Locks
NFL/NBA 2-Team 6/5 Point Teaser (1 Unit)
Pittsburgh Steelers PK: 7:15 PM CT on ESPN
Thirty years. That’s how long it’s been since the Pittsburgh Steelers lost a Monday Night Football home game. That makes Steelers coach Mike Tomlin undefeated at home on Monday Night, and I think he stays that way tonight as his team is steadily improving. I don’t see fireworks in this game, but I do see the Steelers being able to move the ball fairly easily against a banged-up Chicago Bears defense allowing 31.7 PPG the last 3 weeks. The rude welcome Justin Fields has received to the NFL should continue as well against this excellent Steelers defense.
Favorites went 3-9 ATS yesterday, are only 42.9% on the season, and home favorites have hit at just a 39.5% clip on the year. I don’t want to step in front of that trend with the Steelers laying a full touchdown here. But just needing them to continue a 30-year run of Monday dominance by teasing it to a pick ‘em is an easy decision for me.
Golden State Warriors +2: 9:00 PM CT on NBC Sports-Bay Area
I don’t often tease NBA sides, but this looks like excellent value. I love that you can get Golden State – with the best record in the league, the best margin of victory, and third-best ATS plus/minus – at better than a pick ’em. That’s against an Atlanta Hawks team that is 1-5 straight up and 0-6 ATS on the road this season.
The Warriors are also on a back-to-back which holds down the spread, but last night’s game was a blowout with reduced workload for the starters. Meanwhile, Atlanta is still perceived as the team that nearly went to the finals this summer. But they have not lived up to that, and their ATS record speaks for itself.
The Warriors are also simply the better team here, as they’re the 2nd-best shooting team in the league with the top defensive rating, while Atlanta has struggled in all phases. Being able to get a couple of insurance points makes this an excellent teaser partner.
Degenerates
No degenerates today.
Tiny Nick is 429-334 ATS (+84.4 Units) on his Locks since joining Zone Coverage.
Every day he will offer his Locks and Degenerate picks. Locks are the games he’s confident in. Degenerates are entertaining but riskier picks.
