Art Aronson – AAA Sports NBA Picks & Plays

This is an 8* play on UMass

Massachusetts season started well enough. The Minutemen were a perfect 5-0 going into the Hall of Fame Classic in Connecticut. They lost both games that weekend and haven't recovered since. It's now a five-game losing streak after getting blown out by Harvard this past weekend. They haven't covered in four games. But just one of those five losses was at home and that was by just four points to South Carolina. Poor shooting has doomed the Minutemen during this five-game losing streak and at the same time they've given up at least 80 points in three straight. Yale, who has won five in a row straight up and covered its last eight, comes to Amherst tonight. While this looks like two ships sailing in opposite directions, we're not about to discount the benefits of home court advantage. Yale is playing its third straight road game. This is the most points UMass has gotten for any home game yet. Take the points. Play on UMass

AAA

This is a 10* on the UNDER

The potential for Milwaukee to score a lot of points tonight is definitely there. New Orleans gives up almost 120 points/game. Only Washington gives up more than that. But this will only be the third time that a Bucks home game has had a total of at least 230 points attached to it. The first two both stayed Under - by very comfortable margins. The most recent was last Friday's 119-91 win over the Clippers. That was followed with yet another Under, this one with a much lower number, against Orlando on Monday as the Bucks won 110-101. Often lost in all the success Milwaukee has had the last two regular seasons is that they have been the #1 team in defensive efficiency. They should have little difficulty shutting down this terrible Pelicans team tonight. New Orleans has lost nine in a row has been been held under 105 points in five of its last six. They've missed 59 of 70 three-point attempts the last two games. The Bucks have won 15 in a row, should have no problem getting to 16 here and will keep the Pelicans in check. Play UNDER New Orleans-Milwaukee

AAA

This is a 10* on INDIANA

Winners of four straight, Boston has a 17-5 record. They've also covered the spread the last four games. But here's where we start adding caveats. The Celtics are 10-0 at home. That's where they've played the last three games. The road finds them at a less impressive 7-5. Tonight they're in Indiana to a face a Pacers team that's not to be taken lightly. Coming off a five-game road trip where every game was close (finished 3-2 SU/ATS), the Pacers returned home Monday to face the Clippers. They lost 110-99 as it was a poor shooting night. But the Pacers haven't lost two straight at home all year. They are 9-3 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Boston is a shocking 11-0 ATS vs. teams with winning records this season. But a good number of those games were at home where they are undefeated. Before they won New York on December 1st, the Celtics had failed to cover three straight times as road favorites with two outright losses. Indiana will be taking this game quite seriously. Not that Boston won't. But the Pacers have a score to settle in the sense that they have lost seven in a row to the Celtics, including a four-game sweep in last year's playoffs. Time for some revenge! Play on INDIANA

AAA