Michael Alexander

Rating: 2 Units

The Jazz are still missing Walker Kessler, and they are keeping an eye on Keyonte George who might return for this one, while the Heat have ruled out Tyler Herro and Pelle Larsson. Norman Powell is listed as day to day after leaving Sunday’s game with lower back tightness. These teams have already met earlier in the season with the Heat rolling to a 147-116 win back on Jan. 24, and I expect to see a similar result. Maybe the Jazz won’t get blown out, but I expect a comfortable win and cover for the Heat despite this being their second game of a back to back set.

Rating: 2 Units

I’m on Xavier here. I just think the Red Storm are due for a bit of a letdown after such a massive win over UConn in their last game, and Xavier took St. John’s to the wire int he first meeting between these two teams earlier in the year. All in all I just think this is a case of too many points to give up so give me Xavier and the points.

Rating: 2 Units

Navy rolls into this matchup leading the Patriot League standings by two games and they have allowed 56 points or fewer in three of their last five games. The Midshipmen are shooting 47% from the field and they have scored at least 82 points in three of their last five. Bucknell has won two of their last three games, but they have scored 60 points or fewer in back to back games. Navy already beat Bucknell by 21 points at home and I think their defense will lead them to another win and cover here.

Rating: 2 Units

Belmont comes into this matchup with a 12-2 conference record and they are on a lengthy winning streak. The Bruins are shooting 52% from the field and they have scored 78+ points in four of their last five. Bradley has split their last four games, but they scored just 49 points in their last game. The Braves are shooting 43% from the field, but should score rather easily against a bad Belmont defense. I didn’t like how Bradley played in their last game and they already lost by 10 to Belmont earlier in the year, so I will take the Bruins on the road here.

Rating: 2 Units

Minnesota should cover 6.5 at home. The efficiency gap is real, the rebounding advantage creates extra possessions, and Anthony Edwards is the best player on the floor. Atlanta’s nine-game losing streak isn’t ending against a Wolves team that’s shooting 48.1% from the field and 37.4% from three. If Dyson Daniels sits, Atlanta loses defensive versatility, and that makes it even harder to slow down Edwards and Randle. The main risk is Minnesota’s recent loss to the Clippers—sometimes teams come out flat after a blowout defeat. But the Wolves are 32-22 with a +4.3 plus/minus, and those numbers suggest they bounce back more often than they fold.

Rating: 2 Units

This is Philly's last game of their road trip, but there is not enough here to back these Blazers at home. Portland is decimated with injuries, in their last game they started Sidy Cissoko and Toumani Camara while playing them heavy minutes. This is not the type of lineup that can hang with Philly, especially the way Embiid has been playing lately. Embiid has scored 30 or more in four of his last five games, and will tear up this Portland front line easily. With a chance that both Avdija and Sharpe are out, there is not enough scoring to back the Blazers.