UCLA is giddy after its 23-point fightback vs. Illinois, but things are not coming easily for the Bruins. Regional sources insist the fundamentals look pretty even here, and the Trojans’ touted frosh star Alijah Arenas should be close to 100% after dealing with illness last week that reduced his effectiveness vs. the Fighting Illini and Ducks. Eric Musselman is also likely to get more than 23 minutes from top active scorer Chad Baker-Mazara (18.4 ppg), who nonetheless scored 21 in reduced court time vs. Oregon due to whistle trouble (he eventually fouled out). After three straight losses, the Battle of LA is a good place for the Trojans to stop the bleeding and get back in the good graces of the Selection Committee. Play USC

One of these days the Magic will be whole; still no Franz Wagner as he deals with his bad ankle, and we'll see if Jalen Suggs returns to the floor tonight. Nonetheless an encouraging Western Conference road trip for Orlando, 3-0 vs. the line while winning big in Sacto and (minus Suggs) beating the Clips in Inglewood, with Desmond Bane the hero when scoring a big 36. The Magic could do the same vs. the Lake Show, healthier than before the All-Star break but still not impressing after getting blown out by Boston on Sunday at Crypto.com. Worth noting that LeBron & Co haven't extended a margin vs. a truly capable foe in over a month. Play Magic

Laying points with SJSU not usually at the top of our "to do" list but we find ourselves making exceptions each week in order to go against the Force. The Falcons are plumbing new depths this season, and now officially minus HC Joe Scott, winless in the MW with a results margin of nearly -28 pg...sheesh! Meanwhile, Tim Miles has coaxed covers in five of six for the Spartans, who might own the MW's hottest scorer in G Colby Garland, with a string of six straight 20+-point efforts, registering nearly 24 ppg across that span. This is also surely the shortest price we’ll have to lay against the Falcs the rest of the season, and don’t want to waste these opportunities. Play SJSU

Late word that Jaylen Brown is out tonight means the Celtics are required to circle the wagons once more, but this well-oiled Boston machine seems impervious to any roster disruptions, having dealt successfully with Jayson Tatum's absence all season. Resourcefulness is a Celtics trademark and stepping into the breach as featured scorers are likely the very capable Derrick White and certainly Payton Pritchard, Boston's best sixth man since John Havlicek in the 60s, and off of a 30-point showcase in the romp past the Lakers on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Suns appear in a bit of trouble, as the absence of Dillon Brooks removes much of the fire and brimstone from the lineup, and Sunday's 92-77 loss to Portland looks an ominous red flag. Play Celtics

The Bulls are apparently punting on another play-in opportunity as they instead look intent to began their rebuild. Results have been predictable, winless since the trade deadline and 1-12 across the past thirteen games. Josh Giddey is still available but he has hardly been foolproof lately, held to ten points or fewer in three of his last four games. Interesting situation tonight with ex-Bulls G Coby White making his Hornets debut, against his old team...and in Chicago to boot! Yet arrows still point up in Charlotte even after a few losses in a difficult schedule stretch, but almost all hands are on deck and the Hornets rolled past the Wiz on Sunday to get back in the win column. Play Hornets

Are we really going to lay 2.5 goals in a Champions League match? If you watched Newcastle toy with Qarabag last week in Baku, that hardly seems unreasoanble.The 6-1 scoreline could easily have been 10-1, or 11-1, so many times Anthony Gordon (who had four goals, by the way), Harvey Barnes and others seem to be in alone vs. Qarabag keeper Mateusz Kochalski That makes it 12 goals conceded in two Champs League matches in a row by Kochalski (Liverpool got six of its own on January 28), though it's not all his fault. Eddie Howe might be tempted to field a Carabao Cup-like side, but with him feeling a bit of heat, not sure the Toon pulls back. Play Newcastle on Spread

A Rockets recommendation has been a bit risky lately, unlike earlier this season, when Houston laid waste to numerous foes. The schedule, however, has been challenging in February, and blowing a late lead vs. the Knicks on Saturday at MSG might deliver a necessary jolt....the Rockets have generally bounced back with wins after losses this season. The operative tonight, however, is going against teams like the Jazz, who have won a few games this month but seem to have gone out of their way to lose others, not risking key components like Lauri Markkanen and Keyone George (both ? tonight), even when available and sitting them in the 4th Q. Recently-added Jaren Jackson Jr also won't feature the rest of the season. Play Rockets

It's not like the EPL in the NBA, as draws aren't allowed. Someone has to win, even in these "tank special" games, but evidence suggests Sacto (on a 16-game losing streak) is trying harder to lose. The last four defeats have been by 17 or more, and it took a couple of Doug McDermott triples in the last minute at San Antonio on Saturday to prevent another spread loss. Key cogs Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and DeAndre Hunter have all been shut down for the season. Some unfamilair faces are in the lineup for Memphis, too, but Griz efforts haven't been so bad with this downgraded look, inlcuding a handy win over the Jazz (in another tanking special) out of the All-Star break. Play Grizzlies

How many teams in the country have a better W-L record than 25-3? The answer is just five--Miami-Ohio, Duke, Arizona, Saint Louis, and Michigan–which means that SFA and its 25-3 SU mark are in some pretty good company. Note top scorer Keon Thompson (18.3 ppg) has been aided by quality portal adds, and the Lumberjacks have also offered. great spread value (now 20-6 vs. the line). They'll be on their toes tonight vs. UNO, since the Privateers are one of the few to cover a spread vs. SFA, coming pretty close at home in an 84-79 'Jacks win on January 17. UNO, however, has shown inconsistency, such as a recent loss at lowly Houston Christian, and a blowout suffered at home vs. UTRGV. Play SFA

The Tar Heels must have felt like they were suddenly on the wrong end of a 5-on-3 power play as the USA found itself in the 2nd period on Sunday vs. Canada, as within a snap of a finger, Hubert Davis was down his top two frontliners Caleb Wilson (19.8 ppg) and Henri Veesaar (16.5 ppg). That left Hubert shorthanded for a couple of games, but at least Veesaar returned on Saturday at the Dome vs. ‘Cuse and scored a UNC-high 19 in the 77-64 win over the Orange. After beating Duke a few weeks ago at Chapel Hill, the Heels won't fear Louisville, a buzzsaw at home but whose lesser efforts have all come on the road. Play UNC

The shine might be coming off the apple for a couple of recent EPL coaching hires. Chelsea's Liam Rosenior is starting to hear it after dropping poitns in consecutive games, while the Michael Carrick Revolution at Man United took a detour in a last-gasp 1-1 draw at drop-zone West Ham thanks only to some Benjamin Sesko brilliance. The Red Devils had won four on the bounce prior in the Prem under Carrick, but Nuno's side was content to sit back in a low-block and absorb pressure, something Ruben Amorim's Man U had all sorts of trouble with beforehand. Which sets this up as a "David Moyes Special" as he likely has Everton doing the same thing on Monday. Play Everton on Spread

Lots of back-and-forth in the Big Ten suggests that maybe we ought to take a look at Wiscy, which has bounced back smartly after its three defeats most recent to last Tuesday at Columbus, when Ohio State rolled 86-69. Greg Gard’s offense never got into a rhythm vs. the Buckeyes until it was too late, with Gs Nick Boyd and John Blackwell only so-so nights. Each can do better, especially Boyd, who prior to last Tuesday had scored 20+ in six straight while tallying at a 24 ppg rate across that span. Home edge might mean something here, as in its last Madison date the Badgers would run Michigan State off the court 92-71, when Boyd’s 29 points put Sparty to the sword. Play Wisconsin

No one outside of Wisconsin seems to be talking about this quiet post-deadline move made by the Bucks, which is now looking like a stroke of genius. High-usage G Cam Thomas was deemed expendable by the Nets, looking to shed salary and give other youngsters a look, but he seems a godsend for Milwaukee, already delivering 27 (vs. Orlando) and 34 (vs. 'Nawlins)-point games and fueling a three-game Bucks surge, all on the road. With Giannis still out, Doc Rivers suddenly has a go-to scorer as nobody will accuse Milwaukee of tanking with the Bucks fighting for a play-in spot. Meanwhile, Raps form a bit back-and-forth lately (4-4 last eight), and key F Scottie Barnes might miss action on Sunday. Play Bucks

Sacré bleu! What's up with this price? Especially as Lyon has been the hottest side in France for over a month, roaring up the Ligue Un table all of the way to third place. And while PSG is probably too far over the horizon to catch, Lyon is positionming itself for a return to the Champions League next fall. Recently-added Endrick, forced to sit the last game due to red cards, should be on pitch and ready to deal after scoring five times in six matches since being loaned from Real Madrid. Though another positive has been Slovakian GK Dominik Greif keeping clean sheets in his last three starts. Meanwhile, Strasbourg's domestic form has suffered this month, winless in three. Play Lyon on ML

OSU has only really lost contact once this season (at Michigan), while long-serving G Bruce Thornton is a Big Ten veteran who remains one of the league’s top catalysts at 19.9 ppg, and has really hit the accelerator lately, off of 28 and 27-point efforts, respectively, vs. Virginia and Wisconsin. The latter was maybe one of the best Buckeyes efforts of the season when shooting 54% from the floor vs. the Badgers. Sparty hasn’t exactly been lighting the world lately, entering Sunday having lost three of five, and top scorer soph G Jeremy Fears Jr has been rather embattled across the past month, with his performances fluctuating almost like the results pattern for OSU. Totals alert–note six straight overs for Michigan State. Play OSU-MSU Over