5* NBA Total Dominator on Lakers/Spurs OVER

The first game in this series stayed easily UNDER the 191 total that was set and in the second to last regular season game the teams played well UNDER the posted total of 193. However, dropping this total down to 186.5 is an over-adjustment by the odds makers as I think you will see both teams play better offensively here tonight.

The Lakers are giving up 46.3% from the floor on the road and 38.3% from 3-point range while San Antonio shoots 49.4% from the floor and 38.3% from deep at home. The Lakers shoot 45.8% from the floor while the Spurs allow 44.2%. The fact that both teams shot 41.1% or worse the last two times these two teams met and have hit less than a third of their 3-point attempts means it's time for some regression back to the mean.

The Lakers are 10-2 for the OVER this year when taking to the road to face a team that outscores their opponents by 3+ ppg. This one goes OVER the low total here tonight.

4* Total Dominator on Lakers/Spurs UNDER

These two teams met just a week ago in LA and the final score was 86-91. I know Steve Nash will be playing tonight and he normally ups the tempo and creates on offense, but the Lakers are not as good offensively without Kobe Bryant on the floor. Against the Rockets in their final regular season game they went well under the total as well.

San Antonio is an under-rated defensive team that only allows 94.3 ppg at home. They are coming off a high scoring first half in their last game, but the Spurs are 11-3 UNDER this season after putting up 60 or more in the first half of their previous game.

The Lakers are 17-7 UNDER the last two years against teams that score 103+ ppg while the Sprus are 23-13 UNDER this year against teams above .500. This one will be low scoring so take the UNDER.

4* "Never Lost" Total on Grizzlies/Clippers OVER

These two teams have gone UNDER the last three times they have faced off, but that has created some value in tonight's number. The total back on 3/13 when these two last met in LA was 185 and only went UNDER by four points, which would have put us OVER tonight's number.

The Clippers are an offensive force, especially at home where they are putting up 104.1 ppg on 49.3% shooting and 37.2% accuracy from behind the 3-point line. Memphis is a solid defensive team, but they are giving up 4 more points per game on the road than they do at home.

The line sitting at -4.5 puts us in a perfect situation here tonight as the Clippers are 7-0 OVER as a home favorite of six points or less this season, with those games averaging 207.2 ppg.

5* Total No Brainer on Celtics/Knicks UNDER 189.5

I don't expect a lot of points in this game tonight, largely due to how both teams will ratchet up the defensive intensity. Last year Boston scored 89.5 while holding opponents to 88.5 in their 20 playoff games.

Neither team is a slouch on defense to begin with as the Knicks are giving up just 94 points per game at home and the Celtics allow just 96.7 ppg overall. The last three times these two teams have squared off the game has gone UNDER the total.

The other thing I like about the UNDER here is that New York is getting Tyson Chandler and Marcus Camby back for this one. Those two guys will only solidify the Knick defense and make it more difficult for Boston to score.

The last five games for Boston have gone over the total which has given us inflated this number for us a little bit and it's too good of value to pass up on. New York is 8-0 for the UNDER at home against teams making 46% of more of their shots in the second half of the last two seasons.

5* Total No Brainer on Spurs/Lakers UNDER

San Antonio has been trending heavily towards the under in recent games. They have gone under the total is 7 of their last 10 games. This matchup falls into a system to play on the under when you have a team like San Antonio that is outscoring their opponents by an average of 6 or more points per game when playing on Sunday. This system is 167-91 (65%) over the last five seasons.

The Lakers have gone under at a rate of 10-1 in their last 11 home games when playing against a team with a winning road record. They are also 4-1 to the under in their last 5 games played on Sunday. These teams have a strong head to head history of getting into a low scoring battle. The under is 8-2 in the last 10 games played at Los Angeles and it is 20-7 the last 27 meetings overall. These angles are a combined 42-11 (79%) to the under.

With the Lakers fighting to keep that 8th spot in in the Western Conference playoffs race I expect to see them really step it up defensively. Their defense certainly plays much better at home than they go on the road holding opponents to 3.6 points per game less than their overall average. The offense does not get much of a boost with just 6 tenths of a point in increased scoring production when playing at home.

3* Total Dominator on Pacers UNDER

Indiana has failed to cover the spread in their last four games. They are 19-5 to the under when they have failed to cover 3 or more consecutive games over the last three seasons. The under is 5-2 in the Pacers last 7 games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game. That is a perfect fit for an under angle from the Knicks as they are 4-1 to the under in their last 5 games when their opponent scores 100 points or more in the previous game. The under is also 4-1 in New York

4* Total Dominator on Bulls/Knicks UNDER

The Bulls beat New York back on January 11th as well as on December 21st this season. This matchup falls into a system to play the under when one of the teams, in this case it is New York, is revenging two consecutive straight up losses against an opponent as a favorite when they are a good team winning 60-57% of their games playing another team with a winning record. This system is 121-72 (63%) in favor of the under.

When playing at home the Bulls defense has held opponents to 90.3 points per game. Their offense has only scored slightly more than the defense is allowing at 92.8 points per game which indicates the slow pace of play for games played in Chicago. The Knicks offense has not done that well on the road averaging just 96.8 points per game and they have faced few defenses that are as tough and scrappy as this Bulls team.

Coach Tom Thibodeau for Chicago is 30-11 to the under after failing to cover three of their last four against the spread as the coach of Chicago. The Bulls have already gone under the total in four of their last five games. The Knicks should also be playing with a little more of a defensive effort after allowing the Bulls to score 108 points in their last game.

5* Total No Brainer on Spurs/Nuggets UNDER

This game falls into a system to play on the under when the total is 200 to 209.5 points and one team, in this matchup it is San Antonio, has gone under the total by 48 or more points in their last 10 games and they are winning 60-75% of their games on the season playing another team with a winning record. This system is 38-14 (73%) to the under throughout the last five seasons.

The Spurs are 6-0 to the under in their last 6 consecutive road games and they are 5-1 to the under when playing against teams winning 60% or more of their games on the season. They are facing a Nuggets team that is 5-1 to the under in their last 6 home games and 4-1 to the under at home against teams with a winning record on the road. These team specific trends are a combined 20-3 (87%) to the under this season.

San Antonio is very solid defensively and they have held opponents to an average of 96.2 points per game this season. They are playing exceptionally well lately holding opponents to just 92.2 points per game in their last 5 games. It is unfortunate for Spurs fans, but the offense is not performing well over that same time span. They are averaging that same 92.2 points per game offensively. They face a Denver defense that has held opponents to 97.7 points per game. The Spurs will be one of the better defensive units the Nuggets have faced on their home court so it is unlikely they will reach their typical scoring average which makes the under a no brainer in this game.

5* Total Annihilator on Hawks/Spurs UNDER

The Hawks offense has been struggling on the road. They average 95.9 points per game and they will have their hands full against a San Antonio defense that has held opponents to 93.7 points per game at home. The Atlanta Hawks are 4-0 to the under in their last four games overall and they are 5-1 to the under following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. They are playing in a back to back situation which also favors the under at a rate of 10-3 the last 13 games playing with no rest.

The Spurs have also gone under the total in their last 4 games and they are 5-0 to the under in their last 5 games against Southeast division teams. San Antonio is 13-3 to the under in their last 16 games following a straight up loss this season. In head to head matchups between these teams the under is 5-1-1 in the last 7 games played at San Antonio. The Spurs defense has played extremely well at home. The offense has been struggling recently averaging only 93.2 points per game in their last five games. All signs point to this game ending with a low score.

5* Total No Brainer on Hornets/Warriors UNDER

Golden State has gone under the total in five of their last seven games. They are 5-0 to the under in their last 5 games against Southwest Division teams and they are 4-1 to the under in their last 5 games against teams winning 40% or less of their games on the season. They are well rested coming into this game so there should not be any tired legs on the defensive end of the court.

The Hornets are 7-3 to the under in their last 10 games when playing on 2 days of rest. The extra rest for both teams should help improve their defensive numbers. Golden State is allowing 97.4 points per game at home while New Orleans is allowing 97.6 points per game. The Hornets defense has been better in their last five games holding opponents to 94.8 per game.

The style of play from these teams indicates this game should be low scoring. The last time these teams met was back on March 18th and the total was 196 points with the teams scoring a combined 165 points in a 93-72 game. Both teams are playing well right now with the Hornets winning four of their last six and Golden State winning five of their last seven. These recent win streaks have been because of solid defensive performances.

4* Total Annihilator on Nets/Jazz OVER

Brooklyn has gone over the total in six of their last seven road games. They are also 5-1 to the over against Western Conference Teams and 4-1 to the over when playing on 0 days of rest. The Jazz are also a team that trends to the over when playing without rest as they are 5-1 the last six games played without getting a day off.

The Jazz have a great home court advantage and that has helped their offense shine when playing in Utah. They are averaging 100.1 points per game at home while their defense is allowing an average of 98.6 points per game. Brooklyn is a solid offensive team and should not have a problem going above their 96.1 point per game average against the weak Jazz defense. With both of these teams playing without rest we have a matchup that is sure to be light on defense which should push this game above the total.

3* Total No Brainer on Clippers/Rockets UNDER

The Rockets are playing solid defense right now holding opponents to 94.8 points per game in their last five games. This matchup falls into a system to play on the under when the total is between 200 to 209.5 points and there is a well-rested team like Houston playing 4 or less games in 10 days and they are winning 51-60% of their games and playing another team with a winning record. This system is 50-16 (76%) to the under over the last five seasons.

The Clippers defense has been solid all season holding opponents to 94.3 points per game. They should have no problem keeping Houston in line considering Los Angeles is one of the best teams in the league. The Rockets are 29-13 to the under when the total is set between 200 to 209.5 over the last two seasons. With the Rockets playing solid defense and going up against one of the best teams in the league this game should have no problem staying under the total.

3* Total Dominator on Grizzlies/TWolves OVER

Both of these teams have played a lot of games recently and the first thing tired teams give up on is defense. Minnesota has scored over 100 points in four of their last five games while the Grizzlies have gone over the total in their last four consecutive games. Neither team has a good defense to begin with and the fact that they are both playing tired should make the over an easy cover.

This game falls into a system to play on the over when the total is 180 to 189.5 points and the home team is making 33% or less of their three point attempts and playing on a Saturday game. This system is 47-25 (65%) over the last five seasons. Minnesota is also 4-1 to the over in their last five games after scoring 100 points or more in the previous game.

3* Total Annihilator on Hawks/Celtics OVER

Atlanta

3* Total No Brainer on Bucks/76ers OVER

Both of these teams have been playing horrible defense recently. In their last five games the Bucks have allowed 101.6 points per game on 48.1% shooting and the 76ers have allowed 102.4 points per game on 48.2% shooting. You should always play on the over when the total is 190 to 199.5 points and the road team has allowed 100 points or more in 2 straight games playing against an opponent that allowed 105 points or more in their previous game. This system is 188-124 (60%) since 1996.

Milwaukee is 5-2 to the over in their last 7 games against teams winning 40% or less of their games and they are 7-3 to the over in their last 10 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. The 79ers are 4-0 to the over in their last 4 home games against teams with a losing record and 5-1 in their last 6 home games overall. With both of these defenses struggling the way they are this game should have no problem going over the total.

3* Total Dominator on Twolves/Pistons OVER

Both of these teams are bad defensively. You should always play on the over when the total is between 190 and 199.5 points in a game involving two poor defensive teams allowing 45.5-47.5% shooting and two average rebounding teams after 42 or more games in the season. This system is 222-146 (60.3%) since 1996.

The over is 7-2 in Minnesota

3* Total No Brainer on Bucks/Hawks UNDER

Atlanta has gone under the total in their last two games while Milwaukee has gone under in their last three. You should always play on the under when the total is between 200 to 209.5 and the home team has gone under the total by 30 points or more in their last three games. This system is 124-75 (62%) over the last five seasons.

This matchup falls into another system to play on the under. You should take the under when the total is 200 points or more and one of the teams has been beaten by the spread by 18 points or more in their last game, like Atlanta, and when they are playing against an opponent that has gone under the total by 30 or more points in the last three games. This system is 29-9 (76%) over the last five seasons.

Milwaukee is 11-2 to the under when playing 8 or more games in 14 days this season. The Bucks are the only real scoring threat in this game as they average 100 points per game at home. They seem to be in a shooting rout right now averaging 34% from the field in their last two games so it seems unlikely they will be able to match that home scoring average in today

3* Total Dominator on Nuggets/Kings UNDER

This total is set much higher than it should be. You should always play on the under when the game involves a team like Denver that is averaging 71% or less on free throws and 46% shooting or better from the field. This system is 139-101 (58%) over the last five seasons. The Nuggets are a poor free throw shooting team averaging only 69.6% so they will not be adding a lot of points when the clock is stopped.

Sacramento

3* Total Dominator on Cavs/Rockets UNDER

Cleveland is coming off a close loss to Miami and their defense looked impressive in that game. You should play the under when the total is 210 points or more and a team is revenging a same season loss like Cleveland and they are off a cover where the team lost the game straight up as an underdog. This system is 50-27 (65%) over the last five seasons.

This matchup falls into another system to play the under when the total is greater than 210 points and one of the teams, in this case Houston, has been beaten by the spread by 18 or more points in their last three games playing against an opponent that has gone over the total by 18 or more points in the last three games. This system is 113-82 (62%) in favor of the under.

The Cavaliers are going to need to score over 100 points for this game to go over the total. That is a feat they have accomplished only 2 times in their last 10 games. It seems very unlikely they will be able to do it against this Houston team that has gone under the total in six of their last seven games.

3* Total No Brainer on Heat/Pistons OVER

You should always play on the over in a game involving a team that has 7 or more consecutive wins and they have won 75% or more of their games on the season playing a team with a losing record. This system is 110-70 (61.1%) to the over. When that team is off 8 or more consecutive wins, that system tightens up to 82-52 in favor of the over.

Detroit may not have a great overall record but they can still get a lot of points on the board. The Pistons have gone over the total in five of their last six games. Their defense is allowing 101.6 points per game on the road which has been a big factor in this recent stretch of overs, but the offense has been performing well too averaging over 95 points per game in three of their last five games.

5* Total Dominator on Rockets/Jazz UNDER

You should always play the under when the total is greater than or equal to 200 and one of the teams, in this case Houston, is a well-rested team playing 4 or less games in 10 days, and they have won 51% to 60% of their games playing another winning team. This system is 68-27 (71.6%) over the last 5 seasons.

You also want to play on the under when the total is greater than 200 and the home team has gone under the total by 24 or more points in their last three games and the game involves two teams with a winning record. This system is 65-29 (69%) over the last 5 seasons.

The Jazz have gone 4-0 to the under in their last 4 games when they are playing with only 1 day of rest and they are 5-1 to the under against teams from the Southwest division. The Rockets are 5-1 to the under against Western Conference teams and 4-1 to the under in their last five home games.

4* Total No Brainer on Mavs/Nets UNDER

Both Dallas and Brooklyn are coming off big wins. This matchup falls into a system to play on the under when the total is set between 190-199.5 points and the home team is off a win by 10 points or more against an opponent off a win by 15 points or more. This system is 128-77 (62.4%) to the under since 1996.

Brooklyn has played a soft schedule their last four games and they have managed to score over 100 points in each of those matchups. Their recent scoring success has driven this total up higher than it should be. You should also play on the under when one of the teams has gone over the total by 6 or more points in four consecutive games and that team has a winning record and the total is set between 190-199.5 points. This system is 50-24 (67.6%) in favor of the under.

5* Total No Brainer on Heat/Celtics UNDER

Miami is 8-1 to the under in their last 9 games when playing without rest and they are 4-1 to the under in their last 5 road games. When playing on the road against a team with a winning home record, the Heat are 5-2 to the under in their last 7 games. In their last 5 matchups against teams winning 60% or more of their games on the season the Celtics are 4-1 to the under.

The last time these teams played the total reached 198 points, but that was only because they went to double overtime. The score at the end of regulation was 174 points in that game. It is unlikely these teams will go to double overtime again making the under the value play in this matchup.

Neither of these teams takes a lot of shots with both the Celtics and Heat averaging fewer than 80 field goal attempts per game. The Heat have gone under the total in three of their last four games and the Celtics defense has been solid at home holding opponents to 42.6% shooting. The style of play for these teams makes the under a no brainer.

3* Total Annihilator on Wizards/Bobcats OVER

You should always play the over when the total is between 180 and 189.5 points with the home team is coming off a game where they allowed 105 points or more and they are playing against an opponent that is coming off a game scoring 110 points or more. This system is 62-30 (67.4%) in favor of the over.

You should also play the over when the game involves an average offensive team scoring 92-98 points and coming off a game with a combined score of 225 points or more like Washington, against a horrible defensive team that is allowing 102 or more points per game after 42 or more games in the season. This system is 50-19 (72.5%) in favor of the over.

3* Total Dominator on Indiana/Cleveland UNDER

You should always play the under when the total is between 180 to 190.5 points and the road team is off two or more consecutive upset losses as a favorite and they are a good team winning 60-75% of their games on the season. This system is 48-18 (72.7%) in favor of the under.

This total has been driven up because the Pacers have been on a run of games going over the total. You should also play the under when one of the teams has played 5 or more consecutive overs and they are outscoring their opponents by 3 or more points per game. This system is 154-95 (61.8%) since 1996.

3* Total Dominator on Heat/Raptors UNDER

Miami is not a team that needs to score a lot of points to win games. They have scored over 100 points in only three of their last nine games and they still have a 9.6 point margin of victory in that span. This means their defense is being undervalued by the oddsmakers when the total is set this high. In that same nine game span the under is 6-2-1 with the average total being set at 195 points.

This game falls into a system to play the under when the total is between 190 and 199.5 points and both the home team and opponent are coming off a win by 10 points or more. This system is 111-62 (64.2%) ATS. The Raptors are 6-0 to the under in their last six games against Southeast division teams. In head to head games between these teams the under is 5-2 in the 7 meetings.

5* Total No Brainer Wizards/Suns OVER

You should always play the over in a game involving two teams averaging 92-98 points per game after one of those teams has allowed 105 points or more in three straight games. The Suns gave up 108 to Denver, 111 to Houston and 107 to Atlanta. This system is 45-18 (71.4%) over the last 5 seasons.

The first thing a tired team gives up on is playing defense. This is why you should play the over when the total is 180-189.5 and one of the teams is off a road loss by 10 points or more and they are an extremely tied team playing their 3rd game in 4 days. This system is 120-77 (61%) over the last 5 seasons. The Suns are bad enough on defense allowing 104.6 points per game on the road and playing tired means this game should be an offensive show.

5* Total No Brainer on Grizzlies/Nuggets UNDER

A strong offensive performance from a team will impact the total line more than a strong defensive performance. This is why you should play the under when the total is between 190.5 and 199.5 after one team is coming off a game where they allowed 85 points or less like Memphis and their opponent has scored 100 points or more in four straight games. This system is 80-45 (64%) ATS.

You should also play the under when one team is off a home blowout win by 20 points or more, like Denver, and their opponent is off a road win by 10 points or more. This system is 94-46 (67%) ATS. Both Memphis and Denver are trending towards the under. Denver has gone under the total in three of their last four games while Memphis has gone under in three of their last five games.

The Grizzlies are a very defense oriented team. They are holding opponents to an average score of 89.4 points per game. Memphis is 17-7 to the under after allowing 85 points or less this season. They are one of the best teams in the league and should have no problem controlling the pace of this game.

4* Total Dominator on Heat/Bucks UNDER

As good as Miami is, they are not a team that blows up the scoreboard each night. You should always play the under when the total is 200 to 209.5 and the road team is a very good team outscoring their opponents by 6 or more points per game and they are playing against an opponent coming off a performance where they allowed 105 points or more. This system is 47-22 (68%) to the under through the last 5 seasons.

Miami is 5-1-1 to the under in their last seven games. In their last 10 games the total has been set above 200 only three times. Miami is 4-1 to the under in their last five road games against teams with a winning home record. Milwaukee is 7-1-1 to the under in their last 9 games following a loss. Milwaukee is certainly not an offensive powerhouse so this total appears to be set quite a bit higher than it should be.

4* Total Dominator on Grizzlies/Clippers UNDER

You should always play the under in a game involving two good teams winning 60% to 75% of their games when playing in March. This system is 86-40 (68%) over the last five seasons. The second half of the NBA season can take its toll on even the best of teams and a tired team will not score as many points because they will not be out running on fast break plays.

The under is 4-1 in the Grizzlies last five games against teams with a winning record and the Clippers are 4-0 to the under in that same scenario. The under is 4-1 in the last 5 head to head meetings between these teams. The Memphis defense is one of the best in the league holding opponents to 89.5 points per game. The oddsmakers have set this total based on the offensive production of the Clippers at home rather than the defensive numbers for both teams making the UNDER a value play.

3* Total Dominator on Hawks/Heat UNDER

The Atlanta Hawks have gone under the total in four of their last five road games and under in five of their last seven overall. The Miami Heat have gone under the total in three of their last five games overall with one game going over and one game ending on a push. In head to head meetings between these teams the under is 14-3 in the last 17 games played at Miami.

As good as the Heat are, they do have their weaknesses. They are not a great rebounding team averaging 45.7 boards per game at home. Atlanta is 15-5 to the under against teams averaging 48 or less rebounds per game over the last two seasons. The Hawks are a good team holding opponents to 96.1 points per game on the road. Atlanta knows they cannot win this game if they get into a shootout with the Heat so they should have a game plan in place that will slow down Miami's scoring and help keep this game under the total.

5* Total NO BRAINER on Bobcats/Thunder UNDER

The Thunder have gone under the total in 4 of their last 6 games while the Bobcats have gone under in 10 of their last 13 games. Oklahoma may have the explosive offense but they are playing in a back to back situation and coming from a hard fought battle against the Knicks at New York. Charlotte is playing on a day of rest and the only three games in the last 13 that have gone over the total have come when the Bobcats were forced to play in a back to back situation.

You should play the under in games involving a team allowing 103+ points per game on the season coming off a blowout loss by 20 points or more. This system is 226-147 (60.6%) since 1996. You should also play the under in games where the total is greater than 200 and the road team, Oklahoma City, is averaging 102 or more points per game against a team that averages 92-98 points per game, after allowing 55 or more points in the first half in two straight games. This system is 37-12 (75.5%) to the under over the last five seasons. When teams are allowing a big first half they make defensive adjustments to ensure they do not fall behind early which also helps keep games under the total.

4* NBA TOTAL DOMINATOR on Grizzlies/Blazers UNDER

When teams are getting blowout wins it is usually because their defense is playing well. The Grizzlies just held Orlando to 82 points. Portland has played a couple of back to back soft games so they may not be prepared when facing this stout Grizzlies defense. You should always play the under when one of the teams is coming off a win by 10 or more points like Portland, and they are playing against an opponent off a win by 20 or more points. This system is 351-248 (58.6%) since 1996. When that team

5* Total NO BRAINER on Pacers/Bulls UNDER

You should always play the under when one team allowed 40 points or less in the first half in two straight games like the Chicago Bulls have done. This system is 126-75 (62.7%) to the under over the last five seasons. The Bulls defense is playing well right now and they have gone under the total in four of their last six games. The Pacers defense has been solid all season allowing a mere 88.8 points per game at home.

Chicago is 32-12 to the under when they are revenging a road loss against an opponent over the last three seasons. That number tightens up to 15-2 to the under when they are revenging a road loss of 10 points or more. Both of these teams had uncharacteristic performances in the last meeting with each team allowing over 100 points. That should have both teams making defensive adjustments for today

5* Total NO BRAINER on Clippers/Thunder UNDER

Well rested teams play better defense and both the Clippers and Thunder have played 6 or less games over the last two weeks. You should always play the under when the total is 200 or more and the home team has a winning record and is a well-rested team playing 6 or less games in 14 days playing another team with a winning record. This system is 201-136 (59.6%) to the under over the last five seasons.

You should also play the under when the road team, Oklahoma City, is off an upset loss as a road favorite and they have a winning record on the season and are playing another winning team. This system is 62-25 (71.3%) since 1996.

Since the Clippers were blown out in the last game against the Thunder they will come into this game with a defense oriented game plan. They cannot allow the Thunder to score 109 points again if they want to win this game.

3* Total Dominator Knicks/Heat UNDER

This game falls into a system to play the under when a team like Miami is revenging two consecutive straight up losses to an opponent as a favorite and they are a good team winning 60-75% of their games playing a team with a winning record. This system is 120-72 (62.5%) since 1996. Without a doubt the Miami Heat will be coming into this game with a plan of attack that prevents the Knicks from turning this game into a shootout.

The Heat are allowing 95.4 points per game on the road this season while the Knicks have allowed 94.9 points per game at home. Neither team gets into foul trouble which means there will be very few points put on the board with the clock stopped. The Knicks are not shooting well right now at 41.5% in their last five games.

The Under is 6-1 in the Knicks last seven games following an ATS win and 8-3-1 in the Heat

5* NBA TOTAL NO BRAINER on Kings/Spurs OVER

The Kings run a lazy defense, and they average over 20 fouls per game when playing on the road. Sacramento is 20-7 to the over when playing against good free throw shooting teams that are making 76% or more of their attempts this season. It seems like the Kings have stopped playing defense all together, going over the total in eight of their last nine games. In head to head matchups between these teams the over is 4-1 the last 5 games being played at San Antonio. Head coach Keith Smart is 27-13 to the over when playing with double revenge after 2 straight losses against an opponent as the coach of Sacramento.

The Kings are allowing 104.8 points per game when playing on the road and the Spurs are scoring 105 points per game at home. Sacramento is averaging over 111 points per game in their last five games so it is safe to say their offense is hot right now. The Spurs just finished a 9 game run on the road to come home and give up 105 points to the Phoenix Suns. They have had only one day of rest and now face a Sacramento team that is putting points on the board with ease. This game should have no problem going over the total.

4* NBA TOTAL DOMINATOR on Raptors/Pacers UNDER

Indiana is 17-8 to the under when playing against a team with a losing record this season. Some teams make adjustments to the offense and others to the defense when they are not playing well. The Raptors are a team that makes defensive adjustments which explains why they are 30-16 to the under after failing to cover two of their last three games against the spread over the last two seasons. The Raptors lost as a favorite against Golden State and as a favorite against the Clippers. Head coach Dwane Casey will certainly have a plan to slow down the Pacers which will help us on the under.

Indiana is allowing 89.6 points per game and scoring only 89.2 points per game when playing on the road. Toronto has allowed 95.4 points at home, but the Pacers are one of the worst road teams in the league when it comes to scoring so they should be able to perform much better than their statistical average. Neither team has problems with foul trouble which is good for an under because it keeps the clock running.

5* NBA TOTAL NO BRAINER on Kings/Magic OVER

You should play on the over when the game involves two average offensive teams scoring 92-98 points per game after one of those teams allowed 105 points or more in three straight games. In this matchup that team would be Sacramento and this system is 42-18 (70%) over the last five seasons.

Sacramento has had a lot of foul trouble this season. When a team has a lot of fouls it makes sense that the game would go over the total. The clock is stopped and points are getting put on the board. Sacramento is 19-7 to the over vs. good free throw shooting teams that are making 76% or more of their attempts this season. Orlando is 15-4 to the over against up-temp teams that are averaging 83 or more shots per game in the send half of the season over the last three seasons.

Both of these teams struggle defensively. Sacramento is allowing 105 points per game on the road while Orlando is allowing over 100 points per game at home. With both teams making a lot of shot attempts and neither team having very good numbers defensively the over is the no brainer in this game.

5* Total No Brainer Mavs/Bucks UNDER

Both teams are coming off home losses with Milwaukee losing to Atlanta as a -4.5 favorite and Dallas losing to the Lakers as a -3 point favorite. You should play the under in a game where the total is over 200 and both teams are off an upset loss as a favorite and at least one of those losses came as a home favorite. This system is 86-52 (62.3%) the last 138 times the situation has occurred.

The under is 5-0-1 in Milwaukee

4* TOTAL DOMINATOR on Bulls/Thunder UNDER

You should play the under on a game where one team, Chicago, has allowed 90 points or less in three straight games is playing against an opponent, Oklahoma City, scoring 100 points or more in three straight games. This trend is 28-8 (77.8%) over the last 5 seasons. Chicago is also 23-11 to the under versus good teams that are outscoring their opponents by 3+ points per game over the last 2 seasons.

5* NO BRAINER on Cleveland/Miami UNDER

Always play the under when the total is 200 to 209.5 points in a game involving a team like Miami that is outscoring their opponents by 3+ points per game and playing against an opponent coming off a blowout win by 15 points or more. This system is 58-30 (65.9%) over the last 5 seasons. Miami is also 13-4 to the under in home games when playing their third game in four days over the last two seasons.

3* TOTAL NO BRAINER on Heat/Bulls UNDER

Always play the under when there is an extremely well rested team like Chicago who is winning 51-60% of their games and playing 3 or less games in 10 days and facing a winning team. This system has gone under the total in 30 of the last 41 games during the last five seasons.

Chicago is 8-0 to the under in home games against good ball handling teams that are committing 14 or less turnovers per game this season. They are also 21-6 favoring the under in games against Southeast division teams over the last two seasons.

The Bulls defense has been remarkable at home holding opponents to 88.9 points per game and only 41.1% shooting. The offense shoots only 42.8% in home games and with those to factors combined all signs point to a low scoring game tonight.

4* TOTAL ANNIHILATOR on Rockets/Thunder UNDER

The value in this game is on the under as the oddsmakers have set this total a little too high. Always play the under when there is an extremely well rested team playing 3 or less games in 10 days like Houston, and they are winning between 51-60% of their games in a matchup against another winning team. This system is 153-103 ATS for the last five seasons.

Oklahoma City is 19-9 to the under off an upset loss as a favorite over the last 2 seasons while Houston is 33-14 to the under in home games after allowing 100 points or more 3 straight games since 1996. With Houston playing as a well rested team and being on their home court they should be able to control the tempo of this game. The Rockets know if they get into a shootout with the Thunder they will have no chance to win this game. Houston should be able to slow things down at least long enough to make the under the value play in this matchup.

3* Total Dominator on Heat/Hawks UNDER

The under is 18-7 in Miami's last 25 games and 17-6 in Atlanta

3* Total No Brainer Bobcats/Pistons OVER

The Detroit Pistons are 25-13 to the over against teams being outscored by their opponents by 3 or more points per game over the last two seasons. That tightens up to 26-10 to the over when their opponent is outscored by 6 or more points per game. The over is also 4-0 in the Pistons last 4 games against a team with a losing record. It is the same story for Charlotte at 4-0 to the over against teams with a losing record.

The Bobcats and Pistons have gone over the total four of the last five times these teams played in Charlotte. The Bobcats have allowed 102 points per game at home and they have allowed opponents to shoot 38.1% from beyond the three point line. They do not run a tight defense and they give up a lot of easy points. The Piston

3* TOTAL NO BRAINER Chicago/New Orleans UNDER

It is better to play the under in a game involving a team averaging 92-98 points per game like Chicago against an average defensive team allowing 92-98 points per game after 42 or more games and coming off a performance where they allowed 75 points or less. This trend is 93-49 since 1996.

New Orleans plays better on defense when they are facing a team with a winning record on their home court and they are 22-11 to the under in that situation over the last two seasons. The Bulls are a team that gets a lot of their points off of turnovers and New Orleans averages just 13 turnovers per game at home this season.

The Bulls are 60-38 to the under against good ball handling teams like New Orleans in the 2nd half of the season over the last three seasons and with both teams having some extra rest from the NBA all-star break this game should be a defensive battle.

4* TOTAL DOMINATOR Charlotte/Orlando OVER

This matchup falls into a system to play on the over where the total is between 190-199.5 points in a game involving two poor defensive teams that allow 45.5-47.5% shooting and two average rebounding teams after 42 or more games in the season. This system is 208-140 since 1996.

This game also falls into a system to play the over when one of the teams is off a blowout loss by 20 points or more to a division rival when the opponent is off an embarrassing road loss scoring less than 80 points. Both Charlotte and Orlando scored less than 80 points in their last game and suffered embarrassing losses with Charlotte losing to Indiana and Orlando losing to Atlanta. This system is 31-5 ATS since 1996.

The Magic are not a team that gets to the foul line very often and the Bobcats are 13-5 to the over versus teams attempting 21 or less free throws per game this season. The Bobcats average 20 fouls per game on the road so they are obviously giving up a lot of easy baskets. Orlando is 22-11 to the over versus teams who average 21 or less fouls per game this season.

3* on Denver/Cleveland OVER

Can the Nuggets offense be stopped? They have put up 112 or more points in their last four games and haven't scored under 100 since back on January 16th. Surprisingly, the Cavs have turned into an offensive juggernaut lately as well. Cleveland has put up 115 or more points in their last three games. With those kinds of offensive numbers it's no surprise both teams have gone OVER in five straight games.

You want to take the OVER when one team went OVER by 18 in their previous game and they are taking on an opponent that went OVER by 24 in their last game. This situation is 355-241 (59.6%) since 1996. If the total for the current game is over 200 then that number jumped to 147-90 (62%).

This is one of the highest totals set so far this season and when the total is set above 212, the OVER has gone 12-4. Both of these teams give up over 100 ppg and with both offenses clicking, this one should go over easy.

5* TOTAL NO BRAINER on Mavs/Blazers UNDER

We are getting some value in this line tonight because Dallas has been so bad defensively on the year, giving up 103.1 ppg. They just gave up 112 points in a 21 point loss to Oklahoma City, but teams like Dallas normally buckle down on that end of the floor after a bad loss. You want to play on teams that are giving up 103+ ppg on the season after a blowout loss by 20 points or more. These teams go UNDER at a pace of 223-145 (60.6%) since 1996.

Dallas is actually allowing 4 ppg less at home than they do on the road, and their 101 ppg in Dallas is a little inflated from playing the likes of Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Denver, and Houston in a good portion of those games. Portland isn't going to keep pace with those teams when they only score 94.1 ppg on the road for the season.

These two teams have met twice this season and this is the highest total yet. Last time they faced each other Dallas shot 50% and 53.5% from behind the arc, both teams shot 78.3% or better from the line, and they only managed to score 210 points. In the first meeting Dallas shot 61.5% from the floor and 50% from the 3-point line and scored 114. I don't think you can expect out of this world shooting numbers a third time in a row.

4* on the Kings/Jazz UNDER

This total has been set too high tonight. Sacramento is in a serious offensive funk right now. The Kings have scored 81 points or less in each of their last three games and haven't topped the century mark in seven straight outings.

Utah hasn't exactly been lighting up the scoreboard either. Utah has scored 100 points or less in five of their last seven and are averaging just 96.6 ppg over their last five.

The UNDER is 11-4 in Utah's last 15 home games vs a team with a road winning % of less than .400 and 12-3 in the Kings last 15 games following a game where they allowed 110 points or more.

4* Blazers/Jazz UNDER

Hard not to like the Jazz and Blazers to go UNDER again tonight with the total just slightly lower than last night's. Portland and Utah played a very low scoring game in which the Jazz won 86-77 on their home floor. Now they travel up to Portland for a quick rubber match, and there isn't time to make offensive adjustments to change anything.

Portland shot just 36.7% from the floor while the Jazz only managed 43.2%. Utah was just 4-for-15 from behind the 3-point arc while the Blazers were 7-for-20. Portland managed just one quarter of more than 20 points, while the Jazz only managed 13 points in the final frame.

With two teams that are fighting for playoff spots against each other, I think the intensity will be there tonight and we are in for another low scoring affair.

5* Total NO BRAINER on Timberwolves/Hornets OVER

Minnesota has been playing some high scoring games lately. Both them and their opponents have scored 100+ in three of the last four games, including lats night's 100-111 loss to the LA Lakers. Minnesota is typically a low scoring team, but obviously they are pushing the tempo a little bit here recently. Plus, the Wolves are 13-3 OVER when playing a team with a losing record this year.

New Orleans has now allowed 100 or more points in seven of their last eight games after last night's 98-113 loss to Denver. They are 15-7 OVER when the total is between 180-189.5 this season and 12-3 OVER when playing a team with a losing record.

These two teams have met twice already this year with final scores of 113-102 and 92-104, both well over today's total. I just can't see these two teams deciding today is the day they want to play defense, so I think you'll see another final score in the 190's or even higher.

A solid system supports our play that says to take the OVER when the total is between 180-189.5 and one tam is off a road loss by 10 points or more and playing their 3rd game in four nights. The OVER is 114-75 (60.3%) in this situation the last five years.

4* on Kings/Knicks UNDER

The Kings are scoring just 91.7 ppg on the road and they actually give up 1.5 ppg less away from home too. The Knicks are a good defensive team that allows just 95.4 ppg at the Garden. Sacramento hasn't scored more than 96 points since back on January 21st and is doing off back-to-back 81 and 80 point performances.

The Knicks stopped the Milwaukee offense dead in it's tracks last night, giving up just 86 points on 39.8% shooting to the Bucks. New York has now held seven of their last eight opponents to 97 or less points.

You want to take the UNDER when the total is between 200-209.5 when a team is revering a loss as a favorite and that team has won 60% or more of their games on the season. The UNDER is 193-128 (60.1%) in this situation since 1996. You also want to take the UNDER in non-conference games when a team went under the total by 24 points or more in their previous game. The UNDER is 58-19 (75.3%) the last five years in this situation.

3* on Hornets/Nuggets OVER

There is some solid value with this line here tonight. New Orleans is averaging 93.6 ppg and only giving up 97.4, but if you look at their road splits those numbers jump up to 96.4 and 99.3. Not only that but this team has given up 100 or more points in six of their last seven games.

Now they take on one of the best scoring teams in the league, especially at home where the Nuggets are putting up 108 ppg on 47.5% shooting. Since New Orleans allows 46.7% from the floor that's not good news for them. Denver has scored 102 or more points in six straight games and Indiana was the team they put up 102 against, a lot better defense than they will face tonight. This one is going to be high scoring so take the OVER.

5* NBA Pre-All Star TOTAL of the YEAR on Heat/Pacers UNDER

This should be a defensive battle tonight and I love the UNDER in a big way. Miami is coming off a 105-85 win at Brooklyn while the Pacers are coming off a 98-79 win over Detroit. Both teams played solid defense and I expect that to continue here tonight. Plus, that sets us up for a nice situation where you want to play the UNDER when a team is coming off a blowout win by 15 points or more against an opponent of a blowout of 20 points or more. The UNDER is 202-132 (60.5%) in this situation since 1996. Where the total is 180-189.5 and a team that scores 99+ ppg is off a blowout win by 20 or more like Miami is, the UNDER is 105-57 (64.8%) since 1996.

When teams play hard it normally leads to lower scoring games. When do teams play their hardest? Against other good teams and when the national spotlight is on them. Tonight this game will be on ESPN and both teams clock in with good records, Miami is 29-13 and Indiana is 27-19. Both want to make a statement to their opponents. Miami wants to show Indiana they aren't in their league while the Pacers want to prove they are. When you get two good teams playing on Friday nights the UNDER is 149-99 (60.1%) the last five seasons.

The Pacers are allowing teams that score 97.3 ppg to put up only 86.7 ppg against them at home. Indiana is scoring only 91.8 ppg on the year against teams that allow 95 ppg. Miami on the other hand is way better at home than on the road. Away from South Beach this team is scoring 98.6 ppg against opponents scoring 97.7 but they are holding opponents to just under their season average.

These two teams met in Indiana back on January 8th and the final score was 87-77 Indiana. I think the Pacers are going to slow this game way down again, and both teams take defense seriously. Points will be at a premium tonight as this game stays way under the total.

5* Thursday Night Total of the Month on Warriors/Mavs UNDER

Dallas has scored 104 or more points in nine straight games now and with Golden State's history of high scoring games we have a lot of value in the UNDER here tonight. Dallas has gone OVER in five straight games while Golden State has gone OVER in four in a row. To see how much padding that gives us here tonight you only have to go back to the last time these two teams met, when the total was set at 200. Six points is quite a jump for a same-season rematch game, and it's too much.

Jackson has instilled a defensive philosophy into his young Warrior team. They are actually holding opponents to just 96.6 ppg at home this year, below their opponents average of 97.8 ppg. They are doing it by holding them to 42.1% from the floor and 30.9% from the 3-point line.

The Warriors are a team that haven't had a lot of national TV exposure over the past few years, and I think these players are going to relish the chance to shine on TNT tonight. They will bring an all-out intensity on the defensive end of the floor and keep this score low. Take the UNDER!

4* NBA Total Dominator on Rockets/Jazz OVER

I think you are going to see a lot of points here tonight when the Utah Jazz host the Houston Rockets. Houston is putting up 104.4 ppg and allowing 102.9. Utah on the other hand is scoring 102.2 ppg at home and giving up 98.7 ppg overall.

The Rockets finally got their mojo back last game against the Brooklyn Nets in a 119-106 win with a posted total of just 200. Even though the Jazz went into overtime Saturday against the Pacers, that final was 114-110 after being tied at 98 after 48 minutes despite a total posted of just 183.

These two teams met back on December 1st and played to a final score of 124-116 and I can see something similar happening here tonight. With the way these two teams played last time out and the short amount of rest not allowing for practice time to shore things up on defense or for the teams to lose their shooting confidence, I'll take the OVER.

The Rockets are 15-7 OVER when playing a team with a winning record this season while Utah is 12-2 OVER revenging a loss where an opponent scored over 100 this year.

4* NBA Total Dominator on Thunder/Kings UNDER

This is a pretty high number here tonight but I see some value with the UNDER. Oklahoma City has been scoring a lot of points lately, but cooled off a little against Golden State last time out. That loss is important to note because if you look at the teams last three losses, they dial up the defense in the next game. They held the 76ers to 85 points, Wolves to 84, and Clippers to 97 following their last three defeats.

The Kings have had trouble scoring lately. They have scored 97 or less in four of their last five games, and only managed 69 against Memphis last Friday night. I think they will struggle to get points on the board against Oklahoma City again here tonight.

A couple of situations support our play here tonight. One says to take the UNDER when the total is over 200 one team is coming off an upset loss while the other is coming off an upset loss as a home favorite. This system is 85-52 (62%) for the UNDER since 1996. The other is to take the UNDER when the road team has a winning record and is playing on Friday night. This situation is 110-59 (67.4%) for the UNDER the last five seasons.

3* NBA Total Dominator on Knicks/Nets UNDER

Two good divisional opponents playing each other on NBA TV today, I think this one has UNDER written all over it. Both teams have played solid defense in the division, the Knicks are allowing a little over 92 ppg while the Nets a little over 94.

Brooklyn has also held four of their last six opponents to under 90 points, while the Knicks have held their last two and three of four under 88. The last time these two teams met they only managed 186 points, so I think you can expect the same kind of result here today.

Play the UNDER when the total is between 190-199.5 when a team is on 2 days rest and coming off a win. This situation is 187-123 the last five seasons. You also want to take the UNDER when a team is playing their 3rd game or less in 10 days when they have a winning record playing a team with a winning record. This system is 105-61 over the last five years.

3* NBA Total Dominator on Lakers/Raptors UNDER

The LA Lakers are finally at full strength and I think that is going to help them on the defensive end of the floor. This team has held three straight opponents to under 100 points since the return of Dwight Howard, and limited the Bucks to just 35.8% shooting two games ago. The Raptors have been scoring a lot of points, going over in four straight games, but they are only averaging 97.1 ppg on the year and giving up 94.7 ppg at home.

Quite a few systems support our play here today. One says to take the UNDER on Sundays when a team has gone UNDER by 30 or more in their last three games. This system is 128-69 (65%) the last three seasons. Another says to take the UNDER on Sunday when a team hasn't played since Thursday and the total is over 200. This system is 57-24 ATS since 1996. Both of these teams shoot a lot of 3-pointers, and that puts both of them into a system that says to take the UNDER when the total is over 200 and a team attempts more than 18 3's per game. The UNDER is 127-71 the last five seasons when just one of these teams play, and both fit the bill here today.

This is an early start at 1 PM EST and these players aren't used to getting going so early. This might be particularly tough on LA, who is playing in the Eastern Time Zone and essentially starting at 10 AM accruing to their body clocks.

5* Total NO BRAINER on Bobcats/Kings OVER

Two terrible defenses collide on Saturday night and I'm all over the OVER here. The Kings are allowing 103.3 ppg while the Bobcats are giving up 103.5 ppg. Opponents are shooting 45.8% against Sacramento and 46.1% against Charlotte (including 39% from behind the arc).

The Bobcats have and some trouble scoring lately and that had caused the UNDER to hit in four straight games, but they broke out of their fun last night in Orlando to put up 106 points. The Kings had gone OVER in six straight games before siding with the UNDER in their last two, but last night they faced a tough Memphis team so it's easy to see why they struggled to score. That only led to some value here tonight with this total being set lower than it should be.

The Kings are 24-14 OVER in all games this year, but 11-3 OVER when they are playing a team that forces 14 or fewer turnovers per game. A system that supports our play says that when the total is between 200-209.5 take the OVER when the road team has gone over the total by a combined 48 points or more in their previous 10 games. This system is 32-10 over the past five seasons.

4* Total NO BRAINER on Bucks/Lakers UNDER 212.5

The Lakers have had some high totals recently and for good reason as they were both scoring and giving up over 100 points per game. Dwight Howard returned against the Cavs on Sunday though and LA held Cleveland to just 93 points. I think that trend continues here tonight as they have held opponents to just 43.7% shooting at home, including 32.1% from 3-point range.

Milwaukee hasn't scored as well on the road, but interestingly enough they have played better defense than at home, giving up just 95.9 ppg outside of Milwaukee. The Bucks have seen 3 of the four totals go OVER since Skiles was fired, but none of those were set anywhere near as high as tonight's. Lots of value in the UNDER here and I'll take it.

A great system supports our play that says to take the UNDER when one team is off a home blowout win of 20 points or more and their opponent is off a road win of 10 or more. This system has gone 92-46 (66.7%) for the UNDER since 1996. Another situation that applies says to take the UNDER when a team is on the road with a total of 210 or more and they are coming off an upset win as a double digit underdog. These teams are 47-16 (74.6%) for the UNDER since 1996.

5* NBA Total Dominator on Kings/Cavs OVER

Sacramento's defense has been terrible all year long, but the last four games it's been something special. All four opponents have scored 113 or more points against them and this team hasn't let a team score under 94 points since way back on December 8th. It's no surprise that the Kings have gone OVER in five straight and 10 of their last 11 and I don't think they will have a problem eclipsing this number tonight either.

Cleveland isn't a great offensive team, but they have their own struggles on the defensive side of the ball. On the road they are giving up 100.4 ppg on 47.9% shooting against teams scoring just 96.5 on 44.4%.

This team has allowed 97 or more points in eight of their last nine games.

The Kings are 39-21 OVER when the total is between 200-210 the last three seasons and 14-6 OVER at home this year. Sacramento is 23-11 OVER in non-confernece games the last two years and 15-7 OVER after a loss this year. Finally, since 1996 the Kings are 34-18 OVER at home when playing a team with a winning percentage 25% or lower.

All sign point to a lot of scoring tonight, so take the OVER.

3* NBA Total Dominator on Thunder/Blazers UNDER

This is a big game for both teams as Portland is trying to establish themselves as a legitimate playoff contender after winning four of their last five and six of their last eight. Now they host a division rival that is the best team in the West.

Oklahoma City hasn't been a slouch on the road, but their shooting dips from 47.9% at home to 46.3% on the road, but behind the arc it goes from 39.6% down to 34.2%. Portland is a team that allows only 31.2% 3-point shooting at home, so the Thunder are not going to be able to get as many trips where they get three points instead of two here today.

Earlier this year the odds makers set a total for 205 in Oklahoma City and the two teams played to 198 points. Now they have dropped the number quite a bit and I still don't think it's enough.

A couple of systems that support our pick say to play the UNDER in divisional games when the total is between 190 and 200 when one team is off two straight covers as a favorite. This system is 50-21 (70.4%) the last five seasons. Another one is to play the UNDER with any team that outscores their opponents by 9+ ppg when hey are coming off a blowout win by 15 points or more. This situation is 70-41 (63.1%) for the UNDER the last five years.

4* NBA Total NO BRAINER on Bobcats/Pacers UNDER

What we have here is a Charlotte team that is scoring just 93 ppg on the road and a Pacers team allowing 86.6 ppg at home. I'm having trouble discerning just where the Bobcats are going to get their points from as their 42.4% shooting takes on a defense that allows 40.3% on their home floor. Plus, on no rest they won't have time to make any adjustments from their 78 point showing last night in Toronto.

Indiana's defense has been downright sick, allowing 83 points or less in five of their last six, including holding Miami to 77 and New York to 76. Those are two teams that put up their share of points, and not even they could score against the Pacers.

Charlotte is so bad because their defense is terrible, particularly against the 3-point shot. The good news is that Indiana doesn't shoot a lot of outside shots so will get the majority of their points two at a time. The Pacers have scored less than 90 points in five of their last six games.

Indiana is 13-3 UNDER after a combined score of 175 points or less their last four games since 1996 and the Pacers are 34-20 UNDER against teams allowing their opponents to make more than 46% of their shots the last three years. Another system supporting our play says to take the UNDER when you have a team allowing 103+ ppg after a blowout loss of 20 points or more. The UNDER is 220-143 (60.6%) in this situation dating back to 1996.

3* NBA Total Dominator Clippers/Magic UNDER

Orlando has been playing some high scoring games, but that should come to an end here this afternoon. Both of these teams had two days rest which means plenty of time to refresh the tired legs, plus to get some practice in to shore up any problems on the defensive side of the ball.

You know the Magic have been working on defense too, they have allowed their last nine opponents to score 96 points or more and six of their last seven have put up 105 or more. However, on the season they are only averaging 94.8 ppg so they aren't going to stop their losing streak if they don't get some stops.

The Clippers are getting a reputation as a high scoring team, yet are only putting up 101.8 ppg. What they are doing is play solid defense in allowing opponents to score only 93.1 ppg, and that number drops to 91.7 ppg at home. This game has blowout written all over it, and when a team has a large lead they eat up the clock late. Couple that with the fact this game starts at 3:30 EST and a little after noon in Pacific time where the game will be played, and I'm seeing a lazy start. NBA players aren't used to starting their work days so early.

3* Total Dominator on Grizzlies/Spurs UNDER

This is a low total for a San Antonio team that is averaging 105 ppg, but they haven't been as explosive here lately. The Spurs put up only 88 points at New Orleans and 83 points at New York in their last two road games and have now played UNDER the total in four straight games and six of their last seven.

Memphis has also played UNDER the total in six of their last seven games and they are doing it by continuing to play suffocating defense. During that stretch no team has scored more than 88 points against them and the only OVER was when the Grizzlies threw up 113 against a bad Kings teams. Memphis is only allowing 86.7 ppg at home this year so it isn't just a recent trend either.

Expect some playoff intensity tonight between these two teams as they are tied in the loss column with 10 losses each. They are battling it out for the Southwest Division title so I expect both teams to dial up the defensive intensity as this one goes UNDER easily.

5* Total NO BRAINER on Rockets/Celtics UNDER

These two teams met earlier this season in Houston and played to a final score of 101-89 and I expect another low scoring affair here tonight.

Is it any surprise Boston has upped the defensive intensity over the last five games? Their defensive stopper, Avery Bradley, finally returned from injury and the whole team seems to be rejuvenated. The Celtics have won four in a row and are doing it with defense. Boston has allowed 75, 81, 96, and 79 in those four games and no opponent has shot better than 41.2%.

Houston on the other hand, did not start their three game road trip as planned, losing in New Orleans by a final score of 79-88. The Hornets have been playing better defensively lately, but Boston is better on that end with Bradley than nearly every team in the league.

Solid system backs our play that says to take the UNDER when the total is over 200 in non-conference games and one of the teams went UNDER by more than 24 points last game. This system is 51-18 for the UNDER the last five seasons. Plus, when two teams with a winning record face each other on Friday nights and the total is over 200, the UNDER has gone 90-50 over the past five years.

5* Total NO BRAINER on Bulls/Bucks UNDER

Milwaukee fired coach Scott Skiles and then went out and scored 108 points against the Phoenix Suns last night, so some might think a change of philosophy sparked the offense. In reality it was more just hot shooting as the team shot 9-of-17 from behind the 3-point line. Obviously they can't keep up that pace no matter who is coaching.

The Bulls recent win was a 118-92 spanking of Cleveland that was uncharacteristically high scoring for them. Instead their previous four games they didn't allow their opponent to score more than 94 points, while not scoring more than 96 themselves. On their home floor Chicago is allowing just 89.8 ppg and 42.5% shooting.

The two games these two teams have played this year have both gone UNDER the number. Both games were played back in November with final scores of 93-92 and 93-86. Chicago will want to revenge that home loss on 11/26 and to do that they know defense is their best way to do that. Look for a slow pace game controlled by the Bulls for an easy UNDER here tonight.

3* TOTAL DOMINATOR on Cavs/Hawks OVER

When these two teams meet up it seems like there are a lot of points that get put up on the board. The Cavs and Hawks have played OVER the number in five straight in this series dating back to the beginning of last year. The Hawks won back on 12/28 102-94 in Cleveland, while in Nov. the Cavs went into Atlanta to win 113-111. Last year the two teams put up 205, 190, and 215 points in their three meetings.

Both of these teams are coming off games in which they sailed over the total as well. The Cavs have actually gone over in three straight with totals of 210, 216, and 210 points. Atlanta had played three straight low scoring games before going to Minnesota last night for a 103-108 finale.

Both of these teams are on short rest so it's not like they will have made any adjustments on defense to shore up their holes, and their offensive outburst should have given the shooters plenty of confidence. I like this one to go over again here tonight.

4* NBA Total NO BRAINER on Heat/Pacers UNDER

Indiana is a team that prefers to slow things down and win with their defense, and I think being the home team they control the pace here tonight. Indiana is only scoring 91.4 ppg against teams allowing 97.9 and giving up 89.8 ppg against teams who score 96.6. They do a great job of shutting down the outside shot, allowing opponents to only shoot 31.2% from behind the arc.

Miami has gone UNDER in two straight games and looked especially tough against Washington on Sunday, allowing the Wizards to score just 71 points on 35.8% shooting. Indiana has gone UNDER in four straight and six of their last seven . They have struggled offensively but shut down opposing shooters.

These two teams met last year in the playoffs and saw their totals around 180. This one is six points higher and I feel like that leads to a good chance the UNDER hits tonight.

Play the UNDER when a team is coming off a win by 15 points or more against an opponent coming off a win by 20 or more. This system is 201-132 (60.4%) dating back to 1996. The Pacers are 40-24 for the UNDER against teams who make 46% or more of their shots the last three years while Miami is 12-1 UNDER off a home win against a divisional rival the last three years.

3* NBA Total Dominator on Nets/Sixers UNDER

Two teams that know each other well face off tonight and I think points will be at a premium. The two teams met back on 12/23 with the Nets winning 95-92, just slipping under the total of 187.5. That made the UNDER 8-5 now when these two teams have met dating back to the 2009-10 season. When you play each other as many times a year as these two do, you have a pretty good idea of what your opponents likes to do and it's easier to stop.

The Sixers have been having problems putting points on the board anyway. Philadelphia has scored more than 89 points just once in their last six games so it's no surprise this team has gone UNDER in five of their last six and seven of their last nine. Brooklyn has been putting up points lately which has inflated this total a little bit, but the value is with the UNDER.

Brooklyn is 13-4 UNDER against teams who turn the ball over 14 times or less this year and they are 21-7 UNDER against teams who make six or more 3's per game the last two years. The Nets are 15-5 UNDER when playing on two days rest the last three years and 19-6 UNDER on the road after an over the last two years.

4* Total Dominator on Pistons/Bobcats OVER 193.5

Charlotte is a bad defensive team and Detroit should be able to take advantage of that here today. The Bobcats are giving up 105.7 ppg on the road to teams that are scoring just 97.1 ppg and 17 of their last 18 opponents have score 97 or more points against them.

Detroit had been scoring a decent amount of points lately, putting up 96 or more in six straight before beating Atlanta 85-84 Friday night. At home they have been shooting 46.7% on the year and 39.5% from behind the arc. That should bode well for them as Charlotte is giving up 40.7% from 3-point range away from home. The Pistons are 25-10 for the OVER against bad teams who are outscored by 6+ ppg on the year and 10-1 for the OVER at home after allowing 85 or less the last three seasons.

The last three match ups between these two teams have gone OVER by scores of 109-85, 110-107 and 109-94. All signs point to a lot of points here on Sunday.

3* Total Dominator on Nets/Kings UNDER 195.5

Both of these teams are coming off back-to-backs but the Brooklyn Nets are in a unique situation of playing on no rest after a double overtime thriller last night against the Washington Wizards. I think that means you'll be seeing this team slow it up a little more as they won't have the energy to push the pace.

That's good news for a Kings team that is giving up 101.6 ppg on the year and only scoring 96.8. Brooklyn doesn't score a lot anyway, putting up only 94.7 on the year against teams allowing 97.6. The Nets are a strong defensive team allowing 94.4 ppg against teams who score 98.2.

The recent high scoring streak for Sacramento has given us a few points of value here. These two teams met earlier in the year for a 99-90 final with a total of 192.5. Now the total is four points higher and the Nets are tired and will slow the pace. Roll the UNDER with confidence.

3* NBA Total Annihilator on Bucks/Pacers UNDER 185.5

These two teams have played twice already this year and have played some pretty low scoring games. Back on 11/14 the bucks won 99-85, staying under the 189.5 point total then on 12/18 the teams went over the 185 point total by a few points with their 98-93 final.

Since that game this Pacers team has been playing some pretty low scoring games, allowing just one opponents since to score more than 91 points. Milwaukee has been playing some high scoring games against high scoring teams, but that has only worked in our favor to create value now that they are playing a slower pace team.

Indiana is allowing only 88.6 ppg at home to teams scoring 96.7 ppg and they are only scoring 91.7 ppg against teams that allow 97.8. Both of these teams are going to be fighting for a playoff spot this year so divisional games like this mean playoff like intensity even in early January.

I know both teams are off back-to-backs, but each game in with plenty of rest before that. Indiana had five days off over Christmas and the Bucks played only once between 12/22 and 12/29 so I don't think either will have tired legs. This one is a defensive battle and stays UNDER.

3* Total Dominator on Heat/Bulls UNDER 191.5

Two good teams playing on ESPN tonight and you can expect both of them to bring the intensity to the defensive side of the floor. Even though these two teams play contrasting styles I think Chicago will try to slow the Heat down as the Bulls are 31-18 UNDER when playing a team with a winning record the last two seasons.

Miami shoots a lot of three pointers and does a good job of knocking them down, but the Bulls are 14-4 for the UNDER against teams who shoot 18 or more 3's per game this year. Miami's 103.6 ppg is one of the highest in the league but the Bulls are 15-5 UNDER against teams who average 103+ ppg the last three years.

The last two times these two teams met the total went under 183.5 and 185 by final scores of 83-72 and 86-96. These two have a history of tough games that are low scoring and I don't see why that doesn't continue here tonight.

5* NBA Total No Brainer on Hawks/Rockets OVER 206.5

The way these two teams are playing right now the OVER makes a lot of sense to me. The Rockets and Hawks met way back on 11/2 in Atlanta and Houston won that game 109-102, so they've already played a high scoring game once this season.

Houston has been an OVER lover's dream lately. Only once in their last six games have either the Rockets or their opponent failed to reach 120 points in a game. It's no surprise that every one of those games went over the total. The only game that failed to reach that mark was Minnesota on 12/26 which was a letdown spot after a big win in Chicago.

The Hawks have been putting up some points too. Atlanta has gone OVER in three straight games and has eclipsed the 100 point barrier in each, they also have allowed 100 points in two of those three games.

Both of these teams like to shoot the 3-ball and both are better at hitting the outside shot than they are at defending it. A lot of factors pointing towards the OVER tonight so I'll ride it.

3* NBA Total Dominator on Clippers/Jazz OVER 195.5

These two teams played a 116-114 game on Friday night and I expect there to be a lot of scoring again on Sunday. In fact, if you look at the previous game the two played back on 12/3 that final was 105-104 as well, but last year the Jazz and the Clippers scoring 201 and 212 in their final two meetings. When these two franchises have squared off recently, a lot of points have been put up.

The Clippers have been putting up a lot of points recently, reaching the 100 point barrier in four straight games. They are averaging 104.1 ppg at home this season while the Jazz are giving up 102 ppg on the road. Utah hasn't given up less than 90 points since back on 12/5, a span of 11 games so with LA's prolific offense I don't see them having much trouble reaching the 100 point barrier.

The Jazz are 63-36 for the OVER on the road after scoring 110 points or more in their previous game and 52-34 OVER when the total is between 190 and 200 the past three years.

3* NBA "Total" Dominator on Rockets/Spurs Under 214
The Rockets and Spurs combined for 260 points the last time they met. However, they hadn't combined to score more than 207 points in any of the previous five matchups. With this in mind, I'll gladly take the Under.

The Spurs have finished under the total in six of their last eight games, and the Rockets have played to the under in five of their last eight. The Spurs have come in under the number in four of their last five at home, and the Rockets have finished below the number in four of their last five on the road.

Looking back even further into the history of this matchup, we find that the Under is 29-14 in the last 43 meetings and 16-5 in the last 21 meetings in San Antonio.

When these two met Dec. 10, they combined for 30 three-point makes that totaled 90 points. They only average a total of 19 three-point makes so we should see 33 less points scored if these teams hit their averages. Plus, we must factor in that the previous meeting went into OT and that 20 points were scored in the extra frame. With this in mind, we should see right around 207 total points scored in this one. Bet the Under.

5* NBA "Total" Dominator on Celtics/Nets Under 188.5
The earliest Christmas day game has gone under the total every year going back to 2004. Apparently, these guys don't like getting up early. I expect this trend to continue.

The last meeting between these teams went under as just 178 total points were scored. This one has the potential to be even lower scoring. The Celtics have allowed the Nets to score 102 and 95 points, respectively, in each of the season's first two meetings. The defensive effort in those games can't be sitting well with a Boston squad that has prided itself on defense under the watch of Doc Rivers. I'm expecting a much better defensive showing from the C's this time around.

The Nets, which rank sixth in the NBA with 93.9 points allowed per game, have been getting it done on the defensive end all season. I expect no different in this one.

The Nets have finished under the total in each of their last four games. Also, the under is 7-2 in the last 9 meetings between these two.

Boston has gone over the total in its last three but is 14-4 under in road games after 2 or more consecutive overs over the last 3 seasons. We have seen only 178.4 total points scored on average in this situation. Take the Under.

3* TOTAL DOMINATOR on the Rockets/Raptors UNDER 198.5

This line is a little inflated due to the high number of points Houston games have been played towards this year, but the last two times out Houston gave up 93 & 89 points while scoring 101 or less.



Toronto on the other hand has gone UNDER in four straight games by playing decent defense and not putting points on the board offensively. They have scored 100 or fewer in six straight games while have allowed 94 or less in their last three.



I think the players in the NBA struggle a little more with the early start times. When you are used to playing late at night each game and have to get started at Noon, it's going to take a little while to shake off the cobwebs. Both these teams struggle to do that on Sunday and it leads to a low scoring game for us.

5* NBA Total of the Week on Bobcats/Hawks Over 194
Oddsmakers are begging for the money to roll in on the under but we won't oblige them. The Bobcats and Hawks both finished under the number in their games last night with 194 and 166 total points scored, respectively. Also, these two have been under this number in each of the season's previous two meetings with 192 and 185 total points scored, respectively. Yet, the books have come in with a total higher than we've seen these two put up this season? They clearly think this is going to be a high-scoring game, and I agree fully.

When teams play the second game of a back-to-back, it is typically the defense that suffers. It is always easier to find energy when trying to score than it is at the defensive end. That's a big reason why the over is 5-1 in the Bobcats' last 6 games when their starting 5 players combine for more than 160 minutes the previous day.

Prior to this season's two meetings, we had seen the Bobcats and the Hawks combine to score more than 194 points in three straight games. It is also worth noting that the over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings. Plus, the over is 5-1 in the Hawks' last 6 home games. Bet the Over.

5* NBA Playoffs 2nd Round Total of the Year on Pacers/Heat Under 181
Three of the first four games in this series have finished under the number, and I expect this trend to continue tonight.

With both teams looking to take control of the series, I expect the effort and intensity on the defensive end to be at its highest level of the series.

Miami is an elite defensive team, especially at home where it has played to the under in 26 of 38 games this season. At the end of regulation, these two teams have totaled just 181 points or less in each of their last 3 games in Miami. We saw just 170 and 153 total points scored at the end of regulation in 2 of those games.

The Under is 4-0 in Miami's last 4 games as a favorite of 5.0-10.5 points, 4-0 in its last 4 games following an ATS win and 9-0 in its last 9 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. Also, the Under is 5-0 in Indiana's last 5 games when it has had a day to rest and prepare.

In addition, plays "Under" on all teams when the total is between 180 and 189.5 points in a playoff series that is tied are 42-10 the last 5 seasons, 22-6 the last 3 seasons and a perfect 6-0 this season. We'll take the Under.

5* NBA "Total" Dominator on Celtics/76ers Under 174
After allowing Boston to shoot 51.9% from the field in Game 3, we can count on the 76ers to turn up the heat on the defensive end tonight.

Boston always seems to bring it's "D". It should have continued success on the defensive end against a 76ers squad that struggles to score in the half court.

There are more than a few trends in our favor here. Philly is 11-3 Under in home games after one or more consecutive overs this season. It is also 12-3 Under in home games when out for revenge for a loss to an opponent this season and 10-1 Under in home games after a game in which it forced 8 or less turnovers over the last 3 seasons. The Under is 4-1 in the 76ers' last 5 games following a double-digit loss at home, 26-10 in their last 36 games as a home favorite and 18-6 in their last 24 games as a favorite of 4.5 points or less.

The Under is 4-1 in the Celtics' last 5 games following a win of more than 10 points and 8-2 in their last 10 games as an underdog of 4.5 points or less.

198 total points were scored in Game 3 and odds makers have come back with a line over 20 points lower. They clearly want the money on the Over as they are clearly expecting a defensive battle. We'll bet the Under.

5* NBA Playoffs "Total" Dominator on Heat/Pacers Over 181.5
After going under the number in a pair of defensive battles to start the series, expect the Heat and Pacers to have more success on the offensive end tonight.

Right away I love the fact that plays Over on all teams when the total is between 180 and 189.5 points (Indiana in this case) that have scored 90 points or less in 2 straight games and are matched up against an opponent that checks in off a game with combined score of 175 points or less are 52-30 the last 5 seasons. We've seen an average of 187.3 total points scored in this situation.

In addition, the Over is 5-1-1 in the Heat's last 7 playoff games as a favorite of 4.5 points or less, 18-8-1 in the Pacers' last 27 games as a home underdog of 4.5 points or less, 7-2 in the Pacers' last 9 games as an underdog of 4.5 points or less and 9-4 in the Pacers' last 13 games as a home underdog.

The Heat are 1-for-22 from 3-point range in this series and the Pacers are 7-for-32. We're talking about a pair of teams that average 6 3-point makes a game and shoot them at better than a 35% clip. Expect the shots to start falling tonight and for this one to find its way over the number as a result.

5* NBA Playoffs "Total" Dominator on 76ers/Celtics Under 174
These 2 combined for 183 points in Game 1 but neither played as well as they are capable of defensively. Philly had shot worse than 40% from the field in 7 of its previous 8 games before Boston allowed it to shoot 43.9%. Also, Philly has held the Bulls below 41.5% shooting in its previous 4 games before it allowed Boston to shoot 43.9%.

Boston ranked No. 2 in the NBA in points allowed per game and No. 1 in field goal percentage defense. Philly ranks 3rd in the NBA in both of those categories. We're talking about a pair of teams that can really tighten the screws on the defensive end. With Philly hungry to steal away Boston's home-court advantage, and with Boston hungry to make quick work of the 76ers in this series, I'm expecting electric defensive efforts from both sides in Game 2.

The Under is 9-3 in the Celtics' last 12 playoff games as a favorite and 20-8 in their last 28 playoff games as a favorite of 4.5 points or less. The Under is 4-1 in the 76ers' last 5 overall and 26-10 after a loss by 6 points or less over the last 2 seasons. Take the Under.

5* NBA "Total" Dominator on Grizzlies/Clippers Under 187
Right away I like the under here considering plays under on all teams when the total is between 180 and 189.5 points in a playoff series that is tied, provided we have a team with a winning record playing another winning team, are 32-8 (80%) the last 5 seasons. We've seen an average posted total of 185.1 points in these games and an average combined score of only 180.8.

After a pair of uncharacteristic defensive efforts from a Memphis squad that is among the best defensive teams in the league, I'm expecting the screws to be tightened here. The Clippers are 11-0 under in home games the last 3 seasons versus good pressure defensive teams that force 16 turnovers per game or more.

The under is 8-1 in the Grizzlies' last 9 road games and 4-0 in their last 4 games as an underdog of 4.5 points or less. The under is also 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two in L.A.

It is also worth noting that the Clippers are a much better defensive team at home. With each of these teams looking for the upper hand in the series, I'm expecting a very intense defensive battle today. We'll bet the under.

5* NBA Playoffs Total of the Week on Clippers/Grizzlies Under 185.5
After blowing a 27-point lead by giving up 35 fourth-quarter points in Game 1, I expect an inspired defensive effort from one of the best defensive teams in the league tonight. The score should come in under this number as a result.

The under is 14-6 in the Grizzlies' last 20 overall, 21-8 in their last 29 games following a loss and 8-2 in Grizzlies last 10 games when playing on 2 days' rest. Also, Memphis is 19-7 under when the total is between 180 and 189.5 points this season and 9-1 under off an upset loss this season. As you can see by these trends, Memphis responds following losses by tightening the screws on the defensive end. Plus, it will be very fresh having not played since Sunday.

In addition, plays under on road teams when the total is between 180 and 189.5 points in a game involving two teams that allow 92-98 ppg and following a win by 3 points or less are 31-12 the last 5 seasons. We've only seen an average of 181.1 total points scored in this situation. Bet the Under.

5* NBA Total of the Week on Magic/Nuggets Under 203.5
A much better defensive effort from the Magic will keep this one under the number.

After giving up triple-digits for a third straight game, coach Van Gundy has called out his team. "We just cannot guard," Van Gundy said. "I don't think it is that our guys are not trying, I don't know what it is, but we cannot guard anyone. We can't guard anyone ... Our defense is disturbing to say the least."

Orlando is a perfect 9-0 under dating back to the start of last season after allowing 110 points or more in its last game. We have seen just 185.5 total points scored in this situation.

In addition, the under is 8-3 in the Magic's last 11 games as a road underdog of 5.0-10.5 points and 7-2 in the Nuggets' last 9 games as a favorite. The under is also 6-2-1 in the last 9 meetings between these two teams.

4* NBA Total of the Week on Nets/Pistons Under 188.5
We saw just 191 total points scored when these two faced off Wednesday and Detroit shot a season-high 53.4 percent - just the 3rd time all season it's made 50% or more of its shots in a game. I don't see shots falling as easily for Detroit tonight as New Jersey really tightens the screws defensively, and this one should find its way under the number as a result.

We also find that New Jersey made 10 3-pointers Wednesday, so you can bet the Pistons will be looking to do a better job of defending the 3-point line.

The Under is 5-0 in the Nets' last 5 road games vs. all teams with a losing home record. With odds makers listing the total lower than what these teams just scored, they are clearly begging for action on the over. We won't bite. Take the Under.

5* NBA Total of the Week on Raptors/Nuggets Under 199
Denver is the highest scoring team in the NBA but it won't be the same high-octane team with without point guard Ty Lawson, who is expected to miss with an ankle injury. The Nuggets won't get as much in transition without their tempo-pusher.

Toronto is among the lowest scoring teams in the league, and it will especially have difficulty piling up points tonight with leading scorer Andrea Bargnani expected to miss with a calf injury.

Plays Under on all teams (Denver in this case) when the total is between 190 and 199.5 points that have gone over the total by more than 6 points in four consecutive games, with a winning record on the season, are 45-19 since 1996. We have only seen an average of 189.3 total points scored in this situation. It is also worth noting that this system is 7-2 ATS the last 5 seasons.

The Under is 16-7-1 in the Raptors' last 24 overall and 7-2 in their last 9 games as a road underdog of 11.0 points or more. The Under is also 5-1 in the Nuggets' last 6 games as a home favorite. Take the Under.

5* Game 3 "Total" Dominator (ESPN) on Mavericks/Thunder UNDER 201
Neither team played particularly well on the defensive end in Games 1 and 2, but I expect that to change tonight. With each team looking to take control of the series, we should see more intensity and more heart on the defensive end this evening.

Consider that plays Under when the total is 200 to 209.5 on all teams looking to avenge a home loss to an opponent, good team winning 60-75% or more of their games on the season, are 70-32 the last 5 seasons.

In addition, the Under is 4-1 in the Mavericks' last 5 playoff games as an underdog of 4.5 points or less and 5-1 in the Thunder's last 6 games as a home favorite of 4.5 or fewer points. The Under is also 7-1 in the last 8 meetings between these teams in Oklahoma City. Take the Under.

5* NBA Playoff "Total" Dominator on Hawks/Bulls Under 181
After giving up 100 points on nearly 50% shooting in Game 4, expect the best defensive team in the league to tighten the screws in Game 5. The total score should easily find its way Under the number as a result.

After giving up 103 points in Game 1, the Bulls dug in and only allowed Atlanta to score 73 points on 33.8% shooting in Game 2. We saw just 159 total points scored in that contest and I'm expecting another low-scoring one here.

Consider that Chicago is a perfect 7-0 Under this season when out to avenge a road loss to an opponent of 10 points or more.

In addition, the Under is 5-0 in the Hawks' last 5 games following a win of more than 10 points and 5-0 in their last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game. Take the Under.

5* 2011 NBA Playoffs Total of the Year on Thunder/Grizzlies UNDER 200.5
After back-to-back high-scoring games in this series, expect both teams to make the proper adjustments at the defensive end to ensure a lower scoring affair.

It bodes extremely well for us that plays Under on home teams when the total is 200 to 209.5 - after beating the spread by 18 or more points total in their last three games, winning between 51% and 60% of their games on the season, are 42-14 the last 5 seasons.

Despite a slower pace in Game 2, we saw the total score go over the number because of Oklahoma City's hot shooting. The Thunder were 8 of 14 from 3-point range. This is significant because OKC is 10-1 Under in road games after a game where it made 50% of it 3 point shots or better over the last 2 seasons. We are only seeing an average of 184.1 total points scored in this situation.

The Under is 7-3-1 in the Thunder's last 11 road games and 4-1-1 in their last 6 games as an underdog. The Under is also 9-3 in the Grizzlies' last 12 games as a favorite.

This game will be a lot more intense than the 2 we saw in OKC as each team tries to take control of the series. That intensity will especially show up on the defensive end. Take the Under.

3* NBA "Total" Dominator on Hawks/Bulls UNDER 180
Chicago ranked No. 1 in the NBA in field goal percentage defense and 3-point field goal percentage defense during the regular season. It also ranked No. 2 in points allowed. After allowing Atlanta to score 103 points on 51.3% shooting in Game 1 (53.8% from 3-point range), expect the Bulls to really tighten the screws on the defensive end tonight.

Prior to Game 1, Atlanta had played to the Under in 5 straight games, 8 of its last 9 and 13 of its last 16. Not more than 177 total points were scored in those 5 consecutive Unders and I expect this trend to continue here.

It is also worth noting that the Bulls have played to the Under in 8 of their last 12.

Getting more in depth, we find that plays Under on all teams (Chicago in this case) when the total is between 170 and 179.5 points (where this one is at most books) - hot team having won 6 or 7 of its last 8 games, good team winning 60-75% or more of its games on the season, are 44-19 the last 5 seasons. We are only seeing an average of 171.7 total points scored in this situation. Bet the Under.

5* NBA Playoff Total of the Week on Grizzlies/Thunder UNDER 197.5

Zach Randolph was 12 of 22 in Game 1 and 8 of his makes were from at least 10 feet away from the basket. Marc Gasol was 9 of 11 from the field and was 4 of 4 on jumpers from at least 14 feet. I just don't see either player shooting as well tonight, especially with OKC clamping down on the defensive end.

The Grizzlies also got 23 points off of 18 Thunder turnovers in Game 1. And they scored 22 second-chance points off 17 offensive boards. Taking care of the basketball and doing a better job of blocking out will easily shave points off the total score this evening.

Since coach Brooks has been at the controls, OKC is 19-8 Under in home games when out to avenge a double-digit defeat to an opponent. We have seen just 195.2 total points scored on average in this situation. In other words, Brooks has done a great job of making defensive adjustments.

With better effort and a few minor adjustments, this one should finish well under the number tonight.

3* NBA Playoff "Total" Dominator on Celtics/Heat UNDER 182.5
3 of the season's 5 meetings between these teams have come in under this number and I expect another low-scoring affair tonight.

Boston allowed Miami to shoot over 47% from the field in Game 1 and knows it must tighten the screws in order to get Game 2. Plus, Boston and Miami combined to make 21 3-point shots in Game 1 and we only saw a total of 189 points scored. With the pace still slow and both defenses defending the 3-point line better, we should see this one come in under the number.

The Under is 14-2 in the Celtics' last 16 games playing on 1 day of rest, 11-4-1 in their last 16 road games and 7-1-1 in the Heat's last 9 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. Bet the Under.

4* NBA Playoff "Total" Dominator on Pacers/Bulls OVER 186
Following 3 straight defensive battles which have catered to the Under, expect the offenses to take center stage to push this one Over the total.

The Over is actually 5-2 in the last 7 meetings between these teams in Chicago. In fact, we have seen an average of 197.5 total points scored in the 8 games played between these teams in Chicago the last 3 seasons.

Going further inside the numbers, we find that plays Over on all teams when the total is between 180 and 189.5 points (Chicago) - well rested team playing 6 or less games in 14 days, and a top-level team with a winning percentage of 75% or better, playing a team with a losing record - are 51-21 since 1996. This system is 12-4 the last 3 seasons and a perfect 2-0 this season. Teams fitting into this situation have faced an average total of 185.7 but have combined with their opponents to score a total of 192.2 points on average. Take the Over.

3* NBA Playoff "Total" SMASH on Hawks/Magic OVER 177.5
We saw 173 total points scored in Game 4 despite Orlando shooting 39.2% from the field. This figure included a 2 of 23 (8.7%) performance from the 3-point line. It is also worth noting that Atlanta only made 60% of its free throw attempts in Game 4 (12 of 20). Expect a few more 3's to fall for Orlando at home and a few more free throws to go down for Atlanta to push this one Over the number.

Going to the numbers we find that plays Over on all teams (Atlanta) when the total is 179.5 or less in a game involving two average defensive teams (92-98 PPG allowed) after 42+ games, and after allowing 85 points or less, are 35-8 (81.4%) since 1996. We have seen an average posted total of 177 in these games and teams have combined to score an average of 187.2 total points. Bet the Over.