I’m going to write a daily piece that highlights my favorite daily picks on the sports slate for Feb 25.

Yesterday, I finished 1-2. While every day is a new opportunity and I don’t want to get sucked into the past, I think it’s worth reviewing things each day. This will help us get better as we move forward. So, here is the recap:
I bet:

* Memphis-LAC under 233 (win) – Was a blowout from the start, helped the under.
* WV -5 (loss) – Dud from the jump. WV could not hit FTs or get over the hump.
* Hawks (+8.5) – This one hurt. ATL was up going into the fourth, then lost by 17.

Now, onto today’s card. We have a fun betting card today that includes seven NBA games and 20+ college basketball games.

We did the research for you so, so here are our three favorite bets for today:

Vik’s Picks 25 Feb

New Orleans Pelicans + 8 at Los Angeles Lakers

In the first of our NBA picks we have the matchup we have all been waiting for. Zion vs. LeBron! The Pelicans have been quietly playing some great basketball since Zion Williamson got back into the lineup. They have won two games in a row and also are 7-3 over their last ten games.

Also, if you dig deep into the metrics, the Pelicans numbers post Zion are awesome. Post-Zion they are 6th in offensive rating and 10th in defensive rating. Yes, it is a small sample set, but he has been that good.

Some sharp money also came in on the Pelicans early, shifting this line from Lakers -8.5 to 8 and even 7.5 in some books. Make sure you shop around. I’d take it as low as 7.5.

This should be a fun game going into the fourth and I’ll go as far as saying I consider the Pelicans a live-dog tonight (chance to win straight up), so I will gladly take the points.

OKC Thunder -7 at Chicago Bulls

This line has shot up from an opening line of Thunder -6 and understandably so as the Thunder are hot and the Bulls have struggled. I know this is a fishy line, but I can’t help but fall for the bait in this situation.

OKC comes into this game 38-18 ATS and have been a covering machine this season…even in spots like tonight. The Bulls are also 2-7-1 ATS in their last ten games.
The Bulls also will have only 8-9 healthy bodies today due to injuries. Since Dunn went down, their defense has struggled. On the flip side, the Thunder look pretty healthy.

Chicago has been decent at turning teams over, but the Thunder barely turn over the rock. Every other metric pretty much favors the Thunder. Unless OKC hit Underground or Tao hard last night, I see them winning by double-digits tonight.

Kentucky at Texas A&M +7

This one has trap line written all over it No. 8 UK at 14-12 TAM and the line is a touchdown? I’ll take TAM in this situational spot for a couple of reasons. First, Kentucky has a huge showdown coming up against Auburn this Saturday. They will definitely be looking ahead and that is why I see them coming out flat tonight.

Like most NCAAB teams, Texas A&M has also played better at home this season, posting a 10-5 record there. And, while TAM has been inconsistent this season, their defense is still been pretty solid for the most part. They are ranked 80th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency via Ken Pom. They are also good at steals and blocks and causing turnovers. Those are the little things that I see translating tonight against a UK team that might not take them as seriously as they normally should.

The sharps have also jumped in on the fun, as they hit the Aggies early. The line has now dropped to 6.5 even in some spots. Make sure you shop around on this line.

I would not be surprised to see this game come down to the wire, so I will happily take the points.

Well, that is all folks for our picks for Feb 25. Good luck on today’s wagers!