Sports Handicapper Stephen Nover's Picks & Predictions

The Wizards have blown 20-plus point leads in each of their last two games. So they should be extremely focused for this matchup. They catch the Cavaliers playing without rest after Cleveland defeated the Pacers, 122-103, on Sunday. 

This is important. So are the Wizards owning a winning home record. The Cavaliers are 6-13-1 ATS in their last 20 road games versus opponents who are above .500 at home. Cleveland also is 5-11-1 ATS the past 17 times when playing on zero rest and 2-7 ATS following a win. The Cavaliers are 6-14-2 ATS in their past 22 road games. 

That's a lot of trends lining up against the Cavaliers.

Bradley Beal should play for the Wizards after missing their last game this past Saturday due to a foot injury. He participated in the Wizards' shootaround this morning. 

The Bulls are laying the most points they have all season. I don't see the spot setting up well enough for them to cover.

Chicago is fat and happy having won two in a row, both at home. The Bulls rallied from 17 points down to defeat the Trail Blazers, 129-121, this past Saturday. This marks Chicago's third game in five days. The Bulls have a much more challenging matchup on Tuesday when they meet the Grizzlies in Memphis. So there's no need for them to go all out against the lowly Spurs. 

Overconfidence could factor against the Bulls, too. San Antonio has lost eight in a row. This is the start of the Spurs' annual rodeo trip. They've been idle since Friday. 

The Spurs are capable of beating the Bulls. They proved that with a 129-124 win back on Oct. 28 during the first meeting this season. San Antonio has covered five of the last six times versus the Bulls.

I don't like laying points with the Mavericks. I do like them as an underdog, though, even when they don't have superstar Luka Doncic.

That's the case again in this matchup.

The teams just met on Jan. 28 in Salt Lake City. The Mavericks didn't have Doncic and lost, 108-100, in that game. The Mavericks were plus 7 1/12 in that matchup. So they just missed covering. Dallas had covered the previous five times on the road against the Jazz.

Now the Mavericks are getting close to double-digits. They won't have Kyrie Irving yet, but their rotation players should be highly motivated to produce knowing their roles could change with the expected arrival of Irving. 

Dallas has had good success versus Utah covering 10 of the last 13 times. 

Green Bay, with its 2-22 record, is not only an embarrassment to the Horizon League, but also to the oddsmaker. 

The Phoenix have lost 14 in a row, failing to cover in their last seven games. They've lost their last seven games by an average of 23.8 points. 

There are 363 Division I teams. Green Bay is ranked 362nd, according to KenPom's ratings. 

The Phoenix lost 81-67 at home to Milwaukee on Dec. 1. Now they are on the road where they have lost 15 consecutive away contests failing to cover in 10 of their past 13 road games. 

The Panthers are in second place in the Horizon League trailing Youngstown State by one-half game. The Panthers are playing well winning four of their last five games, while covering seven of their last 10 games. 

Milwaukee last played on Thursday. So the Panthers should be focused and rested. 

Power rating-wise, I make Milwaukee a 21-point favorite. So I see enough value to lay the big chalk.