4 Unit Play. Take #905 Atlanta (-1.5 RL) over Colorado (8:40p.m., Monday, April 28) Not much explanation is needed for this selection. The Rockies just got swept by the Reds at home over the weekend and now face a Braves team that cannot afford to take any team lightly since they are still under .500 this season. 4-23 on the season and getting a run line price at this number is an automatic play.

Cleveland knows what to do here up 3-0 in the series with some matchups tomorrow from the east where teams are up 3-1. They need to close this one out and get extra rest as the path gets a lot more difficult from here. We think they are up to the challenge. Cleveland has scored 120+ in every game of this series and their defense has also been spectacular. The Heat teams of the past really turned it on in the postseason, but this looks like a new era in Miami and this is just not a playoff caliber team this year.

We think the Lakers are overrated. They always are. They are the biggest public team in the NBA since the 80s, and their lines are normally shaded. They have a good team this season, no doubt, and Luka will be a force for years to come. But he came in a little late in the season to fully gel with his teammates. Minnesota started off slow as they needed time to gel, but they are a complete team now and a true championship contender. Game 3 is always a big one, and we expect them to rise to the occasion tonight. They have won four straight against LA at home.

The Clippers could easily be up 2-0 in this series. They are the better team despite the seedings. The Clippers are a team built for the playoffs. They are only the lower seed because of injuries early in the season. But this is the best Clippers team in the history of the franchise and they are a true championship contender. Besides OKC, they are probably playing the best basketball in the league right now. We think home court will reign supreme tonight and we expect the Clippers to pull ahead in the fourth and win this one pretty comfortably.

We think this is an extremely fair price for the Celtics tonight. They didn’t even play their best in Game 1 and won by 17. We think they should do even better tonight. They can play lock down defense as well as the Magic or maybe better, and they are a much stronger offensive team. Tatum is out here for Game 2 for the Celtics, but this team has incredible depth and they went 8-2 in games he missed this season. Strangely, those two losses were against the Magic, but Boston had large injury reports in those two games, both in Orlando. They are much healthier here, and at home, and they have plenty of players to make up the slack for Tatum. And this team knows the importance of closing this series out early against a much inferior opponent, so we don’t think they will let up here and we expect a strong team performance all around. The home team has won and covered now in eight straight meetings, and we expect that trend to continue here, at least for one more game.

7 Unit Play. Take #926 Kansas City (-1.5 RL) over Colorado (7:40p.m., Tuesday, April 22 MLB.tv) The Royals have not played many home games this season and look for them to get closer to .500 when they host the Rockies for this 3 game series. Colorado is just 1-11 at home this season, look for them to struggle against Kris Bubic. He is a strikeout machine and should be able to neutralize most of the Rockies power from the left side of the plate. This is a get-well series for the Royals and we will collect with them on Tuesday with the run line.

We have tried to resist taking the Thunder too much and going against them sometime as the lines swelled, but they just keep covering and winning big. They embarrassed the Grizzlies in Game 1 by 50+. Most times we would like the losing team to come back strong and more focused, but Memphis just doesn’t seem like that sort of squad this year. OKC has now covered in nine of 10 meetings, and we think this series will continue to be one sided. OKC will face some adversity in future rounds, but this should be smooth sailing for them tonight.

The Devils have been horrible offensively and they have scored two or fewer goals in five of their last six games. That includes Game 1, a 4-1 loss that included an empty netter for the Hurricanes. This matchup just want close and the Hurricanes really locked down on defense, and we see that happening again here in Game 2. The home team has won by multiple goals in all of the last five meetings. Carolina really didn’t play well down the stretch of the regular season, but championship level clubs can turn it on in the playoffs, and we like what we saw from them in Game 1.

4-Unit Play Take Minnesota over Vegas (10 p.m. Sunday April 20)

We really like the Wild to make some waves in this series and possibly win it. We think the road teams will steal a win for both sides, and we think this is a very public line in favor of the Knights. The Wild have dealt with injuries all season that hampered their climb in the standings, but they are healthy now and this is a much better team than their record would indicate. They looked great in the end of the season and we think that momentum will carry over here into Game 1. There is nice value on this line, in our opinion.

3-Unit Play Take Houston -1 over Golden State (9:30 p.m. EST, Sunday April 20)

We think this is a good matchup for the Rockets and we think they have a great chance to send the Warriors home early, Golden State played well down the stretch and the Butler trade gave them a Big 3 again, but Curry and Green are just not the players they were in their prime. Houston lacks the star names but this is a more complete team and they have been very strong at home. We think this series will probably go the distance, but Houston will make a statement here in Game 1.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

5-Unit Play Take LA Clippers +2.5 over Denver (3:30 p.m. EST, Saturday April 19)

The Nuggets have pretty much been a one-man team most of the season. Their role players have been up and down but this just doesn't look like a championship caliber team this season. The Clippers do. They are healthy and have been playing their best basketball of the season down the stretch. This team has some of the best depth in the league and they have been playing great team basketball. Kawhi Leonard looks like he is on a mission to prove the doubters wrong, and this team seems to have great morale and confidence right now.

4-Unit Play Take Dallas +6 over Memphis (9:30 p.m. EST, Friday April 18)

Dallas looked great in their road play in game against the Kings. We just really like them to keep this one close or win outright. This team lost their two stars, with Doncic traded and Irving injured, but they still have the best player on the court in Anthony Davis, and a lot of players with winning experience in the postseason after their run to the NBA Finals last season. We think the NBA would want the Mavs in the postseason also over the bad-vibes Grizzlies, so we might get some calls that go our way as well.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

2 Unit Play. Take #910 Los Angeles (-1.5 RL) over Colorado (10:10p.m., Wednesday, April 16 MLB.tv) Should have stayed with this play last night but I didn’t like the pitching matchup. Tonight we have those concerns, as I see German Marquez getting hit hard in this game. He has a .147 WHIP and facing this Dodgers lineup is a tough task to overcome.

The NBA is all about its stars in the playoffs, and Atlanta with Trae Young is the best player on the court tonight. The Magic just aren’t the same team they were last season and this doesn’t seem like a team built for postseason success this year. Atlanta has been solid on the road this season, and they come into this one with some momentum, with three straight wins to close out the regular season, including one vs. Orlando (most starters rested in this one). We think the Hawks have a great chance to win this one outright.

2 Unit Play. Take #908 Los Angeles (-1.5 RL) over Colorado (10:10p.m., Monday, April 14 MLB.tv) We have faded the Rockies all weekend and went 3-0. We will continue to fade them, as they have one of the worst offenses in the league. Antonio Senzatela’s luck finally ran out last week against Milwaukee and his 2.14 WHIP is just not conducive to not giving up a ton of runs.

The Sharks are a team we backed on the puckline a lot early in the season as we knew they were better than the market had them ranked. But they have shipped off some good players and they are clearly planning for the future. We faded them on the puckline last night, and they really faded in the third period against the Flames in a 5-2 loss. This is not a deep Sharks roster, so this is going to be a real tough back-to-back for them when they already looked like they ran out of gas last night. This team hasn’t been good on back-to-backs lately with their depleted roster. Their last B2B was at the end of March when they faced their biggest rival, the LA Kings, in LA, after a home matchup with the Rangers. They lost 8-1. And if they can’t get excited for a matchup against their rival, what will happen here against Vancouver? And unlike that last back-to-back, both of these games are on the road here, which makes the B2B even more difficult. Neither team is going to the playoffs, but the Canucks are a much better team, and they are catering to the home crowd tonight and want to give them a victory. The Sharks don’t really have much motivation here and are probably looking forward to a day off tomorrow before their final home game on Wednesday at Edmonton. We could see them giving max effort in that one, but not this road matchup against Vancouver. The Canucks have won four of the last five meetings at home by multiple goals, and we think there is a great chance that this one is a bloodbath on the ice tonight in Vancouver.

Calgary kept their playoff hopes alive with a massive 4-2 win over the Wild last time out, and this team seems determined to make the postseason. Minnesota hasn’t secured their spot either, so that win was impressive. Calgary finishes the season with Vegas and at the Kings, so this is absolutely a must win. These teams played Monday, at San Jose, and the Sharks got a goal with less than 30 seconds left to win on the puckline, and they had a man advantage. Calgary has won by multiple goals in three of the last five meetings at home, and with the familiarity

2 Unit Play. Take #960 San Diego (-1.5 RL) -110 over Colorado (4:10p.m., Sunday, April 13 MLB.tv) We have hit the first two games of this series and we will go for a clean sweep on Sunday afternoon at Petco Park. The Rockies pitching is fine this year, but their offense has been terrible despite playing home games at Coors Field.

The old Lob City Clippers were always owned by the Warriors, but this new version of the Clippers has dominated Golden State. They have won six straight and covered in five straight. They are just the better team, they are in better form, and they are one of the hottest teams in the league. Neither team is in a safe position in the playoffs, so this will be like a postseason game, and we think the Clippers will rise to the occasion and they have a great chance for the outright win.

The Clippers have won three straight in this series and five of seven. We feel they match up very favorably to the Kings. That’s not to mention that the Clippers are one of the hottest teams in the NBA. They are playing at a Championship level right now. The Kings don’t have anywhere near that kind of ceiling. Sacramento is locked into the play in tournament, while the Clippers are in the regular playoffs as of the start of action today but have two play in teams (not the Kings) hot on their trail so these last games of the season are the most crucial for them. LA has some players on the injury report tonight, but this team has great depth so they will have a chance to win comfortably with the team they field tonight. The Kings haven’t had much home court advantage lately as they have won only one of their last six home games, and that win was against Portland. We think LA keeps their momentum going tonight.

2 Unit Play. Take #958 San Diego (-1.5 RL) +105 over Colorado (9:40p.m., Friday, April 11 MLB.tv) The Rockies salvaged a game against Milwaukee somehow wiggling out of a base loaded no outs jam twice. They will not be as fortunate tonight and getting a much better team at an underdog price on the run line is too good to pass up.

Edmonton has won nine of the last 10 meetings, and five of those were by multiple goals. The Sharks are a team to fade down the stretch as this team looks towards the offseason and morale has slowly been slipping away from this team in the second half of the season. Edmonton is in a must win situation as they are on the outside looking in for the playoff picture. They have to win against one of the worst teams in the league and they can’t leave it up to chance for a close game. The Sharks have covered the puckline in their last two, but those were kind of fluke situations at the end of the game, and they could have easily lost both games by multiple goals.

This is a key game for the Western Conference and the Timberwolves are currently in the play in tourney but one game out of the playoffs. Memphis is that team that they are one game behind. Minnesota had a tough start to the season but things have mostly come together at the right time for them, and they are the better team in this matchup. They are healthy and rested and we expect a strong performance tonight.

The Clippers should have covered last night vs. the Spurs but a late flurry kept the score closer than the game actually was. This game is very important to the Clippers but not so much for the Rockets, who are more locked in to their playoff spot. Kawhi was a scratch last night against the Spurs, so he will probably play here. He will be fresh, and the Clippers have great depth, so we doubt a back-to-back, at home no less, will be much of a factor.

Minnesota has won four straight meetings by multiple goals. We have been big on fading San Jose on the puckline lately, and it has been paying often as this team loses steam and prepares for the offseason. The only reason they cashed the puckline last time out vs. Calgary was a late 6-on-4 situation, and even a bad team like the Sharks can usually convert in that scenario. The Wild have won six straight meetings, five by multiple goals. The Wild have played a Murderer’s Row of opponents lately, so they will relish this opportunity for an easy win.

The Clippers are playing as well as any team in the league right now and they are one loss from dropping into the play in, so this is the most important game of the season, just like their next game will be. We think they demolish the Spurs here. San Antonio has had an incredibly tough season, and this team as much as any is looking towards next season. They lost their coach and best players, and they just need a reset. They have been competitive in some matchups, but they have lost five of their last eight games by double digits.

Calgary has won five straight in San Jose, and four of those have come by multiple goals. The fight has seemed to have left the Sharks, who are losing more and more games by multiple goals after being one of the better ATS teams most of the season. They have lost five straight, and three of those have come by multiple goals, including last time out in a 5-1 home loss to the Kraken. Early in the season this Sharks team had a lot of good vibes and they were improved on the ice this season. But as the losses piled up the morale started to go down, and here we are as the team is already looking towards the offseason and next season. Calgary has an outside shot at the playoffs. But they need wins and help. This is basically a must win for the Flames, and we think they bring their A Game and win big, leaving nothing to chance.

The Sixers have been the most disappointing team in the NBA this season, and they don’t have much hope for a strong finish to the regular season. They have had a crazy amount of injuries this season and the body count keeps rising. They are fielding a glorified G-League team right now, and Miami is motivated tonight and should win this one in a blowout. Philly has covered only one of their last ten games despite some very generous spreads. The Heat have covered in seven of the last nine meetings.

4 Unit Play. Take #953 Los Angeles (-1.5 RL) over Washington (6:45p.m., Monday, April 7 MLBN) Anytime you get the Dodgers at this price against a light hitting team it is a play. Dustin May was strong in his first start of the season going five innings and allowing just one hit. The Dodgers lost a series over the weekend and they will get back to their winning ways on Monday. Washington is playing with house money after winning a game they should not have won yesterday and it will even out on Monday.

Boston is pretty much locked into their playoff position and it’s extremely doubtful they will give 100% here. Washington probably will, as it’s always a big game when any team from the East plays Boston. We could suffer a blowout here and still win ATS. Brown and Tatum are both listed as questionable for the Celtics, and you really have to question if they will play of get ample playing time here in a matchup they are not needed for.

It’s telling that these teams played on Friday and the Clippers scored an easy blowout yet we are getting a smaller spread this time out. We were on the Clippers yesterday but we think it’s not only hard to score two blowouts in a row over one team but even win consecutive games. We don’t know what the rosters that take the floor will look like but most likely anything out of the norm would go against the Clippers (Davis and Thompson returning for Dallas or Kawhi out for LAC). We think the Mavs will make some adjustments and at least keep this one close.

The Spurs have been horrible on defense down the stretch. This team has dealt with a lot of bad luck this season from the coach all the way down to their two best players. If any team wants the season to end and focus on next year, it’s these Spurs. And that porous defense is not ideal against one of the best offensive teams in the league. The Spurs are coming off a win at Denver where any good player the Nuggets had was out, and they should be Fat and Happy and we don’t see them putting in much effort here.

If you have been following our picks, you know that we think the Sharks are a team to fade down the stretch. The Oilers are definitely motivated as they want to move up in the playoff rankings while the Sharks has some excitement around the team at the start of the season but that is long gone as fans and team members are looking towards next season, where the Sharks will likely be much improved. San Jose has a goal differential of -12 in their last three games. Edmonton won their last visit to San Jose, 5-0, and we feel like this could be another game like that one.

5 Unit Play. Take #952 Philadelphia (-1.5 RL) over Colorado (1p.m., Thursday, April 3 MLB.tv) Just playing this game blind, as the starting pitcher for the Phillies is not very good. The Rockies have a terrible offensive lineup, and Antonio Senzatela will not be able to get out of trouble like he did in his opening start. He allowed zero runs but gave up 9 hits in just 4 1/3 innings of work. If he does that again on Thursday he will be hit hard. The Rockies have scored just two combined runs in the first two games of this series and I see this being another dominating win for the home team.

This just looks like a blowout to us. The Spurs are on a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights. They were blown out in both those games. They don’t have much to play for here, and the Nuggets are fighting for playoff position. With the top of the West so competitive, a losing steak could even send a team like Denver into the play in. So they have to be focused here towards the end of the season, and we think this is an easy win for them tonight.

2 Unit Play. Take #904 Philadelphia (-1.5 RL) over Colorado (6:45p.m., Wednesday, April 2 MLB.tv) This is a pitching mismatch and look for the Phillies to jump out early and cruise to a victory tonight in the City of Brotherly Love. Both starting pitchers threw well in their opening game, but I just do not believe Kyle Freeland will last over six innings and then the Rockies bullpen will give up a ton of run.

3 Unit Play. Take #666 Villanova over Colorado (8:30p.m., Tuesday, April 1 FS1) The Wildcats have an interim coach, but I expect them to play well in this tournament. Colorado had a terrible season and beating TCU a couple of times will not benefit them in this game. I am looking for the Wildcats in front of Kevin Willard to win this game by double digits.

2 Unit Play. Take #656 Washington State over Georgetown (11p.m., Monday, March 31 FS1) This is a late-night start for the Hoyas coming from the eastern time and they game likely will not start on time as well. Wazzou wants to be in this tournament, and I see them trying to make a statement coming from a mid-major conference.

10 Unit Play. Take #905 Atlanta (+1.5 RL) over Los Angeles (10:10p.m., Monday, March 31 MLB.tv) I am not ready to give up on the Braves and feel they will have a bounce back series after losing 4 straight games in San Diego over the weekend. The Braves still have a strong offensive lineup and I feel they can take this game down to the wire. Tyler Glasnow got hurt at the end of the 2024 season and this will be his first start back in a regular season game. The Braves are the more desperate team and that will show in this game.

The Clippers are on a back-to-back after playing the Cavs last night and they played well in a loss. They have dropped into the play in tournament and are one game out of the regular playoffs, creating a must win situation here after the loss last night. The Magic are in the play in and will stay there as they don’t have a realistic chance of moving up. If the Clippers were in the East they would be one of the top seeds even with an up and down season. The Clippers are the better team and have more motivation. This is a very deep squad and the B2B should not be a huge deal. And Kawhi could play tonight, and he would be fresh after sitting in Cleveland.

Kawhi is out here for the Clippers and we think the oddsmakers are punishing them too much for this on the line. This is a deep team and they are playing well at the moment and we expect a close game. The Clippers have won two straight meetings and scored a blowout win over Cleveland in LA on March 18. Forget about the revenge angle as enough time has passed for Cleveland to put that loss in the rearview. The Cavs have covered only two of their last eight, so they have been a bit overvalued by the oddsmakers. We feel that is the case here again tonight.

The Clippers have won by double digits in the last two meetings and they had one of their biggest wins of the season and one of the biggest blowouts in the NBA this season when these teams met in January in a 126-67 Clippers win. Forget about revenge. Brooklyn has lost to a lot of teams since then and they are probably more focused on the offseason since they have been eliminated. The Clippers are barely in the playoffs right now and they need to win to avoid the play in tournament. This is essentially a must win, and the Clippers are rested and healthy, while the Nets have starters on the injury report.

10 Unit Play. Take #636 Michigan State over Ole Miss (7:09p.m., Friday, March 28 CBS) It might not always be pretty, but Michigan State will find away to pull away late and win this game by 8-10 points. The Spartans were the best team in the Big 10 this season and have great depth that will cause problems for Rebels in this game. Ole Miss did not finish the season strong and they played two teams that were nowhere near as good or well coached than the Spartans. Chris Beard has already proven he was a great hire, but his team’s run will end in the Sweet 16.

We like to back a good team off a bad loss, and that is what we have here as the no-hope Predators came into Carolina last game and won easy. Every team, even championship contenders, have a bad game. But they usually come back strong and focused in their next game. Carolina have won nine of the last ten meetings, and eight of those wins came by multiple goals. Montreal has looked pretty bad lately and they have given up 12 goals in their last two games. One of those was last night in Philly, so they are on a B2B here, and that’s not a good situation against a focused Hurricanes squad.

The Magic have been playing really well lately. They have one of the best defenses in the NBA, and now all of the sudden their offense is clicking. They have scored 110 or more in seven of their last ten, and they have had a couple games against bad defenses where they scored in the 120 range. Well, the Mavs have been playing some of the worst defense in the league recently and this team has given up 120+ in eight of their last 10 games. It’s safe to say that they haven’t covered many games giving up those types of point totals. If Orlando can keep playing like they have, they have an outside shot of playing their way out of the play in tournament and into the regular playoff field. They need to win almost every game, however, and they need to especially win against no hope teams like Dallas who are waiting for the offseason to begin.

10 Unit Play. Take #627 BYU over Alabama (7:09p.m., Thursday, March 27 CBS) Alabama has not been the same team this season and I believe BYU is a better offensive version of them. The Cougars are riding high after scoring a ton of points in their first two games of the NCAA tournament. They have lost just one time since February 9 and I feel they have a great chance to win this game straight-up. If BYU can jump out early look for them to control the game and Alabama will feel the pressure.

The Clippers have been playing championship caliber basketball recently and this is a team no one will want to face in the playoffs if they stay healthy. You can tell the Knicks miss Brunson a lot as their offense isn’t working well and they have been overall inconsistent. They don’t have a performance recently that was extremely impressive and they have been beating the teams they should but losing to solid teams. They lost to the Clippers earlier this month in a low scoring game. The Clippers have won and covered in four of five meetings.

4 Unit Play. Take #868 Kentucky over Illinois (5:15p.m., Sunday, March 23 CBS) Just not buying the love Illinois is getting from the odds makers. They rallied for some nice wins to close out the regular season but got killed by Maryland in the quarterfinals of the Big 10 Tournament. I do not believe they are great in any area and their defense is not strong this season. When they lose, they tend to get blown out and I see Kentucky dominating this game for start to finish. Kentucky is getting healthier, and this is an important game for Coach Pope to show they are moving in the right direction. They played in the SEC and I see more battle tested in this game. They shoot it well from the arc and are due for some ATS wins in the NCAA Tournament. Lamont Butler will play better in his second game back.

7 Unit Play. Take #860 Florida -9 over Connecticut (12:10p.m., Sunday, March 23 CBS) It ends today. The back-to-back champions will flame out on Sunday against the last team to go back to back. The Huskies just do not have the firepower to stay in this game and Florida will go on a run at some point and win it easily. The Gators played in the toughest conference in the country and blew out Tennessee and Alabama last week. The Gators are 26-6 ATS in their last 32 games. They did not cover the spread in the round of 64 but will cover the spread in the round of 32. UCONN lacks high end talent, explosiveness, and experience. It will come crashing down on Sunday and we will back the best team in the league.

We like what we have seen from the Bucks lately and they have covered in four of their last six games. This team has seen its share of ups and downs over the course of the season, but they have been playing playoff-quality basketball recently. They have a strong history here as they have won nine of 10 meetings, and these teams don’t play often so that streak stretched back many years.

4 Unit Play. Take #828 Wisconsin over BYU (7:45p.m., Saturday, March 22 CBS) We have rode Wisconsin for much of the season and feel this is the year Greg Gard and company can break through and reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2017. They match up well with BYU and feel that the only advantage the Cougars have is that they have played at altitude more frequently. BYU shoots a lot of three-point shots and they will have to make a bunch in order to win this game. Wisconsin struggles with tall post players and their defense has improved during the second half of Big 10 play. Look for them to guard the arc and make BYU beat them inside. I do not believe that they will be able to do that.  

Lay the goals here comfortably. The Blackhawks had another disappointing season, and despite a bright future with Bedard, this team doesn’t have much to play for as we get close to the end of the regular season. That lack of competitiveness has shown, as they have lost six straight entering this matchup, and they have lost by multiple goals in five straight. The Blues have won four straight and six of eight, and they have impressive wins in that stretch at LA Kings, at Minnesota and they have covered the puckine in three of their last four. If the season ended today, the Blues would be in the last wild card spot in the west. But to say their playoff spot is safe would be a fallacy. They are one point ahead of the Canucks and two points ahead of the Flames. Utah is also in the mix. So this is almost a must win at home against one of the worst teams in the league. We expect, with the way St. Louis has been playing recently, they will bring their A Game here and win by multiple goals. They have won eight of the last 10 meetings, and seven of those wins were by multiple goals.

All the sudden the Clippers are looking like a championship caliber ball club. If they keep playing like this and enter the postseason healthy, this is going to be a team no one in the west will want to match up against. They have won seven of eight and covered in six of those games. They have had two days rest after absolutely decimating the Cavs at home on Tuesday. Memphis has been one of the best ATS teams this year but has covered in only two of their last 10. They have been overvalued by the oddsmakers and have not matched their early season play. They are also banged up, while the Clippers are healthy.

10 Unit Play. Take #779 Baylor over Mississippi State (12:15p.m., Friday, March 20 CBS) The Bulldogs got off to a fast start but faltered down the stretch losing 5 of their last 7 games. Playing in the SEC takes its toll and I do not feel Mississippi State will have much left for the tournament. Baylor is well coached, and I like their style of play for the NCAA Tournament. They are battle tested as well and played a difficult nonconference schedule. They beat St. Johns and half of their 14 losses have come by 4 points or less. Coach Drew has won 6 straight opening round games (5-1 ATS) and the Bulldogs have not won an NCAA Tournament Games since 2008.

We have been waiting for the right time to fade the Sharks on the puckline. They have been one of the better ATS teams this season, but as the end of the season approaches and the morale goes down, the players will be looking forward to the offseason and won’t have much motivation. This team showed a lot of heart this season covering in so many close games. But lately we haven’t seen the same fire, and they are simply outmatched here as the Hurricanes are rolling now. They have won by multiple goals in four straight, and those were against much better squads than the Sharks.

Every now and then the Raptors have a bad game where they get run out of the building. That is pretty rare though as this team puts up a fight almost every night. So after a 40-point blowout in Phoenix last time out, we feel we will see a much better effort from this team. Toronto has had a couple days off since that loss and have two days off after this, so they can give max effort here tonight.

2 Unit Play. Take #765 Drake over Missouri (7:35p.m., Thursday, March 20 TruTV) This is unfamiliar territory for Missouri, and I do not see them blowing out one of the best mid-major teams in the country. The Tigers did most of their damage at home this season and this will be at a neutral site in Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, KS. Drake also has the best scorer on the floor in Bennett Stirtz and a 30-3 record. They are close by as well and should bring a big crowd. Take the points as the Tigers have only made the second round once since 2011.

2 Unit Play. Take #721 Northern Iowa over SMU (9p.m., Wednesday, March 19 ESPN2) We will grab the points tonight with a well-coached Panthers team that is happy to be in the NIT. SMU is coming off a tough loss to Clemson last time out and I expect there to be a carryover into this game for the Mustangs.

As of this writing Tatum is questionable for the Celtics and Brown is out, so Brooklyn should be able to stay within double digits here. Every game from here on out is basically a must win for the Nets, who are well outside the play in tourney at the moment. Brooklyn has covered in four of their last five games and they have been exceeding oddsmaker expectations. These teams just played in Brooklyn and the Nets almost won. We think this will be another close game.

Any bet against Washington is a good one, and the Nuggets should roll in this one. We see no reason they don’t win this one by 20+. The Wizards have been given generous spreads all season yet they have a terrible ATS record and this squad is blown out on a regular basis. They are Fat and Happy, as we say, after a win over Detroit last time out in a quick revenge spot. They earned their night off tonight, and we don’t expect to see the same effort.

Montreal has won the last two meetings outright and they have covered the puckline in three straight meetings. The Canadiens are not only a very solid home team, but they have been an excellent ATS club this season at 37-28 ATS. Florida has a losing record ATS. Montreal is back home after a four-game road trip, and they have won three straight at home, including a 4-0 drubbing of Carolina. The Panthers have been particularly poor ATS on the road recently, and they are 1-5 ATS in their last six road contests. Florida is also probably a little overvalued here on the moneyline and puckline as they have been at home a lot in recent games and they are more vulnerable on the road in general.

2 Unit Play. Take #609 Wisconsin over Michigan State (1p.m., Saturday, March 15 CBS) Wisconsin collected for us yesterday in blowout fashion with our Conference Tournament Game of the Year. We will ride the hot hand tonight again, as I expect this game to go down to the wire with Wisconsin edging out the victory. The Badgers beat Purdue last year in the semifinals and feel they will ride that wave to a victory on Saturday.

The Hurricanes are the biggest favorite on the board today, and for good reason. Detroit has been playing horrible hockey lately, despite a win last time out vs. Buffalo, and this team has generally been horrid offensively. They have scored two goals or fewer in five of their last seven games. Even when the Wings are playing well they never seem to perform at Carolina as the Hurricanes have a long streak of covering the puckline at home in this series. Carolina have won five straight and are coming off puckline wins over Tampa Bay and Winnipeg. They are taking a big step down in class here.

7 Unit Play. Take #815 Wisconsin over UCLA (2:30p.m., Friday, March 14 BTN) Wisconsin has a game their belt in Indianapolis and got whole yesterday with two players back from injury. UCLA will come in cold and I feel Wisconsin will get up early and control the game. Wisconsin is the better offensive team and has revenge on their minds from losing at Pauley.

2 Unit Play. Take #782 Colorado State over Nevada (9p.m., Thursday, March 13 CBS Sports Network) Nevada suffered another injury on Thursday and I don’t think they have much left in the tank for this game. They will battle early but they have yet to defeat a top team in the MWC this season.

These teams played here on Tuesday, and the Pistons won in a blowout. It’s very hard to have the same result over one team in consecutive games. Washington is a terrible team. But they are now very familiar with these Pistons from the recent meeting and they will make some adjustments tonight. It’s telling that after Detroit covered on Tuesday that this line is smaller than the closing line in the last meeting. The sharp play here is the Wizards.

2 Unit Play. Take #780 San Diego State over Boise State (5:30p.m., Thursday, March 13 CBS Sports Network) The Broncos have not had much success in this tournament and I am surprised they be came the favorite in this game. Both teams are fighting for an NCAA Tournament bid and the Aztecs have had much more success in Las Vegas compared to the Broncos.

2 Unit Play. Take #739 Marquette over Xavier (2:30p.m., Thursday, March 13 Peacock) I am not ready to give up on the Golden Eagles during postseason play. Marquette faded down the stretch, but they are still the more talented team in this matchup.

4 Unit Play. Take #685 Butler over Providence (4p.m., Wednesday, March 12 Peacock) Just feel Butler is the more healthier team for this rubber match between two bad teams. Providence has won just one game since February and all of this losing has taken its toll on them. Butler is a streaky team and it would not surprise me if they make a little noise in this tournament.

We are big fans of what they are doing in Detroit and the way this team has been playing. However, we don’t think they are ready to lay this type of spread. They are coming off a four-game West Coast road trip and the first game back home can be tricky as players navigate personal lives. The focus might not be there for this game. Washington recently played a double set like they will against Detroit (these teams play again Thursday). Washington won the first game against Toronto before suffering a blowout in the second game. We think we might see the same pattern here.

These teams played yesterday and the Thunder laid a beat down but it’s not only hard to beat the same team on consecutive days but also hard to score a blowout in consecutive games. Not to mention that the Thunder don’t have much to play for down the stretch with the No. 1 seed well in hand. Denver has been playing well lately overall and they should be focused here. We always state revenge is an overrated handicapping aspect in pro sports. But it does come into play in situations like this, where the loss is still fresh on the losing team’s mind.

Minnesota has been overrated by the oddsmakers all season and this line looks inflated as well. Could the Timberwolves run the Spurs out of the building tonight? Sure. But we think San Antonio can keep this one within double digits. The Spurs suffered an embarrassing loss at Sacramento last time out where the team didn’t give full effort, so they will probably be more motivated to play hard here. San Antonio has covered in six of the last seven meetings, and we expect that trend to continue here.

We are basically always going to look closely at a home dog getting this many points. The game can be a blowout and we can still cover. The Hornets have been pretty good recently when getting double digit points. Maybe they check the lines and don’t want to be disrespected. Whatever the case, we think they will want to put up a fight tonight. The Cavs have covered only one of their last three. That isn’t too crazy, but this team is covering at a high rate this season. But they are playing their third game in four nights and they have Milwaukee on deck on Sunday, so they might not give full effort here in a game they don’t need to in order to win.

2 Unit Play. Take #866 North Dakota State -2.5 over South Dakota (7p.m., Friday, March 7) We will side with the traditional top half team in the Summitt in North Dakota State on Friday in this quarterfinal game in the 2025 Summit Conference Tournament. The Bison won both games this season by a combined 30 points including winning in South Dakota by 26 points.

It seems as if the Jimmy Butler trade has paid off for the Warriors and they are playing as well as any team in the league right now. They have won and covered in seven of their last eight. They have scored double digit road wins in three of their last five away from home, and those wins were over the Knicks, Hornets and Kings. Two of those were playoff clubs. It seems obvious that the Nets won’t make the play-in tournament and this team is fading down the stretch. They have lost five straight coming into this one. They have lost their last three games by a combined 54 points, and none of these teams were nearly as good as the Warriors. Brooklyn is one of those strange cases where they have played better on the road than at home this season. The fans haven’t had much to cheer about, and most in the building tonight will be there to see the Warriors stars in person. Brooklyn has given up 120+ in three of their last four, and that is not a good sign against a Warriors team that has been playing extremely well offensively.

Columbus is one of the best ATS teams in the league so it’s scary to go against them here on the puckline, but we think this is a bad matchup for them. They have lost six straight in this series, and the Panthers covered the puckline in four of those games. Florida has a goal differential of +20 in those six matchups. Columbus is coming off a beatdown at Tampa Bay, and this matchup won’t be any easier. Florida is one of the hottest teams in the league, and they are covering the puckline in a lot of their recent wins.

2 Unit Play. Take #806 Omaha -3.5 over UMKC (7p.m., Thursday, March 6 Flo Sports) UMKC has been a major underachiever this season and they will be knocked out by the No. 1 seed in the Summit League Thursday night. The Mavericks have beaten Roos twice this season by a combined total of 31 points. UMKC is still getting too much respect from the odds makers, they are just not that good in 2025.

3 Unit Play. Take #712 Connecticut over Marquette (8:30p.m., Wednesday, March 5 FS1) Just do not feel Marquette is strong this year and they struggle to matchup with UCONN. The Huskies need this game more since they want to get off the 8/9 for seeding. They already won in Milwaukee by 8 points and that is how I see this game going as well.

2 Unit Play. Take #655 New Mexico over Nevada (9p.m., Tuesday, March 4 CBSSN) Just feel Nevada is out of gas this season and does not have the scorers needed to beat the top teams in the MWC. They have lost 3 of their last 4 games including a blowout loss to rival UNLV last time out. New Mexico cannot afford any more losses if they want to make the NCAA Tournament. They need this game and will get it by 6-8 points.

Wins have been hard to come by for San Antonio and this team received a blow when Wemby was ruled out for the season. But that shock has passed and the Spurs still have a decent team. This is definitely a winnable matchup for them and we expect them to take care of business tonight. The Nets have suffered consecutive blowouts. They haven’t stayed within this number in any of their recent losses. The Spurs have won and covered in the last two meetings and three of the last four. Not sure what the motivation level will be for this Nets team tonight, but we are confident that the Spurs need a win and they should play hard in front of the home fans tonight.

Even though the Blazers are on a back-to-back, we still think there is nice value here as we had this game closer to PK. Portland has the look of a team on the rise and this team won’t be tanking to finish off the season. They want to build some momentum heading into next year. They have won four of five and they played a very strong game in Cleveland on Sunday in a close loss. Philly is a walking infirmary ward right now and this team has real low morale at the moment. No bet against them is a bad one right now.

3 Unit Play. Take #817 Wisconsin +4.5 over Michigan State (1:30p.m., Sunday, March 2 CBS) These are two of the top teams in the Big 10 Conference. Wisconsin has won 3 straight games in East Lansing, and I see them being able to take this game down to the wire. Wisconsin has the better offense in this game and if Crowl can hold up down low I like Wisconsin’s chances.

Golden State has won and covered the last four meetings. This team is just steamrolling the league right now, and we don’t see that stopping tonight. The Warriors have won and covered in seven of eight overall, and their offense is really efficient right now and their defense is creating a lot of extra opportunities. Morale in Philly is at an all time low. They lost Embiid for the season and they have lost nine straight and covered in only one of their last 10. This team is already several games out of the play in and now it will be tanking time for the remainder of the season. We don’t expect them to put up much of a fight here against an out of conference foe.

2 Unit Play. Take #655 Seton Hall +20 over St Johns (2:15p.m., Saturday, March 1 CBS) The Red Storm will come out tight, as they are playing for a regular season conference championship. The metrics do not like them as much as their record and to me that says they are high in the luck factor this season. Playing a rival will keep this game under 20 points. This line has been coming down all morning and I see them being around a 12-15 point victory.

2 Unit Play. Take #890 Purdue -5.5 over UCLA (8p.m., Friday, February 28 FOX) Purdue has been in free fall at the moment and will enter this game having lost 4 straight games. Sooner or later, they will break out of this funk and tonight will be that night. UCLA is not used to this environment.

Detroit has been playing great basketball but the line value seems to be gone with them now laying points to Denver. These teams don’t play often, but Denver has won and covered in four straight meetings. They will have extra motivation tonight since Detroit is on a big winning streak, and it is always a confidence boost for a team to snap a streak like that. Denver has lost two of three but we think that just gives them extra motivation here to snag the win.

2 Unit Play. Take #738 Butler over St. Johns (9p.m., Wednesday, February 26 CBS Sports Network) Still not a believer that St Johns has fixed their offense and we will fade them hoping the third time is the charm. Butler has played much better of late and will enter this game at Hinkle Fieldhouse having won 4 of their last 5 games. I feel they can take this one down to the wire in what will likely be a low scoring game.

The Blazers always seem to play well here. In fact, they have won and covered in five straight visits. We expect more of the same tonight. We really like this Blazers team. They have some amazing talent and they play hard on a nightly basis. This is a team that is probably not going to make the play in tournament this season but they are still going to play hard down the stretch and they are a team we are buying into. The Wizards are just outright a bad team and they are likely tanking a bit for the remainder of the season. This team is by far the worst team in the NBA, and they have a horrible ATS record despite very generous odds from the bookmakers.

2 Unit Play. Take #880 Nebraska over Michigan (8p.m., Monday, February 24 FS1) Michigan is coming off a brutal stretch of games and I think they will be due for a letdown in this game in Lincoln. Nebraska needs some quality wins if they want to make the NCAA Tournament and there is no better chance than facing one of the top two teams in your building.

Both teams are on a B2B but the Clippers get the worst of it with both games on the road. This road trip isn’t going well for Los Angeles, who haven’t looked the same since a horrible fourth quarter against the Bucks. They were blown out in Indiana last night and they will be missing a couple key players on the second end of this one. Detroit has won six straight and covered in eight of 10, and this team is very confident they can get the win tonight. They have covered in seven of the last eight meetings.

3 Unit Play. Take #811 Connecticut +4.5 over St. Johns (12p.m., Sunday, February 23 FOX) Connecticut has been better as an underdog this season compared to a favorite and I see them winning this game against an overrated St. Johns team. Connecticut will have a great crowd in the building, and they need it more since they already have 8 losses on the season. The Red Storm beat the Huskies last time out and UCONN will return the favor on Sunday.

2 Unit Play. Take #770 Duke over Illinois (8p.m., Saturday, February 22 FOX) Duke is hitting Illinois at the right time, as the Illinois have been reeling having lost two straight games via blowout fashion. Look for Duke to hand them their third straight double digit loss, as the Illini are still suffering from injuries up and down the bench.

2 Unit Play. Take #734 Alabama over Kentucky (6p.m., Saturday, February 22 ESPN) Alabama will enter this game having lost two straight games and needs to make a statement on Saturday against Kentucky. They will win it by double digits and keep their hopes alive for a No. 1 ranking.

2 Unit Play. Take #604 Wisconsin over Oregon (12p.m., Saturday, February 22 FOX) We will just keep riding Wisconsin until we are proven wrong on a consistent basis. The Badgers scored a top play winner for us on Tuesday in blowout fashion and I see this game being a double-digit victory as well. Oregon will not be able to keep pace with Wisconsin scoring wise.

This game is the second of a back-to-back for the Spurs played in Austin, down the road from their home in San Antonio. The Spurs got some horrible news yesterday that Wemby has been shelved for the season in his second season. This team was mediocre with him but they will be pretty bad without him. And it might make awhile for new addition De'Aron Fox to gel with his teammates. The Spurs played great on Thursday in their win over the Suns. But we saw them give a lot of effort there against a conference opponent, so we have to question not only their stamina here with a sudden lack of depth but also their motivation against a nonconference opponent. Oftentimes when a top player goes down, the rest of the team will step up for a game but there is no doubt losing Wemby hurts this team badly. Detroit has been playing excellent basketball and they are a legit playoff team in our eyes. This is their first game back after the break and they will have a lot of energy. We liked the Pistons here even before the news came out of San Antonio, and we like them even more now.

2 Unit Play. Take #885 Michigan State +3 over Michigan (8p.m., Friday, February 21 FOX) This line appears too low and thus I feel the smart money is on the visitor. These teams will meet twice before the end of the regular season and Michigan State needs this game if they have visions of winning the regular season crown.

As if the Bucks weren’t struggling enough with an underachieving season, news just came out that Bobby Portis was suspended 25 games for drug violations. This kind of distraction is the last thing the Bucks need, not to mention the hit it takes for their depth since you never know if their stars will suit up from game to game. We think the Clippers are a better team regardless, and this line indicates that Kawhi is likely to take the court tonight. The Clippers looked great heading into the break and we think they will continue right where they left off.  

2 Unit Play. Take #306603 Jacksonville over North Florida (8p.m., Thursday, February 20) Just do not feel North Florida is good enough to beat Jacksonville twice in the regular season. This is a rivalry game between two schools less than 10 miles apart and the Dolphins still have a chance to win the regular season championship should they win out in their last 3 games. The Dolphins have the better team and the best player on the floor in Robert McCray. That will be good enough to earn the victory on Thursday night.

2 Unit Play. Take #730 DePaul over St Johns (9p.m., Wednesday, February 19 FS1) The Red Storm are coming off 4 straight monster games and I feel they will have a letdown tonight with UCONN on deck. They are a defensive oriented team and thus will have trouble covering this big of a number. The Blue Demons have cover this number against UCONN, Villanova, and Marquette of late and should be able to keep this game around 8-10 points.

7 Unit Play. Take #636 Wisconsin over Illinois (8:30p.m., Tuesday, February 18 FS1) It is now or never when it comes to Wisconsin beating Illinois. The Illini have had good success beating the Badgers in recent years, but this is not the same team as in year’s past. Wisconsin is coming off two straight road wins and they are always a tough team to beat at the Kohl Center. The Badgers have a strong offense this year and the Illini do not play much defense. Illinois got blown out by Michigan State last time out and I see them losing this game by double-digits. Wisconsin has a revenge angle after losing to Illinois earlier this season and in the Big 10 Championship Game in 2024.