New Orleans at Portland

The basketball classic gives an opportunity for teams that perhaps didn't have quite the year they had hoped and allows them to experience the post-season. Portland finished the season at 18-14, while the Privateers finished 18-13. Portland did play a somewhat tougher schedule and the game is in Portland, but the line appears to be a bit strong here. Portland may be getting a bump as they had a 6 game winning streak, preceding a 1-2 finish. New Orleans has not played as a dog of this size in a long time, and they have been a dog of 4 or more just twice in their last 12 games and won one of them outright and covered the other. This line is too high, and I will take the points and back New Orleans.