Free Picks for Tuesday, November 7th, 2017 from some of the nations best and worst handicappers
Brandon Lee
Bucks vs. Cavaliers
Play: Bucks +4
I'll take my chances here with Milwaukee catching points Tuesday night in Cleveland against a Cavs team that is a complete mess right now. This also feels like a line that's begging for the public to lay the short number at home with the Cavs, which only makes me like the Bucks more. There's no doubt Cleveland is missing the production of Kyrie Irving. LeBron's playing out of his mind and they beat bottom feeders. It doesn't help that Isaiah Thomas is out with an injury. The biggest thing is the defense has been awful, allowing 112 or more points in 8 straight games. Milwaukee is a young team that I think has had this game circled since they got embarrassed at home by the Cavs back in the first week of the season. Bucks are overdue to take down Cleveland and this is the best shot they have had.
Scott Spreitzer
Pelicans vs. Pacers
Play: Pacers -1
We had the Pacers +2 at the New York Knicks a couple nights ago. The Pacers had their 3-game winning streak snapped in their previous game and we felt they'd bounce back. Indiana led 90-74 at one point of the fourth quarter before a collapse saw them get outscored 34-11, leading to a 108-101 defeat. The Pacers return home where they have covered five of six at home against teams with a winning home record. Myles Turner returned two games ago for the Pacers, just in time to face the Pelicans' Anthony Davis / DeMarcus Cousins tandem. I don't care for New Orleans' PG situation. Jrue Holliday and backup Jameer Nelson continue to underwhelm. Indiana has covered 8 of the last 11 meetings and we like them here.
Scott Rickenbach
Los Angeles at San Antonio
Play: Los Angeles +3½
The Spurs are off of back to back wins but they came against Charlotte and Phoenix. That is noteworthy because the Hornets and Suns finished a combined 44 games under .500 last season. So far this season, the only team that the Spurs have beaten that had a winning record last season is Toronto and San Antonio was somewhat fortunate that night as they had a season high 20 turnovers versus the Raptors. The point is that this Spurs team is still not the Spurs of old and they continue to be without Tony Parker and, most importantly, Kawhi Leonard. Back to back wins over rather weak teams does nothing to impress me and the Clippers (finished 20 games over .500 last season) are now coming to town hungry off of back to back losses. Keep in mind that Los Angeles won BOTH visits to San Antonio last season and they aren't intimidated in the least in this setting. The fact that the Spurs are still short-handed is simply the "cherry on top" in this one and I'll gladly grab the generous points being offered. The Clippers are off of a tough homestand but sometimes the best thing for a good team in a situation like that is a change of scenery. That said, the Clips are already 2-0 (both SU and ATS) on the road this season and I expect a huge game from them here.
Ben Burns
Clippers vs. Spurs
Play: Spurs -3½
The Spurs have run hot, cold and hot again, and the season is less than a month old. Right now the needle is pointed upward after consecutive wins at home over Charlotte and Phoenix, calming down the locals a bit after a rare four-game losing streak. The idea is to catch the Spurs when they’re ascending and the opponent is down – and that’s exactly the case here. The Clippers have cooled down considerably, losing four games in a recently-ended five-game homestand. Eight of the next nine for the LAC are on the road, starting with this nasty one in the shadow of the Alamo. Laying the points seems the prudent move here.
Jimmy Boyd
Clippers vs. Spurs
Play: Spurs -3½
I like the value here with San Antonio laying a short number at home against the Clippers. This is simply too good a price to pass up on the Spurs at home, even with Leonard and Parker still sidelined.
San Antonio has got back on track here of late, winning 108-101 against the Hornets and 112-95 over the Suns in their last two games. Both at home, where they are now 4-1 on the season.
LA on the other hand has lost 4 of 5 after that strong start. The most concerning thing is all 5 of those games came at home and the only win was against a horrible Mavs team. It also sounds like they could be without starter Danilo Gallinari, which would be a big loss.
Even with him, I'll take my chances with San Antonio. Note that the Spurs are 17-7 ATS in their last 24 when coming off a win by 15 or more and 4-1 ATS at home.
We also have a strong system in play that supports backing the Spurs in this spot. Favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points that are off 2 or more wins in a row at home are 54-24 (69%) ATS dating back to 1996 when the game involves 2 teams that have a winning percentage between 51% to 60%.
Jim Feist
76ers at Jazz
Pick: Over
The Philadelphia 76ers not looking like the doormats of old. This Philly team looking for its fifth win in a row tonight here in Utay. The Sixers added J.J Redick this year and he's been a hit, scoring 31 points in their Friday win over Indiana. Utah is coming off an embarrassing loss to the Rockets where they allowed 48 third quarter points. Philly will be without a key player here on Tuesday, C Joel Embiid, who is being sat out for rest reasons. The Sixers have been a very good point spread team, covering 17 of their last 22 road games. However, Utah has been pretty good at home, covering five of their last six. The Jazz have covered seven of the last nine meetings at Utah in this series. Both these clubs have been pretty good over bets recently. Philly has gone over their last four games and 7-1 O/U in their last eight road games. The Jazz have gone over in four straight. I'm looking at a higher scoring game here with Reddick now part of the equation.
Mike Lundin
Clippers vs. Spurs
Play: Spurs -3½
The San Antonio Spurs have seemingly turned it around after a rough period with back-to-back victories against Phoenix and Charlotte after losing four in a row. They've admittedly not beaten up on the strongest of opponents, but I think they'll be determined to keep it rolling here when they host the LA Clippers Tuesday night.
The Clippers ripped off four straight wins to begin the campaign, but they're not playing good basketball at the moment coming off a 1-4 SU and ATS five-game homestand. They'll play eight of their next nine games on the road, and taking on a Spurs side that's just starting to click at AT&T Center is not an easy opener of the road trip.
The deep Spurs should have little trouble with the momentarily dysfunctional Clip Show here.
Chip Chirimbes
Pelicans vs. Pacers
Play: Pacers -115
Both these clubs are off a pair of road games with New Orleans posting two wins and the Pacers getting defeated twice. These 5-5 teams who split their meetings last season show the Pacers are 3-1 at home and looking to 'get-back' on track. Look for the Pacers to enjoy playing at home where they are 5-1 ATS in their last six and they hold an 8-3 ATS record in the last 11 meetings in Indiana.
Jack Jones
Philadelphia at Utah
Play: Utah -6½
The Utah Jazz will be highly motivated for a victory after back-to-back losses to Toronto and Houston coming in. Now they get a little bit of a break here with the Philadelphia 76ers coming to town.
Sure, the 76ers are 5-1 SU & 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall, but that has them overvalued now. And the key here is that most of that success has come with a healthy Joel Embiid. Well, they won't have Embiid tonight.
Embiid will get the night off for rest due to doctor's orders, and they are already without two point guards in Markelle Fultz and Jerryd Bayless, leaving them very short-handed. The only game they played without Embiid this season resulted in a humbling 94-128 road loss in Toronto on October 21.
The 76ers will be overwhelmed in the paint tonight by Utah's duo of Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors now. Embiid was averaging team highs of 20.5 points and 10.1 rebounds. The Jazz are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games. Utah is 7-2 ATS in its last nine home meetings with Philadelphia.
Wunderdog
St. Louis @ New Jersey
Pick: St. Louis -119
St. Louis has won the last seven meetings against New Jersey and the Blues have won five of their last six overall after their 6-4 victory over Toronto on Saturday. Alex Pietrangelo scored twice and Jaden Schwartz and Brayden Schenn had three assists apiece for the Blues, who lead the Central Division. Goalie Jake Allen has a .919 save percentage and 2.48 goals-against average as he goes against Cory Schneider, who has recorded a 3.09 GAA and .916 save percentage this season. The Devils have lost two in a row and are home after a three-game trip in which they lost two of three and they have allowed 11 goals their last two contests, including a 5-4 shootout loss at Calgary on Sunday. The Blues have won six of the last seven meetings at New Jersey and five straight overall after scoring at least five goals their previous game.
Tommy Brunson
I could be missing something here, but not only does Akron sport the better record, Akron is also in line to represent the conference from the East Division. Not only that, but the Zips have owned the rivalry of late.
Let's take a look shall we....Akron enters at 5-4 on the year, going 4-1 in MAC play. The Zips have played Troy and Iowa State in out-of-conference action, and while they did lose both of those games, both Troy and Iowa State are "quality" foes.
Miami-Ohio is only 3-6 on the year, and they come into this home game having lost the last 4 series meetings, while going only 1-3 against the spread in those 4 straight series setbacks.
Red Hawks QB Gus Ragland sat out for the second straight game in last week's loss to Ohio U with his leg injury, and it appears that even if he is able to give it a go, he will be compromised.
The Zips have had a few extra days to prepare, and they have all of the positives I just mentioned above on their side, so tell me why I wouldn't back them plus a few points in this conference roadie here on Tuesday?
Play on Akron.
2* AKRON
Joey Juice
Miami has been inconsistent offensively at best. Their scores have been up and down all season. Can they score? Yes. Can you rely on that? Absolutely not!
Akron has scored 21 points in two straight games, but scored only 14 in a win over Western Michigan.
A look at the numbers paints a clear picture for the under. The under is 7-2 the last 9 times these two teams met. Akron always goes under when they play on the road,.they are 7-1 Under last 9 road games. Miami on the other hand always goes under at home, they are 8-2 Under last 10 home games.
Under gets the money
4* AKRON-MIAMI (OH) - UNDER
Jack Brayman
My free play is on the New Orleans Pelicans on the moneyline against the Indiana Pacers, who return home after back-to-back road losses at Philadelphia (121-110) and the Knicks (108-101).
In the NBA, when you have two very similar teams playing, and the line is near a pick, I like to look toward the team with the better player.
Tonight that is the Pelicans. Quite frankly, they'll have the two best players on the floor.
New Orleans, which is 4-2 on the road as opposed to only being 1-3 at home, boasts Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins - and there is nobody on the Pacers who will slow these two down.
The Pacers got enough problems as it is, with an inconsistent offense that can't seem to produce a full 48 minutes of basketball.
The Pelicans - who did not practice Sunday, which meeans Davis and Cousins got a well deserved day of rest - are going to come in and steal this one outright.
3* PELICANS ML
Chris Jordan
My free play for Tuesday night is based on pure emotion, nothing more and nothing less, so indulge me for a night.
The San Antonio Spurs are going to be playing for their city tonight. After the tragic shooting in a church on Sunday, the Spurs will likely offer a moment of silence and then go out and play for their city. Much like we saw the Houston Astros do after Hurricane Harvey and the Vegas Golden Knights did after the Route 91 shooting.
Coach Gregg Popovich summed it up perfectly after the game in his brief scrum with the media, as he is a very poignant man. Tonight it's back to business, but with heavy hearts.
A little about basketball, however, as the Los Angeles Clippers do arrive a bit downtrodden, having lost four of five since winning their first four games of the season.
And in games Los Angeles has won this season, it's covered. In games the Clippers have lost, the opposition has covered.
I think the Spurs win tonight.
1* SPURS