This current road trip isn’t going well for the Magic, who were blown out by the two good teams they played. And they are playing the best team so far on the current road trip. The Clippers keep getting underestimated by the oddsmakers because of the lack of stars. But this team is a legit playoff team this year. They have great chemistry, above-average coaching, and nice offensive weapons. Orlando hasn’t beaten the Clippers in many years, and we don’t see it happening tonight as the Clips cruise to an easy win.

We think this is a massive letdown spot for the Rockets after their OT win over the Warriors on Thursday. They expended a lot of energy in that one, and they could be sluggish here. Even if they play well, Portland is very good at home, and they have a strong history against the Rockets, covering in five of the last seven matchups. Portland comes in on a back-to-back after a close home loss to OKC, but we think they were looking ahead to this game, and we expect them to give full effort here.

The Spurs are coming off their big game against Toronto on Thursday and we think the offense may be sluggish in this one. The Grizzlies have been one of the better under teams in the NBA this season and their offense is nothing to write home about. We don’t see either offense going off tonight, and we think both teams will be solid on the defensive end. This one could be a blowout and the Grizzlies often have trouble reaching the century mark and we think that could be the case tonight.

4 Unit Play. #722 New Mexico over Nevada (8p.m., Saturday, January 5 ESPN U) These teams do not like each other, and these coaches do not like each other. Playing at the Pit is always a tough task and thus we do not see a blowout in this game. New Mexico has talent they just do not play up to it that often. The Lobos will be up for this game and thus expect to keep it around a 9-11 point deficit. The Underdog has covered the spread in 4 of the last 5 meetings.

5 Unit Play. Take #604 Duke over Clemson (8p.m., Saturday, January 5 ESPN) Duke has a chance to go 17-1 in the ACC and they will certainly not be the game they lose. Duke is the best team in the country talent wise and Clemson just will not be able to keep pace in this game. The Blue Devils have covered the spread in 5 of their last 6 home games. Clemson is 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games.

The Pistons have been strong at home, and we like them to win here in their first game back home after a four-game road trip. We had this game handicapped at pickem and these teams are both having disappointing seasons so far. We think this game is a tossup, so taking the points is the only way to go here. We expect a close game throughout and think that the Pistons will pull away late in the fourth.

10 Unit Play. Take #617 St Johns over Georgetown (1p.m., Saturday, January 5 CBS) The Red Storm are for real and they continue to be undervalued by the odds makers. Both teams have played an easy schedule thus far in nonconference play. I just feel St Johns is farther along in year 4 of Chris Mullen compared to year 2 of Patrick Ewing. St Johns is still made from the officiating they received in New Jersey last Saturday and expect a similar performance to what we saw from them against Marquette during the week. St. Johns is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 Big East games. Georgetown is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 Big East games. The favorite is 10-3 ATS in the last 13 meetings.

Miami has been a covering machine lately as they are 15-4 ATS in their last 19 games. We think they are undervalued here again tonight. Miami is the kind of team that can hold betting value all year long because of their lack of star power, and we think there’s a good chance for a double-digit win tonight. Washington has covered only one of five meetings in this series. Of course, they are without John Wall, their best player, who has been lost for the season. The Wizards are 0-7 ATS as a dog of 6 or more points this season, meaning they have failed every chance in a situation like they are in tonight. They are only 4-16 on the road this season, and that was with Wall leading the way most of the season. This team just doesn’t have any identity this season, and we don’t expect them to show up in this one tonight.

We just think that this is too many points. The Warriors are playing well, but when that happens the numbers get too high and this team has been one of the worst bets in the NBA the last couple seasons because of that fact. They are 16-22 ATS on the season, and they have covered only two of their last seven. Houston is the hotter team right now. They have won 10 of 11 and are playing well without Chris Paul. We expect them to put their best foot forward tonight in what should be a very competitive game.

5 Unit Play. Take #655 Minnesota over Wisconsin (9p.m., Thursday, January 3 BTN) We will grab the points in this game, as Minnesota has just as much talent as Wisconsin. Playing at the Kohl Center is worth some points but not this many. Wisconsin continues to be over valued evident by the spread over the weekend against WKU, a game they lost straight-up. The Badgers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. Expect a 5-6 point hard fought victory for Wisconsin.

4 Unit Play. Take #660 San Francisco over Saint Mary’s (9p.m., Thursday, January 3 ESPN 2) This is the years teams from the WCC can get revenge on the Gaels. Saint Mary’s has already lost 6 times this year and USF is hanging around the bubble watch with regards to the NCAA Tournament. This is the type of game they must win in order to stay on the bubble. Saint Mary’s is 1-6 ATS in their last 7 WCC games. The home team has covered the spread in the last 4 meetings.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The Suns got smoked last time out against the Warriors, but this team has been playing hard lately and their young nucleus is starting to come together. They have covered in eight of their last 10 games, so they are playing above oddsmakers expectations. Philly comes in on a back-to-back and this is their third game in four nights, and they go home after this game, so this may be a letdown spot for them. This team has not been very good on the road this season, where they are 7-12 ATS on the season.

4 Unit Play. Take #819 Indiana State over Loyola Chicago (9p.m., Wednesday, January 2 ESPN+) The Ramblers are still getting too much respect from the odds makers after making the Final Four last year. This team is nowhere near that level and they are just 7-6 on the season and have yet to record a quality win. Loyola is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games. Take the points in this game that should go down to the wire.

4 Unit Play. Take #823 New Mexico over Air Force (9p.m., Wednesday, January 2 ATTSN) New Mexico underachieved during the nonconference portion of the season but they still have talent. The No. 2 seed in the MWC is up for grabs and the Lobos have a chance to get it but they must win these type of games. The Falcons have not recorded any quality wins this season. The Lobos have covered the spread in 4 of their last 5 MWC games.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The Celtics could be without Kyrie Irving tonight, but we don’t think that will matter and we expect them to win this one by 7+ even without him on the court. Boston has  covered in five straight meetings between these teams, and we think they have the upper hand tonight over the inconsistent Wolves, who play much better at home than on the road. The Celtics are coming off a tough road trip but now have a homestand, and we think this team is trending up in betting markets.

Dallas hasn’t been able to win on the road this season, but this looks like a good spot where they can secure win No. 3 away from home. They are a better team in this matchup and we had them as a slight favorite in our handicapping of the game. Dallas has covered in five of their last six games overall, and this team continues to play well while under the radar.

4 Unit Play. Take #786 Xavier over Seton Hal (6:30p.m., Wednesday, January 2 FS1) Much like our play with St. Johns yesterday, we will fade Seton Hall tonight. The Pirates got a gift over the weekend from the refs and karma will set in for them tonight in Cincinnati. Both teams lost a ton of talent from last season, but Xavier is always a tough team to beat at home. The Pirates are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games. The Musketeers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games played on Wednesday.

10 Unit Play. Take #606 St Johns over Marquette (7p.m., Tuesday, January 1 FS1) This game can go 1 of 2 ways for the Red Storm. They entered last Saturday undefeated and dominated for most of the game against Seton Hall. Missed some free throws and got hosed by the refs and they ended up losing at the buzzer but still covered the spread. Now this must regroup and make sure the conference season does not go down the drain. I think they will since they have the best player and Marquette has done most of their damage at home. The Golden Eagles are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games. St. Johns is 9-3 ATS in their last 12 meetings with Marquette. This is a game the Red Storm need to save their season and they get it by 6-8 points.

The Sixers have been bad on the road this season, but they are getting better as they played well in their last two road games in Utah and Boston, winning against the Jazz and falling to the Celtics in OT. The main reason we like this play is because the Sixers are well rested. They have had two days off coming into this one. The Blazers are on a back-to-back, and they will be playing their third game in four nights, with both of the previous games coming against the Warriors. Those were very important games for the Blazers, and now they face a rested out-of-conference foe. We just don’t see them giving that maximum effort that would be required in a game like this. Philly has covered in five of the last six meetings.

The Clippers are definitely out of their slump, and they have won four of five and covered in five straight. Both teams are playing in a back-to-back here and both are on their third game in four nights. But the Clippers have been home the whole time (last night they were the “road” team against the Lakers but in their own arena). The Spurs had to play in the high altitude in Denver, and that can really wear a team down. We think revenge is an overrated handicapping angle, but we do think the Clippers remember their absolute beatdown at the hands of the Spurs in San Antonio a couple weeks ago. We think this will be a perfect spot to get some payback tonight.

This is the second end of a home-and-home for the Warriors and Blazers. Golden State is playing some of their worst regular-season basketball we have seen in awhile, but the motivation is not there every night. But we think it will be here as the Blazers won a close one on Thursday, and this sets up a great revenge spot for the better team here, which should put their best foot forward in this matchup.

10 Unit Play. Take #649 St Johns over Seton Hall (8:30p.m., Saturday, December 29 FSN) Top College Basketball Play of the Day We are not going into this game blindly. St Johns is undefeated, but they are not ranked and have not played a very good nonconference schedule. That being said they are much more talented than the Pirates who lost 4 straights off of last year’s team that reached the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. The Red Storm have the best player on the floor and I expect them to win this game straight-up in a game that goes down to the wire. The Pirates claim to fame is beating Kentucky, but the Wildcats have had an up and down season thus far. The Underdog has covered the spread in 4 of the last 5 meetings. St Johns is an NCAA Tournament team and they will start off Big East play with a road win to keep their undefeated streak in-tact.

We expect a big game from the Bucks, who were off on Friday, while the Nets played the second game of a grueling home-and-home with Charlotte, the first of which went to OT. So they are on a back-to-back here and playing their third game in four nights. We don’t see things going well for them. The Bucks are 23-8-1 ATS in this series, so they always seem to get up for this matchup. The early start time goes against the Nets here as well as the back-to-back. This looks like it could be a massive blowout as the Nets should be running on fumes here.

This is another revenge situation as these teams met two nights ago in Dallas, and the Mavs won a close one and covered by only one point. That loss made it five in a row for the Pelicans. They will be desperate to get back on the winning track tonight, and we think they put their best foot forward in this one. The Mavs are an ugly 2-14 away from home this season, and we think the Pelicans will end the losing streak tonight on their home court.

Chicago is a very bad team, but we don’t think that this Wizards squad should be favored by this many over any team in the NBA. This team has stunk as a favorite this season, especially when the line is in this range. The Bulls have had some success in this series as they are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings in Washington. This game should be close, and the Bulls have a chance for a rare road win here tonight.

Brooklyn has the better record but we think the Hornets are the better team. Like many lousy teams, the Hornets are much better at home (12-7) than they are on the road (4-10). These teams played last time out in Brooklyn and the Hornets played well enough to win in a OT loss. We think revenge is way overrated in the NBA as a handicapping angle but it does come into play when the teams met recently, and that is certainly the case here. We think the Hornets will get a comfortable win here at home.

3 Unit Play. Take #810 Hofstra over Delaware (7p.m., Friday, December 28) CAA play gets underway Friday and we will side with the home team tonight in Hempstead. The Pride return a ton of talent from last season including Justin Wright-Foreman who is averaging around 25 points per game this season. Hofstra is 19-7 ATS (1 push) in their last 27 games.

Boston has covered in four straight meetings and in six of the last seven. We like them to win this one tonight. The Celtics had a long winning streak busted with a three-game losing streak, but since they have played very well and won and covered in two straight. When this team gets rolling they can keep it going for a long time, and we think they have the edge here. Houston is not a deep ballclub. Chris Paul is out. James Harden was on the injury report with a calf injury but has been upgraded to probable. We think they will need a “Superman” effort from Harden tonight in order to win this game, and with him injured that is very unlikely. Many of the good teams in the NBA are bad on the road, but the Celtics play well away from home and they have a winning record in road games this season. This is the best coached team in the NBA and they have been one of the most reliable bets in the league for the last couple years.

The Suns have now covered six straight games and this team is playing their best basketball of the season. They have won four out of their last six games, and they could have won another but fell at Washington in OT. On a back-to-back the next night they played their only lousy game recently, but that was to be expected after that barnburner of a game that was multiple overtimes in the nation’s capital. This team is completely healthy right now and they are really coming together as a team. Rookie Ayton is starting to show why he was the No. 1 pick in the draft, and Booker is a star. Orlando is 3-5 ATS this season as a favorite and this is tied with the biggest number they have laid all season. Just don’t think this team is good enough to be giving up a number like this, especially against a surging team like the Suns. Phoenix has covered in all of the last five meetings in Orlando.

Boston has a strong history in this series and they are the better ballclub. And the number is right here for a big win on Christmas. The Sixers haven’t covered a line in their last four trips to Boston and they are 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings. Philly is great at home but they have struggled on the road, and they have very few quality wins away from home. They lost to Boston on the road in the season opener by almost 20 points. They were blown out in Milwaukee. Toronto (twice). San Antonio. Those were their toughest road games, and they lost by double digits in each. We think they have a very good chance to lose here by double digits. Boston has been a bit streaky and they followed up a long winning streak by losing three straight. But they got back on track last time out in a 16-point home win vs. Charlotte and they led that game by as many as 33 before taking their foot off the gas. They shot 50 percent from the field, and we think that hot shooting will carry over here. Philly has won two straight, but they were both at home. They are just 6-9 on the road, however, and they have covered just 5 of 15 away from home this season. Boston has been one of the best and most stable betting teams the last couple years, and we think they have a great chance to win this one by 10+ on Tuesday.

When the Clippers had Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, the Warriors seemed to take pleasure in running up the score on the Clippers. They liked to get into these guys heads, and it always worked. But this is a different Clippers team and they are mentally tougher than previous editions. They also play better team basketball, and the team has great depth. The Clips already won the first meeting between these teams, at home in overtime. LA is coming off one of their best games of the season yesterday in their win over Denver. That was an early game so eliminated some of the brunt of the back-to-back here. We see this being a competitive game.

The Celtics have a strong recent history in this series as they are 6-1-1 ATS in the last eight meetings. Charlotte has had a home-heavy schedule lately, but this squad is just 4-8 on the road this season, and they face a real tough matchup on Sunday. Boston hasn’t been playing well with three straight losses, but before that they were on a long winning streak and we think they will be primed for a big bounce back here and we don’t see them overlooking this squad tonight after losing three straight.

The Kings are a pretty good team this season and one of the best ATS teams in the NBA. But they keep getting disrespected by the oddsmakers, and that is the case again here tonight as we had Sacramento as a small favorite in this matchup. The Pelicans are 4-13 on the road this season.  They are 7-10 ATS away from home and 1-4 ATS as a small favorite. The Kings are 5-1 ATS as a small dog like they are here tonight, and we think they will get another win in a close one on their home court.

10 Unit Play. Take #670 Arizona State over Kansas (9p.m., Saturday, December 22 ESPN 2) The PAC-12 Conference as a whole needs this win. They may be lucky to get two teams into the NCAA Tournament come March and they have not recorded many quality wins on the season. Kansas is ranked No. 1 in the country but they are nowhere near the best team especially without Udoka Azubuike. That is a major void for them to fill in the paint and they are not as good on either side of the court without him. They have struggled in Lawrence against them suspect teams and this will be their first true road game of the season. Arizona State won in Lawrence last season and they need this win to ensure their at large status into the NCAA Tournament come March. This team has the size and strength to match-up with Kansas and I believe they have the edge in rebounding missed shots off the glass. Kansas is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games against PAC-12 teams. Arizona State is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games against Big 12 teams.

The Rockets are a thin team, so the loss of Chris Paul really hurts right now. This team will figure out what to do in his absence, but it might be a rough go of it to start off with in these first few games. The Spurs are getting punished too much for their back-to-back here. We see them getting up to play their Texas rival as a lot of pride is normally involved in these games. San Antonio has been playing well lately for the most part, and we think this will be a close game.

The Suns had struggled offensively for much of the month, but things are a lot better now. Devin Booker is back in the lineup and this team is in a good rhythm offensively. They have actually won four straight, and three of those were very tough matchups. The Wizards have been excellent on offense but they have a trash defense, and we see both teams lighting up the scoreboard here tonight. Four of the last five games for Washington have gone over despite some very high totals. We see this as a competitive game and don’t see any blowout that would affect the total.

4 Unit Play. Take #690 Kentucky over North Carolina (5:30p.m., Saturday, December 22 CBS) Like using Kentucky in the role of an underdog. The Wildcats have not looked impressive this season, but talent is not their issues. Remember that this team was favored over Duke to open up the season. Just not a fan of North Carolina’s talent this season. They are experienced but not sure Luke Maye can lead them to the promise land. Kentucky will have an edge in the stands and they need this game more. North Carolina is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games. Kentucky is 17-8 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 27 neutral site games.

The Clippers hit the skids recently after a hot start, but they got back on the winning track last time out and they have actually played pretty good their last three games since that blowout loss in San Antonio. They were competitive against the Thunder, Blazers and in a win over the Mavs. They have seemed to play better in all three of those games, so we think the momentum will carry over here. The Clippers are very strong at home, while the Nuggets are average on the road. We think that Los Angeles has a very good chance to win this one.

4 Unit Play. #638 Take Over in Air Force @ Michigan (4p.m., Saturday, December 22 BTN) Just do not believe Michigan can cover this huge number without the game going over. Michigan is third in the country in points allowed but they have not been as dominating of late giving up an average of 70 points per game in their last two contests. Air Force will shoot a lot of three-point shots and if they can score 60 points this game should go over the posted total. Michigan has gone over the posted total in 3 of their last 5 home games against teams with a losing record (1 push).

Utah has a better record on the road than at home, for whatever reason, and we think this is a very winnable game for them tonight. They have gone under in four straight and six of seven, and when this team starts playing defense they are a force to be reckoned with. Once this team gets it’s act together, and the defense is part of that, they are a much better team than the Blazers, and we think they will show it tonight with another outstanding defensive effort. And the under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings, and we think that’s where this one is headed as well.

Love the Kings in this spot. They have been one of the best betting teams in the league this year and they will hold value all season long because of their lack of big names on the roster as well as their lousy reputation. But they face a Memphis team tonight that is not playing well. The Grizzlies have lost four straight and six of their last seven. They will not be very confident in this game and we think the Kings will be the squad with more swagger tonight.

Utah has a better record on the road than at home, for whatever reason, and we think this is a very winnable game for them tonight. They have gone under in four straight and six of seven, and when this team starts playing defense they are a force to be reckoned with. Once this team gets it’s act together, and the defense is part of that, they are a much better team than the Blazers, and we think they will show it tonight with another outstanding defensive effort. And the under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings, and we think that’s where this one is headed as well.

4 Unit Play. Take #806 Over in UC Irvine @ Butler (6:30p.m., Friday, December 21 FS1) Butler is coming off a tough loss against Indiana over the weekend but expect them to regroup after a tune up game during the week to get healthy. They are averaging 75 points per game and if they hit that number tonight this game should go over the posted total. Butler has gone over the posted total 4 straight games against teams with a winning road record.

Neither of these teams is in top form right now after both started off the season defying expectations to become two of the best ATS teams in the NBA.  But this looks like a great spot for the Clippers to get back on the winning track. They played well enough to win in their last two matchups vs. Portland and at OKC, but the opponent played a bit better. They have had two days off to focus here. The Mavs have been horrible on the road at 2-10 on the season, and they are in the midst of one of the toughest road trips any NBA team will see this season. They had been one of the best bets in the NBA but have lost their last three ATS as of this writing. The Clippers have had more time to regroup, and they have been able to do it at home, while the Nuggets have only one day off and should be road weary. We expect the number to be right here and we think this is a great spot for the home team to get a comfortable win.

4 Unit Play. Take #610 Houston over Utah State (8p.m., Thursday, December 20 ESPN 3) The Aggies may be the second-best team in the MWC but they have played a very easy schedule in the nonconference portion of the season and they have yet to record a quality win on the season. Houston will be an upper team in the AAC and should be able to win this game at home by 8-10 points. The Cougars are 18-7 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 27 games.

6 Unit Play. Take #746 Arizona over Montana (8:30p.m., Wednesday, December 19 PAC-12 Network) The Wildcats do not have as much talent as they have had in past years but they are always a tough team to beat at home. They are coming off two straight losses and it is important that they right the ship before conference play starts in two weeks. The Grizzles are 0-2 this season in true road games and they have not been competitive in either of those games. Montana is 0-8 ATS in their last 8 road games. Arizona is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games played on Wednesday.

5 Unit Play. Take #620 Under 154 in Missouri State @ Arkansas State (8p.m., Tuesday, December 18) Expect this game to stay under the posted total tonight in Jonesboro. The Red Wolves have gone under the posted total in 4 of their last 5 games. This line is inflated since the Bears have been going over the posted total a bunch of late, but the value lies with the under in this game.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

The Wizards haven’t been very good on the road, where they have won only four games all season. But the Hawks have been just as bad at home, where they have won only four. One of those road wins was less than two weeks ago in Atlanta against these same Hawks. That was a 14-point win but only because the Wizards took their foot off the gas when up by as much as 25 at one point. The Wizards went on to lose four straight after that, but this team looks like it might be on the way back up after one of the best wins of the season last time out in an 18-point home win over the Lakers. This Wizards team has not had enough success this season to overlook a team like the Hawks, and the talent discrepancy between these two clubs is large. We see the Wizards getting another comfortable win here in a game that sure looks like a mismatch.

The Clippers haven’t been playing well, having dropped five of their last six, and this team has lost the confidence of bettors. But we think this is a great spot for them to get back on track tonight. This team has played seven of the last nine on the road, and overall their strength of schedule has been very tough. But this team is still 9-3 SU at home and 8-4 ATS. We have bet against the Clippers in their last two games, and they failed to cover both. But they barely missed the cover last time out at OKC, and we liked what we saw from them down the stretch in that tough matchup. But we think they can continue that momentum here at home against a Portland team that is lousy on the road. They are 5-9 SU and 4-10 ATS on the season in road contests. Damian Lillard also missed practice yesterday and is attending to a personal matter to which we are not sure of the nature, but he might not have his head in the game 100%, and we think the Clippers will be very focused to get a win here and put an end to their current losing streak.

4 Unit Play. Take #767 Pepperdine over Oregon State (10p.m., Monday, December 17) The Beavers have not found the same magic that they once had from making the NCAA Tournament a couple of years ago. They are back to being a bottom feeder team in the conference and should not be giving this many points against anyone in the country. Pepperdine is 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games. Oregon State is 1-4 ATS (1 push) in their last 6 games against WCC teams.

These are two of the best ATS teams in the league facing off in Dallas tonight, but we think the Mavs are the better ballclub and we like them laying fewer than seven here on Sunday Night. The Mavs are coming off a somewhat embarrassing loss to the Suns, and they should bounce back well here. We think they will put their best foot forward here after playing lousy last time out. This is also their last home game before they go on a four-game road trip against WC playoff contenders, and that makes a win here imperative. They should be heavy dogs in all those road games. The Kings are coming off a home loss to Golden State where they played well and covered. This is probably a letdown spot after that strong effort.

4 Unit Play. Take #728 Over 129.5 in Saint Louis @ Houston (3p.m., Sunday, December 16 ESPNU) Expect both teams to reach the mid-sixties in scoring and we will not worry if Houston can cover this spread and just focus on the over. Houston has gone over the posted total in 4 of their last 5 games against Atlantic 10 teams.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

Minnesota is one of the best under teams for betting this season, and the Suns are trending in that direction lately as well. And the oddsmakers have once again posted too high of a total for this game. The Suns offense is really struggling without Booker, and they have failed to reach the century mark in seven of their last nine games. Minnesota has been hit or miss on offense, and we don’t see them putting up a massive number tonight. The under is 7-2 in the last nine meetings in Phoenix, and we see this one going in that direction on Saturday as well.

We believe in this Clippers team and think they are a playoff-caliber squad. But they at one point held down the No. 1 spot in the west. Now they are No. 4 and will probably drop further after Saturday. This team is just not on good form right now. They have failed to cover in five straight games and four of those were double-digit blowout losses. The Thunder are coming in on a back-to-back here, but we think the oddsmakers are punishing them too much. The Thunder have been good in limited B2B’s this season. Los Angeles hasn’t covered here in five trips, and we expect another rough outing on Saturday.

5 Unit Play. Take #649 USC +8.5 over Oklahoma (9p.m., Saturday, December 15 ESPNU) Oklahoma is not good enough to be laying this many points against a similar teams in talent. This game is not in Norman and thus some of the home court advantage is minimized. USC is 5-4 but they do not have a bad loss on the season and I just do not see them getting blown out in this game. USC is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against Big 12 teams. Oklahoma is 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games played on Saturday.

If the Rockets were a stock, we would be buying right now. We knew this team would start to turn it on, and now it seems like that is taking place after wins and covers in their last two games, against the Blazers and Lakers. The Grizzlies had a very strong start to the season, but they are trailing off now. Their offense has failed to reach the century mark in five of their last six games. The Houston offense has really got in rhythm and we don’t think the Grizzlies will be able to slow them down. Houston has won and covered the last two meetings by double digits, and they have covered in four of the last six meetings. Those trends hold firm tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #664 Over 140.5 in Washington vs Virginia Tech (7p.m., Saturday, December 15 ESPNU) Virginia Tech should be able to dictate the style of play in this game and expect both teams to reach the 70s in scoring. The Hokies have gone over the posted total in 6 of their last 8 neutral site games. The Huskies have gone over the posted total in 5 straight games against ACC teams.

10 Unit Play. Take #667 Indiana over Butler (3:45p.m., Saturday, December 15 CBS) This 4 team tournament always seems to feature competitive games and upsets but I just do not believe Butler has the same magic under this coaching staff. The Bulldogs are 7-2 on the season but both of their losses have come against teams that will likely not make the NCAA Tournament come March. Indiana is 8-2 and both of their losses are against quality teams with one of them (Duke) possessing the most talent in the country. Indiana can score points and they are shooting over 51% on the season. Butler will have to be on fire from long range to make a game of this and I do not expect that to happen. The Hoosiers are in year two under Archie Miller and they have already shown flashes of brilliance this year and I expect them to make the NCAA Tournament come March. They pick up another quality win today at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

We will go with the hot team here as the Pacers come in riding a five-game winning streak. This team is healthy now, while the Sixers have some injury issues, and Butler is questionable here for this one tonight. The Pacers always get up to play the Sixers, and they are 5-2 ATS in the last seven games in Philly and 9-4 ATS overall in the last 13 meetings. We see this as a very competitive team and the Pacers have been a much better betting team than has the Sixers thus far this season. An outright win is not out of the question here.

The Suns are really struggling offensively right now. They have failed to reach the century mark in six of their last eight games, which is tough to do in today’s NBA where most teams put up 110 on a nightly basis. Because scoring is up, bookies have to post high totals. But six of the last nine games for the Suns have gone under. Dallas is playing a back-to-back and their third game in four nights, so we think there’s a good chance their offense could be flat as well and they probably won’t go crazy on the offensive end even against this lousy Suns defense.

The Clippers are trending down right now with four straight ATS losses and five of their last six. They won only one of those ATS loss games, at Phoenix, and the feeble Suns took them to overtime where LA squeaked out the win. Every NBA team goes through these downturns, and you can’t fault the Clips after the way they started the season. But San Antonio is trending up, and they have won and covered three straight, all at home. We thought that this line should be about 4.5 and we would lean Spurs at that number but this small number offers up a lot of value tonight.

We really liked the way the Rockets played last time out in a big home win over Portland. This squad is a much better team than the Lakers, despite the records, and once they get their act together they have a much higher ceiling than does LA. We think maybe they turned a corner in that last game, and they will not have a lack of motivation here tonight against LeBron and Co. on national TV. The Lakers are always overrated by the oddsmakers and they are a bit overvalued tonight. The Rockets seem to get up to play the Lakers historically as they are 13-5 ATS in the last 18 meetings. We think they win by 7+ tonight.

We expected a double-digit spread here but the Mavs are still being underestimated by the oddsmakers. This is the best ATS team in the league at this point, and Atlanta is the third-worst. Dallas is so good ATS by winning games like this, and they don’t often take a night off or overlook an opponent. We expect another workman-like effort from this blue collar Mavs team tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #714 Wichita State over Jacksonville State (8p.m., Wednesday, December 12 ESPN 3) The Shockers have taken a step back in talent this year and likely will not make the NCAA Tournament come March, but they do have enough talent to win this game by double digits. The Shockers beat the Baylor Bears in their last home game and should be determined to play better after getting blown out at Oklahoma in their last game. Jacksonville State’s wins have come against terrible teams. Wichita State is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games. Jacksonville State is 1-4 ATS (1 push) in their last 6 road games.

We love the way the Celtics are playing right now. This team has been one of the safest bets in the NBA the last couple seasons since Coach Stevens took over, and they are a much stronger team than the Wizards when both squads are playing their best. Kyrie Irving is listed as probable in this one, but as we saw last time out against the Pelicans, this team can get the job done even if he doesn’t play.

These are two bad teams but the Knicks are the lesser of two evils and they can put together a complete game on a more regular basis than the Cavs can. New York has covered in three of the last four meetings and they are 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings in Cleveland. Great chance the Cavs show up uninterested to this one, and we think the road team should win outright here.

The Clippers are being punished too much for this back-to-back situation. They are 3-1 ATS and SU in back-to-backs this season, and they probably overlooked the Suns last night as they focused on this marquee matchup. They have won and covered two straight in this series, and we like their chances to keep this one close tonight. The Raptors are not in the best form right now as they have lost three of four. They have been overrated by the oddsmakers as they have covered just one of their last six. The Clippers are one of the better ATS teams in the league, and they seem they are getting disrespected again. We see this game as a coin flip as to who wins outright, so getting this many points provides good value.

4 Unit Play. Take #606 New Mexico over Colorado (9p.m., Tuesday, December 11 ESPN 2) The Lobos are a much better team at home and I feel they have a good chance to win this game straight-up. The line keeps coming down on this game since Colorado is nothing special for a conference that is way down this season. Colorado is 3-7 ATS (2 pushes) in their last 12 games against MWC teams.

Five of the last six meetings between these teams have gone under the posted total, and this is the highest total we have seen during that stretch. The Suns have really struggled on offense lately. Five of their last seven games have seen them finish under the century mark for scoring. They played, and lost, in OT to the Clippers last night and this looks like a spot where their offense comes out flat again. Booker is out again for the Suns and Crawford is questionable here. We see this as a likely blowout here the Suns once again fail to reach the century mark, and we think the Spurs will get their points but they won’t go crazy on offense.

After a slow start to the season, the Celtics have come on strong lately and this team has now won and covered in five straight. Most of those games were blowouts, including a matchup at New Orleans to start the streak, a 124-107 Celtics win. We think revenge is an overrated NBA handicapping angle, and the Pelicans have been inconsistent lately and they are just trying to get on the same page as a team. If they are hunting for revenge then they will have a lot of teams in their target as they have been racking up too many losses lately. We have to go with the hot hand here as the Celtics are now playing to their potential, and that potential has them as a Top 2 team in the Eastern Conference.

We were on New York last night as it looked like a good spot at home against Brooklyn, but the Knicks played an absolutely dreadful game and now they face a much tougher matchup on the second end of a back-to-back. Things will not go well for them, and this looks like a possible blowout. The Hornets are one of the better ATS teams out there at 15-10 ATS, and they are very under the radar so as long as they don’t get their win total up too high but keep covering numbers, they can keep their betting value all season long barring major injuries.

The Bucks have been just average on the road this season at 4-5 on the year. We thought that this line should be above 7, so we think there is some great value with what looks like the best team in the NBA during the first part of the season. The Bucks won the last matchup very early in the season, but they are not in the best form right now as they have covered in only one of their last seven games. This one looks like a real mismatch and we expect the home team to win comfortably.

4 Unit Play. Take #862 Grand Canyon over Nevada (5:30p.m., Sunday, December 9 ESPN U) This is a short turnaround for the Wolf Pack and a defacto home game for Grand Canyon. The line is been coming down and we will follow that trend after going against Nevada on Friday.

4 Unit Play. Take #860 Gonzaga over Tennessee (3p.m., Sunday, December 9 ESPN) Just do not trust Tennessee as much as I trust Gonzaga. This will not be a blowout but expect Gonzaga to pull away late and win this game by 7-9 points. Tennessee is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a victory in their previous game. Gonzaga is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games.

4 Unit Play. Take #841 Arizona over Alabama (1p.m., Sunday, December 9 ESPN) This line keeps going up and I do not believe it is warranted. Arizona is 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games against SEC teams. 67% of the money is coming in on the underdog and it would not surprise me if Arizona wins this game straight-up.

Miami is in a real bad spot here, missing players from injury and for personal matters. They face an angry Clippers team that played a very uncharacteristic bad game last time out in Memphis. This is a very professional team and we feel they will shake that performance off and come out here with a workmanlike effort and get a big win over a bad team. The Clippers are playing like every game counts this season, and we don’t think they will overlook this game, especially with their bad effort last time out.

The Wolves have covered six of their last seven games and this team is really under the radar right now but playing well. Portland looked good last time out against a hapless Phoenix squad but they had lost three straight before that and they have struggled with six losses in their last eight games. They got off to a hot start, but alas it seems like this team doesn’t live up to the hype. Minnesota has all the betting value here in a game that looks like a coin flip. In those cases, getting more than two points offers some great value as we think the Wolves could, and should, win outright.

New York has been dominating in this series, cashing six straight tickets. We think they get No. 7 tonight. New York hasn’t played well lately but they have had one of the most brutal recent schedules in the NBA. They have actually covered in six of their last nine, however, and this looks like a great spot for a win against a Brooklyn team that had possibly their game of the year last night in an OT win at Toronto. They had lost eight straight before that, and this seems like the perfect spot for them to come back down to earth tonight.

4 Unit Play. Take #804 Connecticut +9 over Florida State (6:30p.m., Saturday, December 7 ESPN 2) Just never like Florida State as a big favorite. This team has always been poorly coached and they are 0-3 ATS (1 push) in their last 4 games. UCONN is 4-1 ATS in their last 4 games. I expect this to be closer that what the experts think.

10 Unit Play. Take #777 Wisconsin over Marquette (5p.m., Saturday, December 7 FOX) This battle of Wisconsin takes place at the new Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI. We used Marquette last week as our big play and won easily but I do not expect the kind of officiating in this game that we saw in that game. The road team has dominated this series having covered the spread in 4 of the last 5 meetings. Wisconsin is 9-0 ATS in their last 9 road games. Marquette is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games against Big 10 teams. Wisconsin is 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. The Badgers have the best player in the floor in Ethan Happ and they will not let Markus Howard go off like he did last Saturday.

4 Unit Play. Take #810 Over 150.5 in UT Martin @ East Tennessee State (4p.m., Saturday, December 7) The total keeps going up and it is with good reason. UT Martin has gone over the posted total in 4 of their last 5 games. ETSU has gone over the posted total in 5 of their last 6 games.

4 Unit Play. Take #530 Arizona State over Nevada (11:59p.m., Friday, December 7 ESPN 2) We will grab the points in this battle of undefeated teams tonight at the Staples Center. Nevada lost here to a similar team in TCU and this will likely be the highest rated team the Wolf Pack face all season long. Arizona State should be healthier for this game and expect them to take it down to the wire. The Sun Devils are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games against MWC teams. 57% of the money is coming in on ASU despite being an underdog and I believe they can win this game straight-up.

In the NBA home-court advantage is everything. And that could not be more evident when looking at the Sixers home/road splits. This team is 13-1 at home but just 4-8 on the road this season. The Pistons are in the same boat at 9-4 at home and 4-5 on the road. This Pistons team is underrated and they are coming off two straight losses in tough matchups, and they will be anxious to get back on the winning track here tonight in front of a national TV audience. Before those two losses they had won five straight, all here at home. The Sixers will be without Embiid tonight, and that hurts their chances here. The Sixers are perpetually overrated by oddsmakers this season, and they have been a money burner at 11-15 ATS, mostly because of their road woes. They are 2-5 ATS on the road against winning teams this season. Detroit is 9-4 ATS in the last 13 meetings in Detroit, and we feel they will get the win here tonight.

The Suns are really struggling on offense lately, and they have averaged just 96 PPG in their last four contests, three of which saw them finish the game under the century mark, which is becoming very rare in this day’s NBA. And because scoring is up league wide, the bookies have to post high totals every night. This looks like one where they got it wrong. Devin Booker is the best offensive weapon for the Suns, and he has been banged up lately and will be out here, and their offense will suffer as a result. The Blazers have been better on defense at home than on the road, but they have been road warriors for awhile and haven’t played much at home in the last couple weeks. We think they put up a big defensive effort against a struggling Suns offense and we don’t see the Suns getting over 100 here tonight. The Blazers offense has been hit or miss, and we just don’t see them exploding for a 120+ type game in this one. They should do enough to win handily and will probably dribble the shot clock out at the end of the game.

4 Unit Play. Take #711 Drake over Milwaukee (8p.m., Thursday, December 6 ESPN+) The Panthers will struggle for wins this season and we will fade them tonight at the Cell. Drake has won 4 straight games and they have covered the spread in 5 of their last 7 games against Horizon League teams. This will not be a blowout but look Drake to pull away over the last 5 minutes and win this game by 7-9 points.

The Grizzlies have lost four of five but they faced a real tough slate during that stretch that saw them lose to Toronto, at Philly, and at these same Clippers. The Grizzlies had that game in hand until some late Clipper heroics and then they lost in overtime and missed the cover by ½ point. They will put their best foot forward tonight against a traditional rival and with the venue now at home. Memphis has had two nights off and they are 6-0 ATS with this much rest. We think they will be very focused to get back on track in this one. The Clippers are one of the biggest surprises in the league this year and they are a very good team. But they are starting to be overvalued by the oddsmakers, and we think that is the case here tonight. We think this will be a high-scoring game and that the posted total is about four points too low.

The Grizzlies have lost four of five but they faced a real tough slate during that stretch that saw them lose to Toronto, at Philly, and at these same Clippers. The Grizzlies had that game in hand until some late Clipper heroics and then they lost in overtime and missed the cover by ½ point. They will put their best foot forward tonight against a traditional rival and with the venue now at home. Memphis has had two nights off and they are 6-0 ATS with this much rest. We think they will be very focused to get back on track in this one. The Clippers are one of the biggest surprises in the league this year and they are a very good team. But they are starting to be overvalued by the oddsmakers, and we think that is the case here tonight. We think this will be a high-scoring game and that the posted total is about four points too low.

4 Unit Play. Take #537 St Joes over Princeton (7p.m., Wednesday, December 5 ESPN+) The Hawks have played a difficult schedule and will enter this game having lost 4 of their last 5 games. The Tigers have played a very light schedule thus far and will not be battle tested for this game. St Joes is 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games against Ivy League teams. Princeton is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games.

Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports

5 Unit Play. Take #525 Marshall over Duquesne (7p.m., Wednesday, December 5 ESPN+) The Thundering Herd put up a dud last time out, but we expect a much better performance tonight in Pittsburgh, PA. The Dukes have yet to record a quality win on the season and they were also blown out last time as well. Marshall will get hot from the three-point line at some point in this game and that will be the difference. Marshall is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against Atlantic 10 teams. Duquesne is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games.

4 Unit Play. Take #726 Little Rock over Bradley (7:30p.m., Tuesday, December 4) The Braves continue to be overvalued and we will go against them for a second straight game. New Mexico pounded them on Saturday despite being a touchdown underdog and I think Little Rock has a chance to win this game straight-up as well. The Trojans have yet to play a close game thus far this season, but this will finally be the one that goes down to the wire and getting this many points is too good to pass up. Little Rock is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against MVC teams. Bradley is 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games.

The Bulls are a terrible team, but they have covered just as many games this season as the Pacers have. We simply think that this line is too large on Tuesday. The Bulls fired Fred Hoiberg on Monday, and sometimes this gives the team some extra motivation as sometimes the coach’s message has stopped getting through to the players. We think they will play hard here. The Pacers are the much better team, but they are missing their superstar and best player in Oladipo and this squad has lost four out of its last six. They are also on the dreaded first game back home after a long road trip, not to mention they play on the road for one game after this home contest, and sometimes players don’t give full effort in these spots since they have off-the-court life dealings to consider. This is too many points on Tuesday.

Most times it would be tough to trust a 2-9 road team laying points away from home. But this team not only got off to a slow start, but they have had just a brutal road schedule this season and this is arguably their easiest road game of the year (they also played at Orlando). This team is 7-5 in their last 12 games and they are playing much better basketball after a slow start. They seem to be taking nearly every game more seriously and we think they give it their all tonight in this very winnable contest. Washington is 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings in New York and 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings overall, and we think there’s a good chance for a 7+-point win here.

Two teams that are playing very well, but the Pistons have won five straight and seven of their last eight. They are in amazing form right now and clicking on all facets of the game when this team has underwhelmed so many times over the years. They are 9-3 at home this season while the Thunder are just average on the road at 5-4. Both teams have been winning against an easy schedule lately, but we have just been more impressed by what the Pistons have done, and they are the team catching points at home. Very live home dog here on Monday that should be able to get the outright win.

The wrong team is favored here. The Clippers have been one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this season and they sit No. 1 in the Western Conference. They have had a decently easy schedule lately and this team is just average on the road where they sit at 6-5 on the season (The Mavs are 8-2 at home). Dallas has won seven of their last nine so they are in fine form as well. DeAndre Jordan will be hyped to play against his old team, and the rest of his teammates will rally around him against what is becoming a bit of an overrated Clippers team.

4 Unit Play. #720 Take Missouri over UCF (3p.m., Sunday, November 2 ESPN U) We will go against the grain in this game as Missouri is desperate for a win. The Tigers have played a brutal schedule thus far, but they have talent and they will get better as the season progresses. UCF is 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games. Missouri is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games played on Sunday.

4 Unit Play. Take #552 New Mexico over Bradley (8p.m., Saturday, December 1 ESPN+) We will grab the points in this game with the team from the better conference and I truly believe the talent level is equal as well.  New Mexico had an outstanding MWC season and I do not believe they warrant to be a touchdown underdog.

4 Unit Play. Take #563 Nevada over USC (4:30p.m., Saturday, December 1 FOX) The Wolf Pack are a legit top 5 team and we will ride them again after easily collecting with them against Loyola earlier this week. USC has talent, but they do not have a home court edge and a couple of their key players are questionable for this game. Need to keep riding Nevada with these short numbers until we are proven wrong. Nevada is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games. USC is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a victory last time out.

10 Unit Play. Take #534 Marquette over Kansas State (2p.m., Saturday, December 1 FS1) NONCONFERENCE GAME OF THE YEAR Both teams return a ton of experience, but Marquette needs this game more to bolster their hopes of an NCAA Tournament bid. Always like a game that features an unranked team that is favored against a ranked team. The Golden Eagles are a much better team at home and this will be the first two road game for Kansas State and their Milwaukee native coach. Marquette has two losses on the season, but they have played a much more difficult schedule, but they have yet to record a quality win. This will be the day that it happens. Generally, to win on the road against good teams you must shoot the ball well from long range and that is just not something this Wildcat team does well. This will be a contrast in styles with Marquette having the edge on the perimeter compared to K-State having the edge in the pant. Kansas State is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games against Big East teams. Marquette has yet to hit their stride and play a complete 40 minute game but I expect that to happen on Saturday.

4 Unit Play. Take #628 Chattanooga over Tennessee Tech (2p.m., Saturday, December 1 ESPN+) No play against Tennessee Tech is a bad play. They are 1-6 on the season and are coming off a home loss to Winthrop by double digits. 80% of the money is coming in on Chattanooga and the line is jumping with good reason. This will be an 8-10 point win by the visitor and we will collect big in the process as well.

4 Unit Play. Take #738 Minnesota over Oklahoma State (10p.m., Friday, November 30 BTN) Would go higher on this game if it were at the Barn but it is still in Minneapolis and feel Minnesota will bounce back in a big way tonight. The Pokes are coming off their best win of the season last time out against LSU. That being said they already lost to Charlotte this season in their only true road game thus far. Oklahoma State is 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games played on Friday. The line is trending up and look for Minnesota to win this game by 6-8 points.