Sports Picks & Predictions

7* Warriors/Thunder *TOTAL* Annihilator on UNDER 220.5

The Key: The first two games of this series have stayed well UNDER the posted total, yet the oddsmakers have failed to adjust enough in Game 3 tonight.  They combined for 210 points in Game 1 and 209 points in Game 2.  The total for Game 3 has been set at 220.5, and I have a hard time seeing them combining for at least 210 points again, let alone 220.5.  Golden State is 21-10 UNDER in all playoff games over the last two seasons.  OKC is 12-3 UNDER off a road loss by 10 points or more over the last two years.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Warriors last 7 conference finals games.  The UNDER is 7-2 in Warriors last 9 road games.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Thunder last 7 conference finals games.  Take the UNDER.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on St. Louis Cardinals -123

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals are showing solid value as small home favorites over the Arizona Diamondbacks today.  Jamie Garcia has been one of the best starters in baseball this season, going 3-3 with a 2.86 ERA and 1.033 WHIP in 8 starts.  He is 2-1 with a 1.42 ERA and 0.842 WHIP in his last 3 starts as well.  Zack Greinke is 4-3 with a 5.08 ERA and 1.394 WHIP in his first season with the Diamondbacks.  Garcia has never lost to the Diamondbacks, going 5-0 with a 2.94 ERA in 6 lifetime starts.  The Diamondbacks are 16-39 in their last 55 road games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Cardinals are 104-48 in their last 152 home games vs. a team with a losing record.  St. Louis is 39-18 in its last 57 meetings with Arizona.  Take St. Louis.

7* Cavs/Raptors *TOTAL* Annihilator on UNDER 198.5

The Key: I certainly like backing the UNDER in playoff series as they get deeper into the series.  That's because teams become more familiar with each other, which favors the defenses.  The Raptors and Cavs combined for 199 points in Game 1 and then 197 in Game 2.  I look for that trend to continue and for Game 3 to be the lowest-scoring contest yet.  The UNDER is 48-23 in Cavaliers last 71 vs. Atlantic Division opponents.  The UNDER is 7-2 in Raptors last 9 vs. NBA Central Division opponents.  The UNDER is 21-5-1 in the last 27 meetings in Toronto.  Take the UNDER.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Chicago Cubs -160

The Key: Talk about your ultimate mound mismatch here between the Cubs and Giants.  We saw it yesterday with Jake Arrieta over Jake Peavy in an 8-1 Cubs' victory.  I expect another blowout in favor of Chicago tonight.  Jon Lester is 4-2 with a 1.88 ERA and 0.968 WHIP in 8 starts this year, including 3-0 with a 0.92 ERA in 3 road starts.  Lester has never lost to the Giants, going 3-0 with a 1.11 ERA and 0.904 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts against them.  Matt Cain is 0-5 with a 5.87 ERA and 1.478 WHIP in 8 starts this year.  Cain is 0-2 with an 11.00 ERA in his last 2 starts against Chicago, both of which came last year.  Take Chicago.

7* American League GAME OF THE MONTH on Oakland A's -129

The Key: The Oakland A's won four straight before losing the first game of this series to the Yankees.  Look for them to get back in the win column tonight behind ace Sonny Gray.  The right-hander is undervalued right now due to a sub-par start to the season, but he's the real deal.  Gray is 1-1 with a 3.43 ERA and 1.095 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts vs. New York as well.  C.C. Sabathia is washed up.  He is 2-2 with a 3.81 ERA and 1.553 WHIP in 5 starts this year.  Sabathia is 9-11 with a 4.71 ERA and 1.385 WHIP in 29 lifetime starts vs. Oakland.  The left-hander has given up 13 earned runs in 17 1/3 innings for a 6.75 ERA in his last 3 starts against the A's.  The Yankees are 3-9 in their last 12 road games.  The A's are 7-1 in their last 8 Friday games.  The Yankees are 3-12 in their last 15 road meetings with the A's.  Take Oakland.

7* Raptors/Cavs Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto +13

The Key: The Toronto Raptors were clearly overmatched in Game 1 against Cleveland.  But they certainly had an excuse as they were coming off a grueling 7-game series against the Miami Heat, which concluded on Sunday.  They had to play the Cavs on Tuesday and had little time to prepare.  But look for them to make some adjustments in Game 2 now that they've seen the Cavs first-hand.  Dwayne Casey has made great adjustments all playoffs, and that is supported by the fact that the Raptors are 6-0 straight up following a loss this postseason.  Look for them to give the Cavs a run for their money here.  Cleveland is 1-9 ATS when covering the spread in at least 5 of its last 7 games this season.  Take Toronto.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on St. Louis Cardinals -137

The Key: This is a generous price here for the Cardinals at home against the Rockies as they look to win this series Thursday night.  Michael Wacha has been solid this season at 2-4 with a 3.23 ERA, and he'll be up against Jon Gray, who is 1-1 with a 4.71 ERA for Colorado.  Wacha has been really sharp at home, posting a 2.08 ERA and 1.115 WHIP in 4 home starts.  In his only home start against Colorado, he pitched 7 shutout innings of a 7-0 victory last season.  Colorado is 18-52 in its last 70 vs. a team with a winning record.  The Rockies are 0-6 in Gray's last 6 road starts.  The Cardinals are 21-8 in Wacha's last 29 home starts.  Take St. Louis.

7* Western Conference Finals GAME OF THE YEAR on Golden State Warriors -8.5

The Key: The Golden State Warriors aren't about to fall behind the Thunder 2-0.  They had an uncharacteristically bad second half in Game 1 where they were outscored by 19 points.  They started playing two much one-on-one, and it cost them.  Look for the Warriors to get back to playing team basketball for four quarters like they did in the first half to build a double-digit lead.  I fully expect the Warriors to cruise to a double-digit victory in Game 2 here tonight thanks to the adjustments from Steve Kerr.  The Warriors haven't lost two straight games all season.  They are 25-10 ATS in their last 35 games when revenging a loss.  Take Golden State.

6* MLB Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Toronto Blue Jays -121

The Key: The Toronto Blue Jays have lost four straight games coming in, and it's safe to say they are hungry for a victory because of it.  They have been blown out back-to-back days by the Rays, but that's not going to happen today.  R.A. Dickey has been absolutely dominant of late, going 1-1 with a 1.27 ERA and 0.938 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  He'll be opposed by Jake Odorizzi, who is 0-1 with a 6.19 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 3 road starts this year.  Dickey is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in his last 3 starts against Tampa Bay.  Toronto is 24-7 (+15.3 Units) against the money line off 2 straight upset losses to division rivals as a home favorite since 1997.  Tampa Bay is 1-13 (-14.7 Units) against the money line after 2 straight games with at least 7 more hits than their opponent since 1997.  Take Toronto.

6* Yankees/DBacks Interleague *CA$H COW* on Arizona -117

The Key: Rarely will you get the opportunity to back ace Zac5k Greinke as this small of a home favorite all season.  He has gotten off to a below-average start, but that just has him undervalued right now.  That being said, he has still been better than Yankees' starter Michael Pineda, who is 1-4 with a 6.28 ERA and 1.603 WHIP in 7 starts.  Pineda has already allowed 9 homers in 38 2/3 innings this season.  Pineda is 2-10 (-12.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8.5 to 10 lifetime.  Greinke is 58-24 (+27.8 Units) against the money line in home games after a win lifetime.  Arizona is 19-6 (+13.2 Units) against the money line vs. a starting pitcher whose gives up 1 or more HR's/start over the last 2 seasons.  The Yankees are 5-16 in their last 21 road games and 0-6 in Pineda's last 6 starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Diamondbacks are 41-20 in their last 61 vs. a team with a losing record. Take Arizona.

7* Raptors/Cavs Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Cleveland -11

The Key: The Cleveland Cavaliers have everything working in their favor heading into Game 1 Tuesday.  They have had 9 days off following back-to-back sweeps of the Pistons and Hawks.  Now they face a Raptors team that just played a grueling Game 7 against the Miami Heat on Sunday and has had only one day off to rest.  The Cavaliers throttled the Raptors by 22 in their only home meeting this season.  The Raptors are just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games and stand little chance of keeping Game 1 competitive given the situation.  They are also without Jonas Valanciunas, who is arguably their most important player.  Take Cleveland.

6* Yankees/DBacks Interleague *CA$H COW* on Arizona -110

The Key: No question the Arizona Diamondbacks come into this series with the Yankees hungry for a victory tonight.  They have dropped five straight games and desperately need to get back on track.  Robbie Ray has gone 1-2 with a 4.59 ERA in 7 starts this season, but he does have 41 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings, so his stuff has obviously been pretty good.  Chad Green makes his MLB debut for the Yankees here, and I look for the Diamondbacks to tee off on him.  The Diamondbacks are 5-1 in their last 6 vs. a team with a losing record.  Arizona is 4-1 in Ray's last 5 interleague starts.  The Yankees are 1-7 in their last 8 road games.  New York is 1-7 in its last 8 road games vs. a left-handed starter.  Take Arizona.

7* Thunder/Warriors Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Golden State -7.5

The Key: The Golden State Warriors have owned the Oklahoma City Thunder this season, and I expect that to continue in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.  The Warriors are 3-0 against the Thunder this season, winning by an average of 11.5 points per game in their two home meetings.  The beat the Rockets by 26 in Game 1 at home and the Blazers by 12 in Game 1 at home.  Considering the Warriors are 45-2 at home and winning by 14.6 points per game this season, getting them as only 7.5-point favorites is a reasonable discount.  The Warriors are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 home games.  Take Golden State.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Arizona Diamondbacks -116

The Key: The Arizona Diamondbacks have lost the first 2 games of this series to the rival Giants.  So they'll obviously be hungry to avoid the sweep in Game 3 here.  They should get the win behind Rubby De La Rosa, who is 3-3 with a 3.71 ERA and 1.118 WHIP in 6 starts this season.  De La Rosa has a 0.00 ERA in his last 2 starts against the Giants while pitching 13 2/3 scoreless innings.  Matt Cain is 0-5 with a 6.69 ERA and 1.512 WHIP in 7 starts this year, and 0-2 with a 10.12 ERA in his 2 road starts.  The Giants are 15-37 in Cain's last 52 starts overall as he has consistently been one of the most overrated starters in baseball.  Take Arizona.

7* Heat/Raptors Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Miami +4.5

The Key: The Miami Heat are a veteran bunch with Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng and Joe Johnson among others.  They have played their fair share of Game 7's before, and they certainly won't crumble under the pressure.  I don't believe the same can be said for the Raptors, who are 4-13 ATS in their last 17 playoff games and just seem to fall short of expectations every year in the postseason.  The Heat already came back from a 3-2 deficit to beat the Hornets last series, and I believe they'll pull off the same feat here against the Raptors after dominating from start to finish in Game 6.  Take Miami.

7* National League GAME OF THE MONTH on New York Mets -127

The Key: The New York Mets are coming off back-to-back losses and will be hungry for a win tonight in Colorado.  I like their chances of getting one with Logan Verrett on the mound.  Verrett has been dominant in his two starts this season, going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA while tossing 12 shutout innings.  Verrett has faced Colorado once before, which came last season as he pitched 8 innings of 1-run ball with 8 strikeouts in a 5-1 road victory.  Eddie Butler is no more than a fill-in starter and wouldn't make most rotations in the big leagues.  Butler faced the Mets once last season, giving up 6 earned runs in 4 innings of a 3-12 loss at New York.  The Mets are 7-2 in their last 9 games following a loss.  New York is 35-16 in its last 51 road games.  The Rockies are 16-43 in their last 59 during game 2 of a series.  Colorado is 1-8 in Butler's last 9 starts vs. a team with a winning record.  Take New York.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Kansas City Royals -170

The Key: The Kansas City Royals have gotten off to a disappointing 16-18 start this season.  But now they get to face the 8-25 Atlanta Braves, which will help them get back on the winning track.  Edinson Volquez has been at his best at home this season, going 2-1 with a 1.37 ERA and 1.025 WHIP in 4 starts.  Julio Teheran has yet to pick up a win this season as he's 0-3 with a 3.48 ERA in 7 starts and 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in 2 road starts.  Volquez is 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in his last 2 starts against Atlanta, allowing 1 earned run in 14 innings with 19 strikeouts.  Atlanta is 1-13 (-11.8 Units) against the money line as an underdog of +125 to +175 this season.  The Braves are 1-14 (-13.1 Units) against the money line after 2 or more consecutive home games this season.  The Royals are 8-1 in Volquez's last 9 interleague starts.  Kansas City is 17-5 in Volquez's last 22 home starts.  Take Kansas City.

7* Raptors/Heat NBA 2nd Round GAME OF THE YEAR on Miami -4

The Key: The Miami Heat are in must-win mode here in Game 6 to avoid elimination.  They were in the same predicament last series against the Hornets, down 3-2 needing to win their final two games, and that's precisely what they did.  They certainly have shown they have the intestinal fortitude to pull it off, and I look for them to win Game 6 and cover this small 4-point spread in the process.  The Heat have been great at home all season with a 32-15 record.  They are also a superb 10-2 ATS in their last 12 home games.  Take Miami.

6* Giants/Diamondbacks NL West *CA$H COW* on Arizona +101

The Key: Getting the Arizona Diamondbacks as home underdogs tonight with ace Zach Greinke on the mound is a gift from oddsmakers.  Greinke has turned it around in his last two starts, giving up only 4 earned runs in 13 innings while striking out 16.  Now he looks to continue his dominance of the Giants.  Greinke has never lost to them, going 8-0 with a 2.12 ERA and 1.009 WHIP in 11 lifetime starts.  His teams are 10-1 in those starts.  Enough said.  Take Arizona.

7* Spurs/Thunder *TOTAL* Annihilator on UNDER 195.5

The Key: This series continues to get lower-scoring as the series progresses and the Spurs and Thunder get more familiar with one another.  We've seen 3 of the last 4 games finish with 196 or fewer combined points, including a series-low 186 points in Game 5.  I look for a similar total in Game 6 tonight as this will be yet another defensive battle.  San Antonio is 27-12 UNDER off an ATS loss this season.  Oklahoma City is 8-1 UNDER in home games when playing 4 or less games in 10 days this season.  The UNDER is 14-3 in Spurs last 17 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The UNDER is 7-2 in Thunder last 9 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.  The UNDER is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings in Oklahoma City.  Take the UNDER.

7* Blazers/Warriors Western Conference *BAILOUT* on Portland +13

The Key: The Portland Trail Blazers could easily be up 3-1 in this series instead of down 3-1.  They blew a double-digit lead in the 4th quarter of Game 2, won Game 3 by 12, and led most of the way in Game 4 before losing in overtime behind heroics from Steph Curry.  But after that Game 4 performance from Curry, the Warriors are way overvalued here heading into Game 5.  They will have a very hard time putting away the Blazers by 13-plus points, especially since I expect Curry to play more limited minutes here.  The only reason he played 36 minutes in Game 4 when he was supposed to play 25 was because Shaun Livingston got ejected in the 1st half.  Steve Kerr will be much more cautious with Curry tonight.  I also like the mindset of the Blazers and Damian Lillard, who has stated that the Blazers aren't going to just lay down now.  Portland is 8-1 ATS after playing 4 consecutive games as a dog this season.  The Blazers are 12-4 ATS after having lost 3 of their last 4 games this season.  Bets on any team after leading their last 2 games by 10-plus points at the half against opponent after scoring 105 points or more in 3 straight games are 52-21 ATS since 1996.  Take Portland.

6* Interleague *CA$H COW* on San Francisco Giants -115

The Key: The San Francisco Giants have lost the first 2 games of this series to the Toronto Blue Jays to fall below .500 on the season.  They will be hungry to avoid the sweep here, and you have to like their chances with ace Madison Bumgarner taking the mound.  Bumgarner is 4-2 with a 3.14 ERA in 7 starts this year, including 2-1 with a 2.67 ERA in 4 home starts.  Bumgarner is a perfect 12-0 (+12.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.  The Blue Jays are 6-14 in their last 20 interleague road games vs. a left-handed starter. Take San Francisco.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on New York Mets -101

The Key: The Mets are one of the hottest teams in baseball right now having gone 18-6 in their last 24 games overall.  They should continue their tear tonight due to the advantage they have on the mound over the Dodgers.  Jacob DeGrom is 3-1 with a 1.99 ERA in 4 starts this year.  Alex Wood is 1-3 with a 5.18 ERA in 6 starts for Los Angeles.  DeGrom sports a 2.75 ERA in 5 lifetime starts vs. Los Angeles.  Wood has never beaten the Mets, going 0-3 with a 4.35 ERA in 7 lifetime starts against them.  Take New York.

7* Thunder/Spurs *TOTAL* Annihilator on UNDER 199.5

The Key: After combined scores of 195 and 196 in Games 2 and 3, the Spurs and Thunder combined for 208 points in Game 4.  But the Thunder shot 50.6% in that contest and the Spurs 47.1%, and that won't happen again in Game 5.  The series is pretty much on the line in this game tonight, so look for the defensive intensity to be very high.  Also, these teams are now so familiar with each other that scoring will be at a premium.  The Spurs only give up 90.4 points per game at home this year.  The UNDER is 12-3 in Thunder's last 15 games off two straight games where they made 9 or more 3-point shots.  The UNDER is 5-1 in Spurs last 6 home games.  The UNDER is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.  Take the UNDER.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Texas Rangers -117

The Key: The Texas Rangers have the edge on the mound today over the Chicago White Sox in Game 1 of this series.  Colby Lewis is 2-0 with a 3.32 ERA in 6 starts this year, and 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in his last 3 starts.  Miguel Gonzalez will make just his 2nd start of the year for the White Sox.  The 1st did not go too well as he gave up 5 earned runs and 13 base runners in 5 1/3 innings against the Blue Jays.  Gonzalez is 2-3 with a 5.14 ERA and 1.607 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts vs. Texas, while Lewis is 7-3 with a 3.74 ERA in 12 lifetime starts vs. Chicago.  Lewis is 6-0 with a 1.25 ERA in his last 7 starts against the White Sox.  The Rangers are 9-2 in Lewis' last 11 starts during game 1 of a series.  The White Sox are 23-52 in their last 75 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.  Take Texas.

7* Raptors/Heat Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Miami -5

The Key: Miami is essentially in a must-win situation here in Game 4 to avoid falling behind 3-1 in this series.  The Heat got a huge break when arguably Toronto's most important player in Jonas Valanciunas got injured in Game 3 and will likely miss the rest of the postseason.  The Raptors don't have an inside presence to replace Valanciunas' scoring and he will be missed badly.  This game will be played small ball style, and the Heat have proven they can play small and be very effective.  Miami is 16-7 ATS after having lost 2 of its last 3 games this season.  The Heat are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 home games.  Take Miami.

6* Red Sox/Yankees ESPN *CA$H COW* on Boston -105

The Key: The Boston Red Sox figure to be hungry for a victory against the hated Yankees tonight after losing the first 2 games of this series.  They really want to avoid the sweep, and they have an excellent chance to do just that thanks to their huge edge on the mound.  Steven Wright has been light-out, going 2-3 with a 1.67 ERA and 1.144 WHIP in 5 starts this year.  Luis Severino has consistently been rocked, going 0-4 with a 6.31 ERA and 1.636 WHIP in 5 starts.  Wright is 1-1 with a 0.69 ERA and 0.923 WHIP in 2 lifetime starts vs. New York, allowing only 1 earned run in 13 innings in those 2 outings.  Take Boston.

7* Spurs/Thunder *TOTAL* Annihilator on UNDER 198.5

The Key: The last two games in this series have gone UNDER 198.5 points.  The Spurs and Thunder combined for 195 points in Game 2 and 196 points in Game 3.  Now that they are even more familiar with one another, I look for Game 4 to actually be the lowest-scoring game of this series yet.  Oklahoma City is 8-0 UNDER in home games when playing 4 or less games in 10 days this season.  The UNDER is 14-2 in Spurs last 16 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Thunder last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.  The UNDER is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings in OKC, and 5-1 in the last 6 meetings overall.  Take the UNDER.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Los Angeles Angels +116

The Key: The Los Angeles Angels should not be home underdogs to the Tampa Bay Rays today.  Jered Weaver is 2-0 with a 3.75 ERA in 2 home starts this year.  Jake Odorizzi is 0-1 with an 8.10 ERA in 2 road starts this season.  Odorizzi is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in 2 lifetime starts vs. Los Angeles.  Weaver is 5-5 with a 3.81 ERA in 12 lifetime starts vs. Tampa Bay.  Weaver is 27-7 (+19.6 Units) against the money line at home when the money line is +125 to -125 lifetime.  Take Los Angeles.

7* Raptors/Heat Game 3 *TOTAL* Annihilator on UNDER 187.5

The Key: The Heat and Raptors have somehow managed to go to overtime in three straight games dating back to the regular season.  The first two games of this series were extremely low-scoring in regulation.  They combined for 180 points at the end of regulation in Game 1, and 172 points at the end of regulation in Game 2.  I look for Game 3 to take a similar pattern and to stay well UNDER the posted total of 187.5, obviously assuming they don't go to OT for a 4th consecutive time.  The UNDER is 6-0 in Raptors last six road games.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Heat last seven games overall.  Take the UNDER.

7* Spurs/Thunder Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on San Antonio -2

The Key: The San Antonio Spurs won Game 1 by 32 points before getting upset 98-97 in Game 2 thanks to some controversy for the refs.  I fully expect the Spurs to take Game 3 and regain home-court advantage in this series.  They are clearly the better team and have the Thunder figured out.  The Spurs are 9-1 ATS revenging a straight up loss vs. opponent as a favorite of 7 or more over the last 2 seasons.  San Antonio is 9-1 ATS off a close loss by 3 points or less over the last 2 seasons.  Take San Antonio.

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

The Key: The chances of the Arizona Diamondbacks winning tonight against the league-worst Atlanta Braves (7-20) are much greater than this -144 price that we have to pay.  The Diamondbacks will be sending ace Zack Greinke to the mound as he looks to continue his solid pitching on the road.  Greinke is 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in 2 road starts this year.  Greinke sports a 2.61 ERA and 0.895 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts vs. Atlanta.  The Braves are 2-14 (-13.3 Units) against the money line off a loss by 6 runs or more to a division rival over the last 3 seasons.  Greinke is 81-31 (+38.2 Units) against the money line vs. an NL team with an on base percentage .325 or worse lifetime.  Take Arizona.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Houston Astros -105

The Key: I believe the Houston Astros are ready to turn the corner and start winning games in bunches after a disappointing start to the season.  They have won back-to-back games coming in for the first time this year after throttling Minnesota 16-4 yesterday.  But due to their 10-18 start, they are undervalued right now at nearly even money at home against the Seattle Mariners.  I expect them to tee off on Wade Miley, who is 2-2 with a 5.06 ERA in 5 starts this year, including 1-1 with a 6.35 ERA in 3 road starts.  Seattle is 12-24 (-15.9 Units) against the money line after 2 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.  Houston is 20-7 (+13.6 Units) against the money line after batting .225 or worse over a 15 game span over the last 2 seasons.   The Astros are 15-3 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 54% to 62%) over the last 2 seasons.  The Astros are 14-4 in their last 18 home games vs. a left-handed starter.  The Mariners are 3-9 in their last 12 road meetings.  Take Houston.

7* Heat/Raptors Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto -4.5

The Key: The Toronto Raptors lost Game 1 in overtime at home and now are looking at this Game 2 against the Miami Heat as a must-win.  3-point shooting was their demise in Game 1 as they shot 23.8% while the Heat shot a scoring 72.7%.  That's unlikely to happen again.  After all, the Raptors were 3-0 in their final three meetings with the Heat in the regular season, outscoring them by a whopping 14.0 points per game in the process.  So I still believe this to be a great matchup for them, and I think that will show in Game 2 as they want this one more.  The Heat are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 road games in the 2nd half of the season against teams who outscore the opposition by 3 or more points per game.  Take Toronto.

7* Hawks/Cavs Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Atlanta +7.5

The Key: The Atlanta Hawks gave the Cleveland Cavaliers all they could handle in Game 1.  They even had the lead in that game down the stretch but couldn't close the deal despite shooting under 38% from the field for the game.  After an off shooting night, look for the Hawks to be more on target in Game 2.  They will take this game down to the wire and cover the 7.5 tonight.  Atlanta is 16-6 ATS revenging two straight losses where opponent scored 100 points or more over the last 2 seasons.  Cleveland is 10-19 ATS after 3 or more consecutive wins this season.  Take Atlanta.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Toronto Blue Jays -1.5 (+115)

The Key: The best bet on the bases today is the Toronto Blue Jays on the Run Line to blow out the Texas Rangers.  Given their edge on the mound, they should have no problem winning by 2-plus runs tonight.  Aaron Sanchez is off to a blistering start, going 2-1 with a 2.59 ERA and 1.149 WHIP in 5 starts.  He may be Toronto's most talented starter.  Colby Lewis absolutely hates facing this potent Blue Jays' offense.  Lewis is 3-6 with a 7.13 ERA and 1.708 WHIP in 10 lifetime starts vs. Texas.  The Rangers are 2-8 in Lewis' last 10 starts during game 3 of a series.  Take Toronto on the Run Line.

7* Blazers/Warriors Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Portland +10

The Key: I expect the Portland Trail Blazers to rebound nicely following their 12-point loss in Game 1 to the Warriors. They were at a serious disadvantage in Game 1 because they were playing on just 1.5 days of rest, while the Warriors had four days off in between games.  But now it's much more even and the Blazers will stay within single-digits of the Warriors as a result in Game 2.  To only lost by 12 points despite shooting only 40.2% from the floor is actually quite an accomplishment.  Look for them to be more on target in Game 2 and to get off to a much better start than they did in Game 1.  The Blazers are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games after a loss by more than 10 points.  Take Portland.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Toronto Blue Jays -1.5 (+118)

The Key: Toronto comes in hungry for a victory after losing 5 of its last 7 games overall, including a 2-1 loss in Game 1 of this series to Texas.  With the massive advantage the Blue Jays have on the mound today, I'm going to back them on the Run Line.  Marco Estrada is 1-2 with a 2.92 ERA in 4 starts this year, including 1-1 with a 1.98 ERA in 2 home starts.  Estrada is also 2-1 with a 1.47 ERA in 3 lifetime starts vs. Texas.  Martin Perez is 1-2 with a 4.20 ERA in 5 starts this season, including 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA in 2 road starts.  Perez is also 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA in one lifetime start vs. Toronto.  Take Toronto on the Run Line.

7* Thunder/Spurs Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Oklahoma City +8

The Key: The Oklahoma City Thunder will show a lot more fight in Game 2 knowing that they do not want to go down 0-2 in this series if they want to win it.  The Spurs couldn't miss in Game 1 as they shot over 60% from the field behind a combined 34-of-43 shooting from the trio of LaMarcus Aldridge, Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.  These teams actually split the regular season series 2-2 with the Thunder not losing by more than 8 points in any of the four games, so their 32-point loss in Game 1 certainly came out of nowhere.  I look for the Thunder to make this game much more competitive and to have a chance to win in the end thanks to some key adjustments from head coach Billy Donovan.  Take Oklahoma City.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on San Francisco Giants -141

The Key: Johnny Cueto gets to face his former team for the first time today, and he'll be motivated to beat the team that traded him away prior to the deadline last year in the Cincinnati Reds.  Cueto has been brilliant with his new team in the Giants, going 4-1 with a 2.65 ERA in 5 starts, including 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA in 2 road starts.  He'll be opposed by Brandon Finnegan, who is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in 5 starts, including 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA in 2 home starts.  Cincinnati is 3-18 (-13.8 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +125 or more over the last 2 seasons.  The Reds are 23-51 in their last 74 overall.  The Giants are 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.  Take San Francisco.

7* Blazers/Warriors Game 1 *TOTAL* Annihilator on UNDER 208.5

The Key: With no Steph Curry, the Golden State Warriors have had to win with defense in the playoffs up to this point.  They held the high-octane Houston Rockets to an average of only 91.2 points per game last series.  Now they're going to make it tough on the Blazers in this series as well, starting with Game 1.  It's also worth noting the Blazers held the Clippers to 98 or fewer points in 3 of their 6 games.  This will certainly be a defensive battle today folks.  Bets on the UNDER on home teams when the total 200 or more, an excellent offensive team that averages at least 102 points per game against a bad defensive team that gives up at least 102 points per game, after scorign 55 points or more in the first half of 2 straight games are 74-33 over the last 5 seasons.  Take the UNDER.

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Chicago White Sox -117

The Key: The White Sox would be at least -150 favorites over the Orioles if they were playing at home with Chris Sale on the mound against Ubaldo Jimenez.  But since they're on the road, we're getting Sale at a major discount here today.  Sale is the leader in the clubhouse for the Cy Young award after starting 5-0 with a 1.66 ERA and 0.684 WHIP through his first five starts.  Jimenez has gone 1-2 with a 3.91 ERA and 1.565 WHIP in his 4 starts this year.  Sale pitched 7 2/3 shutout innings in his last start at Baltimore with 12 strikeouts and only 4 base runners allowed.  Jimenez is 3-4 with a 4.17 ERA and 1.486 WHIP in 12 lifetime starts vs. Chicago.  Sale is 14-2 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in May games in his career.  The White Sox are 6-0 in Sale's last 6 starts.  Take Chicago.

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

The Key:  The Thunder have played the Spurs tough this season. The season series is 2-2 with the Thunder only lost once by more than this 7-point margin.  I think they'll give the Spurs a run today and stay within this 7-point spread in Game 1.  Take Oklahoma City.

7* Raptors/Pacers *TOTAL* Annihilator on UNDER 194

The Key: When you look at how this series has played out, there's a lot to like about the UNDER in Game 6 tonight.  The UNDER went 4-0 in their first four games before going over the total in Game 5.  They have combined for 190 or fewer points in 4 of the 5 games thus far.  They have averaged only 189 combined points per game in this series, so there's clearly value with the UNDER in Game 6.  Indiana is 9-1 UNDER in home games when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 60% to 70%) this season.  Indiana is 10-1 UNDER after scoring 60 points or more in the first half last game this season.  The UNDER is 5-0 in Raptors last 5 road games.  Take this combined 24-2 angle backing the UNDER straight to the bank tonight.  Take the UNDER.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Pittsburgh Pirates -145

The Key: The Pittsburgh Pirates are on an absolute tear right now as they have won 6 of their last 7 games overall while scoring 6 or more runs in all 6 victories.  Now they are up against the ice-cold Reds, who have lost 6 of their last 7 while scoring 3 runs or fewer in all 6 losses.  Juan Nicasio has pitched well in his 2 home starts for Pittsburgh, going 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 0.750 WHIP.  Daniel Straily is 0-0 with a 3.72 ERA in 2 starts this season for the Reds.  The Reds are 22-49 in their last 71 overall.   Cincinnati is 26-55 in its last 81 during Game 1 of a series.   The Pirates are 51-18 in their last 69 home games vs. a team with a losing record.  Take Pittsburgh.

7* MLB GAME OF THE MONTH on St. Louis Cardinals -113

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals have been hitting the cover off the ball here of late.  They have scored 45 runs over their last 5 games while winning four of them.  Now they get to go up against Ruby De La Rosa, who sports a 5.79 ERA through 3 starts this year.  De La Rosa hasn't enjoyed facing the Cardinals, posting a 4.91 ERA in 2 starts against them.  Michael Wacha has given up just 3 earned runs in his last 3 starts for a 1.50 ERA.  The Cardinals are 26-11 in Wacha's last 37 starts.  Take St. Louis.

6* Hawks/Celtics Eastern Conference *CA$H COW* on Boston +2

The Key: The Boston Celtics are one of the most resilient teams in the NBA.  They got blown out on the road in Game 5, but I have no doubt they'll show tremendous character and find a way to win Game 6 at home.  After all, the home team is 5-0 in this series.  The Hawks haven't won a playoff series against the Celtics since 1958.  Atlanta has also dropped 10 consecutive postseason games in Boston dating back to 1988.  It has gone 2-27 in its last 29 trips to Boston in the playoffs.  Atlanta is 16-35 ATS in its last 51 playoff road games, and 10-24 ATS in its last 34 first round playoff road games.  Boston is 15-5 ATS revenging a road loss of 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.  The Hawks are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 road games overall.  Take Boston.

7* Blazers/Clippers Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Los Angeles +3.5

The Key: Doc Rivers is one of the few coaches who could get his team to respond following the loss of two stars like Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.  He's going to play the 'everyone is counting you out' card to his players, and I look for them to respond in a big way at home tonight.  The Clippers actually showed off their depth at the end of the regular season as they kept winning despite resting their starters.  ChrisPaul controls the Clippers' offense like few others in the NBA. However, they installed a motion offense for when Paul wasn't on the floor this season, freeing up Jamal Crawford and Austin Rivers while letting anyone else get the ball moving.  ''We were very effective at it,'' Doc Rivers said. ''Thank God we did that because now playing without him we'll be in motion for 48 minutes.''  Bets on home underdogs off an upset loss as a road favorite, good team winning between 60% and 75% of their games on the season are 23-5 ATS since 1996.  Take Los Angeles.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Cleveland Indians +104

The Key: The Cleveland Indians will be out for revenge on the Minnesota Twins after losing the first 2 games of this series by a single run each.  I look for them to avoid the sweep tonight.  Josh Tomlin has been brilliant in 2 starts this season, going 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA and 0.771 WHIP.  Tomlin has owned the Twins of late too, going 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in his last 2 starts against them while allowing only 3 earned runs and 10 base runners in 13 innings.  Tomlin is 8-0 (+8.6 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.  Tomlin is 10-1 (+9.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.  The Indians are 9-2 in their last 11 games after losing the first 2 games of a series.  The Indians are 10-1 in Tomlin's last 11 starts.  Take Cleveland.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on St. Louis Cardinals -128

The Key: After blowing a big early lead to lose 7-12 to the Diamondbacks in Game 1 of this series yesterday, I fully expect the Cardinals to get revenge in Game 2 tonight.  They clearly have the edge on the mound behind Carlos Martinez, who is 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in 3 starts this year.  Martinez is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in 2 lifetime starts vs. Arizona as well, both of which resulted in St. Louis wins.  Shelby Miller has been off his game to say the least, going 0-1 with an 8.59 ERA and 1.977 WHIP in 4 starts this year.  He hasn't even made it out of the 2nd inning in any of his last two starts.  St. Louis is 36-16 in the last 52 meetings, including 12-2 in all meetings over the last 3 seasons.  The Cardinals are 25-7 in Martinez's last 32 starts.  The Diamondbacks are 26-59 in their last 85 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.  Take St. Louis.

7* Celtics/Hawks Game 5 *TOTAL* Annihilator on UNDER 198

The Key: The Boston Celtics have shot 36.3% and 31.8% in their first two games in Atlanta in this series.  The Hawks have only been slightly better, shooting 40.7% and 39.0%, respectively.  Look for a very low-scoring contest in Game 5 similar to Game 2 when these teams only combined for 161 points.  Now very familiar with one another, this is sure to be a defensive battle.  Atlanta is 11-2 UNDER in home playoff games over the last 3 seasons.  The UNDER is 11-1 in Celtics last 12 games following an ATS win.  The UNDER is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings in Atlanta.  Take the UNDER.

7* NBA 1st Round TOTAL OF THE YEAR on Blazers/Clippers UNDER 205.5

The Key: After combining for 210 points in Game 1, the last two games of this series have been extremely low scoring as these teams have become more familiar with one another, which has clearly favored the defenses.  They combined for 183 points in Game 2 and 184 points in Game 3.  Now the total is set at 205.5 for Game 4, which is more than 20 points more than they combined for the past two games.  This is about as easy as it gets ladies and gents as this game will stay well UNDER the posted total as well.  Five of the last seven meetings have seen 193 or fewer combined points also.  The Clippers are 14-6 UNDER revenging a loss vs. opponent this season.  Los Angeles is 9-0 UNDER versus good 3-point shooting teams who make 36% or more of their attempts in the 2nd half of the season this season.  The Clippers are 10-1 UNDER versus teams who average 7 or fewer steals per game in the 2nd half of the season this season.  The UNDER is 35-17 in Clippers last 52 games following a straight up loss.  Take the UNDER.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Detroit Tigers -135

The Key: The Detroit Tigers have lost 4 straight and 6 of their last 7 games overall.  It's safe to say they will be hungry to get back in the win column when they host the Oakland A's for Game 1 of this series Monday.  I like their chances of getting a victory to end this skid with their best starter on the mound in Jordan Zimmerman.  The right-hander hasn't allowed a single earned run in three starts this year.  Zimmerman is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 1.086 WHIP while pitching 19 1/3 shutout innings.  The Tigers opened as -150-plus favorites and are now down to -135, but Zimmerman is 48-12 (+25.8 Units) against the money line as a favorite of -150 or more in his career.  The A's are 2-9 in Kendall Graveman's last 11 starts.  Take Detroit.

7* Cavs/Pistons Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Detroit +6.5

The Key: It should be a crime that the Pistons are down 0-3 in this series.  They have had their chances in every game, but have ultimately come up short in the 4th quarter each time.  This is far from the blowout of a series that this 3-0 deficit would indicate.  I look for the Pistons to play with some pride and avoid the sweep today and win outright, but we'll take the points for some insurance.  Detroit is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent of 10 points or more this season.  Cleveland is 8-20 ATS (-14.0 Units) after 2 straight wins by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.  Take Detroit Sunday.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on St. Louis Cardinals -132

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals should take care of the San Diego Padres with relative ease today.  Mike Leake is 1-2 with a 3.31 ERA and 1.217 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts versus San Diego.  He'll be opposed by Colin Rea, who is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA and 1.750 WHIP in one lifetime start vs. St. Louis.  Rea is 1-1 with a 5.28 ERA and 1.631 WHIP in 3 starts this season as well.  St. Louis is 93-43 (+31.5 Units) against the money line as a favorite of -110 or higher over the last 2 seasons.  The Padres are 10-27 in their last 37 during game 3 of a series.  Take St. Louis.

6* Mariners/Angels AL West *BAILOUT* on Seattle +114

The Key:  Getting ace Felix Hernandez and the Mariners at nearly even money tonight is an absolute gift from oddsmakers.  The Mariners come in playing very well having won 6 of their last 8 games overall.  Now they have a chance to get above .500 for the first time this season, and Hernandez will make it happen.  He's 1-1 with a 1.00 ERA in 3 starts this season, allowing only 2 earned runs in 18 innings.  Hernandez sports a 3.30 ERA and 1.162 WHIP in 46 lifetime starts vs. Los Angeles.  The Mariners are 20-8 in Hernandez's last 28 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.  Seattle is 7-2 in its last 9 road games.  The Mariners are 9-3 in Hernandez's last 12 starts vs. Angels.  Take Seattle.

7* Raptors/Pacers Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Indiana +1.5

The Key: This is a must-win game for the Indiana Pacers tonight as they know they cannot afford to fall behind 3-1 to the Raptors if they want to win this series.  Paul George was disappointed in his team's effort in Game 3, and look for him to now take it upon himself to lead this team to victory in Game 4.  The Pacers are a very good home team as they went 26-15 in Indiana during the regular season.  Toronto is 4-14 ATS after covering 5 or 6 of their last 7 against the spread over the last 2 seasons.  Indiana is 14-4 ATS after trailing in their previous game by 15 or more points at the half over the last 3 seasons.  The Raptors are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 Conference Quarterfinals games. The Pacers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up loss.  Take Indiana.

6* Mariners/Angels AL West *BAILOUT* on Seattle -110

The Key: Getting ace Felix Hernandez and the Mariners at nearly even money tonight is an absolute gift from oddsmakers.  The Mariners come in playing very well having won 5 of their last 7 games overall.  Now they have a chance to get to .500 for the first time this season, and Hernandez will make it happen.  He's 1-1 with a 1.00 ERA in 3 starts this season, allowing only 2 earned runs in 18 innings.  Hernandez sports a 3.30 ERA and 1.162 WHIP in 46 lifetime starts vs. Los Angeles.  He's up against the lightly-used Nick Tropeano, who has yet to proven himself in the big leagues.  The Angels are 24-44 (-17.2 Units) against the money line as an underdog of +100 to +150 over the last 2 seasons.  The Mariners are 20-8 in Hernandez's last 28 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.  The Mariners are 9-3 in Hernandez's last 12 starts vs. Angels.  Take Seattle.

7* Cavs/Pistons Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Detroit +5

The Key: The Detroit Pistons have largely outplayed the Cleveland Cavaliers for the majority of this series, but they find themselves in an 0-2 hole.  They held the halftime lead in Game 1 and led by 5 in the 3rd quarter of Game 2, but lost both contests.  The Cavs made 20 3-pointers in Game 2, which isn't going to happen again.  Now the Pistons get to play at home in Game 3 and will get a victory to get back in this series.  The Pistons went 26-15 SU & 24-15-2 ATS at home this season, outscoring opponents by 5.0 points per game.  Cleveland is 3-15 ATS in its last 18 road games after scoring 100 points or more in 5 straight games.  The Pistons are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss.  Take Detroit.

7* Thunder/Mavs Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Oklahoma City -8.5

The Key: After getting upset in Game 2 and losing home-court advantage, look for the Oklahoma City Thunder to gain back that home court in a big way tonight.  They could not have played worse in Game 2, particularly Kevin Durant, who went 7 for 33.  His 26 misses shots were tied with Michael Jordan for the most ever in a playoff game.  He and his teammates have been seeing all of the negative headlines in the media, and that's only going to fuel their fire heading into Game 3.  This one will be over after the first quarter folks as the supremely talented Thunder play up to their potential off that loss.  The Thunder have won 3 of their last 5 meetings with the Mavs by 13 or more points.  They have outscored the Mavs by a total of 72 points over those 5 games, or by an average of 14.4 points per game. Take Oklahoma City.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Toronto Blue Jays -103

The Key: We're getting a solid price on the Toronto Blue Jays today at nearly even money with the underrated Marco Estrada on the mound.  Estrada was tremendous all season last year, and he's 1-1 with a 2.77 ERA and 1.231 WHIP in 2 starts to start 2016.  Estrada is 2-1 with a 3.33 ERA and 0.945 WHIP in 4 lifetime starts vs. Baltimore as well.  Chris Tillman continues to get blown up after a disastrous 2015.  He is 1-1 with a 5.11 ERA through 3 starts in 2016.  But the real ugliness comes when he faces the Blue Jays.  Tillman is 4-10 with a 5.48 ERA in 20 lifetime starts vs. Toronto.  In 6 starts against Toronto last season, Tillman went 0-4 with a huge 11.72 ERA.  He served up 10 homers and 40 hits in 25 1/3 innings while walking 11 and striking out only 15.  Take Toronto.

7* Pistons/Cavs Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Detroit +10.5

The Key: The Detroit Pistons have played the Cleveland Cavaliers extremely tough this season.  After winning the season series 3-1, they held their own in Game 1 while only losing by 5 points.  Now they are a double-digit underdog once again when they shouldn't be, and we'll take advantage.  Cleveland is 26-54-1 ATS in its last 81 games vs. division opponents.  The Cavs are also 1-11 ATS this season against teams who average 7 or less steals per game.  Take Detroit.

6* Rays/Red Sox AL East *CA$H COW* on Tampa Bay +100

The Key: The Tampa Bay Rays should not be underdogs to the Boston Red Sox given the advantage they have on the mound today.  Archer is coming off a season in which he posted a 3.23 ERA and 1.137 WHIP with 252 strikeouts in 212 innings.  He is an elite starter.  Rick Porcello is one of the most overpaid starters in the majors.  After going 9-15 with a 4.92 ERA in 31 starts in his first season in Boston last year, he has posted a 5.11 ERA through two starts in 2016.  Archer is 9-1 (+9.0 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.  Boston is 1-10 (-10.7 Units) against the money line after getting shut out over the last 2 seasons.  Take Tampa Bay.

6* DBacks/Giants National League *BAILOUT* on San Francisco -121

The Key: After losing 2 straight and 5 of their last 6 overall, the San Francisco Giants will be hungry for a win today to get back on track.  I look for them to get it behind Matt Cain and company.  Cain is 14-7 with a 3.47 ERA and 1.217 WHIP in 34 lifetime starts versus Arizona.  Robbie Ray is off to a shaky start to his big league career at 6-16 with a 4.27 ERA and 1.429 WHIP over 31 starts and three relief appearances.  Ray is 4-13 (-9.8 Units) against the money line vs. an NL team with an on base percentage .325 or worse over the last 2 seasons.  Take San Francisco.

7* Grizzlies/Spurs Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Memphis +18

The Key: Without question, Game 1 of Spurs/Grizzlies was not pretty for Memphis.  They lost 106-74 and looked like they never stood a chance.  However, I have little doubt they'll put forth a much better effort in Game 2, and it will be enough to stay within this massive 18-point spread.  We saw the short-handed Mavs pull the upset over the Thunder as 14-point dogs yesterday.  I'm not calling for the upset here, but definitely see it going down to the wire.  Memphis is 13-3 ATS in its last 16 road games when revenging a road blowout loss of 20 points or more.  Take Memphis.

7* Pacers/Raptors Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Toronto -7

The Key: After losing Game 1 to the Pacers, the Raptors are now desperate for a win in Game 2.  I look for them to put the pedal to the metal for four quarters and to blow the Pacers out of the building.  I also expect the Pacers to take their foot off the gas after winning Game 1 and earning home-court advantage, which had to be their goal leaving Toronto.  Indiana is 1-11 ATS in its last 12 games following two or more consecutive upset wins as road underdogs.  Take Toronto.

6* National League *TOTAL* Annihilator on Mets/Phillies UNDER 7

The Key: I expect a pitcher's duel tonight between two of the worst offensive teams in baseball in the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets.  The Phillies are hitting .207 and scoring 2.6 runs per game this season, while the Mets are hitting .220 and scoring 3.4 runs per game.  Noah Syndergaard has been dominant, going 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA and 0.923 WHIP in 2 starts.  Jerad Eickhoff has been a pleasant surprise, going 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 0.917 WHIP in two starts.  Syndergaard is 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA and 0.973 WHIP in 2 lifetime starts vs. Philadelphia, while Eickhoff is 1-3 with a 2.88 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in 4 lifetime starts vs. New York.  Take the UNDER.

6* Grizzlies/Spurs Western Conference *CA$H COW* on Memphis +15.5

The Key: Everyone is writing the Grizzlies off in this series, which has created some nice line value in Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs.  They are getting 15.5-points, making them the biggest underdogs in all of the Game 1's.  The Grizzlies were swept by the Spurs in the regular season, but they played a lot tougher in both meetings in San Antonio.  They lost both those meetings by 8 and 6 points.  They've only lost one of their last seven meetings in San Antonio by more than 14 points.  Memphis is 7-0 ATS in road games off a combined score of 215 points or more this season.  The Grizzlies are 11-2 ATS off two or more consecutive ATS losses this season.  The Grizzlies are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games playing on 3 or more days rest.  The Spurs are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games overall, and 0-5 ATS in their last 5 home games.  Take Memphis.

7* Pistons/Cavs Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Detroit +11

The Key: The Detroit Pistons showed during the regular season that they could hang with the Cleveland Cavaliers.  In fact, they went 3-1 against Cleveland this season and won both road meetings outright as underdogs.  That's why it makes no sense that the Cavs are laying 11 points in Game 1.  The Pistons present all kinds of matchup problems for the Cavaliers, and it starts with Andre Drummond, who Cleveland simply does not have an answer for inside.  He'll dominate the boards as he always does and create extra, crucial possessions for the Pistons all series long.  Cleveland is 26-53-1 ATS in its last 80 games against division opponents.  The Pistons are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 trips to Cleveland.  Take Detroit.

7* Mavs/Thunder Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Dallas +12

The Key: The Thunder did sweep the season series with the Mavericks, but I believe that has them overvalued coming into Game 1.  They won those four meetings by an average of 9.5 points per game.  Now we're getting 12 points with the Mavericks, who should put up more of a fight than oddsmakers and the betting public are anticipating.  Dallas is 19-6 ATS vs. teams who outrebound opponents by 3-plus boards per game over the last 3 seasons.  The Mavs are 277-208 ATS in their last 485 games as a road underdog.  Dallas is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games following an ATS loss.  The Mavs are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 road games.  The road team is 35-16-2 ATS in the last 53 meetings. The Mavericks are 19-7-1 ATS in the last 27 meetings in Oklahoma City.  Take Dallas.

6* Giants/Dodgers NL West *BAILOUT* on San Francisco +100

The Key: Johnny Cueto is certainly enjoying his new home in San Francisco.  The right-hander is 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.286 WHIP in 2 starts this year.  Cueto has posted a 3.42 ERA and 1.193 WHIP in 9 lifetime starts versus Los Angeles.  His opponent in Scott Kazmir is 1-1 with a 4.32 ERA in 3 lifetime starts vs San Francisco.  Kazmir is 0-6 (-7.7 Units) against the money line after giving up 2 or more home runs last outing over the last 2 seasons.  Take San Francisco.

7* American League GAME OF THE WEEK on Los Angeles Angels -116

The Key: The Minnesota Twins have obviously been a great team to fade up to this point as they are 0-9 on the season.  I don't expect them to be getting their first win of the year today, either.  That's because they are up against the Los Angeles Angels and ace Garrett Richards.  The Angels come in having won four straight, and Richards wants to keep it rolling.  I like his chances considering what he's done against the Twins in the past.  Richards is 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA and 1.042 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts vs. Minnesota.  Tom Milone sports a 4.55 ERA and 1.483 WHIP in 11 lifetime starts vs. Los Angeles.  The Angels are 13-3 in their last 16 meetings with the Twins, including 7-1 in their last 8 meetings in Minnesota.  The Angels are 11-1 in Richards' last 12 Friday starts as well.  Take Los Angeles.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Texas Rangers -125

The Key: I like the value we are getting with the Rangers as small home favorites over the Orioles today, especially with ace Cole Hamels on the mound.  The Orioles are way overvalued right now due to their 7-1 start.  But they just suffered their first loss of the season yesterday, an I look for them to have a hangover today.  Hamels is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two starts this season for Texas to pick up right where he left off last year for the Rangers.  Hamels has allowed just 3 earned runs in 16 innings in his last 2 starts against Baltimore as well.  Baltimore is 4-16 (-11.8 Units) against the money line in road games after having won 4 of their last 5 games over the last 3 seasons.  Take Texas.

7* NBA Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Sacramento Kings +15

The Key: This is a must-win situation for the Houston Rockets, who would clinch a playoff spot with a win today.  The oddsmakers know that the betting public is only going to back the Rockets in this game, so they have simply been forced to inflate this number.  I believe there's a ton of value with the Kings, who have not quit.  That is evidenced by the fact that they are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall despite resting some of their starters here down the stretch.  Take Sacramento.

6* American League *TOTAL* Annihilator on Yankees/Blue Jays OVER 8

The Key: Any time you get the opportunity to bet the OVER in a Blue Jays game with a total set of 8 runs or less, you should take advantage.  That's precisely what we'll do here Wednesday in what should be a high-scoring affair between the Yankees and Jays in Toronto.  Michael Pineda gave up 3 home runs in his last start against Toronto.  J.A. Happ is 3-2 with a 5.02 ERA in 9 lifetime starts vs. New York.  Take the OVER.

7* Thunder/Spurs Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Oklahoma City +9.5

The Key: The San Antonio Spurs are in a huge letdown spot here tonight.  They are coming off a home loss to the Golden State Warriors, their first home loss of the season.  They will now suffer a hangover against the Oklahoma City Thunder today.  Yes, the Thunder are resting their starters, but they're still good enough with what they have to stay within this 9.5-point spread.  San Antonio is 7-20 ATS (-15.0 Units) versus up-tempo teams averaging 83 or more shots/game - 2nd half of the season this season.  Take Oklahoma City.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Yankees/Blue Jays OVER 8

The Key: Any time you can get a Blue Jays total at 8 or lower, it's time to look for the OVER.  That's the case today as they host the Yankees.  The Over is 4-1 in Yankees last 5 overall.  The Over is 7-2-3 in Blue Jays last 12 home games.  Take the OVER.

7* NBA Western Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Minnesota Timberwolves +3.5

The Key: The Timberwolves are playing their best basketball of the season right now and making life very difficult for playoff contenders.  They are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall, all three of which came on the road.  They even beat the record-setting Golden State Warriors, while also topping the Kings and Blazers.  Now they have their sights set on wrecking Houston's season.  I like their chances to do so considering they come in on a day of rest, while Houston will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and its 4th game in 6 days.  The Rockets lost back-to-back games to the Mavs and Suns before beating the terrible Lakers yesterday.  Houston is 10-21 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  The Rockets are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.  The Rockets are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game.  The Timberwolves are 11-5 ATS in their last 16 games playing on 1 days rest.  The Rockets are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games playing on 0 days rest.  Take Minnesota.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-109)

The Key: The Washington Nationals send ace Max Scherzer to the mound tonight to dispose of the lowly Atlanta Braves.  That shouldn't be a problem considering the Braves are 0-5 this season while losing four games by 2 runs or more.  They were just outscored 31-13 by the Cardinals in their last series.   Scherzer was dominant in his opening day start, giving up 2 runs and 5 base runners in 7 innings against the Braves.  He has now given up 4 earned runs over 21 innings in his last 3 starts against Atlanta.  Bud Norris is 2-2 with a 4.70 ERA in 5 lifetime starts vs. Washington.  Atlanta is 11-38 as a dog of +150 or more over the last 2 years, losing by 2.6 runs per game.  The Braves are 11-41 in their last 52 road games.  Take Washington on the Run Line.

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Dallas Mavericks +5.5

The Key: The Dallas Mavericks have won a season-high six straight to play their best basketball of the season down the stretch.  Now they find themselves just one win away from clinching a playoff spot, and they'll be hungry to do so tonight against the Clippers. Los Angeles has rested its starters in recent games and won't be interested in playing its starters here either given that it is locked in to the No. 4 seed in the West.  That's why I believe the wrong teams is favored here in a game that the Mavs clearly need more.  The Clippers are 13-27 ATS in home games off 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 3 seasons.  The Mavericks are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.  The Mavs are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 road games.  Take Dallas.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Los Angeles Angels -105

The Key: At 1-4 on the season and off two straight losses to the Rangers, the Angels are hungry for a win here Sunday at home to get back on track.  I'll back Jered Weaver over Martin Perez all day.  Weaver has gone 15-8 with a 3.45 ERA and 1.182 WHIP in 37 lifetime starts vs. Texas.  Perez went 3-6 with a 4.46 ERA in 14 starts last season for Texas.  Weaver is 25-7 (+17.4 Units) against the money line at home when the money line is +125 to -125 in his career.  Weaver is 40-11 (+22.0 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents in his career.  Take Los Angeles.

6* National League *CA$H COW* on Arizona Diamondbacks -109

The Key: Because Zach Greinke got blown up in his Opening Day start, we are getting him at an excellent value here Saturday as a small home favorite over the Chicago Cubs.  Greinke had the flu and pitched through it, but now he's fully recovered and ready to redeem himself.  He'll be up against the Cubs No. 5 starter in Kyle Hendricks.  So we have a No. 1 against a No. 5 and the No. 1 is at home.  This is about as easy as it gets.  Greinkey is 91-35 (+39.0 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -110 or higher in his career.  Take Arizona.

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Phoenix Suns -1.5

The Key: The Phoenix Suns had yesterday off following their 124-115 win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday.  The same cannot be said for the New Orleans Pelicans, who played last night in a 110-102 home win over the Lakers.  So not only will the Pelicans be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back, they'll also be playing their 4th game in 5 days.  That's a tough spot for a team that is missing the likes of Norris Cole, Anthony Davis, Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans, Jrue Holiday and Alonzo Gee.  The Suns will put it to the short-handed Pelicans tonight in this awful spot for New Orleans.  The Pelicans are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 Saturday games.  Take Phoenix.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Los Angeles Angels -125

The Key: Matt Shoemaker is one of the more underrated starters in baseball.  He has gone 23-14 with a 3.68 ERA in 53 big league appearances over the span of the last 3 years.  But what really stands out in this game is how Shoemaker has dominated the Rangers.  The right-hander is 4-0 with a 2.39 ERA in 4 lifetime starts vs. Texas.  That domination continues tonight.  Texas is 10-26 in its last 36 meetings with the Angels.  Take Los Angeles.

7* NBA Eastern Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Philadelphia 76ers +2

The Key: The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off a 107-93 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.  Now they are a home underdog to the New York Knicks, who appear to have quit on their season.  The Knicks have lost five of their last six coming in with their only win coming at home over the Nets.  They lost 97-111 at home to the Hornets in their last contest.  The 76ers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games overall and will continue to be a nice bet tonight.  The 76ers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  Take Philadelphia.

7* Spurs/Warriors TNT *HEAVY HITTER* on Golden State -7

The Key: After losing two of their last three home games, the Golden State Warriors need to win out to beat the Bulls' record of 72 wins.  It starts tonight against the San Antonio Spurs.  You know the Warriors will be going all-out to try and get the win, but the same cannot be said for the Spurs.  Greg Popovich has already hinted at resting his starters in both meetings with the Warriors left because the Spurs simply have nothing to play for as they are locked into the No. 2 seed.  They also don't want to show the Warriors anything for the playoffs.  Golden State is 22-10 ATS revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.  The Spurs are 2-12 ATS in their last 14 games following a straight up win.  The Warriors are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 Thursday games.  Take Golden State.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on New York Yankees -104

The Key: We're getting the New York Yankees at basically even money against the Houston Astros today.  This team comes in with a lot of confidence after exploding for 16 runs against the Astros yesterday.  Now I look for them to tee off against Mike Fiers today.  I also like Nathan Eovaldi quite a bit, especially when you consider what he has done against the Astros in the past.  Eovaldi is 1-0 with a 0.90 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts vs. Houston, and his teams are 3-0 in those games.  He allowed only 2 earned runs in 14 innings in two starts against the Astros in 2015.  The Astros are 21-44 in their last 65 road games. Take New York.

7* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Los Angeles Lakers +10

The Key: This is a great spot to back the Lakers.  This is a home-and-home situation after these teams just played last night with the Clippers jumping out to a 20-2 lead and rolling to a 103-81 victory.  But look for the Lakers to fight back tonight, and for the Clippers to rest their starters as they have nothing to gain by winning this game.  They certainly won't be motivated to play it after beating the Lakers last night.  The Clippers are 6-19 ATS in their last 25 games off a division win by 20 or more points.  The Lakers are 15-5 ATS off a game with 15 or fewer assists this season.  The Lakers are 8-1 ATS off a game where they made 35% of their shots or worse this season.  Take the Lakers.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on New York Yankees -119

The Key: The Yankees fell 5-3 in their opener against the Astros yesterday.  Now I expect them to get their first win of the year behind Michael Pineda, who went 12-10 with a 4.37 ERA and 1.226 WHIP in 27 starts last season.  Collin McHugh was vulnerable on the road, posting a 4.09 ERA in 18 starts away from home last season.  McHugh went 1-1 with a 4.61 ERA in spring training.  The Yankees are 37-16 in their last 53 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.  The Astros are 21-43 in their last 64 road games.  Take New York.

7* Lakers/Clippers Western Conference *BAILOUT* on Lakers +15

The Key: The Los Angeles Lakers will give the Los Angeles Clippers a run for their money tonight.  The thing is that the Clippers have nothing to play for since they are locked in to the No. 4 seed.  So to make them favored by 15 points here is absolutely insane.  The Lakers have shown some nice fight here of late with a 102-100 victory over Miami as 10.5-point dogs and a 100-107 loss to Boston as 9-point dogs in their last two games.  The Clippers rested their starters against OKC two games ago and barely beat the Wizards 114-109 at home with their starters last game.  They won't be pushing their starters in this one, though.  The Clippers are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.  The Clippers are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.  The Clippers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.  Take the Lakers.

6* MLB Total *Annihilator* on Mets/Royals OVER 8

The Key: The wind in Kansas City today is going to be very favorable for a high-scoring game.  In fact, it is expected to be blowing a whopping 25 miles per hour out to left field.  Look for plenty of offensive fireworks as normal fly balls hit to left will go for homers.  The Mets are 13-2 OVER in their last 15 road games revenging a one run loss vs. opponent.  Take the OVER.

7* UNC/Villanova *HEAVY HITTER* on UNC -2

The Key: North Carolina is the one team without any weaknesses in the NCAA Tournament.  That's why it is still alive and playing for a national title.  The Tar Heels have the best big men in the country, and Marcus Paige and Joel Berry II have really stepped up their games in the tournament.  Villanova has arguably the best guards in the land, but it is going to be at a serious disadvantage inside.  Daniel Ochefu is their only big man of any significance, and he isn't going to be able to hold his own against Carolina.  Coming into the Syracuse game, the Tar Heels were getting offensive rebounds on 46 percent of their misses.  The Tar Heels will own the paint in this game, and thus they will be crowned your 2016 national champions.  Take North Carolina.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Tampa Bay Rays -109

The Key: After losing on Opening Day to the Blue Jays, I look for the Rays to get in the win column today and exact some revenge.  Yesterday's starting pitching matchup was a lot more evenly matched than this one.  I'll gladly back Drew Smyly over R.A. Dickey.  Smyly went 5-2 with a 3.11 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 66 2/3 innings for the Rays last year.  I'll be anxious to see what he can do over a full season because this guy is so good when healthy.  Smyly is 24-15 with a 3.24 ERA over his 4-year big league career and is primed for a breakout.  Dickey hasn't been great in Toronto with a 4.21 ERA, 3.71 ERA and 3.91 ERA in his last three seasons there, respectively.  Smyly is 1-0 with a 1.32 ERA in 2 lifetime starts vs. Toronto, giving up just 2 earned runs in 13 2/3 innings.  Take Tampa Bay.

6* Blue Jays/Rays AL East *CA$H COW* on Tampa Bay -113

The Key: We are getting the Rays at a nice price at home on opening day.  I'll back Chris Archer at this price every time as he's one of the very best starters in baseball, but he doesn't get the kind of respect other aces around the league get.  Archer is 5-3 with a 3.26 ERA in 15 lifetime starts vs. Toronto, while his counterpart Marcus Stroman is 1-1 with a 5.73 ERA in 2 lifetime starts vs. Tampa Bay.  Archer finished 5th in the AL Cy Young balloting last year and went 12-13 with a 3.23 ERA in 34 starts.  Take Tampa Bay.

7* NBA Non-Conference *HEAVY HITTER* on Washington Wizards +7

The Key: The Washington Wizards are showing solid value as 7-point underdogs to the Los Angeles Clippers Sunday.  They are still holding out slim hopes of making the playoffs as they are 3 games back of No. 8 Indiana.  They will continue to fight until they are eliminated.  Meanwhile, the Clippers have nothing to play for as they are locked in to the No. 4 seed in the West.  They even rested all of their starters last time out and are not interested in winning any of the remainder of their games.  The Wizards are 19-6 ATS in April games over the last 3 seasons.  Take Washington.

6* NBA Situational *SLAM DUNK* on Chicago Bulls -1.5

The Key: The Chicago Bulls are showing solid value as only 1.5-point favorites over the Detroit Pistons today.  The Bulls are only one game behind the Pacers for 8th place in the East.  They also trail the Pistons, who just lost to the Mavs yesterday and now will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back.  The circumstances make this a great spot to back the Bulls at this short number at home.  Take Chicago.

7* Villanova/Oklahoma Final Four *HEAVY HITTER* on Villanova -2

The Key: The Villanova Wildcats are showing solid value as only 2-point favorites over the Oklahoma Sooners.  They have certainly been the most impressive team in the tournament thus far, beating the likes of Miami and Kansas in the last two rounds.  The win over Kansas is the significant because it is a Big 12 opponent, and one that went 2-0 against Oklahoma this year.  The Wildcats play as a team, which makes them a lot more dangerous than the Sooners, who are too reliant upon Buddy Hield.  Take Villanova.

7* NBA TOTAL OF THE MONTH on Celtics/Warriors UNDER 222

The Key: The Celtics and Warriors both have a lot to play for right now, so the defensive intensity should be high in this game.  These teams met earlier this season with the Warriors winning 124-119 in double-overtime.  But that game was tied 103-103 at the end of regulation for 206 combined points.  That's about the same output I expect tonight at the end of regulation as this game stays well below the 222-point total.  Boston is 14-3 UNDER in road games revenging a loss where opponent scored 110 or more points over the last 2 seasons.  The UNDER is 5-0 in Celtics last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.  Take the UNDER.

7* Celtics/Blazers Non-Conference *BAILOUT* on Boston +3.5

The Key: The Boston Celtics come in fresh and ready to go tonight.  They have had two days off, and now they are looking for a strong finish to the season to try and secure home-court advantage in the first round.  The Celtics are currently in 4th place, tied with 5th place Charlotte and 6th place Miami at 43-31.  They are also one game behind 3rd place Atlanta.  So, essentially there's one game separating the 3-6 seeds.  The Celtics want home court in that first round.  Bets on road dogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points who score 103 or more points on the season, after trailing in their previous game by 15 points or more at the half are 38-13 ATS since 1996.  The Celtics are 10-1 ATS vs. teams who win 51% to 60% of their games in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.  Take Boston.

7* NBA Situational GAME OF THE WEEK on Utah Jazz +4

The Key: The Utah Jazz have gone 8-2 in their last 10 games overall to put themselves in position to make the playoffs.  They are clinging on to the one of the final two spots in the West, only one game ahead of 9th place Dallas, though.  They still have work to do, and now they're next victim will be the Golden State Warriors.  This is an awful spot for the Warriors, who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days.  They are struggling to live up to expectations here of late as they've gone just 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.  Utah lost by 3 at home to Golden State in its last meeting.  Bets on underdogs who are revenging a loss where opponent score 110 or more points, off two straight covers as a favorite are 32-8 ATS over the last 5 years.  Take Utah.