Sports Picks & Predictions

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Cleveland Indians -147

The Key: Carlos Carrasco is one of the best starters in baseball.  He has gone 4-2 with a 1.86 ERA and 0.77 WHIP in 7 starts this season.  Carrasco certainly enjoys facing the Rays, going 3-3 with a 2.57 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts against them.  He has yielded only 2 earned runs over 16 2/3 innings while winning each of his last 2 starts against Tampa Bay.  Chris Archer has never beaten the Indians, going 0-5 with a 5.14 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts against them.  Take Cleveland.

6* MLB Dog of the Week on Pittsburgh Pirates +130

The Key: The Pittsburgh Pirates should not be underdogs to the Arizona Diamondbacks, let alone +130 dogs, when you considering the huge advantage they have on the mound today.  Ivan Nova continues to get no love from oddsmakers despite the fact that he's 3-3 with a 2.23 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 7 starts this season.  Robbie Ray is 2-3 with a 4.14 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 7 starts for Arizona, and 1-2 with a 6.35 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in 4 home starts.  Ray has never beaten the Pirates, going 0-2 (0-3 money line) with a 7.07 ERA and 1.93 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts against them.  The Diamondbacks are 1-7 in Ray's last 8 starts as a home favorite of -125 to -175.  Take Pittsburgh.

7* Spurs/Warriors Game 1 *HEAVY HITTER* on Golden State -9.5

The Key: The Golden State Warriors are chomping at the bit to get back on the court again.  They swept each of their first round series against the Blazers and Jazz while winning seven of those games by 11 points or more.  I think they get a double-digit win over the Spurs in Game 1.  The Spurs are banged up right now without Tony Parker and with Kawhi Leonard nowhere near 100%.  They have also only had two days off since beating the Rockets in Game 6, while the Warriors have had five days off in between.  San Antonio is 0-7 ATS off a road win over a division opponent this season.  The Warriors are 17-5-1 ATS in their last 23 games overall.  Take Golden State.

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Month on Washington Nationals -1.5 (+125)

The Key: I'll back the Washington Nationals on the Run Line tonight against the struggling Philadelphia Phillies, who are 2-10 in their last 12 games overall.  The Nationals are 22-12 on the season behind a lineup that is hitting .283 and scoring 6.1 runs per game.  Tanner Roark has been a money-making machine over the past few seasons as he's consistently undervalued.  Roark is 3-1 with a 3.46 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 7 starts this season.  He'll be opposed by Nick Pivetta, who is 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA and 1.90 WHIP in 2 starts for the Phillies this year.  Roark is 4-4 with a 3.19 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 12 lifetime starts vs. Philadelphia.  Pivetta gave up 4 runs, 3 homers and 9 hits in 5 innings of a 2-4 loss to the Nationals on May 5th in his only lifetime start against them.  Take Washington on the Run Line.

6* Interleague *CA$H COW* on Chicago White Sox -127

The Key: The Chicago White Sox are hungry for a victory after losing 5 straight games coming in.  They should get back on the winning track tonight against one of the worst teams in baseball in the San Diego Padres.  Plus, they have a massive advantage on the rubber with Miguel Gonzalez.  He is 3-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 6 starts this season and 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in 2 home starts.  He'll be opposed by Jhoulys Chacin, who is 3-3 with a 5.49 ERA in 7 starts, and 1-3 with a 10.71 ERA in 4 road starts.  Chicago is 29-12 in its last 41 home games following 5 or more consecutive losses.  The Padres are 17-43 in their last 60 road games.  San Diego is 1-7 in its last 8 games overall.  The White Sox are 5-0 in Gonzalez's last 5 home starts.  Take Chicago.

7* Celtics/Wizards Game 6 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 217

The Key: The Over has gone 4-1 in this series thus far.  But I think Game 6 is primed to be the lowest scoring game yet as these teams clearly know one another very well now.  And with the pressure of an elimination game, I don't expect the Wizards to shoot lights out, but their defensive effort will be there for four quarters.  This one will be played at a much slower pace give the high stakes.  Boston is 7-0 UNDER in Friday night road games this season.  Boston is 13-2 UNDER in road games versus teams who allow 46% shooting or worse this season.  Take the UNDER.

7* Spurs/Rockets Game 6 *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston -6

The Key: I like the way the Houston Rockets responded the first time they trailed in this series.  Trailing 2-1, they blew out the Spurs 125-104 at home in Game 4.  After they gave away Game 5, I think the Rockets will respond with a big performance in Game 6 at home here again Thursday.  The Spurs are already without Tony Parker, and now Kawhi Leonard is nowhere near 100% as he's nursing ankle and knee injuries.  This is just a really bad spot for the Spurs here tonight.  Take Houston.

7* NBA 2nd Round Game of the Year on Boston Celtics -4

The Key: This one is really as simply as it gets.  The home team has been dominant when the Wizards and Celtics get together.  The home team has won 8 straight while going a perfect 8-0 ATS in the process.  The Celtics have won 7 straight home meetings with the Wizards while going 7-0 ATS as well.  They have won all 7 games by at least 8 points. Take Boston.

6* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on St. Louis Cardinals -103

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals are playing their best baseball of the season right now.  They have won 5 straight while scoring at least 5 runs in all five games.  They are now 18-14 on the season.  The Miami Marlins have gone the other direction, going 3-10 in their last 13 games overall.  Lance Lynn has been the Cardinals' best starter this season with a 4-1 record and a 2.04 ERA in 6 starts, including 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA in his last 3 outings.  Tom Koehler is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 6 starts for the Marlins.  Lynn has never lost to the Marlins, going 4-0 with a 3.28 ERA in 4 lifetime starts.  Koehler is 1-3 with a 7.84 ERA in 4 lifetime starts against the Cards.  Take St. Louis.

6* AL Central Game of the Week on Minnesota Twins -102

The Key: The Minnesota Twins have a big advantage on the mound tonight, yet we're getting them at a generous price of basically even money.  Hector Santiago is 3-1 with a 2.78 ERA in 6 starts this season.  Santiago really enjoys facing the White Sox, going 4-1 with a 1.40 ERA in 6 lifetime starts against them.  Mike Pelfrey is one of the worst starters in baseball.  He has gone 0-2 with a 5.02 ERA in 3 starts for Chicago this season.  Pelfrey is 1-1 with a 6.88 ERA in 4 lifetime starts vs. Chicago as well.  The Twins are 5-1 in their last 6 road games.  The Twins are 4-1 in their last 5 trips to Chicago.  Take Minnesota.

7* Rockets/Spurs Game 5 *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston +5.5

The Key: Not every game in this series is going to be a blowout.  After all, the four regular season meetings were all decided by 6 points or less, including three by exactly 2 points.  But each of the first four games in this series have been decided by 11 points or more.  The Rockets won by 21 and 27 points in their two victories.  I have a sneaky suspicion this Game 5 comes down to the final shot, and thus the price is a good one in getting the Rockets at +5.5.  The road team is 7-2 ATS in the last 9 meetings.  Take Houston.

7* Warriors/Jazz Game 4 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 207

The Key: We cashed in the UNDER in Game 3 with a 102-91 final and a total of 207.5.  The oddsmakers have failed to adjust enough for Game 4 with another 207-point total.  The UNDER is 7-1-1 in the last 9 meetings between the Jazz and Warriors.  They have combined for 205 or fewer points in 7 of those 9 meetings.  The UNDER is 25-8-2 in the last 35 meetings, including 11-4-1 in the last 16 meetings in Utah dating back further.  The UNDER is 20-5-1 in Warriors last 26 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  The UNDER is 26-10 in Warriors last 36 road games.  The UNDER is 7-1-1 in Jazz last 9 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  The UNDER is 10-2 in Jazz last 12 games following a double-digit loss at home.  Take the UNDER.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on St. Louis Cardinals -119

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals are playing their best baseball of the season in winning 7 of their last 10 games overall coming in.  The Miami Marlins have gone just 3-9 in their last 12 games overall.  The Cardinals have the clear advantage on the mound tonight.  Carlos Martinez is 1-3 with a 3.75 ERA in 6 starts, and 1-1 with a 3.79 ERA in 3 lifetime starts vs. Miami.  Adam Conley is 2-1 with a 6.00 ERA in 5 starts this year, and 0-1 with a 14.08 ERA in 2 home starts.  The Cardinals are 6-0 in their last 6 road games.  The Cardinals are 23-7 in Martinez' last 30 starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Marlins are 0-7 in their last 7 Game 1's of a series.  Take St. Louis.

6* Yankees/Cubs Interleague Game of the Week on Chicago -124

The Key: The Chicago Cubs have dropped the first two games of this series to the Yankees.  Now they'll be wanting to save face tonight and avoid the sweep.  Jon Lester is clearly the better starter in this matchup with Luis Severino, which wasn't the case in the first two games, though they should have won Game 1 after blowing a 2-0 lead in the 9th.  Then Brett Anderson got shelled yesterday.  Lester will stop the bleeding here.  The Cubs have gone 14-0 in his last 14 home starts in night games.  Take Chicago.

7* Celtics/Wizards Game 4 *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 216

The Key: The Celtics and Wizards are getting more familiar with one another as this series goes on.  After two shootouts in Boston, these teams combined for just 205 points in Game 3 in Washington.  I think we see a similar result here with what's at stake, and especially now that the Wizards are without one of their biggest offensive weapons in Kelly Oubre in Game 4 due to suspension.  The UNDER is 13-3-2 in Celtics last 18 road games, including 5-0-1 in Celtics last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.  The UNDER is 4-1 in Wizards last 5 home games.  Take the UNDER.

6* MLB Total of the Week on Rangers/Mariners OVER 8.5

The Key: The OVER is 4-1 in Mariners last 5 games overall, while the OVER is 3-1 in Rangers last 4 games.  Martin Perez is 1-4 with a 4.26 ERA in 6 starts, and 0-1 with a 5.19 ERA in 2 road starts this year.  Chase De Jong is 0-1 with a 20.22 ERA in his lone start this season, allowing 6 runs and 11 base runners in 2 2/3 innings of a 4-12 loss at Cleveland.  Seattle is 14-4 OVER in May home games over the last 2 seasons.  Seattle is 37-19 OVER in home games against left-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.  Perez is 10-1 OVER in road games when playing against a bad team (Win Pct. 38% to 46%) in his career.  The OVER is 9-2 in Perez's last 11 starts vs. Seattle.  The OVER is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings.  Take the OVER.

7* NBA 2nd Round Total of the Year on Warriors/Jazz UNDER 208

The Key: The UNDER is 6-1-1 in the last eight meetings in this series.  The Warriors and Jazz have combined for 209 or fewer points in seven of those eight meetings, and 205 or fewer in six of them.  The Jazz play at the slowest tempo in the NBA, and they'll control the pace playing at home in Game 3.  The UNDER is 25-10 in Warriors last 35 road games.  The UNDER is 24-8-2 in the last 34 meetings, and 10-4-1 in the last 15 meetings in Utah.  Take the UNDER.

7* Spurs/Rockets Game 3 *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston -4.5

The Key: James Harden had one of his worst games of the season in Game 2 as he went just 3-for-17 from the field.  Don't expect another poor performance from him here in Game 3 as this series shifts to Houston.  This is where the Rockets take control of the series as they are clearly the better team.  The Spurs are now down their starting point guard in Tony Parker for the rest of the postseason.  They will be lost without him as Kawhi Leonard will have to take over more of the PG duties, which he's unaccustomed to.  Leonard has too much on his plate for the Spurs.  The Rockets are a complete team that can beat you with a number of different players.  Take Houston.

6* NL West Game of the Week on Arizona Diamondbacks -107

The Key: I love the price we are getting with the Arizona Diamondbacks.  We're getting their ace in Zach Greinke at basically even money here.  Greinke sports a 3.19 ERA in 6 starts this year, including a 2.25 ERA in his last 3 starts.  He'll be opposed by German Marquez, who is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA in his 2 starts this season.  The Rockies are 0-4 in Marquez's last 4 starts.  Take Arizona.

7* Jazz/Warriors Game 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on Utah +12.5

The Key: Gordon Hayward was basically a no-show in Game 1 and the Utah Jazz still managed to cover the 13-point spread.  Expect a much better game from him here tonight after he went just 2-for-9 for 12 points in Game 1.  Utah is 75-49 ATS when revenging a loss vs. opponent over the last three seasons.  The Jazz are 6-0 ATS in their last six road games.  Utah is 9-1-1 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on one days rest.  Take Utah.

6* Angels/Mariners AL West *BAILOUT* on Seattle -119

The Key: The Seattle Mariners have gone 7-4 at home this season and we are getting a great price on them as only -119 favorites over the Los Angeles Angels tonight.  Ariel Miranda has held his own this season, going 2-2 with a 3.81 ERA in 5 starts, including 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA in 2 home starts.  Miranda has never lost to the Angels, going 2-0 with a 3.71 ERA in 3 lifetime starts vs. Los Angeles.  Alex Meyer was rocked for a 9.00 ERA in his lone lifetime start against the Mariners.  The Angels are 4-9 in their last 13 home games.  The Mariners are 5-1 in Miranda's last 6 home starts.  Take Seattle.

6* Rockies/Padres NL West *BAILOUT* on Colorado -124

The Key: The Colorado Rockies have dropped two straight and five of their last seven.  They'll have a good opportunity to bounce back tonight against the San Diego Padres.  Jered Weaver is a dumpster fire who is far past his prime.  Weaver is 0-2 with a 4.71 ERA in 5 starts this season.  He'll be opposed by Antonio Senzatela, who is 3-1 with a 2.81 ERA in 5 starts, and 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in 2 road starts.  Senzatela allowed just 2 runs in 7 innings of a 3-2 victory over the Padres on April 11th.  The Rockies are 8-1 in their last 9 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.  The Rockies are 4-1 in Senzatela's last 5 starts.  The Padres are 0-5 in Weaver's last 5 starts.  Take Colorado.

7* Raptors/Cavs Game 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto +7.5

The Key: The Toronto Raptors are tired of getting beat down in Cleveland.  They have lost their last four playoff games in Cleveland by an average of 25 points.  I think they come out with a chip on their shoulder tonight and play the Cavs close from start to finish.  They were at least competitive in Game 1, losing by 11 points.  They will stay within 7.5 tonight, possibly pulling off the upset.  Toronto is 10-2 ATS when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 60% to 70%) this season.  The Raptors are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 road games.  The Cavaliers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  The road team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.  Take Toronto.

7* Jazz/Warriors Game 1 *HEAVY HITTER* on Golden State -12.5

The Key: Big advantage here for the Warriors in rest and preparation in Game 1.  The Warriors beat the Blazers in 4 games and have been off since April 24.  The Jazz needed 7 games to beat the Clippers and just wrapped up their series on Sunday.  Look for the Warriors to keep the foot on the gas in Game 1 and make a statement here.  The have had the Jazz number over the past couple seasons, going 6-1 SU & 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings at Golden State.  All 6 of those wins have come by at least 13 points, and that will get us a cover here in Game 1.  Take Golden State.

6* MLB Run Line Game of the Week on New York Yankees -1.5 (-105)

The Key: Masahiro Tanaka is 3-0 with a 1.61 ERA in his last 3 starts.  He is coming off a complete game shutout at Boston, so he's clearly finding his groove.  Mat Latos has been awful over the past few seasons and isn't about to resurrect his career in Toronto in the tough AL East.  Tanaka is 6-3 with a 2.34 ERA in 10 lifetime starts vs. Toronto.  The Yankees are 12-1 in Tanaka's last 13 starts as a home favorite of -110 or higher, winning by an average of 2.2 runs per game in this spot.  Take New York on the Run Line.

6* NL Central Game of the Week on Pittsburgh Pirates -109

The Key: The Cincinnati Reds have come back down to reality over the past few weeks.  They are just 2-8 in their last 10 games overall.  Amir Garrett is now 2-2 with a 5.09 ERA on the year after getting shelled for 9 earned runs in 3 1/3 innings in his last start against the Brewers.  Ace Gerrit Cole sports a 1.89 ERA over his last 3 starts and we'll back him at an excellent price tonight.  The Pirates are 8-2 in their last 10 road games vs. a left-handed starter.  Take Pittsburgh.

7* Raptors/Cavs Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto +7

The Key: The additions of Serge Ibaka and PJ Tucker make the Raptors the biggest threats to beat the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference.  They took the Cavs to 6 games last year and are capable of winning this series now.  The Cavs aren't as strong as they were a year ago, especially defensively as they ranked 22nd in efficiency during the regular season.  They gave up 111 points per 100 possessions against the Pacers last series.  While they swept the Pacers, that series was much closer than the sweep would suggest as all 4 games were decided by 6 points or less.  Ibaka and Tucker helped the Raptors limit the Bucks to just 93.2 points per game last series.  It's clear that they are by far the superior defensive team in this series.  Toronto is hitting its stride in winning its last three games over the Bucks by a combined 39 points despite playing two of those games on the road.  The Raptors are 10-1 ATS when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 60% to 70%) this season.  The Cavaliers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  Take Toronto.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on San Francisco Giants -129

The Key: The Giants will bounce back from their 12-4 defeat at the hands of the Padres yesterday.  Ty Blach is a nice young starter for them who deserves a spot in the rotation and will be hungry to prove it today.  Clayton Richard is 2-3 with a 4.45 ERA in 5 starts for the Padres, 1-2 with a 5.09 ERA in 3 road starts and 1-2 with a 6.06 ERA in his last 3 starts.  San Diego is 2-8 in its last 10 road games.  The Padres are 8-32 in road games after 4 or more consecutive road games over the last 2 seasons.  The Padres are 16-41 in their last 57 road games.  The Padres are 0-5 in Richard's last 5 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Giants are 16-6 in their last 22 home games vs. a left-handed starter.  The Padres are 15-37 in the last 52 meetings in San Francisco.  Take San Francisco.

7* Jazz/Clippers *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 191

The Key: The UNDER is 2-0 in the last two games of this series with combined scores of 188 and 191 points.  This comes as no surprise because as these teams get more familiar with one another, the harder it is to score points.  I think we'll see the lowest-scoring game of the series here in Game 7 Sunday with what is at stake.  The UNDER is 5-0 in Jazz last 5 road games.  The UNDER is 4-1 in Clippers last 5 home games.  The UNDER is 17-5-1 in Clippers last 23 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  The UNDER is 6-1 in the last seven meetings in Los Angeles.  Take the UNDER.

7* NL West Game of the Month on Arizona Diamondbacks -125

The Key: Rarely will you get the opportunity to back ace Zach Greinke at this kind of price at home.  The Diamondbacks are 11-4 at home this season and scoring 6.8 runs per game.  Greinkey is 2-2 with a 2.93 ERA in 5 starts, and 2-0 with a 2.04 ERA in 3 home starts, clearly turning it around this year.  Tyler Anderson is 1-3 with a 7.10 ERA in 5 starts for the Rockies.  Anderson is 0-0 with a 6.30 ERA in 2 lifetime starts vs. Arizona.  Greinke is 98-37 (+41.8 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -110 or higher in his career.  Greinke is 42-11 (+25.9 Units) against the money line in home games vs. an NL team with a team batting average of .255 or worse in his career.  Take Arizona.

6* NL West *CA$H COW* on Colorado Rockies +142

The Key: The Colorado Rockies come in having lost 3 straight games.  They will be hungry to get back in the win column tonight, and I think they do that against the Rays at a great price due to their advantage on the mound.  Kyle Freeland has gone 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in 4 starts this year, including a 2.25 ERA in his lone road start.  Robbie Ray sports a 3.42 ERA in 4 starts for the Diamondbacks, including a 6.55 ERA in 2 home starts.  Ray has been rocked by the Rockies, sporting a 5.30 ERA and 1.682 WHIP in 7 lifetime starts.  Colorado is a very profitable 19-16 (+12.8 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +175 over the last 2 seasons.  Ray is a woeful 2-8 (-9.3 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -175 over the last 3 seasons.  Take Colorado.

7* Celtics/Bulls Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Boston -3

The Key: The Chicago Bulls haven't been the same since losing Rajon Rondo.  They are 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last three games, getting outscored by a combined 37 points by the Celtics in the process.  They have been held to just 93.0 points per game without Rondo as well as their offense has stalled.  I think the Celtics close out the series here tonight, especially knowing that Isaiah Thomas and friends will be leaving for Washington for his sister's funeral after this game either way.  They'd rather not have the distraction of a Game 7 during the funeral, so they'll be 'all in' here to finish the deal.  Boston is 17-8 ATS when the line is +3 to -3 this season.  The Celtics are 17-8-2 ATS in their last 27 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The favorite is 10-3 ATS in the last 13 meetings.  The road team is 4-1 ATS in this series.  Take Boston.

7* Raptors/Bucks Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Milwaukee -1

The Key: The Toronto Raptors play great with their backs against the wall.  They dug themselves out of a 2-1 deficit in this series to win the last two games.  But now that they know they have a home game in their back pocket for Game 7, they won't be nearly as hungry to win Game 6 tonight.  They just have a way of falling flat in games they don't need in the playoffs over the past two postseasons.  They were forced to go to Game 7 twice last year in the first two rounds.  Milwaukee is 8-0 ATS in home games off 2 straight losses by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.  Take Milwaukee.

6* NL East Game of the Week on Philadelphia Phillies +101

The Key: The Philadelphia Phillies are rolling right now.  They have won 4 straight coming in.  They are hitting .278 and scoring 5.7 runs per game at home this year.  Vincent Velasquez is one of the bright young talents in the game.  He has 19 strikeouts in 15 innings over 3 starts this year.  Velasquez is 1-0 with a 2.50 ERA in 3 lifetime starts vs. Miami.  Wei-Yin Chen has struggled recently against the Phillies.  He is 0-2 with a 5.51 ERA in his last 3 starts against them, all of which came last season.  He has given up 10 earned runs and a whopping 28 hits in 16 1/3 innings in those 3 starts.  Take Philadelphia.

7* Wizards/Hawks *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 213

The Key: The last 3 games in this series have finished right around this 213-point total.  They went for 210 points in Game 2, 214 in Game 3 and 212 in Game 4.  I expect the lowest-scoring game of the series tonight.  The more familiar teams become with one another, the harder it is to score.  The advantage goes to the defenses when they know what the opposing offenses are trying to do.  Atlanta is 9-0 UNDER in road games after 2 consecutive covers as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.  The UNDER is 8-0 in Hawks last 8 Wednesday games.  The UNDER is 11-4-1 in Hawks last 16 road games.  The UNDER is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Washington.  Take the UNDER.

7* Thunder/Rockets Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Oklahoma City +7.5

The Key: The Oklahoma City Thunder have led 128 of 192 minutes in series but trail 3-1.  That's the most minutes any team has led in any series in postseason through four games.  They just haven't been able to finish game late.  And this has been a closely-contested series all season.  In fact, 6 of 8 meetings this season have been decided by 4 points or less.  Dating back further, 11 of the last 13 meetings have been decided by 8 points or fewer.  Expect a big effort from the Thunder with their season on the line.  It also helps that James Harden has a bum ankle and isn't 100%.  The Underdog is 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings.  Take Oklahoma City.

7* Bucks/Raptors Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Milwaukee +6

The Key: The Milwaukee Bucks have been the better team in this series thus far.  They have outscored the Raptors by a combined 24 points through four games.  They played great in each of the first 3 games, but they committed an uncharacteristic 20 turnovers in Game 4 and lost by 11.  They are being undervalued now after that performance, and I look for them to possibly win this game outright, let alone stay within 6 points in Game 5.  Jason Kidd preached tempo after the Game 4 loss.  He said they were playing too slow, and that their energy level was too low.  Look for them to correct their mistakes and get back to playing the way they were when they took 2 of the first 3 games from the Raptors by a combined 35 points.  The Bucks are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.  The Raptors are 8-22-1 ATS in their last 31 Conference Quarterfinals games.  Take Milwaukee.

6* Cubs/Pirates ESPN *CA$H COW* on Chicago -118

The Key: Brett Anderson had two great starts to open the season in which he allowed just 1 earned run in 10 2/3 innings.  But after getting blown up by the Brewers in his last start, Anderson is now being undervalued.  But he's clearly the better starter in this matchup with Chad Kuhl, and the Cubs have far and away the better lineup.  The Cubs are scoring 4.9 runs per game overall and 5.9 per game on the road.  The Pirates are scoring just 3.4 runs per game overall and 2.9 against left-handed starters.  Kuhl has never beaten the Cubs, going 0-2 with a monstrous 10.45 ERA and 2.323 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts, all of which came last season.  Take Chicago.

7* Rockets/Thunder Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Oklahoma City -1

The Key: The Oklahoma City Thunder picked up a huge win in Game 3 as they breathed a huge sigh of relief after James Harden missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.  Now they have the confidence that they can beat the Rockets, and I think that carries over into Game 4 here.  The Thunder have some of the best home fans in the NBA, which has led to a 29-13 record on their home floor this season.  This is a very generous -1 price as a result.  The Thunder are 8-0 ATS in home games after a combined score of 215 points or more 2 straight games this season.  The Rockets are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games overall.  Take Oklahoma City.

6* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on St. Louis Cardinals -108

The Key: Mike Leake has been absolutely dominant this season, going 2-1 with a 0.84 ERA and 0.844 WHIP over 3 starts.  He'll be opposed by Jimmy Nelson, who is 1-0 with a 4.42 ERA in 3 starts for the Brewers.  Leake is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in his last 2 starts against the Brewers, giving up just 3 runs and 12 base runners in 13 innings while striking out 14 batters.  Nelson has never beaten the Cardinals, going 0-6 with a 6.97 ERA in 8 lifetime starts.  Take St. Louis.

7* Spurs/Grizzlies Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Memphis +5

The Key: Home-court advantage has meant everything when the Grizzlies and Spurs have gotten together this season.  In fact, the home team is a perfect 7-0 straight up in their 7 meetings this season.  I look for that to improve to 8-0 as the Grizzlies win outright tonight, so getting 5 points along with it is just an added bonus.  Take Memphis.

6* Interleague *CA$H COW* on Pittsburgh Pirates +106

The Key: Jameson Taillon impressed as a rookie last season, and now he has carried over that success into 2017.  He has gone 1-0 with a 0.90 ERA through 3 starts this year despite taking on two of the best teams in baseball in the Red Sox and Cubs.  Michael Pineda is wild and clearly can't control his stuff.  The Yankees are just 2-5 on the road this season, while the Pirates are 4-3 at home.  The Pirates are 13-5 in Taillon's last 18 starts, 8-3 in his last 11 home starts, and 7-0 in his last 7 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or less in their previous game.  Take Pittsburgh.

6* Mariners/A's AL West *BAILOUT* on Seattle +113

The Key: I'll back the Seattle Mariners at an excellent underdog price here Friday night.  They'll bounce back from a 6-9 loss to the A's last night behind Hisashi Iwakuma, who sports a 2.25 ERA in 2 road starts this season.  Iwakuma sports a 9-4 record in 15 lifetime starts vs. Oakland.  Sean Manaea is 0-1 with a 5.51 ERA in 3 starts this season for the A's.  Manaea sports a 4.76 ERA in 3 lifetime starts vs. Seattle.  The Mariners are 9-1 in Iwakuma's last 10 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.  The A's are 1-7 in Manaea's last 8 starts vs. AL West teams.  The Mariners are 5-0 in Iwakuma's last 5 road starts vs. Oakland.  Take Seattle.

7* NBA 1st Round Game of the Year on Oklahoma City Thunder -2

The Key: It's now or never for the Oklahoma City Thunder.  They blew a 15-point lead in the 2nd half of Game 2 and lost to fall down 0-2 in this series.  They can't afford to go 0-3 or this series is over.  Look for them to play hungry tonight at home and to take this Game 3 from the Houston Rockets, who will relax after taking care of business at home.  The Thunder are 28-13 SU & 26-14-1 ATS at home this season.  OKC is 7-0 ATS in home games after allowing 115 points or more this season.  The Thunder are 13-2 ATS after having lost 3 of their last 4 games this season.  The Rockets are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games overall.  Take Oklahoma City.

6* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on New York Mets -1.5 (+125)

The Key: The New York Mets have a massive advantage on the mound tonight.  Instead of backing them at -170 on the money line, I'm going to take the value here and the +125 on the run line in a game I'm certain they win by 2 runs or more.  Noah Syndergaard is 1-0 with a 0.95 ERA in 3 starts this year, yielding only 2 earned runs in 19 innings.  Syndergaard is a perfect 4-0 in 4 lifetime starts vs. Philadelphia while sporting a 1.37 ERA.  He has never lost to them.  Aaron Nola is 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA in one lifetime start vs. the Mets.  Take New York on the Run Line.

7* NBA 1st Round Total of the Year on Cavs/Pacers OVER 210.5

The Key: The oddsmakers have failed to adjust this total high enough in Game 3 tonight despite the fact that the first two games in this series have gone well OVER the total.  In fact, the Cavs and Pacers have combined for at least 217 points in each of their last 5 meetings now dating back to the regular season.  Both teams play 'optional' defense this year and prefer to go small offensively, which is a recipe for overs.  The OVER is 20-5-1 in Cavaliers last 26 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.  The OVER is 30-12-1 in Cavaliers last 43 vs. Eastern Conference.  Cleveland is 32-12 OVER when the total is 210 to 219.5 this season.  Take the OVER.

7* Blazers/Warriors Western Conference *BAILOUT* on Portland +14

The Key: The Portland Trail Blazers have gone 18-6 ATS in their last 24 games overall.  They have been undervalued down the stretch and continue to be in the postseason.  That's especially the case when you consider how tough they have played the Warriors, going 3-0 ATS in the last 3 meetings while losing by 2, 8 and 12 points.  Now Kevin Durant is dealing with a calf injury, and Shaun Livingston and Matt Barnes are also questionable with injuries.  I think the Blazers are live dogs tonight as they look to build on their 6-1 ATS run in road games.  Take Portland.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Seattle Mariners -143

The Key: Edinson Volquez is coming off a terrible season with the Royals in which he went 10-11 with a 5.37 ERA and 1.548 WHIP in 34 starts.  Now the Marlins scooped him up, and while he will likely improve on those numbers this season, this is a guy that is far past his prime.  Felix Hernandez came into spring training in better shape and lost some weight.  It has paid off as he dominated in the World Baseball Classic, and he has been excellent in the early going.  Hernandez is 1-1 with a 2.95 ERA in 3 starts.  He has never lost to the Marlins, going 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA in 2 lifetime starts.  Miami is 24-56 in road games after having won 3 of their last 4 games since 1997.  The Marlins are 6-20 in their last 26 interleague road games.  The Mariners are 7-2 in Hernandez's last 9 home starts.  Take Seattle.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Arizona Diamondbacks -115

The Key: The Arizona Diamondbacks are determined to contend in the NL West this season.  They have the talent to do it, and they're off to a good start at 9-5 this season.  The San Diego Padres are far and away the worst team in the NL West.  They just 5-9 and will probably lose 100 games this season.  So getting to fade them at only a -115 price is a discount in my book.  And Shelby Miller is going to be much better than he was a year ago.  Miller is 12-4 (+9.5 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 lifetime.  Arizona is 12-2 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in road games vs. NL teams scoring 4 or less runs/game on the season over the last 2 seasons.  The Diamondbacks are 9-2 in their last 11 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.  The Padres are 1-5 in Cosart's last 6 starts. Take Arizona.

7* Bulls/Celtics TNT *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 206.5

The Key: The Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics have been playing in some defensive battles of late.  They have combined for 208 or less points in each of their last 5 meetings.  Game 1 saw 208 combined points, but they went off in the final two minutes with fouls as the Celtics were mounting their comeback.  That isn't likely to happen again.  The UNDER is 5-1 in Bulls last 6 games overall.  The UNDER is 22-7 in Bulls last 29 games when playing on 1 days rest.  The UNDER is 8-0 in Celtics last 8 home games against a team with a winning record.  The UNDER is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.  Take the UNDER.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Arizona Diamondbacks +144

The Key: The Los Angeles Dodgers were one of the worst teams in baseball against left-handed pitching last season.  They ranked 30th in a number of different categories against southpaws.  That has carried over into this seaosn as they are just 2-4 against lefties while hitting .245 and scoring 3.5 runs per game.  Robbie Ray is a lefty with electric stuff as he's 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA in 2 starts this season with 14 K's in 12 1/3 innings.  Ray has had plenty of success against the Dodgers, sporting a 2.96 ERA in 8 lifetime starts.  He has struck out 27 batters in 18 2/3 innings in his last 3 starts against the Dodgers.  The Dodgers are 2-10 in their last 12 games vs. a left-handed starter.  Take Arizona.

7* Grizzlies/Spurs NBA *HEAVY HITTER* on Memphis +11

The Key: The Memphis Grizzlies are a prideful team that won't go down without a fight.  They were swept by the Spurs in the playoffs last season and want revenge.  They played horrible in the 2nd half of Game 1 after it was close in the first half.  They'll come back swinging for the fences in Game 2 tonight.  The Grizzlies and Spurs split the season series 2-2 with the largest margin of victory by the Spurs of 7 points.  The Grizzlies actually outscored the Spurs by 10 points in their 4 meetings during the regular season.  Now they're catching a whopping 11 points in Game 2 tonight.  San Antonio is 0-7 ATS in home games off a win over a division opponent this season.  Take Memphis.

7* Blazers/Warriors NBA *Total* Annihilator on OVER 219.5

The Key: The Portland Trail Blazers are forced to go small ball with the injury to Jusuf Nurkic.  The Golden State Warriors prefer to play small ball and do for the majority of their games.  This Game 1 has the makings of an absolute shootout.  And the Blazers and Warriors are certainly used to shootouts.  In fact, each of the last 7 meetings in this series have seen at least 225 combined points.  That makes for a 7-0 angle backing the OVER when comparing it to the 219.5-point total in Game 1.  The OVER is 18-6 in the last 24 meetings.  Take the OVER.

7* Grizzlies/Spurs Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Memphis +9.5

The Key: The Memphis Grizzlies want revenge on the Spurs from getting swept by them in the playoffs last year.  But the Grizzlies were banged up and playing without several key players, including Mike Conley.  Now they're almost fully healthy entering the playoffs with the exception of Tony Allen, but he is at the end of his career and won't be missed much.  The Grizzlies limped in to the postseason because they were locked in to the No. 7 seed down the stretch, so they were more worried about getting healthy.  Now I think you see them play their best basketball in the postseason, starting with Game 1 tonight.  The Grizzlies went 2-2 against the Spurs this season with the home team winning all 4 meetings.  But the Grizzlies only lost by 6 and 7 points in their 2 meetings in San Antonio.  Memphis is 14-6 ATS as a dog of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  The Spurs are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 2 days rest.  The Grizzlies are 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.  Take Memphis.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on San Francisco Giants -121

The Key: After a rough start to the season, the Giants have won 4 of their last 6 and I expect them to add another win here Saturday as a short home favorite against the Colorado Rockies.  Matt Moore has been great in 2 starts, sporting a 2.70 ERA in his 2 starts against the Diamondbacks this season.  Tyler Chatwood sports a 6.35 ERA in his 2 starts against the Padres and Brewers.  Moore gave up just 1 earned run in 7 2/3 innings while striking out 11 in a 12-3 home victory over the Rockies in his last start against them.  The Rockies are 13-38 in their last 51 road games vs. a left-handed starter.  The Giants are 5-1 in Moore's last 6 home starts.  Take San Francisco.

7* National League Game of the Month on Atlanta Braves -134

The Key: The Atlanta Braves are just 2-6 to open the 2017 season.  But all eight games have been on the road, and now they break in their new stadium in their home opener Friday, and it should be a great atmosphere.  It also helps that they are sending ace Julio Teheran to the mound.  He has pitched 13 shutout innings in his two starts against Pittsburgh and New York to open the season.  He'll be opposed by Jhoulys Chacin, who is 1-1 with an 8.10 ERA while allowing 9 earned runs in 10 innings against the Giants and Dodgers.  Teheran is 2-0 with a 2.14 ERA in his last 3 starts against San Diego while allowing 5 earned runs in 21 innings.  Take Atlanta.

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on San Francisco Giants -160

The Key: The advantage on the mound clearly goes to the San Francisco Giants in this one.  Ace Madison Bumgarner sports a 3.00 ERA and 0.933 WHIP in 2 starts this season.  He is 12-6 with a 3.11 ERA in 25 lifetime starts versus Colorado.  Jon Gray has been shaky in the early going, sporting a 5.79 ERA in two starts while giving up 6 runs and 15 base runners in 9 1/3 innings.  Colorado is 4-22 against the money line in road games off a loss to a division rival as a home favorite since 1997.  Gray is 1-11 against the money line in road games with a team slugging percentage .400 or worse on the season (NL) over the last 2 seasons.  The Rockies are 4-16 in Gray's last 20 road starts.  The Giants are 15-3 in Bumgarner's last 18 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Take San Francisco.

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Boston Celtics -14

The Key: The Milwaukee Bucks are locked in to the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference.  As a result, they have decided to rest all of their starters tonight in Giannis Anetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Tony Snell and Matthew Delavedova.  They clearly don't care about this game.  Boston can clinch the 1st seed in the East with a win, so this is a huge game for the Celtics.  Bets against road dogs of 10 or more points after allowing 90 points or less in 2 straight games against opponent after allowing 105 points or more are 26-5 ATS since 1996.  This is a big number for a reason, but it's not big enough tonight.  Take Boston.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Pittsburgh Pirates -168

The Key: The Pittsburgh Pirates will be hungry for a win tonight.  They have lost the first two games of this series to the Reds and do not want to get swept at home.  Ivan Nova had a tremendous spring training and carried that over to his first start of the season.  Nova pitched 6 shutout innings against the Braves.  Nova is 3-2 with a 3.82 ERA and 1.061 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts vs. Cincinnati.  Nova is 52-23 (+18.2 Units) against the money line as a favorite of -110 or higher in his career.  The Pirates are 10-3 in their last 13 games vs. a left-handed starter.  The Pirates are 8-3 in Nova's last 12 starts.  Take Pittsburgh.

7* NBA Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Los Angeles Lakers -2.5

The Key: The Los Angeles Lakers are finishing strong despite cries from their fans to tank it.  The have covered the spread in 5 straight while winning 4 straight outright.  Now they'll only 2.5-point home favorites against a New Orleans Pelicans team that is tanking, going 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.  That is clear by the fact that they are sitting both Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins.  The Pelicans are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games.  The Lakers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall.  Take Los Angeles.

6* DBacks/Giants NL West *BAILOUT* on San Francisco -125

The Key: The San Francisco Giants played 7 straight road games to open the season and went 2-5.  But now they're home and coming off a 4-1 win over the Diamondbacks in their home opener yesterday.  And I think this is a cheap price to get the Giants at -125 again tonight.  Jeff Samardzija has been much better at home than on the road and will be hungry to make up for a poor start in Arizona on April 6th.  Robbie Ray sports a 3.90 ERA and 1.446 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts versus San Francisco.  Ray is 2-15 (-15.4 Units) against the money line vs. poor power teams - averaging 0.9 or less HR's/game over the last 2 seasons.  The Diamondbacks are 7-19 in Ray's last 26 road starts.  The Giants are 36-17 in their last 53 home games vs. a left-handed starter.  The Giants are 6-1 in their last 7 home games.  The Giants are 15-5 in the last 20 meetings.  Take San Francisco.

7* NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Month on Indiana Pacers -8.5

The Key: The Indiana Pacers are on the brink of clinching a playoff spot.  They've done so by winning three straight games games by at least 15 points each over the Raptors, Bucks and Magic.  They are also 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.  This is a team that nobody wants to face right now.  The 76ers are a team that everyone wants to face.  They are 0-6 SU & 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games coming in and have rarely been competitive.  Their laundry list of injuries has something to do with it, but they also don't want to hurt their chances of a better draft pick.  The Pacers have owned the 76ers by going 7-1 SU & 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings.  In fact, 6 of those wins have come by at least 11 points.  Take Indiana.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Seattle Mariners -126

The Key: The Mariners have been a hard-luck team in the early going with their 1-6 start.  They just blew a 9-3 lead in the 9th inning and lost 10-9 to the Angels yesterday, which was their 3rd one-run loss already.  But after playing their first 7 games on the road, the Mariners will be hungry to get back on track in their home opener Monday.  James Paxton pitched 6 shutout innings and allowed only 3 base runners in his first start this year at Houston.  He sports a 3.60 ERA and 1.067 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts against the Astros.  Charlie Morton is 14-33 against the money line in day games in his career.  Take Seattle.

7* NBA Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Phoenix Suns -2.5

The Key: The Dallas Mavericks have clearly given up at the end of the season.  They are without Harrison Barnes, Jose Barea and Seth Curry today.  They are just 1-7 in their last 8 games overall coming in.  The Suns have gone a profitable 5-3 ATS in their last 8 games as they have remained competitive.  They just blasted Russell Westbrook and the Thunder 120-99 at home.  This young team is looking to finish strong.  The Mavericks are just 11-28 on the road this season and getting too much respect from oddsmakers here given their situation.  Take Phoenix.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Los Angeles Dodgers -122

The Key: The Los Angeles Dodgers have lost the first 2 games of this series to the Colorado Rockets by a combined 3 runs.  They'll be hungry for a win here to avoid getting swept Sunday.  Kenta Maeda is one of the bright young starting pitchers in the game today.  He has gone 2-2 with a 1.90 ERA in 4 lifetime starts vs. Colorado.  The Dodgers are 57-28 in their last 85 during game 3 of a series.  Take Los Angeles.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on New York Mets -115

The Key: Robert Gsellman looked ready to establish himself as the Mets' next vaunted starter last season, when he went 4-2 with a 2.42 ERA in eight games (seven starts) following his promotion from Triple-A Las Vegas on Aug. 22. He made his season debut on Monday, when he threw a scoreless ninth inning in New York's 6-0 Opening Day win over the Atlanta Braves. The 23-year-old Gsellman enters this season as one of the top Rookie of the Year contenders in the National League after throwing 44 2/3 innings last season -- just 5 1/3 fewer than the maximum needed to maintain rookie eligibility. "This guy's got as good stuff as any young pitcher I've been around," Mets manager Terry Collins said Friday afternoon. "I think Robert Gsellman is a legitimate high-end starter."  Take New York.

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Indiana Pacers -4.5

The Key: The signing of Lance Stephenson has really given the Pacers a spark.  They have played two of their best games of the season coming in, beating the Raptors 108-90 and the Bucks 104-89.  Of course, they are clinging on to the 8th seed in the East, just one game ahead of the Miami Heat.  That has them playing hungry basketball right now.  The same cannot be said for the Orlando Magic, who are 1-5 in their last 6 games with their only win coming at home against the league-worst Brooklyn Nets.  The Pacers are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last 3 meetings with Orlando, winning by 10, 13 and 19 points, all of which have come this season.  Look for that domination to continue tonight as the Pacers get the win and cover.  The Magic are 11-25-1 ATS in their last 37 home games.  The Pacers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 trips to Orlando.  Take Indiana.

7* NBA Situational Game of the Month on Utah Jazz -9.5

The Key: The Utah Jazz have gone 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as they try and secure the 4th seed in the West and home court in the first round.  They're up against a Timberwolves team that are just 3-9 SU & 3-9 ATS in their last 12 contests.  I like this spot for the Jazz, who have had 2 days off coming in.  The Timberwolves won't have anything left in the tank as this will be their 4th game in 5 days.  Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns rank in the Top 10 in minutes played this season and have to be wearing down right now.  The Timberwolves are 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 road games, while the Jazz are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 home games.  Take Utah.

6* Marlins/Mets NL East *CA$H COW* on New York -115

The Key: I like the price we are getting on the New York Mets as small home favorites here against the Marlins.  Zack Wheeler returns from Tommy John surgery and has earned his spot in the rotation by clocking in at 97 mph in the spring.  Wheeler has never lost to the Marlins, going 2-0 with a 1.37 ERA in 6 lifetime starts against them.  Expect that dominance to continue here tonight.  Take New York.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Tampa Bay Rays +120

The Key: The Rays took 2 out of 3 from the Yankees thanks to getting 18 2/3 innings from their starters, and 8 1/3 innings of one-run ball from their relievers.  They are a sleeper in the AL East this season.  I really like Blake Snell, who has the stuff to be a star in the big leagues.  Snell is 1-1 with a 3.52 ERA in 2 lifetime starts vs. Toronto.  Marcus Stroman is 3-4 with a 4.84 ERA in 7 lifetime starts vs. Tampa Bay.  Stroman is 0-3 in his last 3 starts against the Rays, allowing 13 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings, and all 3 starts came last season.  Stroman is 3-10 (-12.1 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.  The Blue Jays are 1-10 in Stroman's last 11 road starts.  Take Tampa Bay.

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago Bulls -5.5

The Key: The Chicago Bulls are hungry to make the playoffs.  They are in a 3-way tie at 38-40 on the season with the Pacers and Heat, and only two of them can make the postseason.  The Bulls have gone 4-1 in their last 5 games coming in and are playing well.  The 76ers are in full-blown tank mode right now to try and get a better pick in the draft.  They have lost 4 straight, including a 23-point home loss to the Nets last time out in which they gave up a ridiculous 141 points.  They are essentially playing with 7 players right now due to all of their injuries to the likes of Robert Covington, Jahlil Okafor and Sergio Rodriquez.  Bets against home teams who are coming off a blowout home loss by 20 points or more in April games are 39-11 ATS since 1996.  The Bulls are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss. Take Chicago.

6* Giants/DBacks NL West *CA$H COW* on Arizona +114

The Key: The Arizona Diamondbacks made a huge trade to upgrade their rotation by grabbing Taijuan Walker in the offseason.  They were so high on him that they traded Jean Segura to the Mariners.  Segura led the National League with 203 hits last season while hitting .319 with 20 homers.  Walker has some of the best 'stuff' in baseball and can be one of the best starters in the game in the coming years.  Walker is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in one lifetime starts versus San Francisco, giving up just 1 earned run in 7 innings of a 5-1 victory.  Matt Moore gave up 7 earned runs in 14 innings in 2 starts at Arizona last year for a 4.50 ERA.  Take Arizona.

7* Cavs/Celtics ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Boston -4

The Key: This game tonight is essentially for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.  It will be a rowdy atmosphere in Boston as they know that a win tonight will give them the best chance to make the NBA Finals.  The Celtics are 6-1 in their last 7 games overall, while the Cavs have struggled down the stretch.  And the spot couldn't be better for the Celtics.  They come in on 2 days' rest having last played on Sunday, while the Cavs will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  Cleveland is 1-9 ATS in road games when playing the 2nd of a back-to-back this season.  The Cavs are 0-7 ATS in road games off two or more consecutive home wins this season.  Take Boston.

6* Angels/A's AL West *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles -116

The Key: The Los Angeles Angels will be hungry to taste their first victory of the season tonight after losing 4-2 to the A's yesterday.  They have the advantage on the mound in this one with Matt Shoemaker, who is 4-2 with a 3.51 ERA in 9 lifetime starts versus Oakland.  He went 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in 3 starts against the A's last season, yielding only 3 earned runs in 19 innings.  The A's are 2-8 in their last 10 home games.  The Angels are 4-0 in Shoemaker's last 4 starts.  Take Los Angeles.

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Brooklyn Nets -1

The Key: The Philadelphia 76ers are back in tank mode with three straight losses coming in by 7 points or more.  They have a laundry list of injuries right now with Robert Covington, Jahlil Okafor, Sergio Rodriquez, Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Jerryd Bayless all out.  The 76ers would do themselves a favor by continuing to lose to increase their chance of a better draft pick.  It doesn't matter for the Nets because they already have to swap first-round picks with the Celtics, so they are continuing to try to win games.  And they're playing their best basketball of the season as a result, going 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games overall.  They have won 5 of their last 8 games outright.  Bets on favorites revenging 2 consecutive straight up losses to opponent as a favorite, off 2 or more consecutive home wins are 52-19 ATS since 1996.  Take Brooklyn.

7* UNC/Gonzaga *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 155

The Key: While most believe that guard play is the key to making a run in the NCAA Tournament, both UNC and Gonzaga have shown that good old-fashioned big men can get the job done, too.  And these two teams have tremendous big men who have dominated on the boards to help their teams reach this level.  I think there will be fewer second-chance opportunities than normal for both of these teams, and thus scoring will be very hard to come by.  Gonzaga ranks 1st in the country in defensive efficiency.  UNC hasn't been the same offensively since PG Joel Berry suffered an ankle injury, and he struggled in the Final Four.  UNC is 6-0 UNDER vs. teams who allow 64 or fewer points per game this season.  Gonzaga is 10-1 UNDER vs. dominant rebounding teams who outrebound opponents by 7 or more boards per game over the last 2 seasons.  Take the UNDER.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Philadelphia Phillies +102

The Key: After winning 71 games a year ago, the Philadelphia Phillies could surprise in the NL East.  They have been rebuilding over the last several years, but now most of their players are in place to make some noise.  Jeremy Hellickson earned this Opening Day start by going 12-10 with a 3.71 ERA and 1.154 WHIP in 32 starts last year.  Hellickson is 1-1 with a 1.42 ERA and 0.895 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts versus Cincinnati.  The Reds just started rebuilding last season, and they are one of the worst teams in baseball in 2017.  To show how dire their situation is, they will be sending 34-year-old Scott Feldman to the mound as their Opening Day starter.  The Reds have seven rookies on their Opening Day roster, and the last team with as many as seven on their 25-man roster was Arizona in 2017.  Take Philadelphia.

7* Wizards/Warriors NBA *BAILOUT* on UNDER 222.5

The Key: The Golden State Warriors have been an UNDER machine since losing Kevin Durant.  They are 17-2 to the UNDER in their last 19 games overall.  The oddsmakers continue to set their totals too high, which is the case again here tonight against the Wizards with a 222.5-point total.  The UNDER is 10-1 in Warriors last 11 home games.  The UNDER is 71-34-1 in Warriors last 106 Sunday games, including 8-1 on Sunday's this season.  The UNDER is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Golden State.  Take the UNDER.

6* Giants/Diamondbacks NL West *CA$H COW* on Arizona +133

The Key: The Arizona Diamondbacks have the talent to make some noise in the NL West this season.  After a disappointing 2016 campaign, look for them to try and make a statement early in 2017.  Zack Greinke is sure to rebound after an injury-plagued season last year.  Greinke is 9-2 with a 2.49 ERA in 14 lifetime starts versus San Francisco.  Take Arizona.

7* South Carolina/Gonzaga *Total* Annihilator on UNDER 138

The Key: Amazingly, we are getting the No. 1 (Gonzaga) and No. 2 (South Carolina) teams in defensive efficiency in the entire country matched up today in the Final Four.  Both teams really get after it on that end and don't give up easy buckets.  That's why it is easy to see why I'm on the UNDER in this matchup.  South Carolina is 19-6 UNDER in its last 25 neutral court games with a total of 130 to 139.5.  The UNDER is 25-8-1 in Gamecocks last 34 games as an underdog of 0.5-6.5.  The UNDER is Under is 5-1 in Bulldogs last 6 games as a favorite of 0.5-6.5.  The UNDER is 20-8 in Bulldogs last 28 non-conference games.  Take the UNDER.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Brooklyn Nets -2.5

The Key: The Orlando Magic are in a very difficult spot here.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days.  They went to overtime against the Thunder and lost on Wednesday, and then last night they lost 116-117 in heartbreaking fashion at Boston.  After losing to both those playoff teams, the Magic will have a hard time getting motivated to face a Brooklyn Nets squad that holds the worst record in the league.  But the Nets continue to fight as they are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games overall.  Orlando is 1-10 ATS versus teams who allow 106 or more points per game in the 2nd half of the season this season.  The Nets are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up loss.  Take Brooklyn.

7* Rockets/Warriors ESPN *BAILOUT* on UNDER 231

The Key: The UNDER is 16-2 in Warriors last 18 games overall.  It would be 17-1 against the opening lines as the Spurs/Warriors game was bet down to 207.5 and finished 208 from an opener of 209.5.  The Warriors just aren't the same offensive juggernaut without Kevin Durant, but they key has been an emphasis on defense as they've held 7 of their last 8 opponents to 100 points or fewer.  These Rockets and Warriors just played on Tuesday with Golden State winning 113-106 for 219 combined points.  I think we see a similar result here as this game stays well UNDER 231 combined points.  The UNDER is 7-1-1 in Rockets last 98 road games.  The UNDER is 7-0 in Warriors last 7 home games.  Take the UNDER.

7* Cavs/Bulls TNT *HEAVY HITTER* on Chicago +6

The Key: The Chicago Bulls have actually gone 18-0 in their last 18 Thursday TNT home games.  They haven't lost since 2013 in this spot.  And they are going to be hungry for a win here tonight to close in on the Pacers and Heat for one of the final two playoff spots in the East as they are 1.5 games behind both.  The Cavs aren't playing well enough to warrant being 6-point road chalk here.  They are just 7-10 SU & 5-11-1 ATS in their last 17 games overall.  The Bulls have had 3 days off since winning 109-104 at Milwaukee on Sunday.  They are 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings with the Cavs, winning the last two by double-digits both on the road.  Cleveland is 1-9 ATS after scoring 85 points or less over the last 2 seasons.  The Cavaliers are 16-33-2 ATS in their last 51 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.  The Cavaliers are 7-22 ATS in the last 29 meetings.  Take Chicago.

7* Wizards/Clippers Non-Conference *BAILOUT* on Los Angeles -6

The Key: The Los Angeles Clippers blew an 18-point lead with 5 minutes to go in their last game against the Kings on Sunday and lost 97-98.  They are going to want to wipe that bad taste out of their mouths here against the Wizards.  And they've had two days off since that game, while the Wizards will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after using a ton of energy to come back from 13 points down in the 4th quarter to beat the Lakers last night.  The Clippers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.  Take Los Angeles.

6* TCU/UCF NIT *CA$H COW* on TCU -2.5

The Key: The TCU Horned Frogs have been impressive in reaching the NIT semifinals.  They beat Fresno by 7 and Richmond by 18 at home, and pulled off the upset at Iowa 94-92 in overtime.  UCF won by 5 over Colorado, by 1 at Illinois State and by 10 over Illinois.  They needed a miracle comeback to beat Illinois State and a fluke foul call in the closing seconds.  The Horned Frogs are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 neutral site games.  That includes an upset win over Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament.  Take TCU.

7* Warriors/Rockets Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston -1

The Key: The Houston Rockets are in a very favorable scheduling spot here.  They will be playing just their 4th game in 10 days with each of their previous three games being at home.  They have won 4 straight and 7 of their last 8 coming in, and now they're ready to show the Golden State Warriors that they are for real.  The Warriors have been feasting on an easy schedule during their 7-game winning streak, which has them getting too much respect from the books.  But now they take a big step up in class here tonight.  The Warriors are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games.  The Rockets are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 vs. NBA Pacific foes.  Take Houston.

7* Pelicans/Jazz TNT *BAILOUT* on Utah -7

The Key: The Utah Jazz have lost 4 out of 5, which will have them hungry coming into this game against the New Orleans Pelicans tonight.  This will be just the 2nd game in 5 days for the Jazz, so they'll be fresh and ready to go.  The same cannot be said for the Pelicans, who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days.  Playing in the altitude in Denver last night is sure to take even more out of the Pelicans than normal.  And they could be without DeMarcus Cousins tonight.  The Pelicans are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games playing on no rest.  Take Utah.

6* Blazers/Lakers NBA *BAILOUT* on Portland -6.5

The Key: The Los Angeles Lakers are clearly trying to tank so they can keep their Top 3 protected pick.  They are 2-14 in their last 16 games overall with numerous blowouts along the way.  The Blazers have fought their way back into playoff contention as they trail the Nuggets by just one game for the 8th seed.  They've done so by going 10-3 SU & 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games overall.  The Blazers are 11-2 ATS in road games off two or more consecutive home wins over the last 3 seasons.  Portland is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 road games.  The Lakers are 4-11-1 ATS in their last 16 games overall.  The Lakers are 15-36-1 ATS in their last 52 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.  Take Portland.

7* NCAA Tournament Total of the Year on Kentucky/UNC UNDER 161

The Key: This 161-point total is one of the highest of the big dance thus far.  These teams played a 203-point shootout back in December which is a big reason for it.  But the stakes are much higher now with a trip to the Final Four on the line.  I think both teams will play tight, and this will be much more of a half-court game than oddsmakers are anticipating.  The Wildcats have been awesome defensively during their 14-game winning streak.  They UNDER is 9-1 in their last 10 games overall.  The UNDER is 7-0 in Wildcats last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Take the UNDER.

7* Xavier/Gonzaga Elite 8 Game of the Year on Xavier +8.5

The Key: The Xavier Musketeers are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS with three outright upsets over Maryland, Florida State and Arizona.  They have had the much more difficult path to the Elite 8 than Gonzaga, which has gone 0-2-1 ATS in its three games against South Dakota State, Northwestern and West Virginia.  The Bulldogs are once again laying too big of a number here as 8.5-point favorites over the Musketeers.  The Musketeers are 24-5-1 ATS in their last 30 NCAA Tournament games.  Xavier is 7-0 ATS in its last 7 games overall.  The Musketeers are 8-1 ATS in all neutral court games this season.  Take Xavier.

7* Butler/UNC Sweet 16 *HEAVY HITTER* on Butler +7

The Key: The Butler Bulldogs are one of the most under-appreciated teams left in the tournament.  They have cruised to victories over Winthrop and Middle Tennessee.  And now they have the goods to give UNC a run for its money today.  The Tar Heels were fortunate to close on a 12-0 run to beat Arkansas after trailing by 5 late last round.  Butler won't go down without a fight today.  The Bulldogs are 20-4-2 ATS in their last 26 NCAA Tournament games.  Butler is 39-10-2 ATS in its last 51 neutral site games.  The Bulldogs are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 vs. ACC opponents.  The ACC teams got 9 teams into the tournament, and there is only one left in the Sweet 16.  That says a lot about how overrated the conference is as a whole, including UNC.  Take Butler.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Indiana Pacers -1

The Key: The Denver Nuggets are coming off a 4-game stretch in which they faced the Clippers, Rockets (twice) and Cavaliers.  Coming off their huge win over Cleveland, this is the perfect letdown spot for them.  Now they're up against an Indiana team that simply doesn't lose at home, going 25-10 at home this season.  The Pacers are a perfect 7-0 SU & 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a loss.  They have alternated wins and losses dating back to the All-Star Break, and coming off a loss, this is a good situation to back them.  The home team is 7-1 SU in the last 8 meetings.  Take Indiana.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Miami Heat -4.5

The Key: The Miami Heat continue to lack the respect they deserve from oddsmakers despite going 34-16-1 ATS in their last 51 games overall.  The Heat are also 38-18-1 ATS in their last 57 home games.  The Raptors are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following a win.  Toronto will be without two starters tonight in Kyle Lowry (injury) and Serge Ibaka (suspension).  The Raptors are also coming off a taxing 122-120 overtime win over the Bulls two nights ago.  The Heat are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  Take Miami.

7* Michigan/Oregon Sweet 16 *HEAVY HITTER* on Oregon +2

The Key: The Michigan Wolverines have squeaked by by a combined 5 points in wins over Oklahoma State and Louisville to open the NCAA Tournament.  I think their run comes to an end now.  Just think what this line would have been prior to the NCAA Tournament.  Oregon probably would have been a 5-point favorite, but since Michigan is the 'flavor of the month' right now, it is actually a 2-point favorite.  I think it's clear that the books have the wrong team favored because they are over-adjusting for the betting public being all over Michigan.  Oregon is hitting on all cylinders offensively, and it is 9-1 ATS after scoring 75 points or more in 3 straight games this season.  The Ducks are 10-1 ATS versus teams who make 48% or more of their shots over the last 2 seasons.  Take Oregon.

7* Hawks/Wizards ESPN *HEAVY HITTER* on Washington -7

The Key: The Washington Wizards come in hungry for a victory after losing two straight and four of their last five.  Now they host an Atlanta Hawks team that is struggling even worse, going 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in thier last four games overall, losing by 8, 12, 16 and 15 points.  And the Hawks are without two starters tonight in Paul Millsap and Kent Bazemore.  I don't give them much of a chance of hanging with the Wizards as a result.  The Hawks are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up loss.  Take Washington.

7* NBA Situational Game of the Month on Dallas Mavericks +5.5

The Key: The Dallas Mavericks are 8-4 SU & 8-4 ATS in their last 12 games overall.  They are still trying to earn a playoff spot in the West and continue to fight.  Now they catch the Golden State Warriors in a good spot.  The Warriors will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after winning in Oklahoma City last night.  Look for Steve Kerr to limit his star players' minutes here.  The Warriors are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games playing on 0 days rest.  The Warriors are 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.  The Mavericks are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Dallas is 14-3 ATS in its last 17 home games.  The Mavericks are 21-7 ATS revenging a same season loss this season.  Take Dallas.

7* Bakersfield/Colorado State NIT *BAILOUT* on Colorado State -4.5

The Key: The Colorado State Rams are taking the NIT seriously and will certainly be motivated to get to Madison Square Garden.  They beat a solid College of Charleston team 81-74 in the opener, improving to 15-4 at home this season.  Bakersfield took advantage of a California team that did not want to be in the NIT, and head coach Cuonzo Martin was out and left for Missouri shortly after.  The Golden Bears were disinterested, and Bakersfield wanted that game more.  That won't be the case tonight.  The Rams are 11-4-1 ATS in their last 16 games overall.  The Rams are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 home games.  Take Colorado State.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Denver Nuggets +9

The Key: The Denver Nuggets will be hungry for revenge from a 105-109 home loss to Houston on Saturday night.  Now they get their shot at the Rockets just two days later and are catching a whopping 9 points in the rematch.  The Nuggets are 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games with all four of their wins coming by 13 points or more.  Denver is 6-0 ATS in its last six Monday games.  Houston is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 games following an ATS win.  Take Denver.

7* USC/Baylor *HEAVY HITTER* on USC +6

The Key: The USC Trojans feel invincible right now.  They have erased back-to-back double-digit leads to beat both Providence and SMU.  Now they'll be brimming with confidence as they head into this matchup against Baylor.  And I like the matchup for USC, which has several deadly 3-point shooters that can shoot over the top of the Bears' zone defense.  Baylor is 4-15 ATS in its last 19 games off a cover a double-digit favorite.  The Trojans are 21-8-1 ATS in their last 30 non-conference games.  The Trojans are 5-1 ATS in their last six vs. Big 12 opponents.  Take USC.

6* Sunday NBA *Total* Annihilator on Suns/Pistons UNDER 212

The Key: The Phoenix Suns are completely depleted right now.  They are without two of their best guards in Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight.  Both Tyson Chandler and Dragan Bender are out for the season as well, while Devin Booker and Leandro Barbosa are battling injuries themselves.  It's no surprise that the UNDER is 5-0 in Suns' last five games coming in.  The UNDER is 4-1 in Pistons' last five games as well.  They have been held to just 84.7 points per game in their last three games.  The UNDER is 5-0 in Pistons last five home games.  Take the UNDER.