15* Nuggets/Suns TNT ANNIHILATOR on Phoenix -5

The Phoenix Suns just knocked off LeBron James and the Lakers with three striaght wins by 8, 30 and 13 points.  No team has been more impressive than them in these playoffs thus far.  And now they actually take a step down here against the Denver Nuggets.

The Nuggets were able to get by the Blazers without Jamal Murray and Will Barton.  But the Blazers don't play defense like the Suns, who have been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA this season.  Denver's offense will bog down in this series against the Suns, starting with Game 1 tonight.

The Nuggets are 0-4 ATS in their last four games playing on three or more days' rest.  The Suns are 37-14-1 ATS in their last 52 games vs. a team with a winning record.  Phoenix is 6-1 ATS in its last seven playoff games as a favorite.  Take the Suns in Game 1 Monday.

25* NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs GAME OF THE YEAR on Milwaukee Bucks ML +100

The Milwaukee Bucks will bounce back with a victory in Game 2 after a poor shooting performance in Game 1.  They had gone 12-2 in their previous 14 games prior to that Game 1 defeat.

I have a hard time seeing Milwaukee shooting 6-of-30 (20%) from 3-point range again.  The Bucks are too good of a shooting team for that to happen, and I also like the fact that they won't have to deal with James Harden in Game 2.  He is out with a hamstring injury.

The Bucks are 29-12-1 ATS in their last 42 meetings with the Nets.  Milwaukee is 16-4-1 ATS in its last 21 trips to Brooklyn.  Bet the Bucks in Game 2 Monday.

15* MLB Monday PLAY OF THE DAY on Miami Marlins +133

The Boston Red Sox are in a huge letdown spot against the Marlins Monday.  They just swept the New York Yankees over the weekend, including a 6-5 win in Game 3 on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball last night.  They won't be nearly as motivated to face the Marlins as they were the Yankees.

Miami has the advantage on the mound today over the Red Sox.  Pablo Lopez has posted a 2.82 ERA and 1.149 WHIP in 12 starts this season, including 2.00 ERA and 0.889 WHIP in his last three.  He has 68 K's in 67 innings as well.

Nick Pivetta has solid numbers but has come back down to reality of late, going 1-1 with a 5.29 ERA in his last three starts.  Pivetta has surprisingly struggled against the Marlins when he was in the NL East.  He is 2-3 with a 5.64 ERA in eight career starts against Miami.  Roll with the Marlins Monday.

15* MLB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Chicago Cubs -106

The Chicago Cubs have lost each of the first three games in this series to the San Francisco Giants.  Tempers flared in their dugout between Rizzo and Contreras, which just shows how irritated they are.  They will come back highly motivated for a victory in Game 4 to avoid the sweep here Sunday.

I like their chances with Kyle Hendricks on the mound.  Hendricks has gotten back to his old dominant self recently by going 4-0 with a 2.60 ERA in his last four starts while allowing just 8 earned runs in 27 2/3 innings.

Hendricks owns the Giants, going 4-2 with a 2.32 ERA and 0.939 WHIP in nine career starts against them.  He'll be opposed by Johnny Cueto, who is past his prime but getting respect from oddsmakers now after a decent start to the season.  Cueto is 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA in his last two starts against the Cubs while allowing 7 earned runs and 5 homers in 11 innings.

Chicago is 20-6 when playing with triple revenge over the last three seasons.  The Cubs are 14-6 in their last 20 games overall.  Chicago is 12-3 in its last 15 games as a favorite.  Roll with the Cubs Sunday.

20* NL GAME OF THE MONTH on St. Louis Cardinals -116

The St. Louis Cardinals will be highly motivated for a victory Sunday after losing four straight games.  That includes losses in the first three games of this series to the Reds, so they are looking to avoid the sweep in Game 4 this afternoon.

I'll gladly back one of the most underrated starters in baseball in John Gant again today as he has been a money maker for me this season.  Gant is 4-3 with a 1.60 ERA in 10 starts this season and 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in his last two starts while pitching 11 shutout innings against the Dodgers and White Sox, which is no small feat.

I'll gladly fade Wade Miley, who is 1-2 with a 6.58 ERA and 2.121 WHIP in his last three starts.  Miley is 3-5 with a 3.91 ERA and 1.638 WHIP in nine career starts against the Cardinals as well.  Gant faced the Reds on April 24 in his only career start against them and pitched 6 shutout innings in a 2-0 victory.  

St. Louis is 16-5 in its last 21 games as a favorite.  The Cardinals are 13-4 in their last 17 during Game 4 of a series.  St. Louis is 6-1 in its last seven games vs. a left-handed starter.  Take the Cardinals Sunday.

20* Hawks/76ers ABC No-Brainer on Philadelphia -3.5

This line is set with the assumption that Joel Embiid isn't playing.  If he plays it would just be an added bonus.  But the 76ers have proven they can win without him all season, including their 129-112 win over the Washington Wizards in Game 5 last series.

The Atlanta Hawks are getting a lot of respect in Game 1 of this series after taking down the New York Knicks last series.  But the Knicks were a great regular season team because of their grittiness from night to night.  They weren't a great playoff team because they were seriously short on talent.

The 76ers have been one of the best home teams in the NBA over the last handful of seasons.  That was the case again this season as they are 32-7 SU & 24-14-1 ATS at home, including 10-0 SU & 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games.  That includes two home wins over the Hawks by 22 and 44 points during this stretch.  Bet the 76ers Sunday.

20* Bucks/Nets TNT No-Brainer on Milwaukee +4

The Milwaukee Bucks made a statement in the first round by sweeping the Miami Heat.  Not only did they win that series, they dominated it by outscoring the Heat by an average of 20.5 points per game in the four wins.

It's clear that the Bucks are more built for the playoffs this season than they were last year.  They added guys like Jrue Holiday, PJ Tucker and Brynn Forbes to make them a lot more versatile.  The upgrade from Eric Bledsoe to Holiday has been a massive one.

The Nets were also dominant in knocking off the Celtics in five games.  But that was a Boston team playing without one of its best players in Jaylen Brown for the entire series and another of its top players in Kemba Walker for a big portion of it.  I don't think you can put too much stock in their series win.

The Bucks went 2-1 SU & 2-1 ATS against the Nets in their three meetings this season with their only loss coming by two points on the road.  And keep in mind they were favored in all three of those games, and now they are 4-point dogs in Game 1, so there is value with the Bucks here.  Milwaukee is 29-11-1 ATS in the last 41 meetings and 16-4-1 ATS in the last 21 meetings in Brooklyn.  Bet the Bucks Saturday.

20* MLB GAME OF THE WEEK on Chicago White Sox -1.5 (-116)

The Chicago White Sox are 28-3 against left-handed starters over the last two seasons and winning these games by 3.9 runs per game.  I'll back them on the Run Line today as they tee off on lefty Tarik Dkubal and the Detroit Tigers.

Skubal is 2-6 with a 4.78 ERA and 1.408 WHIP in nine starts this season, including 1-3 with a 7.31 ERA and 1.687 WHIP in four road starts.  He has made one career start against the White Sox and came away with an 18.00 ERA after allowing 4 earned runs and 8 base runners in 2 innings.

Lucas Giolito has allowed one earned runs or less in five of his last six starts.  He has gone 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA and 0.810 WHIP in his last three starts with 28 K's in 21 innings.  He is backed to being the same dominant starter that he was a year ago.  

The White Sox are 24-6 in their last 30 meetings with the Tigers, including 16-3 in their last 19 meetings in Chicago.  Bet the White Sox on the Run Line Saturday.

15* MLB Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Tigers/White Sox OVER 8

The Chicago White Sox are 28-3 against left-handed starters over the last two seasons and scoring 6.9 runs per game.  They are hitting .290 and scoring 7.0 runs per game against left-handed starters in 2021.

Tarik Skubal is 2-6 with a 4.78 ERA and 1.408 WHIP in nine starts this season, including 1-3 with a 7.31 ERA and 1.687 WHIP in four road starts.  He has made one career start against the White Sox and came away with an 18.00 ERA after allowing 4 earned runs and 8 base runners in 2 innings.

Lucas Giolito has been dominant of late, and he will likely hold the Tigers in check, but they will contribute enough runs to get this OVER 8 today.  And don't be surprised if the White Sox cover the 8 runs on their own after scoring 9 against the Tigers yesterday.  Take the OVER in this game Saturday.

20* Clippers/Mavericks ESPN No-Brainer on Los Angeles -2.5

The road team is now 5-0 SU & 5-0 ATS in this series.  It should be more of the same here with the Clippers staving off elimination in Game 6.  The Clippers have won their two meetings at Dallas by 10 and 25 points.  Los Angeles is now 8-2 in its last 10 road meetings with the Mavericks.

The Clippers are still the more complete team in this series despite being down.  They are way better than Dallas defensively, and they have more pieces that can help them win offensively with Kawhi and George leading the way.  The Mavericks are too reliant upon Luka Doncic for my liking, and he is still banged up.

The Clippers are 14-2 ATS in their last 16 games after failing to cover five or six of their last seven games.  Dallas is 6-17 ATS in its last 23 home games off a road win.  Bet the Clippers Friday.

20* MLB Friday No-Doubt Rout on St. Louis Cardinals -134

The St. Louis Cardinals will be highly motivated for a victory tonight after losing four of their last five games overall, including Game 1 of this series to the Cincinnati Reds.  They will bounce back with a victory at home here Friday night.

I like what I've seen from St. Louis starter Kwang-Hyun Kim, who has posted a 3.65 ERA in eight starts with just 3 homers allowed in 37 innings.  Kim has been at his best at home, going 1-0 with a 1.84 ERA and 1.159 WHIP in three starts.  Kim has never lost to the Reds, going 3-0 with a 0.54 ERA and 0.780 WHIP in three career starts against them, allowing just one earned run in 16 2/3 innings.

Luis Castillo has completely fallen apart this season for the Reds.  He is 1-8 with a 7.22 ERA and 1.777 WHIP in 11 starts, including 0-4 with an 8.73 ERA and 1.809 WHIP in five road starts.  Castillo has been rocked in his two starts against the Cardinals this season, going 0-2 with a 12.97 ERA while allowing 12 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings.

Castillo is 0-9 as an underdog of over the last two seasons.  Kim is 6-0 vs. good power teams that average 1.25 or more homers per game over the last two seasons.  Bet the Cardinals Friday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Kansas City Royals -116

The Minnesota Twins have been one of the biggest money burners in baseball this season.  They are just 22-34 (-21.9 units) on the year.  The Kansas City Royals have gone 28-26 (+4.5 units) and have been one of the more underrated teams in baseball.

The Royals are 5-1 in their last six games overall and have scored at least 6 runs in all six games.  Now they will tee off on Matt Shoemaker, who is 2-6 with a 5.90 ERA and 1.431 WHIP in 10 starts this season.

Brad Keller is 2-0 with a 3.64 ERA in his last three starts and pitching well.  Keller is 2-2 with a 3.20 ERA and 1.170 WHIP in seven career starts against Minnesota as well.

Shoemaker has never beaten the Royals, going 0-5 with a 9.09 ERA and 1.935 WHIP in eight career starts against them.  That includes two starts in 2021 in which he has allowed 13 earned runs in 7 2/3 innings to the Royals.  Shoemaker's teams are 0-8 in his eight career starts against Kansas City.   Roll with the Royals Friday.

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

The weather is going to help us cash this OVER inside hitter-friendly Camden Yards Friday night.  Temperatures in Baltimore will be 80 degrees at game time with light winds blowing straight out to center.

Jean Carlos Mejia will be making his first start of the season for the Indians, while Keegan Akin will be making just his second start for the Orioles.  Both guys are fringe starters in the big leagues and will get rocked tonight.

The OVER is 5-0 in Indians last five games during Game 1 of a series.  The OVER is 15-5-1 in Indians last 21 games vs. a left-handed starter.  The OVER is 6-0 in Orioles last six home games vs. a team with a winning record.  The OVER is 9-1 in Orioles last 10 games with a total set of 9 to 10.5 runs.  Take the OVER in this game Friday.

20* Nuggets/Blazers TNT No-Brainer on Portland -5

The Portland Trail Blazers will respond today and keep their season alive with a win and cover at home in Game 6.  They will get a much better performance from their role players at home than they did on the road at Denver in Game 5, wasting a huge game from Damian Lillard.

But remember that Lillard only had one field goal in Game 4 and the Blazers won going away 115-95.  Powell had 29 points, McCollum 21, Nurkic 17 and Anthony 12.  Role players just tend to play better at home where they are more comfortable.

Plays against road underdogs (Denver) - after going over the total by more than 30 points in their previous game, a good team (60% to 75%) playing a team with a winning record are 25-4 (86.2%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Blazers Thursday.

15* Interleague PLAY OF THE DAY on Texas Rangers +117

The Texas Rangers have lost eight straight games including the first two games of this series to the Colorado Rockies.  They will be highly motivated to get a win and avoid the sweep in Game 3 here Thursday afternoon.

I really like what I've seen of late from Texas starter Mike Foltynewicz, who has been much better than his 1-5 record would suggest this season.  In his last two starts, Foltynewicz has held the Mariners and Astros to just 2 earned runs and 12 base runners in 14 innings for a 1.29 ERA.

Foltynewicz has allowed just 4 earned runs and 11 base runners in 13 innings in his last two starts against the Rockies as well.  He'll be opposed by Austin Gomber, who is 3-5 with a 4.55 ERA in 11 starts this season for the Rockies.

Texas is 10-2 (+10.9 units) in its last 12 games following eight or more consecutive losses.  The Rangers are 12-8 (+9.6 units) against left-handed starters this season.  Foltynewicz is 8-0 (+9.3 units) when the total is 10 or higher over the last two seasons.  Roll with the Rangers Thursday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Boston Red Sox +120

The Boston Red Sox have lost each of their first three meetings with the Houston Astros in this series.  They will be highly motivated to avoid the sweep with a win in Game 4 this afternoon.

The Red Sox have the advantage on the mound and are underdogs, so we'll back them in this spot.  Martin Perez is 3-2 with a 3.55 ERA in 10 starts this season, including 1-1 with a 2.91 ERA in four road starts.  Perez is 7-4 with a 2.70 ERA in 12 career starts against the Astros as well.

Jake Odorizzi is still in search of his first victory for the Astros this season.  He is 0-2 with a 6.76 ERA in four starts this season and averaging just 3.3 innings per start.  Odorizzi is 4-6 with a 4.70 ERA in 18 career starts against the Red Sox as well.

Perez is 9-3 (+9.2 units) as a road underdog over the last two seasons.  Boston is 11-5 (+9.7 units) as an underdog this season.  Take the Red Sox Thursday.

15* Grizzlies/Jazz NBA TV ANNIHILATOR on Memphis +9.5

All four games have gone down to the wire in this series despite that fact that the Jazz are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in the last three meetings.  All three games were decided by 12 points or less, and the last two the Jazz pulled away late in close games.

I think there's value with the Grizzlies, who have been an extremely resilient team this season and won't go down without a fight in Game 5.  Asking the Jazz to beat them by double-digits to cover this spread is simply asking too much.

The Grizzlies are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as road underdogs.  The Jazz are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 home games.  Memphis is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 trips to Salt Lake City.  Roll with the Grizzlies Wednesday.

20* Hawks/Knicks TNT No-Brainer on New York -1

The New York Knicks have yet to play up to their potential in this series.  I think we get the best out of them with their season on the line in Game 5 tonight at home.

The Knicks haven't shot better than 44.7% in any game this series, and they have shot 42% or worse in three straight games.  They played their two best games at home where they lost by 2 in Game 1 and came back and won by 9 in Game 2.  There is some real good energy in Madison Square Garden right now with the Knicks finally back in the playoffs.

New York is 26-6 ATS when the line is +3 to -3 this season, including 18-2 ATS at home when the line is +3 to -3 this season.  The Hawks are 1-6 ATS in their last seven road games.  New York is 6-0-1 ATS in its last seven games when playing on two days' rest.  Bet the Knicks Wednesday.

15* Wizards/76ers NBA TV ANNIHILATOR on Washington +6

The Washington Wizards have some life now after winning Game 4 to stave off elimination.  This will be a dangerous team the rest this series, especially now that Joel Embiid is doubtful for the 76ers with a knee injury.  Philadelphia should not be a 6-point favorite over Washington without Embiid.

Embiid had 30 points in Game 1, 22 in Game 2 and 36 in Game 3.  He means everything to this team, and the game really flipped in Washington's favor when Embiid went out with that knee injury in the 2nd quarter in Game 4.  Now the 76ers will have to go small ball, which plays right into Washington's hands.  They didn't have an answer for Embiid inside, but now they don't have to worry about it.

The Wizards are 20-7-1 ATS in their last 28 games overall.  Washington is 12-3-1 ATS in its last 16 road games.  The Wizards are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games as road underdogs.  Take the Wizards Wednesday.

15* MLB Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Twins/Orioles OVER 9.5

Both the Twins and Orioles should score enough runs to combine for 10 or more today in Baltimore.  The forecast will help the OVER with 11 MPH winds blowing out to left field and temperatures in the 70's tonight.

The bad Matt Harvey has returned for the Orioles.  He has allowed 23 earned runs in 13 2/3 innings in his last four starts for a 15.14 ERA.  He'll be opposed by Randy Dobnak, who just allowed 6 earned runs in 6 innings of a 3-8 loss to the Royals in his last start for the Twins.

Minnesota is 35-17-2 OVER in all games this season.  The OVER is 13-2-1 in Twins last 16 games with a total set of 9 to 10.5, including 6-0 in their last six road games with a total of 9 to 10.5.  The OVER is 9-0 in Orioles last nine games with a total set of 9 to 10.5.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* MLB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on San Diego Padres +110

The San Diego Padres had gone 16-3 in their previous 19 games prior to losing three straight.  That includes the first two games of this series to the Cubs.  It's safe to say they will be highly motivated to avoid the sweep today.

Dinelson Lamet is one of the more underrated starters in the big leagues.  He has posted a 3.00 ERA in his four starts this season and will shut down the Cubs for as long as he is in there today.

Adbert Alzolay has had problems with giving up the homer this season.  He has allowed 9 homers in 49 2/3 innings for the Cubs this season.  Take the Padres Wednesday.

15* MLB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on St. Louis Cardinals +187

John Gant has been one of the most underrated starters in baseball for the Cardinals this season.  He has gone 4-3 with a 1.81 ERA in nine starts while allowing just one homer in 44 2/3 innings.  He should not be this big of an underdog to the Dodgers today.

The Dodgers have lost four of their last six games and are dealing with a ton of injuries right now.  The Cardinals will get to their bullpen early as David Price is averaging just 2.3 innings per start this season.

The Cardinals are 17-7 in their last 24 games following two or more consecutive losses.  Roll with the Cardinals Tuesday.

20* Blazers/Nuggets NBA TV No-Brainer on Portland +2

The best Portland team is better than the best Denver team right now due to the Nuggets being without Murray and Barton.  And we've seen the best Portland team twice in this series in their 14-point win in Game 1 and their 20-point win in Game 4.  I expect we get the best Portland team in Game 5 tonight with this series in the balance.

The Nuggets just don't have much help outside Nikola Jokic and they are asking him to do too much.  While he is likely an MVP, he isn't good enough to carry a team like other superstars in this league.  Especially not without Murray, and we saw how huge Murray was for this team in the playoffs last year.

Portland is 11-3 ATS on the road when the line is +3 to -3 this season.  Denver is 5-14 ATS when revenging a road loss this season.  The Blazers are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 road games.  Portland is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings.  Wrong team favored here.  Bet the Blazers Tuesday.

20* MLB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (-104)

The Baltimore Orioles are 0-14 in their last 14 games overall with 11 losses by two runs or more.  The Orioles are 2-21 in their last 23 games as well.  The Twins have turned the corner in going 8-3 in their last 11 games overall while scoring 6 runs or more in six of the eight wins.

The Twins have a big advantage on the mound tonight that should lead them to winning this game by two runs or more.  Michael Pineda is 3-2 with a 2.62 ERA and 0.985 WHIP in eight starts this season.

Pineda is 6-3 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.187 WHIP in 14 career starts against Baltimore.  He'll be opposed by Bruce Zimmerman, who is 1-3 with a 5.68 ERA and 1.684 WHIP in eight starts this season for the Orioles.

The Twins are 10-0 in their last 10 meetings with the Orioles and winning by 4 runs per game.  Take the Twins on the Run Line Tuesday.

20* Jazz/Grizzlies TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Memphis +6

The Memphis Grizzlies have battled the Utah Jazz in all three games and have held their own.  Now they are in a must-win in Game 4 here at home to try and even this series as they head back to Salt Lake City for Game 5.

The Grizzlies actually took a late lead in Game 3 before closing cold from the field.  They wound up shooting just 43% overall and 31.7% from 3-point range, while the Jazz shot 49.4% overall and 44.2% from free throw range while attempting 13 more free throws than the Grizzlies.  

It was impressive to see the Grizzlies actually take a late lead despite those differences in Game 3.  If they can close the gap just a little, they will easily cover this 6-point spread and possibly win this thing outright.

The Grizzlies are 22-10 ATS in their last 32 games playing on one days' rest.  Memphis is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games as an underdog, including 5-1 ATS in its last six games as a home underdog.  The Grizzlies are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a double-digit home loss.  Bet the Grizzlies Monday.

20* MLB Monday No-Doubt Rout on Oakland A's -123

The Oakland A's have a big advantage on the mound today over the Seattle Mariners and should be bigger favorites because of it.  But the Mariners are getting some respect after winning six of their last seven games overall, and now it's time to fade them.

James Kaprielian has been dominant for the A's this season, going 2-0 with a 1.53 ERA and 0.905 WHIP in three starts with 19 K's in 17 2/3 innings.  One of those starts came against Seattle last time out as he pitched 7 shutout innings while allowing only four base runners in a 6-3 victory.

Logan Gilbert is 0-2 with a 7.59 ERA and 1.406 WHIP in three starts this season, including 0-2 with a 9.45 ERA and 1.649 WHIP in two home starts.

Oakland is 7-1 in road games following a loss this season.  The A's are 12-2 in their last 14 during Game 1 of a series.  Oakland is 14-6 in its last 20 road games.  The A's are 80-39 in their last 119 vs. a team with a losing record.  The Mariners are 42-88 in their last 130 vs. a team with a winning record.  Take the A's Monday.

15* MLB Monday Early ANNIHILATOR on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (+102)

The Baltimore Orioles are 0-13 in their last 13 games overall with 11 losses by two runs or more.  The Orioles are 2-20 in their last 22 games as well.  Getting the Twins as underdogs on the Run Line today is a gift from oddsmakers.

The Twins have turned the corner in going 7-3 in their last 10 games overall while scoring 6 runs or more in six of the seven wins.  They should get to that number today against Jorge Lopez, who is 1-6 with a 5.80 ERA and 1.466 WHIP in 10 starts this season, including 0-3 with a 7.78 ERA and 1.729 WHIP in five home starts.

Lopez is 1-2 with a 6.08 ERA in five career starts against the Twins.  Jose Berrios has never lost to the Orioles, going 6-0 with a 3.27 ERA in seven career starts against them.  Berrios has been at his best on the road this season, going 2-1 with a 2.60 ERA and 0.940 WHIP in five road starts.

Baltimore is 1-11 in home games vs. right-handed starters this season, losing by 3.5 runs per game on average.  Roll with the Twins on the Run Line Monday.

20* Clippers/Mavs TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles -3

The Los Angeles Clippers could have packed it in down 0-2 and down 19 points early in Game 3 to the Dallas Mavericks.  Instead, they showed tremendous resiliency and came back to win 118-108 behind huge games from Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.  Now they will be playing with unbelievable confidence in Game 4 tonight.

Conversely, the Mavericks might not react very well to blowing that huge lead.  And now they have to deal with an injury to their best player in Luka Doncic, who went into halftime with a shoulder injury and it was clearly still bothering him in the second half.  He played through it but wasn't nearly as effective.  At the very least he won't be 100% tonight, even though he's listed as questionable.

The road team has won all three meetings in this series and it will be more of the same tonight.  The Clippers are 7-2 ATS in their last nine trips to Dallas.  Bet the Clippers Sunday.

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on St. Louis Cardinals -114

The Arizona Diamondbacks are 0-13 in their last 13 games overall.  Yet they continue to get respect from oddsmakers and are priced at close to even money almost every game during this skid.  It blows my mind.

I'll side with the Cardinals, who have won four straight and have scored 4 runs or more in all four victories.  I like what I've seen from Kwang-Hyun Kim, who is 1-2 with a 3.09 ERA in seven starts this season while allowing just two homers in 32 innings.

The Cardinals are 11-4 in Kim's 15 starts over the past two seasons.  St. Louis is 7-0 in its last seven games as road favorites.  The Cardinals are 13-3 in their last 16 during Game 4 of a series.  Take the Cardinals Sunday.

15* Suns/Lakers ABC ANNIHILATOR on Phoenix +6.5

There is a lot being made of the Chris Paul injury, but he's going to be fine.  The Lakers have injuries of their own that aren't getting publicized as much with both Anthony Davis (knee) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (knee) both questionable for this one.

I fully expect the Suns to bounce back with a much better performance in Game 4 after losing the last two games in this series.  They shot just 42.7% in Game 3 and are a much better shooting team than they have shown thus far in this series.

Phoenix is 10-2 ATS when revenging a road loss this season.  Los Angeles is 4-17 ATS in its last 21 home games off a home win by 10 points or more.  The Suns are 22-8 ATS in their last 30 games following an ATS loss.  Phoenix is 35-16-1 ATS in its last 52 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Lakers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 home games.  Roll with the Suns Sunday.

20* AL Sunday No-Doubt Rout on New York Yankees -155

The New York Yankees have lost four of their last five games overall, including the first two games of this series to the lowly Detroit Tigers.  They will be highly motivated to avoid the sweep and to get back on track Sunday.

The Yankees should tee off on Tarik Skubal, who is 1-6 with a 5.55 ERA and 1.473 WHIP in eight starts this season.  Skubal allowed 4 earned runs and 3 homers in 3 innings of a 10-0 loss to the Yankees earlier this season on April 30th.

Detroit is 5-23 in its last 28 home games after two straight games where it committed zero errors.  The Yankees are 41-16 in their last 57 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  The Tigers are 16-54 in their last 70 home games vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet the Yankees Sunday.

20* Knicks/Hawks ABC No-Brainer on New York +5

A 22-5 run to close the 1st half was the difference in the Hawks winning 105-94 over the Knicks in Game 3.  The Knicks will bounce back in Game 4 with a likely outright win to even this series, but we'll take the points for some insurance.

Everything went right for the Hawks in Game 3.  They shot 51.9% as a team and a ridiculous 16-of-27 (59.3%) from 3-point range.  That's not going to happen again.  Meanwhile, the Knicks shot just 36.2% as a team and 9-of-30 (30%) from 3-point range.  Yet they still only lost by 11 points.  Those percentages will narrow here in Game 4.

The Knicks are 15-5 ATS in their last 20 games following a loss.  New York is 13-4 ATS in its last 17 road games.  The Knicks are 36-16-1 ATS in their last 53 games overall.  New York is 7-2-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings.  The Knicks are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 meetings in Atlanta.  Take the Knicks Sunday.

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (+112)

The Los Angeles Dodgers are 13-3 in their last 16 games overall with 11 of those wins coming by 2 runs or more.  They will be motivated to bounce back from a loss to the Giants in extra innings last night.

The Dodgers have a big advantage on the mound behind Julio Urias, who is 7-1 with a 3.03 ERA and 0.818 WHIP in 10 starts this season.  Urias is 1-1 with a 2.20 ERA and 1.178 WHIP in 10 career starts against the Giants as well.

He'll be opposed by Logan Webb, who is 3-3 with a 4.19 ERA and 1.419 WHIP in eight starts this season, including 1-3 with a 5.76 ERA and 1.600 WHIP in five road starts.  Webb has never beaten the Dodgers, going 0-2 with a 5.27 ERA and 1.463 WHIP in three career starts against them.

The Dodgers are 42-14 in their last 56 home games.  Los Angeles is 61-28 in its last 89 games following a loss.  Bet the Dodgers on the Run Line Saturday.

20* NBA Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Washington Wizards +6.5

The Washington Wizards are in must-win mode in Game 3 tonight as the series shifts to Washington.  The Wizards won't go away quietly as they showed tremendous resiliency down the stretch when their odds to miss the playoffs were like 99%.

Washington had a woeful shooting performance in Game 2, making just 40.2% from the field and 2-of-22 (9.1%) from 3-point range.  That won't happen again.  This happened against Boston in the play-in round and they bounced back with a 142-115 home win over Indiana to get into the playoffs.

The Wizards are 10-1 SU in their last 11 home games with their only loss coming by 3 points in overtime.  Philadelphia is 2-12 ATS in its last 14 road games following two or more consecutive home wins.  The Wizards are 5-0 ATS in their last five games following an ATS loss.  Washington is 7-1-1 ATS in its last nine games following a SU loss.  The Wizards are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games vs. a team with a winning record.  Washington is 19-6-1 ATS in its last 26 games overall.  Take the Wizards Saturday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on New York Yankees -130

It's rare you'll get the opportunity to back a team the caliber of the New York Yankees as this short of a favorite against a team as poor as the Detroit Tigers.  But that's the opportunity the books have given us today and we'll take advantage.

Spencer Turnbull is getting too much respect from oddsmakers due to his recent no-hitter.  He came back as a favorite in his next start and lost to the Cleveland Indians.  And he continues to get too much respect today as a short dog to the Yankees.  Turnbull has never beaten the Yankees, going 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA in two career starts against them.

Deivi Garcia is being overlooked here because he has made just one start this season for the Yankees.  But he will look like a Cy Young contender against this woeful Detroit lineup that is hitting .224 and scoring 3.5 runs per game this season.

The Yankees are 41-16 in their last 57 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  The Tigers are 15-54 in their last 69 home games vs. a team with a winning record.  New York is 5-1 in the last six meetings and will be motivated to bounce back from a walk-off loss yesterday.  Roll with the Yankees Saturday.

20* NBA Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Portland Trail Blazers -4

This is a big bounce-back spot for the Portland Trail Blazers after losing the last two games in this series to fall behind 2-1.  This is essentially a must-win for them, and I fully expect them to play like it and be the team playing with more sense of urgency today.

I also don't expect the Nuggets to shoot as well as they did in Game 3.  They shot 20-of-38 (52.6%) from 3-point range while Portland shot just 14-of-45 (31.1%) from 3-point range.  Yet the Blazers only lost by 5.  Austin Rivers won't be as good as he was in Game 3 either as he single-handedly won the game for them down the stretch.

Denver is 21-38 ATS in its last 59 games following two or more consecutive wins.  Plays on favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (Portland) - playing with double revenge off against an opponent that's off an upset win over a division rival as an underdog are 71-36 (66.4%) ATS since 1996.  Bet the Blazers in Game 4 Saturday.

20* MLB Friday No-Doubt Rout on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (+113)

The Dodgers have put their slow start behind them and have been playing like the defending World Series champs for a few weeks now.  Indeed, the Dodgers are 13-2 in their last 15 games overall with 11 of those wins coming by two runs or more.

It should be more of the same here against the San Francisco Giants due to their advantage on the mound.  Walker Buehler is 3-0 with a 2.78 ERA and 0.891 WHIP in nine starts this season.  Buehler has never lost to the Giants, going 5-0 with a 2.57 ERA in six career starts against them.  The Dodgers are 6-0 in those games with five wins by 3 runs or more.

Anthony Desclafini is 1-6 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.553 WHIP in six career starts against the Dodgers.  He has lost each of his last four starts against the Dodgers all by 4 runs or more.  That includes one start in 2021 which was his last start where he allowed 10 earned runs in 2 2/3 innings of a 5-11 defeat.

The Dodgers are 25-5 in their last 30 games following a win by two runs or less, winning by 3.0 runs per game in this spot.  Roll with the Dodgers on the Run Line Friday.

20* Clippers/Mavericks ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on Los Angeles -2.5

The Dallas Mavericks shot 50% in Game 1 and made 17 3-pointers at a 47.2% clip.  The Mavericks followed it up with an even better performance in Game 2, shooting 58.5% from the field while making 18 3-pointers at a 52.9% clip.

I have to think the Mavericks will cool off partly due to regression, but also because the Clippers will make the proper adjustments to slow down Luka Doncic.  Whether that be Kawhi Leonard guarding him most the game or not, there will be adjustments made.

I really like the Clippers in this do-or-die situation to get a Game 3 victory and get back in this series.  Los Angeles is 33-20 ATS in its last 53 games following a loss.  The Clippers are 22-10 ATS in their last 32 road games when revenging a same-season loss.  Los Angeles is 6-2 ATS in its last eight trips to Dallas.

Plays on favorites (LA Clippers) - revenging a SU loss vs. opponent as a favorite of 7 points or more against an opponent that is off two consecutive upset wins as underdogs are 53-23 (69.7%) ATS since 1996.  Bet the Clippers Friday.

15* Knicks/Hawks ESPN ANNIHILATOR on New York +5

This is too big of an adjustment.  The Knicks go from being 2-point favorites over the Hawks in Game 2 to 5-point underdogs in Game 3, a 7-point adjustment for home-court advantage.  This despite the fact that the Knicks have owned the Hawks this season.

Indeed, the Knicks are 5-1 SU & 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings with the Hawks with their only loss coming on a buzzer-beater in Game 1 by two points.  The Knicks are the team I trust more in this series because they play great defense and never quit.  The Hawks are the more flashy team that gets the attention of the betting public.

But the Knicks have been underrated all season, so that's nothing new.  They have gone 46-27-1 ATS in all games this season.  New York is 36-15-1 ATS in its last 52 games overall.  The Knicks are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 road games, and 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games as road underdogs.  There will be more New York fans here than most realize and it won't be that big of a home-court advantage for the Hawks.  Take the Knicks Friday.

20* Nuggets/Blazers NBA TV No-Brainer on Portland -3.5

After the Blazers won by 14 in Game 1 over the Nuggets they came out flat in Game 2.  The Nuggets took advantage and played a great game.  The Blazers didn't get any help outside Damian Lillard as the role players just seemed to take the night off.

Now the Blazers are at home for Game 3 and we should see their best effort.  That will be good enough to cover this 3.5-point spread as the Blazers get back to playing like they were prior to Game 2.  Portland went 11-2 SU & 10-3 ATS in its previous 13 games.

Plays on home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (Portland) - revenging a loss by more than 10 points, a rested team playing only their 2nd game in 5 days are 72-38 (65.5%) ATS over the last five seasons.  The Nuggets are 1-5 ATS in their last six games playing on two days' rest.  Portland is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.  Bet the Blazers Thursday.

15* Suns/Lakers TNT ANNIHILATOR on Phoenix +7.5

The Suns were 2.5-point favorites over the Lakers in Game 1.  Now they are 7.5-point underdogs in Game 3, which is a 10-point adjustment and simply too much.  The value is with the Suns in Game 3 tonight.

After beating the Lakers 99-90 in Game 1, the Suns gave the Lakers all they wanted in Game 2.  The Lakers needed a big finish to win that game 109-102 after relinquishing the lead late.  So the Suns have taken the Lakers' best punch and know they can play with them now.

Phoenix is now 3-2 SU in its last five meetings with Los Angeles with only one loss by more than 7 points.  This game should go right down to the wire, and I like that Chris Paul has been upgraded to probable and should be feeling even better in Game 3 than he did in Game 2.

Phoenix is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 games following a SU loss.  The Suns are 22-7 ATS in their last 29 games following an ATS loss.  Phoenix is 35-15-1 ATS in its last 51 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Lakers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 home games.  Los Angeles is 1-5 ATS in its last six games following an ATS win.  Take the Suns Thursday.

20* MLB DOG OF THE WEEK on St. Louis Cardinals +104

The Arizona Diamondbacks simply cannot be favored over the St. Louis Cardinals tonight.  The Diamondbacks have lost 10 straight games and are just 3-19 in their last 22 games overall.  They have been held to 2 runs or fewer in 10 of their last 14 games and simply aren't hitting the ball right now.

Carlos Martinez should shut them down.  Martinez is 3-4 with a 4.18 ERA and 1.120 WHIP in eight starts this season, 1-3 with a 4.12 ERA and 1.042 WHIP in four road starts, and 2-0 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.211 WHIP in his last three starts.  Martinez owns the Diamondbacks, going 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA and 1.105 WHIP in six career starts against them.

The Diamondbacks are 0-9 in their last nine games vs. a team with a winning record.  Roll with the Cardinals Thursday.

20* NL GAME OF THE WEEK on San Francisco Giants -111

The San Francisco Giants have been one of the best teams in baseball this season and consistently underrated.  They should be bigger favorites here over the struggling Arizona Diamondbacks, who have now lost nine straight games are are just 3-18 in their last 21 games overall.

The Giants also have the advantage on the mound tonight to boot.  Johnny Cueto is 3-1 with a 3.34 ERA in six starts this season.  Cueto owns the Diamondbacks, going 11-3 with a 3.04 ERA and 1.109 WHIP in 18 career starts against them.  He'll be opposed by Merrill Kelly, who is 2-5 with a 5.05 ERA in nine starts this season.

The Giants are 6-0 in their last six road games.  The Diamondbacks are 0-7 in their last seven vs. a team with a winning record.  San Francisco is 10-3 in its last 13 meetings in Arizona, and 4-0 in the last four meetings overall.  Bet the Giants Wednesday.

20* Hawks/Knicks TNT No-Brainer on New York -2

The New York Knicks had won all three meetings with the Hawks in the regular season before losing on a last-second shot by Trae Young in Game 1.  Look for the Knicks to get back to their dominance of the Hawks here and bounce back with a Game 2 victory at home.

The Knicks are 17-2 ATS at home with a line of +3 to -3 this season.  The Hawks are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games.  New York is 6-1-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.  The Knicks are 5-0-1 ATS in their last six games playing on two days' rest.  New York is 35-15-1 ATS in its last 51 games overall.  Take the Knicks Wednesday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Kansas City Royals +188

The Tampa Bay Rays just had their 11-game winning streak snapped with a loss to the Royals yesterday.  I always like fading teams the game after they have a long winning streak snapped because there always seems to be a hangover from it that next game.

The Rays don't have a big enough advantage on the mound today to warrant being this big of favorites.  Tyler Glasnow is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in his last three starts.  He gave up 3 earned runs and 8 base runners in 5 innings against the Royals in his lone career start against them.

Mike Minor has been at his best on the road for the Royals.  He is 2-0 with a 3.43 ERA and 1.238 WHIP in four road starts this season.  Minor is a sensational 38-33 (+18.2 units) as an underdog of +100 or higher in his career.  Roll with the Royals Wednesday.

25* NBA 1st Round GAME OF THE YEAR on Washington Wizards +8

The Washington Wizards are one of the most dangerous No. 8 seeds I've ever seen with how well they have been playing since getting both Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal healthy.  They should not be catching 8 points in Game 2 to the Philadelphia 76ers, who have yet to prove themselves in the playoffs.

The Wizards are 16-7 SU in their last 23 games overall with five losses by 4 points or less and six of the seven losses by 7 points or fewer.  That means they are 22-1 ATS with a line of +7.5 or higher in their last 23 games.  The only exception was their loss to the Celtics in the play-in game in which they shot just 3-of-21 from 3-point range.

The 76ers are overvalued in the playoffs due to having the best record in the Eastern Conference and the No. 1 seed.  Yes, the 76ers have won all four meetings with the Wizards this season, but three of those wins came by 7 points or less.  I think we are getting tremendous value on the more motivated team here in Washington looking to bounce back from a Game 1 loss and playing with quadruple revenge.

Washington is 24-10 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  The Wizards are 12-3 ATS as road underdogs of 6.5 to 12 points this season.  Washington is 9-1 ATS when playing with triple revenge this season.  The Wizards are 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 road games.  Washington is 7-0-1 ATS in its last eight games following a SU loss.  The Wizards are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games vs. a team with a winning record.  The 76ers are 0-4 ATS in their last four games when playing on two days' rest.  Bet the Wizards Wednesday.

15* MLB Wednesday Early ANNIHILATOR on St. Louis Cardinals +184

The St. Louis Cardinals will be highly motivated for a victory Wednesday to snap a three-game losing streak.  I love the value we are getting with the Cardinals today as they are the biggest underdogs they have been all season.

John Gant is one of the most underrated starters in the big leagues for the Cardinals.  He is 3-3 with a 2.04 ERA in eight starts this season, including 1-1 with a 1.42 ERA in four road starts.

Carlos Rodon is getting too much respect from oddsmakers due to his 1.27 ERA in seven starts and his 2.18 ERA in three home starts.  Remember, he was aided by a no-hitter.  He'll come back down to reality sooner rather than later.  Rodon is 1-1 with a 5.56 ERA in two career starts against St. Louis.

The Cardinals are 201-139 in their last 340 games after three or more consecutive losses.  St. Louis is 67-35 in its last 102 games after scoring three runs or less in four straight games.  The Cardinals are 43-18 in their last 61 games after losing the first two games of a series.  They will be motivated to avoid the sweep today.  Take the Cardinals Wednesday.

20* Mavs/Clippers NBA TV Late-Night BAILOUT on UNDER 216

The Mavericks and Clippers just tend to play in low-scoring games.  The UNDER is 5-0 in the last five meetings with combined scores of 216 or less in all five games.  They have averaged just 204.6 combined points per game in those five meetings, so we are getting over 11 points of value here with this UNDER 216.

They combined for 216 points in Game 1, but it was a very low possession game with the Mavericks attempting only 76 shots and the Clippers 84.  The Mavericks shot 50% from the field and 17-of-36 (47.2%) from 3-point range as well, and they aren't going to shoot that well again.

Dallas is 11-1 UNDER when playing four or less games in 10 days this season.  The Mavericks are 20-5 UNDER as underdogs this season.  The Clippers are 15-4 UNDER in their last 19 games when revenging a home loss by 10 points or more.  Dallas is 9-0 UNDER vs. good 3-point shooting teams that make 39% or better this season.  Bet the UNDER in this game Tuesday.

15* Lakers/Suns TNT ANNIHILATOR on Los Angeles -1.5

The reigning NBA champs will show some resiliency tonight after losing Game 1 to the Suns, 90-99.  Look for them to bounce back with a win in Game 2 tonight to even this series.

There were going to be chemistry issues for a few games with the injuries to both Lebron and AD down the stretch.  But now they are both back healthy and the chemistry should get better with each passing game.  And keep in mind they were developing some chemistry going into the playoffs as they had won six straight games prior to that defeat.

The Lakers are 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 games following a SU loss.  Los Angeles is 5-2-1 ATS in its last eight games as a road favorite.  The Suns are 0-3-1 ATS in their last four games following an ATS win.  Take the Lakers Tuesday.

15* MLB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Texas Rangers +138

The Los Angeles Angels have been struggling for weeks and shouldn't be this big of favorites against anyone now that Mike Trout is out for the next month or so.  The Angels are just 7-15 in their last 22 games overall.

The Texas Rangers just swept the Houston Astros and scored 18 combined runs in the three wins.  I like this Hyeon-Jong Yang, who has posted a 3.12 ERA in his two starts this season with 10 K's and only one homer allowed in 8 2/3 innings.

I'll gladly fade Andrew Heaney, who is 1-3 with a 5.31 ERA in eight starts for the Angels with 8 homers allowed in 39 innings.  Heaney is 0-1 with a 6.50 ERA in four home starts as well.  He is 2-5 with a 5.17 ERA in 13 career starts against Texas.  Roll with the Rangers Tuesday.

20* Interleague GAME OF THE MONTH on St. Louis Cardinals +123

The St. Louis Cardinals will be highly motivated for a victory tonight after blowing a late lead to the Chicago White Sox last night in Game 1 of this series.  They should not be this big of underdogs with their ace Jack Flaherty on the mound.

Flaherty has been one of the best starters in baseball this season.  He is 8-0 with a 2.53 ERA and 0.994 WHIP in nine starts this season, including 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA and 0.947 WHIP in his last three starts.  The Cardinals are 9-0 in Flaherty's nine starts this season and winning by 5.5 runs per game on average.

Lucas Giolito has been a disappointment for the White Sox this season and continues to get too much respect from oddsmakers.  He is 3-4 with a 4.35 ERA in nine starts and the White Sox are 3-6 (-6.2 units) in his nine starts this season.  Giolito is 0-2 with a 5.56 ERA in two career starts against the Cardinals as well.  Bet the Cardinals Tuesday.

20* MLB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Cleveland Indians -136

Let's start with the fact that the Cleveland Indians simply own the Detroit Tigers.  The Indians are 50-12 in their last 62 meetings with the Tigers, including 30-6 in all meetings over the last three seasons.  The Indians have a big advantage on the mound tonight and should be bigger favorites because of it.

Aaron Civale is 6-1 with a 3.30 ERA and 1.016 WHIP in nine starts this season and the Indians are 7-2 in those starts.  Civale has never lost to the Tigers, going 5-0 with a 2.39 ERA and 0.798 WHIP in six career starts against them.  The Indians are 6-0 in those six games.

Tarik Skubal is 1-5 with a 5.85 ERA and 1.485 WHIP in seven starts this season for the Tigers.  Skubal has never beaten the Indians, going 0-1 with a 6.95 ERA and 1.544 WHIP in three career starts against them.  Take the Indians Tuesday.

20* Blazers/Nuggets TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Portland ML +109

The Portland Trail Blazers played as well as anyone down the stretch once they got healthy and formed some chemistry.  The Blazers went 11-2 in their last 13 games overall after winning Game 1 by a final of 123-109 on the road.  The Nuggets shot 50.5% as a team and still lost by 14 points.

I just don't trust the Nuggets considering they are going to be without Jamal Murray for the rest of the playoffs.  And they will also be without key role player Will Barton, who is battling a hamstring injury.  They are relying way too much in Nikola Jokic moving forward.  He had a big Game 1 and it still wasn't nearly enough.

Portland is 11-2 ATS on the road when the line is +3 to -3 this season.  The Blazers are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Portland is 8-1 ATS in its last nine road games.  The Blazers are 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings as this has been a terrible matchup for the Nuggets.  Bet the Blazers on the Money Line Monday.

15* MLB Monday PLAY OF THE DAY on Cleveland Indians +118

The Detroit Tigers are overvalued as a favorite today.  In fact, the Tigers have only been favored in two of their 46 games this season.  They shouldn't be favorite against the Cleveland Indians today.

The reason they are favored is because of recency bias with Spencer Turnbull.  He just pitched a no-hitter in his last game against the Mariners.  I always like fading starters off a no-hitter because it's a natural letdown spot for them.  And it means they are probably a little more tired than normal going into their next start after a high pitch count, and mentally they are exhausted as well.

The Indians are 49-12 in the last 61 meetings, including 29-6 in all meetings with Detroit over the past three seasons.  Cleveland is 30-13 in its last 43 road games vs. a team with a losing record.  The Tigers are 31-83 in their last 114 vs. AL Central opponents.  Detroit is 13-51 in its last 64 home games vs. a team with a winning record.  Take the Indians Monday.

20* Grizzlies/Jazz TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Memphis +9

The Memphis Grizzlies will go into the playoffs with a ton of confidence after gutting out two narrow victories over the Spurs and Warriors with their season on the line in the play-in round.  They are as dangerous as any team in the field right now because of it.

Memphis has saved its best basketball for last.  The Grizzlies are 7-1 SU in their last eight games overall with their only loss coming to those same Warriors on the road in the regular season finale.  They are as healthy as they have been all season, and as a result they should not be 9-point underdogs to the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of this series.

This line is inflated due to the Jazz having the best record in the Western Conference and earning the No. 1 seed.  They were a great regular season team, but this is the playoffs now, and we saw them struggle last year.  It's also inflated because Donovan Mitchell is making his much-anticipated return.  But it's going to take a game or two for him to shake off the rust, and for the team to get used to playing with him again.

Plays on road underdogs (Memphis) - playing with triple revenge while also off an upset win as a road underdog are 48-21 (69.6%) ATS over the last five seasons.  The line is also inflated due to Utah winning all three meetings with Memphis this season, but two of those came by 4 points or less.  The Grizzlies are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games as underdogs.  The Jazz are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games.  Bet the Grizzlies Sunday.

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on Arizona Diamondbacks +132

The Arizona Diamondbacks will be highly motivated for a win Sunday to end their seven-game losing streak.  They also want to avoid the sweep after losing the first two games of this series to Colorado.

Now the Diamondbacks have the advantage on the mound in Game 3 and should get the job done.  Taylor Widener is 1-0 with a 2.82 ERA and 1.120 WHIP in four starts this season, including 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 1.039 WHIP in three road starts.

Jon Gray is 4-4 with a 3.48 ERA in nine starts for the Rockies.  He allowed 7 runs, 5 earned, in 5 2/3 innings in his last start at San Diego.  Gray is 5-7 with a 5.42 ERA and 1.577 WHIP in 15 career starts against Arizona.  He just faced the Diamondbacks on April 30th and allowed 5 runs, 4 earned, and 10 base runners in 6 innings of a 2-7 defeat.  Bet the Diamondbacks Sunday.

20* Wizards/76ers TNT Early ANNIHILATOR on Washington +8

The Washington Wizards are one of the most dangerous No. 8 seeds I've ever seen with how well they have been playing since getting both Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal healthy.  They should not be catching 8 points to the Philadelphia 76ers, who have yet to prove themselves in the playoffs.

The Wizards are 16-6 SU in their last 22 games overall with five losses by 4 points or less.  That means they are 21-1 ATS with a line of +4.5 or higher in their last 22 games.  The only exception was their loss to the Celtics in the play-in game in which they shot just 3-of-21 from 3-point range.  But they bounced back with a dominant 142-115 win over Indiana to get into the playoffs.

This line is inflated due to the 76ers having the best record in the Eastern Conference and earning the No. 1 seed.  It is also inflated due to the 76ers winning all three meetings with the Wizards this season, but two of those came by 6 points or less.

Washington is 8-1 ATS in road games when playing with triple revenge this season.  The WIzards are 11-2 ATS after a win by 10 points or more this season.  Philadelphia is 8-24 ATS in its last 32 games after two or more consecutive home wins.  The Wizards are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 road games.  Washington is 5-0 ATS in its last five games as a road underdog.  Take the Wizards Sunday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Chicago White Sox +138

The Chicago White Sox have lost the first two games of this series to the New York Yankees.  They will be highly motivated to avoid the sweep with a victory in Game 3 today.  In fact, the White Sox haven't lost three straight games all season.

Now they finally have the advantage on the mound over the Yankees in Game 3.  Dallas Keuchel is 3-1 with a 4.26 ERA and 1.204 WHIP in nine starts this season, including 2-0 with a 3.54 ERA and 1.143 WHIP in five road starts.  Keuchel owns the Yankees, going 6-5 with a 2.18 ERA and 0.928 WHIP in 11 career starts against them.

Jameson Taillon is no match for Kuechel.  He is 1-3 with a 5.73 ERA in eight starts for the Yankees this season while averaging just 4.7 innings per start.  He has already allowed 9 homers in 37 2/3 innings.  Taillon is 0-1 with a 6.46 ERA in his last three starts as well.

Chicago is 15-4 after a loss this season.  The White Sox are 7-2 in their last nine during Game 3 of a series.  Roll with the White Sox Sunday.

20* Blazers/Nuggets ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on Portland +1

The Portland Trail Blazers played as well as anyone down the stretch once they got healthy and formed some chemistry.  The Blazers went 10-2 in their last 12 games overall.  I like them to win this series, and I'm taking them in Game 1 tonight.

I just don't trust the Nuggets considering they are going to be without Jamal Murray for the rest of the playoffs.  And they will also be without key role player Will Barton, who is battling a hamstring injury.  They are relying way too much in Nikola Jokic moving forward.

Portland is 10-2 ATS on the road when the line is +3 to -3 this season.  Denver is 5-13 ATS when revenging a road loss this season.  The Blazers are 6-0 ATS in their last six games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Portland is 7-1 ATS in its last eight road games.  The Blazers are 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.  Bet the Blazers Saturday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Celtics/Nets OVER 228.5

The Brooklyn Nets are finally healthy entering the playoffs for basically the first time this season.  Despite all their injuries this season, they still led the NBA in offensive efficiency, and they will be even better in the playoffs on that end now that they have everyone healthy.

The problem with the Nets is that while they can score at will, they just don't defense.  Brooklyn ranks 21st in defensive efficiency this season.  Boston ranks right in the middle of the pack in defensive efficiency and will certainly be worse off on that end without one of their best defenders in Jaylen Brown for the remainder of the season.

The OVER is 4-1 in Celtics last five games when playing on three or more days' rest.  The OVER is 7-2 in Nets last nine games as home favorites.  Brooklyn is 32-19 OVER as a favorite this season.  Take the OVER in this game Saturday.

15* MLB Saturday PLAY OF THE DAY on Cincinnati Reds -135

The Cincinnati Reds got their bats going yesterday in a 9-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.  They should stay hot at the plate today and should be bigger favorites due to their massive advantage on the mound.

Sonny Gray is one of the best starters in baseball.  He has posted a 2.76 ERA and 1.164 WHIP in three home starts this season.  Gray has posted a 2.16 ERA in his last three starts as well.  He owns the Brewers, going 3-2 with a 2.49 ERA and 1.204 WHIP in nine career starts against them.

Brett Anderson is washed up.  He is 2-3 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in six starts this season while averaging just 4.0 innings per start.  Anderson is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA and 2.429 WHIP in his last three starts.  Anderson has posted a 4.34 ERA and 1.366 WHIP in seven career starts against the Reds.

Gray is 19-4 against the money line with a total set of 8.5 to 10 over the last three seasons.  The Brewers are 1-6 in their last seven games overall.  Milwaukee is 2-8 in its last 10 road games.  The Reds are 5-1 in the last six meetings.  The Brewers have scored 4 or fewer runs in nine of their last 10 games overall.  Roll with the Reds Saturday.

20* Grizzlies/Warriors ESPN No-Brainer on UNDER 221.5

The UNDER makes sense in these winner-take-all games.  The pressure is high and the defensive intensity is even higher with their seasons on the line.  That pressure sometimes affects shooting as well on offense, and these games tend to be played a lot more in the half court than out in transition like the regular season.

The Warriors have been an underrated defensive team all season.  They rank 5th in the NBA in defensive efficiency.  The Grizzlies have been an underrated defensive team as well.  They rank 6th in the NBA in defensive efficiency.  The Warriors just lost to the Lakers 100-103 for 203 combined points, while the Grizzlies just beat the Spurs 100-96 for 196 combined points.

The UNDER is 6-0 in the last six meetings in this series with combined scores of 219 or fewer points five times.  All three meetings this season saw 219 or fewer combined points.  The Grizzlies and Warriors are averaging just 215.3 combined points in those six meetings, so we are getting some nice value on this UNDER, especially given the situation.

The UNDER is 6-1 in Grizzlies last seven games overall.  The UNDER is 19-7 in Warriors last 26 vs.  a team with a winning record.  The UNDER is 20-7 in the last 27 meetings.  The UNDER is 4-0 in the last four meetings in Golden State.  The UNDER is 8-0 in Warriors last eight games off a close road loss by 3 points or less.  The UNDER is 13-1 in Grizzlies last 14 road games when revenging a road loss by 10 points or more.  Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* MLB Friday Undervalued Underdog on St. Louis Cardinals +108

The St. Louis Cardinals have been one of the most underrated teams in baseball this season.  They sit at 25-18 on the season after going 17-8 in their last 25 games overall.  They should not be home underdogs to the Chicago Cubs today.

Carlos Martinez has posted a 4.36 ERA and 1.161 WHIP in seven starts this season with just two homers allowed in 41 1/3 innings.  He'll be opposed by Kyle Hendricks, who is 3-4 with a 5.27 ERA and 1.547 WHIP in eight starts this season, already allowing 11 homers in 42 2/3 innings.

The Cubs are 5-12 in their last 17 road games, including 2-7 in their last nine road games vs. a right-handed starter.  The Cardinals are 5-0 in their last five home games.  St. Louis is 19-7 in its last 26 vs. NL Central opponents.  Roll with the Cardinals Friday.

20* MLB TOTAL OF THE WEEK on White Sox/Yankees OVER 8

The wind will be blowing out to left tonight with temps in the 70's at hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium.  That forecast will help us cash this OVER 8 ticket tonight.

The White Sox are 24-2 against left-handed starters over the last two season and scoring 7.6 runs per game.  They are scoring 8.6 runs per game in their 11 games against southpaws in 2021.  They will tee off on Jordan Montgomery, who has posted a 4.75 ERA in eight starts this season.

Carlos Rodon is nowhere near as good as the numbers he has posted thus far in 2021.  Rodon is 3-3 with a 5.34 ERA and 1.719 WHIP in six career starts against the Yankees and will come back down to reality tonight.

The OVER is 5-1 in White Sox last six games vs. a left-handed starter.  The OVER is 17-6-3 in White Sox last 26 road games vs. a left-handed starter.  The OVER is 5-1 in Yankees last six Friday games.  The OVER is 27-9-1 in Yankees last 37 vs. AL Central opponents.  Take the OVER in this game Friday.

20* Pacers/Wizards TNT No-Brainer on Washington -3

The Indiana Pacers are overvalued off their 144-117 blowout win over the inexperienced Charlotte Hornets.  The Pacers shot 55% as a team and 16-of-35 (46%) from 3-point range to pull away.  They overcame being without Turner, Warren, LeVert and Lamb, but they won't overcome it against the Wizards.

Washington is undervalued after a blowout 100-118 loss to the Boston Celtics.  The Wizards shot 43% as a team and a woeful 3-of-21 (14%) from 3-point range.  They aren't going to shoot that poorly again, especially since they are back home now where they are comfortable and will have an advantage.

Washington went 3-0 SU & 2-1 ATS against Indiana this season with wins by 11 and 8 at home and a 1-point win on the road.  That dominance should continue here as they pull off the season sweep of the Pacers.

Indiana is 1-9 ATS after allowing 110 points or more in four straight games this season.  The Pacers are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a win by more than 10 points.  The Wizards are 7-0-1 ATS in their last eight games following a SU loss.  Washington is 5-0 ATS in its last five games following an ATS loss.  Bet the Wizards Thursday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Yankees/Rangers OVER 8

This is a very low total for a Yankees game.  They have one of the best lineups in baseball even though it hasn't shown at times this season.  And they are more than capable of covering this OVER 8 on their own, but they should get plenty of help from the Rangers as well.

Domingo German has a 3.62 ERA in seven starts this season and has already allowed 7 homers in 37 1/3 innings.  German allowed 6 earned runs in 3 2/3 innings in his only previous start against the Rangers.

Dane Dunning is 2-3 with a 4.34 ERA and 1.419 WHIP in eight starts this season for the Rangers.  He is only averaging 4.7 innings per start, so the Yankees should get to their porous bullpen early in this one.

The OVER is 4-0 in Yankees last four games after scoring two runs or less in their previous game.  The OVER is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings in Texas.  The OVER is 4-1 in Rangers last five home games.  Roll with the OVER in this game Thursday.

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on Giants/Reds UNDER 9

The first three meetings in this series have seen 9, 6 and 4 combined runs.  It should be more of the same today as there is value on the UNDER 9, especially with this game being played early in the day and there's a good chance some key players rest in the lineup for both teams.

Tyler Mahle has been solid this season at 2-1 with a 2.72 ERA and 1.140 WHIP in eight starts for the Reds.  He allowed just one earned run in 5 innings of a 3-0 loss to the Giants on April 14th in his lone start against them this season.

Johnny Cueto is showing he still has plenty left to give.  He is 2-1 with a 3.62 ERA in five starts this season with just two homers allowed in 27 1/3 innings.  Cueto is 1-1 with a 3.51 ERA in four career starts against Cincinnati.  He was opposite Mahle on April 14th and pitched 5 2/3 shutout innings against the Reds in that 3-0 victory.

The UNDER is 7-2 in Giants last nine games overall.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Giants last seven games vs. a right-handed starter.  The UNDER is 4-1 in Reds last five home games.  Take the UNDER in this game Thursday.

20* Warriors/Lakers ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT on UNDER 219.5

The Los Angeles Lakers finished 1st in the NBA in defensive efficiency this season.  This despite being without both LeBron James and Anthony Davis for big stretches.  They were even better when both were playing, and they will be a force defensively in the playoffs.

Most look at the Warriors as just an offensive team with Stephen Curry.  But that has been far from the case.  In fact, they have had to cover up for their offensive woes outside of Curry by playing stellar defense.  Indeed, the Warriors rank 5th in the NBA in defensive efficiency this season.

Los Angeles is 16-4 UNDER In its last 20 games as a home favorite of 6 points or less.  The Lakers are 23-8 UNDER as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  Golden State is 8-1 UNDER in its last nine road games when revenging a same-season loss.  The UNDER is 19-7 in Warriors last 26 road games.  The UNDER is 6-2 in the last eight meetings.  Bet the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

20* MLB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (+100)

The St. Louis Cardinals have a huge advantage on the mound tonight.  Jack Flaherty is one of the best starters in baseball.  He is 7-0 with a 2.47 ERA and 0.951 WHIP in eight starts this season, including 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA and 0.526 WHIP in three home starts.  He is also 7-1 with a 2.14 ERA and 0.937 WHIP in 10 career starts against the Pirates.

He'll be opposed by Trevor Cahill, who is 1-4 with a 5.97 ERA and 1.414 WHIP in seven starts this season, including 1-3 with a 7.58 ERA and 1.632 WHIP in four road starts.  Cahill has never beaten the Cardinals, going 0-3 with a 5.80 ERA and 1.598 WHIP in seven career starts against them.

Flaherty faced off against Cahill earlier this month on May 1st.  Flaherty allowed 3 runs in 6 innings of a 12-5 victory.  Cahill allowed 5 runs and 10 base runners in 5 1/3 innings to take the loss.

St. Louis is a perfect 8-0 at home this season with a total of 7 to 7.5.  They are winning by 3.5 runs per game on average int his spot.  Flaherty is 8-0 against the money line in all games this season with the Cardinals winning by 5.9 runs per game on average in his eight starts.  Take the Cardinals on the Run Line Wednesday.

15* MLB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Cincinnati Reds +112

The Cincinnati Reds will be highly motivated for a victory tonight after losing the first two games of this series to the San Francisco Giants.  Now they go from being favorites in each of those first two games to underdogs in Game 3, and I like the value we are getting with them.

Kevin Gausman is being overvalued here due to posting great numbers in his eight starts this season.  But he is about to come back down to reality soon.  Gausman has never beaten the Reds, going 0-3 with an 11.09 ERA and 1.982 WHIP in four career starts against them.  Gausman allowed 5 earned runs in 6 innings against the Reds on April 13th in his lone start against them this season.  

He'll be opposed by Wade Miley, who is 2-1 with a 3.37 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in three home starts this season, and 4-3 with a 3.69 ERA and 1.051 WHIP in seven starts overall.  Miley is 4-4 with a 3.82 ERA in 12 career starts against San Francisco.  That includes 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in his last two starts against them while allowing just two earned runs in 10 innings.

Cincinnati is 9-1 after scoring 2 runs or less this season and coming back to win by 3.3 runs per game on average.  Guasman is 30-57 (-27.1 units) in his career in road starts.  The Giants are 4-9 in their last 13 meetings in Cincinnati.  Roll with the Reds Wednesday.

20* Wizards/Celtics TNT No-Brainer on Washington +2.5

Few teams are playing better than the Washington Wizards entering the playoffs.  They have gone 15-5 SU in their last 20 games overall with all five losses by 4 points or less.  So they have been competitive in each of their last 20 games with a chance to win in the closing seconds.  The Wizards are also 19-5-1 ATS in their last 25 games overall.

Few teams are playing worse than the Boston Celtics entering the playoffs.  Boston is 4-9 SU & 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games overall.  They have been banged up down the stretch with the key loss being Jaylen Brown (24.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG), who is out for the season.  He is easily their second-best player behind Jayson Tatum.  Brown averaged 26 points and 10 rebounds against Washington this this season, so his loss is a huge one.

The Wizards are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 road games.  Washington is 5-0 ATS in its last five games following an ATS loss.  The Wizards are 5-0 ATS in their last five games as underdogs.  Boston is 0-8 ATS in its last eight game splaying on one days' rest.  The Celtics are 9-19-1 ATS in their last 29 games vs. a team with a losing record.  Bet the Wizards Tuesday.

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on St. Louis Cardinals -118

The St. Louis Cardinals return home following a tough six-game road trip at Milwaukee and San Diego.  They were swept by the Padres over the weekend, so they'll be highly motivated to get back in the win column Tuesday.  That shouldn't be a problem against the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates.

John Gant has been one of the most underrated starters in baseball this season.  He has posted a 1.84 ERA in seven starts while allowing just one homer in 34 1/3 innings.  Gant is 2-0 with a 0.84 ERA in his last two starts against the Pirates, yielding just one earned run in 10 2/3 innings.

J.T. Brubaker is getting too much respect from oddsmakers tonight after going 3-2 with a 2.58 ERA in seven starts this season.  One of those starts came opposite Gant on April 30th.  He allowed 3 earned runs in 5 innings of a 3-7 loss, while Gant allowed just one earned run in 5 innings.

Pittsburgh is 6-23 in its last 29 games when revenging two straight home losses vs. opponent.  St. Louis is 200-139 in its last 339 games following three or more consecutive losses.  The Pirates are 13-42 in their last 55 road games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Cardinals are 11-1 in their last 12 games as favorites.  St. Louis is 20-6 in the last 26 meetings.  Take the Cardinals Tuesday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Tampa Bay Rays -143

The Tampa Bay Rays have won four straight games coming in while scoring a combined 31 runs in the four victories.  They should stay hot at the plate tonight against the Baltimore Orioles, who are 2-7 in their last nine games and have scored 4 runs or less in seven of those nine games.

Matt Harvey has been roughed up in his last two starts while allowing 11 runs in 8 1/3 innings in losses to the Red Sox and Mets.  He is finally coming back down to reality after a surprising start.

Luis Patino has posted a 1.35 ERA and 0.750 WHIP in his 6 2/3 innings pitched this season, which came against the Yankees and Blue Jays, two of the best lineups in baseball.  He should have his way with this light-hitting Orioles lineup, and the bullpen will do the same behind him.

The Rays are 10-3 in their last 13 road games.  Tampa Bay is 6-0 in its last six road games vs. a team with a losing record.  The Rays are 6-1 in the last seven meetings.  The Orioles are 17-42 in their last 59 home games vs. a right-handed starter.  Baltimore is 32-85 in its last 117 during Game 1 of a series.  Roll with the Rays Tuesday.

20* MLB Monday No-Doubt Rout on Chicago White Sox -103

The Chicago White Sox are 18-7 in their last 25 games overall and playing as well as anyone in baseball. Now they face the struggling Minnesota Twins, who are 2-9 in their last 11 games overall and playing as poorly as anyone.

Chicago is a sensational 23-2 vs. left-handed starters over the last two seasons. They are scoring 7.3 runs per game and winning by 4.0 runs per game. They are 8-2 against southpaws this season alone and scoring 7.9 runs per game.

The White Sox just faced lefty J.A. Happ on May 12th less than a week ago. They rocked him for 9 earned runs in 3 1/3 innings of a 13-8 victory. Happ fell to 1-2 with an 11.71 ERA in his last four starts against the White Sox, allowing 23 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings.

Dallas Keuchel is 5-2 with a 3.86 ERA in eight career starts against Minnesota. He has allowed 3 earned runs or fewer in six of those starts, and zero earned runs in three of them. Keuchel is 1-0 with a 3.43 ERA and 1.190 WHIP in four road starts this season. Bet the White Sox Monday.

15* MLB Sunday Total DOMINATOR on Nationals/Diamondbacks OVER 9

Both the Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks have gotten their bats going in this series. They combined for 19 runs in Game 1 Friday and 15 more runs in Game 2 Saturday. It should be more of the same Sunday.

Erick Fedde is 2-4 with a 5.29 ERA in seven starts this season for the Nationals. Luke Weaver is 2-3 with a 5.00 ERA in seven starts for the Diamondbacks. 

Fedde is 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA in two career starts against Arizona. Weaver is 0-2 with a 7.04 ERA in two career starts against Washington. Roll with the OVER in this game Sunday.

20* NBA Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Phoenix Suns -9.5

The Phoenix Suns are still playing to try to earn the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. They can get the top spot with a win Sunday coupled with a loss by the Utah Jazz to the Sacramento Kings. The Suns play before the Jazz today so they will be max motivated not knowing the result of the other game.

Phoenix blasted San Antonio 140-103 yesterday. It should be more of the same in the rematch. The Spurs don't have anything to play for as they are locked into the 10th seed. They may once again opt to rest players, as they did with DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay, Dejounte Murray and Jakob Poetl on Saturday. Bet the Suns Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday Early ANNIHILATOR on Washington Wizards -6

This game between the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets will decide who gets the 8th seed in the East. That's big because the 7th and 8th seed can lose their play-in game and still get another chance to win against the 9th or 10th seed winner.

The Wizards are in the more favorable spot here as they had Saturday off and will be rested and ready to go. They could also get Bradley Beal back in the lineup. Meanwhile, the Hornets will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after an overtime loss to the Knicks yesterday.

It will also be the 10th game in 16 days for the Hornets. Rozier played 45 minutes, Grham 40, McDaniels 39, Zeller 36 and Bridges 34 yesterday. They simply won't have much left in the tank for the Wizards, who are playing as well as almost anyone in the NBA here down the stretch.

Washington is 20-7-1 ATS in its last 28 games overall. The Hornets are 0-6 ATS in their last six road games. Charlotte is 16-40 ATS in its last 56 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Washington is 18-4 ATS in its last 22 games playing on one days' rest. The Wizards are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a win by more than 10 points. Take the Wizards Sunday.

15* MLB Saturday PLAY OF THE DAY on Washington Nationals -124

The Washington Nationals hammered the Arizona Diamondbacks 17-2 yesterday. They should stay hot at the plate today and feast on Seth Frankoff, who will be making his season debut for the Diamondbacks.

The Nationals clearly have the advantage on the mound behind Joe Ross, who is 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA and 1.045 WHIP in four road starts this season. Ross has never lost to the Diamondbacks, going 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA and 1.044 WHIP in three career starts against Arizona.

Ross is 15-2 against the money line as a favorite of -124 to -175 in his career. The Nationals are 20-7 in their last 27 meetings in Arizona. Roll with the Nationals Saturday.

15* Heat/Bucks NBA BAILOUT on Milwaukee +4.5

The Milwaukee Bucks still have something to play for as they trail the Brooklyn Nets by one game for 2nd place in the Eastern Conference. That is big because these teams are likely to play each other in the second round of the playoffs.

The Bucks have been playing with a sense of urgency to get that No. 2 seed. They are 6-1 SU in their last seven games overall. Now they are catching 4.5 points at home to the Miami Heat, which I'm absolutely shocked by.

It's time to 'sell high' on the Heat, who are 7-1 SU & 7-1 ATS in their last eight games overall including four straight wins and covers coming in. But now the Heat are getting too much respect from the books as road favorites here.

Milwaukee is 4-0 ATS in its last four home games vs. a team with a winning road record. Miami is 8-17 ATS in its last 25 games following a win by more than 10 points. Take the Bucks Saturday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE MONTH on Chicago Bulls +11.5

The Chicago Bulls have been playing some of their best basketball of the season here down the stretch since both Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic returned to the lineup. They have gone 4-1 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall with all four wins by double-digits.

The lone loss during this stretch came at home to the Brooklyn Nets as 4-point underdogs. Now the Bulls are 11.5-point dogs in their rematch with the Nets and will be the more motivated team for revenge. This is way too big of a line adjustment and there's clearly value with the Bulls.

Chicago is 22-13 ATS in all road games this season. The Bulls are 13-2 ATS in their last 15 road games after covering four of their last five ATS. Bet the Bulls Saturday.

15* MLB Friday PLAY OF THE DAY on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-117)

The Washington Nationals have a big advantage on the mound tonight over the Arizona Diamondbacks that should lead to them winning this game by two runs or more.

Ace Max Scherzer gets the ball for the Nationals and he is 2-2 with a 2.33 ERA and 0.777 WHIP in seven starts this season with 61 K's in 46 1/3 innings. Scherzer has never lost to the Diamondbacks, going 7-0 with a 2.55 ERA and 0.866 WHIP in 10 career starts against them.

Riley Smith is 1-2 with a 4.74 ERA and 1.421 WHIP in four starts this season for Arizona. He'll be trying to lead a Diamondbacks team that is 2-8 in their last 10 games overall and having a problem scoring runs. Arizona has scored 4 or fewer runs in eight of those 10 games and 3 or fewer in seven of them. Roll with the Nationals on the Run Line Friday.

15* NBA Friday Undervalued Underdog on Houston Rockets +12

The Houston Rockets have already clinched the worst record in the NBA. They have been playing freely here down the stretch and have given some contenders some good battles.

Indeed, the Rockets are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall with an 8-point loss at Milwaukee as 17.5-point dogs, an 8-point loss at Utah as 16-point dogs, an 11-point loss at Portland as 14.5-point dogs and a 2-point loss at the Lakers as 9-point dogs.

Now they take on a Clippers team that is in a bad spot tonight. While the Rockets come in on one days' rest, the Clippers will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd road game in 4 days. They had to travel from Charlotte to Houston overnight.

The Clippers are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games overall. Los Angeles is 1-4 ATS in its last five road games. Houston is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings. Take the Rockets Friday.

20* NBA Friday No-Doubt Rout on Memphis Grizzlies -5.5

The Memphis Grizzlies are still playing for seeding as they are tied with the Warriors for the 8th seed but lose the tiebreaker. There's a big difference between being the 8th or 9th seed in the West, so they will continue to try and get that 8th spot.

The Grizzlies have been playing with a sense of urgency for several games now and are 4-0 SU in their last four games overall. That includes their 116-110 win over the Kings last night. And now they play the Kings again tonight and should win by 6-plus points again to cover this 5.5-point spread.

While the Grizzlies are nearly fully healthy and can handle this back-to-back spot well, the Kings are short-handed right now which will make the spot tougher for them. They are without Fox and Haliburton, and they could be without Barnes, Holmes and Bagley III, who are all questionable.

Memphis is 21-10 ATS in its last 31 games overall. The Grizzlies are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 home games. Memphis is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 home meetings with Sacramento. Bet the Grizzlies Friday.

15* MLB Thursday PLAY OF THE DAY on Cincinnati Reds -134

This is a tough spot for the Colorado Rockies.  They just played a double-header against the San Diego Padres yesterday and will now be playing their 4th game in 3 days.  They have a tired bullpen and a tired team overall.

Chi Chi Gonzalez is likely to get rocked by the Reds at Coors Field.  Gonzalez is 0-1 with a 6.08 ERA and 1.563 WHIP in five starts this season, including 0-1 with a 9.22 ERA and 1.683 WHIP in his last three starts.

Luis Castillo is much better than he has shown to this point of the season and comes in undervalued because of his poor numbers thus far.  Remember, Castillo went 15-8 with a 3.40 ERA in 2019 and 4-6 with a 3.21 ERA in 2020.  Roll with the Reds Thursday.

25* NBA GAME OF THE YEAR on Minnesota Timberwolves +6

The Minnesota Timberwolves have quietly gone 7-4 SU & 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games overall.  Three of those four losses came by 4 points or less, so they are 10-1 ATS if the line were +4.5 or higher in their last 11 games.  Now they are catching 6 points against the short-handed Nuggets.

Minnesota is rolling offensively right now.  The Timberwolves have scored 112 or more points in seven straight games.  They have scored 126 or more points in five of those seven games.  The trio of Towns, Russell and Edwards is really gelling right now down the stretch.

Denver remains without Jamal Murray, Will Barton and PJ Dozier and could be without Monte Morris.  The Nuggets have won just one of their last six games by more than 6 points, so they are 1-5 ATS in their last six games with a line of -6.5 or higher.  The Nuggets are now just 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games overall and have been grossly overvalued without Murray.

The Nuggets are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games.  The Timberwolves are 6-1 ATS in their last seven Thursday games.  Minnesota is 5-2 ATS in its last seven meetings with Denver.  Bet the Timberwolves Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday Undervalued Underdog on Orlando Magic +12.5

This is a tough spot for the Atlanta Hawks tonight.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days after two straight narrow wins in shootouts over the Washington Wizards.  This is clearly a letdown spot for the Hawks now, and they won't have much left in the tank for the Magic tonight.

Orlando shows some pride last time out and covered as 15.5-point underdogs at Milwaukee.  Now the Magic come in rested after having yesterday off and catching a whopping 12.5 points to the Hawks tonight.

The Magic also want revenge after losing each of their first two meetings with the Hawks this season, including a 96-112 road loss on April 20th about three weeks ago.  That was a rare blowout win for the Hawks in this series.  

Atlanta is 1-14 ATS in its last 15 meetings with Orlando if the line were -12.5 with just one win by double-digits.  The Hawks are 1-4 ATS in their last five games playing on zero rest.  Take the Magic Thursday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Blazers/Jazz OVER 234

The Blazers are an OVER bettors' dream right now.  They have scored 113 or more points in 10 of their last 11 games overall, including 124 or more eight of those games.  The Utah Jazz will be happy to oblige and play in a shootout with them.

The OVER is 4-0 in Jazz last four games overall with combined scores of 235, 240 and 247 points in their last three games.  They are still able to score without Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley Jr, though their defense has taken a hit as they have allowed 116 or more in three straight.

The OVER is 35-17 in Blazers last 52 road games.  The OVER is 4-0 in Jazz last four games as a favorite.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* Blazers/Jazz ESPN ANNIHILATOR on Portland +2.5

The Portland Trail Blazers are playing their best basketball of the season right now.  They are 8-1 SU in their last nine games overall with seven wins by double-digits against some pretty good competition.  Their only loss came on the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th road game in 7 days at Atlanta.

The Blazers have scored 113 or more points in 10 of their last 11 games overall as they are hitting on all cylinders offensively.  The Jazz will be able to keep pace, but they won't be able to get the win in the end without Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley Jr.  The Blazers are simply the better team right now with the guys they have healthy and on the floor compared to the Jazz.

The Blazers are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games.  Portland is 5-1 ATS in its last six games following an ATS loss.  The Blazers are 24-7 ATS in their last 31 Wednesday games.  Roll with the Blazers Wednesday.

15* AL Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Twins/White Sox OVER 8

The Chicago White Sox have scored exactly 9 runs in three straight games now and are more than capable of covering this OVER on their own.  They have owned left-handed pitching over the last couple seasons as they are 22-1 against left-handed starters and scoring 7.3 runs per game against them over the last two years.

That has carried over into this season as the White Sox are 7-1 against left-handed starters and scoring 8.1 runs per game against them.  Now they face lefty J.A. Happ, who has posted a 5.05 ERA in eight career starts against the White Sox.  Happ has allowed 14 earned runs in 14 1/3 innings in his last three starts against Chicago.

The Twins have been at their best offensively on the road this season where they are scoring 5.1 runs per game.  They should be able to get to Dallas Keuchel enough to help get this number OVER this 8-run total.

Minnesota is 7-0 OVER vs. a n AL starting pitcher that allows 5.5 or fewer hits per start this season. The OVER is 8-0-1 in Twins last eight games vs. AL Central opponents.  The OVER is 10-2-1 in Twins last 13 games overall.  Take the OVER in this game Wednesday. 

15* Interleague PLAY OF THE DAY on Blue Jays/Braves OVER 7.5

The Toronto Blue Jays are more than capable of covering this OVER on their own.  They have scored 4 or more runs in 10 of their last 11 games overall.  There's no doubt they will do their part to help cash this OVER ticket tonight.

The Blue Jays will absolutely tee off on Max Fried, who is 1-1 with an 8.44 ERA and 2.062 WHIP in four starts this season.  Fried has already allowed 15 earned runs and 33 base runners in 16 innings this season.

Hyun-Jin Ryu has struggled of late with a 5.27 ERA in his last three starts.  The Braves have one of the best lineups in the National League and have scored 17 runs in their last three games overall and have scored 5 or more runs in six of their last 10 games overall.

The OVER is 5-1 in Blue Jays last six games overall.  The OVER is 12-3 in Braves' 15 home games this season as a favorite of -110 or higher.  The OVER is 33-16-2 in Blue Jays last 51 interleague games vs. a left-handed starter.  The OVER is 5-1 in Braves last six home games vs. a left-handed starter.  The OVER is 20-7-1 in Braves last 28 home games.  Roll with the OVER in this game Wednesday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE WEEK on Washington Wizards +6.5

I cashed in the Wizards +8.5 in their first meeting with the Hawks on Monday in a 124-125 loss.  I stated that this line would be closer to a pick 'em with Bradley Beal, and that the line was adjusted too much for his absence.  It's still adjusted too much today.

The Wizards come back as 6.5-point underdogs in the rematch.  They will be the more motivated team for revenge and with a lot to play for trying to clinch a playoff spot and move up in the play-in standings.  

Washington is now 15-6 SU in its last 21 games overall with amazingly 5 of those losses coming by 3 points or less.  So they are 20-1 ATS in their last 21 games with a line of +3.5 or higher.  Enough said.  Roll with the Wizards Wednesday.

20* MLB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Kansas City Royals -134

The Kansas City Royals are highly motivated for a win tonight to end their nine-game losing streak.  That includes a walk off loss to the Tigers in Game 1 of this series, so they are out for revenge here in Game 2 as well.

The Royals have a huge advantage on the mound tonight with ace Danny Duffy getting the ball.  He has been one of the best starters in baseball this season, going 4-2 with a 1.26 ERA in six starts, including 3-0 with a 0.50 ERA in three road starts while allowing just one earned run in 18 innings.  Duffy pitched 5 shutout innings against the Tigers in a 4-0 victory in his lone start against them in 2021 on April 25th.

Casey Mize is 1-3 with a 4.41 ERA in six starts for the Tigers this season, including 0-1 with a 7.27 ERA in two home starts.  Mize faced the Royals on April 23rd and allowed 6 earned runs, 2 homers and 10 base runners in 4 2/3 innings of a 2-6 defeat.

Detroit is 2-18 vs. an AL team with batting average of .260 or worse this season.  The Royals are 6-1 in their last seven games as road favorites.  Kansas City is 5-1 in its last six meetings with the Tigers.  Bet the Royals Wednesday.

15* Knicks/Lakers TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on UNDER 214.5

The New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers are both UNDER teams.  The Knicks rank 30th in pace this season at 98.4 possessions per game.  But they are 4th in defensive efficiency, so they play slow and stop their opponents, which is why they are so improved.  The Lakers are 1st in the NBA in defensive efficiency this season despite all their injuries.

The recent head-to-head history in this series definitely favors this UNDER 214.5 as well.  The Lakers and Knicks have combined for 207, 192 and 204 points in their last three meetings, respectively.  That's an average of 201 combined points per game.  So we are getting 13.5 points of value on the UNDER based on that average tonight.

The UNDER is 14-6 in Lakers last 20 games as a favorite.  The UNDER is 9-4 in Lakers last 13 home games.  The Lakers are 15-4 UNDER in their last 19 games as a home favorite of 6 points or less.  Los Angeles is 22-6 UNDER as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  New York is 9-1 UNDER after a win by 6 points or less this season.  Roll with the UNDER in this game Tuesday.

20* NBA Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Dallas Mavericks -2

The Dallas Mavericks would be the 5th seed in the West if they win out.  That would be huge because they would then likely take on the Denver Nuggets, who are without Jamaal Murray and the easiest target of the Top 4 contenders.

The Mavericks have been fighting hard here down the stretch for weeks.  They are 10-2 SU in their last 12 games overall with wins over the likes of the Heat, Nets, Warriors and Lakers (twice).  Now they are in the preferred spot here as they had yesterday off and are rested and ready to go.

Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after barely surviving in a 115-110 victory over the Pelicans last night, who were missing Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson and Steven Adams.  The Grizzlies will now be playing their 5th game in 7 days, their 8th game in 12 days and their 11th game in 17 days.  They haven't had two days off in a row since the All-Star Break.

The Mavericks are 3-0 SU in their last three meetings with the Grizzlies winning those three games by a combined 36 points.  Dallas is 8-1 ATS in road games off a road win this season.  The Mavericks are 26-12 ATS in their last 38 games as road favorites.  The Grizzlies are 0-4 ATS in their last four games following a SU win.  Bet the Mavericks Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Chicago Bulls +5

Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic returned three games ago just in time for the Bulls to make one final playoff push.  They have put together their best three-game stretch of the entire season and are ready to take down the Brooklyn Nets tonight.  The Bulls are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall with a 21-point win at Charlotte, a 22-point home win over Boston and a 12-point road win at Detroit.

Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets are struggling here down the stretch.  They are 1-4 SU & 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall with their lone win coming after erasing a double-digit deficit to beat the short-handed Nuggets.

The Bulls upset the Nets 115-107 at home in their lone meeting this season.  Brooklyn is 2-10 ATS when revenging a loss as a favorite this season.  The Bulls are 6-0 ATS in their last six Tuesday games.  Take the Bulls Tuesday.

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on St. Louis Cardinals +121

What more do the St. Louis Cardinals have to do to get some respect from oddsmakers?  They are 13-4 in their last 17 games overall and are underdogs to a Milwaukee Brewers team tonight that is 2-6 in their last eight games overall and not surviving very well without their best player in Christian Yelich.

Kwang-Hyun Kim has held his own this season at 1-0 with a 3.06 ERA in four starts, including 1-0 with a 1.84 ERA in his last three.  Kim is 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA in two career starts against the Brewers, allowing just one earned run in 12 innings.

Freddy Peralta has been decent at 3-1 with a 3.60 ERA in six starts, but he's 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA in his last three and getting too much respect from oddsmakers tonight.  Peralta has never beaten the Cardinals, going 0-1 with a 7.30 ERA and 1.784 WHIP in three career starts against them.

The Cardinals are 10-2 in all Kim starts over the last two seasons.  St. Louis is 6-0 in its last six vs. NL Central opponents.  Milwaukee is 9-20 in its last 29 games following an off day.  Take the Cardinals Tuesday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Kansas City Royals -120

The Kansas City Royals are highly motivated for a win tonight to end their eight-game losing streak that has seen them fall to below .500 on the season at 16-17.  Now they take on the worst team in baseball in the Detroit Tigers and should get right back on track.

Brady Singer has been great this season with a 3.41 ERA and 1.172 WHIP in six starts for the Royals, including 1-1 with a 2.00 ERA and 0.889 WHIP in two road starts.  Singer has never lost to the Tigers, going 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA and 0.640 WHIP in four career starts against them.

Matt Boyd has put up solid numbers for the Tigers this season, but he is getting too much respect here because of it.  Boyd is 7-10 with a 5.71 ERA and 1.457 WHIP in 23 career starts against the Royals.

Kansas City is 16-4 as a favorite of -110 or higher over the last two seasons.  Detroit is 0-13 vs. teams that average 2.75 or fewer extra base hits this season.  The Tigers are 1-17 vs. an AL team with a OBV of .320 or worse this season.  The Royals are 6-0 in their last six games as road favorites.  Kansas City is 5-0 in the last five meetings.  Bet the Royals Tuesday.

20* NBA Monday No-Doubt Rout on Portland Trail Blazers -14.5

The Portland Trail Blazers are playing their best basketball of the season right now as they try and earn a Top 6 seed in the Western Conference so they avoid the play-in round.  They are one game ahead of the Lakers for that 6th spot and will be highly motivated to finish the season strong because of it.

The Blazers are 7-1 SU & 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall with their only loss coming on the road in the 2nd of a back-to-back situation at Atlanta where they were also playing their 5th road game in 7 days.  Six of the seven wins came by double-digits, and the seven wins came by an average of 19.1 points per game.

Now they take on the Houston Rockets, who might be the worst team in the NBA right now if it's not the Oklahoma City Thunder.  The Rockets are 5-42 SU & 14-33 ATS in their last 47 games overall.  Now they will be playing their 3rd road game in 4 days and are playing short-handed without Wall, Gordon, Bradley, Wilson, Porter Jr. and Brown.  Christian Wood and Kelly Olynyk are both questionable tonight.

The Rockets are 15-41 ATS in their last 56 games playing on one days' rest.  The Blazers are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games vs. a team with a losing record.  Portland is 6-1 ATS in its last seven home meetings with Houston.  Bet the Blazers Monday.

15* NBA Monday Undervalued Underdog on Washington Wizards +8.5

The Washington Wizards are 15-4 SU in their last 19 games overall with three losses coming by 3 points or less.  So they are 18-1 ATS in their last 19 games if they were a +3.5 dog or higher.  And now they are catching 8.5 points against the Atlanta Hawks tonight.

There should be an adjustment for Bradley Beal being out, but it should not be this big.  If he was playing this line would be much closer to a pick 'em.  He's not worth this many points even thought he has been tremendous for them.  For one game at least, Russell Westbrook can rally the troops and keep the Wizards competitive tonight.

The Wizards are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games overall.  Washington is 6-1-1 ATS in its last eight road games.  The Wizards are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games as underdogs.  Washington is 5-0 ATS in its last five games vs. a team with a winning record.  Take the Wizards Monday.

15* MLB Monday PLAY OF THE DAY on Cincinnati Reds -151

The Cincinnati Reds have a way better lineup than the Pittsburgh Pirates do this season.  The Reds are scoring 5.1 runs per game while the Pirates are scoring just 3.5 runs per game.  And the Reds have a huge advantage on the mound tonight as well.

Tyler Mahle is 1-1 with a 2.93 ERA and 1.109 WHIP in six starts this season with 41 K's in 30 2/3 innings.  Mahle has been at his best on the road with a 1.29 ERA and 1.071 WHIP in three starts away from home.  He is also 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in his last two starts against the Pirates while pitching 11 shutout innings.

Mitch Keller is 2-3 with a 6.29 ERA and 1.685 WHIP in six starts for the Pirates this season, including 1-2 with a 10.13 ERA and 2.439 WHIP in three home starts.  Keller has never beaten the Reds, going 0-1 with a 6.92 ERA and 1.692 WHIP in three career starts against them.

The Reds are 6-0 in their last six Monday games.  The Pirates are 4-21 in their last 25 Monday games.  Cincinnati is 7-0 in its last seven meetings with Pittsburgh.  The Pirates are 2-8 in their last 10 games overall.  Roll with the Reds Monday.