Sports Picks & Predictions

I like the Stars to rebound here on the road against the Avs and close this series out. Dallas has out played the Avalanche all series and Colorado has finally met their match. The Stars have great on the road this season going 30-16, and were victorious in their road games earlier in this series, winning by a score line of 9-2. You are only as strong as your weakest link and the Avalanche defense has been their downfall against Dallas. They have allowed 3 goals or more in every game this series. Jake Oettinger struggled in Games 1 & 5 however he has been great all season and rebounded with  5-3 win after falling in Game 1. The Stars will not make this one easy for the Avalanche in anyway. Take the Stars at plus money. -oey Tron

I like the Guardians to win this game at home against the Twins. The Guardians are playing some good baseball right winning 3 of their L4 and the Twins just had a rough stretch getting swept by the Yankees. The Guardians are sending Tristian McKenzie to the hill who is starting to gain steam and is building a lot of momentum. He is 0-1 his L4 starts, however he has allowed just 6 ERs across 22.2 IP while striking out 24. The Twins are sending Simeon Woods Richardson who has been facing the hard reality of the MLB as of late. In his last start he allowed 5 ERs, and 2 HRs across 4.1 IP against the Jays. He has not faced anyone in this Guardians lineup, and I look for the likes of Josh Naylor and Jose Ramirez to have BIG days from their bats. The Twins are 5-7 as a road dog and the Guardians are 12-6 at home. Take the Guardians ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Nuggets to cover this spread on the road against the T-Wolves tonight. The Nuggets have now won 3 in a row in this series after falling in the first two and the pendulum has completely swung. The Nuggets have won the last 3 games by an average score of 16 points and have had no response for the Joker & Murray. Experience matters the deeper you get into the playoffs and this is evident with the young T-Wolves roster who are now in a BIG hole. Denver has one of the most complete rosters and will not take any chances tonight. The Nuggets are 8-4 ATS as a dog and the Timberwolves are 20-24 ATS at home. Take the Nuggets with the points here. -Joey Tron

I took the Yankees in the first 2 games against the Twins, and I am taking them again today to sweep the series. The Yankees bats have been on another level this series, out hitting the Twins 26-11, and I do not see their bats slowing this afternoon. The Yankees are sending Clarke Schmidt to the hill who has down great this year, going 4-1 with a 2.95 ERA. In his last 3 starts, he is 2-1 and just 4 ERs across 17 IP, while striking out 18. The Twins are sending Joe Ryan to the hill who has a rocky start to 2024. Joe Ryan is just 1-1 his last 3 starts and allowed 6 ERs across 19 IP. He has had his biggest struggles this season while pitching at home and the Yankees lineup, who has good splits against Ryan will not make it easy on him. The Yankees are 16-9 on the road and the Twins are 10-12 against teams winning 54% or more of games this season. Take the Yankees ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Cardinals to win this game on the road against the Angels in an Inter League clash. The Cardinals are sending Lance Lynn to the hill who has had a average start to the year. He has allowed 4 ERs in 2 of his L3 starts however he has other great outings in between including a few starts with 3 ERs or less. The Angels are sending Griffin Canning to the hill who has really struggled in 2024 so far. He is 1-4 with 5.75 ERA and just 1 win in his L5 starts. He has a tendency to walk batters, averaging 4.2 B/9 his L4 games. The lack of run support from Canning's offense has haunted him all season and it will continue to haunt him Wednesday evening. The Cardinals are 4-2 as a road favorite and the Angels are 5-15 at home. Take the Cards ML here. -Joey Tron

We took the Yankees in Game 1 against the Twins, and we are taking them again in Game 2. The Yankees bats proved to be much for this Twins pitching rotation tallying 5 Runs on 13 hits and left 16 on base. The Twins are sending Pablo Lopez to the hill who has a winner in 3 straight and is due for some regression after pitching lower quality batting lineups in the Mariners, Red Sox and Angels. 4 Batters on the Yankees lineup are hitting .333 or better, including Juan Soto who .370 with 6 RBI and 3 HRs against Lopez. The Yankees are sending Marcus Stroman to the hill who has been impressive on the road this season with a 1-0 record and 3.52 ERA in 3 starts. He has good splits against this Twins lineup and will be throwing in favorable weather conditions. The Yankees are 21-9 against right-handed starters this season and the Twins are 10-11 against teams winning 54% or more of games this season. Take the Yankees ML here. -Joey Tron

I like this game between the Cavs and Celtics to go OVER in this Game 5 match up. The Cavs are going to have to keep up with the Celtics like they did in Games 2 and 4 if they want any chance at surviving this one. The Cavs bench is averaging 34 PPG showing their depth and ability to fill in the shoes of Jarrett Allen and Donovan Mitchell. The Celtics have had their way offensively this series scoring 106+ points in every game this series, including shooting over 40% from the field in both home games that they played. The Celtics are not going to take their foot off the gas and will play this one to the last minute as this is do or die for the Cavs. Boston is 23-14 to the over after allowing 105 points or less this season and the Cavs are 55-42 to the over when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. I see a fast paced game start to finish Wednesday night at TD Garden. Play the OVER here. -Joey Tron

I like the Diamondbacks to win this game at home against the Reds. The Diamondbacks are now winners in 3 of their L5 games and the Reds have continued to struggle, losing slow scoring games. The D-Backs are sending Slade Cecconi to the hill who just faced this very Reds lineup and got the better side of them. He went 5.1 IP and allowed just 1 ER on 3 hits with 1 HR. He has allowed 2 runs or less in every start this season, minus one game against the Padres. Cecconi has good splits against this Reds roster, and can throw thru them. The Reds are sending Hunter Greene to the hill who struggled last time out against the Reds allowing 3 ERs on 4 hits, 1 HR and walking 5. Four hitters in the middle of the D-Backs lineup are hitting .333 or better in their career against Greene. The Diamondbacks are 29-17 against NL Central opponents the L2 seasons and the Reds are 1-7 as a team when Hunter Greene starts. Take the Diamondbacks ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Guardians to win this game on the road against the Rangers after a dominating performance against them, in their first of three games. The Rangers are now losers in 4 of their L5 games and have failed to score more than 3 runs in each of their last 3 games. The Guardians are sending Ben Lively to the hill who has been solid this season holding a 2.63 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. He had a rough outing last game allowing 3 ERs on 8 hits, but has been stellar in 3 starts leading up to that, allowing just 1 ER in each of them. The Rangers are recalling Jake Leiter from AAA and he has had 2 poor starts in the Majors this season. He has gone 7.2 IP and allowed 11 ERs on 15 hits and 2 HRs. Leiter, once a Top 50 prospect in the MLB has now dropped outside of the 230s, and will be facing this entire Guardians lineup for the first time. The Guardians are 13-10 on the road and the Rangers are having a quarter season crisis. Take the Guardians ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Pacers to cover this spread on the road against the Knicks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semi Finals. The Pacers absolutely dominated the Knicks in Indiana, by a scoreline of 232-195. The Pacers not only controlled almost every game in Gainbridge wire to wire, but they maintained control of the pace and tempo which is imperative in beating this Knicks team. The Pacers offense was shooting lights out in Games 3 & 4, averaging 41.5% from 3PT and averaged 52% from the field. The Knicks have looked fatigued since they left MSG and the non-stop playing of Jalen Brunson & Donte DiVencenzo is starting to take a toll on this Knicks starting 5, as no one else has been able to step up from their bench. Tyrese Haliburton is finding his stride and Pascal Siakam has shown the difficulty of defending him without having OG Anunoby. The Pacers are 28-16 ATS after playing a home game this season and 25-16 ATS as a dog. Take the points with the Pacers here. -Joey Tron

I like the Yankees to win this game on the road against the Twins in an American League clash. The Yankees are sending Carlos Rodon to the hill, who had a great last outing against the Astros, and has now won 2 of his L3 starts. He has allowed 2 ERs or less in 3 of his L4 starts, and has historically done well against the Twins, holding a 6-3 record and 4.84 ERA. The Twins are sending Chris Paddack to the hill who has been red hot, winning his last 4 starts. It is important to note those starts were against the Mariners, Red Sox, Angels and White Sox - all 4 teams are hitting .243 or worse. The level of competition is significantly heightened with the Yankees coming to town. The Yankees bats have been great this season - .750 OPS and 57 total HRs, ranking 2nd in the MLB. Several batters in the Yankees lineup have great splits against Paddack, and I look for them to shine in Minnesota Tuesday night. The Yankees are 21-9 against RHP this season and the Twins are 3-5 after a day off. Take the Yankees ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Rangers to win this one at home and finish off this series at home in MSG. Each game this series has been decided by just one goal, and the goaltending by both sides has been phenomenal. The difference maker in this series has been the Penalty Kill by the Rangers, and allowing just ONE power play goal this whole series, holding Carolina to 1-17 with the man advantage. The Rangers have out played the Canes this series and this will be the end tonight with Andersen in net, whose allowed 3 or more goals in every start this series. The Rangers are 34-11 at home and 4-1 as a home dog. Take the Rangers ML here. -Joey Tron  

I like the Braves to win this one on the road against the Mets in Sunday Night Baseball and finish the sweep. The Braves have been playing good baseball and are winners of 4 straight games. The Mets and trending differently, entering this one losing back to back and 4 of their L7. The Braves are sending Bryce Elder to the hill who had a rough outing his last start allowing 7 ERs against the Dodgers. Before that game he was 1-0 in 2 starts, allowing just 2 ERs across 12 IP. That is the Bryce Elder we will see tonight as he has great splits against the Mets lineup. The Mets are sending Luis Severino to the hill who has struggled recently. He is 0-1 his last 3 starts, allowing 8 ERs across 19 IP. He walks batters frequently, doing it 8 times his last 2 starts, and free base runners to the Braves is dangerous. The Braves are 10-4 in division games this year and the Mets are 1-4 as a home dog. Take the Braves ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Yankees to win this rubber match against the Rays and win the series. The Yankees are sending Luis Gil to the hill who has won back-to-back starts and has 3 wins in his L4 starts with NO losses. In those 4 starts, he allowed just 6 ERs across 23 IP. The Rays are sending Tyler Alexander to the hill who has no doubt struggled at getting wins, because of the lack of run support from his offense. He is 0-1 his last 3 starts and allowed 7 ERs across 12 IP. 5 Hitters on the Yankees lineup is hitting .250 or better in their against Alexander and I like their bats to get to him today. The Yankees are 19-9 as a favorite and the Rays are just 6-6 as a dog. Take the Yankees ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Avs to win this game at home against the Stars following their loss 5-3, last game on the ice. This series has been high scoring with 7 goals in Game 1 and 8 goals in Game 2. With the location changing to Colorado, I see the Stars slowing down just a little bit here. Colorado is averaging 3.6 GPG this season and had the most assists among NHL teams showing their ability to create scoring chances and find open looks. The difference maker in this game will come from the special teams, where the team who scores PP goals, wins the game. Dallas went 2-5 in Game 2 and Colorado went 2-2 in Game 1, both securing wins respectively. The Stars PK was great last game holding the Avs to 0-3 however if the Avs get Power Play chances, they must take advantage of them like they did in Game 1, where they went 2-2 and like in the regular season, where they ranked 5th in the NHL on the man advantage. The Avs are 33-10 as a home fav this season and the Stars are 7-12 off a home win over the last 2 seasons. Take the Avalanche to get revenge at home here. -Joey Tron

I like the Dodgers to win this game on the road against the Padres after losing a scoring game 2-1 last night. The Dodgers are sending James Paxton to the hill who is off to a phenomenal 2024 campaign. He is 4-0, holds a 3.06 ERA and 1.50 WHIP. He has won b2b starts allowing 5 ERs across 11.2 IP. He has decent splits against this Padres lineup and I look for him to get good run support from his offense. The Padres are sending Matt Waldron to the hill who has had a complete opposite season and has really struggled. He has now lost 3 of his L4 (1-3) and has allowed 17 ERs across 19.2 IP. He allowed 7 walks and 4 HRs in these games and giving any free base runners to the Dodgers is dangerous. The Dodgers are 9-4 following a loss and the Padres are 1-3 as a home dog. Take the Dodgers here. -Joey Tron

I like the Reds to win this game on the road against the Giants after snapping their losing streak last night. The Giants are sending Mason Black (0-1 ; 10.38 ERA) to the hill and this will be a tough matchup for him. He allowed 5 ERs on 8 hits his last start against the Phillies and is prone to walks, as he gave away 3 free bases in his one start. The Reds are sending Nick Lodolo (3-1 ; 2.79 ERA) to the hill who struggled last time out, but this is a great rebound spot for him. Prior to that loss in his most recent start, he was 3-0 in four starts allowing just 5 ERs, 15 hits and 31 strike outs across 24 IP - 2 of those wins coming on the road. The Giants have been struggling against leftys all year ranking 21st in the MLB in OPS against LHP. The Reds are 11-8 as a favorite and the Giants are 6-12 as a dog. Take the Reds ML here. - Joey Tron

I like the Thunder to cover this spread on the road against the Mavs in a quick turnaround game which favors OKC. Defense was slowly turned off by both teams in Game 2, and a more offensive tempo gives a big edge to the OKC Thunder. The Thunder offense is averaging 120 PPG and are shooting 38% from 3PT range, which is 1st in the NBA. In addition to this, they rank 3rd in overall offensive rating where as the Mavs defense sits T16th in this category. OKC no doubt struggled to stop the Mavs 3PT ball last game as Dallas shot 49% (18-37), and won by only 9 points. OKC typically holds teams to 36% from 3PT and we will see Dallas come back down to reality in this one, where they are used to shooting just 36% from 3. Road teams are 130-79 ATS the last 5 seasons when revenging a straight up loss vs opponent as a favorite. OKC will have revenge on their mind and do everything possible to not fall 2 in a row. Take the points with OKC here. -Joey Tron

I like the T-Wolves to cover this spread at home in Game 3 against the Nuggets, after winning both games on the road in Denver. The T-Wolves defense has show they are too much to handle as they are stronger and quicker on the ball than Denver is both offensively and defensively. Minnesota has forced a total of 28 turnovers thru the first 2 games and has held this Nuggets offense to below 100 points in both Games 1 & 2. Offensively, the T-Wolves have been shooting great from 3 PT - 39% in Game 1 and 41% in Game 2. The Nuggets defense has struggled to defend the 3PT line all series and I do not see it getting any better for them tonight as Minnesota typically shoots the ball even better at home. The Wolves return a key component in their lineup tonight in Rudy Gobert and his presence will make a big difference on the court. The Wolves are 16-7 ATS after covering the spread in 2 or more consecutive games this season and the Nuggets are 18-24 ATS on the road. Lay the points with the T-Wolves at home here. -Joey Tron

I like the Royals to win this game on the road against the Angels tonight in an American League clash. The Royals won soundly 10-4 yesterday, and I look for their bats to continue that carnage tonight. The Royals are sending Alec Marsh (3-0 ; 2.70 ERA) to the hill who is set to make is return from the 15-Day IL today. Marsh has done terrific this season thus far. In his last 3 starts, he has allowed just 4 ERs on 10 hits and 9 Strike outs through 15 IP. The Angels are sending Griffin Canning (1-4 ; 6.69 ERA) to the hill who has no doubt struggled so far this year due to lack of run support. Griffin is 1-2 his L4 starts allowing 11 ERs on 16 Hits while walking 9 batters. He has poor splits against a handful of the Royals batters and they should get to him early which allow us to see one of the worst bullpens in baseball. The Royals are 9-3 as a fav and the Angels are 4-11 at home. Take the Royals ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Avs to win this game on the road and take a commanding 2-0 lead in this series. The Avs no doubt looked a little slow to start game 1, however after their uncharacteristic 1st period, Colorado outshot Dallas 21-13 and scored 4 goals straight, showing how fast they can flip a switch. The Avalanche have now scored 4 goals or more in every playoff game this year and I look for that offensive firepower to continue tonight as Dallas’s offense has been inconsistent. The Stars have scored 3 goals or less in each of their L4 playoff games and they will need more goals than that to keep up, like we saw earlier this week. Colorado is 4-1 against the Stars their L5 head to head games and that dominance continues tonight. Take the Avalanche ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Guardians to win this game on the road against the White Sox in a AL Central battle. The Guardians are playing really good baseball winning 4 of their L5 games and the Chi Sox have yet to hit double digit wins. The Guardians are sending Ben Lively (1-1 ; 2.08 ERA) to the hill, who has now had 3 really good starts in a row. He is 1-0 in his last 3 appearances, allowing 1 ER in each game and 17 strikeouts thru 16.1 IP. He has great splits against the batters he has faced on the Chi Sox. The White Sox are sending Erick Fredde (2-0 ; 3.46 ERA) to the hill and is very inconsistent at best. His numbers are super deceiving - he has allowed 8 ERs on 14 hits posting a 1-0 record his last 3 starts. He allowed 4 ERs and 3 HRs earlier in April last time he pitched to Cleveland, and theirs a good chance the Guardians bats get to him yet again in this match up. The Guardians are 10-4 on the road when the total is 7 to 8.5 this season and the Chi Sox are 2-18 against division opponents this season. Take the Guardians ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Oilers to win this game on the road against the Canucks in Game 1 of their 2nd round playoff series. The Canucks may have taken all 4 regular season games however the biggest difference maker here is the Canucks will be without Thatcher Demko and are expected to start Arturs Silvos. He did good filling in against the Preds, however the Oilers are a different beast. The Oilers scored 4 or more goals in 4 of the 5 games in their series against the Kings and Vancouver will have their hands full. The Oilers rank 4th on the Power Play and 1st in SOG (38 per game) which will generate plenty of scoring chances for us against an inexperienced goalie in Silvos. This is going to be a great battle between two Canadian teams and revenge will be on the mind for the Oilers.. Take the Edmonton Oilers ML here on the road. -Joey Tron

We took the Pacers in Game 1 giving us the cover, and we are taking them again in Game 2, which is what I see a MUST win game for them. The Pacers were up 9 going into half, and played sloppy down the stretch however their offensive productivity is exactly what they need against this Knicks defense. The Pacers shot 52% from the field and 38% from 3PT (10 made) and that is how you contest with them. In addition to this, Indiana scored 64 points in the paint and had 46 bench points showing the depth of this offense. It will be hard for the Pacers to contain Jalen Brunson, but containing Josh Hart and Donte DiVencenzo to 50 or less is the recipe to success at MSG. The Pacers are 27-16 ATS revenging a loss vs opponent this season and the Knicks are just 8-9 when the spread was -6 to -3. Take the points with the visiting Pacers here. -Joey Tron

I like the Yankees to win this game at home against the Astros after a 10-3 rout over them on Tuesday. The Yankees have now won 4 straight and I see them continuing this dominance against a righty on Wednesday. The Astros are sending Spencer Arrighetti (0-3 ; 8.27 ERA) to the hill who had a decent start last appearance, however he really struggles on the road. He is 0-2 and allowed 11 ERs on 14 hits thru just 6.2 IP - and the Yankees heavy hitters can do damage to their rivals. The Yankees are sending Carlos Rodon (2-2 ; 3.68 ERA) and he throws his best pitches at home. He posted both of his wins this season in Yankee Stadium, allowing just 2 ERs on 6 hits through 13 IP. He has really good splits against the Astros lineup and should be able to get run support from his offense. The Yankees are 11-5 as a home fav and the Astros are 5-10 on the road. Take the Yankees ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Avs to win this game on the road and start their Round 2 series with a win against the Stars. In the regular season the Avalanche won 3 out of 4 games against the Stars, and scored 4 goals or more in every game they played against them. The Stars rely on low scoring defensive games, something Colorado will not let happen. The Avs averaged 5.6 GPG in their opening round against Winnipeg and that is way too many goals for the Stars offense to keep up with. Dallas may have averaged 3.5 GPG in the regular season, however Vegas kept them to 3 goals or less in 6 of 7 games. The difference maker here is going to be creating scoring chances and the Avalanche create plenty of those. The Avs are 4-2 the L6 head-to-head meetings. Take the Avalanche ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Thunder to cover this spread at home and start their second round series with a win. The Thunder swept the Pelicans with ease holding them to 92 points or less in every game and displayed a physical and fast paced tempo. The Mavs took the Clippers to 6 games and their were signs of vulnerability that the Thunder can certainly capitalize on. The Mavs defense really struggles to stop shooting near proximity (64%) and from 3PT (36.8%) and this is two of OKC's strongest offensive components as they rank 1st in 3PT shooting and 8th from the mid range. This game can very well become a shootout, and I like the OKC Thunder to close this out for us down the stretch, as they are shooting 82% at the FT Line. OKC is 28-15 ATS at home this season and 17-8 ATS when playing 6 or less games in 14 days this season. Take the well rested OKC Thunder to cover this spread. -Joey Tron

I like this game between the Twins and Mariners to stay UNDER 8 runs in this American League clash. These two just played a 4 run game, and theirs no reason this cannot be a low scoring game again. The Mariners are sending Emerson Hancock (3-3 ; 4.75 ERA) to the hill who was now had 4 great starts in a row. In those 4 starts, he has allowed just 5 ERs and threw 16 Ks thru 21.2 IP. The Mariners are ranked 13th in the MLB with team total strike outs, and Hancock should be able to throw through this batting order. The Twins are sending Bailey Ober (3-1 ; 4.55 ERA) to the hill who similarly is on a tear making this a good pitcher dual. In his last 3 starts, Ober has allowed 7 ERs and threw 17 Ks thru 19.1 IP. Ober has really good splits against the batters he has faced and Hancock is facing everyone on the Mariners for the first time. The Mariners are 14-6 to the under playing their 3rd game without a day off and the Twins are 9-6 to the under at home. This has all the making to be a pitching dual in the Twin Cities.. Play the UNDER here. -Joey Tron

I like this game between the Panthers and Bruins to stay UNDER 5.5 goals in their first game of their Round 2 match up. The Bruins survived a 7 game thriller against the Leafs and without Jeremy Swayman, the Bruins would not be here right now. Swayman allowed just 9 goals in 6 starts and made 30+ saves in 3 games. The Panthers offense was not truly tested against the Lightning as they scored 3 or more goals in every game that series and they will be challenged much more in this series on the defensive front. The Bruins defense was T5th in the regular season allowing just 2.7 GPG and are T6th on the PK. The Panthers defense is even better ranking 1st in the NHL with just 2.4 GPG and are 3rd in SOG allowed with just 27.8. Sergei Bobrovsky was solid in net for the the Panthers allowing 2 goals or less in 3 of the 5 games they played. In the 4 head to head games between these two teams, the total went under 5.5 in 3 of those 4 games. The Panthers are 11-4 to the under in home games off a home win this season and the Bruins are 24-19 to the under on the road this season. Take the UNDER 5.5 goals here. -Joey Tron

I like the Pacers to cover this spread on the road against the Knicks. Both teams had great Game 6 victories and the Pacers momentum will be difficult to stop. The Pacers offense scored 115+ in 4 of the 6 games they played against the Bucks and played the Knicks great in the regular season, shooting 49% from 3 PT range against them in the 3 games they played and averaged 123 PPG. The Knicks defense struggles to stop shooting from the Mid Range (43.5%) and 3PT (36.5%) and this the Pacers two strongest areas on offense giving them a huge advantage here. The Pacers thrive when they control the tempo and pace early on and I look for them to do just that behind the likes of Haliburton and Siakam. The Pacers are 26-16 ATS following a home game this season and the Knicks are 2-11 ATS off a road win against a division rival over the last 3 seasons. Take the points with the visiting Pacers here. -Joey Tron

I like the Guardians to win this game at home against the Tigers and push their winning streak to 3 games, after winning 2 out of 3 against the Angels. The Tigers enter this one on a 3 game losing streak after getting swept by the Yankees. The Guardians are sending Tristian McKenzie (2-2 ; 4.34 ERA) to the hill who has now built on 3 great starts in a row. McKenzie is 1-0 in his L3 starts, allowing just 5 ERs across 16 IP, and striking out 19. He has great splits against the batters he has faced on the Tigers and should be able to shut them down. The Tigers are sending Jack Flaherty (0-1 ; 4.00 ERA) to the hill who has no doubt been inconsistent this season to say the least. He has allowed 9 ERs his L4 starts along with 19 hits and 38 Ks. On the road he allowed 6 ERs and 2 HRs - when he is not striking out batters, he is allowing runs. Luckily for us, Cleveland is T26th with team total strike outs and should be able to do damage to Flaherty, including Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor both of whom who hit off him well. The Guardians are 13-6 as a favorite. Take the Guardians ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Rangers to win this game at home and start the second round with a win. The Hurricanes are still going to be without defenseman Brett Pesce (+10) and I believe his absence is going to leave a big hole in the Hurricanes defense. The Rangers looked great in the first round sweeping the Caps, and scored 4 goals in 3 of those 4 games. Igor Shesterkin looked phenomenal allowing an average of 1.75 GPG in that series. The Hurricanes boast one of the best PKs in hockey killing off 86% of chances however the Isles scored on 27% of their PPs in their series and if the Rangers get a man advantage, they will make the Canes pay for it as they rank 3rd on the PP scoring on 26.4% of Power Play chances. The Rangers are 5-2 the L7 head to head meetings. MSG will be rocking and the Rangers are well rested. Take NY Rangers ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Mariners to win this one on the road against the Astros in a AL West battle. The Mariners are sending Bryce Miller (3-2 ; 2.04 ERA) to the hill who has had solid start to his season. He is 3-1 his last 5 starts, striking out 33 and allowed just 4 ERs across 30.1 IP. Miller has great splits against this Astros lineup and should be able to slice thru them. The Astros are sending Hunter Brown (0-4 ; 9.78 ERA) to the hill who has yet to pick up a win in his 6 appearances this season. In his last 4 starts, he is 0-3 and allowed 20 ERs and 4 HRs thru just 16 IP. Hunter Brown will struggle against this Mariners lineup, especially J-Rod and Ty France, but who are hitting .600 or better against Hunter Brown in their career. The Mariners bullpen ranks 5th in the MLB in ERA where as the Astros are ranked towards the bottom. The Mariners can win low scoring games, the Astros cannot. Take the Seattle Mariners ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Cavs to win this game at home against the Magic in a win or go home Game 7. Jarrett Allen is listed as questionable however this is a MUST WIN game and I expect him to suit up and play in front of his home crowd. The Cavs are shooting 44% from the mid range and are ranked 3rd in the NBA in assist % indicating they are able to move the ball around and find people open to score. Defensively, the Cavs rank 7th in defensive rating and are hold teams to a 53% eFG and are Top 3 defensively in mid range %. The Magic are averaging just 90 PPG playing on the road this series and with or without Jarrett Allen, the Magic are inexperienced at this stage and the Cavs have leaders that have been here before. The home team has won each of the last 11 playoff meetings between these two teams and the Cavs defended their home court great this season, going 26-15. Take the Cavs ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Bruins to win this game on home ice and finish this series. I am fully confident in this Bruins team to NOT fall 3 games in a row, and play the full 60 mins in this one. The Bruins may have lost 2 of the 3 games playing in Boston however they are outscoring Toronto 8-6 in those games. Jeremy Swayman is getting the call for Game 7 and he was a brick wall in Games 1 & 4 in TD Garden making a combined 66 saves. The Bruins offense needs to make the most of their scoring chances as good goaltending has not been enough thus far, as they have now lost back to back 2-1 games. The Bruins offense at home has been strong all year as they are averaging 3.3 GPG playing in Boston and have arguably one of the best defenses in the NHL. The Leafs are 2-6 against after 2 straight close wins by 1 goal over the last 2 seasons and the Bruins are 24-5 revenging a road loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons. Take the Bruins ML here. -Joey Tron

I like this game between the Nuggets and the T-Wolves to go OVER this total. Both teams are offensive powerhouses and we will see their offensive firepower on display, more than their defense. Minnesota ranks 3rd in the NBA in 3PT% and are shooting an 3FG of 56%. The Nuggets offense ranks 3rd in the NBA from the Mid Range at 47.6% and are shooting an eFG of 56%. The T-Wolves are well rested after completed the series sweep against the Suns where they averaged 118 PPG and the Nuggets took care of business against the Lakers in 6 and are averaging 116 PPG their L10 games. The total has gone OVER this number 4 of the L5 head to head meetings between these two teams. Play the OVER in this one. -Joey Tron

I like the Orioles to win this game on the road against the Reds and to keep chugging along. The Os are now 4-1 their L5 and show no signs of slowing down as they have tallied 16 runs in those 4 wins. John Means is making is 2024 debut today and he comes into this one off a stellar AAA performance last time out striking out eight over seven shutout innings while allowing just one hit and one walk. The Reds are sending Andrew Abbott (1-3 ; 3.27 ERA) to the hill who has now lost 2 of his L3 starts and has not picked up a win since mid April. In those 3 starts, he allowed 7 ERs, 12 hits and 4 HRs across just 15.2 IP. The Orioles bats can heat up at anytime and this a great price on the road for an inter league clash. Play the Orioles ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the As to win this game at home against the Marlins. The As are shocking everyone and are playing some good baseball and I like that to continue with the Marlins coming to town. The Miami offense got a whole lot weaker after trading away Luis Arraez and the Marlins are tasked with facing one of the As better pitchers. Oakland is sending Paul Blackburn (2-1 ; 3.34 ERA) era to the hill who has no doubt struggled in his last 2 outings however they were against two AL East juggernauts in the Os and Yankees. Prior to those starts, he was 2-0 in 4 appearances allowing just 3 ERs and striking out 18. I think we see that form today against this lowly Marlins lineup. The Marlins are sending Trevor Rogers (0-4 ; 4.31 ERA) to the hill who has now lost 4 of his L5 starts and I do not see it getting any better today. He has faced just one batter in this As lineup and I look for them to get to him early and often so we see their bullpen rotation, who holds a 4.39 ERA. The As are 5-1 when Blackburn starts and the Marlins are 4-10 as a road dog. Take the As ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Dodgers to win this at home against the Braves, in what is going to be a great NL battle. The Dodgers are sending Gavin Stone (2-1 ; 4.68 ERA) to the hill who has been in great form as of late allowing just 5 ERs in his L3 starts, and is 2-0 in that span. I look for him to build on another quality start against one of the best teams in the league. The Braves are sending Charlie Morton (2-0 ; 3.60 ERA) to the hill who will face a much more difficult batting lineup for the first time this season. He has starts against the Marlins, Chi Sox and the Mets to just name a few. Morton does not have the best of splits against the Dodgers batting order and is very vulnerable to left handed hitters, and LAD has 5 lefties scattered throughout this line up. This may be a close game, but the Dodgers have the edge at home here. Take the Dodgers ML. -Joey Tron

I like the Stars to win this one on the road and close out the series against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Stars fell in a hole being down 2-0 early on, however they showed why they are the #1 seed and have now won three straight. The Stars defense has been phenomenal down the stretch the last few games holding VGK to just 2 goals in each of their last 3 games, and Oettinger has been great posting a .926 SV% or higher in those last 3. The Golden Knights have struggled on the man advantage going just 1-6 in Games 3-5 after going 2-3 on the man advantage the first 2 games, and this has truly been there downfall - not capitalizing on these chances. Dallas is better, faster and stronger than this VGK team and will put the game away tonight. The Stars are 51-26 as a favorite and VGK is 16-17 as a dog. Take the Stars ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Bruins to win this one on the road against the Leafs and close out this series. The Bruins had many chances at home to win in Game 5 that were squandered and I do not see them making that same mistake twice. The Bruins have played great on the road all season, including in the playoffs, where they outscored Toronto 7-3 in the 2 games they played in Canada. The Bruins defense is arguably one of the best in the NHL and the Bruins are likely starting Jeremy Swayman who has won 3 of 4 games he has started this series, and has allowed no more than 2 goals in a game this playoffs. The Leafs are going to be hungry to score however I look for the Bruins to play spoiler here tonight and avoid a Game 7 by playing strong defense and ripping any and all shots on target. The Leafs are 2-7 in home games off a road win by 1 goal over the last 2 seasons and the Bruins are 17-3 in road games after 1 or more consecutive unders this season. Take the Bruins ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Guardians to win this game on the road against the Astros tonight. The Guardians won a close one in extras last night 3-2, and I like that momentum to carry over into tonight’s game. The Guardians are sending Logan Allen (3-1 ; 5.46 ERA) to the hill who has had a decent start to his season. He picked up his first loss of the season last time out, however he is 2-1 on the road this season and has allowed just 7 ERs in those games while striking out 14. The Astros are sending Spencer Arrighetti (0-3 ; 10.97 ERA) to the hill who has had an abysmal start to his year. He has allowed 13 runs on 3 appearances and has failed to pick up a win in any of his starts thus far. The Guardians are ranked 10th in OPS & team batting average and should be able to get Arrighetti early in this one. The Astros are just 8-16 as a favorite and the Guardians are 9-5 as a dog. Take the Guardians ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Dodgers to win this rubber match against the DBacks after falling in extras last night. The Dodgers are sending Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2-1 ; 3.54 ERA) to the hill who is building on better starts each appearance he makes. He is 2-0 his L4 starts allowing just 6 ERs across 22 IP and struck out 30. Both of his wins this season came on the road - where he is most impressive with 0 ERs yet this season. The DBacks are sending Zac Gallen (3-2 ; 3.38 ERA) to the hill who has been in a bit of a rut. He has now falling back to back starts allowing 8 ERs and 12 hits in that two game span. Gallen has average splits against this Dodgers lineup, however I look for them to get to him early and face the DBacks bullpen, who holds a 4.41 ERA. The Dodgers are 10-3 as a road favorite and the DBacks are 1-3 as a home dog. Take the Dodgers ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Celtics to cover this spread at home and finish off this series against the Heat. Outside of Game 2, the Celtics have dominated every moment of this series. The Heat have been held to 94 points or less in 3 of the 4 games this series and I do not see it getting any better tonight, as they are facing a win or go home game on the road. The Celtics rank 1st in offensive rating shooting an eFG of 57.8% and are lethal behind the 3PT line shooting 38.8%. The Heat defense has struggled immensely at stopping this Celtics offense, especially under the rim. Defensively, the Celtics rank 2nd in defensive rating and have been shutting down this Heat offense. The Celtics are too fast and to versatile for this Heat team to keep up with. The Celtics are 11-3 ATS when the spread is -15.5 to -12.5. Lay the points with the Boston Celtics here. -Joey Tron

I like the Avs to win this game on the road and close out this series. Ever since Game 1 this series has completely flipped and the Jets have scored less in the last 3 games combined, than all of Game 1. The Avs offense has scored 5 or more goals in every game this series and the Winnipeg defense as well as their offense, have had no answer to it. Hellebuyck has faced 30+ shots every game and flood gates have been opened after the last 2 games, where he allowed 9 combined goals. The Jets may be one of the best defensive teams in hockey, but without being able to score a few goals it is nearly impossible to beat this Avalanche team. The Avs are 48-24 as a fav and the Jets are 3-7 as a home dog this season. Take the Avs ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Braves to win this one on the road against the Mariners, after winning a low scoring 2-1 game last night. The Braves are sending Reynaldo Lopez (2-0 ; .72 ERA) to the hill who has a great start to his 2024 campaign. Lopez has thrown 4 straight outings allowing 1 ER or less and striking out at least 5 batters in each game he has started this season. He does not allow many hits, and has allowed 4 or less in each start. The Mariners are sending Luis Castillo (2-4 ; 4.15 ERA) to the hill who has had a really rocky start, but is building on it. He won back to back outings on the road against the Rangers and Rockies, however at home he is 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA and 3+ runs in each home appearance this season. Castillo has poor splits against a handful of batters in this Braves lineup, and I look for them to get the Luis Castillo quick and early. The Braves are 8-3 on the road and the Mariners are 4-6 as a dog. Take the Braves ML here. -Joey Tron

I like this game between the Pacers and Bucks to go OVER 214 points tonight. Defense has been at the back burner between these two teams and I like this game to sail over this number. The Pacers have scored 115+ points in 3 out of 4 games this series and the Bucks defense has had a hard time figuring out this offense. The Pacers are shooting an eFG of 57.9% and are lethal from the mid range at 49%. The Pacers defense ranks 24th in defensive rating and the Bucks are shooting an eFG of 53% and are great at the FT line. Both teams go on runs and can score quick in transition, which will drive this total to go up up and up. Head to head, the total has gone OVER 4 of the L5 games. Play the OVER here. -Joey Tron

I like the Stars to win this one on the road and even up the series. Dallas looked like a force to reckon with last game coming out hot on all cylinders, and they need to do exactly that again tonight. The Stars ripped 46 shots on goal and without Logan Thompson standing on his head, that game could have been over way before OT even started. The Stars offense is ranked 6th on the Power Play and 4th in shooting % which is going to give us many chances to score, like we saw in Game 3. Defensively, the Stars are allowing just 2.8 GPG and have one of the most well disciplined defenses averaging just 6 Penalty Mins per game. The Stars are the more complete team from top to bottom and it must be on display tonight in a pivotal Game 4. Home ice advantage is non existent with the visitors taking every game in this series. Dallas is 23-9 as a road favorite. Take the Stars ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Thunder to cover this spread and finish this series with a sweep. The Pelicans have had zero answer for this Thunder offense and it is hard to believe they will put the pieces together tonight. The Pelicans offense has yet to score over 100 points in a game this series, and they will be desperate to take as many shots as they can tonight if they want any chance at winning. The Thunder defense has held the Pels to an eFG of 45% or worse every game this series and are dominating the paint. The Thunder have scored 130 points in the paint and this where all the bleeding is happening and will continue to happen. The Thunder have found their groove and are shooting lights out, especially from 3 PT where they are ranked 1st in the NBA. The Thunder are 15-2 ATS off a road win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons. Lay the points with the Thunder here. -Joey Tron

I like the Brewers to win this one on the road against the Rays in a rebound spot against the Rays, after dropping 2 of 3 to the Yankees. The Rays just got swept by the White Sox and are tasked with a tough road series in Milwaukee. The Brewers are sending Bryse Wilson (2-0 ; 3.50 ERA) to the hill who has had a really good start to his season. He has allowed just 3 ERs in his L4 appearances across 12.1 IP while striking out 6. He has only faced this Rays lineup a handful of times, but in the batters he has faced, he has really good splits. The Rays are sending Ryan Pepiot (2-2 ; 3.77 ERA) to the hill who has been inconsistent this season, and you truly don't know which pitcher you are getting. Pepiot is 1-1 his L3 starts allowing 6 ERs across 17 IP and allowed 11 hits. He has a tendency to walk batters doing it 6 times in 3 games, and allowed an avg of 1 HR per game in that stretch. He has faced just 1 batter in this Brewers lineup and I look for them to be hungry offensively, as they are one of the highest OPS teams in baseball. The Brewers are 15-7 against the money line against right-handed starters this season. Take the Brewers ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Timberwolves to win this game on the road against the Suns and complete the series sweep. The T-Wolves are averaging 117 PPG in this series and the Suns have had no answer defensively to stop the scoring and have not made up enough ground offensively to keep up with the T-Wolves scoring. Minnesota is lethal at shooting the 3PT ball ranking 3rd in the NBA at 38.7% and are shooting an eFG of 56%. The Suns defense has struggled to stop the 3 ball this series as the T-Wolves have shot 38% in 2/3 games this series, and are averaging 32 3-Point attempts per game. In addition to this the Suns presence down low has been virtually non-existent and are being outscored 156-110 in the paint this series. The Suns have many holes to fill on offense without Grayson Allen and KD has been contained significantly posting a third straight -20 game. The T-Wolves are 28-12 after having won 3 of their last 4 games this season. Minnesota is ready for the sweep and their deserved break before the next round starts. Take the Timberwolves ML here. -Joey Tron

I like this game between the Rangers and Capitals to stay UNDER 5.5 goals. Just like the Islanders, the Capitals are on life support and NEED to everything in their power to keep this a low scoring game. 2 out of the 3 games this series have been a low scoring, defensive battle and for the Capitals to live another day, they must do that again in Game 4, for ALL 60 minutes. The Rangers defense is allowing just 2.7 GPG and Igor Shesterkin has allowed an average of 1.6 GPG in this series - allowing more than 1 goal in a game, just once this series.  Both goalies are going to stand strong and not want to make any mistakes as it can be a costly one. 4 of the L5 meetings between these two teams have produced a total UNDER 5.5 goals, including 2 in Washington DC. Play the UNDER 5.5 here. -Joey Tron

I like this game between the Marines and Diamondbacks to stay UNDER 7.5 runs in this Inter League battle. Since the Diamondbacks dropped 14 runs on the Cardinals, their offense has gone ice cold, and have now scored just two combined runs in their L2 games. The Mariners are sending Logan Gilbert (2-0 ; 1.87 ERA) who has had a stellar start to his 2024 season. Gilbert has thrown 3 straight games allowing 1 ER or less, and has racked up 20 strike outs in that 3 game span. He has a WHIP of .80, showing how limited runners on base are for his opponents. The Diamondbacks are sending Brandon Pfaddt (1-1 ; 4.97 ERA) to the hill, who has now built on 2 good starts for the Dbacks. He has allowed 2 ERs in back-to-back games while striking out 10. Pfaadt has no doubt struggled in his first few starts, however the Mariners offense ranks 25th in OPS and this is a great spot for him to regain his confidence. Both pitchers have decent splits against their opposing lineups, setting this up for a good pitchers duel. Both teams are combined 7-3 to the under when these respective pitchers are starting. Play the UNDER here. -Joey Tron

I like this game between the Sixers and Knicks to go OVER this total. The Sixers came out fast and strong early in Game 3 setting the tempo for the rest of the game, and I look for them to that again in Game 4. Games 1 and 3 sailed over this number and for the Sixers to have a chance, they need another high scoring game. The Knicks had no response for Joel Embiid as he dropped 50 points and their is no reason why he cannot have another big game at home where this a pivotal game down 2-1. The Sixers offense ranks 11th in offensive rating and are ranked towards the middle of the NBA in Mid % and 3PT%. The Sixers are one of the best FT shooting teams at 82% and this will be vital if we want points with the clock stopped. The Knicks offense is just as powerful ranking 8th in offensive rating and have scored 105+ in 5 of 7 games against the Sixers this season. 3 of the L4 games in Philadelphia between these two teams have gone over this number. Play the OVER in this one. -Joey Tron

I like the Nuggets to cover this spread on the road tonight and end the series with a sweep. The Lakers looked read to go home towards the end of last game and that 2nd half comeback by Denver sucked the life out of the Lakers. The Nuggets have dominated the Lakers since last playoffs series where they swept them 4-0 and theirs no reason they cannot do it again tonight. Denver has been out playing Lakers all series, and AD has no response to Murray or Jokic. The Nuggets have now out rebounded the Lakers 145 to 116 and that is truly the difference in this series. The Nuggets are getting plenty of second chance scoring chances and are limiting the Lakers rebounds on offense preventing them for scoring. Denver is too lethal from different areas on the court for the Lakers to stop them. This game can get ugly down the wire. Lay the points with the Nuggets here. -Joey Tron

I like the Phillies to win this game on the road in a National League battle after beating the Padres after beating them last night 9-3. The Phillies are sending one of their aces in Ranger Suarez (4-0 ; 1.36 ERA) to the hill who has had a stellar 2024 campaign. He has won his last 4 starts, including allowing just 2 ERs and 6 hits across 13 IP on the road this season. Suarez has good splits against a handful of the Padres batters and can stop them like he has in the past, holding a 2-0 record in his career against the Padres. San Diego is sending Dylan Cease (3-1 ; 1.82 ERA) to the hill who has also had a really good star to the season. Dylan Cease realies heavily on teams striking out as he's done it 7+ times in 4 straight starts, however the Phillies are 18th in K rate, which gives us a huge advantage here, in addition to Dylan Cease not having good splits against a handful of the Phillies lineup. Cease has not faired well pitching in his home ball parks and is 10-12 at home since 2022. The Phillies are 7-4 on the road and the Padres are 6-9 at home. Take the Phillies ML here. -Joey Tron

I like this game between the Islanders and Canes to go UNDER 5.5 goals in this Game 4 match up. The Islanders are on life support down 3-0 in the series and need to do everything in their power to keep this one low scoring. The Islanders are starting Semyon Varlamov who as allowed an average of 3 goals in both his starts in G1 and G2. The Islanders lost control of game 2, however they played better defensively in G1 and G3 and I look for a rebound game from the Isles on their home ice. The Canes defense has been flawless in this series allowing just 6 total goals, and holding the Isles to 2 or less in two of them. The Islanders are going to have to play STRONG defense all 60 mins if they want a chance at flying to Raleigh for Game 5. The under is 3-1 the L4 meetings between these two teams.. Play the UNDER 5.5 goals here. -Joey Tron

I like the Oilers to win this game on the road against the Kings. The Oilers have out played the Kings in both games so far by not only out scoring them, but out shooting them as well. The Oilers Power Play was shut down last game going just 1-3 and I do not see that happening again tonight. The Oilers Power Play ranks 4th in the NHL at 26% and the Oilers rip shots on goal, averaging 33.8 per game. The Kings defense has played sloppy and have relied on Talbot to make sensational saves, as he has faced 76 shots in just 2 games. Good goaltending has been hard to come around this series and I have to back the more offensive oriented team with a total of 20 goals already. The Oilers are 18-15 as a road favorite and the Kings are 1-6 as a home dog. Take the Oilers ML here as they get revenge on the road. -Joey Tron

I like the Pacers to win this game and cover this spread at home against the Bucks tonight. Outside of the first half in Game 1, the Pacers have out played the Bucks and I look for that to continue at home tonight. The Pacers offense is ranked 1st in FG% at 50.5% and are averaging the 11th most made 3s per game, with 13. At home, their FG% goes up to 51.5% and I look for them to shoot over that tonight, the same way they did in Game 1. The Bucks biggest weakness on defense is their Mid Range defense as teams are shooting 44% against them from here and this where the Pacers can take control of the game, where they are shooting 48.9%. The Bucks are beat up and looking fatigued while the Pacers are looking energized and refocused returning to play home. The Bucks are 3-8 ATS as a road dog and the Pacers are 22-17-2 ATS at home. Lay the points with the Pacers here. -Joey Tron

I like the Nuggets to win this game on the road against the Lakers and jump out to a 3-0 series lead. The Nuggets have dominated the Lakers all season and have now won 10 straight against them, including cover in 6 of the L7. The Nuggets have proven to not only be more physical than LAL in this series but more focused as well. Denver is out rebounding the Lakers 94 to 78 and this is creating plenty of second chance scoring opportunities for the Nuggets. The Nuggets are shooting 37% from 3PT and this can be a big issue for the Lakers, similar to how it was in Game 1. The Nuggets are 33-14 against Pacific division opponents over the last 2 seasons. Take the Nuggets ML here. -Joey Tron

I like this game between the Knicks and Sixers to go OVER 201 points in Game 3 of their First Round clash. Their first two games posted totals of 205 & 215 and there's no reason they cannot cross the 205 margin again. The Knicks offense ranks 8th in offensive rating and can do damage against this Sixers defense - which we have seen them do time and time again this season. They are shooting an eFG of 54% and ranked towards the middle of the NBA in Mid% and 3PT%. The Knicks shooting gets better on the road and I look for that to hold true in this pivotal Game 3. The Sixers offense ranks 11th in offensive rating and are ranked towards the middle of the NBA in Mid % and 3PT%. The Sixers are one of the best FT shooting teams at 82% and this will be vital down the wire if this one is a close game like the line indicates. The Sixers are going to come out hungry and establish a fast scoring tempo early on and not look back. Each of the last four h2h meetings in Philly have produced a total over 201.5. Play the OVER 201.5 here. -Joey Tron

I like the Brewers to win this game on the road against the Pirates. The Brewers got back on track with a 3-2 win on Wednesday and I like this momentum to carry over with one of their aces at the hill. The Brewers are starting Freddy Peralta (2-0 ; 1.90 ERA) who is off to a great start to his 2024 campaign. He has allowed just 1 ER in his last 2 combined starts over 12 IP while striking out 18 and allowing just 9 hits. Peralta has allowed 1 run or less in 3 of his 4 starts this season. In addition to this, he has great splits against this Pirates lineup and should be able to get us at least 5 quality Innings Pitched. The Pirates are sending Mitch Keller (2-2 ; 4.80 ERA) to the hill who has had an up and down season and I am not confident that we will see the better of his two sides. Keller has struggled inside of PNC Park this year allowing 6 ERs on 10 hits. He has a bad tendency to walk batters, tallying 7 in his last 3 starts and giving the Brewers any free base runners can be costly. A handful of the Brewers lineup have gotten the best of Mitch Keller and there's no reason that they can’t do it again Thursday afternoon. The Brewers are 38-22 versus division opponents over the last 2 seasons. Take the Brewers ML here. -Joey Tron

I like OKC to cover this spread at home against the Pels after just barely edging them out by 2 last game. The Thunder are ranked 3rd in offensive rating and have one of the best FG%’s in the NBA, shooting 57.3%. They are ranked 1st in 3PT shooting at 38.8% and are Top 4 from the Mid Range. The Thunder shot 44% from the field and 31% from 3PT - something I do not see them doing in back to back games. The Thunder defense is ranked 4th in the NBA and is holding teams to an eFG of 53% are lethal are guarding under the rim, keeping teams to just 59% near proximity. The Thunder are 3-0 after falling to score 100+ points in a game, winning those games by an average of 10.3 points. Home favs are 32-11 ATS in the 2nd game of a playoff series over the L5 seasons. Lay the points with the Thunder here. -Joey Tron

I like the Cubs to win this game at home against the Astros. The Astros have been struggling immensely and the Cubs are starting to find their groove and I like their bats to get hot at home. The Astros are starting Spencer Arrighetti (0-2 ; 11.57 ERA) who is filling a hole in the rotation and is off to a slow start this year. In two starts this season, he has allowed 9 ERs and 11 hits while walking 5. He really struggled on the road in his MLB debut allowing 7 of his earned runs and this Cubs lineup can do some damage. On the hill for the Cubs is Jameson Taillon (1-0 ; 1.80 ERA) who has had a really good start in his season debut allowing 1 ER and striking out 4. Taillon has decent splits against a handful of this Astros batting order and with the slump that they are in, I think this is another great spot for Taillon. The Cubs are 7-3 at home and the Astros are 3-7 on the road. Take the Cubs ML here. -Joey Tron

I like this game between the Clippers and Suns to go UNDER in this match up in what should be another defensive showcase from both sides. The Clippers held the Mavs to just 39% from the field and 30% from 3PT. On the season the Clippers defense is holding teams to 54% for an eFG and are Top 10 from the Mid Range. The Mavs defense is holding teams to 42% from the mid range and this is where the Clippers offense is ran through which I see them struggling in this area once the Mavs solve the Clippers game plan. Unders are rare in the NBA however they are cashing in the playoffs because of good defense - and this is what these two teams emphasize when playing each other. The under is 8-2 their L10 head to head games, including 4 straight unders when playing at LAC. Play the UNDER here. -Joey Tron

I like the Jets to win this game at home and jump out to a 2-0 series lead against the Avs. I took them on Sunday and they got us a WILD win. After a 7-6 win for the Jets, we are more likely to see the Jets defense and goaltending dialed in for this one in front of their home crowd instead of the Avalanche repeating that offensive performance (6 goals on 46 shots). The Jets have all the momentum carrying into this one and theirs no reason not to turn to them again where they were on the strongest home ice defenders in the NHL. The Jets will be turning to Connor Hellebuyck again who holds a 2.39 GAA and .921 SV%. The Avs will be forced to turn to Alexander Georgiev again who has been rather underwhelming to put it mildly - he has allowed 4+ goals in 5 of his L6 starts, with 17 GA on the road. The Jets are 21-7 after playing a game where 7 or more total goals were scored this season. Take the Jets ML here. -Joey Tron

I like this game between the Twins and White Sox to go UNDER 7.5 runs. The Twins unloaded on the Chi Sox unleashing 7 runs and I look for them to take a step back with one of the White Sox better pitchers at the hill. Erik Fredde (1-0 ; 3.10 ERA) is at the hill for the White Sox who had a really solid showing last time out allowing 0 ERs and 3 hits across 5.2 IP. He has now 2 or less runs 3 of his L4 starts and I like him to build on this. He has only seen one batter on this Twins line up however Minnesota owns the 2nd worst batting average in baseball. The Twins are starting Pablo Lopez (1-2 ; 3.97 ERA) who looked impressive his last time out against the Orioles allowing just 1 ER and 2 hits across 6 IP and striking out 7. Is he returning to his form he was in last season? It is hard to gauge however he has great splits against this White Sox lineup holding the middle of their order to 5-23. The White Sox and Twins are a combined 6-2 to the under when these two pitchers are starting. Play the UNDER 7.5 runs in this one. -Joey Tron 

I like the Cavs to cover this spread and jump out to a 2-0 series lead against the Magic. The difference maker in Game 1 was the presence in the paint where the Cavs out rebounded them by 14 and scored 12 more points in the paint than them. The Cavs offense is shooting 44.8% from the mid range and 63% in front of the rim and this is two of the Magic's weakest links on defense. The Cavs defense was excellent holding the Magic to 33% from the field and 22% from 3PT. I do not expect the Cavs defense to repeat those excellent numbers, however the Cavaliers are taller, stronger and more experienced than the Magic and will have their way with them in front of their home crowd once again on Monday night. Home teams are 35-10 ATS in the 2nd game of a playoff series over the L5 seasons. Lay the points with the Cavs at home. -Joey Tron

I like the Bruins to win this game at home against the Leafs and jump out to a 2-0 series lead. The Bruins were dominant from start to finish in their 5-1 rout on Saturday, and I expect similar domination on Monday. The Bruins were out shot 36-24 however their was no doubt they were still in control of that game. The Bruins were just 2-5 on the Power Play and once they start really connecting on that, it will be lights out for Toronto. The Bruins defense is legit and is allowing just 2.7 GPG and Swayman looked SUPERB stopping 35/36 shots. The Leafs are without William Nylander again and this is leaving a huge hole in the Leafs offensive production. The Bruins have outscored the Leafs 13-3 their L3 games combined and I do not see that changing regardless of who is in net for the Bruins. Take the Boston Bruins ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Phillies to win this game on the road against the Reds and take Game 1 of this series. The Phillies bats were red hot in their series against the Chi Sox tallying 25 runs and I look for this heavy hitting to continue on Monday. The Reds are sending Hunter Greene (0-1 ; 4.35 ERA) to the hill who has had a rough start to 2024. In his last 2 outings, he has allowed a combined 7 ERs and 10 hits across 10 IP. He is allowing an average of 1 HR per 9 innings pitched, and the Phillies batters can do damage against him as a handful of batters have good splits against him. The Phillies are starting Ranger Suarez (3-0 ; 1.73 ERA) who is having an excellent campaign in 2024. He has allowed just 2 ERs across 21 IP his last 3 starts, and allowed just 13 hits along with 20 Ks. Suarez has great splits against the batters he's faced and I look for another impressive outing from him. The Phillies are 4-2 on the road and 12-6 as a favorite. Take the Phillies ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Pacers to win this one on the road against the Bucks and take Game 1 of the series. The Bucks will likely be without Giannis and Damian Lillard is expected to play - but he will not be 100%. With or without those 2 players, I still like the Pacers chances at winning this game and the series. The Pacers rank 2nd in the NBA in offensive rating and are the #1 ranked team in FG% (57.9%) and Mid Range % (48.9%). The Bucks defense really struggles from the mid range as teams are scoring 44.5% from here and this where the Pacers can REALLY do some damage without Giannis being present. The Bucks offense is shooting 37% from 3PT and will be depending on Lillard to be constant here - which will be difficult as the Pacers defense holds teams to 36% from here. The Pacers offense is going to be a thorn in the Bucks side this game especially with the trio of Haliburton, Siakam and Turner. The Pacers went 4-1 ATS and SU scoring 120+ points in every game against the Bucks this season, going 2-1 on the road. Take the Pacers ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Jets to win this game at home against the Avs and take Game 1 of the series. The Jets owned the Avs in the regular season going 3-0 against them and outscoring them by a combined 17-4. The Jets have arguably one of the best goalies in the NHL in Conor Hellebuyck and the Avs will have an uphill battle scoring on him. The Jets defense is allowing just 2.41 GPG and have one of the most well disciplined defenses averaging just 8 PIMs per game. The Avalanche defense is by far their weakest link as they are allowing an average of 3 GPG and just under 30 SOG allowed. Colorado is without Jonathan Drouin and that can play a huge factor in their offensive production. The Avs are expected to start Alexander Georgiev who has been inconsistent as of late posting a 1-4 record and allowing 22 total goals his L5 starts between the pipes. The Jets are 24-8 as a home favorite and the Avalanche are just 19-22 on the road. Home ice means everything for these two teams, take the Jets ML here. -Joey Tron

I like this game between the Guardians and As to go OVER 7.5 runs in this American League battle. The Guardians bats exploded for 14 hits and 6 runs in their game on Saturday, and I like their chances of scoring runs again this game. Ross Stripling (0-4 ; 5.32 ERA) takes the hill for the As who has had a really rough start to his 2024 campaign, and is in for another rough one Sunday. In his last 2 outings, Stripling allowed 9 ERs across 11.2 IP along with 17 hits. The middle of Cleveland's lineup can do some big time wreckage against Stripling - especially Nick Taylor and Jose Ramirez who are a combined 8-13 with 2 HRs against him. The Guardians are sending Tanner Bibee (1-0 ; 4.82 ERA) to the hill, who has done well this year - because of his teams run support. In his last 2 starts, Bibee allowed 6 ERs across 9.1 IP along with 11 hits and 2 HRs. Both of these pitchers are HR prone and with runners on base, we can get extra tallies here. The Guards are 3-1 to the over when Bibee starts and the As are 4-1 to the over against the Guards this year. Take the OVER 7.5 runs here. -Joey Tron

I like the Bruins to win this game at home and take game 1 against the Maple Leafs. The Bruins owned the Leaf this season winning all 4 games they played and outscored them 15-7. The Bruins defense is one of the best in the NHL and will give the Leafs some issues this game as they are without William Nylander and will be dependent on Auston Matthews. The Bruins defense is allowing just 2.7 GPG and are ranked T6th on the Penalty Kill, at 82.5%. Offensively, the Bruins can have their way with the Leafs defense. The Bruins are averaging 3.2 GPG and are ranked 8th in Shooting %. The Leafs defense is ranked 21st in Goals allowed per game and are 22nd on the PK - If the Bruins get PP chances, they MUST score. The Leafs have struggled against good defensive teams all season and I do not see that changing in the playoffs. Boston is 23-15 as a home favorite. Take the Bruins ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Knicks to win this one at home and take Game 1 of the series. The Knicks played the Sixers well this season going 3-1 ATS and SU. Joel Embiid did not look 100% against Miami and I look for the Knicks to take advantage of this. The Knicks are well rested coming into this game and MSG should be ELECTRIC for this one against their division rival. The Knicks are ranked 8th in offensive rating and are shooting an eFG of 54%. They are solid from the 3PT line shooting 36.9%. The Sixers defense is rank 11th in defensive rating however the Sixers are going to have a difficult time as the Knicks play FAST, with the 4th fastest offensive efficiency in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks presence down low is going to be overwhelming and will play a big factor in this game. Take the Knicks ML here. -Joey Tron

The Diamondbacks smoked the Giants last night 17-1 and with the Diamondbacks turning to their ace today, it is hard to see the Giants putting the pieces together. The Diamondbacks re sending Zac Gallen (3-0 ; 1.64 ERA) who has had a stellar start to the season. He threw 6 scoreless innings and allowed just 4 hits and truck out 7 in his last appearance and I look for similar results against a division opponent. The Giants are sending Kyle Harrison (2-1 ; 4.70 ERA) who still has much to prove in the MLB. He has allowed 3ERs or more in each of his last 3 starts and has allowed 1 HR in every game he has pitched in this season. In addition to this, he gives up many hits which can be dangerous against this hot hitting D-Backs lineup, who he is facing entirely, for the first time. Arizona is 6-3 SU in Division games this season. Take the D-Backs ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Pelicans to cover this spread at home against the Kings and and take the 8 seed in the NBA playoffs. The Pelicans may be on a slide and without Zion - however the Pels have owned the Kings this year (5-0 ATS & SU) and I do not see that changing without Zion Williamson. The Pelicans are ranked 6th in the NBA in adjusted defensive rating and are going to have a great match up against the Kings. The Pels are holding teams to 34% from 3PT and 42% from the mid range and will give the Kings a hard time scoring as this is their strongest link on offense. New Orleans ranks 13th in adjusted offensive rating and will have certain key strengths against this Kings defense. The Pels are shooting 38% from 3PT and the Kings rank 29th in 3PT% defense giving a huge advantage for the Pels as they rank 1st in the NBA in 3PT% their L5 games. The Kings are 5-13 ATS against Southwest division opponents this season. Take the points with the Pels here. -Joey Tron

I like the Orioles to win this game on the road against the Royals. There is no doubt that the Royals are off to a hot start however 10 of their 12 wins are against teams under .500 and are just 3-3 their L6. The Orioles are sending Dean Kremer (0-1 ; 4.96 ERA) to the hill and I look for him to have a good outing in this one. Kremer allowed 6 ERs across 4IP last time out against the Brewers - however he has done well on the road the last 2 seasons, going 5-3 and holding a 3.73 ERA. The Royals are sending Alec Marsh (2-0 ; 4.32 ERA) who is prone to allowing runs, and a lot of them. In his last 2 outings, he allowed 7 ERs and 13 hits across just 9.2 IP. Kansas City has scored more than two runs just once in their L4 games and with Alec Marsh getting the nod, they will need a lot more run support than that, something that may be hard to find if Kremer is on his A-Game. The Orioles are 16-3 against the money line as a road favorite of -125 or more over the last 2 seasons. Fade the trendy dog here and take the Orioles ML. -Joey Tron

I like this game between the Tigers and Rangers to go OVER 8.5 runs in this American League battle. The Tigers have seen several unders, 4 of their L5 and with Kenta Maeda (0-1 ; 6.00 ERA) I think we see some runs in this match up. Maeda has struggled so far this season allowing 10 ERs across just 10 IP and is HR prone, as he's allowed 4 so far. In addition to this, Kenta Maeda has poor splits against a handful of these batters and should allow a few earned runs in this one. The Rangers called up Jack Leiter who is making his MLB debut Thursday. Leiter was once a top prospect but has plummeted to the mid 250s. He has a big problem with allowing HRs, and has allowed 4 in 3 AAA games this season. Both of these teams abts have the potential to get hot at any moment during the game, and with these two pitchers at the hill - I like our chances at a high scoring game. Play the OVER 8.5 runs here. -Joey Tron

I like the Sixers to cover this spread at home against the Heat and take the 7 seed. The Sixers looked great down the stretch winning and covering 8 straight - the Heat have won 3 of 4 and covered 50% of those games. The Sixers offense ranks 14th in offensive rating and shoot 42% from the mid range and 36% from 3PT. The Heat defense is great at defending the 3PT shot however teams are 65% in the front of the rim, and I look for Embiid to EAT down low in this game. Defensively, the Sixers are ranked 11th in defensive rating and are ranked 1st in defensive mid range shooting %. The Sixers weakest link on defense is their Rim% defense, however the Heat rarely play the ball down here. The Sixers have been playing great and I do not see them wanting to play in a win or go home game. The Sixers are 10-2 ATS in home games off a home win by 10 points or more this season. Lay the points with the Sixers here. -Joey Tron

I like the Yankees to win this game on the road against the Blue Jays and avoid being swept before another big series, this time at home against Tampa. The Yankees are sending Marcus Stroman (1-1 ; 2.12 ERA) to the hill who has had a mediocre start to the season. In his last 2 outings he has allowed 4 ERs across 11 IP all while striking out 13. Stroman has good splits against the Jays lineup and should be able to tame some of their more powerful hitters in Springer and Vlad. The Jays are sending Kevin Gausman (0-2 ; 11.57 ERA) to the hill who has had a horrible start to 2024. In his last 2 outings, he allowed 14 Hits and 11 ERs across just 5 IP - one of those games being against the Yankees (5 ERs & 2 HRs). The Yankees bats have had the upper hand on Gausman - especially Soto, Judge and Stanton who are all hitting .400 or better against him. The Yankees bats will shine in this pivotal division game for them. Take the Yankees ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Braves to win this game on the road against the Astros. The Astros have been struggling this season and the Braves bats can punish any team at anytime. The Astros are sending Hunter Brown (0-2 ; 16.43 ERA) to the hill who was lit up his las time out. He allowed 9 runs on 11 hits in less than one inning against the Royals. In his game before that, he allowed 5 runs on 8 hits across just 3 IP. The Braves are sending Reynaldo Lopez (1-0 ; .75 ERA) who has been excellent to start the year allowing just 1 ER and 7 hits across 12 IP in one road and home game. Lopez has great splits against this Astros lineup and should be able to build a quality start. The Braves top 3 batters are .667, .500 and .667 in their career against Hunter Brown and can get run support for Lopez. The Braves are 9-5 as a favorite this season and the Astros are just 4-6 at home. Take the Braves ML here. -Joey Tron

I like the Lakers to win this game on the road against the Pelicans and take the 8 seed in the Playoffs. We backed the Lakers on Sunday against the Pels where they won comfortably 124-108, and I see another win for the Lakers here. The Lakers dominated start to finish and moved the ball around excellent, accumulating 32 assists. Overall, the Lakers rank 5th in FG% and are shooting 68% in from of the rim, which is 1st in the NBA. The Pelicans allowed 68 points in the paint on Sunday night and theirs no reason the Lakers cannot feast down low once again with implications on the line. Defensively, the Lakers struggle however they are holding teams to 63% in front of the rim and 42% from the midrange - where the Pelicans move the ball the most. Time is running out for LeBron to get another ring, and this young Pelicans roster is not standing in his way. The Lakers have won 3 of 4 meetings this season by an average score of 25 points. Take the Lakers ML here. -Joey Tron