20* MLB Thursday Early ANNIHILATOR on Chicago Cubs -1.5 (-130)

The Chicago Cubs will be highly motivated for a victory tonight after losing their last two games to the Nationals.  They have now lost five of their last six during their worst stretch of the season.  I expect them to bounce back with a blowout victory due to their advantage on the mound.

Death, taxes and fade Pat Corbin.  He went 9-16 with a 5.82 ERA and 1.468 WHIP in 31 starts in 2021, 6-19 with a 6.31 ERA and 1.697 WHIP in 31 starts in 2022, and now he's 1-4 with a 5.74 ERA and 1.660 WHIP in six starts thus far in 2023.  The Nationals have lost each of Corbin's last three starts against the Cubs all by 2 runs or more.

Jameson Taillon is coming off his best start of the season pitching 5 shutout innings against the Dodgers.  Taillon has posted a 3.86 ERA and 1.055 WHIP in five career starts against the Nationals.

The Nationals are 6-27 in Corbin's 33 starts as an underdog over the last two seasons and getting outscored by 3.5 runs per game on average.  Washington is 1-11 in Corbin's 12 career starts in home games vs. good teams outscoring opponents by one-plus runs per game and losing by 3.5 runs per game.  Bet the Cubs on the Run Line Thursday.

15* Blue Jays/Red Sox AL East ANNIHILATOR on Toronto -130

The Toronto Blue Jays will be highly motivated for a victory tonight following three consecutive losses by a combined 4 runs.  They had won their previous six games prior to this skid while outscoring opponents 29-5 in the process.

The Blue Jays have the advantage on the mound in this one behind Alek Manoah, who has been at his best on the road at 1-0 with a 2.60 ERA and 1.096 WHIP in three starts away from home this season.  Manoah has never lost to the Red Sox, going 4-0 with a 1.46 ERA and 0.919 WHIP in six career starts against them.

Nick Pivetta is 1-2 with a 5.11 ERA and 1.378 WHIP in five starts for the Red Sox this season, including 0-2 with a 7.07 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in three home starts.  Pivetta does not enjoy facing the Blue Jays, going 1-4 with a 5.67 ERA and 1.551 WHIP in 11 career starts against them.

Boston is 4-14 in its last 18 games following two consecutive one-run wins against a division opponent.  Toronto is 43-18 in its last 61 games vs. a right-handed starter.  The Blue Jays are 9-2 in their last 11 games after losing the first two games of a series.  Toronto is 20-6 in the last 26 meetings, including 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in Boston.  Bet the Blue Jays Wednesday.

20* MLB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Chicago Cubs -1.5 (-120)

The Chicago Cubs will be highly motivated for a victory after losing four of their last five games overall during their worst stretch of the season with three losses coming by a single run.  With their advantage on the mound today over the Washington Nationals, I expect them to bounce back with a win by multiple runs tonight.

Marcus Stroman is one of the most underrated starters in baseball.  He is 2-2 with a 2.29 ERA and 1.047 WHIP in six starts this season, including a 1.46 ERA and 0.973 WHIP in two road starts.

Jake Irvin will make his major league debut for the Nationals tonight.  He is only the 11th-ranked prospect in their organization.  Irvin has a 5.64 ERA across 22 2/3 innings over five starts for Triple-A Rochester this season.  I don't expect it to go well for him tonight.

The Nationals are 19-49 in their last 68 home games.  The Cubs are 4-1 in the last five meetings.  Bet the Cubs on the Run Line Wednesday.

15* Guardians/Yankees AL ANNIHILATOR on Cleveland -120

The Yankees are 7-0 in games started by Gerrit Cole and 9-15 in all other games.  They are 3-7 in their last 10 games overall with two of those wins coming with Cole on the mound.  They are without Aaron Judge among other key players right now and really struggling to score runs.  They have been held to 2 runs or fewer in seven of their last 10 games, and 4 runs or fewer in 11 of their last 12 games.

The Guardians have a big advantage on the mound tonight behind Shane Bieber, who is 2-1 with a 3.11 ERA and 1.141 WHIP in six starts this season, including 1-0 with a 2.88 ERA and 1.080 WHIP in four road starts.  Bieber has held the Yankees to 2 runs or fewer in three consecutive starts against them.

Clarke Schmidt is 0-3 with a 6.84 ERA and 1.680 WHIP in six starts this season while allowing 19 earned runs and 7 homers in 25 innings.  He is only starting right now due to injuries in New York's rotation.  Schmidt allowed 3 earned runs in 4 innings to the Guardians in his lone career start against them, which came back on April 12th.

Bieber's teams are 11-1 in his 12 career road starts against AL East opponents and winning by 2.8 runs per game in this spot.  Bet the Guardians Wednesday.

20* Lakers/Warriors TNT No-Brainer on Los Angeles +4.5

I like fading teams in Game 1 of their next series after winning a Game 7 the series prior.  A 7-game series takes a lot out of a team, and it especially took a lot out of the Warriors having to play the up-tempo Kings.  The Warriors lack depth this season, which is a big reason they aren't as good as they have been in previous seasons.

The Warriors have only had one day off to recover from that seven-game series and will be playing their 4th game in 7 days.  Meanwhile, the Lakers have had the last three days off and will be rested and ready to go for this series.  That's a huge rest advantage heading into Game 1, and I fully expect the Lakers to pull off the upset tonight because of it.

The Lakers have shown what they are capable of when healthy since the All-Star Break.  They are 22-9 SU in their last 31 games overall.  They won Game 1 on the road against Memphis 128-112 as 5-point dogs.  The Lakers are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three meetings with the Warriors this season winning outright by 8 as 5-point home dogs, by 13 as 6-point home favorites and outright by 6 as 5.5-point road dogs.  Bet the Lakers in Game 1 Tuesday.

15* MLB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Cincinnati Reds +177

The Cincinnati Reds have a massive advantage on the mound over the San Diego Padres tonight.  The Padres cannot be close to -200 favorites with how big of a disadvantage they have on the rubber, and we'll gladly 'sell high' on them tonight following three consecutive victories.

Michael Wacha is far past his prime.  He is 2-1 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.579 WHIP in five starts this season, including 1-1 with a 9.58 ERA and 2.033 WHIP in two home starts while allowing 11 earned runs and 3 homers in 10 1/3 innings.

The Reds are loaded at the top of their rotation with talent, and Graham Ashcraft has shined in the early going.  He is 2-0 with a 2.10 ERA and 1.167 WHIP in five starts this season while allowing just 7 earned runs and one homer in 30 innings.

The Padres are 6-8 at home this season where they are scoring just 3.6 runs per game.  The Reds are 5-2 in their last seven games overall while scoring at least 5 runs in four of the five wins.  The value on Cincinnati is too good to pass up tonight.  Bet the Reds Tuesday.

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on Brewers/Rockies OVER 11

Temps will be in the 60's with 10 MPH winds blowing out to right at hitter-friendly Coors Field tonight.  That will help us cash this OVER 11 ticket between the Brewers and Rockies in Game 1 of this series.

Freddy Peralta has big home/road splits throughout his career.  He has a 3.27 ERA at home but a 4.49 ERA on the road.  Peralta allowed 5 earned runs and 10 base runners in 5 innings in his lone road start this season at San Diego, a 10-3 loss.

Ryan Feltner has decent numbers this season with a 4.68 ERA and 1.479 WHIP in five starts, but he has only made one start at Coors Field.  He allowed 3 earned runs and 9 base runners in 5 innings in that home start.  Feltner is 6-12 with a 5.88 ERA and 1.461 WHIP in his brief career spanning 26 starts and one relief appearance.

The OVER is 3-1 in Rockies last four home games with 10 or more combined runs in all four, and 15 or more combined runs in three of those.  The OVER is 9-3-1 in the last 13 meetings, including 4-1-1 in the last six meetings in Colorado.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

20* MLB BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (+100)

The Minnesota Twins have a big advantage on the mound tonight that is going to have them winning this game by multiple runs.  The Twins are hot right now going 6-2 in their last eight games overall while scoring at least 6 runs in six of their last seven games.  The White Sox are 1-10 in their last 11 games overall.

Joe Ryan is 5-0 with a 2.81 ERA and 0.812 WHIP in five starts for the Twins this season.  He'll be opposed by Michael Kopech, who is 0-3 with a 7.01 ERA and 1.714 WHIP in five starts this season while allowing 20 earned runs and 8 homers in 25 2/3 innings.  Kopech has allowed 8 earned runs and 4 homers in 9 2/3 innings in his last two starts against the Twins.

Minnesota has a 3.82 ERA and 1.210 WHIP in their bullpen this season, while Chicago has a 6.86 ERA and 1.756 WHIP and the worst bullpen in baseball.  Chicago is 3-17 as an underdog this season and losing by 2.7 runs per game in this spot.  Ryan is 19-4 as a favorite of -110 or higher over the last two seasons with the Twins winning by 2.8 runs per game in this spot.  Minnesota is 9-0 as a favorite of -125 to -175 this season and winning by 2.9 runs per game.  Bet the Twins on the Run Line Tuesday.

20* AL Central TOTAL OF THE MONTH on Twins/White Sox OVER 9

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER 9 ticket between the Twins and White Sox tonight.  There are expected to be 15-20 MPH winds blowing out to center at hitter-friendly Guaranteed Rate Field tonight.

The Twins are hot at the plate right now scoring at least 6 runs in six of their last seven games and fully capable of covering this total on their own.  They'll feast on Michael Kopech, who is 0-3 with a 7.01 ERA and 1.714 WHIP in five starts this season while allowing 20 earned runs and 8 homers in 25 2/3 innings.  Kopech has allowed 8 earned runs and 4 homers in 9 2/3 innings in his last two starts against the Twins.

Joe Ryan has been good for the Twins this season but even he will be susceptible with this forecast.  Both bullpens are below average especially the White Sox, who have a 6.86 ERA and 1.756 WHIP in their bullpen on the season.

The OVER is 10-1 in Ryan's last 11 road starts vs. teams that average 7 or more strikeouts per game.  The OVER is 18-4 in White Sox last 22 games vs. a starting pitcher that averages 5 or more strikeouts per start.  The OVER is 10-4-2 in the last 16 meetings in Chicago.  The OVER is 11-3-1 in White Sox last 15 home games.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

20* Suns/Nuggets TNT No-Brainer on Phoenix +4.5

Kevin Durant is 25-3 in his last 28 games in which he has played dating back to Thanksgiving.  I liked what I heard from him in the press conference after a bad Game 1 loss to the Nuggets.  I fully expect Durant and the Suns to bounce back, and getting them as 4.5-point underdogs in Game 2 is a tremendous value.

While the Suns will fire back with a better effort, the Nuggets could relax a little after winning Game 1 so convincingly.  I have a hard time seeing Jamal Murray playing as well as he did again, and for the Nuggets to make nine more 3-pointers than the Suns again.

Denver is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 home games after two straight games allowing a shooting percentage of 50% or higher.  Phoenix is 28-14 ATS in its last 42 games when revenging a loss by 10 points or more.  Phoenix is 5-2 ATS in its last seven trips to Denver.  We may never get the opportunity to back the Suns as this big of an underdog again, so we'll take advantage.  Bet the Suns in Game 2 Monday.

15* 76ers/Celtics TNT ANNIHILATOR on OVER 213.5

The Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks combined for 225 or more points in six of their last seven games.  This is a very low total for a game involving Boston, one of the best offensive teams in the NBA.

The reason the total is so low is because Joel Embiid is doubtful.  But I think that is overblown here because the 76ers are going to go to more of a small ball lineup without him, which will make them play faster and will favor the OVER because they are much worse off defensively without him.  I think they can make up for his loss on offense with playmakers like Harden, Harris, Maxey and Melton.

I also like the fact that both teams are fresh with the 76ers being off since April 22nd and the Celtics being off since April 27th.  Both teams are going to have plenty of energy to get up and down the court in this one.  I expect this to be more of a shootout than the books expect, and if I'm going to back an OVER in the playoffs it's usually going to be in Game 1 with teams not as familiar with one another.  Both coaches will have a few tricks up their sleeves to get easy buckets in Game 1 before the defenses can adjust throughout the series.

Boston is 7-0 OVER after five straight games where they made 47% of their shots or better this season.  The OVER is 4-0 in Celtics last four games overall.  Bet the OVER in Game 1 Monday.

20* AL TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Blue Jays/Red Sox OVER 9.5

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER 9.5 ticket between the Blue Jays and Red Sox.  There are expected to be 15 MPH winds blowing out to center at hitter-friendly Fenway Park tonight.  The Red Sox are scoring 5.6 runs per game on the season with the Blue Jays at 4.7 runs per game.

Jose Berrios has been terrible on the road over the past two seasons.  Berrios went 5-5 with a 6.36 ERA and 1.525 WHIP in 16 road starts last season.  He is 0-3 with a 7.56 ERA and 1.320 WHIP in three road starts this season.

Corey Kluber has been terrible everywhere.  He is 1-4 with a 6.75 ERA in five starts this season, including 0-3 with an 8.78 ERA in three home starts while allowing 13 earned runs and 5 homers in 13 1/3 innings at Fenway Park this season.

The OVER is 14-4 in Berrios' last 18 road starts.  The OVER is 10-2 in Berrios' last 12 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.  The OVER is 4-0 in the last four meetings.  The OVER is 9-4 in Red Sox last 13 games overall.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

15* MLB Monday Undervalued Underdog on Cleveland Guardians +121

The New York Yankees are 2-6 in their last eight games overall and struggling to score runs.  They have scored 2 runs or fewer in all six losses during this stretch.  They are playing without Aaron Jude, Giancarlo Stanton, Josh Donaldson and Harrison Bader right now.

The Cleveland Guardians have a better lineup currently and should not be underdogs today.  Cal Quantril has been at his best on the road this season, going 1-0 with a 3.78 ERA in three starts away from home.

Domingo German is 2-2 with a 5.54 ERA in five starts for the Yankees this season while allowing 16 earned runs and 7 homers in 26 innings.  His propensity to give up the long ball is extreme, and with the wind blowing out today the Guardians should get at least a couple homers off him.

The Guardians are 21-6 in their last 27 road games vs. a right-handed starter.  Bet the Guardians Monday.

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on Chicago Cubs -131

The Chicago Cubs will be highly motivated for a victory after three consecutive losses by a single run.  Look for them to bounce back against the lowly Washington Nationals in Game 1 of this series tonight.

Drew Smyly is 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA and 0.928 WHIP in five starts for the Cubs this season, including 2-0 with a 1.47 ERA and 0.654 WHIP in his last three starts despite facing the Dodgers (twice) and Padres.  Smyly is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA and 1.157 WHIP in six career starts against Washington.

Mackenzie Gore has decent numbers for the Nationals this season, but he will get lit up by a Cubs lineup that crushed southpaws.  The Cubs are hitting .313 and scoring 6.2 runs per game against left-handed starters this season.

Smyly's teams are 7-0 in his last seven starts against teams who draw 3 or fewer walks per game.  Smyly's teams are 11-1 in his last 12 road starts vs. a NL team with a .390 slugging percentage or worse.  Bet the Cubs Monday.

20* MLB Monday No-Doubt Rout on Atlanta Braves -1.5 -136 (Game 1)

The Atlanta Braves have won four of their last five games while scoring a total of 32 runs during this stretch.  The New York Mets are 1-5 in their last six games overall despite a soft schedule where they lost twice to the Giants and twice to the Nationals.  They have scored a total of 18 runs in their last six games.

The Braves have a big advantage on the mound today that is going to have them winning Game 1 by multiple runs.  Spencer Strider is one of the best starters in baseball, going 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA and 0.833 WHIP in five starts this season with 49 K's in 30 innings.

Danyi Reyes will be making his first start of the season for the Mets after previously only coming out of the bullpen.  He made a start at Triple A last time out but isn't ready for this opportunity against one of the best starters in baseball.  Expect the Braves to tag him early and often, and to continue to tag this mediocre Mets' bullpen.

The Braves are 9-1 in their last 10 road games.  Atlanta is 42-10 in its last 52 during Game 2 of a series.  Atlanta is 5-0 in the last five meetings.  Bet the Braves on the Run Line in Game 1 Monday.

20* MLB TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Reds/A's OVER 8

The Oakland A's are 18-9-1 OVER in all games this season.  They are scoring 3.9 runs per game and allowing 8.1 runs per game for an average of 12 combined runs per game.  That's right, they are giving up more runs per game (8.1) than this total (8).

The Reds are fully capable of covering this OVER on their own.  They'll be up against Ken Waldichuk, who is 0-2 with a 7.82 ERA and 1.737 WHIP in five starts this season while allowing 22 earned runs and 9 homers in 25 1/3 innings.  They will then face an Oakland bullpen with a 6.94 ERA and 1.743 WHIP on the season.

The A's should do their part contributing to this OVER as well. They'll feast on Nick Lodolo, who is 2-1 with a 6.31 EAR and 1.870 WHIP in five starts this season while allowing 18 earned runs and 6 homers in 5 innings.  Lodolo has allowed 14 earned runs and 5 homers in 8 2/3 innings in his last two starts.

The forecast should help us cash this OVER 8 ticket as well with temps in the 60's and 15 MPH winds blowing out to right-center in Oakland.  The OVER is 6-0 in A's last six games vs. a left-handed starter.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

15* Giants/Padres NL West ANNIHILATOR on San Diego -136

Clearly the altitude in Mexico City as well as the ball park dimensions aid in run scoring as the Padres beat the Giants 16-11 yesterday.  The teams combined for 11 homers, so keeping the ball in the park will be very important.

Well, Yu Darvish hasn't allowed a single homer in 24 innings this season with a 3.00 ERA and 1.125 WHIP to boot.  Alex Cobb is much more susceptible to allowing the long ball for the Giants as he has allowed 2 homers in 28 1/3 innings.

The Giants are 12-40 in their last 52 games vs. a starter with less than a 1.15 WHIP.  The Padres are 8-1 in the last nine meetings.  Bet the Padres Sunday.

20* Warriors/Kings ABC No-Brainer on Sacramento +1.5

Although this series is tied 3-3, it's clear to me that the Sacramento Kings have been the better team in this series.  Their resiliency in Game 6 winning blowing out the Warriors 118-99 as 7-point road underdogs says all you need to know about the mental state of this team.

The Kings made all the right adjustments in Game 6 and really showed what they were capable of defensively limiting the Warriors to fewer than 100 points.  Nothing came easy for the Warriors, while a lot came easy for the Kings, including getting out in transition.  They will push the pace again, and they will come up with another great defensive effort at home to win this series in Game 7.

The Warriors have many shortcomings this season that have come to fruition in the playoffs, most notably they aren't a very good defensive team.  Curry, Poole and Thompson are all bad defenders, and the Kings have been exploiting them all series.  The Warriors aren't comfortable playing Poole for big minutes because of his liabilities on defense, but they lose a lot without him on the court offensively.  They are just getting a lot of credit due to their reputation in the past, but this isn't the same old Warriors.  These aren't the same old Kings either as they won the most stacked division in the NBA and it was no fluke.

The Warriors are 12-32 SU & 14-30 ATS on the road this season.  Sacramento is 10-1 ATS after losing three of its last four games this season.  The Warriors are 16-36-1 ATS in their last 53 road games overall.  Sacramento is 17-7 ATS in the last 24 meetings.  Bet the Kings in Game 7 Sunday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Rays/White Sox OVER 9

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER 9 ticket between the Rays and White Sox this afternoon.  There are expected to be 15-20 MPH winds blowing out to left.  It's not like the Rays need much help as they score 6.6 runs per game on the season, including 7.0 runs per game on the road.

Mike Clevinger is 2-2 with a 4.81 ERA and 1.603 WHIP in five starts for the White Sox this season.  He has allowed 9 earned runs and 3 homers in 8 innings in his last two starts coming in.  Expect him to get rocked by the Rays, and Chicago's bullpen to continue to get rocked with a 6.59 ERA and 1.746 WHIP on the season.

Drew Rasmussen has been rough in two of his last three starts.  He allowed 5 earned runs and 12 base runners in 4 1/3 innings to the Blue Jays three starters ago.  He allowed 5 earned runs and 11 base runners in 4 2/3 innings to the Astros in his last start as well.   Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

20* Suns/Nuggets TNT No-Brainer on Phoenix +3.5

It's rare that you're going to get the opportunity to back the Phoenix Suns as an underdog the rest of the way.  We'll take advantage in Game 1 and back a Suns team that is currently the second-favorite to win the NBA title due to all the talent they have on hand.

Kevin Durant is now 25-2 in the last 27 games he has played dating back to Thanksgiving.  The Suns are really forming chemistry with Durant, Booker, Ayton and Paul and their starting five is the best in the NBA.  They do have some depth concerns, but they are rested after having the last three days off and are primed for a big effort in Game 1.

The Timberwolves took the Nuggets to the wire in each of the final four games last series.  The Nuggets have too many holes defensively as Jokic, Porter Jr. and Murray are not known for defense.  That is going to really hurt them in this series, starting with Game 1.  The Suns have more experience in these big game situations as the Nuggets continue to be a disappointment in the playoffs.  Bet the Suns in Game 1 Saturday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Rays/White Sox OVER 9

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER 9 ticket between the Rays and White Sox today.  There are expected to be 10-15 MPH winds blowing out to left at hitter-friendly Guaranteed Rate Field.  We won't need much help with these two gas can starting pitchers.

Lance Lynn is 0-3 with a 7.52 ERA and 1.785 WHIP in five starts this season while allowing 22 earned runs and 7 homers in 26 1/3 innings.  He's up against a Rays lineup that is scoring 6.4 runs per game this season and capable of covering this total on their own.

The White Sox should tee off on Calvin Faucher, who is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.649 WHIP in three starts this season.  The White Sox tagged him for 3 runs in 2 innings of an 8-7 loss to the Rays on April 21st earlier this season.

The OVER is 21-10-2 in the last 33 meetings in Chicago.  The OVER is 9-3-1 in White Sox last 13 home games.  Bet the OVER in this game Saturday.

15* Interleague PLAY OF THE DAY on Reds/A's OVER 7.5

The Reds and A's combined for 18 runs yesterday and it should be more of the same in Game 2 with 10 MPH winds blowing out to right-center to help aid us in cashing this OVER 7.5 ticket.  The OVER is 18-8-1 in all A's games this season as they are allowing 8.3 runs per game this season, so the Reds can cover this total on their own.

They may very well do just that against Kyle Muller and this putrid Oakland staff.  Muller is 0-2 with a 7.22 ERA and 2.028 WHIP in five starts this season while allowing 19 earned runs in 23 2/3 innings.  Muller is 1-1 with a 7.37 ERA and 1.501 WHIP in two career starts against Cincinnati.  The Reds have scored at total of 30 runs in their last four games.

The A's have scored a total of 31 runs in their last five games and are actually a pretty decent offensive team.  The OVER is 8-1 in Reds last nine games following a win.  The OVER is 4-0 in A's last four games following a loss.  Bet the OVER in this game Saturday.

20* Grizzlies/Lakers ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles -4.5

The Memphis Grizzlies are 0-24 SU in their last 24 games as road underdogs.  That includes 0-18 SU & 2-16 ATS as road underdogs this season.  The Grizzlies are 1-15 ATS as a road underdog of 6 points or less this season as well.

LeBron James took Game 5 off and saved up for Game 6.  Now expect a big effort from James and company in Game 6 at home tonight to close out this series.  The Grizzlies haven't had an answer on the road all season against good teams, including in this series.  It will be a tremendous atmosphere in Los Angeles Friday night and a tremendous advantage for the Lakers laying this short number.

JA Morant is battling wrist, ankle and knee injuries right now.  Luke Kennard just suffered a shoulder injury in Game 5 and likely will miss Game 6, leaving the Grizzlies short on outside shooting.  The Lakers are fully healthy and showing what they are capable of when that's the case with the way they closed out  the regular season just to make the playoffs, plus how they have played in the playoffs to this point.  It continues with another big effort tonight.  Bet the Lakers in Game 6 Friday.

20* Kings/Warriors ESPN No-Brainer on Sacramento +7.5

Four of the five games in this series went down to the wire decided by 8 points or fewer.  The lone exception was Game 3 in a must-win for the Warriors after losing the first two games in Sacramento.  I think Game 6 goes to the wire as well, so there's clear value here catching 7.5 points with the Kings.

Sacramento is 9-1 ATS in road games when playing with triple revenge over the last two seasons.  The Kings are 8-1 ATS in road games when revenging a same-season loss this season.  Sacramento is 35-17-1 ATS in its last 53 road games.  The Kings are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 trips to Golden State.  Bet the Kings in Game 6 Friday.

20* NL East GAME OF THE MONTH on Atlanta Braves -126

The Atlanta Braves have a big advantage on the mound over the New York Mets tonight and should be bigger favorites because of it.  The Mets have also lost four of their last five games coming in to the Nationals and Giants and aren't playing well.

Max Fried is 1-0 with a 0.60 ERA and 0.933 WHIP in three starts this season allowing just one earned run in 15 innings.  Fried is 7-5 with a 3.02 ERA and 1.198 WHIP in 16 career starts against the Mets as well.

David Peterson is 1-3 with a 7.36 ERA and 1.636 WHIP in five starts for the Mets this season.  He has allowed 13 earned runs and 5 homers in 11 innings in his last two starts coming in.  Peterson is 3-3 with a 4.33 ERA in seven career starts against the Braves.

Atlanta is 34-12 in Fried's last 46 starts with a money line of +100 to -150.  The Braves are 8-1 in their last nine road games.  Atlanta is 38-15 in its last 53 games vs. a left-handed starter.  The Braves are 4-0 in the last four meetings.  Bet the Braves Friday.

15* MLB Friday Night BLOWOUT on Chicago Cubs -104

The Chicago Cubs have a big advantage on the mound over the Miami Marlins tonight.  Marcus Stroman is 2-2 with a 2.17 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in five starts this season.  Stroman has never lost to the Marlins, going 1-0 with a 3.04 ERA and 1.057 WHIP in five career starts against them.

Jesus Luzardo is 2-1 with a 3.62 ERA and 1.390 WHIP in five starts this season.  Luzardo has really struggled of late, going 1-1 with a 6.14 ERA and 1.774 WHIP in his last three starts while allowing 10 earned runs, 3 homers and 26 base runners in 14 2/3 innings.

The Cubs are 15-2 in their last 17 Friday games.  Chicago is 4-0 in its last four road games.  The Marlins are 33-70 in their last 103 during Game 1 of a series.  Miami is 16-35 in its last 51 Friday games.  Bet the Cubs Friday.

15* MLB Thursday Total DOMINATOR on Yankees/Rangers OVER 7.5

The New York Yankees have actually done their most damage on the road this season scoring 5.2 runs per game.  They are coming off a 12-run outburst at Minnesota and should stay hot at the plate tonight.

They should tee off on Andrew Heaney, who is 2-1 with a 5.93 ERA and 1.463 WHIP in three home starts this season.  Heaney is 1-2 with a 5.47 ERA in five career starts against New York.  He has allowed 13 earned runs and 5 homers in 8 innings in his last two starts against the Yankees.

The Rangers are one of the best offenses in baseball scoring 6.4 runs per game overall and 6.9 runs per game at home.  Gerrit Cole has been great, but the Rangers will get to him today.  Cole has allowed 14 earned runs and 8 homers in 31 1/3 innings in his last five starts against Texas.

The OVER is 14-3 in Heaney's last 17 starts overall.  The OVER is 8-0 in Heaney's last eight home starts with a total set of 7 to 8.5 runs.  The OVER is 13-4 in Rangers last 17 games overall, including 5-1 in their last six home games.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

20* MLB Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (+102)

The Minnesota Twins are basically fully healthy right now in their lineup and it's starting to show.  They have scored at least 6 runs in three consecutive games and should stay hot at the plate against the Kansas City Royals in Game 1 of this series Thursday.

Zack Greinke is far past his prime.  Greinke is 0-3 with a 4.61 ERA in five starts this season, including 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA in two road stars while allowing 7 earned runs and 4 homers in 10 innings.  Greinke is 4-14 with a 4.62 ERA and 1.466 WHIP in 28 career starts against the Twins, and his teams have gone 7-21 in those starts.

Tyler Mahle is 1-2 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.154 WHIP in four starts this season for the Twins.  Mahle is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 0.693 WHIP in two career starts against the Royals.  He'll shut down a putrid Kansas City offense that is hitting .219 and scoring 3.3 runs per game this season, including .214 and 2.9 runs per game against right-handed starters.

The Twins are 10-3 in the last 13 meetings.  Minnesota is 37-15 in the last 52 home meetings.  Kansas City is 19-59 in its last 78 games as an underdog of +150 or higher and getting outscored by 2.2 runs per game in this spot.  Bet the Twins on the Run Line Thursday.

20* AL GAME OF THE WEEK on Los Angeles Angels -1.5 (-135)

The Los Angeles Angels are hitting the cover off the ball right now and living up to their potential offensively.  They have scored a total of 38 runs in their last five games overall, which is why I'm willing to back them on the Run Line today against the lowly Oakland A's with ace Shohei Ohtani on the mound.

Ohtani is 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA and 0.821 WHIP in five starts this season.  Ohtani owns the A's, allowing one earned run in 25 innings in his last four starts against them for a minuscule 0.36 ERA.  He has allowed 2 earned runs or fewer in each of his last seven starts against Oakland.

The A's are 5-20 this season scoring 3.7 runs per game and allowing 8.2 runs per game, getting outscored by 4.5 runs per game.  JP Sears is 0-1 with a 4.98 ERA in four starts this season for Oakland, including 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA in two road starts.

Oakland is 1-15 after losing four or five of its last six games this season and losing by 5.5 runs per game in this spot.  Bet the Angels on the Run Line Friday.

15* MLB Thursday Undervalued Underdog on Seattle Mariners +100

The Seattle Mariners have the advantage on the mound today and should not be underdogs to the Philadelphia Phillies as a result.  They will also be motivated to bounce back from blowing a 5-2 lead late yesterday.

George Kirby is 2-1 with a 3.57 ERA and 1.059 WHIP in four starts this season with only one walk and one homer allowed in 22 2/3 innings.  He'll be opposed by Matt Strahm, who has allowed 6 earned runs and 2 homers in 8 innings in his last two starts against Colorado and Cincinnati coming in.

Seattle is 61-34 with a money line of +100 to -150 over the last three seasons, including 28-11 on the road with a money line of +100 to -150 over this span.  Bet the Mariners Thursday.

15* MLB Thursday Early ANNIHILATOR on Marlins/Braves UNDER 8.5

The forecast is going to help us cash this UNDER between the Marlins and Braves this afternoon.  There are expected to be 10 MPH winds blowing in from left and temps in the 50's in Atlanta.  The Marlins are scoring just 3.2 runs per game this season.

Braxton Garrett is off to a great start this season for the Marlins at 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA while allowing just 4 earned runs in 16 innings without a homer.  Kyle Wright has worse numbers, but he will shut down the Marlins today.

Wright is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA in his last three starts against the Marlins while pitching 17 shutout innings with 24 K's.  Garrett has posted a 3.29 ERA in three career starts against Atlanta and has allowed only 2 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings in his last two starts against the Braves.

The UNDER is 16-4 in Garrett's 20 starts over the past two seasons.  The UNDER is 9-1 in Garrett's last 10 starts in the first half of the season.  The UNDER is 7-0 in Garrett's last seven starts vs. teams that average 1.25 or more homers per game.  Bet the UNDER in this game Thursday.

20* Warriors/Kings TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Sacramento ML -120

I locked in this pick before the D'Aaron Fox news of the fractured tip of his finger, but the injury doesn't seem to serious and he's expected to play.  So that was great news, and you'll get a better line on the Kings now if you haven't bet it already.  I still like the Kings at the current price.

Sacramento has one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA when they are good, and the atmospheres for Games 1 and 2 were tremendous.  They won both games, and I expect them to take Game 5 and regain control of this series at home tonight.

The Warriors are 11-32 SU & 13-30 ATS on the road this season.  They have been the worst NBA playoff team in the NBA on the highway this season.  And it just shows that the Kings are the better team when you consider Golden State played nearly a perfect Game 4 and still only won by a single point.  They shot 50% overall, 41.2% from 3 and 91.7% from the FT line.  That's not going to happen in Sacramento.

The Warriors are 15-36-1 ATS in their last 52 road games.  The Kings are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games following a loss.  Sacramento is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 home meetings with Golden State.  Bet the Kings in Game 5 Wednesday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Los Angeles Angels -1.5 (-107)

The Oakland A's are 5-19 this season scoring just 3.7 runs per game and allowing 8.0 runs per game, getting outscored by 4.3 runs per game.  They have been the worst team in baseball by a wide margin up to this point, so it's easy to see why I'm fading them on the Run Line with the Angels tonight.

Los Angeles has a big advantage on the mound in this one.  Patrick Sandoval is 1-1 with a 3.37 ERA in four starts this season for the Angels.  Sandoval has owned the A's with a 1.84 ERA and 1.143 WHIP in nine career starts against them.  Luis Medina will be making his first start of the season for the A's.  Bet the Angels on the Run Line Wednesday.

20* NL GAME OF THE WEEK on Chicago Cubs -105

The Chicago Cubs have been one of the most underrated teams in baseball to start the season and continue to be.  They are 13-9 and scoring 5.8 runs per game while allowing 3.7 runs per game, outscoring opponents by 2.1 runs per game.

Conversely, the San Diego Padres have been one of the most overrated teams in baseball.  They are 12-13 this season and scoring just 3.7 runs per game while allowing 4.4 runs per game.  Yet they continue to get priced like they are a World Series favorite.

The Padres have faced nine left-handed starters this season and are hitting .216 and scoring just 2.8 runs per game in those nine games.  Now they must face lefty Drew Smyly, who is 2-0 with a 0.98 ERA and 0.545 WHIP in his last three starts while allowing just 2 earned runs and 10 base runners in 18 1/3 innings.

The Cubs will tee off on Michael Wacha, who is 2-1 with a 7.08 ERA and 1.722 WHIP in four starts this season while allowing 16 earned runs and 35 base runners in 20 1/3 innings.  Wacha is 4-9 with a 6.44 ERA and 1.609 WHIP in 19 career starts against the Cubs.  Smyly is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA and 0.583 WHIP in two career starts against the Padres.  Bet the Cubs Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Lakers/Grizzlies UNDER 222

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  After combining for 240 points in Game 1, the Lakes and Grizzlies have combined for 196 points in Game 2, 212 points in Game 3 and 208 points at the end of regulation in Game 4.  I think the fact that Game 4 went to OT and finished at 228 is keeping this total higher than it should be, and there's tremendous value with the UNDER.

The Lakers have been the best defensive team in the NBA since the All-Star Break, which is the biggest reason for their resurgence.  They have held the Grizzlies to 112, 103, 101 and 104 points at the end of regulation in this series.  Memphis is a great defensive team as well with Defensive POTY Jaren Jackson Jr. anchoring them.  JA Morant being banged up also hampers the Grizzlies offensively.

The UNDER is 16-5-1 in the last 22 meetings.  The UNDER is 10-1-1 in the last 12 meetings in Memphis.  The UNDER is 10-3 in Grizzlies last 13 games vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet the UNDER in Game 5 Wednesday.

15* Knicks/Cavaliers NBA TV ANNIHILATOR on Cleveland -5.5

I'll gladly back the more motivated Cleveland Cavaliers with their backs against the wall tonight against a New York Knicks team that can relax a little after taking a 3-1 series lead by winning both games at home.  This game will play out similarly to Game 2 when the Cavaliers bounced back from an upset home loss in Game 1 with a 107-90 blowout in a game that was never competitive.

Cleveland has one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA as they are 32-11 at home this season.  The Cavaliers are 9-1 ATS in home games after failing to cover the spread in four or five of their last six games this season.  Bet the Cavaliers in Game 5 Wednesday.

15* Interleague PLAY OF THE DAY on Arizona Diamondbacks -135

The Kansas City Royals are 1-9 in their last 10 games overall.  They have been held to 4 runs or fewer in all nine losses and are hitting .214 and scoring 3.3 runs per game on the season.  Their bullpen has a 6.30 ERA and their starting staff has been terrible as well as teams are hitting .265 and scoring 5.6 runs per game against them.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have been one of the most underrated teams in baseball this season at 13-11 on the season and $100/game bettors up $655 on them.  Ryne Nelson has held his own in his first full season as a starter at 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA and 1.182 WHIP in four starts.

The Diamondbacks will tee off on Brady Singer, who is 1-2 with an 8.14 ERA and 1.524 WHIP in four starts this season.  Singer has allowed 18 earned runs and 5 homers in 16 innings in his last three starts coming in.

The Royals are 15-38 in their last 53 road games.  Kansas City is 3-14 in its last 17 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.  The Royals are 14-41 in their last 55 road games vs. a right-handed starter.  Arizona is 5-1 in the last six meetings.  Bet the Diamondbacks Tuesday.

15* NBA PLAY OF THE DAY on Minnesota Timberwolves +10

The close out game is always the hardest, especially for a team like the Denver Nuggets that has been a disappointment in the playoffs for years under Nikola Jokic.  They failed to close out the Timberwolves in Game 4 and lost in OT, giving Minnesota new life.

I think the Timberwolves are a dangerous team now playing on house money catching 10 points against the Nuggets in Game 5.  They have been competitive in each of the last three games, which have all been decided by 9 points or less.  Game 1 can pretty much be thrown out because it was a terrible spot for the Timberwolves coming off a pair of play-in games and on little rest.

The Timberwolves are 24-9 ATS in their last 33 meetings in Denver.  The Nuggets are 21-35 ATS in their last 56 home games after playing a road game.  Bet the Timberwolves in Game 5 Tuesday.

20* MLB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Atlanta Braves -1.5 (-115)

The Atlanta Braves came into this series on a four-game losing streak against the Astros and Padres.  They took a step down in class against the Marlins and promptly crushed them 11-0 in Game 1.  I was on the Braves Run Line in that game, and I'm back on it again today as it should be more of the same in Game 2.

Charlie Morton is 2-2 with a 3.22 ERA in four starts this season.  Morton is 11-5 with a 3.96 ERA and 1.198 WHIP in 21 career starts against Miami.  The Braves are 4-1 in his last five starts against Miami with all four wins by 2 runs or more.  He has allowed just 9 earned runs in 31 innings in those five starts.

Brian Hoeing will be making his first start of the season for the Marlins.  He went 1-1 with a 12.08 ERA and 1.895 WHIP as a rookie last season allowing 17 earned runs and 5 homers in 12 2/3 innings.  It's not going to go very well for him to start 2023, either.

The Braves are 21-5 after losing three of their last four games.  The Braves are 60-25 in the last 85 meetings, and 40-16 in the last 56 meetings in Atlanta.  Atlanta is 40-13 in its last 53 games following a win.  The Braves are 48-19 in their last 67 home games.  Bet the Braves on the Run Line Tuesday.

15* Astros/Rays AL ANNIHILATOR on OVER 7.5

The Tampa Bay Rays are scoring 6.8 runs per game overall including 7.3 runs per game at home.  They are more than capable of covering this 7.5-run total on their own.  But the Astros will contribute as they are scoring 5.0 runs per game overall and 5.2 runs per game at home.

While Drew Rasmussen has great numbers for the Rays thus far, he has done most of his damage against bad offenses in Oakland and Cincinnati.  He was tagged for 5 earned runs and 12 base runners in 4 1/3 innings at Toronto against the best lineup he has faced.  He allowed 6 earned runs in 13 innings in two starts against the Astros last season.

Luis Garcia is off to a rough start this season for the Astros.  He is 1-2 with a 5.14 ERA and 1.381 WHIP in four starts while allowing 12 earned runs, 3 homers and 29 base runners in 21 innings.

Houston is 11-3 OVER in night games this season.  Tampa Bay is 14-5 OVER when the total is 7 to 8.5 this season.  The OVER is 5-0 in Astros last five road games vs. a right-handed starter, and 12-3-1 in their last 16 games overall against a right-handed starter.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

20* AL TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Red Sox/Orioles OVER 8.5

The Boston Red Sox are a dead nuts OVER team this season.  They are 17-7 OVER in their 24 games while scoring 5.7 runs per game and allowing 5.2 runs per game.  The Baltimore Orioles have also trended to the OVER at 12-9-1 to the OVER and scoring 5.1 runs per game.

Corey Kluber is 0-4 with an 8.50 ERA and 1.5000 WHIP in 18 starts this season while allowing 17 earned runs and 6 homers in 18 innings.  Kluber is 0-3 with a 10.29 ERA in his last three starts against Baltimore, allowing 16 earned runs and 3 homers in 14 innings.

Kyle Bradish has been decent in his two starts this season, but he cannot handle Boston.  Bradish is 0-3 with a 7.54 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in five career starts against the Red Sox, allowing 19 earned runs and 4 homers in 22 2/3 innings.

The OVER is 34-15 in Kluber's 49 career road starts with a total of 8 to 8.5 runs.  The OVER is 10-1 in Red Sox last 11 road games vs. a right-handed starter.  The OVER is 8-0 in Red Sox last eight games with a total of 7 to 8.5 runs.  The OVER is 4-0 in the last four meetings.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

20* Grizzlies/Lakers TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles -4

The Los Angeles Lakers are simply the better team in this series.  They are fully healthy and showing what they are capable of when that's the case.  They are now 12-3 SU In their last 15 games overall and came up clutch just trying to make the playoffs, and that has carried over into the postseason.

The Grizzlies are missing key players in Steven Adams and Brandon Clark, which really hurts them defensively.  Dillon Brooks is a mad man whose head isn't in this series, and he's more concerned with his antics.  And JA Morant suffered a wrist injury in Game 1 that he's playing through, plus another injury in the final seconds of Game 3 to his lower leg that could hamper him heading into Game 4.

I think it says everything that Morant had 45 points in Game 3 and the Grizzlies were still never in that game or competitive.  They trailed 38-9 to start the game and most of his points came in garbage time with the game pretty much decided.  The Grizzlies don't have very good depth off the bench, while this is some of the best depth LeBron has ever had.  The Lakers actually increased their lead in Game 3 when he went to the bench.  Guys like Reaves, Hachimura, Russell, Schroder and Vanderbilt are playing very well to compliment LeBron and AD.

Memphis is 0-17 SU & 2-15 ATS as a road underdog this season, including 1-14 ATS as a road underdog of 6 points or less.  We'll continue fading the Grizzlies as road underdogs here as they have been a terrible team away from home all season, and I don't expect that to change in Game 4.  Bet the Lakers in Game 4 Monday.

20* MLB Monday No-Doubt Rout on Atlanta Braves -1.5 (-122)

The Atlanta Braves will be highly motivated for a victory after losing four straight to the Astros and Padres.  Now they take a big step down in class here against the Miami Marlins and have a big advantage on the mound.

Ace Spencer Strider takes the mound to save the day for the Braves.  Strider is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 1.045 WHIP in four starts this season while allowing 6 earned runs and 23 base runners in 22 innings with a whopping 36 K's.  He has never faced the Marlins, which is going to work to his advantage.

Edward Cabrera is 1-1 with a 4.07 ERA and 1.754 WHIP in four starts this season while allowing 16 walks in 17 2/3 innings.  His lack of control will come back to haunt him sooner rather than later.  The Braves are scoring 4.8 runs per game this season while the Marlins are scoring just 3.3 runs per game.

The Braves are 47-19 in their last 66 home games.  Atlanta is 59-25 in the last 84 meetings.  The Braves are 39-16 in the last 55 meetings in Atlanta.  Bet the Braves on the Run Line Monday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on White Sox/Blue Jays OVER 9

Lance Lynn is 0-2 with a 7.59 ERA and 1.828 WHIP in four starts this season while allowing 18 earned runs and 6 homers in 21 1/3 innings.  Lynn is 2-3 with a 4.59 ERA and 1.408 WHIP in nine career starts against the Blue Jays as well.  The White Sox have a decent offense, but a terrible bullpen that has a 6.22 ERA on the season.

The Blue Jays have an elite offense but a mediocre bullpen that has a 4.35 ERA on the season.  Chris Bassitt has been a little shaky to start the season as well, going 2-2 with a 5.40 ERA while allowing 13 earned runs and 5 homers in 21 2/3 innings.  This has slug fest written all over it.

The OVER is 7-0 in the last seven meetings with 10 or more combined runs in all seven.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

15* Interleague PLAY OF THE DAY on Texas Rangers -112

The Texas Rangers are 14-7 this season while scoring 6.6 runs per game and allowing 3.8 runs per game, outscoring opponents by 2.8 runs per game.  The Cincinnati Reds are 7-15 this season while scoring 4.0 runs per game and allowing 5.0 runs per game, getting outscored by 1.0 runs per game.

The Reds have really been brutal offensively during their current six-game losing streak.  They have scored a total of 6 runs in the six losses while getting shut out three times.  Nathan Eovaldi will shut them down tonight and has been at his best on the road with a 3.08 ERA and 1.200 WHIP in two road starts.

Nick Lodolo gets a lot of hype because of his K potential, but hitters have had no problem getting after him this season, especially at home.  Lodolo has a 7.36 ERA and 2.181 WHIP in three home starts this season while allowing 12 earned runs and 4 homers in 14 2/3 innings.

Cincinnati is 4-22 after batting .200 or worse over a five-game span over the past two seasons.  The Reds are 17-53 in their last 70 games vs. good teams outscoring opponents by 0.5 or more runs per game on the season.  The Rangers are 6-1 in their last seven games overall and scoring 9.1 runs per game during this stretch.  Bet the Rangers Monday.

15* Red Sox/Orioles AL East ANNIHILATOR on OVER 8

The Boston Red Sox have been a dead nuts OVER team this season going 16-7 to the OVER in their 23 games.  They have a great offense scoring 5.7 runs per game but a terrible starting staff.  The Baltimore Orioles also have a suspect starting staff but have gone 11-9-1 to the OVER due to an improved offense that is scoring 5.1 runs per game.

Both offenses should feast on these two gas can starting pitchers.  Chris Sale is 1-1 with an 8.00 ERA and 1.667 WHIP in four starts this season for the Red Sox while allowing 16 earned runs and 5 homers in 18 innings.  Dean Kremer is 1-0 with 6.16 ERA and 1.368 WHIP in four starts for the Orioles while allowing 13 earned runs and 5 homers in 19 innings.

Sale allowed 7 earned runs and 3 homers in 3 innings of a 9-8 win over the Orioles in his lone start against them this season.  Kremer allowed 5 earned runs and 2 homers in 3 innings opposite Sale in that 9-8 loss.  

The OVER is 7-0 in Red Sox last seven games with a total set of 7 to 8.5 runs.  The OVER is 9-1 in Red Sox last 10 road games vs. a right-handed starter.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

20* Nuggets/Timberwolves TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on UNDER 225.5

Let's just look at this from a line value perspective.  The total for Game 1 was 224.5 and these teams combined for 189 points.  They lowered it to 222.5 and 222 for Games 2 and 3, which both went over, and now have raised it back up to 225.5 for Game 4.  That's too big of an adjustment, and there's clearly value on the UNDER as a result.

There's also value on the UNDER when you consider Minnesota and Denver won't be able to keep shooting as well as they have the past two games.  Denver shot 54.1% and Minnesota 50.6% in Game 2 and both shot better than 45% from 3.  Denver shot 57.1% in Game 3 and Minnesota 45.6%.  The Nuggets specifically can't stay this hot.

The pace has actually been very slow in this series, and it will be even slower in Game 4 as familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  The longer a series goes, the harder points are to come by because teams know each other so well.

Minnesota is 16-4 UNDER in its last 20 home games after going over the total in its previous game.  The UNDER is 12-4 in Nuggets last 16 games overall.  The UNDER is 6-0-1 in Timberwolves last seven Sunday games.  The UNDER is 11-5-1 in Timberwolves last 17 home games.  Bet the UNDER in this game Sunday.

15* Kings/Warriors ABC ANNIHILATOR on UNDER 237.5

The playoffs just have a way of slowing games down.  While both Sacramento and Golden State want to play fast, it's hard to when these teams get familiar with one another and know what to expect.  Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games, and that has proven to be the case in this series.

After combining for 249 points in Game 1, the Warriors and Kings combined for just 220 points in Game 2 and 211 points in Game 3.  So we have a lot of margin for error here with this 237.5-point total compared to the last two games.

The Kings have actually done a very good job of defending the Warriors in this series and have upped their game on that end.  The Warriors are a lot more locked in defensively in these playoffs, and they get their best defender in Draymond Green back.  Plus getting both Wiggins and Payton II back from injury has made them a better defensive team, and Kevon Looney is holding it down inside.

Golden State is 7-0 UNDER in home games after allowing 105 points or less this season.  Sacramento is 14-3 UNDER in road games vs. a team with a winning record this season.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Kings last seven games overall.  The UNDER is 17-5-1 in Warriors last 23 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The UNDER is 4-1-1 in the last six meetings.  Bet the UNDER in this game Sunday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Texas Rangers -1.5 (-135)

The Texas Rangers are 13-7 this season scoring 6.7 runs per game and allowing 3.8 runs per game, outscoring opponents by 2.9 runs per game.  The Oakland A's are 4-17 this season scoring 3.5 runs per game while allowing 8.2 runs per game, getting outscored by 4.7 runs per game.  It's easy to see why I'm backing the Rangers on the Run Line today.

Texas ace Jacob DeGrom gets the ball today and is back to his dominant self again this season.  DeGrom is 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA and 0.871 WHIP in four starts while allowing only 8 earned runs and 18 base runners in 20 2/3 innings with 32 K's.

Kyle Muller is 0-1 with a 7.23 ERA and 1.982 WHIP in four starts for the A's this season, allowing 15 earned runs and 37 base runners in 18 2/3 innings.  Muller allowed 7 earned runs and 10 base runners in 2 2/3 innings in his lone career starts against Texas, which came last season.  Bet the Rangers on the Run Line Sunday.

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on Chicago Cubs +122

A big reason for Chicago's resurgence this season is their dominance against left-handed pitching.  The Cubs are 5-1 and hitting .345 while scoring 7.5 runs per game against left-handed starters this season.

The rocked lefty Julio Urias in a 13-0 victory in Game 2, and now they'll get after lefty Clayton Kershaw in Game 4 today.  This will be Kershaw's stiffest test of the season to date as Chicago is 10-1 in its last 11 games vs. a left-handed starter.

Marcus Stroman is one of the most underrated starters in baseball.  He is 2-1 with a 0.75 ERA and 0.917 WHIP in four starts this season while allowing only 2 earned runs in 24 innings without a homer.  Stroman is 1-0 with a 2.12 ERA and 1.118 WHIP in three career starts against the Dodgers.

The Dodgers are 0-6 in their last six games following a win.  The Cubs are 5-0 in their last five games following a loss.  Bet the Cubs Sunday.

20* MLB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (-115)

The Minnesota Twins will be highly motivated for a victory today after losing three straight and six of their last seven.  They will be wanting to avoid the sweep after losing the first two games of this series to the hapless Washington Nationals as -310 and -235 favorites.

But after facing two underrated starters for the Nationals in the first two games of this series, now they get to face one of the worst starters in all of baseball.  Patrick Corbin went 9-16 with a 5.82 ERA and 1.468 WHIP in 31 starts in 2021 and 6-19 with a 6.31 ERA and 1.697 WHIP In 31 starts in 2022.  Corbin is now 1-2 with a 6.30 ERA and 1.750 WHIP in four starts in 2023 to remain a gas can this season.

Bailey Ober has posted a 3.82 ERA and 1.146 WHIP in two seasons in the big leagues across 148 1/3 innings.  He will be making his first start of 2023 and I expect him to shut down the Nationals for as long as he's in there.  And playing from ahead, the Twins will utilize all their best bullpen arms to protect what will be a multiple-run lead.

Minnesota is 14-6 following three or more consecutive losses over the last two seasons and winning by 2.0 runs per game in this spot.  They haven't lost four straight this season and won't start today against a Nationals team that is 33-72 in their last 105 games overall.  Minnesota is 10-2 in its last 12 home games vs. a left-handed starter.  Bet the Twins on the Run Line Sunday.

15* MLB Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Detroit Tigers +162

The Detroit Tigers had won five in a row prior to their current three-game losing streak.  They will be highly motivated to avoid the sweep after losing the first two games of this series to the Baltimore Orioles, who I suspect will suffer a natural letdown after winning the first two of this series and five straight overall.

The Tigers actually have the advantage on the mound today, so they should not be this big of underdogs to the Orioles.  Eduardo Rodriquez is 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.042 WHIP in four starts this season.  He has allowed just 1 earned run and 12 base runners in 14 innings in his last two starts against Toronto and Cleveland.

Grayson Rodriquez is 0-0 with a 6.91 ERA and 1.605 WHIP in three starts for the Orioles this season, allowing 11 earned runs and 23 base runners in 14 1/3 innings.  Rodriquez has owned the Orioles, going 13-5 with a 3.02 ERA and 1.164 WHIP in 21 career starts against them.

Amazingly, Rodriquez is 10-0 with a 1.72 ERA in his last 11 starts against the Orioles while allowing only 13 earned runs in 68 innings.  His teams are a perfect 11-0 in his last 11 starts against Baltimore.  Bet the Tigers Sunday.

20* Interleague GAME OF THE WEEK on Atlanta Braves -128

The Atlanta Braves will be highly motivated to avoid the sweep after losing the first two games of this series at home to the Houston Astros.  They have their ace on the mound Sunday to get the job done.

Max Fried is 1-0 with a 1.08 ERA and 0.960 WHIP in two starts this season for the Braves.  He will be making his home debut this season.  Christian Javier has been a little shaky to start the season for the Astros with a 3.68 ERA through four starts allowing 9 earned runs and 3 homers in 22 innings.

The Braves are 22-6 in Fried's 28 career home starts with a money line of +100 to -150.  The Braves are 15-2 in Fried's 17 career Sunday starts.  Atlanta is 21-4 after losing three of its last four games over the past two seasons.  Bet the Braves Sunday.

25* NBA 1st Round GAME OF THE YEAR on Los Angeles Lakers -4.5

After winning Game 1 128-112 on the road, the Lakers relaxed in Game 2, especially with the Grizzlies without JA Morant due to a wrist injury.  They won't make the same mistake in Game 3, and I look for them to fire back with a blowout home victory in this one.

Dillon Brooks called LeBron James old after the Game 2 win.  You know LeBron won't take that lightly and will be fully locked in to make a statement, and his teammates will have his back.  The Lakers' role players have played well in this series, and I expect them to play even better at home to support LeBron and AD.

The Lakers are now 11-3 SU in their last 14 games overall coming up clutch just to try and get into the playoffs.  They are showing how good they can be when healthy, which they are right now.  The Grizzlies are missing up to three key players if Morant doesn't return.  They aren't good enough to hang with the Lakers in this series given their current state, and especially not a 100% motivated Lakers team, which will be the case in Game 3 tonight.

Memphis is 2-14 ATS as a road underdog this season, including 1-13 ATS as a road underdog of 6 points or less.  Memphis is 1-9 ATS in road games vs. good shooting teams making 48% or better this season.  The Grizzlies are just 16-25 SU on the road this season and have not played well at all away from home.  The Lakers have won six of their last seven at home.  Bet the Lakers in Game 3 Saturday.

15* MLB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Arizona Diamondbacks +141

The Arizona Diamondbacks are 12-9 this season and you'd be up $755 betting $100 on them every game.  The San Diego Padres are 10-12 this season and you'd be down $570 betting $100 on them every game.  Clearly the Padres are overvalued while the Diamondbacks are undervalued, and that continues to be the case here in Game 3 of this series.

I'll gladly back Merrill Kelly as a home underdog.  Kelly went 13-8 with a 3.37 ERA and 1.138 WHIP in 33 starts for the Diamondbacks last season.  He has picked up where he left off, posting a 3.37 ERA through four starts this season while allowing just 8 earned runs and one homer in 21 1/3 innings.

Joe Musgrove will be making his first start of the season for the Padres as he returns from injury and will be on a pitch count.  While Musgrove has posted a 3.93 ERA in nine career starts against Arizona, Kelly has owned the Padres, going 8-2 with a 2.61 ERA in 13 career starts against them.  Bet the Diamondbacks Saturday.

20* MLB BLOWOUT GAME OF THE WEEK on Texas Rangers -1.5 (-117)

The Oakland A's are 4-16 this season scoring 3.5 runs per game and allowing 7.7 runs per game.  They are getting outscored by 4.2 runs per game on the season.  The Texas Rangers are 12-7 and scoring 6.1 runs per game while allowing 3.9 runs per game, outscoring opponents by 2.2 runs per game.  I'll gladly side with the Rangers on the Run Line tonight.

Andrew Heaney has been dominant in his last two starts pitching 10 innings with 14 K's without allowing a single earned run.  He'll be opposed by Shintaro Fujinami, who is 0-3 with an 11.37 ERA and 1.659 WHIP in three starts this season while allowing 16 earned runs in 12 2/3 innings.  Bet the Rangers on the Run Line Saturday.

20* MLB Friday Late-Night BAILOUT on Cardinals/Mariners OVER 8

The books have set the bar too low in this game between the Seattle Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals.  The Cardinals are hitting .273 and scoring 4.8 runs per game behind one of the better lineups in the National League.  The Mariners are scoring 4.5 runs per game on the season and 4.8 runs per game against left-handed starters.

The Mariners should tee off on Steven Matz, who is 0-2 with a 6.48 ERA and 1.800 WHIP in three starts this season for the Cardinals while allowing 12 earned runs, 3 homers and 30 base runners in 26 2/3 innings.  George Kirby is 1-1 with a 5.07 ERA and 1.501 WHIP in two home starts this season, allowing 6 earned runs and 16 base runners in 10 2/3 innings.

The OVER is 11-2 in Kirby's last 13 starts in the first half of the season.  The OVER is 4-0-1 in Cardinals last five games overall.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

20* Nuggets/Timberwolves ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on Minnesota +2.5

It's now or never for the Minnesota Timberwolves after falling down 0-2 in this series to the Denver Nuggets.  I expect them to fire back in Game 3 here at home.  The Timberwolves have played three of their last four playoff games on the road and were competitive in two of them, taking the Lakers to OT in the play-in game and the Nuggets to the wire in Game 2.

But now the Timberwolves at back home where they were much more comfortable.  In their lone playoff home game, the Timberwolves crushed the upstart Thunder 120-95 as 5.5-point favorites.  I think they are getting disrespected here as home underdogs to the Nuggets and will make a statement.

Denver is 3-11 ATS in its last 14 road games following two or more consecutive wins.  Minnesota is 31-16 ATS in its last 47 games when revenging a road loss.  Bet the Timberwolves in Game 3 Friday.

15* MLB Friday Night BLOWOUT on Texas Rangers -1.5 (+105)

The Oakland A's are 3-16 this season with 12 losses by two runs or more.  The A's are scoring 3.4 runs per game and allowing 7.9 runs per game, getting outscored by 4.5 runs per game on the season.  The Rangers are 12-6 and scoring 6.2 runs per game while allowing 3.8 runs per game, outscoring opponents by 2.4 runs per game this season.

I'll gladly take the Rangers on the Run Line today to win by two runs or more.  Jon Gray is 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.214 WHIP in three starts this season while allowing only 5 earned runs in 14 innings.  Gray fired 7 shutout innings in a 5-2 victory over the A's in his last start against them.

JP Sears is 0-1 with a 4.59 ERA in three starts this season for the A's while allowing 8 earned runs and 5 homers in 15 2/3 innings.  Sears allowed 5 earned runs in 4 innings in his last start against Texas.  Bet the Rangers on the Run Line Friday.

15* MLB Friday Total DOMINATOR on Tigers/Orioles OVER 8.5

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER ticket between the Tigers and Orioles tonight.  Temps will be in the 80's with 10 MPH winds blowing out to left at Camden Yards in Baltimore tonight.  Combine that forecast with these two gas can starting pitchers, and we have a recipe for plenty of runs.

Michael Lorenzen has a 4.16 ERA and 1.363 WHIP in 575 innings in the big leagues.  Lorenzen will be making his second start of the season and his first was a disaster.  He allowed 6 earned runs and 2 homers in 4 innings of a 7-6 win over the San Francisco Giants on April 15th.

Tyler Wells is 0-1 with a 5.56 ERA in two starts for the Orioles this season, allowing 7 earned runs and 3 homers in 11 1/3 innings.  Wells is 0-2 with a 10.29 ERA and 2.143 WHIP in two career starts against the Tigers, allowing 8 earned runs and 17 base runners in 7 innings.

Lorenzen is 7-0 OVER in his last seven starts as an underdog of +125 to +175.  The OVER is 20-7-2 in Tigers last 29 road games.  The OVER is 4-1 in Orioles last five home games.  Baltimore is scoring 5.7 runs per game at home this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

20* MLB TOTAL OF THE WEEK on White Sox/Rays OVER 8.5

The Tampa Bay Rays are scoring 7.0 runs per game overall and 7.8 runs per game at home this season.  They are more than capable of covering this OVER on their own.  But the White Sox are scoring 4.4 runs per game and will chip in to help cash this OVER for us against Tampa Bay opener Calvin Faucher and their bullpen.

Michael Kopech has been a gas can and is actually lucky to have only a 6.32 ERA and 1.659 WHIP in three starts this season.  He has already allowed 7 homers and 10 walks in 15 2/3 innings.  And that has come against the Orioles, Pirates and Giants so this is a step up in class for him.

The OVER is 5-1 in the last six meetings in Tampa Bay.  The OVER is 11-5-2 in White Sox last 18 games overall.  The OVER is 6-1 in Rays last seven home games.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

20* Suns/Clippers NBA TV Late-Night BAILOUT on Phoenix -2.5

The Phoenix Suns are by far the superior team over the Los Angeles Clippers.  They have four stars in Durant, Booker, Ayton and Paul compared to one for the Clippers in Kawhi Leonard, who is having to shoulder too much of the load for them.  They are relying on several guys past their primes including Eric Gordon and Russell Westbrook.

Leonard had 31 points in Game 2 and the Clippers still lost by 14.  I think we are getting the Suns very cheap here as only 2.5-point favorites in Game 3.  Kevin Durant is 22-2 SU in his last 24 games dating back to Thanksgiving.  The Suns are finally forming chemistry with him and will be a dangerous team moving forward.

The Clippers are 1-8 ATS in home games off a road loss this season.  Los Angeles is 4-15 ATS when revenging a loss by 10 points or more this season.  The Suns are 5-1 ATS in their last six trips to Los Angeles.  The Clippers only went 23-18 at home this season and don't have that big of a home-court advantage.  Bet the Suns in Game 3 Thursday.

20* MLB Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Chicago Cubs -115

The upstart Chicago Cubs are 11-6 this season and scoring 5.8 runs per game.  They have won four consecutive games coming in and just swept the A's while outscoring them 24-3 in the process.  I like their chances of making it five in a row against the Los Angeles Dodgers at home today.

Michael Grove has been a gas can this season, going 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA and 1.615 WHIP in three starts for the Dodgers.  He has allowed 13 earned runs and 21 base runners in 13 innings this season.  Jameson Taillon is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.357 WHIP in three starts for the Cubs this season.

The Dodgers will be without Mookie Betts tonight as he is on paternity leave.  Their lineup already wasn't as strong as last season, and it's a big blow missing Betts at the top of their lineup.  The Dodgers are 2-8 in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning record.  Los Angeles is 9-10 on the season and you'd be down $758 betting $100 per game on them as they have consistently been overvalued.  Bet the Cubs Thursday.

15* MLB Thursday Total DOMINATOR on Dodgers/Cubs OVER 11

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER 11 ticket between the Dodgers and Cubs tonight.  There are expected to be 20 MPH winds blowing out to center at hitter-friendly Wrigley Field tonight in Chicago.

Two starters off to rough starts this season go at it.  Michael Grove has been a gas can this season, going 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA and 1.615 WHIP in three starts for the Dodgers.  He has allowed 13 earned runs and 21 base runners in 13 innings this season.  Jameson Taillon is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.357 WHIP in three starts for the Cubs this season.

I like the fact that these starters just faced these same lineups in their last starts, which will favor the hitters more than the pitchers.  The Cubs are scoring 5.8 runs per game on the season.  The Dodgers are scoring 5.2 runs per game on the season and 5.9 runs per game on the road.

The OVER is 9-2 in Dodgers last 11 games following a loss.  The OVER is 5-0-1 in the last six meetings in Chicago.  Bet the OVER in this game Thursday.

20* NBA Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Heat/Bucks UNDER 219.5

The Miami Heat lost their second-best player and the Milwaukee Bucks lost their best player to injury in Game 1 of this series.  Tyler Herro (20.1 PPG) suffered a fracture hand and is likely to miss the rest of the playoffs.  Giannis Antetokounmpo (31.1 PPG) suffered a back injury and is doubtful to play in Game 2.

Without these two, I expect points to be much harder to come by for both teams.  The total for Game 1 was 221 and now the total for Game 2 is 219.5, which isn't a big enough adjustment down for these two losses.  Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games, and as a series progresses the scoring slows down almost in every series.

The reason the total has stayed relatively high is because Game 1 was an offensive aberration that saw the Heat beat the Bucks 130-117 for 247 combined points.  Miami shot 59.5% as a team including a ridiculous 15-of-25 (60%) from 3-point range.  That's obviously not going to happen again.  I think the defense is much better in Game 2, and the shooting much poorer while also being played at a slower pace.  Bet the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

20* Blue Jays/Astros AL No-Brainer on OVER 9

Two of the most potent lineups in the American League square off tonight against two gas can starters in Jose Berrios and Luis Garcia.  The end result should be plenty of runs to get us up and OVER this 9-run total.

Berrios went 12-7 with a 5.23 ERA and 1.419 WHIP in 32 starts last season, including 5-5 with a 6.36 ERA and 1.525 WHIP on the road as he has been much worse away from home in his career.  Berrios is 1-2 with a 7.98 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in three starts this season, including 0-2 with an 11.17 ERA and 1.861 WHIP in two road starts.

Luis Garcia is 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA and 1.857 WHIP in three starts this season while allowing 12 earned runs, 3 homers and 26 base runners in 14 innings.  It's not going to go any better for him here against Toronto.

The OVER is 14-4 in Berrios' last 18 road starts.  The OVER is 8-0 in Berrios' last eight road starts vs. good teams that outscore their opponents by 0.5 or more runs per game on the season.  The OVER is 8-3-1 in the last 12 meetings in Houston.  The OVER is 9-2 in Astros last 11 home games with 9 or more combined runs in nine of those 11 games.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

20* MLB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Minnesota Twins -124

The Minnesota Twins come back highly motivated after three consecutive losses including blowing a one-run lead in the 8th and a two-run lead in the 10th to the Red Sox yesterday.  The Red Sox will be playing for a 12th consecutive day, are tired and their bullpen is taxed.

The Twins have a big advantage on the mound tonight behind one of the most underrated starters in baseball in Joe Ryan.  He is 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA and 0.632 WHIP in three starts this season while allowing 6 earned runs and 12 base runners in 19 innings with 26 K's.  He has struck out 10 in consecutive starts against the Astros and Yankees.

Corey Kluber is far past his prime and doesn't go deep into starts, which means the Twins will get into this taxed Boston bullpen early.  Kluber is 0-3 with a 6.92 ERA and 1.462 WHIP in three starts this season while allowing 10 earned runs and 4 homers in 13 innings.

The Red Sox are 1-10 in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Bet the Twins Wednesday.

15* MLB Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Rangers/Royals OVER 9

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER 9 ticket between the Rangers and Royals today.  Temps will be in the 70's with whopping 20-30 MPH winds blowing out to left-center at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

The wind was blowing out yesterday and the Rangers cover the total on their own in a 12-2 victory.  It could easily be more of the same here against Brady Singer, who is 1-1 with a 7.87 ERA in three starts this season while allowing 14 earned runs and 5 homers in 16 innings.  Singer is 0-2 with a 7.56 ERA and 1.801 WHIP in two career starts against the Rangers as well.

Martin Perez has big home/road splits and is much better at home than he has been on the road over the past couple seasons.  Perez allowed 4 earned runs and 9 base runners in 6 innings of a 10-4 victory at Kansas City in his lone road start against the Royals last season.

The OVER is 12-3 in Perez's last 15 day game starts.  The OVER is 14-2 in Royals last 16 home games after scoring two runs or fewer in two consecutive games.  The OVER is 8-2 in Rangers last 10 games overall with 10 or more combined runs in eight of those 10 games.  The OVER is 6-1-1 in Royals last eight games overall with 9 or more combined runs in seven of those eight games, and 11 or more combined runs in six of them.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* MLB Wednesday Early ANNIHILATOR on Giants/Marlins UNDER 8

There are expected to be 16 MPH winds blowing in from left at pitcher-friendly LoanDepot Park in Miami today.  That forecast will help us cash this UNDER ticket between the Giants and Marlins.

The UNDER is 6-0 in Marlins last six games overall with 7 or fewer combined runs in all six games.  The UNDER is 8-2-2 in Marlins' 12 home games this season.  Miami is 10-0 UNDER in its last 10 home games vs. teams that average 1.5 or more homers per game.

Alex Cobb is 0-1 with a 3.14 ERA in three starts this season while facing both the Dodgers and Yankees.  Trevor Rogers is 1-2 with a 4.20 ERA in three starts this season while facing the Mets twice.  Cobb is 3-3 with a 2.65 ERA in six career starts against Miami.  Rogers allowed 2 earned runs in 5 innings in his lone career start against San Francisco.

The Marlins are scoring just 2.6 runs per game at home this season.  The Giants are scoring just 3.4 runs per game against left-handed starters this season.  Bet the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

20* Clippers/Suns TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Phoenix -7.5

That was a rare loss for Kevin Durant in Game 1.  Durant is 21-2 in his last 23 games dating back to Thanksgiving.  I fully expect the Suns to bounce back with a blowout victory in Game 2 after getting upset by the Clippers in Game 1 of this series.

A lot of times in the playoffs you see a team pull off the upset on the road in Game 1 and then let down in Game 2.  The home team comes back more motivated and wins in a blowout to tie the series.  I believe that's what we see here as the Suns are clearly the better team in this series.

The Suns only made six 3-pointers in Game 1.  You can expect them to make double-digits from 3 in Game 2 which will be a big difference in the result.  The Clippers remain without Paul George and I think that puts too much of a burden on Kawhi Leonard.  The Suns were dominant with Durant prior to that Game 1 loss.

Plays on any team (Phoenix) - revenging a loss as a home favorite of 7 points or more, off an upset loss as a home favorite are 43-12 (78.2%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Plays against road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (LA Clippers) - in the 2nd game of a playoff series are 24-5 (82.8%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Suns in Game 2 Tuesday.

20* NL TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Pirates/Rockies OVER 13

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER 13 ticket between the Pirates and Rockies.  Temps will be in the 70's with 20-25 MPH winds blowing out to right at hitter-friendly Coors Field.  Colorado's last seven home games have all seen 11 or more combined runs and five have seen 13 or more combined runs.  That includes their 17-run outburst with the Rockies yesterday.

Two gas cans are on the mound for their respective teams tonight.  The Rockies go with Jose Urena, who is 0-2 with a 9.90 ERA and 2.500 WHIP in three starts this season.  Vincent Velasquez is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA and 1.574 WHIP in three starts for the Phillies.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

15* Blue Jays/Astros AL ANNIHILATOR on OVER 9

Two of the best lineups in baseball square off tonight in what should be a slug fest between the Astros and Blue Jays.  The Blue Jays are scoring 4.8 runs per game overall and 5.1 runs per game on the road.  The Astros are scoring 5.1 runs per game overall and 5.2 runs per game against right-handed starters.

The Astros won 9-2 yesterday and should have another big day at the plate against Chris Bassitt, who is 1-2 with a 7.63 ERA and 1.566 WHIP in three starts this season while allowing 13 earned runs and 5 homers in 15 1/3 innings.  Bassitt is 0-1 with a 7.90 ERA in his last three starts against Houston, allowing 12 earned runs and 4 homers in 13 2/3 innings.

Jose Urquidy is 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA and 1.370 WHIP in three starts this season allowing 4 earned runs, 2 homers and 21 base runners in 15 1/3 innings.  He has been fortunate not to allow more runs and his luck runs out tonight.  Urquidy is 1-1 with a 7.20 ERA in his last three starts against the Blue Jays while allowing 12 earned runs and 4 homers in 15 innings.

The OVER is 8-2-1 in the last 11 meetings inside hitter-friendly Minute Maid Park.  The OVER is 9-1 in Astros last 10 home games.  The OVER is 5-0-2 in Blue Jays last seven games after scoring two runs or less in their previous game.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

15* MLB Tuesday Total DOMINATOR on Rangers/Royals OVER 9

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER 9 ticket between the Rangers and Royals tonight.  Temps will be approaching 80 with 15 MPH winds blowing out to left at Kauffman Stadium.  This is a pitching rematch from less than a week ago when the Royals beat the Rangers 10-1 for 11 combined runs.

Nathan Eovaldi allowed 6 earned runs and 10 hits in 5 innings to take the loss.  He is now 1-2 with a 6.32 ERA and 1.532 WHIP in three starts this season.  Eovaldi has allowed 10 earned runs and 3 homers in 11 innings in his last two starts against the Royals.

Brad Keller is off to a good start this season.  But that was a rare good start for him against the Rangers in his last outing.  Keller is 1-2 with a 6.53 ERA and 1.645 WHIP in four career starts against Texas.

The OVER is 7-2 in Rangers last nine games overall.  The OVER is 5-0 in Rangers last five games when their opponent scored 2 runs or fewer in their previous game.  The OVER is 14-2 in Royals last 16 games vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

20* Knicks/Cavs TNT No-Brainer on Cleveland -5

The Cleveland Cavaliers got dominated on the boards in Game 1 which was their demise.  They lost the rebounding battle 51-38 and gave up 17 offensive rebounds.  The Cavaliers are a great rebounding team on the season, so don't expect that to happen again.

I expect the Cavaliers to bounce back with a blowout home victory in Game 2 tonight.  A lot of times in the playoffs you see a team pull off the upset on the road in Game 1 and then let down in Game 2.  The home team comes back the more motivated team and wins in a blowout to tie the series.  I believe that's what we see here as the Cavaliers are clearly the better team in this series.

Cleveland is 8-1 ATS in home games after failing to cover the spread in four or five of their last six games this season.  Plays against road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (New York) - in the 2nd game of a playoff series are 24-5 (82.8%) ATS over the last five season.  Plays on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (Cleveland) - off two or more consecutive home losses in April games are 43-17 (71.7%) ATS since 1996.  Bet the Cavaliers in Game 2 Tuesday.

15* MLB Tuesday Night BLOWOUT on Minnesota Twins -101

The Boston Red Sox are a tired team as they will be playing for an 11th consecutive day.  Their bullpen is taxed after four straight games decided by 2 runs or fewer.  The Twins had yesterday off and will not only be the fresher team, but they also have a massive advantage on the mound in this one.

Sonny Gray is 2-0 with a 0.53 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in three starts this season while allowing just one earned runs in 17 innings with 19 K's.  He'll be opposed by Chris Sale, who is 1-1 with an 11.25 ERA and 2.083 WHIP in three starts while allowing 15 earned runs, 5 homers and 25 base runners in 12 innings.  The Twins will get into Boston's taxed bullpen early in this one.

The Twins are 5-0 in their last five games following an off day.  The Red Sox are 1-10 in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Bet the Twins Tuesday.

20* AL TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Angels/Yankees OVER 9

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER 9 ticket between the Angels and Yankees tonight.  Temps will be in the 50's with 15-20 MPH winds blowing out to center at hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium.

Two gas cans are on the mound for their respective teams tonight.  Jose Suarez is 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA and 2.281 WHIP in two starts for the Angels this season while allowing 10 earned runs and 19 base runners in 8 1/3 innings.  Clarke Schmidt is 0-0 with an 8.44 ERA and 1.970 WHIP in three starts for the Yankees this season while allowing 10 earned runs, 3 homers and 21 base runners in 10 2/3 innings.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

15* MLB Monday Undervalued Underdog on Arizona Diamondbacks +143

Having one of the best farm systems in baseball for the past couple years is finally starting to pay off for the Diamondbacks this season.  They have gone 9-7 this season and you'd be up $574 betting $100 per game on them.  Conversely, the Cardinals are 7-9 this season and you'd be down $509 betting $100 per game on them.

The Diamondbacks have an underrated rotation especially at the top with Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly.  Kelly went 13-8 with a 3.37 ERA and 1.138 WHIP in 33 starts last season.  He has posted a 2.93 ERA in three starts this season while allowing only 5 earned runs in 15 1/3 innings.  Kelly has a 2.08 ERA in his last two starts against the Cardinals while allowing only 3 earned runs in 13 innings, and both starts came last season.

Jack Flaherty continues making his way back from injury and is far from his old self.  He has control issues with 14 walks in 15 1/3 innings this season.  He'll be up against an Arizona lineup that is hitting .282 and scoring 5.6 runs per game against right-handed starters this season.  The Cardinals are only scoring 3.9 runs per game against right-handed starters to compare.

The Diamondbacks are 8-2 in their last 10 games vs. right-handed starters, including 5-0 in their last five road games vs. right-handed starters.  The Cardinals are 0-6 in their last six during Game 1 of a series.  Their bullpen is taxed after going to extra innings in both games over the weekend with the Pirates.  Bet the Diamondbacks Monday.

15* Nets/76ers TNT ANNIHILATOR on Brooklyn +10.5

The Philadelphia 76ers made 21 3-pointers and had a 19-8 advantage in turnovers in Game 1 over the Brooklyn Nets to win by 20.  A lot went right for them in that game, and I don't expect it to be nearly as easy for them in Game 2.  I expect the Nets to take this game to the wire tonight.

The Nets are 144-97 ATS in their last 241 road games when revenging a loss.  Brooklyn is 14-6 ATS when revenging a road loss this season.  The Nets are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games after a blowout loss by 15 points or more.  Bet the Nets in Game 2 Monday.

20* Interleague TOTAL OF THE MONTH on Rays/Reds OVER 9

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER ticket between the Rays and Reds tonight.  There are expected to be 20-plus MPH winds blowing out to center at hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

The Rays are hitting .280 and scoring 7.1 runs per game as a team.  The Reds are hitting .253 and scoring 4.9 runs per game as a team, including .270 and 5.6 runs per game at home.  They are hitting .289 and scoring 6.8 runs per game against left-handed starters as well.  The Rays are vulnerable on the mound tonight going with an opener in Jalen Beeks who will pitch one inning before giving way to the bullpen.

Hunter Greene gets a lot of hype for the Reds due to his K potential, but he is 0-0 with a 5.14 ERA and 1.643 WHIP in three starts this season while allowing 8 earned runs and 23 base runners in 14 innings.  He will get worked early in this game and the Rays will get into Cincinnati's weak bullpen early.  The Reds' bullpen has a 4.47 ERA and 1.423 WHIP on the season.

Tampa Bay is 7-0 OVER vs. a team with a losing record this season and we're seeing 12.1 combined runs per game in this spot.  The OVER is 9-2-1 in Rays' last 12 games overall with 9 or more combined runs in 10 of those 12 games.  The OVER is 7-1 in Reds' last eight games overall with 9 or more combined runs in seven of those eight games.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

20* Clippers/Suns TNT No-Brainer on Phoenix -7.5

The Phoenix Suns showed what they were capable of down the stretch when fully healthy and trying to clinch a spot in the playoffs.  They went 7-0 SU & 5-2 ATS for a stretch with four wins by double-digits.  Kevin Durant is now 21-1 SU in his last 22 games played.

This would have been a great series if Paul George was healthy.  Instead, there's too much on Kawhi Leonard's shoulders now, and while he is a great player he isn't good enough to beat the Suns on his own.  He is going to be trusting too much in Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon, two veterans on the downside of their careers.  Westbrook has been a cancer everywhere he has gone.

I think Durant is the better player than Leonard, plus Booker and Ayton are both better than anything the Clippers have. They won't be able to match up with Booker on the perimeter or Ayton inside as the Clippers are very weak in the paint with Zubac handling most the minutes.

The Clippers are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games following a win.  The Suns are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven games when playing on three or more days' rest.  The Suns are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  This rest is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Suns as they are now ready to make their playoff run as likely the best team in the West as currently constructed.  Bet the Suns in Game 1 Sunday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Orioles/White Sox OVER 7.5

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER ticket, which is why I'm willing to bet an OVER in game involving Chicago ace Dylan Cease.  There are expected to be 25 MPH winds blowing out to left at Guaranteed Rate Field today.  The White Sox and Orioles have combined for 13 and 9 runs in the first two games of this series, and it should be more of the same due to the forecast today.

The Orioles have a taxed bullpen that hasn't been very good due to playing their 10th consecutive day today.  The White Sox have the worst bullpen in baseball with a 7.32 ERA and 1.955 WHIP in 51 2/3 innings, allowing 42 earned runs.  Grayson Rodriquez hasn't made it past the 5th inning in any of his two starts this season with a 6.75 ERA allowing 7 earned runs in 9 1/3 innings for the Orioles.

Baltimore is scoring 5.7 runs per game overall while Chicago is scoring 4.7 runs per game overall, including 5.2 runs per game at home.  The OVER is 15-4 in Cease's last 19 starts as a home favorite of -125 to -175.  The OVER is 4-0-1 in Orioles last five games overall with combined scores of 9 runs or more in all five and 12 runs or more in four of the five.  The OVER is 6-0-1 in White Sox last seven home games.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on Pirates/Cardinals OVER 8.5

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER ticket between the Pirates and Cardinals today.  There are expected to be 20 MPH winds blowing out to center at Busch Stadium.  These two starters aren't very good, so these teams should easily combine for 9-plus runs in this one.

Miles Mikolas has been a total disaster for the Cardinals.  He is 0-1 with a 10.05 ERA and 2.233 WHIP in three starts this season while allowing 16 earned runs, 4 homers and 32 base runners in 14 1/3 innings.  Mitch Keller has been decent at 1-0 with a 3.57 ERA and 1.358 WHIP in three starts, but he will get lit up today alongside Mikolas.

Pittsburgh is 16-4 OVER in its last 20 games after allowing 3 runs or less in two consecutive games.  The Pirates are 12-2 OVER in their last 14 games after allowing 4 runs or fewer in three consecutive games.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

15* MLB TOTAL OF THE DAY on Angels/Red Sox OVER 9

The Angels and Red Sox are pretty much mirror images of one another.  They have potent lineups, terrible starting rotations and terrible bullpens.  That makes both dead nuts OVER teams, and I'll gladly back the OVER 9 runs here at hitter-friendly Fenway Park after these teams just combined for 16 runs yesterday.

Reid Detmers is 0-0 with a 5.58 ERA and 1.448 WHIP in two starts for the Angels this season while allowing 6 earned runs and 14 base runners in 9 2/3 innings.  He'll be opposed by Garrett Whitlock, who is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA and 1.600 WHIP in one start while allowing 5 earned runs and 3 homers in 5 innings to the Rays.  Whitlock is 0-0 with a 6.00 ERA in two career starts against the Angels, both of which came last season.

The OVER is 4-1 in Red Sox last five games overall with combined scores of 9 runs or more in four of the five, and 8 runs in the other.  The Red Sox are scoring 5.7 runs per game overall and 6.1 runs per game at home.  The Angels are scoring 5.4 runs per game overall.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

20* MLB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Cleveland Guardians -1.5 (-140)

Patrick Corbin has been the worst starter in baseball over the past three seasons.  He went 9-16 with a 5.82 ERA and 1.468 WHIP in 31 starts in 2021 and 6-19 with a 6.31 ERA and 1.697 WHIP in 31 starts in 2022.  He hasn't been any better thus far in 2023, going 1-2 with a 7.71 ERA and 2.143 WHIP in three starts this season while allowing 12 earned runs, 3 homers and 30 base runners in 14 innings.

I'll gladly back the Guardians to win this game by two runs or more with ace Shane Bieber on the mound.  Bieber is 55-26 with a 3.15 ERA and 1.93 WHIP in his career over 722 innings.  He is one of the best starters in baseball.  Bieber is 1-0 with a 2.37 ERA and 0.947 WHIP in three starts this season while allowing just 5 earned runs, zero homers and 18 base runners in 19 innings.

The Nationals are 5-25 in Corbin's last 30 starts as an underdog and losing by 3.7 runs per game in this spot.  Cleveland is 9-0 in his last nine road games vs. a NL team with a .390 slugging percentage or worse and winning by 2.9 runs per game in this spot.  Bet the Guardians on the Run Line Sunday.

15* Cubs/Dodgers NL Late-Night BAILOUT on OVER 9

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER ticket tonight between the Cubs and Dodgers.  Temperatures will be in the 60's with 10 MPH winds blowing out to center at Dodger Stadium.  With these two gas cans on the mound, it's not like we need the help.

Michael Grove is 0-1 with a 14.73 ERA and 2.319 WHIP in two starts this season while allowing 12 earned runs and 17 base runners in 7 1/3 innings.  Jameson Taillon is 0-2 with a 7.00 ERA and 1.667 WHIP in two starts this season, allowing 7 earned runs and 15 base runners in 9 innings.  Taillon is 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA and 2.000 WHIP in three career starts against the Dodgers as well.

The Cubs are scoring 5.7 runs per game overall, including 8.7 runs per game at home.  The Dodgers are scoring 5.8 runs per game overall, including 6.6 runs per game against right-handed starters.  Los Angeles has a 5.48 bullpen ERA while Chicago has a 4.27 bullpen ERA.

The OVER is 16-4 in Dodgers last 20 games after allowing 8 runs or more.  The OVER is 8-0 in Dodgers last eight games following a loss.  The Dodgers and their opponents have combined for at least 9 runs in six of their last seven games overall.  The Cubs and their opponents have combined for at least 10 runs in seven of their last 10 games overall.  Bet the OVER in this game Saturday.

20* Warriors/Kings ABC Late-Night BAILOUT on Sacramento PK

The Sacramento Kings will be making their first playoff appearance since 2006.  It's safe to say it's going to be a tremendous atmosphere for Game 1 of this series with fans ready to let out years of frustration in support of this team.

Mike Brown is the coach of the year leading the Kings to a 48-34 record this season and the 3rd seed in the West.  They have stayed remarkably healthy all season and are one of the deepest teams in the NBA.  I think they have a huge advantage over the Warriors when the backups are in as the Warriors lack the depth of years' past when they made NBA Finals runs.

Most just expect the Warriors to flip on the switch, but it's not that easy.  Andrew Wiggins returns but is going to be rusty after missing the past 25 games.  And the Warriors have been one of the worst road teams in the NBA all season, going 11-30 SU & 13-28 ATS on the highway.

Sacramento is 12-1 ATS after failing to cover the spread in two or more consecutive games this season.  Golden State is 16-34-1 ATS in its last 51 road games.  The Kings are 13-5 ATS in the last 18 meetings.  Bet the Kings Saturday.

15* Phillies/Reds NL ANNIHILATOR on OVER 9

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER ticket today between the Phillies and Reds.  Temperatures will be approaching 80 with 10 MPH winds blowing out to left at Great American Ball Park, which is one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball.

Graham Ashcraft and Matt Strahm are both below-average starters in this league despite both getting off to decent starts this season, which is keeping this total lower than it should be.  Both the Phillies and Reds are getting healthier at the plate too and have two very good lineups.

The OVER is 5-1 in Reds last six games overall with 9 or more combined runs in five of those six games.  The OVER is 4-2 in Phillies last six games overall with 10 or more combined runs in four of those six games.  Bet the OVER in this game Saturday.

20* NL TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Diamondbacks/Marlins UNDER 9

LoanDepot Park in Miami is one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in baseball.  There will be 11 MPH winds blowing in from center to boot today to help us cash this UNDER 9 ticket.

I like both young starters going today in Ryne Nelson and Braxton Garrett.  Nelson has posted a 2.76 ERA and 1.023 WHIP in 29 1/3 innings in the big leagues.  Garrett has posted a 4.13 ERA in 137 1/3 innings in the big leagues.

The Diamondbacks are scoring just 2.9 runs per game on the road this season and 2.8 runs per game vs. left-handed starters.  The Marlins are scoring just 3.3 runs per game on the season and 2.5 runs per game at home.

The UNDER is 7-0 in Garrett's last seven starts when working on 5 or 6 days' rest.  The UNDER is 14-4 in Garrett's last 18 starts overall.  Bet the UNDER in this game Saturday.

20* MLB TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Mets/A's OVER 9

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER ticket.  Temperatures will be in the 60's with 10 MPH winds blowing out to right-center at RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland.  With these two gas cans on the mound, it's not like we need the help.

Shuntaro Fujinami has been the worst starter in baseball thus far, going 0-2 with a 17.57 ERA and 2.252 WHIP in two starts while allowing 13 earned runs in 6 2/3 innings.  The A's have a taxed bullpen as they will be playing for a 9th consecutive day after allowing 17, 8, 4, 12, 5, 11, 11 and 9 runs in their last eight games, respectively.

Carlos Carrasco is 0-2 with an 11.42 ERA and 1.961 WHIP in two starts this season while allowing 11 earned runs and 3 homers in 8 2/3 innings.  The Mets are missing their closer and don't have a great bullpen right now, either.

The OVER is 9-1-1 in A's last 11 games overall with combined scores of 10 runs or more in nine of those 11 games.  The OVER is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings.  The OVER is 7-0 in the last seven meetings in Oakland.  Bet the OVER in this game Saturday.

15* Hawks/Celtics ESPN ANNIHILATOR on Atlanta +9.5

The Atlanta Hawks have come up clutch here down the stretch with these games mattering most.  They have gone 4-1 SU in games in which they were actually trying and not resting starters, including their dominant 116-105 win at Miami as 5.5-point underdogs in the Play-In to punch their ticket into the playoffs.

The Hawks are brimming with confidence now and ready to give the Celtics a run for their money in Game 1 of this series today.  The Celtics are getting a lot of love after making the NBA Finals last year.  But they kind of snuck up on everyone in the playoffs last year, and now they are the hunted instead of the hunters.  Asking them to win by double-digits in Game 1 to beat us is asking too much.  

The Hawks are actually more battle-tested and ready after playing a meaningful game earlier this week.  Boston hasn't played a meaningful game since April 4th and could be rusty to open this series as a result.  Bet the Hawks Saturday.

15* MLB Saturday Early ANNIHILATOR on Pirates/Cardinals OVER 8.5

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER ticket today between the Pirates and Cardinals.  Temperatures will be in the 70's with 13 MPH winds blowing out to left at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.  With these two gas cans on the mound, it's not like we need the help.

Steven Matz is 0-2 with an 8.18 ERA and 2.000 WHIP in two starts this season while allowing 10 earned runs and 22 base runners in 11 innings.  Matz is 0-2 with a 16.19 ERA in his last two starts against the Pirates, allowing 12 earned runs and 17 base runners in 6 2/3 innings.

Roansy Contreras is 1-1 with an 8.00 ERA and 1.889 WHIP in two starts this season while allowing 8 earned runs and 17 base runners in 9 innings.  Contreras has allowed 5 earned runs, 2 homers and 14 base runners in 7 1/3 innings in two career starts at Busch Stadium.

Pittsburgh is 16-4 OVER in its last 20 games after allowing 3 runs or less in two consecutive games.  Bet the OVER in this game Saturday.

15* MLB Friday Undervalued Underdog on Chicago Cubs +148

The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of the most overrated teams in baseball this season.  They are 7-6 but you'd be down $320 betting $100 per game on them thus far.  They are once again too heavily favored over the Cubs tonight, and they shouldn't be favored at all considering the big advantage the Cubs have on the mound.

Justin Steele has posted a 3.35 ERA in 188 innings with 196 K's in his career in the majors.  Steele is 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA and 1.000 WHP in two starts this season while allowing just one earned run in 12 innings.  He'll be backed but a Cubs lineup that is scoring 5.5 runs per game overall including 9.0 runs per game on the road this season.

Noah Syndergaard went 10-10 with a 3.94 ERA last season between the Angels and Phillies.  He is off to a rough start this season for the Dodgers, going 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA in two starts while allowing 7 earned runs and 2 homers in 10 innings.  Both starts came against the Diamondbacks.  He is 2-2 with a 4.96 ERA and 1.592 WHIP in six career starts against the Cubs.  Bet the Cubs Friday.

20* Thunder/Timberwolves ESPN No-Brainer on Oklahoma City +5.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder are brimming with confidence after upsetting the Pelicans 123-118 on the road last game.  The Minnesota Timberwolves are questioning themselves after blowing a double-digit lead and scoring just 16 points in the final 16 minutes in an OT loss to the Lakers.

The Timberwolves are also dealing with the Rudy Gobert distractions and some significant injuries heading into this one.  I think 5.5 points is too many for them to be laying against this up-and-coming Thunder team that has been consistently undervalued for two straight seasons and one that just has a knack for playing in close games.

The Thunder are 11-1 ATS when revenging a close loss by 3 points or less over the last two seasons.  The Timberwolves are 2-7 ATS in their last nine home games.  Oklahoma City is 6-1 ATS in its last seven trips to Minnesota.  Bet the Thunder Friday.

20* Interleague TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Braves/Royals OVER 9

The forecast is going to help us cash this OVER ticket tonight between the Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Royals.  Temperatures will be in the 70's tonight at Kauffman Stadium with 14 MPH winds blowing out to left.

Charlie Morton got off to a terrible start last season and history is repeating itself this season.  Morton is 1-1 with a 4.36 ERA and 1.936 WHIP in two starts this season while allowing 5 earned runs and 22 base runners in 10 1/3 innings.  Morton is 1-2 with a 4.44 ERA in four career starts against the Royals.

Brady Singer is 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA in two starts for the Royals this season while allowing 6 earned runs in 11 innings.  He faces one of the best lineups in baseball in the Braves who are scoring 4.8 runs per game on the season including 5.3 runs per game on the road.  The Royals just hung 10 runs on the Rangers last game and come into this series with some confidence at the plate.

The Braves are 15-3 OVER in interleague games over the last two seasons.  Morton is 9-1 OVER in his last 10 road starts as a favorite of -150 or less.  The OVER is 15-4 in Morton's last 19 night starts.  The OVER is 11-2 in Singer's last 13 starts as a dog of +100 to +150.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Los Angeles Angels -114

The Boston Red Sox have lost four consecutive games and their bullpen is taxed as they will be playing for 7th consecutive day after giving up 7, 9 and 9 runs to the Rays in their last three games coming in.  The Los Angeles Angels will be fresh after having yesterday off with a rested bullpen.

The Angels have a big advantage on the mound over the Red Sox tonight as well.  Patrick Sandoval is 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in two starts this season while allowing only 2 earned runs in 11 innings.  He'll be opposed by Tanner Houck, who is 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA while allowing 5 earned runs and 2 homers in 10 innings to the Orioles and Tigers.  This is a step up in class facing this potent Los Angeles lineup.

The Angels are 10-3 in their last 13 games vs. a right-handed starter.  The Red Sox are 0-5 in their last five games vs. a team with a winning record.  Boston is 18-39 in its last 57 games following a loss.  Bet the Angels Friday.

20* MLB Friday No-Doubt Rout on Tampa Bay Rays -119

The Tampa Bay Rays are 13-0 this season with 11 wins by 4 runs or more and 12 wins by 2 runs or more.  They are scoring 7.8 runs per game with an underrated offense, and allowing 2.3 runs per game with one of the best pitching staffs in baseball. They have hit more home runs (32) than runs allowed (30) on the season.  The Rays will be motivated to break the modern day record of 13 straight wins to start a season with their 14th victory Friday in Game 1 of this series at Toronto.

The Rays have a big advantage on the mound tonight.  Drew Rasmussen is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 0.231 WHIP in two starts this season while pitching 13 shutout innings and allowing only 3 base runners with 15 K's.  Rasmussen has posted a 2.45 ERA and 1.064 WHIP in seven career starts against Toronto.

Jose Berrios went 12-7 with a 5.23 ERA and 1.419 WHIP in 32 starts for the Blue Jays last season.  He is off to a terrible start this season, going 0-2 with an 11.17 ERA and 1.861 WHIP in two starts while allowing 12 earned runs and 18 base runners in 9 2/3 innings.  Berrios is 1-4 with a 5.86 ERA in eight career starts against the Rays.  He allowed 6 earned runs in 2 innings of a 10-5 loss to Tampa Bay in his last start against them.  Bet the Rays Friday.

15* AL TOTAL OF THE DAY on Rays/Blue Jays OVER 9

The Tampa Bay Rays are 13-0 this season and scoring 7.8 runs per game.  They are more than capable of covering this 9-run total on their own inside the hitter-friendly confines of Rogers Center.  Drew Rasmussen is a stud, but the Blue Jays will score enough runs to help push this one OVER the total.

Jose Berrios went 12-7 with a 5.23 ERA and 1.419 WHIP in 32 starts for the Blue Jays last season.  He is off to a terrible start this season, going 0-2 with an 11.17 ERA and 1.861 WHIP in two starts while allowing 12 earned runs and 18 base runners in 9 2/3 innings.  Berrios is 1-4 with a 5.86 ERA in eight career starts against the Rays.  He allowed 6 earned runs in 2 innings of a 10-5 loss to Tampa Bay in his last start against them.

The OVER is 8-1-1 in Rays last 10 games overall.  The OVER is 4-1 in the last five meetings.  The OVER is 13-3 in Berrios' last 16 starts during the first half of the season.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

20* Bulls/Heat TNT No-Brainer on Chicago +5.5

The Chicago Bulls come into this game with a ton of confidence after coming back from 19 points down to beat the Raptors last game.  I think they are once again catching too many points against the Miami Heat tonight after the Heat are questioning themselves after getting upset 105-116 at home by the Hawks in a game they were never really in.

Adding to the Bulls' confidence is the fact that they are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their three meetings with the Heat this season with three outright upset victories as underdogs.  It should be more of the same here as I expect them to win this game outright, but we'll take the points for some insurance.

The Heat are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games following a loss by more than 10 points.  Chicago is 14-5 ATS off an upset win as an underdog this season.  Miami is 9-22 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  Bet the Bulls Friday.

20* MLB Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (-104)

The Tampa Bay Rays are 12-0 this season with 10 wins by 4 runs or more and 11 wins by 2 runs or more.  They are scoring 7.7 runs per game with an underrated offense, and allowing 2.2 runs per game with one of the best pitching staffs in baseball. They have hit more home runs (30) than runs allowed (27) on the season.  The Rays improve to 13-0 this season when they host the Boston Red Sox for Game 4 of this series this afternoon.

Tampa Bay has a big advantage on the mound today with Jeffrey Springs over Corey Kluber.  Springs went 9-5 with a 2.46 ERA and 1.071 WHIP in 135 1/3 innings last season.  He is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 0.538 WHIP in two starts this season, pitching 13 shutout innings while allowing only 7 base runners with 19 K's to boot.

Corey Kluber went 10-10 with a 4.34 ERA in 31 starts for the Rays last season, so they are very familiar with his stuff.  Kluber is 0-2 with a 6.48 ERA and 1.681 WHIP in two starts this season, allowing 6 earned runs, 3 homers and 14 base runners in 8 1/3 innings.  He has allowed 7 earned runs and 13 base runners in 4 innings in his last two starts against the Rays.  Bet the Rays on the Run Line Thursday.

20* Bulls/Raptors ESPN No-Brainer on UNDER 213.5

Playoff intensity defense is a different animal.  Teams go all regular season without playing much defense especially this season.  But it will be different in the playoffs, and I think we get some inflated totals early on we can take advantage of by backing UNDERS.  This is one of those totals.

The Raptors rank 25th in pace while the Bulls rank 18th, so this game will be played in the half court.  The Bulls have been improved defensively since getting Patrick Beverly and rank 3rd in defensive rating over the past 15 games.  The Raptors rank 5th in defensive rating over their past 15 games.

This has been a low scoring series as the UNDER is 4-0 in the last four meetings with combined scores of 202, 208, 217 and 212 points, respectively.  As you can see, these teams have combined to go UNDER this 213.5-point total in three of their last four meetings, and those were regular season meetings.  I'll be surprised if these teams come close to topping this 213.5-point total while playing with playoff-intensity defense.  Bet the UNDER in this game Wednesday.