There's a lot to look at on Wednesday night with 12 NBA games on the board. Our stay-away game of the night is the Pistons vs. Raptors. It's hard to say what type of mentality the Pistons bring to the table here. They're coming off a hard-fought overtime win over Phoenix on Monday, and as you know, they're playoff seeding is all but wrapped up. But don't hit the fade button just yet. The Raptors are 3-11 ATS over their last 14 games, and not even close to being worth a wager at this point. Opening Toronto as the favorite does have us thinking that the books are in their corner tonight, but we'll keep our distance.
While we do like this spot for the Pistons, it seems that the value may be gone now that the line has shot up to -4.5 at most books. Detroit is a tough team to figure out these days, with Flip Saunders giving his bench a good hard look down the stretch. With the Central Division all but wrapped up, they're leaving a lot in the tank for playoff time. This one could go either way, so keep an eye on the line. If it continues to rise, the Wizards may actually be worth a look.
The Raptors will have Chris Bosh back in the lineup on Wednesday, but does that really warrant a 19-point spread. We're well aware that they'll be up against a dreadful Heat squad, but come on, we're talking about a Raptors squad that is coming off a demoralizing trip out West. They've had just one full day off since getting bombed by the Jazz on Monday, and it's hard to imagine they'll be all that motivated for a matchup with the league's worst team. We're not touching either side in this one, but a case could be made for the Heat based on value alone.
Don't expect the Knicks regular starters to see significant action in the final weeks of the season. Isaiah Thomas has already stated openly that he wants to get a look at his young players in key situations down the stretch. With that in mind, it's no surprise that the Knicks are pegged as 7.5-point dogs against the lowly Pacers on Monday evening. When it comes to New York, it's buyer beware from here on out.
It would certainly appear that way, and with a number of injuries to deal with, we feel they'll be hard pressed to stay within the pointspread tonight in Washington. The Wizards are trying to get themselves on a roll, especially after getting Caron Butler back in the fold on Thursday. Our lean is on the Wizards, as the Clippers have shown no signs of life over the past week (and no a win at Miami doesn't count).