At 7:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (575) and the Portland Trail Blazers (576). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma City (36-38) has lost two games in a row after their 116-111 loss in Los Angeles to the Lakers as a 5-point underdog on Friday. Portland (32-41) has lost seven of their last eight games after their 124-96 loss to Chicago as a 5-point underdog on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Thunder lost to the Lakers despite holding them to 46.2% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last five games. Oklahoma City has played 15 of their last 21 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games. They have also played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against teams with a losing record at home. Portland has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after losing their previous contest — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after losing their previous game by 20 or more points. The Blazers stay at home where they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage no higher than 40% on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Trail Blazers will be undermanned in this one with Damian Lillard, Josef Nurkic, Anfernee Simmons, and Jerami Grant all getting the night off due to injury. Those absences will not help their defensive effort tonight. Portland has lost seven in a row to the Thunder with the last three setbacks being upset losses — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing with at least double revenge. 8* NBA Sunday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (575) and the Portland Trail Blazers (576). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (503) and the Toronto Raptors (504). THE SITUATION: Indiana (32-40) has lost three of their last four games after their 115-109 loss at Charlotte as a 2-point favorite on Monday. Toronto (35-37) had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 118-111 loss at Milwaukee as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Pacers lost to the Hornets despite holding them to 45.6% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last ten games. But they only shot 45.1% from the field themselves which was the worst shooting performance in their last three games. Indiana has played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They did get back rookie Benedict Mathurin for this contest who scored 18 points in the losing effort. But the team misses Tyrese Haliburton who has been out for five straight games with a knee injury — and he is questionable to play tonight. The offense has not suffered with Haliburton — the team is making 48.3% of their shots in their last five games which have generated 117.4 Points-Per-Game. Both of those marks are above their season averages of 115.8 PPG and a 46.6% field goal percentage. But the Pacers' defense has let their last five opponents make 50.5% of their shots which has resulted in them scoring 122.2 PPG, a 3.9 PPG bump above their season average. Indiana has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 5 straight road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. They have also played 4 straight Overs against teams with a losing record. And in their last 33 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points, they have played 22 of these games Over the Total. Toronto only made 44.4% of their shots on Sunday which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games. Acquiring Jakob Poetl from San Antonio at the trade deadline has ignited their offensive attack that sorely needed another big man in the middle. They have made 49.7% of their shots in their last five games which have generated 119.6 PPG. But the defense for the Raptors remains an issue as they have allowed nine of their last 11 opponents to shoot 50% or better from the field. Their last five opponents have made 50.1% of their shots against them which is resulting in 113.6 PPG. Toronto has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. And while they have covered the point spread in five of their last seven games, the Raptors have then played 15 of their last 19 home games Over the Total after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. They return home where they have played  6 of their last 8 games Over the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 13 home games Over the Total against teams not winning more than 40% of their games on the road. Furthermore, Toronto has played 10 of their last 12 home games Over the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto will be looking to avenge a 122-114 upset loss at Indiana as a 1.5-point favorite on the road back on January 22nd — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from an upset loss as a road favorite. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (503) and the Toronto Raptors (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (567) and the Memphis Grizzlies (568). THE SITUATION: Dallas (36-35) has won two games in a row after their 111-110 upset win in Los Angeles against the Lakers on Friday. Memphis (43-27) has won five of their last six games after their 133-119 win against Golden State as a 1-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Mavericks allowed the Lakers to make 51.2% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. This team is playing undermanned tonight with Luka Doncic still out and both Kyrie Irving and Tim Hardaway, Jr. are questionable. Dallas has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road. Memphis made 54.7% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last 15 games. This team is also missing key pieces of their offensive attack with Ja Morant out indefinitely and both Brandon Clarke and Steven Adams are out with injuries. Jalen Jackson, Jr. is questionable with a calf injury. The Under is 7-3-1 in the Grizzlies’ last 11 games at home.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total after Memphis beat Dallas by a 104-88 score back on March 13th with the Total set at 220 for that game. 8* NBA Monday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (567) and the Memphis Grizzlies (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (560) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (559). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (48-22) has won eight games in a row with their 141-121 win at Indiana as a 5-point favorite on Saturday. Chicago (33-37) has won four of their last five games with their 113-99 upset victory against Miami as a 2.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: Philadelphia took care of business against the Pacers despite allowing them to make 51.7% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last four games. The 76ers have then covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after a double-digit victory. Philly returns home where they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 31 games — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. Chicago made 56.2% of their shots on Saturday which was the best shooting effort in their last five contests. But the Bulls are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a straight-up win. They go back on the road where they are just 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games on the road against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. Chicago has failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher.

FINAL TAKE: The 76ers will be looking to avenge a 126-112 upset loss at home to Chicago as a 4.5-point favorite on January 6th — and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight home games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. The Sixers have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games against the Bulls — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against them when hosting them in Philadelphia. 10* NBA Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Philadelphia 76ers (560) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (559). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (581) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (582). THE SITUATION: Boston (47-22) had their two-game winning streak snapped with a 111-109 upset loss at Houston as a 12.5-point favorite on Monday. Minnesota (35-34) has won four of their last six games after their 136-115 victory as a 5.5-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Timberwolves nailed 58.7% of their shots on Monday against the Hawks — but that was the second-highest field goal percentage in their last 39 games. They have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a win by 10 or more points. They return home where they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total as an underdog. Boston continues their road trip having played 21 of their last 32 games Under the Total away from home. They have also played 10 of their last 15 road games Under the Total with the total set at 230 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: The Celtics have played 12 of their last 16 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. 8* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Boston Celtics (581) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (582). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (563) and the Toronto Raptors (564). THE SITUATION: Denver (46-22) has lost three games in a row after their 122-120 upset loss to Brooklyn as a 9-point favorite on Sunday. Toronto (32-36) has lost three in a row and five of their last seven after a 122-112 loss in Los Angeles against the Lakers as a 2.5-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: After playing better defense for much of the season, the Nuggets have taken a step back again on that end of the court. They have allowed their last four opponents to make at least 50% of their shots after the Nets accomplished that feat against them on Sunday. Denver has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Toronto has allowed seven straight opponents to make at least 50% of their shots against them. The Raptors have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after losing their previous game. They have also played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have seen the Over go 23-9-1 in their last 33 meetings against each other after Denver beat Toronto last Tuesday by a 118-113 score as a 6-point favorite with the Total set at 229. This rematch is in Toronto — and these two teams have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total when playing in the Raptors’ building. 8* NBA Tuesday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (563) and the Toronto Raptors (564). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (551) plus the points versus the Miami Heat (552). THE SITUATION: Utah (33-35) has erased a four-game losing streak with the two victories in a row after a 119-111 win at Charlotte as a 1-point favorite on Saturday. Miami (36-33) has lost two of their last three games after a 126-114 loss at Orlando as a 2.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ PLUS THE POINTS: The Heat have been overvalued by the betting market all season. They rank just 26th in the NBA in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — with the biggest problem being that they can’t make their 3-pointers. After making 37.9% of their shots from behind the arc last season, they are only shooting 33.7% from 3-point range this season. Miami has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a double-digit loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after an upset loss by 10 or more points. The Heat return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight home games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or lower on the road. Miami is not a reliable favorite as they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 24 games when laying 3.5 to 9.5 points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 home games when favored by 6.5 to 12 points. Utah may have been sellers at the trade deadline but they continue to play hard. They are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a straight-up win. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 road games after losing four or five of their last six contests. The Jazz have a 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. They will be without Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton who are dealing with injuries — but both players did not play in either game of their two-game winning streak. Utah has covered the point spread in 24 of their last 34 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Utah will be looking to avenge a 126-123 upset loss at home to the Heat as a 4-point favorite on December 31st — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 opportunities for revenge. 10* NBA Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Utah Jazz (551) plus the points versus the Miami Heat (552). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (545) and the Detroit Pistons (546). THE SITUATION: Indiana (31-37) has won two straight games after their 121-115 victory at Detroit as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. Detroit (15-53) has lost 11 games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Pacers made 46.2% of their shots in that game which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. They also held the Pistons to nail 45.7% of their shots which was the best defensive effort in their last five contests. Indiana has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a win against a Central Division rival. And while they have won three of their last four games, they have then played 10 of their last 15 games Over the Total after winning three of their last four games. The Pacers have also played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total against Central Division opponents. Indiana’s 46.2% shooting percentage on Saturday was the best defensive effort in their last seven games. But Detroit has covered the point spread only once in their last four games — and they have played 15 of their last 21 games Over the Total after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams have been hit hard with injuries — and that means role players get the opportunity to score points against suspect defensive players. These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 games against each other Over the Total. 8* NBA Monday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (545) and the Detroit Pistons (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Philadelphia 76ers (538) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (537). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (44-22) has won four games in a row after their 120-119 win against Portland as an 8.5-point favorite on Friday. Washington (31-36) has lost four of their last five games after their 114-107 loss to Atlanta as a 2-point underdog on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE 76ERS MINUS THE POINTS: Philadelphia nailed 51.8% of their shots on Friday which was the fifth straight game where they made at least 49.4% of their shots. Philadelphia is making 53.4% of their shots in their last five games which are generating 128.6 Points-Per-Game. The Sixers have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after making 47% or more of their shots in three straight games. They have all covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games. Washington lost to Atlanta by seven points despite holding them to a 44.2% shooting percentage which was the best defensive effort in their last nine games. The Wizards have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss. And while Washington lost both their games at home to the Hawks this week, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after losing two games in a row on their home court. The Wizards have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia will be motivated to avenge a 116-111 loss at Washington as a 4.5-point favorite on December 27th. The 76ers have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games when avenging an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games when playing with revenge from a loss on the road. 10* NBA Sunday Daily Discounted Deal with the Philadelphia 76ers (538) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (537). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Cleveland Cavaliers (558) minus the points versus the Toronto Raptors (557). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (38-25) looks to snap a three-game losing streak after a 136-119 loss at Atlanta as a 1-point underdog on Friday. Toronto (30-31) has won four in a row and seven of their last eight contests after a 95-91 victory at Detroit yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CAVALIERS MINUS THE POINTS: Cleveland was riding a seven-game winning and was one of the hottest teams in the NBA before a loss at Philadelphia heading into the All-Star Break. But the Cavs have been slugging coming back out of the break. They should end their slide tonight as they are 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 7-1-2 ATS in their last 10 games after a double-digit loss. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after losing three of their last four games. They only shot 45.5% from the field on Friday which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. But now Cleveland returns home where they are nailing 49.4% of their shots — and they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 32 games on their home court. The Cavs have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 home games with the Total set in the 210 to the 219.5-point range. Cleveland has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a losing record — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 31 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. Toronto held the Pistons to just 40.4% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last five contests. The Raptors have played their two games out of the break Under the Total — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after playing two or more Unders in a row. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after winning four or five of their last six games. This is just their fourth game since February 14th — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 14 games on the road when it is not more than their fourth game in ten days. Toronto has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on their home court.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games in Cleveland against the Cavaliers. They did beat the Cavs in their last meeting back on December 23rd by a 118-107 score as a 5-point road dog — but Cleveland has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 opportunities to avenge a loss on their home court. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Month is with the Cleveland Cavaliers (558) minus the points versus the Toronto Raptors (557). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Cleveland Cavaliers (506) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (505). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (38-23) had their seven-game winning streak snapped in a 118-112 loss at Philadelphia as a 1-point underdog on February 15th. Denver (41-18) has won seven of their last nine games after a 118-109 win against Dallas as a 5-point favorite last Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CAVALIERS MINUS THE POINTS: Cleveland should respond with a strong effort coming out of the All-Star Break after their disappointing performance against the 76ers. The Cavaliers have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after losing their previous game — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a loss on the road in their previous contest. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a point spread loss. Cleveland returns home where they have a dominant 25-6 record with a +8.8 net point differential. They are making 49.5% of their shots on their home court which is generating 113.6 Points-Per-Game. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home. They have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Denver made 57.1% of their shots against the Mavericks last week which was the third straight game where they made at least 50.5% of their shots. But the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games on the road after shooting 50% or better from the field in their last two games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games on the road after nailing 50% or more of their shots in three straight games. They go back on the road where they are just 14-14 this season — and they have a -4.0 net PPG differential in those 28 games away from home. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games after winning two or more games in a row. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 road games with the Total set at 220 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played on January 6th when the Nuggets beat the Cavaliers by a 121-108 score. Cleveland has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 21 games when avenging a loss where they gave up 110 or more points. 10* NBA Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with Cleveland Cavaliers (506) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (505). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Washington Wizards (504) plus the points versus the Cleveland Cavaliers (503). THE SITUATION: Washington (24-28) has lost two games in a row after their 125-123 upset loss at Brooklyn as a 1.5-point favorite on Saturday. Cleveland (33-22) has won two in a row after their 122-103 win at Indiana as a 4-point favorite yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WIZARDS PLUS THE POINTS: The Cavaliers have 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 double-digit victory. Additionally, Cleveland has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after a point spread victory. And in their last 17 games when playing without a day of rest, they are 5-11-1 ATS. The Cavaliers stay on the road where they are just 11-16 this season as compared to their 22-6 record on their home court. The Cavaliers are 6-14-2 ATS in their last 22 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 28 of their last 41 games on the road with the Total set at 220 or higher. Washington was on a six-game winning streak while playing some of the best basketball in the league. At that point, they ranked 4th in the NBA in Net Adjusted Efficiency in their last 15 games. But the Trail Blazers then got upset by Portland before suffering their second-straight upset loss to the Nets on Saturday. The Wizards have covered the point spread in 5 o their last 8 games after a loss on the road by three points or less. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when playing for the third time in four games. Furthermore, Washington has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 23 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games. They will be without Kyle Kuzma tonight as he deals with an ankle sprain — and Bradley Beal is questionable with a foot injury. The Wizards still have Kristaps Porzingis tonight — and they have a 12-11 record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Washington has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams outscoring their opponents by +3.0 or more points per game. Cleveland is outscoring their opponents by +4.9 PPG — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games in the second half of the season against teams with a losing record. 10* NBA Monday Daily Discounted Deal with the Washington Wizards (504) plus the points versus the Cleveland Cavaliers (503). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Sacramento Kings (575) minus the point(s) versus New Orleans Pelicans (576). THE SITUATION: Sacramento (29-22) had their two-game winning streak snapped with a 107-104 upset loss at Indiana as a 1-point favorite on Friday. New Orleans (26-27) ended their ten-game losing streak with their 131-126 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers as a 1.5-point favorite last night.

REASONS TO TAKE THE KINGS MINUS THE POINTS: Sacramento shot only 43.0% from the field against the Pacers which was the worst shooting effort in their last 16 contests. The Kings are still second in the NBA in Adjusted Offensive Rating this season — and they maintain that ranking in their last 15 games despite their subpar shooting efforts against Indiana. Sacramento has bounced back to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 21 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after an upset loss in their last game. They stay on the road where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 road games when favored. They will be playing with De’Aron Fox but they still have a balanced team led by Domantas Sabonis and Harrison Barnes. New Orleans is dealing with even more attrition for this game. Zion Williamson remains out with a hamstring injury. Jonas Valuncianus is out with a knee injury. Furthermore, Brandon Ingram is out tonight with his toe injury after scoring 35 points in his 32:19 minutes last night. The Pelicans shot 52% from the field which was the best shooting effort in their last 13 contests. But New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after scoring 130 or more points in their last game. They 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 7 games after a point-spread victory. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games played without a day of rest. They stat at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. And in their last 24 games as an underdog, the Pelicans have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning record — and the Kings have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a losing record. 10* NBA Sunday Night Discounted Deal with the Sacramento Kings (575) minus the point(s) versus New Orleans Pelicans (576). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Cleveland Cavaliers (522) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (521). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (31-22) has lost two of their last three games after their 100-97 upset loss to Miami as a 4-point favorite on Tuesday. Memphis (32-19) has lost six of their last seven games after a 122-112 upset loss to Portland as a 5.5-point favorite last night.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CAVALIERS MINUS THE POINTS: Cleveland should bounce back with a strong effort tonight. They have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a point spread loss — and they are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up loss. The Cavaliers struggled with their shooting on Tuesday. Not only did they make only 11 of their 40 (27.5%) of their shots from behind the arc, they hit just 6 of their 12 (50%) free throws. The Cavaliers have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after not scoring more than 100 points in their last contest. Cleveland is tough to beat at home despite the results from two nights ago. They have a 21-6 record on their home court with a +8.0 net point differential. They are making 49.4% of their shots at home which is helping them generate 113.6 Points-Per-Game. The Cavs have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 home games after playing a game that finished Under the Total in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. The Grizzlies got blasted by a 38-22 score in the fourth quarter last night — and now they are playing without a day of rest. This team misses Steven Adams in the middle — and it is impacting them on both ends of the court. In their last four games, since Adams suffered his knee injury, Memphis has seen their Adjusted Defensive Efficiency rise to 113.0 as compared to their 109.9 clip for the season. And while they have an Adjusted Offensive Efficiency of 113.9 for the season, their mark has lowered to 108.4 in their last seven games with their offense being dragged down by a low 28.9% shooting clip from behind the arc. The Grizzlies have a -34 net point differential playing without Adams in their last four games — and now they will probably be without Jaren Jackson, Jr. to a thigh injury and Danny Green to load management for this game. Memphis has not been near as effective on the road as they have been in the past since they drafted Ja Morant. They are only 11-15 away from home this season — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road. Furthermore, the Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 road games against teams with a winning home record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games on the road as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Cleveland will be looking to avenge a 115-114 loss at Memphis on January 18th — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when playing with revenge from a loss by three points or less. The Grizzlies had Adams in that contest to help defend the interior — and his absence will hurt against this Cavaliers team that scores 51.0 PPG in the paint. 10* NBA Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers (522) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (521). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Oklahoma City Thunder (513) minus the points versus the Houston Rockets (514). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma City (24-26) has lost two of their last three games after their 128-120 loss to Golden State as a 5-point underdog on Monday. Houston (12-38) snapped a two-game losing streak in a 117-114 upset win at Detroit as a 4-point underdog last Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE THUNDER MINUS THE POINTS: The preseason expectations for Oklahoma City was that they would be in the mix to be tanking for the right to draft the french superstar Victor Wembanyama. Instead, they are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff mix. Rookie Josh Gibley has emerged as a very good player for this team — and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a legitimate All-Star. The Thunder play hard almost every night (a rarity in the NBA) with a bruising style of play that wears down their opponents. They are just behind Denver this month for the best Net Adjusted Efficiency Margin in the league. Oklahoma City has covered the point spread in 5 straight 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. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after allowing at least 125 points in their last contest. They go back on the road where they are 42-19-1 ATS in their last 62 games — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 road games with the Total set at 230 or higher. Furthermore, they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a losing record — and they have covered the point spread in all 3 of their games this season when laying 3.5 to 9.5 points as the favorite. Houston has only won two games in their last 21 games as they are firmly in the tanking process. They are also undermanned with Jalen Green and Kevin Porter, Jr. out tonight with injuries. The Rockets are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they are 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games after a point-spread victory. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when playing with at least three days between games. They return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games — and they are 16-34-1 ATS in their last 51 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 27 of their last 38 home games as an underdog getting up to six points.

FINAL TAKE: The Thunder will be motivated to avenge a 118-105 upset loss at Houston as a 2-point favorite on November 26th — and they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 28 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed 110 or more points. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder (513) minus the points versus the Houston Rockets (514). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Oklahoma City Thunder (520) minus the point(s) versus the Cleveland Cavaliers (519). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma City (23-25) has lost two of their last three games after a 137-133 loss to Atlanta as a 1.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Cleveland (30-20) has won two of their last three games after their 113-95 win at Houston as a 9-point favorite last night.

REASONS TO TAKE THE THUNDER MINUS THE POINT(S): Oklahoma City allowed the Hawks to make 59.5% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of their season. But the Thunder have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after allowing 125 or more points in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games after a loss by six points or less. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. They are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games after scoring 125 or more points in their last contest. And they have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 38 games when playing their second game in five days. While Oklahoma City was considered one of the many teams who would tank the season to help their chances of winning the NBA draft lottery to then select the phenom Victor Wembanyama, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been simply too good leading this team. In their last 13 games, the Thunder rank 3rd in the NBA in Net Rating. They have a 14-10 record at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on their home court. They have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They are also 7-0-1 ATS in their last 8 games against teams with a winning record. Cleveland had 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 double-digit victory. The Cavaliers have covered the point spread in four of their last six games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games on the road after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six contests. Cleveland completes a three-game road trip that started on Tuesday — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games when playing their third game on the road in five days. They are just 10-15 on the road — and they are 5-13-2 ATS in their last 20 games on the road. They are also 5-12-1 ATS in their last 18 road games against teams with a winning record at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 road games as an underdog getting up to six points. The Cavaliers finish their road trip undermanned with Ricky Rubio taking the night off for load management and Kevin Love being out with a back injury. Donovan Mitchell is also listed as doubtful with a groin.

FINAL TAKE: The Thunder will be looking to avenge a 110-102 loss at Cleveland on December 10th — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 26 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed 110 or more points. 25* NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month with the Oklahoma City Thunder (520) minus the point(s) versus the Cleveland Cavaliers (519). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Denver Nuggets (549) minus the point(s) versus the New Orleans Pelicans (550). THE SITUATION: Denver (33-14) had their nine-game winning streak snapped in a 101-99 upset loss against Oklahoma City as a 5-point favorite on Sunday. New Orleans (26-21) has lost four games in a row after their 100-96 loss at Miami as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NUGGETS MINUS THE POINT(S): Denver gets back Nikola Jokic who has been confirmed to be returning to action tonight after missing the last two games to a hamstring injury. Without Jokic on Sunday against the Thunder, the Nuggets only made 43.9% of their shots which was the lowest shooting effort in their last 32 games. Denver is an elite offensive team — especially with Jokic leading the way — they rank 2nd in the NBA in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after a loss to a Northwest Division rival — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after an upset loss to a divisional rival. The Nuggets have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread loss. Denver’s play on the other end of the court has been their biggest weakness — but don’t look now but head coach Michael Malone has this group playing the 6th best defense in terms of Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their last 15 games. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning record at home. New Orleans held the Heat to just a 43.7% shooting percentage which was the best defensive effort in their last eight contests. The Pelicans have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a loss by six points or less. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread victory. New Orleans is dealing with their share of injuries as well with both Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram on the shelf. The Pelicans have a 7-6 record when playing without both of these players which is a testament to C.J. McCollum's talent and head coach Willie Greene’s commitment to defense. They return home to the Big Easy where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. They have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 21 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE:  New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Denver has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record — and the Nuggets have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 trips to New Orleans to play the Pelicans. 25* NBA Western Conference Game of the Month with the Denver Nuggets (549) minus the point(s) versus the New Orleans Pelicans (550). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (538) minus the points versus the Charlotte Hornets (537). THE SITUATION: Utah (24-25) had their two-game winning streak snapped in a 117-106 upset loss to Brooklyn as a 5-point favorite on Friday. Charlotte (13-34) has won two games in a row after their 122-118 win at Atlanta as a 7.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ MINUS THE POINTS: Utah only made 42.0% of their shots against the Nets which was the worst shooting effort in their last 12 games. They also allowed Brooklyn to nail 53.7% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last 11 contests. The Jazz have covered the point spread in 4 straight 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. They have also covered the point spread in 47 of their last 73 games after an upset loss a home when they were favored — and they are 4-1-2 ATS in their last 7 games after a double-digit loss at home. Utah has a 15-9 record at home where they have a +4.6 net Points-Per-Game differential. They make 48.1% of their shots which has them generating 120.6 PPG. The Jazz have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less. Charlotte nailed 50.6% of their shots against the Hawks which was the best shooting effort in their last four contests. But the Hornets 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 5 of their last 6 games after an upset victory. Charlotte’s previous game was a 122-117 win in Houston on Wednesday — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 32 games after winning their previous two games by six points or less. The Hornets were on a five-game losing streak before winning these last two contests — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after losing four or five of their last six games. They stay on the road where they have an 8-18 record with a -5.2 net PPG differential. They allow their home hosts to make 48.6% of their shots which has resulted in these home teams scoring 120.1 PPG. Charlotte is also dealing with some injuries with LaMelo Ball being questionable with an ankle injury and Cody Martin being doubtful with a foot injury. The Hornets have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 24 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Charlotte has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games in Utah against the Jazz. 10* NBA Monday Late Show Bailout with Utah Jazz (538) minus the points versus the Charlotte Hornets (537). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (501) and the Washington Wizards (502). THE SITUATION: Chicago (19-22) had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 107-99 loss at Boston as an 8.5-point underdog on Monday. Washington (17-24) has lost three games in a row after a 132-113 upset loss to New Orleans as a 1.5-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bulls only made 45.3% of their shots against the Celtics which was the worst shooting effort in their last 18 games. Chicago has played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 12 of their last 15 games Over the Total after winning two of their last three games. And while they have not covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in two straight contests. Chicago is playing better basketball as of late having won eight of their last 12 contests — and they own the 6th most efficient offense in the league over that span. Zach LaVine has stepped up his game by scoring 26.9 Points-Per-Game in the last three weeks on 52% shooting and a sizzling 47.3% clip from behind the arc. The Bulls stay on the road where they have played 6 of their last 8 road games Over the Total with the Total set in the 220s. Washington has not covered the point spread in three straight games — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after not covering the point spread in three straight contests. The Wizards have also played 12 of their last 15 home games Over the Total when playing their second game in five days. They have allowed each of their last three opponents to nail 48% or more of their shots from the field — and they have played 10 of their last 16 games over the Total after allowing three straight opponents to shoot 47% or better from the field. Washington stays at home where they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total — and they have played 22 of their last 24 home games Over the Total with the Total set at 220 or higher. They have also played 11 of their last 15 home games Over the Total against opponents with a winning percentage of 40% or lower on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Wizards’ recent slide on defense has coincided with Bradley Beal's hamstring injury against Milwaukee on January 3rd. They have played 7 of their last 8 home games Over the Total as an underdog of six points or less. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (501) and the Washington Wizards (502). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Oklahoma City Thunder (567) plus the points versus the Miami Heat (568). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma City (18-22) has won two in a row and three of their last four games after a 120-109 victory against Dallas as a 4-point favorite on Sunday. Miami (21-20) has lost two of their last three games after a 102-101 loss to Brooklyn as a 2-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE THUNDER PLUS THE POINTS: The Heat are a M*A*S*H* unit right now with a host of injuries. The biggest loss for this team is Bam Adebayo who is out with a wrist injury. Miami scores -2.2 points per 100 possessions without Adebayo on the court — and they allow +1.4 points per 100 possessions without him. Adebayo is the foundation for what this team wants to do on both ends of the court — and they are already struggling to score points this season as they rank 24th in the league in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. This team is missing several other important players including Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, and Duncan Robinson among others. The Heat are 4-14-1 ATS in their last 19 games after a point-spread win. They stay at home where they are 6-16-1 ATS in their last 23 games on their home court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less on the road. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 home games when favored. Oklahoma City should be energized tonight as they play on national television for the first time since September 2020 (the COVID year when NBA teams played in the bubble). This could be a national coming-out party for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games after a double-digit victory — and they are a decisive 45-22-3 ATS in their last 80 games after a point spread win. Oklahoma City goes back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 road games against teams with a winning record at home — and they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 24 road games against teams from the Eastern Conference. The Thunder have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 30 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Oklahoma City looks to avenge a 110-108 loss at home to the Heat on December 14th when they rallied from a 21-point 2nd quarter deficit to just fall short of winning that game as a 2.5-point underdog. The Thunder have covered the point spread in 8 straight games when playing with revenge from a loss by three points or less — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against the Heat in Miami. 10* NBA Tuesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder (567) plus the points versus the Miami Heat (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Hawks (521) and the Los Angeles Lakers (522). THE SITUATION: Atlanta (18-20) snapped their four-game losing streak with their 120-117 upset win at Sacramento as a 1-point underdog on Wednesday. Los Angeles (17-21) has won three games in a row and four of their last five after their 112-109 upset win against Miami as an 8.5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Hawks are playing high-scoring games given their offensive weapons and fast pace combined with listless efforts on defense. Over their last ten games, they are playing at the 4th quickest pace in the league. Atlanta is making 47.1% of their shots in their last five games which is resulting in 120.6 Points-Per-Game. But they are allowing their opponents to make 49.2% of their shots in their last five games which are allowing their opponents to put up 125.4 PPG. The Hawks have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight Overs after a point spread victory. And while the game finished well below the 245-point total, they have then played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total after playing an Under in their last game. They stay on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 games — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. LeBron Hames and Russell Westbrook are expected to play tonight with both players upgraded to probable for tonight’s game. James got Wednesday’s night game off after logging at least 39 minutes in each of his two previous games. James is scoring 36.6 PPG in his last five games. Los Angeles has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a win on their home court. The Lakers have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after winning four or five of their last six games. Los Angeles is making 51.0% of their shots in their last five games which are generating 118.0 PPG. They have played 12 of their last 17 games Over the Total with the Total set in the 230s. Additionally, the Lakers have played 12 of their last 18 games Over the Total against teams from the Eastern Conference — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams are dealing with injuries. Anthony Davis remains out for Los Angeles — and Austin Reeves and Troy Brown, Jr. are also out tonight. Clint Capela is out for the Hawks. These two teams last played on December 30th with the Lakers upset Atlanta on the road by a 130-121 score as a 6.5-point underdog despite the Hawks making only 28.9% of their shots from behind the arc. Atlanta allows their opponents to make 47.4% of their shots — and Los Angeles has played 19 of their last 27 games Over the Total against teams with a defensive field goal percentage of 46.0% or higher. 10* NBA Friday Late Show O/U Bailout with Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Hawks (521) and the Los Angeles Lakers (522). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 10:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Sacramento Kings (532) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (531). THE SITUATION: Sacramento (17-14) has lost two of their last three games after their 125-111 upset loss to Washington as an 8-point favorite on Friday. Denver (21-11) has won four games in a row -- and seven of their last eight — with their 128-125 win in overtime against Phoenix as a 4-point favorite on Sunday night.

REASONS TO TAKE THE KINGS PLUS THE POINTS: Sacramento was flat on Friday night as they probably looking ahead to getting a few days off for the holidays. They only made 44.0% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games. Even worse, they allowed the Wizards to nail 55.7% of their shots in what was the defensive effort of the season. The Kings should play well tonight as they 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 5 straight games after a loss at home. They have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a loss by 10 or more points at home. Furthermore, Sacramento has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in all 3 of their games after an upset loss this season. Head coach Mike Brown is doing a great job with this team — but he needs to get his group to reinvest their efforts on defense after allowing their last three opponents to make at least 50% of their shots. The Kings have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after allowing their last three opponents to make at least 47% of their shots — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after their last opponent shot 55% or better from the field. They will be without Domantas Sabonis tonight who is dealing with a thumb injury — but they still have De’Aaron Fox and the role players are better when playing at home. Sacramento has covered the point spread in 4 straight home games against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight home games as an underdog getting up to six points. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Additionally, the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning three or more in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games on the road after winning two or more in a row. Now after completing a four-game home stand, Denver goes back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning two or more games in a row. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road with the Total set at 230 or higher. The Nuggets 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 11 of their last 16 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against the Kings — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against the Kings in Sacramento. 10* NBA Tuesday Late Show Bailout with the Sacramento Kings (532) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (531). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (594) plus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (593). THE SITUATION: Golden State (15-18) has lost two straight games — and five of their last six — after their 143-113 loss at Brooklyn as an 11.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Memphis (20-11) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 125-100 win at Phoenix as a 2.5-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARRIORS PLUS THE POINTS: Golden State head coach Steve Kerr called out his team for their bad play after allowing the Nets to make 64.3% of their shots on Wednesday. That was the worst defensive effort for the defending NBA champions all season. The team remains without the injured Stephen Curry — but his absence does not come close to explaining this poor effort against Brooklyn. Klay Thompson got the night off in that game — and he will be back on the court tonight. The Warriors have been inconsistent from night to night — but after that bad effort and with this game on at the prestigious prime-time Christmas Day slot, expect a spirited effort from this proud group even without Curry. Golden State has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up loss. They have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 19 games at home after a loss by 10 or more points. The extra days off will help — as will returning home after playing their last six games on the road. The Warriors are a disaster on the road where they are just 3-16 — but they have a 12-2 record back on their home court. Granted, Curry’s 45% shooting percentage from behind the arc on their home court plays a role in Golden State’s better play at home, but the team’s young players perform much better in their friendly and familiar confines. The Warriors are 48-23-2 ATS in their last 73 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games after being on the road for at least seven days. And while the Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in five of their last six games, they have then covered the point spread in 23 of their last 33 home games after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Memphis finishes up their four-game road trip for this contest. While the Grizzlies have a 13-2 record at home, they are just 7-9 on the road where they are getting outscored by -3.2 Points-Per-Game. They allow their home hosts to shoot 47.0% from the field. Memphis has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning record on their home court. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games with the Total set at 230 or higher. Additionally, the Grizzlies are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games played at Golden State against the Warriors. Even without Curry and the injured Andre Wiggins, the reigning champions should bring their A-Game tonight. 25* NBA Western Conference Underdog of the Month with the Golden State Warriors (594) plus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (593). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (575) plus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (576). THE SITUATION: Portland (17-15) has lost three of their last four games after a 101-98 upset loss at Oklahoma City as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Denver (19-11) has won two straight games and five of their last six contests after their 105-91 win against Memphis as a 1-point favorite on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS PLUS THE POINTS: Portland has been upset twice this week in Oklahoma City on Monday and Wednesday — but they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games on the road playing their third game in five days. The Trail Blazers have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not scoring more than 110 points — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after playing their last game Under the Total with that game finishing far below the 236-point total. We had the Blazers on Wednesday and recognized they the team had been playing better with star Damian Lillard back from injury. Lillard only scored 16 points on Wednesday — but in his previous seven games this month, Lillard was scoring 32.6 Points-Per-Game. He was leading a scoring attack that is nailing 50.9% of their shots in their last five games which is generating 119.8 PPG before their flat effort against the Thunder — but they were still covering the point spread at the 2:29 minute mark of the fourth quarter. Against fellow Northwest Division opponents, Portland is still making 50.8% of their shots and scoring 120.0 PPG. The Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games as an underdog getting six points or less. Portland has also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Additionally, the Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning record. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 31 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after a point spread victory. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit victory. And while the Nuggets raced out to a 55-40 halftime lead against the Grizzlies on Tuesday, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after taking a 15-point or better lead into halftime. Furthermore, the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after allowing no more than 105 points in their last contest. Denver continues to struggle with their play on defense despite their strong effort against Memphis — they allow their opponents to make 48.7% of their shots which results in them giving up 114.0 PPG. The Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after winning two games in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 27 of their last 42 home games with the Total set at 220 or higher. Denver has also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points . They may be without Jamal Murray tonight who is questionable with an ankle injury. But Michael Porter, Jr. may return to the court after missing time with a heel injury — although he may need some time to get rid of the rust. The Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games when Porter returns to the court after missing the prior game which was a victory for Denver.

FINAL TAKE: Portland will be looking to avenge their 121-120 loss at home to the Nuggets in a heartbreaker on December 8th — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games when avenging a loss where they allowed 110 or more points. 25* NBA Northwest Division Underdog of the Month with the Portland Trail Blazers (575) plus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (576). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (541) minus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (542). THE SITUATION: Portland (17-14) has lost two of their last three games after a 123-121 upset loss at Oklahoma City as a 4-point favorite on Monday. Oklahoma City (13-18) has pulled off two straight upset victories after their win to begin the week.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS MINUS THE POINTS: Portland has had two days in Oklahoma City to stew about that loss to the Thunder. This is the fifth game in a seven-game road trip — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when playing their third game on the road in a five-game stretch. The Blazers have been playing better with star Damian Lillard back from injury. In his last seven games this month, Lillard is scoring 32.6 Points-Per-Game. He is leading a scoring attack that is nailing 50.9% of their shots in their last five games which is generating 119.8 PPG. Against fellow Northwest Division opponents, Portland is making 51.0% of their shots and scoring 123.1 PPG. The Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record at home. Oklahoma City has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games after a win by three points or less against a divisional rival. The Thunder continue to defy expectations by covering the point spread in four of their last five games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Oklahoma City gets this rematch at home — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games at home with the Total set at 230 or higher. The Thunder allow Northwest Division rivals to make 49.5% of their shots which translates into 120.9 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Portland has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 opportunities for revenge against an opponent that scored 110 or more points against them. 25* NBA Northwest Division Game of the Month with the Portland Trail Blazers (541) minus the points versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (542). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Cleveland Cavaliers (530) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (529). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (21-11) has won four games in a row after their 122-99 victory against Utah as a 7-point favorite on Monday. Milwaukee (22-8) has won two games in a row after their 128-119 upset win at New Orleans as a 1-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CAVALIERS MINUS THE POINTS: Cleveland should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games at home after a double-digit victory — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a win by 20 or more points. They are also 36-16-2 ATS in their last 54 games after a point-spread win. The Cavaliers play their fourth game at home during their six-game home stand having covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning their two previous games at home. Cleveland is 14-4-1 ATS in their last 19 games on their home court — and they are 17-3-1 ATS in their last 21 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after an upset win — and they are 3-8-2 ATS in their last 13 games after a straight-up win. They are also 2-5-2 ATS in their last 9 games after a point-spread victory. The Bucks did make 55.6% of their shots against the Pelicans which was the best shooting mark in their last 11 contests — but they are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring 125 or more points in their last game. That effort came on the heels of them making 53.3% of their shots in their previous game against Utah — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games after shooting 50% or better in two straight games. While the Cavaliers have only been on one airplane flight in the last ten days amidst their home stand, the Bucks are racking up their frequent flyer miles during that span. Since December 11th, Milwaukee has flown to Houston -- then back home -- then to Memphis -- then back home before going south to New Orleans and now back up to Cleveland for this contest. They are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Bucks trail the Cavaliers in Adjusted Net Rating this season with their +3.7 mark behind Cleveland’s league-leading +6.3 clip. Granted, Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton has missed much of the season — but Cleveland has been without Jarrett Allen for much of the year. Middleton is out again tonight with his knee issues. Allen is in good form — the Cavs hold their opponents to just a 22.2% rebounding mark on the offensive glass with Allen on the court. Cleveland will be motivated to avenge a 117-102 loss in Milwaukee on November 25th — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they gave up 110 or more points. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers (530) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (529). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (573) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (574). THE SITUATION: Boston (21-7) looks to snap a two-game losing streak after their 113-93 loss in Los Angeles against the Clippers as a 4.5-point favorite last night. Los Angeles (11-15) ended a three-game losing streak with their 124-117 win at Detroit as a 5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS THE POINTS: Boston may have been still shaken up from losing to Golden State on Saturday as they failed to earn a small measure of revenge against a Warriors team that beat them in the NBA Finals. The Clippers are a tough match-up for them because of all the quality wing defenders they can throw at Jayson Tatum — especially with Kawhi Leonard back on the floor for them. But the Lakers are not nearly as strong a defensive team as the Warriors or Clippers. The Celtics have bounced back to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. They have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a double-digit loss. And while Boston has suffered upset losses in their last two games, they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after not covering the point spread in two straight games. The Celtics only shot 43.4% from the field last night which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games — but they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after not scoring more than 95 points in their last contest. They remain the top offense in the league scoring at a historic 119.7 points per 100 possession rate. They stay on the road where they are 24-11-1 ATS in their last 36 games — and they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 road games with the Total set at 220 or higher. They have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a losing record. They have been without Al Horford in the last four games — and they miss the size and intangibles he brings to the floor as a veteran leader. But the Lakers lack the size — outside of Anthony Davis — to take advantage of the absent Horford. Too often, Davis gets lulled into playing on the perimeter rather than playing the traditional center role for the Lakers. Los Angeles nailed 54.8% of their shots against the defensively-deprived Pistons — that was the best shooting effort in their last eight games. But the Lakers have failed to cover the point spread in 40 of their last 59 games after a straight-up win. Now after being on the road since December 2nd, they return home to play for the first time since November 30th. Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games after being on the road for seven or more days. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 home games with the Total set at 230 or higher — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on the road. The Lakers are playing better basketball with Davis showing more effort and Russell Westbrook embracing a role off the bench leading the second unit — but this team has still failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning record. Five of their last nine victories have been against San Antonio (three) and Detroit (two). Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Boston has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against the Lakers. 10* NBA Tuesday Late Show Bailout with the Boston Celtics (573) minus the points versus the Los Angeles Lakers (574). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (568) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (567). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (19-7) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Sunday in a 97-92 upset loss at Houston as a 10-point favorite. Golden State (14-13) ended a two-game losing streak with a 123-107 upset win at home against Boston as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Milwaukee comes off their worst shooting performance of the season as they made only 36.7% of their shots which was a season-low while making only 28% of their 3-pointers. But the Bucks 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 7 of their last 10 games after a point spread loss. Now they return home where they are making 47.7% of the shots from the field. They have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games against teams not winning at least 40% of their games on the road. The Bucks are slumping a bit on offense — but their defensive effort remains outstanding as they have held their last five opponents to 101.6 Points-Per-Game on a 42.6% shooting percentage. Milwaukee should step up tonight on national television against the reigning NBA champions. They are 3-0-2 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Golden State held the Celtics to just 43.7% shooing which was the best defensive effort in their last 11 games. But the Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a straight-up win. Additionally, they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a double-digit win. Golden State demonstrated their championship potential against the Celtics — but we have seen these glimpses from them before this year before they took a step back to the lackluster selves they have demonstrated too often this season. The Warriors had won five of six games at the end of last month — but then they hosted an Indiana team playing without Tyrese Halliburton and Myles Turner and Stephen Curry played his worst game of the season in an 8-point loss as an 11-point favorite. Now Golden State begins a six-game road trip where they are just 2-10 this season — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games away from home. Going into last week (before their loss at Utah), the Warriors were just 15th in the league in Adjusted Offense Efficiency on the road -- but they were even worse on the other end of the court where they ranked second-to-last in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Before that Jazz game (please forgive me for not updating the data yet), Golden State was allowing -12.8 points per 100 possessions more when on the road versus their defensive numbers at home.

FINAL TAKE: The Warriors are catching the Bucks at the wrong time tonight after their effort against the Rockets. Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 37 road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 10* NBA Golden State-Milwaukee TNT Special with the Milwaukee Bucks (568) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (567). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will bhe playing Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Washington Wizards (526). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (14-13) has lost two straight -- and four of their last five contests — after their 115-110 loss at Miami as a 7-point underdog on Thursday. Washington (11-15) has lost five in a row — and eight of their last nine contests — after a 121-111 loss at Indiana as a 4-point underdog last night.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Clippers have played 4 straight games Over the Total after a point spread loss. And while this is their fourth game since Monday, Los Angeles has played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total when playing for the fourth time in seven days. The Clippers have Kawhi Leonard back on the court and reunited with Paul George — yet the team is not playing hard on the defensive end of the court. In their last five games (with Leonard back for the last three), they are allowing their opponents to nail 49.3% of their shots which is translating into 119.2 Points-Per-Game. They complete their four-game road trip having played 6 straight games Over the Total on the road — and the Over is 7-1-1 in their last 9 home games against teams with a winning record a home. Los Angeles has also played 23 of their last 31 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. Washington has allowed three straight opponents to make at least 50% of their shots after the Pacers made 50.6% of their shots last night. The Wizards have allowed their last three opponents to hit 48.7% of their shots which has resulted in them giving up 119.2 PPG during that span. The Over is 5-0-2 in their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and the Over is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They have also played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total after losing four or five of their last six games. Washington has also played 35 of their last 51 games Over the Total when playing without a day of rest. They are undermanned right now with several injuries including Bradley Beal and Will Barton being out tonight. They return home where they have played 19 of their last 28 games Over the Total on their home court. Additionally, the Wizards have played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 25 of their last 34 meetings Over the Total — and they have played 4 straight Overs when playing in Washington. 25* NBA Non-Conference Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Washington Wizards (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Indiana Pacers (506) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (505). THE SITUATION: Indiana (13-16) has lost four of their last five games after their 121-115 loss at Minnesota as a 5-point underdog on Wednesday. Washington (11-14) has lost four in a row after their 115-111 loss at Chicago as a 5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PACERS MINUS THE POINTS: Indiana should bounce back to play better as they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread setback. Now after playing their last seven games on the road, the Pacers return home where they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games against teams with a losing record. They may be without Myles Turner who is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury. But the Wizards are undermanned as well with both Bradley Beal and Will Barton out tonight with injuries. Washington made 48.8% of their shots on Wednesday which was the best shooting mark in their last four contests. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss by six points or less. They stay on the road where they are just 1-3-2 ATS in their last 6 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 29 road games with the Total set at 220 or higher. Furthermore, the Wizards are 7-20-2 ATS in their last 29 road games against teams with a winning record at home. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games in December.

FINAL TAKE: Washington looks to avenge a 127-117 upset loss at home to the Pacers on October 28th as a 5-point favorite — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss to their opponent. The Wizards are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games at Indiana against the Pacers. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with the Indiana Pacers (506) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (505). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Denver Nuggets (552) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (551). THE SITUATION: Denver (14-9) has lost two in a row after their 121-106 loss at New Orleans as a 1.5-point underdog on Sunday. Dallas (12-11) has won three of their last four games after their 130-111 win against Phoenix as a 3-point favorite last night.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NUGGETS MINUS THE POINTS: Denver made 50.6% of their shots on Sunday which was actually the lowest shooting percentage in their last four games. The Nuggets rank 5th in the NBA in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 19 games at home after shooting 50% or better from the field in at least three straight games. Denver has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a loss on the road. Furthermore, the Nuggets have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a double-digit loss. They are banged up a bit with Michael Porter out and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope along with Jeff Green questionable with injuries — but they are scoring at a 118.1 points per 100 possession rate without Porter on the court this year. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games. Dallas held the Suns to just 43.5% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last five games. The Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 straight games off a win at home. Additionally, Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring 125 or more points in their last contest. They are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games when playing without a day 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 6 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better at home. Furthermore, the Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas will be looking to avenge a 98-97 upset loss at home to the Nuggets as a 10-point favorite — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when avenging an upset loss where they were laying 7 or more points. 25* NBA Tuesday TNT Game of the Month is with the Denver Nuggets (552) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (551). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Detroit Pistons (554) plus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (553). THE SITUATION: Dallas (10-10) snapped their four-game losing streak with a 116-113 upset win at home against Golden State as a 1-point underdog on Tuesday. Detroit (5-18) has lost three in a row after a 140-110 loss to New York as a 4.5-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PISTONS PLUS THE POINTS: The Mavericks are very reliant on Luka Doncic who has been spectacular this season — but they lack reliable secondary scoring options. In games like this when playing a bad team or a team undermanned due to injuries, Doncic tends to coast — and the team underachieves. Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games when favored.       They come off that upset win against the Warriors but they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games after a win at home. And while Dallas has covered the point spread just twice in their last 14 games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after failing to cover the point spread in six or seven of their last eight games. Rebounding is another concern — they rank 29th in the NBA in Rebounding Rate. They have been outrebounded in five straight games and 10 of their last 11 contests. Now they go on the road where they are just 1-7 this season — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games when favored. Detroit allowed the Knicks to make 56.2% of their shots which was a season-worst mark. They also allowed New York to pull down 61.2% of the available rebounds which was also a season-worst mark. The Pistons should work harder on defense and in crashing the boards after that embarrassing effort. They are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a double-digit loss — and they are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They are also 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. Detroit is undermanned themselves with Cade Cunningham out indefinitely with a shin injury and Jaden Ivey questionable with a knee. But Isaiah Stewart did return to the court on Tuesday — and the Pistons pull down +3.1% more rebounds when he is on the court. Detroit has also covered the point spread in 37 of their last 56 games after losing three in a row.

FINAL TAKE: The Pistons have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or lower on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games against Western Conference opponents. 10* NBA Dallas-Detroit NBA-TV Special Detroit Pistons (554) plus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (553). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Portland Trail Blazers (526). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (12-9) has won four of their last six games after their 114-100 upset win against Indiana as a 2-point underdog on Sunday. Portland (11-9) has lost five of their last six games after a 111-97 loss at Brooklyn as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Clippers will be undermanned tonight with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and John Wall all out due to various ailments. As it is, Los Angeles ranks 29th in the league in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They are also 2nd in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency (but playing without George does not help their cause on that end of the court). The Clippers have played 18 of their last 24 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. They have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after an upset win at home — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread win. They go back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total. They have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range. Portland is playing with Damian Lillard who is dealing with a calf injury. The Trail Blazers return home for one game after being on the road since November 20th. The Under is 16-7-1 in their last 24 home games after being on the road for seven or more days. The Under is 18-7-2 in Portland’s last 27 games at home — and the Under is 5-1-2 in their last 8 home games against teams with a losing record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing against each other in Portland. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (525) and the Portland Trail Blazers (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Indiana Pacers (534) plus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (533). THE SITUATION: Indiana (10-7) had their five-game winning streak snapped in a 115-101 loss to Minnesota as a 1.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Brooklyn (9-10) has won three of their last four games after a 112-98 victory as a 2.5-point favorite at Toronto on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PACERS PLUS THE POINTS: Indiana played their worst game of the season on Wednesday. Their 38.5% shooting percentage was the worst offensive effort of the season. They allowed the Timberwolves to make 61.0% of their shots in that game which was the worst defensive performance of the new season. But Indiana has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss. While many expected this team to tank after beginning a rebuild when they traded Domantas Sabonis midseason last year, they are playing well. They may have the Rookie of the Year in Benedict Mathurin who they drafted as the sixth pick in the NBA draft from Arizona. Point guard Tyrese Haliburton has been a dynamic floor general and scorer for the team. And while they may still deal Myles Turner and Buddy Hield for draft assets before the trade deadline, those are two nice complementary players in the meantime. Indiana has covered the point spread in 7 straight games after winning two of their last three games. They have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games this month. Furthermore, they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a losing record — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. The laptops like them a lot as they rank 11th in the league in net Adjusted Efficiency Margin. They rank 8th in the NBA in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and now they host a Nets team that can lack effort on defense and ranks 19th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Sacramento scored 153 points against them earlier this month. The Nets have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a win against a divisional rival — and they are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a double-digit victory. Furthermore, Brooklyn is 12-31-1 ATS in their last 44 games after a point spread win. This team is playing better under new head coach Jacques Vaughn — and Ben Simmons’ productivity has improved. But Simmons is still an issue for the team since he can lack aggressiveness on offense to avoid getting fouled — and the team lacks interior size on defense. The Nets have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games with the Total set in the 230s. And in their last 40 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points, Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 28 of those contests.

FINAL TAKE: Indiana looks to avenge a 116-109 loss in Brooklyn to the Nets on October 31st — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games when they have the opportunity for revenge. The Nets were 7.5-point favorites in that game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games against the Pacers. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Underdog of the Month with the Indiana Pacers (534) plus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (533). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Milwaukee Bucks (578) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (517). THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (12-4) has won two of their last three games after their 119-111 win against Portland as a 9.5-point favorite on Monday. Chicago (7-10) snapped a four-game losing streak with a 121-107 upset victory against Boston as a 5.5-point underdog on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Milwaukee opened the season with nine straight victories despite playing with an injured Khris Middleton. A rash of short-term injuries played a role in their losing three of four, but the Bucks are getting healthy again (besides for Middleton) — and they were 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 games after a point spread loss. They return home where they are 9-1 this season with an average winning margin of +9.9 Points-Per-Game. They have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8  home games against teams with a winning percentage no better than 40% on the road. Chicago continues to play without Lonzo Ball — and veteran guard Goran Dragic is out with an injury which leaves them thin at the point guard position. The Bulls have played two straight Unders — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games on the road after playing an Under in their last game. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games after playing two straight Unders. Furthermore, Chicago has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher.

FINAL TAKE: Led by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez defending the rim, Milwaukee leads the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. This is a bad matchup for an undermanned Bulls team that ranks only 20th in the league in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Chicago has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against the Bucks. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Milwaukee Bucks (578) minus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (517). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (545) plus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (546). THE SITUATION: Memphis (9-5) looks to bounce back from a 102-92 loss at Washington as a 1.5-point underdog on Sunday. New Orleans (7-6) has won two of their last three games after a 119-106 win against Houston as a 10.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: Memphis only made 39.6% of their shots on Sunday which was the lowest shooting percentage for them since their opening game of the season. The Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games after failing to score more than 105 points in their last game. Memphis should play better tonight as they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games after a loss on the road. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 31 of their last 42 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 12 straight games after a loss on the road by 10 or more points. And in their last 28 games after a point spread loss, they have covered the point spread in 20 of those contests. They will be without Desmond Bane and Zaire Williams tonight but Jaren Jackson, Jr. is expected to make his season debut tonight. He should have an instant impact to help improve the play on defense for this team. He was a first-teamer on the All-Defensive team last year after leading the league with 2.3 blocks per game. The Grizzlies held their opponents to 106.0 points per 100 possessions with Jackson on the court last year. Memphis has been a disappointment on the defensive end of the court so far this season — but they have been better as of late. They have held their last five opponents to 106.6 Points-Per-Game on 45.1% shooting which is a significant improvement over the 113.4 PPG and 45.8% opponent’s field goal percentage numbers they have posted for the season. And the Grizzlies still have Ja Morant who is scoring 28.1 PPG and dishing out 7.0 assists per game. Morant is nailing 41.0% of his shots from behind the arc — if he continues to come close to that mark, he will be unstoppable on the offensive end of the court. Memphis has covered the point spread in 29 of their last 46 games on the road with the Total set in the 220s. New Orleans might be without Zion Williamson tonight as he is listed as questionable with his right ankle injury. The Pelicans have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit victory. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. New Orleans allowed the Rockets to make 50.6% of their shots on Saturday which continued a disturbing trend on defense. The Pelicans have allowed three of their last four opponents to make at least 50% of their shots.

FINAL TAKE: New Orleans has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. 10* NBA Memphis-New Orleans TNT Special with the Memphis Grizzlies (545) plus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Phoenix Suns (547) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (548). THE SITUATION: Phoenix (7-3) has lost two of their last three games after their 100-88 upset loss at Utah as a 2.5-point favorite on Monday. Minnesota (5-6) has lost four of their last five games after their 120-107 upset loss to New York as a 2.5-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Suns are dealing with injuries with Chris Paul and Cameron Johnson out for tonight’s game. Paul has struggled with his shot so far this season — but he remains elite as a floor general so the team will miss his point guard skills. Johnson was elevated to the starting lineup this season with Jae Crowder sitting out demanding a trade — so his injury leaves the team thin at the wing lacking 3-point shooters. Johnson scored 29 points in the Suns’ 116-107 win against the Timberwolves on November 1st. Phoenix has played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 13 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a loss on the road. Additionally, the Suns have played 26 of their last 39 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and the Under is 8-3-1 in their last 12 games after a double-digit loss. The Suns only made 43.8% of their shots on Monday — but that was still the best shooting effort in their last three games. They are holding things down on the defensive end of the court — they have held four of their last five opponents to 109 or fewer points and no better than 43.7% shooting from the field. On the road, they are scoring only 103.7 Points-Per-Game — but they are holding their home hosts to 102.7 PPG on 42.2% shooting. Phoenix ranks 3rd in the NBA in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have played 6 straight Unders on the road — and the Under is 20-8-2 in their last 30 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Minnesota has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. The Timberwolves are struggling to find cohesion with the addition of Rudy Gobert. The play on the defensive end of the court has been good — they rank 9th in the league in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. But the T-Wolves are bottom-ten in the NBA in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The problem appears to be the mix between Karl Anthony-Towns and Gobert are scoring only 101.4 points per 100 possessions in their 206 minutes together which would be the lowest offensive efficiency in the league. They stay at home where they have played 8 of their last 11 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less on the road (Phoenix: 1-2 on the road).

FINAL TAKE: Minnesota has played 4 straight Unders against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 220s. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Phoenix Suns (547) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (548). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (540) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (539). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (5-3) looks to rebound from a 143-100 loss to Toronto as a 7.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Los Angeles (4-4) has won two games in a row after a 109-101 win at Houston as a 5.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS PLUS THE POINTS: Despite San Antonio seemingly tanking this season with the hopes of winning the NBA draft lottery so they can win the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, head coach Gregg Popovich has his team playing hard. Led by Keldon Johnson, the Spurs have an intriguing group of young players. But they come off their worst game of the season against the Raptors where they shot a season-low 39.4% from the field. And with Toronto nailing 53.8% of their shots, San Antonio played their second-worst game of the season from a defensive field goal percentage perspective. The Spurs have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 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. Additionally, San Antonio has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a loss by 10 or more points — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after allowing 125 or more points. They have also covered the point spread in 4 straight home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Los Angeles will be without Kawhi Leonard and Robert Covington tonight. Leonard is already implementing injury management for his knee issues and Covington is ill. The Clippers' victory against the Rockets finished Under the 223.5 total — and Los Angeles has failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games on the road after playing an Under in their last game. They stay on the road having failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after playing their previous game on the road. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against teams winning 60% or more of their games. 10* NBA Friday Daily Discounted Deal with San Antonio Spurs (540) plus the points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (539). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (535) and the Boston Celtics (536). THE SITUATION: Chicago (5-4) has won four of their last six games after a 106-88 win against Charlotte as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Boston (4-3) has lost three of their last four games after a 114-113 upset loss at Cleveland on Wednesday as a 1.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bulls are playing better defense this season led by Alex Caruso and Javonte Green. They held the Hornets to just 39.1% shooting after limiting Brooklyn to only 99 points in their previous game. Chicago has played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. And in their last 13 games after playing a game where no more than 195 combined points were scored, the Bulls have played 8 of those games Under the Total. They go back on the road where they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. They have also played 6 straight Unders against teams with a winning record. Boston misses Robert Williams III who is out for a few months with an injury — but they are beginning to play better on defense. After holding Washington to 38.8% shooting, they limited the Cavaliers to just 42.0% shooting on Wednesday. Boston is still playing well in defending the rim even without Williams. They rank 4th in the NBA in preventing shots at the rim — and they are 9th in the league in opponent’s field goal percentage within four feet of the rim. The Celtics have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 36 of their last 57 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: Boston will be looking to avenge a 120-102 loss at Chicago as a 5.5-point favorite on October 24th — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from an upset loss on the road as the favorite. These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 meetings Under the Total. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (535) and the Boston Celtics (536). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Charlotte Hornets (505) plus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (506). THE SITUATION: Charlotte (3-4) has lost three of their last four games after a 115-108 loss to Sacramento as a 3.5-point underdog on Monday. Chicago (4-4) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 108-99 upset win at Brooklyn as a 2-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HORNETS PLUS THE POINTS: Charlotte has rebounded to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. The Hornets have started the season undermanned with both LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier out with injuries. Head coach Steve Clifford, in his second stint with the team after losing his job after the 2018 season, still has Gordon Hayward and P.J. Washington — and he is getting nice contributions from Kelly Oubre and former lottery pick Dennis Smith, Jr. Clifford has this group playing hard with victories against two playoff teams last year in Golden State and Atlanta. Charlotte is 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games on the road. Chicago is also dealing with several injuries. Lonzo Ball is out for the first few months of the season undergoing rehabilitation with his knee. The Bulls had a 27-13 record with Ball healthy last season — but they fell off to a 19-23 mark when he was unavailable to play last year. Zach LaVine is questionable as he engages in injury load management early this season — he played 37:13 minutes last night against the Nets. Chicago has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games when playing without rest. They return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games on their home court.

FINAL TAKE: The Bulls are just 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 games against teams with a losing record. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Charlotte Hornets (505) plus the points versus the Chicago Bulls (506). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (545) and the Milwaukee Bucks (546). THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (1-2) enters this game coming off a 134-124 loss at Memphis as a pick ‘em on Monday. Milwaukee (2-0) is unbeaten so far this season after a 125-105 win against Houston as a 13-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nets nailed 54% of their shots on Monday against the Grizzlies which was the best shooting effort this season. But they allowed Memphis to make 50% of their shots which was the worst defensive performance of the new campaign. Brooklyn has been a disaster on defense this season allowing their first three opponents to score 123.0 Points-Per-Game on 49.3% shooting — but I think much of this is explained by the level of intensity Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving bring to that end of the floor. These two played harder on defense in the playoffs against Boston last spring — and I expect a similar effort tonight in this nationally-televised game. As it is, the Nets have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Furthermore,         Brooklyn has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after allowing at least 125 points in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after allowing 130 or more points in their last contest. And while they have allowed their three opponents to make 48.8% of their shots, they have then played 42 of their last 64 games Under the Total after allowing three straight opponents to shoot 47% or better from the field including ten of those last fifteen circumstances. What is perhaps more troubling for the Nets is their lack of efficiency on the offensive end of the court with their starting five. In the 73 possessions that Durant, Irving, Ben Simmons, Royce O’Neal, and Nic Clayton have been on the court together, they are scoring only 97.3 points per 100 possessions. As the Celtics exposed in the playoffs last year, this offense can be slow, stagnant, and predictable when Durant and Irving are playing “your turn, my turn” with the basketball. Adding Simmons and Claxton into the mix adds two players who do not present any scoring threat — making that starting five even easier to defend. Brooklyn has played 39 of their last 62 games Under the Total with the number set at 220 or higher. The Under is also 9-2-1 in their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. Milwaukee shot a season-high 56.5% from the field in their win against the Rockets. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a double-digit win. The Bucks have also played 4 straight Unders when playing with three or more days of rest. They stay at home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on their home court. Milwaukee is playing without two of their best shooters with Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton out with injuries. Their absences have allowed for Wes Matthews and Jelon Carter to play more minutes, who are more effective on the defensive end. The Bucks lead the NBA by allowing their opponents to score 97.9 points per 100 possessions. But the offense ranks 25th in Adjusted Net Efficiency despite playing two bottom-ten defenses in terms of efficiency. Head coach Mike Budenholzer has his team playing at a slower pace as they rank 26th in tempo this season after ranking 4th in that metric last year. Brooklyn ranks 24th in the league in pace.

FINAL TAKE: Simmons defended Giannis Antetokounmpo in an interesting matchup — he held the Greek Freak to just 6 of 21 shooting in the preseason (for what that is worth). The Under is 10-2-1 in their last 13 meetings against each other — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games in Milwaukee Under the Total. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (545) and the Milwaukee Bucks (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Detroit Pistons (531) plus the points versus the Washington Wizards (532). THE SITUATION: Detroit (1-2) has lost two games in a row after a 124-115 loss at Indiana as a 1-point underdog on Saturday. Washington (2-1) lost their first game of the season in a 117-107 loss at Cleveland on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PISTONS PLUS THE POINTS: Detroit has been a disappointment so far this season with two bad losses on the road after a sluggish effort at home against Orlando that they still pulled out by four points in their season-opener. But this should still be a feisty team that competes for one of the Play-In spots in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Pistons have one of the brightest young stars in the game in Cade Cunningham — and their two first-round draft picks last June, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duran, have looked good so far this season. The team added two veterans in the offseason in Bojan Bogdanovich and Nerlens Noel to complement these players. Detroit shot only 38.9% from the field on Saturday which was the worst shooting percentage for them so far this season. Head coach Duane Casey has done a nice job overseeing the offense of this young team — the Pistons lead in the league with 47.5% of their shots coming from the rim. But Detroit is only making 52.5% of these shots which is the lowest mark in the NBA. The Regression Gods should be making an appearance sooner than later for the Pistons and their shooting - and now they play a Wizards team that appears to have taken a step back on defense in the offseason. Detroit has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a straight-up loss. They have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games when playing their third game on the road in five days. All three of the Pistons' games have finished Over the Total — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after playing three straight Overs. Detroit was a reliable team on the road in the final few months of last season. They have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Washington has Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis healthy and playing together for the first time since they acquired Porzingis last season. The Wizards brought in Will Barton and Monte Morris in the offseason — but the departure of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope takes away one of their best defensive players from last season. Washington has not covered the point spread in their last two games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after not covering the point spread in two straight games. Washington returns home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They are just 8-25-1 ATS in their last 34 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: The Pistons have struggled with their defensive play as they are allowing their opponents to make 48.2% of their shots — but the Wizards have failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 33 games against teams with a defensive field goal percentage of 46% or higher. 25* NBA Underdog of the Month with the Detroit Pistons (531) plus the points versus the Washington Wizards (532). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Phoenix (526) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (525). THE SITUATION: Phoenix (0-0) begins the new season coming off their 123-90 Game Seven loss at home to Dallas that ended that Western Conference Semifinals series. Dallas (0-0) looks to build off reaching the Western Conference Finals where they lost to Golden State in five games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINTS: It has been a tumultuous offseason for Phoenix. Head coach Monty Williams benched DeAndre Ayton in that Game Seven loss to the Mavericks since he can be a liability on defense against four-out 3-point shooting teams. That relationship appears to still be less than ideal. The organization still decided to match the offer sheet extended to him by Indiana — and move I found reasonable. Then there is the controversy regarding owner Robert Sarver with him concluding to sell the team given his sketchy behavior — and that might serve to rally the team together since the Wicked Witch of the West is leaving. Most importantly, this was still a 64-win team that disappointed last year — and they have the opportunity to get this season going with positive energy while exacting a measure of revenge against the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last year. This group lost Javale McGree in the offseason (who signed with Dallas) but they get Dario Saric back after he was injured in the playoffs. While we should take preseason numbers with a grain of salt, it certainly is encouraging that Chris Paul averaged 10 assists-per-game in the exhibition season despite playing only 25 minutes per game. They last played a week ago in a 105-104 loss at home to Sacramento — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games last year when playing with three or more days of rest. The Suns have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home. Dallas finished their exhibition season on Friday in a 115-101 win at Utah. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with three or more days of rest. This team will be tested early learning to live life without Jalen Brunson who signed with the New York Knicks in the offseason. Spencer Dinwiddie is being asked to step up as the second scorer behind Luka Doncic. They do lose Dinwiddie’s scoring punch off the best with him now in the starting rotation. Head coach Jason Kidd gets  Tim Hardaway, Jr. back who was injured in the playoffs last year — but the scoring chemistry of this team may be a work in progress. Kidd is missing some key rotation pieces tonight with Davis Bertrans out with a knee injury and Max Kleber questionable with an illness. This team has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games on the road — their upset win in Game Seven against Phoenix was the lone exception during that final stretch of road games last season.

FINAL TAKE:  The Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games when playing the Suns in Phoenix. 10* NBA Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Phoenix (526) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (525). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (503) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (504). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (0-0) tips off their season following a disappointing 33-49 season. Golden State (0-0) begins the defense of their NBA championship after beating the Boston Celtics in the finals.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS PLUS THE POINTS: The Warriors are probably a bit overvalued to begin the season. Head coach Steve Kerr conceded that his team is not in midseason shape yet — so the starters are not likely to play more than 30 minutes tonight. Golden State lost several of their bench players from last year with Gary Payton, Jr., Otto Porter, Jr., Nemanja Bjelica, and Damion Lee all moving on to new teams. The team also has the distraction of ring night as they celebrate last year’s title in front of their fans. While the Warriors will be celebrating their past, the Lakers should be very anxious to get the bad taste out of their mouths from last year’s embarrassment. LeBron James and Anthony Davis should have benefited from getting the summer off — so they should be rested and ready. The Lakers have a dominant 75-33 straight-up record when James and Davis are healthy and playing together. The addition of Patrick Beverley will help this team — and I have always thought that using Russell Westbrook off the bench to anchor the second unit was the best way to use his talents at this point in his career. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 25 of their last 37 road games with the Total set in the 220 to 229.5 point range. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing at Golden State.

FINAL TAKE: The Warriors crushed the Lakers the last time these two teams played on April 7th with a 128-112 win at home. Making an early statement is much more important to Los Angeles than it is for Golden State who will still be thinking about last season with the ring ceremony. 10* NBA Tuesday Late Show Bailout with the Los Angeles Lakers (503) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (528) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (527) in Game Six of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Boston (65-40) returns home looking to stave off elimination after a 104-94 loss on the road against the Warriors as a 4-point underdog on Monday. Golden State (68-35) can win the NBA Championship tonight after winning three of the last four games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS THE POINTS: I rewatched Game Five last night because I had to look away from the pain as to how bad the Celtics were playing. I did not pay close attention as to how Boston quickly rallied in 3rd quarter. And I studied what happened with Marcus Smart before the refs rewarded Jordan Poole's flop that helped cement Golden State's 4th quarter momentum swing. The refs injected themselves in the game, but Smart was flopping earlier and then whining for calls which is just not going to happen on the road (and by a player who lacks a title, despite being the reigning Defensive Player of the Year). I think Boston dug themselves too big a hole to win Game 5, but, wow, they still could have covered if they could have just been given the room to rebound before the refs started giving the Warriors 3-point swings (and Smart being on tilt did not help, of course). That Poole 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the third quarter certainly played a role in re-establishing the momentum for Golden State — and laid the foundation for Smart losing focus by doing his best Neymar impersonation by flopping around before Poole gets away with his flop. Very frustrating. That all said, Boston is close — and they deserve credit for making eight straight 3-pointers after missing their first 12 in the game to take a four-point lead late in the third quarter after such a nightmare start to the game. This team is resilient as they demonstrated throughout the playoffs which included avoiding elimination by winning on the road in Game Seven at Miami and in Game Six at Milwaukee (before winning that Game Seven). It is going to be a rabid crowd in Boston tonight with their last game at home this season — and that city knows how to inject themselves into an urgent playoff game. The Celtics have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after a straight-up loss — including seven of their eight games after a loss in this postseason. They have also covered the point spread in 17 of their last 21 games after a double-digit loss on the road. Additionally, Boston has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games after not scoring more than 95 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after not scoring more than 105 points in two straight games. The Celtics lost Game Four by a 107-97 score in their previous game at home — but they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after not covering the point spread in their last two games. Boston has also covered the point spread in 5 straight playoff games when trailing in a series. The Celtics' lack of urgency in handling and passing the basketball has been infuriating to watch at times. They have yet to learn that every playoff possession demands finer attention to detail — when Golden State turns the ball over, it is usually a function of their attempt to be aggressive (and is more forgivable). Too many of Boston’s 18 turnovers on Monday were a product of lackadaisicalness. But that was tied for most turnovers they had committed in their last nine games and tied for the second-most in their last 62 games. The Celtics should tighten things up in this department tonight — they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after committing at least 10 more turnovers than their opponent in their last game. The Warriors only committed six turnovers in Game Five which was tied for the fewest turnovers they committed all season going back to Game Three of the regular when they also only had six turnovers at Sacramento on October 24th. Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 road games when playing their second game in five days. They have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 playoff games with the opportunity to close out the series. They are also just 1-3-1 in their last 5 games at Boston.

FINAL TAKE: I thought this was going to be a seven-game series before it started — and I still feel that way. The Celtics have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 21 opportunities to avenge two straight losses to their opponent. 10* NBA Golden State-Boston ABC-TV Special with the Boston Celtics (528) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (527). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (527) and the Boston Celtics (528) in Game Six of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Golden State (68-35) can win the NBA Championship tonight after taking a 3-2 lead in this series with their 104-94 win at home against the Celtics as a 4-point favorite on Monday. Boston (65-40) returns home looking to stave off elimination after losing three of the last four games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: I suspect the market has not adapted enough to the fundamental change that has occurred in this series. After holding the Celtics to just 97 and then 94 points in the last two games in this series, the Warriors have found the answers as to how to best deploy their defensive efforts. Golden State is playing tight and aggressive defense that is making things uncomfortable for both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The Celtics lack a consistent third scoring option or reliable 3-point shooting to counter these tactics. Let’s remember that Golden State ranked second in the NBA by holding their opponents to just 107 points per 100 possessions in the regular season — despite not playing with Draymond Green for a long stretch. Game Three of this series had 216 combined points scored after Game Two only had 195 combined points scored. The Warriors have held Boston to no more 88, 94, and 97 points in three of their last four games. The lone exception was in Game Three when Boston scored 116 points — fueled by a 47 to 31 edge on the boards. Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr immediately made his team’s effort on the boards a high priority. After pulling down 15 offensive rebounds in that Game Three, the Celtics have only managed 11 and then 8 offensive boards in the two games since after Kerr cajoled his team to tighten things up. The last two games in this series have had only 204 and 198 combined points scored — and Golden State has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after playing two straight games where no more than 205 combined points were scored. The Warriors’ energy level of defense should continue with the extra day of rest — they have played 20 of their last 27 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest including seven of those last ten occasions. Golden State was called for 28 personal fouls on Monday with Boston being whistled for only 16 fouls — and the Warriors have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after being called for at least 10 more personal fouls than their opponent. Golden State is scoring only 105.2 points per game in this series with that average dropping to 103.7 PPG in the last three games. One of the dynamics that is contributing to this is the less of a role Jordan Poole is playing. Poole is a liability on defense which has compelled Kerr to give him less playing time. He is averaging just 17 minutes per game in the last two games after only being on the court for 14:17 minutes on Monday mostly to give Stephen Curry a spell. He did score 14 points in Game Five — but three of those points were that buzzer-beating 40-footer at the end of the third quarter. Golden State has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog. Boston has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in two straight games. They have also played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 95 points in their last game. Additionally, the Celtics have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when committing at least 10 fewer personal fouls than their opponent in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: Boston has played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing with double-revenge from two straight losses by double-digits to their opponent. 25* NBA Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (527) and the Boston Celtics (528). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (525) and the Golden State Warriors (526) in Game Five of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Boston (65-39) looks to rebound from their 107-97 upset loss as a 4-point favorite at home on Friday. Golden State (67-35) evened this series at 2-2.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: This is a solid technical play. The Celtics have played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total after suffering an upset loss in their last game — and they have played 4 straight Unders after an upset loss where they lost by double-digits. Boston has also played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total on the road after playing their last two games on their home court. Getting back to two days off between games should help the Celtics’ energy when playing defense — they have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest. Golden State has played 17 of their last 25 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest — and they have played 8 straight Unders when playing on their home court with two days of rest. The Warriors return home where they have played 15 of their last 21 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. They have also played 11 of their last 17 home games Under the Total when favored by up to six points. These two teams have played 18 of their last 24 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing in Golden State.

FINAL TAKE: Boston has played 6 of their last 9 playoff games Under the Total when tied in the series — and they have played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total when avenging a double-digit loss at home. 10* NBA Boston-Golden State ABC-TV O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (525) and the Golden State Warriors (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (525) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (526) in Game Five of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Boston (65-39) looks to rebound from their 107-97 upset loss as a 4-point favorite at home on Friday. Golden State (67-35) evened this series at 2-2.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS PLUS THE POINTS: Boston only made 40% of their shots on Friday after nailing 48.7% of their shots on their home court in Game Three. Jayson Tatum had an off night — while he scored 23 points and made 4 of his 8 shots from behind the arc, he was just 8 of 23 from the field overall. The Celtics got out-worked on the boards. After dominating the Warriors in Game Three by out-rebounding them by a 47 to 31 margin, they let the smaller team grab 55 boards to their 42 boards on Friday. Don’t blame Robert Williams III who pulled down 12 rebounds and had a +/- rating of +6 when he was on the court. The silver lining for Boston was that the Time Lord played 31:27 minutes in Game Four despite his nagging knee injury — and now he gets two days off to prepare for Game Five. Boston has been consistently reliable after subpar efforts. The Celtics have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 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. Boston has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a double-digit loss. Furthermore, the Celtics have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 34 games after a low-scoring game where no more than 205 combined points were scored. The extra day of rest should help as this series gets back to the two days off between games. Boston is the younger team and the extra day should help them be fresh again where they can use their energy to get back to controlling the boards. Boston has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games when playing with two days of rest. The Celtics have been one of the best teams playing away from home all season — and in the postseason. They are 34-16-1 ATS in their last 51 games on the road — and they are 22-7-1 ATS in their last 30 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Boston is also 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 road games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games when getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Golden State got yet another superman effort from Stephen Curry who scored 43 points on 14 of 26 shooting on Friday. Can he keep carrying the Warriors in seemingly every game? As we predicted, head coach Steve Kerr gave Kevon Looney more court time on Friday to address the rebounding disadvantage — and he responded with 11 boards in his 28:10 minutes up action, up 11 1/2 minutes from Wednesday. But the problem with Looney on the court is that he offers nothing on the offensive end — so Boston head coach Ime Udoka should have his team prepared to expose this liability. A lingering concern for the Warriors is that Draymond Green continues to provide little as well — he missed six of his seven shots for 2 points in Game Four after scoring only 2 points in Game Three. Green’s +/- rating on Friday was 0 — and the Warriors simply cannot win this series if they are not outscoring the Celtics when he is on the court. Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after a win on the road. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after an upset victory on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after an upset win on the road by 10 or more points.

FINAL TAKE: Boston is comfortable playing the Warriors in their building as they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games on the road against them. And in their last 7 games when avenging a double-digit loss at home to their opponent, they have covered the point spread in 5 of these games. 25* NBA Game of the Year with the Boston Celtics (525) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (523) and the Boston Celtics (524) in Game Four of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Golden State (66-35) has lost three of their last five games after their 116-100 loss on the road against the Celtics as a 3.5-point underdog on Wednesday in Game Three of the NBA Finals. Boston (65-38) has won five of their last seven games while taking a 2-1 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Head coach Steve Kerr identified that the biggest issue his team had in Game Three was getting beat on the boards. The Celtics enjoyed a 47-31 edge on the glass on Wednesday — and while they will likely continue to have an edge in that area, the Warriors need to work harder to minimize that advantage. There are some lineup moves that Kerr can make — first and foremost, Kevon Looney is likely to get more time tonight after playing only 16:49 minutes in Game Three. Kerr will likely want Looney to be on the court for longer stretches tonight to slow down the Celtics’ edge on the glass. This move will help Golden State’s defensive cause, but it will also hurt them on the offensive end. Looney is not a threat to score — and his presence on the court allows the Boston defender assigned to him to provide more help in rim protection. Golden State also needs a better game from Draymond Green after he only pulled down four rebounds before fouling out in what was his worst game in the postseason. Green later defined his own play as “soft,” which is a pretty good indication that he will be addressing the problem himself. In hindsight, it looks like he got caught up in all the technical fouls and officiating talk earlier in the week. Expect for Green to be more physical and active tonight. The Warriors have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. They have also played 21 of their last 34 games Under the Total when playing their second game in five days. Additionally, Golden State has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total as an underdog.
Boston nailed 48.3% of their shots in Game Three which was the second-best shooting mark in their last seven games. They are also making 43% of their shots from behind the arc in this series — I do expect that to decline. Boston did play their worst defensive game in their last four contests by allowing the Warriors to make 46.2% of their shots. That defensive field goal percentage was the second-highest that the Celtics have allowed in their last seven games. Boston is favored again tonight — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: The Celtics have played 8 of their last 12 playoff games Under the Total when leading the series — and Golden State has played 15 of their last 21 playoff games Under the Total when trailing in the series. 10* NBA Friday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (523) and the Boston Celtics (524). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (523) plus the points versus the Boston Celtics (524) in Game Four of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Golden State (66-35) has lost three of their last five games after their 116-100 loss on the road against the Celtics as a 3.5-point underdog on Wednesday in Game Three of the NBA Finals. Boston (65-38) has won five of their last seven games while taking a 2-1 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARRIORS PLUS THE POINTS: Head coach Steve Kerr identified that the biggest issue his team had in Game Three was getting beat on the boards. The Celtics enjoyed a 47-31 edge on the glass on Wednesday — and while they will likely continue to have an edge in that area, the Warriors need to work harder to minimize that advantage. There are some lineup moves that Kerr can make. But, first and foremost, Golden State needs a better game from Draymond Green after he only pulled down four rebounds before fouling out in what was his worst game in the postseason. Green later defined his own play as “soft,” which is a pretty good indication that he will be addressing the problem himself. In hindsight, it looks like he got caught up in all the technical fouls and officiating talk earlier in the week. He should play better tonight and help his team get into a better offensive flow after dishing out three assists and scoring two points in Game Three. As a point forward, he generates 6.1 Assists-Per-Game with that mark rising to a 7.1 clip in the playoffs. The Warriors have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. They have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after scoring no more than 100 points in their last game. Additionally, Golden State has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games as an underdog. Boston nailed 48.3% of their shots in Game Three which was the second-best shooting mark in their last seven games. They are also making 43% of their shots from behind the arc in this series — I do expect that to decline. The Celtics also took 24 shots from the free-throw line on Wednesday was seven more attempts than what Golden State got after the officials were on notice about the Green drama after Game Two. Boston has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 20 home games after a double-digit victory. Furthermore, the Celtics have failed to cover the point spread in 31 of their last 50 home games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 29 of their last 45 home games after a point spread victory. Boston has also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games at home with the Total set in the 210s. Another concern for Boston tonight is the health of Robert Williams III. The Time Lord was great in Game Three with the Celtics outscoring the Warriors by 21 points with him on the court. But this will be the first time since Game Seven against Miami last round when Williams will be playing on just one day of rest. The knee injury that has slowed him down for months may give him troubles tonight — he was only able to play 14:42 minutes in that crucial game against the Heat on May 29th, almost two weeks ago.

FINAL TAKE: Golden State has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games when avenging a loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss on the road. 25* NBA Friday Television Game of the Year with the Golden State Warriors (523) plus the points versus the Boston Celtics (524). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (521) and the Boston Celtics (522) in Game Three of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Golden State (66-34) has won six of their last eight games after winning Game Two of the NBA Finals by a 107-88 victory as a 4.5-point favorite on Sunday. Boston (64-38) returns home with this series tied at 1-1.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors nailed 15 of their 37 shots (40.5%) from behind the arc in Game Two — after making 19 of their 45 shots (42.2%) from behind the arc in Game One. After converting 34 of their 82 shots from 3-point range in the two games at Golden State, I do not expect the Warriors to continue to shoot 41.5% from behind the arc. Golden State shoots 35.7% from the 3-point land when playing away from home — and the Celtics hold their opponents to 33.7% shooting from behind the arc. The extra day of rest should help both teams have fresh legs for their energy and efforts on defense. The Warriors have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total as an underdog. Boston made 15 of their 37 shots (40.5%) from behind the arc in Game Two despite only shooting 37.5% overall. The Celtics won Game One because of their 21 of 41 clip (51.2%) from 3-point range. After making 36 of their 78 shots (46.2%) from behind the arc in the first two games, I expect that percentage to drop tonight. Boston shoots 35.4% from 3-point range at home — and the Warriors hold their opponents to 34.6% shooting from behind the arc this season. I expect the Regression Gods to make an appearance to slow down both teams’ 3-point shooting. The Celtics should be tough on defense with the extra day of rest and preparation — they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest. Boston has also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And in their last 10 games when favored, the Celtics have played 7 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 20 of their last 28 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing in Boston. 10* NBA Wednesday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (521) and the Boston Celtics (522). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (522) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (521) in Game Three of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Boston (64-38) looks to rebound from their 107-88 loss on the road against the Warriors as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. Golden State (66-34) has won six of their last eight games while evening this series at 1-1.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS THE POINTS: Boston accomplished what they needed in Game One by winning that game and seizing home-court advantage. Head coach Ime Udoka may have kept a few of his planned tricks in this series up his sleeve in Game Two. The Celtics may have been dealing with some fatigue after needing seven games to get by both Miami and Milwaukee in earlier rounds of the playoffs. The two full days off between games will help as this team returns home. Boston has covered the point spread after all 6 of their previous losses in the postseason -- and they have an averaging winning margin of +15.5 Points-Per-Game in those six contests. The Celtics have also covered the point spread in 23 of their last 33 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games after a double-digit loss on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after not scoring more than 95 points in their last contest. Boston needs to tighten things up in protecting the basketball after committing 18 turnovers in Game Three. The Celtics average 13 turnovers per game on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their 11 games in the playoffs after committing at least 14 turnovers in their previous game this postseason. Stephen Curry scored 14 of his 29 points off turnovers in Game Two — so his scoring will probably go down if — and when — Boston turns the ball over fewer times tonight. Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games in the playoffs after a straight-up win this postseason — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing on the road in these playoffs after a straight-up win. The Warriors are 10-1 at home in the postseason — but they are just 3-4 on the road straight-up. They 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 12 of their last 16 road games when playing for the second time in five days. Golden State has also failed to cover 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.

FINAL TAKE: This is a good opportunity to take the Celtics with the narrative that Boston has played poorly on their home court with “just” a 5-4 record in these playoffs. They still have a 33-17 record with a +6.7 PPG at home this season. Boston has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games since March after a loss. And in their two games in the playoffs played at home after a loss, the Celtics beat Milwaukee in Game Two of that series by 23 points before beating Miami in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals by 20 points. They are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 opportunities to host the Warriors at TD Garden. 25* NBA Wednesday Television Game of the Year with the Boston Celtics (522) minus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (521). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (520) minus the points versus the Boston Celtics (519) in Game Two of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Golden State (65-34) has lost two of their last three games after their 120-108 upset loss at home to the Celtics in the opening game of this series. Boston (64-37) has won four of their last five games after taking a 1-0 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARRIORS MINUS THE POINTS: Golden State seemed a step slow and at times appeared fatigued on Thursday after having a week off from dispatching Dallas in five games. They only made 44.3% of their shots which was the worst shooting mark in their last six games. And in allowing the Celtics to make 50.6% of their shots, the Warriors played their worst game on defense in their last 13 contests. They should be back in basketball shape and speed for Game Two — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing their second game in five days. Golden State has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 32 home games after a straight-up loss. The Warriors have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games when trailing in a playoff series. And they are still 24-9-1 ATS in their last 34 games at home against teams with a winning record on the road. Boston’s 50.6% shooting percentage was their best shooting effort in their last six games. The Celtics thrived by them nailing 21 of their 41 shots (51.2%) from behind the arc. But Boston’s top two shooters — Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — only made 3 of their 13 combined shots from 3-point range. Al Horford, Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Daniel Theis combined to nail 18 of their 27 shots (67%) from 3-point range — just a tremendous accomplishment for a group where just Pritchard and Theis made more than 33.6% of their 3-pointers in the regular season yet, tellingly, they averaged fewer 3-point attempts per game than the trio of Horford, Smart, and White in the regular season. The Celtics have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after an upset win as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Boston got what they wanted in their trip to Golden State by seizing home court advantage — so their sense of urgency may not quite be the same as the Warriors. Golden State has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games a home when avenging a loss where their opponent scored at least 110 points. And while the Celtics also upset the Warriors by a 110-88 score on March 16th at the Chase Center in their last meeting in the regular season despite being a 2-point road underdog, Golden State has covered the point spread in 6 straight games when motivated by revenge in two straight upset losses to their opponent. 20* NBA Boston-Golden State ABC-TV Special with the Golden State Warriors (520) minus the points versus the Boston Celtics (519). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (519) and the Golden State Warriors (520) in Game Two of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Boston (64-37) has won four of their last five games after taking a 1-0 lead in this series. Golden State (65-34) has lost two of their last three games after their 120-108 upset loss at home to the Celtics in the opening game of this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Golden State allowed the Celtics to make 50.6% of their shots on Thursday which was their worst game on defense in their last 13 contests. Boston also made 21 of their 41 shots (51.2%) from behind the arc. First up on head coach Steve Kerr’s list of Things To Do is shore things up on defense. The Warriors have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a loss by double-digits. The extra day of rest and preparation should help as Golden State has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest — and they have played 7 straight games at home Under the Total when getting two days between games. The Warriors have played 15 of their last 21 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on the road. Furthermore, Golden State has played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total when trailing in the playoffs. Boston has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest. Al Horford, Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Daniel Theis combined to nail 18 of their 27 shots (67%) from 3-point range — just a tremendous accomplishment for a group where just Pritchard and Theis made more than 33.6% of their 3-pointers in the regular season yet, tellingly, they averaged fewer 3-point attempts per game than the trio of Horford, Smart, and White in the regular season. The Celtics are not likely to shoot as well from behind the arc tonight — but they should defend the arc better after Golden State made 19 of their 45 shots (42%) from 3-point range. Boston was second in the regular season by limiting their opponents to 33.9% shooting from behind the arc.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 16 of their last 21 meetings Under the Total — including 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing at Golden State. 10* NBA Sunday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (519) and the Golden State Warriors (520). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (518) minus the points versus the Boston Celtics (517) in Game One of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Golden State (65-33) has won five of their last six games after their 120-110 victory at home against Dallas as a 1.5-point favorite last Thursday to close out that series in five games. Boston (63-37) won their third game in their last four with their 100-96 victory on the road in Miami as a 3-point favorite to take that series in seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARRIORS MINUS THE POINTS: Golden State holds all the cards for the opening game of the NBA Finals. They have been able to rest at home all week — and they have the benefit of their core players having already played in five NBA Finals with three championships since 2015. The Warriors have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games at home after a double-digit victory — and they have covered the points spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a point spread victory. Additionally, Golden State is 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games when playing with at least three days of rest. The Warriors have won all nine of their games at home in the playoffs — and they are 24-8-1 ATS in their last 33 home games against teams with a winning record. They have also covered the point spread in 17 of their last 25 home games with the Total set in the 210-219.5 range. Head coach Steve Kerr’s team is also getting close to full strength again with reports that Gary Payton II. will be active tonight and Otto Porter, Jr. practicing yesterday. Boston is 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, the Celtics have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 Game Ones of a new series.

FINAL TAKE: Golden State split their two regular-season games with the Celtics but lost the last meeting between these two teams by a 110-88 score as a 2-point underdog on March 16th. The Warriors have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 110 points — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games at home when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss against their opponent. 10* NBA Boston-Golden State ABC-TV Special with the Golden State Warriors (518) minus the points versus the Boston Celtics (517). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (517) and the Golden State Warriors (518) in Game One of the NBA Finals. THE SITUATION: Boston (63-37) won their third game in their last four with their 100-96 victory on the road in Miami as a 3-point favorite to take that series in seven games. Golden State (65-33) has won five of their last six games after their 120-110 victory at home against Dallas as a 1.5-point favorite last Thursday to close out that series in five games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Celtics took Game Seven against the Heat despite making only 41.2% of their shots against them which was the worst shooting effort in their last three games. They are making 45.4% of their shots in the playoffs — and they are scoring 112.0 Points-Per-Game when playing on the road this season. The Over is 20-9-1 in their last 30 games after a straight-up win — and the Over is 18-8-1 in their last 27 games after a point spread victory. Additionally, Boston has played 30 of their last 47 road games Over the Total after playing their last game on the road — and they have played 44 of their last 70 road games over the Total when playing with at least three days of rest. Golden State has played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a straight-up win. They made 51.1% of their shots against the Mavericks last Thursday to close out that series. The Warriors lead all teams in the playoffs by scoring 117.8 points per 100 possessions — up from the 112.8 points per 100 possessions scoring clip they enjoyed in the regular season. They are making 49.4% of their shots in the postseason which is generating 114.5 PPG. Furthermore, Golden State has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing with at least three days of rest — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total when playing for no more than the third time in the last ten days.

FINAL TAKE: Boston has played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total as an underdog — and Golden State has played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total in the NBA Finals. 10* NBA Thursday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (517) and the Golden State Warriors (518). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (509) and the Miami Heat (510) in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Boston (62-37) looks to rebound from their 111-103 upset loss at home to the Heat as an 8-point underdog on Friday. Miami (64-35) snapped a two-game losing streak in this series to force the decisive Game Seven.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Celtics have played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total after suffering an upset loss in their last game. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Now they go back on the road where they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total when favored. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games in the playoffs Under the Total when the series was tied. Miami has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. The Heat have also played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total at home after losing two of their last three games. They return home for this Game Seven where they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total. They have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Celtics have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing on the road avenging an upset loss as a home favorite. 10* NBA Sunday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (509) and the Miami Heat (510). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (509) minus the points versus the Miami Heat (510) in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Boston (62-37) looks to rebound from their 111-103 upset loss at home to the Heat as an 8-point underdog on Friday. Miami (64-35) snapped a two-game losing streak in this series by forcing the decisive Game Seven.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS THE POINTS: It is telling that Boston has been identified as the favorite tonight despite the historical success of home teams in Game Sevens. The Celtics have the better numbers in most categories in this series: Offensive Efficiency, assist percentage, rebounding percentage, effective field goal percentage, fast break points, made 3-pointers, and free throw attempts. The only areas where the Heat have the edge over the Celtics are in points off turnovers, second-chance points, and points in the paint. Boston went into the locker room trailing by a 48-46 score — and then somehow Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined to take only seven shots from the field in the second half in the 8-point loss. I expect that to be corrected by this duo playing in their sixth Eastern Conference Finals series in their young careers. The Celtics have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after an upset loss. They have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after a straight-up loss — including covering the point spread after all five of their losses in the postseason. They have an average margin of victory in the playoffs after a loss by +12.1 Points-Per-Game — and they beat Miami by 20 and 25 points after their two previous losses to them in this series. Boston has also covered the point spread in 23 of their last 33 games after not scoring more than 105 points in their last game. Interestingly, while the Celtics have just a 5-4 record at home in the playoffs, they have a 6-2 straight-up record on the road including two victories in Miami in this series. Boston is 20-6-1 ATS in their last 27 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 road games when favored. Miami got a surprising performance from Jimmy Butler on Friday as he scored 47 points while converting 16 of 29 shots from the field and nailing four 3-pointers (not really his game). This was surprising not because I have any doubts about Butler’s talents but because he seemed to be so negatively impacted by the knee inflammation that kept him out of the second half in Game Three. Butler scored only 19 points on 7 of 32 shooting in Games Four and Five combined. I just remain skeptical that Butler can put two superhuman performances in a row on that bum knee — especially when he played 45:57 minutes on Friday. Kyle Lowry has also been slowed with his hamstring but stepped up to score 18 points on Friday after scoring only 3 points on 1 of 12 shooting in Games Four and Five. Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, and P.J. Tucker have also been slowed by injuries in this series. And then there is Tyler Herro who has not played since injuring his groin in Game Three. The Heat lose -2.8 points per 100 possessions with Herro on the court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games playing without him. Even if he tries to take the court tonight, his effectiveness remains very much in doubt considering his injury usually puts NBA players on the shelf for two to four weeks. Miami has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games at home after playing a game that finished Over the Total. The Heat have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 playoff games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Boston has covered the point spread in 17 of their last 26 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. They have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against the Heat in Miami. I don’t the Heat — I am just skeptical that they can come close to replicating the performance in Game Six given their injury situation. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Year with the Boston Celtics (509) minus the points versus the Miami Heat (510). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (505) and the Boston Celtics (506) in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Miami (63-35) has lost two straight and three of the last four games in this series after a 93-80 loss at home as a 3-point underdog on Wednesday. Boston (62-36) took a 3-2 lead in the series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: After scoring only 82 points and shooting a season-low 33.3% from the field in their 20-point loss on the road in Game Four, Wednesday’s Game Five was the time that the Heat needed to step up. Instead, they made only 7 of their 45 shots (16%) from behind the arc and set a new standard in futility with their shooting for the season by making only 31.9% of their shots in scoring just 83 points in their seven-point loss. I don’t Miami is a fraud — my conclusion is that injuries have simply robbed the team of its offensive identity. Everything starts with Jimmy Butler — exemplified in Game One when he scored 41 points while getting to the free-throw line 18 times. The Heat scored 118 points against the top statistical defense in the NBA. And head coach Erik Spoelstra has his team shoot plenty of shots from behind the arc as they demonstrated by their dominant start to Game Three where they seized a 26-point lead in the second quarter. Then Butler re-injured the knee that has been nagging him for much of the season. Miami holds on to win Game Three — and Butler returns to the court to play in the last two games. But he is a shell of himself. In Game Four, he scores only 6 points on 3 of 14 shooting — and he is no drive in his game as he fails to get to the free-throw line even once. He was a bit better on Wednesday — but he still only got to three free throw line four times in scoring 13 points on 4 of 18 shooting. Since the injury, he has made only 7 of 32 shots for a 21.9% field goal percentage. Kyle Lowry was brought in during the offseason to be the second or third scoring option in the starting lineup — but he is far from 100% with the Hamstring that kept him earlier in the playoffs. He did not score in Game Five after scoring just 3 points in Game Four. Lowry has made only one shot in the last two games — and he has taken just 12 shots in those two contests. Tyler Herro won the Sixth Man of the Year Award by scoring 20.7 Points-Per-Game coming off the bench — but the Heat have been without their second-leading scorer since he injured his groin in Game Three. Even if he returns tonight, his effectiveness is in doubt since his injury usually puts players on the shelf for two to four weeks. Bam Adebayo has been fine — he scored 18 points on 8 of 15 shooting on Wednesday. But he is not a number one scoring option — and this clever Celtics team now knows to focus their energies on him. Miami has Victor Oladipo who can provide offense — but he scored only 3 points on 1 of 7 shooting coming off the bench in Game Five. Spoelstra cannot play Duncan Robinson because he is a liability on defense. That puts Max Strus in the starting line up who missed all nine of his shots from the field on Wednesday. Miami can’t flip a switch to make Butler or Lowry or Herro healthy again — and perhaps the flaw of this team is that they really need at least two of those guys performing well to complement Adebayo. Since Game Two of this series, the Heat are scoring 1.01 Points-Per-Possession — and they are scoring 0.84 Points-Per-Possession in the halfcourt. Granted, they should make more than the 13 of 39 clip-on uncontested shots from the field they endured in Game Five. But this is now a team that is likely to struggle to score even 90 points when playing on the road against the elite Boston defense. Miami has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on their home court. Boston has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing their last opponent to shoot 35% or better from the field. The Celtics have also played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing a game where no more than 190 combined points were scored. Back at home, Boston has played 12 of their last 16 home games Under the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: While Miami’s ability to score points is in doubt, their commitment to making things difficult for the Celtics on the other end of the court is not. They have held Boston to just 35% shooting from 3-point land — and the Celtics have not scored more than 103 points in each of the last three games of the series. Spoelstra will no longer be interested in pushing the pace in this series — this needs to be a slog for his team to have a chance. The Heat have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total as an underdog. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (505) and the Boston Celtics (506). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (503) and the Golden State Warriors (504) in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Dallas (61-38) snapped their three-game losing streak in this series with a 119-109 victory on the road against the Warriors as a 1.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Golden State (64-33) had their four-game winning streak snapped with the loss — but they can still end this series tonight given their 3-1 lead.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Mavericks nailed 47% of their shots from behind the arc in Game Four — and their 50% field goal percentage overall was the best mark they posted in this series. But Dallas has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Furthermore, the Mavericks have played 20 of their last 31 games Under the Total after a win by 10 or more points. And in their last 23 games after losing two of their last three games, they have played 17 of these games Under the Total. Now after playing their last two games at home, they go back on the road  — and they have played 16 of their last 25 games Under the Total after playing their last two games at home. Golden State played their worst game on defense in their last 11 contests by allowing Dallas to make 50% of their shots. But the Warriors have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. They return home where they have played 14 of their last 23 home games Under the Total with the total set in the 210-219.5 point range. Golden State has also played 9 of their last 13 games in the Western Conference Finals Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: The Warriors have played 27 of their last 44 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. The Mavericks have played 35 of their last 52 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. 10* NBA Dallas-Golden State TNT O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (503) and the Golden State Warriors (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (502) plus the points versus the Boston Celtics (501) in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Miami (63-34) has lost two of their last three games after their 102-82 loss as a 7-point underdog on Monday. Boston (61-36) has won four of their last six games while evening this series at 2-2.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT PLUS THE POINTS: Miami shot only 33.3% from the field in Game 4 which was the worst shooting percentage for them all season. They should shoot better returning back home where they make 47.6% of their shots. The Heat have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games on their home court after not scoring at least 100 points in their last game. Additionally, Miami has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 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 have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a double-digit loss. The Heat have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. And in their last 5 games at home as an underdog, they have covered the point spread 4 times. Miami has also covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. Boston played their best defensive game in Game Four by holding the Heat to 39.7% shooting. But the Celtics are just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a point spread victory. They are also 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a double-digit victory. And while Boston has only attempted 70 and 78 shots from the field in Games Three and Four, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not attempting more than 80 shots in two straight games.

FINAL TAKE: Injuries play a big role tonight for both teams. After not playing on Monday, Marcus Smart remains questionable with an ankle injury. Robert Williams III is questionable with the nagging knee injury he has been dealing with throughout the postseason. Miami has five players listed as questionable including Kyle Lowry. But Jimmy Butler is not even on the injury list after dealing with knee inflammation in Game Three on Saturday. Only Tyler Herro on the Heat injury report did not play in Game Four so I do expect most of these players to take the court tonight. Miami has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 100 points. 10* NBA Boston-Miami ESPN Special with the Miami Heat (502) plus the points versus the Boston Celtics (501). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (568) minus the point(s) versus the Golden State Warriors (567) in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Dallas (60-38) has lost four of their last six games after their 109-100 upset loss as a 3-point favorite at home against the Warriors on Sunday. Golden State (64-32) has won six of their last seven games while taking a 3-0 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS MINUS THE POINT(S): Head coach Jason Kidd is not likely to let his team give up tonight just because they fell behind 3-0 in this series. Dallas has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after an upset loss in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 38 of their last 56 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after a point spread loss. And in their last 24 games after failing to score more than 100 points in their last game, they have covered the point spread in 19 of these contests. The Mavericks got outrebounded by a 47 to 33 margin in Game Three — and they have been outrebounded by at least 13 boards in each game in this series. Dallas has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after being outrebounded by five or more boards in three straight games. The Mavericks have still covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 8 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games when favored. I was wrong about Dallas winning and covering in Game Three — but I still claim that we should not underestimate this team. After a 17-18 start, the Mavericks ended the regular season with a 35-12 run. They outscored Utah and Phoenix by +5.8 Points-Per-Game which was the second-highest mark after the first two rounds of the playoffs.

FINAL TAKE: Luka Doncic should lead his team to the victory tonight — especially if he can get some help from his teammates. Doncic made 11 of his 23 shots on Sunday en route to his 40-point night. His teammates only made 19 of their 52 shot attempts for a 36.5% clip. Dallas has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when playing with triple revenge. 10* NBA Golden State-Dallas TNT Special with the Dallas Mavericks (568) minus the point(s) versus the Golden State Warriors (567). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (567) and the Dallas Mavericks (568) in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Golden State (64-32) has won six of their last seven games after their 109-100 upset victory on the road against the Mavericks on Sunday. Dallas (60-38) has lost four of their last six games after falling behind 0-3 in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors’ zone defense is stifling the Mavericks in this series. Dallas is making only 33.3% of their shots from behind the arc — but they continue to live-or-die by the 3 as they are attempting 52% of their shots from the field from distance. The Mavericks’ lack of size is hurting them in this series as well — they are only pulling down 18.2% of their missed shots. Golden State won the rebounding battle by a 47-33 margin on Sunday — and they have outrebounded Dallas by at least 13 boards in each of the games in this series. The Warriors have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after outrebounding their last two opponents by at least 10 boards. And while Golden State has covered the point spread in four straight contests, they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in four straight games. They stay on the road where they have played 21 of their last 31 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. They have also played 4 straight Unders as an underdog. Dallas has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Mavericks have also played 13 of their last 17 home games Under the Total after failing to score more than 105 points in their last game. They have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after losing four or five of their last six games. They have played 4 straight Unders after not covering the point spread in three straight games. Furthermore, Dallas has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after getting outrebounded by at least five boards in three straight games. The Mavericks stay at home where the Under is 37-13-1 in their last 51 games —and they have played 20 of their last 27 home games when favored. They have also played 25 of their last 32 home games Under the Total when the Total is set in the 210-219.5 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has played 13 of their last 17 home games Under the Total when avenging a loss where their opponent scored at least 100 points — and they have played 23 of their last 35 games Under the Total when playing with double-revenge. 25* NBA Western Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (567) and the Dallas Mavericks (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (566) minus the points versus the Miami Heat (565) in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals. Boston (60-36) looks to rebound from their 109-103 upset loss at home against the Celtics as a 6-point favorite on Saturday. Miami (63-33) has won four of their last five games while taking a 2-1 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS THE POINTS: Boston started slowly in Game Three as they trailed by as many as 26 points in the second quarter before rallying to make it a game in the second half. After losing home-court advantage, they should play better tonight. The Celtics have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread loss. Boston has also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after suffering an upset loss in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games after failing to score more than 105 points in their last game. They stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. The Celtics need to tighten things up by doing a better job of protecting the basketball after committing 23 turnovers. The Heat only turned the ball over eight times giving them a big +15 edge in the turnover department. Boston has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after committing at least 10 more turnovers than their opponent in their last game. Miami has failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games after enjoying a +10 or better net turnover margin in their last game. The Heat have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as an underdog in the playoffs — and the Celtics are 27-13-1 ATS in their last 41 playoff games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Injuries are central to the storyline tonight. The Heat will be without Tyler Herro tonight after he injured his groin on Saturday. Jimmy Butler claims he will play after missing the second half of Game Three with his nagging knee injury — but he may not be 100%. Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III are both listed as questionable — but Smart did play after twisting his ankle in Game Three and head coach Ime Udoka says Williams III is improving. Most importantly, Jayson Tatum is listed as probable after injuring his shoulder on Saturday. Boston has covered the point spread in 4 straight playoff games when trailing in the series. 20* NBA Miami-Boston ABC-TV Special with the Boston Celtics (566) minus the points versus the Miami Heat (565). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (564) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (563) in Game Three of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Dallas (60-37) returns home down 0-2 in this series after their 126-117 loss on the road against the Warriors on Friday. Golden State (63-32) has won five of their last six games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS MINUS THE POINTS: Dallas was in reach to pull the upset in Game Two — they entered the fourth quarter trailing by two points and remained within four points with under four minutes to go before getting outscored by a 19-14 margin the rest of the way. The Mavericks allowed the Warriors to nail 56.1% of their shots (14 of their 28 shots from behind the arc) which was tied for the worst defensive effort in their last seven games. But Dallas has covered the point spread in 6 straight games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. The Mavericks have also covered the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games after a loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after a point spread loss. Don’t underestimate this Dallas team — this is a cohesive team that usually makes more 3s while attempting 46.3% of their shots from behind the arc in the first two rounds of the playoffs. And they are led by a superstar in Luka Doncic who can put his team on his shoulders. After a 17-18 start, the Mavericks ended the regular season with a 35-12 run. They outscored Utah and Phoenix by +5.8 Points-Per-Game which was the second-highest mark after the first two rounds of the playoffs. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 35 games — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, Dallas has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games at home when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 15 home games when favored by up to six points. Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games when playing with one day of rest. The Warriors go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. Golden State has also failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 34 road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games in Dallas against the Mavericks. And in Dallas’ last 28 games when given the opportunity for same-season revenge, they have covered the point spread in 20 of these contests. 25* NBA Western Conference Game of the Year with the Dallas Mavericks (564) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (563). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (561) plus the points versus the Boston Celtics (562) in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Finals (561). THE SITUATION: Miami (62-33) had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 127-102 upset loss as a 1-point favorite on Thursday. Boston (60-35) has won three of their last four games while evening this series at 1-1.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT PLUS THE POINTS: After taking Game One by 11 points, Miami was flat on Thursday. They only made 44.2% of their shots which was was lowest mark in their last five games. They only made 10 of their 34% (29%) shots from 3-point range. And in allowing the Celtics to make 52.1% of their shots, they played their worst defensive game in their last four contests. Head coach Erik Spoelstra will have his team ready to play tonight. The Heat 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 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, Miami has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a double-digit loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after a double-digit upset loss. Furthermore, the Heat have covered the point spread in 38 of their last 56 games on the road after a loss by 20 or more points. Miami is 12-5-1 ATS in their last 18 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games as an underdog. Boston was on fire in Game Two from behind the arc as they made 20 of their 40 (50%) shots from behind the arc. Their 51.2% field goal percentage was tied their best shooting effort in their last 11 games. But the Celtics are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread victory. Boston has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after an upset win by 15 or more points. Additionally, the Celtics have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 opportunities to host the Heat in Boston.

FINAL TAKE: Miami has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games when avenging a loss where their opponent scored at least 110 points. 10* NBA Miami-Boston ABC-TV Special with the Miami Heat (561) plus the points versus the Boston Celtics (562). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (647) plays the points versus the Golden State Warriors (648) in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Dallas (60-36) look to rebound from their 112-87 loss on the road to the Warriors in the opening game of this series as a 5.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Golden State (62-32) has won four of their last five games while taking a 1-0 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS PLUS THE POINTS: Dallas was flat on Wednesday. They started slow by finishing the first quarter trailing by a 28-18 score — and it was pretty much downhill from there. The Mavericks underachieved on both ends of the court. They allowed Golden State to nail 56.0% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in the last six games. Their 36.0% shooting percentage was the worst shooting effort in their last 30 games. They only made 11 of 48 (23%) of their shots from behind the arc and ended the game with an Offensive Rating of 90.6. Dallas should shoot the basketball better tonight. They have made 45.1% of their shots in the postseason with a 37% clip from behind the arc even after Wednesday’s disappointing effort. The Mavericks have generated an Offensive Rating of 112.7 in these playoffs. They have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 23 games after not scoring more than 100 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after not scoring more than 95 points in their last contest. Furthermore, Dallas has covered the point spread in 38 of their last 54 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 22 games after a loss on the road. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a double-digit loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a loss by 20 or more points. Don’t underestimate this Dallas team — this is a cohesive team that usually makes more 3s while attempting 46.3% of their shots from behind the arc in the first two rounds of the playoffs. And they are led by a superstar in Luka Doncic who can put his team on his shoulders. After a 17-18 start, the Mavericks ended the regular season with a 35-12 run. They outscored Utah and Phoenix by +5.8 Points-Per-Game which was the second-highest mark after the first two rounds of the playoffs. On the road, the Mavericks have covered the point spread in 36 of their last 55 road games with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 13 road games as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points. Dallas has also covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 playoff games when trailing in the series. Golden State enjoyed their best shooting effort in their last four games with the 56.1% clip on Wednesday — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. The Warriors have a high-ceiling when they are playing at their best — but consistency has been a problem for them as they have tended to get too lackadaisical in protecting the basketball. They ranked 13th of the sixteen playoffs teams after the first two rounds with a 15.8% turnover percentage. Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games when playing with one day of rest. They have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 playoff games when favored. And in their last 8 playoff games when leading in the series, they have failed to cover the point spread 5 times.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games against the Warriors — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against them in Golden State. And in their last 27 opportunities to avenge a same-season loss, the Mavericks have covered the point spread in 20 of these contests. 10* NBA Dallas-Golden TNT Special with the Dallas Mavericks (647) plays the points versus the Golden State Warriors (648). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (543) plus the points versus the Miami Heat (544) in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Boston (59-35) lost their fourth game in their last seven contests with a 118-107 loss on the road against the Heat as a 4-point underdog on Tuesday. Miami (62-32) has won three in a row and seven of their last nine while taking a 1-0 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS PLUS THE POINTS: Boston started fast on Tuesday by seizing a 62-54 halftime lead — but playing undermanned and on short rest finally caught up with them as they got outscored by a 39-14 margin in the third quarter. The Celtics allowed the Heat to nail 48.7% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last eight games. Boston missed their quarterback on defense — and the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year — in Marcus Smart who missed the game with a foot injury. The Celtics were also without Al Horford due to COVID protocols — and he is doubtful tonight to clear quarantine. Not having Horford tonight does not help — but head coach Ime Udoka did get over 28 good minutes from Robert Williams III with the Time Lord scoring 18 points and adding 9 rebounds. Williams III did not play much in the closing games of the previous series with Milwaukee with his nagging knee injury. Williams III is largely responsible for the Celtics’ dramatic improvement on defense midseason which eventually elevated them to the best Defensive Rating in the NBA. They have held six of their last eight opponents to no better than 43.5% shooting. Boston should play better tonight in a decisive Game Two which would give them home-court advantage if they can steal the game. The Celtics have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 19 games after a double-digit loss on the road. Boston has been a great road team this season that is 19-7-1 ATS in their last 27 games away from home — and they are 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 road games as an underdog. The Celtics have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Miami has nailed at least 48.3% of their shots in three straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after making at least 47% of their shots in three straight games. Head coach Erik Spoelstra has some injury issues coming into play for tonight’s game. Kyle Lowry remains out with a hamstring injury — and his absence might leave the team without a reliable complementary scorer to Jimmy Butler. P.J. Tucker is dealing with an ankle but he is listed as probable. But a looming problem is the hamstring injuries to guards Gabe Vincent and Max Strus. These two are playing more since the playoff series with Philadelphia because Duncan Robinson is a liability on defense. Both played over 30 minutes on Tuesday — and Robinson did not get on the court.

FINAL TAKE: The Heat have won the last two meetings between these two teams going back to the regular season — but the Celtics have covered the point spread in 31 of their last 52 games when playing with double-revenge. Boston has also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games in Miami against the Heat. 10* NBA Boston-Miami ESPN Special with the Boston Celtics (543) plus the points versus the Miami Heat (544). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (540) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (539) in Game One of the Western Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Golden State (61-32) won their third game in their last four contests after closing out their six-game series with Memphis with their 110-96 victory as a 7.5-point favorite on Friday. Dallas (60-35) won their fourth game in their last five contests with their 123-90 upset victory in Phoenix as a 6.5-point underdog on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARRIORS MINUS THE POINTS: Golden State beat the Grizzlies by 14 points on Friday despite making only 39.4% of their shots from the field in what was the worst shooting effort in their last 23 games. They should play shoot better tonight as they covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games at home after a double-digit victory. And while the Warriors have only covered the point spread twice in their last eight games, they have then covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Golden State’s strong defense was on display in Game Six as they held the Grizzlies to just 35.4% shooting — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games at home after not allowing more than 105 points in their last game. The extra days off can only help this veteran team — they are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games when playing with at least three days of rest. On their home court, they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games — and they are 21-8-1 ATS in their last 30 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Furthermore, the Warriors have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 opening games to a new playoff series when they are playing at home but not a double-digit favorite. They do expect to have Otto Porter, Jr. back for this series after being out with a foot injury — so that helps the bench. Dallas enters this series with two fewer days of rest having played on Sunday — and they have played two more games in the postseason with 13 games already under their belts. The Mavericks nailed 56.8% of their shots in their blowout win at Phoenix which was the best shooting effort in their last 64 games. And by holding the Suns to just 37.9% shooting, they played their best defensive game in their last eight contests. Their 33-point win in Game Seven came on the heels of their 113-86 upset win at home against Phoenix in Game Six. An emotional letdown now is likely after this team pulled themselves off the brink of elimination twice in a row. As it is, they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after winning two games in a row by 15 or more points. In both those games, Dallas raced out to big halftime leads of 15 and 30 points — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after taking double-digit halftime leads in their last two games. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 opening games to a new series.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas did win three of the four games between these teams in the regular season series including the most recent two games against the Warriors. These two teams last played on March 3rd when the Mavericks won by a 122-113 score as a 2-point favorite at home — but Golden State has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 24 games when avenging a loss on the road. The Warriors have also covered the point spread in 24 of their last 36 games when playing with double-revenge. 10* NBA Dallas-Golden State TNT Special with the Golden State Warriors (540) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (539). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:45 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (536) minus the point(s) versus the Boston Celtics (535) in Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals. THE SITUATION: Miami (61-32) has won six of their last eight games after their 99-90 upset win at Philadelphia as a 2-point underdog on Thursday that ended that series in six games. Boston (59-34) beat Milwaukee by a 109-81 score as a 5-point favorite on Sunday to take that series in seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT MINUS THE POINT(S): Miami will be rested and ready on their home court for this opening contest. They have covered the point spread in 36 of their last 51 games when playing with at least three days of rest — including eleven of these last fifteen situations. The Heat should build off the momentum of their series win against the 76ers as they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after an upset victory on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games at home after not allowing more than 90 points in their last game. Miami returns home where they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games when favored — and they have also covered the point spread in 4 straight home games against teams with a winning record on the road. And in their last 63 playoff games when they were the favorite under head coach Erik Spoelstra, they have covered the point spread 43 times. The Heat will be without Kyle Lowry who remains out is a hamstring injury — but the Celtics may not have Marcus Smart who is listed as questionable with a sprained foot. Smart missed a game in the last round against the Bucks — head coach Ime Udoka may err on the side of caution by not playing him to give him two more days of rest and recovery. Boston got the short end of the stick when compared to Dallas who also played on Sunday but get an extra day before starting their series with Golden State. The Celtics have the difficult challenge to travel to Miami on a 48-hour turnaround to begin this series. They did beat Milwaukee by decisive 13 and 18 point margins in the final two games of that series — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after two double-digit victories in a row. Boston has also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games in the Eastern Conference Finals going back to the Bubble when they lost to the Heat.

FINAL TAKE: Boston won the three-game regular-season series between these teams — but they got upset at home against Miami by a 106-98 score in the most recent meeting between these teams on March 30th as a 5-point favorite. The Celtics have failed to cover the point spread in 27 of their last 41 games when avenging an upset loss to their opponent. 10* NBA Boston-Miami ESPN Special with the Miami Heat (536) minus the point(s) versus the Boston Celtics (535). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (528) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (527) in Game Seven of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (71-23) looks to rebound from their 113-86 upset loss on the road against the Mavericks as a 2-point favorite on Thursday. Dallas (59-35) has won three of the last four games in this series to force a decisive Game Seven.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINTS: Phoenix was flat in Game Six after taking a 3-1 lead in this series with a 30-point victory in Game Five. They only made 39.7% of their shots from behind the arc which was the worst shooting mark in their last 14 games. The Suns have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. They have also covered the point spread in 26 of their last 38 games after a double-digit upset loss. And in their last 7 games when favored, they have covered the point spread 5 times. Dallas played their best game on defense in their last seven contests by holding Phoenix to 39.7% shooting. And their 45.5% shooting percentage on Thursday was the best shooting mark in their last four contests. But the Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after an upset victory by double-digits as a home underdog. Dallas has also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. They travel back to Phoenix where they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games there against the Suns.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 18 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss on the road to their opponent. They have also covered the point spread in 7 straight games when avenging a loss as a road favorite. 10* NBA Dallas-Phoenix TNT Special with the Phoenix Suns (528) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (527). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (527) and the Phoenix Suns (528) in Game Seven of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Dallas (59-35) forced a decisive Game Seven in this series with their 113-86 upset victory as a 2-point underdog on Thursday. Phoenix (71-23) has lost three of the last four games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Dallas has steadily improved their defensive play in this series. After allowing the Suns to score 125 Points-Per-Game with a 1.32 Points-Per-Possession scoring rate, they have contained Phoenix to just 90 PPG with 1.05 PPG scoring rate in the last four games of this series. Granted, three of those four games were played in Dallas — but Phoenix scored 110 points in Game Five back at home with a 49.4% field goal percentage. The Suns average 115.5 PPG on their home court — so Dallas’ effort in Game Five was still pretty good. Phoenix began the playoffs by making at least 50% of their shots in their first eight games — including nailing at least 60% of their shots in two contests — while averaging 114.8 PPG during that span. The Mavericks have found a way to slow down Chris Paul who is only scoring 9.3 PPG in his last four games. Jalen Brunson has proven himself a gritty defender against Paul who is struggling against his physicality. Dallas has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 19 of their last 28 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. The Mavs have also played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 95 points in their last game. Dallas made 45.5% of their shots on Thursday which was the best shooting effort in their last four games. The Mavericks have been outrebounded by at least six rebounds in all six games in this series — and they have then played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after getting outrebounded by at least five boards in three straight games. Dallas goes back on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. Phoenix has played 12 of their last 16 game Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 7 straight Unders after an upset loss as a road favorite. The Suns have also played 12 straight Unders after a loss on the road, in general. Additionally, Phoenix has played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after outrebounding their opponents by at least five boards in four straight games.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when avenging an upset loss as a road favorite. 25* NBA 2nd Round Western Conference Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Mavericks (527) and the Phoenix Suns (528). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (524) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (523) in Game Seven of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Boston (58-34) forced a decisive seventh game in this series with their 108-95 upset victory on the road against the Bucks as a 1.5-point underdog on Friday. Milwaukee (58-35) has lost two of the last three games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS THE POINTS: Boston should build off their momentum this afternoon back on their home court. They are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 games after a straight-up win — and they are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a double-digit victory. The Celtics have also covered the point spread in 21 of their last 28 games after a low-scoring game where no more than 205 combined points were scored. Boston has only played 7 games this season on their home court with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range — and they covered the point spread 5 times. The Celtics have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when favored — and they are 26-12-1 ATS in their last 39 games in the playoffs as a favorite. Milwaukee lost at home by double-digits despite being favored for just the fifth time this season on Friday — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of those 4 previous games. The Bucks are winning the rebounding battle in this series after pulling down 49 boards in Game 6 while the Celtics had 42 boards. Milwaukee has outrebounded Boston by at least six rebounds in four straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 30 of their last 43 games after outrebounding their last three opponents by at least five boards. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after outrebounding their last four opponents by at least five rebounds. The Celtics, on the other hand, have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after getting outrebounded by at least five rebounds in five straight games. Additionally, the Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 34 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games on the road as a dog.

FINAL TAKE: The obstacles simply appear to be too much for the defending NBA champions. The team misses Khris Middleton — and Giannis Antetokounmpo is being asked to carry this team with none of his teammates stepping up to offer reliable help (especially on offense). The Bucks have not made more than 43.5% of their shots in four straight games. Boston, on the other hand, has posted an Offensive Rating of 113 or better in five of their last six games after their flat effort in Game One. The Celtics are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games against Milwaukee — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when hosting the Bucks. 10* NBA Milwaukee-Boston ABC-TV Special with the Boston Celtics (524) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (523). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (518) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (517) in Game Six of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Golden State (60-32) looks to rebound from their 134-95 upset loss on the road against the Grizzlies as a 4-point favorite on Wednesday. Memphis (62-31) snapped a two-game losing streak in the win to pull within 3-2 in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARRIORS MINUS THE POINTS: Golden State might have the highest ceiling in the entire league regarding how dominant they can play. Head coach Steve Kerr wants his team to play at a frenetic pace with aggressive defense and flashy passes because this style facilitates a tenor where — if and when they nail a few 3s in a row — the result is a momentum swing that serves as a knockout punch. That is exactly what happened in Game Three when they blasted the Grizzlies by a 142-112 score. But the flip side of this style is that they can get too careless and carefree in their approach — and that is what happened on Wednesday. Being too aggressive can be dangerous against this Memphis team that thrives when creating extra scoring possessions by forcing turnovers and crashing the offensive glass. The message from Kerr for tonight’s game will likely be to just rein in the sloppiness with the basketball — and work harder. Golden State committed 14 turnovers in the first half which played a big role in them trailing at halftime by a 77-50 score. But the Warriors have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after trailing by 20 or more points at halftime. And while their 22 turnovers were 13 more than what Memphis committed, they have then covered the point spread in 7 straight games after losing the turnover battle by at least 10. The Grizzlies held the rebounding advantage by a 55-37 margin — but Golden State has covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games after getting outrebounded by at least 15 boards. The Warriors have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after failing to score more than 100 points in their last game. Golden State should play better on defense as well after allowing the Grizzlies to make 47.5% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. The Warriors are holding Memphis to just a 50.8% effective field goal percentage while they are generating a 54.3% effective field goal percentage. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games — and they are 39-16-1 ATS in their last 56 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. Memphis may be due for an emotional letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after an upset win as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after an upset win by 20 or more points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after forcing at least 10 more turnovers than their opponent in their last game. The Grizzlies go back on the road where they are just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis managed to prove they are more than just Ja Morant on Wednesday — but, of course, it will be difficult for them to remain competitive in this series without him. They did post a 20-5 record in the regular season in their 25 games when he was injured — but only 12 of those games were against teams that made the playoffs. Golden State has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games when avenging a double-digit loss. 10* NBA Friday Late Show Bailout with the Golden State Warriors (518) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (517). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (515) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (516) in Game Six of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION:  Boston (57-34) has lost two of their last three games in this series after a 110-107 upset loss at home to the Bucks on Wednesday. Milwaukee (58-34) took a 3-2 lead in this best-of-seven series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS PLUS THE POINT(S): Boston lost a heartbreaker on Wednesday — they had a six-point lead with just over two minutes to go on their home court. Giannis Antetokounmpo missed a crucial second free throw late — but Bobby Portis pulled down the offensive rebound and scored the go-ahead winning basket. The Celtics still had a chance to score — but then Jrue Holiday made two crucial blocks to ice the game for the defending NBA champions. Excruciating for this Boston team — but this is a veteran group despite the young ages of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown who already have tons of playoff and Game Seven experiences. They should be resilient and respond tonight. Boston has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, the Celtics have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after an upset loss as a home favorite. Boston did shoot 51.2% from the field on Wednesday — but they only made 10 of their 31 shots (32%) from behind the arc so they are not coming off an outlier effort from distance. Back on the road, they are 19-6-1 ATS in their last 26 road games against teams with a winning record at home. They are also 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 road games as an underdog — and they are 15-5-2 ATS in their last 22 games as a dog overall. Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after an upset loss on the road as an underdog. Furthermore, the Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games at home after a straight-up win. Milwaukee outrebounded the Celtics by a 49-36 margin which was the third-straight game where they won the rebounding battle in this series by at least six boards — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 29 of their last 42 games after outrebounding their last three opponents by at least five boards. Boston has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after getting outrebounded by their last three opponents by at least five boards. The Bucks got another superhuman performance from Antetokounmpo in Game Five as he scored 40 points on 16 of 27 shooting. But he missed Khris Middleton who plays such a crucial role in the offensive attack for this team. Since the beginning of the 2020-21 season, Milwaukee is just 14-14 in their last 28 games without Middleton — and they are just 12-15-1 ATS in those contests. The Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 27 of their45 games on their home court this season. They are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 home games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 home games when favored by no more than six points. They are also 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 home games against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Boston may get Robert Williams III back for this game which will help their defensive efforts. The Celtics have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Boston will be confident tonight — they are 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 games against the Bucks and they are 5-0-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings between these two teams in Milwaukee. 25* NBA 2nd Round Playoff Underdog of the Year is on the Boston Celtics (515) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (516). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:45 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (513) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (514) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Dallas (58-35) looks to stave off elimination tonight after losing on the road to the Suns by a 110-80 score as a 6.5-point underdog on Tuesday. Phoenix (71-22) took a 3-2 lead in the series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS PLUS THE POINTS: Dallas could not hit the side of a barn on Tuesday as they made just 38.0% of their shots from the field which was the worst shooting effort in their last 27 games. The Mavericks only hit 8 of their 32 shots from behind the arc. They should shoot much better from behind the arc back at home after a subpar 25% shooting clip from 3-point range. Dallas has made 37.1% of their shots from behind the arc at home in the playoffs. They have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after failing to score more than 95 points in their last game. The Mavericks have covered the point spread in 37 of their last 53 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after a loss on the road. Furthermore, Dallas has covered the point spread in 44 of their last 65 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after a loss on the road by 20 or more points. Back at home, the Mavericks have covered the point spread in 4 straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 29 home games with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range. Dallas has also covered the point spread in 4 straight home games as an underdog — an they have covered the point spread in 7 straight home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Phoenix posted a Defensive Rating of 85.1 on Tuesday in their best defensive effort of the season. The Mavericks’ 38.0% field goal percentage was the Suns’ lowest opponent’s shooting mark in their last 10 games. But Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after not allowing more than 90 points in their last game. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after a game where no more than 205 combined points were scored. Golden State was flat after winning the third game in their series with a game still in hand back on their home court — and the Suns have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games when playing with one day of rest. Phoenix has a Chris Paul problem with the point guard experiencing his third straight subpar game. He is scoring only 8 Points-Per-Game in the last three games while committing 13 turnovers. Even in the blowout win in Game Five, the Suns only outscored the Mavs by +8 points when he was on the court. Blame Jalen Brunson. Usually it is Paul who bullies and out-physicals his counterparts at guard. Brunson is a pit bull who is making life very difficult for Paul while making him exert tons of energy. Now Phoenix goes back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games when favored. The Suns are nailing 39.4% of their shots from behind the arc in the playoffs when playing at home — but they are making just 32.5% of their shots from distance on the road in this postseason.

FINAL TAKE: Luka Doncic is going to be tough to eliminate — and the Mavericks have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games against teams with a winning record. Dallas has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games when avenging a same-season loss — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games when avenging a loss by 10 or more points. 10* NBA Thursday Late Show Bailout with the  Dallas Mavericks (513) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (514). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (511) and the Philadelphia 76ers (512) in Game Six of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Miami (60-35) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 120-85 victory against the 76ers as a 2.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Philadelphia (57-36) trails 3-2 in this series and seeks to avoid elimination tonight.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Miami made 53.6% of their shots on Tuesday which was the best shooting effort in their last 11 games. The Heat have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Additionally, they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. Furthermore, Miami has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a victory on their home court by 20 or more points. They go back on the road where they have played 19 of their last 28 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 105 points in their last contest. They are missing Kyle Lowry tonight with his injured hamstring who is one of their most reliable scoring options. The Heat have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they may have figured something out about the best way to slow down the 76ers’ offense. Head coach Erik Spoelstra had Jimmy Butler defend Tyrese Maxey in Game Four — and the rookie only hit 2 of his 10 shots for 9 points and one assist. Butler is a savvy defender who can take advantage of Maxey’s inexperience. The switch also allowed P.J. Tucker to defend James Harden who followed up his 31-point effort with just 14 points on 5 of 13 shooting. The Sixers need Joel Embiid close to full strength — but it is clear he is nowhere close with him wearing a mask to protect his injured orbital bone and the bum thumb that is limited his shooting touch. Embiid only took 12 shots on Tuesday — and he only attempted one shot from 3-point range. Embiid not being a scoring threat from outside changes the dynamic for the 76ers offense — it is one of the reasons why they are scoring just 99.0 Points-Per-Game in this series. Philly has not scored more than 103 points in this series in four of the five games in this series. The Sixers should play much better on defense tonight as the 53.6% shooting clip they allowed the Heat to generate was the worst defensive effort in their last 26 games. Philadelphia has played 27 of their last 39 games Under the Total after a low by 30 or more points. Moving forward, the 76ers have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Philly has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total in the Eastern Conference Semifinals — and these two teams have played 7 of their last 10 meetings Under the Total. 10* NBA Miami-Philadelphia ESPN O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (511) and the Philadelphia 76ers (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (510) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (509) in Game Five of their Western Conference Semifinals series. Memphis (61-31) has lost the last two games in this series after their 101-98 loss on the road to the Warriors on Monday. Golden State (60-31) took a 3-1 lead in this series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: Despite not having Ja Morant in Game Four, Memphis remains resilient by being in control for most of the contest before finally surrendering the lead with two minutes left to go. It was a heartbreaking loss for this team that will likely be without Morant for the rest of the postseason. But on the other hand, the Grizzlies posted a 20-5 record during the regular season playing without an injured Morant. Tyus Jones was very effective in the starting lineup replacing Morant in those 25 games. He scored 12.7 Points-Per-Game while dishing out 6.6 Assists-Per-Game and adding 3.2 Rebounds-Per-Game in those games. It is tough to claim that Memphis is actually better when playing without Morant. But their Offensive Efficiency in those 25 games was 117.8 which compares favorably to their Offensive Rating of 114.3 overall. It is fair to say that the Grizzlies perhaps improve on the other end of the court when playing without Morant as defense is the least effective part of his game right now. Memphis was sixth in the league in the regular season by allowing 108.9 points per 100 possessions — but they improved that mark by giving up just 104.0 points per 100 possessions in the 25 games played without Morant. And despite the close loss to the Warriors on Monday, the Grizzlies can certainly play better tonight even without Morant. They only made 9 of their 26 shots (26%) of their shots from behind the arc en route to a 41% field goal percentage. But Memphis worked hard on defense as they held Golden State to just a 40% shooting clip. The Grizzlies’ season may end tonight — but they should give offer a good fight. They have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 30 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games after a loss on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after not scoring more than 105 points in their last game. They rerun home where they have covered the point spread in 30 of their 46 games this season. They have also covered the point spread in 22 of their last 33 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 home games as an underdog getting up to six points. Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a win at home where they failed to cover the point spread. And while they have only covered the pint spread once in their last six games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games on the road after covering the point spread just once in their last four games. The Warriors are only making 32.6% of their shots from behind the arc in this series. They have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games on the road with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. And in their last 11 games when up 3-1 in the series, Golden State has failed to cover the point spread 7 times.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 19 games when playing with revenge — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games when playing with double-revenge. 10* NBA Wednesday Late Show Bailout with the Memphis Grizzlies (510) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (509). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (507) and the Boston Celtics (508) in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (57-34) has lost two of the last three games in this series with their 116-108 upset loss at home against the Celtics as a 2-point favorite on Monday. Boston (57-33) has won seven of their last nine games while evening this series at 2-2.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Milwaukee went into the fourth quarter in Game Four with a seven-point lead — but they surrendered a whopping 43 points in the final 12 minutes to get outscored by 15 points in the loss. That was the worst defensive effort for the Bucks in their last nine games. Milwaukee still leads all teams in the playoffs in Defensive Efficiency. The first item on head coach Mike Budenholzer’s agenda is to tighten things up on defense again. The Bucks have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They go back on the road where they have played 4 straight Unders — and they have played 10 of their last 15 road games Under the Total as an underdog of up to six points. Milwaukee misses Khris Middleton who remains out with a knee injury. Not only did he score 20.1 Points-Per-Game and 5.4 Assists-Per-Game in the regular season, but he is the team’s primary ball-handler which is critical for this team because he allows Giannis Antetokounmpo to exert less energy. Given the injury to Middleton, more is being asked of Jrue Holiday -- but he is more effective as a third scoring option rather than the primary complement to Antetokounmpo. Holiday is averaging 23 shot attempts per game in this series — but he is making only 33.6% of his shots and 30.9% of his shots from behind the arc. Brook Lopez becomes the de-facto third scoring option with Middleton out — but while he has scored 17 PPG in the playoffs when playing at home, he is only scoring 4.8 PPG on the road in the playoffs. Moving forward, Milwaukee has played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. The Under is also 9-2-1 in their last 12 games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Boston enjoyed their best shooting mark in their last five games with their 50% shooting clip on Monday. They got a huge effort from Al Horford who nailed 11 of his 14 shots from the field including 5 of 7 from behind the arc for 30 points. The Celtics’ 116 points was tied for the highest-scoring game in their last eight contests. But Boston has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after an upset win. They return home where they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. After leading the NBA in Defensive Efficiency in the regular season, they are third in the playoffs in defense while giving up the second-fewest points in the paint. The Celtics have played 30 of their last 44 games Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. And in their last 13 games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Boston has played 11 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee has played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on their home court. These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing in Boston. 25* NBA 2nd Round Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (507) and the Boston Celtics (508). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (504) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (503) in Game Five of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (70-22) is on a two-game losing streak in this series after their 111-103 upset loss on the road against the Mavericks on Sunday. Dallas (58-34) evened the series at 2-2 with their two-game sweep in Games Three and Four on their home court.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINTS: Phoenix struggled to score baskets in Dallas — but now they return home where they scored 121 and 129 points in the first two games of this series. Only having Chris Paul play for 23 minutes on Sunday before he fouled out did not help their cause. But the Suns have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 34 games after an upset loss. They have also 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 games after a point spread loss. Back on their home court, Phoenix has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when favored. Dallas made 20 of their 44 shots from behind the arc on Sunday — and that 45% clip from 3-point range generated 33 points from distance than the nine 3-pointers made by the Suns. But the Mavericks made only 35.4% of their shots from behind the arc when playing on the road. Dorrian Finney-Smith had a career game by scoring 24 points in Game Four — all from 3-point land where he nailed 8 of his 12 shots. I am not expecting history to repeat itself for Finney-Smith on the road. Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games against the Suns — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games in Phoenix.

FINAL TAKE: The Suns have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games when playing with revenge. They have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games when avenging a double-digit loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 14 straight games when playing with revenge from an upset loss on the road where they were favored. 10* NBA Tuesday Late Show Bailout with the Phoenix Suns (504) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (503). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (502) minus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (501) in Game Five of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Miami (59-32) lost both games on the road against the 76ers after a 116-108 loss as a 2-point favorite on Sunday. Philadelphia (57-35) has evened this series at 2-2.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT MINUS THE POINTS: Miami allowed the Sixers to make 54.4% of their shots in Game Four which was the worst defensive effort in their last 30 games. To compound matters, the Heat continue to struggle with their 3-point shooting. After making only 7 of 30 shots from behind the arc in Game Three, Miami converted on just 7 of their 35 shots from downtown. It’s tough to give too much credit to the Philly defense for this ineffectiveness either — the Heat missed 19 of their 24 shots from 3-point range that were uncontested or lightly contested shots. I do expect the Regression Gods to make an appearance for Miami tonight after making only 21.5% of their shots from behind the arc in the two games in Philadelphia. Back at home, the Heat convert 37.6% of their shots from 3-point range. Granted, Duncan Robinson is not playing significant minutes in this series since he will be a defensive liability against James Harden -- and that removes one of the best 3-point shooters in the Miami rotation. But the other Heat players should see more of their 3-pointers drop moving forward and back at home. Miami has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after a loss on the road. Furthermore, the Heat have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games after playing their last two games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after losing their last two games on the road. Back at home, Miami has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games — and they are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. The Heat have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Additionally, Miami has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 42 of their last 62 playoff games when favored. Philadelphia’s 54.4% shooting percentage was their best offensive effort in this series. They nailed 16 of their 33 (48%) of their shots from behind the arc. Joel Embiid made one of those 3-pointers — it was a bank shot from the top of the arc. Pretty fortunate after not even attempting a 3-pointer in Game Three. He is still dealing with a broken thumb on his shooting hand that has altered his 3-point shot. He had missed nine straight 3-pointers going into Sunday with his last made 3-pointer was back on April 20th. With Embiid not a threat from behind the arc, the Sixers offense becomes limited since defenders are comfortable to play off him when he drifts to the perimeter. Harden played his best game in the postseason with 31 points on 8 of 18 shooting while nailing 6 of his 10 shots from downtown. I am not a believer — heck, I have never been a big believer in Harden in the playoffs when the refs call fewer fouls and the pressure is higher — he looks like he is moving in slow motion. His good game on Sunday might have enabled some bad habits tonight. As it is, the Sixers have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games after a point spread win. Now they go back on the road where they made just 14 of their 64 (21.9%) of their 3-pointers. Having a healthy Embiid back helps Philly’s balance on offense — but they are still facing a Heat team that holds their guests to just 33.7% shooting from behind the arc when playing at home. The 76ers have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games on the road — and they are 0-5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. Philly has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 playoff games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The 76ers are just 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 trips to Miami to play the Heat. The Heat have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 110 points. Miami has also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when playing with double-revenge. 25* NBA 2nd Round Playoff Game of the Year is on the Miami Heat (502) minus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (501). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (581) plus the point(s) versus the Milwaukee Bucks (582) in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Boston (56-33) looks to bounce back from their 103-101 loss on the road to the Bucks as a 2-point underdog on Saturday. Milwaukee (57-23) has won five of their last six games while taking a 2-1 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS PLUS THE POINT(S): Boston only made 36.8% of their shots on Saturday in what was the fourth-lowest shooting effort of the season for them. But the Celtics have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 29 games after not scoring more than 105 points in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up loss. They stay on the road where they are 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 games — and they are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court. They are also 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 road games as an underdog. Furthermore, Boston is 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games against teams with a winning record. Milwaukee may have the lead in this series but there are cracks in the armor. Giannis Antetokounmpo carried the team in Game Three with 42 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists. This team misses Khris Middleton and the 20.1 Points-Per-Game scoring average. The Bucks were third in the NBA in the regular season by scoring 1.15 Points-Per-Possession — but that scoring efficiency has dropped to a 1.0 PPG clip in this series. They are making only 27.9% of their 3-pointers. Jrue Holiday is being asked to pick up the slack from the absence of Middleton — an exile he scored 25 points on Saturday, he took 30 shots from the field and made just 11 of them. He is making only 37.1% of his shots in this series. Since 2020-21, Milwaukee is 13-13 in the 26 games they have played without Middleton — and they are 11-15 ATS in those contests. Their Offensive Efficiency drops from 117.3 points per 100 possessions when Middleton is on the court to 113.4 points per 100 possessions when he is not playing. These are ominous signs for a team that is just 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 home games against teams with a winning record on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Boston is 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 games against the Bucks — and they are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games in Milwaukee against the Bucks. 10* NBA Boston-Milwaukee TNT Special with the Boston Celtics (581) plus the point(s) versus the Milwaukee Bucks (582). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (579) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (580) in Game Four of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Miami (59-31) had their four-game winning streak snapped on Friday in a 99-79 upset loss on the road against Philadelphia as a 1.5-point underdog. Philadelphia (56-35) made this a 2-1 series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT PLUS THE POINTS: Miami only made 35.1% of their shots in Game Three which was the worst shooting effort in their last 72 games. The Heat appeared out-of-synch with the surprise decision by the Sixers that Joel Embiid was ready to take the court again after passing the concussion protocol (and despite his orbital injury that had him wearing a protective mask). But it was more than just the return of Embiid — Miami could not hit the side of a barn on Friday. They missed 8 of their 10 uncontested shots. They only converted on 29.8% of their jump shots despite the deeper metrics indicating their expected field goal percentage was 48%. The Heat simply need to execute better tonight — better passing and better shooting. They have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after not scoring more than 90 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 23 games after playing a game where no more than 205 combined points were scored. Additionally, Miami has covered the point spread in 38 of their last 58 games after a loss on the road by 20 or more points — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after an upset loss by double-digits despite being a road favorite. They stay on the road where they are 11-4-1 ATS in their last 16 games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Furthermore, the Heat have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 22 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 road games as a dog. They have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. Philadelphia plays their best defensive game of the season by holding the Heat to just 35.1% shooting. The Sixers nailed 16 of their 33 shots from behind the arc for a 48.5% shooting clip. But the troubling aspect for Philadelphia is that they only scored 99 points despite enjoying so much success from distance. The 76ers’ posted only a 111 Offensive Rating in Game Three — and their efficiency actually dropped to scoring 107 points per 100 possessions when Embiid was on the court. Embiid scored a respectable 18 points but he did not attempt a 3-point attempt. He is still dealing with a broken thumb on his shooting hand that has altered his 3-point shot. He has missed nine straight 3-pointers — and his last made 3-pointer was back on April 20th. If Embiid is not a threat from behind the arc, the Sixers' offense becomes limited since defenders are comfortable playing off him when he drifts to the perimeter. As it is, Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games after an upset victory — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after pulling off an upset win as a home underdog. They have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a point spread win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games at home after losing two of their last three games. The 76ers have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games with the Total set at 200 to 209.5.

FINAL TAKE: Miami has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games when playing with same-season revenge — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games when avenging a loss by 20 or more points on the road. 25* NBA Sunday Night Special Feature with the Miami Heat (579) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (580). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (577) minus the point(s) versus the Dallas (578) in Game Four of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (70-21) had their four-game winning streak snapped with a 103-94 loss as a 1.5-point underdog on Friday. Dallas (57-34) still trails in this series by a 2-1 margin.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINTS: Phoenix only shot 44.7% from the field in Game Three which was the worst shooting effort in their last nine games. The Suns had made at least 50% of their shots in eight straight games before Friday. They should shoot closer to their 52.6% field goal postseason percentage this afternoon. Phoenix has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. The Suns have still covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 21 road games when favored by up to six points. Furthermore, Phoenix has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games on the road when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Additionally, the Suns have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games against teams with a winning record — and they are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games in the Western Conference Semifinals. Dallas played their best defense of the series on Friday — but while they ranked sixth in the league with their Defensive Efficiency Rating under first-year head coach Jason Kidd, they fell to 14th in Defensive Efficiency in the second half of the season. The Mavericks also have rebounding liability in this series after getting outrebounded by a 45 to 36 margin in Game Three. Dallas has been outrebounded in four straight games by at least nine boards — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 3 straight games after getting outrebounded by at least five rebounds in three straight games. Luka Doncic had a monster game on Friday by scoring 26 points and adding 13 rebounds and dishing out 9 assists. But his teammates only converted 29 of their 65 shots from the field for a 44.6% shooting percentage.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix has covered the point spread in 23 of their last 32 meetings with the Mavericks — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games against them in Dallas. The Suns have also covered the point spread in 16 of their last 19 games when playing with revenge — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games when avenging a loss on the road. 10* NBA Phoenix-Dallas ESPN Special with the Phoenix Suns (577) minus the point(s) versus the Dallas (578). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (574) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (573) in Game Three of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Golden State (58-31) looks to rebound from their 106-101 upset loss on the road against the Grizzlies as a 2-point favorite on Tuesday. Memphis (61-29) evened the series at 1-1 with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARRIORS MINUS THE POINTS: Golden State was flat after seizing home-court advantage in the opening game of this series despite not playing with the suspended Draymond Green in the second half in Game One. The Warriors made only 42.1% of their shots from the field which was the lowest shooting mark in their last eight games. They missed 31 of their 38 shots from behind the arc for a low 18% field goal percentage from 3-point range. Back at home, Golden State should play much better. Golden State has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 29 home games after a straight-up loss. They are also 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games when playing with at least three days of rest. The Warriors have a 34-10 record on their home court — and their numbers probably betray how good they will perform at home moving forward since the team was rarely at full strength with the Big Three of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson playing together again. And then there is the new emerging “Death Lineup” (PTSD?) which includes All-Star Andrew Wiggins and rising star Jordan Poole. That group overwhelmed Denver in the first two games of the Western Conference Quarterfinals when the Warriors outscored the Nuggets by an average of 18 PPG while scoring 124.5 Points-Per-Game on 53.6% shooting from the field in both games. Golden State was not as prolific on their home court in Game Five of that series in a 102-98 victory — but let’s give them a pass in that game since they were in control of the series (and did still win the game). The Warriors are 38-15-1 ATS in their last 54 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher on the road — and they are 19-7-1 ATS in their last 28 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Memphis risks being a bit rusty in this game after the mid-series hiatus since Tuesday to accommodate the television schedule moving forward. They are just 7-16-1 ATS in their last 24 games. And while this is just their fourth game in the last 11 days, the Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 30 road games when playing not more than their fourth game in ten days. Memphis played their best game on defense by holding the Warriors to a 42.1% shooting percentage in their last five games. But they only made 39.6% of their own shots — and it could have been worse if it was not for Ja Morant who put his team on his back by scoring 47 points while adding 8 rebounds and 8 assists. Morant nailed 15 of his 31 shots from the field — but his teammates only made 21 of 60 shots for a troubling 35% shooting percentage. The Grizzlies will be without Dillon Brooks tonight after he got suspended for his hard foul on Gary Payton, Jr. and elbow injury that will keep him out indefinitely. Memphis is 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 road games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 20 playoff games as an underdog. Furthermore, the Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games when playing in Golden State against the Warriors.

FINAL TAKE: Golden State has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 31 opportunities for revenge. They have also covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games when avenging a loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss on the road. 25* NBA ABC-TV Game of the Month with the Golden State Warriors (574) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (573). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (511) and the Milwaukee Bucks (512) in Game Three of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Boston (56-32) has won six of their last seven games with their 109-86 victory at home against the Bucks as a 4-point favorite on Tuesday. Milwaukee (56-33) had their four-game winning streak snapped with the loss.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: We had the Celtics in Game Two after they were flat in a 104-89 loss in Game One. One of our arguments was that the Bucks’ four-game winning streak — all without the injured Khris Middleton — was likely to eventually catch up to them. Milwaukee responded to the sense of urgency of losing Middleton by scoring at least 111 points in their next three games against Chicago to end that series in five games. But combating the Bulls defense is not nearly the same challenge as facing the Celtics who led the league in Defensive Rating — and who had just gotten Robert Williams III back from injury. The Bucks only made 41.1% of their shots in Game One despite winning by 12 points. While Milwaukee did shoot better on Tuesday at a 46.6% clip, they missed 15 of their 18 shots from behind the arc. The Bucks should make more of their 3-pointers back at home — but the fact remains that they are only hitting 15 of their 52 shots from downtown for a 28.8% clip. The Celtics defense certainly has something to do with that. Milwaukee was eventually going to miss Middleton’s 20.1 Points-Per-Game and 5.4 Assists-Per-Game.  Both of the first two games in this series have finished Under the Total — and the Bucks have played 17 of their last 25 games Under the Total after playing two straight Unders. Milwaukee’s first order of business will likely be to tighten things up on defense after allowing the Celtics to make 47.5% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last five games. The Bucks have played 5 straight Unders when favored — and they have played 16 of their last 22 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point favorite. Boston’s 47.5% shooting percentage was their best mark in three games — but that number cloaks their red-hot 20 of 43 (47%) shooting mark from behind the arc in Game Two which will likely drop significantly this afternoon, especially since this is just their third game in 12 days after the mid-series hiatus to accommodate the television schedules. Celtics’ head coach Ime Udoka made a nice adjustment in Game Two by having either Grant Williams or Al Horford double-team Giannis Antetokounmpo out on the perimeter if he moves outside while keeping Williams III on his down low. This is where Milwaukee really misses Middleton to provide help in the offense and be the primary ball-carrier for much of the game. Antetokounmpo missed three of his four shots from behind the arc. Jrue Holiday and him accounted for 47 of the 73 shots the team took in Game Two — and the duo accounting for more than 64% of the team’s shots is not the balance that head coach Mike Budenholzer wants. And now Boston gets back Marcus Smart who has been upgraded to probable after missing Game Two with a thigh injury. Having the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year defending Holiday complicates matters for the Bucks playing without Middleton. The Celtics got a surprising 21 points from Grant Williams — he combined with Jaylen Brown to nail 12 of their combined 19 shots from behind the arc. That is not likely to happen again. Boston has covered the point spread in four of their last five games — and they have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. They have also played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after no more than 195 combined points were scored in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: The Celtics have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total in the Eastern Conference Semifinals — and the Under is 18-6-2 in the Bucks’ last 26 games in the playoffs when they are the favorite. 10* NBA Boston-Milwaukee ABC-TV O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Celtics (511) and the Milwaukee Bucks (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (552) plus the point(s) (or minus) versus the Phoenix Suns (551) in Game Three of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Dallas (56-34) returns home down 0-2 in this series after their 129-109 loss on the road to the Suns as a 6-point underdog on Wednesday. Phoenix (70-20) has won four straight games and five of their last six.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS PLUS THE POINTS (OR AS A PICK ‘EM): Dallas looked outmatched in their two games in Phoenix — but Luka Doncic had his way in both games. Doncic has scored 80 points in this series after posting 45 points on Wednesday — and he added 12 rebounds and 8 assists in the losing effort. The Mavericks have made 41% of their shots from 3-point land in each of the first two games of this series — but head coach Jason Kidd’s team made 37.1% of their shots from behind the arc in their six-game series with Utah last round. Dallas should play their best game of the series tonight. They have covered the point spread in 36 of their last 52 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after a straight-up loss on the road. Furthermore, the Mavericks have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after a double-digit loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a loss by 20 or more points on the road. Dallas allowed the Suns to nail 64.5% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort for them all season — but they have then covered the point spread in 5 straight games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. Phoenix shot 50.5% from the field in Game One of this series as well — but the Mavericks have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after allowing their last two opponents to make at least 50% of their shots in their last two games. Dallas returns home for the first time since April 25th — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight home games after being on the road for at least seven days. The Mavs have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Dallas has also covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games against teams with a winning record. Phoenix posted the seventh best field goal percentage in the history of the NBA playoffs with their 64.5% shooting clip on Wednesday — and it was their best shooting effort of the season. I do expect an appearance from the Regression Gods. The Suns made 37.3% of their shots from behind the arc when playing at home during the regular season —  but that mark drops to a 35.4% clip when playing on the road. Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 23 games after a double-digit win at home. And while they have covered the point spread in four straight games and six of their last eight contests, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after covering the point spread in six or seven of their last eight contests. The Suns have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when playing with one day of rest.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games when avenging a same-season loss. 25* NBA 2nd Round Western Conference Playoff Game of the Year with the Dallas Mavericks (552) plus the point(s) (or minus) versus the Phoenix Suns (551). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (534) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (533) in Game Two of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Memphis (60-29) looks to rebound from their 117-116 loss at home to the Warriors as a 3-point underdog on Sunday. Golden State (58-30) has won ten of their last eleven games while taking a 1-0 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: Memphis blew a golden opportunity to take a 1-0 lead in this series after Draymond Green got ejected just before halftime for a dubious flagrant-two foul. The veteran Warriors rallied around each other after the controversial call was made. And now the Grizzlies will be undermanned for this contest with Steven Adams and Killian Tillie out for tonight — and Desmond Bane is questionable with a back injury. But depth is one of the strengths of this team with their bench ranking fifth in the NBA by scoring 38.9 Points-Per-Game. Memphis has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after a straight-up loss. Memphis remains a bit underappreciated still despite earning the second seed in the Western Conference and posting a 20-5 record despite playing without their best player in Ja Morant when he went down with an injury. This is a deep team loaded with young talent — and they have a reliable Plan B and C if their shots are not falling. The Grizzlies led the NBA in the regular season by pulling down 33.8% of their missed shots — and they pulled down 16 offensive rebounds on Sunday. They were fourth in the league by forcing turnovers in 14.9% of their opponent’s possessions — and this is an area of concern for the Warriors as their turnover rate of 15.0% during the regular season was the second-worst in the NBA. Golden State committed 18 turnovers in Game One. Memphis joined Phoenix as the only two teams in the league to rank in the top six in both Offensive Rating and Defensive Rating. They allowed the Warriors to make 48.4% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last five games. They host this game where they have a 32-13 record — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games at home. They have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 home games against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 29 games as a home dog. Furthermore, the Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they are 15-6-1 ATS in their last 21 games as an underdog overall. Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after a win at home where they did not cover the point spread as the favorite. They are also 5-13-1 ATS in their last 18 games after a point spread loss. And while the Warriors have only covered the point spread once in their last four games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 road games after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games. Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Warriors start this game on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 32 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games in the Western Conference Semifinals.

FINAL TAKE: The Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games in Memphis against the Grizzlies. 10* NBA Tuesday Late Show Bailout with the Memphis Grizzlies (534) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (533). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (532) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (531) in Game Two of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Boston (55-32) looks to rebound from their 55-32 upset loss at home to the Bucks as a 5-point favorite on Sunday. Milwaukee (56-32) took a 1-0 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS THE POINTS: Many observers are overreacting to the Celtics' 12-point loss on Sunday by suggesting that the oddsmakers and much of the betting public overreacted to their four-game sweep of the Brooklyn Nets last round. Settle down, Sparky. Three things can be true at once: the Nets were overrated, the Celtics are very good, and that is not a shocking development that the reigning NBA champions won a playoff game (many of these same observers made it a daily habit to pretend they would be better basketball coaches than Mike Budenholzer). Boston had been on a five-game winning streak before the loss — and they shot a season-low 33.3% from the field on Sunday. The Celtics have still won 30 of their last 37 games. They should shoot much better tonight. Boston has covered the point spread 9 straight games after not scoring more than 95 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after not scoring more than 90 points. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 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. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after an upset loss. Marcus Smart is questionable tonight as he deals with a stinger in his shoulder and a more concerning quad injury he suffered later in Game One — his potential absence keeps me from upgrading this play to a 25* rating. But even without Smart tonight, Boston should play much better at home — they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games against teams with a winning record. They are also 25-12-1 ATS in their last 38 games in the playoffs when favored. Milwaukee may be due for a letdown after outscoring their last four opponents by +20.5 Points-Per-Game. This recent run came after the injury to Khris Middleton which triggered a sense of urgency for this team — but this is the first game they are playing since that setback when they can let up a bit having retaken home-court advantage. Remember — they were sluggish in the first two games against Chicago before losing Middleton. As it is, the Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after an upset victory — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit win as an underdog. And while they have covered the point spread in their last four games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after covering the point spread in four straight games. By holding the Celtics to 33.3% shooting, they played their best game on defense in their last five contests — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after not allowing their last opponent to make more than 35% of their shots. Give Budenholzer credit for shifting the early moment in Game One to his side by installing a full-court press that got the Celtics out of their rhythm and get into their half-court offense too late in the shot clock. That is something that Boston head coach Ime Udoka should fix for Game Two. But the Celtics played good defense against the Bucks who only made 41.1% of their shots en route to a mere 101 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo turned the ball over five times. Jrue Holiday made some 3s — but he missed 10 of his 15 shots from inside the arc. Milwaukee has outrebounded their last four opponents by at least six boards after enjoying a 54-48 edge on Sunday against the Celtics. But the Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 28 of their last 43 games after outrebounding their last three opponents by at least five boards — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after outrebounding their last four opponents by at least five boards. Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 25 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: I would feel worse about the potential loss of Smart if the Bucks had a healthy Middleton — but Jayson Tatum can shift over to defend Holiday with Robert Williams III roaming to offer help with Al Horford on Antetokounmpo. Boston has still covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against the Bucks — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last opportunities to host Milwaukee. 20* NBA Tuesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Boston Celtics (532) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (531). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (524) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (523) in Game One of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (68-30) has won three of their last four games after their 115-109 victory at New Orleans as a 3-point favorite to end that series in six games on Thursday. Dallas (56-32) has won four of their last five games with their 98-96 upset win at Utah as a 1-point underdog to end that series in six games on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINTS: Phoenix is back to full strength with Devin Booker’s surprise return to the court in Game Six on Thursday. The Suns have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games after a win by six points or less — and they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 33 games after a win on the road. Phoenix did allow the Pelicans to nail 50% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last four games. The Suns overcame that shooting effort by making 60% of their own shots from the field which was the fifth straight games where they shot at least 50%. Phoenix has then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after making at least 50% of their shots in four straight contests. Back on their home court, the Suns have covered the point spread in 27 of their last 34 home games when favored by six points or less. Phoenix has covered the points spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record — and they are 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 games in the Western Conference Semifinals. Dallas had failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a victory on the road by six points or less. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with at least three days of rest. And while the Mavericks have covered the point spread in five straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after covering the point spread in five straight games.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix has won nine straight games against the Mavericks — and they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 29 meetings against them. The Suns have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 opportunities to host Dallas in Phoenix. 10* NBA Monday Late Show Bailout with the Phoenix Suns (524) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (523). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (522) minus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (521) in Game One of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Miami (57-30) has won four of their last five games after beating Atlanta by a 97-94 score as a 4.5-point favorite on Tuesday to close out that series in five games. Philadelphia (57-30) has won six of their last eight games with their 132-97 victory at Toronto as a 1.5-point favorite on Thursday to end that series in six games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT MINUS THE POINTS: Miami has a long injury list for this game which is keeping me from upgrading this play to a 25* rating. Kyle Lowry remains out with a hamstring strain. Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, P.J. Tucker, Markieff Morris, and Caleb Martin are all questionable with various ailments. The update this afternoon is that Butler and Herro are expected to play with the other players still a game-time decision. The Heat have depth — and Bam Adebayo — so they should be fine tonight. Adebayo should have a big game against a 76ers team that is without Joel Embiid as he recovers from a concussion. Miami has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after a straight-up win by six points or less. They have also covered the point spread in 36 of their last 52 games when playing with at least three days of rest. The Heat have played three straight Unders — and they have then covered the point spread in 27 of their last 38 games after playing an Under in their last game and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after playing at least two straight Unders. They host the first two games of this series where they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games, Furthermore, Miami has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. They have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games in the playoffs when favored. And in their last 6 opening games to a new playoff series, they have covered the point spread in 5 of these games. The 76ers come off one of their best games of the season. They made 58.0% of their shots in their series-clinching victory against the Hawks which was the best shooting effort in their last 11 games. They held Atlanta to just 39.3% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last 18 contests. But the Sixers have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 28 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 on the road by 20 or more points. Without Embiid, head coach Doc Rivers has the choice of some less than enviable options to play at center. Matisse Thybulle is not a threat on the offensive end of the court which will allow the Heat to play off him and offer help to James Harden. Georges Niang did not have a good series against the Raptors. And while Rivers could go small by playing Paul Reed at the five, that would leave Philly very vulnerable against Adebayo. As it is, the 76ers are 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 games on the road — and they are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 road games against teams winning at least 60% of their games at home. The Sixers have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games when an underdog in the 6.5 to 12 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia is 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games played in Miami against the Heat. And while the 76ers upset the Heat in their last meeting by a 113-106 score as an 8-point underdog on March 21st, Miami has covered the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games when avenging an upset loss where their opponent scored at least 100 points. 20* NBA Philadelphia-Miami TNT Special with the Miami Heat (522) minus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (521). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (516) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (515) in Game One of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Memphis (60-28) has won four of their last five games after beating Minnesota on the road by a 114-106 score as a 1.5-point favorite to end that series in six games on Friday. Golden State (57-30) has won nine of their last ten games with their 102-98 victory against Denver as a 9-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: I think Memphis enters this series a bit underappreciated still despite earning the second seed in the Western Conference and posting a 20-5 record despite playing without their best player in Ja Morant when he went down with an injury. This is a deep team loaded with young talent — and they have a reliable Plan B and C if their shots are not falling. The Grizzlies led the NBA in the regular season by pulling down 33.8% of their missed shots. They were fourth in the league by forcing turnovers in 14.9% of their opponent’s possessions — and this is an area of concern for the Warriors as their turnover rate of 15.0% during the regular season was the second-worst in the NBA. The flip side of when Stephen Curry gets its going is that he can be loose with the basketball. Memphis’ bench scored 38.9 Points-Per-Game during the regular season, the fifth-best mark. They joined Phoenix as the only two teams in the league to rank in the top six in both Offensive Rating and Defensive Rating. They are 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games after a straight-up win. They host this game where they have a 32-12 record — and they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 24 games at home. They have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 home games against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as a home dog. Furthermore, the Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they are 14-6-1 ATS in their last 21 games as an underdog overall. Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a win at home where they did not cover the point spread as the favorite. They are also 5-12-1 ATS in their last 18 games after a point spread win. The Warriors start this game on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 32 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games in the Western Conference Semifinals.

FINAL TAKE: The Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in Memphis against the Grizzlies. 10* NBA Sunday Afternoon Discounted Deal with Memphis Grizzlies (516) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (515). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (514) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (513) in Game One of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Boston (55-31) is on a five-game winning streak after completing their four-game sweep against Brooklyn with a 116-112 upset victory as a 1.5-point underdog on Monday. Milwaukee (55-32) has won seven of their last nine games after dispatching Chicago in five games with their 116-100 victory against the Bulls as a 12.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS THE POINTS: The Bucks tend to start slow in a new playoff series under head coach Mike Budenholzer. They have finished below the oddsmaker’s team total listed for them in nine of their last 10 Game Ones in the playoffs. They have underachieved their expected field goal percentage in those games by an average of 5 percentage points. Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 15 Game Ones when playing on the road. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with at least three days of rest since their last game. While the Bucks were able to take their game to another level against the Bulls without Khris Middleton, they will miss their second-leading scorer against the Celtics. The Milwaukee halfcourt offense can get stagnant when playing without Middleton — and Budenholzer has a problem in the minutes in this series when he needs to spell either Giannis Antetokounmpo or Jrue Holiday and not have them on the court together. The Bucks open this series on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games as an underdog. Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games as an underdog overall — and they are 14-29-1 ATS in their last 44 playoff games as an underdog. Boston only made 47.2% of their shots in Game Four against the Nets which was tied for the worst shooting effort in their last nine games. The Celtics have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. They have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after an upset win against a division rival. And in their last 5 games when playing with at least three days of rest, they are 3-1-1 ATS. Boston hosts this game where they are 33-16-2 ATS in their last 51 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Boston has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games against the Bucks — including 4 straight point spread covers when playing at home. 10* NBA Milwaukee-Boston ABC-TV Special with the Boston Celtics (514) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (513). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (571) minus the point(s) versus the Minnesota Timberwolves (572) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Memphis (59-28) has won three of their last four games with their 111-109 win against the Timberwolves as a 6.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Minnesota (49-39) hopes to stave off elimination tonight trailing 3-2 in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES MINUS THE POINT(S): Memphis only made 41.5% of their shots on Tuesday which was the worst shooting effort in their last five games — but they still found a way to win. The Grizzlies controlled the glass by outrebounding the Timberwolves by a 53 to 42 margin including 18 boards on the offensive glass. They also forced 23 turnovers. Creating additional scoring opportunities as a Plan B for a poor shooting night has been integral to Memphis’ surprising success this season. The Grizzlies led the NBA in the regular season by pulling down 33.8% of their missed shots. They were also fourth in the NBA by forcing turnovers in 14.9% of their opponent’s possessions. While forcing turnovers is not an effective strategy at the NBA level given the quality of the ball carriers, Memphis has made this dynamic an important component in this series as they lead all teams in the playoffs by forcing turnovers at an 18.3% clip, a very-high mark in the NBA. The Grizzlies should shoot better tonight after only hitting 7 of their 28 shots from 3-point range — they were a 35.2% team from 3-point range in the regular season. Jaren Jackson, Jr. was, once again, in foul trouble as he played only 17 minutes before fouling out. Depth is one of the other areas where Memphis has an edge. Desmond Bane has stepped up to score 28.3 Points-Per-Game with at least 25 points in the last three games — and he has nailed 18 shots from 3-point range in those games. Ja Morant struggled for most of Game Five with only 12 points after the first three quarters — but he poured in 18 points in the fourth quarter. If that version of Morant returns tonight, the Grizzlies should win this game comfortably. Minnesota has demonstrated they have trouble handling playoff pressure by blowing big leads. They handed back a 26-point lead in Game Three despite playing on their home court. And then on Tuesday, they entered the fourth quarter, the Timberwolves had an 11-point lead that they squandered. After exploding 130 points in Game One, the Timberwolves are averaging only 104.8 PPG in the last four games in this series on 42.5% shooting from the field. They have scored more than 109 points just once in these last four games — and they have not cleared 96 points twice in the last four. Minnesota remained competitive in Game Five because they held the Grizzlies to 41.5% shooting — but that was the best defensive effort in their last 13 games. The T-Wolves rank just 10th in the postseason in offensive rebounding (24.8%) and eighth in forcing turnovers (14.9%). If their shots are not falling, their Plan B is not as compelling.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis has demonstrated that they are the better team when they can bring their “A” game. After a flat effort in Game Five, look for the Grizzlies to end this series tonight. They have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 road games with the Total set in the 220s. 10* NBA Friday Night Discounted Deal with the Memphis Grizzlies (571) minus the point(s) versus the Minnesota Timberwolves (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies (571) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (572) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Memphis (59-28) has won three of their last four games with their 111-109 win at against the Timberwolves as a 6.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Minnesota (49-39) hopes to stave off elimination tonight trailing 3-2 in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: This series has been trending to lower-scoring games. After Game One saw 247 combined points scored, the Total moved up from a closing number in the 238 range for the first game to a closing Total in the 240 range. Game Two saw only 220 combined points scored before Game Three saw the series-low of 199 points. Game Four’s final score upticked back to 237 combined points (thanks for a furious scoring pace in the final minute). Game Five’s final score dropped to 220. Memphis is finding success in this series by winning the battle on the boards. After outrebounding the Timberwolves by a 53-42 margin on Tuesday, the Grizzlies have outrebounded them by at least five boards in the last four games. Memphis has then played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after outrebounding their last opponent by at least five rebounds in fouur straight games. The Grizzlies go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road when favored. Minnesota has played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a loss by three points or less. After exploding 130 points in Game One, the Timberwolves are averaging only 104.8 PPG in the last four games in this series on 42.5% shooting from the field. They have scored more than 109 points just once in these last four games — and they have not cleared 96 points twice in the last four. They return home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total as an underdog. And while the Grizzlies outrebound their opponents by +7.0 Rebounds-Per-Game, Minnesota has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the second half of the season against teams who outrebound their opponents by at least 5.0 Rebounds-Per-Game. The T-Wolves have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing at Minnesota. 25* NBA Round One Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies (571) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the New Orleans Pelicans (564) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (563) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: New Orleans (40-49) has lost two of the last three games in this series after their 112-97 loss on the road against the Suns as a 6-point favorite on Tuesday. Phoenix (67-20) has taken a 3-2 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PELICANS PLUS THE POINTS: New Orleans only made 40% of their shots on Tuesday which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. But this remains a team much better than their record after a slow 1-13 start to the season. Brandon Ingram is a rising superstar in the league and the trade for C.J. McCollum has transformed the team. They have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a point spread loss. They have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss by double-digits. New Orleans has a decisive edge in this series on the boards. They won the rebounding battle by a 47-40 margin in Game Five which was actually the closest the Suns have come to matching the Pelicans on the boards in this series. New Orleans has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after winning the rebounding battle by at least five rebounds in three straight games. They return home to an energetic crowd where they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 21 games with the Total set in the 210-219.5 point range. Phoenix has 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. The Suns have also failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after a double-digit win at home. And in their last 38 games after allowing no more than 105 points in their last game, Phoenix has failed to cover the point spread in 25 of these contests. They go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when favored. The Suns have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix remains without their best scoring option in Devin Booker who is out for at least the rest of this series. The Pelicans have covered the point spread in 38 of their last 62 games when playing with revenge for a same-season loss. 10* NBA Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the New Orleans Pelicans (564) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (563). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (567) and the Toronto Raptors (568) in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (54-33) has suffered two straight upset losses after their 103-88 loss at home against the Raptors as a 7.5-point favorite on Monday. Toronto (50-37) trails in this series by a 3-2 margin.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 76ers are not as potent on offense since Joel Embiid injured his right thumb on his shooting hand. Philadelphia had a 61.5% effective field goal percentage before the injury — but they have a collective 48.1% effective field goal percentage as a team ever since after making only 38.3% of their shots on Monday. Embiid still scored 20 points in the loss in Game Five — but he cannot carry the team on offense and his outside shot is now limited. He missed all four of his shots from behind the arc in Game Five and his diminished threat as an outside shooter disrupts the team’s spacing on the court. The 76ers’ route to victory tonight is to play better defense after allowing the Raptors to make 51.2% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. They go back on the road where the Under is 5-2-1 in their last 8 games — and the Under is also 4-1-1 in their last 6 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Philadelphia has also played 7 of their last 10 games on the road Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Additionally, the Sixers have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the Total in the 200 to 209.5 point range. Toronto enjoyed the best shooting effort in their last 13 contests after nailing 51.2% of their shots. But the Raptors have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory as a road underdog in their last game. They have also played 30 of their last 39 games Under the Total after winning their last two games against Atlantic Division rivals. And while they have only covered the point spread in two of their last seven games, they have then played 10 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. The Raptors will likely be without Fred VanVleet once again tonight. His absence helps Toronto on defense where he is a liability — but he is perhaps their most reliable scorer. They have played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 7 of their last 9 meetings Under the Total when playing in Toronto. 25* NBA 1st Round Atlantic Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (567) and the Toronto Raptors (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (556) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (555) in Game Five of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Golden State (56-30) had their eight-game winning streak snapped on Sunday in their 126-121 upset loss on the road against the Nuggets as a 4.5-point underdog. Denver (49-37) trails in the series by a 3-1 margin.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARRIORS MINUS THE POINTS: Golden State should rebound with a strong effort tonight to close out the series. They have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games at home after a loss. The Warriors allowed the Nuggets to make 56.2% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last 28 games. Golden State made 50% of their shots — but that was the worst shooting effort in their last five games. Denver simply cannot stop the Warriors' offensive attack. The Nuggets were 19th in the league after the All-Star break by allowing 115.4 points per 100 possessions. The Warriors have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after making at least 47% of their shots in four straight games. Golden State should play better on defense tonight. They were second in the NBA in the regular season by holding their opponents to just 107.7 points per 100 possessions — and they were third in half-court defense by holding their opponents to 91.2 points per 100 possessions. They return home where they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games — and they are 37-15-1 ATS in their last 53 home games against teams winning at least 60% of their games on the road. The Warriors have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning record. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread victory. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. The Nuggets have also failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games — including seven of their nine games this season — after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. They go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points. Furthermore, they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 playoff games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Golden State has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 29 games when playing with revenge — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games when avenging a loss on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 7 straight games when avenging an upset loss on the road where they were favored. Denver is just 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games played against the Warriors in Golden State. 10* NBA Wednesday Late Show Bailout with the Golden State Warriors (556) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (555). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (553) and the Milwaukee Bucks (554) in Game Five of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Chicago (47-39) looks to stave off elimination tonight after losing by a 119-95 score at home to the Bucks as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. Milwaukee (54-32) has a 3-1 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Chicago lost their second-best offensive player yesterday when Zack LaVine once again tested positive for COVID — he is out for tonight’s game. The Bulls will also be without Alex Caruso who is in the concussion protocol. Chicago will miss Caruso’s contributions on defense — but the net effect of losing both players is a net loss on the offensive end of the court. As it is, the Bulls are only scoring 94.2 points per 100 possessions in the playoffs which is the second-worst of all the teams in the first round of the playoffs. They are making just 39.8% of their shots in this series which is generating only 94.0 Points-Per-Game. Chicago has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss at home to a Central Division rival. And while they have lost seven of their last nine games, they have then played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after losing five or six of their last seven contests. Now they go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. The Bulls have played 5 straight playoff games Under the Total. And in their last 20 games against division opponents, Chicago has played 16 of these contests Under the Total while scoring just 102.4 PPG in those 20 games — but allowing only 105.1 PPG. Milwaukee has played 10 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points on the road. They return home where they have played 6 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. The Bucks will continue to playing without Khris Middleton who scored 20.1 PPG and averaged 5.4 Assists-Per-Game. Milwaukee has stepped up to nail 43.2% of their 74 shots from behind the arc in their last two games. The Bucks shoot 36.4% from 3-point range at home — so the Regression Gods are likely to make a visit. Milwaukee made 52.3% of their shots on Sunday which was the best shooting mark in their last seven contests. The Under is 15-5-2 in the Bucks’ last 22 games in the playoffs when favored. They have also played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total against Central Division rivals.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 straight Unders when playing in Milwaukee. Chicago has played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total on the road when avenging a 20-point loss at home — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss by 10 or more points. 25* NBA Central Division Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bulls (553) and the Milwaukee Bucks (554). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (544) minus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (543) in Game Five of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Phoenix (66-20) looks to rebound from their 118-103 upset loss on the road against the Pelicans as a 2-point underdog on Sunday night. New Orleans (40-48) evened this series at 2-2.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS MINUS THE POINTS: Phoenix should play better tonight as they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 33 games after an upset loss. Even without the injured Devin Booker, the Suns made 50.6% of their shots on Sunday. The Suns have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after making at least 47% of their shots in four straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after making at least 50% of their shots in four straight games. Phoenix has also covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 playoff games when favored. New Orleans 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 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, the Pelicans have failed to cover the point spread in 31 of their last 44 games on the road after an upset win by double-digits — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 24 games after an upset win by 15 or more points as a home underdog. New Orleans’ defense is an issue in this series since the Suns are consistently making 50% of their shots. The Pelicans have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after allowing their last four opponents to make at least 47% of their shots. New Orleans has also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games when avenging an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 10* NBA Tuesday Late Show Bailout with the Phoenix Suns (544) minus the points versus the New Orleans Pelicans (543). Best of luck for us — Frank.