NBA: Greg Frank Bucks conventional wisdom - Hornets over Sixers

Sixers -1.5 @ HORNETS (223.5), 7:05 pm
Pick: Hornets +1.5

If you’re looking for a team in a sandwich spot, look no further than the Sixers tonight. After what was likely their most impressive win of the season in Milwaukee on Sunday, the Sixers now play the front end of a back-to-back in Charlotte tonight. But guess who’s on deck tomorrow? A certain rival that wears green and white and may or may not play its home games in Boston. That’s right, the Celtics are up next for Philly tomorrow night back home at the Wells Fargo Center in a game that would go a long way for the Sixers in securing home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Even despite the victory in Milwaukee, the Sixers are still a poor 14-19 ATS on the road this season. The Hornets are desperate for a win as they enter the night two games behind Miami in the loss column for the final playoff berth in the East. Our guess is there’s a lot of public money on the Sixers here. All you have to do is lay 1.5 points to back a team that just beat the Bucks in Milwaukee? It seems too easy right? Sports betting is never too easy and this is not a good spot for the Sixers. Charlotte wins this game and keeps its playoff hopes alive.

Lakers +11 @ BUCKS (229.5), 8:05 pm
Pick: Under 229.5

This total opened at 236 at some sportsbooks last night. I got in at 232 this morning and at the time of this writing the total stands at 229.5. The money’s going the right way in this one. LeBron James is out for the Lakers and Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t suit up for Milwaukee. For a game to go over a total of 230 or higher the winning team either needs to score a bunch or it has to be really competitive which would keep the pace fast for all four quarters. We’re not seeing either of those things happening here. Both teams obviously aren’t going to score as much sans their best players, but Milwaukee should still have this game in hand in the fourth quarter which would likely result in the pace slowing. This total was wisely bet down and we’ll keep pounding it down here.