Matt Fargo’s NBA Handicapping Picks & ATS Predictions

This is a play on the ORLANDO MAGIC for our NBA Star Attraction. We were hoping to get some more information on the injury situation for Oklahoma City but there has been no new news early Tuesday afternoon. Of their top five usage players, two are already declared out with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein all questionable so we could see some sitting for the Thunder. They are just 4-4 in their last eight games following a statement win at Denver and they have a game at San Antonio tomorrow which could further lead to some rest. Orlando is coming off a loss at San Antonio on Sunday and it has been a rough recent stretch as the Magic are 2-5 over their last seven games and getting a lower than anticipated number based on the money coming in and the line continues to rise so this is the buy low time. Orlando is 11-1 this season after a road loss while Oklahoma City is just 8-9 this season against teams with a winning record. 10* (573) Orlando Magic

This is a play on the WASHINGTON WIZARDS for our NBA Ultimate Underdog. This line is completely over inflated due to it not only being the Knicks but what they have been up to. Following a five-game losing streak, New York has six straight games including a marquee home win over the Lakers on Sunday for its fourth straight win at home to improve to 20-6 at MSG. Now they have the letdown and hit the road where they are 10-12 while heading back home to face Denver tomorrow night in another marquee game. Washington is coming off a win over Sacramento and has won three of its last four games and while it is a huge step up in competition here, the line reflects that. The Wizards have been horrible on the road but are a much better 9-16 at home while covering 12 of those. Here, we play against favorites of 10 or more points after going under the total by 54 or more points total in their last ten games, in February games. This situation is 56-24 ATS (70 percent) since 1997. 10* (560) Washington Wizards

This is a play on the MURRAY ST. RACERS for our CBB MVC Game of the Year. Illinois-Chicago is the hottest team in the Missouri Valley Conference as it has won eight straight games after a 0-4 start in the conference, covering seven of those games. The Flames have won four games over this stretch on the road and they won all of those as underdogs, getting a cumulative 29 points while covering those games by a massive 58 points so they are going to be a very popular underdog once again. The line tells it all as Illinois-Chicago was getting the same amount at home in the first meeting as it is getting here on the road. Murray St. has been going the other way as it has lost four straight games after opening 8-0 in the conference and the Racers have failed to cover their last five games and based on just the line itself, they are getting tremendous bounce back value. 10* (636) Murray St. Racers

This is a play on the MISSISSIPPI REBELS for our CBB Tuesday Ultimate Underdog. Tennessee is coming off a brutal SEC start to the schedule with the first eight games against teams inside the top 40 in the NET Rankings and it passed with a 5-3 record. The Volunteers can now take a breath as they get to play a Quad 3 game on Tuesday but it will not last long as they head to Kentucky on Saturday. This fits the mold of a letdown/lookahead sandwich spot as they might be taking the pedal off the gas with a number this big, the largest they have put down in the conference. Mississippi has been all over the place as it opened 0-2 and then won three straight games, two as underdogs and the other against Missouri before dropping its last three games against Auburn, Kentucky and Vanderbilt and they have been competitive of late, covering five of six. 10* (621) Mississippi Rebels

This is a play on the BUFFALO BULLS for our CBB Tuesday Contrarian Crusher. We have to take the shot against Miami here as it remains undefeated at 22-0 and the  flawless start will inevitably come to an end at some point and that could be next week at Marshall, this spot is not easy to get through. The RedHawks had won three straight games by double digits in early January and then got caught in a stretch of tough games as it defeated Buffalo, Kent St. and Massachusetts by a combined 11 points, two in overtime, before rolling Northern Illinois by 24 points. Buffalo is coming off a loss against Ohio on Saturday which makes it six losses in seven games including four straight at home so the Bulls will be backed by no one on Tuesday as there will be exceptional value. They had their chance in Oxford and revenge and spoiler mode are both in play. 10* (602) Buffalo Bulls