weakness. While UCLA ranks 54 in the Adjusted Defensive Efficiency at home, they fall to 92nd in that metric when playing on the road. They allow their opponents to make 49.1% of their shots inside the arc away from Pauley Pavilion, ranking 155th in the nation. Overall, the Bruins rank 13th in Adjusted Net Efficiency at home, they fall to 31st in that metric on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Michigan is one of three teams — joining Gonzaga and Baylor — who rank in the top ten in both Adjusted Offensive and Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. UCLA is outside the top ten in both categories. The Bruins have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games played on a neutral court as an underdog in the 6.5 to 12 point range. Michigan has covered the point spread in 35-14-2 ATS in their last 51 games on a neutral court — and they are 13-4-2 ATS in their last 19 games in the NCAA Tournament as a favorite. 25* CBB TBS-TV Game of the Year with the Michigan Wolverines (660) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (659). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:15 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the USC Trojans (657) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (658). THE SITUATION: USC (25-7) has won six of their last seven games after their 82-68 win against Oregon as a 2-point favorite on Sunday. Gonzaga (29-0) remained undefeated this season with their 83-65 win against Creighton as a 12.5-point favorite on Sunday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TROJANS PLUS THE POINTS: USC should enter this game with confidence — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games on the road after a double-digit victory. The Trojans have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread win. While they held the Ducks to just 37.7% shooting, that was the highest field goal percentage that USC has allowed in this tournament. Andy Enfield’s team has held their last five opponents to just 36.1% shooting. With the 7’0 freshman Evan Mobley patrolling the middle, the Trojans’ defense can help them be a Giant Killer tonight. USC leads the nation by holding their opponents to just 41.5% shooting inside the arc. The Trojans are red-hot with their shooting as well — they have shot at least 50% from the field in four straight games. They have then covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games after making at least 47% of their shots in four straight games. USC has two other characteristics of successful Giant Killers. First, they can make 3-pointers. The Trojans hit 36.0% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking 60th nationally. Second, they get second-chance scoring opportunities if their shots are not falling. USC is 12th in the nation by rebounding 35.4% of their missed shots. Gonzaga made 59.6% of their shots on Sunday in their win against the Bluejays which was the best shooting effort in their last eight games. The Bulldogs are rolling — but the personality of the team suggests they are due for a letdown while perhaps being a bit overvalued by the betting public. Gonzaga has covered the point spread in all three of the tournament games, winning all three by at least 16 points. But the Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after winning three in a row by at least 15 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their four games this season after going at least 3-1 ATS in a fora-game stretch. And while Gonzaga has covered the point spread in four of their last five games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of the last 10 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The Zags have scored at least 83 points in four straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after scoring at least 80 points in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: USC took some time to gel — but with four transfer players along with the freshman Mobley, they are peaking at the right time. USC has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games as an underdog. The Trojans have also covered the point spread in 7 straight games in the NCAA Tournament — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games played on a neutral court. 10* CBB Tuesday Daily Discounted Deal with the USC Trojans (657) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (658). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:57 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Baylor Bears (654) minus the points versus the Arkansas Razorbacks (653). THE SITUATION: Baylor (25-2) has won seven of their last eight games with their 62-51 win against Villanova as a 7.5-point favorite on Saturday. Arkansas (25-6) has won three in a row with their 72-70 victory against Oral Roberts as an 11.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS MINUS THE POINTS: Baylor endured an outlier performance with their 3-point shooting on Saturday. Despite being (now) second in the nation with a 40.8% shooting percentage from the 3-point range this season, the Bears only made 3 of 19 (15.8%) shots from behind the arc against the Wildcats. Davion Mitchell missed all three of his shots from 3-point range despite entering the game as a 46% shooter from 3-point land. Jared Butler missed eight of his nine shots from behind the arc despite being a 39.9% shooter from distance. Don’t be surprised if Baylor ignites from behind the arc tonight. What is so impressive about this team is that they pulled away to win (and cover the point spread) anyways. Scott Drew had his team bypass 3-point shooting for scoring in the paint in the second half against the Villanova zone defenses — and they shot 53% in the final 20 minutes of the game. Even if the Bears’ 3s are not falling, they thrive in getting second-chance opportunities — they rank sixth in the nation by pulling down 36.8% of their missed shots. They also generate more scoring chances by forcing turnovers — they rank third in the nation in forcing turnovers in 24.8% of their opponent’s possessions. And Baylor plays stifling half-court defense that was on full display against the Wildcats as they held them to just 37.5% shooting in the second half with them missing all nine of their 3-point attempts. Throw away any remaining concerns about the Bears’ defense that struggled after a three-week COVID pause in February: Baylor has held their three opponents in this tournament to just 56.3 PPG on 41.3% shooting. This is a great sign for this team as they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games after not allowing more than 55 points in their last game. The Bears have not allowed more than 63 points in this Big Dance — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after not allowing more than 65 points in three straight games. Baylor has won all three of their NCAA Tournament games by double-digits — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after winning at least three in a row by 10 or more points. And in their last 6 games when playing their second game in three days, the Bears have covered the point spread in 5 of these games. Arkansas once again skirted danger by falling behind by double-digits against the Golden Eagles before rallying for the win. The Razorbacks cannot afford to do that for the fourth straight time against this Baylor team — the Bears will start hitting more 3s and the lead will be 20. Arkansas was able to pull away from Colgate, but they survived two-point victories against Texas Tech and then Oral Roberts on Saturday. But the Razorbacks have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after a win by six points or less — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning two in a row by three points or less. And in their last 10 games after winning three in a row, Arkansas has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of these games. The Razorbacks rank 18th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing at home, but they fall to 39th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency when on the road. Let’s put a microscope on that. Arkansas has the eighth-best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency at home, but they fall to 43rd in that metric on the road. Looking even closer, while the Razorbacks held their opponents to just 27.9% shooting from behind the arc at home, ranking 31st in the nation, their opponents make 39.1% of their 3-pointers on the road, ranking 317th nationally. Baylor is the wrong opponent for them playing outside Fayetteville. And while Arkansas wants to force turnovers with their full-court press, the Bears’ four-guard lineup only turns the ball over in 16.2% of their possessions away from Waco, ranking 42nd nationally. The Razorbacks only make 32.6% of their 3-pointers away from home, ranking 187th in the nation.

FINAL TAKE: Arkansas has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games on a neutral court as an underdog. Baylor has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the NCAA Tournament. The Bears have also covered the point spread in 21 of their last 31 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. 25* CBB Elite 8 Game of the Year with the Baylor Bears (654) minus the points versus the Arkansas Razorbacks (653). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (567) minus the points versus the Houston Rockets (568). THE SITUATION: Memphis (21-22) has lost two in a row with their 126-110 loss at Utah as a 9-point underdog on Saturday. Houston (13-32) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 129-107 upset win at Minnesota as a 4.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES MINUS THE POINTS: Memphis only made 40.2% of their shots, which is the worst shooting effort in their last four games. They should bounce-back tonight as they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. The Grizzlies stay on the road where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a losing record at home. Memphis has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games when favored. The Grizzlies have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less. Houston made 54.3% of their shots on Saturday in their win against the Timberwolves which was the best shooting effort in their last 30 games. But the Rockets have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a win by at least 10 points. Houston has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread victory. The Rockets have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread win. They return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 26 home games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 28 home games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Houston has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games as an underdog. Memphis has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games as a favorite. 10* NBA Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Memphis Grizzlies (567) minus the points versus the Houston Rockets (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Houston Cougars (656) minus the points versus the Oregon State Beavers (655). THE SITUATION: Houston (27-3) won their tenth straight game with their 62-46 victory against Syracuse as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday. Oregon State (20-12) has won nine of their last ten games after their 65-58 upset win against Loyola-Chicago as a 7-point underdog on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COUGARS MINUS THE POINTS: Houston easily defeated the Orange despite making only 38.3% of their shots from the field and just 7 of their 26 shots from behind the arc.

At 9:45 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the USC Trojans (644) minus the point(s) versus the Oregon Ducks (643). THE SITUATION: USC (24-7) has won five of their last six games after their 85-51 win against Kansas as a 1-point favorite last Monday night. Oregon (21-6) has won seven of their last eight games after their 95-80 upset win against Iowa as a 5-point underdog on Monday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TROJANS MINUS THE POINTS: The laptops love this USC team — metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks them 6th in the nation. It starts on defense where the Trojans lead the nation by holding their opponents to just 41.4% shooting inside the arc. Head coach Andy Enfield has length that makes it difficult on opposing shooters. Evan Mobley is a rising star — the 7’0 freshman center patrols the paint and helps USC block 13.6% of their opponent’s shots, 18th best in the nation. The Trojans should build off the momentum of their 34-point win against the Jayhawks as they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games on the road after a double-digit win. USC made 57.1% of their shots against what had been an improving Kansas defense. That was the third straight game that the Trojans made at least 50% of their shots — and it was the fourth time over a six-game stretch where they shot at least 50% from the field while never shooting less than 47.2% during that span. The personality of this team suggests they will continue to build off this success. USC has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games after shooting at least 47% from the field in four straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after making at least 47% of their shots in five straight games. And while the Trojans nailed 11 of their 18 shots from 3-point land against the Jayhawks, they have then covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after shooting at least 50% from 3-point range in their last game. Oregon probably pulled off the best win of their season by upsetting the Hawkeyes last week. We had the Ducks in that game after benefitting from getting a bye from not playing a VCU team that has to cancel because of COVID protocols. Those turn of events not only kept the Oregon players rested but it allowed for the coaching staff to get a jump on preparing for Iowa rather than decompressing from a Saturday night game. Oregon versus VCU was my favorite situation from the Round of 64 — so I feel robbed that we didn’t get the chance to profit from it. And that sentiment should demonstrate that I like this Ducks team — just not in this spot. Oregon has won twelve of their last fourteen games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after winning at least twelve of their last fifteen games. The Ducks have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. Oregon is not a great defensive team. They rank 60th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home — and they plummet to 103rd nationally in defense when playing on the road. Head coach Dana Altman deploys several zone defenses that can be tricky to adjust to for those opponents unfamiliar with them — but that will not be the case against this USC team. Half-court defense is a particulate concern — they have an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 53.1% which is 238th in the nation. Oregon is also reliant on 3-point shooting — they are 14th in the nation by converting 38.2% of their 3-pointers. The Ducks may become reliant on their 3s against the stout Trojans’ interior defense. But while Oregon averages 22 shots from distance per game, USC has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games against teams who average at least 21 shots from 3-point range per game. The Ducks outscore their opponents by +7.3 PPG as well — but the Trojans have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after 15 games into the season against teams who outscore their opponents by at least +4.0 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: USC has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when favored on a neutral court. The Trojans have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games in the NCAA Tournament. 25* CBB Pac-12 Game of the Year with the USC Trojans (644) minus the point(s) versus the Oregon Ducks (643). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:15 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the UCLA Bruins (645) plus the points versus the Alabama Crimson Tide (646). THE SITUATION: UCLA (20-9) won their third straight game in the Big Dance with their 67-47 victory against Abilene Christian as a 4.5-point favorite on Monday. Alabama (26-6) has won eight in a row after their 96-77 win against Maryland as a 6-point favorite on Monday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRUINS PLUS THE POINTS: This is contrarian play — going against an Alabama team off an outlier performance against a UCLA team that appears to be a bit undervalued. The odds have been pushed up to the Crimson Tide laying 7 points in many spots despite the laptops projecting around a four-point spread. That’s just a guide for me — but getting close to a field goal of value for a single-digit underdog in the Big Dance is always intriguing. Alabama made 53% of their shots against the Terrapins which was the best shooting performance in their last ten games. They also made 16 of 33 shots from behind the arc — despite shooting only 31.1% of their 3-pointers in their previous nine games combined. It is more likely that the Tide shoot closer to the number they have been in their previous nine games. The Crimson Tide have outrebounded their last three opponents by at least 7 boards — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 31 games after outrebounding their last three opponents by at least 6.0 RPG. Alabama will not own the boards against UCLA as they have in their last three games — the Bruins led the Pac-12 by holding their opponents to rebounding only 24.5% of their missed shots. UCLA has improved their play on defense after a rough opening half against Michigan State in the play-in (ruining our Under). The Bruins held Abilene Christian to just 29.8% shooting while keeping them at just 47 points. UCLA has covered all three of their NCAA Tournament games which is a good sign for them tonight since they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after covering the point spread in at least two straight games. The Bruins are also 12-5-1 ATS in their last 18 games after a point spread win. Head coach Mick Cronin will need to slow this game down to get Alabama out of their rhythm — and that is his preferred style given his years of overseeing a grinding style as the coach of Cincinnati. This team has more offensive threats than his Bearcats’ teams — UCLA is making 43% of their shots from behind the arc in this Big Dance.

FINAL TAKE: The Bruins have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against teams outside the Pac-12. Alabama has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games on a neutral court with the number in the 145 to 149.5 point range. If the Tide shoots 50% from 3-point land again, it will be a rout — but that is true for any team left in the tournament. The problem with launching so many 3s as Nate Oats’ team is that when the pressure mounts, the 3s start clanking more and more off the rim. I am reminded of the Houston Rockets missing 27 straight 3-pointers in a Game Seven against Golden State in the NBA — and they had James Harden. 10* CBB UCLA-Alabama TBS-TV Special with the UCLA Bruins (645) plus the points versus the Alabama Crimson Tide (646). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Michigan Wolverines (628) minus the points versus the Florida State Seminoles (627). THE SITUATION: Michigan (22-4) advanced to the Sweet 16 with their gritty 86-78 victory against LSU as a 5-point favorite last Monday. Florida State (18-6) has won three of their last four games after their 71-53 upset win against Colorado as a 2.5-point underdog on Monday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES MINUS THE POINTS: Michigan was resilient to take the Tigers’ best punch but still rally from a 9-point deficit to defeat an LSU team that is loaded with talent and playing at a high level. Juwan Howard displayed his coaching acumen making many in-game adjustments that changed the momentum. And the Wolverines had several role players step up to make big shots. The loss of Isaiah Livers has been absorbed by several players. Eli Brooks led the team with 21 points with the senior making several clutch baskets. Transfer Chaundee Brown is getting more playing time with Livers on the shelf — he responded with 21 points himself. Michigan has played worse this season in the times when Brooks has been hurt rather than Livers — his role on the team is more vital this season given the emergence of freshman phenom Hunter Dickinson at center. Brandon Johns took Livers' spot in the starting lineup — he had a solid 7 points with 5 rebounds in 27 minutes. Johns is a former five-star recruit under John Beilein who can create his own shot as more of a post-up player than Livers. Michigan should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after a straight-up win. The offense was clicking even without Livers with the Wolverines making 53.8% of their shots — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. The Wolverines scored 82 points in their opening-round game against Texas Southern — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 80 points in two straight games. Only Gonzaga, Baylor, and Michigan rank inside the top-ten in Adjusted Efficiency in both offense and defense. They have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games when favored. I take a backseat to no one in my respect for Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton. We had them in their upset in against Colorado — but that was likely an outlier performance. The Seminoles made 52.2% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last three games. But Michigan may be catching Florida State at the right time. This is the best 3-point shooting team in Hamilton’s tenure at Florida State — but they have hit only 6 of their 26 shots (23.0%) 3-pointers in the Big Dance which may be a harbinger of things to come under tournament pressure facing elite defenses. As it is, the Seminoles are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after a point spread win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with five or six days of rest. Florida State has flexed their muscles on defense by holding their first two opponents to 53.5 PPG in the Big Dance. But the Seminoles have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games after not allowing their last two opponents to score more than 55 points. Florida State has balanced scoring and a deep bench — but I am not sure they have a reliable go-to scorer in the half-court when they need a basket. The Seminoles rank 5th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home — but they fall to 31st in that metric when playing on the road. And while their length on defense will disrupt Michigan, they lack a post-defender who can handle Dickinson down low. The 7-footer will likely be a difference-maker in this game — especially on the boards. The Seminoles allow their opponents to pull down 31.6% of their missed shots, ranking 296th nationally. Florida State is just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better.

FINAL TAKE: Michigan is 35-15-2 ATS in their last 52 games played on a neutral court — and they are 12-4-2 ATS in their last 18 games in the NCAA Tournament as a favorite. Florida State is 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games on a neutral court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140 to 144.5 point range. 25* CBB Sweet 16 Game of the Year with the Michigan Wolverines (628) minus the points versus the Florida State Seminoles (627). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:55 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Houston Cougars (648) minus the points versus the Syracuse Orange (647). THE SITUATION: Houston (26-3) has won nine straight games after their 63-60 win against Rutgers as a 7-point favorite on Sunday. Syracuse (18-9) has won five of their last six games after their 75-72 win against West Virginia as a 2.5-point favorite on Sunday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Hinkle Field House in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COUGARS MINUS THE POINTS: Houston point guard Dejon Jarreau is dealing with a hip injury — but he practiced on Thursday, and he has been upgraded to probable to play in this game. I am expecting Jarreau to be around 75% effective. The Cougars should play well tonight after dodging a bullet against the Scarlet Knights. Houston has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 9 straight games after a point spread loss. The Cougars have also covered the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games after a victory where they did not cover the point spread as a favorite — and this includes them covering the point spread in all six of these situations this season. Syracuse has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games after winning at least four of their last five games. And while the Orange have covered the point spread in six straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after covering the point spread in at least six straight games. Additionally, while Syracuse has been outshot by 20 and 18 shots in their last two games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 26 games after getting outshot by at least 20 attempts in two straight games. The Orange get dominated on the glass — they allow their opponents to pull down 34.2% of their missed shots, ranking 340th in the nation. North Carolina rebounded 53.3% and 56.5% of their missed shots in their two games against the Orange. Granted, the Tar Heels are the number one team in the nation in offensive rebounding — but the Cougars are the second-best team in the country by rebounding 39.9% of their misses. Syracuse’s plan is to make 3-pointers — they have averaged 11.5 made 3-pointers per game in their last six contests. They have made 15 and 14 shots from behind the arc in their previous two games. Can they keep that up tonight? Against a Houston team that is 12th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 29.3% from behind the arc? As it is, the Orange have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after making at least 13 shots from 3-point land in the last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after making at least 10 shots from behind the arc in two straight games.

FINAL TAKE: If Syracuse makes another 14 or so 3-pointers, they will likely cover the point spread tonight. But teams who live by the 3, usually and eventually die by the 3. Houston has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games as a favorite. The Cougars have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when playing on a neutral court. 10* CBB Saturday Late Show Bailout with the Houston Cougars (648) minus the points versus the Syracuse Orange (647). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:25 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Arkansas Razorbacks (624) minus the points versus the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (623). THE SITUATION: Arkansas (24-6) reached the Sweet 16 with their 68-66 win against Texas Tech as a 2-point underdog last Sunday. Oral Roberts (18-10) has won seven in a row with their 81-78 upset win against Florida as a 9-point favorite on Sunday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Banker’s Life Fieldhouse.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAZORBACKS MINUS THE POINTS: Oral Roberts has been on a magical run pulling off two upsets as a 15-seed. I expect the bubble to burst for the Golden Eagles tonight. Oral Roberts has won fifteen of their last twenty games — but this is a program that has failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 22 games after winning at least fifteen of their last twenty. The Golden Eagles have also failed to cover the point spread in their last 3 games after pulling off two straight upset victories. They survived two close games settled by three points against Ohio State and Florida — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after winning their last two games by six points or less. And while they have covered the point spread in five straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after covering the point spread in at least five straight games. This team has some glaring weaknesses. It starts with their defense as they rank 239th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Florida made 55.2% of their shots against them — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after allowing their last opponent to shoot at least 55% from the field. They also are weak in defending their defensive glass — they allow their opponents to pull down 33.2% of their missed shots, ranking 332nd in the nation. The Buckeyes and Gators pulled down 39.3% and 35.1% of their missed shots against them. Oral Roberts was out-rebounded by 17 and 13 boards in their last two games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after getting out-rebounded by at least ten boards in two straight games. Arkansas has advanced despite not playing very well in their previous two games — they had to rally from a double-digit deficit on both occasions. The Razorbacks only shot 27% from behind the arc in those two games — and they averaged just 1.09 and 1.00 Points-Per-Possession. They did not even register a steal against the Red Raiders which was a first in program history. Arkansas averages 1.12 PPP in Adjusted Efficiency while ranking 63rd in the nation by stealing the ball in 10.6% of their opponent’s possessions — so they should see better days on both fronts. The Razorbacks have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread victory. This is a team that ranks eighth in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games with the total set in the 150s. Arkansas has also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the NCAA Tournament.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of a meeting between these two teams on December 20th which Arkansas won by an 87-76 score. The Razorbacks fell behind by 10 points but rallied to win despite only making 4 of their 24 shots from 3-point range. Arkansas dominated the offensive glass by pulling down 49% of their missed shots — and they outscored the Golden Eagles by a 57-36 margin in the second half. Eric Musselman is well-equipped to make adjustments from that game — he already inserted Jaylin Williams in the starting lineup for the 7’3 Connor Vanover who is more versatile in defending the perimeter. And their 6’7 center Justin Smith is one of the most versatile defenders in the nation. 10* CBB Oral Roberts-Arkansas TBS-TV Special with the Arkansas Razorbacks (624) minus the points versus the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (623). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:15 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Baylor Bears (622) minus the points versus the Villanova Wildcats (621). THE SITUATION: Baylor (24-2) has won six of their last seven games after their 76-63 victory against Wisconsin as a 3.5-point favorite last Sunday. Villanova (18-6) reached the Sweet 16 with an 84-61 victory against North Texas as a 4.5-point favorite on Sunday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS MINUS THE POINTS: Baylor got their defense working as they forced 14 Badgers’ turnovers representing 21.9% of their possessions. The Bears have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after a point spread win — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after a double-digit victory. Baylor is a reliable favorite because they multiple ways to generate more scoring possessions even if their 3-pointers are not falling — and they lead the nation by making 41.5% of their 3-pointers. The Bears are third nationally by forcing turnovers in 24.7% of their opponent’s possessions. They are sixth in the nation by pulling down 36.7% of their missed shots. Villanova allows their opponents to make 34.9% of their 3-pointers, ranking 238th in the nation — and that is an ominous number when facing this Baylor team that leads the nation by converting 41.2% of their 3-pointers. The Wildcats’ defense worsens when playing on the road — while they rank 65th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency at home, they plummet to 122nd in that metric on the road. Villanova comes off one of the best games of their season on Sunday. They made 15 of their 30 shots from behind the arc en route to a 55.4% field goal percentage which was the best shooting effort in their last nine games.

At 2:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (626) minus the points versus the Oregon State Beavers (625). THE SITUATION: Loyola-Chicago (26-4) has won eight in a row with their 71-58 win against Illinois as a 7-point underdog last Sunday. Oregon State (19-12) has won eight of their last nine games with their 80-70 upset win against Oklahoma State as a 5.5-point underdog on Sunday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Bankers Field House in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAMBLERS MINUS THE POINTS: Will Loyola-Chicago suffer a letdown after defeating their in-state rival that dodges them in non-conference play? Maybe — but maybe not. It is the Ramblers that has the most recent Final Four run back in 2018 of the two-state programs. Cameron Krutwig was a significant piece on that team — and is now a senior leader of this group. Looking to the team trends, Loyola has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a double-digit win as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 19 games after a win by 10 or more points. This is a team that thrives off momentum — they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up win, and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread win. And while the Ramblers have covered the point spread in four straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after covering the point spread in at least four straight games. This is a balanced team that ranks third in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing on the road. Loyola leads the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing away from home.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Memphis Tigers (629) minus the points versus the Colorado State Rams (630). THE SITUATION: Memphis (18-8) has won three of their last four games after defeating Boise State by a 59-56 score as a 4-point favorite in the NIT Quarterfinals on Thursday. Colorado State (20-6) has also won three of their last four games after their 65-61 upset win against North Carolina State as a 1.5-point underdog on Thursday in their NIT Quarterfinals contest. This game will be played on a neutral court at Comerica Park in Frisco, Texas.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS MINUS THE POINTS: Memphis advanced despite making only 42.9% of their shots which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last three games. Penny Hardaway’s team should build off their momentum — they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win. The Tigers have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a win by 6 points or less. And while Memphis had covered the point spread in seven straight games before not covering against the Broncos, they have covered the point spread in 8 straight games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Furthermore, the Tigers have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after winning at least two in a row. Hardaway has been criticized for his coaching — but the former NBA star has overseen the development of his team rising to be number one in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the nation. Memphis has played two straight Unders — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after playing their last two games Under the Total. The Tigers have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a game where no more than 125 combined points were scored. And in their last 6 games when playing their second game in three days, Memphis has covered the point spread in 5 of these contests. Hardaway’s team has played better away from home — while they rank 50th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency, they improve to 31st in Adjusted Net Efficiency on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games in games with the total set in the 130s. Colorado State may be due for a letdown after rallying in the second half to defeat the Wolfpack on Thursday. The Rams have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after an upset win. Despite the win, they are scoring only 68.8 PPG over their last five games with a 40.6% field goal percentage over that span which is a dropoff of -5.5 PPG from their season average where they are making 46.9% of their shots. Colorado State has been more effective at home at Fort Collins where they rank 63rd in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency. When away from home, the Rams fall to 87th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency. The biggest problem is with the play of their offense — consistent with the decline in their recent five games. While Colorado State ranks 65th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home, they fall to 134th in that metric on the road. Protecting the basketball has been an issue — they turn the ball over in 19.6% of their possessions, ranking 205th nationally. Memphis forces turnovers in 22.3% of their opponent’s possessions, ranking 28th nationally.

FINAL TAKE: Colorado State is just 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games. They have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games on a neutral court as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games on a neutral court as a dog getting 3.5 to 6 points. Memphis has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games. 25* CBB NIT Semifinals Game of the Year with the Memphis Tigers (629) minus the points versus the Colorado State Rams (630). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (506) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (505). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (22-19) has lost three in a row after their 134-101 loss to the Clippers as a 6.5-point underdog last night. Los Angeles (29-16) has won three in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS PLUS THE POINTS: We had San Antonio last night as a 10* play. The Clippers raced out to a 41-29 lead at the end of the first quarter — but the Spurs rallied to pull within six points midway through the second quarter where the game yo-yoed back-and-forth until LA pulled away midway through the third quarter. Head coach Gregg Popovich called off the proverbial dogs in the fourth quarter with his starter not playing the final eight minutes. While it is dangerous to chase losses, it is also foolish to automatically dismiss profitable opportunities only because of a previous lost bet. Tonight’s situation is stronger as San Antonio has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss by 10 or more points at home. This is a team that has been on a five-game road trip — and now they have lost the first two games of a nine-game homestand. The Spurs have still covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread loss. This is their second game of a nine-game homestand — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 home games after losing at least two in a row. This is an underrated team that has intriguing young talent along with DeMar DeRozan who is playing at a very high level. As always under Gregg Popovich, this is a well-coached team that plays smart. San Antonio leads the NBA with the lowest turnover rate in the league — and they have the fifth-lowest foul rate. The Spurs are also playing better defense as of late. They had held their previous five opponents to 105.6 PPG on 45.2% shooting which is -4.5 PPG below their season average — before last night’s mulligan. They also were making a healthy 47.9% of their shots during that five-game span before shooting just 45.9% last night which was the worst shooting margin in their last four games. San Antonio has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games as an underdog. Los Angeles shot 55.7% from the field last night which was the best shooting effort in their last 12 games. Yet the Clippers have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a point spread victory. The Clippers have covered the point spread in their last three games as a favorite — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games after winning and covering the point spread in at least two straight games as a favorite. The Clippers have still failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games when favored.

FINAL TAKE:  The Clippers will still be without Serge Ibaka and Patrick Beverley who are dealing with injuries. San Antonio hopes to get Lonnie Walker IV and Rudy Gay back tonight after they missed last night’s game with injures. The Spurs have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 16 games when avenging a loss by at least 20 points.
25* NBA Western Conference Underdog of the Month with the San Antonio Spurs (506) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (505). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the North Carolina State Wolfpack (613) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus Colorado State (614). THE SITUATION: NC State (14-10) has won six of their last seven games with their 75-61 win against Davidson as a 2.5-point favorite last Thursday. Colorado State (19-6) has won two of their last three games with their 75-73 win against Buffalo as a 2-point favorite last Friday. This quarterfinals match in the National Invitational Tournament is being played on a neutral court at Comerica Park in Frisco, Texas.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLFPACK PLUS THE POINTS: NC State nailed 58.8% of their shots against the Wildcats which was the best shooting effort of the season. That typically is a red flag for me as an outlier effort that is due for regression. But that was the fifth time in their last seven games that NC State has made at least 50% of their shots. This is a team peaking in March — despite losing their top-scorer, Devon Daniels, to a season-ending ACL tear at the end o January. Kevin Keatts kept coaching — and he has redesigned the offense to rely more on his frontcourt. Junior forward Jericole Hellems has averaged 13.8 PPG in his last 13 games. 6’10 senior D.J. Funderburk led the team with 21 points against Davidson. Four of the Wolfpack’s best graded net efficiency performances have taken place since February 6th. The team trends suggest the strong effort last week is a sign of good things to come for this team — they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. And while the Wolfpack’s with the Wildcats finished Under the Total, they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after playing an Under. NC State also tends to play better on the road. While they rank 93rd nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency at home, they rise to 27th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency on the road fueled by a ranking 13th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Another metrics projection system I consider ranks the Wolfpack as the 11th best team in the nation on the road. Colorado State has played their basketball at home in Fort Collins where they have an edge given their familiarity with the higher altitude. The Rams rank 64th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency at home — but they fall to 90th nationally in that metric on the road. The biggest dropoff away from home is the performance of their offense. While Colorado State is 68th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency at home, they plummet to 124th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency on the road. This is not a great matchup for the Rams either given their propensity to commit turnovers. Colorado State turns the ball over in 19.8% of their possessions, the 222nd worst mark in the nation. They were even worse in the Mountain West Conference with a turnover rate of 21.9%, ninth-worst. The Wolfpack forced turnovers in 21.9% of their opponent’s possessions, ranking 40th nationally. Colorado State has not committed more than 11 turnovers in four straight games — but not only have the Rams failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after not committing more than 11 turnovers in two straight games, they have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after not committing more than 11 turnovers in three straight games. Despite protecting the basketball better as of late (albeit against opponents not as adept at forcing turnovers as NC State), the top-five performances this season for Colorado State, in terms of efficiency, all took place before February.

FINAL TAKE: The Rams have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on a neutral court as an underdog or pick ‘em — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games on a neutral court with the total set in the 145 to 149.5 point range. NC State has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on a neutral court as a favorite or picks ‘em — and they have covered the point spread 9 of their last 14 games on a neutral court with the number set in the 145 to 149.5 point range. 25* CBB NIT Game of the Year with the North Carolina State Wolfpack (613) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus Colorado State (614). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (576) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (575). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (22-18) saw their three-game losing streak snapped on Monday in a 100-97 upset loss to Charlotte as a 5-point favorite. Los Angeles (28-16) has won two in a row as well as four of six after their 119-110 victory against Atlanta as a 6.5-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS PLUS THE POINTS: San Antonio should respond with a strong effort as an underdog after being flat in their first game at home after a five-game road trip. The Spurs have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread loss. This is their second game of a nine-game homestand — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 19 home games after losing two in a row. This is an underrated team that has intriguing young talent along with DeMar DeRozan who is playing at a very high level. As always under Gregg Popovich, this is a well-coached team that plays smart. San Antonio leads the NBA with the lowest turnover rate in the league — and they have the fifth-lowest foul rate. The Spurs are also playing better defense as of late. The 105.6 PPG they have allowed over their last five games on 45.2% shooting which is -4.5 PPG below their season average. They are also making a healthy 47.9% of their shots during this five-game span. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread victory. The Clippers have covered the point spread in their last games as a favorite — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 29 games after winning and covering the point spread in two straight games as a favorite. And while they have covered the point spread in four of their last six games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after covering four or five of their last six. Even despite their good recent stretch, they have allowed their last five opponents to 49.8% shooting from the field.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games when favored. San Antonio has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games as an underdog. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the San Antonio Spurs (576) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (575). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Pepperdine Wave (610) minus the points versus the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (609). THE SITUATION: Pepperdine (14-12) advanced to the Championship Game of the College Basketball Invitational with their 82-71 win against Bellarmine as a 4.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Coastal Carolina (18-7) won their semifinals game against Stetson with a 77-72 win in overtime as a 7.5-point favorite. The CBI is being played at a neutral court at Oceans Center in Dayton Beach.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WAVE MINUS THE POINTS: Pepperdine had high expectations to begin the season with four starters back from the group that finished 16-16. Lorenzo Romar has talent on his team — led by senior Colbey Ross who is averaging 17.6 PPG and junior Kessler Edwards who added 17.5 PPG. The Wave suffered close losses to good teams last season — including 2-point losses to Gonzaga and Arizona. It was more of the same for Romar’s team this season with an early triple-overtime loss to UCLA (when the Bruins still had a healthy Chris Smith) and a 5-point loss to San Diego State. The Wave then endured a front-loaded schedule in the West Coast Conference given COVID cancellations — they still played Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s twice and BYU three times (including the conference tournament) but did not benefit from getting to load up on the bottom half of the conference. Pepperdine did defeat Saint Mary’s and BYU in the regular season — but they lost an overtime heartbreaker to the Cougars in the West Coast Conference tournament, despite a spectacular effort from Ross. The Wave should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread win. Pepperdine has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with one day or less of rest. The Wave are playing their best basketball of the season now in March with four wins in their last five games. They have scored at least 77 points in each of their last five games while averaging 81.4 PPG with a 48.5% shooting clip over that span. Pepperdine has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after scoring at least 75 points in two straight games. The Wave have also been more effective on the road. While Pepperdine ranks 141st in Adjusted Net Efficiency at home, they improve to 66th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency on the road. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on a neutral court with the Total set in the 150. Pepperdine is also 38-14-2 ATS in their last 54 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Coastal Carolina has the burden of playing without rest after a game that required overtime — and, as it is, they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after a straight-up win. And while the Chanticleers have played two straight games Over the Total, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after playing two straight Overs. This is a big step-up in competition for this team whose best opponent this season was a Wofford team that metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks at 126th in the nation — and they lost by 11 points. Pomeroy ranks Pepperdine as the 105th team nationally. Twenty-two of the 25 teams Coastal Carolina played this season are ranked 211th or lower by Pomeroy.

FINAL TAKE: Coastal Carolina has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games played on a neutral court as an underdog or pick ‘em — and the Wave have covered the point spread in 7 straight games played on a neutral court as a favorite. 25* CBB CBI Game of the Year with the Pepperdine Wave (610) minus the points versus the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (609). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Detroit Pistons (559) plus the points versus the Indiana Pacers (560). THE SITUATION: Detroit (12-30) had their two-game losing streak with a 100-86 loss to Chicago as a 3.5-point underdog on Sunday. Indiana (19-23) has lost nine of their last thirteen games after their 140-113 loss at Milwaukee as a 7-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PISTONS PLUS THE POINTS: Detroit made only 4 of their 25 shots from behind the arc against the Bulls with their 39.0% shooting percentage being the lowest mark in their last six games. And the 46.2% field goal percentage that Chicago managed was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last three contests. The Pistons should play better tonight for head coach Dwane Casey who is getting every ounce of talent out of his roster. Detroit has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 straight games after a double-digit loss at home. Additionally, the Pistons have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after a loss at home. Furthermore, Detroit has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after a point spread loss. Casey is doing a great coaching job with this team with the organization looking ahead to the NBA draft. His players consistently play with effort — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games on the road. Rodney McGruder is out tonight and Wayne Ellington is questionable — but Casey still has several rag-tag players that are proving quality minutes. Jerami Grant is enjoying a breakout season with his chance to demonstrate his offensive skills on top of his elite defensive talent. Deion Wright has been a surprise. Dennis Smith is showing flashes of the promise that made him a top-ten draft pick by the Knicks. Mason Plumlee has been solid. Indiana is not at full health with two starters, Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner, questionable with back and ankle injuries, respectively. The Pacers have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread win. Indiana has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after a double-digit loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. And while Indiana has scored at least 105 points in six straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 straight games after scoring at least 105 points in five straight contests. They return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games against teams with a losing record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Injuries continue to hold this Pacers’ team back. Missing T.J. Warren all season has been a big blow to their offense whose limitations were why they did not retain Nate McMillan as their head coach. They recently got Caris LeVert into the mix — but potentially not having Brogdon and/or Turner really hurts after both were out against the Bucks. Brogdon has been the team’s leading scorer in his previous eight games with a 22.5 PPG scoring average while nailing 54.3% of his shots and 48.1% of his shots from behind the arc. Turner has been a pleasant surprise this year after being on the trading block to begin the season. Even if both players get cleared to play tonight, Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as a favorite — and Detroit has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a losing record. 25* NBA Central Division Underdog of the Month with the Detroit Pistons (559) plus the points versus the Indiana Pacers (560). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Kansas Jayhawks (822) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the USC Trojans (821). THE SITUATION: Kansas (21-8) has won four straight games after their 93-84 win against Eastern Washington as a 10.5-point favorite on Saturday. USC (23-7) has won four of their last five games after their 72-56 victory against Drake as an 8.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at the Hinkle Fieldhouse.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAYHAWKS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINT(S): Kansas is getting back to complete health after their COVID shutdown during the Big 12 tournament. Their freshman, Jalen Wilson, a rising star, was cleared to leave quarantine after missing Saturday’s game — he will be available for this game. Center David McCormack seemed in fine form after the long pause as he scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half. McCormack will have the responsibility of slowing down the Trojans’ Evan Mobley. The Jayhawks may have been a step slow on defense after their return from quarantine as they allowed Eastern Washington to make 50% of their shots which was tied for the highest opponent field goal percentage in their last ten games. Kansas has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after allowing at least 80 points in their last game — including all four of those circumstances this season. The Jayhawks trailed the Eagles by a 46-38 score at halftime — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 22 games after allowing at least 45 points in the first half of their last game. Kansas has won nine of their last ten games — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games on the road after winning four or five of their last six games. They have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 road games after winning their last ten. Furthermore, the Jayhawks have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games when playing their second game in three days. And in their last 30 games with the Total set in the 130s, Kansas has covered the point spread in 20 of those games. USC was outstanding against Drake — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up win. And while the Trojans had not covered the point spread in three straight games before covering against the Bulldogs, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after covering the point spread only once in their last three games. USC nailed 8 of their 15 shots from behind the arc to help their 50% field goal percentage for the game. The Trojans have made at least 48.3% of their shots in three straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after making at least 48% of their shots in three straight games. USC is 13th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing at home — but they drop to 49th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when on the road. They held Drake to just 29.4% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last four games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after holding their last opponent to no better than 33% shooting.

FINAL TAKE: In Bill Self, I Trust — at least in this virtual pick ‘em. He is the best in the business in drawing up plays — and he is elite in making second-half adjustments. USC only makes 65.4% of their free throws, ranking 328th in the nation — and I hate that part of their game in a contest expected to be so close. Kansas has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games on a neutral court as an underdog or pick ‘em. 10* CBB Monday Late Show Bailout with Kansas Jayhawks (822) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the USC Trojans (821). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:45 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Florida State Seminoles (828) minus the points versus the Colorado Buffaloes (827). THE SITUATION: Florida State (17-6) has won two of their last three games after their 64-54 win against UNC-Greensboro as a 10.5-point favorite on Saturday. Colorado (23-8) has won seven of their last eight games after their 96-73 win against Georgetown as a 5.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SEMINOLES MINUS THE POINT(S): Fascinating situation here with metrics guru Ken Pomeroy projecting Colorado as a 2-point winner with another analytics guru I peruse projecting the Bufaloes as a 4-point winner. Yet the numbers I lean most heavily on — that values home/road splits the most — has Florida State a 1-point favorite which correlates with what the oddsmakers are thinking. I am with the oddsmakers in this one. While Colorado is 5th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency, ranking 7th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and 23rd in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, they drop to 15th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency while ranking 21st on offense and 38th on defense. And the Buffaloes come off a wild outlier performance on Saturday where they torched the nets against a helpless Hoyas team by nailing 11 of their 17 shots from behind the arc. Colorado made a season-high 60.7% of their shots in that game — but I fully expect that the Regression Gods will be making an appearance tonight. The Seminoles are 26th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 46.1%. Their ability to use all five players on the court to switch off makes it very difficult on opponents. They are the tallest team in the nation according to Pomeroy’s numbers. Colorado is led by star guard McKinley Wright — but he’s just 6’0 who will likely struggle against the length that Florida State deploys. The Buffaloes have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing their second game on the road in three days. And while they have covered the point spread in five of their last seven games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. Then there is head coach Tad Boyle. Colorado has failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 postseason games under Boyle including four of their last five games in the Big Dance. Florida State did not make a 3-pointer on Saturday against the Spartans — so the Regression Gods can kill two birds with one stone when they make their appearance tonight. The Seminoles are sixth in the nation by making 39.0% of their 3-pointers, so they will start falling. Florida State only pulled down five offensive rebounds in that game as well — no wonder I passed on that situation. The Seminoles are 16th in the nation by rebounding 35.1% of their missed shots — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after not rebounding more than five offensive boards in their last game. Florida State has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a game where both teams scored at least 65 points. And in their last 6 games where it was just their second game in eight days, the Seminoles have covered the point spread in 5 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: I think Leonard Hamilton is the most underrated head coach in any sport in the country. His teams tend to be overvalued as big favorites — but they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Colorado has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games on a neutral court as a pick ‘em or dog up to three points. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament Second Round Game of the Year with the Florida State Seminoles (828) minus the points versus the Colorado Buffaloes (827). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Michigan Wolverines (826) minus the points versus the LSU Tigers (825). THE SITUATION: Michigan (21-4) has won two of their last three games after their 82-66 win against Texas Southern on Saturday as a 28.5-point favorite. LSU (19-9) has won five of their last six games with their 76-61 victory against St. Bonaventure as a 1.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES MINUS THE POINTS: Michigan will miss the senior leadership of Isaiah Livers who is likely not available for the NCAA tournament with the stress fracture in his foot — but his loss is being overstated by the pundits and betting public with the Wolverines falling to just a 4-point favorite in many spots. The Wolverines were significantly worse last year when they had to play without Livers — but there is a substantial difference between that team and the one that will take the court tonight. This group is more mature and more seasoned with another year under Juwan Howard’s guidance. Howard is a fantastic coach. And this Michigan team has freshman phenom, Hunter Dickinson. It will be junior Brandon Johns who will take Livers spot in the starting lineup — and the junior has improved significantly since last season. Johns is a former five-star recruit, so it’s not like he is a scrub. The loss of Livers’ shooting means players like Mike Smith need to step up. Smith was a prolific scorer in the Ivy League before transferring to Ann Arbor where he embraced the role of distributor. He did lead the team in scoring with 18 points on Saturday. Michigan has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after scoring at least 80 points in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after a straight-up win — and they are 19-6-1 ATS in their last 26 games after a point spread loss. LSU seems to be peaking in their support by the betting public right now with five wins in their last six games. They held the Bonnies to just a 33.3% shooting percentage which was the lowest opponent field goal percentage in their last 26 games. While I appreciate that this is a talented roster, I am not convinced they figured things out to finally discover consistency. The Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 60 of their last 99 games on the road after a double-digit win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a win by at least 15 points. They are thin inside as they allow their opponents to make 50.9% of their shots inside the arc — and they allow their opponents to pull down 32.4% of their missed shots, 320th in the nation. Dickinson is going to have a field day in the middle — and, frankly, so is Johns, who is more of a post player than Livers. And there is a big discrepancy between Howard and Will Wade who does not coach defense. LSU ranks 191st in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road.

FINAL TAKE: LSU is just 5-12-2 ATS in their last 19 games on a neutral court as an underdog. Michigan is 33-15-3 ATS in their last 51 games on a neutral court as a favorite — and they are 11-4-2 ATS in the Big Dance as a favorite. 10* CBB Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Michigan Wolverines (826) minus the points versus the LSU Tigers (825). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Oregon Ducks (823) plus the points versus the Iowa Hawkeyes (824). THE SITUATION: Oregon (20-6) advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday after VCU pulled out of the tournament after a positive COVID case. The Ducks saw their six-game winning streak snapped in the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament in a 75-64 upset loss to Oregon State as an 8-point favorite. Iowa (22-8) defeated Grand Canyon by an 86-74 score as a 17.5-point favorite on Friday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Bankers Fieldhouse.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DUCKS PLUS THE POINTS: I am not worried about how the cancellation of Friday’s game impacted the Ducks — I see it as just another day of rest that should help with their legs in the second half. Oregon only made 41.7% of their shots against the Beavers in the Pac-12 Championship Game — far below their 47.2% shooting percentage for the season. The Ducks have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after an upset loss by double-digits in a game where they were laying at least 7 points. Oregon was hit pretty hard by COVID which interrupted their season twice. And those circumstances were in addition to them dealing with some injuries with Eric Williams banged up for much of the season and Will Richardson out until early February with a thumb injury. The Ducks have won eleven of their last thirteen games since February 6th while exceeding point spread expectations in five straight games before getting upset in the Pac-12 tournament. Oregon has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The Ducks tend to play better on the road this season. While they rank 56th in Adjusted Net Efficiency in Eugene, they improve to 40th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency when on the road. They have a dynamic set of players that ranked 16th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing on the road. Oregon has covered the point spread in 27 of their last 38 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. They also have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games played on a neutral court. Iowa made 53.7% of their shots on Friday which was the best scoring effort in their last 16 games. But the Hawkeyes are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they are 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a point spread victory. Iowa is one of the best scoring teams in the nation — but they are held back on defense given the limitations of Luke Garza in the interior. The Hawkeyes ranked 60th in the nation and seventh in the Big Ten in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. This suspect play on defense explains why they are just 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. Furthermore, Iowa is 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games when favored — and they are 0-3-2 ATS in their last 5 games on a neutral court.

FINAL TAKE: While I don’t put too much stock into conference performance after three days in the Big Dance, I certainly have observed how well the Pac-12 is doing — and how disappointing the Big Ten has been. Oregon has the better head coach this afternoon — and not only are the Ducks 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tournament games, but they have covered 6 straight games in the Big Dance under Dana Altman as the underdog. Iowa has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 NCAA Tournament games when favored under Fran McCaffrey. 25* CBB NCAA Tournament Second Round Underdog of the Year with the Oregon Ducks (823) plus the points versus the Iowa Hawkeyes (824). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Oklahoma State Cowboys (812) minus the points versus the Oregon State Beavers (811). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma State (21-8) has won four of their last five games after their 69-60 win against Liberty as a 7-point favorite on Friday. Oregon State (18-12) has won seven of their last eight games after their 70-56 upset win against Tennessee as a 9-point underdog on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COWBOYS MINUS THE POINTS: Oklahoma State should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have coved the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a point spread victory. And while the Cowboys have covered the point spread in nine of their last ten games, that bodes well for them moving forward as they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after covering the point spread in at least six of their last seven games. And they defeated the Flames despite only making 40.4% of their shots which was the lowest shooting effort in their last 11 games. Liberty made only 37.5% of their shots in that game — and Oklahoma State has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. Oregon State has pulled off four straight upsets with their 70-56 win against Tennessee as a 9-point underdog. The Beavers held the Volunteers — missing their best post player in John Fulkerson who did not play because of his concussion from the SEC tournament — to just 33.3% of their shots which was the best defensive effort in their last 15 games. Trying to defend Cade Cunningham will be a stiffer test than the Volunteers who too often disappeared on offense. Oregon State upset Colorado to win the Pac-12 tournament — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after pulling off two straight upset wins. The Beavers have also failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 29 games after winning at least four games in a row. Oregon State’s zone defense under head coach Wayne Tinkle holds opponents to just 30.9% shooting from behind the arc — but the Cowboys are not reliant on shooting 3s. Only 31.7% of their field goal attempts are from behind the arc which is the 299th lowest mark in the nation — and just 24.5% of their points come from made 3-pointers, the 315th lowest mark in the nation. But Oregon State is vulnerable in the interior with opponents making 52.1% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 263rd in the nation. Oklahoma State was second in the Big 12 by making 52.6% of their 2-point shots. They should get to the line tonight — they ranked 2nd in the Big 12 in free throw rate, and the Mean Green ranked 298th in the nation in defensive free throw rate. North Texas also allows their opponents to pull down 29.4% of their missed shots, 235th in the nation — and the Cowboys pull down 31.8% of their missed shots. Head coach Mike Boynton has many ways for his team to score points against the Beavers’ zone defense.

FINAL TAKE: Oklahoma State has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when favored. 10* CBB Sunday Late Show Bailout with the Oklahoma State Cowboys (812) minus the points versus the Oregon State Beavers (811). Best of luck for us — Frank.