Tag: NBA

NBA Playoffs & MLB Value Bets for Tuesday, April 16

By: Al Walsh – Follow him on Twitter @14AdotWalsh

* NBA PLAYOFFS *

[9:00 p.m. EST] Under 210 – San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets

The Spurs did their job and got the road win in Game 1, so they can basically take the night off for the sake of us bettors. After all, this is pretty much how a series goes if the underdog wins the opener on the road – The underdog usually gets rolled in Game 2 – See: Brooklyn Nets last night. And don’t let the score in that 76ers/Nets game fool you, because the Nuggets and Spurs simply don’t have that type of offensive firepower.

The best value play in this game is taking the under. Dating back to the regular season, 17 of San Antonio’s last 22 games have gone under the total, while Denver’s games also have a track record of not going over the total, suffering that fate in 22 of its last 32.

While it looks like the Spurs could very well get their doors blown off, SK has more confidence in this one going under the total. If you’re a fan of prop bets, taking the under of 101.5 points for the Spurs’ team total would also be a wise move.

[10:30 p.m. EST] Oklahoma City Thunder at Portland Trail Blazers (-114 ML)

The highest SK Trend Confidence (32%) on tonight’s NBA slate is Portland to win outright once again over OKC. Everyone figured the Thunder would easily win Game 1, considering they went 4-0 against the Trail Blazers during the regular season. Not to mention, Russell Westbrook has outplayed Damian Lillard in the head-to-head sense over the course of their careers.

However, the tide turned in the series opener, and that was with Portland not necessarily playing its best brand of basketball. Thankfully, the Trail Blazers had a 14-point lead at the end of the first quarter, and that allowed them to hold on for the five-point victory at the end.

OKC’s Westbrook (ankle) and Paul George (shoulder) are both a little banged up, and neither of them has completely dismissed the fact that these injuries will be an issue. If that truly is the case, the Thunder could be looking at an 0-2 hole heading back to OKC – and the SK Trend Confidence believes that will be the case.

* MLB REGULAR SEASON GAMES *

[7:10 p.m. EST] Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays (-250 ML/-1.5)
BAL: Dylan Bundy – R (0-1, 8.76 ERA)
TB: Tyler Glasnow – R (3-0, 0.53)

Betting MLB games like this one is usually what we look for – pitchers trending in opposite directions. Tyler Glasnow of the Rays is off to an amazing start, allowing only one run in 17 innings, while striking out 21 batters and walking three. On the other side, Dylan Bundy goes for the Orioles, and he has been absolutely horrendous, allowing 12 runs in 12.1 innings. Bundy has racked up 17 strikeouts so far but that has been nullified by a massive 1.78 WHIP.

The Rays currently have the best winning percentage in all of MLB and are showing no signs of slowing down. Especially with a fantastic matchup against Bundy on the horizon.

Tampa Bay on the moneyline has a nice SK Trend Confidence rating of 30%. But it might make more sense to bet the Rays on the 1.5-run line (SK Trend Confidence rating of 26%) so you don’t have to risk as much money.

* Final Score Prediction: Tampa Bay Rays: 8 – Baltimore Orioles: 1 *

[10:07 p.m. EST] Houston Astros (-160 ML) at Oakland Athletics
HOU: Collin McHugh – R (2-1, 2.65 ERA)
OAK: Marco Estrada – R (0-1, 4.87 ERA)

The Astros will be looking to win their 10th consecutive game when they meet the A’s and if history is any indication, that shouldn’t be a problem. Collin McHugh has gone 9-1 with a 2.73 ERA in 18 appearances (12 starts) against Oakland over the course of his career. Not only that, but Houston’s bullpen has been outstanding at the onset, ranking third in all of MLB with a 2.70 ERA. The A’s bullpen has been responsible for five of the team’s losses, including four blown saves.

Houston’s offense is usually deadly, and this year is no different as it leads MLB with a collective .280 batting average. The Astros’ 32% SK Trend Confidence rating is the highest of any team on the moneyline tonight.

* Final Score Prediction: Houston Astros: 6 – Oakland Athletics: 4 *

NBA Betting Value Picks for Wednesday, April 10

By: Al Walsh – Follow him on Twitter @14AdotWalsh

It has all come down to the final night of the NBA season. Eight of the games on tonight’s slate have some level of implications on the playoff picture in each conference. There’s nothing left to do but sit back and have a fun night watching these matchups.

Let’s take a look at which games have plenty of value in the betting trends tonight…

[8:10 p.m. EST] Orlando Magic at Charlotte Hornets (-4) – Total: 219.5

The Hornets need a win and Pistons’ loss in order to clinch the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. And it’s a lot easier said than done, considering the Pistons will be facing the Knicks, who own the worst record in the NBA. None of the three games in this Charlotte-Orlando season series have been nail-biters, with the winning margin coming by an average of 31.7 points – the Hornets have the 2-1 edge over the Magic this season.

Considering the Hornets need this game in order to have a chance of making the playoffs, we should see them have another successful performance tonight. In fact, Charlotte has gone 9-2 against the spread in its last 11 games.

[8:10 p.m. EST] Detroit Pistons at New York Knicks (+9.5) – Total: 206.5

Alright, the table has been set for the Pistons tonight – win and they’re in. However, this team just exerted a ton of energy in a miraculous comeback win over the Grizzlies at home last night, and now have to bring that same level of intensity on the road. Granted, the Knicks have the NBA’s worst record and there’s no chance they’ll relinquish that fate at the end of the night. There’s a good chance, though, that they come out with a fiery effort in the final game of the season. In essence, this is a playoff-like game for the Knicks.

Detroit just isn’t playing its best basketball heading down the stretch and 9.5 points seems like a wishful number to hit on the road, especially for a team that hasn’t covered the spread in five consecutive games and could be without Blake Griffin. I do think the Pistons get the win tonight, but it certainly won’t be by double-digits on the back-end of a back-to-back.

[10:40 p.m. EST] Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Clippers (-6.5) – Total: 225

The Clippers could avoid a first-round matchup with the almighty Warriors by winning tonight’s game against the Jazz, and the 6.5-point spread looks a lot easier to hit with Utah sitting all of its key players.

It’s an interesting scenario too because the Spurs and Thunder games matter a lot to the Clippers’ fate. San Antonio and OKC will tip off its respective games at 8:10 p.m. EST, two-and-a-half hours before Los Angeles takes the floor. According to ESPN… If the Spurs lose and Clippers win, LA grabs the No. 7 seed. If the Thunder lose, and Spurs and Clippers win, LA would get the No. 7 seed in that scenario as well. If all three teams win, or the Clippers lose, LA would get the No. 8. It’s all very simple, you see? Yikes!

With the Clippers essentially playing the Jazz D-squad, look for them to roll in this game.

NBA Betting Value Picks for Tuesday, April 9

By: Al Walsh – Follow him on Twitter @14AdotWalsh

Be sure to tune in to the NBAyd Show tonight with Gary Ayd of SB Nation. I’ll be on at around 9:20 p.m. EST on sbnationradio.com!

One night after we crowned a champion in college basketball, it’s now time to finish off the final two days of the NBA season. There’s plenty at stake in the Eastern Conference, as the Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat are all fighting for that final playoff spot – and the best part is that they’re all in action tonight. Let’s take a look at who could make a move in the right direction, and who could possibly fall out of the picture.

[7:10 p.m. EST] Charlotte Hornets (-8/-340 ML) at Cleveland Cavaliers – Total: 221

There’s no getting around it – the Charlotte Hornets need this game. Tomorrow night, they’ll take on the Orlando Magic, so it’s imperative for them to take care of business on Tuesday. And the Hornets likely will, as they have won seven of the last 10 games, covering the spread in eight of them.

The highest SK Trend Confidence score (25%) lies within the over in this game, as six of the last eight Cleveland Cavaliers’ games have gone in that direction. It makes sense, with the Cavs in full-on tank mode, they have allowed at least (AT LEAST!) 110 points in each of their nine losses.

[7:10 p.m. EST] Memphis Grizzlies (+10.5/+410 ML) at Detroit Pistons – Total: 209.5

If anyone finds the Detroit Pistons, can someone let them the playoffs are about to start soon? Yikes! The Pistons have completely let a golden opportunity slip right through their hands, losing seven of the last nine games, including four straight. On the other side, the Memphis Grizzlies absolutely know that they have a chance to spoil some plans for the home team. After all, the Grizz have had wins against quality teams like the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder in recent memory.

The highest SK Trend Confidence score (30%) sits with the Grizzlies to win outright on the moneyline in this game. If that’s too much risk to handle, Memphis should easily cover that 10.5-point spread.

[9:40 p.m. EST] Houston Rockets (-2/-128 ML) at Oklahoma City Thunder – Total: 230

Believe it or not, but the Houston Rockets have a chance to grab the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Tonight is their final game of the regular season, and the Rockets are rolling heading into the playoffs with a 20-3 record over the last 23 games. Not to mention, James Harden and the boys have covered the spread in each of the last six games. With this being Houston’s last chance to position itself for playoff seeding, look for them to have an inspirational performance against OKC.

The Rockets’ moneyline win has the highest SK Trend Confidence score (37%) of any scenario in this game tonight.

NBA Betting Value Picks for Sunday, April 7

By Al Walsh – Follow him on Twitter @14AdotWalsh

If you haven’t been watching the NBA this season, Sunday is a great day to get yourself reacquainted with the game. There is a total of eight games on the docket that have some level of importance towards making the playoffs or positioning within the standings. Buckle up, folks. The Lord’s Day is going to be a dandy!

NBA Value Betting Picks for Sunday, April 7

[4:00 p.m. EST] Charlotte Hornets (+6.5) at Detroit Pistons – Total: 216

The Hornets have beaten the Pistons in all three meetings this season, two of them coming by 10+ points. After a brutal stretch of games out West, Charlotte has won its last two games and, thanks to help from other teams, still finds itself in the running for the last playoff bid in the East. The highest SK Trend Confidence on this game is in favor of the Hornets, who are 7-3 in their last 10 games against teams with a losing record.

[7:35 p.m. EST] Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics (-190 ML) – Total: 217

Believe it or not, the Celtics have lost each of their two meetings against the Magic this season. This is a perfect time for Boston to repay the favor and finally clinch home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs. The Celtics, who have gone through the motions this season, are clicking at the right time with five wins over the last six games. Those two wins from the Magic came by a combined five points. That, coupled with the fact that Orlando is fighting for its playoff livelihood, makes Boston a much safer play on the moneyline.

[9:00 p.m. EST] Denver Nuggets at Portland Trail Blazers (-135 ML) – Total: 217

This is EXCELLENT (I repeat… EXCELLENT) value on the Trail Blazers in this game. Why, you ask? Stay with me…

These two teams just played each other on Friday as part of a home-and-home series, and the team losing on the front-end of these matchups have come back to win over 70% of the time this season. Portland actually played Denver very well on Friday, despite what the nine-point differential might suggest. In fact, the Blazers are 6-1 in their last seven home games and desperately need a win tonight to keep a grip on the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Take Portland with confidence and, as an added sprinkle of goodness, the over in this game has a 27% Trend Confidence rating in this game – our second-highest rating on the entire slate.

NBA Betting Preview for Friday, April 5

By Al Walsh – Follow him on Twitter @14AdotWalsh

Get ready for another exciting night of NBA hoops! The Spread Knowledge top value plays of the night are listed below. However, because they are such heavy favorites on the moneyline, we’re only advising you to take them as an extra caveat to add to your parlays:

  • Los Angeles Lakers at Los Angeles Clippers (-667 ML)
  • New York Knicks at Houston Rockets (-2500 ML)

[7:10 p.m. EST] Under 226.5 – Atlanta Hawks (+342 ML) at Orlando Magic

There’s no getting around it, but the Orlando Magic need to win, as they currently sit in the final spot of the Eastern Conference playoff race. This is the final time that Orlando will have a regular season game on its home court, so the level of importance doesn’t even need to be described.

However, the SK value system loves the moneyline number on the Atlanta Hawks, who have been quite pesky down the stretch with outright wins over the 76ers (twice), Bucks and Jazz. Hawks point guard Trae Young is still trying to make one last heroic attempt at winning the NBA Rookie of the Year award and he can certainly make life difficult on the Magic defense.

While it is true that Orlando hit four straight overs, 216 has been the highest total over that stretch. Granted, Atlanta’s NBA-leading pace and lackluster defense are the reasons we see a 226.5 total tonight, but that just lends more optimism that the Hawks come in and pull off the upset win. In fact, two of the three Hawks-Magic matchups have gone under tonight’s total.

[8:10 p.m. EST] Under 213 – Boston Celtics at Indiana Pacers

These two teams just faced off last Friday and now they’ll do battle once again. The term “battle” is an understatement, as they both have the same record and find themselves jockeying for homecourt advantage in their eventual first-round playoff matchup. The Boston Celtics do hold the head-to-head tiebreaker but a win for the Indiana Pacers would be monumental here.

The one lean the SK value system has is Under 213 points in the game, mainly because of the importance of defense in this matchup, as Indiana ranks third in defensive efficiency and Boston ranks sixth. Not to mention, the two teams just saw each other and will likely have their best defensive efforts on deck.

[10:10 p.m. EST] New Orleans Pelicans (-130) at Phoenix Suns

The SK value system has quite the knack for pointing out these late-season NBA games that have absolutely no meaning whatsoever in the standings. However, the amount of key players the Phoenix Suns are missing is just too large to ignore. Granted, the New Orleans Pelicans will be missing Anthony Davis but that seems like a blip on the radar, consider the Suns are missing Devin Booker, DeAndre Ayton and T.J. Warren.

Look for the Pelicans B-team to get the win over the Suns C-team.

[10:40 p.m. EST] Portland Trail Blazers (+236 ML) at Denver Nuggets

In what would be a dazzling upset win, the SK value system loves the Portland Trail Blazers to go on the road and get the outright W over the Denver Nuggets. The Trail Blazers have won 11 of their 13 games while the Nuggets have been a very Jekyll-and-Hyde sort of team, going 3-4 over the last seven. Denver has won each of the previous two meetings versus Portland this season by a combined four points. Not to mention, these two teams will face each other in their next game on Sunday – time for the Trail Blazers to get busy and even the score.

NBA Betting Preview for Wednesday, April 3

NBA Betting Preview for Wednesday, April 3, 2019

[7:05 p.m. EST] Over 226 – Chicago Bulls at Washington Wizards

Both teams are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, so we should see a very fun and loose style of play from the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards tonight. After all, both teams (CHI: 26th, WAS: 27th) rank in the bottom-five of the NBA in defensive efficiency. The last two times these teams played the totals were 259 and 246, so the SK value system likes there to be more of the same this evening.

[8:10 p.m. EST] Charlotte Hornets at New Orleans Pelicans (+145 ML)

The Charlotte Hornets are still mathematically alive in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, but the proverbial heart was ripped out of the chest multiple times already on this current West coast trip. SK’s value system loves the Hornets’ suffering to continue, especially with Cody Zeller and Marvin Williams officially ruled out. Charlotte’s key to suffering has been its defense, which has allowed an average of 125.7 points per game during this current road trip. Not to mention, the Hornets are 2-6 in their last eight road games, with one of those wins coming in Toronto on a bizarre half-court shot from Jeremy Lamb at the buzzer.

[10:40 p.m. EST] Under 229 – Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Clippers (-115 ML)

The SK value system has a nice double-play to cap off the evening, giving the advantage to the LA Clippers and the total going under 229 points. The Houston Rockets just put up a nice performance in Sacramento last night so there could be some level of fatigue for them here in the final month of the regular season. While the Rockets want to clinch the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, the Clippers are trying to jump up a few spots and possibly sneak into the No. 4 seed for home-court advantage in the first round. The Clippers have won each of their two meetings against the Rockets this season.

There’s plenty of motivation for Houston and LA to get the win, so we should see a valiant effort on the defensive end from both sides. After all, 16 of the Rockets’ last 21 games have gone under the total and they do run the NBA’s fifth-slowest tempo. On the back-end of a back-to-back, they could very well take even more time on their possessions.

NBA Betting Preview for Tuesday, April 2

Be sure to check out Spread Knowledge writer Al Walsh on SB Nation’s NBAyd with Gary Ayd tonight at 9:25 p.m. EST.

NBA Betting Preview for Tuesday, April 2

Houston Rockets (-5/-215 ML) at Sacramento Kings – Total: 226

The Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings just squared off three days ago, with the Rockets taking the upper hand, 119-108. Typically, in these home-and-home sets, the team that lost the front-end usually comes back to win the back-end.

Not so fast, my friends!

The SK system is a big fan of the Rockets, who are looking to propel themselves back up to the No. 3 seed of the Western Conference playoff picture momentarily. After all, they are 9-1 against the Kings over the last 10 meetings. Not only that but Houston’s star player, James Harden, will look to make one of his last gasps at the NBA’s MVP award after Giannis Antetokounmpo had another memorable performance against the Brooklyn Nets last night.

SK’s system also likes the total to go under 226, as 16 of Houston’s 20 games have suffered that same fate since the All-Star break – the same can be said about Sacramento, which has done the same in five of its last seven. The Kings are tied for the second-fastest pace in the NBA, but Harden and the Rockets will slow it down with the league’s fifth-slowest tempo.

Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors – Total: 219.5

The Golden State Warriors had a long string of games hitting under the total during March, but this game, which could ultimately determine the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, should have them clicking on all cylinders against the Denver Nuggets. Both teams (GS: #1, DEN: #8) find themselves in the Top-10 of the league’s offensive efficiency ranking, and two of the three games between the teams have gone well over the 219.5 total we’ll see tonight. While Denver has struggled a bit on offense of late, we’ll look for Golden State to lead the way and take us to the promised land. After all, the Warriors have netted at least 120 points in three of their last four games.

NBA Betting Preview for Monday, April 1

Happy April Fools Day, everyone! Don’t worry, no lame jokes about getting fooled here today — just straight 🔥🔥🔥 from the Spread Knowledge system once again.

Make sure you follow us on Twitter (@SKSportsBets) and sign up for our 🚨Live Pick Alerts🚨 under Membership in the upper right-hand corner!

NBA Betting Preview

[7:10 p.m. EST] Detroit Pistons at Indiana Pacers (-5.5/-230 ML)

The SK system is showing a lot more favoritism towards the home team Indiana Pacers, despite them losing seven of their last eight games. We can attribute that to a brutal West coast road trip and when they returned home the schedule didn’t get much easier. It’s certainly worth noting how big of a favorite the Pacers are on the moneyline – tied for fourth-highest on the slate. This is also the front-end of a home-and-home series between the two teams, and that usually bodes well for the home team on either end. Look for the Pacers to get back on the good foot tonight, and then we’ll likely have a nice lean on the Detroit Pistons when the two teams meet again on Wednesday.

[7:40 p.m. EST] Chicago Bulls (+3.5/+144 ML) at New York Knicks

Yikes! If this game was played in the 90s, we might have more interest in putting this game on our TVs. However, it’s the 2019 version of the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks – essentially two G-League teams going at one another. While Chicago hasn’t been winning a lot of games lately, that’s because they have been playing some stiff competition. Not tonight, though, as the Bulls will be taking on the Knicks, who own the NBA’s worst record and find themselves in prime position for Zion Williamson with the No. 1 pick. New York has lost 14 of its last 15 games, so the SK system likes the Bulls to keep this one competitive and even get the win tonight.

[8:10 p.m. EST] Portland Trail Blazers (-3.5/-164 ML) at Minnesota Timberwolves 

A lot of people, including myself, had written off the Portland Trail Blazers when Jusuf Nurkic suffered that horrific tibia and fibula injury. Well, Portland has now won two of the last three games, with the only loss coming on the back-end of a back-to-back on Saturday night against the Detroit Pistons. The Minnesota Timberwolves have been mathematically eliminated from the playoff race and don’t have much to play for here in April. On the contrary, the Trail Blazers currently sit in the No. 4 spot of the Western Conference and could move to No. 3 with a win tonight because of their head-to-head tie-breaker over the Houston Rockets. The SK system’s top value play of the night is Portland getting the win outright, with the second-best being them covering the 3.5-point spread. How’s that for conviction?

[9:10 p.m. EST] Charlotte Hornets at Utah Jazz (-11.5/-650 ML)

The Charlotte Hornets came out to the West coast with hopes of staying in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, but things have suddenly gone awry and their defense is mostly to blame. In Friday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers they allowed 129 points while allowing another 137 in a 47-point loss to the Golden State Warriors last night. Congratulations, Charlotte – now you get to face the Utah Jazz in one of the toughest road environments in the NBA. The SK system and anyone who has ever watched basketball know the Jazz are a solid play against the spread tonight. Utah has won nine of its last 10 games, including each of its last five at home by an average of 15.6 points.

College Basketball and NBA Betting Preview for Saturday, March 30

It’s Saturday night and I know that you’re feeling alright! There are two pivotal games in the Elite 8 tonight for college basketball but don’t you forget about those professional ballplayers now, ya hear? Plenty of matchups on the Saturday docket with playoff implications on the line. Let’s take a look at what the Spread Knowledge system likes above all…

By the way, don’t forget to sign up for our 🚨Live Pick Alerts🚨 sent directly via or email or text!

COLLEGE BASKETBALL BETTING PREVIEW

[6:10 p.m. EST] Gonzaga (-4) vs. Texas Tech

The Gonzaga Bulldogs bring the nation’s top offensive efficiency rating into today’s Elite 8 matchup and the Texas Tech Red Raiders will be waiting there with the nation’s top defensive efficiency rating. Defense might win championships, but the SK system doesn’t think it’ll win this game between the two heavyweights. This is Gonzaga’s third trip to the Elite 9 in the last five seasons and they have a defense that can be quite daunting at times as well. All in all, that will be the difference in the Bulldogs getting the win and covering the spread.

[8:50 p.m. EST] Virginia (-4.5) vs. Purdue

Defense must be the theme of the evening as UVA Cavaliers take on the Purdue Boilermakers. The SK system likes UVA to overcome its first-round misfortunes from last season and move on to the Final Four. The Cavaliers have held their opponents to an average of only 52 points per game during the NCAA Tournament and tonight’s main task will be suffocating Purdue’s Carsen Edwards and Ryan Cline. Look for UVA to get the job done and do so in convincing fashion.

NBA BETTING PREVIEW

[6:10 p.m. EST] Under 228 – Sacramento Kings at Houston Rockets (-526 ML)

The SK system gives us one of its famous double-dips again with the Houston Rockets and under the total of 228. These Rockets are absolutely rolling at the moment, winning 15 of their last 18 games, and will have a chance to move up to the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. As for the under in this game – well, you’re in good hands there. Houston games have gone under the total in 15 of its last 19, and as the Rockets start inching toward the playoffs, defense is the one thing they’ll be focusing on more than anything. Look for the Rockets to win this game while keeping the Kings off the scoreboard.

[7:10 p.m. EST] Under 204.5 – Orlando Magic at Indiana Pacers

This is a big game for both sides here as the Orlando Magic hit the road to take on the Indiana Pacers. Th Magic are a half-game behind the Miami Heat for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference, while the Pacers would love to crawl back to the No. 4 spot with a win and a Boston Celtics’ loss tonight. Magic games have gone under the total in 12 of the last 16 games, while the Pacers played a tough game in Boston last night. Look for the pace to be slowed down a bit and a lot of energy put on the defensive end for both sides in such an important game.

NBA and NCAAM Betting Preview for Thursday, March 28

Over the next few days, Spread Knowledge will combine the two levels of hoops into one article. It’s all about time consumption in these trying times, folks. The NBA usually only has a few games on the Thursday night schedule but, for whatever reason, they’re trying to go head-to-head against the NCAA Tournament. And this sucks because the NBA game has some excellent matchups tonight with playoff positioning at the forefront. Nonetheless, it’s a great night to make a butt groove in your favorite seat in the house.

Let’s take a look at the top hoops picks from the Spread Knowledge system this evening…

NBA BETTING PREVIEW

[8:05 p.m. EST] Los Angeles Clippers (-9/+342 ML) at Milwaukee Bucks

It’s definitely a longshot but there’s some nice value in taking the LA Clippers, who have won 11 of their last 12 games. The Milwaukee Bucks have won four of their last five, but find themselves in a peculiar spot heading into the NBA Playoffs. Milwaukee owns a four-game lead for the top seed in the Eastern Conference, but injuries to Malcolm Brogdon, Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic may force Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer to be somewhat judicious with the minutes of his key players. Giannis Antetokounmpo has already stated that he wants no part of this limitation, but it’s important to remember that the playoffs are what really matters here. The Clippers are safely in the playoffs, but they’re not too far away from grabbing home-court advantage for the first round. You could make the argument that LA has more at stake tonight and a nine-point spread is somewhat disrespectful to a team as talented as this.

The Spread Knowledge system likes LA on the moneyline, but you could also take the easier route and bet them at +9.

[8:05 p.m. EST] Under 217 – Denver Nuggets at Houston Rockets (-208)

The Houston Rockets have defeated the Denver Nuggets in nine of their last 10 meetings, and the Spread Knowledge system likes them to make it 10 of 11. Houston still has an outside chance of getting the two-seed in the Western Conference, but it’ll need a bit of a collapse from Denver down the stretch – and that doesn’t seem likely at this point. Still, the Rockets are clamoring to get that three-seed and avoid the Golden State Warriors before the Western Conference Finals.

Not only does the SK system like the Rockets in this game tonight, but it is also quite fond of the under on the total. And for good reason, as Houston games have gone under the total in 11 of the last 13 while Denver games have suffered the same fate in 16 of its last 19.

NCAAM BETTING PREVIEW

[7:29 p.m. EST] Tennessee (-2/-149 ML) vs. Purdue – played in Louisville, KY

We’re at the point in the college basketball season where everyone has put together a mini-winning streak, so we have to rely on the numbers and matchups. This is where the Tennessee Volunteers should excel, as they have the advantage in point differential and field goal percentage. Not only that, but Tennessee is just a more athletic team than the Purdue Boilermakers, who have lost in the Sweet 16 round in each of their last two seasons. The Spread Knowledge system endears the Vols on the moneyline in this one, but you could risk less money if you take them with the two-point spread.

[9:39 p.m. EST] Michigan (-1.5/-135 ML) vs. Texas Tech – played in Anaheim, CA

The Michigan Wolverines have been just fine… you know, as long as they’re not playing their rival Michigan State Spartans. In fact, the Wolverines are 8-3 in their last 11 games, with the only three losses coming to those pesky Spartans. Speaking of pesky, that’s exactly what Michigan will be facing in the Texas Tech Red Raiders tonight, who are a mirror image of the tough defensive-minded unit – in terms of adjusted defensive efficiency, Texas Tech is No. 1 and Michigan is No. 2. This is probably why the spread is so low (in favor of Michigan by 1.5 points), but nonetheless, the Spread Knowledge system is in favor of Michigan, who has plenty of experience in playing these high-profile games over the last few seasons.

[9:57 p.m. EST] Oregon (+8.5/+330 ML) vs. Virginia – played in Louisville, KY

These Oregon Ducks are on one helluva run right now, winning 10 straight games en route to landing here in the Sweet 16 against the Virginia Cavaliers. We all know UVA’s stigma – defense, defense, defense, and the Ducks will have to overcome one of the toughest units in the country in order to move on to the Elite 8. It is interesting, though, as Oregon has scored at least 70 points in 10 of its last 11 games, while UVA hasn’t allowed 70 points in each of its last 12 games. Something has to give, and the Spread Knowledge system is quacking in jubilation, going with the Ducks for the upset tonight!

DON’T FORGET ABOUT MLB!!!

We unleashed the MLB portion of the SK Product today and it already produced a win on the over in the Baltimore Orioles-New York Yankees game — depending on what your total was. Some had it at 8.5, some had it at 9. If not, it was a push — no loss of money there.