Dr. Bob - Opinions
Opinion – Brooklyn (+7 ½) over MIAMI
04:30 PM Pacific, Rotation: 709
Miami is coming off a 108-101 upset win at Orlando but the Heat are just 5-22-1 ATS at home after a win and 2-18 ATS after a win in which they scored more than 100 points. That upset win over a division rival also set up Miami in a negative 25-76-3 ATS home letdown situation. My ratings favor Miami by just 8 points, so the line is pretty fair, and I’ll lean with Brooklyn based on the situation.
Opinion – Philadelphia (+10 ½) over UTAH
06:00 PM Pacific, Rotation: 717
The 76ers are historically bad but they’re better with rookie Jahlil Okafor not playing. Okafor has the most negative impact on the 76ers based on plus-minus as the Sixers have been outscored by 17.2 points per 48 minutes when Okafor is in the game and by only 5.6 points per 48 minutes when he’s sitting on the bench. Part of that is due to Okafor playing mostly against other team’s starters while a good chunk of the time Okafor is on the bench is when opponents are playing their scrubs in blowout wins. Still, Philadelphia is better without Okafor and they just won straight up at Phoenix with him sitting out on Saturday night. My ratings would favor Utah by 11 ½ points with Okafor playing and I get 9 points with him sitting out again tonight. I’ll lean with Philadelphia plus the points.
Opinion – Cleveland (-9) over PHOENIX
06:00 PM Pacific, Rotation: 719
I expect Cleveland to be very focused for this game after suffering a letdown in a 29 point loss at Portland, which followed their Christmas battle with the Warriors. Cleveland applies to a 26-3-1 ATS subset of an 88-28-4 ATS road favorite bounce-back situation and a 113-45-7 ATS situation that plays on elite teams after consecutive losses. However, I think the line is too high, as my rating favor Cleveland by just 8 points. The situation is strong enough for me to lean with the Cavs at -9 or less and I’d take Cleveland in a 2-Star Best Bet at -8 points or less.
Opinion – Brooklyn (+7 ½) over MIAMI
04:30 PM Pacific, Rotation: 709
Miami is coming off a 108-101 upset win at Orlando but the Heat are just 5-22-1 ATS at home after a win and 2-18 ATS after a win in which they scored more than 100 points. That upset win over a division rival also set up Miami in a negative 25-76-3 ATS home letdown situation. My ratings favor Miami by just 8 points, so the line is pretty fair, and I’ll lean with Brooklyn based on the situation.
Opinion – Philadelphia (+10 ½) over UTAH
06:00 PM Pacific, Rotation: 717
The 76ers are historically bad but they’re better with rookie Jahlil Okafor not playing. Okafor has the most negative impact on the 76ers based on plus-minus as the Sixers have been outscored by 17.2 points per 48 minutes when Okafor is in the game and by only 5.6 points per 48 minutes when he’s sitting on the bench. Part of that is due to Okafor playing mostly against other team’s starters while a good chunk of the time Okafor is on the bench is when opponents are playing their scrubs in blowout wins. Still, Philadelphia is better without Okafor and they just won straight up at Phoenix with him sitting out on Saturday night. My ratings would favor Utah by 11 ½ points with Okafor playing and I get 9 points with him sitting out again tonight. I’ll lean with Philadelphia plus the points.
Opinion – Cleveland (-9) over PHOENIX
06:00 PM Pacific, Rotation: 719
I expect Cleveland to be very focused for this game after suffering a letdown in a 29 point loss at Portland, which followed their Christmas battle with the Warriors. Cleveland applies to a 26-3-1 ATS subset of an 88-28-4 ATS road favorite bounce-back situation and a 113-45-7 ATS situation that plays on elite teams after consecutive losses. However, I think the line is too high, as my rating favor Cleveland by just 8 points. The situation is strong enough for me to lean with the Cavs at -9 or less and I’d take Cleveland in a 2-Star Best Bet at -8 points or less.
