My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Oklahoma City at 10:35 pm et on Monday.

This is a favorable spot for the Clippers as they aim to build off of Saturday's incredible 150-point outburst against Atlanta. That win snapped a two-game skid for Los Angeles so this is not time to get complacent. Note that the Thunder check in 17th in offensive rating and 25th in defensive rating over their last five games. That's not to mention their less than impressive 19th standing in pace rating over that stretch. Meanwhile, the Clips are top-12 in offensive rating and top-3 in defensive rating while also sitting an impressive sixth in pace rating. It should only be a matter of time before L.A. pulls away in this one. Take Los Angeles (10*).

My selection is on Houston minus the points over Portland at 8:05 pm et on Monday.

I'll lay the points with the surging Rockets as they host the Blazers on Monday night. Portland is coming off a hard-fought road win in San Antonio two nights ago but should find the going a little tougher in this matchup. The Rockets check in top-10 in the league in offensive rating and first overall in defensive rating over their last five games. Not surprisingly they also land top-10 in pace rating. For the Blazers part, they barely land in the top half of the league in offensive rating, bottom-10 in defensive rating, and 16th in pace rating over their last five contests. Take Houston (10*).

My selection is on the 'under' between Milwaukee and Chicago at 8:05 pm et on Monday.

It may seem a little odd playing the 'under' in a game between the two teams that rank first and second in the league in pace rating over their last five games. But neither squad in is peak form offensively, with Milwaukee sitting a surprising 23rd in the league in offensive rating over its last five contests and Chicago nearly pulling up the rear in 29th. The Bucks check in second in defensive rating while the Bulls are a solid fifth in that department over their last five games. Take the under (10*).

NFL AFC West Game of the Month. My selection is on Los Angeles plus the points over Kansas City at 8:15 pm et on Monday.

We missed the mark (barely) with the Chargers last week as they fell by just two points in Oakland. I won't hesitate to go back to the well with Los Angeles here, however, even if this does appear to be an even tougher matchup. First of all, I'm not sure it actually is a tougher matchup. The Raiders are far better than anyone could have anticipated and last week the Chargers found that out first hand. Unlike the Raiders, the Chiefs don't possess a quality defense. Nor does Kansas City have a consistently productive ground attack. QB Patrick Mahomes returned from injury and looked very 'Mahomes-like' in last week's narrow loss in Tennessee, throwing for a season-high as far as pass yards goes. I simply feel that the Chargers, with their excellent offensive balance led by the re-emergence of RB Melvin Gordon, can go blow-for-blow with Andy Reid's Chiefs, just as they did in their most recent meeting last season - a wild 29-28 victory at Arrowhead Stadium on a Thursday night in December. Take Los Angeles (10*).