Alex Smart
Miami vs. Phoenix
Play: Heat -4.5
The Miami Heat enter this game, against the Phoenix Suns beginning a 6 game road trip. Dwayne Wade, described the importance of this road trip with the following quote:“greatest challenge of the season,” So I am expecting the Heat to be wide awake here this evening and very ready to take down a team they have had a great deal of success against in the past having defeated the Suns 10 straight times. The struggling Suns did find a way to win last time out, but are just 0-8 ATS L/8 after a SU win Heat are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.Heat are 7-0 ATS L/7 at Phoenix and 20-6 ATS L/26 overall meetings.
Jeff Saad
Indiana vs New Orleans
Play: Under
New Orleans has a struggling offense, on a 4-0 run under the total tallying under 91 in three of the last four. The Under is 15-3-1 in the Pelicans last 19 vs. a team with a winning straight up record. Indiana is in town playing great defense, No. 6 in the NBA in points allowed, on a 10-3 run under the total. And when they meet the Under is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings in New Orleans.
Mr. Vegas
Kicks vs, Spurs
Play: Under
New York is playing some defense this season, 11th in the NBA in points allowed. But the offense is shaky, 23rd in points scored, 20th in FG shooting. The Under is 7-3 in the Knicks last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record and they face a dominant San Antonio defense that is No. 1 in the NBA in points allowed. The Under is 6-2 in the Spurs last 8 vs. the NBA Atlantic division.
Harry Bondi
GOLDEN STATE (-9) over Portland
We very rarely play big road favorites on the road in any sport, but tonight the situation warrants laying the big number. Simply put, the Warriors are a cash machine when playing with rest, going 24-7-2 ATS in their last 33 games with two or more days off. They have also covered 5 of the last 7 in this series and are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 games against teams with a losing record. On the flip side, Portland is just 3-12 ATS in its last 15 versus a team with a winning percentage above .600. The Trailblazer backcourt can't handle Thompson and Curry and this one could get ugly.
Wunderdog
Oklahoma City @ Los Angeles
Pick: Oklahoma City -14.5
Talk about a bad matchup! The Oklahoma City Thunder clobbered the Los Angeles Lakers twice in December by 40 and 35 points, and are looking to post their seventh consecutive victory over the Lakers. Oklahoma City held Los Angeles to an average of 81.5 points and shooting percentages of 34.9 and 36 percent from the field in the two recent routs. The Thunder have won 14 of their last 17 overall games and Wednesday's 112-94 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies marked the 12th time in 13 games they scored 100 points or more. The Lakers are #27 in the NBA defensively in points allowed, #25 in field goal shooting defense allowed, while OKC ranks sixth in FG defense. The Lakers are 15-35-1 ATS against the Western Conference, plus 7-17 ATS vs. a team with a winning straight-up record, so look for another blowout by the Thunder.
Bruce Marshal
Indiana -2
After a brief dip in form in December, Pacers have won 5 of last 7 SU and have conquered some recent road demons with a victory at Orlando on Jan. 5. After slowing down a bit in December after a sizzling November, Paul George served notice he is back on track with three recent gases of 30 points or more.
Scott Delaney
My free play for tonight is on Illinois-Chicago, catching a mighty big number in Motown. I know that Detroit is 8-5 and the Flames are just 2-10, but this is a heated rivalry that can produce tight results all the time.
The last four meetings have been decided by an average of less than five points per game, with only one being decided by double digits. So while Illinois-Chicago has been blown out by 28 and 17 in two of its last six games, the others were decided by 5, 12 and 4, while it won by 17, too.
This will be closer than comfort for the Titans, who should win. Just not by 16.
3* ILLINOIS CHICAGO
Gabriel DuPont
Free play for tonight: Utah at COLORADO (1, 143')
The STORYLINE in this game today - Good ol' physical Pac 12 matchup in Boulder tonight, with a pair of high-scoring teams in Utah and Colorado doing battle. And when these two explosive teams get together, it's generally a low-scoring affair, and that's why I'm playing this one low.
The X-FACTOR in making this choice on this game - My x-factor is history. I'm never one to base things on trends, maybe 1 percent of the time I turn to them. What I noticed with this game is that Utah has stayed low in 21 of 26 on the road and eight of 10 in Pac 12 play. Colorado and Utah has stayed under in 10 of the last 12 meetings.
BOTTOM LINE is - This is a free play guys, so I'm not putting much into this, small investment. But I will take a shot with the low, based on the defense these two like to play against one another. The altitude might play a factor, though both are used to it. This one should stay under 140.
5* Utah at Colorado Under
Jeff Benton
Your Friday freebie is Cleveland-Minnesota Under the total.
The Cavaliers know how to play defense. While they have allowed triple digits their last pair of games (both Overs), overall Cleveland has held 7 of their last 9 foes to under 100 points, and 7 of those 9 have held Under the total.
Strong chance the Cavs hold the slumping Timberwolves under that century mark, as Minny has been cooped up for 99 points or less in 9 straight games!
The Under in that span for the T-Wolves stands at 5-0 in their 5 games played at the Target Center.
First meeting of the season between the teams, and 6 of the last 8 played in this series have held Under the total.
Cavs keep the Wolves under the century mark yet again.
Cleveland-Minnesota Under the total.
4* CLEVELAND-MINNESOTA UNDER
Chris Jordan
Play the Toronto Raptors tonight against the Washington Wizards as the free pick tonight.
I love watching John Wall play, I really do. Matter of fact, I make it a point to see the U.S. Men's team camps in Las Vegas when it's here, because he is one my favorite point guards to watch.
That's why it's killing me to see the Wizards so unproductive this season.
Wall will have his hands full against Toronto's Kyle Lowry, whose knack for slicing to the basket or running the dribble-drive offense will easily wear down the Wizards tonight.
The Raptors lead the season series 2-0, and as they continue to thrive and contend, the Wizards have gotten worse as the season has progressed.
I'm laying road chalk in this one.
5* TORONTO
Brad Wilton
My Friday comp play is the Thunder to roll the Lakers.
Is there any need to give analysis for this one?
OK, here ya go....the Lakers just played last night, and it was another loss for Los Angeles, as they lost by 3-points at Sacramento. Now you are asking LA to come back home with no rest and try and slow a Thunder team that has showed no mercy lately when facing the Lakers.
Oklahoma City has already won and covered a pair of December meetings against Los Angeles, winning by 35 and 40 points!!!
That makes it a 6 game series win streak for OKC, with the average margin of victory coming by 25 points.
Overall, the Thunder stands at 13-3 straight up the past 16 meetings with the Lakers, and they have covered in 7 of the previous 10.
This one shapes up to be another rout of epic proportions.
5* OKLAHOMA CITY
Craig Davis
Your free play of the day is the OKC Thunder as they travel to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers. At the time of this writing, the Thunder are laying 14 points in Vegas and offshore.
OKC has had LA's number this year with two blowout wins so far. They look to make it three in a row as the Lakers get back home after a tough loss in Sacramento last night.
The Lakers were down 30 points in the third quarter, but battled back to take a one-point lead late in the fourth quarter... but unfortunately for them they ran out of gas and couldn't get the win.
Now they're expected to get back up and get ready for one of the best teams in the NBA??? I don't see it happening.
Expect OKC to rout the Lakers from the beginning. Take Oklahoma City as your free play of the day.
4* OKLAHOMA CITY
SCOTT RICKENBACH
Thunder vs. Lakers
Play: Under 210
The Lakers hung around with the Kings last night at Sacramento as LA had a RARE strong shooting night. I don't expect that to be repeated in a tough back to back spot for the Lakers here. The Lakers had seen each of their three prior games stay under the total before yesterday's surprising result. Look for a return to lower-scoring results tonight. The Lakers have seen 10 of their 14 home games stay under the total this season and this includes all 3 of them where the Lakers were a home dog of 12.5 points or more. The under has also come in 6 of 8 times when LA is off of a game where they scored 105 points or more. Oklahoma City has held the Lakers to an average of 81.5 points per game in their two prior match-ups this season so don't be surprised if the Thunder once again dominate the Lakers here. Oklahoma City is off of a big win by a margin of 18 points in their prior game and they have stayed under in 10 of 14 games this season when they are off of a victory by a margin of 10 points or more. Overall, as a favorite this season, Oklahoma City has seen 20 of 32 games stay under the total. Look for another one here.
DAVE PRICE
Toronto Raptors -2
The Toronto Raptors are getting healthy, while the Washington Wizards are still dealing with a plethora of injuries. Jonas Valanciunas recently returned to the lineup for the Raptors, and he had 22 points and 11 rebounds in a 91-74 win at Brooklyn last time out. The Wizards are still without star SG Bradley Beal, and F Kris Humphries is doubtful tonight with a knee injury. The Wizards have lost 4 of their last 5 games coming in. Washington is 54-78 ATS in its last 132 games as a home underdog of 3 points or less.
Vegas Butcher
Miami Heat -5
Yesterday I backed ATL in a similar spot. Today we have the same scenario: a good team (Heat) coming off a loss and facing off against a terrible one (Suns) coming off a win. The fact that this is Dragic’s first game back in Phoenix after that rough break up last year is another factor in Miami’s favor. Miami’s 6th ranked D should be very active in this one and I just don’t see how Phoenix keeps up. The Suns have lost 9 in a row prior to beating a short-handed Hornets squad. I expect them to start another losing streak tonight.