Bryan Power Sports NBA Picks

10* Over San Diego/CS-Fullerton (10:00 ET): If only my recent focus on targeting the few remaining unbeatens left in College Basketball had been more widespread. The number of teams now left without a loss is down to five (w/ two of them being Duquesne and Liberty). That's down almost 75% from where we were at this time last week. I haven't always gone against the "right" unbeatens, but the mindset proved correct. So did targeting teams that had either perfect Over or Under records. That list is also dwindling. Tonight we'll look to go Over on a team that has the most Unders w/o an Over this season, that being Cal State Fullerton. 

Cal State Fullerton is 8-0-1 Under so far, but the last two games have both threatened to go Over. It was a push (121.0) in a 62-59 loss at Pacific last Wednesday. The Titans lost by that identical score at home to Sacramento State on Saturday, but the total was one-half point higher (121.5), meaning another Under. Tonight they welcome in San Diego, who's not exactly an offensive juggernaut, but they'd gone Over in four straight before holding Holy Cross to 51 on Saturday. 

You'll notice this O/U line is noticeably higher than the last two games for CS-Fullerton. That's because they're up against an opponent that is a far bigger threat to score. San Diego's last game had their highest total yet. That made sense as they were coming off four straight Overs. Now the number is back down. The Over is 4-1 this season for the Torerors when the O/U line is 135 pts or less. I've got to think CS-Fullerton's overall shooting is going to improve. 10* Over San Diego/CS-Fullerton

8* Over Grizzlies/Suns (9:05 ET): Memphis has increased its scoring the last two games, which it will need to continue to do tonight as they face Phoenix. Scoring 112 wasn't enough Saturday night in Utah as they gave up 126. But 110 was enough Monday when they faced Golden State. But the Suns are far more prolific offensively than the Warriors. (Words I did not plan on typing this season!) It's going to take another strong offensive effort from a team that doesn't play much defense to win this one. Take the Over.

With so many of the "usual contenders" in the Western Conference (like Golden State and San Antonio) having down years, the Suns are one of the teams trying to step up and fill that playoff void. They currently have the NBA's second longest active playoff drought, but right now are in the top eight w/ an 11-12 SU record. It's tenuous though. Phoenix remains shaky defensively as the last five games have seen them allow 49.0% shooting and 117.6 PPG.

The Suns can score though. Only four teams are averaging more points per game. They should have no problems here against a Memphis side giving up over 115 PPG. Good news for playing the Over in this one is that both teams are in the top 10 in pace of play. The Over is 10-3 in Suns' home games, including 4-1 when the number is 230 pts or higher. 8* Over Grizzlies/Suns

10* Chicago (8:05 ET): I would consider this line to be too low even if the Hawks weren't playing in the second night of a back to back. But they are and the situation really couldn't be much worse as the Hawks really let one slip away last night. They led Miami by six points in the final minute of regulation, prompting Trae Young to proclaim "It's Over!" to the Heat bench. Already carrying the burden of being the guy the franchise got when it traded the draft rights to Luka Doncic, it's going to be tough for Young to live last night down. To add injury to insult, the final score ended up being 135-121, the NBA's largest margin of victory in an overtime game in over a decade! 

So that's what Atlanta is up against here. For Chicago, this is a great chance to pick up a much needed win. The Bulls have won just twice in the past eight games, but they've generally been losing close. The last four losses have been by a total of 12 points. They've lost their last three games, but that includes a two-point loss to Golden State (blew 9-pt 4Q lead), their own OT loss to Miami (led by as many as 11 in that one) and then a one-point loss to Toronto (blew 8-pt 4Q lead).

The Hawks are one team the Bulls have actually had some success against these last few years. They are 6-2 SU and ATS the last eight head to head meetings, including a 20-pt win down in Atlanta last month. The Bulls are a perfect 3-0 SU and ATS when on a three-game losing streak this season. With the Hawks just 3-10 SU and giving up 123.2 PPG on the road, the line should be several points higher for this one. 10* Chicago

8* Under Lakers/Magic (7:05 ET): The Lakers have not lost a game outside of Staples Center all year. Their only "road" loss was the season opener against the Clippers where they were the designated "road team." Things couldn't be going better in LeBron's second year in LA as the team has won 21 of 23 games since that Opening Night to the Clippers. They're on a 4-0 SU/ATS streak entering tonight's game in Orlando and have averaged 139 PPG in the last two.

Orlando had won four of five going into Monday. But that's where they ran into Milwaukee, which was just the start of a brutal scheduling stretch. Now they get the best team from the West, which is followed by a visit from Houston and then a four-game West Coast swing. Remember what I discussed in the analysis for Magic-Bucks. Orlando is both 28th in scoring (3rd worst) and 3rd in points allowed. I had the Under in that last game and it cashed comfortably. The Lakers are not as prolific offensively as Milwaukee, despite what they may have done the L2 games.

The Lakers are also not too far behind Orlando in the defensive rankings as they give up the 5th fewest points per game in the league. So a battle of top five defensive teams sort of lends itself to an Under, no? Orlando is playing at the second slowest pace in the league, meaning their games average the second fewest number of total possessions per game. The fewer possessions a team has, the fewer chances it has to score. It's just that logical. The Magic also are still without one of their best scorers, Nikola Vucevic. 8* Under Lakers/Magic